Understanding Chinese students' online learning experiences with emergency remote teaching: a case study

Despite the growing body of research on college students' online learning experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, little is known about how individual students perceive and experience emergency remote teaching in China. To fill this gap, this study seeks to explore college students' perceptions of emergency remote teaching as well as the factors deemed favourable and unfavourable to online learning. This study, adopting a photo elicitation method, investigated four college students' online learning experiences in an emergency remote instruction context. Our study revealed that students went through three stages of online learning and their perceptions of emergency remote teaching changed from one stage to another. Additionally, student-content interaction, strong teacher support and a high-level of digital inclusion were three factors that facilitated effective online learning, whereas lack of interaction with teachers and peers and dormitory confinement were two factors perceived as hindrance. The study explored possible explanations of the findings and made pedagogical recommendations to foster online learning success. The study bears significance for teachers and administrators practicing technology-supported teaching activities amid and beyond the pandemic.

The Covid-19 Pandemic, New Norms and the Challenge of Health News Journalists in Malaysia

The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the routine of human life to a new norm. The changes sparked various implications and differences of opinion in terms of religion, social, civilization, professionalism, and universal human rights. The media industry and journalism careers are no exception and have also suffered from economic constraints, staff reductions leading to the closure of news agencies. Compliance with the Movement Control Orders and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) of the newly introduced norms have been adapted to the current norms which eventually led to changes in newsroom and journalistic work routines. This study is an exploration that examines the careers of health news journalists in Malaysia in adjusting aspects of their professionalism, work norms and technology while working in pandemic situations. Based on in-depth interviews with journalists, sub-editors and health news editors from various news agencies, the study found that they are able to adapt to current changes and circumstances, as well as cultivate norms of flexibility without compromising professional ethics. In a short time, health news reporters are seen to be able to act by arranging work remotely or from home, adapting to online meeting with news sources and strengthening the structure of digital newsrooms through virtual communications and social media applications. Health news journalists in Malaysia are also seen to have high aspirations and self-esteem by prioritizing social responsibility over personal concerns over the Covid-19 virus.

The Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Interior Design Students' Performance in Jordanian Universities

This research study compared the perceived performance of interior design students participating in Classroom Learning Versus Online Learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in Jordan. The survey results suggest that first-year students had higher satisfaction ratings than third-year students. Second-year students had a medium level of expectations and perceptions regarding both online and classroom learning. The reasons for this difference in perceived performance could be attributed to a variety of factors, such as the novelty of online learning, the more complex coursework of third-year students, and the difficulty of conveying concepts in an online learning environment. In order to ensure that all students are receiving an equitable education, regardless of their year level, it is important to understand the root causes of the difference in satisfaction between first-and third-year students and to develop strategies to address any issues that arise. The findings of this study provide insight into the factors affecting student satisfaction with online learning and can inform the development of strategies to support students in their learning during the pandemic.

Academic Procrastination in Students During Covid-19 Pandemic: The Role of Perceived Challenges and Learning Motivation

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many changes in educational settings which have been quite demanding. Shifting to online education has resulted in many erratic changes for students, which could have threatened their learning motivation. Therefore, this study examined perceived challenges, learning motivation and academic procrastination during the COVID-19 pandemic among 458 students of public and non-public universities in Albania, and the data were collected through online questionnaires. The findings reveal a strong relationship between academic procrastination, perceived challenges and learning motivation. Furthermore, a multiple linear regression model revealed that academic procrastination was influenced by perceived challenges and motivation. Sociodemographic variables, such as age and gender, were examined. The results are relevant for understanding learning motivational processes and critical variables that influence students' procrastination, academic achievement and adjustment. © 2023 Blerina Reci Xhakolli and Oriola Hamzallari.

Perception and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic among smallholder farmers in eastern Ethiopia

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all aspects of human life. Its effect was particularly severe in sectors that are directly related to agricultural production and food security. This research was conducted to uncover the perception of smallholder farmers in eastern Ethiopia about the pandemic, prevention and control measures, and its impact on their livelihood. Through a semi-structured interview schedule conducted on 176 randomly selected rural households, we found a varying level of practicing the recommended COVID-19 prevention and control measures. The study also found that the response of the media, family members and religious organizations to the pandemic was rated as "very good". The most important impact of the pandemic was associated with household's inability to obtain a reasonable price for their agricultural produce, and inability to attend religious gatherings/prayers. Other impacts of the pandemic were fear of losing friends and getting sick/losing life. Considering the increasing number of COVID-19 cases, a reinforced awareness creation campaign, behaviour change communication by extension workers, and continued provision of basic health and sanitation facilities was recommended. Such interventions should focus on improving the access of smallholders to Personal Protective Equipments (PPEs). Continued engagement with diverse media platforms and developing trust is also needed to increase the spread of reliable COVID-19 related information. Moreover, safeguarding the agricultural sector against risks and uncertainties has to be prioritized through strengthening early warning system, distributing improved/early-maturing seeds and fertilizers, providing insecticides/pesticides, linking smallholders to market outlets, and emergency food aid via the Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP).

Is the aircraft leasing industry on the way to a perfect storm? Finding answers through a literature review and a discussion of challenges

Since the emergence of the first private aircraft leasing companies in the 1970's, the airline industry has undergone tremendous changes. Supported by several decades of growing demands and rising world economies, the share of leased aircraft across airlines worldwide has grown steadily, exceeding 50% for the first time during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Given that earlier research has quantified the optimal lease rate for an airline between 40% and 60%, the industry might be facing challenges soon — potentially counteracting the recent recovery from COVID-19. This study reviews the existing research on aircraft leasing;a subject which has been rather scattered in the literature for the past few decades. We summarize more than 70 scientific papers published on aircraft leasing and closely related subjects. Based on the dissection and categorization of existing studies, we derive a set of important challenges for the aircraft leasing industry, which should be addressed by the community.

Rethinking regional economic resilience: Preconditions and processes shaping transformative resilience

The unpredictable impacts of sudden shocks such as the current COVID-19 pandemic or the current energy crisis accelerated by the Russia-Ukraine war have led to a renewed interest in regional economic resilience. Much of the literature focuses attention on how regional economies and industries could bounce back, that is, how they could return to their pre-shock conditions. Other scholars have proposed to construe resilience as bouncing forward to capture the mechanisms and processes that underpin positive adaptation and structural change in response to an acute crisis. In this article, we argue that both conceptualisations do not consider shocks and crises as a window of opportunity for regional economies to transform into a radically different and more desirable trajectory. We bring a new perspective into play, that is, transformative resilience which places shifts towards more sustainable pathways centre stage. This understanding of regional economic resilience acknowledges that a crisis may bring about permanent structural change and considers to what extent these transformations are to the benefit of society and the environment. This article seeks to identify in a conceptual way what factors and dynamics are vital for enhancing the transformative resilience of regions. To this end, we draw on recent insights from the debate on challenge-oriented regional innovation systems and elaborate on the role of pre-shock conditions and various core processes in building up regional transformative resilience.

Challenges Faced in Treating COVID Patients and Lessons Learnt

Treatment of COVID-19 patients is an immense administrative as well as clinical challenge. The setting up of a dedicated COVID-19 care centre within a short time span, adequate manpower deployment, healthcare worker education and training, provision of facilities for donning and doffing and waste disposal were some of the unique administrative problems. On the other hand, as clinicians we faced enormous hurdles in attempting to treat a disease on which there was no established knowledge and no defined, well-proven treatment protocols and which could strike anyone, anywhere in myriad ways. Coupled with this difficulty in diagnosis and treatment was the challenge of serving COVID-19 patients of every age and clinical requirement, under one roof. Healthcare workers faced a tough time, handling physical discomfort while working for long hours in PPE, along with the fear and apprehension of contracting the infection in the line of duty, and carrying it back home. Mental health issues abounded, both amongst the patients and their caregivers, due to heightened fear, anxiety and loneliness. We share our experience in dealing with the pandemic, the administrative and clinical challenges we faced and some of the ways we overcame them. We further share some of the insights we gleaned from this experience, which may help in better preparation for the future. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021.

Future of Tourism in Asia

This book offers a meticulous overview of the future of tourism in Asian countries. This book provides new dimensions to the tourism research and tourism industry as it is concerned with the future vision of tourism in Asia. The main purpose of the book is to envision the outcomes both positive and negative from the tourism industry to prepare our future generations. This book expands on the concept that tourism is not sedentary and is ever changing rapidly. A unique feature of the book is that it brings into limelight the unexplored places of Asia as well as a growth of low-cost tourism in Asia This book discusses how Asia can enjoy the competitive advantage in future. Also, whether the future outlook is bright or dark for the tourism sector in the Asia region. This book highlights the unexplored themes of tourism in Asia such as Over-tourism, Sports Tourism, Baby Boomers and Seenger Tourism, Literary Tourism, Experiential Tourism, Psychographic Segmentation of Future Tourists. The chapters have been authored by experts in their respective fields. This book allows readers to explore how different Asian countries might best serve tourism products in the future. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021.

Cognitive Hardiness in the Face of Uncertainty: PhD-ing from Home During a Global Pandemic

Commencing a PhD is not always the easiest decision, especially amidst a global pandemic. Despite knowing this, commencing a PhD from home was a decision I chose to make when I was uncertain about my future after completing my Master's. Within this chapter, I discuss how learning the concept of cognitive hardiness proved to be useful to me during this journey. Cognitive hardiness comprises commitment, control, and challenge. I was also fortunate to have supportive supervisors and opportunities to engage in coaching, as well as formal and informal mentoring. In addition to discussing my experiences within this chapter, I also reached out to a colleague who is completing a Master's by Research to assess if there were any points of comparison in our experiences of commencing our studies from home. I hope the research and reflections from our experiences will help other early career researchers and academics develop a variety of coping mechanisms to maintain control, remain committed, and embrace challenges within the current environment, given the possibility that the world of academia has been changed forever. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2022.

What determines the tax compliance intention of individual taxpayers receiving COVID-19-related benefits? Insights from Indonesia

PurposeEven as governments worldwide take extraordinary measures and spend unprecedented amounts of their state budgets to combat COVID-19, tax compliance remains challenging. Therefore, this study employs previously identified predictors to investigate the factors that persuade individual taxpayers to comply with the law.Design/methodology/approachIndividual taxpayers in Indonesia (N = 699) who had experienced COVID-19-related benefits were asked to assess the provided evaluation regarding the tax compliance intention and its determinants. The bootstrapping analysis was employed using smart partial least squares (SmartPLS) to test the hypotheses.FindingsThe results suggest that the perceived fiscal exchange, tax morality, tax fairness, tax complexity and the power of authority are significant determinants of tax compliance intention. This study also supports the indirect effects of numerous factors on tax compliance intention through the perceived fiscal exchange and tax morality. In practice, reminding taxpayers of how tax payments fund public services, improving taxpayer morale, increasing the perceived fairness of the tax system, streamlining the tax code and managing the effectiveness of tax administration could all lead to a greater intention to comply with the law.Originality/valueIn addition to highlighting the dynamics of tax compliance amid the unprecedented pandemic crisis, our findings also provide insight into the importance of perceived fiscal exchange and tax morality for achieving and sustaining planned behavior to comply with tax rules.

THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON RUSSIAN ECONOMY

This article examines the impact of Covid-19 on the Russian economy. The pandemic has caused global changes in both our daily lives and economies. Enterprises were forced to close, resulting in decreased production volumes and oil prices. Capital outflows also occurred as a result of the pandemic, and the consequences of quarantine and measures taken in the country were significant, although not as extensive as those experienced by Europe or the United States. Furthermore, the method of correlation-regression analysis was employed to determine the mutual influence of various factors on the development of the Russian economy, including the exchange rate of the Russian ruble, world oil prices, and the level of unemployment. Based on the results, it is essential to monitor and control the level of unemployment in the country, especially under the conditions of Covid-19 restrictions. © 2022, Procedia Environmental Science, Engineering and Management. All Rights Reserved.

Do Online Challenge-Based Learning Help Professors Identify and Solve Community Problems During the COVID-19 Pandemic?

This research aims to identify online challenge-based learning (CBL) that builds on the problem-based learning practice to support professors working in two Mexican institutions with solutions to six social challenges defined by the institutions. Thirty-five professors from Tecnologico de Monterrey participated in developing the solutions related to given challenges by taking a social approach. For this activity, an online training session of one week was organized by the Faculty Development and Educational Innovation Center (CEDDIE) of Tecnologico de Monterrey in Mexico City, Mexico. The data was collected through an online survey based on quantitative and qualitative questionnaires. We received fifteen complete responses out of thirty-five. Analyzing the results of this study affirmed that online CBL activities served professors to promote social interactions, develop pedagogical competencies, and share knowledge based on their learning experience through active collaboration with peers in the same institutions but from different disciplines and campuses to identify and solve existing societal issues. © 2023 IEEE.

Cancer and COVID-19: A Double Burden on the Healthcare System

The COVID-19 pandemic has placed an unprecedented burden on the healthcare system. In particular, the intersection of COVID-19 and cancer has created a double burden on the healthcare system, presenting challenges in both the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. During the pandemic, overcrowding of hospitals and clinics, shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) and other medical supplies, and the impact of COVID-19 on healthcare workers have all made it more difficult to care for cancer patients. The challenges in cancer diagnosis and screening during the pandemic have included delays in cancer diagnoses, decreased access to cancer screenings, and a decrease in the number of cancer surgeries being performed. Changes in cancer treatment patterns and access to care during COVID-19 have also impacted the treatment outcomes for cancer patients, with a decrease in the number of cancer patients being treated and an increased risk of poor outcomes for those who are being treated. The impact of COVID-19 on healthcare workers and their ability to care for cancer patients has also been significant, with healthcare workers facing increased exposure to the virus, increased workloads, and increased stress and burnout. The double burden of COVID-19 and cancer on the healthcare system has implications for policy and practice, including the need for improved coordination between cancer and COVID-19 response efforts and the need for increased investment in healthcare infrastructure and resources. In conclusion, the COVID-19 pandemic has created a double burden on the healthcare system, with significant challenges in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. The impact of COVID-19 on healthcare workers and the healthcare system more broadly highlights the need for improved coordination and increased investment in healthcare resources and infrastructure.

Problems and responses of schools in the COVID-19 pandemic: The case of Mountain Province

This study explored the problems faced by the schools in Mountain Province, Philippines with the implementation of distance education during the pandemic and looked into the schools' good practices to mitigate the problems. 26 schools participated in this study. Analysis of the data gathered highlighted the serious problems in Philippine education. The problems faced by the schools during the pandemic are similar to those faced by developing countries, however, the problems and responses faced by the schools in Mountain Province are specific to their context. The common problems identified during this pandemic are: difficulty in distributing and retrieving modules, unavailability of equipment and gadgets, poor internet access, poor quality of learning materials, the unpreparedness of parents taking on the role of teachers, teachers' lack of training on the modality of learning, lack of technological knowledge, a one-size-fits-all approach to instruction, an inadequate learning management plan for blended learning and the decreased income of private schools. The good practices implemented by the schools to address some of their problems are: home visits, tutorials, Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) involvement, remediation classes, a seminar on stress management and mechanisms for blended learning. There is a need for the school administration to provide learning management plans which should include short and long-term goals and professional learning initiatives like training to improve teachers' technological pedagogical knowledge. © 2023 by the author.

Analysis Of The Scope Of India's Virtual Court Hearings

With the increasing internet accessibility in India and the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, the practice of virtual court hearing has been accelerated in India. The virtual Court acts as an effective means to conduct Court proceedings, debarring geographical barriers and uplifting Courtroom functioning's productivity. Along with the practical applicability of virtual court hearings in India comes the glitches or challenges posed by the virtual hearing of matters. Nonetheless, the necessity of physical hearing of matters cannot be ignored. In pursuance of this, arguments in favor of reverting towards physical hearings after the pandemic situation ends are being posed before the Indian Judiciary, which negates the applicability of virtual courtrooms. Thereby, this article aims to analyze the applicability, necessity and efficacy of virtual court hearings and the challenges posed by Virtual Court hearings in India.Copyright © 2020 Ubiquity Press. All rights reserved.

Exploring the impact of covid-19 lockdown on learning among higher education students on the copperbelt province, Zambia

Many educational institutions were closed following COVID-19 lockdown. The closure disrupted the smooth running of teaching in educational institutions. Although the impact was felt across the world, it impacted more in low- and middle-income countries due to poor resources for virtual learning. This study explored the barriers to Learning among Higher Education Students during COVID-19 pandemic. The research study utilized an explorative qualitative study approach. Twenty semi-structured interviews were carried out with higher education students. Data were thematically analyzed using the four phases of data analysis in The Silences Framework (TSF) which included researcher review, Silence dialogue, Collective voices, and Researcher reflection. The study found that poor digital literacy, lack of digital learning resources, poor internet connectivity, lack of opportunities for practical lessons and burden of domestic chores were barriers to learning among higher education students during COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. There is need for higher education institutions to invest in ICT to enhance online lesson delivery in challenging pandemic times like COVID-19.

Harm reduction for problematic substance use

A harm reduction approach, as the name implies, seeks to minimize the adverse consequences of behaviors without necessarily reducing or eliminating the behavior. Harm reduction policies have been initiated for a wide range of public health challenges throughout the world, including carbon exchange programs to combat air pollution, food labels to encourage healthier eating habits, access to condoms to reduce sexually transmitted infections, and directives to minimize large social gatherings to avoid contagion during the COVID-19 pandemic. The current opioid epidemic, which in the United States claimed more than 46,000 lives in 2018 alone 2020, brought about a renewed urgency to make medication available for treating opioid use disorder. The use of agonist medications for the treatment of problematic substance use is a narrowly targeted harm reduction approach generally reserved for people with substantial opioid addiction. Social workers are employed in a vast array of settings conducive to a harm reduction approach, including schools, colleges, hospitals, child welfare services, mental health clinics, housing, and private practice. In the end, the harm reduction model neither condemns nor condones drug use, and instead concerns itself with the quality of life for individuals, community, and society. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

The role of lean in healthcare during COVID-19 pandemic

PurposeThe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare operations has raised questions about the applicability and capacity of the lean approach to respond to critical events. Thus, with a dearth of studies addressing this issue, this study aims to understand the role of lean in healthcare operations under the disruptive impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.Design/methodology/approachDrawing on a case study carried out in an emergency department in Brazil during the COVID-19 outbreak, the author presents results from semi-structured interviews and document analysis.FindingsThe results show three prominent themes that respond to this study's purpose: lean applicability during the pandemic, lean challenges during the pandemic and the pandemic impact on the lean processes. Furthermore, the study underscores that lean is not the panacea to operational problems caused by the pandemic in healthcare organisations, but it eases the impact on their operations. Finally, this study contributes to the discipline of operations management and highlights the need to rethink lean applications during disruptive events, focusing on flexibility, adaptability and patients' needs.Research limitations/implicationsThe literature addressing the pandemic impact on healthcare operations is still new and emerging;therefore, it is possible that some of the studies that are under review and could contribute to this study were not considered.Practical implicationsThe study provides a better understanding of the lessons learned from the real-world experiences gained during the pandemic, helping managers to make informed decisions when developing contingency plans to improve healthcare readiness and responsiveness under crisis conditions (e.g. untenable demand and constrained capacity).Originality/valueGiven the contemporary nature of this pandemic, only few emerging studies addressing the impact of the pandemic on lean healthcare operations are available and scholars are calling for more empirical studies. Furthermore, there is an increasing criticism and scepticism about the applicability of lean in healthcare during a pandemic. Thus, this research both provides original contributions by responding to scholars' calls for novel research in this area and further contributes towards filling the void in the literature.

Post-COVID Challenges in Occupational Medicine as a Branch of Clinical and Educational Medicine

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has exhausted the employees of hospital center and had a negative impact on medical students. AIM: The aims are to show the efforts of Occupational Medicine to provide support for healthcare workers and to increase student's interest in O.M. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Out of the total number of employees of the Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka, which is 3500, 275 of them claim for recognition of COVID-19 occupational diseases in 2022. The 6th-year medical students of the Rijeka Faculty of Medicine, 130 in total and 22 sanitary engineers were surveyed by the quality service regarding their satisfaction with the Occupational Medicine classes. Statsoft Statistica 10 was used to calculate the results. RESULT(S): All HCW are recognized as having COVID-19 as a professional disease. Older age correlated with greater absenteeism. Hospital employees are dissatisfied, tired, they demand work benefits, contraindications for shift work, night work, work in COVID centers, and requesting maternity leave. Many also quit their jobs the hospital management is looking for and hiring new employees, who quickly leave due to difficult working conditions and low incomes. Occupational medicine also has a problem with students. During the pandemic, classes were held online. Interest in classes declined, a small number of students joined the lectures, but all responded to the survey. The answers showed a lack of interest in the Occupational Medicine course. With subsiding of the pandemic, it would be obligatory to continue "live" classes, take students on a tour of industrial facilities, and cancel the failed evaluation of teachers. CONCLUSION(S): Easing of working conditions for HCW and changes in teaching is necessary.Copyright © 2023, Scientific Foundation SPIROSKI. All rights reserved.