Early Childhood Education Quality for Toddlers: Understanding Structural and Process Quality in Chilean Classrooms

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dc.article.number1009
dc.catalogadoraba
dc.contributor.authorFelipe Godoy
dc.contributor.authorNarea Biscupovich, Marigen Soledad
dc.contributor.authorSoto, Pamela
dc.contributor.authorAyala Pereira, Camila
dc.contributor.authorMaría Jesús López
dc.date.accessioned2025-08-29T15:47:59Z
dc.date.available2025-08-29T15:47:59Z
dc.date.issued2025
dc.description.abstractDespite extensive research on early childhood education (ECE) quality at the preschool level, toddler settings remain comparatively understudied, particularly in Chile and Latin America. Research suggests that quality ECE strengthens child development, while low-quality services can be harmful. ECE quality comprises structural features like ratios and classroom resources, and process features related to interactions within classrooms. This study examines how process and structural quality indicators are related in nurseries serving disadvantaged backgrounds. Data were collected from 51 Chilean urban classrooms serving children aged 12–24 months. Classrooms were evaluated using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) for toddlers, questionnaires, and checklists. Latent Profile Analysis identified process quality patterns, while multinomial regression examined associations with structural quality indicators. The results revealed low-to-moderate process quality across classrooms (M = 4.78 for Emotional and Behavioral Support; M = 2.35 for Engaged Support for Learning), with three distinct quality clusters emerging. Marginally significant differences were found between high- and low-performing clusters regarding classroom space (p = 0.06), number of toys (p = 0.08), and staff educational credentials (p = 0.01–0.07). No significant differences emerged for group sizes or adult-to-child ratios, which are heavily regulated in Chile. These findings underscore the need to strengthen quality assurance mechanisms ensuring all children access quality ECE.
dc.description.funderANID; Folio: ANID PIA CIE160007
dc.format.extent22 páginas
dc.fuente.origenORCID
dc.identifier.doi10.3390/educsci15081009
dc.identifier.eissn2227-7102
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15081009
dc.identifier.urihttps://repositorio.uc.cl/handle/11534/105372
dc.information.autorucEscuela de Psicología; Narea Biscupovich, Marigen Soledad; 0000-0001-7780-7425; 12649
dc.information.autorucEscuela de Psicología; Soto, Pamela; S/I; 10782
dc.information.autorucInstituto de Sociología; Ayala Pereira, Camila; S/I; 184919
dc.issue.numero8
dc.language.isoen
dc.nota.accesocontenido completo
dc.revistaEducation Sciences
dc.rightsacceso abierto
dc.rights.licenseAttribution 4.0 International
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.subjectEarly childhood education
dc.subjectECE classroom quality
dc.subjectStructural quality
dc.subjectProcess quality
dc.subjectClassroom Assessment Scoring System
dc.subjectToddler
dc.subjectLatent profile analysis
dc.subject.ddc370
dc.subject.deweyEducaciónes_ES
dc.subject.ods04 Quality education
dc.subject.odspa04 Educación de calidad
dc.titleEarly Childhood Education Quality for Toddlers: Understanding Structural and Process Quality in Chilean Classrooms
dc.typeartículo
dc.volumen15
sipa.codpersvinculados12649
sipa.codpersvinculados10782
sipa.codpersvinculados184919
sipa.trazabilidadORCID;2025-08-22
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