Time Sampling and Event Sampling
For the assessment activity of time sampling in childhood education, the consideration of the child’s artworks and crafts method was explored. In a preschool classroom, this activity is crucial to observe the child’s behavior and attitude towards the surroundings. This approach assumes the observation of the child at the moment when they accomplish various creative tasks, paint, or tell stories (Burroughs et al., 2019). For analyzing the child’s behavior during arts and crafts activity, as a data collection system, it will be vital to consider a work samples method. This system will allow the teacher to constantly assess the child’s progress by considering their artwork, peculiarities, and improvements.
As for the event sampling activity in childhood education, the simple communication method was chosen. It is essential to consider how the child behaves in society, particularly with their peers. Therefore, this activity will help the teacher to obtain the necessary information about the child’s attitude towards other people, including teachers, and to make possible improvements. For this activity, the audio and video recording data collection system is vital (Burroughs et al., 2019). Using this approach, teachers can precisely assess a child’s behavior during peer communication by watching records of these actions or listening to the audio. It will be possible for teachers to consider various nuances and peculiarities and make an efficient change plan.
Running Sampling and Anecdotal Records
The previous paragraph considered methods of gathering information about the child’s behavior as video and audio recordings. However, anecdotal records are another crucial instrument that will be useful for assessing a child’s behavior. This approach involves recording the characteristics of the child’s development, taking into account a variety of deviations from the norms (Mercer & Gregersen, 2021). For example, anecdotal records can measure specific changes in a child’s mood (Whitebread et al., 2019). On the other hand, the method for running sampling activities is frequency evaluation of the child’s actions. For instance, it assumes consideration of how often a child is inclined to perform various complex tasks requiring mental effort. At the same time, as a data collection system for running sampling, anecdotal records can be used as s efficient way of obtaining data.
Classroom Teacher Variables
Classroom teacher variables display the way the teacher uses them in his work. This factor is influenced by many components that form the teacher’s strategy for teaching children. According to Mercer and Gregersen (2021), “classroom variables such as task and activity type, the topic for discussion, mode of instruction (pair, group, or whole-class), group size, and atmosphere” (p. 311). Therefore, it is important to emphasize that the teacher’s education, previous experience, and attitude toward children and others form their teaching strategy. In early childhood education, many teachers prefer to incorporate various games into their learning process that fascinate children and develop their abilities. Nevertheless, some teachers are committed to more classical, strict standards in education. This separation by teaching styles is a typical example of classroom teacher variables.
Environmental Variables
Although many people do not pay sufficient attention to the issue of the importance of environmental variables in the educational process, this factor is crucial concerning the child’s success in their learning. As Whitebread et al. (2019) state, “children living in poverty experience reduced opportunities for learning in and outside the home and less favorable caregiving environments that impact their stress physiology” (p. 520). Therefore, it is crucial to understand that environmental variables in the learning class play a vital role, as well as the tutor’s teaching style. The use of furniture items, various props in the learning process, toys, and others, directly impact the child’s psychological state and, consequently, their self-development.
References
Burroughs, N., Gardner, J., Lee, Y., Guo, S., Touitou, I., Jansen, K., & Schmidt, W. (2019). Teaching for excellence and equity analyzing teacher characteristics, behaviors, and student outcomes with TIMSS. Springer International Publishing.
The Cognitive Approach. (2021). In S. Mercer & T. Gregersen, (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook of the Psychology of Language Learning and Teaching (pp. 301-345). Taylor & Francis.
Part V Learning, Language and Literacy. (2019). In D. Whitebread, D. Pino-Pasternak, K. Kumpulainen, M. McClelland, N. Perry, & V. Grau, (Eds.), The SAGE Handbook of developmental psychology and early childhood education (pp. 513-528). SAGE Publications.