Digital Commons Network^™

Computer/Video Games As A Play Therapy Tool In Reducing Emotional Disturbances In Children, Kevin Boyd Hull

Kevin Hull

The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of computer/video games as a play therapy tool for children suffering from an emotional disturbance of sadness (pervasive feelings of irritability, loss of enjoyment in activities previously enjoyed, withdrawal from friends or family, decline in school performance, and hopelessness). Children who suffer from emotional disturbances have problems functioning in school, in social and family settings, as well as transitioning into adulthood. Play therapy is an effective and creative way to work with children with emotional disturbances. Play becomes a way for the child to communicate and heal. Computer/video games are …

Using Imagination To Bridge Young Children’S Literacy And Science Learning: A Dialogic Approach, Huili Hong, Karin Keith, Renee Rice Moran

Renee Rice Moran

Integrating children’s literacy and science learning has become a new focus in literacy instruction. Imagination, an integral part of children’s learning experience, remains marginalized in today’s early childhood education curriculum. Drawing on a yearlong ethnographic study in a first-grade classroom, this paper explores the potential affordance of imagination in integrating young children’s literacy and science learning. The findings showed that the integration opportunities were organically constructed in and through children’s natural engagement of imagination in their reading process. A dialogic approach is presented as one way to ignite children’s imaginations in their literacy and science learning.

Australian Child Wellbeing Project Technical Report, Petra Lietz, Elizabeth O'Grady, Mollie Tobin, Martin Murphy, Greg Macaskill, Gerry Redmond, Katherine Dix, Sue Thomson

Dr Katherine Dix

The Australian Child Wellbeing Project (ACWP) was conducted from 2012 – 2015 using a mixed-methods, child-centred approach. Young people’s perspectives were used to inform a nationally representative survey of children’s wellbeing in the middle years. The aims of the ACWP survey were to benchmark child wellbeing in Australia and to provide useful information for services that promote young people’s healthy development. A final outcome of this project was to make the extensive ACWP database publically available in order to provide further opportunity to exploit the rich data and improve understanding. Accordingly, this technical report consolidates the research conducted by ACER …

Using Imagination To Bridge Young Children’S Literacy And Science Learning: A Dialogic Approach, Huili Hong, Karin Keith, Renee Rice Moran

Karin Keith

Integrating children’s literacy and science learning has become a new focus in literacy instruction. Imagination, an integral part of children’s learning experience, remains marginalized in today’s early childhood education curriculum. Drawing on a yearlong ethnographic study in a first-grade classroom, this paper explores the potential affordance of imagination in integrating young children’s literacy and science learning. The findings showed that the integration opportunities were organically constructed in and through children’s natural engagement of imagination in their reading process. A dialogic approach is presented as one way to ignite children’s imaginations in their literacy and science learning.

Are The Kids Alright? Young Australians In Their Middle Years : Final Summary Report Of The Australian Child Wellbeing Project, Gerry Redmond, Jennifer Skattebol, Peter Saunders, Petra Lietz, Gabriella Zizzo, Elizabeth O'Grady, Mollie Tobin, Vanessa Maurici, Jasmine Huynh, Anna Moffat, Melissa Wong, Bruce Bradbury, Kelly Roberts

Elizabeth O'Grady

Compared with the early years and adolescence, young people in their middle years (ages 8-14 years) have received relatively little attention from policymakers other than in the space of academic achievement, where national curriculums have been developed, and a national testing regime is in place. Yet there is growing recognition that this is a critical time when young people experience rapid physical and mental development, in addition to facing a significant transition from primary to secondary school. The Australian Child Wellbeing Project (ACWP) asked young people about their lives and wellbeing during this crucial period. Wellbeing can be seen as …

The Acwp Questionnaire : Results Of The Field Trial : The Australian Child Wellbeing Project : Draft Phase Three Report, Petra Lietz, Elizabeth O'Grady, Mollie Tobin, Helen Popple, Myra Hamilton, Gerry Redmond

Elizabeth O'Grady

This is the Phase Three report of the Australian Child Wellbeing Project (ACWP) which is a child-centred study that started with young people’s perspectives to design a major nationally representative survey of wellbeing among 8-14 year olds. The Phase three report describes and presents analysis on the field trial of the ACWP survey which occurred in ten schools in New South Wales and Victoria in March 2014. The chapters in this report cover: sample characteristics and missing data analysis, descriptive and frequency analysis, factor and reliability analysis, examination of specific questions or items and question order, measuring affluence deprivation, inserting …

Towards The Acwp Questionnaire : The Australian Child Wellbeing Project : Final Phase Two Report, Petra Lietz, Elizabeth O'Grady, Mollie Tobin, Alice Mcentee, Gerry Redmond

Elizabeth O'Grady

This is the Phase Two report of the Australian Child Wellbeing Project (ACWP) which is a child-centred study that started with young people’s perspectives to design a major nationally representative survey of wellbeing among 8 - 14 year olds. The survey will benchmark child wellbeing in Australia and provide information that contributes to the development of effective services for young people’s healthy development. This document reports on Phase Two of the project: development of the wellbeing indicators. The development of indicators was informed by the findings of the first qualitative phase of the project, a review of literature and existing …

Parenting Childhoodnature Simone Blom.Pdf, Simone Miranda Blom

Simone Blom

The Impact Of A Physical Activity Session On Year Two Students' Subsequent Classroom Behaviour, Wendi Herman, Claire Beer, Darren Morton

Wendi Herman

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of A Physical Activity Session On Year Two Students' Subsequent Classroom Behaviour, Wendi Herman, Claire Beer, Darren Morton

Darren Morton

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a 30-minute physical activity (PA) session on Year Two students’ subsequent classroom behaviour. Forty-eight students from three Year Two classes at a NSW private school participated in the study. The number of disciplinary comments directed by the class teacher to individual students (Individual Disciplinary Corrections, IDC) and the class as a whole (General Disciplinary Corrections, GDC) were recorded during a 30-minute lesson with and without previous PA. Subsequent to PA, there were 40% fewer IDCs (p=0.008) and 59% fewer GDCs (p=0.003), amounting to a 49% overall reduction in disciplinary …

Acceptability Of A School-Based Incentivised Physical Activity Intervention: The B-Active Program, Wendi Herman, Darren Morton, Ross Grant

Darren Morton

The purpose of this study was to examine the acceptability to students, parents and teachers of a school-based intervention that incentivised students using prizes to be more physically active (the B-Active program). Three hundred and eighty-five children (54% boys, 46% girls) in Years 3 – 6 from five schools participated in the study. Six parents and three teachers were also interviewed about their perception of the B-Active program. Overall, the students enjoyed the B-Active program but the level of acceptability was lower for the parents and teachers. This study indicates that to increase acceptability, parents need to be well informed …

Australian Child Wellbeing Project Technical Report, Petra Lietz, Elizabeth O'Grady, Mollie Tobin, Martin Murphy, Greg Macaskill, Gerry Redmond, Katherine Dix, Sue Thomson

Dr Martin Murphy

The Australian Child Wellbeing Project (ACWP) was conducted from 2012 – 2015 using a mixed-methods, child-centred approach. Young people’s perspectives were used to inform a nationally representative survey of children’s wellbeing in the middle years. The aims of the ACWP survey were to benchmark child wellbeing in Australia and to provide useful information for services that promote young people’s healthy development. A final outcome of this project was to make the extensive ACWP database publically available in order to provide further opportunity to exploit the rich data and improve understanding. Accordingly, this technical report consolidates the research conducted by ACER …

The Relationship Between Elementary School Children's Enjoyment Of School Playground Activities And Participation In Physical Activity During Lunchtime Recess, Brendon P. Hyndman, Leanne Lester

Dr Brendon P Hyndman

An emerging public health strategy is to enhance children's opportunities for physical activity (PA) during school recess periods, yet little is known about the influence of children's enjoyment of school playground activities on their participation in lunchtime recess PA. In this study, the Lunchtime Enjoyment Activity and Play (LEAP) questionnaire was used to measure 8- to 12-year-old children's enjoyment of school playground activities and pedometers were used to measure their PA at two Australian elementary schools (n = 105). Researchers applied multiple linear regression models in STATA (version 13.0) to investigate the relationship between children's enjoyment of playground activities and …

Engaging Students In Activities Beyond The Classroom: A Social-Ecological Exploration Of Primary School Students’ Enjoyment Of School-Based Activities, Brendon P. Hyndman

Dr Brendon P Hyndman

An important consideration for schools to develop children's physical activity habits is the identification of psychosocial correlates of children's physical activity such as enjoyment. The purpose of this study was to uniquely assess children's enjoyment of school-based physical activities beyond the health and physical education classroom, including the type of activities children enjoy and the extent of his/her enjoyment. The Lunchtime Enjoyment of Activity and Play (LEAP) questionnaire was administered to 281 children aged 8-12 years, attending three primary schools in regional Victoria. In this paper, the social-ecological model levels of influence on children's enjoyment are discussed including (1) intrapersonal …

Pace: A Group Randomised Controlled Trial To Increase Children's Break-Time Playground Physical Activity, Anne-Maree Parrish, Anthony D. Okely, Marijka Batterham, Dylan P. Cliff, Christopher A. Magee

Dr Marijka Batterham

Abstract presented at Be Active 2014, 15-18 October 2014, Canberra, Australia.

Predictive Validity And Classification Accuracy Of Actigraph Energy Expenditure Equations And Cut-Points In Young Children, Xanne Janssen, Dylan P. Cliff, John J. Reilly, Trina Hinkley, Rachel A. Jones, Marijka Batterham, Ulf Ekelund, Soren Brage, Anthony D. Okely

Dr Marijka Batterham

Objectives Evaluate the predictive validity of ActiGraph energy expenditure equations and the classification accuracy of physical activity intensity cut-points in preschoolers. Methods Forty children aged 4–6 years (5.3±1.0 years) completed a ~150-min room calorimeter protocol involving age-appropriate sedentary, light and moderate-to vigorous-intensity physical activities. Children wore an ActiGraph GT3X on the right mid-axillary line of the hip. Energy expenditure measured by room calorimetry and physical activity intensity classified using direct observation were the criterion methods. Energy expenditure was predicted using Pate and Puyau equations. Physical activity intensity was classified using Evenson, Sirard, Van Cauwenberghe, Pate, Puyau, and Reilly, ActiGraph cut-points. …

Moving Physical Activity Beyond The School Classroom: A Social-Ecological Insight For Teachers Of The Facilitators And Barriers To Students' Non-Curricular Physical Activity, Brendon Hyndman, Amanda Telford, Caroline F. Finch, Amanda C. Benson

Dr Brendon P Hyndman

Non-curricular avenues such as active play during school breaks have been established as a major source for children’s physical and cognitive development, yet there is little information for teachers on the influences affecting primary and secondary school students’ non-curricular physical activity. During this study focus groups and drawing were used to explore the broader influences on primary (n=47) and secondary (n=29) school students’ physical activity behaviour beyond the classroom. Barriers and facilitators to children’s physical activity were categorised using a multi-level social-ecological framework incorporating intrapersonal, interpersonal, physical environment and policy factors. Based on the drawings, comparisons between students’ existing play …

Moving Physical Activity Beyond The School Classroom: A Social-Ecological Insight For Teachers Of The Facilitators And Barriers To Students' Non-Curricular Physical Activity, Brendon Hyndman, Amanda Telford, Caroline F. Finch, Amanda C. Benson

Dr Brendon P Hyndman

Non-curricular avenues such as active play during school breaks have been established as a major source for children’s physical and cognitive development, yet there is little information for teachers on the influences affecting primary and secondary school students’ non-curricular physical activity. During this study focus groups and drawing were used to explore the broader influences on primary (n=47) and secondary (n=29) school students’ physical activity behaviour beyond the classroom. Barriers and facilitators to children’s physical activity were categorised using a multi-level social-ecological framework incorporating intrapersonal, interpersonal, physical environment and policy factors. Based on the drawings, comparisons between students’ existing play …

Developing Bilateral And Spatial Concepts In Primary School-Aged Children: An Empirical Evaluation Of The Anker Bilateral Spatial System, Janet Richmond Dr, M Taylor Dr, S Evans

Janet E Richmond PhD

Background: Visual-spatial and visual-motor perceptual difficulties contribute to school-aged learning problems. Hence, a need exists to address children’s visual-spatial and visual-motor perceptual difficulties as early as possible in the child’s school career. Thus, this study reports on the evaluation of the Anker Bilateral Spatial System’s (ABSS) effectiveness in remediating primary school children’s perceptual difficulties. Method: Thirty-one children (17 boys and 14 girls) aged 6 to 12 years who had been identified by their classroom teacher as having observable visual-spatial and visual-motor perceptual difficulties participated in a 10-week pre/posttest intervention study. The study’s pre/posttest assessments included the Developmental Test of Visual-Motor …

Framework For Analysing Children And Justice Practices, Sam Frankel

Sam Frankel

To examine children and justice practices, this document lays out a theoretical foundation that students have devised as part of their efforts to look at justice in its widest sense and as a result the part it plays in children's everyday lives. From an understanding of justice, practices can evolve to engage children more effectively.

Development Of The Classroom Sensory Environment Assessment (C-Sea), Heather Miller-Kuhaneck, Jacqueline P. Kelleher

Jacqueline Kelleher

The Classroom Sensory Environment Assessment (C-SEA) allows teachers to examine the sensory aspects of classroom tasks and environments. The purpose is to assist in determining ways to modify tasks and environments to improve engagement and reduce problem behaviors in elementary school students with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The Big Fish Strikes Again But In A Different Place: Social Comparison Theory And Children With Special Needs, Roselyn May Dixon, Marjorie Seaton, Robert John Dixon

Rose Dixon

This paper will address the implications of Big-Fish Little Pond Effect (BFLPE) and social comparison theory and school placement of students with special needs. It made use of the PISA data base to determine if type of educational placement had an impact on the academic self-concept with children with special needs. Multiple regression techniques were used to delineate the relationships.

Correlating The Developmental Test Of Visual Perception -2 (Dtvp And The Test Of Visual Perceptual Skills - Revised (Tvps-R) As Assesssment Tools For Learners With Learning Difficulties, Janet Richmond, K Holland

Janet E Richmond PhD

Learners are often referred to occupational therapists to assess their visual perceptual functioning. It is, therefore, imperative that the occupational therapists use the best assessment tools to obtain accurate and reliable results that lead to effective intervention which will be noticeable in the classroom functioning of these learners. A study was therefore conducted which correlated the results of the Developmental Test of Visual Perception (second edition) (DTVP-2) and the Test of Visual Perceptual Skills Revised (TVPS-R) in a cohort of 173 learners from Grade 1 to Grade 4 (children aged 6 years to 11 years). The learners attend a remedial …

Computer Game Design And The Imaginative Play Of Young Children, Irina M. Verenikina, Jan Herrington

I. Verenikina

This paper discusses preliminary findings of the study of computer game design in relation to current understanding of imaginative play and its developmental value for young children. The crucial role of children's play in their development is well documented. A number of criteria, which are essential in building a foundation for children's cognitive development in play, were identified based on a literature review of the theoretical and empirical studies of child's play. The identified criteria were utilized to observe two young children playing various types of computer games to explore the opportunities that the games provide for imaginative play in …

The Affordances And Limitations Of Computers For Play In Early Childhood, I. Verenikina, J. Herrington, R. Peterson, Jessica Mantei

I. Verenikina

The widespread proliferation of computer games for children as young as 6 months of age, merits a re-examination of their manner of use and their facility to provide opportunities for developmental play. This paper describes a research study conducted to explore the use of computer games by young children, specifically to investigate the affordances and limitations of such games and the features of children’s traditional play that can be supported and further enhanced by different kinds of computer play. Computer games were classified and selected according to game characteristics that support higher order thinking. Children aged 5 and 7 were …

Standards For Educational, Edutainment, And Developmentally Beneficial Computer Games, R. Peterson, I. Verenikina, J. Herrington

I. Verenikina

The results of a comprehensive review of the body of research concerning the developmental and educational value of computer gaming for children is reported. Based on the review, design criteria are proposed for educational and edutainment computer games. In addition, a hierarchy of educational, edutainment, and entertainment game categories is introduced. It is argued that a standard educational labeling system is needed to assist parents and teachers with selecting computer games. A gap in the research is highlighted with regard to the affordances of computer games to facilitate the development of young children’s higher order thinking. It is recommended that …

A Comparison Of School-Based And Community-Based Adherence To Wraparound During Family Planning Meetings, Philip D. Nordness

Philip D. Nordness Dr.

Recently a number of studies have begun to examine how the wraparound approach is adhered to during family planning meetings in community-based settings. However, no studies have compared wraparound family planning meetings across community-based and school-based settings. The purpose of this study was to examine adherence to the wraparound approach during family planning meetings across school-based and community-based settings to determine if there is a difference in the participants, domains discussed, and key characteristics of wraparound. Over the course of 9 months, observations were conducted on community-based (N = 85) and school-based (N = 109) wraparound family planning meetings. Results …

School-Based Mental Health: A De Facto Mental Health System For Children, Steve Jacob, Alberto Coustasse

Alberto Coustasse, DrPH, MD, MBA, MPH

As the nation's schools seek to fulfill the academic imperatives of the federal No Child Left Behind Act and associated state imperatives, they may be forgetting an important missing element in boosting academic achievement: directly confronting the mental health and psychosocial needs that impede a significant percentage of children and adolescents. This article explores the available research on mental health services in schools and the theoretical basis for multiple approaches to the problem. Creating a comprehensive solution to address mental and behavioral barriers to learning could significantly improve academic performance in U.S. primary and secondary schools.

A Two-Minute Paper And Pencil Test Of Symbolic And Nonsymbolic Numerical Magnitude Processing Explains Variability In Primary School Children’S Arithmetic Competence, Nadia Nosworthy, Stephanie Bugden, Lisa Archibald, Barrie Evans, Daniel Ansari

Nadia Nosworthy

Recently, there has been a growing emphasis on basic number processing competencies (such as the ability to judge which of two numbers is larger) and their role in predicting individual differences in school-relevant math achievement. Children’s ability to compare both symbolic (e.g. Arabic numerals) and nonsymbolic (e.g. dot arrays) magnitudes has been found to correlate with their math achievement. The available evidence, however, has focused on computerized paradigms, which may not always be suitable for universal, quick application in the classroom. Furthermore, it is currently unclear whether both symbolic and nonsymbolic magnitude comparison are related to children’s performance on tests …

"I Hope This Can Be Shared With Everyone In Lots Of Schools": A Novel Intervention To Improve Social Skills Of Peers Of Children With Autism, Sandra Jones, Joanne Telenta, Fiona Mckay

Sandra Jones

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are lifelong developmental disabilities characterised by marked difficulties in social interaction, impaired communication, restricted and repetitive interests and behaviours, and sensory sensitivities (Aspect 2009). While there is considerable debate as to prevalence, Centrelink data shows an estimated prevalence of 62.5 per 10,000 for 6-12 year old children (McDermott et al. 2007). While young children find social situations aversive and prefer to play alone, as these children reach their teens many desire social contact with their peers but lack the ability to form and maintain friendships. Observations in schools demonstrate peer interaction in children with ASDs is …