Search Results (2,784)

Diabetes self-management education (DSME) programs are evidence-based interventions that improve glycemic control and self-care behaviors, yet their effectiveness may be limited by unaddressed health-related social needs (HRSN) (e.g., food insecurity, housing or utility instability, transportation barriers). This qualitative multiple case study examined the feasibility of integrating HRSN assessments into DSME delivery within three community-based organizations (CBOs) across urban and rural U.S. settings. Guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 DSME facilitators and program leadership to identify contextual factors influencing implementation. Findings revealed that while DSME’s structured, manualized design promotes fidelity and client autonomy, it constrains responsiveness to the client’s HRSN. Facilitators expressed openness to integrating HRSN screening, particularly during intake, yet cited limited infrastructure, role clarity, and training as key barriers. CBOs were recognized as trusted, accessible spaces for holistic care, but growing expectations to address HRSN without adequate resources for referral created sustainability concerns. Participants recommended a parallel support model involving navigators or community health workers to manage HRSN screening and referrals alongside DSME sessions. Integrating HRSN assessment processes into DSME may enhance engagement, reduce attrition, and extend the reach of diabetes education to populations most affected by HRSN. However, successful implementation requires dedicated funding, workforce development, and cross-sector coordination. Findings underscore the importance of supporting CBOs as critical partners in bridging diabetes education and social care to advance whole-person, chronic disease management. Full article

Industry 5.0 challenges higher education to adopt human-centred and sustainable uses of artificial intelligence, yet many current deployments still treat generative AI as a stand-alone tool, neurophysiological sensing as largely laboratory-bound, and governance as an external add-on rather than a design constraint. This article introduces Nested Learning as a neuro-adaptive ecosystem design in which generative-AI agents, IoT infrastructures and multimodal deep learning orchestrate instructional support while preserving student agency and a “pedagogy of hope”. We report an exploratory two-phase mixed-methods study as an initial empirical illustration. First, a neuro-experimental calibration with 18 undergraduate students used mobile EEG while they interacted with ChatGPT in problem-solving tasks structured as challenge–support–reflection micro-cycles. Second, a field implementation at a university in Madrid involved 380 participants (300 students and 80 lecturers), embedding the Nested Learning ecosystem into regular courses. Data sources included EEG (P300) signals, interaction logs, self-report measures of engagement, self-regulated learning and cognitive safety (with strong internal consistency; $\alpha /\omega \ge 0.82$), and open-ended responses capturing emotional experience and ethical concerns. In Phase 1, P300 dynamics aligned with key instructional micro-events, providing feasibility evidence that low-cost neuro-adaptive pipelines can be sensitive to pedagogical flow in ecologically relevant tasks. In Phase 2, participants reported high levels of perceived nested support and cognitive safety, and observed associations between perceived Nested Learning, perceived neuro-adaptive adjustments, engagement and self-regulation were moderate to strong ($r=0.41$–$0.63$, $p<0.001$). Qualitative data converged on themes of clarity, adaptive support and non-punitive error culture, alongside recurring concerns about privacy and cognitive sovereignty. We argue that, under robust ethical, data-protection and sustainability-by-design constraints, Nested Learning can strengthen academic resilience, learner autonomy and human-centred uses of AI in higher education. Full article

Fusion cuisine blends ingredients, cooking techniques, and flavours from different cultures, yet little is known about how it is perceived within the context of gastrodiplomacy. This study explores perceptions of fusion cuisine at a multicultural gastrodiplomacy event held in Kosovo, where the participants first sampled Turkish–Kosovar fusion dishes during tasting sessions and subsequently completed an online questionnaire designed to assess their experience. In this event, participants attended structured tasting activities in Prizren and Pristina, where they sampled dishes combining elements of both culinary traditions, and then completed an online structured questionnaire consisting of 5-point Likert-type items evaluating their fusion cuisine preferences. The study was conducted in Kosovo as part of a unilateral gastrodiplomatic initiative. A total of 451 participants responded to an online questionnaire, which included fusion cuisine preference scores and metaphorical descriptions of their culinary experiences. A key contextual characteristic of this study is that data were collected exclusively during a fusion cuisine event held in Kosovo, with participation from a multinational audience who attended the event. Therefore, the sample reflects diverse cultural backgrounds within a single-location setting. The results indicate that younger, highly educated, and higher-income participants exhibited significantly greater openness to culinary diversity. These findings advance the state of knowledge by demonstrating that public reception of gastrodiplomacy is stratified by socioeconomic factors rather than defined solely by national background. Practically, this implies that effective fusion-based diplomacy requires targeted strategies to bridge demographic gaps and ensure broader social inclusivity, rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all approach. Full article

Background: Pancreatic cancer is the least survivable malignancy, with five-year survival below 10%. Its vague, non-specific symptoms contribute to late diagnosis and poor outcomes. Targeted education for healthcare professionals, students, patients, carers, and the public may improve awareness, confidence, and early help-seeking. This scoping review aimed to map and synthesize peer-reviewed evidence on pancreatic cancer education, identifying intervention types, outcomes, and gaps in knowledge. Methods: A scoping review was undertaken using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) framework and the Arksey and O’Malley framework and reported in accordance with PRISMA-ScR guidelines. The protocol was registered on the Open Science Framework. Four databases (MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO) were searched for English-language, peer-reviewed studies evaluating educational interventions on pancreatic cancer for healthcare students, professionals, patients, carers, or the public. Grey literature was excluded to maintain a consistent methodological standard. Data were charted and synthesised narratively. Results: Nine studies (2018–2024) met inclusion criteria, predominantly from high-income countries. Interventions targeted students and professionals (n = 3), patients (n = 2), the public (n = 2), or mixed groups (n = 2), using modalities such as team-based learning, workshops, virtual reality, serious games, and digital animations. Four interrelated themes were identified, encompassing (1) Self-efficacy; (2) Knowledge; (3) Behavior; and (4) Acceptability. Digital and interactive approaches demonstrated particularly strong engagement and learning gains. Conclusions: Pancreatic cancer education shows clear potential to enhance knowledge, confidence, and engagement across diverse audiences. Digital platforms offer scalable opportunities but require quality assurance and long-term evaluation to sustain impact. The evidence base remains limited and fragmented, highlighting the need for validated outcome measures, longitudinal research, and greater international representation to support the integration of education into a global pancreatic cancer control strategy. Future studies should also evaluate how educational interventions influence clinical practice and real-world help-seeking behaviour. Full article

Agroecology is a long-term solution for changing agri-food systems as climate change and food security problems become worse. In North Africa, especially Algeria, this change needs a profound understanding of how people feel and act toward food that is grown in an environmentally friendly way. This study looks at what Algerian consumers know, how much they are ready to pay (WTP), and how their social and demographic factors affect their attitudes toward agroecological products and practices. A principal component analysis (PCA) and multiple linear regression have been used on 552 responses from a nationally representative sample collected as part of the NATAE Horizon Europe project to find the psychological and structural factors that affect sustainable consumption. The results show that age, education, job level, and living in a city have a big effect on how aware and open-minded consumers are. People over 45 who have more education and a better job are more likely to care about the environment and be willing to spend more on eco-friendly products, notably, olive oil, fruits, and vegetables. People still do not know much about it, though, and WTP differs by product category. This case study shows how important it is to have targeted education and labelling regulations to fill in knowledge gaps and get people more involved in agroecological changes in Algeria. Full article

The development of generative artificial intelligence tools, including large language models, opens new opportunities for adult education while simultaneously posing the risk of deepening inequalities resulting from differences in digital competences and individual dispositions. The aim of this article is to examine how digital skills (DS) and personal innovativeness (PI) shape differentiated and advanced use of ChatGPT (UC) among adult learners in Poland, with particular attention to the moderating role of gender. The study was conducted using the CAWI method on a nationwide sample of 757 adult ChatGPT users engaged in upgrading their qualifications. Validated scales of DS, PI, and UC were applied, along with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) using the WLSMV estimator, as well as multigroup SEM for women and men. The results confirm that both digital skills (β ≈ 0.46) and personal innovativeness (β ≈ 0.37) significantly and positively predict advanced use of ChatGPT, jointly explaining approximately 41% of the variance in UC, with stronger effects observed among men than women. Attention is therefore drawn to the need to incorporate a gender perspective in further research on the use of GenAI in adult education The findings point to a stratification of GenAI use in adult education and underscore the need to incorporate critical digital competences and AI literacy into sustainable education policies in order to limit the reproduction of existing inequalities. Full article

Using Machine Learning (ML) in educational management transforms higher education strategy. This study examines students’ views on machine learning (ML) technologies and how they might be used to plan, monitor, and predict student performance. The Faculty of Industrial Engineering and Robotics surveyed 118 third-year undergraduates. It featured closed- and open-ended questions to collect quantitative and qualitative data. Descriptive statistics showed broad patterns, inferential tests (Chi-square, t-test, ANOVA) showed group differences, regression models predicted school outcomes, and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and clustering found hidden attitudes and student profiles. A multi-method quantitative approach combining descriptive statistics, inferential tests, regression modeling, and exploratory techniques (EFA and clustering) was employed. The findings show that most students realize that ML may help them be more productive, adapt their study pathways, and learn about the future. Concerns remain regarding its accuracy, overreliance, and morality. The findings indicate that ML can both support and challenge educational management, depending on how responsibly it is implemented. Results show that institutions may utilize ML as a strategic tool to boost academic progress and make better judgments, provided they incorporate it responsibly and follow ethical rules and training. Full article

Amidst the surge of high-density urban development and the growing demand for high-quality spaces, the Usable Area Coefficient (UAC) has emerged as a pivotal metric in the architectural planning. The rational calibration of the UAC for primary school buildings is key to balancing intensive land use, educational demands, and the well-being of children. Taking primary schools in a district of Qingdao as the research subject, this research rationally optimizes the range of UAC by constructing an evolutionary game model, based on quantitatively analyzing the divergent perspectives and requirements of three stakeholders: the government, school administrators, and students. After further identifying the key factors that influence the ultimate decision, the study yields the following insights: (1) The incremental comprehensive benefit emerges as the linchpin influencing the UAC. (2) The government’s risk compensation to schools and the benefit-sharing coefficient between schools and students exert significant impacts on system evolution. (3) Effective control of construction and land costs, coupled with enhanced availability of open activity spaces, paves the way for consensus on low UAC. This research not only furnishes a theoretical framework and practical guidance for harmonizing land use efficiency with educational excellence but also steers the design of salubrious primary school environments and informs pertinent policy-making. Full article

Food loss and waste (FLW) is a chronic problem across food systems worldwide, with meat being one of the most resource-intensive and perishable categories. The perishable character of meat, combined with complex cold chain requirements and consumer behavior, makes the sector particularly sensitive to inefficiencies and loss across all stages from production to consumption. This review synthesizes the latest advancements in new preservation technologies and supply chain efficiency strategies to minimize meat wastage and also outlines current challenges and future directions. New preservation technologies, such as high-pressure processing, cold plasma, pulsed electric fields, and modified atmosphere packaging, have substantial potential to extend shelf life while preserving nutritional and sensory quality. Active and intelligent packaging, bio-preservatives, and nanomaterials act as complementary solutions to enhance safety and quality control. At the same time, blockchain, IoT sensors, AI, and predictive analytics-driven digitalization of the supply chain are opening new opportunities in traceability, demand forecasting, and cold chain management. Nevertheless, regulatory uncertainty, high capital investment requirements, heterogeneity among meat types, and consumer hesitancy towards novel technologies remain significant barriers. Furthermore, the scalability of advanced solutions is limited in emerging nations due to digital inequalities. Convergent approaches that combine technical innovation with policy harmonization, stakeholder capacity building, and consumer education are essential to address these challenges. System-level strategies based on circular economy principles can further reduce meat loss and waste, while enabling by-product valorization and improving climate resilience. By integrating preservation innovations and digital tools within the framework of UN Sustainable Development Goal 12.3, the meat sector can make meaningful progress towards sustainable food systems, improved food safety, and enhanced environmental outcomes. Full article

The rapid proliferation of metaverse platforms with heterogeneous architectures, functionalities, and purposes poses a significant challenge for informed technology selection. Consequently, there is a need for structured evaluation approaches that enable comparison based on functional and non-functional attributes relevant to specific application contexts. The objective of this study was to propose a model for evaluating the quality of metaverse-type platforms based on a hybridization of the aspects defined in the ISO/IEC 25000 family of standards, a maturity model extracted from recent literature, and the Metagon metaverse characterization typology. The proposed model operationalizes 35 evaluation attributes grouped into seven categories, enabling a comprehensive assessment of metaverse platforms. Using this model, 23 metaverse platforms were evaluated through a hierarchical ranking strategy with tolerance. The results show that platforms such as Decentraland and Roblox achieve the highest levels of maturity (ML5), although open-architecture platforms demonstrated superior structural robustness in comparative tie-breakers. The results provide a taxonomy of characteristics refined and validated by experts and used in the evaluation of the analyzed platforms, resulting in a reproducible classification that enables systematic comparison across different application contexts. The discussion presents the basis for future studies focused on the evaluation of specific categories, such as educational, therapeutic, or social interaction platforms. Full article

Over the past two decades, museums have increasingly experimented with digital technologies to connect with broader contemporary culture. This review article investigates the role crowdsourcing can play in transforming museums into more engaged environments, raising visibility and inclusivity, and involving diverse voices and populations in knowledge-creation processes. Its contribution is to provide an overview of the history, definitions and concepts of crowdsourcing, and examples of crowdsourcing policies and practices that have been adopted by museums. Participation in crowdsourcing has been influenced by gender, education, and socio-economic and cultural background. In the past, historical structures and traditions and infrastructural complexities have stood in the way of wider diversity and inclusivity. As museums move increasingly online, the circulation of information outside the museum’s walls is just as important as the specialist knowledge held within. Museums can play a leading role in public communication by reaching those who constitute the ‘crowd’. This paper explores how museums, through strong collaboration and various forms of crowdsourcing, such as citizen science and participatory engagement, can offer more wide-ranging open access for the sharing and democratisation of knowledge. Full article

Environmental Education (EE) is increasingly relevant in the current context of environmental crises, requiring approaches that integrate Human Ecology (HE) and Environmental Psychology (EP) due to understanding the interdependent relationship between ecological and human systems. This study emphasizes corporeity as a fundamental dimension for reconnecting humans with nature and fostering ecological awareness. The study aimed to develop and evaluate a transdisciplinary intervention project based on bodily experiences with children and adolescents in a Brazilian public school, aiming to improve their connectedness with nature and ecological values. A diagnostic survey was conducted with 103 students aged 10–13 years, including open questions, and two instruments: the Inclusion of Nature in Self (INS) and the Values for Pre-adolescents scale (EVP). The results indicated that one 5th-grade class, which presented the lowest self-transcendence mean (4.07), was selected for pedagogical interventions. In the second stage, 20 students participated in workshops held in public parks and a school green area, combining sensory awareness and playful activities. The findings suggest that these experiences stimulated pro-environmental attitudes, including group care for nature, protective behaviors, and positive emotions such as peace, happiness, and freedom. Despite the small sample size, the results highlight the importance of strengthening embodied experiences in natural environments, increasing frequency and intensity to support the development of ecological values and deeper connectedness with nature. Full article

Background: Rotator cuff-related shoulder pain (RCRSP) is a prevalent musculoskeletal disorder treated by physiotherapists. Although international guidelines support active, exercise-based management, little is known about current physiotherapy practices in Cyprus. Aim: To investigate physiotherapy management practices for RCRSP in Cyprus, assess adherence to recommended clinical guidelines, and compare findings with practices in other countries. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among Cypriot physiotherapists between June and July 2024. An English case vignette-based questionnaire, adapted from validated international surveys, examined demographics, clinical reasoning, treatment preferences, and guideline adherence. Descriptive statistics summarised responses; chi-square tests and logistic regression identified associations between demographics and clinical decisions. Content analysis was performed on open-ended responses. Results: A total of 143 physiotherapists completed the survey. Most adhered to guideline-recommended care, with 99.3% (n = 142/143) prescribing exercise and 100% (n = 143/143) providing patient education. Conservative management was preferred, with 64.3% (n = 91/143) not recommending imaging, 72.0% (n = 103/143) not recommending injections, and 73.4% (n = 104/143) not recommending surgical referrals. Significant associations were found between special interest in shoulder conditions and recommendations for surgery (χ² = 4.937, p = 0.026) and injections (χ² = 9.143, p = 0.002). Physiotherapists recommending surgery were nearly seven times more likely to suggest MRI (Exp(B) = 6.944, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Cypriot physiotherapists predominantly use exercise and education for the management of RCRSP, aligning closely with international recommendations. Conservative strategies were favoured, with limited use of imaging, injections, and surgical referrals. However, variation in clinical decision-making, particularly regarding referrals and imaging, indicates partial adherence to best practice and highlights opportunities for enhanced guideline implementation and targeted clinical training. Full article

Educational Data Mining (EDM) increasingly depends on large, high-quality datasets to drive predictive and adaptive learning systems. However, data scarcity, privacy restrictions, and limited accessibility severely hinder research reproducibility and cross-institutional collaboration. Synthetic data generation provides an emerging solution, enabling the creation of artificial yet statistically realistic datasets that preserve analytical utility while preserving student privacy. This study benchmarks four generative approaches, namely Gaussian Copula, CopulaGAN, Conditional Tabular Generative Adversarial Networks (CTGAN), and Tabular Variational Auto Encoders (TVAE), on student data from six undergraduate courses at a European university. Using the open-source Synthetic Data Vault (SDV) framework, we evaluate the fidelity and Machine Learning utility of synthetic student records through Random Forest classifiers across five metrics, namely accuracy, F1-score, precision, recall, and Area Under Curve (AUC). The results show that synthetic data can achieve 96–98% of the predictive performance obtained when training on real data, with TVAE consistently demonstrating the highest multivariate fidelity. Our contributions are threefold: (i) we introduce a reproducible benchmarking pipeline for synthetic data evaluation in educational settings; (ii) we empirically compare statistical and deep generative synthesizers on real-world tabular student data; and (iii) we identify critical research directions related to privacy and reproducibility. The findings position synthetic data generation as a foundational technology for ethical and privacy-preserving EDM. Full article

The purpose of this systematic review was to synthesize the literature to better understand how the field researched principal preparation in relation to race and racism. Using a critical race theory methodological lens (CRM), we analyzed 36 studies of current candidates or recent graduates with an emphasis on the research design and methods. The research chosen for inclusion was (1) empirical, (2) focused on principal preparation programs in the U.S., (3) focused on preparing candidates around issues related to race and racism, and (4) published between 2012 and 2024. Literature was drawn from three major databases that include journals in the field of educational leadership, ERIC, ProQuest, and Education Full Text, in the summer of 2025. It is important to note that our literature search focusing on peer-reviewed articles poses a limitation in terms of the comprehensiveness of the sampled literature, thus excluding potentially important information sources. To analyze the studies, we created a scoring rubric to assess the degree to which each article addressed each CRM tenet. To assess risk of bias, each article was scored by two authors, and the third author also scored the article if the first two disagreed. Our findings show that focus on race and racism was present in most studies reviewed, and almost half centered on the experiences of candidates of color. However, most of the studies reviewed conformed to traditional research paradigms and methods, as illustrated by choices related to frameworks, methods, and data sources. We offer recommendations for researchers of principal preparation who are interested in more critical work related to race and racism, and we argue for increased opportunities for scholars to meet, discuss, and collaborate across institutions around how they are studying leadership preparation for racial equity. The review is registered through Open Science Framework. Full article