Research Around the World

I chose to explore the Early Childhood Development Virtual University (ECDVU) Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) which was developed by and is maintained by the University of Victoria, Canada. This virtual university is the international gateway for early childhood research worldwide. Through the link below, you can access ECDVU’s Sub-Saharan Africa portal. The second link provides a list of current early childhood research conducted by students in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The links are:
 http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/index.php
http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/major_reports.php

Some of the current international research topics listed on the website are related to school-parent relationships, early childhood needs and quality care, involving fathers in early care and education, assessing school readiness, curriculum development, teacher training and education, parent education, and Indigenous studies to name a few. What I noticed these topics for research are universal and relating issues are experienced throughout the world. The research topics listed  are final major projects and theses of master early childhood students. In all honesty, I did not gain any surprising facts, insights, ideas from exploring this website. It is a virtual online university dedicated to further developing African ECD leadership capacity as a key strategy in support of child, family and community well-being and broader social and economic development and committed to improving the quality of life for children and their families in SSA. I did not find any other noteworthy information other than the fact there is a coomon thread around the globe related to ECE professionals and organizations comittment to children and families. We have spent so much time here at Walden, exploring international websites that I have come to realize that the issues related to the early childhood field and research topics are universal around the globe.

Research Benefiting Children and Families

Some time ago as part of my educational journey, I discovered the Center of the Developing Child which is a multidisciplinary team committed to driving science-based innovation in policy and practice located at Harvard University and led by Jack P. Shonkoff, M.D.  As I explored the research related to early experiences and brain development, I found research related to three core concepts of early development which include: Experiences build brain architecture, Serve and Return Interaction Shapes Brain Circuitry, and Toxic Stress Derails Healthy Development. The basic architecture of the brain is constructed through a process that begins early in life and continues into adulthood.

 (Center for the Developing Child, 20 2011).

One of the most essential experiences in shaping the architecture of the developing brain is “serve and return” interaction between children and significant adults in their lives. Learning how to cope with adversity is an important part of healthy development (Center for the Developing Child, 2011). I find these research topics interesting and exciting because as a infant/toddler teacher I realized I play an important role in providing positive early experiences for the very young children in my classroom that have the potential for positively shaping their brain architecture and  also the potential to educate their parents on these topics and to provide them with resources and support helping them to do the same. 

Advances in neuroscience, molecular biology, and genomics now give a much better understanding of how early experiences are built into our bodies and brains, for better or for worse. This research is important to the field of early childhood education in creating positive changes in policy and practice as well as to encouraging the youngest of children to develop the necessary foundations for future educational achievement, economic productivity, responsible citizenship, lifelong health, strong communities, and successful parenting of the next generation (Center for the Developing Child, 2011). Please view the videos I am attaching as they are quite insigtful.

References

Center for the Developing Child. (2011). Multimedia Series: Three Core Concepts of Early Development.  Harvard University. Retrieved from http://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/three-core-concepts-in-early-development/

Personal Research Journey

Light-Up Baby Touch Tablet from Vtech

As an early childhood educator and grandparent of infants and toddlers, the impact of electronic toys on infant and toddler development is both a professional and personal interest. As seen in commercials and advertisements, the companies that make these toys with flashing lights and sounds make the claim that their toys foster development. Of course, parents and others run out and buy these toys for their young children, relatives, and friends. As a child development specialist and early childhood teacher of the youngest of children, I have my doubts that these toys actually foster development significantly; therefore,  I would like to explore this topic further. I seek to answer the general question, “What is the impact of electronic toys on infant and toddler development?” I have narrowed my general topic down to three subtopics which relate to the quality of young children’s play, the importance of child/adult interactions in the early years, and language development. Research show the importance of active, imaginative and explorative play to children’s development across all domains of development including developing language (Levin & Rosenquest, 2001).  Studies also find that the characteristics of child and adult interactions are important to the quality of young children’s play and development.  Since the  characteristics of child and adult influences the quality of play and what children learn, we can assume that the characteristics of children’s interactions with toys also influence the quality of play and development (Levin & Rosenquest, 2001). The topic I have decided to explore for my research simulation is:  In what ways do infant and toddler’s interactions with electronic toys influence the quality of their play and development?  

http://vtech.com

 So far, the information in our textbook, assigned readings, research charts, and applications as well as our discussions have been helpful in understanding research as a tool, in choosing a topic, as well as in narrowing it down, and in understanding reading formal research. I expect this will continue as the course progresses and I work on the simulation. The problems I am experiencing are locating credible resources related to the ways that infant and toddler’s interactions with electronic toys influence the quality of their play and development and managing my time as locating resources can be time consuming. If anyone knows of credible resources on this topic, please share them. Also, any suggestions for managing time and for locating resources is much appreciated.

Reference

Levin, D.E. & Rosenquest, B. (2001). The increasing role of electronic toys in the lives of infants and toddlers: Should we be concerned? Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood. (2) 242-247, doi:10.2304/ciec.2001.2.2.9. Retrieved from http://cie.sagepub.com/