First-year School Research Articles

From Early Behavioral Intervention to School: A Systematic Evaluation of Parents' Perspectives on the Quality of the Autism Services During the Transition to Kindergarten.

Research emphasizes the importance of seamless transitions from Early Behavioral Intervention (EBI) to school-based services, but formal support during this critical period remains limited, leading to decreased parental satisfaction with autism services. This study aimed to systematically document parents' perception of the quality of services received during the transition from EBI to kindergarten, along with the predictors of this perception. The study adopted a prospective longitudinal design and relied on a validated evaluation framework, the Evaluation of the Trajectory in Autism for Parents (ETAP). ETAP allows to investigate five critical determinants (accessibility, continuity, validity, flexibility, empathy) of service quality, as rated by parents (N = 138 families), which were evaluated at three critical periods of the transition: end of EBI, beginning and end of first year of school. Quality ratings indicated generally positive perceptions but showed small to medium effect size decreases over time; validity had the largest decrease. Predictors of quality ratings and changes in ratings differed by phase of the transition and included child characteristics (gender, age, disabilities, challenging behavior), parent characteristics (maternal origin, fluency in the official language of the province, education level), and family characteristics (number of children). This study's comprehensive analysis of service quality determinants and possible risk and protective factors provides insights into improving support for families navigating the transition to school.Keywords: Autism, Early behavioral intervention, School transition, Parental perception, Service quality, Evaluation framework.

Does the timing of special needs identification have an impact on children’s educational attainment, attendance, and exclusions?

Previous research has established an association between diagnosis of neurodevelopmental conditions and poorer academic outcomes. Many education policies advocate for early diagnosis and special education needs (SEN) support, however little is known about the association between timing of SEN identification and education outcomes. To address this, we used Welsh administrative education data to identify the age at which a child first received SEN support. Using data from 90,271 children across 5 cohorts, logistic and linear regressions were run to examine the association between SEN identification and children’s attainment, exclusions, and attendance at age 16. In the latest cohort, we show that timing of SEN identification significantly associated with attainment, exclusions, and attendance. Children identified in their first year of school were 8 times less likely (than those without SEN) to meet national expectations for attainment, while those identified at age 16 were three times less likely, (X^2= 41.7, p<.001). The opposite pattern held true for exclusions and attendance: those identified in their final year were five times more likely to be excluded, compared to twice as likely for those identified in their first year (X^2= 7.3, p=.007). Those identified in final year were 2.52 times more likely to be persistently absent (missing >10% sessions), while those identified in their first year were 1.60 times more likely, (X^2= 8.9, p=.003). We show how these associations vary by gender, type of need, and timing of ending support. Early diagnosis is important across all outcomes, but most critical for attainment.

Assessment of health literacy and HPV knowledge among university students: An observational study.

Health literacy (HL) level is related to promotion of health, improved health behaviors, and early diagnosis of diseases, as well as the appropriate use of health services. Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is the primary method of protection against cervical cancer and recommended for women aged 9 to 27. This study aims to assess the university students' knowledge about HPV and the association between HL and HPV vaccination. In this cross-sectional and descriptive study, an electronic survey was used. Demographic characteristics and anthropometric measurements of the participants were questioned. HPV Knowledge Scale (HPV-KS) and Turkish Health Literacy Scale (THLS-32) were used to evaluate HPV knowledge and HL. Statistical analyzes were performed with SPSS version 26. A total of 361 university students (74% women), aged 21.98 ± 4.72 years, were included in the study. About 52% of the participants were health sciences students. The total THLS-32 score was 34.68 ± 9.37 (95% CI = 33.71-35.65), and the total adequate/excellent HL level was 51%. The mean HPV-KS score of the participants was 10.28 ± 8.15 (95% CI = 9.44-11.12) of a possible 35. Health sciences students had higher rates of HPV awareness (78% vs 65%; P = .007). General HPV knowledge level was significantly better among women (P < .001), >20 years (P = .002), and those with a family history of cancer (P < .001) and significantly lower among students at prep or first year of school (P < .001). There was a weak, positive relation between THLS-32 and HPV-KS score (R = 0.136; P = .01). Participants with higher levels of HPV knowledge (P = .034) and total HPV-KS score (P = .025) were statistically significantly higher in students with adequate/excellent HL. Our results reveal that knowledge about HPV vaccination is closely related to HL levels. Educational interventions on HL may be considered to increase HPV vaccination rates.

Justification of the need to search and use pre-nosological markers of functional deviations of posture of children 6-7 years at the stage of formation of student skills

The problem of forming a healthy posture of schoolchildren is in dire need of an effective solution over the past decades. So according to K.I. Khodatskaya, A.A. Kuts, 2020 and others, posture disorders in children of primary school age are 62.8%, and among adolescents 11-15 years old they reach 80-90% of the total number of students. Purpose: theoretically and experimentally substantiate the feasibility of finding and using pre-nosological markers of posture disorders of students 6-7 years old at the stage of adaptation of the musculoskeletal system for school educational loads. The methodological basis of the study was the component analysis of the second variant of the Romberg test, on the basis of which the indicators of stability coefficients of the equilibrium function (EMF) and asymmetry of the equilibrium function (EDF) were calculated. Research methods: theoretical analysis of scientific and methodological literature, dynamic pedagogical observation, Romberg functional test (second option), goniometry of the spine according to V. A. Hamburtsev, stating experiment, statistical methods. Contingent of subjects: the study involved 12 boys 6-7 years old, first grade students of secondary schools of the city, who were assigned to the main group for health reasons. Scientific novelty: for the first time developed a complex of pre-nosological markers of posture for students 6-7 years old, who start school load; A preventive approach to the formation of posture of students 6-7 years old at the stage of adaptation to educational loads is substantiated, criteria that determine the risk group regarding the predicted occurrence of certain functional deviations in the posture state are worked out. The effectiveness of the goniometry method for studying the dynamics of indicators of the morphofunctional state of the spine of students 6-7 years old during the first year of school has been confirmed. The practical significance of the results obtained is that primary school teachers and parents will receive a ready-made toolkit based on innovative technologies for carrying out specific health-saving work in the direction of forming the posture of children 6-7 years old during the first year of schooling and the entire period of schooling.

Effects of digitalisation on learning to write – A naturalistic experiment

BackgroundStudents’ writing is being digitised to a different degree across countries, municipalities, and schools. Yet, knowledge on the effect of digitalisation remains scarce. Due to local autonomy over instructional methods, Norwegian schools portray a full array of this global diversity of practices, representing a unique naturalistic setting of digitisation, with other factors being held relatively constant. Research aimsThe study explores how elementary students’ writing is affected by to what degree students’ writing involves using digital tools and/or handwriting over the first year in school. SampleA total of 577 Norwegian first grade students (6 years). MethodsIn a natural experiment, students were tested for spelling ability (dictation) and for narrative text writing ability. Students wrote one text by hand and one text on a digital device and handwritten and typed texts were analysed for handwriting legibility, holistic quality, text length and compositional spelling. The statistical analysis was performed using Linear mixed-effects models. ResultsThe results show that students from classes with a higher degree of digitalisation wrote longer texts with more words correctly spelled when writing on a digital device, compared to others. However, students from classes where more writing was done by hand performed better on handwriting measures. ConclusionsWe suggest that both modes convey writing proficiency, each with its specific benefits.

Examining the opportunities for digital text production in the Australian Curriculum for the first years of school

Digital technology has long been ubiquitous in many communities within Australia and internationally, thereby requiring suitable digital proficiencies. While a majority of Australian children experience digital literacies as part of their everyday lives, limitations in access disadvantage others. In educational settings, there is a clear need for teachers to incorporate the digital literacies of learners while also working towards addressing inequities by providing rich literacy experiences that bring together print and digital forms of texts. Well-established understandings about the importance of literacy development early in a child’s life support teachers of the first years of school to teach essential digital literacies. In Australian schools, teachers are mandated by a range of documents, including the Australian Curriculum, that provide content for teachers to teach. Situated within a frame of New Literacies theories, this paper reports findings from analyses of the ways these mandated documents may support teachers in the first years of school to design learning experiences that respond to learners’ needs in producing digital texts. We then determine implications for teachers’ responsiveness to these documents. With the recent release of the Australian Curriculum version 9.0, we argue for the pedagogical knowledge that teachers require to implement digital text production experiences within the mandates of the curriculum and, consequently, the professional learning they need for realising the potential of all children’s digital capabilities in their classrooms.

Sensor-Based Quantitative Assessment of Children's Fine Motor Competence: An Instrumented Version of the Placing Bricks Test.

The assessment of fine motor competence plays a pivotal role in neuropsychological examinations for the identification of developmental deficits. Several tests have been proposed for the characterization of fine motor competence, with evaluation metrics primarily based on qualitative observation, limiting quantitative assessment to measures such as test durations. The Placing Bricks (PB) test evaluates fine motor competence across the lifespan, relying on the measurement of time to completion. The present study aims at instrumenting the PB test using wearable inertial sensors to complement PB standard assessment with reliable and objective process-oriented measures of performance. Fifty-four primary school children (27 6-year-olds and 27 7-year-olds) performed the PB according to standard protocol with their dominant and non-dominant hands, while wearing two tri-axial inertial sensors, one per wrist. An ad hoc algorithm based on the analysis of forearm angular velocity data was developed to automatically identify task events, and to quantify phases and their variability. The algorithm performance was tested against video recordings in data from five children. Cycle and Placing durations showed a strong agreement between IMU- and Video-derived measurements, with a mean difference <0.1 s, 95% confidence intervals <50% median phase duration, and very high positive correlation (ρ > 0.9). Analyzing the whole population, significant differences were found for age, as follows: six-year-olds exhibited longer cycle durations and higher variability, indicating a stage of development and potential differences in hand dominance; seven-year-olds demonstrated quicker and less variable performance, aligning with the expected maturation and the refined motor control associated with dominant hand training during the first year of school. The proposed sensor-based approach allowed the quantitative assessment of fine motor competence in children, providing a portable and rapid tool for monitoring developmental progress.

Where are the vulnerable children? Identification and comparison of clusters of young children with health and developmental vulnerabilities across Queensland.

This study aimed to better understand the vulnerability of children in their first year of school, aged between 5 years 5 months and 6 years 6 months, based on five health and development domains. Identification of subgroups of children within these domains can lead to more targeted policies to reduce these vulnerabilities. The focus of this study was to determine clusters of geographical regions with high and low proportions of vulnerable children in Queensland, Australia. This was achieved by carrying out a K-means analysis on data from the Australian Early Development Census and the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The clusters were then compared with respect to their geographic locations and risk factor profiles. The results are made publicly available via an interactive dashboard application developed in R Shiny.

Early career teachers’ learning about promoting health and wellbeing: a narrative study understanding health and wellbeing in early career teachers: a narrative study

ABSTRACT In Scotland, as with many other countries, the requirement to promote pupil health and wellbeing is the responsibility of all, yet little is known about how early career teachers learn to meet this responsibility. This two-year study followed five secondary school teachers from their Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) year to the end of their first year in school as probationary teachers. A narrative approach was adopted to explore how participants’ conceptualisations of health and wellbeing developed over time, and to gain insight into what contributed to this development. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Following this, and guided by the work of Rodríguez-Dorans and Jacobs, narrative portraits were constructed for each participant. The narratives revealed that participants’ conceptualisation of health and wellbeing deepened between the PGDE year and the end of their induction year. In particular, participants developed a broader understanding of relationships through their induction year, with greater attention paid to their role, and the role of other teachers, in developing positive relationships. Furthermore, across both contexts, the participants revealed that the process of learning how to promote health and wellbeing was multi-faceted and complex, with various life experiences and different schools adding to this complexity. For the future, we recommend that teacher educators working in the domain of health and wellbeing begin with the teachers – exploring their personal and professional identities – past, current and future, and the various ways they connect with their lives and learning in schools.

Cluster analysis of school emotional engagement among Portuguese children in elementary school

The association between school emotional engagement and child mental health and school success highlights the importance of understanding how child–school relations are developed and what factors are related to this affective process during the initial years of schooling so that early intervention is possible. This study examined emotional engagement in Portuguese children attending elementary school and aimed to identify and characterize subgroups based on the child’s school liking and avoidance, using a model–based cluster analysis. In addition, differences between clusters in what concerns individual (self–efficacy, behavioral engagement, externalizing, and internalizing problems), family (parental emotional support), school (teacher-student closeness), and family-school relation (parental school involvement) variables were analyzed. The sample consisted of 394 elementary school children, 353 parents, and 35 teachers using a multimethod assessment (i.e. children, parents, and teachers’ reports). Cluster analysis identified three patterns of emotional school involvement: emotionally involved, emotionally involved with some avoidance, and emotionally ambivalent. Results showed that many children experience ambivalent feelings toward school in the first years of schooling. The emotionally ambivalent group stood out negatively from the other groups concerning self–efficacy, behavioral engagement, externalizing, and internalizing problems. Suggestions for future research and practical implications for schools are discussed.

The contributions of executive functioning to handwritten and keyboarded compositions in Year 2 children

Writing is a multifaceted skill, recruiting varied cognitive processes that involve working memory, attention shifting and inhibition, also known as executive functioning (EF). Despite emerging research examining associations between EF and handwritten composition, the mediating role of transcription skills on the relation between EF and text composition remains underexplored. Even less is understood about the nature of these potential mediation mechanisms in keyboard-based text composing, a writing modality that is becoming pervasive during the first years of schooling. This study investigated whether the automaticity of inscription skills (handwriting and keyboarding) and spelling mediate the relation between children’s EF and text composition across two modes (paper and keyboard-based text composing) on a sample of 544 Year 2 Australian children. Assessments of EF, inscription skills, spelling, and text composition were measured concurrently. Indirect pathways were tested via structural equation modelling. Findings indicated that across text composition modes, handwriting automaticity, keyboarding automaticity and spelling mediated the relationship between children’s EF and writing composition (i.e., compositional fluency and quality). The findings of this study extend current understanding of associations between cognitive processes and text composition in the junior years by examining keyboard-based text composing.

Designing Bespoke Visual Mediation Tools Using ‘Viscourse’ for Intergenerational Research

Abstract Visual methods are an innovative design space for study methodologies with young children. The accessibility of visual media, and flexibility of their design and use, has spurred methodological innovations that stretch the boundaries of intergenerational research. This article explores the visual dialogic nexus in research methods tailored to investigate discourse. The research sought to uncover the perspectives of young children and their teachers about their discursive affordances in the first year of school. Employing an iterative design process, bespoke visual mediation tools were collaboratively created with a visual artist to capture the intergenerational viewpoints of the participants. This article reconceptualises discourses as ‘viscourses’ through a Foucauldian post-structuralist lens. This reframing emphasizes the impact of the discursive gaze and manipulation of art elements and principles as themes for scrutiny during the design phase. The resulting visual mediation tools underwent pilot testing with two focus groups of 5-year-old children and their class teachers. Findings from the pilot study underscore the potential of visual mediation tools for generating authentic contexts that enable participants to ‘inhabit’ a time and place within a semiotic space. The method facilitates capture of multi-faceted data, including evidence of children’s higher order thinking concerning abstract phenomenon.

Knowledge of Cervical Cancer and Attitude Toward Cervical Cancer Screening Among the First-Year School of Midwifery Students in FMC Nguru, North-Eastern Nigeria

Cervical cancer occurs due to Infection by high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) and subsequent integration of the HPV genome into the host chromosome of cervical epithelial cells. The viral proto-oncogenes, mainly E6 and E7, are responsible for the initial changes in the epithelial cells of the transformation zone of the cervix. The viral proteins inactivate two main tumor suppressor proteins, p53, and retinoblastoma (pRb). Inactivation of these host proteins disrupts both the DNA repair mechanisms and apoptosis, leading to rapid cell proliferation. Cervical cancer is the 4th most common cancer among women worldwide, it ranked 14th among all cancers worldwide. There are 500,000 new cases of cancer of the cervix annually, and about 250,000 mortalities all over the world from cervical cancer. About 80% of all these cases occur in low-income countries. In Nigeria, there are 12,075 new cases of cervical cancer and 7,968 deaths due to cervical cancer per year. The study was a cross-sectional type aimed at exploring the knowledge of the participants on cancer of the cervix and their attitude toward cervical cancer screening using a semi-structured questionnaire in FMC Nguru. Results: The total number of participants was 29(n=29). The mean age of the respondents was 20.9 +/-2. 8SD. Concerning the knowledge of cervical cancer among the participants, 27(93.1%) heard of cervical cancer. Most of the respondents do not know the cause of cervical cancer, as only 10(34.5%) know that cervical cancer is associated with HPV. The risk factors for cervical Cancer are not known by most of the respondents as 14(48.3%) agreed that having a relative who had the disease is a risk factor, while only 10(34.5%) agreed that HPV is a cause of the pathology. There was poor knowledge regarding the presentation of cancer of the cervix, abnormal vaginal bleeding is the most popular way of presentation known by 13(44.8%) of the respondents while only 8(27.6%) know that cervical cancer can present with bleeding after sexual intercourse, five of the respondents (17.2%) showed smelling vaginal discharge as the mode of presentation, dysuria by only 2(6.9%). A good number of the participants know about cervical screening 26(89.7%). Twenty-eight respondents (96.6%) are willing to go and have themselves screened for cervical cancer if they are asked to do so, and 27(93.1%) will advise some other people to go for the screening. A good number of the respondents, 27(93.1%) are aware that cancer of the cervix can be prevented. Conclusion: The students had a good awareness of cervical cancer and cancer of the cervix screening and had a positive attitude toward having themselves screened whenever the chance was available, and also had a positive attitude toward being willing to convince other people to go for the screening, but demonstrated less knowledge on cervical cancer causes, risk factors and mode of presentation. Hence there is a window of opportunity to deliver more health education to the students and by extension to the larger population.

IMPROVING QUALITY OF EARLY EDUCATION: ADOPTING PRIVATE KINDERGARTEN PRACTICES IN PUBLIC EDUCATION

The importance of education in shaping the future of individuals and societies is well-documented [[1]]. Education, particularly in the early years, plays a crucial role in cognitive, emotional, and social development. That is why early education, especially at the kindergarten level, is being fundamental in building good habits, basic moral qualities, and a sense of curiosity and learning in children. Studies have shown that high-quality early education has a greater importance to the improved social and cognitive outcomes for children than the first year of schooling, influencing everything from academic achievement to emotional intelligence and social behavior.&#x0D; &#x0D;

Outdoor learning across the early years in Australia: Inconsistencies, challenges, and recommendations

In this article, we explore inconsistencies in the implementation of outdoor learning across Australian early years’ education. The benefits of outdoor learning justify regular employment of this pedagogical approach in both early childhood education and primary school settings. Early childhood education services provide daily outdoor learning opportunities as required by Australian national policy documents. However, Australian primary schools are not subject to such requirements and teachers often face challenges regarding outdoor learning, thus regular implementation in primary classes can be a low priority. As children in the year before school and the first year of school have similar learning and developmental needs, we argue that the benefits of outdoor learning should be available to all children across the early years. We also recommend regular outdoor learning in the first year of schooling to promote continuity as children transition from early childhood education to primary schools.

Blood lead levels and math learning in first year of school: An association for concern

Lead is a well-known neurotoxicant that continues to affect children's cognition and behavior. With the aim to examine the associations of lead exposure with math performance in children at the beginning of formal schooling, we conducted a cross-sectional study of first-grade students from 11 schools in Montevideo, Uruguay. Math abilities were assessed with tests from the Batería III Woodcock-Muñoz (Calculation, Math Facts Fluency, Applied Problems, Math Calculation Skills and Broad Maths). Separate generalized linear models (GLM) tested the association of blood lead level (BLL) and each math ability, adjusting for key covariates including age and sex, maternal education, household assets and Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment Inventory score. In a complete-case of 252 first-grade students (age 67–105 months, 45% girls), mean ± SD blood lead level was 4.0 ± 2.2 μg/dL. Covariate-adjusted logistic models were used to examine the association between childhood BLLs and the odds of low math performance. BLL was negatively associated with scores on the Calculation test (β (95% CI): −0.18 (−0.33, −0.03)), Math Calculation Skills (−1.26 (−2.26, −0.25)), and Broad Maths cluster scores (−0.88 (−1.55, −0.21)). Similarly, performance on the Calculation test, as well as cluster scores for Broad Maths and Math Calculation Skills differed between children with BLLs <5 and ≥ 5 μg/dL (p < 0.01), being lower in children with higher BLLs. Finally, considering the likelihood of low test performance, each 1 μg/dL higher B–Pb was related to 27% higher likelihood for Maths Facts Fluency, 30% for Broad Math and Math Calculation Skills, and 31% for Calculation (p < 0.05). These results suggest that lead exposure is negatively associated with several basic skills that are key to math learning. These findings further suggest that the cognitive deficits related to lead exposure impact student achievement at very early stages of formal education.

Reading Aloud and the Use of CAS-2 Battery to Assess Cognitive Skills Improvement

Background. Research has suggested that exposure to reading can act positively on vocabulary development and other cognitive skills required in the early-school years. This paper presents the results of a quasi-experimental study that analyses the relationship between exposure to reading aloud to children and the development of basic cognitive skills, which are essential from the first days of school for the acquisition of all subsequent learning. This research has two objectives: first, to highlight the benefits of reading aloud in the first years of schooling, with particular reference to cognitive skills; second, to propose the Cognitive Assessment System Second Edition (CAS-2) as an instrument able to monitor and quantify the cognitive effects of this practice. Methods. This research involved a sample of 152 children from primary schools in Italy. After thorough teacher training on the proposed method of reading aloud, the teachers undertook daily reading training for approximately 3 months. The children in the experimental and control groups underwent ex ante and ex post individual administration of the CAS-2 test. A mixed model with a 2 × 2 design was used to verify the effect of the training. Results. With regard to the first aim, this study confirmed the hypotheses by highlighting the benefits of reading aloud training. The results on the Full CAS-2 Scale show significant increases in the experimental group compared to the control group. Furthermore, the improvement of the experimental group is evident in all the sub-dimensions investigated (Planning, Attention, Simultaneous, Successive). Conclusions. These results confirm the effect of reading aloud on cognitive skills development and the sensitivity of the CAS-2 as an instrument to detect its effects. Future research could explore the use of the CAS-2 battery in student populations of higher school grades, as well as observe the stability of the benefits over time.

Predicting child development and school readiness, at age 5, for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children in Australia's Northern Territory.

Positive early development is critical in shaping children's lifelong health and wellbeing. Identifying children at risk of poor development is important in targeting early interventions to children and families most in need of support. We aimed to develop a predictive model that could inform early support for vulnerable children. We analysed linked administrative records for a birth cohort of 2,380 Northern Territory children (including 1,222 Aboriginal children) who were in their first year of school in 2015 and had a completed record from the Australian Early Development Census (AEDC). The AEDC measures early child development (school readiness) across five domains of development. We fitted prediction models, for AEDC weighted summary scores, using a Partial Least Square Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM) considering four groups of factors-pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, known at birth, and child-related factors. We first assessed the models' internal validity and then the out-of-sample predictive power (external validity) using the PLSpredict procedure. We identified separate predictive models, with a good fit, for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children. For Aboriginal children, a significant pre-pregnancy predictor of better outcomes was higher socioeconomic status (direct, β = 0.22 and indirect, β = 0.16). Pregnancy factors (gestational diabetes and maternal smoking (indirect, β = -0.09) and child-related factors (English as a second language and not attending preschool (direct, β = -0.28) predicted poorer outcomes. Further, pregnancy and child-related factors partially mediated the effects of pre-pregnancy factors; and child-related factors fully mediated the effects of pregnancy factors on AEDC weighted scores. For non-Aboriginal children, pre-pregnancy factors (increasing maternal age, socioeconomic status, parity, and occupation of the primary carer) directly predicted better outcomes (β = 0.29). A technical observation was that variance in AEDC weighted scores was not equally captured across all five AEDC domains; for Aboriginal children results were based on only three domains (emotional maturity; social competence, and language and cognitive skills (school-based)) and for non-Aboriginal children, on a single domain (language and cognitive skills (school-based)). The models give insight into the interplay of multiple factors at different stages of a child's development and inform service and policy responses. Recruiting children and their families for early support programs should consider both the direct effects of the predictors and their interactions. The content and application of the AEDC measurement need to be strengthened to ensure all domains of a child's development are captured equally.

Educational and developmental gains in early childhood (EDGE) study protocol: investigating the impact of funded three-year-old kindergarten

ABSTRACT This paper describes the research protocol for the Educational and Developmental Gains in Early Childhood (EDGE) Study, which will examine the implementation of two years of funded kindergarten prior to the first year of school in Victoria, Australia. EDGE will examine whether children’s language, cognitive, social-emotional, and behavioural outcomes are improved after two years of kindergarten compared to one year. The experiences of (and impacts on) teachers, service leaders, and families will also be examined. The study includes a cross-sectional cohort of 95 early childhood education and care (ECEC) services, and an embedded longitudinal observational cohort of children attending these services. Case studies of 15–20 ECEC services will also be collected, in addition to interviews with policy stakeholders.

Stereotypes and Views of Science among Elementary Students: Gender and Grade Differences

Several empirical studies reveal that students are poorly informed, and often hold stereotyped views of science and scientists. The present study aimed to investigate the Portuguese elementary school students' images of scientists and their work and the influence of gender and grade level on the development of these images. Two hundred and eighty-nine elementary school students enrolled in grades 1-5 in urban public schools participated in the study. Students were asked to draw a scientist and to answer questions about the drawing. The data collected were analyzed, considering three different features: stereotypical indicators, specialized research fields, and scientists' activity. Several descriptive and bivariate analyses were performed. Portuguese students tended to report the same stereotyped image of scientists described in other countries, and students' knowledge seems to be limited to a few fields of specialization and influenced by the pandemic context experienced during the DAST application. Moreover, the results showed differences according to the student's gender and grade level that may result, among other factors, from the influence of the atypical organization of the Portuguese education system in the first years of schooling.