Dr Gai Lindsay of the University of Wollongong, Dr Sarah Probine of Auckland University of Technology, and Dr Rachel Denee of Te Herenga Waka | Victoria University of Wellington talk about their research into the role of early childhood teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs in their visual arts practices.
They share the common findings from their three studies to highlight that while early childhood teachers tend to report low visual arts confidence, there are positive strategies that can build teachers’ capacity to deliver rich arts-based learning experiences with children.
Dr Gai Lindsay is a senior lecturer in The Early Years degree at the University of Wollongong and an early childhood visual arts consultant. Her research focuses on how teachers’ visual arts self-efficacy, beliefs, and pedagogical content knowledge influence visual arts pedagogy in early childhood contexts.
Dr Sarah Probine is a senior lecturer in the School of Education at Auckland University of Technology | Te Wānanga Aronui o Tāmaki Makau Rau. Her research interests include visual arts pedagogy and learning, and inquiry-based learning approaches in early childhood education.
Dr Rachel Denee is a senior lecturer at Te Herenga Waka | Victoria University of Wellington. She has been working in teaching, leadership, and research roles in early childhood education since 2000. Her research interests include educational leadership, professional learning, and visual arts in early childhood. Her PhD focused on early childhood teachers’ practices and perceptions about art through a professional learning community. She is also a trustee of Reggio Emilia Aotearoa New Zealand (REANZ) Trust, Whanake Education Trust, and Nature School NZ Trust.