Early Childhood Education Staff Research Articles

PKM PENDAPINGAN PAUD HOLISTIK INTEGRATIF DI TK IT RUMAH ANAK SOLEH KABUPATEN BUTON

Community Partnership Program (PKM): Integrative Holistic PAUD Assistance aims to provide knowledge for teachers at Anak Soleh IT Kindergarten. Implementation of this service activity includes three stages, namely preparation, implementation and evaluation. At the implementation stage, the methods used include lectures, discussions, questions and answers. The needs of children do not only emphasize educational aspects, but also include aspects of nutritional services, health services, care and child protection. To implement this policy, the government continues to encourage and expand opportunities for the community to participate in developing early childhood education services through the establishment of various types of early childhood education units (PAUD). PAUD is held in two educational channels, namely formal and non-formal. To make this happen, an important role is played by parents, educators, legal practitioners, health and counselors as well as early childhood education staff. Based on the results of this activity, information was obtained that the problem faced was that parents and educators and educational staff did not fully understand the importance of Integrative Holistic PAUD (HI PAUD) so that there was no good collaboration between parents, schools and partners

Caring for the Caregiver: Work Mistreatment and Well-Being Among Early Childhood Education Staff in Colorado

Caring for the Caregiver: Work Mistreatment and Well-Being Among Early Childhood Education Staff in Colorado

The Feasibility of Screening for Sleep Problems in Early Childhood Education Programs

ABSTRACT Objectives Assess the feasibility and staff experience of screening for behavioral sleep problems (BSP) and sleep disordered breathing (SDB) in early childhood education (ECE) settings; examine BSP/SDB prevalence and caregivers’ knowledge/attitudes, perception of child sleep problems, and sleep health engagement in this sample. Method Eight staff representatives from four ECE sites involved with sleep problem screening procedures within a larger RCT on ECE sleep health, discussed their experiences in a focus group; transcript content reviewed. A random subset of caregiver-child dyads (n = 59) from the four ECE sites completed sleep problem measures (BSP: Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire, Short form [SF-CSHQ], Tayside Children’s Sleep Questionnaire [TCSQ-sleep disturbance and difficulty] and SDB: Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire [PSQ], in addition to RCT measures (Parent Knowledge/Attitude/Self-efficacy/Beliefs survey and sleep health goals). Caregiver sleep health engagement was measured by the sleep health goals set. Results ECE staff reported sleep problem screening as self-explanatory and doable but sometimes administratively burdensome. BSPs were identified in 44% (SF-CSHQ) to 63% (TCSQ-sleep disturbance) of children; SDBs in 13%. Only 11% of caregivers endorsed their child having a sleep “difficulty” (TCSQ). Sleep health goals were set by 85% of caregivers; 63% employed educational materials’ language. Conclusion Sleep problem screening in ECE is feasible, and problems are elicited. While caregivers readily engage in setting healthy sleep goals, few endorse sleep as difficult. ECE education could improve caregiver understanding/recognition of sleep problems.

Experienced nursery teachers gaze longer at children during play than do novice teachers: an eye-tracking study

Despite the widespread recognition of the significance of outdoor play in early childhood development, centers for early childhood education (ECE) face the challenge of striking a balance between active play activities and safety concerns. Thus, the visual attention of teachers is critical. Studies that compare the visual attention of novice and experienced teachers traditionally focus on instructional settings instead of recreational play. This study examines the effect of experience on the attentional focus of teachers on children’s play in ECE settings in Japan. Eye-tracking data were collected from 10 novices and 10 relatively experienced ECE staff members to compare fixation location, number of fixation, and fixation duration while groups of 3-year-old children played in a sandbox. The results of the independent sample t tests revealed that experienced teachers gazed at the children more frequently than did novice teachers; however, the mean fixation duration was significantly shorter among relatively experienced teachers across all participants. Similarly, although experienced teachers spent more time overall than did novice teachers in observing the children and peripheral areas of the play area as they played, the mean fixation duration was significantly shorter than that of novice teachers. The findings support other studies that highlight the heightened ability of experienced teachers to assess conditions more quickly and draw conclusions regarding the activities of children. In addition, the findings support research that reports that the level of supervision and control imposed by ECE teachers on children’s play and safety are closely related to their level of experience.

How educators commit to enhancing children’s participation in early childhood education pedagogical plans

Background: This is a descriptive study of children’s participation plans in early childhood education (ECE) settings in Finland. The study adopted a multidimensional approach to find out how practices of children’s participation were conceived in pedagogical plans made by ECE staff, representing a focus that is rare in the existing body of research.Aim: Aim of the study was to investigate educators’ commitments to enhancing children’s participation in pedagogical practices in their ECE settings.Setting: Ten centre-based plans for children’s participation composed by ECE staff at ECE centres were selected for the document data in this study.Methods: This study employs the categorisation of the prerequisites and dimensions of children’s participation in deductive qualitative content analysis (Turja 2017).Results: Results of the analysis concludes that in early childhood education plans, there were comprehensive notions of prerequisites for participation. However, the study indicates that the level of participation varied between plans for different activities; it was highest in play and limited in terms of time and effect in other pedagogical and caregiving activities.Conclusion: Understanding the prerequisites and dimensions of children’s participation is fundamental for planning and enacting participative pedagogy in child groups at ECE centres. In conclusion, this study suggests how to support ECE staff in interpreting and implementing children’s participation in early childhood education.

Teacher-Implemented Parent Coaching in Inclusive Preschool Settings for Children With Autism

This mixed-methods study aimed to test the feasibility, acceptability, and fidelity of involving early childhood education (ECE) staff without special education training or prior parent coaching experience in the delivery of an adapted evidence-based parent coaching intervention for young children with autism (Focused Playtime Intervention-Preschool, FPI-P). Ten staff members of a university-affiliated, inclusive ECE program were trained to deliver parent coaching procedures during temporary classroom closures due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Child participants included nine preschool students with ASD aged between 34 and 52 months. While findings highlight several opportunities for improving FPI-P staff training and implementation procedures, results demonstrate (a) the feasibility of involving ECE staff in the delivery of ASD-specific parent coaching to promote social communication, (b) that both parents and preschool staff viewed the experience as beneficial for themselves and the child, and (c) that parents perceived the program to be aligned with family-centered intervention principles.

Knowledge dissemination among early childhood staff members: a promising pathway for professional learning

ABSTRACT This study uses data from semi-structured interviews conducted with 44 early childhood education (ECE) staff and examines how knowledge dissemination processes operate in ECE centers, including how information from off-site trainings is diffused among staff. Our sample includes administrators, lead teachers, and assistant teachers serving children aged zero to five in a large ethnically-diverse urban district. We find that staff reported exchanging information through formal channels (e.g., scheduled staff meetings) and informal channels (e.g., extemporaneous meetings, advice-seeking interactions); our findings suggest that informal channels may be especially prevalent and consequential to ECE staff’s professional learning. ECE professionals explained that they sought certain colleagues for information/advice primarily based on the colleague’s expertise but also because of a colleague’s job title and their familiarity with that colleague. Lastly, we find that nearly half of staff reported sharing information they received from off-site professional development with colleagues at their ECE center.

ICT Infrastructure for Early Childhood Development in the Covid Pandemic Era 19

Early Childhood Education (PAUD) as an effort to create quality human resources is a very strategic stage which is carried out gradually, systematically and becomes the responsibility of the Government and society. PAUD plays an important and decisive role for the history of subsequent child development, because it is the basic foundation for the child's personality. Since children are born until they enter basic education, it is a age or what is called the golden age. This period is the right time to lay the foundations for the development of physical, language, social - emotional abilities, self-concept, art, moral and religious values, which lead to the growth and development of healthy, intelligent and independent children.Today there are still many young children who have not received early childhood education services. This is due to various obstacles including the lack of PAUD administering institutions, the number of teaching staff both in terms of quantity and quality, especially in the aspect of current IT-based educational tools in the era of the Covid 19 pandemic.By building an ICT-based infrastructure model, it is hoped that it will enable educators and educational institutions run as an early childhood education staff, and also how HIMPAUDI can provide guidance and improve and facilitate the professional development of educators and early childhood education personnel.

Job Demands and Resources Experienced by the Early Childhood Education Workforce Serving High-Need Populations.

The early childhood education (ECE) workforce plays a key role in promoting early childhood development by their interactions with young children during formative years. However, the inherent demands of the profession and the work conditions within ECE settings affect job satisfaction and overall health and well-being. This study applied the Job Demands-Resources Model (JD-R) and administered a cross-sectional survey (n = 137) to examine disparities in personal and external demands and resources that may impact job satisfaction and turnover rates among ECE staff who provide care for preschool children (3–5 years of age). ECE staff reported higher levels of personal demands, including depression and perceived stress, and external demands, including workload and staffing concerns, compared to the national workforce (all p < .01). The data also illustrated disparities related to resource access; ECE staff reported lower levels of personal resources, including mindfulness, and less access to external resources including safety climate, resource adequacy, role clarity, respect, and management relationships (all p < .01). Only 34% of ECE staff reported being very satisfied with their work compared to 49% of the national workforce (p < .01). External resources were significantly and positively associated with job satisfaction (B = .09, p < .01). These findings suggest that ECE staff experience significantly higher demands and have access to significantly fewer resources in the workplace, and that bolstering job-related resources may translate to increased job satisfaction.

The association of daily spiritual experiences with depression among Head Start staff

Depression is common among early childhood education (ECE) staff and can impair children’s learning. Among adults, greater spirituality is associated with a lower risk of depression, while adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with a higher risk. The purpose of this study was to determine whether ECE staff who reported more frequent daily spiritual experiences had a lower prevalence of depression, and whether this association was present across a range of exposures to ACEs. In the 2012 Pennsylvania Head Start Staff Wellness Survey, we collected data from 2105 Head Start and Early Head Start staff on their daily spiritual experiences (Daily Spiritual Experience Scale [DSES] score), ACE scores (count of exposure to eight categories of childhood adversity), and depression (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale score ≥16). Among survey participants, 97.1% were female and 56.0% were ≥40 years of age. Depression was reported by 24.4% and ≥3 ACEs by 22.8%. Across quartiles of daily spiritual experiences (DSES score) from lowest to highest, the prevalence of depression decreased significantly (32.7%, 27.2%, 20.1%, and 17.2%, respectively [p < .001]), after adjusting for variables such as gender, age, race/ethnicity, education, and indicators of economic hardship. This inverse association was also present at each level of ACEs. For example, in the subgroup reporting ≥3 ACEs, the adjusted prevalence (95% confidence interval) of depression was 17.4% (27.2%, 7.7%) lower for those in the highest quartile of DSES scores compared to those in the lowest quartile. Among ECE staff working in Head Start, more frequent daily spiritual experiences were associated with a lower risk of depression across a range of exposures to ACEs. Supporting the spirituality of adults working in ECE may reduce their depressive symptoms, which could strengthen their relationships with children and families and improve children’s outcomes.

Barns deltagande i förskole- och daghemskontext under inledningen av coronavirusets utbrott i Finland och Sverige

Coronapandemin är en ny samhällskris som är sparsamt beforskad varför olika perspektiv på coronaviruset behövs. Denna artikel bidrar till att fördjupa kunskapen om barns uttryck om coronaviruset bland annat genom att analysera personalens beskrivningar av barns uttryck kring coronavirusets utbrott i Finland och Sverige i daghems- och förskolekontext i mars 2020. Det empiriska materialet består av 79 enkätsvar från personal i förskola och daghem. Begreppen deltagande och resiliens har använts som teoretisk bakgrund och dessa diskuteras i artikeln. Barnen visar på fyra olika former av deltagande i daghem och förskola. Artikeln bidrar till att sätta barns deltagande i relation till en samhällskris som coronapandemin samt visar på ett mångfacetterat deltagande. Resultatet av studien kan få implikationer både på förhållningssätt och arbetsmetoder i samband med kriser.

Vaccination uptake among Australian early childhood education staff: assessing perceptions, behaviours and workplace practices

BackgroundEarly Childhood Education Centre (ECEC) staff are strongly recommended to receive several immunizations including influenza and pertussis. However, evidence regarding the uptake is either old or lacking across all Australian States/Territories. This study aimed to explore the attitudes and barriers around ECEC staff vaccination and the immunisation policy/practices employed at their workplaces.MethodsAn online cross-sectional survey was undertaken of staff members (administrators and childcare center staff) in early 2017. We compared the individual’s knowledge, attitude and practices as well as the centre’s policy and practice variables between the vaccinated and unvaccinated respondents. A logistic model was used to identify the factors associated with uptake of the different vaccines.ResultsA total of 575 ECEC staff completed the survey. Sixty percent reported being aware of the recommendations about staff immunisation. While participants did acknowledge that they could spread diseases if unvaccinated (86%), 30% could not recall receiving a dTpa in the last 10 years. Private centres were less likely to provide free or onsite vaccination compared to other categories of centres. Less than half reported receiving any encouragement to get the influenza vaccine and only 33% reported that their centre provides onsite influenza vaccination. Regarding the introduction of mandatory policies, 69% stated that they would support a policy.ConclusionEmployers should consider supporting methods to maximize vaccination of their employees including providing free onsite vaccination. Participants were open to idea of mandatory vaccination; however, this needs to be explored further to determine how vaccine costs and access issues could be resolved.

Who are they and What do they Need: Characterizing and Supporting the Early Childhood Assistant Teacher Workforce in a Large Urban District.

Scholarship and policy emphasize strengthening the early childhood education (ECE) workforce, but this work neglects a large segment of the workforce: assistant teachers. This study responds to gaps in knowledge by examining the demographic characteristics, qualifications, professional supports, and workplace experiences of assistant teachers (N=120) in a representative sample of ECE centers (n=35) in a large urban district. In addition to studying assistant teachers' receipt of in-service training and coaching, we draw from social network theory to investigate the professional support assistant teachers provide and receive via their collegial networks. We use a variance decomposition approach to explore how on-the-job supports, such as training, coaching, and networks, contribute to assistant teachers' work-related stress and job satisfaction-two key predictors of ECE teacher attrition. Results indicate that few ECE staff members seek assistant teachers for work-related advice. Coaching is found to be an important contributor to assistant teachers' job satisfaction; professional advice via collegial networks is a meaningful but under-examined source of support for stress and job satisfaction. We consider implications for supporting and retaining assistant teachers and propose next steps for research on this understudied segment of the teaching workforce.

Early Childhood Education Intervention Programs in the Netherlands: Still Searching for Empirical Evidence

Early childhood education (ECE) intervention programs nowadays are the core of the educational disadvantage policy in the Netherlands. They offer institutional compensatory activities to young children who lack educational stimulation in the home environment. Target groups mainly comprise children from deprived socioeconomic backgrounds and of immigrant origin. ECE is confronted with several bottlenecks, including the definition of the target groups, the quality of ECE staff, and the ECE programs. Most important is the controversy surrounding the empirical evidence of effects of ECE provisions. This article presents a description of state-of-the-art Dutch ECE, with special attention to recent Dutch studies on the effectiveness of ECE programs.

Te Whariki and inclusive education—A survey of early childhood teacher’s views

When developing inclusive practices in early childhood education (ECE) settings teachers are required to be guided by the principles enshrined in Te Whāriki. 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 Whāriki 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 “Othering” of Men in Early Childhood Education: Applying Covey’s Seven Habits

&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; How do early childhood educators, parents, and administrators really feel about men working with young children? Should men work as teachers of young children from birth through 8 years of age? Is this women’s work? Does explicitly and implicitly excluding men from the early childhood education workforce benefit the early childhood community’s commitment to diversity? Young children should have a diverse range of experiences including learning from men in their early childhood education settings (Bullough, 2015). In order to effectively recruit and retain more men into the early childhood education profession, early childhood education staff, parents, and administrators have to address their overt and covert “othering” biases toward men working in early childhood education environments.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

A conceptual framework for organizational readiness to implement nutrition and physical activity programs in early childhood education settings.

Across multiple sectors, organizational readiness predicts the success of program implementation. However, the factors influencing readiness of early childhood education (ECE) organizations for implementation of new nutrition and physical activity programs is poorly understood. This study presents a new conceptual framework to measure organizational readiness to implement nutrition and physical activity programs in ECE centers serving children aged 0 to 5 years. The framework was validated for consensus on relevance and generalizability by conducting focus groups; the participants were managers (16 directors and 2 assistant directors) of ECE centers. The framework theorizes that it is necessary to have “collective readiness,” which takes into account such factors as resources, organizational operations, work culture, and the collective attitudes, motivation, beliefs, and intentions of ECE staff. Results of the focus groups demonstrated consensus on the relevance of proposed constructs across ECE settings. Including readiness measures during program planning and evaluation could inform implementation of ECE programs targeting nutrition and physical activity behaviors.

The applicability of emotional competence to early childhood education staff development

The applicability of emotional competence to early childhood education staff development

What's Happening with Computer Technology in Early Childhood Education Settings?

The present study examined the current status of computer use in early childhood education (ECE) by surveying active members of three mid-sized cities. An in-depth survey of seventy-five early childhood education directors provided demographic information about centers that have or have not incorporated computer technology into the programs as well as specific information about computer use. Less than half of the centers reported having a computer on the premises with users generally having only one available machine. Only half of the users had the accessories (e.g., sound cards, CD-ROM, etc.) necessary to run much of the present educational software appropriate for young learners. Among the respondents, there was overwhelming concern that the ECE staff lacked sufficient expertise or experience with computers to use them effectively. In contrast to the concerns and limitations, however, interest in introducing computer technology was high. Our results suggest that training may be necessary to facilitate the introduction of computers in ECE environments.