BACKGROUND: The prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection still high in Indonesia and lead to nutritional disorder, especially in the school-aged children.
AIM: This research conducted to find the ...association of intestinal parasitic infection to the nutritional status of the children.
METHODS: This was a cross sectional study, conducted in January 2016 in one primary school in South Jakarta, Jakarta, Indonesia, by collecting the children’s stool from 1st to 5th grade. Direct examination of the stool was conducted in the Parasitology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, by Lugol and eosin staining. Nutritional status categorized using BMI chart. Data were analyzed using Chi-square test, Statistical Product, and Service Solutions version 20.
RESULTS: From the total 157 stool examined in the laboratory, there were 60 (38.2%) children positively infected with various kinds of intestinal parasites. Mostly the infection is caused by Blastocystis hominis, which infects 44 children (69.4%). The other infection is caused by Giardia lamblia (15.3%), Trichuris trichiura (1.4%), and hookworm (1.4%), and mixed infection of B. hominis and Escherichia coli (4.2%) and B. hominis with G. lamblia (4.2%). From the total of infected children, 17 children (28.3%) have BMI below 5th percentile, and it was considered as malnourished. Moreover, 67 uninfected children have normal nutritional status. Statistically, there is an association between intestinal parasitic infection and nutritional status in school-aged children in South Jakarta (P < 0.05).
CONCLUSION: The incidence of intestinal parasitic infection in school-aged children is 38.2%. Moreover, 28.3% of the infected children were malnourished and it is suggested that children with intestinal parasite infection have low nutritional status.
Reopening schools is an urgent priority as the COVID-19 pandemic drags on. To explore the risks associated with returning to in-person learning and the value of mitigation measures, we developed ...stochastic, network-based models of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission in primary and secondary schools. We find that a number of mitigation measures, alone or in concert, may reduce risk to acceptable levels. Student cohorting, in which students are divided into two separate populations that attend in-person classes on alternating schedules, can reduce both the likelihood and the size of outbreaks. Proactive testing of teachers and staff can help catch introductions early, before they spread widely through the school. In secondary schools, where the students are more susceptible to infection and have different patterns of social interaction, control is more difficult. Especially in these settings, planners should also consider testing students once or twice weekly. Vaccinating teachers and staff protects these individuals and may have a protective effect on students as well. Other mitigations, including mask wearing, social distancing, and increased ventilation, remain a crucial component of any reopening plan.
Introduction
Recent research investigating the benefits of being outdoors and contact with nature in children showed strong associations with children’s health and development. More teachers are ...choosing to integrate outdoor learning (OL) into their practice in Quebec, but few studies have focused on OL in the school environment, particularly in Canada and more specifically in Quebec, despite the fact that the school context lends itself favorably to this practice.
Objective
The purpose of this study was to portray OL in preschool and primary schools in Québec by identifying three key elements: (1) teachers’ perception of the outdoors, (2) the uses of OL in schools, and (3) teaching strategies and factors that influence teachers’ integration of OL.
Methodology
Semi-structured group interviews (
n
= 4) conducted with 14 teachers and participant observations (
n
= 4) were used for data collection. Inclusion criteria were to be a preschool or primary school teacher, to have taught at least eight sessions of OL in the past year, and to have no connection or contact with the research team prior to the start of the study.
Results
First, the results showed that teachers commonly understood the outdoors as being in the open air, practicing a physical activity, having the presence of nature, providing physical freedom and targeting a pedagogical intention. Second, teachers appeared to incorporate a variety of pedagogical intentions in OL (e.g., environmental awareness, interdisciplinary learning), in a variety of settings (e.g., city parks, woodlands), and with a variety of academic subjects (e.g., French, mathematics) and learning tasks (e.g., walking, nature shelter building). Third, teachers used a wide range of teaching strategies in OL (e.g., flexible planning, well-established routines). Participants also identified multiple factors specific to their setting that appeared to facilitate (e.g., parental support) or limit (e.g., storage of materials) their integration of OL into the school environment.
Conclusion
This study provided a better understanding of the current use of the OL in the Quebec school environment by identifying the common characteristics, limitations and winning strategies of its use in schools. Teachers and schools interested in OL could benefit from the results of this study, particularly those interested in adopting a
Forest School
or
Udeskole
approach.
Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is affected by Context, Occupant and Building (COB) related factors. This paper evaluates IAQ as a function of occupant-related factors including occupants' Adaptive ...Behaviours (ABs), occupancy patterns, occupant's CO2 generation rates and occupancy density. This study observed occupant-related factors of 805 children in 29 naturally-ventilated (NV) classrooms in UK primary schools during Non-Heating and Heating seasons.
Occupant-related factors affecting IAQ include occupants' adaptive behaviours, occupancy patterns, occupants' CO2 generation rate and occupancy densities. Results of this study suggest that a classroom with high potentials for natural ventilation does not necessarily provide adequate IAQ, however, occupants’ good practice of ABs is also required. Average occupancy densities to have CO2 levels of 1000 ± 50 ppm are suggested to be 2.3 ± 0.05m2/p and 7.6 ± 0.25 m3/p. These values correspond to the classroom area of 62.1 ± 1.35 m2 and volume of 205.2 ± 6.75 m3 with a height of 3.3 m. Mean CO2 level is maintained below 900 ppm when all occupant-related factors are in the favour of IAQ, however, it exceeds 1300 ppm when none of the occupant-related factors are in favour of IAQ.
It is shown that 17% of CO2 variations are explained by open area (m2), 14% by occupants' generation rates (cm3/s) and 11% by occupancy density (m3/p). IAQ is mostly affected by occupants’ adaptive behaviours than other occupant-related factors in naturally-ventilated classrooms.
•Occupancy patterns in classrooms are dynamic and varied.•17% of CO2 variations are explained by occupancy density (m2/p).•To have average CO2 levels of 1000 ppm, class area = 62.1 m2 and volume = 205.2 m3.•When all occupant-related factors are in favour of air quality, CO2(mean) < 1000 ppm.•Occupants' adaptive behaviours have the most significant impact on air quality.
Working or studying in a comfortable environment enhances not only well being, but also satisfaction and therefore productivity and learning. This research collects some pictures of indoor ...environmental conditions taken in seven primary schools near Venice (Italy, North-East). Spot measurements were recorded in 28 non air-conditioned classrooms, in springtime, while 614 children (age 9–11) completed a questionnaire about the evaluation of indoor environmental conditions and the related psychological impact, their behaviour towards discomfort and if their level of interaction with the environment (opening a window, switching off a light etc.). Nonparametric statistical tests were carried out to find significant differences between schools and between girls and boys in the same school and to see if gender might influence perception. Moreover, physical measurements were compared to the answers given to the questionnaire to find a relationship between them. Finally, children's reactions towards discomfort were evaluated to understand if pupils behave like “passive users” as frequently occurs with adults. Monitoring revealed very high CO2 concentration levels, which confirm insufficient air exchange by means of open windows, occasional insufficient lighting levels over the desks and, in general, nonuniform illuminance-distribution, probably due to improper solar shading use or even inappropriate shades. Pupils complained mostly about thermal conditions in warm seasons, poor indoor air quality and noise. Classroom conditions depended strongly on teachers' preferences; therefore a building management system would be advisable to provide good indoor environmental quality, which cannot be otherwise guaranteed.
► Analysis of indoor environmental conditions in 7 Italian primary schools. ► Physical measurements and a survey, submitted to 614 pupils. ► Psychological impact of indoor conditions on pupils and their interaction with environment. ► Nonparametric statistics evaluated the differences in the schools and between genders. ► The main problems are related to thermal condition, air quality and noise.
This article examines the role of the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) in primary schools in Ireland, an area that is under researched with little or no empirical data available. The ...current qualitative study, congruent with an interpretivist paradigm, provides narratives from four SENCOs offering insight into both the operational and leadership role of the SENCO in Irish primary schools, focusing mainly on the latter as a distributed model approach. The findings indicate that this sample of SENCOs may be constructed as 'apparatuses of knowledge' (Foucault 1980) within five broad areas of responsibilities: (1) identifying children with additional needs and administrating assessments, (2) fostering in-school collaboration and supporting others, (3) determining and monitoring resource allocation, (4) providing staff development and (5) liaising with external agencies. Emerging from the findings is a reinforcement of the value of the SENCO as a leader through a distribution of power situating them as forward thinking and proactive. Despite this, there is a reluctance in assuming the position of a SENCO due to the heavy workloads and lack of recognition of the administration and coordination duties. This research calls for a consideration of the SENCO position in national policy with both monetary and leadership titled recognition for the role.
The entrepreneurial element is one of the aspects emphasized in the primary school mathematics education curriculum in Malaysia. However, previous studies have found that application of ...entrepreneurial elements in mathematics teaching is still lacking. This study was therefore conducted to identify the real challenges that mathematics teachers face in applying the entrepreneurial element in mathematics teaching. This study is qualitative case study which involved six primary school mathematics teachers. Semi-structured interviews, observation, document analysis and field notes were used for the data collection process in this study. The data obtained was analyzed using the constant comparative analysis method to determine themes and sub-themes. The findings were that a teacher's knowledge, teaching style, limited time of teaching, and attitudes, and in-service courses and training are among the identified challenges in applying entrepreneurial elements in mathematics teaching. This study expands knowledge and the literature on the challenges faced by school mathematics teachers in applying entrepreneurial elements in mathematics teaching. Various initiatives need to be taken to ensure that all the challenges can be overcome, and ultimately enable the entrepreneurial elements to be applied to students more widely.
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