Search Results (127)

Background: Tattooed teachers are increasingly visible in schools, yet the norms governing their professional acceptability remain poorly understood. This study tests whether pluralistic ignorance—private acceptance systematically exceeding the acceptance attributed to others—operates in attitudes toward tattooed teachers, and identifies individual-level predictors of this misperception. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted with 1226 individuals in Hungary across four groups: physical education (PE) teacher trainees, university students from other disciplines, secondary school students, and in-service teachers. Participants rated their own acceptance of tattooed PE and academic-subject teachers and the acceptance they attributed to other teachers and to parents, and reported tattoo status, gender, and professional background. Results: Own acceptance exceeded attributed acceptance in all four groups and for both reference targets, consistent with pluralistic ignorance; gaps were largest among secondary school students and smallest—though still positive—among in-service teachers. Personal tattoo experience was the strongest individual predictor of acceptance after group membership, and among teachers both age and experience were negatively associated with acceptance. Acceptance was predominantly conditional, structured by a visibility hierarchy in which arm placements were most acceptable and facial or neck placements least so. Conclusions: The apparent disapproval of tattooed teachers reflects collective misperception more than genuine consensus, suggesting that making actual peer attitudes visible could reduce conformity pressure and support more authentic professional self-expression. Full article

Inclusive education (IE) for learners with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has become a major policy priority. However, its meaning in everyday school and community contexts remains unevenly understood among different stakeholders. This participatory qualitative study examined how teachers, parents/caregivers, and neighbors conceptualized IE for learners with ASD in three urban public primary schools in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Data were collected from 30 participants using participant-generated photographs, photo-elicitation discussions, and follow-up unstructured interviews. Photographs and participants’ narratives were analyzed together as a single photovoice dataset using reflexive thematic analysis. Findings indicated that participants generally supported IE in principle but negotiated its implementation through conditions related to learner ability, school capacity, safety, educational expectations, and responsibility for support. Participants prioritized practical outcomes over academic success; they valued togetherness, physical presence, and teacher-led responsibility while giving comparatively less attention to broader rights-based dimensions of IE. Parents and neighbors emphasized belonging and acceptance, whereas teachers emphasized feasibility, specialist support, and practical implementation constraints. The study introduces the concept of conditional inclusion to describe a form of support that extends beyond placement decisions by showing how inclusion is negotiated through local assumptions about learner ability, school capacity, safety, educational expectations, and responsibility for support. These findings suggest that locally grounded community engagement is essential for adapting IE policies and practices for learners with ASD in comparable low-resource urban contexts. Full article

Background: Pharmacy students in France complete an equivalent six-month full-time hospital placement during the fifth year of their university curriculum. At our school, it includes a clinical pharmacy within a medical ward, with daily supervision by a clinical pharmacist and a pharmacy resident. This training has been strengthened by the introduction of a workplace-based formative assessment conducted at the end of the clinical pharmacy rotation, alongside weekly clinical case discussions at the school, culminating in an end-of-year oral assessment. Objective: To assess the performance, determinants, and acceptability of this assessment model. Methods: We conducted a retrospective, single-center study over ten academic years (2013–2023). The evaluation combined three complementary components: the workplace-based clinical assessment based on real patient interactions, the case-based oral assessment, and students’ satisfaction. Results: Nearly one thousand students were included. Students’ performances remained stable over time. Higher scores were observed among students with prior clinical experience and those enrolled in hospital-focused training pathways. Student satisfaction was high, particularly in settings with direct pharmaceutical supervision, which was strongly associated with improved perceived learning, engagement, and supervision quality. Conclusions: Beyond performance measurement, this model appears to foster clinical reasoning, professional development, and student engagement, suggesting its relevance for competency-based pharmacy education. Full article

This study examines the psychometric functioning of the Basic Learning Ability Assessment (BLAA), a high-stakes placement assessment used in Taiwan’s Adaptive Guidance Placement System (AGPS) for junior high school students with intellectual disabilities (IDs). The sample comprised 203 ninth-grade students with ID from 47 public junior high schools in Taiwan, all of whom completed three operational multiple-choice forms of the BLAA. Using classical test theory (CTT), we examined item difficulty using proportion-correct indices, item discrimination using upper–lower group discrimination indices, distractor functioning by comparing response patterns between higher- and lower-performing examinees, and internal consistency reliability using the Kuder–Richardson Formula 20 (KR-20). The results show that most items fell within the average-to-easy range and demonstrated acceptable to strong discrimination. Distractor functioning was generally satisfactory, with most items containing no nonfunctioning distractors. KR-20 coefficients ranged from 0.904 to 0.926, indicating high internal consistency within each form. Functional Language and Social Adaptation showed relatively stable psychometric patterns, whereas Mathematical Skills displayed greater variability in item difficulty, discrimination, and distractor functioning. Overall, the findings provide initial CTT-based internal psychometric evidence regarding the item functioning and form-level reliability of the BLAA, while highlighting the need for ongoing item refinement, particularly in the Mathematical Skills domain. Full article

Curricular internships are affective-motivational learning contexts in which students encounter real workplace demands while educational institutions remain responsible for learning, engagement, and well-being. Responding to the Special Issue theme of emotion, motivation, and learning, this three-wave study used temporally separated self-report data to examine challenge demands, hindrance demands, and school support among 860 Taiwanese technical and vocational education and training (TVET) interns. Challenge demands were positively associated with work engagement, which was associated with innovative behavior. Hindrance demands were positively associated with burnout, which was associated with intention to seek work outside the trained vocational field. The hindrance demands-burnout association was weaker when school support was higher. The findings are compatible with treating school support as a curricular psychological resource that may help students interpret and manage obstructive internship conditions. More broadly, the study suggests that work-integrated learning systems may support vocational persistence by designing internships as supervised affective-motivational learning environments rather than as placements alone. Full article

Background and Objectives: Traumatic dentoalveolar injuries (TDI) in children often require urgent stabilization using splints. Titanium trauma splints (TTS) represent a practical option; however, pediatric evidence from hospital-based emergency settings remains limited. This study describes the clinical and contextual characteristics of children treated with TTS and explores factors associated with early complications and splint stability. Materials and Methods: A retrospective observational cohort study was conducted at a Pediatric Dentistry Service, including children with TDI managed with TTS and followed for a minimum of three months. Clinical records were reviewed to collect demographic, contextual, and clinical variables. Early complications and the need for re-splinting were recorded, and associations between selected variables and outcomes were analyzed. Results: Seventy-three patients (64.4% male; mean age 10.29 ± 2.99 years) and 127 traumatized teeth (98.4% permanent) were included. A predominance of school-based injuries was observed (52.1%). The most frequent injury types were subluxation (39.1%), avulsion (26.6%), and extrusion (16.4%). A longer interval between trauma and splint placement was associated with inflammatory root resorption (p = 0.011), although this finding should be interpreted with caution given the limited number of events. Mixed-dentition splints showed a higher likelihood of requiring re-splinting (OR = 12.23; 95% CI: 1.18–126.60); however, this estimate was imprecise and should be interpreted as an exploratory signal. Overall, 90.4% of patients completed treatment with a single splint. Conclusions: Within the limitations of this retrospective observational cohort, TTS showed satisfactory short-term clinical stability in pediatric traumatic dental injuries. Longer time between trauma and splint placement was associated with inflammatory root resorption, while mixed-dentition splints emerged as a potential signal of increased re-splinting. These findings are exploratory and hypothesis-generating and require confirmation in future studies. Full article

Background: Adolescents are particularly vulnerable to psychological distress following natural disasters, especially in low-resource settings. This study examined the short-term psychosocial outcomes associated with Narrative Drawing Intervention (NDI), a structured, trauma-informed, school-based group counselling program integrating expressive drawing and guided narrative reflection, among students affected by an earthquake in rural western China. Methods: Using a quasi-experimental design, 30 trained educators facilitated eight NDI group sessions for 150 students. Of the 120 students who completed the intervention, a randomly selected subset completed standardized psychological assessments. The final analyzed sample included 64 participants (44 intervention; 20 control). Results: The intervention group demonstrated significant reductions in anxiety (p = 0.011, d = 0.40) and PTSD symptoms (p = 0.008, d = 0.42), with a reduction in stress approaching statistical significance (p = 0.063, d = 0.29). In contrast, the control group showed significant increases in anxiety, stress, and PTSD symptoms over the same period. Depressive symptoms did not significantly change in either group. Descriptive drawing comparisons indicated increased visual elaboration and more centralized figure placement following the intervention. Conclusions: Within the context of a quasi-experimental and exploratory design, the findings provide preliminary support for the feasibility of NDI and suggest potential short-term psychosocial benefits in post-disaster school settings. While baseline group differences and the lack of randomization suggest the need for further investigation, the results provide a foundation for future randomized and longitudinal studies that further examine causal pathways and the sustainability of observed effects. Full article

In 1999, 107,493 juveniles were in residential placements; by 2023 this number declined to 29,314, a decrease of 73%. This extraordinary decline in juvenile incarceration—which we refer to as juvenile decarceration—has been reported primarily by justice advocacy groups without rigorous explanation or exploration. In this paper, we provide a state-level exploration in which we consider how relevant characteristics of states relate to their levels of decarceration. We analyze data from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and several publicly available sources and find correlations between the extent of a state’s rate of decarceration and that state’s poverty rate, high school dropout rate, adult incarceration rate, and voting results in the 2020 presidential election. Most striking, however, is the relative consistency of decarceration across states, and the absence of more robust patterns. Full article

Background: Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is a major preventable cause of neurodevelopmental impairment. Little is known about its impact on real-life child/adolescent academic outcomes, which are key functional indicators of long-term social participation. Methods: PAE was assessed in a sample of 156 participants via (1) meconium ethyl glucuronide (EtG) concentration (≥10 ng/g; EtG-positive, n = 36) and (2) third-trimester maternal self-report (SR-positive, n = 40). At primary school (6–10 years, t1) and secondary school ages (12–14 years, t2), exposed and non-exposed children were compared regarding primary school grades (t1) and secondary track placement (t2). Results: At t1, EtG-positive children exhibited lower school report grades by trend (n = 15, p = 0.068–0.085) with a moderate effect size (r = 0.36–0.39). SR-positive children demonstrated significantly lower school report grades (n = 15, p = 0.016) with strong effect (r = 0.56). At t2, both exposure groups had increased trend-significant odds of attending lower educational tracks (EtG-positive/-negative: n = 153, OR = 1.84, p = 0.059; SR-positive/-negative: n = 153, OR = 1.78, p = 0.066). Conclusions: PAE is associated with reduced real-life academic outcomes across development. School performance represents a sensitive functional outcome of neurodevelopmental vulnerability following PAE. Meconium EtG may contribute to postnatal identification of affected children. Full article

Environmental noise is increasingly recognized as a major environmental and public health challenge, with road traffic identified as the dominant source of acoustic pollution across Europe. In this context, noise mitigation is directly linked to sustainable development goals related to human health and urban sustainability. Noise barriers are among the most widely implemented mitigation strategies; however, their spatial distribution and adequacy remain poorly documented, limiting their effectiveness for sustainable territorial planning. This study develops the first georeferenced database of highway noise barriers in Andalusia (Spain) and applies a reproducible, transdisciplinary geospatial workflow integrating field surveys, remote-sensing tools, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). A total of 110 barriers were mapped, classified by material, geometry, and surrounding land use, and analyzed in relation to sensitive receptors, including dwellings, schools, and hospitals. Results show that only 1.6% of the Andalusian highway network is currently protected by noise barriers, with strong territorial disparities: over 50% of all structures are concentrated along coastal metropolitan corridors, while extensive inland areas remain unprotected. Misalignments were also detected between barrier placement and officially reported high-exposure segments, indicating limited correspondence between infrastructural deployment and planning-designated priority areas. Beyond generating a comprehensive regional dataset, the proposed methodology provides a scalable basis for national and European initiatives seeking to harmonize the mapping and assessment of noise-mitigation infrastructures. By offering an open-access, transferable framework, this work contributes to a more equitable distribution of environmental protection measures and supports policy professionals, environmental managers, and planners in advancing healthier and more sustainable urban and transport systems. Full article

Inclusive education (IE) aims to promote meaningful participation and a sense of belonging for all learners. However, limited research has examined how students with learning difficulties (LDs) experience inclusion in everyday school life. This study explored how primary school students with mild LDs perceive their participation, relationships with teachers and peers, and the role of inclusive classes (ICs) within mainstream Greek primary education. A qualitative design was adopted, and data were collected through semi-structured interviews with ten Grade 6 students receiving support through ICs. Transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings indicated that participation was associated with perceived competence in academic tasks, with language-based activities frequently described as cognitively demanding and stressful. Belonging was predominantly felt through peer acceptance and supportive teacher practices rather than solely through classroom placement. The ICs were perceived as providing individualized support and emotional safety, although some ambivalence regarding withdrawal from the mainstream classroom was reported. Students stressed the need for flexible assessment and clearer instructional guidance to enhance fairness and participation. Overall, the findings show that inclusion is experienced as a dynamic interaction between academic accessibility, interpersonal relationships, and supportive learning environments. They also underline the importance of incorporating student voice into inclusive practice. Full article

Black students in special education continue to experience disproportionate identification in subjective disability categories, restrictive placements, and unequal access to quality instruction and resources. Despite decades of educational reform and the promises of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Black students with disabilities remain among the most academically marginalized, scoring lowest on standardized assessments and facing higher dropout, unemployment, and criminal justice involvement risks. Historical inequities, systemic segregation, and chronic underfunding of predominantly Black school districts compound these challenges, limiting access to experienced teachers, rigorous curricula, and inclusive learning environments. Implicit and explicit biases among educators further contribute to disproportionate referrals in subjective disability categories and lower academic expectations. This article examines these interconnected factors—historical context, placement patterns, resource disparities, and bias—and proposes evidence-based mitigation strategies, including culturally responsive practices, increased representation of Black educators, and equity-centered policy reforms. Achieving educational equity requires consistent commitment to transforming special education into a system that supports, rather than marginalizes, Black students. Full article

This conceptual article examines how special education in Greece is governed through the redistribution of institutional responsibility to families. It operationalises familialisation by specifying institutionally produced parental roles through which provision is organised under fragmented and contingent conditions. By tracing how these roles relate and shift across placement arrangements (e.g., parallel support, inclusion units, special assistants, home-based instruction, segregated schools), the article argues that parental labour can be understood as a structural condition shaping access to mainstream placement and support. It concludes that familialised governance converts formally equal rights within public education into unequal possibilities of realisation by making mainstream participation dependent on households’ differential resources and institutional capacity. Full article

Artificial Intelligence (AI) literacy and competency in pre-service teacher education refer to a programme-level implementation that enables teachers to work with AI systems effectively, critically, and ethically across university coursework, school placements, and early-career practice. This includes not only capability, but also professional enactment, where teachers apply AI-related knowledge in context-sensitive and pedagogically grounded ways. AI literacy refers to a shared knowledge base for understanding how AI systems generate outputs, how to evaluate and verify AI-supported information, and how to reason about task–tool fit in relation to fairness, privacy, transparency, accountability, academic integrity, equity, and environmental sustainability. AI competency refers to the application of this literacy in routine professional tasks, such as designing and justifying AI-informed teaching, learning, and assessment, protecting students’ and school data, documenting decisions, and revising AI-supported materials after checking for reliability, transparency, accountability, and equity. Together, literacy and competency extend beyond personal use of AI by preparing future teachers to support students’ creative, critical, and ethical engagement with AI, while keeping classroom practice aligned with educational goals, objectives, and values. Full article

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remains a leading cause of sudden death worldwide, with wide variation in reported incidence and outcomes driven by heterogeneity in registries, emergency medical services (EMS) organization, and case definitions. Despite substantial advances in resuscitation systems, survival after EMS-treated OHCA generally remains below 10%, and outcomes are critically time dependent. Delays in emergency call activation, bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and—most importantly—early defibrillation are associated with a rapid decline in return of spontaneous circulation and favorable neurological recovery. This narrative review synthesizes current evidence and implementation strategies aimed at reducing “time-to-CPR” and “time-to-shock,” with a specific focus on public-access defibrillation (PAD) as a tool to mitigate avoidable delay. Randomized trials and large registry studies consistently demonstrate that automated external defibrillator (AED) use before EMS arrival is a key determinant of survival in patients with shockable rhythms. However, the real-world effectiveness of PAD remains limited by suboptimal AED placement, restricted 24/7 accessibility, low public awareness, and underutilization driven by fear and lack of confidence. We compare different PAD delivery models—including EMS-based, police and first-responder-based, and fully integrated community systems—and summarize evidence supporting targeted, high-yield AED deployment and cost-effectiveness. In addition, we review emerging strategies to reduce avoidable delay and strengthen the early links of the chain of survival, such as school-based training programs, smartphone- and SMS-based citizen-responder networks, improved dispatch recognition of cardiac arrest (including artificial intelligence–supported tools), and drone-enabled AED delivery. Across these approaches, patient benefit critically depends on system integration, alert performance, and true AED accessibility. Finally, we describe the Italian “Progetto Vita” experience as a community-integrated model explicitly designed to minimize avoidable delay through widespread AED deployment, lay responder training, and real-time integration with EMS. We conclude by outlining future priorities, including the development of robust national OHCA registries and scalable solutions for the high burden of cardiac arrests occurring at home, such as population-level deployment of low-cost, ultra-portable AEDs. Full article