K-3 Policymakers' Guide to Action: Making the Early Years Count. Special Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Atchison, Bruce; Diffey, Louisa; Workman, Emily

2016-01-01

High-quality early elementary years offer a critical opportunity for child development and academic learning for all children, regardless of their race, family-income level, or culture and home language. All students deserve access to high-quality teachers and leaders trained in how to effectively support their learning. They deserve to attend…

Building Capacity to Enact Change for Classroom Quality Improvement in New Jersey. CEELO Policy Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riley-Ayers, Shannon; Ryan, Sharon; Figueras-Daniel, Alexandra; Costanza, Vincent; Northey, Kaitlin

2018-01-01

The Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes partnered with the New Jersey Department of Education from 2013 to 2017 to implement a peer learning community in selected districts. The goal of the PLC was to support effective implementation of key early childhood policies and improve the quality of instruction preschool through grade 3. This…

Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge: 2015 Annual Performance Report. Maryland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge, 2016

2016-01-01

This Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) annual performance report for the year 2015 describes Maryland's accomplishments, lessons learned, challenges, and strategies Maryland will implement to address those challenges. Maryland's remarkable progress in increasing participation in their tiered quality rating and improvement…

Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge: 2015 Annual Performance Report. Vermont

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge, 2016

2016-01-01

This Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) annual performance report for the year 2015 describes Vermont's accomplishments, lessons learned, challenges, and strategies Vermont will implement to address those challenges. Vermont's remarkable progress in increasing participation in their tiered quality rating and improvement system,…

Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge: 2015 Annual Performance Report. Pennsylvania

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge, 2016

2016-01-01

This Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) annual performance report for the year 2015 describes Pennsylvania's accomplishments, lessons learned, challenges, and strategies Pennsylvania will implement to address those challenges. Pennsylvania's remarkable progress in increasing participation in their tiered quality rating and…

Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge: 2015 Annual Performance Report. Minnesota

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge, 2016

2016-01-01

This Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) annual performance report for the year 2015 describes Minnesota's accomplishments, lessons learned, challenges, and strategies Minnesota will implement to address those challenges. Minnesota's remarkable progress in increasing participation in their tiered quality rating and improvement…

Race to the Top--Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC): Descriptive Study of Tiered Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (TQRIS). Master Data Collection Protocol

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., 2015

2015-01-01

This master data collection protocol describes the data that Mathematica collected for the Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge Study of Tiered Quality Rating and Improvement Systems. This study was conducted for the Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences. The data were collected from reviews of applications, documents, and…

Fostering Effective Early Learning (FEEL) through a professional development programme for early childhood educators to improve professional practice and child outcomes in the year before formal schooling: study protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Melhuish, Edward; Howard, Steven J; Siraj, Iram; Neilsen-Hewett, Cathrine; Kingston, Denise; de Rosnay, Marc; Duursma, Elisabeth; Luu, Betty

2016-12-19

A substantial research base documents the benefits of attendance at high-quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) for positive behavioural and learning outcomes. Research has also found that the quality of many young children's experiences and opportunities in ECEC depends on the skills, dispositions and understandings of the early childhood adult educators. Increasingly, research has shown that the quality of children's interactions with educators and their peers, more than any other programme feature, influence what children learn and how they feel about learning. Hence, we sought to investigate the extent to which evidence-based professional development (PD) - focussed on promoting sustained shared thinking through quality interactions - could improve the quality of ECEC and, as a consequence, child outcomes. The Fostering Effective Early Learning (FEEL) study is a cluster randomised controlled trial for evaluating the benefits of a professional development (PD) programme for early childhood educators, compared with no extra PD. Ninety long-day care and preschool centres in New South Wales, Australia, will be selected to ensure representation across National Quality Standards (NQS) ratings, location, centre type and socioeconomic areas. Participating centres will be randomly allocated to one of two groups, stratified by centre type and NQS rating: (1) an intervention group (45 centres) receiving a PD intervention or (2) a control group (45 centres) that continues engaging in typical classroom practice. Randomisation to these groups will occur after the collection of baseline environmental quality ratings. Primary outcomes, at the child level, will be two measures of language development: verbal comprehension and expressive vocabulary. Secondary outcomes at the child level will be measures of early numeracy, social development and self-regulation. Secondary outcomes at the ECEC room level will be measures of environmental quality derived from full-day observations. In all cases, data collectors will be blinded to group allocation. This is the first randomised controlled trial of a new approach to PD, which is focussed on activities previously found to be influential in children's early language, numeracy, social and self-regulatory development. Results should inform practitioners, policy-makers and families of the value of specific professional development for early childhood educators. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN) identifier ACTRN12616000536460 . Registered on 27 April 2016. This trial was retrospectively registered, given the first participant (centre) had been enrolled at the time of registration.

Supporting Children and Families through Investments in High-Quality Early Education. Hearing of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, United States Senate, One Hundred Thirteenth Congress, Second Session on Examining Supporting Children and Families through Investments in High-Quality Early Education (February 6, 2014). Senate Hearing 113-672

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US Senate, 2015

2015-01-01

This hearing serves as a first in a set of hearings focusing on early learning. In his opening statement, Senator Tom Harkin, Chairman of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, strongly encouraged members of this committee on both sides of the aisle to hold roundtables and have discussions on early learning in their local…

Inequality in Preschool Quality? Community-Level Disparities in Access to High-Quality Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bassok, Daphna; Galdo, Eva

2016-01-01

In recent years, unequal access to high-quality preschool has emerged as a growing public policy concern. Because of data limitations, it is notoriously difficult to measure disparities in access to early learning opportunities across communities and particularly challenging to quantify gaps in access to "high-quality" programs. Research…

Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge: 2015 Annual Performance Report. New Jersey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge, 2016

2016-01-01

This Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) annual performance report for the year 2015 describes New Jersey's accomplishments, lessons learned, challenges, and strategies New Jersey will implement to address those challenges. New Jersey's remarkable progress in increasing participation in their tiered quality rating and improvement…

Suitability of the Literacy and Numeracy Screening (LINUS) 2.0 Programme in Assessing Children's Early Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luyee, Eunice Ong; Roselan, Fauzan Izzati; Anwardeen, Nor Hafizah; Mustapa, Fatin Hazirah Mohd

2015-01-01

Early literacy skills are crucial in a child's learning process and awareness should be raised in order to ensure the quality of early literacy assessments. In this paper, the writers discuss the quality of early literacy assessment in Malaysia, LINUS 2.0 by looking at its validity and reliability. An established early literacy program is compared…

The Significance of the Poetic in Early Childhood Education: Stanley Cavell and Lucy Sprague Mitchell on Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frank, Jeff

2012-01-01

This paper begins with a discussion of Stanley Cavell's philosophy of language learning. Young people learn more than the meaning of words when acquiring language: they learn about (the quality of) our form of life. If we--as early childhood educators--see language teaching as something like handing some inert thing to a child, then we unduly…

The Relationship between Teacher Qualification and the Quality of the Early Childhood Care and Learning Environment. Campbell Systematic Reviews 2017:1

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manning, Matthew; Garvis, Susanne; Fleming, Christopher; Wong, Gabriel T. W.

2017-01-01

Poor quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) can be detrimental to the development of children as it could lead to poor social, emotional, educational, health, economic, and behavioural outcomes. The lack of consensus as to the strength of the relationship between teacher qualification and the quality of the early childhood learning…

Enhancing the Quality of Early Childhood Education and Care: ECEC Tutors' Perspectives of Family Engagement in Spain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paz-Albo Prieto, Jesús

2018-01-01

Access to high-quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) is important for developmental outcomes and school success. The first years of life are a critical period for learning and the quality of early experiences can have a significant impact later in life. Parenting is one of the primary influences on children's development and family…

Evolving Best Practice in Learning About Air Quality and Climate Change Science in ACCENT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schuepbach, E.

2008-12-01

Learning about air quality and climate change science has developed into a transdisciplinary impact generator, moulded by academic-stakeholder partnerships, where complementary skills and competences lead to a culture of dialogue, mutual learning and decision-making. These sweeping changes are mirrored in the evolving best practice within the European Network of Excellence on Atmospheric Composition Change (ACCENT). The Training and Education Programme in ACCENT pursues an integrated approach and innovative avenues to sharing knowledge and communicating air quality and climate change science to various end-user groups, including teachers, policy makers, stakeholders, and the general public. Early career scientists are involved in the process, and are trained to acquire new knowledge in a variety of learning communities and environments. Here, examples of both the open system of teaching within ACCENT training workshops for early career scientists, and the engagement of non-academic audiences in the joint learning process are presented.

Quality Partnership as a Contextual Prerequisite of Successful Learning of Young and Preschool-Aged Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ljubetic, Maja; Ercegovac, Ina Reic; Koludrovic, Morana

2016-01-01

The paper discusses quality partnership as a prerequisite for the functioning of the institutions of early and pre-school education and for the child's overall development and learning. Considering that child's development and learning take place in different contexts (family, educational institutions, clubs, local and wider communities), the…

Unleashing the Power of Science in Early Childhood: A Foundation for High-Quality Interactions and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greenfield, Daryl B.; Alexander, Alexandra; Frechette, Elizabeth

2017-01-01

When science is integrated into early childhood learning experiences, it becomes a critical area supporting young children's development. Young children are natural scientists, curious about their world, and they engage in scientific practices to learn about and explore their world. This article describes how the K-12 Framework for Science…

A Universal Good: Expanding Voluntary, Early Learning Opportunities for Illinois' Young Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Noble, Sean

This report was written to stimulate discussion about the potential and need for expanding access to voluntary, high-quality early childhood care and education programs in Illinois. The report compiles 13 short articles pertaining to early learning as follows: (1) "Ready to Succeed: Preparing Children for School, and for Life"; (2)…

Deconstructing Teacher Quality in Urban Early Childhood Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Jemimah L.; Butler, Bettie Ray; Dolzhenko, Inna N.; Ardrey, Tameka N.

2018-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to deconstruct the extant scholarship on quality in early childhood education and to emphasize the importance of extending the literature to explore the potential influence that a teachers' educational background may have on kindergarten readiness for African American children in urban early learning settings.…

ZERO TO THREE Critical Competencies for Infant-Toddler Educators™ ... in Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ZERO TO THREE, 2016

2016-01-01

Early experiences matter. The quality of the early care and education provided to young children not only impacts their experiences now, but directly contributes to their future success in school and in life. High-quality early learning experiences require effective educators but attainment and application of these critical knowledge and skills is…

Head Start/Child Care Partnerships: Program Characteristics and Classroom Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schilder, Diane; Smith Leavell, Ashley

2015-01-01

As part of President Obama's Early Education Plan, Congress authorized $500 million in the 2014 Omnibus Act to support states and communities in expanding high-quality early learning through the creation of a new Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership initiative. This initiative has placed renewed interest on research regarding the nature and…

Alternative Pathways in Family Child Care Quality Rating and Improvement Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelton, Robyn E.; Talan, Teri N.; Bloom, Paula J.

2013-01-01

As research continues to underscore the positive impact high-quality early childhood programs have on young children, numerous states have implemented quality rating and improvement systems (QRIS) to measure and improve the services young children receive across a wide range of early learning settings. These state systems range from two to five…

Patterns of Classroom Quality in Head Start and Center-Based Early Childhood Education Programs. REL 2017-199

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Irwin, Clare W.; Madura, John P.; Bamat, David; McDermott, Paul A.

2016-01-01

Measuring classroom quality and ensuring high-quality learning experiences for young children are interests of the Early Childhood Education Research Alliance, a research alliance of Regional Educational Laboratory Northeast & Islands. This study, conducted in collaboration with the alliance, addresses these interests by examining multiple…

Quality Rating and Improvement Systems and Children's Cognitive Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jeon, Lieny; Buettner, Cynthia K.

2015-01-01

Background: Providing enriched learning environments is important to stimulating children's development in early childhood. Early child-care policymakers in many states in the US have adopted Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) as a way to verify quality of child care and to support children's school readiness. Objective: The purpose of…

Progress and Challenges in Developing Tiered Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (TQRIS) in the Round 1 Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) States. NCEE 2018-4003

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirby, Gretchen; Caronongan, Pia; Esposito, Andrea Mraz; Murphy, Lauren; Shoji, Megan; Del Grosso, Patricia; Kiambuthi, Wamaitha; Clark, Melissa; Dragoset, Lisa

2017-01-01

This report focuses on the progress made and challenges faced by the nine states in achieving the first three objectives for which they were held accountable for use of their Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge (RTTELC) funds. It discusses discrete findings related to these objectives in relevant chapters of the report: Tiered Quality Rating…

Increasing the Effectiveness and Efficiency of Existing Public Investments in Early Childhood Education: Recommendations to Boost Program Outcomes and Efficiency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Donna; Costa, Kristina

2012-01-01

There is a mounting body of research demonstrating the impact of early learning on lifelong success. The quality of early child care is the most consistent predictor of young children's behavior, according to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Early Childcare Research Network. Children who receive high-quality child care…

Quality and equity in early childhood care in Peru

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Izu, Regina Moromizato

2007-01-01

The present study examines educational policy documents and programs on early childhood development and education in Peru. The author provides an evaluation of early childhood learning programs and their outcomes in different education centers in Peru. Health, nutrition, development, and participation are identified as key areas of concern. The study concludes with a reference to the importance of monitoring quality and equity in early childhood care.

Increasing Accountability Measures for Early Childhood Teachers Using Evaluation Models: Observation, Feedback, and Self-Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reinking, Anna Krummel

2015-01-01

President Barack Obama and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan are promoting an early learning initiative focusing on the agenda of every four year old having equal access to high-quality early learning environments (Administration for Children and Families, 2013). One way the Federal government is supporting this proposal is through a grant;…

Developing Professional Early Childhood Educators in England and Hungary: Where Has All the Love Gone?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell-Barr, Verity; Georgeson, Janet; Varga, Anikó Nagy

2015-01-01

European education agendas have emphasized the importance of early childhood education in providing the foundations for lifelong learning. Central to the success of early childhood education is the quality of provision, with the workforce being key. While qualifications levels are frequently cited as important for the quality of provision here we…

Educating Young Children: Active Learning Practices for Preschool and Child Care Programs [and] A Study Guide to Educating Young Children: Exercises for Adult Learners. Second Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hohmann, Mary; Weikart, David P.

High/Scope preschool curriculum is a model for developing high-quality early childhood programs that encourage and support children's initiatives and active learning experiences. This revised manual for early childhood practitioners and students presents essential strategies adults can use to make active learning a reality in their programs. The…

Enhancing Peer Interaction: An Aspect of a High-Quality Learning Environment in Finnish Early Childhood Special Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Syrjämäki, Marja; Sajaniemi, Nina; Suhonen, Eira; Alijoki, Alisa; Nislin, Mari

2017-01-01

The aim of this article is to investigate the pedagogical learning environment in early childhood special education (ECSE). The theoretical framework is based on a conception of interaction being as well a basic human need as, according to sociocultural theories, the basis of learning. Our study was conducted in ECSE kindergarten groups (N = 17)…

English Literacy Levels of the Early Care and Education Workforce: A Profile and Associations with Quality of Care. Who Leaves? Who Stays? A Longitudinal Study of the Early Care and Education Workforce in Alameda County, California.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phillips, Deborah; Crowell, Nancy; Whitebook, Marcy; Bellm, Dan

Research on parents has shown the critical contribution that linguistic input plays in fostering early literacy, but there have been no systematic studies of the literacy of the early care and education workforce and its role in fostering quality early learning environments. This report examines the literacy levels of early childhood educators in…

Home and Preschool Learning Environments and Their Relations to the Development of Early Numeracy Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anders, Yvonne; Rossbach, Hans-Gunther; Weinert, Sabine; Ebert, Susanne; Kuger, Susanne; Lehrl, Simone; von Maurice, Jutta

2012-01-01

This study examined the influence of the quality of home and preschool learning environments on the development of early numeracy skills in Germany, drawing on a sample of 532 children in 97 preschools. Latent growth curve models were used to investigate early numeracy skills and their development from the first (average age: 3 years) to the third…

Supports for Family, Friend, and Neighbor Child Care Providers in Early Learning Challenge States. State TA Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Early Learning Challenge Technical Assistance, 2017

2017-01-01

This resource was prepared for an Early Learning Challenge (ELC) State in response to a request for information about initiatives to improve the quality of child care and early education provided by family, friends, and neighbors in the 20 RTT-ELC States. This information will be helpful to other States as they consider how to continue to increase…

Reframing Early Childhood Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stamopoulos, Elizabeth

2012-01-01

Rapid changes in Australian education have intensified the role of early childhood leaders and led to unprecedented challenges. The Australian Curriculum (ACARA, 2011), mandated Australian "National Quality Framework" (NQF) for Early Childhood Education & Care (DEEWR, 2010b) and the "National Early Years Learning Framework"…

Enhancing Early Child Care Quality and Learning for Toddlers at Risk: The Responsive Early Childhood Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Landry, Susan H.; Zucker, Tricia A.; Taylor, Heather B.; Swank, Paul R.; Williams, Jeffrey M.; Assel, Michael; Crawford, April; Huang, Weihua; Clancy-Menchetti, Jeanine; Lonigan, Christopher J.; Phillips, Beth M.; Eisenberg, Nancy; Spinrad, Tracy L.; de Viliers, Jill; de Viliers, Peter; Barnes, Marcia; Starkey, Prentice; Klein, Alice

2014-01-01

Despite reports of positive effects of high-quality child care, few experimental studies have examined the process of improving low-quality center-based care for toddler-age children. In this article, we report intervention effects on child care teachers' behaviors and children's social, social-emotional classroom activities (RECC).…

Individual Differences in Sibling Teaching in Early and Middle Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howe, Nina; Recchia, Holly

2009-01-01

Research Findings: Sibling teaching and learning behaviors were investigated in 2 studies of children in early and middle childhood. Study 1 addressed individual differences in teaching/learning and associations with dyadic age, age gap, gender, birth order, and relationship quality in 71 middle-class dyads (firstborns M age = 81.54 months;…

The Seeds to Success Modified Field Test: Findings from the Impact and Implementation Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boller, Kimberly; Del Grosso, Patricia; Blair, Randall; Jolly, Yumiko; Fortson, Ken; Paulsell, Diane; Lundquist, Eric; Hallgren, Kristin; Kovac, Martha

2010-01-01

In 2006, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation launched the Early Learning Initiative (ELI) to improve the school readiness of Washington State's children through three main strategies: (1) development of high-quality, community-wide early learning initiatives in two communities; (2) enhancement of statewide systems that support early…

Introducing Online Training in an Early Childhood Professional Development System: Lessons Learned in One State

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stone-MacDonald, Angi; Douglass, Anne

2015-01-01

Online educational opportunities provide improved access to high quality professional development for the early education and care workforce. Online and technology mediated learning can create sustainable education and development opportunities for states when face-to-face training is financially prohibitive. This study examined one state's…

Quality Matters in Early Childhood Education and Care: Finland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taguma, Miho; Litjens, Ineke; Makowiecki, Kelly

2012-01-01

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) has become a policy priority in many countries. A growing body of research recognises that it provides a wide range of benefits, including social and economic benefits, better child well-being and learning outcomes as a foundation for lifelong learning, more equitable outcomes and reduction of poverty, and…

Incorporating Early Learning Strategies in the School Improvement Grants (SIG) Program: How Three Schools Integrated Early Childhood Strategies into School Turnaround Efforts to Improve Instruction for All Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connors-Tadros, Lori; Dunn, Lenay; Martella, Jana; McCauley, Carlas

2015-01-01

A significant body of research shows that achievement gaps evident in persistently low-performing schools, in many instances, manifest prior to children entering kindergarten. High-quality early learning programs have proven to demonstrate positive effects on closing academic gaps both for individual children and in the aggregate for the school.…

Investing in Young Children: A Fact Sheet on Early Care and Education Participation, Access, and Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmit, Stephanie; Matthews, Hannah; Smith, Sheila; Robbins, Taylor

2013-01-01

Across the U.S., large numbers of young children are affected by one or more risk factors that have been linked to academic failure and poor health. High quality early care and education can play a critical role in promoting young children's early learning and success in life, while also supporting families' economic security. Young…

How Would Programs Rate under California's Proposed Quality Rating and Improvement System? Evidence from Statewide and County Data on Early Care and Education Program Quality. Documented Briefing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karoly, Lynn A.; Zellman, Gail L.

2012-01-01

In 2010, the California Early Learning Quality Improvement System (CAEL QIS) Advisory Committee recommended a structure for a voluntary quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) that could apply to the state's 11,000 licensed centers and 36,600 licensed family child care homes (FCCHs). The proposed design consisted of an unweighted block system…

Factors Influencing Lecturer Uptake of E-Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fresen, Jill W.

2011-01-01

This paper reports on two research projects, one completed and a partial follow-up study in the early stages of investigation. The first study investigated a range of factors that directly affect the quality of web-supported learning opportunities. The outcome of that study is a taxonomy of critical success factors for quality web-supported…

Professional Conversations: A Collaborative Approach to Support Policy Implementation, Professional Learning and Practice Change in ECEC

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Irvine, Susan; Price, Julie

2014-01-01

In 2012, Australia introduced a new "National Quality Framework" (NQF), comprising enhanced quality expectations for early childhood education and care services, two national learning frameworks and a new assessment and rating system spanning childcare centres, kindergartens and preschools, family day care and outside school hours care.…

Investigating Analytic Tools for e-Book Design in Early Literacy Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roskos, Kathleen; Brueck, Jeremy; Widman, Sarah

2009-01-01

Toward the goal of better e-book design to support early literacy learning, this study investigates analytic tools for examining design qualities of e-books for young children. Three research-based analytic tools related to e-book design were applied to a mixed genre collection of 50 e-books from popular online sites. Tool performance varied…

New Professionalism in Austere Times: The Employment Experiences of Early Career Teachers in Scotland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hulme, Moira; Menter, Ian

2014-01-01

International concern to raise educational standards and improve teacher quality has directed attention to the need to sustain career-long professional learning. Teacher induction and early professional learning (during years 2-6) have been associated with patterns of attrition and improved pupil outcomes. As the economic crisis impacts on public…

A Collaborative Inquiry into Museum and Library Early Learning Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sirinides, Phil; Fink, Ryan; DuBois, Tesla

2016-01-01

As states, cities, and communities take a more active role in ensuring that all children have access to high quality experiences and opportunities to learn, many are looking to museums and libraries as part of the early childhood education system. Museums and libraries can play a critical role in these efforts, and there is clear momentum and…

Nature and the Outdoor Learning Environment: The Forgotten Resource in Early Childhood Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Allen

2015-01-01

Longitudinal studies now confirm the economic, academic, and social importance of high-quality early childhood education. At the same time, a substantial body of research indicates that an outdoor learning and play environment with diverse natural elements advances and enriches all of the domains relevant to the development, health, and well-being…

Quality Early Childhood Education for Disadvantaged Children: An Investigation in the MCD Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chopra, Neelima

2016-01-01

Schools run by Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) play a pivotal role in providing early childhood education to young children belonging to marginalized sections of Delhi. However, literature review reveals that low learning outcomes are common among children attending these schools. Low levels of learning are often associated with poor quality…

Evaluations of School Readiness Initiatives: What Are We Learning? SERVE's Expanded Learning Opportunities National Leadership Area Research Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Elizabeth G.; Scott-Little, Catherine

Encouraged by evidence linking quality early care/education programs and improved student outcomes, a variety of school readiness programs and initiatives have been created. This report reviews and synthesizes evaluation studies conducted on early childhood interventions, focusing on programs emphasizing a school readiness goal. The report…

Dewey: A Panacea for the 'Schoolification' Epidemic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ring, Emer; O'Sullivan, Lisha

2018-01-01

High quality early years' education is associated with providing a child-centred curriculum based on a knowledge of how young children learn. The global 'schoolification epidemic' has led to an increasing focus on prescribed curricula and presents as a serious threat to the quality of children's early years' experiences. Findings from research in…

Children's Cortisol Patterns and the Quality of the Early Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sajaniemi, Nina; Suhonen, Eira; Kontu, Elina; Rantanen, Pekka; Lindholm, Harri; Hyttinen, Sirpa; Hirvonen, Ari

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of early educational quality on children's cortisol levels. It was hypothesised that the environmental stressors might load children's immature stress regulative systems thus affecting their diurnal cortisol levels. The study sample consisted of 146 preschool-aged children. Cortisol was measured…

Designing Science Learning in the First Years of Schooling. An Intervention Study with Sequenced Learning Material on the Topic of "Floating and Sinking"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leuchter, Miriam; Saalbach, Henrik; Hardy, Ilonca

2014-01-01

Research on learning and instruction of science has shown that learning environments applied in preschool and primary school rarely makes use of structured learning materials in problem-based environments although these are decisive quality features for promoting conceptual change and scientific reasoning within early science learning. We thus…

Classroom quality and academic skills: Approaches to learning as a moderator.

PubMed

Meng, Christine

2015-12-01

The purpose of this study was to examine whether approaches to learning moderated the association between child care classroom environment and Head Start children's academic skills. The data came from the Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES-2003 Cohort). The dataset is a nationally representative longitudinal study of Head Start children. The sample was selected using the stratified 4-stage sampling procedure. Data was collected in fall 2003, spring 2004, spring 2005, and spring 2006 in the first year of kindergarten. Participants included 3- and 4-year-old Head Start children (n = 786; 387 boys, 399 girls; 119 Hispanic children, 280 African American children, 312 Caucasian children). Head Start children's academic skills in letter-word identification, dictation/spelling, and mathematics at the 4 time points were measured by the Woodcock-Johnson Achievement Battery tests. Approaches to learning in fall 2003 was measured by the teacher report of the Preschool Learning Behaviors Scale. Child care classroom quality in fall 2003 was measured by the revised Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale. Results of the linear mixed effects models demonstrated that approaches to learning significantly moderated the effect of child care classroom quality on Head Start children's writing and spelling. Specifically, positive approaches to learning mitigated the negative effect of lower levels of classroom quality on dictation/spelling. Results underscore the important role of approaches to learning as a protective factor. Implications for early childhood educators with an emphasis on learning goals for disengaged children are discussed. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

FOCUS: Essential Elements of Quality for State-Funded Preschool Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New Mexico Public Education Department, 2016

2016-01-01

The "FOCUS: Essential Elements of Quality, New Mexico's Tiered Quality Rating and Improvement System (TQRIS)," provides early childhood program personnel with the criteria, tools, and resources they need to improve the quality of their program. These quality improvements focus on children's growth, development, and learning--so that each…

Learning One's Place and Position through Play: Social Class and Educational Opportunity in Early Years Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stirrup, Julie; Evans, John; Davies, Brian

2017-01-01

Drawing on the theoretical work of the British sociologist Basil Bernstein, this paper documents how learning is structured and organised through play in three Early Years Education (EYE) settings catering for children aged three to five in England, UK. Its data address current issues raised within EYE research relating to "quality and high…

Brain Development and Early Learning: Research on Brain Development. Quality Matters. Volume 1, Winter 2007

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edie, David; Schmid, Deborah

2007-01-01

For decades researchers have been aware of the extraordinary development of a child's brain during the first five years of life. Recent advances in neuroscience have helped crystallize earlier findings, bringing new clarity and understanding to the field of early childhood brain development. Children are born ready to learn. They cultivate 85…

A Neurocomputational Account of Taxonomic Responding and Fast Mapping in Early Word Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mayor, Julien; Plunkett, Kim

2010-01-01

We present a neurocomputational model with self-organizing maps that accounts for the emergence of taxonomic responding and fast mapping in early word learning, as well as a rapid increase in the rate of acquisition of words observed in late infancy. The quality and efficiency of generalization of word-object associations is directly related to…

The Race to the Top--Early Learning Challenge Year Two Progress Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US Department of Education, 2014

2014-01-01

The human brain develops rapidly in the first five years of life. High-quality early learning experiences can have a profound and lasting positive effect on young children during these years, setting the stage for success in kindergarten and beyond. This is especially true for young children with high needs who are from low-income families; who…

Essential Organizational Supports for Early Education: The Development of a New Survey Tool to Measure Organizational Conditions. Survey Development Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ehrlich, Stacy B.; Pacchiano, Debra M.; Stein, Amanda G.; Luppescu, Stuart

2016-01-01

Decades of research evidence indicate that high-quality early education can positively affect the learning trajectories of disadvantaged young children. However, despite significant investments to improve what happens in the classroom, publicly funded pre-kindergarten programs continue to display instructional quality that is too weak to prepare…

Did that Professional Education about Mental Health Promotion Make Any Difference? Early Childhood Educators' Reflections upon Changes in Their Knowledge and Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Askell-Williams, Helen; Murray-Harvey, Rosalind

2013-01-01

Educators are at the heart of educational reforms, such as the introduction of mental health promotion initiatives into early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings. Good quality implementation of reforms requires educators to engage in high quality professional learning: If educators have not had opportunities to gain appropriate knowledge…

Learning beyond Boundaries: Japanese Teachers Learning to Reflect and Reflecting to Learn

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sakar Arani, Mohammad Reza; Fukaya, Takenobu

2009-01-01

In the early 21st century, educational reform in many countries shifted to put more emphasis on learning-oriented strategy for change and to focus on empowerment of teachers and self-sustaining change in school. Consequently, teacher quality has developed into a core innovation issue of school education in many countries. Recently "lesson…

Idaho's Blueprint for Early Learning: "The Essential Elements."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wheeler, Myrl, Ed.

Designed to provide information related to quality early care and education services for providers, policy makers, and clients in Idaho, This "blueprint" outlines the nine essential elements for best practices in early care and education settings. The document is presented in three parts. Part 1 delineates standards and indicators in…

Transforming the Early Care and Education Workforce

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vecchiotti, Sara

2018-01-01

There is ample opportunity for state boards to improve outcomes for children by strengthening the early care and education workforce and thereby improving the quality of early care and education. Ensuring that ECE professionals have the knowledge, supports, and resources they need to support children's learning is one avenue to improving the…

Early Childhood Education: The Long-Term Benefits

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bakken, Linda; Brown, Nola; Downing, Barry

2017-01-01

This study was designed to substantiate the positive, long-term outcomes demonstrated by children from economically disadvantaged homes who received a high-quality, early education. Children who attended The Opportunity Project (TOP) Early Learning Centers in a midwestern city in the United States were matched with a like control sample from a…

Early Learning: Birth to Third Grade Continuum. Annotated Bibliography

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hite, Jenny

2014-01-01

Recent studies indicate that persistent achievement gaps among children begin as early as 18 months, years before most publicly funded prekindergarten programs offer enrollment. Early childhood development necessitates more than access to pre-K at age four. Proper brain development requires adequate nutrition, access to quality healthcare, and…

Quality and Equity in Early Childhood Care in Peru

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Izu, Regina Moromizato

2006-01-01

The present study examines educational policy documents and programs on early childhood development and education in Peru. The author provides an evaluation of early childhood learning programs and their outcomes in different education centers in Peru. Health, nutrition, development, and participation are identified as key areas of concern. The…

Early Childhood Education: Babies Are Everybody's Business

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cox, Kitt

2009-01-01

A movement is building that favors creating a national network of high-quality early education and care systems that begin at birth. It makes sense. Promoting positive early learning experiences, healthy caregivers, and a connection between families and community resources can reverse rising rates of expulsion, high school dropouts, and the need…

Rethinking Early Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Celeste, Eric

2017-01-01

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) says in its current policy paper that, for high-quality early education to exist outside of tiny islands across the country, the following must be addressed: (1) teacher preparation; (2) ongoing professional learning; and (3) disparity in early education teacher pay. To achieve…

Influences of early child nutritional status and home learning environment on child development in Vietnam.

PubMed

Nguyen, Phuong H; DiGirolamo, Ann M; Gonzalez-Casanova, Ines; Young, Melissa; Kim, Nicole; Nguyen, Son; Martorell, Reynaldo; Ramakrishnan, Usha

2018-01-01

Early childhood development plays a key role in a child's future health, educational success, and economic status. However, suboptimal early development remains a global challenge. This study examines the influences of quality of the home learning environment (HOME) and child stunting in the first year of life on child development. We used data collected from a randomized controlled trial of preconceptional micronutrient supplementation in Vietnam (n = 1,458). The Bayley Scales of Infant Development-III were used to assess cognition, language, and motor development domains at 2 years. At 1 year, 14% of children were stunted, and 15%, 58%, and 28% of children lived in poor, medium, and high HOME environments, respectively. In multivariate generalized linear regression models, living in a high HOME environment was significantly associated with higher scores (0.10 to 0.13 SD) in each of the developmental domains. Stunted children scored significantly lower for cognitive, language, and motor development (-0.11 to -0.18), compared to nonstunted children. The negative associations between stunting on development were modified by HOME; the associations were strong among children living in homes with a poor learning environment whereas they were nonsignificant for those living in high-quality learning environments. In conclusion, child stunting the first year of life was negatively associated with child development at 2 years among children in Vietnam, but a high-quality HOME appeared to attenuate these associations. Early interventions aimed at improving early child growth as well as providing a stimulating home environment are critical to ensure optimal child development. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Making Pre-Kindergarten Work for Low-Income Working Families. CLASP Child Care and Early Education Series. Policy Paper No. 1

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schumacher, Rachel; Hamm, Katie; Ewen, Danielle

2007-01-01

A growing number of state leaders believe that it is essential to expand high-quality early learning and development opportunities for all young children before they reach kindergarten. A key component of this strategy is providing access to voluntary, high-quality pre-kindergarten programs, especially for low-income children. Over the last few…

A Systemwide Approach to Improving Early Childhood Program Quality in the Detroit Metropolitan Area. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shouse, A. Clay; Epstein, Ann S.

This document is the final report of the McGregor-funded High/Scope training initiative, a system-wide approach to improving the quality of early childhood programs in the Detroit metropolitan area. The 3-year project was based on the validated High/Scope educational approach and training model, which advocates hands-on active learning for both…

Using Generalizability Theory to Examine the Dependability of Scores from the Learning Target Rating Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLaughlin, Tara W.; Snyder, Patricia A.; Algina, James

2017-01-01

The Learning Target Rating Scale (LTRS) is a measure designed to evaluate the quality of teacher-developed learning targets for embedded instruction for early learning. In the present study, we examined the measurement dependability of LTRS scores by conducting a generalizability study (G-study). We used a partially nested, three-facet model to…

A Mixed Methods Study of Early Childhood Preservice Teachers: Beliefs about Poverty, Perceived Learning from Specific Instructional Strategies, and Preparedness to Serve Children and Families in Poverty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Schagen Johnson, Amy

2016-01-01

A large number of young children experiencing poverty are receiving some type of formal early care and education. Effective early childhood teachers are an important component to providing high quality early childhood education. Yet, limited research has examined from the preservice teacher perspective how early childhood teacher preparation…

Exploring Teacher Professional Learning for Future-Oriented Schooling: Working Paper 1 from the Back to the Future Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gilbert, Jane; Bull, Ally

2014-01-01

This working paper sets out some of the early findings from a pilot project to explore the qualities that future-oriented teachers might need and how those qualities might be developed. The work began under a New Zealand Council for Educational Research (NZCER) project called Back to the Future and is now part of a Teaching & Learning Research…

Designs for Living and Learning: Transforming Early Childhood Environments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curtis, Deb; Carter, Margie

While the early childhood field has formed standards to help in recognizing quality programs for children, practitioners seldom use values to guide in selection of materials or to help plan early childhood environments. This book draws on a variety of educational approaches, including Waldorf, Montessori, and Reggio Emilia, to outline hundreds of…

The Impact of Open Licensing on the Early Reader Ecosystem

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butcher, Neil; Hoosen, Sarah; Levey, Lisbeth; Moore, Derek

2016-01-01

The Impact of Open Licensing on the Early Reader Ecosystem examines how to use open licensing to promote quality learning resources for young children that are relevant and interesting. Research in early reading tends to focus on traditional publishing value and supply chains, without taking much consideration of new approaches and solutions…

Integrating Resources and Strategies into an Emerging System of Professional Development: The Case of PITC in California

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mangione, Peter L.; Lally, J. Ronald; Poole, Janet L.; Tuesta, Alicia; Paxton, Arlene R.

2011-01-01

States have placed high priority on developing early care and education systems that include early learning guidelines, curriculum, program guidelines or standards, and early childhood educator competencies. To explore how professional development and quality improvement initiatives are being integrated into emerging infant-toddler care systems,…

Defining Quality in Visual Art Education for Young Children: Building on the Position Statement of the Early Childhood Art Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McClure, Marissa; Tarr, Patricia; Thompson, Christine Marmé; Eckhoff, Angela

2017-01-01

This article reflects the collective voices of four early childhood visual arts educators, each of whom is a member of the Early Childhood Art Educators (ECAE) Issues Group of the National Arts Educators Association. The authors frame the article around the ECAE position statement, "Art: Essential for Early Learning" (2016), which…

The Reported Effects of a Systematic Professional Learning Program on the Knowledge, Skills, and Concerns of Australian Early Childhood Educators Who Support Young Children Displaying or at Risk of Challenging Behaviours

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arthur-Kelly, Michael; Farrell, Genevieve; De Bortoli, Tania; Lyons, Gordon; Hinchey, Frank; Ho, Fuk Chuen; Opartkiattikul, Watinee; Baker, Fran; Fairfax, Warren

2017-01-01

High-quality early childhood education is a vital experience for young children with and without disabilities. Social and communication experiences in the context of play represent a core curriculum that sets a foundation for later learning and participation. Using a new self-report instrument, this article describes data collected in a…

Recruitment and Retention of Volunteers in a Citizen Science Network to Detect Invasive Species on Private Lands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andow, David A.; Borgida, Eugene; Hurley, Terrance M.; Williams, Allison L.

2016-10-01

Volunteer citizen monitoring is an increasingly important source of scientific data. We developed a volunteer program for early detection of new invasive species by private landowners on their own land. Early detection of an invasive species, however, subjects the landowner to the potentially costly risk of government intervention to control the invasive species. We hypothesized that an adult experiential learning module could increase recruitment and retention because private landowners could learn more about and understand the social benefits of early detection and more accurately gauge the level of personal risk. The experiential learning module emphasized group discussion and individual reflection of risks and benefits of volunteering and included interactions with experts and regulatory personnel. A population of woodland owners with >2 ha of managed oak woodland in central Minnesota were randomly assigned to recruitment treatments: (a) the experiential learning module or (b) a letter inviting their participation. The recruitment and retention rates and data quality were similar for the two methods. However, volunteers who experienced the learning module were more likely to recruit new volunteers than those who merely received an invitation letter. Thus the module may indirectly affect recruitment of new volunteers. The data collection was complex and required the volunteers to complete timely activities, yet the volunteers provided sufficiently high quality data that was useful to the organizers. Volunteers can collect complex data and are willing to assume personal risk to contribute to early detection of invasive species.

Recruitment and Retention of Volunteers in a Citizen Science Network to Detect Invasive Species on Private Lands.

PubMed

Andow, David A; Borgida, Eugene; Hurley, Terrance M; Williams, Allison L

2016-10-01

Volunteer citizen monitoring is an increasingly important source of scientific data. We developed a volunteer program for early detection of new invasive species by private landowners on their own land. Early detection of an invasive species, however, subjects the landowner to the potentially costly risk of government intervention to control the invasive species. We hypothesized that an adult experiential learning module could increase recruitment and retention because private landowners could learn more about and understand the social benefits of early detection and more accurately gauge the level of personal risk. The experiential learning module emphasized group discussion and individual reflection of risks and benefits of volunteering and included interactions with experts and regulatory personnel. A population of woodland owners with >2 ha of managed oak woodland in central Minnesota were randomly assigned to recruitment treatments: (a) the experiential learning module or (b) a letter inviting their participation. The recruitment and retention rates and data quality were similar for the two methods. However, volunteers who experienced the learning module were more likely to recruit new volunteers than those who merely received an invitation letter. Thus the module may indirectly affect recruitment of new volunteers. The data collection was complex and required the volunteers to complete timely activities, yet the volunteers provided sufficiently high quality data that was useful to the organizers. Volunteers can collect complex data and are willing to assume personal risk to contribute to early detection of invasive species.

Adult age differences in subjective and objective measures of strategy use on a sequentially cued prediction task

PubMed Central

Seaman, Kendra L.; Howard, Darlene V.; Howard, James H.

2015-01-01

Differences in strategy use are thought to underlie age-related performance deficits on many learning and decision-making tasks. Recently, age-related differences in learning to make predictions were reported on the Triplets Prediction Task (TPT; Seaman, Howard & Howard, 2013). Notably, deficits appeared early in training and continued with experience. To assess if age differences were due to early strategy use, neural networks were used to objectively assess the strategies implemented by participants during Session 1. Then the relationship between these strategies and performance was examined. Results revealed that older adults were more likely to implement a disadvantageous strategy early in learning, and this led to poorer task performance. Importantly the relationship between age and task performance was partially mediated by early strategy use, suggesting that early strategy selection played a role in the lower quality of predictions in older adults. PMID:24673615

Do Learning Stories Tell the Whole Story of Children's Learning? A Phenomenographic Enquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Qilong

2017-01-01

This study compares the stances of practitioners, parents and the quality assurance authority on the assessment of learning in New Zealand (NZ) early childhood education (ECE). The phenomenographic interview participants include practitioners (24) and parents (11) from 11 ECE settings. The reports issued by the Education Review Office (ERO) on all…

Unfinished Business: Continued Investment in Child Care and Early Education is Critical to Business and America's Future

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Committee for Economic Development, 2012

2012-01-01

The Committee for Economic Development (CED) has a decades-old commitment to quality early childhood education. CED Trustees have always been in the forefront of the effort to promote early learning and development for all children. Over recent years, the case for investment in the early years of childhood has become stronger and more urgent.…

Equity Starts Early: How Chiefs Will Build High-Quality Early Education. A Policy Statement of the Council of Chief State School Officers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stark, Deborah Roderick

2016-01-01

With the achievement gap beginning to manifest in children as young as nine months, and 90 percent of brain development occurring during the first five years of life, chiefs are committed to expanding and upgrading early childhood programs and strengthening early elementary teaching and learning to provide equal educational opportunities for every…

Innovations for High Quality, Aligned Early Childhood Educator Preparation. IERC 2016-3

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Bradford R.; Baron, Debra Mayconich; Klostermann, Brenda K.; Duffy, Daniel Q.

2016-01-01

Much attention during the past decade has been given to the need to develop a well-trained early childhood education workforce. In order to address this need, the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) awarded Early Childhood Educator Preparation Program Innovation (EPPI) grants to institutions of higher learning. The IBHE funded partnerships,…

Early Care and Education Issues Rising to the Top.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Sherry Freeland, Ed.

2001-01-01

Noting that growing consensus about the importance of the first 5 years of life has prompted in-depth considerations about the systemic quality of early care and education in the United States, this issue of "State Education Leader" examines various aspects of early learning. Topics considered in this issue are: (1) key issues in financing early…

Putting Children and Families First: Head Start Programs in 2010. Brief No. 10

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmit, Stephanie; Ewen, Danielle

2012-01-01

Since its creation in 1965, Head Start has provided high quality early education and comprehensive support services to three- and four-year-olds in poor families. In addition to early learning opportunities, Head Start's comprehensive early childhood development program provides children and families with access to a range of services such as…

Sustainable Professional Learning for Early Childhood Educators: Lessons from an Australia-Wide Mental Health Promotion Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Askell-Williams, Helen; Murray-Harvey, Rosalind

2016-01-01

New policy initiatives, such as those concerned with promoting young children's positive mental health, highlight the need for good quality professional education in the early childhood education and care sector. However, although a wealth of literature exists from the school sector, little is known about professional education in early childhood…

Enhancing the Early Childhood Development System in Yakutia (Russia): Meeting the Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kotnik, Jure; Shmis, Tigran

2011-01-01

The Yakutia Republic is currently working to update its early childhood development (ECD) system. Its goal is to ensure a high quality environment for early learning and child care and to enable higher enrolment levels. Currently, a high priority for the Government of Yakutia is to increase access to pre-school education, given the significant…

Sustaining the Benefits of Early Childhood Education Experiences: A Research Overview

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gomez, Rebecca E.

2016-01-01

Over the past decade, there has been increased recognition of the short- and long-term benefits of high-quality early childhood education programs, but the systems needed to sustain these benefits throughout early learning transitions (and beyond) have not yet been fully implemented. In this article, the author discusses the importance of early…

Using the Scientific Method to Guide Learning: An Integrated Approach to Early Childhood Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gerde, Hope K.; Schachter, Rachel E.; Wasik, Barbara A.

2013-01-01

Researchers and practitioners have become increasingly interested in how early childhood programs prepare young children for science. Due to a number of factors, including educators' low self-efficacy for teaching science and lack of educational resources, many early childhood classrooms do not offer high-quality science experiences for young…

What Are the Benefits from Early Childhood Education? Education Indicators in Focus. No. 42

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

OECD Publishing, 2016

2016-01-01

Evidence shows that early childhood education leads to the development of cognitive, social and emotional skills at a young age as well as to better school performance later on. It also creates conditions for lifelong learning and better future professional achievement. Furthermore, efforts to ensure quality early childhood education programmes…

Assessing the Validity of the Qualistar Early Learning Quality Rating and Improvement System as a Tool for Improving Child-Care Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zellman, Gail L.; Perlman, Michal; Le, Vi-Nhuan; Setodji, Claude Messan

2008-01-01

As a result of the generally low quality of child care in the United States and the increased emphasis on accountability in education policy, quality rating systems (QRSs) are proliferating in the child-care arena. QRSs assess child-care providers on multiple dimensions of quality and integrate these assessments into an easily understood summary…

Learning Contexts for Young Children in Chile: Process Quality Assessment in Preschool Centres

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herrera, Maria Olivia; Mathiesen, Maria Elena; Merino, Jose Manuel; Recart, Isidora

2005-01-01

ITERS (Infant and Toddler Environment Rating Scale), ECERS (Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale) and SACERS (School Age Care Environment Rating Scale) are used to measure process quality. The psychometric characteristics of the three scales are established, and high reliability and adequate validity are observed. The global quality process…

GETTING READY: RESULTS OF A RANDOMIZED TRIAL OF A RELATIONSHIP-FOCUSED INTERVENTION ON THE PARENT-INFANT RELATIONSHIP IN RURAL EARLY HEAD START.

PubMed

Knoche, Lisa L; Sheridan, Susan M; Clarke, Brandy L; Edwards, Carolyn Pope; Marvin, Christine A; Cline, Keely D; Kupzyk, Kevin A

2012-09-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of a relational intervention (the Getting Ready intervention) on parenting behaviors supporting the parent-infant relationship for families enrolled in Early Head Start home-based programming. Two-hundred thirty-four parents and their children participated in the randomized study, with 42% of parents reporting education of less than a high-school diploma. Brief, semistructured parent-child interaction tasks were videotaped every 4 months over a16-month intervention period. Observational codes of parent-infant relationship behaviors included quality of three parental behaviors: warmth and sensitivity, support for learning, and encouragement of autonomy; two appropriateness indicators: support for learning and guidance/directives; and one amount indicator: constructive behaviors. Parents who participated in the Getting Ready intervention demonstrated higher quality interactions with their children that included enhanced quality of warmth and sensitivity, and support for their children's autonomy than did parents in the control group. They also were more likely to use appropriate directives with their children and more likely to demonstrate appropriate supports for their young children's learning. Results indicate an added value of the Getting Ready intervention for Early Head Start home-based programming for families of infants and toddlers.

GETTING READY: RESULTS OF A RANDOMIZED TRIAL OF A RELATIONSHIP-FOCUSED INTERVENTION ON THE PARENT–INFANT RELATIONSHIP IN RURAL EARLY HEAD START

PubMed Central

KNOCHE, LISA L.; SHERIDAN, SUSAN M.; CLARKE, BRANDY L.; EDWARDS, CAROLYN POPE; MARVIN, CHRISTINE A.; CLINE, KEELY D.; KUPZYK, KEVIN A.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of a relational intervention (the Getting Ready intervention) on parenting behaviors supporting the parent–infant relationship for families enrolled in Early Head Start home-based programming. Two-hundred thirty-four parents and their children participated in the randomized study, with 42% of parents reporting education of less than a high-school diploma. Brief, semistructured parent–child interaction tasks were videotaped every 4 months over a16-month intervention period. Observational codes of parent–infant relationship behaviors included quality of three parental behaviors: warmth and sensitivity, support for learning, and encouragement of autonomy; two appropriateness indicators: support for learning and guidance/directives; and one amount indicator: constructive behaviors. Parents who participated in the Getting Ready intervention demonstrated higher quality interactions with their children that included enhanced quality of warmth and sensitivity, and support for their children’s autonomy than did parents in the control group. They also were more likely to use appropriate directives with their children and more likely to demonstrate appropriate supports for their young children’s learning. Results indicate an added value of the Getting Ready intervention for Early Head Start home-based programming for families of infants and toddlers. PMID:24644374

Improving Quality and Child Outcomes in Early Childhood Education by Redefining the Role Afforded to Teachers in Professional Development: A Continuous Quality Improvement Learning Collaborative among Public Preschools in Chile

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arbour, MaryCatherine; Yoshikawa, Hirokazu; Atwood, Sid; Duran Mellado, Francis Romina; Godoy Ossa, Felipe; Trevino Villareal, Ernesto; Snow, Catherine E.

2016-01-01

Based on evidence derived from studies conducted mostly in the United States, many low- and middle-income countries are investing in early childhood education (ECE), with high expectations that it will improve academic outcomes, increase human capital, promote economic growth and reduce economic inequality. In Chile, there has been a great…

Teach, Watch, Learn

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cohen, Alan

2017-01-01

Research shows that a child's healthy growth and development hinges on high-quality and consistent caregivers and teachers. This demands a stable, highly skilled, and qualified workforce. In response to the science, the federal Head Start program and a growing number of states now require early learning professionals, especially lead teachers, to…

Outdoor Learning: Supervision Is More than Watching Children Play

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olsen, Heather; Thompson, Donna; Hudson, Susan

2011-01-01

Early childhood programs strive to provide good-quality care and education as young children develop their physical, emotional, social, and intellectual skills. In order to provide children with positive, developmentally appropriate learning opportunities, educators ensure the safety and security of children, indoors and outdoors. The outdoor…

Learning Outcomes in Higher Education: Assumptions, Positions and the Views of Early-Career Staff in the UK System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hadjianastasis, Marios

2017-01-01

According to the UK Quality Assurance Agency, the adoption and use of learning outcomes has been complete across UK higher education since 2007, when it declared that "most departments and institutions have fully adopted the principles of learning outcomes". And yet, the evidence from the ground to support this statement is currently…

Will MOOCs Transform Learning and Teaching in Higher Education? Engagement and Course Retention in Online Learning Provision

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Freitas, Sara Isabella; Morgan, John; Gibson, David

2015-01-01

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have been the subject of much polarised debate around their potential to transform higher education in terms of opening access. Although MOOCs have been attracting large learner cohorts, concerns have emerged from the early evidence base centring upon issues of quality in learning and teaching provision, and…

[Long-term effect of a cognitive intervention on learning and participation in a significant leisure activity in early dementia of Alzheimer type: a case study].

PubMed

Provencher, Véronique; Bier, Nathalie; Audet, Thérèse; Gagnon, Lise

2009-06-01

Decreased ability to accomplish significant leisure activities often occurs in early stages of dementia of Alzheimer type (DAT). As a long term effect, it may eventually affect the quality of life of the patient as well as that of the caregiver's. In a previous study, a woman with early DAT (77 years old, MMSE: 24/30) improved her participation in 2 leisure activities (listening to music and praying in a group) following the learning of a few tasks (e.g. using a radio cassette, remembering the significance of an pre-programmed ring) as a result of a cognitive intervention. The present study presents the long term effect of this intervention on the retention of the learned tasks and on spontaneous participation in both leisure activities of her daily living. Measures of tasks' learning and spontaneous participation in activities have been obtained through direct observation (ex: ability to use the tasks learned without assistance) and telephone conversations with the caregiver. The measures were taken 9 to 15 months post-intervention. Nine months after the end of the intervention, the participant could no longer use the radio cassette, but was able to remember the significance of the pre-programmed ring. Similarly, she stopped listening to music, but still attended her prayer group. The intervention appears to maintain participation in a leisure activity for several months in a patient with early DAT, in spite of expected functional decline. This functional impact can be achieved through retention of specific learned tasks as well as by strong external cues (daily pre-programmed ring), and can increase the quality of life for patients with DAT.

Making the Grade: Making the Case for Well-Educated, Well-Trained Teaching Staff in Early Care and Education. Quality Matters: A Policy Brief Series on Early Care and Education. Volume 2, Fall 2007

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edie, David

2007-01-01

The last quarter century of research on brain development suggests that the nurturing and learning experiences available in the first few years play a strong role in shaping a child's development. Babies are born with a remarkable intrinsic ability to learn. The foundation for a child's intellect, personality and skills is established in the first…

Narratives of Infants' Encounters with Curriculum: Beyond the Curriculum of Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheeseman, Sandra

2017-01-01

Australia's National Quality Framework identifies responsibilities for early childhood educators who work with infants to plan for and assess their learning. Educators are urged to be "responsive to children's ideas and play" and to "assess, anticipate and extend children's learning". Responsiveness in relation to infants is…

QRIS and Inclusion: Do State QRIS Standards Support the Learning Needs of All Children? CEELO FastFact

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horowitz, Michelle; Squires, Jim

2014-01-01

As the country quickly builds its efforts to enhance quality in early education and care classrooms, states are implementing Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) to recognize and improve the quality of programs. QRIS also provides technical support and increased financial benefits for participating programs to attain higher levels of…

Challenging States to Improve Quality: A New Federal Proposal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karolak, Eric

2009-01-01

Everyone knows that "quality" shouldn't be something extra in a child care program. The Obama Administration and leaders in Congress have worked together and this summer proposed an all-new effort to help states prioritize investing in the quality of early childhood learning across all program settings and targeted to the most at-risk children. In…

A neurocomputational account of taxonomic responding and fast mapping in early word learning.

PubMed

Mayor, Julien; Plunkett, Kim

2010-01-01

We present a neurocomputational model with self-organizing maps that accounts for the emergence of taxonomic responding and fast mapping in early word learning, as well as a rapid increase in the rate of acquisition of words observed in late infancy. The quality and efficiency of generalization of word-object associations is directly related to the quality of prelexical, categorical representations in the model. We show how synaptogenesis supports coherent generalization of word-object associations and show that later synaptic pruning minimizes metabolic costs without being detrimental to word learning. The role played by joint-attentional activities is identified in the model, both at the level of selecting efficient cross-modal synapses and at the behavioral level, by accelerating and refining overall vocabulary acquisition. The model can account for the qualitative shift in the way infants use words, from an associative to a referential-like use, for the pattern of overextension errors in production and comprehension observed during early childhood and typicality effects observed in lexical development. Interesting by-products of the model include a potential explanation of the shift from prototype to exemplar-based effects reported for adult category formation, an account of mispronunciation effects in early lexical development, and extendability to include accounts of individual differences in lexical development and specific disorders such as Williams syndrome. The model demonstrates how an established constraint on lexical learning, which has often been regarded as domain-specific, can emerge from domain-general learning principles that are simultaneously biologically, psychologically, and socially plausible.

International Perspectives on Early Childhood Curricula

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oberhuemer, Pamela

2005-01-01

The early years of childhood are receiving increased public policy attention in many countries around the world. Debates on providing quality services and ensuring a good foundation for lifelong learning are generating a new interest in curriculum issues. What understandings do we have of young children? How do they access and construct knowledge…

Preschoolers Know, but How Do They Know? Developing a Framework for Early Epistemology Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winsor, Denise L.; Blake, Sally

2009-01-01

Two areas that are lacking for the purpose of training high-quality preschool teachers; and constructing developmentally appropriate learning standards and curriculum for preschool children are awareness of early epistemic development (beliefs about knowledge and knowing) and understanding preschoolers' cognitive processes during epistemic…

Building Society: Young People's Experiences and Outcomes in the Technologies. Transforming Lives through Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Education Scotland, 2014

2014-01-01

This report continues the series in which Education Scotland evaluates the quality of young people's learning and achievements, in this case in the technologies. The report contributes to the overall picture of what it is like to be a learner in a Scottish early learning or childcare setting or school in this second decade of the 21st Century. The…

Innovation and Technology to Accelerate Progress in Education: Report to the International Commission on Financing Global Education Opportunity. Background Paper, The Learning Generation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winthrop, Rebecca; McGivney, Eileen; Williams, Timothy P.; Shankar, Priya

2016-01-01

Sustainable Development Goal 4, to ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning, sets out a grand ambition for education systems around the globe to achieve not just universal primary schooling, but to expand universal education from early childhood to secondary school and achieve relevant learning outcomes. While…

Adapting Japanese Lesson Study to Enhance the Teaching and Learning of Geometry and Spatial Reasoning in Early Years Classrooms: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moss, Joan; Hawes, Zachary; Naqvi, Sarah; Caswell, Beverly

2015-01-01

Increased efforts are needed to meet the demand for high quality mathematics in early years classrooms. Despite the foundational role of geometry and spatial reasoning for later mathematics success, the strand receives inadequate instructional time and is limited to concepts of static geometry. Moreover, early years teachers typically lack both…

Social Capital Made Visible: A Case Study of Professional Learning Communities in Early Care and Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Wendy Bickford

2016-01-01

Early care and education (ECE) services are necessary for a society because of a variety of ethical, economic, and developmental reasons. A well-developed field of practice is needed to ensure young children have access to high quality care and education settings. To promote a thriving profession, many are calling for the field of early care and…

Mathematics at the Early Childhood Level: The Impact of Staff Development on Teachers' Self-Efficacy and Student Learning Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Molinare, Dee

2017-01-01

Early childhood education has become of national and local interest based upon the Preschool for All agenda. Children need to attend preschools with programs that are high quality with a curriculum that is age appropriate and prepares them for continued school success. Early childhood educators should be trained to implement the curriculum. This…

Data Collection and Use in Early Childhood Education Programs: Evidence from the Northeast Region. REL 2015-084

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zweig, Jacqueline; Irwin, Clare W.; Kook, Janna Fuccillo; Cox, Josh

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to describe what data preschools in a mid-sized city in the Northeast collect, how they use that data, and the challenges they face. The study focuses on three types of data: early learning outcomes, dosage (i.e., the amount of exposure to early childhood education), and classroom quality. The report further…

Teachers' Social-Emotional Capacity: Factors Associated with Teachers' Responsiveness and Professional Commitment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buettner, Cynthia K.; Jeon, Lieny; Hur, Eunhye; Garcia, Rachel E.

2016-01-01

Research Findings: Early care and education has pronounced implications for young children's social-emotional learning. Although program structural and classroom process quality indicators have been widely explored, teachers' personal social-emotional capacity has only recently been recognized as an indicator of quality. This study reviewed and…

76 FR 35234 - Notice of Web Availability: Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for HUD's Fiscal Year (FY) 2011...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-16

...' health, safety, employment, mobility, and education; and 3. Neighborhood: Transform distressed, high..., high quality public schools and education programs, high quality early learning programs and services..., communities must develop and implement a comprehensive neighborhood revitalization strategy, or Transformation...

A Quiet Crisis: The Urgent Need to Build Early Childhood Systems and Quality Programs for Children Birth to Age Five. A Policy Statement of the Council of Chief State School Officers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Council of Chief State School Officers, 2009

2009-01-01

A quiet crisis is threatening the future of America. Deeply rooted achievement gaps and shortfalls, and a lack of high-quality early learning opportunities compromise the potential of too many children. America vows to be the country of hope and opportunity for all, but it fails to fulfill this promise to our youngest citizens. We celebrate their…

The Strengthening Families Initiative and Child Care Quality Improvement: How Strengthening Families Influenced Change in Child Care Programs in One State

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Douglass, Anne; Klerman, Lorraine

2012-01-01

Research Findings: This study investigated how the Strengthening Families through Early Care and Education initiative in Illinois (SFI) influenced change in 4 child care programs. Findings indicate that SFI influenced quality improvements through 4 primary pathways: (a) Learning Networks, (b) the quality of training, (c) the engagement of program…

Equity and Excellence: African-American Children's Access to Quality Preschool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnett, Steve; Carolan, Megan; Johns, David

2013-01-01

The White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African-Americans (WHIEEAA) has a mandate on behalf of African-American students to close the achievement gap. This goal requires attention to the full education continuum, from the early childhood years through adulthood. Learning begins at birth and the preparation for learning starts well…

Assessing Learning in the Early Years' Outdoor Classroom: Examining Challenges in Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davies, Ruth; Hamilton, Paula

2018-01-01

The benefit the outdoor environment has for young children's development is widely documented. However, there is less literature outlining practitioners' experiences of assessing learning in the outdoors and factors which impact the level and quality of assessments undertaken. This study, based on a pragmatic mixed methods approach, undertaken in…

Venous Grafts Procured During the Learning Curve for Endoscopic Veins Harvesting Show Compromised Vascular Remodeling

PubMed Central

Kiani, Soroosh; Desai, Pranjal H.; Thirumvalavan, Nannan; Kurian, Dinesh John; Flynn, Mary Margaret; Zhao, XiaoQing

2011-01-01

BACKGROUND Endoscopic vein harvest (EVH) is the US standard of care for CABG but recent comparisons to open harvest suggest that conduit quality and outcomes may be compromised. To test the hypothesis that problems with EVH may relate to its learning curve and conduit quality, we analyzed the quality and early function of conduits procured by technicians with varying EVH experience. METHODS EVH was performed during CABG by “experienced” (>900 cases, n=55 patients) vs. “novice” (<100 cases, n=30 patients) technicians. Afterwards, conduits were and examined for vascular injury using optical coherence tomography (OCT), with segments identified as injured further examined for gene expression using a tissue injury array. Conduit diameter was measured intra- and postoperatively (day 5 and 6 months) using OCT and Computed-Tomography angiography. RESULTS EVH performed by novice harvesters resulted in increased number of discrete graft injuries and higher expression of tissue injury genes. Regression analysis revealed an association between shear stress and early dilation (positive remodeling) (R2 =0.48, p <0.01). Injured veins showed blunted positive remodeling at 5 days and a greater degree of late lumen loss at 6 months. CONCLUSION Under normal conditions, intraluminal shear stress leads vein grafts to develop positive remodeling over the first postoperative week. Injury to conduits, a frequent sequela of the learning curve for EVH, was a predictor of early graft failure, blunted positive remodeling and greater negative remodeling. Given the ongoing annual volume of EVH cases, rigorous monitoring of the learning curve represents an important and unrecognized public health issue. PMID:21996436

Releasing the Voice of Early Education Directors: Degree Requirements

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Kristi Koenig

2011-01-01

The discovery of "windows of opportunity" regarding learning as the brain develops during the preschool years reinforces the important role early education teachers play in the lives of children. As a result, the credentials of those who work with young children have come under investigation as it relates to the provision of quality early…

The role of context in preschool learning: a multilevel examination of the contribution of context-specific problem behaviors and classroom process quality to low-income children's approaches to learning.

PubMed

Domínguez, Ximena; Vitiello, Virginia E; Fuccillo, Janna M; Greenfield, Daryl B; Bulotsky-Shearer, Rebecca J

2011-04-01

Research suggests that promoting adaptive approaches to learning early in childhood may help close the gap between advantaged and disadvantaged children. Recent research has identified specific child-level and classroom-level variables that are significantly associated with preschoolers' approaches to learning. However, further research is needed to understand the interactive effects of these variables and determine whether classroom-level variables buffer the detrimental effects of child-level risk variables. Using a largely urban and minority sample (N=275) of preschool children, the present study examined the additive and interactive effects of children's context-specific problem behaviors and classroom process quality dimensions on children's approaches to learning. Teachers rated children's problem behavior and approaches to learning and independent assessors conducted classroom observations to assess process quality. Problem behaviors in structured learning situations and in peer and teacher interactions were found to negatively predict variance in approaches to learning. Classroom process quality domains did not independently predict variance in approaches to learning. Nonetheless, classroom process quality played an important role in these associations; high emotional support buffered the detrimental effects of problem behavior, whereas high instructional support exacerbated them. The findings of this study have important implications for classroom practices aimed at helping children who exhibit problem behaviors. Copyright © 2010 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Native language governs interpretation of salient speech sound differences at 18 months

PubMed Central

Dietrich, Christiane; Swingley, Daniel; Werker, Janet F.

2007-01-01

One of the first steps infants take in learning their native language is to discover its set of speech-sound categories. This early development is shown when infants begin to lose the ability to differentiate some of the speech sounds their language does not use, while retaining or improving discrimination of language-relevant sounds. However, this aspect of early phonological tuning is not sufficient for language learning. Children must also discover which of the phonetic cues that are used in their language serve to signal lexical distinctions. Phonetic variation that is readily discriminable to all children may indicate two different words in one language but only one word in another. Here, we provide evidence that the language background of 1.5-year-olds affects their interpretation of phonetic variation in word learning, and we show that young children interpret salient phonetic variation in language-specific ways. Three experiments with a total of 104 children compared Dutch- and English-learning 18-month-olds' responses to novel words varying in vowel duration or vowel quality. Dutch learners interpreted vowel duration as lexically contrastive, but English learners did not, in keeping with properties of Dutch and English. Both groups performed equivalently when differentiating words varying in vowel quality. Thus, at one and a half years, children's phonological knowledge already guides their interpretation of salient phonetic variation. We argue that early phonological learning is not just a matter of maintaining the ability to distinguish language-relevant phonetic cues. Learning also requires phonological interpretation at appropriate levels of linguistic analysis. PMID:17911262

Sibling influences on gender development in middle childhood and early adolescence: a longitudinal study.

PubMed

McHale, S M; Updegraff, K A; Helms-Erikson, H; Crouter, A C

2001-01-01

The development of gender role qualities (attitudes, personality, leisure activities) from middle childhood to early adolescence was studied to determine whether siblings' gender role qualities predicted those of their sisters and brothers. Participants were 198 firstborn and second-born siblings (Ms = 10 years 9 months and 8 years 3 months, respectively, in Year 1) and their parents. Families were interviewed annually for 3 years. Firstborn siblings' qualities in Year 1 predicted second-born children's qualities in Year 3 when both parent and child qualities in Year 1 were controlled, a pattern consistent with a social learning model of sibling influence. Parental influence was more evident and sibling influence less evident in predicting firstborns' qualities; for firstborns, sibling influences suggested a de-identification process.

Learning cooking skills at different ages: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Lavelle, Fiona; Spence, Michelle; Hollywood, Lynsey; McGowan, Laura; Surgenor, Dawn; McCloat, Amanda; Mooney, Elaine; Caraher, Martin; Raats, Monique; Dean, Moira

2016-11-14

Cooking skills are increasingly included in strategies to prevent and reduce chronic diet-related diseases and obesity. While cooking interventions target all age groups (Child, Teen and Adult), the optimal age for learning these skills on: 1) skills retention, 2) cooking practices, 3) cooking attitudes, 4) diet quality and 5) health is unknown. Similarly, although the source of learning cooking skills has been previously studied, the differences in learning from these different sources has not been considered. This research investigated the associations of the age and source of learning with the aforementioned five factors. A nationally representative (Northern/Republic of Ireland) cross-sectional survey was undertaken with 1049 adults aged between 20-60 years. The survey included both measures developed and tested by the researchers as well as validated measures of cooking (e.g. chopping) and food skills (e.g. budgeting), cooking practices (e.g. food safety), cooking attitudes, diet quality and health. Respondents also stated when they learnt the majority of their skills and their sources of learning. The data was analysed using ANOVAs with post-hoc analysis and Chi 2 crosstabs with a significance level of 0.05. Results showed that child (<12 years) and/or teen (13-18 years) learners had significantly greater numbers of, and confidence in, their cooking and food skills, cooking practices, cooking attitudes, diet quality (with the exception of fibre intake where adult learners were higher) and health. Mother was the primary source of learning and those who learnt only from this source had significantly better outcomes on 12 of the 23 measures. This research highlights the importance of learning cooking skills at an early age for skill retention, confidence, cooking practices, cooking attitude and diet quality. Mother remained the primary source of learning, however, as there is a reported deskilling of domestic cooks, mothers may no longer have the ability to teach cooking skills to the next generation. A focus on alternative sources including practical cooking skills education starting at an early age is required. This study also highlights the need for further longitudinal research on the impact of age and source of learning on cooking skills.

The Synergy of Class Size Reduction and Classroom Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graue, Elizabeth; Rauscher, Erica; Sherfinski, Melissa

2009-01-01

A contextual approach to understanding class size reduction includes attention to both educational inputs and processes. Based on our study of a class size reduction program in Wisconsin we explore the following question: How do class size reduction and classroom quality interact to produce learning opportunities in early elementary classrooms? To…

Education Policy Analysis, 1999: Resources for Lifelong Learning, Early Childhood Education and Care, Technology in Education, Tertiary Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, Paris (France). Centre for Educational Research and Innovation.

In its Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development is developing an instrument to compare across countries the quality of outcomes produced by schools. This document explores some issues related to academic achievement. Chapter 1, "Resources for Lifelong Learning: What Might…

Play School: Where Children and Families Learn and Grow Together

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDermott, Lori Berger

2012-01-01

A growing body of national research confirms that significant levels of learning and growth occur during early childhood, and that it is important, from a public policy perspective, to increase access to quality programs and services that support the development of skills and attitudes children need to succeed. Clearly, no one-size-fits-all…

Technology Enhanced Instruction: An Example of English Language Learning in the Context of Peace

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sasi, Sabri; Chang, Maiga; Altinay-Aksal, Fahriye; Kayimbasioglu, Dervis; Dervis, Huseyin; Kinshuk; Altinay-Gazi, Zehra

2017-01-01

Early childhood quality education is a cornerstone in educational development. Many countries have started to develop their own preschool educational system in accordance with the European Union Standards, where learning English language and using technology are prerequisites. In this research, the peace context was used as a mediator for learning…

Addressing Disparities in Parent Education: Examining the Effects of Learn the Signs/Act Early Parent Education Materials on Parent Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graybill, Emily; Self-Brown, Shannon; Lai, Betty; Vinoski, Erin; McGill, Tia; Crimmins, Daniel

2016-01-01

Early intervention is critical for improved prognosis and quality of life for young children with developmental delays and disabilities. Yet, disparities persist among underserved families with young children. These disparities include knowledge of child development, use of medical providers as referral sources, and later diagnosis. The current…

"Intensive Mothering" in the Early Years: The Cultivation and Consolidation of (Physical) Capital

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stirrup, Julie; Duncombe, Rebecca; Sandford, Rachel

2015-01-01

Growing pressure on parents to equip their children with the skills required for future success, coupled with an increased focus on providing quality learning experiences in the early years, has contributed to an upsurge in the enrolment of young children in formal (often privatised) activities. Moreover, in response to growing societal concerns…

"Build Me a Male Role Model!" A Critical Exploration of the Perceived Qualities/Characteristics of Men in the Early Years (0-8) in England

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brownhill, Simon

2014-01-01

Young boys' "underachievement" and their disaffection with learning continue to dominate education agendas [Francis, B. 2006. "Stop That Sex Drive." "Times Educational Supplement" 30; Peeters, J. 2007. "Including Men in Early Childhood Education: Insights from the European Experience." "NZ Research in…

The Effects of Smart Start on Young Children with Disabilities & Their Families. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Porter, Patricia; Munn, Duncan; Buysse, Virginia; Tyndall, Sabrina

Smart Start, North Carolina's early childhood initiative, seeks to improve early childhood programs and ensure that all North Carolina children enter school healthy and ready to learn. This study evaluated outcomes related to Smart Start program inclusion of young children with disabilities: (1) access to inclusive programming; (2) quality of…

Enhancing Collaboration between Occupational Therapists and Early Childhood Educators Working with Children on the Autism Spectrum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hart Barnett, Juliet E.; O'shaughnessy, Kaitlin

2015-01-01

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are on the rise. With this increase in prevalence and in related inclusive placements comes the need for research-based, collaborative, and high-quality early intervention strategies to promote the learning of children with ASD. Occupational therapists (OTs) are uniquely positioned to address many of the…

Subtle Emotional Process in Early Childhood Pedagogy: Evaluating the Contribution of the Tavistock Observation Method

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elfer, Peter

2017-01-01

Nursery experience is now common for young children and their families. Questions of quality have focussed mainly on safety and early learning. The roles of subtle emotional processes in daily pedagogic interactions have received surprisingly little attention. This paper discusses the Tavistock Observation Method (TOM), a naturalistic method of…

ARRA and New Jersey's Preschool Expansion Initiative: "Not Perfect Together." ACNJ Policy Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rice, Cynthia

2009-01-01

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), the federal stimulus package, will over the next two years provide all states with federal funding to support early learning opportunities for 3- and 4-year-olds. This investment clearly reflects Washington's acknowledgement of the link between high-quality early education and the nation's…

High-Quality School-Based Pre-K Can Boost Early Learning for Children with Special Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phillips, Deborah A.; Meloy, Mary E.

2012-01-01

This article assesses the effects of Tulsa, Oklahoma's school-based prekindergarten program on the school readiness of children with special needs using a regression discontinuity design. Participation in the pre-K program was associated with significant gains for children with special needs in early literacy scores, but not in math scores. These…

Preschool and School Readiness: Experiences of Children with Non-English Speaking Parents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cannon, Jill S.; Jacknowitz, Alison; Karoly, Lynn A.

2012-01-01

Many children begin school unprepared to meet its academic requirements. If this school readiness gap is not addressed, it can be a precursor to continuing low achievement. One promising approach to this problem is to provide high-quality early learning opportunities to low-income children. Many publicly funded early care and education programs in…

The ABCs of Teaching Alphabet Knowledge: Affordances and Challenges of "Weaving" Visible and Invisible Pedagogies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Exley, Beryl; Richard-Bossez, Ariane

2013-01-01

As researchers interested in the pursuit of high-quality/high-equity literacy learning outcomes, the authors focus on the learning experiences of five early years French students, with a special regard for those who are already considered as being at risk of educational failure. The authors narrow the empirical focus to a single lesson on a…

Measuring the Effectiveness of Professional Development in Early Literacy: Lessons Learned. PREL Research Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hammond, Ormond

2005-01-01

This Research Brief focuses on the methodology used to measure professional development (PD) effectiveness. It examines the needs that generated this research, what PREL did to meet those needs, and lessons that have been learned as a result. In particular, it discusses the development of a new instrument designed to measure the quality of PD as…

Are Young Children's Utterances Affected by Characteristics of Their Learning Environments? A Multiple Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, Tanya; Murray, Jane

2017-01-01

Within English early childhood education, there is emphasis on improving speech and language development as well as a drive for outdoor learning. This paper synthesises both aspects to consider whether or not links exist between the environment and the quality of young children's utterances as part of their speech and language development and if…

The role of constructive feedback in patient safety and continuous quality improvement.

PubMed

Altmiller, Gerry

2012-09-01

Constructive feedback is essential for personal and professional growth. It is an integral part of continuous quality improvement and essential in maintaining patient safety in the clinical environment. The perception of feedback can interfere with professionals giving and receiving feedback, which can have negative consequences on patient outcomes. Delivering and receiving feedback effectively are learned skills that should be introduced early in prelicensure education. Faculty have the opportunity to influence the perception of feedback to be viewed as an opportunity so that students can learn to appreciate its value in maintaining patient safety and high-quality care in clinical practice. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

How Measurement Characteristics Can Affect ECERS-R Scores and Program Funding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hofer, Kerry G.

2010-01-01

This project involved examining the most widely used instrument designed to evaluate the quality of early learning environments, the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised Edition (ECERS-R). There are many aspects related to the way that the ECERS-R is used in practice that can vary from one observation to the next. The method in which…

Supporting Parental Involvement in Children's Early Learning: Lessons from Community Childcare Centres in Dublin's Docklands

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Share, Michelle; Kerrins, Liz

2013-01-01

Recently in Ireland attention has been placed on the importance of parental involvement in early childhood care and education settings as seen in the Síolta Quality Standards and Aistear Curriculum Framework. Yet there is little Irish empirical evidence on parental involvement in childcare settings; on the involvement models being used, or on the…

Stability and Change in Early Childhood Classroom Interactions during the First Two Hours of a Day

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curby, Timothy W.; Grimm, Kevin J.; Pianta, Robert C.

2010-01-01

Early childhood classrooms support children's learning in a variety of ways. Of critical importance are the interactions teachers have with children. The type and quality of classroom interactions vary and can be grouped into three domains: instructional, organizational, and emotional. The purpose of this study is to examine the extent to which…

Dual Language Learners in the Early Childhood Classroom. National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education (NCRECE) Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howes, Carollee, Ed.; Downer, Jason T., Ed.; Pianta, Robert C., Ed.

2011-01-01

The school readiness of young dual language learners depends on high-quality preschool programs that meet their needs--but how should schools promote and measure the progress of children learning two languages? Find out what the research says in this authoritative resource, which investigates the experiences of dual language learners in preschool…

Learning in Australian Early Childhood Education and Care Settings: Changing Professional Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tayler, Collette

2012-01-01

For the first time across Australia, early education and care services are subject to a single, national set of regulations and standards governing the quality of provision. Concurrently, a set of outcomes for all children aged from birth to 5 years and a ranking system to make transparent the performance of programmes have been developed. This…

Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) Education MUST Begin in Early Childhood Education: A Systematic Analysis of Washington State Guidelines Used to Gauge the Development and Learning of Young Learners

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Briseno, Luis Miguel

This paper reflects future direction for early Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education, science in particular. Washington State stakeholders use guidelines including: standards, curriculums and assessments to gauge young children's development and learning, in early childhood education (ECE). Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), and the Framework for K-12 programs (National Research Council, 2011) emphasizes the need for reconfiguration of standards: "Too often standards are a long list of detailed and disconnected facts... this approach alienates young people, it also leaves them with fragments of knowledge and little sense of the inherent logic and consistency of science and of its universality." NGSS' position elevates the concern and need for learners to experience teaching and learning from intentionally designed cohesive curriculum units, rather than as a series of unrelated and isolated lessons. To introduce the argument the present study seeks to examine Washington State early learning standards. To evaluate this need, I examined balance and coverage/depth. Analysis measures the level of continuum in high-quality guidelines from which Washington State operates to serve its youngest citizens and their families.

Transitions in sensitive period attachment learning in infancy: the role of corticosterone.

PubMed

Sullivan, Regina M; Holman, Parker J

2010-05-01

Survival of altricial infants, including humans and rats, depends on attachment to the caregiver - a process that requires infants to recognize, learn, and remember their attachment figure. The demands of a dynamic environment combined with a maturing organism require frequent neurobehavioral reorganization. This restructuring of behavior and its supporting neural circuitry can be viewed through the unique lens of attachment learning in rats in which preference learning is enhanced and aversion learning is attenuated. Behavioral restructuring is well adapted to securing the crucial infant-caregiver relationship regardless of the quality of care. With maturation and the end of the infant-caregiver attachment learning period, the complex interplay of neural structures, hormones, and social behavior coordinates the developing rat's eventual transition to life outside of the nest. Nevertheless, early-life environmental and physiological stressors can alter the resilient nature of this system, particularly with respect to the amygdala, and these changes may provide important clues to understanding the lasting effects of early stress. (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Helping Your Child Get Ready for School, with Activities for Children from Birth through Age 5.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paulu, Nancy; Greene, Wilma P., Ed.

This booklet suggests ways for parents to help their preschool children grow, develop, and have fun learning. A brief opening section called "Learning Begins Early" provides a general context for the book. The second section, on what it means to be ready for school, describes the qualities and skills that youngsters need to get a good start in…

The Relation between Early Childhood Teachers' Conceptualization of "Play" and Their Practice: Implication for the Process of Learning to Teach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheng, Doris Pui-Wah

2012-01-01

For centuries, educators and psychologists have advocated "play" as the ideal activity for the development of young children. Actually, play has been found currently to be the central pedagogy in the learning of young children in 21 countries in the world. However, the quality of play-based pedagogy is becoming a key concern across…

Do Welfare States Raise Welfare(d) Kids? Day-Care Institutions and Inequality in the Danish Welfare State

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ringsmose, Charlotte; Winther-Lindqvist, Ditte Alexandra; Allerup, Peter

2014-01-01

There is an increasing focus on early-childhood education quality globally, reflecting a growing political awareness that education starts earlier than primary school, and that high quality in day-care influence children's learning and development. In Denmark, almost all children attend day-care, and day-care institutions are considered part of…

The Effects of Using the Essential Skills Inventory on Teacher Perception of High-Quality Classroom Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sornson, Bob

2015-01-01

This study explores the efficacy of using the Essential Skill Inventories (ESI) to increase high-quality instruction in the early learning years. Kindergarten and first- and second-grade teachers, who were identified as using the ESI with fidelity, assessed their own teaching skills and behaviors, reflecting on these before and after use of the…

Advancing Early Childhood Development: from Science to Scale 1

PubMed Central

Black, Maureen M; Walker, Susan P; Fernald, Lia C H; Andersen, Christopher T; DiGirolamo, Ann M; Lu, Chunling; McCoy, Dana C; Fink, Günther; Shawar, Yusra R; Shiffman, Prof Jeremy; Devercelli, Amanda E; Wodon, Quentin T; Vargas-Barón, Emily; Grantham-McGregor, Sally

2018-01-01

Early childhood development programmes vary in coordination and quality, with inadequate and inequitable access, especially for children younger than 3 years. New estimates, based on proxy measures of stunting and poverty, indicate that 250 million children (43%) younger than 5 years in low-income and middle-income countries are at risk of not reaching their developmental potential. There is therefore an urgent need to increase multisectoral coverage of quality programming that incorporates health, nutrition, security and safety, responsive caregiving, and early learning. Equitable early childhood policies and programmes are crucial for meeting Sustainable Development Goals, and for children to develop the intellectual skills, creativity, and wellbeing required to become healthy and productive adults. In this paper, the first in a three part Series on early childhood development, we examine recent scientific progress and global commitments to early childhood development. Research, programmes, and policies have advanced substantially since 2000, with new neuroscientific evidence linking early adversity and nurturing care with brain development and function throughout the life course. PMID:27717614

Quality versus Quantity: The Use of Observation by Early Childhood Educators in Improving the Performance of Children Enrolled in Preschool Programs in Ghana

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tackie-Ofosu, Vivian; Bentum, Kwesi

2013-01-01

In the current study, the authors explored how early childhood educators used observation to support children in the learning environment. The objectives set were to find out the observation methods teachers used, ascertain their understanding of child observation, find out activities children undertook, and how teachers documented what children…

77 FR 58301 - Final Requirements-Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge; Phase 2

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-20

... career advancement. Core Area B addresses the importance of a high-quality plan for rating and monitoring... adversely affect a sector of the economy, productivity, competition, jobs, the environment, public health or...

Low-Quality Structural and Interaction Data Improves Binding Affinity Prediction via Random Forest.

PubMed

Li, Hongjian; Leung, Kwong-Sak; Wong, Man-Hon; Ballester, Pedro J

2015-06-12

Docking scoring functions can be used to predict the strength of protein-ligand binding. It is widely believed that training a scoring function with low-quality data is detrimental for its predictive performance. Nevertheless, there is a surprising lack of systematic validation experiments in support of this hypothesis. In this study, we investigated to which extent training a scoring function with data containing low-quality structural and binding data is detrimental for predictive performance. We actually found that low-quality data is not only non-detrimental, but beneficial for the predictive performance of machine-learning scoring functions, though the improvement is less important than that coming from high-quality data. Furthermore, we observed that classical scoring functions are not able to effectively exploit data beyond an early threshold, regardless of its quality. This demonstrates that exploiting a larger data volume is more important for the performance of machine-learning scoring functions than restricting to a smaller set of higher data quality.

Integrating nutrition and early child-development interventions among infants and preschoolers in rural India.

PubMed

Fernandez-Rao, Sylvia; Hurley, Kristen M; Nair, Krishnapillai Madhavan; Balakrishna, Nagalla; Radhakrishna, Kankipati V; Ravinder, Punjal; Tilton, Nicholas; Harding, Kimberly B; Reinhart, Greg A; Black, Maureen M

2014-01-01

This article describes the development, design, and implementation of an integrated randomized double-masked placebo-controlled trial (Project Grow Smart) that examines how home/preschool fortification with multiple micronutrient powder (MNP) combined with an early child-development intervention affects child development, growth, and micronutrient status among infants and preschoolers in rural India. The 1-year trial has an infant phase (enrollment age: 6-12 months) and a preschool phase (enrollment age: 36-48 months). Infants are individually randomized into one of four groups: placebo, placebo plus early learning, MNP alone, and MNP plus early learning (integrated intervention), conducted through home visits. The preschool phase is a cluster-randomized trial conducted in Anganwadi centers (AWCs), government-run preschools sponsored by the Integrated Child Development System of India. AWCs are randomized into MNP or placebo, with the MNP or placebo mixed into the children's food. The evaluation examines whether the effects of the MNP intervention vary by the quality of the early learning opportunities and communication within the AWCs. Study outcomes include child development, growth, and micronutrient status. Lessons learned during the development, design, and implementation of the integrated trial can be used to guide large-scale policy and programs designed to promote the developmental, educational, and economic potential of children in developing countries. © 2013 New York Academy of Sciences.

Digital Learning As Enhanced Learning Processing? Cognitive Evidence for New insight of Smart Learning.

PubMed

Di Giacomo, Dina; Ranieri, Jessica; Lacasa, Pilar

2017-01-01

Large use of technology improved quality of life across aging and favoring the development of digital skills. Digital skills can be considered an enhancing to human cognitive activities. New research trend is about the impact of the technology in the elaboration information processing of the children. We wanted to analyze the influence of technology in early age evaluating the impact on cognition. We investigated the performance of a sample composed of n. 191 children in school age distributed in two groups as users: high digital users and low digital users. We measured the verbal and visuoperceptual cognitive performance of children by n. 8 standardized psychological tests and ad hoc self-report questionnaire. Results have evidenced the influence of digital exposition on cognitive development: the cognitive performance is looked enhanced and better developed: high digital users performed better in naming, semantic, visual memory and logical reasoning tasks. Our finding confirms the data present in literature and suggests the strong impact of the technology using not only in the social, educational and quality of life of the people, but also it outlines the functionality and the effect of the digital exposition in early age; increased cognitive abilities of the children tailor digital skilled generation with enhanced cognitive processing toward to smart learning.

The Induction Mentor Voice: A Phenomenological Study of Effective Practices for High Quality K-12 Teacher Induction Mentoring

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doering, Sagui Araceli

2018-01-01

In education, mentoring is pivotal in the early development and long-term success and self-directed efficacy of new teachers. With increasing acknowledgment of the importance of mentoring as the preferred means of induction support for new teachers, mentors can serve to positively impact the overall quality of teaching and learning. Yet, like the…

Independent Evaluation of California's Race to the Top: Early Learning Challenge Quality Rating and Improvement System. Half-Term Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawkinson, Laura E.; Quick, Heather E.; Muenchow, Susan; Anthony, Jennifer; Weinberg, Emily; Holod, Aleksandra; Parrish, Deborah; Meakin, John; Lee, Dong Hoon; Tarrant, Kate; Cannon, Jill S.; Zellman, Gail L.; Karoly, Lynn A.

2015-01-01

The first step in the Validity and Reliability Study summarizes the history and purpose of California's quality rating and improvement system (QRIS), reviews findings from other QRIS evaluation studies, and describes the approach to validating the system in California. The majority of this report focuses on providing context for the California…

Quality Rating Improvement System "for" Early Care "and" Education: Development, Implementation, Evaluation and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shen, Jianping; Ma, Xin

2013-01-01

Quality Rating Improvement System (QRIS) has gained national momentum. The authors first present a national scene of QRIS and then use Children's Services Council of Palm Beach County as a case study to illustrate a number of things. First, they look at the logic model behind the QRIS. Next, they review the design and implementation of the QRIS in…

Learning How Much Quality Is Necessary to Get to Good Results for Children. NCRECE In Focus. Volume 1, Issue 2

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goffin, Stacie G.

2010-01-01

How good does an early childhood program have to be in order to achieve school readiness outcomes for children? This is known as the "threshold question," and policy makers and others have wanted an answer to this question since the onset of public investments in early care and education (ECE) programs. With expansion of Head Start and…

Massage Therapy Education Online: Student Satisfaction and Achievement, Part I

PubMed Central

McQuillan, David James

2010-01-01

In recent years, providers of massage therapy education have, in growing numbers, started to use online technologies to support the learning processes of their students. Using a narrative review of the existing online learning literature, this paper aims to provide a solid pedagogical foundation for these early explorations. It identifies five key factors—instructional pedagogy, quality of instruction, interaction and communication, individual learner qualities, and the online interface—that contribute to student satisfaction and achievement in the online context. The relationships between those factors and the experience of the online learner are discussed with reference to maximization of student satisfaction and achievement. PMID:21589705

Research and application of a novel hybrid air quality early-warning system: A case study in China.

PubMed

Li, Chen; Zhu, Zhijie

2018-06-01

As one of the most serious meteorological disasters in modern society, air pollution has received extensive attention from both citizens and decision-makers. With the complexity of pollution components and the uncertainty of prediction, it is both critical and challenging to construct an effective and practical early-warning system. In this paper, a novel hybrid air quality early-warning system for pollution contaminant monitoring and analysis was proposed. To improve the efficiency of the system, an advanced attribute selection method based on fuzzy evaluation and rough set theory was developed to select the main pollution contaminants for cities. Moreover, a hybrid model composed of the theory of "decomposition and ensemble", an extreme learning machine and an advanced heuristic algorithm was developed for pollution contaminant prediction; it provides deterministic and interval forecasting for tackling the uncertainty of future air quality. Daily pollution contaminants of six major cities in China were selected as a dataset to evaluate the practicality and effectiveness of the developed air quality early-warning system. The superior experimental performance determined by the values of several error indexes illustrated that the proposed early-warning system was of great effectiveness and efficiency. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Promoting interprofessional learning and enhancing the pre-registration student experience through reciprocal cross professional peer tutoring.

PubMed

McLeod, Fiona; Jamison, Caroline; Treasure, Karen

2018-05-01

To improve collaboration and the quality of care, healthcare programmes are increasingly promoting interprofessional education thereby enabling students to learn with, from and about each other. A reciprocal peer learning model has developed among pre-registration physiotherapy and adult nursing students at Plymouth University, England. Embedded within the curriculum, it provides voluntary opportunities for year two students to become cross professional peer tutors to year one students while enhancing interprofessional understanding and skills acquisition. To explore participant experiences of two cross professional peer tutored clinical skills workshops delivered to a cohort of nursing (n = 67) and physiotherapy (n = 53) students in 2015. A mixed methods approach generated qualitative and quantitative data. Qualitative data was gathered via focus groups and individual interviews of peer tutors and learners (n = 27). These were recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed. The Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale questionnaire (n = 84) was completed before and after the workshops to consider any influence on students' attitudes towards interprofessional learning. Four themes evolved from thematic analysis; benefits of cross professional peer tutoring, interprofessional teamwork, quality of care and factors influencing the delivery of the workshops. Data showed students felt they developed greater understanding of interprofessional roles and acquired new skills. Peer tutors developed confidence in representing their profession while appearing to inspire early stage students. The Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale questionnaire data identified very positive attitudes towards interprofessional learning among the majority of students in both cohorts before and after the workshop. This study endorses the utility of enhancing the Higher Education experience by offering voluntary peer tutoring opportunities. Participating students build confidence in representing their profession, while potentially inspiring early stage students and supplementing interprofessional learning across a cohort. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Minimum Standards for Education: Preparedness, Response, Recovery

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Inter-Agency Network for Education in Emergencies, 2010

2010-01-01

Education in emergencies comprises learning opportunities for all ages. It encompasses early childhood development, primary, secondary, non-formal, technical, vocational, higher and adult education. In emergency situations through to recovery, quality education provides physical, psychosocial and cognitive protection that can sustain and save…

Whither Scholarship?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patel, Fay

2011-01-01

Teacher education has been engrossed in an eternal quest of seeking appropriate, relevant, and effective strategies to enhance teaching and learning quality over many decades. Teacher educators, teacher trainees, and teachers (including early and midcareer to late career professionals) continue to this day to focus their energies, passion, and…

2012 Context Study of the Use of Technology and PBS KIDS Transmedia in the Home Environment: A Report to the CPB-PBS "Ready to Learn Initiative"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pasnik, Shelley; Llorente, Carlin

2012-01-01

The CPB-PBS Ready To Learn initiative, funded by the U. S. Department of Education, brings engaging, high-quality media to young children who may be at risk for academic difficulties due to economic and social disadvantages. The initiative aims to deliver early mathematics and literacy resources on new and emerging digital platforms such as tablet…

Sharing is Winning: Cooperative Learning about Atmospheric Composition Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schuepbach, E.

2010-09-01

This contribution presents evolving good practice in disseminating the body of know-how, skills and competencies within the networked community of atmospheric scientists as established in ACCENT. The promotion of early-career scientists, and encouraging the next generation to move into the field were among the key issues addressed by the "Training and Education" programme in the European Network of Excellence in Atmospheric Composition Change (ACCENT). Dissemination avenues include a virtual knowledge train carrying the wealth of high-quality scientific learning material developed with experts involved in the ACCENT network. Learning opportunities on current research in atmospheric composition change in Europe were also created during face-to-face training workshops. Real-life examples of pressing air quality issues were addressed in meetings with stakeholder groups that offered opportunities for mutual learning in inspiring partnerships. In order to increase the expertise in atmospheric composition change across Europe, activities were organized with the general public (e.g., Café Scientifique), where the participating early-career scientists were confronted with questions from lay people. For interested teachers, didactic translations of compact overviews on air quality science topics developed in ACCENT offer links with the typical European science curriculum and go beyond school book content. Some of the educational events, methods and tools are described in a booklet published in 2009 ("We Care for Clean Air!", ISBN 978-88-95665-01-6). The electronic version and all training material can be downloaded from www.accent-network.org/portal/education - a valuable resource for teachers and learners around the globe.

Opportunities Foreclosed, Equity Denied: New York's Youngest Learners Still Left Out! Make Quality Early Learning Top Priority in 2018 Budget

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holcomb, Betty

2018-01-01

Investments in quality child care and full-day pre-K more than pay for themselves, especially in tough economic times. They are proven strategies for reversing the growing income inequality in New York State, the most extreme in the nation by giving every child the resources to become successful wage earners. New York State leaders must build…

Validation Studies for Early Learning and Care Quality Rating and Improvement Systems: A Review of the Literature. Working Paper WR-1051-DOEL

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karoly, Lynn A.

2014-01-01

Care Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRISs) have advanced and matured, a number of states and localities have undertaken evaluations to validate the systems. Such efforts stem from the desire to ensure that the system is designed and operating in the ways envisioned when the system was established. Given that a central component in a QRIS…

The past, present, and future of urgent matters: lessons learned from a decade of emergency department flow improvement.

PubMed

McClelland, Mark Stephen; Lazar, Danielle; Sears, Vickie; Wilson, Marcia; Siegel, Bruce; Pines, Jesse M

2011-12-01

Over the past decade, emergency departments (ED) have encountered major challenges due to increased crowding and a greater public focus on quality measurement and quality improvement. Responding to these challenges, many EDs have worked to improve their processes and develop new and innovative models of care delivery. Urgent Matters has contributed to ED quality and patient flow improvement by working with hospitals throughout the United States. Recognizing that EDs across the country are struggling with many of the same issues, Urgent Matters-a program funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF)-has sought to identify, develop, and disseminate innovative approaches, interventions, and models to improve ED flow and quality. Using a variety of techniques, such as learning networks (collaboratives), national conferences, e-newsletters, webinars, best practices toolkits, and social media, Urgent Matters has served as a thought leader and innovator in ED quality improvement initiatives. The Urgent Matters Seven Success Factors were drawn from the early work done by program participants and propose practical guidelines for implementing and sustaining ED improvement activities. This article chronicles the history, activities, lessons learned, and future of the Urgent Matters program. © 2011 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

Reducing Poverty through Preschool Interventions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duncan, Greg J.; Ludwig, Jens; Magnuson, Katherine A.

2007-01-01

Greg Duncan, Jens Ludwig, and Katherine Magnuson explain how providing high-quality care to disadvantaged preschool children can help reduce poverty. In early childhood, they note, children's cognitive and socioemotional skills develop rapidly and are sensitive to "inputs" from parents, home learning environments, child care settings, and the…

James Webb Space Telescope - Applying Lessons Learned to I&T

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johns, Alan; Seaton, Bonita; Gal-Edd, Jonathan; Jones, Ronald; Fatig, Curtis; Wasiak, Francis

2008-01-01

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is part of a new generation of spacecraft acquiring large data volumes from remote regions in space. To support a mission such as the JWST, it is imperative that lessons learned from the development of previous missions such as the Hubble Space Telescope and the Earth Observing System mission set be applied throughout the development and operational lifecycles. One example of a key lesson that should be applied is that core components, such as the command and telemetry system and the project database, should be developed early, used throughout development and testing, and evolved into the operational system. The purpose of applying lessons learned is to reap benefits in programmatic or technical parameters such as risk reduction, end product quality, cost efficiency, and schedule optimization. In the cited example, the early development and use of the operational command and telemetry system as well as the establishment of the intended operational database will allow these components to be used by the developers of various spacecraft components such that development, testing, and operations will all use the same core components. This will reduce risk through the elimination of transitions between development and operational components and improve end product quality by extending the verification of those components through continual use. This paper will discuss key lessons learned that have been or are being applied to the JWST Ground Segment integration and test program.

Choosing a Great Preschool: A Parent's Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ransom, Marilee

2012-01-01

Many parents--whether employed outside the home or not--either want or need preschool for their young children. Research indicates that quality early educational experiences bestow numerous benefits on children, including developing a love of school, healthy socialization, meaningful learning, and preparation for kindergarten. Equipped with this…

Writing: Empowering Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Love, Angela; Burns, M. Susan; Buell, Martha Jane

2007-01-01

Writing activities are an essential part of quality literacy practices in early care and education settings. As children communicate through writing, they learn important concepts about books and other forms of print in the world around them, including writing and alphabet systems. Young children best understand and appreciate writing when it is…

Balancing High Quality Subject-Matter Instruction with Positive Teacher-Student Relations in the Middle Grades: Effects of Departmentalization, Tracking and Block Scheduling on Learning Environments. Report No. 15.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McPartland, James M.

This study tests the general hypothesis that there is no single best way to organize a middle school to meet the variety of needs of early adolescent students. Using data from a sample of 433 schools in the Pennsylvania Educational Quality Assessment, it examines the effects of self-contained classroom instruction and departmentalization on two…

Effective Evaluation of Quality Rating and Improvement Systems for Early Care and Education and School-Age Care. Research-to-Policy, Research-to-Practice Brief OPRE 2011-11a

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zellman, Gail L.; Brandon, Richard N.; Boller, Kimberly; Kreader, J. Lee

2011-01-01

It is important to evaluate Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRISs) so that policy makers and stakeholders can learn how well they are working and how they might be improved. Well-designed QRIS evaluations go beyond a "pass/fail" judgment to identify implementation successes and problems and assess what needs to be done to improve…

[The importance of early diagnosis and intervention in children diagnosed with reading disorder. Case studies].

PubMed

Törö, Krisztina; Balázs, Judit

2015-06-01

Reading Disorder (RD) belongs to Specific Learning Disorders within the chapter of Neurodevelopmental Disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders 5th edition. Previous research shows that the time of the diagnosis of RD - early (before starting school) or late - has a great impact on the prognosis. In the current paper we present the cases of two children diagnosed with RD. Our cases demonstrate that if RD is diagnosed in early childhood, the child's and his/her family's quality of life can be influenced in a positive direction, while late recognition of RD might influence the child's and the family's quality of life negatively. For these reasons it is important that experts recognize RD in time, start appropriate treatment and give proper support to children diagnosed with RD and their families.

Lessions learned in WISE image quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kendall, Martha; Duval, Valerie G.; Larsen, Mark F.; Heinrichsen, Ingolf H.; Esplin, Roy W.; Shannon, Mark; Wright, Edward L.

2010-08-01

The Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) mission launched in December of 2009 is a true success story. The mission is performing beyond expectations on-orbit and maintained cost and schedule throughout. How does such a thing happen? A team constantly focused on mission success is a key factor. Mission success is more than a program meeting its ultimate science goals; it is also meeting schedule and cost goals to avoid cancellation. The WISE program can attribute some of its success in achieving the image quality needed to meet science goals to lessons learned along the way. A requirement was missed in early decomposition, the absence of which would have adversely affected end-to-end system image quality. Fortunately, the ability of the cross-organizational team to focus on fixing the problem without pointing fingers or waiting for paperwork was crucial in achieving a timely solution. Asking layman questions early in the program could have revealed requirement flowdown misunderstandings between spacecraft control stability and image processing needs. Such is the lesson learned with the WISE spacecraft Attitude Determination & Control Subsystem (ADCS) jitter control and the image data reductions needs. Spacecraft motion can affect image quality in numerous ways. Something as seemingly benign as different terminology being used by teammates in separate groups working on data reduction, spacecraft ADCS, the instrument, mission operations, and the science proved to be a risk to system image quality. While the spacecraft was meeting the allocated jitter requirement , the drift rate variation need was not being met. This missing need was noticed about a year before launch and with a dedicated team effort, an adjustment was made to the spacecraft ADCS control. WISE is meeting all image quality requirements on-orbit thanks to a diligent team noticing something was missing before it was too late and applying their best effort to find a solution.

Resources within "Reason"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Catlett, Camille

2010-01-01

Federally funded national centers offer high-quality products and resources for use by teachers, family members, and others. By design, they offer resources that are low cost or no cost. This article presents details about several centers that may have resources to support your work. They include: (1) Center for Early Literacy Learning (CELL); (2)…

Family Fun Nights: Collaborative Parent Education Accessible for Diverse Learning Abilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knowles, Christen; Harris, Anne; Van Norman, Renee

2017-01-01

Quality early childhood education programs have a responsibility to provide enriched educational services to preschool students paired with parent support, education, and outreach. Pearl Buck Preschool, a non-profit organization devoted to the delivery of preschool services for children of parents with intellectual disabilities or learning…

Parent Involvement in the Early Years.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Honig, Alice Sterling

Parents are young children's greatest resource, and quality parenting helps develop children's self-esteem. Every child needs caring parents to be teachers as well as nurturers. Parents can create learning experiences for their children in everyday activities, such as cooking, cleaning, and grocery shopping. In addition to teaching, parents should…

Mathematical Adventures in Role Play

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tyce, Constance

2002-01-01

The provision of role play is vital in every early years setting. It provides opportunities for the development of all areas of learning. With careful thought and planning, all role play situations can provide children with mathematical adventures. Many examples of good quality role play had been observed in a variety of settings throughout…

A Matter of Equity: Preschool in America

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US Department of Education, 2015

2015-01-01

Each year, about 4 million children enter kindergarten in the United States. All parents hope their child will start school ready for success, and many parents turn that hope into action, seeking out supportive and high-quality early learning opportunities. Unfortunately, not every parent finds those opportunities, and access differs based on…

Building Schools, Rethinking Quality? Early Lessons from Los Angeles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fuller, Bruce; Dauter, Luke; Hosek, Adrienne; Kirschenbaum, Greta; McKoy, Deborah; Rigby, Jessica; Vincent, Jeffrey M.

2009-01-01

Purpose: Newly designed schools for centuries have projected fresh ideals regarding how children should learn and how human settlements should be organized. But under what conditions can forward-looking architects or education reformers trump the institutionalized practices of teachers or the political-economic constraints found within urban…

Machine Learning Methods for Production Cases Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mokrova, Nataliya V.; Mokrov, Alexander M.; Safonova, Alexandra V.; Vishnyakov, Igor V.

2018-03-01

Approach to analysis of events occurring during the production process were proposed. Described machine learning system is able to solve classification tasks related to production control and hazard identification at an early stage. Descriptors of the internal production network data were used for training and testing of applied models. k-Nearest Neighbors and Random forest methods were used to illustrate and analyze proposed solution. The quality of the developed classifiers was estimated using standard statistical metrics, such as precision, recall and accuracy.

Symbolic Play and Novel Noun Learning in Deaf and Hearing Children: Longitudinal Effects of Access to Sound on Early Precursors of Language.

PubMed

Quittner, Alexandra L; Cejas, Ivette; Wang, Nae-Yuh; Niparko, John K; Barker, David H

2016-01-01

In the largest, longitudinal study of young, deaf children before and three years after cochlear implantation, we compared symbolic play and novel noun learning to age-matched hearing peers. Participants were 180 children from six cochlear implant centers and 96 hearing children. Symbolic play was measured during five minutes of videotaped, structured solitary play. Play was coded as "symbolic" if the child used substitution (e.g., a wooden block as a bed). Novel noun learning was measured in 10 trials using a novel object and a distractor. Cochlear implant vs. normal hearing children were delayed in their use of symbolic play, however, those implanted before vs. after age two performed significantly better. Children with cochlear implants were also delayed in novel noun learning (median delay 1.54 years), with minimal evidence of catch-up growth. Quality of parent-child interactions was positively related to performance on the novel noun learning, but not symbolic play task. Early implantation was beneficial for both achievement of symbolic play and novel noun learning. Further, maternal sensitivity and linguistic stimulation by parents positively affected noun learning skills, although children with cochlear implants still lagged in comparison to hearing peers.

Symbolic Play and Novel Noun Learning in Deaf and Hearing Children: Longitudinal Effects of Access to Sound on Early Precursors of Language

PubMed Central

Quittner, Alexandra L.; Cejas, Ivette; Wang, Nae-Yuh; Niparko, John K.; Barker, David H.

2016-01-01

In the largest, longitudinal study of young, deaf children before and three years after cochlear implantation, we compared symbolic play and novel noun learning to age-matched hearing peers. Participants were 180 children from six cochlear implant centers and 96 hearing children. Symbolic play was measured during five minutes of videotaped, structured solitary play. Play was coded as "symbolic" if the child used substitution (e.g., a wooden block as a bed). Novel noun learning was measured in 10 trials using a novel object and a distractor. Cochlear implant vs. normal hearing children were delayed in their use of symbolic play, however, those implanted before vs. after age two performed significantly better. Children with cochlear implants were also delayed in novel noun learning (median delay 1.54 years), with minimal evidence of catch-up growth. Quality of parent-child interactions was positively related to performance on the novel noun learning, but not symbolic play task. Early implantation was beneficial for both achievement of symbolic play and novel noun learning. Further, maternal sensitivity and linguistic stimulation by parents positively affected noun learning skills, although children with cochlear implants still lagged in comparison to hearing peers. PMID:27228032

Early experience in microtia reconstruction: the first 100 cases.

PubMed

Sabbagh, Walid

2011-04-01

Auricular reconstruction in Microtia is a challenging operation with a steep learning curve. In view its rarity attaining a high standard for new surgeons is extremely difficult. This study analyses the first 100 microtia cases looking at complications, technique, pattern of progress and aesthetic outcome. The author performed 100 autologous ear reconstructions for microtia over a period of 4 years utilizing the two stage technique popularised by Nagata and Firmin. In 11 cases a temroparietal fascial flap was utilised because of either a low hairline or scarring. Follow up ranged from 3 to 36 months. Data was collected prospectively. There were 7 cases of partial skin necrosis, 3 of which healed with conservative management. In early cases deficiencies were seen in the proportions of the reconstructed ear and the quality of definition. Better shape and definition were evident as more surgical experience was gained. This occurred as a result of increased appreciation of the ear proportions and improved framework carving. Although two stages were planned 21 cases required further procedures. The series demonstrates the early learning curve in microtia reconstruction and underlines the importance of appropriate training and case availability in achieving high quality results in autologous ear reconstruction. Copyright © 2010 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Examining the literacy component of science literacy: 25 years of language arts and science research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yore, Larry D.; Bisanz, Gay L.; Hand, Brian M.

2003-06-01

This review, written to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the International Journal of Science Education, revealed a period of changes in the theoretical views of the language arts, the perceived roles of language in science education, and the research approaches used to investigate oral and written language in science, science teaching, and learning. The early years were dominated by behavioralist and logico-mathematical interpretations of human learning and by reductionist research approaches, while the later years reflected an applied cognitive science and constructivist interpretations of learning and a wider array of research approaches that recognizes the holistic nature of teaching and learning. The early years focus on coding oral language into categories reflecting source of speech, functional purpose, level of question and response, reading research focused on the readability of textbooks using formulae and the reader's decoding skills, and writing research was not well documented since the advocates for writing in service of learning were grass roots practitioners and many science teachers were using writing as an evaluation technique. The advent of applied cognitive science and the constructivist perspectives ushered in interactive-constructive models of discourse, reading and writing that more clearly revealed the role of language in science and in science teaching and learning. A review of recent research revealed that the quantity and quality of oral interactions were low and unfocused in science classrooms; reading has expanded to consider comprehension strategies, metacognition, sources other than textbooks, and the design of inquiry environments for classrooms; and writing-to-learn science has focused on sequential writing tasks requiring transformation of ideas to enhance science learning. Several promising trends and future research directions flow from the synthesis of this 25-year period of examining the literacy component of science literacy - among them are critical listening and reading of various sources, multi-media presentations and representations, effective debate and argument, quality explanation and the role of information and communication technologies/environments.

Building Model Preschools: The Newark Lighthouse Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blagman, Amanda; Rice, Cynthia; Seplocha, Holly

2006-01-01

More states are recognizing that preschool is a vital first step toward helping children succeed in school. Ensuring that preschoolers have a high quality early learning experience provides them with the skills they need for later school success. In New Jersey, the poorest school districts have been collaborating with community-based child care…

STEM for All Children: Preschool Teachers Supporting Engagement of Children With Special Needs in Physical Science Learning Centers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donegan-Ritter, Mary

2017-01-01

Early childhood STEM activities are part of developmentally appropriate practices that are the foundation of quality preschool experiences for all young children (Copple & Bredekamp, 2009). However, young children with developmental delays or disabilities require planning and specialized practices that allow them to participate and engage…

Examining the Early Evidence for Self-Directed Marriage and Relationship Education: A Meta-Analytic Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McAllister, Shelece; Duncan, Stephen F.; Hawkins, Alan J.

2012-01-01

This meta-analysis examines the efficacy of self-directed marriage and relationship education (MRE) programs on relationship quality and communication skills. Programs combining traditional face-to-face learning with self-directed elements are also examined, and traditional programs' effectiveness is included as a comparison point. Sixteen studies…

PreK-3 Alignment in California's Education System: Obstacles and Opportunities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valentino, Rachel; Stipek, Deborah J.

2016-01-01

Empirical evidence that horizontal alignment of policies and practices from preschool through the early elementary grades sustains the effects of quality preschool and contributes to children's learning is scarce, as discussed above, but there are nevertheless good reasons to expect benefits to such alignment. Moreover, many districts and schools…

Emotional trait and memory associates of sleep timing and quality

PubMed Central

Pace-Schott, Edward F.; Rubin, Zoe S.; Tracy, Lauren E.; Spencer, Rebecca M.C.; Orr, Scott P.; Verga, Patrick W.

2015-01-01

Poor ability to remember the extinction of conditioned fear, elevated trait anxiety, and delayed or disrupted nocturnal sleep are reported in anxiety disorders. The current study examines the interrelationship of these factors in healthy young-adult males. Skin- conductance response was conditioned to two differently colored lamps. One color but not the other was then extinguished. After varying delays, both colors were presented to determine extinction recall and generalization. Questionnaires measured sleep quality, morningness - eveningness, neuroticism and trait anxiety. A subset produced a mean 7.0 nights of actigraphy and sleep diaries. Median split of mean sleep midpoint defined early-and late-”sleep timers”. Extinction was more rapidly learned in the morning than evening only in early-timers, who also better generalized extinction recall. Extinction recall was greater with higher sleep efficiency. Sleep efficiency and morningness were negatively associated with neuroticism and anxiety. However, neuroticism and anxiety did not predict extinction learning, recall or generalization. Therefore, neuroticism/anxiety and deficient fear extinction, although both associated with poor quality and late timing of sleep, are not directly associated with each other. Elevated trait anxiety, in addition to predisposing directly to anxiety disorders, may thus also indirectly promote such disorders by impairing sleep and, consequently, extinction memory. PMID:26257092

Emotional trait and memory associates of sleep timing and quality.

PubMed

Pace-Schott, Edward F; Rubin, Zoe S; Tracy, Lauren E; Spencer, Rebecca M C; Orr, Scott P; Verga, Patrick W

2015-10-30

Poor ability to remember the extinction of conditioned fear, elevated trait anxiety, and delayed or disrupted nocturnal sleep are reported in anxiety disorders. The current study examines the interrelationship of these factors in healthy young-adult males. Skin-conductance response was conditioned to two differently colored lamps. One color but not the other was then extinguished. After varying delays, both colors were presented to determine extinction recall and generalization. Questionnaires measured sleep quality, morningness-eveningness, neuroticism and trait anxiety. A subset produced a mean 7.0 nights of actigraphy and sleep diaries. Median split of mean sleep midpoint defined early- and late-"sleep timers". Extinction was more rapidly learned in the morning than evening only in early timers who also better generalized extinction recall. Extinction recall was greater with higher sleep efficiency. Sleep efficiency and morningness were negatively associated with neuroticism and anxiety. However, neuroticism and anxiety did not predict extinction learning, recall or generalization. Therefore, neuroticism/anxiety and deficient fear extinction, although both associated with poor quality and late timing of sleep, are not directly associated with each other. Elevated trait anxiety, in addition to predisposing directly to anxiety disorders, may thus also indirectly promote such disorders by impairing sleep and, consequently, extinction memory. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Designing Science Learning in the First Years of Schooling. An intervention study with sequenced learning material on the topic of `floating and sinking'

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leuchter, Miriam; Saalbach, Henrik; Hardy, Ilonca

2014-07-01

Research on learning and instruction of science has shown that learning environments applied in preschool and primary school rarely makes use of structured learning materials in problem-based environments although these are decisive quality features for promoting conceptual change and scientific reasoning within early science learning. We thus developed and implemented a science learning environment for children in the first years of schooling which contains structured learning materials with the goal of supporting conceptual change concerning the understanding of the floating and sinking of objects and fostering students' scientific reasoning skills. In the present implementation study, we aim to provide a best-practice example of early science learning. The study was conducted with a sample of 15 classes of the first years of schooling and a total of 244 children. Tests were constructed to measure children's conceptual understanding before and after the implementation. Our results reveal a decrease in children's misconceptions from pretest to posttest. After the curriculum, the children were able to produce significantly more correct predictions about the sinking or floating of objects than before the curriculum and also relative to a control group. Moreover, due to the intervention, the explanations given for their predictions implied a more elaborated concept of material kinds. All in all, a well-structured curriculum promoting comparison and scientific reasoning by means of inquiry learning was shown to support children's conceptual change.

Applying a quality assurance system model to curriculum transformation: transferable lessons learned.

PubMed

Kayyal, Mohamad; Gibbs, Trevor

2012-01-01

As curricula are transformed throughout the world in response to the need for modern medical education, much attention is given to curriculum content and associated teaching, learning and assessment methodologies. However, an important component of any curriculum is its organisational management, how it is all held together, the way the process is conducted and what mechanisms are applied to ensure quality. In 2008, the Faculty of Medicine at Damascus University embarked on a journey of curriculum transformation. The transformation process was specifically and initially based on a quality assurance model. This entailed a concept for realising curriculum transformation; a framework for organisational management, which ensures that the necessary enabling conditions are met and issues of conflicts in roles and responsibilities are resolved; a plan for securing resources and creating the necessary governance structures needed to carry the transformation process forward; and a systematic analysis of risks facing the effective realisation of the transformation process and the corresponding mitigation measures to alleviate their impacts. Although a full evaluation of such an activity produces reliable results only after a period of time, this article demonstrates the principles and structures applied to the initial process based on some of the early lessons learned. We perceive that the lessons learned from this activity are capable of being translated to other Universities, in other similar developing countries; our hope is that others can learn from our experiences.

Clinical and Educational Outcomes of an Integrated Inpatient Quality Improvement Curriculum for Internal Medicine Residents.

PubMed

Ogrinc, Greg; Cohen, Emily S; van Aalst, Robertus; Harwood, Beth; Ercolano, Ellyn; Baum, Karyn D; Pattison, Adam J; Jones, Anne C; Davies, Louise; West, Al

2016-10-01

Integrating teaching and hands-on experience in quality improvement (QI) may increase the learning and the impact of resident QI work. We sought to determine the clinical and educational impact of an integrated QI curriculum. This clustered, randomized trial with early and late intervention groups used mixed methods evaluation. For almost 2 years, internal medicine residents from Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center on the inpatient teams at the White River Junction VA participated in the QI curriculum. QI project effectiveness was assessed using statistical process control. Learning outcomes were assessed with the Quality Improvement Knowledge Application Tool-Revised (QIKAT-R) and through self-efficacy, interprofessional care attitudes, and satisfaction of learners. Free text responses by residents and a focus group of nurses who worked with the residents provided information about the acceptability of the intervention. The QI projects improved many clinical processes and outcomes, but not all led to improvements. Educational outcome response rates were 65% (68 of 105) at baseline, 50% (18 of 36) for the early intervention group at midpoint, 67% (24 of 36) for the control group at midpoint, and 53% (42 of 80) for the late intervention group. Composite QIKAT-R scores (range, 0-27) increased from 13.3 at baseline to 15.3 at end point ( P  < .01), as did the self-efficacy composite score ( P  < .05). Satisfaction with the curriculum was rated highly by all participants. Learning and participating in hands-on QI can be integrated into the usual inpatient work of resident physicians.

From Car Park to Children's Park: A Childcare Centre in Development. Working Papers in Early Childhood Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wunschel, Gerda

This working paper describes the development of a child care center in Berlin, Germany, focusing on how the program's pedagogical principles support children's learning, how respect for diversity is integrated in everyday practice, and how program quality and accessibility are defined within a multicultural context. Chapter 1 describes the…

Everyday Creativity: Spaces and Places for Ideas to Flourish

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bloom, Paula Jorde; Hentschel, Ann

2012-01-01

In an era of early learning standards, packaged curriculums, and state quality rating systems, many directors lament that the accountability movement has sapped the creativity out of their programs. They say their teachers feel constricted, as though their own good ideas just don't matter anymore. Not true. In fact, it's more vital than ever to…

Expanding Early Learning Time: Accessing Full-Day Preschool and Kindergarten in California. An EdSource Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freedberg, Louis; Frey, Susan

2017-01-01

Compelling research shows that attending high-quality, full-day preschool and kindergarten is associated with improved outcomes for students. These outcomes include greater school readiness in a number of areas including language development, higher academic performance in math and reading, and less likelihood of being retained in later elementary…

Achieving Equitable Access to Strong Teachers: A Guide for District Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bromberg, Marni

2016-01-01

The purpose of this guide is to help district leaders take on the challenge of ensuring that students have equitable access to excellent teachers. It shares some early lessons the Education Trust has learned from districts about the levers available to prioritize low-income students and students of color in teacher quality initiatives. The guide…

Generating Cultural Capital? Impacts of Artists-in-Residence on Teacher Professional Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunter, Mary Ann; Baker, William; Nailon, Di

2014-01-01

In 2008, the Australian Government established the Artist-in-Residence (AiR) program as a four-year $5.2m initiative to improve young people's access to quality arts education. Managed by State and Territory Government Education and Arts Departments, the program funded professional artists-in-residence in schools, early childhood centres and…

Early Learning: Unintended Consequences of the Push to Close the Gap by Increasing Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sirinides, Phil

2015-01-01

Public education in the United States continues to be marked by persistent disparities in test scores, high school completion rates, and college enrollment rates based on factors such as students' household income, race/ethnicity, and gender. These achievement gaps are already in evidence before children begin school. Students that are assessed as…

A Systemic Approach to Implementing a Protective Factors Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parsons, Beverly; Jessup, Patricia; Moore, Marah

2014-01-01

The leadership team of the national Quality Improvement Center on early Childhood ventured into the frontiers of deep change in social systems by funding four research projects. The purpose of the research projects was to learn about implementing a protective factors approach with the goal of reducing the likelihood of child abuse and neglect. In…

Talk to Me, Baby! Supporting Language Development in the First 3 Years

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bardige, Betty; Bardige, M. Kori

2008-01-01

In their first few years, almost all children learn at least one language, though not equally well. Differences in the quantity, quality, sources, and variety of language inputs and conversation opportunities have a long-lasting effect. This article provides an overview of early language development and explains how talking with babies promotes…

Community, Inquiry, Leadership: Exploring Early Career Opportunities That Support STEM Teacher Growth and Sustainability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Galosy, Jodie A.; Gillespie, Nicole M.

2013-01-01

Much has been written about the need for high-quality science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teachers and their role in U.S. educational reform. In this article we provide evidence that beginning science and mathematics teachers need a blend of three mutually reinforcing learning opportunities for growth and sustainability:…

Quality and Improvement in Scottish Education: Trends in Inspection Findings 2008-2011

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Education Scotland, 2012

2012-01-01

The findings of Education Scotland's sectoral programme of inspections, which sample the providers of education at every stage from the early years to adult learning, provide a key source of evidence on how effectively one of its core public services is performing. The last published summary of inspection findings was produced in 2009 when Her…

Reflection: A Renewed and Practical Focus for an Existing Problem in Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Pauline

2016-01-01

Reflection has been a component of teacher education programs for many years. The introduction of the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) and the National Quality Standard (NQS) into Western Australian schools appear to have brought a renewed focus to this. For universities involved in teacher education, reflection remains a complex construct…

Developing inter-professional learning: tactics, teamwork and talk.

PubMed

Begley, Cecily M

2009-04-01

Teamwork and collaboration between all health professionals results in high quality clinical care, and increased job satisfaction for staff. Encouraging inter-professional learning (IPL) may be advantageous in developing more effective teams. There is little rigorous research in this area, but many small uncontrolled studies do demonstrate positive results. IPL involves structured learning opportunities that enhance problem-solving abilities and conflict resolution. It should be clearly differentiated from shared teaching (or multidisciplinary/multiprofessional learning), where common content is taught to many professions without any intention to develop interaction. To counteract the sometimes negative attitudes in both students and staff, educators need to commence IPL early in the programme, base it in both theoretical and clinical placements and ensure that it is valued and assessed. Difficulties with timetabling and accommodation need to be solved prior to commencement. A facilitator should be employed, and a team of committed lecturers developed, with an emphasis on teamwork and the discouragement of individualism. Opportunities for student interaction and ways of improving group dynamics within non-threatening learning environments should to be sought, and instances of conflict embraced and resolved. Future IPL programmes should be rigorously evaluated and may demonstrate enhanced inter-professional relationships and improved quality of patient/client care.

Enhancing the early home learning environment through a brief group parenting intervention: study protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Nicholson, Jan M; Cann, Warren; Matthews, Jan; Berthelsen, Donna; Ukoumunne, Obioha C; Trajanovska, Misel; Bennetts, Shannon K; Hillgrove, Tessa; Hamilton, Victoria; Westrupp, Elizabeth; Hackworth, Naomi J

2016-06-02

The quality of the home learning environment has a significant influence on children's language and communication skills during the early years with children from disadvantaged families disproportionately affected. This paper describes the protocol and participant baseline characteristics of a community-based effectiveness study. It evaluates the effects of 'smalltalk', a brief group parenting intervention (with or without home coaching) on the quality of the early childhood home learning environment. The study comprises two cluster randomised controlled superiority trials (one for infants and one for toddlers) designed and conducted in parallel. In 20 local government areas (LGAs) in Victoria, Australia, six locations (clusters) were randomised to one of three conditions: standard care (control); smalltalk group-only program; or smalltalk plus (group program plus home coaching). Programs were delivered to parents experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage through two existing age-based services, the maternal and child health service (infant program, ages 6-12 months), and facilitated playgroups (toddler program, ages 12-36 months). Outcomes were assessed by parent report and direct observation at baseline (0 weeks), post-intervention (12 weeks) and follow-up (32 weeks). Primary outcomes were parent verbal responsivity and home activities with child at 32 weeks. Secondary outcomes included parenting confidence, parent wellbeing and children's communication, socio-emotional and general development skills. Analyses will use intention-to-treat random effects ("multilevel") models to account for clustering. Across the 20 LGAs, 986 parents of infants and 1200 parents of toddlers enrolled and completed baseline measures. Eighty four percent of families demonstrated one or more of the targeted risk factors for poor child development (low income; receives government benefits; single, socially isolated or young parent; culturally or linguistically diverse background). This study will provide unique data on the effectiveness of a brief group parenting intervention for enhancing the early home learning environment of young children from disadvantaged families. It will also provide evidence of the extent to which additional one-on-one support is required to achieve change and whether there are greater benefits when delivered in the 1st year of life or later. The program has been designed for scale-up across existing early childhood services if proven effective. 8 September 2011; ACTRN12611000965909 .

Learning neuroendoscopy with an exoscope system (video telescopic operating monitor): Early clinical results.

PubMed

Parihar, Vijay; Yadav, Y R; Kher, Yatin; Ratre, Shailendra; Sethi, Ashish; Sharma, Dhananjaya

2016-01-01

Steep learning curve is found initially in pure endoscopic procedures. Video telescopic operating monitor (VITOM) is an advance in rigid-lens telescope systems provides an alternative method for learning basics of neuroendoscopy with the help of the familiar principle of microneurosurgery. The aim was to evaluate the clinical utility of VITOM as a learning tool for neuroendoscopy. Video telescopic operating monitor was used 39 cranial and spinal procedures and its utility as a tool for minimally invasive neurosurgery and neuroendoscopy for initial learning curve was studied. Video telescopic operating monitor was used in 25 cranial and 14 spinal procedures. Image quality is comparable to endoscope and microscope. Surgeons comfort improved with VITOM. Frequent repositioning of scope holder and lack of stereopsis is initial limiting factor was compensated for with repeated procedures. Video telescopic operating monitor is found useful to reduce initial learning curve of neuroendoscopy.

The Pediatrician's Role in Optimizing School Readiness.

PubMed

2016-09-01

School readiness includes not only the early academic skills of children but also their physical health, language skills, social and emotional development, motivation to learn, creativity, and general knowledge. Families and communities play a critical role in ensuring children's growth in all of these areas and thus their readiness for school. Schools must be prepared to teach all children when they reach the age of school entry, regardless of their degree of readiness. Research on early brain development emphasizes the effects of early experiences, relationships, and emotions on creating and reinforcing the neural connections that are the basis for learning. Pediatricians, by the nature of their relationships with families and children, may significantly influence school readiness. Pediatricians have a primary role in ensuring children's physical health through the provision of preventive care, treatment of illness, screening for sensory deficits, and monitoring nutrition and growth. They can promote and monitor the social-emotional development of children by providing anticipatory guidance on development and behavior, by encouraging positive parenting practices, by modeling reciprocal and respectful communication with adults and children, by identifying and addressing psychosocial risk factors, and by providing community-based resources and referrals when warranted. Cognitive and language skills are fostered through timely identification of developmental problems and appropriate referrals for services, including early intervention and special education services; guidance regarding safe and stimulating early education and child care programs; and promotion of early literacy by encouraging language-rich activities such as reading together, telling stories, and playing games. Pediatricians are also well positioned to advocate not only for children's access to health care but also for high-quality early childhood education and evidence-based family supports such as home visits, which help provide a foundation for optimal learning. Copyright © 2016 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Assessing the effectiveness of Australian early childhood education and care experiences: study protocol.

PubMed

Tayler, Collette; Cloney, Daniel; Adams, Ray; Ishimine, Karin; Thorpe, Karen; Nguyen, Thi Kim Cuc

2016-04-21

In Australia, 61.5 % of children aged 3-4 attend Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) programs. Children's experiences within these programs vary widely and impact directly on educational wellbeing and social development. Research has shown that higher quality programs enhance children's learning and developmental outcomes, foster social participation and have long-lasting effects on their productivity as adults. Quality matters, yet we do not know what components of ECEC result in a quality program. Effective Early Educational Experiences (E4Kids) is a 5-year longitudinal study designed to identify and assess the impact of mainstream ECEC programs and program components on children's learning, development, social inclusion and well-being. E4Kids sets out to measure quality ECEC; identify components that add value and positively impact children's outcomes; evaluate the effects of child, family, community and environment characteristics on programs; and provide evidence on how best to invest in ECEC. E4Kids follows a sample of 2,494 children who have experienced a variety of approved care programs (long day care, kindergarten, family day care and occasional care), as well as 157 children who have not accessed such programs. Children are tracked to the first point of National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) testing at Year 3. The study presents a multi-level design in which ECEC programs were sampled from two states - Queensland and Victoria - then randomly sampled from two greater metropolitan regions and two regional and remote locations. Parents, centre directors, educators and carers complete questionnaires to provide information on demographics and children's progress. Data collected also include the make-up and organisation of ECEC programs and schools children attended. The quality of adult-child interactions is directly assessed using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) and direct testing of children's cognitive abilities and achievements is undertaken over 3 years and linked with NAPLAN scores. Findings from the E4Kids study have the potential to influence the quality of ECEC available in Australia by providing up-to-date evidence on the impact of ECEC programs and program components to inform future policy decisions and research.

Mild decentration measured by a Scheimpflug camera and its impact on visual quality following SMILE in the early learning curve.

PubMed

Li, Meiyan; Zhao, Jing; Miao, Huamao; Shen, Yang; Sun, Ling; Tian, Mi; Wadium, Elizabeth; Zhou, Xingtao

2014-05-20

To measure decentration following femtosecond laser small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) for the correction of myopia and myopic astigmatism in the early learning curve, and to investigate its impact on visual quality. A total of 55 consecutive patients (100 eyes) who underwent the SMILE procedure were included. Decentration was measured using a Scheimpflug camera 6 months after surgery. Uncorrected and corrected distance visual acuity (UDVA, CDVA), manifest refraction, and wavefront errors were also measured. Associations between decentration and the preoperative spherical equivalent were analyzed, as well as the associations between decentration and wavefront aberrations. Regarding efficacy and safety, 40 eyes (40%) had an unchanged CDVA; 32 eyes (32%) gained one line; and 11 eyes (11%) gained two lines. Fifteen eyes (15%) lost one line of CDVA, and two eyes (2%) lost two lines. Ninety-nine of the treated eyes (99%) had a postoperative UDVA better than 1.0, and 100 eyes (100%) had a UDVA better than 0.8. The mean decentered displacement was 0.17 ± 0.09 mm. The decentered displacement of all treated eyes (100%) was within 0.50 mm; 70 eyes (70%) were within 0.20 mm; and 90 eyes (90%) were within 0.30 mm. The vertical coma showed the greatest increase in magnitude. The magnitude of horizontal decentration was found to be associated with an induced horizontal coma. This study suggests that, although mild decentration occurred in the early learning curve, good visual outcomes were achieved after the SMILE surgery. Special efforts to minimize induced vertical coma are necessary. Copyright 2014 The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc.

Using Cogenerative Dialogs to Improve Science Teaching and Learning: Challenges and Solutions in High School Students' Internships

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsu, Pei-Ling

2018-05-01

Internships in science research settings have received increasing attention as a means of helping students construct appropriate understandings, practices, tools, and language in scientific activities. To advance student-scientist partnerships beyond the status quo, the study aimed to investigate how cogenerative dialogs (cogens) may help high school students and scientists identify and address challenges collectively. The analysis identified nine major challenges discussed during cogens: (1) the quality and progress of scientific practice in laboratories, (2) the quality of scientists'/assistants' instructions in classrooms, (3) the quality of student participation in classrooms and homework, (4) students' absences, including arriving late or leaving early, (5) the quality of administrative support, (6) preparation for scientific presentations, (7) the process of deciding project topics, (8) students' peer interactions and communication, and (9) students' physiological needs. The three most salient challenges were "the quality and progress of scientific practice in laboratories" (39%), "the quality of scientists'/assistants' instructions in classrooms" (20%), and "the quality of student participation in classrooms and homework" (17%). The study shows that cogens allowed students and scientists to agree on teaching modifications that positively influenced teaching and learning processes during the internship, such that issues were reduced from the beginning to the closing stages. Importantly, the challenges and solutions identified by students and scientists in this study provide accounts of first-hand experience as well as insights to aid program directors or coordinators in designing a learning environment that can foster effective practice for internships by avoiding the issues identified in the study.

Illinois Early Learning Project Tip Sheets: Parenting and Family Life.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

2003

The Illinois Early Learning Project (IEL) is funded by the Illinois State Board of Education to provide information resources on early learning and training related to implementing the Illinois Early Learning Standards for parents and for early childhood personnel in all settings. The IEL tip sheets offer suggestions to parents and early childhood…

Illinois Early Learning Project Tip Sheets: Physical Development and Health.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

2003

The Illinois Early Learning Project (IEL) is funded by the Illinois State Board of Education to provide information resources on early learning and training related to implementing the Illinois Early Learning Standards for parents and for early childhood personnel in all settings. The IEL tip sheets offer suggestions to parents and early childhood…

Factors Influencing Early Adolescents' Mathematics Achievement: High-Quality Teaching Rather than Relationships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winheller, Sandra; Hattie, John A.; Brown, Gavin T. L.

2013-01-01

This study used data from the Assessment Tools for Teaching and Learning project, which involved data on the academic performance of more than 90,000 New Zealand students in six subjects (i.e. reading, writing and mathematics in two languages). Two sub-samples of this dataset were included for detailed re-analysis to test the general applicability…

State-Funded PreK Policies on External Classroom Observations: Issues and Status. Policy Information Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ackerman, Debra J.

2014-01-01

Early education programs are increasingly being promoted by states and the federal government as an integral part of their efforts to ensure that all children enter school ready to learn. As these programs and their enrollments have grown in recent years, so too have efforts to monitor their quality and performance. A common focus is on…

"Every Child Ready": Exposure to a Comprehensive Instructional Model Improves Students' Growth Trajectories in Multiple Early Learning Domains

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carlson, Abby G.; Curby, Timothy W.; Brown, Chavaughn A.; Truong, Felicia R.

2017-01-01

The current study investigates the impact of Every Child Ready (ECR), a comprehensive instructional model that includes: "What to teach, how to teach and how to know instruction is effective." The ECR instructional model is designed to provide high quality instruction to children via a play-based, thematic curriculum. Participants…

Parallel Play: Preschool and K-12 Finance Reform in New Jersey and Texas. Working Paper 07-3

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fuller, Bruce; Wright, Joseph

2007-01-01

Gaps in early learning are starkly apparent among differing children even before they enter kindergarten. So, a rising number of states are trying to narrow initial achievement disparities by expanding access to quality preschool. At the same time, recent findings show that preschool is not a lasting inoculation: its benefits fade if children move…

Evaluation of the Florida Master Teacher Initiative: Final Evaluation Findings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Haiwen; Warner, Miya; Golan, Shari; Wechsler, Marjorie; Park, C. J.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the Florida Master Teacher Initiative (FMTI)--an i3-funded early learning program aimed at improving the quality of teaching and student outcomes in grades PreK through third grade in high need schools. The FMTI schools participated in four program components: (1) a job-embedded graduate…

Professionalizing the Field and Increasing Quality: A Community Effort

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montes, Gladys

2012-01-01

It started with a dream: to create a national best practices teaching and learning center that would not only provide the best available care and education to children ages 0 to 5 years old, but would also serve as a model for adult learners and like-minded entities and individuals in the early education arena. Committed to elevating the quality…

Is Dosage Important? Examining Head Start Preschoolers' Language and Literacy Learning after One versus Two Years of "ExCELL"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hindman, Annemarie H.; Wasik, Barbara A.

2017-01-01

The current study examined whether Head Start children who experienced a high-quality preschool intervention, "Exceptional Coaching for Early Language and Literacy" ("ExCELL"), as three-year-olds began the subsequent pre-kindergarten (or four-year-old) year with stronger language and literacy skills than same-age peers who…

Technology for Improving Early Reading in Multi-Lingual Settings: Evidence from Rural South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Castillo, Nathan M.

2017-01-01

In September 2015, the United Nations ratified 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including a central goal to improve the quality of learning, and attain universal literacy. As part of this effort, the UN and other funding agencies see technology as a major enabling tool for achievement of the SDGs. However, little evidence exists concerning…

The Translation of Western Teaching Approaches in the Hong Kong Early Childhood Curriculum: A Promise for Effective Teaching?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pui-Wah, Doris Cheng

2006-01-01

This article reports data from a study about the challenges of teaching reform carried out by three in-service kindergarten teachers in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Intending to improve the quality of teaching and learning, these teachers adapted Western teaching approaches such as High Scope and Project approaches, which they had…

Lessons Learned from Developing a Patient Engagement Panel: An OCHIN Report.

PubMed

Arkind, Jill; Likumahuwa-Ackman, Sonja; Warren, Nate; Dickerson, Kay; Robbins, Lynn; Norman, Kathy; DeVoe, Jennifer E

2015-01-01

There is renewed interest in patient engagement in clinical and research settings, creating a need for documenting and publishing lessons learned from efforts to meaningfully engage patients. This article describes early lessons learned from the development of OCHIN's Patient Engagement Panel (PEP). OCHIN supports a national network of more than 300 community health centers (CHCs) and other primary care settings that serve over 1.5 million patients annually across nearly 20 states. The PEP was conceived in 2009 to harness the CHC tradition of patient engagement in this new era of patient-centered outcomes research and to ensure that patients were engaged throughout the life cycle of our research projects, from conception to dissemination. Developed by clinicians and researchers within our practice-based research network, recruitment of patients to serve as PEP members began in early 2012. The PEP currently has a membership of 18 patients from 3 states. Over the past 24 months, the PEP has been involved with 12 projects. We describe developing the PEP and challenges and lessons learned (eg, recruitment, funding model, creating value for patient partners, compensation). These lessons learned are relevant not only for research but also for patient engagement in quality improvement efforts and other clinical initiatives. © Copyright 2015 by the American Board of Family Medicine.

National Quality Measures for Child Mental Health Care: Background, Progress, and Next Steps

PubMed Central

Murphy, J. Michael; Scholle, Sarah Hudson; Hoagwood, Kimberly Eaton; Sachdeva, Ramesh C.; Mangione-Smith, Rita; Woods, Donna; Kamin, Hayley S.; Jellinek, Michael

2013-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To review recent health policies related to measuring child health care quality, the selection processes of national child health quality measures, the nationally recommended quality measures for child mental health care and their evidence strength, the progress made toward developing new measures, and early lessons learned from these national efforts. METHODS: Methods used included description of the selection process of child health care quality measures from 2 independent national initiatives, the recommended quality measures for child mental health care, and the strength of scientific evidence supporting them. RESULTS: Of the child health quality measures recommended or endorsed during these national initiatives, only 9 unique measures were related to child mental health. CONCLUSIONS: The development of new child mental health quality measures poses methodologic challenges that will require a paradigm shift to align research with its accelerated pace. PMID:23457148

Early Intervention With Transplantation Recipients to Improve Access to and Knowledge of Palliative Care.

PubMed

Harden, Karen L

2016-08-01

The literature continues to support that patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) receive early consultation with palliative care specialists. Nurses can be leaders in this initiative. This quality improvement project was conducted to determine whether patients undergoing HSCT, who were provided an early consultation with palliative care, would report increased knowledge and increased ability to access palliative services. Patients completed a postintervention questionnaire in which the majority of patients reported that they had increased knowledge about palliative care and learned how to access their services. Patient comments were positive about the successful intervention of early palliative care. The palliative care team, however, revealed a different view of the situation, showing that patients were often overwhelmed, anxious, and sometimes did not remember the content of their meetings.

Long-Term Health Impact of Early Nutrition: The Power of Programming.

PubMed

Koletzko, Berthold; Brands, Brigitte; Grote, Veit; Kirchberg, Franca F; Prell, Christine; Rzehak, Peter; Uhl, Olaf; Weber, Martina

2017-01-01

The Power of Programming conference 2016 at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich brought together about 600 researchers and other stakeholders from around the world who reviewed the recent evidence on the lasting health impact of environment and nutrition during early life, from pre-pregnancy to early childhood. The conference was hosted by the Early Nutrition Project, a multidisciplinary research collaboration funded by the European Commission with collaborating researchers from 35 institutions in 15 countries in Europe, the United States and Australia. The project explores the early origins of obesity, adiposity and associated non-communicable diseases, underlying mechanisms and opportunities for prevention. The project also proactively supports translational application of research findings. In fact, some existing evidence has already been rapidly adopted into policy, regulatory standards and practice. Further, broad dissemination of findings is achieved through the established digital eLearning platform of the Early Nutrition eAcademy, video clip-based learning and graphically supported messaging to consumers. The project demonstrated powerful effects of early metabolic programming on later health. Compared to other common prevention strategies, modifying risk trajectories in early life can achieve a much larger risk reduction and be more cost-effective. While some effective prevention strategies have been promptly implemented in policy and guidelines, legislation and practice, in other areas, the uptake is limited by a paucity of quality human intervention trials and insufficient evaluation of the feasibility of implementation and econometric impact. This needs to be strengthened by future collaborative research work. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Ares Project Overview - Quality in Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cianciola, Chris; Crane, Kenneth

2008-01-01

This presentation introduces the audience to the overall goals of the Ares Project, which include providing human access to low-Earth orbit, the Moon, and beyond. The presentation also provides an overview of with the vehicles that will execute those goals and progress made on the vehicles to date. The briefing will provide an introduction to Lean, Six Sigma, and Kaizen practices Ares will use to improve the overall effectiveness and quality of its efforts. Finally, the briefing includes a summary of Safety and Mission Assurance practices being implemented within[Ares to ensure safety and quality early in the design process. Integrating Safety and Mission Assurance in Design: This presentation describes how the Ares Projects are learning from the successes and failures of previous launch systems in order to maximize safety and reliability while maintaining fiscal responsibility. The Ares Projects are integrating Safer T and Mission Assurance into design activities and embracing independent assessments by Quality experts in thorough reviews of designs and processes. Incorporating Lean thinking into the design process, Ares is also streamlining existing processes and future manufacturing flows which will yield savings during production. Understanding the value of early involvement of Quality experts, the Ares Projects are leading launch vehicle development into the 21st century.

Vowel reduction in word-final position by early and late Spanish-English bilinguals.

PubMed

Byers, Emily; Yavas, Mehmet

2017-01-01

Vowel reduction is a prominent feature of American English, as well as other stress-timed languages. As a phonological process, vowel reduction neutralizes multiple vowel quality contrasts in unstressed syllables. For bilinguals whose native language is not characterized by large spectral and durational differences between tonic and atonic vowels, systematically reducing unstressed vowels to the central vowel space can be problematic. Failure to maintain this pattern of stressed-unstressed syllables in American English is one key element that contributes to a "foreign accent" in second language speakers. Reduced vowels, or "schwas," have also been identified as particularly vulnerable to the co-articulatory effects of adjacent consonants. The current study examined the effects of adjacent sounds on the spectral and temporal qualities of schwa in word-final position. Three groups of English-speaking adults were tested: Miami-based monolingual English speakers, early Spanish-English bilinguals, and late Spanish-English bilinguals. Subjects performed a reading task to examine their schwa productions in fluent speech when schwas were preceded by consonants from various points of articulation. Results indicated that monolingual English and late Spanish-English bilingual groups produced targeted vowel qualities for schwa, whereas early Spanish-English bilinguals lacked homogeneity in their vowel productions. This extends prior claims that schwa is targetless for F2 position for native speakers to highly-proficient bilingual speakers. Though spectral qualities lacked homogeneity for early Spanish-English bilinguals, early bilinguals produced schwas with near native-like vowel duration. In contrast, late bilinguals produced schwas with significantly longer durations than English monolinguals or early Spanish-English bilinguals. Our results suggest that the temporal properties of a language are better integrated into second language phonologies than spectral qualities. Finally, we examined the role of nonstructural variables (e.g. linguistic history measures) in predicting native-like vowel duration. These factors included: Age of L2 learning, amount of L1 use, and self-reported bilingual dominance. Our results suggested that different sociolinguistic factors predicted native-like reduced vowel duration than predicted native-like vowel qualities across multiple phonetic environments.

Vowel reduction in word-final position by early and late Spanish-English bilinguals

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Vowel reduction is a prominent feature of American English, as well as other stress-timed languages. As a phonological process, vowel reduction neutralizes multiple vowel quality contrasts in unstressed syllables. For bilinguals whose native language is not characterized by large spectral and durational differences between tonic and atonic vowels, systematically reducing unstressed vowels to the central vowel space can be problematic. Failure to maintain this pattern of stressed-unstressed syllables in American English is one key element that contributes to a “foreign accent” in second language speakers. Reduced vowels, or “schwas,” have also been identified as particularly vulnerable to the co-articulatory effects of adjacent consonants. The current study examined the effects of adjacent sounds on the spectral and temporal qualities of schwa in word-final position. Three groups of English-speaking adults were tested: Miami-based monolingual English speakers, early Spanish-English bilinguals, and late Spanish-English bilinguals. Subjects performed a reading task to examine their schwa productions in fluent speech when schwas were preceded by consonants from various points of articulation. Results indicated that monolingual English and late Spanish-English bilingual groups produced targeted vowel qualities for schwa, whereas early Spanish-English bilinguals lacked homogeneity in their vowel productions. This extends prior claims that schwa is targetless for F2 position for native speakers to highly-proficient bilingual speakers. Though spectral qualities lacked homogeneity for early Spanish-English bilinguals, early bilinguals produced schwas with near native-like vowel duration. In contrast, late bilinguals produced schwas with significantly longer durations than English monolinguals or early Spanish-English bilinguals. Our results suggest that the temporal properties of a language are better integrated into second language phonologies than spectral qualities. Finally, we examined the role of nonstructural variables (e.g. linguistic history measures) in predicting native-like vowel duration. These factors included: Age of L2 learning, amount of L1 use, and self-reported bilingual dominance. Our results suggested that different sociolinguistic factors predicted native-like reduced vowel duration than predicted native-like vowel qualities across multiple phonetic environments. PMID:28384234

Threading the cloak: palliative care education for care providers of adolescents and young adults with cancer

PubMed Central

Wiener, Lori; Weaver, Meaghann Shaw; Bell, Cynthia J; Sansom-Daly, Ursula M

2015-01-01

Medical providers are trained to investigate, diagnose, and treat cancer. Their primary goal is to maximize the chances of curing the patient, with less training provided on palliative care concepts and the unique developmental needs inherent in this population. Early, systematic integration of palliative care into standard oncology practice represents a valuable, imperative approach to improving the overall cancer experience for adolescents and young adults (AYAs). The importance of competent, confident, and compassionate providers for AYAs warrants the development of effective educational strategies for teaching AYA palliative care. Just as palliative care should be integrated early in the disease trajectory of AYA patients, palliative care training should be integrated early in professional development of trainees. As the AYA age spectrum represents sequential transitions through developmental stages, trainees experience changes in their learning needs during their progression through sequential phases of training. This article reviews unique epidemiologic, developmental, and psychosocial factors that make the provision of palliative care especially challenging in AYAs. A conceptual framework is provided for AYA palliative care education. Critical instructional strategies including experiential learning, group didactic opportunity, shared learning among care disciplines, bereaved family members as educators, and online learning are reviewed. Educational issues for provider training are addressed from the perspective of the trainer, trainee, and AYA. Goals and objectives for an AYA palliative care cancer rotation are presented. Guidance is also provided on ways to support an AYA's quality of life as end of life nears. PMID:25750863

Delivering Reading Intervention to the Poorest Children: The Case of Liberia and EGRA-Plus, a Primary Grade Reading Assessment and Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davidson, Marcia; Hobbs, Jenny

2013-01-01

As governments, donors and implementation organisations re-focus Education for All Goals in terms of quality of education, increasing concerns have been raised over low literacy levels in developing countries. This paper provides key learning from the application of an early reading intervention applied in post-conflict Liberia, which included a…

Preparing Teachers of Young Children: The Current State of Knowledge, and a Blueprint for the Future. Executive Summary. Policy Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitebook, Marcy; Gomby, Deanna; Bellm, Dan; Sakai, Laura; Kipnis, Fran

2009-01-01

Across the political spectrum, high-quality early care and education (ECE) is viewed as essential to educational reform. No ECE program can succeed without teachers who can establish warm and caring relationships with children, light the fires of children's curiosity and love of learning, and foster their development and readiness for school.…

Measuring Children's Involvement as an Indicator of Curriculum Effectiveness: A Curriculum Evaluation of a Selected Child Study Centre in Singapore

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ebbeck, Marjory; Winter, Pam; Russo, Sharon; Yim, Hoi Yin Bonnie; Teo-Zuzarte, Geraldine Lian Choo; Goh, Mandy

2012-01-01

This paper presents one aspect of a research project evaluating a curriculum model of a selected child study centre in Singapore. An issue of worldwide interest and concern is the "quality of learning" debate as it relates to early childhood centres. In Singapore, the government is focusing on expansion in child care settings and…

Monitoring Trends in Educational Growth: A Partnership Service to Monitor the Educational Growth of Students in the Early to Middle Years of Schooling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Australian Council for Educational Research, 2015

2015-01-01

Monitoring Trends in Educational Growth (MTEG) offers a flexible, collaborative approach to developing and implementing an assessment of learning outcomes that yields high-quality, nationally relevant data. MTEG is a service that involves ACER staff working closely with each country to develop an assessment program that meets the country's…

Using Classroom Management to Improve Preschoolers' Social and Emotional Skills: Final Impact and Implementation Findings from the Foundations of Learning Demonstration in Newark and Chicago

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morris, Pamela; Lloyd, Chrishana M.; Millenky, Megan; Leacock, Nicole; Raver, C. Cybele; Bangser, Michael

2013-01-01

Investments in early childhood programs are widely viewed as a promising strategy to improve the future educational achievement of disadvantaged young children. However, it can be difficult for teachers to maintain program quality if children in the classroom display challenging behaviors. For example, when some children act out aggressively or…

Educational Infrastructure and Resources for Sustainable Access to Schooling and Outcomes: The Case of Early Literacy Development in Southern Tanzania

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ngwaru, Jacob Marriote; Oluga, Mary

2015-01-01

Following on the 1990 and 2000 World Conferences on Education for All, African governments increased their focus on access to schooling (but not necessarily on outcomes) by providing more facilities for increased enrolments. The learning outcomes that had been neglected led to a call to focus on more sustainable access--re-examining the quality of…

Neural Correlates of Motor Learning, Transfer of Learning, and Learning to Learn

PubMed Central

Seidler, Rachael D.

2009-01-01

Recent studies on the neural bases of sensorimotor adaptation demonstrate that the cerebellar and striatal thalamocortical pathways contribute to early learning. Transfer of learning involves a reduction in the contribution of early learning networks, and increased reliance on the cerebellum. The neural correlates of learning to learn remain to be determined, but likely involve enhanced functioning of general aspects of early learning. PMID:20016293

From see one do one, to see a good one do a better one: learning physical examination skills through peer observation.

PubMed

St-Onge, Christina; Martineau, Bernard; Harvey, Anne; Bergeron, Linda; Mamede, Silvia; Rikers, Remy

2013-01-01

Learning and mastering the skills required to execute physical exams is of great importance and should be fostered early during medical training. Observing peers has been shown to positively influence the acquisition of psychomotor skills. The current study investigated the influence of peer observation on the acquisition of psychomotor skills required to execute a physical examination. Second-year medical students (N=194) learned the neurological physical examination for low back pain in groups of three. Each student learned and performed the physical examination while the other students observed. Analyses compared the impact of the quantity and the quality of observed performances on students' learning of the physical examination skills. Students benefited from observing peers while they executed their examination. Moreover, observing a high-performing peer increased the acquisition of physical examination skills. Results suggest that group learning activities that allow students to observe their peers during physical examination should be favored.

Preliminary development of POEAW in enhancing K-11 students’ understanding level on impulse and momentum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luthfiani, T. A.; Sinaga, P.; Samsudin, A.

2018-05-01

We have been analyzed that there were limited research about Predict-Observe- Explain which use writing process with conceptual change text strategy. This study aims to develop a learning model namely Predict-Observe-Explain-Apply-Writing (POEAW) which is able to enhance students’ understanding level. The research method utilized the 4D model (Defining, Designing, Developing and Disseminating) that is formally limited to Developing Stage. There are four experts who judge the learning component (syntax, lesson plan, teaching material and student worksheet) and matter component (learning quality and content component). The result of this study are obtained expert validity test score average of 87% for learning content and 89% for matter component that means the POEAW is valid and can be tested in classroom learning. This research producing POEAW learning model that has five main steps, Predict, Observe, Explain, Apply and Write. To sum up, we have early developed POEAW in enhancing K-11 students’ understanding levels on impulse and momentum.

Strategies, Systems and Services: A Northern Ireland Early Years Policy Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McMillan, Dorothy J.; McConnell, Barbara

2015-01-01

Following a lengthy consultation process across Northern Ireland (NI), 2013 saw the publication of Learning to Learn: A Framework for Early Years Education and Learning [DE (Department of Education). 2013. "Learning to Learn: A Framework for Early Years Education and Learning." Accessed July 15, 2014.…

Integrating Safety and Mission Assurance in Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cianciola, Chris; Crane, Kenneth

2008-01-01

This presentation describes how the Ares Projects are learning from the successes and failures of previous launch systems in order to maximize safety and reliability while maintaining fiscal responsibility. The Ares Projects are integrating Safety and Mission Assurance into design activities and embracing independent assessments by Quality experts in thorough reviews of designs and processes. Incorporating Lean thinking into the design process, Ares is also streamlining existing processes and future manufacturing flows which will yield savings during production. Understanding the value of early involvement of Quality experts, the Ares Projects are leading launch vehicle development into the 21st century.

Statewide Quality Improvement Initiative to Reduce Early Elective Deliveries and Improve Birth Registry Accuracy.

PubMed

Kaplan, Heather C; King, Eileen; White, Beth E; Ford, Susan E; Fuller, Sandra; Krew, Michael A; Marcotte, Michael P; Iams, Jay D; Bailit, Jennifer L; Bouchard, Jo M; Friar, Kelly; Lannon, Carole M

2018-04-01

To evaluate the success of a quality improvement initiative to reduce early elective deliveries at less than 39 weeks of gestation and improve birth registry data accuracy rapidly and at scale in Ohio. Between February 2013 and March 2014, participating hospitals were involved in a quality improvement initiative to reduce early elective deliveries at less than 39 weeks of gestation and improve birth registry data. This initiative was designed as a learning collaborative model (group webinars and a single face-to-face meeting) and included individual quality improvement coaching. It was implemented using a stepped wedge design with hospitals divided into three balanced groups (waves) participating in the initiative sequentially. Birth registry data were used to assess hospital rates of nonmedically indicated inductions at less than 39 weeks of gestation. Comparisons were made between groups participating and those not participating in the initiative at two time points. To measure birth registry accuracy, hospitals conducted monthly audits comparing birth registry data with the medical record. Associations were assessed using generalized linear repeated measures models accounting for time effects. Seventy of 72 (97%) eligible hospitals participated. Based on birth registry data, nonmedically indicated inductions at less than 39 weeks of gestation declined in all groups with implementation (wave 1: 6.2-3.2%, P<.001; wave 2: 4.2-2.5%, P=.04; wave 3: 6.8-3.7%, P=.002). When waves 1 and 2 were participating in the initiative, they saw significant decreases in rates of early elective deliveries as compared with wave 3 (control; P=.018). All waves had significant improvement in birth registry accuracy (wave 1: 80-90%, P=.017; wave 2: 80-100%, P=.002; wave 3: 75-100%, P<.001). A quality improvement initiative enabled statewide spread of change strategies to decrease early elective deliveries and improve birth registry accuracy over 14 months and could be used for rapid dissemination of other evidence-based obstetric care practices across states or hospital systems.

The importance of cultivating a preference for complexity in veterinarians for effective lifelong learning.

PubMed

Dale, Vicki H M; Pierce, Stephanie E; May, Stephen A

2010-01-01

Much attention has been paid to the link between students' approaches to study and the quality of their learning. Less attention has been paid to the lifelong learner. We conceptualized a tripartite relationship between three measures of learning preference: conceptions of knowledge (construction and use vs. intake), need for cognition (high vs. low), and approach to study (deep vs. surface) and hypothesized that an individual's profile on these three measures-reconceptualized as a preference for complexity versus simplicity-would affect their attitude toward continuing professional development (CPD). A questionnaire was mailed to 2,000 randomly selected, home-practicing UK veterinarians to quantify their learning preferences, motivation to engage in CPD, and perception of barriers to participation and to assess the relationships between these constructs. Analysis of 775 responses (a 38.8% response rate) confirmed our tripartite model of learning and showed that a preference for complexity was negatively correlated with barriers and positively correlated with intrinsic, social, and extrinsic motivating factors, suggesting that all play a role in the continuing education of this group of professionals. A preference for simplicity was negatively correlated with social motivation and positively correlated with barriers. This study demonstrates that approach not only affects the quality of learning but crucially affects motivation to engage in CPD and perception of barriers to lifelong learning. This should emphasize to veterinary educators the importance of fostering a preference for complexity from an early age, both in terms of its immediate benefits (better understanding) and longer-term benefits (continued engagement with learning).

Inequities and Lack of Professionalisation of Early Childhood Development Practice Hinder Opportunities for Mathematics Stimulation and Realisation of South African Policy on Quality Education for All

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feza, Nosisi

2014-01-01

White Paper 5's aim is to provide South Africa's children with a solid foundation for lifelong learning and development. Children need to be nurtured and developed holistically for them to participate efficiently in their democratic society. However, South African students continue to perform poorly in Trends in International Mathematics and…

Early Learning Canada: Workshop Leader Guide [and] Participant Resource [and] Trainer Manual. Learning & Reading Partners Adult Learning System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Estey, Nancy; MacIsaac, Maitland; Rendell, Sandra

Based on the understanding that the capacity to learn is optimized in the early years, Early Learning Canada (ELC) is a community workshop program for parents and adults who work with children from birth to age 6 and their families to facilitate life-long learning. This workshop leader guide explains the ELC principles, examines learning styles…

Analysis of the Team-Based Learning Literature: TBL Comes of Age

PubMed Central

Haidet, Paul; Kubitz, Karla; McCormack, Wayne T.

2015-01-01

Team-based learning, or TBL, is an application-oriented teaching method that combines small- and large-group learning by incorporating multiple small groups into a large group setting. It has been increasingly used in postsecondary and professional education over the past two decades. Given this increasing usage, many faculty wonder about the effects TBL has on learning outcomes. The authors performed a review and synthesis on the educational literature with respect to TBL to examine the quality of their descriptions of core TBL elements, then constructed narrative summaries of these selected articles. Their analysis demonstrated early evidence of positive educational outcomes in terms of knowledge acquisition, participation and engagement, and team performance. The authors conclude that the TBL literature is at an important maturation point, where more rigorous testing and study of additional questions relating to the method are needed, as well as more accurate reporting of TBL implementation. PMID:26568668

Early life risk factors that contribute to irritable bowel syndrome in adults: a systematic review.

PubMed

Chitkara, Denesh K; van Tilburg, Miranda A L; Blois-Martin, Nannette; Whitehead, William E

2008-03-01

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder that occurs in adults. The natural history of symptoms and risk factors that contribute to IBS may begin in childhood. The aim of this systematic review was to determine what early life factors contribute to the development of IBS in adolescents and adults. A computer-assisted search of the PubMed database from 1966 to 2007 was performed. The selection criteria were: (a) studies conducted in adolescents or adults with IBS that (b) investigate premorbid factors occurring specifically during the childhood period and are (c) associated with the outcomes of symptoms, quality of life, health-care utilization, and interferences with work or disability. Twenty-five articles met inclusion criteria. The studies were categorized into articles examining the persistence of childhood gastrointestinal symptoms into adulthood, affluent childhood socioeconomic status and adult IBS, infantile and childhood trauma associated with the development of adult IBS, and social learning of illness behavior as predictors of adult IBS. Pediatricians should be aware of potentially modifiable childhood risk factors and should consider interventions such as early symptom management of recurrent functional abdominal pain with cognitive therapies and parent education about social learning of illness behavior. Early treatment may have a long-term impact. Research examining the effect of affluent childhood socioeconomic status and early childhood trauma in the evolution of functional gastrointestinal disorders may help identify causative factors of IBS.

EHLS at School: school-age follow-up of the Early Home Learning Study cluster randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Westrupp, Elizabeth M; Bennett, Clair; Cullinane, Meabh; Hackworth, Naomi J; Berthelsen, Donna; Reilly, Sheena; Mensah, Fiona K; Gold, Lisa; Bennetts, Shannon K; Levickis, Penny; Nicholson, Jan M

2018-05-02

Targeted interventions during early childhood can assist families in providing strong foundations that promote children's health and wellbeing across the life course. There is growing recognition that longer follow-up times are necessary to assess intervention outcomes, as effects may change as children develop. The Early Home Learning Study, or 'EHLS', comprised two cluster randomized controlled superiority trials of a brief parenting intervention, smalltalk, aimed at supporting parents to strengthen the early childhood home learning environment of infants (6-12 months) or toddlers (12-36 months). Results showed sustained improvements in parent-child interactions and the home environment at the 32 week follow-up for the toddler but not the infant trial. The current study will therefore follow up the EHLS toddler cohort to primary school age, with the aim of addressing a gap in literature concerning long-term effects of early childhood interventions focused on improving school readiness and later developmental outcomes. 'EHLS at School' is a school-aged follow-up study of the toddler cluster randomized controlled trial (n = 1226). Data will be collected by parent-, child- and teacher-report questionnaires, recorded observations of parent-child interactions, and direct child assessment when children are aged 7.5 years old. Data linkage will provide additional data on child health and academic functioning at ages 5, 8 and 10 years. Child outcomes will be compared for families allocated to standard/usual care (control) versus those allocated to the smalltalk program (group program only or group program with additional home coaching). Findings from The Early Home Learning Study provided evidence of the benefits of the smalltalk intervention delivered via facilitated playgroups for parents of toddlers. The EHLS at School Study aims to examine the long-term outcomes of this initiative to determine whether improvements in the quality of the parent-child relationship persist over time and translate into benefits for children's social, academic and behavioral skills that last into the school years. 8 September 2011; ACTRN12611000965909 (for the original EHLS).

Early Years Practitioners' Views on Early Personal, Social and Emotional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aubrey, Carol; Ward, Karen

2013-01-01

Current policy guidance stresses the need for early identification of obstacles to learning and appropriate intervention. New standards for learning (Early Years Foundation Stage) place personal, social and emotional development (PSED) as central to learning and development. This paper reports a survey and follow-up interviews with early years…

Improving and monitoring air quality.

PubMed

DuPont, André

2018-05-01

Since the authorization of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, the air quality in the USA has significantly improved because of strong public support. The lessons learned over the last 25 years are being shared with the policy analysts, technical professionals, and scientist who endeavor to improve air quality in their communities. This paper will review how the USA has achieved the "high" standard of air quality that was envisioned in the early 1990s. This document will describe SO 2 gas emission reduction technology and highlight operation of emission monitoring technology. This paper describes the basic process operation of an air pollution control scrubber. A technical review of measures required to operate and maintain a large-scale pollution control system will be described. Also, the author explains how quality assurance procedures in performance of continuous emission monitoring plays a significant role in reducing air pollution.

Timing of cochlear implantation and parents' global ratings of children's health and development.

PubMed

Clark, James H; Wang, Nae-Yuh; Riley, Anne W; Carson, Christine M; Meserole, Rachel L; Lin, Frank R; Eisenberg, Laurie S; Tobey, Emily A; Quittner, Alexandra L; Francis, Howard W; Niparko, John K

2012-06-01

To assess children's health-related quality of life (HRQL) and development after cochlear implant (CI) surgery and compare improvements between different age of implantation categories. Prospective, longitudinal study comparing outcomes of deaf children post-CI with hearing controls. Six US CI centers. Deaf children who received CI (n = 188) and hearing children of comparable ages (n = 97). CI before 5 years of age. Parental ratings of global HRQL and development, as assessed over the first 4 years of follow-up using visual analog scales. Development scores assess parental views of children's growth and development, motor skills, ability to express themselves and communicate with others, and learning abilities. Associations of baseline child and family characteristics with post-CI HRQL and development were investigated using multivariable analysis, controlling for factors that influence post-CI language learning. Baseline deficits of CI candidates relative to hearing controls were larger in development than HRQL. Development scores improved significantly by 4 years after CI, particularly in the youngest CI recipients. Developmental deficits of older CI recipients with early, extended hearing aid use were only partially remediated by CI. Overall, no significant health deficits were observed in CI children after 4 years. Cognition and speech recognition were positively associated with both HRQL and development. Parental perspectives on quality of their child's life and development provide practical insight into the optimal timing of interventions for early-onset deafness. Validity of parental global assessments is supported by clinical measures of speech perception and language learning and comparison with a well-validated health status instrument.

Enhancing early child care quality and learning for toddlers at risk: the responsive early childhood program.

PubMed

Landry, Susan H; Zucker, Tricia A; Taylor, Heather B; Swank, Paul R; Williams, Jeffrey M; Assel, Michael; Crawford, April; Huang, Weihua; Clancy-Menchetti, Jeanine; Lonigan, Christopher J; Phillips, Beth M; Eisenberg, Nancy; Spinrad, Tracy L; de Villiers, Jill; de Villiers, Peter; Barnes, Marcia; Starkey, Prentice; Klein, Alice

2014-02-01

Despite reports of positive effects of high-quality child care, few experimental studies have examined the process of improving low-quality center-based care for toddler-age children. In this article, we report intervention effects on child care teachers' behaviors and children's social, emotional, behavioral, early literacy, language, and math outcomes as well as the teacher-child relationship. The intervention targeted the use of a set of responsive teacher practices, derived from attachment and sociocultural theories, and a comprehensive curriculum. Sixty-five childcare classrooms serving low-income 2- and 3-year-old children were randomized into 3 conditions: business-as-usual control, Responsive Early Childhood Curriculum (RECC), and RECC plus explicit social-emotional classroom activities (RECC+). Classroom observations showed greater gains for RECC and RECC+ teachers' responsive practices including helping children manage their behavior, establishing a predictable schedule, and use of cognitively stimulating activities (e.g., shared book reading) compared with controls; however, teacher behaviors did not differ for focal areas such as sensitivity and positive discipline supports. Child assessments demonstrated that children in the interventions outperformed controls in areas of social and emotional development, although children's performance in control and intervention groups was similar for cognitive skills (language, literacy, and math). Results support the positive impact of responsive teachers and environments providing appropriate support for toddlers' social and emotional development. Possible explanations for the absence of systematic differences in children's cognitive skills are considered, including implications for practice and future research targeting low-income toddlers.

Reducing patient mortality, length of stay and readmissions through machine learning-based sepsis prediction in the emergency department, intensive care unit and hospital floor units

PubMed Central

McCoy, Andrea

2017-01-01

Introduction Sepsis management is a challenge for hospitals nationwide, as severe sepsis carries high mortality rates and costs the US healthcare system billions of dollars each year. It has been shown that early intervention for patients with severe sepsis and septic shock is associated with higher rates of survival. The Cape Regional Medical Center (CRMC) aimed to improve sepsis-related patient outcomes through a revised sepsis management approach. Methods In collaboration with Dascena, CRMC formed a quality improvement team to implement a machine learning-based sepsis prediction algorithm to identify patients with sepsis earlier. Previously, CRMC assessed all patients for sepsis using twice-daily systemic inflammatory response syndrome screenings, but desired improvements. The quality improvement team worked to implement a machine learning-based algorithm, collect and incorporate feedback, and tailor the system to current hospital workflow. Results Relative to the pre-implementation period, the post-implementation period sepsis-related in-hospital mortality rate decreased by 60.24%, sepsis-related hospital length of stay decreased by 9.55% and sepsis-related 30-day readmission rate decreased by 50.14%. Conclusion The machine learning-based sepsis prediction algorithm improved patient outcomes at CRMC. PMID:29450295

Early Childhood Educator and Administrator Surveys on the Use of Assessments and Standards in Early Childhood Settings. REL 2014-019

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Irwin, Clare W.; O'Dwyer, Laura; Cook, Kyle DeMeo

2014-01-01

The Early Childhood Educator Survey and the Early Childhood Administrator Survey allow users to collect consistent data on the use of child assessments and learning standards in early childhood learning settings. Each survey includes modules on educator/administrator background information, assessment use, and learning standards implementation.…

Comparing Risk- and Non-Risk-Groups Is a Favored Approach in Developmental Psychopathology. Commentary on: "Variations in Early Attachment Mechanisms Contribute to Attachment Quality: Case Studies Including Babies Born Preterm"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suess, Gerhard J.

2016-01-01

In this commentary, Suess opines that comparing risk- and non-risk-groups, as is done in the study by Witting, Ruiz, and Ahnert (2016), is a favored approach in developmental psychopathology in order to learn more about underlying mechanisms of normal development, as well as developmental deviations. Witting and colleagues followed up this…

Lessons learned from implementing the HIV infant tracking system (HITSystem): A web-based intervention to improve early infant diagnosis in Kenya.

PubMed

Finocchario-Kessler, S; Odera, I; Okoth, V; Bawcom, C; Gautney, B; Khamadi, S; Clark, K; Goggin, K

2015-12-01

Guided by the RE-AIM model, we describe preliminary data and lessons learned from multiple serial implementations of an eHealth intervention to improve early infant diagnosis (EID) of HIV in Kenya. We describe the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation and maintenance of the HITSystem, an eHealth intervention that links key stakeholders to improve retention and outcomes in EID. Our target community includes mother-infant pairs utilizing EID services and government health care providers and lab personnel. We also explore our own role as program and research personnel supporting the dissemination and scale up of the HITSystem in Kenya. Key findings illustrate the importance of continual adaptation of the HITSystem interface to accommodate varied stakeholders' workflows in different settings. Surprisingly, technology capacity and internet connectivity posed minimal short-term challenges. Early and sustained ownership of the HITSystem among stakeholders proved critical to reach, effectiveness and successful adoption, implementation and maintenance. Preliminary data support the ability of the HITSystem to improve EID outcomes in Kenya. Strong and sustained collaborations with stakeholders improve the quality and reach of eHealth public health interventions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Second-Language Learning in Early Childhood: Some Thoughts for Practitioners.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLaughlin, Barry

There is much that can be done in early childhood education programs to foster second language learning in young children. The research literature on early childhood bilingualism clearly indicates that children can learn two languages simultaneously without apparent effort, without cognitive strain or interference in learning either language…

Early Learning and Educational Technology Policy Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Joan

2016-01-01

Recognizing the growth of technology use in early learning settings, the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services collaborated in the development of the "Early Learning and Educational Technology Policy Brief" to promote developmentally appropriate use of technology in homes and early learning…

Quality of Learners' Time and Learning Performance beyond Quantitative Time-on-Task

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Romero, Margarida; Barbera, Elena

2011-01-01

Along with the amount of time spent learning (or time-on-task), the quality of learning time has a real influence on learning performance. Quality of time in online learning depends on students' time availability and their willingness to devote quality cognitive time to learning activities. However, the quantity and quality of the time spent by…

Machine learning and predictive data analytics enabling metrology and process control in IC fabrication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rana, Narender; Zhang, Yunlin; Wall, Donald; Dirahoui, Bachir; Bailey, Todd C.

2015-03-01

Integrate circuit (IC) technology is going through multiple changes in terms of patterning techniques (multiple patterning, EUV and DSA), device architectures (FinFET, nanowire, graphene) and patterning scale (few nanometers). These changes require tight controls on processes and measurements to achieve the required device performance, and challenge the metrology and process control in terms of capability and quality. Multivariate data with complex nonlinear trends and correlations generally cannot be described well by mathematical or parametric models but can be relatively easily learned by computing machines and used to predict or extrapolate. This paper introduces the predictive metrology approach which has been applied to three different applications. Machine learning and predictive analytics have been leveraged to accurately predict dimensions of EUV resist patterns down to 18 nm half pitch leveraging resist shrinkage patterns. These patterns could not be directly and accurately measured due to metrology tool limitations. Machine learning has also been applied to predict the electrical performance early in the process pipeline for deep trench capacitance and metal line resistance. As the wafer goes through various processes its associated cost multiplies. It may take days to weeks to get the electrical performance readout. Predicting the electrical performance early on can be very valuable in enabling timely actionable decision such as rework, scrap, feedforward, feedback predicted information or information derived from prediction to improve or monitor processes. This paper provides a general overview of machine learning and advanced analytics application in the advanced semiconductor development and manufacturing.

Information giving and education in pregnancy: a review of qualitative studies.

PubMed

Nolan, Mary L

2009-01-01

Studies of childbirth education have universally failed to take into account the quality of the education provided to women and their families and whether its style of delivery meets women's preferences and needs. The present study sought to determine which educational approaches are most welcomed by women and most helpful to them in learning about labor, birth, and early parenting. A systematic survey of peer-reviewed studies on antenatal education, published in English from 1996-2006 and which sought women's views and experiences, was conducted. Findings confirm women's preference for a small-group learning environment in which they can talk to each other as well as the educator and can relate information to their individual circumstances.

Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge: 2014 Annual Performance Report. Wisconsin

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge, 2015

2015-01-01

This Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) annual performance report for the year 2014 describes Wisconsin's accomplishments, lessons learned, challenges, and strategies Wisconsin will implement to address those challenges. During the second year of the Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) in Wisconsin, there have…

Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge: 2014 Annual Performance Report. Delaware

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge, 2015

2015-01-01

This Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) annual performance report for the year 2014 describes Delaware's accomplishments, lessons learned, challenges, and strategies Delaware will implement to address those challenges. At the end of Year Three of the Early Learning Challenge Grant, Delaware continues to make significant progress…

Early Learning Foundations. Indiana's Early Learning Development Framework Aligned to the Indiana Academic Standards, 2014

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Indiana Department of Education, 2015

2015-01-01

The "Foundations" (English/language arts, mathematics, social emotional skills, approaches to play and learning, science, social studies, creative arts, and physical health and growth) are Indiana's early learning development framework and are aligned to the 2014 Indiana Academic Standards. This framework provides core elements that…

A Fourth Dimension: Tapping the Artist within the Early Childhood Educator

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dehouske, Ellen J.

2006-01-01

This article examines the concept of an early childhood teacher learning, in stages, a new method for integrating the arts into the early childhood curriculum. An early childhood graduate course, Aesthetics as Learning, is the learning ground. In this course, the graduate students discover the "Adult Within," the "Child Within," the "Teacher…

SELF (Supports for Early Learning Foundations): A Non-Directed Model Demonstration Project. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrison, Holly

This final report describes achievements and activities of Project SELF (Supports for Early Learning Foundations), a federally funded project in New Mexico which developed, evaluated, and replicated an innovative model that provides strategies for early interventionists and families to support early learning foundations. The project identified…

Quality Improvement Initiatives in Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

PubMed

Berry, Sameer K; Siegel, Corey A; Melmed, Gil Y

2017-08-01

This article serves as an overview of several quality improvement initiatives in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). IBD is associated with significant variation in care, suggesting poor quality of care. There have been several efforts to improve the quality of care for patients with IBD. Quality improvement (QI) initiatives in IBD are intended to be patient-centric, improve outcomes for individuals and populations, and reduce costs-all consistent with "the triple aim" put forth by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI). Current QI initiatives include the development of quality measure sets to standardize processes and outcomes, learning health systems to foster collaborative improvement, and patient-centered medical homes specific to patients with IBD in shared risk models of care. Some of these programs have demonstrated early success in improving patient outcomes, reducing costs, improving patient satisfaction, and facilitating patient engagement. However, further studies are needed to evaluate and compare the effects of these programs over time on clinical outcomes in order to demonstrate long-term value and sustainability.

External quality assurance for HIV point-of-care testing in Africa: A collaborative country-partner approach to strengthen diagnostic services

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

It is important to consider the role of diagnostics and the critical need for quality diagnostics services in resource-limited settings. Accurate diagnostic tests play a key role in patient management and the prevention and control of most infectious diseases. As countries plan for implementation of HIV early infant diagnosis and viral load point-of-care testing, the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine has worked with countries and partners with an interest in external quality assurance to support quality point-of-care testing on the continent. Through a series of collaborative consultations and workshops, the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine has gathered lessons learned, tools, and resources and developed quality assurance models that will support point-of-care testing. The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine is committed to the continued advancement of laboratory diagnostics in Africa and quality laboratory services and point-of-care testing. PMID:28879132

The perinatal quality collaborative of North Carolina's 39 weeks project: a quality improvement program to decrease elective deliveries before 39 weeks of gestation.

PubMed

Berrien, Kate; Devente, James; French, Amanda; Cochran, Keith M; McCaffrey, Marty; Horton, Bethany J; Chescheir, Nancy

2014-01-01

Despite long-standing guidelines from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists that call for avoiding elective births prior to 39 weeks of gestation, elective deliveries make up almost one-third of US births occurring in weeks 36-38. Poor outcomes are more likely for infants born electively before 39 weeks than for those born at 39 weeks. The Perinatal Quality Collaborative of North Carolina (PQCNC) undertook the 39 Weeks Project in 2009-2010 with the aim of reducing the number of early-term elective deliveries in North Carolina hospitals. Participating hospitals (N = 33) provided retrospective data on all early-term deliveries and created new policies, or amended or enforced existing policies, to accomplish the project's goals. Project activities included in-person learning sessions, regional meetings, webinars, electronic newsletters, a secure extranet Web site where participating hospitals could share relevant materials, and individual leadership consultations with hospital teams. Hospitals submitted monthly data to PQCNC, which provided ongoing training and data analysis. Elective deliveries before 39 weeks of gestation decreased 45% over the project period, from 2% to 1.1% of all deliveries. The proportion of elective deliveries among all scheduled early-term deliveries also decreased, from 23.63% to 16.19%. There was an increase in the proportion of patients with documented evidence of medical indications for early delivery, from 62.4% to 88.2%. No data were collected to determine whether outcomes changed for patients whose deliveries were deferred. The project also depended on each hospital to code its own data. The PQCNC's 39 Weeks Project successfully decreased the rate of early-term elective deliveries in participating hospitals.

Implementation of new clinical programs in the VHA healthcare system: the importance of early collaboration between clinical leadership and research.

PubMed

Wu, R Ryanne; Kinsinger, Linda S; Provenzale, Dawn; King, Heather A; Akerly, Patricia; Barnes, Lottie K; Datta, Santanu K; Grubber, Janet M; Katich, Nicholas; McNeil, Rebecca B; Monte, Robert; Sperber, Nina R; Atkins, David; Jackson, George L

2014-12-01

Collaboration between policy, research, and clinical partners is crucial to achieving proven quality care. The Veterans Health Administration has expended great efforts towards fostering such collaborations. Through this, we have learned that an ideal collaboration involves partnership from the very beginning of a new clinical program, so that the program is designed in a way that ensures quality, validity, and puts into place the infrastructure necessary for a reliable evaluation. This paper will give an example of one such project, the Lung Cancer Screening Demonstration Project (LCSDP). We will outline the ways that clinical, policy, and research partners collaborated in design, planning, and implementation in order to create a sustainable model that could be rigorously evaluated for efficacy and fidelity. We will describe the use of the Donabedian quality matrix to determine the necessary characteristics of a quality program and the importance of the linkage with engineering, information technology, and clinical paradigms to connect the development of an on-the-ground clinical program with the evaluation goal of a learning healthcare organization. While the LCSDP is the example given here, these partnerships and suggestions are salient to any healthcare organization seeking to implement new scientifically proven care in a useful and reliable way.

Autism, attachment, and social learning: Three challenges and a way forward.

PubMed

Vivanti, Giacomo; Nuske, Heather J

2017-05-15

We explore three challenges that Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) poses to our understanding of the processes underlying early attachment. First, while caregiver-infant attachment and later social-affiliative behavior share common biobehavioral mechanisms, individuals with ASD are able to form secure attachment relationships, despite reduced social-emotional reciprocity and motivation for social interaction. Therefore, disruptions in social affiliation mechanisms can co-exist with secure caregiver-infant bonding. Second, while early attachment quality is associated with later social outcomes in typical development, interventions targeting caregiver-child interaction in ASD often show positive effects on parental responsivity and attachment quality, but not on child social behavior. Therefore, improvements in parent-child bonding do not necessarily result in improvements in social functioning in ASD. Third, individuals with ASD show normative brain activity and selective social affiliative behaviors in response to people that they know but not to unfamiliar people. We propose a conceptual framework to reformulate and address these three theoretical impasses posed by ASD, arguing that the dissociable pathways of child-parent bonding and social development in ASD are shaped by (1) a dissociation between externally-driven and internally-driven attachment responses and (2) atypical learning dynamics occurring during child-caregiver bonding episodes, which are governed by and influence social-affiliation motives and other operant contingencies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Singing activity-driven Arc expression associated with vocal acoustic plasticity in juvenile songbird.

PubMed

Hayase, Shin; Wada, Kazuhiro

2018-06-23

Learned vocalization, including birdsong and human speech, is acquired through self-motivated vocal practice during the sensitive period of vocal learning. The zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) develops a song characterized by vocal variability and crystalizes a defined song pattern as adulthood. However, it remains unknown how vocal variability is regulated with diurnal singing during the sensorimotor learning period. Here, we investigated the expression of activity-dependent neuroplasticity-related gene Arc during the early plastic song phase to examine its potential association with vocal plasticity. We first confirmed that multiple acoustic features of syllables in the plastic song were dramatically and simultaneously modulated during the first 3 hours of singing in a day and the altered features were maintained until sleep. Concurrently, Arc was intensely induced during morning singing and a subsequent attenuation during afternoon singing in the robust nucleus of the arcopallium (RA) and the interfacial nucleus of the nidopallium (NIf). The singing-driven Arc expression was not altered by circadian rhythm, but rather reduced during the day as juveniles produced more songs. Song stabilization accelerated by testosterone administration in juveniles was accompanied with attenuation of Arc induction in RA and NIf. In contrast, although early-deafened birds produced highly unstable song even at adulthood, singing-driven Arc expression was not different between intact and early-deafened adults. These results suggest a potential functional link between Arc expression in RA and NIf and vocal plasticity during the sensorimotor phase of song learning. Nonetheless, Arc expression did not reflect the quality of bird's own song or auditory feedback. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Leadership of Learning in Early Years Practice: A Professional Learning Resource [Includes DVD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hallet, Elaine

2014-01-01

This book focuses upon effective pedagogical leadership and practice in the leadership of learning within early years settings and children's centres. The book and accompanying DVD, containing real-life examples of early years leaders, provides a framework for reflective thinking and learning for those leading practice and working with children,…

Strategies for reducing inequalities and improving developmental outcomes for young children in low-income and middle-income countries.

PubMed

Engle, Patrice L; Fernald, Lia C H; Alderman, Harold; Behrman, Jere; O'Gara, Chloe; Yousafzai, Aisha; de Mello, Meena Cabral; Hidrobo, Melissa; Ulkuer, Nurper; Ertem, Ilgi; Iltus, Selim

2011-10-08

This report is the second in a Series on early child development in low-income and middle-income countries and assesses the effectiveness of early child development interventions, such as parenting support and preschool enrolment. The evidence reviewed suggests that early child development can be improved through these interventions, with effects greater for programmes of higher quality and for the most vulnerable children. Other promising interventions for the promotion of early child development include children's educational media, interventions with children at high risk, and combining the promotion of early child development with conditional cash transfer programmes. Effective investments in early child development have the potential to reduce inequalities perpetuated by poverty, poor nutrition, and restricted learning opportunities. A simulation model of the potential long-term economic effects of increasing preschool enrolment to 25% or 50% in every low-income and middle-income country showed a benefit-to-cost ratio ranging from 6·4 to 17·6, depending on preschool enrolment rate and discount rate. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Meta-Analysis of the Relationship between Learning Outcomes and Parental Involvement during Early Childhood Education and Early Elementary Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ma, Xin; Shen, Jianping; Krenn, Huilan Y.; Hu, Shanshan; Yuan, Jing

2016-01-01

This meta-analysis examined the relationship between learning outcomes of children and educational involvement of parents during a unique period of early childhood education and early elementary education based on 100 independent effect sizes from 46 studies. Learning outcomes are academic achievement, and frameworks of parental involvement…

Children's Participation Rights in Early Childhood Education and Care: The Case of Early Literacy Learning and Pedagogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunphy, Elizabeth

2012-01-01

This position article argues that educators' knowledge of young children's perspectives on aspects of early learning, including literacy learning, and subsequent interpretations of the ways that these perspectives can inform and shape pedagogy are key to promoting children's participation rights in early childhood education and care. Drawing on…

Early numeracy skills in preschool-aged children: a review of neurocognitive findings and implications for assessment and intervention.

PubMed

Raghubar, Kimberly P; Barnes, Marcia A

2017-02-01

The goals are to (1) provide a review of the typical and atypical development of early numeracy; (2) present what is known about the neurocognitive underpinnings of early numeracy; and (3) discuss the implications for early assessment and intervention. Studies on the development of typical and atypical early numeracy are reviewed with a particular focus on longitudinal findings including those from our work on spina bifida myelomeningocele. Implications of this research for assessment are presented. The paper ends with a discussion of early math interventions. Learning to count, identify numbers, and compare and manipulate quantities are key early numeracy skills. These are powerful predictors of school-age mathematical learning and performance. General neurocognitive abilities such as working memory and language, are also important for the development of early numeracy. It is recommended that early assessment for risk of mathematical learning difficulties include tests of both early number knowledge and key neurocognitive abilities. Math-specific interventions are most effective for improving early numeracy. There is currently little evidence that training of general cognitive functions transfers to mathematical learning. Understanding the development of early numeracy skills and their neurocognitive predictors offer important insights into early assessment and intervention for children at risk for or with mathematical learning difficulties.

75 FR 20830 - Early Learning

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-21

... meetings and written submissions, is seeking input from State agencies responsible for early learning and... intervention service providers and other providers of services to young children), students, technical... receive all written submissions of comments on the four early learning topics on or before 5 p.m...

Impact of the Learning Curve for Endoscopic Vein Harvest on Conduit Quality and Early Graft Patency

PubMed Central

Desai, Pranjal; Kiani, Soroosh; Thiruvanthan, Nannan; Henkin, Stanislav; Kurian, Dinesh; Ziu, Pluen; Brown, Alex; Patel, Nisarg; Poston, Robert

2014-01-01

Background Recent studies have suggested that endoscopic vein harvest (EVH) compromises graft patency. To test whether the learning curve for EVH alters conduit integrity owing to increased trauma compared with an open harvest, we analyzed the quality and early patency of conduits procured by technicians with varying EVH experience. Methods During coronary artery bypass grafting, veins were harvested open (n = 10) or by EVH (n = 85) performed by experienced (>900 cases, >30/month) versus novice <100 cases, <3/month) technicians. Harvested conduits were imaged intraoperatively using optical coherence tomography and on day 5 to assess graft patency using computed tomographic angiography. Results Conduits from experienced (n = 55) versus novice (n = 30) harvesters had similar lengths (33 versus 34 cm) and harvest times (32.4 versus 31.8 minutes). Conduit injury was noted in both EVH groups with similar distribution among disruption of the adventitia (62%), intimal tears at branch points (23%), and intimal or medial dissections (15%), but the incidence of these injuries was less with experienced harvesters and rare in veins procured with an open technique. Overall, the rate of graft attrition was similar between the two EVH groups (6.45% versus 4.34% of grafts; p = 0.552). However, vein grafts with at least 4 intimal or medial dissections showed significantly worse patency (67% versus 96% patency; p = 0.05). Conclusions High-resolution imaging confirmed that technicians inexperienced with EVH are more likely to cause intimal and deep vessel injury to the saphenous vein graft, which increases graft failure risk. Endoscopic vein harvest remains the most common technique for conduit harvest, making efforts to better monitor the learning curve an important public health issue. PMID:21524447

Preservice Early Childhood Teachers' Learning of Science in a Methods Course: Examining the Predictive Ability of an Intentional Learning Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saçkes, Mesut; Trundle, Kathy Cabe

2014-01-01

This study investigated the predictive ability of an intentional learning model in the change of preservice early childhood teachers' conceptual understanding of lunar phases. Fifty-two preservice early childhood teachers who were enrolled in an early childhood science methods course participated in the study. Results indicated that the use…

The Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development's International Early Learning Study: Opening for Debate and Contestation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moss, Peter; Dahlberg, Gunilla; Grieshaber, Susan; Mantovani, Susanna; May, Helen; Pence, Alan; Rayna, Sylvie; Swadener, Beth Blue; Vandenbroeck, Michel

2016-01-01

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development is initiating the International Early Learning Study, a cross-national assessment of early learning outcomes involving the testing of 5-year-old children in participating countries. The authors use this colloquium to inform members of the early childhood community about this project and to…

Early adversity and learning: implications for typical and atypical behavioral development.

PubMed

Hanson, Jamie L; van den Bos, Wouter; Roeber, Barbara J; Rudolph, Karen D; Davidson, Richard J; Pollak, Seth D

2017-07-01

Children who experience early adversity often develop emotion regulatory problems, but little is known about the mechanisms that mediate this relation. We tested whether general associative learning processes contribute to associations between adversity, in the form of child maltreatment, and negative behavioral outcomes. Eighty-one participants between 12 and 17 years of age were recruited for this study and completed a probabilistic learning Task. Forty-one of these participants had been exposed to physical abuse, a form of early adversity. Forty additional participants without any known history of maltreatment served as a comparison group. All participants (and their parents) also completed portions of the Youth Life Stress Interview to understand adolescent's behavior. We calculated measures of associative learning, and also constructed mathematical models of learning. We found that adolescents exposed to high levels of adversity early in their lives had lower levels of associative learning than comparison adolescents. In addition, we found that impaired associative learning partially explained the higher levels of behavioral problems among youth who suffered early adversity. Using mathematical models, we also found that two components of learning were specifically affected in children exposed to adversity: choice variability and biases in their beliefs about the likelihood of rewards in the environment. Participants who had been exposed to early adversity were less able than their peers to correctly learn which stimuli were likely to result in reward, even after repeated feedback. These individuals also used information about known rewards in their environments less often. In addition, individuals exposed to adversity made decisions early in the learning process as if rewards were less consistent and occurred more at random. These data suggest one mechanism through which early life experience shapes behavioral development. © 2017 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Early adversity and learning: implications for typical and atypical behavioral development

PubMed Central

Hanson, Jamie L.; van den Bos, Wouter; Roeber, Barbara J.; Rudolph, Karen D.; Davidson, Richard J.; Pollak, Seth D.

2017-01-01

Background Children who experience early adversity often develop emotion regulatory problems, but little is known about the mechanisms that mediate this relation. We tested whether general associative learning processes contribute to associations between adversity, in the form of child maltreatment, and negative behavioral outcomes. Methods Eighty-one participants between 12 and 17 years of age were recruited for this study and completed a probabilistic learning Task. Forty-one of these participants had been exposed to physical abuse, a form of early adversity. Forty additional participants without any known history of maltreatment served as a comparison group. All participants (and their parents) also completed portions of the Youth Life Stress Interview to understand adolescent’s behavior. We calculated measures of associative learning, and also constructed mathematical models of learning. Results We found that adolescents exposed to high levels of adversity early in their lives had lower levels of associative learning than comparison adolescents. In addition, we found that impaired associative learning partially explained the higher levels of behavioral problems among youth who suffered early adversity. Using mathematical models, we also found that two components of learning were specifically affected in children exposed to adversity: choice variability and biases in their beliefs about the likelihood of rewards in the environment. Conclusions Participants who had been exposed to early adversity were less able than their peers to correctly learn which stimuli were likely to result in reward, even after repeated feedback. These individuals also used information about known rewards in their environments less often. In addition, individuals exposed to adversity made decisions early in the learning process as if rewards were less consistent and occurred more at random. These data suggest one mechanism through which early life experience shapes behavioral development. PMID:28158896

75 FR 70931 - Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-19

... Information Collection Activity; Comment Request Title: Evaluation of Head Start Early Learning Mentor Coach... implementation evaluation of the Head Start Early Learning Mentor-Coach Initiative. The study will collect... awarded funds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009--Early Learning Mentor Coach...

A Model for Integrating Ambulatory Surgery Centers Into an Academic Health System Using a Novel Ambulatory Surgery Coordinating Council.

PubMed

Ishii, Lisa; Pronovost, Peter J; Demski, Renee; Wylie, Gill; Zenilman, Michael

2016-06-01

An increasing volume of ambulatory surgeries has led to an increase in the number of ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). Some academic health systems have aligned with ASCs to create a more integrated care delivery system. Yet, these centers are diverse in many areas, including specialty types, ownership models, management, physician employment, and regulatory oversight. Academic health systems then face challenges in integrating these ASCs into their organizations. Johns Hopkins Medicine created the Ambulatory Surgery Coordinating Council in 2014 to manage, standardize, and promote peer learning among its eight ASCs. The Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality provided support and a model for this organization through its quality management infrastructure. The physician-led council defined a mission and created goals to identify best practices, uniformly provide the highest-quality patient-centered care, and continuously improve patient outcomes and experience across ASCs. Council members built trust and agreed on a standardized patient safety and quality dashboard to report measures that include regulatory, care process, patient experience, and outcomes data. The council addressed unintentional outcomes and process variation across the system and agreed to standard approaches to optimize quality. Council members also developed a process for identifying future goals, standardizing care practices and electronic medical record documentation, and creating quality and safety policies. The early success of the council supports the continuation of the Armstrong Institute model for physician-led quality management. Other academic health systems can learn from this model as they integrate ASCs into their complex organizations.

Building phonetic categories: an argument for the role of sleep

PubMed Central

Earle, F. Sayako; Myers, Emily B.

2014-01-01

The current review provides specific predictions for the role of sleep-mediated memory consolidation in the formation of new speech sound representations. Specifically, this discussion will highlight selected literature on the different ideas concerning category representation in speech, followed by a broad overview of memory consolidation and how it relates to human behavior, as relevant to speech/perceptual learning. In combining behavioral and physiological accounts from animal models with insights from the human consolidation literature on auditory skill/word learning, we are in the early stages of understanding how the transfer of experiential information between brain structures during sleep manifests in changes to online perception. Arriving at the conclusion that this process is crucial in perceptual learning and the formation of novel categories, further speculation yields the adjacent claim that the habitual disruption in this process leads to impoverished quality in the representation of speech sounds. PMID:25477828

Solid-State Lighting. Early Lessons Learned on the Way to Market

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sandahl, L. J.; Cort, K. A.; Gordon, K. L.

2014-01-01

Analysis of issues and lessons learned during the early stages of solid-state lighting market introduction in the U.S., which also summarizes early actions taken to avoid potential problems anticipated based on lessons learned from the market introduction of compact fluorescent lamps.

Nebraska Early Learning Guidelines for Ages Birth to 3: Nurturing the Development and Learning of Infants and Toddlers through Responsive Caregiving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nebraska Department of Education, 2006

2006-01-01

This resource provides information to assist parents, family members, early childhood teachers, caregivers, and other adults in promoting the learning and development of young children ages birth to three. It is a companion to the Nebraska Early Learning Guidelines for Ages 3 to 5, and uses the same format and domains of development. This…

Learning a Music Instrument in Early Childhood: What Can We Learn from Professional Musicians' Childhood Memories?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Wyverne

2008-01-01

Professional early childhood educators are often asked for advice about whether or when a young child should learn to play a music instrument. Many educators who do not have a background in music education may not be confident in providing such advice. A range of overseas research has supported learning a music instrument in the early childhood…

Language and Learning: A Practical Guide To Help with Planning Your Early Childhood Programme. Series of Caribbean Volunteer Publications, No. 12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watkins, Anne

Language should be viewed as one of the most important areas of early childhood development and learning. This document was produced to assist early childhood educators in Grenada, Carriacou, and Petit Martinique with fostering early language learning. The guide should be viewed mainly as a supplement to be used in conjunction with national…

Comparing physical activity and sedentary time among overweight and nonoverweight preschoolers enrolled in early learning programs: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Tucker, Patricia; Maltby, Alana M; Burke, Shauna M; Vanderloo, Leigh M; Irwin, Jennifer D

2016-09-01

Establishing appropriate physical activity and sedentary behaviours during early childhood is important to ensure children accrue the many associated health benefits. While physical activity levels have been reported as low within early learning programs, little research has explored the physical activity and sedentary time of Canadian preschoolers classified as overweight within these facilities. The purpose of this study was to compare objectively measured physical activity and sedentary time among preschoolers classified as overweight and nonoverweight in early learning programs. Direct assessment of physical activity and sedentary time of 216 preschool-aged children was collected via Actical accelerometers during early learning hours, while body mass index percentile was calculated based on preschoolers' objectively measured height and weight. Results of three 3-way ANOVAs suggest that rates of moderate to vigorous physical activity, total physical activity, and sedentary time (p > 0.05) did not significantly differ based on weight status, sex, and type of early learning facility. This study is one of few that has examined differences in overweight and nonoverweight preschoolers' sedentary time, and adds to the limited research exploring physical activity levels among overweight and nonoverweight preschoolers during early learning hours. Given the high rates of sedentary time reported, programming within early learning facilities is necessary to support preschoolers, regardless of weight status, to achieve increased physical activity levels and decreased sedentary time.

Space Shuttle Program Primary Avionics Software System (PASS) Success Legacy -Major Accomplishments and Lessons Learned

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Orr, James K.

2010-01-01

This presentation has shown the accomplishments of the PASS project over three decades and highlighted the lessons learned. Over the entire time, our goal has been to continuously improve our process, implement automation for both quality and increased productivity, and identify and remove all defects due to prior execution of a flawed process in addition to improving our processes following identification of significant process escapes. Morale and workforce instability have been issues, most significantly during 1993 to 1998 (period of consolidation in aerospace industry). The PASS project has also consulted with others, including the Software Engineering Institute, so as to be an early evaluator, adopter, and adapter of state-of-the-art software engineering innovations.

Response to the Colloquium "The Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development's International Early Learning Study: Opening for Debate and Contestation", by Peter Moss, Gunilla Dahlberg, Susan Grieshaber, Susanna Mantovani, Helen May, Alan Pence, Sylvie Rayna, Beth Blue Swadener and Michel Vandenbroeck, "Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood" 17(3)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mackey, Glynne; Hill, Diti; De Vocht, Lia

2016-01-01

In this article, the authors opine that the introduction of an international assessment of children's early learning, such as proposed by the OECD with its planned International Early Learning Study, will shift the emphasis away from pedagogies which focus on that which is meaningful and relevant in children's lives and their learning, to an…

Hunter New England Training (HNET): how to effect culture change in a psychiatry medical workforce.

PubMed

Cohen, Martin; Llewellyn, Anthony; Ditton-Phare, Philippa; Sandhu, Harsimrat; Vamos, Marina

2011-12-01

It is now recognized that education and training are at the core of quality systems in health care. In this paper we discuss the processes and drivers that underpinned the development of high quality education and training programs and placements for all junior doctors. The early identification and development of doctors interested in psychiatry as a career, engagement and co-operation with the broader junior doctor network and the creation of teaching opportunities for trainees that was linked to their stage of development were identified as key to the success of the program. Targeted, high quality education programs and clinical placements coupled with strategic development of workforce has reduced staff turn over, led to the stabilization of the medical workforce and created a culture where learning and supervision are highly valued.

The effect of image quality, repeated study, and assessment method on anatomy learning.

PubMed

Fenesi, Barbara; Mackinnon, Chelsea; Cheng, Lucia; Kim, Joseph A; Wainman, Bruce C

2017-06-01

The use of two-dimensional (2D) images is consistently used to prepare anatomy students for handling real specimen. This study examined whether the quality of 2D images is a critical component in anatomy learning. The visual clarity and consistency of 2D anatomical images was systematically manipulated to produce low-quality and high-quality images of the human hand and human eye. On day 0, participants learned about each anatomical specimen from paper booklets using either low-quality or high-quality images, and then completed a comprehension test using either 2D images or three-dimensional (3D) cadaveric specimens. On day 1, participants relearned each booklet, and on day 2 participants completed a final comprehension test using either 2D images or 3D cadaveric specimens. The effect of image quality on learning varied according to anatomical content, with high-quality images having a greater effect on improving learning of hand anatomy than eye anatomy (high-quality vs. low-quality for hand anatomy P = 0.018; high-quality vs. low-quality for eye anatomy P = 0.247). Also, the benefit of high-quality images on hand anatomy learning was restricted to performance on short-answer (SA) questions immediately after learning (high-quality vs. low-quality on SA questions P = 0.018), but did not apply to performance on multiple-choice (MC) questions (high-quality vs. low-quality on MC questions P = 0.109) or after participants had an additional learning opportunity (24 hours later) with anatomy content (high vs. low on SA questions P = 0.643). This study underscores the limited impact of image quality on anatomy learning, and questions whether investment in enhancing image quality of learning aids significantly promotes knowledge development. Anat Sci Educ 10: 249-261. © 2016 American Association of Anatomists. © 2016 American Association of Anatomists.

Unpacking socio-economic risks for reading and academic self-concept in primary school: Differential effects and the role of the preschool home learning environment.

PubMed

Crampton, Alexandria; Hall, James

2017-09-01

Uncertainty remains concerning how children's reading and academic self-concept are related and how these are differentially affected by social disadvantage and home learning environments. To contrast the impacts of early socio-economic risks and preschool home learning environments upon British children's reading abilities and academic self-concept between 7 and 10 years. n = 3,172 British children aged 3-10 years and their families. A secondary analysis of the nationally representative UK EPPE database. Multilevel structural equation modelling calculated the direct, indirect, and total impacts of early socio-economic risks (0-3 years) and preschool home learning environments (3-5 years) upon children's reading ability and academic self-concept between 7 and 10 years. Early socio-economic risk had different effects upon children's reading ability and academic self-concept. Early socio-economic risks affected children's reading at ages 7 and 10 both directly and indirectly via effects upon preschool home learning environments. By contrast, early socio-economic risks had only indirect effects upon children's academic self-concept via less stimulating home learning environments in the preschool period and by limiting reading abilities early on in primary school. Although the impacts of early socio-economic risks are larger and more easily observed upon reading than upon academic self-concept, they can impact both by making it less likely that children will experience enriching home learning environments during the preschool period. This has implications for social policymakers, early educators, and interventionists. Intervening early and improving preschool home learning environments can do more than raise children's reading abilities; secondary benefits may also be achievable upon children's self-concept. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

Differential Outcomes of Sleep Problems in Children with and Without Special Health Care Needs: Australian Population Study.

PubMed

Quach, Jon; Mensah, Fiona K; Hiscock, Harriet

2016-06-01

In a nationally representative sample of Australian children at ages 4 to 5, 6 to 7, 8 to 9, 10 to 11, and 12 to 13 years, we aim to examine the (1) prevalence of sleep problems in children with and without special health care needs (SHCN); (2) association of sleep problems with child behavior, health-related quality of life, learning and parent mental health outcomes; and (3) whether associations between sleep problems and outcomes among children with SHCN are larger in magnitude than among children without SHCN. Biennial data from 5 waves of the Growing Up in Australia Study. Child SHCN as defined by the Children Special Health Care Needs Screener and parent report of child sleep problem. Child: parent-reported health-related quality of life; parent-reported and teacher-reported behavior; nonverbal and verbal cognition and teacher-reported learning. Parent: self-report mental health. Logistic and linear regression, adjusted for family socioeconomic position. Children with SHCN were more likely to have sleep problems, odds ranging from 2.0 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.6-2.5) at 4 to 5 years to 3.9 (95% CI, 3.0-5.2) at 8 to 9 years. Compared with children who had neither condition, those with either sleep problems or SHCN had similarly poor child and maternal outcomes. Children with both SHCN and sleep problems had the poorest outcomes at every age (all p < .001). Tests of interaction found sleep problems are more strongly associated with poorer behavior and health-related quality of life among children with SHCN than those without during the preschool and early school years. Sleep problems in children with SHCN are common and are associated with poorer child and maternal outcomes. These associations are stronger for poorer behavior and health-related quality of life among children with SHCN than those without during the preschool and early school years.

Deep Brain Stimulation for Early Stage Parkinson's Disease: An Illustrative Case

PubMed Central

Gill, Chandler E.; Allen, Laura A.; Konrad, Peter E.; Davis, Thomas L.; Bliton, Mark J.; Finder, Stuart G.; Tramontana, Michael G.; Kao, C. Chris; Remple, Michael S.; Bradenham, Courtney H.; Charles, P. David

2011-01-01

Objectives Subthalamic nucleus (STN) deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an effective intervention in advanced Parkinson's Disease (PD), but its efficacy and safety in early PD are unknown. Our team is conducting a randomized pilot trial investigating DBS in early PD. This report describes one participant who received bilateral STN-DBS. Materials/Methods Thirty subjects have been randomized to either optimal drug therapy (ODT) or DBS + ODT. Microelectrode recordings from the STN and substantia nigra (SN) are collected at implantation. The Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Motor Subscale (UPDRS-III) is administered in the ON and OFF states semi-annually and neuropsychological function and quality of life are assessed annually. We describe a 54-year-old man with a two-year history of PD who was randomized to DBS + ODT and followed for two years. Results The subject showed a lower STN to SN ratio of neuronal activity than advanced PD patients, and higher firing rate than non-PD patients. The subject's ON total UPDRS and UPDRS-III scores improved during the two-year follow-up, while his OFF UPDRS-III score and levodopa equivalent daily dose (LEDD) increased. Quality of life, verbal fluency and verbal learning improved. He did not experience any serious adverse events. Conclusions This report details the first successful application of bilateral STN DBS for early stage PD during a clinical trial. PMID:21939467

Does responsibility drive learning? Lessons from intern rotations in general practice.

PubMed

Cantillon, Peter; Macdermott, Maeve

2008-01-01

The intern (or pre-registration) year has been criticised in the past for its emphasis on service delivery at the expense of educational achievement. It is hoped that new approaches to early postgraduate training such as the foundation programmes in the UK, will make clinical education more structured and effective. Intern placements in non-traditional settings such as general practice have been shown in the past to improve the quality of learning. Little is known however about which features of the general practice learning environment contribute most to the perception of improved learning. This aim of this study was to examine the learning environment in general practice from the perspective of interns, (the learners), to determine the factors that contribute most to motivating effective learning in a general practice setting. This study used a qualitative case study approach to explore the effects of two different learning environments, (general practice and hospital) on learner motivation amongst a small group of interns. We found that the biggest difference between the hospital and general practice learning environments was the increased individual responsibility for patient care experienced by interns in general practice. Greater responsibility was associated with greater motivation for learning. Increased intern responsibility for patient care does appear to motivate learning. More work needs to be done on providing interns in hospital posts with greater patient responsibility within an effective supervisory structure.

Beyond Developmentalism? Early Childhood Teachers' Understandings of Multiage Grouping in Early Childhood Education and Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Susan; Blaise, Mindy; Hammer, Marie

2009-01-01

Postdevelopmental perspectives in early childhood education and care increasingly reference alternative ways of understanding learning, growth and development in early learning. Drawing on these ideas, this paper examines research findings which focused on early childhood teachers' understandings of multiage grouping. The findings suggested that…

Reflective Processes: A Qualitative Study Exploring Early Learning Student Teacher Mentoring Experiences in Student Teaching Practicums

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnes, Michelle M.

2013-01-01

This doctoral thesis explored mentoring in early learning teacher preparation programs. This study explored the reflective processes embedded in the work between student teachers and their mentors during early learning student teacher experiences at Washington State community and technical colleges. Schon's (1987a) concepts of…

Alberta Learning: Early Development Instrument Pilot Project Evaluation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meaney, Wanda; Harris-Lorenze, Elayne

The Early Development Instrument (EDI) was designed by McMaster University to measure the outcomes of childrens early years as they influence their readiness to learn at school. The EDI was piloted in several Canadian cities in recent years through two national initiatives. Building on these initiatives, Alberta Learning piloted the EDI as a…

Traces of an Early Learned Second Language in Discontinued Bilingualism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sadat, Jasmin; Pureza, Rita; Alario, F.-Xavier

2016-01-01

Can an early learned second language influence speech production after living many years in an exclusively monolingual environment? To address this issue, we investigated the consequences of discontinued early bilingualism in heritage speakers who moved abroad and switched language dominance from the second to the primary learned language. We used…

Joy in Learning: Making It Happen in Early Childhood Classes. NEA Early Childhood Education Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burton, Leon H.

A premise of this book for teachers of young children is that all learning should be challenging, interesting, and enjoyable. Chapters include: (1) A Philosophy for Early Education (concerning the nature of young children, learning contexts, societal expectations); (2) Child Development (concerning independence, self-esteem, cooperative…

Classroom Challenges in Developing an Intercultural Early Learning Program for Refugee Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dachyshyn, Darcey; Kirova, Anna

2011-01-01

The project described here was aimed at piloting an intercultural, multilingual, early learning program that was genuinely responsive to the circumstances and early learning needs of preschool refugee children and parents from three ethnocultural communities--Somali, Sudanese, and Kurdish--in a large city in Western Canada. We discuss the unique…

Parent Engagement in Early Learning: Strategies for Working with Families. Second Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powers, Julie

2016-01-01

This updated second edition of "Parent-Friendly Early Learning" brings to life real scenarios that care providers face in today's world. We know parent engagement is important for a child's success, but how do you turn parent-provider relationships into partnerships? "Parent Engagement in Early Learning" will help you: (1)…

Resources on Social and Emotional Development and Early Learning Standards. CEELO FastFacts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connors-Tadros, L.

2013-01-01

In this "FastFacts," a state's Department of Education requests information from the Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes (CEELO) on how the research defines skills in social-emotional development, approaches to learning, and executive function, to inform planned revisions to the early childhood indicators of progress for children…

Challenges and opportunities for early-career Teaching-Focussed academics in the biosciences.

PubMed

Hubbard, Katharine; Gretton, Sarah; Jones, Katherine; Tallents, Lucy

2015-01-01

Twenty-seven percent of academics in UK Higher Education (HE) are in Teaching-Focussed positions, making major contributions to undergraduate programmes in an era of high student expectations when it comes to teaching quality. However, institutional support for Teaching-Focussed academics is often limited, both in terms of peer networking and opportunities for career development. As four early-career stage Teaching-Focussed academics working in a variety of institutions, we explore what motivated our choices to make teaching our primary academic activity, and the challenges that we have faced in doing so. In addition to highlighting the need for universities to fully recognise the achievements of teaching staff, we discuss the role that the various biosciences learned societies have in supporting Teaching-Focussed academics. We identify that there is a need for the learned societies to come together and pool their expertise in this area. The fragmented nature of the Teaching-Focussed academic community means that clear sources of national support are needed in order to best enable the next generation of bioscience educators to reach their full potential.

Safety and Mission Assurance for In-House Design Lessons Learned from Ares I Upper Stage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, Joel M.

2011-01-01

This viewgraph presentation identifies lessons learned in the course of the Ares I Upper Stage design and in-house development effort. The contents include: 1) Constellation Organization; 2) Upper Stage Organization; 3) Presentation Structure; 4) Lesson-Importance of Systems Engineering/Integration; 5) Lesson-Importance of Early S&MA Involvement; 6) Lesson-Importance of Appropriate Staffing Levels; 7) Lesson-Importance S&MA Team Deployment; 8) Lesson-Understanding of S&MA In-Line Engineering versus Assurance; 9) Lesson-Importance of Close Coordination between Supportability and Reliability/Maintainability; 10) Lesson-Importance of Engineering Data Systems; 11) Lesson-Importance of Early Development of Supporting Databases; 12) Lesson-Importance of Coordination with Safety Assessment/Review Panels; 13) Lesson-Implementation of Software Reliability; 14) Lesson-Implementation of S&MA Technical Authority/Chief S&MA Officer; 15) Lesson-Importance of S&MA Evaluation of Project Risks; 16) Lesson-Implementation of Critical Items List and Government Mandatory Inspections; 17) Lesson-Implementation of Critical Items List Mandatory Inspections; 18) Lesson-Implementation of Test Article Safety Analysis; and 19) Lesson-Importance of Procurement Quality.

Challenges and opportunities for early-career Teaching-Focussed academics in the biosciences

PubMed Central

Hubbard, Katharine; Gretton, Sarah; Jones, Katherine; Tallents, Lucy

2015-01-01

Twenty-seven percent of academics in UK Higher Education (HE) are in Teaching-Focussed positions, making major contributions to undergraduate programmes in an era of high student expectations when it comes to teaching quality. However, institutional support for Teaching-Focussed academics is often limited, both in terms of peer networking and opportunities for career development. As four early-career stage Teaching-Focussed academics working in a variety of institutions, we explore what motivated our choices to make teaching our primary academic activity, and the challenges that we have faced in doing so. In addition to highlighting the need for universities to fully recognise the achievements of teaching staff, we discuss the role that the various biosciences learned societies have in supporting Teaching-Focussed academics. We identify that there is a need for the learned societies to come together and pool their expertise in this area. The fragmented nature of the Teaching-Focussed academic community means that clear sources of national support are needed in order to best enable the next generation of bioscience educators to reach their full potential. PMID:25977754

Evaluating the Reliability and Impact of a Quality Assurance System for E-Learning Courseware

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sung, Yao-Ting; Chang, Kuo-En; Yu, Wen-Cheng

2011-01-01

Assuring e-learning quality is of interest worldwide. This paper introduces the methods of e-learning courseware quality assurance (a quality certification system) adopted by the eLQSC (e-Learning Quality Service Centre) in Taiwan. A sequential/explanatory design with a mixed methodology was used to gather research data and conduct data analyses.…

Early deprivation disruption of associative learning is a developmental pathway to depression and social problems.

PubMed

Sheridan, Margaret A; McLaughlin, Katie A; Winter, Warren; Fox, Nathan; Zeanah, Charles; Nelson, Charles A

2018-06-07

Exposure to psychosocial deprivation is associated with elevations in numerous forms of impairment throughout the life-course. Disruptions in associative learning may be a key mechanism through which adversity, particularly psychosocial deprivation, increases risk for impairment. Existing data consistent with this claim come entirely from correlational studies. Here, we present the first experimental evidence relating psychosocial deprivation and disruptions in multiple forms of associative learning. Using data from the Bucharest Early Intervention Project, we demonstrate that randomized placement into a family caregiving environment during the infant/toddler period as compared to prolonged institutional care normalizes two forms of associative learning in early adolescence: reward responsivity and implicit motor learning. These forms of associative learning significantly mediate the effect of institutional rearing on depressive symptoms and peer relationships. In sum, we provide evidence for a novel pathway linking early experience to psychopathology and peer relationships through basic associative learning mechanisms.

Quality of Caregiving is Positively Associated With Neurodevelopment During the First Year of Life Among HIV-Exposed Uninfected Children in Uganda.

PubMed

Familiar, Itziar; Collins, Shalean M; Sikorskii, Alla; Ruisenor-Escudero, Horacio; Natamba, Barnabas; Bangirana, Paul; Widen, Elizabeth M; Achidri, Daniel; Achola, Harriet; Onen, Daniel; Boivin, Michael; Young, Sera L

2018-03-01

We sought to evaluate whether maternal characteristics and infant developmental milieu were predictive of early cognitive development in HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU) and HIV-unexposed uninfected (HU) infants in Uganda. Longitudinal pregnancy study. Ugandan women (n = 228) were enrolled into the Postnatal Nutrition and Psychosocial Health Outcomes study with a 2:1 HIV-uninfected: infected ratio. Maternal sociodemographic, perceived social support, and depressive symptomatology were assessed. Infant growth and neurocognitive development were assessed at 6 and 12 months of age using Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL). Caldwell Home Observation for Home Environment was used to gauge caregiving quality. Linear mixed-effects models were built to examine the relationships between maternal and infant characteristics with infant MSEL scores by HIV exposure. Two MSEL measures were available for 215 mother-child dyads: 140 infants (65%) were HIV-uninfected (HU), 57 (27%) were HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU) with mothers reporting antiretroviral therapy, and 18 (8%) were HEU with mothers not reporting antiretroviral therapy. HEU had lower MSEL Composite (β = -3.94, P = 0.03) and Gross Motor scores (β = -3.41, P = 0.01) than HU. Home Observation for Home Environment total score was positively associated with MSEL Composite (β = 0.81, P = 0.01), Receptive Language (β = 0.59, P = 0.001), and Expressive Language (β = 0.64, P = 0.01) scores. HIV exposure is associated with lower infant cognitive development scores. Increasing maternal quality of caregiving may improve early cognitive development.

Value-Added Early Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dichter, Harriet

2011-01-01

Elected state leaders often prioritize economic prosperity and competitiveness, which provides an important opportunity too rarely taken for investing in early education. In 2003, Pennsylvania recognized the connection between early education and the economy, and smartly embraced early learning as part of its economic prosperity and…

How Does the Neighborhood "Come through the Door?" Concentrated Disadvantage, Residential Instability, and the Home Environment for Preschoolers.

PubMed

May, Emily M; Azar, Sandra T; Matthews, Stephen A

2018-03-01

Living in a disadvantaged neighborhood is associated with heightened risk for poor school readiness and health outcomes in early childhood, and the home environment is thought to be a primary mechanism by which neighborhood context impacts preschoolers. This study examined the effects of neighborhood concentrated disadvantage and neighborhood residential instability on the home physical environment and home learning environment for preschoolers in economically disadvantaged families (N = 187). Using structural equation modeling, mothers' perceived neighborhood disorder and depressive symptoms were examined as mechanisms by which neighborhood context "comes through the door." Mothers' neighborhood social embeddedness was also explored as a protective factor. Results showed that concentrated disadvantage was negatively associated with the quality of the home physical environment, and residential instability was negatively associated with the quality of the home learning environment. Concentrated disadvantage had an indirect effect on the home learning environment through mothers' perceived neighborhood disorder and depressive symptoms. The effects of concentrated disadvantage on the home environment were buffered by mothers' neighborhood social embeddedness. Study findings advance understanding of socioeconomic- and place-based disparities in developmental outcomes and identify potential targets for interventions aimed at lessening effects of neighborhood disadvantage on families with young children. © Society for Community Research and Action 2018.

Complementary Feeding Strategies to Facilitate Acceptance of Fruits and Vegetables: A Narrative Review of the Literature.

PubMed

Nicklaus, Sophie

2016-11-19

Complementary feeding (CF), which should begin after exclusive breastfeeding for six months, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), or after four months and before six months according to the European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN), is a period when the infant implicitly learns what, when, how, and how much to eat. At the onset of CF, the brain and the gut are still developing and maturing, and food experiences contribute to shaping brain connections involved in food hedonics and in the control of food intake. These learning processes are likely to have a long-term impact. Children's consumption of fruit and vegetables (FV) is below recommendations in many countries. Thus, it is crucial to establish preferences for FV early, when infants are learning to eat. The development of food preferences mainly starts when infants discover their first solid foods. This narrative review summarizes the factors that influence FV acceptance at the start of the CF period: previous milk feeding experience; timing of onset of CF; repeated exposures to the food; variety of foods offered as of the start of the CF period; quality and sensory properties of the complementary foods; quality of the meal time context; and parental responsive feeding.

Complementary Feeding Strategies to Facilitate Acceptance of Fruits and Vegetables: A Narrative Review of the Literature

PubMed Central

Nicklaus, Sophie

2016-01-01

Complementary feeding (CF), which should begin after exclusive breastfeeding for six months, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), or after four months and before six months according to the European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN), is a period when the infant implicitly learns what, when, how, and how much to eat. At the onset of CF, the brain and the gut are still developing and maturing, and food experiences contribute to shaping brain connections involved in food hedonics and in the control of food intake. These learning processes are likely to have a long-term impact. Children’s consumption of fruit and vegetables (FV) is below recommendations in many countries. Thus, it is crucial to establish preferences for FV early, when infants are learning to eat. The development of food preferences mainly starts when infants discover their first solid foods. This narrative review summarizes the factors that influence FV acceptance at the start of the CF period: previous milk feeding experience; timing of onset of CF; repeated exposures to the food; variety of foods offered as of the start of the CF period; quality and sensory properties of the complementary foods; quality of the meal time context; and parental responsive feeding. PMID:27869776

How we used a patient visit tracker tool to advance experiential learning in systems-based practice and quality improvement in a medical student clinic.

PubMed

Chen, Chen Amy; Park, Ryan J; Hegde, John V; Jun, Tomi; Christman, Mitalee P; Yoo, Sun M; Yamasaki, Alisa; Berhanu, Aaron; Vohra-Khullar, Pamela; Remus, Kristin; Schwartzstein, Richard M; Weinstein, Amy R

2016-01-01

Poorly designed healthcare systems increase costs and preventable medical errors. To address these issues, systems-based practice (SBP) education provides future physicians with the tools to identify systemic errors and implement quality improvement (QI) initiatives to enhance the delivery of cost-effective, safe and multi-disciplinary care. Although SBP education is being implemented in residency programs and is mandated by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) as one of its core competencies, it has largely not been integrated into undergraduate medical education. We propose that Medical Student-Faculty Collaborative Clinics (MSFCCs) may be the ideal environment in which to train medical students in SBPs and QI initiatives, as they allow students to play pivotal roles in project development, administration, and management. Here we describe a process of experiential learning that was developed within a newly established MSFCC, which challenged students to identify inefficiencies, implement interventions, and track the results. After identifying bottlenecks in clinic operations, our students designed a patient visit tracker tool to monitor clinic flow and implemented solutions to decrease patient visit times. Our model allowed students to drive their own active learning in a practical clinical setting, providing early and unique training in crucial QI skills.

The MCH navigator: tools for MCH workforce development and lifelong learning.

PubMed

Grason, Holly; Huebner, Colleen; Crawford, Alyssa Kim; Ruderman, Marjory; Taylor, Cathy R; Kavanagh, Laura; Farel, Anita; Wightkin, Joan; Long-White, Deneen; Ramirez, Shokufeh M; Preskitt, Julie; Morrissette, Meredith; Handler, Arden

2015-02-01

Maternal and child health (MCH) leadership requires an understanding of MCH populations and systems as well as continuous pursuit of new knowledge and skills. This paper describes the development, structure, and implementation of the MCH Navigator, a web-based portal for ongoing education and training for a diverse MCH workforce. Early development of the portal focused on organizing high quality, free, web-based learning opportunities that support established learning competencies without duplicating existing resources. An academic-practice workgroup developed a conceptual model based on the MCH Leadership Competencies, the Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals, and a structured review of MCH job responsibilities. The workgroup used a multi-step process to cull the hundreds of relevant, but widely scattered, trainings and select those most valuable for the primary target audiences of state and local MCH professionals and programs. The MCH Navigator now features 248 learning opportunities, with additional tools to support their use. Formative assessment findings indicate that the portal is widely used and valued by its primary audiences, and promotes both an individual's professional development and an organizational culture of continuous learning. Professionals in practice and academic settings are using the MCH Navigator for orientation of new staff and advisors, "just in time" training for specific job functions, creating individualized professional development plans, and supplementing course content. To achieve its intended impact and ensure the timeliness and quality of the Navigator's content and functions, the MCH Navigator will need to be sustained through ongoing partnership with state and local MCH professionals and the MCH academic community.

Web 2.0--E-Learning 2.0--Quality 2.0? Quality for New Learning Cultures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ehlers, Ulf Daniel

2009-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to analyse the changes taking place when learning moves from a transmissive learning model to a collaborative and reflective learning model and proposes consequences for quality development. Design/methodology/approach: The paper summarises relevant research in the field of e-learning to outline the…

Improving lifetime trajectories for vulnerable young children and families living with significant stress and social disadvantage: the early years education program randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Jordan, Brigid; Tseng, Yi-Ping; Coombs, Nichola; Kennedy, Anne; Borland, Jeff

2014-09-17

Children who experience neglect and abuse are likely to have impaired brain development and entrenched learning deficiencies. Early years interventions such as intensive education and care for these children are known to have the potential to increase their human capital. The Early Years Education Program (EYEP) is a new program offered by the Children's Protection Society (CPS) in Melbourne, Australia. EYEP is targeted at the needs of children who have been or are at risk of being abused or neglected. It has the dual focus of seeking to address the consequences of abuse and neglect on children's brain development and redressing their learning deficiencies. Our objective is to determine whether EYEP can improve school readiness by conducting a randomised controlled trial (RCT) of its impacts. The RCT is being conducted with 90 participants (45 intervention and 45 control). Eligible children must be aged under three years and assessed as having two or more risk factors as defined in the Department of Human Services Best Interest Case Practice Model. The intervention group participate for three years (or until school entry) in EYEP. The trial does not provide any early years education or care to the control group. Data are being collected on outcome measures for participants in EYEP and the control group at the baseline, at yearly intervals for three years, and six months after commencing the first year of school. Outcome measures encompass children's health and development, academic ability and emotional and behavioural regulation; and quality of parenting practices. The study will evaluate the impact of EYEP on these outcomes, and undertake a benefit-cost analysis of the program. Findings from the study have the potential to influence the quality of care and education for the large population of children in Australia who are at risk of abuse and neglect, as well as for children in mainstream childcare. The study will provide up-to-date evidence on the impact of an early years intervention relevant to an urban population in Australia; as well as (to our knowledge) being the first RCT of an early years education and care intervention in Australia. ACTRN 12611000768998. Date 22nd July 2011.

Learning Methodology for Early Child Education Education (Paud) in the Recognition of Legal Capitals based on Android

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siswanto, Didik

2017-12-01

School as a place to study require a medium of learning. Instructional media containinginformation about the lessons that will be used by teachers to convey a lesson. School early childhood education Al-Kindy Pekanbaru interms of learning the letter hijaiyah still use conventional learning media. But with the conventionalmedia is not very attractive to use, so the need for an exciting learning medium that can make childrenbecome interested in learningThe purpose of this study was to create a Media Learning Introduction Letter Hijaiyahmultimedia form and benefit from the introduction of letters Hijaiyah Learning Media is a renewal of themedium of learning in School early childhood education Al-Kindy Pekanbaru.In this study the authors tried to make the learning application that contains the basicknowledge of letters hijaiyah dsertai with animation, audio and explanation how to read the letters inorder to complete the learning media letters hijaiyah more interactive.

Families' Perceptions of Early Childhood Educators' Fostering Conversations and Connections by Sharing Children's Learning through Pedagogical Documentation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reynolds, Bronwyn; Duff, Katia

2016-01-01

"Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia" emphasises that families have an important role in their children's learning and it recognises that their earliest development is influenced through these relationships and adds that partnerships can be fostered with families by early childhood educators…

Building Early Learning Leaders: New Jersey's PreK-3rd Leadership Training. A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rice, Cynthia; Costanza, Vincent

2011-01-01

New Jersey school administrators are finding themselves in need of the supports necessary to build on the state's existing model preschools toward a broader vision of early learning, including making strong connections to the early learning system. Clearly, changing the educational mindset and building the related capacity of front-line leaders is…

English Learners (ELs) and Early Learning. Fast Facts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Office of English Language Acquisition, US Department of Education, 2015

2015-01-01

The Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) and Office of Early Learning (OEL) has synthesized key data on English learners (ELs) and early learning into two-page PDF sheets, by topic, with graphics, plus key contacts. The topics for this report include: (1) State-funded preschool programs with highest percentage of ELs: Fall 2013; (2)…

Feature Biases in Early Word Learning: Network Distinctiveness Predicts Age of Acquisition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Engelthaler, Tomas; Hills, Thomas T.

2017-01-01

Do properties of a word's features influence the order of its acquisition in early word learning? Combining the principles of mutual exclusivity and shape bias, the present work takes a network analysis approach to understanding how feature distinctiveness predicts the order of early word learning. Distance networks were built from nouns with edge…

Quality Enhancement on E-Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ossiannilsson, E. S. I.

2012-01-01

Purpose: Benchmarking, a method for quality assurance has not been very commonly used in higher education with regard to e-learning. Today, e-learning is an integral part of higher education, and so should also be an integral part of quality assurance systems. However, quality indicators, benchmarks and critical success factors on e-learning have…

Learning to associate orientation with color in early visual areas by associative decoded fMRI neurofeedback

PubMed Central

Amano, Kaoru; Shibata, Kazuhisa; Kawato, Mitsuo; Sasaki, Yuka; Watanabe, Takeo

2016-01-01

Summary Associative learning is an essential brain process where the contingency of different items increases after training. Associative learning has been found to occur in many brain regions [1-4]. However, there is no clear evidence that associative learning of visual features occurs in early visual areas, although a number of studies have indicated that learning of a single visual feature (perceptual learning) involves early visual areas [5-8]. Here, via decoded functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) neurofeedback, termed “DecNef” [9], we tested whether associative learning of color and orientation can be created in early visual areas. During three days' training, DecNef induced fMRI signal patterns that corresponded to a specific target color (red) mostly in early visual areas while a vertical achromatic grating was physically presented to participants. As a result, participants came to perceive “red” significantly more frequently than “green” in an achromatic vertical grating. This effect was also observed 3 to 5 months after the training. These results suggest that long-term associative learning of the two different visual features such as color and orientation was created most likely in early visual areas. This newly extended technique that induces associative learning is called “A(ssociative)-DecNef” and may be used as an important tool for understanding and modifying brain functions, since associations are fundamental and ubiquitous functions in the brain. PMID:27374335

Learning to Associate Orientation with Color in Early Visual Areas by Associative Decoded fMRI Neurofeedback.

PubMed

Amano, Kaoru; Shibata, Kazuhisa; Kawato, Mitsuo; Sasaki, Yuka; Watanabe, Takeo

2016-07-25

Associative learning is an essential brain process where the contingency of different items increases after training. Associative learning has been found to occur in many brain regions [1-4]. However, there is no clear evidence that associative learning of visual features occurs in early visual areas, although a number of studies have indicated that learning of a single visual feature (perceptual learning) involves early visual areas [5-8]. Here, via decoded fMRI neurofeedback termed "DecNef" [9], we tested whether associative learning of orientation and color can be created in early visual areas. During 3 days of training, DecNef induced fMRI signal patterns that corresponded to a specific target color (red) mostly in early visual areas while a vertical achromatic grating was physically presented to participants. As a result, participants came to perceive "red" significantly more frequently than "green" in an achromatic vertical grating. This effect was also observed 3-5 months after the training. These results suggest that long-term associative learning of two different visual features such as orientation and color was created, most likely in early visual areas. This newly extended technique that induces associative learning is called "A-DecNef," and it may be used as an important tool for understanding and modifying brain functions because associations are fundamental and ubiquitous functions in the brain. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An Automated Blur Detection Method for Histological Whole Slide Imaging

PubMed Central

Moles Lopez, Xavier; D'Andrea, Etienne; Barbot, Paul; Bridoux, Anne-Sophie; Rorive, Sandrine; Salmon, Isabelle; Debeir, Olivier; Decaestecker, Christine

2013-01-01

Whole slide scanners are novel devices that enable high-resolution imaging of an entire histological slide. Furthermore, the imaging is achieved in only a few minutes, which enables image rendering of large-scale studies involving multiple immunohistochemistry biomarkers. Although whole slide imaging has improved considerably, locally poor focusing causes blurred regions of the image. These artifacts may strongly affect the quality of subsequent analyses, making a slide review process mandatory. This tedious and time-consuming task requires the scanner operator to carefully assess the virtual slide and to manually select new focus points. We propose a statistical learning method that provides early image quality feedback and automatically identifies regions of the image that require additional focus points. PMID:24349343

Early onset marijuana use is associated with learning inefficiencies.

PubMed

Schuster, Randi Melissa; Hoeppner, Susanne S; Evins, A Eden; Gilman, Jodi M

2016-05-01

Verbal memory difficulties are the most widely reported and persistent cognitive deficit associated with early onset marijuana use. Yet, it is not known what memory stages are most impaired in those with early marijuana use. Forty-eight young adults, aged 18-25, who used marijuana at least once per week and 48 matched nonusing controls (CON) completed the California Verbal Learning Test, Second Edition (CVLT-II). Marijuana users were stratified by age of initial use: early onset users (EMJ), who started using marijuana at or before age 16 (n = 27), and late onset marijuana user group (LMJ), who started using marijuana after age 16 (n = 21). Outcome variables included trial immediate recall, total learning, clustering strategies (semantic clustering, serial clustering, ratio of semantic to serial clustering, and total number of strategies used), delayed recall, and percent retention. Learning improved with repetition, with no group effect on the learning slope. EMJ learned fewer words overall than LMJ or CON. There was no difference between LMJ and CON in total number of words learned. Reduced overall learning mediated the effect on reduced delayed recall among EMJ, but not CON or LMJ. Learning improved with greater use of semantic versus serial encoding, but this did not vary between groups. EMJ was not related to delayed recall after adjusting for encoding. Young adults reporting early onset marijuana use had learning weaknesses, which accounted for the association between early onset marijuana use and delayed recall. No amnestic effect of marijuana use was observed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Early Onset Marijuana Use Is Associated with Learning Inefficiencies

PubMed Central

Schuster, Randi Melissa; Hoeppner, Susanne S.; Evins, A. Eden; Gilman, Jodi M.

2016-01-01

Objective Verbal memory difficulties are the most widely reported and persistent cognitive deficit associated with early-onset marijuana use. Yet, it is not known what memory stages are most impaired in those with early marijuana use. Method Forty-eight young adults, aged 18–25, who used marijuana at least once per week and 48 matched non-using controls (CON) completed the California Verbal Learning Test, Second Edition (CVLT-II). Marijuana users were stratified by age of initial use: ‘early onset’ users (EMJ), who started using marijuana at or before age 16 (n = 27), and ‘late onset’ marijuana user group (LMJ), who started using marijuana after age 16 (n = 21). Outcome variables included trial immediate recall, total learning, clustering strategies (semantic clustering, serial clustering, ratio of semantic to serial clustering, and total number of strategies used), delayed recall, and percent retention. Results Learning improved with repetition, with no group effect on the learning slope. EMJ learned fewer words overall than LMJ or CON. There was no difference between LMJ and CON in total number of words learned. Reduced overall learning mediated the effect on reduced delayed recall among EMJ, but not CON or LMJ. Learning improved with greater use of semantic versus serial encoding, but this did not vary between groups. EMJ was not related to delayed recall after adjusting for encoding. Conclusions Young adults reporting early onset marijuana use had learning weaknesses, which accounted for the association between early onset marijuana use and delayed recall. No amnestic effect of marijuana use was observed. PMID:26986749

Potty Training: Learning to Use the Toilet

MedlinePlus

... All Early Learning Child Care Early Literacy Early Math and Science Language and Communication Play School Readiness ... right now. She will return to her previous level of potty training once things have gotten back ...

[Gender-dependent effects of histone deacetylase inhibitor sodium valproate on early olfactory learning in 129Sv mice].

PubMed

Burenkova, O V; Aleksandrova, E A; Zaraĭskaia, I Iu

2013-02-01

In the brain, histone acetylation underlies both learning and the maintenance of long-term sustained effects of early experience which is further epigenetically inherited. However, the role of acetylation in learning previously has only been studied in adult animals: high level of learning could be dependent on high levels of histone H3 acetylation in the brain. The role of acetylation in the mechanisms of early learning has not been studied. In the present work, we were interested whether histone deacetylase inhibitor sodium valproate which increases the level of histone H3 acetylation will affect early olfactory discrimination learning in 8-day-old pups of 129Sv mice that are characterized by low efficiency of learning with imitation of maternal grooming. Multiple valproate injections from 3rd to 6th postnatal day had a gender-dependent effect: learning was selectively improved in male but not in female pups. In the female pups, learning improvement was observed after multiple injections of saline. Possible epigenetic mechanisms underlying these sex differences are discussed.

SU-E-T-23: A Developing Australian Network for Datamining and Modelling Routine Radiotherapy Clinical Data and Radiomics Information for Rapid Learning and Clinical Decision Support

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thwaites, D; Holloway, L; Bailey, M

2015-06-15

Purpose: Large amounts of routine radiotherapy (RT) data are available, which can potentially add clinical evidence to support better decisions. A developing collaborative Australian network, with a leading European partner, aims to validate, implement and extend European predictive models (PMs) for Australian practice and assess their impact on future patient decisions. Wider objectives include: developing multi-institutional rapid learning, using distributed learning approaches; and assessing and incorporating radiomics information into PMs. Methods: Two initial standalone pilots were conducted; one on NSCLC, the other on larynx, patient datasets in two different centres. Open-source rapid learning systems were installed, for data extraction andmore » mining to collect relevant clinical parameters from the centres’ databases. The European DSSs were learned (“training cohort”) and validated against local data sets (“clinical cohort”). Further NSCLC studies are underway in three more centres to pilot a wider distributed learning network. Initial radiomics work is underway. Results: For the NSCLC pilot, 159/419 patient datasets were identified meeting the PM criteria, and hence eligible for inclusion in the curative clinical cohort (for the larynx pilot, 109/125). Some missing data were imputed using Bayesian methods. For both, the European PMs successfully predicted prognosis groups, but with some differences in practice reflected. For example, the PM-predicted good prognosis NSCLC group was differentiated from a combined medium/poor prognosis group (2YOS 69% vs. 27%, p<0.001). Stage was less discriminatory in identifying prognostic groups. In the good prognosis group two-year overall survival was 65% in curatively and 18% in palliatively treated patients. Conclusion: The technical infrastructure and basic European PMs support prognosis prediction for these Australian patient groups, showing promise for supporting future personalized treatment decisions, improved treatment quality and potential practice changes. The early indications from the distributed learning and radiomics pilots strengthen this. Improved routine patient data quality should strengthen such rapid learning systems.« less

Teaching Quality and Learning Creativity in Technical and Vocational Schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kembuan, D. R. E.; Rompas, P. T. D.; Mintjelungan, M.; Pantondate, T.; Kilis, B. M. H.

2018-02-01

The purpose of this study is to obtain information about the teacher quality of teaching and learning creativity with the outcomes of student learning in a vocational high school in Indonesia. This research is a survey research. The sample used in this research is 50 teachers, selected by simple random sampling. Data were analyzed by using correlation analysis. The findings of this study are as follows: (1) There is a significant and positive correlation between teacher quality of teaching with the outcomes of student learning at the vocational high school; (2) There is a significant and positive correlation between learning creativity with the outcomes of student learning at the vocational high school, and (3) there is a significant and positive correlation between the teacher quality of teaching and learning creativity with the outcomes of student learning at the school. That is, if the use of appropriate the teacher quality of teaching and learning creativity, then the outcomes of student learning at the school. Finally it can be concluded that to improve the outcomes of student learning, it has to be followed by an improvement of teacher quality of teaching and learning creativity.

Towards a Quality Assessment Method for Learning Preference Profiles in Negotiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hindriks, Koen V.; Tykhonov, Dmytro

In automated negotiation, information gained about an opponent's preference profile by means of learning techniques may significantly improve an agent's negotiation performance. It therefore is useful to gain a better understanding of how various negotiation factors influence the quality of learning. The quality of learning techniques in negotiation are typically assessed indirectly by means of comparing the utility levels of agreed outcomes and other more global negotiation parameters. An evaluation of learning based on such general criteria, however, does not provide any insight into the influence of various aspects of negotiation on the quality of the learned model itself. The quality may depend on such aspects as the domain of negotiation, the structure of the preference profiles, the negotiation strategies used by the parties, and others. To gain a better understanding of the performance of proposed learning techniques in the context of negotiation and to be able to assess the potential to improve the performance of such techniques a more systematic assessment method is needed. In this paper we propose such a systematic method to analyse the quality of the information gained about opponent preferences by learning in single-instance negotiations. The method includes measures to assess the quality of a learned preference profile and proposes an experimental setup to analyse the influence of various negotiation aspects on the quality of learning. We apply the method to a Bayesian learning approach for learning an opponent's preference profile and discuss our findings.

Analyzing Teacher Narratives in Early Childhood Garden-Based Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murakami, Christopher Daniel; Su-Russell, Chang; Manfra, Louis

2018-01-01

Learning gardens can provide dynamic learning and developmental experiences for young children. This case study of 12 early childhood teachers explores how teachers describe (1) learning across numerous school readiness domains and (2) how to support this learning by promoting opportunities for autonomy, relatedness, and competence. Participants…

A Learning Progressions Approach to Early Algebra Research and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fonger, Nicole L.; Stephens, Ana; Blanton, Maria; Knuth, Eric

2015-01-01

We detail a learning progressions approach to early algebra research and how existing work around learning progressions and trajectories in mathematics and science education has informed our development of a four-component theoretical framework consisting of: a curricular progression of learning goals across big algebraic ideas; an instructional…

Close Early Learning Gaps with Rigorous DAP

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Christopher P.; Mowry, Brian

2015-01-01

Rigorous DAP (developmentally appropriate practices) is a set of 11 principles of instruction intended to help close early childhood learning gaps. Academically rigorous learning environments create the conditions for children to learn at high levels. While academic rigor focuses on one dimension of education--academic--DAP considers the whole…

Designing an Assistive Learning Aid for Writing Acquisition: A Challenge for Children with Dyslexia.

PubMed

Latif, Seemab; Tariq, Rabbia; Tariq, Shehla; Latif, Rabia

2015-01-01

In Pakistan, the biggest challenge is to provide high quality education to the individuals with learning disabilities. Besides the well known affordance issue, there is a lack of awareness regarding the term dyslexia and remedial teaching training that causes the identification as well as remediation of the dyslexic individuals at early stages in Pakistan. The research was focused to exploit the benefits of using the modern mobile technology features in providing a learning platform for young dyslexic writers. Based on potential usability requirements of young dyslexic writers stated by remedial teachers of dyslexics, an android based application is designed and implemented using the usability engineering process model to encourage the learning process and help dyslexic children improve their fundamental handwriting skill. In addition, a handwriting learning algorithm based on concepts of machine learning is designed and implemented to decide the learning content, evaluate the learning performance, display the performance results and record the learning growth to show the strengths and weaknesses of a dyslexic child. The research was also aimed to assess the usability of the learner-centered application by the targeted population by conducting a user acceptance test to evaluate their learning experience and benefits of the developed application to dyslexic users. The results of the evaluation provided by the participants revealed that application has potential benefits to foster the learning process and help children with dyslexia by improving their foundational writing skills.

Pygmalion in Media-Based Learning: Effects of Quality Expectancies on Learning Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fries, Stefan; Horz, Holger; Haimerl, Charlotte

2006-01-01

Two studies investigated how quality expectations affect students' outcomes of media-based learning. Experiment 1 (N=62) demonstrated that students expecting a high-end computer-based training programme learned most, whereas students expecting a programme of ambiguous quality learned least and students having no expectations performed in between.…

Start Early to Build a Healthy Future: The Research Linking Early Learning and Health. Summary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fisher, Brooke; Hanson, Ann; Raden, Tony

2014-01-01

Every child deserves a fair chance. A chance to learn, grow, explore possibilities, persevere and achieve his or her potential. The Ounce of Prevention Fund believes that no child's potential should be limited by poor health. Good health in early childhood is an essential component of school readiness. The benefits of health and learning are…

Observing and Assessing Young Children's Digital Play in the Early Years: Using the Digital Play Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Susan; Bird, Jo

2017-01-01

Early childhood education settings are characterized by the use of play-based learning and the assessment of children's play by teachers to promote further learning. A problem with technology use in early childhood settings is that little is known about how children learn to use technologies through play. This lack of knowledge makes it difficult…

Parent Engagement in Early Learning: Strategies for Working with Families, Second Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powers, Julie

2016-01-01

This updated second edition of Parent ­Friendly Early Learning brings to life real scenarios that care providers face in today's world. We know parent engagement is important for a child's success, but how do you turn parent ­provider relationships into partnerships? Parent Engagement in Early Learning will help you: (1) Improve parent-­teacher…

(Re)Affirming Identities: Implementing a Play-Based Approach to Learning in the Early Years of Schooling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nolan, Andrea; Paatsch, Louise

2018-01-01

Learning through play has traditionally been a central tenet in early childhood education, however, in recent times primary schools have begun to consider the benefits of introducing a play-based approach into early years classrooms to support young children's learning, especially in the areas of language and literacy. This study focuses on the…

The Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development's International Early Learning Study: What Happened Next

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moss, Peter; Urban, Mathias

2017-01-01

In this article, the authors provide an update on what has happened over recent months with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's proposal for an International Early Learning Study, and review responses to the proposed International Early Learning Study, including the concerns that have been raised about this new venture in…

Solid-State Lighting: Early Lessons Learned on the Way to Market

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sandahl, Linda J.; Cort, Katherine A.; Gordon, Kelly L.

2013-12-31

The purpose of this report is to document early challenges and lessons learned in the solid-state lighting (SSL) market development as part of the DOE’s SSL Program efforts to continually evaluate market progress in this area. This report summarizes early actions taken by DOE and others to avoid potential problems anticipated based on lessons learned from the market introduction of compact fluorescent lamps and identifies issues, challenges, and new lessons that have been learned in the early stages of the SSL market introduction. This study identifies and characterizes12 key lessons that have been distilled from DOE SSL program results.

Prevalence and influences of preschoolers' sedentary behaviors in early learning centers: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Tucker, Patricia; Vanderloo, Leigh M; Burke, Shauna M; Irwin, Jennifer D; Johnson, Andrew M

2015-09-18

Recent research has highlighted the need for increased evidence regarding the sedentary activity levels of preschoolers. Given the large proportion of time this population spends in various early learning facilities, the exploration of sedentary behaviors within this particular environment should be a priority. The purpose of the study was two-fold: (1) to compare sedentary time of preschoolers in three different early learning environments (i.e., full-day kindergarten [FDK], center-, and home-based childcare); and (2) to assess which characteristics (i.e., staff behaviors, sedentary environment, fixed play environment, portable play environment, sedentary opportunities) of these early learning environments influence preschoolers' sedentary time. Data collection occurred between September 2011 and June 2012. Preschoolers' sedentary time was measured using Actical(™) accelerometers at a 15 s epoch. The Environment and Policy Assessment and Observation (EPAO) tool was used to assess the sedentary environment of participating early learning classrooms, and those subscales (n = 5) that were evidence-informed as potentially influencing sedentary time in early learning centers were explored in the current study. A linear mixed model ANCOVA was carried out to determine the differences in sedentary time based on type of early learning environment while direct entry regression analyses were performed to describe the relationships between sedentary time and the five sedentary-specific EPAO subscale. Preschoolers (n = 218) from 28 early learning programs (i.e., 8 FDK, 9 centre-, and 8 home-based childcare facilities) participated. Accelerometry data revealed that preschoolers attending centre-based childcare engaged in the highest rate of sedentary time (41.62 mins/hr, SD = 3.78) compared to preschoolers in home-based childcare (40.72 mins/hr, SD = 6.34) and FDK (39.68 mins/hr, SD = 3.43). The models for FDK, center-based childcare, and home-based childcare, comprised each of the five EPAO subscales accounted for 10.5%, 5.9%, and 40.78% of the variability in sedentary time, respectively. Only the models for FDK and home-based childcare were found to be statistically significant (p < .05). This is the first exploration of differences in sedentary time among preschoolers in different early learning arrangements. Findings highlight the substantial portion of the day preschoolers spend in sedentary pursuits, and subsequently, the ongoing need to reduce preschoolers' sedentary time in early learning programs, particularly among those attending centre-based childcare facilities.

Neighborhood Economic Disadvantage and Children's Cognitive and Social-Emotional Development: Exploring Head Start Classroom Quality as a Mediating Mechanism.

PubMed

McCoy, Dana Charles; Connors, Maia C; Morris, Pamela A; Yoshikawa, Hirokazu; Friedman-Krauss, Allison H

Past research has shown robust relationships between neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage and children's school achievement and social-emotional outcomes, yet the mechanisms for explaining these relationships are poorly understood. The present study uses data from 1,904 Head Start participants enrolled in the Head Start Impact Study to examine the role that classroom structural and relational quality play in explaining the association between neighborhood poverty and children's developmental gains over the preschool year. Results suggest that neighborhood poverty is directly related to lower levels of classroom quality, and lower gains in early literacy and math scores. Indirect relationships were also found between neighborhood poverty and children's social-emotional outcomes (i.e., approaches to learning and behavior problems) via differences in the physical resources and negative student-teacher relationships within classrooms. These findings highlight the need for policy initiatives to consider community characteristics as potential predictors of disparities in classroom quality and children's cognitive and social-emotional development in Head Start.

Ovary transcriptome profiling via artificial intelligence reveals a transcriptomic fingerprint predicting egg quality in striped bass, Morone saxatilis.

PubMed

Chapman, Robert W; Reading, Benjamin J; Sullivan, Craig V

2014-01-01

Inherited gene transcripts deposited in oocytes direct early embryonic development in all vertebrates, but transcript profiles indicative of embryo developmental competence have not previously been identified. We employed artificial intelligence to model profiles of maternal ovary gene expression and their relationship to egg quality, evaluated as production of viable mid-blastula stage embryos, in the striped bass (Morone saxatilis), a farmed species with serious egg quality problems. In models developed using artificial neural networks (ANNs) and supervised machine learning, collective changes in the expression of a limited suite of genes (233) representing <2% of the queried ovary transcriptome explained >90% of the eventual variance in embryo survival. Egg quality related to minor changes in gene expression (<0.2-fold), with most individual transcripts making a small contribution (<1%) to the overall prediction of egg quality. These findings indicate that the predictive power of the transcriptome as regards egg quality resides not in levels of individual genes, but rather in the collective, coordinated expression of a suite of transcripts constituting a transcriptomic "fingerprint". Correlation analyses of the corresponding candidate genes indicated that dysfunction of the ubiquitin-26S proteasome, COP9 signalosome, and subsequent control of the cell cycle engenders embryonic developmental incompetence. The affected gene networks are centrally involved in regulation of early development in all vertebrates, including humans. By assessing collective levels of the relevant ovarian transcripts via ANNs we were able, for the first time in any vertebrate, to accurately predict the subsequent embryo developmental potential of eggs from individual females. Our results show that the transcriptomic fingerprint evidencing developmental dysfunction is highly predictive of, and therefore likely to regulate, egg quality, a biologically complex trait crucial to reproductive fitness.

Ovary Transcriptome Profiling via Artificial Intelligence Reveals a Transcriptomic Fingerprint Predicting Egg Quality in Striped Bass, Morone saxatilis

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Inherited gene transcripts deposited in oocytes direct early embryonic development in all vertebrates, but transcript profiles indicative of embryo developmental competence have not previously been identified. We employed artificial intelligence to model profiles of maternal ovary gene expression and their relationship to egg quality, evaluated as production of viable mid-blastula stage embryos, in the striped bass (Morone saxatilis), a farmed species with serious egg quality problems. In models developed using artificial neural networks (ANNs) and supervised machine learning, collective changes in the expression of a limited suite of genes (233) representing <2% of the queried ovary transcriptome explained >90% of the eventual variance in embryo survival. Egg quality related to minor changes in gene expression (<0.2-fold), with most individual transcripts making a small contribution (<1%) to the overall prediction of egg quality. These findings indicate that the predictive power of the transcriptome as regards egg quality resides not in levels of individual genes, but rather in the collective, coordinated expression of a suite of transcripts constituting a transcriptomic “fingerprint”. Correlation analyses of the corresponding candidate genes indicated that dysfunction of the ubiquitin-26S proteasome, COP9 signalosome, and subsequent control of the cell cycle engenders embryonic developmental incompetence. The affected gene networks are centrally involved in regulation of early development in all vertebrates, including humans. By assessing collective levels of the relevant ovarian transcripts via ANNs we were able, for the first time in any vertebrate, to accurately predict the subsequent embryo developmental potential of eggs from individual females. Our results show that the transcriptomic fingerprint evidencing developmental dysfunction is highly predictive of, and therefore likely to regulate, egg quality, a biologically complex trait crucial to reproductive fitness. PMID:24820964

Implementing total quality management in an academic surgery setting: lessons learned.

PubMed

Townes, C; Petit, B; Young, B

1995-01-01

Total Quality Management, a philosophy developed by W. Edwards Deming, has been used successfully in many countries and in many types of organizations to improve the quality of processes. The system is based upon the scientific method and provides the ability to solve long-standing, recalcitrant problems. The application of the TQM philosophy to health care, although recommended by many medical economists, is still in its infancy. At our medical center, three departments (Surgery, Anesthesiology, and Operating Room Services) joined forces to implement TQM. Critical activities early in implementation included establishing a Steering Committee, training key employees, providing systems for communicating TQM activities, and developing the leadership, facilitator, and other resources needed to support teams. Two of our first teams studied very different processes (one in the Operating Room, the other in outpatient Surgery clinics), providing many useful insights regarding keys to successful application of the TQM philosophy. We have learned strategies for increasing acceptance of and participation in TQM efforts on the part of staff members and, in particular, physicians, and for initiating the cultural change needed for TQM. Although the teams have met with resistance to behavioral changes and a lack of full support from some upper-level administrators in the Medical Center and the Hospital, most of them have been quite successful in improving the processes under study. We conclude that, with the proper leadership and facilitation, the TQM philosophy can be successfully implemented in the health care environment. Total Quality Management (TQM) as a system for improving the quality of processes has been successful in many countries throughout the world for organizations offering a wide variety of products and services. This article will describe specific TQM endeavors, both successful and unsuccessful, undertaken in an academic surgery department in the United States. This description will illustrate the lessons we have learned in our attempt to change a complex organization and will enable readers to determine whether an analogy exists between our organization's response to problem solving and theirs.

The Cost of Inequality: The Importance of Investing in High Quality Early Childhood Education Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keith, Rebecca S.

2017-01-01

The focus of this dissertation was to explore the importance of high quality early education in later secondary education development, quantifying quality in early childhood education programs, and examining how teacher education contributes to quality of early childhood education programs. For phase I, early childhood education positively…

Using Learning Analytics to Enhance Student Learning in Online Courses Based on Quality Matters Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Florence; Ndoye, Abdou; Wilkins, Patricia

2016-01-01

Quality Matters is recognized as a rigorous set of standards that guide the designer or instructor to design quality online courses. We explore how Quality Matters standards guide the identification and analysis of learning analytics data to monitor and improve online learning. Descriptive data were collected for frequency of use, time spent, and…

Strategies to avoid the loss of developmental potential in more than 200 million children in the developing world.

PubMed

Engle, Patrice L; Black, Maureen M; Behrman, Jere R; Cabral de Mello, Meena; Gertler, Paul J; Kapiriri, Lydia; Martorell, Reynaldo; Young, Mary Eming

2007-01-20

This paper is the third in the Child Development Series. The first paper showed that more than 200 million children under 5 years of age in developing countries do not reach their developmental potential. The second paper identified four well-documented risks: stunting, iodine deficiency, iron deficiency anaemia, and inadequate cognitive stimulation, plus four potential risks based on epidemiological evidence: maternal depression, violence exposure, environmental contamination, and malaria. This paper assesses strategies to promote child development and to prevent or ameliorate the loss of developmental potential. The most effective early child development programmes provide direct learning experiences to children and families, are targeted toward younger and disadvantaged children, are of longer duration, high quality, and high intensity, and are integrated with family support, health, nutrition, or educational systems and services. Despite convincing evidence, programme coverage is low. To achieve the Millennium Development Goals of reducing poverty and ensuring primary school completion for both girls and boys, governments and civil society should consider expanding high quality, cost-effective early child development programmes.

Do quality improvement collaboratives' educational components match the dominant learning style preferences of the participants?

PubMed

Weggelaar-Jansen, Anne Marie; van Wijngaarden, Jeroen; Slaghuis, Sarah-Sue

2015-06-20

Quality improvement collaboratives are used to improve healthcare by various organizations. Despite their popularity literature shows mixed results on their effectiveness. A quality improvement collaborative can be seen as a temporary learning organization in which knowledge about improvement themes and methods is exchanged. In this research we studied: Does the learning approach of a quality improvement collaborative match the learning styles preferences of the individual participants and how does that affect the learning process of participants? This research used a mixed methods design combining a validated learning style questionnaire with data collected in the tradition of action research methodology to study two Dutch quality improvement collaboratives. The questionnaire is based on the learning style model of Ruijters and Simons, distinguishing five learning style preferences: Acquisition of knowledge, Apperception from others, Discovery of new insights, Exercising in fictitious situations and Participation with others. The most preferred learning styles of the participants were Discovery and Participation. The learning style Acquisition was moderately preferred and Apperception and Exercising were least preferred. The educational components of the quality improvement collaboratives studied (national conferences, half-day learning sessions, faculty site visits and use of an online tool) were predominantly associated with the learning styles Acquisition and Apperception. We observed a decrease in attendance to the learning activities and non-conformance with the standardized set goals and approaches. We conclude that the participants' satisfaction with the offered learning approach changed over time. The lacking match between these learning style preferences and the learning approach in the educational components of the quality improvement collaboratives studied might be the reason why the participants felt they did not gain new insights and therefore ceased their participation in the collaborative. This study provides guidance for future organisers and participants of quality improvement collaboratives about which learning approaches will best suit the participants and enhance improvement work.

[Associative Learning between Orientation and Color in Early Visual Areas].

PubMed

Amano, Kaoru; Shibata, Kazuhisa; Kawato, Mitsuo; Sasaki, Yuka; Watanabe, Takeo

2017-08-01

Associative learning is an essential neural phenomenon where the contingency of different items increases after training. Although associative learning has been found to occur in many brain regions, there is no clear evidence that associative learning of visual features occurs in early visual areas. Here, we developed an associative decoded functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) neurofeedback (A-DecNef) to determine whether associative learning of color and orientation can be induced in early visual areas. During the three days' training, A-DecNef induced fMRI signal patterns that corresponded to a specific target color (red) mostly in early visual areas while a vertical achromatic grating was simultaneously, physically presented to participants. Consequently, participants' perception of "red" was significantly more frequently than that of "green" in an achromatic vertical grating. This effect was also observed 3 to 5 months after training. These results suggest that long-term associative learning of two different visual features such as color and orientation, was induced most likely in early visual areas. This newly extended technique that induces associative learning may be used as an important tool for understanding and modifying brain function, since associations are fundamental and ubiquitous with respect to brain function.

Identifying key areas for active interprofessional learning partnerships: A facilitated dialogue.

PubMed

Steven, Kathryn; Angus, Allyson; Breckenridge, Jenna; Davey, Peter; Tully, Vicki; Muir, Fiona

2016-11-01

Student and service user involvement is recognised as an important factor in creating interprofessional education (IPE) opportunities. We used a team-based learning approach to bring together undergraduate health professional students, early career professionals (ECPs), public partners, volunteers, and carers to explore learning partnerships. Influenced by evaluative inquiry, this qualitative study used a free text response to allow participants to give their own opinion. A total of 153 participants (50 public partners and 103 students and professionals representing 11 healthcare professions) took part. Participants were divided into mixed groups of six (n = 25) and asked to identify areas where students, professionals, and public could work together to improve health professional education. Each group documented their discussions by summarising agreed areas and next steps. Responses were collected and transcribed for inductive content analysis. Seven key themes (areas for joint working) were identified: communication, public as partners, standards of conduct, IPE, quality improvement, education, and learning environments. The team-based learning format enabled undergraduate and postgraduate health professionals to achieve consensus with public partners on areas for IPE and collaboration. Some of our results may be context-specific but the approach is generalisable to other areas.

Designing learning environments to promote student learning: ergonomics in all but name.

PubMed

Smith, Thomas J

2013-01-01

This report introduces evidence for the conclusion that a common theme underlies almost all proposed solutions for improving the performance of K-12 students, namely their reliance on the design of educational system environments, features and operations. Two categories of design factors impacting such performance are addressed: (1) 9 factors reliably shown to have a strong influence - namely environmental design of classroom and building facilities, longer exposure to learning, cooperative learning designs, early childhood education, teaching quality, nutritional adequacy, participation in physical activity, good physical fitness, and school-community integration; and (2) 11 factors with an equivocal, varied or weak influence - classroom technology, online learning environments, smaller class size, school choice, school funding, school size, school start times, teacher training level, amount of homework, student self-confidence and informal learning. It is concluded that: (1) student learning outcomes, and more broadly the edifice of education itself, are largely defined in terms of an extensive system of design factors and conditions; (2) the time is long overdue for the educational system to acknowledge the central role of E/HF design as the major influence on student performance and learning; and (3) K-12 educators and administrators should emphasize allocation of resources to design factors reliably shown to have a strongly positive impact on student performance, but should treat expenditure on factors with equivocal, varied or weak influence on such performance with more caution and/or skepticism.

Full Day Early Learning Kindergarten Program Team: Perspectives from the Principal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shahbazi, Sara; Salinitri, Geri

2016-01-01

The Full Day Early Learning Kindergarten (FDK) Program has expanded the role of the principal and has altered the teaching dynamics of the classroom with the introduction of an early years team. The early years team consists of a certified teacher with the Ontario College of Teachers and a registered early childhood educator from the College of…

Quality Perception within Corporate E-Learning Providers in Catalonia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sangra, Albert; Fernandez-Michels, Pedro

2011-01-01

Purpose: The paper seeks to describe the Catalan corporate e-learning providers from the perspective of quality perception, quality assessment and quality control. Design/methodology/approach: A literature review reveals key aspects of the definition of quality in e-learning. The results of the review constitute the basis for exploratory research…

Revolutionizing Child Welfare with Outcomes Management

PubMed Central

Toche-Manley, Linda L.; Dietzen, Laura; Nankin, Jesse; Beigel, Astrid

2013-01-01

Outcomes management technology holds great promise for improving the quality of services provided to youth in the child welfare system. Advantages include better detection of behavioral health and trauma-related issues, early indicators of case progress or risk of failure and program- and system-level learning. Yet organizational barriers to implementation persist. Attention is spent in this paper on addressing these barriers so the use of outcomes management technology becomes a common practice. A model for predicting resiliency is presented, along with case examples demonstrating its potential use for treatment planning and monitoring progress. PMID:23460130

Learning Languages: The Journal of the National Network for Early Language Learning, 1998-1999.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenbusch, Marcia H., Ed.

1999-01-01

These three journals include articles on issues related to language learning. The fall 1998 journal presents: "Attention! Are You Seeking a Position with Excellent Long-Term Benefits? Be an Advocate!" (Mary Lynn Redmond); "National Town Meeting Energizes Support for Early Language Learning" (Marcia Harmon Rosenbusch);…

There's an Elephant in the Room: The Impact of Early Poverty and Neglect on Intelligence and Common Learning Disorders in Children, Adolescents, and Their Parents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bigelow, Brian J.

2006-01-01

Recognition of poverty and neglect is very important in formulating a practical diagnosis of children's and adolescent's learning disorders. Early brain development forms the basis of learning, behavior and health over the entire life span. Through accumulated stressors and lack of supports, early poverty undermines competent parenting which then…

Improving health care quality and safety: the role of collective learning.

PubMed

Singer, Sara J; Benzer, Justin K; Hamdan, Sami U

2015-01-01

Despite decades of effort to improve quality and safety in health care, this goal feels increasingly elusive. Successful examples of improvement are infrequently replicated. This scoping review synthesizes 76 empirical or conceptual studies (out of 1208 originally screened) addressing learning in quality or safety improvement, that were published in selected health care and management journals between January 2000 and December 2014 to deepen understanding of the role that collective learning plays in quality and safety improvement. We categorize learning activities using a theoretical model that shows how leadership and environmental factors support collective learning processes and practices, and in turn team and organizational improvement outcomes. By focusing on quality and safety improvement, our review elaborates the premise of learning theory that leadership, environment, and processes combine to create conditions that promote learning. Specifically, we found that learning for quality and safety improvement includes experimentation (including deliberate experimentation, improvisation, learning from failures, exploration, and exploitation), internal and external knowledge acquisition, performance monitoring and comparison, and training. Supportive learning environments are characterized by team characteristics like psychological safety, appreciation of differences, openness to new ideas social motivation, and team autonomy; team contextual factors including learning resources like time for reflection, access to knowledge, organizational capabilities; incentives; and organizational culture, strategy, and structure; and external environmental factors including institutional pressures, environmental dynamism and competitiveness and learning collaboratives. Lastly learning in the context of quality and safety improvement requires leadership that reinforces learning through actions and behaviors that affect people, such as coaching and trust building, and through influencing contextual factors, including providing resources, developing culture, and taking strategic actions that support improvement. Our review highlights the importance of leadership in both promoting a supportive learning environment and implementing learning processes.

Improving health care quality and safety: the role of collective learning

PubMed Central

Singer, Sara J; Benzer, Justin K; Hamdan, Sami U

2015-01-01

Despite decades of effort to improve quality and safety in health care, this goal feels increasingly elusive. Successful examples of improvement are infrequently replicated. This scoping review synthesizes 76 empirical or conceptual studies (out of 1208 originally screened) addressing learning in quality or safety improvement, that were published in selected health care and management journals between January 2000 and December 2014 to deepen understanding of the role that collective learning plays in quality and safety improvement. We categorize learning activities using a theoretical model that shows how leadership and environmental factors support collective learning processes and practices, and in turn team and organizational improvement outcomes. By focusing on quality and safety improvement, our review elaborates the premise of learning theory that leadership, environment, and processes combine to create conditions that promote learning. Specifically, we found that learning for quality and safety improvement includes experimentation (including deliberate experimentation, improvisation, learning from failures, exploration, and exploitation), internal and external knowledge acquisition, performance monitoring and comparison, and training. Supportive learning environments are characterized by team characteristics like psychological safety, appreciation of differences, openness to new ideas social motivation, and team autonomy; team contextual factors including learning resources like time for reflection, access to knowledge, organizational capabilities; incentives; and organizational culture, strategy, and structure; and external environmental factors including institutional pressures, environmental dynamism and competitiveness and learning collaboratives. Lastly learning in the context of quality and safety improvement requires leadership that reinforces learning through actions and behaviors that affect people, such as coaching and trust building, and through influencing contextual factors, including providing resources, developing culture, and taking strategic actions that support improvement. Our review highlights the importance of leadership in both promoting a supportive learning environment and implementing learning processes. PMID:29355197

Early Language Learning and Literacy: Neuroscience Implications for Education

PubMed Central

Kuhl, Patricia K.

2011-01-01

The last decade has produced an explosion in neuroscience research examining young children’s early processing of language that has implications for education. Noninvasive, safe functional brain measurements have now been proven feasible for use with children starting at birth. In the arena of language, the neural signatures of learning can be documented at a remarkably early point in development, and these early measures predict performance in children’s language and pre-reading abilities in the second, third, and fifth year of life, a finding with theoretical and educational import. There is evidence that children’s early mastery of language requires learning in a social context, and this finding also has important implications for education. Evidence relating socio-economic status (SES) to brain function for language suggests that SES should be considered a proxy for the opportunity to learn and that the complexity of language input is a significant factor in developing brain areas related to language. The data indicate that the opportunity to learn from complex stimuli and events are vital early in life, and that success in school begins in infancy. PMID:21892359

Instrumental learning and cognitive flexibility processes are impaired in children exposed to early life stress.

PubMed

Harms, Madeline B; Shannon Bowen, Katherine E; Hanson, Jamie L; Pollak, Seth D

2017-10-19

Children who experience severe early life stress show persistent deficits in many aspects of cognitive and social adaptation. Early stress might be associated with these broad changes in functioning because it impairs general learning mechanisms. To explore this possibility, we examined whether individuals who experienced abusive caregiving in childhood had difficulties with instrumental learning and/or cognitive flexibility as adolescents. Fifty-three 14-17-year-old adolescents (31 exposed to high levels of childhood stress, 22 control) completed an fMRI task that required them to first learn associations in the environment and then update those pairings. Adolescents with histories of early life stress eventually learned to pair stimuli with both positive and negative outcomes, but did so more slowly than their peers. Furthermore, these stress-exposed adolescents showed markedly impaired cognitive flexibility; they were less able than their peers to update those pairings when the contingencies changed. These learning problems were reflected in abnormal activity in learning- and attention-related brain circuitry. Both altered patterns of learning and neural activation were associated with the severity of lifetime stress that the adolescents had experienced. Taken together, the results of this experiment suggest that basic learning processes are impaired in adolescents exposed to early life stress. These general learning mechanisms may help explain the emergence of social problems observed in these individuals. © 2017 The Authors. Developmental Science Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Recommendations for Implementing the New Illinois Early Learning and Development Standards to Affect Classroom Practices for Social and Emotional Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zinsser, Katherine M.; Dusenbury, Linda

2015-01-01

The state of Illinois in the central United States has long been a trendsetter both in the development of learning standards and in addressing social and emotional learning in education settings. With a recent revision to the state's early learning standards, published in 2013, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) fully aligned its…

Professional Development for Early Childhood Educators: Efforts to Improve Math and Science Learning Opportunities in Early Childhood Classrooms.

PubMed

Piasta, Shayne B; Logan, Jessica A R; Pelatti, Christina Yeager; Capps, Janet L; Petrill, Stephen A

2015-05-01

Because recent initiatives highlight the need to better support preschool-aged children's math and science learning, the present study investigated the impact of professional development in these domains for early childhood educators. Sixty-five educators were randomly assigned to experience 10.5 days (64 hours) of training on math and science or on an alternative topic. Educators' provision of math and science learning opportunities were documented, as were the fall-to-spring math and science learning gains of children ( n = 385) enrolled in their classrooms. Professional development significantly impacted provision of science, but not math, learning opportunities. Professional development did not directly impact children's math or science learning, although science learning was indirectly affected via the increase in science learning opportunities. Both math and science learning opportunities were positively associated with children's learning. Results suggest that substantive efforts are necessary to ensure that children have opportunities to learn math and science from a young age.

Professional Development for Early Childhood Educators: Efforts to Improve Math and Science Learning Opportunities in Early Childhood Classrooms

PubMed Central

Piasta, Shayne B.; Logan, Jessica A. R.; Pelatti, Christina Yeager; Capps, Janet L.; Petrill, Stephen A.

2014-01-01

Because recent initiatives highlight the need to better support preschool-aged children’s math and science learning, the present study investigated the impact of professional development in these domains for early childhood educators. Sixty-five educators were randomly assigned to experience 10.5 days (64 hours) of training on math and science or on an alternative topic. Educators’ provision of math and science learning opportunities were documented, as were the fall-to-spring math and science learning gains of children (n = 385) enrolled in their classrooms. Professional development significantly impacted provision of science, but not math, learning opportunities. Professional development did not directly impact children’s math or science learning, although science learning was indirectly affected via the increase in science learning opportunities. Both math and science learning opportunities were positively associated with children’s learning. Results suggest that substantive efforts are necessary to ensure that children have opportunities to learn math and science from a young age. PMID:26257434

What Role Does Knowledge Quality Play in Online Students' Satisfaction, Learning and Loyalty? An Empirical Investigation in an eLearning Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waheed, M.; Kaur, K.; Kumar, S.

2016-01-01

Quality knowledge has an impact on online students learning outcomes and loyalty. A framework that delineates the perceived eLearning knowledge quality (KQ) and its relationship with learning outcomes and loyalty is currently absent. Grounded in the KQ and information system success framework--this study presents the indicators of perceived…

What do Cochrane systematic reviews say about interventions for autism spectrum disorders?

PubMed

Lyra, Larissa; Rizzo, Luiz Eduardo; Sunahara, Camila Sá; Pachito, Daniela Vianna; Latorraca, Carolina de Oliveira Cruz; Martimbianco, Ana Luiza Cabrera; Riera, Rachel

2017-01-01

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) include autistic disorder, Asperger's disorder and pervasive developmental disorder. The manifestations of ASDs can have an important impact on learning and social functioning that may persist during adulthood. The aim here was to summarize the evidence from Cochrane systematic reviews on interventions for ASDs. Review of systematic reviews, conducted within the Discipline of Evidence-Based Medicine, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo. We included and summarized the results from Cochrane systematic reviews on interventions for ASDs. Seventeen reviews were included. These found weak evidence of benefits from acupuncture, gluten and casein-free diets, early intensive behavioral interventions, music therapy, parent-mediated early interventions, social skill groups, Theory of Mind cognitive model, aripiprazole, risperidone, tricyclic antidepressants and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI); this last only for adults. No benefits were found for sound therapies, chelating agents, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, omega-3, secretin, vitamin B6/magnesium and SSRI for children. Acupuncture, gluten and casein-free diets, early intensive behavioral interventions, music therapy, parent-mediated early interventions, social skill groups and the Theory of Mind cognitive model seem to have benefits for patients with autism spectrum disorders (very low to low-quality evidence). Aripiprazole, risperidone, tricyclic antidepressants and SSRI (this last only for adults) also showed some benefits, although associated with higher risk of adverse events. Experimental studies to confirm a link between probable therapies and the disease, and then high-quality long-term clinical trials, are needed.

Does learning to read shape verbal working memory?

PubMed

Demoulin, Catherine; Kolinsky, Régine

2016-06-01

Many experimental studies have investigated the relationship between the acquisition of reading and working memory in a unidirectional way, attempting to determine to what extent individual differences in working memory can predict reading achievement. In contrast, very little attention has been dedicated to the converse possibility that learning to read shapes the development of verbal memory processes. In this paper, we present available evidence that advocates a more prominent role for reading acquisition on verbal working memory and then discuss the potential mechanisms of such literacy effects. First, the early decoding activities might bolster the development of subvocal rehearsal, which, in turn, would enhance serial order performance in immediate memory tasks. In addition, learning to read and write in an alphabetical system allows the emergence of phonemic awareness and finely tuned phonological representations, as well as of orthographic representations. This could improve the quality, strength, and precision of lexical representations, and hence offer better support for the temporary encoding of memory items and/or for their retrieval.

Quality Indicators for Learning Analytics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scheffel, Maren; Drachsler, Hendrik; Stoyanov, Slavi; Specht, Marcus

2014-01-01

This article proposes a framework of quality indicators for learning analytics that aims to standardise the evaluation of learning analytics tools and to provide a mean to capture evidence for the impact of learning analytics on educational practices in a standardised manner. The criteria of the framework and its quality indicators are based on…

Perceptual learning increases the strength of the earliest signals in visual cortex.

PubMed

Bao, Min; Yang, Lin; Rios, Cristina; He, Bin; Engel, Stephen A

2010-11-10

Training improves performance on most visual tasks. Such perceptual learning can modify how information is read out from, and represented in, later visual areas, but effects on early visual cortex are controversial. In particular, it remains unknown whether learning can reshape neural response properties in early visual areas independent from feedback arising in later cortical areas. Here, we tested whether learning can modify feedforward signals in early visual cortex as measured by the human electroencephalogram. Fourteen subjects were trained for >24 d to detect a diagonal grating pattern in one quadrant of the visual field. Training improved performance, reducing the contrast needed for reliable detection, and also reliably increased the amplitude of the earliest component of the visual evoked potential, the C1. Control orientations and locations showed smaller effects of training. Because the C1 arises rapidly and has a source in early visual cortex, our results suggest that learning can increase early visual area response through local receptive field changes without feedback from later areas.

Student Engagement in the Scottish Quality Enhancement Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gvaramadze, Irakli

2011-01-01

The research addressed the interplay of student engagement and quality enhancement mechanisms in the Scottish higher education system. The paper demonstrates increasing focus on student learning, learning experience and high-quality learning in the current quality enhancement approaches. The student-university coproduction model is used to…

[The Italian instrument evaluating the nursing students clinical learning quality].

PubMed

Palese, Alvisa; Grassetti, Luca; Mansutti, Irene; Destrebecq, Anne; Terzoni, Stefano; Altini, Pietro; Bevilacqua, Anita; Brugnolli, Anna; Benaglio, Carla; Dal Ponte, Adriana; De Biasio, Laura; Dimonte, Valerio; Gambacorti, Benedetta; Fasci, Adriana; Grosso, Silvia; Mantovan, Franco; Marognolli, Oliva; Montalti, Sandra; Nicotera, Raffaela; Randon, Giulia; Stampfl, Brigitte; Tollini, Morena; Canzan, Federica; Saiani, Luisa; Zannini, Lucia

2017-01-01

. The Clinical Learning Quality Evaluation Index for nursing students. The Italian nursing programs, the need to introduce tools evaluating the quality of the clinical learning as perceived by nursing students. Several tools already exist, however, several limitations suggesting the need to develop a new tool. A national project aimed at developing and validating a new instrument capable of measuring the clinical learning quality as experience by nursing students. A validation study design was undertaken from 2015 to 2016. All nursing national programs (n=43) were invited to participate by including all nursing students attending regularly their clinical learning. The tool developed based upon a) literature, b) validated tools already established among other healthcare professionals, and c) consensus expressed by experts and nursing students, was administered to the eligible students. 9606 nursing in 27 universities (62.8%) participated. The psychometric properties of the new instrument ranged from good to excellent. According to the findings, the tool consists in 22 items and five factors: a) quality of the tutorial strategies, b) learning opportunities; c) safety and nursing care quality; d) self-direct learning; e) quality of the learning environment. The tool is already used. Its systematic adoption may support comparison among settings and across different programs; moreover, the tool may also support in accrediting new settings as well as in measuring the effects of strategies aimed at improving the quality of the clinical learning.

Preliminary Development of the Parent Involvement in Early Learning Scale for Low-Income Families Enrolled in a Child-Development-Focused Home Visiting Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manz, Patricia H.; Gernhart, Amanda L.; Bracaliello, Catherine B.; Pressimone, Vanessa J.; Eisenberg, Rachel A.

2014-01-01

Salient early intervention approaches for children below the age of 3 years, such as home visiting, seek to strengthen the pivotal role that parents play in fostering their young children's early learning. Yet, measures that identify and monitor the ways in which low-income parents support toddlers' learning experiences are lacking. Without parent…

The Head Start Child Development and Early Learning Framework: Promoting Positive Outcomes in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children 3-5 Years Old

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Office of Head Start, US Department of Health and Human Services, 2010

2010-01-01

This report presents a revision of the Head Start Child Outcomes Framework (2000), renamed The Head Start Child Development and Learning Framework: Promoting Positive Outcomes in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children 3-5 Years Old. The Framework outlines the essential areas of development and learning that are to be used by Head Start programs…

Informal Science Learning through Inquiry: Effects on Preschool Students' Achievement in Early Science Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Samsudin, Mohd Ali; Haniza, Noor Hasyimah; Ismail, Juliah; Abd-Talib, Corrienna

2015-01-01

This study was undertaken to explore the effects of informal science learning outside the classroom on preschool students' achievement in the Early Science learning topic (plant-related topics that presented concepts about tree leaves, height and roots) using an inquiry method. A sample of 64 preschool students was selected using purposive…

Learning with Nature and Learning from Others: Nature as Setting and Resource for Early Childhood Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacQuarrie, Sarah; Nugent, Clare; Warden, Claire

2015-01-01

Nature-based learning is an increasingly popular type of early childhood education. Despite this, children's experiences--in particular, their form and function within different settings and how they are viewed by practitioners--are relatively unknown. Accordingly, the use of nature as a setting and a resource for learning was researched. A…

Exploring Staff Perceptions: Early Childhood Teacher Educators Examine Online Teaching and Learning Challenges and Dilemmas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Julie; Lennox, Sandra; Walker, Sue; Walsh, Kerryann

2007-01-01

Early Childhood teacher educators at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) have been engaging with online teaching and learning since the mid 1990s. On campus students have lectures and tutorials supported by information and communication technologies via QUT's home grown learning management system, Online Learning and Teaching (OLT). We…

Power and Identity in Immigrant Parents' Involvement in Early Years Mathematics Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Takeuchi, Miwa Aoki

2018-01-01

This study examined immigrant parents' involvement in early years mathematics learning, focusing on learning of multiplication in in- and out-of-school settings. Ethnographic interviews and workshops were conducted in an urban city in Japan, to examine out-of-school practices of immigrant families. Drawing from sociocultural theory of learning and…

Highlighting in Early Childhood: Learning Biases through Attentional Shifting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burling, Joseph M.; Yoshida, Hanako

2017-01-01

The literature on human and animal learning suggests that individuals attend to and act on cues differently based on the order in which they were learned. Recent studies have proposed that one specific type of learning outcome, the highlighting effect, can serve as a framework for understanding a number of early cognitive milestones. However,…

Violence Prevention for Families of Young Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Psychological Association, Washington, DC.

Based on the view that violent behavior is learned and often learned early in life, this pamphlet shows parents how they can help protect young children from getting involved with violence and increase that child's chances for a safe and productive future. The pamphlet cautions parents that early learning is powerful and that children learn how to…

National quality improvement policies and strategies in European healthcare systems.

PubMed

Spencer, E; Walshe, K

2009-02-01

This survey provides an overview of the development of policies and strategies for quality improvement in European healthcare systems, by mapping quality improvement policies and strategies, progress in their implementation, and early indications of their impact. A survey of quality improvement policies and strategies in healthcare systems of the European Union was conducted in 2005 for the first phase of the Methods of Assessing Response to Quality Improvement Strategies (MARQuIS) project. The survey, completed by 68 key experts in quality improvement from 24 European Union member states, represents their views and accounts of quality improvement policies and strategies in their healthcare systems. There are substantial international and intra-national variations in the development of healthcare quality improvement. Legal requirements for quality improvement strategies are an important driver of progress, along with the activities of national governments and professional associations and societies. Patient and service user organisations appear to have less influence on quality improvement. Wide variation in voluntary and mandatory coverage of quality improvement policies and strategies across sectors can potentially lead to varying levels of progress in implementation. Many healthcare organisations lack basic infrastructure for quality improvement. Some convergence can be observed in policies on quality improvement in healthcare. Nevertheless, the growth of patient mobility across borders, along with the implications of free market provisions for the organisation and funding of healthcare systems in European Union member states, require policies for cooperation and learning transfer.

E-Learning Quality Standards for Consumer Protection and Consumer Confidence: A Canadian Case Study in E-Learning Quality Assurance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barker, Kathryn Chang

2007-01-01

Emerging concerns about quality of e-learning products and services animated a project in Canada to create quality standards that derived primarily from the needs of consumer, that could be used to guide the development and choice of e-learning at all levels of education and training, and that could be implemented in a simple manner. A set of…

Achieving Quality Learning in Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nightingale, Peggy; O'Neil, Mike

This volume on quality learning in higher education discusses issues of good practice particularly action learning and Total Quality Management (TQM)-type strategies and illustrates them with seven case studies in Australia and the United Kingdom. Chapter 1 discusses issues and problems in defining quality in higher education. Chapter 2 looks at…

Gender and Early Learning Environments. Research on Women and Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Irby, Beverly, Ed.; Brown, Genevieve H., Ed.

2011-01-01

The Research on Women and Education SIG of the American Educational Research Association presents the third book in its series, Gender and Early Learning Environments. Finding after the publication of Gender and Schooling in the Early Years, the second book in the series, that there was and is a paucity of published literature on early childhood…

Making the Case for Early Identification and Intervention for Young Children at Risk for Learning Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steele, Marcee M.

2004-01-01

The early identification of children with learning disabilities (LD) is difficult but can be accomplished. Observation of key behaviors which are indicators of LD by preschool and kindergarten teachers can assist in this process. This early identification facilitates the use of intervention strategies to provide a positive early experience for…

A knowledge-based patient assessment system: conceptual and technical design.

PubMed Central

Reilly, C. A.; Zielstorff, R. D.; Fox, R. L.; O'Connell, E. M.; Carroll, D. L.; Conley, K. A.; Fitzgerald, P.; Eng, T. K.; Martin, A.; Zidik, C. M.; Segal, M.

2000-01-01

This paper describes the design of an inpatient patient assessment application that captures nursing assessment data using a wireless laptop computer. The primary aim of this system is to capture structured information for facilitating decision support and quality monitoring. The system also aims to improve efficiency of recording patient assessments, reduce costs, and improve discharge planning and early identification of patient learning needs. Object-oriented methods were used to elicit functional requirements and to model the proposed system. A tools-based development approach is being used to facilitate rapid development and easy modification of assessment items and rules for decision support. Criteria for evaluation include perceived utility by clinician users, validity of decision support rules, time spent recording assessments, and perceived utility of aggregate reports for quality monitoring. PMID:11079970

A knowledge-based patient assessment system: conceptual and technical design.

PubMed

Reilly, C A; Zielstorff, R D; Fox, R L; O'Connell, E M; Carroll, D L; Conley, K A; Fitzgerald, P; Eng, T K; Martin, A; Zidik, C M; Segal, M

2000-01-01

This paper describes the design of an inpatient patient assessment application that captures nursing assessment data using a wireless laptop computer. The primary aim of this system is to capture structured information for facilitating decision support and quality monitoring. The system also aims to improve efficiency of recording patient assessments, reduce costs, and improve discharge planning and early identification of patient learning needs. Object-oriented methods were used to elicit functional requirements and to model the proposed system. A tools-based development approach is being used to facilitate rapid development and easy modification of assessment items and rules for decision support. Criteria for evaluation include perceived utility by clinician users, validity of decision support rules, time spent recording assessments, and perceived utility of aggregate reports for quality monitoring.

The Development and Public Health Implications of Food Preferences in Children

PubMed Central

Beckerman, Jacob P.; Alike, Queen; Lovin, Erika; Tamez, Martha; Mattei, Josiemer

2017-01-01

Food preferences are a primary determinant of dietary intake and behaviors, and they persist from early childhood into later life. As such, establishing preferences for healthy foods from a young age is a promising approach to improving diet quality, a leading contributor to cardiometabolic health. This narrative review first describes the critical period for food preference development starting in utero and continuing through early childhood. Infants’ innate aversion to sour and bitter tastes can lead them to initially reject some healthy foods such as vegetables. Infants can learn to like these foods through exposures to their flavors in utero and through breastmilk. As solid foods are introduced through toddlerhood, children’s food preferences are shaped by parent feeding practices and environmental factors such as food advertising. Next, we discuss two key focus areas to improve diet quality highlighted by the current understanding of food preferences: (1) promoting healthy food preferences through breastfeeding and early exposures to healthy foods and (2) limiting the extent to which innate preferences for sweet and salty tastes lead to poor diet quality. We use an ecological framework to summarize potential points of intervention and provide recommendations for these focus areas, such as worksite benefits that promote breastfeeding, and changes in food retail and service environments. Individuals’ choices around breastfeeding and diet may ultimately be influenced by policy and community-level factors. It is thus crucial to take a multilevel approach to establish healthy food preferences from a young age, which have the potential to translate into lifelong healthy diet. PMID:29326942

Applying active learning to supervised word sense disambiguation in MEDLINE.

PubMed

Chen, Yukun; Cao, Hongxin; Mei, Qiaozhu; Zheng, Kai; Xu, Hua

2013-01-01

This study was to assess whether active learning strategies can be integrated with supervised word sense disambiguation (WSD) methods, thus reducing the number of annotated samples, while keeping or improving the quality of disambiguation models. We developed support vector machine (SVM) classifiers to disambiguate 197 ambiguous terms and abbreviations in the MSH WSD collection. Three different uncertainty sampling-based active learning algorithms were implemented with the SVM classifiers and were compared with a passive learner (PL) based on random sampling. For each ambiguous term and each learning algorithm, a learning curve that plots the accuracy computed from the test set as a function of the number of annotated samples used in the model was generated. The area under the learning curve (ALC) was used as the primary metric for evaluation. Our experiments demonstrated that active learners (ALs) significantly outperformed the PL, showing better performance for 177 out of 197 (89.8%) WSD tasks. Further analysis showed that to achieve an average accuracy of 90%, the PL needed 38 annotated samples, while the ALs needed only 24, a 37% reduction in annotation effort. Moreover, we analyzed cases where active learning algorithms did not achieve superior performance and identified three causes: (1) poor models in the early learning stage; (2) easy WSD cases; and (3) difficult WSD cases, which provide useful insight for future improvements. This study demonstrated that integrating active learning strategies with supervised WSD methods could effectively reduce annotation cost and improve the disambiguation models.

Applying active learning to supervised word sense disambiguation in MEDLINE

PubMed Central

Chen, Yukun; Cao, Hongxin; Mei, Qiaozhu; Zheng, Kai; Xu, Hua

2013-01-01

Objectives This study was to assess whether active learning strategies can be integrated with supervised word sense disambiguation (WSD) methods, thus reducing the number of annotated samples, while keeping or improving the quality of disambiguation models. Methods We developed support vector machine (SVM) classifiers to disambiguate 197 ambiguous terms and abbreviations in the MSH WSD collection. Three different uncertainty sampling-based active learning algorithms were implemented with the SVM classifiers and were compared with a passive learner (PL) based on random sampling. For each ambiguous term and each learning algorithm, a learning curve that plots the accuracy computed from the test set as a function of the number of annotated samples used in the model was generated. The area under the learning curve (ALC) was used as the primary metric for evaluation. Results Our experiments demonstrated that active learners (ALs) significantly outperformed the PL, showing better performance for 177 out of 197 (89.8%) WSD tasks. Further analysis showed that to achieve an average accuracy of 90%, the PL needed 38 annotated samples, while the ALs needed only 24, a 37% reduction in annotation effort. Moreover, we analyzed cases where active learning algorithms did not achieve superior performance and identified three causes: (1) poor models in the early learning stage; (2) easy WSD cases; and (3) difficult WSD cases, which provide useful insight for future improvements. Conclusions This study demonstrated that integrating active learning strategies with supervised WSD methods could effectively reduce annotation cost and improve the disambiguation models. PMID:23364851

Quality specifications in postgraduate medical e-learning: an integrative literature review leading to a postgraduate medical e-learning model.

PubMed

De Leeuw, R A; Westerman, Michiel; Nelson, E; Ket, J C F; Scheele, F

2016-07-08

E-learning is driving major shifts in medical education. Prioritizing learning theories and quality models improves the success of e-learning programs. Although many e-learning quality standards are available, few are focused on postgraduate medical education. We conducted an integrative review of the current postgraduate medical e-learning literature to identify quality specifications. The literature was thematically organized into a working model. Unique quality specifications (n = 72) were consolidated and re-organized into a six-domain model that we called the Postgraduate Medical E-learning Model (Postgraduate ME Model). This model was partially based on the ISO-19796 standard, and drew on cognitive load multimedia principles. The domains of the model are preparation, software design and system specifications, communication, content, assessment, and maintenance. This review clarified the current state of postgraduate medical e-learning standards and specifications. It also synthesized these specifications into a single working model. To validate our findings, the next-steps include testing the Postgraduate ME Model in controlled e-learning settings.

Honoring Family and Culture: Learning from New Zealand

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nagel, Nancy G.

2009-01-01

The New Zealand Ministry of Education's early childhood curriculum policy is built on a framework called "Te Whariki." This framework provides a sociocultural context for children's early learning and emphasizes a learning partnership between teachers, parents, families, and community. Besides interpersonal relationships, Te Whariki…

Not Only Size Matters: Early-Talker and Late-Talker Vocabularies Support Different Word-Learning Biases in Babies and Networks.

PubMed

Colunga, Eliana; Sims, Clare E

2017-02-01

In typical development, word learning goes from slow and laborious to fast and seemingly effortless. Typically developing 2-year-olds seem to intuit the whole range of things in a category from hearing a single instance named-they have word-learning biases. This is not the case for children with relatively small vocabularies (late talkers). We present a computational model that accounts for the emergence of word-learning biases in children at both ends of the vocabulary spectrum based solely on vocabulary structure. The results of Experiment 1 show that late-talkers' and early-talkers' noun vocabularies have different structures and that neural networks trained on the vocabularies of individual late talkers acquire different word-learning biases than those trained on early-talker vocabularies. These models make novel predictions about the word-learning biases in these two populations. Experiment 2 tests these predictions on late- and early-talking toddlers in a novel noun generalization task. Copyright © 2016 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Dissection and Downstream Analysis of Zebra Finch Embryos at Early Stages of Development

PubMed Central

Murray, Jessica R.; Stanciauskas, Monika E.; Aralere, Tejas S.; Saha, Margaret S.

2014-01-01

The zebra finch (Taeniopygiaguttata) has become an increasingly important model organism in many areas of research including toxicology1,2, behavior3, and memory and learning4,5,6. As the only songbird with a sequenced genome, the zebra finch has great potential for use in developmental studies; however, the early stages of zebra finch development have not been well studied. Lack of research in zebra finch development can be attributed to the difficulty of dissecting the small egg and embryo. The following dissection method minimizes embryonic tissue damage, which allows for investigation of morphology and gene expression at all stages of embryonic development. This permits both bright field and fluorescence quality imaging of embryos, use in molecular procedures such as in situ hybridization (ISH), cell proliferation assays, and RNA extraction for quantitative assays such as quantitative real-time PCR (qtRT-PCR). This technique allows investigators to study early stages of development that were previously difficult to access. PMID:24999108

Early Learning Left Out: Building an Early-Learning System to Secure America's Future. Federal, State and School District Investments by Child Age. 4th Edition. 2010-2012

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bruner, Charles

2013-01-01

As a society, are we investing enough in our youngest children? The BUILD Initiative's latest report, Early Learning Left Out, by CFPC director Charles Bruner, provides a clear answer that current investments fall far short. The report draws upon the most recent federal, state, and public school budget information--and what we know about effective…

Resident-Assisted Montessori Programming (RAMP): training persons with dementia to serve as group activity leaders.

PubMed

Camp, Cameron J; Skrajner, Michael J

2004-06-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of an activity implemented by means of Resident-Assisted Montessori Programming (RAMP). Four persons with early-stage dementia were trained to serve as leaders for a small-group activity played by nine persons with more advanced dementia. Assessments of leaders' ability to learn the procedures of leading a group, as well as their satisfaction with this role, were taken, as were measures of players' engagement and affect during standard activities programming and RAMP activities. Leaders demonstrated the potential to fill the role of group activity leader effectively, and they expressed a high level of satisfaction with this role. Players' levels of positive engagement and pleasure during the RAMP activity were higher than during standard group activities. This study suggests that to the extent that procedural learning is available to persons with early-stage dementia, especially when they are assisted with external cueing, these individuals can successfully fill the role of volunteers when working with persons with more advanced dementia. This can provide a meaningful social role for leaders and increase access to high quality activities programming for large numbers of persons with dementia. Copyright 2004 The Gerontological Society of America

Learning and Teaching Early Math: The Learning Trajectories Approach, 2nd Edition. Studies in Mathematical Thinking and Learning Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clements, Douglas H.; Sarama, Julie

2014-01-01

In this important book for pre- and in-service teachers, early math experts Douglas Clements and Julie Sarama show how "learning trajectories" help diagnose a child's level of mathematical understanding and provide guidance for teaching. By focusing on the inherent delight and curiosity behind young children's mathematical reasoning,…

When Service Learning Meets the Project Approach: Incorporating Service Learning in an Early Childhood Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chun, Eul Jung; Hertzog, Nancy B.; Gaffney, Janet S.; Dymond, Stacy K.

2012-01-01

The researchers described in this case study how Service Learning was incorporated within the context of an early childhood program where the teachers used the Project Approach. The Service Learning project was embedded in an investigation about water and was designed to help tsunami victims in Asia. Participants included two teachers and 12…

Learning Partnerships in Rural Early Childhood Settings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coombe, Kennece; Lubawy, Joy

A study examined six aspects of learning communities in early childhood settings in rural New South Wales (Australia). These aspects are reflection, individual development, diversity, conversation, caring, and shared responsibility. Surveys of 15 directors of early childhood programs indicated that the reflective component of the learning…

Math in Riley's World

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kritzer, Karen L.

2011-01-01

In their overview for the prekindergarten-grade 2 Standards, the National Council for Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) documents the value of early mathematical environments. During these early years, young children are building beliefs about what mathematics is and learning about themselves as early mathematicians. What young children learn about…

Early life programming of innate fear and fear learning in adult female rats.

PubMed

Stevenson, Carl W; Meredith, John P; Spicer, Clare H; Mason, Rob; Marsden, Charles A

2009-03-02

The early rearing environment can impact on emotional reactivity and learning later in life. In this study the effects of neonatal maternal separation (MS) on innate fear and fear learning were assessed in the adult female rat. Pups were subjected to MS (360 min), brief handling (H; 15 min), or animal facility rearing (AFR) on post-natal days 2-14. In the first experiment, innate fear was tested in the open field. No differences between the early rearing groups were observed in unconditioned fear. In the second experiment, separate cohorts were used in a 3-day fear learning paradigm which tested the acquisition (Day 1), expression and extinction (both Day 2) of conditioning to an auditory cue; extinction recall was determined as well (Day 3). Contextual fear conditioning was also assessed prior to cue presentations on Days 2 and 3. Whereas MS attenuated the acquisition and expression of fear conditioning to the cue, H potentiated extinction learning. Cue-induced fear was reduced on Day 3, compared to Day 2, indicating that the recall of extinction learning was evident; however, no early rearing group differences in extinction recall were observed. Similarly, while contextual fear was decreased on Day 3, compared to Day 2, there were no differences between the early rearing groups on either day tested. The present findings of altered cue-conditioned fear learning, in the absence of innate fear changes, lend further support for the important role of the early rearing environment in mediating cognition in adulthood.

Effects of Head Start REDI on Children’s Outcomes One Year Later in Different Kindergarten Contexts

PubMed Central

Bierman, Karen L.; Nix, Robert L.; Heinrichs, Brenda S.; Domitrovich, Celene E.; Gest, Scott D.; Welsh, Janet A.; Gill, Sukhdeep

2013-01-01

One year after participating in the REDI (Research-based, Developmentally-Informed) intervention or “usual practice” Head Start, the learning and behavioral outcomes of 356 children (17% Hispanic, 25% African American, 54% girls; mean age 4.59 years at initial assessment) were assessed. In addition, their 202 kindergarten classrooms were evaluated on quality of teacher-student interactions, emphasis on reading instruction, and school-level student achievement. Hierarchical linear analyses revealed that the REDI intervention promoted kindergarten phonemic decoding skills, learning engagement, and competent social problem-solving skills, and reduced aggressive-disruptive behavior. Intervention effects on social competence and inattention were moderated by kindergarten context, with effects strongest when children entered schools with low student achievement. Implications are discussed for developmental models of school readiness and early educational programs. PMID:23647355

Community Building, Emergent Design and Expecting the Unexpected: Creating a Quality eLearning Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Terrie Lynn; MacDonald, Colla J.

2005-01-01

Given the extraordinary interest and growth in eLearning as a learning tool and as an industry, it is not surprising there is lively debate on quality. A research-based and tested eLearning model was used to design and evaluate an online M.Ed. course in order to study factors that influence the quality of an eLearning event. Several data…

Learning curve for new technology?: a nationwide register-based study of 46,363 total knee arthroplasties.

PubMed

Peltola, Mikko; Malmivaara, Antti; Paavola, Mika

2013-12-04

The risk of early revision is increased for the first patients operatively treated with a newly introduced knee prosthesis. In this study, we explored the learning curves associated with ten knee implant models to determine their effect on early revision risk. We studied register data from all seventy-five surgical units that performed knee arthroplasty in Finland from 1998 to 2007. Of 54,925 patients (66,098 knees), 39,528 patients (46,363 knees) underwent arthroplasty for osteoarthritis of the knee with the ten most common total knee implants and were followed with complete data until December 31, 2010, or the time of death. We used a Cox proportional-hazards regression model for calculating the hazard ratios for early revision for the first fifteen arthroplasties and subsequent increments of numbers of arthroplasties. We found large differences among knee implants at the introduction with regard to the risk of early revision, as well as for the overall risk of early revision. A learning curve was found for four implant models, while six models did not show a learning effect on the risk of early revision. The survivorship of the studied prostheses showed substantial differences. Knee implants have model-specific learning curves and early revision risks. Some models are more difficult to implement than others. The manufacturers should consider the learning effect when designing implants and instrumentation. The surgeons should thoroughly familiarize themselves with the new knee implants before use.

Examining the Elements of Online Learning Quality in a Fully Online Doctoral Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Templeton, Nathan R.; Ballenger, Julia N.; Thompson, J. Ray

2015-01-01

The purpose of this descriptive quantitative study was to examine the quality elements of online learning in a regional doctoral program. Utilizing the six quality dimensions of Hathaway's (2009) theory of online learning quality as a framework, the study investigated instructor-learner, learner-learner, learner-content, learner-interface,…

Quality evaluation on an e-learning system in continuing professional education of nurses.

PubMed

Lin, I-Chun; Chien, Yu-Mei; Chang, I-Chiu

2006-01-01

Maintaining high quality in Web-based learning is a powerful means of increasing the overall efficiency and effectiveness of distance learning. Many studies have evaluated Web-based learning but seldom evaluate from the information systems (IS) perspective. This study applied the famous IS Success model in measuring the quality of a Web-based learning system using a Web-based questionnaire for data collection. One hundred and fifty four nurses participated in the survey. Based on confirmatory factor analysis, the variables of the research model fit for measuring the quality of a Web-based learning system. As Web-based education continues to grow worldwide, the results of this study may assist the system adopter (hospital executives), the learner (nurses), and the system designers in making reasonable and informed judgments with regard to the quality of Web-based learning system in continuing professional education.

Linking Developmental Working Memory and Early Academic Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Decker, Janice E.

2011-01-01

Brain-based initiatives and school readiness mandates in education have prompted researchers to examine the biological mechanisms associated with learning in the hope that understanding empirical evidence can maximize learning potential. Current research has examined working memory skills in relationship to early learning. The function of working…

Mobile Learning and Early Age Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peled, Shir; Schocken, Shimon

2014-01-01

The ability to develop engaging simulations and constructive learning experiences using mobile devices is unprecedented, presenting a disruption in educational practices of historical proportions. In this paper we describe some of the unique virtues that mobile learning hold for early age mathematics education. In particular, we describe how…

Early Identification of Ineffective Cooperative Learning Teams

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsiung, C .M.; Luo, L. F.; Chung, H. C.

2014-01-01

Cooperative learning has many pedagogical benefits. However, if the cooperative learning teams become ineffective, these benefits are lost. Accordingly, this study developed a computer-aided assessment method for identifying ineffective teams at their early stage of dysfunction by using the Mahalanobis distance metric to examine the difference…

A model of influences on the clinical learning environment: the case for change at one U.S. medical school.

PubMed

Fleit, Howard B; Iuli, Richard J; Fischel, Janet E; Lu, Wei-Hsin; Chandran, Latha

2017-03-23

The learning environment within a school of medicine influences medical students' values and their professional development. Despite national requirements to monitor the learning environment, mistreatment of medical students persists. We designed a program called WE SMILE: We can Eradicate Student Mistreatment In the Learning Environment with a vision to enhance trainee and faculty awareness and ultimately eliminate medical student mistreatment. We provide a description of our program and early outcomes. The program has enhanced student awareness of what constitutes mistreatment and how to report it. Faculty members are also aware of the formal processes and procedures for review of such incidents. Our proposed model of influences on the learning environment and the clinical workforce informs the quality of trainee education and safety of patient care. Institutional leadership and culture play a prominent role in this model. Our integrated institutional response to learning environment concerns is offered as a strategy to improve policy awareness, reporting and management of student mistreatment concerns. Our WE SMILE program was developed to enhance education and awareness of what constitutes mistreatment and to provide multiple pathways for student reporting, with clear responsibilities for review, adjudication and enforcement. The program is demonstrating several signs of early success and is offered as a strategy for other schools to adopt or adapt. We have recognized a delicate balance between preserving student anonymity and informing them of specific actions taken. Providing students and other stakeholders with clear evidence of institutional response and accountability remains a key challenge. Multiple methods of reporting have been advantageous in eliciting information on learning environment infringements. These routes and types of reporting have enhanced our understanding of student perceptions and the specific contexts in which mistreatment occurs, allowing for targeted interventions. A common platform across the healthcare professions to report and review concerns has afforded us opportunities to deal with interprofessional issues in a respectful and trustworthy manner. We offer a model of learning environment influences with leadership and institutional culture at the helm, as a way to frame a comprehensive perspective on this challenging and complex concern.

Scientific thinking in young children: theoretical advances, empirical research, and policy implications.

PubMed

Gopnik, Alison

2012-09-28

New theoretical ideas and empirical research show that very young children's learning and thinking are strikingly similar to much learning and thinking in science. Preschoolers test hypotheses against data and make causal inferences; they learn from statistics and informal experimentation, and from watching and listening to others. The mathematical framework of probabilistic models and Bayesian inference can describe this learning in precise ways. These discoveries have implications for early childhood education and policy. In particular, they suggest both that early childhood experience is extremely important and that the trend toward more structured and academic early childhood programs is misguided.

Equal Access to Early Learning. Cantigny Conference Report (Chicago, Illinois, June 5-7, 2001).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Black Child Development Inst., Inc., Washington, DC.

Despite a growing acknowledgement that the United States needs to invest more in the early care and education needs of children, the country lacks a common vision for a comprehensive approach to an early childhood care and education system. The Equal Access to Early Learning Conference, sponsored by the National Black Child Development Institute…

Value of Play as An Early Learning Instrument in Bangladesh Context: A Socio-Cultural Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chowdhury, Nurun Nahar; Rivalland, Corine

2012-01-01

In early childhood education the dominant discourse of play-based pedagogy is greatly influenced by a western play approach. This paper examines how play is valued as early learning in Bangladesh. It reports on a qualitative study that explored the understandings of four parents and four early childhood educators in semi-rural Bangladesh. Findings…

An Ecological Footprint for an Early Learning Centre: Identifying Opportunities for Early Childhood Sustainability Education through Interdisciplinary Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McNichol, Heidi; Davis, Julie Margaret; O'Brien, Katherine R.

2011-01-01

In this study, engineers and educators worked together to adapt and apply the ecological footprint (EF) methodology to an early learning centre in Brisbane, Australia. Results were analysed to determine how environmental impact can be reduced at the study site and more generally across early childhood settings. It was found that food, transport…

Creating Learning Organizations: The Deming Management Method Applied to Instruction (Quality Teaching & Quality Learning). A Paradigm Application.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loehr, Peter

This paper presents W. Edwards Deming's 14 management points, 7 deadly diseases, and 4 obstacles that thwart productivity, and discusses how these principles relate to teaching and learning. Application of these principles is expected to increase the quality of learning in classrooms from kindergarten through graduate level. Examples of the…

Factors that Impact Quality of E-Teaching/Learning Technologies in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daukilas, Sigitas; Kaciniene, Irma; Vaisnoriene, Daiva; Vascila, Vytautas

2008-01-01

The article analyzes and assesses factors that have impact upon the quality of eTeaching/learning technologies in higher education; it is on their basis that the concept of eTeaching/learning quality is denied. Research data about the students' motives in choosing various teaching/learning technologies for the development of their competence are…

Progress and lessons learned from water-quality monitoring networks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Myers, Donna N.; Ludtke, Amy S.

2017-01-01

Stream-quality monitoring networks in the United States were initiated and expanded after passage of successive federal water-pollution control laws from 1948 to 1972. The first networks addressed information gaps on the extent and severity of stream pollution and served as early warning systems for spills. From 1965 to 1972, monitoring networks expanded to evaluate compliance with stream standards, track emerging issues, and assess water-quality status and trends. After 1972, concerns arose regarding the ability of monitoring networks to determine if water quality was getting better or worse and why. As a result, monitoring networks adopted a hydrologic systems approach targeted to key water-quality issues, accounted for human and natural factors affecting water quality, innovated new statistical methods, and introduced geographic information systems and models that predict water quality at unmeasured locations. Despite improvements, national-scale monitoring networks have declined over time. Only about 1%, or 217, of more than 36,000 US Geological Survey monitoring sites sampled from 1975 to 2014 have been operated throughout the four decades since passage of the 1972 Clean Water Act. Efforts to sustain monitoring networks are important because these networks have collected information crucial to the description of water-quality trends over time and are providing information against which to evaluate future trends.

[E-Learning--an important contribution to general medical training and continuing education?].

PubMed

Ruf, D; Berner, M M; Kriston, L; Härter, M

2008-09-01

There is increasing activity in the development of e-learning modules for general medical training and continuing education. One of the central advantages of e-learning is flexibility regarding time and place of its use. The quality of the available e-learning opportunities varies quite considerably. For users it is often not easy to assess the quality of e-learning modules or to find offers of high quality. This could be a reason for the fact that despite the huge number of e-learning modules still only few students and physicians are using them. This is although e-learning has proven to be as effective as and even more efficient than learning in the classroom or with paper-based materials. This article summarizes the different models of e-learning, how and where to find offers of high quality, advantages of using e-learning, and the effectiveness and efficiency of such offers. In addition problems of e-learning and possibilities to overcome these problems are shown.

Quality Assurance in Distance and Open Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mahafzah, Mohammed Hasan

2012-01-01

E-learning has become an increasingly important teaching and learning mode in educational institutions and corporate training. The evaluation of E-learning, however, is essential for the quality assurance of E-learning courses. This paper constructs a three-phase evaluation model for E-learning courses, which includes development, process, and…

Quality Early Childhood Education and Care--The Role of Attitudes and Dispositions in Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell-Barr, Verity

2017-01-01

The early childhood workforce is routinely demonstrated as being central to the quality of early childhood education and care (ECEC). Frequently, discussions of quality focus on structural features of training, such as level and duration. However, the literature demonstrates that quality extends beyond the structural and that early childhood…

Growth in pediatric renal transplant recipients.

PubMed

Vasudevan, A; Phadke, K

2007-04-01

One of the fundamental challenges in managing pediatric renal transplant recipient is to ensure normal growth and development. The goal of renal transplant is not just to prolong life but to optimize quality of life. Short stature during childhood may be associated with academic underachievement and development of comorbidities such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, learning disability, and mood disorders. The most important factors affecting growth are use of corticosteroids, allograft function, and age and height deficit at the time of transplant. Aggressive conservative management of chronic renal failure and early use of growth hormone therapy will help in optimizing height at time of transplant. Early transplant, steroid minimization or withdrawal, and growth hormone therapy will help in achieving normal adult height in a majority of renal post transplant population. Steroid avoidance to achieve good growth still needs to be validated.

Early Foreign Language Learning: The Biological Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peltzer-Karpf, Annemarie

A discussion of the biological and developmental issues in early second language learning first looks at psycholinguistic research on brain growth patterns and the relationship of first and second language learning. Focus is on three phenomena observed in the self-organization of living systems: selection of input data; organization of specialized…

Early Education of the Language-Learning Handicapped Child.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Easter Seal Treatment Center of Montgomery County, Rockville, MD.

The brochure descrbies a demonstration program on the early education of the language learning handicapped preschool child. Discussed are symptoms of the language learning problem (such as misunderstanding what is said), a remedial approach based on specific disability intervention, the Easter Seal Treatment Center, project objectives (such as the…

Early Learning and Development: Cultural-Historical Concepts in Play

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fleer, Marilyn

2010-01-01

"Early Learning and Development" provides a unique synthesis of cultural-historical theory from Vygotsky, Elkonin and Leontiev in the 20th century to the ground-breaking research of scholars such as Siraj-Blatchford, Kratsova and Hedegaard today. It demonstrates how development and learning are culturally embedded and institutionally defined, and…

Preventing Early Learning Failure.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sornson, Bob, Ed.

Noting that thousands of young children with the capacity to experience school success do not because they are unprepared for school learning activities, have experienced physical or emotional setbacks that cause them to be at risk for early learning failure, have never experienced limits on their behavior, or have mild sensory or motor deficits,…

A New Tool to Facilitate Learning Reading for Early Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Puspitasari, Cita; Subiyanto

2017-01-01

This paper proposes a new android application for early childhood learning reading. The description includes a design, development, and an evaluation experiment of an educational game for learning reading on android. Before developing the game, Unified Modeling Language (UML) diagrams, interfaces, animation, narrative or audio were designed.…

Addressing Early Learning Standards for All Children within Blended Preschool Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grisham-Brown, Jennifer; Pretti-Frontczak, Kristie; Hawkins, Sarah R.; Winchell, Brooke N.

2009-01-01

Preschool teachers working in blended classrooms are faced with identifying which children need intensive instruction as well as being responsible for directly linking individualized learning outcomes with state or federal early learning standards. The series of studies presented were designed to illustrate how teachers working in blended…

Optimizing Computer Assisted Instruction By Applying Principles of Learning Theory.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Thomas O.

The development of learning theory and its application to computer-assisted instruction (CAI) are described. Among the early theoretical constructs thought to be important are E. L. Thorndike's concept of learning connectisms, Neal Miller's theory of motivation, and B. F. Skinner's theory of operant conditioning. Early devices incorporating those…

In Defense of Active Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pica, Rae

2008-01-01

Effective early childhood teachers use what they know about and have observed in young children to design programs to meet children's developmental needs. Play and active learning are key tools to address those needs and facilitate children's early education. In this article, the author discusses the benefits of active learning in the education of…

Early Foundations for Mathematics Learning and Their Relations to Learning Disabilities.

PubMed

Geary, David C

2013-02-01

Children's quantitative competencies upon entry into school can have lifelong consequences. Children who start behind generally stay behind, and mathematical skills at school completion influence employment prospects and wages in adulthood. I review the current debate over whether early quantitative learning is supported by (a) an inherent system for representing approximate magnitudes, (b) an attentional-control system that enables explicit processing of quantitative symbols, such as Arabic numerals, or (c) the logical problem-solving abilities that facilitate learning of the relations among numerals. Studies of children with mathematical learning disabilities and difficulties have suggested that each of these competencies may be involved, but to different degrees and at different points in the learning process. Clarifying how and when these competencies facilitate early quantitative learning and developing interventions to address their impact on children have the potential to yield substantial benefits for individuals and for society.

The Combined Influence of Air Pollution and Home Learning Environment on Early Cognitive Skills in Children

PubMed Central

Stingone, Jeanette A.

2017-01-01

Cognitive skills are one component of school readiness that reflect a child’s neurodevelopment and are influenced by environmental and social factors. Most studies assess the impact of these factors individually, without taking into consideration the complex interactions of multiple factors. The objective of this study was to examine the joint association of markers of environmental pollution and of social factors on early cognitive skills in an urban cohort of children. For this, we chose isophorone in ambient air as a marker of industrial air pollution. Low quality home learning environments was chosen as a marker of the social factors contributing to cognitive development. Using a subpopulation from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort (N = 4050), isophorone exposure was assigned using the 2002 National Air Toxics Assessment. Home learning environment was assessed with a modified version of the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) Inventory, and standardized math assessment scores were used as a measure of early cognitive skills. Multiple linear regression was used to estimate the effect of both exposures on math scores. After adjustment for confounders, children living in areas with ambient isophorone in the upper quintile of exposure (>0.49 ng/m3) had math scores that were 1.63 points lower than their less exposed peers [95% CI: −2.91, −0.34], and children with lower HOME scores (at or below 9 out of 12) had math scores that were 1.20 points lower than children with better HOME scores [95% CI: −2.30, −0.10]. In adjusted models accounting for identified confounders and both exposures of interest, both high isophorone exposure and low HOME score remained independently associated with math scores [−1.48, 95% CI: −2.79, −0.18; −1.05, 95% CI: −2.15, 0.05, respectively]. There was no statistical evidence of interaction between the two exposures, although children with both higher isophorone exposure and a low HOME score had a decrement in math scale score beyond the additive effect of each exposure. This was primarily observed among male children. These findings suggest that aspects of both the physical and social environments are independently associated with children’s early cognitive skills. Future research aiming to improve children’s early cognitive skills and subsequent school readiness should address both domains. PMID:29072589

The Combined Influence of Air Pollution and Home Learning Environment on Early Cognitive Skills in Children.

PubMed

Lett, Lanair A; Stingone, Jeanette A; Claudio, Luz

2017-10-26

Cognitive skills are one component of school readiness that reflect a child's neurodevelopment and are influenced by environmental and social factors. Most studies assess the impact of these factors individually, without taking into consideration the complex interactions of multiple factors. The objective of this study was to examine the joint association of markers of environmental pollution and of social factors on early cognitive skills in an urban cohort of children. For this, we chose isophorone in ambient air as a marker of industrial air pollution. Low quality home learning environments was chosen as a marker of the social factors contributing to cognitive development. Using a subpopulation from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort (N = 4050), isophorone exposure was assigned using the 2002 National Air Toxics Assessment. Home learning environment was assessed with a modified version of the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) Inventory, and standardized math assessment scores were used as a measure of early cognitive skills. Multiple linear regression was used to estimate the effect of both exposures on math scores. After adjustment for confounders, children living in areas with ambient isophorone in the upper quintile of exposure (>0.49 ng/m³) had math scores that were 1.63 points lower than their less exposed peers [95% CI: -2.91, -0.34], and children with lower HOME scores (at or below 9 out of 12) had math scores that were 1.20 points lower than children with better HOME scores [95% CI: -2.30, -0.10]. In adjusted models accounting for identified confounders and both exposures of interest, both high isophorone exposure and low HOME score remained independently associated with math scores [-1.48, 95% CI: -2.79, -0.18; -1.05, 95% CI: -2.15, 0.05, respectively]. There was no statistical evidence of interaction between the two exposures, although children with both higher isophorone exposure and a low HOME score had a decrement in math scale score beyond the additive effect of each exposure. This was primarily observed among male children. These findings suggest that aspects of both the physical and social environments are independently associated with children's early cognitive skills. Future research aiming to improve children's early cognitive skills and subsequent school readiness should address both domains.

Creating Learning Environments in the Early Grades That Support Teacher and Student Success: Profiles of Effective Practices in Three Expanded Learning Time Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farbman, David A.; Novoryta, Ami

2016-01-01

In "Creating Learning Environments in the Early Grades that Support Teacher and Student Success," the National Center on Time & Learning (NCTL) profiles three expanded-time elementary schools that leverage a longer school day to better serve young students. In particular, the report describes how a longer day opens up opportunities…

Experience during Early Adulthood Shapes the Learning Capacities and the Number of Synaptic Boutons in the Mushroom Bodies of Honey Bees ("Apis mellifera")

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cabirol, Amélie; Brooks, Rufus; Groh, Claudia; Barron, Andrew B.; Devaud, Jean-Marc

2017-01-01

The honey bee mushroom bodies (MBs) are brain centers required for specific learning tasks. Here, we show that environmental conditions experienced as young adults affect the maturation of MB neuropil and performance in a MB-dependent learning task. Specifically, olfactory reversal learning was selectively impaired following early exposure to an…

Measuring Teachers and Learners' Perceptions of the Quality of Their Online Learning Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gómez-Rey, Pilar; Barbera, Elena; Fernández-Navarro, Francisco

2016-01-01

This article explores the quality of the online learning experience based on the Sloan-C framework and the Online Learning Consortium's (OLC) quality scorecard. The OLC index has been implemented to evaluate quality in online programs from different perspectives. Despite this, the opinions of learners are ignored, and it is built using feedback…

Quality in E-Learning: A Framework for Promoting and Assuring Quality in Virtual Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masoumi, D.; Lindstrom, B.

2012-01-01

With the growing demand for e-learning along with striving for excellence associated with globalization, there are worldwide calls for enhancing and assuring quality in e-learning, specifically in the context of the developing countries. Such calls for quality enhancement, accountability, added value, value for money, self-evaluation, and role…

Involving Tutors and Support Staff in the Adult and Community Learning Quality Agenda.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ravenhall, Mark; Ogilvie, Margaret; Ewens, David

This booklet outlines the new policy context facing adult and community learning (ACL) providers in Great Britain in their pursuit of high-quality learning experiences for their customers. It shows how a Total Quality Management (TQM) approach to supporting staff development can be effective in securing quality. TQM components are values,…

Machine learning modeling of plant phenology based on coupling satellite and gridded meteorological dataset

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Czernecki, Bartosz; Nowosad, Jakub; Jabłońska, Katarzyna

2018-04-01

Changes in the timing of plant phenological phases are important proxies in contemporary climate research. However, most of the commonly used traditional phenological observations do not give any coherent spatial information. While consistent spatial data can be obtained from airborne sensors and preprocessed gridded meteorological data, not many studies robustly benefit from these data sources. Therefore, the main aim of this study is to create and evaluate different statistical models for reconstructing, predicting, and improving quality of phenological phases monitoring with the use of satellite and meteorological products. A quality-controlled dataset of the 13 BBCH plant phenophases in Poland was collected for the period 2007-2014. For each phenophase, statistical models were built using the most commonly applied regression-based machine learning techniques, such as multiple linear regression, lasso, principal component regression, generalized boosted models, and random forest. The quality of the models was estimated using a k-fold cross-validation. The obtained results showed varying potential for coupling meteorological derived indices with remote sensing products in terms of phenological modeling; however, application of both data sources improves models' accuracy from 0.6 to 4.6 day in terms of obtained RMSE. It is shown that a robust prediction of early phenological phases is mostly related to meteorological indices, whereas for autumn phenophases, there is a stronger information signal provided by satellite-derived vegetation metrics. Choosing a specific set of predictors and applying a robust preprocessing procedures is more important for final results than the selection of a particular statistical model. The average RMSE for the best models of all phenophases is 6.3, while the individual RMSE vary seasonally from 3.5 to 10 days. Models give reliable proxy for ground observations with RMSE below 5 days for early spring and late spring phenophases. For other phenophases, RMSE are higher and rise up to 9-10 days in the case of the earliest spring phenophases.

The Neurobiology of Attachment to Nurturing and Abusive Caregivers

PubMed Central

Sullivan, Regina M.

2013-01-01

Decades of research have shown that childhood experiences interact with our genetics to change the structure and function of the brain. Within the range of normal experiences, this system enables the brain to be modified during development to adapt to various environments and cultures. Experiences with and attachment to the caregiver appear particularly important, and recent research suggests this may be due, in part, to the attachment circuitry within the brain. Children have brain circuitry to ensure attachment to their caregivers. Attachment depends on the offspring learning about the caregiver in a process that begins prenatally and continues through most of early life. This attachment serves two basic functions. First, attachment ensures the infant remain in the proximity of the caregiver to procure resources for survival and protection. Second, attachment “quality programs” the brain. This programming impacts immediate behaviors, as well as behaviors that emerge later in development. Animal research has uncovered segments of the attachment circuitry within the brain and has highlighted rapid, robust learning to support this attachment. A child attaches to the caregiver regardless of the quality of care received, even if the caregiver is abusive and neglectful. While a neural system that ensures attachment regardless of the quality of care has immediate benefits, this attachment comes with a high cost. Traumatic experiences interact with genetics to change the structure and function of the brain, compromising emotional and cognitive development and initiating a pathway to pathology. Neurobiological research on animals suggests that trauma during attachment is processed differently by the brain, with maternal presence dramatically attenuating the fear center of the brain (amygdala). Thus, the immaturity of the brain combined with the unique processing of trauma may underlie the enduring effects of abuse, which remain largely hidden in early life but emerge as mental health issues in periadolescence. PMID:24049190

Learning to Teach in the Early Years Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blaise, Mindy; Nuttal, Joce

2011-01-01

"Learning to Teach in the Early Years Classroom" helps teacher education students understand the complexities of teaching in early years' classrooms. It integrates research and theory with practice through vignettes, based on authentic classroom case studies, in order to show students how educators make decisions and achieve expected outcomes.…

Literacy in Early Childhood and Primary Education: Issues, Challenges, Solutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLachlan, Claire; Nicholson, Tom; Fielding-Barnsley, Ruth; Mercer, Louise; Ohi, Sarah

2012-01-01

Literacy in Early Childhood and Primary Education provides a comprehensive introduction to literacy teaching and learning. The book explores the continuum of literacy learning and children's transitions from early childhood settings to junior primary classrooms and then to senior primary and beyond. Reader-friendly and accessible, this book equips…

Children's Early Approaches to Learning and Academic Trajectories through Fifth Grade

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li-Grining, Christine P.; Votruba-Drzal, Elizabeth; Maldonado-Carreno, Carolina; Haas, Kelly

2010-01-01

Children's early approaches to learning (ATL) enhance their adaptation to the demands they experience with the start of formal schooling. The current study uses individual growth modeling to investigate whether children's early ATL, which includes persistence, emotion regulation, and attentiveness, explain individual differences in their academic…

Early Years Teachers' Perspectives on Teaching through Multiple Metaphors and Multimodality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mildenhall, Paula

2015-01-01

Recent research findings indicate that using multiple metaphors in multimodal learning experiences are effective teaching approaches in early years mathematics. Using a social semiotic lens this paper reports on eight early years teachers' perceptions of this approach whilst engaging in a small collaborative professional learning group. This group…

Learning with Technology for Pre-Service Early Childhood Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Anne; Scotellaro, Grazia

2009-01-01

This paper describes an innovative pilot project at the University of Canberra aimed at providing pre-service early childhood teachers with the skills, confidence and ideological change required to include technology-enhanced learning as part of the early childhood curriculum. The impact of the project was evaluated through participant…

Designing Informal Learning Experiences for Early Career Academics Using a Knowledge Ecosystem Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Faye; Partridge, Helen; Bruce, Christine; Hemmings, Brian

2017-01-01

This article presents a "knowledge ecosystem" model of how early career academics experience using information to learn while building their social networks for developmental purposes. Developed using grounded theory methodology, the model offers a way of conceptualising how to empower early career academics through (1) agency…

The First Three Years: Experiences of Early Career Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fenwick, Ashley

2011-01-01

This study considers two discourses of current relevance to national and international educators--early professional learning (EPL) and curriculum change. Induction arrangements for early career teachers (ECTs), EPL and informal learning have received considerable attention in the past few years. Changes to induction inevitably have knock-on…

Integrating Early Writing into Science Instruction in Preschool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wheatley, Barbara C.; Gerde, Hope K.; Cabell, Sonia Q.

2016-01-01

Providing children with early writing opportunities in preschool is a meaningful way to facilitate their language and literacy learning. Young children have an innate curiosity of the natural world around them that motivates their learning; therefore science experiences are logical areas in which to incorporate early writing opportunities.…

'Stepping in' or 'stepping back': how first year nursing students begin to learn about person-centred care.

PubMed

Currie, Kay; Bannerman, Samantha; Howatson, Val; MacLeod, Fiona; Mayne, Wendy; Organ, Christine; Renton, Sarah; Scott, Janine

2015-01-01

The concept of person-centred care has gained international recognition over the last decade and forms one of the key concepts of our Nursing Quality Improvement Curricular Framework. This study aimed to investigate nursing students' learning about person-centred care during the first-year of their programme. Qualitative thematic analysis of a section of placement learning documents from two consecutive cohorts of students from all fields of nursing (n=405), supplemented by three focus group discussions. Two conceptual categories of student approaches to learning emerged. Firstly, 'stepping back', or learning from a distance about how nurses provide care, often through reading case notes and care plans; second, 'stepping in', learning about the patient as a person by direct interaction with service users. Evidence of reflection on the patient's experience of care was limited. These results have resonance with existing pedagogical theories around preferences for active or passive styles of learning. The potential for clinical mentors to build student confidence and encourage direct engagement with patients was highlighted. Students are aware of the concepts, principles and professional values of person-centred care from early in their programme; however, the majority tend to be preoccupied by learning about what nurses 'do', rather than 'how patients experience care'. Development towards a more person-centred approach may require targeted support from mentors to help students gain confidence and begin reflecting on how patients experience care. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Two Processes in Early Bimanual Motor Skill Learning

PubMed Central

Yeganeh Doost, Maral; Orban de Xivry, Jean-Jacques; Bihin, Benoît; Vandermeeren, Yves

2017-01-01

Most daily activities are bimanual and their efficient performance requires learning and retention of bimanual coordination. Despite in-depth knowledge of the various stages of motor skill learning in general, how new bimanual coordination control policies are established is still unclear. We designed a new cooperative bimanual task in which subjects had to move a cursor across a complex path (a circuit) as fast and as accurately as possible through coordinated bimanual movements. By looking at the transfer of the skill between different circuits and by looking at training with varying circuits, we identified two processes in early bimanual motor learning. Loss of performance due to the switch in circuit after 15 min of training amounted to 20%, which suggests that a significant portion of improvements in bimanual performance is specific to the used circuit (circuit-specific skill). In contrast, the loss of performance due to the switch in circuit was 5% after 4 min of training. This suggests that learning the new bimanual coordination control policy dominates early in the training and is independent of the used circuit. Finally, switching between two circuits throughout training did not affect the early stage of learning (i.e., the first few minutes), but did affect the later stage. Together, these results suggest that early bimanual motor skill learning includes two different processes. Learning the new bimanual coordination control policy predominates in the first minutes whereas circuit-specific skill improvements unfold later in parallel with further improvements in the bimanual coordination control policy. PMID:29326573

Reinventing Teaching and Testing: Quality Learning for Quality Employment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooke, Brian P.

To succeed in today's competitive global markets, organizations are hiring responsible problem solvers and collaborative "associates" who improve productivity, assure quality service, and contribute creatively. These organizations demand employees who are skilled at learning to learn, listening, communicating, problem solving, teamwork,…

An Evaluation of the ELNP e-Learning Quality Assurance Program: Perspectives of Gap Analysis and Innovation Diffusion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Ming-Puu

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the appropriateness of a nationwide quality assurance framework for e-learning from participants' perspectives. Two types of quality evaluation programs were examined in this study, including the e-Learning Service Certification program (eLSC) and the e-Learning Courseware Certification program (eLCC). Gap…

Exploring nursing e-learning systems success based on information system success model.

PubMed

Chang, Hui-Chuan; Liu, Chung-Feng; Hwang, Hsin-Ginn

2011-12-01

E-learning is thought of as an innovative approach to enhance nurses' care service knowledge. Extensive research has provided rich information toward system development, courses design, and nurses' satisfaction with an e-learning system. However, a comprehensive view in understanding nursing e-learning system success is an important but less focused-on topic. The purpose of this research was to explore net benefits of nursing e-learning systems based on the updated DeLone and McLean's Information System Success Model. The study used a self-administered questionnaire to collected 208 valid nurses' responses from 21 of Taiwan's medium- and large-scale hospitals that have implemented nursing e-learning systems. The result confirms that the model is sufficient to explore the nurses' use of e-learning systems in terms of intention to use, user satisfaction, and net benefits. However, while the three exogenous quality factors (system quality, information quality, and service quality) were all found to be critical factors affecting user satisfaction, only information quality showed a direct effect on the intention to use. This study provides useful insights for evaluating nursing e-learning system qualities as well as an understanding of nurses' intentions and satisfaction related to performance benefits.

Conceptual Foundations and Components of a Contextual Intervention to Promote Student Engagement during Early Adolescence: The Supporting Early Adolescent Learning and Social Success (SEALS) Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farmer, Thomas W.; Hamm, Jill V.; Lane, Kathleen L.; Lee, David; Sutherland, Kevin S.; Hall, Cristin M.; Murray, Robert A.

2013-01-01

Decades of research indicate that many early adolescents are at risk for developing significant school adjustment problems in the academic, behavioral, and social domains during the transition to middle school. The Supporting Early Adolescent Learning and Social Success (SEALS) model has been developed as a professional development and…

The Role of Motive Objects in Early Childhood Teacher Development Concerning Children's Digital Play and Play-Based Learning in Early Childhood Curricula

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nuttall, Joce; Edwards, Susan; Mantilla, Ana; Grieshaber, Sue; Wood, Elizabeth

2015-01-01

Digital technologies are increasingly accepted as a viable aspect of early childhood curriculum. However, teacher uptake of digital technologies in early childhood education and their use with young children in play-based approaches to learning have not been strong. Traditional approaches to the problem of teacher uptake of digital technologies in…

Quality Assurance in E-Learning: PDPP Evaluation Model and Its Application

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Weiyuan; Cheng, Y. L.

2012-01-01

E-learning has become an increasingly important teaching and learning mode in educational institutions and corporate training. The evaluation of e-learning, however, is essential for the quality assurance of e-learning courses. This paper constructs a four-phase evaluation model for e-learning courses, which includes planning, development,…

Coparenting Quality During the First Three Months After Birth: The Role of Infant Sleep Quality

PubMed Central

McDaniel, Brandon T.; Teti, Douglas M.

2013-01-01

The transition to parenthood can be stressful for new parents, as parents must learn to take on new roles and responsibilities. Sleep disruption—which has been linked in prior research to parent distress and fatigue—is common in the early months. The current study is the first to our knowledge to examine infant sleep and its potential indirect influence on parents’ perceptions of coparenting quality at 1 and 3 months of infant age. Participants included 150 families. Mothers reported more night waking, poorer sleep quality, more depressive symptoms, and worse perceptions of coparenting quality as compared with fathers. We tested a structural model of infant and parent night waking and sleep quality as predictors of parent distress and coparenting using maximum likelihood estimation. The frequency of infant night waking predicted father and mother night waking, which in turn predicted parent sleep quality. Poor parent sleep quality predicted elevated depressive symptoms, and finally depressive symptoms were negatively related to perceptions of coparenting quality. Significant indirect effects between infant night waking and parent depression and coparenting quality were found. In summary, both mothers’ and fathers’ perceptions of coparenting were related to the unfolding parental dynamics that take place surrounding infant sleep difficulties. This held true even after controlling for parent education, family income, and infant temperament. Therefore, parenting may indirectly benefit from interventions targeting infant sleep difficulties. PMID:23244456

Taking the brakes off the learning curve.

PubMed

Gheysen, Freja; Lasne, Gabriel; Pélégrini-Issac, Mélanie; Albouy, Genevieve; Meunier, Sabine; Benali, Habib; Doyon, Julien; Popa, Traian

2017-03-01

Motor learning is characterized by patterns of cerebello-striato-cortical activations shifting in time, yet the early dynamic and function of these activations remains unclear. Five groups of subjects underwent either continuous or intermittent theta-burst stimulation of one cerebellar hemisphere, or no stimulation just before learning a new motor sequence during fMRI scanning. We identified three phases during initial learning: one rapid, one slow, and one quasi-asymptotic performance phase. These phases were not changed by left cerebellar stimulation. Right cerebellar inhibition, however, accelerated learning and enhanced brain activation in critical motor learning-related areas during the first phase, continuing with reduced brain activation but high-performance in late phase. Right cerebellar excitation did not affect the early learning process, but slowed learning significantly in late phase, along with increased brain activation. We conclude that the right cerebellum is a key factor coordinating other neuronal loops in the early acquisition of an explicit motor sequential skill. Hum Brain Mapp 38:1676-1691, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Using variability to guide dimensional weighting: Associative mechanisms in early word learning

PubMed Central

Apfelbaum, Keith S.; McMurray, Bob

2013-01-01

At 14 months, children appear to struggle to apply their fairly well developed speech perception abilities to learning similar sounding words (e.g. bih/dih; Stager & Werker, 1997). However, variability in non-phonetic aspects of the training stimuli seems to aid word learning at this age. Extant theories of early word learning cannot account for this benefit of variability. We offer a simple explanation for this range of effects based on associative learning. Simulations suggest that if infants encode both non-contrastive information (e.g. cues to speaker voice) and meaningful linguistic cues (e.g. place of articulation or voicing), then associative learning mechanisms predict these variability effects in early word learning. Crucially, this means that despite the importance of task variables in predicting performance, this body of work shows that phonological categories are still developing in this age, and that the structure of non-informative cues has critical influences on word learning abilities. PMID:21609356

Towards High-Quality Reflective Learning amongst Law Undergraduate Students: Analysing Students' Reflective Journals during a Problem-Based Learning Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rué, Joan; Font, Antoni; Cebrián, Gisela

2013-01-01

There is wide agreement that problem-based learning is a key strategy to promote individual abilities for "learning how to learn". This paper presents the main contributions that reflective journals and the problem-based learning approach can make to foster professional knowledge and quality learning in higher education. Thirty-six…