Implementation Research in Early Care and Education: Proximal and Distal Factors Influencing Curricula Implementation

Session Type: Paper Symposium

Abstract

While there is promising evidence highlighting the effectiveness of high-quality early care and education (ECE) programming, ECE programs vary in their effectiveness. Thus, questions remain about how to bring effective ECE programs to scale and ensure better outcomes for all children. Such questions can be addressed by well-designed implementation research that provides an understanding of program implementation—that is, the process or specified set of steps by which a program is put into practice—as well as of variation in program implementation across contexts and populations. The field also needs to attend to proximal and distal factors that may facilitate or hinder successful program implementation across contexts. This paper symposium brings together three papers examining implementation of curricula in different ECE settings and how varied proximal and distal factors may be related to program implementation.

The first paper examines implementation of a comprehensive early childhood curriculum and professional development (PD) program, and the role of teachers’ initial buy-in in their implementation and perceived outcomes. The second paper examines implementation of preliteracy and language interventions in Danish daycare centers and the role of teachers’ implementation readiness as defined by proximal and distal factors. The third paper examines implementation of two theoretically distinct preschool curricular and PD models and the role of curricula, auspice, and initial levels of quality in program implementation. Together, these papers can provide key insights into factors that influence program implementation and highlight the role implementation science can play in ECE intervention research.

Sub Unit

• Education, Schooling

Chair

• Michelle F. Maier, MDRC (Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation) - New York City

Individual Presentations

• First impressions: Understanding the role of teacher buy-in to the success of program implementation - Presenting Author: Virginia Vitiello, University of Virginia - Charlottesville; Non-Presenting Author: Amanda P Williford, University of Virginia - Charlottesville; Non-Presenting Author: Erin Vines, University of Virginia; Non-Presenting Author: Lily Hummer, University of Virginia

• Implementation Readiness for Early Childhood Interventions: A Teacher-Centered Approach - Presenting Author: Dorthe Bleses, Aarhus; Non-Presenting Author: Marinka M. Willemsen, Aarhus University; Non-Presenting Author: Kelly M Purtell, Ohio State University; Non-Presenting Author: Laura M. Justice, Ohio State University; Non-Presenting Author: Pauline Slot, Universiteit Utrecht; Non-Presenting Author: Anders Hojen, University of Southern Denmark

• A Tale of Two Curricula: Variations in Implementation of Quality Interventions (VIQI) Pilot Implementation Insights - Presenting Author: Joann Hsueh, MDRC (Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation) - New York City; Non-Presenting Author: Michelle F. Maier, MDRC (Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation) - New York City; Non-Presenting Author: Margaret Burchinal, University of Virginia - Charlottesville; Non-Presenting Author: Sharon Huang, MDRC; Non-Presenting Author: Amena Sengal, MDRC (Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation) - New York City; Non-Presenting Author: Marie-Andree Somers, MDRC; Non-Presenting Author: Marissa Strassberger, MDRC; Non-Presenting Author: Amy Taub, MDRC (Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation) - New York City