Teisės edukologijos magistro baigiamojo darbo tema yra aktuali, nes pakankamai mažai tyrinėta ir labai svarbi šiandienos Lietuvos vaikystės tyrimų plėtros strategijai. Teorinių pozicijų pagrindą sudaro vaikystės fenomeno pagrindimo konceptai, kurie leidžia apibrėžti vaikystės statuso kaitos galimybes švietimo politikoje. Siekiama konceptualiai pagrįsti vaikystės sampratų daugiareikšmiškumą, vertingą vaikystės tyrimų mokslui ir praktikai kurti. Į vaikystės politiką galima žvelgti kaip į specifinę platesnės valstybės švietimo politikos kryptį, kuri turi savitus tikslus, uždavinius ir savitus įgyvendinimo metodus. Todėl atsižvelgiant į temos aktualumą tyrimo objektu šiame darbe pasirinkta vaikystės sampratos raiška. Tyrimo tikslu buvo siekiama aptarti vaikystės sampratos kaitos bruožus besikeičiančios švietimo politikos kontekste. Siekiant minėto tikslo, užsibrėžti tokie uždaviniai: remiantis mokslinės literatūros analize, pagrįsti vaikystės sampratą; taikant socialinių mokslų teorines prieigas numatyti vaikystės politikos raidos perspektyvas; atlikti empirinį tyrimą ir nustatyti, kokios vaikystės prasmės aptinkamos švietimo dokumentuose. Iškeltam tikslui pasiekti pasirinktas kokybinio tyrimo metodas: dokumentų turinio (content) analizė. Susisteminus gautus tyrimo duomenis buvo padarytos išvados, jog dvidešimtas amžius visai aiškiai pasakė, kad vaikas nėra suaugėlio miniatiura, kad žmogaus amžius susiskaido į eilę skirtingų laikotarpių, kad vaikai turi atskirą savo pasaulį... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The theme of the present paper towards the Master‘s degree in law educology is quite topical as it has been scantily studied, however it is very important for development of childhood studies strategy in Lithuania of the present day. The base for the theoretical position is provided by the basic concepts of childhood phenomenon and they permit determination of the childhood status development possibilities in the education policy. It is attempted to provide the conceptual grounds for polysemy of childhood concepts being valuable for childhood research and development of practices. The childhood policy could be approached as a specific and wider direction of the state education policy, which has its specific goals, objectives and implementation methods. Taking into account the urgency of the topic the development of childhood concept has been elected to be object of the present paper. For the purpose of the study it was aimed to discuss the features of childhood concept changes in the context of education policy development. The goal led to setting the following objectives: to substantiate the childhood concept based on the analysis of scientific references; to previse the childhood policy development prospects through application of theoretical premises of social sciences; to conduct an empiric study and find out what meanings of childhood appear in the education related documents. The qualitative method of study, namely document content analysis, was selected for to... [to full text]

The Office of Head Start has prioritized holistic quality education services for children and communities in greatest need. First, since 1965, the federal government has funded, regulated, and publicly aided over 38 million children through Head Start programming, including AIAN and Migrant programs (Administration for Children and Families, n.d.). In 2019, over $10 billion was budgeted for the program, resulting in 1,047,000 low-income children and their families receiving services (Office of Head Start, 2022a). In addition, the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation has funded research to improve quality and child outcomes, with research recommendations that significantly guide state and local early childhood policy (Kooragayala, 2019). The Office of Head Start noted programming should be shaped based on research that meets Head Start’s definition of “principles of scientific research” necessary to be considered for policy (Head Start Act, 2007, Sec 637). Lastly, updated in 2023, the multicultural principles have served as a resource to improve programming and service delivery for children and families. Unlike the Head Start performance standards, the multicultural principles are not attached to funding or performance reviews. Still, they are instead considered best practices for the programs. These principles do not do enough to support Indigenous pedagogy outside of tribal reservations (Administration for Children and Families, 2010). The Office of Head Start can recognize the potential and necessity for Indigenization in Head Start by amplifying the voices of Indigenous teachers already weaving and making their way into classrooms. The disconnect between research, policy, and the lived experiences of Indigenous teachers can only be bridged through meaningful collaboration and acknowledgment of the unique ways of knowing and teaching that Indigenous educators bring to Head Start spaces. Through Survivance, Indigenous teachers continue to reclaim what colonization has attempted to erase. The journey toward Indigenization and Survivance must be guided by an understanding of Indigenous practices’ holistic and sacred nature, creating spaces honoring diversity and defying the limitations of a Eurocentric education system.