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Data Collection and System Monitoring in Early Childhood Programs - english information

http://worldfamilyorganization.org/wfs/summit/wfs2007/BackgroundPapers/DataCollectionansSystem.pdf

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The purpose of this paper is to offer practical guidelines to those interested in collecting accurate and useful information about early childhood services in a particular country or region. The guidelines presented focus on two areas of particular concern for policy-makers: data collection and system monitoring. To accommodate the needs of both developing and developed nations, we offer a number of different approaches to data collection and monitoring. We discuss how programs develop out of policy decisions and how to tailor monitoring practices to be consistent with stated policies. We provide practical examples of data collection methods that can be used to examine coverage and quality, two areas that are especially important for policy-making decisions. Finally, we discuss the unique demands of collecting data to be used in crossnational research. This paper begins with a brief introduction that includes examples of the major types of early childhood services in both developed and developing countries. The next section of the paper presents general information about early childhood policies, indicators, and methods of data collection. This is followed by a presentation of two specific examples of early childhood policies, with suggested indicators for these policies and recommended methods of data collection. The next section of the paper discusses the special requirements of national data collection if the findings are to be reported cross-nationally.

Keywords

educational policy; elementary education sector; monitoring; indicator; education statistics; international comparison; methodics;