ABSTRACT
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic forced educational institutions worldwide to deploy virtual and hybrid classes as a unique option to continue with the teaching-learning process. However, these modalities imply important efforts on the part of teachers, students, and administrative staff to ensure the teaching-learning process quality. Considering the above, this research work carries out a qualitative interdisciplinary analysis using the focus group technique intending to determine the perceptions, challenges, trends, and trade-offs of the virtual and hybrid modalities during and after the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Our analysis involves various disciplines (e.g., pedagogical and andragogical, social-economic, ergonomic, educational technology, and product & service innovation perspectives). As a result, some particular findings of each perspective are shown. The results of this research work can help the body of technical knowledge related to the curricula design at different educational levels to increase the efficiency of hybrid and virtual classes. Finally, this research work has some limitations, therefore the findings presented are suggestive rather than definitive. © 2022 IEEE.
ABSTRACT
The objective of this paper is to report on the preliminary implementation of educational activities and learning modules to improve the curriculum design of an introductory engineering course. The new curriculum, which was strategically designed to empower underrepresented minoritized (URM) students in STEM, incorporates complementary educational activities and academic interventions including 1) the use of EduGuide online coaching platform to equip students to pursue their personal growth goals, and 2) the implementation of professional development workshops to reinforce and influence the academic career decision-making and preparedness of first-year undergraduate students. The proposed curriculum design was applied to two class sections of an introductory engineering course with a total of 53 first-year students during the fall semester of 2020. Virtual teaching and learning environments were required across this institution to comply with the social distancing and lockdown requirements enacted by the federal government in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.. As part of the coaching platform, students in these two classes had access to an online mentoring community of 32 members from academia and industry. The professional development workshops were also provided in a virtual format yet synchronous format to support engagement with the facilitators and among peers. Students were asked to complete an online pre-semester survey, develop feedback essays, and respond to self-reflecting open-ended questions to gather substantial data to assess the impact of the implemented interventions and educational activities. From this study, the new curriculum design showed great potential in encouraging self-empowerment of minority students, which can consequently result in greater rates of persistence, motivation, and academic success. The university provided the required support to create an introductory university course under the Engineering Leadership and Education department to offer the new curriculum design to first-year undergraduate students interested in engineering programs. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2022.
ABSTRACT
This Work-in-Progress paper presents an alternative approach to use social media not only to engage students but also to motivate them academically by showcasing success stories of graduating senior students. The U.S. Department of Education sponsored the Yes She Can program at The University of Texas at El Paso to contribute to the education of women students in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines. The use of social media became a key component of the Yes She Can program, especially during the COVID 19 pandemic. The Yes She Can program has published four types of social media posts, namely: 1) Quote of the week, 2) Announcements of events and opportunities, 3) Stories of famous people, and 4) Student success stories. While the content of the first three social media posts is self-explained, the 'student success stories' posts were generated from information provided by senior students through an online survey, specifically graduating women students. By showcasing 'student success stories' posts during the spring of 2021, our social media disseminated information of 14 internships, 20 scholarships, 23 conferences, 34 student organizations, 16 research programs, and 27 community service opportunities that are available at our university. From this study, the 'student success stories' posts were identified as a promising strategy to not only increase students' engagement but to inspire and motivate younger students to succeed academically in STEM education. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2022
ABSTRACT
COVID-19 vaccination has proven to be effective at preventing symptomatic disease but there are scarce data to fully understand whether vaccinated individuals can still behave as SARS-CoV-2 transmission vectors. Based on viral genome sequencing and detailed epidemiological interviews, we report a nosocomial transmission event involving two vaccinated health care-workers (HCWs) and four patients, one of them with fatal outcome. Strict transmission control measures, as during the prevaccination period, must be kept between HCWs and HCWs-patients in nosocomial settings. IMPORTANCE COVID-19 vaccination has proven to be effective at preventing symptomatic disease. Although some transmission events involving vaccinated cases have also been reported, scarce information is still available to fully understand whether vaccinated individuals may still behave as vectors in SARS-CoV-2 transmission events. Here, we report a SARS-CoV-2 nosocomial transmission event, supported on whole genome sequencing, in early March 2021 involving two vaccinated HCWs and four patients in our institution. Strict transmission control measures between HCWs and HCWs - patients in nosocomial settings must not be relaxed, and should be kept as strictly as during the prevaccination period.
ABSTRACT
The purpose of the study was to reveal a knowledge of the implications assumed by the States in the face of the lack of health policies in Latin America, which become Externalities and Civil Liability, resulting from poor management of COVID-19. MATERIALS AND METHODS:A situational narrative review of qualitative design made it possible to categorize and estimate the references of the open structured and in-depth interviews. For information processing, the Atlas ti9 computer program was used. Analytical Induction and Abduction were used as methods. Analysis: As a technique, the Documentary Analysis was used, as well as the triangulation of interviews applied to experts, which allowed us to know the importance of the regulations that require the State as a guarantor to protect the life and health of people, as an applicator of measures to manage the actions of prevention, control, diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19. Results: The triangulation of the documentary analysis made it possible to synthesize all the information found in the review of documents, authors, and case studies. Conclusion: The conclusions of the study rescue the praiseworthy medical work in times of health emergency, the ethical obligations of health centers towards patients, matters of civil medical liability in the legal context, the principles of responsibility, claims for damages that violate the human right to health, as well as government responsibility for the management of COVID-19 in Latin America. © 2021, MUK Publications and Distribution. All rights reserved.