This article focuses on childcare workers’ practical “recognition of gaps”. Specifically, we have collected and analyzed a number of episodes in which childcare workers experienced gaps based on their knowledge of children. First, narration contents were sorted in the KJ method to summarize the gaps childcare workers recognize. It’s then followed by a text mining analysis of the relationship between workers’ years of childcare experience and recognition of gaps. The result revealed that 1) gaps of childcare workers includes “those due to preconception and assumption”, “those stemmed from expectation and high hopes to accumulate experience”, “those due to implementation of plans and strong faith”, “those brought by struggles and confusion”, “those due to direct acceptance”; 2) recognition of gaps is not related to the years of childcare experience; 3) yet, there are different features in the recognition of gaps when childcare workers have different years of experience. Finally, possibilities for future elaboration were depicted from the relationship between standards put on the workers and their efficacy.

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This study aimed to clarify the relationship between stress coping skills and the increase in positive affect due to changes in attachment style associated with attachment target transitions during childhood. The attachment targets were mothers (past) and friends (present), respectively. Participants were 550 fifth- and sixth-grade elementary school children. Three self-report questionnaires were administered to the participants to assess the attachment styles with mothers and friends, coping of cognitive reinterpretation (Finding Positive Meaning [FPM] coping), and positive affect. Data were analyzed using the four attachment styles—secure and insecure attachment styles of past and present. Specifically, there are four types of secure and insecure attachment styles: “secure/secure,” “secure/insecure,” “insecure/secure,” and “insecure/insecure.” Consequently, it was proposed that attachment quality in the past might be the foundation. Nonetheless, the present quality may affect the promotion of FPM coping and the increase in positive affect. Based on these findings, we considered the compensating effect of attachment style modifications and the potential for preventive interventions in the educational setting for childhood health adaptation.

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In this study, we examined the influence of social studies learning strategies on social studies learning motivation among 63 third-year junior high school students. The learning strategy subscales were included organizational, dialogue, monitoring, and planning strategies, and the motivational strategy subscales were included internal adjustment, identification adjustment, introductory adjustment, and external adjustment. Correlation analysis showed significant correlations between all learning strategies and internal and identification adjustment. Multiple regression analysis showed that organizational and dialogue strategies positively affected internal and identification adjustment. These results suggest that organizational and dialogue strategies are effective at improving self-directed learning motivation. Finally, based on the research results, this paper discusses methods for improving classes and offers suggestions for future directions.

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This study developed a rubric specifically designed for simplified micro-teaching (Simplified MT) at nursery teacher training schools and assessed the benefits of its implementation. In Study 1, we developed the ‘Rubric Simplified MT 　　　 Version’ by systematically identifying and defining key evaluation perspectives relevant to simplified micro-teaching. These perspectives included ‘methods of writing teaching plans’, ‘teaching attitudes’, ‘childcare skills’, ‘understanding children’, and‘recognizing learning conditions and motivation’. In Study 2, we comprehensively analyzed students’ questionnaire responses and qualitative descriptions to validate the efficacy of self-evaluation activities facilitated by the simplified MT rubric. This analysis revealed three key categories: ‘recognizing learning conditions’, ‘setting learning tasks’, and ‘utilizing for future learning’. These findings provided valuable insights into the student’s self-awareness and ability to evaluate their performance. Moreover, the analysis of the rubrics completed by students allowed researchers to measure learning achievements and track the progress of each class in the simplified MT sessions. The results of this study provided concrete evaluation tools to enhance the educational outcomes of simplified MT and practical methods of utilizing the rubrics effectively.

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This article is a study of current trends and future issues related to music education research in the Early Childhood Education and Care. To facilitate the development of children’s musical sensibilities, we highlighted key points of interest related to nursery teachers’ musical expertise from prior research. As a result of this study, we conclude that it is important for teachers to pay attention to the sounds around them, to be able to imagine how to use ambient sounds in their curriculum, and to cultivate the ability to choose sounds that are appropriate for children of various ages and skill levels. We finally discuss what forms of training are necessary for Early Childhood Education and Care. There is a need to develop adequate knowledge and a sense of improvisational perspective with respect to the corresponding pedagogical methodology.

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