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Since SARS-CoV-2 was first reported in late 2019, infection has been observed primarily in humans; however, animals of various species have also been infected, partially because their angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 [...]

The unforeseen school closures in response to COVID-19 have brought unique challenges to teachers, who were required to not only flexibly shift between on- and off-line learning but also safely promote student-centered and collaborative learning in socially distanced remote and on-campus classrooms. Teachers in South Korea, one of the first countries to transition to blended teaching, faced similar challenges with limited time, resources, and training to prepare for this unprecedented situation. This case study provides evidence-based insights on how a teacher-initiated Professional Development (PD) session on blended teaching can support teachers to address these challenges. The PD session was designed in partnership with a Korean district office and the subject-based Communities of Practice (CoP) to provide insights on teacher-initiated bottom-up transformation in blended teaching. Both quantitative and qualitative data showed teachers' increased understanding of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) and blended teaching competencies (BTC) after the PD session. This case study informs how educators, researchers, and administrators can collaborate to overcome educational exigency. When the results are generalized across different cultural contexts, it will provide ideas and strategies for the design and implementation of intensive teacher-initiated PDs to support the flexible design and implementation of blended teaching in variable learning contexts.

Intercultural competence refers to people's ability to understand and respect each other across all types of cultural barriers, and racial literacy stands out as a fundamental component of this competency. Particularly, in Korea, which has recently rapidly become a multicultural society, understanding diversity and cultivating racial literacy are important competencies. To achieve this goal, the teacher's role is important in developing and operating English classes using various teaching materials. This study introduces the development and application of an innovative online intercultural exchange programme conducted in a middle school using multiple technology resources. Going beyond dealing with superficial textbook coverage of multiculturalism, this programme encourages students to reflect on their own prejudices and share cultural experiences through engaging in technology-based open discussions and critical thinking about sensitive issues. In this paper, we first introduce the online intercultural exchange programme and teaching materials that we designed and operated for one semester and then carefully examine each class activity aimed at improving students' intercultural competence and racial literacy. Finally, we report the presiding teacher's reflections on the impact of this programme on the students in the class and suggest points for further discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computer-supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) is an educational approach that provides not only theoretical but also practical contributions for learners, researchers, and practitioners. South Korea is a leading country in ICT development in Asia, but collaboration is often impeded by its cultural background, shared with other Asian countries. Cases of CSCL research and practice in South Korea may provide insights into Asian societies in terms of how to design and implement CSCL effectively. Hence, this study attempt to examine the current status of CSCL by systematically comparing South Korean and international studies. For this purpose, we first collected and analyzed 54 articles published in South Korea and 280 international articles on CSCL published from 2012 to 2018. Next, Korean and international studies were compared in terms of the research area and methods. The results showed that Korean studies were mainly focused on designing and utilizing CSCL by experimental research, whereas international studies were conducted in relatively diverse areas by descriptive research. Although both Korean and international studies frequently used retrieval information as the data source, Korean studies more often used learning outcomes, whereas international studies used learning process variables.

This study aimed to examine the structural relationships among factors that affect learner satisfaction and achievement in project-based learning for capstone design courses in engineering education. Specifically, problem-solving efficacy, task value, teamwork competency, and task authenticity are suggested as critical factors that affect learner satisfaction and perceived achievement. The study employed structural equation modelling in order to examine the relationships among the variables, and the data from 363 university students who were enrolled in capstone design courses were analysed. The results suggest that task value and task authenticity exerted significant effects on learner satisfaction. Problem-solving efficacy, teamwork competency, task authenticity, and satisfaction exerted significant effects on learning outcomes, but task value did not. The results imply that the effects of problem-solving efficacy on perceived achievement reveal the importance of motivational factors in capstone design courses. In addition, instructional strategies that highlight task utility value and provide environments in which learners can share that value would be meaningful in promoting learning effectiveness in capstone design courses.

Interferon lambda (IFNλ), classified as a type III IFN, is a representative cytokine that plays an important role in innate immunity along with type I IFN. IFNλ can elicit antiviral states by inducing peculiar sets of IFN‐stimulated genes (ISGs). In this study, an adenoviral vector expression system with a tetracycline operator system was used to express human IFNλ4 in cells and mice. The formation of recombinant adenovirus (rAd‐huIFNλ4) was confirmed using immunohistochemistry assays and transmission electron microscopy. Its purity was verified by quantifying host cell DNA and host cell proteins, as well as by confirming the absence of the replication‐competent adenovirus. The transduction of rAd‐huIFNλ4 induced ISGs and inhibited four subtypes of the influenza virus in both mouse‐derived (LA‐4) and human‐derived cells (A549). The antiviral state was confirmed in BALB/c mice following intranasal inoculation with 109 PFU of rAd‐huIFNλ4, which led to the inhibition of four subtypes of the influenza virus in mouse lungs, with reduced inflammatory lesions. These results imply that human IFNλ4 could induce antiviral status by modulating ISG expression in mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]