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In a climate of increasing multiculturalism in education, classrooms have become more diverse, offering educators and institutions both opportunities and challenges. In response to changing advancements and trends in education, school... more

In a climate of increasing multiculturalism in education, classrooms have become more diverse, offering educators and institutions both opportunities and challenges. In response to changing advancements and trends in education, school administrators claim that classroom diversity can develop students’ learning potential when properly harnessed and matched with inclusive pedagogy. This research reflects how diversity within the Omani education system can be enhanced by comparing the beliefs and experiences of students in diverse classrooms. This information provides a better understanding of students’ learning needs based on their perception of diversity. A descriptive study was performed with a quantitative approach, whereby a sample of 283 students completed a survey. The results indicate that female students rated more highly on the teaching method scale in comparison to male students. Additional post hoc tests on simple effects confirmed that non-Arab students tend to rate their teachers comparatively more highly in terms of teaching methods, curriculum design, assessment techniques, and practical skills than Omani and Arab pupils across the different subjects. This study offers valuable insights and practical strategies for cultivating diversity and inclusion in diverse settings in Omani schools. View Full-Text

L’indagine tenta di approcciare l’esperienza vissuta nel corso della prima fase di lockdown da parte dei diversi attori coinvolti nell’emergenza educativa, con la consapevolezza che ciascuno di essi guarda al sistema scuola con obiettivi,... more

L’indagine tenta di approcciare l’esperienza vissuta nel corso della prima fase di lockdown da parte dei diversi attori coinvolti nell’emergenza educativa, con la consapevolezza che ciascuno di essi guarda al sistema scuola con obiettivi, interessi, problemi e prospettive radicalmente diversi, se non conflittuali e talvolta inconciliabili. L’indagine cerca di comprendere quali sono state le principali criticità e le strategie di intervento adottate, da parte dei diversi attori coinvolti nella Didattica a Distanza, nel corso dell’emergenza. L’intento è quindi quello di dare voce al sentire e all’agire di quanti hanno vissuto, ciascuno dalla sua specifica prospettiva, la “trincea a‑temporale, a‑spaziale e a‑materiale” della Didattica a Distanza, con l’intento di ricostruire, dal di dentro, le traiettorie sempre dinamiche e cangianti che si muovono tra i vincoli del contesto e la ricerca degli adattamenti soggettivi.

Few school-age youth consume the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables, and increasing fruit and vegetable intake in children and adolescents is an important public health goal to maintain long-term good health and to decrease risk... more

Few school-age youth consume the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables, and increasing fruit and vegetable intake in children and adolescents is an important public health goal to maintain long-term good health and to decrease risk of chronic disease and obesity. School salad bars are an important tool to promote fruit and vegetable consumption among schoolchildren. Studies show that introduction of school salad bars increases the amount and variety of fruits and vegetables consumed by children in schools. However, many schools cannot afford the capital investment in the salad bar equipment. In 2010, the National Fruit & Vegetable Alliance (NFVA), United Fresh Produce Association Foundation, the Food Family Farming Foundation, and Whole Foods Market launched Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools (LMSB2S) in support of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative. The goal of LMSB2S is to place 6000 salad bars in schools over 3 years. As of June, 2012, over 1400 new salad bar...

The prevalence of obesity is higher in those with intellectual disabilities than the general population. The aim of the study was to understand the determinants of physical activity and dietary patterns in this population during their... more

The prevalence of obesity is higher in those with intellectual disabilities than the general population. The aim of the study was to understand the determinants of physical activity and dietary patterns in this population during their final year of school. Qualitative data were generated from 10 interviews with adolescents with mild-moderate intellectual disabilities. Data were analysed using deductive thematic analysis, employing Self-Determination Theory as a theoretical framework. Adolescents' environment and social interactions play a pivotal role in influencing physical activity and dietary patterns. Three themes emerged from the analysis: situatedness, motivation and wider environmental influences. School structure, high self-efficacy and social connectedness facilitate increased physical activity and healthier diet in adolescents with intellectual disabilities. Home life, low self-efficacy and a lack of social connectedness can serve as a barrier to PA and a healthy diet.

A workshop designed to enhance school personnels' knowledge and understanding of childhood cancer was presented by a multidisciplinary team. Pre- and postworksho assessments were conducted of the participants' attitudes and... more

A workshop designed to enhance school personnels' knowledge and understanding of childhood cancer was presented by a multidisciplinary team. Pre- and postworksho assessments were conducted of the participants' attitudes and concerns toward children with cancer, their beliefs concerning how they would react to such children, and their knowledge of medical facts and psychosocial impacts of cancer upon the child and their families. The results are examined in terms of changes in participants' knowledge and attitudes. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Research has demonstrated that adolescents who actively commute have higher levels of physical activity (PA), which have declined precipitously over the past 30 years. The purpose of this study was to describe the prevalence of active... more

Research has demonstrated that adolescents who actively commute have higher levels of physical activity (PA), which have declined precipitously over the past 30 years. The purpose of this study was to describe the prevalence of active commuting to school; and to identify barriers associated with active commuting. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1672 students (46.8% boys and 53.2% girls) from 11 to 17 years of age in Caxias do Sul/RS, Brazil. The students were asked to answer questionnaires about active transport, PA, and sedentary behaviors. They also completed a cardiovascular fitness test and body composition measurements. The study used a multivariate Poisson regression analysis. A total of 62.5% of students were observed to actively commute and the prevalence ratio (PR) of not actively commuting was associated with the type of school (Private: 2.41; 1.47, 3.95) and the time spent on commuting (>20 min: 1.93; 1.23, 3.03). The associated barriers to passive commuting...

To investigate the effect of a seven-month, school-based cluster-randomized controlled trial on academic performance in 10-year-old children. In total, 1129 fifth-grade children from 57 elementary schools in Sogn og Fjordane County,... more

To investigate the effect of a seven-month, school-based cluster-randomized controlled trial on academic performance in 10-year-old children. In total, 1129 fifth-grade children from 57 elementary schools in Sogn og Fjordane County, Norway, were cluster-randomized by school either to the intervention group or to the control group. The children in the 28 intervention schools participated in a physical activity intervention between November 2014 and June 2015 consisting of three components: 1) 90min/week of physically active educational lessons mainly carried out in the school playground; 2) 5min/day of physical activity breaks during classroom lessons; 3) 10min/day physical activity homework. Academic performance in numeracy, reading and English was measured using standardized Norwegian national tests. Physical activity was measured objectively by accelerometry. We found no effect of the intervention on academic performance in primary analyses (standardized difference 0.01-0.06, p&gt...

Biological and cultural factors have been found to have a significant influence on cognitive development and performance in neuropsychological instruments such as verbal fluency tasks (VFT). Variations of traditional VFT, involving... more

Biological and cultural factors have been found to have a significant influence on cognitive development and performance in neuropsychological instruments such as verbal fluency tasks (VFT). Variations of traditional VFT, involving unconstrained word production and increased retrieval times, may provide further data regarding the executive, attentional, mnemonic, and linguistic abilities involved in VFT. As such, the aim of this study was to investigate the impact of age and school type on the performance of 6- to 12-year-old children in unconstrained, phonemic, and semantic VFT. The VFT were administered to 460 participants. The effects of age and school type on verbal fluency (VF) performance were analyzed using a two-way analysis of variance, followed by Bonferroni post-hoc tests (p ≤ .05). A repeated-measures analysis was also used to evaluate VF performance over time (p ≤ .05). Main effects of age and school type were identified on all measures (effect sizes ranged from .05 to .32, p ≤ .05). VF scores increased with age and were higher among private school students. The influence of age on VFT may be associated with the development of executive functions. The impact of type of school on VF performance may be explained by the greater availability of cognitive stimulation (semantic knowledge) provided by private schools and families with better socioeconomic levels.

Early identification of distinct patterns of child social-emotional strengths and vulnerabilities has the potential to improve our understanding of child mental health and well-being; however, few studies have explored natural groupings... more

Early identification of distinct patterns of child social-emotional strengths and vulnerabilities has the potential to improve our understanding of child mental health and well-being; however, few studies have explored natural groupings of indicators of child vulnerability and strengths at a population level. The purpose of this study was to examine heterogeneity in the patterns of young children's social and emotional health and investigate the extent to which sociodemographic characteristics were associated. Cross-sectional study based on a population-level cohort. All kindergarten children attending public schools between 2004 and 2007 in British Columbia (BC), Canada. 35 818 kindergarten children (age of 5 years) with available linked data from the Early Development Instrument (EDI), BC Ministry of Health and BC Ministry of Education. We used latent profile analysis (LPA) to identify distinct profiles of social-emotional health according to children's mean scores across ...

Physical education (PE) classes provide opportunities for children to be active. This study examined the associations between specific environmental characteristics (teacher characteristics; class size, duration and location; and lesson... more

Physical education (PE) classes provide opportunities for children to be active. This study examined the associations between specific environmental characteristics (teacher characteristics; class size, duration and location; and lesson context) and elementary school-aged children's moderate-to-vigorous activity (MVPA) during PE. Environmental characteristics and student activity levels were measured in 211 third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade PE classes in 74 Texas public schools using SOFIT direct observation. Students engaged in less than half their PE class time in MVPA (38%), while approximately 25% of class time was spent in classroom management. Percent time in MVPA was significantly higher in outdoor classes compared with indoors (41.4% vs. 36.1%, P = .037). Larger (P = .044) and longer (P = .001) classes were negatively associated with percentage of MVPA and positively correlated with time spent in management (P < .001). Findings suggest that children's activity may ...

Obesity, eating disorders and unhealthy weight-loss practices have been associated with diminished growth in adolescents worldwide. Interventions that address relevant behavioural dimensions have been lacking in Malaysia. This paper... more

Obesity, eating disorders and unhealthy weight-loss practices have been associated with diminished growth in adolescents worldwide. Interventions that address relevant behavioural dimensions have been lacking in Malaysia. This paper describes the protocol of an integrated health education intervention namely 'Eat Right, Be Positive About Your Body and Live Actively' (EPaL), a primary prevention which aimed to promote healthy lifestyle in preventing overweight and disordered eating among secondary school adolescents aged 13-14 years old. Following quasi-experimental design, the intervention is conducted in two secondary schools located in the district of Hulu Langat, Selangor, Malaysia. Adolescents aged 13-14 years will be included in the study. A peer-education strategy is adopted to convey knowledge and teach skills relevant to achieving a healthy lifestyle. The intervention mainly promoted: healthy eating, positive body image and active lifestyle. The following parameters ...

Objective: To determine the prevalence and aetiology of dermatophyte infections in relation to social economic factors in primary school children in Kibera. Design: A Cross-sectional descriptive study. Setting: City council sponsored... more

Objective: To determine the prevalence and aetiology of dermatophyte infections in relation to social economic factors in primary school children in Kibera. Design: A Cross-sectional descriptive study. Setting: City council sponsored schools namely Olympic, Kibera, Ayany and ...

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs for the development of schools and the improvement of students' skills in Palestine are limited. This study aims to develop a holistic concept of CSR that accommodates the educational streams... more

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs for the development of schools and the improvement of students' skills in Palestine are limited. This study aims to develop a holistic concept of CSR that accommodates the educational streams in Palestinian schools, namely: sciences, social sciences, as well as commercial and vocational training. The study identifies the obstacles experienced by companies in implementing CSR activities, such as the complexity of administrative procedures imposed by the Ministry of Education. The authors suggest the means by which CSR activities could be improved, developed, and implemented for the sustainability of excellence in school education. Descriptive approach is used to determine the extent of the implementation of CSR in the schools. A qualitative approach is used to describe the weaknesses and strengths of the institutions and companies participating in CSR projects in government schools. Data are sourced from school reports on projects undertaken by the participating institutions and companies. Other sources of data include Arabic and foreign articles and periodicals. The study highlights various perspectives of CSR in schools.The study found that the CSR projects are related to infrastructure development or support of certain educational programs. There is no difference in community participation and philanthropy involvements in CSR activities. There are a number of obstacles faced by institutions and companies, including financial and technical limitations, administrative procedures at schools, and federal government laws and regulations. Also, the mechanism of applying corporate social responsibility varies according to the objectives and potential of each institution and company and the prevailing environment.The institutions and companies have a specific duty to serve society by way of facilitating the sustainability, development, and growth of school education through CSR. Charitable work and community participation are open, and any company can participate

This article highlights issues and presents strategies for conducting intervention research in highly unstable environments such as schools, critical care units, and long-term care facilities. The authors draw on their own experiences to... more

This article highlights issues and presents strategies for conducting intervention research in highly unstable environments such as schools, critical care units, and long-term care facilities. The authors draw on their own experiences to discuss the challenges that may be encountered in highly unstable settings. The concept of validity provides a framework for understanding the value of addressing the many methodological issues that can emerge in settings characterized by instability. We explain unstable environments by elaborating on knowable elements that contribute to instability. Strategies are provided for improving success of intervention research in unstable settings by carrying out an environmental assessment prior to beginning a study.

to explore the teacher perspective on needs (in terms of knowledge, skills and curriculum content), attitudes, beliefs and self-efficacy related to teaching and implementation of a reproductive health (RH)/drug education (DE) program at... more

to explore the teacher perspective on needs (in terms of knowledge, skills and curriculum content), attitudes, beliefs and self-efficacy related to teaching and implementation of a reproductive health (RH)/drug education (DE) program at their own junior high school. one hundred and thirty-three teachers participated in a survey, from February to April 2009, measuring: socio demographic, behavioral intention, perceived behavior control, content knowledge, school climate, reproductive health knowledge and school drug education. all teachers had a high intention to teach RH and DE, especially the younger RH teachers had a high intention to teach about teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. DE teachers had a high intention facts/effects of drugs, first-time drug use dealing with peer pressure. Perceived beliefs of teachers, parents, school management and perceived self-efficacy were strong predictors for the intention of RH teaching and DE. the high intention of the RH a...

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of an additional, organized, and more intensive kinesiological treatment on "pure" motor abilities in preschool children. In the present study an experimental treatment was... more

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of an additional, organized, and more intensive kinesiological treatment on "pure" motor abilities in preschool children. In the present study an experimental treatment was carried out on a sample of 37 preschool boys by applying kinesiological activities. The 60 minute treatment was applied over a period of one school year (9 months), twice a week. A control group of 31 boys were trained according to the regular program for preschool institutions. Treatment effects were assessed by 8 motor ability tests and 5 anthropometric measures. The significant differences between the groups, which were observed after the final measurement and compared to the initial one, proved that the kinesiological treatment had a positive impact on the general development of "pure" motor abilities. The most significant effect of experimental kinesiological treatment was the improvement in whole body force, flexibility and coordinati...