Spatial skills are early predictors of future achievement in STEM, making early spatial development crucial. Early exposure to spatial language helps children form spatial concepts during tasks like guided block play. Parental engagement in spatial play fosters exploration and flexibility. This study looks specifically into interactive play, exploring how parents' active engagement in play with their infants may scaffold their infant's learning. We investigate parent-infant dyads' play engagement with a shape-sorter toy during a 5-minute free-play session. Pre-registered analyses will be conducted on 53 parent-infant dyads (mean infant age = 11.53 months, SD = 0.91). Coders will transcribe videos of free-play sessions, recording the play actions (motor, block, shape, and color play) of parents and infants, and the initiator of play actions. We hypothesize that parents will engage in more shape and color play to facilitate learning by focusing on features of the play objects (e.g., shape, color) while infants will prefer motor play due to its simpler characteristics. We also hypothesize that parents will use more spatial language during spatial play (e.g., shape-focused and block-building play) compared to non-spatial play (e.g., color-focused and motor play). We hypothesize that parents will initiate more spatial play to support infant's spatial ability while infants will engage more in non-spatial play, as their development may incline them towards sensory-driven exploration. To test our hypotheses, we will measure the 1) proportion of time spent on play types by parents and infants, 2) proportion of spatial words used by parents during interactive play, 3) proportion of initiation by parents and infants during interactive play, and 4) infant response to parent guidance by play type. 

In Western cultures, people conceptualize both time and number as progressing linearly from left to right in phenomena known as the mental timeline (past to the left, future to the right) and the mental number line (smaller numbers to the left, larger numbers to the right). These spatial representations are influenced by cultural conventions, particularly the reading direction of an individual’s primary language. The present study investigates whether these two cognitive representations develop simultaneously or independently, and whether familiarity with English print direction predicts a left-to-right mental timeline and number line in preschoolers. Preschoolers arranged three cards depicting either story events or quantities from “first to last” or “smallest to biggest” and completed the Concepts of Print (COP) assessment, which measured their familiarity with print direction. Preschoolers were more likely to represent time in a linear, left-to-right arrangement than number. In addition, linear, left-to-right arrangements in one task predicted similar arrangements in the other task. These findings suggest that cognitive structures for abstract thinking emerge from shared processes, meaning that once children develop this spatial framework for interpreting time, they utilize the same framework for number. Given that the mental number line is a predictor of STEM achievement, this finding suggests that reinforcing spatial representations in one domain (e.g., sequencing events in time) could support numerical understanding. Preliminary results suggest COP scores do not significantly predict linear, left-to-right arrangements when controlling for age. Because not all COP questions refer explicitly to the directionality of print, future analysis will refine COP questions to those that target reading direction. This study contributes to our understanding of how cultural and cognitive factors interact in shaping abstract thought, which could in turn strengthen children's STEM achievement and inform early childhood teaching strategies.

Prekindergarten programs have grown in popularity in the United States throughout recent decades and discussions about funding a universal (nationwide) prekindergarten program (U-PK) have increased as legislators consider the implications of such policies. Existing research points to long-term benefits of attending prekindergarten, while short-term benefits are often obscured by a phenomenon known as “fadeout”. Notably, there is a lack of empirical research describing the relationship between prekindergarten attendance and subsequent elementary school success. Regardless, parents, educators, and legislators share a common goal of improving educational outcomes for prekindergarten-age students. I have summarized research findings from existing studies on prekindergarten effectiveness by analyzing them through the lens of early childhood development, historical trends, and current U.S. education policies. Based on these results, I designed a longitudinal research proposal seeking to address shortfalls I identified within existing research. A comprehensive understanding of the nuances in early childhood education research, especially studies relating to prekindergarten effectiveness, is necessary to inform future discussions about U-PK. Most recently, the Universal Prekindergarten and Early Childhood Education Act of 2024 (H.R. 7114) was introduced in the House of Representatives, which would delegate funds to establish or expand access to full-day prekindergarten programs at public schools. Although further action towards this bill remains to be taken, its proposal alludes to an ongoing national emphasis on the value of early childhood education. Through analyzing the relevant past and present factors impacting early childhood education today, this paper intends to inform parents, educators, and various other interest groups by providing context to interpret research findings. It also serves as a call-to-action for future research and policies addressing U-PK in the United States.

In researching language development, it is important to observe a child in their natural environment instead of a lab, because this gives better insight into their daily life and development. Language ENvironment Analysis (LENA) is a recorder often used for such projects which is worn by the child and collects up to 16 hours of sound. Although LENA creates automatic estimates of various statistics, such as number of adult/child words and changes in speaker, other variables, such as how much speech is directed to the child (as opposed to overheard) must be manually annotated by humans, which is time-consuming and expensive. Recently, researchers developed an open-source classifier that uses LENA’s estimates to identify segments of recordings as sleep, child-directed speech (CDS), or other-directed speech (ODS) (Bang et al., 2023). If accurate, this technology could significantly speed up the annotation process, potentially enhancing the scope of language interventions. My research focuses on verifying the reliability of the classifier and its validity for use in future research. I am in the process of reanalyzing a previously published dataset of daylong LENA recordings collected with infants 6-24 months of age. I processed the original LENA data through the new classifier and currently oversee undergraduates who manually annotate a random selection of the segments, which I compare with the classifier. My preliminary findings show that the classifier’s reliability is limited for recordings collected with the youngest infants; however, I hypothesize to find higher reliability at older ages, since LENA’s automatic statistics are more accurate for recordings from older ages. I am also investigating which other aspects of the segments affect the reliability of the classifier (such as presence of additional children, noise, etc.). My results will give insight into if, and in what contexts, the classifier can be used for future research.

A child's self-identity, social identity, and group identity are crucial to their emotional and cognitive development. One's self-identity is shaped through familial relationships, cultural background, and social identity. However, stereotype threat (ST)--when individuals fear confirming negative stereotypes about their social or cultural group--can create significant obstacles and hindrances to child identity development. The concept of ST was first introduced by Claude Steele and Joshua Aronson (1995), who found that Black students underperformed on exams when reminded of racial stereotypes. Research links to ST lower self-esteem, reduced academic performance, and impaired emotional resilience in children. This presentation reviews research regarding the impact of social identity and gender stereotype threats on children, specifically young girls' self-perception, academic achievement, and social development. Gender ST operates as a mechanism to reinforce gender roles within our society. Our review of the research suggests that through cyclical reinforcement of gender ST, women's motivation and success are negatively impacted, leading to systemic gender-based oppression. These findings highlight the importance of understanding the impact of gender ST and how to mitigate the consequences. This is crucial in creating inclusive and supportive learning environments that promote positive identity development and emotional resilience in children. 

Technology is an integral part of modern life, extending into elementary classrooms where one-to-one device programs have become the norm. While technology can increase accessibility to education, its widespread integration in early learning environments raises concerns about its long-term impact on students and teachers. This research critically examines the role of gamified learning applications in elementary education, questioning whether they enhance or hinder cognitive development, attention span, and problem-solving skills. Using a mixed-methods approach, I conducted surveys and interviews with educators and students in Seattle Public Schools to assess the effects of technology-driven instruction. Preliminary findings suggest that while applications like Khan Academy focus on educational enrichment, others, such as Prodigy, prioritize engagement through addictive, game-like mechanics. This distinction highlights a growing concern: when profit-driven applications shape learning experiences, students may develop a dependence on digital stimuli. Additionally, teachers face challenges balancing digital instruction with traditional instructional methods. This study contributes to ongoing discussions about the ethics and effectiveness of digital learning tools, emphasizing the need for a balanced approach that preserves curiosity, critical thinking, and human connection in education.