ERIC Number: EJ1127975
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017
Pages: 18
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1360-3116
EISSN: N/A
An Examination of Chinese Preservice and Inservice Early Childhood Teachers' Perspectives on the Importance and Feasibility of the Implementation of Key Characteristics of Quality Inclusion
Hu, Bi Ying; Wu, Hui Ping; Su, Xue Yun; Roberts, Sherron Killingsworth
International Journal of Inclusive Education, v21 n2 p187-204 2017
The Chinese Preschool Inclusion Survey, which is an adaptation of Odom et al. [2004. "Preschool inclusion in the United States: A review of research from an ecological systems perspective". "Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs" 4 (1): 17-149] a list of the features of quality preschools, was given to 234 preservice teachers and 307 inservice teachers in a large Chinese province so as to examine whether early childhood education (ECE) teachers agree on the key characteristics of high quality inclusion in terms of importance and feasibility. One significant finding of the study is that both preservice and inservice teachers highly ranked the importance of the key characteristics of high quality inclusion in ECE settings, yet both ECE teachers ranked the feasibility of implementing the key characteristics lower. Additionally, two factors that influenced preservice teachers' perceived importance and feasibility of inclusion were years of study and courses related to special education, and five factors that influenced inservice teachers' perceived inclusion beliefs were "bianzhi," certification, years of teaching, opportunities for professional development and degree. Teacher education reform is called upon to affect change in terms of creating positive beliefs regarding high quality inclusion services and implementation of effective practices in stronger, collaborative support systems for Chinese children with special needs and their families. Implications for policy, professional development, and teacher education reform are provided.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Preschool Education, Inclusion, Surveys, Preservice Teachers, Preschool Teachers, Educational Quality, Program Effectiveness, Special Education, Teacher Competencies, Teacher Certification, Teaching Experience, Faculty Development, Academic Degrees, Teacher Education, Disabilities
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Preschool Education; Early Childhood Education; Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: China (Shanghai); China (Beijing)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A