The objective of this project was to take advantage of Professor Eric Dearing's expertise on consequences of ECEC and social inequality for children's cognitive, academic, and behavioral development throughout the school years. The UTNAM grant allowed Prof. Dearing to hold a 20% position at the Department of Special Needs Education at the University of Oslo, linked to the project 'Socioeconomic gaps in language development and school achievement: Mechanisms of inequality and opportunity--EQOP', PI Henrik Daae Zachrisson, which was funded by an ERC CoG in 2018 (grant #818425). Prof. Dearing has been a key contributor to the project, and was until May 2020 hosting Prof. Zachrisson visiting professorship for first year of the EQOP project at Boston College.
Dearing has contributed to four published articles so far funded by this project (one as first author), and two under peer review (both revise/resubmit in top journals). Four of these papers (one published and three revise/resubmit) are results of collaboration during Zachrissons stay at BC. Dearing and Zachrisson have also collaborated on presentations during key conferences, Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness, and Society for Research on Child Development. Dearing has been an active contributor to all meetings with the EQOP group, and has been involved in the SFF grant application CREATE, where he has been intimately involved in collaboration with contributors and collaboration agreements.
Prosjektet har oppnådd effekter på to områder: forskning med relevans for politikkutvikling og forskningsfinansiering/prosjektdrift i et ERC-finansiert prosjekt.
Dearing har bidratt til forskning på sosial ulikhet i utdanning, og betydningen av barnehage for barns utvikling. De viktigste resultatene viser at barnehage bidrar til redusert sosial ulikhet over tid, og at inntektsulikhet i utdanningsresultater har økt fra 2007 til 2018, og den øker gjennom skolegangen . Disse resultatene har blitt presentert for embetsverk og politisk ledelse i relevante departementer, og blitt mottatt med stor interesse.
Dearing har også vært sentral i utviklingen og driften av Zachrissons prosjekt EQOP som ble finansiert av ERC CoG i 2018 (grant #818425). Hans bidrag gjennom faglige innspill, aktivt arbeid med søknaden, og gjennom sitt kontaktnett, har vært vesentlig for at dette prosjektet fikk finansiering, og i ettertid at prosjektet så langt har vært vellykket.
Prof. Dearing has extensive experience in quantitative ECEC research, especially addressing how ECEC may contribute to improve the life chances of disadvantaged children. His research is based on both US and Norwegian data, and is frequently cited, also in Norwegian policy documents. Prof. Dearing has held a 20% position at NCCBD for 4 years, funded by UTNAM. A continuation of his position will continue to strengthen the ECEC and educational research at NCCBD's BONDS study through: a) helping to identify research questions important both for Norwegian policy and management and for the international research and policy communities; b) collaboration on, and supervision of, advanced longitudinal and econometric data analyses in the BONDS; c) writing scientific articles on ECEC and child development; d) via his extensive network provide access to other researchers at Boston College as well as in the US ECEC research community for discussions and consultation; e) improve the visibility of ECEC research from NCCBD in the international research community. Prof. Dearing has proven an invaluable and reliable collaborator for the NCCBD, and there is therefore little reason to doubt the success of this project.