Associate Professor of Developmental Studies,

Director of Early Childhood Programs, the Child Development Laboratory School and the Ben & Maxine Miller Child Learning Center
(PhD, University of Minnesota)

Research Interests

Early social-emotional development, child care quality, early childhood program evaluation, caregiver-child relationships, birth-to-three professional development

Contact Information

Fowler House, Room 206
Purdue University
1200 W. State Street
West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-2055

Phone: (765) 494-2938
Fax: (765) 494-0503

E-mail: elickerj@purdue.edu

Websites: CDFS Programs for Young Children  

               Infant-Toddler Specialists of Indiana (ITSI) Website

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

Biography

Jim Elicker is Associate Professor and Director of Early Childhood Programs in the Department of Child Development and Family Studies at Purdue University. He has been an early childhood educator, program administrator, and child development researcher for more than 35 years. He completed his graduate studies in child development and early education at Harvard University and the University of Minnesota, receiving his Ph.D. in 1991. He currently teaches child development and early education and directs the two Purdue laboratory preschools, the Child Development Laboratory School and the Ben & Maxine Miller Child Learning Center. His current research focuses on child care quality and interpersonal relationships in early childhood programs. He is currently evaluating Paths to Quality, Indiana’s new child care quality rating system.

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Recent Publications

Kensinger, K., & Elicker, J. (2008). Parental decision-making about child care.

   Journal of Family Issues, 29, 1161-1184.

Wang, J., Elicker, J., McMullen, M., & Mao, S. (2008). Chinese and American
   preschool teachers' beliefs about early childhood curriculum. Early Child
   Development & Care, 178(3), 227-249.

Elicker, J., Georgescu, O., & Bartsch, E. (2008). Increasing the sensitivity of
   infant-toddler child care providers: Applying the VIPP approach. In F. Juffer,
   M. Bakermans-Kranenburg, & M. Van IJzendoorn (Eds.), Promoting positive
   parenting: An attachment-based intervention. (pp. 155-170). Hillsdale NJ:
   Erlbaum.

McMullen, M.B., Elicker, J., Goetze, G., Huang, H.H., Lee, S.M., Mathers, C., Wen,
   X., & Yang, H. (2006). Using collaborative assessment to examine the relationship
   between self-reported beliefs and the documentable practices of preschool
   teachers. Early Childhood Education Journal, 33(6).

McMullen, M., Elicker, J., Wang, J., Erdiller, Z., Lee, S., Lin, C., & Sun, P. (2005).
   Comparing beliefs about appropriate practice among early childhood education
   professionals from the U.S., China, Taiwan, Korea, and Turkey. Early Childhood
   Research Quarterly, 20(4), 451-464.

Liu, J., & Elicker, J. (2005). Teacher-child interactions in Chinese kindergartens: 
   An observational analysis. International Journal of Early Childhood Education. 

Shin, J., Elicker, J., & Noppe, I.C. (2004). Mothers' influence on toddlers' curiosity
   and exploration: Infant-mother attachment and supportive behaviors.
   International Journal of Early Childhood Education, 10(2), 163-179.

Elicker, J. (2002). More men in early childhood education? Why? Young Children,
   57 (6), 50-54. (Special issue on men's involvement in early childhood education.)

Elicker, J. (2000). From inquiry to practice: Full-day kindergarten. Bloomington, IN:

   Phi Delta Kappa International.

Elicker, J., Fortner-Wood, C., & Noppe, I.C. (1999). The context of infant attachment

   in family child care. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 20(3), 319-336.
   Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

Elicker, J., & Mathur, S. (1997). What do they do all day? Comprehensive evaluation

   of a full-day kindergarten. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 12, 459-480.

Elicker, J., Noppe, I.C., Noppe, L.D., & Fortner-Wood, C. (1997). The Parent-
   Caregiver Relationship Scale: Rounding out the relationship system in infant child
   care. Early Education & Development, 8(1), 83-100.

Elicker, J., & Fortner-Wood, C. (1995). Research in review: Adult-child relationships
   in early childhood settings. Young Children, 51(1), 69-78.

Elicker, J., Englund, M., & Sroufe, L.A. (1992). Predicting peer competence and peer
   relationships in childhood from early parent child-relationships. In R. Parke & G.

   Ladd, (Eds.), Family-peer relationships: Modes of linkage. (pp. 77-106). Hillsdale,

   NJ: Erlbaum.

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Education

• Ph.D., 1991, Child Psychology, University of Minnesota.
• Ed.M., 1976, Human Development, Harvard University.
• B.S., 1972, Biology, Cornell University.

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Courses Recently Taught

CDFS 420: Developmental Foundations of Infant-Toddler Curriculum
CDFS 415: Foundations of Early Childhood Education

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Honors

Hoosier Educator of the Year (Higher Education Award). Indiana Association for the Education of Young Children, 2007.

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Recent External Grants

“Indiana Quality Rating System Evaluation.” Indiana Family and Social Services Administration-Child Care Bureau. June 1, 2007–September 30, 2011. ($652,915).

“Early Childhood Quality Initiative Evaluation- Phase 2.” Welborn Baptist Foundation. June. 1, 2007–May 31, 2008. ($83,177)

“Indiana Infant Toddler Specialist Initiative.” Indiana Association for the Education of Young Children. October 1, 2007–September 30, 2008. ($23,154).

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Professional Service

Editorial Boards
Consulting Editor, Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 1998-2001
Editorial Board Member, Early Education and Development, 1997-present

Reviewer
Early Childhood Research Quarterly
Early Education and Development
Child Development

International Journal of Behavioural Development
Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development
Developmental Psychology
Contemporary Psychology
Journal of Social and Personal Relationships
Topics in Early Childhood Special Education

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