Since 2015, RTI has made a strategic investment in early childhood development (ECD) through our work in education and beyond. We recognize the critical importance of the earliest years of a child’s life in building a strong foundation for learning, health, and social emotional wellbeing. RTI has conducted cutting-edge research to contribute to the global scientific evidence about early childhood and designed innovative, evidence-based programs to strengthen governments’ capacity to meet the needs of their youngest citizens. A large and diverse group of experts have been collaborating on this effort at RTI, with backgrounds ranging from child development to pediatrics, economics to developmental psychology.

This interview series, featuring 9 RTI experts, highlights the breadth and depth of this work. Contributions include first-of-their-kind assessments of child development in low- and middle- income countries (LMIC), theoretical and empirical analyses of early years investments by governments, and large-scale preprimary interventions improving learning outcomes for over 100,000 children. Taken together, the efforts of these leading ECD experts have made a significant contribution to the field of early childhood education, and RTI is proud to share these highlights.

Read the interviews:

Student-Centered Early Childhood Education in Liberia: An Expert Interview with Geanjay Roberts and Patience Suah: https://www.rti.org/insights/student-centered-early-childhood-education-liberia-expert-interview-geanjay-roberts-and

Getting Children in Kenya Ready for Primary School:  An Expert Interview with Tabitha Nduku and Violet Akinyi: https://www.rti.org/insights/getting-children-kenya-ready-primary-school-rti-expert-interview

Developing Quality Storybooks for Preprimary Students in Tanzania: An Expert Interview with Magdalena Massawe: https://www.rti.org/insights/developing-quality-storybooks-preprimary-students-tanzania-rti-expert-interview

Measuring Executive Functions in Young Children from Low- and Middle-Income Countries: An Expert Interview with Michael Willoughby: https://www.rti.org/insights/measuring-executive-functions-young-children-low-and-middle-income-countries-expert

Over-enrollment in Early Primary: An Expert Interview with Tara Weatherholt: https://www.rti.org/insights/over-enrollment-early-primary-expert-interview-tara-weatherholt

Assessing Social and Emotional Learning in Tanzania: An Expert Interview with Matthew Jukes: https://www.rti.org/insights/assessing-social-and-emotional-learning-tanzania-expert-interview-matthew-jukes

Strategies to Promote Early Childhood Development:  An Expert Interview with Katherine Merseth King: https://www.rti.org/insights/strategies-promote-early-childhood-development-expert-interview-katherine-merseth

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See also our collection of resources on Early Childhood Education available under the Topics menu, above, or directly here:  https://shared.rti.org/resources?subtopic%5B%5D=34731 

About the Expert

Katherine Merseth's picture
I work on early childhood development and education programs at RTI.