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European Journal of Contemporary Education. 2022. 11(3)
846
2 by Cherkas Global University
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Published in the USA
European Journal of Contemporary Education
E-ISSN 2305-6746
2022. 11(3): 846-857
DOI: 10.13187/ejced.2022.3.846
https://ejce.cherkasgu.press
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infringement.
Perceived Quality Educational Practice for Children at Risk of Social Exclusion and
Its Relation to Teachers' Training
a , *, Ksenija Romstein b, Esmeralda Sunko c
a Faculty of Teacher Education, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
b Faculty of Education, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
c Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Split, Split, Croatia
Abstract
The benefits of high-quality Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) as a prerequisite
and opportunity for development, especially for children and families at risk of social exclusion, are
widely recognized. High-quality educational practices for children at risk of social exclusion (RSE)
should be flexible and aligned with their individual needs. This study uses a national stratified
random sample of 1,142 Croatian preschool teachers to examine how they perceive the quality of
educational practices regarding children at RSE. Preschool teachers perceive conditions and
opportunities for quality education of children at RSE in ECEC by providing activities that promote
diversity, building partnerships with parents, and children's development and learning. Perceived
conditions and opportunities for children with RSE were related to teachers' formal education
level: their master's degree and prior participation in training on developmentally appropriate
practices for children with RSE. Only one-fifth of the teachers had recently participated in in-
service training on children with RSE, indicating the need for high-quality teacher in-service
training to acquire skills to support this group of children and their parents. Teacher in-service
training can improve the perception of better conditions and opportunities for quality pedagogical
practice that addresses the individual needs of each child at risk of social exclusion.
Keywords: ECEC, children at risk, preschool teachers, quality education, teacher training,
inclusion.
1. Introduction
Social exclusion is a complex concept that encompasses the previous notions of poverty,
disadvantage, and marginalization and refers to social inequalities in the availability of education,
* Corresponding author
E-mail addresses: sskocic_m@uniri.hr
European Journal of Contemporary Education. 2022. 11(3)
847
economic, sociocultural, health, and other social resources (e.g., Levitas et al., 2007). European
social policy emphasizes the importance and opportunities of investing in high-quality early
childhood education and care (ECEC) to reduce social inequality and exclusion (European
Commission, 2014; European Commission, 2019).
The quality ECEC provides an opportunity for early equality in educational opportunities and
minimization of all forms of exclusion associated with discrimination, cultural segregation, and
poverty (Bove, Sharmahd, 2020), as a potential equaliser of opportunities (Peleman et al., 2020).
While ECEC plays a significant role in the development of all children, its importance is even
greater for children at risk of social exclusion (Council of the European Commission, 2019).
The children at risk of social exclusion are the most vulnerable social groups that may encounter
barriers to resources, as transgenerational transmission of positions of social exclusion. Ensuring
equal educational opportunities at an early age may span the gap in intergenerational inequality
and the socioeconomic position of parents and their children and prevents adult social exclusion.
(e.g., Backman, Nilsson, 2011).
Child participation in quality ECEC has a significant impact on children's well-being and
development (e.g., Loeb et al., 2004, Bartolo et al., 2016), cognitive development, and academic
performance (Pianta et al., 2009), socio-emotional development (Barnett, 2011), with long-lasting
benefits for quality of life in adulthood (e.g., Camilli et al., 2010; Heckman et al., 2013).
The cognitive and socio-emotional development of children participating in ECEC (e.g., Loeb et al.,
2004) is higher among the most disadvantaged children than among "average" children (European
Commission, 2014: 14).
Quality of service is related to better developmental outcomes for children and constitutes an
important policy tool to address social inequality and promote social justice (e.g., Jensen, 2009;
Bartolo et al., 2016). Only high-quality, affordable, accessible, and inclusive ECEC services are
related to those benefits, which are a necessary start for children from all backgrounds (Murray,
2012: 569). While low-quality services negatively impact children and society (Review of Research
on the Effects of Early Childhood Education and Care on Child Development, 2015), high-quality
provision is the focus of the legislation, reforms, and research.
The quality ECEC provision is a child-centered and tailored to the individual needs of each
child (e.g. ISSA, 2010,
). The high-quality educational environment enables every child to full
participation in learning activities, following its interest in a safe and enriching environment with a
range of possibilities for developing child potential.
The central aspect of high-quality ECEC is the quality of teaching, instructional practice and
teacher behavior, teacher-child interaction, and relationships (e.g., Hamre et al., 2007; Cadima et
al., 2018). The quality of interactions between staff and children is related to teachers'
competencies. Complex knowledge of child development in the early years and pedagogy, as well as
an understanding of a unique opportunity and the factors that contribute to child development,
are closely related to the quality of teacher preparation. Quality pedagogy and excellence are
inextricably linked to teachers' competencies to respond to higher levels of social diversity.
International Step by Step Association (2010) defined the competence profile of teachers of the
21st Century in areas of (1) Interactions, (2) Family and Community, (3) Inclusion, Diversity, and
Values of Democracy, (4) Assessment and Planning, (5) Teaching Strategies, (6) Learning
Environment, and (7) Professional Development.
Teachers' competencies in creating a nurturing and supportive environment for the
development of children at RSE and their parents in all mentioned areas are critical (e.g., Bagdi,
Vacca, 2005). For those children and families facing barriers in social inclusion, ECEC services
should provide an integrated approach to the child and family, building a partnership with parents
based on trust and mutual respect (Magnuson et al., 2006).
Teachers' professional development and devotion to the profession are closely related to the
quality of pedagogical practice (Melhuish, 2004; Nasiopoulou et al., 2021; Peeters, Sharmahd,
2014). Teachers' in-service training is fundamental to developing positive attitudes, complex
knowledge, and skills to respond to children and families from disadvantaged backgrounds. It is a
significant predictor of a higher perception of the importance of the quality of inclusive pedagogical
practice regarding children at RSE ( ).
European Journal of Contemporary Education. 2022. 11(3)
848
Croatia is becoming a multicultural society with increasing diversity in ECEC, although there
is very little literature and research on this topic ( -). Recently, theoretical
and empirical studies have been conducted within the MORENEC project, focusing on the quality
of pedagogical practice concerning the educational needs of children at RSE in Croatian ECEC
(e.g., -
).
Knowledge about how the diversity of children and their families is recognized and respected
in Croatian ECEC and how their educational needs are addressed is limited (
2021), as is the paucity of research on teachers' perceptions of the quality of inclusive educational
practice (e.g. ).
Operationalization of the concept of quality in ECEC services is complex, dynamic, and
multidimensional. It is based on integrating interdependent factors that contribute to children's
development and learning. Quality is not an internationally agreed concept with uniform
measurement. There are different approaches to measurement. The frequently used one refers to
structural quality, process quality, and outcome quality (Donabedian, 1980; according to
Sheriman, 2007; European Commission, 2014). Council of the European Union (2019) identified
five broader areas of quality: access, staff, curriculum, monitoring and evaluation, and governance
and funding. The principles of high-quality ECEC provision refer to (1) promotion of children's
development and learning due to raising their educational chances; (2) parents' participation as
partners, and (3) child-centred services that acknowledge child perspective and their active
involvement (Council of the European Union, 2019).
In this article, the operationalization of the concept of quality of ECEC services for children at
RSE refers to (1) process determinants of quality of educational practice in seven areas
( ) and (2) principles for quality ECEC provision (Council of the
European Union, 2019). The first research question started from the concept that perceptions of
the opportunities and conditions for ensuring quality educational practice for children at RSE
cover different areas of teachers' professional responsibilities that promote children's development
and learning, respect for diversity, and social inclusion in groups, and partnership with parents.
In line with this, higher perceptions of opportunities and conditions for ensuring quality
educational practice for children at RSE would correlate with teachers' professional development
(e.g. ), socio-demographic data and characteristics of the working environment.
Thus, this study aimed to examine teachers' perceptions of the conditions and opportunities
in ensuring quality preschool educational practices for children in RSE, as well as the correlation
with independent variables: (1) teachers' sociodemographic data (age, years of work experience),
formal education level, number of children in classes, and participation in special
programs/curricula), and (2) type of in-service training on children in RSE.
The following hypotheses were formulated:
H1. There is a positive correlation between all three dimensions of perceived condition and
opportunities in providing quality education to children at RSE.
H.2. Higher level of perceived condition and opportunities in providing quality education to
children at RSE correlate with teachers' sociodemografic features and pre-service training.
H.3. Higher level of perceived condition and opportunities in providing quality education to
children at RSE correlate with teachers' in-service training regarding children at RSE.
2. Method
Sample
The representative national stratified sample contain 1142 preschool teachers (female = 1037;
male = 11) from 66 Croatian ECEC. It represents 10,4 % of all 635 ECEC institutions in Croatia1.
The random samples of the institution were taken in equal proportions forming a total sample
according to the following four criteria: geographic location and the type of settlements,
the founder, and the size2.
1 According to data provided by the Croatian Bureau of Statistics. Available at: https://dzs.gov.hr/en.
2 (a) regions of the Republic of Croatia (proportion of six region) [2], (b) the founder of ECEC (ratio of 82.6 %
public, 14.8 % private, and 2.6 % religious), (c) the type of settlements (81 % cities and 19 % municipalities),
and (d) the size of the facility (50.6 % small, 40.1 % medium, and 9.3 % large).
European Journal of Contemporary Education. 2022. 11(3)
849
The average age of preschool teachers was 41.08 years (SD = 10.90; range = 22 68), with an
average working experience of 14.98 years (SD = 11.45; range = 0 43). A high percentage of the
classrooms were in public ECEC settings (78 %).
More than half of the teachers (52 %) had a completed two- or three-year study program,
23
size varied, with an average of 20.26 children in an educational group (SD = 5.15). The majority of
teachers (78.2 %) had not participated in any in-service training regarding children at RSE in the
previous year, while 10.2 % had participated once, 7.9 % two or three times, and only 2.0 % four or
more times.
Instrument
The Quality Education Practice Regarding Children at RSE Scale was constructed by the
conditions and opportunities to provide educational activities and interventions on 22 items.
Theoretical framework is based on ISSA ( ) standards of quality
educational practice and activities for children at RSE in dimension of respect for diversity
(e.g.,
family members of children with at in decision
making related to the ECEC classroom, such as curriculum development, activities, assessments,
behavior and wor
4-point Likert scale with the following response options: 1 (none), 2 (to a small degree),
3 (somewhat) and 4 (completely).
The independent variables were teachers' age, work experience, degree, and participation in
continuous professional training for children at RSE.
Procedure
The study protocol, as part of the project Models of Response to Educational Needs of Children at
Risk of Social Exclusion in ECEC Institutions, was approved by the Ministry of Education. The initial
approval for participation was obtained from the administrative director of the selected kindergarten.
All participants provided consent to participate in the study, and anonymity was guaranteed. Data were
collected through both online and paper questionnaire formats.
Data analysis
To determine the construct validity of the scale, exploratory principal component analysis
and oblimin rotation were performed. The scree plot and Kaiser-Guttman criteria were used to
identify the latent dimensions of the instrument. Cronbach's alpha internal consistency coefficient
of each subscale was calculated to establish reliability. Descriptive statistics (mean and standard
deviation) are presented for the items and subscales. Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was performed to
test the normality of the distribution. Spearman's Rho coefficient was calculated to establish
correlations between the subscales and independent continuous variables. P value of <.05 was
considered to be statistically significant.
3. Results
Descriptive data and factor structure
Demographic data and factor structure of the instrument are presented in Table 1.
- -
- -bilogorska County),
Istra I Primorje (Istarska, Primorsko- - -
kninska, Splitsko- - -podravska,
- -baranjska, Brodsko-posavska i Vukovarsko-srijemska County), and City of
Zagreb.
European Journal of Contemporary Education. 2022. 11(3)
850
Table 1. Basic statistical data and saturation factors
Conditions and
opportunities for ECEC quality in my institution
h2 Range M (SD)
Respecting diversity
2.20 5 4.32(0.50)
diversity in ECEC classroom .801 .579 1 5 4.34 (.731)
making opportunities for learning diversity acceptance among
children .789 .616 2 5 4.54 (.611)
effects of biases on emotions of members of socially vulnerable
groups
.706 .552 1 5 4.10 (.838)
of all children in the ECEC classroom .680 .505
1 5 4.47 (.680)
dialogue with children about various conditions of
growing up in families (single parent families, poverty in the
family, etc.)
.607 .447
1 5 4.28 (.822)
arrangement with illustration on diversity of
children (identity, race, physical appearance, developmental
disabilities, etc.)
.540 .360
1 5 4.18 (.883)
and biases towards cultural,
gender, and other minorities (e.g.,
with own example)
.537 .440
1 5 4.19 (.881)
.360 .324
1 5 4.56 (.596)
-
existing in the society
.358 .331 1 5 4.22 (.941)
children, regardless of their developmental, health, family, social,
cultural and other specificities
.349 .347 1 5 4.33 (.709)
Building partnerships with parents
1 5 3.57 (0.78)
family members of children at RSE in decision
making regarding ECEC classroom (development of the
curriculum, activities, assessments, etc.)
.759 .634
1 5 3.12 (1.095)
backgrounds, cultures, and views .742 .622
1 5 3.50
(1.056)
activities in the ECEC classroom .724 .584
1 5 3.53
(1.048)
curriculum of ECEC classroom .719 .644
1 5 3.82 (.958)
biases .495 .483
1 5 3.91
(1.008)
Children's development and learning
1.17 5 3.87(0.66)
work of others (children, preschool teachers, and other adults) -.793 .654
1 5 3.46 (.986)
encouraging children to think about process of own learning -.711 .674
1 5 3.95 (.838)
-.692
.576 1 5 3.49 (.980)
-
solving
skills of children at RSE -.607
.644
1 5 3.96 (.806)
-
regulation behavior of
children at RSE -.521 .573 1 5 4.07 (.754)
choices and support in understanding
consequences of the choices made -.468
.552 1 5 4.25 (.716)
European Journal of Contemporary Education. 2022. 11(3)
851
The factor analysis yielded three factors: respect for diversity, building partnerships with
parents, and children's development and learning (eigenvalues=8.156, 1.685, and 1.30), explaining
53 % of the variance (38.84 %, 8.92 %, and 6.19 %, respectively). The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin value
was .924. Factor loadings on respecting the diversity dimension were between 0.801 and 0.349;
on parental partnership dimension between 0.759 and 0.495, and on enhancing development and
learning in children at RSE between -0.793 and -0.468. The metric characteristics indicated an
and 0.859, respectively). Descriptive data showed good discriminative features for all dimensions.
The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was performed to assess the normality of the distribution, and it was
found that the empirical distribution deviated from the normal distribution for all three subscales
(z1 = 3.374, p = 0.00; z2 = 2.065, p = 0.00; and z3 = 2.175, p = 0.00, respectively). Therefore,
Regarding the diversity dimension, preschool teachers reported that in their kindergartens,
they mostly had conditions and opportunities for practice that support diversity and children at
RSE. In addition, they mostly agreed that they had adequate conditions and opportunities for
pedagogical practice toward children at RSE in the children's development and learning
dimension. Similarly, they reported that conditions and opportunities were adequate for building
partnerships with parents. Interestingly, the lowest assessments concerned conditions and
opportunities for the involvement of family members of children at RSE in decision making
regarding curriculum, activities, and assessments. Evidently, preschool teachers assess
comparatively lower levels of conditions and opportunities for pedagogical practice in the aspects
of partnerships with parents of children at RSE and encouraging the development and learning of
children at RSE.
opportunities of ECEC quality practice for children at RSE, correlations among the dimensions and
with sociodemographic variables were calculated (Table 2).
Table 2. Intercorrelations among the dimensions and sociodemographic variables
Respecting
diversity
Parental
partnership
Enhancing
development
Factors
Respecting diversity
1.000 .600*** .684***
Parental partnership
1.000 .598***
Enhancing development and
learning
1.000
Preschool
teachers
Age -.043 -.102** -.075*
Working experience
-.036 -.095** -.087**
Formal level of education
-.058 -.123** -.062*
Instituti
on
Number of children in ECEC classroom
-.075* .027 .063*
Special programs/curriculum
.046 .083** .054*
Legend: * p < 0.05; ** p < 0.01; *** p < 0.001; N, number of preschool teachers
< .001) for all domains. Preschool teachers with fewer years of work
experience and lower levels of formal education perceive higher levels of conditions and
European Journal of Contemporary Education. 2022. 11(3)
852
opportunities for ECEC practice to promote parental participation and enhance the development
and learning of children at RSE.
To identify the correlation between preschool teachers' assessments of conditions and
opportunities for quality ECEC practice and in-service training regarding children at RSE,
Spearman's Rho coefficient and Kendall's Tau correlation for binary variables were calculated.
Table 3. -service training
regarding children at RSE
Legend: * p < 0.05; ** p < 0.01; *** p < 0.001; N, number of preschool
coefficient;
As can be seen from Table 3, only a fifth of preschool teachers reported that they had
participated in in-service training related to children at RSE within the past year. Approximately
70 % of preschool teachers reported using professional literature, while 60 % relied on exchanges
of good practice. Less than half of the preschool teachers reflected on their own practice, while a
quarter participated in specific training, and less than 15 % used research and scientific data and
relied on the learning community. Further, very low, albeit positive, correlations were found
between all types of professional development and two dimensions: parental partnership and
children's development and learning (except training in specific programs).
4. Discussion
Given that RSE has scarcely been r
possibilities to respond to the needs of children at RSE and their parents in accordance to
theoretical framework and quality standards. Teachers recognize the conditions and opportunities
for quality pedagogical practice for children with RSE in organizing group activities toward
accepting diversity in the ECEC classroom, enhancing the development and learning of the child
with RSE, and building partnerships with families. The first two dimensions cover quality
pedagogical practice by (1) group activities that promote and respect diversity, (2) arranging a
learning environment suitable for every child with RSE, while the third one parental involvement.
The conditions and opportunities for parental involvement of children in RSE from the teacher's
perspective are lower than in the previous two. Opportunities for family involvement in curricular
activities or decision-making related to the curriculum development, activities, and assessments in
ECEC classroom, as well as creating opportunities for connecting families with diverse
backgrounds, cultures, and views, are presented but should be observed at higher levels in the
context of quality educational practice. Similar, moderate self-perceived competencies to build a
partnership with parents using counseling skills are found (e.g.,
).
In-
service training on the topic of
children at RSE
N (%)
Respecting
diversity
Parental
partnership
Enhancing
development
Participation in training last year S 230 (20.1%) .056 .093** .044
Once K 117 (10.2%)
Two to
three
times
90 (7.9%)
Four or more
23 (2%)
PD: exchange examples of good
680 (59.5%) .057 .085** .092**
PD: reflection on own practice K 470 (41.2%) .048 .121** .140**
PD: specific programs K 282 (24.7%) .048 .068* .035
PD: literature use
K
774 (67.8%) .124** .099** .110**
PD: research data use K 149 (13%) .082** .156** 115**
PD: participating in learning
community
K
166 (2.8%) .010 .093** .114**
European Journal of Contemporary Education. 2022. 11(3)
853
As expected, teachers perceive quality ECEC to be associated with different process-related
environment, child-centered approach, child-friendly physical environment, materials for all
children, opportunities for communication for all, inclusive teaching and learning environment and
family- ). In quality pedagogical practice and
ECEC, an interdisciplinary approach involving highly qualified professionals with all stakeholders
).
toward the development of their full potential.
Quality ECEC practice has predictive value for children at RSE. Preschool teachers are of great
importance, while their attitudes and knowledge of RSE are crucial to ECEC quality. They should
facilitate developmental, cultural, language, and other diversity amongst children and portray them
through educational approaches ( ). As designers of ECEC instructional
processes, preschool teachers may directly reduce the potential for further social exclusion of children
at RSE and ensure fairer conditions for the well-being of all students, regardless of their individual
capabilities and socioeconomic backgrounds (e.g., ).
Inclusive ECEC is based on adults' responsiveness toward children's needs and the
acceptance of family backgrounds. Quality ECEC provides appropriate support through an
individualized approach for children at RSE due to their developmental level, socioeconomic
status, cultural background, or adverse family dynamics (e.g. Kumpulainen, 2018; Pianta et al.,
2009). Acknowledging cultural and individual diversity and the cultural backgrounds of families is
with families ( ).
The findings also suggest a lack of teacher training related to children at RSE, which is
fundamental to understanding the current state of ECEC. First, Croatian initial teacher education
programs do not adequately prepare teachers to work with children at RSE (Bouillet et al., 2021).
Moreover, initial teacher training in the last two decades in Croatia has transformed from two
to five-year study programs, as well as from professional to university degrees, as can be seen from
the sociodemographic data of teachers, which shows wide variations in educational qualifications,
-service training for children at
RSE was
familiar with the full complexity and diversity of the needs of children at RSE. Approximately 30 %
of preschool teachers stated that they had gained competencies for practice through literature and
exchanges of examples of good practice, as well as reflection on their own pedagogical practice, that
is, through informal channels. Participation in professional development training results in
teachers having more positive attitudes toward inclusive education (e.g., Holmqvist, Lelinge,
2020). However, considering that less than a quarter of the preschool teachers reported developing
professional competencies for educating children at RSE through specific programs, such as
through a learning community or consulting scientific data, it may be concluded that Croatian
preschool teachers lack opportunities for formal education on quality ECEC for children at RSE.
Continuous professional development presupposes the presence of quality lifelong programs and
training for preschool teachers that are locally available as well as affordable. The need for ongoing
training is recognized by students before they enter the labor market. However, themes regarding
children at RSE, that is, the developmentally appropriate practice for children at RSE, must be
included. To achieve quality ECEC in in-
thoughts on children and the interactive nature of their development children are the most
vulnerable social group, incapable of complete self-care; the socio-
development has a long-term impact on their cognitive development, and subsequently, academic
unpredictable, rather than linear. These findings suggest that quality ECEC practice toward children at
RSE should be flexi -knowledge.
In the micro-system, preschool teachers are a structural factor enhancing ECEC quality, which
can be seen in their level of engagement derived from their value system, attitudes, and opinions
regarding pedagogical practice (Gormley et al., 2005; Kelley, Camili, 2004). Quality ECEC practice is
European Journal of Contemporary Education. 2022. 11(3)
854
oriented toward designing an inclusive environment and curriculum, enabling optimal support for
child development, starting from their interests, abilities, and functioning. Preschool teachers'
competence in securing adequate support and inclusive ECEC practice opens up opportunities for
resilience building in children at RSE, which can be seen as a critical tool for life. However, the findings
of this research confirmed that ECEC institutions lack adequate conditions and opportunities to meet
the needs of children at RSE, leaving preschool teachers in a conundrum.
Protective factors closely related to the prevention of social exclusion are the quality of ECEC,
availability of resources within the community, and well-established mechanisms of social support
Bouillet, D ), and owing to the
diversity in ECEC organization, law regulation, and other structural aspects, preschool teachers
bear the responsibility to be the propellers of change. Preschool teachers play a crucial role in high
inclusive quality education, and their beliefs, knowledge, experiences, self-efficacy, mental health,
and social- -
emotional development (e.g. Blewitt et al., 2020), with long-term outcomes. Finally, the results
point to the need of ECEC institutions to ensure greater accessibility, quality, and fairness of
services to encompass more children at RSE.
5. Limitations
First, this study used a self-
known to be affected by various types of response biases. Second, the concept of risk of social
exclusion is very broad and somewhat vague in nature. Although the terminology is widely used in
ECEC practice, the epistemology is still uncertain. This is probably because of its close connection
to the axiology and declarative level of societal values present in legislation. Social exclusion is a
complex, multidimensi
goods and services, and the inability to participate in the normal relationships and activities, available
to the majority of people in society, whether in economic, social, cultur Levitas et
al., 2007: 9). Thus, a large proportion of people are expected to face disadvantages and social exclusion,
suggesting that the same situation exists in ECEC classrooms. Notwithstanding the limitations of this
research, there is a need for quality in-service training. Longitudinal and cross-cultural studies should
be undertaken for ECEC in-training programs for children at RSE. Further, mixed method approaches
with participative methodologies, such as photovoice or double photo voice in real-life situations
(Romstein, 2019), should also be considered.
6. Conclusion
Preschool teachers perceived the conditions and opportunities for quality ECEC toward
children at RSE to be mostly adequate; however, their attitudes were not related to different forms
of in-service training with quality ECEC. Positive attitudes toward ECEC conditions and
opportunities were related to preschool teachers' level of formal education. Preschool teachers with
usly participated in formal in-service training about
developmentally-appropriate practices for children at RSE had positive attitudes toward the
conditions and possibilities of quality ECEC for children at RSE. The implications of these results
are twofold. First, preschool teachers perceive the importance of continuous professional
development for quality ECEC oriented toward the individual needs of each child, suggesting the
need for quality in lifelong learning programs for preschool teachers. Second, the conditions and
opportunities of ECEC institutions have to be studied, since kindergartens are places for child
development in the most sensitive period of their life. Therefore, ECEC institutions must shape
themselves into places of support and opportun
7. Funding
This work has been fully supported by Croatian Science Foundation under the project IP-
2019-04-201.
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