• Energy Research
• 4. Education close
• CH close

The World Health Organization is the agency responsible for reporting the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) indicator "percentage of population using solid fuels." In this article, we present the results of a comprehensive assessment of solid fuel use, conducted in 2005, and discuss the implications of our findings in the context of achieving the MDGs.For 93 countries, solid fuel use data were compiled from recent national censuses or household surveys. For the 36 countries where no data were available, the indicator was modeled. For 52 upper-middle or high-income countries, the indicator was assumed to be < 5%.According to our assessment, 52% of the world's population uses solid fuels. This percentage varies widely between countries and regions, ranging from 77%, 74%, and 74% in Sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Western Pacific Region, respectively, to 36% in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, 16% in Latin America and the Caribbean and in Central and Eastern Europe. In most industrialized countries, solid fuel use falls to the < 5% mark.Although the "percentage of population using solid fuels" is classified as an indicator to measure progress towards MDG 7, reliance on traditional household energy practices has distinct implications for most of the MDGs, notably MDGs 4 and 5. There is an urgent need for development agendas to recognize the fundamental role that household energy plays in improving child and maternal health and fostering economic and social development.

Whereas most ranking schemes aim at the identification of the universally best performing universities, value‐driven rankings take a focused perspective: they aim at monitoring the progress of some kind of societal agenda based on social values and hence look for progress concerning specific educational contents. The emerging field of education for sustainable development provides a good case for studying evaluation criteria of a value‐based ranking. This paper proposes a framework for a stakeholder‐based university evaluation and maps the territory of rankings addressing sustainable development. Finally a complementing evaluation is proposed to address identified shortcomings.

The lasting effects of teacher professional development (PD) are seldom examined. We investigated whether 44 teachers and their Grade 5 and 6 primary classes continued working with tasks for mathematical reasoning and employing a rubric after the PD finished. Questionnaires for students and teachers were administered before the intervention, at the end of the intervention, and 5 months later. The results of the longitudinal quantitative analyses with supplementary qualitative interpretations indicated that the mathematical reasoning features of the PD showed more sustainable effects than the use of the rubric. Explorative findings suggest that this outcome may be related to the teachers' pedagogical content knowledge.

The case study is developed based on a modular concept. The purpose of the case study is to provide interdisciplinary knowledge and learning exercises about tourism and sustainable development to students of different education and training levels. The entire case study can be taught including all its eight modules in one day (excluding preparation and reading). The case study is applicable to all Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts department courses, where sustainability is addressed or is a relevant teaching topic. + ID der Publikation: hslu_85249 + Art des Beitrages: Bericht + Sprache: Englisch + Letzte Aktualisierung: 2021-09-21 09:38:24

All programmes of study in Institutes of Technology in Ireland are subjected to internal programmatic review in five yearly cycles to ensure that the education programmes meet the quality assurance standards and are fit for purpose. In addition engineering and construction programmes undergo voluntary external accreditation by their respective professional bodies. Both processes differ in their focus and intent and the preparation required by the programme teams and managers. The two processes emphasise different aspects of engineering education. From the research literature, it has emerged that these assessment types are used worldwide, in varying ways and in regular cycles, for the quality assurance of engineering education programmes. Both the programmatic review and accreditation processes have evolved and diverged over time. Engineers Ireland has formally accredited all University and Institutes of Technology engineering programmes in Ireland since 1982. Engineering education programmes which satisfy the appropriate criteria laid down in the Engineers Ireland accreditation documents are deemed to meet the education standard required of individuals seeking one of the registered titles of Chartered Engineer, Associate Engineer and Engineering Technician. The Engineers Ireland accreditation process is consistent with international best practice and this is verified by their inclusion in international mutual recognition agreements. Significant consultation has taken place with the gatekeepers of these processes which includes the Registrars and Heads of Faculty in Higher Education Institutions, Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) and the Registrar of Engineers Ireland. Incorporation of the programmatic review and accreditation processes into a single quality assurance process has long been an ambition of these gatekeepers. To achieve this ambition, it is imperative to determine whether it is possible to align the objectives of both processes. Twenty four triangulation documents were prepared comparing the QQI Engineering Award Standards, the QQI Professional Award Type Descriptors and the Engineers Ireland Accreditation Criteria. This allowed for comparison across the three engineering professional titles, their equivalent Irish National Framework of Qualifications levels for the three quality strands of knowledge, skill and competence and the five sub- strands of Mathematics and Sciences, Design and Development, Information Technology, Business Context and Engineering Practice. Even though there are differences in wording between the standards, there is over ninety percent alignment between all three sets of objectives in terms of their intent.

Community-based rehabilitation (CBR) strives to enhance quality of life for individuals with disabilities and their families by increasing social participation and equalizing opportunities in the global south. Aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals, CBR also aims to address the high rates of poverty faced by individuals with disability. Empowerment, a pillar of CBR, involves strengthening the capacity of people with disabilities, their families, and their communities to ensure reduction of disparities. This article outlines a scoping review that guided by the question: “What is known from the existing literature about the applicability of eLearning for capacity building in CBR?” This review did not uncover literature related to eLearning in CBR; however findings suggest that other disciplines, not explicitly tied to CBR, currently use eLearning to educate and empower professionals in the global south. We argue that eLearning technology could be an effective and sustainable solution for CBR programming in the global south for capacity development. Such technology could increase individuals with disabilities’ access to education and could provide opportunities for wider dissemination of knowledge, beyond typical funding cycles. With a goal of informing future CBR practice in eLearning, this article concludes by highlighting key lessons taken from other disciplines that have utilized eLearning in the global south.

AbstractAnatomical dissection is known to serve as an integral tool in teaching gross anatomy, including postgraduate training. A variety of embalming techniques exist, resulting in different haptic and optical tissue properties. This study aimed to objectify learning outcomes and medical student perceptions related to the use of two widely used embalming techniques, namely Thiel and ethanol‐glycerin embalming. Between 2020 and 2022, first‐ and second‐year medical students enrolled in the course on topographic anatomy participated in this study. Objective structured practical examinations were carried out for the head, neck, thorax, abdomen, pelvis, and extremity regions following regional dissection just before the oral examinations began. Six to ten numbered tags were marked in prosections of each region in Thiel‐ and ethanol‐glycerin‐embalmed specimens. Following the examinations, the students were surveyed regarding the suitability of the two embalming techniques with respect to preservation, colorfastness, tissue pliability, and the suitability in preparing for their anatomy examinations. Consistently higher scores were achieved for the thoracic and abdominal regions in ethanol‐glycerin‐embalmed specimens when compared to Thiel. No benefit was found for Thiel‐embalmed upper or lower extremities. Tissues embalmed with ethanol‐glycerin were rated higher for preservation and suitability to achieve the learning objectives, tissue pliability was rated higher for Thiel‐embalmed tissues. Ethanol‐glycerin embalming appears to offer certain advantages for undergraduate students in recognizing visceral structures, which may align with students’ ideas on tissue suitability for their learning. Consequently, the benefits reported for Thiel embalming for postgraduate study unlikely reflect its suitability for novices.

In the context of landscape, both the natural environment and the built environment can be linked with human health and well-being. This connection has been studied among adults, but no research has been conducted on young people. To fill this gap, this case study aimed to elucidate students’ views on landscapes worth conserving and the landscapes that affect and support their well-being. The participants (n = 538) were Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish students from grades 3–6. The students drew the landscapes they wanted to conserve. The drawn landscapes and the welfare-supporting features they contained were analysed using inductive and abductive content analyses. The students from all three countries preferred water, forest and yard landscapes. In the drawings of natural landscapes, the most recurring themes were sunrise or sunset, forest, beach and mountain landscapes. Physical well-being was manifested in the opportunity to jog and walk. Social well-being was reflected in the presence of friends, relatives and animals. Therapeutically important well-being-related spaces—the so-called green (natural areas), blue (aquatic environments) and white (e.g., snow) areas—were also depicted in the participants’ drawings. It can be concluded that the drawn landscapes reflect several values that promote students’ well-being.