Assessing Quality in Early Childhood Education and Care

Evaluating quality in early childhood education and care (ECEC) service internationally is increasingly important. Research to date indicates that it is ‘high-quality’ programmes that boost and sustain children's achievement outcomes over time. There is also growing interest in the accountability of public funds used for ECEC programmes and the types of measures that assess ECEC quality. This article reviews eleven existing instruments that were designed to assess global ECEC programmes and examines them in terms of their strengths and weaknesses as quality measurement tools and the adequacy of the measures to sufficiently reflect the context and purposes of the assessment. Through this process the authors identify directions for the development of new measures that are both theoretically and psychometrically sound.     

Quality and Equity in Early Childhood Care in Peru

The present study examines educational policy documents and programs on early childhood development and education in Peru. The author provides an evaluation of early childhood learning programs and their outcomes in different education centers in Peru. Health, nutrition, development, and participation are identified as key areas of concern. The study concludes with a reference to the importance of monitoring quality and equity in early childhood care.

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Zusammenfassung QUALIT?T UND CHANCENGLEICHHEIT IN DER FRüHKINDLICHEN PFLEGE IN PERU – Die vorliegende Studie untersucht Dokumente zur Bildungspolitik sowie Programme zur frühkindlichen Entwicklung und Erziehung in Peru. Die Autorin bietet eine Auswertung von Programmen zum frühkindlichen Lernen sowie deren Ergebnisse in verschiedenen Bildungszentren in Peru. Gesundheit, Ern?hrung, Entwicklung und Teilhabe werden als Schlüsselthemen identifiziert. Die Studie schlie?t mit einem Verweis auf die wichtige Bedeutung der überprüfung von Qualit?t und Chancengleichheit in der frühkindlichen Pflege.

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Resumen CALIDAD E IGUALDAD DE OPORTUNIDADES EN LA ATENCIóN DE LA PRIMERA INFANCIA EN PERú – Este trabajo examina documentos y programas educativos sobre el desarrollo y la educación de la primera infancia en Perú. La autora proporciona una evaluación de los programas de aprendizaje para la primera infancia y de sus resultados en diferentes centros de ense?anza de Perú. La salud, la nutrición, el desarrollo y la participación se han identificado como áreas de importancia central. El estudio termina indicando cuán importante es controlar la calidad y la igualdad de oportunidades en la atención de la primera infancia.

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Résumé QUALITé ET éQUITé DANS L’ASSISTANCE à LA PRIME ENFANCE AU PéROU – La présente étude examine les documents et les programmes de la politique éducative pour l’éducation et le développement de la prime enfance au Pérou : L’auteur fournit une évaluation des programmes d’apprentissage de la prime enfance et de leurs résultats dans différents centres d’éducation au Pérou. Santé, nutrition, développement et participation sont identifiés comme des domaines clefs de préoccupation. L’étude conclut sur une référence à l’importance de la qualité et de l’équité de l’encadrement dans l’assistance à la prime enfance.

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The author: Regina Moromizato Izu holds a Masters in Social Management from the Pontificia Universidad Católica of Peru and is pursuing doctoral studies in childhood, youth, and social sciences at the Universidad Manizales – CINDE (Colombia). She is currently teaching in alternative early childhood programs at the Pontificia Universidad Católica of Peru. She has conducted various research projects and consulting work for government agencies concerning programs bearing on early childhood, the family, and the community. Contact address: Facultad de Educación, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Peru, Lima, Peru. E-mail: rmoromi@pucp.edu.pe     

德国学前教育的发展现况和未来趋势

德国的学前教育长期以来并没有形成统一的学前托管模式,入园率、师资等在原东德和原西德地区之间存在很大差异.德国的学前教育计划由各州自行制定、实施并监管,但联邦政府还是从政策和财政投入两方面积极推动学前教育的发展.为了使母亲有更多的就业机会,德国政府不断加强对学前教育的关注度和投入力度:从法律上保障儿童接受学前教育的权益;提供灵活多样的社会托管服务;将托管服务对象由3～6岁扩大到0～6岁并致力于改善托幼机构的育儿质量.     

Swedish Child Care and Early Childhood Education in Transition

This paper focuses on recent changes in the Swedish system of child care and early childhood education. These changes are described and analyzed in relation to the economic and socio-political context of which they are a part. It is argued that the early childhood education sector in Sweden has been and still is an important part of the welfare society which in its turn now is in a state of transition. Neo-liberal ideas and the economic conjuncture have implied severe cuts and changes in childcare policies. The implications of these changes are discussed in the final section of the paper.     

Rights of the Child and Early Childhood Education and Care in Europe

‘Securing the rights articulated in the Convention is an effective approach to improving the quality of early experiences.’ 1 1 Early Childhood Rights Indicators, A guide for Monitoring the Convention on the Rights of the Child, http://earlylearning.ubc.ca/media/uploads/documents/internationalresearchbriefjan2012.pdf , p2
This article analyses early childhood education and care and child rights in early childhood and their relationship in the European Union. Both are primarily national competencies. The EU has limited access and tools to influence policies and practices, while there are many ways in which indirect interventions are not only possible, but greatly used, often in areas that do not seem to be closely related to the issues discussed here. Yet there is a strong desire and interest of the different EU institutions to encourage and support Member States to implement both ECEC targets and child rights. In this article, we show that, while ECEC has become an essential part of different policies at EU level, there have been efforts to implement and mainstream child rights, with special attention paid to specific dimensions in relation to early childhood policies and practices, but a child rights based approach is missing.     

Early Childhood Education and Care Vade Mecum for 2002

This is not an article, but a series of compressed notes which attempt to set down what the writer sees as the principal concerns highlighted in recent studies of early childhood socialisation from birth to about eight years. It draws heavily upon personal and professional experience of education and care systems in some sixteen countries as well as upon current OECD and UNESCO data. It deals with the concerns surrounding a minority of the world's children, however; that is the 10% or less, born into the rich portion of the (largely western) world. It focuses on the context surrounding the growing need for 'institutionalised' provision for children from birth in those OECD countries where divorce is common-place, where the birth rate has fallen dramatically and where, increasingly, most adult women work outside the home. It notes especially the gradual congruence of early childhood care and early education in policy and practice. It emphasises the vital contribution of appropriate early experience and learning to the creation of a humane society, briefly considers the policy preoccupations with literacy, and notes especially that the biggest single factor contributing to high quality provision lies in the quality of the professional staff concerned.     

Impact of Process Quality in Early Childhood Education and Care on Academic Outcomes: Longitudinal Meta-Analysis

This meta-analysis studies the association of pedagogical processes in early childhood care and education with outcomes in two academic domains: language and literacy as well as mathematics. It synthesizes evidence from 17 longitudinal studies in nine European countries with 16,461 children in regular center-based care spanning the period between ages 3 and 16. Results of a three-level meta-analysis provided small overall effect sizes for both global and domain-specific process quality, and indicated lasting associations with academic development over children’s school career (ES = .11, Cohen’s d = .22, and ES = .10, Cohen’s d = .20). Effects varied by outcome domain, type of process measure, and differences in adopted analyses, with important implications for pedagogical practice and future research.     

Early Childhood Education and Care in the Time of COVID-19: Introduction to a Special Issue of Early Childhood Education Journal

Early Childhood Education Journal -     

美国各级政府与学前儿童的保育和教育

本文论述了美国联邦政府、州政府和地方政府在学前儿童的保育和教育方面扮演的角色和担负的职责.     

亚太地区学前儿童保育和教育发展现状

亚太地区国家在学前儿童保育和教育发展方面存在着较大差异.本文通过梳理亚太地区各国为学前儿童提供的服务、学前儿童的福利状况(五岁以下儿童死亡率和毛入园率)、学前教育行政管理和资金投入等方面的情况,提出了相关的对策建议.     

Early Childhood Education and Care Content for the Social Work Curriculum

Social workers are poised to play an important role in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings; however, they need the knowledge and skills necessary to make a meaningful contribution. This article presents learning activities that infuse ECEC content, centered on the following four areas for social work education: (1) history of the profession, (2) observation of current practice, (3) culturally competent service delivery, and (4) advocacy to enhance social justice. Through this infusion of content, social work educators can better prepare their students for the growing field of ECEC practice and for social work practice more broadly.     

Rethinking the Status of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) in Rural and Urban Areas of South Africa

This study documented the current status and determined the need for early childhood care and education in South Africa, including an assessment of the training needs of childminders and other individuals interested in working with young children in rural and urban areas of South Africa. The sample included 373 African men and women representing a range of occupations and different levels of education. The study employed primarily quantitative methodology, specifically a survey. The findings suggest that families and community members who have in the past responded to the needs of young children can no longer meet these needs due to social and economic dynamics. Respondents from both rural and urban settings perceived training, training centers, infrastructure, and the integration of African culture in early childhood education to be compelling needs. Programmatic and policy recommendations based on the interviews and observations are made.     

A Nordic Perspective on Early Childhood Education and Care Policy

The national policies and historical roots of early childhood education (ECE) vary from society to society. In the Nordic countries, early childhood education and care (ECEC) policies have been built in the context of the welfare state. As such, they are closely connected to other welfare policy areas such as social policy, family policy and education policy, in addition to which a close relationship with labour policy is also evident. This article sheds light on the historical roots of Nordic ECEC policies by describing the commonalities and differences between the Nordic countries. The ‘Nordic model’ is commonly described as integrated. Education, teaching and caring form an integrated unit and the term early childhood education and care is therefore typically used when describing the ‘Nordic model’. It is also said to be based on a child-centred, holistic approach with an emphasis on participation, democracy, autonomy and freedom, while its track record of high quality ECE services is considered to be due in part to the use of a well-trained workforce. The Nordic countries are, however, developing and redefining their ECEC policies in the global economic and cultural context, in which governments have to choose their priorities. Pressure to standardize ECE services is also apparent, and signs of erosion of the key elements of the Nordic model have been seen in recent policy debates. This paper discusses the current direction of Nordic ECE policy making and the future of the Nordic model.     

时势与业者的视角——试论近代中国公共幼儿教育事业发展的"制度化"倾向

本文回顾了近代中国公共幼儿教育事业产生和最初发展的历史,揭示了近代中国幼儿教育界对于公共幼教机构与家庭之关系的认识及其产生的社会背景,并分析了这种认识对于当时幼儿教育政策和公共幼教机构职能产生的影响。     

婴幼儿的早期科学教养对终身发展影响重大

20世纪90年代以来脑科学的研究成果表明:0～3岁婴幼儿阶段是人大脑发育、语言习得、智力发展、个性形成、习惯养成的关键期,是今后智力、情感、运动、社会交往等各方面能力发展的基础.大脑细胞用进废退,早期教养的缺失,终身难以补偿.愈来愈多的发达国家认识到,决定人类的发展与进步,必须要从0岁开始关注婴幼儿的成长和教养.     

美国幼儿保育与教育中的政府职能

美国实行联邦、州、县学区三级的按年龄分段的二元式幼儿保育与教育管理体制。概括而言,联邦宏观调控,各州全面负责,县学区具体督导。三级政府之间和政府各部门之间的幼儿保教职能分工明晰。     

Quality in Early Childhood Education: An Anthropologist's Perspective

I use examples from my ethnographic work on early childhood education and care settings in Japan and France to demonstrate that quality standards are cultural constructs and to question the universality of such core U.S. standards of quality in ECEC as low student-teacher ratios and multicultural curricula. My argument is that quality standards should reflect local values and concerns and not be imposed across cultural divides. In a heterogeneous society such as the U.S., notions of quality should arise out of conversations in local communities among early childhood educators and parents.