Predicting process quality from structural quality in preschool programs: a cross-country comparison

In this cross-national study, the relations between structural and process quality in preschool classrooms are examined and compared across four countries—Germany (n = 82), Portugal (n = 80), Spain (n = 55), and the United States (n = 288). Process quality was assessed using the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale and the Caregiver Interaction Scale. Structural quality variables include classroom, center, wage, and regional characteristics. A MANOVA found differences in levels of structural variables used in the different countries. Hierarchical regression, in which blocks of structural variables were entered according to their relative proximity to process quality, indicated that despite the diversity of the national systems, many of the same structural features have an impact on process quality. However, no one consistently powerful predictor of process quality was found, and there was no single block of variables with an overwhelming influence. The findings are viewed in terms of possibilities for improving process quality through manipulation of structural characteristics.     

Parents’ perceptions of their children’s child care: a cross-national comparison

This study compares how parents in Germany and the USA perceive the quality of ECE services their preschoolers receive in the two different cultures and ECE systems existing in the countries. The sample included 2,407 parents in the USA and 392 in Germany. Classroom quality was assessed by trained observers using the USA and German versions of the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS). Parents’ perceptions of ECE programs were measured with a parent questionnaire (ECERSPQ), which is an adaptation of the ECERS. Findings show that in both countries, parents indicate high importance for the aspects of quality required in the ECERS/ECERSPQ, that parents assign substantially higher quality scores to their children’s classrooms than do trained observers, and parent quality assessments are influenced by the relative importance they attribute to aspects of quality. Findings are discussed in terms of assisting parents to become more discriminating in their child care choices.     

Assessing quality characteristics of center-based early childhood environments in Germany and Portugal: A cross-national study

Based on the knowledge that direct assessment of the quality of early childhood educational environments is becoming more and more important, this article deals with a coordinated adaptation of the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS) in Germany and Portugal. The ECERS, developed by Harms and Clifford (1980), is a complex rating scale, comprising 37 items, which is implemented to assess major quality characteristics of early childhood classrooms and has been used quite extensively in the US as well as in other countries. In this article we describe how the scale was adapted and we report selected results of a jointly coordinated comparative study on a sample of 103 early childhood classrooms in Germany and 88 in Portugal. The classrooms were classified according to three different types in each country. In particular, we report the item characteristics of the adapted versions, reliabilities and intercorrelations of the total scale and the apriori-subscales, and results of factor analyses. A one-way ANOVA indicates group differences between the six types of classrooms which can be meaningfully interpreted.     

Comparing beliefs about appropriate practice among early childhood education and care professionals from the U.S., China, Taiwan, Korea and Turkey

The purpose of this study was to examine what, if anything, caregivers and teachers of 3- to 5-year-old children from the U.S. (n = 412), China (n = 244), Taiwan (n = 222), Korea (n = 574), and Turkey (n = 214), had in common in terms of self-reported beliefs and self-reported practices related to the National Association for the Education of Young Children's (NAEYC) policy statement for developmentally appropriate practices (DAP). DAP is widely endorsed by early childhood education and care professionals in the U.S. and is assumed to have far reaching impact on curricular beliefs and practices throughout the world. Pearson correlations and one-way ANOVA were used to compare overall mean scores for beliefs measured by the Teachers Beliefs Scale (TBS) to those of practices measured by the Instructional Activities Scale (IAS) [Charlesworth, R., Hart, C. H., Burts, D. C., & Hernandez, S. (1991). Kindergarten teachers’ beliefs and practices. Early Child Development and Care, 70, 17–35]. Item-by-item analyses were conducted using factor analysis and χ² analyses within and across countries. Similarities emerged related to, in particular, those beliefs and teaching practices associated with integrating across the curriculum, promoting social/emotional development, providing concrete/hands-on materials, and allowing play/choice in the curriculum.     

Quality of Chilean Early Childhood Education from an International Perspective Qualité de l'Education Préscolaire Chilienne dans une Perspective Internationale Calidad de la Educacio´n Preescolar Chilena desde una Perspectiva Internacional

The aim of the study was to assess the quality of the different types of Chilean early childhood care and education programmes according to international standards. The sample included 120 centres representing the different types of pre-school programmes available, randomly selected from two different geographical regions of the country, where 52% of the population lives. This paper presents the structural and process characteristics observed in the classrooms, according to the results from the application of the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS). All the different types of pre-school programmes in Chile exhibited a minimum level of quality, even though there are differences among types of programmes and also according to the geographical area where they were settled. Results are compared with findings from the European Child Care and Education (ECCE) study developed in Austria, Germany, Portugal and Spain and from the Effective Provision of Pre-school Education (EPPE) project, developed in Britain. Cette étude se propose de évaluer la qualitédes différents programmes d'éducation et soin d'enfants au Chili, selon des standards internationaux. 120 centres ont été selectionnés au hasard, dans les deux départements du pays ou habite le 52% de la population. Cet article analyse les caractéristiques structurelles et du procès observes dans les classes, selon les résultats obtenus avec l'application de l'Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS). Les différents types de programme on montré un niveau minimal de qualité même s'il y avait de différences significatives parmi les programmes et les départements. Les résultats sont compares avec l'étude European Child Care and Education (ECCE) développeé a le'Autriche, dans l'Allemagne, au Portugal et en Espagne et avec ceux projet Effective Provision of Pre-school Education (EPPE), développe a l'Angleterre. El propósito de este estudio fue la evaluación de la calidad de los diferentes programas de Educación y cuidado infantil existentes en Chile, aplicando criterios internacionales. La muestra incluyó 120 centros que representan los diferentes tipos de programas existentes en el país, seleccionados al azar, en las dos regiones, en las que habita el 52% de la población total. Este artículo analiza las características estructurales y del proceso observadas en las salas, de acuerdo a los resultados de la aplicación de la Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS). Los distintos tipos de programas mostraron un nivel de calidad promedio correspondiente al rango minimo, aunque existen diferencias significativas entre ellos y también entre las dos regiones. Estos resultados fueron comparados con los hallazgos de los estudios-European Child Care and Education (ECCE), desarrollado en Austria, Alemania, Portugal y Espana y Effective Provision of Pre-school Education (EPPE), realizado en Inglaterra.     

Comparisons of observed process quality in German and American infant/toddler programs

Observed process quality in infant/toddler classrooms was compared in Germany (n = 75) and the USA (n = 219). Process quality was assessed with the Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale(ITERS) and parent attitudes about ITERS content with the ITERS Parent Questionnaire (ITERSPQ). The ITERS had comparable reliabilities in the two countries and similar factors were found. Content validity of the ITERS is supported in both countries by similarly high ITERSPQ importance scores. ITERS classroom mean scores are similar (Germany = 3.21; USA = 3.36), but a higher US standard deviation is found. A discriminant analysis revealed differences between countries on a bipolar dimension, with US programs characterized by higher scores on custodial issues while German programs have higher scores on educational aspects. Spearman rank order correlations were completed on ITERSPQ importance scores and observed ITERS scores, showing an association only in the USA. Results are discussed in terms of the parental values and infrastructures found in the two countries.

La qualité de processus observée dans les salles de classe des Enfants/Petits Enfants a été comparée en l’Allemagne (n = 75) et aux Etats‐Unis (n = 219). La qualité de processus a été évaluée avec l’Échelle d’Évaluation de l’Environnement des Enfants/Petits Enfants (ITERS) et les attitudes des parents au sujet du contenu de l’ITERS avec le Questionnaire d’ITERS pour les Parents (ITERSPQ). L’ITERS a eu fiabilités comparables dans les deux pays et des facteurs semblables ont été trouvés. La validité du contentu de l’ITERS est soutenue dans les deux pays par des points sur l’importance d’ITERSPQ pareillement hauts. Les points moyens ITERS de la salle de classe sontsemblables, (Allemagne = 3.21 ; Etats‐Unis = 3.36), mais un écart type plus élevé pour les Etats‐Unis est trouvé. Une analyse discriminante a indiqué des différences entre les pays sur une dimension bipolaire, avec les programmes des Etats‐Unis caractérisés par de points plus hauts sur la question de la garde tandis que les programmes allemands ont de points plus hauts sur des aspects éducatifs. Des corrélations Spearman d’ordre de rang ont été accomplies sur les points d’importance ITERSPQ et on a observé des points d’ITERS montrer une association seulement pour les Etats‐Unis. Des résultats sont discutés en termes de valeurs et infrastructures parentales trouvées dans les deux pays.

La calidad de proceso observada en salas de clase de infantes/niños pequeños fue comparada en Alemania (n = 75) y los E.E.U.U. (n = 219). La calidad de proceso fue determinada con la Escala para Evaluar el Ambiente del Infante/ Niño pequeño (ITERS) y las actitudes de los padres hacia el contenido del ITERS con el Cuestionario ITERS para los Padres (ITERSPQ). El ITERS tenía confiabilidades comparables en los dos países y se encontraron factores similares. La validez del contenido del ITERS es apoyada en ambos países por los puntajes sobre la importancia del ITERSPQ que son semejantemente altos. Los puntajes medios ITERS de la sala de clase son similares, (Alemania = 3.21; E.E.U.U. = 3.36), pero se encuentra una desviación estándar más alta con los E.E.U.U. Un análisis discriminante reveló diferencias entre los países en una dimensión bipolar, con los programas de los E.E.U.U. caracterizados por puntajes más altos en el área de la custodia mientras que los programas alemanes tienen puntajes más altos en los aspectos educativos. Las correlaciones Spearman sobre el orden de rango fueron completadas en los puntajes sobre la importancia de ITERSPQ y se observaron puntajes de ITERS demostrando una asociación solamente en los E.E.U.U. Los resultados se discuten en términos de los valores parentales e infraestructuras encontradas en los dos países.     

Motivation and self‐regulated science learning in high‐achieving students: differences related to nation,gender, and grade‐level

A total of three hundred and fifteen (n = 315) gifted students from the 10th and 12th grade from the United States (n = 102), China (n = 125) and Germany (n = 88) were surveyed regarding their motivation and self‐regulation in chemistry learning. A 3×2×2 MANOVA revealed “nation” as having the largest major effect on these variables. The American group scored higher in most of the motivational and self‐regulatory characteristics than their Chinese and German counterparts. Although in all samples gifted girls reported a higher effort goal orientation, they used superficial cognitive strategies in learning science more frequently than boys. In addition, students' effort goal orientation was less pronounced in higher grades in all samples.     

Is ethical sensitivity in teaching culturally bound? Comparing Finnish and Iranian teachers’ ethical sensitivity

In this study, we investigated the culture-invariant and culture-dependent nature of teachers’ ethical sensitivity in two countries. Our case study involves teachers from Finland (n = 864) representing Western culture, and from Iran (n = 556) representing Eastern culture. Culturally bound elements of ethical sensitivity were studied with the Ethical Sensitivity Scale Questionnaire. The analyses revealed that ‘Caring by connecting to others’ is a central, culturally invariant dimension of ethical sensitivity in both cultures. In the dimensions of ethical sensitivity, the dimension of ‘Taking the perspective of others’ is particularly dependent on culture, given the differences in the cultural dimensions of power distance and the collectivity of the countries studied.     

Discriminative validity of the behavior assessment system for children‐parent rating scales in children with recurrent abdominal pain and matched controls

Examined discriminative validity of the Parent Rating Scale (PRS) of the Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC; Reynolds & Kamphaus, 1992, Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Services). Two groups were compared: a cohort with recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) (n= 49) and children from the BASC‐PRS standardization sample (n = 49) matched on the background characteristics of age, race/ethnicity, and gender. A multivariate, two‐group discriminant function analysis was used to compare groups across standard scores from the nine clinical scales of the PRS. Results demonstrated that children with RAP could be differentiated (Wilks λ = .642, F = 6.45, df (9, 88), p < .001), and demonstrated higher scores on the Somatization, Depression, Anxiety, Attention Problems, and Withdrawal scales. Subsequent jackknifed classification analysis, diagnostic efficiency statistics, and an odds ratio for the classification analysis added to the overall validity of results. The practical utility of the BASC‐PRS is further supported in light of expanding roles for school psychologists in the assessment and treatment of children with health problems. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 40: 145–154, 2003.     

Explanation-Construction in Fourth-Grade Classrooms in Germany and the USA: A cross-national comparative video study

To help explain the differences in students' performance on internationally administered science assessments, cross-national, video-based observational studies have been advocated, but none have yet been conducted at the elementary level for science. The USA and Germany are two countries with large formal education systems whose students underperform those from peers on internationally administered standardized science assessments. However, evidence from the 2011 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Exam assessment suggests fourth-grade students (9–10 year-olds) in the USA perform higher than those in Germany, despite more instructional time devoted to elementary science in Germany. The purpose of this study is to comparatively analyze fourth-grade classroom science in both countries to learn more about how teachers and students engage in scientific inquiry, particularly explanation-construction. Videorecordings of US and German science instruction (n _1?=?42, n _2?=?42) were sampled from existing datasets and analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. Despite German science lessons being, on average, twice as long as those in the USA, study findings highlight many similarities between elementary science in terms of scientific practices and features of scientific inquiry. However, they also illustrate crucial differences around the scientific practice of explanation-construction. While students in German classrooms were afforded more substantial opportunities to formulate evidence-based explanations, US classrooms were more strongly characterized by opportunities for students to actively compare and evaluate evidence-based explanations. These factors may begin to help account for observed differences in student achievement and merit further study grounded in international collaboration.     

Teachers’ Concepts of Spatial Scale: An international comparison

Metric scale is an important concept taught as part of science curricula across different countries. This study explored metric and relative (body-length) scale concepts of inservice (N?=?92) and preservice (N?=?134) teachers from Austria, and Taiwan, and their concepts were compared with those of teachers from the USA. Participants completed three assessments: the Scale Anchoring Objects (SAO), Scale of Objects Questionnaire (SOQ), and a subsample of participants were interviewed with the Learning Scale Interview. A Rasch analysis was conducted with the SAO and SOQ and results showed that the Rasch model held for these assessments, indicating that there is an underlying common dimension to understanding scale. Further analyses showed that accuracy of knowledge of scale measured by the SAO and SOQ was not related to professional experience. There were significant differences in teachers’ accuracy of scale concepts by nationality. This was true for both metric and body-length SAO assessments. Post hoc comparisons showed that the Austrian and Taiwanese participants were significantly more accurate than the US sample on the SAO and SOQ. The Austrian participants scored significantly higher than the US and the Taiwanese participants. The results of the interviews showed that the Taiwanese experienced teacher participants were more likely to report learning size and scale through in-school experiences than the Austrian or the US participants. US teachers reported learning size and scale most often through participating in hobbies and sports, Taiwanese teachers reported learning scale through sports and reading, and Austrian teachers most often noted that they learned about scale through travel.     

Erasmus student mobility flows

This article identifies student mobility flows using Erasmus data from 2007–2008 to 2013–2014. We used the software programmes “R” for statistical analysis and “Pajek” for analysis of networks. Findings provide an overview of student mobility from three perspectives. We find the most balanced relative outbound and inbound mobility in Spain, Switzerland, Austria and Poland. Moreover, Spain and Italy exchange the most students between each other. Overall, the core centres for student mobility are Spain, France, Germany and Italy. Smaller countries, such as Luxemburg, Malta and Liechtenstein, have large numbers of mobile students considering the size of the country's student population. The network analysis revealed three groups of countries: (1) good receivers and senders (Spain, Italy, and Germany), (2) good receivers only (Finland, Sweden, the United Kingdom and Portugal) and (3) good senders only (Belgium and the Czech Republic).     

Is Britain a Western European Country? A Multivariate Analysis of Western Higher Education Systems

Using data collected by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), a multivariate analysis of 13 measures for 16 countries is carried out with the aim of identifying similarities and differences between national systems of higher education. The results support the view that the North American systems of higher education are distinctive in terms of their high participation rates. They suggest that there are significant variations within Europe, particularly in terms of demographic structures, participation and expenditure rates. Three possible sub-groups are identified, focused on (i) Austria, Ireland, Italy and Spain; (ii) Belgium, France, Germany and the United Kingdom; and (iii) Denmark, the Netherlands and Switzerland. Japan, the only Asian country included in the analysis, appears to be more similar to Finland than any other country.     

Cultural Difference in Conflict Management Strategies of Children and Its Development: Comparing 3- and 5-Year-Olds Across China,Japan, and Korea

Research Findings: The purpose of this study was to examine differences in the development of conflict management strategies, focusing on 3- and 5-year-olds, through a comparison of 3 neighboring Asian cultures, those of China (n = 114), Japan (n = 98), and Korea (n = 90). The dual concern model of conflict management was adopted to probe which strategy children would prefer to use in 2 hypothetical conflict situations. Results indicated that, first, for disagreement, 3-year-olds in the 3 countries equally preferred the dominating strategy. For competition for resources, 3-year-olds differed in their strategy preference across all cultures. Second, the observed strategy preference of 3- to 5-year-old children in this study was more or less different from that of older schoolchildren, regardless of culture. Practice or Policy: These findings suggest the significance of the context, the complexity of the phenomenon of the development of cultural differences, and the significance of cohort sampling.     

Expanding educational opportunities: Conceptualization and measurement

This paper re-examines data on inequality of opportunity for higher education in the light of the debate aroused in Sweden by the U68 report. Earlier data for four countries (U.S.A., Sweden, Spain and Germany) are used to portray diverse status profiles of students: neither level of national income nor level of university enrolment appreciably affects selectivity of attendance. Changes in rates of attendance for three status categories in Sweden from 1950 to 1970 are measured in three ways. Convergence between the status categories in rates of enrolment is demonstrated.     

Quality of teaching in four European countries: a review of the literature and application of an assessment instrument

Background From 2002 onwards, initiatives and first steps for the project International Comparative Analysis of Learning and Teaching (ICALT) have been taken by the inspectorates of education in England, Flanders (Belgium), Lower Saxony (Germany) and The Netherlands. The inspectorates of education in these European countries reviewed the results of research on the basic characteristics of good and effective teaching and selected standards and indicators for an observation instrument that could be used to evaluate the quality of teaching. The inspectorates from these countries jointly developed an instrument to observe and analyse the quality of learning and teaching in primary schools.

Purpose The observation instrument was piloted for reliability and inter-rater reliability, and for validity, in the four countries.

Sample Mathematics lessons in England, Flanders (Belgium), Lower Saxony (Germany) and The Netherlands were observed in 854 classrooms, with children who were about 9 years old when they started the school year.

Design and methods Inspectors in the four countries were trained in the proper use of the observation instrument, and used the instrument during their own inspections or evaluations.

Results This study shows that the quality of teaching in the four countries can be compared in a reliable and valid way as regards five aspects: ‘efficient classroom management’, ‘safe and stimulating learning climate’, ‘clear instruction’, ‘adaptation of teaching’ and ‘teaching–learning strategies’.

Conclusions It is found that only a few percentage points of difference between teachers are due to differences existing in the four countries. Furthermore, it may be concluded that the five aspects of quality of teaching are positively and significantly correlated with pupil involvement, attitude, behaviour and attainment.     

Cost-Sharing in Higher Education: Differences between countries and between distinct socio-economic groups

The paper studies the relation between different national cost-sharing models and how students from different socio-economic backgrounds finance their higher education in six different European countries: the Czech Republic, England, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and Spain. The findings reveal considerable differences both between the countries and also between different socio-economic groups of students within each country. Even though there are only small social differences in the students’ level of income, there are considerable social differences in the students’ sources of income. The findings are discussed related to the country’s specific policy and higher education funding structures.

     

An analysis of Irish pre-school practice and pedagogy using the early childhood environmental four curricular subscales

This paper presents the findings of original research which applied the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale Extension (ECERS/E) four Curricular Subscales in 26 pre-schools throughout Ireland to measure and assess the provision of literacy, maths, science and environment, and diversity as follows: inadequate, minimal, good or excellent. The rating instrument was chosen as it relates closely to the Relational Pedagogical (RP) approach in the Irish curriculum Aistear; the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework. The approach uses four interconnected themes well-being, identity and belonging, communicating and exploring and thinking. The results are analysed using quantitative ECERS/E findings and offer evidence-based empirical results on pre-school quality using international standards of best practice. The study reveals a minimal standard in the provision of literacy and maths. Provision in science and environment and diversity are inadequate. The findings have implications concerning the capacity of pre-school services to implement quality and curriculum frameworks Síolta and Aistear and question the appropriateness of the current pre-school inspection systems in improving standards.     

Search for autonomy in motor task learning in physical education university students

The study focused on discovering the influence that an autonomous motor task learning programme had on the improvement of perceived competence, intrinsic regulation, incremental belief and motivational orientations. The study was performed with two groups of participants (n = 22 and n = 20) aged between 19 and 35 years. The instruments used were the incremental factor of the Conceptions of the Nature of Athletic Ability Questionnaire (CNAAQ-2), the Goal Orientation in Exercise Scale (GOES), the intrinsic regulation factor of the Behavioural Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire (BREQ-2), the perceived autonomy factor of the autonomy measurement scale (EMA) and the perceived competence factor of the Motives for Physical Activity Measure Revised Scale (MPAM-R). The questionnaires were handed out over 3 months in a weekly session with pre-test and post-test. The results showed that the use of an autonomy-based teaching programme increased perceived competence, intrinsic motivation, incremental ability belief and task-involving motivational orientation.     

Utility of the early screening profiles in identifying preschoolers at risk for cognitive delays

This study investigated the utility of the Early Screening Profiles (ESP; Harrison, 1990) to differentiate between preschoolers at risk for cognitive delays (n= 49) and non‐risk preschoolers (n= 44). Step‐wise discriminant function analysis was performed using the ESP Profiles and Total Screening scores as the predictors of group membership. The Total Screening score, by itself, was found to correctly classify approximately 81% of the preschoolers. In a separate discriminant analysis, the Cognitive/Language and Motor profiles were required to maintain a similar level of correct classifications as the ESP Total Screening score. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.