The ontological turn in the humanities and social sciences has prompted some scholars of education to shift their focus of inquiry away from questions of epistemology (i.e., knowledge) to metaphysical matters related to being and the nature of existence. In this paper, I turn to ontology and make an argument for integrating and explicitly teaching…

It is common in early childhood education (ECE), for student teachers to be asked to reflect on incidents or scenarios that occur while on practicum and relate their reflections to "theory." This process of identification and corroboration, demonstrates the student's familiarity with the dominant developmental narratives within which ECE…

This paper sets out to examine the place of theory in preschool education, considering the theories to which practitioners and providers have access and which provide a rationale for everyday practices and shape the experiences of young children. The paper reflects the circumstances of preschool provision, practices and thinking in the UK in…