Abstract
A successful start to school means children are more likely to experience positive social and emotional outcomes as well as improved academic achievement. The impact of a positive start to school is especially important for children living in disadvantaged circumstances, where cycles of social and economic disadvantage can be disrupted by effective transitions and increased engagement with school. Contemporary approaches to transition have focused attention on what can be done on a pedagogical level to support children’s transition to school and foster continuity of learning between early childhood and school settings.
While much is known about pedagogies, and transition to school, much less attention has been directed to understanding pedagogies of educational transition, or a clear understanding of what is meant by this. The findings presented are from doctoral research that aimed to develop a definition of pedagogies of educational transitions and identify pedagogies of educational transition enacted by educators in rural areas to support children’s transition to school.
The participants of the study were prior-to-school and school educators who were members of professional educator networks with a specific focus on enhancing children’s transition to school, and were operating in four rural communities in Victoria and New South Wales, Australia. The study employed a qualitative, interpretivist design, underpinned by Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model of development. Data were drawn from the network meetings, focus group interviews and follow-up interviews and analysed employing constructivist grounded theory approaches.
Results and analysis identified a range of pedagogies of educational transitions facilitated by educators in rural networks with the aim of promoting successful transitions to school. These were: the networks themselves, school visits, information nights, speed-dating, reciprocal visits, buddy programs, classroom practices, ‘all about school’ books and transition statements. The study also identified a series of interconnected and mutually dependent influences on these pedagogies of education transition: rurality, curricula, leadership, purpose, reciprocal understandings, relationships, professionalism and goals for transition. A theoetical model was developed that represents the ways in which pedagogies of educational transition were generated through interactions with, and among, the identified influences.
Pedagogies of educational transition is still a new area of research and requires further investigation. A fuller picture of the importance of pedagogies of educational transitions would be gained through research focusing on a variety of viewpoints, including those of children, families and communities, with larger participant groups, and in different contexts.
While much is known about pedagogies, and transition to school, much less attention has been directed to understanding pedagogies of educational transition, or a clear understanding of what is meant by this. The findings presented are from doctoral research that aimed to develop a definition of pedagogies of educational transitions and identify pedagogies of educational transition enacted by educators in rural areas to support children’s transition to school.
The participants of the study were prior-to-school and school educators who were members of professional educator networks with a specific focus on enhancing children’s transition to school, and were operating in four rural communities in Victoria and New South Wales, Australia. The study employed a qualitative, interpretivist design, underpinned by Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model of development. Data were drawn from the network meetings, focus group interviews and follow-up interviews and analysed employing constructivist grounded theory approaches.
Results and analysis identified a range of pedagogies of educational transitions facilitated by educators in rural networks with the aim of promoting successful transitions to school. These were: the networks themselves, school visits, information nights, speed-dating, reciprocal visits, buddy programs, classroom practices, ‘all about school’ books and transition statements. The study also identified a series of interconnected and mutually dependent influences on these pedagogies of education transition: rurality, curricula, leadership, purpose, reciprocal understandings, relationships, professionalism and goals for transition. A theoetical model was developed that represents the ways in which pedagogies of educational transition were generated through interactions with, and among, the identified influences.
Pedagogies of educational transition is still a new area of research and requires further investigation. A fuller picture of the importance of pedagogies of educational transitions would be gained through research focusing on a variety of viewpoints, including those of children, families and communities, with larger participant groups, and in different contexts.
Original language | English |
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Publication status | Published - 2023 |
Event | Australian Association of Research in Education (AARE) Conference 2023: AARE 2023 - University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia Duration: 26 Nov 2023 → 30 Nov 2023 https://aare.edu.au/ https://web.archive.org/web/20231022015349/https://www.xcdsystem.com/aare/program/PJRPyvc/index.cfm (Program) https://ieaa.org.au/IEAA/IEAA/Events/External-Event.aspx?EventKey=EXT261123#:~:text=The%20Australian%20Association%20for%20Research,at%20The%20University%20of%20Melbourne.&text=We%20look%20forward%20to%20welcoming,by%20the%20University%20of%20Melbourne. |
Conference
Conference | Australian Association of Research in Education (AARE) Conference 2023 |
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Abbreviated title | Truth, Voice, Place: Critical junctures for educational research |
Country/Territory | Australia |
City | Melbourne |
Period | 26/11/23 → 30/11/23 |
Other | NOTE FROM THE CONFERENCE CHAIR We look forward to welcoming you to the AARE 2023 Conference hosted by the University of Melbourne. The theme of the conference this year is Truth, Voice, Place: Critical junctures for educational research. We invite education researchers to explore critical junctures in the field. We are excited to bring together a diverse community of scholars to engage in meaningful discussions and exchange ideas on the pressing issues facing education research today. As you will see in the Call for Papers, one immediate context for the conference theme is the upcoming referendum on recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Australian Constitution. This represents one of the many critical junctures facing educational researchers today, both locally and internationally. The conference aims to provide a welcome forum for scholars to discuss the implications of this historic moment, alongside the intersection of education research with broader local and global change. We welcome submissions from education researchers across all areas of the field, including curriculum, policy, pedagogy, assessment, and leadership. We hope that the conference will provide opportunities for transformation, new possibilities, and new collaborations. |
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