scholarly journals The New Normal in Urban Pakistan: A Journey of Undergraduate Students Through Photovoice

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 108-131
Author(s):  
Muhammad H. Raza ◽  
Neha Khatri ◽  
Sara Intikhab ◽  
Rumaysa Iqbal

The COVID-19 global health crisis is an issue of survival for individuals and communities worldwide. With its widespread consequences manifested at every level of the society, concerns about how to adapt to the new normal are rising. This study explores the lived experiences of second-year undergraduate university students located in urban Pakistan amid the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, in March to May 2020. Drawing on a participatory research approach, students as participants adopted a photovoice methodology to document, share, and analyze their new life realities. The themes that emerged from the data include fear, anxiety, isolation, relationships and hope, among others. Feelings of agency, empathy and a desire for community action were observed in the photo narratives shared by the participants, as they discussed their health, academic, and communication challenges while struggling to conform to the present circumstances. 

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 215013272096286
Author(s):  
Antonela Miccoli ◽  
Loren L. Toussaint ◽  
Carina K. Hansen ◽  
Latasha M. Smith ◽  
Brian A. Lynch

Background Childhood obesity represents a public health crisis in the United States. Thus, focusing on early childhood is crucial to modify the consequences associated with obesity. The Food and Fitness Initiative (FFI) is a community-based wellness program implemented in Northeast Iowa since 2009. FFI focuses on healthy eating and physical activity. Our aim is to describe the impact on body mass index (BMI) after implementing FFI in a Northeast Iowa Community Action Head Start (HS) population. Methods Retrospective BMI data was collected from all children attending 14 HS sites from 2012 to 2018. Children with BMI measurements during July to December of the first year in HS were included in the study. Follow-up data the second year in HS was obtained. Overweight and obesity prevalence, as well as, BMI changes between year 1 and 2 in HS were analyzed. Results Data from 1013 children were collected, 850 (84%) had qualifying BMI measurements during their first year in HS and 352 of those children (41%) had follow-up data in their second year. There was a decrease in BMI between years 1 and 2 in HS that approached statistical significance ( t = 1.83, P = .07, d = .10). There were no statistically significant changes in the percent of overweight (Wald χ2 = .50, P = .48) or obese (Wald χ2 = 1.71, P = .19) children between the first and second year. Conclusion The FFI wellness program can be feasibly integrated into the HS curriculum and shows promising short-term results in improving BMI, but not to a statistically significant level when evaluated over 1 year.


Author(s):  
Karmen Erjavec ◽  

The context of the COVID-19 pandemic presents communication challenges for companies as they adjust to a new operating, business and public policy environment. This unprecedented public health crisis affects all stakeholders. The COVID-19 pandemic underlined the importance of strategic internal communication, as many companies had to introduce new working practices and hire or fire staff extremely quickly. An explorative qualitative and qualitative research approach was applied to determine the use of digital communication channels and communication channels during the COVID-19 pandemic by Slovenian employees. The opportunities and challenges that arose during COVID-19 the outbreak of the pandemic are presented. Finally, proposals for organizational communication strategies in times of the pandemic are provided.


Inclusion ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-16
Author(s):  
Rebecca R. Kammes ◽  
Rhonda S. Black ◽  
Trisha Easley

Abstract This study used a community-based participatory research approach to examine what adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) view as important topics in sexuality education. A thematic analysis was conducted on questions written by adults with IDD regarding sexuality after attending a sexuality education group. Results were checked for accuracy using a community focus group. Findings provide direct implications for community-based sexuality education programs for adults with IDD, demonstrating the need for mentoring regarding authentic relationship experiences as well as developmentally appropriate sexual health information. Programs need to focus on helping adults with IDD navigate these interpersonal experiences. This study also demonstrates the importance of including the voices of adults with IDD in research in order to ensure its applicability and acceptability.


2019 ◽  
Vol 120 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 87-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline R. Pitt ◽  
Adam Bell ◽  
Rose Strickman ◽  
Katie Davis

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the potential for digital badges to support alternate learning and career pathways in formal and informal learning environments. Stakeholder groups in higher education and industry discussed how digital badges might transform current processes of admitting undergraduate students and hiring young professionals. Design/methodology/approach This research uses a thematic analysis of in-depth interviews with 30 stakeholders in higher education and the technology industry. Findings Interview participants expressed optimism about the potential for digital badges to make learning pathways visible to learners and external audiences and to promote equity in STEM (STEM: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education and careers. Participants noted several obstacles, largely focused on issues of credibility and logistics of working with badges across settings. Research limitations/implications Though the research approach is limited in geographic scope, the findings have broad applicability and insight for the use of digital badges in general. Practical implications Education policymakers, employers and scholars will be able to use the insights from this investigation in their efforts to find innovative ways to expand and diversify the STEM workforce, as well as support a wider range of learners than is currently supported by initiatives aligned with the school-to-workforce pipeline metaphor. Originality/value This paper directly confronts issues of real-world applications of digital badges by discussing practical implications with college admissions officers and employers. The current study fills a need for research that investigates the use of digital badges across – as opposed to within – contexts.


1996 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 321-327 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Watkins ◽  
Adebowale Akande ◽  
Christopher Cheng ◽  
Murari Regmi

The responses of 268 Hong Kong and 399 Nigerian first- or second-year social science undergraduate university students to the Personal and Academic Self-Concept Inventory (PASCI; Fleming & Whalen, 1990) were compared to previously reported findings with similar groups of American and Nepalese students. Country × Gender analyses indicated clear, statistically significant mnain and interaction effects which varied according to the area of self-esteem under investigation. Support was found for the tendency found in research with secondary school students for subjects from non-Western cultures to report higher academic but lower nonacademic self-esteem than their Western peers. However, the gender differences did not generalize across cultures.


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