Calling all undergraduates!

Do you have experience working with or caring for young children (ages 3-8 years old)? Do you study topics related to education and psychology? Are you interested in gaining research experience?

The UC Links Preschool Study is currently looking for enthusiastic undergraduate students to participate as research assistants with a dynamic project that offers experience working alongside preschool children and their families in two San Diego preschools. Students will enroll in a 199 independent study for 4-units that is offered through the Education Studies department (eligible students must have completed 90 units with at least a 2.50 GPA; students can petition this course to satisfy a practicum requirement). Coursework will explore the intersection of developmental psychology, teaching, assessment, and curriculum design.

We are looking for students for the following positions:

(1) Curriculum Development Research Assistants (CDRA)
Curriculum Development Research Assistants serve as "participant researchers" engaging in the design and implementation of fun educational activities with preschool children to support oral language and literacy development. CDRAs document children's learning processes through written field notes, and read relevant literature. CDRA applicants must possess the following:
 
a. Ability to maintain a 12 hour per week commitment
b. Availability to attend lab meetings at UCSD Pepper Canyon room 448 Hall, time TBD
c. Interest in teaching or curriculum design
d. Some knowledge of child development or early childhood education
e. Cleared TB test
f. Willingness to serve as a research subject in the UC Links Preschool Project and complete a signed informed consent to participate.

Additional specific requirements for each site include:
SOLANA BEACH SITE:
a. Availability Monday and Wednesday mornings from 9-11am to work at the Solana Beach Preschool site (10 minute drive from UCSD)
b. Spanish/English bilinguals encouraged, some knowledge of Spanish preferred, comfort in working in a non-English environment required

 SAN PASQUAL RESERVATION SITE:
a. Availability Wednesday mornings from 9:30-11:00 to work at the San Pasqual Reservation preschool site in Valley Center (50 minute drive from UCSD).
b. Interest in learning vocabulary words in a new language (Kumeyaay) and about a new culture (San Pasqual Band of Native Americans) required


(2) Assessment Research Assistant (ARA)
Assessment Research Assistants will learn various qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, be trained to administer standardized assessments to preschool children (oral language, word and print knowledge, expressive vocabulary), assist in management of data collection, and read relevant literature. All ARA applicants must possess the following:

a. Ability to maintain a 12 hour per week commitment
b. Must maintain availability on Tuesdays and Thursdays (9-11:30 AM) to work off campus with classroom related research activities at the Solana Beach Preschool site (10 minute drive from UCSD) or the San Pasqual Reservation preschool site in Valley Center (50 minute drive from UCSD).
c. Availability to attend lab meetings at UCSD Pepper Canyon room 448 Hall, time TBD
d. Interest in academic research
e. Some knowledge of child development or early childhood education
f. Fluent Spanish/English speakers preferred
g. Cleared TB test
 
(3) Family Research Assistant (FRA)
Family Research Assistants will conduct qualitative research both in the families' homes and at the school by collecting notes based on observations of the parents' interactions with the children. Conduct home visits with one of the other major research figures in the study as well as coordinate, manage and run an after-school family literacy program. All FRA applicants must possess the following:

a. Ability to maintain a 12 hour per week commitment
b. Must maintain availability one day a week (3 to 5 PM. Day will be determined by undergraduate availability) as well as other evenings in order to conduct home visits, which will be based on family availability.
c. Available to attend lab meetings at UCSD Pepper Canyon room 448, time TBD
d. Interest in academic research
e. Some knowledge of child development and have cultural sensitivity
f. Must be fluent in Spanish. Native speakers preferred.
g. Cleared TB test

For those of you who are interested and capable of making this commitment to us and the children, please email your resume to awishard@ucsd.edu and fill out the application form.

If you have questions please contact us at awishard@ucsd.edu 

We look forward to hearing from you!
The UC Links Preschool Study Team

Alison Wishard Guerra, Ph. D.
Principal Investigator
Associate Professor, Education Studies Dept.


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