PLG561

TEACHING AND LEARNING THEORY IN

MATHEMATICS

CRITICAL REVIEW
JOURNAL OF EARLY CHILDHOOD RESEARCH
FROM DEVELOPMENTAL-CONSTRUCTIVISM TO SOCIO-CULTURAL THEORY AND
PRACTICE :
AN EXPANSIVE ANALYSIS OF TEACHERS PROFESSIONAL
LEARNING IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

NAME: MUNIAMAH D/O NARAYANAN

MATRIX NUMBER: SMM0021/13
LECTURE NAME: PROF. DR.LIM CHAP SAM

Assignment 3 : Critical review of a journal article

Title : Journal Of Early Childhood Research- An Expansive Analysis Of Teachers Professional
Learning In Early Childhood Education,Suzy Edwards, 2007, 25, 84-106

Introduction
This article is mainly based on an argument regarding the need to operate from a
sociocultural basis in terms of early childhood curriculum practice are to be found
in state-mandated early childhood curriculum documents. This article also mainly
examines the appropriation of socio-cultural theory by a group of Australian who are
early childhood educators participating in a professional development program
informed by Developmental Work Research (DWR). This article too examine the
processes that involving educators where learning to operate within a new
conceptual framework and the implications for their practice.

Theoretical framework
This study underlying on the famous three theories which are Vygotsky, Rogoff and
Piagets theory. Vygotsky and Rogoff are specialize in Socio-cultural theory and
Piaget are known as the founder of Developmental constructivism. There are very
little research has been directed towards understanding the difficulties with
changing teachers beliefs and practices from a developmental to a sociocultural
approach.

Method
Test method had been used for this study.A group of Australian early childhood educators
in a metropolitan municipality in south-eastern Melbourne chose from 25
preschools. There are only 13 teachers and 1 assistant. This research conducted by
Developmental Work Research (DWR) were involved 2 phase which run for nine
months with nine workshop. This workshop were referred to as Professional
Learning Sessions (PLS) which takes 2 hours. Three method were establish from this
research. They are Audio-recorded and transcribed , Questionnaires which contains
qualitative and quantitative and also Action research.

Major Findings and implications

The major findings of this research is the sociocultural theory implement new
models of work in addition to reflection on new ways of seeing children, growth,
learning and development. Sociocultural theory operated as culturally advanced
model and tool in curriculum decision making. It is also expansive cycle allowed the
teachers to consider sociocultural theory as an alternative theoretical framework to
explore the new approaches to curriculum associated with their observational
practices
From the finding we can implicate that the use of DWR in this project illustrates the
extent to which professional development opportunities can be used to provide a
forum for teachers to examine their existing modes of operation. It too works on
generating change to be examined and illustrates how internalized practices can be
challenged and new models for practice externalized prior to becoming the next
mode of operation.

My reflections
After reading this article, I agree with the writer that learning in early childhood education are
more important and It is good to have any changes in our teaching and learning
process due to changes in the education system coherently. Developmentalconstructivist allows a child to build their own knowledge without any help . Sociocultural theory says that a child interact with people, object and event in the
environment to develop the knowledge of their own.