scholarly journals The Impacts of Testing Cadence, Mode of Instruction, and Student Density on Fall 2020 COVID-19 Rates On Campus

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher W. Stubbs ◽  
Michael Springer ◽  
Tasha S. Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Infection Rate ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Face Mask ◽  
Colleges And Universities ◽  
Instructional Methodology ◽  
Hybrid Instruction ◽  
Cumulative Rate ◽  
Community Transmission ◽  
Lower Infection ◽  
Mode Of Instruction

We analyzed the COVID-19 infection rate among undergraduate students at 9 colleges and Universities in the greater Boston area and 4 comparison schools elsewhere, from Fall 2020. We assessed whether the cumulative rate of infection is dependent on the mode of instruction (in-person, hybrid, or remote), on the number and density of dorm-resident undergraduates, and/or on COVID-19 testing cadence. We limited our analysis to institutions that have implemented at least weekly PCR testing of dormitory-resident undergraduates. Our primary conclusions are that (i) the fraction of students that succumbed to a COVID-19 infection up through Nov 22, 2020 shows no correlation with either the total number of students on campus, or the fractional occupancy of dormitories, (ii) remote instruction vs. hybrid instruction has no significant measurable impact on cumulative infection rate, and (iii) there is evidence that testing 2 or 3 times per week is correlated with lower infection rates than weekly testing. These data are consistent with a hypothesis of students predominantly acquiring infection off-campus, with little community transmission within dormitory housing. This implies good student compliance with face mask and social distancing protocols.Significance StatementWe review the incidence of COVID-19 infection among under-graduate students for selected colleges and universities that conducted at least weekly COVID-19 testing during the Fall of 2020. We analyzed the infection-rate dependence on number of students on campus, dormitory residential density, instructional methodology (remote vs. hybrid), and testing cadence. This compilation of outcomes can help inform policy decisions for congregate settings.

scholarly journals STEM undergraduates’ perspectives of instructor and university responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in Spring 2020

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sherry L. Pagoto ◽  
Kathrine A. Lewis ◽  
Laurie Groshon ◽  
Lindsay Palmer ◽  
Molly E. Waring ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Focus Groups ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Ethnically Diverse ◽  
Colleges And Universities ◽  
Difficulty Level ◽  
Hybrid Instruction ◽  
Stem Students ◽  
Race Ethnicity ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Remote Operations

Objectives: We examined undergraduate STEM students’ experiences during Spring 2020 when universities switched to remote instruction due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, we sought to understand actions by universities and instructors that students found effective or ineffective, as well as instructor behaviors that conveyed a sense of caring or not caring about their students’ success. Methods: In July 2020 we conducted 16 focus groups with STEM undergraduate students enrolled in US colleges and universities (N=59). Focus groups were stratified by gender, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Thematic analyses were conducted on the data. Results: Participants (N=59; 51% female) were racially/ethnically diverse (76% race/ethnicity other than non-Hispanic white) and from 32 colleges and universities. The most common effective instructor strategies mentioned included hybrid instruction (35%) and use of multiple tools for learning and student engagement (27%). The most common ineffective strategies mentioned were increasing the course workload or difficulty level (18%) and use of pre-recorded lectures (15%). The most common behaviors cited as making students feel the instructor cared about their success were exhibiting leniency and/or flexibility regarding course policies or assessments (29%) and being responsive and accessible to students (25%). The most common behaviors cited as conveying the instructors did not care included poor communication skills (28%) and increasing the difficulty of the course (15%). University actions students found helpful included flexible policies (41%) and moving key services online (e.g., tutoring, counseling; 24%). Students felt universities should have created policies for faculty and departments to increase consistency (26%) and ensured communication strategies were honest, prompt, and transparent (23%). Conclusions: To be prepared for future emergencies, universities should devise evidence-based policies for remote operations and all instructors should be trained in best practices for remote instruction. Research is needed to identify and ameliorate negative impacts of the pandemic on STEM education.

scholarly journals STEM undergraduates’ perspectives of instructor and university responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in Spring 2020

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. e0256213
Author(s):  
Sherry Pagoto ◽  
Kathrine A. Lewis ◽  
Laurie Groshon ◽  
Lindsay Palmer ◽  
Molly E. Waring ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Focus Groups ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Ethnically Diverse ◽  
Colleges And Universities ◽  
Difficulty Level ◽  
Hybrid Instruction ◽  
Stem Students ◽  
Race Ethnicity ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Remote Operations

Objectives We examined undergraduate STEM students’ experiences during Spring 2020 when universities switched to remote instruction due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, we sought to understand actions by universities and instructors that students found effective or ineffective, as well as instructor behaviors that conveyed a sense of caring or not caring about their students’ success. Methods In July 2020 we conducted 16 focus groups with STEM undergraduate students enrolled in US colleges and universities (N = 59). Focus groups were stratified by gender, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Content analyses were performed using a data-driven inductive approach. Results Participants (N = 59; 51% female) were racially/ethnically diverse (76% race/ethnicity other than non-Hispanic white) and from 32 colleges and universities. The most common effective instructor strategies mentioned included hybrid instruction (35%) and use of multiple tools for learning and student engagement (27%). The most common ineffective strategies mentioned were increasing the course workload or difficulty level (18%) and use of pre-recorded lectures (15%). The most common behaviors cited as making students feel the instructor cared about their success were exhibiting leniency and/or flexibility regarding course policies or assessments (29%) and being responsive and accessible to students (25%). The most common behaviors cited as conveying the instructors did not care included poor communication skills (28%) and increasing the difficulty of the course (15%). University actions students found helpful included flexible policies (41%) and moving key services online (e.g., tutoring, counseling; 24%). Students felt universities should have created policies for faculty and departments to increase consistency (26%) and ensured communication strategies were honest, prompt, and transparent (23%). Conclusions To be prepared for future emergencies, universities should devise evidence-based policies for remote operations and all instructors should be trained in best practices for remote instruction. Research is needed to identify and ameliorate negative impacts of the pandemic on STEM education.

scholarly journals The impact of quarantine on Covid-19 infections

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (s1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pablo Marshall
Keyword(s):  
Health System ◽  
Infection Rate ◽  
District Level ◽  
Infection Model ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Proposed Model ◽  
Lower Infection ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Lower Infection Rate ◽  
Over Time

Abstract Objectives: Coronavirushas had profound effects on people’s lives and the economy of many countries, generating controversy between the need to establish quarantines and other social distancing measures to protect people’s health and the need to reactivate the economy. This study proposes and applies a modification of the SIR infection model to describe the evolution of coronavirus infections and to measure the effect of quarantine on the number of people infected. Methods: Two hypotheses, not necessarily mutually exclusive, are proposed for the impact of quarantines. According to the first hypothesis, quarantine reduces the infection rate, delaying new infections over time without modifying the total number of people infected at the end of the wave. The second hypothesis establishes that quarantine reduces the population infected in the wave. The two hypotheses are tested with data for a sample of 10 districts in Santiago, Chile. Results: The results of applying the methodology show that the proposed model describes well the evolution of infections at the district level. The data shows evidence in favor of the first hypothesis, quarantine reduces the infection rate; and not in favor of the second hypothesis, that quarantine reduces the population infected. Districts of higher socio-economic levels have a lower infection rate, and quarantine is more effective. Conclusions: Quarantine, in most districts, does not reduce the total number of people infected in the wave; it only reduces the rate at which they are infected. The reduction in the infection rate avoids peaks that may collapse the health system.

scholarly journals A Strong Seasonality Pattern for Covid-19 Incidence Rates Modulated by UV Radiation Levels

Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 574
Author(s):  
Christos Karapiperis ◽  
Panos Kouklis ◽  
Stelios Papastratos ◽  
Anastasia Chasapi ◽  
Antoine Danchin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Uv Radiation ◽  
Initial Conditions ◽  
Face Mask ◽  
Incidence Rates ◽  
Personal Hygiene ◽  
Public Health Policies ◽  
Community Transmission ◽  
Nonpharmaceutical Interventions ◽  
Strong Seasonality

The Covid-19 pandemic has required nonpharmaceutical interventions, primarily physical distancing, personal hygiene and face mask use, to limit community transmission, irrespective of seasons. In fact, the seasonality attributes of this pandemic remain one of its biggest unknowns. Early studies based on past experience from respiratory diseases focused on temperature or humidity, with disappointing results. Our hypothesis that ultraviolet (UV) radiation levels might be a factor and a more appropriate parameter has emerged as an alternative to assess seasonality and exploit it for public health policies. Using geographical, socioeconomic and epidemiological criteria, we selected twelve North-equatorial-South countries with similar characteristics. We then obtained UV levels, mobility and Covid-19 daily incidence rates for nearly the entire 2020. Using machine learning, we demonstrated that UV radiation strongly associated with incidence rates, more so than mobility did, indicating that UV is a key seasonality indicator for Covid-19, irrespective of the initial conditions of the epidemic. Our findings can inform the implementation of public health emergency measures, partly based on seasons in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, as the pandemic unfolds into 2021.

scholarly journals Sexual Violence on Religious Campuses

2017 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
James R. Vanderwoerd ◽  
Albert Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Violence ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Colleges And Universities ◽  
Christian Colleges ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Exploratory Investigation ◽  
Part Time ◽  
Religious Colleges ◽  
Public Colleges And Universities ◽  
Unwanted Sexual Contact

Religious colleges and universities make up a substantial segment of the higher education landscape in North America, but the incidence of sexual violence on these campuses remains understudied. This study estimates the incidence of sexual violence on independent Christian campuses using a sample of part-time and full-time undergraduate students (N = 668) from eight private Christian colleges in Ontario, Canada. Using two widely used measures of sexual violence enabled comparisons with studies of self-reported incidents at secular and public colleges and universities. The findings show that 18% of women at religious colleges reported experiencing unwanted sexual contact within the past year, compared to studies of self-reported rates on secular campuses ranging from 21.4% to 31.4%. Exploratory investigation of factors related to victimization suggests that religious colleges may provide a “moral community” that could reduce the risk of sexual violence.  

Enhancing Student Learning on Emerging Infectious Diseases: An Ebola Exemplar

2018 ◽  
Vol 80 (7) ◽  
pp. 493-500
Author(s):  
Derek Dube ◽  
Tracie M. Addy ◽  
Maria R. Teixeira ◽  
Linda M. Iadarola
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Influenza Pandemic ◽  
Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽  
Health Science ◽  
Science Courses ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Mode Of Instruction

Throughout global history, various infectious diseases have emerged as particularly relevant within an era. Some examples include the Bubonic plague of the fourteenth century, the Spanish Influenza pandemic of 1918, the HIV epidemic of the 1980s, and the Zika virus outbreak in 2015–16. These instances of emerging infectious disease represent ideal opportunities for timely, relevant instruction in natural and health science courses through case studies. Such instructional approaches can promote student engagement in the material and encourage application and higher-order thinking. We describe here how the case study approach was utilized to teach students about emerging infectious diseases using the 2014–16 Ebola virus outbreak as the subject of instruction. Results suggest that students completing the case study not only had positive perceptions of the mode of instruction, but also realized learning gains and misconception resolution. These outcomes support the efficacy of case pedagogy as a useful teaching tool in emerging infectious diseases, and augment the paucity of literature examining Ebola virus knowledge and misconceptions among undergraduate students within United States institutions.

scholarly journals Trends in Surgical and Beauty Masks for a Cleaner Environment

Cosmetics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pierfrancesco Morganti ◽  
Vladimir Yudin ◽  
Gianluca Morganti ◽  
Maria-Beatrice Coltelli
Keyword(s):  
Medical Device ◽  
Biodegradable Polymers ◽  
Infection Rate ◽  
Medical Staff ◽  
Face Mask ◽  
The Other ◽  
Sense Of Direction ◽  
Production And Consumption ◽  
Respiratory Droplets ◽  
Beauty Products

The surgical face mask (SFM) is a sheet medical device covering the mouth, nose and chin to protect the medical staff from the spread of respiratory droplets produced by the infective coughing or sneezing of hospitalized patients. On the other hand the beauty face mask (BFM) has been made by the same sheet but with a different aim—to protect the skin from pollution, acting as a hydrating and rejuvenation agent. Currently, both masks are made principally by non-biodegradable tissues, utilized to avoid the increasing great pollution invading our planet. Due to the diffusion of the current COVID-19 infection rate and the increasing consumption of skin care and beauty products, the waste of these masks, made principally by petrol-derived polymers, is creating further intolerable waste-invaded land and oceans. After an introduction to the aims, differences and market of the various masks, their productive means and ingredients are reported. These news are believed necessary to give the reader the working knowledge of these products, in the context of the bioeconomy, to better understand the innovative tissues proposed and realized by the biobased and biodegradable polymers. Thus, the possibility of producing biodegradable SFMs and BFMs, characterized for their effective antimicrobial and skin repairing activities or hydrating and antiaging activity, respectively. These innovative smart and biodegradable masks are requested from the majority of consumers oriented towards a future green environment. Giving this new sense of direction to their production and consumption, it will be possible to reduce the current waste, ranging worldwide at about 2 billion tons per year.

scholarly journals Bioinformatics and the Undergraduate Curriculum

2010 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 172-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Maloney ◽  
Jeffrey Parker ◽  
Mark LeBlanc ◽  
Craig T. Woodard ◽  
Mary Glackin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biological Sciences ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
High Throughput ◽  
Undergraduate Curriculum ◽  
Colleges And Universities ◽  
Support Staff ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Data Generation ◽  
Rapid Rise ◽  
The Face

Recent advances involving high-throughput techniques for data generation and analysis have made familiarity with basic bioinformatics concepts and programs a necessity in the biological sciences. Undergraduate students increasingly need training in methods related to finding and retrieving information stored in vast databases. The rapid rise of bioinformatics as a new discipline has challenged many colleges and universities to keep current with their curricula, often in the face of static or dwindling resources. On the plus side, many bioinformatics modules and related databases and software programs are free and accessible online, and interdisciplinary partnerships between existing faculty members and their support staff have proved advantageous in such efforts. We present examples of strategies and methods that have been successfully used to incorporate bioinformatics content into undergraduate curricula.

Status and Analysis on Cognition and Handling Ability of Natural Disasters in Nursing Undergraduates

2012 ◽  
Vol 610-613 ◽  
pp. 704-707
Author(s):  
Min Xu ◽  
Hong Xin ◽  
Chunshan Zhao ◽  
Na Zeng
Keyword(s):  
Natural Disasters ◽  
Natural Disaster ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Colleges And Universities ◽  
The Self ◽  
Disaster Prevention ◽  
The Future

Nursing undergraduate students are a reserve force for the rescue of natural disaster. Their abilities in self-cognition and response are supposed to be closely related to the development and perfection of them in moral and personality, and their attitude and quality when they are engaged in nursing work in the future. The questionnaire investigation demonstrated that the nursing undergraduate students understood the natural disaster cognition to some extent, but their understanding was limited and one-sided; the students’ abilities in the disaster cognition were influenced by sex, the cognition on nursing specialized responsibility, the self-role cognition and the deed to disaster reserve knowledge (P < 0. 05), indicating that they did not have a full ability to deal with a disaster independently. Therefore, nursing undergraduate students should be educated through various pathways and in different forms in colleges and universities to improve their cognition on the disaster prevention and handling ability.

scholarly journals Exploratory Research on Curriculum Construction of Medical Metrology Education in Colleges and Universities

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 859-864
Author(s):  
Ze-Dong Yan ◽  
◽  
Wei Guo ◽  
Juan Liu ◽  
Er-Ping Luo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Colleges And Universities ◽  
Basic Knowledge ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Cultivation System ◽  
Teaching Laboratory ◽  
National Medical ◽  
Cultivation Mode ◽  
Curriculum Construction ◽  
First Time

Canonical and systematic quality-oriented education of medical metrology for undergraduate students has not been started in colleges and universities. The standardized training and professional cultivation system are also deficient for most medical metrological employees at present. In this study, special funds were invested to develop the teaching laboratory based on the establishment standards of national medical metrology stations. Experienced experts were also invited for the argumentation of curriculum construction and optimization of medical metrology. As a result, two undergraduate courses of medical metrology for the students majoring in Biomedical Engineering (BME) were developed for the first time based on the talent cultivation mode “basic knowledge + practical ability”. An internationally-advanced teaching laboratory for medical metrology was established, and the series textbooks were compiled and published. It is of vital significance to strengthen the curriculum construction of medical metrology for undergraduate students of BME, which may provide beneficial reference for further medical metrological talent cultivation.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document