game activities

Moral education of the individual is a complex and multifaceted process that includes pedagogical and social phenomena. However, the process of moral education is to some extent autonomous. Moral education is effectively carried out only as a holistic pedagogical process that meets the norms of universal morality, the organization of all life and student life, including modern youth. As well as activities, relationships, communication, taking into account their age and individual characteristics. The result of a holistic process is the formation of a morally whole personality, in the unity of its consciousness, moral feelings, conscience, moral will, skills, habits, socially valuable behavior. Moral education includes: the formation of students’ awareness of their connection with society, dependence on it, the need to coordinate their behavior with the interests of society; familiarization with moral ideals, requirements of society, proof of their legitimacy and reasonableness; transformation of moral knowledge into moral beliefs, creation of a system of these beliefs; formation of stable moral feelings, high culture of behavior as one of the main manifestations of respect for people; formation of moral skills. The content of education is understood as a system of knowledge, beliefs, skills, qualities and personality traits, stable behavioral habits that students should possess in accordance with the set goals and objectives. In today’s rapidly changing world, the ability to be independent and self-sufficient is increasingly recognized as a vital skill for success in various areas of life, including education. This is especially true for first-year university students, as they transition from the structured environment of high school to the more autonomous and demanding world of higher education. Developing independence skills in these students is crucial for their adaptation to the university environment and overall personal and academic growth. The concept of independence encompasses various aspects, including the development of autonomy and the development of skills that enable students to navigate the complexities of university life. Autonomy refers to the ability to make decisions, take initiative, and act independently, while the development of independence skills involves acquiring the necessary competencies to function effectively in the educational environment. The state of knowledge regarding the development of independence skills in first-year students is an area of ongoing research. Understanding the factors that contribute to the development of independence in students is essential for supporting them during this transition and enriching their overall educational experience.

Background This pilot study with class-level random assignment examined preliminary evidence on the associations between a structured physical game intervention and memory and attention in children aged 5–6 years. Methods A 12-week physical game program based on cognitive load theory was designed and implemented, consisting of three 60-minute training sessions per week. The program included various game activities designed to promote memory and attention development supplemented by smart interactive motion data collection devices. A pilot study with class-level random assignment was conducted among 59 children aged 5–6 years. Two intact kindergarten classes were included, with one class assigned to the experimental group ( n = 30) and the other to the control group ( n = 29). The experimental group received the structured physical play intervention, whereas the control group participated in routine kindergarten physical activities. The class, rather than the individual child, was the unit of randomization. Before and after the intervention, children's memory and attention levels were assessed using the Wechsler Memory Scale (measuring picture memory, visual reproduction, visual recognition, digit span forward, and digit span backward) and the Schulte Grid test. Results A 2 × 2 repeated-measures ANOVA showed significant Group×Time interactions for total short-term memory ( F (1,57) = 14.33, p < .001, η p 2 = .20), total immediate memory ( F (1,57) = 7.84, p = .007, η p 2 = .12), picture memory ( F (1,57) = 6.10, p = .017, η p 2 = .10), visual reproduction ( F (1,57) = 18.40, p < .001, η p 2 = .24), and digit span forward ( F (1,57) = 5.26, p = .026, η p 2 = .08). A significant Group×Time interaction was also observed for attention performance ( F (1,57) = 8.17, p = .006, η p 2 = .13). These findings indicated greater pre–post changes in the experimental condition than in the control condition for the outcomes examined. Conclusion These findings provide preliminary evidence that a structured physical game intervention was associated with improvements in memory-related task performance and task-related attentional processing in children aged 5–6 years.