Research within the Early Childhood Sector:

Click on headings for links to downloads.

How Preschool Changes the Brain

An article, "How does preschool work its magic?," in Wired magazine, reviews a new paper by Flavio Cunha, an economist at the University of Pennsylvania, and James Heckman, a Nobel Laureate at the University of Chicago, on the reasons to invest in preschool education.  In the paper Cunha and Heckman discuss the findings of the Perry Preschool Study and the article summarizes....

The Importance of the Outdoors and Nature to Children

Studies have provided convincing evidence that the way people feel in pleasing natural environments improves recall of information, creative problem solving, and creativity. Early experiences with the natural world have been positively linked with the development of imagination and the sense of wonder. Wonder is important as it a motivator for life long learning. There is also strong evidence that young children respond more positively to experiences in the outdoors than adults as they have not yet adapted to unnatural, man-made, indoor environments.

Extract from: Children's Outdoor Play & Learning Environments: Returning to Nature By Randy White & Vicki Stoecklin

Children’s Research and Ethical Review Executive Summary: The Office for the Minister of Children and Youth Affairs.

This research aims to provide an overview of the current mechanisms for applying for and achieving ethics approval for studies being undertaken with children in Ireland.  This document is available at www.omc.gov.ie

Children’s understanding of well-being:  The Office for the Minister of Children and Youth Affairs.

This study was commissioned to inform the development of the National Set of Child Well-Being Indicators and explicitly designed to reflect Goal One of the National Children's Strategy (2000), that of giving children a voice in matters that affect them.   In Ireland the National Children’s Strategy (2000) outlines three key goals:

1. CHILDREN WILL HAVE A VOICE;

2. CHILDREN’S LIVES WILL BE BETTER UNDERSTOOD;

3. CHILDREN WILL RECEIVE QUALITY SUPPORTS AND SERVICES.

The development of National Child Well-Being Indicators has been set out as a key action under the National Children’s Strategy (2000). This research aims to contribute to the development of National Child Well-Being Indicators.  This document is available at www.omc.gov.ie

AISTEAR

The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) commissioned four research papers to inform the work in developing Aistear: the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework. Drawing on national and international research, these papers look at how:

• particular understandings of education and care impact on children's experiences during early childhood education
• children learn and develop in early childhood
• play can be used to extend and enhance children's learning and development
• formative assessment can support and extend early learning and development.

Want to read more?

www.ncca.ie