Initial design of the empirical study 64

Initially, the empirical study was conceived in two parts: the first part consisted of semi- structured interviews with key stakeholders, and the second part consisted of observation.

4.4.1.1.  Semi-­‐structured  interviews  

A semi-structured interview is defined as having ‘predetermined questions, but the order can be modified based upon the interviewer’s perception of what seems most appropriate. Question wording can be changed and explanations given; particular questions which seem inappropriate with a particular interviewee can be omitted, or additional ones included’ (Robson, 2002: 270). The choice of this method is to provide the researcher with the flexibility to adapt the questions to interviewees according to their verbal and non-verbal reactions. For example, some of the interviewees may not be familiar with the issues raised, and require more extensive explanations or additional questions; or, some responses may lead to the kinds of questions not previously considered by the researcher but which are of relevance to the research. Key stakeholders to be interviewed would include national policymakers, trade union representatives, researcher/teacher educators, inspectors, school and preschool directors and teachers from France and Sweden. These can be considered key policy actors who produce, interpret and/or enact the policy, though the degree of policy production and that of interpretation done for others differs from stakeholder to stakeholder; some of them may even have other roles as conceptualised by Ball et al. (2011). For example, junior and newly qualified teachers are in principle receivers of policy, relying heavily on ‘interpretations of interpretations’ (Ball, et al., 2011: 632).

The purpose of these interviews was to understand their views and experiences regarding the changes in the relationship between early childhood and primary education, including whether globalisation and the image of the child have influenced the relationship, since they started working in the field. The interview guides was shared with the interviewees prior to the interviews, which would be recorded with the aid of an audio recorder if the interviewees permit. The questions addressed to the interviewees23 were:

• How would you describe the current relationship between ECE and school?

• Has the relationship changed during your time in the education field? In what ways? When? Why? With what consequences?

• What are your views about these changes? And the current relationship?

• How do you think the relationship will develop in the future? How would you like to see it developing in the future?

• One (Swedish) study of the relationship between preschool and school thought that each had a very different image or concept of the child. What do you think?

23 _{The interview guides used for the main field study in France and Sweden can be found in Appendices}

4.4.1.2.  Observation    

Participant observation, in which I would play a ‘marginal participant’, i.e. ‘a largely passive, though completely accepted, participant’ (Robson, 2002: 318-9), was part of the initial design of the empirical study. It meant that I would adopt the role of a marginal participant while paying conscious and active attention to what can be observed. Groups of 4-year-olds participating in ECE settings and those of 6-year-olds in primary school premises were to be observed. The purpose of observation was to understand the ECE and school settings, daily routines of the groups, actors who worked in the settings, and interactions that took place with and around children. In order to record these different aspects, I was to take notes and ask for permission to photograph the physical environments (both indoor and outdoor) and some of the interactions that involve children.

The method of observation chosen was informed by the framework of descriptive observation proposed by Spradly (1980, cited in Robson, 2002: 320), Whitehead (2006) and Ofsted’s study (2003) on the education of 6-year-olds in England, Denmark and Finland. It involved:

• Recording the basic information about the setting (space), the teacher and other adults present, and the children (actors);

• Making a sketch plan of the classroom (space), showing seating/grouping arrangements and the location and kinds of furniture, resources and materials (objects). If permitted, record the setting in photographs also;

• Recording and describing: activities (e.g. goals and content of sessions; organisation of sessions, e.g. whole group activity, group activity, or individual activity; structure and sequence of activity – including the recording of time; teaching approach of sessions; routines and rituals and the role of teacher and other adults; resources and materials used); acts (e.g. interactions between teacher, other adults and children such as feedback and assessment; roles of teacher and other adult; individual children’s engagement, involvement, behaviour and actions); events (relevant particular occasions), goals (what teacher and other adults are attempting to accomplish in a session or activity such as recreation time), and emotions (emotions of teacher, other adults and children in particular contexts).

The observation was to be made of groups of children whose teachers would be interviewed, and was conducted prior to interviewing the teachers. This sequence gave me an opportunity to ask clarification questions regarding what had been observed to the teachers, which would help gain a better appreciation of ECE and primary school settings and practices. The observation of each group was to last an entire day. The recorded observation was to be summarised afterwards under the nine headings marked in bold above and compared cross- nationally, as well as between ECE and primary school settings.

The reason for taking the age group as the criteria – rather than the grades – was because it would highlight, for each country, what type of service and environment was considered appropriate for children at particular ages, what ECE and schools expected them to do at those ages, and how ECE and schools catered for the interests and needs of children at those ages. In France, children aged 4 are generally in the moyenne section (middle section);24 and children aged 6 are generally in the cours préparatoire (first grade) of the école élémentaire, or primary school, which is obligatory. In Sweden, children aged 4 are grouped with children of other ages; and children aged 6 are in preschool class, which is voluntary, provided in primary school premises.

Public ECE settings and schools were chosen for observation due to the fact that the majority of ECE and school provision is in the public sector in both France and Sweden. In the former, 14% of children in the école maternelle were in private services in 2010-2011;25 in the latter, 19% of the children enrolled in pre-school participated in independently-managed pre- school26 in 2010 (Skolverket, 2011). Two sets of ECE and primary school per country – one located in the capital and another in a rural area – were considered to be observed.