Supporting the collaboration between ECEC core and assisting practitioners: endline report of the VALUE project in four countries | ISSA
Bente Jensen, Hester Hulpia, Mateja Režek
VBJK - Centre for Innovation in the Early Years, ERI - Educational Research Institute
Tags: Belgium, Denmark, Portugal, Slovenia, ECEC, professional development, holistic approach, teacher assistant, early childhood policy
In this VALUE endline report, the following question is examined: How can continuous professional development (CPD) strengthen professional identity, holistic approaches to educational work (educare) and cooperation between core and assisting practitioners working within the field of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC)? This question is explored through pilot projects conducted by research groups located in four different countries (Belgium, Denmark, Portugal and Slovenia). The report highlights the findings from the pilot projects in the four countries.
The report first presents the different VALUE pilot projects as snapshots from the four countries. It is then followed by a description of the overall lessons learned from the projects and the insights that emerged regarding important conditions at both policy and practice levels, which can be used as a framework for the future development of CPD at all levels of ECEC. Finally, we present our conclusions and make a number of recommendations based on the descriptions and examples in this VALUE endline report.