Wullschleger, Andrea
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Teaching quality in kindergarten. professional development and quality of adaptive learning support enhances mathematical competency
AbstractAdaptive learning support provided by kindergarten teachers before and after (macro-adaptive learning support) as well as during mathematical learning activities (micro-adaptive learning support) is a cross-cutting concept of teaching quality. Effective adaptive learning support enhances children’s learning. However, providing it is challenging and teachers need professional development (PD) to improve the quality of their support. This study investigates the mediating role of teaching quality between PD programs for kindergarten teachers and the development of children’s mathematical competency. 122 kindergarten teachers and their 825 pupils participated in the study. The teachers were randomly assigned to three groups. Two groups attended PD sessions designed to foster either macro- or micro-adaptive learning support. The third was the materials-only control group. The data was analyzed using a self-developed rating instrument focusing on generic and domain-specific elements of teaching quality related to macro- and micro-adaptive learning support. The multilevel latent change model analysis revealed that the PD programs had positive and significant effects on the teaching quality of kindergarten teachers. A significant positive relationship was also found between micro-adaptive learning support and changes in children’s mathematical competency. However, an indirect effect of teaching quality could not be detected, and the PD programs did not have a total effect on children’s mathematical competency. The study reinforces the importance of PD that specifically targets macro- and micro-adaptive learning support for kindergarten teachers. The mediation between PD and mathematical competency development requires further investigation.
Kann die Qualität der adaptiven Lernunterstützung durch frühpädagogische Fachkräfte in spielbasierten mathematischen Lernsituationen verbessert werden?
Early childhood teachers' mathematics-specific professional competence and its relation to the quality of learning support
Teacher expertise research uses different approaches, among them competence models. The model of mathematics-specific professional competence in this study differentiates action-related and reflective competence, which pertain to different types of professional demands according to dual processing theories and should positively impact teaching quality. The cross-sectional study with early childhood teachers investigates the structure of teacher competence and its relations to the quality of learning support in line with the notion of adaptive teaching when playing board games. The findings support a differentiation of competences according to the model (structural validity evidence). Expected relations between competences and the quality of the learning support are partially supported (predictive validity evidence). The study hence adds to research on teacher expertise by developing a specific understanding of competence in line with existing theories. Affordances of using competence models, as well as difficulties and open questions with relation to the emerging approach are discussed.
Kindergarten educators’ affective-motivational dispositions. Examining enthusiasm for fostering mathematics in kindergarten
Affective-motivational dispositions regarding the fostering of mathematics are an important aspect of early educators' professional competence, as educators are not following curricular programmes but need to seize moments in everyday activities and in play in order to foster mathematics. A variety of scales measuring variables of affective-motivational dispositions within a questionnaire were employed in a binational study involving 132 kindergarten educators in Germany and Switzerland. Based on the expectancy-value theory of motivation, the relations between educators' emotions regarding mathematics at school, the enthusiasm for mathematics as a subject, the value placed on mathematics and the expectancy of fostering mathematics successfully (self-efficacy) as well as the enthusiasm for fostering mathematics in kindergarten are examined. Following the analysis of correlations and the testing of a multiple regression model, it was found that enthusiasm for mathematics as a subject, importance of mathematics as a subject in kindergarten and self-efficacy predict enthusiasm for fostering mathematics, whereas the variable emotions regarding mathematics at school does not increase the variance explained. Self-efficacy, importance given to mathematics and enthusiasm for fostering mathematics are slightly higher in Switzerland than in Germany, which could be interpreted in light with the structural differences regarding kindergarten.
Modelling early childhood teachers’ mathematics-specific professional competence and its differential growth through professional development – an aspect of structural validity
Research on teacher knowledge has been criticised for taking too narrow a view on expertise. Therefore, teacher competence frameworks have been developed that are closely related to professional demands. Their practice-oriented conceptualisations have led to innovative measures with situative demands. However, there is still a lack of knowledge on whether these frameworks are actually suited to map teacher growth. This study investigated whether two components of teacher competence, Action-related (AC) and Reflective Competence (RC), can be differentially fostered through specific interventions in early childhood mathematics education. We designed two professional development programmes with a focus on AC and RC and implemented them in a randomised controlled experiment with 170 teachers. Overall, we found that AC, RC, and professional knowledge were sensitive to interventions with different change profiles. Although our hypotheses were only partially supported, the results can be seen as evidence regarding the distinctness of competence and knowledge components.
Improving the quality of adaptive learning support provided by kindergarten teachers in play-based mathematical learning situations
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 kindergarten teachers. One program focused on teacher–child interactions (micro-adaptive learning support), the other on planning, preparation, and reflection (macro-adaptive learning support). Each program had a positive impact on the quality of the specific type of adaptive mathematical learning support provided by kindergarten teachers, macro or micro, it was designed to improve.
Konzeptualisierung und Messung der Qualität der adaptiven Lernunterstützung in Lernsituationen mit mathematischen Regelspielen im Kindergarten. Eine Studie in Deutschland und der Schweiz
Die Qualität der adaptiven Lernunterstützung ist wichtig für die Förderung des mathematischen Lernens von Kindergartenkindern. Entsprechend bedarf es geeigneter Instrumente zur Bewertung der Planung, Durchführung und Reflexion von mathematischen Lernangeboten im Kindergarten. Bestehende Instrumente berücksichtigen vor allem die mikro-adaptive (mathematische) Lernunterstützung, die den Fokus auf die Interaktion zwischen der Fachkraft und den Kindern legt. Die Qualität der makro-adaptiven (mathematischen) Lernunterstützung (Planung und Reflexion von Lernsituationen) wurde im Kindergarten bis jetzt noch nicht umfassend untersucht. Sie gewinnt jedoch im Hinblick auf die zunehmende Bedeutung von Bildungsplänen im Kindergarten und der damit verbundenen Förderung von fachbezogenen Kompetenzen an Bedeutung. Im Artikel wird erstens die Qualität von (mathematischer) Lernunterstützung in Regelspielsituationen im Kindergarten konzeptualisiert. Dabei wird die Qualität der makro-adaptiven von der mikro-adaptiven Lernunterstützung unterschieden. Letztere wird getrennt in fachunabhängige Unterstützungsqualität (Gruppenmanagement, emotionale Wärme) und in instruktionale, mathematikbezogene Unterstützungsqualität (Lernanregung, Verwendung Fachsprache). Zweitens wird ein Messinstrument (Rating) zur Analyse der Qualität der Lernunterstützung in mathematischen Lernsituationen vorgestellt. Dieses wurde zur Analyse von videografierten Regelspielsituationen und anschließenden Leitfadeninterviews von 145 pädagogischen Fachkräften aus Deutschland und der Schweiz eingesetzt. Pro Fachkraft standen zwei Videosequenzen und zwei Interviews zur Verfügung. Auf der Basis dieser Daten wird das Messinstrument hinsichtlich verschiedener Gütekriterien sowie des Einflusses der Ausbildung der Fachkräfte (akademisch, nicht akademisch) und des Bildungskontextes (Deutschland, Schweiz) analysiert. Die theoretisch angenommene Unterscheidung von Gruppenmanagement, emotionaler Wärme und instruktionaler Unterstützungsqualität lässt sich durch eine konfirmatorische Faktorenanalyse stützen. Die Ergebnisse bestätigen die Bedeutung des Einbezugs von Planung und Reflexion als Dimensionen von adaptiver Lernunterstützungsqualität.