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Incommensurable Tensions Facing Early Childhood Education Transitions: A Collective Writing Project

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Title: Incommensurable Tensions Facing Early Childhood Education Transitions: A Collective Writing Project
Language: English
Authors: Natália M. S. Costa (ORCID 0000-0001-8362-4035), E. Jayne White (ORCID 0000-0002-1467-8125), Niina Rutanen (ORCID 0000-0002-9713-3680), Mari Vuorisalo (ORCID 0000-0002-6690-7663), Sara M. Ólafsdóttir (ORCID 0000-0001-9473-0423), Jasemin Çan (ORCID 0000-0002-7533-0923), Yaiza Lucas Revilla (ORCID 0000-0002-1773-4188), Tina Binfield-Skøie (ORCID 0000-0002-4329-9642), Kaisa Harju (ORCID 0000-0003-4739-1347), Katia Amorim (ORCID 0000-0003-0544-6370)
Source: Policy Futures in Education. 2026 24(2):208-223.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 16
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Descriptors: Early Childhood Education, Theory Practice Relationship, Educational Policy, Educational Practices, Conflict, Equal Education, Sense of Belonging, Learning Trajectories, Stakeholders, Age
DOI: 10.1177/14782103251368944
ISSN: 1478-2103
Abstract: This collective writing article addresses transitions into, between and out of early childhood education and care (ECEC) from the standpoint of incommensurability, which entails a lack of a common measure between diverging standards, values and priorities between competing instances involved into a shared matter (Bird, 2000; Chang, 2013). We explore incommensurable tensions as non-reconcilable issues that arise between stakeholders, educational systems, socio-political landscapes and participating communities involved in transitions. The paper underscores four incommensurable tensions: First, policy into practice, discussing agenda conflicts between policy, funding and pedagogical orientations against the private life of under-three children transitioning into ECEC and the burdens of families and educators; second, equality versus equity in transitions, applying the tensional relation between these concepts to children's sense of belonging and resources in transition; third, in whose best interest, contesting the 'best interests of the child' discourse over economic needs of families, educational institutions, and societies; and fourth, orienting age, exploring age as an orienting factor of institutional transition trajectories which produce age progression (de)valuation. Finally, the subsection Infant's transition to ECEC: Incommensurable tensions in need to be overcome, written as a commentary to the main text by an invited collaborator, concludes the text.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1499356
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Incommensurable Tensions Facing Early Childhood Education Transitions: A Collective Writing Project
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Natália+M%2E+S%2E+Costa%22">Natália M. S. Costa</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8362-4035">0000-0001-8362-4035</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22E%2E+Jayne+White%22">E. Jayne White</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1467-8125">0000-0002-1467-8125</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Niina+Rutanen%22">Niina Rutanen</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9713-3680">0000-0002-9713-3680</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mari+Vuorisalo%22">Mari Vuorisalo</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6690-7663">0000-0002-6690-7663</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sara+M%2E+Ólafsdóttir%22">Sara M. Ólafsdóttir</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9473-0423">0000-0001-9473-0423</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jasemin+Çan%22">Jasemin Çan</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7533-0923">0000-0002-7533-0923</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yaiza+Lucas+Revilla%22">Yaiza Lucas Revilla</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1773-4188">0000-0002-1773-4188</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Tina+Binfield-Skøie%22">Tina Binfield-Skøie</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4329-9642">0000-0002-4329-9642</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kaisa+Harju%22">Kaisa Harju</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4739-1347">0000-0003-4739-1347</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Katia+Amorim%22">Katia Amorim</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0544-6370">0000-0003-0544-6370</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Policy+Futures+in+Education%22"><i>Policy Futures in Education</i></searchLink>. 2026 24(2):208-223.
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  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
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  Data: 16
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Descriptive
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Early+Childhood+Education%22">Early Childhood Education</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1177/14782103251368944
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  Data: 1478-2103
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: This collective writing article addresses transitions into, between and out of early childhood education and care (ECEC) from the standpoint of incommensurability, which entails a lack of a common measure between diverging standards, values and priorities between competing instances involved into a shared matter (Bird, 2000; Chang, 2013). We explore incommensurable tensions as non-reconcilable issues that arise between stakeholders, educational systems, socio-political landscapes and participating communities involved in transitions. The paper underscores four incommensurable tensions: First, policy into practice, discussing agenda conflicts between policy, funding and pedagogical orientations against the private life of under-three children transitioning into ECEC and the burdens of families and educators; second, equality versus equity in transitions, applying the tensional relation between these concepts to children's sense of belonging and resources in transition; third, in whose best interest, contesting the 'best interests of the child' discourse over economic needs of families, educational institutions, and societies; and fourth, orienting age, exploring age as an orienting factor of institutional transition trajectories which produce age progression (de)valuation. Finally, the subsection Infant's transition to ECEC: Incommensurable tensions in need to be overcome, written as a commentary to the main text by an invited collaborator, concludes the text.
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