School Education Research Articles

From cops & robbers to death and dying: sociologist George E. Dickinson reflects on his career

ABSTRACT This interview describes Dr. George E. Dickinson’s career and research in the field of death and dying. He discusses how he first became interested in the topic through his students and how he has conducted extensive longitudinal studies on death and dying education in medical schools over the past 50 years. He talks about the changes he has seen in the field, with more courses and programmes being offered, and how the sociological perspective he brings is important in understanding death and dying. Dickinson also shares his personal experiences and views on death, including how his work has influenced his own acceptance of mortality. He describes plans for continuing his research, such as studying children’s perceptions of death and animals’ reactions to death. Additionally, Dickinson discusses the challenges he has faced in the field, such as colleagues who are uncomfortable with the topic and how he has managed his own mental health while examining difficult subjects. Overall, the transcription provides a detailed account of Dickinson’s influential career in the field of death and dying, his research contributions, and his personal reflections on the topic.

The feasibility of combining greening schoolyards and nutrition education in primary schools: A qualitative study.

An increasing number of children in the Netherlands is overweight or obese, which is largely attributable to an unhealthy lifestyle and unhealthy living environment. Nutrition education and greening the schoolyard, for example with a vegetable garden, have independently been studied and are shown to be effective in teaching children a healthy lifestyle and providing a healthy living environment. However, the feasibility of combining nutrition education and greening the schoolyard has not been studied yet. Therefore, this study aimed to provide insight into primary schools' vision on making this combination, and the feasibility of doing so. In this study a qualitative research design was used. The theoretical frameworks of Proctor et al. and Sekhon et al. were used to develop the interview guide. Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted with members of school teams and school directors. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using the thematical analysis of Braun and Clarke. According to the interviewees, three facets are essential to make the combination of greening schoolyards and nutrition education feasible and successful. Firstly, the interviewees mentioned that the school team and school directors of schools must be able to see the connection between greening the schoolyard and nutrition education. Additionally, support is needed among the parents, school team, pupils and local community. Finally, the interviewees stated that schools must be able to integrate greening the schoolyard and nutrition education into their existing curriculum. The results of this study showed that combining greening schoolyards and nutrition education in primary schools is feasible and successful when vision, support and integration are present. Future research should investigate the vision of the local community and parents on making the combination, and the effects of the combination on pupils and their environment.

Research on the development bottlenecks and countermeasures of leisure football sports

To better promote the development of leisure football in China, this study employs research methods such as literature review and logical analysis, combined with the analysis of the national environment, to summarize the social and cultural value conflicts, insufficient exploration of humanistic connotations, low per capita resource possession, and high barriers to sports participation as the main constraints on the development of leisure football. It also identifies the prominent problems resulting from these constraints, such as the low ability to meet the needs of participants. The study proposes two major strategies to break through the bottlenecks in the development of leisure football and to address the prominent issues it faces: promoting school and social education and training to guide changes in social culture and demand; and improving educational training concepts and methods to adapt to the actual national conditions and social needs. It is suggested that the most effective way to guide changes in social culture and demand is through education and training, which includes school education and training led by government administrative operations and social education and training led by corporate market operations. The study points out that the key to improving educational training concepts lies in grasping two main points: improving the teaching methods of tactics and techniques, and strengthening the exploration of cultural connotations. The core of improving educational training methods is to introduce and promote modern educational technologies represented by audio-visual teaching.

Adolescents’ Knowledge and Misconceptions About Sexually Transmitted Infections: A Cross-Sectional Study in Middle School Students in Portugal

Background/Objectives: Adolescence represents a period of heightened vulnerability to risky sexual behaviours. In Portugal, adolescents are initiating sexual activity at increasingly younger ages, making it relevant to characterise their knowledge about sexually transmitted diseases and prevention methods at an earlier stage of their development. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted involving the application of a questionnaire to 750 ninth-grade students from Vila Nova de Gaia, Porto, Portugal. The questionnaire covered topics such as perceptions of sexuality, knowledge of sexuality and STIs, methods of transmission prevention, and sources of information. Results: The mean age was 14.4 years, with 19.9% reporting having already initiated sexual activity. Overall, the knowledge about sexually transmitted infections was low, with a score of 7.08 out of a maximum score of 18. Condoms and immunisation were well-recognised preventive measures, but many misconceptions persisted. Better knowledge is associated with better attitudes regarding the likelihood of having sexual intercourse. Conclusions: This study reveals adolescents’ limited knowledge about sexually transmitted infections, misconceptions about prevention, and reliance on peers and the internet over trusted sources, highlighting the need for comprehensive sexual education in middle school.

Effectiveness of Film Media in Improving Students' Knowledge and Attitudes Towards Clean and Healthy Living Behavior (PHBS) at Darul Fikri Islamic Boarding School Sungai Belidak

Introduction: Clean and Healthy Living Behavior (PHBS) is a set of behaviors practiced based on awareness of learning outcomes. Public health can be improved by changing behavior from unhealthy to healthier. Health education is needed to increase awareness, willingness, and ability to live healthily. Health education methods are generally carried out through lectures and presentation media. The use of visual and audiovisual media can attract the attention and focus of targets, thereby increasing effectiveness. Objective: This study aims to improve the knowledge and attitudes of students about PHBS in the Darul Fikri Sungai Belidak Islamic Boarding School environment. Method: This study used a quasi-experimental design with a one group pretest-posttest design approach. It was conducted at the Darul Fikri Islamic Boarding School, Sungai Belidak from July to October 2024, with a population of all students. The sample consisted of 30 respondents taken using a purposive sampling technique. Data analysis was carried out using univariate and bivariate analysis using the paired sample t-test. Results: The average value of pre-test knowledge was 8.93, while the post-test increased to 12.23 (difference 3.3). The average value of pre-test attitude was 44.60, while the post-test increased to 48.77 (difference 4.17). Before education, 40% of students had good knowledge, increasing to 76.7% after education. The good attitude of students increased from 46.7% to 73.3%. The paired sample t-test showed a sig value of 0.000 (p <0.05) for knowledge and 0.019 (p <0.05) for attitude, which indicated a significant influence of PHBS education using film media. Conclusion: It can be concluded that there is a positive influence between attitudes and knowledge towards PHBS education in Islamic boarding schools using film media. PHBS counseling through film media is very effective in improving the knowledge and attitudes of students, so that students are expected to be able to learn and understand knowledge well.

An Assessment of Rural Midwestern Schoolteachers' Nutrition Literacy and MyPlate Knowledge: Implications for Current Practice and Policy.

Background. Rural schoolchildren outpace their urban counterparts in obesity and diet-related chronic disease rates. Educating students on nutrition basics may help reduce these health burdens in this focus population. Rural schoolteachers are ideally positioned to teach students about nutrition; however, to teach nutrition, one must first understand basic nutrition concepts. The nutrition literacy and knowledge of rural schoolteachers, as well as strategies to and barriers for integrating nutrition into rural classrooms, are understudied. Examining these topics may provide a deeper understanding of nutrition education in rural schools. Methods. Data were collected via an online survey of K-12 teachers (n = 153) from seven Midwestern rural school districts. This survey collected data on nutrition literacy, nutrition knowledge, and preferred methods for implementing nutrition education into current curricula. Descriptive statistics were reported; associations between nutrition literacy and knowledge were examined. Results. Nutrition literacy levels were borderline low (mean score 45.7 out of 64). Nutrition knowledge and literacy were associated (p < .001). Most teachers (n = 108, 70%) were/may be willing to change lessons to incorporate nutrition information, with hands-on and group activities being preferred strategies. Barriers to including nutrition information into curricula included lack of time, knowledge, and resources. Most teachers reported little support from administration for promoting nutrition in the classroom. Discussion. Implementing nutrition education into teachers' continuing education requirements may provide a means of improving teacher nutrition literacy and knowledge. Support from both state-level and local administration could benefit both nutrition knowledge acquisition by schoolteachers and implementation of nutrition education throughout the curriculum.

The relationship between perceived teacher relatedness-support behavior (RSB) and learning motivation of dancesport students in universities.

The motivational process of physical education (PE) in schools is significantly influenced by social factors, as demonstrated by a number of research based on self-determination theory (SDT). As a proximal factor affecting students' learning motivation, the relatedness support of dancesport teachers plays a key role in promoting the learning motivation and sustainable development of dancesport students. This research aims to test the validity of the second-order model of perceived teacher relatedness support behavior (RSB) and investigate how students' perceptions of their professional teachers directly or indirectly predicted their motivation to learn dancesport. To validate the relationship between the higher-order model and perceived teacher RSB among dancesport majors, this study used the structural equation modeling method for validation and 302 undergraduates majoring in dancesport participated in this investigation. The results showed that students' perceived teacher relatedness support was positively related to intrinsic, integrated, identified, and introjected regulations during dancesport learning and negatively related to external regulation and amotivation. These findings revealed the importance of teacher RSB in dancesport. And this study provides a practical reference for improving the teaching effectiveness of dancesport in universities, promoting harmonious teacher-student relationships, and inspiring students' learning motivation in dancesport. At the same time, it also lays a research foundation for the reform of dancesport teaching in universities and the system of dancesport talent training programs.

Improving primary grade students’ content area vocabulary through research-based literacy instruction

ABSTRACT Primary grade teachers experience heavy pressures from governing bodies to focus on the Science of Reading in literacy instruction, while at the same time reducing content area instruction time by integrating them into the reading block. Instead, the primary grades traditionally focus instructional time on decoding, fluency, and comprehension of fiction texts rather than informational text and disciplinary language. The most current standards expect students in the primary grades to gain higher proficiency with nonfiction texts from various disciplines. Meanwhile, limited instructional time is devoted to disciplinary vocabulary instruction and concept knowledge development in the primary grades, two key factors to comprehension. In this study, primary grade teachers (K-1st) at a Title 1 school and professor of literacy education collaborated in a professional learning community (PLC) offering instructional support, and collaborative peer reflection related to discipline area literacies vocabulary and concept knowledge instruction. After conducting a thorough review of literature related to disciplinary vocabulary instruction we adapted instructional methods for the primary grades. Findings highlight the successes and pitfalls of implementing best-practice instructional research related to vocabulary and concept knowledge literacy instruction in the content areas in the primary grades.

The impact of Life's Essentials 8 on sarcopenia prevalence among adults in the United States.

Sarcopenia is closely associated with cardiovascular disease. We aimed to examine the association of Life's Essential 8 (LE8), the recently updated measurement of cardiovascular health (CVH), with the presence of sarcopenia among US adults. This population-based cross-sectional study used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2005-2006 and 2011-2018, and included adults aged 20 years or older. LE8 score was measured according to American Heart Association definitions. Sarcopenia was measured according to the National Institutes of Health definition, the ratio of appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM) to body mass index (BMI). Multivariable logistic and restricted cubic spline models were used to assess the associations between LE8 and sarcopenia. Among the 11,078 participants, 1021 (9.22 %) were diagnosed with sarcopenia. After adjusting for potential confounders, higher LE8, health behavior and health factors scores were associated with reduced odds ratios (OR) of sarcopenia (OR for per 10 scores increase in LE8, 0.65; 95 % CI 0.61-0.70; OR for per 10 scores increase in health behaviors score, 0.90; 95 % CI 0.84-0.97; OR for per 10 scores increase in health factors score, 0.67; 95 % CI 0.63-0.71). A non-linear dose-response relationship was observed between LE8 scores, health factors scores, and sarcopenia. The inversed association between LE8 score and sarcopenia was significantly stronger among males and participants with a high school education or above. LE8 was negatively associated with the prevalence of sarcopenia in a nonlinear fashion. Promoting adherence to optimal CVH levels may benefit to reduce the risk of sarcopenia.

Exploring and comparing the relationship between maternal anxiety and children's anxiety during admission, hospitalization, and discharge in pediatric wards of Iranian hospitals.

Parental anxiety levels increase during their child's hospitalization. Consequently, anxiety can disrupt parental functioning as a caregiver and potentially transfer distress to the child. This study seeks to explore how maternal anxiety affects the anxiety levels of hospitalized children across three key stages: admission, in-hospital stay, and discharge. A cross-sectional study was conducted with hospitalized children aged 8 to 15 years their mothers. The sample size was determined based on the formula. Data were collected using demographic questionnaires and validated tools, including the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale (SCAS). The STAI measures state and trait anxiety, while the SCAS assesses various domains of child anxiety. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficients, and fractional polynomial modeling to assess anxiety trends. The study involved 179 participants, with mothers averaging 36.95 years old. Most participants were homemakers (82.7%) and had less than a high school education (62.6%). The average number of children per mother was 2.02, and only 2.8% utilized assisted reproductive technologies. Maternal anxiety levels were notably high, with mean state anxiety scores decreasing slightly from 45.74 at admission to 44.53 at discharge. Trait anxiety scores followed a similar trend, averaging 42.79 at admission and dropping to 41.60 at discharge. The Spence Children's Anxiety Scale scores were relatively stable, starting at 50.93 at admission and ending at 50.89 at discharge. Severe state anxiety affected 25.7% of participants, while 11.2% experienced severe trait anxiety. Importantly, significant positive correlations were identified between maternal anxiety and children's anxiety throughout the hospitalization period. This study reveals high levels of both maternal and pediatric anxiety throughout hospitalization. Mean scores for state and trait anxiety remained elevated at all stages, with significant correlations between maternal and child anxiety. These results highlight the need for targeted interventions to address and manage anxiety in both mothers and children during hospital stays. Future research should focus on strategies to mitigate these anxieties and improve support for families.

School contextualization with indigenous group’s socio-educational methods and pedagogies

This article presents a method for contextualizing school education and initial teacher training, using the case of Mapuche in schools in central-southern Chile to change the ambivalence of teaching in an indigenous context. The analysis is based on a dispositionalist-contextualist theoretical framework and the results of empirical research projects on Mapuche socio-educational knowledge. It examines the co-construction of intercultural knowledge by researchers and parents. It concludes with a Mapuche educational knowledge base that can contextualize the school curriculum and teacher training plans.

The effect of diabetes education on maternal and neonatal outcomes in pregnant women diagnosed with gestational diabetes.

Education during pregnancy is important for the development of the pregnant woman's ability to adapt to change and for a healthy birth. In this study, we aimed to examine the effects of education through a diabetes education program on maternal and newborn health in women diagnosed with gestational diabetes. In our study, we compared the maternal and neonatal health outcomes of pregnant women who participated in the diabetes education program and were diagnosed with gestational diabetes with the outcomes of pregnant women who did not participate in the diabetes education program and were diagnosed with gestational diabetes. The study included patients who were diagnosed with diabetes between 24and 26 weeks gestation at a tertiary education and research hospital and who underwent a 75-gram OGTT test. Age, BMI, parity, method of delivery, weight gain during pregnancy, newborn birth weight, gestational age and Apgar scores were compared. The study included 119 patients and analyzed maternal-neonatal outcomes. There were no statistically significant differences in age (33 ± 5.7 versus 31 ± 5.2), body mass index (BMI) (32.2 vs. 31.2), gravidity, parity, number of miscarriages, mode of delivery, family history of diabetes, smoking, prenatal corticosteroid use, and gestational age at delivery. The HbA1c value (p: 0.013), the total weight gain during pregnancy (p: 0.015), the need for insulin treatment (p: 0.002), and the birth weight (0.005) were significantly higher in the group without diabetes education. In our study, diabetic school education was associated with lower HbA1c levels, less weight gain and less need for insulin therapy. When the results were categorized by insulin use, it was found that in patients using insulin, those who received diabetic school education had fewer macrosomic fetuses, whereas in patients not using insulin, those who received diabetic school education had lower maternal weight gain during pregnancy.

Innovation through the implementation of technology in the context of school education: a systematic review

While the central role that technology currently plays in the different domains of society is acknowledged, it is pressing to understand how it also affects the compulsory education setting. The increasing technological richness of the world influences everyday life and brings about higher expectations for schools to take a lead in shaping competent citizens for the twenty-first century. The aim of this article is to advance knowledge of how innovation is taking place in schools when it admits the implementation of technology as a fundamental dimension. This review draws on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and covers the period 2017–22 to identify 30 studies for inclusion. The analyses suggest that innovative practices are highly diverse in nature and that they target different disciplines and levels of compulsory education. Innovation is sensitive to place, historicity and time. It is often delayed by infrastructure issues (first-order barriers) and beliefs (second-order barriers), while among its key drivers are leadership, support networks and professional development.

Understanding patterns of use and preferences for technology among people who use opioids in Colombia: implications for mHealth interventions

ABSTRACT Background Colombia has seen an increase in heroin use, leading to higher HIV rates and challenges in accessing treatment for people who use opioids (PWUO). With widespread mobile phone ownership, technology-based interventions show promise in Colombia. This study aims to understand technology use patterns among PWUO in Colombia, aiding the development of targeted mHealth interventions for better treatment outcomes. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among adults with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) from harm reduction centers, inpatient detoxification units, and methadone maintenance treatment programs in three Colombian cities with high OUD prevalence. The survey covered sociodemographic characteristics, OUD treatment receipt, technology ownership and use patterns, and preferences for technology-based interventions. Results Among 247 participants, the majority were men, single, with a mean age of 29.9 years, and mainly had high school education. Smartphone ownership was reported by 43.6%, with preferences for social networking apps, internet browsers, and text messaging. Bivariate analysis showed associations between technology ownership and factors such as age, education, sex, and household stability. Conclusion These findings provide insights into the technology use patterns and preferences among PWUO in Colombia, highlighting implications for designing and implementing effective technology-based interventions to enhance OUD treatment outcomes.

Analysis of Factors Influencing Agricultural Commercialisation Among Youth Group in Agricultural Output Market: Empirical Evidence from Mwanza City and Ukerewe Districts, Tanzania

Although agriculture has great potential for Sub-Saharan Africa particularly in the creation of decent jobs for youth, the youth are less attracted and reluctant to pursue agriculture as both a career and activity for livelihood due to several aspects. For this reason, the study examined the Agricultural Commercialisation among youth groups in the agricultural Output Market in the Mwanza region, Tanzania. The cross-sectional study used a quantitative and qualitative approach and included ninety-three (93) youth groups from two selected Districts (Mwanza City and Ukerewe District) Data were analyzed with the Commercialisation Index and Tobit Regression Model with the aid of statistical tools for analysis which were R-Software (Ri3863.6.1) and SPSS version 20. The results showed that the commercialisation index for this study is about 79.4 %, then empowered youth groups were highly participating in the agricultural output market for both Mwanza City and Ukerewe District. This justifies the assumption of the Commercialisation Index (CI) when CI is greater than 50% of farmers are considered they be commercial oriented which in other words they participate in agricultural output markets. Moreover, the degree of participation in agricultural output among empowered youth groups was also influenced by market experience, market arrangement and market infrastructure. The participation of empowered youth groups from both agricultural output markets seemed also to be determined by the education level of group leaders. Youth groups in which their leaders had attained diploma education level had less participation in the agricultural output market as compared to groups with leaders who attained primary school education level

Analysis and social work intervention of adolescent premature dating from a social-ecological perspective

By applying social ecological theory and social work concepts and methods to analyze the phenomenon of adolescent early dating, it is found that the causes of adolescent early dating involve changes in physiological and psychological structures, the influence of family atmosphere, school education, peer group effects, and the impact of social environment and traditional culture on three levels. Social work can intervene in the social ecological system of adolescents through professional methods such as case counseling, group work, and community work, carrying out practical work in their individual, family, school, and community aspects, and contributing to the resolution of adolescent early dating issues.

The Dilemma and Optimization Paths of Integrating Shanghai Marine Intangible Cultural Heritage into School Education: A Case Study of Jinshan Peasant Painting in Schools

The Dilemma and Optimization Paths of Integrating Shanghai Marine Intangible Cultural Heritage into School Education: A Case Study of Jinshan Peasant Painting in Schools

ChatGPT-Supported Education in Primary Schools: The Potential of ChatGPT for Sustainable Practices

This study aims to evaluate the potential of using ChatGPT at the primary school level from the teachers’ perspective within a sustainability framework. The research was conducted as a qualitative case study involving 40 primary school teachers in Turkey during the 2023–2024 academic year, all of whom had no prior experience with ChatGPT. Data collection tools included semi-structured interview forms and researcher diaries developed by the researchers. The data obtained were analysed using content analysis. The findings indicate that most primary school teachers believe ChatGPT is suitable for primary education and can contribute to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4. Additionally, teachers noted that ChatGPT enriches the teaching process and is user-friendly. These findings suggest potential contributions to SDG 4.1 and SDG 4.2. However, concerns were raised regarding ChatGPT’s potential to provide false information, which may negatively impact SDG 4.7. The study also identified that ChatGPT is particularly suitable for mathematics, Turkish, and English courses. This study’s main contribution is that it shows how ChatGPT can help sustainable practices in primary education by getting teachers more involved and meeting specific curriculum needs. This gives us useful information for incorporating AI tools into education that is in line with SDG 4. It is recommended that training programs about ChatGPT and similar AI-supported tools be organised for teachers and parents.

From the History of the Section of Mathematics of the Russian Academy of Sciences’ central House of scientists

From the start, the Central House of Scientists that was opened in the early years of the Soviet regime as a result of the efforts the Commission for Improving the Scholars’ Living Conditions (KUBU) has been uniting Soviet (Russian) researchers of various specialties and offering them opportunities for socialization and professional communication. Inter alia, it became a place to celebrate significant scientific events or decently commemorate prominent scholars. The Section of Mathematics has been working at the Central House of Scientists for more than 50 years. Founded when Soviet mathematics was in its prime, it keeps up the traditions of national schools of mathematical research and education. The article is devoted to the history of the Section of Mathematics.

GESTÃO ESCOLAR: A IMPORTÂNCIA DA GESTÃO ESCOLAR

This study addresses the role of the School Manager in the daily activities of educational institutions in the municipality of Governador Jorge Teixeira. It aims to analyze the current profile of the School Manager through a brief historical overview of the development of the manager’s role within schools. A qualitative methodology was used for the research, along with in situ observations of the selected managers' daily routines. Observations were analyzed based on categories such as school manager training, school manager role, and the diversity of school management according to the educational sphere of each school. The research was conducted at José Serafim Barbosa Municipal School for Early Childhood and Elementary Education. Selection was based on each school's IDEB results and the availability of managers. The theoretical foundation is supported by the analyses of Luck, Colombo, Andreotti, and Seco. The results reveal how pedagogical and administrative processes unfold in the School Management of the analyzed schools. The ongoing quest for results and insights into the School Manager's role is explored throughout the text, alongside the research findings.