Environmental education in Ethiopia: History, mainstreaming in curriculum, governmental structure, and its effectiveness: A systematic review.

Environmental education works to achieve the aims of environmental protection through improving a person's environmental awareness, knowledge, attitudes, skills, active engagement, and drive to better the environment. Through a systematic review of various published and unpublished papers, governmental documents, reports, policies, curriculums, and sample surveys of different governmental sectors, this systematic review aimed to ascertain the mainstreaming of both formal and informal environmental education in the curriculum, governmental structure, its effectiveness, and identify the gap that will need to be filled in Ethiopia. So, the objective of this review is to give a good synopsis of environmental education development, point out any gaps that will need to be filled, and provide insights into its future development. The legal environmental right established in the 1995 Ethiopian constitution served as the driving force behind official environmental education and environmental response. As a result, environmental science has been assigned as a separate or autonomous subject in grades 1-4, as well as in many higher education programs and specializations. On the other hand, in secondary cycle primary school (grades five up to eight) as well as secondary school; environmental education uses a cross-curricula approach in a few natural and social subjects, which is marginalized, and covers only a few topics (titles) of the subjects. Environmental clubs and experts in environmental matters are also available at all levels within the non-formal environmental education system, which spans the federal, regional, district, and other cross-sectional sectors. However, there is a gap due to a lack of professional human resources, monitoring, evaluation, commitment, and expanding best practices, as well as the absence of integration among sectors. As a result, the governmental structure, educational policy, and curriculum demand updates with adequate environmental education experts. Environmental content should be incorporated at the governmental structure and all educational levels with proper implementation, either as standalone subjects or as diffused or integrated on equal footing at every subject level. Additionally, more research on environmental education is required.

Nurse practitioners' degrees and associations with time use, functional autonomy, and job outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Doctorate of Nursing Practice preparation is recommended for entry to nurse practitioner (NP) practice but there are few comparative studies, and their designs conflate educational pathways. PURPOSE: To investigate time use, functional autonomy, and job outcomes among NPs without a doctorate, NPs whose initial NP preparation and doctorate were separated by 2 or more years, and NPs whose NP preparation and doctorate were concurrent. METHOD: We selected all NPs from the 2018 National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses, except those whose doctorates focused on research. We controlled for confounding and applied sample weights to produce nationally representative results. DISCUSSION: NPs' educational pathways are associated with distinct practice roles and, moving forward, policy should be informed by evidence that accounts for their differences. CONCLUSION: Concurrent NPs had higher levels of functional autonomy compared with NPs without a doctorate, but patterns of time use were essentially the same. Separate doctoral education was associated with teaching and administration.

The burdens attributable to primary headache disorders in children and adolescents in Iran: estimates from a schools-based study.

BACKGROUND: We recently found headache disorders to be highly prevalent among children (aged 6-11 years) and adolescents (aged 12-17) in Iran (gender- and age-adjusted 1-year prevalences: migraine 25.2%, tension-type headache 12.7%, undifferentiated headache [UdH] 22.1%, probable medication-overuse headache [pMOH] 1.1%, other headache on ≥ 15 days/month [H15+] 3.0%). Here we report on the headache-attributed burden, taking evidence from the same study. METHODS: In a cross-sectional survey, following the generic protocol for the global schools-based study led by the Global Campaign against Headache, we administered the child and adolescent versions of the Headache-Attributed Restriction, Disability, Social Handicap and Impaired Participation (HARDSHIP) structured questionnaire in 121 schools, purposively selected to reflect the country's diversities. Pupils self-completed these in class, under supervision. Headache diagnostic questions were based on ICHD-3 criteria but for the inclusion of UdH (defined as mild headache with usual duration < 1 h). Burden enquiry was across multiple domains. RESULTS: The analysed sample (N = 3,244) included 1,308 (40.3%) children and 1,936 (59.7%) adolescents (1,531 [47.2%] male, 1,713 [52.8%] female). The non-participating proportion was 3.4%. Mean headache frequency was 3.9 days/4 weeks, and mean duration 1.8 h. Estimated mean proportion of time in ictal state was 1.1% (1.4% for migraine, 16.5% for pMOH). Symptomatic medication was consumed on a mean of 1.6 days/4 weeks. Lost school time averaged 0.4 days/4 weeks overall (2%, assuming a 5-day week), but was eleven-fold higher (4.3 days; 22%) for pMOH. For most headache types, days of reported limited activity were several-fold more than days lost from school (45% for pMOH, 25% for other H15+). Almost one in 12 parents (7.9%) missed work at least once in 4 weeks because of their son's or daughter's headache. Emotional impact and quality-of-life scores reflected these measures of burden. CONCLUSIONS: Headache, common in children and adolescents in Iran, is associated with symptom burdens that may be onerous for some but not for most. However, there are substantial consequential burdens, particularly for the 1.1% with pMOH and the 3.0% with other H15+, who suffer educational disturbances and potentially major life impairments. These findings are of importance to educational and health policies in Iran.

Technical adequacy of measuring teachers' knowledge of dyslexia.

Given the rapid growth in educational policies targeting educators' knowledge of dyslexia, this study explored the technical adequacy of a common instrument for measuring that knowledge. The responses of 1141 preservice teachers were scored in three ways: polytomously with the original 4-point Likert scale, dichotomously as true-false, and dichotomously as though the options were multiple choice. An exploratory factor analysis suggested at least one-third of the items needed to be removed. Confirmatory factor analyses suggested a one-factor model with polytomous scoring had the best fit to the data, but only six items loaded. All models demonstrated unacceptable internal consistency reliability (<0.70). Because no technically adequate version of the measure was identified, questions remain about basing policy on scores from these instruments. However, the findings indicated ways this type of measure might be improved.

Gender differences in teenager bullying dynamics and predictors of peer-to-peer intimidation.

Thanks to several previous efforts, school peer-to-peer bullying is nowadays considered a major issue for educational dynamics, research, and policy. Specifically in the field of research, bullying assessment tools have been gaining ground in recent years. Among them, the School Bullying Questionnaire (CIE-A) stands out. This is a teenager-targeted scale assessing bullying dynamics from a three-factor approach (i.e., victimization, symptomatology, and intimidation). However, to date, no previous study using similar tools has followed a gender perspective, and this shortcoming may hinder the effectiveness of policies and actions to face school bullying. The core aim of this study was to examine the effect of gender on teenagers' bullying-related factors and intimidation outcomes. This cross-sectional study analyzed the data provided by a gender-weighted sample of 770 Spanish teenagers with a mean age of M = 14.25 (SD = 1.53) years. They responded to a questionnaire that included the CIE-A together with other variables theoretically related to bullying dynamics, such as risk perception, sensation seeking, life satisfaction, and family conflict. Apart from typical inter-group comparisons, data were analyzed through a multi-group structural equation modeling (MGSEM) approach. Regarding bullying experiences, male teenagers have shown greater involvement in both victimization (passive bullying) and intimidation (active harassment) behaviors. On the other hand, females self-reported greater symptomatology in passive bullying scenarios, despite being less frequently involved in them. Further, the MGSEM showed good fit values (RMSEA <.08; all incremental coefficients >0.90) and theoretical plausibility, also depicting a set of structural mechanisms differentially explaining active peer-to-peer intimidation behaviors across genders. For instance, while risk perception is a significant predictor of intimidation only among females, sensation seeking plays a predictive role among male teenagers, but not for their female counterparts. The results of this study suggest that teenagers' engagement in active bullying may be substantially different when approached from a gender perspective, finding key divergences in the variables that predict bullying-related behavioral outcomes. The outcomes of this research highlight the need to take into account gender differences, as well as extracurricular issues that influence intimidation dynamics, in potential bullying-related interventions.

Educators Are Not Alright: Mental Health During COVID-19.

Educator mental health sits at the intersection of multiple pressing educational issues. We are among the first to provide estimates of school system employee (SSE) stress, anxiety, and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most participants reported clinically meaningful anxiety and depressive symptoms (77.96% and 53.65%, respectively). Being in the lowest strata of family income was associated with higher stress, a greater likelihood of clinically significant depressive symptoms, and reduced intentions to continue in the same job, portending the current staffing shortages affecting schools. Supporting SSE mental health should become a policy priority.

The Role of Student Beliefs in Dual-Enrollment Courses.

Access to dual-enrollment courses, which allow high school students to earn college credit, is stratified by race/ethnicity, class, and geography. States and colleges have begun using multiple measures of readiness, including non-cognitive measures of student preparedness, in lieu of strict reliance on test scores in an attempt to expand and equalize access. This practice was accelerated by COVID-19 due to disruptions in standardized testing. However, limited research has examined how non-cognitive beliefs shape students' experiences and outcomes in dual-enrollment courses. We study a large dual-enrollment program created by a university in the Southwest to examine these patterns. We find that mathematics self-efficacy and educational expectations predict performance in dual-enrollment courses, even when controlling for students' academic preparedness, while factors such as high school belonging, college belonging, and self-efficacy in other academic domains are unrelated to academic performance. However, we find that students of color and first-generation students have lower self-efficacy and educational expectations before enrolling in dual-enrollment courses, in addition to having lower levels of academic preparation. These findings suggest that using non-cognitive measures to determine student eligibility for dual-enrollment courses could exacerbate, rather than ameliorate, inequitable patterns of participation. Students from historically marginalized populations may benefit from social-psychological as well as academic supports in order to receive maximum benefits from early postsecondary opportunities such as dual-enrollment. Our findings have implications for how states and dual-enrollment programs determine eligibility for dual-enrollment as well as how dual-enrollment programs should be designed and delivered in order to promote equity in college preparedness. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11162-023-09740-z.

Towards a dialogical and progressive educational policy framework: Manoeuvring a middle way among the polarised constructs.

Policy science and practice around the world, including educational policies, are dominated by popular, extreme approaches such as market-orientated approaches at one end and critical argumentative approaches at the other end. This study therefore aims to manoeuvre a middle way to propose a dialogical and progressive educational policy framework and explores the research question: 'how could a middle way (a dialogical and progressive framework) be manoeuvred among the polarised policy constructs?' The study embraces Lynham's five phases of theory building as the basis for this research, which includes conceptual development, operationalisation, confirmation/disconfirmation, application, and continuous refinement. The study explores some of the known existing policy frameworks for conceptual mapping, investigates the underlying dynamics and discourses to operationalise, uses diverse arguments in the literature to confirm/disconfirm and proposes to mark the emerging patterns, trends, and gaps in policy research to apply and refine. The study contends that if it is possible to have a polarised market-oriented and critical argumentative policy frameworks, it is then possible to have a dialogical, progressive middle-way policy framework. The study had to limit to the most important and related theories, and models to focus. Future works could explore a wide range of other relevant theories and models to further investigate this framework. Furthermore, application of the proposed dialogical, progressive educational policy framework in specific context/case may help to refine it. The study contends that the proposed middle way is not a perfect space but a potential space in which a dialogical and progressive educational policy may thrive.

Socioeconomic disparities in the reopening of schools during the pandemic in Chile.

The COVID-19 pandemic produced the most significant disruption in education in history. More than 190 countries suspended in-person instruction, affecting an estimated 1.6 billion students. The reopening of schools has been unequal. Schools in more affluent areas reopened sooner than poorer ones, exacerbating preexisting inequalities. There is limited research about the reopening processes in Latin America, where schools were closed for extended periods. Using a rich administrative dataset, we investigate the gaps in the resumption of in-person instruction in Chilean schools across socioeconomic groups in the fall of 2021. Schools with lower socioeconomic status were significantly less likely to offer in-person instruction. Disparities in reopening decisions were associated with administrative factors rather than economic or local epidemiological conditions.

How essentialist reasoning about language acquisition relates to educational myths and policy endorsements.

How people conceptualize learning is related to real-world educational consequences across many domains of education. Despite its centrality to the educational system, we know little about how the public reasons about language acquisition, and the potential consequences for their thinking about real-world issues (e.g., policy endorsements). The current studies examined people's essentialist beliefs about language acquisition (e.g., that language is innate and biologically based), then investigated how individual differences in these beliefs related to the endorsement of educational myths and policies. We probed several dimensions of essentialist beliefs, including that language acquisition is innate, genetically based, and wired in the brain. In two studies, we tested specific hypotheses regarding the extent to which people use essentialist thinking when reasoning about: learning a specific language (e.g., Korean), learning a first language more generally, and learning two or more languages. Across studies, participants were more likely to essentialize the ability to learn multiple languages than one's first language, and more likely to essentialize the learning of multiple languages and one's first language than the learning of a particular language. We also found substantial individual differences in the degree to which participants essentialized language acquisition. In both studies, these individual differences correlated with an endorsement of language-related educational neuromyths (Study 1 and pre-registered Study 2), and rejection of educational policies that promote multilingual education (Study 2). Together, these studies reveal the complexity of how people reason about language acquisition and its corresponding educational consequences.

Examining Implicit Biases of Pre-Service Educators Within a Professional Development Context.

The opportunity gap, or conditions and barriers that impede the academic performance and school experience of minoritized students, may be exacerbated by educators' implicit biases. The aim of this qualitative study was to understand preservice educators' awareness of individual, structural, and systemic racism with regard to implicit bias. Our sample included 154 preservice educators, enrolled in an anti-bullying/harassment/discrimination training, which is required for any New York State (NYS) educator certification. Educators responded to questions about group generalizations, factors contributing to these biases, and how biases may affect their behavior toward students. Our content analysis revealed several themes, most notably that frequent biases existed toward Asian/Asian Americans, Black/African Americans, males, and people from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. Although participant responses reflect an open-minded approach to discussing bias, many responses reflected no observable desire to change potentially biased interactions with students. Responses with racially held biases aligned with the tenets of critical race theory (CRT), particularly racism as permanent and racism as normalized. Implications for practice, with an emphasis on anti-bias training and professional development, are discussed.

Mental health and adaptation among newcomer immigrant youth in United States educational settings.

Schools play a vital role in the acculturation process of newly migrated youth. Social and academic factors within school settings predict a wide variety of adaptation outcomes. Age and grade also impact the ways that school experiences can shape the post-migration adjustment trajectories of migrant youth. Negative school experiences can exacerbate migration trauma, whereas positive school experiences play an important protective role in overcoming migration-related challenges and adjusting to a new cultural context. Emerging research also suggests that the school environment presents a valuable opportunity for service delivery, as students are readily accessible during the school day which reduces systemic barriers to engagement. Socio-emotional prevention and intervention can address migration trauma, foster resiliency, and help lead the way to acculturative and academic success. Teachers, counselors, coaches and mentors who engage with newcomer immigrant youth in schools can play a pivotal role in easing migration-related challenges by encouraging positive emotional attachments, linking to resources, and helping to navigate new systems. These professionals benefit from specialized training on the unique needs and best practices for supporting the learning, engagement, development, and adaptation of newcomer youth.

The impact of care experience prior to commencing pre-registration nurse education and training: A scoping review.

OBJECTIVES: Compassion in nursing and interventions to support it are of international relevance and concern. Prior care experience as a prerequisite for entry into pre-registration nurse education is suggested as a means of improving compassion. The impact of prior care experience has not been comprehensively reviewed, therefore the potential effectiveness of prior care experience as a means of improving compassion is unknown. The scoping review question was 'What is known about the impact of care experience prior to commencing pre-registration nurse education and training?' The primary objective was to scope and synthesise existing literature relating to the topic and ascertain key themes pertaining to impact. A secondary objective was to appraise literature, to contextualise findings and assess the state and stage of knowledge and research in the area. DESIGN: The review was guided by Arksey and O'Malley's methodological framework and is reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews Checklist. DATA SOURCES: Health sciences databases CINAHL, Medline and PubMed. METHODS: Databases were searched in February 2019, updated August 2021. Data (study characteristics, findings, methodological observations) were extracted from papers meeting inclusion criteria (including peer-reviewed empirical papers with English language, electronic full-text available) and findings thematically analysed. RESULTS: Forty-five papers from 14 countries were included. The majority (64.4 %) were published in Europe (31.1 % in the United Kingdom) between 2010 and 2021 (69 %), 60 % from 2013. Four qualitative themes (compassionate care, commitment, competence and communication) describe the impact of prior care experience, which was variable. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence to support the effectiveness of prior care experience as a prerequisite for entry into nurse education to improve compassion, is inconsistent and insufficient. The literature displays methodological limitations and conclusions should be interpreted in light of these caveats. Recommendations are made for future research, to improve quality and comparability.

Lack of Association Between Pandemic School Mode Policy and Pediatric Body Mass Index Percentile Over Time.

During the 2020-2021 academic year, schools across the country were closed for prolonged periods. Prior research suggests that children tend to gain more weight during times of extended school closures, such as summer vacation; however, little is known about the impact of school learning mode on changes. Thus, the aim of this study was to measure the association between school mode (in-person, hybrid, remote) and pediatric body mass index (BMI) percentile increases over time. In this longitudinal, statewide retrospective cohort study in Massachusetts, we found that BMI percentile increased in elementary and middle school students in all learning modes, and that increases slowed but did not reverse following the statewide reopening. Body mass percentile increases were highest in elementary school aged children. Hispanic ethnicity and receipt of Medicaid insurance were also associated with increases. Additional research is needed to identify strategies to combat pediatric body mass percentile increases and to address disparities.

Summary Outline of the 2022 Revision of the Model Core Curriculum for Medical Education in Japan Oversight of the Revision : Evidence-Based Medical Education / 医学教育

The 2022 revision of the Model Core Curriculum for Medical Education by the Japan Society for Medical Education was based on several data sets including academic papers and survey results. It is recommended that the formation of a team consisting of diverse attributes, sufficient discussion using a web conference system, smooth communication between the government and academic societies, and dialogue with organizations related to medical education be continued in the next revision. On the other hand, collaboration and communication with academic societies in specialized fields is an issue for the future.　Although the revised Model Core Curriculum for Medical Education is the product of the collective wisdom of experts in medical education in Japan in the early 2020s, it is by no means a legal mandate imposed by the state, nor does it force faculty members of each university to follow it blindly. We hope that those involved in medical education will use this Model Core Curriculum, which was prepared with an eye to society 20 years from now, as a reference guide, and at the same time, we hope that those involved in education in the field will implement the updated guidelines while sometimes questioning them.

How Did Colleges Disburse Emergency Aid During COVID-19? An Implementation Analysis of the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund.

To address the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress authorized the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF I) in March 2020 with over $6 billion allocated for emergency financial aid. In this paper, we utilize the administrative burden framework to analyze HEERF I implementation for a stratified random sample of colleges, focusing on the implications for equity. We find that disbursement policies varied along two dimensions: (1) whether they imposed burdens on students by requiring applications and proof of hardship and (2) whether they targeted needy students and varied the amount of aid according to need. When we examine sectoral differences, we find that private for-profit colleges were more likely to place higher burden on students, whereas public and minority-serving institutions were more likely to reduce burden.

Two Years Later: How COVID-19 Has Shaped the Teacher Workforce.

The unprecedented challenges of teaching during COVID-19 prompted fears of a mass exodus from the profession. We examine the extent to which these fears were realized using administrative records of Massachusetts teachers between 2015-2016 and 2021-2022. Relative to prepandemic levels, average turnover rates were similar going into the fall of 2020 but increased by 17% (from 15.0% to 17.5%) going into the fall of 2021. The fall 2021 increases were particularly high among newly hired teachers (31% increase) but were lower among Black and Hispanic/Latinx teachers (5% increases among both groups). Gaps in turnover rates between schools serving higher and lower concentrations of economically disadvantaged students narrowed during the first 18 months of the pandemic. The same holds true for gaps in turnover between schools serving higher and lower shares of Black and Hispanic/Latinx students. Together, these findings highlight important differences in teachers' responses to the pandemic across subgroups and the need to improve early-career retention to ensure long-term stability within the teacher workforce.

Empirical approach to the gender gap in students' reading consumption in international contexts.

Reading is a very important aspect today, which is why it is a recurring topic in research. This study aims to analyze the gender gap in the reading consumption of adolescents and compare the situation in Spain with that of other countries. It addresses, for the first time, the influence of the gender factor on the reading habits of adolescents who have just begun secondary education. This is an empirical study carried out based on the research projects "Determining factors in the reading habits of secondary education students. A study from the variables of the educational context" and "Reading habits in international contexts of Secondary Education students. A study of educational practices to promote reading." It is based on the hypothesis that reading consumption is conditioned by gender and country-specific educational policies and, therefore, by the place where the study is carried out. To do this, an international sample of students was taken as a reference, made up of a matrix group of Spanish students contrasted with small samples from three different countries that we are interested in comparing with the Spanish context: Portugal, Poland, and Chile. The results have shown that the gender gap in reading is perceived in all the contexts studied and that it increases in contexts with less developed co-education programs; therefore, it is necessary to implement effective policies in the educational field to eliminate the existence of gender stereotypes.

Nurse educators' experiences of fostering undergraduate students' ability to manage stress and demanding situations: A phenomenological inquiry.

AIM: To understand the lived experience of nurse educators when mitigating nursing students' stress and fostering their ability to manage demanding situations. BACKGROUND: Supporting and advocating for nursing students during their stressful and challenging times is one of the core competencies of nurse educators. Much of the research has focused on understanding nursing students' views and experiences of managing their stress. No research could be found to have explored the role and contribution of nurse educators in managing student well-being and supporting them during demanding situations. DESIGN: A hermeneutic phenomenology was conducted in Pakistan. The COREQ guidelines were followed for reporting. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted from February to May 2021 with a purposive sample of 13 nurse educators with atleast a bachelor's degree in nursing or a three-year diploma with one-year specialization and at least three months of teaching experience in educational or clinical settings. Data were analyzed using Ricoeur's interpretation theory. The three steps included: (a) explanation, (b) naïve understanding and (c) in-depth understanding. RESULTS: Six themes captured educators' experience: Sharing personal experiences, developing a trustworthy relationship, creating a stress-sharing culture, demonstrating stress management, encouraging to speak up and confront and prompting management to address student issues. Policymakers and management should collaborate with educators to strengthen existing mechanisms and revisit the policies directed toward supporting students in managing their clinical and academic stress. CONCLUSIONS: Nurse educators should continue to play their part by creating a stress-sharing culture, sharing personal experiences and enhancing student stress management abilities by teaching through demonstration and building their courage to speak up for their issues. Nursing institutions should develop policies to expand nurse educators' role in supporting student stress management. Institutions also need to collaborate with educators to establish mechanisms and resources to mitigate student stress.

Classroom Placement and Twins' Social Behaviors in Elementary School: Providing Empirical Evidence to Inform Educational Policy.

Classroom placement of twins is an ongoing issue for educational policy. Many educational jurisdictions have standard policy most commonly founded in the belief that separation supports individual identity, personal development and academic opportunity. This study examined the effects of classroom placement in a sample of 560 twin pairs whose behaviors were assessed from ages 5 to 12 years. We found no detrimental effect of classroom sharing on twins' social development. In contrast, this study provides evidence that educating twins together is associated with modest positive twins' behaviors and social functioning at school. Implications for educational policies are further discussed.