Search Results (2,401)

Innovations are the driving force of change and are essential even in traditional activities such as regional food production. This is especially important considering that locally produced food can be a healthier, more organic, and sustainable alternative to mass-produced food. In this context, the research aims to identify the characteristics of innovative producers and their implications for creating effective policies in the rural regional food sector in Poland. A survey research study using an electronic questionnaire was conducted among a group of 400 regional food producers in Poland in July 2024. Differences between the groups analyzed of regional food producers were examined using a series of non-parametric tests. The results indicate that innovative regional food producers differ significantly from non-innovative producers in many aspects. In terms of raw materials, finance, knowledge, and skills, the differences concern the greater reliance on external resources, as well as a weaker connection with family knowledge and skills, compared to non-innovative producers. The contribution of the research includes the identification of conditions that facilitate the innovativeness of regional food producers, as well as the features that enable or hinder this process. The dissemination of innovations among regional food producers in Poland requires financial and non-financial support. Support for innovation is a crucial component of an effective rural development policy in Poland. Full article

Background: Pathology education requires innovative experimental teaching approaches to enhance clinical competency. This study evaluated the integration of special staining techniques into pathology curricula to improve diagnostic confidence and practical skills. Methods: The reform involved 227 medical students, incorporating acid-fast, PAS, GMS, Congo red, and other special stains into laboratory sessions. Diagnostic confidence was surveyed, and theoretical and practical exam scores were compared with 180 students from a previous grade. Statistical analysis was performed using GraphPad Prism 7.0. Results: Practical exam scores significantly improved (86.0 ± 17.2 vs. 82.2 ± 18.9, p < 0.001), while theoretical scores remained unchanged. Diagnostic confidence strongly correlated with morphological recognition, particularly for acid-fast and fungal stains. Student feedback noted challenges such as staining artifacts. Conclusion: Integrating special staining enhances practical skills and diagnostic confidence, effectively bridging basic and clinical training. Expanding such modules is recommended to advance competency-based medical education. Full article

The rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has profoundly transformed organizational systems, reshaping how employees interact with technology and adapt to changing work environments. However, the systemic mechanisms through which AI-induced technostress influences employee career growth remain insufficiently understood. Grounded in a socio-technical systems perspective, this study conceptualizes organizations as adaptive systems where technological, organizational, and human subsystems dynamically interact. We propose a dual-path framework that distinguishes between challenge-related technostressors (a resource-gain process) and hindrance-related technostressors (a resource-loss process), elucidating how AI-related pressures can simultaneously foster and hinder career development. Furthermore, employee resilience and organizational AI support are incorporated as systemic moderators that modulate the intensity of these effects within the human–AI–organization system. Using two-stage survey data from 326 matched pairs of employees and supervisors, results largely support the proposed model, with some pathways showing marginal significance. The findings reveal that AI challenge-related technostressors stimulate proactive adaptation and skill development, whereas hindrance-related technostressors generate anxiety and insecurity, thereby impeding growth. This research extends systems theory by demonstrating how technostressors function as an emergent property of human–technology interactions and provides actionable insights for designing more adaptive and resilient socio-technical work systems. Full article

This study examines the effectiveness of the University–Government–Kindergarten Collaboration (UGK) model in training early childhood teacher candidates (TCs), using the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) framework to assess its role in enhancing TCs’ competencies. Data were collected through a survey of 210 TCs and in-depth interviews with 12 participants. The findings indicate a structural imbalance in UGK: while university–kindergarten collaboration shows some effectiveness, the lack of governmental leadership weakens tripartite synergy. From an ESD perspective, although UGK fosters basic collaborative skills, it does not systematically develop higher-order ESD competencies such as systems thinking, normative awareness, critical thinking, and strategic action. By shifting the focus from institutional to student experience, this study offers a new analytical framework for teacher education models. It concludes that optimizing UGK requires stronger governmental coordination, deeper university–kindergarten cooperation, and explicit integration of ESD core competencies throughout the training system. Full article

Background: The healthcare industry demands nurses with both clinical proficiency and leadership skills. However, formal leadership training remains limited among undergraduate nursing students, underscoring the need for clinical mentorship to support leadership development. Purpose: This study investigated the association between clinical mentorship quality and leadership competencies among undergraduate nursing students enrolled at a public university in northern Saudi Arabia. Methods: Data were collected using a cross-sectional design from 224 nursing students through a self-administered online survey, which comprised three sections: demographic information, students’ perceptions of clinical mentorship quality, and a standardized assessment of leadership competencies. Results: Students reported positive perceptions of their leadership competencies, with an average score of 2.82. A strong positive correlation was observed between mentorship quality and leadership competencies, particularly in strategic thinking, emotional intelligence, influence, and teamwork. Differences were observed based on sex and academic performance, with female students and those with higher GPAs exhibiting stronger leadership competencies. Regression analysis revealed mentorship quality (β = 0.642, p < 0.001) and academic performance (β = 0.131, p = 0.013) as significant predictors of leadership competencies, while gender and academic year were not statistically significant. Conclusions: High-quality clinical mentorship substantially contributes to the development of leadership competencies among nursing students, with academic performance providing additional support. Integrating structured mentorship programs into nursing curricula may enhance preparedness for leadership roles within healthcare settings. Full article

The increasing integration of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in education has highlighted their potential to support writing instruction. However, research examining how ICT is used to teach writing, as well as the factors influencing this use across educational stages, remains limited. Accordingly, this study investigates differences in ICT-related training and the use of ICT for writing instruction among language and literature teachers in primary and secondary education, together with the internal and external factors shaping such use. A survey based on an ad hoc questionnaire was completed by 360 Spanish teachers. The results revealed significant differences between educational stages in both ICT-related training and the use of ICT for teaching writing. Primary school teachers tended to focus on low-level writing processes (e.g., spelling), whereas secondary school teachers placed greater emphasis on higher-level writing skills and more advanced ICT-based activities, despite the overall limited use of ICT for instructional purposes. Internal and external factors varied across educational levels and were positively associated with ICT integration; however, self-efficacy emerged as the main significant predictor of ICT use for writing instruction. Overall, the study identifies key barriers to ICT integration and suggests practical strategies to enhance its use in writing instruction, including targeted teacher training in ICT-supported writing practices and professional development initiatives aimed at strengthening teachers’ self-efficacy. Full article

Background/Objectives: The objective of this study is to compare nerve-sparing (NS) and non-nerve-sparing (NNS) robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) techniques used to treat localized prostate cancer. Numerous studies have evaluated the impact of NS techniques on patient-reported outcomes. However, there are unaddressed methodological issues making interpretation of results difficult. Therefore, we performed a comparison of the two techniques, accounting for methodological threats, including patient selection and confounding. Methods: We sampled 120 patients with similar disease burden who underwent RARP by the same surgeon, either with NS (n = 84) or NNS (n = 36) and assessed changes in lower urinary tract (LUT) function and bother, and bowel function/bother using the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC) questionnaire and the six-item International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-6) survey at 6 weeks and 12 months postoperatively. Multivariable linear regression models were used to adjust for differences in age, preoperative PSA levels, pathological tumor stage and Gleason-score of patients receiving either NS or NNS. Results: At 6 weeks postoperatively, the NNS group had a significantly larger decrease in LUT function compared to the NS group (−17.42; 95% Confidence Interval (CI): −31.31, −3.53; p = 0.0145). At 12 months, both groups recovered substantially, and no group differences were observed (p > 0.9). No significant differences were observed between the NS and NNS groups for the EPIC bowel subscores, whereas the IIEF-6 showed borderline significance at 12 months. Conclusions: The results suggest a small impact of NS vs. NNS RARP on important patient-reported outcomes when controlling for tumor biology, surgeon skill, and patient characteristics. These results need to be confirmed by larger studies using similar sampling strategies and design considerations. Full article

The concept of the ‘teaching library’, which originated in the Anglo-American world, describes all activities of libraries in the field of promoting information, media, and data literacy, as well as other skills in dealing with analog and digital media. Although data literacy is explicitly mentioned in this definition, many training courses in academic libraries seem to focus more on promoting library use, information, and media literacy. Given that the creation of data management plans, along with the indexing, storage, and reuse of research data, have become standard elements of the research process, this article discusses the growing importance of academic libraries in teaching data literacy. It presents a modular course framework, developed in exchange with the university library, as a reusable model for data literacy education. The primary objective is to introduce this framework and illustrate its application; preliminary, exploratory insights from a self-assessment survey are provided to support this presentation. The limited participant count in the pre- and post-evaluations restricts the statistical generalizability of the findings but provides a solid empirical impression of the effectiveness of the course format. Results indicate substantial learning progress in fields where academic libraries have proven expertise. The main conclusion is that such library-integrated interdisciplinary courses provide a valuable framework for data literacy education and highlight strategic areas for library involvement. Full article

Anti-Poverty Programmes (APPs) are closely linked to rural livelihoods, yet comparative evidence on how participants and non-participants differ in livelihood-capital composition and income-generation patterns remains limited in ecologically fragile pastoral regions. This study draws on a cross-sectional household survey conducted in Northern Tibet in July 2020, covering 696 households—including 225 APP participants and 471 non-participants. Using the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework and the entropy weight method, we construct multidimensional livelihood-capital indices (human, social, natural, physical, and financial capital) and compare the two groups. We further apply Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regressions to examine factors associated with per capita net income. The results reveal substantial heterogeneity in livelihood capital and income across both groups. APP participants exhibit higher human-capital scores, largely driven by a higher share of skills training, whereas they show disadvantages in physical and financial capital relative to non-participants. Natural capital shows no statistically significant difference between the two groups under the local grassland contracting regime. Significant differences are observed and identified in certain dimensions of social capital. Regression results suggest that income is positively associated with skills training, contracted grassland endowment, and fixed assets, with skills training showing the strongest association. For participants, herd size and labour capacity are not statistically significant correlates of income; for non-participants, larger herds and greater labour capacity are associated with lower income. Taken together, the findings indicate that APP participation is associated with stronger capability-related capital (notably training) alongside persistent constraints in productive assets and financial capacity. Policy implications include improving the relevance and quality of training, strengthening cooperative governance and market linkages, and designing complementary packages that connect skills, inclusive finance, and productive asset accumulation. Given the cross-sectional design and administratively targeted certification of programme participation, the results should be interpreted as context-specific associations rather than strict causal effects. Full article

Background: Schools play a central role in child development and socialization and can function as protective environments that mitigate the effects of adversity. Building on the Social Ecological Model and Community School Transformation, we propose a “Schools-as-Neighborhoods” framework that conceptualizes schools as intentionally designed microenvironments capable of generating social capital, promoting positive childhood experiences, and buffering harmful neighborhood exposures through trauma-informed programming. Methods: We conducted a convergent mixed-methods study across four public and charter schools in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, serving grades five through nine. STRYV365’s peak team and Brain Agents gamified intervention were implemented between 2022–2024. Quantitative surveys and qualitative data assessed students’ lived experiences, exposure to adversity, emotional awareness, coping skills, and school connectedness/climate across multiple waves. Results: Across the four schools (n = 1626 students), baseline academic proficiency was low, and exposure to adversity was high among surveyed participants (n = 321), including bereavement (74%) and family incarceration (56%). Despite these challenges, qualitative findings revealed strengthened emotional regulation, empathy, motivation, and goal setting among students engaged in trauma-informed programming. Teachers reported improved peer interaction and community building during sustained implementation. Conclusion: The Schools-as-Neighborhoods framework highlights the value of trauma-informed, relationship-centered school environments in promoting student well-being. By positioning schools as cohesive ecosystems that foster belonging and cultivate social capital, this approach offers educators and policymakers a pathway for mitigating the effects of hostile lived environments and supporting students’ mental health, social development, and engagement in learning. Full article

Rapid adoption of digital surveying technologies in construction has highlighted the need for engineering education to equip students with technological competency as well as higher-order problem-solving skills. This experiment explores undergraduate students’ acceptance of emerging surveying technologies and their perceived learning results within a constructivist framework of experiential learning. Thirty-six students in a required construction surveying class interacted with traditional and advanced technologies such as total stations, terrestrial laser scanning, drones, and mobile LiDAR through structured, semi-structured, and unstructured lab activities. Data were gathered based on two post-course surveys: a technology acceptance survey grounded in Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and a self-perceived cognitive learning outcome survey through Bloom’s Taxonomy. Qualitative analysis along with quantitative analysis indicated a gap between technology acceptance and perceived learning gains. Laser scanner had the greatest acceptance scores followed by other advanced tools. Total station (widespread in hands-on lab activities) was perceived to have been most influential in terms of enhancing learning. Lower-order skills were strengthened in structured labs, while higher-order thinking emerged more unevenly in open-ended labs. These findings underscore that the mode of student engagement with technology matters more for learning than the sophistication of the tools themselves. By embedding UTAUT and Bloom’s Taxonomy in an authentic learning environment, this experiment provides engineering educators a mechanism to assess technology-enhanced learning and identifies strategies to facilitate higher-order skills aligned with industry needs. Full article

In the context of advancing sustainable urban development, the spatial organization of industries plays a critical role in shaping environmental quality, economic vitality, and public health. This study examines the health effects of furniture enterprises agglomeration in Chinese cities, using a unique dataset combining point-of-interest (POI) big data and micro-level survey responses from 13,217 individuals. The results show that a one-unit increase in furniture enterprises agglomeration intensity is associated with a 0.656-unit improvement in physical health and a 0.060-unit improvement in mental health. These benefits are driven by three synergistic mechanisms: environmental improvement, income growth, and enhanced public health services. However, the health gains are unevenly distributed, with greater benefits observed in less-developed cities and among vulnerable groups such as low-skilled and middle-aged workers. We further reveal divergent effects between specialized and diversified agglomeration patterns, moderated by environmental regulation. Our findings underscore the need for health-oriented industrial policies that align with sustainable urban planning, emphasizing spatial adaptation, targeted support for vulnerable populations, and innovative regulatory approaches to foster both industrial growth and resident well-being. Full article

Employee skill development has become essential for organizations operating in dynamic, knowledge-based environments, particularly in developing countries, where on-the-job training (OJT) remains the most widely used training approach. Despite its prevalence, empirical research on how OJT enhances employee performance (EP) remains limited in Myanmar’s manufacturing sector. This study explores how on-the-job training (OJT) influences employee performance (EP) in manufacturing organizations in Myanmar, adopting theories of human capital, social exchange, transfer of training, and self-determination. Survey data were collected from 309 employees representing 248 manufacturing firms, and statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 27 and Hayes’ PROCESS macro. The analysis results demonstrate that OJT has a significant positive impact on EP. Moreover, individual characteristics, including prior knowledge and skills, self-efficacy, motivation to learn, and motivation to transfer, serve as mediating variables, showing how OJT translates into performance improvement. In addition, the effects of OJT are further shaped by training characteristics, such as training design, delivery approach, needs assessment, and training evaluation practices. Hence, the findings of this study showed that effective OJT outcomes arise from alignment between well-prepared on-the-job training programs and employees’ psychological readiness to apply new skills. This study advances understanding of employee development in recent industrial landscapes. It offers actionable insights into designing more adaptive, reliable, and learner-oriented OJT programs in a manufacturing context, especially for developing countries such as Myanmar. Full article

Construction 4.0 refers to the integration of automation, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things (IoT) in the construction industry, which has changed traditional construction practices. MSc courses play a crucial role in developing the next generation of leaders within the construction industry by equipping graduates of these courses with advanced technical, managerial, and strategic skills, including the arrival of Construction 4.0. As future professionals and construction industry leaders, it is necessary to identify the current level of awareness and understanding of Construction 4.0 amongst master’s level students. As such, this paper studies these areas to help identify the gaps in education and training requirements—essential for matching academic programs with industry needs. Through the use of a survey-based approach with 112 MSc students on various Construction Management courses, a series of revealing results were obtained. The results presented herein indicate that there is a shared definition of what constitutes Construction 4.0 amongst engineering management students. However, while they are relatively aware of Construction 4.0 technologies, they do not differentiate strongly between Industry 4.0 and Construction 4.0. Therein, they are ambivalent as to the role of Education 4.0 in improving this situation. Key to this is the requirement to keep up with industry needs. The lack of application of Construction 4.0 means students lack the necessary ‘practical skills’ to implement innovations on real construction sites. Students advocated for more hands-on training, industry-linked projects, and guest lectures within the curriculum, alongside developing the essential skills of critical thinking and problem-solving. Changes in the curricula are suggested, achievable through readily existing 4.0 Frameworks. Full article

Background: Peer-led Active Rehabilitation Camps (ARC) aim to enhance functional independence and self-management among people with spinal cord injury (SCI). In Poland, where access to specialized spinal units and lifelong follow-up is limited, these programs may help address key health priorities—mobility, bowel and bladder management, sexual well-being, and upper-limb function. This study examined whether participation in ARC helped individuals achieve these priorities and identified factors associated with outcomes. Methods: This prospective cohort study, part of the Inter-PEER project, included 125 adults with SCI who attended one of 16 consecutive ARCs in Poland (2023–2024). Eligible participants used a manual wheelchair, were aged ≥ 16 years, and could complete written questionnaires. Data were collected at camp start (T1), completion (T2), and 3-month follow-up (T3) using surveys and wheelchair skills assessments. Validated instruments (SCIM-SR, MSES, QEWS, WST-Q, LiSat-11) were used and were aligned with the four priority domains. Associations with demographic and injury variables were examined using multivariate regression analyses. Results: Participants showed significant gains across priorities during the 10-day ARC. Mobility improved on all wheelchair-skill measures (e.g., QEWS + 2.6 points, p < 0.001), with most gains sustained at T3. Among participants with tetraplegia, self-care and hygiene scores increased by 24% and remained elevated at follow-up. Confidence in achieving a satisfying sexual relationship increased by camp end and was accompanied by higher sexual-life satisfaction at T3. Regression analyses found only modest associations between outcomes and demographic or injury characteristics. Conclusions: Participation in peer-led ARC programs was associated with rapid, clinically meaningful improvements in several health domains prioritized by people with SCI, especially upper-limb function, sexual well-being, and wheelchair mobility. Our findings highlight the value of integrating structured, peer-based community programs into the continuum of SCI rehabilitation. Full article