Search Results (325)

This study investigates the factors influencing school trip mode choice among senior high school students in the Chiang Rai urban area, Chiang Rai, Thailand, under normal and adverse weather conditions. Utilizing data from 472 students across six extra-large urban schools, a Multinomial Logit (MNL) regression model was applied to examine the effects of socio-demographic attributes, household vehicle ownership, travel distance, and spatial variables on mode selection. The results revealed notable modal shifts during adverse weather, with motorcycle usage decreasing and private vehicle reliance increasing, while school bus usage remained stable, highlighting its role as a resilient transport option. Car ownership emerged as a strong enabler of modal flexibility, whereas students with limited access to private transport demonstrated reduced adaptability. Additionally, increased waiting and travel times during adverse conditions underscored infrastructure and service vulnerabilities, particularly for mid-distance travelers. The findings suggest an urgent need for transport policies that promote inclusive and climate-resilient mobility systems, particularly in the context of Chiang Rai, including expanded school bus services, improved first-mile connectivity, and enhanced pedestrian infrastructure. This study contributes to the literature by addressing environmental variability in school travel behavior and offers actionable insights for sustainable transport planning in secondary cities and border regions. Full article

Geographic disparities threaten equitable access for children to health-promoting safe green spaces, and quality early education in the communities in which they live and grow. To address gaps in the field, we integrated the fields of developmental psychology, public health, and environmental science to examine, at the population level, associations between the environmental burden, socioeconomic vulnerability, and kindergarten readiness in a diverse urban county. Three administrative datasets were integrated through an early childhood data sharing research partnership in Miami-Dade County. The Bruner Child Raising Vulnerability Index, the five domains of the Environmental Burden module from the Environmental Justice Index, and public school kindergarten readiness scores were aggregated at the census tract level. Analysis of variance and multiple regression analyses found associations between socioeconomic vulnerability and race/ethnicity. The socioeconomic vulnerability levels were highest in census tracts with a higher percentage of Black residents, compared to all other races/ethnicities. Areas of greater social vulnerability had lower kindergarten readiness and a higher environmental burden. A higher environmental burden predicted lower kindergarten readiness scores above and beyond race/ethnicity and socioeconomic vulnerability. The findings advance our understanding of global challenges to sustainable healthy child development, such as the persistence of a disproportionate environmental burden and inequitable access to resources such as green spaces and early education programs. The present study results can inform community health improvement plans to reduce risk exposures and promote greater access to positive environmental and educational resources for all children. Full article

Metacognition and self-regulated learning are widely understood to offer significant benefits for pupils’ mathematical problem solving; however, the existing literature highlights that the under-representation of these concepts in curriculum, policy, and teacher professional development means that their potential for impact remains unfulfilled. This article, therefore, examines the potential value of an innovative fading professional development programme—“Stepping Stones”—in enhancing teachers’ understanding and use of metacognitive strategies for mathematical problem solving. Adopting a convergent mixed methods design, this pilot evaluation involved Year 2 teachers across five primary schools. The results from both qualitative and quantitative data demonstrate that, as the scaffolding provided by programme materials faded and teachers assumed greater responsibility for session planning, they incorporated metacognitive strategies into their planning and delivery with increased independence. The results also indicate the acceptability of this professional development model, suggesting that, when combined with peer collaboration, the fading design was associated with improvements in knowledge and confidence regarding both metacognition and mathematical problem solving, alongside increased ownership and buy in. The conclusions advocate further examination and implementation of fading models of professional development to promote the understanding and use of metacognition for mathematical problem solving and recommend exploration into different professional development contexts. Full article

Maternal mortality and morbidity are critical health challenges in the U.S., and building the perinatal workforce is a key to providing high-quality maternal medical care and services. Texas Southern University (TSU), home to a Doctor of Pharmacy program, launched the first Maternal Health Education and Research Training (MHERT) program to educate a cohort of high school, pharmacy, and health sciences students. Aiming to raise awareness of maternal health issues, build research skills, and promote action-based solutions. MHERT integrated online self-paced interactive lessons with hands-on research or community projects. Topics included maternal health epidemiology, causes of morbidity and mortality, research methods, literature reviews, and the development of action plans addressing maternal health challenges. Assessment tools included quizzes, open-ended reflection responses, training surveys, and course evaluations. Running from 3 June to 26 July 2024, the program enrolled 22 students. All participants completed both course components. Course evaluations showed strong and consistent satisfaction with the program, with teaching effectiveness rated at 95% and 96% for mid-program and final evaluations, respectively. MHERT enhanced participants’ understanding of maternal health, improved research skills, and encouraged community engagement and interdisciplinary collaboration. It offers a scalable model to strengthen public health education among high school, pharmacy, and health sciences students. Full article

Background/Objectives: This study assessed teacher self-efficacy in school-based asthma management in two southern states in the United States. Current literature focuses primarily on supporting school-based asthma management, but few studies have focused on teacher self-efficacy in the asthma management process. Methods: With data collected from a two-state survey of a randomly selected group of teachers in grades kindergarten to grade eight (n = 379), teachers’ demographic variables, general opinions about asthma management practices, and their self-perceptions on the Teacher Asthma Management and Information Seeking Scale, which assesses self-efficacy, were examined. Results: Teachers’ self-efficacy in managing asthma and seeking information was significantly higher among teachers who had completed in-service professional learning sessions and those who had access to community resources or links to community agencies. Additionally, teachers with personal experience of chronic illness, asthma, or allergies and those who had students with chronic illnesses in their classrooms reported higher self-efficacy scores. Conclusions: Findings suggest that providing professional learning about asthma for teachers, offering access to asthma action plans and community resources, and increasing awareness of chronic conditions and training for handling medical emergencies can enhance teachers’ self-efficacy and improve outcomes for students with chronic illnesses. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated an urgent shift to emergency remote learning, significantly affecting the education of bilingual students. This study examines the use of technology-enhanced drama-based methods, specifically digital Readers Theater, as an emergency measure to enhance reading literacy and psychosocial support during the pandemic amid multiple concurrent crises. Using an action research approach, 37 Greek teachers implemented remote literacy activities involving digital drama in their virtual classrooms over a period of four weeks. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews, teachers’ reflective journals, and student participation and were analyzed through Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behavior. The findings indicate that, despite technological challenges and adaptation difficulties, the creative use of digital drama activities contributed to improvements in students’ reading skills, motivation, and engagement. The intervention also fostered students’ emotional expression and social connection, contributing to their psychosocial support during the disruption. This study highlights the dual role of technology as both an enabler and a barrier, emphasizing the need for better digital infrastructure and comprehensive teacher training for effective emergency response. The results stress the value of technology-supported, arts-based approaches in maintaining student engagement and promoting bilingual literacy in crisis contexts. These findings provide useful guidance for teachers and school leaders on how to support students’ learning and well-being, both during crises and in everyday practice. Full article

Continuing professional development is vital for enhancing teaching quality in Physical Education, but traditional approaches often lack effectiveness. This study explores the implementation of a Community of Practice framework integrated with motivational theory to develop and evaluate a Physical Education professional development programme in a Welsh secondary school, assessing its impact, benefits, challenges, and critical considerations. This 18-month longitudinal qualitative study involved eight staff members. Data were collected through interviews, focus groups, researcher reflections, collaborative discussions, and a WhatsApp group. Deductive thematic analysis was employed. Three main themes emerged: understanding effective continuing professional development and community of practice principles, establishing and maintaining professional development opportunities incorporating community of practice, and evaluating the professional development programme’s impact. A boundary spanner (the principal investigator) played a pivotal role in bridging school and external expertise, by facilitating ongoing collaboration and knowledge exchange within the community of practice. The “boundary spanner” played a critical role in facilitating the use of WhatsApp, which enhanced engagement and sustainability. Teachers reported improved planning, increased collaboration, and enhanced understanding of motivational strategies. This study advances physical education professional development literature by demonstrating the effectiveness of integrating community of practice principles with theory-informed professional development programmes. It emphasises the importance of contextual understanding, theoretical grounding, and the ‘boundary spanner’ role. The findings underscore the need for research-informed, context-specific principles to enhance professional development programmes in PE, highlighting technology’s potential in facilitating ongoing professional development. Full article

Soft skills such as client-oriented communication, leadership, and teamwork skills are essential for veterinary clinicians. However, they are rarely addressed in the academic curriculum of most veterinary schools. Role-playing has been previously used to train and evaluate communication skills in veterinary students, but leadership and teamwork are difficult to implement in this methodology. In this study, we designed a novel role-playing activity where groups of undergraduate veterinary students faced simulated pre-planned clinical consultations portraying different roles in a hierarchically structured group (leader, two veterinarians, and one client). We tested the performance of the participants before and after receiving a focused lecture on soft skills. While the overall performance of the students in veterinary roles was significantly better after the lecture, the number of mistakes related to leadership did not significantly vary. Students rated the role of leader consistently lower than the rest. Participants considered that this novel design was useful to train and evaluate these competences. Hierarchically structured role-playing is a suitable tool to improve soft skills in veterinary students, allowing for self-learning and training in a controlled environment. Full article

Sustainable development goals aim to build a sustainable and prosperous world for future generations. Education, one of the sustainable development goals, is also an important predictor of other development goals. The aim of this study is to analyze the views and suggestions of students and teachers on sustainable development goals. In this context, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 students and three teachers who participated in the study and the interview form prepared by the researchers as a data collection tool was analyzed with content analysis. As a result of the analysis, students’ answers were concentrated on the themes of environmental pollution, social equality, renewable energy sources, natural habitats, and improvement of the economy regarding sustainable development goals; teachers’ answers were concentrated on the themes of changes in curriculum and textbooks, in-school/outside-school activities, and collaborations that schools will establish with institutions. As a result of this study, it was concluded that students’ views and teachers’ solution suggestions regarding sustainable development goals were limited. Since this study is a qualitative study covering both students and teachers, it is expected to provide a good starting point in planning and developing educational strategies for sustainable development goals. Full article

Background/Objective: Children with disabilities experience greater participation restrictions in life activities than children without disabilities. This study aimed to explore differences in participation of children/youth with and without cerebral palsy (CP) across home, school, and community settings, and examine participation of children with CP across gross motor function levels, age groups, gender, and income levels. Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey study of parents of children with CP (n = 20) and without CP (n = 20) over a three-month period to investigate the frequency of participation/level of involvement across settings. Participation was assessed using the Participation and Environment Measure for Children and Youth© (PEM-CY), a parent-report measure for children and youth, ages 5 to 17 that explores communication in home, school, and community environments. Results: Significantly greater frequency of participation at home and in the community was found in children without CP. Participation at school was not significantly different between the groups and there were no differences in level of involvement, gender, or income. In children with CP, motor function impacted participation in home and school, and age significantly influenced school participation. Conclusions: Participation in life activities is important for overall child development, health, and well-being; however, children with CP participate less than their typically developing peers. The ability to collect and analyze the frequency of participation and level of involvement across home, school, and community environments using one outcome measure provides valuable information for programming, intervention planning, and potential environment modifications that could improve participation in children with CP. Full article

Climate adaptation in urban environments is often constrained by rigid institutional rules and fragmented governance, which limit inclusive and context-specific planning of public spaces such as schoolyards. This study addresses this challenge by examining how collaborative planning can transform schoolyards, from asphalt-dominated, monofunctional spaces into green, climate-resilient community assets. The research employed the Institutional Analysis and Development framework within a qualitative case study design. Two public schools in the San Cristóbal de los Ángeles neighbourhood of Madrid served as case studies, with data collected through document analysis, participant observation, and interviews with municipal officials, urban planners, educators, and community members. Results indicate that the collaborative planning process reshaped rules in use, expanded the network of actors, and transformed decision-making processes. Existing rules were flexibly reinterpreted to allow new uses of space. Children, teachers, and residents became co-producers of the public space, expanding the governance network, where new deliberative practices emerged that improved coordination across people and organisations. These institutional changes occurred without formal regulatory reform, but with the reinterpretation of the game’s rules by each organisation. Thus, schoolyards can serve as laboratories for institutional innovation and participatory climate adaptation, demonstrating how urban experiments have the potential to catalyse not only physical transformations but also transformations in urban management. Full article

This study investigates the evolution of customer-centric innovations within modern business ecosystems through the lens of servitization, a concept gaining momentum in contemporary service delivery frameworks. Recognizing the limited exploration of servitization beyond manufacturing, particularly in the context of value-added services, this research employs a multiple case study methodology focused on the tea sector in India and Nepal. Drawing on seven diverse entrepreneurial cases and supported by a thematic analysis, the study identifies nine critical factors influencing successful servitization, including knowledge gaps, procurement strategies, market segmentation, and customer engagement. Central to this investigation is the transformative role of structured training interventions, exemplified by the Chaya School of Tea, which catalyzed innovation and performance improvements among participating businesses. The findings highlight how digital tools, customer education, and strategic planning contribute to product–service integration, yielding enhanced quality, operational efficiency, and sustainable growth. This research contributes to theory by refining the concept of “servitization of services” as a strategic approach for empowering ecosystems through complementary offerings that transcend traditional service delivery. This work provides both conceptual and empirical insights into how service firms, particularly in under-researched sectors, can leverage servitization to drive long-term competitiveness and ecosystem-wide value creation. Full article

Background/Objectives: Nearly three-quarters of American adults are overweight or obese, leading to serious health challenges. Poor nutrition is a major contributor, highlighting the need for effective nutrition education and cooking interventions. This study evaluated the impact of the Dinner Tonight Healthy Cooking School (DTHCS) on improving nutrition knowledge and cooking confidence among participants. Methods: A secondary data analysis was conducted on self-reported retrospective surveys collected from 7932 individuals across 64 Texas counties between September 2017 and March 2024. The surveys assessed changes in participants’ understanding of key nutrition concepts (rated using a four-point scale from poor to excellent) and their confidence in cooking healthy meals (rated using a four-point scale from none to high) before and after attending the program. Results: The findings showed significant improvements in both nutrition knowledge (from fair to good p < 0.001) and cooking confidence (from low to moderate p < 0.001) following program participation. Conclusions: These results highlight the vital role of nutrition and culinary education in addressing the growing obesity epidemic and reducing the risk of diet-related chronic conditions. Given the positive program outcomes, DTHCS has the potential to inform future studies and guide successful planning and implementation of community-based cooking programs for adults to promote healthier eating behaviors. Full article

Based on the data of the non-central districts in Shanghai, this paper investigates the determinants of the commercial land leases of district governments from the government–market perspective and how these determinants affect the price and area of commercial land leasing. A kernel density analysis is used to analyze the agglomeration degree and density distribution of commercial land leasing. The variables are considered as the factors impacting commercial land leases based on a literature review and land development in Shanghai. The mathematical models used for multiple linear regression for the leased price and area of the influencing factors of commercial land leases from the perspective of the government and market are proposed. The results show that Shanghai’s multi-center development strategy aims to optimize the city’s commercial layout by developing the key areas of non-central districts. The construction area and plot ratio of land; the distances from the land to the city center, district center, airports, the nearest middle schools, the nearest park, and the nearest industrial zone; and the quantity of subway stations and highways affect commercial land leases. Policies are proposed to improve commercial land lease efficiency, make more suitable land planning strategies, and optimize urban spatial structures. Full article

This study examined the effectiveness of professional development for inclusive education and best practices through a short-term technical assistance (TA) model across 15 schools. The professional development was structured to enhance school professionals’ knowledge about inclusion as a concept, as well as best practices in inclusive education. Topics included the use of accommodations and modifications, differentiation and Universal Design for Learning (UDL), building an inclusive school culture, and co-teaching. Pre- and post-test measures were utilized to measure participants’ growth in the knowledge of these topics. Descriptive statistics and dependent t-tests were utilized to analyze data across all topic areas. The findings indicate that short-term TA models of professional development prove beneficial for improving attitudes and beliefs in inclusive education for content knowledge and building an inclusive school culture. Short-term TA did not yield statistically significant increases for classroom strategies or implementation, suggesting that more intensive professional development models need to be incorporated as a wider professional development plan for using best practices in inclusive education by school professionals. Full article