Tesis sobre el tema "Early childhood education, early childhood teacher training, early childhood teacher education"

The purpose of this research study is to identify teachers&rsquo
perceptions on the effectiveness of their teacher education programs in supporting their professional practices. The data to the study were gathered through semi-structured interviews with 17 in-service teachers working in public early childhood institutions in Ankara. The data were analyzed through the emerging codes and themes shaped by the research questions. The results indicated that the 1998 program the study intended to investigate was found to be relatively satisfying in terms of developing professional teach ing competencies. The major weakness was reported to be theory-oriented structure which did not allow for ample practice opportunities both in the courses and in the field experiences. Moreover, due to the infancy ages of the field, the contents of courses offered were perceived to be in line with the essentials of primary and elementary level which contradicts the necessities of early childhood teaching. The findings were further discussed and interpreted.

This study examines the growth and development of a program for the preparation of special education teachers in Early Childhood Education, Following an overview of historical perspectives in Early Childhood and Special Education, including international influences, models which would aid in the development of such a program are discussed. The Provincial Child Care Facilities Licensing Board and the Ministry of Education, of British Columbia expressed a wish for the development of post-basic special education programs in Early Childhood Education and their willingness to fund several programs in the province. Their critieria and support is included in a description of the development, implementation and evaluation of the Early Childhood: Special Education Program at Vancouver Community College? Langara Campus. The purpose of this study is, therefore, to provide information on the development of such a program and to examine the needs and possible future directions of teacher preparation in special education for Early Childhood Education.
Education, Faculty of
Graduate

First, a description of the Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) field is developed through: an historical overview, a discussion of the unique features of the ECSE field, and a review of ECSE leadership preparation. Secondly, this study expands the currently limited knowledge base about ECSE leadership preparation. Based on data collected across the United States for the 1995-1996 and 1996-1997 school years, this dissertation identified IHEs that offered doctoral preparation in ECSE, described the characteristics and components of ECSE doctoral preparation, described ECSE faculty and doctoral students, and identified trends. Qualitative data revealed that IHEs characterized their doctoral programs as committed to promoting quality services to infants and young children with disabilities and their families and to producing interdisciplinary leaders. Data was presented to describe program characteristics, required components, curriculum opportunities, and implementation of interdisciplinary focus. Evidence was presented that confirmed strong structural supports for an interdisciplinary focus. Varied interdisciplinary curriculum opportunities included ECSE course work, internships, and research options. IHEs were found to have relatively stable faculties and student enrollments. ECSE leadership preparation appeared to be both established and dynamic in its responsiveness to the rapid changes in the field. A major finding of this study was that there were few descriptions of the standards or competencies used for ECSE leadership preparation. The major recommendations included: establishing a national comprehensive database system, a joint effort to conceptualize ECSE leadership and develop strategies to promote ECSE leadership preparation, and, specific research topics to address the information needs of ECSE leadership preparation. Finally, initial guidelines for developing ECSE leadership preparation programs were presented.

This study investigated early childhood teachers' knowledge of the following four components of the professional knowledge base: goals of geometry, child development and geometry, geometry curriculum and curriculum content, and geometric concepts. Eight experienced early childhood teachers in grades kindergarten through two participated in interviews on each of the four knowledge components. Their responses to interview questions and geometric concept activities were electronically recorded and transcribed for analysis of patterns, trends, or themes which emerged for the group. The teachers knew how geometry would benefit students and could elucidate their own goals when teaching geometry. They were more familiar with their district's curriculum and performance objectives for geometry than they were with state or national goals. They had ideas about what constitutes developmentally appropriate practice, both generally and in geometry education. Child development as it relates to geometry was an elusive concept. Their expertise in this area was primarily based on their experiences as teachers and their faith in the district's curriculum. They were somewhat familiar with pedagogical aspects of their grade level curricula, including expectations, materials, and resources, with shape names being their primary focus. They were less familiar with subject matter issues such as the scope and content of the geometry curricula in the grades preceding and following theirs, important geometric concepts for primary students, and the role of spatial visualization in children's development of geometry. When solving geometric problems, they tended to be anxious and uncertain but overall were persistent problem solvers who willingly communicated their thinking. Their problem solving was marked by doubt, self-talk, hand movements, and ambiguity. In general there was evidence of difficulty with class inclusion, deductive reasoning, and conceptual verbalization.

Teacher training institutions in Jamaica have been introducing, developing, and revamping undergraduate degree programs. There is, however, little evaluation of these efforts. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine The Mico University College's early childhood education undergraduate degree program by exploring the lived experiences of its graduates. The research questions elicited from the participants their views about how changes were being implemented in the program, and how they impacted the institution's development and improvement, how major policy shifts related to changes in national educational policies, and how together these shifts may impact future processes at The Mico and at similar institutions in Jamaica. The study used theoretical frameworks of organization development and performance improvement. In-depth semi-structured interviews were the main source of data collection and were supported by thick description, memoing, reflexive journaling, and document review. Data analysis methods consisted of coding interview transcripts and identifying common themes. The results of the study indicated that the participants commended many of the program's underlying policies and operational practices, but they identified some challenges and areas of weakness. This study may be used as a backdrop to program development and policy initiation at The Mico and at other institutions in Jamaica and the Caribbean as it encapsulates a wide breadth of the lived experiences of the participants and examines key components such as curricula, pedagogy, and assessment. By strengthening their program offerings, The Mico and other teacher training institutions have the potential to improve performance and to contribute to sustainable national development.

This phenomenological study explored five pre-kindergarten and five kindergarten teachers' expectations for entering kindergarteners, the sources of teachers' expectations, and nature of collaborations between pre-kindergarten and kindergarten programs. Data was collected through face-to-face interviews. The findings suggested that: (a) there were similarities and differences in expectations of both groups of teachers; (b) participants did not have differential expectations for children from different backgrounds, such as children's race and ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status; (c) teachers' ideal expectations did not always match with the competencies of children in their own classrooms; (d) teachers' classroom experience was the most influential source of teachers' expectations; and (e) there was no systematic collaborative relationships between participating pre-kindergarten and kindergarten programs. The study's findings suggest the need for sustained collaborative relationships among preschool programs, kindergarten, and families of preschoolers to communicate realistic expectations for kindergarten.

This qualitative study explored the changes in the practice of early childhood education (ECE) teachers in a specific Montessori program after a series of trainings. This study’s purpose was to compare the teacher practices in a Montessori preschool program before and after specific pedagogical training. The ECE teachers were trained in a four-week series of didactic sessions on Montessori philosophy and pedagogy. On week days the teachers were mentored by observation, direct feedback, and guidance of practice. Classes met 15 hours per week for a total of 60 contact hours. Prior to the beginning of the training classes a baseline of each teacher was established according to the qualities identified for the study. These qualities included the teacher’s subjective view of young children, their perception of their teaching role, and their performance with children. Following the end of the training period this process was repeated and any changes were reviewed and described. The information for this review was collected by interview, ongoing documented observation, personal narratives, and personal journals. Results of the study supported that specific Montessori training impacted the participant/teachers’ subjective view of young children, the perception of their teaching role, and their performance with children. As compared to the beginning of the study, after the four weeks of training the participant/teachers recognized a more constructivist view of how young children learn; they expressed a more reflective perception of their teaching role; and engaged in more responsive, facilitative, and less interruptive performance with children. Conclusions of the study were that providing Montessori pedagogical and philosophical training can improve the qualitative relationships of teachers with young children.

A survey of graduates who participated in Project TEAM (School Psychology, Social Work, and Speech/Language Pathology) and Project PREP (Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education) is presented. Graduates completed coursework, seminars and practica that emphasized knowledge and skills related to working with children in the birth through 5 age group and their families. The survey determined in which competencies graduates indicated they were best and least prepared by the program and which competencies were most and least applicable to their present careers. The survey also determined what teaming models the graduates are currently using and would prefer to use in their careers. Results indicated a general trend towards the interdisciplinary and trans-disciplinary teaming models as those that graduates would prefer to use. The survey also looked at the process of the programs (i.e., participating in seminars with various disciplines, participating in the practica as a team, taking courses with other disciplines, etc.) to determine whether or not participants benefited from the program's overall organization. Results indicated that graduates agreed with the program process.

In this qualitative study, I explored the lived experiences of eight early childhood educators implementing a play-based teacher professional development intervention, child teacher relationship training (CTRT), in an affluent Christian based preschool. Through the building of relationships, CTRT provided the teachers a person-centered approach to develop skills to establish relationships and to attend to the intentional emotional and relational development of young children. The research questions addressed the impact on teachers with children exhibiting challenging behaviors utilizing CTRT experienced before, during, and after the implementation of the play-based consultation intervention. Thematic analysis of the pre-intervention interviews, observation journals, reflexive journal, and post-intervention interviews revealed two clusters and seven distinct themes. The first cluster described the learning experiences of teachers while implementing CTRT with four identified themes: (a) changes in their views about children; (b) changes in their views about their personal abilities and performance; (c) a deeper understanding of theory (Reggio Emilia and CTRT); and (d) teacher skill development. The second cluster concerned the impact of CTRT before, during, and after the implementation of CTRT with three identified themes: (a) relationships; (b) support systems; and (c) the transfer of CTRT skills outside the classroom. The emerging themes indicated that the participants found CTRT to be a useful intervention for skill development to address challenging behaviors in young children, increased the teachers' abilities to manage classrooms, and professional and personal growth.

This study examined the partnerships of three mentor/protege teacher dyads in early childhood education. Particular attention was paid to the impact of the relationship on the job satisfaction and teaching practices of the participants. Quantitative data were gathered through the Early Childhood Job Satisfaction Survey and through the Teaching Practices Observation Scale. Qualitative data were gathered through the use of in-depth interviews and teacher journals. Findings support the conclusion that mentoring partnerships can provide for enhanced professional development for all participants when a strong personal connection can be forged. Strategies for effective mentoring programs are suggested.
Master of Science

Prior researchers have shown that school-aged staff can identify behavior function and function-matched interventions following training. Limited research has been done with preschool staff on the process of identifying function of behavior and selecting function-matched interventions to decrease problem behavior. A multiple baseline across participants’ design was used to measure preschool teachers’ accuracy of identification of behavior function and function-matched interventions. Participants analyzed descriptive data to identify function of behavior and select function-matched interventions. Results from this study demonstrated that preschool teachers can independently identify function-matched and nonfunction matched interventions with greater accuracy after training.

This study proposed (a) to identify the most important attributes of effective college teachers as perceived by students in Taiwan, (b) to investigate the influence of different factors on students' perceived attributes of effective college teachers, and (c) to determine if the students in various Taiwanese teachers colleges differ in their opinions of the most important attributes of effective college teachers. Students identified these factors as attributes of effective college teachers: rapport, effective teaching methods, enthusiasm, fairness, interaction, practical experiences, personality, clarity, and being well-prepared. The fact that sophomore students and freshman students value some factors differently was discovered in this study. In addition, students who have previous teaching experience value all of the important attributes higher than those who do not have teaching experience before they attended teachers colleges.

Children need to be ready to enter kindergarten, or they may begin to fall further and further behind. The achievement gap may start prior to children entering kindergarten due to their lack of early learning opportunities. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of kindergarten teachers regarding which readiness skills preschool children should master prior to entering kindergarten in order to be successful.

A literature review supports the variance in perceptions kindergarten teachers have in relation to readiness skills. The conceptual framework starts with a brief history of preschool programs. Following is a discussion regarding the benefits of preschool programs. Next is an overview of the rigor of kindergarten and the transition between preschool and kindergarten. Finally, what readiness skills children need in order to be successful in kindergarten will be reviewed.

This quantitative study surveyed 30 kindergarten teachers in a suburban school district with nine elementary schools. From these surveys, data were collected on kindergarten teachers' perceptions of the readiness skills needed. The results indicated that kindergarten teachers endorsed social-emotional skills as very important skills that should be taught prior to entering kindergarten. Directions for future research or implications for practice are discussed.

This dissertation investigated teacher perceptions about adaptive skill training within an early childhood comprehensive development classroom for students with intellectual disabilities. The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding about adaptive skills from a teacher's perspective. The aims of the study were to help educators understand the role of comfort level, importance of adaptive skills, planning for adaptive skills, and connecting adaptive skills to an academic outcome. A quantitative, cross-sectional design was used, and an online survey was completed by 254 special education teachers. The participants that completed the survey were 93% female and on average had 14 years of teaching experience. The survey gathered teachers' opinions about adaptive skills. It was reported that teachers felt adaptive skills were important to teach in the classroom environment. The teachers also reported that toileting was the most important adaptive skill. The survey also found that teachers explicitly teach adaptive skills on a daily basis. The survey also revealed that instruction might improve if access to a structured curriculum was more readily available and age appropriate. It was reported that there were very limited opportunities for educators to attend professional development about adaptive skills. These findings communicated that adaptive skills seem to be important to educators, and the lack of availability for structured curriculums should be addressed to further meet the needs of students with intellectual disabilities.

Progress monitoring and data analysis are essential skills needed by classroom teachers within the implementation of multi-tiered systems of support for making data-based decisions about student progress and instruction. Within the early childhood MTSS research, consideration of teacher-collected progress monitoring data followed by data-based decision-making is rare. To provide teachers with a robust progress monitoring strategy, I trained preschool teachers of inclusive classrooms to use direct behavioral observations to collect data and inform their instruction. The project experimentally evaluated teachers’ generalization of acquired behaviors within the context of a single-case research design. The project’s independent variable, teacher training, consisted of a video-based multimedia presentation and in-vivo feedback. The primary dependent variable was teachers’ implementation of teacher-directed behavior observation procedures. Results indicate that teacher training was effective for three teachers, as evidenced by teachers reaching criterion levels of performance across consecutive days and sessions. Data on the durations of teacher training activities indicate that an average of 21 minutes of in-vivo feedback was provided to the teachers throughout training. Social and ecological validity data suggest that teachers perceived the training activities to be relatively non-intrusiveness and that the target progress monitoring strategies were of value to the teachers. A functional relation was established between training and teachers’ implementation of direct behavioral observation procedures.

This study examined the impact of Child Development Associate (CDA) training on the beliefs and self-reported practices of early childhood teachers (N = 126) using a pre-post mixed-methods research design. Preschool teachers who were enrolled in CDA classes (n=76) and a comparison group of teachers (n = 50) completed two surveys of beliefs and self-reported practices: the Teacher Beliefs and Practices Survey: 3- to 5-Year-Olds (TBPS) (Burts, Buchanan, & Benedict, 2001) and the Early Childhood Survey of Beliefs and Practices (ECSBP) (Marcon, 1988, 1999). Repeated measures Multiple Analyses of Variance indicated teachers who had completed CDA training became significantly more developmentally appropriate on measures of beliefs and self-reported practices than a comparison group who did not attend CDA training. The CDA teachers held significantly fewer inappropriate beliefs and reported fewer inappropriate practices after training than the comparison group. Results suggest that the TBPS was a more sensitive measure than the ECSBP of beliefs and self-reported practices for these early childhood teachers, most of whom had no formal education. The decrease in developmentally inappropriate beliefs and self-reported practices on the TBPS subscales illustrates the importance of measuring not only increases in appropriate beliefs and self-reported practices but also decreases in inappropriate beliefs and self-reported practices. The Constant Comparative Method was used to organize and analyze the observation and interview data of the four case study participants. Three themes emerged which describe the effect of CDA training on the beliefs and self-reported practices of these teachers: Reflection on current practices describes the teacher who seemed to be actively considering how the material presented in the CDA training fit with her implicitly held beliefs and current practices. Confirmation of developmentally appropriate practices describes the teacher whose existing developmentally appropriate beliefs were reinforced by the training. Superficial changes describes two teachers who gained ideas for activities in the training but revealed no change in beliefs. This study suggests that CDA training decreases the developmentally inappropriateness of beliefs and self-reported practices of early childhood teachers. A change that past research suggests will ultimately impact classroom quality. Influences such as concurrent training, program requirements, and implicitly held beliefs may moderate the extent to which new concepts are accepted and existing practices are changed.

This qualitative multiple case study was undertaken to answer the following question: How did Reading Recovery^® (RR) teachers and former Reading Recovery teachers in a mid-sized rural school system in the southeastern United States describe the influences of their Reading Recovery training as it related to their current professional lives? Additional questions included: (1) How did training in Reading Recovery position the teacher as a reading expert within her school? (2) How did Reading Recovery change her approach to working with struggling readers? (3) How did the "behind the glass" experience impact the teacher's own teaching? (4) How did training affect the teacher's ability to discuss complex reading problems with co-workers? (5) How has Reading Recovery training influenced the teacher's professional goals and ambitions? (6) How has the passage of time since the teacher's training year altered her perception of the usefulness of her training?

Two case studies were undertaken to answer these questions. Both studies involved face to face interviews, teacher observations, and electronic journal entries submitted by the participants. Case Study One looked at the professional lives of three currently active Reading Recovery teachers and revealed five themes: (1) Instructional empowerment, (2) Increased professional status, (3) Reliance on a community of learners, (4) Concern for the whole child, and (5) Lack of teaching/working time.

Two years later, Case Study Two was initiated. At this time Reading Recovery had been discontinued in the county school system. A total of 12 former RR teachers were interviewed, observed on the job, and contributed to electronic journals. Five themes emerged from this study: (1) Instructional knowledge from theory, (2) Student benefits, (3) School and community benefits, (4) Professional benefits, and (5) Personal benefits. The overarching theme for both cases was - Power through Knowledge. Unanticipated findings included: self-imposed teacher accountability, professional courage, "knowledge envy" by non-RR individuals, and the transferability of Reading Recovery knowledge outward into the school and local community.

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Position Statement of Developmentally Appropriate Practices (2009) serves as a pedagogical framework for best practice among early childhood educators. Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) is guided by what is known about how children develop and learn. Teachers draw upon these principles to make decisions about planning experiences which promote learning and optimize children's growth. The DAP statement is accepted in the early childhood field as the standard by which quality early learning experiences are defined and is used as a guidepost for planning (Copple & Bredekamp, 2009).

Copple and Bredekamp (2009) state that "intentional teachers are purposeful and thoughtful about the actions they take, and they direct their teaching towards the goals the program is trying to help children reach" (p. 10).

This qualitative descriptive study explored preschool teachers' perceptions of DAP and their use of DAP in planning learning experiences. Semi-structured interviews and document analyses were utilized to examine potential gaps between preschool teachers' perceptions and more fully understand daily planning decisions related to DAP. Utilizing Rubin and Rubin's responsive interviewing model (2012), (N=7) degreed preschool teachers employed at NAEYC accredited group care facilities were interviewed. Findings revealed inconsistencies among teachers' descriptions of key learning experiences for preschool children, implementation of learning experiences, and planning practices, thus, indicating a disconnect between theory and DAP.

The findings of this study may benefit pre-service and in-service teacher training programs as well as administrators of childcare centers. It is useful in identifying ways in which preschool teachers' understandings of developmentally appropriate practice can be further supported and developmentally inappropriate perceptions can be challenged.

All early childhood educators who work with children between birth and six years of age are likely to encounter young children who experience behavioral and mental health challenges throughout their careers. Research demonstrates that educators can play a vital role in children's mental health and behavioral development. However, often early childhood educators do not believe they have the knowledge or tools to accurately identify and successfully handle the unique challenges that arise when working with children with behavioral and mental health issues. Using an Anti-Oppressive Framework, this research study explores, through a qualitative case study design, how students in an in-service teacher education program experience children with mental health and behavioral issues in their classrooms. The following research question was used to guide this study: how do students in an in-service early childhood teacher education program think about, emotionally react to, and engage with children who express mental health issues and challenging behaviors in their classrooms? This paper begins by discussing the prevalence and needs of children with mental health and behavioral issues in early childhood environments. It then synthesizes the relevant literature related to the phenomenon. Next, it describes and defends a study that offered opportunities for students in an in-service teacher education program to consider their beliefs, emotions, and actions concerning inclusive education. From the research findings, implications for practice are revealed, offering ideas to support teacher education programs in better preparing their students to work with all young learners. Lastly, ideas for future research are elucidated.

The purpose of this feminist case study was two-fold: (1) to describe the ways that Collaborative Inquiry (CI) can be proposed as a counter-discourse of professional development that acknowledges the multiple forms of personal and professional knowledge among five women preschool practitioners, and (2) to explore alternative constructs of the preschool practitioner that seek to disrupt the preschool teacher/child care worker dichotomy. Data were collected through transcripts of CI group meetings, semi-structured participant interviews, selected researcher field notes, and participant observations during select classroom visits and meetings with participants. Feminist and poststructural perspectives set forth by Butler (1990), Osgood (2010), and Foucault (1977), among others, were utilized to interpret the data. Findings from the CI process included the importance of conversation and 'small talk' informal and shared readings, the use of student documentation and artifacts, and collaboration as important tools and processes of the group. Findings from the case included the positioning of the Center and its staff within a business discourse. Data revealed how these preschool practitioners complied with and/or negotiated the discursive practices of power relations, regulation, normalization, and surveillance, as the Center participated in the voluntary Step Up to Quality accreditation process to increase Center funding.

This qualitative case study is an investigation of the role of race, school context, and personal and professional experiences in the formation of an early childhood teacher's professional identity. Data sources included interviews, observations, conversations, field notes, and school artifacts. Member checking, triangulation, and extended observation supported the trustworthiness of the results. The findings of the research indicate that major themes related to identity formation included family influence, teaching values and beliefs, and identity shift. Main themes related to the minority status of the participant were emotions and feeling of alienation. Finally, major themes related to school context and personal and professional experiences included relationships with children and parents, relationships with teachers and staff members at the school, early learning experiences, and images of a good teacher. The study concludes with suggestions for early childhood education programs and future researchers.

The purpose of this study was to investigate if early childhood educators could reliably score items using a new scoring system for the Assessment, Evaluation, and Programming System for Infants and Children (AEPS; Bricker, 2002). The participants were university students completing their certification in Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education (IECE) at the University of Kentucky (UK). The six participants completed training on implementing the AEPS and administered the AEPS to measure child outcomes. The results of this study validated the new scoring system for the AEPS by illustrating that the participants could reliably score a curriculum based assessment.

Since 2011, the state of Oregon has embarked on a comprehensive educational policy change to create a unified birth to twenty educational system. As part of the birth to age five early childhood and family investment strategy, mandated participation in Oregon professional development system is required for all early childhood educators working in Office of Child Care licensed programs. To date, research on early childhood educators' experience in professional development systems has focused primarily on experiences with regulatory systems. This hermeneutic phenomenological study explored how four early childhood educators made meaning of their experiences of professional engagement in Oregon's state professional development system. As a researcher-participant, I conducted a two-part interview with these early childhood educators. First, we revisited the experience of the professional development journey in collage, followed by narrative semi-structured interviews. The researcher employed Dahlberg's (2006) concept of "bridling the experience" (p. 16) as a way to develop an understanding of early childhood educators' professional practice and the intersection between practice and professional engagement in Oregon's professional development system for childhood care and education. The collage and narrative dialogues illuminated the essence of each individual's experience. Experiences such as the intersection of personal professional self, acts of professional engagement, and the emotional nature of participants' work all emerged from the collage and interview process. Three essential themes emerged from the data interpretation and discussion, namely, (a)Personal and Professional Self: Intertwining Personal Experience and Professional Identity, (b)Curves Ahead: Maneuvering Rivers, Roads, and Paths, and (c)The Journey and the System are Asynchronous: "You Guys Figure that Out, Good Luck." Through the emergence of essential themes, participants demonstrated that their experiences while unique also shared common characteristics of what it means to be an early childhood educator in Oregon living with policy in the classroom. It is now the turn of policy makers and program managers of Oregon's professional development system to recognize the strength and wisdom of the voices in the early childhood classroom.

This study describes the effects of an 11 week training for 2 preschool teachers focusing on systematizing an inquiry learning approach inspired by the literature on Reggio Emilia inspired practices. This study uses a qualitative, multi-methodology approach including interviews, examination of classroom documentation, and examination of the Broderick and Hong Cycle of Inquiry (© revised 2007) planning forms. Qualitative coding and narratives describe each teacher's data taken at 3 intervals in the study and describe changes, challenges, and successes in teacher practices. Results indicate that these teachers learned successful inquiry learning strategies and grew in both their understanding of the process and their ability to translate this to the classroom. Further studies are needed to determine the effects of adding administration to the mentoring process and if a short-term training can change long-term classroom practices.

The conflict and violence of both the unrest in the southernmost provinces which claimed thousands civilians and officials in the last few years and the deep social division among the people throughout the country make peace education as a key tool for solving these problems for Thailand. The role of teacher education has been used for solving these conflicts. This study explores the universities’ policy on peace education in the teacher training process of the early childhood education programmes of Rajabhat Universities as the biggest groups of universities in teacher training across the country. Two main research questions were explored: 1) has peace education been delivered in early childhood education programmes of Rajabhat Universities in Thailand? and 2) if so, how does it differ across universities? The study employed both quantitative and qualitative methods to understand the phenomenon in two Rajabhat Universities. Quantitative methods employed questionnaires to collect data from students of both universities from the first to fifth year (N=100). The data from both universities has been analysed by the Mann Whitney U Rank test (p<0.05). Qualitative methods employed semi-structured interviews to collect data from six chief administrators, ten lecturers in the Early Childhood Education Programmes, and four experts in peace outside the university. Four focus groups composed of five students in each group were used to collect data from the first- and fourth-year students of both universities. Collected documentations relating to curricula were analysed. Thematic analysis was used to analyse qualitative data. The findings presented four key areas: University’s Policies on Peace Education; Teaching, Learning and Curriculum about Peace Study in RUs; Participants’ Ideas about Peace Studies; and Culture, Climate and Peace Studies in the RUs’ Contexts. The findings from quantitative and qualitative methods were integrated into the Peace Education Model of Rajabhat Universities (PEMRU) framework. The findings revealed that the policies of Rajabhat Universities have included peace education in teacher training programmes. However, very few policies have been named directly. Peace education has been integrated into classroom activities and universities’ activities as well as the universities’ regulations. The significant differences across universities were found in that one university had both direct and indirect policies on peace education whilst never officially naming them. The other university had both direct and indirect policies on peace education, which in contrast, were promulgated officially by the University Council. The study also found that the concept of peace in the Thai context was a combination of outer and inner peace; the role of the teachers was emphasised as a method of teaching peace education. Finally, the key concepts emerging from the analyses were developed into the Proposed Model of Peace Education for Rajabhat Universities. This model was composed of the concepts of peace and peace education in the Thai contexts as the centre of the model to work with; the three main components were the dynamic work-units (university’s policy, peace education centre, peace education curriculum); and five influential components surrounding the model as the supporters and conditions to work with (politics and government, religions and cultures, economic and equality, environment and responsibility, and ethnicity and identity). This proposed model is hoped to be a dynamic, rapid and sustainable way to solve conflicts and violence in the country.

The life of a child has completely transitioned from analogue to digital in the past 20 years. The use of digital devices and media has tripled among children between the ages of 0-8 years old since 2011. With the increasing amount of internet access in places that children and families frequent, it is almost impossible to go anywhere without the Wi-Fi access information being made available to consumers to enjoy while they patronize the business. Educators are in a unique position to find creative ways to incorporate technology into their instruction; however, this nuance is not without its challenges. Many early learning programs have not incorporated technology into their programs for a variety of reasons such as, but not limited to: lack of funding, fear, and the belief that it is not developmentally appropriate. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and The Fred Rogers Center drafted a joint statement that provided a framework for early childhood educators to use as they introduced technology and digital media into their learning environments. The researcher of this study conducted a mixed methods study with three diverse early learning programs in the southeastern part of the United States. After examining the aforementioned variables, the researcher found there to be no difference in the technology usage rate among the three schools. The findings also indicated that two out of the three schools were better equipped than the other with technology and access to digital media. Despite several of the survey participants having said that they had not received training on how to use digital devices for instructional purposes, an overwhelming 92% of them admitted to using technology for daily task completion. The researcher was not able to collect sufficient data to answer the question about parental influence. However, the researcher has identified this variable as an area for future research and believes that further examination will yield thought-provoking results regarding parental influence.

Teachers are required to manage difficult behaviors within their classrooms with limited support and resources. Additionally, there is not a lot of research that has been completed looking at teacher attitudes or how children’s behavior impacts them personally. The current study looks at teacher outcomes based upon an evidence-based teacher training program. The teacher training was implemented at the Western Kentucky Head Start. Teachers’ job stress and self-efficacy were measured before the training, after the training, in the fall, and in the spring. In addition, standardized observations were completed, looking at classroom climate and management, in the fall and spring following the training. There were no significant differences among Pretest, Post-test, fall, or spring data for measured job stress or self-efficacy. Based upon observation results, Positive Climate significantly increased from fall to spring and Concept Development significantly decreased. Teacher’s attitudes and perspectives are extremely important as they provide the general climate of the classroom. Continued research should be completed to assess teacher outcomes and how these outcomes impact the overfull functioning of the classroom and success of students.

The early childhood education (ECE) workforce provides care and education to young children, birth to age five. Little research examines how teachers are trained to interact with and support families. Policy is identified as a way to increase qualification attainment, however, how policy may best support qualification attainment is widely unstudied. The current study seeks to fill this gap to understand how states differ in order to best support policy advancement. This involves a qualitative policy analysis using emergent techniques for all 50 states. Policies regulating ECE teacher qualification attainment, specifically mentioning family engagement are examined. Results demonstrate that policies regulating family engagement in qualification attainment for the ECE are overall, minimal. Only 30 states include mention of family engagement in policy. This research provides insight into how family engagement is supported in the workforce at a national level, and subsequently, how family engagement is supported throughout individual states.

As technology and our world understanding develop, we will need citizens who are able to ask and answer questions that have not been thought of yet. Currently, high school and college graduates entering the workforce demonstrate a gap in their ability to develop unique solutions and fill the current technology-driven jobs. To address this gap, science needs to be prioritized early in children's lives. The focus of this research was to analyze a science training program that would help pre-school teachers better understand Mind in the Making life skills, the nature of science, science practices, and improve their self-efficacy integrating science education into their classrooms and curriculum. Seventy-one teachers enrolled in two three-day, professional development trainings that were conducted over three, five-hour sessions approximately one month apart. During that training the teachers learned hands-on activities for young children that introduced life and physical science content. They were also given the task of developing and implementing a science-based lesson for their students and then analyzing it with other participants. The information from the lesson plans was collected for analysis. After the last training the teachers were given a pre/post retrospective survey to measure effective outcomes. The results from the lesson plans and surveys indicate that the trainings helped improve the teachers' understanding of Mind in the Making, the nature of science, and science practices. The results also show that the teachers felt more comfortable integrating science education into their classrooms and curriculum.

The current study aimed to investigate the changes of the school readiness and transition to elementary school course on pre-service early childhood teachers&rsquo
views about young children&rsquo
s school readiness. Teacher view of children&rsquo
s school readiness scale and interview protocols were administered as pre-post test and pre-post interviews to pre-service early childhood education teachers who were in the process of completing final year in their education in the four university&rsquo
s department of early childhood teacher education in Ankara, Turkey. The teacher views of children&rsquo
s school readiness scale was administrated to 169 pre-service early childhood teachers and a subsample of 26 pre-service early childhood teachers were interviewed before and after they completed School Readiness and Transition to Elementary School course. Qualitative and quantitative findings in mixed methods research demonstrated that school readiness and transition to elementary school course in early childhood teacher education programs elaborated participants&rsquo
views about children&rsquo
s school readiness. According to the participants, program courses should provide more sufficient practice and content knowledge. In this way pre-service teachers can have opportunities to use their experiences gained during school readiness and transition to elementary school course to support young children&rsquo
s school readiness. The results of the current study also indicated that pre-service teachers needed to develop an understanding of children&rsquo
s school readiness in terms of definition, skills, factors, assessment, transition activities, and elementary school program so that they can be better prepared to teach with emphasis on the connections between preschool education and elementary school.

The purpose of this research study was to better understand the learning process related to experiential learning that occurs for early childhood education students in the early childhood education capstone course. Limited research exists on the nature of learning that occurs in the early childhood education capstone experience. A basic interpretive qualitative design was used for this investigation. Seven students enrolled in an early childhood capstone course at a community college were interviewed for the study. Qualitative methods were used to collect data from the students via interviews. Each participant engaged in three interviews, resulting in a total of 21 interviews. Each participant was interviewed by phone and digitally recorded for accuracy.

An analysis of the data revealed that the nature of learning that occurs during the early childhood capstone course is experiential. The theoretical framework for this study was derived from the research on teacher education, early childhood education, and adult learning. The three concepts that emerged from this study are (a) influence on students' learning, (b) perception of students' learning, and (c) the nature of learning.

This study employed pragmatic parallel mixed methods to determine the impact of TPD on early childhood teachers' pedagogical methodology and English acquisition by young children in South Korea. The data included observations from the TPD sessions and classrooms, interviews and lesson plans, as well as the pre- and post- test scores of the 42 participant children. The findings have provided valuable insights into (1) how the HIA TPD program could serve as a means of effective TPD, positive impact on the growth of teachers' English instructional practice, and young children's English learning, and (2) the benefits for children in the treatment group that was generally greater than the control group in the areas of VA, LS, and PA skills. Implications for further research on TPD and other supports for the integrated early childhood English education were discussed.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, School of Education, 2005.
Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 66-01, Section: A, page: 0078. Adviser: Mary B. McMullen. Title from dissertation home page (viewed Oct. 11, 2006).

Preschool teachers must overcome the pressure to become more academic in lieu of a whole child development curriculum approach in order to preserve developmentally appropriate practices and shape well-adjusted future citizens of society. In order to achieve this, it is important to give a voice to preschool teachers to better understand their struggle and to find effective resolutions. This is only possible through a qualitative case study that employs observations, interviews, and a focus group with an inductive analysis approach to the data. The development of the whole child will only be attainable through national policies that are supported by sound research and ongoing teacher training that is aligned with that research. When theory and practice are aligned, it provides more opportunities for teachers, parents, and the rest of the community to advocate for the same goals, which ultimately benefits children.

Limited information exists on early childhood first year teachers' training for accommodations for diverse student abilities in classrooms. This mixed methods sequential explanatory study examined the self-efficacy of 28 first year early childhood teachers from Midwest urban schools. Vygotsky's social learning theory and Gardner's multiple intelligences were used as the conceptual framework. Email survey data were collected and analyzed using a t-test to answer the quantitative questions on the relationship between perceived efficacy and type of and amount of special education training provided in preservice programs. Qualitative questions on self-efficacy to instruct diverse students within the regular classroom were examined using interviews with 28 first year teachers and analyzed for patterns and themes. Quantitative results indicated no relationship between perceived efficacy and amount of special education training provided in preservice programs. Qualitative analysis revealed that teachers with perceived high efficacy were more prepared through university preparation to work with diverse students in the classroom than those teachers who perceived themselves to have low efficacy with such students. This study contributes to social change by providing insight into requirements for effective preservice diversity training of early childhood teachers. The qualitative aspect of this study supports other research for more special education training that would be beneficial for preservice early childhood teachers along with better placements in field experiences that include inclusive classrooms. Higher education can improve teacher education programs by implementing such changes that will improve education for all children and make early childhood educators better able to attend to all students' needs.

Research shows that interaction and conversation (gestures, words, expressions, and etc.) with children on a daily basis are crucial for their development. Teachers spend a lot of time with children daily, it is important that teachers plan their interactions intentionally to help children make connections and extend their learning. Observing children and interpreting their thinking processes is a significant factor in intentionally planning curriculum that emerges from children’s thinking. There is a lack of high quality training for preschool teachers in the area of observing and interpreting children’s thinking. The present study investigates the effects of a training (Cycle of Inquiry System) on observation and interpretation of children’s thinking, on teachers’ productive conversation in the Head Start Classroom. The research question guiding this study is: “Does the Cycle of Inquiry Intervention (training teachers to observe, document and interpret their observations of children at play time) increase teachers’ conversations with children?” We hypothesized that the teachers’ productive conversations with children will increase after the training. Using a multiple baseline experimental design two simultaneous studies were conducted. The participants were 6 preschool teachers which included 3 new teachers, and 3 experienced teachers. The permissions were obtained from teachers and the parents of children in their classroom, the children whose parents did not consent were not videotaped during the data collection process. The teachers were videotaped twice a week in their classrooms working with children during the free play time. Each video was 30 minutes. The videos were coded for productive and non-productive conversation, based on the checklist that was used previously in a similar study. All the videos were coded by a research assistant and 30% of videos for each teacher were coded by another research assistant. The interrater reliability was obtained before and during the study. When the first participant reached a baseline (the amount of his/her productive and non-productive conversation approximately remained the same), she went through the Cycle of Inquiry System Training (COI) by the Principle Investigator (PI). The intervention is a one-day training on observing children during the play and interpreting their thinking. The first participant was videotaped twice a week after training and her videos were coded for productive and non-productive conversation, in addition, as a part of the training the teacher received mentoring form the PI bi-weekly during the intervention phase. Meanwhile all the other teachers were being videotaped until they reach a stable baseline and the process of training was the same for every one of them. The research is still ongoing but it is expected that the data will show an increase in teachers’ productive conversation with children after the training. We are in the early phases of the intervention for two participants. Positive results from this intervention, impacting the amount of productive conversation between teachers and children, will indicate that this might be a helpful training for preschool teachers.

There were dual purposes of this exploratory, case study. The first purpose was to investigate and describe the teaching strategies of six Head Start teachers within one program in Oregon whose dual language learners had shown gains of at least three levels in receptive and expressive English language development, as determined by their assessment ratings in Teaching Strategies GOLD Assessment System. The second purpose was to identify what, if any, professional development strategies and resources have been beneficial to those teachers in promoting English language development for children who are dual language learners.

This qualitative study utilized three data collection methods: interviews, observations and review of artifacts. The one-on-one interviews with the purposive sample of teachers occurred during the first phase. The interview questions were designed to learn about teaching strategies utilized by Head Start teachers to promote English language development for children who are dual language learners as well as teachers' relevant professional development resources and opportunities. During the second phase of the study, the Classroom Assessment of Supports for Emergent Bilingual Acquisition (CASEBA) instrument was used to conduct classroom observations in each of the six teachers' classrooms. Furthermore, a review of relevant artifacts was conducted during the observations.

Seven conclusions emerged from the study. First, home language support in the classrooms contributed to English language development. Second, teachers' use of pictures, gestures and other visual cues promoted children's comprehension of English. Third, culturally responsive curriculum was not necessary for promoting enhanced language outcomes. Fourth, a supportive social/emotional environment in the classroom contributed to progress in expressive language development. Next, singing songs with gestures and high quality teachers' talk in English also contributed to expressive language development. Lastly, professional development, formal and informal, is beneficial and needed for preschool teachers.

Five recommendations emerged from the study. Policy recommendations are for college teacher preparation programs to require coursework pertaining to dual language learning and for programs to actively recruit bilingual teachers. Practice recommendations are for programs to implement a Planned Language Approach, set up peer mentoring and training opportunities, and for teachers to plan individual and small group read alouds.

Social emotional competence is an essential developmental skill recognized as the most critical for school and later success. Rising rates in behavioral referrals and preschool expulsion have brought increased attention to the importance of helping children develop social-emotional skills in the early years. In early childhood education a central factor of social-emotional/behavioral intervention is the competence of teachers to address children's needs. In order for the social-emotional needs of children to be addressed in early childhood classrooms, adequate preservice teacher training and support are needed. The current studies focused on preservice teacher training and support regarding social emotional assessment and behavior intervention. Two studies were included in this research: (1) an early childhood preservice teacher survey and (2) Social Emotional Assessment Measure (SEAM) Preschool Teaching Guide development and behavior support plan pilot study. The first study focused on early childhood preservice teachers' current knowledge and practices regarding social-emotional development and behavior support. Participants included 228 preservice teachers from early childhood education (ECE) and early childhood special education (ECSE) teacher training programs in 15 different states. ANOVA results and answer percentages and means revealed trends in training, implementation, and preparedness by program type and degree level. The second study addressed how to support early childhood teachers in the creation of behavior support plans linked to assessment results. It took place in two phases: (1) development of a preschool teaching guide for the SEAM, and (2) a behavior support plan pilot study using the SEAM Preschool Teaching Guide. Participants included 25 preservice early childhood teachers from ECE and ECSE programs. Results from a two-way repeated-measures ANOVA indicated that the teaching guide intervention significantly improved the behavior support plan quality scores of preservice teachers. Results were further analyzed by program type and degree level.

With the incidence of prenatal drug exposure increasing, it is important that preschool teachers are prepared and confident in serving the needs of children affected by this exposure. Teachers need more training and education to prepare them for working with children with prenatal drug exposure. The purpose of this sequential mixed-methods study was to explore the perceptions, training, and shared experiences of preschool teachers when working with 4- and 5-year-old preschool children who have experienced prenatal drug exposure. The researcher invited 77 preschool teachers in northeast Tennessee working in either Head Start or Tennessee Voluntary Pre-K Initiative programs to complete an initial quantitative survey – of which 53 participated. Of the survey participants, 34 reported they might have worked with a child with prenatal drug exposure. Six of those teachers who said they had experience with children with prenatal drug exposure participated in a follow up semi-structured interview with the researcher. The findings revealed that preschool teachers were favorable toward children with prenatal drug exposure regarding the children’s ability to learn. Preschool teachers were already using many effective interventions (e.g., working one-on-one with the child, offering flexible seating options, repetition of information) that they may have used with other children with special needs, but they were eager for more information about the best way to work with these children. School leaders and those in teacher preparation programs would be excellent advocates in spreading knowledge and translating medical knowledge into resources more applicable to the teaching and childcare profession. It is important that the information become more accessible to all teachers and stakeholders in education.

The problem of this study was to identify teacher training principles which would aid day care teachers in integrating handicapped children into their classrooms. This was a descriptive study which utilized a questionnaire methodology. The questionnaire was administered to teachers of randomly selected day care centers in Tennessee. The sample size was 347. The questionnaire identified from the literature review was the Stages of Concern Questionnaire. The questionnaire was designed to identify concerns of individuals toward an innovation. The instrument was modified to be used in identifying the concerns of day care teachers toward mainstreaming young handicapped children into day care centers. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data obtained from 105 respondents to the 35-item questionnaire. Analysis of the data collected to answer the research questions revealed the following: The educational and training background of teachers involved in mainstreaming should be developmentally oriented. From a developmental base day care teachers can make the transition from teaching normally developing children to teaching an integrated classroom by mastering five additional topics: assessment techniques, systematic planning techniques, knowledge about developmental exceptionalities, knowledge and teaching skills related to the promotion of positive social interaction of children, and an understanding of the additional job demands of an integrated classroom. The concerns of individuals tend to be developmental and tend to move from self concerns (Stages 0, 1, 2) to task concerns (Stage 3) to impact concerns (Stages 4, 5, 6). The movement through the stages of concern can be facilitated but not forced. The person(s) planning the interventions or training must plan training that helps resolve existing concerns while facilitating the individual(s)' move to the next stage of concern (Hord, Rutherford, Huling-Austin, & Hall, 1987). Teacher training principles were designed using the findings obtained from the questionnaire. The mainstream topics suggested by the review of literature necessary for teachers of integrated classrooms were cross-tabulated with the intervention strategies suggested by the stages of most intense concerns. The suggestions obtained from the review of literature related to the format of adult inservice training were considered as factors in the presentation of the intervention strategies. (Abstract shortened with permission of author.)

Early childhood teachers’ (N=73) level of education, length of employment, number of content areas covered in child development courses taken, and supervised practical experience were examined as factors affecting their knowledge of developmentally appropriate practice. Background information concerning each teacher's education, employment, content areas covered in child development courses taken, and supervised practical experiences was gathered in the Teacher Information Report. Knowledge of developmentally appropriate practice was assessed by having each teacher listen to 12 audiotaped vignettes describing situations typical to teacher-child interactions in preschool classrooms. They were asked to determine if each vignette described appropriate or inappropriate practice. A 3(level of education) x 3(length of employment) factorial analysis of variance revealed a significant level of education effect on developmentally appropriate practice scores F(2,2)=3.23, p < .05. Post-hoc comparisons indicated that those teachers with formal degrees in the area of child development (M=8.68) scored significantly higher than those with other types of training (M=7.62). There was no significant length of employment effect on developmentally appropriate practice scores. A 4(number of content areas covered) x 3(length of employment) factorial analysis of variance yielded a significant effect for number of content areas covered F(3,2)=6.18, p< .001. Post-hoc comparisons indicated that participants who had covered 10 or more content areas (M=8.91) scored significantly higher than those who had covered fewer than 10 content areas (M=7.10, 7.42. 7.75). A 4(number of content areas covered) x 3(supervised practical experience) factorial analysis of variance yielded a significant effect for number of content areas covered F(3,2)=8.921 p < .01. and an effect for supervised practical experience F(3,2)=3.153, E < .05. Tukey Multiple Comparisons Test indicated that of those participants who had both student teaching and fieldwork experience, those who had covered 10 or more content areas in child development scored significantly higher (M=9.00) than those who had covered fewer than 10 content areas. Of those participants who had covered 10 or mere content areas. those with both student teaching and fieldwork experience scored significantly higher on the assessment of developmentally appropriate practice (M=9.00) than did those who had no student teaching or fieldwork experience (M=7.00). Implications for teacher training are discussed in the thesis.
Master of Science

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2001.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: SACTE is a distance education provider for practising educators in the Republic of South Africa. As a distance education provider, SACTE has to rely on teaching and learning media other than the tutor for providing service to its students. Study manuals are the main means of subject delivery the college employs. The college, however, cannot always reach its students through the media used, which in this instance is the study manual. This conclusion was reached after numerous telephone calls and letters from students requiring urgent assistance in connection with their studies. The researcher therefore felt that a need existed to find out the type of problems students encountered that prevented them from optimal performance as students and as teachers. The purpose of this study was to determine learner needs in the department of Early Childhood Education, and how they can be dealt with to improve the academic performance and the classroom practice of its students. The premise the researcher worked from, was that students of SACTE experience learning problems, thus they are unable to attain good academic performance, and this affects their classroom practice. A research survey was carried out to determine the type and the nature of problems that existed amongst the students. Two questionnaires were sent out to the ECE students and the academic staff. The following key questions were posed in the questionnaire for students: • What type of educational background do students have? • How long have students been registered with SACTE? • To what extent do they benefit from a tutor system if they have access to it? • To what extent are the study manuals 'accessible' to them? • If study manuals are not accessible, what are the problems and what suggestions do students have to eradicate those problems? • What type of intervention would they like to have from SACTE? The aim in asking these questions was to probe the root problem which might exist, to analyse the responses and to make appropriate conclusions and recommendations based on the data gathered. The questionnaire for the ECE academic staff was based on the following aspects: • The academic staffs experience in teaching teachers; • The academic staff's experience in distance education; • What the academic staff regard as problems inhibiting students from effective learning; • Suggestions and recommendations on how to deal with the problems identified. The questionnaire for students was sent out by mail with a self-addressed envelope included for the return mail. It took almost two months before the responses reached the sender. Almost 70% of the responses reached the sender. Data analysis was done by the Statkon Service of Rand Afrikaans University. The conclusions reached from the data analysis were divided into the following categories: Social background of students: Students do not have study rooms, thus they use dining-rooms and bedrooms as study places. An average household has more than ten members. This type of a situation does not promote effective learning. Educational background of students: Almost 90% of the respondents studied in the former Department of Education and Training (DET). Their highest qualification is M+2 (matric plus two years of professional training), which implies that 56,3% of teachers are not fully qualified to be teaching, as the minimum requirement is M+3. Experience of students at SACTE: Students expressed their desire for the upgrading of the total learning environment in order to enhance learning and classroom practice. Students wanted contact sessions with tutors as they felt that they do not benefit much by studying on their own without external assistance Recommendations made on these conclusions were the following: SACTE must establish Regional Learning Centers (RLC) to alleviate the students' problem of studying in overcrowded homes. RLCs, besides being places to study at, would also serve the purpose of being resource centres as well as discussion places where study support groups can meet. Study manuals should be written with the needs of the learner in mind. The language of the study manual, examples given and the context in which they are written, should reflect the learner and not the lecturer. The 'distance' between the student and the lecturer, that is created by the physical distance, can be narrowed by introducing interactive media. Based on the survey findings, it can be concluded that there is a need to establish student support measures at SACTE that would provide for students by answering to their needs as learners and educators.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: SAGTE is 'n afstandsonderrigvoorsiener vir praktiserende opvoeders regoor die RSA. As 'n afstandsonderrigvoorsiener moet SAGTE, behalwe vir tutors, ook staatmaak op onderrig- en leermedia vir diensverskaffing aan sy studente. Studiehandleidings is die hoofwyse waardeur vakinhoud oorgedra word. Die kollege kan egter nie altyd studente deur middel van studiehandleidings bereik nie. Hierdie gevolgtrekking is bereik na vele· oproepe en briewe van studente wat dringende hulp ten opsigte van hulle studies benodig het. Die navorser het dus gevoel dat 'n behoefte bestaan vas te stel watter soort probleme wat studente ervaar, verhoed dat hulle optimaal kan presteer as studente en onderwysers. Die doel van hierdie studie was om leerderbehoeftes in die Aanvangsonderrigdepartement te bepaal en om vas te stel hoe die akademiese prestasie en klaskamerpraktyk van sy studente verbeter kan word. Die navorser se aanname was dat SAGTE-studente leerprobleme ervaar, wat veroorsaak dat hulle nie goed op akademiese gebied presteer nie, wat dan hulle klaskamerpraktyk beïnvloed. 'n Opnamenavorsing is uitgevoer om die tipe en aard van die probleme wat tussen studente bestaan, vas te stel. Twee vraelyste is uitgestuur, naamlik een vir Aanvangsonderwysstudente en een vir akademiese personeel. Die volgende sleutelvrae is in die vraelys vir studente gevra: • Watter tipe onderwysagtergrond het studente? • Hoe lank is hulle al by SAGTE geregistreer? • Tot watter mate trek hulle voordeel ~it die tutorstelsel, as hulle toegang daartoe het? • Tot watter mate is die studiemateriaal 'toeganklik' vir hulle? • Indien nie, wat is die probleme wat hulle ervaar en watter voorstelle het hulle om die probleme op te los? • Watter tipe ingryping wil hulle graag van SACTE hê? Die doel van hierdie vrae was om die wortel van die probleem te ontbloot, om die response te ontleed en toepaslike gevolgtrekkings en aanbevelings, gebaseer op die data wat ingesamel is, te maak. Die vraelys vir die Aanvangsonderrigdosente is op die volgende aspekte gebaseer: • Die akademiese personeel se ervaring in die onderrig van onderwysers; • Die akademiese personeel se ervaring in afstandsonderrig; • Wat die akademiese personeel as probleme beskou wat keer dat studente effektief leer; • Voorstelle en aanbevelings oor hoe om die geïdentifiseerde probleme te hanteer. Die vraelys vir studente is, tesame met 'n geadresseerde koevert deur die pos uitgestuur. Dit het amper twee maande geneem voordat response terug ontvang is. Byna 70% van die vraelyste is terug ontvang. Data-analise is deur die Statkon-diens van die Randse Afrikaanse Universiteit gedoen. Die gevolgtrekkings uit die data-analise is in die volgende kategorieë verdeel: Sosiale agtergrond van studente: Studente het nie studeerkamers nie, daarom gebruik hulle eetkamers en slaapkamers as studeerplekke. 'n Gemiddelde huishouding het meer as tien lede. Hierdie tipe situasie moedig nie effektiewe leer aan nie. Opvoedkundige agtergrond van studente: Byna 90% van die respondente is deur die voormalige Departement van Onderwys en Opleiding opgelei. Behalwe hiervoor, is hulle hoogste kwalifikasie M+2 (matriek plus twee jaar professionele opleiding), wat impliseer dat 56,3% van die onderwysers nie ten volle opgelei is om onderwys te gee nie, aangesien die minimum-vereiste M+3 is. Ervaring van SACTE-studente: Studente het die begeerte uitgespreek om die totale leeromgewing te verbeter om sodoende leer en klaskamerpraktyk te verbeter. Studente wil kontaksessies met tutors hê, aangesien hulle voel dat hulle nie voordeel trek uit selfstudie sonder eksterne bystand nie. Aanbevelings wat uit hierdie gevolgtrekkings gemaak is, is die volgende: SACTE moet Streekstudiesentrums (SSSe) vestig om die probleem van studeer in oorvol huise, te verbeter. SSSe kan as studeerplekke en hulpbronsentrums dien, sowel as 'n plek waar studie-ondersteuningsgroepe bymekaar kan kom vir besprekings. Wanner studiehandleidings geskryf word, moet die behoeftes van die leerder voorrang geniet. Die taal in die studiehandleiding, sowel as die voorbeelde en die konteks waarin dit geskryf is, moet die leerder en nie die dosent nie, weerspieël. Die 'afstand' tussen die student en dosent, wat deur fisiese afstand geskep word, kan deur middel van die bekendstelling van interaktiewe media verminder word. Gebaseer op die bevindings, kan daar afgelei word dat daar 'n behoefte bestaan om studente-ondersteuningsmaatreëls by SACTE te vestig wat in die behoeftes van studente, as beide leerders en onderwysers, sal voorsien.