Educational Opportunities Research Articles

Role of Social Media in Addressing Educational Inequality: A Critical Examination of Marginalized Teens’ Social Media Usage

Although digital technology is valorized for its promises in empowering individual learners and democratize educational opportunities, such hopeful imaginaries need to be critically revisited. What is the role of social media in addressing educational inequality? This study aims to unravel the question by examining the role of social media in the college choice system of potential first-generation college students. The study adopts a multiple case study approach, engaging with eleven high school seniors, whose parents did not complete a four-year college/university. Two interviews and a week of social media diary data were collected. The themes revealed the teens’ contradictory views toward the role of social media in their college choice system: (a) abundant but insufficient information, (b) helpful but not impactful for college choice, and (c) inspiring but distressing experiences. The contradictions uncover the important role of in-person support system and resources embedded in marginalized teens’ college choice system, underscoring the pre-existing inequalities in their social contexts. Based on the results, I critically discuss the role of social media in addressing educational inequality, particularly the optimism around digital informal learning, and provide suggestions for formal schooling to enhance marginalized teens’ college access.

Elevating STEM Learning: Unleashing the Power of AI in Open Distance eLearning

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into Open Distance eLearning (ODeL) represents a significant evolution in STEM education, offering transformative benefits in teaching, learning and administrative processes. This conceptual paper explores how AI-driven platforms are revolutionising ODeL by providing personalised learning experiences, real-time feedback, adaptive assessments and immersive simulations through technologies like Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR). These advancements not only enhance student engagement and understanding but also support the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The paper highlights successful case studies from institutions like Carnegie Mellon University and Stanford Online High School, showcasing practical implementations of AI in STEM education. However, the integration of AI also brings forth challenges, particularly concerning data privacy, security and the need for equitable access to technology. As AI continues to advance, it promises to play an important role in lifelong learning, offering modular and just-in-time educational opportunities. The paper concludes with a call for robust ethical frameworks to guide the responsible use of AI in education, ensuring that the benefits are maximized while potential risks are mitigated.

Affective Experiences of U.S. School Personnel in the Sociopolitical Context of 2021: Reflecting on the Past to Shape the Future

This study aims to explore the self-reported affective experiences of U.S. school personnel during 2021. This year found school personnel balancing remote learning, health emergencies, a global pandemic, and intense political upheaval. We contextualize school personnel experiences within the current sociopolitical context. In this sample, school personnel (n = 8052) represent all U.S. states and territories alongside representation of diverse racial and ethnic identities (n = 1901). Participants were surveyed before completing a free virtual course on emotion management. The survey included open-ended questions and scale items. Participants reported primary feelings, sources of stress and joy, and perceptions of personal and social and emotional support for themselves and students. Findings are presented in five cohorts of school personnel across the year. The primary feelings were being anxious, stressed, and overwhelmed, the stressors were lack of support, time, and resources, as well as COVID-19, and workload, and the sources of joy were students, coworkers, and teaching. Anxiety and gratitude decreased throughout the year while happiness increased. Responses differed across time and between racial groups, with Black and African American participants reporting the highest percentages of being stressed by COVID-19 and community fluctuated over time as a source of joy. Implications for the education system and opportunities for emotion management are discussed.

The perceived long-term impact of peer teaching in the skills lab. A descriptive interview study

ABSTRACT Teaching is an essential skill for future doctors. Peer-assisted learning (PAL)–where students take up a teaching role at an early stage of their training–is widely used in medical curricula. No studies have explored the long-term perceived impact of peer teaching. Therefore, we aimed to determine how former peer teachers reflected on PAL and its perceived long-term impact. In this longitudinal descriptive study, we conducted 42 semi-structured interviews with 11 former peer teachers at the University of Antwerp. Five of them were interviewed 6 months after PAL; 6 of them 9 years after PAL. This latter group was also interviewed during PAL in a previous study. We conducted secondary analyses of previously collected interviews, consistently comparing the findings with new data gathered from the current interviews. Using realist thematic analysis, topic summary themes were generated. Former peer teachers reflected on their PAL experience with a lot of satisfaction. Those meanwhile working as residents are still passionate about teaching. Peer teachers experienced a gain in clinical examination- and professional skills in the long-term, facilitating a smoother transition to their internship. Our findings suggest that PAL selects diverse but committed students. The longitudinal data demonstrate how PAL initiates or stimulates different skills in diverse students, including public speaking, teaching, time management, and self-efficacy in specific clinical skills. Regarding the chicken-and-egg question, our study encompasses both longitudinal cases illustrating the pre-existing skill theory and cases demonstrating how achieved competences were induced by PAL. Former peer teachers experienced long-term benefits of PAL, which eased their transition into the internship. PAL has the potential to ignite a lasting passion for teaching, providing diverse and unique learning opportunities not only for the most talented and ‘pre-selected’ medical students but also for a range of dedicated future clinicians.

“A rollercoaster of drawing and using digital tools!”:

Responding to the Covid pandemic, educators worldwide were forced to reconsider ways of delivering content and engaging students. Graphic Facilitation offers opportunities for educators to rethink ways of delivering text heavy content. This paper charts the journey of developing a Graphic Facilitation Digital Badge for staff in a Higher Education institution. The paper describes the process from the perspective of three educators (two instructional designers and a lecturer) exploring the use of Graphic Facilitation as a tool for teaching and learning across a range of subjects and discipline areas to enhance communication and sustain participation across a diverse cohort of students. The paper focuses on how we applied Graphic Facilitation through planning, teaching, assessing, providing feedback and reflection on learning. Following the module participants were required to complete an evaluation form. Feedback from participants is presented. The findings highlight the value of graphic facilitation in supporting learners to develop graphic skillsets, engage with new technologies, enhance communication, and, develop a sense of community amongst staff at a Higher Education institution through engagement in an online classroom.

Rapid Lifestyle Recommendations to Improve Urologic, Heart and Overall Health.

This literature review is intended to highlight recent correlations between urologic, heart and overall health by emphasizing healthy eating patterns, physical activity, alcohol minimization and tobacco elimination, healthy sleep, weight, cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure management, and mental health awareness. Meta-analyses, systematic reviews, and clinical studies espouse a unified message for prevention, reducing the risk of disease recurrence, progression, complementing conventional medical intervention efficacy, and mitigating treatment side effects. Limiting or eliminating alcohol consumption could be considered an independent recommendation and adding a mental health and miscellaneous (genetic risk and lifestyle, planetary health, HPV or other vaccination awareness, spirituality, etc.) category could allow for individualized educational opportunities, synergism appreciation, and self-improvement. Urologic healthcare professionals have the potential to strengthen the collective public health goal of improving the quality and quantity of the lives of patients able to adhere to these heart healthy recommendations.

Association Between Pandemic-Related Instructional Delivery Modifications and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) First Attempt Pass Rates

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic represents a sentinel event for healthcare and healthcare education alike. Mandatory shutdowns of educational institutions, combined with increased demand for skilled healthcare personnel, highlighted pre-existing challenges surrounding how to maintain a stable workforce. To ensure continuity of educational opportunities, many emergency medical services (EMS) educational institutions were forced to modify existing learning method to digital learning formats. This emergent transition unearthed concerns regarding the impacts alternative learning methods would have on entry-level EMS providers' learning outcomes and overall competency levels. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of alternative instructional methods used for EMT education during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The study is a retrospective review of prospectively collected data for EMT candidates from a single community college-based EMT program who completed a first attempt of the National Registry EMS Certification examination for EMT candidates from course sections ending between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2020. Historical pre-COVID first attempt exam outcomes were compared to the first attempt outcomes of two alternative instructional methods –Emergency Remote (ER) and COVID Distance Learning Hybrid (DL). Results: The outcomes of 237 EMT students were evaluated. Remote and COVID Hybrid DL models compared to the traditional pre-COVID learning format. There was no significant difference in first attempt pass rates between students who participated in traditional learning, the Emergency Remote model (1.53 odds ratio), or the Distance Learning model (2.98 odds ratio). Conclusions: This study suggests that virtual learning is at least as effective as traditional formats in preparing students for the NREMT examination. Additional research is warranted regarding best practices for applying virtual learning modalities in EMS education.

Developing Digital Skills in Students through Blended Learning

The conditions that provoked changes in the system of education and its receiving by students are mentioned. Traditional, distance and hybrid forms of education their features, advantages and disadvantages are considered from the point of view of modern education. The pandemic of COVID-19 necessitated the search for conditions for further implementation of education with minimal omissions. Solving that problem remote learning was invented for the quarantine period, while providing this format, some organizations had to develop a system of educational resources and online platforms for interaction between teachers and students in a short time. There was also a need for technical support for both students and teachers in need of mastering new technologies and competencies. Despite the difficulties encountered, the conditions of the pandemic made it possible to open up new online education opportunities that could not be ignored after all restrictions were lifted. Returning to the traditional form of education there is a crucial question how can the developed online resources and platforms be used in teaching students. Hybrid form of education has been recognized as an effective innovation with a number of conditions and requirements that act as an obstacle to the organization of the educational process, including for teachers, the role of the teaching staff in this system is changing and expanding. The information and technical resources and conditions that allow for the implementation of blended learning, and some of its types, are indicated. In conclusion, the effectiveness of hybrid education is outlined, as well as the basic requirements for students studying in this form.

Inclusive Education and Social Inequality: An Anthropological Study of Social Mobility and Access to Education

This research investigates the multifaceted relationship between inclusive education and social inequality, focusing on the potential of inclusive educational practices in Europe, with a specific case study in Bulgaria, to promote social mobility for marginalized populations. Grounded in an anthropological framework, the study seeks to understand how structural and cultural barriers impede access to equitable education for marginalized groups, with particular attention to Roma students, one of the most disadvantaged communities in Europe. By examining the educational landscape in Bulgaria, this research delves into the lived experiences of educators, psychologists, and occupational therapists working to implement inclusive education within a system often fraught with discrimination, limited resources, and institutional challenges. The qualitative research, conducted in Sofia from February to April 2024, draws on interviews, participant observation, and focus groups to capture the nuanced challenges and successes of those involved in delivering inclusive education. Findings reveal that despite national policies aimed at promoting inclusion, significant barriers persist, particularly for Roma students, who continue to face segregation, prejudice, and limited educational opportunities. Educators frequently report difficulties in accommodating the diverse needs of students within under-resourced schools, while psychological and cultural biases further hinder effective inclusion. Moreover, the study identifies a critical gap between policy and practice, where inclusive education policies are often poorly implemented due to a lack of cultural competence and institutional support. This gap has direct implications for the social mobility of marginalized students, as education remains a key determinant of their future opportunities. The findings underscore the urgent need for culturally responsive teaching strategies and support systems that are tailored to the unique socio-economic and cultural contexts of marginalized communities. These strategies must go beyond superficial inclusion to actively dismantle the entrenched inequalities that exist within educational institutions. This study emphasizes the pivotal role of inclusive education in addressing social inequality and promoting social mobility. However, it also highlights the significant work that remains to be done to ensure that inclusive education is truly accessible and effective for all, particularly for marginalized groups like the Roma. By proposing a series of culturally sensitive and contextually informed recommendations, the research advocates for a more holistic approach to inclusive education that can better support the academic and social advancement of marginalized students, ultimately fostering greater equity in educational outcomes and social mobility.

The Effect of Menstrual Hygiene Management on Girl Child School Attendance at St Marys Girls Vocational School in Kamukuzi Division, Mbarara City

This study assessed the effects of menstrual hygiene management on school attendance among female adolescent students at St. Mary's Girls Vocational School in Kamukuzi Division, Mbarara City. The researchers employed systematic random sampling to select 45 respondents from Form One and Form Two, as these students were expected to have experienced their menstrual periods. The majority of the respondents were aged 13-14 years. While some girls used handkerchief cloths or hand towels as menstrual management materials, most of them used sanitary pads and disposed of them in the toilets. The researchers conducted a Pearson correlation coefficient analysis in SPSS to examine the relationship between menstrual hygiene management and school attendance. The analysis revealed a weak positive correlation coefficient of 0.210, indicating a weak relationship between menstrual hygiene management and school attendance. However, the p-value of 0.167 suggested that the results were not statistically significant. The study concluded that there is an impact of menstrual hygiene management on school absenteeism, as girls who experienced longer periods tended to miss more school days. However, the weak relationship and lack of statistical significance indicate that other factors may also contribute to school attendance among adolescent girls, and menstrual hygiene management alone may not be the sole determinant. This study provides valuable insights into the challenges faced by adolescent girls in managing menstruation and its potential impact on their school attendance. It highlights the need for comprehensive menstrual hygiene management education and support programs in schools to ensure that girls have access to appropriate materials and facilities. By addressing these challenges, schools can create a supportive environment that promotes regular attendance and educational opportunities for all female students, even during menstruation

Impacting factors and degree of influence on the selection of ICT subject in GCE Advanced Level

Education in Sri Lankan education focuses on accelerating the country’s knowledge economy by producing skilled and knowledgeable people who suit present-day needs. Moreover, society wants universities to produce graduates, and of course, those graduates must be employable. Meanwhile, job opportunity is guaranteed for job seekers skilled in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) nowadays. Thus, the Sri Lankan government introduced a new stream “Technology” in the year 2015 as an educational reform. The success level of this government initiative should be measured in an acceptable form for further improvements. The most productive way to measure success measuring the interest of students in ICT on GCE A/L, and the factors that influence it. This study was conducted to examine the factors fluencing ICT subject selection by GCE Advanced Level students and to find out the degree of influence of each factor. The coastal region area of Ampara district of Sri Lanka was covered as a sample population for our study. Data to find out the influencing factors were collected by having One on-One interviews with four categories of stakeholder groups, namely principals or deputy principals, teachers, students, and parents, and prepared a questionnaire with these factors and distributed among the A/L students from different schools to gather their opinions from 266 respondents to find out the degree of influence of factors using the convenience sampling technique. Later, the answers to the questionnaire were analyzed by a statistical data analysis tool which shows that the family income, awareness programme, other main subjects in A/L, and the results of mathematics, English, and ICT subjects in O/L are affecting the ICT subject selection in A/L, meanwhile the results says that gender, parents’ education, and previously followed ICT related courses are not having relations in A/L ICT subject selection, and it revealed the degree of top encouraging factors such job market, opportunities in higher education, and getting high z-score and discouraging factors such lack of resources available in the medium, having no relevancy with other main subjects, and lack of interest in IT.

Leveling Up Learning: Game Based Learning Initiatives in Canadian Higher Education

Game based learning (GBL), the use of game design elements within non-game contexts such as education, became increasingly popular in the early 2000s, yet empirical evidence about the benefit of games on student learning remains inconclusive. The potential impact of GBL can be influenced, for example, by design elements, context, and discipline. In Canadian higher education, GBL may be housed within departments, the library, or centres for teaching and learning. At our institution, GBL initiatives have only recently begun to surface; for example, the Department of English and Drama has recently launched a games studies minor for undergraduate students, the library has an extensive collection of video games available to borrow, and the academic skills centre has a large collection of board games that are used primarily for social game cafés. While opportunities for curricular connections may exist, our academic skills centre currently lacks staff who have both capacity and expertise in GBL pedagogy. Exploring possibilities for expansion, we aimed to understand the landscape of GBL initiatives across Canadian post-secondary institutions. To achieve this aim, we conducted an environmental scan of over 100 Canadian post-secondary institutions, gathering data such as the existence of GBL programs, category and level of programming (curricular, co-curricular, or research), initiative types, research development, faculty involvement, and availability of additional resources. Findings indicate inconsistencies in definitions used to promote GBL and a concentration of GBL initiatives at the curricular and research levels. The majority of GBL in Canada is led by faculty through course and degree-level programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels. This research gives us insight into GBL program development, challenges, and opportunities for higher education in Canada and globally.

EXPLORING LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRIMARY TEACHERS: THE CASE OF KNOWLEDGE FOR TEACHING EARLY ALGEBRA

Understanding how to constitute and develop opportunities for primary teachers teach early algebra to younger children is still an important research gap. In this paper, we bring results of a research program developed in Brazil over the past five years. We aim to discuss how professional learning opportunities emerged when teachers collectively planned, discussed, and analyzed lessons involving different meanings of the equality symbol and the development of functional thinking. Developed from the perspective of a qualitative-interpretative research, data analyzed consists of curriculum documents, protocols for the resolution of formative tasks, audios and videos collected during teacher education processes for in-service teachers. The results highlight that professional learning tasks, combined with the actions of teacher educators during collective discussions, favored in-service teachers to differentiate and understand the students’ reasoning. Some implications for teacher education as well as the professional development of primary teachers are discussed, especially regarding early algebra thinking, because teachers do not normally have the opportunity to study these contents on their own experiences in school.

Insights gained through exploring UK midwifery care by US midwifery graduate students in a short-term study abroad: A qualitative study.

Student midwives exposed to effective systems of midwifery care in other countries can consider how aspects of this knowledge can translate into their healthcare system to improve maternal and infant perinatal outcomes. An optional short-term study abroad (STSA) experience was developed for US midwifery graduate students to expose them to the UK healthcare system, where midwives are considered the primary professionals for the care of the childbearing family. This qualitative study explored the influence of an STSA experience on US midwifery graduate students' learning of midwifery in the UK. Ten midwife student participants wrote pre- and post-trip narratives in the US and daily diary entries during their week in the UK. A grounded theory approach guided the content analysis. The themes were derived from the NVivo software data by three midwife researchers who value global health learning experiences. Analysis was shared with participants to ensure its trustworthiness. Themes that emerged included: 'Another viewpoint', encapsulating curiosity and comparison of US and UK midwifery; 'Eye-opening', capturing surprise at noted differences between US and UK midwifery practice; and 'Goals met and influenced', expressing how their learning is anticipated to shape their professional identities and career trajectories going forward. US student midwives exposed to functional systems in countries where midwifery care is fully integrated, broadened their views of midwifery care and practice. They became inspired to make positive changes in the US. Educational opportunities for midwifery students, such as STSA experiences, can positively influence self-confidence and professional identity.

Pediatric Burn Unit Admission is Associated with School Holidays and Lower Home Childhood Opportunity Level.

Burn injury can have profound detrimental effects on quality of life and mental health of children. We collected demographics, burn etiology, burn date, and home zip code for pediatric patients admitted to our burn unit from 2016-2023. Age, burn date, and etiology of burn were used to assess temporal and mechanistic patterns of injury for pre-school-age and school-age children. Home zip code was used to determine each child's home Childhood Opportunity Index score, which is composed of sub-domains for Education, Health & Environment, and Social & Economic. We calculated the odds-ratio for odds of pediatric burn admission for each COI sub-domain quintile, using very high opportunity neighborhoods as the reference. Scald was the prevailing burn etiology (64%). In school-age children, July was the month with the most burn injuries (19%), attributable to firework injuries. School-age children were also more likely to be injured in a week without classroom instruction (p<0.001). There was a dose-response relationship between Childhood Opportunity Index and odds of burn admission, with the greatest odds of burn admission observed for children from very low educational opportunity areas (OR 5.21, 95% CI 3.67-7.39). These findings support interventions for burn prevention such as increased education about the dangers of fireworks, addressing inequities in access to childcare and extracurricular activities, and reducing the default water heater temperatures in multi-unit dwellings.

StaffsVerse: Building a Metaverse Campus Utilising the Unreal Editor for Fortnite

In pursuit of redefining the conventional campus introductory experience, this paper presents the development and implementation of the StaffsVerse project - a virtual campus immersion tool. Designed as a Metaverse representation, the StaffsVerse project intends to transform the physical campus of Staffordshire University into an interactive digital environment. Its purpose extends to serving as a versatile tool for remote education delivery, virtual campus tours, public science outreach, and facilitating a seamless transition for students into the university community. Through immersive digital engagement, the StaffsVerse project seeks to bridge the gap between remote learners and the campus environment while facilitating a smooth integration into academic and social aspects of university life. In contrast to previous implementations of virtual campuses, the StaffsVerse project is unique in leveraging the capabilities of Unreal Editor in Fortnite (UEFN). This approach enables the development of highly detailed, interactive, and engaging environments within the expansive Fortnite ecosystem. The project's primary objective is to harness the infrastructure and extensive user base of one of the world's most widely played multi-platform games, thereby ensuring a low barrier to access. Therefore, this paper will explore how the UEFN system's adaptability can effectively create an accurate virtual replica of the physical Staffordshire University campus. The key contribution of this paper includes an overview of the design and developmental journey of the StaffsVerse project. The evolution of the project will be outlined by discussing the two pivotal iterations of the game-based implementation and explaining the decision-making process that led to the resulting version. The examination extends to the unique features of the UEFN build, addressing the inherent challenges and opportunities specific to the platform. Furthermore, specific game-based decisions are discussed, such as replicating essential campus locations, integrating interactive features, and incorporating elements unique to the virtual environment. The paper will discuss the specific educational opportunities UEFN offers, including the potential for enhancing student engagement through gamified campus experiences, insights into creating a Metaverse university campus, and contributions to the growing discourse on the intersection of game-based virtual environments in learning.

Decomposing the Gender Wage Gap in the Urban Labor Market in Kenya

Abstract Legislation and regulation have been effective in reducing the gender wage gap in developed countries; however, the gap still exists globally, and progress towards narrowing the gap has been unacceptably slow even in regions where it is improving. This study presents the analysis of gender wage gap in Kenya’s urban labor market by using the World Bank Skills Towards Employability and Productivity Survey (WBSTEPS). This study employed Mincer earnings regressions with Heckman selection correction and the Blinder-Oaxaca and Neumark decomposition procedures to answer the research questions. The results of the wage determination and participation in the labor market show that there is no selectivity-bias problem. Personal characteristics such as education and age, as well as work-related characteristics, are important factors in determining earnings. The magnitude of the gender wage gap varies across the wage distribution, and the results of the wage decomposition reveal that women in urban Kenya earn 84.5-to-86% of men’s earnings. The earnings gap is overwhelmingly due to differences in returns to endowments, which account for between 70% and 94.7% of the total earnings gap. Admittedly, the study found evidence of discrimination against women in the returns to endowments, but also observed pronounced favoritism towards men. However, discrimination against women is more pronounced than favoritism towards men. Addressing the gender wage gap in Kenya requires a multifaceted approach that tackles both systemic biases against women and structural barriers that hinder women from accessing equal opportunities in education, training, and career advancement and government policies that minimize favoritism towards men.

Factors Influencing the Quality of Life in Rural Populations in Colombia: A Theoretical Review

The quality of life of rural populations in Colombia is affected by various problems, including poor living conditions related to limited access to basic services, education, health and economic opportunities. Thus, the purpose of this study is to identify the most impacted dimensions in these rural contexts and to formulate guidelines to address the difficulties faced by their inhabitants. Methodologically, the research is framed within the qualitative paradigm, with a descriptive scope and is based on a review of existing academic literature. The findings emerging from the literature review show that the most affected dimensions are access to public services, infrastructure, employment and education, which has a direct impact on the general welfare of rural communities. It is concluded that there is a need to implement public policies that promote the integral development of these areas, improving their infrastructure, strengthening access to basic services and promoting educational and economic strategies that favor a better standard of living in rural areas of Colombia.

Combined Diabetes Education/Skills Training and Social Needs Resolution Intervention for Older African Americans with Poorly Controlled Type 2 Diabetes (DM Social Needs): Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Approximately 11.3% of the US population has diabetes. The burden of diabetes is higher in older adults and African Americans (AAs), such that 40% of adults aged 50 years and older have diabetes; African Americans are 60% more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes compared to non-Hispanic Whites (NHWs). Structural racism has resulted in fewer economic and educational opportunities for AAs, higher social risks, and unmet basic needs, which result in financial instability, housing instability, food insecurity, and a lack of transportation compared to NHWs. The presence of these unmet basic needs is a driver of poor adherence to diabetes self-management in older AAs. To test the preliminary efficacy of a nurse case-manager, telephone-delivered intervention that provides foundational diabetes self-management education and skills training, while also addressing and resolving the unmet social needs of older AAs with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The primary hypothesis is that older AAs with T2DM randomized to the DM Social Needs intervention will have significantly lower hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C), blood pressure, and LDL levels compared to the usual care arm at 6 months post randomization. This is a three-year prospective, randomized clinical trial that will enroll 100 AAs aged 50 and older with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and HbA1C ≥ 8% into one of the following two groups: (1) a nurse case-manager, telephone-delivered intervention that provides foundational diabetes self-management education and skills training, but also addresses and resolves unmet social needs; or (2) an enhanced usual care group that will receive mailed diabetes education materials. Participants will be followed for 6 months to determine the effect of the intervention on HbA1C, blood pressure, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. Baseline characteristics will be presented by study group, and within- and between-group changes in primary outcomes from baseline to 6 months will be reported. The results from this study will provide insights into the efficacy of a combined diabetes education and skills training and social needs resolution intervention for older African Americans with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes and will inform strategies to improve diabetes outcomes for this vulnerable population.

5066 Evolution And Evaluation Of A Longitudinal ECHO Program In Transgender Health

Abstract Disclosure: M.S. Rothman: None. A. Chippone: None. A. Clark: None. D. Saxon: None. D. Miller: None. K. Young: None. S.J. Iwamoto: None. Background: Providers often report a lack of training in the care of transgender and gender diverse(TGD) patients. Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes(ECHO) programs have been developed around the world as a form of tele-mentoring. As gender-affirming care bans rise in the US, it is crucial for providers to have access to education in TGD patient health. ECHO Colorado(CO) launched “Comprehensive Care for Transgender Patients” in 2020 as an ongoing live monthly series for providers interested in improving care for TGD patients. Design/Methods: 40 sessions were held between 2/2020-9/2023. Topics spanned mental health, medical, and surgical care with didactic presentations followed by case discussions. Demographic data was collected at registration via Connect, an online portal, and evaluations were conducted quarterly using Qualtrics. Not all questions were required. Participants attending at least one session in the quarter were eligible to complete the survey. With multiple responses, the most recent survey was used in the analysis. Results: 257 individuals participated in at least one session. 164/255 (64.3%) respondents identified as clinical health care providers. The majority of the remainder identified as: behavior health professional(n=28), other(n=23) or health outreach/admin(n=17). Most participants (79.4%) practice in CO and the majority provide direct care for underserved populations. 110 attendees responded to at least one survey. 96% of all participants reported improved understanding of the subject matter. Of the prescribing providers, 80%(60/75) rated themselves as comfortable with continuing and 68%(51/75) were comfortable with initiating hormone therapy. In the most recent quarter, participants were asked to self-report levels of professional isolation before and after the series. 30%(8/27) reported feeling very or extremely isolated prior, while none(0/27) reported this since participating. Common barriers reported were obstacles to implementing care and scheduling conflicts preventing attendance. Conclusion: Participants with a variety of backgrounds are highly satisfied with this longitudinal program. ECHO learning may combat feelings of professional isolation. The majority of providers report comfort with initiating and providing hormone therapy, but future efforts should seek ways to improve comfort, competency and examine asynchronous educational opportunities. Interest from attendees outside of CO supports a need for a national collaborative of TGD focused ECHOs. Presentation: 6/1/2024