The Effects of Promoting an Early Childhood Teachers’ Competency Enhancement Program on Executive Function Skills of Young Children: A Study in the Integrated Area of Tha Muang District, Kanchanaburi Province
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Abstract
This research aims to 1) study the understanding and self-efficacy of abilities and skills in writing experience plans according to the EF guideline among preschool teachers who participated in the program designed to enhance their competencies in promoting preschool children's executive function skills; and 2) study the executive function skills of preschool children taught by these preschool teachers. The study adopted an action research approach based on Kemmis et al.'s (2014) principles. Tha Muang District in Kanchanaburi Province served as the research site. The sample group consisted of 87 preschool teachers from the Office of the Basic Education Commission and local administrative organizations, as well as 134 preschool children from the Office of the Basic Education Commission. The study was conducted from July to October 2022. The research tools comprised (1) a knowledge assessment form, (2) a self-efficacy assessment form, (3) a quality inspection form for experience plans, and (4) an observation form for preschool children's executive function skills (ages 3–6). Data were analyzed using the paired sample t-test and the Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank test. The research findings showed that 1) preschool teachers scored much higher in knowledge, self-efficacy of abilities, and skills in writing experience plans based on EF guidelines after the program than they did before, with a significance level of .05, and 2) preschool children scored much higher in executive function skills after the program than before, with a significance level of .05. According to the findings, the program enhances instructors’ planning abilities and positively influences preschool children’s executive function skills.
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