Early Childhood Education Commons^™

Assessing Adult Perceptions Of Sexual Behavior In The Early Childhood Setting, Jamie Spencer

M.S.Ed. in Early Childhood Research Projects

In recent years, there has been an increase in challenging behavior in early childhood settings

because of “sexual behavior”, making an understanding of healthy development in children crucial to the work of the early childhood educator. This study explores information gathered from early childhood educators throughout the state of Maine to assess adult perceptions, opinions, and attitudes about the concept of sexual behavior in early childhood settings, as well as needs for support. Utilizing an online survey tool, the study gathered feedback from 633 respondents throughout the state of Maine. The study revealed that while 72% of educators are comfortable …

Full Day Play Vs. Part Day Play, Ashley Mcdonald

M.S.Ed. in Early Childhood Research Projects

Early education is an essential part of development (Jalongo, Fennimore, Pattnaik, Laverick, Brewster, & Mutuku, 2004), however, there is much debate about what type of program will best meet the needs of young children. Programs have great variation with children attending as little as 12 hours a week to children attending 40 to 50 hours a week. A qualitative research design was used to analyze playful learning within a high quality early education center examining possible differences between a full day program and a part day program. The focus of this study was on the amount of time children spend …

Barriers To Parental Involvement, Emily J. Berry

M.S.Ed. in Early Childhood Research Projects

The research discussed in this paper explores parent and educator perspectives towards family involvement activities, and the barriers that cause lower participation rates. The foundation of this research is built from Bronfenbrenner’s (1977) ecological theory, asserting that children have more meaningful experiences when there is a positive connection between their mesosystems. This study surveys pre-k families regarding their perspective on the importance of parental involvement in school activities. Such activities include class celebrations, family activity nights, parent trainings/workshops, volunteering in the classroom, and attending pre-k parent groups. Parents report on the barriers preventing them from being able to attend school …

The Decline Of Family Child Care In Maine, Tammy Dwyer

M.S.Ed. in Early Childhood Research Projects

The purpose of this research will be to examine the decline of licensed family child care programs in Maine. Information gathered from Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services, (DHHS) Office of Child Care and Family Services, (OCFS) Child Care Licensing Department show a continuous decline of family child care in Maine over the last five years. Programs dropped from 1324 in July 2013 to 1109 in July 2017. (S. Bhuvanagiri, personal communication, July 17, 2018). The research will begin to identify the reasons that have caused the downturn. It will also begin to identify potential supports for family child …