Enabling professionals to change practices aimed at tackling social inequality through professional development: results from a case study

TY - JOUR

T1 - Enabling professionals to change practices aimed at tackling social inequality through professional development

T2 - results from a case study

AU - Jensen, Bente

AU - Brandi, Ulrik

PY - 2018/1/2

Y1 - 2018/1/2

N2 - Research has shown the potential for early childhood education and care (ECEC) in making a difference for all children. However, research also highlights how hard overcoming the ‘gaps’ between children from differing social backgrounds still is. The overall aim of this article is to examine the impact of a professional development programme on changing practices that can address social inequality in ECEC. The article explores how a professional development programme, VIDA, can contribute to enabling professionals in enhancing the change potentials in ECEC, with a view to enhancing the learning conditions and well-being of all children, and socially disadvantaged children in particular. The overall argument is that co-construction as well as openness and reflection in the ECEC field is needed when professionals are to change their pedagogical practices towards tackling the issues of social inequality. The study emphasises that practices are enhanced through professional development that makes sense for participants, is organised in communities of practices (CoP) and communities of innovation (CoI), and is facilitated and integrated in entire ECEC systems

AB - Research has shown the potential for early childhood education and care (ECEC) in making a difference for all children. However, research also highlights how hard overcoming the ‘gaps’ between children from differing social backgrounds still is. The overall aim of this article is to examine the impact of a professional development programme on changing practices that can address social inequality in ECEC. The article explores how a professional development programme, VIDA, can contribute to enabling professionals in enhancing the change potentials in ECEC, with a view to enhancing the learning conditions and well-being of all children, and socially disadvantaged children in particular. The overall argument is that co-construction as well as openness and reflection in the ECEC field is needed when professionals are to change their pedagogical practices towards tackling the issues of social inequality. The study emphasises that practices are enhanced through professional development that makes sense for participants, is organised in communities of practices (CoP) and communities of innovation (CoI), and is facilitated and integrated in entire ECEC systems

KW - Case studies

KW - Communities of practice

KW - ECEC

KW - Early childhood

KW - Innovation

KW - Livslang læring

KW - Professional development

KW - Reflection

KW - Social inequality

KW - Social innovation

KW - Social ulighed

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85009274683&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1080/1350293X.2016.1262550

DO - 10.1080/1350293X.2016.1262550

M3 - Journal article

SN - 1350-293X

VL - 26

SP - 50

EP - 65

JO - European Early Childhood Education Research Journal

JF - European Early Childhood Education Research Journal

IS - 1

ER -