Progress 04/01/06 to 06/30/13
Outputs
Target Audience: The target audience for this research study was associated with Early Childhood Programs and Family Home Day Care Centers: Directors, Teachers, and Children’s Parents. Efforts to reach the targeted audience included: a workshop, formal classroom instruction, and informational sessions. Changes/Problems: A decrease had occurred in the number of family daycare home centers’ agreement or willingness to participate in the study. This change may have occurred due to the recession and/or governmental/economic setbacks or the closings of some family daycare home centers. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? The project hosted a Working Luncheon/Meeting for participants participating in a pilot study evaluating quality in childcare within early childhood programs on July 13, 2007. The participants completed a survey to determine the validity of the survey. Their comments regarding the pilot survey were most valued, appreciated, and taken into consideration during the construction design of the pilot surveys. Mrs. Onika Luster-Jackson, DHS Childcare Licensing Specialist, was the guest speaker for the Working Luncheon/Meeting. Ms. Luster-Jackson presented information on licensing and grant opportunities to those present who had expressed interest in obtaining licensure and/or an accreditation status for their centers. During September 3, 2010, the project hosted a Technology Training Seminar for Head Start Teachers. Head Start teachers received training in devising power-point presentations as well as delivery methods for oral presentations. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Pilot Preschool Data Results Six directors (86%) and one preschool teacher (14%) participated in a pilot study during July 2007. Seven participants (N = 7) responded yes to completing the screening form freely and voluntarily. Three directors gave their consent to be re-contacted later for an on-site observation visit, while three abstained. Only one director reported that she did not want to be re-contacted for an on-site observation. Demographics: Of the pilot participants, one participant (14.3%) had completed high school. Five (71.4%) had obtained college degrees, while one director (14.3%) had a doctorate degree. Five participants (71.4%) were African American and two (28.6%) were Caucasian. The participants’ salaries ranged from less than $10,000 to between $55,000 and $59,000. Interest in Accreditation: Participants were asked whether their center was accredited. Five participants (71.4%) responded no, while two (28.6%) responded yes. Of the seven participants, six (85.7%) stated that they would be interested in their center working towards national accreditation, while one abstained. Acknowledgments and results of the pilot study were disseminated to the pilot participants via e-mail. These findings were noted and the pilot participants’ comments/suggestions were incorporated into three survey designs for infant/toddler, preschool/ head start, and family home day care centers. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
During Fall 2006, a cover letter and consent form were developed for three pilot surveys (Infant/Toddler Centers, Preschool Day Care Centers, and Family Day Care Home Centers). In addition, the front and back covers for each of the three pilot survey booklets were designed and submitted to the university’s print shop for printing along with the survey questions to assess directors’, teachers’, and parents’ perceptions of quality within their facilities.
Publications
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Progress 10/01/11 to 09/30/12
Outputs
OUTPUTS: During the Fall 2012 semester, the researcher entered some data that were collected from participants (directors, teachers, and parents) from early childhood programs. From the data analyses, 160 had started, 2015 had viewed, 64 had dropped out after starting, while 60% participants (n=96) had completed an online survey. PARTICIPANTS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
The results or findings will be described after all the data have been input, entered, and after the analyses have been run. The data collected from the completed surveys will be continually entered during the Spring 2013 semester until all data information have been entered. The impact of this project will then be determined after such analyses.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 10/01/10 to 09/30/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: There was an observation of a low participation rate during Spring 2011 by directors, teachers, and parents in answering and completing the Early Childhood Online Surveys which were designed by utilizing the QuestionPro software. Because of this observation and online results, two paper survey booklets (Predictors of Quality in Early Childhood Programs in Southeast Arkansas: Day Care Centers and Head Start) and (Predictors of Quality in Early Childhood Programs in Southeast Arkansas: Family Day Care Homes) were then designed during the Fall 2011 semester in an effort to increase a higher response rate of participation in the study. As a result of this low response rate, two research assistants were hired during the Fall 2011 semester to promote and to improve the data collection process. The two research assistants traveled to Early Childhood Daycare Centers, Head Start Centers, and Family Daycare Homes in Jefferson County, where they assessed directors, teachers, and parents. PARTICIPANTS: Two research assistants, Ms. Anita Egar and Ms. Consuella Ventress, were employed as Extra Help personnel who worked on the project. They assisted by interviewing and collecting survey data from prospective participants. Training was provided to both indiviuals prior to data collection. Both research assistants were paid $10.49 per 8 hours for three weeks. Dr. Irene Lee, Associate Extension Agent, and Mrs. Vanessa Woods-Evans, Extension Family Specialist, at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff provided in-kind support and collaborated with the researcher to produce the two paper survey booklets. Mrs. Debbie Archer, Communications Specialist, and Mr. Brad Mayhugh, Graphic Printing Specialist, supplied in-kind support and collaborated with the researcher on the cover and inside design for the two survey booklets prior to the printing services of UAPB. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
During the data collection process, the research assistants discovered and reported that many of the prospective family daycare homes participants who had agreed earlier to participate elected not to continue to participate in the study. Also, some of the family day care homes had closed and were no longer in operation. These discoveries will impact the Jefferson County community by not being able to offer a variety of daycare center services for families as well as have an impact on the results of this study.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 10/01/09 to 09/30/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The two pilot surveys (Infant/Toddler and Preschool) were combined to form one survey (Early Childhood Survey). The revised Early Childhood Survey was then formulated into an online instrument tool. All questions on the Early Childhood Survey were edited and revised to encompass a 5-point rating scale for variability, which included a non-applicable (N/A) response. The pilot Family Home Survey also was formulated into an online survey instrument tool. The Family Home Survey questions also were edited and revised to encompass a 5-point rating scale for variability, which included a non-applicable (N/A) response similar to the aforementioned Early Childhood Survey. The QuestionPro Software Program was utilized to produce and design this online research tool. During the Fall 2010 semester, invitation/greeting letters and a consent form also were developed and created as an online tool in conjunction with the surveys to send to prospective participants to inform them about the research study, "Predictors of Quality in Early Childhood Programs in Southeast Arkansas." The researcher received confirmation that the online survey was adapted and posted to the Department of Human Sciences' web page on the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff's website for dissemination purposes. Prospective participants were then contacted via e-mail to participate in the online study during the Fall 2010 semester. PARTICIPANTS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Projected results of this proposed study will impact the prospected participants by influencing the parents to be able to make an informed decision when trying to select a quality early childhood program or family home daycare center for their child(ren). Directors and teachers will become more knowledgeable as to what comprises a quality early childhood program or family home daycare center. A change in conditions may result in the following for an overall improved environment for the early childhood programs or family home daycare centers (e.g., space and equipment, lighting, temperature, room arrangements, hardness/softness of toys' selections, mobiles for infants, furniture arrangements, play station center arrangements, toileting, etc.).
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 10/01/08 to 09/30/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: During the Summer 2009, measures were taken to revise, restructure, and adapt three pilot surveys into three online accessible survey instruments (Infant/Toddler, Preschool, and Family Home) for daycare center directors, parents of daycare children, and daycare teachers to complete. The researcher utilized the QuestionPro On-line Software Program with the aid and assistance of Mrs. Rita Conley to formulate the pilot surveys into a user friendly on-line survey design tool. In addition, an overall greeting page, cover letter with instructions, and a consent form were also added to accompany the online surveys to be considered and approved as a link via the UAPB website. The Division of Children and Family Services of DHHS also were contacted to provide updated addresses and e-mail addresses of daycare centers in Southeast Arkansas. Once we received those e-mail addresses, they were uploaded into the online survey tool design. Mr. Brad Mayhugh, SAFHS Communication Specialist, also was approached to design a banner to meet diversity standards to attach to the online survey tool. A website application form also was completed with the online survey tool attached and was forwarded to Dr. Linda Okiror (Assistant Dean) and to Mrs. Debbie Archer (SAFHS Communication Specialist). Recommendations to revise the infant/toddler and preschool surveys into one survey were suggested. During the Fall 2009 semester, measures were taken to revise the infant/toddler and preschool surveys into one survey. When the revised online surveys and the website application form receive the approval from Dr. Colyard (department chair), Dr. Okiror (assistant dean), and Mrs. Archer (communication specialist), the online surveys will then be attached as a link to the UAPB website. Also, once surveys are approved as a link and attached as a downloadable link on the department's page of the UAPB university website, the daycare center directors will be contacted to inform them that they can start downloading the surveys to answer and complete. PARTICIPANTS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Results from this research will impact and have future implications for directors, parents and teachers who work with children in early childhood programs and family home daycare centers.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 10/01/07 to 09/30/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Reliability analyses were run and established for three pilot surveys (Infant and Toddler; Preschool; and Family Home Daycare Centers) using SPSS 12.0 Software. For the Infant and Toddler Survey, four directors participated in the pilot study and rated their center on six categories: space and furnishings, personal care routines, listening and talking, activities, interaction, and parents and staff. The following 7-point scale was used for their responses: 1 = Inadequate to 7 = Outstanding. One item was eliminated from further analyses for space and furnishings (question 3); alpha = .97. One item was eliminated from further analyses for personal care routines (question 13); alpha = .78. For listening and talking, five items; alpha = .63. For interaction, two items were eliminated (questions 25 and 17); alpha = .83. For parents and staff, two items were eliminated (questions 38 and 39; alpha = .93. For the Preschool Survey, seven directors participated and rated their center on six categories: space and furnishings, personal care routines, language and reasoning, activities, interaction, and parents and staff. The following 7-point scale was used for their responses: 1 = Inadequate to 7 = Outstanding. For space and furnishings, alpha = .89. Two items were eliminated from further analyses for personal care routines (questions 12 and 14); alpha = .80. For language and reasoning, alpha = .75. For activities, one item was eliminated (question 27); alpha = .87. For interaction, one item was eliminated (question 30); alpha = .73. For parents and staff, two items were eliminated (questions 34 and 36; alpha = .79. For the Family Home Daycare Survey, two directors participated and rated their center on seven categories: space and furnishings, basic care, language and reasoning, learning activities, social development, adult needs, and provision for exceptional children. The following 7-point scale was used for their responses: 1 = Inadequate to 7 = Outstanding. For space and furnishings, one item was eliminated (question 3); alpha = 1.0. One item was eliminated from further analyses for basic care (question 11); alpha = .73. For language and reasoning, alpha = .96. For learning activities, two items were eliminated (questions 21 and 22); alpha = .63. For social development, one item was eliminated (question 29; alpha = .76. For adult needs; alpha = .89. For provision for exceptional children, one item was eliminated (question 35); alpha = .94. Changes and revisions will be incorporated and applied to the actual survey. The revised survey will be resubmitted to the print shop, reprinted, and mailed out to prospective participants during the Spring 2009 semester. Pilot results will be analyzed and disseminated to pilot participants. PARTICIPANTS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
The impact has not been determined as yet.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 10/01/06 to 09/30/07
Outputs
During Summer 2007, directors from infant and toddler, early childhood, and family day care homes participated in the pilot study. Participants were invited to attend a luncheon and workshop to learn more about the study on July 13, 2007. Mrs. Onika Luster, a licensure specialist, from the Jefferson County's DHHS was the guest speaker for the workshop. She presented relevant information on grants and licensure which were of interest to the pilot participants. While at the workshop, particpants completed a pilot survey.
Impacts
Data from the pilot study were entered and analyzed during the Fall 2007 semester, using SPSS 12.0 software program. Pilot results will be summarized.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 10/01/05 to 09/30/06
Outputs
This research program is in the planning stages. It is too soon to report any findings. This research project will examine predictors of quality in licensed early childhood programs including Head Start Centers and family day care homes in Southeast Arkansas (approximately 269 centers & family homes). During Summer 2006, three surveys were revised and refined into a letter-sized program booklet design format to include a demographic section. This section includes data on salaries (teachers and directors), level of education (teachers, parents, and directors), and education and training (teachers and directors). An open-ended question, What do you feel the center needs to become a quality center and what training is needed were added. These surveys will be given to directors, lead teachers, and parents in infant and toddler programs, early childhood programs, and day care family homes to gain their perceptions of a quality program. The Human Subjects Review Committee
also approved the survey revisions to be created into a downloadable link to be added to our Human Sciences Department's website page. During Fall 2006, a cover letter and consent form were developed. In addition, the front and back covers for each of the three survey booklets were designed and submitted to the university's printshop for printing.
Impacts
The research is in its initial stages. Therefore, it is too early to determine its economic, environmental, and/or social impact.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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