Opportunities and Barriers of Integrating the 1+X Certificate System into Nursery Teacher Education in China

Abstract

The development of high-quality vocational education is a critical factor in establishing a robust economy. Therefore, every nation places significant emphasis on the quality of teaching and learning within vocational education. This study investigates the use of the 1+X Certificate System to enhance teaching competence among nursery teacher students in China, with a particular focus on the experiences of Early Childhood Education (ECE) teacher educators who support their students during their teacher education. Employing a qualitative research design, the study conducted four in-depth case studies of ECE teacher educators who integrated the 1+X Certificate System into the nursery teacher education curriculum at a college in China. The findings of the study reveal the 1) Alignment with the Existing Curriculum; 2) Effectiveness in Teacher Education; and 3) Adequacy of Teaching Resources; and 4) Establishing Partnerships with Nursey Schools that ECE teacher educators encountered in utilizing the 1+X Certificate System to improve the teaching competence of nursery teacher students. This study contributes to the ongoing discourse on the integration of the 1+X Certificate System into nursery teacher education programs. The implications of this research may inform future efforts to enhance the quality of nursery student teacher education, leading to the development of a highly skilled workforce in the ECE sector.