Embracing Changes Outdoors for Children Under 3, Pilot Study of a Community of Research and Practice: Evaluation Report

Abstract

The lack of attention to outdoor provision for babies and toddlers in ECEC practice and research was a key motivation to pilot a community of practice and research approach that would empower early childhood educators in Ireland to reflect on and improve their outdoor play and learning provision. Between May and November 2022, 11 educators from three ECEC services in the South Dublin region participated in the pilot. It was titled, Embracing Change Outdoors for Children Under 3 Community of Practice and Research (ECO-3). The cycle of change underpinning ECO-3 involved choosing to change; planning for change; creating the change; sharing first insights and sharing with others. This report documents the findings of the evaluation of ECO-3 which addressed the following questions: ) What impact did ECO-3 have on pedagogical practice, knowledge and time outdoors? 2) What features of ECO-3 process contributed to the participating early childhood educators to reflect and improve their outdoor play and learning provision? Evaluation methods included: a baseline and post ECO3 online questionnaire that was completed by the early childhood educators and mid-process reflection and evaluation activities. Amongst the findings were: that ECO-3 had the effect of early childhood educators broadening and deepening their understanding of outdoor play pedagogy in ECEC in general, and for children under 3. Furthermore, the most effective and valuable aspect of the ECO-3 approach for the was the opportunity it provided to exchange knowledge and experiences with colleagues from their own setting and with peers in other ECEC settings. These are other findings are discussed with reference to their implications for professional learning and development and further research.