Strengthening the Aging Network: Development and Impact of a Virtual Course for Nutrition Professionals

This paper explores the potential of virtual education options to fulfill policies designed to broaden participation in computer science (CS) education. Virtual education platforms inherently offer access to a wider range of students than traditional brick-and-mortar schools. Access does not preclude the various socio-economic challenges to engaging these platforms, but this format could be used to mitigate barriers to reaching groups of students that have historically been marginalized in CS courses. In 2019, Georgia passed legislation that requires all middle and high schools to offer CS courses by 2025. The legislation also allowed for virtual courses to satisfy the requirement. While the legislation is intent on broadening participation in CS education, it specifically incorporates a virtual option, making it novel among similar legislative actions across the country. In this context, we examine whether virtual CS courses increase access for marginalized student populations. As such, we explore (1) to what extent do the disparities in CS education found in brick-and-mortar classrooms also appear in virtual settings and (2) to what extent is there an association between modality and rurality on CS course enrollment. Using district enrollment data from 2012 to 2019 for CS courses in Georgia, we calculated the percentage of students in marginalized groups that enrolled in physical courses across the state compared to the percentage enrolled in statewide virtual courses to illuminate existing disparities in enrollment. We conducted this analysis at the district level to highlight variability in representative disparity and the underlying structural differences that might contribute to these disparities. Our analysis provides insight that incorporates the different levels of representative disparity districts have overall. As an early adopter of virtual CS education, the Georgia model provides valuable information for states interested in policies to broaden participation in CS courses.

Purpose: The burden of cancer continues to grow in Africa, yet there are too few trained pathologists to manage the rising number of cancer cases. The shortage of resources in African countries, as well as the travel restrictions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, necessitate innovative means of training and supporting pathologists across the continent. In response to requests for training in cancer pathology, two virtual training courses were organized: one conducted in English for participants in Nigeria and another conducted in French for participants across several countries in Francophone Africa. Each course had weekly 90-minute sessions covering essential topics in cancer pathology led by global experts. Methods: Two research questions were investigated for both courses: 1) did the participants improve their knowledge of the topics covered during the course? and 2) did the course participants appreciate the virtual training format? Results: The Nigeria course enrolled 85 participants from 26 Nigerian states, while the Francophone Africa course enrolled 425 participants from 18 African countries. On the post course survey, 95.8% of Nigeria course respondents and 96.1% of Francophone Africa respondents reported being satisfied or very satisfied with the course's virtual format. In the pre-post technical assessment, participants increased their scores on average by 3.4% (p>0.05) in the Nigeria course and by 13.1% (p<0.001) in the Francophone Africa course. Conclusion: Virtual training is a promising tool to improve cancer diagnosis in Africa, as the experience of the two courses illustrates participants appreciate the virtual format. However, continued training and mentorship are required to reinforce new skills and enable the participants to appropriately apply their new knowledge to their daily practice. Citation Format: Daniel Seymour, MPA, Katy Graef, PhD, Yawale Iliyasu, MD, Mohenou Isidore Jean-Marie Diomande, MD, Samuel Jaquet, MD, Melissa Kelly, PhD, Ryan Soles, Dan Milner, MD, MSc, MBA. Pathology Training for Cancer Diagnosis in Africa: Perspectives from Two Virtual Courses [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 9th Annual Symposium on Global Cancer Research; Global Cancer Research and Control: Looking Back and Charting a Path Forward; 2021 Mar 10-11. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2021;30(7 Suppl):Abstract nr 40.

The chapter examines emerging priorities and trends in virtual or online teacher education courses using empirical research findings on online courses. The benefits and challenges of the online practicum course are explored, as well as the efficacy of online coaching if it impacts on participants' teaching practice. The uniqueness of this online course is that it uses synchronous one-on-one coaching as an innovative way of leading them to the next level of inquiry. This virtual course facilitates mutual and progressive improvement through synchronous and asynchronous communication tools. The results include the procedure of the interactive and effective online course development, benefits and challenges of taking well-designed online courses, and impact of guided and reflective virtual coaching as well as future direction.

With the development of big data, virtual course teaching has developed rapidly. In virtual teaching, the lecturer’s position is pivotal, and the virtual teacher’s lecture mainly conveys information through intuitive facial expressions, so the effectiveness of facial synthesis is crucial. However, traditional facial expression synthesis methods suffer from local distortion and lack of subtle expressions due to driving complex topological models and delays due to large computational effort. To this end, this paper proposes a facial expression extraction method based on feature point texture mapping. First, a video face expression feature point tracking algorithm is designed. Firstly, we design a video face expression feature point tracking algorithm. We use a monocular camera to capture facial expression images, use a texture mapping algorithm to detect faces and extract face feature points, and add a time threshold processing mechanism to the relevant filtering algorithm to detect face frame tracking to realize face feature point tracking in video. Secondly, the parameters are controlled by face expression animation, including head pose and face expression parameters. The head pose is solved by the Laplace algorithm, and the head rotation matrix and translation vector are output to establish the coordinate system. Finally, the stability and real-time performance of the feature point texture mapping algorithm are verified by expression capture test and recognition effect. The results of this paper show that: in the expression capture test, the average data transmission time is about 1ms, and the total expression transmission time of each video image frame is 32ms, which is 1.23ms and 9.8ms shorter than the traditional algorithm, respectively; in the expression recognition effect test, the successful recognition rate is increased by 10.2% on average compared with the traditional algorithm; and in the application to the classroom teaching effect test, 86.6% of the students are satisfied with the virtual teacher. 86.6% of the students highly agreed with the virtual teacher teaching, and 83.3% of the students thought that the model had a positive effect on the learners’ learning, which proved the superiority, real-time, stability and practicality of the algorithm designed in this paper compared with the traditional algorithm. The research work in this paper also provides solutions to the problems of virtual course teaching.

IntroductionPeer support gives burn survivors and their loved ones hope for a brighter future helping speed and strengthen recovery for burn survivors and their loved ones. A strategic plan to explore a digital program change from in-person increasing access for burn survivors and burn programs was scheduled for the third quarter of 2021, but the global pandemic expedited the implementation. A 2-week asynchronous and a 4-hour virtual course was designed. This study sought to evaluate the effectiveness and participants' perceptions of asynchronous and virtual training and their post-course readiness in the role of peer supporter.MethodsA 5-point Likert scale was used to evaluate the opinions, perceptions, and satisfaction of the participants. The scale, ranging from strongly agree to disagree strongly, evaluated the modular education (length, relationship to manual, preparation for the virtual course) and the usefulness of a condensed online manual. A 5-point Likert scale (ranging from extremely helpful to not at all helpful) was used to evaluate each component of the course group exercises and the participants' perception of skill development to become peer supporters. Open ended questions collected additional feedback to analyze potential changes to the new platform. The metric Net Promoter Score, or NPS, was used to measure the recommendation of the new program to others.ResultsBurn survivors (n=41) and medical professionals (n=3) participated in 6 courses over eight months. Participants reported the manual helped prepare for the course (86% strongly agree and 14% agree). Respondents felt the asynchronous modular education prepared them for the virtual component of the class (75% strongly agree and 25% agree). Additionally, respondents felt the 2-week timeline for module completion met their expectations (98% yes and 2% no). The participants felt the overall length of the course was just right (89%) to 9% too short and 2% too long. Participants rated their readiness (confidence level) to utilize their learned skills to support another burn survivor (52% extremely confident, 39% very confident, and 9% confident) after the virtual class. The combined courses rated an 82 NPS, equating to a positive participant experience and a course recommendation to others.ConclusionsThis study concluded the asynchronous and virtual education course provided an effective method to train burn survivors to become peer supporters. Overall, burn survivors expressed confidence in utilizing the skills learned from the new training program. Participants also experienced the use of virtual tools to meet the needs of burn survivors for peer support.

BackgroundPatient-oriented research is now widely regarded as key to improving health systems and patient outcomes. This shift toward meaningful patient involvement in health research has sparked a growing interest in patient-oriented research training across Canada. Yet some barriers to participation, including distance and scheduling constraints, may impede the provision of in-person patient-oriented research training. Virtual course delivery options may help surmount those barriers, as well as offer unique pedagogical advantages.ObjectiveTo help increase patient-oriented research training uptake, the research team adapted the Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s (CIHR) Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research’s Foundations for Patient-Oriented Research course to a virtual format. The course consists of three modules, which focus respectively on patient-oriented research, health research methods, and teamwork skills. The current evaluation of this virtual delivery examines how a diverse set of participants received the online course.MethodsCourse participants from a variety of professional backgrounds, including researchers, patients, clinicians, and policy decision-makers, were recruited from across Canada to participate in the adapted course. Participant and facilitator feedback was solicited via online surveys that were distributed shortly after the delivery of each module.ResultsOver the span of the current project, the online course was delivered seven times across Canada. A total of 189 learners and 12 facilitators participated in the course. We received 89 completed feedback surveys in total. These included a total of 78 responses from learners, with 22 on Module 1, 32 on Module 2, and 24 on Module 3, in addition to 11 responses from facilitators. Overall, participants and facilitators were very satisfied with the course, indicating a successful adaptation from traditional to online delivery. Survey respondents were especially pleased with the course’s co-learning elements, which exposed them to fresh perspectives and real patient voices, as well as ample opportunity for discussion. Some participants offered recommendations for minor course revisions. Future iterations of the course will reflect participant and facilitator feedback to enhance accessibility via minor changes to course format (e.g., shorter live sessions), content (e.g., more concrete examples), and workload (e.g., reduced pre-work requirements).ConclusionsSustainable and effective health care depends on health research that includes active partnerships across diverse populations. These collaborative relationships are fostered by strong capacity in patient-oriented research, which in turn hinges on widely accessible training opportunities. This online course overcomes common barriers to face-to-face training and offers the accessible, inclusive training environment required for sustained progress in patient-oriented research.

The ninth version of the licensing regulation for medical doctors (Approbation Regulation (AR)) sets a benchmark in terms of practical experience, interdigitation of preclinical and clinical studies, interdisciplinary approach, economic efficiency, independence of students, added new teaching and learning modalities, and ongoing evaluation of the progress of the medical students. It is the aim to implement these major points of the AR in a model course for diagnostic radiology and radiation protection within the scope of the Virtual University of Bavaria and test them in practice. In cooperation with residents and board certified radiologists, students developed the virtual course "Web-Based Training (WBT) Radiology" in diagnostic radiology and radiation protection for students in the first clinical semester. A representative target group taken from the student body was asked about the options to get access to the World Wide Web (Internet), and the satisfaction concerning configuration and content of the newly developed program. A comparison was made between the results of the final examination taken by students who made use of the virtual course in addition to conventional lessons and taken by students who did not subscribe to the virtual course and exclusively relied on conventional lessons. In addition, a pilot study was conducted in the winter semester 2002/03, which compared students taking either the traditional lessons or the new virtual course on the Internet. The virtual course-model had test results with a positive trend. All targeted students had Internet access. Constructive criticism was immediately implemented and contributed to rapid optimization. The learning success of the additive or alternative virtual course was in no way less than the learning success achieved with the conventional course. The learning success as measure of quality in teaching and the acceptance by students and teachers justify the continuation of this course model and its expansion. Besides enabling the learning in small study groups; the course "WBT Radiology" might not only help implementing the major points of the new AR but might also complement any deficiencies in the current education. Economic aspects may encourage their implementations.

BACKGROUND Inadequate nutrition and a lack of physical activity contribute to functional decline and complications from chronic diseases in older adults. The pandemic halted or altered necessary Older Americans Act (OAA) nutrition services provided to vulnerable, community-dwelling older adults in San Antonio, Texas. The “digital divide” or gap in technological access and knowledge, further heightened the detrimental effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on older adults who may be “digitally excluded” from social, economic, and health-related interactions. During the pandemic, San Antonio congregate meal sites funded by OAA remained partially open biweekly to distribute meals but no longer offered in-person nutrition education, physical activity classes, and social activities. This project expands the current congregate meal programming infrastructure and partnerships with Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) to create a sustainable approach focused on improving the health of older adults. OBJECTIVE The study aims are: 1) To test the impact of a digital nutrition education intervention on the primary outcomes of food security and diet quality; 2) To determine the effect of the intervention on secondary outcomes of technology knowledge and usage, physical activity, and social isolation and loneliness; 3) To examine the long-term impact and sustainability of technology use on food security, diet quality, physical activity, social isolation, and loneliness. METHODS This proposed digital nutrition education intervention study targets technologically limited older adults enrolled in the congregate meal program (CMP) using a stepped-wedge clustered randomized controlled trial (RCT). Key community partners, City of San Antonio Department of Health Services Senior Services Division and OATS contributed to the study's planning phase, research design, and implementation. The 20-week intervention included 5 weeks of in-person technology training, including internet access and technical support for one year and devices, followed by 15 weeks of a culturally tailored online nutrition education intervention. The study enrolled 369 older adults from twelve congregate meal sites. Data collection took place at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months. If successful, the impact of this program could be applied throughout the national OATS network and to similar CMPs to bridge the digital divide beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS Recruitment and enrollment of 369 older adults at 12 CMPs was completed in December 2022. Study CMPs were randomly assigned to Cohort 1 and 2: 164 completed Cohort 1 in August 2023 and 111 completed Cohort 2 in April 2024. Twelve-month data collection is ongoing. CONCLUSIONS This study aims to determine the impact of a digital nutrition intervention on older adults’ nutrition status, physical activity, loneliness and isolation, and technology access and usage. Results from this study can inform future interventions with vulnerable populations and may serve as a basis for other Older American Act Nutrition Services. CLINICALTRIAL ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05220631

Beginning in March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted1 in-person medical education programming and required a rapid change in program delivery formats to ensure resident and faculty access to education programs.2 In this article we describe the experience and lessons learned by one institution, the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (COM) Statewide Campus System (SCS) or MSUCOM SCS, as it transitioned from traditional in-person educational course offerings to a virtual format.Since 1989, MSUCOM SCS has delivered educational lectures, skills labs, and simulation training for community-based hospital graduate medical education (GME) residency programs.3–5 Within 72 hours of the pandemic shutdown of university, hospitality, and simulation facilities, like many other teaching institutions across the nation, MSUCOM SCS was able to transition resident and faculty education programs to the virtual learning environment, with little disruption to the content delivered. This article will review specific case examples that provide guidance for the transition to a virtual platform.With the onset of the pandemic, educational programming has been largely either postponed or converted to online formats to ensure compliance with COVID-19 safety requirements. Our experience with this transition has suggested that the pandemic is driving a paradigm shift in GME for both future education programming and required staffing needs, and that these changes will likely persist, even when restrictions to in-person learning are lifted. Although challenges remain, it is important to evaluate the efficacy of newly transitioned programming and the impact of these changes on learner engagement and perceptions of outcomes.This article aims to: (1) identify strategies to mitigate the loss of face-to-face instruction and to create the robust learning communities generated through such interactions, and (2) outline lessons learned in successful conversion of programming to online formats. In this article, the term “virtual learner environment” refers to the environment in which the learner is connected to the instructor virtually. The learner could be alone at a computer station or in a COVID-19-safe, appropriately distanced, classroom environment. “Virtual” will refer to synchronous learning and online will refer to asynchronous accessibility to learning tools, videos, or snippets.The rapid global spread of COVID-19 in late 2019 and early 2020 within the United States resulted in a profound disruption of MSUCOM SCS's traditional in-person GME programming to our community-based hospital partners. These educational programs are integral parts of many residency programs and, without the lab and didactic components of these offerings, many risk not meeting Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) residency, faculty development, and assessment requirements. Further, many MSUCOM SCS programs help meet licensing, maintenance of certification, and continuing medical education requirements. Special dispensations6–9 offered through accrediting bodies mitigated risks to accreditation through the close of the 2019–2020 academic year. However, the 2020–2021 academic year comes with expectations of continued programming and enhanced faculty development to ensure that graduating residents and fellows are validly and reliably assessed in all general competencies. Therefore, it was crucial that the Statewide Campus System, as the GME arm of the College of Osteopathic Medicine, adapt to this “new normal” by developing robust, engaging, virtual educational programming.In mid-academic year 2020, the MSUCOM SCS was required to rethink the delivery of at least 2 GME-based educational offerings: ACGME Regional Hub Faculty Development Course, “Developing Faculty Competency in Assessment,” and Chief Resident Leadership Skills Conference. The process of transitioning these offerings to a virtual format is discussed below.MSU is currently one of 17 international ACGME regional faculty development sites. The ACGME Regional Hub Faculty Development Initiative, launched in 2014,10 was designed to increase access for the GME community to faculty development in the basics of assessment. By Winter 2020, 17 international regional hubs had delivered live, highly interactive, faculty development courses to approximately 600 GME program directors, administrators, and faculty. The standard Regional Hub program consisted of an in-person 3-day workshop that included hands-on simulation experiences and frequent large and small group discussions designed to engage participants in the application of course content. When the live programs were halted due to the pandemic, the MSUCOM SCS Director of Faculty Development initiated a transition of the in-person regional hub format to a fully virtual environment.In late July 2020, course faculty who had agreed to deliver live regional hub course content scheduled for August participated in a 2-hour session to prepare for the transition to a virtual course format. This session involved reviewing technology requirements and a simulated walk-through of all components of the virtual course. Topics of discussion included instruction in balancing workshop content with small group breakout activities, virtual facilitation of both large and small groups of learners, and the use of the virtual platform for content delivery (Zoom). Individual faculty were encouraged to participate in one-on-one training sessions. Approximately half of the teaching faculty participated in these sessions, based on their comfort and familiarity with presenting virtually. The Zoom audio and web conferencing platform supported large group discussions using both chat and verbal communication, created multiple virtual breakout rooms populated with preidentified individuals, and allowed the faculty learner to participate in real-time scripted role-playing of clinical encounters. The participants provided feedback immediately following the encounters.This training was critical to the success of the course as all questions, technology issues, and troubleshooting of logistical concerns of the course faculty were addressed prior to going live. In early August 2020, the first virtual regional hub course was delivered by MSUCOM SCS. The course enrolled 30 GME educators and provided essential training in assessment that included the interactive small group and simulation activities essential to the success of the previously offered live regional hub programs.Course attendees reported that the virtual format for delivery (Zoom) was highly effective. Of participants completing the post-course survey (18 of 30, 60%), all reported the course completely or mostly met all course learning objectives. Relevant open-ended course evaluation comments are provided in Box 1. This commentary verifies that transitioning to the virtual learning platform continued to meet the intended outcome of the course.Another program that was immediately transitioned to synchronous online delivery was the Chief Resident Training program. Different from the ACGME Regional Hub Faculty Development program, this session was a single day program designed to outline the expectations and responsibilities of a chief resident. This program included, reviewed, and allowed methods for giving effective feedback, the 5 dysfunctions of a team,11 and discussion of leadership styles appropriate to the role.Transitioning this program to a virtual delivery platform required the same preparation described for the ACGME Regional Hub Program. As with the ACGME course, program attendees reported that the virtual environment and Zoom delivery platform was highly effective. The course evaluation form was completed by 60% (69 of 116) of participants. All 69 reported the course was both evidence-based and balanced. Although instructors from the 2019 program differed from the 2020 program, the reported “per-topic” scores were comparable from one year to the next and did not indicate a deficit in learning as a result of the transition to the virtual environment.Initial concerns discussed in the referenced planning meetings for both the ACGME course and the Chief Resident Training program highlighted the fear that transitioning to virtual education would be less effective than face-to-face programming because learners would not be as engaged and that negotiating the virtual platform would be technically challenging. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for social distancing, the percentage of live vs virtual educational programs reflected a general hesitancy to adopt virtual course delivery. A major reason for this hesitancy appears to be the challenges associated with the implementation of virtually delivered course content and the perception that the robust learning communities created through in-person interaction would be diminished in the virtual environment. To address these concerns, we established required orientation sessions for all course faculty that identified specific roles and responsibilities for key stakeholders (Table 1) associated with the virtual course format designed to enhance engagement of course participants.Based on participant and faculty feedback and our lessons learned in transitioning to a virtual environment, developing an interactive, single, or multi-day educational program can be successful. However, such transitions require focused attention on several essential activities, including:It was also apparent that the virtual platform can be designed to bridge the gap between just viewing a program on a screen to actively interacting with other participants and instructors. Forming engaged learning communities in the virtual environment was a critical component of the success of these programs.Throughout this journey, transitioning from live to virtual learning, numerous pros and cons for each presentation format were identified (Table 2). Careful planning with attention to program design and delivery mitigated many of the cons to delivering a virtual course. The experience was reported to be relevant, well-received, engaging, and interactive.Educators involved in the transition to virtual learning, in turn, learned lessons through the process (Box 2). Programs that were once local, or at most, regional, provided the means to reach out-of-state participants who were less encumbered by the expense and time traditionally associated with travel. Additionally, invited speakers, course directors, and administrative support personnel also benefited from the elimination of travel. Finally, the adoption of the virtual format allowed the local development team to meet and plan course content and delivery safely.While virtual learning may not have been a preferred delivery platform for GME educational programing prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, necessity mandated the transition. Our experience has demonstrated that the transition to virtual faculty and resident development is an excellent option for future educational programming, regardless of the status of the pandemic.

Justification: Latin America is undergoing dizzying changes in virtual education as part of an educational strategy to reach a greater number of students and be able to guarantee access to higher education. Compliance with this strategy has faced difficulties due to the challenges of integrating technology into virtual courses in academic institutions. Main objective: Examine the challenges that teachers face when integrating technology into the teaching of virtual courses in a higher education institution. Methodology: The study design was descriptive-correlational. The selection of the sample was carried out by convenience and included the participation of 140 teachers from a private university in Puerto Rico. Data was collected through a validated questionnaire. Results: The most common challenges that teachers face when offering virtual courses through the integration of technology are linked to the use of free platforms by the university which deletes recorded classes in a limited time (30%) and access to online support services offered by the university (27.1%). The areas of the least difficulty presented by teachers were keyboard management and skills (89.3%) and programming and teacher-student interaction outside of class hours (88.6%). Furthermore, a negative relationship was found between having certifications to offer virtual courses and prior technological education with the use of technology (r = -.525; p < .01). Conclusion: Teachers present a few difficulties in managing technology in virtual courses and this is related to obtaining prior preparation in educational technology. Implications: Having a certification or preparation related to educational technology significantly minimizes the degree of difficulty that teachers may experience in the use of technology in teaching virtual courses.

Advancingaging: A policy evaluation of the Older Americans Act using the Conceptual Model for Nursing and Health Policy.

BackgroundInadequate nutrition and a lack of physical activity contribute to functional decline and complications from chronic diseases in older adults. The pandemic halted or altered necessary Older Americans Act (OAA) nutrition services provided to vulnerable, community-dwelling older adults in San Antonio, Texas. The “digital divide” or gap in technological access and knowledge further heightened the detrimental effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on older adults who may be “digitally excluded” from social, economic, and health-related interactions. During the pandemic, San Antonio congregate meal sites funded by OAA remained partially open biweekly to distribute meals but no longer offered in-person nutrition education, physical activity classes, and social activities. This project expands the current congregate meal programming infrastructure and partnerships with Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) to create a sustainable approach focused on improving the health of older adults.ObjectiveThe study aims (1) to test the impact of a digital nutrition education intervention on the primary outcomes of food security and diet quality; (2) to determine the effect of the intervention on secondary outcomes of technology knowledge and usage, physical activity, and social isolation and loneliness; and (3) to examine the long-term impact and sustainability of technology use on food security, diet quality, physical activity, social isolation, and loneliness.MethodsThis proposed digital nutrition education intervention study targets technologically limited older adults enrolled in the congregate meal program (CMP) using a stepped-wedge clustered randomized controlled trial. Key community partners, City of San Antonio Department of Health Services Senior Services Division and OATS, contributed to the study’s planning phase, research design, and implementation. The 20-week intervention included 5 weeks of in-person technology training, including internet access and technical support for 1 year and devices, followed by 15 weeks of a culturally tailored online nutrition education intervention. The study randomized 398 older adults from 12 congregate meal sites. Data collection took place at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months, and 18 months. If successful, the impact of this program could be applied throughout the national OATS network and to similar CMPs to bridge the digital divide beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.ResultsRecruitment and enrollment of 398 older adults at 12 CMPs was completed in December 2022. Study CMPs were randomly assigned to Cohort 1 and 2: 164 completed Cohort 1 in August 2023 and 111 completed Cohort 2 in April 2024. Eighteen-month data collection is ongoing.ConclusionsThis study aims to determine the impact of a digital nutrition intervention on older adults’ nutrition status, physical activity, loneliness and isolation, and technology access and usage. Results from this study can inform future interventions with vulnerable populations and may serve as a basis for other OAA nutrition services.

In this paper, we present a Natural Language Processing (NLP)-empowered virtual course assistant solution that supports online teaching and learning in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. We leverage advanced technologies of pre-trained language models in NLP to construct several fundamental functionalities for the virtual course assistant. The assistant is designed to answer general course enquiries to reduce time-consuming and repeated human responses, to answer course-related knowledge questions by understanding both queries and teaching materials, and to analyze students' feedback via sentiment analysis. Additionally, we have constructed the course-related database and cross-platform virtual assistants for both website and mobile applications. Different pre-trained models are utilized to fine-tune the dataset in each type of model. By comparing different datasets and analyzing their performance, the best performance model is selected for the virtual assistant. Empirically, adopting NLP-empowered virtual course assistants in class improves teaching and learning experiences: With the help of an NLP-empowered virtual course assistant, the teaching team could devote more effort and time to answering complex questions; For students, an immediate response increases their motivation to study. Thus, the online system could give an excellent user experience to a wide variety of users. Our code and dataset are released at https://github.com/Heriannan/NLP-for-educationVirtualAssistant.

Virtual university studies have experienced a notable increase and, in line with this, scientific publications about student satisfaction in virtual university education have multiplied. Therefore, this research sought to characterize the scientific production in Scopus about student satisfaction in virtual university education. A documentary inquiry was carried out, with a systematic literature review design, in the Scopus database through four phases: Identification, screening, eligibility and inclusion. This process was carried out independently by the researchers, following the PRISMA Declaration criteria. Finally, 50 works that met the established eligibility criteria were included, most of them with a quantitative approach. Among the findings, it is highlighted that 84% of the studies report some degree of student satisfaction. The most important factors associated with this satisfaction include self-efficacy in virtual education; social and cognitive presence of the teacher; content and design of the virtual course; and quality of the learning platform used. It is concluded that the evidence indicates that student satisfaction in virtual education is linked, to varying degrees, to factors related to the student, teacher, course and academic management.

Mediante este estudio se analizaron los resultados de las pruebas nacionales aplicadas a los estudiantes de la Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia-UNAD -, Centro de Educación a Distancia -CEAD- Santa Marta. Es un estudio descriptivo. La muestra se estableció mediante muestreo aleatorio estratificado, estuvo representada por 2058 resultados del total de los obtenidos en las pruebas que se aplicaron durante 2008 y 2009 en los cursos tanto de mediación virtual como tradicional. Los promedios de notas obtenidos fueron 2.51 (I-2008), 2.37 (I-2008) y 2.55 (I-2009), los promedios más bajos los obtuvieron los estudiantes de la Escuela de Ciencias Agrícolas, Pecuarias y del Medio Ambiente (ECAPMA), la Escuela de Ciencias Básicas, Tecnología e Ingeniería (ECBTI), y la Escuela de Ciencias Administrativas, Contables, Económicas y de Negocios -ECACEN- respectivamente, superados por los de la Escuela de Ciencias de la Educación -ECEDU- y la Escuela de Ciencias Sociales, Artes y Humanidades - ECSAH -. El promedio de notas en cursos virtuales fue de 2.51, y de 2.43 en los cursos tradicionales. Los estudiantes del CEAD Santa Marta mostraron un bajo desempeño en las pruebas nacionales, no se encontraron, estadísticamente, diferencias significativas entre los resultados de las notas por escuelas y por mediación. Los cursos de mayor reprobación fueron los de contenido numérico, aunque también se destaca el curso de competencias comunicativas.