Children's Learning Research Articles

A Circle-Drawing Task for Studying Reward-Based Motor Learning in Children and Adults

Childhood is an obvious period for motor learning, since children’s musculoskeletal and nervous systems are still in development. Adults adapt movements based on reward feedback about success and failure, but it is less established whether school-age children also exhibit such reward-based motor learning. We designed a new ‘circle-drawing’ task suitable for assessing reward-based motor learning in both children (7–17 years old) and adults (18–65 years old). Participants drew circles with their unseen hand on a tablet. They received binary reward feedback after each attempt based on the proximity of the average radius of their drawing to a target radius set as double the radius of their baseline drawings. We rewarded about 50% of the trials based on a performance-dependent reward criterion. Both children (10.1 ± 2.5 (mean ± SD) years old) and adults (37.6 ± 10.2 years old) increased the radius of their drawings in the direction of the target radius. We observed no difference in learning between children and adults. Moreover, both groups changed the radius, less following reward than following reward absence, which is a sign of reward-based motor learning. We conclude that school-age children, like adults, exhibit reward-based motor learning.

Contribution of International Non-Governmental Organizations’ Interventions on Students’ Competence in English Language in Bugesera District Primary Schools, Rwanda

Purpose: The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of interventions by International Non-Governmental Organizations on students' competence in Rwanda. Methodology: This research adopted a descriptive case study design aimed at establishing the impact of International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs) interventions on learners’ competence in English in Rwanda. The study utilized a mixed-method approach, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative methodologies to provide a comprehensive analysis. The population of our study was composed of 92 teachers and 16 head teachers of all primary schools in Bugesera District which were the target of Teacher Self Learning Academy project. The population also included 5 SEIs, 1 DEO/DDE in that district and a Plan International staff who has been involved in the TSLA project implementation. The sample size drawn from the total population of 92 teachers is 75 teachers using Slovin's Formula. Alongside the 8 head teachers from the selected schools, 5 SEIs, 1 DDE, and 1 Plan International staff member, this leads to a total of 90 participants for the study. The sampling approach was specifically tailored to suit the different categories of participants in the study. Purposive sampling was employed to select all head teachers from the identified schools. In contrast, stratified random sampling was used to select teachers, ensuring representativeness across various demographics such as gender, experience, and school location. For this study purpose, questionnaires and interview guide was used to collect and analyze data from research participants. The researcher took into consideration validity and reliability of the study to be valid and reliable to the audience. The researcher used descriptive statistics to analyze quantitative data and draw tables. Descriptive statistics were used to simplify large amounts of data. Inferential statistics were used to treat particular factors to detect the contribution of each determinant in learners’ competence in English. Primary data was treated through appropriate software as Statistical Package for Social Science (IBM/SPSS Version 21.0) and by after confronted with interviews and secondary data. Findings: The findings from both quantitative and qualitative data reveal that the TSLA project had a significant positive impact on students' English language skills, particularly in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The findings revealed that 90.7% of the respondents agreed that instructional videos uploaded on iPods improved students' English listening skills, while 100% believed that these videos enhanced speaking fluency. Additionally, 94.7% of respondents indicated that the provision of teaching aids improved students' reading skills, and 86.7% noted an improvement in writing skills. Methods used in teachers' training, such as study groups and mentoring, were positively evaluated, with 76% and 74.7% of respondents, respectively, affirming their contribution to students’ English competence. However, challenges such as inadequate support from school management (62.7%), lack of incentives (88%), and insufficient resources (98.7%) were identified as barriers to effective implementation. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The Government authorities should enforce policies that mandate continuous professional development for teachers and monitor their implementation to ensure effectiveness. The Ministry of Education should enhance teacher training programs by investing in comprehensive and continuous professional development programs that focus on modern teaching methodologies, ICT integration, and language competences. The Rwanda Basic Education Board (REB) should create incentive schemes to acknowledge and reward teachers who demonstrate exceptional dedication and improvement in their teaching practices. Bugesera Primary Schools should ensure that school management provides adequate support to teachers, including mentoring, peer coaching, and access to necessary teaching materials while parents should encourage and support their children's learning activities at home, particularly in using ICT tools and practicing language skills.

Distinct mechanisms for online and offline motor skill learning across human development.

The human central nervous system (CNS) undergoes tremendous changes from childhood to adulthood and this may affect how individuals at different stages of development learn new skills. Here, we studied motor skill learning in children, adolescents, and young adults to test the prediction that differences in the maturation of different learning mechanisms lead to distinct temporal patterns of motor learning during practice and overnight. We found that overall learning did not differ between children, adolescents, and young adults. However, we demonstrate that adult-like skill learning is characterized by rapid and large improvements in motor performance during practice (i.e., online) that are susceptible to forgetting and decay over time (i.e., offline). On the other hand, child-like learning exhibits slower and less pronounced improvements in performance during practice, but these improvements are robust against forgetting and lead to gains in performance overnight without further practice. The different temporal dynamics of motor skill learning suggest an engagement of distinct learning mechanisms in the human CNS during development. In conclusion, adult-like skill learning mechanisms favor online improvements in motor performance whereas child-like learning mechanisms favors offline behavioral gains. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Many essential motor skills, like walking, talking, and writing, are acquired during childhood, and it is colloquially thought that children learn better than adults. We investigated dynamics of motor skill learning in children, adolescents, and young adults. Adults displayed substantial improvements during practice that was susceptible to forgetting over time. Children displayed smaller improvements during practice that were resilient against forgetting. The distinct age-related characteristics of these processes of acquisition and consolidation suggest that skill learning relies on different mechanisms in the immature and mature central nervous system.

Tapping into family power: Enhancing English learning for Chinese children in Banda Aceh through parental involvement

Learning English at an early age is believed to lead to a significant improvement in children's language skills. Parental involvement is thought to have a positive influence on children's development in learning English as a second/foreign language. A preliminary study found that Chinese parents are actively involved in helping their children learn English. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the types of parental involvement of Chinese parents and their roles in helping their children learn English in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. The focus of this study is on six types of parental involvement (parenting, communicating, volunteering, supervising children's learning at home, decision making, and collaborating with the community) and five roles of parents (motivators, models, facilitators, sources of knowledge, and coordinators) in children's education as proposed by Epstein (2011). The participants of this study are ten Chinese parents, seven mothers and three fathers, who have enrolled their children for early English language learning in one of the private courses in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. This study used a qualitative approach and was conducted through interviews. The findings show that Chinese parents engage in four types of parental involvement: parenting, communication, monitoring children's learning at home, and decision making. They also fulfil five parental roles in their children's language learning: motivators, models, facilitators, knowledge sources and coordinators. As this study focuses on parental involvement in children's English learning at primary school level, it is suggested that further research should aim to examine parental involvement in children's English learning at different levels of education, such as middle school or senior high school.

유아교육기관 전이 시간에 마주친 어린이의 삶

This study aims to create images of various children by exploring the lives of children encountered in the transition time of an early childhood education institution. From August 21 to 25, 2023, a total of 25 hours were observed from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Hana Kindergarten Haneul class (age of 3, 15 people) located in A city, and researchers tried to understand how children's lives were unfolding by re-turning/thinking-with. As a result of the study, we were able to see images of children who break boundaries and create new relationships, children who live in our class community, children who penetrate and stand with the world, children who make friends with the world in a overlapping state, children who actively interfere and participate, children who sensibly respond to entanglement with the world and prove differences. Through the process of continuously asking questions and tapping into the children's potential, we therefore discussed the importance of listening to the creation of new children, and the importance of teachers’ pedagogy to read children's behavior every moment. Through this, the transition time, which is not noticed in the curriculum, will be able to have a meaning as a time when children's lives and learning continue.

‘한국 동요 새노래 지도’경험 탐색: 우즈베키스탄 예비유아교사들을 중심으로

The purpose of this study is to improve students' Korean language and deliver advanced Korean music education to pre-service early childhood teachers in Uzbekistan through ‘the new-song learning activities of Korean children's songs’. 65 students in the Department of Early Childhood Education at Ferghana Korea International University in Uzbekistan were targeted. Starting in September 2023, 15 weeks of ‘the new-song-learning activities of Korean children’s songs’ classes were applied. As a result of the study, interest in the Korean language are increased, Korean was difficult for TOPIK preparation.. However, speaking Korean through song lyrics is a fun everyday English. the basic composition of music was learned through the scale of Korean Children’s songs, and an integrated approach was naturally learned through physical movement activities. It is significant in that it has prepared basic data for research on Korean language classes (bilingual classes) through Korean children's song lyrics and children's music teaching and learning methods in Uzbekistan, which is envious of advanced Korean education.

Education management: The role of religious and non-formal schools in increasing the efficiency of children's learning

Education management: The role of religious and non-formal schools in increasing the efficiency of children's learning

Essential Attributes to Stimulate 21st Century Skills amongst Children Learning in Pre-war Schools

Globally, new schools are built according to users' needs and are comparable with the newest pedagogical approach. The efforts, however, raised concern about the affordance of existing school buildings and whether the users are experiencing the present educational transformation. This study, therefore, aims to examine factors that qualify a school to provide twenty-first-century learning, specifically pre-war school buildings in Scotland. Through a focus group design charrette, this study obtained forty-eight primary six children’s perceptions of what the school spaces afford. Schools should provide sufficient learning spaces that are broadly utilized and flexible to provide supplementary learning experiences for children.

Mathematical Thinking and Learning in Early Childhood: A Consolidated Qualitative Synthesis of Cutting-Edge Research Literature

This study aims to synthesize current research on early childhood mathematical thinking and learning, focusing on cognitive development, instructional strategies, and environmental influences. The study provides a comprehensive qualitative analysis, integrating diverse theoretical frameworks and recent empirical findings for a nuanced understanding of early math education. Methodologically, it employs a thematic synthesis of qualitative studies, systematically reviewing literature from various academic databases to identify key patterns and themes. The research design involves coding text, developing descriptive themes, and generating analytical themes from peer-reviewed studies published between 2014 and 2024. The primary outcomes highlight the significant impact of play-based learning, interdisciplinary approaches, and parental involvement on early mathematical development. Additionally, the study underscores the role of technology and supportive learning environments in enhancing children's math skills. Conclusions emphasize the importance of holistic and culturally responsive educational practices. The practical implications provide valuable insights for educators, policymakers, researchers, and parents aiming to improve early childhood math education.

Evaluation of Physical Education Learning for Children with Special Needs in Inclusion-Based Elementary Schools in Sindang Plains District, Rejang Lebong Regency, Bengkulu Province

This research aims to determine the results of evaluating the context, input, process, product of the implementation of Physical Education learning for children with special needs in inclusion-based elementary schools in Sindang Darat District, Rejang Lebong Regency, Bengkulu Province.The evaluation model used in this research is the CIPP model. The results of the research show that the evaluation of the implementation of physical education learning for children with special needs in onclusion-based elementary schools in Sindang Plains District, Rejang Lebong Regency, Bengkulu Province, results in the poor category. Next, each aspect of the evaluation is explained, namely. (1) Context evaluation is in the good category. Indicators of learning materials and formulation of objectives were 3.14 in the good category. (2) Input evaluation is in 3.29 the good category. (3) Process evaluation results are in the poor category. (4) Product evaluation in 1.83 in the poor category.

Six clinical phenotypes with prognostic implications were identified by unsupervised machine learning in children and adolescents with SARS-CoV-2 infection: results from a German nationwide registry

ObjectivePhenotypes are important for patient classification, disease prognostication, and treatment customization. We aimed to identify distinct clinical phenotypes of children and adolescents hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 infection, and to evaluate their prognostic differences.MethodsThe German Society of Pediatric Infectious Diseases (DGPI) registry is a nationwide, prospective registry for children and adolescents hospitalized with a SARS-CoV-2 infection in Germany. We applied hierarchical clustering for phenotype identification with variables including sex, SARS-CoV-2-related symptoms on admission, pre-existing comorbidities, clinically relevant coinfection, and SARS-CoV-2 risk factors. Outcomes of this study were: discharge status and ICU admission. Discharge status was categorized as: full recovery, residual symptoms, and unfavorable prognosis (including consequential damage that has already been identified as potentially irreversible at the time of discharge and SARS-CoV-2-related death). After acquiring the phenotypes, we evaluated their correlation with discharge status by multinomial logistic regression model, and correlation with ICU admission by binary logistic regression model. We conducted an analogous subgroup analysis for those aged < 1 year (infants) and those aged ⩾ 1 year (non-infants).ResultsThe DGPI registry enrolled 6983 patients, through which we identified six distinct phenotypes for children and adolescents with SARS-CoV-2 which can be characterized by their symptom pattern: phenotype A had a range of symptoms, while predominant symptoms of patients with other phenotypes were gastrointestinal (95.9%, B), asymptomatic (95.9%, C), lower respiratory tract (49.8%, D), lower respiratory tract and ear, nose and throat (86.2% and 41.7%, E), and neurological (99.2%, F). Regarding discharge status, patients with D and E phenotype had the highest odds of having residual symptoms (OR: 1.33 [1.11, 1.59] and 1.91 [1.65, 2.21], respectively) and patients with phenotype D were significantly more likely (OR: 4.00 [1.95, 8.19]) to have an unfavorable prognosis. Regarding ICU, patients with phenotype D had higher possibility of ICU admission than staying in normal ward (OR: 4.26 [3.06, 5.98]), compared to patients with phenotype A. The outcomes observed in the infants and non-infants closely resembled those of the entire registered population, except infants did not exhibit typical neurological/neuromuscular phenotypes.ConclusionsPhenotypes enable pediatric patient stratification by risk and thus assist in personalized patient care. Our findings in SARS-CoV-2-infected population might also be transferable to other infectious diseases.

Mobile Adventure: RIAMOS to Strengthen the Development of Mathematical Logic and Language in Early Education in Rural Contexts

In the development of the substantive function of the link with society of the National University of Education (UNAE), the Mobile Adventure: RIAMOS project arises from the career of Early Childhood Education (EI), with the aim of building experiential learning experiences, from educational contexts that promote the comprehensive training of children in early childhood in rural contexts. Therefore, this research analyses the impact of Aventura Móvil: RIAMOS on the development of the areas of logical-mathematical relations, comprehension and expression of language in early education in rural contexts. We worked with a methodology based on a mixed approach, with a prevalence of a qualitative, descriptive and interpretative approach and a quantitative approach focused on the pre- and post-tests applied to children in rural parishes in Cañar and Azuay. Mobile Adventure: RIAMOS is a space that integrates different actors: students, parents, authorities, teachers, students in training for comprehensive education. Through the pre-test, educational needs were identified, which were strengthened throughout the class sessions through the implementation of innovative planning, relevant to reality. The post-test reflected the advances and progress made by each child with the application of the didactic strategies and activities. In summary, Mobile Adventure: RIAMOS proves to be an effective initiative to enhance the reinforcement and integral learning of children in rural environments.

Playing to Survive: Children and Innovation During the Little Ice Age in Greenland

Greenland is the world's largest island, but only a narrow strip of land between the Inland Ice and the sea is inhabitable. Yet, the Norse chose to settle here around ad 986. During the eleventh century ad, precontact Inuit people moved into Greenland from northern Alaska via Canada. Although the two cultures faced the same climatic changes during the Little Ice Age, the Inuit thrived, while the Norse did not, for multiple causes. The authors focus on one of these causes, the hitherto overlooked contribution of young children's learning strategies to societal adaptation. The detailed analysis of a large corpus of play objects reveals striking differences between the children's material culture in the two cultures: rich and diverse in the precontact Inuit material and more limited and normative in the Norse. Drawing on insights from developmental psychology, the authors discuss possible effects of play objects on children's future adaptability in variable climatic conditions.

Of Mouses and Mans: A Test of Errorless Versus Error-Based Learning in Children.

For both adults and children, learning from one's mistakes (error-based learning) has been shown to be advantageous over avoiding errors altogether (errorless learning) in pedagogical settings. However, it remains unclear whether this advantage carries over to nonpedagogical settings in children, who mostly learn language in such settings. Using irregular plurals (e.g., "mice") as a test case, we conducted a corpus analysis (N = 227) and two preregistered experiments (N = 56, N = 99), to investigate the potency of error-based learning as a mechanism for language acquisition in 3- and 4-year-old children. The results of the corpus analysis showed that incidental feedback after errors, in the form of caregivers' reformulations of children's errors, was relatively infrequent, had modest informational value, and was rarely used by children to correct their errors immediately. The following two experiments contrasted error-based learning with errorless learning, where the correct utterance was modeled for the child before a potential error was committed. The results showed that error-based learning was not always effective, and when it was, it was certainly not superior to errorless learning. Collectively, these findings question the extension of the benefits of error-based learning from pedagogical to nonpedagogical settings and define constraints under which one mechanism may be more beneficial to learning than the other.

Interrupted learning across the lifespan

Continued learning opportunities are important for adaptation across the lifespan. Interrupted learning (e.g., “summer slide”) is a known, critical issue for childhood education. This perspective piece proposes that adulthood could be a period of prolonged interrupted learning with reduced learning opportunities, despite the known importance of lifelong learning. This idea goes beyond calls for healthy older adults to lead an active life to maintain cognitive abilities and to maintain basic functional skills by highlighting important lifespan circumstances that may hinder or facilitate adaptation in new and changing environments. We explore how research on interrupted learning in childhood could be applied to later adulthood and how changes in learning are viewed differently for children and adults. In addition, research on increasing abilities during childhood generally focuses on specific skills (e.g., reading, math), whereas cognitive aging research focuses on more general cognitive abilities related to attention and memory. Finally, given that interrupted learning occurs unevenly across different ages, abilities, and resources, more can be investigated in terms of who interrupted learning affects across the lifespan, and the neural underpinnings of interrupted learning. Acknowledging and addressing interrupted learning across the lifespan may promote long-term thriving and avoid preventable deficits and decline.

INCLUSIVE COMPETENCE AS A COMPONENT OF THE FUTURE MATHEMATICS TEACHER’S PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE

The article deals with the concepts of «inclusive competence of a teacher» and «inclusive competence of a future mathematics teacher», with the latter being considered as a component of their professional competence. The aim of the article is to characterize inclusive competence as a component of professional competence and to analyze the content of its structural components. Research methods: analysis of scientific sources on the issues of inclusive education and the development of teachers’ inclusive competence to define the essence of the concept «inclusive competence» and its structure, as well as comparison, systematization, and generalization to characterize the content of the inclusive competence components in future mathematics teachers. The inclusive competence of future mathematics teachers is defined as an integral personal and professional characteristic and a component of their professional competence. The structural components of inclusive competence in future mathematics teachers have been identified and characterized: motivational-value, cognitive, activity-operational and reflective. The cognitive and activity-operational components of inclusive competence in subject teachers reflect the content and specifics of a particular subject or field of knowledge (such as physics, mathematics, physical education, etc.) and the specifics of teaching these subjects in an inclusive educational environment. components refer to the organization of an inclusive educational environment where children with special educational needs will study. Key skills include the ability to adapt learning materials to suit the students’ awareness, taking considering their special perception, memory and way of thinking, as well as offering engaging forms and methods of teaching. In this context, it is important to draw on the achievements of primary school mathematics teaching methods, such as the «Numicon» (method, Cuisenaire rods, Dienes’ method, edutainment technologies, eidetic techniques and mnemonic devices). The cognitive and activity-operational components of inclusive competence in future mathematics teachers are continuously developing, updated with information about new resources, methods, technologies and opportunities for organizing mixed and distance learning for children with special educational needs (such as online platforms). They are also enhanced by the teachers’ experiences. It has been proven that to ensure the efficiency of inclusive education and the development of mathematical competence in students with special educational needs, a comprehensive preparation of future mathematics teachers for professional activity in an inclusive environment is necessary. This should be based on the unity of theoretical and practical components at the general pedagogical, methodological and specialized levels. It is also important to create conditions and motivate future mathematics teachers to develop their inclusive competence through self-education and informal learning.

Mengoptimalkan Pembelajaran Bagi Anak Dengan Adhd Melalui Pendekatan Inklusif di Sekolah Dasar

Inclusive education has become a focus of attention in supporting the successful learning of all students, including those with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Children with ADHD face special challenges in managing their attention, impulsivity, and energy, requiring appropriate learning approaches. This research aims to investigate and identify the optimal implementation of an inclusive approach in supporting the learning of children with ADHD in elementary schools. Qualitative research methods were used to explore the experiences of educators, school staff, and parents in facing the learning challenges of children with ADHD. The results show that inclusive approaches implemented in elementary schools can play a key role in creating a supportive learning environment for children with ADHD.

Parental Engagement in Early Childhood Education: The Case of Debre Tabor Schools, Ethiopia

ABSTRACTParental engagement (PE) in early childhood education refers to the different ways parents get involved to help children's learning. Drawing on Ecological Systems and Social Capital as theoretical frameworks, this research explored parents' engagement experiences in early childhood education in primary schools in Debre Tabor Town, Ethiopia. A qualitative approach with a case study design was employed in this study. Through purposive sampling, 12 key informants, such as parents, school principals and teachers, were chosen from five primary schools for in‐depth interviews. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data from interviews focusing on four dimensions of PE: communication, learning at home, collaborative partnership and creating a nurturing environment. Results showed that parents excelled in creating a nurturing home environment to support their children's education. However, the study revealed low engagement from parents in communication, collaborative partnership and learning at home activities. It highlighted that parents' engagement in working with others to help the education of their children was not motivating. Lastly, the study also identified the reasons behind parents' low engagement in early childhood education, many of which are associated with parent‐related, and school‐related. Generally, the research indicated parents had limited engagement in their child's pre‐school education.

Socioemotional instruction in learning support staff across Italian primary schools: a call for using the ‘multidimensional, scaffolding framework’ in training programmes

ABSTRACT International research has illustrated that learning support staff (LSS) play a crucial role in the instruction of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND): they support the children’s classwork while teachers manage the whole-class instruction. However, fewer research studies have explored LSS’s role in the children’s socioemotional learning, although this support is highly important for pupils’ regulation of negative emotions, effective participation in whole-class conversations, and academic learning. The current research explores LSS socioemotional practices in a relatively unexamined country (Italy), providing LSS with a high level of training. Thirty-one primary-school-LSS members completed a questionnaire and interview. The LSS reported infrequently supporting the socioemotional learning of children with (and without) SEND despite their difficulties. Also, they appeared to overly control the children’s peer interactions and emotions, minimising their self-management. The participants associated their infrequent socioemotional instruction with their limited socioemotional training and preparedness, and insufficient persuasion by the national curriculum to promote socioemotional education. Findings are largely interpreted using a new ‘multidimensional, scaffolding framework’ linking LSS socioemotional practices and related children’s learning. Findings also suggest that the framework could usefully guide LSS training.

Digital Device Usage and Childhood Cognitive Development: Exploring Effects on Cognitive Abilities

The increasing ubiquity of digital devices in childhood had outpaced the understanding of their effects on cognitive development, creating a significant research gap regarding their long-term impact. Objective: The present narrative overview explored the complex relationship between digital device usage and cognitive development in childhood. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive literature search across multiple databases, including PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science, to critically assess cognitive domains such as attention, memory, executive functions, problem-solving skills, and social cognition. Incorporating over 157 peer-reviewed studies published between 2001 and 2024, we used strict inclusion and exclusion criteria to ensure scientific rigor. Results: The review integrated empirical findings with established theoretical frameworks, particularly from cognitive development and media psychology, to highlight both the advantages and risks of early, frequent exposure to technology. The potential for digital devices to enhance cognitive skills, such as multitasking and information processing, was weighed against risks such as cognitive overload, diminished attention spans, and impaired social skills. We also examined psychological and behavioral outcomes, including identity formation, emotional regulation, and maladaptive behaviors associated with excessive screen time. Additionally, we identified strategies to mitigate negative effects, emphasizing structured digital engagement and parental involvement to support healthy cognitive and psychological growth. Our findings provided actionable recommendations for parents, educators, and policymakers, promoting optimal digital practices that enhanced cognitive development while safeguarding against potential harms. Conclusions: The review offered essential insights for stakeholders in child development, education, and policy-making, highlighting the need for balanced integration of digital tools in childhood learning environments.