Africa Knowledge Hub for Children

Peer-reviewed articleOpenAlex30 Jun 2026

IMPACT OF AVAILABILITY, ADEQUACY AND UTILIZATION OF LEARNING RESOURCES ON PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN’S LEARNING OUTCOME IN SELECTED NURSERY SCHOOLS

Childhood Education plays a critical role in their overall development and viewed as the foundation for a child’s future academic achievements. In this study, two hundred and twenty (220) nursery school teachers from public and private schools in Odeda Local Government Area, Ogun State, Nigeria were used as sample. Descriptive research design was utilized. Data were collected using questionnaire. The research employed descriptive statistics such as frequency counts, percentages, mean, standard deviation and Pearson's Product Moment Correlation to analyze the inferential statistics. Females were 68.18%, majority (52.73%) were aged 20-30. About 35% were married. Educationally, 53.18% had tertiary education; 55% had 1-5 years of teaching experience and very few (6.82%) had more than 15 years’ experience. Books for literacy skills were available in 96.82% of schools but adequately only in 85.5% of schools while other resources were scarcely available. There was a positive correlation (r = 0.45; p<0.05) between the availability of learning resources and their utilization, indicating that as the availability of resources increased, their use in classroom settings also increased. Also, there was a positive correlation (r = 0.38; p< 0.05) between the utilization of learning resources and early childhood education outcomes. Factors influencing the availability, adequacy and utilization of learning resources were: economic constraints, lack of government support and inadequate teacher training. In conclusion, the demographic factors could influence teachers' morale, opinion and determination in educational settings. Learning resources were available but not adequate. It was therefore, recommended that Government agencies, parents, teachers, educational institutions, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) etc. should collaborate to provide adequate learning resources for children at homes, in recreational centres and in schools to support childrens’ development, especially in their formative years; teachers should strive to use these limited resources to enhance the cognition and total development of these children.

Peer-reviewed articleOpenAlex30 Aug 2023

The Effectiveness of Hypercontent-Based Character Learning for Elementary School Children

This study aims to examine the effectiveness of hypercontent-based character learning for elementary school children. The method employed was research and development (R&D) adapting the Hannafin and Peck model with a quantitative approach. The product developed is a hypercontent-based electronic textbook containing audio, video, links, images, and QR codes accessible via smartphones and computers. The research subjects were 35 first-grade students at SD Negeri 2 Selakau Tua, Sambas Regency, West Kalimantan. Data were collected using pre-test and post-test instruments. Expert validation produced average scores of 3.14 (material expert), 3.02 (instructional design expert), and 2.93 (media expert). Field trial results showed a pre-test average of 73.31 rising to 83.00 on the post-test. The Paired T-test yielded p-value = 0.000 < 0.05. It is concluded that hypercontent-based character learning effectively improves integrity character education learning outcomes among first-grade elementary school students.

Otto Fajarianto, Suyitno Muslim, Nurdin Ibrahim et al.

DevelopmentPractitionerIDRead at source

Peer-reviewed articleOpenAlex19 Oct 2020

Learning Abilities in a Population of Italian Healthy Preterm Children at the End of Primary School

Background: Delays in learning skills have been extensively reported for very preterm children. However, few studies have examined academic achievement profiles in Italian preterm children as a function of their neonatal immaturity. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed that included 82 healthy Italian children born very and extremely preterm (without major neurosensory outcomes; IQ ≥85). Children were evaluated for academic and neurocognitive performances at the second cycle of primary school. Results: Healthy preterm children showed on average academic and neurocognitive profiles that did not differ according to gestational age. Impairment was seen to one or more learning domains in 14.6% of the healthy preterm children. Conclusions: Italian children born very and extremely preterm without major neurosensory damage and/or cognitive delay showed on average learning and neurocognitive profiles within the normal range, regardless of gestational age. Nevertheless, they showed higher proportions of learning impairment than a normative Italian population during their final years of primary school. Healthcare providers should be aware of this result, and long-term surveillance should be organized to promptly identify those children who are in need of therapeutic intervention.

Silvia Bucci, Francesca Bevilacqua, C De Marchis et al.

DevelopmentITRead at source

Peer-reviewed articleOpenAlex2 May 2026

CLINICAL AND NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL OUTCOMES OF MINIMAL BRAIN DYSFUNCTION IN SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN

Minimal brain dysfunction (MBD) is a common neurodevelopmental condition observed in school-aged children and is characterized by subtle neurological abnormalities accompanied by cognitive, behavioral, and emotional difficulties. Although structural brain damage is usually absent, functional immaturity of the central nervous system leads to significant impairments in academic performance and social adaptation. This article analyzes the clinical and neuropsychological outcomes of minimal brain dysfunction in school-aged children. Special attention is given to attention regulation, executive functions, learning abilities, and behavioral manifestations. The findings demonstrate that MBD is associated with persistent cognitive deficits and psychosocial challenges that require early identification and multidisciplinary intervention. Understanding the clinical and neuropsychological profile of children with MBD is essential for optimizing diagnostic strategies and improving long-term educational and developmental outcomes.

Andrew I.K.

DevelopmentProtectionRead at source

Peer-reviewed articleOpenAlex1 Oct 2025

The Influence of Classic Music Therapy on Learning Concentration in School-Age Children

Introduction: School-aged children are in the developmental stage of concrete operational thinking, where they begin to think logically and solve problems in a structured way. However, many children at this stage still experience difficulties in subjects which often requires high levels of concentration and problem-solving skills. This study aims to determine the effect of classical music therapy on learning concentration in school-aged children. Method: This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a non-equivalent control group design. Population consisted of 42 school-aged children, a sample of 38 was obtained using a non-probability sampling. Classical music therapy was used as the independent variable, while learning concentration served as the dependent variable. Learning concentration was measured before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test to determine the effect intervention. Results: The results of the Wilcoxon statistical test yielded a ρ value of 0.00, which is smaller than the predetermined significance level (α = 0.05). This finding indicates that classical music therapy has a statistically significant effect on improving learning concentration in school-aged children. The outcome supports the notion that classical music stimulates cognitive, focus, and learning atmosphere. Conclusion: This study concludes that classical music therapy has a significant positive influence on learning concentration. The intervention was shown to enhance students’ ability to maintain focus and sustain attention during learning activities, suggesting that classical music supports environment for academic engagement. Results reinforce the importance of innovative educational interventions that address cognitive, emotional, and environmental factors in the learning process.

Aura Lailatul Febriani Krisvianti Putri, Widiharti Widiharti, Diah Fauzia Zuhroh et al.

DevelopmentPre/postIDRead at source

Peer-reviewed articleOpenAlex12 Nov 2020

Cognitive dimensions of learning in children with problems in attention, learning, and memory.

A data-driven, transdiagnostic approach was used to identify the cognitive dimensions linked with learning in a mixed group of 805 children aged 5 to 18 years recognised as having problems in attention, learning and memory by a health or education practitioner. Assessments included phonological processing, information processing speed, short-term and working memory, and executive functions, and attainments in word reading, spelling, and maths. Data reduction methods identified three dimensions of phonological processing, processing speed and executive function for the sample as a whole. This model was comparable for children with and without ADHD. The severity of learning difficulties in literacy was linked with phonological processing skills, and in maths with executive control. Associations between cognition and learning were similar across younger and older children and individuals with and without ADHD, although stronger links between learning-related problems and both executive skills and processing speed were observed in children with ADHD. The results establish clear domain-specific cognitive pathways to learning that distinguish individuals in the heterogeneous population of children struggling to learn.

Joni Holmes, Jacalyn Guy, Rogier Kievit et al.

DevelopmentGBRead at source

OtherOpenAlex1 Jan 2023

ON THE DISTANCE EDUCATION OF CHILDREN AND THE UNRESOLVED ISSUES IN E-LEARNING AT SCHOOL

The development of psychological science has led to the development of artifi cial intelligence and distance learning for children, which require development of all cognitive abilities, thinking, and intelligence in students. The introduction of digital technologies in the educational process is not based on the examination results on the material of school textbooks. What goals do digital technologies teach students? What specifi c and abstract concepts are included in the content of education? Computer use leads to the question of quality criteria for education. There is no school learning computerization model that is based on the psychological analysis of educational activities and students’ abilities. A child in any environment learns, develops and is brought up by adults. A child can learn being a functional psychological system of activity (Shadrikov). Rubinstein showed the connection between thinking and mental abilities. Elkonin identifi ed the learning goal in the learning task and learning actions to which he attributes actions with objects and cognitive actions. Systems of cognitive actions characterize the operational mechanisms of abilities. Shadrikov singled out a universal operating mechanism of abilities – intellectual operations. We need methods of psychological analysis for educational activities and the ability to learn, the ability to desire and want, the ability to feel and experience.

Galina Suvorova

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Peer-reviewed articleOpenAlex25 Jul 2023

Policies on children and schools during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Western Europe

During the pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), mitigation policies for children have been a topic of considerable uncertainty and debate. Although some children have co-morbidities which increase their risk for severe coronavirus disease (COVID-19), and complications such as multisystem inflammatory syndrome and long COVID, most children only get mild COVID-19. On the other hand, consistent evidence shows that mass mitigation measures had enormous adverse impacts on children. A central question can thus be posed: What amount of mitigation should children bear, in response to a disease that is disproportionally affecting older people? In this review, we analyze the distinct child versus adult epidemiology, policies, mitigation trade-offs and outcomes in children in Western Europe. The highly heterogenous European policies applied to children compared to adults did not lead to significant measurable differences in outcomes. Remarkably, the relative epidemiological importance of transmission from school-age children to other age groups remains uncertain, with current evidence suggesting that schools often follow, rather than lead, community transmission. Important learning points for future pandemics are summarized.

Antoni Soriano‐Arandes, Ana Brett, Danilo Buonsenso et al.

ESPTNOSERead at source

Peer-reviewed articleOpenAlex27 Feb 2023

School Gardening and Health and Well-Being of School-Aged Children: A Realist Synthesis

School environments can create healthy settings to foster children’s health and well-being. School gardening is gaining popularity as an intervention for healthier eating and increased physical activity. We used a systematic realist approach to investigate how school gardens improve health and well-being outcomes for school-aged children, why, and in what circumstances. The context and mechanisms of the specific school gardening interventions (n = 24) leading to positive health and well-being outcomes for school-aged children were assessed. The impetus of many interventions was to increase fruit and vegetable intake and address the prevention of childhood obesity. Most interventions were conducted at primary schools with participating children in Grades 2 through 6. Types of positive outcomes included increased fruit and vegetable consumption, dietary fiber and vitamins A and C, improved body mass index, and improved well-being of children. Key mechanisms included embedding nutrition-based and garden-based education in the curriculum; experiential learning opportunities; family engagement and participation; authority figure engagement; cultural context; use of multi-prong approaches; and reinforcement of activities during implementation. This review shows that a combination of mechanisms works mutually through school gardening programs leading to improved health and well-being outcomes for school-aged children.

Timothy P. Holloway, Lisa Dalton, Roger Hughes et al.

SurvivalDevelopmentPractitionerAURead at source

Peer-reviewed articleOpenAlex25 May 2021

School-aged neurodevelopmental outcomes for children born extremely preterm

As survival rates for children born extremely preterm (EP, <28 weeks' gestation) have increased with advances in perinatal and neonatal care, their long-term functioning and quality of life assume more importance. Outcomes in early childhood provide some information, but outcomes at school-age are more informative of life-long functioning. Children born EP at school-age have substantially higher rates of intellectual impairment, poorer executive, academic and motor function, more neurodevelopmental disability, and poorer health-related quality of life than do contemporaneous term-born controls. Because the rates of adverse outcomes remain unacceptably high, and particularly since some outcomes may be deteriorating rather than improving over time, new strategies to ameliorate these problems, targeting periods before, during and after birth, and throughout the lifespan, are a priority.

Lex William Doyle, Alicia Jane Spittle, Peter J. Anderson et al.

SurvivalDevelopmentAURead at source

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