Abstract:
The objectives of this study were to develop indicators of educational inequality at the preschool level, to develop an online assessment criteria program, and to compare assessment results with three commissions. The research was divided into three phases: 1) developing indicators of educational inequality in preschools by using both exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis with a sample of 1,400 preschool students selected by multi-stage sampling, then applying the Modified Delphi Technique with 19 experts, followed by a modified analytical hierarchy process; 2) developing an online assessment criteria program and evaluating the programs effectiveness and quality in consultation with experts and users; and 3) comparing assessment results among three commissions with a sample of 90 preschool students. Data were analysed using MANOVA. Results: 1) the assessment criteria developed for educational inequality in preschools consisted of six components with thirty indicators. The six components were: (1) parental perception, (2) teacher learning experiences, (3) physical and emotional intelligence development, (4) social development, (5) media and technology, and (6) social capital. The hypothetical model was found to be consistent with empirical data; the factor with the highest loading was social capital. The developed online program was judged suitable for use, and comparisons of educational inequality in preschools among three commissions were found to be statistically significant at the .05 level. The results confirmed that the developed criteria are suitable for assessing educational inequality in preschools.