Project Activities
Researchers refined and validated the EQUIP-M for use in preschool programs to document the quality of mathematics instructional practices and processes that are associated with child outcomes. They used secondary data from a previous grant and collected primary data to examine the validity of the measure. The research team evaluated results from the EQUIP-M to identify the measurement model that best described the observed patterns of instructional quality in Head Start and non-Head Start preschool classrooms.
Structured Abstract
Setting
The project took place in 183 urban preschool classrooms across 67 early childhood centers in the greater Chicago, Illinois area of Illinois.
Sample
The sample included Head Start and non-Head Start preschool classrooms. The Head Start sample consisted of 180 teachers and 506 children from a previous NSF-funded intervention research study. Researchers recruited 180 public and private preschool teachers from non-Head Start centers, and 501 3- to 5-year-old children from these teachers’ classrooms. In total, the project included 360 teachers and 1,007 children.
The EQUIP-M is a measure of mathematics instructional quality in preschool classrooms that researchers and professionals who supervise or coach preschool teachers can use to strengthen teacher-child interactions around mathematics. The EQUIP-M focuses on three domains of teacher and children's interactions during math instruction: teacher intentionality, teacher responsiveness, and student sense-making.
Research design and methods
To ensure the EQUIP-M tool accurately measures the quality of math teaching in preschool, the researchers used a step-by-step approach to gather evidence for its validity. First, the researchers tested whether trained observers could consistently and accurately use the tool’s scoring system by comparing their ratings with expert benchmarks. Then, the researchers checked whether teachers’ scores remained stable over short periods and whether the tool worked equally well in different types of classrooms, Head Start and other programs. The researchers also analyzed how the scores were structured to see if they reflected key areas of teaching as expected and explored whether higher scores on the tool were linked to better math outcomes for children. These methods provided multiple checks to see if EQUIP-M is a trustworthy and meaningful way to evaluate preschool math instruction.
Control condition
Due to the nature of this study, there was no control condition.
Key measures
Researchers captured videos of teacher-led math activities during scheduled math time and rated teacher-child interactions using EQUIP-M dimension rubrics. Children’s math skills were assessed using two measures, the Research-Based Early Mathematics Assessment — Short Form and the Applied Problems subtest of the Woodcock-Johnson III Achievement Test.
Data analytic strategy
To assess the validity of the EQUIP-M tool, researchers applied a range of analytic techniques to examine whether it produces accurate, consistent, and meaningful scores of preschool math instruction. They analyzed agreement among coders and compared their scores to expert ratings to evaluate scoring accuracy and reliability. Stability of EQUIP-M scores over time was tested by comparing teacher scores across two observations within a short window. The researchers used statistical methods to determine whether item scores functioned equivalently across the different classroom settings, Head Start and non–Head Start programs. To examine the structure of the tool, the researchers used factor analysis to see whether the items grouped together in ways that matched the theoretical framework. Finally, the researchers tested whether EQUIP-M scores predicted children’s later math performance, providing evidence of the tool’s instructional relevance. These analyses collectively supported key aspects of the tool’s technical quality.
People and institutions involved
IES program contact(s)
Project contributors
Products and publications
The research team will produce a technical guide and a practitioner's guide for the revised EQUIP-M and evidence of associations with child outcomes. Researchers will also produce peer-reviewed publications.
Questions about this project?
To answer additional questions about this project or provide feedback, please contact the program officer.
