Quality evaluations in the Nordic Countries using Environment Rating Scales

Environment Rating Scales; Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale (ITERS) and Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS) (ex Harms, Clifford & Cryer, 2015) are used widely in research across almost 30 countries to evaluate programmes and the quality of specific centres, preschools, kindergarten etc. The rating scales have been applied in research on classroom and preschool quality, evaluation of programmes and accreditation (Mathers et al, 2007), and they have been made available for parents and policymakers (Taggart et al, 2015). Also, a range of comparative and meta reviews and studies have been conducted (Le Paro et al, 2012; Gordon et al, 2015; 2016). For some years, rating scales have been used in Norway and Sweden (for instance Baustad, 2012; Bjørnestad & Os, 2018, Os & Bjørnestad, 2016; Sheridan, Samuelsson & Johansson, 2001); and, recently, ECERS-3 is used in research and development projects in Denmark as well (Næsby, Medom & Bering, 2017; Næsby & Miller, 2017). The newest scale, ECERS-3, consists of 35 items that are organised into six subscales that guide observers to relevant areas within the early childhood learning environment. In ECERS-3 the subscales are: space and furnishings, personal care routines, language and literacy, learning activities, interaction and programme structure. Data is collected by trained and certified observers in a 3-hour observation with a prescribed scoring sheet. Rating scales and the results of using them, in some countries as self-evaluation and improvement, also seem to wander from research to areas such as education and politics (Taggart et al, 2015; Manning et al, 2017), even if this development, regarding research’s ability to inform policy, is still rather fragmented and weak (Pianta et al, 2009). In many ways, however, research on quality in preschool has proved influential in policy on education and pedagogical practice in some countries and states, (Mathers et al, 2007; Hofer, 2010; Taggart et al, 2015; Manning et al, 2017). Research using the scales, and in combinations with other instruments, in general shows considerable differences in the quality of preschools and, hence, one could expect, in children’s outcome. Some research even shows a weak to moderate effect on preschool (Sylva et al, 2010). There is a two-year difference in the children’s competencies, between low scoring on socio-emotional and language and literacy competencies at preschool entry and mean scoring at the end of preschool, at age 5-6 (The Danish Ministry for Children and Social Affairs, 2016, p. 4). As shown in the British EPPSE study, the difference exists from when the children enter preschool and persist even when they reach the age where they enter and even leave school (Taggart et al, 2015; Sylva, 2016). This is a substantial pedagogical and educational challenge, and it points out the need of research on how to measure and improve quality in pedagogic practice aimed at early childhood. This symposium will present a Nordic snapshot of quality evaluations. Researchers from Denmark, Norway and Sweden will present findings from their use of the Environmental Rating Scale (ERS) in studies on quality in Nordic preschools. The aim is to show similarities and differences across Nordic preschools.