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Finding Publicly Available & Free Resources
Many of the resources collected on this guide require an affiliation with URI or use of a public computer within the URI Libraries. For material you can access without these restrictions, check out the recommendations on this page!
On this guide, many of the resources under Finding Data and Statistics are also publicly available.
- Directory of Open Access JournalsAn index of quality, peer-reviewed, open access scholarly research journals covering a range of disciplines.
- Statistical AbstactA collection of statistics on social and economic conditions in the United States.
- National Academies PressOver 5,000 titles available for free PDF download from the National Academies of Science. Search for Family, Human Development, Aging, etc. for a list of their books on your subject.
Human Development Resources
The following recommendations are Open Educational Resources (OERs), meaning that they are teaching and learning materials that are free to access and licensed for reuse and adaptation. There are a great starting point for self-study and exploring the area of HDFS on your own or with others.
- OpenStax Lifespan DevelopmentThe text teaches students about core aspects of human development—physical, cognitive, social, emotional—across the lifespan. It has concepts that give students the means to understand human development and how that knowledge can be applied to and improve their own lives and the lives of others.
- Children, Families, Schools, and CommunitiesThis book provides a lens for understanding the evolving definition of “family”. It promotes strategies for culturally sustaining and deeply collaborative relationships
- The Whole Child: Development in the Early YearsThis text gives an overview of development, beginning in the mother’s womb through about the age of eight.
Education Resources
The following recommendations are Open Educational Resources (OERs), meaning that they are teaching and learning materials that are free to access and licensed for reuse and adaptation. These are a great starting point for those interested in early childhood and looking for some accessible resources on teaching or early childhood education in general.
- Introduction to Curriculum for Early Childhood EducationA free resource for learning about how to effectively plan curriculum for young children.
- The Role of Equity and Diversity in Early Childhood EducationThis text is guided by cultural beliefs and principles, families select experiences, convey attitudes, and impart knowledge to their children to prepare them for adulthood.
- Child Care and Early Education Research ConnectionsChild Care & Early Education Research Connections promotes high quality research in child care and early education and the use of that research in policy making. The vision is that children are well cared for and have rich learning experiences, and their families are supported and able to work. Through this Web site, we offer research and data resources for researchers, policy makers, practitioners, and others.