Early Childhood Education Research Articles

Objects as pedagogical mediators. A proposal for the construction of an ecological design in the kindergarten

Starting from the first days of life, the child is placed in the world as a subject intentionally interacting with individuals and with the environment that surrounds them, capable of generating meanings and knowledge through activities of playful and active learning. The kindergarten - the first broader social context that the child attends - is a privileged place for the development of project proposals aimed at the development of learning pathways to support the child in their growth and promote reflections on and participation in the topic of early childhood education at multiple levels. The article gives an account of the experience related to a personal research survey conducted at some public kindergartens (age 0-3) of the city of Rome in order to verify the replicability and effectiveness of a design methodology used in my work as a pedagogical coordinator. The methodology considers the use of elements present in the world of children and adults as mediators in the development of educational proposals that actively involve children, families and professionals that can generate a universe of shared meaning and promote a research-action perspective in educational services. This article also intends to highlight some design aspects of the curriculum (age 0-3) that could encourage the development of the kindergarten as a place that supports the child to be a protagonist of their growth pathways and the environment in which they live and contribute positively to their first experiences of citizenship.

More than a cluster of sawflies: understanding young children’s application of science skills in nature-based learning

ABSTRACT Background Despite playing an important role in early childhood education, the science teaching and learning that occurs in nature-based contexts such as forest school and nature kindergartens remains under-theorised. Utilising recent research to understand how science skills form an important part of children’s learning, this research is situated in the context of bush kinders, an Australian response to the European forest approach to early childhood education and care. There exist several teaching models to support how science skills can be taught to young children. Purpose This paper considers how young children’s play exhibits science skills and educators have opportunities to make children’s play-based learning meaningful in ‘bush kinder’. It is influenced by Piaget’s developmental work and its relationship to young children’s meaning making of science concepts can be enhanced by time spent in bush kinders. Design and method This study draws upon ethnography as its methodological approach and qualitative data that was collected as part of a longitudinal study between 2015 and 2023. Sample Fifteen Educators and 220 children from five bush kinders participated in this study. Results Using three vignettes as data, the interrogation and analysis of children’s learning of science skills whilst participating in nature play occurs here through the application of five inter-connected science skills. The analysis leads us to propose that bush kinders allow children to connect with nature and develop science skills. Conclusions The analysis of these data and their consideration of the skills is valuable in generating a broader narrative that provides deeper insight into the learning experience of science education in early childhood education and care in nature-based contexts.

Emergent Bilingual Children Love reading… if We Let Them

ABSTRACT This qualitative case study explored the shifting landscape of literacy learning and instruction in an early childhood program in an agricultural community in the U.S. Midwest. The author traces the impact of deficit thinking and English-only curriculum on the literacy education of young Spanish/English emergent bilinguals, and describes the economic, health, and linguistic inequalities lived by immigrant and migrant farmworker families in the program. Data were collected over twelve months and consisted of weekly participant and non-participant observations of classroom instruction; reading bilingual books with children; interviews with teachers and administrators; informal conversations with parents; and field-notes from teacher workshops. Through examination of the developing literacy of two emergent bi/multilingual (im)migrant children, the study shows how early childhood teachers with limited formal training created a learning environment that allowed children to demonstrate rich language and literacy abilities in two languages. The author argues that an abrupt change from a bilingual, play-based literacy curriculum to English monolingual, skills-based instruction aimed at promoting “kindergarten readiness” reduced children’s opportunities to love reading and develop biliteracy.

FLIPPED CLASSROOM METHODOLOGY TO IMPROVE ENGLISH WRITTEN COMPREHENSION IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION STUDENTS

Flipped classroom is a methodology which refers to the teaching process that reverses the way in which the contents of a subject are worked on. Several studies have shown that the flipped classroom methodology increases student participation and interaction with teachers. In this study, we analysed the degree of improvement in students’ English written comprehension after taking a subject in English for a semester using the flipped classroom methodology. A quantitative study was conducted using a written test both at the beginning (pre) and end (post) of the semester to find differences in the results obtained in both tests through direct observation. The study was conducted at a Spanish public university with students of the Early Childhood Education Degree during the last academic year. For the selection of the instrument, checking its external validity relationship, five experts conducted the validation process providing a quantitative assessment on a Likert scale following Lawshe’s content validity relationship model. Results showed a significant improvement in their written comprehension after the data was analysed using the JASP statistical programme. We could observe that the difference in the means obtained in each part of the test and in the overall standing is close to or exceeds the point difference.

Examining Changes in Implementation of Priority Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Practices, and Related Barriers, Over Time in Australian Early Childhood Education and Care Services: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Promoting healthy eating and physical activity in early childhood education and care (ECEC) is recommended within guidelines and supported by health promotion programs; however, implementation is suboptimal. Evidence suggests implementation within the sector varies over time; however, this has not been empirically examined in relation to implementation barriers. This study aims to: (1) describe changes in the prevalence of, and barriers to, implementation of priority healthy eating and physical activity practices; and (2) explore the associations between such barriers and implementation. Methods: This was a repeated cross-sectional study over an 8-month period. A cross-section of 150-180 Australian ECEC services were prospectively randomly sampled for each month (April-November 2023), with 1127 ECEC services sampled in total and 20% of services sampled twice. Services reported via survey their implementation of two priority practices: (1) healthy menu standards and (2) educating and engaging parents in child physical activity. They also reported on implementation status, implementation stage, and five core implementation barriers. Results: Overall, 716 services completed 809 surveys. There were no significant differences in the prevalence of implementation or general trends in barriers to implementation of the two priority practices across that time. Services reporting less barriers were significantly more likely to be implementing the priority practices, and services in more advanced implementation stages were significantly less likely to report barriers. Conclusions: To enhance the implementation of priority practices in ECEC services, key barriers to implementation need to be understood and targeted to progress services through to advanced implementation stages.

Artful learning: early childhood pre-service teachers and art integration

ABSTRACT Early childhood education pre-service teachers (ECE PSTs) often feel unprepared and uneasy about incorporating the arts into their future classrooms. This lack of confidence may limit children’s creative and artistic development. We designed and implemented a collaborative art integration course assignment called the Artful Learning Project to address this issue. This project involved 60 ECE PSTs enrolled in an early childhood curriculum methods course at a comprehensive university in the Northeast. Our findings revealed that while ECE PSTs require further support in integrating art, they demonstrated an emerging understanding of art integration practices after the project. The findings suggest that teacher preparation programs should focus on scaffolding integration concepts, providing instruction about art media, teaching PSTs to use various materials, and demonstrating how to scaffold discussion around works of art. The study underscores the potential of ECE PSTs to integrate art with structured support and training effectively.

Early childhood education for sustainability: Outcomes for social and emotional learning

Early childhood influences value formation and mental wellbeing later in life. Early Childhood Education for Sustainability (ECEFS) aims to bolster children’s social emotional skills and instil environmentally sustainable attitudes and behaviours through transformative learning. The current study investigated the Learning in Nature Program (LNP), an ECEFS curriculum at an inner city preschool in Melbourne, Australia. Data from the 2021 ( n = 27) and 2022 ( n = 56) cohorts generally supported the expectation that children’s pro-environmentally sustainable attitudes and behaviours would increase after completing the LNP, both in the quantitative data analysis and the qualitative data from parent ( n = 17) questionnaires. There were significant decreases in peer problems, emotion problems, hyperactivity, conduct problems and negative coping. There were significant increases in positive prosocial behaviour and empathy.

Context matters: Examining the linguistic aspects of educator-toddler talk

The quantity and quality of educator-child talk in early childhood education plays a critical role in children’s language development. This study analysed the linguistic aspects of educator-toddler interactions in 24 New Zealand early childhood classrooms, sampling 25 minutes of naturally occurring interaction across five contexts: book-reading, mealtime, play, group, and nappy-change. Both the quantity (e.g., total utterances) and linguistic quality (e.g., lexical diversity, mean length of utterance in morphemes) of educator and child talk were analysed. The quantity and quality of educator-toddler verbal interactions varied across contexts, with book-reading displaying positive features of educators’ language, and nappy-changes showing positive features of children’s language. This information about which contexts naturally promote high-quality verbal interactions will pave the way for oral language interventions in New Zealand and worldwide.

The Current Status and Influencing Factors of Digital Product Use Among Young Children in the Digital Age

The rapid development of digital technology has fundamentally changed family education in the digital age. This study aims to explore the current status of digital product use and influencing factors among children aged 0-6 years. This study examined the prevalence of digital devices, average screen time, and parents' attitudes toward digital technology in early childhood education by conducting a questionnaire survey of 1,477 families in Sichuan Province , China, and in-depth interviews with four families. The results show that digital products are widely present in families and parents recognize their educational value, but also face challenges in content, time, and online safety management. Differences in parents' digital literacy levels further affect their ability to support children's digital activities. This study recommends the development of a comprehensive parent education program, the establishment of a high-quality digital resource platform, and the strengthening of family guidance to optimize the use of digital technology in early childhood education. The findings contribute to the global discussion on digital literacy, early childhood development, and family education.

Estudio del Desarrollo Vocacional, Autoeficacia y Expectativas de Resultado en Estudiantes de Educación con y sin Discapacidad

Introduction. Drawing on Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT), this study examines the academic development process of university students. According to the model, self-efficacy and outcome expectations are key constructs in SCCT, shaped by personal factors and predispositions, such as disability, gender, and race. Method. The sample comprised 299 students enrolled in the Bachelor's Degree programs in Primary Education and Early Childhood Education at the University of Granada. The measurement instruments utilized in the study included the University Biodata Questionnaire (Rocabert et al., 2007), the Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale (Baessler & Schwarzer, 1996), and the Academic Outcome Expectations Scale (Zalazar-Jaine & Cupani, 2018). Results. The study variables demonstrated a direct relationship among them. Validation tests were conducted due to the adaptation of one of the instruments, highlighting its suitability for the study. No differences were observed in vocational development levels, self-efficacy, or outcome expectations between students with and without disabilities. Differences were found concerning the sex variable in terms of self-efficacy and outcome expectations, but not in relation to effective vocational development. Discussion or Conclusión. While the overall scores of the combined sample did not show significant differences in comparison, factors such as vocational interest periods, perceived barriers to study completion, satisfaction with the chosen career, and extrinsic or intrinsic academic outcome expectations exhibited notable variations between the two groups. The exploratory nature of the study is emphasized, along with the potential biases within the sample regarding disability and gender.

Systematic review of studies about the use of language with sexist connotations in fairytales and nursery rhymes of Early Childhood

The use of language through popular children's fairytales and nursery rhymes expresses ideas about what is expected of girls and boys based on the gender. These literary studies are consequences of the oral poetic tradition and cultural aspects of different contexts and times. Likewise, it is possible to demonstrate how such productions come to show traditional beliefs and customs related to the feminine and masculine ideal that, at the same time, stand as a social value. This is why the aim of this study is to identify the use of language with sexist connotations, such as gender roles and gender stereotypes, in nursery rhymes and fairytales. For this purpose, a systematic review has been carried out following the methodology PRISMA 2020 Statement, using high impact databases such as Eric, Scopus and Google Scholar. Also, Artificial Intelligences were included in the systematic review: Consensus IA, Elicit.org and Copilot. The analysis of the scientific production based on the use of language with sexist connotations in nursery rhymes and fairytales in Early Childhood education has been identified a total of 22 documents. The results show that the gender relations represented in children's fairytales and nursery rhymes from a perspective of inequality that favours the figure of traditional male dominance, as opposed to the submission of women, reiterated in the oral and written tradition. This is clear evidence of the social separation of male and female roles, which constitutes a challenge for current education, that of influencing children's nursery rhymes and fairytales to overcome these traditional gender stereotypes.

The Influence of Socioeconomic Status on Executive Functions

This study aims to examine the influence of socioeconomic status on executive function in Kindergarten children (Group B) in the DKI Jakarta Province in 2024. Using a quantitative causal associative approach with a survey method and path analysis technique, this research involved 102 students selected through multistage cluster random sampling. Data were collected using a modified BRIEF-P instrument to measure executive function and a questionnaire to assess socioeconomic status. The results indicate a significant favorable influence of socioeconomic status on children's executive function (path coefficient 0.358, t-value 5.47). Children with higher socioeconomic status tend to have better executive functions. These findings highlight the importance of interventions to improve executive function, particularly for children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, to support their future academic success. This research provides valuable insights for developing more inclusive and equitable early childhood education policies.

The future has arrived: An exploration of computational thinking readiness among Chinese early childhood education teachers

The future has arrived: An exploration of computational thinking readiness among Chinese early childhood education teachers

A longitudinal study of the role of fingers in the development of early number and arithmetic skills in children with Apert syndrome.

This paper discusses a longitudinal study with children with Apert syndrome aged between 4 and 11 years. There has long been an interest in the role of fingers in the development of early number skills and arithmetic. As children with Apert syndrome are born with complex fusions of their fingers, they have to undergo several surgical procedures in order to obtain individuated fingers. This has implications for their finger mobility and finger awareness. It has been suggested that children with Apert syndrome have specific difficulties with early number and arithmetic activities. The findings from this study suggest that engaging children with Apert syndrome in activities that develop finger awareness (finger gnosis) and finger mobility (fine motor skills) may have a positive impact on their ability to engage with appropriate mathematics curricula at school. This is relevant to all those involved in the care of children with Apert syndrome and will be of particular relevance to those involved in early childhood and primary education. This study also provides new insights into the role of finger use in the development of skills and understanding in early number and arithmetic.

Implications of Artificial Intelligence in Education. The Educator as Ethical Leader

Technological media are evolving at great speed, and this development inevitably affects the pedagogical approach that institutions and educators implement in the classroom. The great irruption of Artificial Intelligence tools makes it necessary to reflect on the use of these applications in educational centres at all levels, from Early Childhood Education to Higher Education. These tools have enormous possibilities and applications for the improvement of learning in many aspects, but it is also necessary to analyse the ethical implications that their use may entail, and the role of the educator in this whole process. In this sense, it is proposed that the teacher should become an ethical leader, providing adequate spaces for all students to have the opportunity to achieve learning, becoming a person who inspires those around him/her, and leading the ethical debate involved in the use of these technologies, fostering a critical spirit and knowledge. The presence of the human being in the educational process cannot be doubted, due to the presence of dimensions of the human being such as the emotional or spiritual dimension, which are part of the integral development of the individual and must be nurtured. A theoretical reflection on AI in education shows that it shifts educators' roles from traditional instructors to facilitators and ethical leaders, crucial for guiding personalized learning and addressing ethical considerations in AI use.

Neuroscience for early childhood education: impact on virtual settings and teaching practice

Neuroscience for early childhood education: impact on virtual settings and teaching practice

Z세대 예비영유아교사의 자기보고에 관한 질적 내용분석

This study qualitatively analyzes the self-report of 22 Generation Z pre-service early childhood teachers attending a four-year university, in anticipation of the imminent implementation of the policy integrating early childhood care and education systems. The self-reports consist of freely written reflections on various topics, including the reasons for aspiring to become an early childhood teacher, the background of their family environment, their innate dispositions, personal experiences related to their career path, their self-assessment of whether they possess the qualities and competencies required as early childhood teachers, and in what aspects they see themselves as suitable or lacking for the role.The total text amounted to 48 pages, and a continuous comparative analysis method was applied through the coding process. The qualitative content analysis resulted in the identification of three key concepts: developmental and environmental characteristics, personal characteristics, and relational characteristics, which were further categorized into seven main themes. The developmental and environmental characteristics included motivations for choosing a career in early childhood education. The personal characteristics encompassed self-management, the thoughts and attitudes of early childhood teachers, and efforts to improve oneself in preparation for the role. The relational characteristics were categorized as empathy and consideration, cooperation and support, and the demand for professionalism among early childhood teachers. An understanding and analysis of Generation Z pre-service early childhood teachers can provide valuable reference material when restructuring teacher education or teacher personality development courses in early childhood education departments, particularly after the integration of early childhood education and care systems.

Home literacy environment, language use, and proficiency: Bilingual profiles in young learners

Expanded research is needed on how the home environment shapes bilingual proficiency in young children exposed to a different language at home than in early childhood education and care settings. This study examined whether variation in language use with parents, language proficiency, and home literacy environments reflect bilingual profiles. Participants included 320 Norwegian dual language learners (aged 22–68 months) with diverse language backgrounds. Parental surveys assessed language use, first language (L1) proficiency and home literacy environment. Standardized tests assessed second language (L2) proficiency. Latent profile analysis revealed three profiles: (1) more L2 use, higher L2 proficiency and higher L2 home literacy environment; (2) more L1 use, higher L1 proficiency and lower home literacy environments for both languages; and (3) more L1 use, higher proficiency in L1 and L2, and higher home literacy environments for both languages. Profiles differed in L1 distribution, maternal residency length in Norway, and maternal education.

Implementing the Ages and Stages Questionnaires in a Montessori Setting

Montessori educators face increasing demands to support growing numbers of students who have developmental delays or disabilities, and early detection and support are essential. Yet, detecting developmental delays is a complex task, and early childhood educators do not typically receive specialized training. The Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ) is a set of valid and reliable developmental screening tools widely used in education and health settings, but ASQ use has not been assessed in Montessori settings. In a pre/post, multimethod design, this study examined the perceptions and impact of an ASQ training—adapted for Montessori settings—for guides and administrators. The results suggest the ASQ training and implementation of its tools were perceived as beneficial and valuable. The training positively influenced participants’ attitudes and beliefs, skills and knowledge, confidence and self-efficacy, and access to resources. Alumni of the training had similar attitudes and beliefs, as well as confidence and self-efficacy, compared to recent trainees, although alumni’s skills and knowledge, as well as access to resources, were more advanced than the recent trainees. Qualitative findings also point to the benefits of the training while highlighting the realities, needs, and challenges Montessori educators face. This study provides evidence that Montessori educators benefit from ASQ developmental screening training. Through ASQ training and implementation, Montessori educators can gain a better understanding of students’ developmental milestones, more effectively observe their students’ behaviors, and more confidently advocate for students’ support needs.

Integrasi Kearifan Lokal dalam Model Pembelajaran PAUD di Tenggarong

This study aims to describe the integration of local wisdom of Kutai culture in the learning model in Early Childhood Education, especially in kindergarten 02 Tenggarong. Using a descriptive qualitative approach, this study explores the application of Kutai cultural values in learning activities to strengthen children's cultural identity, character, and understanding of local cultural heritage. The focus of the research includes the implementation and challenges faced by teachers in integrating Kutai culture into the PAUD curriculum. Data collection is carried out through interviews, observations, and documentation by involving teachers and principals as the main informants. The data analysis technique uses a four-stage model, namely data collection, data condensation, data presentation, and conclusion drawn. The results of the study showed that the integration of local wisdom was carried out through various activities, such as the introduction of the jepen dance, the introduction of Erau traditional ceremonies, making dragon replicas, ornaments of hornbill hats, beseprah traditions, visits to the Mulawarman Museum, the introduction of cakes and traditional games in the learning process. This strategy not only improves children's understanding of local culture but also strengthens the skills of cognitive, motor, and social-emotional aspects in children. The main challenge in this implementation is the lack of structured references or guidelines regarding local culture-based learning, but it can be overcome with collaboration between schools and the community