A Study of guideline for Reforming Training Program for Pre-service Preschool Teachers, In-service Preschool Teachers, Caregivers, and Teacher Assistants

This research aims to study the preparation and development guidelines of early childhood curriculums, including caregiver and teacher assistant training program. The research operation separated into three parts: 1) The knowledge synthesis of early childhood preparation and development systems in Thailand, and six foreign countries, namely The United States of America, England, New Zealand, Japan, Philippines, and Hong Kong ; 2) The developmental guideline studies of early-years curriculums and teaching methodologies for preschool teachers, caregivers, and teacher assistants; 3) The recommendation for Equitable Education Fund (EEF), using as part of the reformation in preschool teacher preparation and development, providing the recommendations for creating the prototypical patterns of preparation and development for the preschool teachers and other personnel. For the qualitative data, the interview information was collected from 101 people who were early years educational specialists, kindergarten executives, preschool teachers, parents. The quantitative data was gathered by using a questionnaire, there were 1,044 responders in six regions of Thailand including the school administrators, preschool teachers, caregivers, and teacher assistants. The quantitative data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and Modified Priority Needs Index (PNI Modified) to forecast and analyze the expected and actual condition. The qualitative data were analyzed by content analysis. The results found that there were four periods of reformation in early childhood development for preschool teachers of Thailand during the last two decades. There were similar and different systems for preparation and development of preschool teachers in six countries. Moreover, the recommendations of preschool teacher preparation, consisting of 12 areas.