Professionalism and the Early Childhood Studies Graduate

Carolyn SilberfeldResearch to Reality

ConferenceWoburn House 14th March

2006

Professionalism and the Early Childhood Studies Graduate

Development of ECS Degrees Aims of the Study Research Strategy Research Design Sample Ethical Considerations

Professionalism and the Early Childhood Studies Graduate

Data Collection Questionnaire Response The Interviews Data Analysis Discussion of findings

Development of ECS Degrees

better educated workforce, better equipped to provide quality experiences for children (Calder, 1999)

link between quality of provision & level of education (Whitebrook et al 1990)

Early Childhood Studies (ECS) degrees validated in the UK since 1993.

Issues

Rapid development ECS degrees Differences between programmes Graduate employment for those

without practice qualification Benchmarking of ECS degrees

Aims of Study

To explore perceptions about the preparation of ECS graduates for employment/further study.

To investigate the perceptions regarding the status of the ECS graduate.

Research Strategy

Flexible design to encompass qualitative and quantitative aspects.

Qualitative paradigm – narrative data, perceptions

Naturalism (critical realism or post-positivism) - deeper social reality, needs qualitative enquiry (Holliday, 2002).

Research Design

Exploratory Case Study

Can follow a naturalistic paradigm

Allows both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods

Sample ECS Degrees Network (past and

present)

Purposive sample to encompass range & diversity taken from those who volunteer

No need for generalisation

Ethical Considerations

Information to prospective sample Informed consent (informed refusal) Procedures of study Recording, storage and use of data Analysis and dissemination of data Confidentiality Anonymity as far as possible

Data Collection

Questionnaire to identify more detail about ECS programme and background of respondent. Semi-structured Open and closed questions

Interviews with selected sample Loosely structured interview

schedule

Questionnaire Response

Only 3 received by given deadline Email re-sent with new deadline 19 returned (16 institutions) –

45.7% 16 completed – all willing to

participate further in study

The Interviews

9 selected for telephone interview Geographical spread Range of professional backgrounds Active interviewing (Holstein &

Gubrium (1999) Problems with equipment during

pilot interview

Data Analysis

Questionnaires Matrix constructed to identify

commonalities and differences Interviews

Phenomenographic analysis - identifying conceptions, looking for underlying meanings and relationship between them (Entwistle & Entwistle, 1997)

Questionnaire Analysis

Questionnaires – limited usefulness, other than to clarify diversity of programmes, statistics of students and range of graduate destinations

Graduate Destinations PGCE – Primary/Early Years/GTP P/G – social work/law/midwifery/play

therapy/speech therapy Masters/PhD Management/employment in EY Setting Sure Start/other EY projects EYDCP Classroom Asst./support worker/social work asst. Lecturer HE/FE Special Needs Other – includes NGO, working/travelling

abroad/librarian/mentoring

Interview Analysis

Six themes emerged from data influence of the respondent’s

background preparation of students status of graduates within early years

‘world’ and within wider world graduate concerns role of early years practice graduate skills

Influence of Background 1- 10 years involvement in ECS Degrees Similarity in professional qualifications

of 7 respondents – five teachers and two social workers but teaching and employment histories dissimilar

Different reasons for involvement in ECS degree

All positive about multidisciplinary and multi-professional nature of degree programmes

Preparation of students

Influenced by type of applicant and background of interviewees Practitioners wanting to increase

knowledge & understanding Promotion prospects Entry on to professional courses Interest in widening EY field

Preparation of students

Preparation for life skills Preparation for graduate skills As advocates for children and families Understanding of what childhood is

about – historically, socially, in a health context, not just child development

Preparation for management

Teacher Training High % applicants wanted to do

teacher training but found other options - perceived early years as “a graduate type of specialism”

Teachers did not always encourage graduates to go into teaching - concerns regarding prescribed curriculum not thought to reflect or meet learning needs of children.

Status of Graduate ECS degree gave graduates higher

status within the early years world In wider world status was much the

same as majority of those who work with children

Status related to salary Awareness that childcare workers

were ‘at the bottom of the wage spectrum’

Graduate Concerns

Finding suitable employment without practice qualification

Recognition of degree within early childhood settings

Recognition of graduate skills and status of degree for employment in field of early childhood

Graduate Skills

Recurring theme in all interviews – reflective & critical thinkers; confident in knowledge and understanding of ECS; good communicators

“I want to make them powerful, thinking, reflective, honest……all sorts of traditional things you get from a good degree”