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\"Rethinking Practice, Research and Education brings together philosophy with traditional methodological discourse, and opens a space for critical thinking in social and educational research. Drawing on the work of Heidegger, Derrida, Foucault and their descendants, this engaging critical examination of practice applies a deconstructive reading to the practices of research.Where is justice in the practice of research? How do paradigms for the production of knowledge shape what is given in the practice of research? What are the key issues involved in developing an ethos for the practice of research in the light of society's complex relationship with essential forms of technology? Each of these dimensions are explored, drawing on the traditions of research and their interplay with researchers' responsibilities to work towards justice in research.A must-read for researchers, bringing the language of philosophy to the current debate about the impact of social and educational research in practice\"-- Provided by publisher.

Early Childhood Matters documents the rapid development of early years education and care from the late 1990s into the new millennium. It chronicles the unique contribution of the EPPE research to our understanding of the importance of pre-school. The Effective Pre-school and Primary Education (EPPE) project is the largest European study of the impact of early years education and care on children’s developmental outcomes. Through this ground-breaking project a team of internationally-recognised experts provide insights into how home learning environments interact with pre-school and primary school experiences to shape children’s progress. The findings of this fascinating project: provide new evidence of the importance of early childhood experiences show how these experiences influence children’s cognitive, social and behavioural development give new insights on the importance of early years education will be relevant to a wide audience who are interested in policy development, early years education and care, and ‘effectiveness’ research examine how the combined effects of pre-school, primary school and the family interact to shape children’s educational outcomes. This insightful book is essential reading for all those interested in innovative research methodology and policy development in early childhood education and care. It provides new evidence on good practice in early years settings and will have a wide appeal for students and those engaged in providing accredited courses of study at a range of levels in early childhood. Selected Contents: Chapter 1 Introduction: Why EPPE? Kathy Sylva and the EPPE Team Chapter 2 The EPPE settings in the context of English pre-schools Iram Siraj-Blatchford Chapter 3 The EPPE Research design: An educational effectiveness focus Pam Sammons Chapter 4 Why children, parents and home learning are important Edward Melhuish Chapter 5 Quality in Early Childhood settings Kathy Sylva Chapter 6 Does pre-school make a difference?: Results over the pre-school period (to aged 5) Pam Sammons Chapter 7 Do the benefits of pre-school last? Investigating pupil outcomes to the end of Key Stage 2 (aged 11) Pam Sammons Chapter 8 A focus on pedagogy: Case studies of effective practice Iram Siraj-Blatchford Chapter 9 Vulnerable children: Identifying children ‘at risk’ Brenda Taggart Chapter 10 A linked study: Effective Pre-school Provision in Northern Ireland Edward Melhuish Chapter 11 Making a difference: How research can inform policy Brenda Taggart Chapter 12 Re-thinking the evidence-base for Early Years policy and practice Kathy Sylva Glossary of terms Appendix 1 How children were assessed at different time points throughout the study Appendix 2 The Home Learning Environment at different time points Appendix 3 The EPPE Technical Papers Appendix 4 Social/behavioural dimensions at different time points (items associated with dimensions) Appendix 5 The Multiple Disadvantage Index Appendix 6 Results from analyses of pre-school effects compared with those of family income and parents’ employment status Kathy Sylva is Professor of Educational Psychology, University of Oxford. Edward Melhuish is Professor of Human Development, Birkbeck College, University of London. Pam Sammons is Professor of Education, University of Oxford. Iram Siraj-Blatchford is Professor of Education, Institute of Education, University of London. Brenda Taggart is Senior Research Officer, Institute of Education, University of London.

\"Conducting Educational Research is geared to help students understand and apply the most important principles of scholarly investigation. Now in its 6th edition, this research textbook includes updates such as a completely rewritten Chapter 12, a chapter devoted to statistical research without having to use the expensive program SPSS. The text has been revised throughout to include recent technological advances, simpler exercises, and visual elements to help the student understand the research process\"-- Provided by publisher.

Counselling, coaches and collegiality — how institutions can share resources to promote best practice in science. Counselling, coaches and collegiality — how institutions can share resources to promote best practice in science.

This book contributes to how we conceptualize and investigate the role and influence of knowledge production by international organizations within the field of global education reform. After elaborating on what it means to approach the intersection of these issues from a political economy perspective, the book develops a focus on knowledge production broadly to examine specifically the production of impact evaluations, which have come to be seen by many as the most credible form of policy-relevant knowledge. Moreover, it not only unpacks the methodological, technical, political, and organizational challenges in the production of impact evaluations, but also details an approach to critically understanding and examining the role that impact evaluations, once produced, play within the political economy of global education reform more generally. Finally, this book demonstrates the application of this approach in relation to a global education policy from El Salvador and reflects on the implications of this case for alternative ways forward, methodologically and otherwise.

What ethical dilemmas face researchers who work with young children? Researching Young Children's Perspectives critically examines the challenges and complexities of rights based, participatory research with children. Rather than approaching these dilemmas as problematic issues, this book positions them as important topics for discussion and reflection. Drawing from their own rich experiences as research collaborators with young children in internationally diverse settings, the authors consider the ethical, methodological and theoretical frameworks that guide best-practice in research with young children. Each chapter poses points for consideration that will inform and challenge both the novice and experienced researcher, such as: How 'participatory' can research be with infants under eighteen months? When should listening through observation stand alone? What is the distinction between methodologies and methods? How can all young children be assured of a voice in research? The authors also present seven separate case studies which demonstrate exemplary research with young children. Each study is accompanied by insightful commentary from the authors, who highlight the issues or difficulties faced and propose potential solutions. If you are a student at undergraduate level and above, this book will give you all the confidence you need to conduct your own high quality research with children.

This book proposes a new paradigm of public scholarship for our time, one that shifts from the notion of the public intellectual to the model of the engaged scholar. The editors' premise is that the work of public scholarship should be driven by a commitment to supporting a diverse democracy and promoting equity and social justice. The contributors to this volume present models that eschew the top-down framing of policy to advocate for practice that drives bottom-up change by arming the widest range of stakeholders -- especially members of marginalized communities -- with relevant research. They demonstrate how public scholarship in higher education can increase its impact on practice and policy and compellingly argue that public scholarship should be recognized as normative practice for all scholars and indeed integrated into the curriculum of graduate courses. The chapters describe multiple types of public scholarship and different strategies that move beyond informing policymakers, faculty, and administrators to engage publics such as students and parents, media, the general public, and particularly groups that may have had little or no access to research. Examples include partnering with a community agency to design a research project and disseminate results; writing for practitioner or policy venues and magazines outside the traditional academic journals; serving on boards for national groups that impact decisions related to your area of research; and the use of social media.Whether scholar, director of graduate education, or graduate student of higher education, this book opens up a new vision of how research can inform practice that promotes the public good.

While vast numbers of nurses across the globe contribute in all areas of healthcare delivery from primary care to acute and long-term care in community settings, there are significant differences in how they are educated, as well as the precise nature of their practice. This comprehensive handbook provides a research-informed and international perspective on the critical issues in contemporary nurse education. As an applied discipline, nursing is implemented differently depending on the social, political and cultural climate in any given context. These factors impact on education, as much as on practice, and are reflected in debates around the value of accredited programmes, and on-the-job training, apprenticeship, undergraduate and postgraduate pathways into nursing. Engaging with these debates amongst others, the authors collected here discuss how, through careful design and delivery of nursing curricula, nurses can be prepared to understand complex care processes, complex healthcare technologies, complex patient needs and responses to therapeutic interventions, and complex organizations. The book discusses historical perspectives on how nurses should be educated; contemporary issues facing educators; teaching and learning strategies; the politics of nurse education; education for advanced nursing practice; global approaches; and educating for the future. Bringing together leading authorities from across the world to reflect on past, present and future approaches to nurse education and nursing pedagogy, this handbook provides a cutting-edge overview for all educators, researchers and policy-makers concerned with nurse education.