Literacy Development Research Articles

A scoping review and bibliometric analysis of educational research on water literacy and water education

This paper presents a scoping review of the international academic research literature on water literacy and water education, including its implementation in both formal and non-formal education. The review was conducted through various analyses to examine global trends using bibliometric analysis. Metadata from eight databases (Web of Science (WoS), Scopus, Dimensions, Lens, PubMed, ScienceDirect, ERIC, and Google Scholar) were integrated. The analysis of documents involves examining publication numbers, authors involved, publisher sources, and origin of publications. The research literature is categorized into surveys and interventions in water education. Surveys focus on water literacy, educational measurement, and educational development including teacher education. Analysis of interventions in water education identified learning activities and programs, educational media types, and suggested topics. From the review a framework for incorporating water education in science education through community-based experiential learning is derived.

Development of Preliteracy in Preschool Education in the Czech Republic

The level of reading competency in children makes a difference in their academic progress, and subsequently such progress influences their quality of life. The excellence of pre-primary education is based on curricular and procedural quality. The aim of the research was to find out how preschool teachers develop reading literacy in preschool children in the Czech Republic and how they understand the concept of preliteracy. Data were collected using a qualitative multi-case study by semi-structured interviews with participants, repeated semi-structured observations of their teaching work, and analysis of reports of teaching implementation (N = 8). The results show that teachers have insufficient knowledge about the content of literacy development. In practice, they tend to focus on the development of areas related to the acquisition of reading and writing, while the area of comprehension development is inadequately covered. Findings can contribute to improve curricula on national or institutional level, not only in the Czech Republic but also internationally.

Co-Design and Refinement of Curriculum-Based Foodbot Factory Intervention to Support Elementary School Nutrition Education.

School-based nutrition education interventions can support the development of children's food literacy and healthy eating habits. The Foodbot Factory serious game was developed to support school nutrition education based on Canada's Food Guide and Ontario curriculum. The objective of this research was to refine the Foodbot Factory intervention to include curriculum-based lesson plans that had a high-level of acceptability by stakeholders to support implementation by teachers in classrooms. A co-design approach was used to engage teacher and dietitian stakeholders in developing five lesson plans for the intervention, who contributed to creating the intervention content in three stages. The stages included reviewing and providing feedback on the initial draft of the lesson plans, participating in facilitated discussion rounds to come to a consensus on the changes required, and completing a final review of the intervention's acceptability. Qualitative data included notes on the lesson plans and recordings from meetings that were analyzed thematically. During the first co-design stage, major revisions were suggested for two-fifths of the lessons by stakeholders. Further stakeholder suggestions were discussed and integrated into the intervention from facilitated discussions, improving the lesson plan content and intervention feasibility. All stakeholders agreed that the final version of the intervention was acceptable and would support classroom nutrition education. Five lesson plans were created and compiled into a unit plan, containing additional teaching resources, to support nutrition education with Foodbot Factory. The co-design process greatly improved the Foodbot Factory intervention and its feasibility for classroom implementation. Including diverse stakeholder perspectives led to unique and different insights to improve the intervention.

How can AR-enhanced books support early readers? Exploring literacy development through AR design principles

Early readers go through critical literacy development that have a significant impact on their future reading, academic performance, and lifelong learning. Previous studies have found that AR books designed for literacy development are effective, especially with improved vocabulary and motivation (Cai et al.,2022). Much of AR-enhanced books are not designed with considerations for literacy development. This study extends previous studies by examining whether and how AR-enhanced books may support such critical literacy development through informal, recreational reading. Young readers were observed as they read a set of AR-enhanced books. Their literacy behavior consisting of literacy skills and motivation were analyzed in relation to AR design principles to explore how and when the design principles engaged literacy behavior. Findings show that AR books, even if they are not designed for literacy development, may provide opportunities for engagement and development of literacy skills and motivation. A pattern of relations between literacy behavior, including print concept, vocabulary, interest, and attentional control, and AR design principles were observed. The implications for design and implementation of AR design principles and AR-enhanced books to support different readers is discussed.

Parents’ practices, feelings, and support needs surrounding the development of food allergy literacy (FAL) in children before their transition to school

Parents’ practices, feelings, and support needs surrounding the development of food allergy literacy (FAL) in children before their transition to school

Perceptions of Conditions that Characterize Projects as a Development Strategy: A Phenomenographical Study of Eleven Swedish Preschool Development Projects

AbstractThe present study focuses joint school and university development work in preschool-projects try to increase educational quality. The aim of this study was to explore perceived conditions and perceptions of projects among participants in development projects in eleven preschools. In addition, we were interested in the perceived outcomes of the projects. All projects were aimed at strengthening the preschool principal’s and staff’s competence regarding children’s language and emergent literacy development. The studied projects lasted up to three years. The results are based on phenomenographical analyses of thirteen focus group interviews with principals and staff, including eighty-eight participants, during the project period. Follow-up interviews were conducted with twenty-four representatives from the participating preschools one year after the closure of the projects. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed. Field notes from visits in the preschools contributed to the empirical material. Our findings indicate that the perceptions of a project, contributed to the understanding of a project as loaded with expectations that the development project is limited in time and that it will add extra-curricular work demanding extra resources, which led to the perception that when the project is over, development work is over. The word project, thus, per se functioned as a limiting factor, if on-going development work, was aimed for. Lack of anchoring the development work in the local context was perceived as problematic, with effects for the participants’ experience of agency. Furthermore, difficulties in managing large staff turnover during the project was perceived to cause the development work to come to a stand-still. Active leadership, and shared responsibility were perceived as favorable factors for the progress of the development work. Our conclusions encompass participants’ perceptions of adjustment to the local context, shared responsibility and seeing development work as exceeding time limits as vital components of successful development work.

Academic literacies as a theoretical underpinning for Learning Development support

Research into academic literacy or literacies, however the term is defined, and how the field relates to disciplinary practice, has been debated in recent decades (Lillis and Scott, 2007; Lillis, 2019). Consideration of academic literacies is also a key component of the Learning Development community as the profession has evolved and developed its own identity. Is the term defined as ‘literacy’ or ‘literacies’? Is it a core component of Learning Development practice, or is it more tied to disciplinary and curriculum-based delivery? By understanding the literature around the definition and the development and application of academic literacies, can we consider how this relates to current perceptions and understanding of the field in a Learning Development context and what impact it may have on student learning? This workshop provided participants with the opportunity to hear about current research being undertaken by the ALDinHE research virtual Community of Practice (vCoP) to investigate our current understanding of academic literacies, how they are (or it is, if considered a singular literacy) perceived across the Learning Development community, and how we might measure its impact on our practice and student learning. For simplicity within this paper, academic literacies will be referred to as a plural form. Due to the historical creation of Learning Development teams in response to sector changes in higher education, this workshop provided participants with the opportunity to hear about the current research on academic literacies. Participants were also able to discuss their own experiential views to develop a shared understanding of how we may apply this understanding to practice, and what the impact on our work may be. The workshop aimed to help define our understanding of academic literacies—both in terms of the literature and in practice—and take away ideas and examples of practice that we can apply in our own work.

Health Literacy in Africa—A Scoping Review of Scientific Publications

Africa’s health landscape is rapidly changing, requiring new solutions such as a focus on health literacy. However, there is currently a limited overview of the development and application of health literacy in African countries and societies. This scoping review aims to analyze scientific publications on health literacy in Africa with regards to research approaches, historical developments, geographic origins, target populations and settings, and topical interests. The research followed Arksey and O’Malley six steps of scoping reviews and employed the Joanna Briggs Institute’s PCC method for search string formulation and the PRISMA-SCR checklist for reporting. On 11 July 2022, the following six databases were searched for scientific articles including included reports, policy briefs, book chapters, and research publications: PubMed, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, ERIC, African Journals Online, and African Index Medicus. A total of 336 articles were identified. The research team co-developed a codebook and three researchers independently extracted data. The analysis provided the most comprehensive overview of the current scope and scale of health literacy in Africa to date. The publications represented 37 of the 54 African Union countries and dated back to 2001, although most were published in the last decade. The content analysis identified 13 broad themes, including mental health, communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases, maternal health, digital health, information and communication, health care, prevention and health promotion, conceptual perspectives, cultural perspectives, and outcomes and measurement. The analysis of target groups revealed a wide range of actors involved in different settings, mostly in health care or community settings. These comprehensive and novel findings can be used to prioritize future actions for public and professional capacity building, policy development, and improved practice to improve health literacy for all in Africa.

Embedding academic literacies and skills into courses through graduate competency maps

The University of Bedfordshire will launch our updated Curriculum Framework in autumn 2024. A core feature will be for all courses to include a Graduate Development Pathway which spans pre-arrival, induction, first assessment, on course teaching, and beyond graduation. A central part of the pathway is a universal ‘learning to learn’ six-week induction that addresses the development of core academic literacies and skills. This is then followed by course specific graduate competency maps that outline how institutional graduate competencies are developed across units within a course. Institutional graduate competencies such as ‘communication’, ‘problem solving’, and ‘digital learning’ align to topics historically supported by our Learning Development Team. As such, it is pivotal that the Learning Development Team is involved in the development of these maps. Our approach to developing Graduate Pathways will therefore position Learning Developers at the heart of curriculum co-creation. Course teams will work in partnership with our Learning Development Team (along with Careers and Employability Advisors) to develop graduate competency maps. This empowers Learning Developers to draw upon their expertise and support the embedding of academic literacies and skills across the institution. This both positions and recognises the LD team as institutional experts in ‘learning to learn’ and mitigates the need for our LD Team to ‘fight against the notion that we are teaching ‘study skills’ in a deficit way’ (Hood, 2023, p.200) as often still seems to remain the case in the HE sector. I foresee (and hope) that ‘Learning Development for the future’ will see more universities introducing similar processes that facilitate and empower Learning Development teams to share their expertise. This in turn would mean the ‘third space’ (Holley and Biggins, 2023, p.84) typically occupied by Learning Developers will become increasingly expansive in the future.

Development of financial literacy and fintech adoption on women SMEs business performance in Indonesia

Women-owned small businesses are crucial to the Indonesian economy. Despite this contribution, women entrepreneurs face many challenges when building their businesses, especially getting business loans. Women entrepreneurs adopt less technology and have less financial expertise than men. This study aims to determine financial literacy factors affecting women SMEs' business success and the extent of financial technology (FinTech) use as an alternative funding source to formal financial institutions. The study examines FinTech adoption using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT Theory). This study also examines how FinTech adoption mediates the indirect effect of financial literacy on SME business performance. The study uses a quantitative research approach using a judgmental sample of 270 women entrepreneurs who have previously used FinTech. The data is analyzed with SEM-PLS. According to the study, effort expectancy, performance expectancy, and social influence all have a beneficial impact on FinTech adoption among women-owned small businesses. The survey found that FinTech adoption was a key factor influencing women SMEs' business performance. The findings also indicate that financial literacy has a beneficial effect on business success. The study reveals FinTech adoption as a mediating factor in the association between financial literacy and SMEs business success. As a result, our findings contribute to a better understanding of how digital technology adoption affects SMEs' performance and long-term sustainability. The findings offer insights for entrepreneurs, policymakers, and company owners looking to enhance the survival rate of SMEs by improving operations and harnessing digital technology to promote capital accessibility, FinTech adoption, and financial literacy.

Learning Developers as scholars: raising our voice

This mini-keynote encouraged attendees to consider their stance towards LD scholarship, including current enablers and barriers to engagement. Like many other third space professionals, learning developers’ participation in scholarship is somewhat constrained, due to the lack of contractual requirements to engage in such endeavours. Despite this, we view the development of LD’s pedagogical and theoretical knowledge base as a vehicle which will allow LD to disseminate its values and principles, beyond the confines of learning developers’ individual practice. Thus, this mini-keynote drew on key principles from the LD Scholarship Manifesto recently published (Bishopp-Martin and Johnson, 2023), a manifesto which has captured the voices of the LD community. The following questions acted as provocations for participants to consider what encourages or prevents them from joining the call to expand this growing field’s knowledge base: As learning developers, we are committed to student education and disseminating best practice beyond our field. How can scholarship support this commitment? Engagement with scholarship is endemic to the ALDinHE values, which have come to help us identify as a professional group. Thus, do you believe that practising according to those values, including an on-going commitment to our professional development is essential? If so, what may be holding you back? If Learning developers sit alongside students and other HE colleagues invested in academic literacies development, arguably our praxis can only be truly enacted if we are ourselves immersed in such development. To what extent is LD scholarship rooted in Academic Literacies? If not, what else underpins it and why?

Investigating the Impact of Technology Addiction on Early Literacy Skills: A Study of First Graders

This study explores the impact of gadget addiction on the reading abilities of Grade 1 learners, focusing on how technology dependence affects early literacy development. Using a quantitative descriptive correlational approach, the study examined the relationship between gadget addiction and reading proficiency. The findings indicate a minimal and statistically insignificant negative correlation between gadget addiction and reading skills, suggesting that technology use does not significantly impede children's reading development. Despite notable indicators of gadget addiction, such as technology interference in family activities and difficulties in avoiding social media, most learners displayed strong reading and comprehension abilities. The results imply that factors beyond technological dependency, such as educational practices, parental involvement, and individual learner characteristics, may have a more substantial influence on early literacy skills. Consequently, the study concludes that addressing gadget addiction alone may not be sufficient to improve reading abilities. Instead, a comprehensive approach considering various educational and developmental factors should be prioritized. Efforts to enhance early literacy should focus on broader educational strategies, parental guidance, and individualized learner support. The study contributes to ongoing discussions about the balance between technology use and traditional literacy practices in early education, advocating for more holistic approaches to foster reading development in young learners. Future research should explore other contributing factors to literacy achievement, moving beyond the narrow focus on digital device usage.

Upaya Peningkatan Kualitas Pelayanaan Sarana dan Prasarana Pendidikan di Tkk St. Michael Baobolak

The program of efforts to improve the quality of educational facilities and infrastructure services at TKK St. Michael Baobolak, the development of economic literacy in the Maryke Village community aims to improve the quality of educational services at TK St. Michael Baobolak through the provision of facilities and infrastructure that are still inadequate, such as teaching aids, reading books, and play equipment. Thus, it is expected to create a more conducive and enjoyable learning environment for children, and support their optimal growth and development. This study uses a qualitative approach with a descriptive method. Data were collected through direct observation, interviews with related parties such as the principal, teachers, and staff, as well as documentation related to educational facilities and infrastructure at TKK St. Michael Baobolak. The results of the study showed that this program succeeded in improving the quality of educational facilities and infrastructure services at TKK St. Michael Baobolak. On the other hand, the results of this activity have also provided coloring tools and alphabet posters. Coloring tools, such as crayons, colored pencils, and markers, are very important media to stimulate children's creativity. Through coloring activities, children not only train their fine motor skills, but also develop their imagination and ability to express themselves. Meanwhile, alphabet posters serve as effective visual aids to help children recognize letters and build the foundations of reading skills, thus having a positive impact on their well-being.

Fostering 4.0 Digital Literacy Skills Through Attributes of Openness: A Review

During the last decade, a growing interest in open educational resources (OER) has developed among educational researchers worldwide. This trend involves the examination of possible effects over diverse learning domains such as the development of literacy and digital skills in the context of the fourth industrial revolution. To address this matter, a systematic literature review was conducted using PRISMA processes on 62 research articles published in high-impact peer-reviewed journals indexed in two major academic databases (Scielo and Scopus). Data collected during this literature review showed certain conditions that must be met to ensure a successful learning setup when OER are involved. Moreover, qualitative analysis revealed that certain attributes of openness are often more influential than others in the development of adequate literacy skills for the artificial intelligence era; also, there is an overall positive perception, from students and teachers alike, about the introduction of the attributes of openness and open materials into learning practices.

Vaccine conspiracy beliefs are the main determinant of adult vaccine hesitancy

Abstract Background Many factors influence the level of vaccine hesitancy. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that conspiracy beliefs are an important element of overwhelming misinformation. The main aim of the study was to assess the relationship between vaccine hesitancy (VH) and vaccine conspiracy beliefs (VCB) in Polish society. Methods The analysis was conducted using data from an online survey of 2189 Internet users conducted in November 2021. Uni- (ULRM) and multivariable linear regression (MLRM) models were developed for vaccine hesitancy as a dependent variable. The independent variables included VCB score (VCBS), health (HL) and e-health literacy (eHL), Internet (IU) and social media use (SMU), political views (PV), and sociodemographic variables. Results The VCBS, eHL, HL, age, income, vocational and marital status, place of residence, PV, IU, and SMU were significant predictors of VH in ULRMs. A significant relationship with VH was maintained in MLRM for all independent variables enlisted earlier, apart from age, income, and vocational status. Respondents with higher VCBS were more likely to have higher VH (B, 95%CI: 0.38, 0.37-0.40). Those with undetermined HL had higher VH than persons with sufficient HL (B, 95%CI: 0.13, 0.06-0.20). A higher level of eHL predicted a lower level of VH (B, 95%CI: -0.01, -0.012 - -0.03). Lower IU and higher SMU were associated with higher VH (B, 95%CI: 0.16, 0.02-0.30, and 0.10, 0.03-0.17, respectively). Supporters of far right-wing party showed higher HV than supporters of the governmental party (B, 95%CI: 0.16, 0.07-0.27). Finally, singles showed higher HV than married (B, 95%CI: 0.07, 0.01-0.13), and residents of small cities had higher HV than residents of rural areas (B, 95%CI: 0.08, 0.004-0.15). Conclusions The vaccine conspiracy beliefs play a major role in the development of VH. The interventions aimed at the change of antivaccination attitudes should address the problem of widespread conspiracy beliefs. Key messages • Conspiracy beliefs are an important determinant of attitudes toward vaccination. • The development of adequate digital health literacy may be a protective factor against vaccine hesitancy.

How can we support the development of health literacy in young people?

Abstract Over the past two decades, there has been an increased interest in Health literacy (HL) to improve health behaviours and health outcomes. Due to its potential impact, HL is considered one of the major issues in public health and is increasingly being recognised in recent policies and initiatives. Although, the research justifying the importance of HL continues to grow, there is a lack of research focusing on strategies to improve HL and challenges that are faced when supporting HL, particularly in young people. Thus, this study aimed to explore, from the point of view of international academics and community-based practitioners, (i) key considerations when supporting young people’s HL; (ii) major challenges to supporting young people’s HL; and (iii) possible solutions to overcome such challenges. A stakeholder mapping exercise was used to recruit academic and community-based practitioners to take part of in a one-to-one interview (n = 29). Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. The preliminary findings suggest that: the participants feel the use of participatory approaches is essential when designing a HL-focused program; the importance of embedding HL education and awareness into schools; the value in using interactive style learning; and the importance of targeting those ‘hardly reached’ populations. The participants highlighted that accessibility to schools; difficulty in engaging young people; and ensuring programs are sustainable as major challenges. Solutions to overcome which challenges were posited, including professional development for teachers; the development of engaging and context specific programs that target the young person’s physical and social environment; and importance of influencing national policies to value HL. These findings can be used to inform interventions and policies to target the HL of young people. Key messages • The importance of adopting participatory approaches when developing health literacy interventions. • The importance of developing feasible, context specific and engaging health literacy curricula within schools.

Research on the relationship between physical literacy and demographic variables and interpersonal support for physical exercise among adolescents in China.

In recent decades, the concept of "Physical Literacy" has emerged as a significant breakthrough in enhancing the physical health of children and adolescents. This concept has become the guiding principle and future direction for physical education reform in Western countries. As China's economic and social development enters a new phase, the negative impact of insufficient physical activity on adolescent health remains a significant challenge to the strategies of "Healthy China" and "A Leading Sports Nation." The unique value of physical literacy, which emphasizes the importance of regular physical activity, aligns perfectly with the developmental needs of the nation, the era, and individuals. Given the crucial role of interpersonal support in the development of adolescents' physical literacy, this study employs questionnaire surveys and statistical analysis to investigate the current state of physical literacy among Chinese adolescents. It explores the predictive relationship between parental support, teacher support, and peer support on physical literacy, aiming to provide guidance for the future development of adolescents' physical literacy. The research findings indicate significant differences in the five dimensions of physical literacy (attitude, sports knowledge, emotion, athletic ability, and physical fitness) among adolescents of different grades and residence type. Additionally, there are notable gender differences in the dimensions of sports knowledge, emotion, and athletic ability. The interaction effect of gender and grade is particularly evident in the emotional and physical fitness dimensions. There is a significant correlation between interpersonal support and all dimensions of physical literacy. After controlling for variables such as gender, grade, and family background, interpersonal support for adolescent physical exercise was found to have a significant impact on all dimensions of physical literacy. Among the forms of support, peer support was identified as a more powerful predictor of physical literacy compared to parental and teacher support.

Strategies for Enhancing Young Children's Scientific Inquiry Skills

In recent years, with the continuous advancement of educational reform, the importance of scientific education in early childhood has become increasingly evident. Early childhood is a critical period for cognitive development and interest cultivation. Through scientific inquiry activities, young children’s cognitive development, problem-solving abilities, and curiosity about the surrounding world can be effectively promoted. However, the implementation of early childhood scientific inquiry education still faces numerous challenges, such as a lack of systematic theoretical guidance and insufficient strategies for improvement. This study aims to enhance the existing theoretical foundations of young children's scientific inquiry abilities and proposes specific strategies for improvement to foster the comprehensive development of children's scientific literacy.

1.K. Scientific session: Health literacy of children and adolescents across Europe

Abstract Health literacy is developed throughout the life course. Enhancing health literacy at an early age is especially important since it may impact both current and future health skills and outcomes. Low health literacy in child and adolescent populations has been linked to worse health outcomes and health disparities in Europe, making health literacy of children and adolescents an important public health topic. Developing and delivering targeted interventions and services for these age groups requires insight and data on the development and state of health literacy in early age. However, child and adolescent health literacy is still an under-researched topic. This is partly due to a lack of appropriate measurement instruments and methods to involve children in research. In the past years, new studies on child and adolescent health literacy have emerged in several European countries. In this workshop, innovative studies from Germany, the Netherlands and the UK on HL in childhood and adolescence are introduced and discussed. Both methodological findings as well as empirical data will be presented. In Germany, an instrument to measure child health literacy was developed and validated for primary school children. This instrument, the HLS-Child-Q15, has been used both in Germany and in the Netherlands to study the relationship between children’s health literacy and their health behaviors and outcomes. In the UK, methods of involving primary school children in health literacy research were studied. Experiences with a Children’s Advisory Group will be shared. Another study in the Netherland focuses on the health literacy profiles and needs of adolescent patients with rheumatic diseases. The format of this workshop will be 4x10-minute presentations (including questions) followed by a 20-minute interactive discussion, reflecting on the relevance of these results to further research, health promotion and health services. which will be followed by Q&A and an open discussion with the audiences. This workshop offers a forum for researchers, health educators, practitioners and policy-makers interested in health literacy measurement and research in children and adolescents. Key messages • Child and adolescent health literacy is an important, yet under-researched public health topic. • Child health literacy is an important predictor of their health behavior and outcomes.

Health literacy of pregnant women in Hungary

Abstract Health literacy determines our state of health and through this our quality of life. The health behavior of women of reproductive age should be treated with priority, since the lifestyle of pregnant women shows a correlation with the occurrence of premature birth and intrauterine development, and also between fetal development and the occurrence of chronic diseases in adulthood. The aim of our research is to explore the factors influencing the health behavior of pregnant women, to analyze regional differences, and to identify the causes of regional differences and inequalities. During a prospective, cross-sectional study, the health behavior of pregnant women living in Hungary was assessed using a questionnaire. In the course of our research, we examined health literacy using two measuring instruments, the Chew questionnaire and The Newest Vital Sign test. A total of 2,000 questionnaires were distributed of which 1,655 evaluable questionnaires were returned, the willingness to answer was 75%. The most people considered their own health to be good or very good (59.7%). 59.5% of the respondents changed their health behavior because of their pregnancy, mainly for the sake of the health of the fetus. 18.1% of pregnant women most likely have insufficient, 15.0% probably limited and 48.1% most likely have adequate functional health literacy. Age, education, place of residence and financial situation of pregnant women show a significant correlation with health literacy. Our results confirmed that sociodemographic factors, especially age and education, significantly influence the health literacy, perceived health status and health behavior of pregnant women. The two health literacy questionnaires we use can be combined well with each other and complement each other. The results greatly contribute to the development of health literacy, and thus to the development of individual and community-level strategies for improving health behavior in the field of pregnant women’s care. Key messages • Health literacy of pregnant women in Hungary. • Health literacy in health promotion.