Preschool Education Research Articles

An Empirical View of the Extent of Exercising the Education Exception to Copyright in Cultural Heritage Institutions

The article presents findings from a study funded by the Estonian Ministry of Justice titled ‘Extent of Use of Educational Exceptions of Copyright in Cultural Heritage Institutions’. The impetus for this work came from the fact that rights-holders, who are not compensated for the use of copyrighted works and material covered by related rights under the educational exception, desire compensation for such use yet data pertaining to the practices of educators conducting education programmes in cultural heritage institutions are scarce. The study’s results are important for the holders of the rights but also for policymakers and for those providing professional-development courses to the educators such that their practices could be fully aligned with the education exception to copyright. A 105-respondent questionnaire – adapted from an instrument used in a similar study that focused on educators in pre-school education, basic schools, upper secondary schools, vocational-education institutions, institutions for professional higher education, universities, ‘hobby schools’, and continuing-education institutions – among educators who are not copyright experts helped answer the question ‘What is the extent of exercising the education exception to copyright in cultural heritage institutions in Estonia?’. The paper explains the quantitative results further in light of focus-group interviews with seven representatives of cultural heritage institutions, of several types. Also, the results of this study are compared with the findings from the earlier one. The results, which shed light on copyright awareness, the form and extent of copying, etc. in relation to literary and reference works, photographs, musical works, and audiovisual works, indicate that Estonian cultural heritage institutions’ reliance on the education exception is in accordance with copyright law and, therefore, significant changes in related policy are unnecessary. However, responses to the survey and interview questions revealed aspects that could be addressed in designing guidelines and professional-development activities for educators in cultural heritage institutions.

Research on Teachers' Teaching Behavior in Kindergarten Art Teaching Activities

At present, most of the research on teachers' teaching behavior focuses on primary and secondary schools, and pays little attention to preschool education. Therefore, this study aims to understand the status quo of teachers' teaching behavior in kindergarten art teaching activities, observe teachers' teaching behavior, analyze its influencing factors, and put forward effective strategies for existing problems.Based on observation method, this study combined with interview method to analyze and summarize teachers' teaching behavior, guiding and demanding practice behavior, evaluation and feedback behavior of activity results, and put forward suggestions to enhance children's subjective status, attach importance to children's sense of experience, and improve teachers' reflective ability.

Honouring the competences of young children

Guðrún Alda Hardardóttir is a contemporary colleague with joint research interests, anchored in Iceland, and in Sweden. We have both researched preschool pedagogy, the view of the child, play, and education for sustainability. The aim of this article is to highlight the view on toddlers and play in the Swedish preschool, and how universal access to preschools in the Nordic countries has influenced societal and educational understandings of childhood. Parallel to this development, the global policy and implementation of children’s rights has strengthened children’s position in society. Furthermore, the article aims to campaign for children‘s rights as actors in education for sustainability. By analyzing the influence of these access policies and their alignment with global children’s rights initiatives, the article underscores the importance of Early Childhood Education for Sustainability, advocating young children as key contributors to transformative societal changes.

Research on the Role of Family Education in Preschool Education

With the continuous development of education, the importance of preschool education is becoming more and more apparent. Despite the increasing interest in preschool education, the role of family education is still underutilized. This study focuses on this phenomenon, analyzes the role of the family in preschool education, and points out two problems: the neglect of family education and the wrong intervention of family education. Family education generally has active neglect and passive neglect. Mistakes in homeschooling methods can also limit students’ free development. Based on this, this paper puts forward the following suggestions. Parents and other family educators should pay attention to improving their educational concepts and improving teaching methods. Schools should pay attention to improving the children’s education system and strengthen home-school cooperation. The government and society should also take the initiative to create a healthy network and social environment to provide a good environmental foundation for students’ physical and mental health.

To promote the cultivation of mathematical thinking skills and strategies in games for the senior class of kindergarten children

With the advancement of quality education and an increase in research into preschool education, early childhood education is becoming more focused on individual physical and mental development, as well as the development of comprehensive quality education. Mathematical thinking ability represents a significant aspect of young children’s cognitive development. Given that young children’s brain development is not yet fixed, so their capacity for “plasticity” is considerable. The period between the ages of three and eight represents a critical phase in developing mathematical thinking ability in young children. Children undergo rapid growth in their mathematical understanding and reasoning abilities during this time. This paper will look at promoting the development of mathematical thinking and strategies in play for the senior class of kindergarten children, based on practice, in order to provide new strategies for preschool education. Through the research on the combination of games and mathematics education, we can provide better ideas and methods for the use of games in mathematics education, help the senior class of kindergarten children to develop their mathematical thinking skills, and help them to recognize, articulate, and generalize the quantitative relationships and spatial forms that exist in their daily lives so that they can be well-prepared for the next step of entering the primary school.

INVESTIGATION OF PLAY TEACHING SELF-EFFICACY OF TEACHERS WORKING IN PRESCHOOL SPECIAL EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

This study aims to understand the level of teacher's play teaching self-efficacy and the relationship between the level of self-efficacy and demographic characteristics. In the descriptive type, research is organised using the relational screening model. 100 teachers in preschool special education facilities connected to Istanbul's Ministry of National Education participated in the study. The "Personal Information Form" and the "Preschool Play Teaching Self-Efficacy Questionnaire" are used to gather research data. The data was analysed using statistical analysis. Based on the survey results, it was determined that play teaching self-efficacy is highly valued among preschool special education instructors working in institutions.

Health literacy and health-related outcomes among preschool educators: a cross-sectional survey

Abstract Background Given the increasing use of childcare services and the shortage of skilled workers, preschool educators are under particular pressure. Health literacy has previously been shown to be an asset for stress and well-being in school principals. Within the organizational health literacy in preschools project, the Health-Literate Preschools Survey aims to assess educators’ health literacy levels and investigate differences in health-related outcomes based on these levels. Methods Preschool educators from a Bavarian county participated in a cross-sectional online survey in February 2024. Sociodemographic information, health literacy, and health-related outcomes (well-being, exhaustion, psychosomatic complaints) were assessed using established self-report tools. Descriptive statistics and variance analyses were carried out using SPSS. Results The sample consists of N = 114 preschool educators from a Bavarian region (94.6% female, Ø 41.5 years). Of the educators, 23.7% showed adequate, 50.0% problematic, and 26.3% inadequate health literacy levels. Kruskal-Wallis H analyses indicated statistically significant differences in well-being (H(2, n = 113) = 14.200, p < 0.001), exhaustion (H(2, n = 114) = 6.098, p = 0.047), and psychosomatic complaints (H(2, n = 114) = 8.910, p = 0.012) across health literacy levels. Conclusions The survey provides first-time insights into preschool educators’ health literacy and health-related outcomes in Germany. Only one-quarter of preschool educators demonstrated adequate health literacy levels. Further, the findings confirm the link between health literacy and well-being and stress already shown for other samples. Health promotion initiatives for preschool staff should focus on strengthening educators’ health literacy, especially given their role model function for children. Key messages • This survey is the first assessment of health literacy among preschool educators, which is an important target group given their role model for young children. • Preschool educators demonstrated overall low levels of health literacy, which is associated with well-being, exhaustion, and psychosomatic complaints.

Risk perceptions and risk behavior among children attending a road safety education program in Greece

Abstract Background Road Traffic Injuries (RTI’s) are a significant public health concern for children, placing a considerable burden on their well-being. Greece has consistently recorded high numbers of RTI’s among adolescents. Methods A university lab (LaHeRS, HMU) offers a road safety education program for primary and secondary students in Heraklion, Greece. The program consists of two parallel sessions (practical training using a driving simulator and activity-based risk-perception training) aimed at enhancing competencies in resilience to peer influence, empowering children to engage in informed decision-making and fostering hazard perceptions skills. The current presentation reports on 800 students who attended the program between October 2023 and April 2024. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on student’s beliefs, attitudes and practices on road safety. Results A total of 800 students attended the program from the broader Crete Region. 50.5% were girls with a mean age of 12.6 (SD = 2.3) years, 60.9% secondary education students, 58% resided in rural areas. 33.9% reported using a motorcycle and 33.8% a car without a driving license. 23.3% reported experiencing a road traffic incident while commuting. 57.1% identified road safety as a problem in their place of residence, only 26.5% felt safe on local streets and only 9.1% considered other road users as watchful. Additionally, 66.8% highly valued helmet use as a precaution in short distances. 71.6% reported always wearing seatbelt in front seats and 68.9% thought seatbelts are important at back seats. 52.1% did not identify themselves as risk takers on the street, and only 22.5% felt competent in avoiding road risks. 32.9% admitted experiencing peer pressure while commuting. Conclusions Risk taking behaviors and low use of protective measures are prevalent among school aged children and need to be addressed through targeted road safety education programs and interventions. Key messages • Promoting safe behaviors and enhancing risk perception is critical among children and young adolescents. • Road safety education should be integrated into school curricula, starting from pre-school education.

Improve the Capacity of Regular Pedagogical Professional Training for Students of Preschool Education According to the Competency-Based Approach at Vinh University

Pedagogical training is the process of forming and training core pedagogical competencies for students, contributing to the formation of qualities and abilities for future teachers. Consistently enhancing the pedagogical skills of preschool education students can foster their professional capacity and equip them for successful careers. This approach also provides lecturers with more teaching experience and opportunities for professional growth. The connection and cooperation between the school and other units can lead to significant improvements in the quality of our educational programs.

Adaptive Tabu Search Algorithm Based on Quantum Dwelling and KNN Classifier for Creative Game Selection in Preschool Education

In order to select the best creative games for preschool education more quickly and accurately, a method for selecting creative games for preschool education based on tabu search tabu search (TS) algorithm is proposed. The TS algorithm is improved by using quantum population, and an adaptive neighborhood mapping mechanism is formed to dynamically adjust the tabu length and accelerate the convergence of the algorithm. The KNN algorithm is used to calculate the initial solution of the characteristics of preschool creative games, and the quantum adaptive optimization tabu search algorithm is used to iterate from the initial solution, and the subset of feature vectors containing feature weights and feature selection vectors is continuously searched as the input of KNN classifier. The improved objective function is used as a guide to combine the selection results of classifiers by simple voting, and the output of the selection results of creative games in preschool education is realized. Experiments show that this method can select more critical features of creative games in preschool education at a faster speed while ensuring the accuracy of the selection results. At the same time, the improved tabu search algorithm has faster convergence speed and better search performance, and can recommend creative games that are most suitable for preschool education according to the actual situation.

Curriculum Reform of Preschool Education: An Innovative Path based on Gamification and Project-style Integration

This paper focuses on the curriculum reform of preschool education, and expounds the importance, purpose and challenges of preschool education curriculum reform under the background of educational needs in the new era. This paper analyzes the guiding significance of multiple intelligence theory, Montessori education method, gamification and project learning to preschool education courses. It is pointed out that there are some problems of single curriculum setting, limited teaching methods and means, and the challenges of teacher staff construction and resource allocation and concept change. This paper proposes the curriculum innovation of gamification and project-style integration, demonstrates its feasibility, expounds the design principles and implementation steps of the integrated curriculum, and makes a prospect for the future.

KAMİL İNSAN FORMALAŞDIRMAQ TƏHSİLİN ANA XƏTTİDİR

The article shows that the main value in preschool education is the child. The pre-school period is not only the stage of preparation for school life, but also the most responsible and important period of human life, during which the foundation of all moral values is laid in a person. It is known that the foundation of moral and spiritual qualities should be laid from an early age. Be-cause the future of the new world depends on how the growing generation acquires spiritual and moral qualities. It is from this point of view that today the human factor is gaining more and more importance in our globalized world. We all know that a country with citizens who are physically and morally healthy, culturally and intellectually high is considered the richest country in the world.

Research on the Causes and Countermeasures of Professional Stress of Kindergarten Teachers: Survey from a Kindergarten in Guiyang City

The professional pressure of preschool teachers refers to all kinds of negative emotional expriences generated by preschool teachers in the special educational environment of preschool education,including all negative emotional experiences caused by society, kindergarten, teachers themselves and parents. This thesis takes some preschool teachers of kindergarten X in Guiyang City as the research object, and investigates some kindergarten teachers of kindergarten X in Guiyang City through the Questionnaire on the Current Situation of Occupational Stress of Preschool Teachers, and interviews the preschool teachers of the kindergarten through the interview outline, the research results show that most of the preschool teachers of the kindergarten have high occupational stress or overload; the occupational stress of preschool teachers mainly comes from the preschool teachers themselves, the study concluded that in order to alleviate the professional pressure of preschool teachers.First of all, preschool teachers should correctly understand and cope with occupational stress; secondly, kindergartens should provide a harmonious working atmosphere for preschool teachers; finally, society should strengthen its concern and support for preschool teachers.

Parent-teacher partnerships to enhance education for sustainable development: Early childhood development education learning centres in Zimbabwe

Education is one of the fundamental tools necessary to achieve the global Sustainable Development Goals. In particular, Goal 4 advocates for quality education for all since it is important for all children to have a sound educational foundation. In this study, I focus on the second target of Sustainable Development Goal 4 that advocates for early childhood development and universal pre-primary education. The aim of this study was to explore how parent-teacher partnerships could be used to enhance education for sustainable development in early childhood development education learning centres in rural areas. The study was conducted in two primary schools in Bulilima district of Matabeleland, South province in Zimbabwe. The study called on Epstein's notion of parental engagement as the theoretical framework. A participatory action research methodological design was deemed suitable for this qualitative study because it allowed participants to have an opportunity to express their views in their natural settings. Data was generated by means of discussion meetings and reflections and Fairclough's (1992) critical discourse analysis was employed in its analysis. The findings, from early childhood development centres, highlight the importance of teacher-parent partnerships in promoting sustainable learning outcomes and children's well-being. Furthermore, it was found that such partnerships promote alignment between the school culture and the needs of communities and enhance communication and decision making as well as providing a basis for change in the parents' perceptions regarding early childhood development education. The study concluded that teachers and parents should work together at this level of education.

Characteristics of Individuals Losing Autism Diagnosis: A Comparative Study With Typically Developing and Autism Spectrum Disorder Individuals.

This study aims to reveal the characteristics of individuals who have lost an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis and to evaluate their current psychiatric diagnoses. Additionally, the study aims to compare individuals who have lost ASD with typically developing (TD) individuals and those with ASD in terms of current psychopathology, functionality and sociodemographic and clinical variables. The study included a total of 85 participants aged between 5 and 18, comprising 30 individuals who no longer meet the criteria for ASD (loss of autism diagnosis or LAD), 32 individuals with ASD and 23 TD individuals. While the sociodemographic data form and Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) were completed by the clinician, the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC) and Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) were completed by the parents. It was found that the LAD group acquired speaking skills earlier, started special education sooner, received preschool education and physical exercise support for a longer duration and exhibited higher mental capacity and lower symptom severity compared to the ASD group. Moreover, 80% of the LAD group had at least one DSM-5 diagnosis. Scores on the ABC and SRS indicated a significant difference, with ASD > LAD > TD. Even if ASD regresses, individuals may still experience residual difficulties and remain at risk for other psychopathologies. Therefore, it is crucial to maintain monitoring and support processes.

Research on the Construction and Practice of Evaluation Systems for the Quality of Early Childhood Education Talent Training from the Perspective of Value-added Evaluation

In the context of rapid socioeconomic development, the demand for high-quality professional talent in the childcare industry is increasing. However, traditional talent cultivation quality evaluation systems have many limitations in meeting industry needs and improving talent quality. Therefore, this paper explores the construction and practice of a quality evaluation system for preschool education professionals from the perspective of value-added evaluation. The paper first reviews the theory of value-added evaluation and quality evaluation standards for preschool education professionals, and analyzes the current issues in the quality of preschool education professional training. In response to these issues, this paper proposes the construction of a value-added evaluation model and aims to achieve effective assessment of students' comprehensive development through practical exploration and feedback mechanisms. The research results indicate that the value-added evaluation system not only enhances the precision of talent cultivation but also provides strong support for teaching improvement and educational innovation. The study offers new pathways and ideas for the high-quality development of preschool education.

Role of industrial growth on economic development: A comparative analysis of developed and developing countries

Industrialization has played a pivotal role in shaping economic transformation, influencing growth patterns globally across different stages of development. This study investigates the role of industrialization on economic development by controlling labor force, capital formation, school enerollment, and institutional quality. The panel data of 62 developing and 96 developed countries are collected from World Bank from 1990 to 2023. The empirical results are estimated by using the Panel Quantile Regression (PQR), and its robustness is checked through the Method of Moverment-Quantile Regression (MM-QR) approach. The empirical results found the U-shaped relationship between industrialization and economic development in both samples. The labor force significantly increases economic development in developed countries while declines in developing countries. Gross capital formation and preprimary education also significantly enhance economic development. The institutional quality surges economic development in developed countries and declines in developing countries. The MM-QR approach also shows similar results, proving the PQR approach's robustness. This study recommends that all countries should focus on industrial diversification, improving infrastructure and energy access, strengthening institutions, building a skilled workforce, and ensuring environmental sustainability.

International medical students in Türkiye: a cross-sectional study on their reasons for choosing Türkiye and their demographic and socioeconomic characteristics

The aim of this study is to investigate the reasons why international medical students choose Türkiye, which has one of the largest higher education capacities in Europe and is also among the top 10 most preferred countries in the world by international students, and their demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. The data of this cross-sectional study were collected through an online survey that included questions such as students’ gender, age, ethnicity, monthly income, pre-school education, parental education level and professions, number of siblings, rural status of the region where they grew up, and reasons for choosing Türkiye. 482 students at various grade levels from 30 medical schools participated in the study. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square, and ANOVA tests. The results revealed that there are significant differences in the participants’ parents’ education levels, occupations and economic levels according to their ethnicity. Besides, the participants’ reasons to choose Türkiye significantly differ according to their ethnicity while the value of medical education offered in Turkish higher education institutions is emphasized.

Using participatory and inclusive methodologies to explore inclusive education in Africa.

This paper presents researchers' experiences using participatory, inclusive research methodologies to explore aspects of inclusive education, with children with disabilities, parents, and teachers in Nigeria and Kenya. The objective is to describe working with children and adults with disabilities, as research collaborators, alongside local INGO staff and OPD partners. In Kenya we worked with 9 peer researchers with disabilities to run focus groups and interviews with children with disabilities, parents and teachers about inclusive pre-school education. In Nigeria we ran participatory workshops with children with disabilities, and their parents discussing what makes school and community settings inclusive, to inform the design of a Wellbeing and Inclusion checklist. The studies were based in pilot primary schools and Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE or pre-school) classes in Nigeria and Kenya respectively. The data produced were recordings and notes from focus group discussions, interviews and activities and reflections from the peer researchers. Data analysis was an inclusive participatory process of thematic analysis carried out in person and online. These innovative approaches demonstrate that with careful planning and support, both adults and children with disabilities can be involved very directly in research processes not just as participants but as researchers. We argue that using participatory, disability-inclusive approaches helps to make the findings more nuanced and genuine and the data and outputs generated uniquely grounded in people's realities and perspectives. These methods can potentially inform the mainstreaming of a disability inclusion approach into international development debates and activities.

Head teachers’ pedagogical leadership strategies in supporting children’s transition from pre-primary to primary school in Tanzania

This study explored strategies to support children's transition from pre-primary to primary school. It employed a case study design, and semi-structured interviews were administered to nine head teachers and nine pre-primary school teachers from nine public primary schools in Mpwapwa and Chemba District, Tanzania. The collected data were subjected to content analysis. The study’s findings revealed that the provision of teaching and learning resources, stakeholder or community engagement, teacher motivation, a supportive school culture, and learning follow-up are essential pedagogical leadership strategies employed by head teachers to support children's transition from pre-primary to primary school. The study recommends the implementation of pre-headship training programmes and in-service training on Early Childhood Education (ECE) management for head teachers, as well as the provision of increased budgetary allocations for pre-primary education. Since this study was conducted in the pre-primary educational aspect, the study also recommends conducting further research on other aspects of school readiness in an attempt to enable children to easily navigate the transition process into the education system.