Professional associations as contributors to the professional development of ECE teachers (Case from Croatia)

Jou nal o Educa o s, Teache s and T aine s JETT, Vol. 6 (2); ISSN: 1989-9572 182 ISSN 1989 - 9572 P o essional associa ions as con ibu o s o he p o essional de elopmen o ECE eache s (Case om C oa ia) Asociaciones p o esionales como con ibuyen es al desa ollo p o esional de los docen es de educación in an il (Caso de C oacia) Ad ijana Visnjic Je ic, Uni e si y o Zag eb, C oa ia Jou nal o Educa o s, Teache s and T aine s, Vol. 10 (2) h p://www.ug .es/~je /index.php Da e o ecep ion: 31 Augus 2018 Da e o e ision: 21 No embe 2018 Da e o accep ance: 22 Oc obe 2019 Visnjic Je ic, A. (2019). P o essional associa ions as con ibu o s o he p o essional de elopmen o ECE eache s (Case om C oa ia). Jou nal o Educa o s, Teache s and T aine s, Vol. 10(2), pp. 182 – 192. Jou nal o Educa o s, Teache s and T aine s JETT, Vol. 6 (2); ISSN: 1989-9572 183 Jou nal o Educa o s, Teache s and T aine s, Vol. 10 (2) ISSN 1989 – 9572 h p://www.ug .es/~je /index.php P o essional associa ions as con ibu o s o he p o essional de elopmen o ECE eache s (Case om C oa ia) Asociaciones p o esionales como con ibuyen es al desa ollo p o esional de los docen es de educación in an il (Caso de C oacia) Ad ijana Visnjic Je ic, Uni e si y o Zag eb, C oa ia [email p o ec ed] Abs ac This pape is a esul o he assump ions o he impo ance o he p o essional de elopmen o ea ly childhood educa ion (ECE) eache s. P o essional de elopmen is seen as a de elopmen al p ocess g ounded in li elong lea ning. While discussing he p o essional lea ning communi y as he op imal suppo in p o essional de elopmen , he pape discusses he ole o p o essional associa ions in p o essional de elopmen . Aim o he esea ch was o ind eache s’ opinion whe he he p o essional associa ion con ibu e o hei p o essional de elopmen . In o de o ensu e he bes unde s anding o his p oblem, a esea ch was conduc ed wi h he help o g oup in e iews. Focus g oup pa icipan s we e ea ly childhood educa ion eache s (N=6) who a e also membe s o he Associa ion o P eschool Educa o s “K ijesnice”. The analysis o he esul s indica ed ha ECE eache s highly alue he need o hei p o essional de elopmen . They also emphasize li elong lea ning and mo i a ion as p e equisi es o p o essional de elopmen . The Associa ion o P eschool Educa o s is seen as a suppo in p o essional de elopmen . Resumen Es e abajo es á basado en la suposición sob e la impo ancia del desa ollo p o esional de los maes os de educación p eescola . El desa ollo p o esional se en iende como ap endizaje a lo la go de la ida. Obse ando las comunidades p o esionales de ap endizaje como el apoyo ideal pa a el desa ollo p o esional, se es á in es igando el papel de las asociaciones p o esionales en el desa ollo p o esional. El obje i o de la in es igación ue in es iga la opinión de los maes os sob e la cues ión si la asociación p o esional con ibuye a su desa ollo p o esional. Pa a asegu a la mejo comp ensión de es e p oblema, se ha lle ado a cabo una in es igación en o ma de la en e is a en g upo. Los pa icipan es del g upo ocal ue on los maes os que ambién son miemb os de la Asociación de los maes os de educación p eescola (N=6) “K ijesnice” (“Lucie nagas”). El análisis de los esul ados demues a que los maes os en g an medida alo an la necesidad del desa ollo p o esional de los maes os. También en a izan el ap endizaje a lo la go de la ida y la mo i ación como p e equisi os del desa ollo p o esional. La Asociación de los maes os p eescola es se conside a como el apoyo al desa ollo pe sonal. Keywo ds Ea ly childhood educa ion eache s; Lea ning communi ies; Li elong lea ning; P o essional associa ions; P o essional de elopmen . Palab as cla e Maes os de educación in an il; Comunidades de ap endizaje; Ap endizaje pe manen e; Asociaciones p o esionales; Desa ollo p o esional. Jou nal o Educa o s, Teache s and T aine s JETT, Vol. 6 (2); ISSN: 1989-9572 184 •PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITIES •CHANGES THEORIES AND PREMISES PROFESSIONAL LEARNING •WORKSHOPS/LECTURES CYCLE •CHANGES PRACTICES PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT •A WORKSHOP/LECTURE •IMPROVES KNOWLEDGE PROFESSIONAL TRAINING •INDIVIDUAL •RAISES AWARENESS READING 1. In oduc ion Cu en unde s anding o he educa ional compe ence has shown i is e iden ly a de elopmen al cha ac e is ic, he e o e i assumes a con inuous lea ning p ocess. Some au ho s (Hindin & Muelle , 2016; Kim & Taylo , 2016) emphasize li elong lea ning as a possible op ion o imp o ing acqui ed compe ences. Since eaching p o essions, including he ea ly childhood educa ion, a e obliga ed o pa icipa e in p o essional ainings and p og ams o imp o e hei p o essional de elopmen , i is easonable o expec li elong educa ion o he ea ly childhood educa ion p o essionals. The concep o he p o essional de elopmen o ea ly childhood educa ion (ECE) eache s is de e mined by he cons an in e dependence o a i udes, skills and p ac ices, which esul s in he change o p ac ices (T us , K u ka & Ca pen e , 2016). New knowledge c ea ed in his in e ac ion eplaces he exis ing one, so i is necessa y o design new modes o p o essional ainings, which would go e n and suppo p o essional de elopmen . Bo ko (2004) sugges s wo app oaches o p o essional de elopmen as possible means o enhancing compe ences: indi idual, whe e high in ensi y p o essional de elopmen p og ams lead o changes, and g oup, whe e lea ning communi ies design changes in de eloping exis ing compe ences and lea ning. Campbell-Ba (2017) c i icizes his app oach emphasizing ha ECE eache s do no need lea ning bu suppo in hei p o essional de elopmen . Tha iew co esponds o Ca pen e 's (2016) iew o p o essional de elopmen , which desc ibes knowledge ans e and cons an change o exis ing p ac ices as a adi ional app oach which, despi e he change o p ac ices, does no con ibu e o i s de elopmen . Con empo a y app oach which con ibu es o ac ual, long-las ing changes is always ocused on con en , in e connec ed wi h he cu iculum o he educa ional ins i u ion and collec i e suppo . Al hough some con empo a y au ho s (B own & Engleha d , 2016; Ca pen e , 2016; S anbjö nsdó i , Macdonald & F ímannsson, 2016) iew p o essional de elopmen as a long-las ing p ocess o acqui ing knowledge de eloped in communi y wi h p o essionals, i would be w ong o assume he e is no place o he p o essional de elopmen o he indi idual in e es s o indi idual p o essional quali ica ions. Despi e ha ing he p o essional esponsibili y owa ds hei own p o ession, ECE eache s ha e hei own app oach o p o essional de elopmen as well. Al hough occasional p o essional aining does no lead o pe manen changes in one's own p ac ice, i can a ec an indi idual's awa eness o he possible di ec ion o p o essional de elopmen . S ewa (2014) adds a new dimension o p o essional de elopmen – p o essional lea ning as a mode which leads o changes o heo ies and p emises bo h in an indi idual pe son and p o essional communi ies (Figu e 1.). Figu e 1. Changes in p o essional de elopmen wi h espec o modes o lea ning (S ewa , 2014) Al hough expe ience can con ibu e o he ad ancemen o p o essional compe ences o ECE eache s, changes in indi idual p ac ice and heo y can be achie ed solely by con inuous educa ion p ocesses wi hin he al eady exis ing p o essional communi ies o communi ies b ough oge he by he same in e es . In-se ice lea ning wi hin a gi en con ex a ec s he quali y o in e ac ion be ween all pa icipan s in he in e ac ion and con ibu es o he Jou nal o Educa o s, Teache s and T aine s JETT, Vol. 6 (2); ISSN: 1989-9572 185 de elopmen o compe ences (Pee e s & Vandenb oeck, 2011; Unal & Unal, 2014; Visko ić & Višnjić Je ić, 2017). 2. P o essional de elopmen o ea ly childhood eache s in C oa ia P eschool and ea ly childhood educa ion (ECE) in he Republic o C oa ia is in ended o child en aged 6 mon hs o 6 yea s and is pa o he na ional educa ion sys em. Child en a e augh by ECE eache s who comple ed unde g adua e ECE s udies. Recen ly, ECE g adua e s udies we e ounded, bu mas e ’s deg ee (MA) is no a equi emen o he p o ession, a he a choice o each indi idual educa o . Ea ly childhood educa ion is egula ed by a ious documen s, he ounda ion o which is he Na ional Cu iculum o P eschool and Ea ly Childhood Educa ion (Nacionalni ku ikulum za ani i p edškolski odgoj i ob azo anje - NKRPOO). The Na ional Cu iculum (NKRPOO, 2014) is based on he ollowing ou p inciples: • Flexibili y o he ea ly childhood educa ion p ocess. • Pa ne ship o p eschool wi h pa en s and communi y. • Ensu ing con inui y in educa ion and aining. • Openness o con inuous lea ning and eadiness o imp o e p ac ices. The imp o emen o p ac ices s a s wi h a eache – a e lec i e p ac i ione willing o econside he p ac ices, bo h independen ly and in coope a ion wi h ellow p o essionals. I is assumed ha he de elopmen o e lec i e p ac ices equi es he expe ience which is he esul o no only immedia e wo k in educa ion bu also he p o essional de elopmen o he ECE eache s. Since he Na ional Cu iculum o P eschool and Ea ly Childhood and Educa ion (2014) p o ides simply guidelines, no s ic ly de ined ules on p ac ices in p eschool and ea ly childhood educa ion, i emains unclea wha exac ly p eschool and ea ly childhood educa ion ins i u ions conside an imp o emen in p ac ices, i.e. o wha ex en is he imp o emen ac ually implemen ed. In o de o egula e educa ion p ac ices in an indi idual coun y, i is necessa y o adop ce ain s anda ds o p o ession. S anda ds o he educa ional p o ession in he Republic o C oa ia we e de eloped h ough he Quali ica ions s anda ds and imp o emen o he quali y o s udy p og ammes o p eschool and p ima y school eache s p ojec (K s o ić, Vujičić & Pejić Papak, 2016). Al hough he quali ica ions s anda ds exis , hey a e s ill no adop ed in p ac ice as in some o he coun ies. C oa ian s anda ds a e designed as lea ning ou comes and compe ences in six a eas (game and lea ning, lea ning en i onmen , cu iculum design, e lec ion and sel - e lec ion, amily and communi y collabo a ion, and p o essional de elopmen ). K s o ić, Vujičić & Pejić Papak (2016) de ine p o essional de elopmen as a con inuous, independen (bu also in coope a ion wi h o he s!) p ocess o de eloping compe ences and comp ehension o he educa ional p ocess. Acco ding o he Law on P eschool and Ea ly Childhood Educa ion (2013), p o essional aining o ECE eache s is manda o y. None heless, he exac numbe o hou s o he equi ed p o essional aining o ECE eache s is no de e mined. Some o he ins i u ions s a wi h he o al numbe o hou s spen by he ECE eache in immedia e wo k wi h child en (5.5 hou s pe day), and accoun o he addi ional necessa y weekly hou s by p o essional aining (2 o 3 hou s pe week). Acco ding o he Regula ions on he modes and condi ions o p o essional ad ancemen and p omo ion o educa o s and p o essional associa es o highe anks in p eschool educa ion (P a ilnik o načinu i u je ima nap edo anja u s uci i p omicanju u položajna z anja odgoji elja i s učnih su adnika u dječjim ićima, 1997), ECE eache s in C oa ia can ad ance p o essionally o he posi ion o he eache men o and eache counselo . The p e equisi e o he ad ancemen is he excellence o he indi idual eache . Ad ancemen can be seen as pa o he p o essional de elopmen . The p o essional de elopmen o he ECE eache is he pe sonal esponsibili y o he eache himsel ollowed by he ins i u ion whe e he wo ks. In he Republic o C oa ia, along wi h he men ioned ac i e pa icipan s, he o ganiza ion o ac i i ies con ibu ing o he p o essional de elopmen o he ECE eache s is led by he Educa ion and Teache T aining Agency (ETTA) o he Republic o C oa ia. Acco ding o he Educa ion and Teache T aining Agency Ac (2006), Jou nal o Educa o s, Teache s and T aine s JETT, Vol. 6 (2); ISSN: 1989-9572 186 along wi h o he ac i i ies, ETTA o ganizes and conduc s p o essional aining o he eaching s a . Al hough he Educa ion and Teache T aining Agency is no he only ins i u ion which o ganizes p o essional aining o ECE eache s, i s ole canno be neglec ed. ETTA usually o ganizes one-day p o essional mee ings which usually do no ollow con empo a y heo ies o p o essional de elopmen . I S ewa ’s (2014) heo y o p o essional de elopmen is applied o his issue, i can be concluded ha indi idual ac i i ies as well may lead o aising awa eness and new insigh s. Those changes could c ea e p o essional communi ies wi hin he ins i u ions and hus ensu e he sus ainabili y o p o essional de elopmen . Su ely wi hin indi idual ins i u ions he e a e al eady p o essional lea ning communi ies, bu hey depend on he de elopmen plan and cu iculum o hose ins i u ions. Hadley, Waniganayake & Shepa d (2015) emphasize he c i ical iendship model o lea ning along wi h he indi idual lea ning and p o essional lea ning communi ies. Al hough he concep o c i ical iendship may ( alsely) imply a(n) (co-)expe whose ole is o ind he mis akes (c i icize) in he p ocess, ano he pe son wi h di e en pe spec i e could wi hou a doub con ibu e o a be e unde s anding o he p ac ice. The p e equisi e o (co-)expe e lec ion is open communica ion, willingness o change, app ecia ion o di e en opinions and accep ance o di e en solu ions. P o essional communi ies p o ide ECE eache s wi h oppo uni ies o de elop and imp o e compe ences and add a new dimension o he de elopmen – suppo . Hindin & Muelle (2016) poin ou he need o suppo i e eache s in unde s anding he complexi y o co-ope a ion wi h pa en s. A communi y based on us and open communica ion con ibu es o inding success ul ways in es ablishing collabo a i e ela ionships wi h pa en s. P o essional de elopmen is pe sonal and p o essional obliga ion o ECE eache s who iew hei educa ion p ac ices no only in ela ion o child en bu also o hei amilies. Despi e he con inui y and cons an suppo o he communi y o expe s, esea ch show ha he de elopmen is an indi idual ai . In o ma ion and s a egies which a e con a y o pe sonal belie s o ECE eache esul in he abandonmen o new s a egies and es o a ion o es ablished p ac ices (Ha well, 2003). 3. P o essional Associa ions o ECE eache s in C oa ia Taking Ea ly Educa ion and Ca e (ECEC) in o conside a ion in he con ex o he educa ion sys em, i can be concluded ha , despi e i s undispu able impo ance, i is s ill no as alued as i should be. Possible con ibu o s o ha a i ude include i s non-obliga o y s a us, wo king me hods and he eminiza ion o he p o ession. Those iews a e e lec ed in all aspec s o he ECE p o ession. Ebbeck & Waniganayake (2003) highligh ha he ea ly child en educa ion p o essionals a e unde paid, unde es ima ed, exploi ed, and mo e inclined o wo kplace bu n- ou . Resea ch (Tam, 2015) show ha p o essional de elopmen con ibu es o he de elopmen o collec i e p o essionalism and coope a ion. P o essional associa ions could be one o he modes o collec i e p o essionalism. In he Republic o C oa ia, he e a e cu en ly 5 ECE eache associa ions. The ad an age o a la ge numbe o associa ions is ac i i y in a speci ic egional con ex , ocused on he ac ual needs o a pa icula g oup o ECE eache s. The egional di ision can also be seen as he absence o collec i e p o essionalism, which hen p e en s possible changes in he ECE p o ession. Višnjić Je ić (2010) s a es ha he ac i i ies o p o essional associa ions include o ien a ion owa ds he p o essional de elopmen o ECE eache s, p oposing measu es o imp o e p o essional s a us and wo king condi ions o ECE eache s, o ganizing p o essional aining o ECE eache s, pa icipa ion in planning he educa ion s a egies in ea ly childhood educa ion, p omo ion o he quali y o ECE ins i u ions and adop ion o p o essional and e hical codices o ECE eache s. The ac i i y o he exis ing associa ions is mos ly ocused on he p o essional de elopmen o ECE eache s. Associa ions o ganize p o essional ainings – anging om one-o lec u es o modula aining. Al hough hey coope a e wi h C oa ian scien i ic au ho i ies, hey inc easingly ely on sha ing he knowledge o p ac i ione s hemsel es. Jou nal o Educa o s, Teache s and T aine s JETT, Vol. 6 (2); ISSN: 1989-9572 187 Al hough p o essional associa ions canno ully be iden i ied wi h p o essional lea ning communi ies, hey sha e some o he ea u es. Ho d (2004) highligh s he ac ha p o essional lea ning communi ies p omo e suppo i e and sha ed leade ship, sha ed alues and isions, collec i e lea ning, suppo i e en i onmen , and sha ing good p ac ice examples. I is possible o ind hese cha ac e is ics in he ac i i ies o p o essional associa ions as well. Membe s o a ious ins i u ions o ea ly and p eschool educa ion dis inguish a p o essional associa ion om a p o essional lea ning communi y. I can be assumed ha membe s ha e di icul ies in collec i e lea ning based on e lec ions due o insu icien knowledge o he con ex o an indi idual ins i u ion. Though i is possible ha all membe s sha e he same ision alue is-à- is he p o ession i sel , hey p obably do no sha e he same ision o he educa ion wo k. The Associa ion o P eschool Teache s “K ijesnice” has been ope a ing since 2008. I o ganizes a ious p o essional ainings annually. Bu so a i has no been able o se up a g oup o eache s who would sys ema ically e-assess hei own p ac ices and change i acco dingly. None heless, he mos popula p o essional ainings a e hose whe e indi idual ECE eache s p o ide examples om hei own p ac ice. Al hough hese a e usually one-o lec u es, hey a e belie ed o a ec he awa eness o he need o pe manen p o essional de elopmen . 4. Objec i e Aim o he esea ch was o ind eache s’ opinion abou he ole ha p o essional associa ion ha e in hei p o essional de elopmen . 5. Me hodology Focus g oup esea ch was done in o de o gain insigh in o he ECE eache s’ unde s anding o p o essional de elopmen and he ole a p o essional associa ion plays in p o essional de elopmen . Al hough ocus g oups a e no sui able o gaining a comple e insigh in o a pa icula issue, hey con ibu e o unde s anding he issue. Gawlik (2018) s a es ha he ad an age o such mode o esea ch is mu ual s imula ion o hinking, which leads o o mula ion o g oup opinion. I he e is a syne gy o opinion, Hyman & Sie a (2016) poin ou ha indi iduals a e mo e likely o exp ess hei a i udes and belie s wi hin g oups because hey expec he (co-) expe s’ suppo . Gi en ha he e is no esea ch in he Republic o C oa ia on he ole o p o essional associa ions in he p o essional de elopmen o ECE eache s, his esea ch could be he i s s ep o u he esea ch. 5.1. Pa icipan s and da a collec ion The esea ch conduc ed in he sp ing o 2018 included membe s o he Associa ion o P eschool Teache s “K ijesnice”. I is a p o essional associa ion ounded in 2008 wi h 358 membe s who a e ECE eache s om he no heas o C oa ia, mainly Medjimu je Coun y. The pa icipan s in he esea ch we e women (N=6) aged 22 o 56 wi h he membe ship in “K ijesnice” associa ion be ween 1 and 10 yea s (Table 1.). Only one pa icipan has eached he s a us o eache men o . All eache s pa icipa ed in he esea ch olun a ily. The esea ch was conduc ed in acco dance wi h he Code o E hics o he Uni e si y o Zag eb. Jou nal o Educa o s, Teache s and T aine s JETT, Vol. 6 (2); ISSN: 1989-9572 188 Table 1. Pa icipan s Knowledge is a cons uc o socie y, cul u e, poli ics o some communi y which sha es he same in e es s, and as such cons i u es a consensus (Kambe elis, Dimi iadis & Welke , 2017). The esea ch esul s o he ocus g oup a e also a esul o a consensus and possibly could lead o c ea ing new knowledge. Focus g oup pa icipan s esponded o he ollowing esea ch ques ions: 1. Wha is p o essional de elopmen ? 2. Which a e he cha ac e is ics o p o essional de elopmen ? 3. Wha is he ole o he Associa ion o P eschool Teache s “K ijesnice” in p o essional de elopmen ? Al hough he ocus g oup is es ablished on a common se o a i udes and opinions, he speake s in his esea ch i s sough o indi idually answe he ques ion Wha is p o essional de elopmen ? ci ing six ea u es o p o essional de elopmen . A e ha , a common de ini ion o p o essional de elopmen , i s cha ac e is ics, and he ole i plays in p o essional associa ion we e modeled. 6. Findings and discussion Based on indi idual e lec ions on he cha ac e is ics o p o essional de elopmen , he ag eemen be ween esea ch pa icipan s was eached. I iden i ied 6 ea u es de e mining he p o essional de elopmen o ECE eache s. Focus g oup de ined p o essional de elopmen as a p ocess es ablished on li elong lea ning, mo i a ion, eache ’s pe sonali y ai s and sel - ac ualiza ion (Table 2). This de ini ion co esponds o he de ini ion o T us , K u ka & Ca pen e (2016), who de ine p o essional de elopmen as a p ocess o changing he p ac ice and c ea ing new knowledge based on he in e dependence and co-ope a ion o he pa icipan s. In s i ing o iden i y he cha ac e is ics ha con ibu e mos o p o essional de elopmen , esea ch pa icipan s ha e anked he con ibu ion o he p e iously men ioned cha ac e is ics, deciding ha li elong lea ning and mo i a ion con ibu e mos and sel -ac ualiza ion leas o ECE eache s’ p o essional de elopmen . Pa icipan Age Membe ship in Associa ion Educa ion PA1 22 1 Bachelo ’s deg ee in ECE PA2 30 8 Mas e ’s deg ee in ECE PA3 35 10 Bachelo ’s deg ee in ECE PA4 38 9 Bachelo ’s deg ee in ECE PA5 42 9 Bachelo ’s deg ee in ECE PA6 56 10 Bachelo ’s deg ee in ECE Jou nal o Educa o s, Teache s and T aine s JETT, Vol. 6 (2); ISSN: 1989-9572 189 Table 2. Cha ac e is ics o p o essional de elopmen Cha ac e is ics Cha ac e is ics explained Li elong lea ning Sel -de elopmen “keeping up” P o essional aining Educa ion Re lec i e p ac ices Ac ion esea ch Mo i a ion Child en’s wel a e Mo i a ion o lea ning Ad ancemen possibili y Teache ’s pe sonali y ai s En husiasm Openness (open-mindedness) Knowing “when o ake a b eak” – bu n-ou synd ome p e en ion Sel -ac ualiza ion Possibili y o p esen one’s wo k I is in e es ing ha he pa icipan s easily eached a consensus on all he ea u es wi h he excep ion o sel -ac ualiza ion and mo i a ion. Al hough i could be assumed ha he ad ancemen possibili y is an in eg al pa o sel -ac ualiza ion, mos pa icipan s conside ed he ad ancemen possibili y as pa o he mo i a ion o p o essional de elopmen o an indi idual. The pa icipan s emphasized ha i is ex e nal mo i a ion (money) and he e o e does no ep esen p o essional sel - ealiza ion. Kennedy (2005) also desc ibes he concep o awa d- bea ing as pa o he ad ancemen sys em o eache s. Mo i a ion o aining is no in insic, bu i is a p e equisi e o s a us p og ess. This o m o aining can be analyzed in he con ex o li elong lea ning. I is possible o indi iduals who concep ualize hei de elopmen h ough he ad ancemen sys em o lose mo i a ion o u he aining a e gaining ecogni ion. Thus, hey do no belong o a communi y ocused on li elong lea ning. Child en’s wel a e as a mo i a ing ac o o p o essional de elopmen also equi es econside a ion. Ebbeck & Waniganayake (2003) emphasize child en’s wel a e s anding ou as a basis o exploi ing membe s o he educa ional p o ession – eache s a e expec ed o non- c i ically app oach o he expec a ions o socie y o he sake o child en’s wel a e. The pa icipan s in his esea ch do no suppo ha app oach. Resea ch pa icipan s de ined li elong lea ning as o mal educa ion (con inua ion o educa ion in MA s udies) and non- o mal educa ion (p o essional ainings, lec u es, wo kshops, p o essional li e a u e). Desimone (2009) also s a es ha pa icipa ion in a ious ac i i ies con ibu es o ECE eache s’ pe sonal and p o essional de elopmen . When discussing p o essional aining as pa o li elong lea ning, one o he pa icipan s emphasized: PA4: P o essional ainings o ganized by ETTA do no always con ibu e o p o essional de elopmen . Some imes i seems ha hey a e o ganized only o comple e he quo a o lec u es and semina s o be held. O he o ganize s also ha e quali y ainings, bu hey a e no ecognized by he sys em. Fo example – associa ions. The o he pa icipan no ed ha in insic mo i a ion is also impo an o li elong lea ning, especially when i comes o p o essional aining, as indi iduals conside he pu pose o p o essional aining o be he comple ion o equi ed hou ly a e. The conclusion eached is ha his does no con ibu e o p o essional de elopmen . Simila ly, he s udy by Visko ić & Višnjić Je ić (2018) con i ms he e is a posi i e co ela ion be ween in insic mo i a ion and pa icipa ion in p o essional ainings. In discussion on e lec i e p ac ice as pa o li elong lea ning, indi idual pa icipan s hough ha e lec i e p ac ice should be conside ed a sepa a e ca ego y o p o essional de elopmen . E en ually, hey ag eed ha e lec i e p ac ice con ibu es o lea ning, and is in i sel a mode o lea ning as well. I is indica i e how i is di ec ed a a e lec i e iend o lea ning communi y: Jou nal o Educa o s, Teache s and T aine s JETT, Vol. 6 (2); ISSN: 1989-9572 190 PA2: Some eache s hink abou hei own p ac ice, and can analyze i , bu hey do no know how o aise i o a highe le el. Tha is why co-ope a ion be ween eache s and common e lec ion a e needed. PA5: I is e y di icul o co-ope a e. In ac , i is e y ha d o hea ha you need o change some hing because you a e con inced i is he bes you can do. You a ely ge a i ma i e commen s. I is mos o en c i icism. I does no lead o change, a he i leads o sel -isola ion. Resea ch pa icipan s ha e concluded ha ECE eache s a ely ha e oppo uni ies o expose hei p ac ice and hus con ibu e o hei own p o essional de elopmen . They poin ou ha ac i i ies which could p esen hei p ac ice o o he eache s a e a he same ime bo h a challenge and a pleasu e. One such e en is he p esen a ion o p ac ices o ganized by he Associa ion o P eschool Teache s “K ijesnice”. Pe sonali y ai s o he pa icipan s a e highligh ed as a p e equisi e o he p o essional de elopmen o each ECE eache . Pa icula emphasis is placed on openness (open- mindedness) as a ea u e which enables he acquisi ion o new knowledge and he accep ance o new lea ning s a egies. Bu n-ou synd ome is seen by all as a possible ba ie in p o essional de elopmen , and i is common in he educa ional p o ession (Ebbeck & Waniganayake, 2003; Višnjić Je ić & Hala uk, 2018). Du ing he discussion on he ole o p o essional associa ions in ECE eache s’ p o essional de elopmen , all he pa icipan s emphasize he Associa ion o P eschool Teache s o “K ijesnice” as an incen i e o p o essional de elopmen . PA1: I am inspi ed and mo i a ed by he Associa ion, i.e. he membe s. I ind he p esen a ion o good p ac ices mos use ul. I hink ha is when I hink abou he p ac ice mos and I am encou aged o change my own p ac ice. PA3: While I was wo king in an uns imula i e en i onmen , I s a ed looking o incen i es o help me change mysel and my p ac ice. When I joined one o he wo kshops o ganized by he Associa ion, I knew I wan ed o be pa o ha p o essional communi y. PA6: I hink a young pe son, om a small communi y, needs a sense o belonging. And he Associa ion is pe cei ed exac ly like ha . I o e s he abili y o connec wi h p o essionals, p o essional de elopmen , p o essional aining, sel -ac ualiza ion. I is possible o conclude ha smalle communi ies expe ience he need o ne wo k, and p o essional associa ions allow hem o do so. Resea ch (Tam, 2015) shows ha ne wo king c ea es a collabo a i e cul u e and a suppo cul u e. Suppo in p o essional communi ies leads o g ea e dedica ion o wo k, new ideas, and eal-li e p o essional change. Bledsoe & Pilg im (2016) highligh Social ne wo king as one o he possibili ies o p o essional associa ion. As a Web 2.0 ool, hey highligh he a ailabili y and he abili y o sha e he a ious esou ces which con ibu e o p o essional de elopmen . One such example o ne wo king is E winning po al which p o ides he possibili y o socializing ECE eache s and elemen a y o highschool eache s independen ly o hei place o esidence. E winning is a p o essional eache communi y based on join wo k, e alua ion, planning, aining and mu ual suppo , and i mee s he equi emen s o li elong lea ning as well. Pa icipan s ag eed ha membe ship in a p o essional associa ion is pa o hei p o essional iden i y. They also concluded p o essional associa ions should posi ion hemsel es as p o essional au ho i ies and ake o e hei membe s' p o essional de elopmen .