Abstract:
The study assessed knowledge and practice of preschool teachers about early
childhood educational best practices in the Asante Mampong Municipality. A
descriptive research design was adopted for the study. The study employed
quantitative approaches through the use of self-developed questionnaires. In all
Krejcie and Morgan sample size determination table was used to select 217 preschool
teachers using the multistage sampling technique. The data were nalysed using both
descriptive and inferential statistical tools. The findings from the study revealed that
preschool teachers were aware of and had knowledge about early childhood
educational best practices. Also, results from the study indicated that even though
preschool teachers had knowledge about the early childhood best practices, they did
not apply or implement them in the classroom. Some challenges including lack of
teaching learning materials hindered the implementation of early childhood
educational best practices among preschool teachers in Mampong Municipality. It
was recommended from the study that, the Ministry of Education should ensure that
the developmental goals and objectives in the early childhood development
curriculum reflected local values and informed approaches to classroom practices. It
was further revealed that the curriculum should also reflect the customary practices,
traditions, and rituals that touched the lives of children in various cultural contexts
and encourage the participation of children in the everyday activities of their
community. Early childhood teachers should be given professional training.
Description:
A Dissertation in the Department of Early Childhood
Education, Faculty of Educational Studies, submitted to
the School of Graduate Studies in partial fulfilment
of the requirement for the award of the degree of
Master of Education
(Early Childhood Education)
in the University of Education, Winneba