Early Childhood Education Commons^™

Impact Of Professional Development On Primary School Teachers' Practices And Student Engagement, Tracy Hartley Clark

Curriculum and Instruction (Ed.D.) Dissertations

Prioritizing student engagement in the classroom, where students want to learn more and be challenged, can lead to future success. This study investigated the effectiveness of providing teachers with professional development focusing on student engagement. The study utilized a mixed-method methodology that examined the effects of professional development on student engagement levels. The participants were 19 teachers who attended professional development at ABC Primary School. Descriptive statistics and paired t-tests were used to test the study's hypotheses. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through observations before and after the professional development sessions. The data collected was used to determine whether …

Social Emotional Learning For Students In Schools And Communities, Gisselle Villar

Senior Capstone Papers

The goal of the educational approach known as Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is to integrate these skills regarding SEL to be implemented in the school curriculum. In addition to emphasizing students’ abilities, education helps students build the kind of brains needed to acquire everyday tasks. The goal of this proposal is to help students develop a feeling of self-worth and awareness so they can connect and communicate honestly with one another. Schools will witness a significant shift in the lives of their students and the way teachers instruct once this learning is implemented. When this knowledge is successfully applied …

Interpersonal Violence And The Impact On Children’S Educational Outcomes, Samantha Hurst

Senior Capstone Papers

This capstone explores the complex topic of interpersonal violence which impacts children in the home and their school outcomes. Understanding children who are not getting their emotional or physical needs met could have a harder time focusing, staying awake, or being present in the classroom is incredibly important. This paper examines the pre-existing literature on the topic of how children react to interpersonal violence and how punishment in schools can affect academic outcomes. A solution is proposed for teachers to be taught trauma informed care to increase empathy towards students and decrease behavioral suspensions. Trauma informed care can mitigate partial …

How The Arts Benefit The Whole Child, Sophie Rose Fudim, Sophie Fudim

Whittier Scholars Program

This literature review draws on insights from scholars and arts advocates, it delves into the significance of incorporating artistic practices in schools and advocates for including arts education in public schools. This literature review utilizes studies, peer-reviewed research papers, and governmental recommendations based on current research. Art has a highly transformative power. It benefits the development of complex thought processes and offers insights into children's abilities. By integrating art into education, educators can address the evolving challenges of early childhood education and cultivate environments where students can be engaged by enthusiastic, trained teachers and get excited about learning. Art prepares …

Unlv Mental Health Initiatives: Unifying Through Innovation And Collaboration, The Lincy Institute, Unlv Practice, Behere Nv, Unlv Department Of Psychology

Lincy Institute Events

Nevada persistently ranks at or near the bottom in the country for overall access to mental health services despite the need (Mental Health America, 2015-2023). UNLV faculty are developing initiatives to change this unacceptable situation. The Lincy Institute, in partnership with UNLV PRACTICE, BeHERE Nevada, and researchers from the Department of Psychology, offered a community forum showcasing three mental health initiatives harnessing faculty collaboration and innovation to drive overdue changes in Nevada’s mental-health landscape. Following the presentations policymakers engaged in open discussion with UNLV presenters and the audience. The three main initiatives showcased in this forum …

Eds 702: The Young Child With Special Needs, Lingyu Li

Open Educational Resources

This introductory course addresses the concept of disability and the field of special education. It will also consider the social, cultural, and economic context surrounding the education of young children (birth to 8 years) with a wide range of developmental delays and disability conditions. Pertinent legislation, intervention with families, developing Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs), Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), and issues of advocacy will be studied within the context of the continuum of service delivery (home-based, center-based, and school-based interventions). (15 fieldwork hours required.)

Early Childhood Intervention For The Poor: Long Term Outcomes, Alison Andrew, Orazio Attanasio, Britta Augsburg, Lina Cardosa, Monimalika Day, Michele Giannola, Sally Grantham-Mcgregor, Pamela Jervis, Costas Meghir, Marta Rubio Codina

Discussion Papers

Early childhood interventions aim to promote skill acquisition and poverty reduction. While their short-term success is well established, research on longer-term effectiveness is scarce, particularly in LDCs. We present results of a randomized scalable intervention in India, that affected developmental outcomes in the short-term, including cognition (0.36 SD p=0.005), receptive language (0.26 SD p=0.03) and expressive language (0.21 SD p=0.03). After 4.5 years, when the children were on average 7.5 years old, IQ was no longer affected, but impacts persisted relative to the control group in numeracy (0.330 SD, p=0.007) and literacy (0.272 SD, p=0.064) driven by the most disadvantaged.

We Didn't Know It Was That Bad: Unearthing Parent Perspectives On Universal Pre-K Policy, Maria S. Mavrides Calderon

Publications and Research

Families are the ultimate recipients of the effects of policy, but seldom get a seat at the policymaking table. This study investigated how parents perceive the impacts of unequal teacher compensation policies on New York City’s (NYC) Universal Pre-K (UPK) expansion. Utilizing Bronfenbrenner's (1979) ecological systems theory and Schneider and Ingram’s (1993) theory of social construction and policy design to create a rich conceptual framework, this qualitative study analyzed parents' voices through document and social media discourse analysis expanding from 2014 to 2021, and semi-structured interviews (n=15). Participants reflected the demographic diversity found in NYC, the largest school system in …

A Framework For Deepening Racial Equity In Prenatal-Grade Three Systems: Lessons From A 10-Year Reflective Case Study, Beth L. Green, Lindsey B. Patterson, Caitlin R. Houser

Center for Improvement of Child and Family Services Publications

This paper uses a reflective, retrospective case study methodology to analyze data from a 10-year University-Community partnership focused on supporting implementation and improvement of a Prenatal-Grade 3 (P3) system in an elementary school. Using a framework for centering equity in Collective Impact approaches, we analyze the steps we took as research partners/program evaluators to address racial and other inequities while highlighting missed opportunities to better center racial equity in the evaluation and P3 Initiative work. Through our analysis, we seek to identify where and how racial inequities surfaced, to describe how systemic racism influenced the evaluation and P3 Initiative process, …

Generations Growing Together: Intergenerational Learning As A Pedagogical Strategy In Early Childhood Education And Care Services. A Handbook For Practitioners And Trainers, Anne Fitzpatrick

Books/Book chapters

Despite being the oldest form of learning, IGL has declined steadily over time due to wide-ranging social, cultural, economic and demographic changes. Children in the Western world are growing up in smaller, geographically dispersed family circles and, consequently, have fewer opportunities to interact with different age groups and to see themselves as part of a multigenerational society. Older people are living longer, yet are frequently separated from their families by distance, migration and family breakdown and, more recently, by COVID-19. Additionally, with the increasing attendance at age-segregated services, including preschools and care homes, traditional places and opportunities for age groups …

Latina Voice In Dialogue With Literacy, Xiaodi Zhou

Bilingual and Literacy Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study follows the literacy experiences of four Latina middle schoolers as they read Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird and compose home language narratives in their heritage voices. Both their vibrant ethnic cultures and other intersecting rays of identities are analyzed in the vein of their literate identities. Through analysis of their writing and speech, the girls present hybridized identities on the border between cultures and languages. Their position and identities in the social world of middle school are discussed and how transactions with literacy can dialogically influence those identities to enact critically conscious pedagogy.

Supporting An Ecosystem Of Learning: Outdoor Ece Lesson Plans, Nicole K. Ryden

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

While participating in an internship at Lichen Early Learning, lesson plans were created to uplift understanding of different relationships to land, consent, gender identity, race, and activism. It is essential for educators to create lesson plans that equip preschoolers for navigating the world they are a part of and disrupt systemic harm. Creating and applying lesson plans can serve as a way to start this kind of work.

沒有年齡的課室 : 成效評估研究報告, Meng Soi, Florence Fong, Chak Kwan, Dickon Chan, Ka Hing, Calvin Lau, Ka Chung, Tom Kwong

APIAS Research Report 研究報告

背景

香港人口老齡化的趨勢持續加劇，傳統的家庭照顧模式已難以滿足老年人和幼童在身心發展上的需求，需要探索新的跨代互助模式。因此，和悅社會企業於2023 年夏季舉辦了一項名為「沒有年齡的課室」的計劃（以下簡稱「計劃」/「課程」）。該課程旨在為長者及幼童提供共學的機會，推動跨代連結與互惠。為了更客觀地檢視「沒有年齡的課室」的實施情況與成效，以及探討在香港推行跨代共學的可行性，和悅社會企業委託嶺南大學亞太老年學研究中心對該課程進行了評估研究，並撰寫了此報告以供相關持分者參考。

研究方法

2. 研究採用定量研究及定性研究的數據收集和分析的混合研究法 (Mixed Methods) 進行。除了透過問卷調查和聚焦小組去收集參加者對課程的看法外，同時分析課程的數據、進行實地觀察，以及檢視相關文獻資料，從而更全面地瞭解整個課程的實施情況、對參與者的影響，以及探討計劃未來的發展方向。

研究結果

3. 本研究於2023年6月至9月期間成功對實驗組及對照組參加者進行了兩輪問卷調查，收集參加者的意見。調查結果顯示，長者及幼童的家長讓他們的孩子參與計劃的最主要原因是為了「想學習新知識 」(長者學員：72%；幼童：73%)，其次為「進行跨代接觸交流」 (長者學員：60%；幼童家長：54%)，第三個主要原因是可以「嘗試新事物」(長者學員：40%；幼童：54%)，以及可以「認識新朋友」 (長者學員：36%；幼童家長：50%)。至於計劃對參加者的影響方面，本研究透過比較實驗組 (即參加「沒有年齡的課室」的長者及幼童學員) 與對照組 (即課程無長幼共學成份)參加者在對雙方態度、自尊心及自信、社交技巧等方面的前後變化。從分析結果顯示，長幼學員在修畢本課程後，對彼此的態度 (長者學員對幼童態度：實驗組增長17%，對照組下降1%；幼童學員對長者態度：實驗組增長19%，對照組增長7%) 及幼童學員的社交技巧 (實驗組增長9%，對照組增長1%) 之增長達統計學顯著程度，足見本課程成功透過長幼共學的方式去改善長幼對彼此的觀感和態度。至於對課程的體驗方面，長者學員及幼童學員之家長均給予高度評價和評分，以1-7分為量表去評價，參加者普遍對課程感到十分滿意 (長者學員：平均分為6.07分；幼童學員：6.29分)、並表示若和悅社會企業日後舉行類似課程會再次參加(長者學員：平均分為5.33分；幼童學員：6.41分) 和向別人推薦此類課程 (長者學員：平均分為5.33分；幼童學員：6.29分)。概括而言，從統計結果反映了課程為參加者帶來很多正面影響，特別是長者或幼童態度之改善比沒有跨代共學成份的課程更為顯著。

4. 此外，本研究邀請了參與課程的長者、幼童家長、和推行「沒有年齡的課室」計劃的同工進行了3 場聚焦小組以深化對問卷調查結果，並進一步探討可如何改善計劃之推行及在社區推廣跨代共學的模式。從結果顯示，長幼學員透過參與本課程互相接觸及互動，增加彼此了解，使彼此的觀感及態度亦變得正面，達到促進跨代共融的目標。同時，幼童的社交技巧、接觸長者的動機及幼童的個人成長亦有所提升。長幼學員、課程導師及項目統籌人員均表示參加者能愉快地學習和十分享受參與本課程。

5. 從不同的的數據作綜合分析，促進「沒有年齡的課室」的成功因素包括: (i) 1對1的長幼配對，增加長幼學員之互動機會以便建立互信關係以及日後的情感聯繫； (ii) 課程時間節數安排要配合幼童的學習時間表 (如與暑假活動分開、每堂時數能讓幼童學員專心等) ；及 (iii) 招募適合的參加者，以其年齡、興趣喜好及性別進行配對 (如女性參加者明顯更為適合參與此類以幼童為對象的活動計劃)。

6. 關於課程的未來發展，研究建議推行機構可考慮以下5 個要點：(i) 除以1對1長幼配對外，亦可考慮同時加入1位長者對數名幼童，或1名幼童對數名長者的混合模式，這樣可以增加長幼學員與不同參加者的互動機會，進一步培養社交技巧；(ii) 可增加針對長者學員的課程內容 ，讓長者以學生身份投入各個課程活動；(iii) 讓一些能力比較高的長者參與課程設計及教材 (如讓長者準備自己過去相片與幼童分享過去時代點滴生活)，為長者充權；(iv) 微調課堂時間以配合長者的活動時間表 (如可參考現時日間長者中心的活動時間)；及 (v) 增加人手安排編制至5至8人，以便在推行活動過程中提供適時的支援 (如增設社工以應付課堂上幼童學員突發的情緒問題)。

總結

7. 綜合各種數數據證明「沒有年齡的課室」有效促進跨代共學與互助，為長者建立正面形象、提升他們的生活質素、亦能令幼童認識如何與長者溝通，改善社交技巧以及提升自尊感等。因此，其他長者服務機構、企業及教育團體可以仿傚此活動，在幼稚園 (即幼兒期) 便引入跨代共學的元素，促進代際間情感、知識與文化的傳遞，重塑「老吾老以及人之老，幼吾幼以及人之幼」的價值觀，建立一個強調代間互助和共融的社會。

The Assessment Of The Program Theory And Processes Of Books For Keeps’ Literacy Mentoring Program, Allison Shaw

Graduate Research Showcase

The significance of reading proficiency is frequently emphasized by the time a student reaches the third grade. Third-grade reading proficiency serves as a crucial indicator of a student's potential success in high school and beyond, including college. Research indicates that a failure to attain grade-level reading proficiency by the third grade correlates with increased challenges in comprehending educational requirements and meeting the demands necessary for graduation.

This study focuses on the Books for Keeps Literacy Mentoring Program in Athens, Georgia, which is designed to cultivate supportive relationships between mentors and students, fostering enthusiasm for reading. The examination of the program …

Understanding The Virginia Literacy Act, Candace Bechtold, Kimberly Bridges, David Naff, Joan A. Rhodes, Valerie Robnolt, Tara Davison, Suzanne Alexandre, Michael Crusco, Karli Johansen, Amber Butler, Allison Yandle, Jennifer Askue-Collins, Jean Samuel, Sharrie Merritte, Regina Frazier

MERC Publications

This research and policy brief from the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium (MERC) offers an overview of the Virginia Literacy Act. It is structured to explore the following questions: 1) What are the recent trends in reading achievement in Virginia? 2) What are the policy implications of the VLA for Virginia school divisions? 3) What does the research say about Science of Reading (SoR)? 4) What core instructional programs are approved to meet the VLA? It concludes with a series of key takeaways and recommendations.

Social-Emotional Learning: Preschool Teachers’ Perspectives From Urban And Rural Contexts, Seema Lasi, Khushal Khan, Noreen Afzal

Human Development Programme

Social-emotional learning (SEL) is an integral part of holistic child development. The early years of life are the best window of opportunity when children acquire self-regulation which stays with them throughout their lives. A qualitative exploratory design with focus group discussions (FGDs) was used for preschool teachers’ perspectives on SEL from urban and rural areas of Pakistan. Five (5) FGDs were organized, each with 8 to 10 teachers. Insights were highlighted by teachers from urban and rural contexts. Urban schoolteachers demonstrated a better understanding of SEL as compared to rural schoolteachers. The main themes identified during the analysis were teachers' …

The Role Of Digital Technologies In Supporting Quality Improvement In Australian Early Childhood Education And Care Settings, Maria Hatzigianni, Tanya Stephenson, Linda J. Harrison, Manjula Waniganayake, Philip Li, Lennie Barblett, Fay Hadley, Rebecca Andrews, Belinda Davis, Susan Irvine

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This national study explored the role of digital technologies in early childhood education and care settings and whether they could contribute to quality improvement as reported by educators and assessors of quality in Australia. In this paper, data from Stage 2 of the Quality Improvement Research Project were used, which comprised 60 Quality Improvement Plans from educators linked with 60 Assessment and Rating reports from the assessors who visited early childhood centres as part of the administration of the National Quality Standards by each of Australia’s State and Territory jurisdictions. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory (Bronfenbrenner, U. (1995).Developmental ecology through space …

Demystifying Artificial Intelligence (Ai) For Early Childhood And Elementary Education: A Case Study Of Perceptions Of Ai Of State Of Missouri Educators, Kathryn Arnone, James Hutson, Karen Woodruff

Faculty Scholarship

Artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on society have received a great deal of attention in the past five years since the first Stanford AI100 report. AI already globally impacts individuals in critical and personal ways, and many industries will continue to experience disruptions as the full algorithmic effects are understood. However, with regard to education, adopting in disciplines remains limited largely to Computer Science and Information Technology in postsecondary education. Recent advances with technology are especially promising for their potential to create and scale personalized learning for students, to optimize strategies for learning outcomes, and to increase access to …

The Overcoming Disadvantage In Early Childhood Study: Evaluation Of The Australian Literacy And Numeracy Foundation’S Early Language And Literacy Program. Summary Report, Dan Cloney, Kellie Picker, David Jeffries, Prue Anderson

Early Childhood Education

This report provides a summary of the completed Overcoming Disadvantage in Early Childhood (ODEC) longitudinal research study. The study was designed to evaluate the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation’s (ALNF) Early Language and Literacy (EL&L) program by answering the research question: What is the effect of the EL&L program on the development of language and literacy skills in preschool aged children? An integral component of this study was the development of the Early Language and Literacy Developmental Index (ELLDI), a new tool to measure oral language and literacy learning. The development of the ELLDI was based on the recognised need …

Intentional Conversations: Co-Creating Global Family, School, And Community Engagement Research, Emily Markovich Morris

Brookings Scholar Lecture Series

As part of the Brookings Scholar Lecture Series, Brookings Mountain West presents a lecture titled "Intentional Conversations: Co-Creating Global Family, School, and Community Engagement Research" by Brookings fellow in global economy and development, Emily Markovich Morris. The more that families, schools, and communities work in partnership, the more students and schools have the support needed to thrive. This lecture explores a school and community-based research study representing education institutions in 14 countries across 6 continents. The project identifies beliefs held by families, educators, and students on the purpose of school, and global barriers to family, school, and community engagement. Surveys …

Estimating The Impacts Of Legislation To Expand Affordable Quality Child Care And Early Education In Massachusetts: Initial Findings On Utilization, Employment, And Financial Assistance. Research Brief #1, Randy Albelda, Alan Clayton-Matthews, Anne Douglass, Christa Kelleher, Songtian Zeng, Laurie Nsiah-Jefferson

Publications from the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy

The UMass Boston Early Education CUSP is led by a multidisciplinary team that designed the simulator and uses it to produce current, relevant, accurate, and responsive estimates about the key impacts of proposed legislation to expand access to affordable, quality child care and early education. One of the simulator’s valuable features is that it can produce estimates for a range of policy parameters and provisions. The team will release additional briefs in the coming months to offer a more detailed look at the impacts outlined in this initial publication. Other planned briefs will examine key topics, such as impacts related …

Imagination To Innovation: Design Thinking For Young Learners, Lindsey Herlehy, Cassandra Armstrong

Publications & Research

Design thinking is the intersection of engineering design and social-emotional learning. Today’s learners must be empathetic problem solvers capable of defining problems and designing appropriate solutions to meet the needs of the user. In this session, participants will experience design thinking through literature-based scenarios appropriate for early learners. They will analyze and compare their own models to those of others and compose a lesson that will engage students in the design thinking process.

How Teachers Use Data: Description And Differences Across Prek Through Third Grade, Amanda Witte, Lisa Knoche, Susan Sheridan, Natalie A. Koziol

Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools: Faculty Publications

The use of data to inform instruction has been linked to improved student outcomes, early identification of intervention needs, and teacher decision-making and efficacy. Additionally, data are used as a means of accountability within educational settings. However, little is known about data use practices among early grades teachers. The purpose of the current study is to describe the data use of PreK to third grade teachers and to investigate differences in data use and support across grade levels. Participants were 307 early childhood teachers in PreK and early elementary school. Analysis of survey data revealed, overall, most teachers across grade …

Families Engineering Together In Communities And At Home: Facilitation Guide, Amber Simpson, Adam V. Maltese, Peter Knox, Jungsun Kim, Jing Yang, Sawsan Werfelli, Kelli Paul, Monika Mayer

Teaching, Learning and Educational Leadership Faculty Scholarship

In this publication, we present a program that serves as a bridge between families and learning environments of all kinds, and provides a pathway for engineering design to be incorporated into the everyday lives of families and kids. Supporting families in their home environment, the program offers a fun and approachable introduction to thinking about engineering and bringing these concepts to life. Conversation and engagement between children and caregivers is so important during elementary school years - this program encourages families to think about, discuss, and experience engineering in a fun and accessible way in their home and community environments. …

Promoting More Play In Kindergarten, Sarah Hofland

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Kindergarten has changed immensely over the years. It is currently driven by academic standards. Kindergarten teachers use much of the day to implement direct instruction and seat work to meet the higher demands in reading and math. The problem is that this type of learning is not developmentally appropriate for kindergarteners. Research shows that play is the central way in which children at the kindergarten age learn. To be developmentally appropriate, this school improvement plan aims at initiating more time spent playing during the kindergarten day.

Does Pre-Selected Technology-Based Games Improve Alphabet Knowledge In Preschoolers Compared To Peer Learning Small Groups?, Nicole Gray

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The purpose of this action research project was to determine if peer-learning strategies increases student alphabet recognition at the preschool grade level more than computer-based literacy programs. Data from 14 preschool students was included in this seven week investigation in which students in the groups learned early literacy utilizing the literacy curriculum Fundataions. Students were split into two research groups, one utilizing peer-learning strategies and games, and the other utilizing a computer-based literacy app. Quantitative data consisting of pre-and post-test data was collected over seven weeks. Data examined number of uppercase and lowercase letters identified. After the seven weeks of …

Implementation Of Star To Support Students With Disabilities, Lexis Barkema

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This paper examines the use of a comprehensive autism program in a school district, looking specifically at an elementary school in North Central Iowa. The school does a great job of providing support and interventions for students with autism, disabilities, and specific learning needs with the resources they currently have available to them. This school improvement plan provides a detailed outline of using a comprehensive autism program to better serve and meet the needs of students in their specific need areas. The plan will provide professional development, support, and resources for teachers and paraprofessionals who are implementing the program.

Strengthening The Home And School Partnership: An Improvement Plan To Educate Parents On Child Development And School Initiatives, Jennifer N. Robinson

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This school improvement plan considers the implementation of a parent education program. Following the review of literature that proves the significance of parental involvement to increase academic achievement and improve social-emotional development, a needs assessment was established that displays a lack of parental understanding on new education initiatives and child development. With the addition of a parent education component, the home and school partnership will be strengthened ultimately increasing student achievement, improving student behavior, alleviating teaching burnout, and improving overall education.

The Impact Of Small-Group Multisensory Instructional Techniques On Kindergarteners’ Letter Sound Knowledge, Karly Walker

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This action research was driven by the researcher’s interest in multisensory instructional techniques and the effect it can have on kindergarten students’ letter sound knowledge to aid in strengthening pre-reading skills. The researcher compared results of a control (traditional learning) group versus a treatment (multisensory learning) group of eight at-risk students while monitoring progress weekly using FastBridge earlyReading letter sound subtest. The research was conducted to analyze the effectiveness of multisensory instruction within small group learning. The researcher used a four-way factorial design test to analyze the control and the treatment group’s pre- and post-test scores in letter sound fluency. …

The Developing Independence Of Toddlers, Maggie Harbaugh

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This action research project was driven by the researcher’s interest in whether three-year-old children exhibited more negative behaviors then two-year-old children. The researcher used two different types of surveys for mothers and teachers to answer. This survey took 5-10 minutes to complete, and they had two weeks to complete it. The research was conducted to see which age of children displayed worse behaviors. The researcher is an assistant director in her 10th year of teaching early childhood students. The findings showed that two-year-olds have more behavior problems then three-year-olds have.