Using Theory-Based Research in Supporting Creative Learning Environment for Young Children

A supportive creative environment for young children is viewed as an essential element toward facilitating their creative thinking. Creativity requires imagination, insight, problem solving, divergent thinking, the ability to express emotions and to be able to make choices, thus we created a supportive learning environment to nurture creativity in three to four year olds. In this chapter creativity theory is discussed and how to apply to the early childhood educational setting. The Reggio Approach and creativity-provoking methods are discussed. Application of the theory relates to how children are immersed into activities encourages problem-solving, exploration, creativity and the learning supported by play based experiences for children. Examples are given as to how one child development center has provided curriculum, arranged the indoor and outdoor spaces, and integrated the artist in residence concept into the setting

Community service learning: Preparing female students in the United Arab Emirates for the workplace

A learning community where students develop the knowledge, skills and abilities needed for meaningful and successful 21st century work and life is the vision for higher education programs in the Middle East. A successful learning community of faculty members, students, and site supervisors in a variety of community programs are working together to achieve this objective, and are jointly engaged in the pursuit of excellence and the development of human potential. It is Zayed University\u27s goal to assure that students develop the higher-order intellectual capacities and technological skills they will need to succeed in a rapidly changing and increasingly complex world. This chapter describes the model used to meet the challenges faced by first generation female college graduates in the United Arab Emirates, a model that emphasizes community service learning placements and undergraduate research projects. These first generation graduates are also those who are expected to transition into a very conservative work environment. For the majority, community placements provided through this model is the first opportunity through which they are able to have any level of workplace experience. In this chapter we will report on this innovative community service program model experienced by students and will address challenges and successes of this program model which utilizes undergraduate student research, community involvement and the integration of female graduates into the workforce. We will share how this model provided insights into the work experience, as reported in students\u27 journal reflections. An effective service learning program and undergraduate research involvement allowed these graduates to put theory into practice, develop habits of self analysis and reflective thinking, and contribute towards a greater understanding of organizational structures. © 2011, IGI Global

Educators' beliefs about kindergarten practices

Educators' beliefs about kindergarten practices were investigated in this study. Subjects were 56 kindergarten teachers, 51 first-grade teachers and 47 principals from Iowa public school districts offering full-day every day kindergarten programs and 46 kindergarten teachers, 43 first-grade teachers and 45 principals from schools offering half-day every day programs. A majority of the kindergarten teachers have 11+ years of kindergarten teaching experience and an elementary (K-6) teaching certification. The Teacher Information Survey and the Teacher Questionnaire addressing teachers' beliefs and instructional classroom practices were completed. Results from ANOVA and the Duncan multiple range test revealed that kindergarten teachers first-grade teachers and elementary school principals showed similar belief patterns. However, kindergarten teachers tended to place more importance on providing opportunities for children to learn through active exploration, experimentation, and interactive processes and with a wider variety of activities and materials. In contrast, first-grade teachers tended to believe that it was more desirable to offer academic instruction, e.g., reading and alphabet. There were very few differences between the beliefs and practices of educators from half-day every day as compared to those from full-day every day kindergarten programs. There also were very few differences based on kindergarten teachers' years of kindergarten teaching experience and their beliefs and reported classroom practices;T-test analyses of actual and desired classroom practices of kindergarten teachers revealed highly significant differences, with teachers desiring more frequent involvement in child-centered autonomy-oriented activities, and more opportunities for creative exploration by the children. The findings are discussed in relation to the developmentally appropriate practices advocated by various professional groups.</p

Females&apos; Perception of the Role of Fathers in Caring for Children Females&apos; Perception of the Role of Fathers in Caring for Children

Abstract This study examined perceptions of a group of Qatari females about father&apos;s involvement in caring for children. Participants in this study responded to a questionnaire that measures the extent of subjects&apos; beliefs about the importance of the father&apos;s role to children&apos;s development. The results revealed that the female participants&apos; had positive attitudes regarding fathers&apos; capabilities and their significant roles in children&apos;s development. The participants&apos; positive perceptions about the role of fathers were positively related to their level of satisfaction with their own fathers&apos; involvement during childhood. Also, the study examined the relationship between participant&apos;s attitude about father involvement and their gender role ideology. The results showed that despite their positive view about their own fathers and overall favorable attitude about the importance of fathers, they scored high in the gender ideology measure, which indicates that the majority of the females in our study favored traditional gendered-specific roles for parents. However, as expected, there was a moderate negative relationship between the subjects&apos; perception of fathers&apos; roles and their gender ideology views