Throughout the world there has been growing emphasis on studies regarding pre-school teachers. A systematic review of research on pre-school teachers in China, the largest developing nation, can provide valuable insight for other developing countries looking to enhance their pre-school education workforce. Bibliometric analysis provides a quantitative assessment of the significant external and internal features of research literature related to pre-school teachers. The visualisation analysis software, Co-occurrence (COOC)13.2, is capable of effectively visualising these findings, and the literature review method allows for an in-depth examination of the selected sources, informed by the analysis results from COOC13.2, thereby enhancing our understanding of the developing research themes pertaining to pre-school teachers. In the study reported on here we analysed 1,882 core journal articles on pre-school teacher research from China’s largest academic literature database, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). The analysis was conducted using bibliometric principles and involved the COOC13.2 visualisation analysis software alongside literature analysis methods. Our research findings indicate 3 key dimensions. Firstly, the research landscape is characterised by individual scholars as core researchers, predominantly from teacher training universities, who have established robust collaborative networks among themselves and between institutions. Secondly, the research has evolved through 3 distinct phases: initial emergence, flourishing development, and in-depth exploration. Thirdly, the research encompasses 5 primary themes: the professional psychological profiles of pre-school teachers, the development of support systems for their professional growth, frameworks for pre-service training, continuing education programmes, and the establishment of rural pre-school teacher workforces. Future research on pre-school teachers can be enhanced through several key strategies: promoting collaborative partnerships among researchers, strengthening methodological rigour, and expanding the research scope. Emphasis should specifically be on examining the professional well-being of pre-school teachers, their practical classroom knowledge, and their observational skills. These targeted efforts will contribute to a deeper understanding of pre-school teachers and support the ongoing advancement of the field.

https://doi.org/10.15700/saje.v46n2a2441

ORCiD iDs of authors:
Chunyan Wang - https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5920-0371
Lanbin Min - https://orcid.org/0009-0002-5976-8404
Yanjin Liu - https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8393-1617