Search results for: best practices in online learning

Authors: Khin Khin Thant Sin

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This study is a case study which investigates successful and ongoing bottom-up innovations for school improvement initiatives in Hungary. Two innovative schools are selected in this study due to their outstanding achievement during the past ten years in Hungary. In one school, data from the personal experiences of a school principal who initiated the bottom-up innovation are included. For the second school, three interviews were carried out with two schoolteachers and one secondary school student. In addition, desk research, including the principal’s published articles, the schoolteachers’ master thesis, the school websites, and other published articles, are analysed to explore the schools’ innovative processes. This study investigates how bottom-up innovation led to major achievements in student learning, teacher professional development, networking and collaboration with other schools, and the establishment of successful partnerships with universities. The highlight of this study is how innovative schools can be the major sources promoting educational innovations as well as improving teacher education, especially in initial teacher education and continuous professional development.

Keywords: school innovation, teacher education, hungary, educational innovation, school improvement

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Authors: Lucas Peries, Rolla Monib

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The construction industry plays a vital role in the global economy, contributing billions of dollars annually. However, the industry has been struggling with persistently low productivity levels for years, unlike other sectors that have shown significant improvements. Modular and prefabricated construction methods have been identified as potential solutions to boost productivity in the construction industry. These methods offer time advantages over traditional construction methods. Despite their potential benefits, modular and prefabricated construction face hindrances and limitations that are not present in traditional building systems. Building information modelling (BIM) has the potential to address some of these hindrances, but barriers are preventing its widespread adoption in the construction industry. This research aims to enhance understanding of the shortcomings of modular and prefabricated building systems and develop BIM-based solutions to alleviate or eliminate these hindrances. The research objectives include identifying and analysing key issues hindering the use of modular and prefabricated building systems, investigating the current state of BIM adoption in the construction industry and factors affecting its successful implementation, proposing BIM-based solutions to address the issues associated with modular and prefabricated building systems, and assessing the effectiveness of the developed solutions in removing barriers to their use. The research methodology involves conducting a critical literature review to identify the key issues and challenges in modular and prefabricated construction and BIM adoption. Additionally, an online questionnaire will be used to collect primary data from construction industry professionals, allowing for feedback and evaluation of the proposed BIM-based solutions. The data collected will be analysed to evaluate the effectiveness of the solutions and their potential impact on the adoption of modular and prefabricated building systems. The main findings of the research indicate that the identified issues from the literature review align with the opinions of industry professionals, and the proposed BIM-based solutions are considered effective in addressing the challenges associated with modular and prefabricated construction. However, the research has limitations, such as a small sample size and the need to assess the feasibility of implementing the proposed solutions. In conclusion, this research contributes to enhancing the understanding of modular and prefabricated building systems' limitations and proposes BIM-based solutions to overcome these limitations. The findings are valuable to construction industry professionals and BIM software developers, providing insights into the challenges and potential solutions for implementing modular and prefabricated construction systems in future projects. Further research should focus on addressing the limitations and assessing the feasibility of implementing the proposed solutions from technical and legal perspectives.

Keywords: building information modelling, modularisation, prefabrication, technology

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Authors: Anitha Narasimhan, Aarthy Anandan, Madhan Karky, C. N. Subalalitha

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Games can be the excellent tools for teaching a language. There are few e-learning games in Indian languages like word scrabble, cross word, quiz games etc., which were developed mainly for educational purposes. This paper proposes a Tamil word game called, “Porul”, which focuses on education as well as on players’ thinking and decision-making skills. Porul is a multiple choice based quiz game, in which the players attempt to answer questions correctly from the given multiple options that are generated using a unique algorithm called the Option Selection algorithm which explores the semantics of the question in various dimensions namely, synonym, rhyme and Universal Networking Language semantic category. This kind of semantic exploration of the question not only increases the complexity of the game but also makes it more interesting. The paper also proposes a Scoring Algorithm which allots a score based on the popularity score of the question word. The proposed game has been tested using 20,000 Tamil words.

Keywords: Porul game, Tamil word game, option selection, flash card, scoring, algorithm

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Authors: Md. Rezaul Karim, Andreas Thiel

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Bangladesh is known as one of the most climate vulnerable countries in the world. Innovative technologies are always the key responses to the management of climate impacts. The objectives of this study are to determine the farmer’s perception of climate variability, to compare farmers’ perceptions with metrological data, and to explore the determinants that affect the likelihood of adoption of the selected Climate Smart Agricultural (CSA) technologies. Data regarding climate change perception, determinants and adoption were collected based on the household survey from stratified and randomly selected 365 farmers of the Biral sub-district under Dinajpur district in drought-prone northern Bangladesh. The likelihood of adoption of CSA technologies was analyzed following a multivariate probit model. The findings show that about 82.5% of the farmers perceived increasing temperature, and 75.1 % of farmers perceived decreasing dry season rainfall over the years, which is similarly relevant to metrological data. About 76.4.7% and 80.85% of farmers were aware of the drought tolerance crops and vermicompost, respectively; more than half of the farmers adopted these practices. Around 70.7% of farmers were aware of perching for insect control, but 46.3% of farmers adopted this practice. Although two-thirds of farmers were aware of crop diversification and pheromone trap, adoption was lower compared to the other three CSAs. Results also indicate that the likelihood of adoption of the selected CSAs is significantly influenced by different factors such as socio-economic characteristics, institutional factors and perceived technological or innovation attributes. The likelihood of adopting drought tolerance crops is affected by 11, while crop diversification and perching method by 7, pheromone trap by 9 and vermicompost by 8 determining factors. Lack of information and unavailability of input appear to be major obstacles to the non-adoption of CSA technologies. This study suggests that policy implications are necessary to promote extension services and overcome the obstacles to the non-adoption of individual CSA technologies. It further recommends that the research study should be conducted in a diverse context, nationally or globally.

Keywords: determinants, adoption, climate smart agriculture, northern Bangladesh

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Authors: Edward Sarich, Jack Ryan

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In contrast to learning new vocabulary incidentally in one’s first language, foreign language vocabulary is often acquired purposefully, because a lack of natural exposure requires it to be studied in an artificial environment. It follows then that foreign language vocabulary may be more efficiently acquired if it is purpose-driven, or linked to a clear and desirable outcome. The research described in this paper relates to the early stages of what is seen as a long-term effort to measure the effectiveness of a methodology for purpose-driven foreign language vocabulary instruction, specifically by analyzing whether directed studying from high-frequency vocabulary lists leads to an improvement in Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) scores. The research was carried out in two sections of a first-year university English composition class at a small university in Japan. The results seem to indicate that purposeful study from relevant high-frequency vocabulary lists can contribute to raising TOEIC scores and that the test preparation methodology used in this study was thought by students to be beneficial in helping them to prepare to take this high-stakes test.

Keywords: corpus vocabulary, language asssessment, second language vocabulary acquisition, TOEIC test preparation

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Authors: Khan Md. Abdus Subhan, Rabeya Bushra

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Bangladesh has already seen significant growth in Islamic banking and finance, contributing to the rapid expansion of this sector in the global banking and finance industry. The objective of this study is to analyse the Islamic finance and banking industry's ability to contribute to sustainable development in Bangladesh. It aims to assess the current state, potential, and limitations of Islamic banking and finance in the country. Bangladesh has significant growth potential for Islamic banking and finance. However, addressing several challenges is imperative. These challenges include the absence of a well-developed infrastructure for Islamic banking and finance, a lack of a solid legal framework, limited attention from the central bank, the absence of an Islamic capital market, and a shortage of experts in Sharia law as well as public awareness. Bangladesh, a nation characterized by a primarily Muslim populace, has acknowledged the importance of Islamic finance and banking in promoting sustainable development. Islamic banking principles advocate for ethical practices, risk sharing, and the avoidance of interest-based transactions. This article examines the impact of Islamic finance and banking on promoting sustainable development in Bangladesh and emphasizes its capacity to tackle socio-economic difficulties. The Islamic banking sector, as a trailblazer in funding sustainable development, has the potential to play a significant role in facilitating the shift toward a circular economy. According to Shari'ah rules and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Islamic finance principles will help change the linear economy into a circular one. They will also provide a strong framework and a lot of funding sources. This study aims to offer crucial recommendations and techniques for the successful implementation of Islamic finance institutions in Bangladesh. The study will use quantitative research methodology, collecting data from secondary sources. This research offers a thorough understanding of the reasoning for the payment of Zakat and its socio-economic importance. Furthermore, the study provides significant insights that could assist Bangladeshi policymakers and governments in implementing Islamic financing systems.

Keywords: sustainable development, Islamic fintech, Islamic banking, Bangladesh

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Authors: Alyona Cerfontyne, Levita D'Souza, Lefteris Patlamazoglou

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Unlike adoption and donor-assisted reproduction, misattributed paternity occurring within the context of spontaneous conception and outside of formally recognised practices of having a child remains largely an understudied phenomenon. In adulthood, to discover misattributed paternity, i.e., that the man you call your father is not related to you genetically, can have profound implications for everyone affected. Until the advent of direct-to-consumer DNA testing 20 years ago, such discoveries were relatively rare. Despite the growing number of individuals uncovering their biogenetic paternity through genetic testing, there is very limited research on misattributed paternity from the perspective of adult children affected by it. No research exists on how to support these individuals through counselling post-discovery. Framed as insider action research, this study aimed to explore the perceived psychosocial consequences of misattributed paternity discoveries and coping strategies used by individuals who discover their misattributed paternity status in adulthood. In total, 12 individuals with misattributed paternity participated in semi-structured interviews in July-August 2022. The collected data was analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. The study’s results indicate that discovering misattributed paternity in adulthood can be likened to a watershed moment forever changing the trajectory of one’s life. Psychological experiences consistent with trauma, as well as grief and loss, re-evaluation of close family relationships, reestablishment of one’s identity, as well as experiencing a profound need to belong are the key themes emerging from the analysis of psychosocial experiences. Post-discovery, individuals with misattributed paternity employ a wide range of emotional and problem-focused coping strategies, amongst which seeking connection with those who understand, searching for information on the new biogenetic family and finding new meanings to life are most prominent. The study contributes both to the academic and practical knowledge of experiences of misattributed paternity and highlights the importance of further research on the topic.

Keywords: discovery of misattributed paternity, misattributed paternity, paternal discrepancy, psychosocial consequences, coping

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Authors: Ana Cristina Lindsay, Sherrie Wallington, Faith Lees, Mary Greaney

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Purpose: Latino children in low-income families are at elevated risk of becoming overweight or obese. The purpose of this study was to examine low-income Latino parents’ beliefs, parenting styles and practices related to their children’s eating and physical activity behaviors while at home. Design and Methods: Qualitative study using focus group discussions with 33 low-income Latino parents of preschool children 2 to 5 years of age. Transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Data analyses revealed that most parents recognize the importance of healthy eating and physical activity for their children and themselves. However, daily life demands including conflicting schedules, long working hours, financial constraints, and neighborhood safety concerns, etc., impact parents’ ability to create a home environment supportive of these behaviors. Conclusions: This study provides information about how the home environment influences low-income Latino preschool children’s eating and physical activity habits. This information is useful for pediatric nurses in their health promotion and disease prevention efforts with low-income Latino families with young children, and for the development of home-based and parenting interventions to prevent and control childhood obesity among this population group. Practice Implications: Pediatric nurses can facilitate communication, provide education, and offer guidance to low-income Latino parents that support their children’s development of early healthy eating and physical activity habits, while taking into account daily life barriers faced by families. Moreover, nurses can play an important role in the integration and coordination of home-visitation to complement office-based visits and provide a continuum of care to low-income Latino families.

Keywords: home environment, Latino, obesity, parents, healthy eating, physical activity

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Authors: Fatemeh Havas Beigi

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The purpose of this study is to identify the objectives of a multicultural curriculum for the primary education period from the perspective of ethnic teachers and education experts and cultural professionals. The research paradigm is interpretive, the research approach is qualitative, the research strategy is content analysis, the sampling method is purposeful and it is a snowball, and the sample of informants in the research for Iranian ethnic teachers and experts until the theoretical saturation was estimated to be 67 people. The data collection tools used were based on semi-structured interviews and individual interviews and focal interviews were used to collect information. The data format was also in audio format and the first period coding and the second coding were used to analyze the data. Based on data analysis 11 Objective: Paying attention to ethnic equality, expanding educational opportunities and justice, peaceful coexistence, anti-ethnic and racial discrimination education, paying attention to human value and dignity, accepting religious diversity, getting to know ethnicities and cultures, promoting teaching-learning, fostering self-confidence, building national unity, and developing cultural commonalities for a multicultural curriculum were identified.

Keywords: objective, multicultural curriculum, connect, elementary education period

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Authors: Havva Nur Tarakci, Bahar Urhan Torun

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The transformation that is seen in every area of life by technology, especially internet technology changes the structure of political communications too. Internet, which is at the top of new communication technologies, affects political communications with its structure in a way that no traditional communication tools ever have and enables interaction and the channel between receiver and sender, and it becomes one of the most effective tools preferred among the political communication applications. This state as a result of technological convergence makes Internet an unobtainable place for political communication campaigns. Political communications, which means every kind of communication strategies that political parties called 'actors of political communications' use with the aim of messaging their opinions and party programmes to their present and potential voters who are a target group for them, is a type of communication that is frequently used also among social media tools at the present day. The electorate consisting of different structures is informed, directed, and managed by social media tools. Political parties easily reach their electorate by these tools without any limitations of both time and place and also are able to take the opinions and reactions of their electorate by the element of interaction that is a feature of social media. In this context, Facebook, which is a place that political parties use in social media at most, is a communication network including in our daily life since 2004. As it is one of the most popular social networks today, it is among the most-visited websites in the global scale. In this way, the research is based on the question, “How do the political parties use Facebook at the campaigns, which they conduct during the election periods, for informing their voters?” and it aims at clarifying the Facebook using practices of the political parties. In direction of this objective the official Facebook accounts of the four political parties (JDP–AKParti, PDP–BDP, RPP-CHP, NMP-MHP), which reach their voters by social media besides other communication tools, are treated, and a frame for the politics of Turkey is formed. The time of examination is constricted with totally two weeks, one week before the mayoral elections and one week after the mayoral elections, when it is supposed that the political parties use their Facebook accounts in full swing. As a research method, the method of content analysis is preferred, and the texts and the visual elements that are gotten are interpreted based on this analysis.

Keywords: Facebook, political communications, social media, electrorate

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Authors: Duisenova Marzhan

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This paper considers the looking from a philosophical point of view the interactive technology and tiered developing Kazakh language teaching primary school pupils through the method of linguistic communication, content and teaching methods formed in the education system. The values determined by the formation of new practical ways that could lead to a novel qualitative level and solving the problem. In the formation of the communicative competence of elementary school students would be to pay attention to other competencies. It helps to understand the motives and needs socialization of students, the development of their cognitive abilities and participate in language relations arising from different situations. Communicative competence is the potential of its own in pupils creative language activity. In this article, the Kazakh language teaching in primary school communicative method is presented. The purpose of learning communicative method, personal development, effective psychological development of the child, himself-education, expansion and growth of language skills and vocabulary, socialization of children, the adoption of the laws of life in the social environment, analyzed the development of vocabulary richness of the language that forms the erudition to ensure continued improvement of education of the child.

Keywords: communicative, culture, training, process, method, primary, competence

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Authors: Pratap Sriram Sundar, Chandan Chowdhury, Sagar Kamarthi

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Nature has perfected her designs over 3.5 billion years of evolution. Research fields such as biomimicry, biomimetics, bionics, bio-inspired computing, and nature-inspired designs have explored nature-made artifacts and systems to understand nature’s mechanisms and intelligence. Learning from nature, the researchers have generated sustainable designs and innovation in a variety of fields such as energy, architecture, agriculture, transportation, communication, and medicine. Axiomatic design offers a method to judge if a design is good. This paper analyzes design aspects of one of the nature’s amazing object: chicken egg. The functional requirements (FRs) of components of the object are tabulated and mapped on to nature-chosen design parameters (DPs). The ‘independence axiom’ of the axiomatic design methodology is applied to analyze couplings and to evaluate if eggs’ design is good (i.e., uncoupled design) or bad (i.e., coupled design). The analysis revealed that eggs design is a good design, i.e., uncoupled design. This approach can be applied to any nature’s artifacts to judge whether their design is a good or a bad. This methodology is valuable for biomimicry studies. This approach can also be a very useful teaching design consideration of biology and bio-inspired innovation.

Keywords: uncoupled design, axiomatic design, nature design, design evaluation

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Authors: Rawaa H. El-Bidweihy, Hisham M. Abdelsalam, Ihab A. El-Khodary

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In an era where machines run and shape our world, the need for a stable, non-ending source of energy emerges. In this study, the focus was on the solar energy in Egypt as a renewable source, the most important factors that could affect the solar energy’s market share throughout its life cycle production were analyzed and filtered, the relationships between them were derived before structuring a Bayesian network. Also, forecasted models were built for multiple factors to predict the states in Egypt by 2035, based on historical data and patterns, to be used as the nodes’ states in the network. 37 factors were found to might have an impact on the use of solar energy and then were deducted to 12 factors that were chosen to be the most effective to the solar energy’s life cycle in Egypt, based on surveying experts and data analysis, some of the factors were found to be recurring in multiple stages. The presented Bayesian network could be used later for scenario and decision analysis of using solar energy in Egypt, as a stable renewable source for generating any type of energy needed.

Keywords: ARIMA, auto correlation, Bayesian network, forecasting models, life cycle, partial correlation, renewable energy, SARIMA, solar energy

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Authors: Carl-Philipp Valentin Beichert, Marcel Seger

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Digital transformation and climate change require small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) to rethink their way of doing business. Inter-firm collaboration is recognized as helpful means of promoting innovation and competitiveness. In this context, collaborations with start-ups offer valuable opportunities through their innovative products, services, and business models. SMEs, and in particular German craft enterprises, play an important role in the country’s society and economy. Companies in this heterogeneous economic sector have unique characteristics and are limited in their ability to innovate due to their small size and lack of resources. Collaborating with start-ups could help to overcome these shortcomings. To investigate how collaborations emerge and what factors are decisive to successfully drive collaboration, we apply an explorative, qualitative research design. A sample of ten case studies was selected, with the collaboration between a start-up and a craft enterprise forming the unit of analysis. Semi-structured interviews with 20 company representatives allow for a two-sided perspective on the respective collaboration. The interview data is enriched by publicly available data and three expert interviews. As a result, objectives, initiation practices, applied collaboration types, barriers, as well as key success factors could be identified. The results indicate a three-phase collaboration process comprising an initiation, concept, and partner phase (ICP). The ICP framework proposed accordingly highlights the success factors (personal fit, communication, expertise, structure, network) for craft enterprises and start-ups for each collaboration phase. The role of a mediator in the start-up company, with strong expertise in the respective craft sector, is considered an important lever for overcoming barriers such as cultural and communication differences. The ICP framework thus provides promising directions for further research and can help practitioners establish successful collaborations.

Keywords: open innovation, SME, craft businesses, startup collaboration, qualitative research

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Authors: Murorunkwere Marie Claire

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Introduction: In Sub-Saharan Africa and specifically in Rwandan rural areas, mother-to-Child human immunodeficiency virus transmission remains a big challenge. This is mainly due to lack of awareness and ignorance among pregnant rural women, leading to neglect regular taking of prophylactic antiretroviral treatment and to persistently beliefs in traditional healers and home deliveries. This paper explores the factors associated with stagnant reduction in human immunodeficiency virus vertical transmission among pregnant rural women and provides solutions to tackle it. Methodology: The first phase of this research will be a qualitative survey was conducted to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices towards vertical human immunodeficiency virus transmission among pregnant women in one rural district in Rwanda. The data generated from phase one of this research will be used to address the main factors revealed through community mobilization and motivation on attending required antenatal consultations and hospital deliveries, proper and regular antiretroviral treatment taking, and discouraging beliefs in traditional healers and home deliveries. Refresher training seminars will also be organized for healthcare providers qualified on conducting deliveries about current measures to maximize the reduction of chances that can lead to mother -child contamination (to avoid early rupture of membranes and to prevent any source of contamination). Results: This paper is expected to contribute in a significant reduction of the vertical human immunodeficiency virus transmission burden among pregnant rural women. Conclusion: Strong campaigns on prevention of mother- to-child human immunodeficiency virus transmission and community mobilization of pregnant rural women, and house to house education and continuous reminders as well as training seminars to health care personnel on updated measures is, key in addressing vertical human immunodeficiency virus transmission.

Keywords: attitudes transformation, community mobilisation, pregnant rural women, vertical HIV transmission

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Authors: Pei Chi Fang, Wei Chen Lin

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Trichomonas tenax is a microaerophilic oral protozoan found in patients with poor oral hygiene. It participates in the inflammatory process of periodontal disease and can potentially be aspirated into the lungs, giving rise to pulmonary trichomoniasis. However, the precise roles of T. tenax in the pulmonary system remain largely unexplored and warrant comprehensive epidemiological investigation. To assess the prevalence of T. tenax infection, we collected bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples from hospitalized patients with lung diseases. A specific nested PCR approach was employed to determine prevalence rates, yielding 21 positive cases out of 61 samples from Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, and 11 positive cases out of 55 samples from National Cheng Kung University Hospital. Furthermore, there is a critical need for comprehensive data regarding the presence of T. tenax in environmental surface watersheds. In this context, we present findings from investigations in the Yanshuei and Donggang river basins in southern Taiwan, which are crucial sources for public drinking water in the region. In order to elucidate potential implications on pulmonary virus infections, we conducted an analysis of gene expression level changes in H292 cell line after exposure to T. tenax. Our findings revealed significant regulation of multiple virus-related genes, including IFI44L and IFITM3. Ongoing research endeavors are focused on identifying the key components within T. tenax responsible for these observed effects. Crucially, this study lays the groundwork for a preliminary understanding of T. tenax prevalence in patients with pulmonary diseases. It also seeks to establish a meaningful correlation between lung infections and oral hygiene practices, with the ultimate aim of informing distinct treatment and prevention strategies.

Keywords: parasitology, genes, virus, human health, infection, lung

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Authors: Renee Yi-Mond Yuan

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The fast development of tourism industries around the world, has largely contributed to many cities, and countries economical and social progress. Past year Taiwan in particular was ranked among one of fastest raise growth country. Thanks to the prominent importance of this phenomenon; seasonal mobility or multipurpose trips have reached more than 1 Billion tourists crossing International borders and more than 4 billion intramural travelers that have nourished the economy and employment in the service sector in most attractive regions, representing about one tenth of World GDP amount, including trade, research, cultural or journalistic purposes. Then the increased activities are giving pressure to the consumption of energy, water, resources, and Greenhouse Gas emissions. The further concentration of tourists in most beautiful sites of the World with consistent supply and reduced pollutions and means for waste control and risks management are challenging the preservation and protection of the natural original environment, including species and their ecosystems, ethnics and their cultures or languages, protection of inherited landscapes and monuments for the future generations to come. In this article, few projects will be analyzed, methods and directions in the EU sustainable development scheme giving way to economical and social activities and preserve rural areas and remote countryside as well as smarter cities development. EU ETS forecasting escalation in the next few decades for road and air, and will reconsider investments and reliance on Biobased alternatives that may turn out solutions and contributions to sustain popularization of tourism development. Study of Examples of Stakeholders practices and Governments efforts, consumer’s attitude to bring new forms of more responsible holidays models: ecotourism, eco-certification, partnerships, investment in technologies and facilities, and possibly create greener perceptions and less impacting demands for the longer term through association, organizations and awards.

Keywords: tourism, sustainability, protection, risks management, change in rural/urban environment

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Authors: Junwen Chen, Celina Feleppa, Tingyue Sun, Satoko Sasagawa, Michael Smithson

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School refusal behaviours refer to behaviours to avoid school attendance, chronic lateness in arriving at school, or regular early dismissal. Poor attendance in schools is highly correlated with anxiety, depression, suicide attempts, delinquency, violence, and substance use and abuse. Poor attendance is also a strong indicator of lower achievement in school, as well as problematic social-emotional development. Long-term consequences of school refusal behaviours include fewer opportunities for higher education, employment, and social difficulties, and high risks of later psychiatric illness. Given its negative impacts on youth educational outcomes and well-being, a thorough understanding of factors that are involved in the development of this phenomenon is warranted for developing effective management approaches. This study investigated parental and adolescent factors that may contribute to school refusal behaviours by specifically focusing on the role of parental and adolescents’ anxiety and depression, emotion dysregulation, and parental rearing style. Findings are expected to inform the identification of both parental and adolescents’ factors that may contribute to school refusal behaviours. This knowledge will enable novel and effective approaches that incorporate these factors to managing school refusal behaviours in adolescents, which in turn improve their school and daily functioning. Results are important for an integrative understanding of school refusal behaviours. Furthermore, findings will also provide information for policymakers to weigh the benefits of interventions targeting school refusal behaviours in adolescents. One-hundred-and-six adolescents aged 12-18 years (mean age = 14.79 years old, SD = 1.78, males = 44) and their parents (mean age = 47.49 years old, SD = 5.61, males = 27) completed an online questionnaire measuring both parental and adolescents’ anxiety, depression, emotion dysregulation, parental rearing styles, and adolescents’ school refusal behaviours. Adolescents with school refusal behaviours reported greater anxiety and depression, with their parents showing greater emotion dysregulation. Parental emotion dysregulation and adolescents’ anxiety and depression predicted school refusal behaviours independently. To date, only limited studies have investigated the interplay between parental and youth factors in relation to youth school refusal behaviours. Although parental emotion dysregulation has been investigated in relation to youth emotion dysregulation, little is known about its role in the context of school refusal. This study is one of the very few that investigated both parental and adolescent factors in relation to school refusal behaviours in adolescents. The findings support the theoretical models that emphasise the role of youth and parental psychopathology in school refusal behaviours. Future management of school refusal behaviours should target adolescents’ anxiety and depression while incorporating training for parental emotion regulation skills.

Keywords: adolescents, school refusal behaviors, parental factors, anxiety and depression, emotion dysregulation

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Authors: Catherine Bradshaw

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Educators often report difficulty managing behavior problems and other mental health concerns that students display at school. These concerns also interfere with the learning process and can create distraction for teachers and other students. As such, schools play an important role in both preventing and intervening with students who experience these types of challenges. A number of models have been proposed to serve as a framework for delivering prevention and early intervention services in schools. One such model is called Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), which has been scaled-up to over 26,000 schools in the U.S. and many other countries worldwide. PBIS aims to improve a range of student outcomes through early detection of and intervention related to behavioral and mental health symptoms. PBIS blends and applies social learning, behavioral, and organizational theories to prevent disruptive behavior and enhance the school’s organizational health. PBIS focuses on creating and sustaining tier 1 (universal), tier 2 (selective), and tier 3 (individual) systems of support. Most schools using PBIS have focused on the core elements of the tier 1 supports, which includes the following critical features. The formation of a PBIS team within the school to lead implementation. Identification and training of a behavioral support ‘coach’, who serves as a on-site technical assistance provider. Many of the individuals identified to serve as a PBIS coach are also trained as a school psychologist or guidance counselor; coaches typically have prior PBIS experience and are trained to conduct functional behavioral assessments. The PBIS team also identifies a set of three to five positive behavioral expectations that are implemented for all students and by all staff school-wide (e.g., ‘be respectful, responsible, and ready to learn’); these expectations are posted in all settings across the school, including in the classroom, cafeteria, playground etc. All school staff define and teach the school-wide behavioral expectations to all students and review them regularly. Finally, PBIS schools develop or adopt a school-wide system to reward or reinforce students who demonstrate those 3-5 positive behavioral expectations. Staff and administrators create an agreed upon system for responding to behavioral violations that include definitions about what constitutes a classroom-managed vs. an office-managed discipline problem. Finally, a formal system is developed to collect, analyze, and use disciplinary data (e.g., office discipline referrals) to inform decision-making. This presentation provides a brief overview of PBIS and reports findings from a series of four U.S. based longitudinal randomized controlled trials (RCTs) documenting the impacts of PBIS on school climate, discipline problems, bullying, and academic achievement. The four RCTs include 80 elementary, 40 middle, and 58 high schools and results indicate a broad range of impacts on multiple student and school-wide outcomes. The session will highlight lessons learned regarding PBIS implementation and scale-up. We also review the ways in which PBIS can help educators and school leaders engage in data-based decision-making and share data with other decision-makers and stakeholders (e.g., students, parents, community members), with the overarching goal of increasing use of evidence-based programs in schools.

Keywords: positive behavioral interventions and supports, mental health, randomized trials, school-based prevention

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Authors: Abebe Mulugojam Negash, Yongbin Yu, Ekong Favour, Bekalu Nigus Dawit, Molla Woretaw Teshome, Aynalem Birtukan Yirga

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Breast cancer remains a significant health concern, necessitating advancements in diagnostic methodologies. Addressing this, our paper confronts the notable challenges in breast cancer classification, particularly the imbalance in datasets and the constraints in the accuracy and interpretability of prevailing deep learning approaches. We proposed an attention-based residual neural network (ResNet), which effectively combines the robust features of ResNet with an advanced attention mechanism. Enhanced through strategic data augmentation and positive weight adjustments, this approach specifically targets the issue of data imbalance. The proposed model is tested on the BreakHis dataset and achieved accuracies of 99.00%, 99.04%, 98.67%, and 98.08% in different magnifications (40X, 100X, 200X, and 400X), respectively. We evaluated the performance by using different evaluation metrics such as precision, recall, and F1-Score and made comparisons with other state-of-the-art methods. Our experiments demonstrate that the proposed model outperforms existing approaches, achieving higher accuracy in breast cancer classification.

Keywords: residual neural network, attention mechanism, positive weight, data augmentation

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Authors: Faeze omid, Morteza Banakar

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Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on global health and healthcare systems, including oral health. The lockdown measures implemented in many countries have led to changes in oral health behaviors, access to dental care, and the delivery of dental services. However, the extent of these changes and their effects on oral health outcomes remains unclear. This systematic review aims to synthesize the available evidence on the state of oral health after the COVID-19 lockdown. Methods: We conducted a systematic search of electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science) and grey literature sources for studies reporting on oral health outcomes after the COVID-19 lockdown. We included studies published in English between January 2020 and March 2023. Two reviewers independently screened the titles, abstracts, and full texts of potentially relevant articles and extracted data from included studies. We used a narrative synthesis approach to summarize the findings. Results: Our search identified 23 studies from 12 countries, including cross-sectional surveys, cohort studies, and case reports. The studies reported on changes in oral health behaviors, access to dental care, and the prevalence and severity of dental conditions after the COVID-19 lockdown. Overall, the evidence suggests that the lockdown measures had a negative impact on oral health outcomes, particularly among vulnerable populations. There were decreases in dental attendance, increases in dental anxiety and fear, and changes in oral hygiene practices. Furthermore, there were increases in the incidence and severity of dental conditions, such as dental caries and periodontal disease, and delays in the diagnosis and treatment of oral cancers. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdown measures have had significant effects on oral health outcomes, with negative impacts on oral health behaviors, access to care, and the prevalence and severity of dental conditions. These findings highlight the need for continued monitoring and interventions to address the long-term effects of the pandemic on oral health.

Keywords: COVID-19, oral health, systematic review, dental public health

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Authors: Khalid Soussi

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Implementing innovative teaching and learning methods is of pivotal importance for student motivation and teaching quality. At the center of such quality are teaching competencies. The present paper investigates three teachers’ core competencies related to their innovative teaching performance: educational/pedagogical competency, teaching competency, and social competency. The paper also attempts to describe the influence of social factors on innovation in higher education. Many recent studies highlight the technological competency as an independent one, but it is believed in this study that the latter makes part of the pedagogical competency. A Likert scale questionnaire was used to measure teachers’ judgements of core competencies role in innovative teaching performance. The study also attempted to demarcate the social variables that may affect innovative teaching in higher education. The findings indicate that teachers’ educational competency and teaching competency were generally confirmed to be either important or very important for innovation in teaching performance. Regarding social competency, the study also shows that satisfaction from job, daily working hours, amount of workload, flexibility in the functioning and the quality of students are the main factors that have a large effect on teachers’ innovative teaching performance.

Keywords: higher education, innovative teaching, teaching competencies, teaching performance

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Authors: María José Núñez-Ruiz, Luis Álvarez-González, Cristian Olivares-Rodriguez, Benjamin Lazo-Letelier

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This paper begins with some concept of formative assessment and the relationship with learning objective: contents objectives, processes objectives, and metacognitive objectives. Two methodologies are describes Evidence-Based teaching and Question Drive Instruction. To do formative assessments in larges classes a Classroom Response System (CRS) is needed. But most of CRS use only Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ), True/False question, or text entry; however, this is insufficient to formative assessment. To do that a new CRS, call FAMA was developed. FAMA support six types of questions: Choice, Order, Inline choice, Text entry, Associated, and Slider. An experiment participated in 149 students from four engineering careers. For results, Kendall's Range Correlation Analysis and descriptive analysis was done. In conclusion, there is a strong relation between contents question, process questions (ask in formative assessment without a score) and metacognitive questions, asked in summative assessment. As future work, the lecturer can do personalized teaching, because knows the behavior of all students in each formative assessment

Keywords: Python language, formative assessment, classroom response systems, evidence-Based teaching, question drive instruction

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Authors: Cecilia Boakye, Joseph Ghartey Ampiah

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In this study, we present a case study in which we explored how the 2007 science curriculum of the colleges of education in Ghana was implemented at W College of Education. Purposive sampling was used to select 13 participants, comprising 2 tutors and 6 teacher trainees from W College of Education and, 5 newly qualified Junior High School (JHS) science teachers who were products of W College. Interviews, observations and content analysis were used to collect data. Using the deductive and inductive analytic approaches, the findings showed that although upgraded laboratories have provided for teaching authentic science at W College of Education, they are rather used to accommodate large classes at the expense of practical activities. The teaching and learning methods used by the tutors do not mirror effectively the objectives of the 2007 science curriculum of the colleges of education. There are challenges such as: (a) lack/inadequate equipment and materials, (b) time constraint, and (c) an examination- oriented curriculum that influence the implementation of the curriculum. Some of the suggestions that were made are that: (a) equipment and materials should be supplied to the colleges to facilitate the proper implementation of the curriculum, and (b) class sizes should be reduced to provide enough room for practical activities.

Keywords: class size, teaching, curriculum implementation, examination-oriented curriculum, teaching and time-constraint

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Authors: Till Gramberg, Max Kellner, Erwin Gross

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This paper presents a comprehensive investigation into the topic of smart services and IIoT-Platforms, focusing on their selection and prioritization in manufacturing organizations. First, a literature review is conducted to provide a basic understanding of the current state of research in the area of smart services. Based on discussed and established definitions, a definition approach for this paper is developed. In addition, value propositions for smart services are identified based on the literature and expert interviews. Furthermore, the general requirements for the provision of smart services are presented. Subsequently, existing approaches for the selection and development of smart services are identified and described. In order to determine the requirements for the selection of smart services, expert opinions from successful companies that have already implemented smart services are collected through semi-structured interviews. Based on the results, criteria for the evaluation of existing methods are derived. The existing methods are then evaluated according to the identified criteria. Furthermore, a novel method for the selection of smart services in manufacturing companies is developed, taking into account the identified criteria and the existing approaches. The developed concept for the method is verified in expert interviews. The method includes a collection of relevant smart services identified in the literature. The actual relevance of the use cases in the industrial environment was validated in an online survey. The required data and sensors are assigned to the smart service use cases. The value proposition of the use cases is evaluated in an expert workshop using different indicators. Based on this, a comparison is made between the identified value proposition and the required data, leading to a prioritization process. The prioritization process follows an established procedure for evaluating technical decision-making processes. In addition to the technical requirements, the prioritization process includes other evaluation criteria such as the economic benefit, the conformity of the new service offering with the company strategy, or the customer retention enabled by the smart service. Finally, the method is applied and validated in an industrial environment. The results of these experiments are critically reflected upon and an outlook on future developments in the area of smart services is given. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the selection and prioritization process as well as the technical considerations associated with smart service implementation in manufacturing organizations. The proposed method serves as a valuable guide for decision makers, helping them to effectively select the most appropriate smart services for their specific organizational needs.

Keywords: smart services, IIoT, industrie 4.0, IIoT-platform, big data

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Authors: Dongdong Bai

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The curriculum is essential in determining the quality of early childhood education (ECE). Education policy is intricately linked to the effective execution of the preschool education curriculum. The learner-centred education (LCE) approach is a globally common educational concept. However, it is an approach that is applied variably in ECE policy-making and implementation across diverse cultural contexts. Notwithstanding its significance, limited study has investigated the ECE curriculum policies on the articulation and implementation of the LCE concept in England and Hong Kong’s non-profit-making kindergartens — two regions with intricate historical and cultural connections. Moreover, both regions have experienced significant transformations in ECE policy since 1997. This research employs a qualitative comparative approach, with discourse analysis of key policy documents and relevant literature as the primary methodology. The study develops a comparison framework grounded in Adamson and Morris' curriculum comparison theory, which evaluates curricula from the perspectives of purpose, focus, and manifestation. The paper is structured around three key elements: (1) educational objectives; (2) implementation guidance, including pedagogical strategies, learning content and assessment mechanism; and (3) influential cultural ideologies. Through this framework, the study explores the similarities and differences in the design and implementation of LCE within ECE policies in England and Hong Kong’s non-profit-making kindergartens, while examining the cultural factors that shape these policy variations. The findings indicate that both England and Hong Kong possess child-centered educational objectives focused on enhancing cognitive, skill-based, and physical development; however, Hong Kong's policies notably emphasize alleviating academic pressure in achieving these curriculum aims. England's recommendations advocate for play-based, and exploratory learning to augment children's cognitive development. Conversely, Hong Kong utilizes narrative techniques and indoor instruction to facilitate progressive education. Additionally, both areas encompass cognitive disciplines such as literacy and numeracy; however, England distinctly prioritizes citizenship education with an emphasis on cultural traits. In contrast, Hong Kong amalgamates Western educational ideas with an emphasis on traditional Chinese culture and values, encompassing the study of Chinese characters, etiquette, and moral education rooted in Confucian cultural ideologies. Ultimately, regarding assessment mechanisms, England has transitioned from government-led professional evaluation programs to a hybrid of market and governmental oversight. Conversely, Hong Kong's curriculum evaluation mechanism primarily consists of self-evaluation and public supervision, yet it is evident that the policy could benefit from greater receptiveness to public and expert input. The underlying cultural ideologies significantly influence these policy discrepancies. In England, ECE policies are guided by core concepts that viewing children as individuals, agents, and future citizens. In Hong Kong, the policies reflect Confucian traditions and cultural values, which shape their unique approach to ECE in Hong Kong societies. In conclusion, whereas both locations strive to advocate LCE for the comprehensive development of children, significant differences arise in curriculum focus and implementation policies, shaped by their respective cultural philosophies.

Keywords: curriculum policy, cultural contexts, early childhood education, learner-centred education

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Authors: Rungrot Trongsakul

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This paper was aimed to study the strategic cooperation development of Thailand in accordance with the door open policy of Myanmar, by use of DIMES Model: Diplomacy, Information, Military and Economics, Socio-Culture. This research employed qualitative method, aiming to study, analyze and synthesize the content of laws, policies, relevant research papers and documents, and relevant theories, and to study external environment and national power based on DIMES Model. The five steps of strategic development utilized in this study included (1) conceptual framework and definition; (2) environmental scanning; (3) assessing; (4) determining; and (5) drafting strategic plan. The suggested strategies were based on the concept of 'Soft Power'. Therefore, the determination of measures, action plans or projects as strategic means of public and private organizations should be based on sincere participation among people and communities living on the borders shared by both countries. Adoption of education, learning and sharing process is a key to building sustainability of the countries’ strategic cooperation, while an application of 'Soft Power' in all dimensions of the cooperation between the two countries was suggested.

Keywords: education, strategic cooperation, Thailand-Myanmar borders, sustainability

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Authors: Rodlyn Remina Hines

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Males and Females respond differently to life situations, including transnational living. Being in a transnational marriage relationship may put a strain on the relationship requiring partners to adjust their behaviors and expectancies of the other partner to accommodate the disruptions in the relationship. More so, when one partner is an immigrant to a new geographic location with the other in the native country, these disruptions may be intensive. This qualitative study examined gender differences in how married Ghanaian couples respond to making a life together as a couple while living across international borders. The study asked two questions: (1) What are the perceptions of males and females on transnational living? and (2) how do married males and females respond to transnational living situations? To answer these questions, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 married couples- with one partner living in the United States (U.S.) and the other spouse in Ghana via purposive and snowball sampling techniques. Participants were aged 26 to 59 years with an average age of 40; the average age of relationship: 10.41; and average years of living apart: 6.7. Induction and deduction hybrid analysis strategies were used to derive emerging themes. The results highlight significant gender differences in response to transnational living status and practices. The data indicate that transnational couples with the male spouse residing in the U.S. experience more relationship strains than is the case when the female partner is the immigrant. Three couples who were in divorce proceedings at the time of the interview had the male partner residing in the U.S. and the female spouse in Ghana. These gender differences also reflected spousal visitation frequency, duration of spousal reunification, amount of and frequency of spousal remittance(s), and immigration processing procedures. Finally, the data show female immigrant partners as better managers of transnational living stresses and strains than their male counterparts. Findings from this study have implications for marriage and family practitioners and immigration policy makers.

Keywords: gender differences, , ghanaian couples, ghanaian immigrants, transnational living

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Authors: Lucia Vodanovic, Bryan Pirolli

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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: education, journalism, lifestyle, university

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Authors: Syahruddin Sumardi, Indra Fajar Alamsyah, Junaidah Hashim

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This study attempts to explore and presents a proposed recruitment model in Islamic university which aligned with holistic role. It is a conceptual paper in nature. In turn, this study is designed to utilize exploratory approach. Literature and document review that related to this topic are used as the methods to analyse the content found. Recruitment for any organization is fundamental to achieve its goal effectively. Staffing in universities is vital due to the importance role of lecturers. Currently, Islamic universities still adopt the common process of recruitment for their academic staffs. Whereas, they have own characteristics which are embedded in their institutions. Furthermore, the FCWC (Foundation, Capability, Worldview and Commitment) model of recruitment proposes to suit the holistic character of Islamic university. Further studies are required to empirically validate the concept through systematic investigations. Additionally, measuring this model by a designed means is appreciated. The model provides the map and alternative tool of recruitment for Islamic universities to determine the process of recruitment which can appropriate their institutions. In addition, it also allows stakeholders and policy makers to consider regarding Islamic values that should inculcate in the Islamic higher learning institutions. This study initiates a foundational contribution for an early sequence of research.

Keywords: academic staff, Islamic values, recruitment model, university

Procedia PDF Downloads 170