Mapping and appraisal of Scandinavian research in ECEC institutions (2006-2007)

1. Conference concerning Nordic research in the field of early childhood education and care: Quality and relevance for policymaking Oslo/Gardermoen, 18.-20.11.2009 Thomas Moser, Vestfold University College Katrin Hjort, Bente Jensen, Inge Johansson, Sven Erik Nordenbo, Niels Ploug & Michael Søgaard Larsen Mapping and appraisal of Scandinavian research in ECEC institutions (2006-2007)

2. PRESENTATION - OVERVIEW • Background and purpose of the project • Method and procedure • Selected results • Conclusions and future perspectives

3. BACKGROUND Funding: The Danish Evaluation Institute Conducted by: Danish Clearinghouse for Educational Research The Danish School of Education University of Aarhus, Copenhagen in 2007-2008

4. PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT • In general: Providing research based knowledge Policy development, research and practice • Develop research based knowledge for future (Danish) policy development (“evidence based”) • Systematic mapping and appraisal of Scandinavian research projects and -results in early childhood education institutions is demanded (Lack of knowledge) • Establish a free accessible research database • Make Scandinavian research accessible for non Scandinavian researchers, practitioners, policy providers and public (English language)

5. EVIDENCE - BASED PRACTICE Evidentia = clearness, certainty • Evidence based practice: A term introduced by David Sackett (public health) • A systematically and balanced use of the best existing evidence from clinical research combined with clinical evaluation • No new form of “technocracy” !!!

6. THREE SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE FOR EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE USER EXPERIENCE AND INTENTIONS RESEARCH BASED EVIDENCE EVIDENCE- BASED PRACTICE PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE AND COMPETENCY

7. RESEARCHER GROUP • Professor Sven Erik Nordenbo, Danish School of Education • Professor Katrin Hjort, University of Southern Denmark Odense (2007) • Senior lecturer Bente Jensen, Danish School of Education • Professor Inge Johansson, University of Stockholm, Sweden • Professor Jan Kampmann, Roskilde University, Denmark (2006) • Senior lecturer Michael Søgaard Larsen, Danish School of Education • Professor Thomas Moser, Vestfold University College, Norway • Research Director Niels Ploug, Statistics Denmark

8. SCANDINAVIAN COUNTRIES 19 million inhabitants 80-90 % of the 1-5/6 years old are enrolled in ECE-institutions Scandi-navian: 9,0 mill. 4,6 mill. 5,5 mill. Nordic:

9. PRESENTATION - OVERVIEW • Background and purpose of the project • Method and procedure • Selected main findings • Conclusions and future perspectives

10. THE MAPPING PROCESS IN GENERAL Searching literature Implications for pratice, policy and research ”Qualifying” the hits Re-description Description of main themes/topics Systematical mapping*) characterizing main tendencies *) Following the EPPI-Centre data extraction and coding tool for education studies Evidence for Policy and Practice Information and Co-ordinating Centre, Institute of Education, London University

11. PROCEDURE SEARCH IN DATABASE RESSOURCE HITSDanish pedagogical base 141Researchdatabase (Denmark, betaversion) 22NORBOK 69Bibsys Forskdok (Norway) 394Libris (Sweden, betaversion) 238Forskning.se (Sweden) 2www.skolporten.com (Sweden) 7Hand search of Scand. Journal of Educational Research 0ERIC 3References from Review Group 2References from other researchers 7

12. PROCEDURESEARCHING AND IDENTIFYING DOCUMENTS Search hits 1114 references identified 64 doublets identified 1095 unique references identified Reference doublets Reference screening Screening of titles and abstracts 879 references excluded Criteria: wrong institution or document type 1st phase Included documents 171 documents included Not provided documents 1 document Provided documents 170 documents Full texts screening Screening på baggrund af dokumentets tekst 64 documents excluded Criteria: wrong institution or document type 2nd phase Included documents 106 documents included 2006: n=52; 2007:5 n=54;

13. PROCEDURE MAPPING AND APPRAISAL Re-description of 106 studies EPPI – Reviewer 15 dimensions 123 questions Description of six specific themes/topics Systematical mapping characterizing main tendencies of 106 studies 52 Swedish 27 Danish 27 Norwegian Implications for pratice, policy and research 15 dimensions 123 questions

14. PRESENTATION - OVERVIEW • Background and purpose of the project • Method and procedure • Selected results • Purpose, research design and –methods • Specific themes and issues • Conclusions and future perspectives

15. FOUR PUBLICATIONS SO FARhttp://www.dpu.dk; http://www.eva.dk

16. RESULTS Purpose, research design and –methodsN=106 scientific publications2006: n=522007: n=54

17. Main topics or focus areas

18. RESEARCH ISSUES AND TOPICS – DIDACTIC PERSPECTIVE

19. THE PURPOSE OF RESEARCH IN THE STUDIES

20. RESEARCH APPROACHES

21. SAMPLES - MAIN FOCUS ON ... *Only three studies 2006 and nine 2007 address exclusively children

22. The pre-school institutionS in a social perspective

23. SIX SPECIFIC THEMES AND TOPICS (2006/2007) • Play, learning and care, curriculum: 44 studies (26/18) • Vulnerability, social inequality, in-/exclusion in institutions: 16 studies (9/7) • Professionals, teachers: 79 studies (39/40) • Parents and institutions: 19 studies (11/8) • Implementation of legislation and curricula: 6 studies (2/4) • Health: 4 studies (1/3)

24. PRESENTATION - OVERVIEW • Background and purpose of the project • Method and procedure • Selected results • Conclusions and future perspectives

25. MAIN CONCLUSIONSOF THE 2006 & 2007 MAPPING • Ethnography and case oriented studies focused on micro-processes, learning and professional work are predominating • Little focus on political, social cultural and economical frames and their implications for the practical work • Surprisingly little focus on children • Inquiries aiming at the family’s social background, economical situation and its implications for the work in preschool institutions are rather rare • The caring dimension of the pedagogical work is only examined in a few studies (few studies of the youngest children) • Comparative studies are missing (local; international) • The researchers’ craftsmanship. (What is in the research process? Explicitly about research methods and design) • Few intervention studies, no experimental studies almost no longitudinal studies

26. SOME CHALLENGES • Questioning and developing the relation between research, evaluation and practice • Taking the “holistic” approach seriously also in research. A widened view of learning and the dynamics of learning (including the assessment/testing issue) • The institutional frames for inclusion- as well as exclusion-processes • The importance of the interaction with parents and the relations between the professionals and parents • The relationships between political level, practitioners/professionals and practice (secure and develop quality) • Combining micro and macro perspective, qualitative and quantitative approaches, cross sectional and longitudinal studies, description and intervention

27. SOME CONSIDERATIONS CONCERNING POLICY MAKING • Using this and other reviews and mappings actively and critically – cross national/Nordic • Funding further research mappings, perhaps also “back in time” • Contribute to disseminate the findings on different levels • Establishing a formal cooperation between the Scandinavian/Nordic countries (“Nordic/Scandinavian Clearinghouse for Educational Research”) • Establishing national centers for research based knowledge

28. The Danish School of EducationUniversity of AarhusTuborgvej 164 DK-2400 København NV tel:  (+45) 8888 9969fax: (+45) 8888 9922 http://www.dpu.dk/site.aspx?p=9882