Abstract
The final chapter makes 12 recommendations grounded in the key findings, with reference to the literature and existing policy, from the research that investigated academics’ perspectives of early childhood teacher (ECT) programs in Australia and three Nordic countries: Finland, Norway and Sweden. As explained in Chap. 1, the target audience of this book are early childhood education academics; decision-makers for early childhood teacher policy; researchers interested in early childhood teacher programs and early childhood education and care; and policymakers in the field of ECT programs. The study makes a key contribution to understanding academics’ approaches to the entry, design and delivery of ECT programs, professional experience and how the programs have been shaped in response to requirements and constraints, both within and beyond the university. It is anticipated that ECT program directors and academics will find this a useful reference for the future design, delivery and research of ECT programs. This book makes a key contribution to understanding the diversity of ECT programs’ landscapes in Australia. The comparisons with three universities from Finland, Norway and Sweden open up possibilities for alternative ECT program design and delivery for renewing ECT programs within Australia. Quality ECT programs aim to prepare graduates to ultimately support children’s learning. Limitations of the study are addressed in the final section of the chapter.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Australian Children’s Early Childhood Quality Authority (ACECQA). (2016). National quality agenda. Retrieved from www.acecqa.gov.au.
Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA). (2019). Qualifications assessment guidelines for organization applications. Retrieved from https://www.acecqa.gov.au/qualifications/assessment/approval/early-childhood.
Boyd, W., & Newman, L. (2019). Primary+early childhood=chalk and cheese? Tensions in undertaking an early childhood/primary education degree. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 44(1), 4–13. https://doi.org/10.1177/1836939119841456.
Boyd, W., Fenech, M., Mahony, L., Wong, S., Warren, J., Lee, et al. (2020) Employers’ perspectives of early childhood graduates. Early Childhood Conference, Hobart, 25–29 September (In press).
Couse, L. J., & Recchia, S. L. (2016). Handbook of early childhood teacher education. New York: Routledge.
Darling-Hammond, L. (2010). Teaching education and the American future. Journal of Teacher Education, 61(1–2), 35–47.
Department of Education & Training. (2017). Final Report-Improving retention, completion and success in higher education. Commonwealth of Australia: Author.
Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business. (2019). Newsroom: Employment projections. Retrieved from https://www.employment.gov.au/newsroom/employment-projections.
Finnish Education Evaluation Centre. (2019). Evaluating the state of the Finnish education system: Results of the Finnish education evaluation. Retrieved from https://karvi.fi/en/higher-education/.
Halpern, R. (2013). Tying early childhood education more closely to schooling: promise, perils and practical problems. Teachers College Record, 115(1), 1–28.
Harrison, C., & Heinrich Joerdens, S. H. (2017). The combined Bachelor of Education early childhood and primary degree: Student perceptions of value. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 42(1), 4–13.
Job Outlook. (2019). Explore careers. Retrieved from https://joboutlook.gov.au/Career?keyword=early%20childhood.
LiBetti, A. (2018). Let the research show: Developing the research to improve early childhood teacher preparation. Retrieved from https://bellwethereducation.org/publication/let-research-show-developing-research-improve-early-childhood-teacher-preparation-0.
Liu, Y., & Boyd, W. (2018). Comparing career identities and choices of pre-service early childhood teachers between Australia and China. International Journal of Early Years Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669760.2018.1444585.
Manning, M., Wong, G., Fleming, C., & Garvis, S. (2019). Is teacher qualification associated with the quality of the early childhood education and care environment? Review of Educational Research, 89(3), 370–415.
McDonald, P., Thorpe, K., & Irvine, S. (2018). Low pay but still we stay: Retention in early childhood education and care. Journal of Industrial Relations, 60(6), 647–668.
Nolan, A., & Rouse. E. (2013). Where to from here? Career choices of pre-service teachers undertaking a dual early childhood/primary qualification. Australasian Journal of Teacher Education, 38(1), 1–10.
Oberheumer, P. (2011). The early childhood education workforce in Europe between divergencies and emergencies. International Journal of Child Care and Education Policy, 5(1), 55–63.
Organisation for Economic and Cooperative Development (OECD). (2016). Education at a glance. Retrieved from https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/education/education-at-a-glance-2016_eag-2016-en.
Penn, H. (2010). The debate about quality in the private for-profit childcare market. Conference paper for Social Policy Association, Lincoln, UK, 6th July.
Press, F., Wong, S., & Gibson, M. (2015). Understanding who cares: creating the evidence to address the long-standing policy problem of staff shortages in early childhood education and care. Journal of Family Studies, 21(1), 87–100. https://doi.org/10.1080/13229400.2015.1020990.
Rowley, G., Kos, J., Raban, B., Fleer, M., Cullen, J., & Elliott, A. (2011). Current requirements for tertiary qualifications in early childhood education: Implications for policy. Retrieved from https://research.acer.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1012…early_childhood_misc.
Tatto, M., Richmond, G., & Andrews, D. (2016). The research we need in teacher education. Journal of Teacher Education, 67(4), 247–250.
Thorpe, K., Boyd, W., Ailwood, J., & Brownlee, J. (2011). Who wants to work in childcare? Pre-service early childhood teacher’s consideration of work in the child-care sector. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 36(1), 85–94.
UNICEF. (2017). Building the future: Children and the sustainable development goals in rich countries. Retrieved from https://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/series/16/.
World Health Organisation, (WHO). (2011). Exclusive breastfeeding for six months best for babies everywhere. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/statements/2011/breastfeeding_20110115/en/.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2020 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Boyd, W. (2020). Quality Programs, Quality Early Childhood Teachers: Conclusions and Recommendations. In: Australian Early Childhood Teaching Programs. SpringerBriefs in Education. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-5837-5_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-5837-5_7
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore
Print ISBN: 978-981-15-5836-8
Online ISBN: 978-981-15-5837-5
eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)