Introducing Bronfenbrenner
A Guide for Practitioners and Students in Early Years Education
Introducing Early Years Thinkers Series

Children learn in contexts, and the spaces, places and people they come into contact with have a deep influence on their development. Urie Bronfenbrenner?s bioecological model of development places the child at the centre of this complex network, and his influence has been extensive in early childhood education. This book presents an introduction to Bronfenbrenner?s model of development, drawing on practice-based research to identify and animate key elements of his model?s impact. It illustrates how his model can help bring quality to early learning environments and incorporates it into daily work with young children.

As well as providing a glossary of key terms, Introducing Bronfenbrenner covers areas such as:

• a bioecological perspective on educational transition;
• early education as a dynamic process;
• nurturing children?s learning and development;
• reflecting the bioecological in early years practice.

Using a variety of vignettes, practical examples of good practice and case studies, Introducing Bronfenbrenner is an essential guide to his work. It will be of interest to professionals working with children in early childhood settings and to undergraduate students training to become early childhood professionals.

Glossary 1. Introducing Brofenbrenner 2. The Bioecological Model of Human Development 3. Proximal Processes and Relationships 4. Understanding Development in Context 5. A Bioecological Perspective on Educational Transition 6. Locating the Child at the Centre of Practice 7. Creating Rich Learning Environments 8. Early Education as a Dynamic Process 9. Nurturing Children’s Learning and Development 10. Reflecting the Bioecological in Early Years Practice

Professor Nóirín Hayes is a developmental psychologist. She is Visiting Professor at the School of Education, Trinity College Dublin and Professor [Emeritus], Dublin Institute of Technology.

Dr Leah O’Toole lectures in Psychology at Marino Institute of Education, an Associated College of Trinity College Dublin.

Dr Ann Marie Halpenny is Lecturer in Psychology in the School of Languages, Law and Social Sciences at Dublin Institute of Technology. She has previously published with Routledge.