Research Around the World

The website I decided to investigate over the past week is European Early Childhood Education Research Association (EECERA) (http://www.eecera.org/). It had a lot of information in many articles. Some of their research articles I wasn’t permitted to view (most recent studies), so I sort of just skimmed the titles and read the summaries for each article.  Some of the many research topics covered on this website were computer use, playing and learning in another language, teachers using “inviting” language in the classroom, changes in play, challenges for participatory research, language competence, behavioral training, and the list goes on. The one particular research article that caught my attention is Research with children: three challenges for participatory research in early childhood. I looked further into this article because in the course reading Doing Early Childhood Research it also discussed the challenges of working with children.  The study revolved around these three research questions:

Ø  Does using ‘participatory’ tools (such as cameras) necessarily engage children?

Ø  Does the adult research agenda inevitably change children’s experiences?

Ø  How does participatory research empower children?

Tools can distract children just like adults can. Adult researchers that enter the classroom are seen as adults and not other children, therefore affecting their behavior. It amused me by stating the idea that children could become research assistants and informants. Access to these participatory tools does affect children’s experiences. Because children can see cameras set up in their classroom, some children to act differently. Research does seem to empower children. It gives them a sense of having control of their classroom and the observer that in it.

References

http://www.eecera.org/

MacNaughton, G., Rolfe, S.A., & Siraj-Blatchford, I. (2010). Doing early childhood research: International perspectives on theory and practice (2^nd ed). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.

Waller, T. & Bitou, A. (2011). Research with children: three challenges for participatory research in early childhood. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 19(1), 5-20.

Research that Benefits Children and Families

When imagining what I would complete research on that would make a major contribution to the well-being of children and/or their families it was a pretty easy decision on what topic it would cover. Autism is a disorder that affects developmental and social skills in children. The first signs of autism usually are noticed in the first few years of life. Many studies have been conducted on autism to try to find the cause of it, but that remains to be determined. The spectrum of autism disorders have become wider and wider so it has become more and more common. In the 3 years that I have been an educator, there has been at least one child per grade level with some form of autism in class sizes of around 70-80 students. The major contributions that I would love for it to result in are finding the cause of autism and in return determining a cure for the disorder. Earlier detection and treatment of this disorder benefits children in the long run. So, noticing the early signs of it such as unusually strong tantrums, sensitivity to certain sounds and lights, little verbal communication, or withdrawing from physical contact with others is extremely important.

Resources

PubMed Health. (2010). Autism. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002494/

My Personal Research Journey

The topic I chose for the simulation is how much stressors in a child’s life can affect his or her academic achievement. I want to research this topic more because I know that many children in my classroom experience stressors every day. Some stressors are more severe than others. I haven’t researched this topic to my full extent yet, however I plan on doing so. I feel that if I can’t find enough information, that it would be a sign to change my topic of interest. Unfortunately, I have no experience in this simulation process, so I am worried that my topic is either too vague or not very specific. For those of you who have experience in this area, do you think the topic I have chosen will be sufficient enough? Please explain why or why not. Any feedback and insights will be extremely helpful!

Consequences of Learning

I learned a lot through the international website I visited as an alternative assignment for this course. Among the sites and programs I reviewed were the of the World Forum Foundation, Poverty Research and Policy Centre, Harvard University’s “Global Children’s Initiative”, and the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organizations (UNESCO). For instance, poverty isn’t just a problem in the United States. All around the world it is an issue, just in some places the number of those living in or under the poverty level are higher than other places. It seems it should be every nation’s goal to learn from others’ strategies to eliminate and lower poverty levels. Another consequence of learning about the early childhood field internationally is that societies are researching ways to better invest in early childhood. Countries are beginning to see that the more that is invested in children, the better outcomes in their lives they have developmentally, emotionally, and physically. More money is being spent on interventions and medical assistance for children who are need of them. Also, around the globe organizations are working towards creating more opportunities for children from low income families to be involved in quality childcare centers and programs.

A goal that I want to take upon myself is to make myself more knowledgeable about the issues involving children and education in my area. At the district I am employed at now, poverty is a main issue. The district itself is on a low budget, but offers its children the education they need to the best of their abilities. I would like to be involved more in the community also to assist children and families. Unfortunately, I amongst six other quality teachers were cut from the district’s budget for next school year. This just goes to show how school systems and programs lose some quality. They are forced to cut quality teachers and in return the child teacher ratio is affected. Any educator knows that the smaller the class size, the more individual attention students receive. All in all, I have gained much insight throughout this course and will continue my quest in gaining more knowledge about the different issues and trends in the early childhood field to become a better professional and educator.

Resources

http://www.childhoodpoverty.org/

http://developingchild.hardvard.edu/initiatives/global_intitiatve/
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/

Getting to Know your International Contancts--Part 3

I chose to do the alternative assignment since I never heard back from an international professional.  http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/ is the website of United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organizations  (UNESCO). This organization leads a global drive for an integrated early childhood care and education system that takes into consideration both the well-being and holistic development children. Their mission is, “To support early childhood policy development with the aim to build a solid foundation for a child’s lifelong learning.”

It discusses the different ways countries create opportunities for children from low income families to be involved in early childhood quality programs that are accessible for everyone. Quality programs serve children holistically. Research has shown that children from disadvantaged backgrounds benefit most from thes high-quality programs because they “promote motivation, confidence, good cognitive and linguistic development and school readiness”.  In these quality programs are experienced and professional staff members. These workers are in great numbers because they can be pre-school teachers, child care workers, or other early childcare workers. It also talks about how, now days, child care programs are putting a lot more emphasis formal schooling. These earliest types of programs focus on getting children ready for school and not just allowing them to investigate and learn through child centered activities. This website also consists of global news and different links to connect one to news throughout the world.

Resources

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/

Sharing Web Resources--Excellence and Equity

I continued to investigate the Zero to Three website. This week I researched information and links that involved early child care and education. The website has an entire section devoted to “Early Care and Education”. This section is divided into three parts: child care, family friend and neighbor care, and school readiness interactive birth-3. It does discuss issues related to this week’s theme-excellence and equity. Children spend the early years of their lives in the care of other adults that aren’t their parents. This care given by other adults should be high quality. High quality programs are loving, responsive, respect each child’s individuality, and are stimulating. It gives tips for parents on how to choose the best program for their children. The site encourages adults to go to the program and observe their interactions with children. Here is a list of questions parents should consider when choosing the best early childhood educational program?

ü  Do they respond to each child’s needs?

ü  Do they talk and interact with children consistently and effectively?

ü  Do they listen to each child and take into consideration their needs and ideas?

ü  What certification do the adults have in dealing with children?

ü  Is there a schedule posted within/outside the room?

ü  Are the toys and materials located where children can reach them safely? Are hazardous materials out of reach and placed in a safe place?

ü  Does the environment and caregivers accommodate children with special needs?

ü  Are each child’s language, culture, and values respected?

ü  What discipline policy is in place?

ü  Is the environment clean, safe, and appeasing?

ü  Does the teacher-child ratio seem acceptable for your child’s age group?

ü  Is it a licensed program?

ü  Would you feel comfortable leaving your child here for an extended period of time without you?

These questions will help guide parents in choosing a high quality program. This site also gives tips, examples of what consists of quality programs, and ways to prepare your young ones for preschool. Separating from parents can be a big deal for some children. Reassuring children that preschool, or any other early childhood program, is fun and exciting can help the process flow smoothly. It offers a variety of actions that parents can do in order to prepare their children for the big change in lifestyle. I don't have any children at this time, but this website would assist in choosing the correct program for my child and help me prepare me and my child for education outside my home.

Resource

http://www.zerotothree.org/early-care-education/

Getting to Know International Contacts--Part 2

I visited Harvard University’s “Global Children’s Initiative” website and learned a lot about their goals and priorities in early childhood education. The center’s main focuses are working on the discourse around child health and development, supporting research on childhood development, and building leadership around the world. They have different activities and projects pertaining to the early childhood field, including development, mental health, and children in crisis situations. This program doesn’t operate just in the United States, it operates around the world. Their aim is to improve the outcomes in children’s lives. In early childhood development area, they work globally with others to increase investments in early childhood and expand different interventions for children. These certain kinds of projects have been held in Zambia and Chile. In child mental health area, they focus on addressing gaps in knowledge and the causes of health problems. This research has been conducted in China and in Caribbean nations. In the children in crisis situations area, they focus on the outcomes of children who have experienced some sort of major conflict in life (major earthquakes, malnutrition). I have learned a lot about their efforts and research involving young children globally. The same issues we face in the early childhood field, are some of the same issues other nations face also. They work together with these other nations to try to resolve these issues.

Resource

http://developingchild.hardvard.edu/initiatives/global_intitiatve/