Professional Development and Preschool quality

Preschool educators´ continuing professional development (PD) is proven to be a decisive factor for strengthening teaching quality. However, building robust evidence for the most effective PD models is still challenging. Questions regarding the content, organizational context, design, and delivery of PD provision remain unanswered.

Swedish educators´ PD is not obligatory and varies across and within municipalities.

How this diversity is represented and how multiple components of PD are associated with preschool quality is unexplored.

This four-year study, carried out by four applicants, aims to fill this gap by investigating the variation in educators´ PD provision and its association with quality improvements on organizing child group activities to meet curriculum objectives.

Drawing on a mixed-methods design, data is generated in two sequential phases through (i) a survey targeting a nationally representative sample of preschool principals to tackle this diversity and identify profiles of educators´ PD, and (ii) preschool quality observations and group interviews with educators conducted in selected preschools representative of these profiles to explore association between PD provision and preschool quality.

Findings will advance knowledge of the national landscape of PD provision and highlight educators´ need for targeted PD initiatives and quality investments, pointing to new directions for research with an impact on the quality of early education.