Search results for: ethnically and culturally diverse students
Commenced in January 2007
Frequency: Monthly
Edition: International
Paper Count: 8013

Search results for: ethnically and culturally diverse students

3753 Limits of the Dot Counting Test: A Culturally Responsive Approach to Neuropsychological Evaluations and Treatment

Authors: Erin Curtis, Avraham Schwiger

Abstract:

Neuropsychological testing and evaluation is a crucial step in providing patients with effective diagnoses and treatment while in clinical care. The variety of batteries used in these evaluations can help clinicians better understand the nuanced declivities in a patient’s cognitive, behavioral, or emotional functioning, consequently equipping clinicians with the insights to make intentional choices about a patient’s care. Despite the knowledge these batteries can yield, some aspects of neuropsychological testing remain largely inaccessible to certain patient groups as a result of fundamental cultural, educational, or social differences. One such battery includes the Dot Counting Test (DCT), during which patients are required to count a series of dots on a page as rapidly and accurately as possible. As the battery progresses, the dots appear in clusters that are designed to be easily multiplied. This task evaluates a patient’s cognitive functioning, attention, and level of effort exerted on the evaluation as a whole. However, there is evidence to suggest that certain social groups, particularly Latinx groups, may perform worse on this task as a result of cultural or educational differences, not reduced cognitive functioning or effort. As such, this battery fails to account for baseline differences among patient groups, thus creating questions surrounding the accuracy, generalizability, and value of its results. Accessibility and cultural sensitivity are critical considerations in the testing and treatment of marginalized groups, yet have been largely ignored in the literature and in clinical settings to date. Implications and improvements to applications are discussed.

Keywords: culture, latino, neuropsychological assessment, neuropsychology, accessibility

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3752 Improving Young Learners' Vocabulary Acquisition: A Pilot Program in a Game-Based Environment

Authors: Vasiliki Stratidou

Abstract:

Modern simulation mobile games have the potential to enhance students’ interest, motivation and creativity. Research conducted on the effectiveness of digital games for educational purposes has shown that such games are also ideal at providing an appropriate environment for language learning. The paper examines the issue of simulation mobile games in regard to the potential positive impacts on L2 vocabulary learning. Sixteen intermediate level students, aged 10-14, participated in the experimental study for four weeks. The participants were divided into experimental (8 participants) and control group (8 participants). The experimental group was planned to learn some new vocabulary words via digital games while the control group used a reading passage to learn the same vocabulary words. The study investigated the effect of mobile games as well as the traditional learning methods on Greek EFL learners’ vocabulary learning in a pre-test, an immediate post-test, and a two-week delayed retention test. A teacher’s diary and learners’ interviews were also used as tools to estimate the effectiveness of the implementation. The findings indicated that the experimental group outperformed the control group in acquiring new words through mobile games. Therefore, digital games proved to be an effective tool in learning English vocabulary.

Keywords: control group, digital games, experimental group, second language vocabulary learning, simulation games

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3751 A Reflection of the Contemporary Life of Urban People Through Mixed Media Art

Authors: Van Huong Mai, Kanokwan Nithiratphat, Adool Booncham

Abstract:

The Movement of Contemporary Life consisted of two purposes, which were to study the movement and development of the modern life and to create the visual arts, which were paintings expressed via the form of apartment buildings was used from mixed media (digital printing and acrylic painting on canvas) which conveyed the rapid pace of modern life leading to diverse movements in viewer’s feeling. The operation of this creation was collected field data, documentary data, and influence from creative work. The data analysis was analyzed in order to theme, form, technique, and process to satisfy of concept and special character of the pieces.

Keywords: movement, contemporary life, visual art, acrylic painting, digital art, urban space

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3750 Modeling the Human Harbor: An Equity Project in New York City, New York USA

Authors: Lauren B. Birney

Abstract:

The envisioned long-term outcome of this three-year research, and implementation plan is for 1) teachers and students to design and build their own computational models of real-world environmental-human health phenomena occurring within the context of the “Human Harbor” and 2) project researchers to evaluate the degree to which these integrated Computer Science (CS) education experiences in New York City (NYC) public school classrooms (PreK-12) impact students’ computational-technical skill development, job readiness, career motivations, and measurable abilities to understand, articulate, and solve the underlying phenomena at the center of their models. This effort builds on the partnership’s successes over the past eight years in developing a benchmark Model of restoration-based Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education for urban public schools and achieving relatively broad-based implementation in the nation’s largest public school system. The Billion Oyster Project Curriculum and Community Enterprise for Restoration Science (BOP-CCERS STEM + Computing) curriculum, teacher professional developments, and community engagement programs have reached more than 200 educators and 11,000 students at 124 schools, with 84 waterfront locations and Out of School of Time (OST) programs. The BOP-CCERS Partnership is poised to develop a more refined focus on integrating computer science across the STEM domains; teaching industry-aligned computational methods and tools; and explicitly preparing students from the city’s most under-resourced and underrepresented communities for upwardly mobile careers in NYC’s ever-expanding “digital economy,” in which jobs require computational thinking and an increasing percentage require discreet computer science technical skills. Project Objectives include the following: 1. Computational Thinking (CT) Integration: Integrate computational thinking core practices across existing middle/high school BOP-CCERS STEM curriculum as a means of scaffolding toward long term computer science and computational modeling outcomes. 2. Data Science and Data Analytics: Enabling Researchers to perform interviews with Teachers, students, community members, partners, stakeholders, and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) industry Professionals. Collaborative analysis and data collection were also performed. As a centerpiece, the BOP-CCERS partnership will expand to include a dedicated computer science education partner. New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE), Computer Science for All (CS4ALL) NYC will serve as the dedicated Computer Science (CS) lead, advising the consortium on integration and curriculum development, working in tandem. The BOP-CCERS Model™ also validates that with appropriate application of technical infrastructure, intensive teacher professional developments, and curricular scaffolding, socially connected science learning can be mainstreamed in the nation’s largest urban public school system. This is evidenced and substantiated in the initial phases of BOP-CCERS™. The BOP-CCERS™ student curriculum and teacher professional development have been implemented in approximately 24% of NYC public middle schools, reaching more than 250 educators and 11,000 students directly. BOP-CCERS™ is a fully scalable and transferable educational model, adaptable to all American school districts. In all settings of the proposed Phase IV initiative, the primary beneficiary group will be underrepresented NYC public school students who live in high-poverty neighborhoods and are traditionally underrepresented in the STEM fields, including African Americans, Latinos, English language learners, and children from economically disadvantaged households. In particular, BOP-CCERS Phase IV will explicitly prepare underrepresented students for skilled positions within New York City’s expanding digital economy, computer science, computational information systems, and innovative technology sectors.

Keywords: computer science, data science, equity, diversity and inclusion, STEM education

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3749 The Use of Indicators to Evaluate Minor Heritage Areas in a City

Authors: J. L. Oliver, T. Agryzkov, L. Tortosa, J. F. Vicent, J. Santacruz

Abstract:

This paper aims to demonstrate how a system of indicators can be used in order to evaluate some heritage areas which can be understood as minor ones. We mean by that those urban areas with high heritage interest from an academical point of view, but never properly valued. The reasons for this situation may be diverse, either they are not old enough, or they may show the modest architecture, the fact is these areas have not been considered deserving of protection, as the historical ones. As a result of this reality, they usually show now a very degraded urban space, which in addition contribute to accelerate a process of deterioration. Using a technic well known in urban design, we propose here a system of indicators for patrimonial purposes, as a tool to identify and quantify the heritage value of these kinds of areas. As a case study, we apply this system in some part of the City of Quito (El Ecuador).

Keywords: heritage cities, indicators, spatial analysis, historic sites

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3748 Framework for Explicit Social Justice Nursing Education and Practice: A Constructivist Grounded Theory Research

Authors: Victor Abu

Abstract:

Background: Social justice ideals are considered as the foundation of nursing practice. These ideals are not always clearly integrated into nursing professional standards or curricula. This hinders concerted global nursing agendas for becoming aware of social injustice or engaging in action for social justice to improve the health of individuals and groups. Aim and objectives: The aim was to create an educational framework for empowering nursing students for social justice awareness and action. This purpose was attained by understanding the meaning of social justice, the effect of social injustice, the visibility of social justice learning, and ways of integrating social justice in nursing education and practice. Methods: Critical interpretive methodologies and constructivist grounded theory research designs guided the processes of recruiting nursing students (n = 11) and nurse educators (n = 11) at a London nursing university to participate in interviews and focus groups, which were analysed by coding systems. Findings: Firstly, social justice was described as ethical practices that enable individuals and groups to have good access to health resources. Secondly, social injustice was understood as unfair practices that caused minimal access to resources, social deprivation, and poor health. Thirdly, social justice learning was considered to be invisible in nursing education due to a lack of explicit modules, educator knowledge, and organisational support. Lastly, explicit modules, educating educators, and attracting leaders’ support were suggested as approaches for the visible integration of social justice in nursing education and practice. Discussion: This research proposes approaches for nursing awareness and action for the development of critical active nurse-learner, critical conscious nurse-educator, and servant nurse leader. The framework on Awareness for Social Justice Action (ASJA) created in this research is an approach for empowering nursing students for social justice practices. Conclusion: This research contributes to and advocates for greater nursing scholarship to raise the spotlight on social justice in the profession.

Keywords: social justice, nursing practice, nursing education, nursing curriculum, social justice awareness, social justice action, constructivist grounded theory

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3747 The End Justifies the Means: Using Programmed Mastery Drill to Teach Spoken English to Spanish Youngsters, without Relying on Homework

Authors: Robert Pocklington

Abstract:

Most current language courses expect students to be ‘vocational’, sacrificing their free time in order to learn. However, pupils with a full-time job, or bringing up children, hardly have a spare moment. Others just need the language as a tool or a qualification, as if it were book-keeping or a driving license. Then there are children in unstructured families whose stressful life makes private study almost impossible. And the countless parents whose evenings and weekends have become a nightmare, trying to get the children to do their homework. There are many arguments against homework being a necessity (rather than an optional extra for more ambitious or dedicated students), making a clear case for teaching methods which facilitate full learning of the key content within the classroom. A methodology which could be described as Programmed Mastery Learning has been used at Fluency Language Academy (Spain) since 1992, to teach English to over 4000 pupils yearly, with a staff of around 100 teachers, barely requiring homework. The course is structured according to the tenets of Programmed Learning: small manageable teaching steps, immediate feedback, and constant successful activity. For the Mastery component (not stopping until everyone has learned), the memorisation and practice are entrusted to flashcard-based drilling in the classroom, leading all students to progress together and develop a permanently growing knowledge base. Vocabulary and expressions are memorised using flashcards as stimuli, obliging the brain to constantly recover words from the long-term memory and converting them into reflex knowledge, before they are deployed in sentence building. The use of grammar rules is practised with ‘cue’ flashcards: the brain refers consciously to the grammar rule each time it produces a phrase until it comes easily. This automation of lexicon and correct grammar use greatly facilitates all other language and conversational activities. The full B2 course consists of 48 units each of which takes a class an average of 17,5 hours to complete, allowing the vast majority of students to reach B2 level in 840 class hours, which is corroborated by an 85% pass-rate in the Cambridge University B2 exam (First Certificate). In the past, studying for qualifications was just one of many different options open to young people. Nowadays, youngsters need to stay at school and obtain qualifications in order to get any kind of job. There are many students in our classes who have little intrinsic interest in what they are studying; they just need the certificate. In these circumstances and with increasing government pressure to minimise failure, teachers can no longer think ‘If they don’t study, and fail, its their problem’. It is now becoming the teacher’s problem. Teachers are ever more in need of methods which make their pupils successful learners; this means assuring learning in the classroom. Furthermore, homework is arguably the main divider between successful middle-class schoolchildren and failing working-class children who drop out: if everything important is learned at school, the latter will have a much better chance, favouring inclusiveness in the language classroom.

Keywords: flashcard drilling, fluency method, mastery learning, programmed learning, teaching English as a foreign language

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3746 Rethinking the Languages for Specific Purposes Syllabus in the 21st Century: Topic-Centered or Skills-Centered

Authors: A. Knezović

Abstract:

21st century has transformed the labor market landscape in a way of posing new and different demands on university graduates as well as university lecturers, which means that the knowledge and academic skills students acquire in the course of their studies should be applicable and transferable from the higher education context to their future professional careers. Given the context of the Languages for Specific Purposes (LSP) classroom, the teachers’ objective is not only to teach the language itself, but also to prepare students to use that language as a medium to develop generic skills and competences. These include media and information literacy, critical and creative thinking, problem-solving and analytical skills, effective written and oral communication, as well as collaborative work and social skills, all of which are necessary to make university graduates more competitive in everyday professional environments. On the other hand, due to limitations of time and large numbers of students in classes, the frequently topic-centered syllabus of LSP courses places considerable focus on acquiring the subject matter and specialist vocabulary instead of sufficient development of skills and competences required by students’ prospective employers. This paper intends to explore some of those issues as viewed both by LSP lecturers and by business professionals in their respective surveys. The surveys were conducted among more than 50 LSP lecturers at higher education institutions in Croatia, more than 40 HR professionals and more than 60 university graduates with degrees in economics and/or business working in management positions in mainly large and medium-sized companies in Croatia. Various elements of LSP course content have been taken into consideration in this research, including reading and listening comprehension of specialist texts, acquisition of specialist vocabulary and grammatical structures, as well as presentation and negotiation skills. The ability to hold meetings, conduct business correspondence, write reports, academic texts, case studies and take part in debates were also taken into consideration, as well as informal business communication, business etiquette and core courses delivered in a foreign language. The results of the surveys conducted among LSP lecturers will be analyzed with reference to what extent those elements are included in their courses and how consistently and thoroughly they are evaluated according to their course requirements. Their opinions will be compared to the results of the surveys conducted among professionals from a range of industries in Croatia so as to examine how useful and important they perceive the same elements of the LSP course content in their working environments. Such comparative analysis will thus show to what extent the syllabi of LSP courses meet the demands of the employment market when it comes to the students’ language skills and competences, as well as transferable skills. Finally, the findings will also be compared to the observations based on practical teaching experience and the relevant sources that have been used in this research. In conclusion, the ideas and observations in this paper are merely open-ended questions that do not have conclusive answers, but might prompt LSP lecturers to re-evaluate the content and objectives of their course syllabi.

Keywords: languages for specific purposes (LSP), language skills, topic-centred syllabus, transferable skills

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3745 The Mask of Motherhood a Changing Identity During the Transition to Motherhood

Authors: Geraldine Mc Loughlin, Mary Horgan, Rosaleen Murphy

Abstract:

Childbirth is a life-changing event, a psychological transition for the mother that must be viewed in a social context. Much has been written and documented regarding the preparation for birth and the immediate postnatal period, but the full psychological impact on the mother is not clear. One aspect of the transition process is Identity. Depending on a person’s worldview, the concept of identity is viewed differently; the nature of reality and how they construct knowledge influence these perspectives. Becoming a mother is not just an event but a process that time and experience will help to shape the understanding of the woman. To explore the emotional and psychological aspects of first-time mother’s experience during the transition to new motherhood. To identify factors affecting women’s identities in the period of 36 weeks gestation to 12 weeks postpartum. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used. It explores how these women make sense of and give meaning to their experiences. IPA is underpinned by 3 key principles: phenomenology, hermeneutics and idiographics. A purposeful sample of 10 women was recruited for this longitudinal study, to enable data to be collected during the transition to motherhood. Individual identity was interpreted and viewed as developing in response to changing contexts, such as the birth event becoming a parent, enabling one to construct one’s own sense of a meaningful life. Women effectively differentiated themselves from their personal and social identities and took responsibility for their actions. Identity is culturally and socially shaped and experienced, though not experienced similarly by all women. The individualized perspective on identity recognizes that (a) social influences are seen as external to the individual and (b) the view that social influences are, in fact, internalized by the individual.

Keywords: motherhood, transition, identity, IPA

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3744 Positive Psychology Intervention for Dyslexia: A Qualitative Study

Authors: Chathurika Sewwandi Kannangara, Jerome Carson

Abstract:

The objective of this research is to identify strengths among the individuals with dyslexia and design a positive psychology intervention to support such individuals. Dyslexia is a combination of abilities and difficulties that affect the learning process in areas as such reading, spelling and writing. It is a persistent condition. The research aims to adapt positive psychology techniques to support individuals with dyslexia. Population of the research will be undergraduate and college level students with dyslexia. First phase of the study will be conducted on a sample of undergraduate and college level students with dyslexia in Bolton, UK. The concept of treatment in positive psychology is not only to fix the component just what is wrong, instead it is also to develop and construct on what is right in the individual. The first phase of the research aims to identify the signature strengths among the individuals with dyslexia using Interviews, Descriptions on personal experiences on ‘My life with Dyslexia’, and Values in Action (VIA) strength survey. In order to conduct the survey for individuals with dyslexia, the VIA survey has been hosted in a website which is solely developed in the form of dyslexia friendly context. Dyslexia friendly website for surveys had designed and developed following the British Dyslexia Association guidelines. The findings of the first phase would be utilized for the second phase of the research to develop the positive psychology intervention.

Keywords: dyslexia, signature strengths, positive psychology, qualitative study, learning difficulties

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3743 The Role of the Linguistic Mediator in Relation to Culturally Oriented Crimes

Authors: Andreas Aceranti, Simonetta Vernocchi, Elisabetta Aldrovandi, Marco Colorato, Carolina Ascrizzi

Abstract:

Nowadays, especially due to an increasing flow of migration and uncontrolled globalisation, linguistic, cultural and religious differences can be a major obstacle for people belonging to different ethnic groups. Each group has its own traditional background, which, in addition to its positive aspects, also includes extremely unpleasant and dramatic situations: culture-related crimes. We analysed several cases belonging to this category of crime which is becoming more and more present in Europe, creating not only a strong social rift dictated by the misunderstanding between migrants and host populations but also by the isolation and ghettoisation of subjects classified as 'different'. Such social rejection, in fact, represents a great source of stress and frustration for those who seek to be part of the community and can generate phenomena of rebellion that result in violent acts. Similar situations must be addressed by the figure of the cultural-linguistic mediator who, thanks to his or her multidisciplinary knowledge, assumes the role of a 'bridge', thus helping the process of awareness and understanding within the social group through the use of various tools, including awareness-raising campaigns and interventions in both the school and social-health sectors. By analysing how the notions of culture and offense have evolved throughout history until they have merged into a single principle and, secondly, how the figure of the language mediator represents a fundamental role in the resolution of conflicts related to cultural diversity has helped us define the basis for new protocols in dealing with such crimes. Especially we have to define the directions of further investigations that we will carry out in the next months.

Keywords: cultural crimes, hatred crimes, immigration, cultural mediation

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3742 Electromagnetic Source Direction of Arrival Estimation via Virtual Antenna Array

Authors: Meiling Yang, Shuguo Xie, Yilong Zhu

Abstract:

Nowadays, due to diverse electric products and complex electromagnetic environment, the localization and troubleshooting of the electromagnetic radiation source is urgent and necessary especially on the condition of far field. However, based on the existing DOA positioning method, the system or devices are complex, bulky and expensive. To address this issue, this paper proposes a single antenna radiation source localization method. A single antenna moves to form a virtual antenna array combined with DOA and MUSIC algorithm to position accurately, meanwhile reducing the cost and simplify the equipment. As shown in the results of simulations and experiments, the virtual antenna array DOA estimation modeling is correct and its positioning is credible.

Keywords: virtual antenna array, DOA, localization, far field

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3741 A Cross-Sectional Study on Smartphone Addiction, Sleep Hygiene, and Perceived Stress

Authors: Kriti Singh, Saurabh Tripathi, Pankaj Chaudhary, Abid Ali Ansari, Seema Nigam

Abstract:

Introduction: The introduction of android and iOS has changed our lives dramatically over the past few years. The new generation is more dependent on their mobile phones for carrying out their daily pursuits. Smartphones have revolutionized our lives. The cutdown in rates of mobile network services has been affecting us drastically. A new type of dependence is seen among the people for Smartphones. A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the state of addiction among the group of medical students, along with its association with sleep hygiene and anxiety. Material and Method: Study included 50 individuals in the age group of 18-35 years. Smartphone Addiction Scale Short Version, Sleep Hygiene Index, and Perceived Stress Scales were used conducting the study. Results: Mean age of 22 years (12%). The majority of subjects were 20-year olds (15 out of 50), the majority were males with few females. Mean Smartphone addiction score 39 (very severe), Mean Sleep Hygiene Index score 26.76 (moderate maladaptive hygiene and Mean Perceived Stress score of 19.92 (moderate stress). Conclusion: In majority students were found to have a very severe Smartphone Addiction with moderate sleep hygiene and a moderate level of perceived stress. The Smartphone was being used was for surfing social media applications.

Keywords: addiction perceived stress, sleep hygiene index, smartphone

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3740 Cultural Self-Efficacy of Child Protection Social Workers in Norway: Barriers and Opportunities in Working with Migrant Families

Authors: Justyna Mroczkowska

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Social worker's ability to provide culturally sensitive assistance in child protection is taken for granted; given limited training opportunities and lack of clear guidance, practitioners report working with migrant families more demanding in comparison to working with native families. In this study, the author developed and factor analyzed the Norwegian Cultural Self-Efficacy Scale to describe the level of cultural capability among Norwegian child protection professionals. The study aimed to determine the main influencing factors to cultural efficacy and examine the relationship between self-efficacy and perceived difficulty in working with migrant families. The scale was administered to child protection workers in Norway (N=251), and the reliability of the scale measured by Cronbach's alpha coefficient was .904. The confirmatory factor analysis of social work cultural self-efficacy found support for four separate but correlated subscales: Assessment, Communication, Support Request, and Teamwork. Regression analyses found the experience in working with migrant families, training and support from external agencies, and colleague support to be significant predictors of cultural self-efficacy. Self-efficacy in assessment skills and self-efficacy in communication skills were moderately related to the perceived difficulty to work with migrant families. The findings conclude with previous research and highlight the need for both professional development programs and institutional resources to be provided to support the practitioner's preparation for multicultural practice in child protection.

Keywords: child protection, cultural self-efficacy, cultural competency, migration, resources

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3739 Determining the Direction of Causality between Creating Innovation and Technology Market

Authors: Liubov Evstigneeva

Abstract:

In this paper an attempt is made to establish causal nexuses between innovation and international trade in Russia. The topicality of this issue is determined by the necessity of choosing policy instruments for economic modernization and transition to innovative development. The vector auto regression (VAR) model and Granger test are applied for the Russian monthly data from 2005 until the second quartile of 2015. Both lagged import and export at the national level cause innovation, the latter starts to stimulate foreign trade since it is a remote lag. In comparison to aggregate data, the results by patent’s categories are more diverse. Importing technologies from foreign countries stimulates patent activity, while innovations created in Russia are only Granger causality for import to Commonwealth of Independent States.

Keywords: export, import, innovation, patents

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3738 Online Assessment in the Ligh of Resiliance

Authors: Renáta Nagy, Alexandra Csongor, Vilmos Warta

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The presentation aims at eliciting insight into the results of ongoing research regarding evolving trends and attitudes towards online assessment of English and other languages. The focus pinpoints online as one of the most trending forms available during the global pandemic. The study was first initiated in 2019 in which its main target was to reveal the intriguing question of students’ and assessors’ attitudes towards online assessment. The research questions the attitudes towards the latest trends, possible online task types, and their advantages and disadvantages through an in-depth experimental process currently undergoing implementation. Material and methods include surveys, needs and wants analysis, and thorough investigations regarding candidates’ and assessors’ attitudes towards online tests in the field of languages. Over 400 respondents from more than 28 countries participated in the survey, which gives us an international and intercultural insight into how students with different cultural and educational background deal with the evolving online world. The results show the pandemic’s impact, which brought the slumbering online world of assessing roaring alive, fully operational, and now bears phenomenal relevance in today’s global education. Undeniably, the results can be used as a perspective in a vast array of contents. The survey hypothesized the generation of the 21st century expect everything readily available online, however, questions whether they are ready for this challenge are lurking in the background.

Keywords: assessment, english, intercultural, international, online, testing

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3737 The Adoption of Technological Innovations in a B2C Context: An Empirical Study on the Higher Education Industry in Egypt

Authors: Maha Mourad, Rania Samir

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This paper seeks to explain the adoption of technological innovations in a business to consumer context. Specifically, the use of web based technology (WEBCT/blackboard) in the delivery of educational material and communication with students at universities in Egypt is the focus of this study. The analysis draws on existing research in a B2C context which highlights the importance of internal organization characteristics, perceived attributes of the innovation as well as consumer based factors as the main drivers of adoption. A distinctive B2C model is developed drawing on Roger’s innovation adoption model, as well as theoretical and empirical foundations in previous innovation adoption literature to study the adoption of technological innovations in higher education in Egypt. The model proposes that the adoption decision is dependent on a combination of perceived attributes of the innovation, inter-organization factors and consumer factors. The model is testified drawing on the results of empirical work in the form of a large survey conducted on students in three different universities in Egypt (one public, one private and one international). In addition to the attributes of the innovation, specific organization factors (such as university resources) as well as consumer factors were identified as likely to have an important influence on the adoption of technological innovations in higher education.

Keywords: innovation, WEBCT, higher education, adoption, Egypt

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3736 Challenges in Anti-Counterfeiting of Cyber-Physical Systems

Authors: Daniel Kliewe, Arno Kühn, Roman Dumitrescu, Jürgen Gausemeier

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This paper examines the system protection for cyber-physical systems (CPS). CPS are particularly characterized by their networking system components. This means they are able to adapt to the needs of their users and its environment. With this ability, CPS have new, specific requirements on the protection against anti-counterfeiting, know-how loss and manipulation. They increase the requirements on system protection because piracy attacks can be more diverse, for example because of an increasing number of interfaces or through the networking abilities. The new requirements were identified and in a next step matched with existing protective measures. Due to the found gap the development of new protection measures has to be forced to close this gap. Moreover a comparison of the effectiveness between selected measures was realized and the first results are presented in the paper.

Keywords: anti-counterfeiting, cyber physical systems, intellectual property (IP), knowledge management, system protection

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3735 Reading and Teaching Poetry as Communicative Discourse: A Pragma-Linguistic Approach

Authors: Omnia Elkommos

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Language is communication on several discourse levels. The target of teaching a language and the literature of a foreign language is to communicate a message. Reading, appreciating, analysing, and interpreting poetry as a sophisticated rhetorical expression of human thoughts, emotions, and philosophical messages is more feasible through the use of linguistic pragmatic tools from a communicative discourse perspective. The poet's intention, speech act, illocutionary act, and perlocutionary goal can be better understood when communicative situational context as well as linguistic discourse structure theories are employed. The use of linguistic theories in the teaching of poetry is, therefore, intrinsic to students' comprehension, interpretation, and appreciation of poetry of the different ages. It is the purpose of this study to show how both teachers as well as students can apply these linguistic theories and tools to dramatic poetic texts for an engaging, enlightening, and effective interpretation and appreciation of the language. Theories drawn from areas of pragmatics, discourse analysis, embedded discourse level, communicative situational context, and other linguistic approaches were applied to selected poetry texts from the different centuries. Further, in a simple statistical count of the number of poems with dialogic dramatic discourse with embedded two or three levels of discourse in different anthologies outweighs the number of descriptive poems with a one level of discourse, between the poet and the reader. Poetry is thus discourse on one, two, or three levels. It is, therefore, recommended that teachers and students in the area of ESL/EFL use the linguistics theories for a better understanding of poetry as communicative discourse. The practice of applying these linguistic theories in classrooms and in research will allow them to perceive the language and its linguistic, social, and cultural aspect. Texts will become live illocutionary acts with a perlocutionary acts goal rather than mere literary texts in anthologies.

Keywords: coda, commissives, communicative situation, context of culture, context of reference, context of utterance, dialogue, directives, discourse analysis, dramatic discourse interaction, duologue, embedded discourse levels, language for communication, linguistic structures, literary texts, poetry, pragmatic theories, reader response, speech acts (macro/micro), stylistics, teaching literature, TEFL, terms of address, turn-taking

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3734 The Interleaving Effect of Subject Matter and Perceptual Modality on Students’ Attention and Learning: A Portable EEG Study

Authors: Wen Chen

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To investigate the interleaving effect of subject matter (mathematics vs. history) and perceptual modality (visual vs. auditory materials) on student’s attention and learning outcomes, the present study collected self-reported data on subjective cognitive load (SCL) and attention level, EEG data, and learning outcomes from micro-lectures. Eighty-one 7th grade students were randomly assigned to four learning conditions: blocked (by subject matter) micro-lectures with auditory textual information (B-A condition), blocked (by subject matter) micro-lectures with visual textual information (B-V condition), interleaved (by subject matter) micro-lectures with auditory textual information (I-A condition), and interleaved micro-lectures by both perceptual modality and subject matter (I-all condition). The results showed that although interleaved conditions may show advantages in certain indices, the I-all condition showed the best overall outcomes (best performance, low SCL, and high attention). This study suggests that interleaving by both subject matter and perceptual modality should be preferred in scheduling and planning classes.

Keywords: cognitive load, interleaving effect, micro-lectures, sustained attention

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3733 Metacognitive Processing in Early Readers: The Role of Metacognition in Monitoring Linguistic and Non-Linguistic Performance and Regulating Students' Learning

Authors: Ioanna Taouki, Marie Lallier, David Soto

Abstract:

Metacognition refers to the capacity to reflect upon our own cognitive processes. Although there is an ongoing discussion in the literature on the role of metacognition in learning and academic achievement, little is known about its neurodevelopmental trajectories in early childhood, when children begin to receive formal education in reading. Here, we evaluate the metacognitive ability, estimated under a recently developed Signal Detection Theory model, of a cohort of children aged between 6 and 7 (N=60), who performed three two-alternative-forced-choice tasks (two linguistic: lexical decision task, visual attention span task, and one non-linguistic: emotion recognition task) including trial-by-trial confidence judgements. Our study has three aims. First, we investigated how metacognitive ability (i.e., how confidence ratings track accuracy in the task) relates to performance in general standardized tasks related to students' reading and general cognitive abilities using Spearman's and Bayesian correlation analysis. Second, we assessed whether or not young children recruit common mechanisms supporting metacognition across the different task domains or whether there is evidence for domain-specific metacognition at this early stage of development. This was done by examining correlations in metacognitive measures across different task domains and evaluating cross-task covariance by applying a hierarchical Bayesian model. Third, using robust linear regression and Bayesian regression models, we assessed whether metacognitive ability in this early stage is related to the longitudinal learning of children in a linguistic and a non-linguistic task. Notably, we did not observe any association between students’ reading skills and metacognitive processing in this early stage of reading acquisition. Some evidence consistent with domain-general metacognition was found, with significant positive correlations between metacognitive efficiency between lexical and emotion recognition tasks and substantial covariance indicated by the Bayesian model. However, no reliable correlations were found between metacognitive performance in the visual attention span and the remaining tasks. Remarkably, metacognitive ability significantly predicted children's learning in linguistic and non-linguistic domains a year later. These results suggest that metacognitive skill may be dissociated to some extent from general (i.e., language and attention) abilities and further stress the importance of creating educational programs that foster students’ metacognitive ability as a tool for long term learning. More research is crucial to understand whether these programs can enhance metacognitive ability as a transferable skill across distinct domains or whether unique domains should be targeted separately.

Keywords: confidence ratings, development, metacognitive efficiency, reading acquisition

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3732 Peer-Assisted Learning of Ebm in, a UK Medical School: Evaluation of the NICE Evidence Search Student Champion Scheme

Authors: Emily Jin, Harry Sharples, Anne Weist

Abstract:

Introduction: NICE Evidence Search Student Champion Scheme is a peer-assisted learning scheme that aims to improve the routine use of evidence-based information by future health and social care staff. The focus is on the NICE evidence search portal that provides selected information from more than 800 reliable health, social care, and medicines sources, including up-to-date guidelines and information for the public. This paper aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the scheme when implemented in Liverpool School of Medicine and to understand the experiences of those attending. Methods: Twelve student champions were recruited and trained in February 2020 as peer tutors during a workshop facilitated by NICE. Cascade sessions were then organised and delivered on an optional basis for students, in small groups of < 10 to approximately 70 attendees. Surveys were acquired immediately before and 8-12 weeks after cascade sessions (n=47 and 45 respectively). Data from these surveys facilitated the analysis of the scheme. Results: Surveys demonstrated 74% of all attendees frequently searched for health and social care information online as a part of their studies. However, only 15% of attendees reported having prior formal training on searching for health information, despite receiving such training earlier on in the curriculum. After attending cascade sessions, students reported a 58% increase in confidence when searching for information using evidence search, from a pre-session a baseline of 36%. Conclusion: NICE Evidence Search Student Champion Scheme provided clear benefits for attending students, increasing confidence in searching for peer-reviewed, mainly secondary sources of health information. The lack of reported training represents the unmet need that the champion scheme satisfies, and this likely benefits student champions as well as attendees. Increasing confidence in searching for healthcare information online may support future evidence-based decision-making.

Keywords: evidence-based medicine, NICE, medical education, medical school, peer-assisted learning

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3731 An Evaluation of the Efficacy of School-Based Suicide Prevention Programs

Authors: S. Wietrzychowski

Abstract:

The following review has identified specific programs, as well as the elements of these programs, that have been shown to be most effective in preventing suicide in schools. Suicide is an issue that affects many students each year. Although this is a prominent issue, there are few prevention programs used within schools. The primary objective of most prevention programs is to reduce risk factors such as depression and hopelessness, and increase protective factors like support systems and help-seeking behaviors. Most programs include a gatekeeper training model, education component, peer support group, and/or counseling/treatment. Research shows that some of these programs, like the Signs of Suicide and Youth Aware of Mental Health Programme, are effective in reducing suicide behaviors and increasing protective factors. These programs have been implemented in many countries across the world and have shown promising results. Since schools can provide easy access to adolescents, implement education programs, and train staff members and students how to identify and to report suicide behaviors, school-based programs seem to be the best way to prevent suicide among adolescents. Early intervention may be an effective way to prevent suicide. Although, since early intervention is not always an option, school-based programs in high schools have also been shown to decrease suicide attempts by up to 50%. As a result of this presentation, participants will be able to 1.) list at least 2 evidence-based suicide prevention programs, 2.) identify at least 3 factors which protect against suicide, and 3.) describe at least 3 risk factors for suicide.

Keywords: school, suicide, prevention, programs

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3730 The Competence of Junior Paediatric Doctors in Managing Paediatric Diabetic Ketoacidosis: An Exploration Across Paediatric Care Units

Authors: Mai Ali

Abstract:

The abstract underscores the critical importance of junior paediatricians acquiring expertise in handling paediatric emergencies, with a particular focus on Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA). Existing literature reveals a wealth of research on healthcare professionals' knowledge regarding DKA, encompassing diverse cultural backgrounds and medical specialties. Consistently, challenges such as the absence of standardized protocols and inadequacies in training emerge as common issues across healthcare centres. This research proposal seeks to conduct a thematic analysis of the proficiency of paediatric trainees in the United Kingdom in managing DKA within various clinical contexts. The primary objective is to assess their level of competence and propose effective strategies to enhance DKA training comprehensively.

Keywords: DKA, knowledge, Junior paediatricians, local protocols

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3729 The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Journalism and Mass Communication

Authors: Saad Zagloul Shokri Melika

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The London College of Communication is one of the only universities in the world to offer a lifestyle journalism master’s degree. A hybrid originally constructed largely out of a generic journalism program crossed with numerous cultural studies approaches, the degree has developed into a leading lifestyle journalism education attracting students worldwide. This research project seeks to present a framework for structuring the degree as well as to understand how students in this emerging field of study value the program. While some researchers have addressed questions about journalism and higher education, none have looked specifically at the increasingly important genre of lifestyle journalism, which Folker Hanusch defines as including notions of consumerism and critique among other identifying traits. Lifestyle journalism, itself poorly researched by scholars, can relate to topics including travel, fitness, and entertainment, and as such, arguably a lifestyle journalism degree should prepare students to engage with these topics. This research uses the existing Masters of Arts and Lifestyle Journalism at the London College of Communications as a case study to examine the school’s approach. Furthering Hanusch’s original definition, this master’s program attempts to characterizes lifestyle journalism by a specific voice or approach, as reflected in the diversity of student’s final projects. This framework echoes the ethos and ideas of the university, which focuses on creativity, design, and experimentation. By analyzing the current degree as well as student feedback, this research aims to assist future educators in pursuing the often neglected field of lifestyle journalism. Through a discovery of the unique mix of practical coursework, theoretical lessons, and broad scope of student work presented in this degree program, researchers strive to develop a framework for lifestyle journalism education, referring to Mark Deuze’s ten questions for journalism education development. While Hanusch began the discussion to legitimize the study of lifestyle journalism, this project strives to go one step further and open up a discussion about teaching of lifestyle journalism at the university level.

Keywords: Journalism, accountability, education, television, publicdearth, investigative, journalism, Nigeria, journalismeducation, lifestyle, university

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3728 The Quantitative Analysis of the Traditional Rural Settlement Plane Boundary

Authors: Yifan Dong, Xincheng Pu

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Rural settlements originate from the accumulation of residential building elements, and their agglomeration forms the settlement pattern and defines the relationship between the settlement and the inside and outside. The settlement boundary is an important part of the settlement pattern. Compared with the simplification of the urban settlement boundary, the settlement of the country is more complex, fuzzy and uncertain, and then presents a rich and diverse boundary morphological phenomenon. In this paper, China traditional rural settlements plane boundary as the research object, using fractal theory and fractal dimension method, quantitative analysis of planar shape boundary settlement, and expounds the research for the architectural design, ancient architecture protection and renewal and development and the significance of the protection of settlements.

Keywords: rural settlement, border, fractal, quantification

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3727 The Development of Online Lessons in Integration Model

Authors: Chalermpol Tapsai

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The objectives of this research were to develop and find the efficiency of integrated online lessons by investigating the usage of online lessons, the relationship between learners’ background knowledge, and the achievement after learning with online lessons. The sample group in this study consisted of 97 students randomly selected from 121 students registering in 1/2012 at Trimitwittayaram Learning Center. The sample technique employed stratified sample technique of 4 groups according to their proficiency, i.e. high, moderate, low, and non-knowledge. The research instrument included online lessons in integration model on the topic of Java Programming, test after each lesson, the achievement test at the end of the course, and the questionnaires to find learners’ satisfaction. The results showed that the efficiency of online lessons was 90.20/89.18 with the achievement of after learning with the lessons higher than that before the lessons at the statistically significant level of 0.05. Moreover, the background knowledge of the learners on the programming showed the positive relationship with the achievement learning at the statistically significant level at 0.05. Learners with high background knowledge employed less exercises and samples than those with lower background knowledge. While learners with different background in the group of moderate and low did not show the significant difference in employing samples and exercises.

Keywords: integration model, online lessons, learners’ background knowledge, efficiency

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3726 Empowering Tomorrow's Educators: A Transformative Journey through Education for Sustainable Development

Authors: Helga Mayr

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In our ongoing effort to address urgent global challenges related to sustainability, higher education institutions play a central role in raising a generation of informed and empowered citizens committed to sustainable development. This paper presents the preliminary results of the so far realized evaluation of a compulsory module on education for sustainable development (ESD) offered to students in the bachelor's program in elementary education at the University College of Teacher Education Tyrol (PH Tirol), Austria. The module includes a lecture on sustainability and education as well as a project-based seminar that aims to foster a deep understanding of ESD and its application in pedagogical practice. The study examines various dimensions related to the module's impact on participating students, focusing on prevalent sustainability concepts, intentions, actions, general and sustainability-related self-efficacy, perceived competence related to ESD, and ESD-related self-efficacy. In addition, the research addresses assessment of the learning process. To obtain a comprehensive overview of the effectiveness of the module, a mixed methods approach was/is used in the evaluation. Quantitative data was/is collected through surveys and self-assessment instruments, while qualitative findings were/will be obtained through focus group interviews and reflective analysis. The PH Tirol is collaborating with another University College of Teacher Education (Styria) and a university of applied sciences in Switzerland (UAS of the Grisons) to broaden the scope of the analysis and allow for comparative findings. Preliminary results indicate that students have a relatively rudimentary understanding of sustainability. The extent to which completion of the module influences understanding of sustainability, awareness, intentions, and actions, as well as self-efficacy, is currently under investigation. The results will be available at the time of the conference and will be presented there. In terms of learning, the project-based seminar, which promotes hands-on engagement with ESD, was evaluated for its effectiveness in fostering key sustainability competencies as well as sustainability-related and ESD-related self-efficacy. The research not only provides insights into the effectiveness of the compulsory module ESD at the PH Tirol but also contributes to the broader discourse on integrating ESD into teacher education.

Keywords: education for sustainable development, teacher education, project-based learning, effectiveness measurements

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3725 The Innovative Use of the EPOSTL Descriptors Related to the Language Portfolio for Master Course Student-Teachers of Yerevan Brusov State University of Languages and Social Sciences

Authors: Susanna Asatryan

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The author will introduce the Language Portfolio for master course student-teachers of Yerevan Brusov State University of Languages and Social Sciences The overall aim of the Portfolio is to serve as a visual didactic tool for the pedagogical internship of master students in specialization “A Foreign Language Teacher of High Schools and Professional Educational Institutions”, based on the principles and fundamentals of the EPOSTL. The author will present the parts of the Portfolio, including the programme, goal and objectives of student-teacher’s internship, content and organization, expected outputs and the principles of the student’s self-assessment, based on Can-do philosophy suggested by the EPOSTL. The Language Portfolio for master course student-teachers outlines the distinctive stages of their scientific-pedagogical internship. In Lesson Observation and Teaching section student teachers present thematic planning of the syllabus course, including individual lesson plan-description and analysis of the lesson. In Realization of the Scientific-Pedagogical Research section student-teachers introduce the plan of their research work, its goal, objectives, steps of procedure and outcomes. In Educational Activity section student-teachers analyze the educational sides of the lesson, they introduce the plan of the extracurricular activity, provide psycho-pedagogical description of the group or the whole class, and outline extracurricular entertainments. In the Dossier the student-teachers store up the entire instructional “product” during their pedagogical internship: e.g. samples of surveys, tests, recordings, videos, posters, postcards, pupils’ poems, photos, pictures, etc. The author’s presentation will also cover the Self Assessment Checklist, which highlights the main didactic competences of student-teachers, extracted from the EPOSTL. The Self Assessment Checklist is introduced with some innovations, taking into consideration the local educational objectives that Armenian students come across with. The students’ feedback on the use of the Portfolio will also be presented.

Keywords: internship, lesson observation, can-do philosophy, self-assessment

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3724 Terrorism and National Development: A Critique of Its Aftermath on Educational Attainment

Authors: David Chapola Nggada

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Although the concept of terrorism is not a new phenomenon to Nigeria, the protracted terrorist activities experiencing in the north-eastern part of the country since 2009, had left an indelible mark on virtually every aspects of lives whether directly or indirectly, particularly the educational sector. Indeed, since the abduction of over 200 schoolgirls at Chibok in 2014 by the insurgence, education had witnessed a setback as most school remains closed for sometimes. The aftermath of this development on education and its future multiplier effect on national development is a source of concern. Consequently, this paper is designed to examine the consequences of terrorism on educational attainment and national development among the Chibok community of Borno State. The technique employed involves a mixture of both qualitative and quantitative research work on a sample size of 79 secondary school students currently displaced from Chibok, Damboa and Askira-Uba, now residing as internally displaced persons(IDPs) in Biu, Gombe, Maiduguri. A random sample technique is used. Structured and semi-unstructured questionnaire were administered. The result shows that, a significant number of students over these years, lacked access to education and this posed a great danger to national development. Recommendations towards reinvigorating education as a panacea to social, economic cum political vices were articulated. Concerted effort should be made to create confidence in the community.

Keywords: education, effect, terrorism, national, development

Procedia PDF Downloads 254