In an insightful dialogue on knowledge brokering, Paulina Segovia Candia (She/her/hers), our coordination consultant and science communicator, engages with Professor Megan McClelland, an esteemed expert on children's self-regulation.

Professor McClelland is the Katherine E. Smith Professor of Healthy Children and Families at Oregon State University where she serves as Endowed Director at the Hallie E. Ford Center for Healthy Children and Families.

Their conversation explores the critical intersection of research and practice, highlighting how effective collaboration can enhance early childhood education and improve outcomes for young learners.

Their discussion focuses on identifying the challenges and barriers faced in efficiently bridging the gap between research and practical educational implementation in the field of self-regulation and early learning.

Prof. McClelland mentions notable organizations and resources, including the Jacobs Foundation's Learning Sciences Exchange Fellowship, New America, The Brookings Institution, and UNESCO. She also highlights the work of other researchers in the field, such as Roberta Golinkoff and Kathy Hirsh-Pasek (not seen in the recording).

This conversation offers practical examples of how Prof. McClelland and her colleagues have built relationships between scientists and practitioners to improve children's self-regulation skills and school success.

Prof. McClelland's quote clearly explains the importance of collaboration in this field:
"To me, what is very important is understanding that the community partners or the teachers and educators that we work with are getting something valuable that is useful to them and that they are having significant input into what we are developing because whatever we develop only works if people out there can use it easily and feasibly."