Children's Learning Research Articles

Correlation of screen exposure to stress, learning, cognitive and language performance in children.

The omnipresence of mobile screens and convenience to operate them has led to increased screen time for young children whereas the sequelae of prolonged exposure are not known yet. 70 refugee children (RG) and 111 children of a clinical comparison group (CG) from a help-seeking population (age: M = 5.10; SD = 1.11; range 3.00-6.97years) were assessed concerning their amount of daily screen exposure time in relation to parental education and distress. Salivary cortisol was collected as a marker for biological stress and children were tested concerning learning performance, non-verbal IQ and vocabulary with the Kaufmann Assessment Battery for Children (KABC-II). Language skills were assessed in educator rating. The amount of children's screen exposure was negatively related to parental education and positively to distress. In the CG, higher amounts of screen time were associated with elevated cortisol levels and lower learning scores. On both measures, the RG and CG only differed in the condition of screen time less than one hour/day, for higher amounts of screen time the CG approached the more problematic scores of the RG. Whereas in the whole sample the amount of screen time was negatively correlated to language performance, it was not correlated to non-verbal IQ-scores. As a higher amount of media exposure in our clinical comparison group is associated with elevated biological stress, decreased learning and lower language performance, it should be classified as a relevant environmental factor and regularly considered in clinical assessments of children and therapeutical interventions, especially in vulnerable subgroups. German clinical trials register, registration number: DRKS00025734, date: 07-23-2021.

Harmful Effects on the Hippocampal Morpho-Histology and on Learning and Memory in the Offspring of Rats with Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetes.

Learning alterations in the child population may be linked to gestational diabetes as a causal factor, though this remains an open and highly controversial question. In that sense, it has been reported that maternal hyperglycemia generates a threatening condition that affects hippocampal development in offspring. The pyramidal cells of the CA3 subfield, a key structure in learning and memory processes, are particularly important in cognitive deficiencies. We evaluate the effect of the hyperglycemic intrauterine environment on hippocampal histomorphometry in offspring, correlating it with spatial learning and memory, as well as the morphology of dendrites and spines in 30-day-old pups (P30). The maternal hyperglycemia affected the body weight, height, and brain size of fetuses at 21 days of gestation (F21), newborn pups (P0) and P30 pups from diabetic rats, which were smaller compared to the control group. Consequently, this resulted in a decrease in hippocampal size, lower neuronal density and cytoarchitectural disorganization in the CA3 region of the hippocampus in the offspring at the three ages studied. The behavioral tests performed showed a direct relationship between morpho-histological alterations and deficiencies in learning and memory, as well as alterations in the morphology of the dendrites and spines. Therefore, knowing the harmful effects caused by gestational diabetes can be of great help to establish therapeutic and educational strategies that can help to improve learning and memory in children.

Stakeholders' perspectives on parental engagement in Tanzanian pre-primary schools: Exploring opportunities and challenges

The purpose of this study was to explore the stakeholders' perspectives on parental engagement in pre-primary schools in Nzega District, Tanzania. This study, therefore, explored how stakeholders define parental engagement and identify behaviours that are indicative of it. The study was qualitative, and a phenomenological design was adopted. It consisted of six focus group sessions with a total of 34 parents. A semi-structured interview was conducted with five pre-primary school teachers, four head teachers and five chairpersons of the school committees in the six selected schools. It deployed Braun and Clarke \cite{braun2006using} six steps of qualitative data analysis. Results showed that there was a slight variation within and between stakeholder groups on how they define and experience parental engagement. To enhance common understanding, participants felt the need to enhance parents' competencies to support their children's learning at home and in school. This study, therefore, recommends the need for intervention programmes that will empower parents to effectively engage in their children's learning opportunities at home and in pre-primary schools.

Add-on perceptual learning on refractive amblyopia in children.

To evaluate the visual outcomes of standard amblyopic treatment add-on training via perceptual learning in refractive amblyopic children and to identify the risk factors for treatment failure. Retrospective charts were reviewed in children with refractive amblyopia who received standard treatment and add-on Cambridge Visual Stimulator (CAM) training. The add-on CAM group that was enrolled had worn full-corrected glasses for at least 2mo before training. A control group received only the standard treatment. Treatment success was defined as best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) ≥20/25. The age, sex, initial BCVA, refractive errors, sessions and duration of training, and final BCVA were recorded. A total of 209 children (129 children in add-on CAM group and 80 children in control group) were enrolled. Seventy-six percent of unilateral and 87% of bilateral amblyopic children achieved treatment success. In children with unilateral or bilateral moderate amblyopia, the duration to reach BCVA ≥20/25 was significantly shorter in add-on CAM group than in control group. Poor initial BCVA (P<0.001) and high astigmatism (P=0.007) were risk factors for treatment failure after add-on CAM training. Age, sex, and types of refractive error were not associated with treatment success. Add-on CAM training is an effective strategy for visual improvement and can shorten the treatment course when the effect of standard treatment is limited in amblyopic children.

Developing and using an adapted mosaic approach to explore children's foreign language learning experiences in primary school

This article describes an adapted mosaic approach, developed and used in a longitudinal, ethnographic study that explored children's foreign language learning (FLL) experiences in primary school in England. As a methodological innovation within the field of instructed early foreign language learning, the adapted approach addresses an identified need for a wider range of research methodologies and more inductive approaches. The original mosaic approach was initially considered to help address methodological questions that arose during the ethnography. That approach was subsequently adapted and developed in four main ways: firstly, for use within the longitudinal, ethnographic study; second, for use with its older, primary school-aged children; third, for development and use together with children in school rather than a tool designed for use on children and finally, where the focus was upon the process of completion rather than the end product. The adapted approach met the needs identified within the ethnography by further enhancing children's voices, their agency and perspectives within its data collection and analysis. Recommendations for its use in language learning contexts are made to support further research together with children, to help strengthen what is currently known and understood about children's experiences of instructed foreign language learning. This is based on the premise that knowing and understanding more about these will help inform future practices and initiatives.

Overcoming the streetlight effect: Shining light on the foundations of learning and development in early childhood.

Developmental theory has long emphasized a range of skills that young children need for healthy development across the life course. Nevertheless, most evaluations of early childhood programs and policies have focused on measuring a somewhat limited set of competencies. In this article, we explore this "streetlight effect" in early childhood intervention research and propose an initial set of skills that we argue should be prioritized alongside traditionally measured outcomes as targets of intervention during the preschool period (i.e., between ages 3 and 5 years). These skills, which we call the foundations of learning and development (FOLD) skills, include both well-studied and emerging constructs such as curiosity, creativity, self-regulation and executive function, critical thinking, perspective taking, and internal representations of self. To better understand FOLD skills' potential as more practical, effective, and inclusive targets of early childhood programs and policies, we review research regarding each skill's malleability, measurability, predictive validity, and universality. We end with a set of future directions for the field, including the need to (a) formulate a more inclusive taxonomy of FOLD skills that incorporates currently omitted competencies relevant to marginalized populations, (b) measure these skills in scalable and actionable ways, and (c) enhance or modify intervention strategies to optimize the development of these FOLD skills in the preschool period. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Parent involvement in young children's engineering learning

ABSTRACT This study examined parents' experience of involvement in their children's engineering activities. A convenient sample of 24 parents, whose children were enrolled in pre-kindergarten to second grade, participated in the interviews individually. Results indicated that parents enjoyed their time with their children when engaging in engineering activities, they enjoyed the family time and they were happy to see how capable their children were. At the same time, results also revealed some challenges that parents experienced, such as selecting a topic, giving up control, and breaking up the projects into sessions. Parents reported engineering toys at home but some of them need help recognising what constitutes an engineering toy. Suggestions for supporting parents and improving their experience of involvement in their children's engineering activities are provided. Implementations in terms of carrying out engineering activities at home and at school are also included.

Mitochondrial DNA copy number and neurocognitive outcomes in children.

Low mitochondria DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) has been linked to cognitive decline. However, the role of mtDNAcn in healthy cognitive development is unclear. We hypothesized early-life mtDNAcn would be associated with children's learning and memory. We quantified mtDNAcn in umbilical cord blood and child blood at ages 5-7 from participants in a prospective birth cohort. We administered the Children's Memory Scale (CMS) at ages 9-14 (N = 342) and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IV) at ages 7 and 9 (N = 457). Associations between mtDNAcn tertiles and CMS and WISC were evaluated with linear regression and linear mixed-effects models, respectively. We examined non-linear associations using generalized additive mixed models. Relative to the middle tertile of mtDNAcn, lower childhood mtDNAcn was associated with lower WISC Working Memory (β = -2.65, 95% CI [-5.24, -0.06]) and Full-Scale IQ (β = -3.71 [-6.42, -1.00]), and higher CMS Visual Memory (β = 4.70 [0.47, 8.93]). Higher childhood mtDNAcn was linked to higher CMS Verbal Memory (β = 7.75 [2.50, 13.01]). In non-linear models, higher childhood mtDNAcn was associated with lower WISC Verbal Comprehension. Our study provides novel evidence that mtDNAcn measured in childhood is associated with children's neurocognitive performance. mtDNAcn may be a marker of healthy child development. Mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) may serve as a biomarker for early-life neurocognitive performances in the children's population. Both low and high mtDNAcn may contribute to poorer neurocognition, reflected through learning and memory abilities. This research elucidated the importance of investigating mitochondrial biomarkers in healthy populations and facilitated advancements of future studies to better understand the associations between mitochondrial markers and adverse children's health outcomes.

The Influence of Word Characteristics on Preschoolers' Vocabulary Learning

Purpose: One challenge to the design and delivery of effective vocabulary intervention is the selection of vocabulary targets. The purpose of this study was to examine the relation of word characteristics to vocabulary learning from explicit vocabulary intervention. Method: This study was a secondary analysis of data from two recent efficacy studies of an explicit vocabulary intervention delivered to preschool children ( Story Friends ). Taught vocabulary words were coded for concreteness, imageability, and shape using the perceptual accessibility continuum. Results: Multilevel modeling indicated that perceptual accessibility predicted vocabulary learning. Of the perceptual accessibility components, concreteness and imageability contributed significantly to the model, but shape did not. Higher vocabulary learning was observed for words rated more perceptually accessible. Conclusions: Preschool children's vocabulary learning was predicted by perceptual accessibility characteristics of taught words. Findings contribute to the body of evidence to guide the selection and sequencing of vocabulary targets for effective vocabulary intervention. Supplemental Material: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.27183684

FORMAÇÃO DE PROFESSORES PARA A EDUCAÇÃO INFANTIL: NECESSIDADES E PERSPECTIVAS

This article addresses a disturbing issue regarding the training of professionals working in early childhood education, exploring in depth the constitution of the teacher, his/her reflective practice and teaching identity. Its purpose is to highlight the relevance of teacher training, emphasizing, through a detailed analysis of several authors, the importance of the identity construction of the education professional and of critical reflection in teaching training and practice. This is a literature review that seeks support from renowned scholars to illustrate the importance of continuous and in-depth training for these professionals. Thus, the focus is on the need to adequately prepare those who will be responsible for constructing the learning of children from zero to five years of age, an important and formative period in the lives of individuals. The review aims to emphasize how the training and identity of the teacher are essential not only for personal development, but also for pedagogical effectiveness and the quality of early childhood education.

Investigating the impact of an AI-based play activities intervention on the quality of life of school-aged children with ADHD

BackgroundAttention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder that not only impacts children's behavior, learning, and social interactions but also their quality of life. Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) may provide new opportunities to improve the ADHD symptoms and quality of life of children with ADHD, especially through customized play activities that address their specific needs. AimsThis study examined the impact of AI-based play activities on the quality of life of 61 Saudi children aged between 8 and 12 years who had an ADHD diagnosis. MethodsAI-based play activities intervention consisted of twelve 45-minute sessions, delivered to the experimental group over four weeks (three sessions per week). The control group did not receive any intervention. Children and parents completed the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) at pre-test, post-test and follow-up. Results and outcomesThe experimental group exhibited significant improvements in all dimensions and total scores of PedsQL, with moderate to large effect sizes. These improvements were not observed in the control group. The beneficial effects of the AI-based play activities were maintained at the 7-weeks follow-up. ConclusionsAI-based play interventions may enhance quality of life for children with ADHD, with sustained improvements observed after 7-weeks. Incorporating such interventions into educational and therapeutic settings could improve behavioral, social, and cognitive ADHD symptoms. Future research should explore broader applications and long-term effects of AI-based play activities interventions.

초등학생의 학습 동기와 학습 의지의 관계

Objectives The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between elementary school students' learning motivation and learning volition. Specifically, by analyzing the impact of learning motivation on learning volition, we identified the role of learning motivation as a strategy to enhance elementary students' learning volition. Additionally, we provided concrete recommendations divided into teacher, school, and parent levels. Methods To investigate the relationship between learning motivation and learning volition, 216 elementary school students were surveyed to measure these variables. Correlation analysis and regression analysis were conducted to analyze the impact of learning motivation on learning volition. Results The results of the regression analysis indicated that learning motivation has a significant effect on learning volition. In particular, among the sub-dimensions of learning motivation, achievement motivation and self-efficacy positively influenced the sub-dimensions of learning volition, which include behavioral control, learning effort, and learning perseverance. It was confirmed that the higher the learning motivation, the higher the learning volition. Conclusions This study suggests that enhancing learning motivation is important for improving elementary school students' learning volition. Specifically, teachers should provide personalized learning and emotional support to boost students' learning motivation and self-efficacy, and schools should establish support systems for customized educational programs and teacher capacity building to back this up. Parents should create an environment that enhances their children's learning motivation and supports self-directed learning. Through these efforts, concrete strategies to enhance students' learning volition should be sought.

Semiotic packaging of teacher talk for affective recyclings: A usage-based approach to children's construction development

This study examines how iconically designed teacher talk facilitates preschool novice L2 learners' construction development through playful interactions. It combines two approaches: ethnomethodological conversation analysis and usage-based linguistics. The conversational data were retrieved from teacher-children interactions filmed at an all-English school in Japan. The microanalysis of 945-min classroom interactions illustrated that when a part of teacher talk was packaged with iconic semiotic resources, such as gestures, situated meanings, tones of voice, and affective stances, it became accessible L2 resources for the children to learn and recycle in their subsequent utterances. Simultaneously, the analysis also revealed the pragmatic mechanism of teachers' assignment of interactional responsibility, inviting children to perform language learning of target constructions through recyclings. The recycled part of the teacher talk indicated the children's microgenetic usage-based language learning as they modified and developed L2 constructions to accomplish certain social actions—sanction of a deviated action, attention-getting, and storytelling in situ. This study indicates that language learning opportunities can be integrated into children's processes of achieving specific social actions, and language learning performance can be invited as an appropriate practice in situ by certain teacher talk designs.

&lt;span&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Researching&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt; STEAM in early childhood education between 2013-2023: A bibliometric analysis of Scopus database&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;

This study investigates global research trends on STEAM in early childhood education from 2013 to 2023. The bibliometric analysis method was utilized to analyze a dataset of 129 documents extracted from the Scopus database. The results reveal a growing interest in this field, with a notable increase in the number of publications from 2019 to 2023 compared to 2013-2018. The USA leads in both the number of publications and citations. "Early Childhood Education Journal" is the most prominent, while “Sullivan A” and “Bers MU” gain the most significant impact on this research topic. This review study identifies four main thematic clusters: (1) core aspects of STEAM in early childhood education, (2) gender equality in STEAM education, (3) technology and engineering education, and (4) applying this approach to early childhood education. Research trends indicate a growing interest in topics such as computer literacy, creativity, and children's learning processes in STEAM education. The authors propose several recommendations to guide future research in this area.

Challenges in Implementing Early Childhood Care and Education in Anganwadi Centres: A Case Study of Rangia Sub District of Kamrup District of Assam

Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) is essential for the cognitive, physical, and socio-emotional development of young children. In India, the National Education Policy (NEP 2020), along with the National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage (NCF-FS 2022), emphasizes the importance of providing quality ECCE through Anganwadi Centres to lay a strong foundation for children's overall growth and future learning. The study titled "Challenges in Implementing Early Childhood Care and Education in Anganwadi Centres: A Case Study of Rangia Sub Division of Kamrup District of Assam" examines the obstacles Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) face in delivering ECCE as outlined by NEP 2020. The research identifies key challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, a lack of essential classroom materials, insufficient indoor and outdoor play equipment, and irregular supplies of food and medical resources. Using a survey approach, the findings reveal that most AWCs in the Rangia Sub-Division are under-resourced, limiting their ability to provide the comprehensive educational experiences vital for early childhood development. The study advocates for targeted interventions, including better resource allocation, infrastructure upgrades, and improved training programs, to address these shortcomings and achieve the ECCE objectives set by NEP 2020 in the region.

Urban green spaces in early childhood education and care: insights from teachers in Stavanger, Norway

ABSTRACT This study explores the role of urban green spaces (UGSs) in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) teachers’ pedagogical practices and their impact on young children's environmental and sustainability learning. Utilizing observations, teacher interviews, conversations, and a comprehensive survey conducted in Stavanger, Norway, the study reveals the crucial role of UGSs in shaping both teachers’ pedagogical practices and children’s learning across various subject areas. The research highlights the educational significance of diverse UGSs in providing varied and tailored learning experiences that are crucial for children's education and development. In line with this, the study provides findings supporting the application of experiential learning theory within UGSs and ECEC settings. Additionally, the findings reveal a growing concern among teachers about the reduction of UGSs due to increasing urbanization. These results underscore the need for both teachers’ advocacy and strategic policy to preserve UGSs, ensuring their availability for future generations.

Supplemental Material for Overcoming the Streetlight Effect: Shining Light on the Foundations of Learning and Development in Early Childhood

Supplemental Material for Overcoming the Streetlight Effect: Shining Light on the Foundations of Learning and Development in Early Childhood

Use of telemediated caregiver coaching to increase access to naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions within a statewide early intervention system.

Many families seek access to evidence-based therapy to support their child's learning. Naturalistic developmental behavioral intervention is a set of practices that use a child's natural motivation and interest to teach skills in everyday routines. Many families find naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions appealing and they have been proven to be effective. However, families may not be able to enroll in naturalistic developmental behavioral intervention-based programs due to the limited availability of trained service providers. Telehealth is the use of technology to engage with care providers, including doctors and therapists. Telehealth is an effective tool for improving access to services, especially for people in rural and underserved communities. Telehealth offers a way for providers to connect with families but it does not address the low numbers of trained providers. In this article, we share a statewide model developed to increase access to naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions for families while increasing training opportunities for early intervention providers. Through this model, expert consultants worked with caregivers and providers via telehealth for a brief series of visits. During these visits, consultants taught caregivers and providers strategies based in naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions. Feedback from caregivers and providers, along with improvement in child skills, show that this model was effective and acceptable.

(Re)Conceptualizing STEM Learning and Teaching for Young Children With Disabilities

Centering equity in our work eliminates disparities and promotes the learning and development of ALL children. Although there has been increasing focus on supporting science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in early childhood, many children with disabilities still face challenges in accessing early STEM opportunities. In this article, we suggest a strengths-based, system-level, and theory-driven approach to encourage the field to shift away from the practice of “fixing” children when providing STEM learning and teaching for young children with disabilities. At the conclusion of this article, we also offer critical questions for readers to ponder and reflect on their work.

Word Learning in Bilingual Children at Risk for Developmental Language Disorder.

The purpose of this study was to compare the novel word learning skills between Cantonese-English bilingual children at risk for developmental language disorder (DLD) and their typically developing (TD) peers. Participants were 24 Cantonese-English bilingual preschool children at risk for DLD and 38 TD children. Each participant was presented with eight novel words in Cantonese (first language [L1]) and eight in English (second language [L2]) over eight weekly sessions. Children's existing lexical knowledge was measured using the moving-average number of different words in language samples in L1 and L2. Bilingual children at risk for DLD were scored lower than their TD peers for both languages over time. The role of lexical knowledge in children's word learning differed between the TD and DLD groups: Lexical knowledge in L1 was a predictor of L1 word learning in TD children, while lexical knowledge in L2 predicted L2 word learning in children at risk for DLD. In addition, significant cross-linguistic effects were found from L2 to L1 for both groups. This study underscores the complexity of novel word learning in bilingual children at risk for DLD. Clinically, these findings suggest the value of tracking learning trajectories in bilingual children across both languages.