TY - JOUR
T1 - "It's a two-way street"
T2 - Examining how trust, diversity, and contradiction influence a sense of community
AU - Puig, Victoria I.
AU - Erwin, Elizabeth J.
AU - Evenson, Tara L.
AU - Beresford, Madeleine
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2015 Association for Childhood Education International.
PY - 2015/4/3
Y1 - 2015/4/3
N2 - As interest in establishing and maintaining high-quality inclusive early childhood environments continues to grow, the population of children and families being served by these programs is becoming increasingly diverse. In response to these demographic and social trends, this study was conducted to explore how diversity is perceived within an early childhood inclusive environment. This participatory action research study was conceptualized and conducted over a 3-year period. Our collaborative research team, which reflected diversity across culture, race, gender, age, and professional discipline, used qualitative semistructured interviews to examine the question, "What does it mean to be fully inclusive across all aspects of diversity?" The research agenda and study implementation were shaped at every stage of the process through reaching consensus among the research team. Findings revealed the critical nature of trust and factors that contributed to and detracted from feelings of membership and community. Study participants identified opportunities and obstacles related to inclusive practices within their setting and expressed understandings and contradictions about the concept of diversity. Recommendations for practice and research that considered multiple aspects of diversity in early childhood are shared.
AB - As interest in establishing and maintaining high-quality inclusive early childhood environments continues to grow, the population of children and families being served by these programs is becoming increasingly diverse. In response to these demographic and social trends, this study was conducted to explore how diversity is perceived within an early childhood inclusive environment. This participatory action research study was conceptualized and conducted over a 3-year period. Our collaborative research team, which reflected diversity across culture, race, gender, age, and professional discipline, used qualitative semistructured interviews to examine the question, "What does it mean to be fully inclusive across all aspects of diversity?" The research agenda and study implementation were shaped at every stage of the process through reaching consensus among the research team. Findings revealed the critical nature of trust and factors that contributed to and detracted from feelings of membership and community. Study participants identified opportunities and obstacles related to inclusive practices within their setting and expressed understandings and contradictions about the concept of diversity. Recommendations for practice and research that considered multiple aspects of diversity in early childhood are shared.
KW - children with disabilities
KW - culturally diverse students
KW - early childhood education
KW - inclusive education
KW - qualitative research
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84926480101&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/02568543.2015.1009588
DO - 10.1080/02568543.2015.1009588
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84926480101
SN - 0256-8543
VL - 29
SP - 187
EP - 201
JO - Journal of Research in Childhood Education
JF - Journal of Research in Childhood Education
IS - 2
ER -