A1 Journal article (refereed)
On the surface and below : a genealogical look at the waves of evaluation in early childhood education and care (2024)

Siippainen, A., & Pitkänen, H. (2024). On the surface and below : a genealogical look at the waves of evaluation in early childhood education and care. Journal of Education Policy, Early online. https://doi.org/10.1080/02680939.2024.2344099

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Siippainen, Anna; Pitkänen, Hannele

Journal or series: Journal of Education Policy

ISSN: 0268-0939

eISSN: 1464-5106

Publication year: 2024

Publication date: 25/04/2024

Volume: Early online

Publisher: Routledge

Publication country: United Kingdom

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02680939.2024.2344099

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Partially open access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/94627

Abstract

The rise of evaluation and data in education and education policy is a trend manifesting across a wide variety of policy contexts, holding in its grip national and global policies, with impacts that reach the level of individual children, teachers, and their subjectivities. Earlier research has mainly focused on the phenomenon in neoliberal contexts. This article presents a case study of Finnish early childhood education and care (ECEC) policy discourse built on a tradition of social democratic political rationality and egalitarian values. By utilizing Evert Vedung’s metaphor of evaluation waves, we examine how the evaluation trend has influenced the Finnish ECEC policy, which has traditionally been skeptical toward the assessment of individual children’s learning and skills and the production and use of data for accountability purposes. In the genealogical reading of ECEC curricula and policy documents from 2002–2021 as data, we identify three discursive practices – partnership, pedagogization, and evidence wave – that have socio-historically contributed to the formation of the present conception of evaluation in the Finnish ECEC policy discourse. Our genealogical reading also reveals a movement toward international trends – evaluating the individual child’s skills – especially through the evidence wave.

Keywords: evaluation; early childhood education and care; education policy; curricula

Free keywords: assessment; evaluation; early childhood education and care; genealogy; Vedung

Contributing organizations

Related projects

Ministry reporting: Yes

Reporting Year: 2024

Preliminary JUFO rating: 3