Quality in practice

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Quality in practice
Presented at the Southern Africa Regional
Conference On Early Childhood Development And
Education (ECDE) 03 05 December
2013 Pretoria, South Africa

• By Sarah Klaus (OSF), Linda Biersteker (ELRU)
  Lynette Okengo (OSF)

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Presentation Outline

• Components of quality What works
• Key implementation lessons
• Examples of quality improvement
• Policy implications
• ISSA quality framework

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What works ?

• Empirical evidence points to the importance of
• Program design
• Supportive learning environment
• Enhanced parental support
• Strengthened capacity of practitioner
• Strengthened administration and management

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Program Design

• Dosage
• Intensity
• Employment of local practitioners
• Program support structures
• Evidence based

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Learning Environment

• Developmentally appropriate, contextually
  relevant and comprehensive program content
• Purposefully designed play based experiences
  around themes
• Responsive interactive support to learning
• Flexible groupings of children

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Parent Support What Works?

• Active participation of parents with a focus on
  skills development
• Intergenerational approach
• Clear expected outcomes with supervision and
  mentoring
• Dosage and intensity
• Targeting the children most in need
• Caregiver wellbeing and health, education
  levels, cultural factors and household resources

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Teacher Qualities

• University/post secondary education
  qualifications
• Continuous professional development
• Career paths that build on skills
• Motivation and basic remuneration
• Reasonable workloads
• Availability of support (mentorship/supervision/ps
  ychosocial support)

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School Management Committees

• Technical ability to manage schools
• Real empowerment where the voice of the members
  is heard
• Autonomy especially in teacher appointment
• Engagement of committees in
• Establishing a clear path for pedagogical
  improvement
• Negotiating improved working conditions for the
  teachers
• Advocacy and action to ensure the mainstreaming
  of effective strategies into national systems

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References

• http//www.ilifalabantwana.co.za/
• http//www.westerncape.gov.za/text/2010/6/hsrc-qua
  litativeassessment-ecd-final_report-22-02-10.pdf
• http//www.akdn.org/publications/2013_Learning20a
  bout20Learning.pdf
• http//ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/findwhatworks.aspx

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Lessons from the Field 1

• A Maths and Science improvement project in Grade
  R (preschool) classes in two districts
• Statistically significant changes over 3 years on
  ECERS-R and ECERS E subscales

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Training challenges
The learning environment was not established ..
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Intervention Strategies

• Skills Training
• Workshops ( ½ day - 5 days)
• Experiential Learning
• Implementation tasks
• Outings
• Site support visits (3 per year)
• Learning groups

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Lessons

• Needed a good basic programme in place before
  maths and science teaching could improve.
• Suitable maths and science activities and
  equipment were basis for improving those areas
  of the curriculum.
• Small group teaching enabled facilitation of
  language and reasoning
• Subject knowledge (especially science) is
  essential
• The role of personal growth in providing the
  confidence to teach was emphasised over and over
  again
• It takes time to internalise change

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Lessons from the Field 2

• Local and indigenous knowledge to inform ECDE
  programming

http//elru.co.za/programmes/papers-and-conference
s/
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• Working with the community, I didnt know they
  have a lot of information but today we get it. I
  was surprised at the level of participation from
  people in the sessions, they were not shy but
  spoke, did everything.
• It was important to me because of family
  empowerment, working directly with caregivers,
  finding how to involve grannies.
•  
• To understand the community I am working with is
  important because of our outreach programmes,
  understanding the values as well as the culture.
  

Current OSISA research with HSRC focusing on
local knowledge to inform programming and advocacy
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Possible Elements of a Quality Improvement System

• Develop differentiated indicators for adequate,
  good and excellent for all types of ECDE service
• On registration ECDE service assessed (including
  parent input) and enters quality improvement
  programme with improvement plan
• District level mentoring support (workshops,
  support groups)
• Service provider self assessment process and
  regular reflections on practice
• Service practitioner accreditation to stimulate
  ongoing improvement
• Periodic programme evaluations linked to child
  outcomes
• All of this has to be supported by a process to
  improve wages working conditions of
  practitioners

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ISSA Principles of Quality Pedagogy

• An international framework for early childhood
  systems, aiming to improve the quality of
  learning and childrens well-being, especially
  for those from vulnerable groups
• A policy framework defining child-centred quality
  pedagogy in services for children 3 to 10 years
  of age
• Are based on latest research on quality pedagogy,
  and aligned with international trends and policy
  documents
• Accompanied by instruments for building learning
  communities, improving teacher practices and
  guiding professional development policies

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The Framework 7 Focus Areas, 20 Principles, 85
Indicators

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Focus Areas of Teaching Practice
Family and Community
Inclusion, Diversity, and the Values of Democracy
Interactions
Outcomes for Children
Outcomes for Children
Outcomes for Children
Assessment and Planning
Professional Development
Learning Environment
Teaching Strategies
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• Thank you for your attention