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Journal article
Evaluation of a Trial Australian School-Based Playgroup Quality Assurance Program
Early Childhood Education Journal, Vol.Advanced access
2025
Abstract
A School-based Playgroup Quality Assurance Program was developed and trialled in primary schools in a selected region in Australia, based on evidence of quality playgroups contributing to early years development. This research reports the evaluation of the trial of the program, including level of participant usage and satisfaction, contextual factors influencing quality improvement in playgroups, and evidence of improvement to the quality of playgroups. Process evaluation data was collected using questionnaires, and individual or group interviews to ascertain perspectives of playgroup facilitators as end-users of the program, partnership facilitators as coordinators of the program, and assistant regional directors as strategic leaders across schools. Impact evaluation data was collected from playgroup facilitators via an online self-evaluation questionnaire in relation to evidence of changes to the quality of school-based playgroups. Eighteen school-based playgroups participated in the evaluation. Findings demonstrate the program to build confidence of evidence-based quality playgroups and support quality improvements, particularly where there is whole-of-school support and peer collaboration opportunities. Further exploration of ways to support schools to confidently embed culturally safe playgroup environments would strengthen the program, along with the inclusion of a larger sample of schools to further explore its effectiveness in different contexts.
Details
- Title
- Evaluation of a Trial Australian School-Based Playgroup Quality Assurance Program
- Authors
- Kara Lilly (Corresponding Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Health - Public HealthJane Taylor - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Health - Public HealthAnne Drabble - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Education and Tertiary AccessRachel Cole - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Health - Public HealthKathleen Mckain - Queensland Department of EducationRachael Broom - Queensland Department of EducationIsabelle Poole - Queensland Department of Education
- Publication details
- Early Childhood Education Journal, Vol.Advanced access
- Publisher
- Springer Dordrecht
- DOI
- 10.1007/s10643-025-01990-z
- ISSN
- 1573-1707; 1082-3301
- Copyright note
- This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
- Grant note
- This work would not have been possible without the funding provided by The State of Queensland, Department of Education.
- Organisation Unit
- Indigenous and Transcultural Research Centre; School of Education and Tertiary Access; School of Health - Public Health
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991171943802621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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