Assessing Community Impact after Service-Learning: A Conceptual Framework

Service-learning integrates experiential learning with community service, yet its community impacts have not been systematically studied. This may reflect the lack of a conceptual model for impact assessment, and failure to investigate the end-beneficiary’s perspective. This study proposes a tripartite model, in which the community impact of service-learning is analyzed from three perspectives: that of the community partner, the end-beneficiary, and the service-learning intervention itself. The model identifies three impact domains salient for the community partner: the level of capacity for service; goals and value achieved; and new knowledge and insights gained. For impact domains salient for the end-beneficiary, the model utilises the needs fulfilment matrix developed by Max-Neef (1991), along with the concept of quality of life. It is argued that the model can accommodate the community impact generated from the community partner, the end-beneficiary and their interactions.Lau, KH.; Snell, R. (2020). Assessing Community Impact after Service-Learning: A Conceptual Framework. En 6th International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd'20). Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. (30-05-2020). https://doi.org/10.4995/HEAd20.2020.10969OCS30-05-202

Conceptual Framework for Assessing Process Variables Salient for Service-Learning Experience

[ES] Service-learning is an established pedagogy which integrates experiential learning with community service. It has been widely adopted in higher education around the world including in Hong Kong, yet the key ingredients that determine its successful impacts for its stakeholders have not been fully assessed. This study reviewed the past literature, which indicates the key ingredients that may be found in successful service-learning programmes. We identify six key ingredients: students provide meaningful service; the community partner representative plays a positive role; effective preparation and support for students; effective reflection by students; effective integration of service-learning within the course design; and stakeholder synergy in terms of collaboration, communication and co-ownership. In order to obtain an inter-subjectively fair and trustworthy data set, reflecting the extent to which those key ingredients are perceived to have been achieved, we propose a multi-stakeholder approach for data collection, involving students, instructors and community partner representatives.Snell, R.; Lau, KH. (2020). Conceptual Framework for Assessing Process Variables Salient for Service-Learning Experience. En 6th International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd'20). Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. (30-05-2020):53-61. https://doi.org/10.4995/HEAd20.2020.10976OCS536130-05-202

社區影響反饋問卷: 使用手冊

服務學習是香港以及全球不少中學及大學廣為採用、深具成效的一種經驗教學法。透過學生、導師、社區夥伴及教育機構的攜手合作，服務學習帶領學生走出課室去服務社區。學生得以學以致用，服務社區。社區在另一方面給予學生生動實在的教育，同時也受益於學生的服務。 現時針對服務學習的研究普遍著重對學生發展的益處，較少對社區夥伴或所服務社區的影響。其中一個原因是，現已有不少可以量度服務學習對學生學習的影響的工具，但對於有效地量度服務學習對社區的影響仍然存在不少困難，並且缺乏工具。 有見及此，我們希望此「社區影響反饋問卷」能填補這個缺口。此問卷旨於從社區夥伴的角度，去瞭解服務學習對他們以及服務受眾的影響。問卷涵蓋三個範疇並通過三方面評估服務學習對社區夥伴的影響，即：實現機構使命、增加機構資源，及獲得新知識、洞見、想法及技巧。同時亦包括量度服務受眾獲益於服務學習項目的程度、對整體社區影響、社區協作夥伴會否繼續參與及推薦服務學習等題項，藉此取得相關的關鍵績效指標。 此用戶手冊詳細介紹此「社區影響反饋問卷」可以如何使用。附錄亦載有問卷的中譯本。我們希望中譯本能協助更多社區夥伴參與評估服務學習項目對社區的影響，並將他們的經驗轉化成範例，促進服務學習的進一步發展，並為社區帶來更深遠及持續的好處。https://commons.ln.edu.hk/osl_book/1034/thumbnail.jp

Community impact feedback questionnaire (CIFQ) : the user manual

Service-learning is an experiential pedagogy designed to benefit all stakeholders, comprising students, educational institutions, instructors, and perhaps more importantly, community partner organizations (CPOs) and the community as a whole. Through serving the community via the CPO, students consolidate their knowledge and skills while applying these in real-life situations. Effective service-learning, therefore, should demonstrate community impact as a result. However, the community impacts arising from service-learning have not been well demonstrated in past research. One reason for this has been the lack of an effective, standardized tool for measuring the impacts. To address this problem, Lingnan University, in collaboration with The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Baptist University, and The Education University of Hong Kong, consolidated relevant research findings into a conceptual framework about the community impact of service-learning, from which the Community Impact Feedback Questionnaire (CIFQ) has been developed. The primary objective of the CIFQ is to serve as a standardized and reliable assessment tool for measuring the extent to which a service-learning project is perceived to have various kinds of community impact. The CIFQ is also designed to capture community impacts from the service recipients’ perspective, via the CPO as the service recipients\u27 proxy. This manual explains the process of how the CIFQ was developed and validated. It also explains how the CIFQ should be administered and scored, and how its results can be interpreted. We envisage that if the CIFQ can be widely adopted, a more complete and reliable data set regarding community impacts arising from service-learning can be obtained. A fuller picture of the community impacts arising from service-learning can help inform how to further advance this experiential learning methodology, and how to derive further benefits for CPOs and the wider community.https://commons.ln.edu.hk/osl_book/1033/thumbnail.jp

Service-learning outcomes measurement scale (S-LOMS) : the user manual

This book outlines the development and how to make use of the Service-Learning Outcomes Measurement Scale (S-LOMS) in assessing student developmental outcomes after service-learning experience. This book results from a cross-institutional project named “Cross-institutional Capacity Building for Service-Learning in Hong Kong Higher Education Institutions (PolyU4/T&L/16-19)”, aiming at enhancing and supporting the development of service-learning as an effective pedagogical strategy under the collaboration of Lingnan University, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Baptist University, and The Education University of Hong Kong.https://commons.ln.edu.hk/osl_book/1032/thumbnail.jp

沒有年齡的課室 : 成效評估研究報告

背景 香港人口老齡化的趨勢持續加劇，傳統的家庭照顧模式已難以滿足老年人和幼童在身心發展上的需求，需要探索新的跨代互助模式。因此，和悅社會企業於2023 年夏季舉辦了一項名為「沒有年齡的課室」的計劃（以下簡稱「計劃」/「課程」）。該課程旨在為長者及幼童提供共學的機會，推動跨代連結與互惠。為了更客觀地檢視「沒有年齡的課室」的實施情況與成效，以及探討在香港推行跨代共學的可行性，和悅社會企業委託嶺南大學亞太老年學研究中心對該課程進行了評估研究，並撰寫了此報告以供相關持分者參考。 研究方法 2. 研究採用定量研究及定性研究的數據收集和分析的混合研究法 (Mixed Methods) 進行。除了透過問卷調查和聚焦小組去收集參加者對課程的看法外，同時分析課程的數據、進行實地觀察，以及檢視相關文獻資料，從而更全面地瞭解整個課程的實施情況、對參與者的影響，以及探討計劃未來的發展方向。 研究結果 3. 本研究於2023年6月至9月期間成功對實驗組及對照組參加者進行了兩輪問卷調查，收集參加者的意見。調查結果顯示，長者及幼童的家長讓他們的孩子參與計劃的最主要原因是為了「想學習新知識 」(長者學員：72%；幼童：73%)，其次為「進行跨代接觸交流」 (長者學員：60%；幼童家長：54%)，第三個主要原因是可以「嘗試新事物」(長者學員：40%；幼童：54%)，以及可以「認識新朋友」 (長者學員：36%；幼童家長：50%)。至於計劃對參加者的影響方面，本研究透過比較實驗組 (即參加「沒有年齡的課室」的長者及幼童學員) 與對照組 (即課程無長幼共學成份)參加者在對雙方態度、自尊心及自信、社交技巧等方面的前後變化。從分析結果顯示，長幼學員在修畢本課程後，對彼此的態度 (長者學員對幼童態度：實驗組增長17%，對照組下降1%；幼童學員對長者態度：實驗組增長19%，對照組增長7%) 及幼童學員的社交技巧 (實驗組增長9%，對照組增長1%) 之增長達統計學顯著程度，足見本課程成功透過長幼共學的方式去改善長幼對彼此的觀感和態度。至於對課程的體驗方面，長者學員及幼童學員之家長均給予高度評價和評分，以1-7分為量表去評價，參加者普遍對課程感到十分滿意 (長者學員：平均分為6.07分；幼童學員：6.29分)、並表示若和悅社會企業日後舉行類似課程會再次參加(長者學員：平均分為5.33分；幼童學員：6.41分) 和向別人推薦此類課程 (長者學員：平均分為5.33分；幼童學員：6.29分)。概括而言，從統計結果反映了課程為參加者帶來很多正面影響，特別是長者或幼童態度之改善比沒有跨代共學成份的課程更為顯著。 4. 此外，本研究邀請了參與課程的長者、幼童家長、和推行「沒有年齡的課室」計劃的同工進行了3 場聚焦小組以深化對問卷調查結果，並進一步探討可如何改善計劃之推行及在社區推廣跨代共學的模式。從結果顯示，長幼學員透過參與本課程互相接觸及互動，增加彼此了解，使彼此的觀感及態度亦變得正面，達到促進跨代共融的目標。同時，幼童的社交技巧、接觸長者的動機及幼童的個人成長亦有所提升。長幼學員、課程導師及項目統籌人員均表示參加者能愉快地學習和十分享受參與本課程。 5. 從不同的的數據作綜合分析，促進「沒有年齡的課室」的成功因素包括: (i) 1對1的長幼配對，增加長幼學員之互動機會以便建立互信關係以及日後的情感聯繫； (ii) 課程時間節數安排要配合幼童的學習時間表 (如與暑假活動分開、每堂時數能讓幼童學員專心等) ；及 (iii) 招募適合的參加者，以其年齡、興趣喜好及性別進行配對 (如女性參加者明顯更為適合參與此類以幼童為對象的活動計劃)。 6. 關於課程的未來發展，研究建議推行機構可考慮以下5 個要點：(i) 除以1對1長幼配對外，亦可考慮同時加入1位長者對數名幼童，或1名幼童對數名長者的混合模式，這樣可以增加長幼學員與不同參加者的互動機會，進一步培養社交技巧；(ii) 可增加針對長者學員的課程內容 ，讓長者以學生身份投入各個課程活動；(iii) 讓一些能力比較高的長者參與課程設計及教材 (如讓長者準備自己過去相片與幼童分享過去時代點滴生活)，為長者充權；(iv) 微調課堂時間以配合長者的活動時間表 (如可參考現時日間長者中心的活動時間)；及 (v) 增加人手安排編制至5至8人，以便在推行活動過程中提供適時的支援 (如增設社工以應付課堂上幼童學員突發的情緒問題)。 總結 7. 綜合各種數數據證明「沒有年齡的課室」有效促進跨代共學與互助，為長者建立正面形象、提升他們的生活質素、亦能令幼童認識如何與長者溝通，改善社交技巧以及提升自尊感等。因此，其他長者服務機構、企業及教育團體可以仿傚此活動，在幼稚園 (即幼兒期) 便引入跨代共學的元素，促進代際間情感、知識與文化的傳遞，重塑「老吾老以及人之老，幼吾幼以及人之幼」的價值觀，建立一個強調代間互助和共融的社會

The epidemiology of COVID-19 cases and the successful containment strategy in Hong Kong-January to May 2020

BACKGROUND: Hong Kong, a Special Administrative Region of China, recorded its first confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) case on 23 January 2020. We reviewed the case epidemiology and the various public health measures implemented from January to May 2020. METHODS: The epidemiological and clinical characteristics of the cases recorded in different phases of the epidemic were described and compared, and the effectiveness of the public health measures implemented were reviewed using the changes in the daily number of confirmed cases and the interval from symptom onset to hospital admission. RESULTS: Between January and May 2020, 1084 confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported, about 70% of which had a history of travel during the incubation period. The case fatality ratio was 0.4%. The local epidemic progressed through four phases: (1) preparedness and imported infection from mainland China, (2) local transmission, (3) imported infection from overseas countries associated with local transmission, and (4) controlled imported infection with limited local transmission, with an eventual reduction of the daily case number and minimization of the onset-to-admission interval. Various public health measures, including enhanced surveillance, border control, and social distancing, were introduced in phases in response to the prevailing local and global situations. DISCUSSION: The overall containment strategy in Hong Kong led to a stabilization of the number of cases and the absence of a community-wide outbreak during the 4.5 m after the first case was reported. This strategy of containment might serve as an example for future planning of preparedness and response against novel infectious agents

The association of RANTES polymorphism with severe acute respiratory syndrome in Hong Kong and Beijing Chinese

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Chemokines play important roles in inflammation and antiviral action. We examined whether polymorphisms of <it>RANTES, IP-10 </it>and <it>Mig </it>affect the susceptibility to and outcome of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We tested the polymorphisms of <it>RANTES, IP-10 </it>and <it>Mig </it>for their associations with SARS in 495 Hong Kong Chinese SARS patients and 578 controls. Then we tried to confirm the results in 356 Beijing Chinese SARS patients and 367 controls.</p> <p>Results</p> <p><it>RANTES </it>-28 G allele was associated with SARS susceptibility in Hong Kong Chinese (<it>P </it>< 0.0001, OR = 2.80, 95%CI:2.11–3.71). Individuals with <it>RANTES </it>-28 CG and GG genotypes had a 3.28-fold (95%CI:2.32–4.64) and 3.06-fold (95%CI:1.47–6.39) increased risk of developing SARS respectively (<it>P </it>< 0.0001). This -28 G allele conferred risk of death in a gene-dosage dependent manner (<it>P </it>= 0.014) with CG and GG individuals having a 2.12-fold (95% CI: 1.11–4.06) and 4.01-fold (95% CI: 1.30–12.4) increased risk. For the replication of <it>RANTES </it>data in Beijing Chinese, the -28 G allele was not associated with susceptibility to SARS. However, -28 CG (OR = 4.27, 95%CI:1.64–11.1) and GG (OR = 3.34, 95%CI:0.37–30.7) were associated with admission to intensive care units or death due to SARS (<it>P </it>= 0.011).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p><it>RANTES </it>-28 G allele plays a role in the pathogenesis of SARS.</p

ITGAM is associated with disease susceptibility and renal nephritis of systemic lupus erythematosus in Hong Kong Chinese and Thai

ITGAM was recently found to be associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in populations of not only European ancestry, but also in Hispanic- and African-Americans, Mexicans and Colombians. The risk alleles in the gene, however, were found to be monomorphic in two Asian populations examined: Japanese and Korean. In this study, using a collection of 910 SLE patients and 2360 controls from Chinese living in Hong Kong, analyzed by both genome-wide association and direct sequencing, we confirmed the association of the same risk alleles in ITGAM with the disease. These findings were further replicated in the Thai population with 278 patients and 383 ethnicity- and geography-matched controls. Subphenotype stratification analyses showed significantly more involvement of the gene in patients with renal nephritis and neurological disorders. Although our results support a pivotal role by rs1143679 (R77H) in disease association, our data also suggests an additional contribution from rs1143683, another non-synonymous polymorphism in this gene (A858V). Therefore, despite the low-allele frequencies of the risk alleles of the gene in our two Asian populations, ITGAM was confirmed to be a risk factor related to disease susceptibility and probably severe manifestations of SLE

Exposure and infection to Plasmodium knowlesi in case study communities in Northern Sabah, Malaysia and Palawan, The Philippines.

BACKGROUND: Primarily impacting poor, rural populations, the zoonotic malaria Plasmodium knowlesi is now the main cause of human malaria within Malaysian Borneo. While data is increasingly available on symptomatic cases, little is known about community-level patterns of exposure and infection. Understanding the true burden of disease and associated risk factors within endemic communities is critical for informing evidence-based control measures. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We conducted comprehensive surveys in three areas where P. knowlesi transmission is reported: Limbuak, Pulau Banggi and Matunggung, Kudat, Sabah, Malaysia and Bacungan, Palawan, the Philippines. Infection prevalence was low with parasites detected by PCR in only 0.2% (4/2503) of the population. P. knowlesi PkSERA3 ag1 antibody responses were detected in 7.1% (95% CI: 6.2-8.2%) of the population, compared with 16.1% (14.6-17.7%) and 12.6% (11.2-14.1%) for P. falciparum and P. vivax. Sero-prevalence was low in individuals <10 years old for P. falciparum and P. vivax consistent with decreased transmission of non-zoonotic malaria species. Results indicated marked heterogeneity in transmission intensity between sites and P. knowlesi exposure was associated with agricultural work (OR 1.63; 95% CI 1.07-2.48) and higher levels of forest cover (OR 2.40; 95% CI 1.29-4.46) and clearing (OR 2.14; 95% CI 1.35-3.40) around houses. Spatial patterns of P. knowlesi exposure differed from exposure to non-zoonotic malaria and P. knowlesi exposed individuals were younger on average than individuals exposed to non-zoonotic malaria. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This is the first study to describe serological exposure to P. knowlesi and associated risk factors within endemic communities. Results indicate community-level patterns of infection and exposure differ markedly from demographics of reported cases, with higher levels of exposure among women and children. Further work is needed to understand these variations in risk across a wider population and spatial scale