Natalie Canning

Playing with heutagogy: exploring strategies to empower mature learners in higher education

Mature learners often invest a great deal of emotional energy in starting a higher education qualification. They have complex needs which are often less to do with their ability to learn and more to do with aspects of confidence and levels of self‐belief about achieving or feeling ‘good enough’ to participate. This article explores the relationship between the learner, the opportunities they have to engage with others and how learning and teaching strategies can be utilised to empower self‐determined learning and development. An emerging paradigm of heutagogy or self‐directed learning will be examined in the context of mature learners entering higher education for the first time. Supporting students in the process of reflective practice is ongoing, and this research provides a snapshot to determine whether students are on their way to taking control of their own learning and meaning‐making about early childhood concepts and their implementation into practice.

Heutagogy: spirals of reflection to empower learners in higher education

This paper is informed by narrative research undertaken as part of continuous reflection on our individual practice. It is based on student responses to experience of study and professional development as part of collaborative reviews and discussion forums. This is informal research, based on qualitative approaches. The paper considers how students are facilitated to take control of their own learning and engage in reflective practice through a paradigm of heutagogy, which explores the processes involved as student’s start to engage in self‐directed study. As course programme leaders it is necessary alongside this that we enable course teams to become conscious of the processes of reflection and to be critical of their own practice, values and attitudes towards learners. This collaborative paper therefore represents a spiral of reflection on our experiences, as we explore the implementation of theory and practice – in terms of reflection on learning and teaching.

Reflective Practice in the Early Years

Written for anyone working in the field of early years education and care, this book encourages students and practitioners to consider their own practice and to examine practice in a wide range of early years settings. The four sections link closely to the principles of the Early Years Foundation Stage, and support the reader in developing a critical and reflective approach to their own work.

‘Where's the bear? Over there!’ – creative thinking and imagination in den making

This small scale research project examines opportunities for creative thinking and imagination through den making in a rural private day nursery with its own woodland area on the borders of England and Wales in the UK. The research is underpinned by sociocultural theory and is an ethnographic study of non-participant observations of children aged between three and four years old and early years practitioners involved in supporting their play. The focus is on childrens creative play in peer social groups and examines the way in which children explore their environment and utilise their play space and resources to sustain imagination and creativity. The research considers how the environment and den-making context provides opportunities for possibility thinking [Craft, A. (2001). Little c creativity. In A. Craft, B. Jeffrey, & M. Liebling (Eds.), Creativity in education (pp. 45–61). London: Continuum], where children are encouraged to explore ‘what if?’ questions. The research explores the way in which an outdoor environment can support flexible opportunities and resources where children are able to engage in imaginative and creative play, develop their communication skills and build relationships with other children and adults. The research considers childrens fascination with the story ‘bears in the wood’ and how early years practitioners facilitated their creative thinking and imagination.

Implementing Quality Improvement and Change in the Early Years

For all those working in Early Years, improving quality experiences for all young children is a priority. By examining issues surrounding quality improvement, the importance of reflective practice and the attributes required in the workplace to effect change and leadership, this book provides a contemporary view of practice. Chapters focus on how settings can improve quality experiences for young children and how to implement strategies that lead to quality improvement. Issues covered include: multi-disciplinary working; evaluating impact through reflective practice; creativity; digital technologies and play; safeguarding young children; leading practice and leading change; working with parents; improving the quality of student experience This text allows students and practitioners to examine and reflect on practises that lead to creative Quality Improvement Strategies (QIS) in Early Years settings.

Play and Practice in the Early Years Foundation Stage

Play is an underlying theme of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) but it is often a challenge for practitioners to provide a play based curriculum. This book investigates the values and beliefs that underpin play and demonstrates through case studies how play opportunities can be observed, planned and assessed in a meaningful context for the child. Organised into four sections that mirror the EYFS, this book takes you through the curriculum framework demonstrating how play underpins each of these principles and is the common thread that links them together. Chapters include: celebrating childrens play choices; ways to work with parents; inspiring environments for inspirational play; the role o play in supporting key relationships; creative play for flexible learning. Incorportating the voices of early years practitioners, this book takes the unique approach of analysing academic theory, showing how this can be put into practice and then suggests activities to facilitate reflective practice and professional development. Useful to all those studying on any early years course, this book is particularly relevant to those leading practice in early years settings and those working towards Early Years Professional Status (EYPS).

An innovative methodology for capturing young children’s curiosity, imagination and voices using a free app: Our Story

ABSTRACT This study explores children’s narratives of their curiosity and imagination through innovative use of an information technology app – Our Story. Novel use of the app allowed children to express and record their opinions they considered significant to them. The research captured children’s approaches to everyday situations through their play. Introducing the notion of ‘narrative affordances’, findings show how the app facilitated a range of possibilities for recording children’s curiosity and imagination through pictures, text, sound and short video. Children added to and developed their narratives, putting them firmly in control of what they wanted to include and share, providing a unique insight into children’s perspectives.