Research

The Rita Gold Early Childhood Center (Prof. Haeny Yoon, Co-Director) serves to promote the growth and development of infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and their families. It offers child care and early education for young children from 2 months to 5 years; professional preparation for graduate students; ongoing research to improve practice and inform theory in early childhood care and education; and outreach activities for early childhood professionals locally, nationally, and internationally.

Founded in 1982 as the Center for Infants and Parents and located at Teachers College, the Center now provides inclusive and culturally responsive care for infants, toddlers, preschool children, and their families who are affiliated with Columbia University.

The Hollingworth Center is an integral component of the Department of Curriculum and Teaching and the Program in Gifted Education. Working collaboratively with numerous graduate students, the Center provides experiences that enhance their academic programs. These opportunities, made available to students throughout Teachers College, are extensive and include internships, teaching, research, observations, seminars, and curriculum design. Travel grants are awarded annually to graduate students who present their work at professional conferences such as the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the National Association for Gifted Children, and the American Educational Research Association. Each of the appointed positions within the Center provides a salary and many oer tuition exemption benefits.

The Center for Innovation in Teacher Education and Development (CITED) (Prof. Mariana Souto-Manning, Co-Director) is a joint center between Teachers College, Columbia University and King’s College London. CITED focuses on teacher development; the preparation of teacher educators; transformative school-university partnerships; and system leadership committed to the principles of equity and social justice.

The mutually agreed aims of CITED are:

• To develop an innovative program of funded research in the areas of teacher development; the preparation of teacher educators; transformative school-university partnerships; and system leadership committed to the principles of equity and social justice;
• To offer knowledge exchange and development activities, including (but not limited to) consultancy, seminars and conferences, with a focus on innovation in teacher development; the preparation of teacher educators; transformative school-university partnerships; and system leadership; and experiments in professional preparation;
• To establish joint education programs up to and including a joint doctoral-level program, in areas of shared expertise, including short courses based on cutting-edge research;
• To facilitate mobility of faculty and students in order to enable the enhancement of faculty research and teaching, the enhancement of the student experience, and the career, professional and personal development of all members of the two communities.