Observed Classroom Quality Profiles of Kindergarten Classrooms in Finland

Abstract

Research Findings: The aim of the present study was to examine classroom quality profiles of kindergarten classrooms using a person-centered approach and to analyze these patterns in regard to teacher and classroom characteristics. Observations of the domains of Emotional Support, Classroom Organization, and Instructional Support were conducted in 49 Finnish kindergarten classrooms utilizing the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (R. C. Pianta, K. M. LaParo, & B. K. Hamre, 2008). In addition, questionnaire data on classroom and teacher characteristics, as well as Early Childhood Classroom Observation Measure (D. Stipek & P. Byler, 2004) observational ratings, were used in the analyses. Latent profiling analysis was utilized to identify different profiles of classroom quality. Four latent profiles of classroom quality were identified that differed from one another most clearly in the domain of Emotional Support. Profile 1 represented a generally high level and Profile 4 a generally low level of classroom quality compared to the other profiles, whereas the medium-quality Profiles 2 and 3 showed varying levels of support in the assessed dimensions of quality. Only a few differences emerged among the profiles in classroom and teacher characteristics: The teachers in Profile 4 provided the least literacy instruction and had the least amount of work experience of all of the teachers. The findings using the Early Childhood Classroom Observation Measure indicated that child-centered practices were predominant among the profiles of higher classroom quality. Practice or Policy: The results of this study can be used to recognize kindergarten teachers' professional strengths and weaknesses and to support teachers' professional development with the aid of pedagogical interventions.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This study has been carried out in the Center of Excellence in Learning and Motivation Research financed by the Academy of Finland (No. 213486 for 2006–2011) and other grants from the same funding agency (No. 213353 for 2005–2008, and No. 125811 for 2008–2009). The eighth author was also funded by the Academy of Finland (No. 130707). The first author was funded by the Finnish Cultural Foundation.

Notes

Note. log L = log likelihood; BIC = Bayesian information criterion; ABIC = adjusted Bayesian information criterion; AIC = Akaike's information criterion; VLMR = Vuong-Lo-Mendell-Rubin test, p value; LMR = Lo-Mendell-Rubin test, p value; BLTR = parametric bootstrapped likelihood ratio test, p value.

Note. Scores of 1–7 are expressed along the CLASS dimensions. Superscript letters denote statistically significant pairwise differences by analysis of variance. CLASS = Classroom Assessment Scoring System.

Note. Superscript letters denote statistically significant pairwise differences by analysis of variance; similar letters denote no differences. ECCOM = Early Childhood Classroom Observation Measure.

¹Work experience scale (1–5), where 1 = less than a year and 5 = more than 15 years.

²Instructional activities scale (1–5), where 1 = not at all and 5 = several times a day.

³Maternal education scale (1–5), where 1 = no occupational education or only short courses and 5 = master's degree or licentiate/doctoral degree.

⁴ECCOM (1–5), where 1 = practices are rarely seen (0%–20% of the time) to 5 = practices predominate (80%–100% of the time).