Abstract
Curriculum innovation occurs throughout the early childhood education (ECE) sector. This article reports on the results of a survey conducted in Aotearoa New Zealand, during Phase 1 of a two-phase mixed-methods study. The research examines the factors that shape the way teachers use curriculum innovation and seeks to understand how teachers’ interactions with other teachers, families, and learners affect their innovative practices. In this study, 193 ECE teachers from throughout Aotearoa New Zealand responded to an online quantitative survey on these topics. The initial findings show that teachers’ innovation is informed by self-belief, relationships, and contextual factors, and how these all work to shape curriculum innovation. It is anticipated that this research will spark new thinking, new practices, and new collaborations across the ECE sector. Phase 2 qualitative case studies are currently underway across multiple locations in Aotearoa New Zealand.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alton-Lee, A. (2020). Disciplined innovation for equity and excellence in education: Learning from Māori and Pasifika change expertise.Education Counts. https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/topics/BES/useful-links-and-publications/disciplined-innovation-for-equity-and-excellence-in-education-learning-from-maori-and-pasifika-change-expertise
Anand, P. (2018). Testing regime change as innovation: Washback potential over time (Doctoral dissertation). https://curve.carleton.ca/system/files/etd/22e85455-2126-4496-a5f2-1b17277a5cb1/etd_pdf/48581ca9698e9159a3f830896ba92cc0/anand-testingregimechangeasinnovationwashbackpotential.pdf
Aydemir, A. (2021). Social innovation and lateral thinking tendencies of preservice social studies teachers. International Journal of Progressive Education, 17(3), 250–262.
Brundrett, M., & Duncan, D. (2015). Leading curriculum innovation in primary schools project: A final report. Education 3–13, 43(6), 756–765.
Brundrett, M., Duncan, D., & Rhodes, C. (2010). Leading curriculum innovation in primary schools project: An interim report on school leaders’ roles in curriculum development in England. Education 3–13, 38(4), 403–419. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004271003771067
Chen, H. H., & Yuan, Y. H. (2021). The study of the relationships of teacher’s creative teaching, imagination, and principal’s visionary leadership. SAGE Open, 11(3), 21582440211029932.
Dahiya, S. (2019). Innovative practices in teacher education. International Journal of Basic and Applied Research, 9(5), 749–755.
Davis, K. (2020). How social innovation is deeply Māori. Innovation Unit. https://www.innovationunit.org/thoughts/how-social-innovation-is-deeply-maori
D’Cunha, O. (2017). Living the Treaty of Waitangi through a bicultural pedagogy in early childhood. He Kupu: The Word, 5(2), 9–13.
Dong, Y., & Cao, Q. (2021). Research on the cultivation of college students’ innovation ability and the development of self-survival innovation team from the perspective of green ecology. Discrete Dynamics in Nature and Society, 10pages. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/9659164.
Dowden, T. (2010). Curriculum integration in Aotearoa New Zealand: rediscovering the potential of student-centred curriculum design in the middle years. Australian Journal of Middle Schooling, 10(2), 4–10.
Education Council of Aotearoa New Zealand – Matatū Aotearoa (2018). Educational leadership capability framework. https://teachingcouncil.nz/assets/Files/Leadership-Strategy/Leadership_Capability_Framework.pdf
Education Council of Aotearoa New Zealand – Matatū Aotearoa & Ministry of Education (2011). Tātaiako: Cultural competencies for teachers of Māori learners. https://teachingcouncil.nz/resource-centre/tataiako-cultural-competencies-for-teachers-of-maori-learners/
Education Review Office (2018). Leading innovative learning in New Zealand schools. https://ero.govt.nz/sites/default/files/2021-05/Leading-Innovative-Learning-in-Schools-2018.pdf
Education Review Office (2021). Exploring collaboration in action: Kahukura community of practice. https://ero.govt.nz/our-research/exploring-collaboration-in-action-kahukura-community-of-practice
Greany, T., & Waterhouse, J. (2016). Rebels against the system: Leadership agency and curriculum innovation in the context of school autonomy and accountability in England. International Journal of Educational Management, 30(7), 1188–1206.
Green, L., Miles, I., & Rutter, J. (2007). Hidden innovation in the creative industries NESTA Working Paper.
Halasz, G. (2021). Measuring innovation in education with a special focus on the impact of organisational characteristics. Hungarian Educational Research Journal, 11(2), 189–209. https://doi.org/10.1556/063.2021.00032.
Heikka, J., Pitkäniemi, H., Kettukangas, T., & Hyttinen, T. (2021). Distributed pedagogical leadership and teacher leadership in early childhood education contexts. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 24(3), 333–348.
Hewitt, D., & Tarrant, S. (2015). Innovative teaching and learning in primary schools. Sage.
Jakovljevic, M. (2018). A model for innovation in higher education. South African Journal of Higher Education, 32(4), 109–131.
Kirby, G., Douglass, A., Lyskawa, J., Jones, C., & Malone, L. (2021). Understanding leadership in early care and education: a literature review. OPRE Report 2021-02. Office of Planning, Research, and evaluation. Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Koh, E., Ponnusamy, L. D., Tan, L. S., Lee, S., & Ramos, E. (2014). A Singapore case study of curriculum innovation in the twenty-first century: demands, tensions and deliberations. Asia Pacific Education Researcher, 23(4), 851–860.
Law, E. H., Wan, S. W., Galton, M., & Lee, J. C. (2010). Managing school-based curriculum innovations: a Hong Kong case study. The Curriculum Journal, 21(3), 313–332.
Lesaux, N., & Jones, S. (2018, February 22). What is innovation in early education and why is it crucial? K-12 Dive. https://www.k12dive.com/news/what-is-innovation-in-early-education-and-why-is-it-crucial/517177/
MacNaughton, G., Rolfe, S., & Siraj-Blatchford, I. (2010). Doing early childhood research: international perspectives on theory and practice (2nd ed.). Allen & Unwin.
Meade, H. (2010, November 12). The contribution of ECE Centres of Innovation to building knowledge about teaching and learning 2003–2010. TLRI Early Years Symposium, NZCER, Wellington. http://www.tlri.org.nz/sites/default/files/pages/AMeade-ECE-Paper2010.pdf
Ministry of Education (1996). Te Whāriki. He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa. Early childhood curriculum. Author.
Ministry of Education. (2011). Tātaiako: Cultural competencies for teachers of Māori learners. Author.
Ministry of Education (2013). Ka Hikitia. Accelerating success 2013–2017. The Māori education strategy. Author.
Ministry of Education (2017). Te Whāriki. He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Author.
Ministry of Education (2018). Teacher-led Innovation Fund guide. https://www.education.govt.nz/assets/Documents/Ministry/Investing-in-Educational-Success/Teacher-led-Innovation-Fund/TLIF-Guide-2019.pdf
Ministry of Education (2020, September 23). Pacific education innovation fund launched Pacific Education Innovation Fund launched – Education in New Zealand
Ministry of Education (2022, June 9). Te Whāriki online: Making good use of the learning outcomes. https://tewhariki.tki.org.nz/en/design-your-curriculum/design-local-curriculum/making-good-use-of-the-learning-outcomes/
Mulenga, I. (2018). Conceptualization and definition of a curriculum. Journal of Lexicography and Terminology, 2(2), 1–23.
Paniagua, A. (2018, February 8). Innovation in everyday teaching: No more waiting for Superman. Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/blog/education-plus-development/2018/02/08/innovation-in-everyday-teaching-no-more-waiting-for-superman/
Sims, M., & Waniganayake, M. (2015). The role of staff in quality improvement in early childhood. Journal of Education and Training Studies, 3(5), 187–194.
Smith, G. (1989). Kura Kaupapa Māori: Innovation and policy development in Māori education. Access 8(1), 24–43.
Subramani, V. P. N., & Iyappan, V. (2018). Innovative methods of teaching and learning. Journal of Applied and Advanced Research, 3(1), 20–22.
Taber, K. (2017). The use of Cronbach’s alpha when developing and reporting research instruments in science education. Research in Science Education, 48, 1273–1296.
Te One, S. (2013). Te Whāriki: historical accounts and contemporary influences 1990 – 2012. In J. Nuttall (Ed.), Weaving Te Whāriki: Aotearoa New Zealand’s early childhood curriculum framework in theory and practice (pp. 7–34). New Zealand Council for Educational Research Press.
White, R. (1992). Innovation in curriculum planning and program development. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 13, 244–259.
Yang, W. (2019). Moving from imitation to innovation: exploring a chinese model of early childhood curriculum leadership. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 20(1), 35–52.
Zhu, C., Wang, D., Cai, Y., & Engels, N. (2013). What core competencies are related to teachers’ innovative teaching? Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 41(1), 9–27. https://doi.org/10.1080/1359866X.2012.753984.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher’s Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Alderson, J.M., McAlevey, F., Narayan, M. et al. A Culture of Innovation in Early Childhood Education: Which Factors Shape How Teachers Use Curriculum Innovation?. Early Childhood Educ J 52, 783–792 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-023-01463-1
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-023-01463-1