ABSTRACT

This study uses data from semi-structured interviews conducted with 44 early childhood education (ECE) staff and examines how knowledge dissemination processes operate in ECE centers, including how information from off-site trainings is diffused among staff. Our sample includes administrators, lead teachers, and assistant teachers serving children aged zero to five in a large ethnically-diverse urban district. We find that staff reported exchanging information through formal channels (e.g., scheduled staff meetings) and informal channels (e.g., extemporaneous meetings, advice-seeking interactions); our findings suggest that informal channels may be especially prevalent and consequential to ECE staff’s professional learning. ECE professionals explained that they sought certain colleagues for information/advice primarily based on the colleague’s expertise but also because of a colleague’s job title and their familiarity with that colleague. Lastly, we find that nearly half of staff reported sharing information they received from off-site professional development with colleagues at their ECE center.

摘要

本研究使用来自对 44 名幼儿教育 (ECE) 工作人员进行的半结构化访谈的数据，并检查知识传播过程在 ECE 中心的运作方式，包括来自场外培训的信息如何在工作人员中传播。我们的样本包括管理人员、班主任教师和助理教师，他们在一个种族多元化的大型城区为 0 至 5 岁的儿童提供服务。我们发现员工报告通过正式渠道（例如，预定的员工会议）和非正式渠道（例如，临时会议、寻求建议的互动）交换信息；我们的研究结果表明，非正式渠道可能对 ECE 员工的专业学习尤为普遍和重要。ECE 专业人士解释说，他们向某些同事寻求信息/建议主要是基于同事的专业知识，但也因为同事的职位以及他们对该同事的熟悉程度。最后，我们发现近一半的员工报告说，他们与 ECE 中心的同事分享了他们从场外专业发展中获得的信息。