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2. Catching up on Lost Learning Opportunities: Research and Policy Evidence on Key Learning Recovery Strategies. OECD Education Working Papers. No. 292
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Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (France) and Minea-Pic, Andreea
- Abstract
Climate change and natural disasters, the COVID-19 pandemic, and geopolitical shocks have increasingly disrupted school education around the world in recent years. Whether leading to school closures, school destructions or repeated interruptions in students' learning experiences, these external shocks have translated into lost learning opportunities for students. In this context, education systems face heightened pressure to become ever more resilient, enhance the efficiency of public spending and address emerging learning gaps. This working paper highlights key education strategies for helping students catch up on lost learning opportunities and bridge learning gaps, based on a review of research and policy evidence from OECD and non-OECD countries. It examines a range of academic strategies to address learning gaps, including: (1) adapting instructional strategies and pedagogies to individual needs; (2) extending and adapting the time of instruction; and (3) providing curricular flexibility and enabling fluid learning pathways within the school system. It provides research evidence on the effectiveness of such strategies, together with examples of their large-scale implementation and cost-effectiveness considerations. While this paper presents programmes of general interest for all countries, a separate policy brief targets learning recovery strategies for students in Ukraine.
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- 2023
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3. [ANMCO Position paper: Reorganization of cardiology in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic].
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Caldarola P, Murrone A, Roncon L, Di Pasquale G, Tavazzi L, Amodeo V, Aspromonte N, Cipriani M, Di Lenarda A, Domenicucci S, Francese GM, Imazio M, Scotto di Uccio F, Urbinati S, Valente S, Gulizia MM, Colivicchi F, and Gabrielli D
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- Cardiovascular Diseases therapy, Health Personnel organization & administration, Humans, Italy, National Health Programs organization & administration, COVID-19, Cardiology organization & administration, Delivery of Health Care organization & administration
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The COVID-19 pandemic represents an unprecedented event that has brought deep changes in hospital facilities with reshaping of the health system organization, revealing inadequacies of current hospital and local health systems. When the COVID-19 emergency will end, further evaluation of the national health system, new organization of acute wards, and a further evolution of the entire health system will be needed to improve care during the chronic phase of disease. Therefore, new standards for healthcare personnel, more efficient organization of hospital facilities for patients with acute illnesses, improvement of technological approaches, and better integration between hospital and territorial services should be pursued. With experience derived from the COVID-19 pandemic, new models, paradigms, interventional approaches, values and priorities should be suggested and implemented.
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- 2021
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4. [Position paper of the Italian Society of Cardiology (SIC) on COVID-19 vaccine priority in patients with cardiovascular diseases].
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Indolfi C, Barillà F, Basso C, Ciccone MM, Curcio A, Mancone M, Mercuro G, Muscoli S, Nodari S, Pedrinelli R, Romeo F, Sinagra G, and Filardi PP
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- Age Factors, Animals, COVID-19 epidemiology, COVID-19 mortality, Cardiology, Coronary Disease complications, Disease Vectors, Heart Failure complications, Heart Transplantation, Heart Valve Diseases complications, Humans, Hypertension, Pulmonary complications, Italy epidemiology, Prognosis, Renal Insufficiency complications, SARS-CoV-2 immunology, Societies, Medical, Vaccines, Synthetic administration & dosage, mRNA Vaccines, COVID-19 prevention & control, COVID-19 Vaccines administration & dosage, Cardiovascular Diseases complications, Consensus
- Abstract
In over a year, the COVID-19 pandemic caused 2.69 million deaths and 122 million infections. Social isolation and distancing measures have been the only prevention available for months. Scientific research has done a great deal of work, developing in a few months safe and effective vaccines against COVID-19. In the European Union, nowadays, four vaccines have been authorized for use: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, ChAdOx1 (AstraZeneca/Oxford), Janssen (Johnson & Johnson), and three others are currently under rolling review.Vaccine allocation policy is crucial to optimize the advantage of treatment preferring people with the highest risk of contagion. These days the priority in the vaccination program is of particular importance since it has become clear that the number of vaccines is not sufficient for the entire Italian population in the short term. Cardiovascular diseases are frequently associated with severe COVID-19 infections, leading to the worst prognosis. The elderly population suffering from cardiovascular diseases is, therefore, to be considered a particularly vulnerable population. However, age cannot be considered the only discriminating factor because in the young-adult population suffering from severe forms of heart disease, the prognosis, if affected by COVID-19, is particularly ominous and these patients should have priority access to the vaccination program. The aim of this position paper is to establish a consensus on a priority in the vaccination of COVID-19 among subjects suffering from different cardiovascular diseases.
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- 2021
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5. Advancing the Entrepreunerial University: Lessons Learned from 13 HEInnovate Country Reviews. OECD SME and Entrepreneurship Papers. Policy Brief
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Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (France)
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Higher education institutions (HEIs) are more critical than ever to help societies respond to the complex challenges of our times. Recognising that these challenges require HEIs to adopt holistic innovations in teaching, research and collaboration activities, the European Commission (EC) and the OECD have developed the HEInnovate guiding framework. HEInnovate promotes innovation and entrepreneurship in higher education and provides guidance to policy makers and HEIs that want to generate additional societal and economic value. This policy brief distils the main findings and recommendations of 13 HEInnovate Country Reviews that have examined higher education system and institution, identifying factors affecting the delivery of the entrepreneurial and innovation agenda in higher education. Looked at in the round, the country reviews provide HE leaders with peer-learning and best practices, policy makers with tested policy solutions and the European Union and the OECD with a deeper understanding of the state of innovation and entrepreneurship in higher education.
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- 2022
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6. Alcohol use disorder in the COVID-19 era: Position paper of the Italian Society on Alcohol (SIA).
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Testino G, Vignoli T, Patussi V, Allosio P, Amendola MF, Aricò S, Baselice A, Balbinot P, Campanile V, Fanucchi T, Macciò L, Meneguzzi C, Mioni D, Parisi M, Renzetti D, Rossin R, Gandin C, Bottaro LC, Caio G, Lungaro L, Zoli G, Scafato E, and Caputo F
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- Alcoholics Anonymous, Alcoholism epidemiology, Ambulatory Care organization & administration, COVID-19 epidemiology, COVID-19 Vaccines therapeutic use, Delivery of Health Care organization & administration, Disease Susceptibility, Drug Interactions, Humans, Immunosuppression Therapy adverse effects, Italy epidemiology, Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic epidemiology, Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic therapy, Liver Transplantation, Recurrence, SARS-CoV-2, Societies, Medical, Telemedicine, COVID-19 Drug Treatment, Alcoholism therapy, COVID-19 prevention & control, Communicable Disease Control
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Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) first emerged in China in November 2019. Most governments have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by imposing a lockdown. Some evidence suggests that a period of isolation might have led to a spike in alcohol misuse, and in the case of patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD), social isolation can favour lapse and relapse. The aim of our position paper is to provide specialists in the alcohol addiction field, in psychopharmacology, gastroenterology and in internal medicine, with appropriate tools to better manage patients with AUD and COVID-19,considering some important topics: (a) the susceptibility of AUD patients to infection; (b) the pharmacological interaction between medications used to treat AUD and to treat COVID-19; (c) the reorganization of the Centre for Alcohol Addiction Treatment for the management of AUD patients in the COVID-19 era (group activities, telemedicine, outpatients treatment, alcohol-related liver disease and liver transplantation, collecting samples); (d) AUD and SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Telemedicine/telehealth will undoubtedly be useful/practical tools even though it remains at an elementary level; the contribution of the family and of caregivers in the management of AUD patients will play a significant role; the multidisciplinary intervention involving experts in the treatment of AUD with specialists in the treatment of COVID-19 disease will need implementation. Thus, the COVID-19 pandemic is rapidly leading addiction specialists towards a new governance scenario of AUD, which necessarily needs an in-depth reconsideration, focusing attention on a safe approach in combination with the efficacy of treatment., (© 2021 The Authors. Addiction Biology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society for the Study of Addiction.)
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- 2022
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7. Treatment of children with COVID-19: update of the Italian Society of Pediatric Infectious Diseases position paper.
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Venturini E, Montagnani C, Garazzino S, Donà D, Pierantoni L, Lo Vecchio A, Krzysztofiak A, Nicolini G, Bianchini S, Galli L, Villani A, and Gattinara GC
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- COVID-19 epidemiology, Child, Female, Humans, Italy, Male, Practice Guidelines as Topic, COVID-19 therapy, Disease Management, Infectious Disease Medicine, Periodicals as Topic, SARS-CoV-2, Societies, Medical
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- 2021
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8. Position paper on the use of COVID-19 convalescent plasma: an update.
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Prati D, Fiorin F, Berti P, De Silvestro G, Accorsi P, and Ostuni A
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- COVID-19 blood, Humans, Immunization, Passive standards, Inpatients, Italy, Meta-Analysis as Topic, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Treatment Outcome, COVID-19 Serotherapy, COVID-19 therapy, Consensus
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- 2021
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9. Management of paediatric IBD after the peak of COVID-19 pandemic in Italy: A position paper on behalf of the SIGENP IBD working group.
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Arrigo S, Alvisi P, Banzato C, Bramuzzo M, Civitelli F, Corsello A, D'Arcangelo G, Dilillo A, Dipasquale V, Felici E, Fuoti M, Gatti S, Giusti Z, Knafelz D, Lionetti P, Mario F, Marseglia A, Martelossi S, Moretti C, Norsa L, Nuti F, Panceri R, Rampado S, Renzo S, Romano C, Romeo E, Strisciuglio C, and Martinelli M
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- Child, Humans, Italy, Organizational Innovation, Risk Adjustment, SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 epidemiology, COVID-19 prevention & control, Communicable Disease Control methods, Gastroenterology methods, Gastroenterology organization & administration, Gastroenterology trends, Inflammatory Bowel Diseases epidemiology, Inflammatory Bowel Diseases therapy, Pediatrics methods, Pediatrics organization & administration, Pediatrics trends
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Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, spreading in Italy during the first months of 2020, abruptly changed the way of practicing medicine in this country. As a consequence of the lockdown, the diagnostic and therapeutic management of paediatric chronic conditions, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been affected. During the peak of COVID-19 pandemic, elective visits, endoscopies and infusions have been postponed, with potential clinical and psychological impact on disease course and a high likelihood of increasing waiting lists. While slowly moving back towards normality, clinicians need to recognize the best ways to care for patients with IBD, carefully avoiding risk factors for new potential epidemic outbreaks. In this uncertain scenario until the development and spread of COVID-19 vaccine, it is necessary to continue to operate with caution. Hereby we provide useful indications for a safer and gradual restarting of routine clinical activities after COVID-19 peak in Italy., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors have no conflict of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2020 Editrice Gastroenterologica Italiana S.r.l. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)
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- 2021
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10. The Economic Impacts of Learning Losses. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 225
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Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (France), Hanushek, Eric A., and Woessmann, Ludger
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The worldwide school closures in early 2020 led to losses in learning that will not easily be made up for even if schools quickly return to their prior performance levels. These losses will have lasting economic impacts both on the affected students and on each nation unless they are effectively remediated. While the precise learning losses are not yet known, existing research suggests that the students in grades 1-12 affected by the closures might expect some 3 percent lower income over their entire lifetimes. For nations, the lower long-term growth related to such losses might yield an average of 1.5 percent lower annual GDP for the remainder of the century. These economic losses would grow if schools are unable to re-start quickly. The economic losses will be more deeply felt by disadvantaged students. All indications are that students whose families are less able to support out-of-school learning will face larger learning losses than their more advantaged peers, which in turn will translate into deeper losses of lifetime earnings. The present value of the economic losses to nations reach huge proportions. Just returning schools to where they were in 2019 will not avoid such losses. Only making them better can. While a variety of approaches might be attempted, existing research indicates that close attention to the modified re-opening of schools offers strategies that could ameliorate the losses. Specifically, with the expected increase in video-based instruction, matching the skills of the teaching force to the new range of tasks and activities could quickly move schools to heightened performance. Additionally, because the prior disruptions are likely to increase the variations in learning levels within individual classrooms, pivoting to more individualised instruction could leave all students better off as schools resume. As schools move to re-establish their programmes even as the pandemic continues, it is natural to focus considerable attention on the mechanics and logistics of safe re-opening. But the long-term economic impacts also require serious attention, because the losses already suffered demand more than the best of currently considered re-opening approaches.
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- 2020
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11. Adult Pulmonary Intensive and Intermediate Care Units: The Italian Thoracic Society (ITS-AIPO) Position Paper.
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Renda T, Scala R, Corrado A, Ambrosino N, and Vaghi A
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- Adult, COVID-19 complications, Hospitalization, Humans, Italy, Patient Selection, Respiratory Insufficiency etiology, Societies, Medical, COVID-19 therapy, Critical Care organization & administration, Intensive Care Units organization & administration, Intermediate Care Facilities organization & administration, Respiratory Insufficiency therapy, Respiratory Therapy
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The imbalance between the prevalence of patients with acute respiratory failure (ARF) and acute-on-chronic respiratory failure and the number of intensive care unit (ICU) beds requires new solutions. The increasing use of non-invasive respiratory tools to support patients at earlier stages of ARF and the increased expertise of non-ICU clinicians in other types of supportive care have led to the development of adult pulmonary intensive care units (PICUs) and pulmonary intermediate care units (PIMCUs). As in other European countries, Italian PICUs and PIMCUs provide an intermediate level of care as the setting designed for managing ARF patients without severe non-pulmonary dysfunction. The PICUs and PIMCUs may also act as step-down units for weaning patients from prolonged mechanical ventilation and for discharging patients still requiring ventilatory support at home. These units may play an important role in the on-going coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. This position paper promoted by the Italian Thoracic Society (ITS-AIPO) describes the models, facilities, staff, equipment, and operating methods of PICUs and PIMCUs., (© 2021 S. Karger AG, Basel.)
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- 2021
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12. Proceedings of the International Association for Development of the Information Society (IADIS) International Conferences on e-Society (ES 2024, 22nd) and Mobile Learning (ML 2024, 20th) (Porto, Portugal, March 9-11, 2024)
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International Association for Development of the Information Society (IADIS), Piet Kommers, Inmaculada Arnedillo Sánchez, Pedro Isaías, Piet Kommers, Inmaculada Arnedillo Sánchez, Pedro Isaías, and International Association for Development of the Information Society (IADIS)
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These proceedings contain the papers and posters of the 22nd International Conference on e-Society (ES 2024) and 20th International Conference on Mobile Learning (ML 2024), organised by the International Association for Development of the Information Society (IADIS) in Porto, Portugal, during March 9-11, 2024. The e-Society 2024 conference aims to address the main issues of concern within the Information Society. This conference covers both the technical as well as the non-technical aspects of the Information Society. The Mobile Learning 2024 Conference seeks to provide a forum for the presentation and discussion of mobile learning research which illustrate developments in the field. These events received 185 submissions from more than 25 countries. In addition to the papers' presentations, the conferences also feature two keynote presentations. [Individual papers are indexed in ERIC.]
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- 2024
13. Online care helped to maintain breastfeeding support during the COVID-19 pandemic in an Italian Baby Friendly Community.
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Tambascia G, Sola MV, Marocco S, and Lazzerini M
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- Female, Pregnancy, Humans, Pandemics, Postnatal Care, Mothers, Italy epidemiology, Health Promotion, Breast Feeding, COVID-19
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- 2024
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14. University Students Grading before and during COVID-19 Crisis
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Nello Scarabottolo
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The paper analyses the grades assigned by the professors of the University of Milan to their students at the end of written exams, comparing what happened in academic year 2018-19 and in academic year 2020-21, i.e., before and during the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In March 2020, the lockdown closed the classrooms, stopping face-to-face interactions among professors and students: it became then necessary to identify possible scenarios for carrying on written exams online, suitably monitoring student behaviors, and to propose them to the University professors. Main purpose of the analysis reported in this paper is a preliminary evaluation of the effectiveness of these scenarios, through comparison of the grades the professors assigned to their students. [For the full proceedings, see ED639633.]
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- 2022
15. A COVID-19 specific multiparametric and ECG-based score for the prediction of in-hospital mortality: ELCOVID score.
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Zuin M, Ferrari R, Guardigli G, Malagù M, Vitali F, Zucchetti O, D'Aniello E, Di Ienno L, Gibiino F, Cimaglia P, Grosseto D, Corzani A, Galvani M, Ortolani P, Rubboli A, Tortorici G, Casella G, Sassone B, Navazio A, Rossi L, Aschieri D, Mezzanotte R, Manfrini M, and Bertini M
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- Humans, Female, Male, Aged, Italy epidemiology, Prospective Studies, Aged, 80 and over, Risk Assessment methods, Severity of Illness Index, Middle Aged, COVID-19 mortality, COVID-19 diagnosis, COVID-19 physiopathology, COVID-19 complications, Hospital Mortality, Electrocardiography methods
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We aimed to develop and validate a COVID-19 specific scoring system, also including some ECG features, to predict all-cause in-hospital mortality at admission. Patients were retrieved from the ELCOVID study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04367129), a prospective, multicenter Italian study enrolling COVID-19 patients between May to September 2020. For the model validation, we randomly selected two-thirds of participants to create a derivation dataset and we used the remaining one-third of participants as the validation set. Over the study period, 1014 hospitalized COVID-19 patients (mean age 74 years, 61% males) met the inclusion criteria and were included in this analysis. During a median follow-up of 12 (IQR 7-22) days, 359 (35%) patients died. Age (HR 2.25 [95%CI 1.72-2.94], p < 0.001), delirium (HR 2.03 [2.14-3.61], p = 0.012), platelets (HR 0.91 [0.83-0.98], p = 0.018), D-dimer level (HR 1.18 [1.01-1.31], p = 0.002), signs of right ventricular strain (RVS) (HR 1.47 [1.02-2.13], p = 0.039) and ECG signs of previous myocardial necrosis (HR 2.28 [1.23-4.21], p = 0.009) were independently associated to in-hospital all-cause mortality. The derived risk-scoring system, namely EL COVID score, showed a moderate discriminatory capacity and good calibration. A cut-off score of ≥ 4 had a sensitivity of 78.4% and 65.2% specificity in predicting all-cause in-hospital mortality. ELCOVID score represents a valid, reliable, sensitive, and inexpensive scoring system that can be used for the prognostication of COVID-19 patients at admission and may allow the earlier identification of patients having a higher mortality risk who may be benefit from more aggressive treatments and closer monitoring., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Società Italiana di Medicina Interna (SIMI).)
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- 2024
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16. Delivering an Online Course on 'Health Emergency from SARS-COV-2, the Novel Coronavirus: Preparation and Contrast' for Health Professions Students at Italian Universities
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Galeoto, Giovanni, Berardi, Anna, Tofani, Marco, Saiani, Luisa, Palese, Alvisa, and Valente, Donatella
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Many Italian universities had numerous students attending hospital wards during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The training of healthcare professionals and students was necessary to facilitate good practices, disseminate knowledge about COVID-19, and minimize contagion among students who were completing internships. On 28 February 2020, the Italian National Institute of Health (NIH) created a course that aimed to guide healthcare personnel so that they can appropriately address the health emergency due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), making use of the available scientific evidence and official sources of information and updates. The purpose of this paper was to describe the method used by the Sapienza University of Rome in delivering the Italian NIH course for health professions students at Italian universities. The research group in charge of delivering the course decided to use the Google Classroom platform. Since 1 April, 80 classes have been created, and currently, 15000 students from 28 health professions bachelor's and master's degree programs and 43 universities around Italy are attending the course. A total of 13000 students have completed the final test. This paper represents a clear advantage in the field of e-learning, not only because it describes an effective method for delivering a course to many students but also because it demonstrates how health professions students can be protected while allowing them to continue or restart internships in health facilities more safely and with more awareness. [For the full proceedings, see ED621620.]
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- 2020
17. Mitigating the effect of COVID-19 in a postemergency phase: The role of sense of community and individual resilience.
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Marco R, Angela F, Anne E B, Alessia R, Jenny Z, and Terri M
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- Humans, Female, Male, Adult, Italy epidemiology, Middle Aged, United States epidemiology, SARS-CoV-2, Surveys and Questionnaires, Aged, Pandemics, Young Adult, Mental Health, COVID-19 psychology, COVID-19 epidemiology, Resilience, Psychological
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To identify and confirm patterns of relationships connecting sense of community (SOC) and individual resilience with psychological well-being, via the mediation of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) impacts on life domains. An online survey was conducted with a sample of adults (n = 650) 1 year after the COVID-19 outbreak in Italy and the United States (April-December 2021). Utilizing a Structural Equation Model, we tested a mediation model (n = 563) to identify the associations between SOC and individual resilience and the perceived impacts of the emergency situation and psychological well-being. Results revealed that during the crisis, SOC had an influence on psychological well-being, but only by mediating the effects of COVID-19 impacts on life domains. Independently, individual resilience had a direct influence on psychological well-being. The findings support the importance of the interaction of individual and collective variables that played different roles at different phases of the pandemic. The findings suggest for possible interventions to enhance well-being during crises., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Community Psychology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)
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- 2024
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18. Ethical prioritization of critical care resources during COVID-19: perspectives from Italy and the United States.
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Galvagni L and Raho JA
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- Humans, Italy epidemiology, United States epidemiology, Resource Allocation ethics, Pandemics ethics, Health Priorities ethics, Health Resources ethics, COVID-19 epidemiology, Critical Care ethics, Triage ethics, Health Care Rationing ethics, SARS-CoV-2
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This article examines some of the ethical challenges of prioritizing intensive care resources during the Covid-19 pandemic by comparing the Italian and United States contexts. After presenting an overview to the clinical, ethical, and public debates in Italy, the article will discuss the development of triage allocation protocols in United States hospitals. Resource allocation criteria underwent increased scrutiny and critique in both countries, which resulted in modified professional and expert guidance regarding healthcare ethics during times of emergency and resource scarcity., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)
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- 2024
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19. Epidemiological shifts in bronchiolitis patterns and impact of the COVID-19: A two-season comparative study.
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Presti S, Manti S, Gammeri C, Parisi GF, Papale M, and Leonardi S
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- Humans, Infant, Male, Female, SARS-CoV-2, Italy epidemiology, Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections epidemiology, Severity of Illness Index, Child, Preschool, Infant, Newborn, Bronchiolitis, Viral epidemiology, COVID-19 epidemiology, COVID-19 complications, Bronchiolitis epidemiology, Bronchiolitis virology, Seasons, Hospitalization statistics & numerical data
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Background: Bronchiolitis is a common lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) affecting infants and young children. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has historically been the primary causative agent, but other viruses also contribute to the LRTI epidemiology. Recent changes in epidemiology and clinical patterns due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have raised concerns. This study aims to analyze the impact of the pandemic on bronchiolitis epidemiology and severity., Methods: Two consecutive bronchiolitis seasons (October 2021 to March 2022 and October 2022 to March 2023) were compared. Data on viral agents, hospitalization duration, clinical severity, and respiratory support requirements were collected from pediatric patients at San Marco Hospital, University of Catania., Results: In the 2021-2022 season, RSV was the predominant virus (40%), followed by other viruses, with mild clinical outcomes. In the 2022-2023 season, RSV remained prevalent (58.7%), but other viruses, including rhinovirus (RV) and influenza, showed a significant increase (p < .05) in bronchiolitis cases and severity. Notably, RSV-related bronchiolitis did not exhibit greater severity compared to non-RSV cases in the 2022-2023 season, contrary to the previous year., Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic appears to have shifted the epidemiological landscape of bronchiolitis, with a peak incidence in November instead of January/February. Non-RSV viruses (RV, influenza A and B, as well as metapneumovirus) have gained prominence, possibly due to viral competition and reduced pandemic-related restrictions. Traditionally, RSV has been the primary pathogen responsible for most bronchiolitis cases. Nonetheless, the findings of this study indicate a shifting landscape in bronchiolitis etiology, with RSV gradually diminishing in its role. Contrary to the previous year, RSV-related bronchiolitis did not exhibit greater severity compared to non-RSV cases in the 2022-2023 season., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)
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- 2024
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20. Rethinking Inclusive (Digital) Education: Lessons from the Pandemic to Reconceptualise Inclusion through Convivial Technologies
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Francesca Peruzzo and Julie Allan
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The COVID-19 pandemic and the move to remote education exposed old and new inequities, yet it also represented an opportunity to rethink inclusive education. This paper presents findings from a one-year project "DIGITAL in a time of Coronavirus" and draws upon policy analysis and interviews with teachers, principals, and community leaders from six countries in the Global North and South (Italy, England, Malaysia, Australia, United States and Chile). By mobilising education assemblage theory to challenge binary divisions (included/excluded, modern/colonial, local/global), it presents five concepts to rethink inclusion and its relationship with technologies. It illustrates how during the pandemic alternative entanglements of digital and non-digital technologies challenged narrow and Eurocentric constructions of the digital divide enabling inclusive subjective experiences. Drawing upon local possibilities and histories, re-habilitating non-scientific knowledges, especially in view of future experiences of blended education, the paper seeks to provide policy tools to rethink current understandings of inclusive education.
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- 2024
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21. Mathematics Education in Lower Secondary School: Four Open Online Courses to Support Teaching and Learning
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Barana, Alice, Casasso, Francesca, Fissore, Cecilia, Marchisio, Marina, and Roman, Fabio
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In the light of an educational emergency aggravated by the health emergency following the COVID-19 pandemic, the DELTA (Digital Education for Learning and Teaching Advances) Research Group developed four open online courses available to lower secondary school students and teachers. The four courses, devoted respectively to Numbers, Space and Shapes, Data and Predictions, Relations and Functions, contain interactive materials to support the teaching and learning of Mathematics. We have made the four open online courses available to teachers, tutors, and students within two projects. Both projects are aimed at lower secondary school students, especially those with difficulties in Mathematics. In this paper we discuss the methodologies and technologies used to develop the online courses and we show an example of the interactive materials that can be found within the courses. The results show the appreciation of the resources by teachers, tutors and students, a sign that open online educational resources can foster a change in Mathematics teaching and learning. [For the full proceedings, see ED621108.]
- Published
- 2021
22. Digital Competences for Educators in the Italian Secondary School: A Comparison between DigCompEdu Reference Framework and the PP&S Project Experience
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Fissore, Cecilia, Floris, Francesco, Marchisio, Marina, Rabellino, Sergio, and Sacchet, Matteo
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Schools are facing a new challenge in their approach to education, due to the spreading of digital technologies. New tools and new ideas take shape at an increasing rate. Educators and teachers at all levels need to be trained and keep up to date with technological opportunities. Some help comes from official EU documents providing directions, guidelines, and reference framework. This is the case of the DigCompEdu, a resource about digital competences for educators, which lists 22 digital competences divided into six main areas equally important for the development of good practices in digital education. In this paper, we want to observe the list of competences in the "Problem Posing and Solving" project, an Italian experience with teachers in STEM disciplines , supported by the Italian ministry of Education; this project makes use of digital technologies of different kinds and innovative methodologies that enhance teaching and learning in secondary schools. We will analyze the competency framework from the point of view of teachers and students participating to the project. [For the full proceedings, see ED621620.]
- Published
- 2020
23. Teacher Support in COVID-19 Pandemic to Develop Blended Learning Disruptive Models in Higher Education
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International Association for Development of the Information Society (IADIS), Floris, Francesco, Genovese, Alessio, Marchisio, Marina, Roman, Fabio, and Sacchet, Matteo
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COVID-19 pandemic has created significant changes in higher education institutions. After university lockdown, a transition from face-to-face learning to distance learning was unavoidable and several teachers and students had to approach new technologies. The DELTA (Digital Education for Learning and Teaching Advances) Research Group provided support to six degree programs at the University of Turin: each professor received specific trainings and the group constantly helped and checked the implementation of the online courses. In this paper the support provided during the emergency period has been analysed in order to evaluate the improvements in teaching methodologies, and to assess professors' transition to future blended learning disruptive models. The results show an important change in methodology for some courses, aiming at improving the online learning processes. The research data analysis and qualitative study about the usage of the Digital Learning Environment describe the courses' disruptive models. They are useful to understand which elements of the emergency response turned out to be positive and which ones to be unfavourable, in order to be able to redesign post-COVID higher education.
- Published
- 2020
24. Assessing the Physical and Psychological Well-being of Construction Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Prospective Study in Italy.
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Tobia L, Muselli M, Mastrangeli G, Cofini V, Di Marcello G, Necozione S, and Fabiani L
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- Humans, SARS-CoV-2, Pandemics prevention & control, Prospective Studies, Psychological Well-Being, Communicable Disease Control, Italy epidemiology, Health Personnel psychology, COVID-19 epidemiology, COVID-19 prevention & control, Construction Industry
- Abstract
Objective: This prospective study aimed to assess the physical and psychological health of construction workers and examine the relationship between their well-being and the preventive measures implemented against SARS-CoV-2., Methods: During occupational visit, the workers were invited to participate the survey. Two measurements were made and compared: after the Italian lockdown and on the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic., Results: Fifty-three workers participated in the study. The percentage of workers who considered themselves in good health increased from 66.0% to 81.1%, and there was a significant decrease in the 12-item General Health Questionnaire score (16.8 vs 14.0, P = 0.0003). This reduction was associated with a higher perception of security by preventive measures., Conclusions: The study highlights the importance of addressing the health and safety concerns of construction workers during the pandemic, and the positive impact of effective preventive measures., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: None declared., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.)
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- 2024
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25. Changes in clinical, demographic, and outcome patterns of children hospitalized with non-SARS-CoV-2 viral low respiratory tract infections before and during the COVID pandemic in Rome, Italy.
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Buonsenso D, Ferro V, Viozzi F, Morello R, Proli F, Bersani G, Lazzareschi I, Santangelo R, Sanguinetti M, Fiori B, Zampino G, and Valentini P
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- Child, Humans, Infant, Pandemics, Rome, Retrospective Studies, Italy epidemiology, Demography, COVID-19 epidemiology, Respiratory Tract Infections diagnosis
- Abstract
Introduction: We performed this study aiming to evaluate changes in epidemiology, clinical presentation and outcomes of children hospitalized for viral lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI)., Methods: We performed a retrospective study of children younger than 18 years of age hospitalized for LRTIs with a positive respiratory viral testing from 2018 to 2022. We compared need of pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), invasive ventilation, and other respiratory support, viral etiologies, clinical presentations, imaging, and laboratory results in the precovid (2018-2019) and covid (2020-2022) period., Results: A total of 523 were included in the analysis. In the pandemic period, the detection of influenza was 95% less likely to occur (odds ratio [OR]: 0.05; 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 0.02-0.12; p < .001), likewise the detection of adenovirus was 77% less likely to occur (OR: 0.23; 95% CI: 0.10-0.51; p < .001). In the pandemic period, the number of codetections increased from 15.52% in 2018 to 57.25% in 2022, resulting in a significantly increasing trend (p < .001). The odds of transfer to PICU was more than five times greater during the pandemic period (OR: 5.31; 95% CI: 1.78-15.86; p = .003)., Conclusions: We found that the pattern of LRTI in children during COVID-19 pandemic significantly changed in terms of etiologies and increased severity., (© 2023 The Authors. Pediatric Pulmonology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)
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- 2024
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26. Commission for International Adult Education (CIAE) of the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE). Proceedings of the 2022 International Pre-Conference (71st, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, October 10-11, 2022)
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American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE), Commission for International Adult Education (CIAE) and Griswold, Wendy
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The Commission on International Adult Education (CIAE) of the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE) provides a forum for the discussion of international issues related to adult education in general, as well as adult education in various countries around the globe. These "Proceedings" are from the Commission of International Adult Education's (CIAE) 2022 International Pre-Conference. This year's "Proceedings" contain 12 papers from 18 authors, representing CIAE's usual diversity of authors and topics. Researcher and research sites include Canada, China, Ghana, Italy, Nigeria, and the United States. A major theme continuing from the 2021 conference is the impact of COVID-19 on learners in a variety of settings, including teacher training, adult basic education, and higher education. A second major theme concerns cross-cultural learning, including among migrants and in higher education. Some papers address adult learning experiences in myriad social contexts, such as learning for democracy, aging, military, and spiritual learning. A special feature at this year's Pre-Conference is a focus on CONFINTEA VII and the Marrakech Framework for Action. A panel and discussion session on these important endeavors are part of the Pre-Conference Agenda, with key documents provided in the 2022 Proceedings. [Individual papers are indexed in ERIC.]
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- 2022
27. Joint Statement on the Role of Respiratory Rehabilitation in the COVID-19 Crisis: The Italian Position Paper.
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Vitacca, Michele, Carone, Mauro, Clini, Enrico Maria, Paneroni, Mara, Lazzeri, Marta, Lanza, Andrea, Privitera, Emilia, Pasqua, Franco, Gigliotti, Francesco, Castellana, Giorgio, Banfi, Paolo, Guffanti, Enrico, Santus, Pierachille, and Ambrosino, Nicolino
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- *
CONSENSUS (Social sciences) , *EMPLOYEE recruitment , *EPIDEMICS , *WORKING hours , *INTENSIVE care units , *LABOR supply , *MEDICAL protocols , *NURSES , *PHYSICAL therapy , *PHYSICIANS , *PROFESSIONS , *RESPIRATORY diseases , *COVID-19 - Abstract
Due to the exponential growth of the number of subjects affected by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the entire Italian health care system had to respond promptly and in a very short time with the need of semi-intensive and intensive care units. Moreover, trained dedicated COVID-19 teams consisting of physicians were coming from different specialties (intensivists or pneumologists and infectiologists), while respiratory therapists and nurses have been recruited to work on and on without rest. However, due to still limited and evolving knowledge of COVID-19, there are few recommendations concerning the need in respiratory rehabilitation and physiotherapy interventions. The presentation of this paper is the result of a consensus promoted by the Italian societies of respiratory health care professionals who contacted pulmonologists directly involved in the treatment and rehabilitation of COVID-19. The aim was to formulate the more proper and common suggestions to be applied in different hospital settings in offering rehabilitative programs and physiotherapy workforce planning for COVID-19 patients. Two main areas of intervention were identified: organization and treatment, which are described in this paper to face the emergency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2020
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28. One Year Later: Digitalized Higher Education in Pandemic Times. An International Study of Higher Education Faculty's Response
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Trevisan, Ottavia and De Rossi, Marina
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The paper describes the international research conducted in collaboration between the University of Padova, University of North Texas, and Windesheim University of Applied Sciences. The study explores how higher education faculty involved in professionalizing courses for the educational area perceive the pandemic-induced transition to digitalized education (DE), after one year of experience with it. This paper introduces the second phase of a research study that began as early as spring 2020, with an online survey distributed worldwide. It seeks to investigate possible changes after one year of digitalized education related to (1) perceptions of institutional support and professional training offered; (2) potential and challenges of DE; and (3) professional intentions for future uses of DE. Details on the instrument's reliability and structure will also be provided. We are exploring how the DE is changing teachers' routines and whether these changes are paving the way for collaborative, reflective, and student-centred approaches that could have long-term consequences. This is to help focus future training pathways to better support teachers in teaching effectively and efficiently for learning, both in times of crisis and in times of normalcy.
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- 2023
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29. QTc Prolongation to Predict Mortality in Patients Admitted with COVID-19 Infection: An Observational Study.
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Sartorio A, Burrei G, Cristin L, Zoncapè M, Carlin M, Tadiello E, Minuz P, Dalbeni A, and Romano S
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- Humans, Male, Female, Aged, Middle Aged, Risk Factors, Aged, 80 and over, Risk Assessment, Prognosis, Heart Rate, Italy epidemiology, SARS-CoV-2, Predictive Value of Tests, Patient Admission, COVID-19 mortality, COVID-19 complications, COVID-19 diagnosis, Long QT Syndrome mortality, Long QT Syndrome diagnosis, Electrocardiography
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Background: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), characterized by pulmonary infection ranging from asymptomatic forms to respiratory insufficiency and death. Evidence of cardiac involvement in COVID-19 is increasing, and systemic inflammation or direct heart damage by SARS-CoV-2 can prolong the corrected QT interval (QTc)., Methods: In this observational study, a total of 333 consecutive patients admitted to the Covid Center of Verona University Hospital from November 2020 to April 2021 were included. Patients with bundle branch block, pacemaker-controlled heart rhythm and heart rate >120 beats/min were excluded. A complete electrocardiogram (ECG) was performed at admission, and QTc values of ≥440 ms for males and ≥460 ms for females were considered prolonged., Results: Overall, 153 patients had prolonged QTc (45.5%). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, male sex (odds ratio (OR)=6.612, p=0.046), troponin (OR=1.04, p=0.015) and lymphocyte count (OR=3.047, p=0.019) were independently associated with QTc prolongation. Multivariate logistic regression showed that QTc was independently associated with mortality (OR=4.598, p=0.036). Age, sex, the ratio between the partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) and the fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) (P/F), and fibrosis-4 index for liver fibrosis (FIB-4) were also independently associated with mortality., Conclusion: QTc interval prolongation appears to be a frequent finding in patients with COVID-19. Moreover, prolonged QTc may be predictive of more severe forms of COVID-19 and worse outcome., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)
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- 2024
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30. Cancer patients' needs for volunteer services during Covid-19: a mixed-method exploratory study.
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Alfieri S, Gangeri L, Sborea S, and Borreani C
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- Humans, Pandemics, Surveys and Questionnaires, Italy, COVID-19, Neoplasms therapy, Neoplasms psychology
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Introduction: To date, there are no known studies that have investigated the new need for volunteer services among cancer patients during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, it is essential for volunteer associations to heighten such knowledge to best guide their offer in this challenging period., Aim: The present study aims to provide a mapping of the cancer patients' needs for volunteer services followed at Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori in Milan (Italy) during the Covid-19 pandemic. Since there are no specific questionnaires for this purpose, we created an ad hoc tool for which we report the preliminary result., Method: We used a mixed-method multiphase approach., Phase I: in April-May 2020 40 ad hoc paper questionnaires were distributed at the entrance of the aforementioned hospital, with the aim of investigating patients' needs through two open-ended questions then analyzed through thematic analysis., Phase Ii: the contents that emerged from Phase I were transformed into items and submitted to the judgment of a small group of "peers" (patients) and "experts" (professionals) in November-December 2020 to evaluate their comprehensiveness, representativeness and intrusiveness. Phase III: in January-February 2021 paper questionnaires, containing the items reviewed in Phase II, were distributed within the hospital to a representative sample of cancer patients. We applied descriptive statistics, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Cronbach's Alpha., Results: 32 patients completed Phase I, 3 "peers" and 9 "experts" participated in Phase II, 214 patients completed the questionnaire in Phase III. EFA highlights five kinds of needs during the Covid-19 pandemic, in order of priority: (1) need to be supported at the hospital; (2) need for emotional support; (3) need for daily errands; (4) need for practical support to family members; (5) need to share free time. Preliminary results on the tool are encouraging, although further studies are needed. These results will allow local volunteer associations to adapt their services during the pandemic., (© 2023. The Author(s).)
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- 2023
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31. The residential healthcare for the elderly in Italy: some considerations for post-COVID-19 policies.
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Cepparulo A and Giuriato L
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- Aged, Delivery of Health Care, Female, Frail Elderly, Humans, Italy epidemiology, Pandemics, Policy, COVID-19 epidemiology
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In Italy, the COVID-19 pandemic and the death of many elderly people have put in evidence the uneven territorial distribution of nursing homes, which have amplified the spread and severity of the pandemic. By applying a pooled OLS model to the Italian regions, over the 2010-18 period, we investigate the demand factors, market forces and institutional drivers of the spatial distribution of residential healthcare for the elderly. Using a fine-grained approach that considers specific regional and age-related elements and the market environment, which can reduce or increase the pressure on regional governments to provide formal assistance, we find that the financial resources and the availability of unemployed women as potential caregivers explain the distribution of expenditure better than the health needs of the elderly. As a result, the expenditure is concentrated in richer and more financially autonomous regions and it is not congruent with the distribution of chronicity, health and frailty factors or income among the elderly. These critical issues of the care services for frail elderly people, related to a highly decentralized governance and resulting in fragmented, market-driven provision, could be attacked only by a national reform., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)
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- 2022
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32. Assessment in Mathematics: A Study on Teachers' Practices in Times of Pandemic
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Cusi, Annalisa, Schacht, Florian, Aldon, Gilles, and Swidan, Osama
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Lockdowns imposed by many countries on their populations at the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis forced teachers to adapt quickly and without adequate preparation to distance teaching. In this paper, we focus on one of the most formidable challenges that teachers faced during the lockdowns and even in the post-lockdown emergency period, namely, developing assessment that maintains the pedagogical continuity that educational institutions typically require. Based on the results of a previous study, focused on the analysis of answers to an open-ended questionnaire administered to a population of 700 teachers from France, Germany, Israel and Italy, a semi-structured interview series was designed and implemented by the authors of this paper with a small group of teachers. The transcripts of these interviews were analysed according to the interpretative phenomenological analysis methodology, with the aim of investigating teachers' own perspectives on the following: (a) the difficulties with which they had to contend, with respect to the question of assessment; (b) the techniques adopted to deal with these difficulties; and (c) the ways in which the lockdown experience could affect the future evolution of teachers' assessment practices. This analysis supported us in formulating hypotheses concerning the possible long-term effects of lockdown on modes of assessment in mathematics.
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- 2023
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33. A Simple but Efficient Concept of Blended Teaching of Mathematics for Engineering Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic
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Busto, Saray, Dumbser, Michael, and Gaburro, Elena
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In this article we present a case study concerning a simple but efficient technical and logistic concept for the realization of blended teaching of mathematics and its applications in theoretical mechanics that was conceived, tested and implemented at the Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering (DICAM) of the University of Trento, Italy, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The concept foresees "traditional" blackboard lectures with a reduced number of students physically present in the lecture hall, while the same lectures are simultaneously made available to the remaining students, who cannot be present, via high-quality low-bandwidth "online streaming." The case study presented in this paper was implemented in a single University Department and was carried out with a total of n=1011 students and n=68 professors participating in the study. Based on our "first key assumption" that traditional blackboard lectures, including the gestures and the facial expressions of the professor, are even nowadays still a very efficient and highly appreciated means of teaching mathematics at the university, this paper deliberately does "not" want to propose a novel pedagogical concept of how to teach mathematics at the undergraduate level, but rather presents a "technical concept" of how to "preserve" the quality of traditional blackboard lectures even during the COVID-19 pandemic and how to make them "available" to the students at home via online streaming with adequate audio and video quality even at low internet bandwidth. The "second key assumption" of this paper is that the teaching of mathematics is a dynamic "creative process" that "requires" the "physical presence" of students in the lecture hall as audience so that the professor can instantaneously fine-tune the evolution of the lecture according to his/her perception of the level of attention and the facial expressions of the students. The "third key assumption" of this paper is that students need to have the possibility to interact with each other personally, especially in the first years at the university. We report on the necessary hardware, software and logistics, as well as on the perception of the proposed blended lectures by undergraduate students from civil and environmental engineering at the University of Trento, Italy, compared to traditional lectures and also compared to the pure online lectures that were needed as emergency measure at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The evaluation of the concept was carried out with the aid of quantitative internet bandwidth measurements, direct comparison of transmitted video signals and a careful analysis of ex ante and ex post online questionnaires sent to students and professors.
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- 2021
34. COVID-19's Impact on Higher Education: A Rapid Review of Early Reactive Literature
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Khan, Muzammal Ahmad
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This rapid systematic review aims to examine emerging evidence on the effects of COVID-19 on educational institutions and assess the prevalence of e-learning changes in the sector. This paper reviews literature on learning, teaching, and assessment approaches adopted since the COVID-19 outbreak, and assesses the impact on the sector, staff, and students, summarizing findings from peer-reviewed articles. It categorizes these into five key themes: (1) digital learning; (2) e-learning challenges; (3) digital transition to emergency virtual assessment (EVA); (4) psychological impact of COVID-19; and (5) creating collaborative cultures. This represents the first systematic review of COVID-19's impact on education, clarifying current themes being investigated. The author suggests that the term 'emergency virtual assessment' (EVA) is now added for future research discussion. Finally, the paper identifies research gaps, including researching the impact on lesser developed countries, the psychological impact of transition, and the important role of leadership and leadership styles during the transition and handling of the pandemic.
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- 2021
35. Commission for International Adult Education (CIAE) of the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE). Proceedings of the 2021 International Pre-Conference (70th, Miramar Beach, Florida, October 4-5, 2021)
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American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE), Commission for International Adult Education (CIAE) and Griswold, Wendy
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The Commission on International Adult Education (CIAE) of the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE) provides a forum for the discussion of international issues related to adult education in general, as well as adult education in various countries around the globe. These "Proceedings" are from the Commission of International Adult Education's (CIAE) 2021 International Pre-Conference. This year's "Proceedings" contain 17 papers from 37 authors, representing CIAE's usual diversity of authors and topics. Researcher and research sites include Belgium, Belize, Burkina Faso, Canada, China, Germany, Ghana, Italy, Nigeria, Norway, Serbia, and the United States. Not surprisingly, a major theme explored is the impact of COVID-19 on learners in a variety of settings, including school teachers, communities, parents, and higher education. A second major theme concerns digital resources and addressing the digital divide. Some papers address practices and research methods that enhance adult learning and others explore professional development, workplace learning, and cultural aspects of learning. [Individual papers are indexed in ERIC.]
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- 2021
36. Lesson Learned from an Experience of Teaching Support in Higher Education for a Digital Transition in the New Scenario Created by COVID-19
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Bruschi, Barbara, Floris, Francesco, Marchisio, Marina, and Sacchet, Matteo
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Teaching skills are fundamental for academic positions, which combine research and teaching activities. Thus, universities should look for candidates with excellent research records and teaching experience or skills; another strategy is the training of teaching staff. On the other hand, when dealing with already in-service teachers, the challenges for universities are completely different and it is often difficult to cope with digital technologies for education. Moreover, roles in the education process assume different perspectives. This is the background of this research, which investigates the measures adopted at the University of Turin to deal with the scenario of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent periods. 30 young graduates halfway between students and teachers, one per university department, support teachers and the digital transition. Their role ranges from the didactical support (online teaching methodologies and the use of the Learning Management System) to the preparation, delivery, and monitoring of online assessment and exams. These young assistants received a grant for their role and proper training over all these topics and other themes related to online education, such as accessibility, copyright, video editing. At the start of the second semester, a questionnaire was delivered to these grant holders to receive feedback on their activity during the first semester and exam period. We collected 26 answers from the questionnaire. Results show that, among the different roles, they were more involved with online examinations and students' support, while collaborating more with professors and with their peers. Most of these grant holders would like to participate again in such an experience, it being useful for their future career, the teachers of the future. [For the full proceedings, see ED621108.]
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- 2021
37. Effects of the Lockdown on Perceived Stress and Well-Being: A Study on Italian University in the First Period of Isolation Due to COVID-19
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Parlangeli, Oronzo, Palmitesta, Paola, Guidi, Stefano, Di Pomponio, Ileana, Bracci, Margherita, and Marchigiani, Enrica
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This study investigated the effect of the isolation during the lockdown period on psychological distress and well-being in a sample of professors (N=150), students (N=150) and technical administrative staff (N=150) from 3 Italian Universities, in the region of Tuscany. We administered a self-reported online questionnaire to collect socio-demographic information, investigate issues in work and study life, and assess the level of perceived stress and psychological well-being. The results of this study indicate that under conditions of isolation perceived stress levels are increased, and this is related to the experience of an unpleasant house environment. This is also significantly predicted by the occurrence of issues with online lectures and administrative activities for university professors or by having issues with managerial support for technical administrative staff. On the other hand, for university students, a good relationship with other students is of great importance to maintain a high level of mental well-being and being male is a protective factor. Evidently, aspects related to the deprivation of opportunities for peer relationships are experienced as particularly problematic. [For the full proceedings, see ED621108.]
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- 2021
38. Criterion Validity and Reliability of Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) in a Student Population during COVID-19 Pandemic
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Berardi, Anna, Ruotolo, Ilaria, Sellitto, Giovanni, Panuccio, Francescaroberta, Polimeni, Antonella, Valente, Donatella, Tofani, Marco, and Galeoto, Giovanni
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Background: Because of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Italy, control measures were adopted, such as closure of schools, universities, workplaces, and subsequently lockdown, so everyone's life changed. This is associated with psychological disorders in general public and in particular on students. Objective: To evaluate validity and reliability of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) in the assessment of perceived stress of Italian students after the lifestyle changes due to the outbreak of COVID-19. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: A mailing list was used for the recruitment of students. Internal consistency was examined through Cronbach's Alpha Coefficient; Criterion validity was evaluated comparing PSS scores to SF-12 values, and Pearson Correlation. Coefficient (PCC) was calculated. Correlation analyses were also used to investigate Cross-cultural validity. Results: The PSS scale was administered to 400 medical and health professionals' students in July 2020. Alpha Coefficient's value was statistically significant, and correlation with the SF-12 health survey was good (p<0,01). A correlation was found between Perceived Stress and gender, BMI, and also between PSS scores and time spent sitting and exercising under pandemic. Conclusions: The Italian version of PSS scale is a valid and reliable instrument to assess Perceived Stress among medical and health professionals' students. [For the full proceedings, see ED621108.]
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- 2021
39. Proceedings of the International Association for Development of the Information Society (IADIS) International Conference on Cognition and Exploratory Learning in the Digital Age (CELDA) (18th, Virtual, October 13-15, 2021)
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International Association for Development of the Information Society (IADIS), Sampson, Demetrios G., Ifenthaler, Dirk, and Isaías, Pedro
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These proceedings contain the papers of the 18th International Conference on Cognition and Exploratory Learning in the Digital Age (CELDA 2021), held virtually, due to an exceptional situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, from October 13-15, 2021, and organized by the International Association for Development of the Information Society (IADIS). The CELDA conference aims to address the main issues concerned with evolving learning processes and supporting pedagogies and applications in the digital age. There have been advances in both cognitive psychology and computing that have affected the educational arena. The convergence of these two disciplines is increasing at a fast pace and affecting academia and professional practice in many ways. The CELDA 2021 Conference received 68 submissions from more than 21 countries. Out of the papers submitted, 34 were accepted as full papers for an acceptance rate of 50%; 16 were accepted as short papers, and 2 were accepted as reflection papers. In addition to the presentation of full, short and reflection papers, the conference also includes one keynote presentation from an internationally distinguished researcher: Dr. David Scaradozzi, Department of Information Engineering, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Italy. [Individual papers are indexed in ERIC.]
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- 2021
40. A Multi-Component Curriculum to Promote Teachers' Mental Health: Findings from the PROMEHS Program
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Cavioni, Valeria, Grazzani, Ilaria, Ornaghi, Veronica, Agliati, Alessia, Gandellini, Sabina, Cefai, Carmel, Camilleri, Liberato, Bartolo, Paul, Tatalovic Vorkapic, Sanja, Golob, Lana, Poulou, Maria, Martinsone, Baiba, Supe, Inga, Simões, Celeste, Lebre, Paula, Colomeischi, Adina, Rusu, Petruta, Acostoaie, Lidia, Vintur, Tatiana, and Conte, Elisabetta
- Abstract
In the last two years, a growing number of studies have focused on the promotion of students' mental health to address the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, less studies have been conducted on sustaining teachers' mental health which has been affected by the sudden changes in online teaching and the difficulties in keeping and building relationship with students. Even before the pandemic, teaching has long been recognised as one of the most challenging occupations characterized by high levels of stress. Although the research highlighted the key role of mental health promotion among teachers, there is still a lack of programs enhancing teachers' wellbeing. This study examined the impact of the PROMEHS program, a school-based curriculum, on teachers' mental health. A total of 687 teachers participated in the study. Applying a pre- and post-training study design with experimental and waiting list groups, teachers were evaluated in social and emotional learning, resilience, and self-efficacy. The results showed that there was a significant improvement in all competences of the teachers in the experimental group compared to those in the waiting list group. The paper discusses the implications of the findings with recommendations for further studies in the area.
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- 2023
41. International Schools and De-Globalisation: Exploring the Tensions during the COVID-19 Crisis
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Lucy Bailey and Mark T. Gibson
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This paper explores the thesis of de-globalisation in relation to international education. Through interrogating accounts of international school leadership during the COVID-19 crisis, the tension between international expectations and localised realities is charted, with four central tenets of internationalism undermined by the pandemic experience. It is argued that the COVID-19 crisis, ostensibly a single global event, resulted in the fractalisation of international education; the conceptualisation of unified internationalism was undermined by the inherently localised material effects of the pandemic. In place of an internationalism that is unified, transcendent, inclusive and connected, international school leaders' accounts of leading through the pandemic focused on their sense that their schools were fractured, rooted, privileged and isolated. It is suggested that this international crisis demonstrates the precarious nature of the respatialising of the global that is intrinsic to international schooling.
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- 2024
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42. The Role of School-Home Communication in Supporting the Development of Children's and Adolescents' Digital Skills, and the Changes Brought by COVID-19
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Beilmann, Mai, Opermann, Signe, Kalmus, Veronika, Vissenberg, Joyce, and Pedaste, Margus
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School-home communication is a growing research field in social sciences, particularly in education sciences and communication studies. While previous studies have paid much attention to the importance of school-home interaction in supporting primary academic socialisation and progress of elementary school pupils, the role of teacher-parent communication and collaboration in influencing the development of children's and adolescents' digital skills remains an under-researched area. This paper employed thematic analysis of in-depth interviews with education experts in six European countries, providing an insight into their opinions and views on the problems in communication between homes and schools. The analysis identified main problems in and obstacles to school-home collaboration on children's digital skills development, and the changes the COVID-19 pandemic brought along in this field of education. The paper provides five policy recommendations for enhancing school-home collaboration on digital skills development.
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- 2023
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43. Proceedings of the International Association for Development of the Information Society (IADIS) International Conference on e-Learning (Virtual, July 21-25, 2020)
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International Association for Development of the Information Society (IADIS), Nunes, Miguel Baptista, and Isaias, Pedro
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These proceedings contain the papers of the 14th International Conference on e-Learning (EL 2020), which was organised by the International Association for Development of the Information Society, July 21-23, 2020. This conference is part of the 14th Multi Conference on Computer Science and Information Systems 2020, July 21-25, which had a total of 625 submissions. Due to an exceptional situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, this year the conference was hosted virtually. The e-Learning (EL) 2020 conference aims to address the main issues of concern within e-Learning. This conference covers both technical as well as the non-technical aspects of e-Learning. The conference accepted submissions in the following seven main areas: (1) Organisational Strategy and Management Issues; (2) Technological Issues; (3) e-Learning Curriculum Development Issues; (4) Instructional Design Issues; (5) e-Learning Delivery Issues; (6) e-Learning Research Methods and Approaches; and (7) e-Skills and Information Literacy for Learning. [Individual papers are indexed in ERIC.]
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- 2020
44. A Bourdieusian Analysis of Vaccine Hesitancy. The Case of Italian Upper Secondary School Students
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Fiorenzo Parziale
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The aim of this paper is to propose an original analysis of the association between social status and attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines regarding upper-secondary students in Italy. The research was conducted by administering an online survey on a probabilistic and stratified sample of 5,699 students, in the spring of 2021, when the vaccination campaign in Italy had been underway for only a few months. Following the bourdieusian perspective, we have used a multiple correspondence analysis to examine the polarization between pro-vaccine and anti-vaccine groups as the clash of stances that agents take in accordance with their position in the cultural field. Our results suggest that the construction of a negative school experience by the subordinate classes is the source of a lack of social recognition in the cultural field, which feeds an aversion to everything the main institutions in this field recommend should be done.
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- 2024
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45. Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder -- A Literature Review
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Saeed Ahm, Aunsa Hanif, Ikram Khaliq, Shahana Ayub, Sundas Saboor, Sheikh Shoib, Muhammad Youshay Jawad, Fauzia Arain, Amna Anwar, Irfan Ullah, Sadiq Nave, and Ali Mahmood Khan
- Abstract
Objective: This review summarizes evidence pertaining to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the psychological health of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Materials and Methods: An electronic search was conducted using four major databases--PubMed, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Using an umbrella methodology, the reference lists of relevant papers were reviewed, and citation searches were conducted. The study included articles written in English between January 2020 and March 2021 that focused on the psychological health of autistic children and adolescents. Results: All eight studies included in the final review were cross-sectional. Three of the eight studies were conducted in Italy, two in Turkey, and one study each in Portugal, Spain, and the United Kingdom, with a total of 1,407 participants. All studies used a mixture of standardized and non-standardized questionnaires to collect data. The total number of patients were 1407 at a mean age of 9.53 (SD = 2.96) years. Seven studies report gender; male 74.7% (657/880) and female 25.3% (223/880). The finding showed that behavioral issues in children and adolescents with ASD have significantly increased; 521 (51.9 percent) of the 1004 individuals with ASD presented with behavioral changes, including conduct problems, emotional problems, aggression, and hyperactivity. Some studies also found increased anxiety and difficulties managing emotions. Only one study reported clinical stabilization in children with ASD during COVID-19. Finally, 82.7% of families and caregivers of children with ASD (544 out of 658) faced challenges during COVID-19. Conclusion: Although the studies in this review suggest a general worsening of ASD children's clinical status, it remains difficult to draw definitive conclusions at this moment, with newer COVID-19 variants on the rise worldwide. During this difficult pandemic period, caregivers, families, and healthcare professionals are recommended to pay more attention to the ASD patients' health and care needs.
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- 2024
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46. Distance Learning: Rethinking Learning Design in Higher Education during the COVID-19 Pandemic
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Ferrari, Luca and Fabbri, Manuela
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During the second semester of the 2019/2020 academic year, due to the regulatory restrictions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, Bologna University, like many others, was compelled to stop delivering its face-to-face offering and to switch, in a very short time, to the creation of a technological architecture that would enable students to continue their education through teaching via Distance Learning. After illustrating the active teaching model adopted in two courses offered by the University of Bologna Department of Education Studies, this paper addresses future educators by focusing on the main findings from a semi-structured online questionnaire completed by 84 students. The first part of the paper considers a rethinking of educational planning at the time of COVID-19, while the second and final part analyses student perceptions (using the questionnaire's open questions) of their Distance Learning experience in the initial phases of the pandemic scenario.
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- 2022
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47. Exploring Students' Mathematical Discussions in a Multi-Level Hybrid Learning Environment
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Giberti, Chiara, Arzarello, Ferdinando, Bolondi, Giorgio, and Demo, Heidrun
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The research described in this paper focused on the issue of describing and understanding how mathematical discussion develops in a hybrid learning environment, and how students participate in it. The experimental plan involved several classes working in parallel, with pupils and teachers interacting both in their real classrooms and in a digital environment with other pupils and teachers. The research was based on a rich set of data collected from the M@t.abel 2020 project, which was developed in Italy during the COVID health crisis. Based on Complementary Accounts Methodology, the data analysis presented in this paper involved specialists from the fields of mathematics education and inclusive education. In the study we considered the complexity of learning and the different elements that have an impact on students' activity and participation, when they are engaged in mathematical discussions within the multilevel-digital environment that emerged due to the pandemic. These parallel analyses showed that 'mathematical discussion in the classroom' is a complex (and sometimes chaotic) phenomenon wherein different factors interweave. A complementary approach assists in developing a global vision for this dynamic phenomenon and in highlighting local episodes that are crucial in this interplay of factors. It is precisely in these episodes that the role of the teacher is fundamental: these episodes appear as catalysts for the different variables, with the teacher acting as mediator.
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- 2022
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48. The Impact of COVID-19 on U.S. College Students, and How Educators Should Respond
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Hamlin, Alan R. and Barney, Steve T.
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The genesis and spread of COVID-19 around the world since 2020 have caused severe impacts in every aspect of people's lives, from work life to recreation, social activities to physical health. Higher education has not been excluded. Universities have altered curriculum, changed delivery methods, provided more counseling, purchased new technology, and altered attendance policy for classroom, athletic, social and artistic events (Hamlin, 2021). To assess the impacts of these changes on college students, the authors created a questionnaire to ask students about their perceptions of these COVID-related impacts on their own personal lives. The survey had 56 questions about how the virus affected their academic, social, financial, physical and emotional lives. Over 800 students responded with objective input and subjective comments. Due to the volume of data, the authors have split the study into two parts. The survey results for the first part, academic and social aspects of the survey, were published in "Understanding the Impact of Covid-19 on College Student Academic and Social Lives," Research in Higher Education Journal Volume 41 (see http://www.aabri.com/manuscripts/213347.pdf). It will sometimes be referred to herein to provide clarity to the reader. The actual survey itself can also be found at that site. This paper focuses on the impact of the coronavirus on student financial and physical well-being, which have become major stressors to this age group and have contributed to higher levels of anxiety and depression. It also examines how the virus has affected their social and emotional well-being. Lastly, recommendations are made to help educators understand the severity of the problem, and to take action to provide assistance for those students who have been adversely affected.
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- 2022
49. Remote Working in Italian SMEs during COVID-19. Learning Challenges of a New Work Organization
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Barabaschi, Barbara, Barbieri, Laura, Cantoni, Franca, Platoni, Silvia, and Virtuani, Roberta
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Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to analyze how remote working has been carried out during the first wave of the pandemic in Italian SMEs, representing at the same time an organizational challenge and an excellent opportunity for individual and organizational learning. Design/methodology/approach: This paper involved 60 Italian SMEs of various sectors and 330 employees--217 clerks (average age 42) and 113 managers (average age 48) belonging to different functional units and with a different education backgrounds. Two different questionnaires, one addressed to clerks and one to managers/executives who coordinate the remote working activity, were prepared and sent. This paper investigates the issues of perceived productivity, technological preparation, coordination, programming and control with specific attention to how the participants faced the remote working experience from the learning point of view. Findings: Before the pandemic, Italian SMEs did not feel the necessity to adopt a structured policy on remote working. The COVID-19 emergency has forced them to consider that working remotely is possible and can produce benefits and positive results for what they learned in terms of autonomy, motivation and trust, to the detriment of physical presence, which is not as fundamental to ensure productivity. Originality/value: While large, formalized and structured companies encountered modest difficulties being already technologically and culturally prepared for remote working, the big challenge was that of SMEs, who found themselves obliged to adopt it. This paper examines how Italian SMEs lived and evaluated the switch to a new work organization and turned it into an occasion for workplace learning.
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- 2022
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50. A Teacher Training Project to Promote Mathematics Laboratory during the COVID-19 Health Crisis in Italy
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Giberti, Chiara
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The M@t.abel2020 project supported Italian teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic period, proposing activities based on the mathematics laboratory teaching method which are suitable for distance learning situations. The project resulted in the establishment of an online community of 1,500 teachers. In this paper we present an exploratory study based on an open-ended questionnaire assigned to teachers involved in the project, with the aim of analyzing the results of this training project in terms of mathematics teacher's specialized knowledge. Results show that the project enriched teachers' knowledge not only in terms of pedagogical content knowledge but also in mathematical knowledge.
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- 2022
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