<p> Childhood obesity rates have increased three-fold since 1980 and up to 80% of obese children become obese adults. Since young children are forming habits that they will carry with them into adulthood, preschool represents an ideal setting to instill proper physical activity habits. Therefore, the purpose of this investigation was to assess the amount of physical activity in preschool children during three different recess conditions on separate days: <i>free play, structured play</i> and a <i>control</i> (non-active) condition. </p><p> Physical activity levels were measured in preschool children <i> (N</i> = 22) during three, 30-minute recess conditions; <i>control, structured play</i> recess, and <i>free play</i> recess. Children wore accelerometers for the duration the school day (165 minutes) for three days. Accelerometer counts during the recess sessions and for the entire school day were recorded. Each recess condition was completed on a separate day, but all during the same week. After all three recess conditions had been completed; the child was asked which recess period they preferred. </p><p> Children accumulated significantly <i>(p </i>= 0.001) more accelerometer counts during recess and for the entire school day in the <i> free play</i> (570 &plusmn; 460 counts.min^-1 at recess; 632 &plusmn; 232 counts.min^-1 during school day) and <i> structured</i> (1,416 &plusmn; 448 counts.min^-1 at recess; 629 &plusmn; 200 counts.min^-1 during school day) recess conditions versus the <i>control</i> condition (570 &plusmn; 460 counts.min^-1 at recess; 462 &plusmn; 200 counts.min^-1 during school day). Accelerometer counts during recess and for the entire school day were not different (<i>p</i> = 0.9) between the <i>free play</i> and <i>structured</i> recess conditions. All children indicated that they preferred either the <i>structured play</i> (55%) or <i>free play</i> (45%) recess conditions over the <i> control</i> recess condition. </p><p> Presently both a <i>structured play</i> and <i>free play </i> recess condition were equally successful in increasing physical activity behavior and were preferred versus a non-active recess condition. Providing pre-school children with the opportunity to be physically active during recess successfully increases physical activity during the school day and is preferable to a sedentary recess.</p>

<p> The purpose of the study was to examine the effectiveness and feasibility of using tiered instruction to increase the frequency of conversational turn taking (CTT) among preschoolers with and without disabilities in an inclusive setting. Three CTT interventions (Universal Design for Learning, Peer Mediated Instruction, and Milieu Teaching) were organized on a hierarchy of intensity and implemented in an additive manner. Using an increasing intensity across participants with a reversal design, child progress was monitored over time and children were moved through tiers based on level of need. A functional relationship between tiered instruction and CTT was found for nine of 13 child participants and the strongest intervention effects were observed at tier one. All but one child participant showed an increase in conversational turn taking from baseline to reinstatement. Teacher fidelity of implementation was monitored at each tier. Her overall average was 90% with the highest percent occurring in tier one. Resulting contributions to the literature include a better understanding of the feasibility of tiered instruction for the inclusive early childhood classroom, the effectiveness of tiered instruction for increasing CTT, and practical considerations for implementation of tiered instruction across tiers and phase change decisions.</p>

<p> This qualitative case study is an investigation of the role of race, school context, and personal and professional experiences in the formation of an early childhood teacher's professional identity. Data sources included interviews, observations, conversations, field notes, and school artifacts. Member checking, triangulation, and extended observation supported the trustworthiness of the results. The findings of the research indicate that major themes related to identity formation included family influence, teaching values and beliefs, and identity shift. Main themes related to the minority status of the participant were emotions and feeling of alienation. Finally, major themes related to school context and personal and professional experiences included relationships with children and parents, relationships with teachers and staff members at the school, early learning experiences, and images of a good teacher. The study concludes with suggestions for early childhood education programs and future researchers.</p>

<p> The purpose of this feminist case study was two-fold: (1) to describe the ways that Collaborative Inquiry (CI) can be proposed as a counter-discourse of professional development that acknowledges the multiple forms of personal and professional knowledge among five women preschool practitioners, and (2) to explore alternative constructs of the preschool practitioner that seek to disrupt the preschool teacher/child care worker dichotomy. Data were collected through transcripts of CI group meetings, semi-structured participant interviews, selected researcher field notes, and participant observations during select classroom visits and meetings with participants. Feminist and poststructural perspectives set forth by Butler (1990), Osgood (2010), and Foucault (1977), among others, were utilized to interpret the data. Findings from the CI process included the importance of conversation and 'small talk' informal and shared readings, the use of student documentation and artifacts, and collaboration as important tools and processes of the group. Findings from the case included the positioning of the Center and its staff within a business discourse. Data revealed how these preschool practitioners complied with and/or negotiated the discursive practices of power relations, regulation, normalization, and surveillance, as the Center participated in the voluntary <i>Step Up to Quality</i> accreditation process to increase Center funding. </p>

<p>Play is an important part of a child&rsquo;s development. Play is often defined as an activity done for its own sake, characterized by means rather than end. Pretend play receives a huge focus at the pre-school and kindergarten levels, especially socio-dramatic play. Socio-dramatic play, common from around 3 years of age to six years of age, is a type of pretend play. Socio-dramatic play incorporates sustained role taking and a narrative line. This study intends to examine pretend play in greater detail and to determine if the structuring of pretend play by the teacher can positively affect student social and behavior skills. The two students under study, a 5-year old female with limited social skills and a 6-year old boy who exhibits poor behavior skills. The two students under study were placed in an unstructured and structured dramatic play area center through the course of the study. The researcher used a duration recording form, a partial recording form, and field notes to measure behavior. The results of the study showed that the children improved their behaviors during the structured dramatic play area center time. </p>

<p> While many studies have been published about the short-term effects of preschool on student achievement, few long-term studies have been completed. The focus of this study was to determine whether students who attended schools that offered preschool demonstrated improved student achievement in communication arts and math in fourth and eighth grades. Quantitative data, including MAP scores for 2010, 2011 and 2012 in communication arts and math, were reviewed. The participants included rural schools with similar demographics as evidenced by membership in Missouri Association of Rural Education. A survey was administered to superintendents of the same schools. The data revealed that students who attended schools that offered preschool performed higher in only one of the four areas reviewed in this study than students who attended schools that did not offer preschool. This difference was noted in fourth grade math. Results from fourth grade communication arts, eighth grade communication arts, and eighth grade math indicated decreased student achievement for students who attended schools that did offer preschool. While the data show administrators believe preschool is an effective tool to improve student achievement, the results contradict this notion in three of the four areas in this study. These findings are evidence that more research is necessary to determine the effectiveness of preschool as a tool to improve student achievement long-term.</p>

<p> Preschool expulsions have gained new attention in the early child care field. The disproportionate rate of Blacks boys that are expelled or "pushed out" from their child care settings suggests particular concern for exploration. Behavioral problems in early childhood have negative outcomes later in life (Keane &amp; Calkins, 2004); therefore, it is imperative that educational systems create equitable, non-disciplinary practices, which do not marginalize or shame Black boys. This study captured the experiences of five parents of Black boys that were expelled or pushed out of multiple child care settings, as well as the temporary and lasting effects of the expulsions or "push-outs" on the entire family. One center director of a state-funded preschool and one head teacher of a private center also participated. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews, focus groups, and on-line temperament profiles. Grounded theory was used to code the data in terms of the study's conceptual framework, including relationships between parent, child and teacher/provider, Critical Race Theory (CRT), neurobiological considerations, gaps in teacher/provider preparation, and the high-stakes accountability movement. The social construction of Black boys and learning in early child care settings was also explored. Expulsions or push-outs had several negative impacts for parents, the boys of this study and their families. However, through these hardships, parents learned strong advocacy skills and showed resiliency. Implications for providers and policy are discussed.</p>

<p> <b>Purpose.</b> The purpose of this sequential, mixed-methods exploratory case study of early childhood professionals was threefold. First, determine if a relationship exists between a learner&rsquo;s readiness toward directed (DL) and self-directed learning (SDL) style and the perception of their inclination toward directed or self-directed learning, when given a choice of the two. Second, examine how self-selection of DL or SDL relates to learning achievement. Third, detect motivation of individual&rsquo;s selection in directed or self-directed learning.</p><p> <b>Methodology.</b> Quantitative methods in the form of survey assessment were employed to determine 52 participants&rsquo; perceived inclination for SDL compared to their diagnosed readiness for SDL using the Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale (SDLRS). A pretest/posttest assessment determined achievement of skill in identifying content presented in training. Qualitative data were gathered through semistructured interviews of 24 participants representing all directed and a purposeful sample of self-directed learners.</p><p> <b>Findings.</b> Quantitative data showed that most participants could positively identify if they were ready for SDL, when looking at the readiness level for SDLRS. However, there was no significant relationship between their readiness for SDL and content growth of the training material. Content growth was measured using pretests/posttests. Qualitative data showed that those choosing SDL were motivated by convenience, desire for schedule autonomy, and confidence in ability to complete training independently.</p><p> <b>Conclusions.</b> The study data support the conclusion that adult learners are capable of identifying their readiness for SDL. SDL can be situational, and perceived barriers will motivate choosing DL versus SDL when given a choice. When barriers are mitigated, directed learners&rsquo; behavior may change and parallel self-directed learner behavior.</p><p> <b>Recommendations.</b> Further research is advised: (a) in applying quantitative survey to larger populations to determine more confidently the relationship between SDL and training growth; (b) in applying the research study to a more demographic diverse population that is better representative of the population; (c) applying the research study in various situations, as SDL is situational; (d) in seeking qualitative data from all participants including those not completing the study to discover the motivation and barriers to continue or withdraw from the learning experience.</p>

<p> Precision teaching (PT) is a measurement system used in multiple settings for all types of behavior, from driving to mathematics. The ultimate goal of PT is to develop fluent, free operant behaviors through analyzing response frequencies on a standard celeration chart. Research has found PT to be effective at improving both the speed and accuracy of academic skills. There is little research, however, in the effects of learning channels, a component of PT, as they relate to the acquisition of academic skills. The present study examined the relationship between single and multiple learning channels on the acquisition of mathematics skills by five 1^st graders in a public school setting. Implications related to universal designs for learning (UDL) utilized in educational environments are also discussed. </p>

<p> The achievement gap between African American students and other races was continuously widening. School districts across the country were examining several programs to address the issue. This study attempted to examine the overall benefit of summer school attendance on reading achievement. It evaluated the relationship between summer school attendance and lexile levels of African American students from a low socio-economical area, in grades one through four. Participants for the study were not recruited as secondary data was used for the research. The study site school district's secondary data from the summer school session of 2012 was analyzed. The data included the spring 2012 and fall 2012 AimsWeb RCBM scores, along with the lexile levels. The study site school district collected lexile level data before and after summer school instruction. The summer school program was a four-week program that focused on math and reading. The program was voluntary and any student in the school district was able to attend. Data from the AimsWeb RCBM Assessment provided two measures for analysis: fluency and lexile level. The central research question was "What effect will summer school attendance have on reading lexile levels for African American Students from a low socio-economic area?" This quantitative study explored whether attendance in summer school contributed to an increase in the reading level, decrease in the reading level, or no effect on the reading level. This study used secondary data from a controlled group of students who did not attend summer school and an intervention group of students who attended summer school during 2012. A stratified random sampling of 60 students from the school's population of 343 was used to conduct the research.</p>