Digital Commons Network^™

Development Of A Sociocultural Phonological Program To Support Young Indigenous Children’S Consonant Production, Carolyn D. Pogson

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 2017+

Oral language proficiency and phonological skills underpin children’s literacy development. In Australian schools, literacy is based on Standard Australian English (SAE). Children who speak an Indigenous language or a different dialect of English are expected to have the same understanding of SAE as children who have been taught to speak or understand SAE from birth. For some Indigenous children, school may be the place where they first hear some SAE sounds. As indicated by a substantial body of research, oral language forms the basis of early literacy; Indigenous children, if they have no specific support in learning SAE as a …

The Potential Of “Let’S Go Shopping” Storybook To Influence Selection Of Healthy Food And Beverages In The Supermarket, Sameeha Binti Mohd Jamil

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 2017+

Background: Poor dietary habits are one of the determinants for mortality, Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) and non-communicable diseases globally. Children’s dietary behaviours and food preferences are multifactorial and as children grow, other factors such as the retail food environment impacts children’s eating behaviours and food preferences. Children’s exposure to food marketing cues such as the supermarket layout, product displays and in-store promotions increases their awareness of, desire for and intention to buy promoted products. This leads to disruptive request behaviour (or ‘pester power’). Food requests from children are predominantly unhealthy, and often result in conflict between parent and child. Studies …

Effects Of Plyometric-Based Program On Motor Performance Skills In Primary School Children Aged Seven And Eight, Andrew Sortwell

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 2017+

Over the last decade, the Australian Curriculum has focused on providing a rich and engaging quality Physical Education (PE) experience for students in primary schools. An area of debate within PE has been around the need to balance engagement in physical activity with the development of motor performance skills early in life. Motor performance skill proficiency in young children is a critical determinant of participation in games, sports and physical activity. During childhood, brain development is rapid and neuroplasticity is high, making childhood a crucial time to develop motor performance skills in children. A mode of movement that has been …

Exploring The Impact Of Unhealthy Food And Drink Marketing On Children’S Implicit And Explicit Brand Attitudes And Preferences, Rachel Elizabeth Smith

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 2017+

Background Children live in a media-saturated environment, as the unsolicited recipients of powerful food marketing coercion. Their aptitude in digital communications, paired with their natural credulity, lack of cognitive defences and inexperience, makes children the most desirable demographic available to marketers. Marketing techniques used to promote unhealthy foods are sophisticated, persistent and influence food attitudes, preference and consumption – outcomes that are all included in a Hierarchy of Effects sequence of effects that link food promotions to individual-level weight outcomes. Childhood obesity undermines the physical, social and psychological well-being of children and is a known risk factor for adult obesity …

Sustained Impact Of Unhealthy Food Advertising On Children’S Dietary Intake, Jennifer Anne Norman

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 2017+

Background A growing body of evidence indicates that unhealthy food marketing exposure affects children’s food attitudes, preferences and consumption, most likely through a logical, cumulative sequence of cognitive and behavioural responses. An important reason impeding policy change to restrict food marketing to children is the lack of evidence showing a direct link between food marketing and children’s energy intake and the sustained effect of exposures on children’s body weight. In experimental studies, children’s food intake is the most relevant outcome measure to investigate this direct link.

Brief exposure to food advertising on television (TV) or online advergames (branded games) has …

Effects Of Integrating Movements Into The Learning Task On Preschool Children’S Cognition And Learning, Myrto F. Mavilidi

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 2017+

The purpose of the theoretical and empirical work described in this Doctoral thesis was to add to the knowledge base of intervention programs that integrate movement into learning activities among preschool-aged children. This interdisciplinary research aimed to investigate the short-term effects of integrating movement into learning activities on children’s cognitive functions and the long-term effects of integrating movement on their cognitive development, and physical and mental health.

Constructing Digital Literary Texts: A Case Study Of Six Year 5 Children, Kylie Lipscombe

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 2017+

Children’s lives have changed due to the increased access to, and focus on, information technology in contemporary western cultures. These new technologies enable children to access new forms of content, and they provide them with opportunities to contribute their own digital texts. Despite this, there have been few studies conducted that explore the literacy practices children require to construct digital texts, and fewer that have focused on the construction of digital literary texts, a significant expectation in Australian Curriculum English policy documents.

This inquiry examines the literacy practices of six Year 5 children during the construction of their own digital …

Gross Motor Skills In The Early Years, Sanne L. Veldman

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 2017+

Gross motor skills are an important component of a child’s health and development. Higher levels of competence in gross motor skills are positively associated with lower adiposity, higher levels of physical activity and physical fitness, and a higher perceived motor competence, as well as developmental outcomes such as cognitive development. However, children, and especially preschoolers, demonstrate low levels of gross motor skills. Given the importance of gross motor skills and the low levels demonstrated, early commencement of gross motor skill promotion is recommended. To address the gaps in the literature on gross motor skills in young children (under the age …

The Position Of Physical Education Within The Primary School Curriculum: Perceptions, Attitudes And Realities, Sandra Catherine Daley

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

The aim of this research was to determine the value that primary school teachers, parents and children place on Physical Education; and teachers’ and parents’ perception of the role of Physical Education in a child’s overall physical and mental development. Conducted at two primary schools in the Australian Capital Territory Australia, this research collected data from teachers and parents using focus groups and questionnaires, to gain a greater understanding of how Physical Education is being taught; barriers to teaching this area of the curriculum; parent’s knowledge and expectations of their school’s Physical Education program; and parent’s knowledge of the contribution …

Intake Of Omega-3 Long Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid (N-3 Lcpufa) Among Australian Children (2-16 Years): In Depth Nutrient And Food Analysis, Setyaningrum Rahmawaty

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

An accurate dietary assessment of n-3 LCPUFA intake is necessary to monitor the possibility of the emergence of nutrition issues related to the consumption of these fats. In Australia, however, limited information is available on dietary assessment of EPA, DPA and DHA intake in the population of children.

The central aim of this thesis is to assess current intakes of EPA, DPA and DHA, and options that may potentially be used to modify intake of these fatty acids in Australian children’s diet.

The research designs used in this thesis are as follows: (1) Secondary analysis of n-3 LCPUFA intakes of …

Transition Of Children With Disabilities Into Early Childhood Education And Care Centres, Jane Warren

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

Australia’s first national quality framework for early childhood was introduced in January 2012 to provide a consistent approach to high quality early childhood education and care across Australia. Despite the expansion of such services, the percentage of children with disabilities accessing early childhood education and care centres is significantly lower than the percentage of children without disabilities. Transition into early childhood education and care centres can lay the foundation for the success of inclusion in formal school settings. While there have been studies on transition into school, transition into early childhood education and care centres - that is, non-compulsory education …

Identification Of Design Principles For Effective Internet-Based Education To Support Young People Living With Diabetes, Richard Thomas Sprod

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

Internet-based communication technologies and participatory software tools have created new opportunities for teaching and learning. Research determining the principles required for effective application of these innovations for children and adolescents is limited. This study focused on determining the principles required for effective and appropriate use Internet-based communication technologies for the education and support of young people living with diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes is a life threatening disease, thus education aimed at developing competent self-management behaviours is vital in order to avoid serious complications (Court, Cameron, Berg-Kelly, & Swift, 2009; DCCT, 1993). Existing diabetes education models are often limited, yet there …

Relationships Between Actual Competence, Perceived Physical Competence, Social Support, Enjoyment And Objectively Measured Physical Activity Among Children And Adolescents, Angelee-Jane Boyd

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

According to Competence Motivation Theory (Harter, 1978; Weiss 2000), children are more likely to participate in behaviours such as physical activity if their experiences are enjoyable, with enjoyment coming from several sources. These include actual competence (how good they are at the behaviour), social support (for the behaviour from significant others) and perceived physical competence (how good they think they are at the behaviour). Constructs within this theory have been tested among children using sports participation as a proxy measure of physical activity (Ulrich, 1987). However, more accurate methods of measuring physical activity that can provide objective data for this …

Adults’ And Children’S Consideration Of Better And Worse Possible Worlds: The Impact On Mood And Preparedness, Rebecca Zuchetti

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

Counterfactual thinking refers to our everyday thoughts of ‘what if’ and ‘if only’ when we consider an outcome and ponder over how it could have been better (upward counterfactuals) or worse (downward counterfactuals). Extensive research has investigated the nature and consequences of such thinking in the adult population. However, uncertainty is present in the functionalist account of counterfactual thinking as to how the consideration of both better and worse alternatives impacts one’s affective and preparatory feelings. The consequences arising from counterfactual thinking in the event of positive outcomes also requires clarification, as does the role of downward counterfactual generation. Further, …