School Level Research Articles

SARS-CoV-2 Infection in School Settings, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, 2021-2022.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, widespread school closures were implemented globally based on the assumption that transmission among children in the school environment is common. However, evidence regarding secondary infection rates by school type and level of contact is lacking. Our study estimated the frequency of SARS-CoV-2 infection in school settings by examining the positivity rate according to school type and level of contact by using data from a large-scale school-based PCR project conducted in Okinawa, Japan, during 2021-2022. Our results indicate that, despite detection of numerous positive cases, the average number of secondary infections remained relatively low at ≈0.5 cases across all types of schools. Considering the profound effects of prolonged closures on educational access, balancing public health benefits against potential long-term effects on children is crucial.

Existence of independent learning curriculum and portrait of ideal curriculum management in laboratory schools

Each schools have the autonomous right to manage and develop an independent curriculum according to its potential. However, the implementation of the independent learning curriculum is dependent on proper management at the school level, so there may be obstacles faced by schools in managing the independent learning curriculum. The purpose of this study is to investigate the concept and problems, as well as school strategies in managing an independent learning curriculum in laboratory schools. This research was studied qualitatively with a multi-site study design. Data collection was conducted through focus group discussions (FGDs) with semistructured interviews, observations, and documentation studies. Data validity was checked using source triangulation, discussion among fellow researchers, and adequacy of reference materials. Data analysis techniques used constant comparative analysis. The results show that learning activities in the independent curriculum emphasize character education and the achievement of students' happiness in learning, and schools implement differentiated learning and simplify the values contained in P5 through projects and fun learning. This research contributes theoretically and practically, by complementing previous literature and can be a guide for school managers in order to ideally manage an independent curriculum.

Islamic moderation in elementary school: strengthening the Aswaja Annadhliyah curriculum in preventing religious radicalism

This action research aims to improve teachers’ ability to enrich, redesign, develop, and test the ahlussunah waljamaah (Aswaja) Annahdliyah curriculum in strengthening Islamic moderation in 25 madrasah ibtidaiyah (Islamic elementary schools) in Kedu Caresidenan, Central Java, Indonesia. The method used was participatory action research modeled by Stephen Kemmis, Robin McTaggart, and Rhonda Nixon, an experimental type of action research. The research findings state that Islamic moderation through strengthening the Aswaja Annahdliyah curriculum is carried out by enriching and redesigning the curriculum in the aspects of objectives, content/materials, methods/activities, and assessment/evaluation. The form of strengthening the Aswaja Annahdliyah curriculum is carried out by developing a curriculum by providing material on the basic principles of Aswaja, Ukhuwah Nahdliyah, and Mabadi Khaira Ummah in the aspects of fikrah (thought), aqidah (belief), harakah (movement), and amaliyah (worship practices). As a result, teachers know the depth and breadth of the curriculum in terms of objectives, content, methods, and evaluation at the level of fikrah, aqidah, harakah, and amaliyah, determining basic competencies, operational verbs, materials, material enrichment, and selecting appropriate learning models, methods, strategies, and media. Future research needs to explore curriculum strengthening for Aswaja Annahdliyah at the high school or university level.

The relationship between mindfulness and childhood trauma with suicide: The mediating role of cognitive bias

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between mindfulness, childhood trauma, and suicide, specifically focusing on the mediating role of cognitive bias. Suicide is a pressing issue that poses a significant threat to public health in society, and understanding the factors that contribute to it is crucial. The research design employed in this study is a correlation-based structural equation model. A total of 370 students from the second level of secondary school in Iran city were selected as participants using an available sampling method during the academic year of 2023. To gather data, several questionnaires were utilized, including the Kentucky Mindfulness Questionnaire, Bernstein et al.'s Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (1994), Hammachi and Ozturk's Cognitive Bias Questionnaire (2004), and the Multi-attitude Suicidal Tendency Questionnaire (MAST). Data analysis was conducted using SPSS-23 and Amos software, encompassing both descriptive and inferential levels. The findings of this research revealed several significant relationships. Firstly, there is a positive and significant direct path from childhood trauma to cognitive bias. Secondly, mindfulness has a negative and significant direct path to cognitive bias. Thirdly, childhood trauma has a direct and significant path to suicide. Additionally, cognitive bias has a positive and significant path to suicidality, while mindfulness has a negative and significant path to suicide. Moreover, there are positive and significant indirect paths from suicide to childhood trauma and negative and significant indirect paths from suicide to mindfulness. In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of mindfulness and cognitive bias as variables related to adolescent suicide. Adolescents who have experienced childhood trauma are more likely to consider suicide as a solution when faced with life problems. These findings emphasize the need for interventions and support systems that address mindfulness, cognitive bias, and childhood trauma to prevent and mitigate the risk of suicide among adolescents.

The cohort trends of social connectedness in secondary school students in Finland between 2017 and 2021.

The aim was to investigate the cohort trends of the experienced social connectedness in secondary school students between 2017 and 2021 and whether these trends vary by gender, school level and sociodemographic background. We used nationally representative Finnish data of 450,864 students in lower and upper secondary education. Social connectedness was measured by number of close friends, feelings of loneliness and sense of belonging at school. Adjusted regression analyses included year, gender, school level and sociodemographic factors (parental education, immigrant status of the student and urban-rural area of the school). The results showed that social connectedness declined from 2017 to 2021: 11% decline in having 3+ close friends, 15% increase in loneliness and 8% decline in belonging at school. The decline was especially large in girls and upper secondary school. Although some socio-demographically disadvantaged groups showed lower levels of social connectedness, there were differences by gender, school level and year. Many differences diminished because the more advantaged groups declined faster, i.e. moved towards the less advantaged groups. Declining social connectedness in young people is a worrying trend that requires a public health focus on the whole cohort while accommodating the variation by the individual and environmental context.

Malnutrition in infants aged 6-23 months in China's poorest rural counties from 2016 to 2021: cross sectional study.

To assess trends and differences in child malnutrition by population subgroups among infants aged 6-23 months in China's poorest rural counties. Six consecutive cross sectional surveys were conducted annually. The study was conducted in 116 counties in 19 provinces from 2016 to 2021, representing China's 832 poorest counties. A total of 210 088 participants were selected through a multistage cluster sampling procedure; all participants were infants aged 6-23 months. Prevalence of anaemia, stunting, wasting, overweight, and growth status in children (measured by length-for-age and weight-for-length z scores). Four main malnutrition forms were prevalent in 2016: anaemia (prevalence 18.3%), stunting (7.5%), wasting (4.7%), and overweight (3.1%). The prevalence of any two coexisting malnutrition forms was low. All four forms of malnutrition decreased from 2016 to 2021. Anaemia decreased by more than half, with an annual reduction rate of 9.11% (95% confidence interval (CI) 4.83% to 13.20%). Stunting was reduced by over a third, with an annual reduction rate of 10.44% (7.56% to 13.22%), which is faster than the World Health Organization's target of 3.9%. Differences in child growth by county gross domestic product quarters were small and decreased over time, but growth differences related to education persisted. Infants whose mothers completed education up to primary school level had approximately twice the risk of stunting (adjusted rate ratio 2.29 (95% CI 1.87 to 2.81)) and wasting (1.73 (1.40 to 2.13)) compared with children whose mothers had an education level of a college degree or above. Boys had poorer growth and higher anaemia than did girls. For all outcomes, differences related to sex and education were greatest at 6 months of age. Education related inequalities in growth of infants persists, with these differences particularly affecting children whose mothers completed education only up to primary school level.

An action plan to improve organizational health literacy in hospitals in the Czech Republic

Abstract Background The National Institute for Health Literacy conducted in 2023 as part of the M-POHL network and in close collaboration with the team of the Klaudian Hospital a survey on the level of organizational health literacy using the OHL-Hos tool. The OHL-Hos tool was proven by the project implementation team as suitable for initiating and monitoring organizational change. Methods Based on the self-assessment and the results of the consensus workshop, the project implementation team identified development priorities that were submitted and approved by the hospital management. To keep the sustainability of the implementation, the hospital management decided to formulate an action plan, with the time horizon 2025. Results The proposed action plan, approved by hospital management, focuses on feasible measures within a given time horizon. For each development goal, responsible teams, time frames, and expected results were formulated. The implementation project team evaluated as the most innovative standard the standard dealing with internal communication with patients and their family after discharge and thus to ensure the continuity in supporting personal health literacy of patients and relatives. In addition, as further important standards, easy navigation and access to documents, materials, and services for patients and healthcare professionals were recognized. Interventions focusing on public education, especially for children and students of all school levels, have been proposed to enhance external communication and increase health knowledge in the region. Conclusions The process of regular OHL assessment of set up measures has been considered as a way how to ensure the long-term fulfilment of the newly adopted action plan by the hospital.

The use of MALL EFL students at school level perceptions and challenges

With the ubiquity of technology, the demand to utilize technological tools in education has increased, particularly in learning and teaching English as a foreign language. This study aimed to explore the attitudes and difficulties associated with mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) among English as a foreign language (EFL) students in Saudi Arabian schools. The research follows the quantitative method and employs the technology acceptance model with suggested external factors as the framework of the study. The questionnaire, comprising 29 items in the Likert scale style, serves as the study's main tool. 31 third-grade high school students, from Al Madinah Al Munawwarah educational directorate, recruited in the study. For analysis, the proposal model is analyzed using the structural equation modeling (SEM) method. As a result, the study found largely positive attitudes toward using MALL for learning English. Moreover, the mean score analysis revealed a high percentage of mobile device ownership, potentially leading to significant time spent on these devices. However, the study found some challenges for the students that prevent them from using MALL effectively, such as the lack of school support and the high cost of some EFL learning applications. Future studies should expand the sample size and consider additional variables that could influence students' MALL utilization.

Understanding the influence of children’s mental health, cognitive development, and environmental factors on learning outcomes in Chile

Mental health, cognitive development, and social background are related to educational success. While growing evidence is available in cultural settings other than Western countries, more knowledge is needed, especially regarding interactions among these dimensions. Rather than studying isolated factors, we propose an integrated approach to consider the diverse interrelated dimensions influencing children’s learning. Life course theory supports this approach underlying the role of early events in subsequent life paths and the multidisciplinary nature of these events. The sample consisted of 610 children (49.1% male) attending first grade. The children completed reading, mathematics, and visuospatial working memory (VWM) assessments. Parents completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ-P) and reported their demographic information. A multilevel path model was estimated, including direct relationships between (i) children’s socioemotional behavior (SEB) and learning, (ii) VWM and learning, and (iii) SEB and VWM. The effects of sex and maternal education were also controlled. School and student level variances were modeled. At the school level, VWM, reading, and mathematics have variance, whereas SEB does not. At the student level, VWM, SEB, and maternal education have significant and differential effects on learning. Hyperactivity and peer problems were negatively related to reading and mathematics, while emotional problems were not, and conduct problems exhibited mixed results. These results reinforce developmental life course approaches, that is, from the beginning of schooling, promoting positive mental health can improve children’s learning outcomes.

The Impact of Learner Ill-Discipline on Teaching and Learning in High Schools of Waterberg District, Limpopo Province

Studies have indicated that lack of discipline among learners in schools is one of the foremost problems facing schools both nationally and internationally. This paper thus investigated the causal factors of learner ill-discipline at the school level with the intention to come up with practical measures that can be applied by the schools to curb learner indiscipline. The qualitative method with a case study approach was used to conduct an in-depth investigation into the phenomenon of learner indiscipline. Three high schools in the Bela-Bela township were sampled as participants for the study. Data was collected through one-on-one semi-structured interviews and document analyses on learner code of conduct and school disciplinary policy. Three (3) school principals, six (6) teachers and six (6) learners were interviewed. The findings revealed that schools are characterised by rampant levels of learner ill-discipline with a negative impact on teaching and learning. The study argued that two primary factors fuelling learner ill-discipline in schools are the inappropriate implementation of the learner code of conduct and the school disciplinary policy. It concluded that there is an urgent need for proper implementation of the learner code of conduct and the disciplinary policy in the schools. This study strongly recommends that education authorities put measures in place to ensure that schools comply with the proper implementation of the code of conduct and school disciplinary policy. The findings of this study contribute to a discourse in the body of knowledge in learner discipline. Keywords: Ill-Discipline, Learner Performance, School Disciplinary Policy, Code of Conduct

The Impact of the Missouri School-Wide Positive Behavior Support (MO SW-PBS) on Disciplinary Exclusions

The negative outcomes of exclusionary discipline practices on children and youth are well established. Fortunately, for the past two decades, research has demonstrated that pro-active instructional approaches and building supportive class and school environments can effectively promote student social, emotional, and behavioral well-being, especially when evidence-based practices are placed within a problem-solving multitiered system of supports such as school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (SWPBIS). Recent work examining state-wide behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) initiatives, which include professional development and technical assistance to school leadership teams, has clearly documented that educators can reduce problem behavior and thereby reduce the need or use for exclusionary discipline practices. This study extends that body of knowledge by examining Missouri’s SWPBIS initiative over time and across grade levels. Using an extant data base, schools implementing SWPBIS with fidelity were compared with nonimplementing schools over 11 school years. Results indicated that schools implementing SWPBIS with fidelity had statistically significant lower rates of exclusionary discipline practices at the primary, middle, and high school level. Results are discussed within the context of past state-wide SWPBIS initiatives.

Acute Ear, Nose and Throat Pain in Children in Brazzaville

Objective: To evaluate the intensity of acute pain associated with ENT conditions during consultations and the effectiveness of the analgesic prescribed. Patients and Methods: We conducted a prospective, experimental, randomised, double-blind study in the ENT CCF department of the CHUB. The study took place over a period of 9 months (01 March to 30 November 2021) and involved only children aged 2-12 years presenting with an acute ENT complaint and having been treated in the ENT consultation department of the CHUB. Paracetamol and ibuprofen were administered after pain assessment. Results: During the study period, 60 patients presented with acute ENT complaints and were managed on an outpatient basis. The mean age was 7.7 +/- 31 years, with extremes ranging from 2 to 12 years. Tekes were the most represented ethnic group at 58.4%. Schoolchildren represented the most common school level. Acute pain affected patients' life activities. Acute pharyngitis was the most common pathology. Acute ENT pain. Paracetamol and ibuprofen were the molecules most frequently used, and pain was virtually absent on the 3rd day of use (96.7% and 75% respectively for paracetamol and ibuprofen). Conclusion : Acute pain in children is often underestimated or sometimes inadequately treated.

Inclusion of Students With Disabilities in Physical Education: The Crossroads of Systemic Coherence

Abstract This study aims to identify and comprehend the factors and pedagogical practices that facilitate or hinder the inclusion of students with disabilities in physical education classes at school, considering micro and macrosystemic levels. The methodology employed in this study was a case study approach, using an interpretative phenomenological analysis to construct thematic categories of analysis. These categories include: 1.Flexibility of the physical education teacher’s practices and strategies, 2. Teacher training, 3. Inclusive spaces and infrastructure, 4. Involvement of the educational community. The various data collection tools (interviews, focus groups and observations) allowed to portray and illuminate each of the topics of analysis and the contextual differences of the three schools analyzed. The findings demonstrate that inclusive strategies must be coherent and systemic in accordance with the contexts. However, it is possible to highlight inclusive strategies that reveal the importance of teacher commitment, the interconnected work between teachers and school management, the use of expeditious communication channels within the educational community and with governmental levels, the use of implements related to the practice of physical education and the use of the teacher’s voice as the primary agent for the implementation of inclusive learning strategies.

Unveiling Gaps in High School Strength and Conditioning: CSCS Certification, Coaching Leadership, and Facilities.

Judge, LW, Marsh, JP, Petersen, JC, Pearson, D, and Bellar, D. Unveiling gaps in high school strength and conditioning: CSCS certification, coaching leadership and facilities. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2024-The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and/or dedicated strength coaches overseeing strength and conditioning facilities (SCFs) at the high school level in a Southwestern state. An online survey, comprising 72 items based on a validated instrument, collected data on SCFs from high school athletic directors statewide. A total of 245 surveys were completed representing a 17.5% response rate. Descriptive, Pearson correlation, chi-square, and ANOVA analyses were conducted with an a priori alpha level of p < 0.05 established. The results revealed that only 9.4% of SCF supervisors held CSCS certification, 27.8% lacked certification, and 62.9% did not have a dedicated strength coach overseeing the SCF. Facilities led by CSCS coaches had several areas of greater equipment resources, including bench press stations (F [2, 244] = 5.143, p = 0.006), squat stations (F [2, 244] = 3.570, p = 0.030), and power clean stations (F [2, 244] = 4.573, p = 0.011). This study highlights the importance of prioritizing safety considerations and meeting the developmental needs of high school athletes by addressing the absence of CSCS certifications and dedicated strength coaches overseeing SCFs. The scarcity of CSCS-credentialed coaches in high schools is troubling, considering adolescent athletes' developmental needs and recently enacted National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I safety standards for strength and conditioning coaches.

Investigating the Levels of Schools as a Professional Learning Community

Purpose: The study aims to reveal the levels of schools as being a PLC regarding the opinions of teachers working at the high schools. Design/Methodology/Approach: The research was carried out in accordance with the correlational survey design. Participants were selected by the stratified sampling method, which is one of the random sampling types. It consists of 385 teachers. The participants of the research are from Maltepe, Sultanbeyli, Esenler and Bakırköy districts of İstanbul during 2021-2022 academic year. To get the data, PLC Scale was used and to analyze descriptive statistics and one-way analysis of variance were used. Findings: The level of being a professional learning community is at the level of "agree". When the scale’s sub-dimensions were examined, a significant difference was found between the employment type, length of service and district variables. On the basis, some suggestions are given to policy makers. Highlights: It is important to establish an online platform that allows the expansion of the learning network. In addition, a framework plan for schools to ensure sustainability is planned. Lastly, the implementation of rotation between schools could be considered to transform individual intelligence into collective intelligence.

Sample Size Planning in the Design of Two-Level Randomized Cost-Effectiveness Trials

This study introduces recent advances in statistical power analysis methods and tools for designing and analyzing randomized cost-effectiveness trials (RCETs) to evaluate the causal effects and costs of social work interventions. The article focuses on two-level designs, where, for example, students are nested within schools, with interventions applied either at the school level (cluster design) or student level (multisite design). We explore three statistical modeling strategies—random-effects, constant-effects, and fixed-effects models—to assess the cost-effectiveness of interventions, and we develop corresponding power analysis methods and tools. Power is influenced by effect size, sample sizes, and design parameters. We developed a user-friendly tool, PowerUp!-CEA, to aid researchers in planning RCETs. When designing RCETs, it is crucial to consider cost variance, its nested effects, and the covariance between effectiveness and cost data, as neglecting these factors may lead to underestimated power.

The Socialization of Meritocracy and Market Justice Preferences at School

Previous research has shown that schools often justify student performance differences using meritocratic ideals. One potential consequence of such ideals is the legitimization of outcome inequalities across various spheres, including those traditionally associated with equality and redistribution. In this study, we argue that the promotion of meritocratic values during school age can shape students’ beliefs about meritocracy and influence their views on market-based access to health, pensions, and education. Using data from the 2017 National Study of Civic Education in Chile, which includes 5047 eighth-grade students from 231 schools, we estimated a series of multilevel models (lme4 library, R version 4.1.3) to test our hypotheses. Our findings show that a significant proportion of Chilean students agree with market justice principles—more so than adults. Most students endorse meritocratic views, particularly the notion that effort should be rewarded, which strongly correlates with market justice preferences: students who believe in meritocracy are more likely to justify inequalities based on financial capacity. At the school level, market justice preferences are higher in high-status schools but lower in schools with higher academic achievement. Furthermore, the conditional influence of meritocratic beliefs diminishes in schools with higher socioeconomic status and performance levels. These results suggest that the association between meritocratic beliefs and market justice preferences is already established at school age and is shaped by the school environment.

Social Anxiety in Adolescents: An Analysis of the Psychological Influence Mechanism of Social Media Use

With the rapid progress of Internet technology, social media has become an indispensable part of the daily life of contemporary teenagers, which has a profound impact on their social habits, information acquisition methods and psychological development tracks. This paper explores the psychological mechanism of social anxiety in adolescents using social media, aiming to reveal how social media exerts a profound influence on social behavior, psychological cognition and emotional state of adolescents through various complex ways.The features of social media, such as convenience, interaction, anonymity and visualization, together constitute the basic environment for teenagers to use social media. They have many impacts on teenagers, including positive aspects such as the expansion of social circle, the convenience of information acquisition and the realization of self-expression, and may also bring negative impacts, especially social anxiety. This paper makes an in-depth analysis from multiple dimensions. On the one hand, the phenomenon of social comparison on social media is widespread, and teenagers are prone to inappropriate self-evaluation and feelings of inferiority when browsing the life fragments carefully selected and displayed by others, which will trigger social anxiety. On the other hand, there is also the ever-present threat of cyberbullying and harassment, and these negative experiences pose a serious threat to adolescents' mental health and exacerbate their symptoms of social anxiety. In addition, the increase of information overload and cognitive burden, addiction and dependence on social media are also important factors leading to social anxiety among adolescents. From the family, school and social level, it is necessary to strengthen the education and guidance of young people, help them establish the correct concept of social media use, set a reasonable time to use, encourage physical social activities, and cultivate self-esteem and self-confidence. At the same time, for adolescents with social anxiety symptoms, professional psychological help should be sought in time to alleviate their anxiety and promote their mental health development.

Serving up Success: Assessing and Improving Tennis Athlete Development Pathways

The primary purpose of this study was to look into what makes tennis players develop and succeed, as well as the most significant problems and obstacles they face on their way to becoming better. Using a mix of methods, numeric and qualitative data were gathered from 526 tennis players from various school programs and levels of experience. The quantitative data was technical, primarily training, tactical skills, mental preparation, competitive experience, teaching, and support networks. On the other hand, the qualitative conversations looked into how athletes felt about these things on a deeper level and perceptions of the coaches on their view of the current development of atheletes and how they could be improved were also the focus of this study. Meanwhile, the players who answered were male and female, from various school backgrounds, and most of them had competed for one to two years. The study found that athletes liked all parts of training but needed more access to expert coaches. These training sites required to be updated had more chances to compete and had trouble balancing their athletic and academic obligations. Qualitative results showed more problems, such as mental stress from high-level racing and not enough help for recovering from injuries. Results showed that there are significant holes in the current growth paths for tennis players. It stressed the importance of making it easier for them to get tools, mental health support, and up-to-date training devices. Based on these results, a complete program was created to remove these obstacles and improve athletic growth.

Secondary school learners’ academic achievement in mathematics through a practical instruction teaching approach in the Kigezi and Ankole regions of Uganda

Addressing the challenge of subpar mathematics achievement levels in secondary education has gained global attention. Due to teachers’ inability to teach mathematics without real objects to explain it in real life, learners take the subject as very abstract, hence the poor academic achievement in national examinations. This qualitative case study investigates the impact of practical instruction on the mathematics achievement of secondary school students in Uganda. The research involved interviews with sixteen teachers from selected secondary schools in the Kigezi and Ankole regions to gain insights into their perspectives on the utilization and advantages of practical instruction in mathematics. Thematic analysis was employed to analyze the data. Regarding assessment strategies, the study found that there is a need to incorporate alternative assessment methods that can effectively assess the range of learners’ mathematics abilities. The study’s findings highlight that teachers view practical instruction as a valuable approach that enhances students' mathematics achievement by involving them in hands-on experience with real objects and learner-centered activities. Based on these results, the study recommends the widespread adoption of practical instruction as a means to elevate the quality of mathematics education in Uganda, ultimately addressing the prevalent challenges in mathematics achievement at the secondary school level.