Changes and Challenges for Japanese Early Childhood Teacher Education In the Early 21st Century

The Effects of Globalization and Renewed Responsibilities for Early Childhood Teacher Educators

Abstract

Teacher education and professional development for early childhood education and care (ECEC) teachers are marginalized in Japan. One reason is its dual system between the certificate to work at child welfare facilities, such as childcare centers under the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW), and the kindergarten teacher licensure regulated by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). Other reasons are that the pedagogical approach in ECEC fundamentally differs from compulsory education and that the critical importance of the early years has not yet been recognized in the society. As in other countries, global common knowledge among the countries participating Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and Japanese local knowledge from research and practice influenced recent reform of teacher education programs. First, MHLW, MEXT, and ECEC research communities cooperated to propose a model curriculum to manage the dual system program, which required ECEC-specific five subject areas. This change requires teacher educators to have ECEC-specific expert knowledge rather than that of traditional academic subject areas. Second, “Talis Starting Strong Survey 2018” revealed strengths and potential challenges in the Japanese ECEC pedagogy and teacher education. Some results reflected curriculum guidelines' philosophy and represented characteristics of Japanese ECEC pedagogy. However, other factors, such as considerations for cultural and linguistic diversity and different family backgrounds, needed renewed attention. Third, for a better professional development system, there is an ongoing project for the MEXT to establish ECEC professional development centers and ECEC advisers in municipalities to provide equal opportunities for quality professional development across different circumstances between public or private, nursery or kindergarten, and rural or urban areas. In this vision, teacher educators are critical in actualizing access-equality for quality programs.