Part 1: The reform agenda in both Australia and China -- 1. Introduction: Early childhood education policy reforms in Australia and China -- 2. History, theory and practice: Early childhood in Australia and China -- 3. A Comparative Study of early childhood policy: Building the early childhood teacher workforce in China and Australia -- Part II: Comparative curriculum and its role in remodelling early childhood practice and pedagogy -- 4. The role of formal curriculum documents in early childhood education reform: China and Australia -- 5. Education and care for children under three in Australia and China- pedagogical perspectives -- 6. Education and care for children three – six years in Australia and China – pedagogical perspectives -- Part III: Transnational teacher education: a case study -- 7. Transnational education and an international partnership: A case study of a Collaborative Articulation Program (CAP) -- 8. Early childhood teacher education: an international/transnational experience -- 9. Transnational education: Perspectives from academics -- 10. Transnational education: Perspectives from students -- Part IV: Conclusion and implications -- 11. Conclusion and implications. .

This book has been designed to add to the study and experience of early childhood ideas and experience in an international context. The focus is Australia and China with three research projects explored to provide insights into the history and development of early childhood education in each country. The work offers a consideration of the complexity of early childhood education in local and global contexts, at a time when global relationships can benefit from moving beyond better cultural understandings to greater connections and reciprocity. Each study has accompanying empirical data to support the interpretations offered. The first part of the book presents historical context and examines policy issues, the growth of the early childhood education workforce and the development of curriculum approaches in each country. The two projects that follow describe teachers’ perspectives of children’s learning and an in-depth study of a collaborative higher education program that details stakeholder experiences. By studying participant attitudes and ideas in each country we have been able to share early childhood knowledge and discuss perspectives through early childhood languages, like perspectives on the role, importance and nature of play and learning.