Unequal participation? Understanding variations in early childhood education teachers’ professional development in China

This study examined the extent to which the context in China influenced early childhood education (ECE) teachers’ participation in professional development (PD). ECE teachers (N = 471) from the municipality of Shanghai and the less-developed province of Guizhou completed surveys to identify factors influencing their PD. Additionally, 56 preschool teachers and 29 principals were interviewed to gain a deeper understanding of the factors that affected professional development (PD) activities. Quantitative results indicated that the region of residence and permanent job status (bianzhi) contributed to unequal participation in PD. Qualitative results corroborated the quantitative findings and further revealed that local regulations, modalities of PD, and teachers’ autonomy explained the disparities across regions. The preferential treatment of teachers with permanent job status was a result of limited resources, leading to the marginalization of teachers without this status. The findings underscore the significance of supportive systemic conditions for PD and have implications for policy initiatives.