The impact of Child Development Associate training on the beliefs and practices of preschool teachers

• Published in: Early childhood research quarterly 2011, Vol.26 (2), p.227-236
• Main Authors: Heisner, Mary Jane, Lederberg, Amy R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Beliefs; CDA; Child Development; Child Development Associate; Classrooms; Developmentally Appropriate Practices; Early childhood education; Early childhood professional development; Early childhood teacher training; Multivariate analysis; Outcomes of Education; Preschool Teachers; Preschools; Teacher beliefs; Teachers; Teaching Methods; Training
• ISSN: 0885-2006; 1873-7706
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ecresq.2010.09.003

This study examined the impact of Child Development Associate (CDA) training on the beliefs and practices of early childhood teachers who did not have college degrees or early childhood college coursework. Preschool teachers who were enrolled in CDA classes ( n = 76) and a comparison group of teachers ( n = 50) completed two surveys of beliefs and practices. Repeated measures Multivariate Analyses of Variance indicated that the CDA training teachers decreased the amount they endorsed beliefs and practices that contrast with Developmentally Appropriate Practice over time more than the comparison teachers. Results suggest that CDA training can be an effective means of increasing the developmentally appropriateness of beliefs and self-reported practices of early childhood teachers, which past research suggests will ultimately impact classroom quality.