Young Children's Learning Research Articles

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

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

Parent involvement in young children's engineering learning

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

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

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

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

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

Effects of Playing an Interactive Educational App on Children's Learning and Executive Function

AbstractChildren are increasingly using educational apps, but little research has been conducted to determine their effectiveness. The current study compared the effect of an interactive touchscreen app to the effect of a noninteractive video about the app on young children's Chinese characters learning and executive functions (EFs). In a mixed between‐within design, 50 children aged 5 to 6 years old were randomly assigned to play the app on touchscreen or to watch a noninteractive video about the app. Results showed that children in the app condition made more progress from the pretest to the posttest in Chinese characters learning, and more improvement in working memory scores and inhibitory capacity scores compared to the video condition. Results suggest that interactive literacy apps on touchscreens benefit children's learning and EFs. Future research should continue to focus on the impact of different forms of touchscreen use on children's executive functioning.

Listening to Teachers’ Feedback on How INSIGHTS Into Children’s Temperament Transforms Classroom Management Approaches

INSIGHTS is an evidence-based, comprehensive intervention that enhances the social-emotional development and academic learning of young children (aged 3–8 years) and their parents’ and teachers’ behaviour management skills. Children also learn problem-solving strategies to resolve dilemmas with parents, teachers, and peers. Qualitative interviews were conducted to explore teachers’ views on how INSIGHTS into Children’s Temperament transformed their classroom management approaches. The programme is underpinned by theoretical frameworks for temperament-based intervention: Goodness of Fit Model (2), which purports that the environment should be adjusted to align with the temperament of a child; and social learning theory. Both frameworks offer theoretical explanations on how the environment interacts with children’s temperament.

어린이집 교사가 인식한 디지털 역량의 중요도-실행도 분석

This study aimed to explore the contents for the education and training to enhance the digital competencies of childcare teachers through Importance Performance Analysis (IPA), which compares the importance of digital competencies perceived by childcare teachers with their own evaluation of their competencies, i.e., the level of performance. As a result of analyzing the survey data of 397 childcare teachers, it was confirmed that the respondents perceived their own competencies (performance) as relatively low compared to the importance of digital competencies. In addition, it was found that in order to foster the digital competencies of childcare teachers, it is an urgent task to include in education and training the production of digital content for teaching and learning of young children, the creation of a digital environment suitable for young children, the management of SNS information, and the collection and analysis of digital data. Tasks that require gradual improvement include a positive attitude toward the production of digital content, the utilization and reconstruction of digital content, the evaluation of virtual/augmented reality content suitable for young children, the use of online communication platforms, the ethical awareness of digital works and communication, the understanding of changes in the digital society, and efforts to foster digital competencies. Finally, it was suggested that the current status and needs of digital competencies of childcare teachers should be specifically reflected when organizing and operating digital education and training programs for the teachers.

STEM professional development of early childhood teachers

AbstractEarly childhood teachers are critical in promoting young children's STEM learning. However, research indicates that early childhood teachers are unfamiliar with STEM and do not have confidence in their abilities and skills to implement STEM education. Despite this issue, previous research has focused less on early childhood teachers' STEM professional development. This mixed‐method study investigated the effects of the STEM Professional Development Program (SPDP) on 12 early childhood teachers' attitudes toward STEM education, STEM practices, self‐efficacy, and instructional beliefs, which were used as pretest and posttest measures. The quantitative dimension of the study investigated the effects of the SPDP on early childhood teachers' attitudes and STEM practices, self‐efficacy, and instructional beliefs towards STEM education by using the pretest and posttest only, without a control group design. The qualitative dimension, participating teachers' experiences, perceptions about the SPDP, and thoughts about the SPDP's influence on their beliefs, self‐efficacy, and attitudes about STEM were explored using phenomenology design. Quantitative data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed‐rank test. Qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis. Results showed that the SPDP positively affected teachers' self‐efficacy for STEM practices, attitudes toward STEM education, and instructional beliefs. Moreover, participating in the SPDP influenced teachers' perspectives on STEM education, supported their learning about STEM content, and increased their awareness of the importance of STEM in early childhood.

Exploring electricity in early childhood education: A 5E-based learning approach

This paper presents a teaching scenario designed to introduce preschool children to electricity, structured around the 5E instructional model (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate). The study involves 18 children from an urban kindergarten with diverse backgrounds and learning needs. Over four weeks, children engage in interactive activities to understand electrical devices, electric current, static electricity, conductors, insulators, electricity generation, and safety. The curriculum integrates interdisciplinary learning, combining literacy and science, and uses hands-on experiments and digital tools to enhance engagement. Activities include constructing simple circuits, experimenting with static electricity, and role-playing. Emphasis is placed on practical applications and safety. Findings highlight the effectiveness of a constructivist approach, where children build understanding through exploration. The study underscores the need for resources, teacher preparedness, and inclusive strategies to address diverse learning needs. This scenario provides insights into effective early childhood science education, emphasizing the potential to build a strong foundation for future learning and curiosity in young children.

Learning for children in an educational enrichment: a perspective derived from Taiwan's Early Childhood Education & Care Curriculum Framework

Anchored in the educational philosophy of “benevolence,” the Taiwan's Early Childhood Education & Care Curriculum Framework establishes nine learning goals and emphasizes the cultivation of six core competencies in young children. Recognizing that young children have potential for development, imagination, and creativity, the framework encourages young learners to engage with their surroundings, exhibit curiosity, and explore through play. The curriculum framework highlights the multifaceted roles of teachers, including their roles in shaping class culture and learning environments, partnering in the lives and learning journeys of children, guiding in their educational development, and collaborating with families. This curriculum framework emphasizes a child-centered approach to course development, integrating diverse activities that are reflective of and relevant to children's life experiences. It prioritizes maintaining the physical and mental health and safety of young children and introduces them to the meaning of life and the phenomenon of multiculturalism. The type of this study is a conceptual analysis, and it is a study from a reflective model on the implementation of the curriculum in Taiwan. Through this curriculum framework, children are encouraged to appreciate life's beauty and interact with others effectively and empathetically. Therefore, the curriculum framework emphasizes life education, multicultural education, aesthetic education, and moral education as essential components in the holistic development of young children. The curriculum framework is an educational enrichment for children's learning. This study explores the concept of early childhood learning as conceptualized by Taiwan's Early Childhood Education & Care Curriculum Framework. It is hoped that such an exploration can broaden young children's learning horizons, and enhance the quality of early childhood education.

Private Tutoring as a Relief or Burden? Changes in Parental Beliefs About Young Children's English Learning in China

AbstractThe increasing trend of early English education has promoted the rapid growth of English private tutoring (EPT) for children, which garners attention in research as a global educational phenomenon. In China, EPT for children experienced a fervent expansion under neoliberalism. However, a recent policy (Double‐Reduction Policy) has banned EPT for preschoolers (age 3–6), creating a unique context where state‐led neoliberalism prevails. This study employs narrative inquiry to investigate the changes in beliefs about young children's English learning among three Chinese parents who enrolled their children in EPT. Data were gleaned through interviews, observations, informal conversations, and collection of parent‐recorded videos and artifacts over a year of fieldwork. The findings reveal that parents hold contradictory beliefs at different times, and the belief changes were interacted inextricably with the tensions experienced by these parents, including pressure from EPT and challenges from the policy. EPT was initially perceived as relief but eventually became burdensome. This study sheds light on the dynamic and intricate nature of parental beliefs, as well as the tensions arising from the interplay between neoliberalism and policy shifts in China. The findings have implications for parents, TESOL practitioners, and policymakers who involved in English education decisions for young children.

Strategi Pembelajaran Untuk Mengembangkan Keterampilan Sosial Emosional Anak Usia Dini

There are several aspects of development in early childhood, namely one aspect that needs to be stimulated in early childhood is the aspect of social emotional development. The way to develop social emotional skills in early childhood is to implement the right strategy. The aim of this research is to find out what strategies are appropriate to implement with young children in learning. The data sources in this research are teachers and early childhood. The method used in this research is a qualitative method. The technique used in this research is literature study. The research results show that there are many strategies that can be used in learning to develop the social emotional skills of early childhood, with the teacher's ability to implement these strategies in learning by adjusting the abilities of each student (early childhood). If the strategies given are correct, the social emotional skills of young children will also be able to develop optimally.

Relations between motivation, social and emotional learning (SEL), and English learning achievements in Hong Kong primary schools

ABSTRACT Against the backdrop of declining motivation and growing social and emotional challenges in English learning experienced by Hong Kong primary school students, the study aimed to profile an interactive pattern between relevant motivational beliefs (i.e., self-efficacy, interest, and growth mindset), social and emotional learning (SEL) skills and English learning achievements. Data was collected from 913 4th graders with questionnaires and an English test. Results indicated a medium-high level of motivation among the participants, and a high level of self-awareness and social awareness skills but a medium level of self-management and social management skills in terms of SEL. More importantly, structural equation modeling (SEM) analyses confirmed the intricate interplay where the motivational beliefs predicted English learning achievements through the mediation of self-awareness and self-management skills. Our findings also underscore the relatively higher importance of interest and growth mindset than self-efficacy in English learning for young children. Pedagogical implications are discussed.

Compensation and Staffing Challenges in Child Care: Statewide Evidence from Pandemic Relief Applications

Abstract Child care teachers support young children's learning and development and parents’ ability to work. However, they earn far less and turn over at far higher rates than K–12 teachers. COVID-19 exacerbated staffing challenges, and the child care workforce was 5.9 percent smaller in January 2023 than in January 2020. While low compensation likely drives turnover in early childhood education, there is relatively little large-scale evidence on the link between compensation and staffing challenges. We summarize the limited pre-pandemic evidence and use pandemic-era data from 90 percent of publicly funded child care centers in Louisiana to describe the relationship between sites’ compensation and staffing challenges. In October 2022, 15 percent of centers’ lead teacher positions were unfilled—nearly quadruple the 4 percent national vacancy rate for public school teachers. Of centers with any vacancies or hires in the past six months, 65 percent turned families away and 84 percent hired less-experienced or -qualified teachers than desired due to staffing challenges. Centers with higher wages were significantly less likely to report staffing challenges, turn families away, and hire less-experienced teachers, after controlling for center characteristics and region. Our findings and prior evidence suggest that wage increases are promising for stabilizing the child care workforce.

The views of preschool teachers on the contribution of ICT in Environmental Education

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are forms of technology that enhance young children's learning and experiences. When teachers successfully integrate them as targeted tools using computers, tablets, videos, interactive whiteboards, digital games, etc., the quality of teaching and learning can be improved by providing students with an engaging and successful experience. At the same time, environmental conditions worldwide continue to deteriorate at an alarming rate due to a complex web of socio-ecological challenges such as climate change, air pollution, loss of biodiversity, etc. In order to drive transformative changes in human behaviour, it is essential to educate and inform individuals from an early age, starting with kindergarten students. Incorporating new technologies into environmental education and other subjects can spark students' interest and facilitate more effective information dissemination and learning. This study investigated the views of 105 preschool teachers on the contribution of ICT to Environmental Education. The research tool used was a questionnaire distributed to teachers via Google Forms. The research questions pertain to teachers' knowledge and opinions about ICT and EE, as well as the frequency of ICT use and media during teaching interventions. Furthermore, the factors that influence the smooth integration of ICTs into EE teaching and the results that this integration brings were investigated. The research showed that the contribution of ICT in EE positively affected the students. Those that stood out were the active participation, the increased interest, the development of teamwork and the mobilisation of the weak students. However, although the teachers pointed out some difficulties in using ICT in their teaching, such as the deficiency of material and technical infrastructure and the lack of time, they also pointed out how significant and influential the contribution of ICT in teaching Environmental Education is.

Defining Spatial Reasoning: A Content Analysis to Explicate Spatial Reasoning Skills for Early Childhood Educators’ Use

Spatial reasoning is critical for mathematics learning and achievement, and its comprising skills are necessary in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics careers. To support young children in learning to reason spatially, clear definitions of the construct and supports for early childhood educators to teach the skills are needed. This study defines spatial reasoning as a comprehensive, comprehensible framework of skills. Using problem-driven content analysis, 835 text units from 103 sources, plus definitions from two reputable dictionary sources, were used to adopt, adapt, and infer the definitions for 40 terms that collectively represent spatial reasoning. Findings provide both the definitions and evidence of the extent to which various spatial reasoning skills have been investigated empirically. Directions for future research are discussed, including the need to refine the framework to ensure its utility for teachers and researchers.

PENGENALAN APLIKASI PEMBELAJARAN TANDA LALU LINTAS MENGGUNAKAN SINGLE MARKER PADA PENDIDIKAN ANAK USIA DINI BERBASIS ANDROID

Education about traffic signs is an important aspect in forming children's safety awareness from an early age. However, this learning is often met with challenges in maintaining the interest and involvement of young children. To overcome this, the development of an Android-based learning application with single marker augmented reality (AR) technology has been carried out. This application aims to provide interactive and fun traffic sign learning for young children. Using AR technology, children can interact directly with traffic signs in a realistic virtual environment. Interactive features, such as sound explanations and rewards, coupled with child-friendly display designs, are expected to increase children's interest in learning and understanding of traffic signs. Through this application, it is hoped that children can gain solid knowledge about traffic signs while remaining engaged and motivated in the learning process. Thus, this application can potentially be an effective tool in supporting efforts to create a generation that is more aware and safe in traffic in the future.

A processing advantage in favor of animate entities in incidental word learning in young children

Because of their evolutionary importance, it has been proposed that animate entities would be better remembered than inanimate entities. Although a growing body of evidence supports this hypothesis, it is still unclear whether the animacy effect persists under incidental learning conditions. Furthermore, few studies have tested the robustness of this effect in young children, with conflicting results. Using an incidental learning paradigm, we investigated whether young children (4- and 5-year-olds) would be better at learning words that refer to either human or animal entities rather than vehicle entities using pictures as stimuli. A sample of 79 children were asked to play digital Memory games while associations between pictures and words were presented incidentally. Consistent with the adaptive view of memory, the results showed that words associated with human and animal entities were better learned incidentally than words associated with vehicle entities. The visual complexity of the pictures did not influence this animacy effect. In addition, the more exposure to the pictures, the more incidental learning occurred. Overall, the results confirm the robustness of the animacy effect and show that this processing advantage can be found in an incidental learning task in children as young as 4 or 5 years. Furthermore, it is the first study to show that this effect can be obtained with pictures in children. The demonstration of the animacy effect with pictures, and not just words, is a prerequisite for an ultimate explanation of this effect in terms of survival.

Exploring Education for Children with 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome: A Qualitative Study of Mothers Perspectives

22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS) is a complex and widely variable genetic syndrome involving multisystem physical health problems, significant cognitive and psychosocial challenges, all of which may impact upon learning and academic achievement. In the current study, we explored mothers’ perceptions of their child’s learning within early and primary educational contexts. We conducted 3 online focus groups and 1 online semi-structured interview with a total of 9 mothers of children diagnosed with 22q11.2DS. Mothers were included if their child had a genetic diagnosis of 22q11.2DS and was aged from 3 to 12 years old. The mothers were asked a series of open-ended questions to explore the educational experiences of their child. We adopted an inductive approach to our data analysis and conducted a reflexive thematic analysis resulting in the emergence of 4 major themes (1.) The impact of 22q11.2DS on a child’s learning; (2.) The impact of adaptive behaviour skills on their child’s learning; (3.) The level of support available within the educational setting and; (4.) Mothers’ perceptions about their child’s learning. From these themes, the following 12 sub themes were identified: absences affecting learning; the development of specific learning behaviours; the impact of a 22q11.2 DS diagnosis on their child’s self-perception; toileting, motor issues; communication; sleep; school and teacher support and the presence (or absence) of therapists. Finally, the mothers’ confidence about their child’s learning; mothers’ concerns and comparisons of their child; and mothers’ apprehension about their child’s future were all identified as sub-themes. Children with 22q11.2DS require increased and specific psychosocial support to allow them greater opportunities to fully participate in their learning environments. Mothers perceived the level of support their child received was greater during pre-school compared to that received at primary school. It was clear that a greater understanding of the needs of children with 22q11.2DS, by educators, was needed. Implications for tailored support for school-based learning and educational transitions for young children with 22q11.2DS are discussed.

ANALISIS BANTUAN LCD INTERACTIVE WHITEBOARD UNTUK MENINGKATKAN PEMBELAJARAN PADA PAUD HIBER KOTA BANDUNG

This research is motivated by the development of Technology in the world of education, which with this development has become a challenge for the world of education, especially PAUD Hiber so that it can provide interesting, fun, interactive, and varied learning through the demands of the times in the digital era. Currently, many non-formal education institutions have emerged that have quite modern infrastructure, therefore this is a warning for formal early childhood education institutions to carry out various innovations in learning so that they can compete with non-formal institutions. In connection with this learning media being an important element in supporting the learning process in a varied, creative, and innovative way, to improve learning at Hiber PAUD in Bandung City, it is necessary to have facilities that support improving the quality of learning, so by providing this cinematic assistance it is hoped that it can be used to support the learning of young children. early so that learning is more interesting and interactive. This research aims to describe the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the Liquid Crystal Display Interactive Whiteboard cinematic assistance. The research location was carried out by the Bandung City Education Office, TK Assalam, and Kober Imanda. Using qualitative descriptive research methods. This research concludes that we can obtain an overview of the assistance of the Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) Interactive Whiteboard cinematic obtained through SWOT analysis.