Research

Another Educational Resource we provide to our Members is learning through the knowledge gained from Research. Please take the time to browse the Research Resources provided below.

For further information regarding research please contact Maureen Woodhams - Federation Media Officer, media@playcentre.org.nz.

The SPACE Programme: Nurturing a culture of care for infants and first-time parents.

01/02/2008

Nurturing a culture of care for infants and first-time parents: The SPACE Programme at Te Marua/Mangaroa Playcentre Early Childhood Centre of Innovation.

The SPACE programme (Supporting Parents Alongside Children’s Education) at Te Marua/Mangaroa Playcentre is an early childhood Centre of Innovation (COI). The early childhood COI programme is part of the New Zealand Government’s 10-year plan for early childhood education policy: Pathways to the Future/Ngā Huarahi Arataki (Ministry of Education, 2002).
COIs are required to design and undertake action research and to disseminate the findings. SPACE is an innovative new programme developed within the Hutt Playcentre Association, predominantly for first-time parents with newborn babies.

The SPACE programme aims:

1. To support parents in their role as the best and most important educators of their children through:
o Providing them with support and encouragement from other participants in the group and from experienced facilitators, as they share the journey through their child’s early months.
o Giving parents an opportunity to listen to and develop links with, a range of community organisations and service providers.

2. To increase participation of children in Early Childhood Education at an early age, provide a quality curriculum, and maximise children’s learning from birth.

This COI team (Te Marua/Mangaroa Playcentre’s SPACE programme) carried out a 3-year action research project to show how the centre’s innovative practices influence learning and teaching.

The research addressed two key research questions:

1. How does the SPACE programme, implemented at Te Marua/Mangaroa Playcentre for new parents and infants, support and foster their learning?

2. How does the SPACE team and programme, together with Te Marua/Mangaroa Playcentre, network and support collaborative relationships?

At Te Marua/Mangaroa Playcentre two cycles of action research were completed between 2005 and 2007. Action research tools included observations, parent interviews, facilitator reflections and crosss-sectoral consultations (interviews and a focus group).

Summary
www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/series/22251/22579

Full report
www.educationcounts.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/24944/TeMaruaMangaroaPlaycentreCOIFinalWEBIBSN.pdf