This review explores both traditional and innovative strategies for managing conflicts in early childhood education. Traditional methods like mediation and behavioral interventions are examined alongside emerging trends such as restorative practices. Recent studies are synthesized to assess the effectiveness of these approaches, emphasizing their transformative potential for creating positive learning environments and supporting socio-emotional well-being. Identifying gaps in current understanding, the review suggests avenues for future research in conflict management within early childhood education, providing valuable insights for educators and policymakers.
Research Problem: Child marriage is a pervasive social, cultural and public health challenge in Nigeria, with disproportionate effects on adolescent girls living in rural and economically marginalised communities. Although legal provisions and national policy frameworks exist to eliminate the practice, progress has remained slow due to persistent difficulties in implementation at both state and community levels. This study explored the sociocultural, institutional and implementation-related factors for the elimination of child marriage in Kogi State, Nigeria. Methods/Theory: A qualitative implementation research design was employed, drawing on participatory and community-engaged approaches. Data were gathered through Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) and In-Depth Interviews (IDIs) with a wide range of stakeholders. Participants were selected using purposive and snowball sampling techniques to ensure inclusion of individuals with relevant knowledge and lived experience of child marriage and related interventions. Data collection instruments were pre-tested and administered in both English and local languages. The data were analysed thematically with the support of NVivo software. Results: Findings showed that poverty, low levels of education, weak parental support systems, limited access to adolescent reproductive health information, and restricted economic opportunities were key drivers of child marriage in Kogi State. Institutional challenges such as weak policy enforcement, inadequate funding, poor coordination among stakeholders, and limited community-based child protection systems further sustained the practice. The study also found that communities have already taken several informal actions, including local sensitisation efforts, community dialogue sessions, parental guidance initiatives, and informal sanctions against early marriage. Conclusion: The study concludes that child marriage in Kogi State persists due to the interaction of socioeconomic deprivation, entrenched cultural norms, and weak implementation of existing policies, despite emerging community-driven efforts to address the issue. Contributes to Knowledge: The study contributes to knowledge by unraveling culturally responsive and community-based approaches to addressing child marriage and similar social challenges affecting girls. Recommendation: The study recommends stronger multi-sectoral collaboration among government institutions, traditional authorities, religious bodies, schools and civil society organisations to improve coordination and effectiveness of prevention programmes.
In recent years, interest in the application of gamification in education has increased. Gamification is intended to stimulate students' thinking through game techniques, involving them in problem solving. The main aim of this study is to implement a thematic analysis on the use of gamification in early childhood and primary students. To this end, a systematic review was conducted using the PRISMA model in the Web of Science database, following inclusion and exclusion criteria on quantitative and qualitative experimental and quasi-experimental studies that explore gamification in early childhood education and primary school. 24 studies were analyzed. The results show that the investigations are aimed at improving academic and collaborative skills and increasing motivation with positive results. Furthermore, most of the studies involve students between 10 and 12 years of age and are developed in science subjects supported by technological applications and gamified elements. In conclusion, it has been found that gamification has been applied in early childhood and primary education for many areas and objectives. Likewise, as a didactic strategy, it has brought significant improvements in academic performance, motivation and autonomy, which makes it advisable to continue deepening its application. Keywords: gamification, early childhood education, primary education, thematic analysis
Alejandro Lorenzo-Lledó, Elena Pérez-Vázquez, Eliseo Andréu Cabrera et al.
The I.ECEC+ Project 2018-1-HU01-KA201-047763 (2018-2021) aims at strengthening collaboration among different European institutions working within (or in relation to) early childhood education (ECEC) settings. The general objectives of the project are to contribute to the integration of disadvantaged children and improve the quality of institutional education and care in early childhood. The immediate goal of the project was to learn about the intercultural competencies of professionals working in the field and to assess their training needs in the areas of early childhood education. The Italian, Spanish, Belgian, and Hungarian early childhood educators involved in the projects have gained experiences that can be incorporated into an inclusive early childhood education environment. Based on these experiences, a pilot training was designed and tested for improving early childhood educators’ attitudes towards intercultural and inclusive practices. The effect of the pilot training was monitored by means of observational data. The I.ECEC project also aimed to study and make available successful experiences, good practices and innovative solutions.
Angéla Bajzáth, Anna Bereczkiné Záluszki, Sarolta Darvay et al.
Teenage pregnancy can increase the maternal mortality rate (MMR) because the reproductive organs are immature, leading to many birth complications. One of the triggers of teenage pregnancy is early marriage caused by several factors. This study analyzes the determinants of early marriage incidence in adolescent girls. The research sample was 60 respondents in Dau District, Malang Regency. The research method used descriptive quantitative with a total sampling technique. Data were collected with questionnaires distributed door to door and were analyzed using percentages. The results showed that most respondents had junior high school education (63%). In contrast, in the category of early teens, psychological changes occurred at that time, one of which was the period of seeking self-identity. Sociocultural factors in the moderate category (61.7%) affect early marriage, where there is still a hereditary tradition. Economic factors in the moderate category (75%) affect early marriage. There is still an arranged marriage with his brother because the property owned does not fall to someone else. Mass media factors in the moderate category (66.7%) affect early marriage. Pornographic photos and videos seen by chance will upload curiosity to see them. Moreover, the belief factor in the excellent category (71.7%) affects early marriage, and there is a view and belief that adolescent maturity is judged by marital status. Thus, it still relatively high several factors that cause early marriage. Health workers and the government will pay more attention and recognize the pattern of early marriage factors from each region so they can later make the proper regulations or counseling on target.
Nafisah Anna Hidayati, Suprapti Suprapti, Hening Ryan Aryani et al.
Developmental theories are based on research that suggest philosophies about the children’s development. Theorists use the outcomes of their research to systematize and decode data grounded on a scheme to generate their theory. A theory is a methodical account of ideologies based on observed phenomena and their relationship to each other. A child development theory observes and interprets the children’s development and behavior. It identifies components in the children’s hereditary structure and the environmental situations that affect growth and behavior and the relationship of these elements. Numerous developmental theories provide information on ways to motivate, endure, guide, and nurture the children’s performance. Theorists established various developmental theories. Most theories differ and compete with each other, but they are frequently modified. This article describes some developmental theories and their theorists who have affected the disciplines of child development and early childhood education. Theorists include Jean Piaget, Lev S. Vygotsky, Burrhus Frederic Skinner, Urie Bronfenbrenner, and Sigmund Freud theorists. The article also discusses their theories, philosophies, and applications. Interpretations on the meaning of children’s development and behavior are explained for each theory. Though the theories are sorted into schools of thought, they are different within each school.
Kanyashree Prakalpa is a conditional cash transfer scheme launched by the Government of West Bengal to promote girls' education and delay early marriage, particularly among adolescents from low-income families.This study examines the impact of the scheme on adolescent school-going girls in Chanchal Block, Malda district-an area marked by high rates of child marriage and educational discontinuity.The study aims to understand the significance of the scheme on educational attainment and early marriage on beneficiaries.Furthermore, it intends to investigate the obstacles that the beneficiaries experience.A descriptive mixed-methods design was adopted.Quantitative data was collected from 120 adolescent school going girls using structured interview schedule, and qualitative data were obtained through a focus group discussion with parents.Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis.Findings revealed that while 63% of respondents perceived a high or very high impact of the scheme on their educational attainment, nearly half rated its effectiveness in reducing child marriage as low or very low.Key challenges included low awareness (reported by 56.5% of participants), procedural complexities, irregular disbursement of funds, and banking issues.The Kanyashree Prakalpa has contributed to improved school retention among adolescent girls but has had limited success in addressing early marriage.Strengthening awareness efforts, simplifying application processes, ensuring timely fund disbursement, and enhancing financial inclusion are critical for maximizing the scheme's effectiveness and reach.
Rupa Biswas, Ms. Poulami Mukherjee, Ms. Esha Shastri
Child marriage is described as any formal marriage or informal union in which one of the partners is less than 18 years [1]. This practice is not limited to cultures or geographical areas, but it is a global phenomenon that exists in different forms in diverse societies. In 2023, UNICEF reported that about 650 million women globally were married in their childhood [2]. The report further documented that one in three girls marry before 18 years in Africa. These statistics suggest a disproportionate burden in Africa, pointing to deep-rooted structural, cultural, and socioeconomic factors that continue to sustain the practice. Determinants of child marriages rest on community notions on the period childhood ends and adult responsibilities commence and the socially outlined pathways during these transitions [3]. In many contexts, these unions reflect beliefs about when a young person becomes an adult, what it means to protect family honour or how gender shapes the expectations placed on girls and boys [3] In South Asia, the practice of child marriage is entwined with established social constructs such as caste hierarchies, kinship and the expectations placed on family honour and female purity [4]. Within these settings, marrying girls early is often viewed as a way to protect them from perceived social risks, maintain community reputation and preserve established family alliances [4]. These beliefs continue to shape marital decisions even as education and economic opportunities slowly expand [3,4]. In parts of the Middle East, child marriage is similarly anchored in tradition, but the motivations may differ [5]. Early unions can function as mechanisms for strengthening inter-family alliances, ensuring social stability, or preserving tribes [6,7]. In some communities, these marriages are seen as a means of offering security to young girls, especially in contexts affected by conflict, displacement, or economic uncertainty [8–10]. The endurance of these norms illustrates how marriage practices can become tightly bound to community identity and collective survival strategies. In Latin America, informal unions involving minors are often consensual but shaped by inequality and occur alongside legally recognized marriages [11]. These relationships reflect different understandings of partnership, adulthood and family formation. Economic hardship, gendered expectations and limited access to education frequently intersect to normalise early cohabitation, blurring the line between cultural practice and structural constraint [3,4]. The coexistence of formal and informal unions indicates a broader regional conversation about agency, vulnerability and legal protection for adolescents. Despite the regional variations, common threads emerge. Across different societies, the decisions that lead to child marriage are seldom made by the child alone but are the product of collective social expectations, familial pressures and communal norms [4]. Research shows that elders, parents, religious leaders and peers all influence when and why the child enters a marital union. These shared dynamics help explain why the practice persists even where legal restrictions exist and why interventions that do not engage local communities often fail. Although it occurs in many parts of the world, it takes on especially powerful local forms in Africa. Here, marriage can represent a socially accepted pathway into adulthood, a signal of maturity and a form of belonging [12]. In some communities, marrying young is not only accepted but upheld as a responsible or protective choice by families navigating traditional expectations. Scholars have increasingly emphasized the need to understand child marriage through the lens of local lived experiences how it is justified, negotiated and sometimes resisted in specific cultural contexts. This systematic review aims to synthesize current African studies to show the facilitators, barriers and outcomes of child marriage. This review is needed because of the persistent but uneven burden of child marriage across Africa, where existing evidence remains fragmented across countries, populations, and study designs, that limits a coherent understanding of the phenomenon. What distinguishes this review is its integrative approach, bringing together prevalence, determinants, protective factors, and outcomes within a single analytical framework, while also capturing both quantitative patterns and lived social realities. This review synthesised evidence across diverse contexts and methodological traditions and moves beyond isolated findings to reveal how structural, cultural, and individual factors intersect to sustain or prevent child marriage. The resulting evidence provides a more holistic and contextually grounded basis for policy and practice, offering clearer direction for targeted interventions, resource prioritisation, and future research within the African setting
Storytelling activities are usually carried out by a teacher to early childhood students. There are many benefits of storytelling activities for early childhood students. Therefore, storytelling activities must continue to be developed in early childhood education. This descriptive qualitative research with literature study will discuss the various benefits and objectives of storytelling for early childhood. The data analysis technique uses content analysis by sorting out data according to the objectives and benefits of the research. This study found the following points. First, storytelling is an activity to tell fictitious stories that don't really happen to instill the best values from the story and take lessons from the worst values from the story. Second, the purpose of storytelling for early childhood is to form good behavior and instill character values in children so that they have balance and cognitive, affective, and psychomotor development. Third, the benefits of storytelling for early childhood include: training concentration, sharpening memory sharpness, developing language skills, fostering interest in reading, improving critical thinking skills, and bringing closer emotional relationships between teachers and students.
Dessy Farantika, Arif Muzayin Shofwan, Devia Purwaningrum
This book is a volume of studies in which a collection of theoretical studies and empirical research can be read that explores inclusive pedagogy what can be observed in the everyday practices of early childhood educationthat reinforces learning and supports the acceptance of the diversity of disability and culture.The book starts with the words of the editors, in which they formulate their thoughts on the relevance and importance of the book: "This essential textbook explores inclusive pedagogies by presenting theoretical viewpoints and research on everyday practices in early childhood education that affirm diversity about learning, disability, and culture."(p. 1)The table of contents provides an opportunity to review the title and author of the studies included in the volume, and it is also possible to see on which page each study begins.In addition, a List of figures subsection appears, which describes the title and page number of the figures appearing in the studies; Contributing authors subsection, where you can read a short biography of the authors of the studies published in the book, as well as an introduction written by the editors: Inclusive pedagogy as an ethics of responsibility and care.In the Introduction the editors, Carmel Conn and Alison Murphy talk about the concept of inclusion, and inclusive pedagogy and describe the importance of this book: "We hope these chapters will contribute to the ongoing conversation about best practices suitable for all children in early childhood education and serve to highlight the importance of close attention to the ways in which we think about and engage with them as learners."(p. 7).In their reading, "inclusion is the result of people coming to know each other, accepting the other as they are and adjusting to people's different ways of being in the world."(p. 2), and inclusive pedagogy "focuses specifically on educational practices, but also the ideas, values, and knowledge that shape and justify these".After clarifying the conceptual background, the editors briefly present the further structure of the book, as well as the essential ideas of each study.The volume consists of two large parts.It is entitled PART I: Theoretical perspectives on inclusive pedagogy, in this part inclusive pedagogy, is scrutinized from a theoretical approach, and in PART II: Using research to develop inclusive pedagogies, relevant empirical research
