From knowledge to action: The role of situation-specific skills in the math-related competence structure of early childhood teachers (MasiK)

The math-related competence of early childhood teachers is considered to play a decisive role in the mathematical development of children. Theoretically based competence models assume three facets of the math-related competence of early childhood teachers: math-related knowledge, the ability of situational observation and perception and the ability to act pedagogically and didactically. First studies confirm connections between math-related knowledge and the ability of situational observation and perception. The relationship between the ability of situational observation and perception and the ability to act pedagogically and didactically as well as the interaction of the three facets of competence (math-related knowledge, ability of situational observation and perception, ability to act pedagogically and didactically) has not yet been sufficiently empirically investigated. This leads to the research question: How does the ability of situational observation and perception influence the relationship between mathematics-related knowledge and the ability of pedagogical-didactic action of early childhood educators in the field of 'early mathematics education'? To answer this question, an intervention study in a pre-post-test design with N = 180 early childhood teachers in two intervention groups and one control group will be conducted. Regression-analytical mediation analyses are used to test the assumption of the mediating role of the ability to observe and perceive situations between math-related knowledge and the ability to act pedagogically and didactically.