A multi-case study of instructional decision-making processes of teachers in kindergarten classrooms within the Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana
The study contributes to the ongoing debate with respect to the significance of early childhood teachers' instructional decision-making that take in consideration their theoretical knowledge (explicit theories) and practical experiences (implicit theories) and how they impact their instructional decision-making processes in diverse socio-cultural contexts of children. To address this gap in the literature, a qualitative multi-case study into the perceptions and classroom practices of four kindergarten teachers in two Ghanaian schools, Tata and Kariba, was carried out from May to November 2015. One research questions guided the study, namely: What factors and beliefs influence teachers' instructional decision-making in a kindergarten classroom? Data sources used were semi-structured individual interviews and pair-based interviews and field notes of classroom observations. Both within and across case interpretative analysis was used. The study's findings revealed that these teachers' explicit theories and implicit theories of teaching influenced their instructional decision-making processes in kindergarten classrooms. It was recommended that future researchers should explore early childhood teachers' explicit and implicit theories of teaching. It was also recommended kindergarten teachers to appreciate their roles as effective instructional decisions makers towards quality teaching and learning.