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EXAMINING THE GENERAL QUALITY OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND STRUCTURAL VARIABLES IN SUPPORT OF EARLY CHILDHOOD INCLUSION IN BEIJING, CHINA

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Date Issued:
2009
Abstract/Description:
The primary purpose of this study was to (a) explore the global quality of early childhood programs within the Chinese socio-cultural context, and (b) examine the effects of teachers' years of experience, degree, major, and class size on teachers' perceptions of developmentally appropriate practices, inclusion, and training needs in order to provide services for children with disabilities in regular classrooms. The researcher completed observations in 40 early childhood classrooms using the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale- Revised (ECERS-R). Results from classroom observations revealed that the global quality of the early childhood learning environment was between minimum and good. Areas that were in need of improvement included materials, time for free play, and provisions for children with disabilities. In addition, 276 teachers from 12 inclusion pilot kindergartens in Beijing completed 3 surveys. Teachers' responses to the developmentally appropriate practices survey revealed a gap between teachers' self-reported developmentally appropriate beliefs and activities. Further, MANOVA results indicated that both class size and years of teaching experience contributed to the differences between teachers. In surveying teachers' inclusion perceptions, MANOVA results suggested that only class size contributed to the differences between teachers. A discriminant function analysis was performed as a follow-up procedure to determine which of the independent variables contributed most to group differences. Moreover, the researcher found that no variables made a difference to teachers' perceived training needs for inclusion. Implications of current study findings for teacher preparation, future research, and policy formation will be discussed.
Title: EXAMINING THE GENERAL QUALITY OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND STRUCTURAL VARIABLES IN SUPPORT OF EARLY CHILDHOOD INCLUSION IN BEIJING, CHINA.
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Name(s): Hu, Bi Ying, Author
Cross, Lee, Committee Chair
University of Central Florida, Degree Grantor
Type of Resource: text
Date Issued: 2009
Publisher: University of Central Florida
Language(s): English
Abstract/Description: The primary purpose of this study was to (a) explore the global quality of early childhood programs within the Chinese socio-cultural context, and (b) examine the effects of teachers' years of experience, degree, major, and class size on teachers' perceptions of developmentally appropriate practices, inclusion, and training needs in order to provide services for children with disabilities in regular classrooms. The researcher completed observations in 40 early childhood classrooms using the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale- Revised (ECERS-R). Results from classroom observations revealed that the global quality of the early childhood learning environment was between minimum and good. Areas that were in need of improvement included materials, time for free play, and provisions for children with disabilities. In addition, 276 teachers from 12 inclusion pilot kindergartens in Beijing completed 3 surveys. Teachers' responses to the developmentally appropriate practices survey revealed a gap between teachers' self-reported developmentally appropriate beliefs and activities. Further, MANOVA results indicated that both class size and years of teaching experience contributed to the differences between teachers. In surveying teachers' inclusion perceptions, MANOVA results suggested that only class size contributed to the differences between teachers. A discriminant function analysis was performed as a follow-up procedure to determine which of the independent variables contributed most to group differences. Moreover, the researcher found that no variables made a difference to teachers' perceived training needs for inclusion. Implications of current study findings for teacher preparation, future research, and policy formation will be discussed.
Identifier: CFE0002699 (IID), ucf:48216 (fedora)
Note(s): 2009-08-01
Ph.D.
Education, Department of Child Family and Community Sciences
Doctorate
This record was generated from author submitted information.
Subject(s): early childhood inclusion
program quality
developmentally appropriate practice
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002699
Restrictions on Access: public
Host Institution: UCF

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