Early Childhood Education in Germany: Exploring Historical Developments and Theoretical Issues (Routledge Research in Early Childhood Education)

This book draws on the perspectives of leading German scholars to provide a systematic overview of early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Germany, furthering international understanding of the complexities involved in ECEC topics in Germany. The book provides a unique insight into parts of German ECEC rarely seen outside of the country. Offering in-depth insights into historical developments, theoretical approaches and empirical research, the volume discusses Germany’s long tradition in ECEC against the backdrop of Froebel and other pedagogues and traditions. Chapters consider ECEC in Germany from the perspectives of theory, institutions and professionalization. The book draws on international literature and current debates to highlight the features and peculiarities of ECEC in Germany, contributing to dialogue on research into early childhood education and care. Providing a much-needed, internationally relevant insight into ECEC in Germany, this text will be essential reading for academics, researchers and post-graduate students involved in the field of early childhood education, international education, educational theory, and those researching educational policy and politics more widely. Cover Half Title Series Page Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents List of contributors Acknowledgements Chapter 1: Introduction and structure of the edited volume 1.1 Introduction 1.2 About the chapters 1.2.1 Part 1: Frameworks 1.2.2 Part 2: Theoretical perspectives 1.2.3 Part 3: Institutions and actors 1.2.4 Part 4: Professionalization References Part 1: Framings Chapter 2: The matrix of the academic ECEC discourse 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Historical-theoreticalperspectives 2.2.1 Education theories and elementary didactics research perspectives 2.2.2 Quality of education and efficacy-orientedperspectives 2.2.3 Social sciences perspectives References Chapter 3: Historical development and current frameworks 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Historical development 3.2.1 The early beginnings 3.2.2 German division: the FRG and the GDR 3.2.3 Reunification 3.3 Legal frameworks and organizational forms 3.4 Current trends in ECEC in Germany 3.5 Professionalization in ECEC in Germany References Part 2: Theoretical perspectives Chapter 4: Shifts between education, upbringing and childcareOn the transformation of basic concepts of early childhood pedagogy in the professional discourse of Germany 4.1 Introduction 4.2 “ Bildung ” or “Education” 4.2.1 Classical arguments of “Bildung” 4.2.2 The failure of the classic understanding of education 4.2.3 Contemporary approaches of early childhood education 4.3 Erziehung or “Upbringing” 4.4 Betreuung or “Childcare” 4.5 The interrelationship among education, childcare, and upbringing References Chapter 5: Paradigms of childhood in early childhood education 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Developmental theorems in early childhood pedagogy 5.2.1 Developmental psychology 5.2.2 Behavioural biology 5.2.3 Neurobiological references 5.3 New social childhood studies and early childhood pedagogy 5.3.1 Children as social actors 5.3.2 Childhood as a social construction and category of social order 5.4 Perspectives of educational science on childhood 5.5 Concluding Remarks References Chapter 6: PhenomenaPlay and learning 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Play and learning in the 18th and 19th centuries 6.2.1 The pedagogy of the enlightenment 6.2.2 The pedagogy of German romanticism 6.3 Play and learning in the 20th century 6.3.1 Phenomenological perspectives 6.3.2 Cognitive and cultural–historical psychological perspectives 6.3.3 Cultural–theoretical and socialization–theoretical perspectives 6.3.4 Psychoanalytical perspectives 6.4 Thematizations of play in empirical research (21st century) 6.4.1 Co-constructivistresearch of learning processes infree play2 6.4.2 Research oriented toward subject-specificpedagogy 6.4.3 Play as a topic of praxeological research on childhood 6.5 Concluding reflections References Chapter 7: Didactics in institutions of ECECA critical review 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Didactics of early childhood education – approaching a definition 7.3 Didactics as a narrative about mediation between child and (cultural) world 7.3.1 The narrative “Didactics as enabling the child to be a responsible, free, and self- 7.3.1.1 The narrative “Didactics as showing an intact (and metaphysically) ordered world” 7.3.1.2 The narrative “Didactics as moderating the child’s autopoiesis” 7.3.2 The narrative “Didactics as mediation of a universalistic technological education” 7.3.2.1 The narrative “Didactics as training of economically relevant skills and abilities” 7.3.2.2 The narrative “Didactics as a unified educational canon” 7.3.2.3 The narrative “Didactics as Standardized Teaching- 7.4 Didactics’ response to the challenges of globalization and the variety of educational cultures – a developing narrative References Chapter 8: Difference and early childhood education in GermanyQualitative research and educational programme 8.1 Introduction 8.2 The notion of difference in the context of ECE 8.3 Qualitative-empiricalresearch on difference in ECE 8.4 Conceptualization of difference in educational policy and pedagogical programmes 8.5 Conclusion and outlook References Part 3: Institutions and actors Chapter 9: The German ECEC systemGovernance structure, policies, and constitutive norms 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Historical roots: constitutive motives, norms, and principles of the ECEC system 9.3 The governance context: architecture and responsibilities within the ECEC system 9.3.1 Regulating ECEC 9.3.2 Funding 9.3.3 Service provision 9.4 Policy initiatives and their implications for the system’s path dependency 9.4.1 Expansion acts 9.4.2 Parental leave scheme 9.4.3 The challenge of quality within an expanding system 9.4.4 Remaining challenges 9.5 Conclusion References Chapter 10: Child and childhood 10.1 Introduction 10.2 The child of German ECEC 10.3 Relevant concepts in the German ECEC context 10.4 An international comparison of interferences and differences References Chapter 11: Families and parenthood 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Historical contexts of the relations between family and early education 11.3 Current social discourses and developments concerning families and parenthood in ECEC 11.3.1 Parenthood and the successful education of children 11.3.2 Gendered parenthood and profession 11.3.3 Partnerships between parents and professionals 11.4 Parents and families as actors in ECEC in the context of specific challenges 11.5 Conclusion References Chapter 12: Primary school in relation to kindergarten 12.1 Introduction 12.2 Kindergarten and primary school – differences, analogies, and rapprochements 12.2.1 Organization and administration 12.2.2 Curricular alignment 12.2.3 Staff 12.2.4 Summary: relation between kindergarten and primary school 12.3 Transition research in Germany – Perspectives and findings 12.3.1 Children’s handling of transition 12.3.2 Cooperation in the transition between kindergarten and primary school 12.3.3 Transition management and cooperation between ECEC staff and teachers 12.4 Outlook References Part 4: Professionalization Chapter 13: The professionalization discourse in German early childhood education and care and its social scientific references 13.1 Introduction 13.2 Current developments and lines of discourse 13.3 General professional theory approaches 13.4 Professionalization at the juncture of the individual and society 13.4.1 Institutionalization 13.4.2 Societal significance 13.4.3 Professionalization strategies 13.4.4 Mandate 13.4.5 Professionalism 13.4.6 The professionalization dilemma in ECEC in Germany 13.5 Conclusion and outlook References Chapter 14: Competence orientation as a key concept in professionalization and quality development processes 14.1 Introduction 14.2 The qualification debate in Germany: vocational and/or academic training? 14.3 Quality and professionalism 14.4 Definitions and constructs of competence in the German ECEC discourse 14.4.1 Structure models of competence 14.4.2 Process models 14.5 Summary and conclusion References Chapter 15: Action amid contradictionsResearch perspectives on areas of tension within professional ECEC practice in Germany 15.1 Introduction 15.2 Theoretical approaches to professional action in German ECEC 15.2.1 Structural theory perspectives 15.2.2 Interaction theory perspectives 15.2.3 Performance theory perspectives 15.2.4 Biographical and habitus theory perspectives 15.2.5 Conclusion: areas of tension within professional action 15.3 Methods and methodologies relating to professional action in ECEC 15.3.1 Interview studies and focus groups 15.3.2 Conversational and interaction analyses 15.3.3 Ethnographies 15.4 State of research on professionality in ECEC regarding areas of tension in pedagogical action 15.4.1 Interlinkages among biography, habitus, and professionality 15.4.2 Pedagogical orientations in areas of tension within ECEC practice 15.4.3 Core professional activities and conflicting demands in everyday pedagogical practice 15.4.3.1 Complex demands in the structuring of everyday pedagogical practice 15.4.3.2 Pedagogical interactions 15.4.3.3 Case understanding 15.5 Conclusion References Chapter 16: Evidence- and efficiency-based models of professionalization How do they contribute to improving early childhood education? 16.1 Introduction 16.2 Efficiency-based professionalization models 16.3 Evidence-based professionalization models 16.4 Evidence-based practice – an attempted definition 16.5 Obstacles to the implementation of EBP in Germany 16.6 Criticism of EBP derived from the theories of professions 16.7 Discussion: evidence- and efficiency­based practice – a pathway to professionalism? References Index Introduction and structure of the edited volume / Bianca Bloch, Melanie Kuhn, Marc Schulz, Wilfried Smidt, and Ursula Stenger -- The matrix of the academic ECEC discourse / Ursula Stenger, Melanie Kuhn, Marc Schulz, Bianca Bloch, and Wilfried Smidt -- Historical development and current frameworks / Marc Schulz, Melanie Kuhn, Bianca Bloch, Wilfried Smidt, and Ursula Stenger -- Shifts between education, upbringing and childcare : on the transformation of basic concepts of early childhood pedagogy in the professional discourse of Germany / Cornelie Dietrich & Claus Stieve -- Paradigms of childhood in early childhood education / Roswitha Staege & Elmar Drieschner -- Phenomena : play and learning / Oktay Bilgi & Ursula Stenger -- Didactics in institutions of ECEC : a critical review / Dagmar Kasüschke & Florian Frank -- Difference and early childhood education in Germany : qualitative research and educational programme / Claudia Machold & Raphael Bak -- The German ECEC system : governance structure, policies, and constitutive norms / Nicole Klinkhammer & Antonia Scholz -- Child and childhood / Dominik Farrenberg -- Families and parenthood / Melanie Kubandt & Dominik Krinninger -- Primary school in relation to kindergarten / Karin Kämpfe & Britta Menzel -- The professionalization discourse in German early childhood education and care and its social scientific references / Peter Cloos & Stefan Faas -- Competence orientation as a key concept in professionalization and quality development processes / Iris Nentwig-Gesemann & Klaus Fröhlich-Gildhoff -- Action amid contradictions : research perspectives on areas of tension within professional ECEC practice in Germany / Stefanie Bischoff-Pabst & Peter Cloos -- Evidence- and efficiency-based models of professionalisation : how do they contribute to improving early childhood education? / Tina Friederich & Regine Schelle "This book draws on the perspectives of leading German scholars to provide a systematic overview of early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Germany, furthering international understanding of the complexities involved in ECEC topics in Germany. Early Childhood Education in Germany provides a unique insight into parts of German ECEC rarely seen outside of the country. Offering in-depth insights into historical developments, theoretical approaches and empirical research, the volume discusses Germany's long tradition in ECEC against the backdrop of Froebel and other pedagogues and traditions. Chapters consider ECEC in Germany from the perspectives of theory, institutions and professionalization. The book draws on international literature and current debates to highlight the features and peculiarities of ECEC in Germany, contributing to dialogue on research into early childhood education and care. Providing a much-needed, internationally relevant insight into ECEC in Germany, this text will be essential reading for academics, researchers and post-graduate students involved in the field of early childhood education, international education, educational theory, and those researching educational policy and politics more widely."-- Provided by publisher