Canadian University Research Articles

Computed Tomography of Contemporary Occupational Lung Disease: A Pictorial Review.

Occupational lung disease remains one of the most common work-related illnesses and accounts for most deaths from occupational illness. Occupational lung diseases often have delayed manifestation over decades and nonspecific clinical presentations, making it challenging for clinicians to promptly identify the disease and implement preventive measures. Radiologists play a crucial role in identifying and diagnosing occupational lung diseases, allowing for removal of the exposure and early medical intervention. In this review, we share our clinical and radiologic approach to diagnosing occupational lung disease and its subtypes. A collection of sample cases of occupational lung diseases commonly encountered in the modern era at a large Canadian university hospital is included to facilitate understanding. This review will provide radiologists with valuable insights into recognizing and diagnosing occupational lung diseases.

A Case for Open Pedagogy in Nursing Education.

Open pedagogy increases access to equitable nursing education with its commitment to the scholarship of "teaching and learning" and critically framed, student-centered, relational, and open knowledge principles. This study examined the operation of and factors that nurture and challenge the practice of open pedagogy in an undergraduate digital distance nursing education program. An exploratory qualitative methodology was used to examine linkages between open pedagogy and a nursing education program in an open digital distance Canadian university. A critical realist research paradigm provided the framework for the study. Our findings shed light on how open pedagogy is practiced in relation to its 5 principles and delve into the major themes of nurse educator agency, course design, and institutional structure. The study addresses a dearth in the literature by exploring the potential of open pedagogy to increase access to meaningful and critically framed nursing education.

Examining AI Guidelines in Canadian Universities: Implications on Academic Integrity in Academic Writing

Academic integrity is a crucial aspect of higher education that fosters intellectual honesty and upholds the principles of fairness and trustworthiness (Stoez & Eaton, 2020; Kang, 2022; Eaton, 2022). As the introduction and integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies becomes increasingly prevalent in educational settings, it is imperative to examine how Canadian universities are addressing the implications of AI on academic integrity (Eaton, 2022; UNESCO, 2023). This study aimed to examine the existing AI guidelines and policies developed and implemented by Canadian universities and analyze their alignments and gaps in relation to their academic integrity policies, particularly in the domain of academic writing in Canadian higher education contexts. In this research study, sixteen Canadian universities were selected for document analysis, and through an examination of their existing polices and guidelines on AI, results revealed insights into both challenges and opportunities for faculty, students and stakeholders around teaching academic writing while upholding academic integrity in higher education.

Individual and Collective Self-Efficacy for Teaching Writing in a Multidisciplinary Sample of Canadian Faculty

Background: Teacher self-efficacy can be defined as the confidence teachers hold about their individual and collective capacity to influence student learning. While many faculty assign and assess student writing as part of their course activities, they often perceive the act of writing as separate from rather than complementary to their teaching of subject matter content. This paper will report on the combined findings of two large survey studies of 385 faculty at Canadian universities, polytechnics and colleges. The purpose of the study was to assess faculty individual and collective self-efficacy for teaching writing. Methods: Data was collected from faculty via an electronic survey distributed by email or social media (Twitter). Faculty responded to the Individual and Collective Self-Efficacy for Teaching Writing Scales. They also responded to open-ended questions asking them to relate how they felt about their abilities to guide student writing. Results: Participants’ average age was 49.9 years with 14.5 years of teaching experience. Participants reported their individual self-efficacy for teaching writing at 77.2% while feeling that their departments as a whole were only 60% confident at teaching writing. Higher individual self-efficacy for teaching writing were found in faculty who were in combined research and teaching positions, PhD prepared, with prior formal education in teaching writing, and with 20 or more years of teaching experience. No statistically significant findings were observed with the Collective Self-Efficacy scale. From the qualitative survey data three themes were identified: 1) Blaming and lamenting; 2) Is teaching writing our responsibility? 3) Hopeful efforts and recognitions. Conclusion: Overall, the data is rife with narratives of blaming students and institutions for student inability to write and faculty questioning their role as writing instructor. These narratives drown out the narratives of faculty who have a passion for teaching writing. Future research should focus on the development of formalized workshops to support faculty teaching writing and changing their attitudes toward the developmental and disciplinary shared responsibility of writing instruction in higher education.

Equity, diversity, and inclusion in Canadian colleges: examining definitions and unveiling perceptions

ABSTRACT Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) through strategic policy development has been at the forefront of institutional change, especially within the higher education sector. Canadian colleges have a large equity-seeking student population due to their open admission structure, but despite this, there are implicit biases and actions that impede students’ learning experience. Limited literature exists around how Canadian colleges have approached EDI policy development; thus, this paper initiates the unpacking of the evident policy – practice disconnect by asking: ‘How do colleges understand equity, diversity, and inclusion as articulated in policy documents?’ To address this, the study employs Critical Policy Analysis (CPA) as its main research method to deconstruct the narratives found within purposefully sampled documents including: 1) EDI policies and procedure; 2) institutional multi-year strategic plans; and 3) EDI-based plans and performance reports. Results indicate that colleges tend to be selective in their usage of EDI definitions. There is also a tendency to use ambiguous language around EDI, which makes it difficult to mobilise knowledge effectively and approach equity directly. Policies often fail to address the privileges held by certain positionalities, reinforcing existing power structures rather than challenging them. The significance of this research is in its contribution to enhancing a theoretical understanding of how knowledge supports policy, as well as informing the future development of constructive EDI policies in higher educational institutions.

Understanding the interrelations between cultural empathy, intercultural communication competence, and the psychosocial adjustment of international students in Canada: A longitudinal examination

International education offers transformative potential for personal and professional growth. Yet, navigating a new culture can be challenging due to language barriers and cultural differences. This longitudinal research delves into the potential of cultural empathy in promoting adjustment-related well-being of international students, particularly through enhancing their intercultural communication competence (ICC). Drawing upon the Process Model of Intercultural Competence and the Integrated Model of Intercultural Communication Competence, the current study (1) examines the interrelations of English Proficiency, Behavioral Flexibility, Ease of Interactions, Communication Effectiveness, and Communication Appropriateness as factors underlying a higher-order construct of communicative competence; and (2) explores the cross-temporal associations between cultural empathy, the five factors of ICC, and the psychosocial adjustment of international students to their host country. Students from a western Canadian university (N = 213) participated in the current study, who were surveyed three times over a 7-month period. The findings from confirmatory factor analysis underscore the integral role of interaction comfort, as well as effective and appropriate intercultural communication in fostering ICC. The random-intercept cross-lagged panel models reveal differential associations between cultural empathy, psychosocial adjustment, and the ICC factors, highlighting the merits of examining ICC in its constituent elements, as well as the importance of harbouring empathic, effective, and appropriate intercultural communication in cultivating positive intercultural experiences for international students. Together, the present findings provide insights for (1) advancing research on intercultural competence, and (2) developing initiatives in building a more empathic and inclusive global community that welcomes and supports international students in their sojourn.

Assessment in Online Mathematics and Statistics Courses During COVID-19: Insights from Students and Teaching Staff at a Canadian University

Assessment in Online Mathematics and Statistics Courses During COVID-19: Insights from Students and Teaching Staff at a Canadian University

Assessing the implementation of evidence-based alcohol policies on Atlantic Canadian post-secondary campuses: A comparative analysis

ObjectiveThis study assessed the quality of campus alcohol policies against best practice to assist campus decision-makers in strengthening their campus alcohol policies and reducing student alcohol use and harm.MethodsDrawing on empirical literature and expert opinion, we developed an evidence-based scoring rubric to assess the quality of campus alcohol policies across 10 alcohol policy domains. Campus alcohol policy data were collected from 12 Atlantic Canadian universities. All extracted data were verified by the institutions and then scored.ResultsOn average, post-secondary institutions are implementing only a third of the evidence-based alcohol policies captured by the 10 domains assessed. The average campus policy score was 33% (range 15‒49%). Of the 10 domains examined, only enforcement achieved an average score above 50%, followed closely by leadership and surveillance at 48%. The two heaviest-weighted domains—availability and access, and advertising and sponsorship—had average scores of 27% and 24%, respectively. However, if post-secondary campuses adopted the highest scoring policies from across all 12 campuses, they could achieve a score of 74%, indicating improvement is possible.ConclusionAtlantic Canadian universities are collectively achieving less than half their potential to reduce student alcohol-related harm. However, this study identifies opportunities where policies can be enhanced or modified. The fact that most policies are present at one or more campuses highlights that policy recommendations are an achievable goal for campuses. Campuses are encouraged to look to each other as models for improving their own policies.

Sexual victimization among Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

The present study was designed to provide the first in-depth, academically peer-reviewed assessment of sexual victimization among Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). A representative sample of RCMP (n = 1,324; 76.5% men) completed the self-report survey. Participants reported a higher overall lifetime history of sexual assault than would be expected for the general population (p < .05). Women participants reported a higher prevalence of lifetime history of sexual assault (p < .05). Participants reported being sexually assaulted during the RCMP Cadet Training Program (CTP; n = 27), with comparable proportions of men and women. Participants reported being sexually assaulted while on duty (n = 168), with a greater proportion of women reporting being sexually assaulted than men (p < .05). Women more often reported being sexually assaulted while on duty by a superior, coworker or peer, or subordinate, whereas men more often reported being sexually assaulted by a civilian. Participants (n = 94) reported being sexually harassed during the CTP and while on duty (n = 282), with a greater proportion of women reporting being sexually harassed during the CTP and while on duty. RCMP cadets appear to be sexually assaulted and sexually harassed less frequently than Canadian university and military college students, whereas RCMP appear to be sexually assaulted more often while on duty than Canadian men and women in the general population while at work; however, direct comparisons are problematic because of differing frames for questions and time spans. The current results help quantify sexual victimization among RCMP, which can support ongoing and novel prevention and intervention strategies. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

State depression, anxiety, stress, and sleep among students attending a Canadian university during the COVID-19 pandemic.

State depression, anxiety, stress, and sleep among students attending a Canadian university during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Average ages of onset and time to transition between self-injurious thoughts and behaviors: Retrospective evidence from two developmentally distinct samples

BackgroundSuicidal thoughts and behaviors often emerge in a predictable sequence, with suicidal ideation (SI) preceding planning, and planning preceding actions. Few studies, however, have considered the timing and duration of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) in these transitions. Accordingly, this study examined: 1) the developmental sequencing of NSSI, SI and suicide attempts, and 2) whether age of onset or duration predict transitions from NSSI to other SITB, and from SI to NSSI. Methods704 first-year students from a mid-sized Canadian university (Sample 1) and 2095 adults from an online research volunteer panel (Sample 2) completed the Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors Interview self-report, which assessed the presence, age of onset, and recency of SITB. ResultsNSSI and SI typically onset before age 15, while suicide planning and attempt usually began at or after age 15. Transition from NSSI to SI was likeliest in the first year after NSSI onset. Transition from NSSI to suicide attempt was likeliest in the second and third year after NSSI onset in Sample 1, and up to four years after NSSI onset in Sample 2. Early (before age 13) and late (after age 16) onsets of NSSI predicted higher odds of transitioning from NSSI to SI or attempt. Transition from SI to NSSI was likeliest in the first two years after SI onset and when SI began before age 13. ConclusionsThe first year after NSSI or SI onset are critical for transitions to other SITB. Targeted prevention and monitoring should be considered for people who recently initiated NSSI.

Student nurses’ views on an E-Learning module on comfort, safety, and mobility with older adults: a cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT Background Nursing students often receive insufficient training in older adults’ care. Purpose Examine nursing students’ perceptions of an e-learning module developed to enhance their knowledge about the comfort, safety, and mobility of older adults. Methods A cross-sectional survey was administered to third-year baccalaureate nursing students at a Canadian university after they had completed the comfort, safety, and mobility module. The survey assessed students' perceptions of the e-learning module using four 5-pointLikert-type items. The survey also contained demographic questions and one open-ended question that invited participants to make any comments they wished. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize participants’demographic characteristics. Responses to the open-ended quesiton were summative content analyzed. Results The survey was completed by 119 participants, who reported that the module increased their confidence, perceptions and knowledge in working with older adults. Participants also found the method of instruction to be convenient, interactive, and enjoyable. Conclusions Results suggest that the learning module has the potential to facilitate student nurses’ learning about comfort, safety, and mobility.

Black Canadian university football players’ perspectives on the coach-athlete relationship

To develop positive coach-athlete relationships, coaches can acknowledge and support their players’ sociocultural backgrounds (e.g., ethnicities, genders, races). This is particularly important in connecting with marginalized athletes as the history of sport is intertwined with identity politics, racism, and exclusion. To date, little is known about the role of race in coach-athlete relationships from the perspectives of marginalized individuals. The purpose of the current study was to explore the coach-athlete relationships of Black, Canadian university football players and their coaches from the players’ perspectives. We conducted semi-structured interviews with nine Black football players from five Canadian universities coached by individuals of different racial backgrounds. Using a reflexive thematic analysis, we co-created two overarching themes addressing participants’ racialized experiences inside and outside of sport, including their understanding of Blackness, as well as perceptions on how to improve coaches’ cultural literacies. From our findings, we understood that most Black athletes developed strong connections with their Black coaches compared to White or non-Black coaches of color that were characterized by feelings of trust and the ability to express their cultural identity freely. Athletes highlighted the importance of coaches acquiring or strengthening their cultural competency, and provided examples, advice, and descriptions of what they believed constituted an effective coach. By exploring racial aspects of coach-athlete relationships, this study contributes to coaching science literature and cultural sport psychology by emphasizing the need for coaches to develop cultural competency aptitudes when working with diverse athletes.

From the bench to the farm and back again.

My path to becoming a scientist has taken many twists and turns. This is perhaps not unusual to hear. Indeed, in discussions with my colleagues it seems that for many of us the path was never a straight one. Certainly, for me there have been moments when my whole world was encompassed by science and at other times, I have felt strongly that my time in science was up. I like to think that as scientists we ask a lot of questions and, for many of us, those questions extend to our very purpose as a scientist. My intention with this article is not to document my career path in detail or to provide very specific advice. Rather, I hope to describe how questions have defined my journey and to inspire others to occasionally pause and ask themselves what a career in science means to them. Today, I am an Assistant Professor at a major Canadian university, and here are the questions I asked along the way.

A - 52 Post-Pandemic Mental Health Symptom Presentations In Canadian Varsity Athletes

Abstract Purpose Mental health (MH) symptoms are often intertwined with concussion symptoms and affect recovery trajectories. Recent studies indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on athletes’MH, further highlighting the need to understand pre-season baseline MH. This study’s objective was to compare MH symptom frequency and profiles of symptomatology between cohorts of athletes captured pre and post COVID-19. Method Pre-season baseline data from varsity athletes at a Canadian university was collected in 2019, 2022, and 2023 (n = 444) aged 17–25 years (49.8% female). Athletes completed a series of demographic, concussion history, and psychological questionnaires [i.e., Post-Concussion Symptom Scale (PCSS), Generalized Anxiety Disorder Index-7 (GAD-7), and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9)]. Results The post-pandemic cohort reported greater numbers of symptoms on the PCSS (M = 4.36, SD = 5.41) compared to the pre-pandemic cohort (M = 2.55, SD = 3.74; p = &amp;lt;0.001); as well as greater symptom severity (M = 7.75 SD = 11.45) compared to the pre-pandemic cohort (M = 4.34, SD = 7.9; p = &amp;lt;0.001). Greatest endorsement differences were observed in anxiety, depression, cognitive, nausea, and “don‚Äôt feel right”symptoms (ps &amp;lt; 0.001). However, frequency of mild to severe symptom reporting was similar on the PHQ-9 (pre-pandemic: 23.6%, post-pandemic: 20.3%) and GAD-7 (pre-pandemic: 20.9%, post-pandemic: 21.6%; ps &amp;gt;0.05). Conclusions Post-pandemic athletes appear to endorse greater baseline symptoms of anxiety and depression, as well as cognitive and physical symptoms, though these do not appear to meet clinical levels. The study demonstrates a need to improve surveillance in varsity athletes’MH that may help identify athletes at risk of MH illness.

‘I was content just staying within my own circle’: interrogating the relationship between sport and acculturation among Chinese international students at a Canadian university

ABSTRACT The aim of this study is to understand the sport and physical activity experiences of Chinese international students within a large Canadian public university in Toronto, Canada. This aim was addressed by conducting semi-structured interviews with nine Chinese international students enrolled at this university and analyzing the data through acculturation theory. The study found that sport was primarily utilized for helping participants maintain connections to their culture; an outcome of the acculturation process classified as separation (Berry, 2005), by helping them build a sense of community with fellow Chinese international students. We argue that creating such spaces for sport participation was instrumental to helping the participants navigate the dominant campus culture. Although there was also some evidence that sport created opportunities for the participants to interact with Canadian students, they experienced institutional and cultural challenges that prevented them utilizing sport to connect with, and feel a part of the broader university community. Based on these findings, we argue that sport can potentially be a useful tool for international students to maintain connections to their cultural community, though this is dependent on the demographics of such a community within each individual university campus. And while sport is often promoted as an effective tool for integration amongst international students, engaging in sport or physical activity with domestic students does not, on its own, result in the achievement of such goals and is insufficient without accounting for broader cultural challenges and barriers.

A Land Acknowledgment in a Different Key: Palestine, Solidarity and the Disruption of the Liberal Script

Rather than the exception to an otherwise progressive intellectual environment in North American, and specifically Canadian universities, the suppression of speech related to Palestine reveals the racial limits of a settler-colonial liberal politics of acknowledgment and reconciliation. The mainstream or institutional conceptualisation of academic freedom does not address the structural racism and settler-colonial realities within which Canadian universities are embedded, rendering them as ‘natural’ allies for Israeli institutions and state practices. A complicated, if revealing, moment of exposure of the limits of the liberal script of reconciliation is the land acknowledgment, which has become, since October 2023, an opportunity grasped by some critical scholars to acknowledge the links between the ongoing genocide in Palestine and settler colonialism across Turtle Island. Tracing the oppositional functions of the land acknowledgment, this article exposes the political limits of a liberal racial order, which is explicitly challenged by expressions of solidarity with the Palestinian struggle for liberation.

Conceptualization and assessment of academic communication among Canadian university students.

Conceptualization and assessment of academic communication among Canadian university students.

Cannabis Use and Awareness of Risks and Policies Among Canadian University Students Post-Legalization

ABSTRACT Since the cannabis legalization in Canada in 2018, cannabis consumption among Canadian university students has become widespread. This study aimed to determine the prevalence, attitudes, and awareness of cannabis use among students at a major research university in Western Canada. An anonymous online survey, conducted from February 16, 2022, to March 25, 2022, gathered responses from 935 participants. Results revealed that 28.2% of respondents currently used cannabis, with 50.4% having tried it sometime in their lives. Common reasons for use included social use, stress relief, and curiosity. Interestingly, both current users and non-users held similar perceptions regarding the benefits and misconceptions surrounding cannabis, though users tended to perceive lower risks. Knowledge about cannabis policies varied among participants. These findings shed light on usage and attitudes among students, suggesting the need for proactive prevention to enhance awareness of risks and debunk myths associated with cannabis use.

Prognosticating Return-To-Play Time Following a Hamstring Strain Injury Using Early Flexibility Asymmetry and Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Imaging Outcomes: An Exploratory Study Among Canadian University Football Players.

Identify key flexibility and point-of-care musculoskeletal ultrasound (POCUS) measures for prognosticating return-to-play (RTP) following a first hamstring strain injury (HSI) and informing the clinical decision-making process. Exploratory prospective cohort study. Sport medicine and rehabilitation clinic of a Canadian university. One hundred and sixty-seven elite Canadian university football athletes followed over 5 seasons. Clinical and POCUS measures collected within 7 days after HSI and preseason clinical measures. Active knee extension (AKE) and Straight Leg Raise (SLR) to quantify hamstring flexibility, POCUS-related outcomes to characterize tissue alteration, and RTP until full sport resumption were documented (categorized as Early [1-40 days] or Late [>40 days] RTP). A total of 19 and 14 athletes were included in the Early RTP (mean RTP = 28.84 ± 8.62 days) and Late RTP groups (mean 51.93 ± 10.54 days), respectively, after having been diagnosed with a first HSI. For the clinical results, height and a greater flexibility asymmetry measure with the AKE or SLR when compared with both ipsilateral preseason and acute contralateral values significantly increases the chance of facing a long delay before returning to play (ie, RTP). For the POCUS-related results, the Peetrons severity score, extent of the longitudinal fibrillary alteration, and novel score lead to similar results. Early hamstring flexibility asymmetry following acute HSI, particularly the AKE, along with some POCUS-related measures are valuable in prognosticating late RTP following among Canadian university football athletes.