An Investigation into Effective Pedagogies in a Flipped Classroom: A Case Study

The flipped classroom is being increasingly used in a wide range of instructional situations, yet little is known about how to facilitate it. The purpose of this study is to explore what types of learning activities in a flipped classroom are perceived to be the most effective in the achievement of desired course competencies. This case study specifically focused on the classroom lab sessions—the student-centered classroom—rather than online self-learning modules. Employing a case study using a mixed method approach, this research identifies effective pedagogy in facilitating a flipped classroom. Merrill’s (2002) first principles of instruction were used as a research framework. While results show that students engaged in learning activities of demonstration and application, they were barely exposed to higher-order learning activities. That leads to the conclusion that implementing problem-centered instructional activities, accompanied by desirable challenges, is highly advisable to foster deep engagement. Implications and future directions are discussed

Physical Activity in the Workplace – Making the Healthy Choice the Easy Choice

Background: Engaging in physical activity in the workplace is important to address to combat the negative health outcomes associated with physical inactivity and prolonged sitting.Aim: This study aims to identify efforts that increase light neuromotor physical activity in university workplaces for sedentary employees.Methods: Sub-study 1 examined 15 intervention employees and 10 control employees. MANOVA was used to examine average number of days employees did three movements at work between groups over an eight-week period. Sub-study 2 examined 56 employees and measured three beliefs towards employee intention to do the movements at work. A linear regression examined the significance of the beliefs in predicting employee intention.Results: MANOVA results showed a significant effect between groups on the average number of days employees did three movements over an eight-week period of time, F (3, 21) = 3.16; p < .05. The adjusted R-squared predicting intention from the three beliefs was .343 (p < .001). Participants' belief in how 'easy' doing the movements would be significantly predicted intention scores (β= .467; p < .001) as did the 'popular' belief (β = .371; p < .01). Conclusion: Worksite group physical activity programs can increase the frequency employees get up and move at work. Employee beliefs of how easy or popular a behavior is can significantly predict intention to do neuromotor movements in workplaces

Non-Inclusive Online Security: Older Adults\u27 Experience with Two-Factor Authentication

Older adults access critical resources online, including bank, retirement, and health insurance accounts. Thus, it is necessary to protect their accounts so they can confidently use these services that are increasingly being moved online. Two-factor authentication (2FA) protects online assets through efficient and robust authentication, but adoption and usability remain a challenge. Our in-depth qualitative research focuses on ten older adults’ (≥ 60 years) sustained (non)usage of 2FA for thirty days. Participants’ limited adoption of the security keys stemmed from its non-inclusive design, lack of tangible benefits, inconsistent instructions, and device dependencies. We propose design modifications, age-friendly instructions, effective risk communication, and appropriate assistance to encourage 2FA adoption among older adults and institutions entrusted with their data. We also introduce the concept of ‘Security Caregivers,’ who can ensure security and digital independence for the aging populatio

Attitudes of Graduating Health Practitioners Toward Older Persons in Ghana

Purpose: This study examined attitudes of graduating medical and nursing students toward older persons in Ghana. The association between the overall quality of students’ experiences with older persons and their attitudes was also examined to identify educational interventions to increase interest in geriatrics. Materials and Methods: A sample of 135 final year medical and nursing students from a public institution in Ghana participated in a cross-sectional study by completing a web-based self-administered questionnaire consisting of the 14-item University of California at Los Angeles Geriatric Attitudes (UCLA-GA) scale and demographic questions. Data analysis involved a two-sample t-test and a one-way ANOVA. Results: Overall, most participants (82.2%) held positive attitudes towards older persons. Medical students had significantly more positive attitudes toward older persons (3.50 ± 0.44) than nursing students (3.26 ± 0.38) (t [133] = 3.257, p = .001). The association between students’ attitudes and the quality of their experiences with older persons was significant (F [2, 132] = 7.062, p = .001). Students whose experiences with older persons were negative had the least positive attitudes. Conclusion: Considering the impact of previous experiences with older persons on medical and nursing students’ attitude in Ghana, training to increase interest in geriatrics should include positive clinical and community-based exposure

Aging, Privacy, and Home-Based Computing: Developing a Design Framework

Applications for "aging in place" focus on supporting elders and informing the caregiver but often at the risk of abrogating privacy. The authors developed and tested various prototypes to create a privacy framework for designing home-based computing for seniors.United States National Science FoundationAM

Sustainable Aging and Leisure Behaviors: Do Leisure Activities Matter in Aging Well?

A substantial portion of the gerontological literature has been directed towards the relationship between leisure and aging, particularly with the healthy life of older adults. The concept of leisure conveys varied meanings to persons, including identifying the leisure itself, the activity’s frequency, and its value to the participant. With increased longevity, the concept of aging well and related terms (e.g., “active aging”, “successful aging”, “productive aging”, “positive aging”, “healthy aging”, and “sustainable aging”) have been emerging themes for academic fields related to gerontology, exercise promotion, health care, and leisure activities. Thus, the aging population and human leisure activities must be considered sustainable as sustainability is primarily human-centered. This study explores older adults’ perceptions of leisure and aging well and their leisure behavior at senior welfare centers using qualitative data collection and methodology. Findings suggest that four main themes emerge: unfamiliarity with the concept of leisure and leisure engagement; evolving perceptions of senior centers and leisure benefits; limited physical functioning as a major leisure constraint; perceptions of major factors for aging well. Implications for researchers and policymakers are discussed

IS GHANA READY FOR GERIATRICS? MEDICAL STUDENTS' INTEREST AND INTENTION TOWARD GERIATRIC SPECIALIZATION IN GHANA

Aging is a global phenomenon, and the population of elderly persons continues to increase in many communities around the world. Ghana is not an exception. As the demographics are changing, it is vital that health care providers are trained to effectively diagnose, care for, and manage aging-related conditions to improve the quality of life of the elderly. The aim of this study is to explore the underlying reasons for medical students’ interest in geriatrics and their intentions, likelihood of selecting geriatrics as a specialty for future practice. This exploratory study involved (n =12) fourth, fifth and sixth year medical students in a Ghanaian public university. Semi-structured interviews guided by the theory of planned behavior were conducted. The findings show a lack of geriatric education or training for students in this institution and region. Students’ interest and preferences for geriatrics were mainly influenced by the lack of knowledge and exposure to the specialty, as well as what it entailed to be a geriatrician. Although some students expressed interest in working with older patients, none had the intention to pursue geriatrics as a career option. Creating positive exposure to geriatrics through educational and vocational opportunities are necessary. The findings from this study can be instrumental in developing a knowledge-base of aging and caring for the elderly. Findings can also serve as the foundation for a more comprehensive study, leading to effective geriatrics education interventions in Ghana and Africa at large

WHY DON'T ELDERS ADOPT TWO-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION? BECAUSE THEY ARE EXCLUDED BY DESIGN

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) provides effective protection for online accounts by providing efficient and highly robust access control. Adoption and usability, however, remain challenges for such technologies. Most research on 2FA focuses on students or employees in the tech sector. For example, our research with student populations found that lack of adoption was primarily due to a lack user risk concern matched with confidence in their ‘strong’ password strategies. The situation for older adults (> 60 years) was quite different, as we discovered through detailed interviews and think-aloud protocols targeted at understanding the registration, after installation, and their (un)willingness to use 2FA. We focused our research on USB security hardware tokens; additionally, we asked about other 2FA strategies which the participants adopted (if any). Their lack of adoption of the devices stemmed from its shortfall of inclusive design. Most available security tokens which were compliant with tablets have very small form factors; nearly invisible in a purse, and easy to slip through a pocket. The larger security keys are device and browser (Google Chrome) dependent. The organizations which would be most invested in protecting older people -- retirement management funds, the Social Security Administration, Medicare, and banking institutions - reasonably do not adopt 2FA because of its lack of acceptability. Our negative result is that older adults are caught in a negative feedback loop where lack of adoption prevents availability, and vice versa. The positive result is that these concerns are straight-forward to overcome

Non-Inclusive Online Security: Older Adults' Experience with Two-Factor Authentication

Older adults access critical resources online, including bank, retirement, and health insurance accounts. Thus, it is necessary to protect their accounts so they can confidently use these services that are increasingly being moved online. Two-factor authentication (2FA) protects online assets through efficient and robust authentication, but adoption and usability remain a challenge. Our in-depth qualitative research focuses on ten older adults’ (≥ 60 years) sustained (non)usage of 2FA for thirty days. Participants’ limited adoption of the security keys stemmed from its non-inclusive design, lack of tangible benefits, inconsistent instructions, and device dependencies. We propose design modifications, age-friendly instructions, effective risk communication, and appropriate assistance to encourage 2FA adoption among older adults and institutions entrusted with their data. We also introduce the concept of ‘Security Caregivers,’ who can ensure security and digital independence for the aging populatio