Advancing Quality in Early Childhood Through
Research, Evaluation and Community Collaboration
ECEI's Growing Influence
The ECEI was recently honored by being selected to present our work at the inaugural Good News Summit organized to highlight positive activities that are improving Tulsa (more details provided below in “Recent Events”). We are pleased and proud to be identified as a positive force in our home town of Tulsa. In reflecting on ECEI’s activities over the last quarter, it is evident that our influence has grown beyond Tulsa.   
State-wide Influence
One example is that Diane Horm, based on the ECEI’s work, has been designated as the lead in a cross-discipline, cross-campus OU initiative to build interdisciplinary research on the broad topic of early childhood. The kick-off was held in early September with a retreat on OU’s Norman Campus. Approximately 30 researchers from areas as diverse as economics, education, landscape architecture, psychology, social work, political science, sociology, rehab sciences, pediatrics, and engineering convened for 8 hours to discuss opportunities to collaborate to build early childhood as a signature research area at OU. The ECEI is viewed as central to this OU initiative, demonstrating our university-wide impact.
The OU Early Childhood Initiative group is pictured hard at work identifying common research themes.
National Representation

Diane was invited to participate in a focus group conducted by Sesame Street to help inform the content of their 50 th season. Along with colleagues from across the U.S., she participated in discussions of issues impacting young children and their families, and how Sesame Street might address these issues. She even got a photo with Cookie Monster! Other national-level activities include our participation in the Network of Infant Toddler Researchers, Diane's work with NAEYC's Commission on the Accreditation of Early Childhood Higher Education Programs, and numerous ECEI conference presentations (summarized later in this newsletter).
International Reach
During Diane’s fall 2017 Visiting Scholar appointment at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, she and Sheila Degotardi were invited to brief the Minister for Early Childhood Education on recent research findings and discuss how the research could inform New South Wales’ programs and initiatives. During her time in Australia, Diane was also invited to deliver a keynote address on quality in infant-toddler group care at a professional conference and an invited lecture at Macquarie University on the role of early childhood programming in reducing or preventing the achievement gap—a topic of growing interest in Australia.
Diane Horm and her Macquarie University colleague Sheila Degotardi are pictured with The Hon Sarah Mitchell MP, the New South Wales Minister for Early Childhood Education (center).
As you can see, the ECEI has been busy here in Oklahoma, on the national stage, and even impacting international audiences. We’re looking forward to continuing these initiatives and taking on even more this year. Read on to hear more about our accomplishments this past quarter.
Recent Events
Good News Summit Highlights ECEI's Impact on Tulsa

The ECEI had the honor of representing OU-Tulsa at the inaugural Good News Summit. Our own Sherri Castle was among 24 selected presenters for the February 1st event. Organized by Leadership Tulsa, the Summit was designed to showcase positive and encouraging undertakings by local companies and organizations. Speakers from nonprofits, government agencies, social services, entrepreneurship, philanthropy and health care shared various topics all meant to celebrate what they are doing to make Tulsa a better place.

To watch Sherri's presentation about the ECEI's impact on Tulsa click here .
What's New at ECEI
SREE 2018
  ABCD Award Winner
HORM, GUSS REPRESENT THE ECEI
Shannon Guss, Project Director of the Educare Implementation Study, and Diane Horm recently presented at the Society for Research in Educational Effectiveness (SREE) conference in Washington, DC. Shannon and Diane, along with Noreen Yazejian, Sandy Soliday Hong, Amanda Stein, and Maia Connors, presented "A Model for Practitioner-Researcher Partnerships That Foster Professional Learning from Research Evidence in Early Childhood Education Settings."

The panel focused on Educare and how our Research-Practice Partnerships further family engagement. Shannon discussed how these partnerships can be supported through the framework of understanding, knowledge, and response, particularly as it relates to the needs of families. When researchers and practitioners work together, the process of understanding, building knowledge, and responding based on data can result in more informed planning and more focused work.   
ABOVE & BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY
The ECEI gives out a quarterly employee recognition award called the ABCD award. We are happy to announce the recipient for the 2017 fourth quarter (October-December) was Holly Neveu! Holly is a Site Coordinator for the Educare Implementation Study at Educare Hawthorne and has been with the ECEI for 4 years.

Here is what those who nominated Holly had to say: “Holly is dedicated and brilliant. In addition to her regular duties as Site Coordinator, she handles our error check reporting, uploading and updating data, and handling goal rollout and collaborative Master Teacher/Local Evaluation Partner training.”

Holly demonstrated the ECEI's core values of Integrity, Responsibility, Excellence, and Flexibility. Congratulations Holly!
Wellness Wednesdays
DE-STRESSING AT THE ECEI

After a lot of laughs and fun experiences in 2017, the ECEI is continuing Wellness Wednesdays in 2018 as a way for staff to take a break and have fun together. Some activities so far have included tea tasting, creating Valentine's boxes and learning to arm knit.
Outstanding Dissertation Award
CONGRATULATIONS TO DEBBIE LAURIN

Recently, OU Early Childhood 2017 Ph.D. graduate Debbie Laurin won the Instructional Leadership and Academic Curriculum (ILAC) Outstanding Dissertation Award for her study "Caregiver-Infant/Toddler Interactions during Diapering: Associations with Well-being and Involvement." Her nomination will be advanced for consideration for the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education award.

The Early Childhood Education faculty have also nominated Debbie's work for the dissertation award bestowed by the Early Education and Child Development Special Interest Group of AERA.
Recent Publications
Group Care for Infants, Toddlers, and Twos
Edited by Deborah J. Norris and Diane M. Horm
Routledge

This volume extends the knowledge base supporting research-informed child care for infants and toddlers, while simultaneously highlighting areas of study ripe for future research. The authors demonstrate from a systems perspective, that the experiences and outcomes of very young children in child care are influenced by characteristics of and interactions between the children, adults, and settings. Varying methodological approaches as well as the utilization of newer data collection instruments inform the field’s understanding of current practices and procedures while offering guidance for future programming and policy. In turn, the chapters highlight a plethora of open questions and a need for a new generation of research to support the field of infant/toddler care. Future challenges are evident in the recognition of the inadequate nature of our current measures of child outcomes and classroom processes, the field’s unmet promise to incorporate interdisciplinary perspectives, and the need for newer methodological designs that blend the strengths of quantitative and qualitative approaches.

These issues are important given the growing demand for infant/toddler care and the increasing recognition of the unique role of this age period in serving as the foundation for all later development. This book was originally published as a special issue of  Early Education and Development .

Dual Language Learning, Inhibitory Control, and
Math Achievement in Head Start and Kindergarten
Ji Young Choi, Shinyoung Jeon and Christine Lippard
Published in Early Childhood Research Quarterly

Not all dual-language learners are at risk academically, but as a group, these students are often labeled as such, despite differences in their English skills. This study examined whether developmental patterns of inhibitory control (IC) and kindergarten math achievement differed among Head Start children with varying dual language learning status. This study further explored the potential mediation effects of IC development as an explanation of differences in kindergarten math skills across children with varying dual language learning status. Based on their English skills and home language use, children’s dual language learning status was categorized into (1) Spanish-English bilingual children, (2) Spanish-English dual language learners with limited English skills (DLLs-LES), and (3) English-monolingual children. Analyses were conducted using data from the Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES) 2009 Cohort. Results showed that bilingual children presented greater IC at Head Start entry than DLLs-LES and faster growth in IC through kindergarten (1.5 years) than English-monolingual children. Bilingual children also outperformed monolingual children and DLLs-LES in math at kindergarten, despite the fact that they had lower baseline math skills than monolingual children. DLLs-LES, on average, presented the lowest IC skills and math skills through kindergarten. DLLs-LES, however, presented faster growth in IC than English-monolingual children through kindergarten. The achievement gaps in math among the three groups were explained by relative differences in IC development among the groups. The current study with low-income preschoolers supported emerging literature suggesting the benefits of bilingualism for cognitive skills and learning. Recognizing that dual-language learners do better than expected has significant implications. 
Featured Assessment
Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamental 2 - Preschool (CELF)

The featured assessment in our Fall 2017 newsletter was the Preschool Language Scale (PLS-5). Let’s pick up where that left off, with an overview of the CELF Preschool Assessment. Both instruments are used to evaluate young children’s language development. What distinguishes the two assessments and where does the CELF fit in to the work we do at ECEI?

Whereas the PLS-5 is a play-based assessment that can be used with infants (birth to age 8), the CELF is a more structured assessment designed for children from age 3 to 7. The PLS-5 identifies children with language delays that impair communication skills. In contrast, the CELF provides detailed information about a broad range of language skills (including vocabulary, concepts, following directions, and sentence formation). The CELF helps to determine if children are able to handle the language demands of the preschool classroom. 

Select subtests of the CELF (and its Spanish counterpart) are being used in the Tulsa SEED Study. It is noteworthy that the Spanish CELF is a parallel – not translated – version of the assessment. For bilingual study participants, this allows for tracking the arcs of their dual language development. ECEI has 23 reliable CELF assessors (8 of whom are also reliable in the Spanish CELF). During Fall data collection, 1,089 English and 385 Spanish CELF assessments were completed.
Get to Know Our Advisory Board

Lu Ann Faulkner-Schneider
Coordinator, Professional Development and
Quality Initiatives
Department of Human Services
Oklahoma Child Care Services

Board Member of the Infants, Toddlers, Twos and Threes Advisory Board from 2011-2018
Lu Ann has served on our Board since 2011 in a Standing Appointment, representing the Oklahoma Department of Human Services. As a Board Member, Lu Ann shares her knowledge of Oklahoma's child care landscape with particular focus on professional development needs and initiatives.

What is unique about the ECEI and its research?
ECEI holds a unique place for a research institute. The focus on programming, policies, evaluation activities and impact on young children is paramount. The IT3 research center is distinctive due to the emphasis on infants, toddlers and three year olds. ECEI is adding to the volume of research in the field that will influence future program policies and practices. The ability to collaborate with program providers has broadened the scope of work. The ECEI staff are extremely versatile as they have approximately 40 assessments and observations in the organization’s tool box.  

What are the biggest changes you have observed during your time on the Advisory Board?
Over the last ten years, ECEI has increased the number of staff and developed professional skills and abilities to conduct research projects. The organization is capable of conducting a variety of evaluations, from program assessments to policy research. Working with numerous partners, both local and nationwide, strengthens the connections between research and practice. Providing an Early Childhood Leadership Institute that offers educational opportunities to professionals directly working with children has been an asset to the community. The Institutes have addressed current topics in early childhood and brought in experts in the field to emphasize research to practice.

What do you hope to see in the ECEI’s future?
I hope to see more cross-pollination of ideas and research. It is important to look for the space where early childhood education and programming intersects with other disciplines. 

Final thoughts?
Keep up the outstanding work!

Thanks Lu Ann! We appreciate your insights.

Next Issue: Connecting with our Colleagues
Integrity   |    Excellence | Respect | Learning | Responsibility   |   Flexibility

We are a growing research institute focused on young children (birth to age 8) in early childhood programs. Read more about the history of the ECEI, view our most recent Annual Reports, download a copy of our Strategic Plan, or learn more about our staff.
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  Issue: Spring 2018                                     updated: 3/7/2018