http://hdl.handle.net/2173/31795 Thu, 23 May 2013 14:39:36 GMT 2013-05-23T14:39:36Z http://hdl.handle.net/2173/87457 Title: Research and gender Authors: Jones, Liz; Barron, Ian Abstract: This book illustrates the complex relationship between gender and research. The authors use concrete examples and draw upon their own gendered experiences by including mini-case studies from research projects in areas such as childhood studies, health care and education. Mon, 30 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/2173/87457 2007-04-30T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/2173/83494 Title: Birth to three matters: a framework to support children in their earliest years Authors: Abbott, Anne L.; Langston, Ann Abstract: Government commitment to the care and education of children from birth to three years in England led to the commissioning in 2001 of 'a framework of best practice' (DfEE, 2001:24) to support children in their earliest years. The resulting framework of 'effective' practice, together with supporting materials, was developed by a team based at Manchester Metropolitan University and led by Professor Lesley Abbott. Published as 'Birth to Three Matters' (DfES, 2002) the materials were distributed and disseminated nationally during 2003/2003. The project was underpinned by extensive research and consultation which both informed the framework development and raised important issues for future debate, policy and practice. An overview of the process is presented together with key issues raised by a national focus on our youngest children. Description: Full-text of this article is not available in this e-prints service. This article was originally published [following peer-review] in European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, published by and copyright Routledge. Tue, 01 Mar 2005 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/2173/83494 2005-03-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/2173/80377 Title: The literacy maze: walking through or stepping round? Authors: Haworth, Avril Abstract: Literacy has always been a contested site in primary phase teaching. Internationally, there is a trend towards increased direct government intervention in areas of pedagogy, as well as curriculum. Recently in the UK, national initiatives, designed to raise standards of literacy among the 11-14 age group, have required English teachers to adapt their professional practices to accommodate highly prescriptive curricular and pedagogic directives which, I argue, represent a 'discursive regime' that challenges English teachers to rethink professional identity in relation to 'English' and 'literacy'. Specifically, I explore the rhetorical and professional options available to teacher educators and postgraduate trainee teachers in their initial encounters with such literacy programmes in university and schools. Using Bakhtin's account of 'authoritative' and 'internally persuasive' discourses, I trace the professional self-identifications of a group of English trainee teachers over a period of a year. Description: Full-text of this article is not available in this e-prints service. This article was originally published [following peer-review] in Language and Education, published by and copyright Routledge. Wed, 01 Mar 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/2173/80377 2006-03-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/2173/76636 Title: Evaluating the early excellence initiative: the relationship between valuation, performance management and practitioner participation Authors: Jones, Liz; Owen, Jenny; Cook, Tina Abstract: This article focuses on an evaluation of the pilot implementation of the UK ‘Early Excellence’ programme, designed to improve Early Years services and achieve national impact. As with other ‘New Labour’ programmes, the evaluation approach was based on addressing the relationship between ‘context, process and outcome’; to facilitate this, nationally defined indicators were adopted through collaboration between a national evaluation team, local evaluators and local practitioners. This approach left considerable scope for interpretation and participation by local evaluators and practitioners, as they engaged in data collection and analysis. However, two major shifts later undermined the original scope: first, a shift from evaluation to performance management, and second, a shift from central practitioner participation to marginal practitioner involvement. In conclusion, we note the parallels and contrasts between this experience and others in UK public services, and propose some general learning points for similar evaluation initiatives. Description: Full-text of this article is not available in this e-prints service. This article was originally published [following peer-review] in Evaluation, published by and copyright Sage. Fri, 01 Jul 2005 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/2173/76636 2005-07-01T00:00:00Z