Guidelines for Organizing the Early Childhood Learning Ecosystem in Child Development Centers under Local Administrative Organizations in Uttaradit Province

Abstract

          This research aims to 1) study the problems and needs in organizing the learning ecosystem for early childhood children and 2) find guidelines for organizing the learning ecosystem for early childhood children in child development centers under the administration of local administrative organizations in Uttaradit Province. This is a mixed-methods research with two stages. Stage 1: Studying the problems and needs in organizing the learning ecosystem for early childhood children, data was collected from heads of child development centers and childcare teachers, totaling 187 people, using a questionnaire. Stage 2: Finding guidelines for organizing the learning ecosystem for early childhood children, data was collected from 9 key informants: university professors, directors of education divisions, education specialists, heads of child development centers, and childcare teachers, using interviews. Statistical analysis included frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, prioritization index of needs, and content analysis.

           The research results showed that 1) the overall level of problems related to the organization of the learning ecosystem for children in early childhood was moderate. The aspect with the highest mean was curriculum and learning activities, followed by environment and technology, and network collaboration. The overall needs in organizing the learning ecosystem for children in early childhood were at a high level. The aspect with the highest mean was environment and technology, followed by curriculum and learning activities, and network collaboration. 2) The guidelines for organizing the learning ecosystem for children in early childhood included network collaboration, collaborative work, monitoring and evaluation, the development of local curricula, the design of flexible curricula, safety measures, the design of learning spaces, and the installation of CCTV systems in all activity areas.