Professional Staff Research Articles

RAPID METHODS FOR DETECTION OF FOODBORNE PATHOGENS AND THEIR TOXINS - A REVIEW OF CURRENT TRENDS AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES

Background: Food safety is of utmost importance to sustaining life and promoting good health and is a main problem in any country, regardless of economic and social development. Unsafe food containing harmful pathogens and their toxins cause hundreds of diseases, particularly affecting infants, young children, the elderly and sick people. Therefore, the rapid detection of foodborne pathogens is of great significance for public health. The aim of this review was to provide comprehensive information regarding methods for the detection of foodborne pathogens as well as genus Fusarium and their toxins, from fundamental to state-of-the-art, presenting their advantages and limitations in order to update current knowledge. Review Results: The traditional culture-based methods for the detection of pathogens in food are usually laborious, limited by complex sample preparation procedures, time-consuming, slow to provide results, and require well-trained professional staff. However, compared to these methods, the new ones - immunological methods, nucleic acid-based assays and biosensor-based methods are rapid, accurate, highly sensitive and specific, and easy to use. Precisely providing accurate real-time results would help limit foodborne disease outbreaks, ensure compliance with legislation setting maximum levels of pathogens in certain food categories, detect and improve the import of food contaminated with dangerous levels of pathogenic microorganisms, and ensure public health safety. Conclusion: The development of rapid and automated methods that detect real-time, small numbers of viable microbial cells within a given volume of food is vital in the prevention, transmission and treatment of foodborne diseases. Such methods would also offer a great commercial advantage in the food industry and related fields.

The third space, student and staff co-creation of gamified informal learning: an emerging model of co-design

This article draws from the authors’ exploration of an innovative third space approach to engaging students with informal learning through the use of co-design and co-creation, which sits outside traditional subject delivery spaces. The third space project, the Digital Citizenship Programme, centres on the transformative experience and dialogic encounter for participants. The third space in this context was constituted by co-design and co-production involving students, alumni, academics and professional service staff. The project evaluated third space activity in terms of co-design, through its development process and in what is achieved by participants’ engagement with it. The aims were to analyse the mutuality and relational aspects of the innovative pedagogic intervention; the development of transferable skills and agentic development in the third space; and the dialogic experience for participants. The research data were collected over a period of three years, using focus groups, co-creation workshop observations and field notes. This project builds on the body of research that focuses on partnerships with students that fall under the umbrella of the third space. The article underlines the importance of co-creation approaches in building the relational and dialogic dynamic in higher education spaces.

Pengaruh Budaya Organisasi Terhadap Kinerja Guru Dengan Motivasi Sebagai Variabel Interving

. A teacher is a professional staff in the field of education whose job is to guide, teach, train, direct and educate the life of the nation. This research aims to see the influence of organizational culture on teacher performance with motivation as an intervening variable at SMP Negeri 21 Tanjung Jabung Timur. This research uses descriptive quantitative methods with data collection techniques using questionnaires. The population and sample in this study were 30 teachers at SMP Negeri 21 Tanjung Jabung Timur. Hypothesis testing using the SmartPLS analysis tool. The results of this research show that organizational culture has a positive and significant effect on teacher performance, organizational culture has a positive and significant effect on motivation, motivation has a positive and significant effect on teacher performance, organizational culture has a positive and significant effect on teacher performance with motivation as an intervening variable. This proves that an organization with a strong culture will improve the quality of teacher performance, and is further strengthened by providing motivation so that teacher performance will be maximized.

Wellbeing in the higher education sector: A qualitative study of staff perceptions in UK universities

The Higher Education (HE) sector is beset with mental ill-health, stress and burnout, negatively impacting staff productivity and retention. These challenges are due to a reduction in financial support for HE coupled with a growing number of students and increased workloads, as evidenced by recent strike actions in the UK. While research on mental ill-health in HE is extensive, our understanding of wellbeing in higher education is limited. Yet understanding wellbeing in the workplace can foster positive experiences and resilience, counteracting more negative experiences. This paper presents findings from 21 in-depth semi-structured interviews with employees (academic and professional staff) in UK universities to understand staff perceptions of wellbeing and the impact of the HE context. Five themes were identified: (1) factors contributing to staff wellbeing, such as colleague support; (2) fragility and duality of staff wellbeing, on how wellbeing can be damaged as well as its changing nature; (3) the dichotomy of collegial peer and organizational support, on university and staff actions toward wellbeing; (4) outsider from within, on an experienced lack of belonging; and (5) creativity and growth, on opportunities for staff development. Gaps in our understanding of Black, Asian, Minority, and Ethnic staff experiences were also identified. Implications for bolstering wellbeing in practice and future research are discussed.

Improving the quality of allied health placements: student, educator and organisational preparedness

ABSTRACT Work Integrated Learning is essential for healthcare degrees where students learn to become healthcare professionals. As a complex form of learning the quality of student placement experiences are variable, impacting student wellbeing and development of professional competencies. Getting it right, students enter the workforce ready to practice. Getting it wrong can have deleterious effects on all stakeholders. Although research has examined placement quality for students, less is known about the experiences of other stakeholder groups (e.g. placement educators, university academics and professional support staff). Our research addresses this gap. Using narrative interviewing methods, underpinned by social constructionism, we interviewed fifty-one participants: 19 allied healthcare students, 15 placement educators, 12 university academics and 5 professional staff from a large Australian university. We identified four preparedness themes impacting on placement quality, namely: University, Placement Site, Placement educator and Student preparedness. Within these themes, good practice is highlighted alongside examples of unsettling experiences. Curricula should be reviewed to ensure students are prepared as agentic learners for the complexities of the workplace. Furthermore, universities should co-design placements in partnership with healthcare organisations and educators to enable students to optimise their learning and contribution to patient/client care.

Descriptive Study of Child Identification and Assessment Implementation Dyslexia in Bandung

Identification and assessment are important activities for early detection of children with special needs. Assessments are carried out to determine conditions and characteristics, abilities, obstacles, and strengths, as well as needs. This research aims to describe the implementation of identification and assessment, identify the obstacles experienced in implementing identification and assessment of dyslexia students, and explain the solutions in implementing identification and assessment of dyslexia students. This research uses a descriptive method with a qualitative approach, with data collected. Through interviews, observation, and documentation. Based on the research results, the implementation of identification and assessment of dyslexia students at the X Intervention Lab in Bandung is not optimal. Barriers to the implementation of identification and assessment of dyslexia students include understanding dyslexia, the process of identifying and assessing dyslexia, parental support, and collaboration with educational experts and professional staff. Solutions applied in the implementation of identification and assessment of dyslexia students include studying and understanding dyslexia as well as carrying out identification and assessment, collaborating with students' parents, dealing with dyslexia students directly by researchers without having to refer them to experts, and preparing creative media to help dyslexia students read.

Paper-based aptasensor for electrochemical detection of polyvalent antigen of dengue virus

ABSTRACT Dengue virus (DENV) is one of the most transmittable diseases. Numerous countries still face severe illness or deaths due to DENV. To date, there is no vaccine or effective drug available for this. Therefore, to overcome the burden of the disease, an early & sensitive diagnostic approach shows a main part in the management of dengue disease. The present research is aimed to construct PBAs i.e. paper-based aptasensor for the detection of all serotypes of DENV. The proposed biosensor has several advantages, including being simple, low-cost, reproducible, and disposable. The aptasensor uses a three-electrode system, with the working electrode containing a silver/zinc nanocomposite that was chemically synthesised. The characterisation of the zinc/silver nanocomposite were evaluated using UV-vis spectra, XRD, & FESEM. Aptamers were also employed to increase the sensor’s functioning. This aptamer functionalised sensor was employed to improvise the selectivity of the developed platform. The outcomes of aptasensor was evaluated via CV/LSV, which was verified using a potentiostat. The established paper-based aptasensor delivered ideal response and a broad linear variety of 0.1–1000 µg/ml for the DENV virus, having 0.1 µg/ml (LOD). The developed PBAs, or paper-based aptasensors, might be particularly useful in point-of-care diagnostic applications. This biosensor is capable of detecting polyvalent DENV-Antigen of 4 serotypes of DENV and hence, this research provides sensitive diagnosis of serotypes on a same platform and also offers viable diagnostic apparatus for rural places with limited resources, for people who can’t afford costly medical procedures and have a finite access to professional staff.

Cross-sectional study on the epidemiological investigation ability of professional staff from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Guizhou Province.

This study aims to evaluate the qualifications and identify skill enhancement areas for epidemiological investigators in Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCs) in Guizhou's, informing future training and policy initiatives to strengthen public health responses. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in August 2022, and an online, self-designed questionnaire on the Epidemiological Dynamic Data Collection platform was administered to evaluate the professional staff in CDCs. The responses were scored and presented using descriptive statistical methods, and the factors influencing the total score were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and linear regression. A total of 1321 questionnaires were collected, yielding an average score of 14.86±3.49 and a qualification rate of 29.9%. The scoring rate of ability of individual protection and coordination in epidemic control was high (87.25%). Meanwhile, improvements in further training were needed in areas such as data analysis ability (23.67%), knowledge of site disinfection (40.40%), and epidemiological investigation skills (42.50%). No significant difference was observed between the scores of city and county CDCs, (t = 1.071, p =0.284). The effects of gender and age could be disregarded, and the experience in epidemiological work and training (including investigation on COVID-19 cases and contacts), educational background, and professional title partially explained the survey outcome (R Square of the linear regression model was 0.351). The survey indicated the need for additional well-trained epidemiologic investigators in Guizhou. Specified training was effective in improving epidemiologic investigation, and enhancement in data analysis ability and knowledge of field disinfection are recommended in professional staff cultivation.

The Human-Centred Design of a Universal Module for Artificial Intelligence Literacy in Tertiary Education Institutions

Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) is heralding a new era in AI for performing a spectrum of complex tasks that are indistinguishable from humans. Alongside language and text, Generative AI models have been built for all other modalities of digital data, image, video, audio, and code. The full extent of Generative AI and its opportunities, challenges, contributions, and risks are still being explored by academic researchers, industry practitioners, and government policymakers. While this deep understanding of Generative AI continues to evolve, the lack of fluency, literacy, and effective interaction with Generative and conventional AI technologies are common challenges across all domains. Tertiary education institutions are uniquely positioned to address this void. In this article, we present the human-centred design of a universal AI literacy module, followed by its four primary constructs that provide core competence in AI to coursework and research students and academic and professional staff in a tertiary education setting. In comparison to related work in AI literacy, our design is inclusive due to the collaborative approach between multiple stakeholder groups and is comprehensive given the descriptive formulation of the primary constructs of this module with exemplars of how they activate core operational competence across the four groups.

Intelligent Learning-Based Methods for Determining the Ideal Team Size in Agile Practices.

One of the significant challenges in scaling agile software development is organizing software development teams to ensure effective communication among members while equipping them with the capabilities to deliver business value independently. A formal approach to address this challenge involves modeling it as an optimization problem: given a professional staff, how can they be organized to optimize the number of communication channels, considering both intra-team and inter-team channels? In this article, we propose applying a set of bio-inspired algorithms to solve this problem. We introduce an enhancement that incorporates ensemble learning into the resolution process to achieve nearly optimal results. Ensemble learning integrates multiple machine-learning strategies with diverse characteristics to boost optimizer performance. Furthermore, the studied metaheuristics offer an excellent opportunity to explore their linear convergence, contingent on the exploration and exploitation phases. The results produce more precise definitions for team sizes, aligning with industry standards. Our approach demonstrates superior performance compared to the traditional versions of these algorithms.

Framing the digitally capable university

The proliferation of “literacies” in educational discourse reflect a diverse array of interests, encompassing computer, information, technical, media literacies, and also forms like academic, financial, and health literacies. As digital literacies have become a concern for the higher education curriculum, there has been a tendency to define it as a practical type of operational know-how. This paper sets out a university-wide, holistic and critical approach that breaks from the legacy of institutional framings that narrow digital literacies to a set of skills or competencies. In developing a Digital Literacies Framework, La Trobe University articulated a shared understanding of digital literacies as the capabilities and attitudes that are needed by staff and students ‘in a digitally connected world’. This marks a shift from strategies that primarily deploy institutional curriculum mapping and measurement approaches; rather it argues for an institutional approach that requires collaboration and strategic engagement of students and academic and professional staff in order to meet goals related to building digital capability. The La Trobe Digital Literacies Framework takes a whole of university perspective that integrates policy and practice, providing a rationale for the critical importance of digital literacies in domains of life, work and learning, addressing an implicit ‘Why?’ question from staff and students. The University Library coordinated the Framework development. It was a scholarly undertaking that gathered evidence and reviewed international best practice. In this endeavour, the La Trobe University Library is a leader in the implementation of a university-wide strategy for digital literacies in Australia.

By design

This paper takes a design research approach to the challenge of transforming learning and teaching in higher education (HE) as it is experienced at the level of an interdisciplinary team composed of content matter experts and specialists in education. It is based on the reflections of members of the team working collaboratively to transform an undergraduate biology unit, delivered in intensive mode in parallel with a standard teaching semester to improve both student engagement and teaching staff satisfaction. The unit learning design tests 21st century active learning pedagogies in the context preparing students for their professional lives. Using semi-structured interviews and reflective inquiry the authors attempt to uncover the salient features of the process of implementing technology enhanced learning, and generate constructive design solutions. The work is situated in the scholarship of learning and teaching as it encourages "reflection-in-action" and a commitment to sharing what works in STEM teaching and learning in contemporary environments. The teaching team focus on the complex problems of preparation, attendance, and engagement in a series of intensive labs, whilst the professional staff focus on the complex problems of innovation and student engagement in higher education. A number of known and hypothetical learning design principles are integrated with the affordances of the chosen learning environment (OneNote) and used to propose plausible solutions. These solutions are used to iteratively refine the learning environment and reveal new design principles. The data shows improved staff engagement with the unit and the students through an enhanced role in the application and development of modern pedagogies. The paper emphasises the benefits of providing for and supporting the emergence of microcultures, and suggest strategies for those that wish to emulate the approach taken.

Key success factors to implementing an active learning platform

This study reports on the key success factors when introducing a new lecture capture platform, Echo360 Active Learning Platform (ALP), at an Australian University. This is an interactive platform, designed to actively engage students in their courses including in lectures (online and/or face to face) through a range of interactive tools. A trial of ALP, which is known within the University as the Echo360 ALP Early Adopter Program, was conducted in Semester 2, 2016. The purpose of the Echo360 ALP Early Adopter Program was to identify the key success factors required for implementation of Echo360 ALP at the enterprise level. The study reports data on students’ experience of the interactive tools in Echo360 ALP. In total, over 1250 students, seven academics from across seven courses, Blended Learning Advisors from within each of the University’s four academic groups, and support staff participated in the Echo360 ALP Early Adopter Program. The results of the study show that students were engaged when using Echo360 ALP and with support from professional staff this program can be successfully implemented by academics. Thus, the key success factors to this implementation include the academics themselves and the support staff involved in the implementation. A further success factor was the vendor themselves.

Student-to-school counselor ratios: understanding the history and ethics behind professional staffing recommendations and realities in the United States

ABSTRACT This manuscript explores the argument for lower student-to-school counselor ratios in U.S. public education. Drawing upon a comprehensive historical review and existing research, we establish the integral role of school counselors and the notable benefits of reduced student-to-counselor ratios. Our analysis of national data exposes marked disparities across states and districts, with the most underfunded often serving higher percentages of low-income students and students of color. This situation raises significant ethical concerns, prompting a call for conscientious policy reform and targeted investment. Informed by emerging best practices, we propose recommendations for enhancing counselor staffing and ultimately student outcomes. This ethical argument underscores the need for proactive actions and provides a basis for future research to further delineate the impact of school counselor ratios on educational equity and student success.

Analysis of the change in human resources of centers for disease control and prevention in different regions of China from 2010 to 2020

Objective: To analyze the change in human resources within China's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from 2010 to 2020. Methods: The self-reported information from provincial, prefectural (city), and county (district) levels of China's CDC, covering employee counts, staff composition, professional qualifications, educational backgrounds, technical titles, and tenure, were extracted from the China Disease Prevention and Control Information System. The demographic context was provided by the annual population figures from the China Statistical Yearbook (2010-2020). The profile of CDC personnel was described, and the average annual percentage rate change (AAPC), average annual percentage rate change (APC), human resource agglomeration degree (HRAD) and the difference between HRAD and population agglomeration degree (PAD) were calculated. The Joinpoint regression model was used to analyze the time trend. Results: The decade under review witnessed a net increase of 17 300 active and 18 300 enrolled personnel in the CDC, surpassing the national population growth rate with AAPCs of 0.93% and 1.03%, respectively. This upward trajectory was statistically significant (P<0.05). The ratio of disease control personnel per 10 000 population escalated from 1.14 to 1.21. An initial decline in active CDC workforce density (from 1.31 to 1.27 per 10 000 population between 2010 and 2017) was followed by an increase (from 1.28 to 1.37 between 2018 and 2020), with APCs of -0.40% and 3.73%, respectively. The proportion of professional and technical staff in 2019 was highest in the eastern region (86.01%), followed by the western (83.75%) and central regions (79.54%). The period also saw an enhancement in the average academic degree (from 1.91 to 2.43 points) and professional title scores (from 1.39 to 1.53 points) of CDC personnel. While the average tenure in the eastern and western regions showed a slight decline, the central region experienced an increase, with HRAD values indicating a higher concentration in the eastern and central regions compared to the western region. The HRAD-PAD discrepancy revealed a negative value in the eastern region, nearing zero in the central and western regions. Conclusion: Between 2010 and 2020, China's CDC experienced notable growth in human resources and underwent structural optimization, albeit with significant regional disparities in concentration.

Research ethics in social science research during health pandemics: what can we learn from COVID-19 experiences?

The COVID-19 pandemic posed many ethical and practical challenges for academic research. Some of these have been documented, particularly in relation to health research, but less attention has been paid to the dilemmas encountered by educational and social science research. Given that pandemics are predicted to be more frequent, it is vital to understand how to continue crucial research in schools and other learning communities. This article therefore focuses specifically on research ethics in educational and social science during the pandemic of 2020–2022. The research involved interviews and workshops with University College London (UCL) academics, professional staff and graduate students and encompassed those involved in reviewing ethics applications, researchers dealing with ethics in projects that continued despite disruptions caused by COVID-19, and successful research projects specifically designed to study the effects of COVID-19 in various contexts. The article discusses some of the crucial knowledge and practical experiences that were accumulated. The operational and epistemological lessons learned from this particular institution may have wider relevance to research ethics processes in higher education environments where academics and students are grappling with post-COVID-19 ethical dilemmas and inform broader debates about how research institutions can build institutional knowledge to improve practices of ethics review at the times of health emergencies in future. Our evidence points to the significance of inter- and multidisciplinary, collaborative approaches that flatten institutional hierarchies and to the crucial role played by professional staff. In addition, we argue that ethics review processes must be underpinned by critical debates about wider issues of unequal power relationships between research partners, the nature of knowledge production, ownership and utilisation. To enhance equity and epistemic justice in research practices, ethics education should be an ongoing integral part of research ethics within research institutions.

ОПЫТ РЕАЛИЗАЦИИ ПИЛОТНОГО ПРОЕКТА «ГРОДНЕНСКАЯ УНИВЕРСИТЕТСКАЯ КЛИНИКА» В АСПЕКТЕ ЭФФЕКТИВНОСТИ ПРАКТИКООРИЕНТИРОВАННОЙ ПОДГОТОВКИ МЕДИЦИНСКИХ КАДРОВ

The training of highly professional medical staff with minimal need in their further workplace adjustment is an important current problem facing health care and medical higher education institutions authorities. To a large extent, existing clinical healthcare organizations, which are an example of cooperative relationships are serving this purpose. At the same time, the existing practice of their functioning indicates an insufficient degree of integration of the academic environment and practical healthcare. The purpose of this publication is to summarize the experience of the pilot project “Grodno University Clinic” implementation regarding the efficiency of practice-oriented training of medical staff. The integration of academic medicine and practical healthcare in a university clinic allows solving a number of important problems. Maximum involvement of teaching staff in medical activities allows maintaining and improvement of their professional competencies. The logical consequence of this process is the improvement of the quality of practice-oriented undergraduate and postgraduate training of medical specialists. Participation of the students in the diagnostic and treatment process as both active observers and direct participants to an even greater extent contributes to a quality learning experience and a conscious approach to choosing their future specialization.

Personnel power shift? Unpacking China's attempts to enter the UN civil service

AbstractThe People's Republic of China views dispatching Chinese talent to international organisations as a key global governance contribution and a means to shape these institutions from within. International posts are competitive to secure, requiring China's concerted effort to place candidates for entry‐level professional staff positions. However, less is known about how China is preparing to compete for these international civil service positions. This article examines United Nations (UN) staffing data, as well as Chinese‐language academic, policy and media reports to address this research gap and thereby understand better how China is attempting to facilitate an increase in its staffing levels within UN entities. We find China's efforts emphasise preparation of ‘patriots’ who can bring ‘Chinese wisdom’ into the UN, but that efforts to increase staff numbers are still in development. We also note that deploying patriots in the UN civil service is potentially to the detriment of securing posts: patriotism may not translate into bureaucratic skill or expertise and also attracts the attention of other states willing to counter China's staffing efforts. It remains to be seen whether staffing power shifts will be successful and, if so, the extent to which increased representation will benefit China's interests.

THE URGENCY OF ARCHIVISTS AS PROFESSIONALS IN AUTOMATION-BASED ARCHIVES MANAGEMENT

The purpose of this study is to identify and explain the urgency of archivists as professionals who manage archives based on automation. The type of research used is qualitative research which is a literature study using books and other literatures as the main object of this research. In library research, the method used to collect research data is in the form of library data that has been selected, searched, presented and analyzed so that the data presented is in the form of words that are processed to be concise and systematic. The data analysis technique used is a content analysis technique which is a scientific analysis of the essence of a data. The results obtained through this research are that as professional staff, archivists have a very important urgency in automation-based archive management because without competent archivists, automation-based archive management will not be able to run properly. The benefit of carrying out this research is that each agency can further improve the quality of archive management through an automation system with managers who are truly experts in their fields or professional archivists, both archivists who are graduates from universities and archivists who have attended various training/training so that the quality of archive management in These agencies are increasing.

Effective resource management in educational institutions: Challenges and strategies

Relevance. The research relevance of quality modern education is determined by the exponential technological progress of the 21st century. Furthermore, the rational use of available resources is also relevant for national educational structures. Purpose. The study aims to identify potential areas in the education system of the Republic of Azerbaijan that would attract and effectively manage additional resources. Methodology. By using statistical analysis, comparison, synthesis and forecasting methods, a study of the actual indicators of educational institutions was conducted and the main trends were identified. Results. The study identified trends in the development of the education system of Azerbaijan, such as the number of higher education institutions in operation, the dynamics of quantitative changes in the teaching and professorial staff in the context of public and private educational institutions, as well as the volume of funds allocated to education. Based on the obtained data, forecasts of further development and recommendations on the efficient use of resources in the sector were formed. The current situation with international education in the Republic of Azerbaijan was studied separately and an action plan for its expansion was developed. In the context of control over the rational use of funds and combating corruption, the systematic introduction of a separate staff unit of deputy director for resource management in the field of education was proposed. Conclusions. The study identifies key trends in the development of Azerbaijan's education system and provides recommendations for the efficient use of resources. It highlights the need for rational resource management and proposes the introduction of a deputy director for resource management to combat corruption. Additionally, the study offers a plan to enhance the competitiveness of Azerbaijan�s education system in international markets. Keywords: education system; higher education institution; knowledge export; human capital; corruption prevention; public funding