Assessing The Quality In Different U S Early Childhood Education Programs

Year 2005, Volume: 14 Issue: 1, 121 - 136, 01.06.2005

Dr. Mehmet Buldu Arif Yılmaz

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the quality of different types of early childhood
education programs in a Midwestern university town in the US. This study reveals the
structural and process characteristics observed in the classrooms, according to the
results from the application of the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale Revised
Edition (ECERS-R). Additional evidences such as sketches of classrooms, photographs
of classrooms, daily classroom schedules, overall program philosophy and descriptions,
and copies of children’s work samples, were also collected from the classrooms
observed to evaluate the quality in these programs. Results of this study indicated that
early childhood programs observed in this study exhibited an acceptable minimum level
of quality, even though there were differences among types of programs. University
affiliated programs showed a higher quality than the Head Start programs did.
Compared to the children in Head Start programs, for children who attended universityaffiliated early childhood programs, there were a greater quantity and variety of
materials, more space to explore and experiment, better personal care conditions, higher
favorable conditions for early learning experiences, better interaction among the
children as well as between children and adults in the classroom, and better working
conditions for teachers.

Keywords

early childhood, classroom environment, quality, ECERS-R

ASSESSING THE QUALITY IN DIFFERENT U.S. EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Abstract

Bu çalışmanın temel amacı Amerika Birleşik Devletleri’nde bulunan farklı türlerdeki okulöncesi eğitim kurumlarının kalitelerini ölçmektir. Çalışmanın örneklemi, Amerika Birlesik Devletleri’nin Ortabatı bölgesinde bir üniversite şehrinde bulunan, birbirinden farklı 10 okulöncesi eğitim kurumunu kapsamaktadır. Bu çalışma, gözlemlenen kurumlardaki yapısal ve işlevsel özellikleri, “Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale Revised Edition” değerlendirme ölçeği kullanarak elde edilen sonuçlar doğrultusunda ortaya çıkarmaktadır. ECERS-R değerlendirme ölçeği şu kategorileri kapsamaktadır: (1) sınıf ortamı ve mobilyalar; (2) kişisel bakım düzeni; (3) dil ve nedenleme; (4) aktiviteler; (5) etkileşim; (6) program yapısı; (7) aile ve personel. Okul öncesi kurumları yukarıda verilen kategoriler bazında karşılaştırılmıştır. Bu çalışmada incelenen bütün kurumlar farklı yapılarda olmalarına rağmen gerekli olan kabul edilebilir en düşük kalite seviyesi ortalamasını tutturmuşlardır. Üniversite destekli kurumlar diğer kurumlara göre, Head Start programlarına göre daha yüksek seviyede kaliteye sahiptirler. Bütün kurumlar karşılaştırıldığında ortaya çıkan sonuçlar gösteriyor ki üniversite destekli kurumlar daha geniş alana, sayısal ve çeşitlilik bakımından daha fazla oyuncak ve materyale, çocuklar için daha iyi kişisel bakım koşullarına, daha iyi arkadaş ve öğretmen-öğrenci iletişimine ve öğretmenler için daha iyi çalışma kosullarına sahiptirler. Bu çalışma ayrıca gösteriyor ki okulöncesi kurumlarının eğitim kalitelerinin yüksekliği, o kurumda eğitim alan öğrencilerin okulöncesi eğitimin gerektirdiği öğrenme ve oyun gibi aktivitelerden maksimum seviyede yararlanabilmelerine olanak sağlamaktadır.

Keywords

Okulöncesi eğitimi, sınıf ortamı, kalite, ECERS-R

References

• Abbott-Shim, M. & Sibley, A. (1992). Assessment profile for childhood programs. Atlanta, GA: Quality Assistance, Inc.
• Anderson, C., Nagle, R., Roberts, W., & Smith, J. (1981). Attachment to substitute caregivers as a function of center quality and caregiver involvement. Child Development, 52, 53-61.
• Arnett, J. (1989). Caregivers in day-care centers: Does training matter? Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 10(4), 541-552.
• Bryant, D. M., Burchinal, M. R., Lau, L. B., & Sparling, J. J. (1994). Family and classroom correlates of Head Start children's developmental outcomes. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 9(3/4), 289-309.
• Bryant, D. M., Clifford, R. M., & Peisner, E. S. (1991). Best practices for beginners: Developmental appropriateness in kindergarten. American Educational Research Journal, 28(4), 783-803.
• Bryant, D. M., Maxwell, K. L., & Burchinal, M. (1999). Effects of a community initiative on the quality of preschool child care. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 14(4), 449-464
• Buell, M. J. & Cassidy, D.. J. (2001). The complex and dynamic nature of quality in early care and educational programs: a case for chaos. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 15(2), 209-220.
• Ceglowski, D. & Bacigalupa, C. (2002). Four perspectives on child care quality. EarlyChildhood Education Journal, 30(2), 87-92.
• Cryer, D., Tietze, W., Burchinal M. R., Leal, T., & Palacios, J. (1999). Predicting process quality from structural quality in preschool programs: A cross-country comparison. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 14(3), 339-361.
• Farquhar, S. (1989). Assessing New Zealand child day care quality using the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale. Early Child Development and Care, 47, 93-105.
• Glantz, F. B. & Layzer, J., (2000). The Cost, Quality and Child Outcomes Study: A Critique. Cambridge, MA: Abt Associates, Inc.
• Hagekull, B., & Bohlin, G. (1995). Day care quality, family and child characteristics and socioemotional development. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 10(4), 505-526.
• Harms, T., & Clifford, R. M. (1980). Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale. New York: Teachers College Press
• Harms, T., Clifford, R., & Cryer, D. (1998). Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale, Revised Edition. Teachers College Press: New York.
• Helburn, S. (Ed.) (1995). Cost, quality and child outcomes in child care centers: Technical report. Denver, CO: University of Colorado. Department of Economics. Center for Research in Economic Social Policy.
• Howes, C. (1997). Children’s experiences in center-based childcare as a function of teacher background and adult: child ratio. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 43(3), 404-425.
• Howes, C., & Smith, E. W. (1995). Relations among child care quality, teacher behavior, children’s play activities, emotional security, and cognitive activity in child care. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 10(4), 381-404.
• Hyson, M. C., Hirsh-Pasek, K., & Rescorla, L. (1990). The Classroom Practices inventory: an observation instrument based on NAEYC’s guidelines for Developmentally Appropriate Practices for 4- and 5- year-old children. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 5(4), 475-494.
• Kärrby, G., & Giota, J. (1994). Dimensions of quality in Swedish day care centers: An analysis of the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale. Early Child Development and Care, 104, 1-22.
• Kärrby, G., & Giota, J. (1995). Parental conceptions of quality in daycare centers in relation to quality measured by the ECERS. Early Child Development and Care, 110(95), 1-18.
• Layzer, J. I., Goodson, B. D., & Moss, M. (1993). Final Report Volume I: Life in Preschool. Observational study of early childhood programs, prepared for the Office of the Under Secretary, U.S. Department of Education. Cambridge, Mass.: Abt Associates.
• McCarty, F., Abbott Shim, M., & Lambert, R. (2001). The relationship between teacher beliefs and practices, and Head Start classroom quality. Early Education and Development, 12(2), 225-38.
• Munton, A. G., Rowland, L., Mooney, A., & Lera, M. J. (1997). Using the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS) to evaluate quality of nursery provision in England: Some data concerning reliability. Educational Research, 39, 99-104.
• NAEYC (1995). Cost, quality and child outcomes in child care centers: Key findings and recommendations. Young Children, 50(4), 40-44.
• NICHD Early Child Care Research Network. (1993). The NICHD Study of Early Child Care: A comprehensive longitudinal study of young children's lives. ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 353 0870
• NICHD Early Child Care Research Network. (1996). Characteristics of infant child care: foctors contributing to positive caregiving. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 11, 269-306.
• NICHD Early Child Care Research Network. (1999). Child outcomes when child-care classrooms meet recommended guidelines for quality. American Journal of Public Health, 89, 107-1077.
• Peisner-Feinberg, E.S., & Burchinal, M. R. (1997). Relations between childcare experiences and concurrent development. The cost, quality and outcomes study. Merill-Palmer Quarterly, 43, 451-477.
• Peisner-Feinberg, E.S., Burchinal, M. R., Clifford, R. M., Culkin, M. L., Howes, C., Kagan, S. L., & Yazejiaen, N. (2001). The relation of preschool child-care quality to children’s cognitive and social developmental trajectories through second grade. Child Development, 72(5),1534-1553.
• Philips, D., Howes, C., & Whitebook, M. (1992). The social policy context of childcare: effects on quality. American Journal of Community Psychology, 20, 25-51.
• Scarr, S., Eisenberg, M., & Deater-Deckard, K. (1994). Measurement of quality in child care centers. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 9, 131-151.
• The Department of Education (2004). Observational Study of Early Childhood Programs. Retrieved on June 23, 2004, from http://www.ed.gov/offices/OUS/PES/esed/erlyanyl.htm
• Tietze, W., Bairrao, J., Leal, T.B., & Rossbach, H.G. (1998). Assessing quality characteristics of center-based early childhood environments in Germany and Portugal: A cross-national study. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 13(2), 283-298.
• Tietze, W., Cryer, D., Bairrao, J., Palacios, J., & Wetzel, G. (1996). Comparisons of observed process quality in early child care and education programs in five countries. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 11, 447-475.