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Building Resilience In Early Childhood Education: Preschool Built Environment Quality In Malaysia

Positively valued developmental and learning outcomes contribute towards resilience in children’s learning and quality provision has been shown to influence the impact of risks, thereby promoting children’s wellbeing. As the built environment quality of preschools plays a role in supporting children’s learning, the study aims to explore the quality of preschool built environment from the perspectives of preschool teachers and an architect. Three preschools adapted from corner lot terrace houses in Penang, Malaysia were selected as study sites. A questionnaire consisting built environment factors designed through a crosswalk between items from the Children's Physical Environments Rating Scale (CPERS) as well as existing standards and guidelines relating to the built environment of preschools in Malaysia was employed. A total of three stakeholders consisting of preschool principals were interviewed to supplement the results of the questionnaire. Interview data revealed that perspectives on built environment factors making up preschool built environment quality differed between the architect and preschool stakeholders. Interview data revealed that statutory requirements and parental requirements played an intrinsic role in preschool stakeholders’ perspective of factors influencing preschool built environment. The interdisciplinary nature of this study culminates in better understanding between the fields of education and built environment, highlighting the difference between an aspired built environment for preschools with that of a realistic one. The paper hopes to provide useful suggestions for creating a better preschool-built environment where the aspired is achievable to enhance the wellbeing of children. © 2019 Published by Future Academy www.FutureAcademy.org.UK