Adequate Engagement Research Articles

Alumni Engagement and Financial Sustainability of Higher Education Institutions: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

The purpose of this paper is to describe the various attitudes of alumni towards engagement in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) of Pakistan, based on a phenomenological study of their lived experiences. Empirical data was collected in the form of semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with 26 alumni from eight selected public HEIs of Pakistan, which was later analysed through employing Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). This paper highlights six superordinate themes which indicated that alumni held strong determination to engage with institutions to meet the financial sustainability challenge, provided that institutions observed adequate communication and engagement efforts with them. Theoretically, this paper extended the use of S-O-R framework in the higher education philanthropic domain where institutional engagement efforts and personal connection, coupled with emotional bonding, led to alumni engagement with institutions. In addition, this study also contextually extended the use of social exchange theory where the inclination of alumni to engage with institutions is driven by their sense of indebtedness and serving the community.

An exploration of barriers, facilitators, and practical solutions for adopting medication synchronization into community pharmacies: A qualitative analysis

BackgroundCommunity pharmacies across the nation have adopted medication synchronization (Med Sync) services with the aim of improving medication adherence. To help incorporate Med Sync into a pharmacy's workflow, pharmacy associations and organizations developed implementation guides for community pharmacies. However, considerable variability in the adoption of this service exists as pharmacies struggle to implement Med Sync into traditional workflow. Researchers identified early adopters of Med Sync who dispense majority of their prescriptions as part of a Med Sync program. An exploratory study was undertaken with the aim to reveal themes surrounding facilitators and barriers to adoption of Med Sync in community pharmacies. ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to explore the barriers and facilitators associated with Med Sync adoption in community pharmacies and generate practical solutions for service adoption. Methods Community pharmacies participating in the North Carolina's Community Pharmacy Enhanced Services Network (CPESNsm) who were early adopters of Med Sync and had greater than 50% of their prescription volume being dispensed as part of a Med Sync program were recruited to participate in semi-structured interviews. Interviews were conducted, recorded, and transcribed verbatim with representatives who led the adoption of Med Sync in their pharmacy. Inductive coding and summary analysis were used to analyze the interview data and determine themes associated with facilitators and barriers. ResultsAnalysis of the interviews revealed four key themes: program organization, staff engagement, patient engagement, and provider engagements for Med Sync adoption. Each of these themes had several sub-themes, contributing to facilitators and barriers to Med Sync adoption. Subthemes of program organization included having organizational infrastructure, including a pharmacy software system, a dedicated area, and a consistent enrollment process. Subthemes of staff engagement included having a team-based approach, job training, and staff incentives. Patient engagement's subthemes included communication, finances, health literacy, and transportation. Provider engagement resulted with subthemes including lack of communication and provider-pharmacist relationships. ConclusionTo ensure successful adoption of Med Sync into traditional workflow, community pharmacies should employ a multi-factorial approach that includes internal and external components to the community pharmacy. This study identified facilitators associated with successful Med Sync adoption such as adequate staff engagement and requisite program organization. Barriers hindering successful Med Sync adoption resulted from challenges with provider and patient engagement. This study also makes an important contribution by providing practical solutions to Med Sync adoption based on participant responses and identified themes and sub-themes.

Impacts of School Nutrition Interventions on the Nutritional Status of School-Aged Children in Asia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

This review aims to describe school nutrition interventions implemented in Asia and quantify their effects on school-aged children’s nutritional status. We searched Web of Science, Embase, Ovid MEDLINE, Global Health, Econlit, APA PsycInfo, and Social Policy and Practice for English articles published from January 2000 to January 2021. We quantified the pooled effects of the interventions on the changes in body mass index (BMI) and body mass index z score (BAZ), overall and by type of intervention. In total, 28 articles were included for this review, of which 20 articles were multi-component interventions. Twenty-seven articles were childhood obesity studies and were included for meta-analysis. Overall, school nutrition interventions reduced school-aged children’s BMI and BAZ. Multi-component interventions reduced the children’s BMI and BAZ, whereas physical activity interventions reduced only BMI and nutrition education did not change BMI or BAZ. Overweight/obesity reduction interventions provided a larger effect than prevention interventions. Parental involvement and a healthy food provision did not strengthen school nutrition interventions, which may be due to an inadequate degree of implementation. These results suggested that school nutrition interventions should employ a holistic multi-component approach and ensure adequate stakeholder engagement as well as implementation to maximise the effects.

The Parrot’s Training in the pandemic: fallacies in India’s educational response to COVID-19

The paper explores India's response in the face of the COVID-19 educational crisis compared to the educational thoughts and experiments of Rabindranath Tagore, Asia's first Nobel laureate and an avid educator. The context of the study is formulated from the perception that the past and present are interconnected; hence examining similarities and dissimilarities between them can reveal latent undercurrents. A comparative historical method is employed for the study to take three diverse yet interconnected periods in the Indian education system—the Tagorean/colonial period, the post-independence period, and the pandemic period—for a continuous and comprehensive evaluation. Tagore's educational experiences evidenced that the colonial system reeled under biases that alienated the natives from their nation and its operations. Despite the efforts, the post-independence period bears remnants of the colonial system. The educational response to the pandemic also exhibits specific social, cultural, and economic tensions similar to its predecessors. As the COVID-19 lockdown implementation has forced shutters on the educational institutions, an increasing emphasis is laid on digital education without adequate engagement with the pre-existing challenges. Under this convoluted circumstance, the paper opines that colonization continues to be the underlying process propelling the education system. Thus, the Tagorean ideals of education and its indigenous ways require urgent consideration before falling back on the old system post pandemic or endorsing digital education as the next giant stride in education.

Developing a toolkit for increasing the participation of black, Asian and minority ethnic communities in health and social care research

BackgroundIt is recognised that Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) populations are generally underrepresented in research studies. The key objective of this work was to develop an evidence based, practical toolkit to help researchers maximise recruitment of BAME groups in research.MethodsDevelopment of the toolkit was an iterative process overseen by an expert steering group. Key steps included a detailed literature review, feedback from focus groups (including researchers and BAME community members) and further workshops and communication with participants to review the draft and final versions.ResultsPoor recruitment of BAME populations in research is due to complex reasons, these include factors such as inadequate attention to recruitment strategies and planning, poor engagement with communities and individuals due to issues such as cultural competency of researchers, historical poor experience of participating in research, and lack of links with community networks. Other factors include language issues, relevant expertise in research team and a lack of adequate resources that might be required in recruitment of BAME populations.ConclusionsA toolkit was developed with key sections providing guidance on planning research and ensuring adequate engagement of communities and individuals. Together with sections suggesting how the research team can address training needs and adopt best practice. Researchers highlighted the issue of funding and how best to address BAME recruitment in grant applications, so a section on preparing a grant application was also included. The final toolkit document is practical, and includes examples of best practice and ‘top tips’ for researchers.

Building Health System Resilience in Africa During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Many essential health services have been paused because of the COVID-19 pandemic. To ensure that adequate health delivery is not impeded during the COVID-19 pandemic, this study aimed to describe the strategies for building health system resilience in Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic. The integration of COVID-19 care into routine healthcare delivery across African countries should be prioritized. Investment in human and material resources for the health sector should be prioritized by policymakers. Adequate community engagement should be prioritized across all communities in Africa. Investment in leadership development training across all health sectors would promote initiative-driven decision making and promote infection control practices in health facilities.

Why Read (Diffractively)?

Academics should produce quality scholarly research. However, the demands of the marketised, neoliberal higher education institution and the increase in the academic’s bureaucratic and administrative tasks do not allow for adequate engagement with the deep work and slow forms of scholarship that are needed to produce cutting-edge and insightful research. Many academics find it challenging to think critically and creatively under such conditions, yet they are unwilling to fill their time with shallow work instead. Thus, they are torn between producing an institutionally-determined number of research outputs, and striving towards producing quality scholarly work that advances knowledge in the academic’s discipline. Reading groups serve to rework this tension by providing a communal and scheduled place and mind-space for reading major academic works. Reading takes time and persistence. We find that setting aside time and creating creative spaces for reading groups offer an opportunity for silent revolt against the pressures of the higher education institution. In this (post)qualitative inquiry we diffractively read – “through one another” – two autoethnographical accounts to experiment with our experiences of various reading groups over a period of three years while positioning ourselves in relation to Barad’s notion of diffraction. This speculative experimentation entails a myriad of ideas and methods that serve to decentre hegemonic, monolithic knowledge systems through seeking alternative ways of knowing, and recognises the importance of the entanglement of matter and meaning in tracing (and countering) the social relations produced in neoliberalist contexts. Such (re)thinking is thus a vital counterpoint to the neoliberal obsessions of the higher education context, (re)directing the scholar to new non-autonomous and mutable landscapes.

Impact of compulsory participation of medical students in a multiuser online game to learn radiological anatomy and radiological signs within the virtual world Second Life.

Competitive game-based learning within Second Life enables effective teaching of basic radiological anatomy and radiological signs to medical students, with good acceptance and results when students participate voluntarily, but unknown in a compulsory context. The objectives of this study were to reproduce a competitive online game based on self-guided presentations and multiple-choice tests in a mandatory format, to evaluate its development and student perceptions compared to a voluntary edition in 2015 (N = 90). In 2016 and 2017, respectively, 191 and 182 third-year medical students participated in the game as a mandatory course activity. The mean (±SD) score of the game was 74.7% (±19.5%) in 2015, 71.2% (±21.5%) in 2016, and 67.5% (±21.5%) in 2017 (P < 0.01). Participants valued positively the organization and educational contents but found the virtual world less attractive and the game less interesting than in the voluntary edition. The experience globally was rated with 8.2 (±1.5), 7.8 (±1.5), and 7.1 (±1.7) mean points (±SD) in a ten-point scale, in the 2015, 2016, and 2017 editions, respectively (P < 0.05). Competitive learning games within virtual worlds like Second Life have great learning potential in radiology, but the mean score in the game decreased, acceptance of virtual world technology was lower, and opinion about the game was worse with a compulsory participation, and even worse when dropouts were not allowed. Under the conditions in which this study was conducted, learning games in three-dimensional virtual environments should be voluntary to maintain adequate motivation and engagement of medical students.

The Unfolding of Cognitive Effort During Sentence Processing: Pupillometric Evidence From People With and Without Aphasia.

Arousal and cognitive effort are relevant yet often overlooked components of attention during language processing. Pupillometry can be used to provide a psychophysiological index of arousal and cognitive effort. Given that much is unknown regarding the relationship between cognition and language deficits seen in people with aphasia (PWA), pupillometry may be uniquely suited to explore those relationships. The purpose of this study was to examine arousal and the time course of the allocation of cognitive effort related to sentence processing in people with and without aphasia. Nineteen PWA and age- and education-matched control participants listened to relatively easy (subject-relative) and relatively difficult (object-relative) sentences and were required to answer occasional comprehension questions. Tonic and phasic pupillary responses were used to index arousal and the unfolding of cognitive effort, respectively, while sentences were processed. Group differences in tonic and phasic responses were examined. Group differences were observed for both tonic and phasic responses. PWA exhibited greater overall arousal throughout the task compared with controls, as evidenced by larger tonic pupil responses. Controls exhibited more effort (greater phasic responses) for difficult compared with easy sentences; PWA did not. Group differences in phasic responses were apparent during end-of-sentence and postsentence time windows. Results indicate that the attentional state of PWA in this study was not consistently supportive of adequate task engagement. PWA in our sample may have relatively limited attentional capacity or may have challenges with allocating existing capacity in ways that support adequate task engagement and performance. This work adds to the body of evidence supporting the validity of pupillometric tasks for the study of aphasia and contributes to a better understanding of the nature of language deficits in aphasia. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.16959376.

Implementation of a community-based low-calorie dietary intervention for the induction of type-2 diabetes and pre-diabetes remission: a feasibility study utilising a type 2 hybrid design

ObjectivesThe aims of this feasibility study were to (1) examine the implementation of a community-based health advocate (CHA) training programme to develop the clinical skills needed to support a diabetes remission protocol based on a low-calorie diet (LCD) and (2) investigate if participant weight loss can be achieved and diabetes remission induced under these conditions.MethodsThis tripartite study followed a type 2 implementation-effectiveness design. Three faith-based organisations (FBOs) were purposively selected as study sites. Implementation outcomes were guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. During the pre-implementation phase, site ‘readiness’ to facilitate the intervention was determined from a site visit and an interview with the FBOs’ leadership. During the implementation phase, congregants could volunteer for the 10-week CHA training which included practical exercises in weight, glucose and blood pressure (BP) measurement, and a summative practical assessment. Acceptability and implementation effectiveness were assessed via survey. During the intervention phase, other congregants and community members with T2DM or pre-diabetes and overweight were invited to participate in the 12-week LCD. Anti-diabetic medication was discontinued on day 1 of the intervention. Clinical effectiveness was determined from the change in weight, fasting blood glucose (FBG) and BP which were monitored weekly at the FBO by the CHA. HbA1C was performed at weeks 1 and 12.ResultsThe FBOs were found to be ready as determined by their adequate resources and engagement in health-related matters. Twenty-nine CHAs completed the training; all attained a passing grade at ≥1 clinical station, indicating implementation effectiveness. CHA feedback indicated that the programme structure was acceptable and provided sufficient access to intervention-related material. Thirty-one persons participated in the LCD (11 T2DM:20 pre-diabetes). Mean (95%CI) weight loss was 6.0 kg (3.7 to 8.2), 7.9 kg in males vs 5.7 kg in females; A1C (%) decreased from 6.6 to 6.1, with a greater reduction in those with T2DM when compared to pre-diabetes. FBG decreased from 6.4 to 6.0mmol/L. T2DM remission rates were 60% and 90% by A1C<6.5% and FBG<7mmol/L respectively. Pre-diabetes remission was 18% and 40% by A1C<5.7% and FBG<5.6 respectively.ConclusionImplementation of a community-based diabetes remission protocol is both feasible and clinically effective. Its sustainability is to be determined. Adaptability to other disorders or other settings should be investigated.Trial registrationNCT03536377 registered on 24 May 2018.

Use of Team-Based Learning Pedagogy to Prepare for a Pharmacy School Accreditation Self-Study.

Ensuring adequate engagement and preparation of all stakeholders in an accreditation self-study can be challenging for many reasons, including lack of motivation and inadequate understanding of expectations and procedures. The goal of this exploratory study was to determine whether using team-based learning (TBL) pedagogy to deliver an accreditation preparation workshop could effectively prepare and engage participants. A Likert-scale questionnaire was administered to workshop attendees (n = 52) to determine whether they found TBL-based training helpful and whether it promoted engagement. Twenty-four attendees completed the survey (46%). More than 80% of participants strongly agreed or agreed with 12 statements relating to perceptions of self and participant engagement within team activities and the usefulness of team activities. More than 65% of participants strongly agreed or agreed with statements relating to the helpfulness of the TBL approach in preparing for the self-study (five questions). Subgroup analysis showed no significant difference in responses based on whether on not participants had previously been involved in an accreditation self study. Our data indicate that a TBL approach can be an effective way to engage and prepare stakeholders for an accreditation self-study, and that TBL pedagogy has utility outside of the classroom setting.

Improving Indigenous family engagement with the coronial system in New South Wales

This article explores the barriers experienced by Indigenous Australians that prevent adequate engagement with the coronial system in New South Wales. The findings presented here are the result of a qualitative study involving key legal professionals and advocates in the coronial jurisdiction. A number of significant shortcomings are identified, including inadequate funding, a lack of information and appropriate communication, and significant delays between time of death and conclusion of the inquest.

Male involvement in breastfeeding promotion and protection: an assessment of male undergraduates’ views in Sagamu, southwest Nigeria

Objective: Breastfeeding is a cost-effective and evidence-based public health intervention for the control of childhood malnutrition and its consequences. Partners’ support and attitude towards breastfeeding is an important determinant of breastfeeding initiation, continuity, and outcome. This study assessed the perception of breastfeeding and its support among male students in Sagamu, Nigeria. Method: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 300 male undergraduate students in Sagamu, selected via systematic sampling. Data were collected with the aid of a structured, self-administered questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS 21.0, with results presented as frequencies and proportions. Result: The mean age of respondents was 20±3.5 years. All respondents felt it was important for women to breastfeed their infants; 42% of respondents felt breastfeeding interfered with work; 20% felt women should be entitled to paid maternity leave; 85% will support efforts to promote breastfeeding in public; 95% will encourage their partners to breastfeed while working outside the home; 92% will assist their breastfeeding partners with household chores. Conclusion: Respondents had a good perception of breastfeeding and were willing to support its practice at home, work, and in the community. Adequate engagement of men in nutrition education activities will be most effective in promoting and protecting breastfeeding.

He aronga takirua: Cultural double-shift of Māori scientists

Can cultural identity be a disadvantage for indigenous employees? Can it lead to critical issues around workload and pressures? This article explores the role of cultural identity for Māori, the indigenous people of Aotearoa/New Zealand, and the findings are telling. We target Māori scientists, given their limited number but growing legislated sector demands around cultural engagement. We conducted several studies. Study one (12 interviews) identified cultural themes of whakawhanaungatanga (relationship management), kawenga (responsibilities) and taumaha (workload). Study two (wave one and wave two) focused on a large cohort of Māori scientists (between 41 and 60), and themes showed commonality with study one. Also, other themes emerged specifically āheinga tangata (human capacity), tikanga (correct practice), hauora (well-being), and umanga takaware (career disruption). Ultimately, we classify these pressures as aronga takirua (cultural double-shift) and present a theoretical model for understanding the drivers and consequences of this cultural double-shift for Māori scientists. Finally, study two (wave three) and study three were conducted to examine job descriptions/contracts and, overall, we find limited employer support for adequate engagement in cultural roles. These findings reinforced the themes from the previous studies. We discuss implications for employers and the sector.

Culturally competent communication in Indigenous disability assessment: a qualitative study

BackgroundIndigenous people tend to exhibit a higher burden of disability than their non-Indigenous counterparts, and are often underserved by disability services. Engaging appropriately with Indigenous communities, families and individuals in the initial stages of disability assessment and planning is crucial in order to build trust and understanding of disability service models and ensure that Indigenous people receive support that is tailored to their needs and cultural realities. This article aims to identify key elements of culturally competent communication in Indigenous disability assessment and planning, and provide recommendations for strengthening capacity in this area.MethodsThis qualitative research was designed to involve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people at all stages and to reflect the views of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers, people and families affected by disability and the community-controlled health sector. Semi-structured individual interviews were undertaken with staff implementing the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) (n = 4), NDIS participants (n = 24), disability support providers and organisational partners (n = 19) and Community Connectors (n = 8) in Queensland and the Northern Territory of Australia. Key themes derived from thematic analysis included appropriate and adequate engagement of individuals with disability and their families, the role of trusted relationships, and culturally safe and appropriate communication during planning meetings.ResultsOverall, the research findings highlight that a low level of cultural competence in the initial stages of the disability assessment and planning process exacerbated participant confusion and distrust towards assessment staff and the NDIS. Given difficulties in communication, participant understanding of the NDIS was generally limited. The necessity of culturally safe and appropriate use of interpreters was stressed, as was the role of trusted individuals, including existing service providers, Community Connectors and family members in providing a solid base for participant understanding of the NDIS.ConclusionsCultural competence in disability assessment and planning can be strengthened through multi-level engagement with the Aboriginal community-controlled sector and community leaders. Implementing mechanisms to enable the involvement of families, trusted service providers and Community Connectors can support a more meaningful understanding of individuals’ needs within their cultural context and in relation to their cultural roles.

ANALYSIS OF THE "SOME" MODEL (SHARE, OPTIMIZE, MANAGE, ENGAGE) INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT @tnlkep Kepulauanseribu IN THE FRAMEWORK OF DIGITAL PROMOTION OF A THOUSAND ISLANDS MARINE PARK AS AN ECO-TOURISM DESTINATION FOR THE MILLENIAL GENERATION

The fact that millennial generation is the breadwinner of the Indonesian economy cannot be ignored by the government and tourism industry businesses. The Thousand Islands Marine National Park seeks to use Instagram social media to attract potential tourists from millennial groups. A total of 110 @tnlkepulauaneribu uploads were then analyzed with descriptive qualitative research methods to find out how Gina Lutrell's SOME (Sharring, Optimize, Manage, Engagement) Model was used in managing the Instagram account communication @tnlkep Kepulauan Seribu as an effort to digitally promote the Thousand Islands National Park as an Ecotourism Destination for Generations Millennial. The results of this study indicate that the manager of the @tnlkepulauanseribu account has not implemented The Circular Model of SOME to the fullest. The engagement process (is the process that is at least maximally carried out. This can be seen from the lack of adequate engagement to nurture and create new followers. There are not many communication activities that can have a binding impact on followers and prospective followers of the @tnlkepulauanseribu account.

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on food losses in the agricultural value chains in Africa: The Nigerian case study

The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has wrecked great havoc in many spheres of life, including the educational, health, economic, and agricultural sectors. To break the transmission chain of SARS-CoV-2, public health safety measures such as social distancing, regular hand hygiene, border closure, restrictions on internal movement, and lockdown were implemented. Some of these measures have however contributed to reduced economic power, shortage of labor for agricultural production, and huge losses in the agricultural sector. To avert the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on food losses in the agricultural value chain in Nigeria, much precedence should be placed on adequate stakeholder engagement. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, logistics for unhindered agricultural trade should be put in place. In addition, policy makers should implement the institutionalization and implementation of social protection system in Nigeria. To address the financial difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic, provision of loans and grants should be commenced in an organized fashion.

Exploring On-Campus Student Satisfaction on Learning Via Mooc

Satisfaction is the key to determine students’ intention to continue using a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) and examining these students’ MOOC learning experience can provide insights into their satisfaction. Thus, this study aims to explore the MOOC learning experience of on-campus students who took up a MOOC on ICT Competency to identify aspects that are satisfying as well as dissatisfying to them. This study employed a qualitative approach in which eight students who had completed the ICT Competency MOOC were purposively chosen. The critical incident technique (CIT) was employed to collect and analyze information about significant experiences or critical occurrences of these participants during their MOOC learning. The meanings to these critical occurrences were collected to determine whether each experience inferred satisfaction towards the MOOC learning experience or otherwise. Participants were interviewed individually and the interview was guided by the eight aspects of Badrul Khan’s e-learning framework. The study reveals six satisfaction factors and another six dissatisfaction factors that point to six important lessons in designing and implementing a MOOC. The six lessons learned include the importance of providing flexibility in learning; providing a user-friendly interface and appealing as well as comprehendible learning materials; providing manageable, relevant assessments with clear assessment instructions; providing adequate instructor engagement; providing essential infrastructure and stable technological affordances; and incorporating anti-plagiarism strategies.

Implications of COVID-19 sequelae for health-care personnel

Implications of COVID-19 sequelae for health-care personnel

Spelling Mastery via Google Classroom among Year 4 Elementary School ESL Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Spelling mastery is an important prerequisite of proficiency in the English language. The conventional language teaching strategy needs to be revolutionized for the 21st century by utilizing Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to enable English as a Second Language (ESL) students to master spelling. As such, online teaching and learning becomes a crucial strategy to impart and receive knowledge. This case study focused on teaching spelling mastery via Google Classroom to elementary school ESL students, coincidently during the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic which has resulted in the emergence of a new norm in education. This case study involved thirty mixed-proficiency Year 4 ESL students from a sub-urban national primary school in Selangor. These students were divided into two groups, the experimental and control groups. The experimental group comprised a class of fifteen students who participated in the intervention, whereas the control group consisted of another fifteen students who did not participate in the intervention. The research instruments included pre- and post-test results, field notes and semi-structured interviews. To maintain the integrity of the data, the researchers took the necessary measures to ensure that the instruments were reliable and valid. This included assessing the content and face validity of the research instruments, expert validation for the interview questions and adequate engagement in data collection. The principal findings regarding the use of Google Classroom revealed students’ improvement and increased motivation in mastering spelling.