This study explored voices of early learning teachers engaged in discussions in an online outdoor play and nature pedagogy course. Three core questions were investigated that focused on early learning teachers’ perceptions and practices of children’s access to quality outdoor play and nature experiences. The results support previous research that indicated that teachers’ perceptions, experiences, values, knowledge, and attitudes influence children’s outdoor play experiences. The findings suggest the need to increase access to professional learning that contributes to early learning teachers enhancing their confidence, awareness, and intentional programming, which results in shifting attitudes to fully embrace outdoor play and pedagogy.
Using technology with children in play-based early learning programs creates questions for some within the Early Childhood Education (ECE) community. This paper presents how two faculty who teach in ECE-related degree programs integrated educational technology into their teaching pedagogy as a way to model to their students how it can be used to support children’s play and learning opportunities. The authors identify how collegial dialogue helped them to use various technologies and social media in their teaching, which transformed their curriculum and pedagogical philosophy. The paper argues that if technology creates connections between learning in the college or university classroom and is effective practice, it is worthy of further exploration. L’utilisation de la technologie avec des enfants dans des programmes préscolaires d’apprentissage basé sur le jeu suscite des questions pour plusieurs au sein de la communauté de l’Éducation de la petite enfance (EPE). Cet article présente la façon dont deux professeurs enseignant dans des programmes d’études liés à l’EPE ont intégré la technologie éducative dans leur pédagogie d’enseignement comme un moyen de démontrer à leurs étudiants comment elle peut être utilisée pour soutenir le jeu des enfants et les possibilités d’apprentissage. Les auteurs montrent comment un dialogue collégial les a aidés à utiliser diverses technologies et médias sociaux dans leur enseignement, ce qui a eu pour effet de transformer leur programme et leur philosophie pédagogiques. L’article fait valoir que si la technologie crée des liens entre l’apprentissage en milieu postsecondaire et une pratique efficace, elle est par conséquent digne d’une exploration plus poussée.
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