Undertaking infant-toddler practicum during initial teacher education is critical to ensuring preservice teachers (PSTs) are well prepared for their future role as early childhood teachers. PSTs, however, can face challenges in infant-toddler practicum given the demands of this unique teaching and learning context. A knowledgeable, experienced…

In Portugal, professional preparation for working with infants and toddlers is often characterized as insufficient and/or inadequate in light of the specific professionalism required for working with very young children. This study is situated in initial professional education (IPE) and, in particular, on practicum experiences within an early…

Teaching practicum has an essential contribution to the professional development of pre-service teachers. This study aimed to identify how the students enrolled in the Pedagogy of Preschool and Primary Education experienced the role of teaching practicum from the perspective of the theory learned during the courses and the reality in the…

Children begin learning about gender stereotypes as early as age two. The pre-primary education system does not always deliver on its potential to tackle and address harmful gender stereotypes while they are being absorbed by the youngest learners. All components of the pre-primary system have a role to play in breaking down these stereotypes.…

The present study explores the experiences of fifteen Early Childhood pre-professionals on a University lead short-term study abroad program to Finland. The purpose of the study was to investigate the impact of the 10-day-long experience on students' attitudes and perceptions particularly on their professional growth, personal, and cultural gains.…

The present study aimed to empirically evaluate the knowledges, attitudes and perspectives of pre-service teachers towards Indigenous peoples, and to identify relationships between student learning experiences and student knowledges, attitudes and preparedness to work with Indigenous peoples, at one Australian university. The project was part of a…

In its recent white paper, "A Pivot Toward Clinical Practice," the American Association for Colleges of Teacher Education (AACTE) echoed the call heralded almost a decade ago by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education's (NCATE) Blue Ribbon Report that highlighted the need for the development of authentic settings in…

Today's PK-12 teachers and students navigate an increasingly interconnected and interdependent world. This growing interconnectedness and need to navigate life and work in our globalized world have prompted calls for teacher educators around the world to design changes in coursework that inspire teachers to create learning experiences to foster…

This book began as a deep discussion among administrators, teachers, researchers, teacher educators, and educational consultants concerned about the critical reduction of play, engaged learning opportunities, and intellectually stimulating experiences in classrooms for toddlers through the primary grades. This group made a pact to organize and…

This design case shows a course designed for teaching preservice teachers about how to design literacy-infused STEAM learning experiences that involve both making and the use of educational technology at a large Midwestern land-grant university in the U.S. This course emphasizes the high-tech making activities in PK-12 formal education that offers…

Children's early numeracy knowledge predicts later academic performance, yet many children do not experience optimal math instruction. This study investigated the impact of academic service-learning (ASL) in an early childhood teacher preparation math course and answered the following research question: Was the ASL experience effective in…

Issues of standardization, student achievement, and diversity have dramatically altered teaching within early childhood programs across the United States. This has created a situation in which teacher educators need to assist practicing and preservice teachers working in these contexts with formulating instructional responses that address…

Individuals engaging in recreational pursuits, education, work environments, and many other institutional settings are likely to be separated by age. This common practice is often considered an optimal way to facilitate programs. However, the separation of age groups has created societal consequences. It has encouraged a fear of aging and promoted…

Based on findings from a semester-long study, this article examines the development of Samoan prospective teachers' mathematical understandings and mathematics attitudes when investigating authentic contexts and applying working mathematically processes, mental computations and problem-solving strategies to find solutions of problems. The…

Student satisfaction is widely recognized as an indicator of the quality of students' learning and teaching experience. This study aims to highlight how satisfied students (from the primary and preschool pedagogy specialization within the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, who are studying to become future kindergarten and primary…