E-Support for E-Learning: A Tool to Empower Students in Online Courses

E-learning has increased through the years in MLIS programs, a trend that has been intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some students choose to take online classes;others have been required to do so by the pandemic. This raises the question: Are students properly prepared to learn online? For this study, researchers created an E-Learning Guide with resources and tips for e-learning. Several sessions were offered during orientation for incoming graduate students in a Library and Information Science program in the northeast United States. During these sessions, the researchers reviewed the E-Learning Guide. Students were surveyed immediately after the sessions and at the end of the semester to learn what, if any, resources were useful. Based on the results, students appreciated having a synchronous session wherein the researchers reviewed the E-Learning Guide, having specific resources to use for e-learning, and having access to a guide with resources for e-learning.

Mandatory Vaccination of Medical Personnel against Covid-19: European Standards of Its Introduction

Objective: to identify the standards of the European Court of Human Rights on the introduction of mandatory vaccination of medical personnel from COVID-19 in conditions of pandemic. The analysis has been carried out on the Decisions of the European Court of Human Rights as for vaccination matters, which formed the legal position of the Court on its implementation by the State. These decisions were divided into groups according to the conditions in which the European Council launched mandatory vaccination: the situation, which is being ordinary, one (standard vaccination against diseases well known to medical science, where vaccines have been tested and investigated thoroughly). Another one is extraordinary situation within society and state, as well as in the world, for example, COVID-19 pandemic. The standards of the European Court of Human Rights for the introduction of mandatory vaccination of medical personnel against COVID-19 in conditions of pandemic have been identified: these measures must be provided by the State legislation which is to meet quality rule of law criteria;to pursue legitimate goal (protection of the population from COVID-19);to be necessary in democratic society. Mandatory vaccination of healthcare professionals against COVID-19 should be used if the goal of protecting the population from COVID-19 cannot be achieved in other ways. Mandatory vaccination of medical personnel against COVID-19 is not the same as forced vaccination. The medical employee chooses whether to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or not according to his own views, values, no matter how irrational, unreasonable, shortsighted they may be in the opinion of the state and other people. The state does not have the right to use forced vaccination, but may apply the following: a range of measures to clarify, persuade, encourage mandatory vaccination of medical personnel against COVID-19, which may be direct or indirect, but not violent;sanctions for refusal from mandatory vaccination of medical personnel from COVID-19 who have no contraindications (suspension from medical activities, fines, etc.). Conclusions. The data obtained in this way allow us to develop further proposals for improving legal regulation of vaccination in Member States of the Council of Europe and increase the effectiveness of ensuring the rights of medical personnel, reduce tensions within society.Copyright © 2022 Trylyst. All rights reserved.

Effects of twenty-eight months of detraining imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic on the functional fitness of older women experienced in concurrent and functional training.

PURPOSE: To assess the impacts of 28 months of detraining imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic on the functional fitness of older women practicing functional or concurrent training. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A clinical trial was conducted with 16 weeks of intervention and 28 months of detraining imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Ninety-five participants were allocated to functional training (FT - 32), concurrent training (CT - 31), or the control group (CG - 32). All the dependent variables were measured pre-training, post-training, and after the detraining period. The functional fitness was assessed by the put on and take off a t-shirt (PTS - upper limbs), timed up and go (TUG - dynamic balance), five times sit-to-stand (FTSST - lower-limb muscle power), gallon-jug shelf-transfer (GJST - global function), and 10 m walk (W10 m - walking ability) tests. RESULTS: Sixty-three women remained after the detraining period, twenty-four in the FT (66.0 ± 3.8 years), twenty in the CT (65.0 ± 4.3 years), and nineteen in the CG (69.6 ± 5.9 years). Comparing the detraining vs. the pre-intervention, the FT and CT showed a smaller reduction than CG for the PTS (ßFT = -2.296; ßCT = -1.914), timed up and go (ßFT = -0.705; ßCT = -0.600), five times sit-to-stand (ßFT = -1.970; ßCT = -2.970), gallon-jug shelf-transfer (ßFT = -1.512; ßCT = -1.003), without differences in the 10 m walk. Also, the concurrent training showed a smaller reduction than the functional training in the FTSST (ß = 1.000). CONCLUSION: Even after a long detraining period imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, FT and CT practices were effective strategies for maintaining the functional fitness of older women.

Student Outcomes Related to Academic Performance, Motivation, and Mental Health in an Online Materials and Energy Balances Course during the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study evaluates students' outcomes in an online materials and energy balances course during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using multiple linear regression, we found that students' "competence" and "autonomy" beliefs decreased across the semester, with a negative change in competence beliefs predicting higher grades for students, especially women. Also, we used path analysis to model the relationship between "psychological distress," motivation, and final grades. These results give insight into how to support students during difficult circumstances.

Student Agency though Engineering: When Students Are Given Opportunities to Address Problems Important to Them, the Engineering Design Process (EDP) Helps Show the Way

Engineering has led the way in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, including developing masks that reduce transmission, digital tools that allow contact tracing, and vaccines that show promise to put an end to the pandemic and allow a more normal way of life. Society is not only "following the science," but is also applying principles of engineering to human problems to create timely and needed solutions. Teaching principles of engineering in classrooms should involve more than simply working through preconceived design challenges. It should be a way to position students with agency--that is, to offer them a chance to see themselves as capable of solving problems in their homes and communities. In this article, the authors describe a unit that was implemented in second grade to demonstrate how the engineering design process (EDP) afforded agency to one teacher's elementary students (this unit was adapted for use with third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade students as well). The learning experiences allowed students to solve societally relevant problems, especially those they experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. When students selected problems encountered during the pandemic, the teacher did not ask them to find a new, easier, or less contentious problem, instead, she took the opportunity to empower her students to respond to the pandemic in their own ways.

E-Learning and Learner Autonomy in an EFL Class in Vietnam

Learner autonomy has long been a matter of great interest in the world of EFL pedagogy and practice. It is one of the qualities that teachers want to cultivate as they know that developing this core value is synonymous with training an independent, confident, and effective learner. There have been numerous studies on this subject in the educational setting, however, those conducted to examine learners' ability to self-control their learning in the online context are still far from sufficient. This research was conducted with the exploratory survey to examine learner autonomy in EFL classes in Vietnam, where e-learning has recently been made mandatory due to the Covid 19 pandemic. It involved the total participation of 20 teachers and 100 students randomly selected from five Vietnamese tertiary institutions. Results showed a good understanding of the course instructors about the importance of learner autonomy in the online courses and the need to promote it. The students, however, were not well aware of their self-regulated learning tasks. From the study results, we could realize some problems regarding the students' behavior in the virtual learning environment and differences in teachers' and students' perceptions of this notion. The research findings also supported the researcher in making recommendations to motivate self-controlled learners.

EFL University Teachers' Beliefs about Learner Autonomy and the Effect of Online Learning Experience

Learner autonomy (LA) has always been viewed as an essential component of successful language learning. It is one of the factors that contributes to creating a learning community in which learners are capable of developing their knowledge and skills. Since it plays an essential role in language learning process, it can be reflected in both students' and teachers' beliefs as well as practices. Despite its importance, EFL teachers' perceptions are insufficiently explored in the Saudi context. To address this gap, this study deals with teachers' own reflection on how they perceive learner autonomy in Saudi universities and what they do to make their students autonomous learners. It also explores their views about the effect of the online teaching experience during COVID-19 pandemic on LA. To do this, a questionnaire designed by Borg and Al-Busaidi (2012) was used in addition to semi-structured interviews to explore in more detail the teachers' perceptions of LA. The analysis of quantitative and qualitative data showed that teachers hold a variety of perceptions of LA and have highly positive attitudes towards enhancing it. They also believe that it is theoretically desirable to promote LA among EFL students, yet, it is partially attainable in the practical ground. Additionally, the experience of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic and the shift from face-to-face setting have created more opportunities for more practices of LA. Teachers' role cannot be disregarded since they create adequate opportunities for LA development. Although a number of obstacles that would hinder LA can be identified, some solutions can be of great appeal in encouraging LA in EFL contexts.

Aging and Rural Depopulation in Extremadura. Analysis of Loneliness and Access to Services and Resources

The percentage of aging people has not stopped increasing. According to the National Institute of Statistics, in 2068, 29.4% of the population will be over 64 years old. In Extremadura, in 2019, more than 50,000 aging people were living alone. We reviewed a bibliographic review on the existing resources and services in a rural area of Spain. It was base on the promotion of the autonomy of aging people. We pursued to contextualize aging and loneliness in Extremadura and observe whether the portfolio of existing services in the region meets the population needs. Once we break down the portfolio of benefits, it is worth highlighting the heterogeneity of the services offered. We evaluated at requirements of the population of Extremadura too. However, the question is, are the resources accessible to the people living in rural areas? © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Impact of Autonomy Support on the Association between Personal Control, Healthy Behaviors, and Psychological Well-Being among Patients with Hypertension and Cardiovascular Comorbidities.

A sense of control and autonomy are key components in guiding health-related behaviors and quality of life in people with chronic diseases. This study investigated whether autonomy support from health professionals moderates the impact of personal control on psychological well-being through healthy behaviors in patients with hypertension and cardiovascular comorbidities. Data from 149 hypertensive patients with comorbid cardiovascular risk factors were collected via self-administered surveys. A moderated mediation effect of a hypothesized model was analyzed using the PROCESS macro bootstrapping method. Autonomy support from health professionals moderated the relationship between personal control and healthy behaviors (B = 0.16, t = 2.48, p < 0.05), showing that the effect of personal control on healthy behaviors differed by the level of autonomy support. Additionally, autonomy support moderated the mediation effect of healthy behaviors in the relationship between personal control and psychological well-being (Index = 0.15; 95% CI = 0.010, 0.335). The mediation effect existed only in patients with higher autonomy support. The findings demonstrate that autonomy support from health professionals plays a crucial role in reinforcing the positive impact of personal control on healthy behaviors and psychological well-being. Enhancing the supportive attitudes of health professionals that facilitate patients' autonomous self-regulation is necessary for better health outcomes in people with combined cardiovascular diseases.

Psychological Variables Explaining the Students' Self-Perceived Well-Being in University, During the Pandemic.

Introduction: In the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, Romanian universities switched to emergency relocation and online education, with students experiencing a sense of isolation, which affected their well-being, pace and normal learning style, relationships with other colleagues, and Professors. Beyond the technological obstacles that have arisen in learning, the aim of this study is to highlight the psychological variables that are associated and that explain the self-perceived well-being of students, in university, in the pandemic. The psychological variables studied were the following: the level of openness and personal autonomy, as personality traits of students but also the mechanisms for regulating their academic motivation. Method: We used a questionnaire-based survey, wherein all four research instruments had been validated and adapted to the investigated population. The subjects were BA and MA students at the University of Oradea, Romania (N = 150), the majority being females (95.5%) with the age range of 27 years old. Pearson Correlation and Multiple Linear Regression were used to test the two hypotheses. Results: Research data obtained in the correlation analysis, point out association relationships with moderate and high effects size, between positive attitude toward self, others and student life and: openness to learning, openness to aesthetics, behavioral autonomy, cognitive autonomy, intrinsic motivation, and identification motivation. Furthermore, in regression analysis, it was revealed that regarding the variance of results concerning students' self-perceived well-being in university (positive attitude toward oneself, others, and student life), it contributes both of students' personality traits (such as openness and personal autonomy) and their intrinsic motivation and identification motivation. Conclusion: The fundamental conclusion of the research is that, although the personality traits of students explain in a higher percentage the variability of results in students' self-perceived well-being (in terms of positive attitude toward self, others, and student life), motivation regulation mechanisms play an important role, especially in the conditions of online activities. The results have direct implications for the work carried out in universities. The educational policies developed by specialists and government will have to emphasize the ways of forming resilient student communities in periods of sudden transition and adaptation to change which take place in education and society.

Self-Determination Theory for Motivation in Distance Music Education

Many researchers have discussed the feasibility of teaching and learning practical skills, such as playing a musical instrument, through distance education. One of the central issues considered in music education is that of motivation, leading educators to wonder how students might remain motivated when learning music at a distance. In this article, I use self-determination theory (SDT) as a lens for examining existing literature on distance music education to identify elements of learning environments that may contribute to, or detract from, the fulfillment of students' psychological needs. I oriented my reading of the literature toward offering insights on the nature of motivation in online music education and providing educators with tools informed by SDT to maintain and nurture motivation when teaching music online.

NURSES’ PERCEPTION REGARDING THE PROMOTION OF OLDER PEOPLE’S AUTONOMY AT COVID-19: A DESCRIPTIVE CORRELATIONAL STUDY

Objective: To identify and compare the perception of general care nurses and specialist nurses about the development of interventions promoting older people’s autonomy. Method: Descriptive- correlational, cross-sectional study. The Self-Assessment Scale for the Promotion of Older People’s Autonomy was applied to Portuguese nurses in September/October 2020. Results: The sample consisted of 356 nurses, specialists and general practitioners. All nurses had the perception of promoting older people’s autonomy, with less visibility in the development of interventions involving instrumental activities of daily living. Specialist nurses have a perception of more promotion of autonomy to older people through the development of physical and cognitive interventions (p<0.01), of interventions of instrumental activities of daily living (p<0.05), and in the training of the caregiver (p<0.05). Conclusion: This study allowed emphasizing the potential relevance of developing interventions that promote older people’s autonomy, as well as the importance of raising nurses’ awareness to carry them out. © 2021.

Teaching during a Pandemic: Physical Educators' Reflections on Teaching Remotely

This study documents the lessons learned of K-12 physical educators as they shifted from in-person to remote learning in spring 2020, as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Fifteen K-12 physical educators participated in semi-structured interviews, utilizing online virtual meeting software. Questions centered around their processes of, and experiences with remote teaching. A constructivist lens was utilized to analyze participant responses. The need for lesson simplicity and student autonomy were common themes among the participants, as were challenges related to student accountability. Participants also agreed that opportunities for student socialization were difficult to replicate in the online environment. Despite differing approaches to remote teaching in this unique circumstance, several common themes emerged which can be applied in the future to help chart success in online physical education programs.

COVID-19: opportunities for public health ethics?

Public health ethics is the discipline that ensures that public health professionals and policy makers explain what they do, and why. During the COVID-19 pandemic, ethical deliberations often did not feature explicitly in public health decisions, thus reducing transparency and consistency in decision-making processes, and resulting in loss of trust by the general public. A public health ethics framework based on principles would add to transparency and consistency in public health decision-making. A framework of seven principles is presented and illustrated by applying them to vital COVID-19 ethical questions. Next the question of COVID-19 vaccination shows how the principles work in conjunction. In conclusion, embedding explicit ethical analysis in public health work is necessary to be trustworthy and regain trust. Preparedness for future challenges implies making the public health community more 'ethically literate'.

Autonomy in HIV testing: a call for a rethink of personal autonomy in the HIV response in sub-Saharan Africa.

The author reviews various conceptions of autonomy to show that humans are actually not autonomous, strictly speaking. He argues for a need to rethink the personal autonomy approaches to HIV testing in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries. HIV/AIDS has remained a leading cause of disease burden in SSA. It is important to bring this disease burden under control, especially given the availability of current effective antiretroviral regimens in low- and middle-income countries. In most SSA countries the ethic or value of personal autonomy or self-determination is promoted as primary in HIV testing decision-making. SSA policymakers have an ontological and moral duty to adopt HIV testing policies that reflect human and medical realities, relationships, local contexts, and respect human rights for both individuals and others who are affected by HIV in society. Without rethinking the value of autonomy in HIV testing decision-making, the article cautions that attainment of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 and the UNAIDS fast-track strategy that explicitly call to end the epidemic by 2030 will not be feasible for SSA.