The Continuum from Energy Codes to Advanced Technologies: A New Approach to Training

The U.S. healthcare system is not prepared to address the complex needs of the older adult population nearing 78 million by 2050. This requires a proactive shift toward age-friendly healthcare systems. The Age-Friendly Health Systems initiative developed the 4Ms framework: What Matters, Mentation, Medication, and Mobility which seeks to address the geriatric workforce needs. This poster presents how an innovative geriatric education and training program influenced interdisciplinary students’ understanding and application of person-centered care. Over eight weeks, medical, nursing, social work, and occupational therapy students participated in a 160-hour immersion that combined didactic sessions, community site visits, and application at a Fair Share Housing community in Camden, NJ (i.e., the interprofessional supersite). Students integrated knowledge through hands-on experience, developing interventions responsive to resident needs at the interprofessional supersite. Key themes included the importance of identifying patient values (What Matters), understanding cognitive and social engagement needs (Mentation), addressing polypharmacy and food-as-medicine (Medication), and assessing fall risks, transportation, and accessibility challenges (Mobility). Students also gained insights into how social determinants and systemic disparities influence health equity across communities. Interprofessional collaboration and cultural humility emerged as essential elements for personal and professional growth necessary for delivering effective, compassionate care. This educational model demonstrated that early exposure to age-friendly care fosters critical thinking, enhances empathy, and prepares students to deliver patient-centered, interdisciplinary care for a growing aging population. The program’s outcomes support embedding the 4Ms into clinical training to create a workforce prepared to meet the evolving demands of geriatric medicine.

This special issue in the Journal of Social Work Education is a forum for professional and scholarly discourse on military social work education initiatives developed to educate and train social work professionals and students for practice with military personnel, veterans, and their families across the micro–macro continuum. Special emphasis was given to educational and technological trends, innovations, and challenges related to educating the next generation of social workers to provide evidence-based services to a new generation of veterans that incorporate the CSWE’s (2010) advanced knowledge and practice behaviors in military social work and NASW’s (2012) practice standards. Additional focus was given to university–community and university–military partnerships, collaborations, and initiatives that involve community and military stakeholders. Quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods, and conceptual manuscripts from researchers, educators, and practitioners on military social work education and practice were solicited from the professional social work community. In this special issue we highlight select exemplars of the social work profession’s unique contributions to military social work education. The issue is divided into two sections: (1) discourse on the integration of military social work into professional social work education and (2) innovative military social work education and training programs for doctoral and master’s students, student veterans, and licensed social work professionals—many including program evaluation and other research components. Each section is described in following paragraphs, including a brief overview of representative manuscripts. Integration of Military Social Work Into Professional Social Work Education Four manuscripts highlight military social work as a field of practice requiring specialized knowledge and skills, teaching strategies based on the CSWE competencies and advanced practice behaviors in military social work, the inclusion of military and veteran culture in social work education curricula, and adapting social work field placements for training in military social work practice. Wooten presents a rationale for military social work as a specialized field of practice, the need for military social work education, and opportunities and challenges for professional social work education. She delineates foundation and advanced knowledge in military social work and concludes by proposing an integrated model of intellectual capital to guide strategic planning for professional military social work education in addition to professional infrastructure needed to develop intellectual capital in military social work. For social work educators unfamiliar with military and veteran culture, Daley provides examples of teaching strategies based on CSWE’s advanced practice behaviors in military social work for integration into social work courses, specifically focusing on their application to CSWE’s Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS; CSWE, 2008). He identifies foundation and advanced year military social work educational goals based on EPAS 2.1.1 to 2.1.10 and suggests that the infusion of military social work across the social work curriculum will assist students and faculty in becoming more sensitive to the issues faced by military service members, veterans, and their families. Continuing the application of CSWE’s EPAS to military social work education, Canfield and Weiss proposes the inclusion of military-related material into the foundation courses of undergraduate and graduate social work education because social workers providing services in civilian settings not focused on military-related difficulties may encounter military personnel, veterans, and families who seek services outside of the DoD and VA. Key issues, military examples, and resources are recommended for the integration of military culture into human behavior in the social environment, generalist practice, research methods, and social policy core curricula. With a focus on field education as the signature pedagogy of social work education, Selber, Chavkin, and Biggs advance a promising field instruction model in military social work with the growing student veteran population on American campuses. This innovative approach to field education expands placement opportunities beyond the VA for professional training in service delivery to current and past military cohorts.

The population in Europe is growing older. It is estimated that by 2060, one in eight people will be aged 80 or more[1].With the increase in the more vulnerable older old, elder abuse will become more prevalent in society[2]. Theoretical understandings of elder abuse inform responses to elder abuse. In the main approaches focus on interpersonal relationships[3]. Biggs and Lowenstein posit the concept of generational intelligence as a way of understanding elder abuse[4]. Generational intelligence is the ability to reflect and act, drawing on an understanding of one’s own and others’ life positions. Without this awareness, older people are seen as different, without the same rights as the rest of society. Shifting from conflict to solidarity between generations requires compromise and the equal recognition of priorities. Description of Respect to Prevent programme: Drawing on this theory, Respect to Prevent, an innovative educational and training programme, is aimed at preventing elder abuse within care settings through: raising awareness amongst older people of their human rights and empowering them to exercise their rights. increasing generational intelligence, the capacity ‘to walk in the older person’s shoes’, challenging ageist attitudes amongst staff The programme consists of four sessions: an information session for managers of care settings, experiential workshops using socio-drama to engage older people and care staff, a reformative session which provides feedback to management on changes to organizational policies and practices to enhance the dignity of older clients. The target population: The programme is aimed at older people, health and social care professionals and care providers. The programme is being developed under the Erasmus + project, Socio-drama, Tackling Ageism, Preventing Abuse (S.T.Age) and involves organizations working in the field of elder abuse prevention and community education theatre from Finland, Ireland, Italy and Romania. Timeline: The programme is being piloted in residential/ day care centres in Ireland, Romania, Finland and Italy. The evaluation will be concluded in April 2017. Impact and outcomes: Tools used to evaluate impact include Fraboni Scale of Ageism to be completed by care staff pre and post workshop, participant observations, one-to-one questionnaires for all participants. Preliminary results indicate that the programme is accessible and meaningful to participants, including people with dementia. Older participants have an opportunity to voice what they see as their human rights, and what these rights should look like in the context of their daily life. Opening up this conversation allows them to look at ways of supporting each other to be safe. Experiencing life in the older person’s home, and not a place of work, gives care staff a different perspective, as one care staff observed “just putting yourself in that person’s shoes, their priorities are not the same as ours”. The outcome is the implementation of changes to organizational structures and practices to enhance dignity within long-term care residential settings. Sustainability: Once finalized, the programme will be delivered by the organisations in the different countries.

The implementation of The Undergraduate Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program project provides a rare opportunity for college students to improve their entrepreneurial quality and ability. In order to meet the needs of modern water conservancy construction, the students majoring inwater conservancy should not only master the basic theoretical knowledge of the major, but also have the ability of innovation, cooperation and combining theory with practice. College of Water Resources and Hydropower actively carries out The Undergraduate Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program and adopts the practice mode of Guide-Guided, Everyone Practices, Focus on Process has achieved remarkable results and greatly enhanced the innovative consciousness and practical ability of college students.

Aim/Purpose: This study attempts to apply gamification to support the training of small business owners in business web development from a work-based learning perspective. Background: Web design describes the process of creating a website and embodies many different aspects, such as webpage layout, content production, and graphic design. However, there are many obstacles that small business owners face when developing their websites, such as time and budget constraints, lacking technical skills, and difficulties with content creation. Methodology: Based on the literature review, a gamified training program was developed for website development. The new website design and development training method was compared with the traditional lecture training method from small business owners’ perspectives in the specific work-based learning context. Contribution: This study contributes to the field of work-based learning by developing an innovative gamified training program for small business owners in website development learning. Findings: The results confirm that the gamified training program improved learning outcomes and satisfaction. The results of this study help advance the understanding of work-based training program design and provide insights to support small business owners in learning new technologies. Recommendations for Practitioners: Results confirm that this new training system is superior to the traditional lecture training method. While much attention has been directed to website design and development learning or business activities of small business owners, this study emphasizes the need for work-based learning in such a context. Recommendation for Researchers: This study also shows a potential way for future research by combining technology education and small business owners’ needs. Impact on Society: The results of this study show the advantages of gamified training programs. For their future training program selections, small business owners should pay more attention to gamified training and education systems in the market. Furthermore, gamified training and education systems not only help small businesses but also could be adopted by mid-size or even large companies in their training programs. Future Research: Future research should be conducted to investigate to what extent gamification improves work-based learning and how to design gamification to improve work-based learning.

In this literature review, there are some reasons why we need an innovative education program for preparedness preservice teachers. Developing teacher quality is crucial in education and is still a challenge in Indonesia. These challenges require teacher knowledge to master concepts, technologies, pedagogics, for preservice teachers. However, the facts show that the majority of preservice teachers lack adequate pedagogical skills despite being familiar with the technology. It is important to design an educational program for the professional development of teachers, especially preservice teachers, to use an approach to the development of teacher preparation that integrates content, teaching, and learning integrated with technology. The main question is what are the fundamental theories that can be used as the basis for developing an innovative teacher education program?

Wild botanic gardens consist of natural or semi-natural land remnants immersed in large urban areas or botanic gardens, which are managed for purposes of biodiversity preservation and public recreation. In Latin America, they tend to be affected by budget limitations; however, they serve as valuable resources that permit the development of innovative environmental education programmes. Specifically, we are considering the appropriateness of implementing critical environmental education and socio-constructivist programmes. As for practical considerations, it is important to include diverse epistemologies, and therefore, strategies or procedures characteristic of science teaching, such as problem-based learning, together with other characteristics of social activism and popular education initiatives, such as assemblies or meetings, and others characteristic of more traditional and indigenous worldviews, such as celebrations of the earth. In this way, Latin American wild botanic gardens may play a role in constructing environmentally responsible societies and the nurturing of a culture of reflective inquiry.

An innovative undergraduate child care training program and its relationship to the education reform movement

An innovative child psychiatry training program using a family-based model for at-risk military families

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Building Energy Codes Program launched a series of research studies in 2014 across several U.S. states to investigate typical energy efficiency practices in residential buildings and identify opportunities to reduce household utility bills. A primary goal of the study was to help document baseline practices in new single-family construction, target areas for improvement relative to the state energy code, and quantify related savings potential. This information was intended to assist states in measuring energy compliance with their codes and to identify areas of focus for future education and training initiatives. Following the original baseline studies, project teams in each state conducted a series of education, training and outreach activities aimed at improving compliance with the state residential energy code. A second baseline study was then implemented in several states with the objective of determining whether the investment in education, training and outreach programs had produced a significant and measurable change in statewide residential energy use. Through the program, DOE planned to establish a sufficient data set to represent baseline construction trends across states and detect significant changes in energy use resulting from education and training activities. The three basic phases employed were as follows: I. Pre-Study: A baseline study to identify the energy use in typical single-family residential buildings in a given state and opportunities for improving energy efficiency II. Education & Training: Education, training and outreach activities targeting issues identified through the baseline study III. Post-Study : A second study to identify the change in energy use following the education and training activities This report outlines the application of the study in the state of West Virginia with a focus on the experiences of the project team across the multi-phased approach. Data gathered through phase I has been submitted to Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) for analysis. Findings available to date are published as PNNL technical reports on the DOE Building Energy Codes Program website with final analysis pending publication later in 2018.

There is a pressing need for a structured sports training program that includes risk analysis and prevention strategies to minimize injuries while maximizing athletic performance, particularly in martial arts. This study aims to analyze and design a comprehensive risk-based sports training program in martial arts to reduce injury risks and enhance athlete performance by considering physical, mental, and psychological aspects. A qualitative approach with a phenomenological design was used to investigate the perspectives of coaches and athletes at the Perisai Diri silat academy in Tasikmalaya City regarding training program planning based on risk analysis. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 coaches and 15 athletes to gather insights into their experiences and challenges. While a structured martial arts training program is essential, many coaches lack written programs tailored to athletes’ needs, often relying on general guidelines. Interviews highlighted discrepancies between coaches and athletes regarding training schedules and assessments, revealing that not all coaches conduct thorough evaluations. This oversight leads to misaligned training loads, increasing injury risks. Furthermore, coaches must consider environmental factors, athlete distractions, and psychological support for effective training implementation. By adopting an individualized approach based on initial evaluations, training programs can be tailored to meet each athlete’s specific needs, enhancing both safety and effectiveness.

Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) for hallux valgus (HV) has gained popularity. However, adopting this technique faces the challenges of a pronounced learning curve. This study aimed to address these challenges by developing and validating an innovative simulation model and training program, targeting enhanced proficiency in HV MIS. A training program and a high-fidelity simulation model for HV MIS were designed based on experts' recommendations. Four foot and ankle surgeons without experience in MIS formed the novice group and took the program that encompassed six-session instructional lessons, hands-on practice on simulated models, and immediate feedback. The program concluded with a cadaveric surgery. Four foot and ankle experienced MIS surgeons formed the expert group and underwent the same procedure with one simulated model. Participants underwent blind assessment, including Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS), surgical time, and radiograph usage. Expert evaluation of the simulation model indicated high satisfaction with anatomical representation, handling properties, and utility as a training tool. The expert group consistently outperformed novices at the initial assessment across all outcomes, demonstrating OSATS scores of 24 points (range, 23 to 25) versus 15.5 (range, 12 to 17), median surgical time of 22.75 minutes (range, 12 to 27) versus 48.75 minutes (range, 38 to 60), and median radiograph usage of 70 (range, 53 to 102) versus 232.5 (range, 112 to 280). Novices exhibited a significant improvement in OSATS scores from the fifth session onward (P = 0.01), reaching the desired performance of 20 points. Performance at the final training with the simulated model did not differ from cadaveric surgery outcomes for all parameters. This study validated a simulation model and training program, allowing nonexperienced HV MIS foot and ankle surgeons to enhance their surgical proficiency and effectively complete a substantial portion of the learning curve at the fifth session, and this performance was successfully transferred to a cadaver model. III.

The use of peer education has been well documented within the discipline of health promotion, but not within the youth mental health domain. This paper describes an evaluation of an innovative schools-based peer education training programme that involved preparing young people to deliver a mental health workshop to their peers. Participants (n = 30) were recruited from five post-primary schools in Ireland. After each training session (n = 4), participants completed a questionnaire assessing their reactions to training. Participants also completed measures of self-esteem, help-seeking, mental health knowledge and skills at their first and final training session, and at the end of the programme. Significant changes in participants’ presentation skills, mental health knowledge and beliefs about help-seeking were observed. Participants also reported that training was well facilitated and well timed. Overall, findings indicate participation in a schools-based mental health peer education training progr...

Fieldwork education quality hinges on skilled supervisors, but being a competent social worker does not automatically translate into effective supervision. Despite this, research on developing fieldwork supervisors’ competencies remains sparse. This pilot study evaluates ‘Together We Grow’—an innovative training and peer support programme for fieldwork supervisors in Hong Kong—using a mixed-method, quasi-experimental design with 27 supervisors and their students. Supervisors completed the Generic Supervision Assessment Tool pre- and post-intervention, showing significant score improvements across all participants. Experienced supervisors demonstrated larger gains than newer ones. Post-intervention interviews revealed multiple programme impacts and success mechanisms. While students’ GPAs showed no significant differences between experimental and control groups, qualitative analysis of student responses identified one cross-cutting theme across all participants and one theme more prominent among students in the experimental group. This pilot demonstrates the programme’s potential to enhance supervisory competencies regardless of experience level, with differential benefits based on supervisor background. The identification of specific impact mechanisms and student experience patterns provides a foundation for programme refinement. These findings highlight the program’s impacts and underlying mechanisms, offering valuable insights to inform potential scale-up studies and replication efforts in other contexts.

ABSTRACTAimTo examine the impact of critical care nurses' delirium knowledge, self‐efficacy and clinical reasoning competency on delirium care difficulties based on the information–motivation–behavioural (IMB) skills model from a behavioural perspective.DesignCross‐sectional study.MethodsA total of 440 critical care nurses from five hospitals in China were selected using convenience sampling and invited to complete an online questionnaire for measurement. Data were collected in November 2024 and analysed using SPSS/AMOS with descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation coefficient and multiple regression. Structural equation modelling was constructed to test the hypothesised relationships among the variables, with bootstrapping to assess mediation effects.ResultsThe level of delirium care difficulties was moderated. Delirium care difficulties were negatively correlated with delirium knowledge, self‐efficacy and clinical reasoning competency. Clinical reasoning competency partly mediated delirium knowledge and self‐efficacy with regard to delirium care difficulties.ConclusionDelirium knowledge, self‐efficacy and clinical reasoning competency are essential for improving critical care nurses' delirium care competencies. The role of clinical reasoning competency in the relationship between the other two variables and delirium care difficulties was highlighted. Establishing multifaceted innovative delirium education programmes, emphasising individuals' sense of competence and enhancing clinical reasoning competency as behavioural skills were supported. Exploring these pathways using a nurse behaviour change‐based perspective is critical.Implications for the Profession and/or Patient CareCritical care managers should value nurses' delirium care competencies. Enhancing continuing professional development through system‐level support with high reliability and multiform professional education, including innovative theoretical and practical training; advancing policies that increase work motivation and self‐planning to stimulate self‐efficacy; and exercising critical and reflective thinking to improve clinical reasoning competency may enhance nurses' delirium recognition and care competencies, including prioritisation, potentially improving delirium care dilemmas and patient outcomes.Reporting MethodThe STROBE checklist was used as a guideline.Patient or Public ContributionNurses completed questionnaires.Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2400092177). https://www.chictr.org.cn/bin/project/edit?pid=249216