Local Secondary Schools Research Articles

Innovation in simulation: reducing the cost

Simulation equipment is often prohibitively expensive. More so for smaller remote settings and developing countries. Reducing costs is essential to increase widespread uptake of high-fidelity simulation tools. We describe the evolution of a cooperative simulation model development team incorporating the local Emergency Medicine Department clinical staff and local Secondary school pupils. This was a symbiotic relationship that utilised the clinical expertise of the doctors while giving the students project management experience while using the significant resources of the schools for physical product development. Roughly 15,000 tracheostomies are performed each year in the UK. After looking further in depth at emergency tracheostomies, we recognised a gap in this area of healthcare training [1]. Consequently, developing a surgical airway trainer was selected as the model to produce over the course of an academic year. The partnership project required infrequent visit from the clinical team to inform on clinical particulars and review model progression. Ultimately 2 models were selected from various prototypes to take to completion. These represented 3 core areas we wished to develop. The first model was a high-fidelity model completed using latest technology available in the school’s workshops. The second was built with minimal technology and aimed to be reproducible following simple instructions with widely available materials and be completely biodegradable. This project resulted in successful development of two surgical airway models – both clinically and anatomically accurate, reusable, which deliver high quality simulation to a group of doctors and students at the local hospital. Both models are easily reproducible with minimal skills, but varied in both the detail and tools required to produce and degree of sustainability. Maximum cost of materials was £15. Partnership with local schools gives hospitals access to resources not otherwise available that can lead to the development of innovative simulation models that can significantly reduce the cost of simulation. Both parties gain significantly from this partnership. Going forwards we aim to continue the partnership with aims to develop a central line training model over the next academic year. 1. Taylor C. Training for tracheostomy. BJA: British Journal of Anaesthesia. 2013;111(5):842–843.

Knowledge difference of sexually transmitted infections between Hong Kong undergraduates from local and international secondary schools: A cross-sectional study.

Since the delivery of sex education is not standardized across local and international secondary schools in Hong Kong, this study aims to assess and compare the knowledge level of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) between university students who attended local and international secondary schools in Hong Kong. From January to March 2019, we conducted a cross-sectional survey among undergraduates at the University of Hong Kong. The primary outcome was STI knowledge as measured by a 29-item quiz. A higher quiz score meant a better STI knowledge level. Students' attitude toward sexual health and their sex education history was collected. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to evaluate the association factor with a better STI knowledge level. Three hundred and ninety six students were included in the analysis. Three hundred thirty three (85.35%) students attended local secondary schools and 58 (14.65%) students attended international secondary schools in Hong Kong; 200 (50.51%) students were male and 196 (49.49%) students were female. Compared with students from local secondary school, those from international secondary schools had a significantly higher STI quiz score (18.19 vs. 15.4, p = 0.003). The results of multiple linear regression revealed that students in a higher year of study (β = 1.07, p < 0.001), from medical faculties (β = 6.96, p < 0.001), and from international secondary schools (β = 2.27, p = 0.003) achieved a higher STI quiz score. University students who attended international secondary schools in Hong Kong possess a significantly higher knowledge level of STIs compared with those who attended local secondary schools. Nonetheless, the overall STI awareness among university students is inadequate. The inadequacy of STI awareness calls for the need to plan and implement satisfactory, comprehensive, and standardized sex education across the overall education system in Hong Kong.

Student-Teacher Becomes the Teacher-Student: Educator Preparation for Post-Secondary Students to Enrich High School Student STEM Learning in the Discovery Educational Initiative

Secondary school curricula in Canada for subjects like science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) often focus on surface-level learning. While frequently believed to be a precursor for later complex and in-depth studies, such approaches to teaching and learning fail to adequately prepare students for life outside of the classroom, including for future studies in their field of choice. In response to demands for STEM programming that inspires critical thought over rote standardizable knowledge, in 2016, Discovery was created. An interdisciplinary program operated out of the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering, Discovery symbolizes a participatory partnership between the University of Toronto and local secondary schools to support inquiry-based learning for entire classrooms of high school students on a longitudinal basis. Discovery Instructors—consisting of multilevel post-secondary students—work alongside secondary school educators to devise problem-based projects that address key Ontario curriculum targets. Over the course of a semester, high school students are guided by university Instructors to engage in collaborative projects in biology, chemistry, and physics to expand their learning portfolios beyond the confines of a traditional classroom. However, while Discovery seeks to diversify learning for all involved, educator development for Discovery Instructors has remained largely implicit. In this study, we will introduce a teaching development course into Discovery’s Instructor preparation. Within a blended online learning environment across seven weekly modules, Instructor assessment will consist directly of discussion boards containing content- and reflection-based prompts using holistic rubrics and indirectly via mentored students’ performance. A pilot program is currently underway with a sample of enrolled Instructors with data to be collected as the program progresses.

Social networking use, mental health, and quality of life of Hong Kong adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, adolescents' use of social networking sites/apps has surged, and their mental health and quality of life have also been significantly affected by the pandemic and its associated social-protection measures. The present study first examined the prevalence of social networking sites/apps use and social networking addiction, the mental health status, and the health-related quality of life among Hong Kong adolescent students. We further investigated the associations of the youths' daily use of social networking sites/apps and their social networking addiction with their mental health and quality of life during the pandemic. A total of 1,147 students (age = 15.20 ± 0.53 years) recruited from 12 randomly selected local secondary schools in Hong Kong participated in a questionnaire survey in classroom settings between January and June, 2020, right after the COVID-19 outbreak. The questionnaire includes demographic characteristics and scales that measure social networking sites/apps use and social networking addiction, mental health, and quality of life. Approximately 46.4% of the participants reported using social networking sites/apps often or very often, and 7.8% met the criteria for social networking addiction using Bergen's Social Media Addiction Scale. The prevalence of mild to extremely severe depression, anxiety, and stress among the adolescents stood at 39.6, 37.5, 48.8%, respectively, and the participants' physical, social, and school functioning were lower than the norms of healthy adolescents before the pandemic. Participants who used social networking sites/apps but for <3 h per day (excluding students who never used social networking sites/apps) showed significantly fewer problems of depression, anxiety, and stress than did those who spent more than 3 h per day on social networking sites/apps. Social networking addiction was found to be consistently associated with poor mental health and health-related quality of life. This study provides important evidence supporting the potential protective effect of guiding adolescents to use social networking sites/apps appropriately in order to mitigate their negative emotions during contexts such as that of the pandemic; it further points to the need to provide extra support to promote the well-being of young people, especially those in disadvantaged situations (e.g., non-intact family) during and after the pandemic.

The Use of the Chinese Negative Adverbs ‘bù’ and ‘méi’ by Secondary School Students in Yaoundé, Cameroon

Negation is an indispensable grammatical category common to all languages in the world. It is used in a unique way by each language. In Chinese, negation is expressed using negative adverbs, the most common of which are ‘bù’ and ‘méi. The usage of these negative adverbs in Chinese is different from that in French, so the difference in usage is a challenge for Yaoundé’s secondary-school students. To effectively analyse the use of the Chinese negative adverbs ‘bù’ and ‘méi’ by Yaoundé secondary-school students, this article divides the use of ‘bù’ and ‘méi’ into eight grammatical structures, and presents research gathered from questionnaires and interviews. The author then analyses the different types of mistakes made by Yaoundé secondary-school students in using ‘bù’ and ‘méi’, exploring the motivation and purpose of their use. Recommendations are also provided to advise local secondary schools on how to approach teaching negative words in Chinese.

Effect of the Flipped Science Classroom on Academic Achievement of Grade Seven students

A pilot study was carried out in a local secondary school to measure the effectiveness of digital literacy in terms of flipped classroom teaching. A grade seven science class was purposefully flipped and compared with traditional teaching classroom arrangement to evaluate the student's academic achievement. The population of study comprises all male and female 259 students of class seven, first term of session 2019-20. Study sample was further divided into two groups: two sections of boys (61 male students) and two sections of girls (66 female students) were randomly selected as the experimental group, the flipped classroom. The remaining four sections (132 students) performed as a control group, the traditional classroom. Instructional strategies were the independent variable. Student's achievement grades in pretest, ongoing posttest assessments and term exam were dependent variables. Scores of pretest were compared with posttest ongoing assessments and school term exams. The analysis was made through t-test and ANCOVA. At the end of the thirteenth week, a Likert scale survey was conducted to evaluate the student's perception regarding the learning environment in flipped class. The results indicated that” (i) there is a statistically significant difference between achievement scores of the flipped class compare to traditional class students. Flipped class students achieved better results than conventional class learners. (ii) Analysis indicated that there is no significant difference in achievement scores among male and female students of the experimental and control group. (iii) Likert scale survey results showed students increased involvement, mutual interaction and in-depth learning in flipped classroom environment. This study is a contribution to a positive change in the prevailing education system of Pakistan by transferring a deeper understanding of the importance of student-centered learning. The technological tools motivate student of this age to collaborate academically and socially to become a self-standing, curious and creative learner.

“Sure a Strong Devil”: Mabel Frazer, A. B. Wright, and the University of Utah Art Department's 1937 Sexual Misconduct Case

“Sure a Strong Devil”: Mabel Frazer, A. B. Wright, and the University of Utah Art Department's 1937 Sexual Misconduct Case

How are medical schools supporting student’s mental wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic?

IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic has impacted medical students in many ways. They are not exempt from personal struggles caused by the health crisis, and many have faced similar challenges adapting to a new learning experience. The University of East Anglia (UEA) has initiatives in place to support medical students including the society Headucate UEA and the Wellbeing Champions scheme established by Norwich Medical School (NMS).ObjectivesHeaducate aims to improve mental wellbeing by educational online webinars and social events aimed at university students. NMS Wellbeing Champions offer support and signpost students to resources and the wider student support system at the UEA.MethodsHeaducate was established in 2012 by NMS students that began running workshops at local secondary schools. Their work has expanded to include wellbeing workshops, social events for students and mental health first aid training, so members can provide peer support. Wellbeing Champions are medical student representatives responsible for completing mental health first aid training, communication between students and faculty, providing resources and signposting, creating mental health bulletin newsletters, and running socials exclusively for medical students.Results100% of Headucate workshop attendees who completed anonymous feedback agreed that they enjoyed it and that it was useful. No feedback has been collected regarding the success of the Wellbeing Champions. This should be carried out to assess and enhance the project further.ConclusionsMore data is needed to establish the success of the initiatives at NMS and their impact on medical student’s wellbeing.DisclosureNo significant relationships.

Developing Lahat Local Culture-Based Instructional Narrative Reading Materialsfor Secondary School Students

Abstract. The objective of this study was to develop Lahat local culture-based instructionalnarrative reading materials which are valid, practical, and have potential effect for secondary school students. This study applied development research which was conductedthrough three phases including analysis, design, and evaluation and revision phases. There were five stages of formative evaluation used in the evaluation phase, they are self-evaluation, expert review, one-to-one evaluation, small group evaluation, and field test evaluation. The participants of this study were theninth-grade students of a public junior high school in Lahat Regency, South Sumatera in academic year 2020/2021. The data were obtained using questionnaire and reading comprehension test.In determining the validity and practicality of the developed reading materials, the average score of questionnaires from experts’ judgement (for validity) and questionnaire in one-to-one and small group evaluation (for practically) were used. The results showed that the developed product was valid (average score 3.87) and practical (average score 4.6). The product also had potential effect since the students reached the passing grade score was 70. Keywords: Material Development, Narrative Text, Reading Materials, Lahat-Local-Culture

Do more better? Understanding the associations of increased volunteer service with positive attitudes and responsibility

ABSTRACT A total of 1,046 students from seven local secondary schools in Hong Kong were interviewed to examine the association between the time students devoted to volunteering and the number of service organisations students joined to fulfil personal and social responsibility and volunteer intentions. The results indicated differential effects of students’ volunteering hours and the number of organisations in which they participated on their responsibility and intention to serve. Students had a stronger sense of volunteer responsibility and volunteer intention if they devoted more time to volunteering and joined more volunteering organisations. Multivariate analysis showed that hours of ongoing volunteerism was positively and strongly correlated with the level of volunteering responsibility and intention to volunteer. This study has informed practitioners in schools, such as social service providers, social workers and teachers, possible approaches to refine the frameworks of volunteer services and arrange suitable service opportunities for students.

The Effects of Non-Digital Game-Based Learning and Cognitive Level of Questions on Isometric Transformations

Abstract: The present study examined the effects of the non-digital game-based instructional method and the cognitive level of questions in determining students’ achievement in mathematics, particularly in Isometric Transformation. The study used a quasi-experimental design and involved 116 participants (i.e., form two students) from two local secondary schools in Kuching. The participants were divided into control and experimental groups – the control group learned the Isometric Transformation topic via conventional learning, while the experimental group used non-digital game-based learning (NDGBL). The results showed that participants who learned using the NDGBL scored better in the Isometric Transformation test than those who learned the topic using the conventional instructional method. The present findings also showed that participants’ achievement of Isometric Transformation differed significantly between cognitive levels of questions. In particular, participants’ achievements were recorded better for lower-level cognitive questions than higher-level cognitive questions. However, there was no significant interaction effect between the instructional method and the cognitive levels of questions on participants’ achievement in the topic learned. The study provided empirical evidence on the role of NDGBL in learning Isometric Transformation, in that it should be considered as an alternative approach for learning Isometric Transformation and Mathematics in general, with an effective integration into the secondary mathematics curriculum.&#x0D; &#x0D; Keywords: Game-Based Learning, Conventional Learning, Isometric Transformations, Students’ Achievement, Thinking Skills

Strengthening Teacher–Student Rapport Through the Practice of Guided Dialogue Journaling

Dialogue journals are written conversations in which two partners communicate regularly. When practiced between a teacher and student, dialogue journaling has the potential to engage students in writing, and can lead to improved teacher–student rapport. In this Innovations in Practice article, we evaluate the use of structured dialogue journals between a student teacher and his English as a Second Language (ESL) students during a seven-week teaching practicum at a local secondary school in Hong Kong. The aim of this practice was for the teacher to engage with students on a personal level, thereby enhancing teacher–student rapport – an otherwise challenging goal during short-term school placements. The dialogue journals were designed to elicit students’ learning experiences, other out-of-class life experiences, and personal interests, which, when reciprocated with teachers’ comments, created a dialogic context for improving open and honest teacher–student communication in English. In this practice, a total of 11 rounds of dialogue journals were administered and completed throughout the teaching practicum period. An evaluation of the practice was based on an analysis of the dialogue journal entries, semi-structured interviews with students, and the student teacher's own reflection. Implications of this practice are discussed in terms of the possibilities for ESL/English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers to use dialogue journals for enhancing teacher–student rapport.

Seventh-grade students’ conceptions of climate change, global warming, and the greenhouse effect

Education must provide substantive knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors toward environmental education. This study aims to identify seventh-grade students’ conceptions regarding climate change, global warming, and the greenhouse effect. The research was conducted at four local secondary schools in the Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Data were gathered through open-ended questionnaires to 140 students, which were analyzed inductively to identify concepts and patterns. The result indicated that students believe that five harmful environmental behaviors cause global warming: (1) use of fossil fuels; (2) deforestation; (3) use of aerosols; (4) littering; and (5) air pollution. The five activities produce the greenhouse effect and deplete the ozone layer, which causes global warming. Global warming has an adverse impact on the earth’s ocean, soil, air, plants and animals, humans, weather, and season changes. The students’ thoughts were substantially linear and simplified: human activities cause global warming, impacting individuals through health risks, food preservation, and conservation. Appropriate human actions would reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs) and global warming, thereby decreasing ecological problems. This research is expected to enhance and guide the effective implementation of environmental education concerning climate change issues because students’ conceptions and actions are crucial for sustainability.

The Molleson couple – founders of the natural history museum in Kyakhta

The paper analyzes scientific collaboration of the spouses Vladislav and Maria Molleson. They lived in little town Troitskosavsk (today it is Kyakhta, Republic of Buryatia) in the second half of the 19th century. They both had a day job teaching in different local secondary schools but all their spare time was spent researching local nature venturing even into Mongolia for this purpose during summer breaks. As a result, they acquired large collections of natural artifacts: birds, animals, plants, etc. Logically the next step was to write and publish scientific papers which they did. Together with a group of equal-minded teachers they organized a society for natural exploration of the region which soon in 1894 became a part of the Troitskosavsko-Kyakhtinskoye branch of the Priamursky branch of the Russian Geographical Society. One of the first things new Society did was to combine all private collections of its founders into proper museum of natural sciences. Vladislav and Maria Molleson tended for the mentioned museum during nearly two decades together and separately. The paper aims to analyze their activity not as of one person and his helper but as of a united team of equal partners.

Yes, You Can! Effects of Transparent Admission Standards on High School Track Choice: A Randomized Field Experiment

Abstract High school track choice determines college access in many countries. We hypothesize that some qualified students avoid the college-bound track in high school simply because they overestimate admission requirements. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a randomized field experiment that communicated the admission standards of local secondary schools on the academic track to students in Hungary before the application deadline. We targeted the subset of students (“seeds”) who occupied the most central position in the classroom-social networks, aiming to detect both direct effects on the track choice of targeted seeds and spillover effects on their untreated peers. We found neither a direct effect nor a spillover effect on students’ applications or admissions on average. Further analyses, however, revealed theoretically plausible heterogeneity in the direct causal effect of the intervention on the track choice of targeted seeds. Providing information about admission standards increased applications and admissions to secondary schools on the academic track among seeds who had a pre-existing interest in the academic track but were unsure of their chances of admission. This demonstrates that publicizing admissions standards can set students on a more ambitious educational trajectory. We discuss the implications for theory and policy.

COVID- 19 and its Effects on Refugee, Asylum Seeker and Migrant Children Aged 12-17 Years at Tongogara Refugee Camp in Zimbabwe

Refugee, asylum seekers, and migrant (displaced) children are at protracted vulnerability levels, and COVID-19 has exacerbated the situation. Zimbabwe accepts refugees but enforces an encampment policy, and displaced populations are encamped at Tongogara Refugee Camp (TRC). The research gap is that there is very little literature on refugees in Zimbabwe. The research objectives for the study were to explore the challenges that refugees, asylum seekers, and displaced children at TRC face, ascertain how COVID-19 has affected children at TRC, and propose solutions to these challenges. This research relied upon a mixed method of quantitative and qualitative approach considering the immediacy of the COVID-19 pandemic. Secondary data is referred from published articles and organizational reports. The population size of 2,304 children aged 12 to 17 was obtained through the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR)’s January 2021 population statistics for TRC. A 10% sample of 230 respondents was selected. Non-probability sampling techniques were used in administering a questionnaire through individual and focus group interviews, which were fed into KoBo Toolbox. Data cleaning and analysis were conducted, with SPSS and NViVo for quantitative and qualitative data analysis, respectively. Ethical considerations of consent, confidentiality, do no harm, and statements to withdraw from the study were employed. The process involved strict observance of World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines on COVID-19. The research was conducted between April 2020 and February 2021. Results showed that displaced children suffered a spectrum of challenges before COVID-19. During the COVID-19 period, respondents had limited access to child protection services, experienced increased conflicts at home, and limited access to formal learning and entertainment: their already dire situation was exacerbated by COVID-19. The study recommends the upgrade of the local secondary school to advanced level status, adoption of educational innovations in lieu of the COVID-19 pandemic, including radio, television, and virtual learning platforms; improved child protection mechanisms; accommodation; dietary diversity; access to water and sanitation hygiene; provision of electricity; adequate street lighting; activities for entertainment; and increasing awareness against child abuse and gender-based violence (GBV).

How Effectively Can Students’ Personal Smartphones be Used as Tools in Physics Labs?

This study seeks to answer the question of how effectively students can use their smartphones as tools for measuring and processing data when they perform physics experiments. The research was conducted in a local secondary school in Athens, Greece. The sample consisted of fifty-two 16-year-old students (10th grade). The students formed 26 pairs, and were asked to perform an experiment using their smartphones for measuring, processing and saving data, and then to email the data file to the researchers. During the implementation, students of each pair completed the steps on a worksheet. Two researchers monitored each pair individually and recorded scores and comments on evaluation sheets. The worksheets, the evaluation sheets, and the experimental data emailed by each pair constituted the data of the present study. The findings of the study show that the integration of students' smart mobile devices in the performance of physics experiments in the classroom or in the school lab is possible without posing particular problems. However, this integration presupposes the proper planning by the teacher and the dedication of appropriate time both for the preparation of the students for the activity, and for the installation of the necessary applications in the devices.

Reports from the Field: Secondary School in Hong Kong Integrating the Spirit of Humanities into STEAM Education

A small project of STEAM education called “Innovation for Love and Care” was implemented in a local secondary school in Hong Kong. Four seventh-grade students participated from November 2020 to February 2021. The project aims to integrate humanism into the traditional STEAM curriculum to stimulate the students’ innovation in a people-oriented approach. The project consisted of three modules implemented by means of both online teaching and face-to-face lessons due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The responses of the students were very positive. The overall performance has been recognised by the school management team. For the next step, the project team plans to expand the project to all seventh-grade students.

Promoting digital citizenship education in junior secondary schools in Hong Kong: supporting schools in professional development and action research

PurposeThis study investigated the effectiveness of a professional development project on digital citizenship education (DCE) conducted by a team at the Education University of Hong Kong. The project aimed to promote digital citizenship education in local junior secondary schools in Hong Kong and support the professional development of in-service teachers.Design/methodology/approachThis study was based on a departmental knowledge transfer and curriculum development project that provided professional development training workshops to in-service teachers from seven partner schools. This paper analyses some findings from the quantitative research questionnaires, lesson observations and qualitative interviews.FindingsEleven of the 12 participants reported that they were satisfied with the training workshops in the end. We also conducted paired sample t-tests of inferential data. The results show that after the workshops, the teachers tended to teach their students more about aspects of digital law, digital commerce and digital safety and security when teaching digital citizenship. This selection helps us to better understand the priorities of teachers in teaching digital citizenship.Originality/valueThis paper is the product of an original knowledge transfer and curriculum development project supported by the Education University of Hong Kong in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (Hong Kong SAR) of China. The topic of digital citizenship education has also been under developed since citizenship education has always been about conventional citizenship in the physical world.

Well-Slept Children and Teens are Happier and More Hopeful with Fewer Emotional Problems

Studies on sleep and psychological functions have predominantly focused on the negative consequences of poor sleep. Little is known about whether and how sleep is associated with the positive aspects of psychological well-being that fosters healthy development. This study investigated (1) the sleep patterns across grades from Primary 4 to Secondary 6, (2) the associations of sleep variables with self-perceived strengths and difficulties, and positive well-being in terms of hope and happiness, and (3) the mediating role of emotional symptoms in the link between sleep and hope and happiness. A sample of 2,804 Chinese students (aged 9–15, 46% male) from local primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong completed questionnaires regarding their sleep, hope and happiness, and strengths and difficulties. Sleep quality was associated with higher levels of hope and happiness both directly and indirectly via less emotional symptoms, which fully mediated the relationship between sleep sufficiency and hope and happiness. The importance of sleep health for positive well-being of children and teens warrants further research and clinical attention as well as promotion of community awareness, given the potential benefits of sleep for psychosocial outcomes that are fundamental to optimal growth.