ERIC Number: EJ1150965
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2015
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-1838-0689
EISSN: N/A
The Design and Validation of an Early Childhood STEM Classroom Observational Protocol
Milford, Todd; Tippett, Christine
International Research in Early Childhood Education, v6 n1 p24-37 2015
Across K-12 education, there has been recent attention to the learning opportunities available to students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning. Early childhood education (ECE) has been excluded from this process. The scholarly literature contains good evidence for including science teaching and learning at the ECE level, however, little is currently known about how a STEM curriculum might best be implemented in the early years. Additionally, data collection tools specifically developed for ECE STEM are limited. In this paper, we outline the steps we have taken to design and validate a classroom observation protocol (COP) intended to capture aspects of STEM instruction in an early childhood setting and to help educators envision and adjust their own teaching practices. The detailed explanation of the development and validation of this data collection tool offers other educators and researchers a path for collecting evidence of STEM practices in their own classrooms and/or research environments.
Descriptors: Early Childhood Education, STEM Education, Classroom Observation Techniques, Test Construction, Program Validation, Science Instruction, Educational Practices, Lesson Observation Criteria, Data Collection, Science Process Skills, Classroom Environment, Protocol Analysis
Monash University Faculty of Education. McMahons Road, Frankston, Victoria, Australia 3199. e-mail: edu-irece@monash.edu; Web site: http://www.monash.edu/education/research/publications/journals/irece
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A