STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN CONVENTIONAL AND ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLING: FIELD BASED EVIDENCE

The study examines differences in students’ academic achievement in conventional and alternative schools (aka speed schools) in Tigrai, Ethiopia. Students in speed schools attended the three-year program of the conventional curriculum in ten months. A total of 372 students from conventional and speed schools were involved in the study. Ten speed school facilitators and eight conventional school teachers responded to questionnaires. Literacy and numeracy tests as well as teacher made tests were used to compare differences. Students in the speed school classes have statistically significantly higher scores on the outcome measures both in numeracy and literacy than those in conventional schools. The same students also scored higher in the teacher made tests. Furthermore, a similar comparison in grade four revealed that students from alternative schools performed relatively higher scores. Policy makers need to critically look into the experiences of speed schools and identify important lessons to apply to conventional schools.  Article visualizations

Community engagement in Cutaneous Leishmaniasis research in Brazil, Ethiopia, and Sri Lanka: A decolonial approach for global health.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a parasitic skin disease endemic in at least 88 countries where it presents an urgent, albeit often "neglected" public health problem. In this paper, we discuss our model of decolonial community engagement in the ECLIPSE global health research program, which aims to improve physical and mental health outcomes for people with CL. The ECLIPSE program has four interlinked phases and underpinning each of these phases is sustained and robust community engagement and involvement that guides and informs all activities in ECLIPSE. Our decolonial approach implies that the model for community engagement will be different in Brazil, Ethiopia and Sri Lanka. Indeed, we adopt a critical anthropological approach to engaging with community members and it is precisely this approach we evaluate in this paper. The data and material we draw on were collected through qualitative research methods during community engagement activities. We established 13 Community Advisory Groups (CAGs): in Brazil ( = 4), Ethiopia ( = 6), and Sri Lanka ( = 3). We identified four overarching themes during a thematic analysis of the data set: (1) Establishing community advisory groups, (2) CAG membership and community representation, (3) Culturally appropriate and context-bespoke engagement, and (4) Relationships between researchers and community members. During our first period of ECLIPSE community engagement, we have debunked myths (for instance about communities being "disempowered"), critiqued our own practices (changing approaches in bringing together CAG members) and celebrated successes (notably fruitful online engagement during a challenging COVID-19 pandemic context). Our evaluation revealed a gap between the exemplary community engagement frameworks available in the literature and the messy, everyday reality of working in communities. In the ECLIPSE program, we have translated ideal(istic) principles espoused by such community engagement guidance into the practical realities of "doing engagement" in low-resourced communities. Our community engagement was underpinned by such ideal principles, but adapted to local sociocultural contexts, working within certain funding and regulatory constraints imposed on researchers. We conclude with a set of lessons learned and recommendations for the conduct of decolonial community engagement in global health research. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2022 Polidano, Parton, Agampodi, Agampodi, Haileselassie, Lalani, Mota, Price, Rodrigues, Tafere, Trad, Zerihun and Dikomitis.

Community engagement in cutaneous leishmaniasis research in Brazil, Ethiopia, and Sri Lanka : a Decolonial approach for global health

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a parasitic skin disease endemic in at least 88 countries where it presents an urgent, albeit often “neglected” public health problem. In this paper, we discuss ourmodel of decolonial community engagement in the ECLIPSE global health research program, which aims to improve physical and mental health outcomes for people with CL. The ECLIPSE program has four interlinked phases and underpinning each of these phases is sustained and robust community engagement and involvement that guides and informs all activities in ECLIPSE. Our decolonial approach implies that the model for community engagement will be different in Brazil, Ethiopia and Sri Lanka. Indeed, we adopt a critical anthropological approach to engaging with community members and it is precisely this approach we evaluate in this paper. The data andmaterial we draw on were collected through qualitative research methods during community engagement activities. We established 13 Community Advisory Groups (CAGs): in Brazil (n = 4), Ethiopia (n = 6), and Sri Lanka (n = 3). We identified four overarching themes during a thematic analysis of the data set: (1) Establishing community advisory groups, (2) CAG membership and community representation, (3) Culturally appropriate and context-bespoke engagement, and (4) Relationships between researchers and community members. During our first period of ECLIPSE community engagement, we have debunked myths (for instance about communities being “disempowered”), critiqued our own practices (changing approaches in bringing together CAG members) and celebrated successes (notably fruitful online engagement during a challenging COVID-19 pandemic context). Our evaluation revealed a gap between the exemplary community engagement frameworks available in the literature and the messy, everyday reality of working in communities. In the ECLIPSE program, we have translated ideal(istic) principles espoused by such community engagement guidance into the practical realities of “doing engagement” in low-resourced communities. Our community engagement was underpinned by such ideal principles, but adapted to local sociocultural contexts, working within certain funding and regulatory constraints imposed on researchers. We conclude with a set of lessons learned and recommendations for the conduct of decolonial community engagement in global health research.peer-reviewe

‘Self-stigma’ of people with cutaneous leishmaniasis the unrecognized one: what do we think; what do we know; what can we prove?

Abstract Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) refers to a group of parasitic infections caused by the protozoan parasite Leishmania spp. Lack of knowledge and awareness regarding this disease creates a burden for patients with CL to deal with self-stigma. The aim of this ethnographic study is to provide an analysis of self-stigma experienced by patients with CL through an in-depth understanding of the self-stigma experienced by patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis. A qualitative data analysis approach was used for this study. Semi-structured interviews and participant observation were conducted with 33 individuals with CL, and data were analyzed using a thematic analysis method. Interviews revealed that individuals with CL experience severe self-stigma. The participants spoke of their struggle to live with physical appearances that differed from societal norms. Furthermore, they also highlighted that people with CL are often viewed as unclean and contagious, which further adds to their self-stigma. Fear of social exclusion often forced individuals with CL to isolate themselves, leading to a detrimental impact on their mental health and quality of life. This study provides valuable insights into the experiences of patients with CL who are subjected to self-stigma. The findings suggest that the lack of knowledge and the considerable misconceptions surrounding CL create barriers for patients to deal with the condition and the self-stigma attached to it. To address this issue, there is a need for dedicated public health campaigns and health education that increase awareness about CL and provide appropriate support and care for those affected

Impact of Learning Analytics on Curriculum Design and Student Performance

The quality of students' learning experiences is a critical concern for all educational institutions. With the assistance of modern technological advances, educational establishments have the capability to better understand the strengths and weaknesses of their learning programs. Impact of Learning Analytics on Curriculum Design and Student Performance is a critical scholarly resource that examines the connection between learning analytics and evaluations and their impact on curriculum design and student performance in educational institutions. Featuring coverage on a broad range of topics, such as academic support, large scale assessment, and educational research methods, this book is geared towards educators, professionals, school administrators, researchers, and practitioners in the field of education.Preface ; 1 : Learning Analytics ; 2 : A Study on the Impact of Learning Analytics to Evaluate Students' Performance in Higher Education ; 3 : Challenges of Learning Analytics Execution in the Educational System ; 4 : Learning Analytics ; 5 : Impact of Learning Analytics on the Assessment of a Curriculum-Based Test ; 6 : An Intervention Program for Advancing the Academic Performance of International Pathway “STAR” ; 7 : Assessment and Evaluation of Students' Performance Without Learning Analytics ; 8 : Learning Analytics ; 9 : Learning Analytics in the Perspective of Enhancing Students' Performance ; 10 : Implementation and Impact of Learning Analytics on Multifarious Educational Systems ; Compilation of References ; Inde

Linking research to end users through community engagement: an umbrella review

Introduction Investigation of effective modes of community engagement remains an important topic in research yet is often overlooked. Studies focusing on how to move beyond a tokenistic involvement of community members into one with true collaboration remain spread across a broad range of disciplines. Objective This umbrella review aims to bring together existing systematic reviews to highlight best practice related to community engagement in research. Method The Health Research Literature Explorer (PCORI), PubMed, and Google Scholar were searched. Studies published in English since 1990 on any aspect of end-user engagement in research were considered. A total of 23 articles met the inclusion criteria and withstood quality appraisal using the Joanna Briggs Institute appraisal checklist. Results Our findings indicate no conclusive evidence on which type of community engagement is most effective. Rather, we found engagement activities varied depending on the type and stages of the study. Conclusion Hence, the need for innovative approaches to measure the impact of community engagement was stressed in the review. However, it was possible to narrow the gap between research and implementation by adhering to cultural context, community concern, and attitudes. Recommendation Thus, research in general should underpin robust community engagement activities to gain better outcomes

Linking research to end users through community engagement: an umbrella review

Introduction Investigation of effective modes of community engagement remains an important topic in research yet is often overlooked. Studies focusing on how to move beyond a tokenistic involvement of community members into one with true collaboration remain spread across a broad range of disciplines. Objective This umbrella review aims to bring together existing systematic reviews to highlight best practice related to community engagement in research. Method The Health Research Literature Explorer (PCORI), PubMed, and Google Scholar were searched. Studies published in English since 1990 on any aspect of end-user engagement in research were considered. A total of 23 articles met the inclusion criteria and withstood quality appraisal using the Joanna Briggs Institute appraisal checklist. Results Our findings indicate no conclusive evidence on which type of community engagement is most effective. Rather, we found engagement activities varied depending on the type and stages of the study. Conclusion Hence, the need for innovative approaches to measure the impact of community engagement was stressed in the review. However, it was possible to narrow the gap between research and implementation by adhering to cultural context, community concern, and attitudes. Recommendation Thus, research in general should underpin robust community engagement activities to gain better outcomes

Negotiating spaces of marginality and independence: on women entrepreneurs within Ethiopian urbanization and water precarity

In the context of the growth of Ethiopia's market economy the importance of women-owned enterprises is acknowledged, with barriers to economic success outlined in a limited number of studies. However, the daily struggles and embodied experiences of low-skilled women entrepreneurs in informal economies, as well as precarious and unequal intermittent water environments, have been insufficiently understood. We analyse how women strive for and negotiate their independence through spatiality and how services, specifically water, affect their ability to develop their business spaces. The evidence derives from five studies, using mixed methods, conducted in the small town of Wukro, Ethiopia. The methods used were household surveys, a water diary, and interviews with women entrepreneurs - owners of coffee, alcohol, and hair salons businesses. Our study finds that they develop their businesses through the simultaneous presence of various, multilevel spaces of marginality/paradoxical spaces and articulation of independence as control over one's business and body. Unlike the positive term ‘empowerment’, the lens of negotiating ‘independence’ integrates spaces of conflicting subjectivities, where marginality and resistance, suffering and claimed control, interpellation, and re-construction of own identities are simultaneously present. We suggest that water struggles are analysed not only through the evaluation of water shortages and unequal geographical sectorization but also through the perspective of ‘water precarity’ (Sultana, 2020) as in our study it was a water-induced lack of control over businesses and daily lives that caused the most suffering. We highlight that this multidimensional approach is pivotal in supporting women's entrepreneurship and gender equality

Report on Influence of conflict, gender, and class relations on availability of water in the household

This review essay lays out the conceptual and historical groundwork for the primary research that the WATERSPOUTT social science team will carry out through the project period over four research sites in Ethiopia, Malawi, South Africa and Uganda. We have described it as a report synthesising secondary data on conflict, gender, and class relations in the four case study areas. However, it is emphatically not intended as an exhaustive description of the specificities of the four research sites – the sections that follow will traverse quite unevenly across these regions. The essay will instead offer an overarching reading of how these research sites are situated within wider structures and relationships of power. It will engage the recurrent themes and key debates that have dominated the relevant literatures in the fields of social theory and historical and social studies in order to build a broad foundation of understanding for the empirical research that is to come