In recent years, emphasis has been placed on an overall shortage of beta technicians in Dutch society. This deficiency can be reduced by stimulating beta-learning, which consists of the so-called ...Show moreIn recent years, emphasis has been placed on an overall shortage of beta technicians in Dutch society. This deficiency can be reduced by stimulating beta-learning, which consists of the so-called ‘beta skills’ (skills in mathematics, science and technology) and executive functions (EF; e.g., reasoning, working memory). Since it is unclear how to stimulate beta-learning, this study investigated the effect of a training for teachers in the Netherlands. The training focused on stimulating the EF of Dutch students of primary schools. It was examined whether an improvement in EF, as a result of the training, could mediate an improvement in beta skills. This study included 110 students aged 8 to 10 years old (fifth to eight grade) and their parents. The intervention group consisted of 64 children and their teachers, who had participated in the training and the control group consisted of 46 children and their teachers, who had not participated in the training. The EF were measured using a Dutch adaptation of the BRIEF. Numeracy, an appropriate indicator of beta skills, were measured using a standardized math test from Cito. A one-way repeated measures analysis showed no significant differences in EF and in numeracy between the intervention and the control group after one year. The expected mediation effect of the EF on numeracy was not confirmed in this study. In conclusion, in this study EF did not seem to mediate the effect of the training on beta skills. Nevertheless, a reduction of the shortage of beta technicians has been found the last year. Further research is needed, to investigate and stimulate this positive trend concerning beta technicians.Show less
Introduction: Research on the development of executive functions (EF) in children can focus on multiple facets, but can also focus on a specific part such as planning, working memory and inhibition...Show moreIntroduction: Research on the development of executive functions (EF) in children can focus on multiple facets, but can also focus on a specific part such as planning, working memory and inhibition. The various executive functions can be distinguished clearly from each other, but cannot be seen independently. There is no clear data on the differences in the development of EF between boys and girls in their childhood. The present study focuses on the development of the executive functions planning, inhibition and working memory in boys and girls aged four to seven years over a period of one year. Methods: This study consisted of 462 children of the data from the ongoing study ‘Talentenkracht’. The data was collected between January to April 2009 (T1) and between January to May 2010 (T2). In this study, the executive functions planning (subtest "zoo map" of the Behavioural Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome for Children (BADS-NL)), inhibition (subtest GoNoGo of the Amsterdam Neuropsychological Tasks (ANT)) and working memory (subtest Spatial Temporal Sequencing (STS) on the ANT) were investigated. Using paired-samples T-tests and univariate analyses of variance, the relation and development of the three executive functions, gender and age have been studied. Results: This study involved 247 boys (53.5%) and 215 girls (46.5%). The mean age (M) at T1 was 5.2 years and at T2 6.2 years. The mean outcome on T1 for planning was -1.45, inhibition 34.4 and working memory 12.0. This was at T2 -1.03, 28.4 and 22.4, respectively. For boys and girls, there was a significant difference in mean outcomes between T1 and T2 for inhibition and working memory. The development of inhibition has a significant relationship with gender at T1 and T2. Both measurements remained significantly different after adjustment for age. In the development of the working memory, there is both a significant relationship with age at T1 as well as at T2. Conclusions: The present study showed differences in the development of the executive functions planning, inhibition and working memory in boys and girls aged four to seven years. Apart from the expected (natural) development of the EF over a period of 11.3 months average, gender was also a profound influence on inhibition. As for planning, no significant results did occur. In the development of the EF memory, time is more indicative than gender.Show less
