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Research has shown that the development of cognitive and social skills in preschool predicts school readiness in kindergarten. However, most longitudinal studies are short-term, tracking children's development only through the early elementary school years. This study aims to investigate the long-term impact of preschool predictors, intelligence, and mothers' education on grade six school performance. This study presents the results of an eight-year-long longitudinal study. The sample includes 202 Hungarian children (89 boys) from a disadvantaged region of southeastern Hungary. The independent variables were the preschool measures: DIFER (Diagnostic System for Assessing Development), a widely used, standardized school readiness test that measures cognitive and social skills; the Raven intelligence test; and socioeconomic status. The dependent variables in grade six were: National Standardized tests in math and reading (NABC, National Assessment of Basic Competencies) and school grades (GPA). Cronbach's alpha reliability of each test is above 0.76. Correlations and a series of multiple regressions were used for analysis. All three independent variables have significant predictive power for school performance in sixth grade. DIFER skills were the best predictors for reading achievement, intelligence for math achievement, and GPA was best predicted by mothers' education. The results show that developing preschool skills, mothers' education and IQ in preschool are essential to long-term learning success.

Precise assessment of school readiness is critical because it has practical and theoretical implications for children's school and life success. However, school readiness assessment mainly relies on teacher reports and a few direct evaluations requiring a trained examiner. Studies indicate that 80% of games and apps target preschool children and education, suggesting that apps are familiar and fun for this age group. Previous reviews have focused on these apps' training capability but not on their assessment of school readiness. This Scoping review examines 31 studies published from 2011-2019. The Evidence Centred Design (ECD) framework was used to evaluate game-based assessment (GBA) suitability to assess school readiness domains. Results show that it is possible to assess school readiness using GBA. Most studies assessed cognitive domains in school settings and adopted an external assessment of the tasks. However, most studies only evaluated one competency, and few intervention strategies targeted the enhancement of school readiness. Besides, few studies followed the ECD framework strictly. Implications include expanding the assessment to other school readiness domains with a real-time inbuilt assessment that conforms to the ECD framework. GBA provides a new approach to assess school readiness outside or inside the school settings in this online era.

Cross-national comparisons represent an avenue for investigating milestones achieved by one region that can help improve standards in another country. This study compares the development of executive functioning in Hungarian and Kenyan preschoolers as they prepare for school readiness. The study's cross-sectional design entailed sampling preschoolers from Hungary (n = 187) and Kenya (n = 420) aged between 4 and 8 years nested in 35 classrooms. Preschool class teachers rated the children's executive functioning using the Childhood Executive Functioning Inventory (CHEXI). The two-factor structure of the CHEXI demonstrated a strong measurement invariance for the two countries, Hungary and Kenya. Significant gender differences were noted on both subscales in the Hungarian sample but not in the Kenyan preschoolers. Additionally, no differences were found in the executive functioning of boys from both countries. However, the girls exhibited variances in the inhibition subscale. Contrary to expectations, no linear mixed effects were observed for country or the interactions between age and country apropos difficulties related to inhibition and total executive functioning except for working memory. Better working memory skills noted in the Hungarian sample were attributed to a superior preschool education system.

Performance-based tools to assess school readiness domains such as Approaches to Learning are lacking in Low and Middle-Income Countries such as Kenya. This study aims to develop the Kenyan version of the FOCUS app (Finding Out Children's Unique Strengths), a game-like computer tablet assessment of two Approaches to Learning domains: mastery motivation and executive functions. We used a design-based research approach to develop and validate the FOCUS app, initially designed for the US and Hungarian Cultures, to suit the Kenyan context. We later followed children longitudinally from preschool to grade 1, to assess the applicability of the FOCUS app to the two grade levels. Results showed that the FOCUS app is valid and reliable. There was no significant difference in mastery motivation between the two waves. The FOCUS App can complement other school readiness tools to assess Approaches to Learning as one of the strategies to enhance school and life success.

Recent empirical research has demonstrated the importance of mastery motivation in child development. Therefore, it is essential to have valid and reliable instruments to measure this variable. The Dimensions of Mastery Questionnaires (DMQ 18) was validated in English, Hungarian, Chinese and Spanish. In this article, we evaluate the psychometric properties of Romanian and Russian versions of DMQ 18 that were piloted simultaneously. The study sample consisted of 315 fifth-grade students studying in Russian language schools or Romanian language schools. Reliability of these two versions was demonstrated by good internal consistency. Factor analysis that fits well the theoretical dimensions provided evidence of construct validity. Moreover, this publication presents a comparative ethnic study of Russian- and Romanian-speaking school-aged students from the Republic of Moldova and highlights ethnic differences in mastery motivation as perceived by students.

Introduction: The current focus of empirical studies demonstrates the significance of mastery motivation in child development, academic achievement and school success. Consequently, it is critical to have reliable and valid tools to measure this important variable accurately. The Preschool version of the Dimensions of Mastery Questionnaire (DMQ) 18 has been validated in English, Hungarian, and Chinese and translated to many other languages. This has opened cross-cultural and cross-ethnic studies among these countries. Method: In this study, we evaluate the psychometric properties of the Swahili version of the DMQ 18. Teachers and parents evaluated 397 preschool children recruited using a stratified random sampling technique from Kenya's counties. Results: Reliability was established by good internal consistency, construct reliability, test-retest and parallel forms reliability values. Factorial validity was proven by confirmatory factor analysis and this fitted the theoretical model quite well. Discussion and Conclusion: The Swahili Preschool Dimensions of Mastery Questionnaire was valid and reliable for collecting data in the Kenyan context and that of East Africa. This version compared well with other versions such as Hungarian, Spanish, Turkish, Persian and Indonesian.

Education is a pillar of the socio-economic development of a nation. Higher education (HE) is an engine for national development through producing the required skilled manpower, technology, innovations, research, and training services. The purpose of this study is to highlight the functioning, challenges, and emerging initiatives in public universities in Ethiopia. It employs a narrative review method for the synthesis of the findings. A total of 2004 published articles were searched using Boolean syntax from Scopus, ProQuest, ScienceDirect, and Web of Sciences databases, and 40 articles were maintained for analysis. Thus, the Ministry of Education (MoE) oversees the overall system of higher education. Public universities have shown relatively rapid expansion in the last three decades compared to the 1950s, followed by an increase in gross enrollment rate (GER). However, concerns were raised about the sustainability of these changes due to low investment in the educational sector. Various reforms have been introduced into the higher education system like differentiation, curriculum changes, national comprehensive exit exams for undergraduates, and admission tests for postgraduate programs. The higher education system is struggling with persistent challenges such as quality concerns, inadequate educational inputs, rigid structure, poor working environments, unemployment, and professional skill gaps. Due emphasis should be given to strengthening leadership, supplying adequate educational resources, sustainable financing, staff development, improving service delivery, and quality education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the possible roles of mastery motivation and executive functions on academic achievement. Grade one children were selected using stratified random sampling. Teachers completed school versions of the Dimensions of Mastery Questionnaire (DMQ 18) and the Childhood Executive Functioning Inventory (CHEXI) to assess mastery motivation and executive functions, respectively. Standardized tests were used to assess academic achievement in Math, English and Kiswahili. The results indicated that mastery motivation, specifically cognitive persistence and mastery pleasure sub-scales, influence academic achievement directly and indirectly through executive functions. Furthermore, significant differences were found ranging from moderate to large effect sizes between those learners with high mastery motivation and low executive function difficulties and those with low mastery motivation and high executive function difficulties in academic achievement. Focusing on subject-specific curricular intervention alone is insufficient to enhance academic achievement and school success. Since mastery motivation and executive functions are malleable throughout life, intervention strategies to enhance them can improve approaches to learning, academic achievement and life success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Childhood Executive Functioning Inventory (CHEXI) was developed by Swedish researchers for rating EF skills among 4-12 year-old children. Today the CHEXI has been adopted and used in many studies internationally. This study aims to determine the psychometric properties of the (CHEXI) and the association of Executive Function (EF) skills with academic achievement in the Kenyan culture. Grade one children aged 6 - 11 years were evaluated by teachers for EF skills using the CHEXI. Later direct assessment of academic achievement based on standardized tests was administered in a classroom setting. We used both Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis to test the measurement model of the CHEXI and construct the latent factors. The two-factor model, tapping on working memory and inhibition, fitted the data consistent with the literature. The CHEXI also had excellent reliability values and a strong measurement invariance based on gender (boys vs. girls). Since the CHEXI demonstrated strong psychometric properties, it was found appropriate for the Kenyan culture. The results confirmed the relation between EF and academic achievement. High total EF difficulties were associated with low academic achievement. EF can predict school performance in the Kenyan context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]