On The Development Of Preschool Teachers' Practical Knowledge

Preschool teachers' practical knowledge (PK) is a kind of experience system and teaching wisdom generated and constructed through practice. However, preschool teachers were seen as knowledge "consumers" and "enforcers" from the perspective of objective theory of knowledge, lacking professional self-awareness and self-development paradigm, which not only resulted in separation between practice and theory, but also hindered the generation of their wisdom and the holistic development of their professional capacity. Based on the critique of traditional theory of knowledge and the reflection on teacher research paradigm under the control of technical rationale, breaking through the previously dichotomous understanding of "theory and practice", "knowledge and ability", this study examines PK and its construction process with important effect on early childhood education from multiple perspectives, which is daily used but ignored at the mean time by preschool teachers. Aiming at cultivating reflective and intelligent practitioners and in the light of practical rationale, it focuses on its connotations, features, development processes, layers, approaches and strategies by synthesizing qualitative and quantitative methodology, such as literature review, narrative study, case study, semi-structural interview and questionnaire survey, which on the one hand elaborate the logic origin and implementation approach for the internal autonomous development of preschool teachers, and provide some fundamental accordance and concrete reference for promoting preschool teachers'education reform on the other hand.Introduction describes the research question and content. It explains why choosing the topic, and by summing up, analyzing and making a comment on the research status quo, weaknesses and future research directions about preschool teachers'PK at home and abroad, it also introduces the objectives, significance, key points, difficulties, ideas, methodology and so on.Chapter one delineates the definition and characteristics of preschool teachers'PK with a reflection on the current research result. By making a distinction between tacit knowledge, educational experience, pedagogical content knowledge, educational wisdom, and personal practice, the definitions and external denotations of preschool teachers'PK are clarified further. Besides, the structural pedigree of preschool teachers'PK is built up from the horizontal dimensions of preschool teachers'reified activities (PK about early childhood education, living activities, educational research activities, environmental interaction and self-recognition), the longitudinal dimensions of the production procedure of PK (knowledge about intention, contextual insight and decision-making), and the conceptualized dimensions (knowledge that can be accounted, knowledge that can make sense but can hardly be accounted, and implicit knowledge). It clarifies some general characteristics of preschool teachers' PK resembling mobility, empiricality, individuality, automaticity and potentiality, as well as occupational traits of diversity, comprehension, flexibility and life-oriented.Chapter two deals with the theoretical grounds of preschool teachers'PK. Tracing from some related theory of building PK theory, it systematically expounds references to the research of preschool teachers' PK development in view of tacit knowledge, learning psychology theory, practice theory, theory of professional development of teachers.Chapter three reveals the basic processes and primary characteristics of the generation and development of preschool teachers' PK from the dynamics of preschool teachers'career development. It emphasizes on the creation and delivery mechanisms, the quantitative and qualitative transfer processes of their PK, the features concerning with development stages of dim perception, rapid growth, fine-tuning improvement, the plateau of maturity and sublimation transition. The whole development trajectory of preschool teachers'PK is thereby sketched.Chapter four probes the factors influencing preschool teachers' PK from theoretical discussion and empirical research. The intrinsic factors including individual reflection ability and habit, personal theoretical knowledge absorbed, personal life history and individual skills, etc. will have a great impact on the development of preschool teachers'PK. So do some other external elements involving in the context of early childhood education, the culture of preschool teachers, the training exercises of the kindergarten, and the ideas of kindergarten management. Meanwhile, the study finds that the development process of preschool teachers'PK has encountered impediment because of the current collective absence of PK, the indifferent sense of professional self-development, the lagging reform of preschool teacher education, the rigid control of the kindergarten management system, and the distant cultural atmosphere of kindergarten teachers.Chapter five provides some strategies about how to facilitate the development of preschool teachers'PK underpinned by the ideal of its theoretical construction and with relation to the reality. On the basis of the conventional practice of preschool teachers, the strategies encompassing self-concern as a prerequisite, reflective practice as a method, sharing mechanism as a foundation, multiple channels as an expanse, and knowledge management as a supplementary are put forward to upgrade the development of preschool teachers' PK. It will boost preschool teachers'PK to continuously pursue larger quantities, better qualities, more reasonable structures and higher standards, which will definitely contribute a lot to the educational phronesis.Chapter six presents some requirements and recommendations for preschool teachers' education reform with PK development approach in conformity to the above conclusion. Two suggestions are then proposed after canvassing the actual conditions of preschool teacher education: constructing a pre-service training mode of "immersion practice" and an in-service training mode of "problem diagnosis".