Abstract
The purpose of this study is to clarify and to compare perceptions of early childhood education as representations of tacit practical knowledge of Japanese and German early childhood educators, using video-cued multi-vocal ethnography. For the method for analysis, the authors interpreted the data with identifying key words included most frequently in the discourse of early childhood educators, and categorizing the contents of sentences that include those key words. In doing so, one can speculate that which key words are commonly used between cultures of Japanese and German early childhood education, and what is argued by those terminologies. The central themes of each culture's own shared perception and practical knowledge regarding early childhood education are depicted through such analysis. As a result, three common themes are found: 'respect for children's autonomy and independence/opposition to teachers' instruction', 'standpoint of emphasizing children's social development', and 'concern for safety'. However, the internal structures of those perspectives are different from Japanese to German concepts, reflecting each country's history, culture, and system of early childhood education. Elucidating such differences gave meaningful suggestions for educational reform in both countries. Also, 'consideration for traditional gender role' emerged as a unique category from the German side. This point, though, does not resulted only from the difference in culture of early childhood education, but also from the cultures of each society as a whole.
