Hyunjin Kim

  • Professor
  • Early Childhood Education
  • Phone: 401.874.4207
  • Email: hkimed@uri.edu
  • Office Location: Chafee Hall, Rm 617

Biography

Dr. Hyunjin Kim is a professor at the University of Rhode Island, the program coordinator of the Early Childhood Education program, and the program director of Accelerated Online Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Pathways. As a teacher educator, she is committed to preparing and supporting the early childhood workforce with high-impact instruction, mentorship and leadership.Dr. Kim has developed and taught a variety of courses to promote inquiry, reflection and critical thinking. She leads an international study abroad program in Reggio Emilla to investigate early childhood education while establishing cross-disciplinary partnerships between academics and practitioners worldwide.

Research

Dr. Kim’s current line of work has been primarily influenced by her background in early childhood teacher education. In her research and practice, Dr. Kim aims to contribute to enhancing the quality, equity, and sustainability of the early childhood workforce. Her research explores how psychological factors—such as mental health, motivation, and self-efficacy—affect teaching and shape children’s cognitive and socio-emotional development. She is also committed to studying reflective teaching practices for culturally and linguistically diverse learners and strong family-school-community partnerships. Dr. Kim applies research-to-practice approaches to develop equitable and sustainable quality early learning experiences in diverse early childhood classrooms.

Furthermore, Dr. Kim is dedicated to understanding and strengthening the partnerships among homes, schools, and the community as a critical part of children’s educational success. She recognizes that these partnerships play a crucial role in creating supportive and collaborative environments that foster the cognitive and socio-emotional development of children. Recently, she has been probing into how educational policies and practices can be better formulated and implemented to foster transformative changes in early childhood education and care settings. Ultimately, Dr. Kim’s overarching goal is to leverage her research findings to refine and enhance the quality of early education, contributing significantly to the wellbeing and development of children in diverse contexts.

Education

  • Ph.D., Curriculum and Instruction, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2007
  • M.S., Child and Family Studies, Kyungsung University, 1992
  • B.S., Child and Family Studies (Focus Area: Early Childhood Care and Education), Kyungsung University, 1990

Selected Publications

Current Projects

- OPC GEER II Project: URI ECCE Pathway Program Implementation and Needs Assessments
- RIDE ECCE Pathway Program Design and Implementation
- RI Registered Apprenticeship Project: Measuring On the Job-Learning Outcomes.

New Career Pathways Program for Working Professionals in ECE:
Accelerated Online Program in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Pathways for Working Professionals