In response to international calls to invest more resources in early childhood education (ECE) to provide children with better futures, improving the quality of preschool education has been a key goal of curriculum reform initiatives across developing countries, including Cambodia. The preschool curriculum in Cambodia focuses on five core learning areas: Mathematics, Science, Social Science, Khmer Literacy, and Psychomotor Skills. This study explored Cambodian preschool teachers’ beliefs about how children learn, their curriculum priorities, and professional development (PD) needs. The study recruited 409 teachers from three types of preschools. Data were collected through an online survey via Qualtrics. Results indicated that preschool teachers in Cambodia tend to hold child-centered teaching beliefs. No differences were noted when comparing teachers’ responses according to their educational level, teaching qualification, age, and teaching experience. The sampled Cambodian preschool teachers considered Science and Social Science, followed by Psychomotor Skills, as the most important learning areas for children. In contrast, they reported high levels of PD needs in Mathematics and Khmer Literacy. The policy implications of the results related to teacher education and future research endeavors are discussed.

Authors:
Shahid Karim, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Alfredo Bautista, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Kerry Lee, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

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Posted by Clive Staples Lewis

Last updated: 2023-02-23 23:45:00

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