Documentation Panel: The “Making Learning Visible” Project

The social construction of the competent, self-governed child in documentation: Panels in the Swedish preschool

“…The documentation presented here follows the same pattern as that shown in previous research (e.g. Kline, 2008;Warash, 2005) -namely, to focus on everyday life in the preschool and make the children's competences visible.…”

“…This shows that the original idea of pedagogic documentation described in the above review (partly) changes by becoming an instrument for governing the preschool by incorporating designs originally intended for practitioners at the local level, as in the Reggio Emilia movement. This study thus highlights that the descriptions presented by scholars such as Warash (2005) and Kline (2008) do not fit with how pedagogic documentation is performed in such a context.…”

“…Some studies highlight documentation as a tool for developing the collaboration and conversation of student teachers (McNaughton and Krentz, 2007) and for understanding learning from the children's perspective (Lenz Taguchi, 2010;Warash, 2005). Kline (2008) describes how documentation panels can be used to capture critical moments in children's learning. It is also suggested that documentation may provide an alternative to predefined tests, 'providing evidence of children's cognitive abilities' (Kline, 2008: 73).…”

“…The materials used for documentation can include sources such as photographs, drawings and videos. One kind of documentation that is prominent in the Swedish preschool is the documentation panels of children's activities publicly displayed on the walls of the preschool (see Harris Helm et al, 1997;Kline, 2008). Such panels make it possible for children, teachers and parents to communicate and discuss the children's activities in preschool and to connect with and account for the achievement of goals stated in policy.…”

Pedagogical documentation in early childhood education: A systematic review of the literature

“…Initially, it contributing to the quality of the early childhood education (Katz & Chard, 1996). Techniques of documentation panels make significant contribution to education quality (Kline, 2008), such as enhancing children's learning, taking children's ideas and work seriously, and providing a basis for teachers' continuous planning and evaluation of child development (Katz & Chard, 1996). Moreover, documentation allows children to see their own learning and meaning is constructed for pedagogical situations (Oliveira-Formosinho & Formosinho, 2012).…”