Toddler Teachers Research Articles

하이브리드 머신러닝 접근에 의한 영유아교사의 포괄적 행복척도 단축형 개발

Objective: This study develops and validates a shortened version of the Comprehensive Happiness Scale for early childhood teachers using a hybrid machine learning approach. Methods: Secondary data on 212 early childhood teachers were used to develop and validate a comprehensive 53-item happiness scale. First, the full 53-item data were fed through unsupervised learning to stratify the latent population for item responses. Next, candidate shortened versions with different item counts, (3-25 items), were created to investigate concurrent validity. The shortened instruments’ validity was compared using Kappa coefficients and AUC values calculated by supervised learning. Results: First, after inputting early childhood teachers’ response data on all 53 items, the entire sample (N = 212, m = 3.59, sd = 0.40) was stratified into three latent groups through unsupervised learning. These groups were identified to have lower overall composite happiness, with particularly low levels of “satisfaction and engagement with the organization” and “leisure and physical well-being” (N = 52, m = 3.11, sd = 0.18), higher overall composite happiness with particularly high levels of “psychological well-being” (N = 50, m = 4.11, sd = 0.25); and an intermediate group (N = 110, m = 3.58, sd = 0.17) similar to the total population mean and distributed between the other two groups' composite happiness levels. Second, the shortened 17-item instrument was adequate to categorize the low (Kappa = 0.98, AUC = 1.00), high (Kappa = 0.98, AUC = 1.00), and intermediate (Kappa = 0.85, AUC = 0.98) groups in terms of comprehensive happiness. Conclusions: A shortened 17-item instrument was developed to measure early childhood teachers’ comprehensive happiness. This shortened instrument can be used to more easily and accurately measure the happiness level of infant and toddler teachers and support their comprehensive happiness.

보육교사의 공감능력과 영유아 권리존중 간 관계

Objectives The purpose of this study is, first, to investigate the relationship between childcare teachers' empathy, respect for infants' rights, and childcare teachers' sensitivity, and secondly, to verify the mediating effect of sensitivity in the relationship between empathy and respect for infants' rights. Methods Empathy, respect for infants' rights, and sensitivity tests were conducted on 337 infant and toddler teachers at daycare centers located in South Chungcheong Province, Daejeon City, and Sejong City. Correlation analysis of each variable was conducted, and SPSS Process Macro Model 4 was used to verify the mediating effect of sensitivity in the impact of childcare teachers' empathy on respect for infants' rights. Results As a result of this study, first, it was found that childcare teachers' empathy, respect for infants' rights, and sensitivity were all significantly correlated. Second, the sensitivity of the childcare teacher completely mediated the relationship between respect for infants and children's rights. Sensitive interaction, a subfactor of sensitivity, fully mediated the relationship between the two variables, and insensitive interaction partially mediated the relationship between the two variables. Conclusions The results of this study showed the importance of enhancing childcare teachers' empathy and sensitivity in order to improve the quality of respect for infants' rights, and suggest the need to find intervention methods to help childcare teachers improve their sensitive interactions.

텍스트마이닝을 활용한 영유아 교육에서 돌봄 연구의 동향 분석

Objectives The purpose of this study is to analyze the overall trend of care research and obtain directions and implications for follow-up research by exploring trends in ‘care’ research in infant and toddler education using text mining. Methods Method For this purpose, the title, keywords, and Korean abstract of the paper were analyzed through text mining. The subject of analysis was a total of 76 degree and academic journal papers published in Korea from 2004, when care research emerged in infant and toddler education, to 2024. Results Using LDA analysis, the text mining analysis results were visualized as a word cloud, and as a result of the analysis of papers over the entire analysis period, the most frequent keyword was ‘infant/toddler teacher’, and the same pattern was seen in the keywords analyzed by curriculum period. Research on care in infant and toddler education conducted over the past 20 years has focused on ‘infant and toddler teachers’ and ‘infants and toddlers’, and although there are a small number of topics related to care in infant and toddler education in each curriculum period, discourse analysis and social change have continued to be conducted. It was confirmed that the studies reflected had been conducted steadily. In the care discourse on infant and toddler education, it was confirmed that interest in physical and mental self-care is increasing, from parental care and infant and toddler teacher care to public care that the state is responsible for and society works with. Conclusions By conceptualizing the characteristics that emerged from the analysis results, we categorized the discovered knowledge, and suggested that academic discussions on the policy agenda for care in early childhood education should be active and implications for self-care.

영유아 교사의 놀이신념 관련 연구동향 분석

Objectives This study analyzes the trends of domestic research related to play beliefs of infants and toddler teachers to provide basic data for the study of play beliefs, and suggests the direction and implications of subsequent studies. Methods 107 collected papers were systematically analyzed using the method of calculating frequency and percentage according to the research period, research subject, research method, research tool, and research topic. Results First, research related to play beliefs of infants and toddler teachers has been conducted continuously since 1998, and has increased sharply since 2020, when the 2019 revised Nuri course was applied to the field. Second, the most research has been conducted on incumbent teachers, and among them, research on early childhood teachers has been conducted with a higher proportion than infant teachers. Third, most of the research was conducted with quantitative research methods, and in particular, the most research examining the correlation between various variables related to play beliefs was conducted, showing a somewhat biased tendency. Fourth, the type that was adapted and modified from the PPBS of Fogle (2003) was the most used among all studies. Fifth, the most research has been conducted on ‘seeking variables related to play beliefs’. Conclusions Through the results of this study, it is significant in that it identifies the research trend of teachers' play beliefs that support infants' play, examines the limitations, and provides basic data on teachers' practices supporting play-oriented education in early childhood education sites to suggest the direction for future follow-up research related to play beliefs.

영유아교사의 셀프리더십 교사효능감, 교사전문성의 관계 및 경력에 따른 비교

Objectives The purpose of this study is to analyze the research model consisting of self-leadership, teacher effi-cacy, and teacher professionalism to enhance the professionalism of early childhood teachers, and to discuss vari-ous implications for enhancing teacher professionalism by conducting comparative analysis according to experience. Methods The subject of the study was data from a survey of 275 infant and toddler teachers working at early child-hood education institutions in Ulsan and Gyeongbuk regions, and descriptive statistical analysis was conducted to confirm demographic characteristics and characteristics of key variables using the SPSS 26 program. , Pearson correlation analysis to identify correlations between key variables, and a three-stage mediation effect analysis suggested by Baron & Kenny (1986) to verify the research model were conducted. In addition, a Sobel-test was conducted to confirm the significance of the mediation effect. Results First, early childhood teachers' self-leadership had a statically significant effect on teacher efficacy and teacher professionalism, and teacher efficacy also had a static effect on teacher professionalism. In addition, it was confirmed that there is a mediating effect of teacher efficacy in the relationship between self-leadership and teacher professionalism. In addition, as a result of the comparative analysis according to experience, it was con-firmed that the influence of cognitive factors on teacher professionalism among the subfactors of self-leadership was significant in those with less than 10 years, and that it was significant in teachers with more than 10 years of experience when teacher efficacy was mediated rather than direct effects. Conclusions Based on the results of the analysis, this study discussed the need for various programs and educa-tion that can enhance self-leadership and teacher efficacy in order to enhance teacher professionalism, and in particular, it was confirmed that the predictors that can increase teacher professionalism may vary depending on experience, so it is suggested that differentiated interventions according to career are required in professional im-provement education.

Variation in the Quality of Teacher–Child Interactions in Chinese Toddler Classrooms

ABSTRACT A growing number of toddlers are attending childcare institutions as part of China’s establishment of its infant – toddler childcare service system. However, there is limited empirical evidence available regarding the quality of these childcare services. The purpose of this study is to investigate the quality of teacher – child interactions in Chinese toddler classrooms. Eighty-eight childcare institutions were assessed using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System, Toddler Version (CLASS – Toddler). The findings indicated that, on average, teacher – child interactions were rated as being of moderate quality. The Emotional and Behavioral Support (EBS) domain scored higher quality levels compared to the Engaged Support for Learning (ESL) domain. Multilevel models revealed significant variations in teacher – child interactions across different types of activities. Free play activities demonstrated the highest EBS quality, while whole-group activities ranked the highest in terms of the ESL quality. Moreover, the children-to-teacher ratio was found to predict both the EBS and ESL quality, whereas group size was only associated with the EBS quality. The results from this study have important implications for future research and professional development of Chinese toddler teachers.

영유아교사가 요구하는 이미지 메이킹 교육의 필요성 분석연구

영유아교사가 요구하는 이미지 메이킹 교육의 필요성 분석연구

영유아 교사의 미디어 영향과 미디어 교육에 대한 인식

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to discover the media influence and perception of media education for infants and toddlers. Research questions for this were set as infant teachers' perception of media and infant teachers' perception of media education.
 Methods: For this study, a preliminary survey was conducted after composing a questionnaire through related prior research and literature analysis. This survey was conducted by wireless sampling infant teachers working in educational fields in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province and distributing data face-to-face and non-face-to-face from September 28, 2022, to October 31, 2022. A total of 290 copies of data were collected, but 268 copies of data were finally selected excluding twenty-two copies of unfaithful responses. For the collected data, frequency analysis, mean, standard deviation, skewness, and kurtosis were calculated according to the research questions using SPSS 29.0.
 Results: When the research results were presented according to the research questions, first, the media was recognized as affecting infants and toddlers. The biggest positive influence was the convenient acquisition of information and knowledge to solve questions in infancy when curiosity was high, and the biggest negative influence was to imitate the wrong actions and words of characters appearing in the media. In addition, among various media, digital media had an enormous influence and print media such as newspapers and magazines were recognized as having little influence. Second, there was a need for media education for infants and toddlers, and the leader of media education was recognized as a teacher. In addition, it was recognized that the most important goal of media education is to cultivate the habit of responsible and safe use of media.
 Conclusion: In conclusion, infant and toddler teachers should be able to use media in terms of education in consideration of its positive and negative influences. In addition, it is required that media education programs for infants and toddlers in development should reflect changes in the digital media environment, and it is necessary to cultivate teachers' capacity for media education through educational training for teachers.

Infant/toddler mentor teachers’ professional learning through weekly co-planning meetings with preservice teachers

ABSTRACT Using communities of practice as a theoretical framework, the present study explored seven infant and toddler teachers’ professional learning in the context of weekly co-planning meetings with preservice teachers in four classrooms over one semester. Data sources included semi-structured interviews, observations, video-recordings, documents, and fieldnotes. The findings show that the teachers considered co-planning as crucial to their professional development. During co-planning, the teachers gained multiple perspectives through collective discussions; engaged in critical reflection; created new ideas of practice collaboratively; and enhanced their sense of professionalism. In addition, the preservice teachers were catalysts for the teachers’ reflection. The discussion highlights co-planning as a vehicle for sustaining a culture of reflective practice and collaborative inquiry; an opportunity to co-construct new knowledge and practice; and a space where teacher autonomy, collaboration, and experiential learning intersect to empower teachers in professional learning. Lastly, the study discusses ways to honor and support infant and toddler teachers’ professionalism.

영유아 교사의 수업환경조절전략 활용능력과 수업역량의 관계에서 교수 창의성의 조절 효과

Objectives This study aimed to test the moderating effect of teaching creativity on the relationship between infant and toddler teachers' classroom environment control strategies and teaching competence.
 Methods This study was conducted with 230 teachers working in daycare centers and kindergartens located in Seoul and Gyeonggi. Data were collected through a web-based survey from March 15 to March 30, 2021, and descriptive statistics were presented for each variable using the SPSS v25.0 program. Third, it was confirmed that teaching creativity moderates the effect of classroom environment control strategies on teaching competence.
 Results First, it was confirmed that infant and toddler teachers' strategies for controlling the classroom environment affected their teaching competence. Second, it was found that teaching creativity had a statistically significant effect on teaching competence. Third, it was found that teaching creativity has a positive moderating effect on teaching competence when teaching environment control strategies have a positive effect on teaching competence.
 Conclusions This study examined the moderating effect of teaching creativity on the relationship between classroom management strategies and teaching competence of infant and toddler teachers. The results showed that classroom management strategies had a significant effect on teaching competence, and the effect of teaching creativity on teaching competence was also confirmed.

Country-specific narratives of the professional preparation of infant–toddler teachers in Hong Kong China, Aotearoa New Zealand and the USA

ABSTRACT Using a qualitative descriptive design, researchers describe andidentify similarities and differences in the professional preparation of infant-toddler care and education (ITCE) teachers at university based teacher education programmes in Hong Kong China, Aotearoa New Zealand, and the USA. Researchers overview the ITCE landscape, describe statutory regulations, and consider major documents and prevalent ideas influencing ITCE teacher education in their respective countries. Key findings are presented from each researcher’s analysis of the teacher education programmes at their own institutions and then summarised in descriptive narratives around four major themes: (1) country-specific values, (2) pedagogical elements, (3) curriculum focus, and (4) teaching practicum expectations. On the basis of a dialogic deliberative process, the three researchers then discuss the findings together by deliberating upon how culture in the forms of norms, values, prevailing beliefs, and expectations, appeared to – intentionally or unintentionally – shape the three different approaches to preparing students to become fully-qualified teachers of infants and toddlers.

Strengthening infant and toddler pedagogy through an online specialised postgraduate qualification: building on initial teacher education and teaching experience

ABSTRACT In Aotearoa New Zealand, there has been a significant increase in the numbers of infants and toddlers participating in ‘out-of-home’ care and education settings. While initial teacher education programmes include references to this age group, due to competing priorities in the programmes, space to include the depth of knowledge required is scarce. In 2020, Te Rito Maioha Early Childhood New Zealand developed and implemented an online specialist infant and toddler learning and development postgraduate diploma qualification. The online programme employs multi-disciplinary theories and research from fields such as education, health, and social services to support a holistic view of learning, development, and wellbeing. This paper draws on collaborative self-study and survey methodologies that investigated the key requirements of an effective online specialist infant and toddler postgraduate qualification and how these supported teachers to engage with the learning. Our findings highlight the positive impact of the qualification on infant and toddler teacher identity and pedagogy and, from their perspective, improved outcomes for infants and toddlers. Key aspects of success were asynchronous online delivery, teacher-educator availability, and multi-disciplinary perspectives. Keywords: infant; toddler; online; specialisation; pedagogy; self-study; teacher-educator availability, and multi-disciplinary perspectives.

Confirmatory factor analysis of the infant feeding styles questionnaire in infant and toddler child care teachers

Early childhood is a critical time of development. Caregiver feeding style, including of child care providers, has been implicated in influencing children's food preferences and obesity. A better understanding of the determinants of child care providers' feeding styles is important as children increasingly receive daily care and nutrition in child care centers. Valid instruments to measure provider feeding styles specifically for infants are needed. This study's objective was to validate, for use with child care providers, the Infant Feeding Styles Questionnaire (IFSQ), an instrument originally designed for parents of infants and toddlers. Study data came from the Baby Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (Baby NAP SACC) study, a cluster randomized trial, designed to evaluate the efficacy of a six-month-long obesity prevention intervention in child care centers. The IFSQ was administered at baseline and follow-up to infant and toddler teacher participants (n = 244). Scores for baseline IFSQ teacher responses (n = 219) were calculated for the 13 sub-constructs across the five feeding styles. We tested reliability with Cronbach's alpha coefficients and performed confirmatory factor analysis to examine factor loadings and goodness of fit characteristics, modifying constructs to achieve best fit. Reliability coefficients ranged from 0.42 to 0.82 for all sub-constructs. Goodness of fit indices for the final model ranged from: root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) 0.000–0.082; comparative fit index (CFI) 0.943–1.000; Tucker–Lewis index (TLI) 0.906–1.000; and standardized root mean squared error (SRMR) 0.006–0.130. In a sample of racially diverse infant and toddler child care teachers, final models of the laissez-faire, pressuring, and responsive constructs and the restrictive-diet quality sub-construct performed well. Overall model fit was poor for the indulgence construct, but good for solely its corresponding belief items.

Toddler-teacher interaction and teachers' sensitivity as predictors of toddler's development during COVID-19: Stability or change over time.

This study examined the stability and change patterns among toddlers' interactions with their teachers, teachers' sensitivity, and toddlers' development during the COVID-19 pandemic and the three plausible paths were tested to identify which of the study variables affected the development of toddlers in subsequent periods over time. The subjects of this study were 63 toddlers and 6 head teachers who attended a subsidized child care center, located in Kyunggi province, Korea. In order to carry out the research objectives, a non-experimental survey research design was undertaken, and the qualitative data was obtained via on-site observations by trained researchers. With regard to continuity and change patterns among the study variables toddlers who had been actively involved in initiating their verbal interactions with teachers showed more verbal interactions with their teachers even after 4 months passed. Also, it was found that the early (T1) social disposition of toddlers and the behavioral interaction that toddlers had initiated with teachers revealed a significant effect, supporting each of the three models, which are simultaneous, cumulative, and complex paths. The main results of this research support the contention that the interaction patterns vary by contexts of subject, time, and history, indicating that it would be useful to understand new competencies required for teachers within the context of the multi-faceted ramifications of the pandemic on toddler development.

Stress Intensity and Exhaustion Among Infant and Toddler Teachers: Descriptive Analysis and Associations with Sources of Stress and Coping Strategy Use

ABSTRACT This study described infant/toddler teachers’ (N = 106) perceptions of stress intensity and exhaustion (emotional, physical, mental) intensity. We examined the associations between stress and exhaustion and teachers’ reports of stress sources and coping strategy use. Using ecological momentary assessment (EMA), teachers from Early Head Start (EHS), EHS childcare-partnerships, or independent childcare programs (Midwestern U.S.) completed twice-weekly reports of: stress and exhaustion intensity; stress sources (workload, children’s behaviors, personal life); and, coping strategies (support from colleagues, distraction, mindfulness techniques, reframing). Research Findings: Stress and exhaustion reports were similar to studies of preschool teachers. Workload and personal life stressors were associated with stress and all exhaustion types. Teachers used fewer than two different coping strategies/per reporting day. Only reframing was negatively associated with stress and emotional exhaustion. Teachers reported greater stress at end-of-week than beginning-of-week. Older teachers reported greater stress and emotional exhaustion. Although one-third of teachers reported >4 ACEs, early adversity was not associated with stress or exhaustion. Practice or Policy: We discuss the results relative to the sparse literature on infant/toddler teachers’ well-being and suggest areas for professional development supports while underscoring the need for EHS federal policy makers and program administrators to consider how to reduce/streamline workload.

The Effects of a Relationship-Focused Professional Development Intervention on Infant and Toddler Teachers' Mindfulness-Based Strategies for Coping.

Teaching is a demanding profession with teachers of very young children reporting high rates of stress and exhaustion. We tested the effects of a relationship-focused professional development intervention designed to enhance teachers' use of mindfulness-based strategies to support coping on trajectories of teachers' stress, exhaustion (emotional, physical, and mental), and coping. Infant and toddler teachers (N = 81) from Early Head Start (EHS) or EHS childcare partnerships (CCP) were randomized to the intervention or usual care control condition. Using ecological momentary assessment, teachers completed twice-weekly reports of stress, exhaustion, coping, and coping strategy effectiveness via smartphones for 40 weeks. Multilevel linear regression modeling, accounting for within-person repeated measures, showed no intervention effects on stress and exhaustion trajectories. Teachers in the intervention reported increased use of mindfulness-based strategies for coping over time as compared to the control group, although frequency of use peaked and then declined. While perceptions of stress and exhaustion did not change, teachers' increased use of mindfulness-based strategies suggests improvements in how teachers managed stress and exhaustion; however, the decline in use of coping suggests the need for ongoing support within the workplace.

The BabyTok Project: Examining the Feasibility and Acceptability of a Light-Touch Social Media Project for Infant-Toddler Teachers.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10643-022-01426-y.

영아교사의 행복감과 전문성 발달수준이 교사-영아 상호작용에 미치는 영향

Objectives In this study, the relationship between the toddler teacher s happiness and professional development level, and the teacher-toddler interaction was examined, and the effect of the toddler teacher s happiness and professional development level on the teacher-toddler interaction was analyzed.
 Methods This study was conducted with 339 homeroom teachers in the infant class working at daycare centers located in Gwangju and Jeollanam-do. For data collection, after explaining the purpose and purpose of the study, the research data were collected from the teachers in the infant class who agreed to participate in the study through a test tool for feelings of happiness, professional development, and teacher-infant interaction. As for the collection method, questionnaires were distributed and collected through direct visits or mail. The collected data were verified through mean, standard deviation, Pearson correlation analysis and stepwise multiple regression analysis.
 Results As a result of the study, first, in examining toddler teachers’ happiness and teacher-toddler interaction, a positive relationship between toddler teachers happiness and professionalism was observed. A high correlation existed between the happiness of toddler teachers and high level of professional development. Second, the higher level of toddler teachers’ happiness and level of professional development, effect on teacher-toddler interaction. The independent factors such as knowledge, professional development, ecological development, inner happiness, and self-understanding development, affected self-leadership on teacher-toddler interaction teachers are high, teacher-toddler interaction
 Conclusions The results of this study suggest that if the toddler teachers’ happiness and professional development level of the toddler is also positive. Therefore, this suggests that support for high-quality interaction with toddlers should be provided by raising the level of happiness and professional development of toddler teachers through various re-education and regular training.

Infant–toddler teachers’ compassionate pedagogies for emotionally intense experiences

ABSTRACT This paper examines compassionate pedagogies in relation to an emotionally intense experience in a long day-care centre. Video observations were made of international preservice teachers undertaking an infant–toddler professional experience in Australia. The study is informed by Vygotsky’s cultural–historical concept of emotional experience [perezhivanie]. The analysis involves a situation where a toddler is crying and a pre-service teacher is providing support. Findings show that the pre-service teacher made intuitive attempts to show an embodied compassion (e.g. touch), but also needed compassion from her mentor teachers to navigate this experience. Implications include recognition that preservice teachers’ intuitive responses to affectionate touch are starting points for enacting compassionate pedagogies. Pre-service teachers’ approach to holding hands as a physical and compassionate form of touch may be helpful for navigating emotionally intense experiences. However, preservice teachers need more intentional support from mentors to develop compassionate pedagogies.

Toddler teachers' responses to tantrums and relations to successful resolutions

AbstractToddler tantrums are a typical part of child development but can cause stress to the teacher–child relationship (Schindler et al., 2015). Understanding how to resolve tantrums is an important skill, yet there is little research to guide teachers. The present study observed two toddler‐classrooms, examining teachers' responses to 46 tantrums, and the results of these responses. Exploratory analysis examined the applicability of a popular framework for conceptualizing tantrums as emotional or cognitive. Results suggest when toddler teachers used a combination of emotionally supportive strategies, 91% of tantrums were resolved. The use of controlling strategies suggests teachers need support on effective responses to tantrums. The ability to categorize tantrums suggests a framework many practitioners endorse could be useful in communicating effective strategies.