Includes bibliographical references.

Introduction : early childhood education research and practice in international perspective / Bernard Spodek and Olivia N. Saracho ; Early childhood education in Australia : approaches, issues, policies, and research / Wendy Schiller ; Contemporary early childhood education and research in China / Jiaxong Zhu and X. Christine Wang ; How Finland is researching early childhood education / Mikko Ojala ; Contemporary perspectives in early childhood education : the case of Greece / Demetra Evangelou and Hara Cortessis-Dafermou ; Research and policy issues in early childhood care and education in Japan / Yoko Shirakawa and Sachiko Kitano ; Early childhood care and education in Korea : current state and research / Unhai Rhee, Won Young Rhee, and Young-Ja Lee ; A global perspective on early childhood education : characteristic traits and research in Norway / Ole Fredrik Lillemyr ; Elementary education in Poland : a brief history and current research / Barbara Muraska ; Research in early childhood education in Portugal / Teresa Vasconcelos ; Early childhood education research in Spain / Miguel A. Zabalza ; Early childhood education in Turkey : an overview / Sevda Bekman ; Early childhood education : an international and contemporary perspective / Bernard Spodek and Olivia N. Saracho.