Assessing Educator Responsivity in Outdoor Early Childhood Education and Care Settings: Validating the Outdoor Environment Version of the Responsive Interactions for Learning Measure.
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| Title: | Assessing Educator Responsivity in Outdoor Early Childhood Education and Care Settings: Validating the Outdoor Environment Version of the Responsive Interactions for Learning Measure. |
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| Authors: | Yu, Esther1 (AUTHOR), Burns, Samantha1 (AUTHOR), Jenkins, Jennifer1 (AUTHOR), Perlman, Michal1 (AUTHOR) michal.perlman@utoronto.ca |
| Source: | Early Education & Development. Oct2025, Vol. 36 Issue 7, p1695-1714. 20p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Outdoor education, *Authentic assessment, *Teacher-student relationships, Psychometrics, Social interaction, Standards |
| Abstract: | Research Findings: Outdoor time is essential in early childhood education, yet quality assessments that are specifically focused on outdoor settings remain limited. Existing indoor measures primarily evaluate environment-level quality while neglecting educator-child interactions and the educators' central role in children's central learning. This study evaluates the psychometric properties of the Responsive Interactions for Learning – Outdoor Environment (RIFL-OE), designed for efficient assessment of outdoor interactions. Across 161 educators in 68 outdoor settings, the mean responsivity score was 2.74 on a 5-point scale, which is lower than RIFL scores in indoor classrooms. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a unidimensional model and the measure demonstrated high internal consistency (α = 0.96). Small but significant correlations were found with the Preschool Outdoor Environment Measurement Scale's Interaction subscale (r = 0.27, p <.001) and total score (r = 0.24, p =.002). Item response theory analyses showed good item discrimination and high information across levels of responsivity. Practice or Policy: RIFL-OE offers an efficient way for practitioners to evaluate educator-child interaction quality in outdoor settings, providing insights to enhance outdoor learning environments and inform policies on outdoor education practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: | Education Research Complete |
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