Authors: Sandra Vamos & Paul Yeung

Abstract: As a result of technological advancements, many people access and assess health-related information via technological devices. Yet, not all health-related information available is accurate. This study adopted Flanagan′s Critical Incident Technique (CIT) to explore the kinds of incidents (i.e., learning and/or teaching-related examples) that allow Physical and Health Education Teacher Education (PHETE) candidates to engage in the promotion of health literacy (HL) through digital media during a course-based experiential learning opportunity in higher education. The study utilized a focus group interview (n=6) to explore what helps or hinders participants′ experiential learning and their perception of health education and health promotion efforts through the lens of HL and digital literacy. Altogether 100 critical incidents were recorded. The results showed that the top three ″helps″ are: ″writing health blogs″ (13.46%), ″communicating health topics to others″ (11.54%), and ″raising others′ health awareness″ (11.54%). Participants′ collaboration from inside and outside the course to plan and implement the PHETE Ambassador pizza party was the most commonly described as a helpful critical incident. Participants also reported the top two ″hinders″: ″starting from zero″ (23.53%) and ″administrative errors in list serve″ (17.65%). In terms of ″specific hinders″, participants noted: ″starting from zero″ (20.00%), ″unable to attend pre-established meetings″ (20.00%), and ″under time constraints″(20.00%). Through participants′ sharing, not only do they see the importance of social media and technology, but they also concur that HL forms an important bridge between the education and health fields.

Article (pdf)

Authors: Muhammad Sajjad Hussain, Muhammad Husnain, Syed Talal Raza Shah

Abstract: With the advancement in affluence and lifestyles of societies, the environment seldom considered as a stakeholder. Since the innovation of plastic, it has surmounted every aspect of life including food consumption patterns, especially in urban areas. When it comes to café facilities in universities, excessive use of plastic observed as plastic utensils are easy to manage and they do not require an excessive budget. The study focuses on the café facilities in universities situated in the Federal Capital Territory of Islamabad, Pakistan. Cluster sampling employed and the population clustered in five "W" category universities. The research aimed to gauge the awareness level of the university students regarding the environmental and health hazards of the consumption of plastic and their willingness to change their consumption patterns after getting the essential awareness. About 105 responses recorded through a Google Form survey conducted in the top five public universities of Islamabad. The research concluded on the analysis of the survey, which envisages that the students are much likely to appreciate the reusable crockery instead of the consumption of plastic utensils. This research provides convincing remarks to the university authorities to change their policy of plastic consumption and turn to reusable crockery, which might cause a heavy installation price but will be beneficial to the environment and health.

Article (pdf)

Authors: Dennis Agelebe

Abstract: Preceding the introduction of institutionalized regulatory system, the relationship between science and law first satisfies the individual basis for existence before considering any room for collaboration. Meaning, at that time, the relationship was not collaborative. Both science and law were individually concerned with what each do and not what the other does.

This research article explores the science and law relationship in order to understand possible strains and identify the underlying factors affecting epidemic management. Human health, as primary beneficiary of scientific inventions and innovations has seen challenges that science alone has not been able to solve. Developed countries have better structures for managing health issues, yet intervention of law, though obligatory, it’s still doing more to catch up with evolving developments for the sake of protecting human health. Africa is a developing continent facing challenges in managing epidemic. There has not been shortage of scientific inputs into how best to respond to sudden breakout of
epidemic, but there is lack of regulatory directive that is beyond the level of an administrative plan. The question of if science is governed by its own laws and may not necessarily need a conventional law in certain situations such as epidemic breakout is answered by examining the theoretical approach of scientific law as different from specific scientific theory. While there are scholarly opinions from the comparison of their importance- for example, the assertion that science is the best tool we have to understand the problem of the natural world, this research article steps forward to assert that understanding alone does not produce the solution and if it does, administering the solution does not have
to rely on science alone. Study of the impact of science in responding to epidemic breakout without subjection to or in collaboration with law is made by studying the Ebola crises in Africa; a comparative study of how Nigeria, Liberia and Sierra Leone responded is presented here and the role of law identified, though there was no definite scientific solution at that time. This helps in giving a concise view of the challenge scientific effort alone will face in a possible pandemic situation like the coronavirus situation and the role of law.

Article (pdf)