Local School Research Articles

The impact of HIV infection on skeletal maturity in peripubertal children in Zimbabwe: a cross-sectional study

IntroductionHIV infection and its treatment compromises skeletal development (growth and maturation). Skeletal maturity is assessed as bone age (BA) on hand and wrist radiographs. BA younger than chronological age (CA) indicates delayed development. We conducted a cross-sectional study to determine differences between BA and CA (i.e., skeletal maturity deviation [SMD]), and risk factors associated with SMD in peripubertal children with and without HIV established on antiretroviral therapy (ART) including use of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF).MethodsChildren with HIV taking ART for at least two years and a comparison group of HIV-negative children, aged 8–16 years and frequency-matched by age and sex, were recruited from HIV clinics and local schools in the same catchment area, in Harare, Zimbabwe. BA was assessed from non-dominant hand-wrist radiographs using the Tanner Whitehouse 3 method. Negative SMD values correspond to delayed development, i.e., BA younger than CA. Multivariable linear regression models determined factors associated with SMD overall, and in children with HIV.ResultsIn total, 534 participants (54% males) were included; by design CA was similar in males and females, whether living with or without HIV. Mean (SD) SMD was more negative in CWH than in HIV-negative children in both males [-1.4(1.4) vs. -0.4(1.1) years] and females [-1.1(1.3) vs. -0.0(1.2) years]. HIV infection and weight-for-age Z-score<-2 were associated with more negative SMD in both males and females after adjusting for socio-economic status, orphanhood, pubertal stage, and calcium intake. Age at ART initiation was associated with SMD in both males and females with those starting ART later more delayed: starting ART aged 4–8 years 1.14 (-1.84, -0.43), or over 8 years 1.47 (-2.30, -0.65) (p-value for trend < 0.001). Similar non-significant trends were seen in males. TDF exposure TDF exposure whether < 4years or ≥ 4 years was not associated with delayed development.ConclusionPerinatally-acquired HIV infection and being underweight were independently associated with delayed skeletal maturation in both males and females. Starting ART later was independently associated with skeletal maturation delay in CWH. Given the known effects of delayed development on later health, it is important to find interventions to ensure healthy weight gain through early years and in CWH to initiate ART as early as possible.

Moderation of Gender and School Location on the Prediction of Test Anxiety on Physics Students’ Academic Achievement in Waves Motion

The continuous decline in students’ achievement in physics, especially in wave motion, has become a significant concern among education stakeholders. This study, which examines the moderation of gender and school location in predicting test anxiety on students` achievement in wave motion in physics, offers actionable recommendations for improvement. A correlational research design was adopted. Three research questions and three hypotheses informed the study. A sample of 337 students drawn through a multistage sampling procedure was used for the study. Waves Test Anxiety Inventory (WTAI) and Waves Achievement Test (WAT) instruments were used for data collection. Reliability indices of 0.73 and 0.76 using Cronbach alpha and KR-20 were estimated for WTAI and WAT, respectively. The research questions were answered using regression analysis, while ANOVA and t-test results obtained using Hayes` Process Macro were used to test the hypotheses at a 0.05 significance level. Results showed that test anxiety significantly predicts students` achievement in wave motion. The results showed that the moderation of gender in test anxiety prediction was insignificant. However, the location significantly influenced the prediction of test anxiety on students` achievement in wave motion. It was recommended, among others, that physics teachers ensure that lesson contents are duly covered and that a conducive learning environment, clear instructions, and adequate preparations are made available to students before testing them, thereby potentially improving students' academic performance.

A pilot study in narrative approach of an adolescent parenting program for enhancing parenting competency during the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

ABSTRACT Since 2019, Hong Kong has been experiencing a social and mental health crisis caused by social unrest and the COVID-19 Pandemic. As a result, there have been reports of increasing family conflicts among secondary students. With the understanding that family support and positive relationships are crucial for maintaining the mental well-being of young people, narrative therapy is a practical approach for helping families shift from problem-focused perspectives to empowering strategies for rebuilding positive relationships. The study aims to report on the effectiveness of a pilot group parent narrative therapy workshop for family relationship harmonisation and enhancing parenting competency using quantitative and qualitative methods. The study participants included 34 parents from five local schools. The results indicated a significantly increased sense of parental competency, general self-efficacy, adult hope, and decreased parental stress. Qualitative reports and participants’ narratives also demonstrated the positive effect of the narrative therapy workshop on their parent–adolescent relationships.

POPULARITY OF SHENG TO THE GRAMMATICAL ACCURACY OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KENYA

Sheng, a hybrid language combining English, Swahili, and local dialects, is widely used among urban youths, particularly school-going students. This language serves as a means of identification, secrecy, and socialization, influencing the students' English grammar usage. While numerous studies have explored the effect of Sheng on native and official languages as well as societal perceptions, there has been limited research on its influence on the learning of English grammar in public secondary schools. Therefore, this paper focuses on the contributing factors to the widespread use of Sheng and subsequent poor performance of English grammar, in public secondary schools at Roysambu Sub-County in Nairobi County, Kenya. Universal Grammar Theory of Second Language Learning by Chomsky (1985) is used as an analytical tool. The research aims to determine how the popularity of Sheng influences students' grammatical usage in English, examine its effect on grammar performance, and evaluate its contribution to poor grammatical competence among learners in public secondary schools. The findings reveal that school location and student’s social background lead to the spread of sheng in the learning institution. This leads to a negative attitude towards English grammar hence poor performance. The findings hold significance for the Ministry of Education and public secondary principals in identifying causes of the widespread use of Sheng in learning institutions, leading to poor performance in English grammar. Additionally, the findings provide a foundation for future studies and inform curriculum developers in devising strategies to address the prevalent usage of Sheng in learning institutions. KEYWORDS: Sheng, English grammar, secondary school, grammatical competence

«Economy of adoption»: street-level bureaucracy VS. Rural community

The case study of the “adoption economy” examines the social factors that determine the decision-making of street-level bureaucrats. Research deals with small villages, whose residents adopted children in the 2000th in order to increase the number of pupils in the underutilized local schools and thus resisted their shutdown. The authors studied cases from five different regions in Russia, where at the time of the field study underutilized local schools were closed in three rural settlements, but in the other five settlements they were “saved” with the help of the “adoption economy”. The authors relied on M. Lipsky’s concept of “street-level bureaucrats” and A. Portes’ theory of social capital. Qualitative data were collected from 88 individual semi-structured interviews, an observation diary, documents, and photographic materials. The institutional context of “bureaucratic” discretion in determining what rural schools are subject to shut down is analyzed. The results of the study showed that the social capital of rural “street-level bureaucrats” (usually teachers of rural schools), due to their (un)inclusion in close interaction with local residents, to whom they provide services, becomes an important factor in (un)making a decision to retain a underutilized school in small rural settlement. In Portes’ theory perspective street-level bureaucrats are regarded as donors for rural community as they are forced by the territorial community to share economic resources – to continue financing a small-size school despite the obvious economic inexpediency.

Determinants of academic achievement from the middle to secondary school education: A systematic review

AbstractBecause it is crucial for psychosocial adjustment and lifelong learning, education is the most relevant tool for ensuring inclusion and reducing inequalities. Due to its relationship with positive outcomes, such as life satisfaction, mental health, job performance or SES, academic achievement is a significant phenomenon that impacts students, families, and educational institutions. The present study sought to contribute to the field by reviewing the literature on the determinants that influence the objective achievements of a typical population of middle- to high-school students. Based on the PRISMA statement, a search for related studies was performed in the WoS, EBSCO, and PubMed databases, and 771 studies published between 1930 and 2022 were identified. After screening based on the analysis of abstracts, 35 studies met the selection criteria. The Bronfenbrenner ecological model served as the theoretical rationale for organizing the studies’ findings. The results of this review highlight the following determinants of school achievement: (i) Personal factors—gender, personality traits, cognitive abilities and academic background, motivation and self-constructs, stress and problem-solving strategies, and substance use; (ii) Contextual microsystem factors—(a) Family—parental educational background; parenting practices and interactions; parental involvement and support; (b) School—school location; school conditions, responsiveness, and practices; (c) Peers—peer-group disagreement management. This systematic review updates the existing empirical evidence on this topic and highlights the complexity of the phenomenon of academic achievement.

School environmental factors, pupils’ characteristics, and academic performance: The case of junior high school pupils of the Krachi west district of Ghana

BackgroundData suggest that Ghana has made significant improvements in the educational system, resulting in some accomplishments. Nonetheless, pupils’ academic performance at the junior high school level and in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) remains poor nationally. Some factors have been identified to influence poor academic performance in some parts of Ghana, but none in the Krachi West district. Thus, it has become imperative to determine the local factors accountable for this trend and identify the most appropriate localised solutions. Materials and methodsAn embedded research design was employed to ascertain the influence of pupils’ characteristics and school environment factors on academic performance. In all, 361 participants (325 BECE candidates, 12 teachers, 12 head teachers and 12 PTA/SMC Chairpersons) were selected using cluster sampling, simple random and purposive sampling across 12 schools in the district. The academic performance of pupils was assessed using scores from six (6) subjects in the standardised district-level mock examination. ResultsBased on the examination scores, half of the pupils performed poorly in the six subjects. Even though from the quantitative study, pupils’ characteristics had no significant influence on academic performance, school location (β = −3.29, p < 0.01), school type (β = 1.15, p < 0.01), and school environmental factors (β = 0.807, p = 0.024) were significant predictors of academic performance in the district. Pupils in private schools were thrice more likely to achieve average academic performance than pupils from public schools (OR = 3.2, CI = 1.06–9.47). Also, schools with good environmental factors were twice as likely to have average academic performance than schools with poor environmental factors (OR = 2.2 CI = 1.11–4.52). ConclusionWhile school environment factors and pupil characteristics have a relationship with academic performance as suggested by the ecological theory, it was established in this study that only school location, school type and school environment factors were the significant predictors of academic performance in the Krachi West District. Therefore, education stakeholders need to consider these predictors when coming up with integrated but local strategies to improve pupils’ academic performance in that district.

Charter school reform in Abu Dhabi: policy borrowing, translation and frenemies

ABSTRACT This research investigates the implementation of charter schools in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the effects of this policy change on education workers. Operation by for-profit education management organisations shifts the government policy on UAE national students, changing the education governance of the government system to be more like that of local international schools. This research aimed to understand the reform based on the experiences of charter school administrators, schoolteachers, charter operator managers, and other stakeholders. The main findings relate to policy translation, policy mobilities, and the complexity of the relationship between for-profit school operators and the government regulator. The importance of this research is understanding how a government school system can be subsumed by an entirely private, for-profit education system.

LGBTQ+ student, staff, and parent perceptions of Australian school climates

AbstractLesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender/gender diverse, or queer (LGBTQ+) students, staff and parents can each perceive school as challenging environments. These challenges have typically been explored within three disparate bodies of research, however. Using a school climate lens, this study aimed to explore how LGBTQ+ student (n = 1926), staff (n = 198), and parent (n = 180) perceptions of school safety, interpersonal challenges and self-harm differ by roles, school types, school location, and gender modality. ANOVA and chi-square analyses showed that although LGBTQ+ students, staff and parents experience similar concerns in school safety, interpersonal challenges, and self-harm, students have higher prevalence on all indicators. Students in government/public, religious affiliated schools, and non-metropolitan schools had particularly high concerns, as did transgender and gender diverse students. This study offers important implications for school-wide interventions to promote positive school climates, with particular focus on school safety, anti-bullying, and self-harm, targeted to the needs of multiple members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Influence of Environment on Academic Performance of Senior Secondary School Biology Students in Owerri Municipal Council of Imo State

The influence of environment in which students generally and specifically science students study on their academic performance is the main concern of this study. Biology, both as a subject and a discipline is a natural environment friendly endeavour. The environment of its study by students is very crucial. The objectives of the study included examining the influence of school location, security of school environment, home background of the students and cleanliness of the school on secondary school student’s performance in Biology. The sample size was six hundred and thirty-five (635) students (10% of the population) selected from five secondary schools out of the ten public schools. From the results, it was that concluded all the environmental factors considered in the study influenced the academic performance of Biology students in Owerri Municipal. It is recommended that all stakeholders in biology education of students should encourage and facilitate stronger partnerships between schools and home to ensure that everyone participates actively in and support students’ academic endeavors in biology through ensuring a healthy and secure school environment.

Student-to-Student: A Novel Approach to Community Outreach.

Community outreach is an established method for organizations to interact with the community. It is often done to help improve the community and its members by providing resources and educational opportunities. A growing crisis facing the United States of America is a worsening physician shortage, which will negatively impact many across the nation, especially vulnerable communities. The Student-to-Student organization offers a novel approach to community outreach by helping introduce and inspire high school students and young adults to pursue medicine. The organization is run by medical students and supervised by the College of Medicine faculty. It offers students from local high schools, community colleges, and undergraduate universities the opportunity to visit the medical college, where they can explore human anatomy and discuss the different facets of medicine and medical education with current medical students. This experience provides medical students with the ability to refine their public speaking abilities, gain leadership experience, improve their professional identity, and be involved in meaningful community outreach. These attributes also serve to enhance medical student residency applications at a time when uncertainties abound in the aftermath of Step One becoming pass/fail. The organization has run continuously since 1987 (except for one year during the COVID-19 pandemic). It has evolved over the years to become a high-performing organization that provides more than 80 tours yearly to thousands of students from the surrounding communities. This article aims to provide a detailed description of the history, organization, and impact of the Student-to-Student organization so that other medical students have a framework for implementing a similar program at their institution.

Integrating Socio Cultural Theory and Bloom’s Taxonomy to Overcome Xenoglossophobia and Anxiety in English Language Speaking in Sri Lankan Undergraduates

The importance of knowing a second or a foreign language today has become a pivotal factor with regard to education, travel, trade, business, information, communication and most importantly to acquire a recognizable occupation. Even so, obtaining a job related to a graduate’s educational background in the Sri Lankan context at present, is a challenging task. Having realized this, the local government of Sri Lanka have been taking measures in teaching English at local government schools from Grade 3 onwards since 1950’s. Nonetheless, even by the time the Sri Lankan local government school children enter university after engaging in English language learning for over a decade and subsequent to Ordinary and Advanced level examinations, their English-speaking skills stand at a marginal level with traits of xenoglossophbia and anxiety. Thus, the aim of the study is to find out the main factors that influence xenoglossophobia and suggest strategies to overcome them. A sample of 32 Engineering undergraduates from the first year of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) was selected based on purposive sampling technique. The selection process was performed based on an Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI). After having exposed the students to a teaching process for 15 academic weeks, they were re-administered through a post-OPI. The lesson plans were set according to Blooms Taxonomy knowledge-based objectives. Socio-Cultural Theory (SCT) was incorporated when designing the lessons. Data was analyzed via a mixed approach. The findings revealed that the students had increased motivation and confidence to speak English as they were exposed to a gradual process of self-autonomy. Paving way for authentic speaking opportunities via Task Based Activities (TBA) and making students aware of the importance of English language communication for employment purposes from school levels is highly important. Further, teacher, learning environment and material play a considerable role in motivating language learners while self-negativity is a main reason for the majority to possess xenoglossophobia which adversely affects their future employability.

Partnering with Local Schools of Traditional Chinese Medicine to Provide Accessible Acupuncture Services for Pain Management in a Group of Low-Income Hispanics/Latinos.

This field report describes the accessibility and perceived effectiveness of a free acupuncture program among a group of predominantly low-income Hispanic/Latino adults. Surveys, developed based on the Levesque Conceptual Framework of Access to Health Care, were administered to clients. Baseline (n = 245) and 6-week follow-up (n = 79) surveys were analyzed to document early program findings. A majority of clients were Hispanic/Latino (72.7%) and female (73.1%). Most reported their original pain complaint was treated very well/well (98.7%). Clients reported an average 1.2 points pain level decrease (scale 1-10) at follow-up (p < 0.0001). Early program results suggest this acupuncture program was accessible and well received by low-income Hispanics/Latinos.

Medvirkning som samskaping i møtepunktet mellom museum og skole

“Can we make a TikTok about Grainnbergan? Or build it in Lego? Or make a puppet show?” asked excited students after visiting Grainnbergan, an abandoned homestead in Inderøy municipality in Norway. Employees from Museene Arven and students from the local school tested out participation and co-creation in a shared exploration of the historical site, with exciting results. Participation has been highlighted and mandated in schools and museums in recent years. Both, however, report misunderstandings and challenges (Jones 2022; Lynch 2011). More knowledge is needed about participation and co-creation in practice, and this article presents a retrospective analysis of the Grainnberganproject which provides some answers. Findings suggest that museums and schools have much to learn from each other and the students. There are important practical and structural aspects to consider, there is a need for shared understandings and the development of necessary competencies to work in co-creative partnerships.

Expanding the Phage Galaxy: Isolation and Characterization of Five Novel Streptomyces Siphoviruses Ankus, Byblos, DekoNeimoidia, Mandalore, and Naboo.

Key features of the actinobacterial genus Streptomyces are multicellular, filamentous growth, and production of a broad portfolio of bioactive molecules. These characteristics appear to play an important role in phage-host interactions and are modulated by phages during infection. To accelerate research of such interactions and the investigation of novel immune systems in multicellular bacteria, phage isolation, sequencing, and characterization are needed. This is a prerequisite for establishing systematic collections that appropriately cover phage diversity for comparative analyses. As part of a public outreach program within the priority program SPP 2330, involving local schools, we describe the isolation and characterization of five novel Streptomyces siphoviruses infecting S. griseus, S. venezuelae, and S. olivaceus. All isolates are virulent members of two existing genera and, additionally, establish a new genus in the Stanwilliamsviridae family. In addition to an extensive set of tRNAs and proteins involved in phage replication, about 80% of phage genes encode hypothetical proteins, underlining the yet underexplored phage diversity and genomic dark matter still found in bacteriophages infecting actinobacteria. Taken together, phages Ankus, Byblos, DekoNeimoidia, Mandalore, and Naboo expand the phage diversity and contribute to ongoing research in the field of Streptomyces phage-host interactions.

Exploring associations of population characteristics and tobacco and vape retailer density and proximity in Australia: a scoping review

ObjectiveThis scoping review synthesises Australian evidence on associations between tobacco and vape retailer density/proximity and various population measures and smoking behaviour to identify research gaps and inform future policy and...

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Home Science Experiences as Mental Scaffold in the Teaching and Learning of Basic Science

The study evaluated the effectiveness of children’s home experiences as mental scaffold in teaching and learning of Basic Science in Primary schools in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The research design was Quasi Experimental. A sample size of 458 primary five pupils from public and private schools was used. The instrument for data collection was the Basic Science Achievement Test (BSAT), which was trial tested and analyzed using Kuder Richardson 20 (Kr20) formula and a reliability co-efficient of 0.78 obtained. Twelve intact classes were used for data collection ; 6 from urban and 6 from rural schools; 6 private and 6 public. One of the classes sampled constituted the experimental group and the other one the control group. Pre-test was then administered to the two groups and after three weeks of treatment, a post-test administered. A retention test was further administered after two weeks. The scores obtained from pre-test, post-test and retention test were analyzed using mean, standard deviation and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The result revealed that children’s home experiences which served as mental scaffold significantly enhanced their ability to retain and recall scientific concepts. The result further revealed that school location had significant effect on the learning achievement of pupils in the study as subjects in rural schools performed significantly better than those in urban areas. Also, pupils in public schools outperformed their counterparts in private schools. It was then recommended among others that educational authorities and organizations should offer professional development through seminars and conferences to support the use of mental scaffold.

Association between bullying, childhood adversities and social capital among adolescents.

This study aims to analyze the association between bullying behaviors, adverse childhood experiences and social capital in late adolescence. Secondary school students aged 15-19 of a metropolitan region of Brazil were recruited for a sectional epidemiological survey, with a sample of 2,281 students, stratified by municipality of school location. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed from three instruments: Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire, Childhood Adversity History Questionnaire and Integrated Questionnaire to Measure Social Capital, in adapted versions. The results showed that the factors associated with bullying victims were gender and adversity in childhood. The factors associated to bullying aggressors were gender, childhood adversities, and cognitive social capital. And the factors associated with bullying aggressor-victims were gender, childhood adversities, and cognitive social capital. It is concluded that bullying is associated with adversity in childhood and also with cognitive social capital and they point out the need to address the causes of violence in order to provide a healthy and safe development for children and adolescents, preventing negative outcomes for physical and mental health.

Adherence to The Mediterranean Dietary Pattern and Associated Factors Among Adolescents: a Cross-sectional Study from Portugal

INTRODUCTION: The Mediterranean Dietary Pattern is one of the healthiest dietary models, being associated with several health benefits. However, in recent years, this pattern has been abandoned by adolescents in Mediterranean countries. OBJECTIVES: To determine and analyze the adherence to the Mediterranean Dietary Pattern and its associated factors in a sample of adolescents from a city in the north of Portugal. METHODOLOGY: Cross-sectional study. The data was collected via a stratified one-stage cluster sampling of adolescents (10 to 19 years old) from a city in the north of Portugal. The Mediterranean Diet Quality Index (KIDMED Index) was self-administered to evaluate the adherence to the Mediterranean Dietary Pattern among adolescents. Participants self-reported information about sociodemographic, anthropometric and lifestyle characteristics. Logistic regression was performed to identify the predictors of high adherence to the Mediterranean Dietary Pattern. RESULTS: Most adolescents had a low/moderate adherence to the Mediterranean Dietary Pattern (63.2%). Logistic regression modelling indicated that age and parents’ educational level were the utmost factors positively related to the possibility of high Mediterranean Dietary Pattern adherence. Sex, school location, body mass index and number of household members did not significantly predict high Mediterranean Dietary Pattern adherence. CONCLUSIONS: These results highlight the importance of the parents’ education level in adolescents’ Mediterranean Dietary Pattern adherence, allowing the identification of the priority groups for a possible intervention, namely, younger adolescents and those whose parents have lower educational level.

一般論文] 가정잡지 『신계』(1921)와 강경 지역의 여성 담론

The family magazine Shingye(1921) was created in the Ganggyeong area, a modern commercial city during the Japanese colonial period. It is significant in that it is not a women’s discourse centered on Gyeongseong, but a women’s magazine where local voices can be heard. Namsunmunhwasa, which published Shingye, was the local publisher by teachers including the principal of Mandong School, a local Christian private school. It had an agenda that attention should be paid to the modernization and education of women for the development of the country. Shingye argues that women must develop themselves based on the theory of modernization for good mothers, good families, and good countries. From this point of view, women are not imagined as subjects, but as mothers and wives. In the articles or novels in Shingye, there are only Gisaeng outside the family. Although new women began to appear as school teachers, reporters, and writers in 1921, the women of Shingye became Gisaeng, falling into luxury and pleasure, or shedding tears of lamenting themselves as Gisaeng. This shows that the education and the modernization of women in Shingye are thoroughly imagined only in the family and home as in the early modern period. Although there is a time difference of about 20 years, Shingye has not escaped from the instrumental discourse on women’s education. In Shingye, modernity appears rarely on the pages. This supports the fact that the values demanded by Shingye for women are traditional women’s virtues. Only as long as it is a wise mother and wife, the modernization of women is possible.