Investigating Thai lecturers' perceptions about factors undermined the reliability of summative assessment during COVID-19

The study examines the impact of COVID-19 on the assessment process in the Thai context. It investigates the factors that undermined the reliability of online assessment during COVID-19. 196 lecturers voluntarily participated in questionnaires data collection, out of which 15 were conveniently selected for interviews. Descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis were utilised for data analysis. The findings revealed that COVID-19 affected the assessment process and increased the digital divide among the students. It urged cancelling and/or replacing the assessments with assignments. The findings also show that the reliability of online assessment was undermined by three factors namely students' and lecturers' digital illiteracy, the possibility of cheating, and the inefficiency of online assessment tools to assess students' different skills and competencies. The findings give the lecturers insights into the threats and possibilities for improving online assessment, as technology is still under-developed in the field of online assessment. Copyright © 2023 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.

Digital Security Narratives in the Time of COVID-19: A Case for Kindness

The COVID-19 pandemic has shined a light on the digital divide and its implications in a digital-first society. In the UK, where our research is focused, parts of society still lack the infrastructure and/or basic skills needed to access essential online services like health, welfare, food, housing and education. During the pandemic, these services became digital by necessity, forcing many people to seek help through informal networks such as community hubs. Based on our focus groups and interviews with voluntary and third sector organisations in the UK, we make a case in this chapter for a kinder, more holistic approach to the accessibility of essential online services, based on the hypothesis that such an approach creates the types of spaces in which the benefits of such services can be more safely realised. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Patient Satisfaction in Teledermatology: an Updated Review.

Purpose of Review: Teledermatology continues to gain popularity across the world. It is crucial that dermatologists understand patient experience and satisfaction to effectively incorporate this practice into patient care. This article provides an updated review of recent findings on patient satisfaction in teledermatology. Recent Findings: Over the last 2 years, there has been an increase in studies on the patient experience of live-video teledermatology, while previous studies largely focused on store-and-forward teledermatology. This reflects the expansion of live-video teledermatology since the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients are generally very satisfied with both store-and-forward and live-video teledermatology, valuing its accessibility, quality of care, and patient-provider relationship. Decreased patient satisfaction is linked to technical difficulties, privacy concerns, lack of procedure availability, and thorough physical exams. However, teledermatology experiences are not equal across demographic groups. Access to technical support, digital literacy, age, social economic status, and type of dermatological conditions have all been found to affect patient experience. Summary: Studies show high levels of patient satisfaction in teledermatology but limitations exist. Future efforts to improve teledermatology experiences will require reducing barriers among demographics, improving patient education, investment in technology, and collaboration among all parties involved.

Patient perceptions and satisfaction of telemedicine use in rheumatology during the covid-19 pandemic: A single-center, descriptive study in the Philippines

Background: Telemedicine became the emergent means of providing and continuing medical care due to the COVID 19 pandemic. This study aims to evaluate the knowledge, perception, and satisfaction with the use of telemedicine among patients with rheumatic diseases. An understanding of our patients' experiences can be utilized to provide access to care, improve gaps in delivery of care, and improve healthcare disparities. Method(s): Filipino patients with rheumatic disease who had telehealth visits between June 2020 and August 2021 in St Luke's Medical Center Outpatient Department participated in an online survey. Information on demographics, diagnosis, knowledge and experience on telemedicine, and perspectives on benefits and limitations of telemedicine were collected. Result(s): There were 70 respondents: 52.9% with SLE, 25.7% with RA, 10% with osteoarthritis, 5.7% with psoriatic arthritis, 2.9% with scleroderma. Results showed that 64.3% are familiar with the use of video conference platforms. Facebook messenger was the most used (85.7%). Half of respondents have used telemedicine on their own, while 33% required assistance. The remaining respondents have not used telemedicine due to lack of experience or awareness on how to proceed with consults. The reasons for using telemedicine were restrictions of the pandemic (82.9%), limited access to clinics (31.4%), and disability (1.4%). Most remain satisfied with telemedicine (75.7%), 50% of patients stated that telemedicine was comparable to an in-clinic visit, and 85.7% (N = 60) would recommend its use. Conclusion(s): Filipinos with rheumatic disease are knowledgeable on online platforms and telemedicine, however, it is important to note the digital divide. Patients need assistance and improved awareness on accessing remote care. Providing continuity of healthcare can lead to less complications and better outcomes despite pandemic restrictions. There is an overall favorable satisfaction for care. Half the respondents remain satisfied with telemedicine. Rheumatologists need further studies on benefits and outcomes on providing remote healthcare.

Digital literacy during the coronavirus pandemic in older adults: Literature Review and Research Agenda

Demographic change in the developed world is leading to a higher proportion of older adults and longer life expectancy. Measures to control the coronavirus disease have affected older adults the most. Social isolation and access to remote health services has been a problem for many people. We have used the method of scientific literature review. The selection of articles was made in accordance with the following inclusion criteria: accessibility, scientificity, content relevance and topicality. After selection, the results were analysed by qualitative content analysis. With the content analysis of twenty scientific articles, we gained an insight into digital literacy of older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Three content categories were identified: (1) poor digital literacy of older adults, (2) inequality in ICT access, (3) use of ICT reduces the negative impact of social isolation. We note that there is a large digital divide in digital literacy and competences among older adults which expanded during the coronavirus disease pandemic. Several factors, including socio-economic status, internet access and the poor adaptation of ICT for older adults affect digital literacy. Rapid development of remote health and social care, poor digital literacy of older adults and the poor adaptation of ICT for older adults dictate that the problem must be tackled systemically. Copyright © 2022 The Authors.

New Education Technologies in Higher Education: E-Leadership Perspectives on South African Student Learning During and Post-Covid Reality

The study's main focus was to investigate the e-leadership perspectives on new educational technologies that were deployed/implemented during Covid-19 and whether it helped close the digital divide in South African public universities. The study adopted a systematic review to achieve the study objectives. The findings showed that access to appropriate technology and internet speed or even access to the internet at all was a significant challenge, reflecting, again, deep inequalities between students, especially in rural communities. Some institutions of higher education were forced to close due to a lack of access to technology. The study results revealed that higher education institutions had to navigate the storm of Covid-19 through various means, such as migrating their courses online, taking different measures in their administration processes, and prioritizing their responsibilities. The results indicated that the majority of educators did not receive financial support for teaching and learning tools. Numerous opportunities came along with the introduction of the World Wide Web, one of which is electronic learning. The study's findings also showed that post-Covid-19, institutions of higher education have made steady progress in implementing hybrid and blended teaching and learning. In conclusion, institutions of higher education should embrace a culture of change, using the post-Covid-19 moment as an opportunity to experiment and innovate to meet the changing needs of their students, including the rural ones, to bridge the gap. © 2023 International Conference on Multidisciplinary Research. All rights reserved.

The Digital Divide and Smartphone Reliance for Disadvantaged Students in Higher Education

The digital divide as it pertains to information inequality among disadvantaged student populations in higher education is a pertinent problem, and has been further exacerbated by the increase in online learning due to COVID -19. This study explores Technological Access challenges of students at a small public midwestern university in the US that serves a disproportionately higher number of underserved and underrepresented students. Survey data from 535 undergraduate students indicate that a critical subset (n=61) of the sample who were first generation, low income, and non-white had significantly lower levels of technological access with respect to access to devices and Internet access, when compared to the larger sample. Additionally, nearly half of the sample used smartphones to access courses online. Educational implications on smartphone dependence and consequent digital divide is discussed to bridge the barrier for disadvantaged student groups. As technology induced online learning proliferates, addressing such gaps will be a step toward mitigating those inequities plaguing higher education. Copyright 2022. © by the International Institute of Informatics and Systemics. All rights reserved.

The impact of the digital divide on synchronous online teaching in Kazakhstan during COVID-19 school closures

This paper examines how factors associated with the digital divide such as ICT access, digital skills, and outcomes influenced synchronous online teaching in urban and rural schools in Kazakhstan during COVID-19 school closures. In addition to school location, this paper addresses how the speed and steadiness of the internet connection, and teacher characteristics such as age, qualification, and experience influenced teacher usage of synchronous teaching and learning mediums. Data in this paper consists of a nationally representative sample of nearly 4,000 teachers. This study found that the digital divide narrows when schools provide teachers with ICT access. While both, the speed of the internet and rural-urban residency have statistically significant effects on the use of ICT tools by teachers when considered separately, the interaction term between these two covariates was not statistically significant. Results indicated that age, experience, teacher workload and professional qualification were important determinants in teachers' ability to engage in synchronous teaching.

Editorial: Control alt delete - technology and children's mental health.

With international contributions from Denmark, Peru, Italy, Turkey, Estonia, Russia, Canada, the USA, Australia and the UK, this special issue offers insights and evidence about the technology's ability to act as a force of good and a source of harm for young people's mental health. As we better understand the complex and bidirectional relationship between technology and mental health, we need to move beyond dichotomous narratives about it being good or bad; it is both, depending on how it is used. Collective responsibility across technology companies, researchers, public services and community organisations, parents and the young people themselves can make a difference in the way technology is used to protect and improve mental health.

Life after lockdown: The experiences of older adults in a contactless digital world.

Introduction: The digital response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and its effects on the lives of older adults has been well-documented, but less is known about how they experienced the post-lockdown re-emergence into a relatively contactless digital society. Methods: We report the findings from a qualitative survey (n = 93) and subsequent interviews (n = 9) with older adults aged 50+, where they describe their struggles with some of the newly implemented digital interactions. These struggles cover a range of settings but include using contactless payments, QR codes and apps to facilitate transactions in cafes, bars, and restaurants. Results: A thematic analysis of our data revealed the intrinsic (e.g. digital literacy) and extrinsic (e.g. malfunctioning technology) factors that limited social inclusion for these participants, and that sometimes even led to moments of public humiliation. Discussion: Our findings shed light on some of the motivational factors that underpin the age-related digital divide, whilst also highlighting the role of self-directed agism in limiting motivations to learn new digital routines.

Digital Trends, Digital Literacy, and E-Health Engagement Predictors of Breast and Colorectal Cancer Survivors: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Survey.

Introduction: Advances in information and communication technology (ICT) and post-COVID-19 tectonic changes in healthcare delivery have made it possible for cancer survivors to obtain disease-related information for remote management online rather than through healthcare providers. To comprehend and evaluate health information, digital literacy is crucial. Objectives: This study examined cancer survivors' information-seeking behaviour, information sources, digital health literacy, and digital trends, as well as potential determinants of e-health information receptivity and online resource use. Methods: A national 30-item cross-sectional survey using a representative random sample of cancer survivors from Jordan's cancer registry was conducted. Chi-square tests established categorical variable relationships. Using the mean and standard deviation, we calculated the Likert scale's ordinal data average. A p-value < 0.05 was statistically significant. Logistic regression identified predictors of interest in late-trajectory information acquisition and use of e-health platforms (apps, portals) for cancer self-management. Results: Lower digital literacy and electronic searching were associated with older age and lower income, education, and employment status (p ≤ 0.001). Digital literacy independently predicted m-health app use for remote management and interest in cancer supportive care information. Digitally literate survivors preferred the use of digital platforms (p ≤ 0.001). Information acquisition barriers included "reliability" (26%, n = 25) and "health information trustworthiness" (16.2%, n = 25). Following treatment completion, Internet-seeking behaviour decreased significantly when compared to the early cancer trajectory. Conclusion: Our findings imply that Jordanian cancer survivors' low digital literacy may hinder information acquisition and technology-enabled cancer care. Digital interventions for cancer survivors should be adaptable to varying levels of digital health literacy. Healthcare policymakers should recognise digital inequities and devise focused initiatives to bridge the digital divide while responding to the urgent need to digitalise cancer care delivery.

Telemedicine Use Among Physiatrists During the Early Phase of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Potential for Future Use.

Introduction: With the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic causing the need for social distancing, telemedicine saw a significant increase in use to provide routine medical care. As a field, physiatry had already been implementing telemedicine prior to the pandemic. In this study, we characterized the use of telemedicine among physiatrists during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic to understand the barriers and facilitators to implementing telemedicine use in the field of physiatry in the future. Methods: Online survey of a cross-sectional sample of physiatrists. Analysis was conducted using logistic regression. Results: One hundred seventy one (n = 171) participants completed the survey. Before the pandemic, only 17.5% of respondents used telemedicine. In the logistic regression, physicians who used a hospital-provided platform were more likely to use telemedicine in the future compared with those who used their own secure platform, conducted a phone visit, and used a non-secure platform or other platforms. The three most popular barriers identified were "inability to complete the physical examination," "patients lack of access to technology," and "patients lack of familiarity with the technology." Discussion: Focus on education on telemedicine functional examination strategies and technology strategies for patients and providers (including addressing the digital divide and hospital-provided secure platforms) are potential targets of implementation strategies for greater telemedicine uptake for physiatrists in the future.

Challenges in higher education and mental health in university studentes in times of COVID-19

This article is part of the context of the ongoing research "Educational inequalities, representations and experiences of university education in times of COVID-19 and post COVID-19", of the Directorate of Research and Development (DIDE) UTA, Ecuador. This work analyzes various investigations carried out in countries such as: Mexico, Peru, Spain, Chile, the Caribbean, and Colombia. In contexts of Higher Education in the framework of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Teachers, students and society in general experienced significant changes in their daily lives. On the one hand, the teachers of the Higher Education Institutions had to change or adapt the components of the curriculum such as the teaching methodology in online mode. The digital divide versus, the way to teach classes and pre-professional practices in person in physical classrooms. On the other hand, students consider that teachers are not prepared for this type of study. In addition, they consider that not all students have access to virtual education. The economic and technological aspect, as well as the physical interaction with peers and teachers, plays a very important role in times of pandemic. To all these variables are added the mental health of the students. Who were affected to a greater extent than teachers. Being the pictures: depressive, anxious the most common in the student community. Therefore, stress levels were also elevated in populations of university students before the Covid-19 pandemic.

Il ruolo del digitale a scuola dopo la pandemia. Verso una scuola 4.0

The post-pandemic school receives the strong digital push as a dowry from the previous two years and is called upon to implement the integration of the new modes (digital and remote) of teaching/learning with classical schooling. A task that brings skills, roles, and places into play. At school, in the classroom, teachers are called to a close confrontation with digitization, a process, after the pandemic, that can no longer be procrastinated: the opportunity to bring to life a real 4.0 school.

A Multidimensional And Multistakeholder Approach: Assessing Ethical, Legal, Organizational, Social or Patientcentered (ELSI+) for Telemedicine In Neurological Diseases

Introduction. Telemedicine strategies have been broadly introducing in health services during the COVID-19 pandemic, including in care of neurological diseases. Methods. A rapid realist review was conducted using EUnetHTAs Core Model 3.0 and GRADE evidence to decision frameworks were used as frameworks to describe the ethical, legal, organizational, social and patient aspects (ELSI+) related to the use of teleneurology (TN) A scoping multistakeholder meeting helped defined the scope and research questions of the assessment. Patient representatives, clinicians, scientific society representatives with relevant experience in TN were invited and participated. Industry representatives were also present. Systematic searches for ethical, legal, organizational, social and patients related aspects were conducted. Additional manual searches contributed to contextualize these dimensions in the Spanish context. A narrative synthesis was undertaken. Results. Main results of the assessment of the ELSI+ aspects of TN were described. TN applications are diverse depending on the condition, objective of care and technology used. The implementation of TN lacks specific legal frameworks which implies legal uncertainty. TN may increase geographical accessibility to neurological care in remote areas and by reducing difficult commuting to specialized care centers. Nevertheless, accessibility is challenged by reduced access to technology, the digital divide, lack of health literacy or technologies not adapted to functional diversity. Therefore, equity is not guaranteed if it is offered as a non-voluntary basis or with no support. TN tends to be accepted by patients and carers if it has enough quality, saves travelling time and costs and does not dehumanize care as it is perceived as more flexible and convenient. Quality of TN needs an interdisciplinary team with skills to coordinate organizational aspects of the implementation which include among others, the planification of the support to patients and carers before, during and after the consultation. Health professionals may also need to learn adapted communicational and technological skills. Conclusions. The implementation of TN poses many ethical, legal, organizational, social or patient-centered challenges.

Digital Divide vs. Inclusive Thinking: The Educational Television in Turkey

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, schools closed down in many countries, and the students participate in virtual-only classes. However, as there is no equality in access to technology and connectivity among the populations, this has become a major problem for the millions, intensifying the digital divide. Thus, in order to mitigate this digital gap, many countries have taken several measures to use educational technology in different ways. Turkey is one of them and has supported distance education through the use of educational television. Therefore, this chapter explores the implementation of educational television by introducing its background, use, and contributions to foreign language instruction and contextualises it in a scholarly discussion of the digital divide and inclusive education within the local context of Turkey. Ultimately, the chapter provides recommendations for the policymakers to support inclusive education to embrace wide masses of learners. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Public Policies to solve the differential access to digital technologies and connectivity in Argentina

In 2020 the COVID-19 pandemic manifested our heightened dependency on digital technologies for the operational functioning of all aspects of our lives under lockdowns: access to information, jobs, education, good governance, entertaining, and social and family relations. However, in Argentina, as in all Latin American and Caribbean countries, the pandemic has revealed the many inequalities that affect its population. It is important to recognize the present digital divide, considering the existence of multiple gaps: socio-digital, cognitive, socioeconomic, socio-spatial, gender, linguistic, among others. This paper is focused on the new needs faced to the construction of Knowledge Society in Argentina through the study of its public policies for digital inclusion. It proposes measures to be included in the country`s public policies for Knowledge Society.

Online Education amid COVID-19 Crisis: Issues and Challenges at Higher Education Level in Pakistan

The objective of this study is to examine the main constraints experienced in the online mode of education during this pandemic at higher education level in Pakistan. The COVID-19 pandemic credibly transformed the method of learning and teaching from face to face to online. In unexpected sudden septicity, universities in Pakistan have started online education without proper instructional provision and relevant experience. For this purpose, the data is collected from 750 students and teachers across all over the regions in Pakistan. The study has used partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings show that technological bottlenecks, institutional preparedness, and digital divide are significant challenges. The differences in perceptions of rural and urban areas are also very important referring to several policies implications, implementing information communication technology (ICT), friendly curriculums, enhancing online accessibility and infrastructure development. This study contributes to help universities for developing effective e-learning policies for students in the situation of COVID-19.

The impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the development of the information society in Slovenia

Digital transformation is trending pursuant to the almost ubiquitous use of digital technology by private and public sectors, and general populations. The disruption caused by advancing technology requires strategic responses to mitigate the negative aspects of such disruption and generate positive change. Other disruption, moreover, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, additionally imposes limitations on what we consider to be normal life, further engendering the utilization of digital technology. Even though the impact of digital transformation can be assessed by means of different metrics, including the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), they do not provide sufficient clarity in terms of pain points and improvement possibilities. The differences in relation to the availability of said technology and the skills necessary for its optimal use, which are closely related to user education level, age, and economic status, are additional parameters governments and policymakers need to consider, and data-driven decision-making is essential to ensure optimal policy-making and investment vis-à-vis digital transformation, such as the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility. This paper analyses Slovenia's digital transformation between 2018 and 2021, using data collected from more than 5,000 respondents, to detect technology use differences in terms of demographics, focusing on the digital divide and the COVID-19 crisis, and compares Slovenia's experience with other EU Member States, focusing especially on online public administration services. Our results evidence that the digital divide is the main differentiating factor in Slovenia and that gender is accordingly not of great import, and that Slovenia's oldest generation and some members of younger generations face problems when endeavoring to digitally integrate. Compared to other EU Member States, Slovenia is average according to DESI, but the findings show that EU Member States should take its specifics into account to address their own DT paradigm. © 2022, Bucharest University of Economic Studies Publishing House. All rights reserved.