Academic School Year Research Articles

The Effects of Restorative Practice Curriculum on Student Behavior at A Disciplinary Alternative Secondary Campus

This mixed-methods, sequential explanatory case study was designed to assess the effects of a Restorative practices intervention curriculum on student behavior at a disciplinary alternative secondary campus, and to assess the effects of this curriculum on teacher and administrator decisions regarding student discipline, through the lenses of Social Justice Theory. There is currently no data available on the effects of Restorative practices among students who are already receiving the impact of exclusionary discipline in schools in the United States. Quantitative data was extrapolated using campus disciplinary data over the course of two academic school years. Qualitative data was extrapolated through a 42-question survey protocol and an eight-question interview protocol. The results assert Restorative practices curricula appear to have a positive impact on student’s behavior, teacher’s classroom management decisions, and administrator’s disciplinary decisions at the disciplinary alternative school.

Faculty’s Role in Creating a (Remote) Sense of Community Among Faculty and Facilitating Contexts of Care for Students

Objectives: This qualitative study employed a sensemaking approach to understand faculty members’ sensemaking of their roles during the COVID-19 pandemic and the emergency transition to remote teaching and learning. Methods: An email invitation to participate in the study was sent to faculty who taught in an MBA program during both the 2019–2020 and 2020–2021 academic school years. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 14 faculty members who self-selected to participate in the study. Results: Two salient themes emerged from the research: <em>creating a (remote) sense of community among faculty</em> and <em>facilitating contexts of care for students</em>. These findings highlight the mission-central importance of faculty, the role of teaching, and the need to support faculty as they support students in higher education. Conclusions: As a result of the emergency transition to remote teaching and learning, faculty gained an increased awareness of the importance of human connection and interaction, which made them develop a whole-person approach both to colleagues and students. Implications: How well institutions plan for and support their faculty during times of crises will influence the institution’s capacity for student support and the personal impact of the crisis on faculty.

Implementation of Tech Tools in ESP Training from Learners’ Perspectives in Vietnam

The use of technology in ESP training has become increasingly prevalent, offering potential benefits such as enhanced engagement, interactivity, and personalized learning experiences. However, despite the growing availability and advancements in tech tools, there is a need to investigate the specific implementation of these tools in ESP training from the learners' perspectives and with more empirical evidence. Hence, this study aims to (1) explore the learners' experiences by using tech tools in ESP training at Ho Chi Minh University of Banking (HUB), and (2) examine students’ attitudes towards these innovations. 40 non-English-majors participated in the study during the second semester of the 2023-2024 academic school year. Final test analysis (ANOVA) and questionnaire survey were exploited for data collection and data analysis. The results showed that tech tools not only were beneficial to enhance students’ performance in ESP training but also enhanced learners’ engagement and confidence towards the learning process. This means that in order to suit varied learning needs and improve various aspects of different skills in English language learning, a wide range of tech tools should be combined rather than using only one kind of technology over the whole course so that we can ensure positive learning outcomes in the ESP educational settings.

Learning Approach: Implementation Of Research As A Form Of 21st Century Learning At MTsN 3 Banyuwangi

Research is an active, systematic and diligent investigation with the aim of finding, interpreting and revising facts, whom research there is a series of processes ranging from finding research problems or ideas to publishing research results. Learning in the 21st century means learning to interprets 21st century skills including critical, creative, communicative and collaborative (4 C). MTsN 3 Banyuwangi has been designated as a research Madrasah since 2020. The purpose of this research is to analyze research implementation and research as a form of 21st century learning at Madrasah Tsanawiyah Negeri 3 Banyuwangi. This research is a qualitative research. This research is conducted on students in grade 7,8, and 9 of MTsN 3 Banyuwangi and was carrioud for 8 months starting from March to October 2023. The participants in this research were 8 research learning teachers and 23 students registered in the research club. The data in this research was taken through observation and semi-structured interviews. The result of this research shows that research learning at MTsN 3 Banyuwangi has not been optimal, due to several reasons especially the research supervisor team which always changes with in every new school academic year. The solutions implemented by Madrasah to overcome this problem include selecting of a new research team that is considered more competent, research curriculum making, sorting of student who are members of research clubs according to their “passion” in their respective fields, continuous and targeted guidance, planning for research process collaboration with other related agencies and universities. Key Words: Research Implementation, 21st century learning, MTsN 3 Banyuwangi

ALEKS in High School Mathematics Classrooms: Exploring Teachers’ Perceptions and Use of this Tool

There has been a limited amount of research that has attempted to determine teaching strategies using adaptive learning systems. Most studies have attempted to measure success of the use of these technologies based on improvements in students’ test scores but have lacked to provide any information regarding the pedagogy implemented while using the tool or teachers’ perceptions of it. A basic qualitative study was conducted where five Chicagoland high school mathematics teachers, who used the Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces (ALEKS) system, were interviewed three times during one academic school year. This study asked participants to share first-hand experiences and perceptions of using ALEKS as the main learning tool. Teachers used ALEKS for assessing student understanding through its quizzes and assignments, analyzing student progress, and allowing students to practice and receive feedback on mathematical concepts. The findings of this study indicate that teachers found ALEKS to be easy to use and useful in their teaching. Specifically, teachers cited the assessment tools, built-in feedback, ability to personalize learning, and the accessibility of learning tools for students as useful in their teaching.

A Longitudinal Mixed Methods Case Study Investigation of the Academic, Athletic, Psychosocial and Psychological Impacts of Being a Sport School Student Athlete

BackgroundSport schools are popular environments for simultaneously delivering education and sport to young people. Previous research suggests sport school involvement to have impact (i.e. the positive/negative, intended/unintended and long/short-term outcomes, results and effects) on student athlete’s holistic (i.e. academic, athletic, psychosocial and psychological) development. However, previous research is limited by (1) cross-sectional methods, (2) limited multidimensional assessments, (3) lack of consideration for athlete characteristics (e.g. sex) and (4) failure to evaluate how sport school features affect student-athlete impacts.ObjectivesThe study, using a mixed methods case study approach, aims to (1) longitudinally evaluate the impact of sport school involvement on the holistic development of student athletes, (2) evaluate the impact on holistic development by student-athlete characteristics and (3) explore the features and processes of the sport–school programme that drive/facilitate holistic impacts.MethodsA longitudinal mixed methods design was employed across one full academic school year (33 weeks). Six data-collection methods (i.e. online questionnaire, physical fitness testing battery, academic assessment grades, log diaries, field notes/observation and timeline diagram/illustration) were used to assess the academic, athletic, psychosocial and psychological impacts for 72 student athletes from one sport school in the United Kingdom (UK).ResultsStudent athletes developed positive long-term holistic overall impacts (i.e. academically, athletically and personally), including maintaining stable and relatively high levels of sport confidence, academic motivation, general recovery, life skills, resilience and friends, family and free time scores. Despite positive impacts, juggling academic and sport workload posed challenges for student athletes, having the potential to lead to negative holistic impacts (e.g. fatigue, stress and injury). Positive and negative impacts were linked to many potential features and processes of the sport school (e.g. academic and athletic support services versus insufficient training load build-up, communication, coordination, flexibility and planning). Furthermore, when considering student-athlete characteristics, females had lower sport confidence, higher general stress and body image concerns and less general recovery than males and student athletes who played sport outside the school had lower general recovery.ConclusionsThis mixed method, longitudinal study demonstrated sport school involvement resulted in many positive academic (e.g. good grades), athletic (e.g. fitness development), psychosocial (e.g. enhanced confidence) and psychological (e.g. improved resilience) impacts attributed to the academic and athletic support services provided. However, juggling heavy academic and athletic workloads posed challenges leading to negative impacts including fatigue, pressure, stress and injury. Furthermore, holistic impacts may be sex dependent and further support may be required for female student athletes in sport school environments. Overall, these findings demonstrate the complex nature of combining education and sport commitments and how sport schools should manage, monitor and evaluate the features of their programme to maximise the holistic impacts of sport–school student athletes.

“The strawberry in the pot that became something” – entanglements of bodies, materials, and affect in science activities supported by a community organization

ABSTRACT Background A move beyond static and representational accounts of science learning and becoming through relations is needed. Purpose In this paper extra-learning activities in science offered by a community organization to an elementary class over one academic school year are assessed in light of their contributions to science learning and becoming. The latter is explored through a theoretical grounding and focus on the entanglements of bodies, materials, and affect. In doing so, the paper speaks to the affective turn in science education. The study is grounded in a non-representational and subjective reading of the work affect is doing yet also attends to the role of materials and bodies within that process, speaking to materialism, embodiment, and dignity. Sample One elementary school class, participating in a one-year long activity assumed by a community organization (CO). Design & Method Data was collected through a video ethnography of the science activities assumed by the CO. Through interaction analysis, telling moments of joint-engagement in science were analysed by centering body-material-affect entanglements. By juxtaposing these moments with background information from interviews of the teacher and the instructor, a bricolage of data sources led to narratives presented as three stories. Results Making evident entanglements through three stories, the paper offers insights into ways non-representational embodied and material forms of learning and becoming can be studied and documented and the insights they might offer into understanding learning and becoming in science. The stories speak to the kind of work entanglements make evident in terms of lived affect in science but also moments of relations between participants and dignity affirming or undermining work in science learning and becoming. Conclusion More studies are needed to engage with body-material entanglements in and through affect and report on the manner affect supports dignifying forms of engagement with science.

"A Life Altering and Special Journey": The Lasting Impact of Mindfulness on Semester-long Study Abroad Participants

Education abroad is held up as a high-impact practice with the potential to engage college and university students in a transformative learning experience (Kuh, 2008). The Institute for International Education (IIE) reports that 347,099 U.S. students received academic credit for study abroad during the 2018-2019 academic school year (IIE). Extensive research into student learning gains abroad have demonstrated that developing student metacognition, or one’s ability to be intentionally self-reflective, is central to transformative learning in the study abroad experience (Vande Berg et al., 2012; Zull, 2012). Consequently, international educators are continually searching for pedagogies (praxis) to facilitate metacognitive learning within study abroad programs. The burgeoning discipline of contemplative pedagogy (Bai et al., 2009; Zajonc, 2013) provides such a praxis for metacognitive learning. Yet the research on the use of contemplative pedagogy within the context of study abroad is still in a nascent stage (Clancy, 2020). In this paper, we present an exploratory case study of contemplative pedagogy and mindfulness practice on a semester-long study abroad program and, namely, its potential long-term impact on student participants. Analysis of questionnaires, answered on a voluntary and anonymous basis, 18 months after the return to the home campus, reveals that students continue to use those practices: Students report sustained attentiveness to surroundings, in the present moment, greater self-awareness, improved connection to those in their communities, and a heightened remembrance. We conclude that contemplative pedagogy, associated with student metacognition, was a successful intercultural praxis within the exploratory case study, and may potentiate long-term effects in participants.

The Efficacy of Providing Holistic Wellness Activities in Promoting Nursing Student Self-care

Self-care is defined as taking time to participate in activities that promote personal physical health, mental health, and wellness. Nursing students worldwide have been found to be deficient in self-care. A pilot project was developed to provide a variety of wellness-related activities throughout one academic school year for students in an undergraduate nursing program in the United States, in an effort to promote self-care practices. The students were surveyed on their perception of self-care activities covering six major domains, such as physical activity and health promotion. They were also asked qualitative questions about their understanding of self-care and its importance in nursing via focus groups. At the end of the school year, the students repeated the survey, and were asked to provide feedback on the activities selected. The purpose of this article is to discuss the findings of the post-intervention implementation. There were no statistical changes in the students’ self-care survey results. However, anecdotal evidence revealed that the students, as a whole, felt that the activities were helpful in promoting personal well-being, appreciated support from faculty, and reported a desire for the activities to continue.

The Rise of Learning Pods: Civil Society’s Expanding Role in K-12 Education in the United States

Abstract This research note illuminates the ascent of so-called “learning pods”, a concept and phenomenon with close connections to civil society that rose to prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic. We begin by characterizing and positioning learning pods in the diverse U.S. K-12 educational landscape. Next, participation in, and intent to form/join, learning pods are depicted by reporting on secondary data from a population poll among a national sample of U.S. adults since the start of the 2020 academic school year to December 2021. The second half of the research note discusses how learning pods can help garner useful insights to existing nonprofit research and theory.

A Preliminary Investigation of a Model for Training Public School Practitioners in Positive Behavioral Technologies for Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often display serious problem behavior that hinders educational and social progress. Educators in public schools are often untrained in the use of intensive evidence-based positive behavior technologies. This study describes the preliminary investigation of a coaching and consulting model for increasing staff’s ability within U.S. public schools to effectively reduce problem behavior in students with ASD. Public school practitioners who were enrolled in the Customized Behavior Application Training (CBAT) program during the 2020–2021 academic school year completed a survey regarding the social validity of the CBAT model and its impact on problem behavior in students with ASD. Initial findings indicate positive receptivity of CBAT as a useful training for helping school staff more confidently and independently address problem behavior in students with ASD in classroom settings.

How School Climate Relates to Other Psychosocial Perceptions and Academic Achievement across the School Year

The research literature indicates that school climate is important for student outcomes; however, research assessing school climate and achievement-related outcomes across time is limited. In this study, the relationship between school climate, students’ psychosocial perceptions, and student achievement was examined across an academic school year in a cohort of 531 9th-grade students. A series of hierarchical linear regressions indicated that school climate predicted 10.5% of the variance in both hope and academic motivation, 8% of the variance in self-efficacy, 5% of the variance in academic self-concept, 3% of the variance in goal valuation, and 2% of the variance in spring semester GPA. Further, despite school climate being operationalized as school culture, attitude toward teachers, and attitude toward school, only attitude toward teachers significantly predicted any of the outcome variables. These results suggest that some aspects of school climate contribute more than others in crafting students’ psychosocial perceptions and achievement. Impact Statement Despite the widespread belief that school climate is important for student outcomes, the existing school climate research lacks investigations across time. This study assessed the relationship between school climate, academic-oriented psychosocial perceptions, and student achievement across an academic school year. This study’s results indicate that attitude toward teachers was the only significant predictor of psychosocial perceptions and that hope and academic motivation were most influenced by school climate perceptions.

Teaching Method In Writing Descriptive Text (A Descriptive Study at the Seventh Grade Students of Thammislam Foundation School Academic Year 2023)


 
 
 
 This study investigates the instructional approach English teachers employ in teaching descriptive writing to seventh-grade students at Thammislam Foundation School during the Academic Year 2023. What challenges does the English teacher encounter when instructing seventh-grade students at Thammislam Foundation School during the Academic Year 2023 in the area of writing descriptive texts? The research objectives are categorized into three distinct areas: writing, descriptive text, and the instructional methods employed by English teachers. The present study employed a descriptive qualitative research design. The researcher assumed the role of a non-participant observer. The researcher conducted three observations in a seventh-grade classroom and interviewed with an English teacher to gather information about the instructional methods employed in teaching descriptive writing. The observed population comprises 28 students enrolled in the seventh grade at Thammislam Foundation School during the academic year of 2023. The data collection instruments employed in this study encompassed observation, interviews, and the examination of relevant study documents, including modules, student worksheets, and curriculum materials. The researcher employed a three-step process to analyze the data. The three main components of the research process include data reduction, data display, and conclusion verification. Researchers employ triangulation as a means to enhance the trustworthiness of the data. The research findings indicate that the activities conducted by the teacher during the initial and subsequent meetings were consistent with the principles and framework of task-based language teaching. Implementing task-based language teaching in a classroom typically involves three distinct stages: the pre-task stage, the task cycle, and the language focus stage. The challenges encountered by the student included a limited vocabulary and a need for more proficiency in selecting appropriate verbs for constructing sentences. The instructor assigned exercises to enhance the students' vocabulary and proficiency in selecting the appropriate verb for each sentence. The models used for the tasks were evaluated based on their ability to match the given criteria accurately. In addition, the instructor employed a systematic approach to facilitate comprehension among the students, particularly in the context of composing descriptive texts.
 
 
 

A novel low-cost model of superficial abscess for trainee education in incision and drainage

BackgroundProficiency in ultrasound usage is quickly becoming an expectation in multiple residency programs: emergency medicine, obstetrics-gynecology, surgery, and internal medicine. There is a lack of affordable training devices for ultrasound training and identification of superficial fluid collections. We sought to develop a model for trainee education in ultrasound usage, identification of superficial fluid collection, aspiration, and incision & drainage (I&D). Materials & methodsCommercially available products were used to develop a novel, low-cost model for ultrasound-guided aspiration and I&D of an abscess. A latex balloon embedded in silicone gel construct simulated a superficial fluid collection when examined with an ultrasound probe and monitor. A 18-gauge needle on a 10-cc syringe were used for aspiration, and a 15-blade disposal scalpel with 0.25″ packing strip used for I&D. ResultsApproximately six hours are required to generate 24 individual models of a superficial abscess. Following an initial investment, each model costs less than $1 USD to produce. Compared to commercially available models, this represents a significant savings. This model was utilized during the medical school academic year as a teaching aid for medical students to simulate ultrasound-guided identification, aspiration, and incision and drainage of a superficial abscess. ConclusionsWe successfully produced an affordable, low-cost model of a superficial fluid collection for training in ultrasound usage, aspiration, and I&D. The model represents significant savings over commercially available alternatives and can be easily replicated for trainee education.

Assessing Patterns in Childhood Obesity Patient Education: A Quality of Online Health Information and Google Trends Analysis.

Background: Childhood obesity (CO) is rapidly increasing in prevalence and developing into a health crisis of developed nations. The condition is associated with increased risk of developing various comorbidities later in life. Current treatment algorithms primarily target family education. Thus, this study aims to understand the quality of information online regarding CO and common comorbidities, determine the readability of online information, and report patterns in public interest over time using Google Trends. Methods: Four validated quality of information tools and 6 readability tools were implemented across 36 websites derived from 4 Google searches. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to determine the associations between Google Trends' relative search volumes (RSVs) and biennial BMI-based cumulative proportion of CO. Results: Results showed variable information quality among the websites as scores ranged from "fair" to "very poor." Using six readability formulas, no website scored at or below the sixth grade reading level recommended by the American Medical Association. Google Trends' RSVs for the term "Childhood Obesity" were repeatedly increased in the months that fall in the US academic school year (October-November and February-May), and decreased within months in the US vacation periods (December-January and June-September). Search volumes were also negatively correlated with CO and pediatric type 2 diabetes prevalence. Conclusions: In summary, while Google Trends analysis showed that schools may play a role in increasing interest and awareness online, quality of information and readability analysis displayed that the information and its accessibility are far too variable to be reliable.

Media screen time use and mental health in school aged children during the pandemic

BackgroundChildren’s screen time activity has increased significantly during the pandemic. Extended school closures and heightened parent stress are associated with children’s behavioural difficulties and time spent watching screens. The primary aim of this study was to determine which school and household factors were associated with challenging behaviours in Canadian schoolchildren during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsThis longitudinal survey study examined the association amongst screen time, internalizing and externalizing behaviours in school-aged children at two time points over the 2020–2021 academic school year. Parents completed survey measures on their parental involvement, stress levels, and their child’s screen time use as well as their emotional and behavioural difficulties.ResultsChildren’s average daily screen time was 4.40 h (SE = 18.45) at baseline and 3.89 h (SE = 16.70) at 1-year follow up, with no significant change across the school year (p = .316). Increased screen time use was associated with a greater incidence of internalizing behaviours in children (p = .03). Children who spent more time on screens and who were in households with parents reporting higher stress levels had increased internalizing behaviours (p < .001). No association between screen time use and externalizing behaviours was evident; however, parent stress was positively associated with children’s externalizing behaviours (p < .001).ConclusionsChildren’s screen time use has remained high during the pandemic and is associated with anxious and depressive symptoms. Children who spent more time on screens and who were in households with parents reporting higher stress levels had increased internalizing behaviours. Parent stress was positively associated with children’s externalizing behaviours. Targeted family intervention plans focused on reducing parent stress and screen time use may aid in improving children’s mental health during the ongoing pandemic.

PENINGKATAN KEMAMPUAN MEMBACA PEMAHAMAN MELALUI MODEL PEMBELAJARAN COOPERATIVE INTEGRATED READING COMPOSITION (CIRC) PADA KELAS 5 SD NEGERI 096 SARIJADI SELATAN TAHUN AJARAN 2022/2023

The purpose of this research was to improve ability of reading comprehension on fifth grade student of 096 Sarijadi Selatan Primary School in academic year of 2022/2023. The type of this research is Classroom Action Reasearch (CAR). This research was done in two cycles. Each cycle consisting of four phases there were planning, acting, observing, and reflecting. Subject of this research was 27 fifth grade student. Data collecting technique used observation, interview, test, and document study. Based on the research findings and the observation of Minimum Mastery Criteria (KKM) namely 75, the average score of students’ ability of reading comprehension on first test before the action done was 60,56. After cycle one, the score increased to 72,22 and at cycle 2 it became 80. The conclusion of this research was the impelementation of Cooperative Integrated Reading Composition (CIRC) model can improve students’ ability of reading comprehension on fifth grade of 096 Sarijadi Selatan Primary School Bandung City in academic year of 2022/2023.

LARONG KARUNUNGAN: AS A TOOL FOR DEVELOPING KNOWLEDGE AND LEARNING IN FILIPINO

This study focuses on the Larong Katunungan: As a Tool for Developing Knowledge and Learning in Filipino. The 8th Grade students of the Cristobal S. Conducto Memorial Integrated National High School Academic Year 2022-2023 were used as respondents. The study involved one hundred (100) students from the 8th Grade. The respondents were selected using the purposive sampling technique. The data were used with statistical methods such as mean, standard deviation and T-test. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The design used by the researcher in this study is a descriptive method. This study was guided by the questions: What is the level of Laro ng karunungan as a learning tool based on the mechanics, appropriateness, and clarity of the game element? What is the level of play literacy as a learning tool based on the physical characteristics of the design and play equipment? What is the level of mastery of knowledge development based on learning behavior, class participation and self-regulation? What is the performance level of the students in the general test? Does the Larong karunungan as a learning tool and the development of learning knowledge have a significant effect on students performance? &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The study revealed the level of Laro ng Karunungan based on the elements of the game: mechanics, suitability and clarity has a comment that is very helpful and a literal explanation that is very high. In the result of the study that the elements of the game are very helpful in the ability of the students. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; In the physical nature of the Game, Design and Gaming Equipment the result also came out with a comment that was very helpful and a literal explanation that was very high. Also came out in the level of development of knowledge and learning of students in Learning Behavior, Class Participation and Self-Regulation came out very helpful and literal explanation very high. Also, in the result the characteristics of the game were helpful and considered in the implementation of the game in the lesson. The result showed that the overall assessment of the Board game learning students based on memorization and writing has a descriptive equivalent of Excellent and a literal explanation of Very Satisfactory. It only shows that the students scored high when the board game was used. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; And the last one based on the data gathered Board Game has a significant impact as a tool in the development and learning of Filipino on the performance of students came out with a significant” impact between them. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Based on the outcome and conclusion of the study, the researcher suggests the recommendation for the next researchers are encouraged to amend the conducted study to increase the number of variables and extend the study. &nbsp;

Isolated or Integrated? Tracing the Principal Mentor–Intern Relationship across an Academic Year

High-quality principal internships are defined, in part, by support from high-quality principal mentors. We traced the development and quality of principal mentor–intern relationships during an academic school year and found that mentors played a significant role in determining the extent to which interns were isolated or integrated into the school leadership team. Specifically, mentors influenced (1) the types of tasks and activities interns were allowed to engage in, (2) the level of autonomy interns were afforded, and (3) the support interns received. Importantly, interns’ own proactivity shaped each of these aspects of their internship experience.

Upper Quarter Injury Rates and Risk in United States High School Athletes Prior To and During the Prolonged Sport Stoppage.

Upper quarter injuries are a serious problem in high school sports. The distinctive differences in males and females and within sports concerning specific upper quarter body parts necessitates the need to evaluate these injuries across these groups. The COVID-19 pandemic has created an opportunity to evaluate the potential added burden abrupt and prolonged sport stoppage had on upper quarter injury risk. To 1) describe and compare upper quarter injury rates and risk in high school athletes in the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 academic school years; 2) examine injuries by gender, sport, injury type, and location of injury. An ecological study of the athletes from 176 high schools over six states, matching high schools between 2019-2020 (19-20) and 2020-2021 (20-21) years was performed. Injuries were reported by at least one high school athletic trainer assigned to each school into a centralized database and data collected from July 1, 2019, to June 30, 2021. Injury rates were calculated per 1,000 athletes per academic year. Interrupted time series models assessed the incidence ratio between academic years. A total of 98,487 athletes from all sports participated in 19-20 and 72,521 in 20-21. Upper quarter injury rates increased in from 19-20 [41.9 (40.6, 43.1)] to 20-21 [50.7 (48.1, 51.3)]. Upper quarter injury risk [1.5 (1.1, 2.2)] was greater in 20-21 compared to 19-20. Females did not demonstrate increased injury rates between 19-20 [31.1 (29.4, 32.7)] to 20-21 [28.1 (26.4, 30.0)]. Males reported increased injury rates from 19-20 [50.3 (48.5, 52.2)] to 20-21 [67.7 (65.2, 70.2)]. Increased injury for the shoulder, elbow, and hand were reported in 20-21. Collision, field, and court upper quarter injury rates were increased in 20-21. Upper quarter injury rates and injury risk were greater during the 2020-2021 school year than in the prior year. Males demonstrated increased upper quarter injury rates, while females did not. Return to play protocols for high school athletes should be considered following abrupt sport stoppage. 2.