Compare and contrast articles from research and the popular media and evaluate their applicability to early childhood practice.

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Research Activity: Scholarly and Popular Media

In this assignment, you will compare and contrast articles from research and the popular media and evaluate their applicability to early childhood practice.

Create a 4- to 6-page paper (not including the title and references pages) in a Word document for your response.
Use APA 7th Edition format for the title page, references page, and in-text citations.
Develop an introduction and conclusion for your paper.

Part 1: Dissecting a Research Article

Locate a peer-reviewed article related to early childhood development – a topic of interest to you, such as music and cognitive development. The article should be no older than 5 to 7 years.

A good place to search is the college database or Google Scholar. Peer-reviewed articles, also called scholarly sources, are written by experts in a field and written to keep others interested in that field up to date on the most recent research, findings, and news (see Module 1 Learning Objects).

Dissect the research article, paraphrasing the material found related to:

Purpose or hypothesis of the study
What the author(s) hoped to find
Issue being researched
Other research done on the topic
Theorists or theories used as a framework for the study
How participants were found or recruited
Demographics of the participants
Summary of the discussion and conclusions (the main points you took away from the reading)
Limitations
Recommendations for further research

Part 2: Dissecting a Popular Article

Locate an article in the popular media on the same topic as the research article.

A popular media article is not found in a scholarly journal. These are articles you would find in a magazine you can purchase at the book or grocery store; something online at sites such as The Huffington Post, CNN, or a parenting or teacher website. A rule of thumb: if the article does not have scholarly resources, it is considered popular media.

Compare and contrast the two articles. In the comparison and contrast, complete the following:

Synopsis of each article
Explanation of how the articles are the same
Explanation of the differences between the two (be specific). (For example, is one article more credible than the other? What makes this so?)
How comparing and contrasting the articles affects your feelings about and understanding of the topic
How each article applies to work in early childhood education
Complete, APA formatted citations for both articles

Identify and describe the short- and long-term outcomes of the risk factor.

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Assessing Risk Factors

A number of risk factors may influence growth and development prenatally and during early childhood.

Select a risk factor discussed in Module 1 or from an outside source. Identify and describe the short- and long-term outcomes of the risk factor. As a professional working with young children, what specific recommendations do you have for parents/caregivers or the community for overcoming this risk factor?
Use the prompt and questions to develop an original response .
*APA STYLE 7th Edition

Write an in-depth exposition of the selected theoretical approach to counseling.

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Candidates will write an in-depth exposition of their selected theoretical approach to counseling. The purpose of this paper is to have candidates select and explore a theoretical orientation, that was learned during the course. The paper can be an in-depth exploration of one theory or a combination of theories that aligns with:
*the candidate’s beliefs about the nature of people
*factors that hinder or promote human development
*the counselor-client relationship
*the role of the counselor
*counseling goals
*how change occurs

In separate paragraphs for each topic, analyze and evaluate the role of validity, reliability, and relevancy of the information and data.

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A Culture of Mathematical Thinking

Limited consideration is given to understanding how mathematical thinking creates a culture of mathematics, yet numbers and relations are part of everyday existence. In this course, we examined the fantasy Batue (Baa-two’-e) culture to understand how mathematical thinking influences relationships.

In this assignment, you will analyze data provided in The Batue Culture Report; evaluate the validity, reliability, and relevancy of the information and data, and compare and contrast the Batue with a real-life population.

  • View/Download the resource, The Batue Culture Report (PDF) In the material , for use in this assignment.
  • Create a 3- to 5-page paper (not including the title and references pages) in a Word document for your response.
  • Use APA format for the paper, the title page, the references page, and the in-text citations.
  • Develop an introduction and conclusion for your paper.
  • Follow the steps to complete the assignment.

Part 1: Batue Culture

Step 1. Access and Analyze
Access The Batue Culture Report via the link above. Examine and analyze the information and data in report of the fantasy Batue culture provided by fictional anthropologists John Urban and Shelia Tripp who have spent the last year analyzing this cultural group.

Step 2. Observe and Question
Create a list of observations and/or questions related to the information and data reviewed in The Batue Culture Report.

Step 3. Analyze and Evaluate
In separate paragraphs for each topic, analyze and evaluate the role of validity, reliability, and relevancy of the information and data.

Part 2: Relevancy

Step 4. Identify Data Set
Identify a population data set from a real-life context. This also will be used in next assignment

Step 5. Compare and Contrast
Compare and contrast the Batue culture with the real-life context.

  • What is the mathematical significance between a smaller population and a larger one?

Step 6. Conclude
In your conclusion, address these questions:

  • How do we use mathematical information to guide our understanding of culture?
  • How do you determine the accuracy of mathematical information related to specific cultural groups?

 

Describe how you will convince the research and/or business community that your study is reliable, valid and useful/impactful.

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Research Proposal
Please apply the concepts you have learned for this final assignment. Use APA format to write an 10-12 page paper (Word Doc or Docx format please) (that being said, I don’t count pages, just if the content meets the assignment/rubric requirements as scholarly writing should be succinct anyway), including title page and reference page. Bold key terms from the book in your paper.
First, choose a topic that you are interested in researching now or in the future. Be sure that research methods are needed to solve the problem/topic you choose. Your topic should be of interest to not only you but also other professionals. If Job Satisfaction is a genuine topic of interest for you, you should choose this topic; however, you must also provide a paper that reflects additional critical thinking and research beyond what was covered during the quarter.
Once you choose a topic, please write a paper that addresses the following:
Part 1: Topic of the research is Job Satisfaction. Why you chose the topic?
Part 2: What is the problem that requires additional data to better understand? How would the research apply at your place of work or in some other aspect of your life?
Part 3: What are your research questions? A minimum of three (3) questions is required.
The questions should address what do you want to know as well as solve the stated problem. (Will the answers to the questions solve the stated problem? At this stage, you should also ask yourself how knowing the answers to the questions will promote growth within your community or organization?)
Part 4: What does the literature tell you about this topic?
6 scholarly articles are required.
Summarize the current state of research (what you found).
Cite the articles using APA format.
Part 5: Based on your preliminary literature search, what samples or data would you need to collect to reliably answer your research questions?
Describe your sampling technique/data acquisition methodology along with areas for possible bias.
Remember to consider your sampling method and size and be sure to provide detail regarding your technique. For example, if you intend to survey a population, what specific survey questions will you ask? How many people must you survey in order to obtain a representative (i.e. reliable and valid) data set?
Part 6: Discuss at least three (3) valid methods you would use to properly interpret the data you would receive from part 4.
Describe how you will convince the research and/or business community that your study is reliable, valid and useful/impactful.
Use terms from the book; please use boldface the key terms.
Part 7: How would you communicate your research results to 1) an academic (scholarly) audience and 2) a general audience?
Give at least 2 specific examples for each type of audience.
Rubric:
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeTopic is clear and included
20.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeDescription of what knowledge will be gained (interest and research questions)
20.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomePreliminary Literature scan completed; References provided in APA style
20.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeDescription of samples/data needed to answer research question(s)
20.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeDiscussion of possible sampling and data interpretation bias
20.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeDescription of differences in communication style depending upon audience
20.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeGrammar, Usage and APA Format
20.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeKey terms from the book bolded
20.0 pts

Describe and explain how you will teach a strategy to your students that encourages relationships that are accepting and responsive to student diversity.

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Part 3: Peer-to-Peer Relationships (3o InTASC)
How do you model and encourage effective peer-to-peer relationships? Describe and explain how you will teach a strategy to your students that encourages relationships that are accepting and responsive to student diversity. Target the choices you make to the age/content that you teach. If you teach adolescents, you might focus on the power of language to include or exclude. If you teach young children, you might focus on strategies for learning to include others in games at recess. Choose one idea and develop it well, ensuring that you are detailing both why you have chosen it and how you would enact it.

Part 4: Family/Student Support (3a InTASC)
You will write this piece of your advocacy action plan as a recommendation to your administration or school grade level team to support family/community collaboration to meet student learning needs. If you work in an educational setting outside of a school, please adjust the audience of your piece accordingly (you might write this for a manager or supervisor instead of principal).

Reflecting on the resources and community supports that you identified during the course readings and activities, identify three effective ways to involve or include families in your students’ learning experiences. Address how these will provide opportunities for family engagement that may not be typically present in your school/educational setting (do not just report on what currently exists in the school site). Be sure that these are approaches that foster collaboration with families and can or would be supported by your school/educational site.

Part 5: Identifying Your Role as an Educational Advocate for Students
Throughout this course, you have developed a set of skills that deepens your understanding about your students and their lives and the impact that your teaching has on their experiences. What are you going to do with this knowledge? Educators are advocates for their students by default—you can choose to be proactive with this knowledge and work in areas/issues that are particularly meaningful for you. What role do you choose to take? How do you intend to advocate for your students? Identify at least two ways that you believe you can be a voice for your students and discuss how you envision yourself taking on this role.

What makes you interested in the IT program?

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The personal statement should be a 500-1000 word essay that answers the following questions:

  • What makes you interested in the IT program?
  • How will you benefit from the program?
  • Why will you succeed in the program?
  • How will you contribute to the IT community?

Please provide detailed and specific examples from academia, industry or research when possible

Describe the primary conditions for which children need additional support for optimal development and learning

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1) Use website evaluation (Links to an external site.) and  information literacy skills (Links to an external site.)

2) To practice your writing, editing and proof-reading skills.

3) Gather knowledge of a special need commonly seen in early childhood settings.

4) You will show attention to detail.

Knowledge 

Course Outcomes:

2) Describe the primary conditions for which children need additional support for optimal development and learning

6) Identify professional and ethical guidelines for early childhood special educators

7) Identify, research, and apply effective ways to work with children with disabilities and their families

Task    

Step 1) Choose a primary condition commonly seen in early childhood settings (             Hearing Impaired). Conduct Research (see Criteria for Success for additional instructions)

    At minimum, you must cover the following in your paper (3-4 pages max not including the APA citations or web evaluations/size 12/double spaced with an introduction and conclusion):

  1. a) Briefly explain what you know about the primary condition.
  2. b) What do teachers in early childhood facilities need to know and do in their classroom environment, curriculum, and interactions to support the child with this primary condition in their educational journey?
  3. c) How can teachers support the parents of children who have special needs?
  4. d)  Briefly, what professional and ethical guidelines should teachers know and follow?
  5. e)  Include a list of at least a total of 3 (not including the textbook and other course readings) citations in APA format.   You must use a variety of sources (Websites/studies/written (not online) articles/books/specialist interviews and so on are all options).   You are strongly encouraged to use the library databases as part of your research.
  6.    f) For any website/video source submit a website evaluation (Links to an external site.) or Video Evaluation

– unless you have obtained the source from the LWTech Library database. (scholarly articles do not require evaluations).

Criteria for Success 

  1. a)  You must use at least 3 sources (not including the textbook/reading requirements) that follow/meet the requirements of the link above.
  2. b)  You must use a variety of sources (Websites/studies/written (not online) articles/books and so on are all options).  – see the requirements for web/video evaluation forms
  3. c)  Use a readable font/size 12/double space

Analyse relevant and current research findings and scholarly work and use these to explore your research question.

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Please see below for the revisions to this assignment in the light of the current context.

If you were planning to collect data but were unable to, or if you feel your data was compromised by the current context (for example you collected in a rush, or children were unsettled), you will extend your literature review and use current research and reading to address your question.   You will still complete a proposal and ethics form as if you were going into school

This means the order of your presentation will look slightly different:

  • An introduction – a slide which explains your research question, why you chose it and what the current context is in terms of curriculum/policy/research.
  • A section about your project – two or three slides which describes the school context, explains your research design, what data you would have  collected, how you were going to collected it, how you planned to address ethical issues and why you chose to approach your research in the way you did.  You will need to refer to academic reading about ethics and methodology in this section.
  • Literature-based discussion 5 or 6 slides – In this section you will analyse relevant and current research findings and scholarly work and use these to explore your research question. You will not be expected to reach any definitive conclusions but you should demonstrate engagement with ideas, issues and themes that you were anticipating might have been highlighted by your data. You will show that you understand how the question you are asking fits within the research context – this might include a section which highlights the significance of the research you were planning to undertake.

You will provide a statement about the literature you chose to look at and why for example:

  • “ I have reviewed the literature from the UK in relation to primary schools teaching of guided reading since the introduction of the literacy hour in 1998 when guided reading became widespread in schools.  This literature includes looking at government policy,  independent, peer-reviewed, research by academics and educators and larger funded projects by charities and other bodies.”

 

Part of this might lead you to be able to provide a clear justification for the importance of the research you wanted to undertake – why it is important.

  • A conclusion – Here you will draw together the arguments you have seen in the literature and reiterate why/how your research would make a ‘contribution to knowledge’ in this area and you will consider what the implications are for your practice.

 

  • A slide for your references

 

If you know you will not be able to collect data in the planned timeframe, you should use the above revised guidance – but still complete a proposal and ethics form as if you were going into school.

Write a one to one and a half-page (approximately 500-800 word) essay describing philosophy and theory of teaching.

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Write a one to one and a half-page (approximately 500-800 word) essay describing philosophy and theory of teaching. You should list at least one philosophical orientation and one educational theorist, although you are not limited to one of each. To support your position as to why you align with the philosophy and theorist(s) you selected, cite at least two outside sources.