eecera prague 20071 quality of provision through support of a quality specialist heather godfrey...

EECERA Prague 2007 1

Quality of provision Quality of provision

through support of a through support of a

Quality SpecialistQuality SpecialistHeather Godfrey IPPAHeather Godfrey IPPA

[email protected]@ippa.ie


Background to the Background to the

StudyStudy

• IPPA Quality Improvement Programme:IPPA Quality Improvement Programme:

Aim: support a play curriculumAim: support a play curriculum

6 Training Days over 6 months6 Training Days over 6 months

3 on-site support visits 3 on-site support visits

• Regulations and Reports (all top down)Regulations and Reports (all top down)


Dimensions of QualityDimensions of Quality

1.1. Aims, values and physical environmentAims, values and physical environment

2.2. Play, equipment and experiencesPlay, equipment and experiences

3.3. Daily routinesDaily routines

4.4. Interaction, learning and teaching Interaction, learning and teaching strategiesstrategies

5.5. Observation, planning and assessmentObservation, planning and assessment

6.6. Partnership with parents and Partnership with parents and communitycommunity


RationaleRationale

Being aware of the challenges facing Being aware of the challenges facing

childcare practitioners, I want to support childcare practitioners, I want to support

themthem

in providing a quality service in providing a quality service

In my role I want to improve my own In my role I want to improve my own

practicepractice


The Quality CycleThe Quality Cycle


How can I support practitioners to How can I support practitioners to

provide a quality service, taking provide a quality service, taking

account of their diverse needs & account of their diverse needs &

how can I improve my practice how can I improve my practice

during the course of a Q.I.P?during the course of a Q.I.P?

Research QuestionResearch Question


Literature ReviewLiterature Review

• Models of QualityModels of Quality

• Reflective PracticeReflective Practice

• Vygotsky’s (1978) Zone of Vygotsky’s (1978) Zone of proximal developmentproximal development

• Rogoff’s (1990) Guided Rogoff’s (1990) Guided apprenticeshipapprenticeship


11 TrainingTraining

22 On-site supportOn-site support

33 Documentation and evaluationDocumentation and evaluation

Elements of Quality Elements of Quality

SupportSupport


Research DesignResearch Design

‘Action Research is a form of enquiry Action Research is a form of enquiry thatthat

enables practitioners to investigate and enables practitioners to investigate and

evaluate their work’… to improve theirevaluate their work’… to improve their

own learning and influence the learningown learning and influence the learning

of others’ of others’

(McNiff, J. & Whitehead, J. 2006:7)(McNiff, J. & Whitehead, J. 2006:7)


SampleSample

• 6 services- full-daycare 6 services- full-daycare and sessional preschool and sessional preschool - community & private- community & private

• 13Participants on QIP13Participants on QIP

• On site staff from 3- 20+On site staff from 3- 20+

• 6 month period6 month period

MethodMethod

• Training Days Training Days

• Focus groupsFocus groups

• EvaluationsEvaluations

• PortfoliosPortfolios

Data CollectionData Collection


Step OneStep One

Met the services – process of Met the services – process of application & preliminary visit. application & preliminary visit. Gathered baseline information e.g. Gathered baseline information e.g. facilities for play experiencesfacilities for play experiences

Personal reflection on challenges Personal reflection on challenges


Step TwoStep TwoTraining DayTraining Day

Format: Discussion, expert input, peer sharing Format: Discussion, expert input, peer sharing & experientials.& experientials.

End of training day – Signposts to consider for End of training day – Signposts to consider for actionaction

Personal Reflection & evaluationPersonal Reflection & evaluation


Step ThreeStep Three

Participants met with staff and Participants met with staff and

formulated an action planformulated an action plan


Step FourStep Four

On-site support – Quality Specialist On-site support – Quality Specialist met with staff – supported action met with staff – supported action plan & evaluated progress – plan & evaluated progress – feedbackfeedback

Personal Reflection Personal Reflection


Step FiveStep Five

Subsequent training days began Subsequent training days began with sharing of progress to date with sharing of progress to date and then focussed on another and then focussed on another dimension of qualitydimension of quality


Changes to practiceChanges to practice

Enhanced children’s play - altered layoutEnhanced children’s play - altered layout

Children had more choices because accessible Children had more choices because accessible equipment & materials were providedequipment & materials were provided

Children more engaged - added open-ended Children more engaged - added open-ended materialsmaterials

More relaxed meal times – problem solving & More relaxed meal times – problem solving & collaborationcollaboration


Emerging FindingsEmerging Findings

A greater understanding of ‘Quality’:A greater understanding of ‘Quality’:

“ “ I now realise it only takes a small change to I now realise it only takes a small change to make a difference ….”make a difference ….”

Improved relationships:Improved relationships:

““We now use the steps in Conflict Resolution We now use the steps in Conflict Resolution and have explained these to the parents…”and have explained these to the parents…”



Enhancing children’s play:Enhancing children’s play:

““Since the on-site visit we decided to move theSince the on-site visit we decided to move thewater play area out of the big room…and it haswater play area out of the big room…and it hasmade such a difference to the children’s play”made such a difference to the children’s play”

““Since we moved the dress-up area the childrenSince we moved the dress-up area the childrenare using this more”are using this more”



Altered routines:Altered routines:

““We decided to have the dinner time tenWe decided to have the dinner time tenminutes later…this has reduced the stress onminutes later…this has reduced the stress onboth children and us”both children and us”

““We changed our routine after break… there We changed our routine after break… there isis

less fuss now”less fuss now”



Provided access to equipment and wider Provided access to equipment and wider experiencesexperiences::

““The new boxes we got means the children canThe new boxes we got means the children can

now get at the things themselves”now get at the things themselves”

““We gave them bits of string, boxes and glue –We gave them bits of string, boxes and glue –

it was great to watch as they enjoyed using these it was great to watch as they enjoyed using these openopen

ended materials”ended materials”



Benefited from sharing:Benefited from sharing:

“ “I have found that the group discussion at I have found that the group discussion at the beginning of each training day very the beginning of each training day very useful, as the discussion would be based useful, as the discussion would be based around how we got on with the previous around how we got on with the previous report – it would throw up all sorts of report – it would throw up all sorts of issues/ideas”issues/ideas”


OutcomesOutcomes

Better experiences for childrenBetter experiences for children

Motivated staffMotivated staff

Child centred routinesChild centred routines

Benefited from sharingBenefited from sharing


My ReflectionsMy Reflections

II gained a deeper understanding of what gained a deeper understanding of what quality means and that small changes really quality means and that small changes really do make a huge differencedo make a huge difference

I was encouraged by the enthusiasm of staff to I was encouraged by the enthusiasm of staff to provide quality childcare for the children in provide quality childcare for the children in their services by giving up their time to attend their services by giving up their time to attend the Training Daysthe Training Days


Implications for Implications for PracticePractice

• Value Reflective practice - Value Reflective practice - Emphasise use of Quality Cycle Emphasise use of Quality Cycle on support visiton support visit

• Time frame – more time Time frame – more time between training daysbetween training days

• Awareness of diversity in levels Awareness of diversity in levels of training and experienceof training and experience


Thank YouThank You

Heather GodfreyHeather Godfrey

[email protected]

eecera prague 20071 quality of provision through support of a quality specialist heather godfrey...

Documents

eecera prague

practice slide

quality cycle slide

community slide

action plan slide

quality service

quality of provision

dimensions of quality