Challenging Gender Norms: Perspectives of Chinese Preschool Leaders on the Participation of Male Educators and Fathers in ECE

The last decade has been marked by radical curriculum and pedagogical reforms in Vietnamese early childhood education (ECE). In essence, the reforms are paradigm shifts from teacher-centred to child-centred pedagogy, and from fragmented subject-based to a holistic integrated curriculum. Studies (Phan, 2005; Le, 2009, Nguyen, 2009) suggest that ECE teachers are struggling to enact the shifts. One of the reasons is speculated as the mismatch between what early childhood teacher education (ECTE) can offer and what new ECE practice needs. Thus, this study explores how Vietnamese ECTE perceives its professional situation - the challenges and opportunities the profession may face in response to the demands of changing ECE practice. This study employs dialectics and cultural-historical theory (Marx & Engels, 1998; Ratner, 2006, Ellis, Edwards, & Smagorinsky, 2010) as the theoretical tools to explain the current professional situation of Vietnamese ECTE, and the way participants of this study perceive it. In this case study, Vietnamese ECTE’s perspectives on its professional situation are gained from semi-structured, in-depth interviews with three Deans and nine lecturers at three ECTE faculties. Their perspectives are incorporated with the viewpoints of other ECTE stakeholders, including an ECE policy maker, two employers (kindergarten principals) and four ECE teachers (ECTE graduates). This study indicates that Vietnamese ECTE is now in a crisis, characterized by three threads of enormous challenges, relating key professional aspects. The first thread of challenges is ECTE’s difficulties in professional conceptualization - in understanding the new ECE philosophies promoted by the ECE reforms, and subsequently, re-conceptualizing its professional beliefs and practice in response to changing ECE practice. The second thread of challenges is that ECTE’s legacy (in terms of curriculum, pedagogy, and management), established within Vietnamese Confucian traditions and Soviet ethos and relatively unchanged up to now, strongly contradicts with the rapidly changing demands of ECE practice. The third thread of challenges is born out of intensive interaction between conservative ECTE and the fast changing Vietnamese contemporary socio-economic context. Vietnam’s shift to a market economy and responding higher education policies to the changing context have intensified ECTE’s persistent problems and brought in new conflicts. Together, the three threads of challenges indicate tense contradictions between the need to meet the increased demands of changing ECE practice and ECTE’s current capability; between ECTE’s responsibilities and conditions offered to the profession. Nevertheless, this study suggests that the crisis, recognized by the majority of participants, provides enormous opportunities for ECTE to move forward if the profession manages to resolve the contradictions. Resolving the contradictions is expected to be very challenging. Dealing with the new ECE practice means Vietnamese ECTE must, firstly, reconcile the sharp conflict between new ECE philosophies and the cultural-historical legacy deeply embedded in ECTE’s thinking and practice. Secondly, ECTE needs more efficient higher education policies to address its persistent professional problems and resolve competing influences from the fast changing societal context.

Across various educational environments, there has been a growing concern in recent years about the continued presence of ineffective instructional practices. This study aimed to determine the relationship between technology integration and instructional practices of early childhood education (ECE) teachers, with the hypothesis that no significant difference exists between the two. Employing a descriptive quantitative research design with a correlational approach, utilized a total enumeration sampling on the licensed and practicing ECE teachers of Tagum City. The findings indicate a substantial correlation between ECE teachers’ technology integration and their instructional practices. This is consistent with Vygotsky's Activity Theory, which highlights that the integration of technology transforms instructional practices. The study concluded that there is a strong positive relationship between technology integration and the instructional planning of Early Childhood Education (ECE) teachers, showing that those who are more confident and engaged with technology demonstrate better instructional planning practices.

Background: The teaching profession, particularly in early childhood education, is often characterised by deeply ingrained gender stereotypes. Globally, male teachers face negative stereotyping that questions their ability to nurture young children and challenges their professional roles. Aims: The study aimed to explore the experiences of male kindergarten teachers within a predominantly female work environment, describe how they navigated the associated challenges, and gather suggestions on how to increase their numbers in the Schools Division of Davao Occidental. Methodology: The study adopted a Qualitative case study design. Public kindergarten schools in Davao Occidental, Philippines, during the school year 2024-2025. This study is based on the Social Identity Theory (SIT). It provides insight into how individuals derive their sense of self from the social groups they belong to. Five male kindergarten teachers and four school heads were selected using purposive sampling. Data were collected through face-to-face in-depth interviews guided by a validated semi-structured interview protocol. To protect their identities, each participant was assigned a pseudonym. Prior to data collection, informed consent was obtained from all participants. The gathered data were analysed thematically to identify emerging themes, core ideas and patterns. Results: The study revealed that male kindergarten teachers are faced with significant challenges rooted in societal biases, rigid gender norms and cultural expectations. Despite these obstacles, male educators demonstrated resilience, adaptability and dedication to their roles. They employed coping strategies such as community engagement, humour, self-affirmation and collaboration with female colleagues to foster acceptance and strengthened their professional identity. School heads acknowledged these efforts, emphasising the need for inclusive policies and systemic support. The third theme highlighted how these experiences led to personal growth. By building strong relationships, demonstrating creativity, and persevering through challenges, male teachers developed a sense of belonging and confidence. Their ability to transform discomfort into innovation and leadership not only enhanced their teaching impact but also challenged traditional gender norms, contributing to a more inclusive early childhood education environment. Conclusion: The experiences of male kindergarten teachers highlight the urgent need for tailored support, improved training, and better compensation. Addressing societal biases and fostering inclusive environments are crucial for attracting and retaining male educators. Promoting awareness and policy reforms can help validate their role, challenge gender norms, and ensure a more diverse, balanced, and effective early childhood education workforce.

The purpose of this study is to analyse how important are specific environmental conditions and skills of early childhood education (ECE) teachers as predictors of collaboration with immigrant parents. The study included 348 ECE teachers in Slovenia. The results revealed that environmental conditions (e.g., gender, level of education, job position, educational environment support) are important predictors of collaboration with immigrant parents. Male teachers, teachers whose job position is ECE teacher rather than assistant teacher, and teachers who have higher levels of education reported a significantly better collaboration with immigrant parents than female teachers and teachers with lower educational levels. Regarding ECE teacher skills, results revealed that interpersonal and professional skills (e.g., positive values, positive attitudes towards teaching immigrant children and perceived immigrant child misbehaviour) are important predictors of reported collaboration with immigrant parents in ECE. The results are of practical significance for ECE teachers, immigrant parents and ECE management staff.

This research aims to analyze in depth the transformation of teaching practices of Early Childhood Education (ECE) teachers at Pautan Hati Kindergarten after participating in the Continuous Professional Development Program (PKB) implemented through the Lesson Study model. This study uses a qualitative approach with a case study design. The subjects of the research are ECE teachers at Pautan Hati Kindergarten who actively participated in the Lesson Study-based PKB program. Data collection was conducted through participant observation, in-depth interviews, and analysis of lesson plans and teachers' reflective journals, both before, during, and after the intervention. Research findings indicate a significant positive transformation in teachers' teaching practices, including enhanced quality of child-centered lesson planning, more interactive and varied learning implementation, more authentic and formative assessment practices, and strengthened culture of collaboration and reflection among teachers. Factors such as teachers' motivation, support from school principals, and the quality of Lesson Study facilitation are the main supports for this transformation, while time and resource limitations serve as obstacles. The main conclusion emphasizes that Lesson Study-based professional development is effective in holistically transforming the teaching practices of early childhood education teachers.

 When developing inclusive practices in early childhood education (ECE) settings teachers are required to be guided by the principles enshrined in Te Whāriki. When a child deemed to need 'extra support' comes into an ECE setting, to what extent might ECE teachers and support staff draw on the spirit and intention of this document to support the provision of a quality inclusive educational environment for the child concerned? To address this question, a small three-part qualitative survey of the views of a cohort of ECE staff charged with implementing fully inclusive practice in relation to children with special needs in not-for-profit kindergartens and ECE centres in New Zealand was initiated. Survey responses from the 27 ECE teachers suggest that further queries about how Te Whāriki might provide ECE teachers with enough clarity of purpose necessary to successfully include all children with special needs in their centres may be necessary. The article concludes by suggesting that in-depth conversations with ECE teachers and centre leaders about how the principles contained in Te Whakiri and existing government policy statements might more effectively align, so as to better facilitate delivery of EC education to children with special needs, may be useful.

The study investigated the perceived impact of Digital Education in Early Childhood Education Practice in Delta State Nigeria. Digital technologies are now used to enhance social inclusion and facilitate child-centered learning both formal and informal learning environment. However, the integration of digital education in early childhood education settings poses significant challenges for educators. The objective of the study was to investigate the perceived impact of Digital education in Early Childhood Education practice in Delta State Nigeria. Three research questions were raised in the study. The study adopted the survey research method. The population for this study comprised all public pre-primary school heads and teachers in Delta State. There are currently 1350 pre-primary schools in Delta State. The sample for this study was 100 head teachers and 400 teachers in Delta State pre- primary schools. A self-developed questionnaire titled “Perceived Impact of Digital Education in Early Childhood Education Practice Questionnaire (PIDEECEPQ)”, was validated and its reliability determined using test re-test reliability technique with a coefficient index of 0.85. The researcher administered a total of 500 questionnaires to randomly selected head teachers and teachers from the selected pre-primary schools in the study area. Simple percentage, Mean, standard deviation, were used to analyze the data collected. Based on the findings, it was concluded that digital education in Early Childhood Education (ECE) practice has transformed the learning landscape, offering unprecedented opportunities for young children to explore, create and learn. The recent digital education trends in Early Childhood Education (ECE) practice focus on technology integration, play-based pedagogy, learning management system, educational apps, virtual field trip, coding and robotics. This can harness the power of digital technologies to enhance teaching, learning and outcomes for young children. Based on the conclusion, the paper recommended that government and policy-makers should provide regular professional development for early childhood educators, ensure equity and access for all children, foster partnership with families and communities, integrate digital technologies into play-based learning, develop policies and guideline, provide infrastructure and resources.

The study sought to assess the training and perception of assessment practices of Early Childhood Education teachers in the Tema West Metropolis, Ghana. Two research objectives guided the study and they were to assess the training of Early Childhood Education teachers and examine the teachers’ perception about assessment during early years’ education as well as the professional qualification and gender differences of teachers’ perception in the Tema West Metropolis, Ghana. Again, two hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. A descriptive survey design was used for the study. The instrument for data collection was a self-constructed 4-point Likert-type scale questionnaire. The study covered 200 ECE teachers within 40 basic schools in the Tema West metropolis. The census technique was used to select the participants for the study. Descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) were used to analyze data obtained with respect to each research question. Again, One Way ANOVA and Independent sample T-test were used to test hypothesis 1 and 2 respectively. It was evidenced from the study that the teachers in the Tema West Metropolis have an understanding of Early Childhood Education (ECE) assessment practices which suggests an indication that the teachers have some level of training. Again, ECE teachers in the metropolis possess positive perceptions about the need for assessing children during their early years’ education. While the perception of ECE teachers differs significantly across their professional qualifications, there was no statistically significant difference in their perception about assessment in early years’ education and gender. The study concludes therefore that training and perception of ECE teachers were no deterrents nor challenges to the administration of effective assessment practices in the Tema West Municipality. Although the teachers possess some level of knowledge about assessment practices in ECE, it is recommended among others that the educational directorate in the metropolis through the help of the Ghana Education Service (GES) should ensure continuous professional development in the form of in-service training for the teachers. This will help abreast their knowledge and assessment practices in the metropolis.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0917/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Internationally, the profession of preschool educators is more dominated by females than males. Male educators in early childhood education (ECE) are very rare, however, the presence of male and female educators in ECE will be very meaningful in the balance of gender construction in early childhood. This study aims to explore the perceptions of a male teacher at ECE regarding his profession as an ECE teacher as well as a dance teacher. This research used a narrative qualitative approach, conducted in a kindergarten in Bandung that has a male teacher who also teaches dancing extracurriculars. Through the experiences and chronology of the teacher's career journey, the researcher tried to understand the reasons and factors that make the teacher in love and comfortable with his current profession, despite the fact about gender stereotypes in society. The teacher even preferred to continue his career at ECE even though he had been accepted by PPPK (Government Employee with Employment Agreement) at another educational unit (Junior High School). The results of this study indicate that from the male teacher's perspective: (1) working in an ECE environment with preschoolers is more dynamic that encourages creativity, (2) in line with his passion which increases his work engagement and well-being, and (3) there are opportunities for his self-development. Experiences and a supportive environment made a male teacher finally found his passion and chose to work at ECE.

Early childhood education (ECE) teachers are female, even in school management positions. ECE is perceived as dominated by females and has long been regarded as a female occupation. This study explores teacher narratives on female dominance in sustainable development in ECE. Even though females dominate ECE, slight changes occur as some male teachers break the stereotyping and the gender imbalance. This article explores the teacher’s narrative through qualitative research, semi-structured interviews, and focus groups, which were employed to understand teachers’ narratives on female dominance. Female teachers were purposefully selected to provide an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon. The paper is theoretically grounded on social identity theory, emphasizing that individuals must protect their identities through favorable groups to preserve their self-esteem. A thematic analysis approach was applied to analyse and make the collected data meaningful. The findings show that there are few male teachers in ECE, and as a result, men who wish to become teachers in ECE are scared to be ridiculed and not regarded as man enough. The suggestion is that for ECE to be sustainable, the Department of Basic Education must consider male teachers to be included in ECE and develop strategies for recruiting male teachers and their sustainability.

Educational policy and pedagogical practice that meet the needs of young children and their families are those that are inclusive, diverse and democratic. The early childhood education and care system serves as an essential tool for preventing inequality and educational poverty, while enabling every child to develop to their full potential. The aim of this article, therefore, is to identify elements of democratic culture and inclusive pedagogical practice within the early childhood education and care system in Croatia. Following a qualitative interpretative approach, data collected from 35 interviews with teachers from 13 early childhood education and care institutions were analysed using the NVivo software. The coding framework was based on the selected International Step-by-Step Association standards of quality pedagogical practice within the standard of Inclusion, Diversity and Values of Democracy. Inter-rater reliability was assured. The results indicate a diverse understanding of democratic values among early childhood education and care teachers, as well as differences in incorporating elements of inclusive and democratic culture in their practice. Furthermore, there is a lack of specific knowledge about diversity, democracy and inclusion. However, an analysis of specific elements of early childhood education and care teachers’ everyday pedagogical practice indicates warm, supportive and responsive democratic relationships. These relationships focus on the child’s abilities, potential and needs, along with the teacher’s ability to create an inclusive and stimulating learning environment within the early childhood education and care setting. Implications for improving pedagogical practice are discussed.

This paper focuses on reflective perceptions about the presence of male teachers in Early Childhood Education, exploring the challenges and perspectives related to this issue. The research seeks to analyze the male presence in Early Childhood Education teaching, its challenges and perspectives, reflecting on how this presence can influence the quality of teaching and the development of children. This is because our hypothesis is to reflect on the importance of the presence of male teachers in the education of young children, considering gender diversity and the construction of an inclusive and equal education. The methodology used in this study is qualitative in nature, based on a bibliographical review and content analysis of articles, books and documents related to the topic. Renowned authors such as Paulo Freire, Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky, Carlos Brandão, Heywood and Kuhlmann were considered, who contributed to understanding the presence of teachers in Early Childhood Education and to the concept of reflective teaching, which discusses inclusive and equal education. The main references used in this research deal with teacher training, the importance of gender diversity in Early Childhood Education, critical reflection on gender stereotypes and the social construction of masculinity. Also noteworthy are the works of Pimenta and Ghedin who discuss reflective teaching as an important pedagogical approach to encourage teachers to question their practices and reflect on their conceptions. In addition, our study is qualitative in nature and is based on participant research, the data collected from which was also based on the application of a questionnaire to the participants. As a result, we concluded that the presence of teachers in Early Childhood Education is fundamental to promoting quality education, under the reference of “reflective teaching”, when teachers are encouraged to develop a critical and reflective stance in their pedagogical practice, contributing to the construction of a more equal and respectful education. However, there are still challenges to be faced, such as deconstructing gender stereotypes and valuing diversity in the composition of the teaching staff for Early Childhood Education, which suggests a time for reflection, which includes other and new perspectives for the presence of teachers in classes of young children.

This paper focuses on reflective perceptions about the presence of male teachers in Early Childhood Education, exploring the challenges and perspectives related to this issue. The research seeks to analyze the male presence in Early Childhood Education teaching, its challenges and perspectives, reflecting on how this presence can influence the quality of teaching and the development of children. This is because our hypothesis is to reflect on the importance of the presence of male teachers in the education of young children, considering gender diversity and the construction of an inclusive and equal education. The methodology used in this study is qualitative in nature, based on a bibliographical review and content analysis of articles, books and documents related to the topic. Renowned authors such as Paulo Freire, Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky, Carlos Brandão, Heywood and Kuhlmann were considered, who contributed to understanding the presence of teachers in Early Childhood Education and to the concept of reflective teaching, which discusses inclusive and equal education. The main references used in this research deal with teacher training, the importance of gender diversity in Early Childhood Education, critical reflection on gender stereotypes and the social construction of masculinity. Also noteworthy are the works of Pimenta and Ghedin who discuss reflective teaching as an important pedagogical approach to encourage teachers to question their practices and reflect on their conceptions. In addition, our study is qualitative in nature and is based on participant research, the data collected from which was also based on the application of a questionnaire to the participants. As a result, we concluded that the presence of teachers in Early Childhood Education is fundamental to promoting quality education, under the reference of “reflective teaching”, when teachers are encouraged to develop a critical and reflective stance in their pedagogical practice, contributing to the construction of a more equal and respectful education. However, there are still challenges to be faced, such as deconstructing gender stereotypes and valuing diversity in the composition of the teaching staff for Early Childhood Education, which suggests a time for reflection, which includes other and new perspectives for the presence of teachers in classes of young children.

The study examined conceptualisation and implementation of play-based curriculum and pedagogy in early childhood education in preschools in Oromia Regional State. The study employed mixed research method with concurrent triangulation design. A researcher selected the samples of the study by using purposive, availability, stratified and simple random sampling techniques. The data were collected using questionnaires, interviews, focus group discussion and document examination. The data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics and narrated simultaneously. The finding of the study showed that the curriculum of early childhood education lacked developmentally appropriateness of individuality, ages, stages, cultural context and meaningfulness to the child. The in-door and out-door activities of children like co-playing, mentoring, coaching and recording day-to-day activities of children were unfit to their diversified needs and unsuccessfully practiced. Play-based curriculum and pedagogical practices in early childhood education did not involve effective communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity. Therefore, the facilitators of early childhood education should use systematic scaffolding playful learning of children to ensure quality of instruction through strengthening the qualities of tripartite teachers in preschools in Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia.

Teacher educators assume that the teacher education programs in their own countries provide a comprehensive scope of possible selections. Nevertheless, how teacher education is planned and implemented differs in each country. They have different practices in both early childhood education and teacher preparation programs, even though American early childhood education theories and practices have guided them. In addition, countries differ in their early childhood education teacher qualifications. Teacher education programs have been attempting to prepare global-minded early childhood teachers who can function in other countries. Teachers who are prepared with global perspectives are able to help students succeed in the interconnected world where they encounter challenges throughout their lives. The globalization of early childhood education and the preparation of teachers in the United States and other countries appear ultimately to be achieving importance, respectability, acknowledgment, and wisdom. Several countries have engaged in transforming early childhood teachers through educational reform, which calls upon countries to expand and improve early childhood care and education. Educational reform has intermittently been a main topic of discourse and seldom an emphasis of commitment in countries around the world. Frequently these reform attempts have emphasized the necessity to advance children’s knowledge, abilities, and views to help them become good citizens and productive adults. Whereas developments may not be equivalent from country to country, the movement is continuous. It is encouraging to see countries functioning to advance programs to prepare teachers of young children and to cope with the demanding difficulties and concerns of early childhood education and the preparation of early childhood teachers.