Implementing aeioTU: quality improvement alongside an efficacy study-learning while growing

Area of Science:

• Early Childhood Education
• Developmental Psychology
• Program Implementation Science

Background:

• Childhood development interventions show variable effectiveness in low- and middle-income countries.
• Program quality and implementation are critical for consistent child benefits.
• The aeioTU program is a Reggio-inspired, center-based early childhood program in Colombia.

Purpose of the Study:

• To summarize findings on program quality and teacher practices for the aeioTU program.
• To assess changes in classroom quality and teacher perceptions over time.
• To highlight the role of process data in program improvement during scaling.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of program quality indicators and teacher practices.
• Comparison of classroom quality data from 2011 and 2014.
• Review of teacher self-reports on environment, teaching, and learning.

Main Results:

• Classroom quality significantly increased from 2011 to 2014, especially in language, reasoning, and interactions.
• Higher-order interactions and language processes became common by 2014.
• Teachers reported high quality in their environment, teaching, and learning by 2013.

Conclusions:

• Process data is vital for improving early childhood programs, particularly when young.
• Program quality can be enhanced through teacher skill development, curriculum experience, and strengthened training.
• Effective implementation strategies support simultaneous program scaling and quality improvement.