Search Results (216)

Early printed books, particularly incunabula, are invaluable archives of the beginnings of modern educational systems. However, their complex layouts, antique typefaces, and page degradation caused by bleed-through and ink fading pose significant challenges for automatic transcription. In this work, we present a modular pipeline that addresses these problems by combining modern layout analysis and language modeling techniques. The pipeline begins with historical layout-aware text segmentation using Kraken, a neural network-based tool tailored for early typographic structures. Initial optical character recognition (OCR) is then performed with Kraken’s recognition engine, followed by post-correction using a fine-tuned ByT5 transformer model trained on manually aligned line-level data. By learning to map noisy OCR outputs to verified transcriptions, the model substantially improves recognition quality. The pipeline also integrates a preprocessing stage based on our previous work on bleed-through removal using robust statistical filters, including non-local means, Gaussian mixtures, biweight estimation, and Gaussian blur. This step enhances the legibility of degraded pages prior to OCR. The entire solution is open, modular, and scalable, supporting long-term preservation and improved accessibility of cultural heritage materials. Experimental results on 15th-century incunabula show a reduction in the Character Error Rate (CER) from around 38% to around 15% and an increase in the Bilingual Evaluation Understudy (BLEU) score from 22 to 44, confirming the effectiveness of our approach. This work demonstrates the potential of integrating transformer-based correction with layout-aware segmentation to enhance OCR accuracy in digital humanities applications. Full article

This study aimed to compare cognitive, language, and motor development outcomes among children attending public and private Early Childcare Centers (ECCs), considering birth factors and family and daycare environments. Additionally, it examined the proximal and distal factors influencing children’s development. Cognitive, language, and motor skills were assessed in the children, along with evaluations of ECC quality, teacher practices, and knowledge of child development. Results indicated that children enrolled in public ECCs achieved higher scores in cognitive and language development, despite coming from families with lower socioeconomic status and having lower birth weights. They also benefited from longer periods of breastfeeding. Teachers in public ECCs demonstrated greater daily practices, providing enhanced movement opportunities for children. Private ECCs offered more suitable outdoor spaces, whereas public ECCs had better indoor spaces. Regression analysis revealed that daily practice, teachers’ experience, and the availability of gross motor toys explained 41% of the variance in motor development. The duration of breastfeeding explained 24% of the variance in cognitive development. Teachers’ knowledge about children’s development and attendance at public ECCs explained 31% of the variance in language development. These findings underscore the importance of prioritizing teacher education in both public and private ECCs to optimize children’s overall development. Full article

This paper offers an overview of a large study of language and cognitive development in deaf and hard of hearing children. Specifically, we investigated how acquiring a signed or spoken language (language modality) and when a child’s access to language begins (i.e., at birth or later in development) influence cognitive development. We conducted in-person behavioral assessments with 404 children 3–10 years old (280 deaf and hard of hearing; 124 typically hearing). The tasks measured a range of abilities along a continuum of how strongly they depend on language input, such as general vocabulary and number words (strongly dependent) vs. skills such as tracking sets of two to three objects and standardized ‘nonverbal’ picture-similarity tasks (relatively independent of language). Overall, the timing of children’s access to language predicted more variability in their performance than language modality. These findings help refine our theories about how language influences development and suggest how a STEAM pedagogical approach may ameliorate the impacts of later access to language. These results underscore children’s need for language early in development. That is, deaf and hard of hearing children must receive fully accessible language input as early as possible through sign language, accompanied by hearing technology aimed at improving access to spoken language, if desired. Full article

Background: Electronic patient-reported outcomes (ePROs) enable real-time symptom monitoring and early intervention in oncology. Large language models (LLMs), when combined with retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), offer scalable Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven education tailored to individual patient needs. However, few studies have examined the feasibility and clinical impact of integrating ePRO with LLM-RAG feedback during radiotherapy in high-toxicity settings such as head and neck cancer. Methods: This prospective observational study enrolled 42 patients with head and neck cancer undergoing radiotherapy from January to December 2024. Patients completed ePRO entries twice weekly using a web-based platform. Following each entry, an LLM-RAG system (Gemini 1.5-based) generated real-time educational feedback using National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines and institutional resources. Primary outcomes included percentage weight loss and treatment interruption days. Statistical analyses included t-tests, linear regression, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. A threshold of ≥6 ePRO entries was used for subgroup analysis. Results: Patients had a mean age of 53.6 years and submitted an average of 8.0 ePRO entries. Frequent ePRO users (≥6 entries) had significantly less weight loss (4.45% vs. 7.57%, p = 0.021) and fewer treatment interruptions (0.67 vs. 2.50 days, p = 0.002). Chemotherapy, moderate-to-severe pain, and lower ePRO submission frequency were associated with greater weight loss. ePRO submission frequency was negatively correlated with both weight loss and treatment interruption days. The most commonly reported symptoms were appetite loss, fatigue, and nausea. Conclusions: Integrating LLM-RAG feedback with ePRO systems is feasible and may enhance symptom control, treatment continuity, and patient engagement in head and neck cancer radiotherapy. Further studies are warranted to validate the clinical benefits of AI-supported ePRO platforms in routine care. Full article

Inclusive music education refers to the use of musical experiences and practices as tools for promoting participation, equity, and meaningful engagement among all learners, including those with Special Educational Needs (SEN). Music education has long been recognized not only for its value in emotional expression and cultural transmission but also for its cognitive and relational benefits. This entry examines the inclusive and transformative potential of music, highlighting how it can foster equitable, accessible, and culturally relevant learning environments. Drawing from pedagogy, neuroscience, and educational technology, the entry explores how music contributes to cognitive, emotional, and social development, with a focus on learners with SEN. It emphasizes the importance of early exposure to music, the strong connections between music and language acquisition, and the need to challenge persistent misconceptions about innate musical talent. The findings demonstrate that when supported by digital tools and educational games, music education becomes a powerful driver of inclusion, enhancing participation, relational dynamics, and cognitive engagement. The entry concludes by advocating for a reimagining of music not as a secondary subject, but as a foundational component of holistic and inclusive education, capable of building more empathetic, connected, and equitable societies. Full article

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming healthcare systems since the advent of OpenAI in 2022. It encompasses a class of machine learning techniques designed to create new content and is classified into large language models (LLMs) for text generation and image-generating models for creating or enhancing visual data. These generative AI models have shown widespread applications in clinical practice and research. Such applications range from medical documentation and diagnostics to patient communication and drug discovery. These models are capable of generating text messages, answering clinical questions, interpreting CT scan and MRI images, assisting in rare diagnoses, discovering new molecules, and providing medical education and training. Early studies have indicated that generative AI models can improve efficiency, reduce administrative burdens, and enhance patient engagement, although most findings are preliminary and require rigorous validation. However, the technology also raises serious concerns around accuracy, bias, privacy, ethical use, and clinical safety. Regulatory bodies, including the FDA and EMA, are beginning to define governance frameworks, while academic institutions and healthcare organizations emphasize the need for transparency, supervision, and evidence-based implementation. Generative AI is not a replacement for medical professionals but a potential partner—augmenting decision-making, streamlining communication, and supporting personalized care. Its responsible integration into healthcare could mark a paradigm shift toward more proactive, precise, and patient-centered systems. Full article

The presence of culturally and linguistically diverse children increases in early education classrooms worldwide. In monolingual education settings, multilingual children are at a disadvantage regarding their learning opportunities compared to monolingual children. Knowledge about how monolingual educators support children in a multilingual classroom has not been systematized yet. The present scoping review aims to synthesize the existing empirical evidence on (a) characteristics of the learning environment of monolingual teachers with multilingual children and (b) how teacher characteristics relate to the learning environment characteristics in early education institutions worldwide. The inclusion criteria used in this review included articles that report empirical evidence from 1990 to 2024, with multilingual children aged 0–6 of minoritized languages and monolingual teacher practices within a naturalist environment. Subsequently, through the PRISMA-ScR method on the articles found in the WOS and SCIELO databases, 40 articles were included with qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods designs. The results showed that in the Latin American context, culturally responsive practices are scarce for bilingual children with immigrant backgrounds. In the USA and European contexts, educators are more likely to implement activities that include children’s L1, even if they have limited knowledge of that language. The international perspective of this review allows us to identify contributions and challenges in different geographic regions. Full article

There is an increasing number of multilingual children attending early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings around the world. Early childhood teachers play a crucial role in supporting these multilingual young children. As teachers’ teaching practices are directed by their beliefs, it is significant to understand early childhood teachers’ beliefs about multilingualism in the existing literature in order to better support multilingual children. From 14 studies, this review categorised three main themes of early childhood teachers’ beliefs about multilingualism: multilingualism as a problem, multilingualism as a right, and concerns about multilingualism as a resource. Two studies examined factors associated with the variation in teachers’ beliefs. The findings of this review summarised various perspectives of teachers’ misconceptions and negative beliefs about multilingualism, although a small number of studies reported teachers’ positive beliefs about multilingualism in ECEC. This review addresses early childhood teachers’ knowledge gaps in child language development and multilingual pedagogies. In addition, this review identifies several research gaps for future studies. For example, more studies conducted in non-Western contexts and studies on teachers’ beliefs about supporting multilingual infants and toddlers are much needed. This review also contributes to informing future directions for professional development to empower early childhood teachers to support multilingualism. Full article

Readability formulas are mathematical functions that assess the ‘difficulty’ level of a given text. They play a crucial role in aligning educational texts with student reading abilities; however, existing models are often not tailored to specific linguistic or regional contexts. This study aims to develop and evaluate two novel readability formulas specifically designed for the Mexican Spanish language, targeting elementary education levels. The formulas were trained on a corpus of 540 texts drawn from official elementary-level textbooks issued by the Mexican public education system. The first formula was constructed using multiple linear regression, emulating the structure of traditional readability models. The second was derived through genetic programming (GP), a machine learning technique that evolves symbolic expressions based on training data. Both approaches prioritize interpretability and use standard textual features, such as sentence length, word length, and lexical and syntactic complexity. Experimental results show that the proposed formulas outperform several well-established Spanish and non-Spanish readability formulas in distinguishing between grade levels, particularly for early and intermediate stages of elementary education. The GP-based formula achieved the highest alignment with target grade levels while maintaining a clear analytical form. These findings underscore the potential of combining machine learning with interpretable modeling techniques and highlight the importance of linguistic and curricular adaptation in readability assessment tools. Full article

Drawing on data from a three-year longitudinal study of 56 Chinese–Canadian families with early elementary school-aged children, this study explores Chinese immigrant parents’ lived-through emotional experiences of heritage language maintenance (HLM). Informed by Vygotsky’s concept of perezhivanie, thematic analysis of annual interview data reveals the mixed and refracted nature of parental emotions involved in Chinese language preservation and bilingual child-rearing. These emotional experiences were profoundly shaped by the intersection of environmental, personal, and situational factors and were deeply entangled with parents’ perceptions of and attitudes toward their children’s heritage language learning and use at home. The emotional work involved significantly influenced the parents’ language and literacy planning and HLM practices. By foregrounding the emotional dimensions of heritage language education, this study offers important implications for educational stakeholders seeking to support immigrant parents both emotionally and practically in raising bilingual children in the host country. Full article

This research conducts a comparative content analysis of two leading English-language newspapers, The Kathmandu Post and Rising Nepal, to examine the media framing of China’s cultural and educational diplomacy in Nepal. This study employs a frame analysis methodology alongside a qualitative content analysis approach to systematically examine thirty news items published from 2021 to early 2025. Key themes were coded and examined based on frequency and contextual framing, including cultural interaction, Chinese language promotion, Confucius Institute coverage, education diplomacy, and geopolitical alignment. Rising Nepal demonstrates a clear state-centric editorial stance, frequently articulating a supportive tone that emphasizes bilateral collaboration, strategic partnership, and mutual growth, thereby highlighting a significant contrast in representational patterns. This research argues that these contrasting frames signify underlying ideological and geopolitical affiliations, rather than merely editorial choices. This research contributes to the expanding body of literature on soft power, media and culture diplomacy, and the geopolitics of influence in South Asia by integrating media framing theory with qualitative analysis. Full article

This study examines how young children engage with picturebooks, discussion, dramatic inquiry, and writing to negotiate diverse perspectives and develop empathy in an early childhood classroom. Grounded in sociocultural and critical literacy theories, the research explores the role of dialogic pedagogy in fostering young learners’ agency and social awareness. Utilizing a qualitative single-case study design, data were collected over a full academic year in a second-grade classroom through video recordings, field notes, interviews, and student artifacts. Thematic analysis revealed that dialogic engagements supported students in developing a shared language about empathy, resolving classroom conflicts, and exploring actionable ways to support others through collaborative play and inquiry. Findings highlight how sustained, student-driven inquiry fosters critical reflection and social responsibility, offering pedagogical insights into designing literacy experiences that nurture empathy, agency, and collective action. Implications for integrating dialogic literacy practices into early childhood education are discussed. Full article

While small group learning through engineering design activities has been shown to enhance student achievement, motivation, and problem-solving skills, much of the existing research in this area focuses on undergraduate engineering education. Therefore, this study examines how small-group interactions influence design decisions within a sixth-grade engineering design-based English Language Arts unit for multilingual learners. Multilingual Learners make up 21% of the U.S. school-aged population and benefit from early STEM opportunities that shape future educational and career trajectories. Grounded in constructivist learning theories, the research explores collaborative learning in the engineering design process, using a comparative case study design. Specifically, this study explores student interactions and group dynamics in two small groups (Group A and Group B) engaged in a board game design challenge incorporating microelectronics. Video recordings serve as the primary data source, allowing for an in-depth analysis of verbal and nonverbal interactions. The study employed the Social Interdependence Theory to examine how group members collaborate, negotiate roles, and make design decisions. Themes such as positive interdependence, group accountability, promotive interaction, and individual responsibility are used to assess how cooperation influences final design choices. Three key themes emerged: Roles and Dynamics, Conflict, and Teacher Intervention. Group A and Group B exhibited distinct collaboration patterns, with Group A demonstrating stronger leadership dynamics that shaped decision-making, while Group B encountered challenges related to engagement and resource control. The results demonstrate the importance of small-group interactions in shaping design decisions and emphasize the role of group dynamics and teacher intervention in supporting multilingual learners’ engagement and success in integrated STEM curriculum. Full article

Coaching is an important form of professional development for the early childhood education and care (ECEC) workforce. However, educators working in remote contexts do not always have access to this type of support. This paper explores the effectiveness of a virtual (online and telephone) coaching program focusing on the implementation of evidence-informed Conversational Reading strategies in supported playgroups for Aboriginal families in the Northern Territory of Australia. Fourteen Family Educators and Family Liaison Officers across ten Families as First Teachers playgroups in the Northern Territory participated in the coaching program over twelve months. Coaching records, planning documents, participant feedback, and video recordings of participants’ practice were analysed to explore the impact and acceptability of the coaching program. The findings indicate that participation in the cycle of virtual coaching, planning, and reflection supported participants in implementing evidence-informed teaching strategies, offering language-rich experiences to children frequently and with increased fidelity, and engaging with families about their use of these strategies in the home. The model of coaching developed shows promise for wider implementation in ECEC contexts, particularly in remote communities where access to high-quality professional learning and development can be limited. Full article

Introduction: Student retention is a critical issue in higher education. Universities have responded by implementing supports like early alert systems. Objective: We investigated students’ knowledge of and experiences with an early alert system designed to enhance academic persistence. Method: We surveyed (N = 356) undergraduates at a large public university in the U.S. The survey was researcher-created and administered online. Participants self-selected into the study and provided informed consent prior to beginning the study. Data were coded by experts, who achieved excellent IRR. The analyses were frequency-based to understand diverse student knowledge, experiences, and responses with early alert systems. Results: Students commonly reported experiencing negative emotions after receiving an alert, but also reported that receiving an alert motivated them to increase their course attendance, improve their study habits, and participate more in class. Finally, students indicated that receiving an early alert facilitated supportive interactions with instructors, though student communication with academic advisors was less frequent. Student recommendations for system improvement included using positive language in alerts and providing actionable guidance. Conclusions: These results provide new insight into student views of early alert systems and suggest that these systems can positively impact students in need of support. Full article