ABSTRACT Web-based professional development has the potential to increase the early childhood workforce’s knowledge of young dual language learners (DLLs). Yet there is a gap in the literature on web-based professional development specific to DLLs and its role in changes in actual and perceived knowledge among early childhood professionals. To begin addressing this gap, the current study examines the associations between early childhood professionals’ participation in a web-based learning platform with targeted content on supporting young DLLs and changes in actual and perceived knowledge about DLLs. This study also examines how background characteristics and experiences may be associated with increases in knowledge after module participation. Results show increases in participants’ actual and perceived knowledge after completing the module. Relevant background characteristics included having a college-degree, working in home-based child care, and participating in DLL-specific professional development within the prior year. Having prior DLL-specific professional development moderated the links between pre-module knowledge and post-module knowledge. These results highlight the relevance of web-based professional development as an approach to building the knowledge of early childhood professionals to work with young DLLs.

中文翻译：

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基于网络的专业发展，以提高幼儿专业人士对双语学习者的实际和感知知识

摘要 基于 Web 的专业发展具有增加幼儿劳动力对年轻双语学习者 (DLL) 知识的潜力。然而，关于特定于 DLL 的基于网络的专业发展及其在幼儿专业人士实际和感知知识变化中的作用的文献中存在空白。为了开始解决这一差距，当前的研究调查了早期儿童专业人士参与基于网络的学习平台的关联，其中有针对性的内容支持年轻的 DLL，以及关于 DLL 的实际和感知知识的变化。本研究还研究了背景特征和经验如何与模块参与后知识的增加有关。结果表明，在完成模块后，参与者的实际知识和感知知识有所增加。相关背景特征包括拥有大学学位、在家庭儿童保育机构工作以及在上一年内参与了 DLL 特定的专业发展。先前具有特定于 DLL 的专业开发可调节模块前知识和模块后知识之间的联系。这些结果突出了基于网络的专业发展作为建立早期儿童专业人士知识以与年轻 DLL 合作的一种方法的相关性。