1

The Impact of Interactive Activities on the Control and Development of Students’ Behaviors in UAE ECE Classrooms

Shaikha Alali,

Rob Miles

1–12

2

The Role of Self-Assessment in Developing Letter Recognition Skills in Early Childhood in the UAE

Robin Ogdol,

Hajer Alshamsi,

Ahmet Sami Konca

13–24

3

Investigating the Relationship Between Bicycle Use and Positive Psychology Concepts: A Systematic Review

Emine Ayzıt Çankaya,

Önder Baltacı

25–36

4

The Importance of Teacher Interaction Behaviors in Interactive Book Reading for the Listening Comprehension and Language Skills of Children with Autism: A Traditional Review

Turan Başkonuş

37–45

5

Screen Time in Children Aged 0–6 in Türkiye: A Systematic Review Study

Kadiriye Taşdemir,

Ecenur Yavuz

47–61

This research investigates the impact of interactive activities on the control and development of students' behaviors in Early Childhood Education (ECE) classrooms in a primary school in the United Arab Emirates. This study included a literature review on the focus area of the research. Four different qualitative and quantitative data collection tools, checklists, anecdotal notes, interviews, and a survey were used to gather information related to students’ behavior. Four teaching strategies (interactive activities) were implemented: student-teacher interactions, student-peer interactions, student-group interactions, and student-technology interactions. Five Emirati students were chosen to participate in this research after detecting behaviors that need to be addressed. The results collected suggest that there is a significant positive impact of interactive activities on the general behaviors of students.

Self-assessment is a formative assessment tool that encourages young learners to reflect on their progress, take ownership of their learning and develop basic literacy skills. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of self-assessment in improving letter recognition among early childhood students (ages 4–6) in UAE government kindergartens. The study uses mixed methods of research design to investigate the effectiveness of self-assessment strategies, to assess students' progress in letter recognition, and to identify challenges in implementation. Teacher interviews, classroom observations, student artifacts, and self-assessment tools (star ratings and emotional emoji scales) were used for data collection. The results show that self-assessment leads to significant improvements in letter recognition skills, and students become more aware of their learning strengths and weaknesses. The most effective methods for supporting early learners were visual and interactive self-assessment methods, especially those that included engaging and age-appropriate tools. However, there were challenges like limited attention span, different levels of developmental readiness, and the need for teacher guidance. This indicates that successful implementation of self-assessment requires structured support and scaffolding. The findings of this study emphasize the need for incorporating self-assessment into early childhood literacy instruction, and show how it can increase student motivation, engagement, and autonomy. Further research should investigate other self-assessment strategies that are appropriate for young learners' cognitive and linguistic development to optimize learning outcomes.

The relationship between physical activity and psychological well-being has been extensively studied in the general literature. But, within this general framework, the number of studies that systematically examine the effects of cycling, in particular, on the aforementioned psychological factors is relatively limited. This study is a systematic review examining the relationship between cycling and positive psychology concepts. The research aims to evaluate the effects of bicycle use on psychological factors such as well-being, happiness, motivation, and hope. A comprehensive literature search conducted on Google Scholar identified 61 studies that met the specified criteria, and 7 of these were included in the review based on inclusion criteria. The findings from the included studies indicate that cycling is associated with well-being, hope, happiness, motivation, and life satisfaction. A positive relationship between cycling and Positive Psychology concepts is among the findings of these studies. While physical activities and Positive Psychology concepts are discussed in the literature, studies specifically linking them to cycling appear relatively limited. Therefore, a systematic review of research associating cycling with Positive Psychology concepts is important for offering insights into future research. In this context, this systematic review provides a crucial foundation for more comprehensively understanding the effects of bicycle use on psychological and emotional health and for developing effective interventions.

This study was conducted as a narrative review to examine the significance of teacher interaction behaviors within the context of interactive book reading (IBR) on the listening comprehension and language skills of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The research design was based on a traditional review approach, and the literature search was carried out using the PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases. Findings from the reviewed studies indicate that IBR is a structured method that enhances children’s vocabulary, expressive abilities, and listening comprehension. In particular, the PEER and CROWD strategies have been found effective in supporting the language development of children with ASD. During this process, teachers’ sensitive, responsive, and directive interaction behaviors strengthen both social interaction and cognitive learning. The review results highlight the necessity of individualizing IBR practices and improving teachers’ pedagogical knowledge. Accordingly, providing training for teachers and parents on the use of IBR may contribute to long-term and sustainable improvements in the language development of children with ASD.

With the continuous development of technological devices, it is thought that the time children spend in front of screens has increased. This increased screen time may cause various positive or negative effects on children. The aim of this systematic review is to provide information about the average screen time spent by children aged 0-6 years in Türkiye and to examine the effects on children due to the increase in this time. PRISMA guide was used in this systematic review study. A structured literature review was conducted to identify the articles to be included in the study. A literature search was conducted between November 2023 and December 2023 in TRDizin and Google Scholar databases between November 2023 and December 2023, using the keywords "Screen time in children", "Screen exposure in children", "Screen time", "Screen exposure", "Screen" and "Exposure" in Turkish to include research articles. As a result of the search, 77 studies were found. They were evaluated in accordance with the selection criteria determined for this study and 6 articles that met the criteria were included in the study. The selected articles were analysed in terms of the sample characteristics, the measurement tools used, the variables examined and the results obtained. Across the reviewed studies, children’s screen time was found to vary according to age, parental education level, socioeconomic status, and maternal employment. Screen use was also associated with sleep duration, language development, and parents’ own screen habits. These findings suggest that screen exposure in early childhood has multifaceted effects on children’s development. Therefore, the results underline the importance of limiting and carefully monitoring children’s screen time during early childhood.