The impact of school environment on children’s respiratory health

The study was done as part of the European Union SINPHONIE Study commissioned by DG SANCO. The authors received some funding from SINPHONIE (European Commission service contract of the DG Sanco).Abstract Background/Aims: School indoor air quality is important because children spend most of their time outside home within the school environment. This study aimed to investigate the school environment and its impact on the respiratory health of the children. Methods: A total of 191 pupils in the 9- to 11-year age group were selected from 5 primary state schools. Validated school and health questionnaires, spirometry, acoustic rhinometry, nasal lavage, urine for environmental tobacco smoke biomarkers and traffic counts were used. Results: Cumulative (32.98%) and current wheezing (17.8%) were in keeping with the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood Malta data. Southern schools had the highest prevalence of current wheezers (OR 3.77; p = 0.012), rhinoconjunctivitis (OR 3.59; p = 0.003) and nasal eosinophilic cationic protein levels (p < 0.001). Small openable window areas increased rhinitic symptoms (OR 3.14; p = 0.016). Classes facing roads had increased current wheezers (OR 2.27; p = 0.03) and exhaled carbon monoxide (eCO) levels (p < 0.001). Current wheezing was significantly associated with the number of light and heavy vehicles passing near the school (p < 0.001). The presence of smokers at home was significantly associated with urinary cotinine and 3HC (p < 0.001). Proximity to power plants increased the current wheezers (OR 5.89; p = 0.001) who had impaired spirometry (p = 0.003). Asthma symptoms (OR 5.25; p = 0.001) and elevated eCO levels (p < 0.001) were associated with fuel storage facilities near schools. The accumulation of dust on flat surfaces within classrooms was related to wheezing (OR 5.23; p = 0.001). Conclusions: The school environment had a direct impact on the respiratory health of children, with several factors having a direct impact on the children's health.peer-reviewe

Indoor climate and its impact on atopic conditions in Maltese school children

Several studies on the prevalence of allergic conditions have identified that allergic conditions are on the increase worldwide. The aim of this study was to study the effect of classroom humidity and temperature levels on schoolchildren in Malta. Our cohort included 191 children. Standardised ISAAC health questionnaires were answered by the children’s parents. Lung function tests, acoustic rhinometry, exhaled NO, exhaled CO and nasal lavage were performed on the participating children. School building characteristics were also studied. A significant association was noted between a high relative humidity exposure and nasal cross-sectional areas (p=0.003), and doctor diagnosed allergic rhinitis (p=0.002), indicating the presence of allergic rhinitis, as was increased indoor temperature (p=0.003). Increased indoor temperature was also associated with increased exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) (p<0.001) indicating uncontrolled asthma. In conclusion, increased classroom temperatures and humidity, both linked to decreased classroom ventilation, were associated with increased incidence of allergic conditions in schoolchildren in Malta. These results emphasize the important need for the introduction of climate control and dehumidifying systems in our schools with the aim of decreasing the prevalence and severity of such conditions in this cohort of patients.peer-reviewe

Special Libraries, January 1911

Volume 2, Issue 1https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/sla_sl_1911/1000/thumbnail.jp

Lessons learnt from the user journey of well-known digital games for the development of educational software

In addition to the actual core content of games, the user journey or user experience in digital games is becoming more and more important. The menu structure should be as intuitive as possible. Features that are important should be displayed to the player at the moment when the game engine assumes that access is necessary. The player should then reach the content with one tap or click. This persuasive design concept is called ‘nudging’ and is rooted in behavioural psychology. Therefore, in the design of the game environment, the viewpoint of goal orientation plays a major role. Two perspectives exist here. First, from the player's point of view: What is necessary to ensure a well-rounded game experience? The second perspective is from the producer's point of view and revolves around what do they want the player to accomplish next. Some of the top games have now also developed so-called "main menu games", which are challenges around the actual game to keep the players content and give them additional tasks that are as stimulating as possible. In this paper, the authors would like to demonstrate the above-mentioned mechanics by analysing four smash hits, namely “FIFA”, “Clash of Clans”, “Pokemon Go” and “League of Legends”, with the aim of gaining learnings for the development of digital educational software. This new form of learning software should be user-centred and offer an outstanding learning experience through optimal design and mechanics.peer-reviewe

Games, design and assessment : how game designers are doing it right

The fixation of formal education to measure and certify academic attainment, continues to fuel the ubiquity of standardised assessment procedures. As such, educators are reluctant to embrace the same constructivist and novel stance adopted towards learning to the assessment domain and continue to favour summative over formative practices. On the other hand, literature on games in education, suggests that well-designed digital games support and enhance the positive interplay between the different forms and functions of assessment, which are inherent to the learning environment. This paper examines the principles of good game design in light of the constructive interaction that exists between learning and the different functions of assessment in games. For instance, levelling and collecting badges whilst climbing up the ladder of challenges found in games, can be considered as the outcome of a purely summative assessment of the player’s progress, as the information collected during gameplay is solely used to judge and certify the player’s performance. However and more importantly, both for the game designers and the players, the game is continuously producing immediate performance feedback in the form of, amongst others, both on-demand and just-in-time information, which informs the players’ learning and allows them to adjust their actions, thus serving as a formative assessment of gameplay. On analysing the respective literature in the field of game studies and assessment, this paper discusses a number of game elements and core mechanics, under three broad themes, namely (i) adaptivity (ii) feedforward and (iii) distributed cognition, which game designers successfully deploy in good game designs. These are gradually and naturally extended towards the theoretical and practical underpinning of an assessment for learning pedagogy, thus potentially informing and transforming traditional assessment practices into a more playful experience.peer-reviewe

The role of blockchain technologies in digital assessment

Once information is stored on the Blockchain, it cannot be altered retroactively. This immutability makes Blockchain technology an ideal candidate to secure learning achievements and educational credentials. Keeping data trustworthy, secure and manipulation-proof has become an increasing issue in education due to the rise of digital learning environments, which often combine learning experiences, testing procedures and educational credential management. Currently, most digital learning environments safeguard their data using traditional safety systems (e.g. password protection), which in turn are not Blockchain-based, but controlled by a centralized authority. While these centralized systems provide a certain level of security against unauthorized access from outside the system, manipulation from within the system cannot be excluded. Users with high enough access rights (teachers, administrators, system managers) can still add, change or delete entries. This becomes an even greater problem when learning achievements are to be reflected in fair and transparent credit systems, and especially when these educational credits are to be valid across different institutions or even countries. Due to their ability to store data in a decentralized, transparent and manipulation-proof way, Blockchain-based technologies can provide solutions to this problem. The aim of this paper is to describe the status quo of Blockchain technologies in the educational sector, including the expected merits and drawbacks.peer-reviewe

Teaching financial literacy around the topic of games : a case study

In the last decade, various pricing models have been developed around computer games. The classic model is games that are bought at a fixed price and no further spending is necessary. However, for some of these games, there are frequent content expansions, such as new stories, available to purchase. Other games have an initial price and a subscription model. A further concept, which can be seen in well-known esports games, such as “League of Legends”, but also in mobile games, such as “Clash of Clans”, is the free2play model. Here, the game can basically be played for free, but there are in-game purchases or so-called season passes, where rewards can be earned more quickly. In all models with in-game purchases, it is always the same procedure: for real money, a further type of ingame token (for instance, jewels in Clash of Clans and “FIFA points” in FIFA) can be bought in addition to the in-game currency that can be earned by playing the game. However, it is only possible to invest money in the game, but not to convert the in-game currency into real money (although there are workarounds like using eBay or other platforms and sell the game accounts or meet in game to transfer in-game currency which has been purchased with a peer2peer FIAT transaction before). In some cases, that secondary currency, which is intended to be purchased for real money, can also be earned, but usually only very slowly and with a lot of effort while playing, which might have legal reasons, so the games cannot be blamed to fall under the gambling jurisdiction. This paper takes the esports School League Floridsdorf+ in Vienna as an example to examine how the topic of digital games and their respective around the game and in-game economy can be used to introduce students to the topic of financial literacy. This can also be facilitated to explain classic financial topics such as interest rates, inflation, deflation, savings accounts or new technologies such as blockchain in an applied and sustainable way.peer-reviewe

Blockchain technologies in the educational sector. Results of the initial data collection

The education system is subject to an ongoing digital transformation. The administrative departments should be able to handle grading, admissions, enrolments and recognition of certificates securely and quickly. Course managers should not only have faith in e-learning but also in e-assessment. And finally, learners should be able to access course material from anywhere and take exams outside the institutes where they are enrolled. Immutability to changes made retroactively seem to make Blockchain systems the perfect technology to secure data and in combination with digital signatures for identity verification, Blockchain could become the key to digital transformation in education. The paper ‘Blockchain technologies in the educational sector Results of the initial data collection‘ gives a first insight into the level of knowledge of people involved and shows which possibilities Blockchain Technologies could bring to the education sector. Or, more precisely, it shows in which existing applications within the educational system Blockchain Technology should be integrated.peer-reviewe

The use of blockchain technologies to issue and verify micro-credentials for customised educational journeys : presentation of a demonstrator

In recent years, a clear trend towards personalised learning experiences has emerged. Individual preferences are in the foreground and should be made possible, for example, through selectable choices. If these courses take place in the same educational institution, the handling of credit and the clear allocation to learning outcomes is usually possible. However, it becomes difficult when the options also extend to courses outside the main educational institution. It is even more difficult when the study opportunities occur, for example, at educational institutions abroad or at businesses with a strong focus on practice. Here, accreditation is often very difficult, dependent on the case and a painstaking process, unless it is regulated by law, for example through the Bologna Process in the case of universities. New ways in adult education go a whole step further, especially via the so-called second-chance education, when the trainee has a choice of often hundreds of possible courses at various educational and vocational institutions. However, the diploma or work permit is ultimately awarded by the authorities and not a specific university or college. This is an ideal example for the concept of micro-credentials or the possibility of partial achievements being made through various channels, whereby each of these microcredentials clearly defines the educational goal that is required and the extent to which this has been achieved by the learner. The most important factor regarding micro-credentials is a standardised form of storage, presentation, verification and approval processes. By discussing a demonstrator, this paper shows how blockchain technologies in combination with digital identities represent a feasible approach to mapping and comparing micro-credentials.peer-reviewe