经济危机下的美国早期学习标准化运动:趋势、困境和机遇

America's Early Learning Standards Movement in Current Economic Crisis:Trends,Difficulties,and Opportunities

兴起于21世纪初的美国早期学习标准化运动代表着学前教育的两大主要发展方向:从强调数量到追求教育质量;从自囿于学龄前阶段到积极寻求与义务教育的整合。最近几年该运动表现出新的发展特征和趋势:由标准的制定到实施——早期学习标准成为促进学前教育质量的实质性措施;由孤立到衔接——以早期学习标准为切入点,促成学前教育与其他教育系统的深层次整合;由接触到融合——在追求整合的标准化浪潮中,学前教育努力保持着自身的特色和独立性。但受当前经济危机的影响,一方面,美国学前教育正面临着经费减少、注册率下降、各种非正式幼教机构借机大量涌现等问题,这给早期学习标准化运动的实施和发展带来了困难;另一方面,美国学前教育在联邦政府资金投入、机构整合、人力资源等方面也面临着各种机遇,这都对美国学前教育工作者提出了考验。

America＇s early learning standards movement represents two trends of current early childhood education, namely the pursuing of high quality education and the cooperation with pre-k education. This movement concludes three new trends. Firstly, early learning standards have been put into practices and taken increasingly seriously. Secondly, early learning standards function as a catalyst in the quality education pursuit. Thirdly, researchers and practitioners have been working hard to maintain early childhood education＇s traditional values in this movement. The economic crisis has a powerful influence on America＇s early childhood education in various levels including finance, enrollment, informal child care services etc. These make early learning standards movement face adverse influences and opportunities as well. It＇s a big challenge for America＇s early childhood education to make use of these opportunities.