bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
“The new normal”: A case study on the emergent transition towards online teaching and learning in internal medicine and anaesthesiology at the University of the Free State
Authors: Phejane Mojaesi Violet 
Published: March 2022

This article aims to explore and analyse the challenges and experiences of students in internal medicine and anaesthesiology regarding emergency remote teaching and learning during the coronavirus pandemic. South African universities have been forced to move from face-to-face to online learning (e-learning) due to the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). The Department of Internal Medicine and Anaesthesiology at the University of the Free State (UFS) has been using the traditional face-to-face mode of teaching and learning for over a decade. Owing to the emergent transition to online teaching and learning, UFS has had to make drastic changes to how lessons are presented. Although it is believed that moving to online learning has been a smooth transition, various challenges hinder disadvantaged students from realising the full potential of online learning. The study’s main objective is to propose alternative measures to overcome the students’ challenges and access to effective e-learning. Interpretivist qualitative research was conducted using descriptive research methods, with case studies and existing aggregated data collected during a module evaluation on students’ experiences and challenges with emergency remote teaching and learning and the effectiveness of resource access during COVID-19. Connectivism and Self- Directed Learning theories are the theoretical frameworks for this study. The findings agree with the digital divide as a hindrance to students realising the full potential of e-learning. Yet, lecturers still want students to submit assessment tasks and engage with course activities on the Blackboard learning management system. Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenges that result in a shutdown of university campuses, alternative measures need to be sought to allow students, particularly disadvantaged students, to realise e-learning.
Using teaching, social and cognitive presences as a lens to reflect on teaching a research module amid COVID-19
Authors: Zulu Free-Queen Bongiwe 
Published: March 2022

COVID-19 forced academics to transition from face-to-face to remote teaching using various online platforms. This article focuses on my experiences of teaching a research module during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The social, cognitive and teaching presences from the Community of Inquiry Framework for a successful higher education experience was used as a lens for the study. The data are generated from my reflection on teaching, the WhatsApp chat transcript and student emails. My reflections on teaching a research module suggest that the teaching, social and cognitive presences were experienced to a certain extent. The findings indicate that training and trials in preparation for transition to online teaching are important. In this study trials to familiarise academics and students with online teaching influenced the establishment of teaching presence positively because challenges related to online teaching were identified and addressed before the commencement of the actual online teaching. Therefore, when making instructional decisions, it is crucial first to diagnose and address challenges regarding online platforms. However, being accustomed to traditional face-to-face teaching, dominated by oral communication and telling methods, influenced the social presence negatively. Online collaboration among students was unclear. Notably, my social presence experiences suggest that teaching during and beyond COVID-19 requires a pedagogical approach that relies heavily on the social and collaborative component of learning as a point of departure for the development of online teaching and learning practices. The Community of Inquiry Framework used in this study could be helpful for higher education institutions to evaluate academics and students’ experiences of online teaching and learning, particularly when the institution is planning to redesign and implement online courses.
Engaging mathematics student-teachers in an Open Distance e-learning context
Authors: Jojo Zingiswa 
Published: March 2022

Isolation, lack of connection and/or belonging, difficulty maintaining engagement and motivation for learning are common complaints for students separated from teaching and support staff in distance education. Using a mixed-methods approach, this article utilises dimensions of student engagement: cognitive, emotional and social behaviour to argue on student-teachers’ engagement in mathematics learning for teaching in the Open Distance e-Learning (ODeL) context. A survey was administered to 654 students in an institution registered for Postgraduate Certificate in Education mathematics didactics course. Furthermore, five of the students were interviewed using emails and audio-recorded telephone calls. Findings reveal that student-teachers sometimes feel hopeless due to connectivity and data issues, which then impacts their time to engage with mathematics content. They also revealed that when they engage in discussion forums, they enjoy learning mathematics with their peers. It was also revealed that feedback on their assignments guides them on the correctness of their solutions as they otherwise would not have been able to do this on their own. It is recommended that further work be done to establish how cognitive engagement with mathematics can be positively impacted in an ODeL context.
Across continents: A comparison of African and Australian academics' online preparedness
Authors: Singh Upasana G , Watson Rashmi , Nair Chenicheri Sid 
Published: March 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted higher education across the globe, in particular the shift from face-to-face teaching and assessment, as well as interaction with students. In 2020, an online survey was distributed to African and Australian higher education academics to gather insights into academics’ transformation of educational practices during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular it focused on the effects on the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. The survey questions investigated the comparison of the use of teaching and assessment technologies prior to, and during the COVID-19 pandemic; academics’ experiences with the sudden shift to work from home (WFH) arrangements and quality assurance measures for digital technologies. The sample included 71 academics across 12 Australian universities/tertiary institutions and 278 academics across 21 African higher education institutions. This study identified that while many Australian academics had prior experience and training in online/blended delivery, African academics, despite not having formal training in digital pedagogy, rated themselves as more than average in their ability to adopt technology for the online environment, just as the Australian cohort had. The most effective online tools adopted during the crisis in the African region were Zoom and WhatsApp while in the Australian region the learning management system (LMS) was the most popular. The major factors that affected African and Australian students’ ability to engage online included lack of access to connectivity and devices, technological competency and emotional and social factors. The results suggest that the predominant challenges faced by students as reported by academics across both continents in the “forced” remote work environment other than general anxiety about COVID-19 were social isolation (Aguilera-Hermida, 2020), connectivity for their students and the lack of a balanced work life (Kotteeswari & Sharief, 2014; Oliveira et al., 2021). This study has implications on institutions’ readiness in terms of capacity building for academic staff, infrastructure and support during digital delivery of courses.
Technology inclusion for students living with disabilities through collaborative online learning during and beyond a pandemic
Authors: De Klerk Edwin Darrell , Palmer June Monica 
Published: March 2022

Technology-based platforms in higher education institutions (HEIs), including online learning, require innovative approaches to ensure inclusive and transformative educational spaces for students living with disabilities. Achieving social equality, technology access and inclusion may contribute to ensuring a seamless instructional design for students living with disabilities in HEIs amid and beyond COVID-19. COVID-19 has obliged HEIs to adopt alternatives to learning and teaching, making the use of open distance learning (ODL) amid the pandemic more relevant. This theoretical paper considers the significance of ODL by demonstrating how to achieve technology inclusion for students living with disabilities through collaborative online international learning (COIL). Situated within the collaborative learning theory, this paper offers a disability perspective to learning in HEIs, through an analysis of stipulations in the Strategic Policy Framework on Disability for the Post-School Education and Training System (2018). The findings indicate that the application of COIL for students living with disabilities may transform their learning experiences and unlock new pathways for their development. The paper recommends that COIL may be used as a response to ensuring access and inclusive education provision for students living with disabilities in HEIs.
Teaching and learning first-year engineering mathematics over a distance: A critical view over two consecutive years
Authors: Durandt Rina , Herbst Sheldon , Seloane Majane 
Published: March 2022

This article reports on the empirical results and practical aspects concerning the teaching and learning of first-year engineering mathematics at a distance. The investigation over two consecutive years (2020 and 2021) is meant to yield prospects and contribute to the development of suitable pedagogies for online mathematics teaching and learning for engineering students in South Africa in the future. In 2020, lecturers were faced with a “sudden” shift from face-to-face to online teaching and the focus was to save the academic year and leave no student behind; in 2021 the situation was unchanged. Lecturers had to consider key aspects (such as the module structure, teaching theory and practice, and perspectives on “what can work”) in the transition and continuation from face-toface to fully online and developing a suitable teaching and learning approach. Approximately 1000 first-year engineering students at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa, were exposed to the newly developed online teaching and learning approach in both years. The approach includes the following key elements: an evaluation of prior knowledge by a diagnostic test; an investigation of students’ attitudes towards mathematics by means of the SATM questionnaire; weekly virtual lecture and tutorial sessions; weekly homework tasks; additional online resources; discussion forums between all role players (students, tutors and lecturers); online tutor support; the use of e-textbooks and online assessments via the university learning management system and an external platform (such as WeBWorK). Both years followed a similar approach, although slight changes were implemented in 2021. Descriptive statistics from key elements were used to monitor the students’ involvement and progress in both years. Results show the teaching and learning approach is effective but has room for improvement. Particularly, the results encourage addressing the needs of the students and lecturers when implementing pedagogical aspects in learning mathematics at a distance.
PERANAN BIMBINGAN KELOMPOK DENGAN TEKNIK FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION UNTUK MENINGKATKAN KETRAMPILAN LEARNING TIME MANAGEMENT PADA PESERTA DIDIK
Authors: Widyastuti Awalin , Kun Widya Nurfiani  , Glonda Aji Desembra  
Published: March 2022

Penelitian ini dilatarbelakangi oleh pentingnya tingkat keterampilan manajemen waktu belajar yang harus dimiliki oleh peserta siswa. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk meneliti dan mendapatkan informasi sebarapa besar tingkat perkembangan keterampilan learning time management peserta didik setelah mendapatkan layanan bimbingan kelompok dengan tehnik focus group discussion. Metode penelitian ini adalah penelitian kepustakaan dengan menggunakan sumber bacaan yang relevan dan tersedia terkait dengan topik yang dibahas dalam penelitian. Sampel artikel jurnal yang diambil sebanyak 5 dan menggunakan proses screening. Desain penelitian menggunakan table ekstraksi data dari 5 artikel jurnal yang digunakan sebagai studi pustaka untuk dilakukan analisis uraian pembahasan. Hasil studi pustaka menunjukkan bahwa peningkatan manajemen waktu belajar yang berartiterjad(Gunawan 2018)i apabila setelahnya diberikan layanan bimbingan kelompok dengan menggunakan tehnik focus discussion group. Dapat disimpulkan bahwa “ada pengaruh positif yang signifikan terhadap keterampilan peserta didik dalam manajemen waktu belajar”.
PENGARUH SOSIAL-BUDAYA AKADEMIK TERHADAP KESADARAN BERAGAMA: IMPLIKASI TERHADAP KONSELING RELIGIUS DI PERGURUAN TINGGI
Authors: Wahidin Wahidin , Muhamad Rozikan  , Dina Fatma Septiani  
Published: March 2022

Perguruan Tinggi Islam memiliki tujuan yang spesifik yaitu menanamkan nilai-nilai Islami dalam proses pembelajaran, sehingga tumbuhnya kesadaran beragama yang kokoh bagi mahasiswa. Kesadaran beragama diartikan sebagai rasa keagamaan, pengalaman ke-Tuhanan, keimanan yang diwujdukan dalam sikap dan perilaku. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan pengaruh lingkungan sosial dan budaya akademik terhadap kesadaran beragama mahasiswa serta implikasinya terhadap konseling religius di perguruan tinggi. Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah korelasional dengan teknik analisis regresi. Responden penelitian ini adalah mahasiswa Fakultas Tarbiyah dan Ilmu Keguruan IAIN Salatiga, dengan jumlah sampel sebanyak 171 orang. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan, bahwa lingkungan sosial dan budaya akademik secara bersama-sama berpengaruh positif terhadap kesadaran beragama. Berdasarkan hasil temuan, implikasi terhadap bimbingan dan konseling religius diperlukan pendekatan yang komprehensif untuk memperdayakan potensi mahasiswa secara utuh.
Internacionalização da educação superior at home
Authors: Rubin-Oliveira Marlize , Costa Maria Luisa Dalla 
Published: March 2022

Esta pesquisa tem o objetivo de explorar a categoria de internacionalização da Educação Superior (ES) - at home - em casa (IeC) a partir do uso da metodologia ProKnow-C, na base de dados do Portal de Periódicos da Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES). Com o uso da metodologia e de outros critérios elencados, 26 artigos foram selecionados e analisados a partir de três categorias: conceitos, sujeitos e lugares. Para tanto, a perspectiva decolonial contribui com as bases epistemológicas às análises. As análises apontam à necessidade de questionar modelos hegemônicos com ênfase na competição, no reforço às desigualdades e aos modelos norte-euro-centrados. A categoria conceitos indica possibilidades a estudantes, professores, técnicos e comunidade externa de ampliar perspectivas para mundos interculturais e pluriversos. Entretanto, esses conceitos parecem limitar lugares e sujeitos a partir de características de um padrão moderno/colonial restritas a uma pequena parcela da comunidade universitária.
The Role of SOD2 in Migration and Anchorage-Independent Growth of SKOV3 Ovarian Cancer Cells
Authors: Gilligan Siobhan M. , O'Shea McKenna , Davison-Versagli Calli A. 
Published: March 2022

The 5-year survival rates for ovarian cancer are 93%, 75%, and 30% for localized, regional, and distant tumors, respectively. These vast differences in survival rates underscore the need to identify novel therapeutic targets that are effective at different stages of tumor progression to better treat all patients diagnosed with this deadly disease. Manganese superoxide dismutase (SOD2) is a mitochondrial antioxidant enzyme responsible for eliminating superoxide and preventing oxidative damage to the mitochondria. Recent studies have implicated changes in SOD2 expression levels in multiple cancers, including breast, colorectal, prostate, and head and neck. While studies have begun to unravel the role of SOD2 in ovarian cancer, no one has looked at the specific role SOD2 plays in distinct stages of tumor progression of ovarian cancer. Here, we report SOD2 deficiency (accomplished through utilizing shRNA techniques) results in increased invasive and migratory ability of SKOV3 cells, a commonly used ovarian adenocarcinoma cell line. In contrast, SOD2-deficient SKOV3 cells display abrogated anchorage-independent growth in soft agar. These studies in SKOV3 cells indicate that SOD2 expression hampers invasion and migration critical for early tumor initiation but helps maintain anchorage-independent growth necessary for ovarian cancer metastases. In aggregate, SOD2 plays a context-dependent role in ovarian cancer progression and its utility as a therapeutic target for later-stage anchorage-independent ovarian cancer cells should be further explored.
(First online: March 1, 2022)
Development, Analysis, and Preclinical Evaluation of Inactivated Vaccine Candidate for Prevention of COVID-19 Disease
Authors: onen engin alp , sonmez kivilcim , yildirim funda , demirci elif kervancioglu , gurel aydin 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
A novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), emerged in the Chinese capital Wuhan in 2019. Since late 2019, SARS-CoV-2 has been responsible for a global pandemic that has resulted in 405,961,201 confirmed cases of infection and 5,789,567 deaths as of February 11, 2022, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Here we report the development of an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate and show that its efficacy and safety in preclinical studies warrant further clinical evaluation. Efficiency and possible side effects of vaccine candidate on different doses were evaluated using histopathology, K18 hACE2 transgenic mice challenge, T-cell response, and serum neutralization test in Balb/c mice. All pilot production and propagation experiments of SARS-CoV-2 were performed in the Level 3 Negative Pressure Biosafety Facility (BSL3/ABSL-3) according to COVID-19 interim guidance of WHO. All analytical studies have shown that the quality control parameters of the vaccine candidate meet the requirements for inactivated viral vaccines according to European Pharmacopeia. Vaccine candidate (KOCAK-19) has been authorized by the Turkish Medicines and Medical Devices Agency and has now entered phase 2 clinical development (NCT04838080).
Application and clinical efficacy of modified early unclamping technique in robot-assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy
Authors: Song Chen , Chen Luyao , Li Junhua , Wang Yanbin , Fu Bin 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
Objective: To investigate the safety and clinical efficacy of modified early unclamping technique in robot-assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (RAPN). Methods: The clinical data of 38 patients with renal tumor who underwent modified early unclamping technique in RAPN surgery admitted to the Department of Urology, the Third People's Hospital of Hangzhou and the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University from January 2018 to April 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The control group consisted of 78 patients with renal tumors who underwent standard clamping during the RAPN surgery completed by the same surgeon during the same period. The perioperative related indicators and postoperative renal function recovery were analyzed and compared between the two groups. Results: All patients (n = 116) finished the RAPN successfully, and none was transferred to radical and open surgery in both groups. The warm ischemia time in the modified early unclamping group was significantly lower than that in the standard clamping group (P < 0.001). After surgery, the renal function index at each time node in the modified early unclamping group were higher than those in the standard clamping group; renal function gradually returned to near preoperative levels after 3 months in both groups. Postoperative follow-up showed no tumor recurrence or metastasis. Conclusion: The application of modified early unclamping technique in RAPN surgery is safe and feasible. Compared with standard clamping, modified early unclamping can significantly shorten the warm ischemia time of kidneys, without increasing volume of intraoperative blood loss and complications, which helps to protect the postoperative renal function of patients.
The contribution of hospital-acquired infections to the COVID-19 epidemic in England in the first half of 2020
Authors: Knight Gwenan , Pham Thi Mui , Stimson James , Funk Sebastian , Jafari Yalda , Pople Diane , Evans Stephanie , Yin Mo , Brown Colin S. , Bhattacharya Alex , Hope Russell , Semple Malcolm G. , Read Jonathan M , Cooper Ben S , Robotham Julie V. 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
Background SARS-CoV-2 is known to transmit in hospital settings, but the contribution of infections acquired in hospitals to the epidemic at a national scale is unknown. MethodsWe used comprehensive national English datasets to determine the number of COVID-19 patients with identified hospital-acquired infections (with symptom onset >7 days after admission and before discharge) in acute English hospitals up to August 2020. As patients may leave the hospital prior to detection of infection or have rapid symptom onset, we combined measures of the length of stay and the incubation period distribution to estimate how many hospital-acquired infections may have been missed. We used simulations to estimate the total number (identified and unidentified) of symptomatic hospital-acquired infections, as well as infections due to onward community transmission from missed hospital-acquired infections, to 31st July 2020. ResultsIn our dataset of hospitalised COVID-19 patients in acute English hospitals with a recorded symptom onset date (n = 65,028), 7% were classified as hospital-acquired. We estimated that only 30% (range across weeks and 200 simulations: 20-41%) of symptomatic hospital-acquired infections would be identified, with up to 15% (mean, 95% range over 200 simulations: 14.1%-15.8%) of cases currently classified as community-acquired COVID-19 potentially linked to hospital transmission. We estimated that 26,600 (25,900 to 27,700) individuals acquired a symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection in an acute Trust in England before 31st July 2020, resulting in 15,900 (15,200-16,400) or 20.1% (19.2%-20.7%) of all identified hospitalised COVID-19 cases. ConclusionsTransmission of SARS-CoV-2 to hospitalised patients likely caused approximately a fifth of identified cases of hospitalised COVID-19 in the “first wave” in England, but less than 1% of all infections in England. Using time to symptom onset from admission for inpatients as a detection method likely misses a substantial proportion (>60%) of hospital-acquired infections.