This study examined Estonian and Finnish teachers' conceptions of their own learning and of possible ways to learn. Altogether, 70 teachers participated in the study. Theoretical and methodological solutions were directed according to the phenomenographic approach. For most teachers, learning appeared to be at the surface level and focused on the…

Novice teachers' need for support and induction is widely recognized, and so is the role of principals in that process. Accountability-driven reforms in education have compelled principals to increasingly focus on managerial responsibilities, whereas teachers are subjected to external assessment of their professional qualities and their students'…

In addition to content knowledge, it is necessary to teach learning skills. Using relevant learning skills assures better learning outcomes and abilities for the whole life course. Due to a packed curriculum or teachers having insufficient skills, student learning skills are often neglected. The aim of this study is to find out whether it is…

Teachers in kindergartens and schools also fill an important role of values educators. The study examined teachers' socialisation values and their links with teachers' personal values, age, education, and educational setting (kindergarten vs school). A total of 391 teachers in Estonia filled in the Schwartz's Portrait Values Questionnaire that…

The implications of mindfulness theory, created within a post-positivist tradition, in the context of education and connecting it to a social constructivist methodology are a challenge. We carried out this study using a mixed method approach: questionnaires and semi-structured interviews in a pilot project with a purposeful sample of 27 teachers;…

Cultural diversity in Estonia has been expanding through migration and hence the need to teach newly arrived migrant students (NAMSs) has become an important issue in the Estonian education system. This study examined intercultural competence across domains relating to the attitudes, knowledge and skills of teachers. A total of 167 teachers from…

Since education is a dynamic process and open to contemporary changes, professionalism which is vitally important for the sustainability of teacher education, has gained importance. Recent studies have emphasised the relations between professionalism and quality of teacher education and sustainability. The aim of the current study was to interview…

Integration of technology in schools rests on effective teacher education programmes that help teachers create new teaching and learning methods and adopt them for classroom use. Social learning processes play a key role in this, but there is a lack of understanding of their role in technology adoption and in evidencing them in teacher education…

Transition from early childhood education to primary school is a complex phenomenon. This situation, moving from one educational system to another, is exciting, but can also be stressful for the child, her family and preschool teachers. Smooth transition to primary school helps children feel secure, relaxed and comfortable in their new…

The Estonian National Curriculum for Preschool Child Care Institutions values learning through games, observation and research in various environments. There are no official guidelines regarding the frequency of outdoor learning or the content that children should experience, but outdoor learning creates the best opportunities to accomplish this…

The objective of this study was to analyse assessments made by principals, teachers and parents regarding the performance of values education in Estonian kindergartens. Six fields of activity were investigated: formulating and explaining values, promoting values, having a systematic approach towards values education, kindergarten culture,…

This study reflects Estonian preschool teachers' perceptions about and experience related to children in need in the context of neglect and abuse. Using quantitative and qualitative data, it was determined that, in general, teachers understand the meaning of "child in need" and abuse, and they have had experience with such children in…

The purpose of this study is to describe Finnish and Estonian preschool teachers' thoughts on the problems they encounter in their pedagogical work in the preschool context. The study involved interviews with 80 preschool teachers (40 in each country). The theoretical framework of the study is based on quality as a pedagogical phenomenon, whereby…

Establishing national framework curricula is a growing tendency in early childhood education internationally, and is considered to be part of the regulatory requirements framework for enhancing preschool teachers' professionalism. A topical issue in this context is whether and how teachers themselves see these practices as contributing to their…

The current study investigated the ratings of Estonian, Finnish, Swedish and Hungarian preschool teachers and principals regarding the professionalism of preschool teachers within a cross-cultural context. According to reports commissioned by the European Commission and OECD, the professionalism of preschool teachers is a key factor in ensuring…