Critical Analysis of Research Articles on Early Childhood Education

Running head: PSYCHOLOGY
PSYCHOLOGY
Name of Student:
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PSYCHOLOGY
Introduction
This assignment aims to evaluate two of the research article under discussion critically. The two
articles that have been chosen for thorough analysis are the current example of the research
related to early childhood. These are, “The place of infants in the evolving Australian policy
context” by Fleet and Farrell, (2014) and “Early childhood educators' perspectives on how
infants and toddlers learn: Australia and China” by Li et al., (2017). These two articles have been
chosen since they utilize several methods for investigating the view of the educators regarding
the infants within the time frame of early childhood education. The critical analysis of the two
studies will be done on the basis of specific factors that includes, method of data collection,
application of validity and reliability in research, ethical considerations of the research studies
and the implementation of the findings of the study with personal practice together with the
connection with critical practices and policies within National Quality Standard and EYLF.
Critical Analysis
Data collection methods
Li et al., (2017) in their research article, “Early childhood educators' perspectives on how
infants and toddlers learn: Australia and China” identified how two groups of the early
childhood educators in China and Australia perceive the participation as one of the major parts of
the procedure regarding the toddler and infant learning within the context of the group care. The
data collection method in this research study as adopted by the researchers is an ongoing
comparative study. The educators who work under the care and the education settings with the
toddlers and infants in both China and Australia were asked for completing an anonymous
questionnaire highlighting their perspectives and views were regrading toddlers and infants as

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PSYCHOLOGY
learners. The process of the data collection included primary data survey with questionnaires
having four sections. This included questions regarding the provision of optimal opportunities
for learning, activities for the learning provision, best conditions for the child learning and also
regarding learning and participation. This method helped the researchers to understand the
perception regarding the importance of toddler and infant education within the context of China
and Australia. For this particular study, staff from the long daycare centres and the children
settings have been approached.
Fleet and Farrell, (2014) in their research study, “The place of infants in the evolving
Australian policy context" instigated in the response towards the rapidly altering policy in the
context of early childhood in the country of Australia. In the context of the data collection
procedure, this research study highlighted the views of the educators who work with the children
aged less than two years. The authors of the research study used site based interview and the
socio cultural fame for the context of references. The study furthermore enabled the authors to
investigate the perception of the staffs regarding the possible effect of the practices related to the
current policies in the context of the comprehensive community-based services. For the
collection of the data in this research study, two long day education and the care services within
the State of New South Wales were being selected for the inclusion within this study. The
collection of the data helped the researchers to integrally relate the characteristics of the services
with the employment of the educators within this study. Furthermore, the staff employed within
the sites reflected the philosophies, the histories and the demographics, which are essential for
researchers for interpretation.