Distinguished Professor of Developmental Studies
(PhD, Northwestern University)

Research Interests

Early childhood intervention programs, early childhood professional development, parenting interventions, relations between families and early childhood programs

Contact Information

Child Development and Family Studies Building, Room 201
Purdue University
101 Gates Road
West Lafayette, IN 47907-2020

Phone: (765) 494-2941
Fax: (765) 496-1144

E-mail: powelld@purdue.edu

Biography
Recent Publications
Education
Courses Recently Taught
Honors
External Grants
Professional Service

Biography

My research and program development interests focus on the contributions of early childhood programs and families to children’s learning. Current efforts regarding early childhood programs include three large-scale studies of innovative approaches to professional development for preschool teachers regarding early literacy and language outcomes. This work, carried out in collaboration with Dr. Karen Diamond, and includes the development and testing of technologically-mediated supports for pre-kindergarten teachers. The studies are: Classroom Links to Vocabulary and Phonological Sensitivity Skills (2007-2010), Professional Development in Early Literacy (2004-2008), and the Early Childhood Educator Professional Development Project (2001-2004). I also am studying effects of the Project Approach curriculum for improving children’s learning. This study is part of the Preschool Curriculum Evaluation Research initiative of the federal Institute of Education Sciences. Current research regarding family contributions focuses on parent involvement in school and at home, from pre-kindergarten through first grade. This work is in collaboration with Dr. Seung-Hee Son.

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Recent Publications

Diamond, K.E., Gerde, H.K., & Powell, D.R. (in press). Development in early literacy

   skills during the pre-kindergarten year in Head Start: Relations between growth in

   children's writing and understanding of letters. Early Childhood Research Quarterly.

Powell, D.R., Diamond, K.E., Bojczyk, K.E., & Gerde, H.G. (in press). Head Start

   teachers' perspectives on early literacy. Journal of Literacy Research.

Powell, D.R., & Peet, S.H. (2008). Development and outcomes of a community-based

   intervention to improve parents’ use of inquiry in informal learning contexts. Journal

   of Applied Developmental Psychology, 29, 259-273.

Powell, D.R. (2008). Who's watching the babies? Improving the quality of family,

   friend, and neighbor care. Washington, DC: Zero to Three Press. (Harris Award

   winner)

Powell, D.R., Burchinal, M.R., File, N., & Kontos, S. (2008). An eco-behavioral analysis

   of children's engagement in urban public school preschool. Early Childhood Research

   Quarterly, 23, 108-123.

Powell, D.R. (2006). Families and early childhood interventions. In W. Damon & R.

   Lerner (Series Eds.), K.A. Renninger & I.E. Sigel (Vol. Eds.), Handbook of child

   psychology, Vol. 4: Child psychology in practice (6th ed., pp. 548-591). Hoboken,

   NJ: Wiley.

Powell, D.R., & Gerde, H.K. (2006). Considering kindergarten families. In D.F. Gullo

   (Ed.), K today: Teaching and learning in the kindergarten year (pp. 26-34).

   Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Powell, D.R. (2005). Searches for what works in parenting interventions. In T. Luster

   & L. Okagaki (Eds.), Parenting: Ecological perspectives (2nd ed., pp. 343-373)

   Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

Powell, D.R. (2004). Parenting education in family literacy programs. In B. Wasik

   (Ed.), Handbook of family literacy programs (pp. 157-173). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

Powell, D.R., Okagaki, L. & Bojczyk, K. (2004). Evaluating parent participation and

   outcomes in family literacy programs: Cultural diversity considerations. In B. Wasik

   (Ed.), Handbook of family literacy programs (pp. 551-566). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

Powell, D.R., Peet, S.H. & Peet, C.E. (2002). Lower-income children's academic

   achievement and participation in out-of-school activities in first grade. Journal of

   Research in Childhood Education, 16, 202-211.

Powell, D.R. & Bingham, G. (2002). Strengthening the role of curriculum in child care.

   In O.N. Saracho & B. Spodek (Eds.), Contemporary perspectives in early childhood

   education, Vol. 1: Contemporary influences on curriculum for early childhood

   education (pp. 221-239). Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishers.

Powell, D.R. (2001). Early intervention and risk. In G. Bremner & A. Fogel (Eds.),

   Handbook of infancy research (pp. 543-564). New York: Blackwell.

Powell, D.R. (2001). Visions and realities of achieving partnership: Parent-teacher

   relationships at the turn of the century. In A. Goncu & E. Klein (Eds.), Children in

   play, story and school (pp. 333-357). New York: Guilford.

Powell, D.R. (2000). The Head Start program. In J. L. Roopnarine & J. E. Johnson

   (Eds.), Approaches to early childhood education (3rd ed., pp. 55-75). Columbus,

   OH: Merrill.

Powell, D.R. (1999). Early childhood development. In A.J. Reynolds, H.J. Walberg,

   & R.P. Weissberg (Eds.), Promoting positive outcomes in children: Issues in

   children's and families' lives (pp. 45-71). Washington, DC: CWLA Press.

Cowan, P.A., Powell, D.R., & Cowan, C.P. (1998). Parenting interventions: A family

   systems perspective. In W. Damon (Series Ed.), I.E. Sigel, & K. A. Renninger (Vol.

   Eds.), Handbook of child psychology, Vol. 4: Child psychology in practice (4th ed.,

   pp. 3-72). New York: Wiley.

Powell, D.R. (1998). Reweaving parents into the fabric of early childhood programs.

   Young Children, 53, 60-67.

Peet, S.H., Powell, D.R., & O'Donnel, B.K. (1997). Mother-teacher congruence in

   perceptions of the child's competence and school engagement: Links to academic

   achievement. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 18, 373-393.

Powell, D.R. (1997). Parents' contributions to the quality of child care arrangements.

   In C.J. Dunst & M. Wolery (Eds.), S. Reifel (Series Ed.), Advances in early education

   and day care, Vol. 9: Family policy and practice in early child care (pp. 133-155).

   Greenwich, CT: JAI Press, Inc.

Powell, D.R. (1995). Enabling young children to succeed in school. Washington, DC:

   American Educational Research Association.

Powell, D.R., & Diamond, K.A. (1995). Approaches to parent-teacher relationships in

   twentieth century early childhood programs. Journal of Education, 177, 71-94.

Powell, D.R. (1995). Including Latino fathers in parent education and support

   programs: Development of a program model. In R.E. Zambrana (Ed.),

   Understanding Latino families: Scholarship, policy, and practice (pp. 85-106).

   Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

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Education

• Ph.D., Northwestern University.
• B.A., M.A., Western Michigan University.

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Courses Recently Taught

CDFS 444: Working with Families in Early Childhood Programs
CDFS 626: Research on Parenting Interventions

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Honors

Harris Award, ZERO TO THREE Press (for Who’s watching the babies? Improving the quality of family, friend, and neighbor child care).

Visiting Scholar, de Lissa Institute of Early Childhood and Family Studies, University of South Australia.

William Evans Fellow, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.

Secretary’s Honor Award, U.S. Department of Agriculture (for It’s My Child Too program for young noncustodial fathers).

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External Grants (Principal Investigator)

Classroom Links to Vocabulary and Phonological Sensitivity Skills, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, Award #R305B070605, $1,738,508, 10/07-9/10.

Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Early Childhood Intervention and Teacher Quality Research, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, Award #R305B050030, $327,248, 3/05-3/09.

Professional Development in Early Reading, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, Award #R305M040167, $1,418,091, 10/04-9/08.

Impact of the Project Approach on Children’s School Readiness and School Achievement, Preschool Curriculum Evaluation Research, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, Award #R305J020027-03, $1,070,835, 10/03-5/07.

Early Childhood Educator Professional Development Project, U.S. Department of Education, Award #S349A010162, $1,076,523, 10/01-9/04.

Evaluation of Indiana Child Care Financing Initiative, Indiana Family and Social Service Administration, $108,797, 10/97-6/99.

Development, evaluation, and dissemination of Links to Learning parent education program. Lilly Endowment, Inc., Awards #019190 and #940304, $889,681, 7/91-9/96.

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Professional Service

Consulting Editor, Child Development
Editorial Board, Journal of Early Intervention
Editorial Board, Parenting: Science and Practice
Former Editor, Early Childhood Research Quarterly
Former Chair, Early Education/Child Development Group, American Educational Research Association

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