Search Results (10,878)

Background/Objectives: The aim of the study was to explore the specific relationships between sleep quality, physical activity levels, and demographic characteristics (age, education level, and work experience) in night shift nurses working at hospitals. Understanding these relationships is critical for developing evidence-based scheduling, educational initiatives for sleep hygiene, and physical activity programs that can mitigate the negative impacts of night work, ultimately promoting nursing workforce sustainability and safer patient health outcomes. Methods: A cross-sectional design was implemented, involving 400 night shift nurses. Data were collected using a questionnaire, which included an Individual Characteristics Form, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire—Short Form. Results: The sleep quality of night shift nurses differed statistically significantly by age in almost all sub-scales (p < 0.001) except for the sub-scale “habitual sleep efficiency”. A significant difference was found across groups, with sleep latency (p = 0.038 *) increasing as work experience grew. Nurses with more experience utilized sleep medications (p = 0.014 *) more frequently than less experienced ones. Physical activity levels differed significantly (p < 0.05): the youngest group showed a higher proportion of high physical activity (52.3%) compared to the oldest (28.9%). A statistically significant negative correlation was found between total physical activity and the total PSQI score (r = −0.162, p = 0.001). Conclusions: The data show that night shifts consistently disrupt nurses’ sleep, and advancing age further compounds these difficulties. The elevated total Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores verify severe sleep disruption across the sample. Physical activity operates as a beneficial behavioral modifier that significantly relates to better sleep quality, lower sleep latency, and less frequent use of sleep medications among night shift nurses. Full article

In an era of accelerating geopolitical realignments and intensifying climate volatility, the interconnected domains of land, food, and climate have emerged as critical axes of global inequality, demanding renewed attention within sustainability education. This study addresses the central problem that existing geography, environmental, and sustainability curricula rarely engage with the geopolitical forces shaping Water, Energy, Land and Food (WELF), thereby obscuring progress toward achieving SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 15 (Life on Land). Situated within the Water, Energy, Land, and Food (WELF) nexus. Employing a Systematic Literature Review methodology, guided by PRISMA protocols and grounded in Political Ecology Theory, findings reveal that agricultural protectionism and land-grabbing dynamics originating from the Global North exacerbate climate-induced food insecurity and land dispossession in the Global South. Critically, the synthesis demonstrates that these dimensions of climate–food geopolitics remain inadequately addressed in existing curricula, leaving learners ill-equipped to critically analyze the structural forces underlying land-based vulnerabilities. The study recommends embedding land–food–climate geopolitics into sustainability curricula through decolonial, systems-thinking pedagogies; integrating scenario-based simulations of land-centric climate negotiations; and developing transdisciplinary modules that combine geospatial land-use analysis, political economy of agrifood systems, and indigenous land knowledge. Full article

Background/Objectives: People aging with HIV (PAWHs) face distinct health challenges, including early onset of aging and heightened risk for chronic comorbidities despite effective antiretroviral therapy (ART). However, significant gaps persist in understanding the lived experience and how PAWHs perceive the interplay between their controlled HIV and the aging process. This study examined PAWHs’ illness perceptions of aging, health, and relationship of HIV to other health conditions. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a convenience sample of 25 PAWHs (mean age 63.5; mean time living with HIV 22.3 years; 24 virally suppressed) recruited through an academic HIV specialty clinic. Demographic and clinical data were collected from Electronic Health Records (EHRs), and interviews were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Results: A central finding was the disconnect between participants’ illness perceptions of controlled HIV and other aging-related health concerns. Absence of acute somatic symptoms and sustained viral suppression fostered a view of HIV as chronologically remote, leading to an apparent unawareness of HIV’s systemic links to accelerated aging and comorbidities. Two primary themes around aging emerged: acceptance/disengagement and fear of future debility (prevalent among older, socially isolated individuals concerned about dementia and finances). Conclusions: This pervasive disconnect, understandable through the lens of the Common Sense Model of Self-Regulation, highlights a critical need to adjust health counseling strategies for PAWHs. Clinicians can leverage existing trusted provider relationships to explicitly address and refine PAWHs’ illness models, clarifying that viral suppression is not a cure and educating on HIV’s systemic links to chronic conditions (e.g., ‘inflammaging’). Tailored educational interventions are crucial for fostering shared decision-making, encouraging early screening, and improving health outcomes for this vulnerable and growing population. Generalizability may be limited by sample characteristics. Full article

Giftedness remains one of the most contested constructs in educational research, situated at the intersection of debates on human potential, equity, and the purposes of schooling. While contemporary scholarship has moved toward multidimensional and developmental conceptions of giftedness, educational systems continue to rely on more constrained and standardized approaches to its identification and support. This article advances a comparative institutional analysis of gifted education, drawing on a systematic review of research published over the past fifteen years. Rather than comparing national systems as discrete cases, the study identifies recurring institutional configurations through which gifted education is organized across contexts. Three dominant models are distinguished: decentralized, differentiation-based, and centralized. These models differ not in how giftedness is conceptualized, but in how it is operationalized through the institutional alignment of identification, educational provision, and long-term developmental pathways. The analysis demonstrates that the core challenge in gifted education lies in the misalignment between increasingly complex theoretical models and the institutional mechanisms through which they are enacted. As a result, giftedness emerges not only as an individual attribute, but as an outcome shaped by governance structures and policy design. By shifting the focus from identification to institutional organization, the article reframes gifted education as a problem of system design and highlights the need to examine how educational structures enable or constrain sustained talent development. Full article

This mixed-methods study explores the effectiveness of a semester-long academic development programme in addressing Imposter Phenomenon among Early-Career Academics. This intervention introduced low-technology simulations, allowing consideration of authentic challenges of practice. While experiences of Imposterism in academia are often institutionally driven, most coping strategies remain individualistic. This study responds to a paucity of research, offering an original contribution by providing evidence from a pilot evaluation. Participants (n = 19) completed the Clance Imposter Phenomenon Scale pre- and post-intervention, with those reporting moderate to intense Imposterism (scores 41–80) interviewed (n = 10). Quantitative analysis revealed that n = 3 reported less frequent imposter feelings, n = 2 reported more frequent imposter feelings, and n = 14 indicated no change. Qualitative analysis of interview data revealed that perceptions of simulation-based pedagogies were shaped by bi-directional intersections between three domains: understandings of simulation for professional learning; interactions/collaboration with peers; and personal identity/professional context. Findings indicated that sustained peer-interaction within psychologically safe and supportive environments was particularly valued, reducing isolation, enhancing professional belonging, and improving confidence–dimensions closely associated with academic wellbeing. However, contextual factors, including role ambiguity and unclear progression pathways, sometimes intensified imposter feelings, highlighting structural conditions shaping professional identity and educator wellbeing. Full article

Cultivating postgraduates’ innovation capability is essential for universities to fulfill their function as a social service in this innovation-driven era. Graduate student associations serve as vital carriers for this purpose, yet their potential remains underexplored. This study explores how excellent teachers, particularly graduate supervisors with strong research innovation and resource integration capabilities, contribute to association branding and the cultivation of student innovation capability. We construct a mechanism model based on a dual-leader system with high-level supervisors as key leaders, association branding as the primary approach, and innovation capability cultivation as the core objective. The model’s effectiveness is validated through iterative practice at Northeast Electric Power University’s Management and Research Association, one of China’s 100 model graduate associations. The results demonstrate that influential associations enhance cohesion, facilitate resource pooling through “association + business” integration, and significantly improve postgraduates’ capability for scientific innovation. This work contributes to Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education) through conceptual and applied alignment by promoting sustainable higher education management mechanisms that enhance long-term educational effectiveness and institutional capacity to cultivate innovation. Full article

This study examines how the strategic integration of digital transformation and national innovation capacity contributes to accelerating sustainable development in Saudi Arabia by focusing on six Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 4—Quality Education, SDG 7—Affordable and Clean Energy, SDG 8—Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG 9—Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, SDG 12—Responsible Consumption and Production, and SDG 13—Climate Action. Using annual data on ICT use, ICT access, R&D expenditure, and patent applications, the analysis evaluates both the direct and joint relationships between these indicators and SDG performance. Digital transformation is captured through ICT use and ICT access, while national innovation capacity is represented by R&D expenditure and patent applications, reflecting the input and output dimensions of formal innovation activity. The findings indicate that the direct long-run effects of digital transformation and national innovation capacity on the six SDGs are not statistically significant, suggesting that these domains have not yet become standalone drivers of educational advancement, clean-energy adoption, economic performance, industrial upgrading, sustainable resource management, or emissions reduction. In contrast, their interaction produces substantial positive effects on SDG 4, SDG 7, SDG 8, and SDG 9, highlighting improvements in educational quality, renewable energy transition, productivity, and industrial innovation. The interaction also has significant negative effects on SDG 12 and SDG 13, as reflected by reductions in CO₂ intensity and environmental pressures. These results indicate that meaningful progress toward the SDGs emerges when digital capabilities and national innovation capacity evolve jointly, rather than through isolated improvements in ICT infrastructure or innovation inputs. Robustness checks using a composite SDG index confirm the stability of these complementary effects. These findings suggest that Saudi Arabia can accelerate progress toward the SDGs by adopting integrated policies that link ICT expansion with stronger R&D systems, patent commercialization, technological innovation, and sustainability-oriented industrial transformation across education, energy, industry, resource efficiency, and climate action. Full article

Background: Chronic migraine may seem treatment-resistant when underlying medication-
overuse headache (MOH) and psychosocial stressors are overlooked. This report describes
a patient who was seen in a family medicine clinic with persistent triptan overuse
and daily social stressors concealing the cause of her chronic headaches and highlights
how pharmacologic and behavioral strategies restored control. Case presentation: A
woman in her 40s with a 10-year history of migraine developed chronic daily headaches
after years of near-daily eletriptan use. This persistent triptan overuse led to the failure of
multiple preventive therapies during ongoing overuse. Symptom remission after eletriptan
withdrawal confirmed the diagnosis of MOH. Subsequent stabilization with preventive
treatment encouraging self-management and behavioral and physiotherapy interventions
allowed her to achieve sustained remission and regain functional stability. Conclusions:
This case demonstrates that unrecognized medication overuse, combined with
stress and unrestricted access to triptans, can mimic treatment-resistant migraine. Chronic
migraine can be managed and prevented through early screening for MOH, structured
patient education, multidisciplinary management approaches, and strict regulation of
OTC triptan dispensing. Full article

Background: Sexuality education is essential for adolescent health and well-being, yet in Italy it is not included in a mandatory national curriculum, resulting in heterogeneous implementation across regions. Within the ESPRIT project, a multidisciplinary training-of-trainers (ToT) model was developed to prepare professionals to support school-based peer-education pathways. This study aimed to describe the training model and perform a pilot evaluation of short-term knowledge outcomes among trained participants. Methods: A pilot non-randomized controlled comparative study was conducted within the ESPRIT project framework. A multidisciplinary Training Team developed a structured ToT pathway based on WHO guidance, national recommendations, and peer-education models. Ten advanced public health residents in Hygiene and Preventive Medicine attended a three-day residential training course. One month later, a 10-item knowledge questionnaire was administered to trained participants (n = 10) and untrained advanced public health residents (n = 10). Results: Trained participants achieved higher questionnaire scores than the comparator group (median score 8 [IQR 2] vs. 3.5 [IQR 2]; p < 0.0005). Conclusions: Structured ToT programmes may represent a promising approach for strengthening professional preparation in sexuality education. Larger studies with longer follow-up are needed to evaluate sustainability and real-world implementation. Full article

A dual-platform mushroom cultivation system integrating artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted environmental monitoring and controlled-environment agriculture (CEA) was developed to support experiential STEM education across K–12 and undergraduate settings. Hands-on instruction with multicellular fungi is often limited by reliance on microbial models and by constraints associated with field-based activities. To address this gap, we implemented an indoor instructional platform that combines a commercial AI-assisted automated cultivation unit with a tent-based chamber for hands-on environmental control. Representative cultivated species included oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus spp.) and lion’s mane (Hericium erinaceus). The AI-assisted system provided sensor/camera-based monitoring, app-based feedback, and software-assisted regulation of humidity, light, and airflow, whereas the tent-based system enabled direct student manipulation of cultivation conditions. Together, the systems allowed students to observe fungal development, manage environmental parameters, and collect quantitative and qualitative data within a single academic term. Post-harvest activities, including mushroom-based food preparation and tasting, further connected fungal biology with food and sustainability. A matched pre- and post-course survey (n = 30) showed increases in students’ self-reported perceived understanding, cultivation confidence, and engagement, with mean scores increasing from approximately 2–4 to 6–8. Because the survey instrument was not formally validated and no control group was included, these results are interpreted as preliminary self-reported perceptions rather than objective evidence of learning gains. The platform provides a practical model for integrating fungal biology, AI-assisted environmental monitoring, and CEA into STEM education. Full article

This study examines changes from baseline to midline in ICT competency indicators during an ICT teacher training intervention in Cambodian lower secondary education. The intervention aligned with SDG 4.4.1 and included pre-service and in-service teachers from four Regional Teacher Training Centers and 20 pilot schools, along with Grade 8 students. Teachers completed a self-assessment and an objective ICT knowledge test covering 11 SDG 4.4.1 domains. Students completed objective assessments. Teacher competency pass counts increased from baseline to midline. The largest changes appeared in information verification and programming, while foundational domains changed less. Pre-service teachers had higher objective knowledge scores at midline. A nonparametric check showed the same direction. No significant differences were detected across the four provinces. The findings provide evidence from program monitoring that an ODA intervention combining curriculum reform, textbook development, ICT laboratory deployment, and sustained teacher training was associated with changes in teacher ICT competency. Full article

This paper explores the advocacy of Daisaku Ikeda (1928–2023) for intercultural dialogue as a means of fostering peace. It does so by bringing his thought into dialogue with Martin Wight (1913–1972), an English international relations theorist whose three traditions model explored two forms of dehumanization: a radical solidarist position that dehumanizes by treating all people the same, and an extreme form of pluralism that leads us to a realist position that there is no morality except for a group’s own truth. Wight’s model is especially helpful for drawing out the tensions in Ikeda’s writings between peacebuilding processes centered on solidarism and those centered on pluralism. But, at the same time, this model benefits from a sustained conversation with Ikeda because Wight’s conceptualization of a middle path was highly Eurocentric and too state-centric. Ultimately, Wight’s model gives us a new vocabulary and the context to understand Ikeda’s advocacy, but Ikeda’s approach to intercultural dialogue, deeply rooted in Buddhist humanism and prioritizing citizen diplomacy and education, went farther than Wight in theorizing and practicing how to create a healthy middle ground between the two forms of dehumanization. When viewed together, both scholars also address the broader ambivalence in the literature about why, how and when religion(s) contribute to violence and peace by emphasizing the courage and faith needed to navigate a middle path between extremes. Full article

While existing curricula often focus on theoretical aspects of sustainability, they frequently fail to equip students with practical design skills required by the green industry. To address this disconnect, this study seeks to answer: How can a structured pedagogical framework effectively enhance students’ ability to translate abstract sustainability principles into concrete technical solutions? This study introduces a comprehensive CDIO-based framework reform for Embedded Intelligent Systems education, weaving sustainability throughout every phase. We put forward a “Sustainable CDIO Capability Model” that charts a progressive pathway—starting from basic resource awareness and advancing through to sophisticated sustainable system innovation. Our four-dimensional teaching strategy brings this model to life: first, project-based learning driven by real sustainability challenges; second, a hybrid ecosystem blending online resources, hands-on practice, and immersion in green industry contexts; third, hierarchical team-based pedagogy backed by personalized support mechanisms; and fourth, a multi-dimensional assessment system that weights energy efficiency, resource stewardship, and social value creation alongside conventional metrics. We implemented this approach with Intelligent Science and Technology majors at Wuhan Institute of Technology. The results show the model effectively bridges the persistent gap between dry technical content and the practical demands of green industry. Students made substantial gains not merely in core engineering capabilities—system architecture, hardware-software co-development—but crucially in sustainable design awareness and their capacity to untangle complex sustainability challenges. This work offers a readily transferable framework for embedding Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) into engineering curricula worldwide. It provides practitioners with a concrete, tested model for cultivating the next generation of engineers who naturally think and act with sustainability in mind. Full article

This study examines how physical, cognitive, social, and environmental dimensions are integrated within 22 playground design proposals developed by undergraduate students in a design engineering programme. Using a qualitative, document-based analysis approach grounded in Research through Design, we propose the Systemic Integration Index (SII). This replicable analytical framework not only evaluates the presence of key sustainability dimensions but also the relational articulation between them. Results show that while most projects (68%) achieved high SII values, a substantial proportion (32%) remained at a medium level of integration, indicating partial rather than fully coherent systemic articulation. The physical and social dimensions were the most consistently developed, whereas environmental integration showed the greatest variability and the weakest inter-dimensional connections across the dataset. The primary limitation lies not in identifying relevant design variables but in structuring their relationships into a coherent system. Findings are based on conceptual project documentation rather than on implemented designs and reflect the specific pedagogical context of the analyzed programme. The SII offers a structured and replicable tool for formative assessment in sustainability-oriented design education. Full article

We present a transdisciplinary Teaching–Learning Sequence (TLS) for lower secondary school students that integrates climate change education with the promotion of gender equality in science. The TLS connects theoretical understanding with practical engagement through laboratory demonstrations, simulations, and accessible experiments. The sequence addresses key topics in sustainability education, including incoming and outgoing radiation, the greenhouse effect, energy transformations, and energy sources, through activities involving the electromagnetic spectrum, infrared imaging, selective transparency, absorption, and albedo. It also includes inquiry-based explorations of electromagnetic induction, miniature hydroelectric and wind power systems, Stirling engines, photovoltaic and concentrated solar technologies, and combustion-related CO₂ acidification. A distinctive feature of the TLS is the explicit integration of the social dimension of sustainability through discussion of the Matilda Effect and the historical case of Eunice Newton Foote, with the aim of challenging persistent gender stereotypes in STEM. The intervention was implemented with 12–13-year-old students and evaluated through pre- and post-tests, written explanations, closed-ended questions, drawings, and the Draw-A-Scientist Test. The results indicate a significant improvement in students’ understanding of climate-related scientific concepts and in their critical awareness of misinformation and climate denial strategies. While the sequence did not significantly increase students’ engagement in climate action, the gender-focused activities promoted strong critical reflection on stereotypes and on the role of women in science. Full article