Post-Pandemic Reflections on Pedagogy Students’ Preparation for Working with Early Education Pupils

Abstract

The article presents the results of preliminary research connected with the students’ experience of high education during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this paper is to introduce the meaning of this experience for the students’ future professional activities with early years education pupils. The quantitative online survey was conducted with 110 participants: pedagogy master degree students. The original online questionnaire was sent individually to each participant. The survey was based on a sample of university students who were fairly homogeneous in socio-demographic determinants, e.g. sex and age, thus, the advanced statistical analyzes could not be done. According to the data collected from closed questions, the results were presented in a form of tables. The data from the open-ended questions were subjected to a comprehensive qualitative analysis, as a result, the specific categories of answers were identified. The conclusions show clearly that the participants divide their study experience during the COVID-19 pandemic into positive and negative. There is a slight predominance of the negative experience. What is crucial, the participants consider these experiences as significant for their future profession and the process of working with a child and its family. The conducted research shows that further analysis of this experience, both by students and academic staff is essential for the study of the teachers’ socio-emotional competences. There can be no doubt about the value of such competences in supporting a child in its development.