Sampling

Two Shanghai kindergartens were recruited for this study. Kindergarten A was public-owned and assessed first-class by Shanghai Education Commission (the ranking and categorization information is explicated by Tobin et al., 2009, p. 36), Kindergarten B was university-affiliated. Both kindergartens aligned themselves closely with the direction called for by the national and local Guidelines as required by the funding agencies for public institutions.

In order to gain a more holistic understanding of the topic I intended to explore, I felt it necessary to visit more than one site. Considerations of managing the research project within time constraints were important factors in determining the number of classrooms to be observed and the scope of each. To be manageable, I initially approached approximately 5 Shanghai kindergartens to elicit their interest in participants. As Creswell (2013) suggests, “in conducting a multi-case study, the researchers typically choose no more than four or five cases” (p. 101). Access to the site had been negotiated with these kindergarten principals respectively. Phone calls were made and then a brief meeting scheduled. During the initial meeting the principal was provided with a letter of invitation (Appendix 2.1), including information about the purpose of the study and what participation would entail. As Cohen et al (2007) remind, “Researchers cannot expect access to organization as a matter of right, they have to demonstrate that it is worthy” (p. 55). Having explained the possible mutual benefits of the study, two kindergarten principals signaled interested and permitted me to carry out the intended work in their kindergartens during agreed time frames.

Classes in both kindergartens were arranged into three levels: senior class (5-6 years old), middle class (4-5 years old), and junior class (3-4 years old). Each class was assigned two teachers and a caregiver to 25-30 children. Teachers were responsible for the learning programs usually with one in charge of the morning sessions and another in charge of the afternoon sessions. The caregiver was responsible for children`s meals and snacks throughout the day bout took no part in the wider program.

children of all three levels were involved in: structured learning, sports, free play, and required activities such as lunch and rest. The timing of these activities was dictated by school-wide schedules. Traditionally in Chinese preschools, structured learning is considered most important and is usually scheduled in the morning when children are more energetic and are more likely to show high level of concentration. Structured learning in the kindergarten curriculum consists of five key learning areas including: Health, Language, Social Studies, Science and the Arts. Art takes it place under the umbrella term of the Arts.

These two kindergartens employed a thematic approach in their curriculum planning and delivery. Teacher chosen themes were changed on a monthly basis. Following from the development of ideas foregrounded in a theme, teachers designed theme-related activities, and thus the art activities. The themes encountered during the data collection phase included: ‘Animals’ (Zhen laoshi), ‘I love my family’ (Li laoshi), ‘Myself’ (Yan laoshi), and ‘Food’ (Yu laoshi).

3.3.2 Participants

This study involved a class of 4-5-year-old and a class of 5-6-year-old from each participating kindergarten. No 3-4 year-old class was recruited. I was particularly mindful of the importance of negotiating access with children for their participation in research. Older children were recruited because they were more likely to understand research procedures and their ethical rights as participants (Hurley & Underwood, 2002; Mukherji & Albon, 2010), and may be more able in expressing themselves in interviews.

The prospective teacher participants who taught middle and senior classes were offered a letter of invitation (Appendix 2.2). This formally indicated their acceptance or decline of the invitation to be involved. The teacher participants (under pseudonyms) involved in this study were Zhen laoshi, Li laoshi, Yan laoshi, and Yu laoshi. Laoshi is the respectful title of teacher in Mandarin. These teachers were varied in their own arts background and expertise, personal commitment to art, years of art teaching experiences and personal confidence in the teaching of art.

Kindergarten A: Zhen laoshi is an experienced teacher who has been teaching in

preschools for thirty-odd years. In the early years of her career, she emphasized a special confidence in music. She is now responsible for the entire learning programs of a senior class

(5-6-year-old).

Kindergarten A: Li laoshi has been teaching in preschools for about 8 years. In

the early years of her career, Li laoshi was confident in the teaching of language and dance. Then she was asked to additionally teach art to extend children`s experience across the team teaching. She is now responsible for the entire learning programs of a middle class (4-5-year-old).

Kindergarten B: Yan laoshi has just graduated from university and has only

been teaching in preschools for about two months. Because of personal interests, she had attended some art courses during her time at university. She has part responsibility in a team of two for the learning programs of a senior class.

Kindergarten B: Yu laoshi is also a beginning teacher who has been teaching in

preschools for one year. She is now part of the team responsible for the learning programs of a middle class.

The selection of the potential child participants was first discussed with each consenting classroom teacher. It was my original intention to purposely select child participants in terms of their interests and motivation in art-making. The intended sample was thought best to include: the child who showed a strong desire to initiate and make art, the child who tended to learn from others, and the child who did not show great interest in art-making yet complied. However, this intended selection was both impracticable and in the end unnecessary. When engaging in art activities, children would be organized into groups by the teacher that reflected their varied abilities in and commitment to art. There was a possibility that any of the prospective preselected child participants might be placed at different tables, which made it difficult to closely observe and richly record each child`s art-making behavior. Therefore, I decided to observe an existing group of children who usually sit at the same table when making art. This allowed for easefully recording the diversity of their graphic actions, social interactions, or verbal communications occurring during the process of their art-making. Implications for gaining both parental and child consent process, see 3.7.1.