Pre-service Preschool Teachers Research Articles

Türkiye'deki okul öncesi öğretmenliği hazırlık programları: Sınıf yönetimi modellerinde değişkenlerin çok düzeyli analizi

This quantitative study aimed to address variables related to six classroom management models used by 1323 preservice preschool teachers: behavioral change theory, Dreikurs, Canter, Glasser, Kounin, and Gordon models. Data were collected using a demographic characteristics form and the Classroom Management Strategy Determination Scale. Data were analyzed using hierarchical linear modeling. Results showed that the classroom management course taught by experts helped preservice preschool teachers choose the right models. Gender played a role in Dreikurs’ social discipline model, while undergraduate education played a role in Canter’s assertive discipline model.

The Investigation of the Effect of Montessori Approach-based STEM Activities on the Problem-solving Skills of Pre-service Preschool Teachers

This research was conducted to determine whether there is any effect of the Montessori approach-based STEM activities on the development of the problem-solving skills of pre-service preschool teachers or not. The mixed-method was employed in the research. The sample of the research consisted of 50 pre-service teachers, who were taking education in the Preschool Teacher Training Department of the Faculty of Education. A single grouped pretest-posttest pattern was created to determine the difference in the problem-solving skills of the pre-service teachers in the research. The quantitative data gathered during the process of the research were analysed with the statistical methods; the qualitative data were analysed with the content analysis. The “Problem Solving Scale” and the “Semi-structured Protocol Form” were used to collect the quantitative data in the research. Qualitative data prepared to support quantitative data consists of the open-ended semi-structured protocol form. The participants were educated with the Montessori approach-based STEM education for 14 weeks. In the results reached as a result of the research, it was observed that there was a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test scores of problem-solving skills and the qualitative analysis results supported the quantitative results.

Preparation experiences of pre-service inclusive preschool teachers: a qualitative metasynthesis

ABSTRACT The early childhood workforce needs to be prepared to support children with disabilities within the inclusive preschool classroom. Early childhood personnel standards and requirements include competencies for supporting children with disabilities and their families. Teacher preparation programs should ensure that preservice teachers engage in coursework and placements that prepare them to teach in inclusive preschool classrooms. Existing qualitative studies exploring the inclusive preschool preparation experiences of preservice teachers provide insights into these experiences. Yet, a synthesis of these findings does not exist. Hence, a qualitative metasynthesis was conducted to provide insight to the field of early childhood teacher preparation in regards to preschool inclusion. Qualitative findings from 11 peer-reviewed studies were analyzed, synthesized, and interpreted to understand the experiences of preservice teachers and highlight what they learned from these experiences and the resulting impact on their dispositions and confidence in regard to inclusive preschool. Suggestions for early childhood preservice preparation programs and future research are discussed.

ICT USE IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION: STORYTELLING

The aim of this study is to investigate the ICT use by pre-service preschool teachers and pre-service speech and language therapists in developing their digital case of a storytelling. Students were stimulated to use various multimedia editing and authoring tools. The research questions concern the students’ accomplishments on integrating technology in digital storytelling and the effectiveness of that learning environment they created. The results revealed a difference by implying that not only the learning theory and the teaching practices but also the content, the structure and the nature of the course together with the social interactions play an important role on how people learn and develop their skills.The results revealed that students of both departments overall accomplished very good project outcomes in digital storytelling meeting technical and pedagogical criteria. Finally similarities and differences of the students’ approaches in the digital storytelling development are discussed

Opinions of pre-service pre-school teachers on the use of mathematics activities

The research reported on here was designed in a qualitative approach to present the opinions of pre-service pre-school teachers on the use of mathematics activities. The sample consisted of 10 pre-service teachers, who in their fourth year of pre-school education in the teaching department in 2017 to 2018. The pre-service teachers in the study group were selected from those with a grade point average (GPA) of above 3 and who completed the teaching practice course. In the research, the data were collected from the pre-service teachers through interviews. A semi-structured form, developed by the researcher, was used as a data collection tool in order to reveal the opinions of pre-service pre-school teachers on the application of mathematics activities. The results of the research show that the participating pre-service pre-school teachers used more than one-to-one correspondence in mathematics activities of which the most difficult concepts were classification and geometrical figures – difficult situations in which to attract the attention of children and a crowded class of 36 to 48 month old children. Most of the mathematics activities were integrated into games and art through the narration and gamification method. The participants mostly used prepared mathematics activities in practice.

Analysing CLIL Teacher Competences in Pre-service Preschool Education. A Case Study at the University of Granada

ABSTRACT Given the importance of bilingual programmes and CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning), a methodological approach that holds up bilingual education all across Europe, it is essential to ensure today’s pre-service teachers become efficient CLIL practitioners in the short run. For that reason, we have analysed the case study of the University of Granada (Spain) to evaluate how CLIL teachers’ competences are perceived by Preschool Pre-service teachers. A total of 105 participants completed the online Likert-scaled questionnaire based on two dimensions of the CLIL Teacher’s Competence Grid. Frequencies, inferential, correlational and regression analysis were conducted to shed light on students’ self-assessment as future CLIL teachers in the Preschool stage. Results suggest that pre-service teachers do not yet feel prepared to become Preschool CLIL practitioners, and their level of CLIL communicative skills is a predictor of their knowledge about CLIL.

An Analysis of Turkish Pre-service Preschool Teachers’ Self-image on a Science Education Course

The purpose of the current study is to investigate the changes of self-image occurring in pre-service preschool teachers during a course of science education. The study employed the phenomenological research method within the framework of a qualitative perspective. A total number of 75 pre-service preschool teachers participated in the study on a voluntary basis and they were asked to draw a picture to reflect their state during the science education course and to explain it. The findings derived from these drawings were found to be subsumed under four categories: cognitive, implementation, affective and social. It was also found that the pre-service preschool teachers had difficulties in understanding science while emphasized a teacher-centered approach to its teaching. Moreover, inconsistent feelings and attitudes towards the subject were observed and social interaction was not depicted very much. In the light of the findings, it is suggested that preschool teacher education programs should be revised to provide effective science education. It is thought that teacher educators and mentors play an important role in pre-service preschool teachers acquiring adequate knowledge and skills and developing positive attitudes

Stavovi budućih vaspitača o integrativnom pristupu razvoju matematičkog mišljenja

The research deals with integrative approach in preschool education. The integrative approach is based on the hollistic perception of the preschool children's world. This approach is one of the key elements of the new concept of preschool education set out in a document entitled "Years of Ascent". The paper looks at the place of mathematical contents in the curriculum as well as the characteristics of the integrative approach which provide the conditions for the initial development of mathematical reasoning. The empirical section of the paper offers the results of the research related to pre-service preschool teachers' attitudes towards the integrative approach. The aim of the paper is to contribute, both theoretically and empirically, to a better understanding of the importance of the preschool teachers' professional competence to implement integrated activities.

Učenje engleskog jezika iz perspektive studenata - budućih vaspitača

Starting from the hypothesis that an identification and a more detailed study of students' conceptual sphere regarding learning English language will result in mapping the fields in the tertiary-level teaching of English as a foreign language that need improvement, in the academic year 2018/19 we conducted a survey among all undergraduate students at the Preschool Teacher Training College "Mihajlo Palov" in Vršac. A total of 125 respondents filled out an anonymous questionnaire designed to reveal the source domains through which pre-service preschool teachers perceive learning English as a foreign language. A qualitative analysis of the researched corpus made it possible to single out five dominant conceptual metaphors of different source domains for the concept of English language learning. Among the obtained metaphors, special attention was given to selecting the metaphors with a methodological potential for implementation in teaching, as well as to the suggestions for modelling the so-called disruptive metaphors that have a negative effect on the English language acquisition.

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.

Use of Smartphones in Class: Examining the Relationship Between M-Learning Readiness, Cyberloafing, Nomophobia and Addiction Variables

The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between pre-service preschool teachers' mobile-learning (m-learning) readiness, cyberloafing, nomophobiaand smartphone addiction variables. The study was carried out using 306 pre-service preschool teachers undergoing education at state-run universities in two different cities in Turkey. The most critical conclusion of the study is that the smartphones used by pre-service preschool teachers both for m-learning and for cyberloafing in class have an impact on nomophobia and smartphone addiction. In the study, the effects of smartphone usage on both the learning environment and the individual were discussed in accordance with the proposed model. Suggestions for the use of smartphones were made in line with the study's conclusions.

Pre-School and Primary School Pre-Service Teachers’ Attitudes towards Using Technology in Music Education

Purpose: The present study aims to develop a valid and reliable scale that measures attitude towards using technology in music education and to investigate pre-school and primary school pre-service teachers’ attitudes towards using technology in music education concerning their demographic variables and musical experiences. Research Methods: A total of 640 students studying in pre-school and primary education departments at a public university in Turkey participated in this research (N=640). Data were collected using a questionnaire for collecting the demographic information and the musical background of the respondents in addition to Attitude towards Using Technology in Music Education Scale, which was developed by the researchers in this study. Findings: Analyses resulted in an 8-item Attitude towards Using Technology in Music Education Scale with a Cronbach’s α of 0.931. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated a statistically significant model fit to the data with six indices indicating a good fit and three indicating a substantial fit. Attitude towards using technology in music education did not show any significant difference concerning gender and musical background. However, primary school pre-service teachers had a more positive attitude than those of pre-school pre-service teachers. Finally, age correlated with the attitude towards using technology in music education. Implications for Research and Practice: Attitude towards Using Technology in Music Education Scale is a valid and reliable research instrument. Having more experience in using technology or perceiving that the future profession and instructional program at the universities necessitate the use of technology improves attitude towards using technology. Positive attitudes of pre-service teachers, who feel themselves inadequate about using their voice and instruments, and have inadequate musical experience, maybe due to their belief that they will be able to compensate for these deficiencies in music with the opportunities offered by technology.

Investigation of Preschool Preservice Teachers' Perceptions of Scientific Knowledge through Metaphor

Scientific knowledge is a kind of objective knowledge which is a systematic, valid, consistent, triable and provable. From this point of view, the metaphoric perceptions of pre-service teachers, who engaged in many scientific knowledge and processes during the teachers’ training process, were found worthy of investigation in this study. Study was designed on the basis of the phenomenology study design. 170 pre-service teachers enrolled in the preschool education department of one of the public university in the 2019-2020 academic year participated voluntarily in the study. The questionnaire form prepared by the researchers was used to find out current metaphorical perceptions of preservice teachers about the concept of “scientific knowledge”. In this study, a total of 139 metaphors related to scientific knowledge were created. Metaphors created by 170 preservice teachers participating in the study were categorized based on their commonalities and divided into nine categories.

OKUL ÖNCESİ ÖĞRETMEN ADAYLARININ SORUNA İLİŞKİN ALGILARI VE YÖNELİMLERİ

Bu araştırmanın amacı, okul öncesi öğretmen adaylarının soruna (probleme) yönelik algılarının ve yönelimlerinin incelenmesidir. Araştırmaya okul öncesi öğretmenliği bölümünde farklı sınıflarda okuyan 224 öğretmen adayı katılmıştır. Araştırmada karma yöntem kullanılmıştır. Araştırmanın deseni yakınsayan paralel desendir. Veri toplama araçları, nitel veriler için yazılı dokümanlardan ve nicel veriler için Sorun Yönelimi ölçeğinden oluşmaktadır. Yazılı dokümanlarda “Günlük yaşamda problemler…….gibidir. Çünkü……………..” ifadesini öğretmen adaylarından tamamlamaları istenmiştir. Araştırmada nitel veriler içerik analizi ile değerlendirilmiştir. Nitel veriler “Sosyal Problem Çözme Modeli” çerçevesinde pozitif ve negatif yönelime dayalı temalarla oluşturulmuştur. Bu temaların frekansları alınmıştır. Nicel verilerin analizinde pozitif ve negatif yönelime dayalı metaforlar üreten öğretmen adaylarının sorun yönelimi ölçeğinden aldıkları puanların ortalamaları alınmış ve puanlar arasında istatistiksel açıdan anlamlı bir farklılık olup olmadığı değerlendirilmiştir. Araştırma sonuçlarına bakıldığında, pozitif yönelime dayalı metaforların sayısı negatif yönelime dayalı olanlardan daha fazladır. Pozitif yönelimine dayalı metafor üreten öğretmen adaylarının sorun yönelimi puanları negatif yönelime dayalı metafor üreten öğretmen adaylarından daha yüksektir. Pozitif yönelime dayalı metaforlar üreten öğretmen adaylarının puanları negatif yönelime yönelik metaforlar üreten öğretmen adaylarından istatistiksel olarak anlamlı derecede farklıdır.

Pre-School and Primary School Pre-Service Teachers’ Attitudes towards Using Technology in Music Education

Pre-School and Primary School Pre-Service Teachers’ Attitudes towards Using Technology in Music Education

Evolutionary Content Knowledge, Religiosity and Educational Background of Slovene Preschool and Primary School Pre-Service Teachers

Evolution by natural selection is the fundamental backbone of the life sciences. Therefore, it is important for teacher education programs to ensure graduates possess a strong knowledge of evolution in order to teach at all levels of biology education. The main aim was to investigate the impacts of the Slovene pre-service preschool and primary school teachers’ religiosity and educational background on their evolutionary content knowledge. In the present study, understanding of five evolutionary topics, religiosity and educational background of 269 students was studied. Results show that students have a very poor understanding of evolution. They very often use teleological reasoning. Although many pieces of research have shown that religiosity can be in conflict with evolutionary theory, our findings show that religiosity does not significantly correlate with evolutionary knowledge nor to the educational background of students. However, for students’ understanding of evolution, it is important how many years of biology lessons they had in secondary school. This should be better taken into account by educational policymakers because evolutionary principles are becoming increasingly relevant in medicine, agriculture and other socio-scientific topics.

Preservice Preschool Teachers’ Self-efficacy in and Need for STEM Education Professional Development: STEM Pedagogical Belief as a Mediator

This study analyzed early childhood preservice teachers’ specific components of self-efficacy to provide a more exhaustive comprehension of the relationships among STEM self-efficacy, pedagogical belief, and the self-reported need for professional development (PD). The participants were undergraduate or graduate preservice teachers recruited from the early childhood education department of a university in Taiwan. The research used instruments including the Teacher STEM Self-efficacy Scale, Teacher STEM Pedagogical Belief Scale, and Need for PD Scale to collect the data. In total, 150 preservice preschool teachers completed the survey. MANOVA and structural equation modeling were used to analyze the data. The results revealed that preservice teachers’ scores on STEM self-efficacy and the three components of self-efficacy were positively correlated with their STEM pedagogical beliefs and self-reported need for PD. Furthermore, affective attitude predicted teachers’ need for PD directly or indirectly through STEM pedagogical belief. In addition, the result indicated that STEM pedagogical belief acted as an intermediary in the association between the two components of self-efficacy (“cognitive concept” and “affective attitude”) and the self-reported need for PD. However, STEM pedagogical belief cannot mediate the relationship between the “equipped skill” component of self-efficacy and the self-reported need for PD. Preservice preschool teachers who had STEM teaching experience, reported interests in STEM, or participated in STEM-related activities had higher levels of STEM self-efficacy in terms of cognitive concept, affective attitude, and equipped skill. Based on these findings, the researchers provide suggestions for future research and practical implications in teacher development program.

Matematik Laboratuvar Uygulamalarının Sınıf ve Okul Öncesi Öğretmen Adaylarının Matematik Başarı ve Tutumlarına Etkisinin İncelenmesi

The present study aimed to investigate the impact of mathematics laboratory applications on mathematics attitudes, mathematics achievements and knowledge retention of pre-service classroom and preschool teachers. Experimental design method was used in the study. The study sample included 100 pre-service teachers attending Dicle University 2017 academic year. The achievement test developed by the authors and the attitude scale developed by Inan (2007) were used to collect the study data. The achievement test and attitude scale were applied as both pre-test and post-test to pre-service teachers. The data were analyzed with SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) software. Data analysis was conducted with dependent and independent t-test. Study results demonstrated that mathematics laboratory applications had a positive impact on mathematics achievement and attitudes. It could be argued that they had a positive impact on mathematics achievement scores of pre-service preschool teachers, however they had no effect on their mathematics attitudes.

Analysing the relationship between pre-service preschool teachers’ self-leadership skills and motivation to teach

The aim of this research is to examine the relationship between pre-service preschool teachers’ self-leadership skills and motivation to teach. The study group included 186 pre-service preschool teachers who are senior students at Department of Preschool Education at three universities in Istanbul in spring semester of 2015–2016 school year. ‘Self-Leadership Scale’ and ‘Motivation to Teach Scale’ were used as data collection tools. Pearson Product-Moment Correlation, Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis H analysis were conducted for data analysis. Results have shown that there is a significant positive correlation between pre-service teachers’ Self-Leadership Scale total scores and Motivation to Teach Scale total scores (p < 0.01). It was also found that Behaviour-Focused strategies and constructive thought strategies of Self-Leadership Scale were in a significant positive relationship with both Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation dimensions of Motivation to Teach Scale. In addition, students’ mean scores of Self-Leadership Scale significantly differ according to their GPAs on behalf of students with higher GPA.
 Keywords: Motivation, preschool, pre-service teachers, self-leadership.

Integrisanje muzičkih i jezičkih sadržaja i veština u okviru predmeta Engleski jezik za decu uz pesmu i pokret

A song is a musical content in which melody and poetic text are unified, which makes it an ideal tool in all music activities with children of preschool and early primary school age. It also represents the core of integration of different school subjects, with a huge educational potential in language teaching (both mother tongue and foreign languages). In this paper we elaborate on the advantages of integrating English Language and Music Education academic courses in working with pre-service primary and preschool teachers who are trained to teach English to preschool and early primary school children. We examine students' music experience and their preferences, as well as their familiarity with the phonological elements of the language with the aim of improving the quality of teaching. The paper also presents the key results of the research conducted in 2018 and 2019 with the first and the second generations of students attending the course English Language for Children through Songs and Movement at the first year of their studies at the Teacher Education Faculty in Belgrade. Apart from providing useful insights for further teaching, the results of the research conducted on a convenience sample of 58 students (N = 58) confirmed the importance of integrating the two academic courses by reinforcing students' vocal development in English through songs and action songs as a fundamental tool in the cross-curricular integration. The results also offer new guidelines for the future exploratory research of teaching in university education. These guidelines have a broader pedagogical significance and methodological implications for the work of the future preschool and primary school teachers.