Priorities for Pan-American Geography Education: Needs and Trends

Geography education research in Latin America is uneven in terms of its thematic focus and country-level contributions. Research demonstrates the necessity for a region-wide prioritization of geography education themes that builds on existing scholarship and adapts to emerging needs and trends. The Pan-American Institute for Geography and History, a scholarly society, established a research team with a four-year charge of advancing geography education in the region. Titled “Geographic Literacy for the Countries of the Americas”, the initiative develops research agendas that encompass the diversity of definitions and criteria, scholarly activities, and curricular resources across countries. The purpose of this study is to follow the process of identifying geography education research priorities involving scholars representing most countries in the region; describe the priorities and activities identified by project team members; and discuss emerging long-term research agendas. The study uses a descriptive research design to describe the process in general and to specify the outcomes. Results show the prioritization of the four areas as follows: teaching geography online, teaching geography face-to-face, methodological foundations of geographic education, and connecting geography and education stakeholders. Activities and research agendas within these categories include both traditional, longstanding themes and emerging themes related to recent global crises and technological innovations

Regional geographies and public health lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Arctic

Objectives: This study examines the COVID-19 pandemic’s spatiotemporal dynamics in 52 sub-regions in eight Arctic states. This study further investigates the potential impact of early vaccination coverage on subsequent COVID-19 outcomes within these regions, potentially revealing public health insights of global significance. Methods: We assessed the outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic in Arctic sub-regions using three key epidemiological variables: confirmed cases, confirmed deaths, and case fatality ratio (CFR), along with vaccination rates to evaluate the effectiveness of the early vaccination campaign on the later dynamics of COVID-19 outcomes in these regions. Results: From February 2020 to February 2023, the Arctic experienced five distinct waves of COVID-19 infections and fatalities. However, most Arctic regions consistently maintained Case Fatality Ratios (CFRs) below their respective national levels throughout these waves. Further, the regression analysis indicated that the impact of initial vaccination coverage on subsequent cumulative mortality rates and Case Fatality Ratio (CFR) was inverse and statistically significant. A common trend was the delayed onset of the pandemic in the Arctic due to its remoteness. A few regions, including Greenland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Northern Canada, Finland, and Norway, experienced isolated spikes in cases at the beginning of the pandemic with minimal or no fatalities. In contrast, Alaska, Northern Sweden, and Russia had generally high death rates, with surges in cases and fatalities. Conclusion: Analyzing COVID-19 data from 52 Arctic subregions shows significant spatial and temporal variations in the pandemic’s severity. Greenland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Northern Canada, Finland, and Norway exemplify successful pandemic management models characterized by low cases and deaths. These outcomes can be attributed to successful vaccination campaigns, and proactive public health initiatives along the delayed onset of the pandemic, which reduced the impact of COVID-19, given structural and population vulnerabilities. Thus, the Arctic experience of COVID-19 informs preparedness for future pandemic-like public health emergencies in remote regions and marginalized communities worldwide that share similar contexts

Empathy, Education, & Empowerment: Reflections on the World of Dementia

At UNI\u27s Dementia Simulation House, we offer the opportunity for participants to experience what life may be like for someone living with dementia in a home setting. About 80% of individuals living with dementia live at home in the community, and we aim to show participants what it might be like for these individuals to complete chores and activities of daily living. An individual puts on gear to experience dementia. There is a debriefing that involves writing a reaction word. We sorted the reaction words and calculated percentages on the commonality of phrases or words to examine the reactions of participants at the Dementia Simulation House. Common reaction words included anxious, difficult, humbling, trapped, and inadequate. These reactions give us insight into how participants respond to their experience and how it differs from their expectations

1861 - The Holy War - Harriet Beecher Stowe

Document citation: Harriet Beecher Stowe, “The Holy War,” The London Independent, May 9, 1861.https://scholarworks.uni.edu/nhomefront/1000/thumbnail.jp

Mastering 3 Learning Strategies: A Guide for Undergraduate Peer Science Tutors in Walk-In Setting

The Learning Center (TLC) provides assistance to students in writing, science, math, business, strategies, and also peer mentoring. Science tutoring in the TLC generally includes students who are looking for problem/solution oriented assistance instead of long term practices. If science tutors are introduced on how to integrate learning strategies to benefit the students they are assisting this will provide strategies to create a more holistic student rather than a strictly homework oriented student. Common issues seen in science tutees are regulating metacognition, forgetting information as soon as class is over, and not knowing how to read a textbook. These are concepts that fall under the category of learning strategies that can be provided to assist students in their learning process. Introducing and integrating the significance of metacognition, the study cycle, and reading strategies in a science tutoring environment may increase student motivations and hence reflect on their grades and retention in their courses. The intention of this research is to provide all science tutors with background information on these specific learning strategies. This is in order to provide a comprehensive resource for the University of Northern Iowa campus

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Newsletter, January 2024

In this issue: --- MSEI Season is Underway for Western Iowa --- January 31, 2024 Reporting Deadlines: Grain Facility PM10 PTE --- January 31, 2024 Reporting Deadlines: 6X Certification and Compliance Report --- First Cidery Certified Gold by the IGBC --- IWRC\u27s Jennifer Trent Named President of USCC --- UNI\u27s Economics of Sustainability Class Teams Up with STAR4D for Impact --- Industry Newshttps://scholarworks.uni.edu/iwrc_news/1116/thumbnail.jp

Breaking the Patterns of Homelessness

Homelessness is a global issue that affects people living in all kinds of different environments. The impacts of homelessness are relatively similar when it comes to developed and undeveloped countries. The uncertainty and stress of homelessness can lead to mental health problems including depression, anxiety and many others. When it comes to physical health, not having a stable living environment can make it more difficult to have access to basic needs such as clean water, safe shelter and nutritious foods. The lack of basic necessities often leads to malnutrition, exposure to harmful weather conditions and a higher sensitivity to diseases and illness. In the US, two of the leading causes of homelessness is lack of affordable housing and mental health/substance abuse. While in an underdeveloped country like Syria, the main cause of homelessness is the collapsing of infrastructure caused by natural disaster. Due to these conditions, people can be exposed to diseases and without health care or if not that, they may not have a place to store which makes it harder to treat. The goal of this study is to find the underlying causes of homelessness in countries of different economic status’ in order to identify ways to break the cycle of homelessness