engleski

Early childhood practicum as a place for transformation of early childhood students' conceptions of teaching and learning

The aim of this study is to explore experiences of early childhood teacher students during their early practicum in kindergarten, how they reflect and describe children's learning through their documentation. Previous studies showed that working with children in early years' practicum, creates opportunities for early childhood student to re-think their existing beliefs about children ways of thinking and learning (Recchia, Shin, 2010), particularly if they were based on documentation. Rinaldi (2006) emphasises that for the teacher, being able to reflect on how the learning is proceeding means that teacher can base his teaching not on what he wants to teach, but on what the child wants to learn. The theoretical framework of the study is socio- cultural with reference to Dewey, Vygotsky and Rogoff. The design of the study was qualitative case study in nature, involving 25 students. The data were collected through pre and post focus group interviews, document analysis of their documentation and reflections about their documentation experience. An informed consent has been obtained from all students to provide confidentiality. Early practicum provided a unique context for challenging some previously held notions concerning early childhood teaching and learning as the students encountered. When student teacher sees their role as learning alongside the children, their actions and documentation is very different than when they are thinking of their self as a conveyer of information, mediators of conflicts. Implications for future research and practice for early childhood teacher preparation programs are discussed particularly on basis of pedagogical documentation.

early years practicum, pedagogical documentation, student teachers, children's learning, reflection

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