The content and implementation of shared professional knowledge in early childhood education

Abstract

<p>Drawing on the sociocultural view, shared knowledge is regarded as</p><p> </p><p>a basis for interdependent working and multi-professional learning</p><p> </p><p>in early childhood education. Shared professional knowledge can</p><p> </p><p>be seen as a central element in successful collaboration facilitating</p><p> </p><p>individual and collaborative professional learning. This study aims to</p><p> </p><p>investigate the content and implementation of shared professional</p><p> </p><p>knowledge in an early childhood context. Video-taped data were</p><p> </p><p>collected using a stimulated recall method from the two participating</p><p> </p><p>teachers. The results show that the content of shared professional</p><p> </p><p>knowledge was related to two areas in the teachers’ professional</p><p> </p><p></p><p>knowledge: <i>professional self </i>and <i>professional tasks</i>. In addition, the</p><p></p><p>shared professional knowledge varied according to the teachers’</p><p> </p><p>work contexts. This study offers new knowledge on early childhood</p><p> </p><p>education practices and teacher education, considering multiprofessional</p><p> </p><p>collaboration, and shared learning.</p><p></p><p><br /></p>