162 research outputs found
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Documenting the development and achievements of early and preschool children: Different curricular approaches
Full text linkThe public education policy of an individual country determines, among other things, the ways of documenting the educational process and children’s outcomes. This paper explores the opinion of preschool teachers about documenting children’s development. The sample included preschool teachers from two systems, or two different curricular approaches. One exists in the Republic of Croatia (curriculum based on the competence framework) and other in Bosnia and Herzegovina (curriculum based on normative outcomes). The measuring instrument Questionnaire of Preschool Teachers’ Opinions on Monitoring the Psycho-physical Status of Children (α= .847), was constructed for research purposes. The Questionnaire was based on relevant literature and insights into existing educational practices. On a dichotomously structured 4-level scale, preschool teachers estimated that the most important purpose of documenting children’s development is the planning of developmental incentives (M=3.63; SD= 0.495). They agree that monitoring should be continuous throughout the entire academic year (M=3.53; SD= 0.666). Likewise, preschool teachers are less inclined to one-time assessments of a children’s psycho-physical status, considering “a testing” unlikely to provide a realistic image of their development (M=1.88; SD=0.797). No correlation was found between preschool teachers’ age, length of service, and level of education. Using the t-test of independent samples, a mild/weak, but statistically significant difference in the preschool teachers’ assessment between the subsamples was determined
The naturalistic teaching process as an inclusive practice: Preschool teachers\u27 perspectives
Full text linkAccording to the Ministry of National Education, 2013, children with diverse needs have the right to receive their education in environments designed to meet their needs and allow them to interact with their peers. Instructional programs that can meet all children’s needs are one of the suggested programs during the implementation of inclusive programs. The Naturalistic Teaching Process is a recommended method in this context. The Naturalistic Teaching Process is a natural instructional process that allows children to acquire and reinforce new skills. This study aims to define the perspectives of preschool teachers who have children with diverse needs in their classrooms on the Naturalistic Teaching Process. Semi-structured interviews collected the data. Fifteen preschool teachers participated in this study. The data analysis employed an inductive approach based on content analysis. The study findings indicate that preschool teachers tend to follow a child\u27s lead when setting educational objectives for children with diverse needs and developing an individualized educational program. Additionally, the study defines preschool teachers\u27 abilities as inadequate for collaboration with families and specialists. Preschool teachers partially use the strategies and techniques, environmental arrangements, and prompts used in the Naturalistic Teaching Process, but they do not apply them systematically, indicating a need for teacher training in these areas
Enhancing playful interactions: eCoaching mothers of preschool children with disabilities
Full text linkPretend play is crucial for developing communication and cognitive skills in preschool children. Targeted coaching during pretend play can effectively support family-centered practices and home-based assistance. This study employed a detailed collective case study to explore how eCoaching can aid family-centered practices during at-home pretend play for children with speech-language and developmental delays. Two mother-child pairs, each involving a preschool child with an Individual Education Plan (IEP), participated in at-home eCoaching sessions while engaging in pretend play. Implementing eCoaching helped mothers acquire play-based knowledge and better facilitate pretend play tailored to their child\u27s developmental needs. Throughout the eCoaching process, improvements were noted in the children\u27s quality of pretend play and language behaviors. After the eCoaching sessions concluded, both mothers and children experienced benefits from the process. The mothers had positive perceptions of their eCoaching sessions, found them easy to implement, and considered eCoaching beneficial for themselves and their children. This indicates that eCoaching is a socially valid family-centered practice. Future research should investigate how individual variables associated with the eCoaching influence child and family outcomes
The impact of integrating Jolly Phonics Lessons application into English literacy lessons on UAE preschoolers’ phonics skills
Full text linkThe Jolly Phonics Lessons application is a digital tool that is designed to enhance the preschoolers’ reading and writing skills through synthetic phonics approach. This study examined the impact of integrating Jolly Phonics Lessons application into literacy lessons on the emergent reading and writing skills among kindergarten students, ages 4-6, in the United Arab Emirates through a comparative study between pupils (Group-A), whose literacy classes were integrated with the application, and pupils (Group-B) who were taught using the traditional method of teaching literacy. Mixed methods research design was followed to analyze the effects of integrating the application. The Phonemic Awareness Assessment Inventory (PAAI) tool, field notes, and artifacts were utilized to measure the development of students’ letter-sound identification, letter formation, phoneme blending and segmenting abilities. In addition, the paper compared the growth on phonics skills between students in Groups A and B. The results showed that students in Group-A outperformed pupils who received literacy instruction through traditional methods. The findings from the PAAI scores exhibited dramatic growth in letter-sound recognition and letter formation, and substantial increase in phoneme blending and segmenting abilities of Group-A. The T-statistic for differences between two means at 95% confidence revealed that there is a significant difference between the performance of students in Groups-A and B. Implications from this study highlight the positive impact of incorporating Jolly Phonics Lessons application into literacy classes on low-achieving students. On this bases, future research of Jolly Phonics Lesson application to support mixed-ability classes or students with dyslexia
Looking beyond enrollment rates: The long-term influence of preschool science curricula on children’s science achievement
Full text linkThis study provides evidence that what happens in preschool (i.e., preschool curriculum) can have long-term consequences years later. In the current study, we seek to answer the question of whether the inclusion of science in the preschool curriculum is associated with fourth- and eighth grade science achievement scores. Based on science achievement data from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS 2015 and 2019 cycles), the quality of preschool science learning opportunities showed long-term impacts on science achievement at the fourth grade level. Even after controlling for enrollment rates, the quality of the preschool curricula was a statistically significant predictor of fourth grade science scores with a high effect size (d=0.74). The observed impacts, however, appeared to diminish by eighth grade. Results from this study suggest that science concepts and skills should be an integral part of preschool curricula and curricular frameworks, and policy makers should allocate resources to provide well-designed preschool education programs with high quality curricula
From IT to I-It: Digitalization, datafication, automation, and the teacher-student relationship
Full text linkThis conceptual article theorises the tensioned interplay between digitalization, datafication and automation and subjectness in education by asking what intensifying datafication and automation means for teacher–student relationships and how we understand and approach education. Theoretically, the paper draws on Buber’s ideas of the dialogical I–Thou and objectified I–It as the key forms of human relationships. The core argument is that increasing datafication and automation steers the teacher–student relationship towards an objectified I–It relationship instead of the dialogical I–Thou relationship, which Buber (and others such as Biesta, another main influencer of the present paper) saw as the ideal. Literature-informed examples of various forms of educational datafication and automation are provided to support and concretise the arguments
Presentations of children in research articles framed within the theory of pedagogical content knowledge
Full text linkTeachers’ knowledge about children is a part of teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK). With this in mind, the purpose of this study is to generate knowledge about how children are presented in PCK research. This is carried out by examining both the existence and the nature of descriptions related to presentations of children in selected PCK research articles. The method used in this qualitative study is inspired by document analysis and the analysis is a combination of content analysis and thematic analysis. In the analysis, articles presenting results from studies conducted in primary schools and in preschools were used. The focus of the analysis is on whether or not children are presented in the texts as active participants in teaching situations. The findings were divided into three themes: Presentations of children through the construct of PCK, Presentations of children’s thinking and motivation, and Presentations of children in play-based situations. The results show children as active participants with materials and in informal learning spaces, and that children can influence teaching situations through the teachers’ knowledge of children. One theme stands out in the analysis of the texts where children are presented as active participants: Presentations of children in play-based situations where children are described as being in control of their play, to which the teachers then adapt their teaching. It is in these presentations that children’s active participation and agency is most clearly defined
Drama-based pedagogy for preschoolers: A narrative inquiry of Nepali educators
Full text linkDrama-based pedagogy has become a widespread approach in early childhood education worldwide. However, in the context of Nepal, drama-based pedagogy is a new concept in early childhood education, as conventional teaching is highly influential in pedagogical practices. This study explores the early-grade teachers\u27 understanding of drama-based pedagogy, privileges, and challenges. This study subscribes to narrative inquiry as a method and social constructivism and experiential learning as theoretical referents to present the stories of two early-grade teachers of a private preschool in Lalitpur, Nepal, regarding their experience of knowing and using drama-based pedagogy in the classroom. Data was collected through in-depth interviews with the participants and analyzed using themes—drama-based pedagogy for conceptual-building, drama-based pedagogy for holistic development, and time constraints as a hindrance in drama-based pedagogy. The study argued that drama-based pedagogy supports holistic development and strong conceptual building in early graders. Thus, it enhances their cognitive, psychomotor, socioemotional, and language skills. However, this study also revealed that teachers find time constraints significantly hinder practising drama-based pedagogy. Despite the challenges, this study strongly recommends using drama-based pedagogy for meaningful engagement of early graders
A systematic review on factors influencing the development of children’s creativity
Full text linkNo one can deny that creativity is essential for survival and a key skill for prosperity in the 21st century. In an era where the skill of creativity is the pathway to development, it is crucial that we nurture children\u27s creativity to better prepare them for academic, professional, and personal success. Systematic reviews on factors that could support or impede children’s creativity is scarce. The present review was conducted to fill this gap. Major electronic databases were searched and studies meeting predetermined selection criteria were analyzed. The search yielded 55 studies published between 2010 to 2022 in English. We classified influencing factors into four types: individual, family, educational, and socio-cultural factors. We concluded by discussing recommendations for parents, educational stakeholders and researchers
Frequency and duration measurements of children’s outdoor free play: A Scoping review
Full text linkOutdoor free play encompasses unstructured, self-directed play in the outdoors and has been shown to support children’s health and development. Accurate and reliable measures are required to conduct research on children’s outdoor free play and examine cross-sectional and longitudinal variation. This study systematically reviews and evaluates measurement approaches for children’s outdoor free play used in existing literature. A scoping review was conducted to identify English-language peer-reviewed and grey literature that included measurements of the occurrence, frequency or duration of outdoor free play with children aged 2 to 17 years old. Studies were excluded if the outdoor free play measure included structured settings or activities, or focused on a specific location or play activity. Quantitative and qualitative content analysis was used to consider outdoor free play terminology, definition, and operationalization; positioning in relation to other variables and the topic of interest; and data collection context. A total of 4,860 unique studies were identified. After screening and full-text review, 184 papers were taken forward for analysis. Parent-recall questionnaires were used in 70.1% of included studies to measure outdoor free play, often using a single question to capture the variable. A lack of differentiation between outdoor play emanating from structured and unstructured settings was common, as was limited consideration of contextual factors such as season, school or non-school days, and time of day. The implications of existing approaches to measuring children’s outdoor free play and the need for valid and reliable measures to further research examining children’s outdoor free play are discussed