Introducing classroom labeling as an innovative method to inform educational practice.

摘要

In-service seminars and one-shot workshops are the primary methods used for the on-going professional development of instructors, but these methods have been shown to be ineffective and an inadequate way to provide teacher training (Winton & McCollum, 2008). Classroom labeling is proposed as a way of providing knowledge utilization and an alternative to in-service education for preschool teachers by intentionally applying layers of information directly to the learning environment through visual displays, usually in the form of posters. Instructional exhibits typically have only been used to enhance the learning experience of the children. Through the use of classroom labeling, adult educators can become aware of new research as well as textbook knowledge through words and pictures attractively displayed around the classroom where they are working every day. Participating teachers were asked to complete a pre-assessment before their early childhood classrooms were labeled with posters, which are educational signs, placed strategically around the room in places where they would be seen by adults, read and directly applied. After the classrooms were labeled for two weeks, the teachers completed a post-assessment to ascertain whether this method increased their knowledge base as evidenced by their ability to retain and recall the information from the classroom labeling. Results showed that classroom labeling was effective in disseminating knowledge to the teachers in the classroom and that some prefer this method of professional development.