Arts-based educational research in the early years

Arts-based educational research in the early years

This paper will explore arts-based educational research (ABER) as an effective and appropriate
research method in the early years. It has been noted that the arts play an increasingly important
role in the development of the child (Boone, 2008; Twigg, 2011a, 2011b; Twigg & Garvis, 2010;
Wright, 2012). In fact McArdle and Wright (2014) call the arts children’s first literacies. Research
with young children can often be difficult given that they are often still developing their skills in
communicating through language, whether oral or written. Other modes such as visual image
through drawing, or audio through song, are innate skills that young children can use to
communicate effectively. This paper will report on a number of projects that have used arts-based
educational research methods with young children. It shows how much research, in the past, has
often treated children as inferior participants, or in need of adult confirmation, whereas arts-based
methods can be powerful platforms for research with children that gives children more of a voice
in the research process.

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