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Sustainable agriculture is urgently needed to promote conservation and sustainable resources use in an equitable manner through integrated management of land, water, energy and biodiversity. In this way, education in agriculture emerges as a crucial tool for preparing agricultural technicians, researchers and farmers for productive contributions. Higher education institutions arise with an important mission of education in the context of social transformation and to integrate sustainable development into the educational system as a scientific subject. The aim of this study was to identify the training and learning needs to be included in a MSc program in sustainable agriculture. It was based on a questionnaire prepared and distributed to academics' experts in Agrarian Sciences in Greece, Italy and Portugal. Technologies, legislation, management and business, local community leadership and marketing were the training needs considered very important expertise's in sustainable agriculture. Traditional face-to-face learning, experienced farmers as mentors and knowledge sharing mechanisms were rated as very applicable and important. Due to COVID-19 pandemic, online learning methods, which were not considered suitable for a MSc program in sustainable agriculture, became important by providing online education. Information and communication technology and technological tools showed to be important skills for sustainable agricultural practices to effectively implement online learning and to improve the efficient access, exposure and use of up-to-date information of the agricultural sector and awareness of sustainable agricultural practices.
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This special issue includes 18 manuscripts on COVID-19, which deal with general epidemiology, effects on socioeconomic or educational areas, and clinical medicine, including vaccines and medical treatments.
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Background: There is a consensus that children's needs have not been sufficiently prioritized during the COVID-19 pandemic, and their right to a safe and healthy childhood has been compromised to an extent, worldwide. A comprehensive assessment of population- and individual-level changes associated with COVID-19 and its pandemic response measures could be undertaken using the human exposome concept. The exposome is defined as the totality of environmental exposures from conception onwards, including the endogenous response. The objective of this study was to conduct a narrative review using an exposome approach exploring short-term changes in the children's exposome profile (< 18 years old) associated with the COVID-19 measures implemented in the Eastern Mediterranean region (EMR).
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Background: Divorce is the most important factor in family disintegration. This study aimed to assess the perspectives of Tehran residents aged over 20 years on women's social exclusion after divorce and its related factors.
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This study aims to analyze the status of distance learning in higher education and explore the effects of learning engagement and self-directed learning readiness among variables related to learners on academic performance and course satisfaction in distance learning. It seeks to provide a baseline for other studies to develop strategies for quality online courses in preparation for a prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. An online survey was conducted on 708 students from a four-year University E located in Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do. Each student completed a self-administered questionnaire on a web page, which was created for the survey. The survey used a multiple regression analysis, with the independent variables being student engagement and self-directed learning readiness. With the aim of explaining academic performance and satisfaction for distance learning, the study also adopted a stepwise selection method to select the independent variables. It was found that learner engagement has a greater influence on academic performance than self-directed learning readiness among the independent variables. Additionally, it was found that learners' self-directed readiness did not impact course satisfaction;only learner engagement influenced student satisfaction for online courses. In conclusion, the survey showed that learner engagement and self-directed learning readiness are significant predictor variables of academic performance in online courses. It also found that learner engagement is a significant predictor variable of student satisfaction with online courses. In other words, teaching strategies are important for the promotion of student engagement to improve academic performance and student satisfaction in distance learning.
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Background: Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) had been creating health screening system as health promoting university (HPU) program. The Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) was improve the potentially risk among health screening system officer. This study was aimed to explore the safety behavior of the health screening system officer during pandemic in UGM. Method: Qualitative study had been done in UGM Yogyakarta. This study was carried out in April - June 2021. In-depth interview and observation had performed to collect data. The research subject were health screening system officer and the leader of HPU in the faculty setting. Data was analyzed by using Open Code 4.02 software. Trust-worthiness was carried out by using triangulation and peer debriefing. Result: Five of 18 faculties had applied health screening system structurally. The infrastructure, officers' recruitment system, and activities were varied among faculty. During the pandemic, officer should be involved in the preventing and controlling COVID-19 in their faculty. Meanwhile, the health screening system had been conducting in different setting by considering the safety principles. In addition, officers expressed their need to improve their capacity for conducting regular activities.