Principals’ financial and pedagogical challenges when choosing programs and educational materials : The scope of the private education industry for preschools

• Published in: Education Inquiry
• Main Authors: Dýrfjörð, Kristín, Magnúsdóttir, Berglind Rós, Bjarnadóttir, Valgerður S
• Other Authors: Faculty of Education, Faculty of Education and Diversity
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2023
• Subjects: Preschool principals; manual-based programmes; datafication; marketisation of education; schoolification; Social Sciences (all); Education; Sociology and Political Science; Public Administration; R2310 HA; Iceland
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11815/4588; https://doi.org/10.1080/20004508.2023.2291887

Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. The educational services industry has grown internationally, and there has been an explosion in external programmes that teach basics and behavioural control, as well as administrative data programmes. This growth has affected the governance of preschools worldwide and spurred schoolification and marketisation. In this context, this study examines how the growth of the private education industry within the education system has influenced preschool principals’ work in Iceland. Our critical theoretical perspective aims to explore how educational trends grounded in neoliberalism have shaped the work of preschool principals. The data consisted of a questionnaire distributed to all preschool principals in Iceland. The findings showed that schoolification, informed by educational authorities and the private education industry, has shaped pedagogy and preschool principals’ autonomy. However, preschool principals are relieved to have some self-monitored programmes at hand. Thus, these changes go hand in hand with the strengthening of professionalism and external marketisation. The educational services industry has grown internationally, and there has been an explosion in external programmes that teach basics and behavioural control, as well as administrative data programmes. This growth has affected the governance of preschools worldwide and spurred schoolification and marketisation. In this context, this study examines how the growth of the private education industry within the education system has influenced preschool principals’ work in Iceland. Our critical theoretical perspective aims to explore how educational trends grounded in neoliberalism have shaped the work of preschool principals. The data consisted of a questionnaire distributed to all preschool principals in Iceland. The findings showed that schoolification, informed by educational authorities and the private education industry, has ...