WEEK:8 Building Research Competencies 6163

When I think of Research....

When I think of research I envision research being essential for all young children, families and the people in the early childhood community.  Research gives us all a sense of what can thrive and what may not be so successful. 

I gained great insight from an article that I have read from the National Association of the Education of Young Children, when stated that “children benefit from research when it is used appropriately and thoughtfully.” 

I have learned from this course that there are “many different types 

of research”, (Mac Naughton 2010) and research can give unique 

information and knowledge about certain questions, concerns, and 

decisions that need to be made on behalf of  a study involving 

young children and their families.

Challenges that I may encounter while continuing to 

learn about research is the constant changes involving 

research studies and the evolving issues and trends.  

Staying current with valuable research is essential and can 

be challenging if the information is constantly changing.  I 

have learned that  when it comes to learning about research I 

will need to stay current with information regarding the young 

children and families in their community and 

“use research as a professional advantage to help and support others.”

I have learned that, “studying research and doing research 

encourages people to explore possibilities, to understand 

existing issues, and to reveal truths and formulate new ones” 

(Zarah 2016).  

I’ve also learned that, “without research and 

scientific investigation, other developments would have remained a fantasy. 

Reading, writing, observing, analyzing, and 

interacting with others make curious mind's quest for knowledge.  Research serves as an 

instrument to achieve that goal” (Zarah 2016).

As an early childhood teacher I have gained knowledge and wisdom about my role as a professional.  I have learned that quality teacher research is established from daily positive interactions with children and their families.  I have learned that children only benefit from research when it is used appropriately and thoughtfully.  As professional caregivers I believe that we have to stand up for all young children and families to make sure that all research studies involving the early childhood community is for the well-being of the participants in the study.

I would like to thank Dr. Todd and all my colleagues for such an interesting and informational course, I appreciate you time and dedication in helping me to gain additional wisdom knowledge  about research in the field of early childhood studies.  

   

References:

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

Zarah, Leann. (2016). Five Reasons Why Research is Important.  Retrieved from: owlcation.com/misc/Why-Research-is-Important-Within-and-Beyond-the-Academe

Week 5: Building Research Competency

Research Around The World

The international website that I chose to further study is the Early Childhood Australia, A voice for young children. 

The current topic that I explored is titled: 

The Transition to school

Early Childhood Australia has many print and online resources to assist parents, caregivers and educators in helping children make the transition from child care to preschool, and from preschool to school.

All links and resources on transitions to school have been quality-assured by Early Childhood Australia.

Starting school can be stressful for children. The buildings are bigger, there are more children and they are the smallest in the playground. There are fewer adults and more rules which they don’t know and for many the classroom will be more formal.

A successful first year of school is the foundation for:  children’s successful learning and strong school–parent relationship.

I have learned that:

Families all around the world promote many experiences and interactions to prepare children for school, including providing a range of resources, engaging in particular routines and interactions, and creating home learning environments that support children’s engagement in school.

Starting school is a time of change for children and for families, as they experience a specific set of demands and make adjustments to meet those demands.

Three levels of change during the transition to school have been identified (Griebel & Niesel, 2009): change at the individual level; the relationships level; and the contextual level.

Each of these changes impacts on how children and families experience the transition to school. Educators who are aware of these changes are well placed to create responsive and supportive educational environments for all involved in the transition to school.

Individual changes

Often, children are very clear about what changes they have made as they start school. The major change they report is that they are ‘big’ and now at ‘big school’.This change in identity is marked by the school uniform and children’s adaptation to the routines and expectations of school.

Parents also experience changes at the individual level as they become the ‘parents of a school student’. This identity change requires parents to adjust to a range of school expectations about attendance, uniform, possible involvement at school and homework. It is also a time when parents feel they are being judged—are they ‘good’ parents? Have they prepared their children well? Do they get them to school on time and in the correct uniform? Do their children ‘fit into’ the school environment?

Everyone involved in transition to school experiences changes at the relationship level. As children leave prior-to-school settings they, and their families, may lose contact with staff, children and other families from those settings. Some children start school with friends, but their friendship groups may change considerably as they adjust to school. For children with special education needs, and their families, the changes in relationships are often major, as prior-to-school support ceases and new relationships with new resource staff need to be built.

Relationship changes  As some relationships are lost, others are built between and among children, families and school staff. Building these relationships may require new strategies—for example, communicating with teachers at school can be different from communicating with educators in prior-to-school settings. Many parents also seek avenues to build relationships through parent councils, school canteen or volunteer class support. However, for many working parents, or parents who feel uncomfortable in school settings, these options may not always be available.

Relationships within families also change as children start school. For example, children often seek greater independence to match their changed status. At the same time, they may also seek greater support as they navigate the expectations of school. Many parents report mixed feelings as their children start school: often a sense of pride and achievement, coupled with a sense of loss as children move into different worlds beyond the family.

Contextual changes

When children start school, families need to coordinate school, family and work responsibilities. Making sure that children are at school at specific times may mean that schedules for other family members need to change. This can be quite challenging if different children attend different schools, or if work, family and school schedules conflict.

Additional Information:

Links For Parents

Your child’s first year at school: Getting off to a good start is the ideal book for parents facing the often

daunting task of navigating through the first year of school.  This book talks about what parents want to know as their child starts school, to make the first year a good experience for everyone.

Going to school: Starting school
Handy step-by-step advice for parents, from preparation and the first days of school, to settling in and dealing with separation pangs.

School readiness
A practical analysis of what school readiness means, including examples of children’s social and emotional maturity.

Starting school with a smile (PDF)
Important things children, parents and teachers can do together to prepare for school.

Starting school
A helpful list of things for parents to do with their children just prior to starting school and during the first few weeks.

References

Dockett, S., Perry, B., Kearney, E., Hampshire, A., Mason, J., & Schmied, V. (2011). Facilitating children’s transition to school from families with complex support needs. Retrieved 11 January, 2012, fromwww.csu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/154899/Facilitating-Childrens-Trans-School.pdf.

Griebel, W., & Niesel, R. (2009). A developmental psychology perspective in Germany: Co-construction of transitions between family and education system by the child, parents and pedagogues. Early Years, 29(1), 59–68.

Acknowledgement

This research was supported by the Australian Research Council Grant LP0669546.

Week 3: Research that Benefits Children and Families

RESEARCH SERVICES

Child Trends helps people from local service organizations and national policymakers—assess, manage, and improve programs and policies that affect children’s lives.  

Child Trends has a long history of bringing experts and leaders together for rigorous research-based examinations of critical issues facing children and youth.  

In doing so, Child Trends help set research agendas and inform policy and practice decisions that move the field forward.

Child Trends’ research is informed by five principles:

• Measure It
  Child Trends measures the well-being of children and youth with rigor and precision. They identify critical issues, spot emerging trends, and deepen the public’s understanding of the opportunities and challenges that face the nation’s young people. When existing data do not capture all of the important dimensions of children’s lives, they develop and test new measures that expand the nation’s knowledge.

• Understand it
  They seek to understand what factors threaten healthy youth development, and what factors promote or enhance it. They want to know which programs and policies work to the benefit or detriment of children and youth—and how to make them better.

• Prove It
  They evaluate programs and interventions, with several goals in mind: to improve services and outcomes; to build the evidence base that will inspire new innovations; to enhance accountability; and to help programs focus on what is best for children. Their evaluations are rigorous, collaborative, dynamic, and relevant to policy and programs. They recognize that new evidence and changing circumstances require revisions to program models and evaluation strategies.

• Scale It
  Programs use their research findings to expand effectively or to better allocate resources to provide the most benefit to children and youth. Their work also builds the evidence base necessary for the field to design new program models and adapt proven interventions to new populations. In an era of limited resources, founders and policymakers want to invest in programs that are evidence-based.

• Share It
  They recognize the importance of sharing the results of their research to practitioners, policymakers, funding organizations, and the public. They continuously publish and distribute research reports, briefs and E-News updates to communicate knowledge and insights on children, youth, and families. They also convene meetings and webinars to bring together experts to discuss the well-being of our children and youth.

1.  Child Trends study children at every stage of development—from infancy to early adulthood, and across all the important domains of their lives, including health, cognition, and social/emotional well-being. 
2. Child Trends  recognize the importance of family, child care, schools, clubs, and other settings in shaping and influencing children’s development and well-being.
3.  At Child Trends, it’s not enough to study an issue – they also want to share what they have learned with people who can use it to improve children’s lives.
4.  Child Trends  are scientists first and foremost. Their work is accepted across the ideological spectrum as unbiased and nonpartisan.
5.  Research, policy, and practice for this population often focus on avoiding negative outcomes. Child Trends applies a broader lens, pursuing knowledge of how to promote positive outcomes as well.

Positive Examples of the Effects of Research on Children and Families

Child Trends conducts research, analyzes data, and evaluates programs in virtually every area in the child welfare field. There areas of expertise include prevention of maltreatment, child protection, court oversight, foster care, kinship care, adoption, and youth leaving care. They work closely with practitioners and policymakers who rely on our research and advice to make positive change in child welfare systems.

Child Trends recently completed a comprehensive evaluation of the Wendy’s Wonderful Kids initiative, a program developed to promote adoption of children from foster care. In addition, the child welfare team is evaluating family finding programs across the country. They also conduct biennial state surveys examining the funding streams that support child welfare services.

CHILD WELFARE PROJECTS

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Evaluation of the Wendy’s Wonderful Kids Adoption Program

Child Trends was contracted by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption (DTFA) to conduct a rigorous, multi-year evaluation of Wendy’s Wonderful Kids (WWK), DTFA’s signature program focused on finding permanent families for waiting children in foster care. To evaluate the effectiveness of this child-focused approach, we carried out a randomized controlled trial in 25 WWK sites. Findings were initially released in 2011, and are summarized here: http://www.davethomasfoundation.org/about-foster-care-adoption/research/read-the-research.

Assessing how adopted foster youth fare as young adults

Child Trends, with funding from the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption (DTFA), is assessing the well-being of young adults who had been adopted after the age of eight. The study will identify and interview those who entered foster care after age eight and were adopted through Wendy’s Wonderful Kids (WWK), DTFA’s signature program that focuses on recruiting adoptive parents. Youth recruitment began in 2014, and the study is expected to last for 5 years.

References:

http://www.childtrends.org/our-research/projects/?t=261

Research to improve children's lives

© Copyright 2016 Child Trends – All Rights Reserved

Week 2: Building Research Competency

My Personal Research Journey

The topic that I would like to study and research is how to prepare young children and their families for the transition from preschool to kindergarten.  I want to explore this topic in hopes of being able provide and support all children and families with the experience of having a smooth and positive transition to the next level of education.  I recently read an article titled Preparing for Kindergarten Begins the Year Before (2016) and it stated that, “Whether your child is in preschool, daycare, or at home, the transition from early education program to kindergarten can be a stressful time for both parents and educators.  It is important to have tool and resources that can inform practice and guide children and families through the process” (Golembeski 2016).

The three subtopics that I selected are:

1.     Effective strategies for positive and supportive transitions and changes for young children and their families.

2.     Effective strategies for communicating with young children about getting ready for kindergarten.

3.  Effective strategies for introducing children and their families to their new school system, new rules and new routines.

I hope by researching these topics it will give me additional insight and knowledge about how to support young children and their parents transition to the next level of education.  I anticipate obtaining factual information regarding the importance of young children having the opportunity to prepare mentally and emotionally for this drastic change in their young lives.  I know that good and bad adjustments in everyday life can be overwhelming and all children as well as parents need to have a positive support system in order to feel successful.  I strongly believe that these topics are significant to young children, families, and teachers because change is constant and if I as an educator can help support young children and their families prepare for a positive change, it will indeed be a great pleasure for me personally as well as professionally.

Reference:

Golembeski, Karen. (2016). Preparing for Kindergarten Begins the Year Before. Retrieved from: http://www.getreadytoread.org/early-learning-childhood-basics/early-childhood/preparing-for-kindergarten-begins-the-year-before

Week: 8 Issues and Trends

Final Blog Assignment

Progress in our world relies on the ability 

to access and share knowledge. 

Access to knowledge is an advantage and 

knowledge itself is a tangible asset. 

Kids Rights

Majority of countries are not addressing the issue of discrimination against minority groups of children and youth. Disabled children, indigenous children, street children, migrant children, and refugee children are still widely discriminated against. Another area of concern is nations’ failure to facilitate child participation. Children have the right to be heard and express their opinion, and to have a say in matters affecting their social, religious, cultural, and political lives.

Equity for all children

All children have a right to equal opportunities to grow, develop, learn, and thrive. However, the current landscape of opportunity denies that right to millions of children around the world.

When children are unable to reach their full potential, the cycle of inequity continues, leaving fewer opportunities for their children and thus perpetuating situations of poverty and suffering. 

“Failing to seize critical windows of opportunity in the lives of the most vulnerable children now will incur higher costs later. These costs will be felt in terms of lost lives, wasted potential, and reduced productivity” (Association for Childhood Education International 2015).  The government's goals must include opportunity to allocate resources, inspire collective will, and ensure international commitment to end inequality and ensure bright futures for all the world’s children.

Supporting Children’s Development

One third of children in low- and middle-income countries fail to reach developmental milestones

The number of children in poor countries who fail to reach their developmental potential remains large. A new study shows that over 80 million of approximately 240 million preschool-age children in the world’s low- and middle-income countries fail to develop a basic set of age-appropriate skills. These skills would allow them to follow simple directions, maintain attention, communicate with others, control their aggression, and solve progressively complex issues. The researchers found that the problem is most severe in sub-Saharan Africa, followed by South Asia, and Latin America/Caribbean( PLOS Medicine).

Early childhood education is something everyone can support. 

From brain scientists to economists and 

from parents to governors, societies of all 

ethnicity should realize that we need to invest in 

our nation’s youngest children. 

I would like to thank all my colleagues and professor Tammy Shephard for such a significant course experience, I greatly appreciate the opportunity to learn and grow from each of you. Together we can make a difference in the lives of young children and families.

A great BIG thank you to all the organizations and meaningful programs designed to promote success for others. 

References: 

McCoy, D.C., Peet, E.D., Ezzati, M., Danaei, G., Black, M.M., et al. (2016). Early Childhood Developmental Status in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: National, Regional, and Global Prevalence Estimates Using Predictive Modeling. PLOS Medicine.