Involving children and young people in educational research has been foundational in developing and understanding theories of learning, and understanding child development. Attempts to identify children's perspectives on policies and practices that directly affect them in educational settings have resulted in an increase in the involvement of children to inform research. This means children are interviewed by researchers about matters of interest to their research agenda, and raise questions around the children's experiences and benefits from such participation. This article explores the involvement of children in educational research with a specific focus on the two-sided images of consent: the dilemmas of negotiating and maintaining children's informed consent and the related nature of informed dissent during the research process. The introduction of a Children's Research Advisory Group to explore these issues provides a tier of analysis closer to the young people.
THIS RESEARCH SEEKS TO ExPlORE how early childhood professionals support children's scientific learning from the practitioner's perspective. Taking a qualitative approach, this case study indicates possible ways effective team teaching can support the child's scientific learning as well as other team members' learning and teaching development. While conferring with past research on the importance of teachers having adequate scientific subject knowledge, this study suggests this should also be in relation to the learning community in which the early childhood setting is located. It also calls into question the teachers' understanding of the Nature of Science (NOS), reinforcing the complexity of the issue and possible solutions to increasing early childhood teachers' motivation to support children's scientific learning.
Inclusive education has been introduced through a number of policy developments in Malaysia over the last 10 years but there is little research investigating the extent and nature of inclusive education for preschoolers with special educational needs (SEN). This study surveyed both regular and special education teachers in Malaysian integrated preschools asking them about the level and nature of inclusion taking place in their preschools and their perceptions and beliefs about inclusion. There was little evidence of practices of inclusion taking place. Both regular and special educators agreed that SEN should be educated alongside their peers in a school but were unlikely to agree that the SEN students should be in the same classroom. Factors identified as influencing inclusion included school culture, skills and competency, guidance and information, workload and students' disabilities. More guidelines and support are required for successful inclusion in Malaysian integrated preschools.
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