The purpose of this study was to identify early childhood pre-service teachers’ perceived barriers and supports to nutrition education. Using phenomenology, eleven in-depth telephone interviews were conducted with early childhood pre-service teachers from two public universities in North Carolina. Three major themes were revealed: (1) identification of barriers and supports, (2) individual perceptions of nutrition education and the potential influence of barriers and supports, and (3) educational background and training. Pre-service teachers reported human resources (e.g. colleagues, collaborators, administrators), resource availability (materials, time), and policy constraints as anticipated barriers and/or supports. Participants’ perceptions of how they would experience barriers and supports in practice varied, but teachers were generally positive about their ability to overcome potential barriers and obtain needed support. (author abstract)
Description:
Resource Type:
Reports & Papers
Country:
United States
State(s):
North Carolina