Doing Early Childhood Research - International Perspectives on Theory and Practice

Doing Early Childhood Research demystifies the research process. An international team of experienced researchers shows how to select methods which are appropriate for working with young children in early childhood settings or at home.

They provide a thorough introduction to the most common research methods used in the early childhood context. Reflecting the multidisciplinary nature of much early childhood research, they cover a wide range of conventional and newer methods including observation, small surveys, interviews with adults and children, action research, ethnography and quasi-experimental approaches.

They explain clearly how to set up research projects which are theoretically grounded, well-designed, rigorously analysed, feasible and ethically based. Each chapter is illustrated with examples.

Widely used by early childhood researchers in many countries, this second edition of Doing Early Childhood Research has been fully revised. It includes new chapters on beginning research, mixed methods research, interviewing children, and working with Indigenous children, and also new case study chapters. It is essential reading for novice, initial career and experienced researchers.

'It is rare for any research methodology book to cover so much ground, and contain so many different kinds of resources between two covers.' - Journal of Education for Teaching

'As a guide for new and inexperienced researchers, it is second to none.' - British Journal of Educational Studies

List of contents

List of tables

Contributors

Introduction - Glenda Mac Naughton, Sharne Rolfe and Iram Siraj-Blatchford

PART I: The nature of research

1 Research as a tool - Sharne Rolfe and Glenda Mac Naughton

2 The research process - Glenda Mac Naughton and Sharne Rolfe

3 Paradigms, methods and knowledge - Patrick Hughes

4 Doing research as a beginning researcher - Audrey D'Souza Juma

5 Ethics in early childhood research - Margaret Coady

6 Indigenous research - Karen Martin

PART II: Analysis and design

7 Design issues - Alan Hayes

8 Quantitative designs and statistical analysis - Linda Harrison

9 Qualitative designs and analysis - Anne Edwards

10 Equity and research design - Susan Grieshaber

11 Mixed-method designs - Iram Siraj-Blatchford

12 Designing to scale: When size matters - Mindy Blaise

PART III: The research process in action

13 Surveys and questionnaires: An evaluative case study - John Siraj-Blatchford

14 Interviewing young children - Maria Assuncao Folque

15 Interviewing adults in an Indigenous community - Sue Atkinson-Lopez

16 An ethnographic approach to researching young children's learning - Iram Siraj-Blatchford

17 Action research - Louise Taylor

18 Direct observation - Sharne A. Rolfe and Sue Emmett

19 Case study - Teresa Vasconcelos

20 Quasi-experimental research - Liane Brown

Appendix 1: Getting our terms right

Glossary

Index

About the author

Professor Glenda Mac Naughton is Director of the Centre for Equity and Innovation in Early Childhood at the University of Melbourne. Sharne A. Rolfe is Senior Lecturer at the Melbourne Graduate School of Education. Iram Siraj-Blatchford is Professor of Early Childhood Education at the Institute of Education, University of London.

Summary

Doing Early Childhood Research demystifies the research process. An international team of experienced researchers shows how to select methods which are appropriate for working with young children in early childhood settings or at home.

They provide a thorough introduction to the most common research methods used in the early childhood context. Reflecting the multidisciplinary nature of much early childhood research, they cover a wide range of conventional and newer methods including observation, small surveys, interviews with adults and children, action research, ethnography and quasi-experimental approaches.

They explain clearly how to set up research projects which are theoretically grounded, well-designed, rigorously analysed, feasible and ethically based. Each chapter is illustrated with examples.

Widely used by early childhood researchers in many countries, this second edition of Doing Early Childhood Research has been fully revised. It includes new chapters on beginning research, mixed methods research, interviewing children, and working with Indigenous children, and also new case study chapters. It is essential reading for novice, initial career and experienced researchers.

'It is rare for any research methodology book to cover so much ground, and contain so many different kinds of resources between two covers.' - Journal of Education for Teaching 'As a guide for new and inexperienced researchers, it is second to none.' - British Journal of Educational Studies

Product details

• Authors: Glenda Rolfe Macnaughton, Glenda Mac Naughton, Sharne A. Rolfe, Iram Siraj-Blatchford
• Assisted by: Glenda MacNaughton (Editor), Sharne A Rolfe (Editor), Iram Siraj-Blatchford (Editor)
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd.
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 31.05.2021
• EAN: 9780367717964
• ISBN: 978-0-367-71796-4
• No. of pages: 400
• Subject: Humanities, art, music > Education > Education system