Teacher Professional Development and Teaching Practices in Early Childhood Education: An International Landscape

Title: Metaphors for teaching robotics to improve Computational Thinking in Early Childhood Education

Abstract: There is increasingly a need to develop methodologies or approaches to teach Computational Thinking (CT) to Early Childhood Education children due to how complicated it is at these ages. A very important objective is to provide future teachers with effective methodologies that result in better and greater learning in their future students. This article presents a methodology for teaching robotics based on metaphors to increase computational thinking. An experience has been carried out with 120 undergraduate students of Early Childhood degree at the University, aged between 18-19 years (preservice teachers) who are training in Computer Science and Digital Competence course in their degree. The experimental group has used a methodology based on metaphors to learn educational robotics while the control group has learned it without this methodology. The gain in computational thinking has been measured with a validated test for early childhood education students (which they can also use in the classroom in the future) and it has been proven that the results of gain in computational thinking and attitude towards learning are significantly better in the group that has learned with the methodology based on metaphors. Therefore, preservice teachers have acquired adequate training to ensure that their future students improve their CT with robotics.

Title: Understanding Teaching as Relational Processes

Abstract: According to Pianta (1999), the most critical components for children’s social and academic learning are consistent and safe relationships with at least one significant adult. In addition to children’s parents, preschool teachers often hold the role of being a significant figure for their preschool children. Thus, the relationship between the teacher and the child is to be seen as a prerequisite for children’s social, emotional, and academical learning (Pianta, 1999; Pianta & Stuhlman, 2004). However, teacher–child interaction quality and its associations with child development remains a surprisingly understudied area (Salminen et al., 2021). Similarly, within teacher education, there is relatively little emphasis on teaching about relationships and relationship-building (Borremans & Spilt, 2023; Wang et al., 2016). How these relational communities are built and maintained is a central issue for all teacher education. Thus, a relational understanding of teaching presupposes research on how relationship-building is constructed and manifested in and through interaction, as well as methods designed to explore such processes (cf. Aspelin, 2022). The article discusses which theoretical concepts and methodological approaches can be relevant and useful for understanding and develop teacher- child relationships in early childhood education.

Title: Antibias culturally responsive professional learning for early childhood teacher education: Perspectives of pre-service teachers

Abstract: The purpose of this interpretive phenomenological study was to examine perspectives of early childhood preservice teachers regarding their views on pedagogical practices that support their development as anti-bias culturally responsive early childhood educators. While the purpose of this research was to seek leaners views, - on what helps them” learn or not”, it is also an introspection of teaching practices in teacher education. Bates (2010, p. 270) notes that it is critical for teacher educators to continually engage in self- reflection and “evaluation of their practice as part of continuing personal and professional development”. Open-ended questions, writing reflective and interviews were used to get participants perspectives. Findings indicated that preservice teachers valued collaborative activities, individual reflective writing, instructor’s guided activities, and experiential/service-learning experiences. Data also revealed that pre-service were hesitant to engage controversial topics such as racism, sexism, and climate change. The study has implications for teacher education programs regarding explicitly addressing societal social issues such as cultural bias, and race/ethnicity to promote anti-bias and culturally responsive teaching practices in preservice teacher education.

Title: Engendering Playful Purpose in Preservice Early Childhood Educator Preparation: Why Community-Engaged Courses Matter

Abstract: Play is often called the work of children, but questions abound about how early childhood educators are prepared to support children’s learning through play. In this study, we investigated undergraduate preservice teachers’ perception of community-engaged coursework in the early childhood and elementary educator preparation program of a U.S.-based, Hispanic Serving Institution and how such a course could support students’ professional development and capacity for planning playful lessons. We analyzed data collected by our institutional Center for Community Engagement to understand impacts of field-based engagement on students’ experiences. Findings indicate that despite initially mixed perceptions, students developed professionally and felt positively about engaging children in various play types in the classroom. Practical implications for teacher educators and directions for future research are discussed.