scholarly journals Specialised education makes a difference in preschool teachers’ knowledge bases in the teaching of mathematics and science: A case of Botswana and Sweden

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kabita Bose ◽  
Kerstin Bäckman
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Professional Training ◽  
Preschool Teachers ◽  
Knowledge Bases ◽  
Daily Routine ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Qualitative Approaches ◽  
Teaching Of Mathematics ◽  
Mathematics And Science

Background: Education in mathematics and science is important at all school levels and should ideally start in the preschool, which implies that preschool teachers should have an adequate knowledge base in these subjects.Aim: This study aimed to investigate preschool teachers’ knowledge bases, including their subject matter knowledge (SMK) and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) in mathematics and science.Setting: The study presents an account of preschool teachers’ knowledge bases in mathematics and science in Botswana and Sweden and how they influence their teaching choices and strategies.Methods: A pragmatic paradigm with a survey design and a mixed-methods mode with quantitative and qualitative approaches was used. Using a purposive sampling procedure, 64 preschool teachers from Botswana and 67 from Sweden participated in the study. Questionnaires and observation schedules were used to collect the data.Results: The findings showed that the Swedish preschool teachers had SMK and PCK in the two subjects. The Botswana teachers had SMK but lacked PCK. The early childhood educated preschool teachers from Sweden with developed PCK highlighted the daily routine situations as teaching or learning situations, whereas the primary school teachers from Botswana had SMK but found it difficult to teach at the preschool level.Conclusion: The preschool teachers’ knowledge bases included a play-based approach and knowledge about didactic considerations in spontaneous situations that made them teachable. The findings also showed the importance of a framework for specialised and professional early childhood education (ECE) training and acquiring SMK and PCK that contributed to the preschool teachers’ knowledge bases and practices in their teaching of mathematics and science. Early childhood education teachers’ educational experiences, their specialised and professional training profiles and the knowledge they acquired determined their knowledge bases and the SMK and PCK that minimised the constraints and challenges faced by them in the teaching of mathematics and science in ECE classrooms.

Development and Implementation of an Early Childhood Parenting Curriculum for Preschool Teachers

2021 ◽  
pp. 227-251
Author(s):  
Theresa J. Canada
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Preschool Teachers ◽  
University Campus ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Urban City ◽  
Parents And Children ◽  
Childhood Parenting ◽  
Early Childhood Center

This chapter describes the development and subsequent implementation of a parenting curriculum in an early childhood education classroom. The purpose of the study is to provide a curriculum for preschool teachers to improve the quality of early childhood education. The study was implemented in several classrooms of an early childhood center. The center was located on a university campus of an urban city in the state of Connecticut, USA. The innovation in this work was the idea that curriculum for early childhood providers could be created in a way that started from parent perceptions, rather than from telling parents how they need to change to meet school needs. The results of this study suggest that teachers who implement the parenting curriculum would be better prepared to work with both parents and children in a preschool setting.

Parent Choice of Early Childhood Education and Care Services

2007 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 51-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Noble
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Grounded Theory ◽  
Social Context ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Knowledge Bases ◽  
Theory Analysis ◽  
Parent Choice ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Education And Care

THIS PAPER REPORTS ON A STUDY designed to enhance knowledge and understanding of parent choice in relation to early childhood education and care (ECEC) services. It investigates the ways parents make their choices of early childhood services and examines and interprets the meanings they ascribe to those choices. An orthodox grounded theory analysis of interviews with parents was conducted to elicit the knowledge bases parents draw on as they make judgements about the early childhood services they access for their children. This investigation informs ECEC professionals about the variations in the ways parents make choices for their young children. Specifically, there is a strong sense of the influence of social context and existing beliefs and understandings. However, equally importantly, parent choice is also strongly influenced by more pragmatic concerns. Therefore, choice of ECEC service is both complex and pragmatic.

scholarly journals Demokratiske samtaler i barnehagen?

2011 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristin Rydjord Tholin ◽  
Turid Thorsby Jansen
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Preschool Teachers ◽  
Theoretical Studies ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Video Observations

Title: Democratic dialogues in early childhood education?Abstract: We examine what democracy-promoting practices may be in early childhood education. From an understanding of democracy as multifaceted we have studied how teachers lead planned conversations which enable children to present themselves and their interests. The issue discussed being: How can the teacher create conditions for conversations that are characterized by democracy promoting practices? The research is based on theoretical studies of democracy and conversations and video observations of conversations between teachers and children in two early childhood education institutions. The results are presented four themes: The preschool teachers’ emphasis on common experiences, their ability to make different voices distinct, show a listening participation and their daring when encountering the unexpected. Analysis shows that conversations in connections with projects can have a potential to promote practices characterized by democracy, but this seems demanding.   

scholarly journals Integration and Innovation in Early Childhood Education in Nigeria: Implications for Quality Teacher Production

2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
V C Onu ◽  
William Emeka Obiozor ◽  
O E Agbo ◽  
Ezeanwu Chiamaka
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Survey Research ◽  
Preschool Teachers ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Descriptive Survey ◽  
Private Preschool

This survey research studied integration and innovation in early childhood education and implications for quality teacher preparation. The study was a descriptive survey research, with one hundred and twelve (112) sampled preschool teacher. Eight research questions and three hypotheses guided the study. Early Childhood Programme Instrument on Integration and Innovation (ECPAI) was constructed, validated and used in eliciting responses from the respondents. The data collected were analyzed using percentage, mean, and Paired Sample tests. The study revealed a significant difference in the opinions of public and private preschool teachers toward integration and innovative practices in early childhood education in Nigeria. It was equally revealed that are Early Childhood Education (ECE) programme in Nigeria is influenced by traditional, uncreative approaches. Thus, training and retraining of focus teachers and stakeholders in ECE was highly recommended

scholarly journals Aesthetic Education for Young Children in Taiwan: Importance and Purpose

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 91
Author(s):  
Yi-Huang Shih
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Young Children ◽  
Aesthetic Experience ◽  
Preschool Teachers ◽  
Aesthetic Education ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
The Aesthetic

Since broadening the aesthetic experience for young children is an element of early childhood education, aesthetic education is important at this stage. By reading and analyzing related studies, this article aims to give preschool teachers a better understanding of the importance and purpose of aesthetic education in early childhood so young children can receive the appropriate aesthetic education in Taiwan.

scholarly journals EDUCAÇÃO AMBIENTAL, CONSUMO E RESÍDUOS SÓLIDOS: AS CONCEPÇÕES DE PROFESSORAS DE EDUCAÇÃO INFANTIL

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-25
Author(s):  
Natália Teixeira Ananias Freita ◽  
Fátima Aparecida Dias Gomes Marin
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Environmental Education ◽  
Solid Waste ◽  
Preschool Teachers ◽  
Pedagogical Practices ◽  
Research Subjects ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Municipal Schools

The aim of this study was to discuss the formation of teachers and their conceptions and pedagogical practices in relation to Environmental Education in Solid Waste in the context of Early Childhood Education. The methodological notes concern the qualitative approach, of the "case study" type. Ten preschool teachers from the Municipal Schools of Kindergarten were listed as research subjects and the data were obtained through semi-structured interviews. In this article we present the discussions concerning the pedagogical conceptions about Environmental Education, Consumption and Solid Waste mentioned by the preschool teachers. The teachers' conceptions about Environmental Education permeate the bias of Environmental Awareness, linked to the child's relationship with the environment in which they live. Regarding Solid Waste, the teachers connect the theme with recycling. Most teachers understand the distinction between Consumption and Consumerism. We believe that Environmental Education in Solid Waste should be carried out in Early Childhood Education based on daily situations and guided by pedagogical practices appropriate to the children's possibilities of comprehension, which includes a good initial and continuous teacher training on environmental issues.

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