Effects of in-service programs on childcare teachers’ interaction quality: A meta-analysis

Abstract

Childcare teachers’ warm and sensitive responses play a critical role in infant development. Korean in-service systems do not sufficiently support the interaction quality of childcare teachers. This study examined previous in-service programs shown to improve the interaction quality of teachers and calculated the effect sizes of 38 in-service programs reported in Korean and English-language research, and explored their moderating factors. In-service programs had moderate effects on interaction quality, and mixed workshop-coaching programs had the largest effect size. Programs shorter than 1 month, or with more than 20 sessions or 4–6 h per session effectively improved interaction quality.