Getting pupils closer to nature seems essential, even more, after the pandemic. Therefore, schools and teachers have to take active part in this process trying to hold as many outdoor classes as possible. The implementation of this methodology requires well prepared teachers, which depends on teacher training institutions. In this regard, 551…

This paper reports on a small-scale research project that aimed to examine the impact of assessment changes to a second-year course called Tuhura Nga Toi Ahuatanga: Exploring the Role of the Expressive Arts in Education. This 30-credit course is part of a Bachelor of Education (Early childhood teaching) at a pre-service education provider in…

A goal of university undergraduate early childhood teacher preparation programs is to create meaningful experiences that allow teacher candidates to learn theory and evidence-based best practices they will carry into their classrooms as professional educators. They should have direct interactions with young learners to apply coursework to the real…

In this study, nine preservice teachers' online teaching performances in their teaching practicum during COVID-19 were examined. Altogether, 42 online storytelling activities were recorded, and preservice teachers' views were collected in a 120-minute focus group. We employed thematic analysis to code the participants' reflections, to understand…

In-service general education teachers receive limited pre-service training in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) systems and strategies. Therefore, pre-service training should expose general education teacher candidates to the field of AAC and its benefits. This study investigated the efficacy of an online professional development…

This article aims to provide practical strategies and examples for pre-service early education programs and early education teachers to develop music- and movement-based curricula for teacher preparation programs and early childhood music classrooms. To address the inconsistencies in early childhood music programs, the authors developed the…

Educators in many countries must meet the educational needs of students who are not fluent in the language of instruction. Professional learning focused on incremental or individual teacher change has failed to improve student learning trajectories (Cuban, 2013; Gorski & Zenkov, 2014). This article explores Brookfield's (2012) critical…

It is obviously known that young children learn best through play-based, community-based and project-based approaches to learning. Play is an every thing for children through which they experience the world. A child playing is practicing minds-on, hearts-on and hands-on activities. This study was aimed at the exploration of play-based instruction…

The stubborn dominance of objectivity in child observation in pre-service early childhood education warrants letting go of as we confront its limitations as outdated, problematic, Eurocentric, neo-liberal and even racist. In the context of recent aims to establish 'critically reflective' practices, such as 'pedagogical documentation' and…

The purpose of this study is to analyze the reflections of future kindergarten teachers when designing didactic sequences with the use of the bee-bot robot. A qualitative methodological design was followed to achieve this objective, collecting the data through a written record prepared by the participants from collaborative work. A total of 25…

There is a plethora of research within the field of early childhood education that discusses how early childhood teacher educators prepare preservice teachers to integrate technology within their curriculum. However, little is known about how early childhood preservice teachers think and make decisions about technology use when they plan lessons…

Early childhood inclusion for disabled children is a priority area as jointly stated by United Nations' and European Commission's policies. Educators have a crucial role in supporting all children's learning by working cooperatively with parents. However, their internalized ableist/disablist beliefs and misconceptions can inhibit the process of…

Even with increasing calls for both researchers and educators to attend to the "E" in STEM from within the larger field of STEM education, little is known about the practices that serve to support early educators' pedagogy and related content knowledge of engineering design. Using multiple methods in a revelatory, embedded, single-case…

This study was an attempt to compare the distinctive features in current Early Childhood Teacher Education (ECTE) curricula conducted at two universities, one in China, and one in the US. Document reviews, interviews, and questionnaires shed light on the two different approaches to curriculum design. Two program directors and 25 participants,…

The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning defines social and emotional learning (SEL) as "the process through which children and adults understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions." It…