Participant Perceptions Research Articles

TEACHING ORGANIC CHEMISTRY TO UPPER-SECONDARY STUDENTS HASN’T BEEN EASY: A CONVERSATION WITH TEACHERS AND STUDENTS ON BARRIERS

A lot more students’ difficulties in learning organic chemistry, as a component of upper secondary chemistry, have been reported in the literature. Some reasons have been assigned to these students’ learning difficulties in organic chemistry. Hence, in this research, we explored the barriers to effective teaching of organic chemistry in upper-secondary schools, through a phenomenological qualitative method. In this phenomenological research, we explored participants' understanding, perceptions, and experiences of barriers to effective teaching of organic chemistry. In phenomenology, 14 students and nine chemistry teachers were purposely sampled for conversations to share their experiences regarding barriers to effective teaching of organic chemistry. That is, data were collected using Organic Chemistry Students’ Interview Guide and Organic Chemistry Teachers’ Interview Guide. The qualitative data were thematically analysed. The barriers identified were self-tuition challenge, concept overload, pace of teaching, teacher support, introduction to organic chemistry, experiment materials, student attitude, and lack of opportunity. The implications for further research, practice, policy, and decision making were made. Keywords: chemistry teachers, educational strategies, learning organic chemistry, qualitative methods, teaching organic chemistry

Summer Camp Clinical Placements in Young Families Nursing: An Interpretive Description Study.

Obtaining meaningful clinical experiences with paediatric and perinatal (young families) populations is increasingly challenging for nursing programs. Care for this population has largely moved to outpatient and tertiary settings. Therefore, a current trend is to use non-traditional clinical settings. While summer camps offer rich learning experiences for nursing students, they are seldom used as clinical placements. Faculty at an Atlantic Canadian university sought a novel way to engage students in young families' learning by partnering with overnight summer camps, staffed by counsellors, camp administrators, and on-site nurses. Campers included those with lived experience of cancer, diabetes, physical and developmental challenges, and socioeconomic challenges. This study assesses how young families course outcomes were met by an innovative clinical experience within a Bachelor of Nursing program and describes the perceptions and experiences of those involved. Study participants included students (n = 4), camp directors (n = 3), a camp nurse (n = 1), and the clinical educator (n = 1). Data collection involved semi-structured interviews and a focus group. Interpretive description methodology was used to identify themes and patterns related to overarching research questions. Students met the outcomes and overall participant perceptions and experiences were positive. However, some participants shared constructive critiques for future consideration. Nursing students who completed a young families clinical placement at summer camps met course outcomes, and those involved reported both positive experiences and constructive critiques for future consideration.

‘It's something that people don't have the knowledge of’: Perceived participation of pupils with Prader‐Willi syndrome in specialist schools and staff preparedness

AbstractThere is an abundance of literature on health‐related outcomes for children and young people with Prader‐Willi syndrome and on their lived experiences as well as on their caregivers'. However, little is known about the experiences of education practitioners when providing for them. This study gathered in‐depth evidence of the lived experience of school staff in two secondary specialist schools, on (1) perceptions of functioning and participation of young people with Prader‐Willi syndrome in the setting and (2) how prepared they felt to support them in achieving full participation, including challenges faced. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with six school staff and transcripts were analysed both deductively (using the ICF classification system) and inductively. School staff perceive the needs of these pupils as mostly related to their body functions, in alignment with a medicalised understanding of disability. However, they recognise the key role of environmental modifications to address these. Staff feel mostly unprepared and perceive their training as limited. Despite wide recognition of the need to conceive disability holistically, medicalised understandings are still present. Training from a biopsychosocial perspective is needed. Future research should address the development of core sets of ICF codes for people with Prader‐Willi syndrome.

“A safe, non-judgmental space where I can really challenge myself:” learner experiences in a virtual, case-based diagnostic reasoning conference for students

ABSTRACT Case-based diagnostic reasoning conferences, like morning reports, allow undergraduate medical trainees to practice diagnostic reasoning alongside senior clinicians. However, trainees have reported discomfort doing so. Peer-assisted learning offers an alternative approach. We describe the design, implementation, and evaluation of a virtual, student-only diagnostic reasoning conference that leverages peer-assisted learning. Student virtual morning report’s (VMR) design was informed by social and cognitive congruence and experience-based learning. We evaluated participant experiences using a survey focused on participant perceptions of Student VMR’s value, their methods for participation, and their preferences for Student VMR compared with VMR with more senior clinicians. 110 participants (28.9%) completed the survey. 90 participants (81.2%) reported that Student VMR was educational. Compared to VMR, participants reported being more likely to participate in Student VMR by turning on their video (50.0%), presenting a case (43.6%), verbally participating (44.5%), or participating in the chat (70.0%). Strengths included a safe learning environment to practice DR and the opportunity to engage with an international learning community. When asked whether they preferred Student VMR or non-Student VMR, most respondents (64.5%, 71/110) identified that they did not have a preference between the two. A student-focused DR conference may offer a valuable complement to, but not a replacement of, apprenticeship-based DR case conferences.

#WhatWouldYouDo? A cross-sectional study of sports medicine physicians assessing their competency in managing harassment and abuse in sports

ObjectivesTo assess the clinical competence of sports medicine physicians to recognise and report harassment and abuse in sports, and to identify barriers to reporting and the need for safeguarding education.MethodsWe...

The influence of age, gender and pharmacogenetic profiles on the perspective on medicines in the German EMPAR study.

Pharmacogenetic testing in routine care could provide benefits for patients, doctors and statutory health insurances. Therefore, the aim of the retrospective, observational study Einfluss metabolischer Profile auf die Arzneimitteltherapiesicherheit in der Routineversorgung (EMPAR) was to analyze the relationship between pharmacogenetic profiles, the risk of adverse drug reactions, and patients' perceptions of drug therapy in 10748 adult (≥18 years) participants in Germany. A questionnaire was used to assess views and beliefs about medicines and participants individual perception of sensitivity to drug therapies. The questionnaire consisted of the Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire (BMQ)-General scales (Overuse, Harm, Benefit), the Perceived Sensitivity to Medicines (PSM), Natural Remedy, and Gene Testing scales. The influence of gender, age, study collective, genotype and phenotype of relevant pharmacogenes on participant's perception were evaluated. Overuse, PSM and Benefit scores were significantly higher among patients of the collective International Classification of Diseases and Health Related Disorders (ICD)-10 Y57.9! diagnosis, which indicates complications related to drugs, compared to the anticoagulant/antiplatelet and cholesterol-lowering drug collective. Age and gender also played a significant role in patients' perceptions, with younger patients and female participants more likely to believe in medication overuse according to the Overuse scale score compared to older and male participants. Female participants compared to male participants and the old age group compared to the young and/or middle-age subgroup, scored higher in PSM and/or Harm scales, respectively. Only a tendency of increased Harm, Overuse and PSM scores was observed in the participant group with five or more relevant actionable variants compared to subgroups with 0 up to 4 variants. In conclusion, patients' beliefs about medicines and their drug sensitivity perceptions are influenced by various factors including age, gender, previous complications with medicines, and with some tendency also pharmacogenetic profiles. The higher association with more negative views related to treatment indicates that there is a need to target the underlying issues in affected patient groups in order to improve compliance to treatment and outcomes in routine care. Trial registration: EMPAR was registered in the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS) on 06 July 2018 (DRKS00013909).

Impact of Climate Change Education on Pregnant Women's Anxiety and Awareness.

To evaluate the impact of climate change education on pregnant women's climate change awareness and anxiety. Quasi-experimental research with pre- and post-test design. This study was conducted among pregnant women who visited a tertiary maternity hospital between April and June 2023 to assess climate change awareness, perception, knowledge, behavioral and policy expectations, and anxiety before and after the introduction of climate change education. The first phase of the study was conducted by distributing a set of questions related to sociodemographics and completing the Climate Change Awareness Scale and the Climate Change Worry Scale, followed by climate change education where pregnant women were exposed to a brochure entitled "Pregnancy and Climate Change". After the intervention, pregnant women were assessed using the same questionnaire. There was a significant decrease in pregnant women's anxiety regarding climate change (p<0.001). Participants' awareness (p<0.001), perception (p<0.001), knowledge (p<0.001), and policy expectations regarding climate change significantly increased (p<0.001), while their anxiety levels decreased (p<0.001). The study suggests that climate change education may reduce climate change anxiety among pregnant women while also enhancing their awareness, and improving their perceptions, knowledge, behaviors, and policy expectations about climate change.

A program evaluation of the new choices workforce development program: An appreciative inquiry approach

A significant amount of money ($1.76B annually in the United States) is spent on workforce development programs, while there is limited research on the effectiveness of workforce development programs in meeting their program objectives and assisting program participants in attaining employment. This study evaluated the New Choices Program, a workforce development program offered by PA Women Work, to help its clients obtain employment and overcome personal and professional barriers. The program has historically been offered in a 30-hour in person format but was forced to be modified to a 10-hour virtual program when the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions began. This program evaluation included a comparative analysis of the perceptions of participants in the 30-hour in person program and the 10-hour virtual program. It was found that participants in both the 30-hour in person program and 10-hour virtual program perceived the program positively, experienced an increase in self-confidence and belonging, which led to either obtaining employment or being better prepared for the job search process. The data will help inform the New Choices program stakeholders on programmatic improvements and how best to structure the program in the post-pandemic employment world.

The slow pace of building and organizing for trust in internal collaboration within social services

ABSTRACT This study sets out to understand how trust-building is created in a municipal organization when the highest level of decision-makers decides to implement trust-based governance. The study focuses on the social services internal organization. The aim was to capture how the participants perception of trust-building during internal collaboration through time, and how the process unfolded over time. A qualitative longitudinal study was designed, and data was gathered comprising written reflection texts about internal collaboration and activities to promote collaboration, ratings of perceived emotions and trust, and meeting observations. The study uses abductive thematic analysis. The main finding illustrates that to social relations and trust between individuals was challenging, however there was perceived trust in the overall change process to become one unit and identify common work methods. This study reinforces the need for physical social relational ties to see beyond the focus on new internal collaborative working methods. It stresses the importance of acknowledging personal and social chemistry in transitioning to new roles, responsibilities and professional skills to build trust.

Factors Influencing Girls' Education in Nepal: History and Perceptions of Participants

This study aims to explore the various ways in which gender discrimination reveals itself within the realm of education for girls, both within the school environment and at home. Additionally, the study seeks to identify the various factors that influence gender-related disparities in girls' education and examine the history of schooling for girls. In our society, socio-cultural norms and values that are biased towards gender are deeply ingrained, and this has prompted the Nepal government to initiate several measures aimed at fostering a gender-friendly environment within schools. Despite these interventions, the study finds that achieving gender parity in education remains elusive. As such, the study has prioritized examining how gender-based societal influences impede girls' education. The study is based on field data collected through direct interaction with participants to obtain insights grounded in real-world experiences.

From Consoles to Classrooms: Preliminary Insights About Pre-Service Teachers and Video Games

Integrating video games into the classroom is a promising way to enhance learning experiences, as the market of serious games is expanding. European schools are investing in digital equipment, and the use of educational video games is technologically viable. Nonetheless, actual experiences of video games in class are still rare. A key gap to be explored is understanding how pre-service secondary teachers perceive and are prepared to use digital games in their future classrooms. Do they think it would enhance their teaching and their students’ learning? Do they feel prepared for it? To answer these questions, and possibly address future challenges, we conducted a comprehensive study with students at Zurich University of Teacher Education (PHZH). The research process began with the development and testing of a detailed questionnaire that focused on participants' personal gaming behaviour, preferences, and perceptions of the educational potential of video games. Key areas such as serious games, game design, gamification, game-based learning, and game culture were explored to assess the relevance and understanding of these concepts in an educational context. This paper explains the development and structure of the questionnaire as a measurement instrument as well as the underlying literature and methodological considerations. The first implementation and the preliminary survey with 48 PHZH students are presented, and the practicability and reliability of the questionnaire are evaluated. The result of the survey suggests pre-service teachers are generally positive about integrating video games and game design into the classroom, yet enthusiasm is not enough without additional support.

Indie Games for Ethical and Socioemotional Development in Secondary Education

Video games, particularly those developed in the independent scene, are a form of media with great educational possibilities. This work in progress will be completed in three years and it aims to improve teachers video game literacy and help them implementing activities for ethical and socioemotional development (European key competencies 5 and 6) through indie games. Therefore, through design-based research and mixed-method designs, it aims to achieve three goals: (O1) identify the perception and meaning-making processes that teachers and students have about videogames and learning through video games; (O2) design a measurable training program for teachers around the educational possibilities of indie games and help them implement activities for ethical and socioemotional development; and (O3) evaluate the programs impact based on the indicators of key competencies 5 and 6. The project is in its first phases and it will be developed in the next three years. First, representative samples of each agent will be accessed to analyze their beliefs, types of knowledge, and practical experience in the field. Subsequently, four independent video games that promote key competencies 5 and 6 will be selected, and classroom activities will be designed for each of them. Next, teachers from four high schools in Spain (Cantabria, Baleares, Andalucía and Catalonia) will be trained in the use of the educational resources, and they will be accompanied in its implementation with students. Finally, the programs impact on students will be evaluated based on various psychological variables associated with key competences 5 and 6 (e.g., empathy, emotional identification, civic skills, etc.) as well as the participants perceptions of the experience, enabling the generation of design principles for future iterations and for the programs scalability.

U.S. Adolescents’ daily social media use and well-being: Exploring the role of addiction-like social media use

ABSTRACT Associations between adolescent social media use and well-being are inconclusive, and studies using rigorous methodologies and objective measures are needed. Additionally, attention on what individual differences may moderate linkages between social media and well-being is necessary. We tested 1) how daily social media use (assessed via objective-reports and self-reports during an ecological momentary assessment period) relates to daily subjective well-being, 2) the prevalence and concordance between scholar-defined addiction-like social media use (ASMU) and participant perceptions of social media addiction, 3) how these constructs relate to subjective well-being, and 4) if these constructs moderate daily links between social media use and subjective well-being. In a sample of 103 adolescents (M age = 16.48, 47% female), ASMU and perceived addiction were highly correlated but some adolescents’ classification differed when cross-referencing. Both were similarly associated with demographics and depressive symptoms. Self-reported, but not objectively-recorded, social media use was related to greater ASMU and perceived addiction. Links between social media use and well-being were inconsistent, with no moderation by ASMU or perceived addiction. Most adolescents endorsed some degree of ASMU, and future research should examine how social media-triggered disruptions to daily functioning relates to well-being.

A Study on the Relationship between Recreation Benefit Perception and Frequency of Participation in Recreation Activities

The objective of this study is to investigate university students' perceptions of the benefits of recreational activities and their frequency of participation in such activities and to explain a relationship between these two variables. A quantitative research method was employed in this study, with a preference for utilizing a questionnaire as the data collection technique. The participants in the study were undergraduate students from Harran University Osmanbey Campus. A survey was conducted with 683 participants. The study revealed significant differences in the frequency of participants' engagement in activities based on their demographic characteristics, including participants' gender, age, school of higher education or faculty, grade level, weighted grade point averages, monthly income, hometown region, permanent residence environment and place of residence. The study also demonstrated significant differences in the benefit perceived by the participants from recreation activities based on their demographic characteristics, including participants' age, school of higher education or faculty, grade level, monthly income, hometown region and place of residence. Additionally, the study found a significant positive relationship between the frequency of participation in recreational activities and all sub-dimensions of the perceived benefits of such activities.

Exploring youth sport participation and parental perceptions of social support

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to test whether having adolescents involved in sport leads to increased social support among parents. Using data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children with 3102 primary (Mage = 43.04, SD = 8.75) and 2523 secondary parents (Mage = 46.13, SD = 6.16), differences between social support perceptions across sport participation categories (team-only, individual-only, both, or no-sport) were tested. We tested whether the number of days parents’ adolescents spent involved in sport per week, and the number of hours adolescents spent in sport during a typical day predicted parental social support. Primary parents with adolescents involved in team-sport only or both types of sport reported stronger perceptions of social support than primary parents of non-participants. The number of weekly days parents’ adolescents spent involved in sport activities positively predicted social support among primary parents. No significant effects among secondary parents were found.

A method for studying the effect of diegetic vs. non-diegetic rating interfaces on the assessment of virtual acoustic environments

Auditory perception experiments conducted in VR come along with a high degree of ecological validity while maintaining a controlled laboratory setting. However, since the participant's vision is occupied during simulation, conventional evaluation instruments like rating scales need to be relocated to the virtual environment to allow for immediate stimulus rating. This can be achieved either by the use of diegetic interfaces, which are implied to be a part of the simulation (e.g., a screen held by the participant's avatar) or non-diegetic interfaces, which do not claim to originate from the simulated reality (e.g., sliders and text elements laid on top of the participant's view). It is unknown whether the choice of interface does affect the participant's perception of the virtual environment - including its acoustic components. To address this shortcoming, a methodological study is presented. Participants are exposed to a virtual scenario simulating an urban green area with nearby ambience sound sources. In this setting, they are provided with diegetic and non-diegetic rating interfaces to assess the acoustic environment. Subsequently, perceived presence and involvement in the virtual environment are surveyed as well. This way, the study provides useful guidelines for future VR experiments assessing soundscape-related aspects of perception.

Data on librarians' perceptions of participation in a citizen science project in a network of public libraries

Citizen Science (CS) is an approach to scientific work and part of the Open Science movement. This study aims to analyse the perception of the librarians about their participation in the aBEIRAr project, which is a CS partnership for the valorisation of the territory developed in the Intermunicipal Network of Libraries of Beiras and Serra da Estrela (RIBBSE) in Portugal. The methodology comprised a literature review, and the case study includes an interview and a survey. Of the results obtained, the following stand out: the libraries are the driving forces behind the aBEIRAr project; they choose the themes, organise and dynamize the activities in their local communities, and establish various partnerships with the mediation of the project's scientific coordination; the level of satisfaction of the librarians in this project is very satisfactory; in the libraries, after carrying out the aBEIRAr project, the number of participants in other face-to-face activities and the interaction on their social network profiles increased; librarians consider that CS can bring to public libraries and their users participative scientific knowledge. The data provides valuable insights into the possibilities and challenges associated with executing CS projects in collaboration with public libraries. These findings contribute to the ongoing discussion about the role of libraries as essential community centers.

Evaluating the impact of needs assessment models on autistic children's participation in the habilitation process: protocol for a prospective observational study.

The rising prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) among children poses significant challenges for healthcare services. Research has underscored the crucial role of children's involvement in their healthcare. However, due to the intricate nature of ASD, marked by communication and social interaction differences, healthcare providers face challenges in tailoring their services to accommodate these children. This project aims to explore the impact of two distinct needs assessment models on children's participation in the needs assessment process. We will conduct a prospective observational study comparing responses from children subjected to two different needs assessment procedures: survey-based and meeting-based. Supplementary data will be collected from the children's parents/guardians and healthcare professionals. Data collection methods will include questionnaires, interviews and document analysis of individual habilitation plans. We aim to recruit 120 children aged 7-17 diagnosed with ASD but without intellectual disability, with 60 undergoing the survey-based needs assessment and 60 undergoing the meeting-based assessment. The primary outcome measure will be the perception of participation in the needs assessment procedure. Secondary outcomes will include the children's quality of life and mental health; the parents' knowledge of their child's strengths, abilities and special needs; and the parents' perception of the quality of collaboration with the healthcare team. The study received ethics approval from the Swedish Ethical Review Authority on 4 March 2024 (reference number 2024-00227-01). All children and their caregivers will receive both verbal and written information about the study before being asked to provide written informed consent to participate. The findings will be disseminated through publication in peer-reviewed journals and presentation at conferences. Additionally, a popular science report summarising the data and its interpretation will be published. NCT06381856.

Evaluating the effectiveness of virtual reality-based therapy as an adjunct to conventional rehabilitation in the management of adolescents with cerebral palsy: An intervention protocol

Virtual reality (VR)-based therapy has demonstrated potential in enhancing upper and lower limb functions, postural control, and balance. Despite its growing use, evidence regarding its impact on physical function and quality of life (QoL) in individuals with cerebral palsy (CP) remains scarce. This study protocol outlines a randomized controlled trial (RCT) designed to evaluate the efficacy of VR-based therapy as an adjunct to conventional therapy on physical function and QoL in adolescents with CP, as well as to explore the perceptions of participants and their caregivers regarding the intervention. This RCT will include 56 adolescents with CP, aged 10-17 years, who will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either the intervention group (VR-based therapy) or the control group. Both groups will receive their usual conventional therapy, equated between groups. Additionally, the intervention group will receive VR therapy using the Xbox 360 Kinect, delivered twice weekly in 45- to 60-minute sessions for 12 weeks. Outcome measures will include the Gross Motor Function Measure-88, the 6-Minute Walk Test, handheld dynamometry, and the Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, mid-intervention (week 6), and post-intervention (week 12). Qualitative data will be collected through semi-structured interviews with participants and caregivers after the 12-week program. Statistical analyses will be conducted on an intention-to-treat basis. Repeated measures ANOVA will be used to evaluate changes in physical function and QoL over time at baseline, mid- and post-intervention. The qualitative data from interviews will be analyzed using thematic analysis to identify key themes related to the experiences and perceptions of caregivers and participants.

Athletic training students’ experiences and perceptions of exertional heat stroke simulated encounters: A qualitative analysis

Introduction: Athletic trainers are trained to recognize exertional heat stroke (EHS), which is critical to implementing lifesaving measures. Rectal thermometry is the best practice for recognizing EHS, and the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) requires students to learn rectal thermometry. Rooted in transformative learning theory, this study explored the perceptions and experiences of athletic training students following simulated EHS encounters with either high-fidelity (HF) simulators or standardized patients (SPs). Methods: This was a qualitative study using phenomenological theory. Through semi-structured qualitative interviews, we explored participants' personal experiences and perceptions following their simulation interventions. Participants included sixteen first-year Master of Athletic Training students (HF=8, SP=8; 4 males and 4 females in each group) ages 21-38 (23.69±4.48) who were enrolled in a course discussing exertional heat illnesses. Data Analysis: We recorded and transcribed the interviews verbatim. We used qualitative software, Nvivo (Denver, CO), to categorize the data into themes and codes. To ensure trustworthiness, we used member checking and investigator triangulation. Results: Three themes emerged from the data: 1) Simulation environment, 2) Mindset shifts, and 3) Perceptions of other simulation types. Participants from both groups described positive learning experiences in a foreign yet low stakes learning environment emphasizing repetition for learning the skill. The HF group shared beneficial aspects of patient-history-taking opportunities. The SP group shared the benefits and applicability of developing a patient-provider relationship through communicating with their SP. Most participants from both groups could immerse themselves in the encounter for a realistic experience. Both groups discussed how their mindset towards EHS and rectal thermometry changed after their encounter. Lastly, both groups agreed their simulation intervention was superior to practicing on a task trainer. Conclusions: Instructors of athletic training programs should strive to implement realistic simulated encounters for emergency skills training of athletic training students. A safe space for learning in a low-stakes environment should be fostered. Based on the shared perceived benefits of SP encounters for building provider-patient rapport and feedback opportunities, instructors should consider implementing SPs throughout their curriculum.