The use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in education has been widely advocated as much needed 21st-century skills by governments and policymakers. Nevertheless, several challenges ...in integrating ICT into the curriculum have been reported in previous research, especially in studies on Sub-Saharan African countries. Focusing on the case of Kenyan public primary schools, this study investigated the availability of ICT facilities; teacher capacity to integrate technology into their lessons; and teacher perceptions towards technology in schools. In particular, the study is premised on the constructivist learning theory and the Technology Acceptance Model. A total of 351 teachers completed an online questionnaire. Teachers perceived that ICT facilities were inadequate in schools, which presented a challenge in the integration of technology during the implementation of the new curriculum. Most of the teachers answered that they received only basic computer literacy training. Although teachers perceived the use of computers as necessary, they faced difficulties integrating technology in their lessons. The effect of age and gender on teacher capacity was also investigated in inferential statistics, specifically with Welch tests and Games-Howell post hoc comparisons. Teachers in their 40s had a higher perception of usefulness than teachers in the 30s. Implications of the study are discussed as well as future research topics.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most domestic language programs had to transition quickly to teaching online, often as emergency remote teaching, and many likely will retain some online offerings after ...the health crisis. This study’s goal was to compare the language gains of students in two intensive Russian summer language programs: 2019 face-to-face immersion and 2020 intensive synchronous online. Testing data included the results of entrance and exit oral, writing, and lexico-grammatical tests from 125 students in the face-to-face program and 59 students in the online program. The analyses revealed comparable learning gains in the 2019 and 2020 programs for oral proficiency. Marginally higher writing gains were found in the online program at all proficiency levels combined. Significantly higher gains in lexico-grammatical competence were found in the F2F program, particularly at the Intermediate level. The study contributes toward our understanding of the effectiveness of online language instruction vs. traditional face-to-face programs. Based on the findings, the study concludes with administrative and curricular recommendations for those offering Russian in online or immersion formats and suggest future directions for research.
In the context of emergency remote language teaching during the pandemic, the biggest challenge for instructors has been to continue providing learners with opportunities to practice speaking and ...comprehension skills. Service provider virtual exchange (SPVE) platforms, such as Conversifi, Boomalang, TalkAbroad, iTalki, and LinguaMeeting have the potential to enrich the online learning experience by offering paid videoconferencing sessions with native-speaking language coaches at the students’ convenience. Research shows that regular videoconferencing with native-speaking peers may improve speaking ability (Saito and Akiyama 2017) and foster the development of intercultural competence (Tecedor and Vasseur 2020). This paper will discuss a pilot implementation of such SPVE sessions in intermediate and advanced Russian language courses in a public university in the US during the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, this study examines the structure of SPVE sessions, the opportunities that these sessions present for negotiating meaning as a token for speaking development, and students’ beliefs, attitudes and perceptions in connection with SPVE exchanges, by focusing on how these elements tie into the concept of oral proficiency in an L2. Based on this comprehensive analysis of students’ experience, the authors make pedagogical recommendations for effective integration of SPVEs into Russian language curricula.
In 2018 the National Institute of Health and Care Research, United Kingdom, launched a 3-year Senior Nurse and Midwife Research Leader Programme to support nurse and midwifery research leaders to ...develop research capacity and capability within NHS organisations. We report the results of a service evaluation of the programme strengths, areas for improvement and achievement of programme aims.AIMSIn 2018 the National Institute of Health and Care Research, United Kingdom, launched a 3-year Senior Nurse and Midwife Research Leader Programme to support nurse and midwifery research leaders to develop research capacity and capability within NHS organisations. We report the results of a service evaluation of the programme strengths, areas for improvement and achievement of programme aims.Partially mixed, concurrent mixed methods programme evaluation, including: (a) meeting evaluation (survey), (b) annual evaluation (survey) and (c) qualitative stakeholder interviews.DESIGNPartially mixed, concurrent mixed methods programme evaluation, including: (a) meeting evaluation (survey), (b) annual evaluation (survey) and (c) qualitative stakeholder interviews.Survey results were quantitatively analysed using descriptive statistics. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, deductively coded using elements within the logic model and analysed using the seven-stage framework analysis method.METHODSSurvey results were quantitatively analysed using descriptive statistics. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, deductively coded using elements within the logic model and analysed using the seven-stage framework analysis method.Satisfaction with the programme was high (75%). The main perceived benefit of the programme was being part of a network. Challenges included accessing learning resources, lack of opportunity to network and lack of clarity about the programme aims. Meetings were evaluated as relevant and helpful (mean 93%), thought-provoking (92%), inspiring (91%), at the appropriate level (91%) and aligned with the programme aims (90%). All meetings were ranked as highly beneficial by attendees (92%). Stakeholder feedback on the programme success reflected the importance of leadership, the programme design and content, 'connection and community' and communication with and about the cohort. Overall, the anticipated programme aims were met, evaluating well from both the perspective of those on the programme and the wider stakeholder group. There has been a lack of investment in schemes to support research leadership development for nurses/midwives. A novel programme to support nursing/midwifery research leadership was positively evaluated. The programme is a useful model to support future capacity and capability building for nurses/midwives. The work is reported with reference to the SQUIRE 2 and SRQR checklists. No patient or public contribution.RESULTSSatisfaction with the programme was high (75%). The main perceived benefit of the programme was being part of a network. Challenges included accessing learning resources, lack of opportunity to network and lack of clarity about the programme aims. Meetings were evaluated as relevant and helpful (mean 93%), thought-provoking (92%), inspiring (91%), at the appropriate level (91%) and aligned with the programme aims (90%). All meetings were ranked as highly beneficial by attendees (92%). Stakeholder feedback on the programme success reflected the importance of leadership, the programme design and content, 'connection and community' and communication with and about the cohort. Overall, the anticipated programme aims were met, evaluating well from both the perspective of those on the programme and the wider stakeholder group. There has been a lack of investment in schemes to support research leadership development for nurses/midwives. A novel programme to support nursing/midwifery research leadership was positively evaluated. The programme is a useful model to support future capacity and capability building for nurses/midwives. The work is reported with reference to the SQUIRE 2 and SRQR checklists. No patient or public contribution.
Abstract Aim To develop and psychometrically test an instrument to assess nurses' evidence‐based knowledge and self‐efficacy regarding insertion and management of venous access devices (short ...peripheral catheter (SPC), long peripheral catheter/midline (LPC) and PICC) and the management of totally implantable central venous catheter (Port) in adult patients. Design Multicenter cross‐sectional observational study with questionnaire development and psychometric testing (validity and reliability). Methods An evidence‐based instrument was developed including a 34‐item knowledge section and an 81‐item self‐efficacy section including four device‐specific parts. Nineteen experts evaluated content validity. A pilot study was conducted with 86 nurses. Difficulty and discrimination indices were calculated for knowledge items. Confirmatory factor analyses tested the dimensionality of the self‐efficacy section according to the development model. Construct validity was tested through known group validity. Reliability was evaluated through Cronbach's alpha coefficient for unidimensional scales and omega coefficients for multidimensional scales. Results Content validity indices and results from the pilot study were excellent with all the item‐content validity indices >0.78 and scale‐content validity index ranging from 0.96 to 0.99. The survey was completed by 425 nurses. Difficulty and discrimination indices for knowledge items were acceptable with most items (58.8%) showing desirable difficulty and most items (58.8%) with excellent (35.3%) or good (23.5%) discrimination power, and appropriate to the content. The dimensionality of the model posited for self‐efficacy was confirmed with adequate fit indices (e.g., comparative fit index range 0.984–0.996, root mean square error of approximation range 0.054–0.073). Construct validity was determined and reliability was excellent with alpha values ranging from 0.843 to 0.946 and omega coefficients ranging from 0.833 to 0.933. Therefore, a valid and reliable tool based on updated guidelines is made available to evaluate nurses’ competencies for venous access insertion and management.
Abstract Aim The present study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the ‘Intensive Care Unit Dignified Care Questionnaire (IDCQ)’ among Iranian nurses. Design A ...methodological and psychometric study was conducted in 2022, involving nurses from six teaching hospitals in Kermanshah, Western Iran. Methods The IDCQ was translated into Persian using a forward‐backward translation method. Construct validity was assessed through exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), employing a stratified sampling method with 455 critical care nurses. Internal consistency was gauged using Cronbach's alpha coefficient, while reliability was determined through the test–retest method. Analyses were performed using SPSS version 26 and Lisrel version 8 software. Results EFA and CFA validated the instrument's two‐factor, 17‐item structure. The CFA indicated a well‐fitting model with fit indices: CFI = 0.93, NNFI = 0.92, GFI = 0.861, RMSEA = 0.051 and SRMR = 0.046. Pearson's correlation coefficient substantiated a significant relationship between the items, subscales and the overall scale. The instrument's reliability was confirmed by a Cronbach's α coefficient of 0.88 and a test–retest reliability of 0.86. Conclusion The Persian version of the IDCQ, comprising two factors and 17 items, has been validated as a reliable and applicable tool for use within the Iranian nursing community.
Abstract Aim To explore the experiences of nurses and caregivers about the health system bottlenecks to the delivery of child healthcare services in a rural district in Ghana. Design The study ...employed a qualitative approach using an exploratory, descriptive design. Methods Collection of data was through semi‐structured, face‐to‐face interviews with 26 participants in the Nkwanta South Municipality, Ghana. Audio recordings of interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed qualitatively. Inductive codes generated were organised into themes and sub‐themes. Results The main health system bottlenecks that emerged were the poor state of in‐patient facilities, inadequate basic logistics and persistent shortage of essential medicines needed for child healthcare delivery. Conclusions Health system bottlenecks have the tendency to affect the treatment and hospitalisation outcomes of sick children and eventually impact the state of child healthcare negatively. Concerted efforts by government and local authorities to remove these barriers will help to improve child health and child health outcomes. Public Contribution A total of 26 participants comprising nurses and caregivers, agreed and participated in this study. Interviews with these participants were conducts either in the health facilities or in the communities where they live. Their responses contributed significantly to the content of this article.
Background and objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate whether welfare horticultural therapists (hereinafter referred to as "welfare HTs") have achieved self-growth through ...horticultural therapy experiences.Methods: The subjects of this study are 8 welfare HTs who have actively worked for more than 3 years after receiving a welfare HT license from the Korea Horticultural Therapy Welfare Association. As a research method, Colaizzi's phenomenological method was used. Through the study, a total of 123 semantic components, 34 themes, and 14 theme clusters were collected under 5 categories.Results: The five categories are 'feeling dissatisfied with life', 'encountering horticultural therapy', 'being mesmerized by horticultural therapy', 'difficulties in horticultural therapy', and 'experiencing self-growth through horticultural therapy'. The findings of this study are as follows. Welfare HTs have developed themselves through horticultural therapy experiences. They have had a desire to develop themself into a better existence since learning about horticultural therapy, and working in the treatment field, using plants, through the recovery of clients and various difficult experiences, has consoled them and improved their emotional control and self-esteem.Conclusion: This study has the following significance. First, it focused on the specific context of working as a welfare HT. Second, it attempts an empirical study on self-growth through the experiences of welfare HTs, an important element in the field of horticultural therapy, research of which has thus far been focused only on therapy programs . Third, it sought to determine how welfare HTs achieve self-growth, so it seems that welfare HTs will be able to use these findings to learn about and develop the abilities required to prepare themselves as mature experts.
To implement a quality improvement based system to measure and improve data quality in an observational clinical registry to support a Learning Healthcare System.
ImproveCareNow Network registry, ...which as of September 2019 contained data from 314,250 visits of 43,305 pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) patients at 109 participating care centers.
The impact of data quality improvement support to care centers was evaluated using statistical process control methodology. Data quality measures were defined, performance feedback of those measures using statistical process control charts was implemented, and reports that identified data items not following data quality checks were developed to enable centers to monitor and improve the quality of their data.
There was a pattern of improvement across measures of data quality. The proportion of visits with complete critical data increased from 72 percent to 82 percent. The percent of registered patients improved from 59 percent to 83 percent. Of three additional measures of data consistency and timeliness, one improved performance from 42 percent to 63 percent. Performance declined on one measure due to changes in network documentation practices and maturation. There was variation among care centers in data quality.
A quality improvement based approach to data quality monitoring and improvement is feasible and effective.
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