2025 NZIRECE Journal (Vol. 27)

FULL REFERENCE: Tiko, L. (2025). Strengthening policy implementation and system coordination for equitable early childhood development in Fiji. NZ International Research in Early Childhood Education Journal, 27, 83-96.

ABSTRACT: This paper critically explores the challenges and opportunities in strengthening policy implementation and system coordination for equitable Early Childhood Development (ECD) in Fiji. It interrogates the effectiveness of the 2024 to 2028 National ECD Policy and the 2025 Pre-Primary Policy, focusing on persistent disparities in resource distribution, professional development, and infrastructure between urban and rural ECE centres. The paper highlights fragmented inter-ministerial coordination among the Ministries of Education, Health, and Women and Children, revealing operational silos and inconsistent planning mechanisms. Situated within the broader context of Small Island Developing States (SIDS), the analysis emphasises the importance of culturally grounded, community-led approaches rooted in Indigenous knowledge systems. The commentary calls for a paradigm shift in ECD policy implementation, one that centres equity, resilience, and local agency to build inclusive and sustainable early childhood systems across Fiji and the Pacific.

KEY WORDS:  Early Childhood Development, Policy Implementation, System Coordination.

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Introduction

Strengthening policy implementation and system coordination is central to achieving equitable Early Childhood Development (ECD) outcomes in Fiji. As the nation advances its commitment through the 2024 to 2028 National ECD Policy and the 2025 Pre-Primary Education Policy, the urgency to bridge the gap between policy aspirations and practical realities becomes increasingly evident. These policies mark a strategic shift toward holistic child development, yet their success hinges on effective inter-ministerial collaboration, equitable resource distribution, and culturally responsive implementation.

Fiji’s ECD landscape is shaped by the complexities of being a Small Island Developing State (SIDS), where geographic isolation, climate vulnerability, and socio-economic disparities pose unique challenges. Fragmented coordination among key ministries, Education, Health, and Women, Children and Social Protection, has led to operational silos, inconsistent planning, and uneven service delivery, particularly in rural and maritime regions. Moreover, the lack of shared accountability mechanisms and integrated data systems continues to hinder progress.

FULL REFERENCE: McAnelly, K., Purdue, K., Hall, L.J., Odom, S.L., & Hall, E. (2025). We’re all in this together: Approaches to inclusive early childhood education for disabled children in Aotearoa New Zealand and the United States, and what we can learn from one another.  NZ International Research in Early Childhood Education Journal, 27, pp. 1-16.

ABSTRACT: Research from Aotearoa New Zealand and the United States continues to explore disabled children’s right to an inclusive early childhood education (ECE). In this article we examine ECE provision, key legislation and policy, and research on inclusion in our two countries. We also look at how initial teacher education and professional learning and development programmes help to strengthen inclusive practice in our respective countries. There is a lot that each country can draw on and learn from the other in relation to supporting disabled children’s inclusion in ECE. Drawing on insights from our cross-country comparisons, we offer recommendations aimed at amplifying disabled children’s rights to inclusive ECE.  

KEY WORDS: Disability, inclusion, children’s rights, teacher education, cross-country comparison.

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Introduction

The provision of equitable and inclusive early childhood education (ECE) for disabled children differs from country to country, based on each country’s values and imperatives. Although direct adoption of other nations’ approaches is not advisable, countries can learn from each other and improve their own inclusive ECE practices.

A review of literature highlighted for us – early childhood researchers from Aotearoa New Zealand, hereafter, Aotearoa, and the United States (US) – a lack of cross-national comparative studies on equitable and inclusive ECE for disabled children and their families.  As a step towards addressing that gap, we compared approaches to inclusive education in our respective jurisdictions. We agreed that comparative research could offer fresh insights into how inclusive ECE can be conceptualised and enacted in ways that uphold the rights of disabled children.

FULL REFERENCE: Ba Akhlagh. S. and Yamada, M. (2025).  Shared cultural responsiveness teaching strategies for early childhood educators: Insights from Japanese and Australian researchers.  NZ International Research in Early Childhood Education Journal, 27, pp. 17-30.  

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ABSTRACT: The global movement of migrants and refugees presents significant challenges for host countries, particularly in providing equitable and inclusive education for children. Nations such as Australia and Japan have become safe destinations, yet the extent to which they are prepared to facilitate culturally responsive early childhood education varies. This paper presents research-based strategies, developed by two researchers in Australia and Japan, that have proven to be practical and helpful for educators, supporting children from cultural and linguistic diverse (CALD) backgrounds in Australia. These strategies, currently offered to educators in Australia, are planned for implementation among Japanese early childhood educators from 2026. Drawing on shared expertise from both countries, the approach fosters mutual learning and adaptation, aiming to inspire educators worldwide to contextualise and apply these evidence-informed practices within their own early childhood education settings.

KEY WORDS:  Cultural responsiveness, educators, cross-cultural early childhood education teaching strategies, professional learning.

INTRODUCTION

Over the past several decades, early childhood education (ECE) has been shaped by unprecedented demographic shifts, as migration and global mobility have diversified the social, cultural, and linguistic composition of early childhood services worldwide (Chen & Lai, 2024; Veliz, 2024). Increasingly, young children enter educational settings with racial, ethnic, linguistic, and socioeconomic backgrounds that differ substantially from those historically reflected in national curricula and pedagogical practices (Haslip & Gullo, 2018). This diversification has demanded a fundamental rethinking of how education systems approach inclusion, belonging, and equity in the early years (Veliz et al., 2025).

The response to these demographic transformations has been the gradual evolution of multicultural education, which moved beyond its initial, narrower focus on race and ethnicity to develop into a broad pedagogical philosophy. Banks (2004), in his seminal work, identified core elements of this philosophy—ranging from content integration and the knowledge construction process to prejudice reduction and the cultivation of inclusive school cultures—that collectively sought to embed equity and diversity within everyday teaching practices. More recently, Paris and Alim (2014) advanced the concept of culturally sustaining pedagogy, which not only emphasises responsiveness to children’s backgrounds but also actively seeks to sustain and enrich their cultural and linguistic heritages. In the context of ECE, this shift reflects a growing recognition that early education is not simply about accommodating difference, but about nurturing identities and empowering children to see their cultural and linguistic resources as assets.

FULL REFERENCE: Davis, T. (2025). Exploring educator and parent perceptions of the impact of digital technologies on young children’s physical literacies. NZ International Research in Early Childhood Education Journal, 27, pp. 31-42.

ABSTRACT: Digital technologies are increasingly present in early childhood settings, raising questions about their effects on young children’s physical literacy development. Physical literacy – encompassing physical competence, confidence, motivation, and understanding to engage in physical activity – is crucially developed in the early years. This article reports on a doctoral research project exploring how educators and parents perceive the impact of digital technology use on the physical literacies of children from birth to five years. A literature review highlights international and Australasian perspectives on digital technology integration in early childhood education and the concept of physical literacy in the early years, revealing a gap in research on stakeholder perceptions at this intersection. Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory and Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory provide the theoretical framework, situating children’s technology experiences within layered environmental contexts and sociocultural interactions. A qualitative, interpretive case study with a phenomenological lens is proposed, using semi-structured interviews with educators and parents in an Australian kindergarten and a long day care centre. The article argues that understanding adult perceptions can support more intentional, balanced integration of digital technologies.

KEY WORDS:  Digital technologies; physical literacy; teacher perceptions; parent perceptions.

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INTRODUCTION

In today’s early childhood environments, digital technologies such as tablets, smartphones, and smart toys are widely used, even by infants and toddlers (Chu et al., 2024). As screen time becomes a regular part of young children’s routines, concerns have been expressed about its impact on development—particularly physical literacy, which refers to the motivation, confidence, physical competence, and knowledge needed for lifelong engagement in physical activity (Whitehead, 2010). In early childhood education and care (ECEC), physical literacy and regular daily movement are linked to healthier body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness, as well as emerging cognitive benefits such as better executive function and self-regulation (World Health Organisation [WHO], 2019). ECEC is a vital time for developing motor skills and positive attitudes toward movement, laying foundations for lifelong physical activity (Robinson et al., 2015; WHO, 2019;). However, it is also when habits of screen use and sedentary behaviour can begin to form. Balancing digital engagement with physical play has therefore become a key issue in ECEC. In this paper, screen time refers to sedentary viewing, whereas interactive screen time denotes hands-on use of interactive digital play; where relevant, the researcher specifies movement-linked screen time for experiences that prompt gross-motor activity (American Academy of Paediatrics [AAP] Council on Communications and Media, 2016; WHO, 2019;).

FULL REFERENCE: Harper-Hooper, W. (2025). Advocating anti-bias practices in early childhood education.  NZ International Research in Early Childhood Education Journal, 27, pp. 43-55.

ABSTRACT:
This article examines the integration of anti-bias education, multicultural pedagogy, and Social Learning Theory within early childhood education, with a focus on fostering inclusive, equitable, and socially just learning environments. Grounded in the view that bias is socially constructed and learned, anti-bias education offers a critical framework for supporting children’s identity development, empathy, and engagement with diversity from the early years. Informed by Bandura’s Social Learning Theory, the paper explores how young children internalise inclusive values through observation, modelling, and guided interaction. Play-based learning is identified as a developmentally appropriate and culturally responsive approach for embedding these values within everyday practice. Through intentional role-play, storytelling, and collaborative exploration, children are supported to examine difference, challenge stereotypes, and develop inclusive ways of thinking and relating. The paper outlines practical strategies, including inclusive curriculum design, culturally sustaining resources, family and community engagement, and educator reflection, that contribute to equitable learning experiences. It also presents assessment approaches that capture children’s understanding of diversity and inclusion through observation, artefacts, and caregiver input. In the Aotearoa New Zealand context and globally, where increasing diversity and persistent inequities shape the early childhood education landscape, this article underscores the educator’s role as a reflective, relational, and intentional agent of change. It concludes by advocating for ongoing professional learning and collaboration to advance transformative early childhood education practices rooted in equity, belonging, and social justice.

KEY WORDS: Anti-bias education, pedagogy, play-based learning, multicultural education, social learning theory.

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INTRODUCTION

Anti-bias education is a dynamic, intentional pedagogical approach aimed at addressing the systemic roots of prejudice, discrimination, and social inequity. Rather than promoting passive notions of tolerance, it encourages critical reflection, sustained dialogue, and transformative action, all directed toward dismantling structural bias and advancing social justice. At the heart of anti-bias education is the understanding that biases are socially constructed and learned, thus, they can be consciously unlearned through deliberate and reflective educational practices.

Derman-Sparks and Edwards (2020) emphasise the critical role of early childhood education in shaping young children’s developing attitudes toward identity, diversity, and inclusion. When early childhood education environments actively affirm children’s diverse backgrounds and challenge stereotypes, they support the development of positive self-identities and foster empathy and respect for others (Murray & Nakkula, 2021). Embedding anti-bias principles into curriculum design and daily practice enables educators to create inclusive spaces where all children, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, ability, or socioeconomic status, feel a sense of belonging, affirmation, and agency.

FULL REFERENCE: Davitt, G., Chellapan, L., & Keighron, C. (2025).  Nuances and perceptions of home-based early childhood education in Aotearoa New Zealand.  NZ International Research in Early Childhood Education Journal, 27, pp. 56-68.

ABSTRACT: Home-based early childhood education (HBECE) describes a type of early childhood education and care (ECE) that encompasses several widely recognised philosophies and pedagogical practices. Among psychologists, counsellors, therapists, and education professionals, there has been an increasing interest in researching HBECE. The aim of this research was to gain a broader view of the specific context, nuances, and perceptions of HBECE in Aotearoa New Zealand. Four focus group online interviews, with eighteen participants in total were held. The participants were service providers, visiting teachers, educators, and parents. From the interviews we identified benefits, challenges, and the overall perception of HBECE. Benefits focused on the family type environment, relationships, continuity of care, and small group size. Participants spoke of licensing and funding changes, namely: regulatory compliance, funding, and documentation. They perceived HBECE to be undervalued within the wider ECE sector and the community at large.

KEY WORDS:  Group size, continuity of care, home-based ECE, personalised learning, flexible childcare.

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INTRODUCTION

Home-based early childhood education (HBECE) is distinct from centre-based early childhood education (ECE). The term “home-based education and care” was first developed in the 1970s to reflect the provision of education and care experiences for children in a familiar home environment. In Aotearoa NZ, HBECE is provided by an educator in their private home for one to four children. According to the Education Research Office (ERO) (2018), a key factor in the success of HBECE is the personalised service it provides.