scholarly journals Brief Report: Measurement of Young Children’s Engagement and Problem Behavior in Early Childhood Settings

2018 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-62
Author(s):  
Debra A. Prykanowski ◽  
Jose R. Martinez ◽  
Brian Reichow ◽  
Maureen A. Conroy ◽  
Ke Huang
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Problem Behavior ◽  
Problem Behaviors ◽  
Continuous Recording ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Momentary Time Sampling ◽  
Observation Methods ◽  
Activity Types ◽  
Study Support ◽  
Early Childhood Settings

Given the importance of engagement and impact of problem behavior on young children’s behavioral, social, and academic development, these two behaviors are often observed and measured in early childhood settings. The purpose of this brief report is to describe the findings from an examination of the use of multiple direct observation methods to measure engagement and problem behaviors of five children in early childhood settings across two different activity types. Findings from this study support previous research that young children’s engagement and problem behavior differ depending on the type of classroom activity. In addition, the data indicate that behavioral estimates for both engagement and problem behavior obtained using momentary time sampling produced measures of behaviors comparable with those obtained with continuous recording, whereas partial-interval recording consistently overestimated the occurrence of the behaviors compared with continuous recording. Implications of the findings and directions for future research are discussed.

Best in class: A classroom-based model for ameliorating problem behavior in early childhood settings

2012 ◽  
Vol 49 (5) ◽  
pp. 402-415 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abigail K. Vo ◽  
Kevin S. Sutherland ◽  
Maureen A. Conroy
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Problem Behavior ◽  
Class A ◽  
Early Childhood Settings

scholarly journals Children’s Engagement with their Learning using E-portfolios

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Nicola Goodman
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Hard Copy ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Assessment Practices ◽  
Full Potential ◽  
Narrative Approaches ◽  
Parents And Children ◽  
Outcomes For Children ◽  
Early Childhood Settings

<p>Narrative approaches to documentation and assessment in early childhood education (ECE) encourages children to be active contributors in their own learning journey. With the growing emphasis of technology in society it is natural that this shift has transformed assessment practices with the introduction of e-portfolios. E-portfolios are seen in tertiary, secondary and primary settings nationwide and most recently have been introduced into ECE as a way to extend traditional documentation methods. As a result, documentation and the role children have in their own learning has shifted. Despite their growing popularity in early childhood settings there is very little research into the effect that e-portfolios have on teachers, parents, and most importantly, children and their learning. Given this limited research this study sought to understand the ways in which children are engaging with their learning through e-portfolios. This mixed methodology study used a national online survey as well as case studies to develop an understanding of this topic. Participants included early childhood centre educators, parents and children from settings across New Zealand. Findings revealed a distinct variation in the ways that centres are using e-portfolios to engage children with their learning. A large number of centres are maintaining both hard-copy and online versions of a child's portfolio to ensure that children are not removed from contributing to and revisiting their learning. Whilst results showed examples of children's in-depth engagement with e-portfolios, they also highlighted that many centres are not yet harnessing their full potential. These findings suggest implications for teacher practice, including the need for greater support and training for teachers. As e-portfolios are still a new phenomenon in ECE this study suggests areas of future research to investigate this topic further to improve learning outcomes for children.</p>

scholarly journals Children’s Engagement with their Learning using E-portfolios

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Nicola Goodman
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Hard Copy ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Assessment Practices ◽  
Full Potential ◽  
Narrative Approaches ◽  
Parents And Children ◽  
Outcomes For Children ◽  
Early Childhood Settings

<p>Narrative approaches to documentation and assessment in early childhood education (ECE) encourages children to be active contributors in their own learning journey. With the growing emphasis of technology in society it is natural that this shift has transformed assessment practices with the introduction of e-portfolios. E-portfolios are seen in tertiary, secondary and primary settings nationwide and most recently have been introduced into ECE as a way to extend traditional documentation methods. As a result, documentation and the role children have in their own learning has shifted. Despite their growing popularity in early childhood settings there is very little research into the effect that e-portfolios have on teachers, parents, and most importantly, children and their learning. Given this limited research this study sought to understand the ways in which children are engaging with their learning through e-portfolios. This mixed methodology study used a national online survey as well as case studies to develop an understanding of this topic. Participants included early childhood centre educators, parents and children from settings across New Zealand. Findings revealed a distinct variation in the ways that centres are using e-portfolios to engage children with their learning. A large number of centres are maintaining both hard-copy and online versions of a child's portfolio to ensure that children are not removed from contributing to and revisiting their learning. Whilst results showed examples of children's in-depth engagement with e-portfolios, they also highlighted that many centres are not yet harnessing their full potential. These findings suggest implications for teacher practice, including the need for greater support and training for teachers. As e-portfolios are still a new phenomenon in ECE this study suggests areas of future research to investigate this topic further to improve learning outcomes for children.</p>

Preliminary Study of the Effects of BEST in CLASS—Web on Young Children’s Social-Emotional and Behavioral Outcomes

2021 ◽  
pp. 105381512110186
Author(s):  
Maureen A. Conroy ◽  
Kevin S. Sutherland ◽  
Kristen L. Granger ◽  
Katerina M. Marcoulides ◽  
Ke Huang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
At Risk ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
Problem Behaviors ◽  
Child Outcomes ◽  
Challenging Behaviors ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Social Emotional ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Future Success

Many young children entering early childhood programs demonstrate challenging behaviors that place them at risk for emotional/behavioral disorders (EBDs), which impact their future success in school. The purpose of this study was to conduct a conceptual replication of BEST in CLASS by examining child outcomes from BEST in CLASS—Web, a web-based professional development intervention supporting teachers’ use of effective practices for ameliorating young children’s challenging behaviors. Participants included 29 early childhood teachers and 54 children (ages 3–5 years old) who were identified at-risk for EBD. Positive outcomes were found for both BEST in CLASS—Web and BEST in CLASS in reductions of children’s problem behaviors and conflictual relationships with their teachers as well as increases in social skills, engagement, and closeness with teachers in comparison to children who did not receive the intervention. In some cases, positive child outcomes were greater when teachers received professional development in the web-condition as compared to the onsite condition. Future research directions and implications are discussed.

“State standards and IEP goals. A lot of TPT products.” What Early Childhood Educators Report Using to Plan Mathematics Instruction

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corey Peltier ◽  
Tiffany K Peltier ◽  
Taylor Werthen ◽  
Andy Heuer
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Mathematics Instruction ◽  
State Standards ◽  
Early Childhood Educators ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Exceptional Children ◽  
What Works ◽  
What Works Clearinghouse

Access to high-quality resources is integral for educators to provide research-aligned mathematics instruction. Identifying the supplemental resources educators use to plan mathematics instruction can inform the ways researchers and organizations disseminate research-based practices. The goal of this study was to identify the frequency in which early childhood educators (i.e., pre-Kindergarten through third grade) reported using various resources to plan for mathematics instruction. Furthermore, we investigated whether differences were observed based on teacher factors (i.e., general or special education, route to certification, years of experience) and locale (i.e., rural, urban, suburban). We retained data from 917 teachers for data analysis. The three most frequently reported resources by educators were colleagues, Teachers Pay Teachers, and Google/Yahoo. The three least frequently reported resources were the typical outlets researchers use to reach teachers: What Works Clearinghouse, Teaching Exceptional Children, and Teaching Children Mathematics. General and special education teachers differed on their self-reported usage of five resources: colleagues, Google/Yahoo, teaching blogs, Teaching Exceptional Children, and the What Works Clearinghouse. Rural educators self-reported that they were less likely than suburban educators to use colleagues or specialists at the district to plan instruction. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

Children’s ‘working theories’ as curriculum outcomes

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sally Peters ◽  
Keryn Davis ◽  
Ruta McKenzie
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Adult Child ◽  
Early Childhood Curriculum ◽  
Complex Thinking ◽  
Young Learners ◽  
Early Childhood Settings ◽  
Te Whāriki ◽  
Sense Of Wonder

This chapter explores how children make sense of their world through the development and refinement of ‘working theories’. Working theories are a key item for young learners, and are emphasized in the New Zealand early childhood curriculum Te Whāriki. Children’s working theories develop in environments where they have opportunities to engage in complex thinking with others, observe, listen, participate, and discuss, within the context of topics and activities. It is through interactions and activities that children begin to own the ideas and beliefs of their culture and begin to make sense of their worlds. However, fostering this learning in early childhood settings is not always easy, and requires skilled adults who can respond appropriately. We explore and discuss the nature of children’s working theories and ways in which adult–child interactions can enhance or inhibit a sense of wonder and curiosity.

scholarly journals Training may enhance early childhood educators’ self-efficacy to lead physical activity in childcare

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brianne A. Bruijns ◽  
Andrew M. Johnson ◽  
Jennifer D. Irwin ◽  
Shauna M. Burke ◽  
Molly Driediger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Early Childhood Educators ◽  
Outdoor Play ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Intervention Component ◽  
Space Extension ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Early childhood educators (ECEs) play a critical role in promoting physical activity (PA) among preschoolers in childcare; thus, PA-related training for ECEs is essential. The Supporting PA in the Childcare Environment (SPACE) intervention incorporated: 1. shorter, more frequent outdoor play sessions; 2. provision of portable play equipment; and, PA training for ECEs. An extension of the SPACE intervention (the SPACE-Extension) incorporated only the shorter, more frequent outdoor play periods component of the original SPACE intervention. The purpose of this study was to explore the individual impact of these interventions on ECEs’ PA-related self-efficacy and knowledge. Methods ECEs from the SPACE (n = 83) and SPACE-Extension (n = 31) were administered surveys at all intervention time-points to assess: self-efficacy to engage preschoolers in PA (n = 6 items; scale 0 to 100); self-efficacy to implement the intervention (n = 6 items); and, knowledge of preschooler-specific PA and screen-viewing guidelines (n = 2 items). A linear mixed effects model was used to analyze the impact of each intervention on ECEs’ self-efficacy and knowledge and controlled for multiple comparison bias. Results The SPACE intervention significantly impacted ECEs’ self-efficacy to engage preschoolers in PA for 180 min/day (main effect), and when outdoor playtime was not an option (interaction effect). Further, the interaction model for ECEs’ knowledge of the total PA guideline for preschoolers approached significance when compared to the main effects model. Participants within the SPACE-Extension did not demonstrate any significant changes in self-efficacy or knowledge variables. Conclusions Findings from this study highlight the benefit of ECE training in PA with regard to fostering their PA-related self-efficacy and knowledge. Future research should explore the impact of PA training for ECEs uniquely in order to determine if this intervention component, alone, can produce meaningful changes in children’s PA behaviours at childcare.

scholarly journals Analyzing input quality along three dimensions: interactive, linguistic, and conceptual

2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meredith L. ROWE ◽  
Catherine E. SNOW
Keyword(s):  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Pretend Play ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Book Reading ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Input Quality ◽  
Children's Development

AbstractThis paper provides an overview of the features of caregiver input that facilitate language learning across early childhood. We discuss three dimensions of input quality: interactive, linguistic, and conceptual. All three types of input features have been shown to predict children's language learning, though perhaps through somewhat different mechanisms. We argue that input best designed to promote language learning is interactionally supportive, linguistically adapted, and conceptually challenging for the child's age/level. Furthermore, input features interact across dimensions to promote learning. Some but not all qualities of input vary based on parent socioeconomic status, language, or culture, and contexts such as book-reading or pretend play generate uniquely facilitative input features. The review confirms that we know a great deal about the role of input quality in promoting children's development, but that there is much more to learn. Future research should examine input features across the boundaries of the dimensions distinguished here.

scholarly journals Supporting Children’s Healthy Development During Mealtime in Early Childhood Settings

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrien D. Malek-Lasater ◽  
Kyong-Ah Kwon ◽  
Diane M. Horm ◽  
Susan B. Sisson ◽  
Dipti A. Dev ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Healthy Development ◽  
Early Childhood Settings
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document