Centennial Lecture Series Continues February 22 in Oklahoma City with Focus on Early Child Care and Education


January 2017

On February 22, the fourth AERA Centennial Lecture and Open Forum will feature Deborah Lowe Vandell (University of California, Irvine) who will present on “The Opportunities and Challenges of Early Child Care and Education.” The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place at the Oklahoma History Center, in Oklahoma City, at 6:00 p.m. CST. It will be live streamed.  

Vandell, a professor of education and psychology in the School of Education at the University of California, Irvine, will explore compelling research evidence that early child care and education can have positive effects on children’s academic and behavioral development, but that early childhood programs face challenges that limit their effectiveness. Her lecture will examine the short- and long-term benefits of early care and education as well as the factors that impede program effectiveness. Then it will explore promising policies and strategies that can ensure that young children receive the high-quality early experiences they need.

Vandell’s brief lecture will be followed by an open forum with experts from the Oklahoma City area and attendees.

Commentators include Debra Andersen, executive director of Smart Start Oklahoma, Oklahoma's statewide early childhood initiative, and Gary D. Sandefur, provost and senior vice president of academic affairs and professor of sociology at Oklahoma State University. The discussion will be moderated by Ben Felder, an investigative reporter at The Oklahoman who covers education, politics, poverty, social trends, and data.

The AERA Centennial Lecture Series aims to bring innovative education research and leading scholars to cities across the United States. AERA Highlights readers interested in connecting research to important issues of education are strongly encouraged to register and to share news of these upcoming lectures.