Early Childhood Educators' Knowledge of Developmental Milestones (KDM) and Appropriate Play Materials (KPM) in Relation to their Developmentally Appropriate Practices (DAP) in Child Care Centres in Quebec

Abstract

The quality of early childhood education and care programs greatly impacts children’s development and well being. The classroom environment, program content and approach and early childhood educators’ characteristics are some of the elements that influence quality and thus have effects on young children’s development. Past research has indicated that early childhood education and care programs in Quebec have received on average low/minimal or mediocre ratings of quality and were also found to lack developmentally appropriate play materials (Drouin, Bigras, Fournier, Desrosiers, & Bernard, 2004; Goelman et al., 2006; Japel, Tremblay, & Cote, 2005). The present study set out to explore elements that may influence the quality of child care classrooms in the province of Quebec. Early childhood educators’ knowledge and developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) were examined to determine the relationship between these elements. Early childhood educators’ knowledge of developmental milestones (KDM) and knowledge of appropriate play materials (KPM) were found to be weak but educators reported strong developmentally appropriate beliefs (BDAP) and practices (PDAP). Results demonstrated positive correlations between early childhood educators’ declarative knowledge of developmental milestones (KDM), knowledge of appropriate play materials (KPM) and their beliefs and practices of developmentally appropriate practice (BDAP and PDAP). Educators’ levels of declarative KDM were positively correlated with their level of declarative KPM. In addition, educators’ BDAP was positively correlated with their level of declarative KPM, but their reported DAP was not linked to their level of KDM. Implications for the field of ECEC as well as early childhood education programs in CEGEPs and Universities in Quebec and across Canada are discussed in light of the study’s findings and limitations.