Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 2025 (SSCI)
The growing demand for high-quality early childhood educators has prompted global attention to alternative, learning on the job approaches to professional development. The single case-embedded study investigates the perception of early childhood teachers on Job-embedded Professional Development Design (JPDD). Through thematic analysis of interview data and reflective diaries from eight teachers engaged in eight weekly JPDD sessions, the study identifies key benefits and challenges of this model. Teachers reported that JPDD supported their professional growth by enabling them to enhance instructional practices, consider diverse pedagogical perspectives, strengthen collegial relationships, and cultivate a collaborative culture within the school. Conversely, barriers such as personal constraints affecting collaboration and inconsistent participation were noted as impediments to the model’s effectiveness. The study argues JPDD as a promising model to redefine professional development by fostering more meaningful, practice-oriented, and sustainable learning experiences for teachers.