The high/scope preschool curriculum comparison study through age 23

doi:10.1016/S0885-2006(97)90009-0

Early Childhood Research Quarterly

Volume 12, Issue 2, 1997, Pages 117-143

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0885-2006(97)90009-0 Get rights and content

Abstract

This study assesses the relative effects through age 23 on young participants born in poverty of the High/Scope, Direct Instruction, and traditional Nursery School preschool curriculum models. At ages 3 and 4, 68 children were randomly assigned to the models, which were implemented independently and to high standards, in 2 $12$ -hour classes 5 days a week and biweekly 1 $12$ -hour home visits. For a decade, virtually no curriculum group differences in intellectual and academic performance were found. In many areas, no statistically significant differences were found at age 15 or at age 23; however, a pattern of group differences in community behavior did emerge at age 15 and became more pronounced at age 23. At age 15 the Direct Instruction group reported committing 2 $12$ times as many acts of misconduct as the High/Scope group. At age 23, compared to the other curriculum groups, the Direct Instruction group had three times as many felony arrests per person, especially those involving property crimes; 47% of the Direct Instruction group was treated for emotional impairment or disturbance during their schooling, as compared to only 6% of either of the other curriculum groups. These results are attributed to the emphasis on planning, social reasoning, and other social objectives in the High/Scope curriculum and the Nursery School curriculum, but not in the Direct Instruction curriculum. The results of this study do not consistently distinguish between the long-term effectiveness of the High/Scope and traditional Nursery School currculums, but the High/Scope curriculum model is more readily replicated because of its more precise definition. These findings argue against using Direct Instruction in preschool programs and for using a well-defined curriculum model based on child-initiated learning activities.

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The high/scope preschool curriculum comparison study through age 23

Abstract

Early Childhood Research Quarterly

Early Childhood Research Quarterly

Early Childhood Research Quarterly

Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology

Early Childhood Research Quarterly

Early Childhood Research Quarterly

Early Childhood Research Quarterly

Early Childhood Research Quarterly

Early Childhood Research Quarterly

Early Childhood Research Quarterly

Early Childhood Research Quarterly

User's guide: Adult APL survey

Does correctional treatment work? A clinically-relevant and psychologically-informed meta-analysis

Criminology

Essential components of successful rehabilitation programs for offenders

International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology

Monitoring the future questionnaire

Teaching the disadvantaged child in the preschool

Implementation of planned variation in Head Start

The effects of Head Start classroom experience on some aspects of child development: A summary report of national evaluations, 1966–1969

Models of early childhood education

Criterion measures for youth-work training programs: The development of relevant performance dimensions

Journal of Applied Psychology