New methods for new needs? Analysis of the study plans in Social Work from the perspective of graduates: the case of the University of La Laguna

The purpose of the research is to analyze the opinions of the graduates in Social Work of the University of La Laguna about their Study Plan, in order that it can serve to evaluate, improve and update this and other curricula of the discipline in other university centres. This work has a descriptive quantitative method and used a questionnaire for data collection, with 102 participants and statistical treatment with SPSS. The main results show a great demand to adjust, firstly, the teaching methods of the teaching staff to the new needs of their students, and secondly, the subjects and contents with the current social realities. Likewise, it points towards a disconnection between university-society, reflected in the problems derived from curricular practices and the application of workshops with external professionals and real practical cases as two of the favourites activities as content of practical classes. Therefore, studies in Social Work in Spain must remain in constant review so as not to be outdated, since social reality, its object of study and analysis, is an element in constant change.

Digitalization and Backward Design take the finance teaching techniques and study plan strategy one step further

Digitization has been around for several years, but its use has become a necessity with the Covid-19 pandemic. Lockdown forced us to work remotely overnight, to use digital networks to communicate, make payments, learn all sectors of activity were forced to adapt to the digital age in one night. This paper shows how teaching, research, and the study plan must adapt to the new communication requirements and students’ needs to achieve the course learning outcomes in a virtual environment. The paper proposes a realistic academic plan design - backward. Taking into account new environmental and digital challenges, the backward design facilitates the decision on the content of the study plan, the elimination of less important parts, and the application of new communication and assessment techniques.

Determination of Student Subjects in Higher Education Using Hybrid Data Mining Method with the K-Means Algorithm and FP Growth

The large number of courses offered in an educational institution raises new problems related to the selection of specialization courses. Students experience difficulties and confusion in determining the course to be taken when compiling the study plan card. The purpose of this study was to cluster student value data. Then the values that have been grouped are seen in the pattern (pattern) of the appearance of the data based on the values they got previously so that students can later use the results of the patterning as a guideline for taking what skill courses in the next semester. The method used in this research is the K-Means and FP-Growth methods. The results of this rule can provide input to students or academic supervisors when compiling student study plan cards. Lecturers and students can analyze the right specialization subject by following the pattern given. This study produces a pattern that shows that the specialization course with the theme of business information systems is more followed by students than the other 2 themes

Study on human subjects – influence of stress and alcohol in simulated traffic situations

This report presents a research study plan on human subjects – the influence of stress and alcohol in simulated traffic situations under an H2020 project named SIMUSAFE. This research study focuses on road-users’, i.e., car drivers, motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians, behaviour in relation to retrospective studies, where interaction between the users are considered. Here, the study includes sample size, inclusion/exclusion criteria, detailed study plan, protocols, potential test scenarios and all related ethical issues. The study plan has been included in a national ethics application and received approval for implementation.

Competency Development in the Object-oriented Programming Style Education

The article presents a spiral approach for the competency development in the object-oriented programming style education as a part of the occupation “Application programmer” of the national program “Education for IT career” (NPEITC) in the Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science. The education is realized by a system of tasks comprising topically linked modules of the study plan. Such system is demonstrated and the obtained results from its application, followed by the analyses confirm the success of the competency approach, are presented.

Assessment of drug information skills and resources utilisation among pharmacy students: A cross-sectional study

Objective: To identify drug information (DI) resources commonly used by pharmacy students of King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia, and to assess their ability to determine the appropriate ones for different clinical situations. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in April 2014 (n=92). A paper-based questionnaire was developed, validated, and administered to fifth-year Pharm.D. students and advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) interns. It investigated the students’ DI sources preferences. Besides, it evaluated their competency in classifying DI resources and identifying the best resource to answer case-based multiple-choice questions. Moreover, the study aimed at assessing the impact of providing a case-based combined module of evidence-based practice (EBP) and DI for fifth-year students (new study plan) compared to delivering separate EBP and DI modules through theoretical lectures (old study plan–APPE interns). Results: The preferred resources to the students were online recourses (85.86%), soft copy books (26.08%), and mobile applications (25%). For the DI mobile applications, Medscape was the most common (63.4%), followed by Micromedex (53.5%), Lexicomp (42.3%), and Dynamed (16.9%). Fifth-year students’ scores were significantly higher than APPE interns for the case-based questions. Students’ GPAs were moderately correlated with their total scores. Conclusion: Study participants preferred using electronic DI resources to printed ones. The combined EBP-DI course could be a better option as it links the DI knowledge to clinical situations.

Vocational- Education Students' Attitudes towards Their Academic Specialization in Jordan

The aim of the study was to identify the attitudes of vocational education students at Al-Balqa Applied University towards enrollment in their academic specialization from their perception, relating them to variables such as gender, the student’s academic year, and academic rating. A descriptive approach was used with a questionnaire which comprised 33 items that measured the students' attitudes towards the vocational education specialization. The study comprised 221 male and female students to whom the questionnaire was distributed in the first semester of the academic year 2019-2020. The study found that the students' attitudes towards the vocational education specialization for the instrument as a whole were positive: 24 items obtained positive attitude scores and 9 items showed an average attitude. It was found that there were no statistically significant differences among vocational-education students’ attitudes towards their enrollment in their academic specialization in terms of the study variables: gender; the student’s academic year (first and second year, third and fourth year); or academic rating (acceptable, good, very good, and excellent). It was also found that there were no statistically significant differences among the vocational education students' attitudes towards their enrollment in their academic specialization. These differences are attributed to the study variables: gender, academic year, and academic rating. It is recommended that: the study plan should be developed to be more comprehensive, and incorporates a diversity of experiences, knowledge, and activities to achieve differentiation of the student's personality. This requires the university and the college to provide diverse and flexible activities to suit the characteristics of students in light of the principles of respecting, meeting and satisfying their inclinations and desires.

Hydroxychloroquine Attenuates Acute Inflammation (LPS)-Induced Apoptosis via Inhibiting TRPV1 Channel/ROS Signaling Pathways in Human Monocytes

Acute inflammation (INF) and apoptosis are induced in monocytes by the generation of several factors, including the products of cytosolic oxygen free radicals (cROS) and the excessive influx of Ca2+ via the stimulation of TRPV1. These are main factors in the etiology of monocyte activation-induced inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases. Importantly, the protective action of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) treatment via the inhibition of TRPV1 on the levels of inflammatory factors, cROS, and apoptosis in acute INF (lipopolysaccharide, LPS)-exposed neuronal cells was recently reported. However, the relationships between acute INF via TRPV1 activation and HCQ in monocytes have not been fully clarified yet. The cell membrane of U937 human monocytes contains natural TRPV1. In the study plan, we used U937 cells in four main groups, namely control, HCQ (60 μM for 48 h), INF (1 μg/mL LPS for 16 h), and HCQ + INF. The current data indicate that LPS-induced acute INF caused the upregulation of excessive cytosolic Ca2+ accumulation via the stimulation of TRPV1 in the cells. The treatment of INF additionally upregulated the levels of apoptosis and cytokines (IL6, IL1β, and TNFα), due to upregulated cROS and lipid peroxidation levels as well as upregulated generation of caspase -3 (CAS3) and -9 (CAS9) but a decrease in glutathione and glutathione peroxidase. The expression levels of TRPV1, Bax, CAS3, and CAS9 were also upregulated by the treatment of LPS. However, treatment with HCQ and TRPV1 blocker (capsazepine) modulated the levels of cytokines, caspases, cROS, Ca2+ influx, and apoptosis through the modulation of TRPV1 in the U937 that were stimulated with LPS. In summary, the present data suggest TRPV1 activation through the acute INF (LPS)-induced inflammatory, oxidant, and apoptotic adverse actions in monocyte cells, whereas HCQ prevented adverse actions via the modulation of TRPV1. The results may be significant in the modulation of monocyte activation-caused inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases.

Relevance of social and community mediation for health, in processes of reinsertion of people with addictive behaviors and dependencies (ABD)

Background The knowledge of the importance of intervention in the reintegration of people with addictive behaviors and dependencies (ABD), combined with the complexity of the process and the multiplicity of associated factors (SICAD, 2014), has motivated a study developed on social and community mediation, through a interinstitutional collaboration of seven public entities, linking the academy to entities that intervene in the field of health (SICAD, in press). This paper aims to explore and disseminate some of the research results, reflecting on the importance of social intervention in the global health of the citizen. Methods This research was carried out according to a mixed case study plan (multi-case and multi-perspective), which involved reinsertion professionals, people with ABD, families and other stakeholders, in a total of 18 cases, 51 interviews and 21 questionnaires. It has a national scope and combines the descriptive component with the analytical and reflective component. Results Crossing the mapping of the diagnosed problems with the results and impacts of the developed intervention, which translate into changes perceived by the interviewees in several areas, it is possible to explore axes of the effectiveness of the intervention implemented in the reinsertion process. Conclusions The results show a high level of effectiveness (individual, family and community level), which goes beyond the changes in the scope of dependencies and affects the various areas of life of the citizen. The developed intervention generated impacts felt in the health level by the interviewees as positive and allowed to modify the fragile conditions that were identified in the diagnosis.