This week we're looking at ethics in early childhood research. While some people believe that refraining from social research is the best way to avoid violating professional ethics, I have found a number of examples of how social research has positively changed people's lives. One example is of a positive change is the findings from the Carolina Abecedarian Project. I encourage you to read this article from the New York Times from last March. Checking in with research participants 42 years later has proved that significant benefits have come from providing low income families with full time day care and meals. This research project has a happy ending. I'm so glad to know that early childhood education is valued more today than ever.
Hello Laura,
ReplyDeleteThis is a great article! I read about the Abecedarian Project and its amazing findings. This project was based in North Carolina and tracked 111 African-American families with low-income. There were many positive outcomes in this study. Some positive outcomes were that young children who received high-quality early education from infancy to age five did better in reading and math and were more likely to stay in school longer, graduated from high school, and attended a four-year college. Also, children who participated in the early intervention program posted higher cognitive test scores and tended to wait longer to have their first child. Outcomes like these are proving to many that early childhood research and early childhood education is beneficial and important.
http://www.ounceofprevention.org/about/why-early-childhood-investments-work.php?src=homepage
Laura,
ReplyDeleteYou have provided us with an excellent example of research that should be very beneficial to our society. Now, hopefully the information presented will be heard by those whom can make change happen in this country. However, with similar research to show the advantages of full day care and education the next thing we need is a big enough to be heard.