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The United States along with the rest of the world has experienced an unprecedented disruption in daily life due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Almost everyone has experienced some sort of stay at home order resulting in an economic catastrophe greater than the Great Recession of 2008 and on par with the Great Depression almost a century ago. Educational institutions at both the K-12 and post-secondary levels have not been immune from the shutdown, with many schools closed from mid-March through the end of the 2020 school year. Many schools moved classes to remote, distance delivery platforms. Career and Technical Education (CTE) teachers were tasked with creative engaging learning activities online for curricula which is taught in a hands-on contextual learning environment. This paper will present preliminary results from research conducted by a collaborative group of nine researchers from across the United States with collectively over 200 years of career and technical education experience. The conceptual framework used for this study was Danielson's Framework for Teaching and Enhancing Professional Practice and Foundations of Career and Technical Education including Constructivism. 3,267 participants representing all 50 states responded to the 37-item survey. The research objectives included description of participants and identified challenges to planning and delivery of CTE content when schools were closed, and instruction was moved to remote/distance/online platforms. Participants ranked their challenges as instructors and their perceptions of challenges that were experienced by their students. CTE teachers ranked replicating classroom or lab environments online and lack of experience teaching online as their biggest challenges. The perceptions of the participants concerning challenges for their students included motivation to guide and manage their own learning and students' access to reliable internet connection. The emergence and prevalence of the COVID-19 pandemic added a layer of complexity to educational practice that was not foreseen and for which no intentional preparation had occurred. Understanding how CTE teachers and instructors responded to this call, and the challenges they and their students encountered, is important to efforts to improve practice in the future and to be in a better position should another crisis occur that forces learning to be delivered in alternative formats from that of the traditional face-to-face classroom. [Note: The page range (177-194) shown on the PDF is incorrect. The correct page range is 177-193.]

Misinformation regarding vaccine science decreased the receptiveness to COVID-19 vaccines, exacerbating the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on society. To mitigate the negative societal impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, impactful and creative science communication was needed, yet little research has explored how to encourage COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and address misconceptions held by non-Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics majors (referred to as non-majors). We have previously demonstrated that including expert guest lectures in the vaccine module in the non-major introductory biology course helps combat students' vaccine hesitancy. In the present study, we further address how learning about vaccines impacts student knowledge and impressions of the COVID-19 vaccines through a podcast assignment. As a part of this assignment, non-majors created podcasts to address COVID-19 vaccine misconceptions of their choice. We coded pre and post, open-ended essay reflections (n = 40) to assess non-majors' knowledge and impressions of the COVID-19 vaccines. Non-majors' impressions of the vaccines improved following the podcast assignment with more than three times as many students reporting a positive view of the assignment than negative views. Notably, eight of the nine interviewed students still ended the course with misconceptions about the COVID-19 vaccines, such as the vaccines being unnecessary or causing fertility issues. In a post semi-structured interview following this assignment, students (n = 7) discussed the impact of looking into the specific misconceptions related to COVID-19 vaccines themselves, including improved science communication skills and understanding of different perspectives. Thus, podcasts can provide opportunities for students to improve engagement in valuable societal topics like vaccine literacy in the non-majors classroom.

Background: the long-COVID condition is gaining increasing relevance in terms of public health, but few studies have evaluated its impact on use of healthcare resources and the organizational responses of healthcare systems. Although many studies have evaluated case studies of individuals with long-COVID, the clinical spectrum of symptoms is still poorly defined due to the heterogeneity of the populations studied, the variability of the definitions used, and the absence of disease markers. In this context, in 2022, a project was designed and implemented in cooperation between the National Centre for Prevention and Control of the Italian Ministry of Health and the Italian National Health Institute (Istituto Superiore di Sanità, ISS)., Objectives and Methods: this project was articulated into five main objectives: 1. definition of the health care dimensions of the long-COVID phenomenon. This objective included an analysis of regional data flows to measure use of hospitalization services (acute, rehabilitation, long-term care), resource consumption (specialist visits and drug consumption), and the rate of institutionalization in patients with a history of COVID-19; 2. definition of number, characteristics, and distribution of long-COVID centres across the national territory. This objective has been implemented through a national survey of long-COVID diagnosis and assistance centres; 3. definition of clinical good practices about the management of long-COVID condition by a multidisciplinary group of experts; 4. definition of a long-COVID surveillance system; including the definition of a specific data set of information and the identification of a sample of clinical centres that deal with the care of subjects with long-term effects of COVID-19 and the setup of a dedicated online platform; a phone survey based on more than 1,000 interviews assessed the spectrum of symptoms reported; 5. structuring a national network and providing information, which included networking of the centres participating in the study with the dissemination of periodic information and update workshops or webinars; the creation of a website dedicated to the long-COVID condition, with general information for citizens and a section dedicated to the project; training activities., Results: Objective 1: a cohort study of over 600,000 individuals showed that people exposed to SARS-CoV-2 infection, particularly those who were hospitalized, appear to use more healthcare resources in the 6 months following infection than those who were not exposed. Individuals hospitalized in intensive care showed rates of outpatient visits 3 times higher than those who were not exposed and over 4 times higher rates for diagnostic imaging tests and hospitalizations. The case-control study found an increased risk of initiating antidepressant therapy among individuals exposed to SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to those who were not exposed, particularly among those who were hospitalized during acute infection. Furthermore, COVID-19 vaccination may play a protective role in this context. Objective 2: 124 clinical centres completed the questionnaire developed to define the patterns of clinical care for patients with long-COVID. Most centres provided care through outpatient visits or day hospital services with scheduled visits or referral to primary care and had specialist skills that allowed a multidisciplinary approach to the subject with suspected long-COVID condition. Objective 3: a multidisciplinary team, representative of the multi-systemic nature of long-COVID, with the participation of 16 experts, developed recommendations for the management of patients with long-COVID, based on current knowledge on the topic, with the aim of contributing to standardizing the activities of clinical centres throughout Italy. Objective 4: the clinical surveillance system has allowed the collection of data from over 1,200 patients from 30 clinical centres for the definition of symptom, their aggregation in clusters, and associated factors. Information on symptom profile was also assessed through a phone survey of more than 1,000 participants. Objective 5: the ISS website on long COVID provided information on the long-COVID condition and illustrated the CCM project, with links to webinars and workshops. In addition, a FAD course - entitled 'long-COVID: a new clinical scenario' - was implemented on the EDU-ISS platform, with over 14,000 participants., Conclusions: the results of this study show that long-COVID is a frequent condition in our country, which, due to the amplitude of numbers and the spectrum of symptoms, has a substantial impact on resource consumption. This demonstrates that it will be necessary to implement, guarantee and monitor well-defined care standards for this condition.

Objective: Contributing to elucidate the pathophysiology of dyspnoea and exertion intolerance in post-COVID syndrome patients with normal cardiopulmonary imaging and functional tests at rest, while determining their fitness and level of endurance in order to individualize working parameters for physical rehabilitation., Material and Methods: After an anamnesis and clinical examination at rest, 27 subjects (50±11.9 years) (14 women) with post-COVID syndrome of more than 6 months of evolution performed a continuous maximal-incremental graded cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) with breath-by-breath gas-exchange monitoring and continuous ECG registration, on an electromagnetically braked cycle ergometer. The values obtained were compared with those of reference, gender or controls, using the Chi-square, t-Student or ANOVA test., Results: The clinical examination at rest and the CPET were clinically normal and without adverse events. Reasons for stopping exercise were leg discomfort. It is only worth noting a BMI=29.9±5.8kg/m 2 and a basal lactate concentration of 2.1±0.7mmol/L. The physiological assessment of endurance showed the following results relative to predicted VO 2máx : 1)peakVO 2 =80.5±18.6%; 2)VO 2 at ventilatory threshold1 (VO 2 VT1): 46.0±12.9%; 3)VO 2 VT2: 57.2±16.4%; 4)working time in acidosis: 5.6±3,0minutes; and 5)maximum lactate concentration: 5.1±2.2mmol/L., Conclusions: The CPET identified limited aerobic metabolism and early increase in glycolytic metabolism as causes of dyspnoea and exercise intolerance, determined fitness for physical rehabilitation, and individualized it based on the level of endurance., (Copyright © 2024 Sociedad Española de Médicos de Atención Primaria (SEMERGEN). Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Online learning is a growing trend in education during the corona virus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The purpose of this study is to ascertain the difficulties that online majors in non-English languages have when attempting to acquire English. The subject of this study involved using the questionnaire method for as many as 412 students and interviewing 15 students with a total of 17 questions. The results of this study indicate that there are several challenges faced by students during online learning; i) less familiarity with online learning as shown by 31% of students agreeing that online learning is a new learning method, ii) psychologically 30% of students choose strongly agree that they have limited opportunities to interact directly and freely with lecturers as well as with students, iii) limited facilities and infrastructure as much as 28% agree that the budget is limited to get quota or internet credit, and iv) limited internet access as many as 35% of students do not have good internet coverage to take online lectures. The findings of this study should be a reference for English lecturers to continue learning to innovate in providing online English learning by considering the existing challenges.

Introduction: Despite a high number of long/post-COVID cases and an enormous psychological strain on the part of the patients, no scientific consensus has yet been reached on a clearly defined disease entity. The comprehensive media coverage has made the public more sensitive to this topic, which makes it more difficult to take an objective perspective., Methods: We report on long/post-COVID symptoms in a hotspot collective of the first SARS-CoV-2 wave of infections in Germany; these infections began in Spring 2020 and therefore preceded the start of an intensive media coverage. In June/July 2021, 122 employees of the Kliniken Nordoberpfalz AG who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 during the first wave of the pandemic were asked about their infection and its consequences using a standardised questionnaire., Results: 82 participants (67 %) complained of persistent symptoms (post-COVID: 29 %). Long/post-COVID symptoms occurred more frequently in those who had experienced symptoms during the acute phase of the infection. Patients with stomach pain as an acute symptom more frequently reported a symptom duration of > 12 weeks. The probability of symptoms persisting > 12 weeks was reduced if throat pain or sniffling had been reported as an acute symptom. Emergence and duration of symptoms were independent of any demographic or occupational factors or of pre-existing conditions., Discussion: Due to having been infected in a hotspot region during the first wave of the pandemic, the study collective exhibits certain peculiarities which must be considered when interpreting the results. The lack of evidence for many risk factors discussed in the literature, together with the challenges facing scientific studies, seems to suggest a more differentiated approach to dealing with post-COVID., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

A sudden shift to distance education during the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkiye strained teaching and learning activities, placing K-12 teachers in a novel context with challenges and opportunities to investigate. This study explores the teaching experiences and opinions of K-12 teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on challenges, advantages, and suggestions. Search queries were executed in leading databases (DergiPark, ULAKBIM TRDizin) to locate potential studies. Twenty-two studies meeting the predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria were subjected to a rigorous and iterative thematic analysis using the qualitative meta-synthesis approach. The results revealed significant challenges categorized into ten themes: shortcomings in technology and infrastructure, student motivation and engagement, technology literacy, and social and emotional well-being. The results also highlighted key advantages of distance education in eight categories such as learning improvement, flexibility and convenience, and digital tools and resources. Additionally, the study identified valuable suggestions that contribute to the success of distance education, such as adapting curriculum, increasing access to technology, strengthening internet infrastructure, providing teacher training and support, developing engaging and interactive instructional materials, and improving communication and collaboration between students and teachers. The study results inform the development of evidence-based practices and policies that can support K-12 teachers in providing quality online education during times of crisis.

The effects of COVID-19 have resulted in peritraumatic stress experiences within various groups, including teachers. With this study we aimed to determine the prevalence of peritraumatic stress and the factors associated with each level of PTSD among teachers in South Africa. A cross-sectional study was conducted in South Africa among teachers using an online survey. A sample consisted of a total of 1,008 primary and secondary teachers responded to the COVID-19 peritraumatic distress index and the occupation-specific survey. Descriptive and multinomial logistic regression analyses were used to analyse the data. There was evidence of high levels of distress associated with the COVID-19 pandemic among teaching professionals in South Africa. Therefore, there is a need to create mental health awareness among teaching professionals and to create systems that support the uptake of psychological services among the members of this population.

With this study we investigated strategies to support rural-based schools in teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research was conducted in 6 secondary schools in the Maune circuit, Capricorn North district of the Limpopo province, South Africa. A qualitative research approach using a case study research design was followed in the study. The population consisted of 42 school management teams (SMTs) and school governing bodies (SGBs) in the Maune circuit. Purposive sampling was used to select 18 participants. Data were collected through individual semi-structured interviews. A thematic approach was used to analyse the data. The social realist theory was adopted as theoretical framework using the concepts of structure, culture and agency as theoretical lenses. We found that the Department of Basic Education did not train SMTs and SGBs, which affected teaching and learning. We concluded that due to the unavailability of ICT infrastructure within the Maune circuit, teaching and learning during strict lockdown (coronavirus disease [COVID-19]) were impossible and difficult when learners were rotating attendance. We recommend a shift from a blanket approach to school support to conducting an intensive needs analysis for each school in order to provide appropriate and relevant support. A social realist approach to school support is also recommended, where structure and culture are considered critical attributes for school development. It will be good for policy makers, role players and stakeholders to work together towards a common goal and carry out their agential role in ensuring that the needs of marginalised learners are met in schools.

With the research discussed here I aimed to examine the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on primary school mathematics teaching processes and specifically the teaching process of 1st-grade geometric shapes. A holistic multiple case study design was used in this qualitative research. The participants were primary school teachers who have taught both processes and geometric shapes in 1st grade primary school and were selected using purposive sampling. Semi-structured interviews based on an interview form developed by me was used as data collection instrument. In this form, questions about the 4 skills in the programme related to geometry were included. Lesson content, materials, and content related to the method of expression related to each skill were examined comparatively during and before the COVID-19 pandemic. Semi-structured interviews during which the questions on the form were asked, were conducted with participating teachers. The content analysis technique was used to analyse the obtained data. The results of the analysis show that the transition to online education during the COVID-19 pandemic had serious consequences. Positive and negative effects were found in both primary school mathematics teaching process and the teaching process of geometric shapes in the 1st grade.

Introduction. During adolescence, individuals start to make autonomous decisions about their health. Vaccination involves contextual, group, and vaccine-specific dimensions. We sought to know the information, trust, and decision to receive the COVID-19 vaccine among adolescents who attended a healthcare center in Buenos Aires. Objectives. To identify settings and channels through which adolescents accessed information about the COVID-19 vaccine at a healthcare center in Buenos Aires. To describe their opinions about the different statements on vaccination. To describe their participation in COVID-19 vaccination. To identify barriers and facilitators to COVID-19 vaccination in this population. Population and methods. Qualitative study. Semi-structured interviews with adolescents who attended this healthcare facility. The sample was heterogeneous; the sample size was estimated by theoretical saturation. A thematic analysis of data was done. Results. A total of 14 interviews were conducted. Interviewees obtained information about the COVID-19 vaccine from their families, TV, and social media. All received information from both official campaigns and anti-vaccine communications. They analyzed the information they received and formed their own opinion. Their decision about the vaccine was not always respected. Hesitancy, a low perception of risk, fear of needles, administrative and geographic barriers were reasons for not receiving the vaccine. Conclusions. Communication strategies targeted at adolescents are required that encourage their involvement in access to vaccination., (Sociedad Argentina de Pediatría.)

During attempts to prevent and control the COVID-19 pandemic in China, higher education programs shifted their traditional educational models to online models. This paper aimed to explore how Chinese universities organized online teaching and learning during the pandemic. It investigated the factors affecting the implementation of online teaching and provided policy recommendations for improving the quality of education in the post-pandemic period. The primary data for this study came from in-depth interviews with nine students and five teaching and administrative staff at eight major universities in mainland China. Literature was obtained in both English and Chinese from January 2020 to September 2021. Peer-reviewed journals, policy reports, and university documents regarding online education in Chinese universities were reviewed, and their challenges and countermeasures were investigated. The paper found that the implementation of online education was affected by various sources, including technologies, teachers' teaching skills, network information literacy, and students' learning motivations and self-directed learning skills. Based on the insiders' views, the paper suggested that to promote the quality of online education in the post-COVID-19 pandemic, higher education institutes and programs could develop their infrastructure construction, improve teachers' quality of teaching, and focus on students' learning motivations.

Purpose: Educational technology ("EdTech") served a pivotal role in keeping schools functioning during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Little is known about EdTech leaders' roles in shaping this response. This study explores EdTech leaders' perspectives and backgrounds, their response to the pandemic, how they envision their roles as educators, and their perspectives about how technology facilitates educational innovation. Design/Approach/Methods: This study uses a qualitative, phenomenological approach to understand how 11 EdTech leaders experienced the pandemic. Participants were recruited for interviews in summer 2021 via purposive sampling to include diverse backgrounds and perspectives. Data were analyzed inductively. Findings: The findings show that a four-category typology can be used to describe EdTech leaders' diverse backgrounds and experiences. Leaders emphasized equity and open collaboration in their pandemic responses, by expanding access to their tools and adapting their products as users' needs evolved. EdTech leaders anticipate streamlined user experiences, improvements in online learning, and increased adoption of artificial intelligence and simulated learning environments. Originality/Value: This study addresses a gap in the research concerning EdTech leaders' perspectives on their efforts to support educators and their experiences during the pandemic. We hope this study sparks additional research on EdTech leaders' experiences and roles in education.

The recent expansion of the COVID-19 outbreak has drastically altered the educational landscape, causing certain schools to operate on a distance education basis. The goal of this study is to investigate this phenomenon in depth, focusing on the elements that may contribute to the marginalization of students with learning disabilities and their immigration biography. At the same time, it attempts to investigate the perspectives of a group of students, teachers, and parents on how to avoid marginalization as a result of distance education. We employed a mixed research style to study the aforementioned problem. A total of 132 secondary school students, 52 secondary school teachers, and 49 secondary school parents were included in the study. As research tools, questionnaires, focus groups, observations and interviews were used. The data analysis reveals that the elements which may contribute to marginalization in remote education are primarily related to attention challenges, but also to technical difficulties. According to the participants, a closer collaboration between the Ministry of Education, school administrations and teachers, as well as revisions to the substance of teaching subjects, may be the solution to the problem.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the disruption of classroom activities and adoption of online teaching-learning in almost all parts of the globe, including India. The sudden switch from classroom blackboards to laptop screens may have influenced students' study approaches, especially with challenges related to technology access and readiness for online learning among Indian students. Since different social and economic factors bring about differences in students' learning, an online survey was conducted with 296 randomly selected undergraduate distance learning (DL) students at Indira Gandhi National Open University to examine how technology access during the pandemic influenced the study approaches of Indian DL students from various marginalized and non-marginalized groups. The research results showed that marginalized students had lower access to technology than did their non-marginalized counterparts, although no gender differences were found in access to technology in both the groups. Lower access to technology was associated with a surface approach to study among the DL students in general and the marginalized students in particular. Females in the marginalized group were found to be at risk in terms of both access to technology and study approaches. The findings were intended to enrich our understanding of the role of technology vis-à-vis distance learners' study approaches during the pandemic and formulate appropriate teaching-learning strategies for the future.

This study aimed to investigate decreasing student academic stress in distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, transition period, and new normal era by giving a self-help module to students. This research employed an experimental approach with a group pre-test post-test design with quantitative analytics. The perceived academic stress scale (PASS) and module evaluation scale were utilized to assess students' academic stress levels and their understanding of the module. The subjects consisted of one male student and thirty-seven female students, as the school was dominated by female students. This study indicated that students' academic stress levels during the pandemic and the new normal were in the medium range (18.82 - 19.97). The results showed that there was no significant difference in academic stress between the pandemic and the transition period (t = 1.322, p > 0.05) and the data between the pandemic and the new normal (t = -1.426, p > 0.05), while between the transition period and the new normal, it showed a significant difference (t = -4.189, p < 0.05). The study recommends that schools develop future guidance and counseling programs to help students cope with stress and build resilience. This study's findings can inform policy decisions and academic interventions to support students' mental health and academic success during challenging times.

Background: In Germany, an estimated number of 70,000 people diagnosed with long COVID or post-COVID syndrome (PCS) had received inpatient medical rehabilitation by the end of 2022. Due to the heterogeneity of the clinical picture, the variability of interventions and inconsistent endpoints, previous studies on the effectiveness of rehabilitation are of limited value. It therefore remains unclear whether and to what extent rehabilitation measures established for, e.g., pulmonary, cardiovascular, or neurological diseases are suitable for patients with PCS., Objectives: To identify the experiences and perspectives of those affected by PCS, in relation to inpatient rehabilitation and to describe patients' values and wishes with respect to evidence-based medicine., Methods: In January/February 2023, the German initiative "Long COVID Deutschland" conducted a retrospective online survey (39 closed items, two open answer fields) among adult PCS sufferers on their experiences with inpatient rehabilitation. Recruitment was carried out via social media and websites of patient initiatives. The open answers were analyzed using a structuring and summarizing qualitative content analysis according to Mayring, supplemented by descriptive representations of the distribution of standardized information., Results: Of 1,191 participants in the survey, 733 used open response formats to additionally explain their experiences and the effects of individual measures on their general condition. 366 (50%) reported that their state of health deteriorated, mainly because of strength or endurance training and too extensive treatment plans. The presence of a post-exertional malaise (PEM) or its insufficient consideration during rehabilitation was described as the main barrier. Recognition and acceptance of individual performance limits, flexible and coordinated individual treatment plans tailored to the patient's limitations, and support in coping with the disease were described as supportive factors. From the participants' perspective, learning strategies to avoid deterioration in their state of health due to overexertion, the so-called pacing, should be the core treatment goal for patients affected by PEM., Discussion: The results are not statistically representative but ensure systematic insights into the subjective perspectives of those affected, the consideration of which represents one of the three principles of evidence-based medicine. The results show that for PCS patients with PEM, even minimum requirements for rehabilitation measures can lead to overexertion and aggravation., Conclusions: Common subject-specific rehabilitation concepts appear to be only partially suitable for dealing with the symptoms and the heterogeneity of the disease. Aims and interventions should be individually adapted, and the focus should be on pacing, disease coping and management. A reliable test for PEM and rehabilitation ability before the start of rehabilitation is needed to ensure safety for those affected. To adequately classify studies on the effectiveness of rehabilitation, risks and side effects should be disclosed., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)