Amukune, Stephen
3 Publications in AERD
Author Publications
Export PDFDevelopment and Application of FOCUS App for Assessment of Approaches to Learning in 3–8-Year-Old Children in Kenya: A Design-Based Research Approach
By Amukune, Stephen
Performance-based tools to assess school readiness domains such as Approaches to Learning are lacking in Low and Middle-Income Countries such as Kenya. This study aims to develop the Kenyan version of the FOCUS app (Finding Out Children's Unique Strengths), a game-like computer tablet assessment of two Approaches to Learning domains: mastery motivation and executive functions. We used a design-based research approach to develop and validate the FOCUS app, initially designed for the US and Hungarian Cultures, to suit the Kenyan context. We later followed children longitudinally from preschool to grade 1, to assess the applicability of the FOCUS app to the two grade levels. Results showed that the FOCUS app is valid and reliable. There was no significant difference in mastery motivation between the two waves. The FOCUS App can complement other school readiness tools to assess Approaches to Learning as one of the strategies to enhance school and life success.
Game-Based Assessment of School Readiness Domains of 3-8-year-old-children: A Scoping Review
By Amukune, Stephen
Precise assessment of school readiness is critical because it has practical and theoretical implications for children’s school and life success. However, school readiness assessment mainly relies on teacher reports and a few direct evaluations requiring a trained examiner. Studies indicate that 80% of games and apps target preschool children and education, suggesting that apps are familiar and fun for this age group. Previous reviews have focused on these apps’ training capability but not on their assessment of school readiness. This Scoping review examines 31 studies published from 2011-2019. The Evidence Centred Design (ECD) framework was used to evaluate game-based assessment (GBA) suitability to assess school readiness domains. Results show that it is possible to assess school readiness using GBA. Most studies assessed cognitive domains in school settings and adopted an external assessment of the tasks. However, most studies only evaluated one competency, and few intervention strategies targeted the enhancement of school readiness. Besides, few studies followed the ECD framework strictly. Implications include expanding the assessment to other school readiness domains with a real-time inbuilt assessment that conforms to the ECD framework. GBA provides a new approach to assess school readiness outside or inside the school settings in this online era © 2022. Journal of New Approaches in Educational Research.All Rights Reserved
Comparing Executive Functioning in the School Readiness of Hungarian and Kenyan Preschoolers
By Amukune, Stephen
Cross-national comparisons represent an avenue for investigating milestones achieved by one region that can help improve standards in another country. This study compares the development of executive functioning in Hungarian and Kenyan preschoolers as they prepare for school readiness. The study's cross-sectional design entailed sampling preschoolers from Hungary (n = 187) and Kenya (n = 420) aged between 4 and 8 years nested in 35 classrooms. Preschool class teachers rated the children's executive functioning using the Childhood Executive Functioning Inventory (CHEXI). The two-factor structure of the CHEXI demonstrated a strong measurement invariance for the two countries, Hungary and Kenya. Significant gender differences were noted on both subscales in the Hungarian sample but not in the Kenyan preschoolers. Additionally, no differences were found in the executive functioning of boys from both countries. However, the girls exhibited variances in the inhibition subscale. Contrary to expectations, no linear mixed effects were observed for country or the interactions between age and country apropos difficulties related to inhibition and total executive functioning except for working memory. Better working memory skills noted in the Hungarian sample were attributed to a superior preschool education system.
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