International Early Childhood Research

This week I am investigating international early childhood websites. I chose the Early Childhood Development Virtual University (ECDVU) Sub-Saharan, Africa website located at http://www.ecdvu.org/index.php

“The ECDVU is committed to promoting ECD in The Majority World through innovative education, networking, publishing and other forms of scholarly activity. For example, the ECDVU has played a key role, with other regional and international partners, in the development of a triennial series of African International ECD Conferences (1999, 2002, 2005, 2009).” http://www.ecdvu.org/welcome.php

“The ECDVU program was founded and is directed by Dr. Alan Pence, UNESCO Chair for Early Childhood Education, Care and Development; Professor, School of Child and Youth Care, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada”. http://www.ecdvu.org/welcome.php

Three questions were raised:

1.     What are some of the current international research topics? Some research topics the ECDVU addresses are Understanding Children, Families and Communities Over Time and Across Cultures. They have in-depth research and reports from these countries: Eritrea, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania, The Gambia, Uganda and Zambia. This extensive research addresses such topics as: poverty, nutrition, health, child survival, water and sanitation, education indicators, parents’ responsibilities, community’s responsibilities, government’s responsibilities, child abuse, wage earning, religion, demographics, child labor, and enrollment of children in school.

2.     What surprising facts/insights/new ideas about early childhood did you gain from exploring this international early childhood website? I was surprised to find that even in the poorest countries around the world, parents and community leaders are concerned about children’s education. It seems to be common knowledge that education affords one a better life and that the earlier children begin their education, the better. These war-torn, ravaged countries still take their parental, community and governmental responsibilities very seriously with regard to children and early childhood education.

3.     What other noteworthy information did you find on this website? Other noteworthy information I found a plethora of statistics related to poverty and the situation of children and families in Africa. According to http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/documents/Nigeria_Country_Report.pdf “malaria, diarrhea, acute respiratory tract infections (ARI), and the vaccine preventable diseases are the main causes of child morbidity and mortality. Fifty percent (50%) of infant deaths are prenatal deaths caused by neonatal tetanus, low birth weight, and complications during labour and deliver. An emergency threat to young child is HIV/AIDS, which can be transmitted from an infected mother to her child in the womb, at the time of delivery, or through breast milk. The morbidity and mortality patterns already mentioned are determined not only by factors intrinsic to the individual but above all by external factors, including the extent to which adequate health care services are available and accessible. Other external factors, such a poverty, the environment, water supply and sanitation, malnutrition, educational levels, cultural attitudes, and gender relations also have important ramifications for health and survival” (Situation of Women and Early Childhood Development in Nigeria, p. 10). It’s very difficult to acknowledge that children in other parts of the world are dying in large numbers from things like preventable diseases, for which there are vaccines.

*On a personal note, I have sponsored a child through World Vision in Lesotho, Africa for almost 15 years. I was excited to read the report on Lesotho from this website. I felt a very personal connection with the region.

Resources:

Early Childhood Development Virtual University (ECDVU) Sub-Saharan, Africa. (August 13, 2007). Retrieved from: http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/creports.php

Situation of women and early childhood development in Nigeria. (2001). Early Childhood Development Virtual University (ECDVU) Sub-Saharan, Africa. Retrieved from: http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/documents/Nigeria_Country_Report.pdf