This book provides a comprehensive overview of the history of observation in early childhood education, a range of practical techniques (both qualitative and quantitative) for practitioners, and a section, mainly for researchers, on ethics and also recording, analysing, and reporting observational data. It is rich in examples and draws on a variety of New Zealand studies to illustrate different approaches: - time sampling - category observations - rating scales - running records - ethnography - Learning Stories - Teaching Stories. Note that this edition is the most suitable for use by New Zealand students and practitioners.