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    Play patterns and behaviours of young children who are gifted in an early childhood setting : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2005) Murphy, Caterina
    This thesis begins to address a gap in early childhood research in New Zealand by exploring how young children who are gifted play in an early childhood setting. In this study, data were generated from two young gifted children and five teachers, in one early childhood centre in the North Island of New Zealand. The children, both boys, were nominated by teachers as being intellectually and affectively gifted. A qualitative approach using case study methodology was utilised in order to describe, explain and understand (Yin, 1994) their play patterns and behaviours. Methods chosen were observation, interviews and document analysis. Findings showed that these children had advanced knowledge and language, were perfectionists and could experience frustration during play. They were found to be highly imaginative children with an interest in abstract or conceptual thinking and ideas. Co-incidentally, both were ambidextrous. The children were highly curious with a love of learning, but boredom could be experienced. They exhibited a heightened interpersonal awareness and advanced sense of humour during play. Five play preferences were identified. These children enjoyed open-ended play, pretend play, solitary play and rules-oriented play. They also preferred their play not to be disrupted by noise, centre routines and transitions. Their interactions during play were explored. They preferred to interact with the teacher during play and they were observed ignoring or repelling their peers. When they did engage socially, dominance, leadership and competition were elements of that play. This study has implications for early childhood teachers. Firstly, there is a need to understand the phenomenon of giftedness. Secondly there is the need to notice the characteristics of giftedness during play and recognise them as such. Finally, there is the need to respond by offering additional play support. The writer suggests that as early childhood teachers are a significant element of the gifted child's curriculum, that teachers can co-construct learning in meaningful ways which cater for the ease and speed of learning (Gagne, 2004) of the gifted child.
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    Identifying giftedness in early childhood centres : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 1999) Allan, Barbara Ann
    This study investigated current understanding of giftedness as it relates to NZ early childhood centre settings, in order to produce a teacher-friendly identification tool and to explore the effect of identification on curriculum provision for young children displaying gifted behaviours. Analysis of international research literature provided an initial source of indicators that could be used by teachers within the specific context of NZ early childhood centres in order to identify gifted behaviours in young children. Academics involved in gifted education and early childhood teachers experienced with gifted young children critiqued an identification instrument based on these indicators. Modifications based on these critiques resulted in an instrument of indicators of gifted behaviours considered relevant to NZ early childhood settings grouped under headings of cognition and language, approach to learning, creativity and social competence. Seventeen early childhood centres, involving a total of 167 children selected on the basis of age, gender, and ethnicity only, trialled the instrument. Seven centres participated in a training workshop previous to trialling the instrument, 10 centres received no pre-trial training. Focus group interviews revealed that using the instrument increased teachers' understanding and recognition of gifted behaviour, but that participation in a short training session did not increase success in identifying giftedness. Teachers did not show clear understanding of giftedness relating to diverse cultures or negative behaviour. A further phase of the research used unstructured interviews in six individual centres over one month to investigate the impact of identification on provision for gifted children. Teachers expressed a need for support services to assist in catering for gifted young children. The research demonstrated that while the identification instrument was useful to teachers, there are needs for further professional support and extended preservice and in-service training regarding both the diversity of giftedness and the provision of differentiated programmes for gifted young children.
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    'Mat weaving' : factors influencing the implementation of Te Whāriki : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2000) Lidington, Tracey
    This study investigates the kinds of professional development delivery appropriate to the early childhood sector in New Zealand. The study centres around 15 educators from kindergarten, childcare, playcentre, and Barnardos family daycare who participated in a professional development programme to assist them to implement the national curriculum document Te Whāriki: Draft Guidelines for Developmentally Appropriate Programmes in Early Childhood Services (Ministry of Education, 1993). The importance of such a study rests in the need for government funding for professional development to be used to benefit all stakeholders. Three delivery models using a consultancy approach to professional development were compared in this study. The delivery models were particular to this study and originated from overseas research and a small amount of anecdotal information about past early childhood professional development methodology in New Zealand. The researcher's knowledge of the diverse needs within the early childhood sector also contributed to the development of the delivery models. The delivery models used for this study were as follows: 1. An in-centre based delivery model consisting of representatives from the same-service-type. Participants were involved in a combination of in-service courses and external support opportunities; 2. An individual based delivery model consisting of representatives from mixed-service-types involving in-service courses only; 3. An individual based delivery model consisting of representatives from mixed-service-types involving participants in a combination of in-service courses and external support opportunities. The study compares the effectiveness of the three delivery models as revealed through the journal recordings of 15 participants, and interviews involving three journal writers. Delivery models with external support were found to be effective however, the study's findings suggest that participant reflection did not always lead to implementation. A model was therefore developed to demonstrate the change process for educators as a consequence of professional development. Particular note was taken regarding the influence of two variables (a) participant qualifications, and (b) service-type, on participants' ability to move through the model sequence and to produce outcomes. In addition to these variables, other variables were also found to have a strong influence. These were: (a) service support; (b) prior knowledge of Te Whāriki; (c) existing systems for observation, planning and evaluation; and (d) participant motivation.
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    Bodies in context : a comparative study of early childhood education in New Zealand and Japan : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Social Anthropology at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2013) Burke, Rachael Sarah
    Early childhood education in both New Zealand and Japan is increasingly being seen as an essential experience for children as evidenced by the growth of the early childhood sector and lively political debate. In New Zealand, the bi-cultural curriculum makes a clear commitment to supporting ethnic diversity in the classroom. While Japanese centres have been categorised as culturally homogeneous in the past, focus is now turning to accommodating children from a variety of backgrounds. In both countries less attention has been paid to the latent cultural assumptions underpinning children’s, families and teachers’ experiences of early childhood education. Using Tobin et al.’s (1989, 2009) PSC3 methodology to stimulate a multi-vocal text through the use of videotape, this thesis examines how early childhood settings in New Zealand and Japan incorporate these implicit beliefs into pedagogy and practice. This study suggests that implicit cultural practices not only shape many of the interactions of the early childhood context, but also many of these practices often go unnoticed or unrecognised as culturally informed. Using visual methods to reflect on comparative material is a powerful way to reveal hidden cultural assumptions. The video-cued method works to collapse and accelerate the traditional ethnographic fieldwork process as the videos provide a focus for discussion, and help reduce the kind of ambiguity that can occur when interviewing across cultural contexts. Through the layers of dialogue stimulated by the videos, children’s bodies emerged as the locus of the work. Although the body was once neglected as an object of scholarly study, it has now become a significant site for anthropological analysis. Inspired by Foucault (1995) scholars came to acknowledge that the body is not only socially and culturally produced, but historically situated within conceptions of society and nature. Using the theories of Foucault (1995), Douglas (1966, 1996) and Mauss (1973) as a framework, this study argues that the ways in which children’s bodies are constructed, protected, disciplined and challenged provide a useful lens through which to examine unseen cultural practices. As early childhood settings become more diverse, it is hoped this study will provide points for reflection and offer practical applications for teachers. With this aim in mind, the thesis incorporates film, qualitative interviews, vignettes and personal reflections to make the work accessible to a wider audience than traditional academic writing.
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    Physical aggression in early childhood : bridging the gap between theory and practice : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Master of Educational Psychology at Massey University, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2012) Jones, Sarah
    Literature reviewed in this study suggested there is a gap between recommendations made in research for supporting children with physically aggressive behaviour and the actual experiences of early childhood teachers working with these children. The aim of this study was to identify how early childhood teachers can be provided with greater knowledge and resources to effectively support young children with physically aggressive behaviour. A mixed methods design was chosen for this study. Data collection included interviews with five head teachers from early childhood centres across Taranaki and survey responses from a random sample of four centres across the region. Interview and survey data was subjected to thematic and content analysis and revealed a number of early childhood teachers would like access to greater knowledge and resources to support children with physically aggressive behaviour and their families. Early childhood teachers expressed an interest in access to guidelines to inform their practice and greater awareness of what support is currently available. Teachers also made explicit the need for relevant professional development which provides specific strategies for managing physically aggressive behaviour. The findings of this study suggest early childhood teachers need increased education and knowledge to effectively meet best practice for these children and their families.
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    Professional development making a difference for children : co-constructing understandings in early childhood centres : a thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Education at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2003) Jordan, Barbara Jeanette
    This thesis reports an investigation of the ways in which teachers in four early childhood centres valued children's voices as the basis for developing authentic learning experiences with them. The purpose of the study was to support teachers as they identified the changes they needed to make in their programming in order first to hear and second to engage with and extend children's thinking. In the process of the research, teachers identified their current philosophies of learning and the evidence of this in their practices, with a view to working increasingly in sociocultural modes of interaction with and planning for children's understandings. Changes in three propositions related to children's and adults' development of understandings, around which this report is organised, also represent the changes in the teachers' thinking about children's learning. Teachers in four case study centres were involved in reflecting critically on their practices, in progressively focused action research programmes. Through critical analysis of teacher-child dialogues, it became increasingly clear that the metaphor of scaffolding, as researched in the psychological literature, was an inadequate one to support these teachers in developing and maintaining intersubjectivity with children. A more adequate metaphor for the sharing and revisiting of ideas seemed to be that of co-construction. In order to hear and respond to the child's voice, as the foundation for developing intersubjectivity and co-constructing meanings, the teachers found they needed to work collaboratively with their community of learners. A model representing levels of intersubjectivity was developed in response to the struggle to conceptualise similarities and differences between scaffolding and co-constructing learning. The model was useful in supporting understandings of the teacher's roles in planning for children's learning from a sociocultural perspective, through the development of ongoing and in-depth projects. The participant teachers' transformation of their own participation and some influences on these changes were further clarified as a diagram linking the personal, the interpersonal and the institutional/community planes of interaction.