Current approaches for preventing environment-associated contamination in healthcare facilities: a systematic literature review by open access database [Scholarly Article - Architecture, Structures and Construction, Aug 2022]

Title:

Current approaches for preventing environment-associated contamination in healthcare facilities: a systematic literature review by open access database

Authors:

Vitória Sanches Lemes Soares, Sheila Walbe Ornstein & Ana Judite Galbiatti Limongi França 

Published:

Architecture, Structures and Construction, 1 August 2022

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s44150-022-00063-8

Abstract:

This article presents a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) whose objective is to identify aspects related to the built environment of Emergency Rooms (ERs) and healthcare facilities that interfere with infection by respiratory diseases. The SLR presented is a relevant part of ongoing research dedicated to discussing the built environment’s role on contamination, considering the COVID-19 pandemic scenario and the ER of the University Hospital of the University of São Paulo (USP), sited in São Paulo city, Brazil, as a case study. The results of this SLR showed that the main aspects discussed in the selected articles are: Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems; disinfection and hygiene; layout and spatial organisation; air curtain and air purification; natural ventilation; door opening; and surface material. As major findings, the importance of properly designed mechanical ventilation systems and of the parameters’ control for the maintenance of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) are highlighted. In addition, the existence of isolation rooms; periodic assessments based on guides and protocols; self-sanitising materials surfaces; and environmental design strategies are presented, together with the development of technologies, often incorporated into hospital furniture. Thus, as contribution, the article highlights the importance of the association of several measures related to the performance of the built environment to minimise respiratory infections in healthcare environments. As a limit of this research, only open access articles and reviews from 2017 to 2021 were considered, so that the article reveals trends in this field of study, not covering the entirety of content.

Online Course offered by University of Leicester, UK - Discovering Your PhD Potential: Writing a Research Proposal

Title of Online Course:

Discover Your PhD Potential: Writing a Research Proposal

 

Offered by:

University of Leicester via FutureLearn 

Focus of course:

Build the skills, processes, and techniques to research and write a high-quality research proposal for postgraduate applications.

Duration:

5 weeks

For more information:

https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/research-question

 

Digital literacy: a review in the South Pacific [Scholarly Article - Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 2022]

Title:

Digital literacy: a review in the South Pacific

 

Authors:

Pritika Reddy, Bibhya Sharma & Kaylash Chaudhary 

 

Published:

Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 34, 83-108 (11 May 2022)

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12528-021-09280-4

 

Abstract:

In this era of exponential prominence and adoption of technology, one needs to have the ability to find, evaluate, utilize, share and create ideas, responsibly and ethically, using Information Communication Technology (ICT) tools and technologies combined with the Internet. This emerging human attribute is known as digital literacy. Today, digital literacy is an essential component of everyone's personal and professional lives to survive and thrive in the digital world. The notion of advocating digital literacy around the world is leveraged on the shoulders of higher education institutes. The institutes are playing a pivotal role in mentoring the younger generation to be digitally literate so that they can contribute effectively towards an individual, societal and national development and progression. This same now applies to the South Pacific region as well, with its recent progressive growth of ICT and the dynamic use of digital technology. It can also be added that digital literacy and, by extension, digital fluency is more needed in developing countries, including the South Pacific region, as these countries rely heavily on ICTs for their economic survival, competition and progression. However, there is a dearth of baseline research on digital literacy in the South Pacific since the concept is still new and an emerging one in the region. A few works have been done on the components of digital literacy highlighted in this integrative literature review paper. The anecdotal research will elaborate on the concept of digital literacy, discuss its importance and impacts with major emphasis on the South Pacific, and provide a comprehensive review of digital literacy, its importance and its impact on higher education in the South Pacific.

Review of scientific reports of harms caused by face masks, up to February 2021 [Research Gate, 22 February 2021]

Title:

Review of scientific reports of harms caused by face masks, up to February 2021

Author:

Denis G Rancourt, PhD

Researcher, Ontario Civil Liberties Association (ocla.ca)

Memebr scientist, PANDA (pandata.org)

Published:

Working report (not submitted for journal publication), published at Research Gate, 22 February 2021

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/349518677_Review_of_scientific_reports_of_harms_caused_by_face_masks_up_to_February_2021

Abstract:

A review of scientific publications, up to February 2021, about measured and potential harms of face masks imposed on workers, children, and the general population.

Note:

The article is organized into the following sections:

* Summary

* Introduction: Goverment's onus to evaluate safety

* Context: Risk-benefit-harm analysis

* Healthcare workers (HCWs)

* Physiological impacts of face masks in healthy adults

* Psychological harm in the general population

* Infants and school children

* Microbial pathogen infections from masks

* Endnotes / References

Mitigating the impacts of COVID-19: Lessons from Australia in remote education [Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), December 2020]

Title:

Mitigating the impacts of COVID-19: Lessons from Australia in remote education

 

Authors:

Anna Dabrowski, Yung Nietschke, Pauline Taylor-Guy & Anne-Marie Chase

All from the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) 

Published:

Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), December 2020

https://research.acer.edu.au/learning_processes/32/

Abstract:

This literature review provides an overview of past and present responses to remote schooling in Australia, drawing on international research. The paper begins by discussing historical responses to emergency and extended schooling, including during the COVID-19 crisis. The discussion then focuses on effective teaching and learning practices and different learning design models. The review considers the available evidence on technology-based interventions and their use during remote schooling periods. Although this research is emergent, it offers insights into the availability and suitability of different mechanisms that can be used in remote learning contexts. Noting that the local empirical research base is limited, the discussion focuses on the ways in which Australia has drawn upon international best practices in remote schooling in order to enhance teaching and learning experiences. The paper concludes by discussing the conditions that can support effective remote schooling in different contexts, and the considerations that must be made around schooling during and post pandemic.