Can Professional Development Programs for Early Childhood Education Teachers Enhance the Quality of Teacher‒Child Interactions? A Meta-Analysis

As the primary observers, facilitators, and promoters of teaching activities, teachers’ professional competence is the core element for ensuring the improvement of teacher‒child interaction quality in the classroom. To examine the specific effects of in-service teacher training programs on teachers’ professional development and teacher‒child interaction quality, this study conducted a meta-analysis of 37 empirical studies (including 224 effect sizes). Research Findings: The results revealed that in-service teacher training programs had a significant moderate-to-high effect on improving teacher‒child interaction quality (g = 0.582, SE = 0.051, p < .001). Further analysis of 13 studies (involving 2665 teachers) that provided data on both teacher professional development and classroom interaction quality revealed a moderate effect at the teacher level (g = 0.463, SE = 0.0791, p < .001). Notably, the improvement in teachers’ professional competencies (instructional beliefs, teacher‒child interaction knowledge, and interaction skills) accounted for 66% of the variance in classroom interaction quality effect sizes (R2 = 0.66). Practice or Policy: These findings demonstrate that in-service teacher training can effectively enhance classroom teacher – child interaction quality by improving teachers’ professional competencies.