Research

Current research

1)    Researching Effective Early Learning Study (REEL) running from January 2016 until December 2018, this research is funded by Goodstart – one of the largest providers of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) across Australia. The study is designed to support practitioners working in their ECEC settings in Victoria develop their skills, knowledge and understandings so that they improve their practice, in collaboration with all members of staff, when working with the children and families in their settings. It consists of a Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) design with a bespoke professional development intervention delivered over one year. Following the intervention, pre- and post-test practice assessments will allow comparisons to be made between those settings who received the intervention with those that did not (the matched control settings). The control settings will receive the professional development once the repeated assessments have been completed.

 Research Team: Siraj, Melhuish, de Rosnay, Howard, Kingston, Neilsen-Hewett

2)    Fostering Effective Early Learning (FEEL) study is a large scale longitudinal study running from January 2015 to December 2017. It is funded by New South Wales, Department of Education, Australia. The study is designed to implement and evaluate the impact of a professional development intervention in 90 long day care centres and pre-schools in key locations across New South Wales. Two types of assessment will be used so that both practice in the settings and children’s outcomes will be captured both prior to and following the intervention in randomly assigned and matched intervention and control groups.

 Research Team: Siraj, Melhuish, de Rosnay, Howard, Kingston, Neilsen-Hewett

Recently completed research includes:

1)    The Quality Interactions Study (QIS) Study was funded by New South Wales Department of Education (DoE), Australia from January 2015 to September 2016. The study was designed: first, to capture existing levels of quality in 30 selected DoE preschools situated in areas of disadvantage; second, to determine whether a short, bespoke professional development (PD) package (of 6 weeks in duration) could successfully improve practice within 15 of those classrooms (the intervention group), that were randomly chosen; and, third, to add to existing understandings regarding effective Professional Development (PD) in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC). In particular, to capture the processes involved in any changes/ enhancements in practice; that is, to note how educators created more effective environments for the children in their care and to note any obstacles which mitigated against such improvements.

Research Team: Siraj, Cheeseman and Kingston

The final report can be found online: DoE, New South Wales, Australia

2)    Developing a DVD and Manual for SSTEW rating scale. It was funded through a SEED Fund granted by the University of Wollongong, NSW Australia from January 2015 to January 2016.

Study team: Siraj, Kingston  & Lysaght

3)    Independent Review of the Scottish Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) Workforce and Out of School Care(OSC) Workforce. Funded by the Scottish Government from April 2014 to April 2015

Reviewers: Siraj and Kingston

4)    An Independent Stocktake of the Foundation Phase in Wales. Funded by the Welsh Government in 2014

Reviewers: Siraj and Kingston