The what, why, and how of pedagogical documentation : perspectives of seven Maltese early years educators

Abstract

The introduction of the National Curriculum Framework (Ministry of Education and Employment, 2012), which suggests an open approach to learning in the early years, proposes that children’s experiences should be recorded and documented to identify their interests and assess their learning and development. Using social constructivist theory, this study explores the perspective and experiences of seven local early years educators about the way they use pedagogical documentation, together with the benefits and challenges they encounter. Data was collected through semi-structured one-to-one interviews, two focus groups, journaling, and photo elicitation. Findings illustrate that participants had limited understanding of what pedagogical documentation is, and how to present it, with most of the participants documenting children’s work through anecdotal notes, wall panels and digital documentation. Participants identified various benefits of pedagogical documentation: it allows them to observe and assess holistically, plan according to children’s needs and interests, reflect on their practice, and facilitate communication with parents. Identified challenges included other educators’ attitudes, lack of time, space, materials, and resources, and the absence of proper training and knowledge toward pedagogical documentation. Participants claimed that curriculum time, monitoring and in class support are crucial for successful implementation of pedagogical documentation.