Graduates' Perceptions of Strengths and Needs in Interdisciplinary Teacher Preparation for Early Childhood Education: A State Study

Abstract

While the national growth of interdisciplinary early childhood education (ECE) and early childhood special education (ECSE) teacher preparation has been documented, research into these programs is scarce. This study was conducted to gather graduates' perceptions of their preparation in a statewide system of ECE/ECSE interdisciplinary teacher preparation programs. A southeastern state implemented the new approach to preparing teachers to work with infants, toddlers, and young children with and without disabilities, and their families, in 1992. As one of the first stand-alone blended teacher preparation licenses, the Birth through Kindergarten license in this state is a competency-based approach to licensure combining the NAEYC and DEC preparation standards. A mail survey of graduates from seven state- and NCATE-approved blended programs was conducted during the first year of employment. Participants were asked to rate their preparation in state licensure competencies. Perceived strengths were higher in areas of general early childhood and child development than in areas specific to early childhood special education. Graduates reported a need in the preparation programs for more content and application in areas including working with families, behavior analysis, and working with children who have moderate to severe disabilities.

Promoting Special Education Preservice Teacher Expertise

“…In addition, in these studies, unified programs showed some promise for improving preservice teachers' ability to include students with mild disabilities successfully, although, in early childhood unified programs, graduates perceived needing more information about students with severe disabilities. This latter finding is important because students in all programs are qualified to work with students with both mild and severe disabilities (Dunne, 2002;LaMontagne et al, 2002;Miller & Losardo, 2002). Additionally, we do not know how specific aspects of the program assisted preservice teachers in developing more accessible and effective content instruction.…”

“…Finally, Miller and Losardo (2002) surveyed graduates of a unified program during their 1st year of employment after graduation. Their survey explored current employment, perception of strengths and weaknesses of their program, and recommendations for change.…”

Diversity Competencies within Early Childhood Teacher Preparation: Innovative Practices and Future Directions

“…In these studies, data were collected using faculty and graduates' surveys and interviews (Dunne, 2002;LaMontagne et al, 2002;Levin et al, 2002;Miller et al, 2001;Miller & Losardo, 2002). Results from studies examining unified and separate programs indicate that students in unified programs had more course work on teaming as well as opportunities to work as a team, coteach and collaborate; while students in separate programs seldom get opportunities to do so, due to perceived differences in philosophical beliefs, time, or budget constraints (Dunne; LaMontagne et al).…”

Early Childhood Teacher Preparation in Special Education at 2- and 4-Year Institutions of Higher Education

“…While not inclusive of all relevant content areas, these four areas are central to the family-centered, interdisciplinary approach to working with children with disabilities espoused in the early childhood special education literature (Bruder, 2000;Sandall, McLean, & Smith, 2000;Stayton et al, 2003). These areas also are congruent with those practitioners identified as needed in their preparation (Kamens, Loprete, & Slostad, 2003;Miller & Losardo, 2002 At each IHE, an effort was made to interview the chair or director of the early childhood program. In situations where the early childhood program was housed in a larger department (e.g., education), the director of the early childhood program, not the larger department, was interviewed.…”

“…Both groups indicated that the content areas most valuable in teacher preparation programs are those related to addressing individual needs, working with families, and achieving interdisciplinary collaboration; practicum experiences that incorporate these elements also are seen as critical (Kamens et al, 2003;Miller & Losardo, 2002).…”