Using video to improve pre-service teacher understanding of children under three: renewing the curriculum

Final report from a study that used video to improve pre-service teacher understanding of children under three. The three Australian institutions involved in this study had early childhood teacher education programs approved by state registration bodies (Queensland and Victoria). Each university offered early childhood teacher education courses which were primarily concentrated on children aged 3 to 8 years of age, which reflects the trend of early childhood education programs around Australia. Some early years programs are focused on education in the formal years of schooling and the year before formal schooling commenced. Thus, pre-service teachers have few opportunities for learning about children aged birth to 3 years which results in limited theoretical and practical knowledge about infancy and early development. This seeding grant targeted this need by providing a learning resource for early childhood teachers to gain knowledge and experience for the education and care of early development by focusing on the curriculum for 0-3 year olds. It aligns with the recent national Early Years Learning Framework for Australia (DEEWR, 2009).