The role of Qualitative Research in Advancing ECEC Policy Development and

Implementation

Dr Wendy Jarvie Visiting Professor

University of NSW at the Australian Defence Force AcademyCanberra, Australia OECD Early Childhood Education and Care Network Meeting

Oslo, Norway 25 January 2012O

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Overview

1. Qualitative research – what is it? • strengths• why is it undervalued?

2. Critical ECEC policy and program challenges today• need systematic qualitative research

3. Priority – IMPLEMENTATION studies!!• implementation science

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Qualitative Research

• In depth study of complex issue, process, event . . .

• Focus on participants, views and behaviour

• Cuts across disciplines, uses a mix of methods

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Why is it under-valued by governments?

• Essential for government ECEC agendaso Best practice guides/regulationo Evaluations of programs, build public trusto Comparative studieso Input to quantitative studies

BUT• Over-used in education research• Poor quality/researcher bias• Expensive, complex, difficult to

generalise from

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Many ECEC challenges today need high quality

qualitative research

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Some ECEC Challenges

• Gaining and sustaining government support for high quality ECEC

• Engaging parents and communities, particularly ethnic minorities

• Working across government – joined up agendas and services

• Improving workforce quality including revamped professional training

• Developing an innovation culture and scaling up from successful trials (eg low cost delivery, transition to school)

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Ethnic Minority Children

The most disadvantaged

of all

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Governments - struggle for effectiveness

Public officials - lack skills and capacity

Communities and parents - little awareness of importance of ECEC, mistrust of government, lack leadership

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Ethnic Minority Children

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Need research on •Making children’s culture work for them

• Lifting workforce qualityo Teaching assistants,

ethnic minority teachers, bilingual teaching

•Community outreach

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Parenting skills

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Essential for outcomes, especially for very young children 0-3.

Many parents do not understand the importance of ECEC, especially talking and reading to children.

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Parenting skills

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Need to develop

•systematic evidence base

•how informal programs can work with formal ECEC services

•how to include education messages in health programs/home visiting

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The impossible dream - education and health ministries in harmony

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PROBLEMProfessional differences : professions don’t understand each other – Health professionals don’t understand importance of reading/play /small group sizes– Education professionals don’t understand nutrition, de-worming, ear infection control programs

• Research baseo Health – stronger evidence base,

practitioner researchero Education – weaker evidence base

Ministries don’t want to cede leadership or power to the other

Qualitative research is needed

Good practice studies• ministries and professionals

working together successfully

• role of advocates, NGOs , government ministers

• organisational structures that support joined up action

• Are changes to professional training needed?

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IMPLEMENTATION !

“THE PARADOX OF NON-EVIDENCED BASED IMPLEMENTATION OF EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE” (Drake, Gorman and Torrey , 2002)

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IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCE in ECEC !• Need a conceptual framework, and possibly a common language• Systematic studies• Meta studies

Draw from health implementation science• develop collaborative relationships - government, providers, research institutions, practitioners.

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Conclusion: Priorities• Implementation Science in ECEC

o Journal? OECD studies?

• Research on o Effective strategies for ethnic minority children, parents and communitieso Parenting programso Joined up government – how to do it; persuading government to invest in the “invisible “ components of quality in ECECo Enhancing workforce quality

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THANK YOU!

• Question THANK YOU!

W. Jarvie Strategic Management Conference 27 September 2011