A review of Australian early childhood teacher education. Is physical development missing?

Abstract

ABSTRACT Early childhood education (ECE) settings play an important role in child development, including children’s physical development. However, ECE educators have low competence and confidence in facilitating learning experiences that promote physical development. Content delivered in teacher education may influence educator’s knowledge, competence, and confidence in this area. No studies have comprehensively explored early childhood teacher education in Australia to determine if such content is included. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the subject offerings of early childhood degrees from Australian universities and to narratively analyze the content of subject descriptions and subject overviews related to physical development. A desktop audit of Australian university undergraduate early childhood degrees was conducted. Subjects for early childhood degrees were categorized based on their title. Subject overviews and general outlines for subjects which broadly focused on physical development were inductively analyzed. Australian early childhood teacher education degrees offer a variety of subjects, including subjects that focused on play, health and wellbeing, and physical education. No subjects specifically focused on child physical development. We suggest early childhood teacher education degrees need to reconsider their subject offerings and include at least one subject that focus on physical development. Physical development is critically important as it underpins children’s social, emotional, language, and cognitive development. This study highlights a potential content area that could be included in early childhood teacher education degrees within the Australian context and internationally.