Effectiveness of distance technology on promoting physical activity in cardiovascular disease rehabilitation: a pilot study for a 12-month cluster randomized trial. (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Physical activity is beneficial for cardiovascular rehabilitation. Digitalization has suggested the idea of using technology as an element in the promotion of physical activity and lifestyle changes. The effectiveness of distance technology interventions has previously been found to be similar to that of conventional treatment, but the additional value of the technology has not been studied as frequently. OBJECTIVE The aim of this pilot study was to investigate the effectiveness of additional distance technology intervention on physical activity and compare it to non-technology–based treatment in cardiac rehabilitation. METHODS A 12-month cardiovascular disease rehabilitation intervention was developed, consisting of three inpatient periods in a rehabilitation center and controlled self-exercise periods at home in between. Participants were cluster-randomized into the conventional rehabilitation group (n=30) and additional distance technology (Fitbit Charge HR activity monitor and Movendos mCoach internet software) rehabilitation group (n=29). Physical activity outcomes were measured using the Fitbit Zip accelerometer and the International physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ). RESULTS During the first 6 months, the additional distance technology rehabilitation group engaged in light physical activity more often than the conventional rehabilitation group (mean difference (MD) 324.2 minutes per week, 95% CI 77.4 to 571.0, P = 0.01). There were no group differences in the duration of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MD 12.6 minutes per week, 95% CI -90.5 to 115.7, P = 0.82) or steps per day (MD 1084.0, 95% CI -585.0 to 2752.9, P = 0.20). During the following 6 months, no differences between the groups were observed in light physical activity (MD -87.9 minutes per week, 95% CI -379.2 to 203.3, P = 0.54), moderate to vigorous physical activity (MD 70.9 minutes per week, 95% CI -75.7 to 217.6, P = 0.33) or in steps per day (MD 867.1, 95% CI -2099.6 to 3833.9, P = 0.55). CONCLUSIONS Additional distance technology may increase light physical activity at the beginning of cardiac rehabilitation but does not promote moderate or vigorous physical activity or steps per day. CLINICALTRIAL ISRCTN Registry, url: https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN61225589, reg. number: ISRCTN61225589. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT RR2-https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN61225589

Experience of using distance technology to teach Chinese undergraduates during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the organization of the educational process in Russian universities. The object of the research is the experience of implementing e-education and the transition to distance technologies for continuing education of Chinese undergraduates in the Russian metropolitan university. Russian universities had the technical capabilities and used various electronic educational platforms. In the same time, the results of the survey showed a decrease in the satisfaction of Chinese full-time students when switching to distance learning. The study shows the significant factors that had a negative impact on the educational process using distance technology to teach Chinese undergraduates during the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors have grouped these factors into five groups (technical, language, emotional, and financial, content of lecture). Identification of these factors made it possible to develop a program to improve the educational process and enhance the satisfaction of foreign students studying at Russian universities.

Out of Our Comfort Zones: Reflections about Teaching Qualitative Research at a Distance

How does an increase in distance technology alter the teaching of qualitative research? This article uses a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (McKinney, 2007) framework in which each author collected data in the form of personal narrative essays about teaching qualitative research from a distance, course products, teaching evaluations, and student comments. Individually we created a narrative reflection on the teaching and learning of qualitative methodology; particularly comparing our individual experiences with both distance and in-person teaching formats. Through these reflective essays, we provide ideas about our teaching of qualitative research via distance technology as a conceptual conversation about the nature of teaching qualitative research in non-face-to-face settings within schools of education. Looking across the essays we found that teaching qualitative methodology is rooted in relational ideas that may be difficult in a distance setting. We each individually struggled with the loss of time for learning new technology or traveling over a distance, which may have compromised the integrity of our other faculty job requirements. One common recommendation was that there be some level of face-to-face interaction, even over distance technologies, as a way to facilitate relational concepts in qualitative teaching.