Digital Commons Network^™

A Framework Of Web-Based Dark Patterns That Can Be Detected Manually Or Automatically, Ioannis Stavrakakis, Andrea Curley, Dympna O'Sullivan, Damian Gordon, Brendan Tierney

Articles

This research explores the design and development of a framework for the detection of Dark Patterns, which are a series of user interface tricks that manipulate users into actions that they do not intend to do, for example, share more data than they want to, or spend more money than they plan to. The interface does this using either deception or other psychological nudges. User Interface experts have categorized a number of these tricks that are commonly used and have called them Dark Patterns. They are typically varied in their form and what they do, and the goal of this …

Scale Model Equations And Optimization For Annular Flow Of Non-Newtonian Fluids Between Eccentric And Rotating Cylinders, Wei Zhang, Pooya Khodaparast, Amin Mehrabian Dr., Amir Shojaei

Progress in Scale Modeling, an International Journal

A broad range of engineering applications involves helical flow of non-Newtonian fluids between two eccentric cylinders. These applications often require estimation of the frictional pressure losses along the axes of the cylinders. Laboratory flow loops are commonly used to study the flow characteristics at smaller scales of investigation. This study uses the laws of similarity and dimensional analysis to obtain a set of scaling equations between the laboratory and prototype scales of the described annular flow. These equations are derived for four types of fluid rheology including Newtonian, power-law, Bingham-plastic, and yield power-law.

Results are expressed through a set of …

Agropastoral Systems An Alternative To Revert Pasture Degradation In The Cerrados Of Brazil: Preliminary Results, Manuel C. M. Macedo, J. A. M. Bono, A. H. Zimmer, F. P. Costa, Tsutomu Kanno, Cesar Heraclides Behling Miranda, A. N. Kichel

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

A long term experiment was set to test the hypothesis that agropastoral systems could improve crop and animal production, being more profitable and sustainable relative to economical, biological and environmental aspects, than continuous and traditional crop and grazing pasture systems. Five farming systems are being tested: two traditional (continuous soybean annual cropping and continuous pasture cropping) and three agropastoral systems (two combinations of four by four years of rotational crop-pasture systems and one by three years of crop-pasture rotation). Animal production in continuous pasture cropping measured as liveweight gain/ha (LWG) are declining along the years in the sub-treatment without fertilizer …

Evaluation Of A Number Of Grass Species For Restoring Degraded Semi-Arid Rangelands In Southern Africa, K. Kellner, S. De Wet

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The biophysical environment is an important determinant of land degradation in both commercial and communal land tenure systems in South Africa. According to a recent study on the status of land degradation, approximately 25% of the total land cover in South Africa is degraded. Several technologies exist to restore the soil and vegetation degraded areas in natural pastures. To improve the production and biodiversity potential for agricultural and conservation uses in these rangelands, a common restoration technology includes the cultivation the eroded and compacted soil surfaces by rip- ploughing and the re-vegetation with high productive, palatable and perennial species. Five …

An Investigation Into Caffeine Consumption And Self-Reported Dependency In The Republic Of Ireland, Gavin Buckley, Ciara Murphy, Nora O'Sullivan, Róisín Spriggs

International Undergraduate Journal of Health Sciences

Objectives: To explore the consumption of caffeine containing beverages by the Irish population and to investigate their self-perceived dependency on such products.

Methodology: An online survey was distributed with national access to Irish adults which was open to responses from 25^th February to 7^th March 2021 inclusive. A total of 417 responses from participants over 18 years of age were validated and analysed using Microsoft Excel.

Results: Tea was the most commonly consumed caffeinated product among the Irish population, with the majority of respondents stating their consumption began before 10 years old. The majority of respondents did not …

Analysis Of The Reasons And Extent To Which Irish College Students Use Vitamins And Supplements In 2021, Ellen Faherty, Kelsey Hough

International Undergraduate Journal of Health Sciences

The aim of the current study was to establish the health, personal and social factors that influence the use of vitamin/supplements (VS) among college students in Ireland. Ethical approval was obtained from MTU Research Ethics Committee with supervision from Dr Brigid Lucey and Dr Annemarie Burns for the duration of this novel investigation. An online questionnaire was carried out on 495 Irish third level students during March 2021. The questionnaire included enquiries about demographic characteristics, understanding of health, VS use and factors that influence this. VS use was reported by 82.6% of the surveyed population despite it being acknowledged that …

An Investigation Into College Induced Stress & Coping Mechanisms And Its Effect On Mental Health, Gráinne Morgan, Madeleine Quinn, Clíodhna Ní Shúilleabháin

International Undergraduate Journal of Health Sciences

The objective of this study was to evaluate college induced stress reported by college students across the Republic of Ireland and identify the coping mechanisms used to deal with such stress. No previous studies regarding this topic had been published in the Republic of Ireland. The authors compiled and distributed a survey on stress throughout various Universities and Institutes of Higher Education across the Republic of Ireland. A total of 144 third level students were surveyed between the 19th of February to the 5th of March 2020. The most common daily stress ranking among both males and females was reported …

A Snapshot Investigation Into The Availability And Access To Codeine-Containing Medications Amongst The Irish Population., Katie O'Brien, Pádraig Mckeown, Joseph Phelan

International Undergraduate Journal of Health Sciences

Codeine phosphate is a mild to moderate analgesic and has a weak cough suppressant activity that is available to purchase as an over the counter (OTC) painkiller in Ireland as a compound product. In recent years, countries such as Australia have introduced laws that prohibit the sale of the drug without a valid prescription. This move by Australia begs the question as to why this legislation was introduced and should Ireland follow suit.

The primary aims of the study were to determine knowledge among the general public of codeine-containing medications and their usage levels. The survey also investigated whether current …

An Investigation Into The Prevalence Of Use And Availability Of Information On Contraception For Female Third Level Students Aged 18-24, Barbara Dymet, Jane Hyde, Chloe Madden, Ciara Walsh

International Undergraduate Journal of Health Sciences

Introduction:

The purpose of this investigation was to find out the amount of female students in third level institutions who use contraception as well as their attitude towards the availability of information about female birth control options in these institutions.

Materials and methods:

An online survey was created using Google Docs which was then sent out to undergraduate third level female students over the age of 18. All gathered data was analysed using Microsoft Excel.

Results:

The vast majority of the surveyed population was sexually active and used contraception with the most common form being a combination of the contraceptive …

A Research Study Into Human Papilloma Virus (Hpv) Vaccinations And Cervical Screening Programmes Used For Young Women In Ireland Today, And Their Role In Hpv Prevention And The Detection Of Cervical Cancer., Ruth Delahunty, Niamh Coleman, Amy Harrington, Shannon Crowe

International Undergraduate Journal of Health Sciences

This paper aimed to research the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine uptake which prevents cervical cancer (caused by HPV), and an evaluation of the Cervical Check system in Ireland for cervical cancer detection was undertaken as part of the research. Topics discussed were the preventative and detective measures for cervical cancer in Ireland. The population studied was 18–24-year-old women in Ireland. This study was conducted online, through Google forms, Facebook and the UCC surveys portal. A total of 776 participants were analysed using excel spreadsheets and data collation methods like histograms. The survey was anonymised, and the participants agreed for …

The Knowledge, Prevalence And Perception Of Sexually Transmitted Infections (Stis) Among The Third-Level Student Population In Cork, Ireland, Stephen Mckenna, Anna Pohrebyannyk, Cathal O' Regan, Claudia Mayer

International Undergraduate Journal of Health Sciences

Background

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are transmitted through sexual contact with an infected person and these infections are capable of causing health problems such as infertility. In Ireland, the majority of STIs have been on the increase since the early 2000s, particularly among young people aged 15-24 years old.

Aims

The aims of this study were to investigate the knowledge, prevalence, and perception of third-level students in Cork, Ireland regarding STIs and to generate incentives which may encourage and increase the number of students to attend STI screening or testing.

Methodology

The survey created using Google Forms™ was distributed to …

An Investigation Into The Prevalence Of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci Within An Irish Hospital, Dylan Casey

International Undergraduate Journal of Health Sciences

Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are well-recognised nosocomial pathogens that pose a significant threat to public health. Associated with poorer clinical outcomes than their vancomycin-sensitive counterparts, the prevalence of VRE in Ireland has increased in recent times, with the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network reporting that out of 29 countries, Ireland demonstrated the highest rates of vancomycin resistance among invasive Enterococcus faecium isolates between 2011 and 2014 (2011; 34.9%, 2012; 44.0%, 2013; 42.7%, 2014; 45.1%). Herein, we investigate VRE prevalence in the Mercy University Hospital (MUH) – an acute care hospital in southern Ireland. A total of 21 first-time VRE infections were …

Full Issue: The International Undergraduate Journal Of Health Sciences, Volume 1, Issue 2, December 2021, Iujhs Full Issue

International Undergraduate Journal of Health Sciences

The full June 2021 issue (Volume 1, Issue 2) of the International Undergraduate Journal of Health Sciences

Effective Leadership Styles Strategies And Job Performance Of Librarians In Federal University Libraries In South-South, Nigeria, Enite Anita Urhefe, Austin J. Mole Prof.

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The study investigated effective leadership styles strategies and job performance of librarians in Federal University libraries in South-South, Nigeria. The study adopted descriptive research design. A total of four (4) research questions were raised to guide the study, and a hypothesis was also tested at 0.5 level of significant. The population of the study comprised (98) librarians in the six Federal universities spread across the six states of South-South, Nigeria. No sample was done due to the manageable size of the population. The instrument used for data collection was a researcher constructed questionnaire titled “Effective Leadership Styles Strategies and Job …

Academic Stress Among The Library And Information Science Students Of Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, India: A Study, Jyoti Devi, Ashu Shokeen

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The present study aims to explore the academic stress among the Library and Information (LIS) Students of the Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra situated in the Haryana state of India. A structured questionnaire was designed to collect the data from all the 54 LIS students through the survey method and all the questions were based on a 5-point Likert scale. The study found that poor time management (M=3.72 ±.856), stress regarding the tests, assessment, grades & evaluation and meeting the deadlines for the same (M=3.70 ±.983), the stress of family’s high expectations regarding career issues (M=3.63 ±1.033) and fear of lagging behind …

Book Review: Media Education In Latin America, Helen J. Dewaard

Journal of Media Literacy Education

No abstract provided.

Book Review: De/Constructing Literacies: Considerations For Engagement, Serene Arena

Journal of Media Literacy Education

No abstract provided.

Beyond ‘Fake News’: Opportunities And Constraints For Teaching News Literacy, Judith E. Rosenbaum, Jennifer L. Bonnet, R. Alan Berry

Journal of Media Literacy Education

Teaching news literacy has, in recent decades, become cross-disciplinary, and as a result, more collaborative. This paper centers the importance of this collaboration by describing a workshop designed and taught by a media studies professor, a media literacy expert, and their subject librarian. In this essay, we discuss the workshop in terms of best practices for teaching about media and information literacy in an era marked by digital news consumption and the proliferation of claims of “fake news.” First, we elaborate on the value of the collaboration between the discipline, the library, and the field, as it allowed us to …

Viral Hangouts: The Media Literacy Lifeline I Didn’T Realize I Needed, Scott Spicer

Journal of Media Literacy Education

This article describes my experience as an academic media librarian initially seeking guidance on best support practices for the virtual world from other media literacy educators at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. What I found through the Virtual Viral Hangouts community turned out to be so much more! In addition to sharing tips on media literacy education (my contribution emphasized commercial media resources and student created media projects in virtual contexts), I also developed dear friendships with participants from all walks of life. The one hour a day spent away from my daily work served as a lifeline, …

Connect The Dots, Edward Mcdonough

Journal of Media Literacy Education

During the dawn of the Covid Pandemic our isolation was a depressant. As teachers we were struggling with how to teach, as the popular saying explains, in an environment “that was like building an airplane as we were learning how to fly it.” As a teacher in practice, Virtually Viral Hangouts became my antidepressant. This daily online community of educators gave me the skills to teach more effectively during the pandemic and beyond. The experience taught me how to seek and forge connections with students and cyber colleagues; how to carve out a cyber environment of psychological safety to …

Seeding Change: What Vvh Can Teach Us About Teaching And Learning In Digital Spaces, Michelle Ciccone

Journal of Media Literacy Education

In this essay, I reflect on a central question: “why did I experience something so profoundly different in Virtually Viral Hangouts (VVH) than I was able to help seed in my own district during the COVID-19 crisis?” I identify three key components of the VVH ethos that inspired new ways of thinking, namely: digital technologies free us from constraints to build something different, digital technologies are most effective when we use them to build community, and digital collaboration enables us to tap into the wisdom of the group. As we build better and more humane educational spaces, it is important …

Virtually Viral Hangouts: Reflections On The Role Of Community During Crisis, Lauren G. Mcclanahan

Journal of Media Literacy Education

In this essay, I reflect on two key aspects of my membership in the online community known as Virtually Viral Hangouts (VVH). First, I reflect on how membership in this group helped me professionally, providing important, in-time instruction as I learned to make the switch from in-person to remote learning in the early days of Covid-19. Next, I reflect on how membership in this group helped me personally, as I struggled to find my identity as a teacher through a computer screen. I conclude by reflecting upon what it means to be a member of a community and why such …

The Secret Sauce Of Online Community Of Practice During Covid-19 Pandemic: Nonviolent Communication, Yonty Friesem, Elizaveta Friesem

Journal of Media Literacy Education

The challenges of work-family balance while being asked to move to remote instruction and engage students creatively have affected us all globally on multiple levels - from our professional identity, to our own health, mortality and purpose in life. The idea behind Nonviolent Communication (NVC) is that as Rosenberg (2015/1999) put it, it is a language that celebrates life. Applying these practices in a community building initiative of the Media Education Lab during the COVID-19 pandemic supported our community not only for their professional needs, but also and most importantly in their social and emotional resiliency to keep positive their …

Using Gamification To Teach And Engage Students In The Act Of Summary Writing, Quang C. Ly

Journal of Media Literacy Education

This study uses the concept of gamification to engage first-year students in the act of summary writing. The researcher argues that writing instructors should consider ways to gamify concepts in their curriculum to bring novelty and active involvement to course materials. The researcher uses Robson et al.’s (2015) mechanics, dynamics, and emotions framework and Groh’s (2012) principles of relatedness, competence, and autonomy to explain and justify the integration of gamification to the summary genre. Of the typical gaming elements used in gamification, the researcher relies on the uses of digital badges as a motivator and as a sign of credentials …

Hope Matters: How An Online Learning Community Advanced Emotional Self-Awareness And Caring During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Renee Hobbs

Journal of Media Literacy Education

For many educators with interests in digital and media literacy, the COVID-19 pandemic was an inadvertent opportunity to explore digital and media literacy through online learning and professional development. This paper describes how a diverse and multidisciplinary group of educators gathered each weekday in a Zoom video conference meeting for fellowship, emotional support, and sharing, building relationships which evolved over time to support emotional growth, technology skill development, learning, and reflection. Survey data shows that program participants had higher levels of optimism and emotional self-awareness as compared with a control group. Participants who had more exposure to the program were …

A Qualitative Study Of Early Adolescents’ Critical Thinking About The Content And Consequences Of Media Violence, Erica Scharrer, Yuxi Zhou

Journal of Media Literacy Education

Research shows that young people are likely to encounter considerable amounts of violence in the media they use. Some of those depictions trivialize the severity of violence. Past studies show that media literacy education can spur critical thinking regarding violent portrayals in media texts. But rarely do prior studies employ qualitative methods to understand how young media audience members reason through the key question of whether media violence is either surprising or concerning. In the current study, an in-school media literacy program is offered to 48 6th graders who provide data in the form of written responses to a number …

Higher Education Students’ Social Media Literacy In Ethiopia: A Case Of Bahir Dar University., Atinafu Behailu

Journal of Media Literacy Education

This study investigates the status of Bahir Dar University students’ social media literacy and how associated factors affect developing core competencies. A combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods have been employed in the study. Both descriptive and inferential statistics of means core, standard deviation, one sample t-test, independent sample t-test, correlation and multiple regressions were used to analyze data gathered from the quantitative design. Data gathered from FGD were analyzed qualitatively. Accordingly, the students’ overall social media level was found to be low. Female students perform slightly lower than their counterpart male students. Among the five skills of social …

A Local Lens On Global Media Literacy: Teaching Media And The Arab World, Katharina Schmoll

Journal of Media Literacy Education

The globalization and transnationalization of media use have facilitated access to voices from the Arab world. Students and teachers in Western higher education can make use of these voices within and outside the classroom to enhance students’ knowledge of the region and challenge Eurocentric imaginations of the ‘Other’. Yet to ensure students engage with these Arab sources in a meaningful way, media literacy is key. Drawing on and challenging a framework of global critical media literacy, this article argues that media literacy is grounded in time and space, meaning an effective teaching of global media literacy skills supposes an awareness …

An Approach To Creative Media Literacy For World Issues, Abduljalil Nasr Hazaea

Journal of Media Literacy Education

This article introduces an approach to creative media literacy for world issues (WIs) such as Covid-19. In so doing, the article integrates four positions on discourse and media as terrible facets of globalization in the context of critical discourse analysis (CDA). The objectivist position deals with WIs as neutral discourse shared among humanity and distributed through English as an international language and educational media. The ideologist position treats creative media literacy as relations of power between global and local identities in the form of competing discourses associated with WIs. The rhetorical position reveals the hidden strategies used in global media …

Seeking Truth About Muslims: Critical Media Literacies In An Era Of Islamophobia, Matthew Deroo

Journal of Media Literacy Education

Across various forms of media, Muslims are often portrayed as a homogenous group prone to violence, yet scholars have increasingly called upon schools and teachers to transcend stereotypes and prepare students to understand Muslims in more thoughtful and nuanced ways. This qualitative case study recounts how students and a teacher in a high school multicultural studies class investigated problematic media materials about Islam sent by an organization called the Christian Seniors Association. Drawing upon Mihailidis’s (2014) 5A’s of Media Literacy heuristic, I analyzed field notes from classroom observations, interviews, and student produced artifacts. Findings revealed how a teacher’s use of …