Early Childhood Ireland is pleased to announce it will host its first-ever Online Research Symposium - a free event, which will take place over a three-day period in October
Online Research Symposium
We have an exciting event planned, the theme of which is ‘New Realities in Research in Early Learning & Care – First 5’.
The symposium will take place via Zoom over the following three evenings:
- Monday, 19th October: 7pm to 8.30pm.
- Tuesday, 20th October: 7pm to 8.30pm.
- Wednesday, 21st October: 7pm to 8.30pm.
Schedule: Monday, 19th October: 7pm to 8.30pm
Themes: Partnership with families / School Age Childcare
Keynote address:
First research paper:
Jennifer Dunwoody
‘Using Documentation to Promote Professional Dialogue & Effective Parent Partnerships’.
Second research paper:
Marion Byrne
‘My place to play: Creating a dedicated place to play for infants & their families living in emergency accommodation’.
Third research paper:
Fiona Scullion
‘Sharing from the start’.
Fourth research paper:
Dr. Leah O’Toole
‘Relationships, Relationships, Relationships – Meaningful partnerships with parents experiencing social-economic disadvantage’.
Fifth research paper:
Dr. Maja Haals-Brosnan
‘Children’s Voices on Homework’.
Tuesday, 20th October: 7pm to 8.30pm
Theme: Pedagogy & Curriculum
Prof. Anne Looney, Dean of Institute of Education, Dublin City University
First research paper:
Jacqueline Fallon and Susan Nic Réamoinn
‘Pedagogical continuity from Aistear to the Draft Primary Curriculum Framework’.
Second research paper:
Nicola O’Reilly
‘Learning to let go: Adults and children playing together during sociodramatic play’.
Third research paper:
Michelle Lehane
‘I like playing with pretend light-up unicorns, the right-based & democratic practice found in childminder’s homes’.
Fourth research paper:
Yunlei Li
‘Preschool teachers’ perceptions of and strategies for addressing challenging behaviour. A comparison between Montessori and traditional pedagogy’.
Fifth research paper:
Racheal Govan
Theme: Partnership with Parents
‘How will I adopt my practice to further empower parents of children in my setting, in supporting their children’s education”.
Wednesday, 21st October: 7pm to 8.30pm
Themes: Transitions / Pedagogy & Curriculum / Linking Regulation & Practice / Legal & Policy issues
First research paper:
Kathy Carter
‘EYP constructions of the inter-related phenomena of ‘School Readiness’ & transitioning to primary school – an exploratory case study of practitioners located in the North West of Ireland’.
Second research paper:
Fiona Boyle
‘Perspectives of School Readiness’.
Third research paper:
Laura Maher
‘The lost art of storytelling, to what extent do EY practitioners value storytelling as a medium for early literacy development’.
Fourth research paper:
Dr. Miriam O’Regan
‘Childminding Praxis, Pedagogy & Professionalism in Ireland: ecocultural perspectives’.
Fifth research paper:
Dr Criona Blackburne
‘Orientation or Destination: professional perspectives on early childhood education & the quality agenda in Ireland’.
Panel discussion
COVID-19 has placed some limitations on how we carry out traditional research methods in Early Learning and Care. This discussion will be an opportunity to discuss how the pandemic has impacted on research in Early Learning and Care and how we can look to the future to develop new strategies for data collection. Speaking on the panel will be:
• Marlene McCormack, DCU
• Dr. Leah O’Toole, Maynooth University
• Dr. Anna Visser, Department of Children & Youth Affairs
