Bridging the Gaps: A Kindergarten Teacher’s Identity Amid Digital Pressures and Developmental Practice

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 11:45 am - Gold 2
  In Roundtable Session: Bridging Gaps, Building Identities: Early Childhood Teachers in Transition

Abstract

This instrumental case study explores how a novice kindergarten teacher
negotiates her professional identity amid digital demands and developmentally
appropriate teaching. Using embodied learning theory and the TPACK-EC framework,
the study analyzes field notes, photographic data, instructional artifacts, and video
reflections. Findings reveal the strategic and creative ways early childhood educators
balance conflicting pressures and provide insights into preparing teachers for complex
policy environments.

Authors

• Terri L. Hubbard, Polk State College & University of South Florida

• Jolyn Blank, University of South Florida