School Environment Research Articles

PROMOTING THE INTERNATIONALIZATION OF THE POPNEURO, A SUCCESSFUL NEUROPHYSIOLOGY OUTREACH PROGRAM.

Here, we report a successful initiative between Brazil and Germany to stimulate neuroscience outreach: the POPNeuro Program. The POPNeuro Program is a neuroscience outreach project created in Brazil that has been active for over ten years. It was initiated in Uruguaiana/RS/Brazil and linked to the Physiology Research Group from the Federal University of Pampa. The neuroscience dissemination was developed mainly in school environments by a team that includes neuroscientists and university undergraduate and graduate students. One of the key focuses of POPNeuro is to identify and avoid the dissemination of neuromyths (misconceptions generated by a misunderstanding, a misreading, or a misquoting of scientific facts). Following an initial research cooperation, the Brazilian and German teams decided to replicate some of the POPNeuro activities in Germany. The POPNeuro spin-off developed the first activities in Germany included neuroscience disclosure activities during the TUC Open Campus Day and a Neuroscience of Learning course for sports and physical education teachers. During the activities, participants took a quiz to identify the prevalence of neuromyths and knowledge of neuroscience facts. The results demonstrate a high prevalence of neurotmyths between the different participants. Despite the socio-cultural differences, these results are in line with previous results from POPNeuro in Brazil. Considering our experience and the participants' evaluations, we are confident that promoting the internationalization of this successful neurophysiology outreach program, expanding the Brazilian POPNeuro program in Germany will have a positive impact. This initiative represents a model of international cooperation that should be stimulated.

The Handprint Initiative: Attitudes Towards the Environment in Mexican High Schools

The Handprint Initiative: Attitudes Towards the Environment in Mexican High Schools

A Qualitative Study of School Mental Health Providers’ Experiences with Chart Notes: Perceived Utility, Burden, and Areas for Growth

ABSTRACT Background Despite the ubiquity of chart notes and their well-known impact on medical providers’ job stress and satisfaction, little is known about how mental health providers interact with and are impacted by documentation requirements, particularly in school environments. Objective This qualitative study sought to investigate school mental health providers’ perspectives on and experiences with documentation. Method Four focus groups with eight school mental health providers were conducted. Providers were asked about their current documentation practices and desired changes to their electronic health record system. Recordings of focus groups were transcribed and analyzed for themes using a rapid qualitative analytic approach. Results Key themes revolved around the purpose, features, time demands, training needs, and writing processes surrounding chart notes. Providers reported spending substantial time and energy on documentation and viewed chart notes primarily as a billing requirement, but also valued their utility for treatment planning, outcome monitoring, and clinical accountability. Providers expressed frustration with redundant data entry, lack of protected time for documentation, insufficient training for and communication around updates to documentation requirements, and strained interactions with supervisors during editing. Providers highlighted scheduling protected work time for documentation, enhancing documentation training with a focus on habit formation, standardizing supervisory expectations and providing documentation specific training for supervisors, and redesigning electronic health record interfaces with automation and checklists as strategies that could improve their experiences with chart notes. Conclusions Providers highlighted the ways current training and supervision practices, time constraints, and electronic health record functionality contribute to job stress and burnout while also noting the value of documentation for treatment planning and processing difficult emotions. Roadmaps outlining further research that is needed to understand these suggestions from providers in the larger context of clinical documentation, as well their potential benefits and tradeoffs for providers and other stakeholders, are discussed.

Social Determinants of Health and Language and Academic Outcomes in Pediatric Cochlear Implantation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Cochlear implants can restore sound and enable speech and language development for children with severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss. Long-term outcomes of pediatric cochlear implant recipients are variable. Although the association between social determinants of health (SDH) and pediatric cochlear implant outcomes has been explored, the strength of this association has not been quantitatively synthesized in the literature. To determine the association of SDH with language and academic outcomes in pediatric cochlear implant recipients. In August 2023, the following databases were searched: Embase.com, Ovid MEDLINE, Scopus, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cumulated Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature Plus, APA PsycINFO, and ClinicalTrials.gov. Following duplicate exclusion of 8687 results, 5326 records were finalized. Abstract screening, full-text review, and risk of bias assessment was performed by 1 to 2 reviewers. Articles were included if an effect size for an SDH variable that was associated with measures of language, communication, reading, academics, and quality of life was reported. A random-effects meta-analysis was performed, with standardized regression coefficients measuring the relative direction and magnitude of a variable association with the outcome of interest. Of 5326 articles, 40 articles that included a total of 3809 children were included in the systematic review; 20 articles that included a total of 1905 children were included in the meta-analysis. Parental involvement, education level, and low socioeconomic status were moderately to strongly associated with language outcomes (β = 0.30; 95% CI, 0.13-0.48; β = 0.45; 95% CI, 0.29-0.62; β = -0.47; 95% CI, -0.83 to -0.10, respectively). Known determinants of language outcomes, such as the age of cochlear implantation and duration of cochlear implant use, demonstrated moderate to no associations with language outcomes (β = -0.30; 95% CI, -0.43 to -0.17; β = 0.19; 95% CI, -0.26 to 0.63, respectively). The results of this systematic review and meta-analysis suggest that SDH are associated with childhood language development and academic achievement. In addition to efforts to expedite cochlear implant placement in eligible children, optimal outcomes may be achieved with interventions centered on the child's home, primary medical care, and school environment.

The Effect of Emergency Training on Improving Knowledge and Skills in Emergency Management Among Students at MAN 2 Palu

Introduction: An emergency is a situation or condition where there is an immediate threat or occurrence of harm that may lead to further damage (loses). In modern times, emergency preparedness has become a critical aspect of daily life, particularly in school environments. Incidents such as accidents, fires, and the need for first aid interventions highlight the increasing importance of emergency training for students. Objective: To analyze the effect of emergency training on improving students' knowledge and skills in managing emergencies. Method: This study employed a pre-experimental design with a one-group pretest-posttest approach. A total of 81 students from MAN 2 Palu participated in the study. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to assess changes in knowledge and skills, with a significance level set at p < 0.05. Result:. The mean pretest knowledge score was 9.16 (SD: 1.94), and the posttest score was 17.54 (SD: 0.67). The Wilcoxon test indicated a significant improvement in knowledge following the training (p = 0.000, p < 0.05). Similarly, the mean pretest score for basic life support skills was 3.44 (SD: 0.63), which increased to 5.93 (SD: 0.26) post-training. The mean score for splint dressing skills improved from 2.37 (SD: 0.64) pretest to 7.93 (SD: 0.30) posttest, and choking aid skills improved from 2.69 (SD: 0.54) to 3.98 (SD: 0.15) posttest. All skill improvements were statistically significant (p = 0.000, p < 0.05), which means providing emergency training has a positive effect on improving emergency skills among students. Conclusion: Emergency training significantly improves both the knowledge and skills of students in managing emergencies. This training is expected to improve students' ability to provide effective first aid in emergencies before professional medical assistance is available.

Evaluation of an Educator Mental Health Literacy Online Training Package

ABSTRACTEducators and school staff are critical to recognizing and supporting students' mental health, but frequently do not have the training to confidently bring mental health literacy into the classroom or assist students who experience distress. Moreover, few free, easily accessible trainings are available for this audience. Classroom Well‐being Information and Strategies for Educators (Classroom WISE) is a free, K‐12 mental health literacy training package that includes a self‐paced online course, video library, and resource collection. Using pre‐ and postcourse anonymous surveys from over 2000 educators, school mental health professionals, and school staff who completed Classroom WISE, this study found high levels of satisfaction, significant increases in mental health literacy knowledge, high perceived importance of mastering skills to promote student well‐being, and increased preparedness to implement mental health‐related strategies. Participants reported intentions to bring mental health literacy into the classroom, and identified barriers and facilitators to using Classroom WISE that leaders can respond to or employ when moving to implement Classroom WISE across a school or district. School district or school‐wide use of Classroom WISE can assist in building a safe and supportive school environment and help students in need to access mental health services.

Effectiveness of Film Media in Improving Students' Knowledge and Attitudes Towards Clean and Healthy Living Behavior (PHBS) at Darul Fikri Islamic Boarding School Sungai Belidak

Introduction: Clean and Healthy Living Behavior (PHBS) is a set of behaviors practiced based on awareness of learning outcomes. Public health can be improved by changing behavior from unhealthy to healthier. Health education is needed to increase awareness, willingness, and ability to live healthily. Health education methods are generally carried out through lectures and presentation media. The use of visual and audiovisual media can attract the attention and focus of targets, thereby increasing effectiveness. Objective: This study aims to improve the knowledge and attitudes of students about PHBS in the Darul Fikri Sungai Belidak Islamic Boarding School environment. Method: This study used a quasi-experimental design with a one group pretest-posttest design approach. It was conducted at the Darul Fikri Islamic Boarding School, Sungai Belidak from July to October 2024, with a population of all students. The sample consisted of 30 respondents taken using a purposive sampling technique. Data analysis was carried out using univariate and bivariate analysis using the paired sample t-test. Results: The average value of pre-test knowledge was 8.93, while the post-test increased to 12.23 (difference 3.3). The average value of pre-test attitude was 44.60, while the post-test increased to 48.77 (difference 4.17). Before education, 40% of students had good knowledge, increasing to 76.7% after education. The good attitude of students increased from 46.7% to 73.3%. The paired sample t-test showed a sig value of 0.000 (p <0.05) for knowledge and 0.019 (p <0.05) for attitude, which indicated a significant influence of PHBS education using film media. Conclusion: It can be concluded that there is a positive influence between attitudes and knowledge towards PHBS education in Islamic boarding schools using film media. PHBS counseling through film media is very effective in improving the knowledge and attitudes of students, so that students are expected to be able to learn and understand knowledge well.

Do scientific attitude and intelligence affect motivation towards STEM? Structural equation modelling

IntroductionThe aim of this study is to reveal the effect of scientific attitude and intelligence on STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) motivation using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). It is possible to say that there is a reciprocal relationship between attitudes towards science, intelligence and motivation towards STEM. Motivation is closely and positively related to STEM, scientific attitude, intelligence and organizational development. When female students are supported and motivated positively, it is possible for them to be successful in STEM. It is possible to say that female students are the female leadership candidates of the future. Female leader candidates can play a role in future organizational development. Female leader candidates who are supported and motivated by their environment can take their place in organizational development. There is a gap in the research literature on this subject in Türkiye. This study fills an important gap in terms of sampling, research method and data analysis.MethodIn the study, personal information form, Attitude Towards Scientific Research Scale, Multiple Intelligences Self-Perception Scale and STEM Value-Expectation Rating Scale were applied to 159 female undergraduate students who are disadvantaged in STEM field and studying at Ege University Ödemiş Faculty of Health Sciences.ResultsIt is possible to say that most female students have positive attitudes towards scientific research. According to the research results, as the reluctance to help researchers and negative attitudes towards research increase, motivation towards STEM decreases. As positive attitudes towards research and researchers increase, motivation towards STEM increases. In addition, increases in verbal–linguistic intelligence, logical-mathematical intelligence, spatial intelligence, interpersonal intelligence, intrapersonal intelligence and natural intelligence lead to an increase in positive attitudes towards research and thus STEM motivation.ConclusionWhen the value expectations of future female leadership candidates for the STEM field were evaluated, it was found that 81.13% of the students had a medium level of value expectation evaluation level for the STEM field. This situation suggests that female students are not positively motivated for STEM in the family, school and peer environment.

Integrating culturally-oriented activities in physical education: Analysis on the incidental learning and appreciation of learners to Philippine culture

The study investigates incidental learning and the appreciation of college students towards culturally-oriented activities in physical education sessions. The exploratory research design uses one-on-one interviews to gather data from 20 physical education students enrolled in the 2023–2024 school year. The positive impact of integrating culturally-oriented activities into physical education sessions is that it emphasizes the importance of cultural awareness and inclusivity in educational settings. The benefits of incorporating culturally-oriented activities into physical education include promoting cultural understanding and enriching students’ educational experiences. The transformative effect of culturally oriented activities in physical education prepares students to become responsible global citizens, emphasizing the importance of cultural enrichment. Incorporating culturally-oriented activities in physical education sessions has significant implications for educational practices, policies, and societal attitudes towards diversity, promoting global citizenship and inclusivity. Integrating culturally-oriented activities in physical education is essential in the current context to nurture cultural awareness, respect, and diversity among students. Investigating the effects of such activities can help educators create more inclusive and culturally responsive learning environments, preparing students for a diverse and interconnected world. Physical education is a way of education through physical activities that are selected and carried on with full regard to values in human growth, development, and behavior. Help learners to better understand both their own identity and the ethos of the school context and environment they share with others. Teachers’ and students’ perspectives on culturally relevant physical education. Aspects of culture and education should be complementary in terms of complementing and reinforcing each other.

Narrative Communication of Teachers’ Support Needs for Violence-Based Trauma in the Schools

Community violence is a serious public health problem, and research on community violence consistently documents a relationship between exposure to community violence and adolescents’ psychological and behavioral challenges, which, when considered cumulatively, can be understood as collective trauma. Preventing and mediating exposure to community violence by local schools is, thus, an important part of efforts to promote healthy adolescent development. As a societal problem, community violence and its socio-psychological effects lend themselves to an interdisciplinary approach for researching the problem and possible intervention and mitigation in local schools. The integrative, interdisciplinary approach to problem analysis in this study provides a framework for addressing trauma due to community violence as it affects the school environment. Narrative analysis, as a method of discovery, reveals the struggles of high school teachers dealing with the effects of violence-based trauma on their students. Policy recommendations and implications for future research are included.

Core Competences of School Nurses for the Development of Anti-Bullying Strategies: Protocol for a Scoping Review

Background/Objectives: School nurses are capable of fostering safe and healthy school environments that are favorable to quality learning and social interactions. To this end, it is essential that they acquire a set of skills needed to implement bullying intervention programs. This article describes the protocol for a scoping review to identify and map the core competences for school nurses to develop anti-bullying strategies. Methods: The review will be conducted according to the JBI methodology for scoping reviews. The review will include primary, secondary, and gray literature, including theses and reports, found through comprehensive research in several databases: Scopus, WoS, APA PsycINFO, Embase, ScienceDirect, MEDLINE/PubMed, CINAHL (EBSCOhost), ERIC, LILACS, BDENF, IBECS, Cochrane Library, CAPES Dissertations and Theses Portal, RCAAP, Theses Canada, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, and Google Scholar, as well as reference tracking. No geographical restrictions will be applied. The studies must include investigations into actions and interventions conducted by or involving nurses for the prevention of bullying in the school context. Two reviewers will act independently in screening the studies and extracting data using an extraction tool developed by the research team. Results: The results will be presented in a tabular format, supported by a narrative synthesis. The details of the scoping review will be reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. Conclusions: We anticipate that our scoping review will to strengthen a field of nursing that is still little explored, showing the school nurses’ role in prevent bullying episodes.

Parenting Styles and Coping Strategies among Vietnamese Adolescents

Coping ability is one of the crucial factors helping adolescents face and overcome changes and difficulties during this developmental stage. The selection and use of coping strategies by adolescents are influenced by various factors from family, school, and social environment, including parenting styles. This study aims to examine the influence of parenting styles, as perceived by adolescents, on their coping strategies. Using a cross-sectional design, the study employed the Proactive Coping Inventory and Parenting Scale. Results showed that parental autonomy support, psychological control, and behavioral control have different effects on adolescents' coping strategies.

STRENGTHENING SPIRITUAL MENTALITY THROUGH POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS: THE PREVENTIVE ROLE OF ISLAMIC EDUCATION TEACHERS IN ADDRESSING BULLYING

Bullying cases that occur among students in Indonesia today have become a problem that has become mainstream. Various official data information from the government reinforces this problem. This article aims to explore from the side of subjects who should play a preventive role in suppressing bullying cases among students as a form of their social competence responsibility. Phenomenological design was chosen to explore the experiences of 18 PAI teachers in elementary and junior high schools in providing positive affirmation to students. Two dimensions of positive affirmation were explored, namely self-acceptance and affirmation to prevent bullying through a closed questionnaire and then inductively content analyzed. The results of the study found that the involvement of the integration approach of spiritual values colored the positive affirmations given by PAI Teachers to encourage students to become individuals who are self-accepting, honest, positive, independent, and respectful of differences, strong mentality, self-confidence, and a safe school environment from bullying. This finding has implications and contributes to the importance of optimizing the role of subjects who have the opportunity to work preventively as part of their professionalism to reduce cases of bullying among students.

What is inclusion? Children perspective on education at primary schools in rural Afghanistan

Inclusive education remains a distant goal in Afghanistan threatened by issues of discrimination based on gender, disability, ethnicity, cultural beliefs and socioeconomic status. To promote more inclusive practices, we conducted 120 participatory workshops in three rounds, including 1187 volunteer children aged 9 to 12 years old from grades three, four and five in 40 primary rural schools of Badakhshan, Ghazni and Takhar provinces of Afghanistan between 2018 and 2021. Children described inclusion as the combination of allowing all children to access school and to effectively learn. Children were able to meaningfully define the state of education while articulating coherently what motivates them, their teachers, and parents and what actions need to be taken to improve the whole school system. In a political context limiting girls’ education, children voiced their need for a school environment that is enriching, supportive and adapted to their needs and expectations to keep motivated and engaged.

Illuminating Hypomania in Early Adolescence: Associations Between Dark-Side and Bright-Side Hypomania, Insomnia, and Health-Related Quality of Life

Background: Adolescence is a period of significant psychological, physical, and social changes. During this time, adolescents face increasing responsibilities, such as making educational and career decisions, managing peer relationships, and becoming more independent from their families. These changes are often accompanied by mood fluctuations and altered sleep patterns. This study aimed to explore the relationships between bright- and dark-side hypomania, insomnia, and various dimensions of health-related quality of life (HRQOL), such as self-esteem, family and peer relationships, social acceptance, and autonomy. Methods: A total of 1475 participants in mid-adolescence (mean age: 13.4 years; range: 11–16 years; 48.8% males) completed a series of self-reported questionnaires covering sociodemographic information, hypomania, including dark and bright-side hypomania, insomnia, and HRQOL. Results: Compared to participants with no or dark-side hypomania, participants with bright-side hypomania reported better HRQOL. Bright-side hypomania was significantly associated with favorable relationships with parents and home, peer relationships, and the school environment and with less insomnia. In contrast, dark-side hypomania showed significant associations with lower scores for self-esteem, moods and emotional states, peer relationships, social acceptance, the school environment, and more insomnia. Conclusions: Among a larger sample of adolescents, bright- and dark-side hypomania were associated with a broad, though specific variety of aspects of HRQOL and insomnia. Given that standardized programs are available to improve insomnia and resilience as a proxy of psychological well-being, such interventions may have the potential to improve adolescents’ psychological well-being and sleep quality concomitantly.

Strengthening the Profile of Pancasila Students through the Differentiated Mulia Method

Characteristics of community and the school environment are starting point for determining vision, mission, and goals. Facing these problems and the results of the diagnostic assessment that has been carried out on all school residents, this program considers differentiation that is adjusted to talents, interests, and abilities as well as the personalities of all school residents. This study aims to achieve school’s vision and mission so that can strengthen the Pancasila Student Profile. The method applied is Mulia Differentiated Method as an abbreviation of Mulia, Superior, Literate, Inspirational, and Adaptive. Differentiation because this program is adjusted to diagnostic assessment carried out at the beginning of the school year which is carried out on all school residents, so that this program is adjusted to talents, interests, abilities, and personalities. The results state that the Mulia strategy that we implemented brought benefits to the school, students, guardians, parents, the committee and the community around the school. The benefits for the school community are the creation of a religious and family atmosphere, the beauty of the school environment becomes a comfortable and safe place.

Study on Schools Bullying for Adolescents

This study aims to describe aspects relating to bullying as causal factors, types, impacts, and strategies to prevent and resolve. Percentages of victims and perpetrators based on gender, age, and education level. Researchers utilized qualitative methods to collect and analyze data, according to Milles and Huberman. This research was conducted at 11 junior high schools and 11 senior high schools. The participants of this research were 53 informants. The results indicated that internal factors of bullying are psychological, physiological, intelligence and skills, identity, lifestyle, and religion. External factors are families, school and social environment, peers, legal base, media and technology, social and economic class, lifestyle, lack of communication, clothing, race, and experiences of victims. The types of bullying found are verbal, physical, bullying from media, sexual and relational bullying. Of those 5 types of bullying, verbal bullying is the most common. Keywords: bullying, adolescence, student, achievement

Development of Psychological Course Based on Social Stories and 4MAT Method to Enhance Preschool Students’ Emotional Intelligence in Hancheng Jiada School

Background and Aim: The emotional intelligence of preschoolers has a significant impact on their social interactions, scholastic achievement, and general well-being, making it vital for their overall development. Developing emotional intelligence in young children can be challenging, especially in traditional school environments. The objective of this study was to (1) develop a psychological course based on social stories and the 4MAT method to enhance preschool students’ emotional intelligence, (2) compare preschool students’ emotional intelligence before and after implementing through psychological course based on social stories and 4MAT method, and (3) study the learning progression of preschool students’ emotional intelligence who learned through psychological course based on social stories and 4MAT method each time. Materials and Methods: This study used a cluster sampling method with 30 kindergarten students of Hancheng Jiaoda School, People’s Republic of China. The experimental design adopted in this study was a group pretest-posttest design and the equivalent time-sample design. The research instruments were 1) 8 lesson plans, 2) a Test for assessing preschool students’ emotional intelligence (Knowledge), and 3) an Observation form for assessing preschool students’ emotional intelligence (Behavior). The data were analyzed by using mean, standard deviation the t-test for a dependent sample, and one-way Repeated Measures ANOVA. Results: The results of the study were as follows: 1) The psychological course to enhance preschool students’ emotional intelligence consisted of the principle, objective, content, instructional strategy, materials, and evaluation. 2) After implementing social stories and 4MAT learning, the student’s emotional intelligence was higher than before (t=8.317 p = .001). 3) The students’ emotional intelligence increased in the four tests after the psychological course with the F-test statistic (F=6255.071, p=.001), which was less than .05, indicating that there were statistically significant differences in the mean values of the four times emotional intelligence tests. Conclusion: The innovation of this research was: 1) The course components consisted of six components. 2) The instructional strategy to enhance preschool students’ emotional intelligence had 7 steps: Step 1: personalization, step 2: engagement, step 3: application, step 4: creativity, step 5: visual Support, step 6: progress monitoring, and step 7: Inclusivity.

Automated Bell and LED Display System

Traditional school bell systems and manual scheduling methods often lead to inefficiencies, inaccuracies, and confusion, resulting in operational delays and unclear communication regarding class timings. To address these issues, this project introduces an automated school bell system with a digital display that provides real-time updates on current periods, upcoming classes, and accurate time. Our system utilizes an Arduino microcontroller to automate the ringing of classroom bells based on a pre-set schedule. The bell timing can be easily programmed and adjusted through a user interface, ensuring precise synchronization with the academic timetable. Additionally, an integrated LED display provides real-time visual cues, indicating the current period and upcoming period. This feature helps to minimize confusion and ensure that both students and faculty are consistently informed of schedule changes. This will enable easy management and scheduling updates, reducing the likelihood of errors and improving overall operational efficiency. By streamlining scheduling and enhancing communication clarity, this solution aims to create a more organized and efficient school environment.

Integration of Mental Health Concepts in the Middle School Curriculum

This qualitative study explores the experiences of middle school teachers of Liaocheng Vocational and Technical School with student mental health education within their school setting. Drawing on interviews with teachers, supported interviews with school administrators and parents, the study aims to understand the challenges, resources, and support systems in promoting student well-being that teachers believe would be most beneficial in facilitating effective mental health education. Through a qualitative inquiry, and specifically using purposeful sampling, ten participants will be selected to provide rich insights into the phenomenon. Data will be collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results may highlight the multifaceted nature of supporting student mental health, encompassing recognition of mental health issues, role breadth, efficacy in providing support, and barriers faced within the school environment. It is hoped that the study contributes to the literature by offering insights into the complexities of addressing student mental health within the middle school context and informing the development of effective interventions and support systems.