ABSTRACT
This article highlights instructional experiences from various disciplines at SHSU during the COVID-19 pandemic. The serious global health threat has hit us hard, posing enormous challenges to the educators who had to switch to virtual and hybrid modes of instruction through major modifications of teaching methodologies, lab strategies, and even grading criteria. The authors of this paper participated in a series of roundtable discussions to share their course delivery experiences during the pandemic. We attempt to share our key findings, which may benefit other educators and help them adopt alternative instructional approaches in other institutions. Instructional challenges in a wide variety of courses such as Digital Electronics, Industrial Robotics, Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), Software Engineering, System Modeling, Epidemiology, Human Diseases, Environmental Health, and Intermediate Business Analysis were mitigated using alternative or modified approaches. Hands-on and in-person learning activities (e.g., laboratory experiments and data analysis) were substituted by innovative strategies such as online exercises via simulation, statistical software, enhanced use of audiovisual tools, and synchronous and asynchronous online instructions. Instructors also reported more frequent troubleshooting experience while using blended formats of instruction. Several other sociocultural barriers of effective teaching were also noted. While individuals with children struggled to cope up due to school and daycare closures, individuals living alone struggled with depression and anxiety due to limited in-person interactions amid widespread stay-at-home order. The struggle was exacerbated for students who were tested coronavirus positive or caregivers for immediate family members. The pandemic also had a major psychosocial impact on individuals in academia who lost their loved ones or became unemployed. In a nutshell, both students and instructors were not able to perform their academic responsibilities effectively and had to sacrifice learning goals to some extent. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2021
ABSTRACT
Objective: The objective of the study was to determine the knowledge, attitude and practices of surgical interns, residents and surgeons in the time of COVID-19. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on surgical interns, trainees, registrar and consult-ants working in public and private sector tertiary care hospitals of Karachi. Non-Convenience sampling technique is used. A total of 184 patients were included. The study was performed on assessing patients' demographics, basic knowledge and awareness of COVID 19 and individuals' practices toward COVID 19 in their professional routines. Data were stored and analyzed using IBM-SPSS version 23.0. Pearson Chi Square test was used to test the association outcomes, awareness and attitude items on COVID-19 between private and public sector hospitals. P-values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant Results: The study comprised a total of 184 participants. Mostly from public 115(63%) rest 69(37%) belonged private sector hospitals. Most respondents 122(66.3%) were aware of COVID 19 incubation, symptoms and the detection of patients at risk and modalities of transmission in operating rooms. Results showed among public vs Private sector hospitals (81.7% / 68.1%) were treating corona virus, there were (35.7% / 46.3%) screening and admitted the cases, (56.5% / 62.4) tentative numbers of COVID-19 cases reported range from 0-25, (40.9%/11.6%) surgeons were assigned additional duties for COVID-19 by hospital management found statistically significant with "p<0.01". Conclusion: It is concluded after this study that the surgeons in Pakistan are well aware of the situation, have adequate knowledge of the risk factors and symptoms of COVID-19. But statistically, probably because of limited resources and work load, there is a substantial gap in practices between public and private sector surgeons. There is also a dire need to develop local guidelines related to preventive measures in our health care systems according to our demands and supply.
ABSTRACT
We conducted a cross-sectional study to investigate the association between household food insecurity (HFI) and prevalence of underweight, stunting, diarrhea and respiratory illness (RI) in school-age children in New Delhi, India. Mothers of 191 children aged 8-12 years were interviewed to collect HFI data using the Food Insecurity Experience Scale. Moderate-severe HFI was identified in 43.6% of the households. The odds for diarrhea, RI and stunting were increased by 4.7, 3.3 and 2.3 times respectively in food insecure children than food secure counterparts. HFI was not associated with underweight. There is an urgent need for effective strategies to mitigate HFI.