Assessing the quality of preschool education in Kazakhstan using the ECERS-R

Introduction. The article is devoted to assessing the quality of preschool education. The purpose of the article is to substantiate the application of the ECERS-R methodology for assessing the quality of preschool education in Kazakhstan. Materials and Methods. The study involved analyzing and reviewing methodological, educational, pedagogical, and special literature on the research problem, as well as regulatory documents for preschool education. The authors used the following research methods: observation, surveys, interviews, expert analysis and evaluation, and comparative analysis. The evidence of using this technique for assessing the quality of preschool education in Karaganda region is presented. In order to identify the methodological basis of using the ECERS-R tool, the authors studied a number of research papers, in particular, V. Yasvin’s concept of ‘designing the learning environments’. Results. Using the ECERS-R method adapted by Russian scholars to assess the quality of preschool education in Kazakhstan is considered as relevant. The findings suggest that the ECERS-R method corresponds to leading approaches to the assessment of preschool education quality. The authors propose a model of assessing developmental components of preschool learning environments, which shows the relationship between the environmental parameters and the ECERS-R scales. A comparative analysis of preschool education quality in the Karaganda region and in Moscow was carried out. Conclusions. In conclusion, the authors summarize the identified peculiarities of using the ECERS-R method in Kazakhstan. The prospects of using the ECERS-R method in Kazakhstan for the purpose of ‘independent audit’ and designing developmental strategies for pre-school education settings are outlined.