Knowledge dissemination among early childhood staff members: a promising pathway for professional learning

ABSTRACT This study uses data from semi-structured interviews conducted with 44 early childhood education (ECE) staff and examines how knowledge dissemination processes operate in ECE centers, including how information from off-site trainings is diffused among staff. Our sample includes administrators, lead teachers, and assistant teachers serving children aged zero to five in a large ethnically-diverse urban district. We find that staff reported exchanging information through formal channels (e.g., scheduled staff meetings) and informal channels (e.g., extemporaneous meetings, advice-seeking interactions); our findings suggest that informal channels may be especially prevalent and consequential to ECE staff’s professional learning. ECE professionals explained that they sought certain colleagues for information/advice primarily based on the colleague’s expertise but also because of a colleague’s job title and their familiarity with that colleague. Lastly, we find that nearly half of staff reported sharing information they received from off-site professional development with colleagues at their ECE center.