Editorial

Editorial for the 2021 volume 13, issue 1 of the IARTEM e-journa

Letter from the Editors

This issue of the International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning 13(1) presents 12 research articles, their studies focusing on post-secondary education at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. The breadth of subject disciplines addressed and the startling geographical reach of these articles reflects both the maturity and ubiquity of SoTL. The quality of these studies demonstrates that the analysis of the processes involved in teaching and learning is a vibrant field, one that is still carving out its place within the academy. The practitioners included here continue to demonstrate that SoTL is a lynchpin for connecting our scholarship with our teaching. As one of the primary organs for the publication of work in our field, the Journal is committed to reflecting the current realities of that field, and toward that end we’re making two changes. The first is purely a matter of timing. Our previous publication schedule (the one for this issue) had us publishing in July and January. Our new schedule, to be implemented with the remainder of volume 13, is to publish in May and November. To keep our volumes limited to a single calendar year, this volume (13) will contain three issues: #1, which you have before you; #2, to be published in May 2019; and #3, to be published in November 2019. Volume 14 will contain our usual two issues, to be published in May and November of 2020. The second change is more significant, and reflects the maturity of both our field and the Journal. We’d like to formalize a practice that both the editors and the editorial board have been following for some time. One of the fundamental characteristics of SoTL is that it is a meta-discipline. Unlike most academic fields, SoTL cannot exist within its own silo. Teaching and learning occur within other, more specific, subject areas, and we bring SoTL strategies to bear on that process in situ. But the outcomes of these practices cannot be limited to a particular discipline. SoTL acknowledges that the results of an analysis of the practices used in, say, a physics course, should, in some manner, offer guidance for the practices used in a literature course as well. The Journal, then, prefers work that looks beyond a single subject field and addresses the meta-disciplinary nature of SoTL. In general, submissions should be specifically situated under the SoTL umbrella, and include a thorough literature review that directly addresses the relevant SoTL literature. For many authors who would like to publish with us, this change may mean nothing more than expanding the focus of their analyses and discussions in order to move beyond a single disciplinary silo. For others, it may mean a reconsideration of the primary audience for their work. Finally, we would like to again thank the members of our Editorial Board. Their work in the review process allows us not only to publish the Journal on time, but also to maintain the high standards for academic rigor and writing we espouse. We continue to seek nominations (including self-nominations) for the Editorial Board. These can be sent to [email protected]

Understanding built environment realities : between conceptual frameworks and experimental fieldworks

Purpose – Following the successful transition ofArchnet-IJAR to Emerald, the introduction of new process and editorial teams, and the production of the first issue last March (Volume 13, Issue 1), the purpose of this paper is to outline key aspects of the contributions published in this edition of Archnet-IJAR: International Journal of Architectural Research, Volume 13, Issue 1, July 2019. Design/methodology/approach – Premised on two generic understandings of built environment research: conceptual frameworks and experimental fieldworks, a classification of topical contents and an identification of approaches within the studies published in this edition, a narrative on evolving interests and themes is developed to outline these undertakings. Findings – Five themes are identified from 13 papers contributed by 27 researchers from academic institutions in 13 countries and territories. Themes include: complexity and prosperity of informal settlements and slums; east–west dialectics of environmental design research and sustainable urbanism; educating future built environment professionals; grassroots research and design strategies; and performance, perception and behavior. Originality/value – Understanding and appreciating various research approaches for unveiling key aspects of built environment realities including the spatial and social dimensions would facilitate effective contributions in architectural and urban research. This is coupled with the advancing thematic aspects that enthuse a re-thinking of the key purpose of architectural and urban research while stimulating future research endeavors

Letter from the Editors

This issue of The International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning 13(2) presents fourteen research articles, on topics ranging from faculty onboarding to factors affecting students’ completion of extra-credit assignments, and one reflective essay on faculty resistance to treating students as partners in the learning process. As with our previous issue in this volume, both the breadth of the subject disciplines addressed and the quality of our international contributors reflects the ever-increasing acceptance of the efficacy of SoTL. Countless practitioners continue to demonstrate both the productive nature of reflecting on our practice and the necessity of linking our scholarship with our teaching. With this issue, IJSoTL is midway through this transitional volume, number 13. We’re moving from publishing issues in July and January to publishing issues in May and November. Rather than produce a volume with only one issue, we’ve opted to create a volume with three issues. Issue #1 was published in January of 2019. Issue #2, published in May 2019, is before you. Issue #3 will be published in November of 2019. After this volume we’ll be more accurately aligned with a traditional academic schedule, and so the two issues of volume 14 will be published in May and November of 2020. We regularly review our readership data, and when we looked over our statistics from the past year (May 2018 to May 2019), we noticed several interesting trends. During this time, the 533 articles published in IJSoTL were downloaded over 117,000 times. More than 50,000 of those downloads came from just two countries, the United States and the Philippines. Another 30,000 came from the remainder of the ten countries where we have the greatest readership: the United Kingdom, Canada, Indonesia, Australia, India, Malaysia, South Africa, and Pakistan. Of those ten countries, at least half of them—depending on who’s doing the categorizing—could be considered part of the Global South, economically disadvantaged nation-states. We’re proud of this readership distribution. It demonstrates to us, among other things, that concern about the effectiveness of education is not reserved solely for developed societies. Indeed, we could argue that such concern is necessary in order for a political entity or culture to develop in the first place. Rather than resort to trial-and-error or rely on anecdotes, tradition, or acquiescence to the status quo, educators and policy makers in the developing world are looking for evidence-based methods and solutions for their post-secondary institutions. We are pleased to play some small part in that process. Producing IJSoTL, and maintaining our high standards for academic rigor and writing, would not be possible without the hard work of the members of our Editorial Board. Their work in the review process is crucial; we rely on their acumen hundreds of times for each issue. We continue to seek nominations (including self-nominations) for these positions. If you’re interested, please post to us at [email protected]

The Maltese version of the DN4 questionnaire : initial validation to assess neuropathic pain in patients with chronic spinal or spinal-radicular pain

Background: Neuropathic pain is frequently encountered in patients with spinal and spinal-related pain which needs specific treatment. Therefore, the objective of this study was to do an initial linguistic translation and validation of the Maltese DN4 questionnaire to diagnose neuropathic pain in this population. Methods: The study was designed as a single-blinded, observational, prospective collected data and retrospective analysis. The English and French DN4 questionnaires underwent forward and backward translation, literal assessment and adaptation of the semantic equivalence into the Maltese language, followed by assessment of the Maltese DN4 during the initial patient assessment in patients who met the inclusion criteria. Results: The total Maltese DN4 score obtained a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.735 therefore having satisfactory internal consistency. Test-retest using the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (95% CI) ranged from 0.975 to 0.991 (p=0.000), while inter-rater agreement using Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (95% CI) ranged from 0.986 to 0.995 (p=0.000). Test-retest reliability yielded an intraclass correlation coefficient (95% CI) ranging from 0.975 to 0.991 (p < 0.001), while inter-rater reliability yielded an intraclass correlation coefficient (95% CI) ranging from 0.986 to 0.995 (p < 0.001). Both the English and the Maltese DN4 questionnaires obtained the same sensitivity and specificity values of 0.422 and 0.941 respectively, and a positive likehood ratio of 7.153 and a negative likehood ratio of 0.614, at a cutoff score of 4. Conclusion: The results of this study support the transcultural internal consistency, inter-rater, test-retest reliability, validity of the Maltese DN4 questionnaire to differentiate between neuropathic and nociceptive pain in patients with chronic spinal and spinal-radicular pain. Therefore, this simple tool can be used both in daily clinical practice but also in the clinical research setting to quickly screen for neuropathic pain.peer-reviewe

Feminism, women’s movements and women in movement

Non peer reviewedPublisher PD

Editorial: Feminism, women’s movements and women in movement

Introduction to Special Issue that engages with the increasingly important, separate yet interrelated themes of feminism, women’s movements and women in movement in the context of global neoliberalism

The prevalence of trunk asymmetries in the small island state of Malta

Background: Malta, the smallest member state of the European Union is constituted of two inhabited islands Malta and Gozo. In the Maltese islands there has not been any large population size definitive study concerning the incidence of trunk asymmetries that may indicate Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) amongst the general population. Scoliosis is one of the most deforming orthopaedic conditions confronting children. To confirm the orthopaedic condition of scoliosis one has to carry out a visual examination that usually consists of the Adam’s Forward Bend test, this is followed by the measurement of trunk rotation with the use of a Bunnell Scoliometer. Should the angle of trunk rotation be more than five degrees then the positively screened student be referred for x-Rays and a 10 degree Cobb angle taken as being required to confirm the diagnosis of Scoliosis. The lack of a full scale study together with the apparent lack of awareness regarding the condition has prompted the authors to research the situation on all Gozitan children aged between 13 and 15 years of age. It was decided to measure Trunk Asymmetry and the aim of the study was to obtain statistical data on the occurrence of trunk asymmetries amongst the Gozitan population, to further analyse the ratio of distribution of trunk asymmetries between female and male students and finally to refer the positively screened students to the relevant medical authorities for x-ray to confirm a scoliosis diagnosis. Methods: This quantitative study design was carried out on all children aged between 13 to 15 years old over a five-month period. An Adam’s forward bend test and Scoliometer reading were taken for each participant consenting to this study. To minimse bias a qualified full time Physiotherapist graduated with a Bachelor of Science Honours degree in Physiotherapy since 2012, carried out these tests in the selected schools. Results: The results of the study concluded that 5.3% of the adolescent population in Gozo suffer from trunk asymmetries (13 out of 245). Prevalence of trunk asymmetry was calculated using the 95% confidence interval and the Chi square tests had a significant p-value. Further analysis showed that 69% of these were female and 31% were male. These results demonstrate that the prevalence of trunk asymmetries in Gozitan adolescents is comparable to that stated within the current literature. Conclusions: Results from the study confirms that trunk asymmetry is relatively common within the Maltese population. This might be indicative that a significant portion of the Maltese adolescent population might suffer from Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis. The intention of this research is to increase the general public’s awareness of the condition AIS, to make this condition more prominent to members of the allied professions, to reinforce the need for school screening projects and finally to ensure that the condition Trunk Asymmetry and Scoliosis is given the importance that it requires in the curriculum of study for physiotherapists.peer-reviewe

A study of the pulmonary complications of preterm infants after prenatal corticosteroids prophylaxis in a major Bulgarian hospital

Abstract: An increasingly common problem in obstetrics and neonatology is premature birth. This problem is the cause of many health complications in premature neonates and is leading to neonatal mortality. These complications affect the whole body of premature babies, the respiratory system has the largest percentage due to lack of the period for intrauterine maturation of the lung. A retrospective study was carried out at the Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital St. Georgi, Plovdiv, Bulgaria for the period 2015-2016. 167 preterm infants have been studied. They were divided into two main groups: a working group of 89 preterm infants with prenatal corticosteroid prophylaxis and a control group of 78 preterm infants without prenatal prophylaxis. Data on clinical outcomes, health status, background complications of prenatal corticosteroid prophylaxis have been analyzed. The summary, however, of the results that is: the 3.6% difference has been found between newborn children with RDS and those with all other disabilities; this shows that in preterm infants the priority is to damage the respiratory system. Over 60% of the prematurity develop respiratory distress syndrome. The presence of respiratory complications is dew to the earlier gestational week of birth and the older age of the mother and is somewhat limited by the prenatal administration of corticosteroids.peer-reviewe