Carolyn P. Edwards - US grants

Abstract

Planning a Center for the Study of Children's Development in Relationships

Julia Torquati, Lisa Crockett, Carolyn Edwards, Marcela Raffaelli, and
Ross Thompson

Relationships are critical to intellectual, emotional, social, and physical growth in childhood. Relationships with parents, grandparents, siblings, peers, teachers, caregivers in day care and preschool, and others contribute to the development of skills, respond to the child's individuality, facilitate new learning and growth, and provide sources of security and support. Relationships have recently been described as the "active ingredients" of healthy development by the Committee on Integrating the Science of Early Childhood Development of the National Academy of Sciences in their report, From Neurons to Neighborhoods. But although much is known about the impact of specific relationships on children's development, there are many limitations to current understanding. This project proposal requests support to enable investigators to advance the science of relationships in development by planning the creation of a Center for the Study of Children's Development in Relationships.

The overarching goal of the Center is to develop the capacity for multi-disciplinary research on children's development within relationships, from infancy through adolescence, encompassing the varieties of relationships and develop-mental processes characteristic of childhood. More specifically, researchers at the Center will develop: (a) a shared theoretical view of development and relationships to guide their work, (b) a framework for coordination among specific research activities conducted by research scientists, (c) processes for scholarly exchanges through workshops, conferences, and networking opportunities, (d) educational activities for graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, and visiting scientists, (e) associations with institutional and community resources concerned with children, (f) a repository for data and reports that already exist concerning development and relationships from both local and national sources, and (g) procedures for disseminating research conclusions to other scholars, communities, human service professionals, and policymakers.

The goals of the proposed planning period are to inaugurate the development of this Center by building collaborative partnerships within the University of Nebraska, and with scholars at other institutions, and to initiate specific research programs by critically examining current research on children's relationships to identify gaps in conceptualization, measurement, populations studied, or developmental stages and transitions that have been examined. During the proposed planning period, several activities will occur. These include (a) an assessment of future research needs through monthly meetings, exchanges of reviews of the literature, and consulting with an advisory board of experts, (b) building multidisciplinary collaborations within the University, and with scholars outside it, (c) developing a shared theoretical framework through collaborative interaction, and (d) preparation and submission of a Center grant proposal.

The Center for the Study of Children's Development in Relationships will also accomplish several ancillary goals. First, it will provide an infrastructure for the integration of education and research on this important topic. Second, it will broaden the representation of underrepresented groups through active recruitment of scholars, students, and research participants. Finally, the work of Center scholars will enhance knowledge of the field through independent research activities and review of the research literature.

NEBRASKA MATH is to improve achievement for all students and narrow achievement gaps among at-risk populations by focusing on three key transition points along the mathematics continuum: the mathematics education of children in transition from kindergarten through early primary to grade 3; the algebra transition from middle to high school and the transition of new secondary math teachers from certification to the classroom.
The project is focused on four strategies; (i) Developing an active and mature partnership (sustained through state dollars after the end of NSF funding) by linking mathematics teachers and school administrators from across Nebraska with university mathematicians and mathematics educators and early childhood educators to improve mathematics education statewide; (ii) Strengthening the mathematical and pedagogical knowledge for teaching of participating teachers and their professional interactions with other teachers in their schools, while improving their attitudes to the teaching and learning of mathematics; (iii) Improving students' competence, beliefs and attitudes about mathematics, their appreciation of the importance of sustained effort, and their knowledge of mathematics; and (iv)) Contributing to the research in mathematics education through a mixed methods research design studying K-3 teacher's knowledge, attitudes, and leadership in relation to student disposition and achievement.
A goal of the project is to create a model partnership, both on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) campus and nationally, where faculty in an academic discipline (in this case mathematics) and faculty in education work with teachers and administrators from the K-12 education community, sharing expertise and resources in pursuit of a world class mathematics education system. NEBRASKA MATH partners the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with four school districts and 15 Educational Service Units (ESUs), in rural Nebraska, which provide support to 63 additional school districts. The intent is to form a permanent K-16 mathematics partnership that is sustained primarily by local dollars. Over the five years the project is to impact 900 teachers (750 at the elementary level and 150 at the secondary level) and approximately 60,000 students.