The Sustainability of Early Childhood Education in Chinese Teachers’ Perspective: Evidence from a National Validation Study

Xinxin Liu, Yong Jiang and Hui Li
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Xinxin Liu: Institute of Early Childhood Education, Faculty of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China
Yong Jiang: Institute of Early Childhood Education, Faculty of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China
Hui Li: Shanghai Institute of Early Childhood Education, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 200234, China

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 10, 1-19

Abstract: This study aims to evaluate the sustainability of early childhood education (ECE) from Chinese teachers’ perspectives using a newly developed and validated instrument, the Sustainability of Early Childhood Education Rating Scale (SECERS). Altogether, 3636 teachers nationwide were randomly surveyed. First, analysis of the psychometric properties indicated that SECERS was a reliable and valid scale with three constructs: sustainability in ecology, sustainability in management, and sustainability in policy. Second, Chinese teachers positively evaluated sustainability in ecology but negatively evaluated it in policy. Third, latent profile analysis yielded the best-fit model with four profiles: low-, middle-, upper-middle-, and high-level profiles of teacher evaluations. Last, hierarchical regression analysis found that kindergarten quality grades played a key role in predicting the sustainability of ECE evaluation. The findings demonstrate the necessity of providing effective policy and management support to promote the sustainable development of ECE in China.

Keywords: sustainability; early childhood education; rating scale; development and validation; evaluation; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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