• Manju Nair

Session 2:Methods of Studying Children

Methods of Studying Children

Naturalistic Observation: in everyday environment.Structured Observation: in a laboratory.Clinical Interview: open ended questions.Structured Interview: questionnaires and tests.Case Study: combination of methods and gives detailed narratives.Ethnography: extensive field notes usually while living amidst the social groups.

Observation and Record Keeping

Observation & Record Keeping

Systematic observation is fundamental to a quality program.Caregivers must plan strategies based on observations of behavior and developmental stages in order to enhance development.

Why do we observe children?To understand the pattern of children’s development.

To collect information to assess a child’s progress in relation to typical development.

Learn about the interests of a child or group of children.

Identify any particular difficulty a child may have.

Meet the specific needs of individual or groups of children.

Understand children as individuals and their likes and dislikes.

Why do we observe children?

Assess what the child has achieved and then plan for the next stage.Record and document any unusual behavior or any that gives cause for concern.Provide information about the child to the parents and others who have an involvement with the child.Evaluate the effectiveness of the provision made for children.

Types of Records

ChecklistsRunning RecordsTime-SamplingAnecdotal Records.

Samples

Checklist: http://www.womensheart.org/content/HeartWellness/child_development_checklist.aspRunning Record: http://virtual.mjc.edu/prussol/runningrec101sp09.pdfTime-Sampling: http://www.newchildcare.co.uk/time.htmlAnecdotal Records:http://www.learner.org/workshops/teachreading35/session8/sec4p3.html

Running Records

A detailed narrative account of behavior recorded in a sequential manner as it happens.Observer writes down everything that occurs over a specific period of timeIt includes all behaviors and not just selected incidents.Records behavior as it occurs, instead of later.

Guidelines for Objective Recording

Record only the facts, not what you think.Record every detail without omitting anything.Do not interpret as you observe.Record what you see, not what you don’t see. Use words that describe but do not judge or interpret.Record the facts in the order that they occur.

Samples of judgmental words

Bad, delayed, smart, bright, slow, delayed, behind, sad, frustrated, chaotic, deliberate, good, intelligent, normal, right, wrong.

Research in Early Childhood Education

• Inservice and Preservice learning and research consumption takes place.

• Researchers make hypotheses or have hunches, that becomes the basis for research.

• Quality of a research is evaluated using the following criteria: Objectivity, Reliability, Validity and Replicability.

• Objectivity: avoiding personal biases, feelings, values and assumptions.

• Reliability: accuracy of research, same results are got consistently.

• Validity: are the tests or instruments used valid ones?

• Replicability: can other researchers obtain the same results?

Types of Research

• Descriptive studies• Cross-sectional and Longitudinal studies• Co-relational studies (relationships not causes)• Experimental studies (use of control group)• Ethnographic studies (participating in daily life

of subjects)

• Use of social indicators• Ethics in Child development ( APA, SRCD)• Sociocultural perspective in studying children.• Young children with disabilities and study of

child development

Some factors to consider

• Perspective taking• Reflecting in action• Teacher as learner• Teacher as researcher

Four behaviors to acquire as EC Educators

Authentic Assessment

• Celebrates learning and development• Based on real life events• Performance based• Ongoing and emphasizes emerging

development• Collaborative and capitalizes on the

strengths of learners.

Formal approaches to assessment

• Achievement tests• Intelligence tests• Readiness tests• Developmental screening tests• Diagnostic tests

Informal approach to assessment

• Running records• Specimen records• Anecdotal records• Observation with predefined instruments

- checklists, rating scales, event sampling• Interviews• Others