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- Researching change: a praxeological case study on toddlers' educational contextsPublication . Araújo, Sara BarrosThe present study intends to deepen the understanding of processes of praxeological transformation in education and care contexts for children under three. This prime purpose is associated with evidence concerning these contexts in Portugal, namely the strong social need around them, some results from research that show their low level of quality and the almost total lack of studies focusing on the analysis of processes of praxeological reconstruction, aiming at enhancing the quality of these contexts. A case study on action research was developed in two activity rooms located in the city of Porto, considering the pedagogical and methodological perspective of Pedagogy-in-Participation. The study integrated an initial phase of multimethod evaluation of the quality of the activity rooms, followed by a second phase that encompassed a context-based teacher education process centred on the transformation of quality through processes of experimentation and reflection. The third phase involved a multimethod evaluation of effects of the context-based teacher education process which showed its positive impact on the professional learning of early childhood teachers. This impact was associated with a positive evolution of the quality of activity rooms, from low to medium levels, in different pedagogical dimensions. Results also pointed out the positive effects at the level of children’s well-being, involvement, quantity and equilibrium of learning experiences. The study stresses the need to focus on praxeological research as a privileged way for the construction of knowledge, reconstruction of practices and the improvement of the quality of contexts for children under three.
- Building inclusive preschool classrooms: How desirable and feasible is a set of strategies that facilitate teacher-child relationships?Publication . Sanches-Ferreira, Manuela; Gonçalves, Joana L.; Araújo, Sara Barros; Alves, Sílvia; Barros, SílviaPositive teacher-child relationships promote children’s engagement, as children feel more secure to explore and participate in free or oriented activities. For children with disabilities, a context wherein they can receive the support to maintain a positive engagement in different activities is even more relevant. A scarcity of research exists on how to promote ECEC quality, namely, how to facilitate teacher-child interactions in inclusive environments. This study aims to evaluate preschool teachers’ opinions about the desirability and feasibility of a set of empirically validated strategies to improve teacher-child interactions in ECEC classrooms, for the group and children with disabilities. The participants were 89 Portuguese preschool teachers. Based on a non-systematic literature review, a questionnaire composed of 22 strategies to facilitate teacher-child interactions (in 4 dimensions: emotionally responsive interactions, classroom management, attend to children’s perspectives, and scaffolding learning) was developed. Along with the questionnaire, a set of socio-demographic variables was also collected. ECEC teachers scored significantly higher in the desirability subscale compared with the feasibility subscale in all dimensions and at both the child and the group level. This gap between teachers’ perceived desirability and feasibility provides important insights regarding the dimensions which are important to reinforce in ECEC teachers’ education and professional development. The mean difference between the desirability and feasibility subscales registered a higher effect size at the child’s level than at the group’s level, confirming that the inclusion of children with disabilities in preschool settings remains a challenge. Moreover, the effect size was small to moderate in the Emotionally Responsive Interactions dimension for both child and group levels. These results are aligned with previous studies stating that among different self-identified dimensions for improvement, emotional support is the less evoked by ECEC teachers. Across all dimensions, the main reason teachers give for difficulty in feasibility, both at the group and child’s level, is lack of knowledge. Overall, understanding the reasons teachers attribute to the difference between the strategies’ desirability and feasibility informs the assessment of teacher education needs and might be operationalized as a new observation instrument.
- “Re/construir Processos de Supervisão Pedagógica: uma experiência de formação profissional no contexto da Educação de Infância”Publication . Ribeiro, Deolinda; Araújo, Sara Barros; Pinto, Felisbela
- Early education for diversity: starting from birthPublication . Oliveira-Formosinho, Julia; Araújo, Sara BarrosDemocracy is at the core of the beliefs, values and principles of Pedagogy-in-Participation, the pedagogical perspective of the Childhood Association1 which is based in Portugal. Thus, it is proposed that early childhood education centres should be organised for democracy to constitute, simultaneously, an end and a mean, i.e. to constitute a presence, either at the level of central educational aims and in the realm of daily life of all actors. This article analyses the topic of early diversity education, considering intervention and research that has been developed by the Childhood Association concerning education and care for children from birth to 3-years-old. The authors aim to identify the main characteristics of this pedagogical approach that are most effective in the promotion of respect for diversity, the characteristics of the context-based teacher education approach that sustain the childhood pedagogical approach and the characteristics of the transformative interventions that were carried out within a cooperative praxiological research approach. A qualitative multi-context case study aiming at researching programme development and outcomes was conducted. The analyses carried out points to the important role of context-based teacher education processes and, within these, the central role of pedagogical dimensions (pedagogical spaces, materials, time, adult–child interactions, observation and planning), of families, nature and culture as mediators in the emergence of sensitivity and respect for all forms of difference. The article also presents some lessons that can support educational intervention, invoking the ideas of Paulo Freire for a deeper understanding of those processes.
- Roles of the interaction with children and families in mediating the association between digital health literacy and well-being of early childhood teachers in Portugal: A cross-sectional studyPublication . Rosário, Rafaela; Araújo, Sara Barros; Silva, Ana; Barros, SílviaAim To analyze the associations between early childhood education (ECE) teachers´ digital health literacy (DHL) and well-being, and to determine whether the ECE teachers´ interaction with children and family mediated these associations. Methods A total of 853 early childhood teachers, predominantly women (99.4%) participated in this cross-sectional study. The participants had a mean age of 39.9 years (standard deviation SD = 8.2). Data was collected through an online survey. DHL was assessed using five subscales adapted to the new coronavirus context, and the professionals´ well-being was measured using the WHO-5 well-being scale. Binary logistic regression and mediation analysis were used to analyze the data. Results ECE teachers’ DHL in dimensions of “information searching” and “determining relevance” had both direct and indirect effect on their well-being. Specifically, higher DHL in these dimensions was associated with better well-being. The dimension “evaluating reliability” had an indirect positive effect on well-being by promoting interaction with children. Conclusion These findings suggest that improving ECE teachers´ DHL could have a positive effect on their well-being and their interactions with children. Therefore, it is recommended to develop health promotion practices aimed at enhancing DHL among ECE teachers. Additionally, integrating DHL contents and competencies more prominently into the qualification, further education and training of ECE teachers may help equip them with the necessary skills to access and apply health information effectively. This, in turn, can enhance interactions with children and contribute to their overall well-being.
- A focus group study on participatory practices in Early Childhood Education and Care across four european countriesPublication . Barros, Sílvia; Coelho, Vera; Wysłowska, Olga; Penderi, Efthymia; Taelman, Helena; Araújo, Sara Barros; Correia, Nadine; Markowska-Manista, Urszula; Petrogiannis, Konstantinos; Boderé, Anneleen; Pessanha, Manuela; Guimarães, Cristiana; Aguiar, CecíliaParticipation in educational settings is a universal right of every child, consigned by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. This right encompasses the need to protect and encourage young children´s active participation and decision-making in early childhood education and care. Research Findings: This qualitative study, inspired by the Lundy model (2007), examined ECEC teachers’ (n = 25) and coordinators’ (n = 25) perceptions about participation practices, collected through focus groups conducted in Belgium, Greece, Poland, and Portugal. Participants were previously referred as implementing participatory practices. Results showed that the four dimensions of the Lundy model emerged in teachers’ and coordinators’ group discussions: Participative space, Children’s voice, Audience of children’s perspectives, and Influence. Furthermore, a number of subcategories in each dimension reflected different orientations toward participatory pedagogy. Practice or Policy: This study contributes to informing and inspiring participation practices in ECEC across Europe and to enriching policy discussions regarding children´s participation rights, particularly in the early years. Promising participatory practices were identified in the various dimensions of participation, though some challenges remain, requiring in-depth knowledge about pedagogical practices and the promotion of initiatives to empower professionals to enhance children’s right to participate, particularly at the center-level.
- Avaliação da qualidade em creche: o bem-estar e o envolvimento da criança como processos centraisPublication . Araújo, Sara BarrosA qualidade da educação em creche tem vindo a ser associada a efeitos positivos na aprendizagem, desenvolvimento e bem-estar da criança. Neste artigo, apresenta-se uma proposta de avaliação dessa qualidade em que o bem-estar e envolvimento da criança são reconhecidos como processos catalisadores, ao serviço da formação e investigação. O estudo centra-se na formação de profissionais orientada para a melhoria das práticas, com base na experimentação refletida de referenciais pedagógicos específicos para a creche. Os resultados revelam efeitos positivos do processo formativo na observação e interpretação das experiências das crianças e na monitorização das práticas, bem como um aumento dos níveis de bem-estar e envolvimento das crianças. Estas evidências são relevantes considerando a necessidade de quadros de referência pedagógicos que apoiem de forma consistente e fundamentada a avaliação e melhoria da qualidade em contextos de atendimento à primeira infância.