Doctor of Education , University of Dayton, 2023, Educational Administration

This study explored how early childhood educators experience compassion fatigue and what the primary triggers of compassion fatigue are. Findings showed that the three primary triggers of compassion fatigue included poor communication, lack of administrative support, and lack of appropriate self-care opportunities. With this information, the study centered on alleviating compassion fatigue through administrative support, specifically through the coordinator role within the early childhood department. The action plan addressed the three main issues with the objectives of implementing a new communication system, monthly self-care stipends, and frequent administrative support through weekly check-ins and in-classroom support. As early childhood educators' compassion fatigue begins to alleviate, the number of call-offs will decrease, burnout will subside, and retention rates will improve (Palladino & et al., 2007). Overall, this action plan provides much-needed support to early childhood educators from administrators and demonstrates the importance of having a role such as a coordinator in early childhood education.

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2023, Curriculum and Instruction: Early Childhood Education

An Abstract of Quality in Early Childhood Education: Parent, Child, and Teacher Insight by Debora L. Belcher Submitted to the Graduate Faculty as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Curriculum and Instruction: Early Childhood Education The University of Toledo December 2023 The word ‘quality' in the phrase ‘quality early childhood education' (ECE) is notoriously difficult to define. There is no doubt it's important to have enforceable state-level standards in ECE, so consumers can have some assurance their children are being provided a safe and nurturing environment which fosters emotional, intellectual, physical, and social development. Unfortunately, in many instances the regulatory atmosphere born of these good intentions has become heavy-handed, stifling creativity, and rewarding those whose only goal is to comply with a static set of often outdated rules. Conversely, research has shown that methods of providing ever-better quality education to preschool children are likely to flourish in a responsive regulatory atmosphere that rewards innovation, and which seeks input from various stakeholders, such as parents, teachers, and young children. However, with respect to gaining an understanding of the ECE preferences or interests of young children, researchers have found difficulty in obtaining reliable data. Verbal interviews necessarily rely on subjects whose facility with language is at an early stage of development. The relatively new methodology known as Photo Elicitation Interview (PEI) research offers exciting opportunities for hearing the authentic voices of young children, potentially allowing the researcher to largely ‘bypass' complications created by ‘word-heavy' interactions. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore the preferences of end-state users of ECE: parents, teachers, and young children. The study does this by attempting to discover those preferences in the selectio (open full item for complete abstract)

MED, Kent State University, 2022, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Lifespan Development and Educational Sciences

The inclusive education of young children with disabilities has been an on growing focus in government policies and research around the world. In the US and Turkey, the policies and legal foundations support and mandate early childhood inclusion and the least restrictive environments that would benefit the learning of young children with disabilities. Researchers conduct research on inclusive practices/interventions in inclusive settings to help identify the best available practices/interventions that would support the development of children with and without disabilities. A review of the US and Turkey inclusive practices is needed to provide an overview of the research available and the breadth and depth of the literature. The purpose of this scoping review was to summarize and map the early childhood inclusive practices/intervention literature in the US and Turkey and to identify the similarities and differences between the two countries. Thematic analysis was used to investigate and categorize the studies. Results reported 10 early childhood inclusive practices/interventions categories, trends in developmental areas and academic skills of focus, and revealed several gaps in the literature. Implications and future directions were discussed to support interested parties in developing government policies, conducting research, and applying practices/interventions in inclusive settings.

Doctor of Education (Educational Leadership), Youngstown State University, 2016, Department of Teacher Education and Leadership Studies

Early childhood education has proven to be a significant return on investment for society. Research studies have reported greater academic achievement levels, increased probability to graduate, hold a job, and earn higher wages, and be less likely to be involved in the criminal justice system. These results are predicated on one important factor: the early childhood program must be high quality. Unfortunately, there are no clear criteria to identify the measures of high quality. While there are a number of areas that may be considered indicators of high quality early childhood education, i.e., curriculum, class size, and teacher-parent relationships, the one area that has garnered significant attention, through research, is the teacher. The teacher is, perhaps, the most important factor in the success of students. But what characteristics of the early childhood teacher impact student achievement? The purpose of this study was to investigate training differences in early childhood teachers. The study sample was comprised of students in a 3- and 4-year-old federally and state funded program in Mercer County in Pennsylvania. The data were gathered over two school years and represented 55 classrooms in the county, 33 unique teachers, and 749 students in the assessment averages in order to answer the following question: To what degree do teacher variables of college degree, certification, years of experience in the county early childhood programs, higher education institution issuance of degrees, or state issuance of certification affect child outcomes? A correlational analysis was conducted in order to assess the association between the teacher variables and child outcomes. Based on the findings of this study there is a relationship between the teacher's degree, certification, and years of experience in the county early childhood program, with years of experience revealing the greatest impact. This information can inform hiring practices, certificat (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2023, Social Work

Early childhood expulsions are estimated to impact more than 17,000 children and families annually (Malik, 2017), depriving them of their ability to participate in early care and education (ECE). Black children and families are disproportionately impacted by early childhood expulsions, which is concerning because being excluded from ECE programming has a host of potential negative consequences. This three-phase mixed methods study examined (a) the program and community characteristics associated with early childhood expulsion risk; (b) the ways in which ECE providers describe children at risk for expulsion and their behaviors, with a particular emphasis on comparing descriptions for Black and White children; and (c) assessing differences in expulsion odds by race given providers' descriptions of children and children's receipt of expulsion prevention programming. This study used data from a statewide early childhood expulsion prevention program (ECEPP) combined with secondary data about community and ECE program characteristics. The results from the study are presented separately in the chapters as described below. Chapter Two used data from the ECEPP combined with data from the statewide child care licensing database, the American Community Survey, and the Child Opportunity indices to identify characteristics of ECE programs and communities that were associated with an ECE program's odds of requesting expulsion prevention programming and with the likelihood that a program would identify a child as at risk for expulsion. Results from the 3,408 ECE programs and 569 ECEPP referrals received between April 2016 and December 2019 statewide show that community levels of health-related child opportunity are positively associated with a program's likelihood of making an ECEPP referral. Corporate ECE programs and programs that accepted publicly funded child care (PFCC) were also both more likely to refer children for ECEPP, as were programs with higher quality levels. Cor (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2022, Higher Education

The present phenomenographic research aimed to explore the qualitatively different ways early childhood educators experienced career pathway transitions from a Child Development Associate credential to an associate degree program. I applied Schlossberg's Transition Theory as a data collection and analysis framework. I collected narratives from fifteen early childhood educators across Ohio who earned their credentials and transitioned to or graduated from associate degree programs in early childhood education within the past five years. I interpreted the data and created the outcome space identifying six categories of description highlighting the context, conditions, motivation, support, strategies, and progress of the collective transition experience. From the categories of the outcome space, I produced six key findings: (1) level of support needed, (2) impact of star-rating on the decision to transition, (3) swirling movement, 4) motivation despite obstacles, (5) benefits of higher education on teaching preparedness, and (6) a new application of Schlossberg's Transition Theory. The findings point to potential, actionable strategies to support early childhood educator professional development, including continued and increased scholarship funding to early childhood educators, empowerment of program administrators/directors, individualized higher education recruitment practices, and advocacy efforts to promote the profession by showcasing success stories.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2021, Curriculum and Instruction (Education)

Childhood trauma is ubiquitous and impacts millions of children each year in the United States. Previous research suggests that teachers are ill-prepared to support children in the classroom who experience trauma, contributing to misdiagnoses and the implementation of inappropriate supports for some students. The lack of knowledge teachers previously report suggests they do not receive sufficient education and training through their teacher preparation programs. This qualitative case study explores, from various stakeholders' perspectives, the ways that teacher candidates are prepared to support children who experience trauma and the ways that mentor teachers are prepared to guide and support teacher candidates in clinical field experiences. Analysis of data collected from a qualitative survey and semi-structure interviews revealed that teacher candidates feel prepared to support learners who experience trauma. Specifically, this perception of preparedness is provided through three supportive structures delivered through the Clinical Model of teacher preparation. Findings also reveal that mentor teachers receive varying levels and types of training related to trauma and experience a number of both, supports and barriers, regarding mentoring teacher candidates. These findings have implications and recommendations for teacher education as well as suggestions for future research.

PHD, Kent State University, 2018, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the influence of social-emotional competence (SEC) and various other student- and school-level variables on the academic achievement of kindergarteners. Data were collected on a nationally representative cohort of kindergarteners as part of the United States Department of Education's Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS-K: 2011) beginning in fall 2010 (n = 18,174). As part of the ECLS-K: 2011, students were assessed via a wide range of sources of information about the children's development, early learning, and school progress. The obtained data were analyzed via Hierarchical Linear Modeling to investigate the influence of student- and teacher-level factors on student achievement. The study found the following: 1) that there was a significant amount of variability in children's mathematics and reading achievement in spring of kindergarten that is explained by school-level variables, as opposed to student-level variables; 2) that children's membership in particular racial groups, gender categories, and socioeconomic statuses all resulted in significant within-school mathematics and reading achievement gaps in spring of kindergarten, controlling for various student background characteristics; 3) that various school-level variables significantly contributed to models predicting children's spring kindergarten mathematics and reading achievement; and 4) children's poverty interacted with their school membership to affect spring kindergarten mathematics and reading achievement.

Doctor of Education, Miami University, 2018, Educational Leadership

The purpose of this mixed methods bounded case study was twofold: 1. to explore qualitatively the experiences of parent participants in the READY! for Kindergarten parent education program, and 2. to examine quantitatively the impact of the program on the outcomes of children of participants as compared to the children of non-participants. A dosage effect was also examined to determine if attending the program four or more times impacted students' school readiness on the same measures. Structured interviews were conducted with 19 READY! participants. On the whole, interviewees valued their experiences in the program; utilized, with their children at home, the knowledge and resources provided; improved their home learning environments; and highly recommend the program to other parents of preschoolers. Quantitative analysis was undertaken to explore the research question examining kindergarten readiness assessment results for three cohorts totaling 441 students. Independent sample t-tests were run with two kindergarten readiness assessments as dependent variables. The results indicate that although the children of READY! participants in the three cohorts studied achieved slightly higher mean scores on both assessments, there is no statistically significant correlation between participation in READY! and improved school readiness for the participants' children. No dosage effect was found in this study for students whose parents participated in four or more READY! for Kindergarten sessions.

Master of Education (MEd), Ohio University, 2018, Special Education Early Childhood Special Education (Education)

Children receiving special education services in public classrooms in the United States are consistently suspended, physically restrained, and secluded at rates much higher than their peers who do not receive special education services. The use of these negative punitive practices during the early childhood periods of development have lasting, negative outcomes for students such as negative school attitudes, increased risk for dropping out of high school, and incarceration (Diamond, Justice, Siegler & Snyder, 2013; Garcia, Heckman, Leaf & Prados, 2016). These outcomes can be diminished through the use of equitable discipline practices for all students, including those with disabilities. However, scholars have previously identified gaps between the evidence-based practices identified to prevent or reduce challenging behaviors and teachers' use of these practices. In this study, the researcher aims to examine the beliefs (perceptions of students with disabilities and self-efficacy for teaching students with disabilities) and knowledge (content knowledge of behavior-specific evidence-based practices) teacher candidates possess about these evidence- based practices. Survey responses by teacher candidates in early childhood education, early childhood special education, and K-12 special education were compared. The researcher found teacher candidates across program types have positive perceptions of children and individuals with disabilities and that teacher candidates held high levels of self-efficacy for teaching, regardless of the type of teacher preparation program. Mean scores for knowledge measures were low for all teacher candidates. Teacher candidates enrolled in dual licensure early childhood and early childhood special education programs, on average, had higher mean knowledge scores than single licensure candidates enrolled in early childhood programs. This disparity may contribute to the disproportionate numbers of students with disabilities that are subjected (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2018, Curriculum and Instruction: Early Childhood Education

Assessment is often used to hold schools and teachers accountable for student learning. Assessment instruments are used as tools to guide curriculum choices and lesson plans, from districts to individual students. In any discipline, knowing what students know and what they have learned following a lesson is important on multiple levels. This is especially true in subjects like science. Despite recommendations from many leading early childhood education authorities, short answer, paper-and-pencil type, tests often prevail for young learners across many subject areas. This type of assessment may not provide all students with the opportunities needed to fully articulate what they've learned. This study examined two contexts of assessment following a science investigation, in a second-grade classroom - existing teacher-driven tests and an interview, or narrative, approach to assessment. The teacher-driven test was a one-dimensional, multiple-choice, test. The post-lesson interview was an open-ended interview where student participants were asked to tell a story about what they learned in science. During the interview, students were provided with an opportunity to use various other “languages” to share what was learned. Although the teacher-driven test proved to be a successful assessment “language” for some students, the post-lesson interview empowered more students to express what they learned with more detail. The post-lesson interview also showed that this type of assessment context has the potential to provide useful feedback on lesson quality, future science investigations, and individual student interests. This study also applied an innovative approach to the assessment data by pairing the teacher-driven test with the post-lesson interview. Among other positive results, this unique pairing raised teacher-driven test scores from below average, to above average. This research demonstrated that one-dimensional assessments fail to capture everything students learn. Fu (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2011, EDU Teaching and Learning

This study investigates the forms of social organization found in modern classrooms and classroom lessons, as they are encountered by children in a rural Turkish village, in its village school. It is a study of the early childhood education and educational experience of these children. It is composed of a collection of ethnographic descriptions and discourse analyses that examine the social–organizational forms of life found in the village, those found in the school, and the experiences and attitudes of village children, parents and elders towards schooling and its place in their lives. These three foci organize the early childhood educational experiences of these children. They organize a larger picture of their encounters with schooling in the early grades and the place of schooling in the lives of their families. All children develop the competencies required of them as they participate in their routine daily activities with little, if any, direct or explicit instruction. Much of early childhood education is of this implicit, participatory character. The instruction that is implicit to their participation, whether in the classroom community or the village community, is both taken granted, and closely studied by the children. It is in these ways that modern school rooms engage in the production of modern students, among village children.

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2010, Dentistry

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether full-mouth rehabilitation of children with severe early childhood caries (S-ECC) had any impact on parental stress as measured by the Parenting Stress Index (PSI). Methods: This IRB-approved longitudinal case control study consisted of a cohort examined at the Nationwide Children's Hospital Dental Surgery Center (DSC). Children were required to have a minimum of 6 carious teeth for inclusion. Patients were treated under general anesthesia for S-ECC. The primary caregiver completed the PSI and demographic information. Patients were scheduled for a recall visit 1-3 months later with standardized study personnel. Caregivers re-accomplished the PSI. Continuous variables were analyzed using the Student's t-test. Results: Forty parent-child dyads completed the initial and 3 month recall visits for pilot data. Mean age of children was 43 months (±12.5). Mean caregiver age was 27.4 years (±8.3). Children presented with a mean of 9.6 carious teeth ((±3.4). Treatment of S-ECC did not significantly impact parental stress (p=0.426) or total family stress (p=.237). There were small but significant changes in three subscales within the Child Domain: Adaptability (p=0.034), Reinforces Parent (p=0.039), and Mood (p=0.038). Conclusions: Parental stress levels, as measured by the PSI, are not significantly altered by treatment of S-ECC under general anesthesia.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2008, ED Physical Activities and Educational Services

Phonological awareness skills (i.e., phonemic awareness, rhyme awareness, awareness of alliteration, etc.) are important to the reading ability of all participants (National Early Literacy Panel, 2007; National Reading Panel, 2000). More specifically, these skills are critical to the success of participants defined as at risk for reading disabilities (Adams, 1990; Juel, 1988). This study analyzed the effects of explicit instruction in phonemic awareness, rhyme awareness and awareness of alliteration as well as instruction in discrimination of the differences among the skills and their relationships. This study also provided a basis for introducing a computerized format of the Get it, Got it, Go and to compare the results obtained from the computer-based version with the traditional format of the assessment. Results indicate that participants responded favorably to the explicit instruction through increased responding if they had evidence of the individual skills prior to the beginning of instruction and emergence of the skill and growth in responding after instruction started. The computerized format was also found to be a valid and reliable format of the Get it, Got it Go assessment instrument. Lastly, contributions of this study and future research are presented

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2007, Teaching and Learning

This ethnographic study explores aspects of how the natural sciences are represented in a Reggio Emilia-inspired laboratory preschool. The natural sciences as a discipline, a latecomer to preschool curricula, and the internationally-known approach, Reggio Emilia, have interested educators and researchers, but there is little research about Science in Reggio Emilia. The current research aimed to gain insight into natural science experiences in a Reggio Emilia-inspired classroom. To gain in-depth information, this inquiry-based study adapted a research design with ethnographic data collection techniques (i.e., interview, observation, document/artifact collection, and field-notes). The data were analyzed from an interpretive perspective using multiple lenses. These lenses included classroom culture, the Reggio Emilia approach, and Early Learning Content Standards. Several theories guided the study design, including data gathering and analysis. These theories included Spradley's (1980) Developmental Research Sequence Method, which is a well-known ethnographic method, and Corsaro's (1997) peer culture theory. The study involved 18 preschoolers, 10 teachers, and a program director. The results indicated that the Reggio Emilia-inspired preschool offered a science-rich context that triggered and supported preschoolers' inquiries, and effectively engaged preschoolers' hands, heads and hearts with science. The Reggio Emilia-inspired preschool classroom in this study even exceeded the pre-K standards for natural sciences. The results showed that the Reggio pedagogy, which is grounded in inquiry, is very compatible with science education goals.

Psy. D., Antioch University, 2010, Antioch Santa Barbara: Clinical Psychology

An infant's attachment relationship with primary caregivers has been demonstrated to have a long-term relationship to an individual's social and emotional functioning throughout the lifespan. Recognizing the critical importance of this period, interventions to facilitate secure attachment are now being evaluated for treatment efficacy. Evaluation of these treatments has typically focused on the components of treatment, examining changes in maternal sensitivity, parental attachment representations, and concrete support to address basic needs, housing, or other contextual factors, and evidence has been found to support the inclusion of these factors. However, little is known regarding what elements of treatment impact the effectiveness of dyadic parent-child interventions; the research that has been completed has focused primarily on aspects of the intervention. There continues to be considerable debate in the psychotherapy literature regarding whether the specific components of an intervention, or the common factors present in all interventions, are responsible for therapeutic change. The purpose of the present study was to examine the role of one common factor, therapeutic alliance, in facilitating attachment-based protective factors in the child. It was hypothesized that therapeutic alliance, as rated by the parent, would predict improvements in attachment-related protective factors as rated by the treating interventionist following 6 months of dyadic intervention. The results of the present study found that specific subscales of the therapeutic alliance (the goal, task, and total alliance scales) predicted changes in children's initiative behavior, but not their attachment-related engagement behavior. Therapeutic alliance also predicted treatment participation, and it was not possible to rule out treatment exposure as a mediating variable between therapeutic alliance and change in initiative behavior. Implications for future research and practice are discussed (open full item for complete abstract)

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2024, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: School Psychology

Early childhood education (ECE) teachers who are new to the profession face challenges related to a lack of training and preparation, sustainable support within settings, and professional learning opportunities. Structured peer support can decrease the burden on early career ECE teachers while increasing aspects of well-being. One such structured peer support is structured peer supervision and consultation. While previous research has evaluated the effects of structured peer supervision and consultation on applied communication skills, aspects of well-being, and structures of consultation, the participants have been primarily been school psychology trainees. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a Preschool Peer Consultation (PPC) intervention package on applied communication skills, well-being, and structures of peer consultation for early career ECE teachers. The study used a single-case withdrawal design to evaluate the PPC intervention package. Results of the study provide preliminary support that the PPC intervention package resulted in an overall increase in teachers' perception of well-being as well as an increase in latency to one communication skill, offering advice.

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2022, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: School Psychology

Early literacy skills are key indicators of later reading success. Without the development of these prerequisite skills during early childhood, children are at risk for reading difficulties in elementary grades and beyond. By third grade, the gap between expected reading performance and actual reading proficiency is extensive and remains into eighth grade. Therefore, preventative and responsive services in early childhood education addressing early literacy skills can support both positive academic and behavioral student outcomes. Dialogic reading (DR) is an evidence-based intervention that targets early literacy skills like oral language, vocabulary, and print concepts. DR involves one or more students and an interventionist discussing information from a book including pictures and text. The interventionist prompts the student to provide information, provides feedback, and models an elaboration on the student's response. Although research suggests DR has the potential to impact the early literacy skills of young children, intervention fidelity must be maintained for the intervention to be effective for students. To improve intervention fidelity for DR, supports such as intervention scripts or checklists can be provided to practitioners and interventionists. This manuscript reports on two single case design studies conducted in an early childhood setting that together examined (a) the effects of intervention supports on the intervention fidelity of teachers performing interventions, and (b) student reading outcomes when teachers accessed DR intervention supports. Study 1 focused on intervention scripts and an intervention checklist on intervention fidelity using an alternating treatment design. Findings indicated that both supports equivalently increased teachers' (N = 4) intervention fidelity, though the teachers preferred using a checklist. Study 2 examined the effects of the intervention supports and subsequent increased intervention fidelity on student readin (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Education, Miami University, 2023, Educational Leadership

This qualitative interview study investigated teachers' perspectives on play pedagogy and the challenges of implementing play as a learning method in early childhood classes. The study collected qualitative data from four preschool teachers and two kindergarten teachers in a school in Midwest Ohio. Teachers shared their experiences through in-depth interviews. Data was analyzed and categorized into themes according to the interview questions. Findings concluded a positive perspective and understanding of play and its benefits among preschool teachers. However, there was a shift in teachers' perspectives about play at the kindergarten level. Teachers felt pressured to meet the state academic standards and prepare children for grade one. They followed traditional teacher-guided methods, reducing play and child-centered learning opportunities. The importance of play in children's whole development is supported by a substantial amount of research (NAEYC, 2009). However, play is disappearing in early childhood classes (Bassok, 2016; Miller & Almon, 2009). Moreover, teachers' perspectives on play are changing due to the pressure to meet high academic expectations at the kindergarten level (Miller & Almon, 2009). This study conveys teachers' voices and contributes to understanding play pedagogy and how it is perceived and implemented in preschool and kindergarten classrooms.

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2023, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: Educational Studies

Early experiences with nature lead to an array of developmental benefits and learning across multiple domains. Such learning fosters an early connection to nature and the seedlings for environmental stewardship. This retrospective designed study investigates the relationship between nature-based early learning (NBEL) experiences and a developing sustainable mindset during preadolescence; a time when children form their identity, develop 21st century skills, make meaningful connections to place and community, and construct environmental literacy. Measurable outcomes include preadolescents' connection to nature and proenvironmental behavioral intentions. These two outcomes reflect developing sustainable mindsets appropriate for this age group. A combination of surveys with preadolescents and their parents were used to collect data to demonstrate the complexities of NBEL experiences, parental influence, and these factors' relationship with preadolescents' developing sustainable mindsets. Results found that across the nuanced NBEL experience groups, both parents and preadolescents reported high values of nature and concerns for the environments. Additionally, regardless of NBEL group membership, family responses indicated participants came from similar demographic backgrounds in terms of income and parental education level. Discussion of these findings suggest the importance of access to nature and SES when considering NBEL experiences and how these factors may be assessed in the future.