Lauren Westerberg ’18 and Maureen Vandermaas-Peeler publish article on early childhood learning

The article is the third joint publication by Westerberg and Vandermaas-Peeler based on Westerberg's undergraduate research at Elon.

Lauren Westerberg ’18 and Maureen Vandermaas-Peeler, professor of psychology and director of the Center for Research on Global Engagement, published an article based on one of Westerberg’s undergraduate research projects.

The article, “How teachers, peers, and classroom materials support children’s inquiry in a Reggio Emilia-inspired preschool,” is published in the peer-reviewed journal Early Child Development and Care. The authors observed and coded children’s inquiry processes (e.g., observing and questioning, predicting and evaluating) and how they were guided by teachers, peers and/or materials in the high-quality Reggio Emilia-inspired environment at Children First, a Durham, N.C. preschool.

This is the third joint publication for Westerberg and Vandermaas-Peeler, facilitated by two Summer Undergraduate Research Experiences and other grants through the Undergraduate Research Program. Westerberg is currently obtaining her doctorate at Purdue University and continuing to research early childhood learning.