School Programs Research Articles

Impact of physical fitness on adolescent health and academic and cognitive performance: Systematic review

Among adolescents, physical activity can also improve academic performance and cognitive outcomes. Research on the impact of school-based physical activity interventions on students’ academic performance is limited. This study conducts a systematic review of the impact of physical fitness and exercise on adolescent health, as well as academic and cognitive performance. The PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) method was adopted. The results indicate that aerobic exercise can enhance memory and attention, hippocampal metabolism, and academic performance in adolescents, along with other aspects of physical and mental well-being. Additionally, the importance of introducing school programs that encourage physical activity to prevent a sedentary lifestyle and enhance learning among this age group is emphasized.

Educational Support for Hospitalized Children: Insights From the New Sunshine Hospital School Program in China

Educational Support for Hospitalized Children: Insights From the New Sunshine Hospital School Program in China

Pharmaceutical Sciences: Insights and Observations from Academic Chairs and Vice Chairs.

On October 29, 2024, a virtual meeting, brought together chairs and vice chairs from several research-oriented U.S. Schools of Pharmacy to discuss the current landscape of pharmaceutical sciences, advocacy strategies, and best practices in graduate education. Key topics included alumni engagement, and the relatively low number of trainees interested in an academic career path. Dr. Dawn Beraud, the Executive Director of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) emphasized the importance of science advocacy, including increasing science funding and linking evidence-based decision making to policy. Discussions about graduate education highlighted best practices in using large language models, financial support challenges, and the significant role of industrial professionals in teaching. The proposed NextProf PharmSci program was discussed, which aims to address the imbalance of trainees leaning towards industry by preparing them for academic roles through a multi-day workshop. Participants expressed strong support for this initiative, emphasizing the need for a training pipeline and mentoring junior faculty. Participants agreed the event should be held annually, as it was found to be useful, and discussed future topics including sharing graduate and PharmD curricula as well as a shared summer school program.

Global parent perspectives on school food service internationally: A mixed papers narrative review.

The views of parents/caregivers about food programs in schools internationally is not well understood. This review aimed to synthesise what parents/caregivers identify as the key features of school food programs and their perspectives of these programs globally. A mixed papers review was undertaken with a systematic search (January 2024)and screening of three databases (Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed). Eligible studies captured parent/caregiver perspectives across all school food models. Study findings were extracted using Bayesian methods to translate quantitative findings into qualitative data. Data was deductively categorised to identify features of school food models, and separately themed to identify parent perspectives. Twenty-six eligible studies were identified from 11 countries. Fifteen features were identified, including cost, time, effort and convenience, child preferences, nutrition, policy and messaging, eating environment and food education. Parent perspective themes were: child is the priority, lunchbox procurement, preparation and provision is challenging, school-provided meals have strengths and limitations, and parents acknowledge they are central to feeding. An overarching theme was that compromises must be made to meet the needs of family members, when parents make decisions on school food. This review found that globally parents perceive benefits and challenges to school food programs, regardless of provision model, with a range of features that influence parent acceptability. Considering parent/caregiver perspectives when developing or changing school food provision models is likely to increase caregiver acceptability, supporting children to engage with health promotion efforts.

Manajemen Kurikulum Pesantren Modern dalam Mengintegrasikan Nilai Keislaman dan Sains di Pondok Pesantren Anwarul Huda Malang

The integration of Islam and science in the modern era is an important part in facing technology and globalization, so the management of the pesantren curriculum must adjust to this. This research aims to discuss the curriculum management of modern Islamic boarding schools in integrating Islamic values and science in the Anwarul Huda Islamic Boarding School Malang. The research method used is qualitative with a descriptive approach. The results of the research show that curriculum management at Anwarul Huda Islamic boarding school Malang starts from the VISION, MISSION and goals. After that, a management structure and programs were formed that integrated Islamic values and science. There are two officially Islamic boarding school programs, and the other is supportive. The official programs are: first, the regular program (special school classes) which is specifically for junior high school or MTS graduates to continue their MA in Islamic boarding schools based on Islam and modern science. Where students at MA are not only taught related to books and religion, but general knowledge and practice that are in accordance with national curriculum standards such as Physics, Biology, Technology and others. Second, a special program called madrasah diniah which is required for students, both in school or college, with a class level. The supporting program is the implementation of activities integrating Islamic and scientific values, for example making chips using modern tools, tempeh beans from original materials, mineral water that is guaranteed to be safe and original, and also maggot and worm cultivation which are all applied based on science and religious science so as to maintain halal and honesty.

Promoting Traditional Music Literacy: A Case Study of Tuhu Preservation through School Education

This study investigates the current promotion of traditional music literacy through the preservation and integration of the Tuhu, a two-stringed bowed instrument deeply rooted in the cultural heritage of the Zhuang ethnic group, into school education. Despite its cultural significance, the Tuhu faces challenges such as declining skilled practitioners, limited formal educational initiatives, and insufficient institutional support. Employing a qualitative methodology, this research focuses on educational institutions in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, where the Tuhu holds historical and cultural importance. Data were gathered through interviews, observations, and document analysis involving five key informants, including educators, performers, and cultural practitioners. The findings reveal significant barriers, including the aging demographic of Tuhu practitioners, lack of formal curricula, and minimal integration into school programs. However, schools were identified as critical platforms for advancing Tuhu literacy through structured programs, interdisciplinary approaches, and digital tools. The study highlights the need for tailored educational resources, teacher training, and supportive policies to preserve and transmit this unique tradition. It concludes that integrating the Tuhu into school curricula can foster cultural awareness, strengthen Zhuang identity, and ensure the instrument’s survival. Future research should explore digital innovations, community-driven models, and comparative studies on traditional music preservation.

Teachers’ experiences of school-based mental health literacy programmes: a qualitative study of tackling the blues

ABSTRACT Concern about school pupils' mental health has increased globally. Mental health programmes in state schools, including those provided by external partners, have also expanded. However, little research exists which explores the views and experiences of teachers and other school staff on the development of coproduced, contextually tailored, mental health literacy (MHL) programmes delivered with external partners (including academic researchers and community organisations) to support pupil mental health. This paper reports new interview data from 14 teachers and 1 teaching assistant based in 8 primary schools in north-west England who were involved with a sport- and art-based MHL programme (Tackling the Blues, TtB) during the school year 2022/23. Three themes were identifiable in the interviewees' comments: (i) Externality and navigating the constraints of the national curriculum; (ii) “It's opened my eyes”: developing and enhancing mental health literacy; and (iii) Supporting inclusive and proactive mentally healthy schools. Our findings suggest that TtB provided schools and teachers the opportunity to work with external organisations committed to working with, rather than on or for, them over the school year. This collaborative approach helped align TtB to the values, ethos, and strategic priorities of the school, including existing whole-school approaches to mental health within and beyond the curriculum. External partners' complementary expertise helped build capacity for delivering MHL work flexibly in schools, strengthened teachers' confidence, and expanded their understanding of pupils' diverse mental health needs. This further strengthened programme acceptability by fostering more pupil-to-pupil conversations which were perceived to positively contribute to stigma reduction and help-seeking efficacy.

Summer School programme now available and registration open

Summer School programme now available and registration open

What are the differences between student and ChatGPT-generated pseudocode? Detecting AI-generated pseudocode in high school programming using explainable machine learning

What are the differences between student and ChatGPT-generated pseudocode? Detecting AI-generated pseudocode in high school programming using explainable machine learning

PERCEPTION OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION, SPORTS AND HEALTH TEACHERS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS TOWARDS INCLUSIVE PRACTICES: A CASE STUDY IN CENTRAL LOMBOK DISTRICT

This study aimed to determine the attitudes of physical education teachers towards the inclusion of students with physical disabilities or physical disabilities in physical education learning programs in Elementary Schools. This study uses a qualitative approach with a descriptive-analytical method. The subjects of this study were physical education teachers in Gugus 1 Praya Tengah; as many as 5 Physical Education, Sports, and Health teachers were directly involved in this study, consisting of 4 men and one woman with an average teaching experience of 12.5 years. The object of this study is the implementation of physical education learning programs in elementary schools, which are incredibly inclusive services for people with physical disabilities. Data collection techniques used in this study were interviews, observations, and documentation. The main instrument in this study was the interview guideline, while the additional instrument was the observation guideline. The research data analysis technique used the Miles and Huberman interactive analysis model. Teachers argue that physical education classes are a good place for developing students with disabilities. They realize that students with disabilities can get the same opportunity to participate in physical education programs and develop social skills. Teachers recognize that the seminars or professional training provided are very lacking. This study has significant impacts in encouraging ongoing training for physical education educators to improve their ability to implement inclusive education and in the development of adaptive curricula that meet the needs of students with special needs. This study also emphasizes the importance of stronger collaboration between teachers, parents, and other stakeholders. In addition, the findings of this study open up opportunities for further research in creating adaptive physical education learning models that are appropriate to the local context and can be used as guidelines for more efficient inclusive education policies and practices.

Practice what you preach: the effects of mission alignment on organizational performance

PurposeAssociation to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation encourages business schools to exhibit alignment within their mission, strategies and outcomes to achieve success. The present study aims to explore the idea of mission alignment and how it may serve as an important moderator to the relationship between organizational resources and school performance as measured through business school rank.Design/methodology/approachOur study utilizes the AACSB International business school survey (BSQ) data to analyze the mission statements of accredited business schools and capture data on organizational resources. We also created an index of mission alignment to gauge congruency between the stated mission and strategic focus. Our performance measure was the U.S. News and World Report undergraduate business school programs ranking value.FindingsOur results show mission alignment on its own has little direct impact on organizational performance. However, when mission statement alignment and resource allocations are combined, they interact to influence organizational performance.Originality/valueOur research demonstrates that resource allocation decisions and mission alignment are two important attributes of an organization and that mission alignment has the potential to leverage an organization’s resources and capabilities to improve performance.

ANALISIS PERAN KOMITE SEKOLAH DALAM PERENCANAAN PENGEMBANGAN SEKOLAH DASAR NEGERI 71 KOTA BANDA ACEH

This research is based on problems that have been encountered at SDN 71 Banda Aceh which is directly related to the school committee in several ways which supports. This can be seen from the results of observations that the school committee no input into the learning process, no mobilization managing resources and not monitoring the participation of educational stakeholders in implementing school programs. This study aims to determine what is the role of the school committee in planning the development of SD Negeri 71 Banda Aceh City. This research uses a qualitative approach using descriptive methods with data collection techniques carried out by conducting observations and interviews. The subjects in this research are 1 chairman of the school committee, 1 principal, 2 teachers, and 2 people parents/guardians of students. The data processing technique in this research uses data collection, data reduction, data presentation, and verification using the descriptive analysis formula. The research results from observation data are that Facilitation supports the role of school committees in development planning SD Negeri 71 has 43 items with a percentage of 91.5% in the very good category, Facilitation that does not support there are 4 items with a percentage of 8.5% in the category very less. So, in general from the results of the interview analysis research that The school committee has supporting factors such as the similarity of vision schools and school committees that make good cooperation and factors barriers such as a lack of consideration and internal control implementation of the program and learning process

Development of a Caregiver-Teacher Supported Physical Activity Program for Elementary School Students

Childhood obesity has been a significant concern worldwide. According to World Health Organization data the pandemic, pose a danger to the world between March 2020 and May 2023, has deepened this concern given the restriction measures such as closures taken to avoid the spread. Following the pandemic, a gap in the literature has arisen concerning the assessment of the long-term impact and potential side effects of physical activity restrictions on children. This study aims to address this gap by developing a comprehensive, needs-based physical activity school program and a web application for home settings, specifically designed for elementary schoolers in Türkiye. To gather essential information on the needs and current status of children in terms of physical and emotional well-being, as well as motor skills and physical activity habits from the perspectives of their caregivers, a thorough needs analysis study was conducted. This study used surveys. 27 volunteer parents participated in the study. The data were analyzed using content analysis. With these findings, an individual activity program consisting of different components was developed, taking into account the development levels and physical fitness levels of elementary school students. Individualized physical activity programs developed within this framework were created taking into account the individual needs and abilities of students and in order to support these needs, and were planned in two separate structures to be implemented with teachers at school and with parents at home.

The effects of ‘The Don’t Waste! – Recycle Programme’ on waste management among preschool children: A cluster randomised controlled trial

Objectives: The habit of recycling should be acquired at an early age in order to promote the sustainable use of natural resources. The limited number of studies carried out with early-years children highlights the need for more research with members of this age group. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the ‘Don’t Waste! – Recycle’ Programme on developing waste management awareness in preschool children. Methods: A cluster-randomised experimental study design was used with a pretest-posttest control group and repeated measurements. A total of 164 Turkish preschool children, matched in terms of socioeconomic aspect, were selected to participate in the study by random sampling. The intervention group received the Don’t Waste! – Recycle Programme for 4 weeks, with 30-minute sessions 3 days a week. Data collection took place using a demographic form and a Waste Knowledge and Behaviour Form before the intervention, in the first week, and during the third month after the intervention. Data were also collected simultaneously from a matched control group. Results: The intervention group showed statistically significant improvement in knowledge and behaviour scores in comparison to the control group ( p < .05). Progress was observed to be sustained for 3 months after the intervention with a large (.87–3.83) effect size. Conclusion: The Don’t Waste! – Recycle Programme was found to be efficacious in raising waste management awareness among children. By starting recycling programmes in schools, health professionals and educators can help children build good habits early, which benefits both the environment and the community’s health and well-being.

A collaborative parent-teacher model for religious moderation education in early childhood in Indonesia

Background: Effective collaboration between parents and teachers is a crucial component of early childhood education (ECE) institutions in Indonesia. Both parties hold a fundamental responsibility for imparting knowledge within the formal school setting and the informal home environment.Aim: The present study investigates the patterns of collaboration between parents and teachers, with the goal of enhancing the role of both parties.Setting: The study was conducted in Palopo City, South Sulawesi province, Indonesia. The researcher selected three ECE institutions involving a total of 15 teachers and 15 parents.Methods: The study utilised the Discovering Cultural Themes model, which helped identify recurring patterns from prior analyses. The researchers examined themes, cultural focusses, values and symbols within each domain.Results: The findings show that teachers serve a structural role, while parents contribute through a cultural role in the collaboration. The values instilled in children include religious moderation, national commitment, non-violence, a love of local culture and tolerance.Conclusion: The collaboration between parents and teachers is reflected in the participatory activities initiated by parents in various school programmes, reinforcing the cultural responsibility of parents and the structural responsibilities of teachers.Contribution: This study contributes to the collaborative teacher–parent model by emphasising role division and parental involvement to strengthen religious moderation education at home. As a result, the values instilled at school can be reinforced at home and vice versa. Indonesian society places significant importance on the values of cooperation and mutual assistance as emotional bonds among citizens.

Standards-Based Teaching and Learning in a Catholic School: Benchmarking from the Standards of Quality in Basic Education

Amidst the crises faced by the Philippine educational system, several reform movements promote standards-based teaching and learning. This descriptive-comparative study determined if differences exist in the extent of implementation of standards-based teaching and learning in a senior high school program of a private university. The study utilized 46 teachers and a stratified random sample of 227 students who completed a modified research questionnaire. Mean, standard deviation, and one-way analysis of variance were employed in data analyses. The findings revealed excellent implementation as assessed by teachers and very good implementation as assessed by students. Further, significant differences were found in the extent of implementation when students were grouped according to strand, but no significant difference when teachers were grouped according to teaching experiences and educational qualifications. The findings of the study will be the basis for the formulation of the Content, Delivery, and Assessment (CDA) Plan.

Listening to the voices of adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease after returning to school: a qualitative study

BackgroundThe prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) among Chinese adolescents has continued to increase in recent years. Adolescents with IBD interrupted their schooling due to the diagnosis and treatment of...

Individual psychological vulnerability factors related to the initiation or increase in alcohol use in early adolescence: a longitudinal study

Objective This longitudinal study aims to explore several individual psychological vulnerability factors that could predict the onset or escalation of alcohol use in early adolescents. Method A total of 792 adolescents participated in all stages of this study. Participants were divided into two groups based on their alcohol use patterns: no drinking group (ND) and light drinking group (LD). Cognitive, personality, and neuropsychological measures were assessed using questionnaires, and alcohol use was evaluated at baseline (T1). After two years, alcohol use was reassessed (T2) and participants were categorized into three groups: no drinking group (ND), light drinking group (LD), and heavy episodic drinking group (HED). Results Results indicated that low inhibition, high sensitivity to reward, high openness to experience, and high motor impulsivity were primary predictors of the transition from no alcohol use (T1) to alcohol use (T2), regardless of subsequent drinking trajectory (LD or HED). The transition from LD (T1) to HED (T2) was primarily predicted by low inhibition, high cognitive impulsivity, high sensitivity to reward, and sex. Conclusions This longitudinal study provides a novel approach to the study of HED initiation in adolescence. The findings expand our understanding of the risk of psychological factors associated with adolescent alcohol initiation, enabling clinicians to tailor primary and secondary prevention programs in schools and other relevant settings.

Is the Victimization-Perpetration Association for School Bullying a Cycle of Bias?

It is well known that some youth are both victims and perpetrators of bullying. However, it remains unclear whether the victim-perpetrator overlap contains specific characteristics, such as bias. Using data from the United States Health Behavior among School-aged Children survey from 2009 to 2010 (N = 8,739), this study investigated the victim-perpetrator overlap for school bullying, with emphasis on assessing whether the perpetrators of biased (i.e., bias-motivated or prejudicial) bullying are also victims of biased bullying. The analyses employed predictive modeling using cross-sectional data and multinomial logistic regression to examine whether perpetrating biased bullying is associated with a higher risk of experiencing biased victimization than nonbiased victimization (and no victimization). It was then determined among which demographic subgroup of students, the biased bullying victim-perpetrator overlap is most prevalent. Results indicated evidence of a type-specific victim-perpetrator overlap for biased bullying. The biased bullying victim-perpetrator overlap was most prevalent among females, students whose families have financial difficulties, and students not born in the United States. These findings suggest that bullying perpetrators are not only at risk of being victims of bullying generally, but they are specifically more likely to be victims of the type of bullying they perpetrate. School programming to combat biased bullying should be designed with the understanding that there are some students in both the victim and perpetrator roles. Initiatives should focus on potential avenues for breaking the cycle of bias, especially among the group of students most likely to be involved.

Circular Economy for Construction and Demolition Waste in the Santiago Metropolitan Region of Chile: A Delphi Analysis

This study investigates the design and implementation of circular economy (CE) strategies for managing construction and demolition waste (CDW) in the Santiago Metropolitan Region of Chile (SMRC). The research aimed to identify key factors influencing the current and future adoption of CE practices for CDW management related to socio-environmental, technical, financial, and strategic-regulatory aspects, employing the Delphi method to gather expert insights. Findings reveal that the lack of knowledge about sustainable practices and the absence of regulatory frameworks for CDW disposal are the most critical barriers to effective CE implementation. The study recommends enhancing public awareness and environmental education through government and school programs, as well as enacting stricter legislation to combat illegal disposal and encourage sustainable practices and valorization of secondary raw materials within companies. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of designing projects that prioritize waste avoidance and the development of infrastructure, technology, and processes for efficient material separation and recycling. The research also highlights potential challenges such as stagnation in the adoption of sustainable practices, skilled labor shortages, and limited research and innovation. It underscores the need for a comprehensive approach to CDW management that integrates socio-environmental, technical, financial, and regulatory dimensions to promote sustainability at both regional and global levels.