Ann Marie Halpenny

Nóirín Hayes

Leah O'Toole

Children learn in contexts, and the spaces, places and people they come into contact with have a deep influence on their development. Urie Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model of development places the child at the centre of this complex network, and his influence has been extensive in early childhood education. This book presents an introduction to Bronfenbrenner’s model of development, drawing on practice-based research to identify and animate key elements of his model’s impact. It illustrates how his model can help bring quality to early learning environments and incorporates it into daily work with young children. As well as providing a glossary of key terms, Introducing Bronfenbrenner covers areas such as: a bioecological perspective on educational transition; early education as a dynamic process; nurturing children’s learning and development; reflecting the bioecological in early years practice. Using a variety of vignettes, practical examples of good practice and case studies, Introducing Bronfenbrenner is an essential guide to his work. It will be of interest to professionals working with children in early childhood settings and to undergraduate students training to become early childhood professionals.

A Guide for Practitioners and Students in Early Years Education

Introducing Bronfenbrenner

Capturing Children’s Meanings in Early Childhood Research and Practice draws together contemporary research and established theories to produce a unique take on the meanings children express through a range of creative tools. Drawing on Reggio Emilia and the Mosaic approach, this book provides readers with a range of strategies for accessing, recording and interpreting young children’s perceptions of and responses to their experiences. Providing a synthesis of the multiple imaginative ways we can capture young children’s meanings through observations, art, photo elicitation, mindfulness, music and other creative methods, Halpenny covers topics such as: Negotiating challenges presented by researching with children Frameworks for seeing and hearing children’s intentions Accurately documenting and interpreting research findings Promoting children’s meanings and their performance of them Moving forward with new understandings This book is an indispensable resource for students of early childhood education, especially for courses focusing on the lived experiences of children from early to middle childhood. It is also a useful reference for those working with young children in educational and caregiving settings, and for those advocating for young children.

Ann Marie Halpenny

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