Editorial

Informed by research and praxis, we acknowledge that there are specific fundamentals in Early Childhood Pedagogy that afford the main pillars under which theories, practices and beliefs are constructed, deconstructed and reconstructed (Moss 2019). These fundamentals refer to (a) the image of the child and the adult, (b) the learning and teaching processes, (c) meaningful contexts, and (d) personal and social growth. All of these encompass the zone of early childhood pedagogy, which is rich in potentialities. These fundamentals ensure that we leave transmissive pedagogies and move towards more participatory ones that allow the potentialities of learning and teaching for all to take place (Formosinho and Formosinho 2016).

The image of the child and the adult refers to children and teachers (in service or preservice) as well as parents. This image is such that it acknowledges each person as a competent human being who has a voice and specific beliefs and who actively participates in learning and development while taking their own time and space. Malaguzzi (1993) refers to the competent and strong child, while Loizou and Charalambous (2017) refer to how to involve children in sharing their voices. Moreover, Loizou (2011, 2013, 2017a) exploring the empowerment pedagogy shows how adults can be actively involved in early childhood education. Moreover, learning and teaching are the main processes than encompass early childhood pedagogy and these are effective when they are considered relational processes. Through relationships, teaching and learning are realized as communities of practice in which children, teachers and parents interact and participate, showing respect and listening to each other (Rinaldi 2006). At the same time, through this perspective, there is constant sharing of power and knowledge, which leads to learning and skill development; appropriated through continuous observation and reflection. Meaningful contexts are crucial for the experiences of all early childhood education participants and are decisive for their learning and development. Experiences are rich only when they make connections between what is known and what can be learnt. The time spectrum of the past-present and future is central in these processes; everyone draws from what has been learnt, building on current situations while considering the future (Loizou 2017b). Everyone has their valued experiences, knowledge and skills, which they carry with them, and these provide the basis on which further learning and development takes place. Meaningful experiences lead towards personal growth and this subsequently leads to social growth. No one is alone in pedagogy and no one is a winner or a loser on their own. Learning is based on relationships and these support each participant to grow within their own zone of proximal development (Loizou 2017c). The growth of the person takes place within a community, a learning community and a community of practice, thus there is a direct connection to the development, reform and growth of the society (Dewey 1987).

Early Childhood Pedagogy can be viewed as a Zone of Potential Growth referring to diverse pedagogical spaces, (learning communities and communities of practice) in which participants (children, teachers (in-service, preservice), parents, administrators, teacher educators) are active and competent beings, with a voice, and engage in respectful quality relationships sharing power/knowledge, reflecting, learning and thus potentially growing. This issue provides examples of empirical research that highlight the above-mentioned fundamentals separately or in combination through qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. The papers in this issue examine different perspectives and viewpoints, those of children, teachers, parents and researchers.

The first four articles help us examine teachers’, children’s, and parents’ viewpoints on themes such as engineering, play, the inclusion of migrant families, gender and learning while at the same time allowing us to consider the image of each one separately, highlighting the importance of their active involvement and relationship-based experiences which can lead to learning and change.

Specifically, the article titled “Engineers and Engineering Through the Eyes of Preschoolers: A Phenomenographic Study of Children’s Drawings” by Aysun Ata-Aktürk and Hasibe Özlen Demircan examines how pre-schoolers perceive engineers and engineering through their drawings. It is evident that the children do not have a clear understanding and tend to perceive engineering as a male-specific physical work taking place outdoors. These findings suggest that adults in children’s environments (parents and teachers) influence their perceptions through their interactions and the information they share with them. As the twenty-first century is technologically advanced and STEM education is promoted worldwide in preschools, the authors suggest that it is important to support children’s experiences, knowledge and skills in these areas.

Following the article titled “Parents’ Understandings and Practices Regarding Play and Learning” by Keshni Bipath, Azwihangwisi E. Muthivhi and Sabeehah Bhoola explore the contestations of play and learning based on parents’ voices. It is evident in the findings that even though parents state that they consider play for their 3-4-year-old children important for their overall development, at home they create structured play environments. It seems that parents have been influenced by the large selection of learning materials that were available during the COVID time, by teachers and other sources. This study confirms the need for parent intervention programmes to support parents to provide for their children with appropriate free and joyful play experiences that respond to their needs.

The work of Charlotte Löthman and Tünde Puskás titled “On the Way Towards Integration? From Monologic to Dialogic Encounters in Swedish Rural Preschools” examines the perceptions of preschool practitioners on their encounters with migrant families in rural preschools. Data suggest that there is a change in practitioners’ stance since they become self-reflective towards migrant parents and their own practices. More specifically, the authors present findings that show teachers moving from dysfunctional to functional communication, monologic expectations to responsive incorporation, from uncertain monologism towards confident dialogism. They conclude that by recognizing that the host country members and the migrant families are both conceived as ‘others’ this can lead to common understanding and communication. The outcomes of this study are a clear example of how personal growth can lead to societal change.

The article titled “Men in Early Childhood Education and Care: On Navigating a Gendered Terrain” by Deevia Bhana, Shaaista Moosa, Yuwei Xu and Kari Emilsen investigates men’s involvement in ECEC attempting to navigate a gendered terrain highlighting the importance of exploring the image(s) of the teacher. The paper shows how men negotiate their positions, suggesting intervention strategies to increase and support men’s participation in more progressive and gender-sensitive ways. The data suggest that the presence of men in ECEC was problematized as being unorthodox by the men who are present in the field and at a broader institutionalized level. Also, they discuss the different perspectives and discourse of the male role model and that on the men as a sexual danger. These are elaborated and the authors argue towards altering the gendered profiling of ECEC.

The next two articles provide examples of how best to document and assess children’s learning and development while acknowledging the child as a human being who has a voice and the right to actively participate in the documentation of her learning.

The work of Susanne Klaar and Ann-Charlott Wank titled “ECE as an Educative and Multifaceted Practice for Growth – To Assess and Evaluate Teaching and Learning by Documenting Children’s Actions and re-actions” aims to present and illustrate an action-based tool that facilitates documentation and assessment of children’s multifaceted learning. It also combines individual learning with teaching approaches and evaluation of preschool practices at an institutional level. Data suggests that the specific tool facilitates action-based reflection and allows discussion about children’s learning and institutional norms and values. Also, the specific tool highlights participatory, and child cantered pedagogy giving teachers and children active role in their teaching and learning processes.

The article titled “‘Why am I in all of these pictures?’ From Learning Stories to Lived Stories: The Politics of Children’s Participation Rights in Documentation Practices” by Caralyn Blaisdell, Lynn J. McNair, Luke Addison and John M. Davis looks at young children’s participating rights in the documentation and how these were enacted within the authorship of Learning Stories. Findings highlight the difficulties and complexities of pedagogical documentation and accommodation of children’s own authorship, as these can be constrained by material relations (e.g. insufficient technology or inadequate internet). The authors conclude that pedagogical documentation is not a technical or a neutral process, thus, it is important to employ approaches that do not lead to the exclusion of children’s voices (i.e. due to lack of technology access) but consider transformative pedagogies that challenge the status quo.

While the following three articles exemplify the outcomes of teaching and children’s learning through tools, scales and instruments employing quantitative methodology, they also highlight the importance of meaningful contexts which can best support teachers and children.

The work of Banu Uslu titled “The Effect of Foreign Language Acquisition on Preschool Children’s Self-Regulation and Social Skills” examines the effect of learning a foreign language on children’s personal and social development. The data of this study suggest that foreign language practices improve children’s self-confidence which then reflects in the development of their social skills. More specifically, the study highlights the importance of rich and stimulating environments, indoors and outdoors, along with the use of activities and auditory materials, in a child-centred way to enrich children’s foreign language acquisition experiences.

The article titled “The Role of ECEC Teachers for the Long-Term Social and Academic Adjustment of Children with Early Externalizing Difficulties: A Prospective Cohort Study” by S. Baardstu, M. V. Wang and R. E. Brandlistuen examines the role that ECEC teachers have on the long-term social and academic adjustment of children with externalizing difficulties. Specifically using a large sample of data, the role of school readiness and teacher–child closeness is explored in relation to children’s perspective social and academic development. Findings suggest that closer teacher–child relationships support children’s school readiness regardless of their early externalizing issues. This study is an example of the importance of relationships, and that when relationships between teachers and all children are deep and quality based, then children respond positively to their best interest.

Ella Cosmovici Idsøe, J. Campbell, T. Idsøe and I. Størksen with their work titled “Development and Psychometric Properties of Nomination Scales for High Academic Potential in Early Childhood Education and Care” describe the development of two scales designed to measure teachers’ and parents’ perceptions of high potential among children and how the scores correlate with assessed high potential. Findings suggest that the two scales can function as screening instruments when employed together. Also, data shows how the teacher scale had stronger correlations with assessed potential than the parent scale, suggesting that teachers’ judgement is more accurate. This finding contradicts other studies and comes to highlight the importance of acknowledging the teacher as an empowered partner in the teaching and learning processes.

The last article of this issue is an example of how the fundamentals of early childhood pedagogy play in and inform the research processes we follow to investigate important themes within the field. Björn Rúnar Egilsson, Sue Dockett and Jóhanna Einarsdóttir with their article titled “Methodological and Ethical Challenges in Cross Language Qualitative Research: The Role of Interpreters” examine the methodological and ethical challenges in cross-language qualitative research focusing on the process of interpretation. The data of this study drawn from the reports of an interview with a non-Iceland family focusing on their experiences in preschool revealed that the interpreter influences the data generation. The researchers were able to note this influence only after the follow up translation of the interview. They comment on how methodologically, this issue challenges the validity and reliability of the data generated, and ethically, it identifies the exercise of the power of the interpreter in relation to cultural and confidentiality elements.

Adversities and successes force and allow us to revisit our ideals, our beliefs and practices. Taking on an ethical stance on early childhood pedagogy (Bertram et al. 2016), we agree on specific fundamentals as suggested above, which keep guiding us through the years and times. Early Childhood Pedagogy is a Zone of Potentialities and we need to safeguard it as such.