01 Socioculturally-informed Interaction Analysis (SIA): Methodology and theoretical and empirical contributions of an emerging research program in early childhood education

Over the last decade, a Swedish research group has conducted several empirical studies in the field of Early Childhood Education (ECE). These studies are examples of what is sometimes referred to as practice-based studies, and they are often conducted in collaboration with ECE personnel. In this meta-study, we review 37 publications from the research group to highlight key contributions in terms of methodological issues or challenges identified, as well as empirical findings and theoretical developments. We argue that these studies constitute an emerging research program, termed Socioculturally-informed Interaction Analysis (SIA). Key aspects of SIA are: examining learning as a process, using recordings to avoid bias, considering pragmatic validity when working with transcriptions, making claims closely aligned with what is studied (ecological validity), and viewing context as an analytical rather than as a descriptive concept, and generalising at a conceptual level, which affords empirical generalisation.