Follow the Leader: Attending to the Curriculum Making Potential of Preschoolers

Science.gov (United States)

Miller Marsh, Monica; Zhulamanova, Ilfa

2017-01-01

This research focused on making visible children's funds of identity [Esteban-Guitart, M., & Moll, L. (2014). Funds of identity: A new concept based on the funds of knowledge approach. "Culture & Psychology," 20(1), 31-48] and incorporating these resources into an inquiry-oriented, play-based, preschool curriculum. Participants…

Collaboration between Mathematics Facilitators and Preschool Teachers Using the Innovative "Senso-Math" Preschool Program

Science.gov (United States)

Hassidov, Dina; Ilany, Bat-Sheva

2018-01-01

This article presents a mixed-method study of the innovative "Senso-Math" preschool program and the reactions of both the facilitators, who underwent a special training program, and the preschool teachers in whose classes the program was implemented. The goal of the program is to enhance mathematical development in preschool children…

A Cluster Randomized-Controlled Trial of the Impact of the Tools of the Mind Curriculum on Self-Regulation in Canadian Preschoolers.

Science.gov (United States)

Solomon, Tracy; Plamondon, Andre; O'Hara, Arland; Finch, Heather; Goco, Geraldine; Chaban, Peter; Huggins, Lorrie; Ferguson, Bruce; Tannock, Rosemary

2017-01-01

Early self-regulation predicts school readiness, academic success, and quality of life in adulthood. Its development in the preschool years is rapid and also malleable. Thus, preschool curricula that promote the development of self-regulation may help set children on a more positive developmental trajectory. We conducted a cluster-randomized controlled trial of the Tools of the Mind preschool curriculum, a program that targets self-regulation through imaginative play and self-regulatory language (Tools; clinical trials identifier NCT02462733). Previous research with Tools is limited, with mixed evidence of its effectiveness. Moreover, it is unclear whether it would benefit all preschoolers or primarily those with poorly developed cognitive capacities (e.g., language, executive function, attention). The study goals were to ascertain whether the Tools program leads to greater gains in self-regulation compared to Playing to Learn (YMCA PTL), another play based program that does not target self-regulation specifically, and whether the effects were moderated by children's initial language and hyperactivity/inattention. Two hundred and sixty 3- to 4-year-olds attending 20 largely urban daycares were randomly assigned, at the site level, to receive either Tools or YMCA PTL (the business-as-usual curriculum) for 15 months. We assessed self-regulation at pre-, mid and post intervention, using two executive function tasks, and two questionnaires regarding behavior at home and at school, to capture development in cognitive as well as socio-emotional aspects of self-regulation. Fidelity data showed that only the teachers at the Tools sites implemented Tools, and did so with reasonable success. We found that children who received Tools made greater gains on a behavioral measure of executive function than their YMCA PTL peers, but the difference was significant only for those children whose parents rated them high in hyperactivity/inattention initially. The effect of Tools did

A Cluster Randomized-Controlled Trial of the Impact of the Tools of the Mind Curriculum on Self-Regulation in Canadian Preschoolers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tracy Solomon

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Early self-regulation predicts school readiness, academic success, and quality of life in adulthood. Its development in the preschool years is rapid and also malleable. Thus, preschool curricula that promote the development of self-regulation may help set children on a more positive developmental trajectory. We conducted a cluster-randomized controlled trial of the Tools of the Mind preschool curriculum, a program that targets self-regulation through imaginative play and self-regulatory language (Tools; clinical trials identifier NCT02462733. Previous research with Tools is limited, with mixed evidence of its effectiveness. Moreover, it is unclear whether it would benefit all preschoolers or primarily those with poorly developed cognitive capacities (e.g., language, executive function, attention. The study goals were to ascertain whether the Tools program leads to greater gains in self-regulation compared to Playing to Learn (YMCA PTL, another play based program that does not target self-regulation specifically, and whether the effects were moderated by children’s initial language and hyperactivity/inattention. Two hundred and sixty 3- to 4-year-olds attending 20 largely urban daycares were randomly assigned, at the site level, to receive either Tools or YMCA PTL (the business-as-usual curriculum for 15 months. We assessed self-regulation at pre-, mid and post intervention, using two executive function tasks, and two questionnaires regarding behavior at home and at school, to capture development in cognitive as well as socio-emotional aspects of self-regulation. Fidelity data showed that only the teachers at the Tools sites implemented Tools, and did so with reasonable success. We found that children who received Tools made greater gains on a behavioral measure of executive function than their YMCA PTL peers, but the difference was significant only for those children whose parents rated them high in hyperactivity/inattention initially. The

Nature in Preschool

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Husted, Mia; Frøkjær, Thorleif

‘Nature and nature phenomena’ has formed a specific curriculum theme in Danish preschool since early childhood curriculum was prescribed by law in 2004. However, recent evaluations show that the implementation of an early childhood curriculum has not produced an increased pedagogical focus...... on ‘nature and nature phenomena’ in preschools (EVA 2012). This finding, along with an increased political interest in goals and measurable outcome of early childhood curriculum (Broström 2012), will be the starting point in our ambition to carry out a more thorough qualitative investigation into links...... between preschool teachers’ understanding and interest in teaching nature and the rather poor evaluation....

Curriculum-Based Handwriting Programs: A Systematic Review With Effect Sizes

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Engel, Courtney; Lillie, Kristin; Zurawski, Sarah; Travers, Brittany G.

2018-01-01

Challenges with handwriting can have a negative impact on academic performance, and these challenges are commonly addressed by occupational therapy practitioners in school settings. This systematic review examined the efficacy of curriculum-based interventions to address children’s handwriting difficulties in the classroom (preschool to second grade). We reviewed and computed effect sizes for 13 studies (11 Level II, 2 Level III) identified through a comprehensive database search. The evidence shows that curriculum-based handwriting interventions resulted in small- to medium-sized improvements in legibility, a commonly reported challenge in this age group. The evidence for whether these interventions improved speed is mixed, and the evidence for whether they improved fluency is insufficient. No clear support was found for one handwriting program over another. These results suggest that curriculum-based interventions can lead to improvements in handwriting legibility, but Level I research is needed to validate the efficacy of these curricula. PMID:29689170

Effectiveness of a Danish early year preschool program

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Bente; Holm, Anders; Bremberg, Sven

2013-01-01

A significant number of studies indicate that early year preschool programs lead to positive long-term effects. Systematic quality improvement of early year preschool may enhance these outcomes. The ASP Program was built on this principle. In this program preschool staff are supported...... in their efforts to critically reflect on current practices and to change these. A randomized controlled study was carried out in Denmark from September 2006 to May 2008. The study encompassed 2323 children in 59 preschools in two municipalities. Children were assessed using the Strength and Difficulties...

Continuous Improvement in State Funded Preschool Programs

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Jackson, Sarah L.

2012-01-01

State funded preschool programs were constantly faced with the need to change in order to address internal and external demands. As programs engaged in efforts towards change, minimal research was available on how to support continuous improvement efforts within the context unique to state funded preschool programs. Guidance available had…

The Effectiveness of a Formal Physical Education Curriculum on the Physical Ability of Children in a Preschool Context

Science.gov (United States)

Loy-Ee, Carol Boon Peng; Ng, Patricia Mui Hoon

2018-01-01

Studies have pointed to the benefits of physical activity (PA), yet the level of PA participation among preschoolers is low. This in turn could have resulted in the limited research literature on the PA level or physical education curriculum (PEC) of preschool children. Those reviewed here are mostly from countries in the West, as those from Asia…

学前教育专业音乐课程设置探析%On the music curriculum setting of preschool education major

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

马婷

2013-01-01

Based on the current preschool education music curriculum as the research object, the characteristics and function of music education in preschool education as the clue, to discuss the setting of music curriculum of preschool education major.%本文以当前学前教育专业音乐课程的设置为研究对象，以学前教育中音乐教育的特点和作用为线索，探讨在学前教育专业中音乐课程的设置问题。

Universal Preschool Programs and Long-Term Child Outcomes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dietrichson, Jens; Kristiansen, Ida Lykke; Viinholt Nielsen, Bjørn Christian

2018-01-01

This systematic review included 25 studies using natural experiments to estimate the effects of universal preschool programs for children aged 0-6 years on child outcomes measured from third grade to adulthood. Studies comparing preschool with parental, family, or other informal modes of care...... alternative types of universal preschool programs in terms of long-term outcomes....

Impacts of a Comprehensive School Readiness Curriculum for Preschool Children at Risk for Educational Difficulties

Science.gov (United States)

Lonigan, Christopher J.; Phillips, Beth M.; Clancy, Jeanine L.; Landry, Susan H.; Swank, Paul R.; Assel, Michael; Taylor, Heather B.; Klein, Alice; Starkey, Prentice; Domitrovich, Celene E.; Eisenberg, Nancy; Villiers, Jill; Villiers, Peter; Barnes, Marcia

2015-01-01

This article reports findings from a cluster-randomized study of an integrated literacy- and math-focused preschool curriculum, comparing versions with and without an explicit socioemotional lesson component to a business-as-usual condition. Participants included 110 classroom teachers from randomized classrooms and approximately eight students…

A CURRICULUM FOR THE PRE-SCHOOL CHILD.

Science.gov (United States)

MOLITOR, M. GRAHAM; AND OTHERS

THIS PRESCHOOL PROGRAM OF THE SOUTHERN WISCONSIN COLONY AND TRAINING SCHOOL IS PLANNED TO PROVIDE STIMULATION AND EXPERIENCES SIMILAR TO THOSE WHICH A MOTHER MIGHT PROVIDE AT HOME. EXPERIENCES PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDULGENCE OF CURIOSITY AND IMAGINATION, COMFORTABLE COMPETITION WITH SELF AND OTHERS, RECOGNITION AND ATTENTION AS AN INDIVIDUAL,…

Organising and Leading Systematic Quality Work in the Preschool -- Preschool Managers' Perspectives

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Håkansson, Jan

2016-01-01

Preschool managers' responsibility for and leadership of systematic quality work has come to the fore in connection with changes made to the Swedish preschool curriculum. The aim of this study is to contribute to the understanding of preschool managers' leadership and management of the systematic quality work in Swedish preschools with reference…

The development of a taste education program for preschoolers and evaluation of a program by parents and childcare personnel.

Science.gov (United States)

Shon, Choengmin; Park, Young; Ryou, Hyunjoo; Na, Woori; Choi, Kyungsuk

2012-10-01

The change in people's dietary life has led to an increase in an intake of processed foods and food chemicals, raising awareness about taste education for preschoolers whose dietary habits start to grow. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness and satisfaction of parents and childcare personnel after developing a taste education program and demonstrating it in class. A part of the curriculum developed by Piusais and Pierre was referred for the program. After educating 524 preschoolers in child care facilities in Seoul, a satisfaction survey was conducted on the program. The data in this study were analyzed using SPSS 14.0. Statistical analysis was conducted based on the frequency after collecting the data. Mean ± SD used to determine satisfaction with taste education, with preferences marked on a five-point scale and the alpha was set at 0.05. The program includes five teachers' guides with subjects of sweetness, saltiness, sourness, bitterness and harmony of flavor, and ten kinds of teaching tools. For the change in parents' recognition of the need for taste education based on five-point scale, the average of 4.06 ± 0.62 before the program has significantly increased to 4.32 ± 0.52 (P facilities, the average scores for education method, education effect, education contents and nutritionists, and teaching tools were at 4.15 ± 0.63, 3.91 ± 0.50, 4.18 ± 0.50, and 3.80 ± 0.56 respectively. In addition, the need for a continuous taste education scored 4.42 ± 0.67. This program has created a positive change in preschoolers' dietary life, therefore the continuation and propagation of the taste education program should be considered.

Events of potential learning: how preschoolers produce curriculum at the computer during free play periods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mats Bevemyr

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The Swedish preschool curriculum emphasizes children’s learning through play. This means that children’s learning in everyday practice is accomplished through a complex mixture of teacher-led activities and activities the children themselves initiate. When learning is viewed as situated and constituted through social interaction (Lave & Wenger, 1991, almost all social events have learning potential. Consequently, from an educational and a curriculum point of view it is important to raise the question of how children’s learning can be made visible, and determine what kind of learning children’s own initiated (play activities imply. The focus of the paper is on children’s (aged 3-5 years “communities of practice” at the computer during “free play” period in two various Swedish preschools settings. Events of peer interaction are analyzed in detail to illustrate what kind of learning activities are going on at the computer, and to discuss these events of potential learning in relation to the curriculum goals and the educational practice. From a curriculum point of view, the analyses show that the children’s activities at the computer involve a variety of events that might provides for learning that can be viewed as goal-oriented. From the children’s point of view, the project of socialization seems to be the most prominent goal. A crucial point for educational success, however, is to understand not only what the object of learning is, rather what motivates children’s play apprenticeship in their own “communities of practice”.

What I learned from the Ypsilanti Perry Preschool Project: A teacher’s reflections

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Derman-Sparks Louise

2016-06-01

Full Text Available This article, written by one of the teachers in the Ypsilanti Perry Preschool Project (1962-1967, critically examines the prevailing narrative about the preschool project’s relationship to the High/Scope Educational Foundation. It describes what the author and other teachers actually did, the principles that informed their practice, and challenges the prevailing myth that the Perry Preschool used the High/ Scope Educational Foundation curriculum. It also discusses what the High/Scope Longitudinal Study did not research about the program, families, and children in the Ypsilanti Perry Preschool and examines possible factors, beyond the curriculum, which effected its positive outcomes. The Perry Preschool Project occurred during the years of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement in the USA, and reflected prevailing ideologies and educational philosophies, some of which were in contention with each other. By bringing the Teachers’ voices to the prevailing discussion, which, to date, is dominated by the Project administrators’ perspective, the article seeks to open up new thinking about the lessons of the Ypsilanti Perry Preschool Project for both early childhood education pedagogy and research.

Benefits, Costs, and Explanation of the High/Scope Perry Preschool Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Schweinhart, Lawrence J.

The High/Scope Perry Preschool Study is a study of the effects of a high-quality preschool program for children born in poverty. Following 123 children randomly assigned to program or no-program control groups, the study has had little attrition on a variety of measures from age 3 to age 41. The study has found evidence of preschool program…

A survey on parental expectations toward preschool programs

OpenAIRE

菊池, 知美

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate what parents expect from preschool programs. Pilot Study tried to construct a scale to measure parental expectations toward preschools. Based on weekly observation of children at a preschool, interviews with their teachers, and open-end questionnaires filled in by mothers, the parental expectations were hypothesized to involve four dimensions of children's competencies: intellectual abilities, good classroom attitude, sociability, and interactions....

Facebook: The Use of Social Media to Engage Parents in a Preschool Obesity Prevention Curriculum.

Science.gov (United States)

Swindle, Taren M; Ward, Wendy L; Whiteside-Mansell, Leanne

2018-01-01

This study investigated the use of Facebook to deliver health-related education materials to augment a preschool classroom-based obesity prevention curriculum. Cross-sectional, mixed methods (descriptive and interviews). Head Start classrooms administered by 2 large agencies (1 rural and 1 urban). Convenience sample of parents in 13 classrooms (cohort 1, 3 classrooms; cohort 2, 10 classrooms). Delivery of nutrition education curriculum content using social media (Facebook). Qualitative interviews assessed barriers and facilitators to Facebook use. Parent views, likes, and comments were measured to reflect parent engagement with Facebook. Content analyses (qualitative data) and descriptive statistics (quantitative data). Family access (views) and interaction (comments and likes) with the posts varied based on type and content of posts. Rural families were more active. Barriers to parental Facebook engagement included a desire to see more posts from classroom teachers, lack of time, and misunderstanding about privacy protections. Facilitators of parental Facebook engagement included perceived utility of the content and social support. Facebook was found to be a feasible platform to provide nutrition education and facilitated varying levels of parental engagement. Lessons learned and implications for prevention and intervention programming are offered. Copyright © 2017 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The inclusion of disadvantaged children in preschool programs: The children’s rights and social responsibility

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Jager Jerneja

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Participation of at least 95% of children between the ages of 4 and the mandatory school age in high-quality preschool programs represents an important contribution to the achievement of the Europe 2020 strategy. Slovenia is not far from achieving this objective; however, if we consider participation in preschool programs from the perspective of the entire population of preschool children and the realisation of children’s rights, we note that nearly a quarter of children - among them (at least in the wider European area the most disadvantaged - have not realised the right to education. We studied the awareness of the importance of ensuring access to preschool programs for all children on a representative sample of 106 Slovenian preschool principals by means of quantitative pedagogical research. The results show a high percentage of disadvantaged children in the preschool areas and in the preschools themselves; on the other hand, only a low percentage (only one-third of preschools collect data about disadvantaged children and implement preschool programs for them; only one-fifth of preschools implement preschool programs for disadvantaged children. In order to act responsibly and enable all children the right to education, we must start devoting greater attention to identifying and including disadvantaged children in preschool programs.

Exploring the Relational Efforts Making up a Curriculum Concept--An Actor-Network Theory Analysis of the Curriculum Concept of "Children's Interests"

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Moberg, Emilie

2018-01-01

This paper undertakes an investigation of the "life" of the curriculum concept of "children's interests" in a preschool practice. The concept of "children's interests" plays a vital role in the Swedish preschool curriculum text and in the preschool field. Strongly inspired by Actor-network theory readings, the paper…

Promoting Social and Emotional Competencies among Young Children in Croatia with Preschool PATHS.

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Josipa Mihic

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Preschool PATHS (Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies is an evidence-based universal prevention program focused on promoting children’s social and emotional competencies and reducing the likelihood of behaviour problems and negative relationships with peers and teachers. This paper examines changes in the social and emotional competencies of the first children to participate in Preschool PATHS in Croatia. This study included 164 children, ages 3-6, in 12 preschool classrooms in three cities across Croatia, who participated in the classroom-based Preschool PATHS curriculum. At the beginning and end of the preschool year, teachers completed wellvalidated and reliable assessments of social and emotional competencies on each child. Hierarchical linear models revealed statistically significant and substantial improvements in prosocial behaviour, emotion regulation, emotion symptoms, peer problems, relational aggression, conduct problems, and hyperactive-impulsive behaviour. Study findings reveal significant changes in children’s social and emotional competencies during preschool. This time may present a unique opportunity to buttress children’s skills and improve long-term school success through the implementation of a rigorous empiricallyvalidated prevention program such as Preschool PATHS.

Updating the Economic Impacts of the High/Scope Perry Preschool Program

Science.gov (United States)

Nores, Milagros; Belfield, Clive R.; Barnett, W. Steven; Schweinhart, Lawrence

2005-01-01

This article derives an updated cost-benefit ratio for the High/Scope Perry Preschool Program, an intensive preschool intervention delivered during the 1960s to at-risk children in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Because children were randomly assigned to the program or a control group, differences in outcomes are probably attributable to program status.…

Sticky Dots and Lion Adventures Playing a Part in Preschool Documentation Practices

Science.gov (United States)

Elfström Pettersson, Katarina

2015-01-01

This article examines how material objects such as photographs, papers and computers influence documentation practices in a Swedish preschool. The importance of teacher documentation is emphasized in the 2010 revised Swedish preschool curriculum as a means of evaluating preschool quality. However, the curriculum gives no specific guidelines about…

Preschool Teachers' Use of Music in the Classroom: A Survey of Park District Preschool Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Rajan, Rekha S.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore how preschool teachers use music and identify the types of music activities available to children in their classrooms. Preschool teachers (N = 178) at park district programs throughout a large state in the American Midwest responded to an online questionnaire. Although teachers acknowledged using music…

Investigating Chinese Preschool Teachers' Beliefs in Mathematics Teaching from a Cross-Cultural Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xia; Liu, Song; DeBey, Mary; McFadden, Karen; Pan, Yue-Juan

2018-01-01

In China, preschool curriculum has undergone reform and profound changes. Much remains unknown, however, regarding preschool teachers' teaching beliefs after 30 years of curriculum reform and adaptation. This study aimed to address the issue and investigate teachers' beliefs concerning teaching mathematics. Twelve preschool teachers in China…

Child Development in the Context of Multicultural Pre-School Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Umek, Ljubica Marjanovic; Kranjc, Simona; Fekonja, Urska

This study examined the impact of a multicultural preschool curriculum in Slovenia on preschool children's sensitization to cultural differences and understanding of themselves, others, and different cultures. The curriculum was implemented for a 1-month period for 6.6- to 7-year-olds. Multicultural enrichment was evident in wall decorations, toys…

Promoting prosocial behavior and self-regulatory skills in preschool children through a mindfulness-based Kindness Curriculum.

Science.gov (United States)

Flook, Lisa; Goldberg, Simon B; Pinger, Laura; Davidson, Richard J

2015-01-01

Self-regulatory abilities are robust predictors of important outcomes across the life span, yet they are rarely taught explicitly in school. Using a randomized controlled design, the present study investigated the effects of a 12-week mindfulness-based Kindness Curriculum (KC) delivered in a public school setting on executive function, self-regulation, and prosocial behavior in a sample of 68 preschool children. The KC intervention group showed greater improvements in social competence and earned higher report card grades in domains of learning, health, and social-emotional development, whereas the control group exhibited more selfish behavior over time. Interpretation of effect sizes overall indicate small to medium effects favoring the KC group on measures of cognitive flexibility and delay of gratification. Baseline functioning was found to moderate treatment effects with KC children initially lower in social competence and executive functioning demonstrating larger gains in social competence relative to the control group. These findings, observed over a relatively short intervention period, support the promise of this program for promoting self-regulation and prosocial behavior in young children. They also support the need for future investigation of program implementation across diverse settings.

Ten Guidelines for Preschool Music Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Warner, Laverne

1999-01-01

Asserts that music is an important part of child development, but music experiences in preschool are often haphazard. Provides suggestions for developing music activities, including: using singing as program basis; choosing easy to sing music; understanding the relationship between music and creativity; slowly introducing movement experiences;…

34 CFR 303.148 - Transition to preschool programs.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Transition to preschool programs. 303.148 Section 303.148 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education (Continued) OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS WITH DISABILITIES State...

Web-Based Engine for Program Curriculum Designers

Science.gov (United States)

Hamam, H.; Loucif, S.

2009-01-01

Educational institutions pay careful attention to the design of program curricula, which represent a framework to meet institutional goals and missions. Of course, the success of any institution depends highly on the quality of its program curriculum. The development of such a curriculum and, more importantly, the evaluation of its quality are…

A Program Review

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Jale Aldemir

2014-08-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to discover the transformation preschool teacher candidates go through in their perceptions about teacher and teaching during their teacher education program. The participants of the study were 35 senior students enrolled in the preschool teacher education program at a university located in the Eastern Anatolian Region of Turkey. A qualitative survey instrument was conducted to examine the preservice teachers’ perceptions. The data collected from the survey were analyzed by adopting a constant comparative coding method. The study revealed a change in the participants’ perceptions about preschool education before and after they enrolled in the program. The hardest parts of teaching in preschool were the need of high level of energy, patience, and skills to manage the classroom while the most pleasurable sides were having fun, play opportunities, and the positive impact teachers make on children. The qualities of an ideal preschool program listed by the participants involved curriculum, physical environment, and social-emotional atmosphere while the themes regarding the ideal preschool teacher were revolved around the personal qualities, professional attitude, and professional knowledge and skills. Hence, the findings of this qualitative study can only be generalized in the context the study was conducted; however, the study could have important implications for preschool teacher education in Turkey and in other countries, and help the international readers perceive preschool teacher education from a different perspective.

Integrating Mobile Technologies into Very Young Second Language Learners' Curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Sadykova, Gulnara; Gimaletdinova, Gulnara; Khalitova, Liliia; Kayumova, Albina

2016-01-01

This report is based on an exploratory case study of a private multilingual preschool language program that integrated a Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL) project into the curriculum of five/six year-old children whose native language(s) is/are Russian and/or Tatar. The purpose of the study was to reveal teachers' and parents' perceptions…

Preschool Teaching Staff's Opinions on the Importance of Preschool Curricular Fields of Activities, Art Genres and Visual Arts Fields

Science.gov (United States)

Zupancic, Tomaž; Cagran, Branka; Mulej, Matjaž

2015-01-01

This article presents preschool teachers' and assistant teachers' opinions on the importance of selected fields of educational work in kindergartens. The article first highlights the importance of activities expressing artistic creativity within modern curriculums. Then, it presents an empirical study that examines the preschool teachers' and…

An Electric Preschool: Pros and Cons.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Marjorie W.

An electric preschool is a classroom or center for children 3 to 5 years of age in which the curriculum with its supportive activities, materials, and equipment depends more on technology that is powered by electricity than on manually operated objects. Certainly, preschoolers need stimulating and safe environments managed by adults who allow them…

More than teacher directed or child initiated: Preschool curriculum type, parent involvement, and children's outcomes in the child-parent centers.

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Elizabeth Graue

2004-12-01

Full Text Available This study investigated the contributions of curriculum approach and parent involvement to the short- and long-term effects of preschool participation in the Title I Chicago Child-Parent Centers. Data came from the complete cohort of 989 low-income children (93% African American in the Chicago Longitudinal Study, who attended preschool in the 20 Child-Parent Centers in 1983-1985 and kindergarten in 1985-1986. We found that implementation of an instructional approach rated high by Head Teachers in teacher-directed and child-initiated activities was most consistently associated with children’s outcomes, including school readiness at kindergarten entry, reading achievement in third and eighth grades, and avoidance of grade retention. Parent involvement in school activities, as rated by teachers and by parents, was independently associated with child outcomes from school readiness at kindergarten entry to eighth grade reading achievement and grade retention above and beyond the influence of curriculum approach. Findings indicate that instructional approaches that blend a teacher-directed focus with child-initiated activities and parental school involvement are origins of the long-term effects of participation in the Child-Parent Centers.

Assessing an Intergenerational Horticulture Therapy Program for Elderly Adults and Preschool Children

OpenAIRE

Predny, Mary Lorraine

1999-01-01

ASSESSING AN INTERGENERATIONAL HORTICULTURE THERAPY PROGRAM FOR ELDERLY ADULTS AND PRESCHOOL CHILDREN by Mary Lorraine Predny Dr. Diane Relf, Chair Horticulture Department ABSTRACT The goal of this research project was to determine if introducing intergenerational interactions would supplement or detract from the use of horticulture as a therapeutic tool when working with elderly adults and preschool children. The program was set up to compare ind...

Phonological Awareness Program: A longitudinal study from Preschool to 4th Grade

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Ferraz Inês

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This study aims to evaluate the effect of phonological awareness training program in preschool performance of 256 children in Funchal, Portugal. This is a longitudinal study from preschool (2005 to 4th grade (2011. It has an experimental design. The sample includes an Experimental Group (132 children and a Control group (124 children. We pretend to answer the following research question: To what degree does training children in phonological awareness as early as preschool have short-term and long-term effects on the evolution of students' competencies and disciplinary knowledge? A first evaluation done in 2006 on the effects of this program at the end of preschool education revealed that the Experimental Group presented significant improvements when compared to the Control Group on the considered dimensions. In 2011, the Experimental Group presented Math National Test higher significant results when compared to the Control Group. The Experimental Group's Portuguese National Test presented better results than the Control Group one, but not significantly. This seems to indicate that Phonological Awareness Program can bring benefits and prevent long-term math school failure.

Evaluation of a preschool nutrition education program based on the theory of multiple intelligences.

Science.gov (United States)

Cason, K L

2001-01-01

This report describes the evaluation of a preschool nutrition education program based on the theory of multiple intelligences. Forty-six nutrition educators provided a series of 12 lessons to 6102 preschool-age children. The program was evaluated using a pretest/post-test design to assess differences in fruit and vegetable identification, healthy snack choices, willingness to taste foods, and eating behaviors. Subjects showed significant improvement in food identification and recognition, healthy snack identification, willingness to taste foods, and frequency of fruit, vegetable, meat, and dairy consumption. The evaluation indicates that the program was an effective approach for educating preschool children about nutrition.

Science in the Eyes of Preschool Children: Findings from an Innovative Research Tool

Science.gov (United States)

Dubosarsky, Mia D.

How do young children view science? Do these views reflect cultural stereotypes? When do these views develop? These fundamental questions in the field of science education have rarely been studied with the population of preschool children. One main reason is the lack of an appropriate research instrument that addresses preschool children's developmental competencies. Extensive body of research has pointed at the significance of early childhood experiences in developing positive attitudes and interests toward learning in general and the learning of science in particular. Theoretical and empirical research suggests that stereotypical views of science may be replaced by authentic views following inquiry science experience. However, no preschool science intervention program could be designed without a reliable instrument that provides baseline information about preschool children's current views of science. The current study presents preschool children's views of science as gathered from a pioneering research tool. This tool, in the form of a computer "game," does not require reading, writing, or expressive language skills and is operated by the children. The program engages children in several simple tasks involving picture recognition and yes/no answers in order to reveal their views about science. The study was conducted with 120 preschool children in two phases and found that by the age of 4 years, participants possess an emergent concept of science. Gender and school differences were detected. Findings from this interdisciplinary study will contribute to the fields of early childhood, science education, learning technologies, program evaluation, and early childhood curriculum development.

Integration оf Foreign Educational Technologies іn the Content of Program of Pre-School Education in Ukraine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nadiia Frolenkova

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Reveals the integration and implementation of foreign educational technologies in the content of educational programs of preschool education in Ukraine. The emphasis on the implementation of programs for the ideas of Waldorf education, Montessori programs, “SelfEsteem”, “Step by Step”, “Education for sustainable development for children of pre-school age”. It is proved that the integration of foreign educational technologies in the process of optimizing the scientific and methodological support preschool education content Ukraine simulated based priority, primarily oriented humanistic, pedagogical ideas and technologies.Key words: educational technologies, integration, educational program, content of preschool education, children of pre-school age.

The Effect of TMPT Program on Pre-School Children's Social Problem Solving Skills

Science.gov (United States)

Gur, Cagla; Kocak, Nurcan

2018-01-01

Purpose: Starting Thinking Training at an early age is important. However, few studies were found regarding Thinking Training programs for pre-school children and the contributions of these programs to children's social problem-solving. In this context, the TMPT Program was developed for pre-school children and the effect of the program on 5-6…

Open pre-schools at integrated health services - A program theory

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Agneta Abrahamsson

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Family centres in Sweden are integrated services that reach all prospective parents and parents with children up to their sixth year, because of the co-location of the health service with the social service and the open pre-school. The personnel on the multi-professional site work together to meet the needs of the target group. The article explores a program theory focused on the open pre-schools at family centres.Method: A multi-case design is used and the sample consists of open pre-schools at six family centres. The hypothesis is based on previous research and evaluation data. It guides the data collection which is collected and analysed stepwise. Both parents and personnel are interviewed individually and in groups at each centre.Findings: The hypothesis was expanded to a program theory. The compliance of the professionals was the most significant element that explained why the open access service facilitated positive parenting. The professionals act in a compliant manner to meet the needs of the children and parents as well as in creating good conditions for social networking and learning amongst the parents. Conclusion: The compliance of the professionals in this program theory of open pre-schools at family centres can be a standard in integrated and open access services, whereas the organisation form can vary. The best way of increasing the number of integrative services is to support and encourage professionals that prefer to work in a compliant manner.

Open pre-schools at integrated health services - A program theory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Agneta Abrahamsson

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Family centres in Sweden are integrated services that reach all prospective parents and parents with children up to their sixth year, because of the co-location of the health service with the social service and the open pre-school. The personnel on the multi-professional site work together to meet the needs of the target group. The article explores a program theory focused on the open pre-schools at family centres. Method: A multi-case design is used and the sample consists of open pre-schools at six family centres. The hypothesis is based on previous research and evaluation data. It guides the data collection which is collected and analysed stepwise. Both parents and personnel are interviewed individually and in groups at each centre. Findings: The hypothesis was expanded to a program theory. The compliance of the professionals was the most significant element that explained why the open access service facilitated positive parenting. The professionals act in a compliant manner to meet the needs of the children and parents as well as in creating good conditions for social networking and learning amongst the parents. Conclusion: The compliance of the professionals in this program theory of open pre-schools at family centres can be a standard in integrated and open access services, whereas the organisation form can vary. The best way of increasing the number of integrative services is to support and encourage professionals that prefer to work in a compliant manner.

Children’s participation in Finnish pre-school education - Identifying, Describing and Documenting Children’s Participation

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Jonna Leinonen

2014-04-01

Full Text Available This article describes, analyzes, and evaluates children’s participatory in Finnish pre-school groups. Children’s participation is viewed in the context of the Core Curriculum for Pre-school Education in Finland (2010, in which children are considered active subjects, who interact with both other people and the environment. However, in practical data, collected via survey from pre-school educators, this ideology is restricted and the educators in pre-school groups focus on children’s participation from a narrow point of view that reflects a lack of connection between the Core Curriculum goals for pre-school education and the actual participatory practices children face.

Experiences and Outcomes of Preschool Physical Education: An Analysis of Developmental Discourses in Scottish Curricular Documentation

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McEvilly, Nollaig

2014-01-01

This article provides an analysis of developmental discourses underpinning preschool physical education in Scotland's Curriculum for Excellence. Implementing a post-structural perspective, the article examines the preschool experiences and outcomes related to physical education as presented in the Curriculum for Excellence "health and…

Computer Education and Computer Use by Preschool Educators

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Towns, Bernadette

2010-01-01

Researchers have found that teachers seldom use computers in the preschool classroom. However, little research has examined why preschool teachers elect not to use computers. This case study focused on identifying whether community colleges that prepare teachers for early childhood education include in their curriculum how teachers can effectively…

ADHD in Preschool: Approaches and Teacher Training

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Singh, Ajay; Squires, Jane

2014-01-01

Due to the prevalence of ADHD, there is a need for early intervention at the preschool level to improve children's chance of academic success in later years. Yet few preschool teachers are trained to meet the challenges children with ADHD present. This paper gives a rationale and curriculum for teacher training in ADHD, with an emphasis on Social…

A Study of Music Instruction in Preschool Education Training : Part II

OpenAIRE

丸山, 京子; Kyoko, Maruyama

2001-01-01

Last year, the author and others studied music instruction in preschool education training. In that paper, we learn what was required to become successful preschool teacher and the relationship between kindergarten children and preschool education major students. Based on the results of that study, the author has come to realize the importance of music instruction and music performance in childhood development in the preschool curriculum.

Oral microflora in preschool children attending a fluoride varnish program

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Anderson, Maria; Grindefjord, Margaret; Dahllöf, Göran

2016-01-01

hundred seven 3-year-old children were enrolled from a cohort of 3403 preschool children taking part in a community based oral health project. Two hundred sixty-three of them had attended caries-preventive program with semi-annual applications of a fluoride varnish since the age of 1 year (test group......BACKGROUND: To compare the oral microflora in preschool children attending a fluoride varnish program with a reference group receiving a standard oral health program without fluoride varnish applications. A second aim was to relate the microbial composition to the caries prevalence. METHODS: Five......) while 237 had received standard preventive care (reference group). Oral samples were collected with a sterile swab and analysed with checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization using 12 pre-determined bacterial probes. Caries and background data were collected from clinical examinations and questionnaires...

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM FOR SUPPORTING MOTOR AND SOCIAL COMPETENCE OF PRESCHOOLERS

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Arzu ÖZYÜREK

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Satisfying the need of physical activity of children and promoting their social skills beginning from early childhood have importance by reason of providing a basis for following years. In this study, establishing process of the training program within the scope of “ Examination the Effects of Physical Education and Sports Activities to the Basic Psychomotor skills and Social Skills for Preschool Children ” named project supported by Karabuk University Coordinatorship of Scientific Research Projects has been mentioned. The training program has been intended to promote the motor and social competence of the children aged 48 months and older. In the study it has been given wide publicity to the stages of literature review, educational attainments and indicators fit for purpose, and taking an expert’s opinion. Commentary on practicing the training program integrated with preschool education program and their importances have been discussed.

Abbott Preschool Program Longitudinal Effects Study: Fifth Grade Follow-Up

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Barnett, W. Steven; Jung, Kwanghee; Youn, Min-Jong; Frede, Ellen C.

2013-01-01

New Jersey's Abbott Preschool program is of broad national and international interest because the Abbott program provides a model for building a high-quality system of universal pre-K through public-private partnerships that transform the existing system. The program offers high-quality pre-K to all children in 31 New Jersey communities with high…

Validation of an age-modified caries risk assessment program (Cariogram) in preschool children

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holgerson, Pernilla Lif; Twetman, Svante; Stecksèn-Blicks, Christina

2009-01-01

OBJECTIVES: (i) To validate caries risk profiles assessed with a computer program against actual caries development in preschool children, (ii) to study the possible impact of a preventive program on the risk profiles, and (iii) to compare the individual risk profiles longitudinally. MATERIAL...... of sugar. The majority of the children who changed category displayed a lowered risk at 7 years. The intervention program seemed to impair the predictive abilities of Cariogram. CONCLUSION: A modified Cariogram applied on preschool children was not particularly useful in identifying high caries risk...

Feasibility and Acceptability of a Gardening-Based Nutrition Education Program in Preschoolers from Low-Income, Minority Populations

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Sharma, Shreela V.; Hedberg, Ann Marie; Skala, Katherine A.; Chuang, Ru-Jye; Lewis, Tamara

2015-01-01

Garden-based lessons are gaining popularity as a means of increasing fruit and vegetable intake among children. The study objective was to pilot test a garden-based preschool curriculum for feasibility and acceptability in Harris County Department of Education Head Start using qualitative and quantitative methods. A total of 103, 3- to 5-year-old…

Investigation of MONE Preschool Program for 36-72 Months Old Children (2006) According to Children Rights

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Batur Musaoglu, Ebru; Haktanir, Gelengul

2012-01-01

In Turkey, the preschoolers are being schooled under the guidelines of MONE (Ministry of National Education) Preschool Program for 36-72 Months Old Children (2006). The aim of this research is to investigate how children's rights are involved in this program. In this qualitative research based on document analysis, program book and Teacher Guide…

The Rate of Return to the High/Scope Perry Preschool Program.

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Heckman, James J; Moon, Seong Hyeok; Pinto, Rodrigo; Savelyev, Peter A; Yavitz, Adam

2010-02-01

This paper estimates the rate of return to the High/Scope Perry Preschool Program, an early intervention program targeted toward disadvantaged African-American youth. Estimates of the rate of return to the Perry program are widely cited to support the claim of substantial economic benefits from preschool education programs. Previous studies of the rate of return to this program ignore the compromises that occurred in the randomization protocol. They do not report standard errors. The rates of return estimated in this paper account for these factors. We conduct an extensive analysis of sensitivity to alternative plausible assumptions. Estimated annual social rates of return generally fall between 7-10 percent, with most estimates substantially lower than those previously reported in the literature. However, returns are generally statistically significantly different from zero for both males and females and are above the historical return on equity. Estimated benefit-to-cost ratios support this conclusion.

Developing Healthy Food Preferences in Preschool Children Through Taste Exposure, Sensory Learning, and Nutrition Education.

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Nekitsing, Chandani; Hetherington, Marion M; Blundell-Birtill, Pam

2018-03-01

The present review was undertaken in order to summarize and evaluate recent research investigating taste exposure, sensory learning, and nutrition education interventions for promoting vegetable intake in preschool children. Overall, taste exposure interventions yielded the best outcomes for increasing vegetable intake in early childhood. Evidence from sensory learning strategies such as visual exposure and experiential learning also show some success. While nutrition education remains the most common approach used in preschool settings, additional elements are needed to strengthen the educational program for increasing vegetable intake. There is a substantial gap in the evidence base to promote vegetable intake in food fussy children. The present review reveals the relative importance of different intervention strategies for promoting vegetable intake. To strengthen intervention effects for improving vegetable intake in preschool children, future research could consider integrating taste exposure and sensory learning strategies with nutrition education within the preschool curriculum.

The Gas Laws and the Kinetic Theory: Curriculum Guide for the Thirteen-College Curriculum Program.

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Daniel, Army; And Others

This booklet is both a teacher's manual and a student's manual in a series of booklets that make up the core of a Physical Science course designed for the freshman year of college and used by teachers in the 27 colleges participating in the Thirteen College Curriculum Program. This program is a curriculum revision project in support of 13…

The Effectiveness of an Additional Stretching Exercise Program in Improving Flexibility Level among Preschool Boys

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Lee, Wee Akina Sia Seng; Rengasamy, Shabeshan A/L; Raju, Subramaniam A/L

2014-01-01

This study was conducted to examine the effectiveness of a two minutes' additional stretching exercise program in a 30 minutes games teaching lesson in improving the flexibility level of 6 year old preschool boys (M = 5.92, SD = 0.27) in a preschool in Malaysia. Fifty (50) preschool boys were selected for the study based on the intact sampling…

Implementing a Musical Program to Promote Preschool Children's Vocabulary Development

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Moyeda, Iris Xóchitl Galicia; Gómez, Ixtlixóchitl Contreras; Flores, María Teresa Peña

2006-01-01

In light of the correlation between musical and linguistic skills, a program of musical activities was designed to promote discrimination of rhythmic and melodic elements and the association of auditory stimuli with visual stimuli and motor activities. The effects of the program on the vocabulary of preschool children were evaluated and compared…

The Quality of Early Childhood Education Curriculum Framework in the Republic of Serbia

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Krnjaja, Živka

2015-01-01

The paper addresses Serbian preschool education Curriculum Framework as one of dimensions of the preschool education quality. The first part of paper deals with the importance of preschool education worldwide as a social responsibility and its accountability in education policy. The second part provides the evaluation of the preschool education…

THE TRAVELLING SALESMAN PROBLEM IN THE ENGINEERING EDUCATION PROGRAMMING CURRICULUM

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Yevgeny Gayev

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Objective: To make students familiar with the famous Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP and suggest the latter to become a common exercise in engineering programming curriculum provided the students master computer science in the easy programming environment MATLAB. Methods: easy programming in MATLAB makes true such modern educational approach as “discovery based” methodology. Results: a MATLAB TSP-program oriented to Ukrainian map is suggested that allows to pictorially demonstrate the process of optimal route search with an option to decelerate or accelerate the demonstration. The program is guessed to be useful both for learning the TSP as one of fundamental logistics problems and as an intriguing programming curriculum excersize. Several sub-programs according to key stone Computer Science Curriculum have also been suggested. This lies in line with recent “discovery based” learning methodology. Discussion: we explain how to create this program for visual discrete optimization, suggest required subprograms belonging to key stone programming algorithms including rather modern graphical user interface (GUI, how to use this MATLAB TSP-program for demonstration the drastical grows of solution time required. Conclusions: easy programming being realized in MATLAB makes dificult curriculum problems attractive to students; it focuses them to main problem’ features, laws and algorithms implementing the “discovery based” methodology in such a way.

Fit 5 Kids TV reduction program for Latino preschoolers: A cluster randomized controlled trial

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Reducing Latino preschoolers' TV viewing is needed to reduce their risk of obesity and other chronic diseases. This study's objective was to evaluate the Fit 5 Kids (F5K) TV reduction program's impact on Latino preschooler's TV viewing. The study design was a cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT...

Preschool teaching staff 's opinions on the importance of preschool curricular fields of activities, art genres and visual arts fields

OpenAIRE

Zupančič, Tomaž; Mulej, Matjaž; Čagran, Branka

2017-01-01

This article presents preschool teachers’ and assistant teachers’ opinions on the importance of selected fields of educational work in kindergartens. The article first highlights the importance of activities expressing artistic creativity within modern curriculums. Then, it presents an empirical study that examines the preschool teachers’ and assistant teachers’ opinions on the importance of the educational fields, art genres, and visual arts fields. In research hypotheses, we presumed that p...

Preschool Teaching Staff’s Opinions on the Importance of Preschool Curricular Fields of Activities, Art Genres and Visual Arts Fields

OpenAIRE

Tomaž Zupančič; Branka Čagran; Matjaž Mulej

2015-01-01

This article presents preschool teachers’ and assistant teachers’ opinions on the importance of selected fields of educational work in kindergartens. The article first highlights the importance of activities expressing artistic creativity within modern curriculums. Then, it presents an empirical study that examines the preschool teachers’ and assistant teachers’ opinions on the importance of the educational fields, art genres, and visual arts fields. In research hypotheses, we presumed that p...

Cultural adaptation of preschool PATHS (Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies) curriculum for Pakistani children.

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Inam, Ayesha; Tariq, Pervaiz N; Zaman, Sahira

2015-06-01

Cultural adaptation of evidence-based programmes has gained importance primarily owing to its perceived impact on the established effectiveness of a programme. To date, many researchers have proposed different frameworks for systematic adaptation process. This article presents the cultural adaptation of preschool Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS) curriculum for Pakistani children using the heuristic framework of adaptation (Barrera & Castro, 2006). The study was completed in four steps: information gathering, preliminary adaptation design, preliminary adaptation test and adaptation refinement. Feedbacks on programme content suggested universality of the core programme components. Suggested changes were mostly surface structure: language, presentation of materials, conceptual equivalence of concepts, training needs of implementation staff and frequency of programme delivery. In-depth analysis was done to acquire cultural equivalence. Pilot testing of the outcome measures showed strong internal consistency. The results were further discussed with reference to similar work undertaken in other cultures. © 2014 International Union of Psychological Science.

Aboriginal Children and Their Caregivers Living with Low Income: Outcomes from a Two-Generation Preschool Program

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Benzies, Karen; Tough, Suzanne; Edwards, Nancy; Mychasiuk, Richelle; Donnelly, Carlene

2010-01-01

The development of preschool children of Aboriginal heritage is jeopardized by the inter-generational transmission of risk that has created, and continues to create, social disadvantage. Early intervention programs are intended to mitigate the impact of social disadvantage. Yet, evidence of the effectiveness of these programs for children of Aboriginal heritage is limited. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a two-generation, multi-cultural preschool program on 45 children...

Evaluation of a class wide teaching program for developing preschool life skills.

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Hanley, Gregory P; Heal, Nicole A; Tiger, Jeffrey H; Ingvarsson, Einar T

2007-01-01

Recently, nonmaternal center-based child care has been linked to problem behavior in young children (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 2003). In response, a comprehensive program to promote prosocial skills was evaluated in a classroom of 16 children between the ages of 3 and 5 years. Classroom observations were conducted during evocative situations to determine the likelihood of problem behavior (noncompliance, vocal or motor disruptions, aggression) and preschool life skills. A classwide teaching program was then implemented in a staggered manner across instruction following, functional communication, delay tolerance, and friendship skills. These four categories of preschool life skills, which included two to four related skills, were selected for classwide teaching because they were either identified by educators as important for early school success, have often been taught following functional assessments of more severe problem behavior, or both. Skills were taught on a classwide basis during typically scheduled activities (circle, free play, transitions, meals) via instructions, modeling, role play, and feedback. A multiple probe design showed that the program resulted in an 74% reduction in problem behavior and a more than four-fold increase in preschool life skills. Similar beneficial effects of the program were evident in questionnaire data gathered prior to and at the close of the evaluation. Finally, the teachers who implemented the program reported overall high levels of satisfaction with the classwide teaching program, the target skills, and the results. Implications for the design of early childhood experiences for preempting the development of serious problem behavior are discussed.

Developing a Treatment Program for Obesity in Preschool Age Children: Preliminary Data

OpenAIRE

Boles, Richard E.; Scharf, Cynthia; Stark, Lori J.

2010-01-01

We developed and tested the feasibility of a behavioral intervention that utilizes clinic and home visitations to reduce overweight in preschool children above the 95th BMI percentile. Five families of preschool children ages 2 to 5 years with a BMI above the 95th percentile and one overweight parent were enrolled in a 24-week behavioral weight management program. Phase I, Intensive Treatment included 12 weekly sessions, alternating group-based clinic sessions and home settings. Phase II, Mai...

More than Counting: Whole Math Activities for Preschool and Kindergarten.

Science.gov (United States)

Moomaw, Sally; Hieronymus, Brenda

This book presents extensive sampling of a "whole math" curriculum for preschool and kindergarten children ages 3 and older. An introductory chapter is followed by seven curriculum chapters that discuss math manipulatives, collections, grid games, path games, graphing, math and gross-motor play, and the "math suitcase." Each chapter is divided…

Preschool Student Teachers, Technology, and Gender: Positive Expectations Despite Mixed Experiences from Their Own School Days

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Hedlin, Maria; Gunnarsson, Gunilla

2014-01-01

The Swedish preschool curriculum emphasises preschool teachers' task to stimulate children's interest in science and technology. Technology education, however, has not always had a given place in Swedish early childhood education, and this has been associated with female preschool teachers' fear of technology. This qualitative study explores how…

The re-theorisation of collective pedagogy and emergent curriculum

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Fleer, Marilyn

2010-09-01

This essay review of Goulart and Roth's work explores the cultural-historical concepts that they have drawn upon to create a new conception of emergent curriculum in early childhood science education. The pedagogical contexts of Brazilian preschools is discussed in relation to other practices found across cultural communities, with a view to locating the specific research need that has arisen for preschools within Brazil. In the latter part of this article, Davydov's (International perspectives in non-classical psychology, 2008) work on theoretical knowledge and dialectical thinking is discussed in order to further develop Goulart and Roth's conception of early childhood science curriculum.

Munch and Move: evaluation of a preschool healthy eating and movement skill program

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Farrell Louise

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Early childhood services have been identified as a key setting for promoting healthy eating and physical activity as a means of preventing overweight and obesity. However, there is limited evidence on effective nutrition and physical activity programs in this setting. The purpose of this study was to evaluate Munch and Move, a low-intensity, state-wide, professional development program designed to support early childhood professionals to promote healthy eating and physical activity among children in their care. Methods The evaluation involved 15 intervention and 14 control preschools (n = 430; mean age 4.4 years in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia and was based on a randomised-control design with pre and post evaluation of children's lunchbox contents, fundamental movement skills (FMS, preschool policies and practices and staff attitudes, knowledge and confidence related to physical activity, healthy eating and recreational screen time. Results At follow up, FMS scores for locomotor, object control and total FMS score significantly improved by 3.4, 2.1 and 5.5 points more (respectively in the intervention group compared with the control group (P Conclusion The findings suggest that a low intensity preschool healthy weight intervention program can improve certain weight related behaviours. The findings also suggest that change to food policies are difficult to initiate mid-year and potentially a longer implementation period may be required to determine the efficacy of food policies to influence the contents of preschoolers lunchboxes.

Preschool Early Literacy Programs in Ontario Public Libraries

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Shelley Stagg Peterson

2012-12-01

Full Text Available This paper reports on research examining how library staff in 10 Ontario libraries’ preschool literacy programs support three- and four-year-old children’s early literacy and school readiness as well as their parents’ and caregivers’ literacy interactions with their children. Multiple data sources included surveys of 82 parents/caregivers, observations of a sample of 65 of the 198 children at the sessions we visited, and interviews with10 library staff. Observations were analyzed for evidence of children’s development of print motivation, phonological awareness, vocabulary, narrative skills, and print awareness: early literacy skills and knowledge that have been shown to be reliably and significantly correlated with future reading success. Analysis of the observational and interview data showed that the programs have been very successful in fostering children’s readiness to participate in school activities and their motivation to read. Participating children learned new vocabulary, demonstrated an awareness of rhymes and sounds of language, and showed an understanding of books that were read by library staff: all early literacy behaviours that are foundational to later literacy development. The programs have also provided parents/caregivers with new ways to interact with children to engage them with books and with print at home. The development of children’s school readiness skills and parents’ awareness of how to support their children’s literacy are outcomes extending beyond library staff goals for their library programs and should be included in literature advertising the programs. Print awareness is an area of literacy development that library staff could encourage to a greater extent, however. Very few instances of such behaviour were observed, with most of the observations taking place in two of the preschool early literacy programs. Concomitantly, developing children’s print awareness is a recommended topic for

Communication Arts Curriculum: A Model Program. Revised.

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Tamaqua Area School District, PA.

This publication describes, in three sections, a high school Communication Arts Curriculum (CAC) program designed to further students' communication skills as they participate in student-centered learning activities in the fine arts, the practical arts, and the performing arts. "Program Operation" includes a course outline and inventories for…

Mississippi Curriculum Framework for Banking & Finance Technology (Program CIP: 52.0803--Banking and Related Financial Programs, Other). Postsecondary Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Mississippi Research and Curriculum Unit for Vocational and Technical Education, State College.

This document, which is intended for use by community and junior colleges throughout Mississippi, contains curriculum frameworks for the course sequences in the banking and finance technology program. Presented in the introduction are a program description and suggested course sequence. Section I is a curriculum guide consisting of outlines for…

A pilot study of the Incredible Years Teacher Training programme and a curriculum unit on social and emotional skills in community pre-schools in Jamaica.

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Baker-Henningham, H; Walker, S; Powell, C; Gardner, J Meeks

2009-09-01

School-based interventions involving teacher and/or child training have been shown to benefit teacher practices and to prevent conduct problems and improve children's social and emotional competence in developed countries; however, we are aware of no reports from a developing country. We conducted a pilot study of the Incredible Years Teacher Training programme and a curriculum unit on social and emotional skills based on concepts and activities drawn from the Incredible Years Dina Dinosaur Classroom Curriculum to determine if this approach is appropriate for use with Jamaican pre-school teachers and children. Five pre-schools in Kingston, Jamaica were randomly assigned to an intervention (3 pre-schools with 15 classrooms) or control (2 pre-schools with 12 classrooms) condition. Intervention involved seven whole-day teacher workshops using the Incredible Years Teacher Training programme supplemented by 14 child lessons in each class. The project was evaluated through structured observations of four categories of teacher behaviour and four observer ratings: two rating scales of child behaviour and two rating scales of classroom atmosphere. Significant intervention benefits were found to teachers' behaviour with increased positive behaviour [b = 7.9; 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.5, 12.3], reduced negative behaviour (b =-3.5; 95% CI: -6.6, -0.2) and increases in the extent to which teachers promoted children's social and emotional skills (b = 46.4; 95% CI: 11.0, 81.7). The number of teacher commands was not significantly reduced (b =-2.71; 95% CI: -6.01, 0.59). Significant intervention benefits were found to ratings of child behaviour with an increase in children's appropriate behaviour (b = 5.7, 95% CI: 1.0, 10.8) and in children's interest and enthusiasm (b = 7.2, 95% CI: 0.9, 13.5). Intervention also benefited classroom atmosphere with increases in opportunities provided for children to share and help each other (b = 1.3, 95% CI: 0.5, 2.1) and in teacher warmth

Parental perception on the efficacy of a physical activity program for preschoolers.

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Bellows, Laura; Silvernail, Sara; Caldwell, Lisa; Bryant, Angela; Kennedy, Cathy; Davies, Patricia; Anderson, Jennifer

2011-04-01

Childhood obesity is among the leading health concerns in the United States. The relationship between unmet physical activity needs in young children is of particular interest as the trend in childhood obesity continues to rise and unmet physical activity needs are identified. The preschool years are an influential time in promoting healthful lifestyle habits and early childhood interventions may help establish lifelong healthful behaviors which could help prevent obesity later in life. The Food Friends®: Get Movin' with Mighty Moves® is a preschool physical activity program which aims to improve children's gross motor skills and physical activity levels. The home environment and parental modeling are critical factors related to child physical activity in this population. The parent component, Mighty Moves®: Fun Ways to Keep Families Active and Healthy, was designed to address barriers in the home environment that lead to unmet physical activity needs in preschoolers and their families. The program and materials were designed based on Social Marketing tenets and Social Learning Theory principles. Four Colorado Head Start centers were assigned to an experimental group as part of the Mighty Moves® group randomized trial. Quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods were used to determine what messages and materials reached and motivated the target audience to increase physical activity levels. Results of the study indicated the program's materials helped families and children to be more physically active. Additionally, materials and material dissemination were revised to enhance program goals.

A Competence-Based Curriculum Design for Entrepreneurship Study Program

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Priska J.R. Siagian

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Indonesia is affected by global crisis. Increasing the number of entrepreneurs is one of many solutions to increase the economic growth in Indonesia. The number of entrepreneurs in Indonesia to leverage the economic growth is still limited. Entrepreneurs can be prepared through an Entrepreneurship Study Program. Entrepreneurship Study Program attempts to create qualified entrepreneurs who have relevant competences. In order to create a qualified entrepreneurs, the Entrepreneurial Studies Program requires a competency-based curriculum that will support the educational process and provide all the necessary to become future entrepreneurs who can survive through a global challenge. This research aims to design a competence-based curriculum for entrepreneurial study and uses Quality Function Deployment (QFD as the major tool to design the competence-based curriculum. From the QFD process, this research finds core and elective courses for the Entrepreneurship Study Program. The result shows the competences covered by the courses and sequence, credits, and teaching methods for each course. The competences prepared the potential entrepreneurs can be achieved through specific courses which can be acquired within 8 semesters.

Evaluation of a teacher training program to enhance executive functions in preschool children.

Science.gov (United States)

Walk, Laura M; Evers, Wiebke F; Quante, Sonja; Hille, Katrin

2018-01-01

Executive functions (EFs) play a critical role in cognitive and social development. During preschool years, children show not only rapid improvement in their EFs, but also appear sensitive to developmentally appropriate interventions. EMIL is a training program for German preschool teachers that was developed and implemented to improve the EFs of preschoolers. The aim of the present study was to evaluate its effects on the EFs of children between three and six years old. The teacher training (eight sessions, 28.5 hours) was implemented in four preschools. The EFs of children of the intervention group (n = 72, 32 girls, Mage = 48 months) and the control group of four other matched preschools (n = 61, 27 girls, Mage = 48 months) were tested before, during, and after the intervention using different measures assessing working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility. The intervention group showed significant gains on three out of seven EF tests (behavioral inhibition, visual-spatial working memory, and combined EFs) compared to the control group. Post hoc analyses for children with low initial EFs scores revealed that participation in the intervention led to significant gains in inhibitory control, visual-spatial working memory, and phonological working memory as well as a marginally significant difference for combined EFs. However, effect sizes were rather small. The results suggest that teacher training can lead to significant improvements in preschooler's EFs. Although preliminary, the results could contribute to the discussion on how teacher training can facilitate the improvement of EFs in preschool children.

What I learned from the Ypsilanti Perry Preschool Project: A teacher’s reflections

OpenAIRE

Derman-Sparks Louise

2016-01-01

This article, written by one of the teachers in the Ypsilanti Perry Preschool Project (1962-1967), critically examines the prevailing narrative about the preschool project’s relationship to the High/Scope Educational Foundation. It describes what the author and other teachers actually did, the principles that informed their practice, and challenges the prevailing myth that the Perry Preschool used the High/ Scope Educational Foundation curriculum. It also discusses what the High/Scope Longitu...

A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Parent Training and Emotion Socialization Program for Families of Hyperactive Preschool-Aged Children

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Herbert, Sharonne D.; Harvey, Elizabeth A.; Roberts, Jasmin L.; Wichowski, Kayla; Lugo-Candelas, Claudia I.

2013-01-01

The present study evaluated the effectiveness of a parent training and emotion socialization program designed specifically for hyperactive preschoolers. Participants were 31 preschool-aged children whose parents were randomly assigned to a parent training (PT) or waitlist (WL) control group. PT parents took part in a 14-week parenting program that…

When Does Preschool Matter?

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Yoshikawa, Hirokazu; Weiland, Christina; Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne

2016-01-01

We have many reasons to invest in preschool programs, including persistent gaps in school readiness between children from poorer and wealthier families, large increases in maternal employment over the past several decades, and the rapid brain development that preschool-age children experience. But what do we know about preschool education's…

Life imitating art: depictions of the hidden curriculum in medical television programs.

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Stanek, Agatha; Clarkin, Chantalle; Bould, M Dylan; Writer, Hilary; Doja, Asif

2015-09-26

The hidden curriculum represents influences occurring within the culture of medicine that indirectly alter medical professionals' interactions, beliefs and clinical practices throughout their training. One approach to increase medical student awareness of the hidden curriculum is to provide them with readily available examples of how it is enacted in medicine; as such the purpose of this study was to examine depictions of the hidden curriculum in popular medical television programs. One full season of ER, Grey's Anatomy and Scrubs were selected for review. A summative content analysis was performed to ascertain the presence of depictions of the hidden curriculum, as well as to record the type, frequency and quality of examples. A second reviewer also viewed a random selection of episodes from each series to establish coding reliability. The most prevalent themes across all television programs were: the hierarchical nature of medicine; challenges during transitional stages in medicine; the importance of role modeling; patient dehumanization; faking or overstating one's capabilities; unprofessionalism; the loss of idealism; and difficulties with work-life balance. The hidden curriculum is frequently depicted in popular medical television shows. These examples of the hidden curriculum could serve as a valuable teaching resource in undergraduate medical programs.

Preschool Children's Development in Classic Montessori, Supplemented Montessori, and Conventional Programs

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Lillard, Angeline S.

2012-01-01

Research on the outcomes of Montessori education is scarce and results are inconsistent. One possible reason for the inconsistency is variations in Montessori implementation fidelity. To test whether outcomes vary according to implementation fidelity, we examined preschool children enrolled in high fidelity classic Montessori programs, lower…

Healthy--That's Me: A Health Education Curriculum for Health Start.

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Harrison, Dorothy D.

This booklet describes in detail a health education curriculum designed for preschool children. Large numbers of reference books and literature for adults and children, movies, pictures, posters, records, toys and teaching aids are recommended. The basic philosophy of the curriculum is that health education permits the child to learn more about…

Marketing and Retailing. A Curriculum Guide for a Two-Year Postsecondary Program.

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Overton, R. Jean; Proffitt, Sally

This manual was developed to provide a comprehensive curriculum guideline for postsecondary marketing and retailing programs. It contains competence-based materials and integrates the Interstate Distributive Education Curriculum Consortium (IDECC) Learning Activity Packages into the curriculum. The first of seven chapters in this manual presents…

A Joint Interactive Storybook Intervention Program for Preschool and Kindergarten Children

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Vaknin-Nusbaum, Vered; Nevo, Einat

2017-01-01

The effectiveness of a joint interactive storybook reading program delivered by class teachers to develop literacy skills is examined in Hebrew-speaking preschool and kindergarten children. Post-intervention, both groups achieved significantly higher gains in language and print concept skills than age-matched comparison groups that did not have…

Curriculum Planning and the Concept of Participation in the Reggio Emilia Pedagogical Approach

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Hocevar, Andreja; Šebart, Mojca Kovac; Štefanc, Damijan

2013-01-01

The article analyses two defining assumptions about the Reggio Emilia (RE) approach: the absence of a planned curriculum designed in advance as a basis for educational work and children's participation in preschools. The authors demonstrate that different approaches to planning preschool education have advantages and disadvantages, which we cannot…

Kentucky Preschool Evaluation Project: Differential Effects, Program Characteristics and Child Outcomes, and Longitudinal and Cumulative Findings. Reports 1-4, 1998-1999.

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Hemmeter, Mary Louise; Townley, Kim; Wilson, Stephen; Epstein, Ann; Hines, Huyi

This document is comprised of four reports related to the evaluation of the Kentucky Preschool Program (KPP), serving 4-year-olds who qualify for the free lunch program and 3- and 4-year-olds with disabilities. Report 1 focuses on the differential effects of the preschool program related to race and to gender. Three key findings are reported: (1)…

Planning and Evaluating Educational Work in Slovene Preschools

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcela Batistič Zorec

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The present article examines the changes in Slovene preschools subsequent to Slovenia’s independence in 1991. In the socialist period, the national education programme for preschools was highly structured, goaland content-oriented and subject to schoolization. The Curriculum for Preschools (1999 brought conceptual changes towards education “based on the child” and the process approach, as well as giving more autonomy to preschool teachers and their assistants. In the empirical study, we examine changes in planning and evaluating educational work compared to the past. The results show that the majority of professional workers have reduced the high level of structure and rigidity in planning, and that there is better cooperation between preschool teachers and teachers’ assistants. Unlike in the past, most professional workers regularly evaluate their educational work. As the data was gathered in two phases, before and after the training of professional workers in the Reggio Emilia concept, we also search for the (probably indirect influencesof this training. We conclude that after the training the participation of children in planning and evaluating educational work is higher.

Designing and testing a classroom curriculum to teach preschoolers about the biology of physical activity: The respiration system as an underlying biological causal mechanism

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Ewing, Tracy S.

The present study examined young children's understanding of respiration and oxygen as a source of vital energy underlying physical activity. Specifically, the purpose of the study was to explore whether a coherent biological theory, characterized by an understanding that bodily parts (heart and lungs) and processes (oxygen in respiration) as part of a biological system, can be taught as a foundational concept to reason about physical activity. The effects of a biology-based intervention curriculum designed to teach preschool children about bodily functions as a part of the respiratory system, the role of oxygen as a vital substance and how physical activity acts an energy source were examined. Participants were recruited from three private preschool classrooms (two treatment; 1 control) in Southern California and included a total of 48 four-year-old children (30 treatment; 18 control). Findings from this study suggested that young children could be taught relevant biological concepts about the role of oxygen in respiratory processes. Children who received biology-based intervention curriculum made significant gains in their understanding of the biology of respiration, identification of physical and sedentary activities. In addition these children demonstrated that coherence of conceptual knowledge was correlated with improved accuracy at activity identification and reasoning about the inner workings of the body contributing to endurance. Findings from this study provided evidence to support the benefits of providing age appropriate but complex coherent biological instruction to children in early childhood settings.

The Relationship between Quality of Pre-School Child Care Institutions and Teachers' Teaching Approach

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Õun, Tiia; Tuul, Maire; Tera, Signe; Sagen, Kelli; Mägi, Helena

2018-01-01

Various factors of the quality of preschool child care institutions influence the development of children and their future success in school. The activities of preschool child care institutions in Estonia are based on the national curriculum. Several indicators of structural quality have been determined on the national level. The aim of the…

The Abbott Preschool Program: Fifth Year Report on Enrollment and Budget

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Applewhite, Erain; Hirsch, Lesley

2003-01-01

The New Jersey Supreme Court's 1998 ruling in Abbott v. Burke represents the first judicial directive in the nation that public education must include a high-quality, well-planned preschool program starting at age three. This decision applies to 30 urban school districts, known as the Abbott districts, that serve approximately 25 percent of the…

Improving Social Understanding of Preschool Children: Evaluation of a Training Program

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Esteban, Moises; Sidera, Francesc; Serrano, Jessica; Amado, Anna; Rostan, Carles

2010-01-01

Introduction: This study tested the effects of a training program intending to foster social understanding or the capacity which enables them to understand themselves and others in terms of intentions, beliefs, desires, and emotions in children at preschool age. A number of studies have shown that in the context of shared narratives, children are…

Learning Environments’ Activity Potential for Preschoolers (LEAPP): Study Rationale and Design

OpenAIRE

Tucker, Patricia; Vanderloo, Leigh M.; Newnham-Kanas, Courtney; Burke, Shauna M.; Irwin, Jennifer D.; Johnson, Andrew M.; van Zandvoort, Melissa M.

2013-01-01

Background The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the study protocol for the Learning Environments’ Activity Potential for Preschoolers (LEAPP) study, the goal of which is to describe the activity levels of preschoolers attending various early learning venues and explore which attributes of these facilities (e.g. curriculum, policies, equipment, etc.) support activity participation. Design and methods This cross-sectional study aimed to recruit approximately 30 early learning ...

The curriculum success of business administration education programs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bijker, Monique; Van der Klink, Marcel; Boshuizen, Els

2012-01-01

Bijker, M. M., Van der Klink, M. R., & Boshuizen, H. P. A. (2011, 8 September). The curriculum success of business administration education programs. Presentation for the visit of KU Leuven, Open Universiteit, Heerlen, The Netherlands.

Partnering for Preschool: A Study of Center Directors in New Jersey's Mixed-Delivery Abbott Program. Research Report

Science.gov (United States)

Whitebook, Marcy; Ryan, Sharon; Kipnis, Fran; Sakai, Laura

2008-01-01

In a series of New Jersey Supreme Court decisions known as Abbott v. Burke, the 28 (now 31) urban school districts serving the state's poorest students were ordered to create systems of high-quality preschool for all three- and four-year-old children, beginning in the 1999-2000 school year. The Abbott Preschool Program now serves approximately…

Evaluation of an Evidence-Based Tobacco Treatment Curriculum for Psychiatry Residency Training Programs

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Prochaska, Judith J.; Fromont, Sebastien C.; Leek, Desiree; Hudmon, Karen Suchanek; Louie, Alan K.; Jacobs, Marc H.; Hall, Sharon M.

2009-01-01

Objective Smokers with mental illness and addictive disorders account for nearly one in two cigarettes sold in the United States and are at high risk for smoking-related deaths and disability. Psychiatry residency programs provide a unique arena for disseminating tobacco treatment guidelines, influencing professional norms, and increasing access to tobacco cessation services among smokers with mental illness. The current study evaluated the Rx for Change in Psychiatry curriculum, developed for psychiatry residency programs and focused on identifying and treating tobacco dependence among individuals with mental illness. Methods The 4-hour curriculum emphasized evidence-based, patient-oriented cessation treatments relevant for all tobacco users, including those not yet ready to quit. The curriculum was informed by comprehensive literature review, consultation with an expert advisory group, faculty interviews, and a focus group with psychiatry residents. This study reports on evaluation of the curriculum in 2005–2006, using a quasi-experimental design, with 55 residents in three psychiatry residency training programs in Northern California. Results The curriculum was associated with improvements in psychiatry residents’ knowledge, attitudes, confidence, and counseling behaviors for treating tobacco use among their patients, with initial changes from pre- to posttraining sustained at 3-months’ follow-up. Residents’ self-reported changes in treating patients’ tobacco use were substantiated through systematic chart review. Conclusion The evidence-based Rx for Change in Psychiatry curriculum is offered as a model tobacco treatment curriculum that can be implemented in psychiatry residency training programs and disseminated widely, thereby effectively reaching a vulnerable and costly population of smokers. PMID:19190293

A Music Program for Training Head Start Teachers Using a Sequential, Cognitive, Developmental Process with Pre-school Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Brodhecker, Shirley G.

This practicum report addresses the need to supply Head Start teachers with: (1) specific preschool music objectives; (2) a sequential preschool developmental program in music to match the child's cognitive level; (3) how to choose instructional material to encourage specific basic school readiness skills; and (4) workshops to accomplish these…

Cybersecurity Curriculum Development: Introducing Specialties in a Graduate Program

Science.gov (United States)

Bicak, Ali; Liu, Michelle; Murphy, Diane

2015-01-01

The cybersecurity curriculum has grown dramatically over the past decade: once it was just a couple of courses in a computer science graduate program. Today cybersecurity is introduced at the high school level, incorporated into undergraduate computer science and information systems programs, and has resulted in a variety of cybersecurity-specific…

Expanding the Oral Hygiene Curriculum in a Nursing Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Briggs, Susan; Griego, Elizabeth

A program was implemented to expand the curriculum materials within the Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) Program at Clark County Community College (CCCC) which relate to oral hygiene care for the hospital patient. The instructional materials included a video tape and a written instructional packet which were researched, prepared, and presented by…

Investigating the Efficacy of a Preschool Vocabulary Intervention Designed to Increase Vocabulary Size and Conceptual Knowledge

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Dwyer, Julie C.

2010-01-01

This dissertation study investigated the efficacy of a supplementary preschool embedded multimedia curriculum that was designed to increase one type of conceptual knowledge: taxonomic categories. Named the World of Words (WOW), this curriculum focused on teaching the properties and concepts associated with seven taxonomic categories and providing…

Aboriginal Children and Their Caregivers Living with Low Income: Outcomes from a Two-Generation Preschool Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Benzies, Karen; Tough, Suzanne; Edwards, Nancy; Mychasiuk, Richelle; Donnelly, Carlene

2011-06-01

The development of preschool children of Aboriginal heritage is jeopardized by the inter-generational transmission of risk that has created, and continues to create, social disadvantage. Early intervention programs are intended to mitigate the impact of social disadvantage. Yet, evidence of the effectiveness of these programs for children of Aboriginal heritage is limited. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a two-generation, multi-cultural preschool program on 45 children of Aboriginal heritage and their caregivers. We used a single-group, pretest (program intake)/posttest (program exit) design with follow-up when the children were 7 years old. We used an observational measure of child receptive language (Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-III) and caregiver-reported measures of child development (Nipissing District Developmental Screen), risk for child maltreatment (Adult-Adolescent Parenting Inventory; AAPI), parenting stress (Parenting Stress Index; PSI), self-esteem (Rosenberg Self-Esteem scale; RSE), and life skills (Community Life Skills scale; CLS). Using paired t-tests we found statistically significant increases in child receptive language scores between intake and exit, and repeated-measures ANOVA showed that these improvements were maintained up to age 7 years. For caregivers, Pearson's correlations demonstrated that risk for child maltreatment, parenting stress, self-esteem, and life skills were stable over time. Results of this study suggest that children of Aboriginal heritage can benefit from participation in a two-generation, multi-cultural preschool program. Their caregivers may have received greater benefit if issues of intergenerational transmission of the negative influences of residential schools were addressed as part of programming.

The essential research curriculum for doctor of pharmacy degree programs.

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Lee, Mary W; Clay, Patrick G; Kennedy, W Klugh; Kennedy, Mary Jayne; Sifontis, Nicole M; Simonson, Dana; Sowinski, Kevin M; Taylor, William J; Teply, Robyn M; Vardeny, Orly; Welty, Timothy E

2010-09-01

In 2008, the American College of Clinical Pharmacy appointed the Task Force on Research in the Professional Curriculum to review and make recommendations on the essential research curriculum that should be part of doctor of pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree programs. The essential research curriculum provides all students with critical and analytical thinking and lifelong learning skills, which will apply to current and future practice and stimulate some students to pursue a career in this field. Eight key curricular competencies are as follows: identifying relevant problems and gaps in pharmacotherapeutic knowledge; generating a research hypothesis; designing a study to test the hypothesis; analyzing data results using appropriate statistical tests; interpreting and applying the results of a research study to practice; effectively communicating research and clinical findings to pharmacy, medical, and basic science audiences; interpreting and effectively communicating research and clinical findings to patients and caregivers; and applying regulatory and ethical principles when conducting research or using research results. Faculty are encouraged to use research-related examples across the curriculum in nonresearch courses and to employ interactive teaching methods to promote student engagement. Examples of successful strategies used by Pharm.D. degree programs to integrate research content into the curriculum are provided. Current pharmacy school curricula allow variable amounts of time for instructional content in research, which may or may not include hands-on experiences for students to develop research-related skills. Therefore, an important opportunity exists for schools to incorporate the essential research curriculum. Despite the challenges of implementing these recommendations, the essential research curriculum will position pharmacy school graduates to understand the importance of research and its applications to practice. This perspective is provided as an aid

Curriculum Evaluation and Employers Opinions: the case study of Educational Technology Program in Bachelor Degree (Continuing Program

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nakhon Lalognam

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The purposes of this research were: 1 to evaluate the Educational Technology Program (Continuing Program in Bachelor Degree curriculum which is revised in 2007 by applying CIPP model for evaluation. 2 to study the opinions of the employers about the ideal characteristics and actual characteristics of graduates. 3 to study the opinions for the requirements of the Educational Technology Program in Bachelor Degree (Continuing Program and knowledge implementation in work of graduates. 4 to make the suggestions and guidelines to improve the Educational Technology Program in Bachelor Degree (Continuing Program to achieve potentiality and responsive for the requirements of learners and employers. The sample of this research were 310 persons ; consisted of graduates in the Educational Technology Program in Bachelor Degree (Continuing Program in academic year 2006 - 2010, the committee of the Educational Technology Program in Bachelor Degree (Continuing Program , instructors and employers by using Multi-stage Random Sampling and Simple Random Sampling. The instruments of this research were the 5 levels rating scale questionnaire and the structured interview type. They consisted of 3 sets: 1 for graduates, 2 for the committee of the Educational Technology Program in Bachelor Degree (Continuing Program and 3 for instructors and employers. The research found that: 1. The results of evaluation on the Educational Technology Program in Bachelor Degree (Continuing Program which is revised in 2007 were: 1.1 The opinions of graduates to curriculum in all of aspects were average at the uncertain level which the context aspect was at the high level, input aspect was at the uncertain level, process aspect was at the uncertain level and product aspect was at the high level. 1.2 The opinions of the curriculum committee and instructors to curriculum in all of aspects were average at the high level which the context aspect was at the high level, input aspect was at the

Mississippi Curriculum Framework for Welding and Cutting Programs (Program CIP: 48.0508--Welder/Welding Technologist). Postsecondary Programs.

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Mississippi Research and Curriculum Unit for Vocational and Technical Education, State College.

This document, which is intended for use by community and junior colleges throughout Mississippi, contains curriculum frameworks for the course sequences in the welding and cutting programs cluster. Presented in the introductory section are a description of the program and suggested course sequence. Section I lists baseline competencies, and…

Defining Nature-Based Preschools

Science.gov (United States)

Larimore, Rachel

2016-01-01

Nature-based early childhood education. Nature-based preschool. Nature preschool. Forest kindergarten. Nature kindergarten. Waldkindergarten. Forest school. These are a few of the program terms currently being discussed among early childhood environmental education professionals in the United States. Why is there so much discussion about the names…

Description of an ethics curriculum for a medicine residency program.

OpenAIRE

Silverman, H J

1999-01-01

This paper examines the attempts to develop and implement an ethics curriculum for the Internal Medicine Residency Program at the University of Maryland Medical Center. The objectives of the curriculum were to enhance moral reasoning skills and to promote humanistic attitudes and behavior among the residents. The diverse methodologies used to achieve these objectives included case discussions, literature reading, role playing, writing, and videos. These activities occurred predominantly withi...

Career Preparation Program Curriculum Guide for: Hospitality/Tourism Industry (Food Services).

Science.gov (United States)

British Columbia Dept. of Education, Victoria. Curriculum Development Branch.

This curriculum outline provides secondary and postsecondary instructors with detailed information on student learning outcomes for completion of the food services program requirements in the hospitality/tourism industry. A program overview discusses the aims of education; secondary school philosophy; and career preparation programs and their…

A year-long caregiver training program to improve neurocognition in preschool Ugandan HIV-exposed children.

Science.gov (United States)

Boivin, Michael J; Bangirana, Paul; Nakasujja, Noeline; Page, Connie F; Shohet, Cilly; Givon, Deborah; Bass, Judith K; Opoka, Robert O; Klein, Pnina S

2013-05-01

Mediational intervention for sensitizing caregivers (MISC) is a structured program enabling caregivers to enhance their child's cognitive and emotional development through daily interactions. The principal aim was to evaluate if a year-long MISC caregiver training program produced greater improvement in child cognitive and emotional development compared with a control program. One hundred and nineteen uninfected HIV-exposed preschool children and their caregivers were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatment arms: biweekly MISC training alternating between home and clinic for 1 year or a health and nutrition curriculum. All children were evaluated at baseline, 6 months, and 1 year with the Mullen Early Learning Scales, Color-Object Association Test for memory, and Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist for psychiatric symptoms. Caregivers were evaluated on the same schedule with the Hopkins Symptoms Checklist-25 for depression and anxiety. The treatment arms were compared using repeated-measures analysis of covariance with child age, gender, weight, socioeconomic status, caregiving quality, caregiver anxiety, and caregiver education as covariates. The MISC children had significantly greater gains compared to controls on the Mullen Receptive and Expressive Language development, and on the Mullen composite score of cognitive ability. Color-Object Association Test total memory for MISC children was marginally better than controls. No Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist differences between the groups were noted. Caldwell Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment scores and observed mediational interaction scores from videotapes measuring caregiving quality also improved significantly more for the MISC group. The MISC enhanced cognitive performance, especially in language development. These benefits were possibly mediated by improved caregiving and positive emotional benefit to the caregiver.

Good Talking Words: A Social Communications Skills Program for Preschool and Kindergarten Classes.

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Paulson, Lucy Hart; van den Pol, Rick

The "Good Talking Words" program aims to help children develop and demonstrate the social communication skills that are vital to school and life success. It uses an active, direct instructional approach for preschool and kindergarten students that uses language experiences to teach specific, prosocial behaviors that will help children…

Investigation of Pre-School Teachers' Beliefs about Mathematics Education in Terms of Their Experience and Structure of Their Education

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Karatas, Ilhan; Guven, Bulent; Öztürk, Yasin; Arslan, Selahattin; Gürsöy, Kadir

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine pre-school teachers' beliefs about teaching mathematics to young learners. In this context, we compared preschool teachers' beliefs with mathematical learning, talent-development-age appropriateness for mathematical learning, the nature of mathematics, the curriculum, teacher efficacy, and the teacher's role…

Movin' to the Music: Simple--and Essential--Experiences for Preschoolers.

Science.gov (United States)

Oberg, Barbara

1997-01-01

Highlights the importance of inclusion of music in preschool curriculum. Promotes using a variety of musical activities to stimulate imagination including quiet listening, marching while clanging instruments, dancing, singing, and playing games. Provides suggestions on where to start, songs, rhythm instruments, musical props, stories and music,…

An intervention to reduce television viewing by preschool children.

Science.gov (United States)

Dennison, Barbara A; Russo, Theresa J; Burdick, Patrick A; Jenkins, Paul L

2004-02-01

Television viewing has been associated with increased violence in play and higher rates of obesity. Although there are interventions to reduce television viewing by school-aged children, there are none for younger children. To develop and evaluate an intervention to reduce television viewing by preschool children. Randomized controlled trial conducted in 16 preschool and/or day care centers in rural upstate New York. Children aged 2.6 through 5.5 years. Children attending intervention centers received a 7-session program designed to reduce television viewing as part of a health promotion curriculum, whereas children attending the control centers received a safety and injury prevention program. Change in parent-reported child television/video viewing and measured growth variables. Before the intervention, the intervention and control groups viewed 11.9 and 14.0 h/wk of television/videos, respectively. Afterward, children in the intervention group decreased their television/video viewing 3.1 h/wk, whereas children in the control group increased their viewing by 1.6 h/wk, for an adjusted difference between the groups of -4.7 h/wk (95% confidence interval, -8.4 to -1.0 h/wk; P =.02). The percentage of children watching television/videos more than 2 h/d also decreased significantly from 33% to 18% among the intervention group, compared with an increase of 41% to 47% among the control group, for a difference of -21.5% (95% confidence interval, -42.5% to -0.5%; P =.046). There were no statistically significant differences in children's growth between groups. This study is the first to show that a preschool-based intervention can lead to reductions in young children's television/video viewing. Further research is needed to determine the long-term effects associated with reductions in young children's television viewing.

THE TRAVELLING SALESMAN PROBLEM IN THE ENGINEERING EDUCATION PROGRAMMING CURRICULUM

OpenAIRE

Yevgeny Gayev; Vadim Kalmikov

2017-01-01

Objective: To make students familiar with the famous Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) and suggest the latter to become a common exercise in engineering programming curriculum provided the students master computer science in the easy programming environment MATLAB. Methods: easy programming in MATLAB makes true such modern educational approach as “discovery based” methodology. Results: a MATLAB TSP-program oriented to Ukrainian map is suggested that allows to pictorially demonstrate the proces...

Who Goes to Preschool and Why Does It Matter? Preschool Policy Brief. Issue 15

Science.gov (United States)

Barnett, W. Steven; Yarosz, Donald J.

2007-01-01

In a world shaped by global competition, preschool education programs play an increasingly vital role in child development and school readiness. There is growing awareness that early learning's impacts persist across children's life spans, affecting educational achievement, adult earning and even crime and delinquency. Preschool education is…

Engineering the curriculum: Towards an adaptive curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Johns-Boast, Lynette Frances

The curriculum is one of the most important artefacts produced by higher education institutions, yet it is one of the least studied. Additionally, little is known about the decision-making of academics when designing and developing their curricula, nor how they make use of them. This research investigates how 22 Australian higher education engineering, software engineering, computer science, and information systems academics conceive of curriculum, what approaches they take when designing, and developing course and program curricula, and what use they make of the curriculum. It also considers the implications of these conceptions and behaviour upon their curricula. Data were collected through a series of one-to-one, in-depth, qualitative interviews as well as small focus group sessions and were analysed following Charmaz’ (2006) approach to grounded theory. In this thesis, I argue that the development of curricula for new higher degree programs and courses and / or the updating and innovating of an existing curriculum is a design problem. I also argue that curriculum is a complex adaptive system. Surrounding the design and development of a curriculum is a process of design that leads to the creation of a designed object - the official-curriculum. The official-curriculum provides the guiding principles for its implementation, which involves the design and development of the curriculum-in-use, its delivery, and evaluation. Data show that while the participants conceive of curriculum as a problem of design involving a design process leading to the development of the official-curriculum, surprisingly, their behaviour does not match their conceptions. Over a very short period, their behaviour leads to a process I have called curriculum drift where the official-curriculum and the curriculum-in-use drift away from each other causing the curriculum to lose its integrity. Curricular integrity is characterised through the attributes of alignment, coherence, and

Obstetric and Gynecologic Ultrasound Curriculum and Competency Assessment in Residency Training Programs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Abuhamad, Alfred; Minton, Katherine K; Benson, Carol B

2018-01-01

in Medicine assembled a multisociety task force to develop a consensus-based, standardized curriculum and competency assessment tools for obstetric and gynecologic ultrasound training in residency programs. The curriculum and competency assessment tools were developed based on existing national...... and international guidelines for the performance of obstetric and gynecologic ultrasound examinations and thus are intended to represent the minimum requirement for such training. By expert consensus, the curriculum was developed for each year of training, criteria for each competency assessment image were...... that the criteria set forth in this document will evolve with time. The task force also encourages use of ultrasound simulation in residency training and expects that simulation will play a significant part in the curriculum and the competency assessment process. Incorporating this training curriculum...

Obstetric and gynecologic ultrasound curriculum and competency assessment in residency training programs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Abuhamad, Alfred; Minton, Katherine K; Benson, Carol B

2018-01-01

in Medicine assembled a multisociety task force to develop a consensus-based, standardized curriculum and competency assessment tools for obstetric and gynecologic ultrasound training in residency programs. The curriculum and competency assessment tools were developed based on existing national...... and international guidelines for the performance of obstetric and gynecologic ultrasound examinations and thus are intended to represent the minimum requirement for such training. By expert consensus, the curriculum was developed for each year of training, criteria for each competency assessment image were...... that the criteria set forth in this document will evolve with time. The task force also encourages use of ultrasound simulation in residency training and expects that simulation will play a significant part in the curriculum and the competency assessment process. Incorporating this training curriculum...

Aboriginal Children and Their Caregivers Living with Low Income: Outcomes from a Two-Generation Preschool Program

Science.gov (United States)

Benzies, Karen; Tough, Suzanne; Edwards, Nancy; Mychasiuk, Richelle; Donnelly, Carlene

2011-01-01

The development of preschool children of Aboriginal heritage is jeopardized by the inter-generational transmission of risk that has created, and continues to create, social disadvantage. Early intervention programs are intended to mitigate the impact of social disadvantage. Yet, evidence of the effectiveness of these programs for children of…

Integrated Pest Management: A Curriculum for Early Care and Education Programs

Science.gov (United States)

California Childcare Health Program, 2011

2011-01-01

This "Integrated Pest Management Toolkit for Early Care and Education Programs" presents practical information about using integrated pest management (IPM) to prevent and manage pest problems in early care and education programs. This curriculum will help people in early care and education programs learn how to keep pests out of early…

Fathers of Children in Public Preschool Programs: A Study of School Involvement and Satisfaction

Science.gov (United States)

Noggle, Amy Kappel

2012-01-01

In this quantitative study, I examined the involvement levels of fathers of children attending public preschool programs using the Family Involvement Questionnaire; I also examined fathers' satisfaction with school contact and involvement experiences using the Parent Satisfaction with Educational Experiences scale. Additionally, I…

The High/Scope Perry Preschool Program: Cost-Benefit Analysis Using Data from the Age-40 Followup

Science.gov (United States)

Belfield, Clive R.; Nores, Milagros; Barnett, Steve; Schweinhart, Lawrence

2006-01-01

This paper presents an updated cost-benefit analysis of the High/Scope Perry preschool Program, using data on individuals aged 40. Children were randomly assigned to a treatment or control group. Program costs are compared against treatment impacts on educational resources, earnings, criminal activity, and welfare receipt. Net present values are…

Preschool Teaching Staff’s Opinions on the Importance of Preschool Curricular Fields of Activities, Art Genres and Visual Arts Fields

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomaž Zupančič

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This article presents preschool teachers’ and assistant teachers’ opinions on the importance of selected fields of educational work in kindergartens. The article first highlights the importance of activities expressing artistic creativity within modern curriculums. Then, it presents an empirical study that examines the preschool teachers’ and assistant teachers’ opinions on the importance of the educational fields, art genres, and visual arts fields. In research hypotheses, we presumed that preschool teachers find individual educational fields, individual art genres, and individual visual arts activities to be of different importance; consequently, education in kindergarten does not achieve the requisite holism. The study is based on the descriptive and causal-non-experimental method. We have determined that the greatest importance is attributed to movement and language, followed by nature, society, art and mathematics. Within art genres, the greatest importance is attributed to visual arts and music and the least to audio-visual activities. Within visual arts, drawing and painting are considered to be the most important and sculpting the least. These findings can support future studies and deliberation on the possible effects on practice in terms of requisitely holistically planned preschool education.

Parents and Children through the School Years: The Effects of the Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters.

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Baker, Amy J. L.; Piotrkowski, Chaya S.

The Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) is a free 2-year family oriented early childhood education and parent involvement program for parents with limited formal education to help them provide educational enrichment for their 4-year-old and 5-year-old children. As of 1996, HIPPY programs serve over 15,000 economically…

From "Hesitant" to "Environmental Leader": The Influence of a Professional Development Program on the Environmental Citizenship of Preschool Teachers

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Spektor-Levy, Ornit; Abramovich, Anat

2017-01-01

This study investigated the influence that the "Environmental Leadership Professional Development" program had on preschool teachers. The program's aim is to enhance environmental awareness, thus developing environmental citizenship and leadership. The program offered experiential and reflective learning, meetings with environmental…

The State of Preschool 2012: State Preschool Yearbook. Executive Summary

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Barnett, W. Steven; Carolan, Megan E.; Fitzgerald, Jen; Squires, James H.

2012-01-01

The 2012 "State Preschool Yearbook" profiles state-funded prekindergarten programs in the United States. The "Yearbook" compares each state program's standards against a checklist of 10 research-based quality standards benchmarks. Although the benchmarks against which the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER)…

Commitment to Classroom Model Philosophy and Burnout Symptoms among High Fidelity Teachers Implementing Preschool Programs for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

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Coman, Drew; Alessandri, Michael; Gutierrez, Anibal; Novotny, Stephanie; Boyd, Brian; Hume, Kara; Sperry, Laurie; Odom, Samuel

2013-01-01

Teacher commitment to classroom model philosophy and burnout were explored in a sample of 53 teachers implementing three preschool models at high levels of fidelity for students with autism: Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped Children (TEACCH); Learning Experiences and Alternative Program for Preschoolers and…

A Longitudinal Study of Handwriting Skills in Pre-Schoolers: The Acquisition of Syllable Oriented Programming Strategies

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Soler Vilageliu, Olga; Kandel, Sonia

2012-01-01

Previous studies have shown the relevance of the syllable as a programming unit in handwriting production, both in adults and elementary school children. This longitudinal study focuses on the acquisition of writing skills in a group of preschoolers. It examines how and when the syllable structure of the word starts regulating motor programming in…

Preschool Gifted Education: Perceived Challenges Associated with Program Development

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Kettler, Todd; Oveross, Mattie E.; Salman, Rania C.

2017-01-01

This descriptive study investigated the challenges related to implementing gifted education services in preschool centers. Participants were 254 licensed preschool center directors in a southern state. Participants completed a researcher-created survey including both selected response items and constructed response items to examine the perceived…

Federal Aviation Administration Curriculum Guide for Aviation Magnet Schools Programs

Science.gov (United States)

1994-01-01

Prepared ca. 1994. This publication is designed to provide: : - a brief history of the role of aviation in motivating young : people to learn. : - examples of aviation magnet activities, programs, projects and : school curriculums. : - documentation ...

Perspectives of Residents of Mashhad School of Dentistry about the Curriculum of Residency Program

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Javad Sarabadani

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction: This study was carried out to analyze the viewpoint of the residents of school of dentistry about the curriculum presented in the residency program to students of Mashhad School of Dentistry. Methods: To evaluate the perspectives of residents of dental school about the curriculum and regulations of residency program, a questionnaire was designed whose validity and reliability were confirmed by the authorities of School of Dentistry and test-retest reliability, respectively. The questionnaire was distributed among 100 residents and 80 of them completed the questionnaires. The data were analyzed by SPSS software (version 11.5. Results: A total of 43% of residents were informed of the curriculum (e.g. academic leave, transfer, removal of semester, etc.. As for the ability to write research proposal, 42.7% of residents were reported to have a favorable status, i.e. they were able to write more than 80% of their proposal. From among the residents, 30.4% had specialized English language certificate. Most of them (77% were satisfied with the professional staff, faculty members, of the faculty. Many students liked to participate in the teaching method courses of the residency program. Conclusion: Residents maintained that the curriculum in such domains as educational and research issues and special capabilities had some weak points. Thus, appropriate strategies are recommended to be applied to revise the curriculum using the residents’ views on these programs.

Investigation of 2013 pre-school education program in the context of values in education

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Neriman Aral

2018-04-01

Full Text Available It has been aimed to examine the acquisition and indicators in the Pre-school Education Program 2013, updated and implemented in 2013, according to the development areas in terms of values education in the study. For this purpose, content analysis method from qualitative research methods was used. The values addressed with in the direction of the theory of values have been divided into categories and subcategories. The final form of the category of values was given in line with the opinion of experts. The specified values have been analyzed according to their status of acquisition and indicators for children. As a result of the study, it has been found that the value of responsibility was given a great place in the pre-school education program and it is followed by the values of respect, solidarity, trust, love, tolerance, freedom, equality, friendship and justice respectively.  Depending on the results obtained, it may be recommended that more attention is paid to the individual interests and needs of children, all values are equally integrated into the program and school-family cooperation is ensured about the values.

Gifted Education in Preschool: Perceived Barriers and Benefits of Program Development

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Kettler, Todd; Oveross, Mattie E.; Bishop, James C.

2017-01-01

Substantial evidence supports the benefits of quality preschool education for children of all levels and backgrounds. However, early childhood gifted education services rarely exist in preschool centers. This study included 263 preschool centers representing geographic diversity in a southern state in the United States. Narrative data were…

Beyond behavior modification: Benefits of social-emotional/self-regulation training for preschoolers with behavior problems.

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Graziano, Paulo A; Hart, Katie

2016-10-01

The current study evaluated the initial efficacy of three intervention programs aimed at improving school readiness in preschool children with externalizing behavior problems (EBP). Participants for this study included 45 preschool children (76% boys; Mage=5.16years; 84% Hispanic/Latino background) with at-risk or clinically elevated levels of EBP. During the summer between preschool and kindergarten, children were randomized to receive three newly developed intervention packages. The first and most cost effective intervention package was an 8-week School Readiness Parenting Program (SRPP). Families randomized into the second and third intervention packages received not only the weekly SRPP, but children also attended two different versions of an intensive kindergarten summer readiness class (M-F, 8a.m.-5p.m.) that was part of an 8-week summer treatment program for pre-kindergarteners (STP-PreK). One version included the standard behavioral modification system and academic curriculum (STP-PreK) while the other additionally contained social-emotional and self-regulation training (STP-PreK Enhanced). Baseline, post-intervention, and 6-month follow-up data were collected on children's school readiness outcomes including parent, teacher, and objective assessment measures. Analyses using linear mixed models indicated that children's behavioral functioning significantly improved across all groups in a similar magnitude. Children in the STP-PreK Enhanced group, however, experienced greater growth across time in academic achievement, emotion knowledge, emotion regulation, and executive functioning compared to children in the other groups. These findings suggest that while parent training is sufficient to address children's behavioral difficulties, an intensive summer program that goes beyond behavioral modification and academic preparation by targeting socio-emotional and self-regulation skills can have incremental benefits across multiple aspects of school readiness

Combining child social skills training with a parent early intervention program for inhibited preschool children.

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Lau, Elizabeth X; Rapee, Ronald M; Coplan, Robert J

2017-10-01

Previous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of early intervention for anxiety in preschoolers through parent-education. The current study evaluated a six-session early intervention program for preschoolers at high risk of anxiety disorders in which a standard educational program for parents was supplemented by direct training of social skills to the children. Seventy-two children aged 3-5 years were selected based on high behavioural inhibition levels and concurrently having a parent with high emotional distress. Families were randomly assigned to either the intervention group, which consisted of six parent-education group sessions and six child social skills training sessions, or waitlist. After six months, families on waitlist were offered treatment consisting of parent-education only. Relative to waitlist, children in the combined condition showed significantly fewer clinician-rated anxiety disorders and diagnostic severity and maternal (but not paternal) reported anxiety symptoms and life interference at six months. Mothers also reported less overprotection. These gains were maintained at 12-month follow-up. Parent only education following waitlist produced similar improvements among children. Quasi-experimental comparison between combined and parent-only interventions indicated greater reductions from combined intervention according to clinician reports, but no significant differences on maternal reports. Results suggest that this brief early intervention program for preschoolers with both parent and child components significantly reduces risk and disorder in vulnerable children. The inclusion of a child component might have the potential to increase effects over parent-only intervention. However, future support for this conclusion through long-term, randomised controlled trials is needed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Research-Based Curriculum, Pedagogy, and Assessment in a Deaf Bilingual Program

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Peterson, Laura

2012-01-01

The California School for the Deaf (CSD), Fremont, is a deaf-centered bilingual program. CSD's approach to curriculum development, instructional pedagogy, and assessment integrates best practices in deaf education, bilingual education, and general education. The goals of the program are outlined in the Expected School-wide Learning Results which…

The Effect of Project Based Learning in Teaching EFL Vocabulary to Young Learners of English: The Case of Pre-School Children

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Kimsesiz, Fatma; Dolgunso¨z, Emrah; Konca, M. Yavuz

2017-01-01

English language teaching has newly been introduced to pre-school curriculum in Turkey. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of teaching EFL vocabulary to pre-school children through Project Based Learning (PBL). For this purpose, an experimental design, consisted of observation checklists, exam scores and a short survey,…

AN EVALUATION OF A PRESCHOOL TRAINING PROGRAM FOR CULTURALLY DEPRIVED CHILDREN. FINAL REPORT.

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TAMMINEN, ARMAS W.; AND OTHERS

TO FIND OUT IF CULTURALLY DEPRIVED CHILDREN SHOW CHANGE IN ACADEMIC READINESS AS A RESULT OF SPECIAL PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS, 3 GROUPS OF CHILDREN (14 TO 17 IN EACH) IN 3 DULUTH SCHOOL AREAS WERE PRE- AND POSTTESTED WITH THE STANFORD-BINET AND SRA PRIMARY MENTAL ABILITIES TESTS. A CONTROL GROUP OF 30 CHILDREN FROM THE SAME 3 SCHOOL AREAS WERE GIVEN THE…

Mississippi Curriculum Framework for Veterinary Technology (Program CIP: 51.0808--Veterinarian Asst./Animal Health). Postsecondary Programs.

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Mississippi Research and Curriculum Unit for Vocational and Technical Education, State College.

This document, which is intended for use by community and junior colleges throughout Mississippi, contains curriculum frameworks for the course sequences in the veterinary technology program. Presented in the introductory section are a of the program and suggested course sequence. Section I lists baseline competencies, and section II consists of…

Design and Curriculum Considerations for a Computer Graphics Program in the Arts.

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Leeman, Ruedy W.

This history and state-of-the-art review of computer graphics describes computer graphics programs and proposed programs at Sheridan College (Canada), the Rhode Island School of Design, the University of Oregon, Northern Illinois University, and Ohio State University. These programs are discussed in terms of their philosophy, curriculum, student…

Curriculum design and German student exchange for Sino-German Bachelor program majored in optoelectronics engineering

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Zheng, Jihong; Fuhrmann, Thomas; Xu, Boqing; Schreiner, Rupert; Jia, Hongzhi; Zhang, Wei; Wang, Ning; Seebauer, Gudrun; Zhu, Jiyan

2017-08-01

Different higher education backgrounds in China and Germany led to challenges in the curriculum design at the beginning of our cooperative bachelor program in Optoelectronics Engineering. We see challenges in different subject requirements from both sides and in the German language requirements for Chinese students. The curriculum was optimized according to the ASIIN criteria, which makes it acceptable and understandable by both countries. German students are integrated into the Chinese class and get the same lectures like their Chinese colleagues. Intercultural and curriculum challenges are successfully solved. The results are summarized to provide an example for other similar international programs.

Career Preparation Program Curriculum Guide for: Hospitality/Tourism Industry (Tourist Services).

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British Columbia Dept. of Education, Victoria. Curriculum Development Branch.

This career preparation curriculum outline for the hospitality/tourism industry is intended to provide secondary and postsecondary learning outcomes for completion of program requirements. The guide is organized into four sections. Section one presents an overview of the program, of the philosophy of career education, and of the organization and…

Systemic Changes in the Undergraduate Chemistry Curriculum Program Awards

Science.gov (United States)

1995-07-01

The National Science Foundation has awarded over 10 million in awards to four coalitions in the first round of full awards in the Systemic Changes in the Undergraduate Chemistry Curriculum program. Overall, more than 50 institutions, ranging from large universities to four-year and community colleges, are formally involved in these projects. Each of the projects will involve five years of curricular development and evaluation and dissemination of the results by the participating institutions, as described in the abstracts below. We encourage faculty who are interested in becoming involved in any of these projects to contact the appropriate coalition. In addition, we expect to begin offering an emphasis in 1997 under the Course and Curriculum Development program in which faculty can request funds to assist them in adapting and adopting at their own institutions curricular innovations that have been developed by these coalitions. Another round of proposals for full awards was accepted in June of 1995, and we expect to make one more award in the program during FY1996. We do not expect to accept proposals for either planning or full grants in this program in June of 1996. However, the regular Course and Curriculum Development program will continue to accept and fund proposals requesting support for smaller-scale changes in the chemistry curriculum. ChemLinks Coalition: Making Chemical Connections Brock Spencer Beloit College, Beloit, WI 53511 DUE 9455918: FY1995, 705,000; FY 1996, 655,000; FY1997, 655,000; FY1998, 350,00; FY1999, 350,000 The ChemLinks Coalition is undertaking a five-year project to change the way students learn chemistry, increase scientific literacy for all students taking chemistry, and promote the process of educational reform. In collaboration with the ModularChem Consortium, faculty are developing, testing, and disseminating modular course materials that use active and collaborative approaches to learning. These materials, focused on the first two

The Impact of Art Education Program on the Social Skills of Preschool Children

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Yazici, Elçin

2017-01-01

The current study was carried out to determine the effect of art education program on the social skills of preschool children at the age of 61-72 months attending to a kindergarten. The working group of the research was made up of 51 children in total, as experiment group (n: 26) and control group (n: 25). An experiment design with a pre/post-test…

Parental Preferences for the Organization of Preschool Vaccination Programs Including Financial Incentives: A Discrete Choice Experiment

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Darren Flynn PhD

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Objective: To establish preferences of parents and guardians of preschool children for the organization of preschool vaccination services, including financial incentives. Design: An online discrete choice experiment. Participants: Parents and guardians of preschool children (up to age 5 years who were (n = 259 and were not (n = 262 classified as at high risk of incompletely vaccinating their children. High risk of incomplete vaccination was defined as any of the following: aged less than 20 years, single parents, living in one of the 20% most deprived areas in England, had a preschool child with a disability, or had more than three children. Main Outcome Measures: Participant preferences expressed as positive (utility or negative (disutility on eight attributes and levels describing the organization of preschool vaccination programs. Results: There was no difference in preference for parental financial incentives compared to no incentive in parents “not at high risk” of incomplete vaccination. Parents who were “at high risk” expressed utility for cash incentives. Parents “at high risk” of incomplete vaccination expressed utility for information on the risks and benefits of vaccinations to be provided as numbers rather than charts or pictures. Both groups preferred universally available, rather than targeted, incentives. Utility was identified for shorter waiting times, and there were variable preferences for who delivered vaccinations. Conclusions: Cash incentives for preschool vaccinations in England would be welcomed by parents who are “at high risk” of incompletely vaccinating their children. Further work is required on the optimal mode and form of presenting probabilistic information on vaccination to parents/guardians, including preferences on mandatory vaccination schemes.

Interactive programs with preschool children bring smiles and conversation to older adults: time-sampling study.

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Morita, Kumiko; Kobayashi, Minako

2013-10-18

Keeping older adults healthy and active is an emerging challenge of an aging society. Despite the importance of personal relationships to their health and well-being, changes in family structure have resulted in a lower frequency of intergenerational interactions. Limited studies have been conducted to compare different interaction style of intergenerational interaction. The present study aimed to compare the changes in visual attention, facial expression, engagement/behaviour, and intergenerational conversation in older adults brought about by a performance-based intergenerational (IG) program and a social-oriented IG program to determine a desirable interaction style for older adults. The subjects of this study were 25 older adults who participated in intergenerational programs with preschool children aged 5 to 6 years at an adult day care centre in Tokyo. We used time sampling to perform a structured observation study. The 25 older participants of intergenerational programs were divided into two groups based on their interaction style: performance-based IG program (children sing songs and dance) and social-oriented IG program (older adults and children play games together). Based on the 5-minute video observation, we compared changes in visual attention, facial expression, engagement/behaviour, and intergenerational conversation between the performance-based and social-oriented IG programs. Constructive behaviour and intergenerational conversation were significantly higher in the social-oriented IG programming group than the performance-based IG programming group (pprogramming group than the performance-based IG programming (pprogramming group than the social-oriented IG programming group (pprograms with preschool children brought smiles and conversation to older adults. The social-oriented IG program allowed older adults to play more roles than the performance-based IG program. The intergenerational programs provide opportunities to fulfil basic human needs and

Problems of computerization in the brunch of preschool education

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Podolyaka А.Е.

2010-04-01

Full Text Available The use of computer technologies was probed in preschool education. 27 pedagogical workers of child's preschool establishments took part in research. The differentiated approach is rotined in the selection of facilities of physical education of children of preschool age. The basic requirements are selected to the computer programs. Found out disparity between enhanceable demand on the computer programs and their introduction in an educational educate process. Multilevel classification and sequence is set in the selection of mobile games.

Implementing a robotics curriculum at an academic general surgery training program: our initial experience.

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Winder, Joshua S; Juza, Ryan M; Sasaki, Jennifer; Rogers, Ann M; Pauli, Eric M; Haluck, Randy S; Estes, Stephanie J; Lyn-Sue, Jerome R

2016-09-01

The robotic surgical platform is being utilized by a growing number of hospitals across the country, including academic medical centers. Training programs are tasked with teaching their residents how to utilize this technology. To this end, we have developed and implemented a robotic surgical curriculum, and share our initial experience here. Our curriculum was implemented for all General Surgical residents for the academic year 2014-2015. The curriculum consisted of online training, readings, bedside training, console simulation, participating in ten cases as bedside first assistant, and operating at the console. 20 surgical residents were included. Residents were provided the curriculum and notified the department upon completion. Bedside assistance and operative console training were completed in the operating room through a mix of biliary, foregut, and colorectal cases. During the fiscal years of 2014 and 2015, there were 164 and 263 robot-assisted surgeries performed within the General Surgery Department, respectively. All 20 residents completed the online and bedside instruction portions of the curriculum. Of the 20 residents trained, 13/20 (65 %) sat at the Surgeon console during at least one case. Utilizing this curriculum, we have trained and incorporated residents into robot-assisted cases in an efficient manner. A successful curriculum must be based on didactic learning, reading, bedside training, simulation, and training in the operating room. Each program must examine their caseload and resident class to ensure proper exposure to this platform.

The "Curriculum for Excellence": A Major Change for Scottish Science Education

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Brown, Sally

2014-01-01

The Curriculum for Excellence and new National Qualifications offer innovative reform, based on widely supported ideas and aims, for Scottish preschool, primary and secondary education levels. "Objectives and syllabuses" for science are replaced by "experiences and outcomes". Most strikingly, central prescription makes way for…

Andragogical and Pedagogical Methods for Curriculum and Program Development

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Wang, Victor C. X., Ed.; Bryan, Valerie C., Ed.

2014-01-01

Today's ever-changing learning environment is characterized by the fast pace of technology that drives our society to move forward, and causes our knowledge to increase at an exponential rate. The need for in-depth research that is bound to generate new knowledge about curriculum and program development is becoming ever more relevant.…

European Master's program in Gerontology (EuMaG): Goals, curriculum, and students

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Aartsen, M.J.

2011-01-01

The European Master's Program in Gerontology (EuMaG) started in September 2003 with support from the European Commission. The EuMaG is a modular, 2-year, part-time international training program about the aging process and its societal implications. The multidisciplinary curriculum comprises four

An ideal teaching program of nuclear chemistry in the undergraduate chemistry curriculum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uenak, T.

2009-01-01

It is well known that several reports on the common educational problems of nuclear chemistry have been prepared by certain groups of experts from time to time. According to very important statements in these reports, nuclear chemistry and related courses generally do not take sufficient importance in undergraduate chemistry curricula and it was generally proposed that nuclear chemistry and related courses should be introduced into undergraduate chemistry curricula at universities worldwide. Starting from these statements, an ideal program in an undergraduate chemistry curriculum was proposed to be introduced into the undergraduate chemistry program at the Department of Chemistry, Ege University, in Izmir, Turkey during the regular updating of the chemistry curriculum. Thus, it has been believed that this Department of Chemistry has recently gained an ideal teaching program in the field of nuclear chemistry and its applications in scientific, industrial, and medical sectors. In this contribution, the details of this program will be discussed. (author)

Curriculum-Level Strategies That U.S. Occupational Therapy Programs Use to Address Occupation: A Qualitative Study.

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Hooper, Barb; Krishnagiri, Sheama; Price, Pollie; Taff, Steven D; Bilics, Andrea

This study's objective was to describe curriculum-level strategies used to convey occupation to occupational therapy students. The study used a descriptive qualitative research design. Fifteen occupational therapy and 10 occupational therapy assistant programs participated in interviews, submitted curriculum artifacts such as syllabi and assignments, and recorded teaching sessions. Data were coded both inductively and deductively and then categorized into themes. Occupational therapy programs designed strategies on two levels of the curriculum, infrastructure and implementation, to convey knowledge of occupation to students. The degree to which strategies explicitly highlighted occupation and steered instruction fluctuated depending on how differentiated occupation was from other concepts and skills. Two arguments are presented about the degree to which occupation needs to be infused in all curricular elements. To guide curriculum design, it is critical for educators to discuss beliefs about how ubiquitous occupation is in a curriculum and whether curricular elements portray occupation to the extent preferred. Copyright © 2018 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

"Well, We're Going to Kindergarten, so We're Gonna Need Business Cards!": A Story of Preschool Emergent Readers and Writers and the Transformation of Identity

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Tolentino, Efleda Preclaro; Lawson, Lauren

2017-01-01

Teacher research yields a plethora of insights about creating a meaningful curriculum for children. In this article, we describe the experience of preschool children who participated in Kindergarten Club, a space that afforded them opportunities to shift roles from being preschoolers to being kindergarteners. Kindergarten Club became a catalyst…

Fundamental movement skills among Australian preschool children.

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Hardy, Louise L; King, Lesley; Farrell, Louise; Macniven, Rona; Howlett, Sarah

2010-09-01

Early childhood is a critical period for the development of fundamental movement skills (FMS). Children who do not master FMS are more likely to experience failure in the motor domain and less likely to participate in sport and games during childhood and adolescence. Studies among primary school aged children report low levels of FMS mastery indicating the need to implement FMS programs during the preschool years. Cross-sectional study of 425 children attending preschools in the Sydney, Australia in 2008. FMS were assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 including locomotor (run, gallop, hop, horizontal jump) and object control (strike, catch, kick overhand throw) skills. Data were analysed using linear regression and chi-squared analyses. Total locomotor score was higher among girls compared with boys (pskills and boys had higher mastery of object control skills. These findings highlight the need to provide structured opportunities which facilitate children's acquisition of FMS, which may include providing gender separated games, equipment and spaces. That mastery of FMS is low in primary school children indicates the importance of early intervention programs in preschools. Preschools and child care centers hold promise as a key setting for implementing FMS programs.

Factors Affecting the Formation of Food Preferences in Preschool Children.

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Alles-White, Monica L.; Welch, Patricia

1985-01-01

Identifies and discusses factors that affect the development of food preferences in preschool children, including familiarity, age, parents, peers, teachers, and programs designed to influence food habits. Makes recommendations to preschool and day care programs for creating an atmosphere conducive to trying new foods. (Author/DST)

Cost-analysis of an oral health outreach program for preschool children in a low socioeconomic multicultural area in Sweden.

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Wennhall, Inger; Norlund, Anders; Matsson, Lars; Twetman, Svante

2010-01-01

The aim was to calculate the total and the net costs per child included in a 3-year caries preventive program for preschool children and to make estimates of expected lowest and highest costs in a sensitivity analysis. The direct costs for prevention and dental care were applied retrospectively to a comprehensive oral health outreach project for preschool children conducted in a low-socioeconomic multi-cultural urban area. The outcome was compared with historical controls from the same area with conventional dental care. The cost per minute for the various dental professions was added to the cost of materials, rental facilities and equipment based on accounting data. The cost for fillings was extracted from a specified per diem list. Overhead costs were assumed to correspond to 50% of salaries and all costs were calculated as net present value per participating child in the program and expressed in Euro. The results revealed an estimated total cost of 310 Euro per included child (net present value) in the 3-year program. Half of the costs were attributed to the first year of the program and the costs of manpower constituted 45% of the total costs. When the total cost was reduced with the cost of conventional care and the revenue of avoided fillings, the net cost was estimated to 30 Euro. A sensitivity analysis displayed that a net gain could be possible with a maximal outcome of the program. In conclusion, the estimated net costs were displayed and available to those considering implementation of a similar population-based preventive program in areas where preschool children are at high caries risk.

Test Review for Preschool-Wide Evaluation Tool (PreSET) Manual: Assessing Universal Program-Wide Positive Behavior Support in Early Childhood

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Rodriguez, Billie Jo

2013-01-01

The Preschool-Wide Evaluation Tool (PreSET; Steed & Pomerleau, 2012) is published by Paul H. Brookes Publishing Company in Baltimore, MD. The PreSET purports to measure universal and program-wide features of early childhood programs' implementation fidelity of program-wide positive behavior intervention and support (PW-PBIS) and is,…

The formation of values through music in children of preschool education who are in temporary refuge status

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Ana Rita Castañeda-de Liendo

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The Bolivarian Education has been in need of projecting alternatives that lead to the continuity of the curriculum and programs for students and families that are in adverse situations caused by the climatic change. Sites or spaces have been opened to care for the preschool population of children in temporary shelter, but it is a new field to be explored by research, with new strategies and programs in the light of the sciences. This material is framed in the humanistic ethical values of solidarity, cooperation and social co-responsibility, for this and the great approach of the problem is to create in the child the values through music as a way to incorporate the integral management of the Risk in the daily culture of families, schools and communities.

The Abbott School Construction Program: NJ Department of Education Proposed Facilities Regulations. Analysis of Preschool Issues

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Ponessa, Joan; Boylan, Ellen

2004-01-01

This report on preschool facilities analyzes regulations proposed by the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) to implement the Educational Facilities Construction and Financing Act. (EFCFA). EFCFA, which authorizes and governs New Jersey's public school construction program, was enacted in July 2000 to implement the State Supreme Court's…

High/Scope Preschool Key Experiences: Language and Literacy. [with]Curriculum Videotape.

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Brinkman, Nancy A.

During the preschool years, children experience great strides in their ability to use language. This booklet and companion videotape help teachers and parents recognize and support six High/Scope key experiences in language and literacy: (1) talking with others about personally meaningful experiences; (2) describing objects, events, and relations;…

Small Business Management Volume III: Curriculum. An Adult Education Program.

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Persons, Edgar A.; Swanson, Gordon I.

The small business management adult education program outlined in this curriculum guide is designed to help small business entrepreneurs solve their business management problems and attain the goals they have established for their businesses and their families. (An instructor's manual and practice problems are in separate volumes.) The 3-year…

European Master's Program in Gerontology (EuMaG): Goals, Curriculum, and Students

Science.gov (United States)

Aartsen, Marja

2011-01-01

The European Master's Program in Gerontology (EuMaG) started in September 2003 with support from the European Commission. The EuMaG is a modular, 2-year, part-time international training program about the aging process and its societal implications. The multidisciplinary curriculum comprises four domains of gerontology (i.e., social gerontology,…

Assessment of Quality for Inclusive Programs in Greek Preschool Classrooms

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Fyssa, Aristea; Vlachou, Anastasia

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the quality of the practices that Greek teachers use to support the inclusion of children with disabilities in general preschools. Fifty-two preschool units for children between 4 and 6 years of age participated in this study. Data were collected through systematic observation with the use of the Inclusive…

The Rise and Fall of a Dakota Immersion Pre-school.

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Johnston, Bill

2002-01-01

Discusses an attempt to establish a Dakota-language immersion preschool on an Indian reservation in Minnesota. Outlines the historical experience of the Dakota and contrasts the educational success of the preschool program. Describes the final crisis that led to the resignation of the director and to the program's demise. (Author/VWL)

Brief Report: Application of the TEACCH Program on Chinese Pre-School Children with Autism--Does Culture Make a Difference?

Science.gov (United States)

Tsang, Sandra K. M.; Shek, Daniel T. l.; Lam, Lorinda L.; Tang, Florence L. Y.; Cheung, Penita M. P.

2007-01-01

A longitudinal study was conducted on 34 children with autism to evaluate the usefulness of the Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication Handicapped Children (TEACCH) program for Chinese pre-school children in Hong Kong. Eighteen children received full-time center-based TEACCH program training. The control group included 16…

Mathematics and Science Learning Opportunities in Preschool Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Piasta, Shayne B.; Pelatti, Christina Yeager; Miller, Heather Lynnine

2014-01-01

Research findings The present study observed and coded instruction in 65 preschool classrooms to examine (a) overall amounts and (b) types of mathematics and science learning opportunities experienced by preschool children as well as (c) the extent to which these opportunities were associated with classroom and program characteristics. Results indicated that children were afforded an average of 24 and 26 minutes of mathematics and science learning opportunities, respectively, corresponding to spending approximately 25% of total instructional time in each domain. Considerable variability existed, however, in the amounts and types of mathematics and science opportunities provided to children in their classrooms; to some extent, this variability was associated with teachers’ years of experience, teachers’ levels of education, and the socioeconomic status of children served in the program. Practice/policy Although results suggest greater integration of mathematics and science in preschool classrooms than previously established, there was considerable diversity in the amounts and types of learning opportunities provided in preschool classrooms. Affording mathematics and science experiences to all preschool children, as outlined in professional and state standards, may require additional professional development aimed at increasing preschool teachers’ understanding and implementation of learning opportunities in these two domains in their classrooms. PMID:25489205

Mississippi Curriculum Framework for Drafting and Design Technology (Program CIP: 48.0102--Architectural Drafting Technology) (Program CIP: 48.0101--General Drafting). Postsecondary Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Mississippi Research and Curriculum Unit for Vocational and Technical Education, State College.

This document, which is intended for use by community and junior colleges throughout Mississippi, contains curriculum frameworks for the two course sequences of the state's postsecondary-level drafting and design technology program: architectural drafting technology and drafting and design technology. Presented first are a program description and…

What Is Quality Preschool? Fact Sheet

Science.gov (United States)

Advocates for Children of New Jersey, 2010

2010-01-01

Children need quality early learning programs. This can be a child care center, a preschool or a Head Start program. Not all early learning programs provide the high quality children need. This paper presents questions that should be considered when looking for an early learning program.

Development of a Literature Curriculum for Young Children. CAREL Arts and Humanities Curriculum Development Program for Young Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Amidon, Jeanette; And Others

The purpose of the Central Atlantic Regional Educational Laboratory (CAREL) literature program was to encourage pupils' imaginative and expressive power and to improve their ability to use language effectively. The curriculum was designed for 3- to 8-year-olds who represented a wide socioeconomic background. Specialists trained teachers to relate…

An Evaluation of the Model School Division (MSD) Preschool Program for the School Year 1973-74.

Science.gov (United States)

District of Columbia Public Schools, Washington, DC. Dept. of Research and Evaluation.

This study was designed to assess the extent to which children served by the Model Schools Division Preschool Program developed socially, intellectually, physically and emotionally during the 1973-74 school year. This evaluation was also designed to measure the appropriateness of the learning environment and the amount of services provided by the…

Developing Constructivist Early Childhood Curriculum: Practical Principles and Activities. Early Childhood Education Series.

Science.gov (United States)

DeVries, Rheta; Zan, Betty; Hildebrandt, Carolyn; Edmiaston, Rebecca; Sales, Christina

This book provides a constructivist interpretation of developmentally appropriate preschool and kindergarten curriculum, incorporating descriptions of how activities are transformed over time and how children's reasoning is transformed, and placing the interpretation in the context of the play-oriented approach advocated by the National…

Designing Anatomy Program in Modern Medical Curriculum: Matter of Balance

Science.gov (United States)

Grković, Ivica; Marinović Guić, Maja; Košta, Vana; Poljičanin, Ana; Čarić, Ana; Vilović, Katarina

2009-01-01

Aim To evaluate the structure of the anatomy program in the first year medical curriculum of University of Split School of Medicine by comparing it with the recommendations by the Educational Affairs Committee of the American Association of Clinical Anatomists (AACA) and the Terminologia Anatomica (TA); we also quantitatively evaluated the organization of teaching material in contemporary topographical anatomy textbooks and matched them with the AACA recommendations, TA, and the curriculum of the anatomy course taught at Medical School in Split, Croatia. Methods TA, official recommendations of the AACA, 6 contemporary anatomy textbooks, and the structure of the anatomy course were analyzed for the proportion of the terms or text devoted to standard topographical regions of the body. The findings were correlated using Spearman ρ test. Results The curriculum outline correlated both with the AACA recommendations (Spearman ρ = 0.83, P = 0.015) and TA (Spearman ρ = 0.73, P = 0.046). Textbooks contained 8 distinct sections, 7 allocated to topographic anatomy regions and 1 to general anatomy concepts and principles. The structure of all textbooks correlated significantly with the course curriculum. However, 4 out of 6 textbooks did not correlate with TA and only a single textbook showed significant correlation with the AACA recommendations. Conclusion Anatomy textbooks vary in the amount of text dedicated to different parts of topographical anatomy and are not quite concordant with curriculum recommendations and standard anatomical terminology. Planning the structure of an anatomy course should not be based on a single book or recommendation but on evidence. PMID:19260144

The Impact of a Two-Year School Breakfast Program for Preschool-Aged Children on Their Nutrient Intake and Pre-Academic Performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Worobey, John; Worobey, Harriet S.

1999-01-01

Two studies examined nutritional differences between home breakfasts and breakfasts served at preschool following School Breakfast Program guidelines and evaluated nutritional impact of program participation on 4-year olds' preacademic performance. Results indicated that breakfast intake was altered under school breakfast conditions. Performance…

Curriculum Guide, English as a Second Language for the Workplace, Worker Education Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Northeastern Illinois Univ., Chicago. Chicago Teachers' Center.

This guide describes a worker-centered, holistic, English-language training program for the textile industry in Illinois, now in its fifth funding cycle. The program, which provides training to approximately 500 workers, requires cooperation among business, labor unions, and educational organizations. A 5-unit curriculum covers work issues, health…

The Impact of Science Integrated Curriculum Supplements on Early Childhood Teachers' Attitudes and Beliefs towards Science while In-Service: A Multiple Case

Science.gov (United States)

Collins, Kellian L.

Science at the early childhood level has been rarely taught as a single subject or integrated into the curriculum. One reason why early childhood educators avoid teaching science are their attitudes, beliefs, and lack of understanding scientific concepts as presented in traditional science curriculums. The intervention used by researchers for improving beliefs and attitudes in K-6 pre-service teachers towards teaching science in early childhood has been science method courses. For in service teachers, the intervention has been professional development workshops, seminars, and symposiums. Though these interventions have had a positive impact on teachers' attitudes and beliefs toward teaching science, the interventions have not necessarily guaranteed more science being taught in the preschool classroom. The specific problem investigated for this study was how to improve the interventions designed to improve preschool teachers' attitudes and beliefs so that they would feel more confident in teaching science to young children. The purpose of this study was to examine how implementing a one-week science integrated curriculum supplement could be an effective tool for improving preschool teachers' attitudes and beliefs toward teaching science. This study utilized the qualitative multiple case study research method. A logical model was created based on negative teacher attitudes and beliefs attributes that were the core components of the Preschool Teachers' Attitudes and Beliefs toward Science teaching (P-TABS) questionnaire. The negative attributes were paired with positive interventions and encapsulated in a one-week science integrated curriculum supplement based on the factors of teacher comfort, child benefit and challenges. The primary source of evidence for this study was the semi-structured interview. The researcher contacted 24 early childhood facilities, 44 emails were sent to preschool teachers, four teachers agreed to participate in the study. The results of the

Chronic Absenteeism and Preschool Children's Executive Functioning Skills Development

Science.gov (United States)

Fuhs, Mary Wagner; Nesbitt, Kimberly Turner; Jackson, Hannah

2018-01-01

Investments in preschool programs for children from disadvantaged backgrounds have historically been supported by research showing that these programs help children build school readiness skills and narrow the income-achievement gap. However, results from recent studies of the links between preschool participation and increases in school readiness…

The High/Scope Perry Preschool Study: A Case Study in Random Assignment.

Science.gov (United States)

Schweinhart, Lawrence J.

2000-01-01

Studied the long-term benefits of preschool programs for young children living in poverty in the High/Scope Perry Preschool Study, which examined the lives of 123 African Americans randomly divided into a preschool treatment group and a no-preschool comparison group. Cost-benefit analyses of data on these students to age 27 show beneficial effects…

Mississippi Curriculum Framework for Fashion Marketing Technology (Program CIP: 08.0101--Apparel and Accessories Mkt. Op., Gen.). Postsecondary Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Mississippi Research and Curriculum Unit for Vocational and Technical Education, State College.

This document, which is intended for use by community and junior colleges throughout Mississippi, contains curriculum frameworks for the course sequences in the fashion marketing technology programs cluster. Presented in the introductory section are a description of the program and suggested course sequence. Section I lists baseline competencies,…

The American College of Surgeons/Association of Program Directors in Surgery National Skills Curriculum: adoption rate, challenges and strategies for effective implementation into surgical residency programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Korndorffer, James R; Arora, Sonal; Sevdalis, Nick; Paige, John; McClusky, David A; Stefanidis, Dimitris

2013-07-01

The American College of Surgeons/Association of Program Directors in Surgery (ACS/APDS) National Skills Curriculum is a 3-phase program targeting technical and nontechnical skills development. Few data exist regarding the adoption of this curriculum by surgical residencies. This study attempted to determine the rate of uptake and identify implementation enablers/barriers. A web-based survey was developed by an international expert panel of surgical educators (5 surgeons and 1 psychologist). After piloting, the survey was sent to all general surgery program directors via email link. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the residency program characteristics and perceptions of the curriculum. Implementation rates for each phase and module were calculated. Adoption barriers were identified quantitatively and qualitatively using free text responses. Standardized qualitative methodology of emergent theme analysis was used to identify strategies for success and details of support required for implementation. Of the 238 program directors approached, 117 (49%) responded to the survey. Twenty-one percent (25/117) were unaware of the ACS/APDS curriculum. Implementation rates for were 36% for phase I, 19% for phase II, and 16% for phase III. The most common modules adopted were the suturing, knot-tying, and chest tube modules of phase I. Over 50% of respondents identified lack of faculty protected time, limited personnel, significant costs, and resident work-hour restrictions as major obstacles to implementation. Strategies for effective uptake included faculty incentives, adequate funding, administrative support, and dedicated time and resources. Despite the availability of a comprehensive curriculum, its diffusion into general surgery residency programs remains low. Obstacles related to successful implementation include personnel, learner, and administrative issues. Addressing these issues may improve the adoption rate of the curriculum. Copyright © 2013 Mosby, Inc

The Elements of Language Curriculum: A Systematic Approach to Program Development.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, James Dean

A systematic approach to second language curriculum development is outlined, enumerating the phases and activities involved in developing and implementing a sound and effective language program. The first chapter describes a system whereby all language teaching activities can be classified into approaches, syllabuses, techniques, exercises, or…

Using Narrative Intervention to Accelerate Canonical Story Grammar and Complex Language Growth in Culturally Diverse Preschoolers

Science.gov (United States)

Petersen, Douglas B.; Spencer, Trina D.

2016-01-01

Oral narratives are a commonly used, meaningful means of communication that reflects academic language. New state curriculum standards include narrative-related language expectations for young school-age children, including story grammar and complex language. This article provides a review of preschool narrative-based language intervention…

Ability to Categorize Food Predicts Hypothetical Food Choices in Head Start Preschoolers.

Science.gov (United States)

Nicholson, Jody S; Barton, Jennifer M; Simons, Ali L

2018-03-01

To investigate whether preschoolers are able to identify and categorize foods, and whether their ability to classify food as healthy predicts their hypothetical food choice. Structured interviews and body measurements with preschoolers, and teacher reports of classroom performance. Six Head Start centers in a large southeastern region. A total of 235 preschoolers (mean age [SD], 4.73 [0.63] years; 45.4% girls). Teachers implemented a nutrition education intervention across the 2014-2015 school year in which children were taught to identify and categorize food as sometimes (ie, unhealthy) and anytime (ie, healthy). Preschooler responses to a hypothetical snack naming, classifying, and selection scenario. Hierarchical regression analyses to examine predictors of child hypothetical food selection. While controlling for child characteristics and cognitive functioning, preschoolers who were better at categorizing food as healthy or unhealthy were more likely to say they would choose the healthy food. Low-contrast food pairs in which food had to be classified based on multiple dimensions were outside the cognitive abilities of the preschoolers. Nutrition interventions may be more effective in helping children make healthy food choices if developmental limitations in preschoolers' abilities to categorize food is addressed in their curriculum. Classification of food into evaluative categories is challenging for this age group. Categorizing on multiple dimensions is difficult, and dichotomous labeling of food as good or bad is not always accurate in directing children toward making food choices. Future research could evaluate further preschoolers' developmental potential for food categorization and nutrition decision making and consider factors that influence healthy food choices at both snack and mealtime. Copyright © 2017 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cognitive science in the field: A preschool intervention durably enhances intuitive but not formal mathematics.

Science.gov (United States)

Dillon, Moira R; Kannan, Harini; Dean, Joshua T; Spelke, Elizabeth S; Duflo, Esther

2017-07-07

Many poor children are underprepared for demanding primary school curricula. Research in cognitive science suggests that school achievement could be improved by preschool pedagogy in which numerate adults engage children's spontaneous, nonsymbolic mathematical concepts. To test this suggestion, we designed and evaluated a game-based preschool curriculum intended to exercise children's emerging skills in number and geometry. In a randomized field experiment with 1540 children (average age 4.9 years) in 214 Indian preschools, 4 months of math game play yielded marked and enduring improvement on the exercised intuitive abilities, relative to no-treatment and active control conditions. Math-trained children also showed immediate gains on symbolic mathematical skills but displayed no advantage in subsequent learning of the language and concepts of school mathematics. Copyright © 2017, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

[Comparative analysis of the efficacy of a playful-narrative program to teach mathematics at pre-school level].

Science.gov (United States)

Gil Llario, M D; Vicent Catalá, Consuelo

2009-02-01

Comparative analysis of the efficacy of a playful-narrative program to teach mathematics at pre-school level. In this paper, the effectiveness of a programme comprising several components that are meant to consolidate mathematical concepts and abilities at the pre-school level is analyzed. The instructional methodology of this programme is compared to other methodologies. One-hundred 5-6 year-old children made up the sample that was distributed in the following conditions: (1) traditional methodology; (2) methodology with perceptual and manipulative components, and (3) methodology with language and playful components. Mathematical competence was assessed with the Mathematical Criterial Pre-school Test and the subtest of quantitative-numeric concepts of BADyG. Participants were evaluated before and after the academic course during which they followed one of these methodologies. The results show that the programme with language and playful components is more effective than the traditional methodology (p<.000) and also more effective than the perceptual and manipulative methodology (p<.000). Implications of the results for instructional practices are analyzed.

[Curriculum analysis and comparison between strategies or programs for early child development in Mexico].

Science.gov (United States)

Vargas-López, Guillermo; Guadarrama-Orozco, Jessica Haydee; Rizzoli-Córdoba, Antonio; Narcizo-Cenobio, Francisco Javier; Medrano-Loera, Gerónimo; Villagrán, Daniel Aceves; O'Shea Cuevas, Gabriel; Muñoz Hernández, Onofre

Most of the strategies or programs that support early child development in Mexico are independent efforts that vary in scale, services offered and means of providing them. For the evaluation of the quality of these programs, an important aspect is the curriculum content. The aim of this study was to analyze and compare the curriculum content of the different strategies or programs focused on the promotion and intervention of early child development, which are offered by the Federal Government in Health and Education sectors in Mexico. We conducted a review of the curriculum content of the strategies and programs. The qualitative phase consisted of a comparative analysis where 75 indicators proposed by the Inter-American Development Bank were identified. The quantitative phase consisted of a descriptive analysis of the indicators. Finally, the analyses were compared to establish the performance of each one. Six strategies or programs were identified. In the analysis of the presence of indicators, the Oportunidades de Aprendizaje (Learning Opportunities, LO) strategy showed a larger number of indicators. In the amplitude analysis, both PEI-CONAFE and LO were the best balanced. Finally, in-depth analysis of the indicators LO and Skills for life were the best balanced while PEI-CONAFE was the best balanced in the social-emotional area, CeNSIA program for language and LO for cognitive development area. LO strategy showed the closest level of contents established by the Inter-American Development Bank. Copyright © 2016 Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez. Publicado por Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.

Preschool professionals' (self)perception of competency and attitudes in the field of team work with children with special needs

OpenAIRE

Rozman, Katjuša

2017-01-01

Preschool period is very important for children's growth. Preschool period is also important for children with special needs, because we need to discover their problems, disabilities or obstacles as soon as possible. In Slovenia preschool children with special needs are divided in one of the three different educational programs definite by law. In ordinary preschool program they carry out special program for children with special needs. This special program has extra professional assistance, ...

Summary of Program Evaluation Results: 1985-1986 School Year Pre-Kindergarten Educational Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Heath, Robert W.; And Others

Reported are findings of the 1985-86 program evaluation of the prenatal-to-preschool and preschool programs operating under the auspices of the Kamehameha Schools/Bishop Estate. Evaluation of the prenatal-to-preschool program (the Kupulani Program) included item analysis of the Questions about Pregnancy Test, development of a revised data…

Effect of a multidisciplinary treatment program on eating behavior in overweight and obese preschool children.

Science.gov (United States)

Bocca, Gianni; Kuitert, Mirije W B; Sauer, Pieter J J; Corpeleijn, Eva

2018-04-25

The effects of multidisciplinary treatment programs on eating behavior in overweight preschool-aged children are largely unknown. We evaluated a multidisciplinary intervention program on eating behavior in 3- to 5-year-old overweight children, comparing them with children given standard treatment. We also assessed the parental eating behavior changes and investigated associations between parents and children. We randomized 75 children to a multidisciplinary intervention or to a standard care program. During a 16-week period, children and parents in the multidisciplinary group were given dietary advice, physical activity sessions and, for parents only, psychological counseling. Children and parents in the standard group visited a pediatrician 3 times and were given information on a healthy lifestyle. At baseline, after 16 weeks, and after 12 months, children were measured and parents completed the Dutch Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ-C) for their children and the DEBQ for themselves. At the three time points, 70 (93.3%), 57 (91.9%), and 42 (73.7%) DEBQ-Cs were analyzed. We found no differences in the changes in eating behavior between the two groups over time. In both groups, there was a significant increase in restrained eating behavior present at 16 weeks, however, this was no longer present at 12 months. We found no associations between changes in eating behavior between the children and their parents. A multidisciplinary obesity intervention program in preschool-aged children induced more restrained eating behavior between baseline and 16 weeks. However, there was no difference with the children in the standard care group.

Curriculum Planning for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Assistant Program. Final Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Mary Ann

This project was conducted to develop a curriculum for dental auxiliary training in the dental specialty field of oral and maxillofacial surgery. Research was conducted to identify the major functions performed by an oral surgery assistant and then to organize these functions into an educational program that would provide adequate didactic and…

Equasions for Curriculum Improvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Eckenrod, James S.

1986-01-01

Describes the Technology in Curriculum (TIC) program resource guides which will be distributed to California schools in the fall of 1986. These guides match available instructional television programs and computer software to existing California curriculum guides in order to facilitate teachers' classroom use. (JDH)

Different Moves, Similar Outcomes: A Comparison of Chinese and Swedish Preschool Teacher Education Programmes and the Revisions

Science.gov (United States)

Vong, Keang-ieng Peggy; Hu, Bi Ying; Xia, Yan-ping

2015-01-01

A Chinese and a Swedish preschool teacher education programme were examined in search for commonalities and differences of the curriculum decision-making considerations involved in the respective programme revision process. Findings include: (1) the two programmes have shifted orientations and become similar, yet there was no fundamental…

Curriculum Online Review System: Proposing Curriculum with Collaboration

Science.gov (United States)

Rhinehart, Marilyn; Barlow, Rhonda; Shafer, Stu; Hassur, Debby

2009-01-01

The Curriculum Online Review System (CORS) at Johnson County Community College (JCCC) uses SharePoint as a Web platform for the JCCC Curriculum Proposals Process. The CORS application manages proposals throughout the approval process using collaboration tools and workflows to notify all stakeholders. This innovative new program has changed the way…

Cost-analysis of an oral health outreach program for preschool children in a low socioeconomic multicultural area in Sweden

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wennhall, Inger; Norlund, Anders; Matsson, Lars

2010-01-01

to a comprehensive oral health outreach project for preschool children conducted in a low-socioeconomic multi-cultural urban area. The outcome was compared with historical controls from the same area with conventional dental care. The cost per minute for the various dental professions was added to the cost......The aim was to calculate the total and the net costs per child included in a 3-year caries preventive program for preschool children and to make estimates of expected lowest and highest costs in a sensitivity analysis. The direct costs for prevention and dental care were applied retrospectively...... of materials, rental facilities and equipment based on accounting data. The cost for fillings was extracted from a specified per diem list. Overhead costs were assumed to correspond to 50% of salaries and all costs were calculated as net present value per participating child in the program and expressed...

Data Science Programs in U.S. Higher Education: An Exploratory Content Analysis of Program Description, Curriculum Structure, and Course Focus

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Rong; Sae-Lim, Watinee

2016-01-01

In this study, an exploratory content analysis of 30 randomly selected Data Science (DS) programs from eight disciplines revealed significant gaps in current DS education in the United States. The analysis centers on linguistic patterns of program descriptions, curriculum requirements, and DS course focus as pertaining to key skills and domain…

High/Scope Preschool Key Experiences: Initiative and Social Relations. [with] Curriculum Videotape.

Science.gov (United States)

Graves, Michelle

As preschoolers develop the ability to carry out their ideas and play alone and with others, they are developing the foundation for social competence. This booklet and a companion videotape help teachers and parents recognize and support nine High/Scope key experiences in initiative and social relations: (1) making and expressing choices, plans,…

Implementation and evaluation of a simulation curriculum for paediatric residency programs including just-in-time in situ mock codes.

Science.gov (United States)

Sam, Jonathan; Pierse, Michael; Al-Qahtani, Abdullah; Cheng, Adam

2012-02-01

To develop, implement and evaluate a simulation-based acute care curriculum in a paediatric residency program using an integrated and longitudinal approach. Curriculum framework consisting of three modular, year-specific courses and longitudinal just-in-time, in situ mock codes. Paediatric residency program at BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia. The three year-specific courses focused on the critical first 5 min, complex medical management and crisis resource management, respectively. The just-in-time in situ mock codes simulated the acute deterioration of an existing ward patient, prepared the actual multidisciplinary code team, and primed the surrounding crisis support systems. Each curriculum component was evaluated with surveys using a five-point Likert scale. A total of 40 resident surveys were completed after each of the modular courses, and an additional 28 surveys were completed for the overall simulation curriculum. The highest Likert scores were for hands-on skill stations, immersive simulation environment and crisis resource management teaching. Survey results also suggested that just-in-time mock codes were realistic, reinforced learning, and prepared ward teams for patient deterioration. A simulation-based acute care curriculum was successfully integrated into a paediatric residency program. It provides a model for integrating simulation-based learning into other training programs, as well as a model for any hospital that wishes to improve paediatric resuscitation outcomes using just-in-time in situ mock codes.

Using a Systematic Approach and Theoretical Framework to Design a Curriculum for the Shaping Healthy Choices Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Linnell, Jessica D; Zidenberg-Cherr, Sheri; Briggs, Marilyn; Scherr, Rachel E; Brian, Kelley M; Hillhouse, Carol; Smith, Martin H

2016-01-01

To examine the use of a systematic approach and theoretical framework to develop an inquiry-based, garden-enhanced nutrition curriculum for the Shaping Healthy Choices Program. Curriculum development occurred in 3 steps: identification of learning objectives, determination of evidence of learning, and activity development. Curriculum activities were further refined through pilot-testing, which was conducted in 2 phases. Formative data collected during pilot-testing resulted in improvements to activities. Using a systematic, iterative process resulted in a curriculum called Discovering Healthy Choices, which has a strong foundation in Social Cognitive Theory and constructivist learning theory. Furthermore, the Backward Design method provided the design team with a systematic approach to ensure activities addressed targeted learning objectives and overall Shaping Healthy Choices Program goals. The process by which a nutrition curriculum is developed may have a direct effect on student outcomes. Processes by which nutrition curricula are designed and learning objectives are selected, and how theory and pedagogy are applied should be further investigated so that effective approaches to developing garden-enhanced nutrition interventions can be determined and replicated. Copyright © 2016 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Infant behavioral assessment and intervention program in very low birth weight infants improves independency in mobility at preschool age

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verkerk, Gijs; Jeukens-Visser, Martine; Koldewijn, Karen; van Wassenaer, Aleid; Houtzager, Bregje; Kok, Joke; Nollet, Frans

2011-01-01

To evaluate the effects of the Infant Behavioral Assessment and Intervention Program(©) (IBAIP) in very low birth weight infants on sensory processing and daily activities at preschool age. Follow-up of children included in a randomized controlled trial. Eighty-six infants were enrolled in

Increasing Physical Activity in Preschool: A Pilot Study to Evaluate Animal Trackers

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Christine L.; Carter, Betty Jean; Kibbe, Debra L.; Dennison, David

2009-01-01

Objective: This report describes a pilot study to evaluate Animal Trackers (AT), a preschool program designed to (1) increase structured physical activity (PA) during the preschool day; (2) increase practice of gross motor skills; (3) provide teachers with an easy-to-use PA program regardless of teacher experience; and (4) implement a teacher…

"Dora the Explorer": Preschool Geographic Educator

Science.gov (United States)

Carter, James R.

2008-01-01

"Dora the Explorer" is a twenty-three-minute television program for preschoolers viewed by millions every day in many countries. These programs are also marketed as videotapes and DVDs. This seven-year-old Latina, bilingual cartoon character teaches many things by interacting with the young viewers. On every program Dora and friends have to go…

Neoliberal Global Assemblages: The Emergence of "Public" International High-School Curriculum Programs in China

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Shuning

2018-01-01

Since 2010, the number of urban Chinese high-school students applying to US universities has rapidly grown. Many of these students have chosen emerging international curriculum programs established by elite public high schools in China. These programs prepare wealthy Chinese students for the US college application process by exposing them to an…

The Chinese number naming system and its impact on the arithmetic performance of pre-schoolers in Hong Kong

Science.gov (United States)

Ng, Sharon Sui Ngan

2012-06-01

Asian children, including Chinese children, perform better than their English-speaking peers in cross-national mathematics studies. This superior Asian performance is attributed to several factors including cultural beliefs, educational systems and practices, and the Chinese number naming system. Given the limited empirical evidence on pre-school mathematics learning in Chinese societies, the outcomes of Western studies are often borrowed and adopted in curriculum planning in Asian schools. The study reported in this paper investigated the performance of Hong Kong Chinese pre-school children based on Western studies involving English-speaking children, and examined the relationship between the Chinese number naming system and children's performance in number and operation concepts. Data were collected from 299 pre-school children aged between 3 and 5 years. The learning sequence of the children in mastering number and operation concepts was established using the Rasch Model. This study provides empirical evidence for the feasibility of borrowing lists of mathematics concepts from studies of English-speaking children to serve as a reference for school-based curriculum planning in a Chinese-speaking context. However, it is not enough to establish the relationship between children's performance and the Chinese number naming system. Classroom instruction and cultural beliefs in mathematics learning are also important in explaining children's performance.

Research-Informed Curriculum Design for a Master's-Level Program in Project Management

Science.gov (United States)

Bentley, Yongmei; Richardson, Diane; Duan, Yanqing; Philpott, Elly; Ong, Vincent; Owen, David

2013-01-01

This article reports on the application of Research-Informed Curriculum Design (RICD) for the development and implementation of an MSc Program in Project Management. The research focused on contemporary issues in project management and provided an analysis of project management approaches, tools, and techniques currently used in organizations.…

Competency Based Curriculum. Revised Delivery Systems for Culinary Arts Program. Project Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Spokane Community Coll., WA.

Developed through a grant that enabled faculty members to work together to define goals and set objectives, this curriculum guide contains course objectives for the culinary arts program at Spokane Community College in Washington. Objectives are provided for the following courses: culinary techniques and skill development (two levels),…

Systematic Changes in the Undergraduate Chemistry Curriculum Progam Award and Course and Curriculum Development Program Awards

Science.gov (United States)

1996-06-01

Eight awards in chemistry curriculum development for FY1996 have been announced. One award, to a consortium centered at the University of California-Los Angeles, represents the fifth award in the Systemic Changes in the Undergraduate Chemistry Curriculum program. Although no proposals will be accepted in this program for either planning or full grants for FY1997, it is anticipated that proposals will be accepted in June of 1997 for projects that would adapt and adopt materials developed by the five funded consortia: Molecular Science centered at the University of California-Los Angeles; ChemLinks centered at Beloit College; MolecularChem Consortium centered at the University of California-Berkeley; Workshop Chemistry centered at CUNY City College; and New Traditions centered at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Seven awards have been made in the Course and Curriculum Development program. This ongoing program continues to accept proposals in chemistry as usual. Systemic Changes in the Undergraduate Chemistry Curriculum Program Award. Molecular Science. Orville L. Chapman University of California-Los Angeles DUE 9555605 FY96 725,000 FY97 575,000, FY98 575,000 FY99 275,000, FY00 275,000 The UCLA-CSUF-Community College Alliance (24 area community colleges that have worked together for more than 15 years) proposes a sweeping restructuring of the lower division chemistry curriculum and the auxiliary learning and assessment processes. In forming our new curriculum, we reject the positivist approach to science education in favor of a constructivist approach that emphasizes problem solving and exploratory learning. We make this change in order to focus on the developing key skills, traits, and abilities of our students. Our new curriculum, the Molecular Science Curriculum, cuts across departments and disciplines to embrace all activities that involve the study of atoms and molecules. In particular, environmental science, materials science, and molecular life science have

Integration of behavioral medicine competencies into physiotherapy curriculum in an exemplary Swedish program: rationale, process, and review.

Science.gov (United States)

Sandborgh, Maria; Dean, Elizabeth; Denison, Eva; Elvén, Maria; Fritz, Johanna; Wågert, Petra von Heideken; Moberg, Johan; Overmeer, Thomas; Snöljung, Åsa; Johansson, Ann-Christin; Söderlund, Anne

2018-06-21

In 2004, Mälardalen University, Sweden, introduced a new undergraduate entry-level physiotherapy program. Program developers constructed the curriculum with behavioral medicine content that reflected the contemporary definition and values of the physiotherapy profession aligning it with current best practices, evidence, and the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF). The new curriculum conceptualized movement and function as modifiable behaviors in that they reflect behavioral contingencies, perceptions, beliefs, and lifestyle factors as well as pathophysiology and environmental factors. The purpose of this article is to describe how one university accordingly structured its new curriculum and its review. We describe the rationale for the curriculum's behavioral medicine content and competencies, its development and implementation, challenges, long-term outcomes, and its related research enterprise. We conclude that physiotherapy practiced by our graduates augments that taught in other programs based on accreditation reviews. With their expanded practice scope, graduates are systematically practicing within the constructs of health and function conceptualized within the ICF. Our intent in sharing our experience is to exemplify one university's initiative to best prepare students with respect to maximizing physiotherapy outcomes as well as establish a dialogue regarding minimum standards of behavioral medicine competencies in physiotherapy education and practice.

Improving International Marketing Programs to Reflect Global Complexity and Risk: Curriculum Drivers and Constraints

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Vos, Lynn

2013-01-01

This article looks at the curriculum redesign of a master's-level program in international marketing from a UK perspective. In order to ensure that the program would be more fit-for-purpose for future managers working under conditions of complexity, uncertainty, and within regimes often very different from the home market, the team began the…

Employing Handwriting without Tears® to Teach a 4-Year-Old Preschool Student to Write His Name with the Appropriate Size, Shape, and Form Combined with an Imitate/Trace/Copy/Memory Procedure

Science.gov (United States)

Steele, Emalia C.; McLaughlin, Thomas; Derby, K. Mark; Weber, Kimberly P.; Donica, Denise K.; McKenzie, Michelle

2015-01-01

The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the prewriting and handwriting curriculum Handwriting Without Tears® (HWT) in a preschool setting with a single student who has developmental delays and a suspected Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis. Data were collected during the regular preschool day. The behavior…

Make More Time for Laughter in a Preschool Setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamlin, Barbara B.

Based on the idea that laughter and humor are basic components of a healthy childhood, this practicum paper emphasizes the concern that preschool programs have become too academic and are creating stress for children. Similarly, adults in preschool settings, pressured by parents and public school academic expectations, have become too serious in…

Do KS/BE Preschools Help Hawaiian Children Succeed in the Public Schools?

Science.gov (United States)

Heath, Robert W.; Plett, Jerald D.

Presented are results of the tracking of the 1985-86 cohort of preschool alumni of the Kamehameha Schools/Bishop Estate (KS/BE) as they entered and completed kindergarten in the 1986-87 school year. During the 1985-86 program year, 100 preschoolers were enrolled in the KS/BE Pre-kindergarten Education Program at five sites. An additional group of…

The role of play in pre-school and younger school age children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kopas-Vukašinović Emina

2006-01-01

Full Text Available The paper deals with the importance of play for children’s development and learning in institutionalized preschool education, as well as the opportunities it provides concerning the organization of teaching activities with younger school age children. The paper is based on the theoretical framework emphasizing educational character of children’s play, as a specific form of learning. Notwithstanding occasional attempts within pedagogic theory to deny educational values of children’s play and to emphasize instruction as the only form of systematic learning, contemporary pedagogic views consider play an important part of school education. Learning through play at younger school age helps overcome the discontinuity between preschool and school education. Curriculum subject matter can be covered through carefully selected and prepared play activities within the existing system, providing the support, encouragement and guidance by the adults involved, including their proper knowledge of children’ age-related and psycho-physical characteristics. Play facilitates gradual change over from preschool to school developmental stage, free, spontaneous and creative expression and the development of children’s potential.

The Irie Classroom Toolbox: developing a violence prevention, preschool teacher training program using evidence, theory, and practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Baker-Henningham, Helen

2018-05-01

In this paper, I describe the development of the Irie Classroom Toolbox, a school-based violence prevention, teacher training program for use with children aged 3-6 years. In-depth interviews were conducted with Jamaican preschool teachers, who had participated in a trial of a classroom behavior management program, at posttest (n = 35) and 5 years later (n = 20). An on-going process evaluation was also conducted. Teachers' preferred behavior management strategies and training methods were documented, and enablers and barriers to implementation were identified. Teachers were most likely to adopt strategies that they liked, found easy to use, and were effective. These included paying attention to positive behavior and explicitly teaching children the expected behavior. Teachers preferred active, hands-on training strategies based on social-cognitive theories. Enablers to intervention implementation included positive teacher-facilitator relationships, choice, collaborative problem solving, teachers recognizing benefits of the intervention, group support, and provision of materials. Barriers to intervention implementation were also identified. These data were integrated with behavior change theory (i.e., the behavior change wheel and theoretical domains framework) to develop an intervention grounded in common core elements of evidence-based programs while also utilizing teachers' perspectives. The resulting program is a low cost, adaptable intervention that should be suitable for training preschool teachers in other low-resource settings. © 2018 The Authors. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The New York Academy of Sciences.

Developing Preschool Teachers' Knowledge of Students' Number Conceptions

Science.gov (United States)

Tsamir, Pessia; Tirosh, Dina; Levenson, Esther; Tabach, Michal; Barkai, Ruthi

2014-01-01

This article describes a study that investigates preschool teachers' knowledge of their young students' number conceptions and the teachers' related self-efficacy beliefs. It also presents and illustrates elements of a professional development program designed explicitly to promote this knowledge among preschool teachers. Results…

Nature Preschools and Forest Kindergartens: The Handbook for Outdoor Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Sobel, David

2016-01-01

"Nature Preschools and Forest Kindergartens" is the latest from environmental education expert David Sobel. Joined by a variety of colleagues to share their experiences and steps for creating a successful forest kindergarten program, "Nature Preschools and Forest Kindergartens" walks you through the European roots of the…

Challenges of Globalization: Morocco and Tunisia. Curriculum Projects. Fulbright-Hays Summer Seminars Abroad Program, 2001 (Morocco and Tunisia).

Science.gov (United States)

2002

This publication contains a collection of curriculum projects developed by educators who were participants in the 2001 Fulbright-Hays Summer Seminars Abroad Program in Morocco and Tunisia. The 13 curriculum projects in the publication are entitled: "Women in Morocco, Artists and Artisans" (Virginia da Costa); "Cultures of…

Mississippi Curriculum Framework for Medical Radiologic Technology (Radiography) (CIP: 51.0907--Medical Radiologic Technology). Postsecondary Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Mississippi Research and Curriculum Unit for Vocational and Technical Education, State College.

This document, which is intended for use by community and junior colleges throughout Mississippi, contains curriculum frameworks for the course sequences in the radiologic technology program. Presented in the introductory section are a description of the program and suggested course sequence. Section I lists baseline competencies for the program,…

43 CFR 17.220 - Preschool, elementary, and secondary education.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 43 Public Lands: Interior 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Preschool, elementary, and secondary education. 17.220 Section 17.220 Public Lands: Interior Office of the Secretary of the Interior NONDISCRIMINATION IN FEDERALLY ASSISTED PROGRAMS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Handicap § 17.220 Preschool, elementary,...

Exploring the outcomes of a novel computer-assisted treatment program targeting expressive-grammar deficits in preschoolers with SLI.

Science.gov (United States)

Washington, Karla N; Warr-Leeper, Genese; Thomas-Stonell, Nancy

2011-01-01

The impact of a newly designed computer-assisted treatment (C-AT) program, My Sentence Builder, for the remediation of expressive-grammar deficits in children with specific language impairment (SLI) was explored. This program was specifically designed with features to directly address expressive-grammar difficulties, thought to be associated with hypothesized deficits in verbal working memory (VWM). Thirty-four preschoolers with deficits in expressive-grammar morphology participated. Using the randomization procedure of consecutive sampling, participants were recruited. Twenty-two participants were consecutively assigned to one of two treatment groups, C-AT or non C-AT (nC-AT). The nC-AT utilized conventional language stimulation procedures containing features which have been traditionally used to address expressive-grammar deficits. A group of equivalent children awaiting treatment and chosen from the same sample of children as the treatment participants served as a control group. Blind assessments of outcomes were completed pre-, post-, and 3-months post-treatment in a formal and informal context. C-AT and nC-AT participants significantly outperformed controls pre-to-post to 3-months post-treatment in both assessment contexts. No significant differences in treatment gains were found between C-AT and nC-AT. Results suggested that treatments designed to directly address expressive-grammar deficits were better than no treatment for preschool SLI. Further, use of a C-AT program may be another feasible treatment method for this disorder population. As a result of this activity, the reader will recognize that: (1) expressive-grammar treatment is better than no treatment for immediate and continued language growth, (2) use of a C-AT program containing specific features designed to directly address expressive-grammar deficits is another viable, but not necessarily a better treatment option for the remediation of expressive-grammar deficits in preschool children with SLI

Preschool-aged children's television viewing in child care settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Christakis, Dimitri A; Garrison, Michelle M

2009-12-01

The goal was to quantify television viewing in day care settings and to investigate the characteristics of programs that predict viewing. A telephone survey of licensed child care programs in Michigan, Washington, Florida, and Massachusetts was performed. The frequency and quantity of television viewing for infants, toddlers, and preschool-aged children were assessed. With the exception of infants, children in home-based child care programs were exposed to significantly more television on an average day than were children in center-based programs (infants: 0.2 vs 0 hours; toddlers: 1.6 vs 0.1 hours; preschool-aged children: 2.4 vs 0.4 hours). In a regression analysis of daily television time for preschool-aged children in child care, center-based programs were found to have an average of 1.84 fewer hours of television each day, controlling for the other covariates. Significant effect modification was found, in that the impact of home-based versus center-based child care programs differed somewhat depending on educational levels for staff members; having a 2- or 4-year college degree was associated with 1.41 fewer hours of television per day in home-based programs, but no impact of staff education on television use was observed in center-based programs. For many children, previous estimates of screen time significantly underestimated actual amounts. Pediatricians should council parents to minimize screen time in child care settings.

Resident Education Curriculum in Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology: The Short Curriculum 2.0.

Science.gov (United States)

Talib, Hina J; Karjane, Nicole; Teelin, Karen; Abraham, Margaret; Holt, Stephanie; Chelvakumar, Gayaythri; Dumont, Tania; Huguelet, Patricia S; Conner, Lindsay; Wheeler, Carol; Fleming, Nathalie

2018-04-01

The degree of exposure to pediatric and adolescent gynecology (PAG) varies across residency programs in obstetrics and gynecology and pediatrics. Nevertheless, these programs are responsible for training residents and providing opportunities within their programs to fulfill PAG learning objectives. To that end, the North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology has taken a leadership role in PAG resident education by creating and systematically updating the Short Curriculum. This curriculum outlines specific learning objectives that are central to PAG education and lists essential resources for learners' reference. This updated curriculum replaces the previous 2014 publication with added content, resources, and updated references. Additionally, attention to the needs of learners in pediatrics and adolescent medicine is given greater emphasis in this revised North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology Short Curriculum 2.0. Copyright © 2017 North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mississippi Curriculum Framework for Dental Hygiene Technology (Program CIP: 51.0602--Dental Hygienist). Postsecondary Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Mississippi Research and Curriculum Unit for Vocational and Technical Education, State College.

This document, which is intended for use by community and junior colleges throughout Mississippi, contains curriculum frameworks for the course sequences in the dental hygiene technology program. Presented in the introductory section are a description of the program and suggested course sequence. Section I lists baseline competencies. Section II…

Development of Curriculum Content for a Unique Career Ladder Multi-Entry/Multi-Exit Nursing Program. Final Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosbach, Ellen M.

A project was undertaken to develop the curriculum content for a unique career ladder multi-entry/multi-exit nursing program that would provide training for nurse aides, practical nurses, and registered nurses. The major objectives of the project were to conduct a review of the literature on curriculum materials presently in use, to develop 11…

Public Preschooling and Maternal Labor Force Participation in Rural India.

OpenAIRE

Jain, Monica

2013-01-01

Mothers from poor families in India have a compelling need to work, but childcare for their young children is a constraint. This paper examines how far the public daycare helps in loosening this constraint. Todo this, I look at the effect on maternal labor force participation, of daycare implicit in the preschooling provided to young children, through India’s largest child development program - Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS). Besides preschooling, the ICDS program provides a whole...

Associate in science degree education programs: organization, structure, and curriculum.

Science.gov (United States)

Galvin, William F

2005-09-01

After years of discussion, debate, and study, the respiratory care curriculum has evolved to a minimum of an associate degree for entry into practice. Although programs are at liberty to offer the entry-level or advanced level associate degree, most are at the advanced level. The most popular site for sponsorship of the associate degree in respiratory care is the community college. The basis for community college sponsorship seems to be its comprehensive curriculum, which focuses on a strong academic foundation in writing, communication, and the basic sciences as well as supporting a career-directed focus in respiratory care. Issues facing the community college are tied to literacy, outcomes, assessment, placement,cooperation with the community, partnerships with industry, and articulation arrangements with granting institutions granting baccalaureate degrees. Community colleges must produce a literate graduate capable of thriving in an information-saturated society. Assessment and placement will intensify as the laissez-faire attitudes toward attendance and allowing students to select courses without any accountability and evaluation of outcome become less acceptable. Students will be required to demonstrate steady progress toward established outcomes. Maintaining relations and cooperation with the local community and the health care industry will continue to be a prominent role for the community college. The challenge facing associate degree education in respiratory care at the community college level is the ability to continue to meet the needs of an expanding professional scope of practice and to provide a strong liberal arts or general education core curriculum. The needs for a more demanding and expanding respiratory care curriculum and for a rich general education core curriculum have led to increased interest in baccalaureate and graduate degree education. The value of associate degree education at the community college level is well established. It is

Occupational Therapy in Preschools: A Synthesis of Current Knowledge

Science.gov (United States)

Jasmin, Emmanuelle; Gauthier, Anne; Julien, Marjorie; Hui, Caroline

2018-01-01

This paper presents a synthesis of current knowledge about occupational therapy in preschools (for 3-6 year olds) in order to provide a better understanding of this field of practice and to guide the implementation or programming of this service. In the literature, occupational therapy in preschools has been documented mainly in the USA. Results…

A Study on Gross Motor Skills of Preschool Children

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Joanne Hui-Tzu

2004-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a creative movement program on gross motor skills of preschool children. Sixty children between the ages of 3 to 5 were drawn from the population of a preschool in Taichung, Taiwan. An experimental pretest-posttest control-group design was utilized. The children enrolled in the…

Preschoolers' Cognitive and Emotional Self-Regulation in Pretend Play: Relations with Executive Functions and Quality of Play

Science.gov (United States)

Slot, Pauline Louise; Mulder, Hanna; Verhagen, Josje; Leseman, Paul P. M.

2017-01-01

The preschool period is marked by rapid growth of children's self-regulation and related executive functions. Self-regulation is considered an important aspect of school readiness and is related to academic and social--emotional outcomes in childhood. Pretend play, as part of the early childhood curriculum, is hypothesized to support…

Swedish Preschool Teachers' Ideas of the Ideal Preschool Group

Science.gov (United States)

Pramling Samuelsson, Ingrid; Williams, Pia; Sheridan, Sonja; Hellman, Annette

2016-01-01

In Sweden, preschool has been noted as being of a high quality compared to many other countries. However, dramatic changes in the preschool sector are taking place. A recent law states that it is a child's right to get a preschool place within a few months. As a consequence, the number of children in preschool has increased, which could influence…

Preschool Movement Education in Turkey: Perceptions of Preschool Administrators and Parents

Science.gov (United States)

Sevimli-Celik, Serap; Kirazci, Sadettin; Ince, Mustafa Levent

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of preschool administrators and parents about preschool movement education and movement practices in preschools. Participants were 8 preschool administrators and 21 parents from 8 randomly selected private preschools in one of the municipalities in Ankara, Turkey. Semi-structured interviews,…

Mississippi Curriculum Framework for Computer Information Systems Technology. Computer Information Systems Technology (Program CIP: 52.1201--Management Information Systems & Business Data). Computer Programming (Program CIP: 52.1201). Network Support (Program CIP: 52.1290--Computer Network Support Technology). Postsecondary Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Mississippi Research and Curriculum Unit for Vocational and Technical Education, State College.

This document, which is intended for use by community and junior colleges throughout Mississippi, contains curriculum frameworks for two programs in the state's postsecondary-level computer information systems technology cluster: computer programming and network support. Presented in the introduction are program descriptions and suggested course…

The Effects of Action and Violence in Television Programs on the Social Behavior and Imaginative Play of Preschool Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Huston-Stein, Aletha; And Others

The independent contributions of action and violence in television programs to children's attention and social behavior were investigated. Pairs of preschool children were assigned to one of four television conditions (1) high action-high violence, (2) high action-low violence, (3) low action-low violence, or (4) no television. Action was defined…

Preschool teachers' perception and use of hearing assistive technology in educational settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Lauri H; Poole, Bridget; Muñoz, Karen

2013-07-01

This study explored how often sound-field amplification and personal frequency-modulated (FM) systems are used in preschool classrooms, teacher perceptions of advantages and disadvantages of using hearing assistive technology, and teacher recommendations for hearing assistive technology use. The study used a cross-sectional survey design. Participants were professionals who provided services to preschool-age children who are deaf or hard of hearing in public or private schools. A total of 306 surveys were sent to 162 deaf education programs throughout the United States; 99 surveys were returned (32%). Simple statistics were used to describe the quantitative survey results; content analysis was completed on open-ended survey comments. Surveys were received from teachers working at listening and spoken language preschool programs (65%) and at bilingual-bicultural and total communication preschool programs (35%). Most respondents perceived that hearing assistive technology improved students' academic performance, speech and language development, behavior, and attention in the classroom. The majority of respondents also reported that they definitely would or probably would recommend a sound-field system (77%) or personal FM system (71%) to other educators. Hearing assistive technology is frequently used in preschool classrooms of children who are deaf or hard of hearing, with generally positive teacher perceptions of the benefits of using such technology.

Montessori Preschool Elevates and Equalizes Child Outcomes: A Longitudinal Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lillard, Angeline S; Heise, Megan J; Richey, Eve M; Tong, Xin; Hart, Alyssa; Bray, Paige M

2017-01-01

Quality preschool programs that develop the whole child through age-appropriate socioemotional and cognitive skill-building hold promise for significantly improving child outcomes. However, preschool programs tend to either be teacher-led and didactic, or else to lack academic content. One preschool model that involves both child-directed, freely chosen activity and academic content is Montessori. Here we report a longitudinal study that took advantage of randomized lottery-based admission to two public Montessori magnet schools in a high-poverty American city. The final sample included 141 children, 70 in Montessori and 71 in other schools, most of whom were tested 4 times over 3 years, from the first semester to the end of preschool (ages 3-6), on a variety of cognitive and socio-emotional measures. Montessori preschool elevated children's outcomes in several ways. Although not different at the first test point, over time the Montessori children fared better on measures of academic achievement, social understanding, and mastery orientation, and they also reported relatively more liking of scholastic tasks. They also scored higher on executive function when they were 4. In addition to elevating overall performance on these measures, Montessori preschool also equalized outcomes among subgroups that typically have unequal outcomes. First, the difference in academic achievement between lower income Montessori and higher income conventionally schooled children was smaller at each time point, and was not (statistically speaking) significantly different at the end of the study. Second, defying the typical finding that executive function predicts academic achievement, in Montessori classrooms children with lower executive function scored as well on academic achievement as those with higher executive function. This suggests that Montessori preschool has potential to elevate and equalize important outcomes, and a larger study of public Montessori preschools is warranted.

Montessori Preschool Elevates and Equalizes Child Outcomes: A Longitudinal Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angeline S. Lillard

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Quality preschool programs that develop the whole child through age-appropriate socioemotional and cognitive skill-building hold promise for significantly improving child outcomes. However, preschool programs tend to either be teacher-led and didactic, or else to lack academic content. One preschool model that involves both child-directed, freely chosen activity and academic content is Montessori. Here we report a longitudinal study that took advantage of randomized lottery-based admission to two public Montessori magnet schools in a high-poverty American city. The final sample included 141 children, 70 in Montessori and 71 in other schools, most of whom were tested 4 times over 3 years, from the first semester to the end of preschool (ages 3–6, on a variety of cognitive and socio-emotional measures. Montessori preschool elevated children’s outcomes in several ways. Although not different at the first test point, over time the Montessori children fared better on measures of academic achievement, social understanding, and mastery orientation, and they also reported relatively more liking of scholastic tasks. They also scored higher on executive function when they were 4. In addition to elevating overall performance on these measures, Montessori preschool also equalized outcomes among subgroups that typically have unequal outcomes. First, the difference in academic achievement between lower income Montessori and higher income conventionally schooled children was smaller at each time point, and was not (statistically speaking significantly different at the end of the study. Second, defying the typical finding that executive function predicts academic achievement, in Montessori classrooms children with lower executive function scored as well on academic achievement as those with higher executive function. This suggests that Montessori preschool has potential to elevate and equalize important outcomes, and a larger study of public Montessori

Objectively measured sedentary behavior in preschool children: comparison between Montessori and traditional preschools.

Science.gov (United States)

Byun, Wonwoo; Blair, Steven N; Pate, Russell R

2013-01-03

This study aimed to compare the levels of objectively-measured sedentary behavior in children attending Montessori preschools with those attending traditional preschools. The participants in this study were preschool children aged 4 years old who were enrolled in Montessori and traditional preschools. The preschool children wore ActiGraph accelerometers. Accelerometers were initialized using 15-second intervals and sedentary behavior was defined as Montessori preschools, after adjusting for selected potential correlates of preschoolers' sedentary behavior. Children attending Montessori preschools spent less time in sedentary behavior than those attending traditional preschools during the in-school (44.4. min/hr vs. 47.1 min/hr, P = 0.03), after-school (42.8. min/hr vs. 44.7 min/hr, P = 0.04), and total-day (43.7 min/hr vs. 45.5 min/hr, P = 0. 009) periods. School type (Montessori or traditional), preschool setting (private or public), socio-demographic factors (age, gender, and socioeconomic status) were found to be significant predictors of preschoolers' sedentary behavior. Levels of objectively-measured sedentary behavior were significantly lower among children attending Montessori preschools compared to children attending traditional preschools. Future research should examine the specific characteristics of Montessori preschools that predict the lower levels of sedentary behavior among children attending these preschools compared to children attending traditional preschools.

SNAC: San Mateo Nutrition Activity Curriculum. "Swing Into Nutrition" (Staff In-Service Guide and Staff Workbook).

Science.gov (United States)

San Mateo City Elementary School District, CA.

This inservice training guide on nutrition activities for preschool and elementary school teachers consists of 14 lesson plans for two workshops and more than 20 related instructional handouts that can be copied for teachers. The first workshop for teachers provides a rationale for nutrition education ine elementary curriculum as well as…

The Influence of Group Training in the Incredible Years Teacher Classroom Management Program on Preschool Teachers' Classroom Management Strategies

Science.gov (United States)

Carlson, John S.; Tiret, Holly B.; Bender, Stacy L.; Benson, Laurie

2011-01-01

This study examined changes in preschool teachers' perceptions of classroom management strategies following group training in the recently revised Incredible Years Teacher Classroom Management Program (C. Webster-Stratton, 2006). The authors used a pre/post follow-up design across 2 groups that each met for 8 sessions over an 8-10-week period for…

Improvements and Future Challenges for the Research Infrastructure in the Field of “Preschool Education”

OpenAIRE

C. Katharina Spiess

2009-01-01

"Given the importance of the early stage of a child`s life and taking into account that there various initiatives underway to improve preschool programs in German, it is remarkable that there are only a few microdatasets covering the field of preschool education in Germany - even less if the focus is on nationally representative datasets. The majority of these at least provide information on attendance of preschool programs. In principle there are two main groups of data: data that comprise p...

Mississippi Curriculum Framework for Diesel Equipment Technology (CIP: 47.0605--Diesel Engine Mechanic & Repairer). Postsecondary Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Mississippi Research and Curriculum Unit for Vocational and Technical Education, State College.

This document, which is intended for use by community and junior colleges throughout Mississippi, contains curriculum frameworks for the course sequences in the diesel equipment technology programs cluster. Presented in the introductory section are a description of the program and suggested course sequence. Section I lists baseline competencies,…

Arts Enrichment and Preschool Emotions for Low-Income Children at Risk

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Eleanor D.; Sax, Kacey L.

2013-01-01

No studies to date examine the impact of arts-integrated preschool programming on the emotional functioning of low-income children at risk for school problems. The present study examines observed emotion expression and teacher-rated emotion regulation for low-income children attending Settlement Music School's Kaleidoscope Preschool Arts…

English Curriculum in Global Engineer Education Program

Science.gov (United States)

Furuya, Okitsugu; Bright, Olga; Saika, Takashi

The educational goal of the Faculty of Global Engineering (FGE) of the Kogakuin University is to prepare the graduates to be global engineers. The requirements for the global engineer are multifold; having the basic and advanced engineering knowledge together with the international communication skills and experiences. The curriculum at the Kogakuin University has been designed and developed over the last ten years. Among others, “Communication Skills for Global Engineers (CSGE) ” and “Engineering Clinic Program (ECP) ” play essential roles, the former providing the students with the communication skills and the latter engineering design skills. An impact on the students studying together with foreign students is so strong and immeasurable. The English they learned in Japan does not work as well as they thought it would, and the attitude of the foreign students toward studying they observe is a kind of “shocking” . The student who joined ECP abroad/CSGE abroad come back to Japan as a very inspired and different person, the first step becoming a global engineer. In this paper, various aspects of the program will be discussed with the problem areas to be further improved being identified.

Digital citizenship and the role of educational process in its ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

pc

2018-03-05

Mar 5, 2018 ... social media networks, technologies and modern programming,. i.e. digital citizenship .... use of applying technology in each school, home and society. ... elementary curriculum, preschool learning program, Turkish language ...

Mastering of musical rhythm by pre-school age children with speech disorders with the help of dance-correction program trainings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N.B. Petrenko

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Introduction: It is known that regular listening to specially selected music develops children’s cognitive abilities. Musical influence optimizes many important functions of brain: increases mental workability; accelerates processing of information; improves short term memory. Besides, sensitivity of visual and hearing analyzers strengthens, as well as regulation of arbitrary movements; indicators of verbal and non verbal intellect improve. Purpose: to determine peculiarities of musical rhythm’s mastering by pre-school age children with speech disorders with the help of dance-correction program trainings. Material: the categories of the tested children: children of age - 4-5 and 5-6 years with speech disorders and healthy pre-school age children. Children of 4-5 years’ age composed: main group (n=12, control group (n=16; group of healthy children (n=24. For assessment of verbal thinking and rhythm-motor (or dance abilities we used complex of tests of constantly increasing difficulty. Results: we found that under influence of dance-correcting exercises activation of rhythm-motor abilities and development of cognitive functions happened in children. We also found main functional peculiarities of musical rhythm’s mastering by pre-school age children. It was determined that by the end of pedagogic experiment, main groups of children approached to groups of healthy peers by all tested characteristics. Conclusions: it is recommended to include correcting components (fit ball - dance gymnastic, tales-therapy, logo-rhythm trainings, and game fitness in trainings by choreographic program.

Searching for the Core of Journalism Education: Program Directors Disagree on Curriculum Priorities

Science.gov (United States)

Blom, Robin; Davenport, Lucinda D.

2012-01-01

To carry out their mission of preparing students to be successful journalism professionals, educators make important decisions on the core curriculum: the common courses that all journalism students must take to graduate, no matter their area of emphasis or academic constraints. This national study of U.S. journalism program directors shows they…

The Rise of International Relations Programs in the Brazilian Federal Universities: Curriculum Specificities and Current Challenges

Science.gov (United States)

Ferreira, Marcos Alan S. V.

2016-01-01

The aim of this reflection is to study the new international relations (IR) programs introduced by Brazilian federal universities, looking comparatively at their curriculum specificities and current challenges. In recent years, Brazil has seen an increase of IR programs launched in several regions. Since 2003, the Ministry of Education is in the…

Objectively measured sedentary behavior in preschool children: comparison between Montessori and traditional preschools

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Byun Wonwoo

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background This study aimed to compare the levels of objectively-measured sedentary behavior in children attending Montessori preschools with those attending traditional preschools. Methods The participants in this study were preschool children aged 4 years old who were enrolled in Montessori and traditional preschools. The preschool children wore ActiGraph accelerometers. Accelerometers were initialized using 15-second intervals and sedentary behavior was defined as Results Children attending Montessori preschools spent less time in sedentary behavior than those attending traditional preschools during the in-school (44.4. min/hr vs. 47.1 min/hr, P = 0.03, after-school (42.8. min/hr vs. 44.7 min/hr, P = 0.04, and total-day (43.7 min/hr vs. 45.5 min/hr, P = 0. 009 periods. School type (Montessori or traditional, preschool setting (private or public, socio-demographic factors (age, gender, and socioeconomic status were found to be significant predictors of preschoolers’ sedentary behavior. Conclusions Levels of objectively-measured sedentary behavior were significantly lower among children attending Montessori preschools compared to children attending traditional preschools. Future research should examine the specific characteristics of Montessori preschools that predict the lower levels of sedentary behavior among children attending these preschools compared to children attending traditional preschools.

Early Childhood Curriculum Development: The Role of Play in Building Self-Regulatory Capacity in Young Children

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Kroll, Linda R.

2017-01-01

This case study examines the development of self-regulation, socially, cognitively and emotionally, through the use of play in the curriculum in five preschool classrooms for children ages 2-5 years old at a university laboratory school. Five teachers were interviewed about their deliberate use of play to support the development of self-regulation…

Children's Readiness Gains in Publically Funded, Community-Based Pre-Kindergarten Programs for 4 Year Olds and Preschool for 3 Year Olds

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Goldstein, Peggy; Warde, Beverly; Peluso, Paul

2013-01-01

Background: Many states provide public funding to facilitate school readiness for community-based pre-K and preschool programs for 4 year old children and "at risk" 3 year old children. Little research exists on the school readiness gains of children participating in these "garden variety" community-based programs. Objective:…

Reflecting on 20+ Years of “Executive Program in Defense Decision Making” Curriculum

OpenAIRE

2017-01-01

CCMR News Article CCMR hosted a version of its biannual “Executive Program in Defense Decision Making” offering for 21 international military and civilian participants, from November 6-17, 2017. Often described as CCMR’s “flagship” course, this curriculum has been offered at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) in Monterey, California for over 20 years.

A Model for Infusing Energy Concepts into Vocational Education Programs. Solar Energy Curriculum Guide.

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Delta Vocational Technical School, Marked Tree, AR.

This solar energy curriculum guide is designed to assist teachers in infusing energy concepts into vocational education programs. It consists of 31 competency-based instructional units organized into 10 sections. Covered in the sections are the following topics: related instructions (history and development; human relations; general safety;…

Curriculum-Integrated Information Literacy (CIIL) in a Community College Nursing Program: A Practical Model

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Argüelles, Carlos

2016-01-01

This article describes a strategy to integrate information literacy into the curriculum of a nursing program in a community college. The model is articulated in four explained phases: preparatory, planning, implementation, and evaluation. It describes a collaborative process encouraging librarians to work with nursing faculty, driving students to…

Validity Study of the "Preschool Language Scale-4" with English-Speaking Hispanic and European American Children in Head Start Programs

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Qi, Cathy H.; Marley, Scott C.

2011-01-01

The purpose of the study was to examine the psychometric properties of the "Preschool Language Scale-4" (PLS-4) with a sample of English-speaking Hispanic and European American children who attended Head Start programs. Participants were 440 children between the ages of 3 and 5 years (52% male; 86% Hispanic and 14% European American).…

The Curriculum Planning Process for Undergraduate Game Degree Programs in the United Kingdom and United States

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McGill, Monica M.

2012-01-01

Digital games are marketed, mass-produced, and consumed by an increasing number of people and the game industry is only expected to grow. In response, postsecondary institutions in the UK and the U.S. have started to create game degree programs. Though curriculum theorists provide insight into the process of creating a new program, no formal…

Preschool Italian in Melbourne

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Hannan, Siobhan

2010-01-01

Kindergarten in Victoria, Australia is the preschool year, attended by children who are four going on five, and who will go onto primary school the following year. These are part-time programs, run over a small number of sessions per week, typically for 3-5 hours per session for 10-12 hours per week. North West Brunswick Kindergarten, in the…

Summer Treatment Program for Preschoolers with Externalizing Behavior Problems: a Preliminary Examination of Parenting Outcomes.

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Graziano, Paulo A; Ros, Rosmary; Hart, Katie C; Slavec, Janine

2017-11-07

Within an at-risk sample of preschoolers with externalizing behavior problems (EBP), the current study examined the initial promise of a multimodal intervention, the Summer Treatment Program for Pre-Kindergarteners (STP-PreK), in improving parenting outcomes. Using an open trial design, 154 parents and their preschool children (73% male; M age  = 5.06 years; 82% Hispanic/Latino background) with at-risk or clinically elevated levels of EBP (57% of which were referred by schools or mental health/medical professionals) completed a baseline and post-treatment assessment. A subsample of 90 families completed a follow-up assessment approximately 6 to 9 months after treatment completion. Parental measures of parenting stress and discipline strategies were collected across all three assessments. Observational data were also collected across all assessments during a 5-min standardized child-led play situation and a 5-min parent-led clean up task. The parenting component of the STP-PreK included a School Readiness Parenting Program (SRPP) of which the behavioral management component was implemented via a Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) adaptation (8 weekly group sessions with 15-20 parents in each group, lack of requirement of "mastery" criteria). All parenting outcomes (both ratings and observed) significantly improved after the intervention (Cohen's d mean effect size across measures 0.89) with all effects being maintained at the 6-9 month follow-up. These findings highlight the initial promise of our SRPP's PCIT adaptation in targeting multiple aspects of parenting while yielding comparable parenting skills acquisition compared to traditional individual PCIT.

Perspektiver på hva en førskolelærer trenger å kunne om religion: Rammeplananalyse og preskriptive innspill

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Bengt Ove Andreassen

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Title: Perspectives on what a preschool teacher need to know about religion: Curriculum analysis and prescriptive suggestions.Abstract: What does a pre-school teacher need to know about religion? This question is discussed in two separate parts of the article. The first part is a curriculum analysis of the framework surrounding Early Childhood Education and the three year undergraduate program for pre-school teachers in Norway. The analysis leads to a critical discussion on the bias towards Christian values in this framework. The second part of the article is prescriptive, answering the article’s research question. The outline of what a pre-school teacher’s competence on religion should consist of draws on the analysis and critical discussion in the first part. Here, arguments for including perspectives drawn from secular academic Religious studies in the three-year undergraduate program for pre-school teachers are presented. The main argument is that perspectives from Religious studies will ensure equal treatment of all religions and life views, and thus ensure the teaching to be in accordance with international conventions regarding human rights, which Norway are committed to.

Factors of the active listening of preschool children

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Purić Daliborka S.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Active listening is a communication skill which is crucial for the development of cooperative relationships in the group, culture of friendship and fellowship, it is also important for the development of literacy skills and talent for speaking. Furthermore, it contributes to the improvement of the level of knowledge, skills and school achievement, as well as to the development of self-confidence of children. Developing of active listening is an important task in the activities with children of preschool age. In this paper, the author, wanting to determine the importance of the factors of active listening of preschool children, examines how preschool teachers (N = 198: (a evaluate the importance of certain elements of active listening that relate to the speaker and the listener, and (b estimate their role in the process of developing active listening skills of preschool children as an essential element of successful interpersonal communication. Results of the survey show that preschool teachers attach greater importance to the factors of active listening related to the listener (attention, listening skill, interest in the subject, than to the factors related to the speaker (motivation for listening, quality of the narrative. More than two-thirds of surveyed preschool teachers (172 or 86.9% define its impact on the stimulation of active listening of children as significant. Work experience and professional qualifications as independent variables significantly influence the attitudes of preschool teachers about the importance of their impact in stimulating active listening. Preschool teacher is a key element of the training of preschool children in the area of the basic communication skills of active listening. In this sense, the results of our survey show that in the context of academic study programs for education of preschool teachers special attention is given to the communication skills and to their role in the development of active listening

La Educacion Preescolar en Cuba [Preschool Education in Cuba].

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Childhood Education, 2002

2002-01-01

Describes the "Educate Your Child" program, a Cuban family-based program supported by UNICEF and designed to enhance the total development of children from birth until the start of formal schooling for the 80 percent of Cuban children who do not attend the Children's Circle preschool program. Highlights the importance of the regional…

Rationale and Guidelines for a Pre-Crisis Curriculum to Prepare Healthy Preschool Children for Hospitalization.

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Poster, Elizabeth C.

Questions associated with an alternative approach to preparing nursery and elementary school children for hospitalization are addressed, and the basic components of a pre-crisis curriculum are outlined in this paper. Questions broached focus on (1) the effectiveness of a general curriculum approach as opposed to a crisis approach to preparing…

Addressing the Needs of Preschool Children in the Context of Disasters and Terrorism: Assessment, Prevention, and Intervention.

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Wolmer, Leo; Hamiel, Daniel; Pardo-Aviv, Lee; Laor, Nathaniel

2017-07-01

The goal of this paper is to review the research literature regarding the needs of preschoolers in the context of disasters and terrorism with the aim of understanding the existing methods for assessment, prevention, and intervention to provide recommendations and point out required research and development. We differentiate between screening tools that provide initial evaluation and assessment tools for diagnosing preschooler children's pathology and review possible interventions that address the preschool child's needs before, during, and after the incident itself. We also emphasize the lack of dissemination and research of prevention programs and mass interventions for preschoolers. Programs for community mass prevention and intervention for preschoolers should be developed and evaluated and interventions should be adapted for individual and group delivery. Moreover, the increase in the number of children refugees requires cultural adaptations of assessment measures and interventions.

Cooperation between Parents and Preschool Institutions through Different Concepts of Preschool Education

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Sanja Berčnik

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This paper analyses the importance, role, and methods of cooperation between parents and preschool institutions through the different concepts of preschool education and different educational approaches and formal frameworks. Through educational approaches, the authors analyse how cooperation affects the implementation of preschool education in alternative educational approaches, such as the Waldorf, Montessori, and Reggio Emilia approaches, and Slovenian public preschool institutions. They envisage that different educational approaches in preschool education perceive the importance and role of cooperation with parents differently and conclude that there are various models of cooperation, which can be demonstrated through a theoretical analysis of the aforementioned alternative preschool approaches. In their view, partnership promotes a shared commitment to the quality realisation of educational goals; it also develops understanding and an ethos of openness in the relationship between all actors in the process of care and education of preschool children.

Welding Curriculum.

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Alaska State Dept. of Education, Juneau. Div. of Adult and Vocational Education.

This competency-based curriculum guide is a handbook for the development of welding trade programs. Based on a survey of Alaskan welding employers, it includes all competencies a student should acquire in such a welding program. The handbook stresses the importance of understanding the principles associated with the various elements of welding.…

The role of preschool in reducing inequality

OpenAIRE

Waldfogel, Jane

2015-01-01

Children from disadvantaged families have lower levels of school readiness when they enter school than do children from more advantaged families. Many countries have tried to reduce this inequality through publicly provided preschool. Evidence on the potential of these programs to reduce inequality in child development is now quite strong. Long-term studies of large publicly funded programs in Europe and Latin America, and newer studies on state and local prekindergarten programs implemented ...

Impacts of a Literacy-Focused Preschool Curriculum on the Early Literacy Skills of Language-Minority Children.

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Goodrich, J Marc; Lonigan, Christopher J; Farver, Jo Ann M

Spanish-speaking language-minority (LM) children are at an elevated risk of struggling academically and display signs of that risk during early childhood. Therefore, high-quality research is needed to identify instructional techniques that promote the school readiness of Spanish-speaking LM children. The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention that utilized an experimental curriculum and two professional development models for the development of English and Spanish early literacy skills among LM children. We also evaluated whether LM children's proficiency in one language moderated the effect of the intervention on early literacy skills in the other language, as well as whether the intervention was differentially effective for LM and monolingual English-speaking children. Five hundred twenty-six Spanish-speaking LM children and 447 monolingual English-speaking children enrolled in 26 preschool centers in Los Angeles, CA participated in this study. Results indicated that the intervention was effective for improving LM children's code-related but not language-related English early literacy skills. There were no effects of the intervention on children's Spanish early literacy skills. Proficiency in Spanish did not moderate the effect of the intervention for any English early literacy outcomes; however, proficiency in English significantly moderated the effect of the intervention for Spanish oral language skills, such that the effect of the intervention was stronger for children with higher proficiency in English than it was for children with lower proficiency in English. In general, there were not differential effects of the intervention for LM and monolingual children. Taken together, these findings indicate that high-quality, evidence-based instruction can improve the early literacy skills of LM children and that the same instructional techniques are effective for enhancing the early literacy skills of LM and monolingual

Deep and shallow water effects on developing preschoolers' aquatic skills.

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Costa, Aldo M; Marinho, Daniel A; Rocha, Helena; Silva, António J; Barbosa, Tiago M; Ferreira, Sandra S; Martins, Marta

2012-05-01

The aim of the study was to assess deep and shallow water teaching methods in swimming lessons for preschool children and identify variations in the basic aquatic skills acquired. The study sample included 32 swimming instructors (16 from deep water programs and 16 from shallow water programs) and 98 preschool children (50 from deep water swimming pool and 48 from shallow water swimming pool). The children were also studied regarding their previous experience in swimming (6, 12 and 18 months or practice). Chi-Square test and Fisher's exact test were used to compare the teaching methodology. A discriminant analysis was conducted with Λ wilk's method to predict under what conditions students are better or worse (aquatic competence). Results suggest that regardless of the non-significant variations found in teaching methods, the water depth can affect aquatic skill acquisition - shallow water lessons seem to impose greater water competence particularly after 6 months of practice. The discriminant function revealed a significant association between groups and all predictors for 6 months of swimming practice (pdeep and shallow water programs for preschoolers is not significantly different. However, shallow water lessons could be preferable for the development of basic aquatic skills.

Preschool Teachers' Emotional Socialization Responses to 4-6 Year-Old Turkish Preschoolers' Emotional Expressions

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Kilic, Sukran

2015-01-01

The goal of the present study was to investigate preschool teachers' emotion socialization responses to Turkish preschoolers' emotional expressions based on children's age and gender. The participants in the current study were 12 preschool full time teachers from 4 preschool and 288 preschoolers ranging in age from 4 to 6 years in Aksaray. In…

The Relationship of Preschool Experience and Socioeconomic Status to Kindergarten and First Grade Achievement. Technical Report #65.

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Fox, Candace; Gallimore, Ronald

This study examines the effects of preschool attendance on school achievement. The achievement test scores of 50 children in two classes of the Kamehameha Early Education Program (KEEP) who had attended preschool were compared to those of their classmates who had not attended preschool. Measures of kindergarten achievement used were the Wechsler…

On track for success: an innovative behavioral science curriculum model.

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Freedy, John R; Carek, Peter J; Dickerson, Lori M; Mallin, Robert M

2013-01-01

This article describes the behavioral science curriculum currently in place at the Trident/MUSC Family Medicine Residency Program. The Trident/MUSC Program is a 10-10-10 community-based, university-affiliated program in Charleston, South Carolina. Over the years, the Trident/MUSC residency program has graduated over 400 Family Medicine physicians. The current behavioral science curriculum consists of both required core elements (didactic lectures, clinical observation, Balint groups, and Resident Grand Rounds) as well as optional elements (longitudinal patient care experiences, elective rotations, behavioral science editorial experience, and scholars project with a behavioral science focus). All Trident/MUSC residents complete core behavioral science curriculum elements and are free to participate in none, some, or all of the optional behavioral science curriculum elements. This flexibility allows resident physicians to tailor the educational program in a manner to meet individual educational needs. The behavioral science curriculum is based upon faculty interpretation of existing "best practice" guidelines (Residency Review Committee-Family Medicine and AAFP). This article provides sufficient curriculum detail to allow the interested reader the opportunity to adapt elements of the behavioral science curriculum to other residency training programs. While this behavioral science track system is currently in an early stage of implementation, the article discusses track advantages as well as future plans to evaluate various aspects of this innovative educational approach.

Child Sexual Abuse at Preschools--A Research Review of a Complex Issue for Preschool Professionals

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Bergström, Helena; Eidevald, Christian; Westberg-Broström, Anna

2016-01-01

The objective of this research review is to synthesize research published between 2000 and 2015 regarding child sexual abuse, preschool and preschool teachers. The review identifies themes relevant for the preschool teacher profession: child sexual abuse at preschools, suspicions and consequences for the preschool sector, preventing techniques and…

Self-perceptions and social–emotional classroom engagement following structured physical activity among preschoolers: A feasibility study

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Spyridoula Vazou

2017-06-01

Conclusion: This study demonstrates the feasibility of providing structured PA program to preschoolers. Moreover, these initial findings suggest that purposely designed, structured PA may help advance the social–emotional engagement and perceived competence of preschool children.

A Critical Examination of the Process of Modifying the Curriculum of Alternative Secondary Educational Programs

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Ross, Michael

2014-01-01

This study, "A Critical Examination of the Process of Modifying the Curriculum of Alternative Secondary Educational Programs," was done with the use of action research to study (a) whether students currently participating in a continuation school believe their educational and career needs are presently being met; (b) the types of career…

Perception of childhood obesity in mothers of preschool children.

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Kim, Hae Ok; Kim, Gyo Nam; Park, Euna

2015-04-01

The purpose of this study was to identify the perception of childhood obesity in mothers of preschool children using Q methodology. A total of 38 Q statements about childhood obesity were obtained from 41 participants. The QUANL PC program was used to analyze the results. There were three types of perception toward obesity in mothers of preschool children: the "authoritative discipline type," the "generous home meal focused type," and the "home meal based on household financial situation type." The perception of mothers toward childhood obesity can affect the extent of maternal interaction with children or meal preparation for the family. Based on these results, it is necessary to plan specific programs according to the types of maternal perception toward childhood obesity.

Business Mathematics Curriculum Guide. Bulletin 1612. Revised.

Science.gov (United States)

Louisiana State Dept. of Education, Baton Rouge. Div. of Academic Programs.

This curriculum guide for business mathematics was developed to establish statewide curriculum standards for the Louisiana Competency-based Education Program. Following an overview of the secondary school mathematics curriculum, eight goals for the business mathematics course are listed. A pacing chart with suggested time periods for each major…

Drama and Theatre in a Nordic Curriculum Perspective--A Challenged Arts Subject Used as a Learning Medium in Compulsory Education

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Österlind, Eva; Østern, Anna-Lena; Thorkelsdóttir, Rannveig Björk

2016-01-01

The aim of this article is to present a Nordic curriculum perspective on drama and theatre in education ranging from preschool to upper secondary education and cultural schools. Underlined in the Nordic welfare model is an equity, inclusive and democracy perspective, which guarantees free access to compulsory education and to upper secondary…

The influence of the program of prophylaxis of flat foot on the biomechanics characteristics of foot of children of pre-school age

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Bychuk I.O.

2011-02-01

Full Text Available In the article is defined linear and angular biomechanics descriptions of children's foot of senior preschool age. It is analysed the dynamics and increase of the explored indexes during realization of the program of prophylaxis of flat foot in the teaching process. In experiment took part teachers and instructors of physical culture; control and experimental group consist of 20 children at the age of 5-6 years old. Efficiency of the offered program of prophylaxis of flat foot is proved.

Footwear suitability in Turkish preschool-aged children.

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Yurt, Yasin; Sener, Gul; Yakut, Yavuz

2014-06-01

Unsuitable footwear worn in childhood may cause some foot problems by interfering normal development of foot. To compare footwear suitability rate of indoor and outdoor footwear at all points in preschool children and investigate factors which could affect footwear suitability. A cross-sectional survey study. A total of 1000 healthy preschool children (4-6 years old) participated in this study. Indoor and outdoor footwear of children were evaluated through Turkish version of Footwear Assessment Score. Effect of factors like age, sex, number of siblings, educational and occupational situation of parents, and behavior of school management about selecting footwear was investigated. Children got better footwear score for outdoor than indoor ones (p footwear score for both indoor and outdoor ones than girls (p footwear score was found in favor of children who were going to schools that gave guidance about selecting footwear for both indoor and outdoor in comparison to children going to other schools (p footwear for their children. Performing education programs and investigation of their effect with comprehensive follow-up studies in future is essential. This study reflects footwear habits of Turkish preschool children and factors affecting this issue. Results may give way to education programs about suitable footwear worn in childhood for healthy foot development. © The International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics 2013.

MORE MINUTES OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION CLASSES SUPPORT MOTOR DEVELOPMENT IN PRESCHOOL CHILDREN

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Judith Jiménez Díaz

2010-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to determine the effect of physical education classes in 12 fundamental motor skills (FMS. Preschool students (M = 6.09±0.5 years old were randomly assigned to a control group (6 boys and 7 girls who performed the regular preschool class (which includes one 30- minutes session per week; experimental group 1 (6 boys and 6 girls who received the regular preschool class plus 1 session of 30 minutes per week of the intervention program; or experimental group 2 (6 boys and 7 girls, who received the regular preschool class plus 1 session of 60 minutes per week of the intervention program; during 8 weeks (n=38. All participants performed the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-2 before and after the study. A one-way MANOVA reflected a similar behavior in al FMS in the pre-test. A two-way MANOVA (group x time reflected no interaction in the 12 FMS; also in the 6 object control FMS; but there was an interaction in the 6 locomotor FMS. In conclusion, 90-minutes of physical education classes per week only benefit the FMS of galloping and hopping.

A "Globalised" Curriculum--International Comparative Practices and the Preschool Child as a Site of Economic Optimisation

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Plum, Maja

2014-01-01

Globalisation is often referred to as being external to education--a state of affairs presenting the modern curriculum with numerous challenges. In this article, "globalisation" is examined as something that is internal to curriculum and analysed as a "problematisation" in a Foucaultian sense, that is, as a complex of…

'Our story': Support program for parents of children with disabilities: Example of good practice in preschool institutions

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Mihić Ivana

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Raising a child with a developmental disability can be a serious challenge for parents, which leads to increased parenting stress and has multiple impacts on family well-being. Even though there is a well recognized need for support for parents of children with disabilities, our country lacks the systematized support programs and their evaluations. Program 'Our Story' aims to educate parents about the key processes that lead to accepting the child's condition and recognizing an appropriate care model for a child with disabilities. The program is based on attachment theory and the importance of resolution to diagnosis- emotional and cognitive acceptance of the child's health condition and its implications. It is a structured program, consisting of six thematic meetings with a group of parents. The group counseling is led by two professionals who have previously undergone a 32-hour program for the implementation of training. This paper presents the experiences from two preschool institutions, in which the program was implemented and evaluated. Also it discusses the importance and possibilities of implementing a support program for parents of children with disability in the context of early education system.

Steps to Implementing Technology in Inclusive Early Childhood Programs

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Lyons, Catherine D.; Tredwell, Claire T.

2015-01-01

Twenty-first-century preschool children, with and without disabilities, may be found using technology, including assistive technologies, on a daily basis in their homes, schools, and communities. Early childhood educators are exploring opportunities to integrate technology and interactive media into the present-day curriculum. The authors suggest…

Evaluation of the Preschool Situational Self-Regulation Toolkit (PRSIST) Program for Supporting children's early self-regulation development: study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial.

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Howard, Steven J; Vasseleu, Elena; Neilsen-Hewett, Cathrine; Cliff, Ken

2018-01-24

For children with low self-regulation in the preschool years, the likelihood of poorer intellectual, health, wealth and anti-social outcomes in adulthood is overwhelming. Yet this knowledge has not yielded a framework for understanding self-regulatory change, nor generated particularly successful methods for enacting this change. Reconciling insights from cross-disciplinary theory, research and practice, this study seeks to implement a newly developed program of low-cost and routine practices and activities for supporting early self-regulatory development within preschool contexts and to evaluate its effect on children's self-regulation, executive function and school readiness; and educator perceived knowledge, attitudes and self-efficacy related to self-regulation. The Early Start to Self-Regulation study is a cluster randomized, controlled trial for evaluating benefits of the Preschool Situational Self-Regulation Toolkit (PRSIST) program, when implemented by early childhood educators, compared with routine practice. The PRSIST program combines professional learning, adult practices, child activities and connections to the home to support children's self-regulation development. Fifty preschool centers in New South Wales, Australia, will be selected to ensure a range of characteristics, namely: National Quality Standards (NQS) ratings, geographic location and socioeconomic status. After collection of baseline child and educator data, participating centers will then be randomly allocated to one of two groups, stratified by NQS rating: (1) an intervention group (25 centers) that will implement the PRSIST program; or (2) a control group (25 centers) that will continue to engage in practice as usual. Primary outcomes at the child level will be two measures of self-regulation: Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders task and the PRSIST observational assessment. Secondary outcomes at the child level will be adult-reported measures of child self-regulation, executive function and

Is there a Core Curriculum across Higher Education Doctoral Programs?

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Sydney Freeman Jr.

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Currently the study of higher education has been referred to as a multidisciplinary field. Consensus is continuing to evolve regarding both what is considered the appropriate coursework and the foundational knowledgebase of this field. The study of higher education is maturing and has the potential to transition from being seen as a field to being respected as an academic discipline. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the status of the core curriculum in higher education doctoral programs from the perspective of program directors with programs that required the completion of standardized coursework prior to beginning a dissertation. We used online survey analytic techniques to query program directors about their EdD and PhD programs in higher education, credit hours, and curricular content. Our study confirms previous work finding that there is common agreement in the subject matter areas of organization, leadership, administration, and history. What our work adds is that there is a growing consensus among higher education doctoral programs about the position of higher education law and finance in the curricular core. In addition, we find there is a growing interest in public policy and community colleges over time, with a majority of EdD programs including instruction in these areas. Nevertheless, majoritarian agreement does not meet at a level wherein consensus can be inferred, especially within PhD programs where requirements are more varied across programs. In addition, while there is an increasing trend in the inclusion of multiculturalism in higher education doctoral programming, multiculturalism is not currently part of higher education’s core. We conclude with research and practice implications for doctoral programs in higher education as a field of study.

Is a Response to Intervention (RTI) Approach to Preschool Language and Early Literacy Instruction Needed?

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Greenwood, Charles R.; Carta, Judith J.; Atwater, Jane; Goldstein, Howard; Kaminski, Ruth; McConnell, Scott

2013-01-01

Preschool experience plays a role in children's development. However, for programs with language and early literacy goals, the question remains whether preschool instructional experiences are sufficiently effective to achieve these goals for all children. In a multisite study, the authors conducted a process-product description of preschool…

A Longitudinal Study of the TEACCH Program in Different Settings: The Potential Benefits of Low Intensity Intervention in Preschool Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

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D'Elia, Lidia; Valeri, Giovanni; Sonnino, Fabiana; Fontana, Ilaria; Mammone, Alessia; Vicari, Stefano

2014-01-01

We conducted a longitudinal study of 30 preschool children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) to evaluate the potential benefits of the Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication Handicapped Children (TEACCH). Fifteen children following a low intensity TEACCH program were assessed four times for autism severity, adaptive…

Undergraduate study in psychology: Curriculum and assessment.

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Norcross, John C; Hailstorks, Robin; Aiken, Leona S; Pfund, Rory A; Stamm, Karen E; Christidis, Peggy

2016-01-01

The undergraduate curriculum in psychology profoundly reflects and shapes the discipline. Yet, reliable information on the undergraduate psychology curriculum has been difficult to acquire due to insufficient research carried out on unrepresentative program samples with disparate methods. In 2014, APA launched the first systematic effort in a decade to gather national data on the psychology major and program outcomes. We surveyed a stratified random sample of department chairs/coordinators of accredited colleges and universities in the United States that offer undergraduate courses and programs in psychology. A total of 439 undergraduate psychology programs (45.2%) completed the survey. This article summarizes, for both associate and baccalaureate programs, the results of the Undergraduate Study in Psychology. Current practices concerning the introductory course, the courses offered, core requirements, the psychology minor, and tracks/concentrations are presented. The frequency of formal program reviews and program-level assessment methods are also addressed. By extending prior research on the undergraduate curriculum, we chronicle longitudinal changes in the psychology major over the past 20 years. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Early Childhood Education: The Sustainability of the Benefits of Preschool Participation in Abbott Districts

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Fernandez, Norma

2010-01-01

The landmark New Jersey Supreme Court school funding case, "Abbott v. Burke", established the availability of preschool for all three- and four-year-olds living within the state's thirty-one poorest districts as a means of eradicating the effects of poverty. Longitudinal studies have shown the value of high quality preschool programs for…

Early preschool environments and gender: Effects of gender pedagogy in Sweden.

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Shutts, Kristin; Kenward, Ben; Falk, Helena; Ivegran, Anna; Fawcett, Christine

2017-10-01

To test how early social environments affect children's consideration of gender, 3- to 6-year-old children (N=80) enrolled in gender-neutral or typical preschool programs in the central district of a large Swedish city completed measures designed to assess their gender-based social preferences, stereotypes, and automatic encoding. Compared with children in typical preschools, a greater proportion of children in the gender-neutral school were interested in playing with unfamiliar other-gender children. In addition, children attending the gender-neutral preschool scored lower on a gender stereotyping measure than children attending typical preschools. Children at the gender-neutral school, however, were not less likely to automatically encode others' gender. The findings suggest that gender-neutral pedagogy has moderate effects on how children think and feel about people of different genders but might not affect children's tendency to spontaneously notice gender. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Laying a Firm Foundation: Embedding Evidence-Based Emergent Literacy Practices Into Early Intervention and Preschool Environments.

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Terrell, Pamela; Watson, Maggie

2018-04-05

As part of this clinical forum on curriculum-based intervention, the goal of this tutorial is to share research about the importance of language and literacy foundations in natural environments during emergent literacy skill development, from infancy through preschool. Following an overview of intervention models in schools by Powell (2018), best practices at home, in child care, and in preschool settings are discussed. Speech-language pathologists in these settings will be provided a toolbox of best emergent literacy practices. A review of published literature in speech-language pathology, early intervention, early childhood education, and literacy was completed. Subsequently, an overview of the impact of early home and preschool literacy experiences are described. Research-based implementation of best practice is supported with examples of shared book reading and child-led literacy embedded in play within the coaching model of early intervention. Finally, various aspects of emergent literacy skill development in the preschool years are discussed. These include phonemic awareness, print/alphabet awareness, oral language skills, and embedded/explicit literacy. Research indicates that rich home literacy environments and exposure to rich oral language provide an important foundation for the more structured literacy environments of school. Furthermore, there is a wealth of evidence to support a variety of direct and indirect intervention practices in the home, child care, and preschool contexts to support and enhance all aspects of oral and written literacy. Application of this "toolbox" of strategies should enable speech-language pathologists to address the prevention and intervention of literacy deficits within multiple environments during book and play activities. Additionally, clinicians will have techniques to share with parents, child care providers, and preschool teachers for evidence-based literacy instruction within all settings during typical daily

An Examination of Parents' and Preschool Workers' Perspectives on Bullying in Preschool

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Cameron, David Lansing; Kovac, Velibor Bobo

2016-01-01

Parents (n = 141) and preschool workers (n = 81) completed a survey regarding their perspectives towards: (a) the existence of bullying in preschool, (b) interpretations of bullying, (c) the roles of bullies and victims, and (d) gender differences. Findings suggest that both groups largely believe that bullying occurs in preschool. Excluding…

AUDITING INTERNAL CONTROLS IN FINANCING PRESCHOOL PUBLIC INSTITUTION: EVIDENCE FROM SLOVENIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tatjana HORVAT

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Public preschool educational institutions in Slovenia are mostly financed by public money, it means bay state and municipalities. They are also financed by parents. So, it is important that preschool institutions are using public money transparent and responsible, for this reason public preschool institution should have internal controls in financing. The internal auditor as independent professional should verify if internal controls works. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how internal controls in financing public educational institution works it means which internal controls are important in financing the preschool institution - on the selected institution to show and check how internal controls work. For this reason we divide internal controls in the financing in two phases: (1 internal controls in the preparation of the annual financial plan and financial planning of financial resources for institution’s programs and activities, (2 internal controls in obtaining financial resources. We used methods of internal auditing and research approaches as sampling, unstructured interviews and analysis of documents. The results showed that selected preschool institution should work on rules of recovery and monitoring of claims. The findings provide useful academic insight to setting internal controls as well as practical guidance for preschool institutions.

Teachers' sense-making of curriculum structures and its impact on the implementation of an innovative reform-based science curriculum

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Beckford-Smart, Meredith

This study discusses the social interactions involved in teachers' enactment and use of new science curricula. The teachers studied participated in the LiFE program, a university-school partnership, which is an inquiry based science and nutrition education program. In this program fifth and sixth grade students learned science through the study of food. The program used the study of food and food systems to teach life sciences and nutrition through inquiry based studies. Through the partnership teachers received professional development which aimed to deepen their conceptual understandings of life science and develop skills in implementing inquiry-base teaching. Using qualitative research methods of ethnography and narrative inquiry to study teachers' sense-making of messages from curriculum structures, the intention was to explore how teachers' sense-making of these structures guided their classroom practices. Two research questions were addressed: (a) How do teachers make sense of curriculum given their perceptions, their school context and their curricular context; (b) What influence do their identities as science teachers/learners have on their enactment of an innovative science curriculum. I used comparative analysis to examine teacher's beliefs and identities as teachers/learners. In the process of studying these teachers an understanding of how teachers' stories and identities shape their use and enactment of science curriculum came to light. The initial analysis revealed four distinct teacher identities: (a) social responsibility teacher/learner; (b) experiential teacher/learner; (c) supportive institution teacher/learner; and (d) turning point teacher. Besides these distinct teacher identities three cross cutting themes emerged: (a) creating environments conducive to their teaching visions; (b) empowering student through science teaching; and (c) dealing with the uncertainty of teaching. The information gathered from this study will illuminate how these

Attitudes of Preschool Teachers toward the Integration of Handicapped Children.

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Dyson, Lily L.; Kubo, H. Richard

Forty-six supervisors and teachers were surveyed regarding their attitudes toward integration of handicapped children in a regular preschool program, the helpfulness of supportive services, and the necessary conditions for the integration of their programs. Findings showed that the majority of teachers were in favor of integration and supportive…

Beyond Behavioral Modification: Benefits of Socio-Emotional/Self-Regulation Training for Preschoolers with Behavior Problems

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Graziano, Paulo A.; Hart, Katie

2016-01-01

The current study evaluated the initial efficacy of three intervention programs aimed at improving school readiness in preschool children with externalizing behavior problems (EBP). Participants for this study included 45 preschool children (76% boys; M[subscript age] = 5.16 years; 84% Hispanic/Latino background) with at-risk or clinically…

Preparedness of Educators to Implement Modern Information Technologies in Their Work with Preschool Children

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Velickovic, Sonja; Stošic, Lazar

2016-01-01

This study explores the issue of the preparedness of educators to realize the contents of the PPP (Preschool Preparatory Program) from the point of view of digitalization and informatization of the society. The authors are in favour of the implementation of modern educational technology in the process of educating preschool children with the aim…

Estimation of the Level of Cognitive Development of a Preschool Child Using the System of Situations with Mathematical Contents

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Gorev, Pavel M.; Bichurina, Svetlana Y.; Yakupova, Rufiya M.; Khairova, Irina V.

2016-01-01

Cognitive development of personality can be considered as one of the key directions of preschool education presented in the world practice, where preschool programs are educational ones, and preschool education is the first level of the general education. Thereby the purpose of the research is to create a model of reliable estimation of cognitive…

A Spiral And Discipline-Oriented Curriculum In Medical Imaging

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wilhjelm, Jens E.; Hanson, Lars G.; Henneberg, Kaj-Åge

2011-01-01

This contribution describes and evaluates an experimental combination of a spiral and discipline-oriented curriculum implemented in the bachelor’s and master’s program in Medicine and Technology. The implementation in the master’s program is in the form of a study line in Medical Imaging and Radi......This contribution describes and evaluates an experimental combination of a spiral and discipline-oriented curriculum implemented in the bachelor’s and master’s program in Medicine and Technology. The implementation in the master’s program is in the form of a study line in Medical Imaging...... and Radiation Physics containing three disciplines: Imaging modalities, Radiation therapy and Image processing. The two imaging courses in the bachelor’s program and the first imaging course in the master’s program follow a spiral curriculum in which most disciplines are encountered in all courses......, but in a gradually more advanced manner. The remaining courses in the master’s program follow a discipline-oriented curriculum. From a practical point of view, the spiral course portfolio works well in an undergraduate environment, where the courses involved are to be taken by all students and in the order planned...

Suggested Curriculum Guide for Developing a Program in Appliance Service and Repair. Bulletin No. 48-174.

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Illinois State Board of Vocational Education and Rehabilitation, Springfield. Div. of Vocational and Technical Education.

The outline curriculum guide has been developed to assist in planning, developing, and instructing a program in appliance service and repair. The material consists of a unit outline and suggested exercieses and assignments for 17 areas: shop mathematics, communication skills, safety, orientation to appliance service and repair, blueprint reading,…

Curriculum-based neurosurgery digital library.

Science.gov (United States)

Langevin, Jean-Philippe; Dang, Thai; Kon, David; Sapo, Monica; Batzdorf, Ulrich; Martin, Neil

2010-11-01

Recent work-hour restrictions and the constantly evolving body of knowledge are challenging the current ways of teaching neurosurgery residents. To develop a curriculum-based digital library of multimedia content to face the challenges in neurosurgery education. We used the residency program curriculum developed by the Congress of Neurological Surgeons to structure the library and Microsoft Sharepoint as the user interface. This project led to the creation of a user-friendly and searchable digital library that could be accessed remotely and throughout the hospital, including the operating rooms. The electronic format allows standardization of the content and transformation of the operating room into a classroom. This in turn facilitates the implementation of a curriculum within the training program and improves teaching efficiency. Future work will focus on evaluating the efficacy of the library as a teaching tool for residents.

Preschool education studentsʼ attitude towards inclusion in preschool educational context

OpenAIRE

Skubic, Darija; Vidrih, Alenka

2015-01-01

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the attitudes of preschool education students regarding inclusive teaching/inclusive practices. As a research instrument a questionnaire with 17 statements, referred to education, practices and policies of inclusion was developed. 118 students of the preschool education study programme at the Faculty of Education in Ljubljana participated in the study. There were 3 different groups of students: 25 students of the 2nd year of preschool educat...

Assessment of Attention in Preschoolers

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Mahone, E.M.; Schneider, H.E.

2012-01-01

In the past two decades, there has been an increased interest in the assessment and treatment of preschool children presenting with concerns about attention problems. This article reviews the research and clinical literature involving assessment of attention and related skills in the preschool years. While inattention among preschoolers is common, symptoms alone do not necessarily indicate a disorder, and most often represent a normal variation in typical preschool child development. Thus, accurate identification of “disordered” attention in preschoolers can be challenging, and development of appropriate, norm-referenced tests of attention for preschoolers is also difficult. The current review suggests that comprehensive assessment of attention and related functions in the preschool child should include thorough review of the child’s history, planned observations, and formal psychometric testing. The three primary methods of psychometric assessment that have been used to characterize attentional functioning in preschool children include performance-based tests, structured caregiver interviews, and rating scales (parent, teacher, and clinician). Among performance-based methods for measurement of attention in the preschool years, tests have been developed to assess sustained attention, selective (focused) attention, span of attention (encoding/manipulation), and (top-down) controlled attention—including freedom from distractibility and set shifting. Many of these tests remain experimental in nature, and review of published methods yields relatively few commercially available, nationally normed tests of attention for preschoolers, and an overall dearth of reliability and validity studies on the available measures. PMID:23090646

Examining occupational therapy education through faculty engagement in curriculum mapping and pedagogical reflection.

Science.gov (United States)

MacNeil, Cheryl; Hand, Theresa

2014-01-01

This article discusses a 1-yr evaluation study of a master of science in occupational therapy program to examine curriculum content and pedagogical practices as a way to gauge program preparedness to move to a clinical doctorate. Faculty members participated in a multitiered qualitative study that included curriculum mapping, semistructured individual interviewing, and iterative group analysis. Findings indicate that curriculum mapping and authentic dialogue helped the program formulate a more streamlined and integrated curriculum with increased faculty collaboration. Curriculum mapping and collaborative pedagogical reflection are valuable evaluation strategies for examining preparedness to offer a clinical doctorate, enhancing a self-study process, and providing information for ongoing formative curriculum review. Copyright © 2014 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Peer mentoring program in an interprofessional and interdisciplinary curriculum in Brazil.

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de Oliveira, Camila Aparecida Machado; de França Carvalho, Carolina Prado; Céspedes, Isabel Cristina; de Oliveira, Flávia; Le Sueur-Maluf, Luciana

2015-01-01

The Federal University of São Paulo, Baixada Santista Campus was founded in 2006 with five degree-granting programs in physical education, physiotherapy, nutrition, psychology, and occupational therapy. The guiding principle behind the programs' educational mission was centered on the development of health care professionals capable of working in interdisciplinary teams with an emphasis on holistic patient care. This pedagogical structure required peer-mentoring programs in order to integrate different areas of knowledge and to improve learning strategies among new generations of students. The authors' objective in the present report is to discuss the strategies and activities of the peer-mentoring program in histophysiology and gross anatomy in an interdisciplinary and interprofessional curriculum. Evaluations by students, mentors and professors are presented, along with a statistical analysis of variance comparing student performance in the module assessments according to their participation in the peer-mentoring activities. The results demonstrated that students who participated in peer-mentoring activities enjoyed a higher rate of academic success than those who did not participate. In addition, student and mentor evaluations of the peer mentoring program were highly positive. The program enabled mentors to gain a deeper knowledge of the subjects addressed in the learning modules, as well as to develop intrinsic teaching skills during their time as mentors. In short, the authors believe that the peer-mentoring program has been validated for its effectiveness in raising student academic performance. © 2015 American Association of Anatomists.

he problem of physical rehabilitation for breach properties of foot preschool age children.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kozlov Y.V.

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Scientific and methodical literature about preschoolers flat were analyzed in the article. Special means of physical rehabilitation are discussed in. Results of the study of literary sources suggest the need to develop and implement new physical rehabilitation programs in preschools. The greatest effect is expected when based on the foundation of certain numerical showings of biogeometrical sideview of bearing and videotechnology.

Process Mediates Structure: The Relation between Preschool Teacher Education and Preschool Teachers' Knowledge

Science.gov (United States)

Blömeke, Sigrid; Jenßen, Lars; Grassmann, Marianne; Dunekacke, Simone; Wedekind, Hartmut

2017-01-01

Data about processes and outcomes of preschool teacher education is scarce. This paper examines the opportunities to learn (OTL) of prospective preschool teachers (N = 1,851) at different types and stages of preschool teacher education and their relation to general pedagogical knowledge (GPK), mathematics pedagogical content knowledge (MPCK), and…

Effect of the Children's Health Activity Motor Program on Motor Skills and Self-Regulation in Head Start Preschoolers: An Efficacy Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, Leah E; Palmer, Kara K; Bub, Kristen L

2016-01-01

Self-regulatory skills are broadly defined as the ability to manage emotions, focus attention, and inhibit some behaviors while activating others in accordance with social expectations and are an established indicator of academic success. Growing evidence links motor skills and physical activity to self-regulation. This study examined the efficacy of a motor skills intervention (i.e., the Children's Health Activity Motor Program, CHAMP) that is theoretically grounded in Achievement Goal Theory on motor skill performance and self-regulation in Head Start preschoolers. A sample of 113 Head Start preschoolers (Mage = 51.91 ± 6.5 months; 49.5% males) were randomly assigned to a treatment (n = 68) or control (n = 45) program. CHAMP participants engaged in 15, 40-min sessions of a mastery climate intervention that focused on the development of motor skills over 5 weeks while control participants engaged in their normal outdoor recess period. The Delay of Gratification Snack Task was used to measure self-regulation and the Test of Gross Motor Development-2nd Edition was used to assess motor skills. All measures were assessed prior to and following the intervention. Linear mixed models were fit for both self-regulation and motor skills. Results revealed a significant time × treatment interaction (p motor skills, post hoc comparisons found that all children improved their motor skills (p skills associated with healthy development in children (i.e., motor skills and self-regulation). This efficacy trial provided evidence that CHAMP helped maintain delay of gratification in preschool age children and significantly improved motor skills while participating in outdoor recess was not effective. CHAMP could help contribute to children's learning-related skills and physical development and subsequently to their academic success.

A Forest Preschool for the Bay Area: A Pilot Study for a New Nature-Based Curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Peterson, Abigail

2013-01-01

Forest kindergartens are a new idea in the United States but have been around in Germany, Norway, and other European countries for decades. Forest "kindergartens" are preschools for children ages 3-6 and focus on being outdoors and learning through interacting with nature. Instead of building with blocks or doing puzzles at a table…

The Feasibility of First Step to Success with Preschoolers.

Science.gov (United States)

Frey, Andy J; Small, Jason; Feil, Edward; Seeley, John; Walker, Hill; Golly, Annemieke

2013-07-01

The primary purpose of this study was to examine feasibility of the preschool version of the First Step to Success (FSS) intervention. Toward this end, the following four research questions were addressed: (1) To what extent was the intervention implemented with integrity? (2) To what extent do teachers and parents perceive the intervention to be socially valid? (3) To what extent were teachers and parents satisfied with the intervention? and (4) To what extent was the intervention effective in reducing problem behavior and improving social skills? Twelve students participated in the study. Treatment integrity, social validity, and satisfaction results were analyzed at the aggregate level, and a reliable change index was calculated at the case level for primary outcome measures to assess the potential efficacy of the intervention. Fidelity data suggest the preschool version of the intervention can be implemented with acceptable integrity by coaches and teachers in preschool settings. Social validity outcomes suggest parents' perceptions of the program's goals, procedures, and outcomes were extremely favorable, and social validity from the teacher perspective was acceptable. The results provide initial evidence that participating in the preschool version of the FSS intervention improves children's social skills and decreases problem behavior.

Preschool Teachers' Views on Competence in the Context of Home and Preschool Collaboration

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Vuorinen, Tuula; Sandberg, Anette; Sheridan, Sonja; Williams, Pia

2014-01-01

The purpose of this article is to analyse and discuss preschool teachers' views regarding competence within their profession in the context of home and preschool collaboration. The question addressed is as follows: In what situations do preschool teachers perceive that their competence becomes visible for parents? The results, based on interviews…

Curriculum Development for Quantitative Skills in Degree Programs: A Cross-Institutional Study Situated in the Life Sciences

Science.gov (United States)

Matthews, Kelly E.; Belward, Shaun; Coady, Carmel; Rylands, Leanne; Simbag, Vilma

2016-01-01

Higher education policies are increasingly focused on graduate learning outcomes, which infer an emphasis on, and deep understanding of, curriculum development across degree programs. As disciplinary influences are known to shape teaching and learning activities, research situated in disciplinary contexts is useful to further an understanding of…

Preschool Life Skills: Recent Advancements and Future Directions

Science.gov (United States)

Fahmie, Tara A.; Luczynski, Kevin C.

2018-01-01

Over the past decade, researchers have replicated and extended research on the preschool life skills (PLS) program developed by Hanley, Heal, Tiger, and Ingvarsson (2007). This review summarizes recent research with respect to maximizing skill acquisition, improving generality, evaluating feasibility and acceptability, and testing predictions of…

Language Development of the Preschool Children: The Effects of an Audio-Visual Intervention Program in Delhi

Science.gov (United States)

Roul, Sushanta Kumar

2014-01-01

Preschool may not be a place where formal education is imparted but yes, it definitely is a place where children have their first taste of independence. Preschool education is the provision of education for children before the commencement of statutory education usually between the ages of 2 and 5. Thus the purposes of the study were: to study the…

Designing a tool for curriculum leadership development in postgraduate programs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M Avizhgan

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Leadership in the area of curriculum development is increasingly important as we look for ways to improve our programmes and practices. In curriculum studies, leadership has received little attention. Considering the lack of an evaluation tool with objective criteria in postgraduate curriculum leadership process, this study aimed to design a specific tool and determine the validity and reliability of the tool. Method: This study is a methodological research.  At first, domains and items of the tool were determined through expert interviews and literature review. Then, using Delphi technique, 54 important criteria were developed. A panel of experts was used to confirm content and face validity. Reliability was determined by a descriptive study in which 30 faculties from two of Isfahan universities and was estimated by internal consistency. The data were analyzed by SPSS software, using Pearson Correlation Coefficient and reliability analysis. Results: At first, considering the definition of curriculum leadership determined the domains and items of the tool and they were developed primary tool. Expert’s faculties’ views were used in deferent stages of development and psychometry. The tool internal consistency with Cronbach's alpha coefficient times was 96.5. This was determined for each domain separately. Conclution: Applying this instrument can improve the effectiveness of curriculum leadership. Identifying the characteristics of successful and effective leaders, and utilizing this knowledge in developing and implementing curriculum might help us to have better respond to the changing needs of our students, teachers and schools of tomorrow.

A Prospective Curriculum Using Visual Literacy.

Science.gov (United States)

Hortin, John A.

This report describes the uses of visual literacy programs in the schools and outlines four categories for incorporating training in visual thinking into school curriculums as part of the back to basics movement in education. The report recommends that curriculum writers include materials pertaining to: (1) reading visual language and…

Fathers' involvement in preschool programs for children with and without hearing loss.

Science.gov (United States)

Ingber, Sara; Most, Tova

2012-01-01

The authors compared the involvement in children's development and education of 38 fathers of preschoolers with hearing loss to the involvement of a matched group of 36 fathers of preschoolers with normal hearing, examining correlations between child, father, and family characteristics. Fathers completed self-reports regarding their parental involvement and parenting self-efficacy and reported on their family cohesion and adaptability. Mothers also reported on their husbands' involvement. Similarly high levels of involvement on the part of both groups of fathers were found. Involvement correlated positively with fathers' self-reported parenting self-efficacy, family cohesion, and adaptability, and mother-reported paternal involvement. Implications for professionals and mothers are discussed, including the need to encourage mothers' support for their husbands' involvement and to empower fathers' sense of competency in order to increase their involvement.

"Banana Starts with Yellow": Curricular Implications of Preschoolers Missing a Concept

Science.gov (United States)

Sylvester, Ruth; Kragler, Sherry

2013-01-01

Despite significant investments over the past decade in the expansion and improvement of preschool programs, too many children, particularly poor children, enter kindergarten behind their peers. Because it is critical that voluntary pre-kindergarten (VPK) classrooms offer educational programs that both address the needs and developmental levels of…

Preschool literacy and second language learners

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holm, Lars

in the literacy events they meet in their day-care centers and kindergartens? Examining these social practices in pre-schools might illuminate the interplay between language and literacy and the learning processes of second language learners and contribute to the discussion about the need for re...... intending to enhance children´s language and literacy learning. The poor results of the PISA-measurement have in Denmark, Norway and Sweden drawn much attention to literacy and language in day-care centers and kindergartens and resulted in the development of a considerable number of social technologies...... (programs and concepts) intended to improve pre-school children’s literacy and language skills. Seen in a knowledge-society perspective the development might be characterized as an expansion of a life-long-learning evidence-based strategy into early childhood. The importance of development of early...

Attention and Perseverance Behaviors of PreSchool Children Enrolled in Suzuki Violin Lessons and Other Activities.

Science.gov (United States)

Scott, Laurie

1992-01-01

Reports on a study of attention span and persevering behaviors of preschool children. Finds the Suzuki Method of violin instruction is associated with longer attention spans and more persevering behaviors than creative movement instruction or other preschool programs. Concludes that teachers prefer the Suzuki Method's approach to other forms of…

Clinical outcomes of an early intervention program for preschool children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in a community group setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Eapen, Valsamma; Crnčec, Rudi; Walter, Amelia

2013-01-07

Available evidence indicates that early intervention programs, such as the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM), can positively affect key outcomes for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). However, programs involving resource intensive one-to-one clinical intervention are not readily available or deliverable in the community, resulting in many children with ASD missing out on evidence-based intervention during their early and most critical preschool years. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the ESDM for preschool-aged children with ASD using a predominantly group-based intervention in a community child care setting. Participants were 26 children (21 male) with ASD with a mean age of 49.6 months. The ESDM, a comprehensive early intervention program that integrates applied behaviour analysis with developmental and relationship-based approaches, was delivered by trained therapists during the child's attendance at a child care centre for preschool-aged children with ASD. Children received 15-20 hours of group-based, and one hour of one-to-one, ESDM intervention per week. The average intervention period was ten months. Outcome measures were administered pre- and post-intervention, and comprised a developmental assessment - the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL); and two parent-report questionnaires - the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) and Vineland Adaptive Behaviours Scales-Second Edition (VABS-II). Statistically significant post-intervention improvements were found in children's performance on the visual reception, receptive language and expressive language domains of the MSEL in addition to their overall intellectual functioning, as assessed by standardised developmental quotients. Parents reported significant increases in their child's receptive communication and motor skills on the VABS-II, and a significant decrease in autism-specific features on the SCQ. These effects were of around medium size, and appeared to be in excess of what may

Residency Training: The need for an integrated diversity curriculum for neurology residency.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosendale, Nicole; Josephson, S Andrew

2017-12-12

Providing culturally responsive care to an increasingly multicultural population is essential and requires formal cultural humility training for residents. We sought to understand the current prevalence and need for this type of training within neurology programs and to pilot an integrated curriculum locally. We surveyed via email all program directors of academic neurology programs nationally regarding the prevalence of and need for formal cultural responsiveness training. Forty-seven program directors (36%) responded to the survey. The majority of respondents did not have a formalized diversity curriculum in their program (65%), but most (85%) believed that training in cultural responsiveness was important. We developed locally an integrated diversity curriculum as a proof of concept. The curriculum covered topics of diversity in language, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, and socioeconomic status designed to focus on the needs of the local community. Program evaluation included a pre and post survey of the learner attitudes toward cultural diversity. There is an unmet need for cultural responsiveness training within neurology residencies, and integrating this curriculum is both feasible and efficacious. When adapted to address cultural issues of the local community, this curriculum can be generalizable to both academic and community organizations. © 2017 American Academy of Neurology.

“A Ba Ta Tsa” MUSIC ALBUM BY NENNO WARISMAN FOR CREATING A MUSICAL DRAMA SCRIPT AND PLAY IN TEACHING SPEAKING SKILL OF ISLAMIC PRESCHOOL EDUCATION STUDENTS OF STAIN KUDUS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Taranindya Zulhi Amalia

2017-04-01

This musical drama was used ―A Ba Ta Tsa‖ Music Album composed by Nenno Warism an. Moreover, the bilingual album consists of ten songs that are sung by Nenno and Aulad e Gemintang Choir. The song lyrics helped the Preschool Education students creating a m usical drama script and practice how to play it. The students got ideas by listening to the songs and developed English dialogues in the drama script. Then, this process could incre ase the speaking skill of the preschool teacher candidates. According to Preschool Curriculum, there are some aspects related to this educational lev el. They are religious and moral development aspect, Physical development aspect, Langu age development aspect, Cognitive development aspect, socio-emotional development as pect, and art Development aspect. In addition, this research focuses on all aspects, especially religious and language aspects. Hopefully, it will facilitate preschool teacher candidates in teaching English for Young Learner while enclosing religious values.

Introduction: the Fogarty International Research Ethics Education and Curriculum Development Program in historical context.

Science.gov (United States)

Millum, Joseph; Grady, Christine; Keusch, Gerald; Sina, Barbara

2013-12-01

In response to the increasing need for research ethics expertise in low and middle income countries (LMICs), the NIH's Fogarty International Research Ethics Education and Curriculum Development Program has provided grants for the development of training programs in international research ethics for LMIC professionals since 2000. This collection of papers draws upon the combined expertise of Fogarty grantees, trainees, and other experts to assess the state of research ethics in LMICs, and the lessons learned over 12 years of international research ethics education; to assess future needs; and to chart a way forward to meet those needs. In this introductory paper we briefly sketch the evolution of research ethics as applied to LMIC research, the underpinning and evolution of the Fogarty bioethics program, and summarize key conclusions from the other papers in the collection.

Radiation Oncology Training Program Curriculum developments in Australia and New Zealand: Design, implementation and evaluation--What next?

Science.gov (United States)

Turner, Sandra; Seel, Matthew; Berry, Martin

2015-12-01

The Australian and New Zealand Radiation Oncology Training Program has undergone major changes to align with pedagogical principles and best-evidence practice. The curriculum was designed around the Canadian Medical Education Directives for Specialists framework and involved structural programme changes and new in-training assessment. This paper summarises the work of programme design and implementation and presents key findings from an evaluation of the revised programme. An independent team conducted the evaluation during the last year of the first 5-year curriculum cycle. Opinions were sought from trainees, supervisors and directors of training (DoTs) through online surveys, focused interviews and group consultations. One hundred nineteen participated in surveys; 211 participated in consultations. All training networks were represented. The new curriculum was viewed favourably by most participants with over 90% responding that it 'provided direction in attaining competencies'. Most (87/107; 81%) said it 'promotes regular, productive interaction between trainees and supervisors'. Adequacy of feedback to trainees was rated as only 'average' by trainees/trainers in one-third of cases. Consultations revealed this was more common where trainers were less familiar with curriculum tools. Half of DoTs/supervisors felt better supported. Nearly two-third of all responders (58/92; 63%) stated that clinical service requirements could be met during training; 17/92 (18.5%) felt otherwise. When asked about 'work-readiness', 59/90 (66%) respondents, including trainees, felt this was improved. Findings suggest that the 'new' curriculum has achieved many of its aims, and implementation has largely been successful. Outcomes focus future work on better supporting trainers in using curriculum tools and providing useful feedback to trainees. © 2015 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists.

Radiation Oncology Training Program Curriculum developments in Australia and New Zealand: Design, implementation and evaluation - what next?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turner, Sandra; Seel, Matthew; Berry, Martin

2015-01-01

The Australian and New Zealand Radiation Oncology Training Program has undergone major changes to align with pedagogical principles and best-evidence practice. The curriculum was designed around the Canadian Medical Education Directives for Specialists framework and involved structural programme changes and new in-training assessment. This paper summarises the work of programme design and implementation and presents key findings from an evaluation of the revised programme. An independent team conducted the evaluation during the last year of the first 5-year curriculum cycle. Opinions were sought from trainees, supervisors and directors of training (DoTs) through online surveys, focused interviews and group consultations. One hundred nineteen participated in surveys; 211 participated in consultations. All training networks were represented. The new curriculum was viewed favourably by most participants with over 90% responding that it ‘provided direction in attaining competencies’. Most (87/107; 81%) said it ‘promotes regular, productive interaction between trainees and supervisors’. Adequacy of feedback to trainees was rated as only ‘average’ by trainees/trainers in one-third of cases. Consultations revealed this was more common where trainers were less familiar with curriculum tools. Half of DoTs/supervisors felt better supported. Nearly two-third of all responders (58/92; 63%) stated that clinical service requirements could be met during training; 17/92 (18.5%) felt otherwise. When asked about ‘work-readiness’, 59/90 (66%) respondents, including trainees, felt this was improved. Findings suggest that the ‘new’ curriculum has achieved many of its aims, and implementation has largely been successful. Outcomes focus future work on better supporting trainers in using curriculum tools and providing useful feedback to trainees.

34 CFR 104.38 - Preschool and adult education.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Preschool and adult education. 104.38 Section 104.38 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF HANDICAP IN PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES RECEIVING FEDERAL FINANCIAL...

Curriculum Mapping of the Master’s Program in Pharmacy in Slovenia with the PHAR-QA Competency Framework

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Gmeiner, Tanja; Horvat, Nejc; Kos, Mitja; Obreza, Aleš; Vovk, Tomaž; Grabnar, Iztok; Božič, Borut

2017-01-01

This article presents the results of mapping the Slovenian pharmacy curriculum to evaluate the adequacy of the recently developed and validated European Pharmacy Competences Framework (EPCF). The mapping was carried out and evaluated progressively by seven members of the teaching staff at the University of Ljubljana’s Faculty of Pharmacy. Consensus was achieved by using a two-round modified Delphi technique to evaluate the coverage of competences in the current curriculum. The preliminary results of the curriculum mapping showed that all of the competences as defined by the EPCF are covered in Ljubljana’s academic program. However, because most EPCF competences cover healthcare-oriented pharmacy practice, a lack of competences was observed for the drug development and production perspectives. Both of these perspectives are important because a pharmacist is (or should be) responsible for the entire process, from the development and production of medicines to pharmaceutical care in contact with patients. Nevertheless, Ljubljana’s graduates are employed in both of these pharmaceutical professions in comparable proportions. The Delphi study revealed that the majority of differences in scoring arise from different perspectives on the pharmacy profession (e.g., community, hospital, industrial, etc.). Nevertheless, it can be concluded that curriculum mapping using the EPCF is very useful for evaluating and recognizing weak and strong points of the curriculum. However, the competences of the framework should address various fields of the pharmacist’s profession in a more balanced way. PMID:28970436

Effectiveness of sensory processing strategies on activity level in inclusive preschool classrooms

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Lin CL

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Chien-Lin Lin,1,2 Yu-Fan Min,3 Li-Wei Chou,1,2,* Chin-Kai Lin,4,* 1Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan; 2School of Chinese Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; 3Faith, Hope and Love, Center for Children and Adults With Disabilities, Taichung, Taiwan; 4Program of Early Intervention, Department of Early Childhood Education, National Taichung University of Education, Taichung, Taiwan*These authors contributed equally to this workBackground: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of sensory processing strategies in improving the activity level of children with sensory integration dysfunction.Methods: The study used a matching-only pretest–posttest control group design, which requires random matching of sensory integration dysfunction to the corresponding intervention group (n = 18 and control group (n = 18. The intervention group comprised 3–6-year-old children who received an 8-week school-day intervention during implementation of the theme curriculum.Results: The 8-week treatment significantly reduced the activity level and foot-swinging episodes in children with sensory integration dysfunction, and obtained a medium-effect size. However, the level of improvement in the control group did not show any statistically significant change.Conclusion: Sensory processing strategies could improve activity levels in children with sensory integration dysfunction. However, this study was unable to exclude a developmental effect. The social validity results show that sensory processing strategies can be integrated into the theme curriculum and improve activity levels in children.Keywords: activity level, preschool inclusive classroom, sensory integration dysfunction, sensory processing strategy

Integrating Spanish language training across a Doctor of Physical Therapy curriculum: a case report of one program's evolving model.

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Pechak, Celia; Diaz, Deborah; Dillon, Loretta

2014-12-01

As the Hispanic population continues to expand in the United States, health professionals increasingly may encounter people who speak Spanish and have limited English proficiency. Responding to these changes, various health profession educators have incorporated Spanish language training into their curricula. Of 12 doctor of physical therapy (DPT) programs identified as including elective or required Spanish courses, the program at The University of Texas at El Paso is the only one integrating required Spanish language training across the curriculum. The purpose of this case report is to describe the development, implementation, and preliminary outcomes of the evolving educational model at The University of Texas at El Paso. The University of Texas at El Paso is situated immediately across the border from Mexico. Responding to the large population with limited English proficiency in the community, faculty began to integrate required Spanish language training during a transition from a master-level to a DPT curriculum. The Spanish language curriculum pillar includes a Spanish medical terminology course, language learning opportunities threaded throughout the clinical courses, clinical education courses, and service-learning. Forty-five DPT students have completed the curriculum. Assessment methods were limited for early cohorts. Clinically relevant Spanish verbal proficiency was assessed with a practical examination in the Spanish course, a clinical instructor-rated instrument, and student feedback. Preliminary data suggested that the model is improving Spanish language proficiency. The model still is evolving. Spanish language learning opportunities in the curriculum are being expanded. Also, problems with the clinical outcome measure have been recognized. Better definition of intended outcomes and validation of a revised tool are needed. This report should promote opportunities for collaboration with others who are interested in linguistic competence. © 2014

Preschool Deployment of Evidence-Based Social Communication Intervention: JASPER in the Classroom.

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Chang, Ya-Chih; Shire, Stephanie Y; Shih, Wendy; Gelfand, Carolyn; Kasari, Connie

2016-06-01

Few research-developed early intervention models have been deployed to and tested in real world preschool programs. In this study, teaching staff implemented a social communication modularized intervention, JASPER, in their daily program. Sixty-six preschool children with autism in twelve classrooms (12 teachers) were randomized to receive immediate JASPER training (IT) or were waitlisted (WL) for 3 months with a 1-month follow up. Measures of core deficits (initiations of joint engagement, joint attention gestures and language, play skills) and standardized cognitive measures were improved for IT over WL children. IT teachers achieved and maintained high fidelity. Teachers can implement evidence-based interventions with significant improvements in core deficits of their children with ASD.

Are sex differences in fundamental motor skills uniform throughout the entire preschool period?

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Kokštejn, Jakub; Musálek, Martin; Tufano, James J

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess differences in fundamental motor skills (FMS) proficiency between boys and girls of each age group, independently, across the entire preschool period. Using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-second edition, FMS proficiency was tested in 325 preschoolers (4.9 ± 1.1 y, range 3-6) using a cross-sectional design. Compared to boys of the same age, 3- and 4-year-old girls had greater total (p skill (p < .01), and balance scores (p < .05). There were no sex differences for total test or balance scores in 5- and 6-year-olds, but 6-year-old boys outperformed girls in aiming and catching (p < .001). These data not only agree with previous research in that sex differences in FMS proficiency exist in preschool children, but the data also show that differences may not be uniform throughout the whole preschool period when analyzing by age. To avoid under- or overestimating FMS proficiency and subsequently prescribing inaccurate motor intervention programs, FMS proficiency normative values should be age- and sex-specific throughout the entire preschool period.

Developing a Competency-Based Curriculum for a Dental Hygiene Program.

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DeWald, Janice P.; McCann, Ann L.

1999-01-01

Describes the three-step process used to develop a competency-based curriculum at the Caruth School of Dental Hygiene (Texas A&M University). The process involved development of a competency document (detailing three domains, nine major competencies, and 54 supporting competencies), an evaluation plan, and a curriculum inventory which defined…

Effect of the Children’s Health Activity Motor Program on Motor Skills and Self-Regulation in Head Start Preschoolers: An Efficacy Trial

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Robinson, Leah E.; Palmer, Kara K.; Bub, Kristen L.

2016-01-01

Self-regulatory skills are broadly defined as the ability to manage emotions, focus attention, and inhibit some behaviors while activating others in accordance with social expectations and are an established indicator of academic success. Growing evidence links motor skills and physical activity to self-regulation. This study examined the efficacy of a motor skills intervention (i.e., the Children’s Health Activity Motor Program, CHAMP) that is theoretically grounded in Achievement Goal Theory on motor skill performance and self-regulation in Head Start preschoolers. A sample of 113 Head Start preschoolers (Mage = 51.91 ± 6.5 months; 49.5% males) were randomly assigned to a treatment (n = 68) or control (n = 45) program. CHAMP participants engaged in 15, 40-min sessions of a mastery climate intervention that focused on the development of motor skills over 5 weeks while control participants engaged in their normal outdoor recess period. The Delay of Gratification Snack Task was used to measure self-regulation and the Test of Gross Motor Development-2nd Edition was used to assess motor skills. All measures were assessed prior to and following the intervention. Linear mixed models were fit for both self-regulation and motor skills. Results revealed a significant time × treatment interaction (p motor skills, post hoc comparisons found that all children improved their motor skills (p skills associated with healthy development in children (i.e., motor skills and self-regulation). This efficacy trial provided evidence that CHAMP helped maintain delay of gratification in preschool age children and significantly improved motor skills while participating in outdoor recess was not effective. CHAMP could help contribute to children’s learning-related skills and physical development and subsequently to their academic success. PMID:27660751

PRE-SCHOOL UPBRINGING OF CHILDREN WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DIFFICULTIES-CONDITION FOR SUCCESSFUL INTEGRATIONAL EDUCATION

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Zora JACOVA

1997-12-01

Full Text Available Preschool upbringing of children with developmental difficulties is the first link in the system of education and upbringing and at the same time the utmost segment in the system of integrational rehabilitation.Initiating the process of preschool upbringing and adequate organized treatment at early age, permits support of the development and maximum usage of the remained capabilities of children with developmental difficulties.The newest world experiences show that the upbringing and educational integration of children with developmental difficulties as asegment of the social integration, should set the main conditions in the frames of upbringing education and rehabilitational continuity and support the minimal restrictive environment for their development.In the pre-school institutions that function on the territory of the Republic of Macedonia, an indifferent attitude towards the children with developmental difficulties is present, due to the uninformed educators for the characteristics and capabilities of these children and their believes for the negative influence of the children with developmental difficulties on the children without impairments, that implicates involvement of subsidery defectological education of present employed staff in the mainstream preschool institutions, also including defectologists in kindergartens for work with children with special difficulties in their development. Also, the data about the educator’s attitude in the mainstream preschool institutions is disturbing, so that they put the accent on the obligation for reducing of the program for work with handicapped children, not taking into consideration that subsidery, special forms and methods are needed beside the programs that are for the main stream group.The goal of our paper is to point out the need of involving of children with light developmental difficulties; the existence of special team in the preschool institutions when involving children with

PERSPECTIVES OF TEACHER TRAINING AND INITIAL LITERACY IMPLIED IN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS OF THE NORMAL SCHOOLS OF MEXICO

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Efrén Viramontes Anaya

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction. The stage or phase of this research project is intended to perform an analysis of approaches for teacher ́s training and early literacy of current language programs in Mexico ́s teacher education. The central con-tent of the document contains the analysis of approaches of teachers ́ trai-ning and initial literacy that lie behind educational programs. The theoretical approach is supported by Pérez Gómez (1996 and in the field of literacy in Ferreiro and Teberobsky (2007 and Lerner (2001. The research methodology is projected into the reconstructive critical pa-radigm as a diagnostic part of a future participative action research that will be conducted in two remaining stages. The perspective of analysis is established by the methodological contributions of Habermas (2008, in the hermeneutic reconstruction of implicit in the analyzed documents approaches. The results and discussion of them that provide lines of analysis of educa-tional programs, the relationship between theory and practice in curriculum approaches and a proposal of teachers profile requirements of language courses for teaching training as well as suggestions for future restructuring of curricula for teacher ́s colleges. In the conclusion, it is established that the perspective and the teacher training approach identified in the curriculum of Primary Education Degree (1997 and 2012 Preschool Education Degree (1999 and 2012 is mainly a model technical decision-making. This explains that the formative processes in teaching students of Tea-chers colleges , there is a tendency to engage in activities that are based on the theory, performing analytical processes that lead to understand the di-dactical principles of approaches for teaching reading instruction and writing, which will be applied in decision-making processes in situ of teaching practi-ce. Initial literacy approaches identified in the curriculum of Elementary and Preschool Degrees 1997 and 1999 plans

Actions and Achievements of Self-Regulated Learning in Personal Environments. Research on Students Participating in the Graduate Program in Preschool Education at the University of Granada

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Chaves-Barboza, Eduardo; Trujillo-Torres, Juan Manuel; López-Núñez, Juan Antonio; Sola-Martínez, Tomás

2017-01-01

This paper is intended to study the self-regulated learning (SRL) process in personal learning environments (PLEs) among students participating in the Graduate Program for Preschool Education at the University of Granada (Spain). The study is focused on self-regulatory actions carried out by students, and on their self-regulated learning…

Integrating a Career Planning and Development Program into the Baccalaureate Nursing Curriculum: Part I. Impact on Students' Career Resilience.

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Waddell, Janice; Spalding, Karen; Canizares, Genevieve; Navarro, Justine; Connell, Michelle; Jancar, Sonya; Stinson, Jennifer; Victor, Charles

2015-11-24

Student nurses often embark on their professional careers with a lack of the knowledge and confidence necessary to navigate them successfully. An ongoing process of career planning and development (CPD) is integral to developing career resilience, one key attribute that may enable nurses to respond to and influence their ever-changing work environments with the potential outcome of increased job satisfaction and commitment to the profession. A longitudinal mixed methods study of a curriculum-based CPD program was conducted to determine the program's effects on participating students, new graduate nurses, and faculty. This first in a series of three papers about the overall study's components reports on undergraduate student outcomes. Findings demonstrate that the intervention group reported higher perceived career resilience than the control group, who received the standard nursing curriculum without CPD. The program offered students the tools and resources to become confident, self-directed, and active in shaping their engagement in their academic program to help achieve their career goals, whereas control group students continued to look uncertainly to others for answers and direction. The intervention group recognized the value of this particular CPD program and both groups, albeit differently, highlighted the key role that faculty played in students' career planning.

VALUE JUDGMENTS ON MEANING AND AIMS OF USING GAMES GIVEN BY PRESCHOOL TEACHERS

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Inessa V. Usoltseva

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of the presented article is to understand value, aims and practical aspects (frequency, diversity, etc. of using games by preschool teachers with different levels of education.Methods. In the conducted survey, 308 preschool teachers answered a questionnaire developed by leading researcher in ethnopedagogy of play V. M. Grigoriev. Examinees were divided into three groups different in educational level (undergraduated, graduated from college, specialized secondary education. The data were analyzed by comparing value judgments about meaning and aims of using games given by preschool teachers with different levels of education. Also value judgments were compared with practical aspects (frequency, diversity, etc. of the use of games in teachers’ professional work, and with their degree of satisfaction with it. Special attention was paid to the usage of ethno games. The analysis was done out in the program stаstistica 5.0 v and using the methods of nonparametric statistics.Results. The results have showed statistically significant differences between value judgments given by preschool teachers with different levels of education on values of games for developing various children personal qualities, frequency and diversity of use of different types of games. Problems in practical application of national games (Russian national games, games of the people of Russia and people of other countries, international games are designated.Scientific novelty. The author is the first to state the data about divergence influence in valuable representations and purposes of teachers of preschool centres on potential use of game technologies in daily work, and that is reflected in education productivity of younger children; wherein the game is the main activity. Specificity of national games in teaching is shown.Practical significance. The paper materials can be useful at the organisation of methodical work in preschool educational institutions, and by

Teaching and learning curriculum programs: recommendations for postgraduate pharmacy experiences in education.

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Wright, Eric A; Brown, Bonnie; Gettig, Jacob; Martello, Jay L; McClendon, Katie S; Smith, Kelly M; Teeters, Janet; Ulbrich, Timothy R; Wegrzyn, Nicole; Bradley-Baker, Lynette R

2014-08-01

Recommendations for the development and support of teaching and learning curriculum (TLC) experiences within postgraduate pharmacy training programs are discussed. Recent attention has turned toward meeting teaching- and learning-related educational outcomes through a programmatic process during the first or second year of postgraduate education. These programs are usually coordinated by schools and colleges of pharmacy and often referred to as "teaching certificate programs," though no national standards or regulation of these programs currently exists. In an effort to describe the landscape of these programs and to develop a framework for their basic design and content, the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Pharmacy Practice Section's Task Force on Student Engagement and Involvement, with input from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, reviewed evidence from the literature and conference proceedings and considered author experience and expertise over a two-year period. The members of the task force created and reached consensus on a policy statement and 12 recommendations to guide the development of best practices of TLC programs. The recommendations address topics such as the value of TLC programs, program content, teaching and learning experiences, feedback for participants, the development of a teaching portfolio, the provision of adequate resources for TLC programs, programmatic assessment and improvement, program transparency, and accreditation. TLC programs provide postgraduate participants with valuable knowledge and skills in teaching applicable to the practitioner and academician. Postgraduate programs should be transparent to candidates and seek to ensure the best experiences for participants through systematic program implementation and assessments. Copyright © 2014 by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. All rights reserved.

Spoken language development in oral preschool children with permanent childhood deafness.

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Sarant, Julia Z; Holt, Colleen M; Dowell, Richard C; Rickards, Field W; Blamey, Peter J

2009-01-01

This article documented spoken language outcomes for preschool children with hearing loss and examined the relationships between language abilities and characteristics of children such as degree of hearing loss, cognitive abilities, age at entry to early intervention, and parent involvement in children's intervention programs. Participants were evaluated using a combination of the Child Development Inventory, the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, and the Preschool Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals depending on their age at the time of assessment. Maternal education, cognitive ability, and family involvement were also measured. Over half of the children who participated in this study had poor language outcomes overall. No significant differences were found in language outcomes on any of the measures for children who were diagnosed early and those diagnosed later. Multiple regression analyses showed that family participation, degree of hearing loss, and cognitive ability significantly predicted language outcomes and together accounted for almost 60% of the variance in scores. This article highlights the importance of family participation in intervention programs to enable children to achieve optimal language outcomes. Further work may clarify the effects of early diagnosis on language outcomes for preschool children.

Let's Wiggle with 5-2-1-0: Curriculum Development for Training Childcare Providers to Promote Activity in Childcare Settings.

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Vinci, Debra M; Whitt-Glover, Melicia C; Wirth, Christopher K; Kraus, Caroline; Venezia, Alexandra P

2016-01-01

Overweight and obesity are increasing in preschool children in the US. Policy, systems, and environmental change interventions in childcare settings can improve obesity-related behaviors. The aim of this study was to develop and pilot an intervention to train childcare providers to promote physical activity (PA) in childcare classrooms. An evidence scan, key informant (n = 34) and focus group (n = 20) interviews with childcare directors and staff, and environmental self-assessment of childcare facilities (n = 22) informed the design of the training curriculum. Feedback from the interviews indicated that childcare providers believed in the importance of teaching children about PA and were supportive of training teachers to incorporate PA into classroom settings. The Promoting Physical Activity in Childcare Setting Curriculum was developed and training was implemented with 16 teachers. Participants reported a positive experience with the hands-on training and reported acquiring new knowledge that they intended to implement in their childcare settings. Our findings highlight the feasibility of working with childcare staff to develop PA training and curriculum. Next steps include evaluating the curriculum in additional childcare settings and childcare staff implementation of the curriculum to understand the effectiveness of the training on PA levels of children.

Recreation and Park Education Curriculum Catalog, 1974-1975 Biennial Directory.

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Society of Park and Recreation Educators, Arlington, VA.

This catalog lists general, curriculum, and financial assistance information about park and recreation programs for 119 colleges and universities in the U.S. and Canada. General information includes the location and mailing address of the institution, enrollment data, and tuition and fees. Curriculum information includes the program title,…

Family Emotional Climate and Sibling Relationship Quality: Influences on Behavioral Problems and Adaptation in Preschool-Aged Children

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Modry-Mandell, Kerri L.; Gamble, Wendy C.; Taylor, Angela R.

2007-01-01

We examined the impact of family emotional climate and sibling relationship quality on behavioral problems and adaptation in preschool-aged children. Participants were 63 mothers with a preschool-aged child enrolled in a Southern Arizona Head Start Program. Siblings were identified as children closest in age to target child. Mothers of…

Transition between Swedish Preschool and Preschool Class: A Question about Interweaving Care and Knowledge

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Alatalo, Tarja; Meier, Joanna; Frank, Elisabeth

2016-01-01

This study highlights teachers' experiences with transition from Swedish preschool to preschool class, i.e. from the daycare centre to the formal school. One assumption was that transition activities, to favour continuity in the long-term, need to focus on children's learning within the target areas that the policy documents specify for preschool.…

Kentucky Preschool Evaluation Project, 1998-1999. Final Report.

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Hemmeter, Mary Louise; Townley, Kim; Wilson, Stephen; Epstein, Ann; Hines, Huyi

This evaluation of the Kentucky Preschool Program (KPP) focused on two broad areas: (1) readiness for kindergarten; and (2) promotion of language and literacy in the classroom and at home. Key findings include the following: (1) most children who were ineligible because of family income status successfully transitioned to kindergarten; (2) several…

Effects of Family Socioeconomic Status on Parents’ Views Concerning the Integration of Computers into Preschool Classrooms

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Triantafillia Natsiopoulou

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background: The rapid growth of ICT has led to an important increase in the use of computers in preschool age. However the benefits of this use are a debatable issue. Some focus on the positive effects of computers on learning and kids’ cognitive development while others believe that computers may negatively affect their social and motivational impact.Aim: The aim of this research was to study Greek parents’ views on preschools’ computer programs and how these views are influenced by the family’s socioeconomic level.Methodology: The survey involved 280 parents of children aged 3-5 years, of whom 140 were in the upper socioeconomic level and the other 140 in a lower one.Results: The upper socioeconomic level parents thought that the use of computers was appropriate for preschool children more than parents of lower socioeconomic status (P=0.01. and that its inclusion in the preschool center’s program would work in favor for children who have no computer at home (P=0.00. Parents with higher socioeconomic status felt more than the others that such a program can support the provision of knowledge (P=0.00, the development of mathematical (P=0.00 and linguistic skills (P=0.00 and entertain children (P=0.04. Furthermore, the upper socioeconomic level parents as opposed to the other group do not consider that the computer will remove preschool educator from their leading and teaching role (P=0.04 or reduce their communication with the preschoolers (P=0.00.Conclusions: The results of this study revealed that Greek parents, especially those of higher socioeconomic level, have a positive view on the integration of a computer program into the preschoolclassroom.

A Review of New Mathematics Curriculum Materials.

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Vanderlin, Carl J., Jr.

This manual outlines the nature of some of the major curriculum projects in mathematics and lists materials which are available from these projects. An introductory statement concerning the history and philosophy of each program is indicated. The curriculum projects reported on are: (1) Boston College Mathematics Institute, (2) Cambridge…

I Wanna Play Too: Factors Related to Changes in Social Behavior for Children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder after Implementation of a Structured Outdoor Play Curriculum

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Morrier, Michael J.; Ziegler, Sonja M. T.

2018-01-01

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulties interacting with same-aged peers during unstructured play (e.g., on the playground). Thirty-five toddler and preschool children with and without ASD participated in a structured 15-min outdoor play curriculum. The intervention, "the Buddy Game," used familiar songs, movement,…

GameBlocks: an entry point to ICT for pre-school children

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Smith, Andrew C

2007-04-01

Full Text Available The authors propose a system designed for pre-school children that offers an alternative introduction to the world of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), specifically computer programming. Illiterate children can construct simple...

A Smartphone App for Families With Preschool-Aged Children in a Public Nutrition Program: Prototype Development and Beta-Testing

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Emerson, Janice S; Quirk, Meghan E; Canedo, Juan R; Jones, Jessica L; Vylegzhanina, Violetta; Schmidt, Douglas C; Mulvaney, Shelagh A; Beech, Bettina M; Briley, Chiquita; Harris, Calvin; Husaini, Baqar A

2017-01-01

Background The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) in the United States provides free supplemental food and nutrition education to low-income mothers and children under age 5 years. Childhood obesity prevalence is higher among preschool children in the WIC program compared to other children, and WIC improves dietary quality among low-income children. The Children Eating Well (CHEW) smartphone app was developed in English and Spanish for WIC-participating families with preschool-aged children as a home-based intervention to reinforce WIC nutrition education and help prevent childhood obesity. Objective This paper describes the development and beta-testing of the CHEW smartphone app. The objective of beta-testing was to test the CHEW app prototype with target users, focusing on usage, usability, and perceived barriers and benefits of the app. Methods The goals of the CHEW app were to make the WIC shopping experience easier, maximize WIC benefit redemption, and improve parent snack feeding practices. The CHEW app prototype consisted of WIC Shopping Tools, including a barcode scanner and calculator tools for the cash value voucher for purchasing fruits and vegetables, and nutrition education focused on healthy snacks and beverages, including a Yummy Snack Gallery and Healthy Snacking Tips. Mothers of 63 black and Hispanic WIC-participating children ages 2 to 4 years tested the CHEW app prototype for 3 months and completed follow-up interviews. Results Study participants testing the app for 3 months used the app on average once a week for approximately 4 and a half minutes per session, although substantial variation was observed. Usage of specific features averaged at 1 to 2 times per month for shopping-related activities and 2 to 4 times per month for the snack gallery. Mothers classified as users rated the app’s WIC Shopping Tools relatively high on usability and benefits, although variation in scores and qualitative

From Preschool to Prosperity: The Economic Payoff to Early Childhood Education. WE Focus Series

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Bartik, Timothy J.

2014-01-01

This book is the author's second book on preschool. His first book, "Investing in Kids: Early Childhood Programs and Local Economic Development" (2011), explored the connection between early childhood programs and the economic development of American states and metro areas, and compared early childhood programs with business tax…

Adolescent Sexual Education: Designing Curriculum That Works

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Quincy, Michael L.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this review paper, "Adolescent Sexual Education: Designing Curriculum That Works", is to present some basic curriculum necessities for developing an in-school sexual education program that results in decreasing the number of teenagers initiating sex, thus reducing the number of teen pregnancies and cases of sexually transmitted…

Digestive oncologist in the gastroenterology training curriculum

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Mulder, Chris Jacob Johan; Peeters, Marc; Cats, Annemieke; Dahele, Anna; Droste, Jochim Terhaar sive

2011-01-01

Until the late 1980s, gastroenterology (GE) was considered a subspecialty of Internal Medicine. Today, GE also incorporates Hepatology. However, Digestive Oncology training is poorly defined in the Hepatogastroenterology (HGE)-curriculum. Therefore, a Digestive Oncology curriculum should be developed and this document might be a starting point for such a curriculum. HGE-specialists are increasingly resisting the paradigm in which they play only a diagnostic and technical role in the management of digestive tumors. We suggest minimum end-points in the standard HGE-curriculum for oncology, and recommend a focus year in the Netherlands for Digestive Oncology in the HGE-curriculum. To produce well-trained digestive oncologists, an advanced Digestive Oncology training program with specific qualifications in Digestive Oncology (2 years) has been developed. The schedule in Belgium includes a period of at least 6 mo to be spent in a medical oncology department. The goal of these programs remains the production of well-trained digestive oncologists. HGE specialists are part of the multidisciplinary oncological teams, and some have been administering chemotherapy in their countries for years. In this article, we provide a road map for the organization of a proper training in Digestive Oncology. We hope that the World Gastroenterology Organisation and other (inter)national societies will support the necessary certifications for this specific training in the HGE-curriculum. PMID:21556128

Intelligence development of socio-economically disadvantaged pre-school children

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Sefa Bulut

2013-10-01

Full Text Available The intellectual development of socioeconomically disadvantaged preschool children is influenced by several factors. The development of intelligence is a multidimensional concept that is determined by biological, social, and environmental factors. In this literature review, however, only the social and environmental factors are discussed. Some of the factors that have profound effect on children's cognitive development are as follows: environmental stimulation, parental attitudes, maternal age, and education. Successful intervention and prevention programs aimed at enhancing children's cognitive development are also exemplified. It appears that early intervention programs in the second and third year of an infant's life have fundamental effects on the cognitive development of disadvan-taged children. It is clear that learning starts with birth. Longitudinal studies revealed that the most effective period for intervention is early childhood. Those who received early day-care and preschool intervention programs have sustained these gains in adolescence and adulthood. Those benefits include higher IQ scores, better achievement test scores, better reading and math skills, more educational attainment, more college degrees, and fewer psychosocial and mental health problems. Therefore, it appears that investing in early high-quality programs provide multiple advantages for individuals and society. Social activists, psychologists, and counsellors should make every effort to affect the allocation of governmental funds and policies.

Preschool teachers’ reasoning about interactive whiteboard embedded in Swedish preschools

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Maryam Bourbour

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to investigate the ways in which teachers enact the interactive whiteboard (IWB in Swedish preschools in relation to preschool children’s mathematical learning. Data collected from interviews with four preschool teachers have provided the opportunity to consider the potential of IWB to facilitate a creative approach to young children’s mathematic education. The findings suggest that IWB use in preschool is mostly viewed as “Space for children to involve in problem-solving situations”, “Supporting collaborative learning and mutual negotiation”, “Goal-oriented mathematics learning facilitated by IWB” and “Retaining children’s interest in learning activities”. This study also highlights the importance of teachers’ technological knowledge and skills in mediating the interaction and facilitating the use of IWB in preschool pedagogical practices. Normal 0 21 false false false SV JA X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Normal tabell"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}

Evaluation of a Social Marketing Campaign Targeting Preschool Children

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Susan L.; Bellows, Laura; Beckstrom, Leslie; Anderson, Jennifer

2007-01-01

Objectives: To determine the effectiveness of a pilot social marketing program to increase preschoolers' willingness to try new foods. Methods: Four Head Start centers participated (2 experimental, 2 control) in a study using a quasi-experimental design. Experimental sites received a 12-week intervention developed using social marketing…

Pre-School Education in Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Blackstone, Tessa

The extent and nature of preschool education in Europe is discussed, with reference to England and Wales, France, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. Reports on preschool education in these countries give examples of both an early and a late start to compulsory education, very extensive and very limited preschool provision, and the effects of…

Factors Influencing Implementation of a Preschool-Based Physical Activity Intervention

Science.gov (United States)

Lau, Erica Y.; Saunders, Ruth P.; Beets, Michael W.; Cai, Bo; Pate, Russell R.

2017-01-01

Examining factors that influence implementation of key program components that underlie an intervention's success provides important information to inform the development of effective dissemination strategies. We examined direct and indirect effects of preschool capacity, quality of prevention support system and teacher characteristics on…

Physical Activity in Preschool Children: Comparison between Montessori and Traditional Preschools

Science.gov (United States)

Pate, Russell R.; O'Neill, Jennifer R.; Byun, Wonwoo; McIver, Kerry L.; Dowda, Marsha; Brown, William H.

2014-01-01

Background: Little is known about the influence of Montessori methods on children's physical activity (PA). This cross-sectional study compared PA of children attending Montessori and traditional preschools. Methods: We enrolled 301 children in 9 Montessori and 8 traditional preschools in Columbia, South Carolina. PA was measured by accelerometry…

Science Education in Preschool: How to Assimilate the Reggio Emilia Pedagogy in a Turkish Preschool

Science.gov (United States)

Inan, Hatice Zeynep

2009-01-01

This commentary manuscript, which was part of a larger research project, aimed to show how teachers can help preschoolers construct their knowledge of science and meet preschool science standards successfully in a Reggio Emilia approach. The demonstrations for preschool teachers are summarized as follows: be inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach;…

Effect of the Children’s Health Activity Motor Program on Motor Skills and Self-Regulation in Head Start Preschoolers: An Efficacy Trial

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Leah Elizabeth Robinson

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Self-regulatory skills are broadly defined as the ability to manage emotions, focus attention, and inhibit some behaviors while activating others in accordance with social expectations and are an established indicator of academic success. Growing evidence links motor skills and physical activity to self-regulation. This study examined the efficacy of a motor skills intervention (i.e., the Children’s Health Activity Motor Program, CHAMP that is theoretically grounded in Achievement Goal Theory on motor skill performance and self-regulation in Head Start preschoolers. A sample of 113 Head Start preschoolers (Mage = 51.91 + 6.5 months; 49.5% males were randomly assigned to a treatment (n = 68 or control (n = 45 program. CHAMP participants engaged in 15, 40-minute sessions of a mastery climate intervention that focused on the development of motor skills over 5 weeks while control participants engaged in their normal outdoor recess period. The Delay of Gratification Snack Task was used to measure self-regulation and the Test of Gross Motor Development - 2nd Edition was used to assess motor skills. All measures were assessed prior to and following the intervention. Linear mixed models were fit for both self-regulation and motor skills. Results revealed a significant time*treatment interaction (p < .001. In regards to motor skills, post hoc comparisons found that all children improved their motor skills (p < .05, but the CHAMP group improved significantly more than the control group (p < .001. Children in CHAMP maintained their self-regulation scores across time while children in the control group scored significantly lower than the CHAMP group at the posttest (p < .05. CHAMP is a mastery climate movement program that may be an approach to enhance skills associated with healthy development in children (i.e., motor skills and self-regulation. This efficacy trial provided evidence that CHAMP helped maintain delay of gratification in preschool age

A NATIONAL DEMONSTRATION PROJECT UTILIZING TELEVISED MATERIALS FOR THE FORMAL EDUCATION OF CULTURALLY DISADVANTAGED PRESCHOOL CHILDREN. FINAL REPORT.

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MUKERJI, ROSE; AND OTHERS

TO SUPPLY DISADVANTAGED PRESCHOOL CHILDREN WITH CULTURALLY STIMULATING EXPERIENCES, A TV SERIES, "ROUNDABOUT," WAS DESIGNED TO BE USED IN WASHINGTON, D.C. INNER-CITY PRESCHOOL AND DAY CARE CENTERS. THE 15-MINUTE PROGRAMS WERE TO INTRODUCE NEW EXPERIENCES AND SUPPLEMENT REGULAR ACTIVITIES. IT WAS HOPED THAT THE CHILDREN WOULD IDENTIFY…

Are sex differences in fundamental motor skills uniform throughout the entire preschool period?

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Jakub Kokštejn

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to assess differences in fundamental motor skills (FMS proficiency between boys and girls of each age group, independently, across the entire preschool period. Using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-second edition, FMS proficiency was tested in 325 preschoolers (4.9 ± 1.1 y, range 3-6 using a cross-sectional design. Compared to boys of the same age, 3- and 4-year-old girls had greater total (p < .01, fine motor skill (p < .01, and balance scores (p < .05. There were no sex differences for total test or balance scores in 5- and 6-year-olds, but 6-year-old boys outperformed girls in aiming and catching (p < .001. These data not only agree with previous research in that sex differences in FMS proficiency exist in preschool children, but the data also show that differences may not be uniform throughout the whole preschool period when analyzing by age. To avoid under- or overestimating FMS proficiency and subsequently prescribing inaccurate motor intervention programs, FMS proficiency normative values should be age- and sex-specific throughout the entire preschool period.

Activity Settings and Daily Routines in Preschool Classrooms: Diverse Experiences in Early Learning Settings for Low-Income Children.

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Fuligni, Allison Sidle; Howes, Carollee; Huang, Yiching; Hong, Sandra Soliday; Lara-Cinisomo, Sandraluz

2012-06-01

This paper examines activity settings and daily classroom routines experienced by 3- and 4-year-old low-income children in public center-based preschool programs, private center-based programs, and family child care homes. Two daily routine profiles were identified using a time-sampling coding procedure: a High Free-Choice pattern in which children spent a majority of their day engaged in child-directed free-choice activity settings combined with relatively low amounts of teacher-directed activity, and a Structured-Balanced pattern in which children spent relatively equal proportions of their day engaged in child-directed free-choice activity settings and teacher-directed small- and whole-group activities. Daily routine profiles were associated with program type and curriculum use but not with measures of process quality. Children in Structured-Balanced classrooms had more opportunities to engage in language and literacy and math activities, whereas children in High Free-Choice classrooms had more opportunities for gross motor and fantasy play. Being in a Structured-Balanced classroom was associated with children's language scores but profiles were not associated with measures of children's math reasoning or socio-emotional behavior. Consideration of teachers' structuring of daily routines represents a valuable way to understand nuances in the provision of learning experiences for young children in the context of current views about developmentally appropriate practice and school readiness.

Developing a Telecommunications Curriculum for Students with Physical Disabilities.

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Gandell, Terry S.; Laufer, Dorothy

1993-01-01

A telecommunications curriculum was developed for students (ages 15-21) with physical disabilities. Curriculum content included an internal mailbox program (Mailbox), interactive communication system (Blisscom), bulletin board system (Arctel), and a mainframe system (Compuserv). (JDD)

Trained, Generalized, and Collateral Behavior Changes of Preschool Children Receiving Gross-Motor Skills Training.

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Kirby, Kimberly C.; Holborn, Stephen W.

1986-01-01

Three preschool children participated in a behavioral training program to improve their gross-motor skills. Results indicated that the program improved the 10 targeted gross-motor skills and that improvements sometimes generalized to other settings. The program did not produce changes in fine-motor skills or social behaviors. Implications are…

Optics workshops designed to preschool children (age 3 to 6 years)

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez, Charvel; Solano, Cristina

2016-09-01

Since 2005, it was decided in Mexico that children have to start their formal education at the age of 3 years, two years earlier that in many other countries. This change was done to increase activities that enhance the social interaction and stimulus (knowledge and skills) of the students to prepare them to the next academic level. The main drawback of the developed curriculum for the younger children is that it does not include enough scientific activities. The work presented here is the answer of a particular initiative of some teachers to implement scientific workshops in optics. We have found that preschoolers are attracted to scientific activities if the material is presented in the right way. While design any scientific activity it is important to remember that young children want to know about their world without changing it, they have to experience the principle without memorizing, therefore the language used to describe concepts, ideas or terms has to be carefully chosen to avoid confuse preschoolers that can lose track of the activity. The scientific information has to be very clear and limited to a single physical principle and the concepts have to be presented in a way to include games as a learning activity that allow them to experience with the results.

Improving preschoolers' mathematics achievement with tablets: a randomized controlled trial

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Schacter, John; Jo, Booil

2017-09-01

With a randomized field experiment of 433 preschoolers, we tested a tablet mathematics program designed to increase young children's mathematics learning. Intervention students played Math Shelf, a comprehensive iPad preschool and year 1 mathematics app, while comparison children received research-based hands-on mathematics instruction delivered by their classroom teachers. After 22 weeks, there was a large and statistically significant effect on mathematics achievement for Math Shelf students (Cohen's d = .94). Moderator analyses demonstrated an even larger effect for low achieving children (Cohen's d = 1.27). These results suggest that early education teachers can improve their students' mathematics outcomes by integrating experimentally proven tablet software into their daily routines.

Developing the New Columbia Core Curriculum: A Case Study in Managing Radical Curriculum Change

Science.gov (United States)

Galea, Sandro; Fried, Linda P.; Walker, Julia R.; Rudenstine, Sasha; Glover, Jim W.

2015-01-01

Curricular change is essential for maintaining vibrant, timely, and relevant educational programming. However, major renewal of a long-standing curriculum at an established university presents many challenges for leaders, faculty, staff, and students. We present a case study of a dramatic curriculum renewal of one of the nation’s largest Master of Public Health degree programs: Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. We discuss context, motivation for change, the administrative structure established to support the process, data sources to inform our steps, the project timeline, methods for engaging the school community, and the extensive planning that was devoted to evaluation and communication efforts. We highlight key features that we believe are essential for successful curricular change. PMID:25706010

Improving preschooler conduct adaptation by using a social learning program based on motion games

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Zsuzsa Szilárda

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Being aware of the changes which occur under the influence of environmental conditions, education, culture and social roles upon the child is indispensable with a view to build up a conduct adapted to the social environment. For any preschooler child, entering kindergarten is an important social event and getting adapted to the new situation is not easy. Broadening the relational framework with objects, other individuals, with one’s own self, results in disciplining preschooler conducts and increasing the number of socially desirable conducts. Relying upon the above statements, this study is aimed at working out a social learning programme made up of motion games involving socialization/cooperation elements intended for inducing amelioration in terms of the child’s conduct during the process of adaptation to the kindergarten environment. The experiment was conducted using a sample of “little group” preschoolers (children 3-4 years of age. As research methods, the following have been used: studying the reference literature, the method of pedagogical observation, the method of experiment and the method of playing. Further to the practical application of the programme worked out with a view to enhance the adaptation conduct in the said subjects, the experimental group proved to have undergone a significant positive evolution and each subject showed improvements considering the conduct of adaptation to kindergarten conditions, as highlighted by the change i.e. higher values in terms of the individual scores achieved at the final test. Preschool education is meant to provide all possible ways and means to enable any child’s integration into groups of children of a peer age, to develop sociability in children and to create favorable conditions for building out inter-children networks.

Use of Augmentative and Alternative Communication Systems in Preschool: teacher perceptions

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Munique Massaro

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Augmentative and Alternative Communication Resources have proven to be helpful in the insertion of students with disabilities and complex communication needs into a variety of pedagogical activities and expand the skills and competencies of the teacher in the teaching-learning. The objective of this research was to identify the perception of teachers regarding the use of augmentative and alternative communication during an intervention program in Preschool. Participants were a special class of Preschool students with disabilities and severe communication complexity, along with their teacher and the researcher. For the development of this research, a Alternative Communication Program was applied. The teacher was provided with systematic guidance concerning language and communication. In a collaborative process, three children’s songs were selected according to the teacher’s pedagogical planning and adapted resources through Augmentative and Alternative Communication Systems. During the intervention program, assisted evaluations also took place immediately after the activities with the music. The data were collected in audio recordings. For data analysis, content analysis was carried out resulting in the outlining of themes and sub-themes. Results indicated that the teacher identified that Augmentative and Alternative Communication Systems can to facilitate expression abilities of students with disabilities; that Augmentative and Alternative Communication Systems can be used by children in Preschool; and that resources adapted through augmentative and alternative communication systems should be in accordance with the specificities of students.

Competencies Required in Education Research and Teaching Systematization according to Students from the Preschool, Primary and Secondary Education Programs of the University of Costa Rica

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Mario Alberto Segura-Castillo

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to present the results of two online forums carried out with the participation of 42 students of the Licenciaturas  in Preschool Education, Primary Education and Secondary Education of the University of Costa Rica. The main purpose of the forums was to determine the insights of the participant students about the competencies they have achieved in the field of education research, and which have been the essential tools for them to systematize their own teaching practices. The discussion forums were part of the course FD5091 Métodos de Investigación Educativa [Education Research Methods] of the School of Teacher Education, delivered from March-April 2010.  Of the sample, 60 percent were students of the Preschool teaching program, 35 percent were from the Primary Education teaching program and 5 percent were from the Secondary Education teaching program in the fields of Science, Mathematics and Social Studies. According to the insights and beliefs showed by the participants –both, the future teachers and the profession practitioners–, there are no opportunities for research or systematization of their own teaching mediation, in the current work situation. (1 Translator’s Note: In Costa Rica, the “Licenciatura” is a one-year post-Bachelor study program, usually including thesis. “Primary Education” refers to students from the 1st to 6th grades, and “Secondary Education” refers to students from the 7th to 11th grades.

Curriculum development in the Netherlands: introduction of tracks in the 2001 curriculum at Utrecht University, The Netherlands.

Science.gov (United States)

van Beukelen, Peter

2004-01-01

The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Utrecht has recently introduced two major curriculum changes in order to keep pace with developments in research (the vast increase in scientific knowledge), in society (the quality awareness of veterinary clients), and in the veterinary profession, where a species and sector differentiation can be observed. After about 15 years during which the curriculum remained more or less unchanged, a radical curriculum revision was introduced in 1995. A further revision, with the introduction of separate study tracks, began in 2001. The 2001 curriculum focuses on academic and scientific training, active learning and problem solving, training in communication and professional behavior, and lifelong learning. It is divided into a four-year core curriculum, in which a broad, cross-species pathobiological insight is central, and a two-year track curriculum, through which students achieve a starting competence in a specific species or sector. The main teaching methods are tutorials and group tasks; practical work is used mainly to achieve specific veterinary skills. Teaching hours represent 30-35% of all study hours. Self-teaching is encouraged by providing study materials, self-teaching questions, teachers assigned to assist with self-teaching, and adequate facilities. The five tracks offered are Companion Animals/Equine; Food Animals; Veterinary Public Health; Veterinary Research; and Veterinary Administration and Management. All students follow a uniform 30-week clinical rotation program, while the track program is 42 weeks. A summary of admission procedures is given, as well as the times and procedures for track selection.

Quality in preschool in a cultural context

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kragh-Müller, Grethe; Ringsmose, Charlotte

What is educational quality i preschools? How can it be evaluated/measured. How can educational quality be developped in everyday life in preschools?......What is educational quality i preschools? How can it be evaluated/measured. How can educational quality be developped in everyday life in preschools?...

ECOLOGICAL THERAPY AS CORRECTIONAL AND PEDAGOGICAL ELEMENT OF INTEGRATED APPROACH IN THE TREATMENT OF LOGONEUROSIS AMONG PRESCHOOL CHILDREN

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I. V. Kalashnikova

2016-01-01

Full Text Available . The aims of the publication are: to analyse domestic experience of education and training of preschool children with logoneurosis; to designate the causes and displays of this disease; to define the problems arising through organization of correctional work in preschool institution taking into account modern requirements of the Russian legislation and climatic features of regions; to present a possible version of the solution of these problems.Methods. The methods of theoretical analysis and generalization of scientific, methodical publications, and legislative base on a problem of correctional work on stuttering among preschool children are used.Results and scientific novelty. The authors’ program of additional education with the correctional elements «Ecotherapy for Children at the age of 5–7 years with Logoneurosis» developed by the staff of the Ecotherapy Laboratory of the Polar Alpine Botanical Garden – Institute named after N. A. Avrorin is described in the publication. The program complies with the modern requirements of Federal State Educational Standard of preschool education and is focused on tutors and speech language therapists of correctional groups and logocentres. In the course of mastering the program, a child by means of a game at once joins in search-investigative activity in the field of biology and ecology with visualization of an ultimate goal and obligatory practical material realization of results of work. From the point of view of medical expediency, the program has included the special breathing and relaxation exercises which are picked up for the lesson topic. The efficiency of a combination in correctional pedagogics of standard logopedic methods and the practise with nonconventional methods of art-, garden-, and animal-assisted therapy is confirmed. Special relevance of the proposed techniques and methods in the conditions of the Polar region (the region, wherein during the period of an exit from polar night

Preschool teacher's view on learning in preschool in Sweden and Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Broström professor m.so., Stig; Frøkjær, Thorleif; Johansson, Inge

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine how preschool teachers in Sweden and Denmark perceive children’s learning in preschool. The study aimed to answer the following questions: What is ‘learning’? How do children learn? What are the best conditions for children’s learning? What is the role of part...

Motorcycle Safety Education. A Curriculum Guide.

Science.gov (United States)

Ohio State Board of Education, Columbus.

This curriculum guide was produced to assist instructors of educational programs for novice motorcycle operators, automobile drivers, and all highway users. An introductory section discusses program implementation concerns, such as public relations, legal considerations, scheduling, staff, students, facilities, motorcycles, insurance, financial…

Effects of Motor Skill Intervention on Gross Motor Development, Creative Thinking and Academic Performance in Preschool Children

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Judith Jiménez Díaz

2010-08-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to investigate how students (mean= 6.08±0.5 years benefit from a physical education program in motor performance, creative thinking and academic achievement. Students (n = 39 were randomly assigned to comparison group (6 boys and 7 girls who received the regular preschool program (which includes 1 session of 30 minutes per week; intervention group 1 (6 boys and 7 girls who received the regular preschool program plus 1 session of 30 minutes per week of the intervention program; or intervention group 2 (6 boys and 7 girls, who received the regular preschool program plus 1 session of 60 minutes per week of the intervention program; during 8 weeks. All participants performed the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-2 and the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking (TTCT before and after the study. The academic achievement score was given by the school. The ANOVA (Group x Gender x Time pre and post analysis revealed a significant triple interaction in the object control. Significant double interactions in the locomotor subscale and in the gross motor quotient were also found. After the post-hoc analysis, the results suggest that the physical education program benefits the gross motor performance and did not have an effect on the creative thinking or on the academic achievement.

Locomotion and Grasping impairment in preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder

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Francesca Fulceri

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Objective: To investigate expressiveness of motor impairment in autism spectrum disorder (ASD and its correlation with developmental and clinical features of ASD. Method: Thirty-five male preschoolers with ASD completed the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales-2 (PDMS-2; Folio and Fewell, 2000 and underwent a multidisciplinary assessment including medical examination, standardized assessment of cognitive abilities, administration of Autism_Diagnostic_Observation_Schedule (ADOS and a parent interview about adaptive skills. Results: Results revealed a substantial impairment in locomotion and grasping skills. Both fine and gross motor skills were significantly correlated with non verbal IQ and adaptive behaviours (p<0.01 but not with chronological age or ADOS scores. Children with weaker motor skills have greater cognitive and adaptive behaviours deficits. Conclusions: Motor development in ASD can be detected at preschool age and locomotion and grasping skills are substantially the most impaired area. These findings support the need to assess motor skills in preschoolers with ASD in addition to other developmental skill areas. Along with the increasingly acknowledged importance of motor skills for subsequent social, cognitive, and communicative development our findings support the need to consider motor intervention as a key area in therapeutic program to improve outcome in preschoolers with ASD.

Evolution of the Pathology Residency Curriculum

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Wesley Y. Naritoku MD, PhD

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The required medical knowledge and skill set for the pathologist of 2020 are different than in 2005. Pathology residency training curriculum must accordingly change to fulfill the needs of these ever-changing requirements. In order to make rational curricular adjustments, it is important for us to know the current trajectory of resident training in pathology—where we have been, what our actual current training curriculum is now—to understand how that might change in anticipation of meeting the needs of a changing patient and provider population and to fit within the evolving future biomedical and socioeconomic health-care setting. In 2013, there were 143 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited pathology residency training programs in the United States, with approximately 2400 residents. There is diversity among residency training programs not only with respect to the number of residents but also in training venue(s. To characterize this diversity among pathology residency training programs, a curriculum survey was conducted of pathology residency program directors in 2013 and compared with a similar survey taken almost 9 years previously in 2005 to identify trends in pathology residency curriculum. Clinical pathology has not changed significantly in the number of rotations over 9 years; however, anatomic pathology has changed dramatically, with an increase in the number of surgical pathology rotations coupled with a decline in stand-alone autopsy rotations. With ever-expanding medical knowledge that the graduating pathology resident must know, it is necessary to (1 reflect upon what are the critical need subjects, (2 identify areas that have become of lesser importance, and then (3 prioritize training accordingly.

Evolution of the Pathology Residency Curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Powell, Suzanne Z.; Black-Schaffer, W. Stephen

2016-01-01

The required medical knowledge and skill set for the pathologist of 2020 are different than in 2005. Pathology residency training curriculum must accordingly change to fulfill the needs of these ever-changing requirements. In order to make rational curricular adjustments, it is important for us to know the current trajectory of resident training in pathology—where we have been, what our actual current training curriculum is now—to understand how that might change in anticipation of meeting the needs of a changing patient and provider population and to fit within the evolving future biomedical and socioeconomic health-care setting. In 2013, there were 143 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited pathology residency training programs in the United States, with approximately 2400 residents. There is diversity among residency training programs not only with respect to the number of residents but also in training venue(s). To characterize this diversity among pathology residency training programs, a curriculum survey was conducted of pathology residency program directors in 2013 and compared with a similar survey taken almost 9 years previously in 2005 to identify trends in pathology residency curriculum. Clinical pathology has not changed significantly in the number of rotations over 9 years; however, anatomic pathology has changed dramatically, with an increase in the number of surgical pathology rotations coupled with a decline in stand-alone autopsy rotations. With ever-expanding medical knowledge that the graduating pathology resident must know, it is necessary to (1) reflect upon what are the critical need subjects, (2) identify areas that have become of lesser importance, and then (3) prioritize training accordingly. PMID:28725779

Effect of a 6-Week Active Play Intervention on Fundamental Movement Skill Competence of Preschool Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Foulkes, J D; Knowles, Z; Fairclough, S J; Stratton, G; O'Dwyer, M; Ridgers, N D; Foweather, L

2017-04-01

This study examined the effectiveness of an active play intervention on fundamental movement skills of 3- to 5-year-old children from deprived communities. In a cluster randomized controlled trial design, six preschools received a resource pack and a 6-week local authority program involving staff training with help implementing 60-minute weekly sessions and postprogram support. Six comparison preschools received a resource pack only. Twelve skills were assessed at baseline, postintervention, and at a 6-month follow-up using the Children's Activity and Movement in Preschool Study Motor Skills Protocol. One hundred and sixty-two children (Mean age = 4.64 ± 0.58 years; 53.1% boys) were included in the final analyses. There were no significant differences between groups for total fundamental movement skill, object-control skill or locomotor skill scores, indicating a need for program modification to facilitate greater skill improvements.

Reading use in preschool

OpenAIRE

Laísa Cristina dos Santos Guilherme; Rodrigo Ferreira Daverni

2016-01-01

Abstract: Reading in preschool is a time of awakening the taste and pleasure in reading, it is also a source of reflection, discovery and learn to listen. It is then necessary that the contact with the reading start from pre-school, with a variety of texts and the teacher also has the habit of reading in their daily lives. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the benefits of daily reading in the classroom pre-school life of a student, which the characteristics of a player and teacher re...

Undergraduate Game Degree Programs in the United Kingdom and United States: A Comparison of the Curriculum Planning Process

Science.gov (United States)

McGill, Monica M.

2010-01-01

Digital games are marketed, mass-produced, and consumed by an increasing number of people and the game industry is only expected to grow. In response, post-secondary institutions in the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US) have started to create game degree programs. Though curriculum theorists provide insight into the process of…

Motivations and Barriers in Promoting Preschool Education

Science.gov (United States)

Küçükturan, A. Güler; Akbaba Altun, Sadegül

2017-01-01

This study is designed to explore the reasons for sending and not sending preschool age children to preschools at an early age by exploring the motivations for and barriers towards promoting preschool education in Turkey. It aimed to determine various stakeholders' perceptions, attitudes, and knowledge related to preschool education in order to…

Columbia Public Health Core Curriculum: Short-Term Impact.

Science.gov (United States)

Begg, Melissa D; Fried, Linda P; Glover, Jim W; Delva, Marlyn; Wiggin, Maggie; Hooper, Leah; Saxena, Roheeni; de Pinho, Helen; Slomin, Emily; Walker, Julia R; Galea, Sandro

2015-12-01

We evaluated a transformed core curriculum for the Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health (New York, New York) master of public health (MPH) degree. The curriculum, launched in 2012, aims to teach public health as it is practiced: in interdisciplinary teams, drawing on expertise from multiple domains to address complex health challenges. We collected evaluation data starting when the first class of students entered the program and ending with their graduation in May 2014. Students reported being very satisfied with and challenged by the rigorous curriculum and felt prepared to integrate concepts across varied domains and disciplines to solve public health problems. This novel interdisciplinary program could serve as a prototype for other schools that wish to reinvigorate MPH training.

Exploring challenges of the reproductive health PhD curriculum: A qualitative research

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Sh Kohan

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Enhancing the quality and dynamicity of higher education programs requires continuous evaluation of curriculums. Reproductive health PhD program was established in 2006 in Iran while recommending that its curriculum be evaluated by assessing graduates’ performance in workplace and surveying students, faculty members and managers. This study aimed to explore challenges of the curriculum of reproductive health PhD program. Methods: Employing a qualitative content analysis approach and using purposive and sometimes opportunistic sampling, experiences and viewpoints of 33 graduates and students of reproductive health PhD program, educational managers and reproductive health board members about the curriculum of reproductive health PhD program were collected through individual interviews and notes in 2014-15. Data were transcribed and important expressions were coded. Classification of similar codes led to preliminary categories. Five main categories were extracted by further classifications. Results: The five main categories included inadequacy of course topics and contents, challenges of student education, failure in realizing curriculum goals, long research period, and ambiguity in graduates’ professional status were appeared; each of these included various subcategories. Conclusion: Results showed that the curriculum of reproductive health PhD program required revisions to meet the program’s mission and designing courses such as sexual health and reinforcing the clinical nature of the program were necessary. Moreover, the results emphasized that the establishment of an independent educational department of reproductive health for managing higher education affairs and greater supervision of the reproductive health board on educational affairs was necessary. Furthermore, reproductive health specialists should be employed in different positions to meet society’s reproductive health needs.

Effects of Preschool Intervention Strategies on School Readiness in Kindergarten

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Xin; Nelson, Regena F.; Shen, Jianping; Krenn, Huilan Y.

2015-01-01

Using hierarchical linear modeling, the present study aimed to examine whether targeted intervention strategies implemented individually during a preschool program exhibited any short-term and long-term effects on children's school readiness in kindergarten, utilizing data gathered through the Supporting Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids (SPARK)…

The Poverty of Preschool Promises: Saving Children and Money with the Early Education Tax Credit. Policy Analysis. No. 641

Science.gov (United States)

Schaeffer, Adam B.

2009-01-01

The political momentum behind state-level preschool programs is tremendous, but existing proposals are often flawed and expensive. Preschool can provide small but statistically significant short-term gains for low-income children; however, these gains usually fade quickly in later grades. There is little evidence to support the belief that…

A Pilot Study of a 6-Week Parenting Program for Mothers of Pre-school Children Attending Family Health Centers in Karachi, Pakistan

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Yasmin Khowaja

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Background Recently, parenting programs to address behavioural and emotional problems associated with child maltreatment in developing countries have received much attention. There is a paucity of literature on effective parent education interventions in the local context of Pakistan. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of offering a 6-week parenting program for mothers of pre-school children attending family health centres (FHCs in Karachi, the largest metropolitan city of Pakistan. Methods A pilot quasi-experimental trial was conducted. Two FHCs were selected, one as the intervention and the second as the control. A total of 57 mothers of pre-school children (n = 30 intervention; n = 27 control participated in this study. Mothers in the intervention group received SOS Help for parents module, while mothers in the control group received information about routine childcare. A parenting scale (PS was administered before the program was implemented and repeated 2 weeks after the program was completed in both groups. Statistical analysis was performed to compare participants’ attributes. Descriptive analysis was conducted to compare pre- and post-test mean scores along with standard deviation for parenting subscales in the intervention and control groups. Results A total of 50 mothers (n = 25 intervention; n = 25 control completed the 6-week program. Attrition was observed as 5/30 (17% in the intervention arm and 2/27 (2% in the control arm. Mothers commonly reported the burden of daily domestic and social responsibilities as the main reason for dropping out. Furthermore, the majority of participants in the control group recommended increasing the duration of weekly sessions from 1 to 1.5 hours, thereby decreasing the program period from 6 to 4 weeks. Mothers in intervention group reported substantial improvement in parenting skills as indicated by mean difference in their pre- and post-test scores for laxness and over

Nursing Curriculum for the 1990s.

Science.gov (United States)

St. Thomas, Sister

A survey was conducted of the chairs of the collegiate associate degree and baccalaureate degree nursing programs in New England. The questionnaire concerned curriculum needs for nursing programs, based on a model emphasizing that the fourth year of a nursing program should be a paid clinical practicum. The response rate was 72% (n=45). Results…

Suggested Curriculum Guidelines for an Effective Bilingual Program. 1972-1973. Destrezas Comunicativas del Idioma Espanol. Spanish Language Skills. Second Grade, Level 2.

Science.gov (United States)

Artesia Public Schools, NM.

This volume contains suggested curriculum guidelines for an effective bilingual program, with specific focus on Spanish language skills for the second grade level. The philosophy of the program views bilingual education as a vehicle and pedagogical tool to be used to better prepare all children to function in society. The point of departure for…

Suggested Curriculum Guidelines for an Effective Bilingual Program, 1972-1973. Destrezas Comunicativas del Idioma Espanol. Spanish Language Skills. Third Grade, Level 3.

Science.gov (United States)

Artesia Public Schools, NM.

This volume contains suggested curriculum guidelines for an effective bilingual program, with specific focus on Spanish language skills for the third grade level. The philosophy of the program views bilingual education as a vehicle and pedagogical tool to be used to better prepare all children to function in society. The point of departure for…

Leading change: curriculum reform in graduate education in the biomedical sciences.

Science.gov (United States)

Dasgupta, Shoumita; Symes, Karen; Hyman, Linda

2015-01-01

The Division of Graduate Medical Sciences at the Boston University School of Medicine houses numerous dynamic graduate programs. Doctoral students began their studies with laboratory rotations and classroom training in a variety of fundamental disciplines. Importantly, with 15 unique pathways of admission to these doctoral programs, there were also 15 unique curricula. Departments and programs offered courses independently, and students participated in curricula that were overlapping combinations of these courses. This system created curricula that were not coordinated and that had redundant course content as well as content gaps. A partnership of key stakeholders began a curriculum reform process to completely restructure doctoral education at the Boston University School of Medicine. The key pedagogical goals, objectives, and elements designed into the new curriculum through this reform process created a curriculum designed to foster the interdisciplinary thinking that students are ultimately asked to utilize in their research endeavors. We implemented comprehensive student and peer evaluation of the new Foundations in Biomedical Sciences integrated curriculum to assess the new curriculum. Furthermore, we detail how this process served as a gateway toward creating a more fully integrated graduate experience, under the umbrella of the Program in Biomedical Sciences. © 2015 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Multi-national, multi-lingual, multi-professional CATs: (Curriculum Analysis Tools).

Science.gov (United States)

Eisner, J

1995-01-01

A consortium of dental schools and allied dental programs was established in 1991 with the expressed purpose of creating a curriculum database program that was end-user modifiable [1]. In April of 1994, a beta version (Beta 2.5 written in FoxPro(TM) 2.5) of the software CATs, an acronym for Curriculum Analysis Tools, was released for use by over 30 of the consortium's 60 member institutions, while the remainder either waited for the Macintosh (TM) or Windows (TM) versions of the program or were simply not ready to begin an institutional curriculum analysis project. Shortly after this release, the design specifications were rewritten based on a thorough critique of the Beta 2.5 design and coding structures and user feedback. The result was Beta 3.0 which has been designed to accommodate any health professions curriculum, in any country that uses English or French as one of its languages. Given the program's extensive use of screen generation tools, it was quite easy to offer screen displays in a second language. As more languages become available as part of the Unified Medical Language System, used to document curriculum content, the program's design will allow their incorporation. When the software arrives at a new institution, the choice of language and health profession will have been preselected, leaving the Curriculum Database Manager to identify the country where the member institution is located. With these 'macro' end-user decisions completed, the database manager can turn to a more specific set of end-user questions including: 1) will the curriculum view selected for analysis be created by the course directors (provider entry of structured course outlines) or by the students (consumer entry of class session summaries)?; 2) which elements within the provided course outline or class session modules will be used?; 3) which, if any, internal curriculum validation measures will be included?; and 4) which, if any, external validation measures will be included

Nutritional practices in full-day-care pre-schools.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Jennings, A

2011-06-01

Full-day-care pre-schools contribute significantly to the nutritional intake and acquisition of dietary habits of the pre-school child. The present study investigated nutritional practices in full-day-care pre-schools in Dublin, Ireland, aiming to determine the nutritional support that pre-school managers deem necessary, thereby facilitating the amelioration of existing pre-school nutritional training and practices.

Marketing and Distributive Education. Food Marketing Curriculum Guide

Science.gov (United States)

Northern Illinois Univ., DeKalb. Dept. of Business Education and Administration Services.

This document is one of four curriculum guides designed to provide the curriculum coordinator with a basis for planning a comprehensive program in the field of marketing as well as to provide marketing and distributive education teachers with maximum flexibility. Introductory information provides directions for using the guide and information on…

An Inverted Curriculum for CS1

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Caspersen, Michael Edelgaard

2003-01-01

present and discuss the inverted curriculum for our introductory object-oriented programming course, and our experiences from teaching this course for four years. We identify four levels for the systematic construction of programs, and the structure of our programming course is based on these four levels......: the modeling level, the design level, the class level, and the algorithmic level....

Five Levels of Curriculum Integration Defined, Refined, and Described.

Science.gov (United States)

Schumacher, Donna H.

1995-01-01

Provides a description of five levels of curriculum integration at the middle level, specifically: departmentalization, reinforcement, complementary or shared units, webbed, and integrated themes. Discusses curriculum integration in relation to preservice and inservice programs, common planning time, team composition, time issues, and…

Sixty Minutes of Physical Activity per Day Included Within Preschool Academic Lessons Improves Early Literacy.

Science.gov (United States)

Kirk, Stacie M; Kirk, Erik P

2016-03-01

The effects of increases in physical activity (PA) on early literacy skills in preschool children are not known. Fifty-four African-American preschool children from a low socioeconomic urban Head Start participated over 8 months. A 2-group, quasi-experimental design was used with one preschool site participating in the PA intervention and a second site participating as the control site. The PA program was designed to promote 300 minutes/week of moderate to vigorous PA academic lessons. Academic achievement related to early literacy and phonological awareness in the areas of rhyming and alliteration were assessed at baseline, 4 and 8 months. Over 8 months, rhyming significantly (p literacy. © 2016, American School Health Association.

Technical writing in the radiologic technology curriculum.

Science.gov (United States)

Bell, R

1979-01-01

Although courses in technical writing are no longer suggested in the Curriculum Guide for Programs in Radiologic Technology, the writer believes that writing is essential to the growth of the profession and development of the professional. Emphasis is placed on some of the benefits that accrue to students who are exposed to technical writing as part of their technology curriculum.

Para Candidatos en Programas de Centros de Cuidado y Educacion Infantil con Ninos de Edad Pre-escolar: Asociado en Desarrollo Infantil Sistema de Evaluacion y Normas de Competencia CDA (Preschool Caregivers in Center-Based Programs: The Child Development Associate Assessment System and Competency Standards).

Science.gov (United States)

Council for Early Childhood Professional Recognition, Washington, DC.

This Spanish-language booklet outlines the requirements of the Child Development Associate (CDA) credential for preschool teachers or caregivers who work in center-based preschool day care programs. Part 1 provides an overview of the CDA credentialing system and the various options, settings, standards, and stages of the CDA assessment system.…

Healthy eating and obesity prevention for preschoolers: a randomised controlled trial

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Swinburn Boyd

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Developing effective prevention and intervention programs for the formative preschool years is seen as an essential step in combating the obesity epidemic across the lifespan. The overall goal of the current project is to measure the effectiveness of a healthy eating and childhood obesity prevention intervention, the MEND (Mind Exercise Nutrition Do It! program that is delivered to parents of children aged 2-4 years. Methods/Design This randomised controlled trial will be conducted with 200 parents and their 2-4 year old children who attend the MEND 2-4 program in metropolitan and regional Victoria. Parent-child dyads will attend ten 90-minute group workshops. These workshops focus on general nutrition, as well as physical activity and behaviours. They are typically held at community or maternal and child health centres and run by a MEND 2-4 trained program leader. Child eating habits, physical activity levels and parental behaviours and cognitions pertaining to nutrition and physical activity will be assessed at baseline, the end of the intervention, and at 6 and 12 months post the intervention. Informed consent will be obtained from all parents, who will then be randomly allocated to the intervention or wait-list control group. Discussion Our study is the first RCT of a healthy eating and childhood obesity prevention intervention targeted specifically to Australian parents and their preschool children aged 2-4 years. It responds to the call by experts in the area of childhood obesity and child health that prevention of overweight in the formative preschool years should focus on parents, given that parental beliefs, attitudes, perceptions and behaviours appear to impact significantly on the development of early overweight. This is 'solution-oriented' rather than 'problem-oriented' research, with its focus being on prevention rather than intervention. If this is a positive trial, the MEND2-4 program can be implemented as a

The Effectiveness of Healthy Start Home Visit Program: Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

Science.gov (United States)

Leung, Cynthia; Tsang, Sandra; Heung, Kitty

2015-01-01

Purpose: The study reported the effectiveness of a home visit program for disadvantaged Chinese parents with preschool children, using cluster randomized controlled trial design. Method: Participants included 191 parents and their children from 24 preschools, with 84 dyads (12 preschools) in the intervention group and 107 dyads (12 preschools) in…

Mentoring BUGS: An Integrated Science and Technology Curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Harrell, Pamela Esprivalo; Walker, Michelle; Hildreth, Bertina; Tyler-Wood, Tandra

2004-01-01

The current study describes an authentic learning experience designed to develop technology and science process skills through a carefully scaffolded curriculum using mealworms as a content focus. An individual mentor assigned to each 4th and 5th grade girl participating in the program delivered the curriculum. Results indicate mastery of science…

Media Literacy Education: No Longer a Curriculum Option

Science.gov (United States)

Martinson, David L.

2004-01-01

Establishing a curriculum program in media literacy education is important. In a postmodern era and new millennium, communication and its technology play an increasingly important role. This author asserts that it is imperative that young people be prepared for that reality. If budget and other academic or curriculum restraints make it impossible…

The Arts in Turkish Preschool Education

Science.gov (United States)

Acer, Dilek

2015-01-01

One of the most important factors determining a nation's level of development in the modern world is preschool education. When preschool education is perceived as an entity that affects every aspect of childhood development, this fact is undeniable. Several aspects of preschool education, including art education, play a significant role in a…

Novel horizontal and vertical integrated bioethics curriculum for medical courses.

Science.gov (United States)

D'Souza, Russell F; Mathew, Mary; D'Souza, Derek S J; Palatty, Princy

2018-02-28

Studies conducted by the University of Haifa, Israel in 2001, evaluating the effectiveness of bioethics being taught in medical colleges, suggested that there was a significant lack of translation in clinical care. Analysis also revealed, ineffectiveness with the teaching methodology used, lack of longitudinal integration of bioethics into the undergraduate medical curriculum, and the limited exposure to the technology in decision making when confronting ethical dilemmas. A modern novel bioethics curriculum and innovative methodology for teaching bioethics for the medical course was developed by the UNESCO Chair in Bioethics, Haifa. The horizontal (subject-wise) curriculum was vertically integrated seamlessly through the entire course. An innovative bioethics teaching methodology was employed to implement the curriculum. This new curriculum was piloted in a few medical colleges in India from 2011 to 2015 and the outcomes were evaluated. The evaluation confirmed gains over the earlier identified translation gap with added high student acceptability and satisfaction. This integrated curriculum is now formally implemented in the Indian program's Health Science Universities which is affiliated with over 200 medical schools in India. This article offers insights from the evaluated novel integrated bioethics curriculum and the innovative bioethics teaching methodology that was used in the pilot program.

Let’s Wiggle with 5-2-1-0: Curriculum Development for Training Childcare Providers to Promote Activity in Childcare Settings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Debra M. Vinci

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Overweight and obesity are increasing in preschool children in the US. Policy, systems, and environmental change interventions in childcare settings can improve obesity-related behaviors. The aim of this study was to develop and pilot an intervention to train childcare providers to promote physical activity (PA in childcare classrooms. An evidence scan, key informant (n=34 and focus group (n=20 interviews with childcare directors and staff, and environmental self-assessment of childcare facilities (n=22 informed the design of the training curriculum. Feedback from the interviews indicated that childcare providers believed in the importance of teaching children about PA and were supportive of training teachers to incorporate PA into classroom settings. The Promoting Physical Activity in Childcare Setting Curriculum was developed and training was implemented with 16 teachers. Participants reported a positive experience with the hands-on training and reported acquiring new knowledge that they intended to implement in their childcare settings. Our findings highlight the feasibility of working with childcare staff to develop PA training and curriculum. Next steps include evaluating the curriculum in additional childcare settings and childcare staff implementation of the curriculum to understand the effectiveness of the training on PA levels of children.

DEVELOPMENT OF FINE MOTOR COORDINATION AND VISUAL-MOTOR INTEGRATION IN PRESCHOOL CHILDREN

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Haris MEMISEVIC

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Fine motor skills are prerequisite for many everyday activities and they are a good predictor of a child's later academic outcome. The goal of the present study was to assess the effects of age on the development of fine motor coordination and visual-motor integration in preschool children. The sample for this study consisted of 276 preschool children from Canton Sara­jevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. We assessed children's motor skills with Beery Visual Motor Integration Test and Lafayette Pegboard Test. Data were analyzed with one-way ANOVA, followed by planned com­parisons between the age groups. We also performed a regression analysis to assess the influence of age and motor coordination on visual-motor integration. The results showed that age has a great effect on the development of fine motor skills. Furthermore, the results indicated that there are possible sensitive periods at preschool age in which the development of fine motor skills is accelerated. Early intervention specialists should make a thorough evaluations of fine motor skills in preschool children and make motor (rehabilitation programs for children at risk of fine motor delays.

THE FORMATION OF PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE OF THE TEACHER OF PRESCHOOL EDUCATION IN THE SYSTEM OF ADDITIONAL EDUCATION

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Galiya H. Vakhitova

2015-03-01

preschool pedagogics, which despite the gathered wide experience of children development by means of additional educational services, has not been considered yet as the complex phenomenon and a resource of optimisation of preschool preparation of children. Attention is drawn to the fact that yet now, the deep comparative analysis of the performance efficiency with preschool children of the general and additional educational institutions hasn’t been carried. It is also required to design the system of expert assessment and working out of diagnostic procedures for defining the productivity of experts training programs of an additional education; and conformance inspection of these programs due to specifications of Federal State Educational Standard of Pre-school Education (FSES PE. Such research works will help to provide the maximum achievement of a purpose of preschool pedagogics – complex development of intellectual, spiritually-moral, creative and physical potential of children. 

THE FORMATION OF PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE OF THE TEACHER OF PRESCHOOL EDUCATION IN THE SYSTEM OF ADDITIONAL EDUCATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Galiya H. Vakhitova

2015-01-01

development of preschool pedagogics, which despite the gathered wide experience of children development by means of additional educational services, has not been considered yet as the complex phenomenon and a resource of optimisation of preschool preparation of children. Attention is drawn to the fact that yet now, the deep comparative analysis of the performance efficiency with preschool children of the general and additional educational institutions hasn’t been carried. It is also required to design the system of expert assessment and working out of diagnostic procedures for defining the productivity of experts training programs of an additional education; and conformance inspection of these programs due to specifications of Federal State Educational Standard of Pre-school Education (FSES PE. Such research works will help to provide the maximum achievement of a purpose of preschool pedagogics – complex development of intellectual, spiritually-moral, creative and physical potential of children. 

Money matters: a resident curriculum for financial management.

Science.gov (United States)

Mizell, Jason S; Berry, Katherine S; Kimbrough, Mary Katherine; Bentley, Frederick R; Clardy, James A; Turnage, Richard H

2014-12-01

A 2005 survey reported 87% of surgery program directors believed practice management training should occur during residency. However, only 8% of program directors believed residents received adequate training in practice management [1]. In addition to the gap in practice financial management knowledge, we recognized the need for training in personal finance among residents. A literature review and needs assessment led to the development of a novel curriculum for surgery residents combining principles of practice management and personal finance. An 18-h curriculum was administered over the 2012 academic year to 28 post graduate year 1-5 surgery residents and faculty. A self-assessment survey was given at the onset and conclusion of the curriculum [2]. Pre-tests and post-tests were given to objectively evaluate each twice monthly session's content. Self-perception of learning, interest, and acquired knowledge were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed ranks test. Initial self-assessment data revealed high interest in practice management and personal finance principles but a deficiency in knowledge of and exposure to these topics. Throughout the curriculum, interest increased. Residents believed their knowledge of these topics increased after completing the curriculum, and objective data revealed various impacts on knowledge. Although surgery residents receive less exposure to these topics than residents in other specialties, their need to know is no less. We developed, implemented, and evaluated a curriculum that bridged this gap in surgery education. After the curriculum, residents reported an increase in interest, knowledge, and responsible behavior relating to personal and practice financial management. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Computer Integration into the Early Childhood Curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Mohammad, Mona; Mohammad, Heyam

2012-01-01

Navin and Mark are playing at the computer in their preschool classroom. Like the rest of their classmates, these four-year-old children fearlessly experiment with computer as they navigate through the art program they are using. As they draw and paint on the computer screen, Mark and Navin talk about their creation. "Let's try the stamps" insists…

Integrative Curriculum Development in Nuclear Education and Research Vertical Enhancement Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Egarievwe, Stephen U.; Jow, Julius O.; Edwards, Matthew E.; Montgomery, V. Trent; James, Ralph B.; Blackburn, Noel D.; Glenn, Chance M.

2015-01-01

Using a vertical education enhancement model, a Nuclear Education and Research Vertical Enhancement (NERVE) program was developed. The NERVE program is aimed at developing nuclear engineering education and research to 1) enhance skilled workforce development in disciplines relevant to nuclear power, national security and medical physics, and 2) increase the number of students and faculty from underrepresented groups (women and minorities) in fields related to the nuclear industry. The program uses multi-track training activities that vertically cut across the several education domains: undergraduate degree programs, graduate schools, and post-doctoral training. In this paper, we present the results of an integrative curriculum development in the NERVE program. The curriculum development began with nuclear content infusion into existing science, engineering and technology courses. The second step involved the development of nuclear engineering courses: 1) Introduction to Nuclear Engineering, 2) Nuclear Engineering I, and 2) Nuclear Engineering II. The third step is the establishment of nuclear engineering concentrations in two engineering degree programs: 1) electrical engineering, and 2) mechanical engineering. A major outcome of the NERVE program is a collaborative infrastructure that uses laboratory work, internships at nuclear facilities, on-campus research, and mentoring in collaboration with industry and government partners to provide hands-on training for students. The major activities of the research and education collaborations include: - One-week spring training workshop at Brookhaven National Laboratory: The one-week training and workshop is used to enhance research collaborations and train faculty and students on user facilities/equipment at Brookhaven National Laboratory, and for summer research internships. Participants included students, faculty members at Alabama A and M University and research collaborators at BNL. The activities include 1) tour and

Integrative Curriculum Development in Nuclear Education and Research Vertical Enhancement Program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Egarievwe, Stephen U.; Jow, Julius O.; Edwards, Matthew E.; Montgomery, V. Trent [Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Science Center, Alabama A and M University, Huntsville, AL (United States); James, Ralph B.; Blackburn, Noel D. [Nonproliferation and National Security Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY (United States); Glenn, Chance M. [College of Engineering, Technology and Physical Sciences, Alabama A and M University, Huntsville, AL (United States)

2015-07-01

Using a vertical education enhancement model, a Nuclear Education and Research Vertical Enhancement (NERVE) program was developed. The NERVE program is aimed at developing nuclear engineering education and research to 1) enhance skilled workforce development in disciplines relevant to nuclear power, national security and medical physics, and 2) increase the number of students and faculty from underrepresented groups (women and minorities) in fields related to the nuclear industry. The program uses multi-track training activities that vertically cut across the several education domains: undergraduate degree programs, graduate schools, and post-doctoral training. In this paper, we present the results of an integrative curriculum development in the NERVE program. The curriculum development began with nuclear content infusion into existing science, engineering and technology courses. The second step involved the development of nuclear engineering courses: 1) Introduction to Nuclear Engineering, 2) Nuclear Engineering I, and 2) Nuclear Engineering II. The third step is the establishment of nuclear engineering concentrations in two engineering degree programs: 1) electrical engineering, and 2) mechanical engineering. A major outcome of the NERVE program is a collaborative infrastructure that uses laboratory work, internships at nuclear facilities, on-campus research, and mentoring in collaboration with industry and government partners to provide hands-on training for students. The major activities of the research and education collaborations include: - One-week spring training workshop at Brookhaven National Laboratory: The one-week training and workshop is used to enhance research collaborations and train faculty and students on user facilities/equipment at Brookhaven National Laboratory, and for summer research internships. Participants included students, faculty members at Alabama A and M University and research collaborators at BNL. The activities include 1) tour and

Motor Skill Improvement in Preschoolers: How Effective Are Activity Cards?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lars Donath

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Strategies to early develop and implement motor skill promotion in preschoolers are lacking. Thus, we examined the effects of a card-based exercise promotion program in a kindergarten setting. 214 preschool children (5.5 ± 0.6 y, range 4.2–6.7 y were examined in the present intervention study. Body mass index (BMI and waist circumference were measured. Children were randomly assigned to the KIDZ-Box® physical activity intervention program (INT: n = 107 or the control group (CON: n = 107. Children were trained daily for 15 min over 7 month at the preschool for agility, balance, endurance and jump performance, employing the card-based KIDZ-Box® media package. At pre- and post-testing, dynamic balance, jump and agility performance were tested. Cross-sectionally, agility testing differed between sexes (p = 0.01 and BMI (p = 0.02. Trends towards a significant association were found between BMI and side-to-side jumping (p = 0.1 and beam balancing (p = 0.05. Relevant interventional effects favoring the intervention group were slightly found for agility (p = 0.04, ηp2 = 0.02 and moderately for side-to-side jumping (p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.08. Balance performance did not relevantly improve. As jumping cards have been used frequently by the teachers, jumping improvements are plausible. The activity cards are feasibly applicable but should be employed with more structure during longer training sessions.

Languages Are More than Words: Spanish and American Sign Language in Early Childhood Settings

Science.gov (United States)

Sherman, Judy; Torres-Crespo, Marisel N.

2015-01-01

Capitalizing on preschoolers' inherent enthusiasm and capacity for learning, the authors developed and implemented a dual-language program to enable young children to experience diversity and multiculturalism by learning two new languages: Spanish and American Sign Language. Details of the curriculum, findings, and strategies are shared.

Effective Dropout Prevention Strategies Developed by the High/Scope Educational Research Foundation.

Science.gov (United States)

Stellar, Arthur

2002-01-01

Introduces a collection of papers that address the High/Scope Foundation's approach to risk reduction and dropout prevention. Examines High/Scope's history and describes various High/Scope efforts (e.g., the Michigan School Readiness Program Evaluation, preschool and elementary curriculum development and training, movement and music curriculum…

On the Development of Digital Forensics Curriculum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manghui Tu

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Computer Crime and computer related incidents continue their prevalence and frequency and result in loss of billions of dollars. To fight against those crimes and frauds, it is urgent to develop digital forensics education programs to train a suitable workforce to efficiently and effectively investigate crimes and frauds. However, there is no standard to guide the design of digital forensics curriculum for an academic program. In this research, we investigate the research works on digital forensics curriculum design and existing education programs.  Both digital forensics educators and practitioners were surveyed and the results are analyzed to determine what industry and law enforcement need. Based on the survey results and what the industry certificate programs cover, we identified topics that are desired to be covered in digital forensics courses. Finally, we propose six digital forensics courses and their topics that can be offered in both undergraduate and graduate digital forensics programs.

Outcome Evaluation of the Hands-On Parent Empowerment (HOPE) Program

Science.gov (United States)

Leung, Cynthia; Tsang, Sandra; Dean, Suzanne

2011-01-01

This study evaluated the effectiveness of the HOPE program. Participants included 120 Chinese new immigrant parents with preschool children in Hong Kong from 13 preschools which were randomized into intervention group (HOPE) and comparison group (6-session parent education program). Parent participants completed measures on child behavior,…

Two-Language, Two-Paradigm Introductory Computing Curriculum Model and its Implementation

OpenAIRE

Zanev, Vladimir; Radenski, Atanas

2011-01-01

This paper analyzes difficulties with the introduction of object-oriented concepts in introductory computing education and then proposes a two-language, two-paradigm curriculum model that alleviates such difficulties. Our two-language, two-paradigm curriculum model begins with teaching imperative programming using Python programming language, continues with teaching object-oriented computing using Java, and concludes with teaching object-oriented data structures with Java.

Civil Engineering Technology Program Guide.

Science.gov (United States)

Georgia Univ., Athens. Dept. of Vocational Education.

This program guide presents civil engineering technology curriculum for technical institutes in Georgia. The general information section contains the following: purpose and objectives; program description, including admissions, typical job titles, and accreditation and certification; and curriculum model, including standard curriculum sequence and…

[DIFFERENCES IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND IN PHYSICAL CONDITION BETWEEN SCHOOL AGE STUDENTS OF TWO PUBLIC CURRICULUM PROGRAMS IN BOGOTA, COLOMBIA].

Science.gov (United States)

Carrillo Cubides, Raúl; Aldana Alarcón, Luis Gonzalo; Gutiérrez Galvis, Adriana Rocío

2015-11-01

During the past five decades there has been an increased in the prevalence of obesity and over weight, also in physical inactivity and /or low cardiorespiratory fitness within the population in school age from diverse regions of the planet, including Bogota-Colombia. The general objective of this study was to compare the physical condition and the levels of physical activity from students who belonged to two curriculum programs of the Public Schools Network from Bogota, one of which includes two sessions per week, each session of 90 minutes of physical activity. We developed a research of unlike cross-sectional groups. There were 178 children evaluated from the regular curriculum and 170 kids belonging to the program 40 x 40. The physical condition was evaluated applying the protocol of high priority from the ALPHA -Fitness test Battery. The weight, height, body mass index, the waist circumference, the standing long jump, the handgrip in both hands and the motor fitness 20 meter shuttle run test were developed under standardized conditions. The Global School Health Survey (GSHS) was used to evaluate the levels of AF. No significant statistical differences were founded between P-40x40 and the regular curriculum regarding: weight, height, the body mass index, the waist circumference, the handgrip in both hands and the explosive strength in lower limbs. Nevertheless the cardiorespiratory fitness was significantly lower within de P-40x40. In conclusion the participation in the curricular program 40 x 40 was not associated with better levels of physical condition. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

A Future-Oriented, Globally Based Curriculum Model for Industrial Technology.

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Hacker, Michael

1982-01-01

Presents a future-oriented curriculum approach for industrial technology programs. Major global issues provide the basic structure for curriculum development. These issues include energy management, resource management, technological advancement, and international relations. Rationales for industrial technology are discussed and a curriculum…

No Teachers Left Behind: An Exploration of Preschool Teacher Preparation Programs in Massachusetts

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O'Brien, Ellen J.

2012-01-01

Recognizing the importance of early childhood education for young children, states are planning and implementing initiatives to assure greater access to high-quality, elementary-school based preschool. In the field of early childhood education the leading professional organizations, such as the National Association for the Education of Young…

Interim Evaluation of the Tier 1 Program (Secondary 1 Curriculum of the Project P.A.T.H.S.: First Year of the Full Implementation Phase

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel T. L. Shek

2008-01-01

Full Text Available To understand the implementation quality of the Tier 1 Program (Secondary 1 Curriculum of the Project P.A.T.H.S. (Positive Adolescent Training through Holistic Social Programmes in the full implementation phase, 100 schools were randomly selected to participate in personal and/or telephone interviews regarding the quality of the implementation process of the Tier 1 Program. In the interviews, the participants described the responses of the students to the program, the perceived benefits of the program, the perceived good aspects of the program, and the areas requiring improvement, difficulties encountered in the implementation process, and perceived attributes of the worker-support scheme (“Co-Walker Scheme”. Results showed that most workers perceived that the students had positive responses to the program and the program was beneficial to the students. They also identified several good aspects in the program, although negative comments on the program design and difficulties in the implementation process were also recorded. Roughly half of the respondents had positive comments on the “Co-Walker Scheme”. In sum, the respondents generally regarded the program as beneficial to the students and they were satisfied with the Tier 1 Program (Secondary 1 Curriculum in the full implementation phase, although some implementation difficulties were also expressed.

Promoting preschool reading

OpenAIRE

Istenič, Vesna

2013-01-01

The thesis titled Promoting preschool reading consists of a theoretiral and an empirical part. In the theoretical part I wrote about reading, the importance of reading, types of reading, about reading motivation, promoting reading motivation, internal and external motivation, influence of reading motivation on the child's reading activity, reading and familial literacy, the role of adults in promotion reading literacy, reading to a child and promoting reading in pre-school years, where I ...

Curriculum Guidelines for Periodontics for Dental Hygiene Programs.

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Journal of Dental Education, 1986

1986-01-01

American Association of Dental Schools guidelines consist of an introduction to the field and its interrelationships with other fields of dental hygiene; an overview of the curriculum; outlines of primary educational goals, prerequisites, and specific content-related and clinical behavioral objectives; and recommendations concerning sequencing,…

An analysis of the use of Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment (PCOA) scores within one professional program.

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Garavalia, Linda S; Prabhu, Sunil; Chung, Eunice; Robinson, Daniel C

The Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment (PCOA) is a recent assessment requirement for US pharmacy professional programs. This study analyses PCOA scores for uses described in the 2016 Standards with data from one professional program. PCOA data were analyzed for two consecutive classes (n=215) of pharmacy students at the end of their didactic curriculum to explore relationships among PCOA scores, grade point average (GPA), and North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) scores utilizing regression analyses. Decisions about student learning based on PCOA scores and GPA indicated remediation would have been prescribed for approximately 7% of students. In comparison, NAPLEX scores revealed a 1% failure rate among the study sample. Relationships between PCOA scores and GPA (r=0.47) and NAPLEX (r=0.51) were moderate to large, respectively. GPA explained a larger portion of unique variance (14%) than PCOA (8%) in NAPLEX scores. In this sample of students, academic decisions would have varied depending upon the learning assessment, which is consistent with a moderate correlation between GPA and PCOA scores. Although PCOA scores correlate with GPA and NAPLEX, PCOA scores explained a smaller portion of unique variance in NAPLEX scores than GPA. The ongoing establishment of validity evidence of PCOA scores is important for meaningful interpretation of scores for the intended uses. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Development Curriculum Plan To Achieve a Sequenced Curriculum between High School Courses in Automotive Mechanics and the Mattatuck Community College Automotive Technician Program. Final Report.

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Mattatuck Community Coll., Waterbury, CT.

This document contains a developmental curriculum plan for an articulated curriculum in automotive mechanics for Connecticut's Mattatuck Community College and area high schools. The curriculum guide includes a course description, criteria for evaluation, attendance policy, objectives, a curriculum outline, a three-part automotive technician test,…

45 CFR 605.38 - Preschool and adult education.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Preschool and adult education. 605.38 Section 605... Preschool, Elementary, and Secondary Education § 605.38 Preschool and adult education. A recipient to which this subpart applies that provides preschool education or day care or adult education may not, on the...

Embedding International Experiences in Business Curriculum Design: Cultivating a Study Abroad Program

Science.gov (United States)

Babb, Jeffry; Womble, Lynsee A.; De'Armond, De'Arno

2013-01-01

In business education, the impacts of the globalization of markets, financial institutions, and economies exert increasing influence on the curriculum in business schools. Schools of business recognize the need to embed international experiences into their curriculum in order to prepare students for global context of the marketplace. Often,…

The effect of a physical activity intervention on preschoolers' fundamental motor skills - A cluster RCT.

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Wasenius, Niko S; Grattan, Kimberly P; Harvey, Alysha L J; Naylor, Patti-Jean; Goldfield, Gary S; Adamo, Kristi B

2018-07-01

To assess the effect of a physical activity intervention delivered in the childcare centres (CC), with or without a parent-driven home physical activity component, on children's fundamental motor skills (FMS). Six-month 3-arm cluster randomized controlled trial. Preschoolers were recruited from 18 licensed CC. CC were randomly assigned to a typical curriculum comparison group (COM), childcare intervention alone (CC), or childcare intervention with parental component (CC+HOME). FMS was measured with the Test of Gross Motor Development-2. Linear mixed models were performed at the level of the individual while accounting for clustering. Raw locomotor skills score increased significantly in the CC group (mean difference=2.5 units, 95% Confidence Intervals, CI, 1.0-4.1, p0.05) between group differences were observed in the raw object control skills, sum of raw scores, or gross motor quotient. No significant sex differences were found in any of the measured outcomes. A physical activity intervention delivered in childcare with or without parents' involvement was effective in increasing locomotor skills in preschoolers. Copyright © 2017 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Real Estate Curriculum for Community Colleges.

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Robert W.

The Oregon Department of Education has prepared this curriculum guide to assist community college personnel in developing or upgrading real estate programs. This fast-growing field has demanded that community colleges analyze the course content of such programs so that they are relevant to the actual needs of the industry. An Advisory Committee…

Preschool life skills: Recent advancements and future directions.

Science.gov (United States)

Fahmie, Tara A; Luczynski, Kevin C

2018-01-01

Over the past decade, researchers have replicated and extended research on the preschool life skills (PLS) program developed by Hanley, Heal, Tiger, and Ingvarsson (2007). This review summarizes recent research with respect to maximizing skill acquisition, improving generality, evaluating feasibility and acceptability, and testing predictions of the initial PLS study. For each area, we suggest directions for future research. © 2018 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

The Swiss Master in Chiropractic Medicine Curriculum: Preparing Graduates to Work Together With Medicine to Improve Patient Care.

Science.gov (United States)

Humphreys, B Kim; Peterson, Cynthia K

2016-12-01

In 2007, chiropractic became 1 of the 5 medical professions in Switzerland. This required a new chiropractic program that was fully integrated within a Swiss medical school. The purpose of this article was to discuss the Master in Chiropractic Medicine (MChiroMed) program at the University of Zürich, including advantages, opportunities, and challenges. In 2008, the MChiroMed program began with its first student cohort. The MChiroMed program is a 6-year Bologna model 2-cycle (bachelor and master) "spiral curriculum," with the first 4 years being fully integrated within the medical curriculum. A review of the main features of the curriculum revealed the advantages, opportunities, and challenges of this program in comparison with other contemporary chiropractic educational programs. Advantages and opportunities include an integrated curriculum within a university, medical school, and musculoskeletal hospital, with their associated human and physical resources. Many opportunities exist for high-level research collaborations. The rigorous entrance qualifications and small student cohorts result in bright, motivated, and enthusiastic students; appropriate assessments; and timely feedback on academic and clinical subjects. Early patient contact in hospitals and clinical facilities encourages the integration of academic theory and clinical practice. The main challenges faced by this program include difficulty recruiting a sufficient number of students because of the rigorous entrance requirements and curriculum overload resulting from undertaking a full medical curriculum and chiropractic modules. The MChiroMed program is a unique chiropractic curriculum that integrates medical and chiropractic education within a spiral curriculum at a world-class Swiss university medical school. The expectation is that graduates, with their expanded diagnostic and therapeutic knowledge, skills, and experience, will become future experts in primary spine care in Switzerland. It is hoped