Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book provides practical guidance for early childhood leaders, tutors, practitioners, parents and students to identify, understand, interpret and articulate the complex processes and outcomes that are inherent in the ways young children interact with the world to construct knowledge. It reveals how children's everyday activities enable them to construct knowledge and make sense of the world on journeys of enquiry that are important for them now and in the future. The book explains how young children's constructions of knowledge can have congruence with research behaviours recognised and adopted by adult academics. Drawing on research findings from the Young Children As Researchers (YCAR) project, the book shows how young children construct knowledge when they are engaging in their everyday activities at home and in their early childhood settings, in ways that are congruent with research behaviour.