The Research in Early Child Development (RECD) Initiative is a multidisciplinary collaboration between researchers at the UPEI Centre for Education Research (CER) and the PEI Children's Secretariat. The PEI Children's Secretariat, a group of twelve local networks involved in healthy childhood development, includes both government and community contacts. The RECD research team are working on developing and implementing a conceptual research framework of early child development (ages 0 to 8 years) in Prince Edward Island. The research model nests the child in several spheres of influence — the family, the community, the society, and the global world. Such a framework presents new challenges for the early child sector to rethink current policies and practices related to healthy child development, with the goal of developing more integrated approaches to supporting children and their...

Professor Brian Wagner from the UPEI Chemistry Department, presented a 40 minute lesson on his research into using luminescence in pesticides to track fish health in PEI waterways to grade 6 French Immersion students.

Dr. Sheldon Opps, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Physics, is part of a committee that has been raising funds to upgrade the playground equipment at West Kent Elementary School in Charlottetown.

This project includes the installation of a variety of new playground equipment; some of the structures being installed include a wheelchair-accessible slide, swing sets, table with seating, snail spring rider, and a stationary four-wheeler.

Thanks to parents, local businesses, and government agencies, this project will bring joy to the children of West Kent for many years to come.

Provincially sponsored task force to provide recommendations for the improvement of the K-12 education system on Prince Edward Island. Among other things, the movement towards mandatory kindergarten on PEI was a key recommendation of the task force.

Dr. Bill Whelan is Associate Professor (Physics) and Canada Research Chair in Biomedical Optics. In addition to his work at UPEI, he is also the president of the Prince Edward Island Home and School Federation. This organization involves parents and teachers working together to represent 48 schools across PEI and over 11,000 parents from King's, Queen's, and Prince Counties. They are involved with decision-making for all schools with regards to curriculum content, class size, school and school bus safety, health, school closures, fees, and other important issues.

Dr. Whelan is responsible for leading the Federation, liaising with school boards and government, and advocating for the best education system for children and youth on Prince Edward Island.

A joint project across Atlantic Canada, this project work to build capacity and infrastructure development in school health. Dr. Donna Murnaghan (Nursing) leads the PEI schools network. Work includes proposal development, data training, publication writing, and partnership development and maintenance. The reach of this project is more geared to academics, but also targets key stakeholders (NGOs, health alliances, provincial departments, youth groups, the Teachers’ Federations, and Home & School Associations). The other three networks include workplace health, community health, and data analysis.

For over five years, Dr. Jean Mitchell, Associate Professor, Sociology and Anthropology, has been involved in running an action research program with youth between the ages of 12 to 18 years in Hillsborough Park in Charlottetown. In addition to research, an after-school program, aimed at disadvantaged youth, has been running for over three years.

Mitchell has acquired Federal funding of $50,000 to start the program, while continuing to advocate with the community for funds from municipal and provincial governments and local organizations, such as Rotary, for the continuation of the program. A unique aspect of this project is that UPEI students have been volunteering for the past five years. Two of those students are now doing doctoral studies on youth-related topics and this year a student is undertaking an honours degree in youth and education.

The Canadian Tobacco Control Research Initiative (CRTCRI) was conducted at one Prince Edward Island intermediate school by the Comprehensive School Health Research Team (CSHRT). The team surveyed adolescent-aged students’ beliefs and perceptions surrounding the physical and social environmental factors at school which influence students’ decisions to remain smoke-free.

More recently, the School Health Action Planning & Evaluation System / Youth Smoking Survey – Prince Edward Island (SHAPES/YSS-PEI) was implemented in the 2008-09 school year across PEI (grades 5-12 - census sample). The School Health Action Planning and Evaluation System collected data on physical activity, healthy eating, tobacco use, and mental fitness. In the upcoming school year (09/10), we are proposing to meet with schools to discuss their feedback reports, identify areas for improvement, and...

Each year the UPEI Mathematics and Statistics Department assists with an annual Mathematics Competition, which is open to all students enrolled full-time in any high school in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, or Prince Edward Island. The competition is designed to foster interest in Mathematics, increase public awareness of Mathematics, and encourage students to develop mathematical and problem-solving skills.

This competition involves six challenging (and fun!) mathematical problems requiring written solutions. No knowledge of mathematics beyond high school curriculum is required. No calculators are allowed. There are cash prizes awarded to the top finishers in each province and the region.

Organizers from the UPEI Mathematics and Statistics Department include Nasser Saad and Lowell Sweet.

The purpose of the Canadian Math Society (CMS) is to champion mathematics through initiatives that explain, promote, and increase the general understanding of mathematics; provide extracurricular opportunities for students; and encourage partnerships with corporate, government, and not-for-profit agencies.

Each year, the Mathematics and Statistics Department invites Grade 10 and 11 students from PEI high schools to attend, based on academic excellence.

Young mathematicians explore the world of math in their daily lives and engage in various math activities, including demonstrations, math Olympics, touchdown math, and other challenging problem-solving competitions. They end the week with a giant math scavenger hunt and barbecue. UPEI staff, students, and faculty members work hard to make this experience a success each year.

Organizers from the Mathematics and...

Last June, Dr. James Kemp, Associate Professor in Biology, accompanied grades 5 and 6 classes from Southern Kings Consolidated School on a field trip to blueberry fields to discuss sustainable agriculture and pollination. This outreach was aimed to help educate the children in the environmental issues around sustainability and encourage them to see things from an ecological viewpoint. Dr. Kemp has been asked to go back again next spring.

Students work with family-related professionals in these organizations as part of their professional practice course. The field placements give students many opportunities to integrate theory with practice in a supportive setting. Students’ tasks mirror those of the family professionals who serve as field placement supervisors to the students. Since this program began, 48 various organizations have hosted students from the Family Science and Child and Family Studies Programs.

Third-year students volunteer for a total of 32 hours during the fall semester. Fourth-year students require a total of 80 hours per semester in both the fall and winter semesters.

In November 2009, the Centre for Education Research at the UPEI Faculty of Education and the Prince Edward Island Teachers’ Federation embarked on a study of provincial teachers’ workload and work life, to strengthen the research available on teachers' experiences.

This project will collect information from teachers Island-wide.

Eating Between the Lines (EBTL) is an early literacy, healthy eating program for young children, developed and tested in child-care facilities in Prince Edward Island. In 2009, an e-learning resource was created for kindergarten educators, parents, and children. The EBTL website connects children’s early literacy development with their growth and understanding of healthy eating and includes units such as Eating the Rainbow, Breakfast Matters, and The Salad. The website, created by a team of early childhood researchers and an advisory team, includes separate sections for parents, enabling them to link nutrition and literacy activities in the home, and, for educators, allowing the information to be used in the classroom.

Principal Investigators: Dr. Ray Doiron, Education, and Dr. Jennifer Taylor, Family and Nutritional Sciences.