Abstract Adaptive learning support provided by kindergarten teachers before and after (macro-adaptive learning support) as well as during mathematical learning activities (micro-adaptive learning ...support) is a cross-cutting concept of teaching quality. Effective adaptive learning support enhances children’s learning. However, providing it is challenging and teachers need professional development (PD) to improve the quality of their support. This study investigates the mediating role of teaching quality between PD programs for kindergarten teachers and the development of children’s mathematical competency. 122 kindergarten teachers and their 825 pupils participated in the study. The teachers were randomly assigned to three groups. Two groups attended PD sessions designed to foster either macro- or micro-adaptive learning support. The third was the materials-only control group. The data was analyzed using a self-developed rating instrument focusing on generic and domain-specific elements of teaching quality related to macro- and micro-adaptive learning support. The multilevel latent change model analysis revealed that the PD programs had positive and significant effects on the teaching quality of kindergarten teachers. A significant positive relationship was also found between micro-adaptive learning support and changes in children’s mathematical competency. However, an indirect effect of teaching quality could not be detected, and the PD programs did not have a total effect on children’s mathematical competency. The study reinforces the importance of PD that specifically targets macro- and micro-adaptive learning support for kindergarten teachers. The mediation between PD and mathematical competency development requires further investigation.
Research on teacher knowledge has been criticised for taking too narrow a view on expertise. Therefore, teacher competence frameworks have been developed that are closely related to professional ...demands. Their practice-oriented conceptualisations have led to innovative measures with situative demands. However, there is still a lack of knowledge on whether these frameworks are actually suited to map teacher growth. This study investigated whether two components of teacher competence, Action-related (AC) and Reflective Competence (RC), can be differentially fostered through specific interventions in early childhood mathematics education. We designed two professional development programmes with a focus on AC and RC and implemented them in a randomised controlled experiment with 170 teachers. Overall, we found that AC, RC, and professional knowledge were sensitive to interventions with different change profiles. Although our hypotheses were only partially supported, the results can be seen as evidence regarding the distinctness of competence and knowledge components.
Affective-motivational dispositions regarding the fostering of mathematics are an important aspect of early educators' professional competence, as educators are not following curricular programmes ...but need to seize moments in everyday activities and in play in order to foster mathematics. A variety of scales measuring variables of affective-motivational dispositions within a questionnaire were employed in a binational study involving 132 kindergarten educators in Germany and Switzerland. Based on the expectancy-value theory of motivation, the relations between educators' emotions regarding mathematics at school, the enthusiasm for mathematics as a subject, the value placed on mathematics and the expectancy of fostering mathematics successfully (self-efficacy) as well as the enthusiasm for fostering mathematics in kindergarten are examined. Following the analysis of correlations and the testing of a multiple regression model, it was found that enthusiasm for mathematics as a subject, importance of mathematics as a subject in kindergarten and self-efficacy predict enthusiasm for fostering mathematics, whereas the variable emotions regarding mathematics at school does not increase the variance explained. Self-efficacy, importance given to mathematics and enthusiasm for fostering mathematics are slightly higher in Switzerland than in Germany, which could be interpreted in light with the structural differences regarding kindergarten.
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