Sample Publications
Note - This page includes examples of my research, largely focusing on the past 7 years. For a more complete list have a look at my listing on Google Scholar. If you have any questions about a particular paper please reach out.
ECEC Quality and Child Wellbeing
Examining and Quantifying Variance in Quality Across Three Levels of Assessment in Early Childhood Education and Care Settings
Research Digest Burns, S., Falenchuk, O. & Perlman, M. Examining and Quantifying Variance in Quality Across Three Levels of Assessment in Early Childhood Education and Care Settings. Early Childhood Educ J 54, 5299–5309 (2026)....
Examining the associations between quality of interactions children experience in child care learning environments and their developmental outcomes
Research Digest Burns, S., Luo, Z. & Perlman, M. Examining the associations between quality of interactions children experience in child care learning environments and their developmental outcomes. Learning Environ Res 29, 46 (2026)....
Beyond Free Play and Physical Activity: Assessing the Quality and Determinants of Outdoor Environments for Children
Research Digest Burns, S., Yu, E., & Perlman, M. (2026). Beyond Free Play and Physical Activity: Assessing the Quality and Determinants of Outdoor Environments for Children. Early Education and Development, 37(5), 1088–1106....
Equity in Education Research Digest
Research Digest Dhuey, E., Perlman, M., White, L. (dirs.) "Equity in Education Research Digest." Equity in Education Canada, Vol. 1, Issue 1. Available at:...
Conceptualizing, operationalizing, and assessing creativity in early childhood education and care settings: A scoping review.
Journal article Burns, S., Puri, A., Brathwaite, L., Yu, E., Hoan, E., Yasiniyan, S., Dhuey, E., White, L. A., & Perlman, M. (2025). Conceptualizing, operationalizing, and assessing creativity in early childhood education and care settings: A scoping...
Teaching Interpersonal Problem-Solving Skills to Young Children in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) Settings: An Integration of Evidence
Yu, E., Burns, S., Jegatheeswaran, C. et al. Both Me and My Daughter Would Cry Sometimes: Parents’ and Children’s Experiences with Home Education During the Early and Later COVID-19 Pandemic. Early Childhood Educ J (2025).
One Size Does Not Fit All: Associations between Child Characteristics, Differential Treatment of Children by Educators and Quality in Child Care Centers
Yu, E., Burns, S., Jegatheeswaran, C. et al. Both Me and My Daughter Would Cry Sometimes: Parents’ and Children’s Experiences with Home Education During the Early and Later COVID-19 Pandemic. Early Childhood Educ J (2025).
“It’s important to have windows so you can get sunlight”: Understanding children’s perceptions of quality in early childhood education and care settings
Yu, E., Burns, S., Jegatheeswaran, C. et al. Both Me and My Daughter Would Cry Sometimes: Parents’ and Children’s Experiences with Home Education During the Early and Later COVID-19 Pandemic. Early Childhood Educ J (2025).
Promoting diversity in early childcare education
Perlman M., Kankesan T., J. Zhang. Early Childhood Education and Care, vol. 180(6), 2010, pp. 753-766
Understanding variation in classroom quality within early childhood centers: Evidence from Colorado’s Quality Rating and Improvement System
Karoly L.A., Zellman G.L., M. Perlman. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, vol. 28 (4), 2013, pp. 645-657
Instrument development and validation of the infant and toddler assessment for quality improvement.
Perlman M., Brunsek A., Hepditch A., Gray K., O. Falenchuck. Early Education and Development, vol. 28(1), 2017, pp. 115-133
Associations between Directors’ Characteristics, Supervision Practices and Quality of Early Childhood Education and Care Classrooms
Michal Perlman, Nina Howe, Cathryn Gulyas, Olesya Falenchuk. Early Education and Development, vol. 31, Informa {UK} Limited, 2019 Oct, pp. 507–523
Can a Brief Professional Development Improve Early Childhood Educators’ Responsivity and Interaction Quality in Childcare Centers?
Brunsek, A., Rodrigues, M., Sokolovic, N., Borairi, S., Janmohamed, Z., Jenkins, J. M., & Perlman, M. (2023). Can a Brief Professional Development Improve Early Childhood Educators’ Responsivity and Interaction Quality in Child Care Centers? A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial. Early Education and Development, 35(5), 1014–1031.
Assessing Educator Responsivity in Outdoor Early Childhood Education and Care Settings
Yu, E., Burns, S., Jenkins, J., & Perlman, M. (2025). Assessing Educator Responsivity in Outdoor Early Childhood Education and Care Settings: Validating the Outdoor Environment Version of the Responsive Interactions for Learning Measure. Early Education and Development, 1–20.
What Do Parents Want in Terms of Early Childhood Education and Care?
Sumayya Saleem, Samantha Burns, Adrienne Davidson, Delaine Hampton, Linda White, Michal Perlman
Early Education and Development, Informa {UK} Limited, 2021 Aug, pp. 1–19
Information effects on parental choices for early childhood education and care
Burns S., Davidson A., White L., Hampton D., M. Perlman. Behavioural Public Policy, 2022, pp. 1-23
How stable is program quality in child care centre classrooms?
Petr Varmuza, Michal Perlman, Olesya Falenchuk. International Journal of Child Care and Education Policy, vol. 15, Springer Science and Business Media {LLC}, 2021 Oct
How much variability is there in children’s experiences with different educators?
Megan Vincett, Michal Perlman, Sharon Pauker, Jennifer Jenkins. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, vol. 56, Elsevier {BV}, 2021, pp. 78–89
Early childhood specialization among ECEC educators and preschool children’s outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Gabriella Nocita, Michal Perlman, Evelyn McMullen, Olesya Falenchuk, Ashley Brunsek, Brooke Fletcher, Nellie Kamkar, Prakesh S. Shah. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, vol. 53, Elsevier {BV}, 2020, pp. 185–207
A meta-analysis and systematic review of the associations between professional development of early childhood educators and children’s outcomes
Ashley Brunsek, Michal Perlman, Evelyn McMullen, Olesya Falenchuk, Brooke Fletcher, Gabriella Nocita, Nellie Kamkar, Prakesh S. Shah. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, vol. 53, Elsevier {BV}, 2020, pp. 217–248
Centre-based child care attendance in early childhood and growth in later childhood: A prospective cohort study
Michaela Kucab, Charles Keown-Stoneman, Catherine Birken, Michal Perlman, Jonathon Maguire. Curr. Dev. Nutr., vol. 6, Oxford University Press (OUP), 2022 Jun, pp. 1069–1069
Is educators’ years of experience in early childhood education and care settings associated with child outcomes? A systematic review and meta-analysis
Evelyn McMullen, Michal Perlman, Olesya Falenchuk, Nellie Kamkar, Brooke Fletcher, Ashely Brunsek, Gabriella Nocita, Prakesh S. Shah. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, vol. 53, Elsevier {BV}, 2020, pp. 171–184
ECEC Policy
Examining and Quantifying Variance in Quality Across Three Levels of Assessment in Early Childhood Education and Care Settings
Research Digest Burns, S., Falenchuk, O. & Perlman, M. Examining and Quantifying Variance in Quality Across Three Levels of Assessment in Early Childhood Education and Care Settings. Early Childhood Educ J 54, 5299–5309 (2026)....
Examining the associations between quality of interactions children experience in child care learning environments and their developmental outcomes
Research Digest Burns, S., Luo, Z. & Perlman, M. Examining the associations between quality of interactions children experience in child care learning environments and their developmental outcomes. Learning Environ Res 29, 46 (2026)....
Beyond Free Play and Physical Activity: Assessing the Quality and Determinants of Outdoor Environments for Children
Research Digest Burns, S., Yu, E., & Perlman, M. (2026). Beyond Free Play and Physical Activity: Assessing the Quality and Determinants of Outdoor Environments for Children. Early Education and Development, 37(5), 1088–1106....
Equity in Education Research Digest
Research Digest Dhuey, E., Perlman, M., White, L. (dirs.) "Equity in Education Research Digest." Equity in Education Canada, Vol. 1, Issue 1. Available at:...
Conceptualizing, operationalizing, and assessing creativity in early childhood education and care settings: A scoping review.
Journal article Burns, S., Puri, A., Brathwaite, L., Yu, E., Hoan, E., Yasiniyan, S., Dhuey, E., White, L. A., & Perlman, M. (2025). Conceptualizing, operationalizing, and assessing creativity in early childhood education and care settings: A scoping...
Teaching Interpersonal Problem-Solving Skills to Young Children in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) Settings: An Integration of Evidence
Yu, E., Burns, S., Jegatheeswaran, C. et al. Both Me and My Daughter Would Cry Sometimes: Parents’ and Children’s Experiences with Home Education During the Early and Later COVID-19 Pandemic. Early Childhood Educ J (2025).
One Size Does Not Fit All: Associations between Child Characteristics, Differential Treatment of Children by Educators and Quality in Child Care Centers
Yu, E., Burns, S., Jegatheeswaran, C. et al. Both Me and My Daughter Would Cry Sometimes: Parents’ and Children’s Experiences with Home Education During the Early and Later COVID-19 Pandemic. Early Childhood Educ J (2025).
“It’s important to have windows so you can get sunlight”: Understanding children’s perceptions of quality in early childhood education and care settings
Yu, E., Burns, S., Jegatheeswaran, C. et al. Both Me and My Daughter Would Cry Sometimes: Parents’ and Children’s Experiences with Home Education During the Early and Later COVID-19 Pandemic. Early Childhood Educ J (2025).
Promoting diversity in early childcare education
Perlman M., Kankesan T., J. Zhang. Early Childhood Education and Care, vol. 180(6), 2010, pp. 753-766
Understanding variation in classroom quality within early childhood centers: Evidence from Colorado’s Quality Rating and Improvement System
Karoly L.A., Zellman G.L., M. Perlman. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, vol. 28 (4), 2013, pp. 645-657
Instrument development and validation of the infant and toddler assessment for quality improvement.
Perlman M., Brunsek A., Hepditch A., Gray K., O. Falenchuck. Early Education and Development, vol. 28(1), 2017, pp. 115-133
Associations between Directors’ Characteristics, Supervision Practices and Quality of Early Childhood Education and Care Classrooms
Michal Perlman, Nina Howe, Cathryn Gulyas, Olesya Falenchuk. Early Education and Development, vol. 31, Informa {UK} Limited, 2019 Oct, pp. 507–523
Can a Brief Professional Development Improve Early Childhood Educators’ Responsivity and Interaction Quality in Childcare Centers?
Brunsek, A., Rodrigues, M., Sokolovic, N., Borairi, S., Janmohamed, Z., Jenkins, J. M., & Perlman, M. (2023). Can a Brief Professional Development Improve Early Childhood Educators’ Responsivity and Interaction Quality in Child Care Centers? A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial. Early Education and Development, 35(5), 1014–1031.
Assessing Educator Responsivity in Outdoor Early Childhood Education and Care Settings
Yu, E., Burns, S., Jenkins, J., & Perlman, M. (2025). Assessing Educator Responsivity in Outdoor Early Childhood Education and Care Settings: Validating the Outdoor Environment Version of the Responsive Interactions for Learning Measure. Early Education and Development, 1–20.
What Do Parents Want in Terms of Early Childhood Education and Care?
Sumayya Saleem, Samantha Burns, Adrienne Davidson, Delaine Hampton, Linda White, Michal Perlman
Early Education and Development, Informa {UK} Limited, 2021 Aug, pp. 1–19
Information effects on parental choices for early childhood education and care
Burns S., Davidson A., White L., Hampton D., M. Perlman. Behavioural Public Policy, 2022, pp. 1-23
How stable is program quality in child care centre classrooms?
Petr Varmuza, Michal Perlman, Olesya Falenchuk. International Journal of Child Care and Education Policy, vol. 15, Springer Science and Business Media {LLC}, 2021 Oct
How much variability is there in children’s experiences with different educators?
Megan Vincett, Michal Perlman, Sharon Pauker, Jennifer Jenkins. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, vol. 56, Elsevier {BV}, 2021, pp. 78–89
Early childhood specialization among ECEC educators and preschool children’s outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Gabriella Nocita, Michal Perlman, Evelyn McMullen, Olesya Falenchuk, Ashley Brunsek, Brooke Fletcher, Nellie Kamkar, Prakesh S. Shah. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, vol. 53, Elsevier {BV}, 2020, pp. 185–207
A meta-analysis and systematic review of the associations between professional development of early childhood educators and children’s outcomes
Ashley Brunsek, Michal Perlman, Evelyn McMullen, Olesya Falenchuk, Brooke Fletcher, Gabriella Nocita, Nellie Kamkar, Prakesh S. Shah. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, vol. 53, Elsevier {BV}, 2020, pp. 217–248
Centre-based child care attendance in early childhood and growth in later childhood: A prospective cohort study
Michaela Kucab, Charles Keown-Stoneman, Catherine Birken, Michal Perlman, Jonathon Maguire. Curr. Dev. Nutr., vol. 6, Oxford University Press (OUP), 2022 Jun, pp. 1069–1069
Is educators’ years of experience in early childhood education and care settings associated with child outcomes? A systematic review and meta-analysis
Evelyn McMullen, Michal Perlman, Olesya Falenchuk, Nellie Kamkar, Brooke Fletcher, Ashely Brunsek, Gabriella Nocita, Prakesh S. Shah. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, vol. 53, Elsevier {BV}, 2020, pp. 171–184
Parenting and Family Dynamics
Equity in Education Research Digest
Research Digest Dhuey, E., Perlman, M., White, L. (dirs.) "Equity in Education Research Digest." Equity in Education Canada, Vol. 1, Issue 1. Available at:...
Both Me and My Daughter Would Cry Sometimes: Parents’ and Children’s Experiences with Home Education During the Early and Later COVID-19 Pandemic
Yu, E., Burns, S., Jegatheeswaran, C. et al. Both Me and My Daughter Would Cry Sometimes: Parents’ and Children’s Experiences with Home Education During the Early and Later COVID-19 Pandemic. Early Childhood Educ J (2025).
Beyond the mask: Decoding children’s mental health patterns amidst COVID-19 and the role of parenting
Jegatheeswaran, C., Burns, S., Barron, C. et al. Beyond the Mask: Decoding Children’s Mental Health Patterns Amidst COVID-19 and the Role of Parenting. Child Youth Care Forum 53, 1191–1212 (2024).
Sibling Personality Traits, Dyadic Gender Composition, and Their Association With Sibling Relationship Quality
Noam Binnoon-Erez, Michelle Rodrigues, Michal Perlman, Jennifer Jenkins, Jennifer Tackett. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, vol. 64, Project Muse, 2018, p. 175
Early child development in low- and middle-income countries: Is it what mothers have or what they do that makes a difference to child outcomes?
Nirmala Rao, Caroline Cohrssen, Jin Sun, Yufen Su, Michal Perlman. Advances in Child Development and Behavior, Elsevier, 2021, pp. 255–277.
Capturing the Temporal Sequence of Interaction in Young Siblings
Michal Perlman, Mark Lyons-Amos, George Leckie, Fiona Steele, Jennifer Jenkins, Jeffrey M Haddad, PLOS ONE, vol. 10, Public Library of Science ({PLoS}), 2015 May, pp. e0126353
Do Mothers or Children Lead the Dance? Disentangling Individual and Influence Effects During Conflict
Nina Sokolovic, Andre Plamondon, Michelle Rodrigues, Sahar Borairi, Michal Perlman, Jennifer M. Jenkins
Child Development, vol. 92, Wiley, 2020 Aug
Do siblings influence one another? Unpacking processes that occur during sibling conflict.
Sahar Borairi, A. Plamondon, Michelle Rodrigues, N. Sokolovic, M. Perlman, J. Jenkins, Child Development, 2022
Changes in Social Pretend Play as Toddlers Form Relationships with Peers
Luo, Z., Lahat, A., Perlman, M., Howe, N., Recchia, H. E., Bukowski, W. M., & Ross, H. (2022). Changes in social pretend play as toddlers form relationships with peers. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 68(4), 401–436
Responsive Interactions for Learning
Assessing Quality Quickly: Validation of the Responsive Interactions for Learning – Educator (RIFL-Ed.) Measure
Nina Sokolovic, Ashley Brunsek, Michelle Rodrigues, Sahar Borairi, Jennifer M. Jenkins, Michal Perlman. Early Education and Development, vol. 33, Informa {UK} Limited, 2021 May, pp. 1061–1076
Development and Evaluation of an Open-Source, Online Training for the Measurement of Adult-Child Responsivity at Home and in Early Childhood Education and Care Settings
Michelle Rodrigues, Alessandra Schneider, N. Sokolovic, Ashley Brunsek, Beatriz Oré, M. Perlman, J. Jenkins. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 2021
Do siblings influence one another? Unpacking processes that occur during sibling conflict
Sahar Borairi, Andre Plamondon, Michelle Rodrigues, Nina Sokolovic, Michal Perlman, Jennifer Jenkins. Child Development, Wiley, 2022 Aug
Teaching home-visitors to support responsive caregiving: A cluster randomized controlled trial of an online professional development program in Brazil
Sokolovic N, Schneider A, Perlman M, Sousa R, Jenkins JM. Teaching home-visitors to support responsive caregiving: A cluster randomized controlled trial of an online professional development program in Brazil. J Glob Health, 2022;12:04007
Future Skills and Policies
Equity in Education Research Digest
Research Digest Dhuey, E., Perlman, M., White, L. (dirs.) "Equity in Education Research Digest." Equity in Education Canada, Vol. 1, Issue 1. Available at:...
Promoting equity in hiring: An evaluation of the HireNext Job Posting Assessment
Sumayya Saleem, Linda White, Michal Perlman and Elizabeth Dhuey. Promoting equity in hiring: An evaluation of the HireNext Job Posting Assessment. International Journal of Selection and Assessment, Volume 32(4), 2024, 479-490.
Increasing engagement with online learning platforms for unemployed youth
Dhuey, E., Furzer, J., Perlman, M., and White, L. Evidence of the Challenge in Engaging Unemployed Youth with Online Learning Platforms. Canadian Public Policy, 50(1).
Understanding 21st century skills needed in response to Industry 4.0
Sumayya Saleem, Elizabeth Dhuey, Linda White, Michal Perlman. Understanding 21st century skills needed in response to industry 4.0: Exploring scholarly insights using bibliometric analysis. Telematics and Informatics Reports, Volume 13, 2024, 100124, ISSN 2772-5030,
A critical analysis of international organizations’ and global management consulting firms’ consensus around twenty-first century skills
White, L. A., Saleem, S., Dhuey, E., & Perlman, M. (2022). A critical analysis of international organizations’ and global management consulting firms’ consensus around twenty-first century skills. Review of International Political Economy, 30(4), 1334–1359
Training and Skills Development Policy Options for the Changing World of Work
Alix J. Jansen, Linda A. White, Elizabeth Dhuey, Daniel Foster, & Michal Perlman (2019). Training and skills development policy options for the changing world of work. Canadian Public Policy, 49(4), 460-482.
Improving young children’s peer collaboration in early educational settings
Burns, S., Yu, E., Braithwaite, L, Masum, M., White, L., Dhuey, E., Perlman, M. (2024). Improving young children’s peer collaboration in early educational settings: A systematic review. Review of Education, 12(2).
Defining Peer Collaboration: A scoping review and network analysis
Burns, S., Brathwaite, L., Hoan, E., Yu, E., Yasiniyan, S., White, L., … Perlman, M. (2025). A scoping review and network analysis of the characteristics of peer collaboration in early educational settings from studies using diverse methodologies. Educational Review, 77(5), 1649–1671.
Teaching problem-solving skills in early childhood education and care settings: A focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics activities
Burns, S., Saleem, S., McMullen, E., Falenchuk, O., White, L., Dhuey, E., and Perlman, M. (2025). A systematic review and meta-analysis of approaches to teaching problem-solving skills in early childhood education and care settings: A focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics activities. Review of Education. Vol 13, 2.
Enhancing Children’s Creativity in Early Childhood Education and Care: A Systematic Review and Multivariate Meta-Analysis of Studies Between 1969 and 2019
Burns, S., Saleem, S., McMullen, E. et al. Enhancing Children’s Creativity in Early Childhood Education and Care: A Systematic Review and Multivariate Meta-Analysis of Studies Between 1969 and 2019. Early Childhood Educ J (2025)
Cultivating young minds: Exploring the relationship between child socio-emotional competence, early childhood education and care quality, creativity and self-directed learning
Sumayya Saleem, Samantha Burns, Michal Perlman. Learning and Individual Differences. Vol 111, April 2024, 102440.. 1069–1069