Quality Evaluation and Quality Enhancement in Preschool: A Model of Competence Development

Can quality in preschool be enhanced through competence development simultaneously to organisational changes and financial cutbacks? The aim of this study is to develop a "Model of Competence Development” to enhance quality in preschool. The Model of Competence Development takes it's point of departure in evaluations of quality, as evaluated by the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale¹ (ECERS), and evolved in interaction with the pedagogues throughout development work. The study is divided into three parts. 1. An external evaluation of quality of 20 preschool units using the ECERS. 2. A selection of an intervention group and a control group. The intervention group takes part in a competence development work, which starts and ends with self-evaluations of quality as evaluated by the ECERS. 3. An external evaluation of quality using the ECERS on the same preschool units.