2020 Education Research and Classroom Strategies

While experts have found that going to preschool has the potential to give kids an added boost in kindergarten, a new study conducted by researchers from the University of Montreal has explored additional benefits linked to kindergarten readiness. 

According to their findings, kids who are prepared academically, socially, cognitively, and physically before starting kindergarten are more likely to excel in several other areas later in life. 

“We’ve known for years that getting off to a good start in kindergarten leads to better achievement over the long-term,” said researcher Caroline Fitzpatrick. “But now with our study we can really lock in the idea that early childhood skills help you achieve success and adopt a healthier lifestyle in emerging adulthood. And that’s promising for society as a whole.” 

Lasting effects of kindergarten readiness

To understand what effect kindergarten readiness can have on long-term success, the researchers followed 2,000 children who were part of the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development from age five through the end of high school. 

At the start of the study, the researchers assessed the kids’ knowledge of vocabulary and math. By the end of kindergarten, the team evaluated reports from teachers on the kids’ social and emotional outcomes in the classroom. The researchers checked in again when the kids were getting ready to leave high school to see how their mental and emotional well-being, academic performance, and physical activity levels had developed. 

Ultimately, the researchers observed better long-term success in those who were better prepared at the start of kindergarten. Having stronger math skills at age five was linked with a reduced likelihood of substance abuse, a lower chance of dropping out of high school, and higher academic success throughout high school. The researchers also found that better social awareness at this young age led to better physical health outcomes by the end of high school. 

“Kindergarten classroom engagement also predicted involvement in physical activity, and a 65 percent drop in the risk of a child being overweight by age 17,” said researcher Linda Pagani. 

The researchers hope that these findings highlight the importance of kindergarten readiness, as entering school prepared could have a strong impact on future psychological and academic success. 

“Promoting kindergarten readiness seems, over the long-term, to help reduce the lifestyle risks generated by dropping out of high school,” said Pagani. “Therefore, policies to promote and preserve children’s early skills, such as providing stimulating childcare and diminishing family adversity, may thus represent a valuable policy strategy for governments to invest in.” 

While every student has a different learning style, a new study conducted by researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is exploring the negative effects of students who engage in “distracted learning.” 

The researchers say many students tend to be doing several different things while engaging with schoolwork, and this may have a negative impact on academic outcomes. Instead of multitasking, the team says students should work to maintain better focus if they want to increase their chances of academic success. 

“Listening to a lecture, texting, online shopping, and socializing on Facebook are all complex, very demanding tasks that draw on the same region of the brain, the prefrontal cortex,” said researcher Shelly J. Schmidt. “Under most conditions, the brain can’t carry out two complex tasks simultaneously. But if students do not believe their learning is being hampered by this behavior, they have no incentive or motivation to change it, and the problem just continues.” 

Distractions and electronics

The researchers analyzed several recent studies that looked at the ways that distracted learning can be detrimental to academic success. They learned that multitasking while trying to do schoolwork can make it harder for students to comprehend what they’re learning while also negatively affecting their performance on exams and assignments. To help avoid this, Schmidt and her team are encouraging parents, students, and teachers to prioritize maintaining a stronger focus to help kids reach their highest potential. 

“Armed with an internal locus of control, students are able to recognize and control factors that impede their success, such as distractions while they’re trying to learn,” said Schmidt. 

Because electronics are one of the biggest sources of distraction, the researchers recommend several strategies for students who may be distracted by their phones while doing schoolwork. While some people may work better with a phone or gaming system totally out of sight while working, others may prefer to schedule in times throughout the day to periodically check social media or take a quick break with a show or video. 

Schmidt explained that it’s “virtually impossible to make students limit all distractions;” however, building in time throughout the school day to take breaks, stand up, and move can be beneficial for both students and teachers to get more out of their designated work time. 

“Exercise has been shown to be of enormous benefit to both cognitive functioning and well-being, including mental health,” said Schmidt. “Teachers could incorporate movement into classroom activities by asking students to pair up and go on a brief walk indoors or outdoors to discuss a concept from the day’s lesson.” 

Maintaining better focus

Despite all of the distractions vying for students’ attention, the researchers hope that these findings highlight the importance of maintaining a strong focus, as doing so can be beneficial both inside and outside the classroom. 

“In a world where distractions abound, we have a golden opportunity to help our students and ourselves learn how to control our actions and focus on what really matters,” Schmidt said. “Learning how to become less distractible is an essential and timeless skill for success in education, as well as many other facets of life.” 

With more young kids spending time in front of screens than ever before, many parents are trying to limit the amount of time their little ones are playing video games or watching TV. 

Now, a new study has found that too much screen time during childhood can have a negative impact on kids’ academic performance. Given that the nature of school is set to change because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the researchers worry about the effect that so much time in front of screens will have on kids’ educational outcomes. 

“The debate about the effects of modern media on children’s learning has never been more important given the effects of today’s pandemic on children’s use of time,” the researchers wrote. “This is the first large, longitudinal study of electronic media use and learning in primary school children, and results showed heavier users of television and computers had significant declines in reading and numeracy two years later compared with light users.” 

Limiting screen time

The researchers included over 1,200 kids in the study, all of whom were between the ages of eight and nine. While their parents reported on the kids’ screen time, the kids received academic assessments at the start of the study, and then again two years later. 

Overall, too much screen time was linked with poorer academic outcomes. However, the researchers found that various types of media could affect classroom performance differently. The researchers learned that more than one hour on the computer could negatively impact kids’ math abilities, whereas two or more hours of watching TV had a poor impact on reading abilities. 

Because the researchers tracked the kids’ academic performance and screen time habits over the course of two years, it was clear that this extended use of screens was the biggest concern. They found that screen time in such a large capacity at this age could translate to kids falling as far as four months behind in school. 

Improving academic performance

While another recent study has highlighted how too much screen time can affect kids getting ready for kindergarten, this study shows that continued screen time later in childhood could make school work harder for kids as they grow up. 

Many parents want to limit screen time because they worry about how it will affect their kids’ behavior or sleeping patterns, but this study emphasizes the importance of limiting screen time in order for kids to reach their full academic potential. 

College students can experience a great deal of stress when trying to keep up with their schoolwork and other commitments. But a recent study suggests that taking some time away to reconnect with nature can go a long way towards relieving anxiety.

Researchers from Cornell University conducted a study which found that spending as little as 10 minutes out in nature can make students happier and alleviate physical and mental stress.

"It doesn't take much time for the positive benefits to kick in -- we're talking 10 minutes outside in a space with nature," said lead author Gen Meredith. "We firmly believe that every student, no matter what subject or how high their workload, has that much discretionary time each day, or at least a few times per week."

Short stretches in nature do the trick

The researchers came to their conclusions after reviewing previous research on the effects of nature on college students. Through their analysis, they determined that spending 10-50 minutes out in natural spaces improved students’ moods, helped them regain focus, and benefitted certain physical markers like blood pressure and heart rate.

The team notes that shorter stints in nature provided the best benefits and are more achievable for students running on a busy schedule.

"We wanted to keep this access to nature as simple and achievable as possible. While there is a lot of literature on longer outdoor programs, we wanted to quantify doses in minutes, not days," said study co-author Donald Rakow. "It's not that there's a decline after 50 minutes, but rather that the physiological and self-reported psychological benefits tend to plateau after that.”

Prescription for nature?

The study findings give credence to the researchers’ belief that time in nature could eventually be prescribed by doctors as a treatment for stress. 

"Prescribing a dose can legitimize the physician's recommendation and give a tangible goal. It's different than just saying: 'Go outside.' There is something specific that a student can aim for," said Meredith. "This is an opportunity to challenge our thinking around what nature can be. It is really all around us: trees, a planter with flowers, a grassy quad or a wooded area."

The full study has been published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology.