Policy Developments in Pre-School Education in Singapore: A Focus on the Key Reforms of Kindergarten EducationInternational Journal of Child Care and Education Policy - - 2007
Tan Ching Ting
Abstract
Since 2000, the pre-school landscape in Singapore has been evolving and changing more rapidly than before. The interest of raising the quality of pre-school education is evident in the introduction of new policies and implementation of new initiatives in the last six years. These policy developments have resulted in significant changes in various aspects of the quality standards of pre-school education in Singapore. This paper presents the context of pre-school education policy and practice in Singapore and highlights recent key reforms introduced by the Ministry of Education (MOE) in order to promote quality kindergarten education.
Canada’s Early Childhood Education and Care Policy: Still a Laggard?International Journal of Child Care and Education Policy - Tập 3 - Trang 27-42 - 2015
Rianne Mahon
Canada’s early childhood education and care (ECEC) system has fared poorly in recent international comparisons. Its laggard status can be attributed to the “liberal” character of its social policy regime and to the federal structure of the Canadian state. This paper argues, however, that there are signs of change. While these are currently most visible in certain provinces, the issue of creating an effective pan-Canadian ECEC framework is still very much alive on the federal agenda.
Early Childhood Education Policy Development in ChinaInternational Journal of Child Care and Education Policy - - 2011
Xinlin Zhou
Abstract
Great progress in the field of early childhood education policy in China has been made in 2010. In the light of the National Plan for Medium and the Long-term Program for Education Reform and Development, the Chinese government has made a series of efforts aimed at promoting the development of early childhood education. The new policies include an increase in the 3-year early childhood program enrollment; the clarification of the governments’ main responsibilities for the provision of early childhood education; an increase of funding for early childhood education, (especially for disadvantaged children); the strengthening of teacher capacity; and the strengthening of program quality and management amongst other changes. Each province has developed a 3-year Action Plan to implement the policy. The challenges for the implementation of the new policy are also discussed.
Preparing early educators as frontline leaders and change agents with a leadership development initiativeInternational Journal of Child Care and Education Policy - Tập 16 Số 1 - 2022
Yujin Lee, Anne Douglass, Songtian Zeng, Amanda Wiehe Lopes, Arazeliz Reyes
AbstractThe present study examined the impact of a leadership development program, Leading for Change (LfC) that focused on building the capacity of early educators to lead change as frontline leaders and change agents. Bringing together a relational-entrepreneurial leadership theory lens, the LfC was designed to foster early educators’ leadership mindset, knowledge, and skills that could potentially bring a long-lasting impact on many aspects of the early care and education (ECE) field. With a sample of 31 racially and linguistically diverse early educators, the present study compared participants’ entrepreneurial mindset, leadership competencies, and capacity to act as change agents and leaders before and after the LfC program. Results showed that participants’ perceptions of themselves as leaders were increased after completing the LfC. They also demonstrated more confidence in their own ability to drive positive change where they work and more broadly in the ECE field. Findings from this study suggest that the relational-entrepreneurial leadership approach taps into early educators’ insights, passions, and knowledge and equips them to participate in leadership for quality improvement and positive change.
Schools as Integrated Service Hubs for Young Children and Families: Policy Implications of the Toronto First Duty ProjectInternational Journal of Child Care and Education Policy - Tập 4 - Trang 45-54 - 2015
Carl Corter, Janette Pelletier
In many parts of the world early childhood services are disconnected in ways that reduce their effectiveness in supporting family life, healthy child development, and the transition to school. Furthermore, access to these services is often limited, particularly for marginalized families. There is increasing policy interest around the world in building early childhood service systems that are universal and integrated, as a way of strengthening the effectiveness and equity of early childhood services. Although there is a growing push to unify child care and education in a universal system, both in Canada and elsewhere, a fully integrated system would bring together additional services for family support, health and community programs. The Toronto First Duty demonstration project was designed to test the feasibility and effects of a universal model for integrating child care, kindergarten, family support and other services in school-based community hubs. The intent of the project partners — a charitable foundation, municipal government, and school board- was to mobilize knowledge to improve early childhood programs and policy at both the local and provincial levels. A university-based research team has worked over the last decade to evaluate the implementation process and outcomes of the project, and has contributed to the knowledge mobilization for practice and policy change. The research found positive evidence on the feasibility of implementing the model, as well as evidence about the processes that work through program and family pathways to enhance child development and parenting. Findings from the project have helped to move provincial policy in Ontario and elsewhere in Canada. Although fixed models may not apply to new contexts, some of the evidence-informed design principles from this project converge with findings from other jurisdictions and have broad implications for policies promoting universal, integrated service systems for early childhood.
An investigation of early childhood education teachers’ attitudes, behaviors, and views regarding the rights of the childInternational Journal of Child Care and Education Policy - Tập 15 - Trang 1-26 - 2021
Cagla Banko-Bal, Tulin Guler-Yildiz
This study investigates the attitudes, behaviors, and views about the rights of the child of early childhood education (ECE) teachers in Turkey. A mixed-method sequential transformative design was used, and 205 ECE teachers’ attitudes towards children’s rights were analyzed using a quantitative questionnaire. Ten of these ECE teachers were then observed, and their views in terms of the rights of children were elicited through interviews. According to the findings, teachers’ attitudes toward the rights of the child were positive; however, their behaviors and views were not compatible with most of these rights. While teachers were sensitive to the right to protection, they did not meet the requirements of the rights to development, growth, and participation or the principles of best interest and non-discrimination. Educating teachers about the rights of the child plays an important role in enhancing children’s learning and the application of these rights. To support these rights, teachers need to properly understand the rights of the child, how to protect them, and how to reflect these rights in their practices.
A critical review of the research evidence on early childhood education and care in refugee contexts in low- and middle-income countriesInternational Journal of Child Care and Education Policy - Tập 17 - Trang 1-23 - 2023
Katharina Ereky Stevens, Iram Siraj, Kimberley Kong
Refugee children are some of the most vulnerable populations in the world. Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) for refugee children can have positive impacts on child outcomes, however most of the evidence stems from research from high income countries. This paper reports on a critical review, carried out to evaluate what we know about benefits and the quality of ECEC programmes for refugee children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). 15 studies were identified, located in refugee camps and resettlement contexts in seven different countries. Whilst acknowledging limitations due to the small number and low rigour of the studies included in this review, the findings indicate benefits of ECEC participation for children across developmental domains, showing particular the potential to support socio-emotional learning and emotional recovery. Findings confirm the challenge of resources for the provision of high-quality refugee ECEC in LMICs, including lack of materials, space, and training and support needs of staff. By bringing together what we learn from the existing research in the field, this review helps to identify successful strategies, that call for play-based approaches, interactions that focus on socio-emotional support and recovery, the engagement of communities and families, and the provision of culturally responsive environments. These findings strengthen the wider knowledge base about the characteristics of ECEC provision which are important for supporting refugee children and families in lower-resource contexts.
Quality and Early Childhood Education and Care: A Policy Initiative for the 21st CenturyInternational Journal of Child Care and Education Policy - Tập 4 - Trang 67-80 - 2015
Karin Ishimine, Collette Tayler, John Bennett
The expectation of quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) is that higher quality inputs will produce higher quality outcomes for children. There are many ways that outcomes may be expressed and measured, though current procedures emphasize threshold quality. However, threshold quality is essentially an entry-level concept — once the entry requirements are met, quality is assumed to have been attained and subsequently sustained. A more sophisticated, comprehensive procedure is needed. For more than a decade ECEC policy in Australia has been generally weak, fragmented and dominated by matters related to quantity (market issues) rather than quality (pedagogical issues), despite the rhetoric. What should be measured to identify quality in ECEC settings? What should a quality directed ECEC policy emphasize? This paper addresses significant issues in determining and measuring quality for a comprehensive ECEC policy and the links to a rating system in Australia.
The Role of Korean Fathers: A Study of Korean Fathering Practices in the United StatesInternational Journal of Child Care and Education Policy - Tập 5 - Trang 47-55 - 2015
Keun Kyu Kim, Jaeyong Chung
This study explored Korean immigrant fathers’ perspectives on their involvement in children’s learning and schooling in the United States with the intent to suggest for early childhood educators and teachers to consider the importance of involving the immigrant fathers in children’s learning and schooling. In-depth interviews were used to explore of three Korean fathers involvement both at home and at school settings. The results of the study overall indicated that three Korean fathers commonly experienced difficulties and frustration when they participated in their children’s learning, schooling, and playing. Additionally, the Korean fathers reported to encounter acknowledged challenges in terms of language issues, cultural differences, and negative experiences in their involvement in children’s learning and schooling.
Too late and not enough for some children: early childhood education and care (ECEC) program usage patterns in the years before school in AustraliaInternational Journal of Child Care and Education Policy - Tập 9 - Trang 1-15 - 2015
Timothy Gilley, Collette Tayler, Frank Niklas, Daniel Cloney
This paper uses data from a major Australian longitudinal study to test the extent to which children recruited on the basis of attending an early childhood education and care (ECEC) setting when they were 3–4 years of age received an ‘optimal’ dosage of education and care. The idea of an optimal dosage is drawn from research literature on what level of dosage leads to improved learning and development outcomes for children. This dosage level is then compared with the actual level received by Australian children, through examining the age of entry of Australian children into ECEC and the number of hours of education and care they receive before school entry. Key predictors of the total hours of ECEC usage and the year of commencement in formal ECEC programs are reported, and demonstrate the variability and correlates of participation in ECEC programs. Patterns of ECEC usage were predicted by family advantage and disadvantage factors. Children from homes with less employment, and more siblings, tend to use fewer hours of ECEC before school and/or start later. The findings suggest sub-optimal levels of participation given the policy goal of improving learning and developmental outcomes for all children and particularly for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Policy implications are addressed.
