今日の保育学の課題と研究教育体制の確立 : 保育実践学の確立と保育者養成教育の充実を求めて

The central purpose of this paper is to establish a childcare practice theory based on metacognitive research, with an aim to solve several issues in the childcare practices at early childcare institutions. This is necessary, as there are at present no current theoretical or practical methodologies from other fields that can substitute for those outlined in this paper. The theory is constructed through fieldwork based ethnographic examination of the childcare facility ‒including both the practices of childcares, and the actions and activities of the children themselves‒ and through later analysis of field notes. Pedagogical research, in the broadest sense, cannot be successful unless it is firmly grounded in fieldwork, and with a view that overlooks the development processes of children from birth. Clinical pedagogical research must constantly be updated, reflected upon, and refined to stay relevant. For this reason, the author believes that a dedicated research institute is required as a base for further developing and maintaining the currency of this theory.