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Research -- StepUp to Learn

Playfulness Can Be Trained - Here's Why You Should Do It

Playfulness Can Be Trained - Here's Why You Should Do It

Playfulness is a personality trait that is expressed differently in people. "Particularly playful people have a hard time dealing with boredom....
Posted in Engagement, Health & Wellness, Motivation, Social Development, Social Skills

Academic Achievement Is Influenced by How Pupils 'Do' Gender at School

Academic Achievement Is Influenced by How Pupils 'Do' Gender at School

Pupils' achievements at school are often shaped by the way that they 'act out' specific gender roles, according to a new study which warns against over-generalizing the gender gap in education.
Posted in Attention, Education, Engagement, Motivation, Social Development

Playtime with Dad May Improve Children's Self-Control

Playtime with Dad May Improve Children's Self-Control

Children whose fathers make time to play with them from a very young age may find it easier to control their behavior and emotions as they grow up.
Posted in Attention, Education, Movement & Exercise, School Readiness, Social Development, Social Skills

Child's Play 'Lost' in Pandemic Fear

Child's Play 'Lost' in Pandemic Fear

Social and community disruptions caused by the COVID-19 restrictions could have a lasting effect on child wellbeing, Flinders University researchers warn.
Posted in Engagement, Health & Wellness, Movement & Exercise, Social Development, Social Skills

Study Finds Government Policies Push Schools to Prioritize Creating Better Test-Takers Over Better People

Study Finds Government Policies Push Schools to Prioritize Creating Better Test-Takers Over Better People

Personal growth and job skills have taken a backseat to an increased focus on standardized test scores in schools across the nation, according to new research.
Posted in Education, Health & Wellness, School Readiness, Social Development, Social Skills

'Terrible Twos' Not Inevitable: With Engaged Parenting, Happy Babies Can Become Happy Toddlers

'Terrible Twos' Not Inevitable: With Engaged Parenting, Happy Babies Can Become Happy Toddlers

Parents should not feel pressured to make their young children undertake structured learning or achieve specific tasks, particularly during lockdown. A new study of children under the age of two has found that parents who take a more flexible approach to their child’s learning can - for children who were easy babies - minimize behavioral problems during toddlerhood.
Posted in Engagement, Social Development, Social Skills

Chatty Kids Do Better At School, New Study Shows

Chatty Kids Do Better At School, New Study Shows

Young children go on to achieve more academic success when their verbal skills are enhanced, a new study suggests.
Posted in Engagement, School Readiness, Social Development

Do Girls Read Better Than Boys? If So, Gender Stereotypes May Be to Blame

Do Girls Read Better Than Boys? If So, Gender Stereotypes May Be to Blame

Researchers examined the relation between classmates’ gender stereotypes and individual students’ reading outcomes to shed light on how these stereotypes contribute to the gender gap in reading. 
Posted in Education, Engagement, Reading Skills, Social Development

Mother Nature: Reshaping Modern Play Spaces for Children’s Health

Mother Nature: Reshaping Modern Play Spaces for Children’s Health

A world first review of the importance of nature play could transform children’s play spaces, supporting investment in city and urban parks, while also delivering important opportunities for children’s physical, social and emotional development.
Posted in Attention, Engagement, Health & Wellness, Neuroscience, School Readiness, Social Development

Contagious Learning: How Drama and Experience Enhance Learning

Contagious Learning: How Drama and Experience Enhance Learning

It's a concept first brought to light decades ago, but still very relevant in education today: lived experience. Specifically, how can educators create significant experiences to engage students and enhance learning? 
Posted in Education, Engagement, Social Development

Deaf infants more attuned to parent’s visual cues

Deaf infants more attuned to parent’s visual cues

Researchers find that Deaf infants of Deaf parents demonstrate strong gaze-following behavior, which establishes a social connection between parent and child.
Posted in Social Development

Digital Games May Beat Mindfulness Apps at Relieving Stress

Digital Games May Beat Mindfulness Apps at Relieving Stress

Highly engaging digital games which provide opportunities for mastering new skills and allowing users to feel in control may relieve stress at the end of the day more effectively than mindfulness apps.
Posted in Attention, Engagement, Health & Wellness, Neuroscience, Social Development