How Liaisons Leverage Self-Regulated Learning During Transitions to Online Learning at a Mid-Western Urban School District: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to discover how homelessness liaisons leverage self-regulated learning to buffer learners’ risk and adversity during transitions to online learning for students experiencing homelessness (SEHs) at a Midwestern urban school district. The theory guiding this study was Zimmerman’s social cognitive theory of self-regulated learning, a protective factor for SEHs. After collecting data using a questionnaire, conducting individual interviews, and a focus group, the study used bracketing or epoché to analyze data collected on 11 homelessness liaisons regarding how they fostered self-regulation in their students during the transition to online learning COVID-19 Closures caused. Results illustrated that life coaches became their students’ bridge to safety, love, support, and stability, which fosters self-regulation. Implications and future research are discussed

Does digital literacy empower adolescent girls in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review

Background: The vast majority (90%) of the world\u27s adolescents aged 10-19 live in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs); and in those resource-limited settings, girls face distinct challenges across multiple health, social, and economic domains. Gender equality and girls\u27 empowerment are key goals in their own right and are central to all other development goals. Digital literacy is a great enabler for the empowerment of young girls. This systematic review aims to assess the range and nature of digital literacy interventions implemented to empower adolescent girls in LMICs and identify evidence about adolescent girls\u27 access and use of digital technologies in LMICs. Methods: We conducted a systematic review of studies following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) standards for systematic reviews. Two reviewers selected studies, conducted quality assessments, and extracted data by using standard forms. The collected data include the design of the study, type of digital literacy intervention, target audience, intervention received, intervention reach, data analysis, and study outcomes. The review is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020216756). Results: Thirty-five studies met the eligibility for inclusion and of those, 11 were experimental studies (randomized controlled trial = 6; quasi-experimental = 2; before-after with no control = 3), 11 were cross-sectional/descriptive studies, seven studies used a mixed-method approach, and six were qualitative studies on digital literacy interventions to empower young girls in LMICs. The majority of digital literacy interventions were designed and implemented to improve sexual and reproductive health rights and decision-making of adolescent girls in LMICs (n = 33). Only three papers reported the use of digital media for health-related information and decision making, while only one reported on educational and social empowerment. Discussion: Our findings suggest that digital literacy interventions such as mobile phones, mobile health tools, media exposure, access to the internet, internet-based educational strategies, social media exposure are effective to empower adolescent girls to access health services and information and also enhance the access to educational resources. However, we found inconclusive evidence on the effectiveness of digital literacy to enhance girls\u27 access to financial services and economic empowerment. More rigorous studies with long-term follow-ups to assess the effectiveness of such interventions to empower adolescent girls in LMICs are urgently needed

Constituting Factors of a Digitally Influenced Relationship between Patients and Primary Care Physicians in Rural Areas

In times of an ageing society and a rural exodus of primary care physicians, healthcare systems are facing major challenges. To maintain comprehensive care and an equitable access to healthcare services, today’s technological advancements represent a promising measure. Technologies empower patients by providing innovative tools such as sensors and applications for self-measurement, leading to self-initiated interventions, while supporting physicians in handling rising demands through telemedicine and spatially detached solutions. These enhanced treatments come with patient and physician-sided challenges such as incorrect digital information provided to the patient, negatively affecting treatment quality and leading to high issue resolving efforts. In order to investigate the perspectives of rural physicians on treatment digitalization and effects of patient empowerment, we conducted a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews. Our findings show that patient activation, impacts on treatment process, patient differentiation, and patient-physician-interaction are relevant factors in the physicians’ valuation and willingness to use health technologies

The Arts: Building A Foundation To Increase Science Literacy Skills For Urban Youth

This study examined issues related to the development of science literacy skills for urban youth, which affected school performance and achievement in science. Examined were historical and societal educational issues, identity and perception of place in society, perceived individual cultural advantages, self-efficacy, and future career interests in science. Strategies used to addrress these issues included culturally responsive approaches using hip-hop art forms, as an infusion into the urban middle school classroom. Middle school teachers and youth in large Midwest urban districts were surveyed to discover their attitudes about science education and to determine the students\u27 level of science literacy. A performance arts-based approach was then established to connect science investigations to science literacy, and to build a foundation for science literacy skills. Students and their teachers were then trained to create spoken-word science poetry, intertwined with science inquiry explorations, to develop culminating hip-hop science performances. An assessment of this performance arts approach to learning science revealed that eighty-six percent of the students thought that they had learned science better through science poetry developed into a poetry song. Seventy-one percent of the students felt that drama, or acting out science concepts, helped them to have a better understanding of concepts. In addition forty-three percent of the students gave advice to the researcher in regards to making science education approachable through the training they had received

Digital Natives Still Need Intentional Digital Skills in the 4IR: Comparing the General and ICT Self-Efficacy of South African Youth

In as much as youth unemployment is a global challenge, and with the increasing embeddedness of digital technologies in most forms of work, it is often assumed that the youth are digital natives who are naturally attuned to accomplishing tasks using Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). This paper therefore sought to compare the general self-efficacy (confidence to accomplish general tasks) to ICT self-efficacy (confidence to accomplish tasks using ICT) of the youth in South Africa. The study adapted the validated general self-efficacy (GSE) scale to develop the ICT self-efficacy (ISE) scale. Confirmatory Factor Analysis reliably validated the developed ISE scale. The ANOVA results from 1,948 youths show that overall, the youth of South Africa have a higher general self-efficacy compared to their ICT self-efficacy. Specifically, the youth in township areas have the lowest ISE and GSE. The findings suggest that although the youth are regarded as digital natives, their confidence in using ICT to accomplish tasks remains lower than their non-ICT competencies to accomplish tasks. The study points to intentional digital and non-digital skills efforts for the youth similar to other age groups rather than making the assumption that they will naturally use ICT. Further studies on factors such as demographic and social influences that might influence GSE and ISE among the youth in Africa, are recommended

Effective Experiences: A Social Cognitive Analysis of Young Students’ Technology Self-Efficacy and STEM Attitudes

The development of computer skills, as well as computer self-efficacy, has increased in importance along with the role of technology in everyday life. Childhood is a critical time for the development of these skills since early inequalities may substantially impact future life outcomes. In a context of a computing intervention designed to improve digital inclusion, we hypothesize that students’ enactive learning experience (conceptualized as their computer usage) and their vicarious learning experience (conceptualized as their perception of their teacher’s computer usage) are associated with the development of perceived technology efficacy and STEM (Science, Technology, Education, and Math) attitudes. Data are from a sample of elementary school students from an urban school district in the Southeastern United States. The results show that both their direct experiences and their perception of their teacher’s computer usage have strong impacts on students’ technology efficacy and STEM attitudes, and the former is the stronger predictor of the outcomes examined. The findings suggest that programs aiming to improve digital inclusion should emphasize students’ direct learning experience, which would later improve their attitude toward STEM fields

Youth work: a systematic map of the research literature.

This is the first systematic international map of youth work research. It provides a unique resource for investigating the content of youth work, how it is delivered and the terms in which it is assessed, both in formal evaluations of its impact and by children and young people themselves. It provides a valuable basis for developing an evidence-informed approach to policy and practice

The Effectiveness of Using Mobile Interactive Voice Assistant Applications in Developing Academic Self-Efficacy of Saudi University Students during the COVID-19 PandemicThe Effectiveness of Using Mobile Interactive Voice Assistant Applications in Developing Academic Self-Efficacy of Saudi University Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The current research aimed to investigate the effectiveness of using mobile interactive voice assistant applications (i.e. Siri and Google Assistant) in developing Saudi university students’ academic self-efficacy during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research followed the one group quasi-experimental design. It was delimited to a period of the second term during the academic year 2020-2021. Forty-eight participants completed the Arabic Academic Self-Efficacy Scale developed and validated by the author. Results indicated that the participants showed higher improvement in the mean scores of the posttest compared to the pre-test. Additionally, in the post-testing of academic self-efficacy according to grade point average variable, there were statistically significant differences between the mean scores of the participants, whereas there are no statistically significant differences between their mean scores in the post-testing of academic self-efficacy according to mobile digital skills variable. Based on the results, maximizing training courses for faculty members to optimize their digital competencies in using modern technology in teaching is highly recommended