TY - JOUR
T1 - Beliefs associated with support for child-centred learning environment among Hong Kong pre-service early childhood teachers
AU - Cheung, Sum Kwing
AU - Ling, Elsa Ka wei
AU - Leung, Suzannie Kit Ying
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
PY - 2017/3/15
Y1 - 2017/3/15
N2 - The physical, social and temporal dimensions of the classroom environment have an important role in children’s learning. This study examines the level of support for child-centred learning, and its associated beliefs, that is provided by Hong Kong’s pre-service early childhood teachers. Two hundred and seventy-five students from a pre-service early childhood teacher training programme completed a questionnaire; in general, these students believed that teachers should create physical, social and temporal environments which are child-centred in early childhood education settings. Linear regression analyses showed that the students’ perceived importance of fostering children’s social and communication competence in early childhood programmes, and their belief in children’s competence in self-learning, were significant positive correlates of their level of support for all dimensions of child-centred learning environment. Their self-perceived competence in managing children’s behaviours was, however, a significant negative correlate of their level of support for child-centred social and temporal environment. This study then discusses the implications of these findings for pre-service early childhood teacher education.
AB - The physical, social and temporal dimensions of the classroom environment have an important role in children’s learning. This study examines the level of support for child-centred learning, and its associated beliefs, that is provided by Hong Kong’s pre-service early childhood teachers. Two hundred and seventy-five students from a pre-service early childhood teacher training programme completed a questionnaire; in general, these students believed that teachers should create physical, social and temporal environments which are child-centred in early childhood education settings. Linear regression analyses showed that the students’ perceived importance of fostering children’s social and communication competence in early childhood programmes, and their belief in children’s competence in self-learning, were significant positive correlates of their level of support for all dimensions of child-centred learning environment. Their self-perceived competence in managing children’s behaviours was, however, a significant negative correlate of their level of support for child-centred social and temporal environment. This study then discusses the implications of these findings for pre-service early childhood teacher education.
KW - Pre-service teachers
KW - beliefs
KW - child-centred learning environment
KW - early childhood education
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85013127731&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/02607476.2017.1286785
DO - 10.1080/02607476.2017.1286785
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85013127731
SN - 0260-7476
VL - 43
SP - 232
EP - 244
JO - Journal of Education for Teaching
JF - Journal of Education for Teaching
IS - 2
ER -