Education Commons^™

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 …

Beyond Competition--Innovation For A Sustainable Future, Stephanie Marshall

Stephanie Pace Marshall, Ph.D.

Dr. Marshall outlines her belief that the current context and conditions of schooling are far too constrained, prescribed and risk-averse for our children’s imagination, and as a result, actually mitigate against innovative thinking and creative and collaborative problem-solving. Authentic learning is a live encounter. She feels that we cannot mandate, punish or test our children into greatness and provides recommendations for educational transformation--not reform--to design the educational experiences needed by today's children.

A Decidedly Different Mind, Stephanie Marshall

Stephanie Pace Marshall, Ph.D.

Dr. Stephanie Pace Marshall explains the need for educational transformation grounded in the design of a generative and more natural system of learning and schooling.

Educating The Whole Child: The Real Story Of Wholeness And Belonging, Stephanie Marshall

Stephanie Pace Marshall, Ph.D.

In her 2008 keynote address to the Massachusetts ASCD, Dr. Stephanie Pace Marshall outlines why we--as leaders, storytellers and mapmakers--must ensure that the story, map, and landscape of schooling does not constrain our children’s potentials, silence their spirit, demean their passion, ridicule their dreams, or deny them access to wisely learn whatever it is that they want to know.

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 …

Proficiency Deficiency: Mastery Of Fundamental Movement Skills And Skill Components In Overweight And Obese Children, Dylan P. Cliff, Anthony D. Okely, Philip J. Morgan, Rachel A. Jones, Julie R. Steele, Louise A. Baur

A. D. Okely

No abstract provided.

What Factors Influence Children's Activity?, Anne-Maree Parrish, Kenneth Russell, Heather Yeatman, Donald Iverson

Don C. Iverson

The school environment has an essential role in encouraging children to exercise. This study explores variables which may contribute to increased activity levels on the playground.

Logo Programming (Part 1) - A Creative And Fun Way To Learn Mathematics And Problem-Solving, Abhay B. Joshi, Sandesh R. Gaikwad

Abhay B Joshi

Programming means tapping into the computerʹs immense power by talking with it directly. Through programming, children use the computerʹs terrific power to draw graphics, design animation, solve mathematical or word puzzles, and even build robots. This idea was first proposed in the famous book ʺMindstormsʺ by Seymour Papert and has subsequently been appreciated and praised by educators and parents all over the world.

Through programming, students discover that the computer is a powerful and flexible tool. Using interesting ideas embedded in programming environments, students solve problems in their favorite subjects, and also develop interest in ʺdifficultʺ subjects like Math and …

Logo Programming (Part 2) - A Creative And Fun Way To Learn Mathematics And Problem-Solving, Abhay B. Joshi, Sandesh R. Gaikwad

Abhay B Joshi

Programming means tapping into the computerʹs immense power by talking with it directly. Through programming, children use the computerʹs terrific power to draw graphics, design animation, solve mathematical or word puzzles, and even build robots. This idea was first proposed in the famous book ʺMindstormsʺ by Seymour Papert and has subsequently been appreciated and praised by educators and parents all over the world.

Through programming, students discover that the computer is a powerful and flexible tool. Using interesting ideas embedded in programming environments, students solve problems in their favorite subjects, and also develop interest in ʺdifficultʺ subjects like Math and …

Assessing And Instilling Hopefulness: A Case Study Of Swazi Youth, Connie Titone Dr., Laura Stefanik, Robert Mcnamara

connie titone

Hopefulness is a critical quality of human beings that provides us with the capacity to set goals and overcome adversity in the pursuit of those goals. Likewise, successful achievement of goals sustains hopefulness. High levels of hope can therefore positively affect a student’s education. The psychologist C.R. Snyder, a leading researcher of hope theory, developed the Children’s Hope Scale (CHS) to assess and analyze the state of hopefulness in children ages 8-17. This study expands on Snyder’s data by analyzing the results of the CHS administered to 38 students at an orphanage in Swaziland. The results presented here show that …

Filtering Children’S Access To The Internet At School, Kathryn Moyle

Professor Kathryn Moyle

Countries differ in their policy responses to the question: “Should children’s access to the Internet be filtered?” Countries such as the UK, U.S. and Australia do filter online content with software on servers, and countries such as Denmark, Sweden and The Netherlands, do not. The differences between these respective countries’ school policies are philosophical and political. This paper discusses intersections between the aims and purposes of schools, the political economy and the use of electronic filters on the Internet, for educational purposes. The paper concludes with a reflection of the implications of these issues for school leaders.

Kidsmatter Early Childhood Evaluation Report, Phillip Slee, Rosalind Murray-Harvey, Katherine Dix, Grace Skrzypiec, Helen Askell-Williams, Michael Lawson, Susan Krieg

Dr Katherine Dix