Nebraska, like other states, faces a shortage of qualified early childhood professionals to meet its demand for quality care and education. This shortage not only poses significant problems for families with young children, but also threatens the state’s future economic prosperity.
Category: Affiliate Research
Study finds variety, cost effectiveness can become barriers to children’s vegetable consumption
Getting children to eat their vegetables is a common, longstanding challenge for parents and child care providers alike.
While some kids simply dislike the taste of veggies, a recent study sheds light on some other obstacles that prevent children from reaching their recommended daily nutritional needs.
Global toolkit promotes inclusive health care for marginalized refugees
In recent years, there has been an increase in global initiatives aimed at providing mental health support in low- and middle-income countries for those affected by disaster, conflict and forced migration.
However, older refugees and refugees with disabilities have received less attention in humanitarian research and often face barriers to accessing wellness-promoting interventions.
Research explores technology to support speech among children with autism
As a former special education teacher, Ciara Ousley has worked with young students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.
She often used technology to assist students who struggled to communicate in her classroom. Speech-generating devices — one form of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) — showed promise to support more inclusive learning and development.
Project explores strengthening connections among religious leaders, nonbinary people
Research suggests nonbinary individuals — those who do not identify exclusively as men or women — experience bias and discrimination more frequently than cisgender and binary transgender people, contributing to negative mental health outcomes.
One study revealed that 71% of transgender and nonbinary youth reported having experienced discrimination, and 46% of transgender and nonbinary adults reported being verbally harassed because of their gender identity.
Bringing American history to life, from paper to pixels
A team of Nebraska researchers is working with teachers to share stories from the past and connect them to the larger historical narrative of America through animation and film.
The project, “Animating History,” takes an interdisciplinary approach to advance knowledge in areas no single discipline can achieve on its own. This project aligns with the UNL Grand Challenge of anti-racism and racial equity.
Art TEAMS promotes teaching innovation through arts, emerging media
As technology continues to rapidly evolve, a group of Nebraska researchers is collaborating with the state’s K-12 educators, artists and administrators to imagine the future of education.
The Teaching with Arts and Emerging Media (Art TEAMS) project is underway in classrooms throughout Nebraska. The five-year pilot project is designed to promote teaching innovation through arts and emerging media in Nebraska public schools.
Photovoice project provides clear view of Lakota women’s challenges, resilience
A recent project featuring photographs by Native American women has brought into focus some of the challenges they have faced — and highlighted their strengths and resilience.
Ramona Herrington, cultural outreach manager for the Interpersonal Violence Research Laboratory, and Preciouse Trujillo, senior community liaison with the Rapid City Family Project, led the project, which documented challenges and triumphs of Lakota women with histories of incarceration. Katie Edwards, IVRL director and professor of educational psychology and CYFS, worked with Herrington and Trujillo on the project.