Using the Opportunity-Propensity Model (Byrnes in Dev Rev 56:100911, 2020; Byrnes & Miller in Contemp Educ Psychol 32(4);599-629, 2007), the current study investigated which factors helped predicting children's home learning experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, thereby examining differences between children with (DD; n = 779) and without (TD; n = 1443) developmental disorders. MANCOVA results indicated more negative experiences for DD children and their parents. SEM-results revealed the alignment between different teachers and autonomous motivation in children as the most important predictors for the outcome variables. Less predictors were significant for DD as compared to TD children which suggests other factors are at play in the DD group. Limitations, strengths and suggestions for future research are being discussed, together with some implications for classroom practices and remote learning approaches.
Elke Baten, Fieke Vlaeminck, Marjolein Muès et al.
International migration has a powerful impact on both the sending and receiving countries, especially for adults migrating for better working conditions and leaving family members, including children, behind. Increasing numbers of left-behind children in Romania (Save the Children Romania, 2019) require attention and support through specific policies and school-based programs. The purpose of this empirical study is to develop and assess a school-based prevention/intervention group counseling program for left-behind children. The program is based on previous social-emotional learning curricula and it incorporates mindfulness technics (Sibinga, Webb, Ghazarian, & Ellen, 2016). It is designed to increase resilience and self-regulatory abilities in children, thus improving their school adjustment in terms of emotional, social, behavioral and attitudinal outcomes. Using a sample of 62 children, aged 12-15 (M = 12.71, SD = .868), we conducted a quasi-randomized trial with a control and an intervention group to investigate the efficacy of the program. Children in the intervention group reported improved self-regulation and resilience and reduced loneliness and social dissatisfaction. Teachers reported significantly fewer emotional and behavioral difficulties for the children following the intervention. This study emphasizes the role of the evidence-based approach to counseling services in schools, by capitalizing on the latest findings in the field and addressing the specific needs of left-behind children.
Laura Tripa, Florin Alin Sava, Ramona Paloș et al.
IntroductionChildren with special educational needs (SEN) are more likely to have disadvantaged backgrounds than their peers, attend school less and do not achieve as well academically. Many children with a cerebral palsy (CP) have SEN but little is known about their educational outcomes. Objectives and ApproachTo investigate the background of children in Wales with CP and describe their educational experience including: type of SEN and SEN provision; school attendance; achievement—teacher assessments at the end of the Foundation Phase and Key Stages 2 and 3 of the National Curriculum (NC)— and in General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) examinations. Data from the Pupil Level Annual School Census (PLASC), NC and GCSE results were linked with routine e-health records of primary and secondary health care data held in SAIL. Using health care records for everyone aged between 0-25 in 2004–14, cases of CP were flagged. ResultsThe linked data set included some 1500–2000 children per school census classified as having a CP, representing a prevalence of some 0.3%. Provisionally, results show: prevalence of CP is higher amongst children living in relatively deprived areas; around 60% of CP children have a statement of SEN; the SEN type most commonly recorded for CP children with SEN is ‘Physical and medical difficulties’ and relatively high proportions have profound, multiple or severe learning difficulties; around 30% of CP children are educated in special schools; CP children in main stream (primary, middle and secondary) schools tended to miss more school sessions (~50% more) than other children and lower percentages achieved the expected levels at key stages 2 and 3 and the Level 2 GCSE threshold. Conclusion/ImplicationsThis work demonstrates the utility of record-linkage for providing information to parents, carers and policymakers about education outcomes for this group of children to inform planning and service provision.
According to the latest report published in 2018 in Pisa every sixth pupil in Italian schools nowadays is a migrant. Statistic data show the skyrocketed increase of migrant children in schools since 2003. According to the Italian Edition of «La Verità», referring to the OCSE (L'Organizzazione per la cooperazione e lo sviluppo economico report (OCSE)-organisation for economic cooperation and development), "children with immigration experiences tend to be less successful at school than their peers. If 69 percent of Italian children achieve required by the OCSE outcomes in reading, mathematics and science, only 51% of the first generation of migrant children can match them. «This figure is even lower and falls to 36% if we take into account children who arrived to Italy and were enrolled to comprehensive schools at the age of 12 years and older. What is the main problem of migrant children at school in the new socio-cultural context? First of all, it is language. And language snowballs other problems. The traumatic experience of relocation, the difference of cultures and conflict of families with new reality, all this has an impact on the way the child feels in the new world and the way s/he experiences difficulties. Among migrant adolescents one can note a more intensive experience of internal conflicts, they face a wrenching sense of loneliness, don't feel understood and accepted. In this article, we will discuss the main learning difficulties which are most common among children of migrants, as well as the issues of professional readiness of teachers of Italian secondary schools to the difficulties of this kind
Excessive daytime sleepiness is a frequent condition among children and adolescents that may lead to several and significant daytime consequences, including impaired neurocognitive skills and scholastic performance. Here, we evaluated in one hundred and ninety-one unselected primary school children, the relationship between sleepiness and a wide range of cognitive and academic skills through a standardized neuropsychological test battery. In order to assess the statistical relationship, we performed a partial least squares path modelling, a non-parametrical approach which combined a model of paths between latent variables and the coefficients between indicators and dimensions. Results were validated through the bootstrap approach and suggest that sleepiness is not associated with all cognitive and scholastic abilities, but only with those relying on verbal abilities and complex cognitive functions (i.e., reading comprehension, oral/syntactic comprehension, spelling, and mathematic skills). Our data suggest the idea that sleepiness in children is associated mostly with "higher" (mainly verbal) cognitive function(s), while the visuospatial domain was not affected.
Luigi Macchitella, Chiara Valeria Marinelli, Fulvio Signore et al.
Developmental domains like physical, verbal, cognitive, and social-emotional skills are crucial for monitoring a child’s growth. However, identifying neurodevelopmental deficiencies can be challenging due to the high level of variability and overlap. Early detection is essential, and digital procedures can assist in the process. This study leverages the current advances in artificial intelligence to address the prediction of neurodevelopmental disorders through a comprehensive machine learning approach. A novel and recently developed serious game dataset, collecting various data on children’s speech and linguistic responses, was used. The initial dataset comprised 520 instances, reduced to 473 participants after rigorous data preprocessing. Cluster analysis revealed distinct patterns and structures in the data, while reliability analysis ensured measurement consistency. A robust prediction model was developed using logistic regression. Applied to a subset of 184 participants with an average age of 7 years, the model demonstrated high accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score, effectively distinguishing between instances with and without neurodevelopmental disorders. In conclusion, this research highlights the effectiveness of the machine learning approach in diagnosing neurodevelopmental disorders based on cognitive features, and offers new opportunities for decision making, classification, and clinical assessment, paving the way for early and personalized interventions for at-risk individuals.
Eugenia I. Toki, Ioannis G. Tsoulos, Vito Santamato et al.
When children drop out of school, either temporarily or permanently, this poses a significant problem for both children and society. In the Netherlands, care farms offering care-education programs for school dropouts are emerging. While there is evidence for their effectiveness, models explaining how such outdoor interventions may facilitate positive developments of children and their return to school are lacking. Using the generic Context-Intervention-Mechanisms-Outcome Model as an overarching deductive frame, this study inductively examines how care-educational programs facilitate the positive development of children who have dropped out of school. Focusing on nine educational care farms, we conducted observations and interviews with children, parents, teachers, and farmers. We conclude that the outdoor learning intervention in combination with the underlying farm context enables children to enjoy rest, freedom, tailored education, and a feeling of acceptance. These mechanisms support children to develop themselves, particularly regarding their socio-environmental functioning.
Abstract Background In children, SARS-CoV-2 is usually asymptomatic or causes a mild illness of short duration. Persistent illness has been reported; however, its prevalence and characteristics are unclear. We aimed to determine illness duration and characteristics in symptomatic UK school-aged children tested for SARS-CoV-2 using data from the COVID Symptom Study, the largest UK citizen participatory epidemiological study to date. Methods Data from 258,790 children aged 5-17 years were reported by an adult proxy between 24 March 2020 and 22 February 2021. Illness duration and symptom profiles were analysed for all children testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 for whom illness duration could be determined, considered overall and within younger (5-11 years) and older (12-17 years) groups. Data from symptomatic children testing negative for SARS-CoV-2, matched 1:1 for age, gender, and week of testing, were also assessed. Findings 1,734 children (588 younger, 1,146 older children) had a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result and calculable illness duration within the study time frame. The commonest symptoms were headache (62.2%) and fatigue (55.0%). Median illness duration was six days (vs. three days in children testing negative), and was positively associated with age ( r s 0.19, p<1.e-4) with median duration of seven days in older vs. five days in younger children. Seventy-seven (4.4%) children had illness duration ≥28 days (LC28), more commonly experienced by older vs. younger children (59 (5.1%) vs. 18 (3.1%), p=0.046). The commonest symptoms experienced by these children were fatigue (84%), headache (80%) and anosmia (80%); however, by day 28 the symptom burden was low (median, two). Only 25 (1.8%) of 1,379 children experienced symptoms for ≥56 days. Few children (15 children, 0.9%) in the negatively-tested cohort experienced prolonged symptom duration; however, these children experienced greater symptom burden (both throughout their illness and at day 28) than children positive for SARS-CoV-2. Interpretation Some children with COVID-19 experience prolonged illness duration. Reassuringly, symptom burden in these children did not increase with time, and most recovered by day 56. Some children who tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 also had persistent and burdensome illness. A holistic approach for all children with persistent illness during the pandemic is appropriate. Research in context Evidence before this study SARS-CoV-2 in children is usually asymptomatic or manifests as a mild illness of short duration. Concerns have been raised regarding prolonged illness in children, with no clear resolution of symptoms several weeks after onset, as is observed in some adults. How common this might be in children, the clinical features of such prolonged illness in children, and how it might compare with illnesses from other respiratory viruses (and with general population prevalence of these symptoms) is unclear. Added value of this study We provide systematic description of COVID-19 in UK school-aged children. Our data, collected in a digital surveillance platform through one of the largest UK citizen science initiatives, show that long illness duration after SARS-CoV-2 infection in school-aged children does occur, but is uncommon, with only a small proportion of children experiencing illness duration beyond four weeks; and the symptom burden in these children usually decreases over time. Almost all children have symptom resolution by eight weeks, providing reassurance about long-term outcomes. Additionally, symptom burden in children with long COVID was not greater than symptom burden in children with long illnesses due to causes other than SARS-CoV-2 infection. Implications of all the available evidence Our data confirm that COVID-19 in UK school-aged children is usually of short duration and of low symptom burden. Some children do experience longer illness duration, validating their experience; however, most of these children usually recover with time. Our findings highlight that appropriate resources will be necessary for any child with prolonged illness, whether due to COVID-19 or other illness. Our study provides timely and critical data to inform discussions around the impact and implications of the pandemic on paediatric healthcare resource allocation.
Erika Molteni, Carole H. Sudre, Liane S. Canas et al.
The relationship between child health, wellbeing and education demonstrates that healthier and happier children achieve higher educational attainment. An engaging curriculum that facilitates children in achieving their academic potential has strong implications for educational outcomes, future employment prospects, and health and wellbeing during adulthood. Outdoor learning is a pedagogical approach used to enrich learning, enhance school engagement and improve pupil health and wellbeing. However, its non-traditional means of achieving curricular aims are not yet recognised beyond the early years by education inspectorates. This requires evidence into its acceptability from those at the forefront of delivery. This study aimed to explore headteachers', teachers' and pupils' views and experiences of an outdoor learning programme within the key stage two curriculum (ages 9-11) in South Wales, United Kingdom. We examine the process of implementation to offer case study evidence through 1:1 interviews with headteachers (n = 3) and teachers (n = 10) and focus groups with pupils aged 9-11 (n = 10) from three primary schools. Interviews and focus groups were conducted at baseline and six months into implementation. Schools introduced regular outdoor learning within the curriculum. This study found a variety of perceived benefits for pupils and schools. Pupils and teachers noticed improvements in pupils' engagement with learning, concentration and behaviour, as well as positive impacts on health and wellbeing and teachers' job satisfaction. Curriculum demands including testing and evidencing work were barriers to implementation, in addition to safety concerns, resources and teacher confidence. Participants supported outdoor learning as a curriculum-based programme for older primary school pupils. However, embedding outdoor learning within the curriculum requires education inspectorates to place higher value on this approach in achieving curricular aims, alongside greater acknowledgment of the wider benefits to children which current measurements do not capture.
Emily Marchant, Charlotte Todd, Roxanne Cooksey et al.
The benefits of physical activity in school settings and its impact on health and academic outcomes are of interest from public health and educational contexts. This study investigates how physically active learning (PAL): (i) contributes to children's physical activity levels, (ii) impacts on academic outcomes and (iii) influences children's focus and concentration, defined as time on task (ToT). METHODS: Over a 2-week period, participants were exposed to PAL and non-active learning (NAL) lessons in a counterbalanced design. Physiological responses and ToT behaviour were recorded throughout PAL and NAL lessons. Academic outcomes were assessed the week before, during and the week after each mode of delivery. RESULTS: Children were more active during PAL (196�542 steps per week) compared to NAL (152�395 steps per week, P = 0.003). The physiological demands of PAL (73% HRmax), were significantly greater (P < 0.001) than NAL (51% HRmax). Children's ToT was significantly higher (P < 0.001) with PAL (97%) than NAL (87%). There were no differences in academic outcomes when PAL and NAL were compared. CONCLUSIONS: Modest levels of PAL increased activity levels. No evidence was found to suggest PAL had a negative effect on children's academic outcomes, and PAL could positively impact on children's concentration.
