Education Commons^™

Understanding Natural Sciences Education In A Reggio Emilia-Inspired Preschool In America. Journal Of Research In Science Teaching, Hatice Inan, Kathy Trundle, Rebecca Kantor

Rebecca Kantor

This ethnographic study explored aspects of how the natural sciences were represented in a Reggio Emilia-inspired laboratory preschool. The natural sciences as a discipline—a latecomer to preschool curricula—and the internationally known approach, Reggio Emilia, interested educators and researchers, but there was little research about science in a Reggio Emilia classroom. The current research aimed to gain insight into natural science experiences in a Reggio Emilia-inspired classroom. To gain in-depth information, this inquiry-based study adapted a research design with ethnographic data collection techniques (i.e., interview, observation, document/artifact collection, and field-notes), namely Spradley's Developmental Research Sequence Method, which was a well-known, pioneer …

The Cure For Early Grades Assessment Difficulties? Take A Tablet, Maurice Walker

Maurice Walker

Maurice Walker reports on an innovative approach to assessment using tablets to monitor educational development in the early years of schooling.

Effect Of A Wildlife Conservation Camp Experience In China On Student Knowledge Of Animals, Care, Propensity For Environmental Stewardship, And Compassionate Behavior Toward Animals, Sarah Marie Bexell

Sarah M. Bexell, PhD

ABSTRACT EFFECT OF A WILDLIFE CONSERVATION CAMP EXPERIENCE IN CHINA ON STUDENT KNOWLEDGE OF ANIMALS, CARE, PROPENSITY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, AND COMPASSIONATE BEHAVIOR TOWARD ANIMALS by Sarah M. Bexell The goal of conservation education is positive behavior change toward animals and the environment. This study was conducted to determine whether participation in a wildlife conservation education camp was effective in positively changing 8-12 year old students’: (a) knowledge of animals, (b) care about animals, (c) propensity for environmental and wildlife stewardship, and (d) compassionate behavior toward animals. During the summer of 2005, 2 five-day camps were conducted at 2 zoological …

Stem Professional Development For Early Childhood Teachers., Kimberly Brenneman, Alissa A. Lange

Alissa A. Lange

No abstract provided.

Kidsmatter And Mindmatters: Impact And Opportunity, Katherine Dix

Dr Katherine Dix

The Comprehensive Emergent Literacy Model: Early Literacy In Context, Leigh Rohde

Leigh Rohde

Exploring Interactive Writing As An Effective Practice For Increasing Head Start Students' Alphabet Knowledge Skills, Anna H. Hall, Michael D. Toland, Jennifer Grisham-Brown, Steve Graham

Anna H Hall

The current study used a pretest–posttest randomized control group design with 73 Head Start students, ages 3–5 years. The researcher served as the interactive writing teacher for the treatment group, rotating to five different classrooms in one Head Start center 3–4 days a week for 13 weeks. Children in the treatment group received a 10–15 min interactive writing lesson each day in small groups within their own classroom settings. Children in the control group received standard literacy instruction in small groups with their own classroom teachers. Child outcome data on upper case, lower case, and letter sound identification were collected …

Involving Families In The Assessment Process, Julie Rutland, Anna H. Hall

Anna H Hall

Although grounded in theory and philosophy, and mandated by federal legislation, there is often a gap in research to practice when it comes to involving families in the assessment process. As family involvement through the continuum of early childhood education is recognized as “best practice”in the field, the assessment process must not be excluded. However, teachers in early childhood programs may need additional strategies to invite families to join in the process. Strategies for parent participation as consumers,informants, team members, and advocates are discussed as well as outcomes for children and families.

Dancing Literacy: Expanding Children’S And Teachers’ Literacy Repertoires Through Embodied Knowing, Allison Leonard, Anna H. Hall, Danielle Herro

Anna H Hall

This paper explores dance as literacy. Specifically, it examines qualitative case study research findings and student examples from a dance artist-in-residence that explored curricular content using dance as its primary mode of inquiry and expression. Throughout the residency, students constructed meaning through their dance experiences in dynamic and autonomous ways, exhibiting complex literacy practices of inquiry and communication. Focusing on the kindergarten student participants’ experiences, the authors highlight three themes in their dance literacy practices: (a) artistic autonomy, (b) embodied knowledge, and (c) multimodality. As embodied knowledge, dance innately allowed for integrative literacy possibilities in the dance residency. The dance …

Dancing Literacy: Expanding Children’S And Teachers’ Literacy Repertoires Through Embodied Knowing, Allison Leonard, Anna Hall, Danielle Herro

Alison E Leonard

This paper explores dance as literacy. Specifically, it examines qualitative case study research findings and student examples from a dance artist-in-residence that explored curricular content using dance as its primary mode of inquiry and expression. Throughout the residency, students constructed meaning through their dance experiences in dynamic and autonomous ways, exhibiting complex literacy practices of inquiry and communication. Focusing on the kindergarten student participants’ experiences, the authors highlight three themes in their dance literacy practices: (a) artistic autonomy, (b) embodied knowledge, and (c) multimodality. As embodied knowledge, dance innately allowed for integrative literacy possibilities in the dance residency. The dance …

Dancing Literacy: Expanding Children’S And Teachers’ Literacy Repertoires Through Embodied Knowing, Allison Leonard, Anna H. Hall, Danielle Herro

Anna H Hall

This paper explores dance as literacy. Specifically, it examines qualitative case study research findings and student examples from a dance artist-in-residence that explored curricular content using dance as its primary mode of inquiry and expression. Throughout the residency, students constructed meaning through their dance experiences in dynamic and autonomous ways, exhibiting complex literacy practices of inquiry and communication. Focusing on the kindergarten student participants’ experiences, the authors highlight three themes in their dance literacy practices: (a) artistic autonomy, (b) embodied knowledge, and (c) multimodality. As embodied knowledge, dance innately allowed for integrative literacy possibilities in the dance residency. The dance …

Exploring Interactive Writing As An Effective Practice For Increasing Head Start Students' Alphabet Knowledge Skills, Anna H. Hall, Michael D. Toland, Jennifer Grisham-Brown, Steve Graham

Anna H Hall

The current study used a pretest–posttest randomized control group design with 73 Head Start students, ages 3–5 years. The researcher served as the interactive writing teacher for the treatment group, rotating to five different classrooms in one Head Start center 3–4 days a week for 13 weeks. Children in the treatment group received a 10–15 min interactive writing lesson each day in small groups within their own classroom settings. Children in the control group received standard literacy instruction in small groups with their own classroom teachers. Child outcome data on upper case, lower case, and letter sound identification were collected …

Involving Families In The Assessment Process, Julie Rutland, Anna H. Hall

Anna H Hall

Although grounded in theory and philosophy, and mandated by federal legislation, there is often a gap in research to practice when it comes to involving families in the assessment process. As family involvement through the continuum of early childhood education is recognized as “best practice”in the field, the assessment process must not be excluded. However, teachers in early childhood programs may need additional strategies to invite families to join in the process. Strategies for parent participation as consumers,informants, team members, and advocates are discussed as well as outcomes for children and families.

Preschool Education As An Economic Development Program, Timothy Bartik

Timothy J. Bartik

This research presented preschool education as a plausible economic development program focusing on the benefits that can be measured in terms of the goals of state and local economic development programs: more jobs and better jobs for local residents. Preschool education’s cost-effectiveness in achieving these goals was compared with traditional state and local economic development programs such as financial incentives and customized services provided to individual businesses.

The Economic Payoffs Of Early Childhood Education, Timothy Bartik

Timothy J. Bartik

No abstract provided.

Effects Of The Pre-K Program Of Kalamazoo County Ready 4s On Kindergarten Entry Test Scores: Estimates Based On Data From The Fall Of 2011 And The Fall Of 2012, Timothy J. Bartik

Timothy J. Bartik

This paper uses a regression discontinuity model to examine the effects on kindergarten entrance assessments of the Kalamazoo County Ready 4s (KC Ready 4s) program, a half-day pre-K program for four-year-olds in Kalamazoo County, Michigan. The results are based on test scores and other characteristics of up to 220 children participating in KC Ready 4s, with data coming from both 2011–2012 and 2012–2013 participants in the program. The estimates find consistently statistically significant effects of this pre-K program on improving entering kindergartners’ math test scores. Some estimates also suggest marginally statistically significant effects of KC Ready 4s on vocabulary test …

Earnings Benefits Of Tulsa's Pre-K Program For Different Income Groups, Timothy J. Bartik, William Gormley, Shirley Adelstein

Timothy J. Bartik

This paper estimates future adult earnings effects associated with a universal pre-K program in Tulsa, Oklahoma. These informed projections help to compensate for the lack of long-term data on universal pre-K programs, while using metrics that relate test scores to valued social benefits. Combining test-score data from the fall of 2006 and recent findings by Chetty et al. (forthcoming) on the relationship between kindergarten test scores and adult earnings, we generate plausible projections of adult earnings effects and a partial cost-benefit analysis of the Tulsa pre-K program. We find substantial projected earnings benefits for program participants who differ by income …

The Effects Of Pre-K Access And Quality On Social Inequality, Timothy Bartik

Timothy J. Bartik

The effects of state and local government funded pre-K programs on racial and income inequality will be studied. How the effects vary with whether pre-K is targeted on the poor or is more universal will be estimated. How the effects vary with pre-K program quality and whether or not expansion of high-quality pre-K would significantly reduce economic and social inequality across different races and income groups will also be examined. This study will go beyond previous research by considering all states and by adding relevance and increasing precision of estimation. Secondly, it includes measures, not only of the overall probability …

Bringing The Future Into The Present: How Policymakers Should Deal With The Delayed Benefits Of Early Childhood Programs, Timothy Bartik

Timothy J. Bartik

No abstract provided.

Distributional Effects Of Early Childhood Programs And Business Incentives And Their Implications For Policy, Timothy J. Bartik

Timothy J. Bartik

This is a draft of a chapter of a planned book, Preschool and Jobs: Human Development as Economic Development, and Vice Versa [subsequently published as Investing in Kids, 2011]. This book analyzes early childhood programs effects on regional economic development. This chapter considers the effects of early childhood programs and business incentives on the income distribution. A key issue is whether early childhood programs should be targeted on the poor, or made universally available for free. Relevant considerations in addressing this issue include how benefits of early childhood programs benefit with family income, and the political feasibility of targeted versus …

Introduction [To Investing In Kids], Timothy Bartik

Timothy J. Bartik

No abstract provided.

Economic Development Benefits Of Preschool Expansion In Kalamazoo County, Timothy J. Bartik

Timothy J. Bartik

This paper examines the effects of preschool expansion in Kalamazoo County on the county's economic development. Effects on the county's economic development are defined as effects on the employment and earnings of county residents. The estimated effects are found to be large relative to the costs. In addition to their relevance to Kalamazoo County, these simulations illustrate how the analysis presented in two previous papers (Bartik 2006, 2008) can be done for an individual county or metropolitan area. Such simulations may be of interest to other counties or metropolitan areas that are considering expansions in early childhood programs.

The National Perspective: How Local Business Incentives And Early Childhood Programs Affect The National Economy, Timothy Bartik

Timothy J. Bartik

No abstract provided.

Why Universal Preschool Is Really A Labor Market Program, Timothy J. Bartik

Timothy J. Bartik

No abstract provided.

Boosting Michigan's Economy Through Educational Improvements, Timothy J. Bartik

Timothy J. Bartik

No abstract provided.

Why Investing In Kids Makes Sense For Local Economies, Timothy J. Bartik

Timothy J. Bartik

No abstract provided.

Kalamazoo County Committee For Early Childhood Education (Ready 4s) Assessment, Timothy Bartik

Timothy J. Bartik

Kalamazoo County Ready 4s will establish a baseline of kindergarten readiness among Kalamazoo County's entering kindergarten students in fall 2010 by assessing 200 children randomly selected from the public schools in Kalamazoo County. Kalamazoo County Ready 4s will also test the assessment process in fall 2010 with child care/education providers likely to participate in the Kalamazoo County Ready 4s pilot in fall 2011. Researchers will inform the community of the level of school readiness of children entering kindergarten, will convince the funders of the need for increasing children's access to high quality pre-K care/education, and will create a baseline for …

How Policymakers Should Deal With The Delayed Benefits Of Early Childhood Programs, Timothy J. Bartik

Timothy J. Bartik

This is a draft of a chapter of a planned book, Preschool and Jobs: Human Development as Economic Development, and Vice Versa [subsequently published as Investing in Kids, 2011]. This chapter considers a problem with early childhood programs: their effects on earnings are mostly long-delayed. The delay occurs because most earnings effects are on former child participants. The chapter considers appropriate discounting of benefits and how the upfront costs of early childhood programs can be delayed or reduced. It also addresses how the long-run benefits of early childhood programs can be moved up or increased.

Earnings Benefits Of Tulsa's Pre-K Program For Different Income Groups, Timothy Bartik, William Gormley, Shirley Adelstein

Timothy J. Bartik

No abstract provided.

Preschool And Economic Development, Timothy J. Bartik

Timothy J. Bartik

No abstract provided.