Game-Based Assessment of School Readiness Domains of 3-8-year-old-children: A Scoping Review

Precise assessment of school readiness is critical because it has practical and theoretical implications for children’s school and life success. However, school readiness assessment mainly relies on teacher reports and a few direct evaluations requiring a trained examiner. Studies indicate that 80% of games and apps target preschool children and education, suggesting that apps are familiar and fun for this age group. Previous reviews have focused on these apps’ training capability but not on their assessment of school readiness. This Scoping review examines 31 studies published from 2011-2019. The Evidence Centred Design (ECD) framework was used to evaluate game-based assessment (GBA) suitability to assess school readiness domains. Results show that it is possible to assess school readiness using GBA. Most studies assessed cognitive domains in school settings and adopted an external assessment of the tasks. However, most studies only evaluated one competency, and few intervention strategies targeted the enhancement of school readiness. Besides, few studies followed the ECD framework strictly. Implications include expanding the assessment to other school readiness domains with a real-time inbuilt assessment that conforms to the ECD framework. GBA provides a new approach to assess school readiness outside or inside the school settings in this online era.

Prevalence of risk behaviors and correlates of SARS-CoV-2 positivity among in-school contacts of confirmed cases in a Georgia school district in the pre-vaccine era, December 2020–January 2021

Background There is a continuing risk for COVID-19 transmission in school settings while transmission is ongoing in the community, particularly among unvaccinated populations. To ensure that schools continue to operate safely and to inform implementation of prevention strategies, it is imperative to gain better understanding of the risk behaviors of staff and students. This secondary analysis describes the prevalence of COVID-19 risk behaviors in an exposed population of students and school staff in the pre-vaccine era and identifies associations between these behaviors and testing positive for SARS-CoV-2. Methods From December 2020–January 2021, school staff and students exposed to confirmed COVID-19 cases in a Georgia school district were tested for SARS-CoV-2 and surveyed regarding risk behaviors in and out of school. Prevalence of risk behaviors was described by age group and school level, and associations with SARS-CoV-2 positivity were identified using chi squared tests. Results Overall, 717 students and 79 school staff participated in the investigation; SARS-CoV-2 positivity was 9.2%. In the 2 weeks prior to COVID-19 exposure, 24% of participants reported unmasked indoor time at school, 40% attended social gatherings with non-household members, and 71% visited out-of-school indoor locations, including 19% who ate indoors in restaurants. Frequencies of risk behaviors increased by age. Among students, 17% participated in school sports, of whom 86% participated without a mask. SARS-CoV-2 positivity was significantly associated with school sports and unmasked time in sports. Among K-5 students, positivity was associated with exposure to a teacher index case. Conclusions This analysis highlights the high prevalence of risk behaviors in an unvaccinated population exposed to COVID-19 in school and identifies an association between student sports participation and SARS-CoV-2 positivity. These findings illustrate the importance of school-level prevention measures to reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission, including limiting close-contact indoor sports and promoting consistent mask use in unvaccinated individuals. Future research could explore the role of community vaccination programs as a strategy to reduce COVID-19 transmission and introductions into school settings.

Gender Differences in Social Comparison Processes and Self-Concept Among Students

Forced social comparison (i.e., comparing oneself to another “predefined” student) has often been studied in school settings. However, to our knowledge, studies that explore its association with academic self-concept have rarely distinguished between subjects involved (e.g., mathematics or language learning). Moreover, some processes taking place during forced social comparison are thought to have a negative impact on academic self-concept. Thus, the aims of this study were to explore: 1) the associations between self-concepts (i.e., Language learning, Mathematics and Social), attitudes towards school and social comparison processes in school settings; and 2) the influence of social comparison processes on components of academic self-concept across gender. A sample of 238 elementary school students (Mage = 10.12, SD = 1.25; 52% boys) completed a questionnaire assessing self-concepts and attitudes towards school, as well as a questionnaire measuring four social comparison processes. Results indicated that girls used negative processes (i.e., upward contrast and downward identification) more than boys. In addition, boys reported better self-concept in mathematics while girls reported better self-concept in language learning (small effect). Results of stepwise multiple linear regression analyses showed that upward contrast best explained gender differences, with a stronger effect for girls. Attitudes towards school only explained gender differences in language learning self-concept. Furthermore, positive processes (i.e., upward identification and downward contrast) have no effect on either component of academic self-concept. Results of this study demonstrate the need to examine the evolution of social comparison processes over time, considering their impact on students’ academic/social well-being and achievement from a gender perspective.

Point of care SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid testing in schools improves school attendance

Background: National lockdowns have led to significant interruption to children’s education globally. In the Autumn term in 2020, school absence in England and Wales was almost five times higher than the same period in 2019. Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in schools and ongoing interruption to education remains a concern. However, evaluation of rapid point of care (POC) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing in British schools has not been undertaken. Methods: This is a survey of secondary schools in England that implemented PCR-based rapid POC testing. The study aims to measure the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in schools, to assess the impact of this testing on school attendance and closures, and to describe schools experiences with testing. All schools utilised the SAMBA II SARS-CoV-2 testing platform. Results: 12 fee-paying secondary schools in England were included. Between September 1st 2020 and December 16th 2020, 697 on site rapid POC PCR tests were performed and 6.7% of these were positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection. There were five outbreaks in three schools during this time which were contained. Seven groups of close contacts within the school known as bubbles had to quarantine but there were no school closures. 84% of those tested were absent from school for less than one day whilst awaiting their test result. This potentially saved between 1047 and 1570 days off school in those testing negative compared to the NHS PCR laboratory test. Schools reported a positive impact of having a rapid testing platform as it allowed them to function as fully as possible during this pandemic. Conclusions: Rapid POC PCR testing platforms should be widely available and utilised in school settings. Reliable positive tests will prevent outbreaks and uncontrolled spread of infection within school settings. Reliable negative test results will reassure students, parents and staff and prevent disruption to education.

Meta-review of implementation determinants for policies promoting healthy diet and physically active lifestyle: application of the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research

Background Although multiple systematic reviews indicate that various determinants (barriers and facilitators) occur in the implementation processes of policies promoting healthy diet, physical activity (PA), and sedentary behavior (SB) reduction, the overarching synthesis of such reviews is missing. Applying the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), this meta-review aims to (1) identify determinants that were systematically indicated as occurring during the implementation processes and (2) identify differences in the presence of determinants across reviews versus stakeholder documents on healthy diet/PA/SB policies, reviews/stakeholder documents addressing healthy diet policies versus PA/SB policies targeting any population/setting, and healthy diet/PA/SB policies focusing on school settings. Methods A meta-review of published systematic scoping or realist reviews (k = 25) and stakeholder documents (k = 17) was conducted. Data from nine bibliographic databases and documentation of nine major stakeholders were systematically searched. Included reviews (72%) and stakeholder documents (100%) provided qualitative synthesis of original research on implementation determinants of policies promoting healthy diet or PA or SB reduction, and 28% of reviews provided some quantitative synthesis. Determinants were considered strongly supported if they were indicated by ≥ 60.0% of included reviews/stakeholder documents. Results Across the 26 CFIR-based implementation determinants, seven were supported by 66.7–76.2% of reviews/stakeholder documents. These determinants were cost, networking with other organizations/communities, external policies, structural characteristics of the setting, implementation climate, readiness for implementation, and knowledge/beliefs of involved individuals. Most frequently, published reviews provided support for inner setting and individual determinants, whereas stakeholder documents supported outer and inner setting implementation determinants. Comparisons between policies promoting healthy diet with PA/SB policies revealed shared support for only three implementation determinants: cost, implementation climate, and knowledge/beliefs. In the case of healthy diet/PA/SB policies targeting school settings, 14 out of 26 implementation determinants were strongly supported. Conclusions The strongly supported (i.e., systematically indicated) determinants may guide policymakers and researchers who need to prioritize potential implementation determinants when planning and monitoring the implementation of respective policies. Future research should quantitatively assess the importance or role of determinants and test investigate associations between determinants and progress of implementation processes. Trial registration PROSPERO, #CRD42019133341

Critical Consciousness in High School Outdoor Experiential Environmental Education

Background: Research highlights how high school near-peer mentors (HSNPMs) in outdoor school settings enhance younger students’ programing experiences. Through this engagement, HSNPMs’ critical consciousness (CC) of equity in outdoor and experiential education (OEEE) expands. Purpose: This article explores how HSNPMs develop CC of environmental and social justice in OEEE. Methodology/Approach: We used critical ethnography to understand how near-peer mentoring programing associated with equity, diversity, access, and inclusion (EDAI) develop CC, in OEEE. Findings/Conclusion: Intentionally developed training and curricula rooted in social justice education facilitate CC development. This training includes staff's facilitation of equity discussions and support of high school students’ EDAI-related awareness, skills, and behaviors. Implications/Recommendations: HSNPMs contribute to EDAI in OEEE programs. We recommend including HSNPMs in staff training, program improvements, and planning activities.

A Survey of the Experiences of Paraprofessionals With Roles, Training, and Communication When Working With Students With Autism

Paraprofessionals are critical members of instructional teams for students with autism; however, little is known about their job preparation and professional development needs. This study addressed the gap in the literature by surveying 325 paraprofessionals in public school settings in the United States and Guam who reported working with students with autism. Data were gathered on paraprofessionals’ (a) roles and responsibilities, (b) applied knowledge from different types of professional development, (c) perceived barriers to professional development, and (d) types and timing of communication with their supervising teachers. The results of this study have direct implications for individuals interested in developing a model of professional development that will meet the unique needs of paraprofessionals who work with students with autism.