The new developments in our social context, the recent pandemic outbreak, caused a series of changes in everyday practices. The student population represents a particular case, both their safety and future education were under duress during this period. However, their views over the situation have not been present in the scientific literature. The present qualitative research aimed to explore students' perceptions, attitudes, views, and representations on the Covid-19 pandemic. Three focus groups, each containing twelve participants, were organised to explore these aspects and students’ particular experiences. Focus group sessions were audio-recorded and the transcripts were analysed. The results revealed four dimensions of the students' representations: change – as a constant of the present, prospective scenarios, the pulse of the moment, and surrounding risks. The limitations and the importance of the study are discussed. The consequences of these representations are particularly important due to the influence they can have on people’s practices during the crisis and the extent of measures’ acceptance. The results offer precious insights on why some communication strategies used by the authorities had a low compliance rate, what should be done differently, and what should be considered in order to promote adaptive health behaviors during the latter phases of the pandemic.
Recently the way life is lived has undergone major changes. A pandemic outbreak, caused by a new virus impacted the world in numerous ways, affecting the health system, the economy, the industry, the everyday life and last, but not least, the educational system. The outbreak determined extreme measures such as school closure in the effort to contain the virus. The number of individuals of all ages not attending schools or universities because of the outbreak is rising. The vast majority of courses moved on-line and the e-learning represents the main educational setting used nowadays. If the main disadvantages of the e-learning, mainly related to the technological features, can be overcome with the help of skills training sessions, the communication barrier caused by the fears related to this outbreak may need a different approach. In this sense, the socioconstructivist theories of education, including the theories of contextualized learning all of which emphasize the socio-cultural dimension of learning, and the importance of social interactions in the process of knowledge building may represent a suitable approach.
Critical consciousness development represents a building block in the formation of health-related attitudes and behaviours. One of the most studied health-related behaviours in the previous year is COVID-19 vaccination behaviour. The present study examines critical consciousness, COVID-19 vaccination attitudes and vaccination behaviour in a consistent sample of young adults (N = 1185). Participants were residents of Romania, aged 18 to 41 years. The Critical Consciousness Scale—Short Form (CCS-S) and the Vaccination Attitudes Examination (VAX) Scale were used. The results demonstrate the mediating role of two types of vaccination attitude—lack of confidence in the promoted vaccine benefits and worries about unforeseen effects—in the relationship between critical reflection and vaccination behaviour. Communication is fundamental in an initiative aimed at changing behaviour. When shaping a health-related campaign, communication and dialogue must be horizontal and characterised by empathy and mutual recognition to determine favourable health-related behaviour.
The present study aims to describe the ways in which art education impacts community life through art products. The sample consists of 32 teachers/creators in various fields of work such as fine arts, composition, literature, musical interpretation, choreography and acting. Categorical content analysis is used for data analysis. The highest-ranking emerging theme is related to the means of educational intervention in the community through art. Artistic education leads to empowerment and emancipation by provoking people to think differently while the exposure to artistic creations has a therapeutic effect and contributes to identifying new ways of action. Artists in the role of teachers feel a responsibility both for the educational process and also for the emotional message that their creative product transmits to the audience.
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