The Golden Thread: Rethinking Learning Outcomes in Early Childhood Education

Abstract

Using the metaphor of the ‘golden thread’, drawn from a parable written by New Zealander Robyn Lawrence (2002),1 this article presents one case study from an empirical research study investigating adult participation in early childhood education. The methods of gathering information on learning outcomes (through teacher conferences, learning stories and anecdotal records) will be discussed, as well as our discussion on representing children’s learning outcomes. Early childhood education has come under increasing pressure to describe, record and present evidence of the benefits for learning. We argue that it is time to understand children’s and families’ lived experiences in new, complex, and meaningful ways. We propose that learning narratives would benefit from a reframing of centre-based child learning narratives to a family/community-based design, which includes narratives that encompass the wider contexts and experiences of the child.