Developmental needs and early childhood education: evolutionary, my dear Watson

Examining the processes of natural selection, described by Darwin in The Origin of Species, casts light on our own species' fundamental needs and on the far greater role that early childhood educators can play in their fulfillment. The second section of this paper analyzes how our fundamental needs emerge in a sequence underpinned by the processes of natural selection (goodness-of-fit, variation and replication), are thus developmental in a new sense and are fulfilled only as organisms interact with their immediate environment. The subsequent section presents a model of how, in accordance with natural selection, adults can practise collaborative behaviors that facilitate this developmental sequence throughout life. The fourth section shows how early childhood educators who practise this model in interaction with their immediate environment (which includes parents) help to fulfill the fundamental needs and increase the internal resources of all participants—themselves, parents and children. Substantiating evidence comes from the author's studies.     

Adolescent mothers: Support needs, resources, and support-education interventions

Adolescent mothers are prone to live in poor conditions, lack adequate financial resources, suffer high stress, encounter family instability, and have limited educational opportunities. These factors contribute to inadequate parent-child interactions and diminished infant development. Social support can promote successful adaptation for adolescent mothers and their children. This review article describes the support needs and challenges faced by adolescent parents and their children, the support resources available to and accessed by adolescent parents, and existing support-education intervention studies, to provide directions for future research. Relevant research published between January 1982 and February 2003 was obtained from online database indices and retrieved article bibliographies. Frequently encountered problems included small sample sizes and attrition, lack of suitable comparison groups, and measurement inconsistencies. When planning support-education interventions, content, duration, intensity, mode, level, intervention agents, and targets should be considered. Future research can address these challenges.     

上海市徐汇区3岁以下婴幼儿托育服务需求现况分析

目的 了解上海市徐汇区3岁以下婴幼儿托育服务的需求现况,明确影响入托需求的主要原因,为3岁以下婴幼儿托育服务有效供给提供对策建议。方法 2019年6月采用多阶段抽样,对上海市徐汇区所有的13个街道的1 869位0~3岁儿童家长进行了线上问卷调查,采用多因素Logistic回归方法进行数据分析。结果 调查显示,51.4%的家庭有入托意愿,希望幼儿入托年龄为1~2岁和2~3岁的比例相当,分别为44.4%和45.9%。52.3%的家长会选择将幼儿送进带托班的幼儿园,93.7%的家长希望托育机构提供入托期间的餐食。入托费用方面,60.9%的家庭可负担费用在2 000~4 999元/月,家庭能承受入托费用越高的家庭,其送子女去托育机构的可能性越高(OR=1.47,95%CI:1.22~1.78)。工作状态为朝九晚五的母亲送子女去托育机构的可能性要比不工作的母亲高4倍(OR=4.20,95%CI:2.92~6.06)。结论 托育服务供给应当准确把握服务利用方的需求,增加社区型和普惠型托育机构,满足工作母亲的入托需求,有效增加托育服务供给的可及和可得性。     

上海市徐汇区3岁以下婴幼儿托育服务需求现况分析

目的 了解上海市徐汇区3岁以下婴幼儿托育服务的需求现况,明确影响入托需求的主要原因,为3岁以下婴幼儿托育服务有效供给提供对策建议。方法 2019年6月采用多阶段抽样,对上海市徐汇区所有的13个街道的1 869位0~3岁儿童家长进行了线上问卷调查,采用多因素Logistic回归方法进行数据分析。结果 调查显示,51.4%的家庭有入托意愿,希望幼儿入托年龄为1~2岁和2~3岁的比例相当,分别为44.4%和45.9%。52.3%的家长会选择将幼儿送进带托班的幼儿园,93.7%的家长希望托育机构提供入托期间的餐食。入托费用方面,60.9%的家庭可负担费用在2 000~4 999元/月,家庭能承受入托费用越高的家庭,其送子女去托育机构的可能性越高(OR=1.47,95%CI:1.22~1.78)。工作状态为朝九晚五的母亲送子女去托育机构的可能性要比不工作的母亲高4倍(OR=4.20,95%CI:2.92~6.06)。结论 托育服务供给应当准确把握服务利用方的需求,增加社区型和普惠型托育机构,满足工作母亲的入托需求,有效增加托育服务供给的可及和可得性。     

Better together: Developmental screening and monitoring best identify children who need early intervention

Background

Widely recommended developmental surveillance methods include developmental monitoring (DM) and development screening (DS). Much research has been done on DS, but very little research has compared the effectiveness of DM and DS together.

Implementing inclusive education in an early childhood setting: a case study of a Hong Kong kindergarten

Inclusive education has been promoted in primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong since the 1990s, and it has now spread to pre-primary education. Without qualified teachers and sufficient resources, however, it is difficult to implement inclusion in early childhood settings. This case study investigated how inclusive education was practised in an ordinary kindergarten in Hong Kong with a focus on its benefits and challenges. Two children with special educational needs, their teachers and parents, the learning support team members, and the school principal were involved in the study, which included the triangulation of observations, interviews, and documentation analysis. The results indicated that (1) the chosen kindergarten demonstrated a variety of inclusive practices and (2) although there were some problems and difficulties, all of the participants interviewed showed positive attitudes towards the inclusive programme. The implications and challenges of implementing inclusion in Hong Kong early childhood settings are discussed.     

Aboriginal children and early childhood education

The paper deals with the position of Aboriginal people in Australian society and reflection of this position in the provision of delivery of early childhood education. Aboriginal experiences since permanent European settlement are related to public policy. Culturally relevant education and the recognition of cognitive styles present a need for the critical evaluation of cognitive and socilization models.     

There's an alien in my playcorner: Computers and the early childhood teacher

This paper examines computers in relation to early childhood teachers, the children they teach and the curriculum. The author points out that there is no doubt that young children are able to use and learn from computers; but as to why children should use computers in preference to more traditional means she finds no answers in the current literature. Increased government intervention in education has resulted in major changes in schools curricula. The examples Britain and parts of Australia are cited. Concomitant with these changes comes state promotion of computers in to schools. Yet whether technology is adapted to education, or vice versa, has not yet been addressed. The position of teachers relative to this innovation is reviewed and the complexity of how a teacher acquires the necessary competence to use computers effectively in class is enunciated. The article looks finally to the future and calls on governments, policy makers and the computer industry to fund research into the use of computers in the early years.     

Exploration of self-identified education needs of alcohol and other drug workers

OBJECTIVE: It is well established that people who work with clients who are dependent on substances need to be well equipped to deal with challenging and complex situations. Our research explores the experience of alcohol and other drug workers (AODW) in order to identify how successful Australia's teaching institutions are at preparing AODWs to meet this challenge. DESIGN: Interviews were conducted to ascertain the perceived gaps in existing training programs and the perceived training needs of AODW. Using a qualitative research approach in-depth interviews were conducted with more than 20 counsellors working in six AODW rehabilitation centres in regional New South Wales. RESULTS: There was a perception among all workers that their training had been inadequate and that the preparation for employment in AODW settings had not meet the felt needs of grass-roots workers leaving them to learn through experience. CONCLUSION: Considering the recommendations of both national and state policies on AODWs in Australia there is an urgent need to develop courses relevant to the needs of workers as suggested by respondents to this research.     

Molecular epidemiology and evolutionary dynamics of betanodavirus in southern Europe

Viral encephalopathy and retinopathy (VER) is one of the most devastating diseases for marine aquaculture, and similarly represents a threat to wild fish populations because of its high infectivity and broad host range. Betanodavirus, the causative agent of VER, is a small non-enveloped virus with a bipartite RNA genome comprising the RNA1 and RNA2 segments. We partially sequenced both RNA1 and RNA2 from 120 viral strains isolated from 2000 to 2009 in six different countries in Southern Europe. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the presence of the red-spotted grouper nervous necrosis virus (RGNNV) (n = 96) and striped jack nervous necrosis virus (SJNNV) (n = 1) genotypes in Southern Europe, with 23/120 samples classified as RGNNV/SJNNV reassortants. Viruses sampled from individual countries tended to cluster together suggesting a major geographic subdivision among betanodaviruses, although some phylogenetic evidence for viral gene flow was also obtained. Rates of nucleotide substitution were similar to those observed in a broad array of RNA viruses, and revealed a significantly higher evolutionary rate in the polymerase compared to the coat protein gene. This may reflect temperature adaptation of betanodaviruses, although a site-specific analysis of selection pressures identified relatively few selected sites in either gene. Overall, our analyses yielded novel data on the evolutionary dynamics and phylogeography of betanodaviruses and therein provides a more complete understanding of the distribution and evolution of different genotypes in Southern Europe.     

Children who have complex health needs: parents' experiences of their child's education

Background An increasing number of children have complex and continuing health needs. These children have the same right to a full range of education opportunities as other children. Methods This paper reports on the findings from a small qualitative study of the experiences of parents whose children have complex heath needs, related to their experiences of their child's education. Interviews with parents were used to generate data. Findings Parents encounter a number of challenges to their children achieving equal opportunities in relation to education. The factors which influence their opportunities include: staffing issues, funding issues, the attitudes of individuals and organizations, staff confidence in meeting children's needs, clarity over responsibilities and funding. For parents, what seemed most important is not whether their child accesses mainstream education, but whether the school which they attend assists them to achieve their potential. Children who have complex health needs may have to make a greater effort than their peers to achieve educational goals, and may miss considerable school time. This can impact on their leisure time. Accessing pre‐school education can be difficult for children who have complex health needs. Conclusions Inclusion in education should include pre‐school provision, and more work in this area would be beneficial. Inclusion in mainstream education is only beneficial if it enables the child to participate fully with their peers. This requires practical and organizational issues to be addressed, services to be well co‐ordinated, responsibilities and funding to be clear, and staff to be enabled to be confident in meeting the child's needs. However, it is also vital that individuals and organizations have a positive attitude to children and to inclusion. The additional effort and time which children may have to spend on their school work because of their health needs should also be recognized and supported appropriately.     

开办多层次的护理教育 适应社会发展的需要

随着医学模式的转变以及经济模式的发展,人类对健康需求的不断提高以及护士人力资源的国际化,作为生命健 康的卫士,护士的需求量逐年增加,护理专业紧缺人才培训工作就成了高职院校的一项重要工作.为了顺应市场的 需求,适应社会发展的需要,高职院校必须开办多层次的护理教育.     

Hepatitis B virus infection from an evolutionary point of view: How viral, host, and environmental factors shape genotypes and subgenotypes

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) has an overwhelming distribution in the world and causes important human health problems. It has infected one-third of the global population and more than 350 million people are chronic carriers. Several aspects of HBV infection confer adaptive advantages that lead to a highly efficient dissemination of the virus through different routes of transmission. HBV genotypes and subgenotypes have been associated with differences in clinical and virological characteristics, indicating that they may play a role in the virus–host relationship. In particular, a clear association between genotype A and chronic outcomes in both children and adults depending on the subgenotype involved, and between genotype C and a higher risk of complications from HBV infection, has been demonstrated. Interestingly, subgenotype A2 and genotype C are respectively likely to predominate in high-risk groups for sexual transmission and in areas where perinatal transmission is the major mode of HBV dissemination. An evolutionary approach to HBV infection, based on the principles of natural selection, may offer explanations for how modes of transmission may favor some genotypes and subgenotypes over others and, ultimately, influence HBV virulence.     

Developing a policy for early childhood education: Challenges and constraints

Against a backcloth of patchy and uncoordinated provision for young children, this paper argues for the development of a national policy framework, within which services can be developed at a local level. Using examples from recent legislation and current initiatives in Britain, the paper puts forward a number of specific policy proposals around five main themes: a national policy that integrates or coordinates “care” and “education” at a structural level and within practice; responsibility for the provision of services as being shared by central and local government as well as the private sector and parents; how to ensure quality and equality of opportunity in meeting the needs of young children; how to make services responsive and accessible to parents; and the importance of ongoing training and support for staff.     

Negotiating family-centered early education: A multidimensional assessment of interests and needs

Reform efforts in early childhood education highlight recommendations to adopt more family-centered practices, including greater family support functions. Yet, there is little research on the processes through which schools develop family-centered programs that are responsive to the participating children and families. This study examines program development priorities from the perspectives of school staff and families. Fifty-three (53) school staff members and one hundred and ninety (190) family members responded to quantitative and qualitative surveys to describe their beliefs about the strategies that two urban public schools should undertake in developing family-centered early childhood programs. Results revealed important differences between the staff and family perspectives. Staff advocated direct methods of assisting families, such as parent education, and expressed comparatively little consideration for informal aspects of family support (e.g., informal staff-parent relationships; parent-child recreation). Families set a priority on receiving support for their informal family functions, and perceived an important role for schools to assume in providing referral information for community resources rather than in providing direct school-based assistance. The results indicated the need for greater staff training in: a) the processes of delivering relationship-based, consumer-driven family services; and b) the utilization of family input to inform schools' instructional activities.     

Free play in early childhood education: a phenomenological study

It is aimed to investigate perceptions and implementations of early childhood teachers on free play and their involvement in children's free play. Recent studies focused on that, although there is an increase in the amount of teacher involvement, the quality of this involvement should be clearly examined. Lev Vygotsky examined play as an opportunity providing a context for socially assisted learning, a key role in abstract thinking, and a tool promoting development and learning. Teachers’ involvement is considered as an important factor for the relationship between play and developmental outcomes. This phenomenological study used interview and observation. Results indicate that teachers respect the children's play. However, they get involved in when children have problems and need help. They use free playtime to complete their daily plans and take attendance.     

Quality matters: early childhood education policy in Hong Kong

This paper critically analyses how the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administration Region has tackled the issue of preschool quality over the past 30 years. Although early childhood education is not part of the publicly funded education system, there is almost universal preschool attendance among three to six year olds. The government regulates, monitors and evaluates early childhood services, and has taken numerous steps to improve the quality of early childhood provision. However, a paradox lurks within government policy. On one hand, the facility‐focused and provider‐focused regulatory standards for the operation of preschools have been faulted for being too lax; but, on the other hand, policies and incentives have clearly improved the quality of preschool education. These include measures to support the upgrading of serving kindergarten teachers and an emphasis on quality assurance. The implementation of enabling policies is essential to ensure that all children have access to high‐quality early education and care.