Documenting inside/outside children's perspective: the Italian perspective

This presentation describes the theoretical framework and research design of the study ''Documenting inside/outside children's perspective'', which explores the 'inside/outside' concepts of children (aged 3-6 years) and their teachers at ECECC, based on the comparison of three pilot case studies in Italy, Japan, and the UK. The main focus here is on the Italian case study and its preliminary outcomes. 'Inside' and 'outside' are key terms from multiple perspectives. They may refer to both real and embodied space (Delafield-Butt & Adie, 2006). The 'inside/outside' dichotomy also recalls the social dimension of groups and questions of identity and belonging. The conceptual underpinnings of the research include a focus on pedagogical documentation as a strategy of inquiry for both teachers and children (Rinaldi, 2012), and a view of children as capable of reflecting on highly complex ideas (Bateson, 1972). The study involved using art-based methods (Knowles, 2008) – specifically, collage and composition techniques – to explore the concepts of 'inside/outside’. An ad hoc protocol was drawn up for obtaining consent/assent and protecting children’s rights. The research is still ongoing at the time of this presentation, however, the Italian findings suggest that art may be viewed as both a strategy of inquiry and a method of documenting outcomes. The current findings shed light on how arts-based approaches may be combined with pedagogical documentation practices to stimulate active reflection on theoretical concepts among children.