BackgroundIn today's society, a growing body of literature attests to the importance of young... more BackgroundIn today's society, a growing body of literature attests to the importance of young children's early digital literacy skills in their home environments and how acquisition of these digital literacy skills relates to their future learning and digital literacy.ObjectivesResearch on young children's digital literacy practices at home was reviewed to explore the positive and negative influences on early learning. This is important due to the children's rapid uptake of online digital technologies over the past decade.MethodsPeer‐reviewed research articles on home digital literacy practices of children (aged 0–8 years old) published between 2010 and 2021 from four education databases were carefully selected based upon pre‐determined criteria and examined using content analysis.Results and ConclusionA high proportion of studies (29 of the 31; 93.5%) demonstrated significant benefits of young children gaining a range of skills, including digital operational, early ...
T he concept of emergent literacy presents the view that from the time they are born, young child... more T he concept of emergent literacy presents the view that from the time they are born, young children develop their knowledge about language and literacy through their sociocultural interactions with others. Emergent literacy encompasses knowledge about the alphabet, letter sounds, words, and language, and such skills are predictive of future reading, writing, and spelling ability. However, some emergent literacy skills are stronger predictors than others. For example, letter name and sound knowledge and phonological awareness are strong predictors, whereas print concepts and oral language are moderate predictors.1 Emergent literacy is more than discrete skills, with complex interrelationships. It is also important to note the influence of the literacy environment on each child’s learning in the years prior to school. The significance of cultural context, language background, and social interactions experienced by young children within their homes, preschools, and communities cannot be underestimated. These experiences help shape children’s unique learning journeys, especially within this hybrid world of the digital and non-digital. For example, research has identified general patterns of development of alphabet knowledge in young children showing that upper-case letter knowledge develops earlier than lower-case letter knowledge.2 It also has been shown that children in the United States typically learn letter names prior to letter sounds, while in the United Kingdom the opposite occurs.3 Therefore, the What Counts Most in Assessing Emergent Literacy With Digital Tools?
Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools, 2021
Resilience can be a protective trait to promote mental health when implemented in the early years... more Resilience can be a protective trait to promote mental health when implemented in the early years. This study explored the use of storytelling to foster children’s learning of resilience. A pedagogically appropriate storybook was used to facilitate and embed the skills of resilience in children at primary school. Teachers (n = 2) and community-based sports officers (n = 2) read the storybook to children enrolled in Kindergarten (first formal year of schooling) (n = 20), Year 1 (n = 20) and Year 2 (n = 20). The total number in the participant group was 60, aged 4–8 years old. Following the initial reading, teachers continued to deliver the storybook to children over a 4-week intervention period. All participants were interviewed about their perceptions of the storybook, and their responses were coded into key themes mapped by the Grotberg Resilience Framework. Results indicated that storytelling as a tool provided children with positive resilience-based behavioural intervention oppor...
Teachers in early years classrooms play a pivotal role in supporting children’s oral language and... more Teachers in early years classrooms play a pivotal role in supporting children’s oral language and vocabulary development (Barnes et al., 2016; Dickinson & Porche, 2011). Educators should not assume that all children will have a well-developed vocabulary by the time they reach upper primary years. Oral language and vocabulary should be taught in a range of rich and diverse ways, such as printed books, digital story book apps, and dramatic play
The Journal of Interactive Learning Research, 2019
Touch screen tablets such as iPads are becoming increasingly popular as educational tools to supp... more Touch screen tablets such as iPads are becoming increasingly popular as educational tools to support children’s first language learning in pre-schools. Apps can also be used to support early learning of a second language in English-speaking countries. However, little work has been done to evaluate these apps. The present research developed criteria for assessing Mandarin learning apps and applied them to evaluate 28 Mandarin apps for English-speaking pre-schoolers. The criteria included the domains of interactivity, usability, cultural awareness, collaboration, language and literacy content, and learning outcomes. The application of the criteria showed that half the Mandarin learning apps lacked key educational features essential for second language learning. The categories in which the apps scored most highly were interactivity, cultural awareness, usability, and language and literacy content. The apps scored lowest in the categories of collaboration and provision of learning outco...
To effectively address early childhood screen time concerns raised by parents and policy makers i... more To effectively address early childhood screen time concerns raised by parents and policy makers it is important to examine the current home digital environments of young children. The present study draws upon research which examined the home digital environment of Australian parents and their children (aged 2 to 4; N = 69). Parents completed a questionnaire that asked how many digital devices families had at home, how much time children spend on them, and how easily children could operate them. The extent of parental engagement in digital activities and parent views on touch screen tablets were also measured. TVs and touch screen tablets were the most popular digital device among pre-schoolers being used on average for 80 mins and 20 mins per day respectively. Parents rated touch screen tablets as the easiest device for young children to operate. It is suggested that a differentiated screen time policy approach for TVs and tablets is needed to better address screen time concerns. Pr...
The teaching of statistics at university is challenging because many students have negative perce... more The teaching of statistics at university is challenging because many students have negative perceptions towards the subject and it requires students to integrate mathematical concepts, the process of statistical inference, and their applications to real world problems. Blended learning approaches have the potential to meet these challenges and facilitate student learning in various ways. This chapter reviews established and emerging practices in blended learning for statistics teaching at university. Various blended learning approaches including wikis, vodcasts, dynamic collation of class responses, discussion boards, blogs, interactive computer-based exercises, on-line tutorials, and social media are reviewed in terms of their methods of application, student perceptions, and effectiveness to enhance student learning outcomes. The future role of blended learning in statistics teaching is also considered in the context of emerging trends in higher education. Recommendations for using...
Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools, 2021
The concept of resilience and mindfulness is becoming increasingly popular in schools worldwide i... more The concept of resilience and mindfulness is becoming increasingly popular in schools worldwide in response to critical issues such as escalating teacher stress and burnout. This article explores the concept of mindfulness as a supportive practice to build resilience in times of stress in relation to reducing or preventing teacher burnout. It aims to provide practical strategies for psychologists and counsellors in schools to empower teachers with coping strategies when encountering stress. What current research literature reveals about the effectiveness of resilience and mindfulness for supporting the wellbeing of preservice and inservice teachers is discussed. Overall, the research shows that practising mindfulness to build resilience is beneficial because it helps teachers focus on the present and improves attention, self-awareness and emotional regulation, which can reduce stress and enhance wellbeing. However, further empirical studies are needed to provide deeper insights of t...
BackgroundIn today's society, a growing body of literature attests to the importance of young... more BackgroundIn today's society, a growing body of literature attests to the importance of young children's early digital literacy skills in their home environments and how acquisition of these digital literacy skills relates to their future learning and digital literacy.ObjectivesResearch on young children's digital literacy practices at home was reviewed to explore the positive and negative influences on early learning. This is important due to the children's rapid uptake of online digital technologies over the past decade.MethodsPeer‐reviewed research articles on home digital literacy practices of children (aged 0–8 years old) published between 2010 and 2021 from four education databases were carefully selected based upon pre‐determined criteria and examined using content analysis.Results and ConclusionA high proportion of studies (29 of the 31; 93.5%) demonstrated significant benefits of young children gaining a range of skills, including digital operational, early ...
T he concept of emergent literacy presents the view that from the time they are born, young child... more T he concept of emergent literacy presents the view that from the time they are born, young children develop their knowledge about language and literacy through their sociocultural interactions with others. Emergent literacy encompasses knowledge about the alphabet, letter sounds, words, and language, and such skills are predictive of future reading, writing, and spelling ability. However, some emergent literacy skills are stronger predictors than others. For example, letter name and sound knowledge and phonological awareness are strong predictors, whereas print concepts and oral language are moderate predictors.1 Emergent literacy is more than discrete skills, with complex interrelationships. It is also important to note the influence of the literacy environment on each child’s learning in the years prior to school. The significance of cultural context, language background, and social interactions experienced by young children within their homes, preschools, and communities cannot be underestimated. These experiences help shape children’s unique learning journeys, especially within this hybrid world of the digital and non-digital. For example, research has identified general patterns of development of alphabet knowledge in young children showing that upper-case letter knowledge develops earlier than lower-case letter knowledge.2 It also has been shown that children in the United States typically learn letter names prior to letter sounds, while in the United Kingdom the opposite occurs.3 Therefore, the What Counts Most in Assessing Emergent Literacy With Digital Tools?
Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools, 2021
Resilience can be a protective trait to promote mental health when implemented in the early years... more Resilience can be a protective trait to promote mental health when implemented in the early years. This study explored the use of storytelling to foster children’s learning of resilience. A pedagogically appropriate storybook was used to facilitate and embed the skills of resilience in children at primary school. Teachers (n = 2) and community-based sports officers (n = 2) read the storybook to children enrolled in Kindergarten (first formal year of schooling) (n = 20), Year 1 (n = 20) and Year 2 (n = 20). The total number in the participant group was 60, aged 4–8 years old. Following the initial reading, teachers continued to deliver the storybook to children over a 4-week intervention period. All participants were interviewed about their perceptions of the storybook, and their responses were coded into key themes mapped by the Grotberg Resilience Framework. Results indicated that storytelling as a tool provided children with positive resilience-based behavioural intervention oppor...
Teachers in early years classrooms play a pivotal role in supporting children’s oral language and... more Teachers in early years classrooms play a pivotal role in supporting children’s oral language and vocabulary development (Barnes et al., 2016; Dickinson & Porche, 2011). Educators should not assume that all children will have a well-developed vocabulary by the time they reach upper primary years. Oral language and vocabulary should be taught in a range of rich and diverse ways, such as printed books, digital story book apps, and dramatic play
The Journal of Interactive Learning Research, 2019
Touch screen tablets such as iPads are becoming increasingly popular as educational tools to supp... more Touch screen tablets such as iPads are becoming increasingly popular as educational tools to support children’s first language learning in pre-schools. Apps can also be used to support early learning of a second language in English-speaking countries. However, little work has been done to evaluate these apps. The present research developed criteria for assessing Mandarin learning apps and applied them to evaluate 28 Mandarin apps for English-speaking pre-schoolers. The criteria included the domains of interactivity, usability, cultural awareness, collaboration, language and literacy content, and learning outcomes. The application of the criteria showed that half the Mandarin learning apps lacked key educational features essential for second language learning. The categories in which the apps scored most highly were interactivity, cultural awareness, usability, and language and literacy content. The apps scored lowest in the categories of collaboration and provision of learning outco...
To effectively address early childhood screen time concerns raised by parents and policy makers i... more To effectively address early childhood screen time concerns raised by parents and policy makers it is important to examine the current home digital environments of young children. The present study draws upon research which examined the home digital environment of Australian parents and their children (aged 2 to 4; N = 69). Parents completed a questionnaire that asked how many digital devices families had at home, how much time children spend on them, and how easily children could operate them. The extent of parental engagement in digital activities and parent views on touch screen tablets were also measured. TVs and touch screen tablets were the most popular digital device among pre-schoolers being used on average for 80 mins and 20 mins per day respectively. Parents rated touch screen tablets as the easiest device for young children to operate. It is suggested that a differentiated screen time policy approach for TVs and tablets is needed to better address screen time concerns. Pr...
The teaching of statistics at university is challenging because many students have negative perce... more The teaching of statistics at university is challenging because many students have negative perceptions towards the subject and it requires students to integrate mathematical concepts, the process of statistical inference, and their applications to real world problems. Blended learning approaches have the potential to meet these challenges and facilitate student learning in various ways. This chapter reviews established and emerging practices in blended learning for statistics teaching at university. Various blended learning approaches including wikis, vodcasts, dynamic collation of class responses, discussion boards, blogs, interactive computer-based exercises, on-line tutorials, and social media are reviewed in terms of their methods of application, student perceptions, and effectiveness to enhance student learning outcomes. The future role of blended learning in statistics teaching is also considered in the context of emerging trends in higher education. Recommendations for using...
Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools, 2021
The concept of resilience and mindfulness is becoming increasingly popular in schools worldwide i... more The concept of resilience and mindfulness is becoming increasingly popular in schools worldwide in response to critical issues such as escalating teacher stress and burnout. This article explores the concept of mindfulness as a supportive practice to build resilience in times of stress in relation to reducing or preventing teacher burnout. It aims to provide practical strategies for psychologists and counsellors in schools to empower teachers with coping strategies when encountering stress. What current research literature reveals about the effectiveness of resilience and mindfulness for supporting the wellbeing of preservice and inservice teachers is discussed. Overall, the research shows that practising mindfulness to build resilience is beneficial because it helps teachers focus on the present and improves attention, self-awareness and emotional regulation, which can reduce stress and enhance wellbeing. However, further empirical studies are needed to provide deeper insights of t...
It is well-recognised that disengagement is a growing problem in schools across the globe. Furthe... more It is well-recognised that disengagement is a growing problem in schools across the globe. Furthermore, statistics show that nearly 60% of all gifted students are not actualising their potential, exposing the loss of potential for both the individual and society. While disengagement and underachievement are complex issues with no one root cause, it is well-established that when students are actively engaged in their learning, they learn more effectively. Talent actualisation is not guaranteed just because a student is gifted. As such there is heightened concern about student (dis)engagement, where there is a failure to adequately support (re)engagement so that gifted potential can develop into talent actualisation, which is evidenced through mastery. This conceptual article provides a new lens through which to explore (re)engagement opportunities for gifted students by conceptualising the interrelationship between three interconnected constructs: (1) four engagement dimensions (behavioural, affective, social, and cognitive); (2) Neihart and Betts' six profiles of the gifted; and (3) appropriate pedagogical approaches aimed at (re)engagement. The authors' focus on proposing new conceptualisations of these three interdependent constructs through a framework titled the (Re) Engagement Nexus Model. This model is intended as a starting point for future research in personalising (re)engagement opportunities for gifted learners and preventing underachievement and disengagement before it becomes entrenched.
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