The problem explored in this study was principals' low self-efficacy, which negatively affected school outcomes and could lead principals to set weaker goals and be less resilient. The purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to identify strategies that principals believed would foster better self-efficacy. The theoretical framework…

The current study examined the psychometric properties of the Teachers' Goal Orientations for Professional Learning Scale (TGOPLS) in the context of learning and using information technology. The participants were 866 kindergarten teachers from 58 kindergartens in China. Based on a randomly split sample, the authors used Group 1 (n = 433) for…

Demands placed on early childhood teacher development, teacher candidates, and professionals who prepare future teachers, continue to increase. Although inquiry addresses high-stakes teacher development, research on programs in early childhood professional development schools as a pathway to mediate the increased demand is needed. The purpose of…

Professional development (PD), which includes coaching, has demonstrated the capacity to affect preschool teachers' use of evidence-based practices. The present study explored how coaches facilitated conversations within practice-based coaching (PBC) partnerships. A direct behavioral observation coding system was developed to investigate (a) the…

Professional development (PD), which includes coaching, has demonstrated the capacity to affect preschool teachers' use of evidence-based practices. The present study explored how coaches facilitated conversations within practice-based coaching (PBC) partnerships. A direct behavioral observation coding system was developed to investigate: (1) the…

Personalized learning is designed to address the disengagement of today's students and to be proactive in closing the growing achievement gaps occurring in far too many schools. The goal of personalized learning is to engage students in the process, building on their interests, aptitudes, and strengths, thus creating intrinsic motivation for…

Professional Development Schools (PDS) were intended to be a comprehensive approach to total-school reform targeted toward the effects of poverty and educational disadvantage. This paper examines the processes and contexts found in PDSs and tests how they might be logically and empirically linked to measurable improvements in achievement. The…

This article provides a subjective personal introspection of the attempt to develop and maintain an Early Childhood Research Laboratory (ECRL) at the University of Cyprus and a description of the first activities undertaken by the ECRL. I specifically illustrate the process of legitimising the need for an ECRL at the University of Cyprus and…

The purpose of this study was to describe the coaching that occurred at Head Start (HS) grantees as a result of the Early Learning Mentor Coach (ELMC) initiative. This provided a unique opportunity to describe the different dimensions of coaching within HS settings from the perspective of multiple stakeholders--administrators, coaches, and staff.…

The purpose of this study is to describe the conceptions of the Finnish and Estonian pre-school teachers' goals, and the achievement of these goals in their pedagogical work. The study consisted of 60 (30 from each country) interviews with pre-school teachers. The interview data was analyzed phenomenographically. The findings showed that children…

The authors of this article reviewed studies of how organizations, including schools, businesses, and human service agencies, used professional development to make sustained changes. They identified six key strategies that have been used by successful organizations. These six research-based strategies provide a framework for leaders in early care…