Exemplary Early Childhood Educators At Work: A Multi-Level Investigation (LP 160100532) is an exciting new research project supported by the Independent Education Union and seven other industry partners.
The research is based on the understanding that the work of early childhood educators is complex and distinctive but as yet poorly understood in popular discourse. Through this study, the researchers will document the work, skills and knowledge of exemplary early childhood educators to get the heart of what excellent early childhood educators actually do, and what informs and supports their work.
It is anticipated that this knowledge will help ease the educator shortage by informing improvements in preservice and inservice education, supporting efforts for pay equity, and supporting service managers to create environments that enable educators to do great work.
How will the research be conducted?
The research will be conducted over three years in three phases. It will take place in early childhood education and care centres in Queensland, NSW and Western Australia. Educators taking part in the research will be drawn from centres that have been highly rated by the ACECQA (excellent or exceeding across all domains).
Phase one
In the first phase of the study, a large sample of educators will be asked to fill out a Random Time Sampling Time Use Diary (RTS TUD). This ingenious diary comes in the form of a smart phone application (app) that will buzz educators twice a day for two weeks, and when prompted educators will use the app to record (though a series of ‘swipes’) what they did for the previous hour.
The app has been designed to quickly capture the many activities educators engage in, as well as who they are with (parents, staff, children) and how stressed or satisfied they feel about their work in the previous hour. Through this phase of the study the research will build a profile of early childhood educators’ work days and illustrate its complex and multifaceted nature.
Phase two
In the second phase of the project focus groups will be held with groups of educators drawn from those who participated in the time sampling phase. These focus groups will be organised according to qualification level (Certificate III; Diploma; and teaching). Through these focus groups, the research will dig more deeply into such aspects as the nature of educators work responsibilities, what skills they need to do their jobs well, and what information and knowledge they draw on.
Phase three
The final phase of the study, involves a small number of intensive case studies. Researchers will go into a selected number of eligible services and closely observe the work of excellent educators, and talk to them about what they do and why. All staff working in the case study centres will be asked to fill out an on-line survey called SEQUAL (Supportive Environmental Quality Underlying Adult Learning). Designed by the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment (CSCCE) at the University of California, SEQUAL will be adapted for the Australian context and will help us understand the aspects of each service’s environment that enables educators to be terrific at what they do.
This study is being conducted by researchers from Charles Sturt University (CSU): Associate Professor Frances Press, Professor Linda Harrison and Dr Sandie Wong, and the Queensland University of Technology (QUT): Dr Megan Gibson. Professor Sharon Ryan from Rutgers University in the United States is a partner investigator on the study. The project’s partners are a unique national alliance of unions, providers and professional development agencies: Child Australia, Community Care Cooperative NSW, Marrickville Council, the Creche and Kindergarten Association in Queensland, KU Children’s Services, the Independent Education Union (Queensland and Northern Territory), the Independent Education Union (NSW/ACT), and United Voice. The project started this year and has been awarded $355,000 in funding from the Australian Research Council.