Kazmierska-Kowalewska Kalina M, Okely Anthony D, Siraj Iram, Archer Carol, Veldman Sanne L C, Jones Rachel A
School of Education, Faculty of the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia.
Australia and Early Start, Faculty of the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia.
Child Care Health Dev. 2025 Sep;51(5):e70146. doi: 10.1111/cch.70146.
High-quality early childhood education (ECE) environments positively impact child outcomes. This study examined the potential efficacy of a professional development (PD) programme on improving the quality of the ECE movement environment and children's physical activity, motor, literacy and numeracy skills.
A 6-month RCT involving 5 ECE services and 157 children (mean age 3.84 ± 0.61 years) was conducted. ECE services were randomly assigned to the intervention group (n = 3) or wait-list control group (n = 2). The PD comprised five monthly face-to-face sessions, including theory, practice and reflective thinking components. Outcomes included the quality of the ECE movement environment (MOVERS), children's gross motor skills (TGMD-2), physical activity (GT3X accelerometers), fine motor skills (ASQ-3), receptive vocabulary (PPVT-4) and numeracy (PENS). All outcomes were assessed at baseline and follow-up. Data were analysed using linear mixed models (SPSS, Version 26) and effect sizes were calculated. Educator engagement was collected using questionnaires.
Large effect sizes were reported for the quality of the ECE movement environment (d = 1.77-9.35). Medium to large effect sizes were reported for children's gross motor skills (d = 0.68-1.23), and small to medium effect sizes were reported for three subscales of the numeracy test (d = 0.43-0.63). In the intervention group, a significantly greater number of children moved from being at risk of delay or delayed to normal development in fine motor skills (Phi = 0.21). Educators reported that the PD content was relevant and clearly explained, highlighting the hands-on components as the most valued aspect.
The MOVERS PD pilot programme resulted in changes in educators' pedagogy and practice and in children's gross and fine motor skills and numeracy skills. Future studies with larger sample sizes will be important to confirm these results.
高质量的幼儿教育（ECE）环境对儿童的发展成果有积极影响。本研究探讨了一项专业发展（PD）计划在改善幼儿教育运动环境质量以及儿童的身体活动、运动、读写和算术技能方面的潜在效果。
进行了一项为期6个月的随机对照试验，涉及5个幼儿教育服务机构和157名儿童（平均年龄3.84±0.61岁）。幼儿教育服务机构被随机分配到干预组（n = 3）或等待名单对照组（n = 2）。专业发展计划包括每月5次面对面会议，包括理论、实践和反思性思维部分。结果包括幼儿教育运动环境的质量（MOVERS）、儿童的大肌肉运动技能（TGMD - 2）、身体活动（GT3X加速度计）、精细运动技能（ASQ - 3）、接受性词汇（PPVT - 4）和算术能力（PENS）。所有结果均在基线和随访时进行评估。使用线性混合模型（SPSS，版本26）分析数据并计算效应大小。通过问卷调查收集教育工作者的参与情况。
幼儿教育运动环境质量的效应大小较大（d = 1.77 - 9.35）。儿童大肌肉运动技能的效应大小为中等至较大（d = 0.68 - 1.23），算术测试的三个子量表的效应大小为小至中等（d = 0.43 - 0.63）。在干预组中，有更多儿童在精细运动技能方面从有发育迟缓风险或发育迟缓转变为正常发育（Phi = 0.21）。教育工作者报告说，专业发展计划的内容相关且解释清晰，强调实践部分是最有价值的方面。
MOVERS专业发展试点计划导致了教育工作者教学方法和实践的改变，以及儿童的大肌肉和精细运动技能及算术技能的改变。未来进行更大样本量的研究对于证实这些结果很重要。
