Enhancing Early Childhood Educators' Reflective Practice and Content Knowledge to Increase Children's Capacity for Science Talk

This project aims to strengthen key capabilities in early childhood educators (ECEs), including the ability to (1) build science content knowledge and confidence in guiding young children's scientific investigation, (2) closely observe children's interactions with science materials, and (3) use those observations in the reflection, planning, and practice of science teaching. ECEs understand that effective science teaching and learning requires content knowledge related to science concepts and practices and pedagogical knowledge. However, ECEs, especially in rural communities, express a lack of science content knowledge and confidence in incorporating science-related conversations in their early care and education settings, and they believe this might be a result of limited professional training relevant to science content. To address ECEs' desire to know more about science concepts and practices, early childhood science professional development (PD) should include resources, support, and explicit guidance for integrating science talk into everyday interactions with children in early childhood settings. The PD model must also enhance ECEs' science content knowledge and their capacity to notice opportunities for science talk and encourage young children to continue to ask questions and conduct scientific investigations. An early childhood science PD developed through this project will empower ECEs to become reflective thinkers based on solid knowledge of science concepts and practices, significantly impacting their teaching practices and, in turn, children's learning.

Rural ECEs often lack adequate training in teaching science concepts and practices and, thus, do not feel competent in planning and teaching science-related lessons. These ECEs need an early childhood (EC) science PD model that provides access to resources and a community of practitioners. This project aims to (1) develop and test the feasibility of an EC science PD model with materials and resources that strengthen ECEs' science content knowledge and reflective practice to be implemented in rural early care and education settings and (2) use a refined PD model with the critical components identified, explore the change in the level of ECEs' reflection on their teaching practices, knowledge of science concepts and practices, and use of science talk in their practices, along with how each of these changes is associated with children's use of science talk and scientific investigation in their early care and education settings. In year 1, the team will develop and refine a PD model for rural communities. In year 2, the team will use a mixed methods convergent design to test the PD model with a small group of ECEs in rural communities. This project will generate an EC science PD model that empowers ECEs to build science content knowledge and effectively use reflective practice to improve their science teaching practices. The PD model will allow ECEs to collaborate with other ECEs - a critical need expressed by ECEs in rural communities - while enhancing their capacity to incorporate science-related conversations in their interactions with young children. The PD materials, developed in collaboration with science and EC experts, will enhance ECEs' capacity to engage young children in meaningful science learning experiences and further support their interests in science topics. Ongoing communication with participating school/center administrators and family childcare home providers in rural communities will also build greater capacity to impact ECEs' reflection and science teaching practices, which will, in turn, influence their overall teaching quality. The knowledge generated from this project will inform ECE communities of transformational approaches to teaching and learning science concepts and practices. In addition, this exploratory study will further engage researchers in conversations about multidisciplinary approaches to addressing early childhood PD in rural communities.