Education reform calls for a cohesive professional knowledge base from which all educators can draw. Scholars have proposed that this knowledge base, as informed by educational research, entails knowledge of subject matter, pedagogical content knowledge, and a deeper understanding of child development. However, a common knowledge base has historically remained elusive for two educational sub-groups--early childhood and elementary education. Guided by socio-cultural theory and the notion of professional cultural communities, this study focused on the status of child development research in published journals across the sub-fields. Through an exploratory content analysis and descriptive statistical analysis, results indicated an equal distribution of developmental research across the sub-fields and audiences, as well as an attention to children's achievement and learning. The only significant difference was found between journals published for a scholarly audience. Implications suggest an evolution of the two knowledge bases and propose future research to examine this change.Master of Art
