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Government of India has cleared the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020 by bringing out many reforms in the education sector with a focus on education design, delivery, and assessment. This work is an attempt toward perceiving the post-COVID-19 era as an enabler in the engineering education process for the implementation of blended learning. Causal analysis through the Ishikawa diagram is brainstormed for enlisting all the potential causal factors for the inability to restore normalcy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Process Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (PFMEA) is adopted for restoring normalcy through prioritized corrective actions. Thus, NEP 2020 is considered for leveraging blended learning.

The study aims to examine the readiness of Indian parents towards online classes at kindergarten and junior school levels, by identifying the perceived barriers, perceived effectiveness and health impact of online classes on young children. The study is based on data collected across a random sample of 750 parents of students studying at junior and kindergarten levels in urban private schools which offer online classes. The data was analyzed through exploratory factor analysis, ANOVA and multiple regression analysis. Technological, infrastructural, and personal barriers related to students, and parents, were identified as perceived barriers by parents in availing online classes for their kids. Parents' attitude towards online classes at kindergarten and primary levels gets negatively influenced by the barriers they face, and the perceived negative impact of technology usage on their kids' health, while; perceived effectiveness was found to have a positive impact on the parents' attitude. The study is unique as it includes the interest of such young stakeholders of the education system. The study highlights the barriers faced by parents related to online classes and the health-related concerns which play a major role in the adoption of online mode of education for their kids. Research gives insights to school authorities and the government to work on these barriers and make the online education system effective which is the need of the hour during COVID-19.

This research is identifying and compares the impact of digital transformation on academicians' well-being in public and private Indian universities. To initiate the research, one exogenous construct namely 'virtual transformation in higher education,' and two endogenous constructs called 'workplace well-being' and 'psychological well-being' of academicians have been identified. The data has collected from 395 respondents segregated into academicians from 213 public and 182 private Indian universities. Research hypotheses are developed to find the significant difference among academicians of public and private universities with regard to the impact of virtual transformation on their wellbeing. The Multigroup Analysis (MGA) technique of PLS-SEM has been used to investigate the result. It has been revealed that although the overall association is negative between virtual transformation and academicians' well-being, this negative association also has a significant difference when compared among public and private universities in India.

In terms of scale, shock, and disenfranchisement, the disruption to formal education arising from COVID-19 has been unprecedented. Anecdotally, responses from teachers and educators around the world range from heightened caution to being inspired by distance education as the "new normal." Of all the challenges, face-to-face and formal teaching have been most heavily affected. Despite some education systems demonstrating resilience, a major challenge is sustaining quality and inclusiveness in formal education suddenly delivered at a distance. In probing these issues, this article profiles international perspectives on the role of open education in responding to the impact on formal school and higher education caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. We proceed by highlighting and analysing practices and case studies from 13 countries representing all global regions, identifying and discussing the challenges and opportunities that have presented themselves. Reports cover the period from the beginning of 2020 until 11 March 2021, the first anniversary of the COVID-19 outbreak as declared by the World Health Organization. In our comparative study, we identify seven key aspects of which three (missing infrastructure and sharing OER, open education and access to OER, and urgent need for professional development and training for teachers) are directly related to open education at a distance. After comparing examples of existing practice, we make recommendations and offer insights into how open education strategies can lead to interventions that are effective and innovative--to improve formal education at a distance in schools and universities in the future.

Aim/Purpose: This mixed-methods study aims to examine factors influencing academicians' intentions to continue using AI-based chatbots by integrating the Task-Technology Fit (TTF) model and social network characteristics. Background: AI-powered chatbots are gaining popularity across industries, including academia. However, empirical research on academicians' adoption behavior is limited. This study proposes an integrated model incorporating TTF factors and social network characteristics like density, homophily, and connectedness to understand academics' continuance intentions. Methodology: A qualitative study involving 31 interviews of academics from India examined attitudes and the potential role of social network characteristics like density, homophily, and connectedness in adoption. Results showed positive sentiment towards chatbots and themes on how peer groups accelerate diffusion. In the second phase, a survey of 448 faculty members from prominent Indian universities was conducted to test the proposed research model. Contribution: The study proposes and validates an integrated model of TTF and social network factors that influence academics' continued usage intentions toward AI chatbots. It highlights the nuanced role of peer networks in shaping adoption. Findings: Task and technology characteristics positively affected academics' intentions to continue AI chatbot usage. Among network factors, density showed the strongest effect on TTF and perceived usefulness, while homophily and connectedness had partial effects. The study provides insights into designing appropriate AI tools for the academic context. Recommendations for Practitioners: AI chatbot designers should focus on aligning features to academics' task needs and preferences. Compatibility with academic work culture is critical. Given peer network influences, training and demonstrations to user groups can enhance adoption. Platforms should have capabilities for collaborative use. Targeted messaging customized to disciplines can resonate better with academic subgroups. Multidisciplinary influencers should be engaged. Concerns like plagiarism risks, privacy, and job impacts should be transparently addressed. Recommendation for Researchers: More studies are needed across academic subfields to understand nuanced requirements and barriers. Further studies are recommended to investigate differences across disciplines and demographics, relative effects of specific network factors like size, proximity, and frequency of interaction, the role of academic leadership and institutional policies in enabling chatbot adoption, and how AI training biases impact usefulness perceptions and ethical issues. Impact on Society: Increased productivity in academia through the appropriate and ethical use of AI can enhance quality, access, and equity in education. AI can assist in mundane tasks, freeing academics' time for higher-order objectives like critical thinking development. Responsible AI design and policies considering socio-cultural aspects will benefit sustainable growth. With careful implementation, it can make positive impacts on student engagement, learning support, and research efficiency. Future Research: Conduct longitudinal studies to examine the long-term impacts of AI chatbot usage in academia. Track usage behaviors over time as familiarity develops. Investigate differences across academic disciplines and roles. Requirements may vary for humanities versus STEM faculty or undergraduate versus graduate students. Assess user trust in AI and how it evolves with repeated usage, and examine trust-building strategies. Develop frameworks to assess pedagogical effectiveness and ethical risks of conversational agents in academic contexts.

The purpose of this research is to study the moderating role of organizational support on the relationship between social support and self-employment intentions of professional and technical education students. A total of 418 valid responses were used for data analysis. SPSS AMOS version 24 and Process Macro version 4.2 were used to test the proposed hypotheses. The direct relationship between social support and self-employment intentions was found to be strong and significant. The moderation analysis shows that at the higher level of organizational support, social support has a significant positive impact on the self-employment intentions of the students. Subsequently, as the organizational support is lessened, the relationship becomes non-significant.

The current educational scenario is changing and inclining more towards digital technologies for teaching-learning. Interactions during the classrooms or virtual sessions are vital for students' learning engagements. Learner-learner interactions and educator-learner interactions during online classes are to be promoted and sustained for a better teaching-learning experience. The use of social media in education is noted in previous research. This paper aims to explore the role of social media in learner-learner interactions and its impact on students' learning engagement. A theoretical model is proposed in the study through a review of existing literature. The model testing is done with data of 344 respondents through a self-designed structured questionnaire. The respondents are selected from an urban city in western India. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling are applied for the hypotheses testing and regression analysis. The results indicate that the learner-learner interactions, as well as the educator-learner interactions, are imperative for student learning engagement in online teaching. Also, learner-learner interactions are positively affected by the students' self-efficacy concerning the technology. The study also noted that the use of social media improves learner-learner interaction and student learning engagement in a technology-mediated learning environment.

Purpose: The study aims to examine the mediating effect of psychological well-being (PWB) on the relationship between teamwork skills and student engagement (SE) in higher education institutional setups. Design/methodology/approach: The study used a triangulation mixed-methods approach. Data were collected from final-year students pursuing post-graduation and graduation in private colleges in India. In the main study, quantitative data was gathered from 276 students through a survey. The relationship among the variables-teamwork skills, SE and PWB was empirically validated through path analysis; mediation was also conducted. In the auxiliary study, qualitative data was gathered through focus group sessions and was analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings: Results depicted that teamwork skills positively predict students' engagement with their academic program. Additionally, PWB partially mediates the relationship between teamwork skills and SE. Originality/value: The study was conducted to expand understanding of aspects related to promoting students' engagement in HEIs in Delhi and Haryana through being attentive toward teamwork skills development and through taking care of students' PWB.

Purpose: This study primarily aims at assessing Faculty Competences Development Components (FCDCs) that help in the development of educational leaders. The study further formulates a model using seven latent constructs that explain the development of the mechanism of development of educational leaders and extend the benefits of their development to different stakeholders including faculty, educational institutions and society at large. Design/methodology/approach: A systematic review of the literature was conducted to identify various FCDCs to construct a conceptual framework. Later, this conceptual framework was tested through empirical research using the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique carried out with respect to technical institutions of Punjab (India). Findings: The study identified that organizational roles are of the highest importance for the competences development of educational leaders followed by teachers' attributes and teachers' roles. The study's findings also revealed that FCDCs significantly impact beneficiaries by developing competent educational leaders as mediators between the FCDCs and beneficiaries link. The biggest beneficiaries of development are faculty members of these institutes in terms of their performance enhancements. Originality/value: The study is unique in terms of developing a model for the competences development of educational leaders and helpful in understanding various benefits of the educational leaders to various educational stakeholders.

Purpose: The study aims to shed light on the role of university support (US), environmental concern (EC) and Sustainable Development Goal knowledge (SDGK) in forming students' intention (SI) to engage in sustainability-driven entrepreneurship. The authors attempted to blend the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and social cognitive career theory (SCCT) as a potentially useful theoretical base for sustainability-driven entrepreneurial intention (SDEI) development. Design/methodology/approach: The responses were collected from university students in India using a self-administered questionnaire. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and partial least squares structured equation modelling (PLS-SEM) are used to examine the data. Findings: The university support strongly influences students' attitudes towards sustainable entrepreneurship (ATT) and outcome expectations (OEs). Also, the degree of understanding about SDGs among students was alarmingly low, which has crucial negative consequences for future SDG achievement. Practical implications: The findings of this study may assist academicians and environmental strategists in deciding the crucial factors influencing SI to start a sustainable business. The study highlights the importance of universities in promoting entrepreneurial sustainability decisions. Originality/value: This research will add value to the prevailing literature in the area of sustainable entrepreneurship as it explores the effects of environmental concern, SDGK and the role of US on sustainable entrepreneurial intention (EI) among Indian engineering students.

"Dalits" are a historically marginalized caste group in India. In this study, we examine the impact that the institution of caste has on career change. Focusing on the shift from science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to non-STEM careers, we ask why members of the Dalit communities in India leave their STEM careers. To present a comprehensive understanding of this career change, we also examine the factors that facilitate their retention in STEM careers. Deriving data from in-depth interviews with 42 STEM scholars from the Dalit communities in India, we illustrate their organizational experiences that are based on casteism. Qualitative data analyses were done using the grounded theory method. Results suggest that while caste operates in a unique way to drive away Dalit scholars from their STEM careers, doing gender plays an important role in their retention within the same careers.

The propensity to cheat is intrinsic to every kind of education or training that requires effort and commitment. Academic dishonesty is a significant issue among secondary and postsecondary students worldwide. The majority of students have been involved in at least one kind of academic dishonesty in the preceding academic year. The fraud triangle was studied to explain student dishonesty. The present research evaluates how much the fraud triangle theory adds to business school students' dishonesty. Technology as a mediator has also been studied. The research found that, despite their insight into the gravity of most cheating activities, students continued to actively participate in cheating.

Purpose: The present paper concerns the domestic and international accreditations of business schools to find the commonalities in various accreditation standards. The study also addresses cost involvement and comparisons between various accreditations. Design/methodology/approach: The research examined the requirements, methods and preparations for many national and international accrediting authorities. The accreditation criteria, history and guidelines were collected from secondary data sources. The content analysis was used to draw conclusions about the similarities and differences between the data sources and identify any differences and similarities between various accreditations. Findings: The study found commonalities across accreditation standards and cost analyses, helping institutions achieve suitable accreditations. To unify the administrative procedure at the institutional level and reduce duplicates for schools seeking multiple accreditations, similarities in all accreditation requirements are analysed. The comparison helps organisations determine which accreditation standard best suits their needs and goals. Schools with limited budgets might compare accreditation costs to determine which are worth pursuing. Research limitations/implications: This study is limited to comparing a few accreditation bodies related to management education. In future research, the study may be extended to other areas. The use of the approach developed in this study for evaluating accreditation agencies of different streams, such as engineering, science and medicine, will be the study's future implications. Practical implications: The research indicates that schools can streamline accreditation by identifying commonalities, aligning procedures, comparing standards and conducting cost assessments. These insights aid efficient accreditation and inform accrediting bodies' framework enhancements. Standards facilitate global performance comparisons. Originality/value: This is likely the first study to compare Indian and international accreditations using the accreditation frameworks and cost analyses using comparative analysis. The study recommends strategies for achieving academic benchmarks through continuous improvement activities and success in international competition.

In India, changes in legislation and policy have increased the number of students with disabilities enrolled in higher education. The purpose of this study was to investigate university teachers' perceptions towards inclusion of students with disability public and private universities in India. The study examined how age, gender, educational levels, years of teaching experience, and frequency of interaction with a person with a disability influence instructors' views about people with disabilities and their inclusion at public and private academic institutions. Data was collected through a digital questionnaire from private and public universities in Pune, India. The population of the study comprised of full time University teachers' (under-graduate, post-graduate and doctoral courses) in Pune. The survey was completed by 309 university teachers. Descriptive statistics, independent sample t-test and ANOVA were used to examine the data. The researchers found no statistically significant relationships between teachers' perceptions of inclusion in regards to degree level, gender and years of experience. The study did, however, discover a statistically significant relationship between teachers' perceptions of inclusion and their interaction with students with disabilities. Academic and social outcomes of students with disabilities are significantly enhanced when inclusive approaches are used. Goals for future research are discussed.

It is well known that teachers are central to education reforms and to providing high-quality instruction. The National Curriculum Framework 2005 identifies the need for professionally qualified teachers and the need to enhance the professional identity of schoolteachers. Low-fee private schools are often presented as a solution to the supposedly poor quality of education provided by government schools. Based on ethnographic fieldwork, this article examines the micro-managed context of teachers' work in low-fee private schools in semi-urban Delhi. It illustrates ways in which curriculum and pedagogy were used to control teachers' work and analyses these observations in the light of New Public Management discourses. This article argues that teachers strongly constructed their work as provisional and used silence and exit as a way to cope within the highly regulated work environments of the school.

This article engages with the teacher education (TE) reform approach adopted in India's National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. It locates the policy recommendations in the context and challenges of TE in India and makes sense of the NEP's vision for the domain. It examines the knowledge traditions and global education policy (GEP) discourses that underlie the proposed reforms, and the translation of the core reform ideas in the national regulatory framework for implementation. The first part of the findings identifies the knowledge traditions and influences of GEP inherent in the policy and argues that NEP's reform approach is an assemblage of fundamentally inconsistent discourses. The second part examines the regulatory norms and standards of the NEP-recommended TE programme to understand what makes it distinct as compared to similar ongoing programmes. Based on the analysis, the article argues that the proposed new programme is a tweaked version of India's conventional TE approaches.

The American Psychological Association defines trauma as "an emotional response to a terrible event. . . ." Trauma can be experienced as a response to either physical or emotionally disturbing circumstances. The Journalism and the Pandemic Project from the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) and the Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia University, in their global survey of journalists, have studied the impact of the pandemic on journalists across the globe. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused varying degrees of disruptions in the personal and professional lives of journalists. Traumatic experiences like covering traumatic events up close, COVID-induced health issues, job loss, pay cuts, and insecurity at the workplace have consumed journalists like never before. Overwhelming emotions like shock, helplessness, loneliness, depression, and anxiety are some of the reactions observed by mental health experts. Indian journalists, too, like their counterparts across the globe, have had to take on the challenges posed by this unprecedented crisis. This article intends to study the impact of the pandemic on Indian journalists both from physical and emotional perspectives. The objectives of the study include--(a) to analyze the journalists' response to traumatic experiences during the pandemic, (b) to study the nature of trauma experienced by journalists during the pandemic, (c) to analyze how traumatic experiences affected the journalists, and (d) to explore and analyze how journalists managed to cope with the traumatic experiences. The study adopts social cognitive theory (SCT) as the framework. SCT comprises four goal realization processes: self-observation, self-evaluation, self-reaction, and self-efficacy. The four components are interrelated, and all influence motivation and goal attainment. Social cognition includes diverse processes linking the perception of social information with a behavioral response, including perception, attention, decision-making, memory, and emotion. The post-traumatic reactions include re-experiencing the traumatic event in flashbacks, recurrent nightmares, and intrusive memories, hypervigilant arousal, impaired concentration, depression, sleep disturbances, self-devaluation, avoidance of reminders of traumatic experiences, emotional detachment from others, and disengagement from aspects of life that provide meaning and self-fulfillment, which impair intrapersonal, interpersonal, and occupational functioning. The scope of the study covers the journalists' responses to traumatic experiences specific to the pandemic. The study adopts a mixed research method with a thematic analysis of the qualitative data from interviews of journalists followed by a factor analysis of the quantitative data from the survey of the journalists.

Student's attitudes towards Statistics are pivotal to their learning process as positive attitudes lead to highly satisfactory course achievement and lead to positive outcomes outside class as well. In this paper we are exploring the perception of students of management apropos Statistics, familiarity with which is imperative in today's world of Analytics. The quantitative approach was used to compare attitudes of the students using the two versions of the "SATS-36" instrument validated and copyrighted by Candace Schau. A Google form was used to collect responses and was sent to all the students who were enrolled in the Business Statistics course. 172 students responded for the pre-test study while 71 students responded for the post-test study. Data was analysed to see if gender, specialisation choices and previous math experiences accounted for differences in perceptions towards Statistics. It was found that students' overall perception of statistics is positive and surprisingly they were more positive towards the beginning of the semester. These results are important as they can lead towards understanding of business student's attitudes towards statistics and a way to refine the teaching learning process so that students are in a strong position to exploit the supply demand gap in the Analytics domain and deliver value to organisations.

Bertrand Russell's educational thoughts significantly deal with reforming education for school going children and he also supported pre-primary education. He favored early childhood education for physical, intellectual and character development. His emphasis on character development of a child shows the significance of early years of life for development of an individual. This paper aims at exploring Bertrand Russell's thoughts on early childhood education. It is an attempt to understand the significance of early childhood education for the holistic development of the children. Though there are early childhood education is prevalent in our country, but it was not mandatory to get early childhood education till the approval of National Education Policy (N.E.P., 2020). It has included early childhood education in compulsory school education for promoting better learning and well being of a child. It is a qualitative research in which historical method has been used where data has been collected from primary and secondary sources. The finding of the study shows that Bertrand Russell's thought on early childhood education is relevant in present Indian context for developing good values, physical and mental development as well as in future learning. This shows that the encouragement to early childhood education and Bertrand Russell's thoughts on early childhood education would be helpful for holistic development of children.

The following paper will reveal the varieties of English pronunciation in India, its features and characteristics. This research helped us to consider the history of occurrence of English in India, the influence of local languages on it, the birth of its own unique English, which is used in India now. The research highlights the impact of English on Indians in general and its modification as the individual language differs from other English variants. The paper illustrates the features of translation and vocabulary in Indian English, which will explore the specification uses of it. The research also provides variations of Indian English as dialect and pronunciation in India because it changes from north to south and east to west. To complete our study, we used a lot of methods, such as observation, comparative, elicitation approaches, collection and analysis of diverse information. Such topic and results of this research could help us to learn the differences in language implementation in different countries and could give some ideas to improve teaching methods that are used in schools and universities all over the world. In conclusion, we found out that the English language has considerably changed since its occurrence, and all these transformations are results of globalisation, the realisation of new technologies, development of media and strengthening of communication between different countries.

Purpose: The quality of vocational education and training (VET) processes plays an important role in international education policies and research. In India, issues of quality came into focus in recent years due to an increased demand for skilled workers, and continuing challenges in the area of quality of VET. Existing quality assurance mechanisms of VET in India are characterised by a lack of comprehensiveness and uniform standards. This paper addresses the contextualised development of an Indian-specific approach for quality measurement. It centres on following research question: Which quality areas, criteria and related indicators are of relevance for measuring quality comprehensively? Approach: Design-based research substantiates the research objective, which is to develop a model that is theoretically and technically sound, as well as adapted to the national context. The question of how to create "cultural-fit" was essential for the research process illustrated in this paper. Starting point for the development of the approach was to build a structured review, and following analysis, with reference to existing models and approaches to quality management. The initial search examined national and international academic sources for quality management in business and education, as well as governmental sources for quality management strategies in VET. A significant number of models were selected, based on inclusion criteria, and these models were aggregated to provide a source for a first own conception of an approach. Results: Quality dimensions and criteria were collected and identified with reference to distribution across models. In total, seven major quality areas are identified, namely Institutional Sphere and Context; Personnel; Educational Planning, Provision and Assessment; Learning and Teaching; Leadership and School Management; Industry Linkage and Learner Achievements. In addition, 40 quality criteria are determined under these major quality fields, and relevant quantitative and qualitative sub-indicators for measurement are derived. Conclusion: The actual results will be a basis for the following pilot-based implementation in India. The model can provide meaningful feedback and data-based recommendations for continuous improvement of the Indian VET system and may furthermore provide for a reflected and contextually adapted implementation in other countries.

Though e-learning and learner's perspective have been researched a lot by researchers, there is a real dearth of quality empirical research studies on adoption of massive open online courses (MOOCs) from teachers' perspective in general and in Indian scenario in particular. In addition to accomplishing these, the presented research is also unique as it deploys technology acceptance model for Indian educators' perspective for the first time. Towards this end, the paper presents the development of seven hypotheses, their compilation in the proposed conceptual model followed by its testing with model-fit indices. Technically, two-step data analysis with confirmatory factor analysis, path analysis with structural equation modelling and reliability analysis with Cronbach's alpha (CA) have been carried out. This is the first formal attempt to statistically investigate and validate the determinants of teachers' acceptance and use of MOOCs. Specifically, the influence of social context, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and content quality on the teacher's intentions of adopting MOOCs have been examined. The role of mediating factors and the possibility of a teacher's intention to adopt MOOCs in the near future are also analysed in depth.

Purpose: This study aims to identify factors affecting Generation Z (Gen-Z)'s online learning (OL) behavioural intention (BI) using the extended technology acceptance model by investigating gender differences in the BI of Indian students to adopt OL. Design/methodology/approach: The proposed model was tested on 284 students from a higher education institution (HEI) in Gujarat, India, using the partial least square--structural equation modelling. Further, the subgroup analysis was conducted using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) to determine male and female OL adoption variances. Findings: Based on the research findings, all the constructs positively influence the BI of Gen-Z to adopt OL, except the influence of information technology infrastructure (INF) on perceived usefulness (PU). However, no substantial difference was observed in the BI adoption of OL amongst males and females. Also, when gender was kept as a moderator between computer self-efficacy (CSE) and PU, and INF and perceived ease of use (PEU), no substantial difference was observed in the OL of Gen-Z. Research limitations/implications: The study will benefit HEIs and associated government departments from a deeper understanding of Gen-Z's BI to speed up deployment and consider key elements essential while considering OL. Originality/value: This article found major determinants of Gen-Z's BI to adopt the OL in HEI. To the best of the author's understanding, this is amongst the few studies to explore these ideas in the context of India. The uniqueness of the topic has been brought to light by the fact that "gender" has been employed as a moderator between attitude and BI, INF and PEU, and CSE and PU.

Purpose: This research aims to examine the impact of virtual learning platforms and instructor presence (IP) on learner satisfaction (LS). Further, this study examines the role of learner engagement (LE) in order to improve the LS. Design/methodology/approach: This research uses both primary and secondary data sources to compile the research's findings. The primary source of data includes 610 responses from various higher education institutes in India. The collected data were analysed using the partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) technique. Findings: This research provides evidence that the theoretical model is accurate with the gathered data sample. In the model, online platform (OP) is an independent variable, whereas LS is a dependent variable, and IP and LE are the mediating variables. The outcomes demonstrated that OP has a positive impact on IP and LE. Also, the relationships between IP and LE, IP and LS and LE and LS are significantly positive. The mediation analysis validates the importance of the IP and LE for relationships. Originality/value: This investigation presents a comprehensive model, which demonstrates the relationship between OP, IP, LE and LS. The study makes a unique reference to several theories in order to boost interaction and IP in virtual learning, the learner's learning experience can be enhanced. The model helps teachers and educational institutions formalise strategies to boost interaction and examine the institutions' pedagogy to enhance satisfaction.

Purpose: This research aims to analyze the impact of work engagement, organization culture and leader-member exchange (LMX) on an intern's intention to join the organization during the e-internship. The COVID-19 pandemic influenced interns and organizations to undertake the way internships. Internships from home affected the interaction and communication between the organization and interns. This study also investigates the moderating role of work engagement and LMX on the intern's intention to join the organization. Design/methodology/approach: Data was collected from 190 interns through an online questionnaire. Standardized questionnaires were used in the study to measure all the variables. Findings: The research shows that perceived Organizational Culture and Work Engagement are essential in impacting an intern's intention to join the organization. Also, it was found that the Work Engagement and LMX do not moderate the relationship between Organizational Culture and the intention of an intern to join the organization. Research limitations/implications: They include factors which are not being considered for the research or are beyond the control of the researcher. This paper had a couple of limitations as well. The sample size taken for the research was less. More respondents would have given better results. Other factors that may influence the intention of an intern to join his/her respective organizations were not considered. This study only considered the three variables of Work Engagement, LMX and Organizational Culture. Intervening effects of other variables if any were assumed to be absent. Other intricacies may be there in the research variables that were beyond the scope of this study. Practical implications: The results of the present study are of use to organizations which are interested in converting their interns to full-time employees. These results clearly indicate the importance of organization culture in impacting an intern's intention to join the organization, therefore organizations can make their policies, procedures and practices which confirm with the requirements to e-internship. Organizations need to empower the interns so that they feel confident to take decisions during e-internships and organizations also need to communicate and instill the core values among their interns, this alignment with core values is critical for ensuring a good person-organization fit. Also, managers should ensure that the culture of the organization is conducive to the development and mental well-being of the interns, by taking steps such as fostering team spirit, ensuring a customer-centric culture, open and amicable communication, navigating change admirably, and staying true to the core values of the organization. A holistic and wholesome organization culture will ensure that the organization is able to attract and retain the right talent. Originality/value: Research has been conducted in investigating the impact of organizational culture on employee retention, but not much has been studied about the impact of organizational culture on the intention of the intern to join the organization also, how this relationship is impacted by work engagement and mentor-mentee relationship is also unexplored.

Purpose: The main objective of the present research is to depict the experience of challenges and opportunities for virtual accreditation peer review team (PRT) visits. COVID-19 has changed higher education delivery. Higher education accreditation and PRT visits have become online. The lockdown forced schools and accreditation agencies to cancel or change visit arrangements. PRT visits could not be stopped during the COVID-19 pandemic, but accrediting agencies needed to review programme quality to meet standards. Design/methodology/approach: Eight former and present accreditation specialists were interviewed. The researchers described the challenges and opportunities in virtual accreditation visits (VAV). Also, the authors have explained their own experience of coordinating on-site and virtual accreditation visits. Using the NVIVO tool, the experts' replies are transcribed and categorised as challenges and opportunities. Findings: The findings will help the professionals and academicians better prepare for, plan and execute virtual PRT visits for accreditation agencies and schools. The results revealed that the evaluation and accreditation outcomes are similar for virtual and physical accreditation visits. Finally, the findings suggest that accreditation agencies and schools need to adopt a hybrid site visit model for accreditation visits. Practical implications: The school can prepare better for virtual PRT visits by identifying the challenges and opportunities ahead of time. The finding may motivate authorities to schedule meetings in different time zones, prepare document evidence rooms, save money, time, and travel time, and benefit the environment by eliminating paper printing, fuel use, and paper printing. Originality/value: This research is unique and noteworthy since accreditation organisations, PRT members and schools are uncertain about virtual visits. This may be the first paper in this domain to assist accreditation organisations and institutions review accreditation visits online or in hybrid mode.

An appreciative inquiry approach oriented eight semi-structured interviews conducted with teachers from Australia, New Zealand, Austria, Italy, Spain, Canada, Bangladesh and India to identify their intrinsic and extrinsic strengths and understand how they were able to translate them into practice during the first COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. Commitment and determination, collegial support and solidarity were some of the common driving forces identified, despite the differences in teachers' backgrounds, education systems, policies and cultures. Our research sheds light on opportunity solving in times of crisis as well as on the way education systems worldwide can renew themselves to ensure innovative and inclusive quality education.

The perception ability has attained much recognition in the identification of cognitive processing and decision-making in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) individuals. However, the prior studies have subjectively worked on perception ability using conditioning paradigms that can be intolerable for ASD individuals. The present paper quantitatively investigates the perception ability of ASD individuals by modelling visual judgement and statistical learning. Thirty ASD and typically developing (TD) individuals are selected for experimenting distinguishing animated images related to risk situations with different risk levels. The experimental paradigm-based behavioural measures (reaction time, d' index, and accuracy) revealed that ASD individuals, although performed poorly than TDs, they visually and statistically perceived the risk. Quantitatively, the perception level in ASD is (mean 0.57 ± 0.02) in the range [0 1]. In comparison to TDs, the attenuated visual and statistical learning during the experiment could lead to impaired perception in ASD. However, when statistical learning comes into action (comparing performance in block 1 and block 6), it played a crucial role in improving visual knowledge; thus, the perception ability of ASD individuals. In the future, the studies can implicate the quantitative perception to identify other deficits in the ASD phenotype.

Objective: The study explored the impacts of restrictions on the perceived psychological distress and health outcomes in children by their mothers who acted as their full-time caregivers during the pan-India lockdown after the outbreak of COVID-19. Method: A narrative qualitative research design was used and a purposive heterogeneous sample of 20 mothers of children aged 9-11 years were chosen, who were in a full-time caregiving role. Data obtained through a telephonic semi-structured interview were analysed using Narrative Thematic Method. Results: Four themes were generated--aberrant social responsivity and loneliness, decreased interest in regular activities, psychological distress and defiant emotional responses, and negative health outcomes. Anxiety, irritation, quarrelsome behaviours, anger, frustration, feeling low, reduced interest in games, boredom, etc. were reported in children. Decreased appetite, sleep disturbances, complaints of indigestion and multiple complaints of body aches were major negative health outcomes. Conclusions: Mothers described a variety of psychological distress and health outcomes for children due to the extreme restrictions, uncertainty, apprehension, reduced positive engagement and lowered social connection after the outbreak of the pandemic. Family-, media-, school- and community-based real or virtual intervention programmes are recommended to minimize the negative impacts and to guard children against the ill-consequences of restrictions of current and future pandemics.

This paper traces the location of the principles of India's Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, in the country's most recent National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, and the documents leading up to the policy. It draws on the capability development approach and critical theory that facilitate understanding education as a fundamental right, moving beyond the narrow understanding of education as a mere instrument for the global economy. It also draws on global education policy literature and critical policy analysis lens to examine the assumed policy rationality. Based on a qualitative document analysis the paper argues that the policy does not demonstrate a commitment to the ideas of public-funded elementary education, child-centered democratic learning environment, and bridging the gap between equity and quality. The recommendations signal a further dilution of the RTE mandates. The policy statements and linguistic choices show an allegiance to neoliberal discourses reflecting the influence of global education policy transfer without systematic consideration of the realities of Indian school education. This approach indicates a missing link between the policy aims and social justice, that does not bode well on the educational rights of the marginalised children.

Under this "new normal" world scenario, online teaching has been essential rather than a choice in continuing learning activities. During the COVID-19 period, virtual teaching platforms played an important role in the success of online teaching in various higher educational institutions. Thus, the current study attempted to predict faculty adoption of online platforms by introducing a set of essential drivers for engaging in online teaching. Following the theory of reasoned action, the study broadened the technology acceptance model variables and security and trust as extrinsic determinants and included resistance to change as moderators to invigorate the research model. Data were collected through an online survey with a sample size of 418 Indian respondents. Our results posit that perceived ease of use, usefulness, security and trust positively influence the faculty's intentions to adopt online platforms. In addition, the study also reported that positive intention leads to the actual use of virtual platforms. Furthermore, the research found the moderating role of the resistance to change dimension in the association of intention and actual use of virtual teaching platforms. The findings provide both theoretical and practical applications of educational technology.

This paper describes a curricular project in which a network of media educators, in making a case for the educational and social values of an interactive documentary, integrated it in a media degree program to encourage activism in students and promote civic engagement. The project provides valid and important results in an immediate sense, while also establishing the foundation for strengthening the media curriculum at educational institutions. For educators, this has positive implications, as along with the traditional content we teach, we also strive to increase the awareness of civic issues among our students to make them better citizens.

Accumulating evidence of the impact of social and emotional learning (SEL) on student well-being as well as academic performance has led to an increased interest in understanding and measuring SEL in students. However, most existing measures have been developed in English and there is a paucity of culturally relevant measures in other languages. In this study, we present a short, culturally sensitive 8-item scale in Hindi entitled the Social and Emotional Learning and Orientation Scale (SELOS). Factor structure of SELOS was established through exploratory (N=2844; M[subscript age]=14.65 years) and confirmatory factor analysis (N=1508; M[subscript age]=14.50 years) with responses from 4352 Hindi-speaking students in India. The scale demonstrated a two-factor structure, with good reliability, discriminant validity and partial measurement invariance across gender. These results provide encouraging evidence for conducting culturally sensitive studies of SEL in India and in other Hindi-speaking parts of the world.

Education in today's epidemic time is possible only through virtual learning platforms. COVID-19 has changed the mode of learning and shown the power of learning in virtual mode. In this paper a self-designed questionnaire on virtual learning was developed to analyse the impact of virtual learning on undergraduate and postgraduate university students. The self-developed questionnaire containing 25 items is tested for validity and reliability. 25 items are further segregated into 5 factors using exploratory factor analysis. These five factors are: Virtual Learning Environment; Virtual Learning and Health Related Issues; Virtual Learning and Interpersonal Issues; Virtual Learning and Technological Issues; Virtual Learning Deliverables. To have the comparative study of undergraduate and postgraduate students for the use of virtual learning platforms, one-way ANOVA is implemented. One-way ANOVA is implemented for each factor and it was found that virtual learning effectiveness increases when students move from Under graduation (UG) to Post Graduation (PG) in India.

When the whole world was tumbled from the spur of COVID-19, virtual learning gave a strong support and life to the education system and saved students to be deprived from their learnings. This research is an attempt to find the impact of virtual learning on the wellbeing of male and female university students in India during COVID-19. Multigroup Analysis (MGA) method of PLS-SEM is used to assess the significant difference among male and female university students for the impact of virtual learning on their wellbeing. Online questionnaires have been floated to collect data from 466 respondents segregated into 209 male and 257 female university students. The result revealed that virtual learning banes and technological challenges have the significant difference for the wellbeing of male and female university students. Whereas study also shows no significant difference among gender for the impact of virtual learning boons and interpersonal challenges on students' wellbeing.

Research indicates that teachers can face challenges in knowing how to support language learners because they often have minimal training in teaching language learners in mainstream contexts (Martin, 2004; Sharma et al., 2011) and may consider language learners using their home language as detrimental to their learning (Franken & McComish, 2003; Mady & Garbarti, 2014; Planas & Setati-Phakeng, 2014; Winsor, 2007). In this article seven volunteer New Zealand teacher participants in a programme to support teachers with no formal teacher education in India are interviewed concerning the strategies used and observed with Indian colleagues when delivering a teacher support programme. The New Zealand teacher participants' reflections evidenced an awareness of the affordances, complexities, and limitations of translation in a multilingual educational setting where the medium of instruction is not the home language of class members. The teachers reported using and observing a range of strategies used to maximise communication in the multilingual setting, including translation, encouraging the use of home languages, using code switching, as well as using paralinguistic cues. Future research concerning the Indian teachers' perceptions of these strategies is suggested.

Purpose: Stress has been a common phenomenon among the working professionals. The stress has been known to affect the job satisfaction level, health outcomes, affect burnout through the physiological, emotional, behavioral and cognitive processes resulting in to low performance. This study aims to identify the factors determining organizational stress among women workers in the garment industry in India and to develop and validate a contextual scale for organizational stress among women workers in the garment industry in India. Design/methodology/approach: This study consisted of women workers who were employed in garment manufacturing companies. The data has been collected through a structured questionnaire, which identifies the factors leading to stress. The respondents of the study included women workers employed in the garment manufacturing units in and around Bangalore. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted and the model fit was tested using confirmatory factor analysis. Findings: The measurement scale for the organization stress of women workers in the garment industry was found to be highly reliable and valid for conducting the study in any Indian garment industry. The analysis identified the factors as follows: job-related factor, organization-related factor, social factor and personal factor. Research limitations/implications: Due to limited access to the population, which is the women workers, the authors have not been able to collect a large sample data. The sample size is the limitation of the study. Practical implications: Organizational stress have has been shown to have a detrimental effect on the health and well-being of employees. Organizations need to step up their effort to integrate emotional well-being, conducive work environment, workloads and job responsibilities, social connectedness and job satisfaction with their efforts to support the physical health and mental health of the workers. Originality/value: The study is one of its kind with a focus on women workers in the garment industry in India. The study highlights the factors that result in stress among women workers who have not been studied in past research studies. The strategies to cope with organizational stress in such a work requirement is different and very challenging, making it unique for practitioners.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought revolutionary changes in many spheres of life including the higher education sector, which has seen a major paradigm shift. The response to this has been in the form of switching to, or adopting the online teaching-learning methodologies for higher education in India. This study is a formal attempt to examine the influence of Perceived Usefulness (PU), Perceived Ease of Use (PEU), attitude, and Facilitating Conditions (FC) on the Continuance Intention (CIU) of the teacher for the use of various digital technologies in teaching practices. With the deployment of Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as a base, we present a model with six different inter-related constructs. The data for empirical investigations is sourced from nearly 250 respondents. Data analysis is carried out in two steps: (a) Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and (b) path analysis with Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). Reliability Analysis (RA) is done using Cronbach's Alpha test. Data analysis reveals that FC and PEU significantly affect CIU to use digital technologies, which affects the Actual Use (AU). Also, the role of Self-efficacy (SE) as a moderating variable between CIU and AU for digital technologies in the study has been found to be significant.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced governments all around the world to impose lockdowns. As schools were closed and the students could attend schools physically, online education apps were used by the students to continue their education. The purpose of the study was to analyze the students' intentions to use online education apps (OEAs) in the post-pandemic scenario. Purposive sampling was used to collect data from 327 first-time users of OEAs for their standard XII education. Various scales related to OEA's aesthetics, students' emotional response to OEAs, and the intentions to use OEAs in the post-pandemic scenario were used in the survey questionnaire. Correlations were analyzed to find answers to the research questions. The findings reflect that the aesthetics of OEA like the app design, graphics, structure, etc. significantly influence the emotional response and the intention of the students to use OEAs in the post-pandemic scenario. The emotional response of the students toward the OEAs, in itself, also influences the intention of the students to use OEAs in the post-pandemic scenario. When the students get pleasure, become excited, and feel in control of the app, their intention to use the OEAs in the post-pandemic scenario is positively influenced. The research adds to the literature related to OEAs, the aesthetics of OEAs, the emotional response to OEAs, and the intention to use OEAs. The OEA industry can use the finding to grow their consumer base in the post-pandemic scenario. The context of OEA and the results are original in nature.

As the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) spread rapidly across the globe, most educational institutions tried to address major challenges of engaging students in a productive way and disseminating knowledge through online learning. Given this consideration, the present study qualitatively explores the observations and experiences of a private university and giant strides taken by the institution in adapting and delivering value to all the stakeholders through educational transformation during the pandemic. The data was collected using observations and in-depth interviews. The findings of the study revealed that the university went through certain structural changes and modified teaching pedagogy for virtual delivery like providing support and training to the faculty before shifting completely to online mode and delivering the sessions online in both synchronous and asynchronous mode. The results of the study are likely to help transform and address the major challenges of engaging students in a productive way and disseminating knowledge through online learning during a pandemic.

Purpose: In today's dynamic situation, innumerable challenges are posited in the education sector because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Higher educational institutes (HEIs) are compelled to adopt digital technologies and technology-mediated learning in the teaching-learning processes. The purpose of this paper is to understand the factors affecting learning effectiveness, learning satisfaction and the mediating role of prerecorded videos from the learners' perspective. Design/methodology/approach: A self-designed structured questionnaire based on previous similar studies is adopted as a survey instrument. It consists of 22 questions to address the five constructs of the proposed hypothesized conceptual model, developed for the study. Data of 311 students from HEIs of Maharashtra state in India were collected. Confirmatory factor analysis is carried out to test the model fitness, reliability and validity, and structural equation modeling is applied to conduct path analysis and hypotheses testing of the model. Findings: Hypotheses testing reveals that perceived usefulness (PU) significantly affects the perceived learning effectiveness, which again affects the learning satisfaction of the students. In addition, perceived ease of use affects the PU as suggested in the technology acceptance model. The prerecorded videos have a moderating role to play in the computer self-efficacy and the perceived learning effectiveness of the students. This research will provide meaningful acumen to enhance the overall learning process among students in urban as well as rural India. Originality/value: This study explores the technology-mediated learning during the unexpected and dynamic situations of the COVID-19 pandemic in the context of higher education in India. For sustainable use of technology-assisted learning, educators must understand the key factors that influence students' learning effectiveness and satisfaction. The research outcomes will lead toward developing the human capacities, as the prerecorded videos at the HEIs of India will provide new approaches for effectively adopting digital technologies and technology-mediated learning.

Background: Picture-naming tests (PNTs) evaluate linguistic impairment in dementia due to semantic memory impairment, impaired lexical retrieval or perceptual deficits. They also assess the decline in naming impairment at various stages of dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) that occurs due to progressive cognitive impairment. With the increasing numbers of people with dementia globally, it is necessary to have validated naming tests and norms that are culturally and linguistically appropriate. Aims: In this cross-sectional study we harmonized a set of 30 images applicable to the Indian context across five languages and investigated the picture-naming performance in patients with MCI and dementia. Methods & Procedures: A multidisciplinary expert group formed by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) collaborated towards developing and adapting a picture naming test (PNT) known as the ICMR-PNT in five Indian languages: Hindi, Bengali, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam. Based on cross-cultural adaptation guidelines and item-wise factor analysis and correlations established separately across five languages, the final version of the ICMR-PNT test was developed. A total of 368 controls, 123 dementia and 128 MCI patients were recruited for the study. Psychometric properties of the adapted version of the ICMR-PNT were examined, and sensitivity and specificity were examined. Outcomes & Results The ICMR-PNT scores in all languages combined were higher in controls compared with patients with dementia and MCI (F[subscript 2], [subscript 615] = 139.85; p < 0.001). Furthermore, PNT scores for MCI was higher in comparison with patients with dementia in all languages combined (p < 0.001). The area under the curve across the five languages ranged from 0.81 to 1.00 for detecting dementia. There was a negative correlation between Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) and ICMR-PNT scores and a positive correlation between Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination--III (ACE-III) and ICMR-PNT scores in control and patient groups. Conclusions & Implications: The ICMR-PNT was developed by following cross-cultural adaptation guidelines and establishing correlations using item-wise factor analysis across five languages. This adapted PNT was found to be a reliable tool when assessing naming abilities effectively in mild to moderate dementia in a linguistically diverse context.

Active learning promotes the capacity of problem solving and decision making among learners. Teachers who apply instructional processes toward active participation of learners help their students develop higher order thinking skills. Due to the recent paradigm shift toward adopting competency-based curricula in the education of healthcare professionals in India, there is an emergent need for physiology instructors to be trained in active-learning methodologies and to acquire abilities to promote these curriculum changes. To address these issues, a series of International Union of Physiological Sciences (IUPS) workshops on physiology education techniques in four apex centers in India was organized in November 2018 and November 2019. The "hands-on" workshops presented the methodologies of case-based learning, problem-based learning, and flipped classroom; the participants were teachers of basic sciences and human and veterinary medicine. The workshop series facilitated capacity building and creation of a national network of physiology instructors interested in promoting active-learning techniques. The workshops were followed by a brainstorming meeting held to assess the outcomes. The aim of this report is to provide a model for implementing a coordinated series of workshops to support national curriculum change and to identify the organizational elements essential for conducting an effective Physiology Education workshop. The essential elements include a highly motivated core organizing team, constant dialogue between core organizing and local organizing committees, a sufficient time frame for planning and execution of the event, and opportunities to engage students at host institutions in workshop activities.

The COVID-19 pandemic has struck education system around the globe. The pandemic initiated an immediate and complete lockdown of all the educational institutions, to keep social distancing. According to healthcare professionals, lockdown and social distancing could help to flatten the infection curve and reduce total fatalities from the COVID-19 pandemic. It has affected more than 90% of the world's learners, as the regular learning approaches are not appropriate in this out of the ordinary times and online learning seems to have become a critical salvation for learning, the educational institutions attempt to minimize the community spread of the disease. All the people participating in the education system accepted that teaching and learning methods need to be altered in the period of COVID-19 as the situation led to forced adaptation of e-learning methods. This paper investigates and evaluates the learners' perception in a higher education institution of India and compares the difference in the perception of the same students in Pre and Post COVID- 19 period, using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences program (SPSS) version 23.0 and JASP 0.14.1 software applications for descriptive and analytical statistics i.e. medium, minimum, maximum, paired t-test and correlation. The result of this papers confirmed that there exists a statistically significant difference in the students' perception towards the Pre-Pandemic and Post-Pandemic learning methods, which indicates that students have a higher perception of the Pre-Pandemic learning blended learning, than that of the Post Pandemic learning web-assisted learning.

Objectives: Post-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) symptoms were widely reported. However, data on post-COVID-19 conditions following infection with the Omicron variant remained scarce. This prospective study was conducted to understand the prevalence, patterns, and duration of symptoms in patients who had recovered from COVID-19. Methods: A prospective study was conducted across 11 districts of Delhi, India, among individuals who had recovered from COVID-19. Study participants were enrolled, and then returned for post-recovery follow-up at 3 months and 6 months interval. Results: The mean age of study participants was 42.07 years, with a standard deviation of 14.89 years. The majority of the participants (79.7%) reported experiencing post-COVID-19 symptoms. The most common symptoms included joint pain (36.0%), persistent dry cough (35.7%), anxiety (28.4%), and shortness of breath (27.1%). Other symptoms were persistent fatigue (21.6%), persistent headache (20.0%), forgetfulness (19.7%), and limb weakness (18.6%). The longest duration of symptom was observed to be anxiety (138.75±54.14 days), followed by fatigue (137.57±48.33 days), shortness of breath (131.89±60.21 days), and joint pain/swelling (131.59±58.76 days). At the first follow-up visit, 2.2% of participants presented with abnormal electrocardiogram readings, but no abnormalities were noticed during the second follow-up. Additionally, 4.06% of participants exhibited abnormal chest X-ray findings at the first followup, which decreased to 2.16% by the second visit. Conclusion: The most frequently reported post-COVID-19 symptoms were joint pain, dry cough, anxiety and shortness of breath. These clinical symptoms persisted for up to 6 months, with evidence of multi-system involvement. Consequently, findings highlighted the need for long-term follow-up during the post-COVID-19 period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the library anxiety in Teacher Trainees and found it to be a prevalent phenomenon in students. The five dimensions of library anxiety, namely, barriers with staff, affective barriers, comfort with the library, knowledge of the library, and mechanical barriers have been identified. The sample of the study constituted 58 teacher trainees of B.Ed. college of Rohtak District in Haryana. The sample was selected by stratified random sampling techniques. The data collected was analyzed by using the statistical techniques of t-test and percentage. The result of study shows that 28% of Teacher Trainees had low library anxiety, 57% of teacher trainees had average library anxiety, and 15.4% of teacher trainees had high library anxiety. It was further found that library anxiety was more in teacher trainees from rural background than teacher trainees from urban background.

Journal club (JC) is an integral part of postgraduate medical education. Although several innovations have been attempted to improve its effectiveness, the influence of the number of sessions remains unexplored. The current study investigated the effect of the number of sessions (one vs. four) of conduction of journal club on critical appraisal skills of postgraduate students at two institutions. A quasi-experimental study was conducted comparing the effectiveness of JC in a one- versus four-session JC format using two objective tests: Critical Appraisal Skills Test (CAST) and Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome (PICO) score. The degree of changes (pre-JC vs. post-JC session) after each format exposure, association of prescores to postscores, and correlation between the CAST and PICO scores were discerned. CAST score was higher in the four-session format (P = 0.03), whereas PICO score increased in the single-session format of JC (P = 0.03). Also, the change in CAST score was higher in the four-session versus single-session JC format (P = 0.04). We conclude that a four-session format of JC is more effective in augmenting critical appraisal skills of postgraduate students, whereas a single session is sufficient for improving factual knowledge.

A quasi-experimental study was conducted in the eighth grade of two public schools located in Central Delhi. Two classes (95 participants) in the intervention school and three classes (108 participants) in the comparison school participated. The brief intervention was implemented across four 2-hour sessions for 1 month in the intervention school. Self-reported violence behavior (bullying, fighting, and victimization) was measured at baseline, posttest, and a 6-month follow-up in both schools. Students and teachers also provided feedback regarding feasibility and acceptability. The difference-in-difference analyses indicated nonphysical aggression, physical aggression, and victimization were significantly lower in the intervention group vis-à-vis comparison group at the 6-month follow-up, but not at baseline or immediate posttest, suggesting sleeper effects. Qualitative feedback indicated that the intervention was acceptable to students and suggested that implementation quality was a key to program effectiveness. These findings suggest that the intervention may curtail the increase in violent behavior in early adolescence.

The instructor developed an assessment tool based on Service-Learning (S-L) for developing business and professional communication (BPC) skills in business school students in India (N = 117). The students practiced their organizational, leadership, and interpersonal communication skills in an authentic, contextual, and workplace atmosphere during this S-L assessment project. The effectiveness of the assessment tool has been studied with a posttest and then pretest. The need for an innovative and holistic BPC skills assessment tool is discussed. The article also presents implications of the project for students and pedagogy along with the challenges in using the assessment project.

The Autism Dysmorphology Measure is designed for non-expert clinicians. It uses an algorithm to assess 12 body regions and categorizes Autism on the number of dysmorphic regions identified; Essential ([less than or equal to] 3), Equivocal (4-5) or Complex ([greater than or equal to] 6). We evaluated 200 Indian children with Autism (mean age 3.7 years) in a hospital-based cross-sectional study and compared inter-group profiles. We found 31% Essential, 49% Equivocal and 20% Complex Autism. On comparing results with existing literature, it appeared that genetic ancestry and age significantly influenced dysmorphism and hence categorization. No significant differences were observed between complex and essential autism in epilepsy, severity of autism or development, as reported earlier. These shortcomings make the present tool unsuitable for use in young Indian children with Autism.