Scale
Background
The OMEP ERS-SDEC applies the same rating procedures as the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale – Revised (ECERS-R) (Harms, Clifford and Cryer, 1998) and – Extension (ECERS-E) (Sylva, Siraj-Blatchford, & Taggart, 2003) instruments. In many research contexts the ERS-SDEC may therefore be applied conveniently alongside these more elaborate and comprehensive quality rating scales. The ERS-SDEC may also be applied by individual or groups of practitioners to audit their education for sustainable development curriculum, and to help practitioners and preschool centre mangers in setting curriculum development priorities. OMEP is committed to the further development, refinement and revision of this instrument in the future in collaboration with practitioners.
As in other environmental rating scales, the ERS-SDEC, identifies both curriculum and pedagogic provisions and it require the rater/evaluator to make their own observations. Where it is applied by an outside researcher they will be required to ask practitioners for information about their practices, and to seek evidence that confirms these practices.
The Purpose of the Scale
Our intention is to develop this instrument as a both a research tool, and also as a self-assessment tool for practitioners. Where the scale is used by a single practitioner within their own setting, the scale can be applied to support curriculum development through identifying priorities, setting targets and managing change without difficulties. But wherever any form of comparison is involved between settings, there will be a need to ensure inter-rater reliability. It is important that users recognise the need for external or collective validation and that their ratings may need to be collaboratively moderated. This should be achieved through:
- training to understanding the use and the role of the scale;
- training to ensure common understandings of the quality criteria (definitions and cultural variations) and in;
- in many cases a ‘critical friend’ should also be involved to provide support and validation (this may be an local authority adviser or an academic who has applied the instrument in other contexts.
2nd Edition
A new edition of the rating scale was designed in 2019. It is used primarily as a ‘getting started tool’ to help teachers identify achievements and concerns in early childhood education and care, and to guide them through internal assessments and research projects.
 ERS-SDEC(2ND) - English |
ERS-SDEC(2ND) - Spanish |
ERS-SDEC(2ND) - French |
1st Edition
- Reference:
- Siraj-Blatchford, J., Park, E., and Mogharreban, C. (Eds.) (Forthcoming) Developing a Research Programme for Education for Sustainable Development in Early Childhood, Springer
