Sharing Current Research on the Brain

As you learned in the Introduction to Module 1, current research offers the latest thinking on influences that promote or hinder a child’s healthy development. In particular, research on brain development provides a constant stream of new knowledge and insights.

As you begin the course this week, initiate a practice that will support your work as a child development professional, critically examining current research. Identify an article or news items from recommended and reliable sources that focuses on new research (released within the last year) related to brain development in young children to summarize and share with your colleagues.

Note: There is much being published about the brain and its relationship to child development and learning. As a professional, you must make the extra effort to be a critical consumer of research, always questioning and verifying your sources.

To prepare for this Discussion:

•  
• Choose an article with current research on brain development in young children that interests you. The following sites are recommended as reliable sources:
• 
  
  •  
  • ScienceDaily section on Child Development (search for brain development and young children) http://www.sciencedaily.com
    
  • Dana Foundation: Information on the brain and brain research http://www.dana.org
    
  • “News from the Neurosciences” at New Horizons for Learning, Johns Hopkins University School of Education http://education.jhu.edu/newhorizons/Neurosciences/
• As you read the article, consider:
  
• • What is this research about?
    
  • How does it relate to young children’s development?
    
  • What are the most important conclusions?
    
  • How might this research influence a child development professional’s work with young children and families?
    
  • What makes this research valuable for your own knowledge and to share with fellow students?

With the research that you chose and your own thoughts in mind, follow the instructions below for this Discussion.

Note: You are required to cite your research article in your discussion post using APA (American Psychological Association) style. Visit http://www.apastyle.org/learn/index.aspx for guidance.

By Day 3 of Week 1:
Post your response to the following:

• Write a brief summary of the current research on brain development that you chose. Explain how the research relates to young children’s development and important conclusions or implications from the research. Cite the article using APA style.
  
• Explain how this research on brain development can be of use to child development professionals as a group and to your own future work with young children and families.
  
• Share insights you gained from this assignment on the volume of research on the brain and the benefits to your professionalism of staying current with research.