Search results for: informal education
629 Students’ Perception of Their M-Learning Readiness
Authors: Sulaiman Almutairy, Trevor Davies, Yota Dimitriadi
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The following paper presents the results of a study aimed at achieving a better understanding of the psychological readiness for mobile learning (m-learning) among Saudi students, while also evaluating m-learning readiness as a whole in Saudi Arabia - a topic that has not yet received adequate attention from researchers. Data was acquired via a questionnaire administered to 131 Saudi students at UK universities, in July 2013. The study confirmed that students are confident about using mobile devices in their daily lives, and that they would welcome more opportunities for mobile learning. The findings also indicated that Saudi higher education students are very familiar with, and psychologically ready for, m-learning.Keywords: M-learning, Mobile Technologies, Psychological Readiness.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 2841628 The Impact of e-Learning and e-Teaching
Authors: Mohammad Mohammad
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With the exponential progress of technological development comes a strong sense that events are moving too quickly for our schools and that teachers may be losing control of them in the process. This paper examines the impact of e-learning and e-teaching in universities, from both the student and teacher perspective. In particular, it is shown that e-teachers should focus not only on the technical capacities and functions of IT materials and activities, but must attempt to more fully understand how their e-learners perceive the learning environment. From the e-learner perspective, this paper indicates that simply having IT tools available does not automatically translate into all students becoming effective learners. More evidence-based evaluative research is needed to allow e-learning and e-teaching to reach full potential.Keywords: e-learning, e-teaching, distance learning, education
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 4826627 Consumer Choice Determinants in Context of Functional Food
Authors: E. Grochowska-Niedworok, K. Brukało, M. Kardas
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The aim of this study was to analyze and evaluate the consumption of functional food by consumers by: age, sex, formal education level, place of residence and diagnosed diseases. The study employed an ad hoc questionnaire in a group of 300 inhabitants of Upper Silesia voivodship. Knowledge of functional food among the group covered in the study was far from satisfactory. The choice of functional food was of intuitive character. In addition, the group covered was more likely to choose pharmacotherapy instead of diet-related prevention then, which can be associated with presumption of too distant effects and a long period of treatment.Keywords: Consumer choice, consumer knowledge, functional food, healthy lifestyle.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 1052626 Connecting Lives Inside and Outside the Classroom: Why and How to Implement Technology in the Language Learning Classroom
Authors: Geoffrey Sinha
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This paper is primarily addressed to teachers who stand on the threshold of bringing technology and new media into their classrooms. Technology and new media, such as smart phones and tablets have changed the face of communication in general and of language teaching more specifically. New media has widespread appeal among young people in particular, so it is in the teacher’s best interests to bring new media into their lessons. It is the author’s firm belief that technology will never replace the teacher, but it is without question that the twenty-first century teacher must employ technology and new media in some form, or run the risk of failure. The level that one chooses to incorporate new media within their class is entirely in their hands.
Keywords: New media, social media, technology, education.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 1783625 Cultural Integration as a Factor of Genesis of the Kazakh Nation in the Conditions of Multicultural Society
Authors: Kadyraliyeva Altynay Mustafayevna, Zholdubayeva Azhar Kuanyshbekovna, Alimzhanova Aliya Sharabekovna, Zhiyenbekova Ainur Abdurakhmanovna, Asanov Seylbek Sadikovich
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The article analyses historical aspects of the formation of the Kazakh nation in the conditions of the multicultural society. The authors underline cultural integration as a significant stage of the cultural advancement of the Kazakh nation. The transition to the modern-style houses, the adoption and development of the secular education gave a rise to the development of the society and culture on the whole.Keywords: Assimilation, culture genesis, cultural integration, multiculturalism
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 1895624 Websites for Hypothesis Testing
Authors: František Mošna
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E-learning has become an efficient and widespread means of education at all levels of human activities. Statistics is no exception. Unfortunately the main focus in statistics teaching is usually paid to the substitution in formulas. Suitable websites can simplify and automate calculations and provide more attention and time to the basic principles of statistics, mathematization of real-life situations and following interpretation of results. We now introduce our own web-site for hypothesis testing. Its didactic aspects, the technical possibilities of the individual tools, the experience of use and the advantages or disadvantages are discussed in this paper. This web-site is not a substitute for common statistical software but should significantly improve the teaching of statistics at universities.
Keywords: E-learning, hypothesis testing, PHP, websites.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 2350623 Improving Teacher Profesionalism through Certification Program: An Indonesia Case Study
Authors: Triyanto
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Government of Indonesia held a certification program to enhance the professionalism of teachers by using portfolio assessment. This research discusses about the effectiveness of certification programs to enhance the professionalism of teacher in Indonesia. Portfolio assessment method has drawbacks. The certified teachers do not show significant performance improvement. Therefore, the government changes the portfolio assessment method to the education and training for teachers.
Keywords: Profesionalism, Teacher, Certification, Indonesia
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 2815622 The Features of Organizing a Master Preparation in Kazakhstan
Authors: A. Bulatbayeva, A. Kusainov
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In this article has been analyzed Kazakhstani experience in organizing the system after the institute of higher education, legislative-regulative assurance of master preparation, and statistic data in the republic. Have been the features of projecting the master programs, a condition of realization of studying credit system, have been analyzed the technologies of research teaching masters. In conclusion have been given some recommendation on creating personal-oriented environment of research teaching masters.Keywords: Personal-oriented Environment, Research Teaching, Research Activity, the Technologies of Research Teaching
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 1166621 Promoting Collaborative Learning in Software Engineering by Adapting the PBL Strategy
Authors: Charlie Y. Shim, Mina Choi, Jung Y. Kim
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Software engineering education not only embraces technical skills of software development but also necessitates communication and interaction among learners. In this paper, it is proposed to adapt the PBL methodology that is especially designed to be integrated into software engineering classroom in order to promote collaborative learning environment. This approach helps students better understand the significance of social aspects and provides a systematic framework to enhance teamwork skills. The adaptation of PBL facilitates the transition to an innovative software development environment where cooperative learning can be actualized.Keywords: problem-based learning, software engineering, software process models, teamwork.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 1717620 From I.A Richards to Web 3.0: Preparing Our Students for Tomorrow's World
Authors: Karen Armstrong
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This paper offers suggestions for educators at all levels about how to better prepare our students for the future, by building on the past. The discussion begins with a summary of changes in the World Wide Web, especially as the term Web 3.0 is being heard. The bulk of the discussion is retrospective and concerned with an overview of traditional teaching and research approaches as they evolved during the 20th century beginning with those grounded in the Cartesian reality of IA Richards- (1929) Practical Criticism. The paper concludes with a proposal of five strategies which incorporate timeless elements from the past as well as cutting-edge elements from today, in order to better prepare our students for the future.
Keywords: Web 3.0, Web 2.0 IA Richards, literacy education, new literacies, technology, paradigm shifts.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 1891619 Checklist for Autism Spectrum Disorder as an In-class Observation Tool for Teachers
Authors: W. Król-Gierat
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The majority of Special Educational Needs checklists are intended for preliminary screening in the special education disability process. The aim of the present paper is to present their potential usefulness as in-class observation tools for teachers working with students who have already been diagnosed with a disorder. A checklist may complement and organize information about a given child, which is indispensable to improve his or her condition. The case of a Polish boy with autism will serve as an example. Last but not least, alternative uses of checklists are suggested in the article.
Keywords: Autism Spectrum Disorders, case study, checklist, observation tool.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 6358618 Satisfaction Survey of a Displaced Population Affected by a New Planned Development of Naya Raipur, India
Authors: Sagar Jajoo
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Urban planning is the need of the hour in a rapidly developing county like India. In essence, urban planning enhances the quality of land at a reasonable cost. Naya (New) Raipur is the new planned capital of the Indian state of Chhattisgarh, and is one of India’s few planned cities. Over the next decade it will drastically change the landscape of the state of Chhattisgarh. This new planned development is quintessential in growing this backward region and providing for future infrastructure. Key questions that arise are: How are people living in the surrounding region of New Raipur affected by its development? Are the affected people satisfied with compensation and rehabilitation that has been provided by the New Raipur Development Authority? To answer these questions, field research study in the form of questionnaires, interviews and site visits was conducted. To summarize the findings, while a majority of the surveyed population was dissatisfied with the rehabilitation and compensation provided by the New Raipur Development Authority, they were very positive about the success of the new development. Most thought that the new city would help their careers, improve job opportunities, improve prospects for their future generations, and benefit society as a whole.
To improve rehabilitation schemes for the future, the reasons for the negative sentiment brewing amongst the villagers regarding the monetary compensation was investigated. Most villagers deemed the monetary compensation to be lacking as they had squandered their financial windfall already. With numerous interviews and site visits, it was discovered that the lump sum form of monetary compensation was to blame. With a huge sum of money received at once and a lack of financial education, many villagers squandered this newly gained money on unnecessary purchases such as alcohol and expensive vehicles without investing for the long run in farmland and education for their children. One recommendation proposed to the New Raipur Development Authority (NRDA) for future monetary compensation design in times of rehabilitating people was to provide payments in installments rather than lump sums and educate the people about investing the compensation money wisely. This would save them from wasting money they receive and the ensuing dissatisfaction of squandering that money.
Keywords: Compensation, Naya Raipur, Rehabilitation, Satisfaction Survey, Urban Planning.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 1840617 Development of an Attitude Scale Towards Social Networking Sites
Authors: Münevver Başman, Deniz Gülleroğlu
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The purpose of this study is to develop a scale to determine the attitudes towards social networking sites. 45 tryout items, prepared for this aim, were applied to 342 students studying at Marmara University, Faculty of Education. The reliability and the validity of the scale were conducted with the help of these students. As a result of exploratory factor analysis with Varimax rotation, 41 items grouped according to the structure with three factors (interest, reality and negative effects) is obtained. While alpha reliability of the scale is obtained as .899; the reliability of factors is obtained as .899, .799, .775, respectively.Keywords: Attitude, reliability, social networking sites, validity.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 1667616 Developing Learning in Organizations with Innovation Pedagogy Methods
Authors: T. Konst
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Most jobs include training and communication tasks, but often the people in these jobs lack pedagogical competences to plan, implement and assess learning. This paper aims to discuss how a learning approach called innovation pedagogy developed in higher education can be utilized for learning development in various organizations. The methods presented how to implement innovation pedagogy such as process consultation and train the trainer model can provide added value to develop pedagogical knowhow in organizations and thus support their internal learning and development.
Keywords: Innovation pedagogy, learning, organizational development, process consultation.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 1256615 A Case of Study for 3D Stereoscopic Conversion in Visual Effects Industry
Authors: Jin Zhi
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This paper covered a series of key points in terms of 2D to 3D stereoscopic conversion. A successfully applied stereoscopic conversion approach in current visual effects industry was presented. The purpose of this paper is to cover a detailed workflow and concept, which has been successfully used in 3D stereoscopic conversion for feature films in visual effects industry, and therefore to clarify the process in stereoscopic conversion production and provide a clear idea for those entry-level artists to improve an overall understanding of 3D stereoscopic in digital compositing field as well as to the higher education factor of visual effects and hopefully inspire further collaboration and participants particularly between academia and industry.
Keywords: Clean plates, Mattes, Stereoscopic conversion, 3Dprojection, Z-depth.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 2232614 Enhancing Critical Reflective Practice in Fieldwork Education: An Exploratory Study of the Role of Social Work Agencies in the Welfare Context of Hong Kong
Authors: Yee-May Chan
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In recent decades, it is observed that social work agencies have participated actively, and thus, have gradually been more influential in social work education in Hong Kong. The neo-liberal welfare ideologies and changing funding mode have transformed the landscape in social work practice and have also had a major influence on the fieldwork environment in Hong Kong. The aim of this research is to explore the educational role of social work agencies and examine in particular whether they are able to enhance or hinder critical reflective learning in fieldwork. In-depth interviews with 15 frontline social workers and managers in different social work agencies were conducted to collect their views and experience in helping social work students in fieldwork. The overall findings revealed that under the current social welfare context most social workers consider that the most important role of social work agencies in fieldwork is to help students prepare to fit-in the practice requirements and work within agencies’ boundary. The fit-for-purpose and down-to-earth view of fieldwork practice is seen as prevalent among most social workers. This narrow perception of agency’s role seems to be more favourable to competence-based approaches. In contrast, though critical reflection has been seen as important in addressing the changing needs of service users, the role of enhancing critical reflective learning has not been clearly expected or understood by most agency workers. The notion of critical reflection, if considered, has been narrowly perceived in fieldwork learning. The findings suggest that the importance of critical reflection is found to be subordinate to that of practice competence. The lack of critical reflection in the field is somehow embedded in the competence-based social work practice. In general, social work students’ critical reflection has not been adequately supported or enhanced in fieldwork agencies, nor critical reflective practice has been encouraged in fieldwork process. To address this situation, the role of social work agencies in fieldwork should be re-examined. To maximise critical reflective learning in the field, critical reflection as an avowed objective in fieldwork learning should be clearly stated. Concrete suggestions are made to help fieldwork agencies become more prepared to critical reflective learning. It is expected that the research can help social work communities to reflect upon the current realities of fieldwork context and to identify ways to strengthen agencies’ capacities to enhance critical reflective learning and practice of social work students.
Keywords: Competence-based social work, fieldwork, neo-liberal welfare, critical reflective learning.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 1009613 Study Relationship between TQM on Empowerment and Job Satisfaction
Authors: Maziyar Nouraee
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Today, quality improvement is an essential manner that is notified primarily as an essence in industry, manufacturing, health and education. Whenever quality is noticed as a criterion, then it results into empowering managers and job satisfaction of staffs. The research is aimed to evaluate the rate of relationship between TQM executions toward rate of empowering and satisfaction of staff paper mill in Isfahan. Results showed that there is a meaningful relationship between TQM, empowerment and satisfaction and even between TQM and empowerment dimensions; total quality management can perfectly predict empowerment and job satisfaction.
Keywords: TQM (total quality management), Empowerment, Job Satisfaction.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 2978612 Relationship between Gender and Performance with Respect to a Basic Math Skills Quiz in Statistics Courses in Lebanon
Authors: Hiba Naccache
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The present research investigated whether gender differences affect performance in a simple math quiz in statistics course. Participants of this study comprised a sample of 567 statistics students in two different universities in Lebanon. Data were collected through a simple math quiz. Analysis of quantitative data indicated that there wasn’t a significant difference in math performance between males and females. The results suggest that improvements in student performance may depend on improved mastery of basic algebra especially for females. The implications of these findings and further recommendations were discussed.Keywords: Gender, education, math, statistics.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 2578611 The Importance of Student Feedback in Development of Virtual Engineering Laboratories
Authors: A. A. Altalbe, N. W Bergmann
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There has been significant recent interest in on-line learning, as well as considerable work on developing technologies for virtual laboratories for engineering students. After reviewing the state-of-the-art of virtual laboratories, this paper steps back from the technology issues to look in more detail at the pedagogical issues surrounding virtual laboratories, and examines the role of gathering student feedback in the development of such laboratories. The main contribution of the paper is a set of student surveys before and after a prototype deployment of a simulation laboratory tool, and the resulting analysis which leads to some tentative guidelines for the design of virtual engineering laboratories.
Keywords: Engineering education, electrical engineering, e-learning, virtual laboratories.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 922610 Models and Metamodels for Computer-Assisted Natural Language Grammar Learning
Authors: Evgeny Pyshkin, Maxim Mozgovoy, Vladislav Volkov
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The paper follows a discourse on computer-assisted language learning. We examine problems of foreign language teaching and learning and introduce a metamodel that can be used to define learning models of language grammar structures in order to support teacher/student interaction. Special attention is paid to the concept of a virtual language lab. Our approach to language education assumes to encourage learners to experiment with a language and to learn by discovering patterns of grammatically correct structures created and managed by a language expert.
Keywords: Computer-assisted instruction, Language learning, Natural language grammar models, HCI.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 2194609 Educational Robotics Constructivism and Modeling of Robots using Reverse Engineering
Authors: David G. Maxínez, A. Ferreyra Ramírez, Ismael Echenique Álvarez, Francisco Javier Sánchez Rangel, Guillermo Castillo Tapia, Petra Baldivia Noyola, María Antonieta García Galván
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The project describes the modeling of various architectures mechatronics specifically morphologies of robots in an educational environment. Each structure developed by students of pre-school, primary and secondary was created using the concept of reverse engineering in a constructivist environment, to later be integrated in educational software that promotes the teaching of educational Robotics in a virtual and economic environment.Keywords: Modeling, constructivist, engineering, reverse, robotics education, virtual, morphology.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 1787608 Explorative Data Mining of Constructivist Learning Experiences and Activities with Multiple Dimensions
Authors: Patrick Wessa, Bart Baesens
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This paper discusses the use of explorative data mining tools that allow the educator to explore new relationships between reported learning experiences and actual activities, even if there are multiple dimensions with a large number of measured items. The underlying technology is based on the so-called Compendium Platform for Reproducible Computing (http://www.freestatistics.org) which was built on top the computational R Framework (http://www.wessa.net).Keywords: Reproducible computing, data mining, explorative data analysis, compendium technology, computer assisted education
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 1253607 Accreditation and Quality Assurance of Nigerian Universities: The Management Imperative
Authors: F. O Anugom
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The general functions of the university amongst other things include teaching, research and community service. Universities are recognized as the apex of learning, accumulating and imparting knowledge and skills of all kinds to students to enable them to be productive, earn their living and to make optimum contributions to national development. This is equivalent to the production of human capital in the form of high level manpower needed to administer the educational society, be useful to the society and manage the economy. Quality has become a matter of major importance for university education in Nigeria. Accreditation is the systematic review of educational programs to ensure that acceptable standards of education, scholarship and infrastructure are being maintained. Accreditation ensures that institution maintain quality. The process is designed to determine whether or not an institution has met or exceeded the published standards for accreditation, and whether it is achieving its mission and stated purposes. Ensuring quality assurance in accreditation process falls in the hands of university management which justified the need for this study. This study examined accreditation and quality assurance: the management imperative. Three research questions and three hypotheses guided the study. The design was a correlation survey with a population of 2,893 university administrators out of which 578 Heads of department and Dean of faculties were sampled. The instrument for data collection was titled Programme Accreditation Exercise scale with high levels of reliability. The research questions were answered with Pearson ‘r’ statistics. T-test statistics was used to test the hypotheses. It was found among others that the quality of accredited programme depends on the level of funding of universities in Nigeria. It was also indicated that quality of programme accreditation and physical facilities of universities in Nigeria have high relationship. But it was also revealed that programme accreditation is positively related to staffing in Nigerian universities. Based on the findings of the study, the researcher recommend that academic administrators should be included in the team of those who ensure quality programs in the universities. Private sector partnership should be encouraged to fund programs to ensure quality of programme in the universities. Independent agencies should be engaged to monitor the activities of accreditation teams to avoid bias.
Keywords: Accreditation, quality assurance, NUC, physical facilities, staffing.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 1927606 Workplace Learners- Perceptions towards a Blended Learning Approach
Authors: Denys Lupshenyuk, Jean Adams
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The current paper presents the findings of a research study on learners- barriers and motivators engaged into blended programs in a workplace context. In this study, the participants were randomly assigned to one of four parallel e-learning courses, each of which was delivered using a different learning strategy. Data were collected through web-based and telephone surveys developed by the researchers. The results showed that vague instruction, time management, and insufficient feedback were the top-most barriers to blended learning. The major motivators for blended learning included content relevance, flexibility in time, and the ability to work at own pace.Keywords: Adult education, barriers, blended learning, motivators, workplace learning.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 2224605 Making Data Structures and Algorithms more Understandable by Programming Sudoku the Human Way
Authors: Roelien Goede
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Data Structures and Algorithms is a module in most Computer Science or Information Technology curricula. It is one of the modules most students identify as being difficult. This paper demonstrates how programming a solution for Sudoku can make abstract concepts more concrete. The paper relates concepts of a typical Data Structures and Algorithms module to a step by step solution for Sudoku in a human type as opposed to a computer oriented solution.Keywords: Data Structures, Algorithms, Sudoku, ObjectOriented Programming, Programming Teaching, Education.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 3097604 Marketing Segmentation of Students Willing to Study Abroad based on Cluster Analysis
Authors: Kamila Tislerova, Marta Zambochova
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Market segmentation is one of the most fundamental strategic marketing concepts. The better the segment which is chosen for targeting by a particular organisation, the more successful the organisation is assumed to be in the marketplace. Also higher education institutions have to improve their marketing tools for attracting foreign students, particularly when demanding tuition fees. This contribution aims at demonstrating the proper usage of the cluster analysis for segmentation (represented by students' willingness to study abroad) and also, based on large international survey, offers some practical marketing implications.Keywords: Market Segmentation, Students' Preferences, Study Abroad, Cluster Analysis
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 2213603 Linguistic Phenomena in Men and Women - TOT, FOK, Verbal Fluency
Authors: Ewa Szepietowska, Barbara Gawda, Agnieszka Gawda
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The aim of this study is to describe the differences between women and men in the phenomena of feeling of knowing/know (FOK), tip of the tongue (TOT), and verbal fluency. Two studies are presented. The first included a group of 60 participants and focused on the analysis of FOK and TOT in men and women. The second study described the performance of 302 participants in verbal fluency tasks. Both studies showed that sex is not a significant predictor of linguistic abilities. Rather, the main factors influencing one’s linguistic ability were Vocabulary and education. This study enriches the knowledge on mechanisms of memory and verbal production.
Keywords: Feeling of knowing, Tip of the tongue, Verbal fluency, Sex differences.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 2529602 Perceived Quality of Regional Products in MS Region
Authors: M. Stoklasa, H. Starzyczna, K. Matusinska
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This article deals with the perceived quality of regional products in the Moravian-Silesian region in the Czech Republic. Research was focused on finding out what do consumers perceive as a quality product and what characteristics make a quality product. The data were obtained by questionnaire survey andanalysed by IBM SPSS. From the thousands of respondents the representative sample of 719 for MS region was created based on demographic factors of gender, age, education and income. The research analysis disclosed that consumers in MS region are still price oriented and that the preference of quality over price does not depend on regional brand knowledge.
Keywords: Regional brands, quality products, characteristics of quality, quality over price.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 1842601 Motor Coordination and Body Mass Index in Primary School Children
Authors: Ingrid Ruzbarska, Martin Zvonar, Piotr Oleśniewicz, Julita Markiewicz-Patkowska, Krzysztof Widawski, Daniel Puciato
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Obese children will probably become obese adults, consequently exposed to an increased risk of comorbidity and premature mortality. Body weight may be indirectly determined by continuous development of coordination and motor skills. The level of motor skills and abilities is an important factor that promotes physical activity since early childhood. The aim of the study is to thoroughly understand the internal relations between motor coordination abilities and the somatic development of prepubertal children and to determine the effect of excess body weight on motor coordination by comparing the motor ability levels of children with different body mass index (BMI) values. The data were collected from 436 children aged 7–10 years, without health limitations, fully participating in school physical education classes. Body height was measured with portable stadiometers (Harpenden, Holtain Ltd.), and body mass—with a digital scale (HN-286, Omron). Motor coordination was evaluated with the Kiphard-Schilling body coordination test, Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder. The normality test by Shapiro-Wilk was used to verify the data distribution. The correlation analysis revealed a statistically significant negative association between the dynamic balance and BMI, as well as between the motor quotient and BMI (p<0.01) for both boys and girls. The results showed no effect of gender on the difference in the observed trends. The analysis of variance proved statistically significant differences between normal weight children and their overweight or obese counterparts. Coordination abilities probably play an important role in preventing or moderating the negative trajectory leading to childhood overweight and obesity. At this age, the development of coordination abilities should become a key strategy, targeted at long-term prevention of obesity and the promotion of an active lifestyle in adulthood. Motor performance is essential for implementing a healthy lifestyle in childhood already. Physical inactivity apparently results in motor deficits and a sedentary lifestyle in children, which may be accompanied by excess energy intake and overweight.
Keywords: Childhood, KTK test, Physical education, Psychomotor competence.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 1364600 Developing a Research Framework for Investigating the Transparency of ePortfolios
Authors: Elizabeth Downs, Judith Repman, Kenneth Clark
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This paper describes the evolution of strategies to evaluate ePortfolios in an online Master-s of Education (M.Ed.) degree in Instructional Technology. The ePortfolios are required as a culminating activity for students in the program. By using Web 2.0 tools to develop the ePortfolios, students are able to showcase their technical skills, integrate national standards, demonstrate their professional understandings, and reflect on their individual learning. Faculty have created assessment strategies to evaluate student achievement of these skills. To further develop ePortfolios as a tool promoting authentic learning, faculty are moving toward integrating transparency as part of the evaluation process.Keywords: e-learning evaluation, ePortfolios, transparency, Web 2.0
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 1562