BECERA Conference -16-17 February, 2021
2021
What’s My Pedagogy?
The research seeks to deconstruct understanding of pedagogy in Early Childhood Education (ECE), and how practitioner’s knowledge of pedagogy develops during work placement. Research establishes the significance of an effective pedagogical approach to support early child development and learning (Wall, 2015; EPPSE DfE, 2012, Moyles, 2003). The transformational nature of a work placement is recognised (Meiroz, 2000) however, less is known about how placement shapes pedagogical practice. A case study approach focused on experiences of a group of second year ECE under-graduates, combining theoretical and experiential learning experiences with placements in early year’s settings. It explored the relationship between the placement experience and the developing understanding of pedagogical approaches. The theoretical framework of cultural historical activity theory (CHAT) (Engestrom, 1987) was applied to support the multiple contributing factors influencing the placement experience. An interpretative qualitative approach (Horrocks, King & Brooks, 2019) saw data collected using WhatsApp (García, Welford, & Smith, 2015) and online methods to record the students’ personal journey. The data was analysed using a thematic approach and explored through literature using policy analysis to reach a shared understanding of ‘pedagogy’. Informed consent was negotiated with the students and followed the University of Sheffield guidance. The COVID 19 outbreak straddled the data collection period and curtailed the placement experience. The pandemic influenced preliminary findings and showed the significance of placement as a transformational learning opportunity for future graduates and the potential longer-term risks to the sector if such experiences are limited.
Early Years, Pedagogy, Placement, CHAT