Search Results (101)

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping health sciences education worldwide, yet regional data from Latin America remain scarce. Understanding students’ AI literacy and perceptions is essential for developing informed curricular strategies. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 270 students from four Costa Rican universities across five health sciences programs. Descriptive and inferential analyses (ANOVA, Chi-square) examined AI knowledge, usage frequency, and perceptions of ethical integration in academic contexts. Results: Over 80% of respondents reported moderate or higher AI knowledge and frequent use of tools such as ChatGPT, mostly for academic support tasks. However, more than 90% had not received formal institutional training, and ethical awareness—particularly regarding misinformation and bias—was limited. Conclusions: Students demonstrate active engagement with AI despite minimal curricular exposure. These findings emphasize the need for structured AI training, faculty development, and equitable access policies aligned with global digital ethics frameworks to ensure responsible adoption within Costa Rican health sciences education. Full article

Medical students experience fluctuations in their motivation, influenced by various factors, including curricular rigor, mental health, and institutional factors. Based on Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and the Four Pillars of Academic Engagement (HPEE), this study, conducted at a private Mexican university, examined motivational variation according to academic year, curricular impact, gender differences, and its relationship with mental health. Methods: A quantitative, cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted using qualitative tools for contextualization (n = 1326). Mann–Whitney U tests, Kruskal–Wallis tests, logistic regression, and psychological network analysis were performed. Results: Motivation showed cross-sectional variation: high in preclinical years 1 and 2, decreasing in clinical years 3 and 4 (p < 0.001), and rebounding in year 6. The reformed curriculum (elective subjects, student-centered active learning) resulted in greater motivation (OR = 10.68, p < 0.001). Women tended to have slightly higher motivation (p = 0.050), higher grade point averages (p < 0.001), but also greater stress (p < 0.001). Network analysis revealed that intrinsic achievement (centrality = 1.11) and curiosity about knowledge (predictability = 84.5%) are the main drivers, while demotivation was linked to the later years. The qualitative part of the study showed altruism/curiosity as the main motivators; mistreatment/workload (demotivators). Conclusions: Motivation is context-sensitive, peaks in the preclinical stage, and recovers with autonomy but is vulnerable during clinical immersion. Autonomy in course selection, active student-centered pedagogies, and gender-sensitive support foster sustained participation. The centrality of intrinsic factors in the network highlights that achievement motivation and knowledge are general and independent motivators. Qualitative data reveal systemic barriers. Stage-specific interventions, such as mentoring, student support programs, and reporting mistreatment, can be crucial for strengthening resilience and performance. Longitudinal and multi-institutional studies are needed to validate the causality and generalizability of this study. Full article

Background: Burnout, a syndrome of emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced personal accomplishment, is a significant concern among dental students because of the intense demands of their academic and clinical training. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of burnout and its related dimensions among dental students at King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 300 dental students (147 males, 153 females) from the 4th year to the internship level, selected via simple random sampling. A 12-item survey called the Burnout Clinical Subtype Questionnaire-12-Student Survey (BCSQ-12-SS) was validated for use with students. Burnout was assessed across three domains—Overload, Lack of Development, and Neglect. Descriptive statistics, Mann–Whitney U tests, and Kruskal–Wallis analyses were employed to explore gender- and year-based differences. Results: Overload and Lack of Development were the most prominent burnout dimensions, with more than half of participants reporting excessive academic pressure, personal sacrifices, and dissatisfaction with developmental opportunities. Neglect demonstrated the lowest prevalence. Female students exhibited significantly higher total burnout scores (p = 0.005). Burnout varied across academic years, peaking among fourth-year students (p < 0.001). Internal consistency for all domains was acceptable to excellent (α = 0.62–0.89). Conclusions: Burnout is highly prevalent, particularly in the domains of Overload and Lack of Development. Female and mid-program students represent high-risk groups. Institutional reforms, curricular enhancement, workload redistribution, structured support systems, and early mental-health interventions are crucial to mitigate burnout and promote student well-being. Full article

This study examines how climate change and vegetation are integrated into teacher education curricula across 26 countries, addressing a critical gap in understanding how future teachers are prepared to respond to the climate and biodiversity crises. To evaluate curricular integration systematically, we developed and validated the Climate and Vegetation Curriculum Integration Index (CCVI), which measures four dimensions: climate change, vegetation, links between the two, and pedagogical strategies. Content analysis of 70 official curriculum documents was conducted, with high inter-rater reliability (κ = 0.72–0.85) and internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.89) confirming the robustness of the instrument. Results show that integration remains partial and uneven: climate change content is more common than biodiversity, while vegetation is often marginalized, perpetuating the phenomenon of “plant blindness.” Exemplary cases in Finland, Germany, Mexico, Norway, and Switzerland demonstrate that high levels of integration are achievable, but intra-country variability often exceeds cross-country differences, highlighting the influence of institutional design. The study concludes that teacher education worldwide is not yet aligned with the urgency of global sustainability challenges. The CCVI provides a practical tool for benchmarking progress and guiding reforms, underscoring the need to embed sustainability as a core element of teacher preparation to foster ecological literacy, resilience, and civic engagement. Full article

This article explores the pedagogical potential of soundscapes as creative learning tools for advancing environmental education in Chilean primary schools. Drawing on the Soundlapse project, we designed and implemented a school workshop that combined activity sheets, an online bird-sound repository, structured soundwalks, and immersive audio concerts with teachers and students in Valdivia. The study employed a qualitative, participatory design, analyzing teacher interviews through reflexive thematic analysis. Four themes emerged: (1) listening as pedagogical practice, (2) learning through place and the senses, (3) creativity and cross-disciplinarity, and (4) implementation challenges and opportunities. Teachers emphasized the transformative role of attentive listening, which reconfigured classroom dynamics through shared silence and cultivated students’ capacity for self-regulation. Soundwalks and sensory encounters with local wetlands positioned the environment as a ‘living laboratory,’ fostering ecological awareness, attachment to place, and intergenerational knowledge. Creative activities such as sound mapping legitimized symbolic and artistic modes of representation, while interdisciplinary collaborations between science and music expanded curricular possibilities. At the same time, institutional rigidity and lack of resources highlighted the importance of teacher agency, co-designed materials, and flexible frameworks to sustain these practices. We argue that soundscape-based education offers a timely opportunity to integrate sensory, creative, and ecological dimensions into school curricula, aligning with national and international calls for interdisciplinary sustainability education. By treating listening and creativity as core rather than peripheral, such approaches may open new pathways for cultivating ecological awareness, cultural belonging, and pedagogical innovation. Full article

Background: Many biological drugs have a rival version produced from different cell lines by other manufacturers; these drugs are referred to as biosimilars. By providing accurate information, encouraging patient and medical community acceptance, and advocating for their appropriate usage, pharmacists can play a crucial role in supporting the uptake of biosimilar medicines. Aim: This study aimed to assess pharmacists’ knowledge and attitudes toward biosimilar medicines in the Aseer region in Saudi Arabia. Methods: The study employed a descriptive, cross-sectional design using an anonymous online self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire was developed by adapting a previously validated instrument and consisted of three sections: demographic data, knowledge about biosimilars, and attitudes toward biosimilars. Two non-probability sampling approaches, i.e., convenience and snowball sampling, were using for data collection. Results: A total of 298 pharmacists participated in the current study. Overall, a total of 135 (45.3%) demonstrated good knowledge of biosimilar medicines, while 163 (54.7%) exhibited poor knowledge. The median knowledge score among the study participants was 5 (5–6). Only 26.2% of pharmacists in the current study correctly identified that biosimilars were not generics and not interchangeable with reference biologics. More experienced pharmacists and those working in industry-related sectors demonstrated greater knowledge of biosimilars (p < 0.05). Pharmacists in the current study demonstrated generally favorable attitudes toward biosimilar medicines. Conclusions: The current study revealed knowledge gaps regarding biosimilar medicines among pharmacists. Targeted educational initiatives, continuing professional development opportunities, and enhanced curricular content could be implemented to address these gaps. Full article

Background: Vaccination remains one of the most effective public health interventions, yet hesitancy persists even among healthcare students who aid in promoting immunization. Understanding students’ perspective plays a crucial role in designing targeted educational interventions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate knowledge, attitude, and practices of healthcare students (HSCs) in Kuwait about vaccines. Methods: A quantitative, cross-sectional study was conducted between August and October 2024. A validated 21-item questionnaire was used to assess vaccine-related knowledge, attitude, and practices, along with demographic data. Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression were used to identify predictors of higher knowledge and positive attitude. Results: A total of 351 students participated (mean age 23.0 ± 2.4 years; 90.6% female). The mean knowledge score was 3.9/7 (55.7%), indicating moderate knowledge, with misconceptions noted regarding benefits of post-infection vaccination and extra vaccine doses. The mean attitude score was 3.6/6 (60%), indicating moderately positive attitude, yet safety concerns, particularly about long-term effect, were common (59.3%). Nearly half (45.9%) delayed vaccination until mandatory. Vaccine uptake was highest for COVID-19 (92.3%), followed by hepatitis B (73.8%). Older age, male gender, and being a medical student predicted higher knowledge (p = 0.011), while older age and being in later study years predicted more positive attitude (p = 0.032). Conclusions: HSCs demonstrated moderate knowledge and attitude toward vaccines, with significant hesitancy driven by safety concerns despite high eventual uptake. Early targeted curricular interventions addressing vaccine safety evidence, benefits of timely immunization, and professional responsibility are warranted to improve confidence and proactive vaccine acceptance among future healthcare professionals (HCPs). Full article

Background: Gender-diverse populations in India, including transgender and non-binary individuals, experience systemic barriers to healthcare, with dentistry remaining particularly underexplored. Despite legislative protections, oral health professionals (OHPs) often lack the knowledge, sensitivity, and preparedness needed to provide inclusive care. This study aimed to benchmark gender sensitivity, inclusivity, and clinical preparedness of Indian OHPs using the novel Oral Healthcare Professional’s Gender Sensitivity, Inclusivity, and Preparedness (OHP–GSIP ©) tool. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among 3660 registered dental practitioners across six zones of India using probability proportional to size sampling. The prevalidated OHP–GSIP © scale assessed five domains: gender sensitivity, inclusive environments, diversity in practice, professional attitudes, and preparedness for transgender oral healthcare. Data were collected through a structured online questionnaire and analyzed with SPSS 17.0 using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, correlation matrices, and multiple regression. Results: Participants demonstrated moderate LGBTQIA+ knowledge (mean = 6.52/10, SD = 1.78) and comfort in treating transgender patients (mean = 3.81/5, SD = 1.09). Structural inclusivity was limited: only 23.5% reported gender-neutral restrooms, and 17.5% used non-binary intake forms. Over 90% expressed willingness to employ or collaborate with transgender colleagues, though this did not significantly predict clinical comfort. Regression analysis showed inclusivity in practice (β = 0.38, p < 0.001), awareness of gender-affirming clinics (β = 0.29, p < 0.001), and LGBTQIA+ knowledge (β = 0.22, p < 0.001) as the strongest predictors of comfort in treating transgender patients, collectively explaining 41% of the variance. Conclusion: While Indian OHPs displayed generally supportive attitudes toward transgender individuals, substantial gaps persist in structural inclusivity, clinical preparedness, and knowledge. Bridging these gaps requires systemic reforms in dental education, policy, and practice environments. The OHP–GSIP © tool provides a benchmark for guiding curricular integration, institutional inclusivity, and policy advocacy toward equitable, gender-affirming oral healthcare. Full article

Medical students often begin their studies with preconceived notions about specialties, which may evolve as they gain clinical experience. This study aimed to assess changes in specialty preferences over six years of medical training and to compare two cohorts of first-year students. A repeat cross-sectional design was used, analyzing survey data from the 2019 class during preclinical (first–second year) and clinical (sixth year) stages, and from the 2024 first-year cohort. A total of 367 students participated. Comparing preclinical and clinical students revealed a significant increase in interest in ophthalmology (2.9% vs. 11%, p = 0.012), along with non-significant upward trends in obstetrics and gynecology and family medicine. Declines were observed in psychiatry, oncology, neurosurgery, and surgery. The 2024 cohort included a higher proportion of students with a prior medical background compared with the 2019 cohort (43% vs. 23%, p = 0.002), but no other demographic or specialty preference differences were identified. These findings suggest that specialty preferences among medical students may shift during clinical training, while initial preferences appear relatively consistent across cohorts. Understanding how medical education influences career development may guide curricular strategies to balance specialty distribution and address workforce needs. Full article

In-school–out-of-school collaborations are increasingly recognized as a key mechanism for enriching STEM education. Guided by conceptual frameworks on boundary crossing and STEM learning ecologies, this scoping review maps and synthesizes findings from 470 studies and 469 programs published between 2014 and 2024, focusing on how such partnerships are reported, structured, and distributed across educational contexts. Approximately 73% of the programs reported some form of collaboration, although often in general terms. The most common forms included shared infrastructure, recruitment coordination, and personnel involvement. More pedagogically grounded forms, such as curricular alignment and co-development of instruction, were rarely described. Collaboration patterns varied across program types, durations, subject areas, and participant target groups. A typology of seven collaboration categories was developed to organize the findings. Notable gaps include the near-total absence of collaboration in medicine-related programs and the underrepresentation of research from low- and middle-income countries. Although collaboration is frequently mentioned, it is seldom described in enough detail to support systematic analysis or theoretical insight. The review recommends more precise definitions, stronger reporting practices, and enhanced theoretical engagement with collaboration as a pedagogical and systemic component of STEM education. The proposed typology provides a foundation for more coherent future research and comparative studies. Full article

This study developed and implemented a three-year educational program aimed at fostering local human resources for sustainable regional development in a depopulated area of Japan. The program was conducted within the “Period for Integrated Studies”, a compulsory cross-curricular subject in Japanese junior high schools designed to promote interdisciplinary and community-based learning. A longitudinal questionnaire survey (2021–2023) of students assessed changes in knowledge, attitudes, and awareness related to regional sustainability. The results showed significant improvements in students’ understanding of sustainability and awareness of local issues, indicating that continuous, school-based programs can promote more enduring learning outcomes than one-time interventions. However, the increase in students’ willingness to take concrete actions was limited, suggesting the need for further curriculum refinement to strengthen the link between awareness and behavioral change. This study provides empirical evidence that embedding sustainability education systematically within the existing curriculum framework can effectively foster young people’s capacity to engage with the future of their local communities. Full article

University advising at matriculation must operate under strict information constraints, typically without any post-enrolment interaction history.We present a unified, leakage-free pipeline for predicting early dropout risk and generating cold-start programme recommendations from pre-enrolment signals alone, with an optional early-warning variant incorporating first-term academic aggregates. The approach instantiates lightweight multimodal architectures: tabular RNNs, DistilBERT encoders for compact profile sentences, and a cross-attention fusion module evaluated end-to-end on a public benchmark (UCI id 697; n = 3630 students across 17 programmes). For dropout, fusing text with numerics yields the strongest thresholded performance (Hybrid RNN–DistilBERT: f1-score ≈ 0.9161, MCC ≈ 0.7750, and simple ensembling modestly improves threshold-free discrimination (Area Under Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (AUROC) up to ≈0.9488). A text-only branch markedly underperforms, indicating that numeric demographics and early curricular aggregates carry the dominant signal at this horizon. For programme recommendation, pre-enrolment demographics alone support actionable rankings (Demographic Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP): Normalized Discounted Cumulative Gain @ 10 (NDCG@10) ≈ 0.5793, Top-10 ≈ 0.9380, exceeding a popularity prior by $25–27$ percentage points in NDCG@10); adding text offers marginal gains in hit rate but not in NDCG on this cohort. Methodologically, we enforce leakage guards, deterministic preprocessing, stratified splits, and comprehensive metrics, enabling reproducibility on non-proprietary data. Practically, the pipeline supports orientation-time triage (high-recall early-warning) and shortlist generation for programme selection. The results position matriculation-time advising as a joint prediction–recommendation problem solvable with carefully engineered pre-enrolment views and lightweight multimodal models, without reliance on historical interactions. Full article

Background: Telerehabilitation can extend fall prevention to underserved groups. Clinician uptake remains limited. We evaluated factors associated with physical therapists’ belief in and readiness to implement the Otago Exercise Program (OEP) via telerehabilitation in Saudi Arabia. Methods: We conducted a national cross-sectional survey of physical therapists (n = 120). Exposures included fall-prevention training, education outside versus inside Saudi Arabia, and familiarity with telerehabilitation. Outcomes were belief in telerehabilitation efficacy for the OEP (5-point Likert) and high readiness, defined as familiarity plus knowledge ≥4 of 5 and belief ≥4 of 5. We utilized ordinal logistic regression for assessing belief and binary logistic regression for assessing readiness. We conducted two-sided tests with alpha equal to 0.05 and prespecified covariates. Sensitivity analyses using penalized likelihood methods confirmed the robustness of the results. Results: The OEP prescription did not differ with telerehabilitation familiarity (χ² = 0.28; p = 0.597). In multivariable models using complete cases (n = 117; 21 readiness events), fall-prevention training was associated with higher belief (odds ratio [OR] = 3.997; 95% CI = 1.568–10.184; p = 0.004) and higher readiness (OR = 4.520; 95% CI = 1.546–13.210; p = 0.006). Education outside Saudi Arabia was associated with higher readiness (OR = 5.170; 95% CI = 1.435–18.636; p = 0.012). Results were directionally consistent in Firth and pilot-exclusion analyses. Conclusions: Training and international educational exposure were associated with stronger beliefs and greater readiness to implement the OEP via telerehabilitation. Basic familiarity alone was not associated with the OEP use. Programs should prioritize competency-based training and curricular updates to support implementation. Full article

Circular economy learning fosters competencies in sustainable resource management and environmental protection, which have been recognized by the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) to be essential for cross-curricular training and higher education. However, implementing gamification techniques through mobile applications remains challenging, as their effectiveness depends on students’ willingness to adopt them. This study evaluated acceptance of a gamified mobile application for circular economy learning among university students in Peru, analyzing the relationships between the constructs of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). A quantitative correlational case study involving 76 students was conducted. The results showed a moderate-to-high acceptance rate of 73.69%, with significant correlations identified between the TAM constructs. This study contributes to closing gaps in empirical evidence on the acceptance of technology for sustainability education in diverse contexts. Future studies should integrate generative artificial intelligence into gamified apps to deliver personalized feedback and employ learning analytics tools for progress tracking, supporting global efforts toward SGD 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 12 (Responsible Production and Consumption) for the transition to circular economies. Full article

Architectural education has increasingly engaged with the Circular Economy (CE); however, integration remains largely material-centric, emphasising life-cycle accounting, efficiency, and design for disassembly, while social, cultural, and governance dimensions are underrepresented. This study introduces the Circular Commons Framework, which repositions circularity as a collective, participatory, and socio-spatial practice. Using a qualitative comparative case study methodology, five international cases were analysed through eight dimensions spanning technical CE strategies and pedagogical approaches. Cross-case synthesis reveals convergent patterns around multi-scalar systems thinking, transdisciplinary collaboration, and stakeholder engagement. Nonetheless, persistent gaps emerged across cases, including those related to elective-based delivery, weak assessment infrastructure, and underdeveloped social equity dimensions. The Circular Commons Framework comprises four empirically grounded components: Circular Design Practices, Local Knowledge and Cultural Practices, Collaborative Governance, and Circular Synergy Workshops. Operationalisation guidance addresses curricular design, pedagogical methods, assessment mechanisms, and institutional enablers. Mainstreaming the framework requires systemic institutional support, including accreditation reform, supportive policy environments, and effective resource allocation, which are currently constraining even well-designed pedagogical initiatives. The framework positions architects as equity-minded stewards facilitating socially just and culturally resonant circular transitions. Limitations, including scalability tensions, indicate that the framework requires validation through longitudinal research and deeper engagement with non-Western knowledge systems. Full article