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TheNumerous aimauthors have recognized the Work-based Learning model (WBL) as an integral part of thisthe researchcompetency-based wasand student-oriented approach to determineeducation. whatIt has been noted that WBL can help students at all levels to be more motivated, engaged and more satisfied with the teaching process resulting with more competent students in a personal and professional sense (Boud and Symes, 2000; Boud, Solomon and Symes, 2001; Raelin, 1997; 2008; Kis, 2016). At the same time, the literature points out that WBL reduces the shortcomings of content-oriented teaching and teachers (Boud and Symes, 2000; European Training Foundation, 2013; Lester and Costley, 2010; Sweet, 2013), as well as the fact that WBL is implemented in teaching process to enable the rapid adaptation of students to the labor market (Boud and Symes, 2000; Avis, 2002; Lester and Costley, 2010; Heyler, 2015; Riga Conclusions, 2015).
In this paper, the features of WBL that contribute to the promotion of a student-centered approach and transformative learning are ECECanalyzed, teachers’and professionaldidactic aspirationsguidelines atfor their effective application in teaching practice, for achieving positive climate and learning environment as well as the endmethods of theirself-evaluation masterand studyevaluation program.are Moreproposed. specifically,A whatspecial wereemphasis is placed on the reasonsimportance, forrole choosingand anmethods ECECof teachingcurriculum profession,planning reasonsand forprogramming, enrolmentwhich intois mastercharacterized ECECby study,flexibility whatin curriculum creation and individualization of the learning process. Furthermore, the role of participants in WBL are their aspirations concerning their ECEC teaching career,analyzed with special emphasis on theirintergenerational futurelearning. careerThe trajectory and what could be their reasons for attrition from the ECEC profession.
In the climateimportance of escalatingWBL teacher shortage, research attention has been given to pre-service teachers’ entry motivation and career development aspirations (Watt & Richardson, 2008; Hong et al. 2017). Identification of anticipated professional plans is crucial for offering differentiated initial teacher education (ITE) opportunities to support pre-service teacher development (Reeves & Lowenhaupt, 2016).
The study was conducted with a mixed method paradigm (Creswell, 2014) through an on-line questionnaire. A sample consists of 100 students atin the end of graduate ECEC study at University of Zagreb Faculty of Teacher Education.
The findings show that the main reasons for choosing ECEC teaching profession are participants' intrinsic and altruistic reasons, social utility, and the sense of profession as a calling. The two main reasons for enrollment to master ECEC study are the desire for own proffesional development and higher salary. Three quartersimprovement of studentprofessional areand certaingeneric thatcompetences theyis wantanalyzed with special emphasis on the competences of learning how to worklearn, ininnovation, theresponsibility, ECECindependence, profession after graduation. They see ECEC institutions founded by local government as most desirable place of employment. Almost half of the participants would like to establish their own private ECEC institution in the futurecreativity, and morecritical than one third of students aspire to become ECEC institution principals. They would consider attrition from ECEC profession due to inadequate work conditions, low teacher status and negative work environment.thinking.
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