Exploring 5 Years of Research on the Conceptualization of Child Participation from the Perspective of ECE Philosophy: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

This systematic literature review aims to highlight the importance of early childhood education philosophy in boosting the holistic development in children through their participation in learning and facilitation process. Th method of this review begins with the evaluation processes involved doing a systematic search, followed by ethically assessing and determining the suitability of articles on child participation in preschool or kindergarten. This review was also done by reviewing and combining information from 119 articles that were analyzed from several electronic databases such as Scopus, ScienceDirect, and ERIC. In the final process, there were 32 papers successfully selected and recorded in a 5-year period, from mid-2019 until early 2024 in order to answer the research questions. The analysis findings indicate that several articles examining the participation of children through different instruments and observations. 18 out of 32 articles adhere to an educational philosophy grounded in branch perennialism, where teachers believed the significance of knowledge and cognitive abilities for children during their learning. Furthermore, there are several challenges in implementing educational philosophy in early childhood education, with the primary challenge being that teachers find it challenging to enhance individual development while engaging in preschool activities. This study's results will offer opportunities for future studies to expand suitable strategies in empowering children through their participation in preschool by applying the appropriate philosophy.