Early Childhood Environment Rating Research Articles

Development and validation of the Chinese Kindergarten Quality Rating Scale (CKQRS): A study based in Guangdong and Jiangsu provinces

ObjectiveThe present study aimed to develop a new measure to assess the quality of kindergartens in terms of the proximal features, programme characteristics, and administration and management. MethodThe research involved multiple procedures to develop and validate the new measure, Chinese Kindergarten Quality Rating Scale (CKQRS). Firstly, in the development stage, the ecological system model, Integrated Model of ECEC Quality, was adopted as a conceptual framework to develop the items of CKQRS. The items were reviewed by an expert review panel composed of 18 ECEC experts to thoroughly review the content and assure the content validity of the new measure by means of a Delphi method. Secondly, one hundred and twelve kindergartens were evaluated through on-site observation by different measures, including the CKQRS, Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised (ECERS-R), and Programme Administration Scale (PAS) in order to assess the concurrent validity of the CKQRS. Thirdly, the CKQRS was further examined for the factorial structure, the psychometric equivalence of the rating scale across sub-groups (i.e. measurement invariance), and the internal consistency. ResultsThe results from the Delphi method showed that the CKQRS items have good content validity based on the relevance rating by the expert panel. The results showed that the CKQRS items are significantly associated with ECERS-R and PAS items, which demonstrated a good concurrent validity. The exploratory factor analysis results showed that the CKQRS has a good fit with a five-factor model. That is, the quality of ECEC can be evaluated by five components: (a) proximal features, (b) learning and development support, (c) programme planning, (d) physical space, health and safety, and (e) administration and management. The measurement invariance was examined between two sub-groups by school size. The measurement invariance assessment result showed that there is an identical factor structure (i.e. configural invariance), identical factor loadings (i.e. metric invariance), and identical intercepts (i.e. scalar invariance) between the two sub-groups. ConclusionThis measure provides empirical evidence on the quality of ECEC through the perspective of ecological system theory and may inform policy making on identifying the supports needed in enhancing the quality of ECEC.

Влияние профессионального мастерства и личностных особенностей педагога на психическое развитие ребенка в разных типах образовательной среды

Background. Cognitive and personal development are priority areas for the development of a child at preschool age. The quality of the developmental preparation of children in preschool institutions, their level of readiness to study at school, the degree of their adaptation to school, peers, and teachers largely depend on the state of the educational environment, the level of professional skills and personal characteristics of the teacher. Objective. The aim of the study is to explore the developing potential of educational environments and the influence of the professional and personal characteristics of a teacher on the formation of a child's personality in modern educational space. Study Participants. The empirical study involved 413 preschoolers aged from 4 to 6 years (M = 5.5 years), 413 parents (mothers) of preschool children and 50 teachers. For each child a written parental consent to participate in the study was signed. The study was conducted between 2014 and 2022. Methods. An empirical study was conducted using the ECERS (Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale) educational environment assessment scales; diagnostics of the level of development of professional culture and skill in kindergarten teachers was carried out (V.F. Gabdulkhakov, L.M. Popov); the methodology for studying the subjectivity of the teacher by E.N. Volkova and the methodology for studying creativity by E.E. Tunik were used. To evaluate various aspects of gaming activity, we used the proposed experimental situation by E.O. Smirnova and A.N. Veraksa. Statistical processing of the obtained data was carried out using the Student's T-test, ANOVA and correlation analysis. Results. It is shown that in the educational environment of different levels, the indicators of professional skills and personal characteristics of teachers, as well as the personal development of children, are different. Significant differences were established in the severity of various aspects of children's play activity in different types of educational environments (one-way analysis of variance was used, p < 0.05), as a result of which significant differences were obtained according to the following diagnostic criteria: “substitution” (F = 25.72); “interaction” (F = 29.3), “game intent” (F = 13.76); “initiativity” (F = 5.25). Conclusion. Based on the study of the qualitative characteristics of educational environments (according to the ECERS-R scales), it is concluded that the specifics of the educational environment sets the vector of a child's development, contributing (or not contributing) to the disclosure of individual characteristics. The level of development of professional culture and skill in teachers of preschool educational institutions, their personal development determines the possibilities of the intellectual and personal development of the child and depends on the system of conditions for stimulating the quality work of the teaching staff and leaders, their involvement in creative self-development in order to realize creativity and activity as well as to improve their professional skills.

State vs. private preschool setting: assessing school quality for a successful learning environment

ABSTRACT Child-care researchers agree on the importance of preschool quality as an essential factor in developmental and cognitive outcomes. This study is a first attempt to assess structural and process aspects of Greek private and state preschool settings after the COVID-19 crisis and to provide empirical evidence for efforts to maintain the early childhood education curriculum. Comparisons between state and private preschool settings in two regions of Epirus showed the difference between the two types of preschools. All processes are perfectly in line with the current trends of educational programmes in Greece presented by the Institute for Educational Policy. The Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised (ECERS-R) in Greek translation was used in schools where children aged 3–5 years are enrolled. The results indicate that the quality of care in private preschools differed significantly from the quality of care in the state samples, although all scored good overall quality. A follow-up study will determine whether the quality of preschool processes is related to the quality of the home learning environment.

Child, teacher and preschool characteristics and child-teacher relationships in Greek preschools

Three dimensions of child–teacher relationships (derived from the Student-Teacher Relationship Scale) closeness, conflict and dependency have been conceptualized and investigated. In individualistic cultures a close relationship has been associated with children's academic performance and behavioural adjustment, conflictual relationships have been associated with maladjustment and externalising behaviours, and the dependency dimension has been negatively associated with closeness. We expand previous studies by first investigating the factor structure of the STRs amongst 2,130 preschool children and their 267 teachers in a collectivistic culture, Greece. Second, we investigated effects of child (gender, age, country of origin and special educational needs), teacher (teacher gender, age and affective well-being), and preschool characteristics (school-type, number of children, observed quality using the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised (ECERS-R), on STRS.Using exploratory structural equation modelling (ESEM) adjusting for differences between preschools we replicated the three-factor solution of the STRS. Consistent with previous studies in collectivistic cultures, closeness and dependency were positively (not negatively) associated. Children's gender and teachers’ affective well-being were found to be consistently associated with all three dimensions of the STRS. In conclusion, the STRS can capture the relationship accurately in a Greek early years setting, and the analysis has demonstrated that the three STRS dimensions are associated with different child and teacher characteristics.

Study on Personal Care Routines Learning Environment of Kindergarten Based on Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale-Revised Version

Study on Personal Care Routines Learning Environment of Kindergarten Based on Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale-Revised Version

Determinants of High Fat Mass Index in Preschoolers Living in Brazilian Urban Areas

ObjectiveDetermine the social, environmental, and personal factors associated with high fat mass index in preschoolers. DesignA quantitative, exploratory, and cross-sectional study. Setting and ParticipantsFifty-one Brazilian preschoolers from public schools living in urban areas. Main Outcome Measure(s)The preschoolers’ fat mass index was determined using dual-energy radiological absorptiometry. The quality of home and school environments were accessed using the Early Childhood Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment and Early Childhood Environment Rating Scales. The physical activity levels were recorded by accelerometers. The daily energy intake was recorded and sociodemographic data using the Brazilian Economic Classification criterion. Data on exposure time to screens and parental obesity were collected according to the parents’ reports. AnalysisData analyses were performed using simple and multiple regressions models. ResultsParental obesity (β, 0.516; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.078–5.133), high quality of environmental stimulation of home (β, 0.429; 95% CI, 1.294–4.023), and high exposure time to screens (β, 0.256; 95% CI, 0.215–2.554) explained 43% of preschoolers’ high fat mass index. Conclusions and ImplicationsIdentification of parental obesity, high quality of environmental stimulation of home, and high exposure time to screens as the most important determinants of the high fat mass index in preschoolers from Brazilian urban areas.

Widely used measures of classroom quality are largely unrelated to preschool skill development

Early childhood education programs invest in assessments of classroom quality to enable accountability and to enact efforts toward quality improvement. The Early Childhood Environment Rating System – Revised (ECERS-R) and Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) are 2 widely used classroom quality assessments that have inconsistently been linked to longitudinal change in preschoolers’ school-readiness skills. The current study examined how the ECERS-R and CLASS scores relate to changes in preschoolers’ skills and whether associations are stronger in the second half of the school year than across the whole school year. We used data from classrooms in the San Francisco Unified School District preschool program primarily serving low-income families; 164 classrooms were observed using the CLASS (N = 2327) and 131 classrooms were observed using ECERS-R (N = 1792). School readiness was assessed using teacher reports of cognitive, physical, self-regulation, social-emotional, verbal language, and written language development measured in the fall, winter, and spring and a direct assessment of children's letter awareness and pre-literacy skills measured in the fall and spring. Results showed that measures of classroom quality did not relate to children's skills in spring controlling for fall skills, while the ECERS-R Interactions was the only quality domain associated with all teacher-reported skills in spring controlling for winter scores. We provide recommendations to incorporate professional development, coaching, and assessment to improve classroom interactions and support child skills throughout the preschool year.

VERIFICATION OF ASSESSMENT SCALES OF THE SENSORY ENRICHED ENVIRONMENT ECERS-R AND SSTEW OR IMPLEMENTATION IN UKRAINE

The quality of education in general and preschool education in particular remains relevant both in the light of current reforms in the educational sphere of Ukraine and in the international context. Scientists pay attention to solving the problem of organizing comfortable environment, in particular the lack of internal space for each child. So far, the problems of teaching educators of preschooleducation establishments for the assessment of a high-quality sensory enriched environment have not been fully resolved. The purpose of the article is to determinate the effective quality scales of preschool education, to verify the most acceptable scales for assessment of the sensory enriched environment, to compare analysis of the obtained experimental data. During the research we used the following methods: observation, analysis, interviews, mathematical statistics, scales ECERS-R (Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised) and SSTEW (Sustained Shared Thinking and Emotional Well-being).The assessment of the condition of the sensory enriched environment was conducted by the 3rd year undergraduate students studying at the educational program «Preschool Education» at Vinnytsia Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi State Pedagogical University, Mukachevo State University, Khmelnytskyi Humanitarian-Pedagogical Academy. At the stage of experimental activity, 21 experts, 30 educators were involved, 15 environments in preschool establishments were evaluated.The analysis of the main features of the external and internal sensory enriched environment, which was carried out on the basis of the proposed parameters of the ECERS and SSTEW scales, allows us to determine the features that set out the possibility of further enrichment of this environment. The authors propose to focus on the enrichment of the environment as a special means of integrating the accumulated pedagogical experience into a holistic pedagogical system, as well as the complexity of the child’s development situation, which is taken into account by adults.

Associations for preschool environmental quality with outdoor time and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in Norwegian preschools

Various aspects of the preschool environment may either promote or restrict children’s moderate- to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), for example through opportunities for outdoor play. The aim of the present study was to determine associations for preschool environmental quality with outdoor time and MVPA in preschoolers. In total, 358 Norwegian 2–6-year-old children had 1–3 valid 14-day periods of accelerometer-determined MVPA (ActiGraph GT3X+) and corresponding logs of preschool outdoor time collected during 2015–2016. The children were enrolled in 30 different preschool departments for which we assessed environmental quality using the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised (ECERS-R). Associations for preschool quality with outdoor time and MVPA were determined using multivariate pattern analysis. We found strong inverse associations between preschool quality and outdoor time (51.4 % explained variance), and weak inverse associations between preschool quality and MVPA (5.4 % explained variance). Associations were strongest for the “Space and Furnishings”, “Personal Care Routines”, “Language-Reasoning”, and “Interaction” subscales of ECERS-R, in particular for aspects of safety practices. Children enrolled in departments rated as high quality spent less time outdoors and less time in MVPA. Thus, recognized quality aspects of preschool environments, in particular safety practices, might restrict children’s movement opportunities.

Measuring preschool quality in low- and middle-income countries: Validity of the ECERS-R in Colombia

As preschool enrollment has spread across the globe, many researchers have turned to the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised (ECERS-R) to assess the quality of preschool in low and middle-income (LAMI) countries. However, questions remain about the pertinence of this measure in LAMI countries due to evidence of low variability and extreme low scores across items. This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the ECERS-R in a Colombian sample of 174 classrooms from which 668 four-year-old children were selected for developmental assessment. Principal Component Analysis failed to identify the seven dimensions indicated in the original structure. Analyses instead found three dimensions in the Colombian sample: materials and spaces, interactions, and routines and practices. The predictive validity of these dimensions was not strong, but suggested that better routines and interactions are associated with children's development. Results and implications for the development of future measures are discussed.

The impact of classroom quality on young children's emotion understanding

ABSTRACT Many studies have been conducted to identify the factors explaining individual differences in children’s emotion understanding (capacity to comprehend the nature, causes and consequences of emotions in the self and others). These studies represent a significant advance in our comprehension of the origins of the child’s capacity to understand emotions. However, almost nothing is known about the impact of classroom quality on children’s emotion understanding even though Western children spend about six to eight hours per day in school. In this study, we used the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale – Revised edition [ECERS-R] to evaluate global childcare classroom quality in 31 classrooms located in Moscow (middle SES areas) and the Test of Emotion Comprehension [TEC] to assess their emotion understanding (N = 592) while controlling for the effects of age, gender and non-verbal fluid intelligence. We hypothesized that children from high-quality classrooms would outperform their peers from low-quality classrooms in terms of their understanding of emotions. The results showed, albeit controlling for gender, age, non-verbal fluid intelligence, that children from low-quality classrooms had a significantly higher level of emotion understanding than children from high-quality classrooms. Results are discussed both in terms of their theoretical and practical implications.

Childcare Center Characteristics Moderate the Effects of a Physical Activity Intervention.

Center-based early childhood education and care (ECEC) programs are well-positioned to create positive impacts on the health and development of large numbers of young children by promoting physical activity using evidence-based programs. Studies testing physical activity programs for young children should examine the circumstances under which programs are most effective by assessing the role of contextual factors on program outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine the moderating effects of baseline ECEC center characteristics on the relationship between the Study of Health and Activity in Preschool Environments (SHAPES) intervention and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). MVPA was assessed via accelerometry; center characteristics, practices, and social and physical environments were assessed by director interview and observation; and center quality was assessed using the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised Edition. Mixed-model analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs) examined intervention effects on MVPA during the school day; interactions between baseline center variables and group assignment (intervention vs. control) tested for moderation. Two center instructional practices, two social environment characteristics, and one physical environment characteristic at baseline moderated the effects of SHAPES on MVPA outcomes. Assessing baseline practices and center characteristics may aid efforts to match centers with interventions likely to increase physical activity as well as suggest additional intervention strategies to test.

Associations between Directors’ Characteristics, Supervision Practices and Quality of Early Childhood Education and Care Classrooms

ABSTRACTResearch Findings: We investigated associations between the characteristics of directors, their practices in supervising educators, and the quality of classrooms in their centers. Directors from 71 randomly selected child care centers (106 classrooms) serving preschool-age children in Toronto, Canada, completed a questionnaire asking about their characteristics (e.g., education/experience) and supervision practices. Quality was assessed using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) and a short version of the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised (ECERS-R). Most directors were female and had a strong early childhood education background. Their characteristics showed no, or negative, associations with supervision practices. Variance decomposition analysis revealed significant center level variance for the Emotional Support and Classroom Organization subscales of the CLASS and for the ECERS-R score. Experience in the current center, in the early childhood sector and administrative experience were negatively related to ECERS-R scores. No associations were observed with the CLASS. Practice and Policy: While our findings show center level effects for quality, they highlight the need for further research on whether and how directors drive center quality.

A comparative analysis of the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale–Revised and Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale, Third Edition

The Early Childhood Environment Rating Scales, including the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale–Revised (Harms et al., 2005) and the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale, Third Edition (Harms et al., 2015) are the most widely used observational assessments in early childhood learning environments. The most recent version of the scale addresses some of the criticisms in the research literature, particularly related to the organization of the Scale and the standard scoring procedures. In the current study, we explore the relationship between the two scales. Specifically, we evaluated the correlations between the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale–Revised and the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale, Third Edition, as well as the differences between the overall scores, individual items, and subscales. Implications for practice and future research are also provided.

Self-Report QRIS: Challenges with Validation

ABSTRACTResearch Findings: The current study looks at the validity of a voluntary self-report Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) and the characteristics of participating childcare centers. The self-reported quality indicators are compared to external ratings of quality Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised ([ECERS-R]) and correlated with variables such as size of center and number of state subsidy clients. ECERS-R scores were unrelated to capacity but significantly lower for centers with a large percentage of state-supported clients. Regarding self-reported quality, centers frequently under-reported their quality and what was claimed was not always externally validated, suggesting a self-report QRIS may not be an accurate assessment of quality. Additionally, no significant differences in quality were found between centers participating and those not participating in the self-report QRIS. Practice or Policy: Self-reported childcare quality was not accurate in this study. Although providers over-reported some quality, they frequently under-reported quality, by claiming fewer indicators than external validators found. When centers are unmotivated to participate in a voluntary, self-report QRIS, when items reported are the easiest to report, and when existing quality indicators are unreported, a self-reported QRIS cannot validly reflect quality. Because providers over-reported and under-reported quality criteria, it is doubtful the system truly incentivizes desired quality changes.

Critically engaging discourses on quality improvement: Political and pedagogical futures in early childhood education

This article is a commentary developed by three early childhood teacher educators who are concerned about the negative consequences of contemporary policy trends in the United States. The commentary critically examines the influence of quality improvement in early childhood as it relates to environmental rating systems and the use of teacher performance assessments, more specifically, the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale and the Teacher Performance Assessment. The article concludes with a potential vision for early childhood scholars and practitioners—building solidarity to function as an emerging, powerful, ethical community of early childhood curriculum workers that thrives without consensus.

Connections between children’s involvement in dramatic play and the quality of early childhood environments

ABSTRACTDramatic play is a typical activity that provides many benefits for preschool children’s learning and development. This paper presents the findings of a mixed-method study that examined the level of preschool children’s involvement in dramatic play and the connection between this involvement and the quality of the classroom environment. The study assessed the involvement of 101 children’s involvement in dramatic play across four preschool classrooms. The quality of each classroom was evaluated using the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale – Revised. Furthermore, video observations were collected to capture children’s interactions with physical elements of the classroom environment and their teacher. The findings have highlighted a positive connection between the quality of the classroom and the level of children’s involvement in dramatic play. Specifically, early childhood educators were shown to have a crucial and much needed role in guiding children’s involvement in dramatic play.

Cultural considerations of ECERS-3 in Sweden: a reflection on adaption

ABSTRACTQuality in early childhood education is an important topic in many countries. Research suggests that high-quality preschool provides many long-term benefits for young children and society. How to measure early childhood quality however can be problematic. One approach has been the use of the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale (ECERS), an observational scale of the learning environment created in the United States of America. The scale has been used in over 30 countries and translated into different languages. This article discusses cultural issues in relation to the use of ECERS-3 in Swedish preschools. While many of the indicators are easily transferable, some need cultural consideration. These include understanding the Swedish child perspective as expressed in the preschool curriculum, Swedish preschool design and Swedish pedagogy around interaction and safety issues. The article suggests that an adaptation of the scale is needed to be implemented effectively in the Swedish preschool context.

Associação entre desenvolvimento de linguagem e ambiente escolar em crianças da educação infantil

Objetivo: Investigar a associação entre o desenvolvimento de linguagem, a qualidade do ambiente escolar, escolaridade parental, sexo e idade de crianças na faixa etária de quatro a seis anos, matriculadas em Unidades Municipais de Educação Infantil de Belo Horizonte. Métodos: Trata-se de estudo observacional analítico transversal com amostra probabilística. Estudou-se 169 crianças de quatro a seis anos, matriculadas em cinco Unidades Municipais de Educação Infantil. Os instrumentos utilizados foram: questionário estruturado, protocolo de Avaliação do Desenvolvimento da Linguagem e Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised. Realizou-se análise descritiva dos dados e associação entre as variáveis de exposição e os eventos. Foram consideradas associações estatisticamente significativas aquelas que apresentaram valor p≤0,05%. Resultados: 47,9% e 52,1% das crianças pertenciam ao sexo masculino e feminino, respectivamente, com predomínio da faixa etária de cinco anos (62,7%). 22,5% das crianças apresentaram algum distúrbio no desenvolvimento da linguagem. Predominaram responsáveis com ensino médio completo e superior incompleto (42,6%). A pontuação da média global da ECERS-R indicou qualidade de nível entre mínimo e bom; a maior média quanto à qualidade do ambiente escolar refere-se à sub escala Interação, que corresponde ao nível entre bom e excelente. Houve associação com significância estatística somente entre o desenvolvimento da linguagem e a sub escala interação e idade. Conclusão: O desenvolvimento da linguagem apresentou associação com significância estatística com a idade e o domínio interação da escala ECERS-R. Não houve associação com significância estatística entre o resultado da linguagem e as variáveis: ambiente escolar, domínio linguagem e raciocínio da escala ECERS-R, sexo e escolaridade parental.

The role of preschool quality in promoting child development: evidence from rural Indonesia

ABSTRACTThis article examines the relationship between preschool quality and children’s early development in a sample of over 7900 children enrolled in 578 preschools in rural Indonesia. Quality was measured by: (1) classroom observations using the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised (ECERS-R); (2) teacher characteristics; and (3) structural characteristics of preschools. Children’s development was measured using the Early Development Instrument (EDI). The article proposes two methodological improvements to preschool quality studies. First, an instrumental variable approach is used to correct for measurement error. Second, ECERS-R is adjusted to the local context by contrasting items with Indonesia’s national preschool standards. Results show that observed classroom quality is a significant and meaningful positive predictor of children’s development once models correct for measurement error and apply a locally-adapted measure of classroom quality. In contrast, teacher characteristics and structural characteristics are not significant predictors of child development, while holding observed classroom quality constant.