Use of child development assessment in early childhood education: early childhood practitioner and student attitudes toward formal and informal testing

Twenty early childhood practitioners (ECPs) and final-year Bachelor of Early Childhood Studies students completed a questionnaire about their use (or planned use) of formal and informal child development assessment instruments, their choice of specific instruments, and factors influencing decisions to conduct child development assessments within their early childhood programmes. While most ECPs and all students indicated use (or planned use) of informal assessment, 70% of students and only 10% of ECPs indicated use of formal assessment. Whereas ECPs identified 'ease of use' as most important, 'accuracy of the instrument' was most important to students. In deciding to use any assessment, students ranked 'identifies children at risk' as most important, compared with ECPs who ranked 'provides a good picture of children's development' as most important. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for the early childhood field and for pre-service training in child development assessment.