Linda Newman (EdD; M.Ed Hons; B.Ed (EC); Dip Teach (EC) is the Chair of Early Childhood and Primary Programs in the School of Education at the University of Newcastle, Australia and Chair of the Early Childhood Teacher Education Council (NSW). She is a team member of Futuro Infantil Hoy, an ongoing international research and development program in Chile. Linda’s research aims to theorise and apply ethical approaches that facilitate equity and benefit. Influential conceptual framings include sociocultural theory, new sociologies of childhood; community and family capacity building; valuing of diversity and Funds of Knowledge; play based intentional teaching and sustained shared thinking; and literacy as social practice. Website: http://www.newcastle.edu.au/staff/research-profile/Linda_Newman/
"This comprehensive publication rightly establishes early childhood as a critical phase in the education of young people and makes the case for developing our insights regarding early childhood education (ECE) practices through the eyes of practitioner inquiry in the context of collaborative partnerships. It achieves its goal through a series of insightful case studies that not only illuminate the text as stories from the field, but also contribute to our understanding regarding ECE learning and pedagogy."- Susan Groundwater-Smith, Honorary Professor, Faculty of Education and Social Work, University of Sydney. Bringing together theory and practice, this book draws on the projects and experiences of senior and new researchers implementing various forms of practitioner research. Chapter discussions are informed by international literature to provide insightful reflections on research processes and the contribution of practitioner research in changing practice. The diversity of perspectives across the chapters provides an excellent resource for those undertaking research within early childhood contexts. Features include: the contribution of practitioner research to curriculum and social change. professional development and strengthening learning communities how practitioners can be supported in documenting and articulating their work the relationships between the research community and field of practice through practitioner research projects contemporary problems and issues that frame the practices of early childhood educators case studies from Australia, South Africa, Sweden and Chile A diverse range of case studies that use a range of internationally recognised research methods are presented. The book offers guidance, support and inspiration to practitioners on how to research their implementation of meaningful and sustainable changes in early childhood contexts.
