By Annie Moses and Meghan Salas Atwell
What is an effective teacher?
How can leaders support inclusion?
What have we learned about developmentally appropriate practice?
How does educator well-being impact classroom or program quality?
Early childhood professionals face many questions as they nurture the development of every child. These questions typically connect to a body of research—an ever-growing collection of studies that explores the depth and nuances of early childhood education. A reciprocal relationship between research and practice is critical for ensuring high-quality early learning for all children. Yet too often, researchers and practitioners work in separate spaces.
NAEYC recognizes the important role it plays in bridging these worlds. Over its history, it has pioneered this translational approach by sharing the latest understandings from research through position statements, books, professional development, and its flagship journal. Therefore, we are excited to announce the relaunch of a research-to-practice column in Young Children. It is only fitting that we do so in the issue devoted to NAEYC’s centennial: The column taps into an important part of Young Children’s archive and reignites it for NAEYC’s future. In this edition, we share more about the column’s past, our vision for its future, and a call for submissions.
In 1954, the Bulletin of the National Association for Nursery Education introduced a new column called On the Research Side. The first entry, “Research Concerning the Curiosity of Children,” was written by Margaret McFarland, who was a professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (and familiar to some for her mentoring of Fred Rogers and consulting for his television show). She begins by recognizing the importance of early learning programs—nursery schools at that time—in child development research: “The concepts tested by scientific studies have frequently grown out of the practical experiences and observations of nursery school staff members” (36).
Case in point, according to McFarland, is Anna Freud’s work on the personality development of children in English nursery schools during World War II, particularly children’s questions and curiosity about others and themselves, which can “often seem intrusive and are frequently difficult to answer directly” (38). Dr. McFarland connects Freud’s observations to the work of teachers who field many such questions. It is just these teachers who help children learn boundaries and respect for others’ privacy and still retain the desire to inquire and learn. Knowing about children’s development is “of particular significance as a basis for values and judgment which individual teachers will integrate within their own special ways” (39). An integrative relationship is key.
On the Research Side articles that followed covered a range of topics—such as understanding children’s behavior, family experiences, racial attitudes of young children, children with disabilities, and leadership in young children. Contributors elevated recent studies in these areas, offering key insights and implications for the field. The column also weathered the change from a bulletin with association news into the Journal of Nursery Education with its expanded focus and goals.
The final On the Research Side appeared in November 1961, with another contribution by Dr. McFarland. After writing about research aiming to predict preschool behavior based on an understanding of infant behavior, she explores ideas that echo the three core considerations of developmentally appropriate practice: Commonality, individuality, and context.
[This] study also provides a deepened awareness of the broader understanding one is able to have of children’s development and of their needs by seeing the nursery children not just as members of a nursery group but as they are growing up in their families which are of course a part of a larger culture group.
The effort of becoming acquainted with a child as he belongs to his family and with his family as they belong to a culture group can be expected . . . to offer the teacher new means of making the children’s nursery experience individually appropriate and of offering parents a meaningful kind of relationship. (26)
Understanding general trends in child development, individual variation, and the contexts in which children grow and learn should, together, guide the education and care of young children.
The column concludes with a message from D. Bruce Gardner, who later served as president of NAEYC, in which he reinforces the importance of two-way communication between practitioners and researchers. On the Research Side was an effort to meet this objective, which aligned with the journal’s policy “to bring significant research ideas and findings to the attention of its readers.” This was to be the “final effort in this endeavor.” Dr. Gardner writes, “We join the rest of the Journal readers in anticipation of the new plans for alerting us to significant research on the child and on nursery education” (26).
The November 1961 issue not only reflects a transition for this research-focused column but also for the editorial staff. In the issue’s From the Editors, Docia Zavitkovsky and Mary Alice Mallum bid farewell to those who helped transform a bulletin to a journal, and they welcomed the newest group, including Cornelia “Nell” Goldsmith, taking the helm. Nell Goldsmith also served as executive secretary of the association and is recognized for being a key figure in these transformative years. The journal’s name changed to Young Children alongside the organizational name change in 1964.
Her first Letter from the Editor outlined “food for thought and comment” as well as announced new section editors, including Willard W. Hartup (at the time, a professor at the University of Iowa and then the University of Minnesota) as editor of Research Page (Goldsmith 1962, 43).
As a change in editorial policy, selected research papers most appropriate to the field of Nursery Education will appear as summaries rather than as full studies. A few carefully selected research papers will occasionally be published in full, if particularly related to the theme of a certain issue. (43)
Well-recognized names appeared in Research Page, including Albert Bandura, who wrote “The Role of Imitation in Personality Development” (1963), and Frances Degen Horowitz, who wrote “Social Reinforcement Effects on Child Behavior” (1963). During this time period, Dr. Hartup contributed a research review about peers and social reinforcement (Hartup 1965), and he also edited the first two volumes of The Young Child: Reviews of Research, which contained research-focused articles from the journal (Hartup & Smothergill 1967; Hartup 1972). In these ways, the journal continued to meet the need to bridge research to practice.
The next major milestone to meet this need occurred in 1977. Research in Review premiered as a regular column in the March issue of that year. “Mother-Child Interactions and Competence in Infants and Toddlers” was written by Shirley Moore, a professor at the Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, who served as a regular contributor. She highlights three studies of infants and mothers to convey key information about home environments and infant development. Dr. Moore underscores the role of staff stability in fostering positive relationships with young children. She also elevates the importance of being aware of “the complex array of caregiving behaviors that appear to be so important to optimal early development. We should not be satisfied with less for the children in our care” (69).
The editors—for example, Martha Bronson, Susan Kontos, Mary Benson McMullen, Aisha Ray, and Sharon Ryan—and authors of Research in Review changed over time. Collectively, they created over 120 contributions under this column, synthesizing research spanning developmental domains, age groups, types of settings, and aspects of the early childhood ecosystem. While not exhaustive, here is a small sampling over nearly four decades:
“Prosocial Development in Children,” by Alice Sterling Honig (1982)
“Effective Teachers of Young Children,” by Stephanie Feeney and Robyn Chun (1985)
“Computers and Young Children: A Review of Research,” by Douglas H. Clements (1987)
“Symbol Makers, Symbol Weavers: How Children Link Play, Pictures, and Print,” by Anne Haas Dyson (1990)
“Multicultural Curriculum: African American Children’s Literature,” by Violet J. Harris (1991)
“Integrating Young Children with Disabilities in Preschool: Problems and Promise,” by Karen E. Diamond, Linda L. Hestenes, and Caryn E. O’Connor (1994)
“What Have We Learned About Developmentally Appropriate Practice?” by Loraine Dunn and Susan Kontos (1997)
“Achieving Best Practices in Infant and Toddler Care and Education,” by Mary Benson McMullen (1999)
“What Children Know about Mental Experiences,” by John H. Flavell and Beverley M. Hartman (2004)
“Teaching Young Children from Immigrant and Diverse Families,” by Mariana Souto-Manning (2013)
“Addressing Race and Inequity in the Classroom,” by Fabienne Doucet and Jennifer Keys Adair (2013)
The last entry is “Understanding Change and Implementation: How Leaders Can Support Inclusion,” written by Sarika S. Gupta and Beth S. Rous. It appeared in the May 2016 issue of Young Children. The column had an incredible run, some of which is captured in compilation books mentioned earlier as well as Informing Our Practice: Useful Research on Young Children’s Development that was published by NAEYC in 2009.
And still, the need remains. “[T]he research community plays an important role in leading and synthesizing the most relevant and informative research on child development across multiple social, cultural, and linguistic contexts; educator quality; effective teaching; and so forth” (NAEYC 2020, 29). Translating such research to practice is critical to advancing the profession and supporting high-quality early childhood education. Young Children is again answering that call.
In 2022, NAEYC conducted a market research survey and asked members which topics they would most like to see NAEYC focus on in publications. “Current research” was one of the most selected responses along with “guidance addressing challenging behaviors,” “developmentally appropriate practice,” and “curriculum and teaching strategies.” In addition, NAEYC’s ongoing early childhood education workforce surveys routinely elevate the voices of educators. What we continue to hear is that educators are keenly interested in developing as professionals, but they are stressed and often burned out due to the incredibly challenging and often under-supported work that they do (NAEYC Applied Research and Policy and Professional Advancement Teams 2025). Providing digestible, practical guidance based on cutting-edge research is one way that NAEYC aims to serve members, supporting professional growth in a time-efficient way.
To continue to strengthen connections between research and practice and to meet the needs of the field, Research in Review is returning to the pages of Young Children. It will carry on a legacy unique to NAEYC and still sought in the field: The column will synthesize what is known in the research literature and provide recommendations that educators can put into action. By engaging with the column, educators will not only gain the “how” but also the “why” that they can share with others. Like its predecessors, the column will contribute an important piece to Young Children’s broader aim to unite research with real-world implementation.
In its new iteration, Research in Review will be a shared endeavor among the NAEYC Periodicals and Applied Research teams, tapping into the deep expertise and initiatives within NAEYC. It will be peer reviewed by Young Children’s consulting editors, who represent professionals from across the early childhood education and associated fields.
In addition to meeting the criteria for all Young Children manuscripts, we seek Research in Review submissions that
Identify a central question or issue in early childhood education and/or child development. Why is this question or issue current and significant to practitioners?
Synthesize the relevant research. Drawing from a range of methodologies, what is the current understanding of research in this area? How does that reflect or connect to NAEYC foundational documents?
Present clear, practical implications for early childhood educators and leaders. Based on the research, what should early childhood educators and/or leaders do? What are the broader principles or guidelines to take away? What supports or changes are needed for implementation to occur?
As researchers ourselves, we have been driven to ask questions and seek answers in systematic ways. We also have witnessed what Dr. Gardner described decades ago: Unless it is grounded in real life and presented in timely, usable ways, great research will stay in the research community (McFarland 1961). We are thrilled to build on Young Children’s legacy, and we look forward to shepherding the next generation of research-informed resources to answer critical questions in early childhood education. Bridging research to practice for its members and for the field has been a hallmark of NAEYC’s history, and this column will help NAEYC continue to support and elevate the early childhood education workforce for its next 100 years.
The full collection of On the Research Side, Research Page, and Research in Review can be found in the Young Children archive, which is accessible to NAEYC members at NAEYC.org/resources/pubs/yc/archive (select the link on this page for the digital archive). From there, members can search “On the Research Side,” “Research Page,” and “Research in Review” to find individual contributions.
Annie Moses, PhD, is director of periodicals and editor in chief of Young Children and Educating Young Children at NAEYC.
Meghan Salas Atwell, PhD, is senior director of applied research for NAEYC.
Bandura, A. 1963. “The Role of Imitation in Personality Development.” The Journal of Nursery Education 18 (3): 207–15.
Clements, D.H. 1987. “Computers and Young Children: A Review of Research.” Research in Review. Young Children 43 (1): 34–44.
Diamond, K.E., L.L. Hestenes, & C.E. O’Connor. 1994. “Integrating Young Children with Disabilities in Preschool: Problems and Promise.” Research in Review. Young Children 49 (2): 68–75.
Doucet, F. & J.K. Adair. 2013. “Addressing Race and Inequity in the Classroom.” Research in Review. Young Children 68 (5): 88–97.
Dunn, L., & S. Kontos. 1997. “What Have We Learned about Developmentally Appropriate Practice?” Research in Review. Young Children 52 (5): 4–13.
Dyson, A.H. 1990. “Symbol Makers, Symbol Weavers: How Children Link Play, Pictures, and Print.” Research in Review. Young Children 45 (2): 50–57.
Essa, E.L., & M.M. Burnham, eds. 2009. Informing Our Practice: Useful Research on Young Children’s Development. NAEYC.
Feeney, S., & R. Chun. 1985. “Effective Teachers of Young Children.” Research in Review. Young Children 41 (1): 47–52.
Flavell, J.H., & B.M. Hartman. 2004. “What Children Know About Mental Experiences.” Research in Review. Young Children 59 (2): 102–109.
Goldsmith, C. 1962. “Letter from the Editor.” The Journal of Nursery Education 17 (2): 43–44.
Gupta, S.S., & B.S. Rous. 2016. “Understanding Change and Implementation: How Leaders Can Support Inclusion.” Research in Review. Young Children 71 (2): 82–91.
Harris, V.J. “Multicultural Curriculum: African American Children’s Literature.” Research in Review. Young Children 46 (2): 37–44.
Hartup, W.W. 1965. “Peers as Agents of Social Reinforcement.” Young Children 20 (3): 176–84.
Hartup, W.W. 1972. The Young Child: Reviews of Research. Vol. 2. NAEYC.
Hartup, W.W., & N.L. Smothergill, eds. 1967. The Young Child: Reviews of Research. Vol. 1. NAEYC.
Honig, A.S. 1982. “Prosocial Development in Children.” Research in Review. Young Children 37 (5): 51–62.
Horowitz, F.D. 1963. “Social Reinforcement Effects on Child Behavior.” The Journal of Nursery Education 18 (4): 276–84.
McFarland, M. 1954. “Research Concerning the Curiosity of Children.” On the Research Side. Bulletin of the National Association for Nursery Education 9 (2): 36–39.
McFarland, M.B. 1961. “A Review of Prediction and Outcome.” On the Research Side. The Journal of Nursery Education 17 (1): 22–26.
McMullen, M.B. 1999. “Achieving Best Practices in Infant and Toddler Care and Education.” Research in Review. Young Children 54 (4): 69–76.
Moore, S. 1977. “Mother-Child Interactions and Competence in Infants and Toddlers.” Research in Review. Young Children 32 (3): 64–69.
NAEYC. 2020. “Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators.” Position statement. NAEYC. naeyc.org/resources/position-statements/professional-standards-competencies.
NAEYC Applied Research and Policy and Professional Advancement Teams. 2025. “Applying Research to Policy and Practice: The Value of Professional Support in Retaining a Diverse ECE Workforce.” naeyc.org/resources/blog/applying-research-professional-support.
Souto-Manning, M. 2013. “Teaching Young Children from Immigrant and Diverse Families.” Research in Review. Young Children 68 (4): 72–81.
Zavitkovsy, D., & M.A. Mallum. 1961. “From the Editors.” The Journal of Nursery Education 17 (1): 3–4.
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