Most students in the Early Childhood Education (ECE) study program at the Universitas Terbuka (UT) are kindergarten teachers in various regions of Indonesia. Their lecture pattern includes an in-service teacher training component. UT is one of the universities that implements the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) system. The purpose of this study is to gain an overview of the professional and pedagogical competence of kindergarten teachers who graduated from the ECE-UT study program, as assessed by kindergarten principals. The study was conducted in 2024 on 40 kindergarten principals as supervisors of ECE-UT graduate teachers spread across various large islands in Indonesia (Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan, and Sulawesi). This study employs a qualitative descriptive method, utilizing questionnaires and in-depth interviews with kindergarten principals. The results of the study indicate that, based on the perception of kindergarten principals as supervisors, kindergarten teachers who graduated from ECE-UT possess good professional and pedagogical competence; however, several aspects still require improvement. In terms of professional competence, the aspect that still needs improvement for ECE teachers is the continuous development of professionalism through reflective actions. In pedagogical competence, ECE teachers need to hone their abilities in: utilizing technology, information and communication for the benefit of organizing educational development activities; determining the scope of targets for assessing the process and results of learning in early childhood; and carrying out reflective, corrective and innovative actions in improving the quality of the process and results of early childhood development.

Authors:
Mukti Amini, Universitas Terbuka, Indonesia
Ernayanti Nur Widhi, Universitas Terbuka, Indonesia
St. Maria Ulfah, Universitas Terbuka, Indonesia
Esti Kurniawati Mahardika, Universitas Terbuka, Indonesia
Hadiqotul Luluk, Universitas Terbuka, Indonesia

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Mukti Amini, M.Pd. is currently an associate professor in the Early Childhood Education Masters study program at Universitas Terbuka (UT), Indonesia

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mukti-amini-farid-552966b8/

See this presentation on the full schedule – Thursday Schedule

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