Early Childhood Education Programs Research Articles

Preparing Teacher Candidates for Inclusive Practice: A Program Overview

This paper provides a programmatic overview of an early childhood education (ECE), dual-licensure personnel preparation program in the Midwest. The foundation of the ECE program includes blended faculty from general and special education, a cohort model, field placements every semester, and continual review and innovative practices. The ECE Program is offered in both campus-based and online delivery models to meet the needs of prospective students across the state and region. Faculty have recently expanded the program array to include two additional online programs to meet the changing needs of the workforce: a non-license credential-based bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in public policy. The ECE program’s unique components and multiple offerings position it well to prepare teacher candidates to educate all children within inclusive settings. Future directions include developing a master’s degree in early childhood special education. Key words: early childhood, personnel preparation, dual-licensure

Impact of Covid-19 on Early Childhood Education in Botswana

This paper examined the impact of COVID-19 on the Botswana public Early Childhood Education Programme during the pandemic in the period of 2019 - 2022. COVID-19 impacted various sectors of Botswana, the education sector included. However, the education system was not adequately prepared to cater for young learners’ education and therefore this had serious consequences on the lower levels of learning. The study adopted the qualitative approach and used the chaotic theory to guide the line of argument in the paper. Data were collected using open-ended questionnaires, structured interviews, focus group discussions and observation of outside equipment. The findings indicated a backlog of pupils entering the Early Childhood Education programme and Standard One after the Covid-19 pandemic. Standard One accepted learners of different competencies and parents refused to send their students back to school after re-opening because of fear of reinfection. The paper concludes that the Ministry of Education, like other levels of education, could have put something in place for ECE learners to keep on learning at home during the pandemic after three years of suspending teaching and learning

What determines the accessibility of early childhood education in Bangladesh?

This paper aims to understand the potential factors influencing the accessibility of early childhood education (ECE) in Bangladesh. Utilising data from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2019, this study explored the influence of individual, household, socio-economic as well as geographical variables on ECE enrollment. It employed a comprehensive approach, which involved using descriptive statistics for univariate analysis, chi-square and t-statistics for bivariate analysis, and the logit model for multivariate analysis. The findings revealed that a child’s likelihood of attending an ECE program increases with their age, while those with functional difficulties and larger household sizes exhibit lower odds of attendance. Children with mothers possessing higher education levels demonstrated increased odds of ECE enrollment. Wealthy households and urban or Mymensingh division residency were associated with higher odds of ECE enrollment, while Barishal, Rajshahi, and Sylhet divisions indicated lower odds. To enhance ECE accessibility, the study recommends implementing a roadmap for ensuring universal early childcare and early education with an emphasis on socioeconomically underprivileged children, particularly in rural areas. Proposed strategies may include providing financial assistance to poor households and fostering public–private partnerships for ECE provision in remote regions like Barishal, Rangpur, Rajshahi, and Sylhet divisions. Moreover, it is crucial to make parents and communities aware about the significance of ECE in order to make sure that children ages 3–5 years are involved in ECE programs.

학교폭력예방 어울림 프로그램이 유아의 친사회적 행동에 미치는 영향

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of the Aulim program on prosocial behavior in Seven-year-old children. The study was conducted with 56 Seven-year-old children enrolled in a private kindergarten in Y City, using a teacher-administered prosocial behavior assessment before and after the implementation of the program. For data analysis, one-way ANOVA and ANCOVA were performed using SPSS 25.0. The results showed that children who participated in the Aulim program exhibited significant improvements in prosocial behavior, particularly in the subdomains of sharing, helping, empathy, self-regulation, and leadership, compared to both the control and comparison groups. These findings highlight the necessity for active implementation of the Aulim program in early childhood education settings. Furthermore, the results suggest the need for developing early childhood education programs that utilize the characteristics of the Aulim program, enhancing teachers' professional competencies, establishing developmentally appropriate terminology, and fostering cooperation with parents.

예비유아교사의 가족 건강성과 학업 스트레스 간의 관계에서 자아탄력성의 매개효과

Objectives The purpose of this study is to verify the mediating effect of ego resilience between family health and academic stress of prospective early childhood teachers. Methods To carry out the research, surveys were given to 480 future early childhood educators who were part of 3- and 4-year early childhood education programs. Out of these, 456 surveys were considered suitable for the study after removing the ones that were either not returned or not filled out sincerely. The data from these surveys were then analyzed using two software tools: SPSS version 25.0 and Process macro version 4.2. Results The results obtained through the above method are as follows. First, it was found that as the family func-tionality of prospective early childhood teachers increases, their ego resilience increases. Second, it was found that as the family functionality of prospective early childhood teachers increases, their academic stress decreases. Third, it was found that the higher the ego resilience of prospective early childhood teachers, the lower their aca-demic stress. Ego-resilience showed a partial mediating effect in the relationship between family functionality and academic stress of prospective early childhood teachers. Conclusions The academic stress of prospective early childhood teachers is due to their psychological and emo-tional aspects. This study revealed that family health has a decisive influence on the psychological and emotional aspects of prospective early childhood teachers, and that ego resilience also exists. In particular, ego resilience played a mediating role between family health and academic stress. Therefore, in order to manage academic stress among prospective early childhood teachers, various strategies should be prepared to increase their family health and ego resilience in a positive direction.

Equipping prospective teachers for culturally and religiously sensitive sexuality education: curriculum reviews at Islamic universities in Indonesia

ABSTRACT Sexuality education is essential for equipping children to prevent sexual abuse and fostering understanding of their bodies, relationships, and boundaries. Early childhood education programs in Indonesia were recommended to integrate sexuality education courses tailored to child development and sensitive to religious and cultural contexts. This research employed qualitative methods to investigate the integration of sexuality education courses at eight Islamic universities in Indonesia. Data were collected through interviews with eight course instructors and documentation of their Semester Learning Plans, using content and thematic analysis. Findings revealed that while two universities offered dedicated sexuality education courses, six integrated them into child development and parenting psychology courses. Dedicated sexuality education courses had more comprehensive learning objectives compared to integrated approaches. Teaching methods predominantly included lectures, paper presentations, with some incorporating field studies and project-based learning. Challenges included credit allocation impacting study durations, which hindered the integration of specialized courses like sexuality education. Enhancing pedagogy and ensuring effective delivery of sexuality education were identified as crucial tasks requiring the refinement of curricula in early childhood education. This approach would enable prospective educators to impart knowledge sensitively, taking into account children’s developmental stages and cultural-religious norms.

Practical Construction and Reflection on the Curriculum Development of Early Childhood Education Programs in Vocational Colleges

As society's demands for the quality of early childhood care services continue to rise, the construction of early childhood education programs in higher vocational colleges has become increasingly crucial. Scientific course design not only affects students' professional skill development but also has a profound impact on the overall advancement of the early childhood care industry. This paper first analyzes the definition and characteristics of early childhood education programs and outlines the theoretical framework for course construction. Next, it provides a detailed discussion of the practical aspects of constructing early childhood education programs in higher vocational colleges, including curriculum design, teaching methods, and evaluation mechanisms, as well as the implementation and management of practical teaching. Finally, based on actual conditions, the paper explores the challenges and issues encountered during the course construction process and proposes suggestions and strategies for improvement.

German Parents and Educators of Two to Four-Year-Old Children as Informants for the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).

Screeners are used in early intervention and early childhood education and care programs to identify children's potential need for further evaluation and diagnostics. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is a brief behavioral screening instrument that can be completed by both parents and educators to assess the social and emotional traits of children. However, multiple informants' reports vary. In this study, the extent to which parents' (n = 241) and educators' (n = 157) differ and agree in their assessments of children aged 3.5 years on average, was examined. T-tests were used to examine differences between informants and correlations within a multitrait-multimethod matrix (MTMM) in their agreement. Results showed moderate to high levels of rater agreement ranging from r = .35 and r = .53 on the five subscales of the SDQ. We found that hyperactivity, peer relationship problems, and prosocial behavior vary due to meaningful reasons, e.g., the home vs. pre-school setting, and the informant's relationship towards the child. Hyperactivity seems to be relatively consistent across settings. Methodological variations might explain differences in emotional symptoms and conduct problems. Considering ratings from multiple informants outlines a more comprehensive view of children's behavior and should be preferred over single-informant research designs.

Physical activity and social-emotional learning in Canadian children: Multilevel perspectives within an early childhood education and care setting

Early childhood education and care programs can support physical activity and socio-emotional skills development. However, limited research has investigated the longitudinal associations between these constructs and whether they vary across child-specific and classroom-wide levels of analysis. The present study evaluated three-month trajectories of social and emotional competencies, with an emphasis on associations with physical activity. Participants were children enrolled in a licensed not-for-profit early childhood education and care provider in Canada. Educators (n = 37) across 22 classrooms completed monthly assessments of children (N = 235) from January–March 2020. Intraclass correlation coefficients revealed that significant variability in socio-emotional strengths could be attributed to between- and within-classroom differences (21 % and 47 %, respectively), and change over time (32 %). In three-level random-slopes growth curve models, socio-emotional strengths increased over time, with significant between-classroom differences in initial averages and rates of change. Child-specific and classroom-average levels of physical activity were also associated with socio-emotional strengths. These findings underscore the importance of considering child and classroom differences in early learning contexts. Moreover, incorporating physical activity in these settings holds promise as an accessible strategy to support children’s social and emotional development.

Do early school- and family-related factors predict midlife psychological well-being? Findings from A prospective Black childhood cohort study

The relationship between early school- and family-related factors and later psychological well-being (PWB) has been insufficiently studied. To address this gap, a comprehensive model was employed to investigate the effects of school and family predictors (ages < 14) on PWB, and a related construct, life satisfaction (LS), at age 35 for a large urban childhood cohort. 30-year follow-up data were analyzed for 72 % (N = 1,112) of the original 1,539 participants (93 % Black) in the Chicago Longitudinal Study, a prospective investigation on the impact of an early childhood education program. Hierarchical linear regression analysis revealed both parent (β = 0.51p = 0.013) and student educational attainment expectations (β = 1.48; p = 0.032) as well as peer social skills (β = 0.25; p = 0.003) were the most significant predictors of midlife PWB. Peer social skills (β = 0.02; p = 0.032), school mobility (β = -0.09; p = 0.012), and student educational attainment expectations (β = 0.17; p = 0.022) were strongly associated with midlife LS. Sex differences were also examined. Implications for shaping key components of school-family programs, services, and policies that foster positive development across different social ecologies are discussed. Further research should explore the mediational pathways to better understand the mechanisms behind these observed relationships.

Implications of Positive Effects of Early Childhood Education for Education Policy

Emerging research on the benefits of early childhood education has sparked interest in making preschool education universal to improve children's readiness for school and their subsequent achievement of social, economic, and professional success. The implementation of early childhood education (ECE) programs, which aim to prepare 4-year-old children for school, has resulted in an increase in public funding. This increase can be attributed to the positive effects of the ECE program on children, as demonstrated by the academic skills of the children measured, which fall within the national average. These abilities include the ability to read and write, speak and understand mathematics, and recognize patterns in numbers. "Investing as early as possible, from birth through age five, in disadvantaged families yields the highest rate of return in early childhood development." Thus, the community and local government are required to actively involved in managing preschool structures, enhance the supervision and management of early childhood education. Common challenges encountered recorded nearly half of all teachers acknowledged to having significant levels of stress and burnout over the previous several years, mental health issues, low compensation, etc. Furthermore, NIEER research findings reveals only five states Hawaii, Michigan, Rhode Island, Alabama, and Mississippi meet all ten national program quality standards, which include putting child development guidelines into practice and offering professional development to teachers. Thus, this paper recommends that when formulating schools' improvement strategies, the Department of Education should take into account the enrollment rate in early learning and kindergarten institutions. All early childhood professional development programs aim to improve children's learning in the behavioral, social-emotional, communicative, and cognitive domains over the long run through indirect means.

PRESCHOOL TEACHERS PREPARATION FOR WORKING WITH CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS IN CALIFORNIA

Following the realization of the importance of early development and the low quality of early childhood education programs in the United States the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) were established to develop professional standards for special educators. It was found that the most important factor in providing education for children with special needs is well-trained teaching staff. Principles for ensuring the existence of high-quality programs for kindergartens began to be developed. A new concept of “Developmentally Appropriate Practice” was formed by The National Association for Nursery Education (NANE and seven standards for the professional training of early childhood teachers were proposed. The Education for All Handicapped Children Act was passed by the Congress in 1975. IDEA regulates how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education, and other services. The state has established grants to improve the quality of school education by attracting and retaining effective teachers. It was found that 7 million, or 14% of all public school received special education services. The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing is revising the Special Education Standards for Children with Disabilities. The commission developed draft teaching, administration, and preparation program guidelines in collaboration with a technical advisory group of early childhood education professionals. It was clarified that there are additional internship programs in California, Completion of the internship program leads to a Certificate of Eligibility to Teach, which is identical to completion of a traditional teacher preparation program. It was concluded that the policy of the Department of Education, the educational laws of the United States are aimed at encouraging participation in formal and informal professional learning, but it should be a continuous process, because adults providing care and education are responsible for the progress of children throughout their lives.

Validation of the Spanish form of a multidimensional assessment of family engagement for early childhood programs

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to validate the Spanish version of the Family Involvement Questionnaire‐Short Form (FIQ‐SF) for use with Spanish‐speaking families of children enrolled in early childhood education programs. This study examined the factor structure of the FIQ‐SF and established criterion validity for the resulting FIQ‐SF dimension scores. Results from exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses replicated the three dimensions of the English FIQ: Home Engagement, School Engagement, and home–school Conferencing. Mean differences across family demographics were examined. Criterion‐related validity for the three FIQ‐SF dimensions was established by examining correlations with scores on measures of parent‐reported satisfaction with educational experiences, program records of family engagement, direct assessments of child language skills and teacher‐reported approaches to learning. Future directions and practice implications for the use of the Spanish FIQ‐SF to inform program policy and interventions are discussed.

The Effects of Wisconsin’s Universal Prekindergarten Program on Third-Grade Academic Achievement

Many states and communities have invested in public early childhood education programs to improve children’s readiness to enter school and narrow achievement gaps in later grades. This study asked whether and how Wisconsin’s universal state-funded prekindergarten program, Wisconsin 4K, has improved student achievement and helped to reduce the achievement gap. Using publicly available data from 2002–2003 to 2013–2014, the study examined the effects of the program, which features high participation rates and part-day delivery modes. The results showed that Wisconsin 4K enhanced third-grade reading achievement but not math achievement in the participating districts. Its effects were larger for non-White and economically disadvantaged students than for their White and affluent counterparts. The policy implications for large-scale universal pre-K are discussed.

Using Integrated Administrative Data for Promoting Access to Early Childhood Education Programs

Early childhood education (ECE) can significantly mitigate the detrimental effects of poverty. Head Start (HS) is a federally funded program in U.S. designed to promote school readiness for children from low-income families. Nationwide estimates suggest that HS only reaches 41% of eligible children and programs are facing under-enrollment, which highlights the importance of addressing the evolving needs. This is a secondary analysis study that utilizes real-world data to explore (a) child, family, neighborhood, and program characteristics that predict HS non/enrollment and (b) HS eligible children’s use of other public ECE programs. It employs an individual child-level integrated dataset from Iowa’s Integrated Data System for Decision-making (I2D2), including data from the State Departments of Public Health and Human Services, Education, and HS recipients. Our data is unique as one of the first systems in the U.S. that includes child-level data from HS recipients statewide. We also integrated aggregated county- and program-level datasets to include multidimensional neighborhood conditions (i.e., poverty, employment) and comprehensive information about HS programs (i.e., staffing, transportation, partnerships). Our analytic sample is 30,048 potential HS eligible children who were born in Iowa and attended kindergarten in 2016-17 or 17-18. Preliminary results showed that only 12% of eligible children were enrolled in HS the year before kindergarten. We are testing logistic and multinomial logistic regression models, and the results will be ready by the presentation. Findings will inform HS programs on improving equitable access and recruiting strategies to meet the needs of children who are most in need.

Health policies and guidelines to promote, protect and support early childhood development: A narrative review.

This comprehensive review examines the pivotal role of health policies and guidelines in promoting, protecting, and supporting early childhood development (ECD). Recognizing the multifaceted nature of ECD, the study explores key elements commonly found in policies that span health, education, social services, and community support. The focus is on creating an integrated approach that ensures the optimal well-being and growth of children during their formative years. The review highlights the significance of maternal and child health care, emphasizing contact toward prenatal and postnatal care for pregnant women and newborns. Nutritional policies center around supporting breastfeeding and ensuring access to nutritious food, laying the foundation for a healthy start in life. Early childhood education programs and parental education initiatives are crucial components, emphasizing cognitive, social, and emotional development from the earliest stages. The review underscores the importance of a holistic perspective, urging the integration of services across sectors to provide a comprehensive framework for ECD. Research-based policies, continuous monitoring, and evaluation mechanisms ensure evidence-driven decision-making and ongoing refinement of strategies. Additionally, the role of legislation and advocacy is highlighted in protecting the rights and well-being of children and advocating for ECD at various levels. In the end, this review highlights the importance of ECD guidelines and health policies as investments that not only help individual children but also enhance societal productivity and general well-being. By prioritizing the early years, policymakers can lay a strong foundation for future health, learning, and success.

Moort dandjoo kaadadjiny: Growing up aboriginal kids strong in their culture and identity

Community Elders in Boorloo (Perth) identified early childhood education (ECE) as a priority area for Aboriginal children’s research. This is due to a lower number of Aboriginal children attending ECE programs compared to non-Aboriginal children. Attending ECE programs sets children up for school success and is an indicator for positive life outcomes in later life. Therefore, we sought to co-design and implement a program that encourages Aboriginal children and families to attend ECE programs, known as Moort Dandjoo Kaadadjiny. Since 2021, 57 children have attended, and 27 participants yarned about their experience with the program. These yarns revealed the importance of building trust, being Aboriginal led, and holistic engagement in Aboriginal culture as essential in co-designing culturally safe ECE programs. This program serves as a foundation for developing culturally appropriate ECE programs for Aboriginal children and families to ensure Aboriginal kids grow up strong in their culture and identity.

Effectiveness of motor learning model based on local wisdom in improving fundamental skills

Traditional Balinese games are considered a cultural heritage that provides many basic movement benefits but have not been well revealed, this study aims to describe the effectiveness Motor Learning Model Based on Local Wisdom (MLMBLW) in Improving Fundamental Skills of students in early childhood education programs in Buleleng Regency in Bali Provinces.The data analysis technique used descriptive quantitative. The sample in this study was the students in early childhood education Laboratory of Undiksha shool and early childhood education Telkom School (n = 44) age 5 year taken by purposive sampling technique with active children for traditional Balinese games. Data were collected by direct observation, questionnaires, and tests. Based on the results of data analysis, the effectiveness of the MLMBLW which can be seen from the activities of students participating in learning 81.3% belongs to the very high/very active category, student learning achievement as seen from the average fundamental motor skills above 70% have moderate to high basic movement skills, and the teacher's response to the implementation is overall positive. This research is evidence that MLMBLW is effectively applied in the implementation of motor learning in early childhood students From the results of this study, there are several things that are recommended: (1) early childhood education teachers must understand the character of students and the local wisdom used, so that the learning steps (syntax) can be implemented properly, (2) the learning model can be implemented properly, if the teacher understands how to play traditional games (local wisdom) well. Introducing culture to every child is the same as preserving the world's cultural wealth, for that reason traditional Balinese games are also important in addition to improving fitness Keywords Basic Movement Activities, Balinese Culture, Traditional Games

Family Engagement Practices in a Public Pre-Kindergarten Program: Variation by Program, Classroom, and Staff Characteristics

ABSTRACT Family engagement is considered a key component of preschool program quality, and early childhood education teachers and programs are increasingly expected to engage families in their programs. However, there is limited knowledge on what strategies preschool programs use to engage families and how these family engagement practices vary across programs. This study uses survey data collected from public pre-kindergarten program administrators and teachers in a mid-sized, urban school district to describe various types of family engagement practices and to examine associations between family engagement practices and pre-K program, classroom, and staff characteristics. We also conduct thematic analysis of open-ended survey responses to triangulate and complement our quantitative findings and to provide insight into teachers’ and administrators’ perceived barriers and facilitators of family engagement. We find that teachers frequently communicated with parents and provided involvement opportunities. Programs also provided various referrals and family support services. Family engagement practices were associated with staff’s professional training and classroom and program characteristics. Our findings highlight the importance of considering program structure, such as half- versus full-day program, and the importance of teachers’ knowledge and training in family engagement for shaping preschool programs’ family engagement practices.

The slow pace of reform in a time of criticism, crisis, creativity and opportunity: a call for transformative visions and actions

ABSTRACT The recently revised NAEYC position papers and the fourth edition of NAEYC’s Developmentally Appropriate Guidelines (NAEYC. 2022. Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs: ServingChildren from Birth Through Age 8, edited by S. Friedman, 4th ed. Washington: National Association for the Education of Young Children) focus on children’s strengths and diversity, and the need for equitable opportunities in early childhood programmes. We applaud these recent shifts. Yet previous ideas of risk, abnormality and inappropriateness are still embedded in the document, with still hidden, and negative, consequences for children, their families and communities, and for the educators and programmes that serve them. Drawing on critiques of developmentalism, the ideas of postdevelopmentalism and the framework of governmentality, we engage in a dialogue between an early career teacher educator and long-time advocate for DAP change and explore the control DAP has over early childhood education programmes. Despite claims that the fourth edition is too ‘woke’, we challenge educators and organisations in the USA (and elsewhere) to move away from the past and current approaches that still focus on children as innocent and in need of protection, as well as normal (and therefore, abnormal) childhood(s) – and to open up towards an education that is more fluid, one that focuses on children’s diverse strengths, unimagined interests and as-yet-unknown possibilities.