Exploring Students’ Perceptions and Attitudes towards Genre-based Pedagogy Developed in Persuasive Writing Teaching: The Systemic Functional Linguistics Perspective

Previous studies in genre-based pedagogy mainly concerned with its teaching effects, few studies involved with students’ perceptions and attitudes which is actually playing a role in teaching and learning activities. The present study intends to make some explorations in this aspect. A quasi-experimental study to designed to answer the research question “What are students’ perceptions and attitudes towards the genre-based pedagogy developed in Chinese university students’ persuasive writings?” Thirty-four students participated in the study and a four-point Likert scale questionnaire and an interview were applied to collect the data. After the quantitative and qualitative analysis, the study find that most participants hold positive attitudes towards every item of the questionnaire and think highly of the genre-based teaching pedagogy from the following six aspects: the mastery of textual features, the genre-awareness of persuasion, confidence in writing an effective persuasion, attitudes towards group writing in the teaching instruction, interests in the application of the curriculum cycle to other genres and other program instruction related comments such as being difficult to master certain required language features and following the teaching patterns involved in the textual construction of persuasion. However, the general indication is that the curriculum cycle can help and enhance students’ understandings of each of the textual features of persuasion. Finally, the study provides implications for future teaching: the genre-based approach could be effectively and widely applied in Chinese university students’ genre writing as the apprenticeship involved allows the students to be more creative as their writing skills develop.

Being ethical and bioethical in daily life of primary health care: nurses’ perceptions

ABSTRACT Objectives: to understand the perceptions of ethics and bioethics and how to be ethical and bioethical in daily life of Primary Health Care, from the perspective of nurses. Methods: this is a Holistic-qualitative Multiple Case Study, based on Comprehensive Everyday Sociology, with 54 participants. Results: two subcategories and the category Being ethical and bioethical in daily life of PHC: nurses’ perceptions emerged. The ethical and bioethical being permeates a subjective and abstract self, whose fears, anxieties and concerns are intertwined with the human and professional dimensions in daily work and in personal-professional relationship. Ethics and bioethics perceptions emerge from subjectivity, established relationships, lived experiences and daily actions of nurses essential to the profession, professionals and individuals to be cared for. Final Considerations: ethical and bioethical perceptions and attitudes are essential to care, management and organizational actions, health care, and the safety of users and professionals.

Perception and Attitude of Maxillofacial Surgeons towards in-Clinic Counselling on Tobacco Cessation in Tertiary Hospitals in Nigeria

Cigarettes and other forms of tobacco are known to be highly addictive, the use and production of which are on the rise. Tobacco use is a risk factor in the development of diseases especially oral cancer, affects negatively wound healing in maxillofacial surgical procedure, and periodontal therapies. Therefore, the need for tobacco cessation programs on patients among Maxillofacial surgeons and the trainees is necessary. Objectives- This is to assess the perception, attitude, and the influence of age, gender, duration of practice, and environment/religion on the cessation counseling carried out by Oral & Maxillofacial surgeons Methods- A prospective questionnaire-based study. A survey was carried out by sending validated, structured self-administered pretested questionnaires to Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery trainees and specialists in tertiary hospitals in different parts (North, South, and West) of Nigeria. The questionnaire assessed perceptions and attitudes- of the respondent, as well as the influence of age, gender, duration of practice, and environment/religion on in-clinic tobacco cessation. Results- A total of 44 individuals participated in the study. More respondents from senior registrars 19(43%), and with the majority from the Teaching Hospital 33(75%) out of the three cadres of institutions where the survey was done. Male to female ratio of respondents was 1:2.1, with the mean age of the participants 36.7. All agreed to the need for tobacco cessation counseling among Oral & Maxillofacial surgeons, only 37(84.1%) believe that in-clinic counseling will significantly reduce the prevalence of oral cancer. Age groups, sex, religion, designation, and the years in practice have a significant relationship with the participant perception-related question p=0.001, as well the like use of religious and professional techniques in counseling smokers (p<0.05). The gender of study participants had a significant influence on their perception of the need for in-clinic tobacco cessation counseling. Conclusion- Tobacco cessation program within the health institutions is tested and an affirmed avenue to stop or reduce the associated risk factors with substance use. Therefore, need for policymakers in health sectors to organize training programs for Maxillofacial surgeons. Key words: Oral & Maxillofacial surgeons, Tobacco cessation, attitude, and perceptions, in-clinic counseling.

Perceptions and attitudes of University of Johannesburg chiropractic students toward a blended learning approach and a shift to an e-learning approach necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT Objective This study aimed to explore and compare the perceptions and attitudes of chiropractic students on a blended learning offering in 2019 and a subsequent shift to an e-learning approach in 2020 owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods This was an exploratory descriptive study of 4th-year BHSc chiropractic students enrolled in the Clinical and Applied Biomechanics IV module in 2019 (n = 31) and 2020 (n = 33). The survey used close-ended Likert scale questions collected from 29 July to 14 August 2020. Data were analyzed using frequencies and descriptions, exploratory factor analysis, and reliability. Trends and interrelationships of and between student attitude, satisfaction, social influences, ease of use, accessibility, and effectivity were investigated for each year and compared between successive years' cohorts. Results Students were mostly female (76.6%), aged 20 to 24 years (84.4%). Although both cohorts showed similar positive attitudes, accessibility, and satisfaction levels, the e-learning group showed increased effectivity (p = .016) and ease of use (p = .038) compared with the blended learning cohort. Face-to-face time with the lecturer was shown to be more important to the blended learning cohort (p = .006). Strong correlations were demonstrated in both cohorts between accessibility and satisfaction with attitude, effectivity, and ease of use. Conclusion Findings suggest that students were more receptive to an e-learning approach than they may have been in the past. This may be as a direct consequence of the response to COVID-19, and the adapted offerings of the curriculum.

Arab and Jewish Mothers' Decisions Regarding Treatment of their Children with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder: A Qualitative Study

Background: The use of medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) differs globally, depending on ethnic group. In Israel, the prevalence of stimulant prescriptions for ADHD among Jewish children is four times higher than among Arab children. Ethnical differences may affect parents’ perceptions and attitudes towards diagnosing and treating ADHD. Therefore, it is important to identify differences in attitudes and beliefs towards diagnosis and treatment of ADHD among Arab and Jewish mothers and teachers, in order to understand what affects the mothers’ decision whether to medicate their child diagnosed with ADHD.Methods: A qualitative study including 23 in-depth interviews with mothers of children diagnosed with ADHD and 12 teachers (Arabs and Jews) from elementary schools in Northern Israel. The interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis.Results: Data analysis revealed four themes, emphasizing the way mothers and teachers perceive ADHD differently in the two ethnic groups: (1) The degree of ADHD medicalization differed between the ethnic groups. Jewish mothers and teachers tended to perceive ADHD more as a medical problem, while Arab mothers and teachers perceived it more as a childhood social behavior; (2) Arab mothers reported guilt feelings in relation to ADHD diagnosis and treatment, whereas Jewish mothers felt sympathy and understanding towards their child; (3) Among Arab mothers, the social environment is a stronger influence than among Jewish mothers; and (4) Stigmatization was reported only by Arab mothers. Conclusions: Our study suggests that there are ethnical differences in the perception of ADHD that may explain the differences in its prevalence and treatment.

Perceptions and Attitudes Towards COVID-19 Vaccination Amongst Pregnant and Postpartum Individuals

Introduction: This study aims to characterize attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination and to evaluate factors associated with vaccine uptake amongst pregnant individuals. Methods: An anonymous survey was distributed to a convenience sample of pregnant individuals receiving prenatal care at two large urban academic hospitals in a single healthcare network in Massachusetts. Individual demographic variables were included in the survey along with questions assessing attitudes towards COVID-19 and vaccination in pregnancy. Results: Of 477 respondents, 233 (49.3%) had received or were scheduled to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Age, White race, non-Hispanic/LatinX ethnicity, working from home, and typical receipt of the influenza vaccine were associated with COVID-19 vaccination. 276 respondents (58.4%) reported that their provider recommended the COVID-19 vaccine in pregnancy; these participants were more likely to have received a vaccine (OR 5.82, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.68-9.26). Vaccinated individuals were less likely to be worried about the effects of the vaccine on themselves (OR 0.18, 95% CI 0.12-0.27) or their developing babies (OR 0.17, 95% CI 0.11-0.26). Unvaccinated individuals were less likely to report that it is easy to schedule a COVID-19 vaccine (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.34-0.93), to travel to receive a vaccine (OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.10-0.36), and to miss work to receive a vaccine (OR 0.30, 95% CI 0.18-0.48). Conclusions: Strategies are needed to improve patient education regarding vaccine side effects and safety in pregnancy and to change policy to make it feasible for pregnant patients to schedule and miss work without loss of pay to get vaccinated.