This study investigated the knowledge level of secondary building-level administrators and secondary teachers regarding adolescent suicidal risk factors and warning signs. Additionally, this study contributed a social mediation component, to explore whether educators believe that they have the potential to be change agents for youth in their school communities. Three hundred forty-three participants (318 teachers, 18 assistant principals and 7 principals) from the middle and high schools in a local public school district in the Mid-Atlantic Region of the United States completed a survey pertaining to information on adolescent suicide. Data analyses were conducted through detailed cross-tabulations and analysis of variances to examine educator knowledge. Despite a wide variability in scores, findings suggest that the majority of educators acknowledge having moderate to low knowledge levels in most critical content domains of youth suicide. Additionally, educators believe that they have the ability to be social mediators of change for youth in the school setting.

The quality of early childhood education and care programs greatly impacts children’s development and well being. The classroom environment, program content and approach and early childhood educators’ characteristics are some of the elements that influence quality and thus have effects on young children’s development. Past research has indicated that early childhood education and care programs in Quebec have received on average low/minimal or mediocre ratings of quality and were also found to lack developmentally appropriate play materials (Drouin, Bigras, Fournier, Desrosiers, & Bernard, 2004; Goelman et al., 2006; Japel, Tremblay, & Cote, 2005). The present study set out to explore elements that may influence the quality of child care classrooms in the province of Quebec. Early childhood educators’ knowledge and developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) were examined to determine the relationship between these elements. Early childhood educators’ knowledge of developmental milestones (KDM) and knowledge of appropriate play materials (KPM) were found to be weak but educators reported strong developmentally appropriate beliefs (BDAP) and practices (PDAP). Results demonstrated positive correlations between early childhood educators’ declarative knowledge of developmental milestones (KDM), knowledge of appropriate play materials (KPM) and their beliefs and practices of developmentally appropriate practice (BDAP and PDAP). Educators’ levels of declarative KDM were positively correlated with their level of declarative KPM. In addition, educators’ BDAP was positively correlated with their level of declarative KPM, but their reported DAP was not linked to their level of KDM. Implications for the field of ECEC as well as early childhood education programs in CEGEPs and Universities in Quebec and across Canada are discussed in light of the study’s findings and limitations.

The quality of early childhood education and care programs greatly impacts children’s development and well being. The classroom environment, program content and approach and early childhood educators’ characteristics are some of the elements that influence quality and thus have effects on young children’s development. Past research has indicated that early childhood education and care programs in Quebec have received on average low/minimal or mediocre ratings of quality and were also found to lack developmentally appropriate play materials (Drouin, Bigras, Fournier, Desrosiers, & Bernard, 2004; Goelman et al., 2006; Japel, Tremblay, & Cote, 2005). The present study set out to explore elements that may influence the quality of child care classrooms in the province of Quebec. Early childhood educators’ knowledge and developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) were examined to determine the relationship between these elements. Early childhood educators’ knowledge of developmental milestones (KDM) and knowledge of appropriate play materials (KPM) were found to be weak but educators reported strong developmentally appropriate beliefs (BDAP) and practices (PDAP). Results demonstrated positive correlations between early childhood educators’ declarative knowledge of developmental milestones (KDM), knowledge of appropriate play materials (KPM) and their beliefs and practices of developmentally appropriate practice (BDAP and PDAP). Educators’ levels of declarative KDM were positively correlated with their level of declarative KPM. In addition, educators’ BDAP was positively correlated with their level of declarative KPM, but their reported DAP was not linked to their level of KDM. Implications for the field of ECEC as well as early childhood education programs in CEGEPs and Universities in Quebec and across Canada are discussed in light of the study’s findings and limitations.

The quality of early childhood education and care programs greatly impacts children’s development and well being. The classroom environment, program content and approach and early childhood educators’ characteristics are some of the elements that influence quality and thus have effects on young children’s development. Past research has indicated that early childhood education and care programs in Quebec have received on average low/minimal or mediocre ratings of quality and were also found to lack developmentally appropriate play materials (Drouin, Bigras, Fournier, Desrosiers, & Bernard, 2004; Goelman et al., 2006; Japel, Tremblay, & Cote, 2005). The present study set out to explore elements that may influence the quality of child care classrooms in the province of Quebec. Early childhood educators’ knowledge and developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) were examined to determine the relationship between these elements. Early childhood educators’ knowledge of developmental milestones (KDM) and knowledge of appropriate play materials (KPM) were found to be weak but educators reported strong developmentally appropriate beliefs (BDAP) and practices (PDAP). Results demonstrated positive correlations between early childhood educators’ declarative knowledge of developmental milestones (KDM), knowledge of appropriate play materials (KPM) and their beliefs and practices of developmentally appropriate practice (BDAP and PDAP). Educators’ levels of declarative KDM were positively correlated with their level of declarative KPM. In addition, educators’ BDAP was positively correlated with their level of declarative KPM, but their reported DAP was not linked to their level of KDM. Implications for the field of ECEC as well as early childhood education programs in CEGEPs and Universities in Quebec and across Canada are discussed in light of the study’s findings and limitations.

The quality of early childhood education and care programs greatly impacts children’s development and well being. The classroom environment, program content and approach and early childhood educators’ characteristics are some of the elements that influence quality and thus have effects on young children’s development. Past research has indicated that early childhood education and care programs in Quebec have received on average low/minimal or mediocre ratings of quality and were also found to lack developmentally appropriate play materials (Drouin, Bigras, Fournier, Desrosiers, & Bernard, 2004; Goelman et al., 2006; Japel, Tremblay, & Cote, 2005). The present study set out to explore elements that may influence the quality of child care classrooms in the province of Quebec. Early childhood educators’ knowledge and developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) were examined to determine the relationship between these elements. Early childhood educators’ knowledge of developmental milestones (KDM) and knowledge of appropriate play materials (KPM) were found to be weak but educators reported strong developmentally appropriate beliefs (BDAP) and practices (PDAP). Results demonstrated positive correlations between early childhood educators’ declarative knowledge of developmental milestones (KDM), knowledge of appropriate play materials (KPM) and their beliefs and practices of developmentally appropriate practice (BDAP and PDAP). Educators’ levels of declarative KDM were positively correlated with their level of declarative KPM. In addition, educators’ BDAP was positively correlated with their level of declarative KPM, but their reported DAP was not linked to their level of KDM. Implications for the field of ECEC as well as early childhood education programs in CEGEPs and Universities in Quebec and across Canada are discussed in light of the study’s findings and limitations.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This study was developed under the guidance of the Graduate Studies Program in Education at the Federal University of Santa Maria Brazil (UFSM-BR) and is inserted into the LP1 line of research: education, knowledge and professional development of teachers. This study aims to analyze the narratives of five student teachers from the Biology Program in order to reflect upon these narratives and autobiographical memories to see what is going on within their teacher education. In order to clarify a bit more on formative aspects and demonstrate what paths were trailed to outline this research, the research begins by reporting early recollections which are portraits of the professional I myself have become. It is based on a qualitative, case study, methodological approach and aimed to analyze, through the narratives derived from five student teachers enrolled in the course Supervised Curricular Student Teaching in Elementary Education in 2012 as well as the formative aspects that permeate the narrative and autobiographical memories. Afterwards, some references which deal with the theme of teacher education to elucidate what kind of educational research dealing with this topic is brought to light. The fifth part of this work begins by analyzing the narratives of future teachers through three categories that were created from relevant issues that arose from the speech of the student teachers. These categories, which were denominated: supervised student teaching, student teaching in Biology and being a teacher, were listed and related to the idea of teaching knowledge brought by Tardif (2002). Finally, I sum up by bringing into the discussion a few issues considered relevant to be thought over and discussed, such as teacher education at the university, the structure of the Biology undergraduate teacher education program at the Federal University of Santa Maria and what is actually meant by being a teacher and how frustrating it can be to rely upon an idealized professional. / Esta pesquisa desenvolveu-se no âmbito do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Educação da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria - Brasil (UFSM-BR) e está inserida na linha de pesquisa LP1: formação, saberes e desenvolvimento profissional docente. A mesma visa analisar as narrativas de estagiários do Curso de Ciências Biológicas da UFSM no intuito de refletir, através delas e de memórias autobiográficas, como está se dando a formação inicial de professores no âmbito do Ensino Superior. Com o propósito de esclarecer um pouco mais sobre aspectos formativos e demonstrar quais caminhos foram percorridos para delinear essa pesquisa, inicio relatando memórias que são retratos da profissional que me tornei. A abordagem metodológica utilizada na pesquisa trata-se da qualitativa, do tipo estudo de caso, que se propôs a analisar, através das narrativas derivadas de cinco estagiários dos matriculados na disciplina de Estágio Curricular Supervisionado no Ensino Fundamental do Curso de Ciências Biológicas da UFSM, no ano de 2012, aspectos formativos que permeiam as narrativas e as memórias autobiográficas. Posteriormente, trago alguns referenciais que tratam da temática da formação de professores para elucidar o que as pesquisas educacionais e algumas pesquisas tratam dessa temática. Inicio a quinta parte desse trabalho analisando as narrativas dos futuros professores através de três categorias que foram criadas de questões pertinentes que surgiram nas falas dos estagiários. Essas categorias, que denominei: estágio curricular supervisionado, formação de professores no Curso de Ciências Biológicas da UFSM e o ser professor, foram elencadas e relacionadas com os saberes docentes trazidos por Tardif (2002). Por fim, concluo trazendo para a discussão algumas questões que considero pertinentes serem repensadas e discutidas como a formação do professor na universidade, a estrutura do Curso de Ciências Biológicas da UFSM e o que realmente é o ser professor e o quanto se ter um modelo idealizado do mesmo pode causar de frustração profissional.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-04T19:56:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 17 / Nenhuma / Este trabalho está centrado nas práticas pedagógicas consideradas significativas pelos estudantes do Curso de Nutrição da Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos – UNISINOS e no protagonismo das professoras que as desenvolvem. Procurou perceber se essas experiências significam inovação na perspectiva de uma ruptura paradigmática, compreendendo a inovação como um processo descontínuo, de rupturas com as formas tradicionais do ensinar e aprender. Dentro desse propósito buscou também compreender como os professores, percebidos como inovadores por seus alunos, construíram suas trajetórias docentes, identificando os processos que instituem suas práticas pedagógicas. Foram utilizados a metodologia qualitativa e os princípios da abordagem etnográfica na expectativa de compreender os processos no contexto social onde são produzidos, a partir de sua história e contingências de produção. Para a realização da pesquisa, foram selecionados, como interlocutores, trinta e nove alunos e quatro professores do Curso de Nutrição. / This work is based on the pedagogical practices that are considered significant by the students of the Nutrition Course at the Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos – UNISINOS and the advocacy of the lecturers that developed these practices. It was sought to discover whether these experiences signified innovation in the sense of a paradigmatic break, understanding innovation as a discontinuous process, of ruptures with the traditional forms of teaching and learning. Within this goal, it was also sought to understand how the lecturers, seen as innovators by their students, constructed the route to follow as educators, identifying the processes instituted in their pedagogical practice. A qualitative methodology and the principles of an ethnographic approach were used in the expectation of understanding the processes in the social context under which they were produced, on the basis of their history and the contingencies of their production. To carry out the research thirty nine students and four lecturers from