Abstract:

This study aims at presenting both the processes of constructing the content, structure and pedagogical aspects of open educational resources designed for the VOICE digital educational platform as well as student teachers’ and in-service teachers’ evaluations of the platform and its educational material. The VOICE program aims to the dissemination of scientific knowledge to the educational community to enhance children’s opportunities to participate in decision making processes in early childhood education (ECE). Therefore, the open educational resources have been constructed as an educational material for teachers’ professional learning. The materials consist of three educational tools, thus presentations and practical examples, research tools and reflective tools to support teachers’ rethinking and re-designing of educational practice. The decision to provide these three tools is supported by current theory and practice regarding teachers’ professional learning based on research and reflection. Further, the content of the educational material derives from prior research on ECE teachers’ beliefs and practices regarding children’s participation. Therefore, the content and educational process of the materials are purposively designed to promote reflection and transformation of practice based on theory, research and reflection. 140 student teachers from different Universities and 90 kindergarten teachers from different districts participated in the evaluation of the open educational platform through questionnaires consisting of close and open-ended questions. Close ended questions referred to participants’ satisfaction regarding the platform’s use, content, design and guidance provided for interaction with the materials as well as their perceived effects of the open educational resources on their thinking and practice. Open ended questions included proposals for improving the content and efficiency of the platform. Analysis is still in progress. Tentative results show an overall high percentage of users’ satisfaction as well as specific proposals for improvement.

Keywords:

Open educational sources, design of digital platform, professional learning, evaluation of digital platform.