Date of Conferral

6-24-2025

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

Margaret Cramer

Abstract

Some novice early childhood educators (ECEs) experience barriers to applying knowledge gained during their pre-service education in practice and experimenting with their roles at childcare centers. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore novice ECEs’ experiences of barriers to applying knowledge gained during their pre-service education in practice at childcare centers. Mezirow’s transformative learning theory grounded this study by describing adult learners’ personal transformation from obtaining and understanding new knowledge to applying it in practice. For this study, eight adult learners who completed an early childhood education program, had up to 5 years’ experience, held a current license to practice, and were currently working at a licensed childcare center in Canada were recruited through professional early childhood educator networks. The data from the semistructured interviews were analyzed thematically with the following themes emerging: insufficient training, misaligned values, inadequate educator-to-child ratios, poor leadership, toxic environments, poor intrapersonal and interpersonal skills and communication, and lack of opportunity. The results support positive social change by helping curriculum developers, early childcare education leaders, and licensing policymakers understand the barriers novice ECEs experience. This insight can inform improvements to pre-service education curriculum, enhance practicum placements, strengthen industry leadership practices, and guide licensing regulation revisions. Such knowledge equips leaders to strengthen early childhood education systems, helping novice ECEs grow into confident, competent educators who foster healthy child development.

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