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This study explored voices of early learning teachers engaged in discussions in an online outdoor play and nature pedagogy course. Three core questions were investigated that focused on early learning teachers' perceptions and practices of children's access to quality outdoor play and nature experiences. The results support previous research that indicated that teachers' perceptions, experiences, values, knowledge, and attitudes influence children's outdoor play experiences. The findings suggest the need to increase access to professional learning that contributes to early learning teachers enhancing their confidence, awareness, and intentional programming, which results in shifting attitudes to fully embrace outdoor play and pedagogy.

Using technology with children in play-based early learning programs creates questions for some within the Early Childhood Education (ECE) community. This paper presents how two faculty who teach in ECE-related degree programs integrated educational technology into their teaching pedagogy as a way to model to their students how it can be used to support children's play and learning opportunities. The authors identify how collegial dialogue helped them to use various technologies and social media in their teaching, which transformed their curriculum and pedagogical philosophy. The paper argues that if technology creates connections between learning in the college or university classroom and is effective practice, it is worthy of further exploration.

For those who are tired of old images and practices, Malaguzzi suggests that there is time for mistakes to be corrected. New paths of practice can be forged by being willing to consider another way of teaching and learning with young children. And as with any change in professional practice, teachers face cognitive dissonance when they try to reconcile their current practice with new ideas. The author shares a story of what happened when four teachers abandoned their theme-based approach in favor of the uncharted territory of an emergent curriculum, and how this act impacted their practice and their self-image. (Contains 4 additional resources on emergent curriculum.)

Early childhood education is a complex field of practice. Finding professional learning models that help early childhood professionals to remain current is also complex because of factors such as funding, program philosophies, research, government policies, and individual and staff commitment to practice. While continuous professional learning should increase the quality of programming offered to children, there is little agreement on the types of professional learning model that are most effective in transferring new learning to practice. This article examines the use of narrative inquiry as a framework for professional learning. It examines how, through narrative inquiry, a professional learning model was created and how its use brought new perspectives, knowledge and practice to two professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]