logo logo European Journal of Educational Research

EU-JER is is a, peer reviewed, online academic research journal.

Subscribe to

Receive Email Alerts

for special events, calls for papers, and professional development opportunities.

Subscribe

Publisher (HQ)

Eurasian Society of Educational Research
Eurasian Society of Educational Research
7321 Parkway Drive South, Hanover, MD 21076, USA
Eurasian Society of Educational Research
Headquarters
7321 Parkway Drive South, Hanover, MD 21076, USA
children at risk childrens right to participate childrens well being sustainable education professional development of teachers

Inclusive Pedagogical Practice as a Predictor of Quality Early Childhood Education

Ivana Visković

The quality of the educational process within the humanistic concept and holistic-developmental approach is interpreted as the optimal adaptation to t.

T

The quality of the educational process within the humanistic concept and holistic-developmental approach is interpreted as the optimal adaptation to the individual needs and abilities of children, while inclusiveness presupposes equal inclusion and participation of all children. This article explores the opinions of teachers as bearers of pedagogical-educational process. The aim of this research was to determine how much importance teachers attach to certain dimensions of the educational process, and the procedures of inclusive practice. Empirical research included teachers in 5 preschool institutions (N=146). The research instrument was constructed based on relevant literature. Teachers in this sample recognize the importance: of individualized support to all children; of respecting the diversity; of collaboration with parents, and personal professional development. At the same time, the level of formal education and in-service teacher training is positively correlated with the assessment of importance towards child-oriented practice, and respect for diversity. Teachers with a higher level of education significantly value the importance of additional vocational training in the field of developmental and social risks, the use of community resources, and involvement of parents in planning individual support for children.

Keywords: Children at risk, children's right to participate, children's well-being, sustainable education, professional development of teachers.

cloud_download PDF
Cite
Article Metrics
Views
513
Download
475
Citations
Crossref
2

Scopus
4

References

Alexiadou, N., & Stadler-Altmann, U. (2020). Early childhood education research in Europe: contexts, policies, and ideas. Education Inquiry, 11(2), 89–93. https://doi.org/10.1080/20004508.2020.1736795

Barnett, W., & Ackerman, D. (2006). Costs, benefits, and long-term effects of early care and education programs: Recommendations and cautions for community developers. Journal of the Community Development Society, 37(2), 86-100. https://doi.org/10.1080/15575330609490209

Bašić, S. (2011). (Nova) slika djeteta u pedagogiji djetinjstva [(New) image of the child in childhood pedagogy]. In D. Maleš & B. Kušević (Eds.), Nove paradigme ranog odgoja [New paradigms of early childhood education] (pp. 19-37). Faculty of Philosophy/ Filozofski fakultet.

Bogatić, K. (2021). Children as active participants in a collaborative relationship between the family and the earl and preschool education institution. In A. Višnjić Jevtić & I. Visković (Eds.), Challenges of collaboration. Development of teachers´ professional competences for collaboration and partnership with parents (pp. 67–76). Alfa.

Bouillet, D. (2019). Inkluzivno obrazovanje: Odabrane teme [Inclusive education: Selected topics]. Faculty of Teacher Education/Učiteljski Fakultet.

Burchinal, M., Field, S., Lopez, M. L., Howes, C., & Pianta, R. (2012). Instruction in Spanish in pre-kindergarten classrooms and child outcomes for English language learners. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 27(2), 188–197. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2011.11.003

Buswell, L., Zabriskie, R. B., Lundberg, N., & Hawkins, A. J. (2012). The relationship between father involvement in family leisure and family functioning: The importance of daily family leisure. Leisure Sciences, 34(2), 172–190. https://doi.org/10.1080/01490400.2012.652510

Carpenter, J. P. (2016). Unconference professional development: Edcamp participant perceptions and motivations for attendance. Professional Development in Education, 42(1), 78–99. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2015.1036303

Carr, D. (2010). Personal and professional values in teaching. In T. Lovat, R. Toomey & N. Clement (Eds.), International research handbook on values education and student wellbeing (pp. 63-74). Springer.

Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2007). Metode istraživanja u obrazovanju [Research methods in education]. Naklada Slap.

Croatian Bureau of Statistic. (2020). Kindergartens and other legal entities implementing preschool Education programmes, beginning of 2019/2020 pedagogic year. https://bit.ly/3A8Oo3O

Crous, G., & Bradshaw, J. (2017). Child social exclusion. Children and Youth Services Review, 80, 129–139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2017.06.062

Domović, V. (2011). Učiteljska profesija i profesionalni identitet učitelja [The teaching profession and the professional identity of teachers]. In V. Vizek-Vidović (Ed.). Učitelji i njihovi mentori / Teachers and their mentors (pp. 11-37). Institute for Social Research/Institut za Društvena Istraživanja.

Eilks, I. (2015). Science education and education for sustainable development – Justifications, models, practices and perspectives. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 11(1), 149-158. https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2015.1313a

Eizenberg, E., & Jabareen, Y. (2017). Social sustainability: A new conceptual framework. Sustainability, 9(1), 68. https://doi.org/10.3390/su9010068  

European Commission. (2011). Competence Requirements in Early Childhood Education and Care. A Study for the European Commission Directorate-General for Education and Culture. https://bit.ly/3k0gMiH

European Commission. (2014). Key principles of a Quality Framework. https://bit.ly/38Y2c56

European Union. (2019). Council Recommendation of 22 May 2019 on High-Quality Early Childhood Education and Care Systems. https://bit.ly/3lc2f2L

Fonsén, E., & Ukkonen-Mikkola, T. (2019). Early childhood education teachers’ professional development towards pedagogical leadership. Educational research, 61(2), 181-196. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2019.1600377  

Goswami, U. C. (2015). Children’s cognitive development and learning (CPRT Research Survey 3). Cambridge Primary Review Trust. https://bit.ly/3E8hKla

Hayes, N., & O’Neill, S. (2019). Little changes, big results: The impact of simple changes to early years learning environments. Early Years, 39(1), 64–79. https://doi.org/10.1080/09575146.2017.1342223

Hujala, E., Eskelinen, M., Keskinen, S., Chen, C., Inoue, C., Matsumoto, M., & Kawase, M. (2016). Leadership tasks in early childhood education in Finland, Japan, and Singapore. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 30(3), 406–421. https://doi.org/10.1080/02568543.2016.1179551  

Ladson-Billings, G. J. (2014). Culturally Relevant Pedagogy 2.0: A.k.a. the Remix. Harvard Educational Review. https://doi.org/10.17763/haer.84.1.p2rj131485484751

 Lambrev, V., Kirova, A., & Prochner, L. (2020). Education reforms for inclusion? Interrogating policy-Practice disjunctions in early childhood education in Bulgaria. Education Inquiry, 11(2), 126–143. https://doi.org/10.1080/20004508.2019.1708616  

Liakopoulou, M. (2011). The Professional competence of teachers: Which qualities, attitudes, skills and knowledge contribute to a teacher’s effectiveness? International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 1(21), 66–7.

Lieber, J., Butera, G., Hanson, M., Palmer, S., Horn, E., & Czaja, C. (2010). Sustainability of a preschool curriculum: What encourages continued use among teachers? NHSA Dialog, 13(4), 225–242. https://doi.org/10.1080/15240754.2010.513776  

Loeb, S., Bridges, M., Bassok, D., Fuller, B., & Rumberger, R. W. (2007). How much is too much? The influence of preschool centers on children’s social and cognitive development. Economics of Education Review, 26(1), 52–66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econedurev.2005.11.005

Marfuga, A., Turalbayeva, A., Jandildinov, M., & Moshkalov, A. (2013). Possibilities of the professional competence formation of future teachers. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 89, 906–910. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.08.954  

Ministry of Science and Education, Republic of Croatia. (2008). State Pedagogical Standard of Early Preschool Education. Official Gazette/Narodne novine, 63/08. https://bit.ly/3lbLqFo

Ministry of Science and Education, Republic of Croatia. (2015). National Curriculum for Early Preschool Education. Official Gazette/Narodne novine, 5/15. https://bit.ly/3nmXGFQ

Mohamed, Z., Valcke, M., & Wever, B. D. (2017). Are they ready to teach? Student teachers’ readiness for the job with reference to teacher competence frameworks. Journal of Education for Teaching, 43(2), 151–170. https://doi.org/10.1080/02607476.2016.1257509  

Montie, J., Xiang, Z., & Schweinhart, L. (2006). Preschool experience in 10 countries: Cognitive and language performance at age 7. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 21(3), 313–331. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2006.07.007  

Moss, P. (2017). Power and resistance in early childhood education: from dominant discourse to democratic experimentalism. Journal of Pedagogy, 8(1), 11–32. https://doi.org/10.1515/jped-2017-0001  

Nes, K., Demo, H., & Ianes, D. (2018). Inclusion at risk? Push- and pull-out phenomena in inclusive school systems: The Italian and Norwegian experiences. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 22(2), 111–129. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2017.1362045

Nteropoulou-Nterou, E., Zoniou-Sideri, A., Lampropoulou, N., & Tsermidou, L. (2017). Views and Perceptions of Senior Early Childhood Education Students Regarding Inclusive Education and Disability. Mediterranean Journal of Social & Behavioral Research, 1(1), 12-21.

Õun, T., Tuul, M., Tera, S., Sagen, K., & Mägi, H. (2018). The Relationship between Quality of Pre-School Child Care Institutions and Teachers’ Teaching Approach. Early Child Development and Care, 188, 542–556, https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2018.1445729  

Peleman, B., Vandenbroeck, M., & Avermaet, P. (2019). Early learning opportunities for children at risk of social exclusion. Opening the black box of preschool practice. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 28(1), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2020.1707360  

Pramling Samuelsson, I. (2010). Participation and learning in the early childhood education context. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 18(2), 121–124. https://doi.org/10.1080/13502931003784347  

Pramling Samuelsson, I., Li, M., & Hu, A. (2019). Early childhood education for sustainability: A Driver for quality. ECNU Review of Education, 2(4), 369–373. https://doi.org/10.1177/2096531119893478  

Rossiter, A. P. (2008). Professional Excellence: Beyond Technical Competence. John Wiley: Hoboken.

Saloviita, T. (2020). Attitudes of teachers towards inclusive education in Finland. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 64(2), 270–282. https://doi.org/10.1080/00313831.2018.1541819  

Seghedin, E. (2014). From the teachers professional ethics to the personal professional responsibility. Acta Didactica Napocensia, 7(4), 13–22.

Selvi, K. (2010). Teachers’ competencies. Cultura International Journal of Philosophy of Culture and Axiology, 7(1), 167–175. https://doi.org/10.5840/cultura20107133

Silva, C., Bajzáth, A., Lemkow-Tovias, G., & Wastijn, B. (2020). Encouraging intercultural attitudes and practices in contemporary ECEC services. Insights from a research conducted in Italy, Spain, and Hungary. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 28(1), 90–103. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2020.1707365

Šućur, Z. (2015). Siromaštvo i dobrobit djece predškolske dobi u Republici Hrvatskoj [Poverty and wellbeing of preschool children in the Republic of Croatia]. UNICEF office for Croatia/Ured UNICEF-a za Hrvatsku.

Tankersley, D., Handžar, S., Rimkiene, R., Sabaliaskiene, R., Trikić, Z., & Vonta, T. (2011). Teorija u praksi: priručnik za profesionalni razvoj odgajatelja [Theory in practice: a handbook for the professional development of educators]. Public Open School Step by Step/Pučko otvoreno učilište Korak po korak.

Tirri, K. (2010). Teacher values underlying professional ethics. In International Research Handbook on Values Education and Student Wellbeing (pp. 153–161). Springer.

United Nations. (1989). Convention on the Rights of the Chid. https://www.unicef.org/child-rights-convention

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. (1994). The Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs Education. https://bit.ly/3A1x4NP

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. (2016). Unpacking Sustainable Development Goal 4: Education 2030. https://bit.ly/3E3q5q9

Urban, M., Vandenbroeck, M., Van Laere, K., Lazzari, A., & Peeters, J. (2012). Towards Competent Systems in Early Childhood Education and Care. Implications for Policy and Practice. European Journal of Education, 47(4), 508-526. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejed.12010

Vandell, D. L., Belsky, J., Burchinal, M., Vandergrift, N., & Steinberg, L. (2010). Do effects of early child care extend to age 15 Years? Results from the NICHD study of early child Care and youth development. Child Development, 81(3), 737–756. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01431.x  

Van der Schaaf, M. F., & Stokking, K. M. (2011). Construct validation of content standards for teaching. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 55(3), 273–289. https://doi.org/10.1080/00313831.2011.576878   

Visković, I., & Višnjić Jevtić, A. (2018). Professional development of kindergarten teachers in Croatia–a personal choice or an obligation. Early Years, 38(3), 286-297. https://doi.org/10.1080/09575146.2017.1278747  

Visković, I., Sunko, E., & Mendeš, B. (2019). Children’s play—The educator’s opinion. Education Sciences, 9(4), 266. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci9040266

Višnjić Jevtić, A. (2019). Professional associations as contributors to the professional development of ECE teachers (Case from Croatia). Journal for Educators, Teachers and Trainers, 10(2), 182-192.

Vujičić, L., Tatalović Vorkapić, S., & Boneta, Ž. (2015). Redefiniranje obrazovanja odgajatelja: analiza iskustava studiranja prve generacije sveučilišnog diplomskog studija na Učiteljskom fakultetu u Rijeci [Redefining the education of educators: An analysis of the experience of studying the first generation of university graduate studies at the Faculty of Teacher Education in Rijeka]. In H. Ivon, & B. Mendeš (Eds.). Kompetencije suvremenog učitelja i odgajatelja- izazov za promjene/Competencies of Modern Teachers and Educators-Challenge for Change (pp. 151–161). Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Wall, S., Litjens, I., & Taguma, M. (2015). Pedagogy in early childhood education and care (ECEC): An international comparative study of approaches and policies. OECD.

Wals, A. E. (2017). Sustainability by default: Co-creating care and relationality through early childhood education. International Journal of Early Childhood, 49(2), 155–164. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13158-017-0193-5

...