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The collection brings together the latest work of researchers from Australia, Africa, Asia, North America, and Europe focusing on early childhood leadership matters. It covers different aspects of leadership in early education: professional education and development, identity and leadership strategies as well as governance and leadership under different frame conditions.

The publication summarises the international state-of-the-art in the field of research on leadership in early education as discussed by scientists from four continents in the research network of the International Leadership Research Forums Early Education (ILRFEC). The investigators present empirical findings from professional education and personnel development as well as the leaders' identities, tasks, and leadership strategies in early education. Other studies are concerned with leadership strategies in different national systems of early education and reveal correlations between societal change, national policies, and governance on the one hand and leadership styles in early education settings under different frame conditions on the other hand.

International comparative studies reveal tasks and leadership strategies and provide an overview over different systems of early education in the participating countries. Finally a perspective is given on a first international survey on working conditions and professional standards of practitioners and leaders in early education in the [Teaching and Learning International Survey] TALIS Starting Strong Study.

Abstract from publisher's website.

The chapters are as follows: Foreword / Eeva Hujala (pages 9-11) ; Leadership in early education in times of change: an orientation / Johanna Heikka, Eeva Hujala, Jillian Rodd, Petra Strehmel and Manjula Waniganayake (pages 13-16). 'Section I: Leadership preparation and training' contains: Shadowing as a method in leadership preparation in teaching practice in early childhood teacher education in Norway / Karin Hognestad and Marit Boe (pages 19-32); Supervising and supporting grade R practitioners in South African schools / Matshediso Rebecca Modise (pages 33-43); Mentoring of graduate teachers by educational leaders in early childhood settings: a systematic review of leadership studies from Australia and Finland / Yuki Takahashi Braybrook (pages 44-58); Knowledge transfer in German early childhood education settings: the role of leaders / Daniela Ulber and Petra Strehmel (pages 59-70); Which personnel development measures do companies operating daycare centers in Germany use? / Eva Kless (pages 71-83); Measures of personnel development in different types of German early childhood education (ECE) enterprises / Petra Strehmel (pages 84-96).

'Section II: Enacting and developing leadership in ECE settings' contains: How do early childhood education directors in Finland see themselves?: selected findings based on the orientation project / Ulla Soukainen (pages 99-114); Does leadership exist in early childhood education in Tanzania? / Fortidas Bakuza (pages 115-122); Leadership diffractions, vibrations and productions: perspectives from Norway / Merete Moe (pages 123-137); Developing a learning organization - creating a common culture of knowledge sharing - an action research project in an early childhood centre in Norway / Per Tore Granrusten (pages 138-153); Diversity of the assessments of a joint leadership model in early childhood education / Elina Fonsen and Marjo Mantyjarvi (pages 154-169).

'Section III: Leadership and governance' contains: Complexity leadership theory: a framework for leading in Australian early childhood education settings / Leanne Gibbs, Frances Press and Sandie Wong (pages 173-186); Implementing the Norwegian framework plan: organizational and leadership translation strategies / Birgitte Ljunggren and Kari Hoas Moen (pages 187-200); Current Japanese leadership roles in meeting social changes in early childhood education / Chika Inoue and Masayo Kawakita (pages 201-215); Investing in Hamburg's future: early childhood education and children's day care in Hamburg / Jan Porksen and Dirk Bange (pages 216-227).

'Section IV: International comparisons' contains: Working as early childhood centre directors and deputies: perspectives from Australia, Finland and Norway / Leena Halttunen, Margaret Sims, Manjula Waniganayake, Fay Hadley, Marit Boe, Karin Hognestad and Johanna Heikka (pages 231-252); International review of ECE leadership research: Finland, Germany, Japan, Singapore, South Africa and the United States under review / Elina Fonsen, Jan Varpanen, Petra Strehmel, Masayo Kawakita, Chika Inoue, Shaireen Marchant, Matshediso Modise, Tunde Szecsi and Clarisse Halpern (pages 253-276); The TALIS Starting Strong Survey: implications for the leadership discourse in early childhood education and care / Daniel Turani and Simone Bloem (pages 277-290). The book concludes with: Epilogue / Jillian Rodd (pages 291-297). Show less