Professional Development Experiences of Early Childhood Teachers in Türkiye

Year 2025, Issue: 28, 187 - 198, 31.07.2025

Sena Makbule Karabay , Selda Aras

https://doi.org/10.30786/jef.1661574

Abstract

Professional development efforts have become one of the key factors in the success of many countries. Effective professional development practices that include the core features defined in the literature are critical for improving the quality of early learning. This phenomenological study explores views and experiences of early childhood teachers on professional development. The participants in the study were ten early childhood teachers. The data of the study were obtained through semi-structured interviews and professional development experience forms. The data were analyzed through the core features of effective professional development under the themes of active learning, content focus, collective participation, coherence, and duration. The study indicates that practices which promote active participation and respond to teachers’ specific professional needs foster ongoing professional learning and support the implementation of new instructional strategies in the classroom. The findings suggest that early childhood teachers' professional development can be enhanced through collaborative, needs-based, and reflective methods. The study’s findings are believed to provide valuable insights for the development of professional development processes and for researchers in early childhood education.

Keywords

professional development, early childhood education, early childhood teacher, professional learning, teacher education

Professional Development Experiences of Early Childhood Teachers in Türkiye

Abstract

Mesleki gelişim çalışmaları birçok ülkenin başarıya ulaşmasındaki önemli unsurlardan biri olarak nitelendirilmektedir. Alan yazınında tanımlanan birtakım temel özellikleri içeren etkili mesleki gelişim uygulamaları erken çocukluk eğitiminin kalitesini artırmak için kritik öneme sahiptir. Bu fenomenolojik çalışma okul öncesi öğretmenlerinin mesleki gelişim deneyimlerini ve görüşlerini araştırmaktadır. Çalışmaya on okul öncesi öğretmeni katılmıştır. Çalışmanın verileri yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler ve mesleki gelişim deneyim formları aracılığıyla elde edilmiştir. Veriler etkili mesleki gelişimin temel özellikleri aracılığıyla aktif öğrenme, içerik odaklılık, kolektif katılım, tutarlılık ve süre temaları altında analiz edilmiştir. Bu çalışma, aktif katılımı teşvik eden ve öğretmenlerin spesifik mesleki ihtiyaçlarına yanıt veren uygulamaların, öğretmenlerin sürekli mesleki öğrenmeye katılımlarını artırdığını ve sınıflarında yeni öğretim stratejilerini uygulamalarını desteklediğini ortaya koymaktadır. Bulgular, okul öncesi öğretmenlerinin mesleki gelişiminin iş birlikçi, ihtiyaç temelli ve yansıtıcı yöntemlerle artırılabileceğini göstermektedir. Çalışmanın bulgularının mesleki gelişim süreçlerinin geliştirilmesi ve erken çocukluk eğitimi araştırmacıları için değerli öngörüler sağlayacağı düşünülmektedir.

Keywords

Mesleki gelişim, erken çocukluk eğitimi, okul öncesi öğretmeni, mesleki öğrenme, öğretmen eğitimi.

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