scholarly journals Delivering Higher Education in public Health Emergencies

2022 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 0-0
Keyword(s):  
Sierra Leone ◽  
Digital Learning ◽  
Educational Training ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
School Closures ◽  
Learning Modalities ◽  
Public Health Emergencies ◽  
Qualitative Survey ◽  
Stratified Sample ◽  
Training And Research

With the general closure of universities and schools in Sierra Leone due to the COVID-19 pandemic, digital learning has become a credible alternative to maintain students in educational, training, and research links. The study responds to three primary questions: 1) What digital learning modalities have shown to be most effective for providing continuity in learning amid temporary or permanent school closures? 2) What digital learning modalities are promising for their use but evidence for their use evidence about them is still lacking? 3) What are the challenges and considerations when planning for and implementing digital learning? The study utilised qualitative research methods: interviews; focus group discussions; qualitative survey; and document reviewing. A stratified sample of 260 participants (161 male and 99 female) was randomly drawn from teachers, education officials and information technology experts. This paper provides snapshots of the different distance learning initiatives and program that have been implemented, including both the promises they offer.

scholarly journals An investigative study of the experiences of elderly people in a South African black township

2002 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
G. M. Chigali ◽  
M. Marais ◽  
R. M. B. Mpofu
Keyword(s):  
Elderly People ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Metropolitan Region ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Qualitative Survey ◽  
African Black ◽  
Loss Of Dignity

The aim of this study was to investigate the experiences which impact on aspects of the lives and sense of well-being of elderly people in a township in South Africa in order to make recommendations for future service delivery. A cross- sectional, qualitative survey was carried out in Mfuleni Township, a part of the Cape Metropolitan Region in the Western Cape.  Sixteen people of ages ranging from 60-82 years were conveniently selected from a group of elderly people who meet regularly at a community centre. Data were collected through focused  group discussions and unstructured interviews. Analysis of data revealed three main categories namely, psychological/ emotional, socio-economic and health, under which different themes emerged. The experiences of individuals in a given society may vary, but somehow, their basic rights tend to be universal as revealed by the literature. Loneliness and isolation, lack of recreation facilities, loss of dignity and respect, poor health services and lack of shelter are some of the experiences expressed by the elderly people in this sample. These experiences highlight the need for clearly stated policies andcommitment by governmental and non-governmental structures, appropriate health service strategies and improved socio-economic standards supported by properly researched data.

The University Partnerships for Critical Reflection by Teacher Trainers

2016 ◽  
pp. 1806-1821
Author(s):  
Eda Üstünel ◽  
Kenan Dikilitaş
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Likert Scale ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Educational Training ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
University Partnerships ◽  
The University

This chapter explores educational training-based partnerships between universities in relation to in-service teacher education practices to enhance the quality of the professional development activities currently in practice. With this in mind, the nature and content of the collaboration between different universities located in Turkey are depicted through the analysis of triangulated data sets from written reports, focus group discussions, and the Likert scale questionnaire in order to elaborate on the impact of exchange of information and visitations on the trainers' professional development. The chapter accomplishes the self-reported impact of university-university collaboration on the participating trainers as well as one-day T-PLUS (Trainers' Professional Learning and Unlimited Sharing) meeting during which the trainers exchange ideas about teacher training and professional development tools and procedures in focus group discussions. The results indicate positive stance towards such a collaboration model that emerged as a result of the written reports and the Likert scale questionnaire.

scholarly journals Impact of COVID-19 on Primary School Students in Disadvantaged Areas of Bangladesh

2012 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Primary School ◽  
Virtual Learning ◽  
Primary School Students ◽  
School Students ◽  
School Closures ◽  
Learning Modalities

This brief examines the virtual learning modalities and experiences of disadvantaged primary school students in Bangladesh following school closures due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

scholarly journals Primary Students’ Experiences of Remote Learning during COVID-19 School Closures: A Case Study of Finland

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 560
Author(s):  
Anni Loukomies ◽  
Kalle Juuti
Keyword(s):  
Primary Students ◽  
Digital Learning ◽  
School Students ◽  
School Closures ◽  
Fifth Grade Students ◽  
The Future ◽  
Students First ◽  
Returning To School ◽  
Negative Feelings ◽  
Remote Learning

The remote learning period that took place due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020 was a novel experience for many students, teachers and guardians in Finland and globally. To be prepared for similar occasions in the future and to support all students appropriately, it is important to be aware of students’ experiences. In this study, instant video blogging (IVB) was used to collect primary school students’ first-hand reports of their emotions in remote learning situations. Through an experience sampling method, 23 Finnish fifth-grade students (aged 11–12 years) took part in IVB during the remote learning period 18 March 2020–13 May 2020. Students’ expressions related to negative emotional experiences were more diverse than those related to positive ones. Nice was the most often reported positive evaluation related to studying. The most often reported negative feelings were bored and irritated, and the most often reported negative aspects related to learning were difficult tasks or not having learned anything. Towards the end of the research period, positive mentions about returning to school increased. The IVB method offered direct insight into how primary students experienced the remote learning period, which can support preparation for exceptional periods in the future and the development of digital learning solutions.

scholarly journals Student’s Performance and Parent’s Involvement in Distance Learning: A Correlational Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (10) ◽  
pp. 850-857
Author(s):  
Mar Joseph S. Marañon ◽  
Jolises S. Alegria ◽  
Ranica M. Alfonso ◽  
Lorebelle A. Cabatas ◽  
Kristine Joy A. De la Cruz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Distance Learning ◽  
Junior High School ◽  
Senior High School ◽  
The Body ◽  
Digital Learning ◽  
Learning Modalities ◽  
Grade Levels ◽  
School Day ◽  
Student’S Performance

Distance Learning had evolve through many ages and generation. This became the main source of teaching on the present since its become convenient and efficient to everyone. As COVID-19 pandemic creates a devastating effect throughout the world, Philippines become innovative on how they will able to adapt and continue the classes with the use of parents as the molder of their children. The main objective of the study is to correlate the level of parent’s involvement  on students’ performance in distance learning of Negros Occidental High School during this times of pandemic. A sample size of three hundred thirty-six (336) students were accommodated in the study covered the Senior High School day class students for S.Y. 2020-2021 who are under the two learning modalities — print and digital learning and were randomly selected from different strands both Academic and Non Academic Tracks composed of grade levels namely Grade 11 and 12. A researcher made survey questionnaire was used  as a research instrument to gathered data. Proper encryption and verification of data was done to derive a certain result.  Results shown that parents involvement in distance learning have no significant relationship towards the performance of the student. The proponents suggested continuing the wider scope of the same study with having larger samples in expanding the range to both Junior High School and Senior High School in order to show various results may add to the body of knowledge in parent’s involvement and student’s performance.

Perceptions on community media for effective acculturation in Nigerian indigenous languages

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chimaobi Onwukwe
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Survey Design ◽  
Indigenous Languages ◽  
Community Media ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Local Content ◽  
Transient Nature ◽  
Qualitative Survey ◽  
Key Informant

Abstract This study examined perceptions on the effectiveness, attendant challenges and remedies of community media for effective acculturation in Nigerian languages. The qualitative survey design was adopted with focus group discussions and key informant interviews of 50 purposively chosen informants. It was perceived that community media could serve as veritable platform for effective acculturation in Nigerian languages since they would engender the setting of acculturation in Nigerian languages as national objective or goal. It was further held that the strengths of community media for acculturation were in being goal-defined, ensuring local content and diversification. The study identified that as palatable as the proposal for community media for effective acculturation in Nigerian languages is, it would be fraught with some set-backs or challenges that were very much surmountable. Perceptions pointed towards transient nature of community media and funding as challenges as well as multibased funding as one remedy. Immediate establishment of community media for the purpose of acculturation in Nigerian languages was recommended.

scholarly journals Trust, fear, stigma and disruptions: community perceptions and experiences during periods of low but ongoing transmission of Ebola virus disease in Sierra Leone, 2015

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. e000410 ◽  
Author(s):  
Azizeh Nuriddin ◽  
Mohamed F Jalloh ◽  
Erika Meyer ◽  
Rebecca Bunnell ◽  
Franklin A Bio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Communication ◽  
Sierra Leone ◽  
Healthcare System ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Public Health Emergencies ◽  
Sierra Leonean ◽  
Quantitative Studies ◽  
Social Mobilisation

Social mobilisation and risk communication were essential to the 2014–2015 West African Ebola response. By March 2015, >8500 Ebola cases and 3370 Ebola deaths were confirmed in Sierra Leone. Response efforts were focused on ‘getting to zero and staying at zero’. A critical component of this plan was to deepen and sustain community engagement. Several national quantitative studies conducted during this time revealed Ebola knowledge, personal prevention practices and traditional burial procedures improved as the outbreak waned, but healthcare system challenges were also noted. Few qualitative studies have examined these combined factors, along with survivor stigma during periods of ongoing transmission. To obtain an in-depth understanding of people’s perceptions, attitudes and behaviours associated with Ebola transmission risks, 27 focus groups were conducted between April and May 2015 with adult Sierra Leonean community members on: trust in the healthcare system, interactions with Ebola survivors, impact of Ebola on lives and livelihood, and barriers and facilitators to ending the outbreak. Participants perceived that as healthcare practices and facilities improved, so did community trust. Resource management remained a noted concern. Perceptions of survivors ranged from sympathy and empathy to fear and stigmatisation. Barriers included persistent denial of ongoing Ebola transmission, secret burials and movement across porous borders. Facilitators included personal protective actions, consistent messaging and the inclusion of women and survivors in the response. Understanding community experiences during the devastating Ebola epidemic provides practical lessons for engaging similar communities in risk communication and social mobilisation during future outbreaks and public health emergencies.

scholarly journals Practitioners and Uses of Contemporary Mende Folk literature in South-Eastern Sierra Leone

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 97
Author(s):  
Ibrahim Mustapha Fofanah ◽  
Philip Foday Yamba Thulla ◽  
Samba Moriba
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Sierra Leone ◽  
Secret Society ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Qualitative Research Design ◽  
Interview Guide ◽  
Folk Literature

The study examined the practitioners and uses of contemporary Mende folk literature in South-eastern Sierra Leone. A qualitative research design involving 250 participants from 50 communities with 5 participants from each community was used in the study. Interviews were carried out using interview guide questions relating to folk practices, performance, and uses in the selected communities. Focus group discussions followed the interviews in 10 communities selected using simple random techniques. The findings revealed that Mende folk literature was endangered and, apart from occasional singing, household story-telling and riddling sessions done mainly by children and women, the only groups of people recognized as practitioners of Mende folk literature were the tribal and secret society heads and the community's griots, who mostly were elderly people. Mende folk literature should not only be of academic interest but rather a source of cultural rejuvenation.   Received: 26 July 2021 / Accepted: 27 September 2021 / Published: 5 November 2021

scholarly journals Operationalizing the distribution of oral HIV self-testing kits to men who have sex with men (MSM) in a highly homophobic environment: the Nigerian experience

2022 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Adekemi Sekoni ◽  
Waimar Tun ◽  
Osasuyi Dirisu ◽  
Temitope Ladi-Akinyemi ◽  
Elizabeth Shoyemi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Group Discussions ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Effective Strategies ◽  
Qualitative Survey ◽  
Self Testing ◽  
Test Kit ◽  
Community Skills ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Self Test ◽  
Sex With Men

Abstract Background Self-care health interventions are innovative approaches for improving health and achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs). Men who have sex with men (MSM) have been disproportionately affected by Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). In spite of this, stigma from healthcare workers has reportedly prevented MSM from accessing HIV testing in health facilities. This paper explored the operationalization of using key opinion leaders (KOLs) to distribute HIVST (HIV self-test) kits to MSM. This qualitative survey used a combination of in-depth interviews (IDI) with HIVST users and focus group discussions (FGDs) with KOLs to collect data three months after the distribution of the test kits by the KOLs. Thematic analysis of the data was carried out. Result Three themes were generated namely: KOLs serve as a trusted resource to promote and support HIVST for the MSM community; Skills and qualifications required for KOLs to effectively distribute and promote uptake of HIVST; and Effective strategies used to create demand and promote uptake of HIVST. Conclusion This study showed the practical steps involved in operationalizing KOL support system distribution of HIVST that positively influenced the testing experience for the participants irrespective of the HIV status and engagement in care. KOLs are a reliable resource to leverage for ensuring that HIV self-test kit is utilized and HIV positive individuals are linked to treatment and care in homophobic environments.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document