Parents’ ideal type approaches to early education pathways: life stories from Sweden.

Abstract

In this study, parents told their story about their children; their children's preschool and preschool class; their children's educational transitions; and their own cooperation with staff. The views of parents (N=27) were collected by way of life story interviews. The bioecological model for human development was adopted as a theoretical, conceptual and analytical frame. A qualitative bioecological content analysis and a quantitative content analysis were performed. More than half of the children were described as typical in terms of development, while a few were described as being gifted and talented by their parents, and about a third had special educational needs. More preschools than preschool classes were considered to be high in quality, and more preschoolhome collaboration than preschool class-home collaboration was felt to be high in quality. The following ideal type approaches of the parents emerged: (1) involved and concerned parents; (2) involved but unconcerned parents; and (3) uninvolved and unconcerned parents. The number of involved and concerned parents increased from preschool to preschool class. This study has relevance for preschool and preschool class teachers, special educators, policy-makers and researchers in inclusive and special education.

A bioecological content analysis: an analysis technique rooted in the bioecological model for human development.

“…In Table 2, extracts from a bioecological matrix adopted in a life story oriented study with parents (Sandström, Lundqvist, & Axelsson, 2019) is provided. The extracts come from one out of 27 stories analysed in that study.…”

“…An example of a large scale study using a bioecological content analysis A bioecological content analysis (the first draft) was taken on in a study about parenthood, development and early childhood education and care in Sweden (Sandström, Lundqvist, & Axelsson, 2019). Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model was adopted as a theoretical, conceptual and analytical frame and proximal processes were acknowledged as engines for human development.…”

“…The parents' descriptions of their children's early childhood education and care were discussed and related to national laws and regulations. The scholar report took the form of a research article (Sandström, Lundqvist, & Axelsson, 2019). In accordance with the bioecological content analysis for large scale life story studies, the following process was performed:…”

“…In keeping with the bioecological theory, they recommended not only to look at a child's characteristics in investigations of educational transitions placement in Kindergarten, but also to look at ecological factors. Several more examples of such bioecological framed studies exist; for example, Sandström, Lundqvist and Axelsson (2019) and Axelsson, Lundqvist and Sandström (2017) in which parents of children in preschool and preschool class describe their children, their children's learning environments, their collaboration with staff in these learning environments and their children's transitions from preschool to preschool class via life story research. A first draft, in Swedish, to the bioecological content analysis and matrix (Lundqvist, Sandström, & Axelsson, 2016) was developed parallel to life story researches (Axelsson, Lundqvist, & Sandström, 2017;Sandström, Lundqvist, & Axelsson, 2019).…”

“…Several more examples of such bioecological framed studies exist; for example, Sandström, Lundqvist and Axelsson (2019) and Axelsson, Lundqvist and Sandström (2017) in which parents of children in preschool and preschool class describe their children, their children's learning environments, their collaboration with staff in these learning environments and their children's transitions from preschool to preschool class via life story research. A first draft, in Swedish, to the bioecological content analysis and matrix (Lundqvist, Sandström, & Axelsson, 2016) was developed parallel to life story researches (Axelsson, Lundqvist, & Sandström, 2017;Sandström, Lundqvist, & Axelsson, 2019). One of these was built on data from several longer retrospective interviews (N=27) and the other on a few longer retrospective interviews (N=3) which in the studies were referred to as life stories.…”