This month, we are delighted to introduce Dr. Xiaoli Wen (Xiaoli.Wen@nl.edu), as our member in the spotlight. Dr. Wen is a Professor and Co-Chair in Early Childhood Education in the National College of Education at National Louis University.
Can you write a couple sentences on some aspect of your career development?
My research is centered on early childhood intervention programs targeting children from underprivileged backgrounds. I have conducted evaluative research within federally funded preschool initiatives tailored for economically disadvantaged young children, including Head Start programs. My investigations also extend to community-based home visiting and social welfare programs, with a particular emphasis on parenting, child abuse, and infant mental health.
During my doctoral program at Purdue University, I collaborated with Dr. James Elicker on a DHHS-funded Early Head Start evaluation project, which ignited my passion for early childhood interventions. While conducting data collection, I had the privilege of visiting many low-income families, witnessing their daily struggles, and experiencing the challenges of engaging them with early childhood services.
Subsequently, during my postdoctoral training at the Erikson Institute and the University of Chicago under the mentorship of Dr. Jon Korfmacher and Dr. Sydney Hans, I worked on a randomized controlled trial evaluating the long-term effects of a doula-led home visiting intervention for African-American teen mothers and their infants during the perinatal period. These formative experiences solidified my interest in studying intervention program design (e.g., dosage), quality assurance, implementation fidelity, and the contextual and programmatic factors that are crucial for fostering positive outcomes for both children and families.
One piece of advice I have for young scholars and colleagues is: maintain unwavering focus on your research interests and priorities, delve deeply into your chosen areas of study, and uphold rigorous standards in conducting impactful research. Patience is key in developing your scholarship narrative and professional identity.
Please describe a particular recent finding, current study, or recent publication and what makes you excited about it.
Early educational interventions have garnered widespread recognition as effective measures for mitigating the adverse impacts of poverty on early learning and development. However, existing knowledge regarding early interventions has predominantly centered on their overall effectiveness, with limited focus on the specific nuances of program design and underlying mechanisms contributing to favorable outcomes. Leveraging data from a nationally representative sample, I examined the association between Head Start intervention dosage—such as program duration (one year versus two years) and intensity (full-day versus half-day)—and children’s school readiness outcomes. Furthermore, in an ongoing project, I am examining the interplay between intervention dosage and quality—comparing, for instance, one-year, high-quality interventions with two-year, low-quality interventions—and their respective associations with program outcomes. To ensure precise estimation of the effects of different intervention conditions, propensity scores were employed to match children who experienced varying durations and qualities of the program across a series of demographic characteristics. My research findings offer valuable insights to policymakers for the design and enhancement of early intervention programs tailored to better serve vulnerable populations.
Please share your reflections on your interactions with the Asian Caucus.
I am deeply appreciative of the Asian Caucus, which provides a community for networking, collaboration, and the exchange of research ideas among Asian scholars within the SRCD community. The caucus plays a pivotal role in supporting Asian researchers and fostering discussions on shared experiences, challenges, and accomplishments in the field of child development. I am grateful for the caucus’s advocacy in promoting the representation and inclusion of Asian perspectives in child development research, policy formulation, and practice. Engaging with my Asian colleagues has been rewarding, and I hope the caucus continues to serve as a professional alliance that facilitates the advancement of our careers. I encourage everyone, including myself, to actively participate in the caucus’s initiatives, webinars, and other activities.
Any upcoming talks or presentations we should know about?
In recent years, my research has expanded to early childhood workforce preparation. Our research team will be presenting at multiple conferences, including the NAEYC Professional Learning Institute, where we will discuss findings from a recent grant project sponsored by the Foundation for Child Development. This study focuses on the development of early childhood program leaders. Specifically, we will disseminate insights gleaned from surveying over 200 stakeholders in early childhood leadership. Our goal is to establish a consensus on core program leadership competencies, minimum qualifications, and aligned professional development standards.
What is your preferred contact email?
Xiaoli.Wen@nl.edu
A weblink you prefer to share?
https://www.linkedin.com/in/xiaoli-wen-47678789/