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Background Paper: Prepared and presented by Kerry McCuaig, 3rd Nordic Conference, November 11, 2013, Oslo, Norway.

Presented by Kerry McCuaig, November 11, 2013, Oslo, Norway.

The third Nordic ECEC conference “Approaches in Nordic ECEC research: Current research and new perspectives” was held in Oslo 11-12 November 2013. �������� 80 policy makers and researchers from the Nordic countries participated actively in presentations and workshops on the three conference themes: 1) Investments in children and ECEC, 2) Inclusion for all children and each child – in view of special needs and 3) How can long term development be supported by research?

Excerpt: "This focus on disciplinary thinking means that students will take part in actively building their own understanding of important concepts and topics. Social Studies covers many interesting topics with no agreed-upon answer, such as questions about the causes of major historical events or debates about which policy decisions government should make to address a societal problem. Using disciplinary thinking tools, students will learn to develop and support their own answers to these questions, as well as challenge the answers and information obtained through various sources."

Collaborative conference on early childhood learning and development.

This report is the results of the first year’s evaluation of Prince Edward Island’s Preschool Excellence Initiative -- a comprehensive 5-year plan to build a provincial early childhood system for children from infancy to kindergarten. The system’s emphasis is on building a community based, publicly managed early childhood system supporting the early development of children while at the same time supporting parents in balancing their work and family responsibilities.

Excerpt: "Those of us who held the pend a few years back to capture the best global research and practice available regarding the positive impact full-day kindergarten would have on 4- and 5-year-olds, titles our report, "With Our Best Future in Mind." Based on the research released a few days ago, our best future is arriving ahead of schedule."

Education Minister Liz Sandals visited full-day kindergarten students, teachers and staff at Ogden Junior Public School for the first day of school where she provided details on a study conducted in partnership with Queen's and McMaster universities on FDK. The study measured the progress and development of students who were enrolled in FDK compared to those who participated in half-day programs.

The province is opening early years centres in four communities to provide families with more access to services and supports for young children. Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Ramona Jennex announced the locations of the province's first early years centres today, Aug. 22, at Rockingstone Heights School, the site for the Halifax Regional School Board's centre.

Excerpt: "The parents of Eva Ravikovich are trying to drag a small good out of a huge wrong. They are using the courts to hold the province of Ontario accountable for the death of their little daughter in an overcrowded, unsanitary daycare. Precedence indicates they may get some small respite. Eva is not the first toddler to die in an unlicensed facility. Each time an official inquiry has chastised the province for the dearth of safe child choices and urged it to do better. In turn, Queen’s Park responds by adding a few more daycare spaces, a few more government controls."

Excerpt: "This experimental program is being implemented is 2013 seven of the nine English School Boards of Québec."

Excerpt: "Data on maternal employment rates are presented both by age of youngest child and by the number of dependent children under age 15. Employment rates refer to the annual average calculated from various national employment or household surveys and from the European Labour Force Survey. There is yet no comprehensive regular annual data collection of maternal (or parental) employment across OECD countries. Data are presented for 2009 or the most recent year available (see the comparability and data issues section for details on the definition of paid employment)."

The Government has now concluded the first phase of consultation on a proposed framework for legislation on First Nations elementary and secondary education. As the consultation process moves forward, the Government has released a Blueprint for Legislation which sets out the Government of Canada’s proposed approach to a First Nation Education Act and has been informed by the work of the National Panel on First Nation Elementary and Secondary Education, and recent consultations undertaken between December 2012 and May 2013.