Getting Students to (and Through) Advanced Math: Where Course Offerings and Content Are Not Adding Up. American Educator Panels. Research Report. RR-A827-10

This report uses Spring 2022 data from nationally representative surveys of principals and math teachers in kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) to explore students' opportunities to prepare for and take advanced math. The authors found that small high schools, high schools in rural areas, and high schools that predominantly serve students from historically marginalized communities tend to offer fewer advanced math courses (e.g., precalculus, Advanced Placement math courses) and that uneven access to advanced math begins in middle school. K-12 teachers who work in schools that predominately serve students living in poverty are more likely to report skipping standards-aligned content and replacing the skipped content with concepts from previous grade levels. Also, more than half of K-12 math teachers said they need additional support for delivering high-quality math instruction, especially teachers who work in schools that serve predominantly high-poverty students. In the wake of the disproportionate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on students living in poverty and students of color, these results highlight a critical need for resources to support teachers and to increase student access to advanced courses. [For technical information about the surveys and analysis in this report, see "Learn Together Surveys. 2022 Technical Documentation and Survey Results. Research Report. RR-A827-9" (ED626092).]

Opportunities for K-8 Students to Learn Statistics Created by States' Standards in the United States

Statistical literacy is key in this heavily polarized information age for an informed and critical citizenry to make sense of arguments in the media and society. The responsibility of developing statistical literacy is often left to the K-12 mathematics curriculum. In this article, we discuss our investigation of K-8 students' current opportunities to learn statistics created by state mathematics standards. We analyze the standards for alignment to the Guidelines for the Assessment and Instruction in Statistics Education (GAISE II) PreK-12 report and summarize the conceptual themes that emerged. We found that while states provide K-8 students opportunities to analyze and interpret data, they do not offer many opportunities for students to engage in formulating questions and collecting/considering data. We discuss the implications of the findings for policy makers and researchers and provide recommendations for policy makers and standards writers.

Social insecurity and varieties of family resilience strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic

PurposeThis study is aimed at developing an understanding of the consequences of the pandemic on families' socioeconomic resilience, and the strategies adopted by the families in overcoming social vulnerabilities amid uncertainty.Design/methodology/approachThe materials for this study consist of semi-structured interviews with 21 families spread across the South Sumatra Province, Indonesia. Families in the study represent four different income levels, namely very high, high, middle and low, and who also work in the informal sector. Each family has at least 1 or more members who fall into the vulnerable category (children, the elderly, people with disabilities unemployed or having potential economic vulnerability).FindingsTwo main findings are outlined. Regardless of their socioeconomic status, many of the families analyzed adopted similar strategies to remain resilient. Among the strategies are classifying the urgency of purchasing consumer goods based on financial capacity rather than needs, leveraging digital economic opportunities as alternative sources of income, utilizing more extensive informal networks and going into debt. Another interesting finding shows that the pandemic, to some extent, has saved poor families from social insecurity. This is supported by evidence showing that social distancing measures during the pandemic have reduced the intensity of sociocultural activities, which require invited community members to contribute financially. The reduction of sociocultural activities in the community has provided more potential savings for the poor.Research limitations/implicationsIn this study, informants who provided information about their family conditions represent a major segment of the workforce and tend to be technologically savvy and younger, due to the use of Zoom as a platform for conducting interviews. Therefore, there may be a bias in the results. Another limitation is that since the interviewees were recommended by our social network in the fields, there is a risk of a distorted selection of participants.Originality/valueThis study offers insights that are critical in helping to analyze family patterns in developing countries in mitigating the risks and uncertainties caused by COVID-19. In addition, the literature on social policy and development could benefit from further research on COVID-19 as an alternative driver to identify mechanisms that could bring about change that would result in "security.” Critical questions and limitations of this study are presented at the end of the paper to be responded to as future research agenda.

CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN BEEKEEPING AND HONEY PRODUCTION DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC – A SHORT REVIEW

Honey bees in beekeeping are commonly involved in honey production and as planned pollinators worldwide. However, at the beginning of the covid-19 pandemic, the hardworking little creatures suffered many difficulties. The entire supply chain was blocked. Consequently, the challenges directly affected honey and crop production worldwide. The pandemic issues like travel restrictions and limited access to apiaries had a detrimental influence on beekeepers' activity. Earlier sales decline during the crisis had an economic impact, with some beneficial impacts, like a rise in demand for health-related goods. However, the challenges come with opportunities, which lead to a pointy surge in demand for honey which paved the way for many women entrepreneurs as beekeepers to meet the local demands, which helps the rural economy to be sustained. Another intriguing benefit is that a drastic drop in pollution helped bees get back to their normal routine, which led to a drastic increase in honey production during the pandemic as opposed to what they experienced in normal times. This article briefly outlines such challenges faced by the beekeepers and the honey producers and also focuses on the new opportunities that rendered many values to the producers during the pandemic © Penerbit UMT

Challenges in the manufacture, storage, distribution and regulation of traditional and novel vaccines

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a significant surge in interest of COVID-19 vaccines in particular, and other traditional vaccines in general. This strong interest is expected to continue as the industry strives to manufacture safer and more effi cacious vaccines against COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. Vaccines are a unique class of products, being biologicals that are administered to healthy individuals to prevent diseases. The equitable distribution and availability of safe, efficacious and good quality vaccines are of utmost importance in preventing and controlling infections and safeguarding public health. The continued existence of poor- quality vaccines suggests a lack of control of manufacturing, storage, distribution, and possibly, their associated regulation. Nonetheless, all these situations - whether positive or negative, present opportunities for improvements. As regulatory authorities step up efforts in regulating existing traditional vaccines, advancements in vaccine research and development churn out novel vaccines that pose further manufacturing and regulatory challenges. This manuscript provides an overview of vaccines, both traditional and novel, and strives to identify challenges in the manufacture, storage, distribution, handling and their associated regulation. It also evaluates whether current regulatory frameworks are adequate, and where applicable, recommends areas for improvements. International harmonization and convergence of national regulatory framework with the view to facilitate quicker approval of safe, efficacious and good quality vaccines, that are accessible and affordable to patients worldwide, are also explored.

Individual differences in patterns of developmental opportunity and constraint during covid-19: Implications for longitudinal well-being

Individual differences in sociodemographic characteristics and trait-like perceptions of opportunities and constraints may shape how people respond to adversities such as the COVID-19 pandemic. However, little is known about how these factors combine to form multifaceted profiles of developmental opportunity and constraint or the implications of such profiles for longitudinal well-being following major life stressors. Using 1-year data from a national sample of U.S. adults (n = 293), we identified profiles based on relevant sociodemographic characteristics (age, socioeconomic status, chronic conditions, functional status) and trait-like perceptions of opportunity and constraints (perceived mastery, perceived constraints). Results of latent profile analyses showed that three common profiles emerged at pandemic onset (veridical opportunity, perceived constraints, perceived opportunity). Subsequent latent growth models showed that, despite reporting more sociodemographic constraints, the perceived opportunity profile exhibited better 1-year emotional well-being (positive and negative affect) during the pandemic than the perceived constraints profile. Findings advance the literature by identifying multifaceted individual differences in profiles of developmental opportunity and constraint and by showing these profiles have consequences for longitudinal well-being following the pandemic onset. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Emergency Blended Synchronous Learning Model during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Analysis

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted various aspects of our lives causing economic, social and psychological challenges all around the world. A sector that immediately responded to this unprecedented change was education, which migrated to online platforms. This study explored the attitudes, perceptions, and experiences of a group of students participating in an emergency blended synchronous learning model during the pandemic in Northern Cyprus. The study adopted a qualitative study by surveying a group of 68 undergraduate students' experiences through analysing their reflective accounts regarding the instructional mode of education that they received over the fall academic semester in 2020. The results of the study indicated that the new mode of instruction adopted in the context of the study not only presented technological, social, and psychological challenges for the students but also provided them with various learning opportunities and options during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings of the study offer some implications for the use of technology in education in general and language teaching in particular. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Africa Education Review is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Citizen Science for Deep Ocean Biodiversity: A Crowdsourcing Tool in Support of Conservation

Scientific knowledge plays an important role in providing ecosystem services. However, knowledege from the vast deep ocean is less understood and poses challenges to scientists defying the engagement of participatory science that has proven valuable in other disciplines where biodiversity observing and monitoring have had more tradition. Cabled ocean observatories and telepresence offer an opportunity for collecting data through citizen science and crowdsourcing in the next decades. Science and decision-making will be benefited with the early involvement of citizens and increasing the knowledge for conservation and restoration actions. The "Morphotype Atlas of the Abyssal Megafauna in the Revillagigedo Archipelago in the Eastern Tropical Pacific” is an educational initiative based on volunteer work for the identification of seafloor habitats and taxonomic diversity. It offers student training using as an example of a deep ocean national park in Mexico and uses materials obtained from the live video recording from remotely operated vehicle (ROV) cameras in a collaborative cruise with the Ocean Exploration Trust. The possibilities to explore the deep ocean biodiversity were unique to numerous students during the COVID-19 restriction. This volunteer work inspires amateurs, generates new knowledge, connects participants, and increases their literacy of the deep ocean, whose study is limited due to its remoteness and costly accessibility. Among the challenges to overcome for crowdsourcing is the complex identification of deep ocean organisms. "Immersive virtual reality, " a tool that facilitates understanding through a virtual spatial presence, is being explored in a collaborative effort with the National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (CONABIO) to virtually represent the deep protected areas in Mexico. Comments on the opportunities and challenges that citizen science can bring in the next decade are presented. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023.

Social and Educational Challenges for Primary Education in Spain in the Sdgs

The main objective of this article is to show the challenges faced by primary schools in Spain, included in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and in the post-covid era. Challenges that range from the training and preparation of teachers in digital skills to the availability of digital resources in schools and in the homes where primary school students spend their lives, as well as additional specific digital training for mothers-fathers and for the students themselves. The objective is to generalize the familiarity of students, mothers-fathers, and teachers with digital devices and with the telematic learning model, not as a substitute for face-to-face teaching, but as training support for face-to-face teaching. The data we use comes from the TIMSS 2019 Report microdata file, published by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement OEA) in December 2020, with a sample for Spain of 501 primary schools and 9,555 students. This database allows us to contextualize the digital capacities of schools, teachers, and students (with answers from families) of primary education in Spain, just before the pandemic, and, with it, show the challenges that face in its future, in accordance with the SDGs.

Retaining remote teaching and assessment methods in accounting education: Drivers and challenges in the post-pandemic era

Despite the availability of studies on teaching and assessment during the pandemic, little is known about the factors that contribute to their retention in the post-pandemic era. This study aims to address this gap by examining the reasons for retaining remote methods and the challenges of maintaining them. Using a case study approach, data were collected through eleven interviews and document analysis of the first and leading academic accounting degree program in Sri Lanka. Isomorphic pressures and PEST factors were used to analyze the drivers for retention and the challenges, respectively. The study finds that coercive pressures dominate in Sri Lanka for the retention of remote teaching and assessment methods, driven by government policies and the country's economic crisis. However, mimetic and normative forces also reinforce these methods, driven by peer pressure and the desire to keep up with global trends. Conversely, political, economic, social, and technological factors impede the retention of remote learning and assessment methods, acting as a powerful force that drives back these remote methods to pre-pandemic practices. Hence, educational policymakers must allocate adequate funds and enhance infrastructure for remote education. We urge educators to gain more knowledge and skills in remote teaching and assessment methods, and learners to demonstrate responsibility, organization, and commitment towards the benefits of remote education.

Generating students' loyalty towards the sustainable university during the later COVID-19 pandemic

PurposeThe COVID-19 pandemic has brought tremendous changes in society. Universities were among the few organisations with some previous knowledge of online education, being able to rapidly adapt by transferring already known best practices to the new context. As teaching moved to online, students encountered less sustainable implementation by their universities. This allowed the development of previously planned sustainable strategies so that when face-to-face teaching resumed, universities could be even more sustainable. This paper aims to explore loyalty to the sustainable university during the later COVID-19 pandemic based on the university's efforts to manage a green campus. Design/methodology/approachTo investigate loyalty towards the sustainable university during the later COVID-19 pandemic, a conceptual model is proposed. This research is grounded in an empirical investigation using a quantitative online survey implemented with online interviews, the relations between all latent constructs being analysed with SmartPLS. FindingsThe results show that university sustainability reflects student loyalty, outlining the image developed under the influence of green campus management. The results show that universities must intensify their efforts to support the sustainable agenda and create a sustainable academic brand, inducing student loyalty. The findings may attract the attention of other universities wishing to gain knowledge about the factors that students consider important in generating their loyalty. Research limitations/implicationsAs this research was carried out in the later COVID-19 pandemic context from 2021, the students already had experience of online teaching, so their assessment of the sustainability strategies implemented could be quite different from their perceptions in the first months of the pandemic. This research provides a comprehensive insight into the overall strategy that a sustainable university might apply in a crisis context. Social implicationsResearch has shown that green campus management has a positive impact on the sustainability of a university's image, on how students perceive the university at which they study and on the university's efforts to ensure efficient campus management. These factors contribute to the development of a strong and sustainable image of the university within the community. Originality/valueThe originality of this paper lies in the research questions designed to conceptualise and operationalise the generation of students' loyalty towards their university by encouraging and implementing sustainable strategies on campus. This paper highlights a structural model that combines strategic practices to determine students' loyalty towards a sustainable university during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 Pandemic and Its Influence on Coworking Spaces in Slovakia: West–East Division

Operation of the coworking spaces (CSs) all over the world was strongly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including those in Slovakia. The capital city's CSs and coworking spaces localised in non-metropolitan eastern part confirmed decline in co-worker presence that have also influenced financial aspect of the coworking spaces stability and resilience. Even though there have been several possibilities of national and local grants from public authorities, this support was not widely used and no CSs decided to contact the owners of premises in order to get rent deferrals and/or rent discounts. The pandemic also caused switch of physical events into online activities and activate those spaces located in the eastern part of the country as the number of the events in these spaces overall increased. Even the community spirit inside the CSs transformed to community events decreased due to the adaptation of government measures, cooperation outside individual CSs have strengthen and lead to establishing of formalised coworking association in Slovakia. In spite of the difficult situation the CSs have to face, many of them realised the need of adaptation and invested in ICT devices, change of already not sufficient marketing strategies but also see business opportunities as several new coworking spaces have started to operate. All these aspects point at the fact that flexible work arrangement coworking spaces offer could help to solve global economic crisis. © 2023, The Author(s).

Uncovering the Filipino mothers' experiences in teaching young children during uncertain times through reflexive thematic analysis

The present study examined the preparations made by 14 mothers to ensure that their children's education was unhampered during the COVID-19 crisis and ready for face-to-face classes when permitted. The study used a reflexive thematic analysis of the face-to-face interviews with participants belonging to low-income families living in the central Philippines whose children used printed modules as teaching materials provided by the school. The study generated three themes: "realizing the gaps” (realizing that in-person campus-based instruction is better because distant learning is not effective);"filling in the gaps” (taking the lead in teaching the child at home and assisted by family and community members) and "getting back on track” (preparing children for face-to-face classes against the COVID-19). The study showed how Filipino parents particularly mothers kept their children in school despite pandemic-induced uncertainties, economic scarcities and social inequalities. The desire driven by the perceived benefits derived from education brought out the pathways to resourcefulness. This study draws attention to equal opportunities for learning across socio-economic statuses and a more inclusive delivery of instruction during a crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic. © 2023 by the authors;licensee Asian Online Journal Publishing Group.

Physical to virtual: challenges and opportunities for a neighbourhood-based employment support initiative

PurposeThis paper aims to explore challenges and opportunities of shifting from physical to virtual employment support delivery prompted by the Covid-19 pandemic. It investigates associated changes in the nature and balance of support and implications for beneficiary engagement with programmes and job search.Design/methodology/approachThe study draws on longitudinal interviews conducted with beneficiaries and delivery providers from a neighbourhood-based employment support initiative in an English region with a strong manufacturing heritage between 2019 and 2021. The initiative established prior to the Covid-19 pandemic involved a strong physical presence locally but switched to virtual delivery during Covid-19 lockdowns.FindingsMoving long-term to an entirely virtual model would likely benefit some beneficiaries closer to or already in employment. Conversely, others, particularly lone parents, those further from employment, some older people and those without computer/Internet access and/or digital skills are likely to struggle to navigate virtual systems. The study emphasises the importance of blending the benefits of virtual delivery with aspects of place-based physical support.Originality/valuePrevious studies of neighbourhood-based employment policies indicate the benefits of localised face-to-face support for transforming communities. These were conducted prior to the Covid-19 pandemic and the more widespread growth of virtual employment support. This study fills a gap regarding understanding the challenges and opportunities for different groups of beneficiaries when opportunities for physical encounters decline abruptly and support moves virtually.

Opportunities And Threats In Digital Education

COVID-19 pandemic has caused havoc worldwide. India is also facing challenging circumstances as the figure of infected/positive cases is rising day by day. This study deals with the development of education: Post COVID-19. This paper will help to understand "Digital Education: Opportunities and Threats". The Corona virus has exposed emerging vulnerabilities in learning systems all over the world. A lot of relevant literature was explored to confine the essence of continued learning during these exceptional times. Educational organizations all over the world are moving towards online/Digital learning. This paper also proposes digital education as an urgent need in this lock downs times and social distancing due to COVID-19 pandemic. It also provides a powerful stage for further research. The use of digital technology in education is experiencing a tremendous boom in education sector with cost effectiveness. Although it is unclear whether technology will plug all of the holes in the Indian Education system but it seems that technology is playing a major role in education interventions. Due to advancements in technology, accessibility of low-priced laptops/mobiles, wireless equipments, and related communications setups signs both opportunities and challenges for learning organizations and their faculty and students. Digital Education has potential that can produce knowledge workers. The government has analyzed that ICT sector has important role in education due to that many programmes such as NEOR, NMEICT, NKN, Eklavya, NPTEL, and NROER has been launched. Digital Education has bring success in the field of education but still there area number of challenges in most of Indian institutes like shortage of quality teachers, deprived quality of research, and deprived quality of training etc. Digital Education is overall very beneficial for the students of country like India.Copyright © 2020 Ubiquity Press. All rights reserved.

Exposing learners to practice: When crisis presents new opportunities

Clinical education is the center of professional preparation in healthcare fields, linking theoretical knowledge with clinical practice in the minds and behaviors of student clinicians. Clinical education, supervised by educators who are licensed professionals, is essential in the process of creating new professionals. What does a professional training program do about clinical education when the world shuts down? This chapter addresses the context of a private, not for profit university's response to the COVID-19 public healthcare crisis in spring of 2019 and the process by which a graduate training program in speech-language pathology re-organized, and re-visioned, clinical education in that context. The process allowed an upper cohort of students to graduate successfully and on time, engaged a lower cohort of brand-new clinicians in meaningful clinical learning, and taught the program new lessons about what is important in designing clinical education. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Limited Opportunities for Financing Projects in the Field of Industry 4.0 and Combating Climate Change in the Regions of Russia in the Face of Budget Shortages

Purpose: the purpose of the research is to study the limited possibilities of financing projects in the field of industry 4.0 and the fight against climate change in the regions of Russia in the face of budget shortages amid the pandemic and the COVID-19 crisis, as well as to determine the optimal budget conditions for financing these projects. Design/methodology/approach: in order to determine the most accurate and reliable dependencies of the volume and financing of projects in the field of industry 4.0 and the combat against climate change on the balance of the regional budget, this research is carried out on the basis of two samples of regions of Russia, formed according to the criterion of the regional budget balance in the context of a pandemic and COVID-19 crisis in 2020: with a budget surplus and deficit. Findings: the results of the research showed that the financing of projects in the field of industry 4.0 and the fight against climate change in the regions of Russia, firstly, is significantly determined by the balance of the regional budget. Secondly, it is characterized by various laws: financing of projects in the field of industry 4.0 is scarce both with a deficit and a budget surplus, and financing of projects in the field of combating climate change in the regions of Russia is scarce with a budget deficit and enough with a budget surplus. Originality/value: differences in the conditions of optimal budget balances are justified: with a zero regional budget balance, the point of optimal (deficit-free) financing of these projects is reached, and a confident regional budget surplus forms the zone of optimal financing of climate change projects in the regions of Russia. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022.

The future of work in shaping the employment inclusion of young adults with disabilities: a qualitative study

PurposeThe world of work is changing and creating challenges and opportunities for the employment inclusion of young people with disabilities. In this article, the perceptions held by young adults with disabilities regarding participation in the future of work are examined.Design/methodology/approachOne-on-one interviews were conducted with Canadian young adults (ages 18–36 years) living with a disability. Participants were asked about their thoughts regarding the impact of the changing nature of work on their labor market involvement and career aspirations. A thematic analysis was performed to identify and examine emergent salient themes.FindingsIn total, 22 young adults were interviewed;over half held secure employment. Career aspirations and work-related decisions were primarily shaped by a participant's health needs. The future of work was seen as a more proximal determinant to employment. Digital technologies were expected to impact working conditions and create barriers and facilitators to employment. Participants who indicated being securely employed held positive expectations regarding the impact of digital technology on their work. Participants working precariously held negative appraisals regarding the impact of digital technologies on employment opportunities. The role of technological and soft skills was critical to participating in a labor market reliant on advanced technology. Participants reported barriers to developing job skills related to their disability and their work arrangements.Originality/valueThis research highlights the importance of considering changes in the future of work, especially the digital transformation of the economy, in the design of initiatives which promote the employment inclusion of young adults with disabilities. Despite the significance of the changing nature of work, supporting health needs and encouraging access to secure work arrangements also remain paramount.

Breaking Free of Conceptual Frameworks and Learning how to Learn

There has been no challenge, crisis or disaster in human history that has not left behind it beneficial results and accomplishments that would otherwise not have been possible. Whether a crisis continues to persist and remain a source of grief, or is overcome successfully and even converted into an opportunity depends on how we respond to it. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted life around the world for nearly three years. As we pick ourselves up and learn our lessons, this is the best time to use the pressure of the challenge to discard encrusted structures and rigid mindsets, reinvent ourselves, and usher in a new paradigm of thought that results in a new paradigm of social development and human security. This paper studies the positive and negative developments in the past three years and posits that deep and creative thinking, a future-ready education for our youth and a global, valuesbased Sleadership for the 21st century will support humanity in this endeavour. © FrancoAngeli.