The Effectiveness of Using Big Book Media on Early Reading Skills in 5-6 Years Old

Purpose – This study aims to determine the effectiveness of using Big Book media on early reading skills in children aged 5-6 years old.Design/methods/approach – This study used a quantitative approach which was carried out in an experimental method with a pre-post-test design. The sampling technique uses a simple random technique with 30 children. Data collection technique is by means of tests. The analysis technique for testing the hypothesis uses the difference test (t-test).Findings – The results showed that children in the experimental group who used Big Book media had a higher average score when compared to children in the control group who used magazine media. Based on the t-test calculation, findings indicate that there was a significant difference between the two groups. Thus, it can be concluded that the Big Book media is effective on early reading skills in children aged 5-6 years old.Research implications/limitations – This study was limited to one location, Mutiara Al-Madani Kindergarten, Jambi Indonesia, and with a small sample size, so the generalizability of the findings was also limited. It is necessary for future researchers to conduct studies with a wider scope and a more diverse population.Practical implications – The use of Big Book media can be an alternative learning media that can attract children's interests and can actively involve children in gaining rich literacy experiences in improving early reading skills.Originality/value – This study contributes to understanding of teacher's reference material in using learning media for early reading skills in children aged 5-6 years old. Paper type Research paper

Exploring Children's Science and Mathematics Ability with Leaf Diary: A Case Study

Purpose – This study aims to explore Leaf diary activity to develop the Science and Mathematics ability of children aged 6 years.Design/methods/approach – The method used is a case study. The unit of analysis is based on predetermined criteria, using the purposive sampling technique. Research informants are mentors and children involved in leaf diary activity in Solok, Indonesia. The data collection process used participant observation, documentation, and in-depth interviews. Data analysis used structural analysis techniques.Findings – The results showed that leaf diary activity could develop: (1) children's ability to classify leaves based on their shape; (2) the ability to compare leaf size based on length, as well as large or small size.Research implications/limitations – All research informants were from Solok District, Indonesia, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.Practical implications – This case study contributes to the implementation of Leaf diary as an alternative activity that teachers or parents can do to develop children's science and mathematics ability.Originality/value – Leaf diary activity can help children explore the natural environment so that basic science and math abilities and concepts in this activity are carried out well. Paper type Case study

Does the Intensity of Gadget Use Impact Social and Emotional Development of Children aged 48-72 Months?

Purpose –This study aims to analyze the correlation between the intensity of gadget use and the social-emotional development of children aged 48-72 months.Design/methods/approach – The Study uses quantitative research with a cross-sectional study. The sample includes 126 children using a simple random sampling technique at Al-Furqon Kindergarten and Bunda Ghifari Kindergarten Surabaya, Indonesia. The independent variable is the intensity of gadget use which is measured using a questionnaire. The dependent variable is the children’s social-emotional development as measured by the Questionnaire of Problems and Emotional Behavior.Findings – There is a significant correlation between the intensity of gadget usage and the social-emotional development of children aged 48-72 months (p-value < 0.05). High-intensity gadget use will increase their social-emotional development in the referral category, which means it requires treatment by the experts.Research implications/limitations - The result of this study supports the theory that high intensity of gadget usage on children will affect their social and emotional development. This study only focuses on children’s social and emotional development without examining another developmental variable that may affect the study results.Practical implications – Parents are expected to play a role in supervising and limiting the use of gadgets on children to avoid the negative impacts.Originality/value –This study contributes to the literature by showing the effect of gadget use on children’s social and emotional development. Paper type Research paper

Teachers' Strategies in Introducing Literacy to Early Childhood: Lesson from Indonesia

Purpose – This study aims to analyze teachers' strategies in introducing literacy to early childhood.Design/methods/approach –The researchers used the case study method. The research subjects are two teachers who teach in early childhood education institutions in Bandung, Indonesia.Findings –The results of this study indicate that in introducing literacy to children, teachers use multiple strategies, such as optimizing role-play activities, stimulation through active teacher conversations that encourage children to communicate (rich teacher talk), utilizing the use of big book media, and focusing on phonological awareness. The study results show that the teacher's role is significant in optimizing literacy learning for children.Research implications/limitations – This case study focuses on literacy learning in early childhood based on the experiences of two teachers in Bandung, Indonesia.Practical implications –This case study shows that multiple strategies are appropriate to introduce early childhood literacy and prepare children for the next level of education.Originality/value – This study contributes to the understanding of literacy in early childhood. In addition, this study recommends that teachers apply multiple strategies in introducing literacy through play activities. Paper type Case study

Child Educational Content on Digital Folklore "Pak Lebai Malang": A Qualitative Content Analysis

Purpose – The purpose of this study was to explore child educational content digital folklore on YouTube, and It is used to teach young children about science, language, and values. The unit analysis on this research was the video of Pak Lebai Malang from West Sumatera, Indonesia.Design/methods/approach – The qualitative content analysis method was used in this study. The content analyzed was digital folklore based on the Minangkabau story Pak Lebai Malang. The process began with downloading the video, creating a transcript, taking notes on the text, language, and context, re-watching the video, comparing and contrasting it to the memo, and eliciting evidence from the video.Findings – The data revealed the following ways in which digital folklore on YouTube teaches science, language, and values: 1) digital technology illustrates science concepts with simple-to-understand videos; 2) by repeating the words and visualizing each spoken word, YouTube videos teach children new vocabulary. 3) the characters’ expressions and intonation in the video teach children about social values.Research implications/limitations – This research could serve as a springboard for future research on the use of digital folklores in early childhood classrooms. It is advised that additional research be conducted to improve the interest, effectiveness, and applicability of digital folklore in the early childhood learning process and design more effective programs for teaching science, language, and value to young people children. The study’s drawback is that it analyzes only one video. If it is compared to other videos, it may provide a complete view. Practical implications – This study informs educators on the potential for using digital folklore to teach science, language, and values. It entails the implementation of more creative strategies in early childhood education. Additionally, the study inspires innovative content creators on YouTube to make their videos more relevant to young children’s learning. Additionally, parents may discover that something as simple as a YouTube video could be an incredible resource for their child’s development.Originality/value – The study explains child educational content based on local wisdom. The digital form of Pak Lebai Malang folklore can facilitate accessibility and acceptability. Paper type Research paper

Increasing the Learning Result of Early Mathematics Odd and Even Numbers through Montessori "Cards and Counters" Activity: A Quasi-experimental Study

Purpose – This study aims to obtain information about the effect of using the Montessori cards and counters’ mathematics activity on learning the result of odd and even numbers of 1 to 10 to the kindergarten students at the age of 4 to 5 years.Design/methods/approach – Quantitative research with a quasi-experimental model of non-equivalent control group design was carried out by applying conventional methods (lectures and giving questions by worksheets) to the control group and applying the Montessori learning model through the use of Cards and Counters apparatus in the experimental group with 30 samples of students, divided into two classes (control class and experiment class) at Kalyca Azzahra School, West Java, Indonesia.Findings – The result showed that students who used the Montessori Mathematics cards and counters achieved higher mathematics odd and even numbers are learning results than those who were not taught with the Montessori approach.Research implications/limitations – This research design used pre-test and post-test. Thus, the treatment results can be more accurate because they can be compared before and after treatment.Practical implications – The use of the Montessori apparatus becomes necessary in introducing early mathematics to children and attracting children’s attention to learn and facilitate teachers in teaching mathematics. Displaying the concrete objects as a medium will help teachers in teaching early mathematics to children. The cards and counters allow children to verify their understanding of the concept by matching the qualitative, concrete, quantitative, or abstract before slowly removing the concrete altogether.Originality/value – This research contributes to understanding learning strategies used in Early Mathematics, Odd and Even Numbers. The Montessori apparatus becomes more natural to understand it by the child’s cognitive development effortlessly. Paper type Research paper

The Effectiveness of Peace Education Program on the Preschoolers’ Social Behaviour in the Sultanate of Oman

Purpose – This research aims to measure the effects of the peace education program on the social and emotional behaviours of preschool children in the Sultanate of Oman. Children should be equipped with basic values, such as respecting the efforts and ideas of others, forming a comprehensive and positive relationship with people, possessing the skills of empathy, and resolving conflicts in peaceful ways.Design/methods/approach – The researcher adopted the quasi-experimental approach, and the current study presented the Peace Education Program (PEP) for children aged 4–6 years in the Sultanate of Oman. The participants consisted of 40 children in the experimental group and 40 children in the control group. The researcher used a scale with picture choice questions containing two pictures per question to measure the behaviours of children before and after the treatments. The peace education program for the study also included 28 training sessions that were presented for 15 weeks at a duration of one hour per session.Findings – The current study results also favoured the experimental group, as an improvement in their social behaviour was observed after joining the program.Research implications/limitations – The research demonstrates that peace is a key prerequisite for developing a balanced life, especially in childhood. The results may be of great significance in measuring and improving children's behaviour through (PEP).Practical implications – The study findings may likely be fruitful to Oman's pupils, educators, curriculum designers, and educational policy-makers.Originality/value – This study has been successful in focusing on some aspects of growth and behaviour enhancement in children. Paper type Research paper

Distance Learning Model Innovation for Early Childhood during COVID-19 Pandemic

Purpose – The COVID-19 pandemic has changed many lives, especially in the field of education. These changes start from the level of early childhood education, elementary education, to higher education. The learning process initially done conventionally in early childhood education has now been transformed into distance-learning or online. This sudden transformation of learning is essential to present an innovative distance learning model in the early childhood education environment. This study describes the distance learning model innovation for early childhood, implemented by PAUD Wadas Kelir, South Purwokerto, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Teachers designed this learning model at PAUD Wadas Kelir by combining fun and unique online and offline learning. Design/methods/approach – This type of research is field research with a descriptive qualitative method. In collecting data, researchers used three methods, i.e., observation, interviews, and documentation. The data analysis technique used, i.e., reducing data, presenting data, and drawing conclusions. Moreover, the validity of the data is tested using triangulation techniques. Findings – The results of this study show that there are ten learning model innovations implemented by ECE Wadas Kelir, i.e., learning with parental involvement, work projects, study visits, quizzes, online learning, creativity competitions, films and videos, creative and interactive stories, recording materials, and learning appreciation. Research implications/limitations – This case study focuses on Early Childhood Education (ECE) learning models applied to early childhood education institutions during the pandemic in PAUD Wadas Kelir, South Purwokerto, but it is unlikely that the situation is different elsewhere because the pandemic is Indonesia and global. Practical implications – This case study demonstrated how the application learning models of ECE during the pandemic are effective for children's growth and development. Originality/value – This paper contributes to knowledge and understanding of applying several learning models for ECE during the pandemic as reference material in implementing the learning process for early childhood. Paper type Case study

Development of Learning Media for Acehnese Culture Picture Books to Get to Know Local Culture in Early Childhood

Indonesia has so much cultural diversity. Culture is Indonesia’s national identity. Every culture cannot be separated from the cultural values of society in ancient times. This study intends to look at the development of picture book learning media with the theme of Acehnese culture to stimulate children to get to know the local culture. This study is commonly referred to as Research and Development (R&D). The type of data in this research and development consists of two types of data, qualitative data, and quantitative data. Researchers took qualitative data by conducting observation, interviews, and documentation for the quantitative data obtained from research respondents, including material experts, media experts, cultural experts, and users of learning media. The results of this study are: (1) The development of picture book media is designed using Corel Draw to design layouts, depict illustrations, smoothing using snape, printing and giving to content/material experts, media experts, and cultural experts to determine the feasibility of the designed media. (2) The results from the content experts get a percentage of 100%, media experts get a percentage of 96%, cultural experts get a percentage of 96%, small-scale trials are 3.9%, and large-scale trials are 4.6%. Finally, this research contributes to in-depth knowledge that picture book learning media with the theme of Acehnese culture can stimulate children to get to know the local culture.

The Comparison on 21st Century Skills of Early Childhood in Four Schools in Yogyakarta

This study aims to determine differences in 21st century abilities, including critical thinking, creative thinking, communication skills, and collaboration skills, in 4 schools in the Yogyakarta region. This research is a comparative survey with a research sample of 60 students. The data collecting techniques used in interviews with questionnaires consist of 4 21st century abilities: critical thinking skills, creative thinking, communication skills, and collaboration skills. The results showed differences in 21st-century abilities between schools AR with RA, AR with TY, RA with TY, RA with RB, and TY with RB. This is proved by the t-test, where the sig.t value <0.05 is obtained in a row on the creative thinking ability of 0.001; 0.049; 0.00; 0.001; 0.024. Ability to think creatively in succession 0.003; 0.009; 0.000; 0.009; 0.005. 0.000 successive communication skills; 0.011; 0.000; 0.000; 0.003. Collaboration ability 0.002 consecutively; 0.001; 0.000; 0.003; 0.000. Then there is no difference between AR and RB schools. The value of sig evidence this. t > 0.05 in a row on critical thinking skills, creative thinking, communication skills, and collaboration skills 0.781; 0.702; 0.540; 0.624. The difference in ability is influenced by the learning method used.