Investigating the impact of professional development on Turkish early childhood teachers' professional growth about education for sustainable development through critical media literacy


Tezin Türü: Doktora

Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Eğitim Fakültesi, Temel Eğitim Bölümü, Türkiye

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2018

Öğrenci: ŞULE ALICI

Danışman: VOLKAN ŞAHİN

Özet:

The aim of the present study was to determine changes in early childhood teachers’ Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) awareness and Critical Media Literacy (CML) levels, their practices targeting ESD through CML and their conclusions drawn from their practices after a specifically designed professional development training (PDT). To reach this aim, a case study design in the light of Bronfenbrenner's Ecological System Theory (based on its ECEfS adaptation version develop by McCrea & Littledyke (2015) was carried out. The participants of this were four early childhood teachers who were working at public preschools in Ankara, Turkey. Data were collected from various sources, namely interviews, stimulated recall interviews, teacher documentations (daily and monthly plans) and field notes. The findings of this study indicated that after PDT there were changes in teachers’ awareness of ESD and CML levels. They started to design and implemented activities focusing on ESD through CML. Moreover, the great majority of them believed that ESD should start in the early years. They also advocated that CML should give a place in early childhood education. What’s more, they shared their observation about changes in children awareness of ESD issues (such as animal breeding, gender equity, global warming, and recycling) and children’s CML regarding access, analyze & evaluate and create competencies.