Disconnected during disruption: Energy insecurity of Indigenous Australian prepay customers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Energy policy measures aimed at mitigating the impacts of energy insecurity during the first years of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as moratoriums on disconnection from electricity, were widespread. In Australia, early pandemic safeguards against electricity disconnection were successful in temporarily protecting most people. However, their application was uneven. For remote-living Indigenous community residents, who are required by policy or elect to use prepay metering and are known to experience frequent ‘self-disconnection', energy insecurity continued as the impacts of the pandemic accrued. The risks associated with the regular de-energization of prepay households have long been overlooked by government reporting and this contributed to a lack of visibility of energy insecurity and available protections for this group during the pandemic response. In contrast to the rest of Australia, energy insecurity in the form of disconnections remained unrelentingly high or worsened for prepay households during this time. COVID-19 magnifies pre-existing health and socio-economic inequities. There is a need to pay closer attention to the rationales and impacts of energy policy exceptionalism if we are to mitigate the potential for compounding impacts of energy insecurity among specific groups, such as Indigenous Australian prepay customers, including during times of crisis. © 2023 The Authors

Lessons Learned from Teaching in Person Cadaveric Anatomy During the COVID19 Pandemic

In March 2020, TTUHSC opened a new 20,000sf Institute of Anatomical Sciences for human gross anatomy. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck and many schools shifted from in person to online teaching, we hypothesized that if safety measures were used, in person cadaveric anatomy could be safely taught without a decrease in student performance. To test this, we reduced onsite attendance to less than 25% of room capacity. Masks were required at all times and students were instructed to social distance. Six students were assigned per cadaver, but only two students dissected at a time. The other four students reviewed and completed dissections and/or reviewed in groups of two at other allotted times. Thus, students dissected only every third lab. Dissection and lab review attendance was mandatory and students were nearly 100% compliant. Teaching assistants recorded dissected prosections reviews, and these videos were uploaded to password protected course files for independent learning. Students were provided iPads in the laboratory and access to three software packages for use on and off site. All students had access to multiple formative quizzes and exams, and three new online practice practical exams were created. To help reduce testing anxiety, a pass/fail system replaced categorical grading. However, all written and practical exams were conducted on site and in person. At TTUHSC, we have developed an exam question database to track historical student performance including a 25-question optional pre-block practice exam used to assess incoming student anatomical aptitude. In 2020, 90% of incoming students (93% in 2019) took the pre-block exam and scored an average of 28% (24% in 2019). In 2020, despite vastly different content delivery approaches (>80% of lectures were on Zoom) and reduced in-person dissection requirements, students modestly outperformed their 2019 counterparts. Overall exam averages were 89% in 2020 compared to 87% in 2019. If a categorical system was in place, 66% of students would have earned Honors or High Pass in 2020 compared to 61% in 2019. Our formative assessments were highly predictive of summative exam performance, and students reported that they reduced exam stress. Furthermore, summative exam averages correlated strongly with NBME performance (p<0.0001, r =0.63). TTUHSC medical students estimated that a majority of their peers at other medical schools did not have any in person dissection in 2020. Our students ranked in person laboratory dissection as the most useful learning activity, 88% reported that our COVID-19 preparations were very good to outstanding, and 97% were satisfied with the quality of their anatomy education. We conclude that 1) When using appropriate precautions, in person cadaveric anatomy can be taught safely during a pandemic;2) cadaveric dissection is essential for mastery of anatomical concepts;and 3) coupling online learning modalities with rigorous formative assessments prevented a modest reduction in cadaveric dissection opportunities from negatively impacting student performance. 2.

Poster: Use of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality(VR) to tackle 4 amongst the”14 Grand Challenges for Engineering in the 21st Century” identified by National Academy of Engineering

The National Academy of Engineering's “Fourteen Grand Challenges for Engineering in the Twenty-First Century” identifies challenges in science and technology that are both feasible and sustainable in order to help people and the planet prosper. Four of these challenges are: enhance virtual reality, advance personalized learning, provide access to clean water, and make solar energy affordable. In this poster, the authors discuss developing of applications using immersive technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) and their significance in addressing four of the challenges. Drinking Water AR mobile application helps user easily locate drinking water sources in Auburn University campus, thus providing easy access to clean water. Sun Path mobile application helps user visualize Sun's path at any given time and location. Students studying the Sun Path in various fields often have difficulty visualizing and conceptualizing it, so the application can help. Similarly, the application could possibly assist the users in efficient solar panel placement. Architects often study Sun path to evaluate solar panel placement at a particular location. An effective solar panel placement helps optimize solar energy cost. Solar System Oculus Quest VR application enables users in viewing the solar system. Planets are simulated to mimic their position, scale and rotation relative to the Sun. Using the Oculus Quest controllers, users can teleport within the world view, and can get closer to each planet and the Sun in order to have a better view of the objects and the text associated with the objects. In a camp held virtually, due to Covid-19, K12 students were introduced to the concept and usability of the applications. Likert scales metric was used to assess the efficacy of application usage. The data shows that participants of this camp benefited from an immersive learning experience that allowed for simulation with inclusion of VR and AR. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2021