Ellen Jacobs, M.A.

For the past 20 years Professor Jacobs has been involved in research projects that have explored various issues associated with the delivery of day care services for preschool and school-age children. She has examined the impact that a variety of factors have had on the quality of child care. These factors include government regulations, educator training, parental involvment in child care, and the licensing and monitoring of care environments. For 2003-2006, Professor Jacobs has been awarded an HRDC research grant with Dr. Nina Howe. The goal of the research project is to examine current learning approaches in Canadian child care centres and determine the impact that a constructivist curriculum might have the daily functioning of the child care centres in the study.

Educaton

1968 - M.A. Child Study and Human Development, Tufts University
1967 - B.A. Psychology, McGill University

Professional experience

Preschool Consultant
Psychometrician
Crisis Teacher - Special populations - Halifax Nova Scotia

Current projects

Canadian Child Care Curriculum Study: Exploring the effectiveness of a constructivist approach to learning at the preschool level.

Peace Education for young children in the Diaspora: a construcctivist approach to conflict resolution.

Courses taught

Observation and Evaluation (EDUC 297)
Advanced Observation and Evaluation (CHST 604)
Early Childhood Settings (CHST 618)
Child Studies Seminar (CHST 603)

Instrument

Harms, T., Jacobs, E.V., and White, D.R. (1996). School-age Care Environment Rating Scale. New York: Teachers College Press.

Book

Goelman, H., and Jacobs, E.V. (1994). Children's Play in Child Care Settings. Albany: State University of New York Press.

Chapters

Jacobs, E.V., Mill, D., and Jennings, M. (in press). A regional survey of licensing regulations, regulatable quality indicators and global quality.

Jacobs, E.V. (2001) What is good quality child care and how do we get it? A cxommentary on papers by Gillian Doroughty and Hillel Goelman. In G. Cleveland and M. Krachinsky (Eds.). Our Children's Future: Child Care Policy in Canada. University of Toronto Press.

Jacobs, E.V. (2000). A National Perspective of Child Care Options. In L. Prochner & N. Howe (Eds.). Early Childhood Education and Care in Canada: Past, Present, and Future. UBC Press.

Howe, N. & Jacobs, E. V. (2000) Early Childhood Education and Curriculum. In L. Prochner & N. Howe (Eds.). Early Childhood Education and Care in Canada: Past, Present, and Future. UBC Press.

Vineberg-Jacobs, E., Romano-White, D., Baillargeon, M., & Betsalel-Presser, R. (1995). Maternelle et service de garde en milieu scolaire, qualit?, et continuit?, et concertation. In Royer, N. (Ed.), Education et intervention au pr?scolaire. Montr?al: Gaetan Morin. (pp. 55-80).

Reports

Jacobs, E.V., Mill, D., and Jennings, M. (2002). Innovative Programs in School-Age Care. Report for Human Resources Development Canada. Ottawa.

Jacobs, E.V., Mill, D., Jennings, M., and Fiorentino, (2002). Licensing, Monitoring, and Enforcement Procedures in the Canadian School Age Context. Report for Human Resources Development Canada. Ottawa.

Peer-reviewed articles

Jacobs, E.V., Mill, D., White, D.R., & Baillargeon, M. (1999). Regulatory systems for school-age care in Canada: Are the regulatuions appropriate? Canadian Journal of Research in Early Childhood Education, 7, (3), 245-270.

White, D.R., Mill, D., Jacobs, E.V., & Baillargeon, M. (1999). Working in School-age Care: A Descriptive Study. Canadian Journal of Research in Early Childhood Education, 7, (3), 271-284.

Ferland, M., & Jacobs, E. V. (1998). Le Style de leadership des Directrices: Comment Influence le Functionnement d'une Garderie. Canadian Journal of Research in Early Childhood Education, 7, (2), 171-180.