Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.15516/cje.v18i0.2220
Preschool Teachers’ Attitudes towards the Self-Evaluation of Preschool Institutions
Maja Drvodelić
; Faculty of Teacher Education, University of Zagreb
Vlatka Domović
; Faculty of Teacher Education, University of Zagreb
Abstract
Systematic self-evaluation of preschool institutions in Croatia started in 2012 and has since been conducted in the form of one-year cycles of collecting data about preschool activities, present-state analyses and designing plans for development. Self-evaluation is a process that systematically assesses, analyses and evaluates work effectiveness in order to assure quality improvement and create a stimulating work climate (Vranković & Reberšak, 2008). Previous research in the area of self-evaluation in Croatia examined school self-evaluation (Bezinović, 2010; Reberšak, 2009), whereas this paper focuses on the preschool self-evaluation process. The questionnaire Attitudes towards self-evaluation was distributed among 170 preschool teachers employed in preschool institutions in Croatia. The main aim of this research is to determine the differences in preschool teachers’ attitudes towards active involvement in the self-evaluation process with respect to the type of preschool teacher training in the area of self-evaluation. The respondents were classified into three groups: 1) preschool teachers who had not had any type of self-evaluation training; 2) preschool teachers who had completed the course during their graduate study; and 3) preschool teachers who had participated in short-term teacher professional development programs. An additional goal was to determine if preschool teachers’ willingness to actively engage in the self-evaluation process could be predicted based on their attitudes and years of preschool work experience.
The results show that preschool teachers who attended the self-evaluation course during their graduate study consider themselves more empowered for the process than the other two groups of respondents. They express greatest willingness to actively participate in quality assurance teams that conduct the self-evaluation process in preschools. It has been established that the most significant predictors of motivation for active involvement in the self-evaluation process are attitudes towards the process of self-evaluation and knowledge about the process.
Keywords
attitudes towards self-evaluation; preschool teacher training; self-evaluation of preschool institutions
Hrčak ID:
164745
URI
Publication date:
30.5.2016.
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