3.2.1 Epistemology
The research was informed by a constructionist epistemology which views meaning and reality as constructed from engagement with the world, rather than being a truth waiting for discovery (Crotty, 1998). What we know and how we gain knowledge are human constructions (Phillips, 1995), which may vary because different people have different experiences and construct meaning in different ways (Crotty, 1998). The constructionist epistemology is influenced by educational philosophers such as Dewey (1859-1952), who challenged traditional ideas of absolute truth and contended that there are
65
multiple realities that may change as a result of interactions between a person and the environment and other humans (Gutek, 2011; Phillips, 1995).
There are several forms of constructionism which may inform research design (Crotty, 1998; Phillips, 1995). The theoretical framework underpinning this research was social constructionist. A social constructionist theoretical framework is based on the assumption that meaning is influenced by cultural and historical understandings and constructed from engagement with the world and from interactions between people and then “developed and transmitted within a… social context” (Crotty, 1998, p. 42). People perceive things in different ways depending on the historically and culturally constructed interpretations of the world in which they have been immersed. There are, therefore, multiple and varied meanings attributed to an experience or phenomena. So, within a social constructionist framework, the researcher seeks to elicit participants’ views and to make sense of the meanings that participants give to their experiences (Cresswell & Cresswell, 2018). Thus, it was important for this research to enquire into the perspectives of a range of people involved in the transition to school and from a range of new entrant contexts.
3.2.2 Theoretical Framework
The transition to school is shaped by the actions taken by all who are involved in the transition experience including children, parents, and teachers. Each person’s experience of transition may differ, as will their views of what is significant during the transition. The study therefore took an interpretivist approach because it was designed to find out about the perspectives of those who are involved in the transition and acknowledged differing perspectives (Hibberts & Burke Johnson, 2012;
O'Hara et al., 2011). An interpretivist approach searches for interpretations of the social world that are historically situated and culturally derived (Crotty, 1998). It strives to understand the subjective world of human experience by understanding what matters for individuals rather than imposing the preconceived ideas of the researcher (Cohen et al.,2007). Rather than trying to prove a theory, the researcher seeks to generate theory from the meanings and purposes of the participants and understands that what happens in one time and place may differ from what occurs in other times and places (Cohen et al., 2007).
The research drew on the interpretivist approach of symbolic interactionism which is based on pragmatist philosophy and has its roots in the work of philosophers such as Mead (1863-1931) who argued that social forces shape behaviour (Crotty, 1998). Pragmatist thinkers challenged traditional perspectives of there being an ultimate reality and one absolute truth and viewed the world as
“pluralistic, tentative, open and challenging" (Gutek, 2011, p.351). An early pragmatist, Peirce (1839-
66
1914), posited that the world is everchanging and that we can never be certain how individuals will act but there is the probability that people will respond to a situation in the same way they have in the past. Peirce’s work influenced the thinking of James (1842-1910) and Dewey (1859-1952). James argued that humans choose to act based on their beliefs. These beliefs underpin ideas about right and wrong that guide the choices humans make and may change as a result of different experiences.
Dewey took a naturalistic approach which viewed meaning as being created through the associative participation of individuals in the community – learning by doing. He also had a pluralistic conception of culture (Gutek,2011). This research therefore recognised that there is no one truth but multiple ways to interpret the world (Gutek, 2011; Phillips, 1995). As a researcher it is important to acknowledge that what is presented to the reader is my own interpretation of the perspectives of participants.
Pragmatists such as Dewey, James and Pierce contended that the approach taken should be that which best addresses the problem under study (Cresswell & Cresswell, 2018; Gutek, 2011). A pragmatic approach was therefore taken whereby methodologies and methods were selected which arguably would provide the best evidence to answer the research questions (Cresswell & Cresswell, 2018;
Hibberts & Burke Johnson, 2012; Punch, 2009). Thus, the research design was not constrained in the choice of research methods to those traditionally associated with a particular paradigm, but instead considered which methods would best gather the data needed to answer the research question (Punch, 2009). It was therefore possible to use mixed methods to collect quantitative data as well as the qualitative data traditionally associated with the constructionist paradigm (Cresswell & Cresswell, 2018; Cresswell & Plano Clark, 2011).
The research design drew on the theories of Vygotsky (1978a, 1978b), Bronfenbrenner (1979), Bronfenbrenner and Morris (2006) and Rogoff (2003) in shaping the research and interpreting and making sense of the data. Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) ecological model locates the child in the centre of a series of nested circles that represent the contexts within which the child lives and with which the child interacts and the wider community, cultural and societal factors which may also impact on the child’s life experience and their learning and development. A later development of the model recognises the influence of time and processes (Bronfenbrenner & Morris, 2006). When a child transitions their position within this ecological environment is changed (Bronfenbrenner, 1979).
Dockett et al (2014) argue that Bronfenbrenner and Morris’s (2006) bioecological model “provides potential to explore issues of continuity and change, in terms of the individuals, the nature of experiences and interactions they have, the people with whom they interact and the contexts within which they are located” (p.4). Understanding how the interactions within and between settings can
67
influence children’s positioning can provide useful insights (Peters, 2014). This research involved the intersections and interactions between home, school and ECE therefore drawing on bioecological theory is appropriate. The research was therefore designed to include multiple perspectives and involved a range of participants who were likely to have differing views depending on their prior experiences and background (Bronfenbrenner, 1979). People experience and perceive the physical environment in different ways (Bronfenbrenner, 1979; Bronfenbrenner and Morris, 2006; Dockett et al., 2014); another reason why it was important to capture a range of perceptions.
Sociocultural theories have also been drawn on in this research. Vygotsky (1978b) argued that psychology is historically shaped and culturally transmitted; that what is known is socially constructed, another reason for including multiple participants. He also posited that there is a “zone of proximal development” (p.86) which represents the difference between what a child can accomplish on their own and what they can do with guidance or in collaboration with adults or more experienced peers.
When applied to the transition to school the notion of a zone of proximal development suggests that others with more experience can provide scaffolding to children to support the transition process as was found to be the case in my earlier research (Hayes, 2013). This research therefore looked for ways in which others could provide support for transitioning children and ensure that what was required of children was within their zone of proximal development.
Another sociocultural theorist, Rogoff (2003), contends that children participate in cultural communities and develop within their everyday experiences in these communities. Through a process of guided participation children participate in cultural activities such as schooling. The concept of guided participation emphasises the contributions of individuals, including children, and the community. Children are active participants in shaping cultural activities, and this happens within an environment where the learning opportunities that are afforded depend on community definitions of childhood, ideals of what is valued learning and how this is best acquired, and community values and practices. These cultural beliefs and values are not static. Children and other social actors have agency and in relationship contribute to adaptations, ruptures, opportunities, and possibilities in a constantly evolving historical process (Rogoff, 2003; Rogoff & Mejía-Arauz, 2022). Participants in this study are therefore regarded as active participants in the educational context who have agency. This is why it was important for the research to include child participants and focus on their lived experience and how they participated in the settings in which they live, so that their lives could be understood in context (Rogoff et al., 2018). Children from three different schools were included as participants in the research so that more could be understood about their “lived experience” (Rogoff et al., 2018, p.
5) of navigating the transition to school in different settings.
68
The methods for collecting data were designed to help me understand the experiences of the participants and the meanings they constructed from these experiences. The research design therefore included quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection which gave participants the opportunity to explain their perspectives and an inductive method of analysis was employed whereby meaning emerged from the data and patterns in phenomena could be identified (Rogoff, 2016). The methods used to collect data will now be presented.