Date

2-7-2024

Department

School of Education

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)

Chair

Vonda Beavers

Keywords

early childhood education, early childhood workforce preparation, social and emotional development, early childhood faculty

Disciplines

Education

Abstract

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of higher education faculty regarding their role in preparing the early childhood education workforce to support young children’s social and emotional development in North Carolina. The conceptual framework used to guide this study was the Pyramid Model for Promoting Social and Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children. Using a transcendental approach, experiences of faculty were examined to learn more about the instructional methods used to equip pre-service educators with the knowledge and practices needed to effectively teach social and emotional concepts in an early childhood classroom. Criterion, convenience, and snowball sampling methods were used to recruit faculty with experience teaching early childhood education courses at community colleges and universities in North Carolina. Data was collected using individual interviews, qualitative surveys, and focus group discussions. Phenomenological analyses were conducted using the Moustakas approach along with Saldaña’s in vivo coding method with each dataset. Findings revealed the need for access to more quality practicum classrooms, skilled mentor teachers, mental health supports for students pursuing early childhood education degrees, and consideration of the cultural context and background of students when teaching social and emotional course content. Trustworthiness was addressed with triangulation, member checking, reflexivity, and an audit trail.

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