Dissertations / Theses: 'Early childhood development and education'

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Lirette, Patricia R. "Barriers to education in early childhood development." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 2000. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk1/tape3/PQDD_0001/MQ59757.pdf.

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Keramidas, Cathy Galyon. "Assessment in Early Childhood." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2015. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/4157.

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Malkus, Amy J. "Adolescent Brain Development." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2006. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/4314.

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Green, Shannon Susan. "PRESCHOOL TEACHERS' EARLY PERCEPTIONS OF EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION." OpenSIUC, 2013. https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/theses/1210.

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This study explored five preschool teachers' perceptions about Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in Early Childhood Education (ECE). Participating teachers provided a wide range of responses about ESD and its related subthemes. The findings of this study show that the participating teachers indicated a willingness to reflect on the principles of sustainable development, a commitment to developmentally appropriate practice, a value for participatory and problem-based curriculum, and appreciation for the benefits of community engagement. Teachers also expressed values of fairness and equality, and being open, honest, and matter-of-fact with children. Teachers were new to the ideas of interdependence, social justice, human rights, and economics education in ECE. The teachers expressed concerns about the inclusion of issues that they considered too complex for children, too personal, or potentially offensive. These findings can inform ideas for beginning professional development and further study for ESD in ECE.

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Jung, Myoungwhon. "Professional development in early childhood mathematics examining professional growth in two early childhood teachers through collaboration /." [Bloomington, Ind.] : Indiana University, 2006. http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&res_dat=xri:pqdiss&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:3215198.

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Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, School of Education, 2006.
Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 67-04, Section: A, page: 1216. Adviser: Mary B. McMullen. "Title from dissertation home page (viewed May 14, 2007)."

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Sharp, L. Kathryn. "Examining the Precepts of Early Childhood Education: The Basics or the Essence?" Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2016. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/4484.

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The purpose of this article is to encourage early childhood educators and the related professional development and research communities to become the leading voices in determining the direction of early childhood education. To support this vital, and complicated transition, this discussion revisits fundamental aspects of what is meant by early childhood education and intends to spark discussion and the direction needed to guide thought and action as nations begin a shift towards more affordable, universal and, most importantly, high-quality early childhood education.

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Fok, Wai-man Veronica. "Development and validation of a preschool programme evaluation scale." Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 1997. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B18815467.

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Baker, Jessica. "Parent education programmes for early childhood development : reflections of practitioners." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/95853.

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Thesis (MSocialWork)--Stellenbosch University, 2014.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Parent education programmes have been identified as intervention strategies which address numerous social problems in South Africa. This study aimed to highlight the importance of empowering parents through knowledge and skill development in order to positively invest in the future generations of South Africa. Early childhood development is a field which has emerged on the agenda of the helping professions, such as social work, psychology and education. The development of parent education programmes is an example of advancement in this field. The topic of parent education is noteworthy in light of the growing need to empower parents to raise well-developed children. The development of effective parent education programmes is beneficial to both the parents and practitioners. However, practitioners are seldom given the opportunity to reflect on their own professional experiences of delivering these programmes. Therefore, there is a need to investigate and analyse these experiences to potentially improve programme delivery. Consequently, the aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of practitioners’ experiences of facilitating programmes aimed towards early childhood development by utilising social learning and cognitive behavioural approaches. A combination of a quantitative and qualitative research approach was used in this study. Exploratory and descriptive research designs were implemented in order to describe the social phenomenon of parent education programmes for early childhood development. Practitioners delivering parent education programmes in the Cape Metropole in South Africa were selected to participate in the study. Data was collected during individually administered interviews by means of a semi-structured questionnaire. Practitioners were given the opportunity to share their reflections (which are qualitative in nature) on their experiences of facilitating programmes aimed at early child development. The main findings of this study indicated that there is a need for practitioners to be adequately trained to deliver programmes which are engaging and relevant to the needs of parents. Group-based and community programmes were found to be effective platforms for this intervention. The nature and components of parent education programmes, as outlined in the literature, provide clear guidelines for organisations and practitioners wishing to deliver such programmes and it is recommended that they be incorporated into facilitators’ training sessions. Furthermore, the findings of this study are significant for practitioners facilitating parent education programmes as they confirmed that the effectiveness of the implementation of such programmes are linked to the delivery by and experiences of practitioners. An effort should therefore be made to enhance these experiences by endorsing the use of best practice methods for programme delivery. South Africa has recently begun to explore the innovative avenue of parent education through group-based parenting programmes. The enhancement of parents’ capabilities through these programmes are seen as an asset for promoting social development and advancing legislation on childhood development. The conclusions drawn in this study indicate a need for further research into the topic of parent education programmes in South Africa. Consequently, recommendations are provided for further research that would complement this study and elaborate on its findings.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Oueropleidingsprogramme word beskou as ŉ intervensiestrategie wat talryke maatskaplike probleme in Suid-Afrika aanspreek. Hierdie studie het dit ten doel gestel om te wys hoe belangrik dit is om ouers te bemagtig deur die ontwikkeling van hul kennis en vaardighede om so ŉ positiewe bydrae tot die toekomstige generasies van Suid-Afrikaners te maak. Vroeë kinderontwikkeling is ŉ veld waaraan daar toenemend aandag geskenk word in die hulpverleningsprofessies, byvoorbeeld maatskaplike werk, die sielkunde en die onderwys. ŉ Voorbeeld van vordering wat al op hierdie gebied gemaak is, is die ontwikkeling van oueropleidingsprogramme. Hierdie programme is van belang om die toenemende behoefte daaraan om ouers te bemagtig om goed ontwikkelde kinders groot te maak, aan te spreek. Die ontwikkeling van effektiewe oueropleidingsprogramme is voordelig vir sowel ouers as praktisyns. Praktisyns word egter selde die geleentheid gegun om te reflekteer op hul eie professionele ervaring as fasiliteerders van sodanige programme. Daarom is daar ŉ behoefte daaraan om hierdie ervarings te ondersoek en te analiseer om die lewering van hierdie programme moontlik te verbeter. Na aanleiding van hierdie behoefte, was die doel van hierdie studie om ŉ beter begrip te vorm van die praktisyns se ervaring van die fasilitering van programme vir vroeë kinderontwikkeling deur van die sosiale leer- en kognitiewe gedragsbenaderings gebruik te maak. ŉ Kombinasie van kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenaderings is in hierdie studie gevolg. ŉ Verkennende en beskrywende navorsingsontwerp is toegepas om die sosiale fenomeen van oueropleidingsprogramme vir vroeë kinderontwikkeling te beskryf. Praktisyns van oueropleidingsprogramme wat in die Kaapse Metropool in Suid-Afrika aangebied word, is gekies om aan die studie deel te neem. Data is ingesamel tydens individuele onderhoude deur middel van semi gestruktureerde vraelyste. Praktisyns is die geleentheid gebied om te reflekteer (ŉ kwalitatiewe benadering) op hulle ervaring van die fasilitering van programme wat gerig is op vroeë kinderontwikkeling. Die hoofbevindinge van hierdie studie dui op ŉ behoefte vir praktisyns om doeltreffend opgelei te word om programme aan te bied wat aantreklik en relevant is vir ouers om hulle behoeftes aan te spreek. Daar is bevind dat groepsgebaseerde en gemeenskapsprogramme effektiewe platforms vir hierdie intervensie is. Die aard en komponente van oueropleidingsprogramme, soos uiteengesit in die literatuur, bied duidelike riglyne vir organisasies en praktisyns wat sodanige programme wil aanbied en daar word aanbeveel dat dit in opleidingsessies vir fasiliteerders inkorporeer word. Die bevindinge van hierdie studie is verder van belang vir fasiliteerders van oueropleidingsprogramme aangesien dit bevestig dat die geslaagdheid van die programme gekoppel is aan praktisyns se lewering en ervaring daarvan. ŉ Poging moet dus aangewend word om hierdie ervaring te verbeter deur praktisyns aan te moedig om die “beste praktyk”-metodes te gebruik wanneer hulle programme aanbied. Suid-Afrika het onlangs ŉ innoverende benadering tot oueropleiding begin volg, naamlik om sodanige programme in groepsverband aan te bied. Die verbetering van ouers se bekwaamheid deur middel van hierdie programme word beskou as ŉ manier om vooruitgang in maatskaplike ontwikkeling te bewerkstellig en wetgewing oor kinderontwikkeling te bevorder. Die gevolgtrekkings waartoe daar in hierdie studie gekom word, dui aan dat daar ŉ behoefte vir verdere navorsing oor oueropleidingsprogramme in Suid-Afrika bestaan. Gevolglik word daar ter afsluiting aanbevelings gemaak ten opsigte van verdere navorsingsgeleenthede wat hierdie studie kan aanvul en op sy bevindinge kan uitbrei.

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Clarkin-Phillips, Jeanette. "Distributing the leadership : a case study of professional development /." The University of Waikato, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10289/2449.

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This study explores the question of what might be a model of effective leadership for pedagogical change in early childhood education in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Drawing on a framework of gateways for personalising learning constructed by Hargreaves (2004a) and Engestrom's (1999) Activity theory, a case study of a professional development programme is analysed. Entrypoints or gateways for teachers in three early childhood centres to the professional development programme are identified, as are gateways for sustained involvement and continued learning opportunities. The study uses unstructured interviews with a narrative inquiry approach to hear the teachers' stories and the findings of the study are presented in a narrative style in order to capture these voices. The major findings from the study indicate that professional development is a complex interweaving of voices and intentions. There are three key elements of the ongoing personalising learning as a result of involvement in the professional development programme: distributed leadership, teacher voice, and community. The context of early childhood provided unique definitions of the gateways and common elements were found in identifying the entrypoints and features of sustained involvement. The study implies that effective leadership is distributed across the community and the sustaining features of the professional development programme need to be elements of any provision of professional development intent on personalising learning for pedagogical change.

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Broderick, Jane Tingle, and Seong Bock Hong. "Inquiry-based Early Childhood Curriculum Development: Using Materials to Facilitate Representation." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2004. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/4210.

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Faubion, Donna Elizabeth. "Early childhood special needs 0-5 programming." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 1997. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/1298.

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Gust, Korrine M. "The effects of professional development for early childhood educators on emergent literacy." Virtual Press, 2006. http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/1336621.

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This research study had two primary purposes. The first purpose was to evaluate the effectiveness of professional development training sessions with early childhood educators by measuring the emergent literacy skills of their students. The second purpose was to begin to establish concurrent validity for a fairly new skills-based instrument with an established norm-referenced instrument.A pretest-posttest design to assess the children's emergent literacy skills was utilized. After the pretest was conducted with the subjects, ages 3-5 years old, their teachers from the experimental group attended professional development sessions to address emergent literacy strategies for their early childhood classrooms. The teachers in the control group did not participate in the professional development sessions. At the conclusion of the intervention period the children's emergent literacy skills were posttested.The pretest and posttest assessments were conducted following best practice guidelines for early childhood education assessments. The early childhood educators who knew the children well completed the skills-based instrument through an observation process with a rating scale. The primary researcher conducted the norm-referenced instrument with each of the children in a one-on-one situation at the child's early childhood center.The scores of the two instruments were analyzed to evaluate the gains of the children, the significance of independent variables, and to examine the relationship between the two instruments. The data showed that the children in the treatment condition did make significant gains over the control group in the area of Readiness skills, but not in other areas assessed. Additionally, the independent variables of subject's gender and teacher's years of experience were significant for few of the subscales of the assessment tools. This study did begin to establish concurrent validity for the Language Arts Objective Sequence (LOS) with the Test of Early Reading Ability-Third edition (TERA-3). The LOS did possess internal consistency and demonstrated a positive correlation with the TERA-3 at the pretest. Further studies to establish concurrent validity with posttests as well as pretests need to be conducted.
Department of Special Education

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Podraza, Dan John. "Elementary School Social Workers' Perspectives on the Development of Resilience in Early Childhood." Thesis, Walden University, 2017. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10281911.

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Researchers have stressed the importance of addressing the social/emotional needs of early childhood (EC) children, including the development of resilience; however, some U.S. school personnel focus more on academics than on these needs. When young children possess these skills, they can handle social/emotional challenges later in life. The purpose of this qualitative bounded case study was to explore school social workers’ (SWs) perspectives about resilience in EC settings. Research questions focused on knowledge of existing programs, participants’ perceptions of the successes and challenges of working with EC students, and their recommendations to improve EC students’ education. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory and O’Neill’s and Gopnik’s work on needs of young children informed this study. Five elementary school SWs with at least 6 years’ experience from 5 districts in the U.S. Midwest participated in 2 semistructured individual interviews. Interpretive phenomenological analysis, involving first-cycle, transition, and second cycle coding, was used to identify themes. SWs’ experiences indicated a need for a clear definition of resilience, and needs of young children, including EC programs that develop psychological resilience of children’s thoughts and an increase in adults to promote resilience. Additional research may expand and enhance educators’ and families’ understanding of resilience and help develop research-based preventive programs and strategies to foster psychological resilience in young children. These endeavors may enhance positive social change by adding components of psychological resilience to EC programs for school personnel and students and in parent/family workshops, which may result in sound mental health practices that enable them to become productive members of society.

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Bland, C., and Cathy Galyon Keramidas. "Effective Teaching for Inclusive Early Childhood Classrooms." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2015. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/523.

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Lange, Alissa A., Irena Nayfeld, and Hagit Mano. "The Effects of an Early Childhood Stem Professional Development Model on Coaching Effectiveness." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2018. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/4187.

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Burks, Tanisha M. "Experiences that Inform the Development of Pre-Kindergarten Leaders in Virginia." Thesis, The George Washington University, 2018. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10743609.

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Research in the area of early childhood has confirmed that children accessing high-quality programs lead to better outcomes in kindergarten as well as later in life (Committee for Economic Development, 2006; Frabutt & Waldron, 2013; Hudson, 2014; Stewart, 2015; Temple & Reynolds, 2007). The factors highlighted in research contributing to these outcomes have included teacher effectiveness and classroom quality (Armor, 2014; Fernandez, 2010; Ryan, Whitebook, Kipnis, & Sakai, 2011). One factor missing from current research and policy is the role of the early childhood leader. The purpose of this basic interpretive qualitative study is to gain insights into how early childhood leaders’ experiences have shaped their understanding of leadership, focusing specifically on directors from licensed early childhood programs in Northern Virginia. The central research question guiding this inquiry is: What are the experiences of pre-kindergarten leaders in licensed pre-kindergarten programs in Northern Virginia that inform their development as a leader? Three sub questions are also included: What led an individual to become a pre-kindergarten leader? What has influenced the leadership philosophies of pre-kindergarten leaders? What has influenced the current leadership practices utilized by pre-kindergarten leaders? Data from interviews, walkthroughs, and document analyses with seven directors from early childhood centers in Northern Virginia were examined. Through this process, five themes emerged: generational influences, collegial influences, past work experience, environmental influences, and leadership characteristic and behaviors. Three conclusions were built upon these themes to address the research questions. First, participants entered the field of early childhood due to generational influences with their child entering preschool or just by “falling into” the field. Once in the field, collegial influences encouraged participants to pursue the director position. Participants also rose through the ranks, by beginning as a volunteer or teachers’ aide, becoming a teacher, and then ultimately becoming a director. Second, a director’s philosophies were reinforced through the media as well as professional organizations. Finally, a director’s practices were informed through collegial influences, past experiences, and environmental influences.

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Hale, Kimberly D. "Supporting New Teachers in the Field of Early Childhood Education." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2003. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/7037.

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Seitz, Hilary Jo. "Parent-teacher collaborations in emergent curriculum development in two early childhood classrooms." Diss., The University of Arizona, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/280203.

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The purpose of this study was to examine the role that parents take in the development of the emergent curriculum in early childhood classrooms influenced by the philosophy of Reggio Emilia schools. I conducted this teacher research study in my preschool classroom and in another private preschool that follows a similar philosophy. Both preschool programs are accredited by the NAEYC; both preschool programs follow practices associated with the philosophy of Reggio Emilia, including building on the children's interests by using an emergent curriculum; and both schools encourage parents to participate. My close ties with each preschool allowed me access in ways that would not have otherwise been possible. To learn how parents are protagonists in early childhood classrooms, ones influenced by the schools of Reggio Emilia, I observed six parent participants in the two preschool classrooms (three at each site) during a four-month period. I also interviewed each of these six parents and interviewed six teachers from the two sites regarding their parent involvement practices and their use of the emergent curriculum. The data analysis led to a greater understanding of how parents are involved in early childhood programs. The analysis showed how parents influence the emergent curriculum, and how they perceive the process. The analysis also shared the teachers' perceptions of parents in the early childhood classroom specifically in emergent curriculum development. This analysis is from data collected from parent participants and teacher participants of the two preschools. Case studies offered an in-depth portrayal of two parents and how they influenced the emergent curriculum and how they were protagonists in their children's school life. This study has allowed me to become more aware of how parents influence the emergent curriculum and how parents and teachers perceive the process.

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Terrell, LaTrenda. "Head Start Teacher Professional Development on Language Modeling and Children's Language Development: A Sequential Mixed Methods Design." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 2017. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd/590.

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Poverty is known to affect many areas of life for poor children, particularly young children’s language development. To address language development issues as well as other educational needs, the Head Start Program was created. The purpose of this sequential mixed-methods study was to describe the professional development experiences of Head Start teachers on language modeling. In addition, this study sought to explore teachers’ views on language modeling and the activities they find most effective to support student learning. Analysis of the data revealed that teachers wanted more training and workshops, to be paired with a mentor/coach, pay raises for achieving higher education, strategies for working with children, and encouragement from administration to effectively achieve their professional development plans and goals. Additionally, teachers demonstrated an understanding of the importance of language modeling for children to build vocabulary, to improve school readiness goals, and to communicate and express their needs. Finally, teachers felt very strongly that they use frequent conversations, wait for student responses during conversations, use back and forth conversations, encourage peer conversations, use more than one word as well as a variety of words to support children’s language development. Findings from this study may be utilized to provide the necessary support teachers need to improve their language modeling skills and to help programs in their planning and evaluation of an ongoing professional development model. This study adds to the literature on bridging the gap between learning about practices and using them in the classroom to improve children’s language development by including teacher voices into their professional development and how to effectively implement coaching practices to promote teacher knowledge and skills.

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Fox, Lise, Carol M. Trivette, and Denise P. Blinder. "OSEP Professional Development Grants: Preparing for the 21st Century Early Childhood Leaders and Practitioners." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2015. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/4441.

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Programwide implementation uses implementation science to provide the supports needed so all practitioners can use DEC recommended practices to improve child outcome. Participants will learn the process of programwide implementation, tools, and strategies they can use and how programwide implementation occurs within classroom and home visiting programs.

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Facun-Granadozo, Ruth. "Fostering Language (and Literacy) Development Among Infants and Toddlers." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2017. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/4339.

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Gomez, Celia J. "Exploring Intergenerational Effects of Education: A Mixed-Methods Approach to Understanding Mothers’ Educational Pursuits and Their Young Children’s Development." Thesis, Harvard University, 2016. http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:27112713.

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The positive relationship between parental education and children’s educational outcomes is one of the most well established connections in the developmental literature. However, nearly all of this research treats parent education as static across a child’s development. Estimates from the 2008-2009 Survey of Income and Program Participation suggest that nearly 2 million low-income parents were engaged in some form of continued education that year. Given this, it is critical to understand parents’ experiences in school, as well as the relationship between child development and parent education, as the latter changes over time. In this two-study dissertation, drawing broadly from ecological theories of development, I used quantitative and qualitative methods with multiple datasets to explore the relationship between mothers’ attainment of additional education and their young children’s development. In Study 1, I used data from a national sample of low-income families with young children to test whether there is a relationship between the development of children’s cognitive skills between the ages of 3 and 7 and mothers’ attainment of additional education. Based on individual growth modeling analyses, I found a positive relationship between maternal educational attainment and children’s early writing and mathematics skills. In addition, children appeared to benefit more when their mothers attained additional education after children had transitioned to elementary school. For children’s mathematics skills only, the positive relationship between children’s growth trajectories and mothers’ attainment of additional education was largest in magnitude for children whose mothers had the lowest levels of education at baseline. In Study 2, I employed grounded-theory methods and longitudinal qualitative interviews from a different sample of low-income mothers (with preschool-aged children) to understand mothers’ motivation for pursuing additional education while raising a young child. I found that women’s motivation to pursue, or not to pursue, additional education was related to their caregiving responsibilities, and their personal goals, in contradictory and complementary ways. Specifically, the need to provide and care for their children simultaneously pushed mothers towards, and pulled them away from, additional schooling. However, women were also motivated to pursue schooling by their desire for intellectual growth and personal fulfillment. The extent to which women articulated these personal motivations may be related to their success in pursuing additional education.

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Ascetta, Kate Elisabeth. "The Features of Effective Online Professional Development for Early Childhood Educators." Thesis, University of Oregon, 2017. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10608077.

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The purpose of this current study was to examine the effect of a preschool teacher intervention around the use self-monitoring and the online learning modules. The interventions were delivered online using: online learning modules that provided exemplars of the operationally defined instructional language supports. The study included 12 Head Start classrooms, with 21 lead and assistant teachers who were randomly assigned to one of two treatment conditions: (a) graphed feedback based on self-reported data, or (b) written feedback based on performance data from videos. An experimental research design was conducted to evaluate the treatment effects for teachers and children (n = 107). The results suggested that regardless of condition, the majority of teachers increased their total frequency of language facilitation strategies. Additionally, the results suggest that teachers’ receptive vocabulary skills and their role in the classroom (lead or assistant) may mediate the effect of the professional development intervention.

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Nyarambi, Arnold, and Esther Ntuli. "A Study of Early Childhood Development Teachers’ Experiences in Zimbabwe: Implications to Early Intervention and Special Education." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2020. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/8221.

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This study examined Early Childhood Development (ECD) teachers’ perceptions of ECD programs regarding benefits and opportunities for early intervention. Research indicates that young children with developmental delays and disabilities demonstrate better progress when intervention is offered early and in inclusive classrooms. A mixed method design was used to collect data from a purposeful sample of 81 ECD teachers in Chipinge district, in Zimbabwe. Both descriptive and regression analysis methods were used for data analysis. Findings indicated that there was a general lack of in-depth knowledge, and most teachers did not follow developmentally appropriate curriculum. Threats and challenges included: lack of knowledge and assessments to diagnose developmental delays, disabilities, as well as lack of developmentally and culturally relevant teaching materials. Regression analysis indicated that age, experience, location, and training are important variables explaining perceived benefits of ECD. This study offers research-based ways to address challenges and threats to effective ECD programs.

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Sharpley, Jennifer. "An investigation into the implementation of early childhood development policy in early childhood centres (A study of the Fisantekraal, northern district, Cape Town, South Africa)." University of the Western Cape, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/11394/4205.

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Masters in Public Administration - MPA
The White Paper on Education and training defines ECD as the process by which children 0 – 9 grow and thrive in all respects. The main focus of ECD’s is to ensure that children are thriving, by providing a solid foundation for physical, emotional, cognitive and overall healthy development of children (UNICEF, 2005). Therefore a critical factor for educational achievement is access to ECD. In redressing the exclusion of the past in ECD the equity enshrined in the white paper on Education and training (1995) and the Reconstruction and development program (RDP) suggest that government act as the key agent for ‘levelling the playing field’ . This would greatly benefit the historically disadvantaged children which are the majority within South Africa (Department Basic Education, 2001). The challenge is to establish in which way the playing field are bring levelled to increase ascertain ECD programs for all children in general, and poor children in particular. Thus the implementation of quality programs becomes a matter of urgency (UNICEF, 2005). Many ECD centres have been established around the world and in South Africa, very few studies have been conducted concerning the implementation of government policy in terms of ECD centres. As stated in the Convention on the Right of the Child and the African charter on the Rights and the welfare of the child. The South African constitutions in regard to Act 108 of 1996 include the Bill of Rights, with policies and plans that are in one place to ensure that the rights of children in the Early Childhood Developmental stage are met (Child institute, 2007/2008). This research investigates the implementation of government ECD policy in the three sectors of government policy which need to be adhered to. Namely the criteria stipulated by the Educational Department, Social Development as well as the Department of Health. The study shall ascertain whether these policies are indeed being implemented. New ECD programs include the ECD integrated Plan with a focus on parent education, in addition to Expanded Public Works Program which also includes the training of parents (Biersterker & Kvalsig, 2007 :pp 1200). The research objectives are namely to examine the implementation of ECD policy which covers all three departments that of; Education, Social Development and Health. To develop a legislative and conceptual framework to underpin the study Identify challenges and opportunities from primary data and draw conclusions Make recommendations Specific research questions addresses in this study: •To determine what processes are in place to ensure effective and efficient implementation of the ECD policy. •To ascertain what specific challenges are faced by ECD centres staff during the implementation of policy. •The relevance of the policies to the intended Institutions. A qualitative study method shall be adopted. The instrument (questionnaire) will be issued to participants namely head/principal or teacher in charge of ECD centres. The questionnaire shall be followed up with a focus group, which shall include head of ECD’s as well as active parents from communities/governing bodies. The researcher undertakes the responsibility of providing and examining the level of competences. The researcher shall be responsible in conducting the research, with integrity and maintain honesty and fairness at all times. The participants are assured that the information shared during the discussions would be used solely for the study and no other publications. The researcher shall uphold the right for any participant to withdraw from the process if they no longer wish to participate. Only respondents who provide consent to being a part of this process shall participate.

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Lange, Alissa A., and Hebbah El-Moslimany. "Early Childhood STEM Professional Development to Improve Outcomes for Educators and Children." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2017. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/4191.

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Chong, Betty Haw. "Early childhood gifted education : relationship of screening tests with measured intelligence /." free to MU campus, to others for purchase, 2000. http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/mo/fullcit?p9974616.

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Heisner, Mary J. "Meeting the Professional Development Needs of Early Childhood Teachers with Child Development Associate Training." Digital Archive @ GSU, 2008. http://digitalarchive.gsu.edu/epse_diss/50.

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This study examined the impact of Child Development Associate (CDA) training on the beliefs and self-reported practices of early childhood teachers (N = 126) using a pre-post mixed-methods research design. Preschool teachers who were enrolled in CDA classes (n=76) and a comparison group of teachers (n = 50) completed two surveys of beliefs and self-reported practices: the Teacher Beliefs and Practices Survey: 3- to 5-Year-Olds (TBPS) (Burts, Buchanan, & Benedict, 2001) and the Early Childhood Survey of Beliefs and Practices (ECSBP) (Marcon, 1988, 1999). Repeated measures Multiple Analyses of Variance indicated teachers who had completed CDA training became significantly more developmentally appropriate on measures of beliefs and self-reported practices than a comparison group who did not attend CDA training. The CDA teachers held significantly fewer inappropriate beliefs and reported fewer inappropriate practices after training than the comparison group. Results suggest that the TBPS was a more sensitive measure than the ECSBP of beliefs and self-reported practices for these early childhood teachers, most of whom had no formal education. The decrease in developmentally inappropriate beliefs and self-reported practices on the TBPS subscales illustrates the importance of measuring not only increases in appropriate beliefs and self-reported practices but also decreases in inappropriate beliefs and self-reported practices. The Constant Comparative Method was used to organize and analyze the observation and interview data of the four case study participants. Three themes emerged which describe the effect of CDA training on the beliefs and self-reported practices of these teachers: Reflection on current practices describes the teacher who seemed to be actively considering how the material presented in the CDA training fit with her implicitly held beliefs and current practices. Confirmation of developmentally appropriate practices describes the teacher whose existing developmentally appropriate beliefs were reinforced by the training. Superficial changes describes two teachers who gained ideas for activities in the training but revealed no change in beliefs. This study suggests that CDA training decreases the developmentally inappropriateness of beliefs and self-reported practices of early childhood teachers. A change that past research suggests will ultimately impact classroom quality. Influences such as concurrent training, program requirements, and implicitly held beliefs may moderate the extent to which new concepts are accepted and existing practices are changed.

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Lindemer, Candace L. "The Development of a Rating Scale to Measure the Quality of Preschool Literacy Environments-A Valdity Study." University of Akron / OhioLINK, 2006. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1144085177.

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Dannenberg, Sally. "Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation Early Childhood Initiative Grant /." Menomonie, WI : University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2006. http://www.uwstout.edu/lib/thesis/2006/2006dannenbergs.pdf.

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Barrios, Alia. "Ideas about Interpersonal Conflicts and Moral Development in Brazilian Early Childhood Education." Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, 2016. http://repositorio.pucp.edu.pe/index/handle/123456789/102646.

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This paper presents part of a study of moral development conducted in a public early education school in Brasília, Brazil. A sociocultural constructivist perspective was employed to analyze the ideas of nine educators about the role of interpersonal conflict in moral development. Educators provided information about the pedagogical strategies they use to intervene in conflicts. Results show the dominance of a negative view of the conflict and the need for changes in this perspective due to the role that interpersonal conflicts play in building moral values and social skills that enable a harmonious and democratic coexistence.
Este artículo presenta parte de un estudio sobre desarrollo moral realizado en una institución pública de Educación Infantil de Brasilia desde la perspectiva sociocultural constructivista, en el que fueron analizadas las concepciones de nueve educadores sobre el papel de los conflictos interpersonales en el desarrollo moral, a través de su elaboración discursiva y de las estrategias pedagógicas usadas para intervenir en situaciones de conflicto. Los resultados mostraron el predominio de una visión negativa del conflicto por parte de los educadores, así como la necesidad de cambios en esa visión en función de la importancia de los conflictos interpersonales para la construcción de valores morales y de habilidades sociales que permitan la convivencia armónica y democrática.
O presente artigo apresenta parte de um estudo sobre desenvolvimento moral realizado numa instituição pública de Educação Infantil de Brasília-DF, Brasil. No estudo, realizado a partir da perspectiva sociocultural construtivista, foram analisadas as concepções de nove educadores sobre o papel dos conflitos interpessoais no desenvolvimento moral, através de sua elaboração discursiva e das estratégias pedagógicas usadas para intervir em situações de conflito. Os resultados mostram o predomínio de uma visão negativa do conflito por parte dos educadores, assim como a necessidade de mudanças nessa visão em função da importância dos conflitos interpessoais para a construção de valores morais e de habilidades sociaisque permitam uma convivência harmônica e democrática.

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McCannell, Alexandera. "Teaching the intangible : how early childhood teacher education instructors "teach" relational development." Thesis, University of British Columbia, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/56225.

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This thesis set out with the research question, “How are relationships framed, valued, taught and assessed by early childhood educator program instructors in British Columbia?” I conducted six group interviews and five individual interviews with instructors and directors, respectively, at public and private institutions around British Columbia. Using narrative analysis, I constructed a composite instructor character and a composite student instructor character and, using Ollerenshaw and Creswell’s (2002) problem-solution strategy, analyzed the characters during a chronological school year to illustrate tensions that arose at specific points. Overall, instructors frame relationships as foundational in the Early Childhood Educator Program. I draw parallels between the struggle to support adult students while being responsible to children and the balance between pedagogical and andragogical principles. Modeling and engaging in authentic professional relationships with students were the most effective tools for teaching relational development. Instructors engaged in an editing process to ensure that their actions reflected their beliefs, but were still professional. They noted that relational skills can be difficult to assess, and that they cannot assess a student’s willingness to use appropriate skills when needed. In the discussion, I trace the findings back to the purpose and questions for the research. I draw lines between instructors’ discursive constructions of students and Langford’s (2007) Good ECE, and examine the small but distinct cluster of instructors who spoke of the reconceptualising movement and its bearing on a teacher education program.
Education, Faculty of
Graduate

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Broderick, Jane Tingle, and Seong Bock Hong. "Introducing the Cycle of Inquiry System: A Reflective Inquiry Practice for Early Childhood Teacher Development." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2011. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/4473.

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The Cycle of Inquiry (COI) is a tool for emergent curriculum planning and for professional development of early childhood teachers and teacher education students. The COI includes a sequence of five organizational forms connecting analysis of documentation data with intentional planning for long-term emergent inquiry inspired by the Reggio Emilia Approach. The authors discuss and analyze the COI System through examination and analysis of the work of a student in a university early childhood teacher preparation program. Through this case study, the authors explore (1) whether a preservice teacher can learn to use the COI form-driven process to plan and facilitate emergent curriculum and (2) whether a mentor can scaffold and assess the development of an inservice or preservice teacher using the teacher’s COI documentation. The authors also describe ongoing research into use of the COI System and outline potential directions for future research.

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Sharp, L. Kathryn. "Social Development and Literacy for Pre-K." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2015. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/4287.

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Yates, Shari. "California Community Colleges Child Development Laboratory Schools." Thesis, Brandman University, 2015. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=3670462.

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Community colleges in California are the primary source for preparing the early childhood care and education (ECE) workforce. The California child development lab school mission is to prepare ECE practitioners, provide a laboratory where college students can study and research child development/education, and offer a service to children and families. There are many benefits that are derived from laboratory schools but many community college lab schools have been reduced and/or closed over the past three years. The purposes of this Delphi study were (a) to examine the most pressing issues, problems and barriers facing California community colleges child development labs schools; (b) rate the importance of the issues, problems, and barriers identified; and (c) elicit experts' recommendations for the most viable solutions to help California child development laboratory programs maintain viability. A Delphi method was utilized procuring a panel of ECE experts that identified and rated the most pressing issues, problems and barriers, and generated viable solutions for California child development laboratory schools' viability. The key statistical processes used in this Delphi research were measures of central tendency and measures of dispersion. The ECE experts recommended solutions to increase a greater understanding of early childhood care and education, allow more support, and secure more financial assistance for the lab schools. A comprehensive infrastructure approach of government, policymakers, and community college leaders is required for California community college child development lab schools' viability. The data gathered from this study develops five potential benefits for laboratory schools including: (1) providing rationale for policy construction regarding statewide community college lab programs; (2) deciphering the most pressing problems and barriers that California community college child development laboratories are facing; (3) soliciting solutions to maintain viability for child development lab programs; (4) contributing to the development of statewide recognition and possibly legislation on funding sources for California community college child development laboratories; and (5) ensuring the survival of California community college child development laboratory schools.

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Madigan, Dara Michelle. "The relationship between early childhood professional development, quality of care, and children's developmental outcomes." Kansas State University, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/2097/17683.

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Master of Science
Department of Family Studies and Human Services
Bronwyn Fees
An increased focus on school readiness in recent years has placed more attention on the importance of quality early care and education settings for children ages 3 to 5 years. The first five years of a child’s life represent a crucial period for development, and care settings impact children’s outcomes in a variety of domains. Preparation of teachers in order to provide a high-quality level of care that supports positive outcomes for children is critical. This report assesses the current state of the literature on effective professional development for early childhood professionals (primarily those working center-based settings with children ages 3 to 5 years), specifically as it relates to improved outcomes for children in the areas of social-emotional competence and language and literacy development. Methods for adult learning are also reviewed and recommendations for appropriate models of professional development based upon this review are provided. It is recommended that specific aspects within models of professional development be reviewed further to determine more concrete predictors in terms of what is effective for adult learning and application of concepts. It also is recommended that early care and education providers take part in professional development activities that have an added level of support and feedback, such as coaching, to assist in improving instructional practices to impact developmental outcomes in targeted areas, such as literacy.

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Brenneman, Kimberly, Alissa A. Lange, and Irena Nayfeld. "Integrating STEM into Preschool Education; Designing a Professional Development Model in Diverse Settings." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2018. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/3906.

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High quality early childhood education and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning have gained recognition as key levers in the progress toward high quality education for all students. STEM activities can be an effective platform for providing rich learning experiences that are accessible to dual language learners and students from all backgrounds. To do this well, teachers need professional development on how to integrate STEM into preschool curricula, and how to design experiences that support the dual language learners in the classroom. To address this need, a professional development model was designed to empower preschool educators to provide rich, high-quality STEM learning experiences, with particular emphasis on working in schools serving children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. This model was created based on best practices in adult learning and teacher professional development, on developmentally appropriate STEM concepts and teaching interactions, and in collaboration with educators to design professional supports that were responsive to their needs. We worked in under-resourced communities in a North East state in the United States to design a model that is culturally appropriate, and that is flexible enough to be implemented within any curricula and with a variety of materials. In this article, we outline the main components and the iterative design process we undertook to ensure that the professional supports are relevant and effective for teachers and children. Finally, the article presents feedback from educators who participated in the design and implementation of the model, as well as discussion of how our process can inform other teacher educators and those interested in promoting early STEM in diverse preschool settings.

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Devitt, Suzanne E. "The Influence of Student Poverty on Preschool Teachers' Beliefs about Early Literacy Development, School Readiness, and Family Involvement." Thesis, Concordia University Irvine, 2017. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10275588.

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According to the National Center for Child Poverty, in 2011 nearly half of the 72 million children in the U.S. were living in low-income families. Through this study, the author examined the effect that student poverty has on teachers’ beliefs about student print knowledge including school readiness and print literacy. Teachers’ beliefs were explored using a social justice framework that surrounds an explanatory sequential design. This mixed methods research helped me to identify whether or not teachers’ beliefs about students differ based on family socio-economic status (SES). The author of this study worked with a large urban school district located in the California Central Valley. The school district administers a Head Start preschool program and a California State preschool program. A total of 89 preschool teachers from these preschool programs participated in a Likert-style questionnaire. Participants were asked to share their beliefs about student print knowledge, school readiness, and parental involvement based on their 2016-2017 students. After collecting all questionnaires, 10 participants were interviewed to further investigate the effect of poverty on teacher’s beliefs about students and families. The overall findings of this study showed that poverty level thresholds between the two preschool programs did not appear to have an effect on participant’s beliefs regarding student print literacy, school readiness, and parental involvement. Participants were consistent in beliefs across both programs. Overall, participants were more positive in the areas of school readiness and parent involvement. Participants in both preschool programs were less positive in regards to student print literacy.

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Demoville, Kathryn Lee. "The inclusion of parents in early childhood language and behavior development." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 2005. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/2925.

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The purpose of this study was to determine what language and behavior changes occur when parents are included in a curriculum that provides intervention for children with language delays and behavior and social delays. This project was a collaborative effort between the Early Intervention Special Education Program for three-five year old children in the school distrtict, and the County of Riverside, Department of Mental Health Services.

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Colonna, Nicole. "Impact of play on social development among two and three year olds in an early childhood center /." Staten Island, N.Y. : [s.n.], 2005. http://library.wagner.edu/theses/education/2005/thesis_edu_2005_colon_impac.pdf.

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Lange, Alissa A. "Exploring a Preschool STEM Professional Development Approach in the Context of the Garden." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2018. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/4686.

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Lynberg, Jennifer R. "Teachers and Their Perceptions About Adaptive Skill Training Within an Early Childhood Comprehensive Development Classroom for Students with Intellectual Disabilities." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2018. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/3386.

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This dissertation investigated teacher perceptions about adaptive skill training within an early childhood comprehensive development classroom for students with intellectual disabilities. The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding about adaptive skills from a teacher's perspective. The aims of the study were to help educators understand the role of comfort level, importance of adaptive skills, planning for adaptive skills, and connecting adaptive skills to an academic outcome. A quantitative, cross-sectional design was used, and an online survey was completed by 254 special education teachers. The participants that completed the survey were 93% female and on average had 14 years of teaching experience. The survey gathered teachers' opinions about adaptive skills. It was reported that teachers felt adaptive skills were important to teach in the classroom environment. The teachers also reported that toileting was the most important adaptive skill. The survey also found that teachers explicitly teach adaptive skills on a daily basis. The survey also revealed that instruction might improve if access to a structured curriculum was more readily available and age appropriate. It was reported that there were very limited opportunities for educators to attend professional development about adaptive skills. These findings communicated that adaptive skills seem to be important to educators, and the lack of availability for structured curriculums should be addressed to further meet the needs of students with intellectual disabilities.

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Trivette, Carol M. "Extending Your PD Reach: Professional Development Strategies That Help Change Classroom Practices." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2017. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/4433.

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This presentation will describe an evidence-based approach to professional development that will help deliver strong knowledge content and make changes in classroom practices. During this session, participants will discuss strategies they use to extend the impact of their PD on classroom practices; as well as help create and assess new strategies.

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Strang, Tara Muratore. "Examining Quality in a State Rating and Improvement System: A Propensity Score Analysis of Children’s Literacy Development." The Ohio State University, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1493647931641082.

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McAuliffe, Sharon. "The development of preservice teachers’ content knowledge for teaching early algebra." Thesis, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11838/1975.

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A Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the degree Doctor of Education Faculty of Education and Social Sciences Mowbray Campus Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2013
The purpose of this study was to understand the development of preservice teachers’ knowledge for teaching early algebra as a result of an early algebra course and teaching practicum. Preservice teachers enter teacher education with a diversity of school experiences of learning algebra which usually involves a high degree of procedural understanding. This study argues the importance of preservice teachers having the experience and opportunity to develop both conceptual and procedural understanding of the mathematics they will teach. The research was based on a case study, using qualitative methodologies and framed within an interpretive paradigm. It included a group of third year preservice teachers studying for a Bachelor of Education degree in the General Education and Training (GET) band. The early algebra course, known as Maths 2, was designed to develop knowledge for teaching early algebra and to build mathematical proficiency through participation in a professional learning community. The design and content of the course were guided by Ball’s mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKfT) model and the choice of early algebra as functional thinking aligned with the goals of the Revised National Curriculum for Mathematics (RNCS) and the more recent Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) in the mathematics content area: patterns, functions and algebra. The preservice teachers’ development of knowledge for teaching early algebra was identified through their manifestations of knowledge for teaching early algebra. These manifestations were illustrated by preservice teachers’ verbal and written responses from lesson reflections, questionnaires as well as video recordings of selected lessons. Focus group interviews were used to investigate the role of the early algebra course (Maths 2) in developing preservice teachers’ knowledge for teaching early algebra. The findings indicate that preservice teachers developed both common content knowledge (CCK) and specialised content knowledge (SCK) for teaching early algebra. Their responses indicated a growing awareness of the development of their mathematical knowledge for teaching through their own experiences of a richer and connected algebra and through guided support and reflection in the process of learning and teaching.

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Fischer, Lauren D. "Development of interpersonal skills through collaboartive artmaking curriculum." Thesis, Mills College, 2013. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=1538511.

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The purpose of this study was to examine how collaborative artmaking activates and supports the development of interpersonal skills in young children. By means of a qualitative case study, this study explored how collaborative art projects engage children in using problem-solving, cooperation, and negotiation skills. Data were collected through observation of small groups of preschool children as they participated in collaborative art projects. Field notes, videotaping, small group interviews, and conversations with colleagues were the primary methods for data collection. The data were analyzed using the literature from the Reggio Emilia philosophy and research on collaborative artmaking and interpersonal skills development. Thematic groupings from both deductive and inductive coding techniques were used to analyze the data and draw inferences about the findings. Results show that children co-construct knowledge through the visual language of art during collaborative artmaking. Over time, this construction supports children in their interpersonal skill development. The art medium used in the projects and the role of teacher were examined, revealing how the children were supported in developing problem-solving, cooperation, and negotiation skills. This study makes an important contribution to the literature because it draws connections between collaborative artmaking and interpersonal skill development.

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Grebe, Julie M. "Parents' Understanding of Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Education." Thesis, University of North Texas, 1999. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc2192/.

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The intent of this study was to determine what understanding and knowledge parents had of developmentally appropriate practice (DAP). The study examined whether the beliefs of parents who enrolled their children in a National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) accredited program had any impact on their expectations for a philosophy and curriculum that is centered around DAP. In addition, the study examined whether parents' understanding of DAP changed when their children transitioned from infant and toddler programs, to preschool. The study group consisted of parents with children in two privately owned NAEYC accredited centers in 1998 (N=131). Results from parent reports indicated a high level of parent knowledge regarding DAP.

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Sandefur, Sarah Jo. "Beyond "Sesame Street": Early literacy development in educational television programs from Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States." Diss., The University of Arizona, 1995. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/187434.

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This study addresses the potential of preschool educational television programs to contribute to the literacy development of young children. Unlike the vast majority of television-related research undertaken in the United States, this examination is not limited to nationally-produced programming, but looks to other English-speaking countries for an international perspective on the problems and possibilities of literacy series developed for young children. Ten preschool educational television programs from Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States are examined via a videotape content analysis to determine the literacy potential of these program "texts." The literacy potential of children's broadcast texts has been determined within a broad framework of holistic language and learning theories developed by such researchers as Cambourne, Dewey, Eisner, Goodman, Harste, Holdaway, Rosenblatt, Smith, Vygotsky, and others. By composing a narrative of each sample episode; analyzing each program's use of visual, formic, and linguistic codes; constructing an argument for the applicability of holistic theories to television texts; and ultimately examining each sample episode through a holistic lens, a view of literacy-directed programming as it presently exists in four English-speaking countries is developed. The findings suggest that holistic learning principles applied to television texts hold great potential in providing valuable literacy-focused television events to children. Elements in the sample programs such as thematic integrity, explorations of ideas and concepts through sign systems, emphasis on child participation, language and ethnic diversity, regular inclusion of print on the screen from a variety of quality children's literature, and frequent inclusion of literacy events with children and adults demonstrated holistic principles in the sample episodes and contributed to the literacy potential of preschool programming. Characteristics of the episodes such as randomness, isolation of language subsystems from language wholes, failure to present literacy demonstrations, and exclusion of children from the visual text suggested ineffective television texts from which children had little opportunity to construct meaning. Concluding remarks explore the development of a prototypical holistic television program for preschoolers and suggest the benefits of such broadcast programs for children, their parents, media researchers/producers, and educators.

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Yelverton, Rita. "Pathways to Kindergarten Growth: Synthesizing Theories of the Kindergarten Transition to Support Children's Development." PDXScholar, 2018. https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds/4394.

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The transition into Kindergarten is a critical time for children's development--children's patterns of academic development and engagement with school often start in Kindergarten and persist throughout their academic careers. This is a developmental period that is marked by many changes in children's lives, and therefore it is not a surprise that many children struggle during this transition. These struggles are more common for children who are living in poverty, and although there have been national initiatives to address opportunity gaps in access to early education, investigations into the effectiveness of these programs in promoting children's Kindergarten development have shown mixed results. It is therefore essential to identify the types of early education experiences that are effective in supporting children in having a smooth Kindergarten transition. This dissertation presents and evaluates six theoretical frameworks that can be used to understand the Kindergarten transition. The school readiness approach to the Kindergarten transition focuses on the ways in which children's Kindergarten-entry skills can lead to their own development during Kindergarten. The Pre-K launch model examines the role of high-quality Pre-K in boosting children's school readiness, and subsequently their development during Kindergarten. The classroom quality perspective describes the supportive qualities of Kindergarten classrooms that may aid in children's development across this transition. The continuity perspective shows that support for continuous high-quality instruction between Pre-K and Kindergarten systems may promote children's growth. The buffer/compensation model proposes that children with higher-quality Pre-K experiences are more resilient to the effects of lower-quality Kindergarten. Finally, the consistency model suggests that alignment of quality between Pre-K and Kindergarten may be beneficial for children regardless of whether that alignment represents high quality instructional practices. Each of these perspectives provides valuable insight into the Kindergarten transition; however, these theoretical perspectives have not been studied simultaneously to determine the extent to which all may play a role in children's development during the Kindergarten transition, particularly the development of children who are living in poverty. The current study used data from the National Center for Early Development and Learning's Multi-State Pre-kindergarten Study (NCEDL) to chart children's experiences in their Pre-K and Kindergarten classes to determine whether there are qualities of children's experiences before and throughout the Kindergarten transition that support their development during Kindergarten, and evaluated the extent to which these patterns support these major theoretical perspectives. The study found that children's Kindergarten-entry skills were the best predictors of their end-of-Kindergarten outcomes, showing support for the school readiness perspective. In the domain of instructional support, children's concurrent classroom experiences predicted their academic outcomes during a given year, showing support for the classroom quality framework. In the domain of emotional support, statistical effects of Kindergarten emotional support on children's outcomes were seen only under conditions in which Pre-K emotional support had also been high, showing conditional support for the continuity model. Consistency of children's emotional support, when controlling for quality, was negatively related to their social and emotional development, indicating that consistent emotional support alone is not beneficial without taking into account the quality of that emotional support. Associations between Pre-K quality and children's Kindergarten development were not translated through boosts in school readiness, indicating that while Pre-K experiences do matter for children's development during the Kindergarten transition, that relationship is not best described through a launch model. And finally, any benefits of higher quality emotional and instructional interactions during both Pre-K and Kindergarten were largely concentrated in the group of children who were not living in poverty, while higher Pre-K quality was at times related to lower Kindergarten outcomes for children who were living in poverty. Implications for future research and policy are discussed.

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Lange, Alissa A., and Kimberly Brenneman. "Effects of a STEM Preschool Professional Development Model on Teachers, Coaches, and Children." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2017. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/4194.

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Preschool STEM is important for later learning for all children, including dual language learners (DLLs). However the preschool workforce is generally not well prepared to teach STEM or to work with DLLs. The objectives of the SciMath-DLL professional development (PD) model are to increase preschool teacher knowledge and improve classroom instruction around science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), improve educators’ attitudes toward teaching STEM, enhance classroom supports for dual language learners (DLLs), and improve coaching. This paper reports on the effects of participation in SciMath-DLL workshops, individualized reflective coaching cycles (RCCs), and professional learning communities (PLCs) on educators and children in a qualitative design and development study. Future work will test effects experimentally.

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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Early childhood development and education'

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