Journal article
Protocol for a mixed-methods investigation of quality improvement in early childhood education and care in Australia
Children and youth services review, Vol.155, pp.1-9
12/2023
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Abstract
International recognition of the early years as a crucial foundational period has led to the design and implementation of quality rating and improvement systems (QRIS) that define, communicate, and monitor the components of quality in early childhood education and care (ECEC). The aim of these policies is to achieve effective
quality assurance and improvement through a system-oriented approach to assessment and evaluation. Informed by ecological systems theory, this paper outlines a three-phase, mixed-methods design for researching a national sample of child care centres that showed overall improvement on the Australian National Quality Standard (NQS) assessment and rating (A&R) criteria. The study samples are drawn from a national dataset of centre-based child care services with two or more A&R rounds and an initial rating of Working Towards NQS (N = 1,935). The results of this study will provide insights into the macro-, exo-, meso- and micro-systems level factors and strategies that support quality in ECEC services.
Details
- Title
- Protocol for a mixed-methods investigation of quality improvement in early childhood education and care in Australia
- Creators
- Linda J. Harrison - Macquarie UniversityRebecca Andrews - Macquarie UniversityFay Hadley - Macquarie UniversitySusan Irvine - Queensland University of TechnologyManjula Waniganayake - Macquarie UniversityLennie Barblett - Edith Cowan UniversityBelinda Davis - Macquarie UniversityMaria Hatzigianni - University of West AtticaHui Li - Macquarie University
- Publication Details
- Children and youth services review, Vol.155, pp.1-9
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- Grant note
- This research was commissioned by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (Quality Improvement Research Project – Request for Tender, October 2018).
- Identifiers
- 991013370632102368
- Copyright
- © 2023 The Author(s).
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Education
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article