Impact of online professional development (PD) on kindergarten teachers’ beliefs and intentions regarding teacher-child interactions

Impact of online professional development (PD) on kindergarten teachers’ beliefs and intentions regarding teacher-child interactions

• Wu, Xuanyi Eliza The Education University of Hong Kong
• Bautista Arellano, Alfredo The Education University of Hong Kong
• Lee, Kerry The Education University of Hong Kong

Early Childhood Education Journal, 2025

Springer

2025

• M Teachers & Education for Teachers
  • MA Professional Education for Teachers
• F Learning & Teaching
  • FD Application of Communicative Media, IT in Learning & Teaching

Early Childhood Education Beliefs Intentions Teacher-child Interactions Online PD

• Hong Kong

• 1997.7 onwards

• Pre-Primary Education

High-quality teacher-child interactions benefit children’s learning and developmental trajectories. However, professional development (PD) opportunities for early childhood teachers on how to interact with children are typically insufficient. To enhance teacher-child interactional quality in Hong Kong kindergartens, we designed an online PD entitled Chat with Children, composed of 10 units of learning resources and activities. The objective of this study was to explore how this online PD influenced teachers’ beliefs and intentions regarding teacher-child interaction. Participants were 217 in-service Hong Kong kindergarten teachers. Pre-post evaluation was conducted to examine teachers’ beliefs and intentions in the dimensions of Organization of the Teaching Experience, Group Sensitivity, Encouragement of Communication, and Behavioral Support. After taking the course, teachers had stronger beliefs and intentions to organize interactive activities, address children’s needs with sensitivity, and engage children in communications. Furthermore, teachers believed that they should give children more freedom to settle conflicts, rather directing their misbehaviours immediately. This study provides evidence on the potential of online PD to enhance teachers’ beliefs and intentions regarding how to engage children. Implications, limitations, and future research are discussed. Copyright © 2025 The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.

• English

Journal Articles

• 10823301

• 10.1007/s10643-025-01906-x

https://bibliography.lib.eduhk.hk/bibs/ad7d82cf

2025-11-04