Dr Tim Clark, Tim.Clark@uwe.ac.uk and Rita Buehring.
In this blog post we learn from, and about, Rita Buehring, a 2022 graduate from our BA (Hons) Early Childhood programme. Rita recently had a paper based on her undergraduate dissertation research at UWE accepted for online publication by the national Early Childhood Studies Degree Network (ECSDN). Her paper, titled ‘Outdoor Voices: Children’s Perceptions of the Natural World’ is available here. She also returned to UWE to present her work to our current Early Childhood undergraduates.
The Early Childhood programme Rita studied at UWE places a significant focus on reflecting on children’s place in society and the importance of listening to the voices of young children. Students have opportunities to consider the significance of participatory approaches to research, most notably including the Mosaic Approach (Clark, 2017) and are required to engage with debates regarding the complex ethical and methodological nature of research in this area. This was reflected in Rita’s work, which her reviewers suggested was a ‘great piece of writing’ addressing ‘important ideas’.
Rita’s success also reflects the ongoing work of our Education and Childhood Research Group (ECRG), which seeks to support students and early career researchers to gain experience of publication and also to highlight the importance of research which privileges children’s voices (link to strand). For example, within the School of Education and Childhood, we also have a current project which will support 14 UWE doctoral graduates to publish their work as part of an edited collection of chapters (Waller, Andrews & Clark, forthcoming, 2024) and an upcoming early career researcher seminar for staff and postgraduate students. Meanwhile a collaborative research team, led Dr Sarah Chicken at UWE has been successful in securing just under £700k funding from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), for a three-year project focusing on children’s participation rights.
I spoke to Rita about her experiences at UWE and her recent work:
Q: Could you tell us a bit about yourself?
My name is Rita Buehring. I am currently residing in the UK however my background is a mixture of Kenyan, German and Swiss. I am 25 years old. I enjoy writing and performing poetry, running, fundraising and most importantly, travelling! I completed the BA (Hons) Early Childhood at UWE. This course inspired me to pursue a master’s degree in the field of educational psychology, so that I can further contribute to global ways of learning and teaching for both children and adults.
Q: How would you describe your experience of studying at UWE?
UWE has and will always feel like home to me! I enjoyed the multi-cultural environment, the various opportunities to socialise and meet new people on and off campus, the easily accessible facilities and the supportiveness of peers. Also, certainly not forgetting the dedication and passion of lecturers to ensure each student progresses on their academic journey. In summary, my experience at UWE was very enjoyable despite being disrupted by the Covid pandemic.
Q: What was your dissertation study about, and how did you approach it?
I chose to focus my dissertation on understanding children’s attitudes of and experiences in the natural world because of my passion for, and immerse curiosity about, the outdoors. With this in mind, I decided that a forest school would be the ideal setting to undertake my study in order to obtain a rich insight into children’s views on the outdoor environment. There, I met an inspirational Forest School leader who introduced me to new resources and ways of thinking about education in the outdoors. In conjunction with my regular meetings with my dissertation supervisor, this encouraged me to develop criticality and reflexivity whilst conducting my research project. I ensured children were always put in the forefront of the project whenever I could, as this is consistent with my personal values.
Q: Why do you think listening to children’s voices in research is important?
A lot of research focuses on improving children’s lives, however I think children’s voices are often ignored within important discussion – even though there is no better way to find out more about someone than asking them directly! I believe children have opinions which should be taken seriously, as they are fundamentally the experts on their own lives. Involving them in research empowers them to exercise their rights as individuals.
Q: Why did you decide to submit your paper for publication on the ECSDN site?
Essentially, I think the amount of research that includes the voices of children on their outdoor experiences is limited. Publishing my paper for ECSDN created one more opportunity for children’s opinions to be heard on such an important topic.
Q: What was your first experience of writing for publication like?
I was very nervous at first. However, with the support of my personal tutor, family, and friends, I found the process quite enjoyable. It created an opportunity to challenge and improve my academic writing skills. I also received quite detailed feedback from the ECSDN team, which guided me on how to transform my first draft into material suitable for publication.
Q: Do you have any tips or advice for current Early Childhood students – or for anyone considering studying Early Childhood on the future?
DO IT! Studying early childhood has had a profound impact on my understanding of my own life and experiences and those of others. I no longer take everything at face value. Instead, I try to dissect meaning and behaviour as part of the deeper foundations that are built and influenced by various social contexts. I would advise any new students to approach this degree with an open mind. Be prepared to be challenged and impacted by the placements you will undertake and in your seminars with peers.
Rita’s paper can be found on the ECSDN website: ECSDN Journal Volume 1 Final (mcusercontent.com)
Further information about our BA (Hons) Early Childhood Programme can be found here: https://courses.uwe.ac.uk/X312/early-childhood
Further information our ECRG can be found here: https://www.uwe.ac.uk/research/centres-and-groups/education-childhood-research
References
Clark, A. (2017). Listening to young children, expanded third edition: A guide to understanding and using the mosaic approach. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Waller, R., Andrews, J. & Clark, T. (eds) (forthcoming, 2024) Critical Perspectives on Educational Policies and Professional Identities: Learning from doctoral studies Emerald Publishing
