Search Results (163)

Background/Objectives: Children in paediatric palliative care often face school attendance barriers due to complex health needs. This study describes post-training perceptions of a training program by a pediatric hospice team to prepare school care assistants to safely include children with complex conditions, focusing on procedural skills, knowledge of the child, and family partnership. Methods: Care assistants who completed a structured course at the Paediatric Palliative Care Centre, University Hospital of Padua (2023–2024), were surveyed immediately after training. The program combined classroom instruction with hands-on simulation using high-fidelity mannequins and standard devices, including suction, pulse oximetry, ventilation, enteral feeding, and tracheostomy care. It also covered modules on urgent and emergency management, as well as family communication. An anonymous online questionnaire gathered socio-demographic data, prior training, clinical tasks performed, self-efficacy levels, and open-ended feedback. Quantitative results were analyzed descriptively, while qualitative comments were subjected to thematic analysis. Results: Of 130 invited assistants, 105 participated (81%). Participants reported strong perceived confidence: 85% selected the upper end of the 5-point scale (“very” or “extremely”) for routine-management ability, and 60% selected these same response options for emergency-management ability. In the most severe events recalled, 60.5% of incidents were resolved autonomously, 7.6% involved contacting emergency services, and 3.8% involved community or hospice nurses. Seventy-five percent judged the course comprehensive; thematic analysis of 102 comments identified satisfaction, requests for regular refreshers, stronger practical components, and requests for targeted topics. Conclusions: Immediately after the session, participants tended to select the upper end of the self-assurance item for both routine and emergency tasks. Combining core emergency procedures with personalized, child-specific modules and family-partnership training may support safety, trust, and inclusion. Regular refreshers and skills checks are advised. Full article

The growing reliance on AI-powered EdTech solutions has prompted educators at all levels to rethink teaching and learning methodologies. This shift has fostered a renewed partnership among teachers, students, and society, repositioning AI from a passive support tool into a proactive agent in the classroom. This transformation calls for teachers to exercise leadership and judgement in guiding students’ use of AI, emphasising both responsible practices and ethical considerations within their broader socio-cultural contexts. To harness this potential, we leveraged AI-based solutions within the AECT academic association to reinterpret UNESCO’s four foundational pillars of learning, thereby impacting the broader educational community. This initiative underscores literacy in educational communities emerging from intra-national and international inequity. Hence, it is imperative to examine the exigency of fundamental rights in relation to ethics and norms to uphold the innovative opportunities of AI in education globally. In this regard, this study connects the Pedagogical AI-Tact concept to bridge the gap between theory and practice, fostering both interest and ethical engagement across diverse educational communities. This study valuably upholds Margaret Mead’s proposal that every child deserves universal educational rights, a principle in harmony with justice and freedom. Full article

This study examines the factors behind significant improvements in elementary student reading scores within South Carolina’s Camp iRock summer program. South Carolina presents a unique context of high childhood poverty, yet proficient literacy rates. To conduct a quantitative descriptive analysis of student improvement on the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Reading test, this study employed a mixed methods approach as well as a qualitative content analysis of the South Carolina’s reading plan program components. A trend analysis reveals a substantial increase in student improvement from 54 (n = 189) in 2022 to 183 (n = 319) in 2023. The study explores the role of university–community partnerships, professional development, data-driven decision-making, and personalized small group instruction. This growth suggests the impact of the identified factors, emphasizing the importance of collaborative models and data-informed strategies in enhancing literacy outcomes. Full article

Our annual environmental conference has been a pivotal platform for addressing the unique environmental challenges faced by underrepresented communities since 2006. Adapting to the global pandemic in 2021, we seamlessly transitioned to a virtual environment, enabling us to concentrate our efforts on the critical role of the diaspora in leveraging scientific knowledge. In 2023, we focused on Haiti, a nation currently facing significant political turmoil. Our one-day virtual event featured three expert panels that delved into multifaceted strategies encompassing agriculture, healthcare, political advocacy, social dynamics, and entrepreneurship. These discussions aimed to equip Haiti to navigate the impacts of climate change effectively. In partnership with the Haiti Development Initiative (HDI), we engaged in a dynamic brainstorming session to generate innovative approaches for cultivating a resilient and sustainable economy. Our guiding mantra, the Haitian Creole phrase “Chanjman atmosfè a,” reflects our commitment to transforming the environmental landscape—shifting the atmosphere. A highlight of the event was the presentation by Computational Biology students from the University of Wyoming. Their project, titled “Using R Software to Compare Climate Data,” showcased an innovative pedagogical approach to analyzing climate data using statistical software. Their presentation demonstrated the practical application of computational tools in understanding and addressing climate change, providing valuable insights and methodologies that can be applied to environmental research in Haiti and beyond. Full article

Objectives: To investigate family-related factors influencing alcohol use from the perspective of nursing students. Methods: A qualitative approach grounded in the Oral History method was employed. Data were collected through interviews with nursing students from a public higher education institution located in the Amazon. Thematic analysis was conducted, supported by a theoretical framework relevant to alcohol consumption. Results: Four thematic categories emerged: (1) family inhibition toward alcohol use, (2) implicit prohibition of alcohol within the household, (3) financial dependence on family, and (4) responsibilities associated with adulthood. Conclusions: The study highlights the protective role of family structure in shaping young adults’ attitudes toward alcohol. These findings can inform university-level interventions, including: Awareness and education campaigns, Prevention programs, Psychological and psychiatric support services, and Partnerships with local communities. Full article

To examine current support mechanisms for supervising teachers and tertiary supervisors in professional experience placements, we investigated the perceived effectiveness of and explored strategies for enhancing university–school collaboration through the lens of situated learning theory, operationalized via a Communities of Practice framework. Data were collected from 282 interview participants across multiple institutions. Findings reveal opportunities for enhancing support mechanism availability and effectiveness, with many supervising teachers expressing interest in additional preparation and ongoing support. University supervisors highlight opportunities to strengthen communication and resource allocation to enhance school collaboration. These findings suggest that systematic investment in community-building approaches, strengthening domain knowledge, fostering mutual engagement through collaborative professional learning, and developing shared practices through effective boundary objects, is essential to transforming fragmented supervision practices into coherent communities of practice that enhance professional experience quality and university–school partnerships. Full article

The State Hygienic Lab at the University of Iowa (SHL) performs newborn blood spot screening (NBS) for IA, AK, ND, and SD. In October 2022, we halted in-house CFTR DNA testing due to the unexpected nonperformance of our newly expanded variant panel. Samples were sent to a reference laboratory to ensure uninterrupted testing and by December 2022, SHL had selected an alternative test that enabled CFTR panel expansion as envisioned. However, due to circumstances beyond our control, test implementation was severely delayed, and in-house testing was paused. These events were consequential. Firstly, our prolonged utilization of reference labs and fees was a financial strain on the lab. Secondly, our timeliness decreased significantly, and lastly, these issues were burdensome for staff. The lab overcame these problems using three strategies: effective communication; technical expertise; and staff perseverance. Finally, in Aug 2023, SHL successfully resumed in-house testing. As state labs ponder major CFTR algorithm changes, such as the addition of next generation sequencing, the strategies we utilized can be useful during sudden setbacks. Our experience of replacing our CFTR assay underscores the importance of emergency preparedness and partnership within the NBS community. Full article

Systemic racism, high turnovers of teachers and administrators, and deindustrialization in Flint, Michigan, have created an environment that limits the opportunities of Flint youth to engage in and succeed in STEM. This paper describes a partnership between university researchers and Flint community members formed to start the task of addressing this issue. We took a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach in which we treated community members as co-creators of informal science experiences (ISEs) that take place outside of the classroom. We also integrated psychological research into our research practices and design. To provide context for our work, we review the current literature on ISE and CBPR. We then share our general approach to forming an understanding of minoritized youths’ experiences in STEM in Flint. Next, we discuss how our relationship with the community started, what is working well, the challenges we face, and our recommendations for future researchers. Finally, we discuss the implications of what we have learned and directions for future research. Full article

Introduction: This study examined the relationship between Indigenous identity, perceived stress, and healthcare utilization for Indigenous students on-campus. Methods: Potential participants included undergraduate and graduate Indigenous students from Tribal Nations within the United States. Participants were recruited through community partnerships and in person communication. This survey included the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), the Multiethnic Identity Measure (MEIM), and university Campus Health Service Health and Wellness Survey. Results: 153 Indigenous students from United States-based Tribal Nations participated in this survey. While there appears to be a relationship between Indigenous identity, perceived stress, and Campus Health utilization, the results were not significant for the second tertile (OR: 1.1 (0.4, 2.7)) or third tertile (1.4 (0.5, 3.3)). Students who reported “Yes” or “Unsure” to questions on if their insurance needed them to go outside of the university were far less likely to use Campus Health (Yes OR: 0.2 (0.08–0.5)); (Unsure OR: 0.09 (0.03–0.3)) and CAPS (Yes OR: 0.2 (0.09–0.6)); (Unsure OR: 0.2 (0.04–0.4)). Discussion: This study saw a complex relationship between Indigenous identity, perceived stress, and campus health utilization; however, the findings are not statistically significant. There are distinctions in on campus health care usage when adjusting for undergraduate or graduate student status and health insurance literacy. Conclusion: The research findings offer many promising avenues for future work around Indigenous identity, affordability of healthcare, and importance of health literacy. Full article

Background: Thailand is rapidly transitioning into an aging society, creating an intergenerational caregiving gap that strains existing support systems. Objective: This study evaluated the effectiveness of “Young Care,” a community-based intervention designed to enhance youth knowledge, attitudes, and caregiving practices (KAP) toward older adults. Methods: A two-day structured training was conducted in Maha Sarakham Province in 2023 using a pre-post mixed-methods design. Middle and high school students participated in lectures, multimedia sessions, and experiential learning activities related to caregiving. Quantitative data were collected using validated KAP questionnaires, while qualitative insights were obtained from focus group discussions involving students, older persons, caregivers, and local leaders. Results: Post-intervention analysis revealed significant improvements in knowledge and attitudes (p < 0.001), accompanied by increased empathy, caregiving initiative, and a sense of moral responsibility among participants. Conclusions: The initiative fostered formal partnerships among schools, local governments, healthcare providers, and universities through memoranda of understanding. These collaborations enabled budgetary support and outreach to out-of-school youth, positioning “Young Care” as a scalable, youth-centered strategy to address Thailand’s long-term care challenges. Full article

This article presents a comparison of two qualitative case studies. The first case study is a partnership group involving two urban secondary school teachers working with one engineer and one education faculty member where they implemented several science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) lessons over the course of an academic year. The second case study is a partnership group involving undergraduate college students working together to build a data collection device attached to a high-altitude balloon to answer a scientific question or solve an engineering problem and translate the project into engaging lessons for a K-12/secondary student audience. The studies employed a socio-cultural theoretical framework as the lens to examine the individuals’ perspectives, experiences, and engineering meaning-making processes, and to consider what these meant to the partnership itself. The methods included interviews, focus groups, field notes, and artifacts. The analysis involved multi-level coding. The findings indicated that the strength of the partnership (pre, little p, or big P) among participants influenced the strength of the secondary engineering lessons. The partnership growth implications in terms of K-12/secondary and collegiate engineering education included the engineering lesson strength, partnership, and engineering project sustainability The participant partnership meanings revolved around lesson creation, incorporating engineering ideas into the classroom, increasing communication, and increasing secondary students’ learning, while tensions arose from navigating (not quite negotiating) roles as a team. A call for attention to school–university partnerships and the voices heard in engineering partnership building are included since professional skills are becoming even more important due to advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and other technologies. Full article

The UI GreenMetric World University Ranking has become a widely adopted instrument for benchmarking institutional sustainability performance; nevertheless, empirically grounded evidence from universities in diverse regional contexts remains scarce. This study undertakes a rigorous appraisal of the extent to which Mahasarakham University (MSU) has institutionalized the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within its pedagogical offerings, research portfolio, community outreach, and governance arrangements during the 2021–2024 strategic cycle. Employing a mixed-methods design and guided by the 2024 UI GreenMetric Education and Research indicators, this investigation analyzed institutional datasets pertaining to curriculum provision, ring-fenced research funding, 574 peer-reviewed sustainability publications, student-led community initiatives, and supporting governance mechanisms; the analysis was interpreted through a Plan–Do–Check–Act management lens. The number of sustainability-oriented academic programs expanded from 49 to 58. Student participation in community service activities strongly recovered following the COVID-19 pandemic, and MSU’s GreenMetric score increased from 7575 to 8475, thereby elevating the institution to the 100th position globally. These gains were facilitated by strategic SDG-aligned investment, cross-sector collaboration, and the consolidation of international partnerships anchored in Thailand’s Isaan region. The MSU case provides a transferable model for universities—particularly those operating in resource-constrained contexts—endeavoring to align institutional development with the SDGs and internationally recognized quality benchmarks. The findings substantiate the capacity of transformative education and applied research to engender enduring societal and environmental benefits. Full article

This article reflects on a capacity-building project co-designed with two universities in northern Mozambique to strengthen partnerships in the educational sector in addressing local issues of youth unemployment and food insecurity. The project focused on building communities of practice (CoPs) around the three secondary-level schools delivering agricultural education and training with the participation of universities’ lecturers from agricultural universities as well as students and rural communities. These three CoPs became collaborative networks foregrounded in participatory action research that allowed for a joint production of knowledge. Because of this, we propose to frame these CoPs as microcosms of an expanded skills ecosystem that exists on a territorial level and encompasses diverse forms of knowledge. Despite the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, CoPs created opportunities for students to do practical work that is often lacking in training and, especially, to encounter entrepreneurship possibilities that can facilitate education–work transitions. With this experience in mind, we ask ourselves, how can CoPs harness skills development towards the education–work transition for youth in agriculture? Our insights into this question are based on three years of project implementation (2021–2023) and, hopefully, will contribute to better understand the role of vocationally trained youth for Mozambique’s agricultural development. Full article

Garvin Heights Park in southeastern Minnesota, USA, is a 12 ha mosaic of bluff prairie, oak savanna, and oak–hickory woodland co-owned by the City of Winona and Winona State University, with a 40+ year history of encroachment by non-native woody invasives, especially buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) and honeysuckles (Lonicera spp.). Habitat restoration was initiated in the early 1990s, but management gaps and a seedbank of invasives compromised initial efforts. More consistent and sustainable restoration activities since 2016 have included cutting and chemical treatment of invasives, managed goat browsing, targeted reseeding and plug planting with native species, and more regular prescribed fires. Throughout the restoration process, we assessed changes in buckthorn densities in response to various management practices, assessed the restored savanna tree community, and documented the presence of blooming plants across all park habitats. Manual clearing of woody invasives and repeated goat browsing significantly reduced buckthorn and honeysuckle abundance in prairies and savannas. Park plant communities responded to the combination of management strategies with reduced densities of woody invasives and expanding diversity (currently >220 species present) of forbs and grasses, including a large and growing population of state-threatened Great Indian Plantain (Arnoglossum reniforme). Prescribed fires have benefitted prairies but have done little to improve savanna plant communities, due largely to excessive tree canopy coverage causing a lack of burnable fuels (i.e., dry forbs and grasses). Improved partnerships between landowners and dedicated volunteers are working to expand restoration efforts to include other portions of the park and adjacent woodlands. Full article

Background/Objectives: This study aims to fill gaps in the existing literature through a qualitative evaluation of stakeholders involved in Food Is Medicine (FIM) programs. The primary objective was to examine the structural components, implementation process, and perceived impact of the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and Venice Family Clinic (VFC) Emergency Prepared Meal Program (UCLA-VFC Food Program), developed as a collaboration between a university and Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) during a period of community crisis. A secondary objective was to compare this program with three other FIM initiatives, identifying convergences and divergences in design and effectiveness. Methods: The methodology involved semi-structured interviews conducted with stakeholders across all four programs. Participants were recruited based on their direct involvement with program ideation, design, or implementation. Interviews were conducted online between July and September 2022, with 11 stakeholders. A thematic analysis was applied to the transcribed responses using an inductive thematic analysis. Results: Key findings highlighted four recurrent themes: (1) the critical role of leadership and a collaborative culture; (2) the importance of community partnerships and health education; (3) challenges related to logistics, funding, and sustainability; and (4) the need for assessment and evaluation. These findings provide valuable insight into the design of future FIM interventions, particularly those embedded in healthcare settings. Conclusions: In conclusion, this study offers preliminary evidence supporting the unique potential of university–community partnerships to address food insecurity. Unlike previous research that emphasized clinical outcomes, our findings provide a contextualized understanding of programmatic implementation. While further quantitative evaluation is necessary, this work lays the groundwork for a collaborative model between various entities including universities, healthcare systems, clinics, and community health/food services aimed at addressing social determinants of health. Full article