The aim of this essay is to examine parents and teachers perception of parental participation in a Swedish preschool. The aim was further to find variations in teachers and parents view of the matter, to find similarities and/or differences in the statements. The method used in this essay is a qualitative research method with surveys to collect data. The questions in the survey had a low degree of structuring to get extensive answers. For the results and analysis a phenomenographic approach was used to find variations in the data. The results show that there are variations in the views on parental participation between teachers and parents. Teachers to a higher extent emphasises the whole group, and pedagogical documentation as a way to reach higher parental participation, while parents emphasises information about their own child and the daily contact with the teachers to feel as participants in the preschool. The results have similarities to previous research of teachers and parents views on parental participation in the Swedish preschool. Conclusions that can be drawn from this paper is that parents and teachers in certain areas have a different view of what makes parents feel as participants in the preschool.

Antibiotic resistance is a growing threat to human health and is defined by the World Health Organization as a crisis that must be managed with the utmost urgency. Antibiotic resistant bacteria increase both mortality and morbidity and have a great impact on the global economy. Resistance is not confined to human health care, but is present also among animals and in our environment at large. Indeed, resistant bacterial strains have now been found in virtually all parts of the world, even in locations without direct human contact. The human gastrointestinal tract is populated by a complex, dynamic, diverse and highly interactive collection of microorganisms, including bacteria, archaea, fungi, yeasts and viruses, which constitutes our gastrointestinal microbiota. This microbiota is an important reservoir of resistance genes (our gastrointestinal resistome) and a “melting pot” for transfer of resistance genes between microbes, including potential pathogens. In this thesis I investigated the prevalences of two clinically important kinds of antibiotic resistance: extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), as well as asymptomatic carriage of potential enteropathogens among healthy preschool children in Uppsala. Fecal samples from unidentified, individual diapers were collected in 2010 (125+313 samples) and in 2016 (334 samples). In addition, 204 environmental samples from the children’s preschools were collected in autumn 2016. A prevalence of 2.9% ESBL-producing Enterobactericeae was demonstrated in the first samples from 2010. No VRE were found and the occurrence of enteropathogens were reassuringly low. Results on ESBL prevalence in 2016 and transmission of resistance between children will be presented when the manuscript is published and at the dissertation.

This thesis examines the protein content of nursery school lunches and "second" servings when a multi-purpose food is used as a substitute or as a supplement.

A number of investigations of pupil progress in school have definitely shown that the percentage of failure in the first grade is much higher than in the other grades. In the light of these investigations, it is safe to assume that there must be a number of contributing factors to this failure in grade progress. The nature of these factors and what the school can do, if anything, to mitigate their influence on pupil progress in the first grade constitute a challenge to educational research. The present study undertakes an investigation along these lines. The purpose of this study is threefold: (1) to investigate the need for a pre-school program; (2) to study the reported values of such a program; and (3) to survey a certain number of schools to determine the extent and nature of preschool programs if any.

Background. Childhood overweight and obesity is a serious health issue. Childhood obesity is associated with asthma, hepatic steatosis, sleep apnea, psychosocial complications, increased presence of cardiovascular disease risk factors, and increased medical costs. A decrease in physical activity, an increase in sedentary behavior, and unhealthy eating likely contribute to childhood overweight and obesity. Over the last 3 decades, the prevalence of early childhood obesity has also risen. The level of physical activity that preschoolers engage is influenced by policies and practices of childcare centers they attend. Given the large number of children enrolled in preschool settings and the variability of physical activity among centers, these environments provide a promising opportunity to engage more children in health promoting levels of physical activity. Preschool students are highly sedentary and very little is known about how to significantly increase physical activity in childcare environments with structured, teacher-led activity. Methods. Activity levels among children aged 4-5 in four childcare centers were measured before and after a one-day preschool physical activity teacher training by accelerometry for approximately 5 hours per child over two mornings. Observers coded individual child activities by time. Accelerometer measures of activity levels in METs and related indicators were linked at one-minute intervals with child activity codes. Data were evaluated using single-group repeated measures analysis of variance. Results. After six weeks of implementation the intervention, average MET levels in preschoolers in three of the four centers increased by 11.5% from baseline to follow up. The average MET level per minute for these children at baseline was 2.69±0.40 and at follow-up was 2.98±0.52 (p value= .001). Teachers from all four centers reported spending 24.6 ±13.0 minutes per activity session with up to two sessions completed per day. Teachers reported following the curriculum closely and indicated that the children were generally enthusiastic. Conclusions. These results justify larger trials to determine the impact of physical activity teacher training on the intensity and duration of preschool students' physical activity in childcare settings

Acquiring language is understood to be a key part of a child’s development (Siraj-Blatchford & Clarke, 2003), impacting skills including literacy and behaviour. The number of children identified as having speech, language and communication needs has been increasing by 4-6 percent each year since 2011 and is the most common primary need of children with on the SEN register (Whitaker, 2014). Early intervention is argued to have the greatest impact on the outcomes for children, as well as being the most cost-effective (Law et al., 2001). However, there has been a call to improve the provision for children with these needs due to the variability of the provision children receive (Bercow, 2008). Due to the diverse workforce, as well as the recognised importance of practitioners viewpoints, there has been a call for research into the viewpoints of early years practitioners regarding strategies to support children with SLCN (Marshall & Lewis, 2014). The present research uses a Q methodological research approach (Stephenson, 1953) to explore the viewpoints of 42 early years practitioners on strategies to support children with speech, language and communication needs. Q methodology utilises the advantages of both qualitative and quantitative research methods and creates open communication around complex topics in order to clarify participants’ views and explore subjective and diverse viewpoints. The data generated by Q methodology was analysed using a by-person factor analysis. Three distinct viewpoints were identified within the group of early years practitioners who participated in the research. These viewpoints were: • One: Tailor interventions and seek professionals’ advice • Two: Emphasis on stand-alone strategies, alter instructional language and don’t use visuals • Three: Understand a child’s background and utilise environmental strategies Follow-up interviews were carried out to strengthen the validity of the findings and explore what has informed the viewpoints captured, as well as to identify what helps and hinders practitioners working in line with their viewpoint. Numerous implications for professional practice have been identified that could support the effective implementation of strategies to support children with SLCN.

I present a research based project that asks for a discussion about the role of technology in education. It is a question about how to design learning experiences and how to improve the experience of learning through interactive objects. More precisely, this project tries to explore the possibilities of an embodied learning of math using music in a playful way. Superbleeper, the name of the product, is an electronic music instrument that is played using math concepts. It invites 3-6 year old children to play with the math they have to understand according to the Swedish curriculum. This math foundation for the youngest kids is about measurement, shape, patterns, time, change, quantity, sets and order. The tests carried out with children in different contexts show that electronic music can be a way to embody and enjoy the use of math concepts in a creative way. / Pedagogical Interactive Math Visualizations

No description available.

Thesis (M.S.)--Boston University / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / This study was undertaken to find out the factors which contributed to the difference in attendance and non- attendance of preschool children at a child health conference. It was conducted in an urban-suburban community in southeastern Rhode Island which had a population in 1960, of 14, 750 of whom 10. 5 percent were under five years of age. The sample was limited to eighteen mothers whose infants had been admitted to the child health conference during a three year period. Of these eighteen mothers, nine met the criteria for regular attendance, and nine met the criteria for non- attendance. An interview schedule and a check list of child health conference services for preschool children were developed to collect the data. Mothers in each of the two attendance groups were interviewed in their own homes by the investigator. [TRUNCATED] / 2031-01-01

Thesis (Ph.D.), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 2009 / The purpose of this study was to assess the improvement of scissor skills after a graded scissor skills program in preschool children in South Africa (SA). A bilateral fine motor skills assessment tool was developed for use in this research. This task-based assessment included every day activities required at school as well as personal management items. This research phase included the development of the test items and test instructions, scoring as well as validity and reliability testing of the assessment. A suitable scissor skills program was then developed for Grade 0 children in South Africa. The program was validated by a pilot study and also by a focus group of occupational therapists. Some changes were made to the picture selection, the grading of the program, as well as to teacher instructions on how to present the program before it was finalised and ready for use in the implementation phase of the research study. The implementation phase of the study included the individual assessment of 149 learners (mean age of 5 years 6 months), from three different schools in South Africa. The main aim was to establish the effectiveness of the scissor skills program by measuring skill improvement, transferability of skills and skill retention. A further aim was to compare the difference of skill levels of learners from various socio-economic backgrounds in South Africa. The results showed statistically significant improvement in scissor skills in all groups from the three different schools, as well as an ability to retain the learnt skills. Participants from lower socio-economic backgrounds demonstrated the least skill initially but made the greatest gains during the program, at times decreasing the gap between themselves and other participants. It was concluded that children benefited from a graded scissor skills program, which allowed them to improve and retain their scissor skills but improvement did not transfer to other fine motor tasks.