Hengameh Kermani

Adjustment across Task in Maternal Scaffolding in Low-Income Latino Immigrant Families.

This study contrasts maternal adjustments in scaffolding in a school-like learning task and in a home-like learning task within one low-income Latino population. The authors observed 12 immigrant Latino mother-child dyads performing both school-like and home-like tasks. Quantitative and qualitative analyses showed that in the home-like task, mothers purposefully scaffolded their children’s learning, consistently and effectively adjusted their scaffolding to variation in task, demonstrated a greater range and variety of scaffolding strategies, and accomplished various scaffolding goals based on their social class and cultural blueprints. Implications for the integration of effective taskspecific maternal scaffolding into the design of intervention programs to support learning for immigrant Latino children are discussed.

Preparing children for success: integrating science, math, and technology in early childhood classroom

The purpose of the present study was to study if purposeful math, science, and technology curriculum projects and activities would support Pre-K childrens performance in these subject matter areas. In this study, 58 Pre-K children from 4 Pre-K classrooms in a public Pre-K programme in North Carolina participated. Through a quasi-experimental, pre–post intervention design, two experimental classrooms were involved in science curriculum projects that integrated meaningful math and technology content. The curriculum projects revolved around the principles of scientific inquiry process (e.g. engage, investigate, discover, and review). The experimental group classrooms were supported through periodic professional development sessions for teachers and materials to implement more hands-on activities. Results showed that the experimental group children made a significant improvement in their math skills compared to those in the control group. The childrens awareness and interest in science-related subjects as well as technology use such as ‘Googling’ to search or educational software games increased as the study progressed.

Handheld, Wireless Computers: Can They Improve Learning and Instruction?

Abstract Reports show that handheld, wireless computers, once used by business professionals to keep track of appointments, contacts, e-mail, and the Internet, have found their way into classrooms and schools across the United States. However, there has not been much systematic research to investigate the effects of these new technology tools on student attitude and learning outcomes, nor has there been much research evidencing that handheld, wireless computers can improve student engagement in the learning process. The purpose of this paper is to use the literature on principles of learning and instruction to develop an action-instructional model for utilization of handheld computers in the classroom. It will explain how such a model was used to integrate handheld, wireless computers in the design and development of classroom instruction and what the evaluation results are. The paper also provides some insights on what was learned from this experiment.

Integrated STEM curriculum: improving educational outcomes for Head Start children

ABSTRACT In this study, the researchers aimed to design, plan and implement a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) model to support Pre-K children’s skills and knowledge in STEM as well as to improve Pre-K teachers’ attitudes and professional skills to plan and integrate STEM concepts in their daily classroom activities. Four classrooms from a Head Start programme in an Eastern North Carolina County participated in the study. A quasi-experimental, pre–post-intervention design was adopted to implement the steps of the project. Data were collected through multiple, convergent methods in which the research team utilized both quantitative and qualitative measures to document the participants’ progress and gains. The research outcomes proved that children attending preschool can attain higher levels of understanding in STEM when they are specifically supported through well-planned, stimulating and developmentally appropriate activities.