Factors Influencing the Cooperative Preschool Education in Ulanqab Ethnic Area: Insights from the Input-Process-Outcome Perspective

The integrated education model of multiparty cooperative education has become the development trend of preschool education, and preschools, families, and communities cover the main scope of children's activities. There is limited awareness of family-preschool-community cooperative education, and a lack of practical cooperative education management systems. Moreover, the existing research shows a lack of relevant experience in ethnic areas. For this reason, we established a family-preschool-community cooperative preschool education framework. The proposed framework adopts the input-process-output (IPO) model to examine the factors affecting preschool education quality and assess its applicability within the ethnic minority area of Ulanqab. This study collected and analysed data from 378 parents of preschool children in the Ulanqab area using SmartPLS for data analysis. The results show that family, preschool, and community have a direct and positive effect on preschool education quality. These inputs indirectly contribute to quality improvement through the mediating role of cooperative teaching and learning. The research results confirm the applicability of the family-preschool-community cooperation framework in Ulanqab and provide a reference for future preschool cooperative education policies and practices in similar ethnic regions.