This article presents part of the research performed in a project from 2008 to 2013, regarding the introduction of the Reggio Emilia approach to Slovene preschool educators. The study's aim was to recognize the possible influence of the training--from 2009 to 2011--in this project on educators' viewpoints and the promotion of children's…

European education agendas have emphasized the importance of early childhood education in providing the foundations for lifelong learning. Central to the success of early childhood education is the quality of provision, with the workforce being key. While qualifications levels are frequently cited as important for the quality of provision here we…

In recent years, attention has been placed on dimensions of instructional quality. One critical element of this quality in preschool physical education (PE) is teachers' ability to present content in a way that facilitates learning. This study aimed to describe the development of the content in PE in preschool. Participants in the study were 11…

Teachers are considered important role models for the behavior of children during early childhood. The purposes of this study are to: (a) compare activity levels of preschool children in a structured physical education (PE) class taught by an active or less active teacher; (b) examine the interaction effect of gender, school size, and teacher…

Literature and research have shown that professional development constitutes an essential dimension in constructing both work and professional identity. An important aspect in such development is training. In the field of adult education, different authors (Pratt, 1993; Mezirow, 1985; Schön, 1996; Silva, 2007) emphasize the importance of placing…

Teachers in preschools and schools have a central role in detecting children at risk of maltreatment. The aim of this study was to provide a longitudinal understanding of teachers' temporary and prolonged concerns for children's home situations (CCHS), from preschool (age 3-5 years) to year 1-3 of elementary school (age 8-10 years). Teacher- and…

In this paper, we aimed to examine what characterizes teachers' interactions with children in micro-level transitions in Norwegian preschools. We used video and observed transitions at the micro level, such as between meal and sleeping time, and between playing and meals. The participants were 22 teachers from 22 classrooms in 17 preschools. We…

The aim of the research was to investigate the methods used by preschool student teachers when developing their educational programmes at pre-primary level (ISCED 02). Data were collected between 2020 and 2021 using a questionnaire with 355 part-time students from nine universities across the Czech Republic. Most of the respondents were also…

This paper addresses the roles of job position in relation to early childhood leadership (ECL) and school type as a potential moderator of this relationship in China. A sample of 918 research participants, including 149 principals/vice-principals, 108 middle leaders and 661 teachers, was investigated. A three-factor model of ECL including staff…

In line with international trends in early childhood care and education (ECCE) recognising the importance of early learning, the Department of Basic Education in South Africa has pledged to professionalise the sector, increase access and improve quality. From a systemic point of view, professionalisation of the sector will require collaboration on…

This paper reports on a study carried out by tutors and students on Early Childhood Studies degree courses at a University in England. The research explored perspectives of three to six-year-old children's outdoor play in Danish forest kindergartens with the aim of troubling and informing approaches to outdoor pedagogy. Inspired by Somerville and…

This paper argues that when young children are given an opportunity for their voice to be heard, they are competent communicators and social agents who can co-create cultural practices as theory makers. The paper draws on video recorded data from a small study that focussed on how young children (3-5 years) participated in an end-of-year cultural…

Adaptive learning support is a key element of high quality preschool education and includes the planning of learning situations and teacher-child interactions. The provision of effective adaptive learning support in kindergarten is challenging. This longitudinal experimental study examined the impact of two professional development programs on 132…

This article seeks to contribute to an early childhood specific conceptualisation of physics education. The article is a collaboration between a researcher in science education and two preschool teachers and revolves around the teachers' work with 2-4 year old children. Grounded in a posthumanist understanding of the world, we focus on physics…

Research demonstrates that physical activity is essential for a child's well-being, learning and motor development. The purpose of this article is to qualitatively explore how female and male kindergarten staff promote physical activity towards boys and girls in the outdoor playground of a Norwegian kindergarten consisting of fifty children…