The content and implementation of shared professional knowledge in early childhood education

Abstract

Drawing on the sociocultural view, shared knowledge is regarded as a basis for interdependent working and multi-professional learning in early childhood education. Shared professional knowledge can be seen as a central element in successful collaboration facilitating individual and collaborative professional learning. This study aims to investigate the content and implementation of shared professional knowledge in an early childhood context. Video-taped data were collected using a stimulated recall method from the two participating teachers. The results show that the content of shared professional knowledge was related to two areas in the teachers’ professional knowledge: professional self and professional tasks. In addition, the shared professional knowledge varied according to the teachers’ work contexts. This study offers new knowledge on early childhood education practices and teacher education, considering multi-professional collaboration, and shared learning.

Keywords:

• Professional knowledge
• workplace learning
• teacher development

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank sincerely the participants for dedicating their time and expertise. We also like to express our gratitude to associate professor Martha Miller Decker, Ed. D., for her effort and time spent on discourse and inspiring support.