The topic of distributed pedagogical leadership has attracted researchers' interest in early childhood education leadership. A growing body of research focuses on investigating leadership enacted between directors and teachers in ECE settings. This small-scale study aimed at identifying the functions of distributed pedagogical leadership in ECE and understanding the interdependence of leadership enactments by the centre directors and ECE teachers within ECE settings. Data on the perceptions of six ECE professionals, two ECE centre directors, two ECE teachers and two child care nurses on distributed pedagogical leadership were collected via individual interviews and written documents. The results indicated that the studied ECE professionals perceived the core functions of distributed pedagogical leadership as constructing shared visions, goals and mutual values between centre staff, developing ECE pedagogy within the centre, facilitating learning and expertise of educators, building the operational structures and the culture of the centre and enhancing efficient and participative decision-making within centres. Within all the five functions of distributed pedagogical leadership, the leadership enactment included responsibilities at both the centre level enacted by the centre directors, and at the team level enacted by the ECE teachers. All the five functions were operated within ECE centres in a way in which they had separate but interdependent leadership responsibilities. The study clearly indicated that the teachers played an active role in leading pedagogical development in their teams, and teacher leadership worked as a mediator of pedagogical leadership within the whole centre.

The haptic modality provides a new channel for interpersonal communication through technology by utilizing the sense of touch. In the development of novel haptic communication devices, it is essential to explore the potential users' perceptions of such a communication channel. To this end, we conducted two explorative user studies with two early prototypes that demonstrated three different haptic feedback types: vibrotactile, thermal and squeeze feedback. We arranged focus groups and interviews to study the participants' experiences, expectations and ideas of using these haptic technologies in interpersonal communication. The findings show, for example, that people prefer to use haptic communication mainly with people close to them. Haptics can be used for pragmatic purposes as well as in emotional communication, for example in mimicking touch between the communication partners. Squeezes were experienced as the most pleasant type of haptic feedback. Furthermore, the participants preferred receiving haptic stimuli to their hand area, through a mobile phone or a wristband-like device. We argue that using early prototypes in an early stage of research process in focus groups and interviews is especially useful for stimulating idea generation and discussions about expectations and experiences of haptic technologies.

Haptic technology provides a channel for interpersonal communication through the sense of touch. In the development of novel haptic communication devices, it is essential to explore people's use behaviors and perceptions of such a communication channel. To this end, we conducted a laboratory study on haptically augmented remote interpersonal communication. Participant pairs tested a communication system that allowed them to send squeezing and thermal feedback to each other's forearm during speech discussion. We explored the use practices and user experience of this setup and compared it to traditional speech-only communication. The findings indicate that squeezing was experienced as a more versatile and immediate type of feedback than thermal feedback. Warm and cold were on the other hand useful for communicating positive and negative meanings. Compared to speech-only communication, the added haptic modality allowed conveying emphases, emotions, and touches related to the discussion, and increased the feeling of closeness between the pairs.

Background: Current research on early childhood education (ECE) leadership as well as on policy reform in Finland suggests that pedagogical leadership must be considered as a purposeful and planned process. Pedagogical leadership plans play a key role in the purposeful and effective enactment of pedagogical leadership in ECE settings.Aim: This study aimed at examining the contents of pedagogical leadership plans drawn up in Finnish ECE centres to interpret the perceptions of the centre directors on the implementation of pedagogical leadership in their settings.Setting: This study examines pedagogical leadership plans in ECE settings in Finland.Methods: We used inductive content analysis to examine documents drawn up by nine ECE centre directors as pedagogical leadership plans for their centres. Our analysis identified four main categories that describe how the ECE centre directors conceive the enactment of pedagogical leadership.Results: The findings revealed that the focus of the plans was on leading pedagogical issues and processes within the ECE centres. Creating structures for pedagogical development and reflection were emphasised in the plans. The plans reflected a distributed leadership approach.Conclusion: The findings of the study provide information about how the ECE directors intend to enact pedagogical leadership and assist ECE leaders to develop leadership planning in their work settings. In this way, the study contributes to leadership development within the ECE sector.

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