The Current State of and Recommendations for Korean Language Education in US K-12 Schools from the Perspective of a World Language Korean Teacher -Based on the Focus Group Interview

Journal of the International Network for Korean Language and Culture 19-3, 161-197. This study aims to understand the current situation of Korean language education in American K-12 schools and to propose future objectives by interviewing World Language Korean Teachers. Focus group interviews were conducted with nine teachers in eight American states, and the findings are as follows: 1) the World Language Korean Teachers have an identity as teachers who teach Korean to achieve the educational goals of American society and local school districts among numerous non-Korean students in K-12 schools in the U.S.;2) Korean language is fiercely competing for survival among World Language subjects, and several variables affect the set up and maintenance of classes, including regional and school specificity, Hallyu, North Korean issues, determination of principals, efforts of local Korean and private organizations, support from the Korean government, and the COVID-19 pandemic;and 3) against this background, Korean language teachers are burdened with not only classes but also curriculum design, instructional design, and educational material development. Based on the above interview results, we propose support at the Korean government level, active participation in local universities, institutions, private organizations, and academic societies in the United States, and close cooperation between the two sides.(Sogang University, Korean Language Foundation Korean Curriculum Development Committee)

Sharing economy during the COVID-19 pandemic-analysis of the semantic field

The observed global crises call into question the existing economic model, the functioning of individual institutions, and the lifestyles of entire societies. These crises do not create new problems and challenges, but reinforce already existing and developing trends. The identification and analysis of long-term, society-wide and economic phenomena called megatrends allows us to define the most significant trends of a global and civilisational nature. Knowledge of them allows enterprises to plan an appropriate strategy of action and design directions for further development. The aim of this article was to identify changes in the behaviour of young people (generation C also known as "digital natives") in the area of the sharing economy during the COVID-19 pandemic. The empirical research used a qualitative approach, using focus group interviews (FGI) as the research method. The collected empirical material was then used in the process of semantic field analysis. The explication of the dependency networks for the emerged keywords made it possible to reconstruct two definitions that clarify how interlocutors perceive the sharing economy phenomenon. The first one, more universal, defined the essence of the phenomenon. However, the second definition referred to a narrower perception of the socio-- economic phenomenon under study, namely sharing economy activity during the pandemic period.

Developing a Simulation Problem based Learning (S-PBL) Module and Its Effectiveness in Respiratory Care

Practice-oriented learning is essential in emergency medical Technician (EMT) education to impart the ability to respond to various emergency situations based on major knowledge. The application of S-PBL in connection with simulation allows the improvement in competencies such as problem-solving strategies, skills, and teamwork by providing realism related to the field situation. This study aimed to design a simulation problem-based learning (S-PBL) module on respiratory care cases, intended to be applied to the curriculum for EMT students, and then the effectiveness of the module within the class was analyzed by focus group interview. The module developed in this study was applied to 16 EMT students in their third year at S University in Chungnam who were enrolled in classes opened for the first semester of 2021. Following implementation of the S-PBL module, an additional focus group interview was conducted with five students. The developed module was configured to directly or indirectly evaluate emergency communication ability, emergency patient assessment ability, advanced treatment ability, as well as communication and collaboration ability, and was evaluated through expert consulting formed by the Institute for Innovative Education of S University.Overall class satisfaction was evaluated as high (4.92 out of 5), and the students were determined to have experienced " needs for modification of learning strategy," "self-efficacy," and "cooperative learning" through the class with the S-PBL module. © 2022,Journal for ReAttach Therapy and Developmental Diversities. All Rights Reserved.

Family members' experiences of COVID-19 visiting restrictions in the intensive care unit-A qualitative study.

OBJECTIVE: To describe how family members of critically ill patients experienced the COVID-19 visiting restrictions in Sweden. BACKGROUND: In Sweden, the response to COVID-19 was less invasive than in many other countries. However, some visiting restrictions were introduced for intensive care units, with local variations. Although there is a growing body of literature regarding healthcare professionals' and family caregivers' perspectives on visiting restriction policies, there may be inter-country differences, which remain to be elucidated. DESIGN: This study has a qualitative descriptive design. Focus group interviews with 14 family members of patients treated for severe COVID-19 infection were conducted. The interviews took place via digital meetings during the months after the patients' hospital discharge. Qualitative content analysis was used to interpret the interview transcripts. Reporting of the study followed the COREQ checklist. RESULTS: Two categories-dealing with uncertainty and being involved at a distance-described family members' experiences of coping with visiting restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. These restrictions were found to reduce family members' ability to cope with the situation. Communication via telephone or video calls to maintain contact was appreciated but could not replace the importance of personal contact. CONCLUSIONS: Family members perceived that the visiting restriction routines in place during the COVID-19 pandemic negatively influenced their ability to cope with the situation and to achieve realistic expectations of the patients' needs when they returned home. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: This study suggests that, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the visiting restrictions were experienced negatively by family members and specific family-centred care guidelines need to be developed for use during crises, including the possibility of regular family visits to the ICU. PATIENT AND PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: None in the conceptualisation or design of the study.

Identification of Factors Necessary for Enabling Technology-Based Dietary Record Surveys: A Qualitative Focus Group Interview with Japanese Dietitians.

Weighed food records together with an in-person interview approach constitute the most basic methods used to estimate energy and nutrient intakes in dietary surveys. In the background of the coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic, the need for non-face-to-face dietary surveys using information and communication technology (ICT) is increasing. We aimed to evaluate ICT-based dietary record surveys and identify factors that may enable this survey method to become more widely used in the future. We conducted a non-face-to-face survey of dietary records of 44 Japanese individuals, maintained by dietitians using dietary photography and video conferencing services. We conducted a focus group interview with the six dietitians who conducted that survey. Their opinions on the factors necessary to popularize ICT-based dietary survey method were analyzed. In the focus group interview, dietitians highlighted fewer restrictions on time and place as positive aspects. Negative aspects included insufficient skills to operate computers, difficulty in hearing, and understanding facial expressions using ICT. We identified three main factors for enabling widespread use of ICT-based dietary record survey: individual skill, device and technology, and social environmental factors. This suggests that a comprehensive approach is necessary for popularizing the use of ICT in dietary surveys.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on young adults' market behaviour in the area of sharing economy

One of the key factors that contributed to the development of the sharing economy was the global recession caused by the economic crisis that began in 2008. The economic collapse forced many consumers, struggling with financial difficulties, to limit or even abandon the consumption of certain goods and services. The consequence of this situation was an increased interest in the sharing economy and, as a result, in many cases no need to give up consumption of preferred goods or services. What is more, consumers could access them at a much lower cost than if they purchased them on their own. It is therefore reasonable to assume that the COVID-19 pandemic, which among other things contributed to social isolation and crisis in selected economic sectors, will have a significant impact on people's behaviour. We can expect, among others, changes in the model of spending leisure time, an increase in the importance of remote customer service channels (e.g. e-commerce, m-commerce), or changes in the approach to sharing economy. The main objective of the article was to define the determinants of the development of sharing economy among young consumers in the period of COVID-19 pandemic. People aged 18-29 (generation C) who are active in the area of sharing economy were surveyed. Focus Group Interviews were used as a research method. The analyses were based on the author's research workshop developed on the basis of methodological literature.

The Opinions of Field Experts on Online Test Applications and Test Security During the COVID-19 pandemic

Within the scope of this study, it was aimed to determine the factors that should be considered regarding the usability and security of online test applications used as an assessment and evaluation tool during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this context, the case study method was used to obtain the opinions of field experts. Furthermore, in this study, using the focus group interview technique as a data collection technique, the criterion sampling method, one of the purposeful sampling methods, was used to determine participants. At this point, it was taken into consideration that the participants were experts in the field of open and distance learning. In this regard, a total of 15 field experts who have experienced online test during the emergency distance education period at Anadolu University, Turkey contributed to the focus group interviews consisting of three groups. The results obtained at the end of the study offer solutions for the usability of online test applications, the use of which has increased with the pandemic process and ensuring the security of these applications.