Specific Competencies Research Articles

THEORETICAL ANALYSIS OF THE CONCEPT OF «KEY COMPETENCIES OF FUTURE SPECIALISTS»

The study conducts a systematic theoretical analysis of the concept of «key competencies of future specialists» in line with the ideas and provisions of modern foreign and domestic regulatory documents, scientific positions of leading scientists in the subject area, and methodological materials of practicing teachers. The purpose of the article is to identify the theoretical foundations of the interpretation of the concept of «key competencies of future specialists» in the educational and professional contexts of training in institutions of pre-university and higher education by means of generalization, comparison and synthesis of leading scientific positions. The article analyzes the interrelationships and dependencies of the concepts of «competence approach», «competence», «key competence»; the scientific approaches of domestic and foreign scientists to the systematic classification of groups of personal competencies (key – over subject, inter-subject; subject – acquired in the course of studying a particular discipline). The conclusions are drawn that competencies are a dynamic combination of knowledge, understanding, skills, abilities and abilities. The development of competencies is the goal of educational programs. Competencies are formed in different academic disciplines and assessed at different stages. Scientists argue that the competency-based approach, along with specific knowledge and skills, includes abilities, readiness to learn, readiness for professional activity, social skills, etc.; all these qualities are formed in the process of professional training. Modern employers are increasingly prioritizing the requirements for graduates of higher and higher education institutions to have systemic, intellectual, and communication skills, the ability to self-organize and organize the activities of employees, and the ability to reflect on their own activities, so society's requirements for the educational activities of vocational schools are constantly growing. The main features of the key competencies of future specialists are: multifunctionality (allowing to solve various problems of everyday professional or social life); supersubjectivity and interdisciplinarity (can be applied not only in the process of education, but also at work, in the family, in the political sphere); multidimensionality (including thought processes, intellectual skills, creative discoveries); determining the need for intellectual development of the individual (abstract thinking, critical thinking, self-reflection, recognition of one's own position).

A cluster approach to matching the competences of data specialists with skills in demand on the labour market

This paper addresses the challenge of aligning the competences of data specialists with skills in demand on the labour market in the rapidly evolving field of data science. Using an open dataset of 3,744 IT job postings, the study applies K-means clustering to identify key skill groupings for data specialist positions. The optimal number of clusters is determined using the elbow method, resulting in four distinct clusters: Data Analyst & Engineer, Data Platform Engineer, Data Science & Engineering Specialist, and Cloud Data Engineer. The research methodology employs unsupervised learning techniques, specifically K-means clustering, to analyze the distribution of skills across job postings. The clusters are visualized using t-distributed Stochastic Neighbor Embedding (t-SNE), providing insights into the relationships between different skill sets. The study reveals that job titles do not always unambiguously define the required skills, emphasizing the importance of focusing on specific skill sets rather than job titles alone. To bridge the gap between specific subject competences academic programs and industry requirements, the paper proposes a novel approach for comparing the proportion of skills in job clusters with the proportion of professional competencies in academic programs. This method is demonstrated using the Information Systems and Technologies Master's program at Kherson State University as a case study. The chi-square test is applied to confirm the statistical similarity between the skill structure of the Data Science & Engineering Specialist cluster and the competency structure of the academic program. The findings highlight the importance of continuous adaptation of profile of academic program to meet evolving industry needs. The proposed approach provides a data-driven framework for universities to align their programs with labor market demands, potentially improving graduate employability in the data science field. The study also underscores the need for personalized learning paths that can be tailored to individual career goals and skill gaps. Future research directions include the development of an artificial intelligence system to form individualized educational trajectories based on the skills required for specific job clusters. This could further enhance the alignment between education and industry needs, preparing students more effectively for the dynamic data science job market.

FORMATION OF CONCEPTUAL AND TERMINOLOGICAL APPARATUS AS A COMPONENT OF PROFESSIONALLY ORIENTED FUTURE PHARMACIST TRAINING

The article analyzes the process of forming the conceptual and terminological apparatus as a component of professionally oriented training of future pharmacists; based on generalization of theoretical foundations, the features, strategies, and methods, the formation of the conceptual and terminological apparatus that contribute to the efficient training of future pharmacists in the process of studying the discipline «Analytical Chemistry» are revealed. The following criteria for the selection of chemical terms and concepts are proposed: thematic affiliation (exclusion of terms from related fields), focus on the vocabulary, systematicity, completeness of terminology coverage, as well as synchronicity (time factor), usage (frequency), semantic value of the term, term-forming capacity, normativity, and connectivity. The article considers the holistic organization of work on the qualitative mastering of the terminological vocabulary of analytical chemistry, and the development of professionally oriented communicative competence of future specialists majoring in the specialty 226 «Pharmacy, Industrial Pharmacy». It involves the use of proven methods and techniques for the rational selection, semantization and presentation of terminological language units. The exercises are divided into types, and their sequence in working with terms is established: introduction of terminological vocabulary (preparatory exercises) – language exercises – communicative and linguistic exercises, which involve the simultaneous selection and functioning of pre-text, while-text, and post-text exercises in such work. Post-textual tasks and forms of application of exercises have been developed. They are the following: work in pairs, organizing a cluster based on reference material, sentence construction, terminological dictation, and crossword puzzles. microtext construction, formulating definitions of terms, working with mental maps, using multimedia, trainings, video presentations, and the game «Guess the term!». It has been concluded that the usage of various communicative and speech exercises aimed at mastering terminological vocabulary in the process of teaching analytical chemistry contributes to professional communication skills improvement in the discipline and, by forming terminological experience, increases the level of professional language competence of future pharmacy specialists.

FEATURES OF TEACHING THE DISCIPLINE «PHILOSOPHICAL PROPAEDEUTICS» TO FUTURE MASTERS OF PHILOSOPHY

Аrticle emphasize philosophy as a special type of worldview arose as a response to the eternal need for man to expand the worldview, which is developing historically. Inherent inquisitiveness of people gradually grows into an intellectual need for limitless expansion and deepening of knowledge about the world, the human intellect tries to grasp the world with its mind in such angles that cannot be given by any experience, the intellect seeks to gain knowledge about the world as a holistic reality that a person must constantly take into account in forming programs of their behavior in society. The discipline «Philosophical propaedeutics» at the V. G. Korolenkо Poltava National Pedagogical University is taught to students of the second (master’s) level of higher education, specialty 033 Philosophy. The purpose of teaching the educational discipline «Philosophical propaedeutics» is to master the philosophical categorical toolkit, get acquainted with concepts and approaches, the specifics of the subject of philosophy, and the main philosophical problems. In the process of mastering the course «Philosophical propaedeutics», students must understand what is the specificity of philosophy, master its problematic field, understand the specifics of the philosophical knowledge of the world, understand the main categories, concepts and terms, on the one hand, and the principles and methods of knowledge, on the other hand. The course is also aimed at developing the skills of critical reading of propaedeutic philosophical literature, working with dictionaries, encyclopedias and other scientific literature, philosophical reflection and primary reasoning skills. The educational and professional program for the specialty «Philosophy» of the second (master’s) level of training defines a list of specific general and special competencies, as well as predicted learning outcomes that students must achieve as a result of studying this discipline. During the study of the course, the attention of applicants is drawn to the fact that philosophical propaedeutics is a preliminary cycle of lectures that acquaints young students (readers) with the peculiarities of philosophy as an educational discipline; It provides preparation for creative assimilation of the topics of the philosophy course and for independent study of philosophy. The task of philosophical propaedeutics is to prepare students (students, readers) for the transition from the level of their everyday worldview to the level of a theoretical worldview, from a chaotic worldview to a conscious worldview, from a worldview based on faith to a worldview based on evidence, which relies on reason.

Construction of an index system of core competence assessment for sleep medicine nurse specialists in China: a Delphi study

AimTo construct an evaluation index system for the core competence of nurses in sleep medicine specialties.BackgroundSpecialized nurses in sleep medicine must handle treatment, nursing, and management well, which requires nurses to have excellent competence in knowledge, skills, and ability. However, a competency evaluation system for sleep medicine nurses has not been established in China.MethodsWe used a literature review and an expert meeting to establish a draft indicator system. Subsequently, two rounds of correspondence were conducted with 27 experts from 5 provinces using the Delphi method to solicit their opinions on the core competency evaluation indicators for sleep medicine nurse specialists and to qualitatively evaluate the experts’ scores. The consensus was defined in advance as a mean score of 4.0 or above, with at least 75% agreement among participants. In this way, the final indicator framework was determined.ResultsThe final evaluation indexes of the core competencies for sleep medicine Nurse Specialists included 6 first-level indexes (Practical ability, Theoretical Knowledge, Critical thinking, Communication and coordination, Nursing Management, and Professional Development), 16 s-level indexes, and 64 third-level indexes. The effective response rates of the two expert consultation rounds were 100%. The expert authority coefficients were 0.878 and 0.865 in the first and second rounds of consultation, respectively. In the second round of consultation, the first, second, and third indexes of Kendall’s coefficient of concordance were 0.373, 0.351, and 0.286, respectively (P < 0.05).ConclusionThe core competence evaluation index system for sleep medicine nurses established in this study is scientific and reliable and can provide a theoretical reference for the training, assessment, and evaluation of sleep medicine nurses in the future.Implications for nursing managementThe evaluation index system of sleep medicine nurses’ core competence will provide an effective practical framework for nursing management to evaluate, train, and examine the core competence of sleep medicine nurses.

REGULATORY AND METHODOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES OF TEACHING STANDARDISATION OF MEDICINES TO FUTURE MASTERS OF PHARMACY IN THE CONTEXT OF DIGITALISATION OF EDUCATION IN UKRAINE

The article substantiates that the strategic vector for ensuring the quality of educational services chosen in Ukraine under martial law has increased the need to update state and local regulations of the educational process, as well as to find effective methodological approaches to teaching higher education students, including the transformation of all teaching and learning materials into digital format and the creation of publicly available knowledge bases on their basis. Based on the analysis of national educational legislation, strategic priorities for the development of the healthcare sector, the article features the regulatory and methodological aspects of the implementation of educational initiatives aimed at improving the level of digital literacy of masters of pharmacy, the practical use of digital technologies in their educational and future professional activities, as well as amendments to educational standards and educational programs in terms of the list of general and special (professional, subject) competencies of the above-mentioned specialties. Generalisation of the content of local acts, websites of higher medical/pharmaceutical education institutions of Ukraine made it possible to identify the main innovations in the organisation of training of future masters of pharmacy, to illustrate these with examples of the introduction of digital technologies in the training of future masters of pharmacy, in particular the discipline «Standardisation of Medicines» at the Bogomolets National Medical University. The leading direction for improving the effectiveness of teaching standardisation of medicines to future masters of pharmacy in the context of digitalisation of higher education in Ukraine is identified, which is to harmonize the regulatory and methodological foundations of this process in accordance with the current and future (post-war reconstruction of the educational sphere) challenges of socio-political life of society, compliance with the security system, the provision of quality educational services in the context of the dynamic deployment of the electronic healthcare system, as well as the desire of government institutions and stakeholders to integrate with the European pharmaceutical market.

3R-Based Teaching Module for Biology Education Students: A Research Development

The teaching modules are structured learning packages that encompass lesson unit concepts, designed to align with the semester learning plan (RPS), and aimed at achieving specific competency standards. This study explores the application of a 3R-Based Teaching Module for Biology Education through a validation process. The research follows a Research and Development (RD) methodology, utilizing the ADDIE model, which includes three stages: Analysis, Design, and Development. The study was conducted in the Biology Education programs of Riau Islamic University, Muhammadiyah University, and Lancang Kuning University from July to December 2023. The sample included 15 third-semester students as respondents, along with three experts—specialists in material, learning, and media—selected through purposive sampling techniques. These students had previously completed Environmental Science courses at the three universities. Validation data were collected using questionnaires distributed via Google Forms to both student respondents and expert validators. The validation results revealed high validity scores from media experts (94.44), learning experts (96.59), and material experts (100), with an overall validation score of 96.67. Student readability was also rated highly at 91.16. Based on these results, the 3R-Based Teaching Module was deemed valid and practical for use in biology education programs.

Особенности формирования профессиональных компетенций у будущих художников-графиков

Introduction. There are a number of contradictions in education when the knowledge, skills and abilities obtained at an educational institution do not satisfy the labor market. In general, training in the specialty “Graphic Artist (easel graphics)” can be interesting and useful for those who want to work in the field of art. To be successful in the labor market, it is necessary to develop not only your abilities, but also marketing skills, job promotion and order search. The article analyzes the competencies of future graphic artists with specialization no. 1 “Graphic artist (easel graphics)”. The analysis of the contingent of art and pedagogical institutions leads to the conclusion that the specialty is in little demand. Theoretical analysis of the problem of professional competence formation of future graphic artists identified components and indicators of professional readiness of future graphic artists. Conclusion. In conclusion, it can be noted that the peculiarities of the formation of professional competencies is a multifaceted process. These peculiarities may be related to the individual characteristics of students, the specifics of the profession, as well as the peculiarities of the educational process. An individual approach to students, the use of modern teaching methods and orientation to the real needs of the labor market will help to effectively form professional competencies of future specialists in any field.

Генезис проблемы формирования цифровой коммуникативной компетенции в смешанном формате обучения в период с 1950 по 1990 год

Introduction. Digital transformation of science and higher education is a strategic direction of the state policy in the Russian Federation that contributes to qualitative changes in every area of life, including the field of science and education, supporting the idea of continuous professional development. The goal of digital transformation is to achieve a high level of digital fluency in educational establishments of higher education. Digital transformation is aimed at solving different problems, namely increasing the level of digital competence of specialists and students of educational organizations, especially when working in a new learning format. Therefore, we suggest considering the genesis of the problem of formation of digital communicative competence in a blended learning format. Theoretical analysis. This competence, implemented in a blended learning format, is highly-demanded in the digital reality. The article features the periodization of the genesis of the problem of digital communicative competence formation in a blended learning format. The main trends of the second phase of its formation are identified. The scientific, theoretical, historical and socio-cultural prerequisites of its development are determined. Conclusion. Digital competence improves the quality of education and promotes digital innovations in educational environment, maximizing the potential of modern technologies.

Defining nursing entrepreneurship from the point of view of future professionals: A qualitative study

IntroductionEntrepreneurship comprises the development of novel projects, products, and strategies, both from a business perspective and in the context of nursing care. Despite ongoing debate as to whether entrepreneurship should be considered a distinct academic discipline, this subject remains largely unexplored within the health sciences. There is a paucity of published work examining whether entrepreneurship constitutes a specific competence and what nurses and nursing students understand by entrepreneurship. This study aims to identify, on the basis of the beliefs of nursing students from different countries, what entrepreneurship in nursing is. Based on these responses, a definition of entrepreneurship in nursing that responds to society's current needs is proposed. MethodologyQualitative descriptive methods were employed to gather insights from first- and second-year students across four nursing faculties: two located in Colombia, one in Peru, and one in Spain. The students were tasked with defining entrepreneurship within the nursing context. This inquiry was posed at the outset of the educational sessions on entrepreneurship, ensuring that the students had no preexisting information. The responses were collected using the digital platform Mentimeter, which allowed the students to submit their answers via mobile devices. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. ResultsA total of 160 written responses were received, analyzed, and categorised by the research team. Finally, 24 codes were obtained, which were grouped into 5 main themes: Healthcare and patient support, Innovation in nursing, Continuous professional improvement, nurses' contributions to society, and own project development. ConclusionDrawing from the experiences and beliefs of nursing students, entrepreneurship is characterized as the ability to innovate, conduct research, and advance scientific knowledge, thereby achieving continuous improvement in care while engaging with environmental and societal contexts.

Advances in Psychiatry Training and Faculty Development in India.

This review examines the historical developments, current state of training, existing challenges, and opportunities for undergraduate, postgraduate, and super specialty psychiatry education in India. For this narrative review, we examined information from the published literature, along with key documents from the Indian Psychiatric Society, the National Medical Commission, and other relevant sources. In India, psychiatry training has seen significant advancements since independence, particularly in the past decade, driven by the recommendations of the Indian Psychiatric Society and the introduction of competency-based medical education by the National Medical Commission. This transformation has redefined undergraduate and postgraduate training across all medical disciplines, including psychiatry. The shift has moved away from traditional, time-bound frameworks toward a focus on acquiring specific competencies essential for effective clinical practice. This approach ensures that trainees gain theoretical knowledge and develop practical skills and professional attitudes crucial for patient care. However, a major challenge highlighted in this review is the transition of senior residents to faculty roles without adequate training in teaching, research, academia, and leadership. Despite this, they are expected to excel in these areas upon assuming faculty positions. To address this gap, we emphasize the urgent need for a comprehensive faculty development program for early career faculty. Our proposed initiative aims to bridge these gaps and support the development of future leaders and educators in psychiatry. The recommendations outlined in this review seek to create a robust educational environment that will cultivate the next generation of psychiatrists in India.

Modern Specialist Training Within the Context of the Problem-Based and Informational Approach (Exemplified by Teaching a Foreign Language)

Today’s challenges modern society deal with require the use of an international language to solve problems of an economic, political, scientific, academic, and sociocultural nature. The authors highlight the importance of a foreign language knowledge emphasizing its additional resources for the professional development of future specialists. The paper subject is the process of foreign language teaching within the frame of a problem-based and informational approach while training university students. The authors look at the process of foreign language mastering at different education levels and analyze the components of the discipline work programs such as “Foreign Language”, Foreign Language in Professional Sphere”, “Foreign Language for Scientific Communication”. The paper theoretical significance is presented by the analysis of the basic concepts of problem-based learning and its importance not only for the successful mastering of a foreign language, but also for the successful vocational training of future specialists who meet all the requirements of the global labor market. The authors also substantiate the relevance of foreign language training for students in the frame of the problem-based and informational approach, and also present the specifics of its implementation. The practical significance of the work is demonstrated by the series of problem-based tasks using different models of problem-based situations for teaching foreign language reading and listening. According to the researchers, such tasks can be used both for developing a foreign language communicative competence and professional qualities of future specialists who have creative thinking and are able to cope with any problems in various non-standard situations in different spheres of human activity.

Exploring Metaphors and Metaphorically Written Narratives in Student Teachers’ Professional Identity Work

Metaphors can help student teachers to express what is essential in teachers’ work and the process of learning to teach. This study reports on two types of metaphors generated and narrated by student teachers as part of their professional identity development during their internships. One type was about teaching their students (inside-classroom metaphor) and the other was about the student teachers’ (broader) work context (out-of-classroom metaphor). In small groups, supervised by five teacher educators in total, they discussed each other’s metaphors and accompanying narratives in order to gain (deeper) insight into their own and others’ underlying beliefs and experiences. Metaphors and accompanying narratives of different cohorts of student teachers (n = 67 in total) were analyzed. The teacher educators were interviewed about their experiences with discussing the metaphors in small student teacher groups. The findings suggest that the student teachers confidently formulated metaphors and wrote accompanying narratives. They formulated quite a few standard metaphors that seemed very similar at first glance, but their underlying experiences and beliefs, conversely, showed many differences in nuance. Interviews with the teacher educators revealed that the discussions about the metaphors certainly led to new insights among the student teachers, such as thinking about their role as teachers, but the depth of the discussions was often limited. It can be concluded that engaging student teachers in using metaphors is certainly one way to become aware of, reflect on, and talk about one’s (developing) professional identity, but it is important that adequate conditions are met, such as specific competencies teacher educators need for guiding this kind of identity work.

Readiness of Future Librarians to Work in Today's Digital Environment in Kazakhstan

The purpose of this research is to determine the optimal pedagogical conditions in the context of the formation of information and communication competencies of future librarians, as well as to reveal the basics of professional training of information-library specialists in the higher educational institutions of Kazakhstan. The basis of the methodological approach is a qualitative combination of the system analysis methods of librarians’ training at universities with the analytical study of the development of professional competencies of future specialists. To implement the conceptual tasks of professional education, an important component is the psychological and pedagogical conditions for the training of qualified personnel, which involves the use of modern approaches to teaching in the educational process with the use of innovative methods. The results of this study reflect the problem of preparing librarians for professional activity in the modern digital environment. It also presents ways of effectively organizing the educational process in the context of the formation of information and communication competencies of higher education students.

The Role of Practical Training in the Development of Special Competencies for Future Speech Therapists

The article examines the importance of practical training in the educational training of future speech therapists. Various forms of practical training, such as laboratory work, clinical practice and simulation training, and their impact on the development of special competencies are analyzed. Special attention is paid to the integration of theoretical knowledge and practical skills, as well as the development of professional thinking and independence of students. The results of an empirical study confirming the effectiveness of practical training in the formation of skills necessary for the successful professional activity of speech therapists are presented. The conclusions of the article emphasize the need to strengthen the practical component in educational programs for the training of highly qualified specialists in the field of speech therapy.

Organization of Simulation Training of Secondary Medical Workers in Marat Ospanov West Kazakhstan Medical University

The article discusses the key aspects of the organization of simulation training for secondary medical workers at Marat Ospanov West Kazakhstan Medical University. Simulation technologies make it possible to repeatedly practice clinical skills, improving the quality of specialist training. The training includes modeling of various situations, which contributes to better assimilation of the material, reducing the risk of errors in real practice and increasing the competence of specialists.

Teamwork Training: Practicing Skills of Primary Resuscitation and Stabilization of a Newborn in the Delivery Room

The quality and safety of medical care in modern medicine are determined by the level of formation of team competence of clinical specialists. The article describes 8 years of experience in the formation of good practice and interaction of an educational institution for advanced training of medical workers with city medical institutions of the obstetric profile and obstetric departments that are part of the FAP and the Central District Hospital of the Omsk Region using the example of simulation trainings of team interaction in primary resuscitation of a newborn in the delivery room.

Toward the Definition of a Repertoire of Technical Professional Specialist Competencies for Operating Room Nurses: An Ethnographic Study.

Registered nurses in the operating room require specialized competencies that surpass basic educational training. Existing national and international documents attempt to outline these competencies but often lack comprehensive details. To address this, a repertoire of technical and professional competencies for operating room nurses, aligned with European and National Qualifications Frameworks, is proposed. Aim: Develop a repertoire of technical and professional competencies for perioperative and perianesthesiological specialist nursing roles. Methods: An at-home ethnography design was employed, utilizing participant observation, interviews to the double, and focus groups. Convenience sampling included 46 participants from a university and a public hospital in northern Italy. Data were collected from September 2021 to June 2023 and analyzed using inductive content analysis and data triangulation. Results: Identified 17 specialized technical professional competencies for perioperative and perianesthesiological nursing, divided into 6 areas of activity. These competencies encompass 19 learning outcomes, 152 tasks, 222 knowledge elements, and 218 skills. Conclusions: This competency repertoire aids in the public recognition of qualifications and serves as a valuable tool for identifying, validating, and certifying competencies. Future research should focus on exploring the competencies of central sterilization nurses and transversal competencies.

Leadership as an important component in the competencies of a young specialist

An innovative economy needs for highly qualified personnel with new competencies of the future. Presents the most demanded competencies of young professionals. The article shows that leadership and involvement are considered the main of the key skills. Leadership is a factor in increasing the efficiency and development of organizations in any sphere of the economy. The programs for the development of cross-professional skills are listed. Railway transport is widely supported by the development of leadership competencies of specialists. Main directions of the Quality Management System of Russian Railways are given. Discusses the possibilities of leadership development and universal leadership qualities. They are can be acquired in the learning process. In the article written opinion of employers that institutions of professional and higher education are positioned not only as sources of knowledge, but also as sources of formation of leadership potential and such qualities of students as purposefulness, adequacy, flexibility of thinking, responsibility. Concludes that it is necessary to form the leadership potential of students. The development of railway transport is impossible without interaction of educational institutions and the real sector. Discusses opinion that high-quality professional training and leadership qualities will create high motivation among graduates. Quality education and cross-professional skills will develop new leaders to strengthen the innovative potential of the country.

What competencies should early childhood educators possess for the future? An expert judgement approach

IntroductionThe objective of this research was to identify and discuss the professional competencies essential for early childhood educators to effectively navigate current challenges and anticipate future ones. The study aims to contribute to the development of a competency framework tailored specifically for early childhood education.MethodsA proposed set of general teaching competencies was subjected to validation by a panel of experts, including early childhood teachers and academic professionals specializing in this field. The process involved adapting and refining these competencies to suit the early childhood education stage.ResultsExpert consultation confirmed the relevance and appropriateness of the proposed competency dimensions for early childhood educators. The experts emphasized several critical aspects, including the importance of building relationships, providing emotional support, employing nonverbal communication, and fostering family involvement. They also highlighted the significance of observation and educational documentation in the early years.DiscussionThe findings underscore the need for reflection on the specific professional competencies required for early childhood educators, which is crucial for enhancing both initial and ongoing teacher training programs. This research contributes to the ongoing dialogue about the competencies necessary for educators, emphasizing the development of teaching practices that address the unique demands of early childhood education.