Eva Essa, Ph.D.
Foundation Professor and Chair
Contact information: (775) 784-7005
Sarah Fleischmann Building: 105
essa@unr.nevada.edu
Areas of Specialization
Early childhood development
Early childhood education
Research Interests
Progressive models of education
Child care work force issues
Some Recent Publications
Essa, E. L. (2007). Introduction to early childhood education (5th Ed.). Clifton Park, NY: Delmar Publishers, Inc.
Essa, E. L. (2007). What to do when…Practical Guidance Strategies for Challenging Behaviors in the Preschool (6th Ed.). Clifton Park, NY: Delmar Publishers, Inc.
Essa, E. L. (2002). Who cares for Nevada’s children: The Nevada child care work force Study. Reno, NV: University of Nevada, Reno. (web link to report)
Essa, E. L., & Burnham, M. (2001). Child care quality: A model for examining relevant variables. In S. Reifel & M. H. Brown (Eds.), Early education and care, and reconceptualizing play (Vol. 11, pp. 59-113). Oxford, England: Elsevier Science Ltd.
Classes Taught
HDFS 4/628,Preschool Curriculum I (web link to syllabus)
HDFS 4/629, Preschool Curriculum II (web link to syllabus)
HDFS 4/638, Children and Families in a Multiethnic Society
HDFS 4/641b, Advanced Human Development: Early Childhood
HDFS 201, Lifespan Human Development
HDFS 720, Theories of Human Development
HDFS 4/600, Media, Children, and Adolescents
Background Information
1979 Ph.D., Psychology, Utah State University
1971 M.S., Child/Family Studies, University of Nevada, Reno
1963 B.A., Journalism, University of Southern California
Current Projects
Hispanic Head Start-Higher Education grant; 5-year $750,000 federal grant to facilitate Hispanic Head Start teachers in earning a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education
Antecedents of early literacy in toddlers; participant on research team of a project funded by Nevada Agriculture Experiment Station
With other faculty, development of a progressive approach to early education following the programs of Reggio Emilia, Italy; exploring research methods to measure impact on young children, concurrently and longitudinally
Seeking funding to recruit Hispanic high school students who are interested in working with young children into Early Childhood Education program; funding will provide mentoring and other academic support