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COVID-19 Influences on the Quality of Curriculum in Selected Childcare Centres in Singapore
Ebbeck, Marjory Yim, Hoi Yin Ho, Siew Yin Sharma, Minushree
Ebbeck, Marjory
Yim, Hoi Yin
Ho, Siew Yin
Sharma, Minushree
Abstract
Singapore’s death rates from COVID-19 are among the lowest in the world. After a two-month closure of all educational settings in 2020, early childhood professionals worked to re-open childcare centres using a phased approach. COVID-safe classroom guidelines that minimised physical interaction and eliminated outdoor play were implemented. Although these stringent procedures were designed to protect children from possible infection, they were challenging for early childhood professionals who sought to maintain the quality of the curriculum by supporting children’s well-being. In this study, well-being refers to a complex physical and psychological state and dispositions and is commonly used as an indicator of the quality of care. This study compared the same cohort of infants and toddlers’ levels of well-being before and during the pandemic in 20 selected childcare centres over two consecutive years. Data were collected by using an observational scale to assess well-being in infants and toddlers. A survey and interviews were also used to capture principals’ and teachers’ perspectives on educational opportunities and challenges during the pandemic. Findings have implications for the provision of high-quality curriculum for infants and toddlers in both local and global contexts during these uncertain times.
Keywords
COVID-19, Singapore, education, Curriculum, Childcare Centres
Date
2022
Type
Book chapter
Journal
Book
The Impact of COVID-19 on Early Childhood Education and Care International Perspectives, Challenges, and Responses
Volume
Issue
Page Range
441-459
Article Number
ACU Department
School of Education
Faculty of Education and Arts
Faculty of Education and Arts
Collections
Relation URI
Event URL
Open Access Status
License
All rights reserved
File Access
Controlled
Notes
© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG. This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by
similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed.