SPerception change of principals and teachers of Hong Kong kindergartens on quality early childhood education

The present study investigates the relationship between school-based curriculum development via curriculum innovations and the changed perceptions of principals and teachers of kindergartens toward quality teaching and learning in early childhood education. Three kindergartens involved in a university-support project in curriculum innovations were the subjects of this study. A self-administered questionnaire completed before and after the project was used to measure participants' perceptions and implementation of quality teaching strategies and their changes, as well as the background information of these participants and their kindergartens. Observations of the teaching and learning processes of the three kindergartens will help reveal the curriculum innovations that have contributed to the perception change. Interviews of teachers and principals were employed to triangulate with observations of the consultants. Explanations will be given as to why some kindergartens change more than the others and useful strategies of university support to kindergartens will be identified. This presentation reports the preliminary findings that will shed light on the direction of early childhood teacher education in terms of the factors influencing practitioners' understanding of the principals of quality teaching and learning in early childhood education.