Quality Inspiring Preschool Education (KIKO)

Quality preschool education is crucial for all children in Flanders. Research shows that children who are well-prepared for formal education have a lower chance of encountering school problems later on. This applies to all children but particularly to those who have limited developmental opportunities at home and in other extracurricular contexts. For them, quality preschool education is essential to ensure equal opportunities in their learning process. It is important to investigate to what extent recent scientific insights on effective preschool education are being applied in Flemish preschool classes. There is increasingly more evidence that a balanced approach, which pays attention to both the well-being and the broad development of children, as well as targeted instructional moments, provides the best learning opportunities.

This research project focuses on the subject areas of Dutch, mathematical initiation, and executive functions.

Two research goals are central:

• Provide an overview of proven effective practices and active elements according to international literature (via a meta-review and a common elements analysis of proven effective interventions).

• Investigate the extent to which these practices are applied in Flemish kindergarten classrooms and determine the necessary conditions for implementation (via a questionnaire survey and in-depth research).

This research project will result in various outputs, including a scientific report, recommendations for the Flemish education field, and practical products such as an inspiration guide, video clips, and poster materials.

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