ERIC Number: ED653474
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 198
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 979-8-3823-2971-0
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
A Narrative Inquiry into the Storied Lives of Birth through Kindergarten Licensed Early Childhood Educators
Amanda Rae Vestal
ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte
The quality of inclusion for young children with disabilities in early childhood learning environments has long been attributed to the effectiveness of the teachers within such settings. As the service delivery system has shifted toward more inclusive models, endeavors to improve preparation for inclusion have been marked by efforts to combine the fields of early childhood education and early childhood special education. While the initial development of such programs, commonly referred to as blended, came from the belief that the approach would promote inclusion, it remains unclear how well they actually prepare educators for inclusive practice. Additionally, high variability persists in both inclusive practice and blended preparation, impacting how teachers construct knowledge, a critical component of teacher identity development. This narrative inquiry explored the storied lives of six educators through the contextual theories of teacher identity development and blended preparation identity development. Findings illuminated participants' professional identity has been constructed across time as they: a) gained new theoretical knowledge that informed their belief systems, b) were engaged in eye opening experiences that impacted personal and professional paradigm shifts, and c) as their perception of agency was enhanced by bidirectional social influences. Implications for research and professional practice are discussed. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
Descriptors: Preschool Teachers, Inclusion, Students with Disabilities, Professional Identity, Educational Practices, Teacher Attitudes, Faculty Development, Teacher Effectiveness, Educational Quality, Delivery Systems, Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Preschool Education
ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway, P.O. Box 1346, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. Tel: 800-521-0600; Web site: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml
Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: Early Childhood Education; Preschool Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A