Finnish Early Childhood Education Research Articles

On the surface and below: a genealogical look at the waves of evaluation in early childhood education and care

ABSTRACT The rise of evaluation and data in education and education policy is a trend manifesting across a wide variety of policy contexts, holding in its grip national and global policies, with impacts that reach the level of individual children, teachers, and their subjectivities. Earlier research has mainly focused on the phenomenon in neoliberal contexts. This article presents a case study of Finnish early childhood education and care (ECEC) policy discourse built on a tradition of social democratic political rationality and egalitarian values. By utilizing Evert Vedung’s metaphor of evaluation waves, we examine how the evaluation trend has influenced the Finnish ECEC policy, which has traditionally been skeptical toward the assessment of individual children’s learning and skills and the production and use of data for accountability purposes. In the genealogical reading of ECEC curricula and policy documents from 2002–2021 as data, we identify three discursive practices – partnership, pedagogization, and evidence wave – that have socio-historically contributed to the formation of the present conception of evaluation in the Finnish ECEC policy discourse. Our genealogical reading also reveals a movement toward international trends – evaluating the individual child’s skills – especially through the evidence wave.

Children's creative participation as a precursor of 21st century skills in Finnish early childhood education and care context

The purpose of this article is to study how children's creative participation as a precursor of 21st century skills is related to their skills and competencies, involvement, and class activities in the Finnish early childhood education and care (ECEC) context. The study is part of the Finnish ECEC Progressive Feedback research and development project, which was conducted in 21 Finnish cities and companies providing ECEC services between 2017 and 2022. In this study, 5047 children aged between 1 and 7 years participated, using data which included both observation and child evaluations. Children's creative participation was examined using the social orientation theory together with the LI-SYC to focus on their involvement in class activities. The results showed that children's creative participation was related to their skills and competencies, involvement, and play as a class activity. The results emphasize the significance of creative participation as an indicator of quality and learning in ECEC. Educational relevance and implications statementThe results of this study show that creative participation as a precursor of 21st century skills (especially creativity and collaboration) is also an indicator of quality and learning today. Creative participation occurred in play as a class activity, and it was also connected with children evaluated individual skills and skills and competencies, especially creativity in pretend play and less support needs in language development. This is significant because with scaffolding and being conscious of the opportunities for creative participation in the pedagogy of early childhood education and care, it is possible to scaffold children's learning and well-being today and the skills and competencies they will need in the future.

(Un)expected Emotions and Teamwork: Narratives of Early Childhood Education Practitioners

This study investigates expectations of teamwork and related emotions as described by Finnish early childhood education practitioners. The data, which consist of video-cued interviews with 15 practitioners in early childhood education and care (ECEC), are examined with narrative-discursive analysis. Emotions are approached from a socio-constructivist perspective as narratively constructed. The results are presented as three narratives identified based on teamwork expectations: 1) narrative of inadequacy,2) narrative of injustice,and 3) narrative of support. The narratives describe how time constraints and unexpected changes in teamwork dictated from the top-down produce negative emotional narratives, as well as how the team’s expected support for each other evokes positive emotions and builds communality. The findings show that not only is teamwork an important emotional context in ECEC but also the limited possibilities for influencing teamwork practices evoke negative emotions that can affect the quality of teamwork and well-being at work in ECEC.

Forms of disrespect: Toddler's peer conflicts in early childhood education and care

This article discusses the ways in which toddlers carry out forms of disrespect during peer conflicts in Australian and Finnish early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings. We investigate forms of disrespect in naturally occurring peer interactions by applying interaction analysis and Honneth’s theory of recognition. Drawing on Honneth , our study provides an empirical foundation for examining what leads to toddlers’ disrespectful acts. Our analysis shows that, especially outside adults’ view, disrespect in peer conflicts disrupts the fundamental preferences for peer agreement, alignment and affiliation. It threatens the norms of peaceable conduct, and so can be seen as a challenge to the social and moral order. A toddler's struggles for recognition arise from exclusion from play and the violation of the toddler's body. Implications arising from this research highlight the role of adults in identifying different forms of disrespect that occur in peer groups.

Dilemmas Related to Young Children’s Participation and Rights: A Discourse Analysis Study of Present and Future Professionals Working with Children

According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), every child has the right to be heard and express their views in matters that concern them. Yet, participation is one of the most debated aspects of the UNCRC. Although children’s participation is a statutory requirement of Finnish early childhood education and care (ECEC) and schools, educators are often unfamiliar with how to meet the demands of participation. In this study, we examined what kinds of counter discourses about the realization of children’s participation could be differentiated in interviews with present and future education professionals who took part in a study program focusing on knowledge and skills regarding young children’s rights and participation. The data, which consisted of individual and group interviews with 31 participants, were analyzed with discourse analysis. Three counter discourses were identified: unrealized, adult-defined, and elusive participation. The discourses illuminated various dilemmas in children’s participation. Awareness of such dilemmas enables the development of pedagogical practices that enhance children’s wellbeing and rights.

Why we need a concept to describe collaborative support instead of labelling children as demanding: perspectives from Finland

In this article, we draw on our research and expertise in a problematic concept of ‘demanding special support children’ in Finnish early childhood and basic education, and the scarce international research, to propose a concept regarding multidisciplinary and collaborative support for children. Our conceptualisation shifts the focus away from children’s deficits to effective collaborative practices surrounding the child. This can facilitate comprehensive support practices without labelling children as ‘demanding’ based on their disabilities.

Multi-professional teamwork in Finnish early childhood education and care

This article analyses the theoretical, practical, and political interpretations of multi-professional teamwork in Finnish early childhood education and care during the last two decades. A semi-systematic approach was used to provide an overview of teams, teamwork, team composition, and multi-professionalism. The data were drawn from two main sources: key Finnish policy documents that regulate or guide multi-professional teamwork and a systematic literature review of multi-professional teamwork in Finnish research studies over the past 20 years. The data were examined through the lens of thematic analysis. In the final phase of the analysis, we constructed a narrative timeline. The timeline indicates two main themes: one is an emphasis on multi-professional teamwork as a resource combined with the challenges in implementing it, the other is an emphasis on pedagogy and the clarification of professional profiles. The timeline illustrates changes in the ways multi-professional teamwork has been interpreted, guided, and studied.

Finnish Early Childhood Education Student Teachers’ Mental Images of the Environment

Finnish Early Childhood Education Student Teachers’ Mental Images of the Environment

Teaching Kindness and Compassion: An Exploratory Intervention Study to Support Young Children’s Prosocial Skills in an Inclusive ECEC Setting

In this exploratory intervention study, the aim was to teach 5–7-year-old children prosocial skills in an inclusive Finnish early childhood education and care (ECEC) setting. The intervention programme was based on previous studies and helps fill a gap in how to promote prosocial behaviour in an ECEC setting encompassing children with diverse needs. The theoretical framework draws on research on character strengths in the field of positive psychology, particularly what the literature refers to as the strengths of the heart, namely kindness and compassion. The study follows the methodological framework of pragmatism and a mixed-methods research perspective. Research methods include questionnaires and interviews with children (n = 23), some of their guardians (n = 8) and ECEC teachers (n = 2). The results were two-fold. With the picture-based questionnaire, the pre–post measures showed little advancement. However, individual interviews revealed developments in children’s prosocial thinking that also translated into concrete actions. These findings were further supported by the positive feedback received from teachers and guardians. The contents of the programme can be integrated into daily, inclusive ECEC pedagogy. Methodologically, the intervention design serves as a starting point for the further development of data collection practices that capture children’s voices in ECEC.

Professionals’ stories of supporting belonging for autistic children in Finnish early childhood education and care

The important role of early childhood education and care in nurturing and ensuring belonging among all children is well recognised, but research specifically focused on how this is accomplished for autistic children is scarce. The aim of this study was to examine how supporting autistic children's belonging appeared in the stories of Finnish early childhood education and care professionals (e.g. early educators, special education teachers, and early childhood education and care nurses). The data was collected by using the method of empathy-based stories, which prompts participants to produce stories. A qualitative analysis of 104 professionals’ stories produced one overarching theme of professionalism comprising two interconnected main themes: (1) established support solutions and (2) a willingness to understand the child. The findings suggest that understanding a child as a unique individual with autism is a cornerstone of favourable pedagogical support solutions for belonging.

Leading early childhood education centers as professional bureaucracies – social organizational structures in Finnish early childhood education

PurposeThis study examines the social organizational structure of one early childhood education (ECE) center in Finland and the relationship between this structure and the roles and the responsibilities of the members of the organization.Design/methodology/approachThe research is a qualitative case study with ethnographic features. Its variables for content analysis are based on Henry Mintzberg's theory of organizational design.FindingsThe study's results show that the organizational structure of the ECE center follows the organizational configuration of a Professional bureaucracy and that the multiprofessional teams follow the configuration of a Simple structure. The structures for centralization and decentralization are suitable for a professional bureaucracy, but the roles of the members of the organization and the processes for shared decision-making lack clarification. The shortage of qualified ECE teachers disrupts the function of the organization and the work of ECE leaders.Research limitations/implicationsThe educational background of subjects may have affected the findings.Originality/valueThe study uses Henry Mintzberg's organizational structure theory to evaluate how and why power is distributed and activities are coordinated at the ECE center. The results also show what parts of the organization pose challenges that most commonly disrupt the organization's operations. With these findings, it is possible to expand the understanding of roles and responsibilities in the currently reforming ECE environment and what ECE centers need to function effectively. The study is part of a larger research project and will be continued to examine the leadership culture of the ECE center.

Interprofessional practicum in the context of Finnish early childhood education and care

At present, interprofessional collaboration is the agenda for progression in the Finnish ECEC field. Supporting students' professional development toward interprofessional collaboration during the pre-service time is regarded as important. This study examined interprofessional practicum in ECEC centres and explored both students’ and mentors’ perceptions on it. Focus group discussions were analysed through content analysis. The results revealed that students and mentors perceived interprofessional practicum as important in terms of professional development. The most rewarding experiences were related to the students' joint assignment, the Topaasia game, and the students' peer support. The negative experiences were related to organisational issues that complicated the preparation for the practicum period and limited collaboration between students. For appropriate implementation, the interprofessional practicum still requires long-term progression. Based on students’ and mentors’ perceptions, recommendations for organising interprofessional practicum in ECEC centres are presented.

“Not in Our Daycare”? Commitments and Obstacles to Antiracism in Finnish ECEC

AbstractThe aim of this article is to contribute to the under-researched topic of racism in Finnish early childhood education and care (ECEC) by posing three questions: What kind of racism do ECEC teachers recognize in ECEC? How are teachers committed to opposing racism in their work? What kind of obstacles to committing to antiracism are recognized in ECEC? These questions are answered through discourse analysis on interviews with six Finnish ECEC teachers. This article demonstrates how racism is evident in many forms in early education, such as racist assumptions, all-White learning material and structures. The teachers recognized the urgency to resist racism in their work. They committed to antiracism through conscious pedagogical solutions, e.g., broadening representations in learning materials and critically reflecting on their privileges and racialised stereotypes. Yet adopting an antiracist approach in ECEC faces obstacles, such as the hectic everyday work, difficulty intervening in racist situations, and co-workers’ lack of self-reflection in multi-professional teams. Thus, it is vital to find ways to recognize racism in multi-professional teams, to improve the ability for self-reflection, and to ensure that teachers have the resources to continue their work against racism.

Teachers’ Pedagogical Competence in Finnish Early Childhood Education—A Narrative Literature Review

Finnish early childhood education (ECE) is defined in education policies and research as an activity with an emphasis on pedagogy as a holistic and Nordic model of education. Pedagogical competence can be viewed as a special expertise of teachers responsible for the implementation of pedagogy in ECE. However, it is unclear how a teacher’s pedagogical competence is defined, understood, and implemented in pedagogical practices and policies. Previous studies define pedagogical competence from different, often narrow, perspectives and various skills have been defined to be a part of teachers’ pedagogical expertise. In this study, we aim to take a closer look at how teachers’ pedagogical competence is defined in research literature in Finland. As our method, we use a narrative literature review of research papers published between 2010 and 2020. We were able to identify fourteen different definitions of pedagogical competencies that could be categorized into three main categories: (a) meta-competencies, (b) professional competencies, and (c) practical competencies. In summary, we argue that pedagogical competence is often narrowly understood. To implement high-quality ECE, teachers’ pedagogical competence should be considered broadly and wholly. Particularly, the shared values and reflection of ethical questions are essential for supporting children’s development and learning through holistic education.

Expectations of leadership in the changing context of Finnish early childhood education

In this study, we explore the discourses and dilemmas embodying Finnish early childhood education leaders' expectations regarding their leadership. The data were collected in three focus group interviews with leaders in three municipalities. Four discourses were identified: the discourse of leadership in change, the discourse of leading an expert organisation towards a vision, the discourse of leadership style, and the discourse of leading the ECE mission. Contextual change is the framework in which expectations occur. Leaders experience many dilemmas affecting their leadership. The dilemmas focused on leading change in the administrative hierarchy, leading an expert organisation, approachability, and leading according to one's mission. Leaders themselves should identify the dilemmas. Strengthening leadership in a changing work context requires the identification of dilemmas.

Finnish early childhood education – building a strong foundation for the future

ABSTRACT The Finnish education system has garnered significant international interest due to its consistently high rankings for decades. However, the same level of interest has not been extended to the country’s early childhood education system. In Finland, early childhood education and care are regarded as the cornerstones of the Finnish education system, crucial for a child’s learning, development, and lifelong learning. Research literature underscores the positive impact of a high-quality early learning environment on individuals as well as society. In Finland, policy documents provide guidance to early childhood education and care (ECEC) at various levels, encompassing values, descriptions of child development, collaboration, learning, and pedagogy. These guidelines are implemented by personnel who work closely with families and children. This paper is an adapted version of a keynote talk delivered during the Online ATEA 2022 conference. It aims to provide readers with an overview of the Finnish Early Childhood Education System, highlight key policies, and contribute to the discussion on ECEC by presenting snapshots of recent practice-oriented research in the Finnish system.

Agentic playful pre-service teachers: positionings from teacher-initiated playful teacher to community-shared playful teacher

Play and playfulness are understood as basic and vital elements of early childhood education (ECE), and together with playful pedagogies, they perform a central role in Finnish ECE. In multidisciplinary research, children’s learning is generally understood through the inquiring process of play. However, playfulness, as opposed to play, has received relatively little scholarly attention, and educators’ use of playfulness has received even less. Playfulness is a vital part of life for both adults and children. At the same time, teachers’ behavior can influence the playfulness of a child; moreover, teachers’ own playfulness is critical for establishing warm and secure relationships with children. As such, the aim of this research was to explore pre-service teachers’ (PsTs’) understanding of agentic playfulness, particularly in the ECE context. Study participants included 159 PsTs; study data were gathered from PsTs’ written reflections regarding the use of playfulness in their future work. The results of qualitative analyses showed that the PsTs’ agentic playfulness mirrored a relational and tensious space consisting of three domains: teacher-initiated agentic playfulness, child-centered agentic playfulness, and community-shared agentic playfulness. Each domain revealed dimensions of the nature of PsTs’ orientation of their agentic playfulness. The results are discussed in relation to pedagogization of play, relational pedagogy community of learners, and teacher education supporting and developing future ECE teachers’ agentic playfulness.

Governing education, governing early childhood education and care practitioners’ profession?

Neo-liberal values affect early childhood education through the production of specific teacher subjectivities. These subjectivities are connected not only to the logic of competition, but also to competing definitions of worth, trust and values, as demonstrated by data. Neo-liberal values of accountability are also intertwined with the traditional discourse of child-centred learning. This study contributes to research concerning early childhood education and care staff’s professionalism by focusing on the effects of the commercialization of early childhood education and care teachers’ understanding of their work. With survey data (161 responses) collected from the five largest municipalities in Finland, the authors examine the reasoning that early childhood education and care staff provide for choosing commercial as well as non-commercial digital applications, licensed programmes and ready-made learning materials. The research is highly topical since the number of innovations targeted at early childhood education and care is increasing. Digitalization opens new ways for the privatization and marketization of education by introducing appealing commercially produced programmes and materials. In this study, the authors show how the advertising of these innovations as providing ‘easy solutions’ to improve either children's learning or early childhood education and care practitioners’ working time has become a discourse through which teachers and other staff members evaluate their work and their professionalism. In addition, the authors suggest that Finnish early childhood education and care practitioners seem to have internalized the pressure to enhance efficiency and accountability in early childhood education and care.

Toward a democracy of translations? Local evaluation actor networks in Finnish early childhood education

This article examines the local evaluation and assessment practices of Finnish early childhood education and care (ECEC) based on Actor–Network Theory (ANT). We employ the concept of translation to discuss how evaluation and assessment practices unfold in networks and how actors come together in negotiations and contestations that seek to orient these networks. ANT approaches society as being formed of networks and directs attention to non-human actors, such as technical and material resources. In this article, we discuss how local evaluation and assessment networks are formed by translations connecting different actors. This article examines three cases in which various assessment tools were used locally by Finnish ECEC. The results highlight the arbitrariness and elasticity of the networks in the translation process. Thus, we introduce the concept of democracy of translation to examine the flexibility of assessment networks and the extent to which actors in these networks can re-negotiate and re-orient the practices taking place.

Implementing positive behaviour intervention and support in Finnish early childhood education and care: leadership team’s perspective

ABSTRACT The effective implementation of positive behaviour intervention and support (PBIS) requires both organisational and professional change. This means that the whole community including all educators and children commit to shared principles, practices, and structures to create a safe and supportive social climate. In this article, we investigate the initial implementation of the Finnish PBIS ProVaka in eighteen early childhood education and care (ECEC) centres. Our inductive qualitative analysis of longitudinal progress diary data focuses on roles, responsibilities and communication among the ECEC communities. The results show that successful ProVaka development is a matter of successfully expanding the actor network and shared responsibility. The challenges of implementation are related to 1) an equal knowledge base, 2) sufficient concretisation of ProVaka, 3) a balance between theoretically valid and culturally adapted implementation, 4) regulation of motivation and enthusiasm, 5) the constant need for change and stances towards it and 6) the clashes of everyday life realities and implementation. This actor- and communication-focused inductive qualitative study offers new insight into the initial implementation phase of PBIS in Nordic ECEC and can inform the implementation and development of other evidence-based methods in special education.