Digital Commons Network^™

The Spirituality Of Tour Guides And Their Impact On Visitors Experience At Sacred Sites, Vreny Enongene, Kevin Griffin

Conference papers

It has been widely acknowledged that tour-guides play a vital role in the visitor experience, and significantly impact on the sort of experiences visitors get at sites visited (Cohen et al.,2002; Pizam & Riechel, 1996), and have been dubbed as key elements in the complex interaction between the visitor and the sites visited (Cohen-Hattab and Shoval 2015). Although there has been a proliferation of studies conducted with regards to the role of tour guides in visitor’s experience at cultural heritage tourism attractions, there is still very little exploration of the role of tour guides in the visitor experience management …

Stakeholder Involvement: An Identified Invaluable Resource In The Management And Conservation Of Ireland's Natural Religious Heritage Croagh Patrick: Insights And Challenges, Vreny Enongene, Kevin Griffin

Conference papers

This paper seeks to explore how the concept of stakeholder involvement has been applied for the very first time in the management and conservation of the 800 years old Ireland's Holy mountain Croagh Patrick. In doing so, it explores factors that facilitate and hinder the effectiveness of this new-found partnership towards the sustainable management of this sacred natural site, which simultaneously serves as a place of pilgrimage and tourism. Crucial given scholarly demand for greater understanding of the opportunities and barriers that stakeholder involvement may entail, Woodland & Acott (2007), and even more crucial given that routes and directions for …

Misogyny Detection And Classification In English Tweets: The Experience Of The Itt Team, John Cardiff, Elena Shushkevich

Conference Papers

The problem of online misogyny and women-based offending has become increasingly widespread, and the automatic detection of such messages is an urgent priority. In this paper, we present an approach based on an ensemble of Logistic Regression, Support Vector Machines, and Naïve Bayes models for the detection of misogyny in texts extracted from the Twitter platform. Our method has been presented in the framework of the participation in the Automatic Misogyny Identification (AMI) Shared Task in the EVALITA 2018 evaluation campaign.

Programming: Predicting Student Success Early In Cs1. A Re-Validation And Replication Study, Keith Quille, Susan Bergin

Articles

This paper describes a large, multi-institutional revalidation study conducted in the academic year 2015-16. Six hundred and ninetytwo students participated in this study, from 11 institutions (ten institutions in Ireland and one in Denmark). The primary goal was to validate and further develop an existing computational prediction model called Predict Student Success (PreSS). In doing so, this study addressed a call from the 2015 ITiCSE working group (the second "Grand Challenge"), to "systematically analyse and verify previous studies using data from multiple contexts to tease out tacit factors that contribute to previously observed outcomes". PreSS was developed and validated in …

Ambiqual – A Full Reference Objective Quality Metric For Ambisonic Spatial Audio, Miroslaw Narbutt, Andrew Allen, Jan Skoglund, Michael Chinen, Andrew Hines

Conference papers

Streaming spatial audio over networks requires efficient encoding techniques that compress the raw audio content without compromising quality of experience. Streaming service providers such as YouTube need a perceptually relevant objective audio quality metric to monitor users’ perceived quality and spatial localization accuracy. In this paper we introduce a full reference objective spatial audio quality metric, AMBIQUAL, which assesses both Listening Quality and Localization Accuracy. In our solution both metrics are derived directly from the B-format Ambisonic audio. The metric extends and adapts the algorithm used in ViSQOLAudio, a full reference objective metric designed for assessing speech and audio quality. …

An Investigation Of The Impact Of A Social Constructivist Teaching Approach, Based On Trigger Questions, Through Measures Of Mental Workload And Efficiency, Federico Gobbo, Luca Longo, Declan O'Sullivan, Giuliano Orru

Conference papers

Social constructivism is grounded on the construction of information with a focus on collaborative learning through social interactions. However, it tends to ignore the human mental architecture, pillar of cognitivism. A characteristic of cognitivism is that instructional designs built upon it are generally explicit, contrarily to constructivism. This position paper proposes a novel learning task that is aimed at combining both the approaches through the use of trigger questions in a collaborative activity executed after a traditional delivery of instructions. To evaluate this new task, a metric of efficiency based upon a measure of mental workload and a measure of …

Sensory Seduction And Narrative Pull, Nina Lyons, Matt Smith, Hugh Mccabe

Conference papers

User experience design is a process that has been defined, developed and refined over the last few decades. It is a process of shaping a user's movements through a website or mobile application. It is user-focussed, prioritising utility, ease-of-use and efficiency. It is widely used and has helped advance the way in which users interact with websites and mobile applications, making it far less frustrating. User experience design is a key element in how the internet and mobile technology have become ubiquitous in our daily lives. Given this success, it would seem that continuing to use this process for new …

Identifying Expert Investors On Financial Microblog Via Artificial Neural Networks, Pierluca Del Buono

Dissertations

In the recent years, thanks to social media platform, a plethora of information has been available to financial investors, that were traditionally dependent from financial institutions advisors. Strategies are now shared among web users, performances of stocks are commented in web communities and hints and suggestions are travelling on the internet with a fast pace, in a way that was unthinkable few years before. Several attempts have been made in the recent past, to predict Market movements and trends from activity of Financial Social Networks participants, and to evaluate if contributions from individuals with high level of expertise distinguish themselves …

Probability Based Resilience Assessment Of Infrastructure, Caitríona De Paor, Lorcan Connolly, Marko Duranovic, Alan O'Connor, Cathal Bowe

Conference Papers

No abstract provided.

A Systems Approach To Research And Innovation For Food System Transformation, M. Gill, A.C.L. Den Boer, K.P. Kok, Jean Cahill, C. Callenius, P. Caron, Z. Damianova, M.A. Gurinovic, L. Lahteenmaki, T. Lang, A. Lappiere, C. Mango, J. Ryder, R. Sonnino, H. Westhoek, B.J. Regeer, J.E.W. Broerse

Research and Innovation - Other

This policy brief of the European Union (EU) Think Tank – part of the FIT4FOOD2030 Coordination and Support Action (CSA) of the FOOD 2030 initiative – is a response and contribution to growing pleas for a ‘systems approach’ to transform food systems for Food and Nutrition Security (FNS) for present and future generations. This policy brief specifically focusses on the necessity of the adoption of a systems approach to Research and Innovation (R&I) in order to foster the transformation of food systems.

Applying A Universal Design Approach To Empower Children With Multiple Impairments In Assistive Technology Assessment, Trish Mackeogh, Karola Dillenburg, John Donovan

Research and Innovation - Other

Rapid developments in technology, coinciding with the shift in educational ideology towards the inclusion of children with multiple disabilities, has led to increased calls for a Universal Design (UD) approach to promoting, user-friendly, proactive, transparent, and accessible environments and to the importance of Assistive Technology (AT) applications. For children with disabilities, technologies provide opportunities for greater and more flexible access to activities then traditional interfaces if applied and matched successfully. Relatively high abandonment rates of assistive technology have been documented, often due to a lack of user involvement in the assessment process. The field of Universal Design is showing that …

The Oral Writing-Revision Space: Identifying A New And Common Discourse Feature Of Writing Center Consultations, Melody Denny

The Writing Center Journal

No abstract provided.

"Tell Me Exactly What It Was That I Was Doing That Was So Bad": Understanding The Needs And Expectations Of Working-Class Students In Writing Centers, Harry Denny, John Nordlof, Lori Salem

The Writing Center Journal

No abstract provided.

Parental Communication Style And Adolescent Intrapersonal Variables: Associations With Academic Achievement, Wafa Fatima Ali

Wayne State University Dissertations

The current study was an exploration of the role of the microsystem predictor of parental communication style as well as various intrapersonal factors on academic achievement. Previous research has not extensively explored the variable of parental communication style nor has it extensively studied the influence of this combination of variables on high school student’s academic achievement. Participants in this study were 226 high school students. The students were from schools in the mid-west. Goal orientation, parental communication style, and autonomy support emerged as factors, which significantly explained variance in student academic achievement. The demographic variables of school, ethnicity, and grade …

Information Availability And Congeniality, Selective Exposure, And Reinforcement Effect, Kunto Adi Wibowo

Wayne State University Dissertations

This study examined the effect of information availability on selective exposure and the effect of selective exposure on attitude reinforcement through emotional arousal. Cognitive dissonance and confirmation bias theories were utilized as framework to answer the effect of information availability. For the attitude reinforcement through emotional arousal, cognitive dissonance, selective exposure, and affective intelligent theories were employed. This study employed a novel approach by utilizing different proportions of congenial and uncongenial information as experimental conditions, high congenial, high uncongenial, and control conditions, to test the effects of information availability on selective exposure.

Results demonstrated that information availability affects selective exposure …

Chchd10, A Novel Bi-Organellar Regulator Of Cellular Metabolism: Implications In Neurodegeneration, Neeraja Purandare

Wayne State University Dissertations

CHCHD10 (Coiled-coil Helix Coiled-coil Helix Domain containing protein 10) and MNRR1 (Mitochondrial Nuclear Retrograde Regulator 1, also known as CHCHD2), have been shown by us to be stress regulators of mitochondrial function that act both in the mitochondria and in the nucleus. Both are members of the twin CX9C family, but CHCHD10 in particular, has been found in mutant form to be linked to a myriad of neurodegenerative conditions. In mitochondria, both activate cytochrome c oxidase (COX) whereas in the nucleus, both act as transcription regulators of a subset of genes that contain a 13-bp sequence termed as the oxygen …

Canada Eu Trade Agreement Ceta: For Corporations Or Citizens. Higher Education As A Universal Space For Critical Discussion And Debate, Liam Mcglynn Dr

Papers

The term ‘Trade War’ has re-entered the lexicon of international and global geopolitics in recent times. International trade has a significant bearing not just on the economic life of countries but on their citizens, their societies and cultures too. Trade impacts on citizens, not just corporations. It is therefore not simply the preserve of economists and the business community, it is the business of political representatives, sociologists, environmentalists (increasingly) and educators also.

The Development And Utilisation Of A Website “Tilgjengelighet.No” To Improve Public And Decision Makers Knowledge Of Accessibility Within Physical Design Of An Area Or Building, Linda Nilsen

Papers

There is a political consensus in Rogaland that the county council shall actively promote and participate in efforts to create a more accessible and inclusive society. Rogaland county council spends a significant amount on new investments and operations each year and delivers services within the fields of education, transport and culture. It is also involved in development and cooperation within a range of other regional policy areas.

Tomorrows Disability Officer - A Cornerstone On The Universal Design Campus ‘There Are No Strangers Here – Only Friends You Haven’T Met Yet” - W B Yeats, Mary Quirke, Patricia Mccarthy, Declan Treanor, Conor Mc Guckin

Papers

This paper will explore the evolution of one of the key roles on campus for students with a disability in the context of Universal Design for Learning - that of the Disability Officer. The role of Disability Officer, while neither a teacher or a learner – is primarily occupied with all those engaged in making learning accessible. It is a role that is very much part of the learning experience for any student with a disability. The challenge for Disability Officers on a UDL campus is that while they are part of the learning environment on campus they - similar …

Universal Design In The Education System: Training Of Professionals As A Key To The Success Of A Tourism Without Exclusion, M. Dolores Muñoz De Dios, Yolanda M. De La Fuente Robles

Papers

Abstract. Abstract, The World Tourism Organization promotes Accessible Tourism with aiming at developing the tourist industry through accessibility, sustainability and technology from a social innovation perspective, thus making it crucial for education institutions to take interest in all relevant changes brought about by the changing needs of society. Tourism is a key driving force regarding socioeconomic progress, as well as an activity that has comprehensive impact in all service areas. Therefore, taking into consideration that universal accessibility and design for all individuals makes life more confortable, it is essential to provide certain guarantees so individuals can live with full rights …

Introducing Universal Design In Architectural Education, Ira Verma

Papers

Architects have an important role in designing and creating buildings and outdoor environments for inclusion. Previously, the knowledge on accessibility in the architectural education has been focusing on the legislation regarding accessibility of public buildings and apartments buildings for special groups of people. The aspect of the user and the Universal Design thinking have been lacking in the education. Since 2015, in the Department of Architecture, Aalto University, Finland, a course on User Driven Space Design has been introduced. Each year approximately 15 master level students have been participating in the course. The course introduces knowledge on user-oriented space design …

The Experiment Of Community Involvement In A Project Planning Within The Historical Context Of Rome City, Francesca Bozza

Papers

The PhD student proposes a method of community involvement in the planning and in the regeneration of historical centers, in support of the city’s ac-cessibility and people’s well-being. The outcomes of the research are the analysis and the studies conducted over three years with people with sensory, physical and cognitive impairments on the sustainable mobility of historical spaces of Rome, thanks to an agreement between the Phd Student Start up Research Project fi-nanced by Sapienza, Università di Roma and the Municipality of Rome. Citizens are involved in the analysis process: they communicate their opinions, impres-sions, perceptions and needs related to …

Teaching Squares: Crossing New Borders, Bridgette Atkins, William J. Hunter, Annette Baxter, Anna Natoli

Papers

Teaching Squares is a teaching development initiative that brings instructors together in small groups to observe one-another’s classes and reflect on their experiences in a non-judgmental, supportive environment (University of Waterloo, (n.d.). Durham College, the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT), and a key industry partner, Ontario Power Generation (OPG), have partnered on a Teaching Squares initiative, enabling primarily face-to-face discussions amongst instructors at all three institutions. Despite positive feedback and minimal time demands, building faculty enrollment and involvement remains challenging to engage instructors across various disciplines, fields, and delivery formats. In the fall 2017 semester, a professor teaching …

Designing The Transition To Higher Education For Students From Under-Represented Groups, Trevor Vaugh, Martha Brandes, Gemma Lynch, Olivia Mcneill, Alyssa Brigham

Papers

Universities are increasingly seeking to open access routes and identify ways of encouraging under-represented groups to consider higher education as an option. This cohort of students often have distinct challenges associated with disability, maturity and socioeconomic disadvantage. Maynooth University, through the Maynooth University access programme (MAP) and the Launchpad Orientation Programme (Launchpad), has proven successful in supporting these groups, helping them transition into and through higher education. Unfortunately the challenges associated with under-represented groups can lead to increased, often unarticulated difficulties, resulting in greater reliance on services and higher dropout rates compared to the average student. We discuss here a …

Protecting The Environment In An Era Of Federal Retreat: The View From New York City, Rebecca Bratspies

FIU Law Review

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Effectiveness Of Academic Coaching For Academically At-Risk College Students, Madeline Kyle Capstick

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the Academic Coaching for Excellence (ACE) program for academically at-risk students over the course of five academic semesters from Spring 2015 to Spring 2017. The study utilized archival data from 1,440 undergraduate students using a cohort-based, nonequivalent groups post-tests design. The students were on academic warning, meaning they had fallen below a 2.00 GPA in the previous academic semester and were within their first 59 credit hours of college. Results from the study found that full- and part-time students who participated in academic coaching had significant GPA increases, were …

An Analysis Of The Relationship Between Teacher Perception Of Community Support And Involvement At Their School And Student Rates Of Attendance, Graduation And Academic Proficiency, Sandra Hamer Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between educators perceptions of the quality of community support and involvement at their high schools and five longitudinally measured indices of school effectiveness. Given a sample of 248 Tennessee high schools, secondary data derived from the Community Support and Involvement subsection of the Teaching, Empowering, Leading, and Learning (TELL) Questionnaire Survey administered in 2013 were merged with concurrent student attendance, student graduation, and student achievement outcomes archived and made publically available on the Tennessee Department of Education website.After controlling for the impact of student and faculty demographic variables, hierarchical multiple …

Exploring The Effects Of Video Formats On Teaching, Social, And Cognitive Presence In Asynchronous Online Discussions, Michelle Rudolph

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Since student retention in online courses is related to the students community, this dissertation explores the effect of discussion board prompt format on students sense of community of inquiry (CoI). The quasi-experimental study design examined the participation levels, sense of CoI (i.e., social, teaching, and cognitive presence), and final grade of nontraditional, fully online undergraduate students in an entry-level graphic design course in the Graphic Arts Department at a fully online college. The study involved 90 undergraduate students in the Graphic Arts Department at a fully online college. The study consisted of four groups: one control group who experienced the …

Role Of Breastfeeding Duration, Maternal Smoking During Pregnancy, And Dna-Methylation For The Risk Of Eczema, Nandini Mukherjee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Prior studies linking breastfeeding duration and maternal gestational smoking, respectively, to offspring eczema report contradictory findings. However, it is not known whether maternal gestational smoking and breastfeeding duration can jointly influence eczema and whether these exposures mediate their effect on eczema via DNA Methylation (DNA-M) of CpG (cytosine-phosphate-guanine) sites. With data from the Isle of Wight (IOW) birth cohort, UK, we first evaluated the combined effect of maternal gestational smoking and breastfeeding duration on eczema at ages 1-to-2 (n=980), 4 (n=902), 10 (n=966), and 18 years (n=929) using Generalized estimating equations (GEE). We found a protective effect of longer duration …

Effect Of A Case-Based Online Discussion Forum On Resident Professionalism Skills And Knowledge, Amy Elizabeth Hall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Teaching professionalism in graduate medical education is required by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Program directors face several challenges in developing and implementing methods to effectively teach professionalism. However, the benefits of implementing an effective method can lead to improved resident performance and knowledge, patient care outcomes, and teamwork interactions. A research study was developed to investigate the effects of a professionalism traditional lecture versus a professionalism traditional lecture and a case-based, online discussion forum on residents professionalism skills as measured by the Professionalism Mini-Evaluation Exercise (P-MEX) and professionalism knowledge as measured by a posttest while controlling for …