The significance of arts in the training of early childhood educator

Abstract

The study explored the significance of art in training the early childhood educator and to examine the practices and the varied challenges facing the early childhood educator, in University of Education, Winneba. The objectives of the study were to explore the significance of arts in the training of the early childhood educator, to examine the major component of arts embedded in the training of the early childhood educator and how it is achieved and to assess how arts has affected the output of the early childhood educator. The study employed a case study design with the targeted population of the study being the Lecturers, graduate teachers from five selected schools in the Efutu Municipality and educators all of Early Childhood Department of University of Education, Winneba campus with the sample size of 60 respondents. Purposive sampling, Snow balling and stratified sampling procedures were employed to select five (5) Lecturers, fifteen (15) teachers and forty (40) students respectively. Semi structured questionnaire and interview guide was structured and used to elicit responses from the respondents. The data collected from the field was coded and then analyzed in relation to the research objectives. The research discovered that the early childhood programme lacks arts facilities like proper galleries, material and storage facilities to enable students have access to practical arts works. The research revealed that arts have an overwhelming output on the performance of early childhood teacher. It was recommended that more physical facilities and arts facilities should be procured and the Early Childhood Department should link up with other practical arts oriented department in the University or other sister Universities to assist them. The research concluded that the arts build the knowledge capacity of the educator and provide wide range of benefit which would be used later in their profession for Childs development and growth.