ABSTRACT
During the summer of 2020, a team of faculty reimagined the School of Engineering's first-year design course to increase consistency among sections, to create space for first-year students attending online classes to form friendships, to explicitly teach design thinking and problem solving in a virtual environment, and to integrate ethics into the project-based course. This fall-term course enrolled the first-year class of approximately 140 chemical, civil, electrical, mechanical, and general engineering students. Interdisciplinary teams worked on projects in the general theme of “Engineering for Social Good.” Project topics included: designing smarter and more resilient cities, developing therapeutic devices, designing shelter for refugees in flight, and making fuel from food waste. The faculty designed and led their own section's projects while having a set of common activities and deliverables with similar timelines and baseline rubrics. To build community among the students, every project team had a maximum of eight students with an assigned undergraduate teaching assistant. Each class dealt with the limits of the pandemic in different ways. For instance, some courses developed “@Home” kits, some courses provided limited access to campus spaces, and some courses had all virtual projects. The faculty met weekly to assess course progress. Additionally, a survey was developed to assess students' learning gains, their experiences in the course, and approaches to handling a project-based course in the era of COVID. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2021
ABSTRACT
Background: Adults with metabolic syndrome and obesity who participate in intensive lifestyle Interventions (ILIs) often achieve significant weight loss (>5%), improve activity levels and dietary quality, and reduce their risk for diabetes. STRIDES, the ILI at our safety-net county health system, was delivered in group classes until March 2020, when, due to COVID-19, classes pivoted to a web-based format. STRIDES serves an ethnically and economically diverse population. This project compared participant outcomes and staff work between in-person and web-based STRIDES. Methods: Using the STRIDES program data base, attendance, weight loss, and staff work were evaluated for two in-person class cohorts (2018, 2019) and the web-based class cohort (2020). Attendance at weekly group classes and weight loss were compared for in-person participants to web-based participants. who had monthly in-person weigh-ins. Repeated measures ANOVA was used to test for differences in weight loss over time between the three cohorts after adjusting for baseline weight. Results: The 278 (89, 91,98) participants in three cohorts had: a mean age of 56 yrs.and mean BMI of 41%, and were 90% female and 41% AA.Mean number of classes attended were: 8, 13, and 17 at 3, 6, and 12 months. Dropout, low, medium, and high attendance was 2%, 9%, 23%, and 66% respectively and did not differ between in-person and web-based cohorts. Participant weight loss was 6.3% at 6 mo. with 50% achieving >5% weight loss and did not differ between cohorts. New staff web-based work included: technology on-boarding for participants;>1400 coaching calls/year;set-up/ invites for sessions;delivery of participant materials;monthly in-person weigh-ins;and ongoing log-in support during class. Participants satisfaction with the web-based format was 'good' or 'very good' for 95% and 92% plan to parcticipate again. Conclusions: Diverse ILI participants in the 2020 web-based class format had attendance and weight loss comparable to two prior in-person group class years. Participant satisfaction was high in the web-based format, but may not persist after pandemic conditions. Program delivery required additional work compared to the in-person format. Web-based ILI is promising to improve accessibility to programs that improve cardiometabolic risk, but may have increased costs compared to the in-person format.
ABSTRACT
Background: Intensive lifestyle intervention (ILI) participants often lose weight (>5%) and improve activity levels and dietary quality. STRIDES, the effective ILI at our safety-net county health system that serves diverse adults, pivoted from in-person group classes to a web-based format in March 2020, during the COVID pandemic.This project describes participants' experiences of attending web-based STRIDES (WS) including comparing WS to in-person STRIDES (IPS) for those who attended both. Methods: In May 2021, active WS participants were asked to complete a 48-item survey. The survey assessed the impact of COVID-19 on behaviors, income and employment;satisfaction with the STRIDES program, coaching and in-person weigh-in sessions;preference for future STRIDES delivery;level of group therapeutic factors and self-efficacy for activity and healthy eating. diet. Chi-square tests of independence were performed to examine relationships between WS and IPS and variables representing their experiences. Results: Of 133 invited participants, (74 both WS/IPS, 59 WS only), 118 (89%) completed the survey. Participants' mean age was 59 yrs;mean BMI was 41 kg/m2;98% female;50% white/45% black. Of participants, 90% were satisfied with web-based format;98% had stable internet access, 94% rarely/never had technology related attendance issues;89% found WS class flexible;45% reported they worked, exercised, ran errands or did chores during class. For participants in both WS and IPS, 37% report speaking less in WS than IPS. Group value and self-efficacy were similar for WS and IPS, but catharsis less in WS. Most (89%) prefer a blended model of WS and IPS for future classes. COVID-19 vaccination rate was 77% for participants and 21% of unvaccinated intend to be vaccinated. For many, COVID impacted activity and food;and for some, income. STRIDES felt to help improve weight (89%);diet (92%), and activity (68%) Conclusions: Diverse participants in an effective ILI on a web-based platform during COVID-18 liked the program and its flexibility. They felt it helped with weight loss, activity and healthy eating. WS retained important therapeutic features of in-person group courses. Participants felt STRIDES increased self-efficacy, but COVID-19 negatively impacted activity and diet. Over 75% of participants are vaccinated. Most prefer future classes to blend IPS and WS.
ABSTRACT
In this paper, we use new survey data on the Irish SME population to trace out the impact of the pandemic on revenues, firms' capacity to adjust their cost base and their usage of policy supports. Over 70 per cent of firms experienced some fall in turnover with a median fall of 25 per cent. The impact of the shock appears uncorrelated with past firm performance which highlights its exogenous nature. Expenditure fell by 8.5 per cent on average with 40 per cent of firms cutting spending. Losses were incurred in over 30 per cent of enterprises with a further 30 per cent just breaking even. We find that about 61 per cent of SMEs received wage subsidies, 20 per cent of firms used tax warehousing while fewer than 6 per cent of firms used lending initiatives. Policy support take-up is more likely among those more affected by the downturn, while the smallest firms appear less likely to use support than larger firms.
ABSTRACT
Temporary telehealth initiatives during COVID-19 have been life-changing for many people in Australia;for the first time Frail, Homebound, and Bedridden Persons (FHBP) equitably received primary healthcare services, like Australians without a disability. However, government changes to telehealth funding mean that since July 2020 telehealth is only available for those who have attended a face-To-face appointment in the last 12 months, thus excluding FHBP. This paper illustrates the reported health exclusion and marginalisation of FHBP. We reviewed the literature and surveyed 164 Australian adults (27% homebound people and 73% affiliated persons) to ascertain their opinions and thoughts on potential strategies to tackle issues associated with FHBP's current circumstances. Results demonstrate that digital technologies and telehealth services are ethical imperatives. Policymakers, clinicians, and health researchers must work with end-users (community-based participation) to create an inclusive healthcare service. © 2021 The authors and IOS Press.