Date of Graduation

2000

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to establish a baseline of information about West Virginia child care center directors: their knowledge, skill and experience in early care and education, their training needs, what these directors perceive as important knowledge and skill to competently perform their job duties, and their opinions about the development of a director credential. The total population of 265 directors of licensed child care centers were surveyed. In addition, five individual ethnographic interviews broadened and enriched the data gathered from the survey and allowed the respondents to provide their own interpretations of the positions they hold. The survey, The West Virginia Child Care Center Directors Survey , was developed by the researcher based on the 1997 Illinois Director's Survey (Rafanello & Bloom, 1997). The total return rate was 143 (54%). Quantitative data were analyzed using a computerized SPSS program. Percentage and mean scores were used to analyze the directors' opinions about the development of a director's credential, the rating of the directors' perceptions of their own levels of knowledge and skill, their training choices, and their rating of six identified competency areas. A t test was used to determine if a statistically significant difference existed between what the directors knew and what knowledge and skill competencies they thought were necessary for the job. The Pearson R, a product moment correlation, was employed to determine if the number of children in the center, the experience level of the director, or the education level of the director was statistically correlated with the directors' ratings of the six competency areas. There was a statistically significant difference in how the directors rated their levels of knowledge and skill and how they rated what competencies were necessary for the job. No statistically significant correlation was found using the Pearson R. A majority of the directors did favor the development of a credential. Several issues were identified that could be perceived as barriers to the successful implementation of a credentialing process and solutions were explored. Survey information and personal interviews contributed to the establishment a baseline of information about West Virginia child care center directors and their opinions about the necessary competencies for the performance of their jobs. Implications for policy makers, funding sources, agencies and institutions that provide training, and directors are offered.

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