BECERA 2024 Speakers
Keynote I: Academic rigour and ideology are inevitable (and not incompatible) in early childhood research
Michel Vandenbroeck, Ghent University, Belgium
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Michel Vandenbroeck is Assistant Professor at the Department of Social Work and Social Pedagogy of Ghent University, Belgium. He holds honorary degrees of the Universities of Tampere (Finland) and Uppsala (Sweden) for his work relating pedagogy and policy. Together with Liselott Olsson, he is coordinating editor of the book series “Contesting Early Childhood” (Routledge) where he published on the use of neurosciences*, Paulo Freire**, and the commodification of early childhood education***. He is the Chair of the Board of VBJK, the Centre for Innovation in Early Childhood, sits on the Board of the International Step by Step Association (ISSA) and regularly works as consultant for national policies (e.g. Belgium, Luxemburg, France) and international bodies (e.g. European Commission).
More information and contact
Ghent University website | LinkedIn | X
*Vandenbroeck, M. (2017). Constructions of neuroscience in early childhood education. London: Routledge.
**Vandenbroeck, M. (2020). Revisiting Freire’s Pedagogy of the oppressed. London: Routledge
***Vandenbroeck, M., Lehrer, J., & Mitchell, L. (2023). The decommodification of early childhood education and care. Resisting neoliberalism. London: Routldge.
Over the last two decades, we witness a remarkable paradox. The academia, as well as the public discourse is increasingly aware of the importance of quality of ECEC for children, parents and local communities. Yet, at the same time, we witness a disinvestment of public responsibilities in many countries, with dramatic consequences in for instance France and Belgium. In the same period, we also witness new “education wars”, including polarising ideological debates. To give but a few examples: universities are accused to be disproportionally left-wing; policy makers call for a “war on woke” in education; books are banned in schools when they discuss gender issues; …
After the necessary criticism of postmodernist theorists on taken for granted assumptions in the humanities and on how these reproduce inequalities in education, this raises new questions regarding the relations between ideology and academic rigour.
Keynote II: From micro resistances to collaborative action – the shape of agency and activism in contemporary early childhood education
Nathan Archer, Leeds Beckett University, United Kingdom
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Nathan Archer is a researcher at Leeds Beckett University. Originally qualified as a Montessori teacher, Nathan has worked in practice, policy and research in early childhood education for twenty-five years. He gained a PhD from University of Sheffield in 2020 and has undertaken policy analysis with Sutton Trust, Nuffield Foundation and University of Leeds. He continues to research early childhood workforce policy, and the resistance and activism of early childhood educators. Nathan is Associate Editor of Journal of Early Childhood Research.
Contact
Leeds Beckett University website | LinkedIn | X
Recent publications
Albin-Clark, J. and Archer, N. (2023) Playing social justice: How do early childhood teachers enact the right to play through resistance and subversion? PRISM: Casting New Light on Learning, Theory and Practice. Vol 6. No.1.
Archer, N. & Albin-Clark, J. (2022) Telling stories that need telling A dialogue on resistance in early childhood education. FORUM 64 (2) pp21-29.
Mevawalla, Z. & Archer, N. (2022) ‘Advocacy and Activism in Early Childhood Education’ In Oxford Bibliographies in Education. Ed. Susan Faircloth. New York: Oxford University Press.
Archer, N. (2021) ‘I have this subversive curriculum underneath’: Narratives of micro resistance in early childhood education. Journal of Early Childhood Research.
In recent years, research has revealed the multiplicity of places in which early education activism is enacted. From the nursery to Whitehall to social media, various spaces have been co-opted for different forms of direct action in opposition to policy incursions in early childhood education.
Research reveals educator resistances are not always large scale, collective or mobilised but are often expressed in atomised contexts through a dispersed network of actors. Often this takes the form of ‘micro resistances’ which are local, quiet and unseen but multiple.
At the same time, numerous collaborative movements have emerged in response to specific policies, with action co-ordinated by national coalitions. However, notwithstanding the visibility and reach of these collectives, the neoliberal shaped early years market has atomised individual schools and settings, framing them as competitors rather than collaborators. This has resulted in reduced opportunities to collectivise.
Drawing on empirical research and personal experiences the author discusses the perceived critical agency and collective action of the early childhood workforce. The paper concludes with reflections on the potential for further collaborative advocacy and activism between organisations in building professionalism with, and a fair deal for, the early childhood workforce.
Conference Speaker Panel
BECERA provides a unique forum to bring together research, practice and policy and strengthen the early childhood research community in the vital contribution it makes to British and international practice and policy. This year’s Conference Theme is focusing on ‘Early Years Education as Political Activity’ and aims to explore issues of ‘Access, Choice, Agency and Voice’. We want to make visible the decisions and actions which might be considered political, demonstrably civic and deeply democratic. If politics is about a collective struggle to find agreement, then clearly: who has access to the debate; how voice and power is distributed; where choices lie; and what agency one has (to act out one’s own decisions), can all be considered ‘political activity’ and therefore key components of democracies.
A new initiative in this year’s Conference is the introduction of a Panel of Practice-Led Researchers, all of whom have undertaken Doctoral study at CREC. In the selection of their study subject and methodologies, they have each ensured young children, parents and practitioners have had access, voice, agency and choice. They have determined that this civic and political thread is a central theme in their work, thus exemplifying the important democratising role of early years practice and research at a time when perhaps we need to emphasise level headedness and commonality when considering difference and differing opinions.
We are hoping the panel will respond to the key Conference Themes, and question and engage in a critical dialogue with the BECERA community to promote the key missions of BECERA to raise quality, and enhance inclusivity and social justice in early years education.
The panel will be chaired by Helen Lyndon and includes Sharon Colilles, Donna Gaywood, Vina Patel and Nicola Wallis.
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Dr Helen Lyndon is a senior research follow and postgraduate programme lead at CREC, sub-editor of EECERJ and country coordinator for EECERA. She is a teacher by training and has worked within primary schools, children’s centres and now higher education and research. She gained her PhD in 2021 with research focusing on the development of practice and methods which listen to young children utilising ethnographic techniques when working with both professionals and children. Recent research projects include explorations of creative approaches within community environments supporting communication and language, an evaluation of a physical literacy programme, and Helen regularly supports researchers in New Zealand on CREC’s Froebel partnership.
Contact
Recent publications
Lyndon, H. (2023) “Embracing the breadth of ethical considerations in early childhood research”. European Early Childhood Research Journal 31 (2)
Lyndon, H. (2023) “Hundreds and Thousands of ways of speaking: evaluation report for Moonbeams 2022/23”.
Lyndon, H. (2020) “Pedagogic mediation in the Early Years”. In Gasper and Walker (Ed) “Mentoring and Coaching in the Early Years”. London: Bloomsbury.
Lyndon H., Bertram T., Brown Z. and Pascal C. (2019) “Pedagogically Mediated Listening Practices; the Development of Pedagogy through the Development of Trust.” European Early Childhood Research Journal 27 (3)
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Dr Sharon Colilles is Senior Lecturer in early childhood education at Bath Spa University, a Trustee on Froebel Trust Council, Vice Chair on the Executive for Early Childhood Studies Degrees Network (ECSDN) and an associate trainer for Early Education. She has a diverse career background, initially working as a policy manager, owner/operator of a private day setting and more recently working as project assistant for the development of Birth to Five Matters non-statutory guidance, as well as being part of the advisory panel for the development of the new children’s gallery at the National History Museum.
Contact
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Donna has had an unconventional career as an educator spanning 30 years. She has worked in schools, for charities, local authorities, in PVIs and established two companies. Her work has mainly been with children and their families who are facing challenging circumstances. Donna has developed a specialism supporting very young children with social emotional and mental health needs and has recently been awarded her doctorate which investigated the lived experiences of refugee children in Early Childhood Education and Care in England. Currently Donna is a senior lecturer for Children, Young People and Families, working at the University of Gloucester. She is the co-convener of a special interest group for EECERA interested in Children from refugee and migrant backgrounds.
Click here for a link to Donna Gaywood’s thesis.
Contact
Staff profile | LinkedIn | X | Email
Recent publications
Gaywood et al (2023) Supporting refugee families in Partnership with Parents in Early Childhood eds Thompson and Simmons
ISBN: 978-1529605891
A research informed education pack for early educators working with refugee and migrant children
Early Years Alliance publication (2022) Prioritising mental health and wellbeing
Gaywood (2022) A nation at war with its own conscience. Public Sector Focus (pp.54-55)
What about the children? Public Sector Focus: Editorial
Gaywood et al (2020) Involving refugee children in research: emerging ethical and positioning issues EECERJ Vol 28(1)
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Vina Patel is currently completing her doctoral research at the Centre for Research in Early Childhood (CREC) and Birmingham City University (BCU). Her research title is ‘An exploration of Early Childhood Studies Students’ experiences of placement and its role in the development of professional identity’. Vina has twenty-five years of experience in the early years sector, before working as a Senior Lecturer at Birmingham City University. She led, managed and area managed provision for a large nursery chain. Vina then developed and led early years services for a trailblazer Sure Start local programme in the West Midlands. She is Course Leader for DipHE in Preschool Education in Guangdong, China. Vina is currently working on a collaborative project between BCU, University of the West of England (UWE) Bristol and Canterbury Christchurch universities. The project is being funded by the Early Childhood Studies Degrees Network (ECSDN) which aims to strengthen the position of early childhood studies (ECS) degrees within higher education.
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Having previously worked as a primary and nursery teacher for 14 years, Nicola is now a practitioner researcher at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, focusing on early childhood. She has developed innovative museum learning programmes for babies, young children, and those who care for them, as well as extended engagement projects with early years settings and training opportunities for educators. Nicola is currently studying for a PhD in young children's engagement with museum objects & spaces at the Centre for Research in Early Childhood. Her research draws on participatory methodologies to explore the role of early arts and cultural experiences in supporting democratic engagement and social justice.
Contact
Fitzwilliam Museum profile | X | Instagram
Publications
Nicola Wallis & Kate Noble (2023) The slow museum: the affordances of a university art museum as a nurturing and caring space for young children and their families, Museum Management and Curatorship, DOI: 10.1080/09647775.2023.2269145
BECERA 2024
make new connections ~ network with like minded individuals ~ inform and develop your own work ~ learn about the latest ECEC research ~ discuss current sector issues ~ present own research ~ grow as a professional ~ improve outcomes for children
BECERA - Foregrounding the importance of practice based research
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About BECERA
In 2010 CREC launched and hosted the first British Early Childhood Education Research Association (BECERA) Conference and it has been held annually ever since.
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Conference Programme
Our 14th Annual Conference will be hosted at the Studio in Birmingham city centre on 13th February and will feature keynote talks, panel discussions and research presentations grouped into thematic symposia.
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Researchers' Posts
Take a look at the guest posts written by our symposia presenters to learn more about them, their latest research projects, their wider EY interests and ways you can connect with those of similar research interests to yours.