Digital Commons Network^™

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.

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.

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 …

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 …

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.

What I Say Isn't Always What I Do: Investigating Differences In Children's Reported And Actual Snack Food Preferences, Sandra C. Jones, Lisa Kervin, Samantha Reis, Parri Gregory

Sandra Jones

The current study sought to explore discrepancies between children's stated snack food motivations and actual food choices, using the Implicit Association Test (IAT) as a measure of implicit attitudes towards 'healthy' and 'unhealthy' foods. Participants were children aged 6-12 years (n=118), from two primary schools on the South Coast of NSW, Australia - a public school in a semi-rural suburb south of a sea-side city and a public school in a largely residential northern suburb of the same city. The children completed a questionnaire about motivations for snack choices, participated in an activity, completed two further questionnaires, selected snack foods …

Improvization And Strategic Risk Taking In Informal Learning With Digital Media Literacy, Renee Hobbs

Renee Hobbs

The city provides a rich array of learning opportunities for young children. However, in many urban schools, often it can be logistically difficult to get young children out of the building. But when elementary children are encouraged to view the city as a classroom and use digital media to explore and represent their neighborhoods, they can be inspired by the unpredictable events of daily life to ask naive, critical and sometimes troubling questions. This paper presents a case study of a teacher in an informal media literacy learning environment who worked with a group of 9-year-olds in Philadelphia. It documents …

African-American Children’S Active Reasoning About Media Texts As A Precursor To Media Literacy., Renee Hobbs

Renee Hobbs

No abstract provided.

A Community-Based Parenting Program With Low-Income Mothers Of Young Children, Bonnie Nicholson, Viktor Brenner, Robert A. Fox

Robert Fox

Research has established a significant relationship between certain parental characteristics. such as income or parenting practices, and the development of child behavior problems. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a parenting program for low-income parents of children one to five years old which was offered through community-based family resource centers. Seventy-one mothers completed the program and showed significant decreases in their use of verbal and corporal punishment and significant increases in nurturing behaviors: their children’s behavior also improved significantly. Forty-five percent of parents also met Jacobson and Truax’s (1991) criteria for clinically significant change. Implications for practitioners working With this …

Randomised Controlled Trials In Overweight Children: Practicalities And Realities, Janet Warren, R.K. Golley, Clare Collins, Anthony D. Okely, Rachel A. Jones, Philip Morgan, R.A. Perry, Louise Baur, Julie R. Steele, Anthea Magarey

A. D. Okely

AIM: To highlight and discuss the practical aspects of conducting high quality, randomised controlled trials (RCTs) with overweight and obese children and their families. CONTENT: Realistic considerations and suggestions for researchers arising from the experiences of three Australian interventions in overweight/obese children are highlighted. The practical implications of key issues arising during this type of RCT include study design, obtaining ethical approval, choice of outcome measures, recruitment, working with families, impact and process evaluation, retention strategies, managing multi-site trials and data management. CONCLUSION: Interventions for overweight children and their families are challenging. Although there were some differences in the design …

Relationships Between Fundamental Movement Skills And Objectively Measured Physical Activity In Pre-School Children, Dylan P. Cliff, Anthony D. Okely, Lief Smith, Kim Mckeen

A. D. Okely

Gender differences in cross-sectional relationships between fundamental movement skill (FMS) subdomains (locomotor skills, object-control skills) and physical activity were examined in preschool children. Forty-six 3- to 5-year-olds (25 boys) had their FMS video assessed (Test of Gross Motor Development II) and their physical activity objectively monitored (Actigraph 7164 accelerometers). Among boys, object-control skills were associated with physical activity and explained 16.9% (p = .024) and 13.7% (p = .049) of the variance in percent of time in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and total physical activity, respectively, after controlling for age, SES and z-BMI. Locomotor skills were inversely associated with physical …

Relationships Between Objectively Measured Physical Activity, Movement Competency And Psychosocial Outcomes In Overweight And Obese Children, Dylan P. Cliff, Anthony D. Okely, P Morgan, Julie R. Steele, Rachel A. Jones

A. D. Okely

This study examined cross-sectional associations between physical activity and the psychosocial outcomes of self-esteem and health related quality of life (HRQoL), and fundamental movement skills (FMS) and psychosocial outcomes in overweight/obese children. Measures were collected from 165 overweight/obese children aged 5-9y (mean age = 8.2 + 1.1; mean BMI-z = 2.81 + 0.71, 41% boys) as part of the Hunter and Illawarra Kids Challenge Using Parent Support (HIKCUPS) RCT. Baseline data, split by gender, were used to explore relationships between activity/FMS variables and psychosocial outcomes for boys and girls separately. Measures included objectively measured physical activity (Actigraph 7164 accelerometer), video-assessed …

The Hikcups Trial: A Multi-Site Randomized Controlled Trial Of A Combined Physical Activity Skill-Development And Dietary Modification Program In Overweight And Obese Children, Rachel A. Jones, Anthony D. Okely, Clare E. Collins, Philip J. Morgan, Julie R. Steele, Janet M. Warren, Louise A. Baur, Dylan P. Cliff, Tracy Burrows, Jane Cleary

A. D. Okely

BACKGROUND: Childhood obesity is one of the most pressing health issues of our time. Key health organizations have recommended research be conducted on the effectiveness of well-designed interventions to combat childhood obesity that can be translated into a variety of settings. This paper describes the design and methods used in the Hunter Illawarra Kids Challenge Using Parent Support (HIKCUPS) trial, an ongoing multi-site randomized controlled trial, in overweight/obese children comparing the efficacy of three interventions: 1) a parent-centered dietary modification program; 2) a child-centered physical activity skill-development program; and 3) a program combining both 1 and 2 above. METHODS/DESIGN: Each …

Correlates Of Sedentary Behaviours In Preschool Children: A Review, Trina Hinkley, Jo Salmon, Anthony D. Okely, Stewart G. Trost

A. D. Okely

Background: Sedentary behaviour has been linked with a number of health outcomes. Preschool-aged children spend significant proportions of their day engaged in sedentary behaviours. Research into the correlates of sedentary behaviours in the preschool population is an emerging field, with most research being published since 2002. Reviews on correlates of sedentary behaviours which include preschool children have previously been published; however, none have reported results specific to the preschool population. This paper reviews articles reporting on correlates of sedentary behaviour in preschool children published between 1993 and 2009. Methods: A literature search was undertaken to identify articles which examined correlates …