Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2024

College/Unit

School of Medicine

Department/Program/Center

Occupational Therapy

Abstract

This research study aimed to determine the perceptions of parents and teachers regarding the state of developmental programming at daycares in Morgantown, West Virginia. A case study with ethnographic methods was utilized, including face-to-face semi-structured interviews, to gain an understanding of how parents and teachers perceive the current developmental programming offered at Morgantown daycares. Data was collected and coded into eight themes, and then analyzed by student researchers. Results from the semi-structured interviews indicated that parents and teachers have positive perceptions regarding the current developmental programming at daycares, however, improvements still need to be made. Additionally, results indicated that both parents and teachers have a high familiarity with the field of occupational therapy and its role in early childhood development. Furthermore, results suggested that occupational therapy should have a large presence in the realm of early childhood education, particularly in the creation of developmentally appropriate curriculum. While the results of this study help in bridging the gap in the literature regarding parent and teacher perceptions of developmental programming, further research into the topic could be of benefit, particularly in the execution of continued collaboration between occupational therapists and daycare providers.

Download

Share

COinS