Degree In Early Childhood Education Research Articles

Tutoria invertida no ensino superior: Satisfação dos alunos em experiência de inovação educacional

Introduction. University tutoring rarely includes innovative contributions that lead to new procedures to generate interest and have an impact on the university community. Objective. This paper analyzes student satisfaction with the experience of educational innovation based on flipped tutoring, focusing on the difference between initial expectations and final perception. Method. The research was based on a quantitative methodological approach and a non-experimental, descriptive, and longitudinal design. The participants in the study, 164 students from an Early Childhood Education, Primary Education, and Pedagogy degree, answered a valid and reliable questionnaire designed ad hoc. Results. The results showed student satisfaction with the employ of the tutoring method and the Kahoot platform. On the contrary, the students expressed dissatisfaction with the use of virtual forums. Conclusions. These digital tools offer pedagogical alternatives that facilitate the work of the tutor. Kahoot is perceived as a success in detecting training needs, while virtual forums require teacher reflection for their incorporation into flipped tutoring processes.

Attitudes towards Research Methods in Education: Development of the ATRMQ Scale

The noticeable lack of knowledge among Spanish university students regarding the disciplinary content of research methodology is notable, despite the considerable potential benefits for curriculum design. This study represents the initial phase of a project aimed at analysing and ameliorating this deficiency. It sought to develop a scale to measure the attitudes of education students towards the content of research methods. The psychometric properties were analysed using an incidental sample of 447 students, of whom 87.9% were women and 12.1% were men, aged between 18 and 52 years. Of the total number of participants, 43.2% belonged to the Pedagogy Degree, 36.7% to the Early Childhood Education Degree, and 20.1% to the Social Education Degree of the Faculty of Educational Sciences of the University of Malaga. The instrument was developed based on the ATSQ scale by Ordoñez et al. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to assess its validity. The results demonstrate adequate psychometric properties and confirm a three-dimensional model. This model encompasses measures pertaining to three factors: two emotional (emotion− and emotion+) and one cognitive (estimated utility), facilitating the study of the students’ attitude towards the subjects of research methods. Furthermore, it provides arguments to consider a second-order unidimensional model. This study concludes with a discussion on the concept of attitudes towards research methods. Additionally, it identifies future challenges in measuring this construct without linking it to teacher evaluation.

Identity Formation of Pre-Service Teachers. Relations with Training and Attitudes toward Cultural Diversity

The university years represents a pivotal period in the student's life, influencing decision-making and impacting their identity. The new experiences encountered during this phase may give rise to a certain identity crisis, allowing for a reconsideration of previously adopted commitments, and potentially influencing the development of future educators, with a special issue such as cultural diversity among others. This study aims to identify the identity status of prospective education teachers and analyse attitudes towards cultural diversity among students. The research design is quantitative, ex-post-facto, descriptive, and inferential. The incidental sample comprises a total of 378 students from the degrees in Early Childhood Education and Primary Education at the University of Córdoba (Spain). Of the total sample, being 74.03% female, with an average age of 20.64 (SD = 2.95). The results reflected that students in a mature status are those who exhibit higher scores in attitudes towards cultural diversity. In this context, the initial teacher training should consider identity as a factor to be taken into account for promoting positive attitudes towards cultural diversity, specifically emphasizing the development of responsible decision-making in the curriculum of Education degrees.

Engagement and Factors Associated with Academic Performance in Spanish Students Undertaking Teacher Training Degrees

This goal of this research was to find out the extent and type of engagement, motivation, stress, coping strategies and academic performance in students undertaking teacher training degrees (early childhood education, primary education and double degrees) with a view to establishing relationships between these variables and designing proposals to improve and complement tutorial plans for these programmes. This was a cross-cutting, prospective, exploratory study that combined descriptive and correlational methodologies by means of questionnaires. The sample consisted of 610 students undertaking the early childhood education degree, primary education degree or double degree at the UB. The results indicate a moderate degree of academic engagement. Among the variables involved, the highest scores were obtained for academic engagement, achievement goals and, as a hindering variable, psychological distress. Academic performance (average grade) and the subscales of vigour, dedication and absorption (as facilitating variables) were identified as being involved in the development and maintenance of academic engagement. It is hoped that this research will serve to disseminate data relevant to tutorial action plans for teacher training degrees among the scientific community and, consequently, to improve the academic engagement of these students. Keywords: academic engagement, academic achievement, teacher training, tutorial action plan, academic motivation, coping strategies

Leveraging Experiential Learning to Foster University Students’ Proficiency in Engaging with People with Disabilities

Study purpose. Inclusive education, acknowledged as a fundamental human right, is aimed at enhancing the participation of all students and mitigating social and educational exclusion. Physical Education is identified as a vital instrument that fosters specific training on disability and inclusion, thereby ameliorating attitudes towards disability. The objective of this study is to scrutinize the perception of experiential learning and inclusive physical activity among students. Materials and methods. An inclusive physical activity program for students pursuing a degree in Early Childhood and Primary Education was designed. The program proposes five sessions of inclusive physical activity and accommodates 30 adult users with intellectual disability. To analyse the reliability and validity of a scale that measures students’ perception of experiential learning, descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis were used to assess the effectiveness and inclusivity of the scale. Results. The validity and reliability of a scale that facilitates the analysis of students’ perceptions of learning derived from inclusive experiences is presented and the results are adequate for its usability. In addition, it is shown that experiential learning increases the perception towards the acquisition of disability-related competences among university students. Conclusions. This scale essentially allows a comprehensive analysis of students’ perception of learning that emerges from inclusive experiences. It is demonstrated that experiential learning enhances students’ perception regarding the attainment of competencies related to disability. These findings underscore the importance of inclusive learning experiences in the training of future educators.

Integrating women scientists into the pre-school education degree curriculum

ABSTRACT An educational innovation experience developed as part of the curriculum for the Early Childhood Education degree is presented within the framework of the scientific dissemination project entitled ‘INFA-CIENCIA: From the girls of today to the scientists of tomorrow’, which pursues two objectives: (1) To bolster future teachers’ knowledge of women scientists and (2) To improve their didactic skills so that they can adapt the research carried out by women to children’s capacities. The key findings are a high level of satisfaction amongst teachers with the interventions by university students; the need to continue implementing this innovation, due to the scant knowledge of women scientists amongst students; and the advisability of the students voluntarily choosing the woman scientist they want to work on, in order to boost their motivation and interest.

Early Childhood Education Degree programme for Non-State Higher Education Institutes in Sri Lanka – Need Survey

Early Childhood Education (ECE) is the foundation of education which helps to develop the child’s cognitive, emotional, and physical aspects. Unquestionably ECE educators play a vital role. Hence, teacher education in early childhood context is very important. However currently in Sri Lanka only very few state universities conduct Bachelor of Education in ECE and Primary Education and while other Non-State Higher Education institutes (NSHEIs) offer Early Childhood Education degrees affiliated to foreign universities. Further, presently no NSHEI offer the Ministry of Education or University Grants Commission approved degree in Early Childhood Education. Hence in this context objective of the study is to investigate the need for the Bachelor of Education ECE Degree programme at NSHEI in Sri Lanka. Study conducted in one of the prominent NSHEIs (ABC institute) in Sri Lanka. Therefore, Case study method adopted, and quantitative measures have been complemented with the qualitative measures. Sample size is seventy-five student teachers at ABC institute. This is a survey research and data collection methods are questionnaire for student teachers and key informant interviews conducted with some key stakeholders in the state universities and three preschool owners in Colombo district. Results of the study revealed that benefits of the ECE Degree to students and for the country and emphasized it is very crucial to commence the ECE programme as it provides more opportunities to students since few opportunities and capacity restraint in state universities. Furthermore, study highlighted that ninety six percent student like to start ECE Degree and if the institute commence the programme ninety percent student would like to join the programme. Therefore, study can be concludedthat ABC as a NSHEI there is a good potential and opportunity to proceed with the ECE Degree and contribute to the foundation of the education in the country which add value to the system.

Teacher Training and Sustainable Development: Study within the Framework of the Transdisciplinary Project RRREMAKER

The development of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a challenge that requires the involvement of the educational system. This study seeks to identify the perception and knowledge of future teachers in relation to sustainable development (SD), the European Green Deal (ECD), and circular economy (CE) at the University of Granada. A qualitative study was carried out, conducted face to face, using an online questionnaire in the classroom. A total of 321 students participated, from bachelor’s degrees in early childhood and primary education to master’s degrees in secondary education. Out of these, 176 validated questionnaires were analyzed. The results showed that future teachers understood the importance of SD education as an important social problem. They believed that education in SD, EGD, or CE could contribute to solving environmental and social problems. Nevertheless, they doubted whether this training should be included by universities in their training actions for teachers; they expressed reservations about the educational effectiveness of the curricula. However, most of them considered the need for more training in this area. Finally, they associated sustainable development mainly with the environmental dimension, followed by the social dimension, and to a lesser extent with the economic dimension.

DIGITAL SECURITY IN EDUCATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMS: A STUDY BASED ON FUTURE TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS

A key aspect of future teacher training in this highly digitalized period of education requires a specific focus on digital skills, especially in the area of security. This study delves into this issue by means of a quantitative, theoretical and systematic review of future teachers currently in training at the Faculty of Education, Economy and Technology of Ceuta of the University of Granada (Spain). The specific intention is to determine their perception of the instruction they receive on digital matters, concretely on cybersecurity during their phase of pre-service. To carry out the project, the study resorted to a descriptive method by submitting the participants to a specifically designed questionnaire entitled “Digital Security Competence Required for Teachers”. Examinations of the psychometric properties of the questionnaire reveal its relevance and reliability. The intention, after applying descriptive and inferential statistics tests, was to determine whether students in pre-service training really feel competent on digital matters or if they feel need more theoretical-practical training, especially in the area of security. The general findings reveal that future female teachers pursuing a university degree in Early Childhood Education, although competent from the techno-pedagogical viewpoint, indicate that attaining a high level of competence in digital security requires more theoretical and practical training. Future male Primary Education teachers, by contrast, perceive themselves as competent in digital security. This perhaps stems from their training (courses and workshops) in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and the theoretical and practical instruction they received at the university during courses or during a practicum. This aspect deserves further research because, as highlighted elsewhere, higher education institutions must prioritize instruction on digital security in their teacher programs.

Promoting sustainability training in future teachers through research workshops in the University Ecological Garden

The current planetary crisis and the changes in the Spanish curriculum of Early Childhood Education require teacher training that enables future teachers to respond to these situations. This paper describes a constructivist teaching-learning sequence framed within the University Ecological Garden through an enquiry-based strategy. This educational intervention was carried out with thirdyear students of the degree in Early Childhood Education at the Universidad de Cádiz (Spain). Its outcome was a science dissemination event in which research workshops related to one or several sustainable development goals were organised. The validity of using real contexts like the garden space to achieve sustainability in the curriculum and of contributing to the scientific training of future teachers for them to be able to transfer educational interventions within the framework of sustainability was verified. Future proposals for improvement for a second implementation in the classroom were analysed.

Pathways to Inclusion: Exploring Early Childhood School Administrators’ Attitudes towards Including Children with Disabilities in Türkiye

ABSTRACT Inclusion has been recognised as an educational practice to support development and learning of children with disabilities in general education settings in Türkiye since 1980s. Numerous studies have examined the attitudes of various stakeholder towards inclusive education. However, there is limited research examining early childhood school administrators’ attitudes towards inclusion. The purpose of this study was to investigate attitudes of Turkish early childhood school administrators towards inclusion of young children with disabilities and factors that may impact their attitudes. A total of 267 school administrators completed an online questionnaire. Findings showed that early childhood school administrators possess moderately positive attitude towards inclusion of young children with disabilities in their schools. Variables including gender, education, administrative role and location of school predicted administrators’ attitudes; female administrators, those with a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, principals rather than assistant principals; and those who worked in urban schools had more favourable attitudes. Moreover, early childhood school administrators’ attitudes towards inclusion were found to be closely related to their values in relation to diversity and equity, beliefs regarding parental, community and system-level support for inclusion and previous positive inclusive experiences, professional development and training on inclusion and leadership skills. Implications for future research and practice are discussed

Preservice teachers’ experiences with classroom management in the virtual class: a case study approach

The present study explores the experiences of Emirati female preservice teachers who are completing their internship teaching practice virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This qualitative study focuses on virtual classroom management. Participants were preservice teachers (n = 18) completing their undergraduate degrees in Early Childhood Education at a federal university in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Data collected from interviews resulted in four themes related to classroom management: challenges, opportunities, performance factors, and suggestions for improvement. The findings revealed that the preservice teachers considered virtual learning an opportunity. However, the main challenge was that the preservice teachers had no prior training in online classroom management and had to create their own strategies. Training on the technology used for virtual learning is important for both teachers and students to achieve satisfactory learning experiences.

TEACHERS’ ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS AND THEIR LEVELS OF PROFICIENCY ON THE ESSENTIAL TEACHING SKILLS: A SURVEY STUDY AMONG TEACHERS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAMS

This paper reports on a study which aims at describing the levels of teaching proficiency among the ECCE (Early Childhood Center Education) teachers based on their essential teaching skills in preparing lesson plans, carrying out teaching and learning activities, and assessing learning. This study involved ECCE teachers having a linear educational background (i.e., a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education) and those having a non-linear educational background (i.e., a non a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education). This study is descriptive quantitative in nature employing a survey design. There were 170 ECCE teachers in Sawahan, Nganjuk, East Java participated in this study. Of these participants, 120 had a linear educational background and 50 had a non-linear educational background. The research data were collected using a questionnaire with 30 questions. The results of the study showed that among the teachers involved in the study, 85.88% could be said to be very proficient, 2.94% could be said to be proficient, 8.82% teachers could be said to be less proficient and 2.36% of the teachers could be said to be not proficient. There is no difference in the levels of teaching proficiency between teachers who have linear and non-linear educational background because teachers who do not have linear educational background have got competency enrichment opportunities through teacher trainings, seminars, sharing knowledges with colleagues, and practices in ECCE teacher organizations

Introduction to Research-Based Practice: A Study of Students in the Early Childhood Education Teaching Degree Programme

This article analyses the projects and evaluations of certain students seeking a degree in Early Childhood Education regarding research-based practice. Three academic years are studied using different students each year and different databases and scientific resources. In the final year, problem-based learning (PBL) is introduced to offer a more practical and professional context. The data are collected yearly through a quantitative and qualitative study of the students’ projects and a student-completed survey. The results differ depending on the databases used, the resources selected and the methodology used to start the task, among other factors. Four scales are categorized: usefulness, learning, interest and difficulty. In general, the results improve year over year, highlighting the very high perceived usefulness of research for future professionals and a high degree of learning about searching for and understanding certain research resources. Issues such as the influence of research-based practice on the continuous training of students and future teachers, the advantages and difficulties, the importance of active learning methodologies, the need to understand research topics and the implications in the educational context are presented and discussed.
 
 Received: 20 October 2022 / Accepted: 2 February 2023 / Published: 5 March 2023

Didactic–Mathematical–Computational Knowledge of Future Teachers When Solving and Designing Robotics Problems

The social, scientific and technological development of recent years has encouraged the incorporation of computational thinking in the school curriculum of various countries progressively, starting from early childhood education. This research aims to characterize future kindergarten teachers’ traits of didactic-mathematical and computational knowledge presented when solving and posing robotics problems. Firstly, aspects of the mathematical and computational knowledge of the participants (97 students of the subject of Didactics of Mathematics of the Degree in Early Childhood Education at a Spanish university) were identified when they solved problems as users of the Blue-Bot didactic robot. Secondly, we analyzed their justifications for reflecting on the design of robotics problems. The results indicate that future teachers present characteristics of didactic-mathematical knowledge when solving and designing robotics problems, although errors and ambiguities are evident, especially in the procedures and representations of the programming. These shortcomings significantly influence the didactic suitability of the robotics problems they design. From a future perspective, in the training of future teachers, it is considered relevant to incorporate didactic-mathematical and computational knowledge that allows them to develop logical, spatial and computational thinking.

Materiales digitales autoconstruidos para la enseñanza del espacio en la formación docente: propuesta didáctica

Today it is necessary for trainee teachers to develop their digital competence in order to be able to meet the educational needs of their future students. Among the many ways of working on this competence is that which is related to the self-construction of digital materials for educational use. In this sense, we present a didactic proposal that aims to promote digital competence in trainee teachers in the Early Childhood Education Degree at the University of Salamanca. Based on research and independent work, students must design a didactic proposal that allows them to teach a series of contents related to geographic space using self-built digital materials as didactic tools. The aim is to test the ability of future teachers to generate useful digital materials, as well as to work on digital competence as a means of improving comprehensive knowledge. Conducting a pretest and posttest has allowed us to quantify the evolution of the learning of the theoretical content to be addressed. In a sample of 52 subjects, all students experienced an increase in their grades following the implementation of this didactic proposal. The students’ average grade of 6 points out of 10 in the second test was higher in comparison with the first. Thus, it can be determined that the didactic proposal offered here yields positive results in terms of learning content related to geographical space.

Ferramentas virtuais na concepção de leitura de futuros professores: uma exploração lexical

Abstract New forms of reading have emerged recently, and virtual tools and environments have been developed to promote reading. Initial teacher training must be up to date to train good mediators. Therefore, this research analyses the presence of digital tools in the concept of reading of future teachers. The data has been collected through a lexical availability test to explore the centre of interest “Reading” and a sociodemographic questionnaire with questions related to reading and knowledge of languages. 520 students from the degrees in Early Childhood and Primary Education at the University of Malaga have participated. Dispogen has been used to process the available lexicon and the SPSS package has been used for the statistical analysis. In addition, clusters have been obtained from the lexicon related to digital tools using the DispoGrafo tool. The results show a motivation to read on social networks and a rootedness of the lexicon referred to digital media: e-book, Kindle, specifying format: PDF, Word, and type of reading: digital review, Academic Google, but they do not demonstrate a lexical domain for the formation of new readers.

Cooperative work and neuroeducation in mathematics education of future teachers: A good combination?

In order to respond to the new approaches in higher education, this paper presents the didactic experience of the implementation of a methodological approach based on cooperative learning and the literature review on neuroeducation in 53 students enrolled in the 3rd year of the degree in Early Childhood Education in the subject of Development of Logical-Mathematical Thinking and its Didactics II. The application of cooperative learning in combination with the literature review on neuroeducation aimed to teach future teachers how they should act with their future pupils (aged 3 to 6 years) with special educational support needs (SEN) at school. The design of the proposal to be used was also adjusted to the didactic resources available. The represented contents worked on were magnitudes, time, length, weight, and geometry. The data collected were the activities of the teacher training students (didactic proposals) adapted to the early childhood development stage. They were to be created, so that the main objective was that the undergraduate students would be able to solve the exercises as children would. The students were even challenged to make an exhibition in which they had to act as teachers and their classmates would be the children with SEN. The proposals were evaluated according to a rubric, with an emphasis on the students' teachers' awareness of students with SEN. To conclude, the degree of satisfaction of the student teachers with this methodology was high. This shows that learning neuroeducation and cooperative work makes future teachers know how to teach mathematics also to students with SEN.

Exploring pre-service teachers’ views on introducing EFL in early childhood teacher education

Early childhood research and policy recommendations indicate that foreign languages should not be taught separately from other areas, but integrated within existing classroom practice. On such accounts, priority attention is given to the development of learner motivation and stimulation of positive attitudes towards language learning. The collaborative efforts of all early years’ teachers are fundamental to such approaches. This article presents a study exploring pre-service teachers’ perspectives on the implementation of English as a foreign language in pre-primary settings. The study was carried out within the context of a compulsory module at a Catalan university which embeds foreign language teacher training within its early childhood education degree programme. A mixed-method design using questionnaires and a series of focus groups was applied to explore participants’ views on introducing EFL in the early years. Findings highlight the need for strategic action within teacher education programmes to empower future teachers to promote collaborative practice focused on the primary goal of developing positive attitudes to language learning.

Designing and Evaluation of an Artistic Experience for the Development of Empathic Capacity: "Stepping into Others' Shoes".

This article evaluates an educational experience that uses art to develop empathy. The artistic educational project is called "stepping into others' shoes" and is carried out with 71 students enrolled in the Early Childhood Education and Primary Education degree programs of the University of Vigo. The main objective is to analyze the students' experiences in processes of empathic pedagogical relationships that allow empowerment dynamics of oneself and others. An ethnographic approach is used to evaluate the experience through a group case study design with different qualitative instruments: analysis of artistic production, field diary and life stories. The main results indicate that when art is used for the construction of an empathic identity, the participants of these creative dynamics find it difficult to express their feelings and emotions. However, these processes favor social relationships and mutual recognition, as well as self-knowledge. It facilitates the creation of alternative meeting spaces and the promotion of creativity. Based on these results and their discussion, lines of action are suggested which should allow using art as a resource to develop empathy and promote increased motivation in the classroom.