Effect of Professional Development in Science
1 other identifier
interventional
1,400
1 country
1
Brief Summary
This trial is a randomized controlled trial aimed at assessing the effectiveness of a nine-month-long professional development program to improve early childhood educators' and carers' self-efficacy for science approaches, engagement with science, and attitudes toward science in early childhood education and care (ECEC).
Trial Health
Trial Health Score
Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach
participants targeted
Target at P75+ for not_applicable healthy
Started Jan 2023
Typical duration for not_applicable healthy
1 active site
Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.
Trial Relationships
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Study Timeline
Key milestones and dates
First Submitted
Initial submission to the registry
September 21, 2022
CompletedFirst Posted
Study publicly available on registry
September 29, 2022
CompletedStudy Start
First participant enrolled
January 1, 2023
CompletedPrimary Completion
Last participant's last visit for primary outcome
May 1, 2024
CompletedStudy Completion
Last participant's last visit for all outcomes
June 1, 2024
CompletedSeptember 29, 2022
September 1, 2022
1.3 years
September 21, 2022
September 28, 2022
Conditions
Keywords
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcomes (2)
Change in Self-efficacy for science approach at 4.5 months
Self-Efficacy for Science Approach (SESA) in early childhood educators and carers. The scale will be developed for purpose with a basis in the National Strengthened Pedagogical Curriculum prior to baseline. Rasch measurement models will be used for validation, including analyses of differential item functioning to ensure that the two groups of staff in the RCT can be compared unbiased. The resulting scale will consist of approximately 15 items (score range 0-60) and have sufficient reliability. Higher scores are better.
Baseline, 4,5 months
Change in Self-efficacy for science approach at 9 months
Self-Efficacy for Science Approach (SESA) in early childhood educators and carers. The scale will be developed for purpose with a basis in the National Strengthened Pedagogical Curriculum prior to baseline. Rasch measurement models will be used for validation, including analyses of differential item functioning to ensure that the two groups of staff in the RCT can be compared unbiased. The resulting scale will consist of approximately 15 items (score range 0-60) and have sufficient reliability. Higher scores are better.
Baseline, 9 months
Secondary Outcomes (7)
Science capital for professionals
Baseline
Change in Attitudes toward science at 4.5 months
Baseline, 4,5 months
Change in Attitudes toward science at 9 months
Baseline, 9 months
Change in engagement with science in the work life at 4.5 months
Baseline, 4,5 months, 9 months
Change in engagement with science in the work life at 9 months
Baseline, 9 months
- +2 more secondary outcomes
Study Arms (2)
Professional development
EXPERIMENTALThe intervention consists of a nine months long professional development program with an interchange between three e-learning modules and three group workshops starting with an e-learning module and ending with a workshop. Each workshop is 3 hours with approximately 100 participants. The e-learning modules are completed individually by ECEC staff. Between workshops, each day nursery and/or kindergarten center will receive a two-hour supervisory visit from UCL staff to support professional development. The daily leader at the day nursery and/or kindergarten center sets the theme for each supervisory visit to enhance development as much as possible. The intervention is being designed as a collaboration between UCL and Odense municipality
Usual professional development
ACTIVE COMPARATOREducation and Care as Usual entails a standing offer from the municipality of Odense for Usual Competence development within the area of nature, outdoor life and natural phenomena visits from a learning consultant to support the ECEC staff's work with digital technology at the day nursery and/or kindergarten center. It is up to the day nursery and/or kindergarten center if the use the offer or not. This offer is extended to all day nursery and/or kindergarten centers.
Interventions
A nine-month program consisting of three e-learning modules and three group workshops
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if:
- Adults employed in a day nursery and/or kindergarten center in the municipality of Odense at the start of the intervention
- Employed in one of four pedagogical positions: pedagogues \[pædagoger\], assistants \[pædagogiske assistenter\], assistant teachers \[pædagogmedhjælpere\], and daily leaders \[dalig leder\]
You may not qualify if:
- Employed in other positions than the four above in a day nursery and/or kindergarten center
- "at home child carers" \[dagpleje\]
- Not able to fill out questionnaires in Danish
Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.
Sponsors & Collaborators
Study Sites (1)
UCL university college
Odense, 5230, Denmark
Related Publications (5)
Clarke D, Hollingsworth H. Elaborating a model of teacher professional growth. Teaching and teacher education. 2002; 18(8): 947-967.
BACKGROUNDDewey J. Interest and effort in education.1913. Boston, MA, US: Houghton, Mifflin and Company.
BACKGROUNDFrancis LJ, Greer JE. Measuring Attitude Towards Science Among Secondary School Students: the affective domain. Research in Science & Technological Education. 1999; 17(2): 219-226.
BACKGROUNDKosovich JJ, Hulleman CS, Barron KE, Getty S. A Practical Measure of Student Motivation: Establishing Validity Evidence for the Expectancy-Value-Cost Scale in Middle School. The Journal of Early Adolescence. 2015; 35(5-6):790-816.
BACKGROUNDOon P-T, Hu BY, We B. Early childhood educators' attitudes toward science teaching in Chinese schools. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood. 2019; 44(4): 423-435.
BACKGROUND
Related Links
MeSH Terms
Interventions
Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Study Officials
- STUDY DIRECTOR
Morten R petersen, PhD
UCL University college
Central Study Contacts
Study Design
- Study Type
- interventional
- Phase
- not applicable
- Allocation
- RANDOMIZED
- Masking
- NONE
- Purpose
- OTHER
- Intervention Model
- SEQUENTIAL
- Sponsor Type
- OTHER
- Responsible Party
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
- PI Title
- Associate Professor
Study Record Dates
First Submitted
September 21, 2022
First Posted
September 29, 2022
Study Start
January 1, 2023
Primary Completion
May 1, 2024
Study Completion
June 1, 2024
Last Updated
September 29, 2022
Record last verified: 2022-09
Data Sharing
- IPD Sharing
- Will share
- Time Frame
- Data will become available once we have published study protocol, validation study on the primary outcome, and study report. Expected that this will be possible by the start of 2026 and two years forward.
- Access Criteria
- purpose of data request as re-analyses using alternative methods.
IPD will be shared on request and will consist of the primary outcome data as well as secondary measures and background information, as necessary to re-analyse.