Teacher and parent opinions on assessment and evaluation practice in pre-school education

The aim of this study is to examine the opinions of teachers and parents on assessment and evaluation practices. The method of this study is case study which is one of the qualitative research methods. This study was conducted in public independent preschool , public preshool, private independent preschool and private preschool in Haliliye and Karaköprü districts of Şanlıurfa province of Turkey. Criterion sampling method was chosen, one of purposeful sampling methods, in determining the study group. The teachers' criterion was to be at least one year experience while the parents' criterion was to be effective communication with the school and teacher, participate the events of the school actively. For the study group, four preschool teachers from public independent preschool, four preschool teachers from public preschool, four preschool teachers from private independent preschool and four teachers from private preschool, besides 16 parents, whose children are going to these teachers' class, are chosen. As a data collection tool, the researcher prepared a teacher interview form and parent interview form and then she had interviews with them in schools for which were got permission from Ministry Of National Education. Assessment and evaluation practises were analysed in the context of preschool education in detail. Data, transcripted at first, were coded with MAXQDA. The concepts were found out with inductive analysis and then the topics were approached. According to the approached findings, teachers consider assessment and evaluation as the first step of identifying child, parent and planning the process. They stated that they mostly used progress report, development observation form and portfolio from the records kept for evaluation. In addition, they monitor children's play in classroom applications. Teachers said they mostly used confirmatory feedback rather than diagnostic and explanatory feedback. While teachers give feedbacks to parents, they often prefer face to face communication, phone calls and sending a text message. According to the parents' opinions, teachers mostly use progress report, development observation form and portfolio, and also, monitor the children. Parents stated that teachers made observations. Additionally, parents send the homework back teacher as a children's feedback. They also said they involved in classroom education and find useful it, moreover, teachers organize educational studies for parents. Keywords: Preschool Education, Evaluation and Assessment Practice