Not White Saviors, but Critical Scholars

Gifted Black and Brown students are not voiceless; their voices are suffocated under the knee of systemic racism and white supremacy. This chapter proposes that the field of gifted education advocates for needed structural and systemic change through the discourse of critical race theory. A model of gifted critical race studies (GTCrit) is presented and described as both a way to understand race and racism in gifted education and to drive social change. GTCrit theorizes about the ways in which race, racism, ability, potentiality, and deficit ideology are built into daily interactions and discourses, informal and formal policies and procedures, and systems and structures of education, which disproportionately impact students of color qualitatively differently than white students.

The effects of COVID-19 pandemic on the UK construction industry and the process of future-proofing business

Purpose COVID-19 was officially declared as a worldwide pandemic by the World Health Organisation on 11th March 2020, before the UK was put into lockdown on the 23rd March 2020. Organisations had to reconsider their policies and procedures to allow their businesses to continue. This paper aims to focus on the effects of COVID-19 that the UK construction sector has had to undertake to enable businesses while employees had to adhere to COVID-19 lockdown rules. In addition, how the sector can positively continue once normality has returned within the industry. In doing so, this paper understands the historical issues within the construction sector and has had an effect during COVID-19. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative research methodology approach was taken to help obtain live information. In total, 19 semi-structured interviews from 15 organisations related to the construction sector were conducted to collect data. This information was evaluated using thematic analysis to arrive at the results, inferences and recommendations to the sector. Findings This research has revealed that companies have had to adopt a three-stage process to overcome a new dimensional challenge of COVID-19. These include: 1. Making quick decisions during the first stage of the pandemic. 2. Producing new policies and procedures to restart businesses enabling staff to return to the workplace safely. 3. Implementing methods to future-proof organisations against any potential pandemics. To help organisations future-proof their business five C’s are recommended. Originality/value This paper provides a rich insight into the understanding and awareness of the effects of COVID-19 and the changes that the construction sector has had to undertake to adhere to the lockdown rules while remaining productive. This research contributes towards informing policymakers on some of the lessons learned during the management of the COVID-19 pandemic from a construction sector perspective.

Awareness Regarding Universal Safety Precaution Among Nurses and Compulsory Rotatory Residential Internship in a Teaching Hospital

Purpose: The lack of awareness regarding the policies and procedures about universal precautions among medical students has resulted in higher accidental exposure to Blood Borne Pathogens and body fluids. So, the current situation needs such type of study which can help in improving awareness about universal precautions among Nurses and Compulsory Rotatory Residential Internships (CRRI), those who constitute a major role in controlling deadly infections. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted among nurses of all departments and Compulsory Rotatory Residential Internships (CRRI) between June & July 2020 in a teaching medical hospital near Kancheepuram. A total of 400 nurses who were deputed in various departments and 50 Compulsory Rotatory Residential Internships (CRRIs) were requested to take part in the study. The emails were gathered and formal informed consent was sent along with the standard questionnaire. The questions were prepared in a simple language from a valid & reliable measure. Statistical methods: The data are entered and analysed by MS Excel. A chi square test is carried to test the association between the proportion. Results: The level of knowledge among nurses and CRRIs were similar without a significant difference between them. The awareness regarding universal precaution in nurses with different working experience were also similar without any significant differences. About 95% of CRRIs were aware about the universal precautions. The awareness about universal precaution and practice was not statistically significant when compared between the nurses and CRRIs. Conclusion: The current study findings assure that the nurses and Compulsory Rotatory Residential Internship (CRRIs) were aware and are knowledgeable about the standard precautions and their importance in reducing infections. The present result shows the infectious committee has a great role in educating the health care workers and provide a better environment for serving the patients.

Implementing Response to Intervention (RtI) in a Juvenile Detention Center Using Action Research

While proponents claimed Response to Intervention (RtI) improved student learning and prevented failure, there was an absence of research in effectiveness. Applying action research within a case study, there was an investigation into the process of reforming and improving RtI within a short-term juvenile detention center in the Midwest of the United States for students in grades 5-12. Using the conceptual framework of adaptive leadership, there was an analysis of policies and procedures, observations, interviews, and student work. RtI as a stand-alone program revealed many teachers lacked evidence-based instructional methods and alternative teachers lacked content knowledge, making implementation difficult. Within the action research method, role ambiguity caused problems with fidelity, with the need to infuse strategic leadership with action research when teachers’ sense of self and professional were challenged.

Situating LIS pedagogy and curriculum in diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and anti-racism: a reflection on process

PurposeA working group of Masters in Management of Library and Information Science (MMLIS) Librarian Faculty was formed to address diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility and anti-racism (DEIA + AR) specifically in pedagogy and curriculum, resulting in actionable items and recommendations that will ensure the program is promoting diversity, equity, inclusive, accessable and anti-racist strategies, curriculum, resources and pedagogical practices in our classrooms.Design/methodology/approachThe Working Groups charge was designed to begin the work of dismantling the inequitable power structures which will lead to more equitable opportunities and access for marginalized groups that will become leaders in information sciences in the future.FindingsThe efforts of the DEIA + AR Working Group resulted in several supplemental documents in addition to the formal recommendations including curricular and pedagogical best practices, a terminology document (establishing a shared language), a commitment document, recommendations, and a resource repository.Practical implicationsA working group of MMLIS Librarian Faculty was formed to address DEIA + AR specifically in the program's pedagogy and curriculum, resulting in actionable items and recommendations that will ensure the program is promoting anti-racist strategies, curriculum, resources and pedagogical practices in our classrooms.Social implicationsThis process study has value and impact for academics from any discipline to learn about one University's MMLIS program prioritizing DEIA + AR in program development, curriculum and pedagogical practices.Originality/valueThe converging events of the international pandemic and the national crisis of inequity in the United States in 2020 prompted a renewed commitment by the MMLIS program at the University of Southern California (USC) to revisit the program's DEIA policies and procedures and add anti-racism constructs into the curriculum.

Significance of Personnel Hygiene Practices in Pharmaceutical Industry

Personnel hygiene is very important in the pharmaceutical industry to prevent or reduce any kind of contamination which can affect the quality of medicinal products. When it comes to delivering highest quality standards of pharmaceutical products, key hygiene factors must to be upheld. Good personnel hygiene policies and practices are the foundation for successful product safety and purity. They are the backbone of a meaningful Good manufacturing Practices (GMP). Proper personnel training and sanitation are of prime importance. Personnel engaged in the manufacture, processing, packing, or holding of a drug product shall wear clean clothing appropriate for the duties they perform. All personnel should undergo medical check-up which may be a prerequisite for safe working condition. Personnel hygiene policies and procedures are to be followed by all personnel including management, visitors, production, sanitation and maintenance staff, for reducing the chance of product contamination. Personnel hygiene practices and procedures play a vital role in pharmaceutical industry in order to achieve a good quality and safe product.

Journal of Youth Development’s Stance on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access

The Journal of Youth Development is committed to ‎furthering diversity, equity, inclusion, and access in scholarly publishing. This Editor’s Note provides an overview of our ongoing resolve and collaborative process to review and shape policies and procedures to enhance our contributions to recognizing, valuing, and promoting racial equity, inclusion, and social justice.

Factors influencing workplace accommodations requests among employees with visual impairments

People with visual impairments experience various challenges in the workplace such as under-employment, structural, and attitudinal barriers. Workplace accommodations are instrumental in assisting individuals to complete essential functions of their jobs and to increase job tenure and satisfaction. However, workplace accommodations are under-utilized. The current study examined influences of psychosocial and demographic factors on decisions to request accommodations amongst people with visual impairments. Participants included 116 people with visual impairments (e.g., female = 63.9%, Caucasian = 81%) from agencies and organizations serving people with visual impairments within United States. The results following logistic regression show that increased levels of psychosocial factors (i.e., self-efficacy in requesting accommodations and goal setting, non-personal cost related to accommodation, knowledge related to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and accommodation policies and procedures) predicted participants’ decision to request accommodations. In addition, participants aged 55 or more and those with a high school degree or lower were less likely to request accommodations. Rehabilitation interventions for enhancing work participation self-efficacy in employees with visual impairment, as well as knowledge on ADA and accommodation policies and procedures, would create a more inclusive and accepting work environment for employees with visual impairment.