Several researches indicate that children can learn more effectively through game-based learning activities. Kids who participated in these activities showed improved knowledge, leadership, and creative abilities. These abilities are crucial in the digital age, and employing game-based learning activities can make it easier for kids to pick them up and improve them. Nevertheless, playing video games for entertainment and using them to learn is the same. Game-based learning is a method of using games to accomplish particular educational objectives; it is not thought of as entertainment.

This type of learning uses games to help students learn more effectively. Games are more engaging than traditional methods, making them a good choice for students who struggle to stay focused in class or need more motivation to learn. Research has shown that game-based learning can lead to improved learning outcomes, including increased engagement and motivation. Additionally, game-based learning apps often use repetitive play, reinforcement, and goal-based learning to help students learn specific skills more effectively. This makes them especially suited for students who are interested in pursuing a career in a specific field. Finally, game-based learning is accessible to students from anywhere, making it a great choice for families who travel frequently or have difficulty accessing traditional learning resources. 

However, some may find that using game-based learning techniques can have negative consequences and may not be as effective as other learning methods. Children spend too much time playing video games, which can be frustrating for parents and caregivers and lead to tiredness in students. This can be hard to predict, as children can get frustrated when new levels or badges are not reached quickly. This can also lead to tension between students, as some are not as successful as others.

In conclusion, game-based learning can help children develop skills that will be useful in their future careers, such as problem-solving and critical thinking. These skills are learned through online game-based learning, which is a form of learning that takes place in a digital world. Teachers and researchers see many benefits to using game-based learning in the digital age, with a positive outlook on what’s ahead for children.

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Hsin-Yu Huang

UConn KIDS Research Assistant

There has been new research that supports positive parenting in the cognitive functioning in children. Positive parenting relates to positive psychology, which is the psychology focused on positive behaviors and strengths in order to build meaning and purpose. In this type of parenting, parents are encouraged to pay more attention to good behaviors and advocate for empathy and building stronger relationships. They are encouraged to set limits with reasonable consequences, establish realistic expectations, model behavior, and express more love towards their children. This parenting changes over time and should be adaptable to age, temperament, neurodevelopment differences, and culture. It helps nurture cognitive responsivity and with attention, focus, and communication. According to Psychology Today, “positive parenting interventions were effective in enhancing mental abilities and language”. Currently, there is a positive trend that parents are started to move from traditional parenting to positive parenting, as there have been positive results associated with it.

Read the full article here!: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/going-beyond-intelligence/202302/positive-parenting-and-childrens-cognitive-development

Tulsi Patel

Research Assistant, UConn KIDS

The multiple demand network in adults and children starting from the age of 4 have clinically shown similarities when focused on solving tough problems. The network helps with focus and attention, memory, and solving difficult problems. This network is located in the frontal and parietal cortices. Another similarity that was noticed was that children from ages 4-12 had different demand and language networks, just as adults do. When tasked with a challenging task, both children and adults will have activated demand networks but inactivated language networks. There are, however, some differences in brain activity between adults and children: the response time was delayed significantly in children which confirms that it takes years to fully develop the brain to an “adult level”. These findings help researchers identify how disruptions in the neurodevelopment of cognitive control can differ in those with brain disorders such as ADHD, conduct disorders, and other injuries. This will help with development of new material that can help those with issues with cognitive control and will lead in future enhancements in the equipment that can do so. This study also helps to advocate for those with said issues and allow for more researchers to participate in these studies.

Read the full article here!: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/02/230213082152.htm

Tulsi Patel

Research Assistant, UConn KIDS

Children learn through observation and experimentation; when they learn something that surprises them, they seek answers through exploration and experimentation. Children 6 and up are more likely to seek answers to the questions they hold about the world, but there has been little research on why they do. 

Research done in collaboration with Harvard University and the University of Toronto shows that children become more doubtful of what adults tell them as they age. In their first study, the researchers presented child participants aged 4-6 years-old with three objects: a rock, a sponge, and a hacky sack. The children were randomly assigned to be told something that goes against what they have learned about the world, (“This rock is soft,”), or told something that matches their knowledge (“This rock is hard”). After hearing these statements, the researchers would ask the children a question regarding the properties of the object (“Is this rock hard or soft?”). It was found that children’s judgments about the rock aligned for the most part with what the researcher told them. The researcher then left the room, granting children the opportunity to investigate the rock; most children in the study tested the researchers’ surprising claim. 

In their second study, the researchers presented children aged 4-7 years-old with eight vignettes, and were told that an adult made a surprising claim about each. They were then asked what another child should do about the claim and what the motivation behind the child’s actions would be. Older children were more likely to suggest that the child explores the claim, showing that as children age, they are more likely to investigate questionable claims. 

Where this line of research still has work to be done, one thing stands out: children, as they age, do not believe everything they are told. 

Kylie Robinshaw

Research Assistant, UConn KIDS

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Babies learn so much from looking at faces. At the start of the COVID-19 Pandemic, many parents around the world began to worry that face masking could hinder child development and facial recognition. A study done by researchers at the University of California, Davis, alleviated this concern and found that babies can still form memories of faces even when they’re masked.

In this study, researchers used eye tracking to study the impact face masks have on facial recognition in infants. With the background knowledge that babies look at unfamiliar images longer than familiar ones, the study found that babies could recognize a masked face when it was unmasked. However, babies had a hard time recognizing masked faces that they initially saw unmasked. This was something many other individuals also experienced. 

Facial recognition is a crucial part of cognitive development. It helps babies learn how to communicate, understand emotions, establish relationships, and navigate the world around them. Babies are continuing to learn and thrive today, even with face masking. 

Read the full article here.

Humans all sigh. Most of the time, it’s a reflexive action that few consciously consider. Sighing is merely an expression of our out-breath and an exhalation. 

Our body undergoes some amazing changes as a result of managing this exhalation. The ability to sigh is linked to how the body adapts after experiencing stress because when we concentrate on the exhale, we can inhale more deeply. Giving emotions the ability to change allows us to literally breathe more deeply.

Sighing is important, it’s a way to release stress from your body. The change might not be immediate, however in the long term, researchers believe that practicing this skill is beneficial. Through sighing we can learn to eliminate unwanted material from our bodies and minds by using our exhalation and opening ourselves up to new feelings like happiness, relief, vitality, enlivenment, and contentment.

 

Read the full article here

Hsin-Yu Huang

UConn KIDS Research Assistant

Today’s Friday Feature is Caroline G. Richter! 

Caroline G. Richter was a Postdoctoral Research Associate at UConn from 2021-2022. Currently, she is an Assistant Professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham collaborating with Dr. Fumiko Hoeft, Professor of Psychological Science and Director of BrainLENS at UConn. She’s originally from Brazil, where she received her BA in Psychology and MA in Developmental Psychology; she earned her PhD in Developmental Psychology at the University of Louisville.

In her lab, they conduct research with typically developing children and with children who are neurodiverse. They are interested in understanding the cognitive and socio-emotional aspects that contribute to the variability on the academic achievement and adaptive outcomes of children who are neurodiverse. They focus their work particularly on children with Specific Learning Disability, Williams syndrome, and Down syndrome. They hope that the results of their research can be used to inform targeted assessments and interventions, leading to improvements in the quality of life of children and their families. You can find more about their lab here: Science of Child Development and Neurodiversity (STARS) Laboratory. 

 

Currently, Caroline is studying how socio-emotional constructs, such as motivation, resilience, and stigma impact mental health and academic outcomes of children (11-14-year-olds) who have a learning difference, such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, or ADHD. You can learn more about their study in the BrainLENS website and here. 

In her free time, Caroline enjoys meditating, doing yoga, hiking, reading, traveling, and spending time with her husband, friends, and family. Caroline also loves to spend time with her pets from Brazil.

No one is immune to stress – children encounter stress in situations like preparing for their first day of school or studying for a big test. Stress can be manageable in moderate doses alongside a support system, but prolonged and heightened amounts of stress can be challenging to cope with. 

For children, stress can manifest in transitioning to novel routines, like joining a travel sports team or moving to a different town. Our body’s stress response is a temporary “fight or flight” system and produces many physiological effects, like quickened heart rate and increased oxygen use. Research has shown that the body has three different stress responses–positive, tolerable, and toxic stress responses–with each response differing in how the body responds to stress. The most harmful stress response to children is the toxic stress response, which may occur after having to endure long periods of hardship with little to no support system. Toxic stress may prolong cortisol activation, and makes it difficult to return to a baseline stress level. Toxic stress can disrupt child development, including cognitive development, and can also increase a child’s risk for stress-related diseases. 

Stressors that can lead to toxic stress in children include parental divorce, malnutrition, bullying, loss of a family member, and household disorder. Children experiencing toxic stress may be showing symptoms like little self control, memory difficulty, anxiety, depression, and behavioral abnormalities. The methods for treating toxic stress include several types of therapy, like CBT and child-parent psychotherapy, along with mind-body techniques. Other interventions focus on parents and strengthening the relationship between child and parent. 

Overall, one of the most important aspects of a child’s stress response is having a support system they can rely on. Having loving caregivers can make the world of difference for a child experiencing prolonged periods of stress. 

Kylie Robinshaw

Research Assistant, UConn KIDS

Read the full article here 

Oftentimes, parents know when their kids’ schedules are too full but succumb to the pressure of making sure their kids do not miss out on anything. They want their children to have all the experiences and resources possible. However, packing too much into a child’s daily schedule can hinder development. The challenge becomes knowing how much is too much for children.

One major consequence that can result from overscheduling children is stress. Children and teens often complain that they have no time to relax. Parents are constantly asking them to complete new tasks and criticize their child’s methods of relaxing. This can lead the child to feel guilty, ruining the entire purpose of taking a break. 

A second consequence that can be seen from overscheduling children is their inability to fill time on their own. This can lead to false expectations of children thinking their parents will constantly create a schedule for them. Children have a hard time entertaining themselves and thus become even more dependent on their parents.

Ultimately, it’s important for parents to recognize that implementing free time into their child’s daily schedule is equally as important as providing them with the necessary resources and activities. Free time helps children figure out solutions on their own, fostering frustration tolerance, problem-solving, and flexibility. These are all traits that are essential for the rest of their lives. 

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Emma Dineen

UConn KIDS Research Assistant

Molly Wright is a seven years old child under Minderoo Foundation. In this video she is speaking about the method she experienced in the Minderoo Foundation that adults can do to help or play games with children to improve children’s learning ability in different aspects. Her speech increased public awareness of the vital significance of brain development in a child’s early years of life and the effects it has on their future. It emphasizes the real advantages of constructive, reciprocal “serve and return” relationships on a child’s lifelong learning, behavior, and well-being with the hope of inspiring and energizing parents, caregivers, and community members to interact with kids more deeply and frequently.

Read the full article here

Hsin-Yu Huang

UConn KIDS Research Assistant