Pre-service Kindergarten Teachers Research Articles

A Guiding Program to Improve the Feeling of Happiness for Pre-Service Kindergarten Teachers

A Guiding Program to Improve the Feeling of Happiness for Pre-Service Kindergarten Teachers

Public Health and Early Childhood Education: An Analysis of Chinese Pre-service Teachers’ Reflections During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The purpose of this study was to investigate Chinese pre-service kindergarten teachers’ beliefs and behaviors inherent to a public health perspective in the time of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The study intended to deepen our understanding of the contextual factors that may influence their future implementation of public health education in early childhood settings. Forty-five participants were recruited from an early childhood teacher education program, with the majority (n = 41) reporting that they lived through the strict restrictions in different regions of China during the initial COVID-19 outbreak. Data were collected via a reflective writing task from an online course. The results indicated an increasing awareness of public health among the participants due to the COVID-19 crisis. Their personal hygiene behaviors included personal protection, cleaning, disinfection, physical distancing, avoidance, and ventilation. The pandemic also changed pre-service teachers’ beliefs about the importance of public health education. Although the participants seemed to have positive attitudes toward public health education, evidence of their limitations of knowledge and skills was further exposed in their ideas for teaching health-related topics. When there is a need to strengthen public health education in the ongoing fight against COVID-19, this paper calls for a refocus in pre-service teacher education to improve public health outcomes for young children.

Attitudes of preservice kindergarten teachers toward the integration of computers and the reduction of the digital divide in kindergartens

Given the great importance of integrating computers into kindergartens and the fact that today such integration has been implemented only partially, there is a need for research to examine the factors that make it difficult to achieve this end. Thus our study focused on the attitudes of preservice kindergarten teachers regarding the integration of computers into early learning environments. We sought to examine: (a) the perception of preservice kindergarten teachers with regard to narrowing the digital divide to help reduce inequality among children in the kindergarten; (b) teachers’ feelings of threat or challenge when facing the integration of computers; and (c) correlations between various study variables. This was a mixed-method study, using a sample of 124 female preservice kindergarten teachers in Israel. The study found that the attitudes of preservice teachers toward integrating computers into kindergartens are mainly positive. The findings suggest that there is a higher chance for preservice kindergarten teachers to effectively integrate computers when they start working than for inservice kindergarten teachers who currently make limited use of a digital environment. This finding is encouraging and may indicate a higher degree of e-Readiness among recent graduates of kindergarten education programs.

The Use of a Length and Measurement HLT by Pre-Service Kindergarten Teachers’ to Notice Children’s Mathematical Thinking

The objective of the study was to characterise how pre-service kindergarten teachers used a Hypothetical Learning Trajectory on length and its measurement to notice children’s mathematical thinking. A total of 64 pre-service kindergarten teachers enrolled in an Early Years Education mathematics teaching course were asked to notice teaching situations focusing on kindergarten children’s learning of length. On the one hand, three profiles of pre-service kindergarten teachers were found according to the use they made of the Hypothetical Learning Trajectory. These profiles were characterised by three ways of learning to use the Hypothetical Learning Trajectory based on the type of mathematical elements they identified: only mathematical elements related to the magnitude; only mathematical elements related to the measurement of length; or both magnitude and measurement elements. On the other hand, when considering the three skills of professional noticing, by identifying the mathematical elements required to solve the proposed task, a group of pre-service kindergarten teachers within each profile were able to notice the thinking of these elements by children and to suggest activities. Our findings provide learning opportunities to pre-service kindergarten teachers who use a Hypothetical Learning Trajectory. It provides them with ‘check-points’ to answer the proposed questions, in order to learn the specialised knowledge for teaching length and its measurement as well as to develop the skill of noticing student’s mathematical thinking.

PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS TRAINING FOR EFFICIENT HEALTH PROMOTING SCHOOL ACTIVITIES PERFORMANCE

All over the world the health of children and youth is considered to be the most important value. Therefore, one task of teachers’ education is to train pre-service primary school and kindergarten teachers in a way that enables them to maintain and strengthen their own and their students’ health. The aim of this article is to present the comparative results of a study of pre-service teachers’ majoring in “Primary Education” and “Preschool Education” readiness to perform health promotion activities, to disclose ways of higher education optimisation to find new content, methods and forms of improving the quality of pre-service school and preschool teachers’ training to conduct health promotion work. Our study employed a mixed research method. We developed a questionnaire that consisted of closed-ended and open-ended questions, combined into several sets. We also carried out an anonymous survey of second and third-year students of the Department of Pedagogy of Primary Education (n=133) and the Department of Preschool Education (n=145) of Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University. The survey was conducted in March-April of 2019. The conducted research shows that the training of pre-service primary school and preschool teachers at higher educational establishments for health maintenance is effective, but needs some improvement. Regarding the motivational indicator of students’ readiness for health-promoting work, almost 65% of the respondents believe, that preserving the health of children and youth is the task of educational institutions. As for the cognitive component, more than one-half of our students demonstrate a sufficient level of the relevant knowledge, but their number depends on the problem and the academic discipline. There is also a slight difference in students’ answers concerning effective forms and methods of health promotion activity. The results of the study indicate that improvement is possible under the following conditions: purposeful and systematic implementation of pre-service teachers' health education, thorough refining of the course contents, the purpose and tasks of which are related to the development of healthcare competencies; an increase in academic hours for practical training; creation of high-quality textbooks and teaching aids; expanding the curricula of higher educational institutions through optional subjects aimed at the development of students’ competencies for their own and their students’ health maintenance, as well as habits of exercising in their free time.

Analysis on cases of respecting early childhood rights among preservice kindergarten teachers in early childhood education institutions

Analysis on cases of respecting early childhood rights among preservice kindergarten teachers in early childhood education institutions

Understanding Teacher's Perspectives in Media Literacy Education as an Empowerment Instrument of Blended Learning in Early Childhood Classroom

Understanding Teacher's Perspectives in Media Literacy Education as an Empowerment Instrument of Blended Learning in Early Childhood Classroom

Pre-service Teachers' Representations About Children's Learning: A Pilot Study

Background:Research on teachers' representations of children's learning is currently ongoing. Social representations are common-sense theories built and shared in everyday interactions. Their analysis can detect the possible differences between teachers’ naïve beliefs and scientific learning theories. Objective: The objective of this pilot study is to analyse the beliefs about children’s learning of a group of teachers. The beliefs will be related to the most acknowledged learning theories. Methods: A mixed methods research was employed to analyse 100 pre-service teachers’ representations of the origins of learning and the psychological processes involved. Results: It emerged from the results that the teachers interviewed consider children’s learning mainly as culturally acquired, which reveals the prevailing constructivist conception of learning. Many pre-service primary school teachers, however, tend to see learning as mere ‘transfer of information’; many pre-service kindergarten teachers perceive learning as ‘behaviour modification’. The most considered psychological aspects are ‘knowledge’ and ‘acquisition’, while emotions are barely considered. Conclusion: Linking implicit theories and disciplinary theories could support pre-service teachers in integrating the theory and the practice of learning so as to understand the way their models influence their educational choices.

장애유아의 놀이 참여와 교사의 놀이 지원에 관한 예비유아교사의 교육실습 경험에 관한 연구

본 연구의 목적은 통합학급 교육 실습 경험을 통해 형성된 장애유아 놀이 참여와 교사의 놀이 지원에 대한 예비유아교사의 인식이 어떠한지 알아보고자 하는 것이다. 이를 위하여 예비유아교사를 대상으로 포커스 그룹 인터뷰(focus group interview)를 실시하였다. 인터뷰 자료는 의미단위 분석을 통해 주요 개념을 도출하여 범주화하여 분석하였다. 연구 결과는 다음과 같다. 첫째, 예비유아교사들은 장애유아의 놀이선호도, 또래 놀이 참여에 대한 강점과 약점을 놀이에 영향을 끼치는 내재적 요인으로 인식하였다. 둘째, 예비유아교사들은 교사의 교육적 신념 및 태도, 또래의 인식 및 가정 연계 정도, 물리적 환경 및 교재 교구, 전문가 간 협력 및 교사 교육을 장애유아의 놀이에 영향을 끼치는 외부 요인으로 작용한다고 인식하였다. 셋째, 예비유아교사들은 장애유아의 놀이를 지원하기 위한 방법으로 사회적 기술 교수, 장애 이해 및 또래 수용을 고려한 수업 운영, 놀이 확장 및 흥미 유발을 위한 지원 전략이 사용된다고 인식하였다. 본 연구는 통합학급 내 장애유아의 놀이를 지원하는 교사 및 보조 인력을 위한 교육의 기초 자료로 활용될 수 있을 것이다.

"특수교육학 개론 수업을 통한 예비유아교사의 통합교육에 대한 인식과 태도, 교사 효능감 변화"

본 연구는 특수교육학 개론 수업을 통한 예비유아교사의 통합교육에 대한 인식과 태도, 효능감의 변화와 변인들 간의 관계를 알아보는 데 목적이 있다. 이를 위해 K대학의 특수교육학 개론 교과목 수강생 34명을 대상으로 통합교육에 대한 인식, 태도, 교사 효능감 검사를 실시하여 사전-사후 검사의 차이를 검증하고, 변인들 간의 관계를 분석하였다. 연구결과는 다음과 같다. 첫째, 특수교육학개론 교과목 수강을 통해 예비유아교사의 통합교육에 대한 인식, 태도, 교사 효능감이 향상되었다. 둘째, 예비유아교사의 통합교육에 대한 인식과 교사 효능감 간에 정적 상관관계가 나타났다. 본 연구의 결과들은 특수교육학 개론 수업을 통해 예비유아교사들의 통합교육에 대한 인식과 태도, 교사 효능감을 긍정적으로 변화시킬 수 있음을 보여준다.

The Impact of the Flipped Learning Model on the Development of Kindergarten Pre-service Teachers' Self-Directed Learning Skills in Saudi Arabia

The Impact of the Flipped Learning Model on the Development of Kindergarten Pre-service Teachers' Self-Directed Learning Skills in Saudi Arabia

Effects of e-Assessment Tools in academic achievement and motivation towards learning among pre service kindergarten teachers in Turaif

The objective of the current research is to measure the impact of e-Assessment Tools used in the Blackboard system in academic achievement and motivation towards learning among pre service kindergarten female teachers in Turaif. To achieve this objective, the researcher used the descriptive approach which is suitable for measuring this objective, where an electronic questionnaire was designed using Google forms for easy access to the largest number of pre service kindergarten female teachers in Turaif to answer the questionnaire questions. The questionnaire consisted of three axes, namely the use of the Blackboard system in promotion of academic achievement. The axis of obstacles to the use of the Blackboard system, and the third axis deal with motivation of students towards learning using the Blackboard system. The sample of the research consisted of (407) pre service kindergarten female teachers, Turaif, of different study levels and scientific and literary disciplines, where the study results showed the effectiveness of the Blackboard system in the academic achievement and motivation towards learning among students.

Organic Learning Gardens in Higher Education: Do They Improve Kindergarten Pre-service Teachers’ Connectedness to and Conception of Nature?

Studies have shed light on the idea that people who have experiences in natural settings might be more aware of the environment. Learning gardens, as outdoor contexts, might contribute to the development of students’ affective relations toward nature, pro-environmental attitudes, and protective actions; neverthless, these aspects begging to be explored. This preliminary research investigates the impact that the use of organic gardens to teach natural sciences at university has on kindergarten pre-service teachers’ (KPST) connectedness to and conceptions of nature. The research follows a pre-/post-design and it uses a mixed methods approach. A total of 74 students completed four quantitative scales (INS, CCC, LCN, and NR-6), and 66 of them an open question about the concept of nature. After the garden experience, students scored higher in all the scales, nevertheless the change was significant only for INS and CCC. The phenomenographic analysis evidenced an initial predominant static and non-social concept of nature, biased toward the most obvious biological elements. After the garden-based learning experience, more informed conceptions of nature – including notions of complexity and systemic character – increased from 7 to 19%; however, statistical comparison was not significant. In spite of the absence of concluding results, further research is required to assess the role that learning gardens may play regarding connectedness to nature and pro-environmental behaviors.

Experiencing (from) the inside

This paper presents a case study of preservice kindergarten teachers’ use of new form of digital imagery. The paper introduces spherical cameras and digital microscopes and discusses their affordances when introduced in practical use in in teacher education and in kindergartens. The use in kindergartens was introduced through a class of 34 teacher students in kindergarten education. The students were specializing in Arts and design at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences. The use of images from spherical cameras and digital microscopes is discussed and analysed, based on data from student responses through two questionnaires, group presentations and discussions in class, and an analysis of various media material produced by students.

Increasing Pre-service Kindergarten Teachers’ Mathematics Teaching Efficacy through Lesson Study

Increasing Pre-service Kindergarten Teachers’ Mathematics Teaching Efficacy through Lesson Study

Evaluating pre-service kindergarten teachers' intention to adopt and use tablets into teaching practice for natural sciences

Mobile technology is one of the dominating trends of educational applications for new technologies. Adapting smart mobile devices to teach the natural sciences in preschool education depends to a great extent, on whether the kindergarten teachers themselves believe that smart mobile devices contribute positively to their teaching methods. The current study uses the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to examine how the skills of pre-service kindergarten teachers' in ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) and their attitude towards the use of mobile devices affect their willingness to use smart mobile devices to teach natural sciences in kindergarten. The survey participants comprised 75 students from a Greek university, and several constructs related to technology acceptance were measured. As there are many ICT tools that teachers can use to support teaching and learning, the results indicate that the pre-service teachers' attitude toward the usefulness of mobile learning in the teaching process has the strongest influence on their intention to adopt mobile learning followed equally by perceived ease of use.

Evaluating pre-service kindergarten teachers' intention to adopt and use tablets into teaching practice for natural sciences

Mobile technology is one of the dominating trends of educational applications for new technologies. Adapting smart mobile devices to teach the natural sciences in preschool education depends to a great extent, on whether the kindergarten teachers themselves believe that smart mobile devices contribute positively to their teaching methods. The current study uses the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to examine how the skills of pre-service kindergarten teachers' in ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) and their attitude towards the use of mobile devices affect their willingness to use smart mobile devices to teach natural sciences in kindergarten. The survey participants comprised 75 students from a Greek university, and several constructs related to technology acceptance were measured. As there are many ICT tools that teachers can use to support teaching and learning, the results indicate that the pre-service teachers' attitude toward the usefulness of mobile learning in the teaching process has the strongest influence on their intention to adopt mobile learning followed equally by perceived ease of use.

Evaluating a course for teaching introductory programming with Scratch to pre-service kindergarten teachers

Evaluating a course for teaching introductory programming with Scratch to pre-service kindergarten teachers

Evaluating a course for teaching introductory programming with Scratch to pre-service kindergarten teachers

A growing number of countries, in Europe and beyond have established clear policies and frameworks for introducing Computational Thinking and computer programming to young children. Researchers, educators, and key stakeholders believe that these skills should be taught and used in early childhood classrooms to initiate the cognitive development of students at an earlier age. The introduction of CT in the curriculum is creating a strong demand for pre-service development, as many teachers did not learn about CT and computer programming in their initial education. In response to this identified need, new initiatives in Universities are underway seeking to bring CT and programming into pre-service teachers' education around the world. We adopted Scratch as the introductory programming language for a semester course in the department of Preschool Education in the University of Crete. The aim of using Scratch was to excite students' interest and familiarise them with the basics of programming. For 13 weeks, students were introduced to the main Scratch concepts and, afterwards, were asked to prepare their projects. For the projects, they were required to develop a game to teach certain concepts about Mathematics or Physical Science and/or present an Aesop myth to preschool age students. The results we obtained were more satisfactory than expected and, in some regards, encouraging.

The Relationship among Social Support, Ego-Resilience, and Psychological Well-Being of Family and Friends Perceived by Pre-Service Kindergarten Teachers

The Relationship among Social Support, Ego-Resilience, and Psychological Well-Being of Family and Friends Perceived by Pre-Service Kindergarten Teachers