This PhD study focuses on developing recommendations for Higher Education Institutions and government bodies on how to adopt equitable practices for Early Childhood students.
This research looks at how a highly qualified education sector improves the lives of children, in particular those from low socio-economic backgrounds - and aims to make recommendations for academic staff on how to adopt equitable practices for all students.
Project summary
Froebel began training teachers in 1833 and this legacy continued by his students on a global scale resulting in the training of 5000 women by 1908 (Ailwood, 2007; Liebschner, 1992; May, 1997; Read, 2013; Weston, 2008; Wiebe, 1896).
This legacy continues the drive to improve qualifications for those working in Early Childhood, often referred to as ‘professionalising the workforce’ (Colmer, 2017; Dalli, Miller, and Urban, 2012; Lightfoot and Frost, 2015; Osgood, 2010; Tucker, 2004).
A highly qualified education sector improves the lives of children, in particular those from low socio-economic backgrounds (Dalli et al., 2012; Penn, 2014).
Save the Children (2018) recently published findings of a decline in individuals undertaking undergraduate education courses, resulting in a shortage of 11,000 early years teachers. The Office for Students reports disparities in progression and pass rates for students who enter Higher Education Institution’s with Vocational Qualifications (OfS, 2018; 2019).
Research design
Adopting a paradigm of Critical Education Research (Hyland, 2010 & Cohen et al., 2018) and building on previous work undertaken at Masters Level, this thesis gathers the perspectives of undergraduate students on their academic experiences and how they feel Higher Education Institutions can effectively support them to achieve the outcomes they desire.
Applying a mixed methods approach to a paradigm of Critical
Educational Research (Habermas, 1972), students and academic staff from five Higher Education Institutions in England will be recruited for this
study; data will be elected through questionnaires and focus group
discussions.
A final report is expected in 2023 and will be published here.
