Let's look at a few useful sources to get you started in your exploration of early childhood education. We'll even cover formal educational programs for serious prospective scholars. Show
Anyone can publish an opinion on the web, but that doesn't make it accurate or useful. Students, scholars, and other self-learners can find reliable information through government websites, online academic journals, and professional education organizations.
Let's start with a prominent open-access journal: Early Childhood Research and Practice. Originally sponsored by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, this scholarly publication is relatively unique in that it is bilingual (English and Spanish), peer-reviewed, and offered online in its entirety for free. The journal includes editorial features, policy analysis, and reports from related conferences. Readers will also find papers exploring cutting-edge research in the field on topics ranging from new curricula to integrating classroom technology.
The U.S. Department of Education, or DOE, offers parents tips on promoting effective early childhood education. Topics include promoting reading and preparing young children academically and emotionally for preschool. Teachers may also be interested in the DOE's professional development program for early childhood educators. Also, policy wonks and other individuals interested in early childhood education will want to check out the numerous articles on the early learning initiative.
The U.S. Department of Education has another initiative, the Education Resources Information Center, or ERIC. While the DOE website provides information on education policy and how-to resources for parents and teachers, ERIC is an online compendium of academic journal articles related to education. Researchers will find a comprehensive list of cutting-edge early childhood education articles via this site. While many of them come from peer-reviewed academic journals that require readers to pay for the full text , the DOE provides useful links for finding these journals at your local or university library. Whenever articles are licensed for free online publication, ERIC offers the full text so researchers don't have to track down the original journal.
The National Institute for Early Education Research offers a large database of articles on early childhood education research. Many of the articles focus on policy analysis and recommendations, although they also include social and psychological research. People have access to policy reports, a print news magazine, and working papers, among other sources. The institute even conducts research and works with policy makers across the nation.
The National Association for the Education of Young Children, or NAEYC for short, is another professional organization focused on early childhood education. It offers membership to individuals who work with children from birth to age eight. Membership in NAEYC comes with a free copy of one of the organization's print publications and discounted access to the Early Childhood Research Quarterly, an online scholarly journal. However, the site also offers many free resources. Educators will find lots of useful information from the association, including articles covering the latest research in the field and the 'Voices of Practitioners' series that offers advice from one instructor to another. The site also includes advice-oriented articles for parents and instructors that cover topics like going back to school and the importance of play.
There are many peer-reviewed scholarly journals that publish articles on early childhood education, though most require paid subscriptions. A few excellent journals include:
Beyond journal articles, individuals who are interested in early childhood education may want to pursue a formal educational program in the field. Options are available at both the undergraduate and graduate degree levels. Students can earn a certificate, associate's degree, bachelor's degree, or a master's degree in the field. Some of these programs prepare individual for certification in the field. Some topics of study included in these programs can include:
For individuals who want to learn more about early childhood education, there are a variety of credible educational resources available. These could include academic journals or government publications but might even extend to earning a degree at a university.
On This Page(Tables of contents and abstracts only) The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) publishes the following journals: Child Development PerspectivesThis journal from the Society for Research in Child Development is meant to encourage multidisciplinary and international dialogue and provide summary reports on a variety of topics related to the developmental sciences. It includes reviews, commentary, and groups of papers on a targeted issue. Child Welfare Journal(Tables of contents and abstracts only) The Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) is an association of approximately 800 public and private nonprofit agencies that assist over 3.5 million abused and neglected children and their families every year. Since 1921, this peer-reviewed journal has been dissemminating information about the special problems facing these vulnerable children and their families. It is meant to link the latest findings in child welfare and related research with best practice, policy, and program development for child welfare and associated professionals. It is published every other month. Two of the six issues per year are special issues on specific topics. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood (CIEC)(Tables of contents and abstracts only) Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood is a new online, fully-refereed, international research journal. The journal provides a forum for researchers and professionals who are exploring new and alternative perspectives in their work with young children (from birth to eight years of age) and their families. It aims to present opportunities for scholars to highlight the ways in which the boundaries of early childhood studies and practice are expanding, and for readers to participate in the discussion of emerging issues, contradictions and possibilities. Early Childhood Education JournalThe Early Childhood Education Journal is a professional publication for early childhood practitioners dedicated to the education and care of young children, ages birth through eight. The journal publishes peer-reviewed articles covering curriculum, child care programs, administration, staff development, family-school relationships, equity issues, multicultural units, health nutrition, facilities, special needs, employer-sponsored care, infant/toddler programs, child development, advocacy, and more. Articles analyze issues, trends, policies, and practices, as well as offering well-documented points-of-view and practical recommendations. All visitors may browse and search tables of contents and article abstracts online. In addition, all visitors may access single articles through the ArticleSelect and Pay-Per-View options. Licensed visitors may view enhanced abstracts with references, along with full-text material. Early Childhood Research and PracticeEarly Childhood Research and Practice (ECRP), a peer-reviewed electronic journal sponsored by the Early Childhood and Parenting (ECAP) Collaborative at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, covers topics related to the development, care, and education of children from birth to approximately age 8. ECRP emphasizes articles reporting on practice-related research and development, and on issues related to practice, parent participation, and policy. ECRP also includes articles and essays that present opinions and reflections, and letters to the editor. Early Childhood Research Quarterly(Tables of contents and abstracts only) Sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, this online journal includes articles presenting significant research and scholarship on all topics related to the care and education of children from birth through 8 years. Articles reflect the interdisciplinary nature of the field. Early Education and Development(Tables of contents and abstracts only) This is a professional journal for those involved in educational and preschool research and/or services for children and their families: early education supervisors, school psychologists, daycare administrators, child development specialists, developmental and child clinical psychologists, and special education administrators. It is designed to be a connecting link between the research community in early education and child development and school district early education programs, daycare systems, and preschool programs. Early Years: An International Journal of Research and Development(Tables of contents and abstracts only) The importance of early childhood education and care in providing the foundations for lifelong learning is now widely acknowledged. This journal aims to broaden the international debate about the best provision for young children by representing a wide range of perspectives from different countries, different disciplines and different research methodologies. As the official journal of TACTYC (Training, Advancement and Co-operation in Teaching Young Children), Early Years publishes up-to-date papers on all issues associated with early years education. An email table-of-contents alert service is available free of charge. Education Review: A Journal of Book ReviewsThis online journal publishes reviews of recent books in education, covering the entire range of education scholarship and practice. It is an initiative of the National Education Policy Center at the University of Colorado, Boulder. All submissions are refereed by the editors. Infant Mental Health JournalThe Infant Mental Health Journal (IMHJ) is the official publication of the World Association for Infant Mental Health (WAIMH) and is copyrighted by the Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health. The Journal publishes peer-reviewed research articles, literature reviews, program descriptions and evaluations, clinical studies, and book reviews that focus on infant social-emotional development, caregiver-infant interactions, contextual and cultural influences on infant and family development, and all conditions that place infants and/or their families at risk for less than optimal development. All visitors may browse and search tables of contents and article abstracts online. In addition, all visitors may access single articles through the ArticleSelect and Pay-Per-View options. Licensed visitors may view enhanced abstracts with references, along with full-text material. Infants and Young Children(Open access available) This interdisciplinary journal focuses on children with or at risk for disabilities age birth to five years and their families. It includes summaries of important research developments and their implications for practice, updates for high priority topic areas, balanced presentations of controversial issues, and articles on issues related to innovative interventions, policy, professional training, new conceptual models, and related matters. It is published four times each year. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education(Tables of contents and abstracts only) Founded in 1954, this is a multi-disciplinary peer-reviewed journal with an international focus. It provides a single source of information on the education and development of persons with disabilities. IJDDE aims to publish the very best research and review articles concerned with all aspects of education, human development, special education and rehabilitation. An email table-of-contents alert service is available free of charge. International Journal of Early Childhood(Tables of contents only) The International Journal of Early Childhood is a blind, peer reviewed journal with members from organizations and libraries in over seventy countries throughout the world. It is distributed twice yearly and features articles in English, French, and Spanish. The journal focuses on key issues in the field of early childhood education and care (ECE). Themes of specific interest are: making children in different cultures visible, multicultural and cross-cultural studies, children'slearning and sustainable development, infants and toddlers in ECE, children's rights, and curriculum questions relatd to ECE. International Journal of Early Childhood Special EducationThe International Journal of Early Childhood Special Education (INT-JECSE) is an online, open-access, peer-reviewed journal offering scholarly articles on various issues related to young children with special needs (0-8 age) and their families. INT-JECSE publishes empirical research, literature reviews, theoretical articles, and book reviews in all aspects of Early Intervention (EI)/Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE). Studies from diverse methodologies, including experimental studies using group or single-subject designs, descriptive studies using observational or survey methodologies, case studies, and qualitative studies, are welcome. The INT-JECSE is published twice (June and December) a year. International Journal of Early Years Education(Tables of contents and abstracts only) International Journal of Early Years Education is a forum for researchers and practitioners to debate the theories, research, policy and practice which sustain effective early years education world-wide. It offers a comparative perspective on research and major new initiatives in the care and education of young children. Since its inception the journal has carried reports and research articles which evaluate and highlight innovative practice throughout the international community. An email table-of-contents alert service is available free of charge. Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education(Tables of contents and abstracts only) This journal of the National Association for Early Childhood Teacher Educators, publishes original manuscripts, reviews, and information about association activities. Its purpose is to provide a forum for consideration of issues and for exchange of information and ideas about research and practice in early childhood teacher education. An email table-of-contents alert service is available free of charge. Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (JEHDI)This bi-annual peer-reviewed online journal provides free access to articles on evidence-based practice, standards of care, and current research related to all aspects of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI). Journal of Early Intervention (JEI)(Tables of contents and abstracts only) The Journal of Early Intervention is an official publication of the International Division for Early Childhood (DEC) of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). It publishes articles related to research and practice in early intervention for infants and young children with special needs and their families. Journal of Special Education Technology (JSET)(Tables of contents and abstracts only) JSET is a refereed professional journal that presents up-to-date information and opinions about issues, research, policy, and practice related to the use of technology in the field of special education. This online site provides an index and article abstracts. Full text access is restricted to members of the Technology and Media Division (TAM) of the Council for Exceptional Children. Pediatric Physical Therapy(Tables of contents and abstracts only) Pediatric Physical Therapy is the official journal of the Section on Pediatrics of the American Physical Therapy Association. It is the only peer-reviewed journal devoted to this specialty. The journal is published four times a year and includes articles on developmental concerns, discussions of professional issues, and reports on promising research. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education (TECSE)(Tables of contents only) TECSE focuses on information related to improving the lives of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with special needs and their families. It features reports of original research, literature reviews, conceptual statements, position papers, and program descriptions. Articles on personnel preparation, policy issues, and operation of intervention programs are included. Four issues are published each year. Young Exceptional Children (YEC)(Tables of contents and abstracts only) This publication is produced four times a year by the Division for Early Childhood (DEC) of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). It contains practical ideas for early childhood teachers, therapists, parents, and administrators. ZERO TO THREE Journal(Tables of contents only) This journal is published bi-monthly (6 issues per year). It is meant to help early childhood experts, early interventionists, and child care professionals stay current on best practices and the latest knowledge about early childhood development. The journal provides research, practice and policy information for individuals who work with and care about very young children. |
