Reflections of pioneers in early childhood education research on their collaboration with practitioners in the development of theories and innovative practices

Abstract

This paper, based on interviews conducted for the Early Childhood Oral History Project, draws on oral life-history interviews with 14 prominent early childhood researchers who have been active since the 1970s within diverse European countries. A common theme across the interviews is the key role that collaborative research between academics and early childhood practitioners played in the construction of theories and innovative practices. The interviewees reflect on personal, social-political, epistemological and practical factors that underpinned their engagement in collaborative research, and the challenges they encountered. They give insight into the role practitioners played in the construction of education as a social-historical science – contextualised knowledge that is intrinsically related to ethics, values and innovation.

Keywords:

• Oral history
• history early childhood education
• collaborative research of academics and practitioners
• theory – practice relationships
• pedagogical innovations

Acknowledgements

We want to thank our interviewees for their enthusiasm and willingness to share their personal and professional history, thoughts and theories on early childhood education: Stig Broström, Gunilla Dahlberg, Tricia David, Maritta Hännikäinen, Anne Trine Kjørholt, Susanna Mantovani, Tullia Musatti, Bert van Oers, Chris Pascal, Ingrid Pramling Samuelsson, Christa Preissing, Sylvie Rayna, Nico van Oudenhoven, Margy Whalley.