Building an assessment of community‐defined social‐emotional competencies from the ground up in Tanzania

Jukes, Matthew; Mgonda, Nkanileka Loti; Tibenda, Jovina; Gabrieli, Prosper; Jeremiah, Grace; Betts, Kellie; Williams, Jason; Bub, Kristen L.

doi:10.1111/cdev.13673

Cited by 28 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…Behavioral markers of good self‐regulation in LMICs setting may reflect pursuit of collectivistic goals and fulfillment of social responsibility. A recent mixed‐method study in Tanzania offered a good example of how to develop survey assessments of social and emotional skills that align with adults’ cultural values and goals (Jukes et al., 2021). While this work corroborated the importance of being obedient, respectful, disciplined, attentive, and polite, the behaviors that mapped onto these constructs relied on EF and self‐regulation skills.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The unique relevance of executive functions and self‐regulation behaviors for understanding early childhood experiences and preschoolers’ outcomes in rural Pakistan

Obradović

Finch

Connolly

et al. 2022

Developmental Science

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Performance-based measures of children's executive functions (EFs) do not capture children's application of these skills during everyday emotionally-laden and sociallymediated interactions. The current study demonstrates the value of using assessor report of self-regulation behaviors (inhibitory control and positive affect/engagement) in addition to EF tasks when studying early childhood experiences and development in a rural lower-middle-income country setting. In a sample of 1302 disadvantaged 4-year-olds living in rural Pakistan, we found that directly assessed EFs were significantly related to assessor observations of children's inhibitory control and positive affect/engagement during a structured assessment protocol. However, EFs and two types of self-regulation behaviors demonstrated unique associations with children's (1) contextual experiences, as indexed by family socio-economic resources, participation in parenting interventions, and children's physical growth; and (2) age-salient developmental outcomes, as indexed by direct assessment of pre-academic skills and maternal report of prosocial behaviors and behavior problems. First, family wealth uniquely predicted only observed positive affect/engagement, whereas maternal education uniquely predicted only EFs. Second, children's antecedent linear growth was a significant predictor of both EFs and positive affect/engagement, but exposure to an enhanced nutrition intervention during the first 2 years of life and preschoolers' hair cortisol concentration were associated only with observed self-regulation behaviors. Finally, both EFs and observed positive affect/engagement uniquely predicted children's pre-academic skills. In contrast, only assessors' ratings of positive affect/engagement uniquely predicted maternal report of prosocial behaviors and only assessors' ratings of inhibitory control uniquely predicted maternal report of behavioral problems.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The unique relevance of executive functions and self‐regulation behaviors for understanding early childhood experiences and preschoolers’ outcomes in rural Pakistan

Obradović

Finch

Connolly

et al. 2022

Developmental Science

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“…The studies are described in greater detail elsewhere (see Jukes et al 2018Jukes et al , 2019Jukes et al , 2021. In the next section, we present the results of these studies selectively, along with other literature, to develop arguments about how the culturally influenced behaviors described above, manifest themselves in the classroom.…”

Section: Tusome Pamoja Research Studiesmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Study 1 (Jukes et al, 2018(Jukes et al, , 2021 took place in the Mtwara region of Mainland Tanzania and examined local perceptions of the competencies that children require for success in both school and life in general.…”

Section: Tusome Pamoja Research Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adapting Pedagogy to Cultural Context

Jukes

Sitabkhan

Tibenda³

2021

Self Cite

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This paper argues that many pedagogical reform efforts falter because they fail to consider the cultural context of teacher and student behavior. Little guidance exists on how to adapt teaching practices to be compatible with culturally influenced behaviors and beliefs. We present evidence from three studies conducted as part of a large basic education program in Tanzania showing that some teaching activities are less effective or not well implemented because of culturally influenced behaviors in the classroom, namely children’s lack of confidence to speak up in class; a commitment to togetherness, fairness, and cooperation; avoidance of embarrassment; and age-graded authority. We propose ways teaching activities can be adapted to take these behaviors into account while still adhering to fundamental principles of effective learning, including student participation in their own learning, teaching at the right level, and monitoring students as a basis for adjusting instruction. Such adaptations may be made most effective by engaging teachers in co-creation of teaching activities.

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“…Cultures in different regions of the world emphasize varying competencies as important for success in school and community life (e.g., Henrich et al, 2010; Serpell, 2011). For example, there are large contrasts between Western and non-Western populations on social decision making (cooperation, fairness) and the value of interdependence (Henrich et al, 2010; Jukes et al, 2021). Research in sub-Saharan Africa specifically demonstrates that social responsibility is considered an aspect of “intelligence” in these communities, and has implications for children’s behaviors in classroom contexts (Serpell, 2011).…”

Section: Self-regulated Learning: the Intersection Between Efs And Mo...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Research in sub-Saharan Africa specifically demonstrates that social responsibility is considered an aspect of "intelligence" in these communities, and has implications for children's behaviors in classroom contexts (Serpell, 2011). It is plausible that the role of self-regulated learning for children's academic achievement may differ in rural sub-Saharan African contexts, where values of obedience, respect, and responsibility are emphasized by both parents and teachers (Jukes et al, 2021).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Executive functions, motivation, and children’s academic development in Côte d’Ivoire.

Finch¹,

Wolf²,

Lichand³

2022

Developmental Psychology

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The role of executive function skills and motivation in supporting children’s academic achievement is well-documented, but the vast majority of evidence is from high-income countries. Classrooms in sub-Saharan Africa tend to be large, teacher-driven, and lecture-focused, which may provide extra challenges for children to stay engaged in the learning process. Based in self-regulated learning theory, we tested the contributions of executive functions and motivation for children’s literacy and numeracy skills over 1 school year. Our preregistered study of 2,500 primary school students in Côte d’Ivoire used lagged models with a robust set of demographic covariates. Executive functions were directly assessed, and children reported on their levels of motivation for schooling. Findings indicated strong longitudinal continuity of both literacy and numeracy skills over the academic year. Further, we found unique associations of executive functions and intrinsic motivation with changes in children’s literacy skills and a unique association of executive functions, but not intrinsic motivation, with changes in children’s numeracy skills over the school year. Overall, these results provide evidence for the importance of nonacademic skills for children’s learning in a rural, sub-Saharan African context. Implications include improving access to preprimary education, the quality of primary school experiences, and teacher training and supports to increase children’s early academic skills, self-regulation skills, and motivation for learning.

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Building an assessment of community‐defined social‐emotional competencies from the ground up in Tanzania

Cited by 28 publications

References 45 publications

The unique relevance of executive functions and self‐regulation behaviors for understanding early childhood experiences and preschoolers’ outcomes in rural Pakistan

The unique relevance of executive functions and self‐regulation behaviors for understanding early childhood experiences and preschoolers’ outcomes in rural Pakistan

Adapting Pedagogy to Cultural Context

Executive functions, motivation, and children’s academic development in Côte d’Ivoire.

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