Shaping Student Relationships: The Role of Personality in Early Childhood Pre-Service Teachers.

The purpose of this explanatory sequential mixed-methods study is to explain teacher-student relationships in preschool classrooms in terms of the child's temperament and the pre-service preschool teachers' personalities. The study was conducted using a sequential exploratory mixed-methods design. Since both quantitative and qualitative data were obtained, sampling was carried out in two stages: quantitative random stratified sampling, and qualitative purposive sampling. Quantitative data were obtained from 126 pre-service teachers. The qualitative study group consisted of 18 pre-service teachers. Quantitative data were collected using the Student-Teacher Relationship Scale-Short Form, the Short Temperament Scale for Children (STSC), and the Five Factor Personality Inventory (FPI). Qualitative data were obtained from interviews with 18 teachers. The findings revealed that the student-teacher relationship can be explained by adult and child characteristics. In addition, pre-service teachers' perceptions of the student-teacher relationship are explained by adult characteristics much more than pre-service teachers' perceptions.

How to evaluate the efficiency of rural preschool education resources and its regional differences in China.

Rural preschool education is an integral part of rural society, and improving the efficiency system of evaluation of rural preschool education resource allocation is an important strategy for the implementation of the rural revitalization. This paper uses an input-oriented three-stage DEA model to analyze the efficiency of rural preschool education resource allocation in 30 provinces in China from 2012 to 2020. The results show that external factors such as the level of urbanization, birth rate, and the scale of kindergarten impacts the efficiency of rural preschool education resource allocation significantly. Without regard to the influence of environmental and random factors, the overall trend of the average efficiency of rural preschool education resource allocation in China has improved, showing a regional pattern of "central > eastern > western." Therefore, based on the relevant policies, this paper puts forward rational suggestions for the improvement of rural preschool resource allocation efficiency in China from the perspectives of human, financial and material resources.

The role of ICDS services on early childhood development: A cross-sectional study in Hyderabad, Telangana.

Background: Integrated child development services (ICDS) include supplementary nutrition, nutrition and health education, health check-ups, immunization, preschool education, and referral services targeted at beneficiaries including pregnant and lactating mothers, children below six years, and women of reproductive age. Specific interventions are implemented to support children for a higher developmental outcome. Objectives: The aims of this study are (1) to compare the development of ICDS beneficiaries in the age group of 4-6 years with the dropouts, (2) to assess caregiver practices among mothers of beneficiaries and the dropouts, and (3) to understand the perceptions of Anganwadi workers (AWWs) on early child development (ECD) and ICDS services. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted for two months in select Anganwadi centers (AWCs) of Hyderabad. AWCs were selected through multi-stage sampling. Respondents included 114 mothers and five AWWs. Quantitative data was collected by a questionnaire and qualitative data through an interview guide. Proportions were estimated for description. STATA 14.0 was used to find out correlates of development in children through unpaired t-test, Chi-square test, and logistic regression. Thematic analysis was done for qualitative data. Results: About 68.42% and 33.33% of children from the beneficiary group were found to show normal cognitive and emotional development when compared to the dropout group (59.65% and 21.05%, respectively). KAP assessment revealed no significant difference between the mothers of dropouts and beneficiaries. Lack of infrastructure and poor attention to preschool activities were identified as reasons for dropout. Conclusion: Improving infrastructure, capacity building of AWWs, and reducing their workload will help in focusing on ECD-related activities at ICDS centers.

Enhancing computational thinking in early childhood education with educational robotics: A meta-analysis.

This paper deals within a context where technology plays a pivotal role in education. In this sense, it is essential to highlight the emergence of new competencies and skills in education due to technological advancements. Legislative frameworks have been developed to incorporate digital literacy, access to robotics, and computational thinking, between others. Hence, this review and meta-analysis aim at identifying the influence of robotics activities on computational thinking through a PRISMA-guided review. The findings reveal that interventions conducted in early childhood education significantly impact computational thinking. Results also showcase that, despite perceived barriers related to technology accessibility, the presence of legislation and contexts prioritizing these competencies is more relevant than the digital access gap.

Emotional sociology applied: predictive influence of affective neuroscience personality traits on Chinese preschool teachers' performance and wellbeing.

Background: The interplay between teaching engagement and performance has garnered attention in both theoretical and empirical research, primarily due to its influence on student academic achievement, teacher well-being, and the realization of institutional goals. This is especially pertinent in the realm of preschool education, where the scope of learning extends beyond academic content to encompass the broader socialization of children. Drawing from Affective Neuroscience research, this study investigates the role of affective tendencies as mediators in the relationship between work engagement and job performance. Objective: The primary aim of this research is to examine a chain mediation model that hypothesizes the predictive role of teacher engagement. This model posits the intermediary influence of four basic emotions-CARING, SEEKING, ANGER, and FEAR-followed by the mediating effect of job satisfaction on teacher job performance. Method: The study utilized a sample of 842 Chinese preschool teachers. Data were collected through an online questionnaire, employing a time-lagged design. The analysis was conducted using Model 80 of the PROCESS Macros. Results: The findings reveal that both positive and negative emotions significantly predict teachers' job satisfaction. However, job satisfaction does not influence job performance. The analysis confirmed the direct and total effects of teacher engagement, as well as the indirect effects, particularly through the positive emotion of Caring. Implications: The results are instrumental in informing and refining interventions designed to enhance teacher engagement and performance, underscoring the importance of emotional factors in the educational environment.

Does childhood maltreatment influence Chinese preschool education college students' depression and anxiety? Evidence from a latent class analysis.

Introduction: Preschool teachers' mental health may be a critical factor in their job performance, which in turn can influence the quality of early childhood education. However, little is known about its development. Childhood maltreatment, as a chronic form of childhood stress, may influence later mental health development. Although large, comprehensive research has been undertaken on childhood maltreatment and mental health, the associations between these two variables need further exploration. This study aims to describe childhood maltreatment based on person-centered approaches in Chinese preschool education college students, and to examine the differences in depression and anxiety within subgroups of childhood maltreatment. Methods: A total of 1,218 Chinese preschool education college students participated in this study, and the data analysis was based on unconditional and conditional latent class analysis. Results: The results showed that the participants were divided into 5 profiles: a non-maltreatment profile; a profile of emotional abuse and emotional and physical neglect; a profile of physical neglect; a profile of emotional neglect; and a profile of physical and emotional neglect. Students with multiple subtypes of maltreatment had the highest levels of depression and anxiety. Discussion: Universities should consider both childhood maltreatment and profiles of childhood maltreatment when training preschool education college students.

The importance and challenges of observing social interactions in autistic preschoolers during inclusive educational settings: A scoping review.

Background and aims: A growing number of autistic children have access to inclusive education programs as early as kindergarten. However, little is known about how they actually participate in social interactions and develop their communicative skills according to the parameters of this environment. The aim of this article is to review observational studies on this topic and critically analyze their methodological choices by arguing on the aspects of communication skills noted in the observation grids. Disparities in the information collected depending on the method used have implications for understanding and supporting autistic children in an inclusive school environment. Methods: Observational studies on social interactions of autistic preschoolers within inclusive preschool settings were scoped. The studies were analyzed according to the following parameters: aims of observation, method used for coding, communication partners considered (adults and peers), type of children's social engagement (initiatives and responses), diversity of communicative forms and communication functions, distinction and comparison of interactional contexts related to the activities, and whether changes linked to developmental variables are studied on an interindividual or longitudinal basis. Results: Seventeen studies using the observation method in inclusive preschool settings were identified. Recordingmethods are mostly based on video recording. The coding grids mainly focus on autistic children while partners' behaviors (adults, peers) are often coded in less detail, thus providing littleinformation on their dynamic role in the interactions. Overall, autistic children were found to initiate interactions much less often than they respond to it. The data generally distinguish thecommunicative forms used by children and indicate a predominance of nonverbal means at preschool level. However, a few studies coded communicative functions, whether they areaddressed to children or produced by them. In addition, very few studies compare interactions across activity contexts. In addition, very few studies compare interactions across activity contexts.Results of some studies showed that children initiated interaction more frequently during free play than during work activity, but results are heterogeneous. Developmental trajectories in socialskills seem to be associated with the severity of autism and language skills, but longitudinal designs are still rare. Conclusions and implications: Direct and fine-grained observation in the classroom is a key source of information about how communication takes place in preschool-inclusive settings. The data, despite some methodological challenges, offer opportunities for better adjustment based on professional objectives. Our review highlights the importance of offering occasions for initiatives to autistic children and training of neurotypical peers to better interact with autistic children and promote verbal communication. Further observational studies are needed to use more microanalytic measures of the functional quality of social interactions in autistic children, including joint comparisons between partners (adults vs. peers) and across contexts (e.g., play vs. structured development) so that appropriate strategies can be proposed in inclusive preschool settings.

Exploring the Sources of Stress and Coping Strategies of Turkish Preschool Teachers.

This paper identifies preschool teachers' sources of stress, the times they experience high stress, and their ways of coping with stress levels. The study was conducted using a phenomenological design, one of the qualitative research models. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 36 preschool teachers working with children aged 0-6 in state and private schools. As a result of the content analysis, stressors were identified primarily at both interpersonal (positive and effective interactions) and organizational levels (school management and leadership style). It was also found that intense stress was experienced when children were difficult to control, such as during sleeping, eating, and cleaning. Finally, these results confirmed that the teachers used active/active behavioral, and passive/avoidant coping strategies. However, it was understood that preschool teachers perceived stress negatively, and did not see stress as a personal development situation. These results are discussed in terms of their ramifications for preschool education.

Inteligencia emocional rasgo como amortiguador del estado de ánimo en doentes de educación infantil y primaria durante el impacto de la COVID-19 / Trait emotional intelligence as buffer of mood of in-service and pre-service teachers of preschool and elementary education during the impact of COVID-19

Antecedentes: La Inteligencia Emocional (IE) rasgo es una característica personal que puede actuar como factor protector contra circunstancias vitales desafiantes y ser un predictor del estado de ánimo en situaciones naturales como las derivadas del contexto social de la pandemia COVID-19. El objetivo general fue estudiar la relación entre IE rasgo y los estados anímicos docentes durante el confinamiento. Método: Se contó con 478 participantes, 316 docentes de Educación Infantil (EI) y Primaria (EP) de centros públicos de la Región de Murcia y 162 estudiantes de los Grados de EI y EP. Los instrumentos empleados fueron: para evaluar la IE rasgo, el TEIQue-SF; para evaluar los estados de ánimo vividos durante el impacto de la COVID-19 se utilizó una versión breve del POMS. Resultados: Los docentes con IE elevada se percibieron más enérgicos y considerados con los demás; así como menos nerviosos, malhumorados, tristes y cansados, justo el patrón contrario al de docentes con perfil de IE baja. Además, las maestras obtienen puntuaciones mayores en los estados emocionales negativos. Conclusiones: Si bien el estudio es correlacional, los resultados avalan la idea de la IE rasgo como factor protector frente al estrés, lo que refuerza su papel como promotor del bienestar docente.(AU)

Background: Trait Emotional Intelligence (EI) is a personal characteristic that can act as a buffer factor against vital challenging cir-cumstances and be a predictor of mood in a variety of natural situations such as those derived from the social context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The general aim of this research was to study the relationship between trait EI and teacher moods during confinement. Method: The study included 478 participants, 316 Preschool teachers and Elementary teachers from public centers in the Region of Murcia and 162 university students of Pre-school and Elementary education degrees. The instrument used to assess trait EI was the TEIQue-SF; to assess the moods experienced during the impact of COVID-19, a short version of the POMS was used.Results: Teachers with high trait EI were perceived to be more energized and kind-er, as well as less nervous, moody, sad and tired, just the opposite pattern of teachers with a low trait EI profile. In addition, female teachers ob-tained higher scores in negative mood states. Conclusions: Although the study is correlational, the results support the idea of trait EI as a protective factor against stress, which reinforces its role as a promoter of teacher well-being.(AU)

Promoción de la salud afectiva-sexual en primera infancia, contexto de cuido y educativo en Costa Rica. Una revisión crítica / Affective-sexual health promotion in early childhood: critical review in the context of childcare and education in Costa Rica

Resumen La presente revisión describe investigaciones sobre el desarrollo afectivo-sexual en primera infancia en el ámbito preescolar y de cuido; éstas se analizan desde el marco normativo y operativo en el cual se sustenta la educación sobre este tema en Costa Rica. Dicha revisión se realizó con 4 bases de datos internacionales y se sustentó en estudios empíricos y de revisión. Los estudios hallados apuntan a una diversidad de procesos a tomar en cuenta. Algunos de éstos se relacionan con el desarrollo de vínculos seguros y confiables, el uso de terminología genital desde temprana edad, abordajes asertivos de las manifestaciones afectivas-sexuales de infantes, así como a contemplar los aspectos culturales y socio-históricos. A nivel nacional se encuentra que existe un amplio marco normativo que respalda la comprensión integral del desarrollo afectivo-sexual para su abordaje. Sin embargo, se observa que en el programa nacional de preescolar, se prioriza el riesgo al abuso sexual. Además en este se devela una visión moralista por edades, considerando que los genitales deben nombrarse sólo en los últimos niveles de preescolar y no cuando se conocen las partes del cuerpo en los niveles iniciales. Desde un enfoque de promoción de la salud sexual en el ámbito de cuido y educativo nacional, aquí se propone una visión más amplia que tiene plenamente en cuenta las complejidades en torno a los determinantes sociales del desarrollo afectivo sexual. Por lo que se requiere una actualización del programa de preescolar, acompañado de formación continua para el personal y las familias de infantes.

Abstract This critical review describes research on affective and sexual development in early childhood in preschool and childcare settings. Studies are analyzed from the point of view of the regulatory and operational frameworks on which education on this topic in Costa Rica is based. The review was carried out using 4 international databases, examining empirical studies and review studies. Costa Rica has put in place a broad national-level policy framework that supports a comprehensive understanding of affective-sexual development from infancy. However, implementation of the policy in the national preschool program does not always meet the framework's standards. We find that the risk of sexual abuse tends to be prioritized in early sexual-affective education. Sexual-affective development is often addressed from a moralistic standpoint, advising for instance that the genitals should be named only in the last levels of preschool and not when the other parts of the body are first named. From a health-promotional perspective on national childcare and early education, we here propose a broader view that takes fully into account the complexities around the social determinants of sexual-affective development. We conclude that an update of the preschool program is required, accompanied by continuous training for staff and families of infants.

Relationship between quality of professional capacity building for kindergarten teachers and children's language development: the mediating role of kindergarten language education activities quality.

Strengthening the professional capacity building for kindergarten teachers is crucial for improving the quality of kindergarten education and promoting children's development. In order to explore the impact of the quality of professional capacity building for kindergarten teachers and kindergarten language education activities quality on children's language development, a study was conducted. A total of 1,584 children from 90 kindergartens in 5 provinces in China were randomly selected as research participants. Utilizing an independent sample t-test and correlation analysis (with SPSS 26.0 as the tool), the study analyzed the disparities in the professional capacity building for kindergarten teachers of different types, kindergarten language education activities quality, and the children's language developmental levels, as well as the interrelationships among these factors. A multilevel structural equation model (using MPLUS 8.3 as the tool) was employed to analyze the mediating role that the kindergarten language education activities quality plays between the quality of professional capacity building for kindergarten teachers and children's language development levels. The results indicate that children in public kindergartens demonstrate significantly higher language development levels than those in private kindergartens. A positive correlation exists between the quality of professional capacity building for kindergarten teachers, kindergarten language education activities quality and children's language development levels. Furthermore, kindergarten language education activities quality shows partial mediating effects on the relationship between them. These findings highlight the need to enhance the quality of education in private kindergartens, reduce the disparities in language development levels between private and public kindergartens, and reinforce the quality of professional capacity building for kindergarten teachers to provide effective support for children's language development. Ultimately, the study suggests concentrating on the organization and implementation of kindergarten language education activities as a means of evaluating the quality of professional capacity building for kindergarten teachers.

Potential impact of extra education on the development of executive functions within a year in preschool children: an exploratory research.

Executive functions have been shown to develop through various extra classes in preschool age. But the optimal for executive functions development system of such classes has not yet been explored. The present exploratory study aimed to examine the difference in the executive functions development within a year between children attending the system of extra classes (music, choreography, art, foreign language, literacy, math, computer science, and science) twice a week for 4 h in a preschool education center and children who did not take no extra classes. There were 60 children who attended extra classes and 64 children who did not take extra classes. In each group, approximately 17% were boys. The first assessment of executive functions was performed in the penultimate year of kindergarten, when the children were 5-6 years old. The second was performed 1 year later. The executive function level was assessed using NEPSY-II subtests "Inhibition," "Statue," "Memory for Designs," "Sentences Repetition," and "Dimensional Change Card Sort." Mothers also reported about their children's attendance in extra classes, their children's screen time, the level of maternal education, and the level of family income. The study revealed that children attending the system of the extra classes showed a higher verbal working memory development within a year than the children taking no extra classes. The obtained data plays an important role for the design of further research of the topic and for the practical recommendations for parents and teachers.

The Role of the Art of Chinese Calligraphy and Music in Developing Creative Thinking Skills in Preschoolers Using Flipped Technology.

The article aims to study the influence of music and music-calligraphy practice on the development of creative thinking among preschool children. The study used the general screening model of the Torrance Thinking Creatively in Action and Movement test (TCAMt) to assess the level of motor creativity in children. The study participants were 120 4-5 year-old children. The results of the calculations demonstrate an increase in the values of the four factors after the interventions. Fluency increased on average: for group A, which practiced musical intervention, by 28%; for group B, which practiced musical-calligraphic intervention, by 29%. The imagination factor increased for group A by 23.5% and for group B by 45.5%. This study has shown that the use of musical-calligraphic practice provides higher creative thinking skills in the categories of "imagination" and "originality", while "fluency" and "flexibility" are not different from the use of a single musical practice. This study has practical and scientific value, as it proves the influence of music and music-calligraphy practices on creativity development in children. The study results can be applied in preschool educational institutions, which are interested in increasing students' creativity.

A research of the evaluation of preschool education resource allocation level and spatio-temporal differences: Based on repeated indicators method and Theil index.

Based on the implementation of the third stage of "Three-year Action Plan for Preschool Education", this research took preschool education resources of 31 provinces (cities), autonomous regions (excluding Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan) and municipalities in China from 2003 to 2019 as research samples. At the same time, according to the data of Educational Statistics Yearbook of China (2003-2019) and China Educational Finance Statistics Yearbook (2004-2020), this research collected the data of preschool education human resources, material resources, and financial resources. As for the data analysis, this research was based on the methodology of entropy method, repeated indicators method, and the Theil index and so on, and evaluated the state of preschool education resources allocation in China from 2003 to 2019. Simultaneously, according to the state of preschool education resources allocation, this research analyzed the spatio-temporal differences of preschool education resources allocation between various provinces and various areas, then analyzed the causes of spatio-temporal differences. After that, suggestions were put forward according to the analysis. The results show that, since the implementation of the third stage of "Three-year Action Plan for Preschool Education", the condition of preschool education resources allocation has been generally improved. However the preschool education resources allocation still presents a low-level and uneven development trend. Preschool education resources have formed a "preschool education resource advantage belt" in Beijing, Tianjin and the Yangtze River Delta; Comparing with material resources, the development of human resources in preschool education lags behind in China; In terms of each regions in China, eastern China has the most significant difference in the preschool education resources allocation, which is followed by western China, and inner China has the least significant difference; The main factor affecting the regional preschool education resources allocation difference is the inter-provincial differences in eastern China, inner China, and western China; And the main factors affecting the differences in preschool education resources in eastern, inner, and western China are respectively financial resources, human resources, and financial resources. At the same time, financial resources in eastern China and human resources in inner China tend to expand. Based on this, this study proposes methods to narrow the regional differences in preschool education resources allocation, so as to provide references for realizing preschool education equity and preschool education sustainable development.

The Effect of the Organizational Climate on the Integrative-Qualitative Intentional Behavior in Romanian Preschool Education-A Top-Down Perspective.

The concept of educational organizational climate relates to the relational, social, psychological, affective, intellectual, cultural and moral environment that characterizes educational/teaching and managerial activity at the level of a school organization. This study is based on the theory of planned behavior framework in measuring preschool teachers' intentional integrative-qualitative behaviors and Marzano's Model of Teaching Effectiveness. The Marzano Model outlines educational strategies and gives teachers and administrators tools to help teachers become more effective. A sample of 200 valid responses was gathered in an online investigation that targeted preschool educators from Romania. Marzano's Model of Teaching Effectiveness is an evaluation tool used to measure the success of highly effective teachers, which is further utilized in this study to measure preschool teachers' effectiveness in relation to intentional integrative-qualitative behaviors. The integrative-qualitative intentional behaviors are measured with the IQIB scale. This research assumes collegiality and professionalism as independent variables and interrogates preschool teachers' behavioral intention toward adopting integrative-qualitative behaviors through the sequential mediators of Planning and Preparing, Reflecting on Teaching and Classroom Strategies and Behaviors from a top-down perspective. The results revealed a significant indirect effect of Collegiality and Professionalism on preschool teachers' behavioral intention toward adopting intentional integrative-qualitative behaviors through the sequential mediators Planning and Preparing, Reflecting on Teaching and Classroom Strategies and Behaviors, confirming our hypothesis. Discussion and implications are offered from a top-down sustainable educational management perspective.

Preschool experiences and home learning environments of migrant children in urban China.

Internal migration and urban expansion, hallmarks of rapid urbanization in China, have led to an increasing number of children with diverse backgrounds in cities. Cities now include migrants from rural and urban areas, and children from "urban villages" in addition to "urban locals". Parents of young children who migrate from rural to urban areas leave their children behind in rural areas ("left-behind" children) or take them along with them. In recent years, increasing parental migration from one urban area to another has also led to children being "left-behind" in urban areas. This study examined the preschool experiences and home learning environments of rural-origin migrants, urban-origin migrants, and rural-origin locals in comparison to urban locals, leveraging data from the nationally representative China Family Panel Studies (2012-2018) with 2,446 3- to 5-year-olds residing in urban areas. Regression model results indicated that children living in cities who held a rural household registration certificate (hukou) were less likely to attend publically funded preschools and experienced less stimulating home learning environments than urban local children. After controlling for family characteristics (i) rural-origin locals remained less likely to participate in preschool and experienced fewer home learning activities than urban locals; and (ii) there were no differences in preschool experiences and home learning environments between rural-origin migrants and urban locals. Mediation analyses suggested that the relation between hukou status and the home learning environment was mediated by parental absence. Implications of the findings are discussed.

Persistence and fading of the cognitive and socio-emotional benefits of preschool education in a low-resource setting: Group differences and dose-dependent associations in longitudinal data from Vietnam.

Introduction: Four analytic approaches examined the effectiveness of preschool education in Vietnam, which provides a context in which national curricula and teaching standards for preschools and schools, high levels of preschool attendance, and fee subsidies for disadvantaged children, limit the heterogeneity in children's experiences that often obscure the outcomes associated with preschool attendance. Methods: The Young Lives Study provided longitudinal data on children's receptive vocabulary, mathematics, and life satisfaction at 5, 8, 12, and 15 years of age, and on their self-concept and relationships at 12 and 15 years. Results: The first analysis found that children who attended preschool (n = 1,562 at 5 years of age) had larger vocabularies at 5, 8, 12, and 15 years, greater mathematics knowledge at 5, 8, and 12 years, and higher life satisfaction at 5 and 12 years of age than the small number of children who did not attend preschool (n = 164 at 5 years of age). The second, found that the dose of preschool education (hours per week × 4 × months) received by children who attended preschool was positively associated with their receptive vocabulary and mathematics scores at 5, 8, 12, and 15 years of age, and with their life satisfaction at 5 and 15 years of age. Although the magnitude of the effect for vocabulary declined over time, it remained stable for mathematics. The third analysis found that a high dose of preschool education allowed disadvantaged rural children to achieve comparable or better scores than their urban peers for receptive vocabulary at 8, 12, and 15 years, mathematics at 12 years, and life satisfaction at all ages. The final analysis found that even a low dose of preschool education improved rural children's receptive vocabulary at 5, 8, and 15 years, and their numeracy/mathematics scores at 5, 8, and 12 years. Discussion: Together, the results suggest that preschool attendance had a small but meaningful positive association with Vietnamese children's cognitive skills and life satisfaction that persisted for at least 10 years. These findings provide insights into the scale, scope, and longevity of effects that can be achieved from scaled-up preschool programs under resource-constrained conditions.

Evaluation of the Performance of Anganwadi Workers in Delivering Integrated Child Development Services in the Rural Field Practice Area of a Tertiary Medical College in South India.

Background and objective To meet the overall developmental needs of children below six years, adolescent girls, and expectant and nursing mothers, the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) was launched on 2nd October 1975 via the network of Anganwadis. It included a range of services like supplementary nutrition, preschool education, immunization, health check-up, referral services, and nutrition and health education. The majority of Karnataka's population resides in rural areas (61.3%) and among them, children (aged zero to six years) constitute around 12.05%. The incidence of mortality and morbidity among vulnerable groups is quite high. A total of 204 ICDS project areas have been sanctioned in Karnataka till 2012, out of which 63,377 Anganwadi centers (AWCs) from 185 projects have been functional. Findings show an alarming gap of 12 million beneficiaries for the required services. Mere 44% of children between 12 and 23 months have received complete immunization. The scheme has reached a stage where enriching its contents is more crucial than concentrating on universalization. Our study has tried to recognize the hindrances in the delivery of ICDS services by evaluating the performance of Anganwadi workers (AWWs), which in turn will optimize the benefit for the beneficiaries. Materials and methods This was a community-based, cross-sectional, descriptive study conducted over a period of six months. The tertiary medical college covers a population of 16,231 in its rural catchment area, whose health needs are served by 21 AWCs. All 21 centers were included in the study through the universal sampling method. Data collection commenced after obtaining clearance from the Institutional Ethics Committee and permission from the Program Officer and Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) of the concerned ICDS block. Informed consent was taken from all the AWWs. Data to evaluate the performance of AWWs were collected using a pre-validated and pre-structured questionnaire. Performance was evaluated by allotting scores to each question. Results Among the 21 AWWs interviewed, 38.1% belonged to the age group of 41-50 years. Of them, 76.2% achieved the correct number of target home visits per day. Growth charts were plotted correctly by the workers in only 60% of centers. Only 57.1% of centers stored raw food materials safely, away from infestation. In 71.4% of centers, the health staff had immunized the children appropriately. Only 38.1% of AWWs had the knowledge of giving paracetamol tablets to the mothers in case of fever and were also giving vitamin syrup to the children. Only 19% of AWWs responded correctly regarding the importance of Village Health and Nutrition Days (VHND). In our study, 11 (52.4%) workers had "good" knowledge about delivering different services under the ICDS scheme, eight (38.1%) had "poor" knowledge while two (9.5%) workers had "satisfactory" knowledge. Conclusion The present study gives some insight into the existing situation in rural AWCs. Although the majority of AWWs had good knowledge about delivering different services under the ICDS scheme, further improvement is needed for optimizing the outcome.

Examining pre-service teachers regulation in distance and traditional preschool design and technology education.

The significance of adapting to a rapidly changing world is quite evident in the current day; thus, the awareness of how to teach students so that they can be ready to face challenges in the future is very important. Early education has a huge impact on the further development of children, so preschool teachers must be competent and use appropriate teaching and educational methods. In this study, the development of self-directed learning (SDL) of future preschool teachers is investigated by considering two variables, namely the type of study (full-time and part-time students) and the learning modalities caused by the COVID-19 pandemic (pre-, during and post-COVID-19 confinement). We collected data from 418 participants and analysed them using descriptive statistics, 2 × 3 factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA) and a two-step cluster analysis. The results show the status of pre-service preschool teachers' perceptions of their SDL development and how the variables influenced it. There were significant differences in the students' self-reported SDL skills, depending on the learning environment and the type of study. The status indicator helps educators identify and change the curriculum and how they work with students. It allows the faculty to highlight the positive aspects of the different educational modalities encountered, as well as the characteristics of the study types and their impact on the learning process to improve students' SDL skills. The results of the study may help in the design of tailored metacognitive scaffolds that take into account different modalities. Further studies are needed to investigate the effectiveness of digital open learning environments that address both SDL and preschool educational practices.