Professional development of early childhood education teachers in China : observations from Shanghai and Guizhou

Abstract

Enhancing the quality of the early childhood education (ECE) workforce is crucial to improving the learning experiences of young children. Hence, governments worldwide have accorded attention to teacher education and continuing professional development (PD) for ECE teachers. Against this background, this thesis depicts ECE teachers’ PD experiences across regions in China in four interrelated studies. Specifically, it (1) explored the evolution of national policies related to ECE teachers’ PD in the Chinese context through policy analysis (Study One); (ii) investigated the commonalities and distinctions in PD experiences of ECE teachers from the municipality of Shanghai and the less developed province of Guizhou through surveys (Study Two) and semi-structured interviews (Study Three); and (iii) examined the relations among ECE teachers’ PD experiences, classroom quality, and child development outcomes (Study Four). Study One explored the evolution of national policies by considering the regulations, standards, and relevant discourses in 38 documents issued between 2010 and 2020 through a combination of thematic analysis, quantitative content analysis, and discourse analysis. The perusal of national policies indicated that, over time, professional standards and regulations became more stringent with regard to ECE teachers’ competency and morality, while less attention was placed on teacher autonomy. ECE teachers were positioned as inferior to school teachers. Study Two surveyed 471 ECE teachers from Shanghai and Guizhou. Results indicated that where teachers live, where they work, and their conditions of service influence their PD experiences. Specifically, ECE teachers who were employed in public preschools, who had tenure, and who worked in urban and developed regions had the most access to high-quality and diverse PD activities. iii In Study Three, 31 ECE teachers and 25 principals from 29 preschools were interviewed in individual sessions to provide an in-depth and nuanced understanding of their PD experiences. Results indicated that, on the one hand, ECE teachers across all regions participated in community- and school-based PD activities that focused on the implementation of the school-based curriculum. On the other hand, diverse PD experiences reflected distinct local regulations. There were wide variations in access to mentoring and PD offered by external organizations, and highly ranked preschools tended to receive the most professional support from external agencies. Study Four examined the influences of ECE teachers’ PD experience on classroom quality and child development. Observations were conducted in 26 classrooms in Shanghai and 26 classrooms in Guizhou using the Measure of Early Learning Environment Scale (MELE). Child development (N = 710) was assessed with the East Asia–Pacific Early Child Development Scales (Short Form) (EAP- ECDS [SF]). Findings indicated that the frequency and diversity of PD activities were significantly associated with overall classroom quality. Although PD was not directly related to child development outcomes, it had a limited indirect impact on child development through ECE quality. The thesis broadens the extant literature on the role of PD in a context where ECE services are expanding rapidly. Findings emphasize the interdependence of ECE teachers’ conditions of service, career advancement, and PD and have implications for policy-making. (495 words)