Teachers' conceptions on the quality of the teaching and learning process in early childhood education

Abstract

This paper reviews teachers' conceptions of the quality of teaching and learning processes in preschool education. Since this is the study's main objective, a quantitative, descriptive, and correlational research design was used, utilizing a questionnaire as a measurement instrument. Information was collected on five dimensions of the teaching and learning process: context and student characteristics, programming, classroom atmosphere, educational resources and teaching aids, and assessment. The questionnaire was administered to 105 preschool education teachers from the Autonomous Community of the Region of Murcia (Spain). The outcomes show that teachers link educational quality to the classroom atmosphere and to resources and materials used. Likewise, they consider it essential that families are involved in the educational process and that the programming and activities designed to take the students' needs and interests into account.