A Study on the Assessment of Early Childhood Education and Care in New Zealand ― Focus on the Learning Story―

Recently, early childhood education in Japan has been requested to review the assessment form with revision of "The course of study for kindergarten" and "Guidelines for nursery care at day nursery". The primary purpose of this study is to examine the new perspective in assessment by focusing to New Zealand aspects that is pioneering practice. Learning Story assessment is commonly used in early childhood education and care in New Zealand. In addition there is a characteristic in attaching importance to the relationship with the community. Above all, this study tried to reveal how the community comes in with the assessment by reviewing the document form of portfolio. The following two points were exhibited from the result as a factor bring about manifold assessment: (a) it becomes a multi-vocal record by focusing to the "Voice"of participant in the community and (b)the creating process of documentation become the structure that involve the community.