Certification Program Research Articles

Content and Languages Integration: Pre-Service Teachers’ Culturally Sustaining Social Studies Units for Emergent Bilinguals

This qualitative study examines how pre-service teachers incorporate asset-based, multilingual and equity-focused pedagogies, prioritizing students’ funds of knowledge and advocating for culturally relevant and sustaining approaches. Through an analysis of 92 social studies unit plans developed by pre-service teachers in the final semester of their teacher credential program, the study highlights students’ efforts in integrating locally relevant curriculum, translanguaging, and inclusive pedagogies in their teaching. The study emphasizes the transformative potential of integrating linguistic and cultural resources into content area teaching to cultivate inclusive and equitable learning environments for emergent bilinguals.

If You Choose Not to Decide: A Survey of Online Field Experiences for Canadian Teacher Preparation Programs

Despite the rapid growth in online and distance learning in Canada, there does not appear to be much interest on the part of teacher education programs to evolve to meet the needs of future generations of teacher candidates. While understanding the notion that systemic change in tertiary education takes time, the steady growth of online and blended learning in Canada–and globally–combined with raised awareness of distance learning stoked by the COVID-19 pandemic should make educators and policymakers worry about failing to respond to a rapidly changing educational landscape. This paper highlights the status of distance and online field experiences provided by Canadian teacher education programs. In addition, we review program offerings to support in-service teachers, such as graduate certificate, degree, and diploma programs, as well as MOOCs offering free professional development. This study, a replication of a mixed-method study originally conducted in the United States and published as a technical report by Archibald et al. (2020)[1], found that a minority of teacher education programs offered online or blended field experiences. Further, we found that programs were slow to change these deficiencies due to institutional lack of resources, limited knowledge base, perceived lack of usefulness for their teachers’ future careers, and regulatory bodies discouraging online field experiences. This study highlights the dramatic need for programming in distance and online education. [1] This article is original, with some exceptions in the “Results” section.

Analysis of Teacher Certification Programs in Improving Teacher Professionalism

<p>Guru dituntut untuk bekerja secara professional karena profesionalisme sangat penting dan merupakan salah satu kunci pokok kelancaran dan kesuksesan proses pembelajaran. Namun, dari 3,37 juta guru di Indonesia, hanya 1.174.377 guru yang tersertifikasi. Tujuan dari penelitian ini untuk mengetahui program sertifikasi dalam meningkatkan profesionalisme guru serta untuk mengetahui implementasi dan efektivitas sertifikasi guru dalam jabatan guna meningkatkan profesionalisme. Penelitian ini menggunakan penelitian kualitatif deskriptif dengan metode berupa studi kepustakaan. Sertifikasi ialah proses pemberian sertifikat dari lembaga berwenang kepada tenaga pendidik guru maupun dosen yang sudah memenuhi standar kualifikasi dan kompetensi sebagai bentuk pengakuan menjadi tenaga yang profesional. Implementasi program sertifikasi guru berkaitan dengan peranan pemerintah dan peran masyarakat. Sertifikasi menjadi kebijakan pemerintah sebagai upaya meningkatkan profesionalisme guru di Indonesia. Kebijakan sertifikasi guru memiliki dampak positif terhadap mutu pendidikan di Indonesia dengan cara meningkatkan metode pengajaran yang lebih modern serta variasi model, teknik, dan metode pembelajaran.</p>

Evolution of the (Energy and Atmosphere) credit category in the LEED green buildings rating system for (Building Design and Construction: New Construction), from version 4.0 to version 4.1

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a certification program for quantitatively assessing the qualifications of homes, non-residential buildings, or neighborhoods in terms of sustainability. LEED is supported by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), a nonprofit membership-based organization. Worldwide, thousands of projects received one of the four levels of LEED certification. One of the five rating systems (or specialties) covered by LEED is the Building Design and Construction (BD + C), representing non-residential buildings. This rating system is further divided into eight adaptations. The adaptation (New Construction and Major Renovation) or NC applies to newly constructed projects as well as those going through a major renovation. The NC adaptation has six major credit categories, in addition to three minor ones. The nine credit categories together have a total of 110 attainable points. The Energy and Atmosphere (EA) credit category is the dominant one in the NC adaptation, with 33 attainable points under it. This important credit category addresses the topics of commissioning, energy consumption records, energy efficiency, use of refrigerants, utilization of onsite or offsite renewable energy, and real-time electric load management. This study aims to highlight some differences in the EA credit category for LEED BD + C:NC rating system as it evolved from version 4 (LEED v4, 2013) to version 4.1 (LEED v4.1, 2019). For example, the updated version 4.1 includes a metric for greenhouse gas reduction. Also, the updated version 4.1 no longer permits hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants in new heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration systems (HVAC & R). In addition, the updated version 4.1 classifies renewable energy into three tiers, differentiating between onsite, new-asset offsite, and old-asset offsite types.

Novel Nanocatalysts for Simultaneous Ammonia Oxidation and Nitrate Reduction

Throughout recent years, nitrate reduction to ammonia has gained popularity in the scientific world to produce a carbon-free fuel [1]. However, research has primarily focused on low-concentration nitrate reduction, specifically for wastewater remediation. High-concentration effluents, such as ANSOL (Ammonium Nitrate), have emerged as a significant waste byproduct and a threat [2], with explosive characteristics and increasing production rates over the years [3]. This research seeks solutions to incorporate onsite waste treatment for generating electrical power, emphasizing the integration of waste streams as a distinctive opportunity. The integration aims to facilitate both power generation and the provision of clean water, with a focus on developing prototype systems designed to convert challenging Department of Defense (DoD) waste streams containing ANSOL into usable fuels for onsite energy generation.In this presentation, results from two distinct systems employing nanoparticle catalysts for the reduction of nitrates to ammonia, while simultaneously oxidizing ammonia to nitrogen and hydrogen, are discussed. This is particularly relevant in the presence of a high concentration of ammonium nitrate in waste (>0.5 M) with industrially relevant electrochemical performance (>300 mA/cm2 with Faradaic Efficiencies higher than 50%). The initial approach involves the integration of CuNi/C and Pt3Ir/C catalysts for reduction and oxidation, respectively [4]. The subsequent approach underscores pulsed electrodeposition of CuNi [5] for nanoparticle synthesis in the reduction process, coupled with the use of Pt3Ir/C catalyst for oxidation. The effect of different applied potentials was studied for the conversion of NO3 - to NH3 and subsequent H2 production. Electrode stability and process integration were investigated.[1] Kani, N. C., Nguyen, N. H. L., Markel, K., Bhawnani, R. R., Shindel, B., Sharma, K., Kim, S., Dravid, V. P., Berry, V., Gauthier, J. A., Singh, M. R., “Electrochemical Reduction of Nitrates on CoO Nanoclusters-Functionalized Graphene with Highest Mass Activity and Nearly 100% Selectivity to Ammonia,” Adv. Energy Mater. 2023, 13, 2204236.[2] United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Environmental Protection Agency, "Chemical Advisory: Safe Storage, Handling, and Management of Solid Ammonium Nitrate Prills," EPA 550-F-15-001, June 2015.[3] Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) and Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP), "Conversion of Ammonium Nitrate Solutions to Useful Products," SERDP and ESTCP Website, April 5, 2021. [Online].[4] Hariri, M.B., and Botte, G.G., "Simultaneous Removal of Ammonia and Nitrate from Wastewater Using a Pulse Electrolysis Technique," Journal of The Electrochemical Society 170.5. 2023.[5] I. Baskaran, T.S.N. Sankara Narayanan, and A. Stephen, "Pulsed electrodeposition of nanocrystalline Cu–Ni alloy films and evaluation of their characteristic properties," Materials Letters, vol. 60, no. 16, pp. 1990-1995, July 2006.

Development and psychometric evaluation of the Implementation Support Competencies Assessment

BackgroundImplementation support practitioners (ISPs) are professionals that support others to implement evidence-informed practices, programs, and policies in various service delivery settings to achieve population outcomes. Measuring the use of competencies by ISPs provides a unique opportunity to assess an understudied facet of implementation science—how knowledge, attitudes, and skills used by ISPs affects sustainable change in complicated and complex service systems. This study describes the development and validation of a measure—the Implementation Support Competencies Assessment (ISCA)—that assesses implementation support competencies, with versatile applications across service contexts.MethodsRecently developed practice guide materials included operationalizations of core competencies for ISPs across three domains: co-creation and engagement, ongoing improvement, and sustaining change. These operationalizations, in combination with recent empirical and conceptual work, provided an initial item pool and foundation on which to advance measurement development, largely from a confirmatory perspective (as opposed to exploratory). The measure was further refined through modified cognitive interviewing with three highly experienced ISPs and pilot-testing with 39 individuals enrolled in a university-based certificate program in implementation practice. To recruit a sample for validation analyses, we leveraged a listserv of nearly 4,000 individuals who have registered for or expressed interest in various events and trainings focused on implementation practice offered by an implementation science collaborative housed within a research-intensive university in the Southeast region of the United States. Our final analytic sample included 357 participants who self-identified as ISPs.ResultsAssessments of internal consistency reliability for each competency-specific item set yielded evidence of strong reliability. Results from confirmatory factor analyses provided evidence for the factorial and construct validity of all three domains and associated competencies in the ISCA.ConclusionsThe findings suggest that one’s possession of high levels of competence across each of the three competency domains is strongly associated with theorized outcomes that can promote successful and sustainable implementation efforts among those who receive implementation support from an ISP. The ISCA serves as a foundational tool for workforce development to formally measure and assess improvement in the skills that are required to tailor a package of implementation strategies situated in context.

Intention of Retention and Its Predictors among PHC Workers in Buraidah, Saudi Arabia

Introduction: The turnover of healthcare professionals is seen to be a significant contributor to the shortage of healthcare personnel. This study aimed to evaluate the level and predictors of retention intention among primary health workers (PHWs) in Buraidah, KSA. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among primary healthcare workers in Buraidah, Qassim between the period from October 2023 to March 2024. Data were collected using an online self-administered questionnaire. The used scales in the study were the Job Autonomy Scale (JAS) and the Anticipated Turnover Scale (ATS). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21.0. Results: A total of 194 healthcare workers were enrolled in this study; there were 50.5% males and 35.1% physicians. The mean ± SD of turnover intention was 37.2 ± 7.92 out of a maximum possible score of 75. The mean score of turnover intention was significantly affected by job title (p < 0.001), education level (p = 0.005), marital status (p = 0.004), attending certificate programs (p = 0.002), work method autonomy (p < 0.001), and total autonomy score (p = 0.008). Multivariate analysis revealed that the predictors of turnover intention were other job titles B 8.53 (95% CI: 6.17–10.89), ever married B –3.87 (95% CI: −5.80 to 1.94), and not attending certificate programs B –5.55 (95% CI: −8.46 to −2.63). Job autonomy did not show any association with turnover intention. Conclusion: Turnover intention was a significant problem among PHW in Buraidah, Saudi Arabia. The predictors of turnover intention included job title, marital status, and attending or having certificate programs. There is a need to address the issue of turnover intention among PHWs to ensure the provision of quality primary healthcare services to the population.

Challenges and Strategies of Developing Certified Anesthetist Nurse Practitioners in the Post-Pandemic Era in Taiwan

&lt;p&gt;臺灣的麻醉護理在專業定位、執業範圍、證照考試和標準化訓練制度等方面面臨著諸多挑戰，尤其2020 年衛生福利部雖將麻醉護理師正式納入專科護理師之制度內，但後續所推行之標準化課程也衍生出更多待解決之難題，如：未導入核心能力架構及評量機制、欠缺思考成人學習理論、龐大的訓練課程時數、麻醉專師之師資量能不足及欠缺系統性師資培育等窘境。本文提出二項教育改革的因應策略，首先是建構以勝任能力導向的麻醉專科護理教育架構並發展麻醉訓練專師之系統性評量工具，即「可信賴專業活動」，未來則需建立共創教學和共享資源文化，以促進教師之間的協作和知識分享，期能提高教學品質，並為教師和學員帶來更豐富、多元化的學習體驗。本文呼籲麻醉專師訓練應即刻進行課程再造，打破傳統以知識和時間為本的教學框架，改以混成授課、自主學習作為課程規劃與執行之原則，積極接軌「勝任能力導向教育」的全球發展趨勢，朝向共創、共享之目標邁進。&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Anesthetist nurse practitioners in Taiwan encountered several challenges, particularly in terms of professional identity, scope of practice, certification, and standardized training programs. In 2020, the Ministry of Health and Welfare in Taiwan recognized anesthetist nurse practitioner as one of the advanced practice nurses and included them under the regulation of the nurse practitioner system. However, the implementation of the nationwide standardized training program had faced some unre-solved issues and challenges including that the lack of alignment with competency frameworks or pro-grammatic assessments, the extensive increase of training courses, neglects of adult learning theories, shortage of nurse anesthetists instructors, and lack of faculty development system for nurse anesthetist instructors. This article proposes two initiatives as responses to educational reform: 1. constructing a competency-based framework and developing programmatic assessments for training Student Reg-istered Nurse Anesthetist Nurse Practitioner (SRNANP) ; 2. establishing a culture of collaborative teaching and resource sharing. The new culture enhances teaching quality and provides a richer, more diverse learning experience for both trainers and trainees. The article emphasizes the need for im-mediate curriculum transformation in SRNANP training. It emphasizes on the removal of traditional knowledge-centric and time-centric teaching frameworks and focused on adopting blended learning and self-directed learning principles. By aligning with the global trend of competency-based educa-tion, we can actively move toward the goal of co-creation and resource sharing&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;

Hospital nurse managers' perspectives of the Magnet Recognition Program using an importance-performance analysis: A quantitative cross-sectional study.

To explore the perspectives of nursing managers in Korean hospitals on the Magnet Recognition Program using importance-performance analysis. A descriptive quantitative cross-sectional design with a survey methodology was used to evaluate nursing managers' perceptions of the Magnet Recognition Program criteria. After the Magnet Recognition Program's content validity was confirmed, an online survey was administered to 150 nursing managers from 10 hospitals. The results were analysed using importance-performance analysis. The average importance of the questionnaire for the developed Magnet Recognition Program criteria was 3.19 ± 135 and the performance was 2.90 ± 222. Items corresponding to the areas 'Concentrate here', 'Keep up the good work', 'Possible overkill' and 'Low priority' were identified using two importance-performance analysis frames. The items corresponding to 'Concentrate here' included evidence-based nursing practice, the nursing professional practice model, nurses' participation in improving turnover rate and cases of innovation in nursing. This study highlights areas for improvement within the Magnet Recognition Program as perceived by Korean nursing managers, emphasizing evidence-based practice, professional models and nurses' involvement in turnover reduction and fostering innovation. To achieve Magnet recognition, hospitals must understand nursing managers' perspectives on the Magnet Recognition Program criteria. This study provides insights into enhancing the work environment for nurses in South Korean hospitals and lays the groundwork for developing effective Magnet certification programs. Introducing the Magnet program into South Korean hospitals may improve the overall nursing work environment and mitigate the serious problem of nursing staff turnover. The findings were reported using the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) checklist.

One Health in Medical Education: A Proposed Framework.

The One Health concept focuses on the interconnections between human health, animal health, and the environment, stressing the need for interdisciplinary collaborations to address complex issues such as the health challenges posed by climate change and global pandemics. One Health is a central part of the curriculum of veterinary schools, however, it is rarely incorporated into medical school education. Nationally, there are limited examples of formal One Health education and training for medical students. To incorporate One Health into its curriculum, John A. Burns School of Medicine developed a Dean's Certificate of Distinction in One Health that consists of a One Health foundational course, a clinical One Health elective course, participation in the One Health Interest Group, engagement in One Health educational and outreach activities, and a One Health research or curriculum development project. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first One Health certificate program developed and implemented in any Association of American Medical Colleges accredited medical school. Although introducing similar programs into medical curricula will continue to be challenging, we hope it will serve as a framework for other academic institutions.

Green Packaging and Environmental Safety in Ghana’s Hospitality Industry: A Systematic Review

This study seeks to review on green packaging practices on environmental safety in Ghana’s hospitality industry. The reviewed studies adopted a cross-sectional study design. A systematic review was carried out with the aid of online research journal websites as well as other in-context articles. While conducting this study, the key words in the search query were directed towards the impact of green practices on environmental safety in Ghana. Areas noted in relation to this study was use of green practices in hotels. Therefore, there was linkage of papers pointing out the impact of green practices on environmental safety. The results revealed that, hotels fared well in environmental health but badly in eco-labeling and certification. At 34%, hotels supported sustainability. Results affect MDGs, volunteering, and environment. Hierarchical multiple regression demonstrated that hotel size, class, national hotel trade association engagement, and manager remuneration increased environmental performance. No performance improvement from global chain link. Many Ghanaian hotels provide green enhancements. Most municipal hotels affect the environment. Sustainability demands hotel personnel green management training. Based on observations and interviews, they promote resilience in solid and liquid waste management, renewable energy development, green designs, energy efficiency, water conservation, and green environmental regulatory compliance. Conclusion: The research shows that hotels are important to their communities' economies, but if we neglect their environmental impact, they may damage the ecosystem. There is a need for hotels that invest money into environmental audits or certification programs like eco-labels to get monetary recompense for their environmental efforts.

ENHANCING EMPLOYABILITY THROUGH INDUSTRIAL TRAINING: INSIGHTS FROM EVENT OPERATION CERTIFICATE GRADUATES AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING EMPLOYERS

To fulfil the required credit hours for graduation, all final semester students in the Event Operation Certificate (EOC) program offered by Pasir Salak Community College are required to undergo industrial training. Aside from improving students' existing skills, industrial training stands as the main platform to develop their talents, ultimately helping them towards secured employment in the events industry. However, rapid technological changes and development in the events industry have resulted in a mismatch between knowledge and skills. The theoretical knowledge and skills acquired at the educational institutions often demonstrate a disparity with the practical applications within industries. Hence, the purpose of this study was to investigate the role of industrial training in enhancing the employability of EOC graduates post-graduation. The study employed a qualitative approach via a case study design. Purposive sampling was used to recruit the respondents based on their knowledge and experience to answer the research questions. The sample consisted of 11 EOC graduates from Pasir Salak Community College and three employers with experience in training EOC students during the industrial training period. The data was collected through in-depth interviews using semi-structured questions. All interview sessions were audiorecorded and transcribed verbatim for thematic analysis by coding and identifying recurring themes. Thefindings revealed that the majority of EOC graduates who underwent industrial training were given multiple tasks by employers in preparing themselves for future employability in the events sector. The graduates also acquired various new skills from the industrial training, including digital skills. However, most EOC graduates faced challenges throughout their industrial training, encompassing time limitations, physical exhaustion, communication obstacles, and unexpected mental strain. Meanwhile, employers prioritize negotiation within communication, technical training, and event concepts during industrial training and value digital skills as a bonus for graduates entering the workforce. Overall, they see industrial training as a platform for sparking interest, fostering positivity, and encouraging graduates to venture into the events business.

Examining Professional Development for Special Education Teachers, General Education Teachers, and Paraeducators Who Support Autistic Elementary Students

ABSTRACT Background Autistic youth primarily receive services in public schools from educators who persistently report variable training and use of evidenced-based practices (EBPs). Educational achievement of individualized goals may be hindered by inconsistent implementation of EBPs. Objective To better understand EBP training practices, this study employs both quantitative and qualitative methods to examine EBP training experiences accessed by educators of different roles. Method Eighty-one participants (special education teachers, general education teachers, and paraeducators) serving autistic children in public schools completed an exhaustive survey on professional development, as well as a complementary semi-structured interview. Results Special education and general education teachers had similar patterns in terms of the types of training and providers they accessed. Compared to paraeducators, general and special educators were more likely to report accessing Teacher Preparation or Educator Certification Programs and School or District In-Service. The type of provider conducting the training also differed by role, with general educators being more likely to receive training from Higher Education Faculty, District Coaches, and Supervisors, and paraeducators more likely to receive training from Teachers. Special education teachers, general education teachers, and paraeducators also reported qualitative differences in their training experiences and needs. Conclusions This study provides valuable EBP training suggestions synthesized from the perspectives of educators working together to support autistic students. One recommendation is the facilitation of opportunities for educators to train and work together across roles, as well as the personalization of these trainings for educators of different roles, fostering a more comprehensive understanding of the needs of autistic students and promoting consistent EBP utilization.

Reshaping Librarianship as a Career through Professional Certification

Compared to other professionals, librarians in Indonesia are less recognized as belonging to a profession. Rather than information professionals, librarians in Indonesia are seen as technical, clerical, and administrative staff. This paper discusses the implementation of a professional certification program to build and strengthen librarianship as a professional career in Indonesia. A questionnaire survey was administered to 60 library stakeholders to determine their perceptions of professional library certification. The study finds that the certification strategically reshapes librarians' professionalism by assessing their competencies. Through accreditation, professional librarians' competencies are measured and accounted for by performing specific library tasks that will affect library services.

Pendampingan Sertifikasi Halal Self Declare pada Usaha Mikro, Kecil dan Menengah Kecamatan Kedungreja Cilacap

Halal Product Process Assistance is a service activity aimed at helping UMKM actors assisted by the Amanu Sejahtera Cooperative in Kedungreja District, Cilacap Regency. The Free Halal Certificate Program (SEHATI) is a free program offered by the Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia through BPJPH. This program is one of the government's strategies in accelerating the increase in the number of UMKM actors who have halal certificates. The method in this service activity is PAR (Participatory Action Research), which is a method that involves community participation in halal product process assistance activities in Kedungreja District, Cilacap Regency. Business actors who receive assistance are business actors who join the Amanu Sejahtera Cooperative assisted group with various products such as wet cakes, pastries, chips, various drinks and so on. This assistance is carried out with the aim of training and assisting UMKM actors in filling out the SJPH Manual, creating and filling in components in the SiHalal application, inputting product data in the SiHalal application and verifying and validating products registered through the SEHATI program. The result of this service activity is that UMKM actors assisted by the Amanu Sejahtera Cooperative who are accompanied by get a free halal certificate so that this has added value to the products produced and guaranteed halal products that have been certified halal through the free halal certification program (SEHATI).

Legal Awareness of Micro and Small Enterprise Operators Regarding Halal Certification: A Maslaha Perspective

The halal certification of food products is essential for consumer protection and should be harmonized with the practices of small-scale micro-producers to ensure security and mutual benefits in accordance with Islamic teachings. However, micro-businesses have been observed to possess varied perceptions toward the certification program. Based on this understanding, the present study aims to categorize awareness of the benefits and legal aspects of digitalizing the process of obtaining the certification using a theoretical legal system approach. In order to achieve the stated objective, qualitative data was gathered from different sources such as micro-business owners, halal certifiers, and beneficiaries of halal-certified food products. The obtained results showed that micro-businesses in serang-Banten often register for halal certification due to regulatory requirements and potential sanctions, rather than a deep understanding of the benefits of halal-certified products. This finding emphasized the persistence of a lack of significant awareness among micro-businesses regarding the advantages of obtaining halal certification. Accordingly, during the course of the investigation, the dominant challenges experienced include administrative complexities in the self-declaration process and the availability of qualified halal certifiers for high-risk food ingredients. To address these issues, there is an essential necessity for the development of a streamlined certification system that supports micro-businesses, facilitates application processes, and monitors the potential misuse of fake halal logos. Lastly, following the observations made, it can be inferred that digitizing the process of halal certification for both the registration and labeling of food products would improve consumer confidence and ease supervision.

Kebijakan Sertifikasi Dosen Terhadap Peningkatan Kinerja Dosen Pascasarjana Prodi Pendidikan Agama Islam UIN Ar-Raniry Banda Aceh

The purpose of this study was to determine the lecturer certification policy to improve the performance of lecturers in the Islamic Education Study Program of Postgraduate UIN Ar-Raniry Banda Aceh. This research method is descriptive with a qualitative approach, with data collection techniques carried out using library study techniques and field studies, The informants in this study are 1) Lecturers who have passed the certification, 2) Head of the Islamic Education Study Program, 3) Students of the Islamic Education Study Program. The results showed that the implementation of lecturer certification in general is not only limited to fulfilling the obligations of the Lecturer Workload (BKD) but also an effort to improve the quality expected by the Lecturer Certification Program, and lecturers who receive certification benefits support efforts to improve the quality of learning and performance

The influence of professional engineering certifications on offshore industry standards and practices

The offshore engineering industry plays a critical role in global energy production and infrastructure development. Ensuring quality, safety, and efficiency in offshore operations is paramount to the success and sustainability of these projects. This paper explores the significant impact of professional engineering certifications on offshore industry standards and practices, specifically focusing on how certifications contribute to enhancing quality, safety, and efficiency. Professional engineering certifications validate the skills and expertise of individuals working in the offshore sector, providing assurance to stakeholders that industry standards are being met. Through a comprehensive review of existing literature and case studies, this paper examines the role of certifications in maintaining quality assurance, ensuring safety protocols, and enhancing operational efficiency. Certified professionals play a crucial role in implementing and adhering to stringent quality standards throughout offshore projects, ultimately reducing the risk of costly errors and project delays. Moreover, certifications equip professionals with the necessary knowledge and training to identify and mitigate safety hazards, thereby minimizing the likelihood of accidents and environmental disasters. In addition to quality and safety considerations, certifications also contribute to improving efficiency in offshore operations. Certified professionals are equipped with the latest industry best practices and technologies, enabling them to streamline processes, optimize resource utilization, and deliver projects on time and within budget. While professional certifications are instrumental in raising industry standards and practices, challenges such as access to training, certification maintenance, and evolving regulatory requirements remain. Addressing these challenges and promoting the adoption of certification programs are essential steps towards further enhancing the quality, safety, and efficiency of offshore engineering operations. Overall, this paper underscores the critical role of professional engineering certifications in shaping the future of the offshore industry, providing a roadmap for stakeholders to leverage certifications effectively to achieve their operational objectives. Keywords: Professional Engineering Certifications, Offshore Industry Standards, Quality, Safety, Efficiency, Offshore engineering operations.

A New Multiplex TaqMan qPCR for Precise Detection and Quantification of Clavibacter michiganensis in Seeds and Plant Tissue.

Bacterial canker of tomato caused by Clavibacter michiganensis (Cm) is one of the most devastating bacterial diseases affecting the tomato industry worldwide. As the result of Cm colonization of the xylem, the susceptible host shows typical symptoms of wilt, marginal leaf necrosis, stem cankers, and ultimately plant death. However, what makes Cm an even more dangerous pathogen is its ability to infect seeds and plants without causing symptoms. Unfortunately, there are no resistant cultivars or effective chemical or biological control methods available to growers against Cm. Its control relies heavily on prevention. The implementation of a rapid and accurate detection tool is imperative to monitor the presence of Cm and prevent its spread. In this study, we developed a specific and sensitive multiplex TaqMan qPCR assay to detect Cm and distinguish it from related bacterial species that affect tomato plants. Two Cm chromosomal virulence-related genes, rhuM and tomA, were used as specific targets. The plant internal control tubulin alpha-3 was included in each of the multiplexes to improve the reliability of the assay. Specificity was evaluated with 37 bacterial strains including other Clavibacter spp. and related and unrelated bacterial pathogens from different geographic locations affecting a wide variety of hosts. Results showed that the assay is able to discriminate Cm strains from other related bacteria. The assay was validated on tissue and seed samples following artificial infection, and all tested samples accurately detected the presence of Cm. The tool described here is highly specific, sensitive, and reliable for the detection of Cm and allows the quantification of Cm in seeds, roots, stems, and leaves. The diagnostic assay can also be adapted for multiple purposes such as seed certification programs, surveillance, biosafety, the effectiveness of control methods, border protection, and epidemiological studies.[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.

First report of apple hammerhead viroid infecting apple trees in Montenegro.

Apple hammerhead viroid (AHVd, Pelamoviroid, Avsunviroidae) is one of the five viroids infecting apples. It has been identified on all continents except Australia since its viroid nature was confirmed (DiSerio et al. 2018; CABI and EPPO 2022). AHVd has been found in apple trees showing leaf mosaic, ringspot and dieback (Hamdi et al., 2021). Apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) and its wild relatives are traditionally grown in Montenegro. With an annual production of 7767 tons on 216 ha, it is the second most important fruit tree (after plum) in the country (Anonymous 2022). In a 2020-2022 survey, 29 apple trees exhibiting virus-like symptoms (e.g. mosaic, necrosis) were sampled throughout Montenegro, including 16 locations in eight municipalities (Podgorica, Danilovgrad, Niksic, Mojkovac, Bijelo Polje, Berane, Pljevlja and Savnik). Small RNAs were isolated using the mirVana miRNA Isolation Kit (Ambion, Life Technologies) and pooled into three bulk samples. Each bulk contained 9 to 10 samples. Libraries of sRNAs were constructed using the Ion Total RNA-Seq Kit v2 and barcoded using the Xpress RNA-Seq Barcode 1-16 Kit (Ion Torrent) according to the manufacturer's instructions. Small RNA library sequencing was performed on Illumina platform (Novogene Europe) yielding 9.9, 9.8 and 18.6 million reads in the three libraries. The CLC Genomics Workbench software was used to demultiplex the reads into pools using the 'Demultiplex Reads' tool. The online program VirusDetect (Zheng et al. 2017) was used for virus/viroid detection and identification. Besides viruses known to infect apple (apple stem grooving virus, apple stem pitting virus, apple mosaic virus), contigs mapping to AHVd were identified in all three bulks enabling full AHVd genomes reconstruction. To verify AHVd presence, all 29 apple samples were tested by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using the AHVd PG13f/PG12r primers (Messmer et al. 2017). AHVd amplicons were obtained in three samples (30/21, 32/21 and 38/21) from bulk 1 and two samples (47/21 and 55/21) from bulk 2, while all samples from bulk 3 tested negative potentially due to the low titer of the pathogen or nucleotide mismatches at the 3' end of the primers. The three amplicons from bulk 1 were Sanger sequenced and partial AHVd genomes over 200 nts were obtained from two of them (30/21 and 32/21) (GenBank acc. nos. OQ863319 and OR020603). Furthermore, three full consensus AHVd genomes were assembled in Geneious Prime by mapping Sanger sequences onto contigs from Virus Detect and named 30/21, 32/21 and 38/21 (acc. nos. PP133245, -46, and -47, respectively). All three genomes exhibited conserved hammerhead motifs (Messmer et al. 2017). In BLASTn analysis, the isolate 30/21 from Montenegro shared the highest nt identity (98.8%) with the isolate SA-36 (ON564299) from Czechia, while 32/21 and 38/21 showed the highest identities (95.4% and 92.3%) with isolates SD17_2-3 (MK188691) from Canada and JF2 (ON564298) from Czechia, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of AHVd infecting Malus domestica in Montenegro. The AHVd-positive samples 30/21 and 32/21 originated from at least two-decade-old apple trees from Niksic, whilst 38/21 came from a 40-year-old tree from Mojkovac district, suggesting that this viroid has long been present in different parts of the country. The AHVd discovery in Montenegro should be considered in any phytosanitary regulations and pome fruit certification program in the country.