This study, which aimed to reveal preschool teachers' views on movement-based games, employed a phenomenological design within qualitative research methods. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis techniques and included 14 preschool teachers. Teachers were determined using the snowball method. Data were collected through semi-structured individual interviews with 14 preschool teachers and analyzed using thematic analysis. Participants were selected using the criterion and snowball sampling methods. The data from the teachers' views were divided into three main themes: the dual nature of movement-based play, its integration into the daily program, and the limitations encountered in movement-based games and in teacher strategies. The results revealed that teachers viewed movement-based play as both a fundamental necessity for children's nature, such as energy release and happiness, and a strategic tool for achieving social, cognitive, and academic goals. It was also found that teachers integrated movement-based games more with other activities and viewed movement-based games as a means of cultural heritage transmission. However, it was also determined that teachers struggled to manage the process in the movement-based play. In particular, the study found that school infrastructure problems created obstacles to implementing these initiatives. The findings of this study are limited to the opinions of the participating teachers and are not generalizable. However, the results obtained provide important insights into the application of movement-based games in educational settings. Future studies with larger samples, using mixed methods or observation-based approaches, are recommended.
Empathy is a fundamental professional competency for kindergarten teachers, as their capacity for pain empathy is closely associated with children's physical and mental well-being as well as equity in early childhood education. This study examined the relationship between gender stereotype levels and kindergarten teachers' empathy for physical and social pain, providing an empirical basis for teacher professional development and gender-sensitive pedagogy.Using two behavioral experiments, 60 kindergarten teachers (30 categorized as high in gender stereotypes and 30 categorized as low in gender stereotypes) were recruited. A 2 & times; 2 & times; 2 & times; 2 mixed-design ANOVA was conducted, with Participant Group and Target Age treated as between-subjects factors and Material Type and Target Gender treated as within-subs factors, to assess the cognitive and affective components of pain empathy. The results indicated that teachers with higher levels of gender stereotyping exhibited stronger gender-related differences in empathic responses, demonstrating significantly higher levels of physical and social pain empathy toward female targets, particularly female young children. In contrast, no significant gender differences were observed among teachers with lower levels of gender stereotyping. In addition, target age was associated with empathic responses, such that child-related cues and gender stereotypes appeared to jointly contribute to amplified empathy bias. Teachers also demonstrated overall stronger empathic responses to physical pain than to social pain. Overall, the findings provide evidence consistent with a relationship between gender stereotypes and gender-related differences in pain empathy among kindergarten teachers. These findings further suggest that gender stereotype levels may moderate empathic responses toward different targets within early childhood educational contexts. Accordingly, future research and teacher-development initiatives may benefit from greater attention to empathy bias and gender-sensitive educational practices, with the aim of promoting more equitable interactions and supporting children's holistic development.
This study examined the extent to which the context in China influenced early childhood education (ECE) teachers' participation in professional development (PD). ECE teachers (N = 471) from the municipality of Shanghai and the less-developed province of Guizhou completed surveys to identify factors influencing their PD. Additionally, 56 preschool teachers and 29 principals were interviewed to gain a deeper understanding of the factors that affected professional development (PD) activities. Quantitative results indicated that the region of residence and permanent job status (bianzhi) contributed to unequal participation in PD. Qualitative results corroborated the quantitative findings and further revealed that local regulations, modalities of PD, and teachers' autonomy explained the disparities across regions. The preferential treatment of teachers with permanent job status was a result of limited resources, leading to the marginalization of teachers without this status. The findings underscore the significance of supportive systemic conditions for PD and have implications for policy initiatives.
Culturally responsive and sustaining pedagogy (CRSP) has been a topic in education for decades. However, much of the research with teacher candidates focuses on large sample sizes and end-product analysis of teacher preparation programs. This paper provides a contextual understanding of the engagement with CRSP at the practicum level through critical inquiry interviews supported by ethnographic data. Findings indicate that there was a need for the teacher candidate to understand the connection between the lived realities of students in their placement and the CRSP framework, as well as for opportunities for the teacher candidate to practice critical self-inquiry as she grappled with a transformation of self as it relates to engagement with CRSP and its tenets.
In this article we introduce collective interaction analysis (CIA) as a theoretical and methodological approach that fosters interactional competence and enriches reflective practice which in turn enhances transformative learning to ameliorate practices at work. We use processes for data sessions similar to ethnomethodology and conversational analysis to illustrate mutuality between CIA and reflective practice. Participants in our project engaged in self and collective reflective discourses to critically analyze experiences and identify strengths as well as inefficiencies in practices. Then, through a series of reasoning exercises they codeveloped changes to improve practice. We conclude that there is mutuality between CIA and reflective practice and that the process of CIA facilitates transformative learning to improve practices at work.
Exploration plays a central role in young children's learning, enabling them to engage with their environment, pose questions, test ideas, and construct understanding. However, researches on interaction quality suggest that the promotion of exploration - and the associated knowledge acquisition - is not sufficiently emphasized in German kindergartens. To address the need for a systematic assessment of how preschool teachers support exploration, this study aimed to develop a self-report instrument capturing the methods and extent to which teachers foster children's exploration. The second objective was to establish the construct validity and reliability of the instrument, ensuring its suitability for use in educational research and professional practice. Two studies were conducted to validate the instrument. Study I aimed to identify the underlying structure of the questionnaire through Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), based on a sample of N = 105 preschool teachers. Study II sought to confirm the factor structure identified in Study I using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) on an independent sample of N = 376, thereby providing further evidence of the instrument's construct validity. In Study I, the EFA results supported a four-factor solution across 42 items. However, some items showed weaker loadings, indicating potential issues with model fit in subsequent analyses. In Study II, the initial 42-item, four-factor model could not be confirmed through CFA. After removing eight problematic items, the revised model demonstrated an acceptable to good fit. Fit indices support the structural validity of the TEFQ-34, while Cronbach's alpha and Spearman-Brown coefficients confirm its reliability.
As inclusive education becomes more commonplace, early childhood educators must be prepared to support children with disabilities, including having the knowledge and confidence to select appropriate assistive technology (AT). However, many teacher candidates report limited preparation in this area. This reflection on practice describes the implementation and evaluation of a new model of embedded AT instruction within an early childhood special education (ECSE) course on teacher candidates' knowledge of and experience with AT. Sixteen candidates enrolled in a cross-listed undergraduate/graduate ECSE course completed a pre- and post-survey to assess growth in their knowledge after the AT instruction. Analysis indicates statistically significant improvements in candidates' knowledge of AT, confidence in prior experience, and ability to identify AT examples across the AT continuum. Significant improvements were also observed in candidates' knowledge of special education law related to AT. These findings support prior literature suggesting that embedded instruction can improve AT awareness and preparedness among teacher candidates. Implications for teacher education include integrating hands-on activities and practicum applications to build applied skills. Future inquiry should explore the long-term impact of embedded AT instruction across programs and in early childhood classroom practice, and how the model translates to larger cohorts and different programs.
Courses on early childhood typically cover foundational stages of physical, cognitive, language, emotional, and social development. Understanding how infants and toddlers gradually develop the ability to recognize and express emotions, learn empathy, and engage with others can deepen students' understanding of moral development although no empirical study exists. The current study examined whether college students' changed their moral judgment reasoning, prosocial behavior, and anxiety levels following a semester-long course on infant and toddler development. For this purpose, college students completed the Defining Issues Test 2 (DIT2), the Prosocial Behavior Scale, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) at the beginning and the end of the course. A one-way repeated measured ANOVA result indicated a significant improvement in students' moral judgment reasoning at the end-of-the-semester. As students gained a deeper understanding of early developmental stages, they appear to adopt higher ethical standards aligned with the best interests of the children and families they will serve upon graduation.
This study is situated in the context of early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Norway and explores the perspectives of teacher education students after following children's activities in nature over the course of a year. As early childhood (EC) teacher educators in a time of nature crisis and declining opportunities for nature experiences, we aim to prepare our students for facilitating children's interactions with nature. Data were collected through a focus group interview and an anonymous survey for students who had completed the assignment of returning to the same place in nature with children over the course of a year. Our analysis suggests that the approach contributed to multiple dimensions of students' learning, including increased awareness of the place's affordances for exploration, physical activity, and a deeper understanding of natural diversity. The time aspect emerged as highly valuable in the students' learning process, enhancing their ability to become aware of and support children's play and exploration in nature. Further, the approach enabled students to actualize and reflect on academic knowledge, supporting their professional development by providing a link between theory and practice. The study is a contribution to the development of outdoor learning and professional development in early childhood teacher education.
