bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phytoplankton productivity and community structure variations over the last 160 years in the East China Sea coast in response to natural and human-induced environmental changes
Authors: Chen Lilei , Liu Jian , Xu Gang , Li Feng
Published: March 2019

Eutrophication has caused drastic changes to the marine ecosystem of the East China Sea during the past decades. However, there is relatively sparse evidence of historical changes, as well as the explicit effects of climatic changes and anthropogenic activities on the primary productivity of marine coastal ecosystems. In this study, surface and core sediments from the Zhejiang-Fujian coastal mud area, East China Sea coast, were analyzed using the bulk and molecular biomarkers. The results showed that ecosystem changes were characterized by increased phytoplankton productivity and a fluctuant transition from blooms mostly dominated by diatoms to red tide events dominated by dinoflagellates. Variations from the early 1850s to the early 2010s can be divided into a nature-dominated period (the early 1850s–1960s) and a human-impacted period (1960s–the early 2010s). Particularly, natural forcing such as heavy floods (e.g. 1998, 1954, and 1931) in the whole of the Yangtze River catchment, variations in the intensity of East Asia Monsoon, and strengthened or weakened Kuroshio intrusion/positive or negative Pacific Decadal Oscillation phase in the coastal mud area have substantially affected the phytoplankton productivity and community structure during the nature-dominated period. In contrast, changes in nutrient supply and compositions were more apparent during the human-impacted period, which could have been because of increased fertilizer usage, discharges of industrial wastewater and domestic sewage, and large-scale human projects (e.g. Danjiangkou Reservoir and Three Gorges Dam) in the Yangtze River drainage area, leading to significant phytoplankton productivity and community structure variations in the coastal mud area system of East China Sea.
Comparison of Venous Thrombosis Complications in Midlines Versus Peripherally Inserted Central Catheters: Are Midlines the Safer Option?
Authors: Bahl Amit , Karabon Patrick , Chu David
Published: March 2019

Catheter-related (CR) thrombosis is a significant complication of midline catheters (MCs) and peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs). Limited existing data for MCs suggest a favorable complication profile for MCs. To compare incidence of CR thrombosis between MCs and PICCs and to evaluate the impact of quantity of lumens and catheter diameter on CR thrombosis. This was a retrospective comparison spanning 13 months of MCs and PICCs for symptomatic CR thrombosis at an 1100 bed tertiary care academic medical center. Adult patients who had an MC or a PICC placed by the were included. Data were collected using the electronic medical record. Statistical analysis was performed using SAS software. A total of 2577 catheters were included in the analysis with 1094 MCs and 1483 PICCs. One hundred thirty (11.88%) MCs developed CR thrombosis (deep vein thrombosis [DVT] or superficial venous thrombophlebitis [SVT]) as compared to 112 (6.88%) PICCs (odds ratio [OR]: 1.82; P < .0001). Midline catheters had a 53% greater odds of developing CR DVT than PICCs (7.04% MCs and 4.72% PICCs; OR: 1.53; P = .0126). For CR SVT, MCs have a 2.29-fold greater odds of developing CR SVT than PICCs (4.84% MCs and 2.16% PICCs; OR: 2.29; P = .0002). For MCs and PICCs, the incidence of CR thrombosis was 13.50% for double lumen/5F lines and was 6.92% for single lumen/4F lines (OR: 2.10; P = <.0001). Symptomatic CR thrombosis is a serious, life-threatening complication that occurs more frequently in MCs compared to PICCs. Inserters should consider placement of single lumen catheters with the smallest diameter to reduce this risk when a midline is used.
Survival outcomes associated with different sunitinib dosing regimens in metastatic renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Cheng Winnie , Kletas Victoria , Kollmannsberger Christian , de Lemos Mário
Published: March 2019

Background

Standard dosing regimen of sunitinib for metastatic renal cell carcinoma consists of four weeks treatment followed by two weeks rest (intermittent dosing). Alternative regimens have been suggested, including continuous daily dosing (continuous dosing) and non-conventional dosing (non-conventional dosing: e.g. two weeks on/one week off, non-conventional dosing), to provide more individualized therapy with less toxicities. It is unclear whether non-standard sunitinib dosing affects survival outcomes.

Patients

Metastatic renal cell carcinoma patients treated with sunitinib between 1 July 2007 and 1 July 2011 at our institution.

Methods

Medical records and dispensing data were reviewed retrospectively to categorize sunitinib dosing as intermittent dosing, continuous dosing, or non-conventional dosing. Primary outcome was to compare overall survival associated with varying regimens, with secondary outcomes of progression-free survival and incidence of treatment discontinuation due to adverse effects.

Results

A total of 180 patients were identified. Most patients received intermittent dosing ( n = 120, 67%), followed by continuous dosing ( n = 32, 18%) and non-conventional dosing ( n = 28, 16%). Compared to intermittent dosing, continuous dosing was associated with similar overall survival (median 9 vs. 13 months, HR 0.67, 95% CI: 0.43–1.06, p = 0.088) while non-conventional dosing was associated with significantly longer overall survival (median 9 vs. 23 months, HR 0.55, 95% CI: 0.34–0.90, p = 0.016). Progression-free survival was significantly better for continuous dosing (median 4 vs. 9 months, HR 0.61, 95% CI: 0.40–0.94, p = 0.025) and non-conventional dosing (median 4 vs. 10 months, HR 0.61, 95% CI: 0.39–0.95, p = 0.03) when compared to intermittent dosing. Similar to prior sunitinib trials, a significant proportion of patients (20%) discontinued sunitinib therapy due to adverse effects.

Conclusions

Based on retrospective, real-world data, alternative sunitinib dosing regimens appear to be viable options for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma.
Causes of in-hospital mortality after hip fractures in the elderly
Authors: Groff Hannah , Kheir Michael M , George Jaiben , Azboy Ibrahim , Higuera Carlos A , Parvizi Javad
Published: March 2019

Objectives:

Although there are numerous studies reporting early mortality after hip fracture, the incidence and aetiology of in-hospital mortality following hip fractures is largely unknown. This study aimed to determine the causes and the incidence of in-hospital mortality in patients with a hip fracture who received surgical treatment.

Methods:

This was a multi-institutional retrospective study identifying 2464 consecutive patients >65 years of age who were treated for a hip fracture from 2000 to 2016 at 2 institutions. Revision surgeries were excluded. An electronic query followed by manual chart review was performed to collect patient demographics, Charlson comorbidity index (CCI), type of anaesthesia, and cause of death.

Results:

The overall in-hospital mortality rate for patients undergoing surgical intervention for an acute hip fracture was 3.0% (75/2464). The most common causes of death in descending order were: respiratory failure ( n = 26), cardiac failure ( n = 13), multiorgan failure ( n = 6), septic shock ( n = 6), pulmonary embolism ( n = 5), end stage renal disease ( n = 5) and others ( n = 14). In-hopsital mortality was associated with older age ( p = 0.001) and higher CCI scores ( p = 0.001). There was no association with gender ( p = 0.165), type of anaesthesia ( p = 0.497), extracapsular versus intracapsular fracture ( p = 0.627), pathologic versus non-pathologic fracture (0.799), or body mass index ( p = 0.781).

Conclusion:

This study demonstrated that hip fracture patients are at relatively high risk of in-hospital mortality following surgical intervention with a high proportion of patients succumbing to respiratory failure. The findings compel us to investigate strategies that can minimize mortality related to respiratory failure in this patient population such as minimising opioid use, early mobilisation, and implementing greater respiratory monitoring.
Total hip arthroplasty after acetabular fracture: does initial treatment make any difference to the outcome? A 5- to 23-year follow-up with clinical and radiological analysis
Authors: García-Rey Eduardo , Sirianni Rossella , García-Cimbrelo Eduardo , Sedel Laurent
Published: March 2019

Purpose:

To determine if initial treatment affects the outcome of total hip arthroplasty (THA) after acetabular fracture.

Methods:

49 patients (49 hips) initially treated non-operatively followed some months later by THA in conjunction with acetabular reconstruction (Group 1) and 29 patients (29 hips) who had undergone THA after a previous osteosynthesis (Group 2) were assessed. The mean follow-up was 11.7 (range 5–23) years.

Results:

3 acetabular components were revised for aseptic loosening in Group 1 and 2 in Group 2. The survival rate for cup loosening at 16 years was 90.6% (95% confidence interval [CI], 78.1–100) for Group 1 and 94.1% (95% CI, 86.5–100) for Group 2 ( p = 0.76). There were 2 sciatic palsies in Group 2 after osteosynthesis. The mean preoperative clinical score and postoperative range of mobility were better in Group 1. There were more heterotopic ossifications in Group 2.

Conclusion:

Despite the good results found in both groups, THA after previous osteosynthesis for acetabular fractures had more complications than a primary THA in conjunction with acetabular reconstruction.
Effects of injection strategy on performance and emissions metrics in a diesel/methane dual-fuel single-cylinder compression ignition engine
Authors: Korkmaz Metin , Ritter Dennis , Jochim Bernhard , Beeckmann Joachim , Abel Dirk , Pitsch Heinz
Published: March 2019

In order to counteract the drawbacks of conventional diesel combustion, which can lead to high indicated specific nitric oxide and indicated specific particulate matter emissions, a promising diesel-dual-fuel concept is investigated and evaluated. In this study, methane is used as supplement to liquid diesel fuel due to its benefits like high knock resistance and clean combustion. A deep understanding of the in-cylinder process is required for engine design and combustion controller development. To investigate the impact of different input parameters such as injection duration, injection timing, and substitution rate on varying output parameters like load, combustion phasing, and engine-out emissions, numerous investigations were conducted. Engine speed, global equivalence ratio, and injection pressure were held constant. The experiments were carried out in a modified single-cylinder compression ignition engine. The results reveal regimes with different dependencies between injection timing of diesel fuel and combustion phasing. This work demonstrates the potential of the diesel-dual-fuel concept by combining sophisticated combustion control with the favorable combustion mode. Without employing exhaust gas recirculation, TIER IMO 3 emissions limits are met while ensuring high thermal efficiency.
Oxidation reaction mechanism and kinetics between OH radicals and alkyl-substituted aliphatic thiols: OH-addition pathways
Authors: Tahan Arezoo , Shiroudi Abolfazl
Published: March 2019

Kinetic rate constants for the oxidation reactions of OH radicals with CH3SH (1), C2H5SH (2), n-C3H7SH (3) and iso-C3H7SH (4) under inert conditions (Ar) over the temperature range 252−430 K have been studied using the CBS-QB3 composite method. Kinetic rate constants under atmospheric pressure and in the fall-off regime have been estimated using transition state theory (TST) and statistical Rice–Ramsperger–Kassel–Marcus (RRKM) theory. Comparison with experiment confirms that in the OH-addition pathways 1−4 leading to the related products, the first bimolecular reaction step has effective negative activation energies around −2.61 to 3.70 kcal mol−1. Effective rate coefficients have been calculated according to a steady-state analysis of a two-step model reaction mechanism. As a result of the negative activation energies, pressures larger than 104 bar would be required to restore to some extent the validity of this approximation for all the channels. By comparison with experimental data, all our calculations for both the OH-addition and H-abstraction reaction pathways indicate that from a kinetic viewpoint and in line with the computed reaction energy barriers, the most favourable process is the OH-addition pathway to n-C3H7SH to yield the [ n-C3H7SH−OH]• species, whereas under thermodynamic control of the bimolecular reactions (R−SH+OH•), the most abundant product derived from the H-abstraction pathway will be the [ n-C3H7 S•+H2O] species.
The economic cost of dementia: A systematic review
Authors: Cantarero-Prieto David , Leon Paloma Lanza , Blazquez-Fernandez Carla , Juan Pascual Sanchez , Cobo Carmen Sarabia
Published: March 2019

The purpose of this article is to analyse the available literature describing the economic burden of dementia and to compare costs between studies examining cost drivers. To shed light on this field, a systematic review is performed using PubMed, the Cochrane Library and Web of Science. An eight-year retrospective horizon was considered until 25 May 2018. Several papers were obtained from the database search (n = 23), being others (n = 3) identified through other sources (hand-searching) because we did not detect it through the three databases. The cost estimates were compared between three perspectives: state/publicly funded health services, third-party/private sector/not-for-profit organisations and patient and family and/or societal. The estimated total annual cost per person with dementia in Europe is on average €32,506.73 (n = 10), whereas for the United States, it gets €42,898.65 (n = 2). Furthermore, differences are appreciated by type of costs. Besides, differences by severity groups are also considered. Overall, the higher the severity the higher the associated costs. Dementia imposes a huge economic burden. The figures here presented provide a good framework to quantify these costs for both, economic experts and researchers, and policy decision makers.
Using reflexivity journaling to lessen the emic–etic divide in a qualitative study of Ethiopian immigrant women
Authors: Oliphant Sarah M , Bennett C Susanne
Published: March 2019

This article explores the use of journaling about reflexivity as a method of lessening the etic–emic divide in a cross-cultural qualitative study. The journaling process discussed demonstrates reflexivity as personal introspection, social critique, and biography in a study of 14 women who immigrated from Ethiopia to the Washington, DC metropolitan area. The author conducted face-to-face interviews and intentionally journaled about her reflections as she recruited participants and conducted interviews over a one-year period of time. The reflexivity journal process highlighted both similarities and differences between the researcher and participants.
“Look! A Black Ethnographer!”: Fanon, Performance, and Critical Ethnography
Authors: Henson Bryce
Published: March 2019

This article engages the possibility of a critical Black ethnography and a performative fugitivity. Drawing on the author’s ethnographic research, it examines the tension between being a racialized and gendered person and becoming an ethnographic self. This tension rises when critical Black ethnographers are visually rendered outside the domain of the ethnographer, a category forged against the template of Western White male subjects. Instead, they are interchangeable with the populations they perform research with and suspect to performances of racialized and gendered violence. This opens up an emergent politics for the possibility of a critical Black ethnographer who alters how ethnographic practice is undertaken to grapple with the realities of race and gender by the critical Black ethnographer in the field. That said, the critical Black ethnographer must reconcile being Black, becoming an ethnographer, and what it would mean to be a critical Black ethnographer. To do so, this article draws on Frantz Fanon and situates him as both a performer and a critical ethnographer to analyze how does a critical Black ethnographer engage with performance, performativity, and the performative.
Sharing the Lived Experiences of Children
Authors: Arthur Leonie , Beecher Bronwyn , Harrison Cathie , Morandini Christine
Published: March 2019

This article explores possibilities for linking children, families and early childhood settings through processes that celebrate and document the richness of children's daily realities. Changing images of the child, greater recognition of the child in social contexts of the family, community and the early childhood setting, as well as the dynamic nature of early childhood services have contributed to innovative approaches to curriculum and documentation. New ways of thinking about children and planning affirm children's competencies and celebrate their learning. Effective learning communities involve the collaboration of children and families in all stages of documentation and decision-making.
Preschooler Response to Pre-Recorded Music in Three Different Situations
Authors: de Vries Peter
Published: March 2019

This article reports on a study investigating preschool children's responses to a variety of pre-recorded music in three different situations: sitting down with eyes closed, sitting with eyes open and listening while engaged in free play. The study suggests sitting with eyes closed is restricting and that a combination of the eyes open situation and free play situation be adopted. Advantages of listening with eyes open include children observe and copy each other, resulting in children moving to the music, being attentive to the music, and using imaginary objects as a form of musical representation. Advantages of the free play situation include children freely talking about their responses to the music, as well as allowing children to use their whole bodies when exploring the music through movement.
One Size doesn't Fit All: Patterns of Pre-Primary Teacher Policy Engagement
Authors: Barblett Lennie
Published: March 2019

In Western Australia the non-compulsory early years of school are administered by the compulsory schooling sector. Consequently, the ways in which pre-primary teachers are asked to account for their work have changed. Pre-primary teachers are asked to implement a school development plan and provide evidence of accomplishment of the school priorities. Such requirements have unsettled teachers, as they believe the ‘one size fits all’ application of school policies does not capture the essence of early childhood pedagogy and practice. This paper draws on qualitative and quantitative data collected during a study that investigated pre-primary teacher accountability from the policy level to the practicalities of classroom life. The study suggests that policies pertaining to the early years need to be written in such a way that meets the needs of the system, but also fits with the cultures of pre-primary teachers' classrooms.
Grandparents as Regular Child Care Providers: Unrecognised, Under-Valued and Under-Resourced
Authors: Goodfellow Joy
Published: March 2019

In Australia, nearly one quarter of all 0-4-year-olds in child care are in the ‘informal’ care of grandparents (ABS, 2003). There is also evidence that the courts are assigning increasing numbers of children to the custodial care of grandparents. While there is a considerable body of descriptive literature that reports on the incidence and nature of grandparenting in relation to the custodial care of children, little is known about grandparents who are regular child care providers. This article draws from a larger study that sought to gain insights into grandparents' experiences as regular child care providers for children below school age. While these grandparents chose to care for their grandchildren they were also involved in balancing this responsibility with their own work commitments, their leisure activities, and a sense of family obligation. The grandparents' stories of their experiences highlight the need for greater recognition of the role grandparents play in supporting family cohesiveness and the contribution they make to society as a whole.
Indigenous Parents' Ratings of the Importance of Play, Indigenous Games and Language, and Early Childhood Education
Authors: Windisch Lydia E. , Jenvey Vickii B. , Drysdale Marlene
Published: March 2019

Australian Indigenous children's participation in mainstream early childhood education has been markedly low when compared with non-Indigenous children. Anecdotal evidence suggests that Indigenous parents may not be sending their children to these programs because such programs are considered culturally inappropriate. The aim of the present study was to investigate Indigenous parents' attitudes to Indigenous-specific early childhood programs. Eighteen parents whose children attended Indigenous-specific child care centres and playgroups completed a questionnaire that contained questions by which they evaluated the importance of early childhood education and other related cultural issues. Results of the parents' evaluations indicate a high level of support for early childhood education in an Indigenous-specific context. It is suggested that aspects of Indigenous-specific programs may be usefully adopted in the development of more inclusive mainstream early childhood education programs.
Maintaining the Thread: Including Young Children with Chronic Illness in the Primary Classroom
Authors: Shiu Shiona
Published: March 2019

Young children with chronic illness who attend our early childhood facilities and schools have very special needs. They are more likely to encounter academic challenges and to have peer and emotional difficulties than are their healthy peers. As well, their families are frequently undergoing intense stress. The challenge to educators is to ensure that these children receive and maintain access to the same quality educational programs as their healthy peers. To gain further insight into this process, a study of parents and educators of children with a chronic illness was undertaken across Department of Education and Training Schools in NSW This paper examines concerns and recommendations from 53 participants. Recommendations for strategies to fully involve children with chronic illness in the primary classroom include teacher training and in-service, supporting student attendance, and caring and inclusive school communities.
The Introduction of New Technologies: New Possibilities for Early Childhood Pedagogy
Authors: O'Rourke Maureen , Harrison Cathie
Published: March 2019

In 2000, IBM invited the Australian National Schools Network to assist in the implementation of the international KidSmart Early Learning Program in Australia. By the end of 2003, more than 300 Young Explorer Units will have been donated to designated early childhood settings serving low socio-economic communities across Australia. This paper will outline some of the results of the case studies undertaken by educators in the participating settings during the first year of the program. The task of integrating the new computers into the early childhood program generated many issues and challenges for educators. Of particular interest were the pedagogical possibilities that emerged through the introduction of new technologies within early childhood settings.
Children'S Animated TV Programs: A Content Analysis
Authors: Lambert E. Beverley , Clancy Susan
Published: March 2019

This study describes the use of content analysis to develop a framework for analysing children's animated television programs (in this case, Bob the Builder) and as such represents the initial stage of a larger project. Results indicate this popular TV series for preschoolers presents contradictory social messages about the roles of men and women as depicted through the two main characters, Bob and Wendy.
Drawing: The Social Construction of Knowledge
Authors: Brooks Margaret
Published: March 2019

Despite a growing interest in children's drawing, there are few meaningful frameworks for examining what it is that children are doing when they draw. In this paper particular aspects of Vygotsky's sociocultural theories are re-examined in relation to young children's drawing processes. Using one kindergarten child's drawings of the growth and development of a Painted Lady butterfly as an example, I show how drawing in a social context mediates new knowledge and understanding. Drawing processes that encourage children to talk about, share, revise, revisit and re-contextualise their drawings extend young children's thinking as well their awareness of different possibilities for representation. I make recommendations for the use of drawing as a powerful meaning-making tool for young children.
Adaptive Education for Students with Special Needs in the Inclusive Classroom
Authors: Alston Janet , Kilham Chris
Published: March 2019

This article focuses on factors that promote the use of appropriate accommodations for children with disabilities in early childhood inclusive settings. It investigates the kinds of accommodations that were used with two children who were educated in two settings—a mainstream classroom, and a small unit in which the majority of children were on the autism spectrum. The study found that teaching assistants did not always foster social inclusion; that accommodations were not used consistently across the mainstream and specialised settings; and that planning time and training may be important ways to foster inclusionary practices. In addition, the high frequency of staff changes was noted, which may not be compatible with the demand for structure, routine and consistency that is commonly associated with children on the autism spectrum.
Evaluating the Efficacy of Parent-focused Interventions for Autism: How do we Know what Will Work?
Authors: Birkin Christina , Anderson Angelika , Moore Dennis W. , Seymour Fred
Published: March 2019

Children with autism display significant learning, social and behavioural difficulties which impact on parents and teachers. Intensive child-focused behavioural interventions have proved to be an effective way of reducing these difficulties. Such programs are expensive to run and are currently not funded in New Zealand. One alternative way to provide early intervention at lower cost is to support parents as change agents or therapists for their child; however, little is known about the efficacy of such parent-focused programs. The NZ Ministry of Education currently resources a parent-focused program called EarlyBird. This program is delivered to parents in small groups over eight three-hour sessions with homework tasks included. The authors are currently evaluating the effectiveness of this program, measuring outcomes in terms of both parent learning and child behaviour. This paper describes the approach taken in the evaluation of EarlyBird and discusses methods and standards which can be used to evaluate parent-focused autism interventions.
Gender, The Labour Market, The Workplace and Policy in Children's Services: Parent, staff and student attitudes
Authors: Lyons Michael , Quinn Andrea , Sumsion Jennifer
Published: March 2019

This paper reports the attitudes of parents, staff and teacher education students towards the employment of men in the children's services ‘industry’. The attitudinal survey questions were grouped around four distinct issues: gender roles, labour market behaviour, workplace behaviour and policy. Surprisingly, all three stakeholder groups surveyed expressed similar views on the four issues. While the results suggest that attitudes are not an impediment to increasing the number of male workers, they also suggest recruitment strategies need to be cognisant of both the potential advantages and disadvantages of a more gender-balanced workforce. The findings question policies based on the need to have male ‘role models’ in children's services.
Teacher Understandings of and Commitment to Gender Equity in the Early Childhood Setting
Authors: Lee-Thomas Kerrin , Sumsion Jennifer , Roberts Susan
Published: March 2019

Despite considerable examination of gender and gender equity within early childhood education, gender inequity remains problematic in many early childhood settings. Using qualitative methods, the study reported in this article investigated four early childhood teachers' understandings about gender and their commitment to promoting gender equity. It adopted a triangulated investigation of the teachers' understandings, attitudes and commitment to gender equity that involved talking with the teachers about their practice, observing their pedagogic practice, and inviting them to reflect on gender-based scenarios. While the participants believed gender to be a significant issue for early childhood teachers, their understandings about many aspects of gender and gender equity were heavily grounded in socialisation theory. In addition, their reliance on socialisation theory seemed to contribute to a sense of fatalism regarding their capacity for intervention. The study concludes that engaging with feminist poststructuralist theory may enhance teachers' understanding about gender and gender equity and offer a way of intervening effectively at the local level.
Starting School—A Singapore Story told by Children
Authors: Yeo Lay See , Clarke Christine
Published: March 2019

This paper offers the perspective of a group of Primary One children in Singapore on their transition from preschool to formal schooling. It examines their impressions of school expectations, adjustments in daily routine, and the best and worst aspects of school. Data obtained from a structured interview indicates that children regard school as a positive experience. Almost all had made new friends and enjoyed the larger school building and facilities. They held a very serious view of schooling, where learning held centre-stage and play took a back seat. They registered a positive view of themselves as learners. Many were concerned about school rules. Whereas the majority did not indicate anxieties about school, some expressed worries that pertained mostly to being reprimanded by teachers, the principal, and vice-principal. Implications for best practices in school transition are discussed.
What did you do in Maths Today?
Authors: Perry Bob , Dockett Sue
Published: March 2019

As children make the transition to school, many things may change for them. Among these are the ways they interact with curriculum areas such as mathematics. This paper explores some of these changes by considering examples of children's mathematical experiences in prior-to-school and school settings and analysing them in terms of the mathematical power displayed by the children and the opportunities they have to display this power.
Concerns and Expectations of Bangladeshi Parents as their Children Start School
Authors: Sanagavarapu Prathyusha , Perry Bob
Published: March 2019

This study aimed to examine views, concerns and expectations of immigrant Bangladeshi parents and children in Sydney concerning transition to kindergarten (the first year of school). This study builds on the previous work of the Starting School Research Project at the University of Western Sydney by:

• deriving data from families and children for whom English is not the first language; and

• exploring the transitional experiences of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) children from prior-to-school to school settings.

Ten parents and four children were interviewed on the topic of transition to school. In particular, parents were asked to indicate their concerns and expectations that would assist schools in meeting the needs of Bangladeshi children and would make transition to school a positive experience for all concerned. The results revealed issues specific to families and children of non-English-speaking background regarding transition to school.
Romance or Reality?: Examining Burnout in early Childhood Teachers
Authors: Noble Karen , Macfarlane Kym
Published: March 2019

Relatively high rates of teacher attrition have been consistently identified as a major issue for the teaching profession over several decades. As a result, there has been a growing interest in the wellbeing of teachers across the entire education sector. Recent research by Noble, Goddard and O'Brien (2003) has found that early childhood teachers, on average, maintained significantly lower burnout levels than did other teachers over their first year of service. However, at the beginning of their second year of service early childhood teachers reported significant increases in burnout, in comparison to primary and secondary school teachers who reported more gradual and consistent increases over the initial stages of their careers. The authors of this paper explore these significant statistics and call for further research to be conducted into how early career burnout develops in early childhood teachers. Such an exploration may assist in the reduction of burnout across the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector.
A Place for Sound: Raising Children's Awareness of their Sonic Environment
Authors: Deans Jan , Brown Robert , Dilkes Helen
Published: March 2019

This paper reports on an experiential project that involved a group of children aged four to five years and their teachers in an investigation of sounds in their local environment. It describes the key elements of an eight-week teaching and learning program that encouraged children to experience and re-experience their surrounding sound environments through a variety of listening tasks, ‘sound walks’ and reflective art-making. Informed by diverse disciplines such as acoustic ecology (Schafer, 1992), music education (Dilkes, 1998) and environmental education (Palmer, 1998), this project aimed to make the ‘sounds of place’ explicit, to illuminate children's understandings of sound and to document these early experiences. The key questions asked were, ‘Are young children motivated to investigate sounds in their local environment and, if so, how can the teacher support this process?’ Data was collected in the form of digital audio recordings, written ‘listening lists’, child interviews, a project booklet, photographs and children's artworks. This study provides guidance for early childhood educators who wish to incorporate the ‘sounds of place’ within a multi-sensory program, so as to assist children to make a deeper connection with their surrounding environment.
Storytelling as a Means of Reflecting on the Lived Experience of Making Curriculum in Teacher Education
Authors: Garbett Dawn , Tynan Belinda
Published: March 2019

THIS PAPER DESCRIBES HOW REFLECTING on our stories of teacher education practices facilitated a deepening appreciation of our impact on the quality of students' learning in a tertiary institution. In this paper, our description, analysis and re-interpretation of our experiences exemplify an effective approach for improving how we go about teaching teachers. Storytelling was the tool used to enable the authors to deepen their understanding of teacher-educator practices and promote a scholarly approach to curriculum development.
The Future is Created by and within Children
Authors: Sandberg Anette , Vuorinen Tuula
Published: March 2019

THE OVERALL AIM OF THIS STUDY was to present research areas within early childhood education in a dialogue between municipality and university. The purpose was to produce ideas and develop research in teacher education, with the hope of increasing the understanding of what kind of research is needed into early childhood education. The data collection comprised 10 focus group interviews with politicians, managers, principals, lecturers, preschool teachers and parents, as well as children in after-school recreation centres and preschools, in all a total of 46 participants. The preschool teachers and parents also answered a questionnaire. From the results, different research areas appear; those especially highlighted were play, intervention, cooperation between preschool and home, the position of preschools in relation to schools, and child group research. There was also an increasing demand for children's perspective in gender, class and ethnicity research.
Documenting the Early Literacy and Numeracy Practices of Home Tutors in Distance and Isolated Education in Australia
Authors: Lee Libby , Wilks Anne
Published: March 2019

THIS PAPER REPORTS ASPECTS of a large-scale project conducted in rural and remote regions of Australia. The study was designed to assess teaching and learning practices in early childhood programs with a particular focus on literacy, numeracy and the use of information and communication technologies. Programs had been specifically designed for use in rural and remote areas and were implemented through schools of distance education with teachers conducting regular ‘lessons’ via radio or internet-based satellite technologies. Home tutors, who were not necessarily trained educators, delivered the programs face-to-face. A range of tools to document these early-years programs was developed. Data was collected through questionnaires, interviews with teachers, home tutors and the children themselves. This was supported by observations of ‘lessons’ using an observation schedule. The focus of this paper is to describe some examples of the pedagogical practices of home tutors, using the observation schedule as the tool as they engage in a 30-minute lesson with children between the ages of five and eight years. Key findings from this latter instrument are presented in this paper.
Preparing Children for School—Benefits and Privileges
Authors: Margetts Kay
Published: March 2019

THE IMPORTANCE OF carefully planned transition programs for children commencing school has been advocated in the literature. These programs should be based on sound principles of transition and reflect the voices of parents, preschool and school staff, and children. A variety of practices exists, and children's participation in transition programs also varies. This paper reports a study about the participation of children and their parents in different transition activities, differences in this participation by child gender and family demographics, and the relationship between participation in different numbers of these activities and children's adjustment to the first year of school. Results indicate significant benefits of participation in high numbers of transition activities for teacher-rated social and academic competence for children. Children's adjustment to school also appeared to differ for particular cohorts of the population. The challenge is to take these findings and translate them into the public good to maximise benefits to all children rather than those already experiencing sociocultural privilege.
The Possum Story
Authors: Deans Jan , Brown Robert , Young Sarah
Published: March 2019

SUPPORT FOR REFLECTIVE PRACTICE (Dewey, 1910; Schön, 1983) as a way of reviewing, articulating and informing practice, is well-established within teacher education and research, though there is still much to learn from the individual experience of the practitioner who grapples with the reflective process. This paper highlights the deliberations of a teacher undertaking a process drama (Heathcote & Bolton, 1995) program with one group of four-to-five-year-old children. One story stemming from this program, entitled ‘The Possum Story’, is presented to illustrate the complex decision-making processes and teaching strategies evident in the work of the drama practitioner who was faced with several challenges, including how to determine engaging and relevant child-centred content, how to stimulate the interests of all children in the developing story and cater for their needs, and how to promote creative problem-solving through responsive questioning. This paper examines the teacher as a reflective practitioner and provides a useful reference for other early childhood practitioners grappling with the possibilities and challenges related to exploring drama with young children.
The Australian Early Development Index, who does it measure: Piaget or Vygotsky's child?
Authors: Agbenyega Joseph
Published: March 2019

SEVERAL PSYCHOLOGICAL INSTRUMENTS have been developed and used over the years to measure various domains of child development. The Australian Early Development Index (AEDI) is a current assessment tool being used as a community measure of young children's development. It measures the following domains: Physical health and wellbeing; Social competence; Emotional maturity; Language and cognitive skills; Communication skills and general knowledge. This article examines the tacit nuanced construction of the child within the AEDI, and critiques this within a cultural-historical theoretical perspective of child development. The paper argues that the AEDI image of the child has its roots in Piagetian and Gesellian stage theories of universality. This position is juxtaposed with more encompassing views held in the Vygotskian tradition. The paper advances arguments for an alternative consideration of child development that does not prescribe vulnerability to certain groups of children.
What Will My Teacher be Like? Picture Storybooks about Starting School
Authors: Dockett Sue , Perry Bob , Whitton Diana
Published: March 2019

CHILDREN LEARN A GREAT DEAL about school, what happens at school, and the people they will meet at school as they engage with popular culture, such as television, games and books. One of the issues raised by many children as they contemplate starting school concerns what their teacher will be like. Children's expectations about teachers are important contributors to the relationships that develop between teachers and children. Such relationships are themselves a critical factor in children's school engagement. Examining some of the information that contributes to children's expectations about teachers supports a focus on children's experiences as they start school.

This article reports a study of the images of teachers within children's picture storybooks—an accessible form of popular culture about school. A collection of 164 English language picture storybooks spanning 1967–2007 was analysed to explore the representations of teachers in schools. Three areas of analysis were undertaken: how teachers are represented; the dominant images of teachers; and the images that are omitted. The analysis demonstrates the generally benign images of teachers and questions the understandings the books promote about teachers and the roles of teachers in schools.
Influences of the Family and Childcare Food Environments on Preschoolers' Healthy Eating
Authors: Tysoe Julia , Wilson Carlene
Published: March 2019

THE STUDY EXTENDS CAMPBELL, Crawford and Ball's (2006) findings that the family food environment influences eating in children by examining whether young children's food intake at home is also influenced by the childcare food environment. Participants were 103 parents of children aged three to five years who attended childcare centres in South Australia. Centres had either obtained the ‘Start Right Eat Right’ (SRER) nutrition certification; an award associated with compliance with the government's healthy eating guidelines, or had not attained certification with SRER. Participating parents completed a questionnaire measuring the family food environment as well as a food frequency questionnaire that recorded children's intake of ‘healthy’ and ‘unhealthy’ foods. Parents of children at SRER centres reported that their children ate more healthy food choices at home, as measured using the food frequency questionnaire, than parents of children attending non-SRER accredited centres. Pressure to eat, parental modelling, monitoring and perceptions of adequacy of a child's diet were all associated with children's eating. The results suggest that childcare centres, in addition to the family environment, can have an important role to play in developing healthy dietary choices in preschool children.
Reconceptualising Play and Learning in the Lives of Young Children
Authors: Yelland Nicola
Published: March 2019

A DECADE AGO I WROTE an article entitled Technology as play in which I called for early childhood educators to rethink the way in which they regard play. This involved not only incorporating the notion of playing with new technologies but also critiqued the essence of what constituted play and the link with learning that was viewed uncritically. Here, I review and update this discussion, revisit the literature about how play is conceptualised and suggest that, while play is an essential component of exemplary early childhood experiences, it needs to be related to new technologies and pedagogical practices that are designed to support learning in diverse ways, rather than being regarded as the only catalyst for learning that occurs automatically in all types of play contexts.
‘It's a Mystery’: A Case Study of Implementing Forensic Science in Preschool as Scientific Inquiry
Authors: Howitt Christine , Lewis Simon , Upson Emily
Published: March 2019

CHILDREN HAVE IMMENSE CURIOSITY, a thirst for knowledge and a questioning attitude. They are innate scientists. The challenge for early childhood educators is to fuel this curiosity through the provision of appropriate learning experiences and an engaging environment within early learning centres. This paper presents a detailed case study of how a preservice teacher implemented forensic science as a form of scientific inquiry, in a preschool classroom for four-year-old children. Using the theme of We're going on a (forensic) bear hunt!, a series of integrated and engaging experiences was delivered that allowed the children to solve the class mystery of who left behind the (bear) footprints. This paper describes the concept, process and skills of scientific inquiry, outlines the basic principle of forensic science, provides a detailed description of the children's learning experiences, and interprets these experiences in relation to developing children's scientific inquiry skills: exploring and predicting, observing and recording, using equipment, using observation as evidence, and representing and communicating. It also illustrates how young children can readily engage in inquiry-based learning; educators, however, must provide the opportunities and support to stimulate this learning. In summary, the paper argues that a complex topic such as forensic science can be successfully implemented with young children, highlighting the competence of these children.
Early Childhood Teachers' Professional Development in Music: A Cross-Cultural Study
Authors: Yim Hoi Yin Bonnie , Ebbeck Marjory
Published: March 2019

THIS PAPER DEALS WITH PROFESSIONAL teacher development. It specifically focuses on a research study of early childhood teachers' views and involvement in teaching music to young children. It presents findings from a comparative study of 38 teachers in three childcare centres in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and 24 teachers in four childcare centres in South Australia. Two research questions are discussed and answered: (1) What are early childhood teachers' levels of involvement in professional development in music? (2) Are there any significant relationships, that is differences and commonalities, in the findings between teachers' levels of involvement in these two cultural contexts? A unique research tool entitled Teachers' Music Development Scale was devised to collect data and measure teachers' involvement in music development. Specific findings and their implications are presented in the paper.