Search

Outdoor environmental education and provision of unstructured exploration of nature are often forgotten aspects of the early childhood experience. The aim of this study was to understand how adults' early experiences in nature relate to their attitudes and practices in providing such experiences for young children. This study surveyed 33 parents and early childhood educators at an Australian university-located early childhood service about their own childhood experiences in nature and their current provision of such experiences with their children. Participants completed an online questionnaire consisting of the Nature Relatedness Scale-Short Form (Nisbet et. al, 2009; Nisbet & Zelenski, 2013) and the Inclusion of Nature in Self Scale (Schultz, 2002). Questions regarding adults' knowledge and behaviour on gardening and sustainability topics were also included. Results indicate that although most participants were strongly engaged in unstructured nature experiences as children, few of them provided such experiences for their children. Implications for environmental education in early childhood settings and the home setting are discussed.

PreschoolThis study investigated the nature of parent involvement and parent-educator communication in prior-to-school early childhood settings and school, to explore relations to social capital variables and consistencies and changes in practices over time. Parent interview and teacher questionnaire data from two waves of the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children were analysed. Results indicated that parental involvement and communication decreased as children moved from prior-to-school settings to school. Educators in both settings reported using similar strategies to promote parent involvement and communication, but there were setting differences for parents' ratings of communication effectiveness. Using regression analyses, family socio-economic position (SEP), home language (English versus other), Indigenous status and home educational activities were examined as predictors of parent involvement and communication strategies, and effectiveness. Results showed that parents who were more engaged in education activities at home were more involved in their child's early childhood and school settings, had more frequent communication with educators and rated educator communication effectiveness more highly. SEP and home language were less consistent predictors, and Indigenous status was not associated with any of the measures.

This article is based on an exploratory study that examines factors which predict children's performance on the numeracy component of the Australian National Assessment Program--Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN). Utilizing an ecological theoretical model, this study examines child, home and school variables which may enable or constrain NAPLAN numeracy performance. Data are presented from a nationally-representative sample of 2450 children participating in the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC). Twenty-four children, home and school variables are tested as predictors of performance on the Year 3 NAPLAN numeracy assessment. The analysis includes an investigation of bivariate relationships between the outcome variable and each of the predictor variables. Following this a series of linear regression models are used to analyse the relation between child, home and school-related variables and NAPLAN numeracy performance. The results support the ecological model and point to the importance of a supportive home--school relationship on children's numeracy performance.

Growing recognition of the complexity of children's lives has led to strong advocacy in education research literature for greater collaboration between researchers from different paradigms to address the "wicked" problems that face contemporary children and families. There is little literature, however, exploring how collaboration works in practice. This paper, drawing on researcher reflective narrative, and using Cultural Historical Activity Theory as a heuristic framework, describes and critiques the formative stages of an educational research collaborative group of five early and one mid-career early childhood education researchers (the authors), from two universities, and with quite different epistemological and ontological understandings. It outlines, from an insider perspective, some of the outcomes, challenges and tensions associated with participating in the research group, and concludes by providing some implications for policy and considerations for those contemplating forming a collaborative group.

This article explores the potential of tailoring the inherent principles of the Strengths Approach (McCashen, 2005) for preparing early childhood educators to work with children and families with complex needs. The term "Strengths Approach" (capitalized) is presented in the article as the name of a specific approach developed by St. Lukes (McCashen, 2005) while the term "strengths approaches" (lower case) is included for broader references to strengths-based organizational practices. The Strengths Approach is a solutions-focused way of openly addressing issues that occur in human services by identifying and using the strengths and resources of all stakeholders. Although commonly used in social service organizations, the Strengths Approach has not been widely adopted in early childhood education and care contexts or in teacher education courses. Drawing on our previous Australian and American interdisciplinary research in psychology, child development, and early childhood preservice teacher training for child protection, we examine the possibility of teacher educators also introducing the Strengths Approach in preservice teacher training as a framework to enhance future parent-educator communication across a range of children's early development, protection, attachment, and learning needs.

This prospective study sought to characterise the educational experiences, mental health, and behavioural functioning of Australian children with a pre-existing learning difficulty or specific learning disorder (SLD) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study also evaluated the potential role of parent psychological distress as a risk factor for poorer child functioning in this high-risk population. Using a prospective longitudinal design, the study involved 58 parents of children and adolescents with a pre-existing learning difficulty or specific learning disorder (M age = 11.9 years; range 7–17 years) who were initially referred to a state-wide diagnostic centre for specific learning disorders in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Child outcomes were assessed using the COVID-19 Wellbeing and Mental Health Survey (a modified version of the CoRonavIruS Health Impact Survey [CRISIS] tool), the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), and the Emotional Distress Scale from the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS). Parents' mental health was assessed using the CRISIS tool and the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10). In keeping with initial predictions, a large proportion of parents expressed significant disruption to child educational experience and routines, including challenges related to child engagement in remote learning platforms during COVID-19. Compared to pre-pandemic mental health symptom ratings, children experienced significantly higher symptoms of worry, negative thoughts, loneliness, agitation, and aggression during the pandemic period (all p < 0.05). As expected, higher levels of parent distress predicted greater child worry symptoms (p = 0.003) and more frequent child behavioural difficulties (p = 0.004). These results help elucidate the specific psychological and educational challenges faced by children with pre-existing learning difficulty or SLD during the COVID-19 pandemic. Family-centred intervention and/or supports may help to address the unique educational and psychological needs of young people with pre-existing learning differences and their families during future global pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to explore how connections between families, communities and educators can be facilitated in teacher education courses through the use of playgroups. Barriers to building relationships, as well as the perceived benefits of these relationships to families and pre-service teachers, were also explored. Participants were involved in weekly university-based community playgroups. Focus group interviews were conducted and the constant comparative method was used to analyse interview transcripts. Themes of "Constraints" and "Enablers" emerged from pre-service teachers' transcripts, indicating that they were initially uncomfortable with community and family involvement but eventually made connections as to why this was important. The theme of "positive relationship building" emerged from parents' transcripts, indicating that they saw building relationships with families and communities as an important role of early childhood educators. Implications for the importance of authentic learning situations for fostering these relationships in teacher education courses are discussed.

Aims: Heart failure (HF) causes significant morbidity and mortality, but the rates and characteristics of people with HF in Australia are not well studied. SHAPE set out to describe the characteristics of HF patients seen in the real‐world setting. Methods: We analysed anonymized patient data extracted from the clinical software of 43 participating GP clinics for the 5 year period from 1 July 2013 to 30 June 2018. Patients were stratified into 'definite' and 'probable' HF based on a hierarchy of selection criteria and analysed for their clinical characteristics. Symptoms and signs of HF and ejection fraction data were searched for within the free text of the medical notes. Results: Of the 1.12 million adults seen regularly, 20 219 were classified as having definite or probable HF. The mean age of the population was 69.8 years, 50.6% were female, and mean body mass index was 31.2 kg/m2. Fewer than 1 in 6 had the HF diagnosis optimally recorded. Only 3.2% (650 patients) had their left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) quantified: 40.9% had an EF ≥50% and 59.1% had an EF <50%. The most common comorbidities in people with HF were hypertension (41.1%), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease/asthma (25.1%) and depression/anxiety (18.4%). Hypotension (2.3%), bradycardia (6.3%), severe renal impairment (6.4%) and hyperkalaemia (2.0%) were uncommon. Just over one‐third (37.8%) had iron deficiency. Loop diuretic use was common (56.7%) but only 33.7% were on a guideline recommended beta‐blockers. Use of ivabradine (1.4%) and sacubitril/valsartan (1.2%) was very low, while 39.9% had been prescribed an angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitor, 31.6% an angiotensin receptor blocker and 16.0% spironolactone. Many patients were prescribed medications that may worsen HF or are relatively contraindicated, such as macrolide antibiotics (29.9%), corticosteroids (25.8%), nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (23.9%), and tricyclic antidepressants (9.4%). Conclusions: Heart failure is poorly documented in general practice records and may be contributing to untoward downstream effects, such as low documentation of echocardiography, poor use of guideline recommended therapies and frequent use of medications that may worsen HF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gene frequencies in Europe are intermediate with respect to those of other continents. A phylogenetic tree reconstructed from 95 gene frequencies tested on 26 European samples shows some deviant populations (Lapps, Sardinians, Greeks, Yugoslavs, Basques, Icelanders and Finns) and other weakly structured populations. This behavior may have a simple interpretation: Europeans have not evolved according to a tree of descent probably because of the major role played by migrations in prehistorical and historical times. The leading component of the European genetic landscape is a gradient that originates in the Middle East and is directed to the northwest. According to the hypothesis by Ammerman and Cavalli-Sforza this gradient was generated by a migration of Neolithic farmers from Anatolia followed by continuous, partial admixture of the expanding farmers with local hunter-gatherers. Other leading components of the gene frequencies in Europe show correlations with possible movements of Uralic-speaking people and pastoral nomads from a region north of the Caucasus and Black Sea, which according to Gimbutas is the area of origin of Indo-European speakers. This analysis is based on classical pre-DNA genetic markers. The prospect of future research using DNA polymorphisms is discussed in the context of the Human Genome Project.