Exploring Students' Engagement in Distance Learning during the Pandemic of COVID-19: A Correlational Exploratory Design

This study aims to examine the students' level of engagement in distance learning during the pandemic of COVID-19. Among all learning models, students' engagement is considering a challenging factor, however this is particularly true in a remote learning environment. To obtain the research aims, a quantitative method, precisely Correlational Exploratory Design is conducted. Thus, a questionnaire is designed to collect the essential data from students. A total of (359) participants from Taibah University across different departments and programs were participated and completed self-report measures. The questionnaire consists of two main parts: first demographic questions, second different types of engagements (cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and social engagement) in distance learning. Making sense of these variables, enables reconsidering the decision-making regarding improving how distance learning is practiced for more successful and meaningful delivery. The result demonstrated that social engagement domain has been the only indicators of differences between gender in which female were more socially engaged than male, thus enhancing students' social engagement is a critical area to be considered. Moreover, the participants in this study measured cognitive engagement with 'strongly agreed' measure. While behavioral and social engagement were just agreed. However, emotional engagement was reported by them as natural. This finding indicated that the students were ready to shift to distance learning during COVID-19 and they need emotional support during this time. This study suggests recommendations on how to improve students' engagement.

Maternal Mental Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Its Impact on Child Cognitive Development

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on pregnant persons' mental health. Prepandemic data reports an impact of depression, anxiety, and stress on the emotional and behavioral development of the child. Objective(s): We aimed to evaluate the impact of gestational maternal depression, anxiety, and stress during the COVID-19 pandemic on the child's cognitive development at 18 months. Method(s): The CONCEPTION study is a prospective mother-child cohort, established since June 23, 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Depression and anxiety were assessed during pregnancy using validated tools in French and English (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale [EPDS] and General Anxiety Disorder-7 [GAD-7]) as well as stress and antidepressant consumption. The child's cognitive development was reported by the mother using the third edition of Ages and stages questionnaires (ASQ-3) at 18 months of age. Data on other covariates were collected electronically. Multivariate linear regression models were built to assess the association between prenatal maternal depression, anxiety, stress, and child development across domains: communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem solving, and personal-social domains while adjusting for covariates. In addition, sensitivity analyses have been added like COVID-19 diagnosis. Result(s): Overall, 445 mother-child dyads were included in analyses (mean gestational age at delivery 39.2 weeks +/-1.8). Mean gestational scores were, for depression (EDPS, 7.8+/-5.4), anxiety (GAD-7, 4.4+/-4.0), and stress (4.3+/-2.1). Adjusting for potential confounders, as well as for maternal depression and anxiety during pregnancy, maternal prenatal stress was associated with communication skills (adjusted beta = 1.5, CI 95 % (0.34, 2.7)) and fine motor skills (adjusted beta = 1.06, CI 95 % (0.02, 2.6)) at 18 months age. Gestational depression, anxiety, and antidepressants use were not associated with any of the ASQ-3's domains. In addition, no significant association was found in stratified analysis for COVID-19 diagnosis. Conclusion(s): During the COVID-19 pandemic, gestational maternal stress was associated with some aspects of childhood cognitive problems, including communication and fine motor skills. Our results highlight the need to continue following-up on children until kindergarten to better understand the impact of maternal mental health during pregnancy on the child's cognitive development in the era of COVID-19.

"It kinda has like a mind": Children's and parents' beliefs concerning viral disease transmission for COVID-19 and the common cold.

How people reason about disease transmission is central to their commonsense theories, scientific literacy, and adherence to public health guidelines. This study provided an in-depth assessment of U.S. children's (ages 5-12, N = 180) and their parents' (N = 125) understanding of viral transmission of COVID-19 and the common cold, during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The primary aim was to discover children's causal models of viral transmission, by asking them to predict and explain counter-intuitive outcomes (e.g., asymptomatic disease, symptom delay) and processes that cannot be directly observed (e.g., viral replication, how vaccines work). A secondary aim was to explore parental factors that might contribute to children's understanding. Although even the youngest children understood germs as disease-causing and were highly knowledgeable about certain behaviors that transmit or block viral disease (e.g., sneezing, mask-wearing), they generally failed to appreciate the processes that play out over time within the body. Overall, children appeared to rely on two competing mental models of viruses: one in which viruses operate strictly via mechanical processes (movement through space), and one in which viruses are small living creatures, able to grow in size and to move by themselves. These results suggest that distinct causal frameworks co-exist in children's understanding. A challenge for the future is how to teach children about illness as a biological process without also fostering inappropriate animism or anthropomorphism of viruses.

The Contribution of Environmental Science to Mental Health Research: A Scoping Review.

Mental health is influenced by multiple complex and interacting genetic, psychological, social, and environmental factors. As such, developing state-of-the-art mental health knowledge requires collaboration across academic disciplines, including environmental science. To assess the current contribution of environmental science to this field, a scoping review of the literature on environmental influences on mental health (including conditions of cognitive development and decline) was conducted. The review protocol was developed in consultation with experts working across mental health and environmental science. The scoping review included 202 English-language papers, published between 2010 and 2020 (prior to the COVID-19 pandemic), on environmental themes that had not already been the subject of recent systematic reviews; 26 reviews on climate change, flooding, air pollution, and urban green space were additionally considered. Studies largely focused on populations in the USA, China, or Europe and involved limited environmental science input. Environmental science research methods are primarily focused on quantitative approaches utilising secondary datasets or field data. Mental health measurement was dominated by the use of self-report psychometric scales. Measures of environmental states or exposures were often lacking in specificity (e.g., limited to the presence or absence of an environmental state). Based on the scoping review findings and our synthesis of the recent reviews, a research agenda for environmental science's future contribution to mental health scholarship is set out. This includes recommendations to expand the geographical scope and broaden the representation of different environmental science areas, improve measurement of environmental exposure, prioritise experimental and longitudinal research designs, and giving greater consideration to variation between and within communities and the mediating pathways by which environment influences mental health. There is also considerable opportunity to increase interdisciplinarity within the field via the integration of conceptual models, the inclusion of mixed methods and qualitative approaches, as well as further consideration of the socio-political context and the environmental states that can help support good mental health. The findings were used to propose a conceptual model to parse contributions and connections between environmental science and mental health to inform future studies.

SiCenting+: An Information System for Monitoring the Stunted Growth and Nutritional Status of Children in Pandeglang Regency

Stunted growth is a condition in which toddlers are less than their age or height. As a result, non-optimal nutritional needs were satisfied in the first 1000 days of life. A child suffering from stunting has a slower cognitive and physical development than he should. Stunting also decreases productivity and health. This disease has a risk of degenerative diseases such as diabetes. Stunting in children under five requires special attention because it inhibits physical, mental, and cognitive development effects. Stunting at an early age can increase the risk of death, morbidity, and non-optimal posture in adulthood. Stunting prevention requires behavior change in all intervention targets, especially the primary targets, mothers and toddlers. The number of blockages and malnutrition in Indonesia is expected to increase significantly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has made it more challenging to meet children's nutrition during their growth and development. This pandemic has also prevented monitoring activities for the growth and development of children early in life. The monitoring activities are usually implemented at Integrated Healthcare Centers in villages or in Posyandu. If approximately undetectable through weight measures, body length, and head circumference, children can suffer from chronic malnutrition and become inhibited. Therefore, our $SiCenting+Team$ created a Website about Stunting education for the community in Pandeglang Regency. $SiCenting+is$ an application developed for Mothers, Policymakers, and Posyandu. Extensive data was processed to assist stunting screening for use by cadres with family profiles related to specific nutritional factors and sensitive nutrition. Furthermore, villages can use this data to plan the budget for stunting reduction programs at the village level through village deliberations. The $SiCenting+website$ can be opened via a web browser with the following URL address: https://sicenting.id/ © 2022 IEEE.

Servicios de apoyo para la inclusión educativa: Percepción de agentes educativos peruanos

El objetivo del presente artículo es analizar la percepción de los agentes educativos peruanos sobre la asesoría del equipo de los servicios de apoyo educativo para la inclusión de los estudiantes en situación de discapacidad en las instituciones educativas regulares durante el tiempo de pandemia por la COVID-19. El estudio se realizó desde el enfoque mixto;las técnicas de recolección de datos utilizada fueron el análisis documental, la entrevista y la encuesta;participaron docentes, padres y madres de familia y profesionales pertenecientes al equipo de apoyo y asesoramiento. Los principales resultados indican que el equipo de apoyo y asesoramiento para la inclusión gestiona y asesora por diversos medios de comunicación a docentes, directores y padres de familia. Por lo tanto, se promueve que todos los estudiantes en situación de discapacidad, independientemente de su clasificación, sean atendidos para evitar la exclusión educativa y conseguir su desarrollo social, afectivo, emocional y cognitivo.Alternate abstract:The objective of this article is to analyze the perception of Peruvian educational agents about the advice of the educational support services team for the inclusion of students with disabilities in regular educational institutions during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was from the mixed approach;the data collection techniques were documentary analysis, interview and survey;the participants were teachers, parents and professionals who belong to the support and counseling team. The main results indicate that the support and advisory team for inclusion manages and advises teachers, principals, and parents through various means of communication. Therefore, it is promoted that all students with disabilities, regardless of their classification, are cared for avoiding educational exclusion and achieve their social, affective, emotional and cognitive development.Alternate abstract:O objetivo deste artigo é analisar a percepção dos agentes educacionais peruanos sobre o aconselhamento da equipe de serviços de apoio educacional para a inclusão de alunos com deficiência em instituições de ensino regulares durante o período da pandemia de COVID-19. O estudo foi da abordagem mista;as técnicas de coleta de dados foram análise documental, entrevista e pesquisa;os participantes foram professores, pais e profissionais que pertencem à equipe de apoio e aconselhamento. Os principais resultados indicam que a equipe de apoio e assessoria para inclusão gerencia e aconselha professores, diretores e pais por meio de diversos meios de comunicação. Portanto, promove-se que todos os alunos com deficiência, independentemente de sua classificação, sejam cuidados para evitar a exclusão educacional e alcançar seu desenvolvimento social, afetivo, emocional e cognitivo.

Patterns of preschool children's screen time, parent-child interactions, and cognitive development in early childhood: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: The primary objective of this study was to explore the feasibility of a virtual study protocol for a future longitudinal study, including recruitment, study measures, and procedures. The secondary objective was to examine preliminary hypotheses of associations, including 1) the correlations between total duration and patterns of screen time and cognitive development, and 2) the differences in quality of parent-child interactions for two screen-based tasks and a storybook reading task. METHODS: Participants included 44 children aged 3 years and their parents from Edmonton, Alberta and surrounding areas. Children's screen time patterns (i.e., type, device, content, context) were parental-reported using a 2-week online daily diary design. Children's cognitive development (i.e., working memory, inhibitory control, self-control, and language) was measured virtually through a recorded Zoom session. Parent-child interactions during three separate tasks (i.e., video, electronic game, and storybook reading) were also measured virtually through a separate recorded Zoom session (n = 42). The quality of the interactions was determined by the Parent-Child Interaction System (PARCHISY). Descriptive statistics, Intra-class correlations (ICC), Spearman's Rho correlations, and a one-way repeated measures ANOVA with a post-hoc Bonferroni test were conducted. RESULTS: All virtual protocol procedures ran smoothly. Most (70%) participants were recruited from four 1-week directly targeted Facebook ads. High completion rates and high inter-rater reliability in a random sample (Diary: 95% for 13/14 days; Cognitive development: 98% 3/4 tests, ICC > 0.93; Parent-child interactions: 100% for 3 tasks, Weighted Kappa ≥ 0.84) were observed for measures. Across cognitive development outcomes, medium effect sizes were observed for five correlations, with positive correlations observed with certain content (i.e., educational screen time) and negative associations observed for total screen time and certain types (show/movie/video viewing) and contexts (i.e., co-use). Medium and large effect sizes were observed for the differences in parent-child interaction quality between the three tasks. CONCLUSIONS: The virtual study protocol appeared feasible. Preliminary findings suggest it may be important to go beyond total duration and consider type, content, and context when examining the association between screen time and cognitive development. A future longitudinal study using this virtual protocol will be conducted with a larger and more generalizable sample.

A Pedagogy of Slow: Integrating Experiences of Physical and Virtual Gallery Spaces to Foster Critical Engagement in SoTL

This article makes a case for SoTL practitioners to engage in what we term a pedagogy of slow. Here, "slow" connotes with waiting and patience. It takes time to learn and acquire the skills that a SoTL scholar needs. "Doing SoTL" we therefore argue, requires a pedagogy that takes time and sees time as an ally instead of as an opponent. In what the university has become, there seems little room for a pedagogy of slow that both offers and allows for time. In this article we present a case for considering engagement with the visual arts as part of a pedagogy of slow and the development of SoTL. By making the familiar strange, we acknowledge the implications of visual thinking strategies for social engagement by highlighting teaching and learning as relational. Working with colleagues in the context of continuing professional development, we collected data via focus groups and written reflections within physical and virtual gallery spaces to glean insight into participant experiences of slow looking as the antithesis to fast-paced and pressurised environments. We highlight how learning to become a SoTL scholar is an iterative process that requires time and generates what we term "productive friction." This is the iterative process which creates dislocation and uncertainty within participants, but which also has the capacity to nudge towards a transformation of the professional self.

Play and Trauma in Young Children during a Pandemic

Vygotsky (1978) describes play as having three main components, one being the ability for a child to create an imaginary situation, the second taking on and acting out roles, and the third, following a set of rules that were determined by the roles children took on during play during social or group settings. Hence, supporting much needed social skills and processes that foster a positive social development. The ambiguities of play, specifically the intricate functions between what play entails and the aligned developmental outcomes of play, makes defining play challenging. Research has revealed that children who are in isolated environments, with reduced physical contact among peers of their own age, tend to have lower levels of academic achievements, and are more susceptible to long term psychological stress as they get older (Ammermueller, 2012, Lacey, Kumari & Bartley, 2014). Specifically, the trauma of isolation affects both the social and cognitive domains of development among preschoolers. Isolation, also takes a toll on the type of play children can engage in. The lack of play during a pandemic can prevent children from feeling a sense of joy and familiarity. This article describes how play is not just a mechanism for supporting academic achievement in young children, but also a form of supporting emotional survival during a crisis.

The Role of General and Study-Related Intraindividual Factors on Academic Learning Outcomes under COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Analysis

Little is known about the intraindividual dispositional factors related to cognitive, behavioral, and emotional academic learning outcomes under COVID-19. This study investigated (i) the associations of intraindividual factors, some related to studying (motivation to learn, self-regulated learning, and study resilience), others more general (soft skills, intolerance of uncertainty) with three situational academic learning outcomes (general distress, online self-regulated learning, study-related emotions), and (ii) the effect of time, intraindividual factors, online self-regulated learning, and study-related emotions on distress and achievement over the following three exam sessions. A total of 331 university students took part in the study during the first Italian nationwide lockdown (T1, March-May 2020). Of those, 121 also completed at least one follow-up (T2: August 2020, T3: September 2020, T4: February 2021). At T1, study-related dispositions and soft skills were positively associated with online self-regulated learning and study-related emotions, while study-related dispositions were also negatively associated with general distress. Intolerance of uncertainty was associated positively with general distress and negatively with study-related emotions. Longitudinal effects of T2 and T3 for intolerance of uncertainty and study-related emotions were observed for distress, while those for T4 were study-related dispositions for achievement. Nurturing intraindividual factors can help students cope with a prolonged stressful situation such as a pandemic.

Hemimegalencephaly as an incidental finding: Presentation of a case

Hemimegalencephaly is a rare and severe malformation of a cerebral hemisphere whose usual clinical presentation is refractory epilepsy, mental retardation and hemiparesis. This work describes the case of a 51-year-old woman with normal cognitive development, a secondary school teacher with migraines, who consults due to changes in the characteristics of her headache, after a covid infection. In the study by nuclear magnetic resonance (MRI) of the brain, the presence of a hemimegalencephaly is discovered. The objective of this work is to present an asymptomatic patient, in whom an incidental diagnosis of hemimegalencephaly is made. Copyright © 2022 Sociedad Neurologica Argentina

Prevalence of Dysexecutive Symptoms in High School Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This is an observational cross-sectional study designed to ascertain the prevalence and severity of dysexecutive symptoms in high school students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The validated Spanish version of the Dysexecutive Questionnaire (DEX) was used. A total of 2396 participants aged 14-22 years were included. Our sample yielded a mean DEX scale score of 28.14 ± 17.42. By the DEX classification, 889 (37.1%) students achieved optimal scores, 384 (16%) reported mild dysexecutive symptoms, 316 (13.2%) reported moderate dysexecutive symptoms, and 807 (33.7%) reported strong dysexecutive symptoms. We found a significant difference between those with and those without employed mothers, with the former scoring higher (p = 0.004), the same as those with both parents employed (p = 0.004). Adolescents face emotional susceptibility and changes in their family, social, and educational environment related to isolation, resulting in altered emotional responses and social interaction.

Impact of a comprehensive musicianship through performance program on an international school band during COVID-19

The threats of the COVID-19 pandemic in January 2020 resulted in schools moving to online learning and impacted programs with cocurricular activities, especially band programs. Student retention, low enrollment, loss of interest, and lower motivation became liabilities for band programs during the pandemic. Therefore, having an engaging online band program is crucial to continue effective music learning and maintain a high standard of band instruction. The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of a Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance (CMP) program on an international school band during COVID-19. Forty-six participants ages 13-16 were recruited from the senior band through convenience sampling. Surveys were conducted in two phases using close-ended questions. The close-ended questions employed a 10-point Likert-type scale. Participants completed the survey for phase 1 before implementing the CMP program and completed the survey for phase 2 after participating in the CMP program. Both surveys were administered through Google Forms and WhatsApp. The findings of this research may assist the improvement and function of remote band instruction. In addition, this research considers the implications of remote learning on affective, cognitive, and psychomotor skills development while enhancing student engagement and developing a positive attitude towards remote music instruction methods. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

COVID information and masking behaviors in U.S. adolescents: Findings from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study.

Adolescents are particularly vulnerable to health misinformation and are at risk for suboptimal adherence to protective health behaviors in the COVID-19 pandemic. Guided by factors consistent with the theories of planned behavior and rumor transmission, this study sought to analyze the impact of multiple information sources, including social media, television media, internet and parental counseling, on masking behaviors in adolescents. Responses from the December 2020 COVID-19 survey, representing 4,106 U.S. adolescents ages 12-14 from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study (ABCD) were analyzed. The majority of parents (61.1%) reported counseling their children on the importance of wearing masks all the time in the past week. A minority of adolescents reported more than one hour of daily exposure to COVID-19 related information on social media (9.1%), the internet (4.3%) and television (10.2%). In unadjusted and adjusted models, greater frequency of parental counseling and exposure to COVID-19 television or social media were associated with 'always masking' behaviors. Our findings provide support for the importance of parent counseling and suggest that socialmedia and television may overall support rather than dissuade protective COVID-19 health behaviors in adolescents.

Impact of Pandemic on Learning among Primary School Children

School is the place where a student learns not only language, maths or science, but also value, righteous behaviour, discipline and self-control. When a child sits in the class for 30-40 minutes, he/she learns to delay the gratification of physiological needs and thereby to control the psychological tensions. They also learn societal norms and appropriate social behaviour they learn concepts by interacting with teachers and peer group. During pandemic the children missed out all these interactions. Hence the present study aimed at identifying the impact of pandemic in learning process. Qualitative research design was used in this present study. Children in the age group of 5 to 7 are the sample. Using purposive sampling technique, parents and teachers 15 each was selected and in-depth interview was conducted to elucidate the impact created by pandemic on learning. Thematic analysis of the information collected was analysed and interpreted into major categories as emotional, social, academic and non-academic. It was found that pandemic had resulted in tremendous change in the behavioural pattern of the children, their attention span was reduced, and most of the children had problem in reading and writing in their mother tongue. However, they are excited about going to school as they like to be with their friends. Children developed more interest in extra-curricular activities like drawing, singing and dancing than academics. The present study implied the importance of parent's role in bringing self-control and the need for training the teachers to handle the online classes more effectively.

Does Food Insecurity in Early Life Make People More Depressed?—Evidence from CHARLS

Based on the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) data, this paper estimates the long-term association between food insecurity and later adult health and health behaviors with the Probit model. The results show that food insecurity in early life significantly increases adults’ depression likelihood (measured by the CES-D scale). The food insecurity experience is also negatively and significantly associated with individual self-rated health status, memory, sleep quality, and life satisfaction. The negative association between food insecurity and cognitive ability and sleep hours is larger for females.

SCREEN TIME AND SLEEP IN YOUNG ADOLESCENTS BEFORE AND ACROSS THE FIRST YEAR OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with profound biopsychosocial changes for children, potentially affecting their health and wellbeing. Among these changes are altered sleep patterns and screen time use, however, no work has examined interactions between these two behaviors in the context of the pandemic. Here, we used longitudinal data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study® to investigate changes in both sleep and screen time, and their relationship, from before and across the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in young adolescents. Methods: More than 5000 adolescents (11-14 years;48% girls) completed digital surveys about their sleep and daily screen time use before the pandemic and across six timepoints during 2020- 2021, as part of the ongoing ABCD Study®. Random intercept linear mixed effect models (LMMs) were used to examine longitudinal associations between bedtime, wake-up time, and daily screen time use (social media, gaming), considering age, sex, and school effects. Results: Adolescents' wake up time was delayed (R2 = 0.51;~1.5 hour) during May-August 2020 relative to the pre-pandemic assessment (p<0.01), which was partially related to the summer break (p<0.01), before advancing to earlier times in October 2020. Bedtimes also delayed at all pandemic assessments (R2=0.62;~1 hour), even after starting the new school year (p<0.01), particularly in older adolescents (p<0.01) and girls (p<0.01). Recreational screen time was dramatically higher across the first year of the pandemic, relative to pre-pandemic (p<0.01;~45min social media, ~20min video gaming). More time spent with screen related activities was associated with later bedtimes and wake up times (p<0.01), across the pandemic, with effects being evident in male and female adolescents. Conclusion: Our findings show profound changes in sleep timing and screen time use across the pandemic in young adolescents, and critically, that excessive screen time negatively impacts sleep. As adolescents increasingly turn to more screen usage, these data highlight the need to promote their balanced and informed use of social media platforms, video games, and other digital technology to ensure adequate opportunity to sleep and maintain other healthy behaviors during this critical period of developmental change.

COVID-19 Outbreak, State of a Questionable Dilemma, or a Learning Escape: Second Language Acquisition Within Virtual Learning and Social Contact

Digital learning, social contact and COVID-19 outbreak are three different phrases have been often heard, read or spoken about since 2020. Undoubtedly, these phrases have brought fear of uncertainty, but also hope to find a new perspective to keep life matters on-going including learning in general, and language acquisition in particular. In order to find the impact of virtual learning and social contact on second language acquisition, a total of 389 second language university students have either online surveyed or been interviewed to validate the results and avoid any misleading. After analyzing the data, results revealed that virtual learning has given the learner a chance to develop understanding of different aspects of learning a second language. Flexibility, free-learning, and richness of knowledge source are positive aspects of virtual learning. Likewise, social contact has an essential role in deepen the understanding of contextual use, semantics and lexis, and other aspects of second language acquisition. Interestingly, both social and virtual aspects of learning motivate the learner to reach language mastery. Therefore, the findings urge the use of virtual learning regarding social contact in developing linguistic skills in second language acquisition. Further insights are recommended to enrich the future research in this topic.

Deep Meaningful Learning

DefinitionDeep meaningful learning is the higher-order thinking and development through manifold active intellectual engagement aiming at meaning construction through pattern recognition and concept association. It includes inquiry, critical thinking, creative thinking, problem-solving, and metacognitive skills. It is a theory with a long academic record that can accommodate the demand for excellence in teaching and learning at all levels of education. Its achievement is verified through knowledge application in authentic contexts.