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Early Childhood Education (EARL)

This guide is intended for students in the Early Childhood Education program. It will help you locate children's picture books in the Library collection, and conduct research using our online databases.

Films on Demand

The Films on Demand streaming platform contains full-length films, film clips, and program episodes from a variety of non-fiction film and television producers, including the BBC, California Newsreel, Films for the Humanities & Sciences, History Channel, Ken Burns, National Geographic, PBS Video, and many more.

To find videos on a specific subject, you may search within the Films on Demand database directly, or use SpartaCat. Try using search terms such as Early Childhood Education, Educational Psychology, or Child Development. Here is a selection of videos related to Early Childhood Education to get you started; they are listed in reverse chronological order (newest first).

Film Series

Early Childhood (2018) This series examines how early childhood education creates the building blocks for future success.

Life at 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9: A Longitudinal Study in Child Development (2014) Forming a compelling multiyear study, this eight-part series brings viewers directly into the lives of several young children and their families. 

Baby It's You: The First Three Years (1994) It’s said that babies are pre-wired to learn. Exploring that idea through the eyes of infants and toddlers, this six-part series shows how babies are programmed to seek out experiences that help transform them into thinking, feeling, active people.

Individual Films

The Characteristics of Effective Learning: An Overview (2021) This program offers an overview of the characteristcs of effective learning, looking at playing and exploring, active learning, and thinking creatively and critically. 

No Small Matter (2020) This program shares powerful stories and stunning truths about the human capacity for early intelligence and the potential for quality early care and education to benefit America’s social and economic future.

Playing and Exploring (2020) This program consists of five short videos that examine child's play and exploration, considering why children spend so many of their waking hours engaging in these types of activities.

Power of Play (2018) Scientists from Europe, the United States and Canada, many of them pioneers in the field, offer convincing evidence that play is not to be taken lightly. In fact, it has the power to make animals and humans smarter, healthier and more likely to survive.

Infant-Toddler Learning Environment (2017) Infants and toddlers are born explorers and the environments in which they are cared for become their laboratory. This program includes real-life examples on how to create a supportive infant-toddler learning environment that invites children to explore their surroundings and supports their sensory-motor way of learning.

School of the Future (2016) Once the envy of the world, American schools are now in trouble. Can the science of learning— including new insights from neuroscientists, psychologists, and educators—reveal how kids' brains work and tell us which techniques are most likely to engage and inspire growing minds?

The History of Educational Psychology (2010) This program traces the history of educational psychology from ancient philosophy to modern theories. It explores the ideas of such figures as Plato, Aristotle, Vives, Herbert, Thorndike, James, Hall, Dewey, Cubberley, Binet, Piaget, Steiner, Bloom, Bandura, Vygotsky, and Bruner.

Educational Psychology in the Classroom (2010) This program explores instructional design, educational technology, curriculum development, organizational learning, special education, and classroom management. It outlines the cognitive, academic, social, and moral goals of learning.

Child Development Theorists: Freud to Erikson to Spock, and Beyond (2009) Using historical footage and photos in combination with video shot at day care centers, this program offers an entertaining and enlightening introduction to the major child development theorists, how their theories differ, and how the application of multiple theories can be beneficial to parents, caregivers, and educators.

The Montessori Method (2009) This program presents levels of Montessori education ranging from infant to elementary and explains how each level makes use of the Montessori method. 

Supporting Early Literacy: 0- to 5-Year-Olds (2009) This program enables viewers to observe how verbal and symbolic communication develops from birth to five years of age, with a particular focus on how to support emerging literacy skills.

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