Preschool teachers' understanding of quality in preschool: a comparative study in three European countries

Abstract

The aim of this article is to highlight the concept ‘quality' with a special focus on preschool teachers' understanding and compare what preschool teachers in Austria, Bulgaria and Sweden regard as quality. Although quality is at high degree a subjective concept, some aspects are regarded decisive for good quality. A questionnaire was distributed to 45 preschools. Data have been stored, processed and compiled with the web-based programme ‘Netigate’. Totally 117 preschool teachers answered the questionnaire. The results among the three countries have been compiled, processed, ranked and compared and show a glace of different ways to interpret quality, although there are also similarities. Many differences are related to social, cultural and financial issues in the countries per se, but there are also organisational and structural differences. Further comparative research needs to focus on modes to improve the quality in preschool and on increasing children's influence.

Keywords:

• quality
• preschool
• comparative study
• preschool teachers

Notes on contributors

Dr Jane Brodin is senior professor in Education at Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden, and professor emerita in Child and Youth Studies at Stockholm university, Sweden.

Dr Karin Renblad is associate professor in Education at Jönköping university, Jönköping, Sweden.

Dr Luise Hollerer is professor in Psychology at Kirchliche Pädagogische Hochschule, Graz, Austria.

Dr Vaska Stancheva-Popkostadinova is associate professor in Psychology and MD, at South-West university, Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria.