Alfredo Bautista|Siew-Chin Ng|David Múñez|Rebecca Bull
Learning areas for holistic education: kindergarten teachers’ curriculum priorities, professional development needs, and beliefs
Nanyang Technological University|Nanyang Technological University|Nanyang Technological University|Nanyang Technological University
contemporary kindergarten curriculum frameworks emphasize importance promoting childrens holistic development thereby focusing academic nonacademic learning areas exploratory study conducted sample 123 inservice kindergarten teachers singapore goals investigate following 1 teachers prioritized importance various learning areas nurturing early learners curriculum framework 2 teachers professional development pd needs regarding learning areas 3 extent teachers different beliefs children learn differed prioritizations pd needs data collected online questionnaire analyzed using nonparametric techniques results indicated 1 academic nonacademic areas found intertwined teachers priority rankings although social emotional development top learning area teachers 2 teachers reported high pd needs learning areas especially discovery world aesthetics creative expression 3 teachers holding traditional beliefs tended prioritize academic areas differences found comparing teachers responses according level education age years teaching experience discuss findings light prior literature implications limitations study lines research