Pedagogical documentation is rooted in the ideology of the Reggio Emilia philosophical approach of early childhood education.
Definition
Documentation is more than "work samples". According to Forman and Fyfe (2012: 250), documentation “refers to any record of performance that contains sufficient detail to help others understand the behaviour recorded". Thus, for example, a single drawing by a child is not documentation because there is no record of the performance.
Aim
It seeks to understand the whole child in context, acknowledging a diversity of perspectives. Alcock (2000: 18) makes a good point when she says that pedagogical documentation reduces the adult:child power imbalance. She adds that this is important if children are to be perceived as subjects, actively engaged in their own development, co-constructing and creating knowledge, rather than being perceived as passively observed objects to be filled with knowledge.
Steps
Pedagogical documentation includes three main steps:
Observation - It takes place as teaching and learning proceeds.
Collecting - The use of a variety of documentation techniques can provide a more inclusive understanding of children than that provided by decontextualised individual child observations (Alcock, 2000: 18).
Interpreting - "The intent of documentation is to explain not merely to describe" (Forman & Fyfe, 2012: 250)
Display
Documentation “shouldn't be seen as an extra paperwork load, but as part of the daily routine" (Biffi et al., 2021: 184). Ideal pedagogical documentation is displayed as photos with explanatory text on walls.
Value
Pedagogical documentation is of great value to children, educators, and families. It is a process that helps gather and store the memories of the entire community (children and teachers), which in turn can foster thinking and reflection, provide a basis for assessment, and communicate a culture of childhood (Biffi, 2019: 67).
Assessment
Documentation is considered to be a more inclusive practice of assessment. As it is a continuous and open-ended process, it tracks the learners’ progress throughout the course while respecting the complexity of their learning and their position within the learning process.
As a result, children's identities are not diminished down to a list of judgements about their academic abilities.
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