An investigation of play and literacy of Western Australian Indigenous children

 The Investigation of Play and Literacy of Western Australian Indigenous children resulted in the development of the first culturally appropriate assessment of pretend play and social pretend play for Australian Indigenous children. Understanding relationships between pretend play, social pretend play and literacy in the Indigenous context has potential to inform therapy and educational practices

Does the Animal Fun program improve motor performance in children aged 4–6 years?

The Animal Fun program was designed to enhance the motor ability of young children by imitating the movements of animals in a fun, inclusive setting. The efficacy of this program was investigated through a randomized controlled trial using a multivariate nested cohort design. Pre-intervention scores were recorded for 511 children aged 4.83 years to 6.17 years (M =5.42 years, SD = 3.58 months). Six control and six intervention schools were compared 6 months later following the intervention, and then again at 18 months after the initial testing when the children were in their first school year. Changes in motor performance were examined using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency short form. Data were analyzed using multi-level-mixed effects linear regression. A significant Condition Time interaction was found, F(2,1219) = 3.35, p = .035, demonstrating that only the intervention group showed an improvement in motor ability. A significant Sex Time interaction was also found, (2,1219) = 3.84, p = .022, with boys improving over time, but not girls. These findings have important implications for the efficacy of early intervention of motor skills and understanding the differences in motor performance between boys and girls

Rationale, design and methods for a randomised and controlled trial to evaluate "Animal Fun" - a program designed to enhance physical and mental health in young children

Background: Children with poor motor ability have been found to engage less in physical activities than other children, and a lack of physical activity has been linked to problems such as obesity, lowered bone mineral density and cardiovascular risk factors. Furthermore, if children are confident with their fine and gross motor skills, they are more likely to engage in physical activities such as sports, crafts, dancing and other physical activity programs outside of the school curriculum which are important activities for psychosocial development. The primary objective of this project is to comprehensively evaluate a whole of class physical activity program called Animal Fun designed for Pre-Primary children. This program was designed to improve the child's movement skills, both fine and gross, and their perceptions of their movement ability, promote appropriate social skills and improve social-emotional development. Methods: The proposed randomized and controlled trial uses a multivariate nested cohort design to examine the physical (motor coordination) and psychosocial (self perceptions, anxiety, social competence) outcomes of the program. The Animal Fun program is a teacher delivered universal program incorporating animal actions to facilitate motor skill and social skill acquisition and practice. Pre-intervention scores on motor and psychosocial variables for six control schools and six intervention schools will be compared with post-intervention scores (end of Pre-Primary year) and scores taken 12 months later after the children's transition to primary school Year 1. 520 children aged 4.5 to 6 years will be recruited and it is anticipated that 360 children will be retained to the 1 year follow-up. There will be equal numbers of boys and girls.Discussion: If this program is found to improve the child's motor and psychosocial skills, this will assist in the child's transition into the first year of school. As a result of these changes, it is anticipated that children will have greater enjoyment participating in physical activities which will further promote long term physical and mental health

International WIL placements: Their influence on student professional development, personal growth and cultural competence

In the increasingly global world, skills in cultural competence now form part of the minimum standards of practice required for allied health professionals. During an international work-integrated learning (WIL) placement, allied health students' cultural competence is expected to be enhanced. The present study scrutinized reflective journals of students who completed an international WIL placement to identify themes related to student learning. A retrospective content analysis identified three core themes with sub-themes: Cultural Competence with three subthemes: cultural egocentricity and cultural adjustment, cultural conflict in dealing with disability (not resolved over time) and, communication and language barriers; Professional Development with two subthemes: the evolution of evaluating success and impact on future practice, and Personal Growth with two subthemes: newfound reality - constant self-discovery and social responsibility. These themes provide guidance for academics in preparing students beforehand and the reflections during international WIL placements

The appropriateness and feasibility of an online e-Portfolio for assessment of undergraduate allied health students

Background/aim: Online technologies are widely used in tertiary institutions for both learning and assessment. There is a paucity of research into the use of e-Portfolios for assessment in the field of occupational therapy and other allied health disciplines. This study aimed to determine if a new assessment platform, using a flexible online learning platform, PebblePad™, is appropriate and feasible for use with allied health university staff and students in their first and second year of study. Methods: A mixed methods approach was employed in two phases, before the development of a new assessment (Phase 1) and after completion of the new assessment (Phase 2), aimed to generate a comprehensive analysis of the appropriateness and feasibility of the new assessment platform. Inductive thematic analysis was used to investigate participants’ focus group responses in both phases. To assess learning outcomes survey responses were analysed using t-tests, and descriptive ratings of the assessment and current use of online platforms were extracted. Results: Triangulated results indicate that the assessment did not meet all five domains of appropriateness. Negative experiences and a lack of social and ecological validity were attributed to the PebblePad™. The PebblePad™ was not feasible, requiring extensive support in implementation. Conclusions: While PebblePad™ did not meet all domains of appropriateness and was not feasible, students reported learning gains after completing the assessment, suggesting that content may be more important than the assessment platform. More rigorous research is needed to determine the best online platform for assessment in the allied health disciplines

Does the Animal Fun program improve social-emotional and behavioural outcomes in children aged 4-6 years?

Animal Fun was designed to enhance motor and social development in young children. Its efficacy in improving motor skills was presented previously using a randomised controlled trial and a multivariate nested cohort design. Based on the Environmental Stress Hypothesis, it was argued that the program would also result in positive mental health outcomes, investigated in the current study. Pre-intervention scores were recorded for 511 children aged 4.83-6.17 years (M = 5.42, SD = .30). Intervention and control groups were compared 6 months following intervention, and again in their first school year. Changes in teacher-rated prosocial behaviour and total difficulties were assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, and data analysed using Generalised Linear Mixed Models. There was a significant improvement in prosocial behaviour of children in the intervention group six months after initial testing, which remained at 18-month follow-up. Total difficulties decreased at 6 months for the intervention group, with no change at 18 months. This effect was present only for the hyperactivity/inattention subscale. The only significant change for the control group was an increase in hyperactivity/inattention scores from pre-intervention to 18-month follow-up. The Animal Fun program appears to be effective in improving social and behavioural outcomes

Does ‘Animal Fun’ improve aiming and catching, and balance skills in young children?

© 2018 Elsevier Ltd Aim: The Animal Fun program, a universal early intervention program that aims to promote the motor skills and social-emotional development of young children, has shown to improve overall motor proficiency and social and behavioural outcomes. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the program's impact on children's aiming and catching, and balance skills. Methods: A cluster randomised control trial was employed, with six intervention and six control (following normal curriculum) schools. A total sample of 511 children (257 boys and 254 girls), aged 4–6 years presented at pre-test. Children were tested across three time points, pre-test, post intervention (six months later) and follow-up (18 months after pre-test), using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 Aiming and Catching, and Balance tasks. The study also tested for potential moderators including pre-test motor proficiency, age, gender, and cognitive performance. Results: Participation in Animal Fun improved children's one leg balance at post-test and follow-up compared to control children, regardless of pre-test motor proficiency, age, gender, or pre-test cognitive performance. Participation in Animal Fun also improved throwing skills for those children with poorer motor proficiency compared to the controls with poorer motor performance. Interestingly, it was found that the control group's catching skills improved more than the intervention group at follow up. Conclusions: The study provides some promising results regarding the efficacy of the Animal Fun program in improving one-leg balance for all children, and throwing skills for those children with poorer motor proficiency, while also suggesting potential confounding factors, such as maturational issues and other individual factors (e.g., a child's participation in extracurricular activity)