Early Childhood Education Commons^™

Engaging Young Writers In The Early Childhood Classroom Setting, Andrea Rubel

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Emergent writing is essential component of early childhood growth and development. Preschool students can struggle to engage in early writing activities. Research shows that scaffolding, explicit teaching, and meaningful connections help students' growth in emergent writing skills. This inquiry-based study aims to determine the effectiveness of these strategies in the early childhood classroom and evaluate any other effective strategies. This study included a mixed methods approach including reflective journals and scored student journals. The findings revealed that most students showed improvement towards the learning objective being observed and documented. The study also found that girls performed better than boys on …

Shared Reading: Dialogic And Interactive Book Practices To Foster Oral Language Development Among Pre-K Learners, Jennifer Underwood

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This inquiry-based capstone study examines how dialogic and interactive shared reading practices support oral language development and peer engagement among ELL preschool learners. Rooted in the framework of practitioner research, the project investigates how intentional teacher questioning, open-ended prompts, and structured peer-talk opportunities transform traditional read-aloud sessions into language-rich, participatory experiences. Conducted in an urban Head Start Pre-K classroom of fifteen full day students, with a focus group of ELL and special education learners, the six-week intervention implemented dialogic reading strategies 4–5 times per week. Data was collected through observation rubrics, teacher reflection journals, student artifacts, and short video analyses. …

Increasing Play Opportunities To Improve Development And Health For Children, Kallie S. Ellis, Wendy Tremaine, Emily Bush

Fall 2025 OTD Capstone Symposium

Children with disabilities often experience reduced opportunities for meaningful peer play, which can negatively influence their physical, cognitive, and social-emotional development. Early childhood environments play a critical role in supporting inclusive participation, yet many barriers—physical, social, and environmental—limit access to developmentally rich play throughout the school day. The purpose of this capstone project was to develop, implement, and evaluate a Tier-1, school-based program designed to increase meaningful play opportunities for preschool children ages 3–6, with and without disabilities.

A needs assessment was conducted with teachers and parents to identify developmental concerns and participation barriers related to fine motor, gross motor, …

Grandma's Rocking Chair, Roberta Harman Ford

Old Elbows

Step into a world of gentle memories and timeless love with Grandma's Rocking Chair, a beautifully illustrated children's book that celebrates the magic of family traditions.

From crawling up the stairs to playing hide-and-seek under air mattresses, Brittney's visits to Grandma's house are filled with joy. But nothing compares to the comfort of Grandma's rocking chair-a place where stories are shared, giggles echo, and love is felt deeply.

As Brittney grows, the chair becomes a cherished symbol of connection, passed down from her grandmother, who once sat in it with her own grandma. Through floods, moves, and milestones, the rocking …

Supporting Young Children’S Composing Practices Through Pre- And Post-Writing Conversations, Jackie Ridley, Rebecca Rohloff, Xiao Zhang, Margaret Quinn

Journal of Response to Writing

In this teaching tip, we propose purposeful pre- and post-writing conferences as a teacher practice to support young children’s early writing practices. We share how teachers can facilitate children’s idea development through conversational moves during writing conferences and provide a model for what this could look like using a task-based composing prompt.

Attachment Styles Connection To Teacher Burnout, Erica Jaeschke

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Teacher burnout has become a concern, as teachers are leaving the classroom more frequently than in the past. A teacher's attachment may be associated with the development and persistence of teacher burnout. The problem with this topic is that teachers are leaving the classroom at alarming rates, which is problematic because schools will not have the support they need to educate future generations. This study aims to determine whether teacher burnouts are associated with specific attachment theories. A quantitative method was employed through voluntary survey questions, and 18 teachers participated.

The Impact Of Play-Based Learning On Preschool Engagement And Goal Progress, Jennifer Martin

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This capstone research project explored the impact of play-based learning on preschool student engagement and progress toward individualized learning goals. Data points were collected using both quantitative and qualitative methods, including observational charts and anecdotal notes. Findings indicated that structured play opportunities increased peer interaction, persistence, and sustained engagement for students’ who initially demonstrated low participation with activities and with peers. The results suggest that intentional play-based learning environments provide natural opportunities for children to make measurable progress toward their developmental goals. Implications for practice, limitations of the study, and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Nh Ece Research Consortium Spring 2025 Convening Summary & Action Steps, Evan England, Jess Carson

New Hampshire Early Care and Education Research Consortium

The inaugural NH ECE Research Consortium convening in May 2025 welcomed nearly 50 attendees from 29 organizations for a half-day session connecting over research and data. Attendees participated in three activities using the Ecocycle Planning framework. The group sorted NH ECE activities and approaches into three main areas: (1) things we value in which we already invest (or plan to), (2) things we value in which we do not invest, and (3) things that need to change or are already changing. Reflections in each area are summarized here in hopes that the synthesis supports our shared and ongoing efforts to …

I Think I Can: Kindergarten Teacher Perceptions On The Impact Of Loose Parts Play On Self-Efficacy Behaviors, Adena Rene Thomsa

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Play in the classroom is often a source of debate. The merits of play on early childhood development are well documented, especially regarding self-efficacy - an individual’s belief in their ability to perform a task or complete a goal. Self-efficacy has, in turn, been linked to academic resilience and achievement. Despite these findings, research shows a decline in unstructured play opportunities in both preschool and kindergarten. During a play intervention study, pre-kindergarten and kindergarten teachers were interviewed about student behaviors before, during, and after loose parts and other playful materials were added to their classroom environment. This thesis examines the …

Caregiver Perspectives About Implementing Educational Goals For Children Of Incarcerated Parents In A Head Start Program, Alissa Jane Stark

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study is that caregivers of children with incarcerated parents inconsistently implement the mandated educational goals developed through the Head Start program. Grounded in Bowen’s family systems theory, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore caregiver’s perspectives on implementing Head Start Educational goals for children of incarcerated parents and their views on the resources or training needed to support these goals. For this case study, 12 former caregivers from a Head Start program in a women’s correctional facility in Oregon were interviewed. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and analyzed thematically with the …

Preschool Teachers’ Perspectives Regarding Children’S Aggressive Behavior And In-School Suspension, Martha Baker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Aggressive behavior can lead preschool students to be suspended in and out of school. The problem in this study was the high rate of in-school suspension (ISS) among preschool students in response to child aggressive behavior. Informed by Harvey’s domain model of social reasoning and social information processing, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore perspectives of preschool teachers working in childcare centers in one city in Texas regarding children’s aggressive behavior that may lead to ISS as a response to that behavior. Four research questions probed how preschool teachers describe the level of choice exercised by …

Creating A Classroom Environment For Prekindergarten Students To Develop Social-Emotional Competencies And Transition Out Of The Step Program., Ayeshah N. Major

Theses and Dissertations

This mixed-methods study examined how the integration of Conscious Discipline and SEL-focused children’s literature can support the development of social-emotional competency in prekindergarten students. The problem of practice is that some children enter school without the foundational social-emotional skills necessary for successful learning and positive peer interactions. The purpose of this study is to identify strategies that support social-emotional growth and create an environment that aids STEP students in transitioning to a traditional prekindergarten classroom. Data was collected using parent questionnaires, student assessments, classroom observations, student interviews, and student drawings. The findings revealed that children’s literature provided accessible and meaningful …

Pentingkah Pekerjaan Ibu Dalam Literasi Anak Di Indonesia?, Dien Amalina Nur Asrofi, Muhammad Salahudin Al Ayyubi

Jurnal Ekonomi Kependudukan dan Keluarga

This study aims to analyze the impact of maternal employment status and job type on children's literacy skills in Indonesia, using data from the 2023 National Socioeconomic Survey (SUSENAS) and a binary logistic regression approach. The results show that working mothers, particularly those in the formal sector, are positively and significantly correlated with children's literacy, especially in non-poor households. These findings highlight the important role of maternal employment contribution in strengthening educational investment within families. In contrast, among poor households, formal employment of mothers does not significantly influence children's literacy, indicating that economic constraints remain a major barrier. In addition, …

درجة استخدام معلمي اللغة الإنجليزية مهارات التدريس داخل غرف مصادر التعلم لدى الطلبة ذوي صعوبات التعلم, Batool Abdel Kareem Ahmad Jaradat

Journal of the Association of Arab Universities for Research in Higher Education مجلة اتحاد الجامعات العربية للبحوث في التعليم العالي

هدفت هذه الدراسة إلى التعرف على درجة استخدام معلمي اللغة الإنجليزية مهارات التدريس داخل غرف مصادر التعلم لدى طلبة ذوي صعوبات التعلم حيث بلغت عينة الدراسة (49) معلماً ومعلمة من معلمي اللغة الإنجليزية للطلبة ذوي صعوبات التعلم، تم اختيارهم بالطريقة العشوائية في مدارس محافظة إربد، ولتحقيق أهداف الدراسة، تم استخدم المنهج الوصفي المسحي، ولغايات تحقيق أهداف الدراسة تم تطوير أداة لقياس مهارات التدريس داخل غرف مصادر التعلم، وأظهرت النتائج أن المتوسطات الحسابية لاستجابات عينة الدراسة على مقياس درجة استخدام معلمي اللغة الإنجليزية مهارات التدريس داخل غرف مصادر التعلملدى طلبة ذوي صعوبات التعلم في محافظة إربد جاءت متوسطة، كما أظهرت النتائج …

Edce 32204_How Children Learn Math_Syllabus, Colleen O. Oppenzato

Open Educational Resources

This course described by this syllabus will focus on the mathematical development and growth of children from birth through Grade 2, with an emphasis on preschool, kindergarten, Grade 1, and Grade 2.

Activity Design Principles To Support Engineering Engagement For Families With Preschool-Age Children From Low-Income English-And Spanish-Speaking Communities, Scott A. Pattison, Smirla Ramos Montañez, Viviana López Burgos, Gina Svarovsky, María Quijano, Amy Corbett, Catherine Wagner, Diana Contreras

Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER)

Existing evidence highlights the significance of family STEM learning experiences during early childhood. However, there is a lack of research specific to early childhood family-based learning in the field of engineering, especially with preschool-age children (three to five years old). To address this gap and inform engineering education programs for young children, we conducted a design-based research study in collaboration with 15 Spanish-and English-speaking families with preschool-age children from low-income communities. Our study aimed to develop and test a series of family-based engineering design activities while also identifying underlying design principles. Guided by an asset-based family learning framework, which acknowledges …

Competency Alignment And Competency-Based Education In Higher Education: Institutional Perspectives From Illinois’ Early Childhood Workforce Initiatives, Erika Gustafson Dietz

Dissertations

Competency-based education (CBE) has gained attention as a model for expanding access to postsecondary education and aligning workforce preparation with industry needs. In Illinois, state-supported initiatives have sought to integrate competency alignment into professional development and higher education programs for the early childhood workforce. This mixed-methods study examines how postsecondary ECE programs in Illinois are implementing CBE, the extent to which competency alignment influences program design, and how institutional leaders and faculty perceive CBE adoption. Findings indicate that while state-supported initiatives have increased institutional engagement with competency alignment, CBE adoption remains partial and selective rather than fully transformative. Programs are …

Can Play Support Language Development In The Education Of Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder?: An Hlm Meta-Analytic Investigation, Gregory V. Boerio Edd, Karen H. Larwin

Journal of Organizational & Educational Leadership

The purpose of the current investigation is to analyze existing research examining the impact of play therapy on the development of language skills in young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). As rates of ASD diagnoses continue to increase, families and educators are faced with making critical decisions regarding the selection and implementation of evidence-based practices or therapies, including play-based interventions, to support the developing child as early as 18 months of age. The following study investigates whether play-based interventions should be considered as effective means of increasing language development in young children with ASD. The study examines specific moderators …

Descriptive Inquiry To Advance Democracy In Early Childhood Special Education Teacher Preparation, Soyoung Park, Rae Leeper

All Faculty and Staff Papers and Presentations

The field of early childhood special education continues to be dominated by deficit-based perspectives of young disabled children. In contrast, Descriptive Inquiry supports educators to see children as multifaceted and full of strengths, promoting the democratic aim of schooling to nurture individual human flourishing for the good of society. Through a qualitative discourse analysis, we explore how 36 graduate students applied Descriptive Inquiry to their work with young disabled children. We highlight four cases of graduate students and their focus children in this article. Our findings indicate that Descriptive Inquiry can serve an important means of advancing democracy for young …

Storybook Stem: Integrating Literacy And Stem For Early Learners, Karen Pierce, Jessica Murillo

Presentations

No abstract provided.