Search

The Influence of a Thai Folk Play Model to Enhance the Cognitive Performance of Primary School Students in Grades 4 Through 6. JEPonline 2024;27(5):12-25. Cognitive performance is a determinant of children's long-term success that encompasses achievements in learning, adherence to appropriate conduct, mental and body well-being, and potential occupational accomplishments. The purpose of this research was to develop and investigate the influence of a Thai Folk Play Model to enhance the cognitive performance of primary school students 10 to 12 years of age in grades 4 through 6. The study involved a total of 60 participants who were divided into the Experimental Group (30 students) and the Control Group (30 students). The samples were acquired by the method of stratified random sampling (SRT). The research instruments utilized in the study included a model of a Thai folk drama, a structured interview form, and a computer-based cognitive ability test that comprised a Simple Reaction Test (SRT), a Choice Reaction Time Test (CRT), a Trail-Making Test (TMT), a Flanker Test (FKT), and a Design Fluency Test (DFT). The Thai Folk Play Model was implemented by the Experimental Group for a period of 8 weeks that consisted of 3, 60-minute sessions per week. Both the Experimental Group and the Control group underwent pre-test and post-test assessments to evaluate the subjects' cognitive function. We conducted an analysis and comparison of the variables to be examined using a dependent and independent t-test, which yielded a 95% confidence interval. The results revealed that the Thai Folk Play Model achieved a high index of item objective congruence, specifically 0.95. Additionally, the cognitive performance of the Experimental Group showed an improvement in the post-test compared to the pre-test. The Experimental Group exhibited a statistically significant increase in cognitive performance compared to the Control Group. Additionally, the Control Group showed an increase in cognitive performance from pre-test to post-test, but the increase was not statistically significant. These finding indicate the Thai Folk Play Model is an educational method that enhances the cognitive skills (such as attention, working memory, executive function, and information processing) of students in grades 4 through 6. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Literature has emphasized the value of multidisciplinary learning strategies and the necessity of educating students to solve complex problems. It also pointed out the importance of teacher's beliefs in their practices. The purpose of this study is to understand how future teachers recognize the board game Caravelas as a didactic tool to help elementary school students develop math skills in History and Geography Portugal (HGP) classes, in a multidisciplinary way. A board game intervention was employed in the study, and both quantitative and qualitative data were gathered from sixteen future teachers enrolled in the Didactic of HGP course during their third year of the Basic Education programme. Two questionnaires were used along with a focus group discussion. The findings indicate that this group of future teachers thinks Caravelas can help students achieve their learning goals in mathematics and HGP, as well as develop their reasoning, problemsolving, and social skills. Future teachers believe Caravelas can be used as a didactic tool to integrate mathematics into HGP subjects and support multidisciplinary learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To investigate the association between presence of caries in anterior teeth and bullying victimization in schoolchildren. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Brazil with a sample of 387 schoolchildren aged 6 to 10 years. The presence of moderate/extensive dental caries was assessed using the International System for the Evaluation and Detection of Dental Caries (ICDAS-II). The children answered the "Olweus Bullying" (QBO). Descriptive analyses were performed, and the associations between bullying victimization and independent variables collected were determined by univariate and multivariate Poisson regression. Results: The prevalence of bullying victimization was 66.4%. Bullying victimization was higher among children who had moderate/extensive caries in some anterior teeth (p = 0.010). 8-year-old (p = 0.048), 9-year-old (p = 0.001), and 10-year-old (p = 0.002) children reported greater bullying victimization when compared to 6-year-olds. Conclusion: The presence of moderate/extensive dental caries in anterior teeth is associated with bullying victimization in schoolchildren. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hand washing is one of the simplest, most affordable, and effective means of stopping the spread of infection. It is easy to learn how to wash your hands and how to stop the spread of infection by washing the germs away. It is estimated that washing hands with soap and water could reduce diarrheal disease-associated deaths by up to 50%. Handwashing can reduce the risk of respiratory infections by 16%. Low resources are a challenge, in places like school if this challenge is met with the use of appropriate technology, reduction in infectious diseases will be seen. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of Tippy Tap as appropriate technology to increase handwashing in school children. Methodology: School based interventional study was conducted over 3 months with the study area being 10 government schools of Bhopal District. Sampling techniques- random selection 5 urban schools, 5 rural schools. A total of 580 students were registered in the study with their consent. Knowledge and Practice regarding handwashing was assessed, then a tippy tap was installed and handwashing practices assessed. Result: A total of 580 students were registered for the study form 10 schools. Two schools were not having handwashing facility, so they were provided with Tippy Tap a sanitary handwashing system. The overall preintervention score in urban area was 81.6 % and in rural was 58.04 %. In post intervention assessment improvement in scores were substantial. The urban area school students had a mean score of 92% while of rural area students scored 77.1% which was a significant improvement. In preintervention assessment the mean score of urban area came out to be 77.5 % and that of rural schools 57.3 %. In post intervention the score was 90.5 % and 74.9 % of urban and rural respectively. Conclusion: The facilities of the urban school were up to the mark and the students had adequate knowledge about hand washing techniques. The rural schools had poor infrastructure and the pre-interventional knowledge of the students was low. After the intervention there was significant improvement in their knowledge and the facilities of hand washing provided to the students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Mid-Day Meal Program plays a pivotal role in enhancing the nutritional status and educational outcomes of primary school children in India. This study investigates the program’s impact on the nutritional well-being of children across three districts in Bihar. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted, involving 1,070 primary school children from Saran, Muzaffarpur, and Patna districts. The assessment of nutritional status was based on indicators such as BMI for age, weight for height, and weight for age. Data related to children’s participation in the Mid-Day Meal Program was collected through relevant questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics. Results: Patna has the highest percentage of children receiving mid-day meal (89.86%) with lowest prevalence of wasting and severe wasting. The prevalence of stunting or wasting were more common in children aged greater than 10 years. The analysis revealed substantial challenges in nutritional status, with a high prevalence of stunting, underweight, and wasting among primary school children in the surveyed districts. In contrast, promising trends were observed in terms of menu changes and vegetable inclusion within the Mid-Day Meal Program. Conclusion: The study highlights the pressing need for targeted interventions to address prevalent nutritional issues and improve the program’s impact. These findings provide valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders to enhance the well-being of primary school children in the region through the Mid-Day Meal Program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Health of children plays an indispensable role in the development of the country. Nutrition and health of the tribal children continue to be a pressing concern in India. Biochemical and hematological examination of children is an essential tool for assessment of health status, early identification of preventable risk factors and for diagnosis of various diseases. Objective: To assess the health status of Hakki Pikki tribal school children by evaluating the biochemical and haematological parameters. Materials and Methods: This was a community based cross sectional study of 76(Boys-32 and Girls-44) Hakki Pikki tribal children studying at Government Higher Primary School, Hakki Pikki Colony, Gowripura, Bengaluru Karnataka, India. Biochemical and haematological parameters were determined in accordance with standard operating procedures followed by good laboratory practices Results: The study group consisted of children aged between 6 to 17 years, among them 32 students were males and 44 were females.21(11-boys and 10-girls) children were under weight and 02 girls were overweight. The common ailments found were, dental carries (2.63%), ear discharge (2.63%), anaemia (3.94%), Impetigo (7.89%). Comparing between Boys and Girls less than or equal to 10 years of age there was a significant difference in Creatinine as p-value< 0.05. There was a significant difference in Creatinine, Uric acid, AST, ALT, total protein, albumin, HbA1C and Haemoglobin when comparing between Boys and Girls of age greater than 10 years p-value < 0.05.In these tribal children the distribution of biochemical and haematological parameters values considerably follows the reported reference values Conclusions: This study highlights a puzzling situation of health status among these Hakki Pikki tribal children due to apparent change in socio cultural, lifestyle, nutrition, and urbanization. Under weight has emanated as a solemn problem unless addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Education / Revue Canadienne de l'Éducation is the property of Canadian Society for the Study of Education and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Pamukkale University Journal of Education is the property of Pamukkale University Journal of Education and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Cultura, Ciencia y Deporte is the property of Cultura, Ciencia y Deporte and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Cultura, Ciencia y Deporte is the property of Cultura, Ciencia y Deporte and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The psychological resilience of teachers refers to their capacity to cope with the challenges teachers face and their ability to prevent burnout. Teachers' psychological resilience can help them teach students more effectively and maintain their profession in the long term. To date, studies on teacher resilience have generally focused on teachers' characteristics, socialization, and behavior. However, very few studies investigate teacher resilience and its reflections on education through the relationship between teachers' resilience, students' transformation of educational behaviors into skills, and reading comprehension skills. Henderson and Milsteins’ study (2003) suggests that if teachers, who are the main source of role models in education, lack resilience, it is not a realistic expectation for students to be educationally resilient and indirectly demonstrate educational skills. So this study investigated the relationships between teachers' resilience and students' reading comprehension skills. This study was designed with the relational survey model, one of the quantitative research methods. The relationship between primary school students and their teachers was investigated. Numerical quantities representing the universe were calculated to question the existence of the relationship. In this regard, a total of 761 students and their teachers from the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grades of primary school constitute the participants of the research. A total of 31 classes and their teachers from public and private primary schools were involved in the process. This study found a positive but low-level relationship between teachers' professional resilience and their students' reading comprehension skills. While teacher resilience contributes to students' reading comprehension, its impact is relatively limited, suggesting that other factors also play a significant role in students' academic success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Cuadernos de Psicología del Deporte is the property of Cuadernos de Psicologia del Deporte and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Electronic Journal of Research in Educational Psychology is the property of Editorial of the University of Almeria (Spain) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of, and relationship between, bullying and malocclusion in schoolchildren aged 10–14 years in the South East of the UK. Design: Cross-sectional cohort study. Setting: Sixteen primary and secondary schools in South East of the UK. Participants: Schoolchildren aged 10–14 years who were consented to participate. Methods: The prevalence and nature of bullying were measured using a questionnaire. Traits of malocclusion and the need for orthodontic treatment were assessed by clinical examination and determined by the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN) Dental Health (DHC) and Aesthetic components (AC). Results: Complete data were collected for 698 participants. The number defined as being bullied was 68 (9.7%). There was no difference in the prevalence of bullying between gender, ethnicity or age. Higher rates of bullying were reported in mixed sex schools (P = 0.03). Participants with an increased overjet (P = 0.02) and/or a greater need for treatment, as measured by IOTN DHC (P = 0.01) and AC (P = 0.01), reported higher rates of bullying. While there was no difference in the overall prevalence of bullying between genders, boys were more likely than girls to experience physical bullying (P <0.001) and being called names (P = 0.03) Conclusion: A significant relationship was evident between being bullied and certain traits of malocclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of bullying among schoolchildren and to study the correlation between bullying and a specific type of malocclusion, self-esteem, oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL), the need for orthodontic treatment and socioeconomic status. Design: A cross-sectional study. Setting: Low, middle and high socioeconomic group schools in the same educational district in Cairo, Egypt. Participants: A total of 324 Egyptian schoolchildren aged 11–14 years. Methods: Validated questionnaires were used to assess self-reported bullying frequency and intensity, self-esteem and OHRQoL. The Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN) was used to assess the orthodontic treatment need and the participants' occlusion was classified according to the British Standard Incisors (BSI) classification. Results: Bullying was found to be prevalent in 61.7% of the sample. Regression analysis revealed that participants with a Class II division 1 incisor relationship had the highest odds ratio (OR) for predicting bullying (OR = 1.86, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.38–2.15). Being bullied was significantly associated with lower self-esteem (OR = 0.47, 95% CI = 0.13–0.78), worse OHRQoL (OR = 2.73, 95% CI = 1.95–3.15) and a high need for orthodontic treatment, as determined by the IOTN Dental Health Component score (OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.05–1.95) and IOTN Aesthetic Component score (OR = 1.52, 95% CI = 1.12–1.88). Moreover, participants in high and middle socioeconomic groups had a lower OR for predicting bullying than those in the low socioeconomic group (OR = 0.27, 95% CI = 0.13–0.54). Conclusion: The bullying prevalence among Egyptian schoolchildren aged 11–14 years was very high. The prevalence of bullying was higher in schoolchildren with higher orthodontic treatment need and Class II division 1 incisor relationship. Bullying was correlated to poor self-esteem as well as poor OHRQoL. In addition, low socioeconomic status was found to be a potential predictor for bullying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peer bullying is widely observed across the world and continues to grow. Peer-bullying children and children exposed to peer bullying often display a fall in academic achievements, an increase in psychiatric problems, and problematic relationships with their parents. This study was conducted to identify the effects of demographic, health-related, and school-related characteristics in school-age children, including their grade, academic success, and status of liking their school, on their peer-bullying tendencies. This study was carried out as a cross-sectional study. The study was conducted in September–November 2023 with sixth- and seventh-grade students at four middle schools in Turkey. The sample size was calculated as 750 in a 95% confidence interval and with a 5% margin of error. The data were collected using a Health-Related Descriptive Characteristics Form and the Swearer Bullying Scale. Children who were seventh-grade students, those who had a family income above expenses, those who were obese, those who perceived their health status as good, those who had low academic achievement, and those who stated that they did not like their school had higher peer bullying tendencies (p < 0.05). In the multiple linear regression analysis, self-perceived health status, grade level, and academic achievement status were identified as factors that significantly affected the peer bullying tendencies of the children, and these factors explained 26.3% of the total variance in these tendencies. Self-perceived health status, grade level, and academic achievement status significantly affected the peer bullying tendencies of school children. To prevent peer bullying and mitigate its negative effects, it is extremely important that school nurses periodically identify the peer bullying tendencies of school children and associated factors. • Peer bullying is affected by health status, grade level and academic success. • School nurses have important responsibilities to prevent peer bullying and minimize its negative effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Importance: Large educational transitions occur when students enter and exit school or move between grades or divisions within the kindergarten to Grade 12 (K–12) school system. For students with disabilities, the quality of large educational transitions affects academic and postschool outcomes, which is germane to school-based occupational therapists. Objective: To explore the school-based occupational therapy literature to describe the roles of occupational therapists in supporting large educational transitions and to identify relevant terminology. Data Sources: We searched six databases (CINAHL, EMCare, Embase, ERIC, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO) for peer-reviewed publications in English with no date limitations. Study Selection and Data Collection: We included articles focused on children and youth with disabilities and school-based occupational therapy services supporting large transitions within K to 12 education. Using directed content analysis, we reported on publication characteristics, occupational therapy roles, and terminology. Findings: We included 46 publications spanning 37 yr that addressed transitions into school (n = 3), within K to 12 grades or divisions (n = 10), or to exit secondary education (n = 33). Occupational therapists assumed many roles in supporting large transitions, some much more frequently than others; 125 transition terms were used across included articles with few terms explicitly defined. Conclusions and Relevance: School-based occupational therapists' involvement in educational transitions is extensive, with potential for expansion. Consistency in terminology would support future research and practice. Plain-Language Summary: A large educational transition occurs when students move between a school, grade, or division as part of their K to 12 education. For students with disabilities, the quality of a large educational transition affects their academic and postschool outcomes. This review provides an understanding of how school-based occupational therapists support educational transitions for youth with disabilities. The review found that occupational therapists took on many roles, with the potential for expanding their roles. The review also identified 125 transition terms that were used across the literature review and found that few terms were explicitly defined. Consistency in terminology would support future research and expanded occupational therapy practice in this area. This review explored literature to describe school-based occupational therapists' roles in supporting students with disabilities who experience large educational transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the level of social communication problems (SCP), social anxiety (SA), and mood problems (MP) among children with ASD (age 4–13 years) enrolled in special classes (n = 74) and regular classes (n = 73) and grade level (kindergarten, 1st–3rd, 4th–6th) from teachers' perspective in schools of Palestinian Arabs in Israel. Teachers responded to three questionnaires about (1) SCP, (2) SA and (3) MP; the teachers' responses to the questionnaires were used to answer the research questions. Results: SCP, SA and MP were of medium rates for students with ASD enrolled in regular and special classes. No significant differences in the level of SCP could be attributed to class type (Regular, Special) or the grade level (kindergarten, 1st–3rd, 4th–6th). There were significant differences in SA levels that could be attributed to grade level in favor of the 4th–6th grades but there were no significant differences according to class type (Regular, Special). There were statistically significant differences in MP levels that could be attributed to the class type in favor of special classes, and the effect of grade level was not significant. There was a direct significant relationship between SCP, SA, and MP. Conclusion: SCP may be an important risk factor for the development of SA and MP among students with ASD, which lead us to incorporating social skills interventions by educational staff to alleviate or even prevent symptoms of SA and MP among students with ASD, which supports the view of inclusion [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of a self-regulated vocabulary learning mobile application (SRVL-MAPP) to improve English as a foreign language (EFL) students’ English vocabulary learning achievement and motivation. To evaluate the effectiveness of SRVL-MAPP, an experiment was conducted with 60 fourth-grade students from a primary school in Henan Province, China. These students were divided into two classes and randomly assigned to either the experimental group, which used SRVL-MAPP, or the control group, which used a mobile vocabulary learning application (NSRVL-MAPP) without the SRL mechanism, with 30 students in each group. The experiment lasted for three weeks. The results revealed that students in the experimental group outperformed those in the control group in both vocabularies learning achievement and motivation. In addition, the results also indicated that SRVL-MAPP significantly improved the English vocabulary learning achievement and motivation of field-dependent learners, while no such effect was observed for field-independent learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Kirsehir Education Faculty is the property of Journal of Kirsehir Education Faculty and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Gazi University Journal of Gazi Educational Faculty (GUJGEF) is the property of Gazi University Journal of Gazi Educational Faculty (GUJGEF) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Gazi University Journal of Gazi Educational Faculty (GUJGEF) is the property of Gazi University Journal of Gazi Educational Faculty (GUJGEF) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Gazi University Journal of Gazi Educational Faculty (GUJGEF) is the property of Gazi University Journal of Gazi Educational Faculty (GUJGEF) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In education, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) has presented opportunities to transform the dynamics of online learning. This study investigated the impact of an AI-powered application, namely ChatGPT, on the autonomy of Saudi Arabian primary students participating in online classes. It also explored how the implementation of Chat GPT influenced Saudi Arabian primary students’ autonomy. In this mixed-methods study, a quasi-experimental design assessed the impact of ChatGPT on learner autonomy among 250 Saudi Arabian primary students from six primary schools in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The quantitative analysis employed descriptive statistics and t-tests, while the qualitative data underwent interpretative phenomenological analysis. To ensure coding reliability, 20% of the codes were independently reviewed by an external coder, with a 94% inter-coder agreement coefficient reached through consensus. Findings revealed that ChatGPT significantly affected the participants’ perceptions of autonomy and its different dimensions. Qualitative data showed that AI-powered applications contributed to the students’ autonomy in 10 different ways. Participants also mentioned that AI-powered apps might have some negative consequences. This study has theoretical implications for redefining learner autonomy in the digital age and calls for the exploration of many facets of autonomy. Practical applications from this study include strategic integration of AI into online education, data security, and the need for orientation programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global prevalence of obesity in children has increased over time. Higher body mass index (BMI) is negatively correlated with executive function (EF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factors (BDNF). This study examined the differences in EF and BDNF levels among 66 students. A one-way multivariate analysis of variance was conducted to evaluate group differences, followed by descriptive discriminant analysis for post-hoc analysis. This study revealed that there were no significant differences in BDNF levels among school children categorized as normal weight, overweight, or obese. Additionally, children in the normal weight category did not exhibit a better overall EF than their overweight and obese counterparts, except for the EF component related to planning. Future studies should investigate the development of EF and BDNF among school children, and factors like family economic status and parenting practices that may influence these variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key Points: Question: How does the association between body mass index (BMI) and mental health change over time among adolescents, and do such associations and vary by sex and school grade? Findings: In this survey study analyzing more than 1 million adolescents from Europe and North America, a consistent U-shaped association was found between BMI and mental health, which grew stronger over time, especially among adolescents with low body mass. Meaning: The increasing association between BMI and adolescent mental health over time underscores the urgency for tailored interventions targeting body image and well-being. This survey study evaluates the association between body mass index and mental health and changes in associations over time from 2002 to 2018. Importance: Overweight and obesity affect 340 million adolescents worldwide and constitute a risk factor for poor mental health. Understanding the association between body mass index (BMI) and mental health in adolescents may help to address rising mental health issues; however, existing studies lack comprehensive evaluations spanning diverse countries and periods. Objective: To estimate the association between BMI and mental health and examine changes over time from 2002 to 2018. Design, Setting, and Participants: This was a repeated multicountry cross-sectional study conducted between 2002 and 2018 and utilizing data from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey in Europe and North America. The study population consisted of more than 1 million adolescents aged 11 to 15 years, with all surveyed children included in the analysis. Data were analyzed from October 2022 to March 2023. Main Outcomes and Measures: Mental health difficulties were measured by an 8-item scale for psychological concerns, scoring from 0 to 32, where a higher score reflects greater psychosomatic issues. BMI was calculated using weight divided by height squared and adjusted for age and sex. Data were fitted by multilevel generalized additive model. Confounders included sex, living with parents, sibling presence, academic pressure, the experience of being bullied, family affluence, screen time, and physical activity. Results: Our analysis of 1 036 869 adolescents surveyed from 2002 to 2018, with a mean (SD) age of 13.55 (1.64) years and comprising 527 585 girls (50.9%), revealed a consistent U-shaped association between BMI and mental health. After accounting for confounders, adolescents with low body mass and overweight or obesity had increased psychosomatic symptoms compared to those with healthy weight (unstandardized β, 0.14; 95% CI, 0.08 to 0.19; unstandardized β, 0.27; 95% CI, 0.24 to 0.30; and unstandardized β, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.56 to 0.67, respectively), while adolescents with underweight had fewer symptoms (unstandardized β, −0.18; 95% CI, −0.22 to −0.15). This association was observed across different years, sex, and grade, indicating a broad relevance to adolescent mental health. Compared to 2002, psychosomatic concerns increased significantly in 2006 (unstandardized β, 0.19; 95% CI, 0.11 to 0.26), 2010 (unstandardized β, 0.14; 95% CI, 0.07 to 0.22), 2014 (unstandardized β, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.40 to 0.56), and 2018 (unstandardized β, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.74 to 0.89). Girls reported significantly higher psychosomatic concerns than boys (unstandardized β, 2.27; 95% CI, 2.25 to 2.30). Compared to primary school, psychosomatic concerns rose significantly in middle school (unstandardized β, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.12 to 1.18) and in high school (unstandardized β, 2.12; 95% CI, 2.09 to 2.15). Conclusions and Relevance: Our study revealed a U-shaped association between adolescent BMI and mental health, which was consistent across sex and grades and became stronger over time. These insights emphasize the need for targeted interventions addressing body image and mental health, and call for further research into underlying mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Discourse: Journal of Childhood & Adolescense Research / Diskurs Kindheits- und Jugendforschung is the property of Verlag Barbara Budrich GmbH and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Discourse: Journal of Childhood & Adolescense Research / Diskurs Kindheits- und Jugendforschung is the property of Verlag Barbara Budrich GmbH and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The author explores the use of counter advertising and education in fostering critical thinking in primary school students. Topics discussed include the fundamental aim of advertising, the concept of counteradvertising, visual codes used in counter advertising, examples of the use of art disciplines in exploring counter advertising, and the use of counter advertising by students to convey messages on social and environmental issues.

The article "Linking Structures Across Logic and Space: The Role of Euler Diagrams" discusses the use of Euler diagrams as a tool to aid students in understanding logical implications. The authors argue that Euler diagrams can be helpful in visualizing logical relationships and establishing the validity of statements. They introduce the concept of logico-spatial linked structuring (LSLS) as a framework for understanding how students connect spatial and non-spatial representations when dealing with logical statements. The article provides examples of LSLS in student reasoning and highlights the different ways students spatially represent logical implications using Euler diagrams. The text emphasizes the importance of bridging the gap between math educators and professional mathematicians and acknowledges the contributions of Uri Leron to mathematics education and proof research. [Extracted from the article]

Copyright of Revista Interuniversitaria de Formación del Profesorado is the property of Asociacion Universitaria de Formacion del Profesorado (AUFOP) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Educational robots represent a unique form of teacher presence. Exploring how the communication features of robot instructors affect student learning experience could contribute to the advancement of educational robots. This study examined the impact of speech rate, voice type, and emotional tone of robots on students' cognitive load, attitudes toward robot-assisted teaching, and learning performance. We recruited 477 Chinese primary school students assigned to either the speech rate, voice type, or emotional tone experiment. The results indicate that speech rate significantly influenced students' cognitive load, with the medium speed condition resulting in higher germane load compared to both fast and slow speed conditions. Moreover, students had a lower preference for adult male voices over adult female, boy, or girl voices. However, voice type did not significantly impact attitudes toward robot-assisted teaching or learning outcomes. Emotional tone did not affect students' cognitive load, attitudes, or learning performance. These findings provide valuable insights for instructors and designers when configuring the communication features of educational robots in classroom environments. Additionally, students generally prioritized the intelligence of the robot over its communication features, and they did not perceive the teaching content as difficult in all experiments. This study has methodological and practical significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Importance: Play is the primary occupation in childhood and fundamental to occupational therapy practice. Objective: To evaluate a play intervention in special school settings. Design: Pre- and postinvolvement of a 7-mo play program. Setting: Four special schools in Victoria, Australia, for children with IQs < 70. Participants: Thirty-eight children with diagnoses including intellectual disability, autism, and global developmental delay, 7 teachers, 2 speech pathologists, and 2 occupational therapists. Intervention: Learn to Play Therapy for 1 hr per week over a 7-mo period. Outcomes and Measures: Pre–post outcome measures included children's pretend play skills, language, social skills, emotional regulation, and academic competence. Results: Mean age of 38 children (15 girls and 23 boys) at baseline was 5 yr 7 mo (SD = 0.46 yr). Results showed significant changes in children's pretend play (p =.03), ability to recall sentences (p =.02), social skills (p =.022), and academic competence (p =.012). Learn to Play had a large effect on children's narrative skills (d = 2.72). At follow-up, object substitution at baseline influenced expressive language (p <.001), narrative mean language utterance (MLU; p =.015), social skills (p <.001), and academic competence (p <.001); elaborate play at baseline plus time influenced social skills (p <.001); and elaborate play at baseline influenced narrative MLU (p =. 016), sentence recall (p =.009), and academic competence (p =.001). Conclusions and Relevance: Embedding pretend play within practice positively influenced children's language, narrative, social, and academic skills. Plain-Language Summary: This study adds to the limited research on play-based therapy programs in special school settings for children with an IQ of less than 70. Children participated in Learn to Play Therapy, during which an occupational therapist, who has observed and assessed the child's play and understands the child's play abilities, played beside the child. Learn to Play Therapy is a child-centered therapy that is used to increase a child's ability to self-initiate and enjoy pretend play. The positive impacts of supporting the children's pretend play ability were highlighted by increases in their pretend play, language, social skills, academic competence, and narrative language after participating in Learn to Play Therapy in their special schools. This study adds to the limited research on play-based therapy programs in special school settings for children with an IQ of less than 70. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Education / Revue Canadienne de l'Éducation is the property of Canadian Society for the Study of Education and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Creativity can be assessed using various methods, including divergent thinking performance, self‐ratings, and teacher ratings. However, these measures may not always align, as they may not consistently identify creative potential in the same manner. The present study aimed to identify latent subgroups of students based on their observed originality, creative self‐efficacy, teacher‐rated originality, academic achievement in reading and mathematics, and demographic background characteristics. Data were collected from 243 elementary school students. We applied the normal mixture technique to classify participants into latent subgroups. Five latent subgroups of students were identified: Overconfident Low Performers, Creative High Achievers, Under‐Confident Below‐Average Achievers, Mathematically Oriented Students, and Calibrated Above‐Average Achievers. Female students tended to fall disproportionately into the subgroup of Creative High Achievers. Students receiving free/reduced lunch had a lower probability of being Creative High Achievers. Special education students had a higher probability of falling into the subgroup Overconfident Low Performers. Teacher ratings of students' originality were more in line with student academic performance rather than with their performance‐based originality scores. Students' self‐ratings of creativity bifurcated across subgroups, with Creative High Achievers and Overconfident Low Performers reporting the highest self‐ratings of originality, despite displaying very different levels of performance on the divergent thinking assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large outbreaks of Shigella sonnei among children in Haredi Jewish (ultra-Orthodox) communities in Brooklyn, New York have occurred every 3–5 years since at least the mid-1980s. These outbreaks are partially attributable to large numbers of young children in these communities, with transmission highest in child care and school settings, and secondary transmission within households. As these outbreaks have been prolonged and difficult to control, we developed an agent-based model of shigellosis transmission among children in these communities to support New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene staff. Simulated children were assigned an initial susceptible, infectious, or recovered (immune) status and interacted and moved between their home, child care program or school, and a community site. We calibrated the model according to observed case counts as reported to the health department. Our goal was to better understand the efficacy of existing interventions and whether limited outreach resources could be focused more effectively. We evaluated how well disseminating hand washing education in child care programs can reduce the number of infected children. The model indicated that intervention efficacy may be as high as 24% when all intervention parameters are at optimal values but only approximately 7% for a more realistic, less stringent scenario. We ranked intervention parameters according to their permutation importance using a random-forest regression analysis. The most important parameter was the minimum number of reported cases in a child care program that triggers a visit to disseminate hand washing education, followed by the use of non-antibacterial soap in hand washing education, the number of additional visits to child care programs, and the probability of successfully obtaining information on child care program attendance via patient interview. Additional strategies should be considered, such as working with community partners to assist with hand hygiene education at facilities during an outbreak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computational thinking (CT), as a new future-oriented literacy, has gained attention at the basic education level. Graphical programming is the common way to develop CT in primary students, but this drag-and-drop programming may weaken students' understanding of programming's abstract concepts and code logic. Text-based programming approaches can solve the problems faced by graphical programming, but few studies have explored the impact of text-based programming on CT. Therefore, we conducted a quasi-experimental study with 98 6th graders to explore the impact of gamified Python programming on CT. The findings showed that CT skills, as well as abstraction and decomposition, pattern recognition and evaluation in CT sub-skills, were significantly higher with students in the experimental group than in the control group. Furthermore, we found that gamified Python programming enabled boys and girls to reach the same level of CT skills. However, in terms of CT sub-skills, we found that gamified Python programming was more beneficial to the development of pattern recognition and evaluation skills for boys and abstraction and decomposition skills for girls. This demonstrated the effectiveness of gamified Python programming to improve primary students' CT skills while clarifying the impact of gender and enriching research in the field of text-based programming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shifting demographics of school-aged children in the middle years, as well as predictions, suggest the enrolment of children who are culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) will continue to increase. The diversity of middle school students in today's classrooms underscores the significance of developing effective teaching strategies and policies to help ensure student success. This linguistic diversification presents a clear call for Health and Physical Education (HPE) educators to reach non-English speaking students with appropriate strategies. Scholarly literature clearly establishes the need, opportunity, and methods for effectively teaching physical literacy (PL) in CALD classrooms. Few articles, however, have been written about multicultural HPE methodologies for exposing and building preservice teachers' (PSTs) knowledge appropriate for CALD middle school children. This paper is about the perspectives of HPE PSTs enrolled in two 12-week elective HPE undergraduate units. We report those PSTs' learning experiences and knowledge of theoretical and practical physical literacy methods for teaching middle school CALD children. Data were collected using an online questionnaire. A key finding was that the PSTs believed they felt inadequately equipped to teach physical literacy to CALD children. The PSTs' perception was on account of a lack of knowledge and paucity of CALD information provided in their subjects. From here, we identified the need to focus on the CALD-specific pedagogical interventions to support the PSTs in using applicable language and terminology when conversing about physical literacy curriculum topics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Studii de Ştiintă şi Cultură is the property of Studii de Stiinta si Cultura and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article focuses on the importance of fostering a love for reading in primary school students through the establishment of engaging classroom libraries. Topics discussed include the role of self-selected literature in enhancing reading engagement, the use of evidence-based teaching strategies to support diverse learning needs, and the implementation of student voice initiatives to encourage active participation in literacy development.

Aim: This systematic review investigates the influence of extracurricular music activities on the emotional and social development of primary school students, with particular attention to the growing trend of parents enrolling their children in such activities. Method: This "craze" surrounding extracurricular music lessons warrants a detailed examination of parental motivations, the nature and extent of this trend, and its implications for both music education and social development. The review also considers the psychosocial factors that may shape attitudes towards after-school music instruction. The preliminary literature review was conducted using the following search terms across ProQuest, Scopus, Web of Science, and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses: "music*" combined with "training," "instruction," "education," or "practice," and "child*" or "adolescent* Psychology." Results: The findings suggest that parental values regarding music education may be influenced by factors such as children's autonomy, enjoyment of music, aspirations for a musical career, development of aesthetic appreciation, and personal achievements. Implications: To support children's development and to create effective curricula and teaching methods, it is crucial for parents, psychologists, and policymakers to acknowledge the diverse needs and values across different cultural contexts. Educators and decision-makers must understand the importance of fostering supportive learning environments to maintain students' academic motivation and engagement. Promoting student well-being and academic success requires clear guidance, individualized support, and opportunities for interaction with peers and teachers. This review underscores the need to grasp the intricate factors affecting students' motivation and involvement in both academic and extracurricular activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. Online teaching was adopted in Hong Kong and many other places worldwide in compliance with the lockdown protocol during the COVID-19 pandemic. This research explores factors affecting the effectiveness of primary students’ online learning as measured by students’ responses to a questionnaire designed for this study. Method. 1,810 students from primary schools in Hong Kong from 15 out of 18 districts in Hong Kong completed the questionnaire in 2023. A Questionnaire was developed for this study to measure four factors, namely, family support in providing hardware and software to students, students’ technology competence in using computers or iPads for learning, students’ engagement in online learning, and online learning effectiveness. Confirmatory Factor Analysis showed that the questionnaire was reliable and valid. Structural Equation Modeling was used to test the hypotheses. Findings. The findings showed that family support in providing hardware and software and students’ technology competence significantly affect students’ engagement during online learning, and students’ engagement significantly positively affects online learning effectiveness. Implications for Research and Practice. The study can cast light on the important relationships of family support and students’ technology competence on students’ learning engagement and online learning effectiveness. Furthermore, online teaching can be effective for primary students if sufficient support can be available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different lines of research have argued that specific groups, such as boys or ethnic minorities, are more prone to develop an anti-school culture than others, leading to group differences in the social acceptance of high performers. Taking an ecological view, we ask to what extent the school context promotes or prevents the emergence of group-specific oppositional cultures. Theoretically, we argue that group-based oppositional cultures become more likely in schools with low socio-economic resources and in schools where socio-economic differences align with demographic attributes. We test our hypotheses based on data from a large-scale, four-wave network panel survey among more than 4000 students in Germany. Applying stochastic actor-oriented models for the coevolution of networks and behavior, we find that group-based oppositional cultures in which students like high performers less are very rare. However, in line with theoretical expectations, the less resourceful a school is, the more boys tend to evaluate high-performing peers less positively than girls do. Moreover, the more ethnic minority boys are socioeconomically disdvantaged in a school, the more they tend to evaluate high performers less positively than majority boys do. • We seek to identify school characteristics that promote gender-based or ethnicity-based oppositional cultures. • We analyze new data from a four-wave network panel survey among more than 4000 students in Germany. • Group-based oppositional cultures in which students like high performers less are rare. • The less resourceful a school is, the more likely boys rate high-performing peers less positively than girls do. • The more ethnic minority and majority boys' SES differs in a school, the more likely they rate high performers differently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]