Further Memorandum from The Effective
Early Learning Project (EY 81)
The Effective Early Learning Project:
Achievements and Reflections, Professor Christine Pascal and Dr
Tony Bertram, Centre for Research in Early Childhood, University
College Worcester, UK
What is the Effective Early Learning Project
The Effective Early Learning Research Project
began work in May 1993 and grew out of the urgent need for procedures
to facilitate quality evaluation and improvement in the diverse
range of settings in which under fives are being educated and
cared for in the UK. It also responded to the lack of a substantial
empirical data base on the quality and effectiveness of early
learning offered in these settings. It focuses particularly on
provision for three and four year olds, as these children are
currently in a wider range of provision than any other age group,
but its methods and principles are applicable to teaching and
learning at any age. The Project is operating throughout the UK
and is being carried out by a team of practitioner researchers,
directed by Professor Christine Pascal and Dr Tony Bertram, based
at the Centre for Research in Early Childhood at University College
Worcester in the UK.
The key aims of the Project are:
1. To develop a cost-effective strategy to
evaluate and improve the quality and effectiveness of early learning
available to young children in a wide range of education and care
settings across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
2. To evaluate and compare rigorously and
systematically the quality of early learning provided in the diverse
range of early childhood education and care settings which characterise
provision in the UK.
The Project provides a clear and targeted strategy
for change and improvement which builds upon the existing range
of provision for young children and attempts to extend the skills
and expertise of all those who work with young children. It brings
together education and care provision, and includes those in the
voluntary, public and private sectors. It centres round the development
and application of an innovative, cost effective and manageable
set of "Quality Evaluation and Improvement" procedures
which may be used for training, institutional development, monitoring
and review in all early childhood settings. The development of
quantitative and qualitative instruments to evaluate and compare
the quality of provision in different settings is also a key feature
of the Project. In short, it has developed, trialled extensively,
and disseminated, a manageable and practicable system of "externally
validated evaluation and improvement" which may be used in
all centre based provision for young children with an educational
commitment.
The Project has at its heart two interlinked,
and complementary elements; that of research and development.
A main thrust of the Project's work is to develop and improve
the quality and effectiveness of young children's learning. This
operates through the implementation of a process of externally
validated self-evaluation, which leads directly to action planning
and improvement. This process of evaluation is providing a wealth
of detailed qualitative and quantitative data from early childhood
settings across the UK. Data on such things as training, staff
ratios, curriculum, facilities, teaching styles, interactions,
daily programmes, planning and assessment procedures, equal opportunities,
home/school partnership and quality control procedures have been
collected. This allows a comparative assessment to be made of
different kinds of provision, and has also validated a set of
research instruments and methods for quality monitoring and review
of early childhood services. It is anticipated that the research
analysis will be published later on this year.
The links between the research process and practice
are clear in this Project. The Project is grounded in practice;
the research being informed by, and informing, practitioners.
The roles of researcher and practitioner have become interwoven
in the process. All the members of the research team are practitioners
by training and are able to take on this role within the settings
they work. This gives them credibility within the settings and
helps to break down some of the distancing and mystique which
sometimes surrounds "research". Practitioners too have
become participant researchers in their own settings. This ensures
that the knowledge generated by the Project has a powerful and
direct application to the realities of life in these early childhood
settings.
Who is Involved in the EEL Project?
The Effective Early Learning Project has evolved
through a number of phases.
Phase 1, from 1993-94, was a "Developmental"
period, during which members of the EEL Team worked intensively
for 12 months in 13 different education and care settings, with
52 practitioners, and 390 children and families. The aim was to
work in partnership with practitioners and parents to create a
manageable system of quality evaluation and improvement.
Phase 2, from 1994-95, was a period of "Consolidation
and Data Gathering", during which the EEL procedures were
trialled and data gathered in 200+ different education and care
settings from nine local authorities, by 800+ practitioners, and
6,000+ children and families. The aim was to train practitioners
within each of the participating settings, to work with external
advisers, who would support them through the EEL process of "Quality
Evaluation and Improvement". Data for the national research
element of the Project was also collected by the trained practitioners,
and validated by the external advisers.
Phase 3, from 1995-96, was a period of "Dissemination
and Data Gathering", during which the EEL procedures were
further disseminated to 500+ different education and care settings
from 22 local authorities, by 2,300 practitioners and 15,000+
children and families. The aim was to continue a national training
programme for practitioners from participating settings, to work
with a developing group of trained external advisers, to implement
the EEL "Quality Evaluation and Improvement" process
across the UK. Data was also gathered by this larger cohort to
complete the evidential base for the Project research strategy.
Phases 4-7, from 1996 on, set in motion an ongoing
period of "Dissemination and Data Analysis", during
which the EEL "Quality Evaluation and Improvement" procedures
will be widely disseminated throughout the UK and beyond, through
a national programme of accredited training. Currently over 70
local authorities in the UK are committed to this programme. Data
from Phases 2, 3 and 4 are undergoing analysis to provide a detailed
and comprehensive portrait of the quality of early learning provision
for three and four year olds in the UK.
The whole life of the EEL Project has been,
and continues to be, developmental and collaborative. From the
onset, we worked in partnership with practitioners, and during
the last seven years this partnership has grown and evolved, with
each of the partners extending their role in the process. In particular,
the practitioners in later phases of the Project have taken over
responsibility for most of the evaluation and improvement process,
benefiting from the support and validation of an EEL External
Adviser at key points. This "groundedness" provides
the EEL procedures with validity, credibility and strength. The
experience of the last four years have shown that "Quality
Evaluation and Improvement" is a process well within the
grasp of all those who work with young children. Those we have
worked with have embraced the rigorous and critical procedures
with professionalism and dedication, and an over riding commitment
to improving the quality of their work with young children.
How does the EEL Evaluation and Improvement Process
Work?
The Evaluation and Improvement Process
Building on the above principles of action,
quality is evaluated using the EEL framework by taking the participants
through a systematic and rigorous four stage process of "Evaluation
and Improvement".
Stage 1: Evaluation— during which researchers
and participants work together to document and evaluate the quality
of early learning within the setting.
Stage 2: Action Planning—during which
participants meet together to identify priorities for action and
to generate an action plan to implement this.
Stage 3: Improvement—during which the
action plan to improve the quality of provision is implemented.
Stage 4: Reflection—during which participants
are encouraged to reflect upon the Evaluation and Development
process and to review the impact of the action plan in the light
of experience.
Evaluation Stage
In the first phase of Evaluation, the team of
practitioners within the setting work together with an EEL External
Adviser, parents and children to scrutinise the quality of their
provision. The quality of practice in relation to each of the
10 dimensions of quality are carefully documented and evaluated
using a number of research methods in which the Project participants
are trained. These include detailed observations of children and
adults, interviews of parents, colleagues and children, documentary
analysis and a number of questionnaires. One of the key and innovatory
features of this Project is that it allows a detailed, rigorous
quantitative and qualitative assessment to be made of the quality
of educational provision across a wide range of different early
childhood settings. This process of quality assessment has been
enhanced by the utilisation of two key observation techniques
which measure the effectiveness of the learning and teaching processes.
These two methods are:
— The Child Involvement Scale; which
measures the level of involvement (deep level learning) of the
children in the activities offered.
— The Adult Engagement Scale: which
measures the qualities of effective teaching demonstrated by the
adult.
The social psychological underpinning of these
techniques and their methodology are detailed by Laevers (1996).
As these two techniques are so central to the Project's action
a short summary of their content and the way we have used them
is outlined below.
The Child Involvement Scale is an observation
instrument which aims to measure the level of a child's "involvement"
is an activity. We were attracted to it because it is child focused
and it attempts to measure the processes of learning, rather than
to concentrate on outcomes. We have also found it to be grounded
in a common sense (and theoretically underpinned) view of effective
early learning which all the practitioners in the Project have
found accessible and easy to use. It is based on the notion that
when children are learning at a "deep level" (Laevers
1993) they display certain characteristics, which Laevers summarises
in the concept of "involvement". This concept is linked
directly to children's exploratory drive and also captures the
level of concentration and motivation of the child. Laevers argues
that the level of involvement a child displays is a key indicator
of the quality and effectiveness of that learning experience.
Involvement can be seen to be linked to notions of "match"
between an ability and the challenge of an activity. Involvement
also reflects the purposefulness, relevance and interest of the
activity for the child. Involvement levels are deduced from the
presence or absence of a number of "involvement signals"
which include:
— Facial Expression and Posture
Laevers 1994
Children's involvement can thus be graded on
a scale of 1 to 5; level 1 being given when a child displays No
Involvement and level 5 being given when a child displays Intense
Involvement. Working in conjunction with Laevers, the Worcester
team have utilised an English translation of the instrument (Laevers
1996) which has been used successfully within the Project and
which we believe has the potential for much wider application.
The Adult Engagement Scale (Laevers 1994, Bertram
1996, Pascal et al 1996) provides the second part of the quality
assessment process. This instrument is also based on a method
developed by Laevers' EXE Project but we have modified it for
use in the EEL Project. This evaluative instrument provides an
assessment measure of the quality of an adult's interactions with
a child. The instrument is based on the notion that the style
of interactions between the educator and the child is a critical
factor in the effectiveness of the learning experience. The EEL
project identifies three core elements in a teacher's style which
shapes the quality of such interactions:
Sensitivity
This is the sensitivity of the adult to the
feelings and emotional well being of the child and includes elements
of sincerity, empathy, responsiveness and affection.
Stimulation
This is the way in which the adult intervenes
in a learning process and the content of such interventions.
Autonomy
This is the degree of freedom which the adult
gives the child to experiment, make judgments, choose activities
and express ideas. It also includes how the adult handles conflict,
rules and behavioural issues.
These two quantitative research methods provide
hard data of the effect of action on the learning and teaching
in each setting, as scores obtained in the Evaluation stage can
be compared with scores following the Improvement stage. Interestingly,
although we term this data "quantitative" they are both
attempts to measure "qualitative" aspects of the teaching
and learning process.
All the qualitative and quantitative data collected
are then collated into a detailed and carefully structured "Evaluation
Report" of the quality of early learning within each setting.
The Evaluation Report is then fed back to the practitioners in
the study setting for validation by the contributors. It is discussed
by the participants and carefully evaluated. The perceptions and
views of all participants are given status and acknowledgement.
Contradictions, agreements, common themes and issues are identified.
This stage should take approximately 10 to 12 weeks in total.
Action Planning Stage
Following their evaluation, the practitioners
identify priorities for action and, importantly, the resources
and expertise required to achieve these. Discussion with managers
and other resource holders is essential during this phase and
the practitioners must be prepared to promote and explain carefully
what is required and why. The practitioners should also explore
as many sources of support as possible. Creative and radical approaches
to finding the required resources may be required and the practitioners
should not be afraid to try these.
Communicating clearly to all those who will
be involved in the Action Plan, what is to happen, and how they
can help, is a critical part of this phase of the improvement
process. Helping people to feel involved, and giving them some
ownership and investment in the improvement process helps to ensure
their support, and also shares the burden of any changes which
are required. Children, parents, members of the local community
and colleagues all have something to contribute and are offered
the opportunity to do so. It is necessary to organise meetings
which provide real opportunities for dialogue and sharing. At
the end of this stage a structured and realistic Action Plan should
emerge which has clearly defined objectives to be achieved within
an identified time scale (generally six months). This stage should
take approximately two weeks.
Improvement Stage:
In the third stage the Action Plan is implemented.
This entails a programme of individual and/or institutional development
which relates closely to the agreed priorities. Throughout this
stage progress through the Action Plan is monitored and the practitioners
are encouraged to gather evidence and reflect upon the effect
of the action on the quality of the learning in the setting. Again,
regular and systematic observation of children and adults is critically
important to enable any judgment to be made about the effectiveness
of the improvement process. This stage should take approximately
six months, but this may be considerably shorter or longer depending
on the extent of the changes proposed.
Reflection Stage:
In this final stage the practitioners are encouraged
to reflect upon the Evaluation and Improvement Process, and to
review the impact of their Action Plan in the light of experience.
It is particularly important that the practitioners look carefully
at the effect of the action upon the quality of the children's
learning and scrutinise the evidence of this. This process is
facilitated by the two assessment instruments (Involvement and
Engagement) being carried out again and compared with the previous
results to capture any changes in the quality of learning engendered
by the Improvement process. This final stage should take approximately
two weeks and should then lead into a further cycle of Evaluation
and Improvement.
Throughout this whole process the practitioners
are supported by their EEL External Adviser. They also become
part of an EEL Local Network consisting of a cluster of participating
settings who meet every six weeks to review progress, identify
issues, resolve problems and provide practical and moral support.
It cannot be denied that implementing this four stage process
is demanding. Experience has shown that the role of the EEL External
Adviser, and the EEL Local Network are critical to its success.
Practitioners who wish to evaluate and improve the quality of
learning in their setting need to bear in mind that this process
will not be achieved overnight and without effort. Effective and
long-term improvement takes time and commitment. We estimate that
the whole cycle of Evaluation and Improvement embodied in the
EEL Project will take at least 12 months to implement. This time
scale may need to be extended if the setting is unaccustomed to
this kind of self evaluation and development process, or if the
proposed improvements are fundamental and involve considerable
resourcing in both material and human terms. Less fundamental
improvements may be achieved in a shorter time scale. Time is
a precious commodity in the present climate but the benefits of
such a commitment to improvement are wide-ranging and necessary,
if the issue of learning quality is to be addressed.
How does the EEL Process Link to Inspection and
Accreditation?
The EEL Evaluative Framework has been developed
to dovetail into the various inspection and accreditation frameworks
which apply to early childhood settings. The Social Service Inspection
Schedule (DoH 1991), the Inspection Framework for LEA Nursery
Schools and Classes (OFSTED 1995, 1996), the Framework for Inspection
used in conjunction with the Early Education Scheme (OFSTED 1996,
DfEE 1997), and the PLA Accreditation Scheme (PPA 1990a, 1990b)
all identify certain aspects of the provision which are to be
evaluated. These aspects include the physical context, the curriculum
and programme, planning and assessment procedures, the quality
of teaching or adult interaction and partnerships with parents.
Each of these are embraced in the EEL Evaluation Framework and
practitioners who progress through Stage 1 of the EEL Process
will be collecting systematic evidence about each of these domains,
which may be very useful in preparing for, and responding to,
these inspections. The DfEE have also liaised closely with the
EEL team in the development of their guidance for action planning
and development following the expansion of provision for under
fives education and care (DfEE 1997).
Practitioners who have worked through the EEL
Evaluation and Improvement process have commented that it has
been a very valuable and formative experience, providing both
a preparation for inspection, and also a means of moving towards
action and improvement following inspection. In a number of cases,
the Inspection Report has specifically cited the impact of the
EEL Evaluation and Improvement Process within the nursery, and
praised its contribution to the development of practice and the
quality of the provision.
What has the Project Achieved?
In its seven years of operation the Project
has:
1. developed a cost effective strategy to
support practitioners in implementing a programme of evaluation
and improvement of early learning for children from 0 to eight
years of age;
2. implemented the EEL Project methodology
in 3,500 early childhood settings in 70+ local authorities in
the UK;
3. trained over 3,500+ early childhood practitioners
in the methodology required to implement an improvement programme
for early childhood education and care providers;
4. provided accredited qualifications for
500+ early childhood practitioners;
5. run 150+ training courses throughout the
UK in the EEL methodology;
6. developed a national network of 160+ accredited
national EEL trainers who are working at a local level to train
early childhood practitioners in evaluation and improvement strategies;
7. provided improved early learning experiences
for 75,000 children in the UK;
8. documented and analysed the quality of
early learning provided in a wide range of education and care
settings provided by the state, voluntary and private sectors
in the UK;
9. disseminated the results of the Project
extensively to policy makers, providers, practitioners and the
public;
10. been incorporated within current UK Government
policy for expanding and enhancing quality education and care
for young children;
11. been adopted by national Governments
in the Netherlands, Australia and Portugal.
IN CONCLUSION
Putting in place high quality early learning
experiences which are available for all children will not be achieved
overnight, and nor will it come cheap. The EEL Project has been
enormously successful in developing a manageable and affordable
strategy to improve the early learning experiences of a great
number of young children in group and home based education and
care settings across the UK. It is now a well recognised and active
improvement strategy for enhancing the quality of young children's
early education and care within the UK and beyond into the international
community.
Substantial investment in quality provision
for young children is underway in the UK. We have to be absolutely
clear, as limited resources are made available to us, how these
might most effectively be used, and what kind of quality provision
we are aiming to put in place. The development of rigorous, systematic,
manageable and appropriate evaluation and improvement strategies
for early childhood education will be critical in the evolution
of policy. The question of quality in early childhood is a crucial
one and one which we cannot afford to get wrong.
REFERENCES
Bertram, A D (1996) Effective Educators of
Young Children: Developing a Methodology for Improvement, Doctoral
Thesis presented September 1996, Coventry University.
Department for Education and Employment / Schools
Curriculum Assessment Authority (1996) Next Steps and Desirable
Outcomes for Children on Entering Compulsory Schooling, London,
January 1996, DfEE/SCAA.
Department for Education and Employment (1997)
Excellence for All, London: HMSO.
Department of Health (1991) Inspecting for
Quality, London: HMSO.
Laevers F (1993) Deep Level Learning—An
Exemplary Application on the Area of Physical Knowledge, European
Early Childhood Education Research Journal, Vol 1, No 1, pp53-68.
Laevers, F (1996) The Leuven Involvement
Scale for Young Children LIS-YC. Manual and Video Tape, Experiential
Education Series No 1, Leuven, Belgium: Centre for Experiential
Education.
Office For Standards in Education (OFSTED) (1993
and 1996) Handbook for the Inspection of Schools, London:
HMSO.
Pascal, C and Bertram, A C, Ramsden, F, Georgeson,
J, Saunders, M and Mould C (1996) Evaluating and Developing
Quality in Early Childhood Settings: A Professional Development
Programme, Worcester; Amber Publications.
Pascal, C and Bertram, A D (1997) (Eds) Effective
Early Learning: Case Studies of Improvement, London: Hodder
and Stoughton.
Pre-School Playgroups Association (now PLA)
(1990a) PPA Guidelines: Good Practice for Sessional Playgroups,
London: PPA.
Pre-School Playgroups Association (now PLA)
(1990b) PPA Guidelines: Good Practice for Full Daycare Playgroups,
London: PPA.
The Effective Early Learning Project
June 2000
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