Examining the factor structure of the home learning environment.

Area of Science:

• Child Development
• Educational Psychology
• Family Studies

Background:

• The home learning environment (HLE) is crucial for early childhood development.
• Existing literature identifies four HLE subdomains: literacy, numeracy, executive function, and science.
• Understanding the HLE's structure is vital for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the factor structure of the HLE using established scales across four domains.
• To investigate the multidimensionality of the home learning environment.
• To identify caregiver engagement patterns within different HLE subdomains.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from 913 caregivers of children aged 2-6 years.
• Employed an online data collection platform.
• Analyzed the factor structure of four domain-specific HLE scales.

Main Results:

• A seven-factor model provided the best fit for the HLE structure.
• The identified factors included code-based literacy, oral language literacy, informal numeracy, formal numeracy, core science, practice science, and executive function.
• Caregivers reported highest engagement in literacy activities and lowest engagement in science and numeracy activities.

Conclusions:

• The home learning environment is a complex, multidimensional construct.
• Specific HLE domains show varying levels of caregiver engagement.
• Findings inform the development of targeted strategies to support diverse aspects of early childhood learning at home.