Comparing cultural differences in two quality measures in Chinese kindergartens: the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised and the Kindergarten Quality Rating System

Abstract

This study examined the degrees of congruence between two early childhood evaluation systems on various quality concepts: the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised (ECERS-R) and Zhejiang’s Kindergarten Quality Rating System (KQRS). Analysis of variance and post hoc least significant difference tests were employed to show the extent to which the ECERS-R ratings predict a kindergarten’s placement on the KQRS. Results found two quality dimensions (Language-reasoning and Interaction) that did not distinguish the quality between any levels of kindergartens, whereas one dimension (Space and furnishing) successfully distinguished the quality between all levels of kindergartens. Activities and Programme structure only distinguished the quality differences between Level-2 and Level-3 kindergartens, whereas Personal care and Routines only distinguished the quality differences between Level-1 and Level-3 kindergartens. Findings based on item-level analysis provided further insights into underlying cultural and contextual reasons for differences found in the concepts of quality in the two evaluation systems.