University of Pittsburgh School of Education

School of Education

Office of Child Development
 

Division of Interdisciplinary Education, Training, and Research

Goals and Domains

To promote, coordinate, fund, and manage interdisciplinary collaborative applied educational, training, and research programs pertaining to children, youth, and families, and to communicate research results and best practices to practitioners, funders, policymakers, parents, and the general public.

Themes and Projects

  • funds an Interdisciplinary Fellowship Program in Evaluation and Policy (directed by Pamela Meadowcroft, PhD)

  • conducts analyses on OCD's database from its Comprehensive Child Development Program and Early Head Start Programs from the standpoint of welfare reform (directed by Wendy Miedel Barnard, PhD)

  • funds (NICHD, Howard Heinz Endowment) and manages an international collaborative intervention and research project to improve the stability and responsiveness of caregiving in orphanages for children birth to four years in St. Petersburg, Russia

  • produces a variety of communications materials, including Policy and Research Reports, Special Reports for practitioners and policymakers, Parenting Guides for parents of young children, Backgrounders for journalists in Pennsylvania, and Parenting Columns for local newspapers

  • funded and co-directed interdisciplinary preservice training in child abuse and neglect and in child welfare

  • operated annually an interdisciplinary course in Applied Issues of Children, Youth, and Families

  • conducted a needs assessment for the Provost on an interdisciplinary undergraduate program in applied studies in children, youth, and families

  • supported and guided numerous graduate students through the Frank and Theresa Caplan Fund for Early Childhood Development and Parenting Education

  • stimulated the instigation of the Pittsburgh site of NICHD's national Study of Early Child Care

  • obtained an Early Head Start Evaluation and Research Project (directed locally by Dr. Carole McAllister, GSPH)

  • conducted numerous needs assessments for local and state policymakers and funders