A child-centred evaluation model: gaining the children’s perspective in evaluation studies in China

Abstract

In recent times there has been a major international push for giving voice to children in the provision of services for early education and development particularly among researchers and non-government organisations. However, what has been missing from this body of literature and activity is the children’s perspective when centres and services are evaluated by external agencies. This article outlines an evaluation model designed specifically for evaluating kindergartens in remote communities where the children’s perspective is central to the evaluation process. The concept of children’s perspective is used to capture the nature of an authentic evaluation of early education and development services. It is argued that the children’s voice in the evaluation process gives a unique perspective on how the services are experienced and understood.

Keywords:

• children’s perspective
• researching with children
• evaluation
• cultural-historical
• sociocultural

Acknowledgments

The research reported here is part of a larger project which seeks to evaluate the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Project implemented by Plan China in ShaanXi province in China during the period July 2006 and June 2009. We acknowledge the contributions of Associated Professor Jian Jiao who contributed to implementing the study, to Jing Hong Wen, Na Li and Honglian Yu who accompanied the research team on their field visits, and who provided translation for the first author. We also acknowledge the contributions from Plan Australia in funding the research and Nicole Rogers and Katie Ramsay in encouraging the authors to realise the methodology discussed in this article into practice. We received permission to use the photographs from the children's parent(s)/guardian(s).

Notes

1. Summary of the story: Once upon a time, a grandpa planted a turnip seed. He looked after it very well. He watched the turnip grew bigger and bigger. At last it stopped growing, and the grandpa decided to pull it up. He took hold of the leaves of the great big turnip and pulled and pulled, but the turnip did not move. So the grandpa called the grandma, granddaughter, the dog, the cat and the mouse to come and help him. Together they pulled and pulled, but the turnip did not move. Then, the adult researcher called the children to come to help. Everybody pulled and pulled together. Suddenly, the great big turnip came out of the ground, and everyone enjoyed the happy moment.