Emotions, Strategies, and Health: Examining the Impact of an Educational Program on Tanzanian Preschool Children (2022)

Preschool Children, Socio-emotional Development, Health Outcomes, Media Exposure. Receptivity, Akili and Me, Character Identification, Multilevel Modeling Regression Models.
Socio-emotional and Health Outcomes.

Location: Tanzania

Reference citation: Borzekowski et al. 2020;

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Study Summary
The study was conducted to evaluate the effects of the educational program Akili and Me on socio-emotional and health outcomes in Tanzanian preschool children.

Background: The program was designed to provide age-appropriate lessons on socio-emotional development and health. The study involved low-income school children from Arusha, Tanzania, with a mean age of 5.32 years. Over 12 weeks, children attended afterschool sessions where they watched Akili and Me content.

Procedure: The researchers used a one-on-one survey method to collect baseline and post-intervention data from participants. Over 12 weeks, children attended afterschool sessions where they were exposed to the educational program “Akili and Me,” which included socio-emotional and health content.

Main Findings: The main findings indicated that greater exposure and receptivity to the program were associated with improved socio-emotional and health outcomes. This was determined using mixed linear models (MLM) regression analysis with data from 411 participants across 10 public schools. The study found that greater exposure and receptivity to Akili and Me were associated with improved socio-emotional and health outcomes. 

Key Takeaways: The key takeaways from the study are that educational media, specifically animated programs like “Akili and Me,” can effectively teach vulnerable preschool children important socio-emotional and health content. This contributes to the literature on educational media by demonstrating its potential impact on young children’s development.

Significance of Study: The research contributes to the understanding of how educational media can positively impact vulnerable preschool children’s development. The significance of the study lies in its contribution to understanding how media can be used as a tool for informal education and enrichment, particularly for vulnerable populations in low-income settings. It highlights the importance of culturally appropriate content in educational programming for early childhood development.

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