Source: SOUTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY submitted to NRP
ASSESSING THE DEGREE OF DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE ASSESSMENT, CURRICULUM, AND BEST STRATEGIES UTILIZED BY COMMUNITY-BASED CHILD CARE CENTER-BASED PROGRAMS
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
EVANS-ALLEN
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1003000
Grant No.
(N/A)
Cumulative Award Amt.
(N/A)
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
May 16, 2014
Project End Date
May 15, 2017
Grant Year
(N/A)
Program Code
[(N/A)]- (N/A)
Recipient Organization
SOUTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY
(N/A)
ORANGEBURG,SC 29117
Performing Department
Home Economics/Human Services
Non Technical Summary
When reviewing all child care programs in South Carolina, only a few can be thought of providing quality early care and development based on national accreditation best practice or regulatory compliance. The shared problem among these two different standards of quality in South Carolina differs little from what most research concludes: quality is highly correlated with a developmentally appropriate curriculum and the consistent implementation of developmentally appropriate practice in regard to teacher/child interactions. Inadequate implementation of developmentally appropriate practice in a child care center often translates as poorly implemented child care center. Parents who send their children to such programs--many of which are often the most affordable to them--are at a disadvantage and are endanger of being unprepared for formal schooling.The purpose of this study is (1) to explore the quality of assessment, curriculum, and interaction between early childhood educators and children in Orangeburg, Calhoun, Bamberg, Barnwell, Allendale early childhood programs; and (2) to record the structural characteristics of these early childhood programs. Data will collected in 10 center based early childhood private/non-profit programs in OCAB (Orangeburg, Calhoun County, Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell) Head Start Geographic Area using the ECERS, CLASS, and ASQ early childhood classroom structural/environmental instruments. Collected data analyzed using quantitative (correlational) and qualitative (content analysis methods) and decisions will be made as to whether differentiated levels of technical assistance are needed to raise child care centers in these counties as whole to a higher level of quality or whether a new curricular approach needs to be designed to meet such needs for these centers because of their unique characteristics and child nurturing needs. Expected results are that rural based early childhood programs utilize less high quality assessment curricular practices than more urban-based centers and that both rural and more urban centers practice a very similar type of developmentally appropriate teaching approach. Benefits to the university education early childhood program for accreditation purposes are set as possible medium and long term goals.
Animal Health Component
25%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
75%
Applied
25%
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
80260993020100%
Knowledge Area
802 - Human Development and Family Well-Being;

Subject Of Investigation
6099 - People and communities, general/other;

Field Of Science
3020 - Education;
Goals / Objectives
The goals of this project are: (1) to explore the quality of assessment, curriculum, and interaction between early childhood educators and children in Orangeburg, Calhoun, Bamberg, Barnwell, Allendale early childhood programs; and (2) to record the structural characteristics of these early childhood programs.
Project Methods
This will be a mixed-methods, comparative and contrasting study which will utilize semi-structure interviews, Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) Observational Data, CLASS Teacher Observational Data, Class Artifact Collecting, and electronic surveys. The population will be all early childhood child care center-based programs in Orangeburg Consolidated School Districts 4,5,6; Calhoun County School District; Allendale School District; Barnwell School District 19; Bamberg County School District 2 Correlations among structural characteristics (i.e. caregiver educational level, curriculum, adult:child ratio, daily schedule, etc.) and type of interaction are examined along with a qualitative investigation (via participant observation) of adult/child and child/child interactions. Correlations will be conducted using the "curriculum" and "interaction" and "schedule" scales of the Early Childhood Environmental Scale (ECERS), the interaction scales for the ASQ, and the teacher practice section of the CLASS. Qualitative investigation will be conducted via participant observations using running records, anecdotal records, checklists, and teacher interviews. First, the PI will identify two centers each in Orangeburg, Calhoun, Allendale, Barnwell, and Bamberg that are considered high quality based on whether they have (1) NAEYC Accreditation or (2) attain a "A" or "B+" rating on the SC Department of Social Services ABC Scale. The necessary IRB permissions will be attained to solidify the participant list of centers. Second, the PI will schedule a time to (a) visit the center staying all day or from 8am-12pm so that he can see a full cycle of the daily schedule and (b) interview that center's lead teacher on their curricular and teacher/student interactions. During the observation period, the PI will score the environment using the ECERS-R (which takes two hours), ASQ, and CLASS. The PI will also collect qualitative data on the environment. Third, the PI in conjunction where necessary with 1890 Research staff will analyze and disaggregate the data. Fourth, the research questions will be answers and a decision will be made as to whether the current centers only need more technical assistance or whether there is a significant, evidence-based need to design a curriculum to meet the needs of these populations of children.This is a basic chronological step-by-step breakdown of how the study's methodology will proceed:1. Invite among centers in Orangeburg, Calhoun, Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell Counties to participate in study on DAP Assessment, Curriculum, and Strategies utilized in their centers. (SUMMER 2014) 2. Oriented centers that volunteer for project on how the process will proceed. (SUMMER 2014)3. Train self and staff to utilize assessment instruments. Assign a staff member to each county to conduct observations/interviews. (FALL 2014)4. Staff members observe utilizing Assessment Instrument 1 on a regular basis conducting three observations each week for six months.(JANUARYJUNE 2014)5. Staff members analyze/disaggregate/share results with stakeholders at conferences/programs.6. Staff members observe utilizing Assessment Instrument Two on a regular basis for six months conducting three observations each week. (JULY 2014-DECEMBER 2014)7. Staff members disaggregate/analyze/share data results with stakeholders at conferences and with specific child care programs. (JANUARY 2015-JUNE 2015)8. Data from both iterations are compared and contrasted with conclusions being drawn about the level and type of DAP Assessment, Curriculum, and Practices being utilized in participant programs according to objectives and goals. (June 2015-July 2015)9. Specific Assessment, Curriculum, and Teaching Practice interventions designed in response to research data analysis. (July 2015-May 2016)10. Specific Assessment, Curriculum, and Teaching Practice Interventions presented to stakeholders (i.e. 1890 Research and Extension) at Conferences and aimed at specific programs. (June 2016- end of research)

Progress 05/16/14 to 05/15/17

Outputs
Target Audience:There were three target audiences: (a) early childhood degree seeking students who need authentic awareness of the prevalence of developmentally appropriate practice within communities where they may end up working, (b) child care professionals within the local geography which may share similar characteristics as the participating teachers, and (c) the early childhood research community which can add the results of this study the store of knowledge regarding the utilization of developmentally appropriate curriculum, assessment, and teaching. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Attending the National Association for the Education of Young Children National Conference for three years along with the intense training completed for all three research instruments (Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale-ECERS, CLASS Observation System, and Ages and Stages Questionnaire) provided professional development opportunities. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Yes, results have disseminated to the local community (by of the teaching in SC State early childhood degree classrooms), the state community by way of the state SC Association for the Education of Young Children's (SCAEYC) conference, and nationally by way of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) National Conference. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? After three years and the collecting of data from teachers working in rural-based, predominately African American Child Care Centers, three very different, well-regarded, valid, and reliable instruments in the form of the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale (ECERS), CLASS Observation System, and Ages & Stages Questionnaire were used. The resulting organized results yielded from the use of those instruments allows the researcher to take stock of that there is a low degree of developmentally appropriate teaching, curriculum, and teaching approaches utilized by these teacher participants. The focused study of rural, African-American child care centers in a around Orangeburg County was accomplished. Before this study, no other research on developmentally appropriate practice had been done.

Publications

  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2015 Citation: 1. Williams, R. (2015). A Shared Experience: The Poor State of Child Care Quality in Rural Predominately African American CountiesA Study on Assessment Trends. presented at the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Expo in Orlando Florida on November 19, 2015.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2016 Citation: 2. Peyton, C., Holmes, K., & Williams, R. (2016). Assessing the Degree of Developmentally Appropriate Assessment, Curriculum and Best Strategies Utilized by Community Based Child Care Center-Based Programs. 31st Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences national Conference, Jacksonville, FL, March 30th to April 2nd 2016.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2016 Citation: 3. Peyton, C. (2016). Assessing the Degree of Developmentally Appropriate Assessment, Curriculum and Best Strategies Utilized by Community Based Child Care Center-Based Programs (poster). 1st Annual College of Graduate and Professional Studies Research Symposium, South Carolina State University, Orangeburg, SC, April 14, 2016.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2016 Citation: 4. Williams, R. (2016). A Description of Developmentally Appropriate Assessment, Curriculum and Teaching Practices in Rural South Carolina Child Care Centers Programs (poster). 1st Annual College of Graduate and Professional Studies Research Symposium, South Carolina State University, Orangeburg, SC, April 14, 2016.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2016 Citation: 5. Williams, R. (2016). Using CLASS to Identify the Level of Developmentally (in) appropriateness in Rural Child Care Programs. South Carolina Association for the Education of Young Childrens Conference (SCAEYC) in Columbia, SC in October 2016.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2016 Citation: 6. Williams, R. (2016). Diversifying curriculum: How and why rural African American teachers use and don't use developmentally appropriate classroom experiences. National Association for the Education of Young Childrens Conference (NAEYC) in Los Angeles, CA in November 2016.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2016 Citation: 7. Green, A., Jenkins, C., & Williams, R. (2016). Using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) as an Indicator of Classroom Developmentally Appropriate Interactions. 74th Annual Professional Agricultural Workers Conference, Tuskegee University, December 4, 2016.


Progress 10/01/14 to 09/30/15

Outputs
Target Audience: Target audience are child care providers and early childhood pre-service students. Child Care teachers serve as the subjects of observations under the CLASS Observation System. Early childhood pre-service students received reflective results from observation results. Assessment practices, specifically were articulated in detail within ECE 310 that help them understand the types of assessment strategies they would be expected to utilize if they worked in child care centers in Orangeburg, Calhoun, Allendale, Bamberg, and Barnwell Counties. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The project provided training forimplementing Teachstone's CLASS Observation System and the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale (ECERS). The Principal Investigator (Reginald Williams) participated in the training. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The results have been presented at the South Carolina Association for Early Childhood Teacher Educators, the National Association for the Education of Young Children National Conference (November 2015). What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Continue to collect data at all sites with increase of two observations per month (bring the total per month per site to 14).

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Thirty individual pieces of observational data on interaction, curriculum, teaching strategies, and supervision within the appropriate subscales of the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale (ECERS). Along with Descriptive Statistics for Fall 2014 and Spring 2015 data collection using ECERS.

Publications

  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2015 Citation: Williams, R. (2015). A Shared Experience: The Poor State of Child Care Quality in Rural Predominately African American CountiesA Study on Assessment Trends. National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Expo in Orlando, Florida on November 19, 2015.


Progress 05/16/14 to 09/30/14

Outputs
Target Audience: The target audience is a combination of early childhood caregivers in child care centers in Orangeburg/Surrounding areas and early childhood faculty at SC State University. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? The project provided one opportunity this year: reliability training in the early childhood environmental rating scale. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? During the next reporting period, to further move toward accomplishing these two goals, our team will complete the use of the early childhood environmental rating scale and then begin data collection using our second instrument the CLASS PreK Observation Tool, which takes a different perspective on the same observed Developmentally Appropriate characteristics as the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale's perspective.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Under the goal of creating concreate evidence on the realty of various developmentally appropriate teaching components, progress was made because the research began successfully collecting data using its first instrument, the early childhood environmental rating scale. The researcher and staff conducted over 30 observations at its Orangeburg site over the course of four months. Others centers in Calhoun County and Barnwell will be the target for the first part of Year 2 of the project.

Publications