Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
- Discipline
-
- Education (1688)
- Higher Education (1130)
- Social and Behavioral Sciences (601)
- Educational Administration and Supervision (241)
- Curriculum and Instruction (198)
-
- Higher Education Administration (175)
- Teacher Education and Professional Development (175)
- Arts and Humanities (164)
- Law (148)
- Sociology (137)
- Business (130)
- Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research (128)
- Educational Leadership (119)
- Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (109)
- Higher Education and Teaching (107)
- Library and Information Science (106)
- Communication (102)
- Physical Sciences and Mathematics (91)
- Educational Methods (79)
- Medicine and Health Sciences (75)
- Leadership Studies (63)
- Online and Distance Education (63)
- Education Law (61)
- Psychology (55)
- International and Comparative Education (54)
- Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration (51)
- Disability and Equity in Education (44)
- Service Learning (42)
- Engineering (40)
- Computer Sciences (38)
- Institution
-
- University of the Pacific (1337)
- Bryant University (247)
- Nova Southeastern University (202)
- Arkansas State University (169)
- East Tennessee State University (127)
-
- Technological University Dublin (87)
- Liberty University (55)
- Eastern Illinois University (53)
- University of Nebraska at Omaha (45)
- University of Nebraska - Lincoln (42)
- University of San Diego (42)
- University of Central Florida (40)
- Walden University (40)
- Taylor University (39)
- University of Rhode Island (39)
- University of Connecticut (38)
- West Virginia University (38)
- Edith Cowan University (34)
- Molloy University (29)
- University of South Florida (29)
- City University of New York (CUNY) (28)
- Kennesaw State University (28)
- Minnesota State University, Mankato (28)
- University of Nevada, Las Vegas (28)
- University of Massachusetts Boston (27)
- Georgia Southern University (25)
- James Madison University (25)
- University of Texas at Arlington (24)
- Purdue University (23)
- Old Dominion University (22)
- Publication Year
- Publication
-
- All Issues - Student Newspaper, The Pacifican, Pacific Weekly (1187)
- Archway (1946-2020) (200)
- Pacific Magazine and Pacific Review (130)
- Faculty Senate Minutes (124)
- Graduate Council Agendas and Minutes (93)
-
- Electronic Theses and Dissertations (65)
- Dissertations (62)
- Theses and Dissertations (61)
- Doctoral Dissertations and Projects (50)
- Journal of Collective Bargaining in the Academy (48)
- Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education (35)
- Higher Education (32)
- Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD) (31)
- General Education Committee Minutes (30)
- Prospectus: Bolton Street (30)
- Alumni Network Newsletter (28)
- Practitioners' News (28)
- Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive (25)
- Association for Communication Administration Bulletin (25)
- Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies (22)
- Faculty Publications (21)
- Faculty Scholarship (21)
- University of Montana Course Catalogs, 1895-2024 (21)
- Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice College Archive (20)
- Transmutation Research Program Reports (TRP) (20)
- UTA Graduate Catalogs (20)
- Publications and Research (19)
- The Taylor Magazine (1963-Present) (19)
- Research outputs 2022 to 2026 (17)
- The Update (17)
- Publication Type
- File Type
Articles 931 - 960 of 4041
Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network
Perceived Barriers Of Homeschooled Students Moving Into Higher Education: Case Stories And Qualitative Perspectives, Lizbeth Kliewer
Perceived Barriers Of Homeschooled Students Moving Into Higher Education: Case Stories And Qualitative Perspectives, Lizbeth Kliewer
All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects
Homeschooling is a viable educational option for many families. Challenges often arise when students are ready to transition into higher education. Barriers to smooth transitions exist, both for the homeschooled student as well as for college admissions teams. The purpose of this qualitative study was to recognize these barriers in order to increase the potential for working toward solutions for those involved. This study used a combination of case story and qualitative research methodology to gather perspectives through interviews from three homeschooling families in southern Minnesota and three higher education professionals working in the field of admissions. Some of the …
Motivation Factors For Using Mobile Information Systems In M-Learning, Neelima Bhatnagar
Motivation Factors For Using Mobile Information Systems In M-Learning, Neelima Bhatnagar
CCAC Theses and Dissertations
Organizations of all types have benefited from the development and use of information systems. With the explosion of mobile applications, also known as mobile information systems, new uses are emerging. One such application of mobile information systems is mobile learning, referred to as m-learning hereafter. M-learning has found its ways in the corporate world for employee training and development, and in higher education for teaching and student learning. However, m-learning has not seen the same extent of usage as distance learning and e-learning, often attributed to technological limitations. Motivational factors, though, may also contribute to the slow adoption of m-learning. …
Sustainability In Higher Education: Perceptions Of Social Responsibility Among University Students, Younghan Jung, Kayoung Park, Junyong Ahn
Sustainability In Higher Education: Perceptions Of Social Responsibility Among University Students, Younghan Jung, Kayoung Park, Junyong Ahn
Engineering Technology Faculty Publications
Many construction-related training and education programs in the United States have now embraced the concept of sustainability, offering sustainable construction courses that highlight sustainable design and construction practices. These courses have mainly focused on green building strategies for the design and construction of built environments and indoor environmental quality necessary for students’ knowledge enhancement and career development. This study examined the effect of sustainability course on students’ knowledge as well as their perceptions of social responsibility and sustainable behaviors. Data were collected by conducting a survey from construction related programs in U.S. universities. Students were categorized based on their experience …
What Prompts College Students To Participate In Online Surveys?, Kunsoon Park, Narang Park, Wookjae Heo, Kim Gustafson
What Prompts College Students To Participate In Online Surveys?, Kunsoon Park, Narang Park, Wookjae Heo, Kim Gustafson
Consumer Sciences Faculty Publications
Online surveys are frequently used in higher education to collect students’ opinions. This study investigated the factors associated with students’ willingness to respond to online surveys. Using 540 samples from undergraduate and graduate students in the United States, this study conducted a factor analysis to categorize the reasons that students willingly participate in online surveys. Four factors were identified: Format, Affiliation, Content, and Contact. The regression analysis revealed format was significantly associated with the undergraduate students’ online survey participation, while content was significantly related to the graduate students’ online survey participation. These findings indicate the behavior of responding to online …
Survey Of U.S. Undergraduate Self-Reported Opioid Diversion And Heroin Use, Motives, Sources, And Collective Efficacy As Mediating Factors, Mark Francis Plaushin
Survey Of U.S. Undergraduate Self-Reported Opioid Diversion And Heroin Use, Motives, Sources, And Collective Efficacy As Mediating Factors, Mark Francis Plaushin
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Epic morbidity and mortality, and intractability make prescription opioid diversion a wicked problem. Meanwhile, college undergraduates are vulnerable to opioid misuse and its consequences. The purpose of this quantitative study was to assess U.S. undergraduate students' opioid misuse and the relationship between mediating factors. The study's theoretical framework rested on Wakeland's et al. opioid system model and Shaw and McKay's social disorganization theory. This study bridged the gap, measuring collective efficacy and testing its relationship to undergraduate decisions to regulate misuse. Thus, research questions focused on gauging the problem's scope and assessing relationships between factors that drive or potentially regulate …
2019-2020 Course Catalog, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of The Registrar
2019-2020 Course Catalog, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of The Registrar
University of Montana Course Catalogs, 1895-2024
An annual catalog of courses and course descriptions offered at the University of Montana.
Parental Involvement: The Impact Of One-Parent Households On Post-Secondary Educational Attainment Of African American High School Males, Dechele Marie Byrd
Parental Involvement: The Impact Of One-Parent Households On Post-Secondary Educational Attainment Of African American High School Males, Dechele Marie Byrd
Theses and Dissertations
This study explored of the practices and routines of one-parent households and the impact on post-secondary educational attainment of African American males. It adopted a post-positivist approach, using a qualitative phenomenological study design to construct descriptions of the lives of one-parent households whose sons are accepted and planning to enter college in the fall or are currently completing their freshman year. The study used data from 10 1-parent households with African American sons committed to attend a college in the fall semester of 2018. The population sought to address maximum variability in participants' parenting background, and the routines and practices …
Using Mobile Learning Tools In Higher Education: A Uae Case, Jenny Eppard, Zeina Hojeij, Pinar Ozdemir-Ayber, Marlieke Rodjan-Helder, Sandra Baroudi
Using Mobile Learning Tools In Higher Education: A Uae Case, Jenny Eppard, Zeina Hojeij, Pinar Ozdemir-Ayber, Marlieke Rodjan-Helder, Sandra Baroudi
All Works
© International Association of Online Engineering. Research indicates that mobile learning (ML), has the potential to transform teaching and learning. Despite its benefits, mobile learning adoption is a challenging process which requires support to facilitate its integration. The focus of this article is to investigate the factors that could affect ML acceptance. The quantitative and qualitative data collected from the surveys revealed additional information regarding the pedagogical benefits of and obstacles to mobile learning integration. Even though participants in this study reported to be late adopters of technology, they maintained that ML is useful for learning, specifically ubiquitous learning. Teachers …
Federal Financing Of Higher Education At A Crossroads: The Evolution Of The Student Loan Debt Crisis And The Reauthorization Of The Higher Education Act Of 1965, Camilla E. Watson
Federal Financing Of Higher Education At A Crossroads: The Evolution Of The Student Loan Debt Crisis And The Reauthorization Of The Higher Education Act Of 1965, Camilla E. Watson
Scholarly Works
Currently, there are 44.2 million Americans holding student loan debt collectively totaling $1.5 trillion. This massive debt has a profound effect, not only on the lives of the debtors, but also on the national economy because it prevents the debtors from buying homes and cars and creating new businesses. This debt is also speculated to be a likely trigger for the next housing bubble because student loans, like the subprime mortgage loans underlying the 2008 financial crisis, are securitized and sold to investors. But many of those with student loans struggle to find jobs that will enable them to pay …
Exploring The Use Of Podcasts On Students’ Language Learning And Change Of Students’ Self-Efficacy About The Use Of Podcasts, Silvia Rehulina Ginting
Exploring The Use Of Podcasts On Students’ Language Learning And Change Of Students’ Self-Efficacy About The Use Of Podcasts, Silvia Rehulina Ginting
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
Similar to other types of mobile technologies, podcasts are believed to provide many advantages for language instruction, including English as a second language (ESL) learners’ listening skills and pronunciation and changes in their self-efficacy from using the podcasts for learning ESL. The convergent parallel mixed methods design used Mayer’s cognitive theory of multimedia learning and Bandura’s self-efficacy as foundations. It used 11 different instruments to collect quantitative data and qualitative data from two sections of an upper-intermediate ESL class at one university in Midwest United States. Quantitative data were collected using a pre-test, a post-test, and the note taking quizzes …
Dark On Campus: A Phenomenological Study Of Being A Dark-Skinned Black College Student, Kiara Lee
Dark On Campus: A Phenomenological Study Of Being A Dark-Skinned Black College Student, Kiara Lee
Theses and Dissertations
As recent research finally starts to recognize colorism, a form of discrimination where light skin is valued over dark skin within an ethnic group, as a legitimate form of discrimination in the Black community, research on colorism in higher education still wanes. A limited amount of scholarship focuses on the manifestation of colorism in education and even less research examines the implications of complexion on Black college students and their intersectional identities. As empirical studies describe how complexion often denotes institutional degradation for dark-skinned Black students in K-12 and beyond -- from teacher perceptions, to the school-to-prison pipeline, to social …
Teaching Legal Studies In Business Degrees: A Review Of A Method And Its Practice, Diane Kraal, Andrew Coleman
Teaching Legal Studies In Business Degrees: A Review Of A Method And Its Practice, Diane Kraal, Andrew Coleman
Australian Journal of Teacher Education
The legal studies teaching methodology IRAC (issue, rule, application, conclusion) is widely used in universities by both law and business schools. This paper examines the effectiveness of IRAC from a teaching perspective and its usefulness for business students. Data is generated from an Australian university case study using teacher interviews and a student survey. The findings suggest that, because of its flexibility and logical structure, the practice of IRAC has become normalised. However it is only effective if teachers disseminate these features consistently in their teaching. Students in the study understood the usefulness of IRAC for classwork, but encountered application …
Association Between Recruiters' Perceptions Of Education Delivery Mode And Applicants' Workplace Readiness, Alan Mark Faingold
Association Between Recruiters' Perceptions Of Education Delivery Mode And Applicants' Workplace Readiness, Alan Mark Faingold
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
The academy, its faculty, and recruiters have discordant views about credentialed graduates’ workplace viability. As the powerful gatekeepers between education and the employment market, recruiters’ perceptions of college credentials may dictate applicants’ interview progression. Although nearly 100% of today’s college administrators believe higher education programs prepare students for the workplace, less than 12% of recruiters deem graduates ready to succeed in organizational settings after graduation. The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in recruiters’ perceptions of online and face-to-face higher education credentials as indicators of applicants’ workplace readiness. The theoretical foundation of this study was Spence’s signaling theory …
Critical Efforts Against White Supremacy: Reflections Of White Women On Anti-Racism Work Within Four-Year Colleges, Jennifer Bosco
Critical Efforts Against White Supremacy: Reflections Of White Women On Anti-Racism Work Within Four-Year Colleges, Jennifer Bosco
Doctoral Dissertations
A disconnect exists between intended outcomes of inclusivity on college campuses and the failure of these institutions to recognize and act against oppressive legacies on campus. Cabrera (2014) asserts that few studies have directly critiqued the policies and procedures of institutions of higher education using a whiteness framework. Aniagolu (2011) states that white women have acted as ‘co-whites’ alongside white men to sustain racialized policy, disparity in civil and social structures, and the hidden agenda of white supremacy. When using a racial and gendered intersectional lens in research, white women are a protected class, saved from the microscope of critical …
Background And Design Of A Qualitative Study On Globally Responsible Decision-Making In Civil Engineering, Shannon Chance, Ines Direito, Rob Lawlor, Katie Cresswell-Maynard, Jon Pritchard, Nick Tyler, John Mitchell
Background And Design Of A Qualitative Study On Globally Responsible Decision-Making In Civil Engineering, Shannon Chance, Ines Direito, Rob Lawlor, Katie Cresswell-Maynard, Jon Pritchard, Nick Tyler, John Mitchell
Conference papers
Organizations that regulate civil engineering have been pressing for integration of 'global responsibility' into higher education curricula since around 2006, with a goal of achieving environmental sustainability and social justice. In an effort led by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE, 2007, 2009), a global vision for civil engineering was identified. Within the UK, the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) has been leading the way alongside non-governmental organizations (Bourn & Neal, 2008). Via the in-progress study reported here, a UK-based research team is now studying the effects of ACSE and ICE initiatives. The team seeks to benchmark how global …
Towards Supporting Academic Authors, Researchers And Phd Students In Higher Education, Eileen O'Donnell, Liam O'Donnell
Towards Supporting Academic Authors, Researchers And Phd Students In Higher Education, Eileen O'Donnell, Liam O'Donnell
Books/Book Chapters
Academic authors, researchers, PhD, Doctoral, and Master’s students, write articles for journals, books, book chapters for inclusion in edited books, papers for conferences and conference proceedings, and so forth as a method of communicating and sharing scholarly research findings. This chapter reviews the supports necessary to learn how to effectively undertake research and successfully publish the findings. These supports could satisfactorily be provided through an e-learning portal or an e-learning platform. An e-learning module could be used to facilitate collaboration amongst staff, researchers, PhD, and post graduate students, who share similar research interests. Staff and students should be encouraged to …
The Marginalization Of Black Aspiring Lawyers, Aaron N. Taylor
The Marginalization Of Black Aspiring Lawyers, Aaron N. Taylor
FIU Law Review
No abstract provided.
Technology-Enhanced Pre-Instructional Peer Assessment: Exploring Students' Perceptions In A Statistical Methods Course, Yosep Dwi Kristanto
Technology-Enhanced Pre-Instructional Peer Assessment: Exploring Students' Perceptions In A Statistical Methods Course, Yosep Dwi Kristanto
REID (Research and Evaluation in Education)
There has been strong interest among higher education institution in implementing technology-enhanced peer assessment as a tool for enhancing students' learning. However, little is known on how to use the peer assessment system in pre-instructional activities. This study aims to explore how technology-enhanced peer assessment can be embedded into pre-instructional activities to enhance students' learning. Therefore, the present study was an explorative descriptive study that used the qualitative approach to attain the research aim. This study used a questionnaire, students' reflections, and interview in collecting student's perceptions toward the interventions. The results suggest that the technology-enhanced pre-instructional peer assessment helps …
Higher Education And The Dmca, Christopher A. Cotropia, James Gibson
Higher Education And The Dmca, Christopher A. Cotropia, James Gibson
Richmond Journal of Law & Technology
The nearly twenty-year history of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act’s safe harbor provisions has been marked by criticism from content owners, online service providers, and end users. Content owners complain about the cost of monitoring online content and sending takedown notices. Online service providers complain about the cost of receiving and processing the notices. And end users complain about their legitimate use of copyrighted works being subject to DMCA takedown. Colleges and universities have been at the forefront of this controversy; as providers of online services to their students, they have been a focus of both Congress and copyright owners. …
The Important Role Of The Faculty Advisor In Credit-Bearing Internship Opportunities, Allison Goossens
The Important Role Of The Faculty Advisor In Credit-Bearing Internship Opportunities, Allison Goossens
Dissertations, Theses, and Projects
Much of the research that surrounds internships and other student experiential learning focuses on the student and the inherent benefits that they reap from such experiences. Much of this research is viewed through a developmental lens, examining how students benefit and in what conditions are conducive to the learning taking place. What is not widely noted is the work that the faculty advisors do to help facilitate that learning, ensuring that the experience is held to a high level of academic integrity. Here, the literature around this topic is explored and the importance of the faculty advisor and the role …
On The Role Of Tasks In Virtual Game-Based Learning: The Example Of “Lost In Antarctica“, Simone Kibler, Linda Eckardt
On The Role Of Tasks In Virtual Game-Based Learning: The Example Of “Lost In Antarctica“, Simone Kibler, Linda Eckardt
Proceedings of the IATUL Conferences
There is evidence that tasks play an important role in the context of the development of virtual learning scenarios. This paper will focus on this fact and identify the relationship between tasks and their purpose in the context of “Lost in Antarctica”. This game-based blended-learning scenario contains a huge variety of tasks ensuring the acquisition of different skills within the broad range of information literacy (IL)-topics. In conclusion, general recommendations for the use of tasks in the conceptional process of e-learning environments should be given. "Lost in Antarctica” is a game-based blended-learning platform for about 150 students of Industrial Engineering …
Educators, Question Your Level Of Cultural Responsiveness, China M. Jenkins
Educators, Question Your Level Of Cultural Responsiveness, China M. Jenkins
Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence
Institutions of higher education are becoming increasingly diverse, while faculty of these institutions generally lack the diversity of the student population they teach. This imbalance necessitates educators implement culturally responsive teaching within their classrooms. The intent of this article is to guide educators in determining whether they practice and implement culturally responsive teaching within their classrooms. To make this examination, I present questions that educators should ask themselves to determine their level of cultural responsiveness. In response, educators should look to investigate their level of cultural competency, analyze social constructions that reflects growth in cultural responsiveness, and verify their transformation …
Mindful Practices To Interrupt White Supremacy In Higher Education: Opportunities For Educators In Service Learning And Community Engagement, Jennifer F. Steinfeld
Mindful Practices To Interrupt White Supremacy In Higher Education: Opportunities For Educators In Service Learning And Community Engagement, Jennifer F. Steinfeld
Mindfulness Studies Theses
This thesis proposes reflective practices for educators to interrupt white supremacy in higher education service learning programs. It is relevant today as higher education institutions look more closely at their history, often upholding or benefiting from slavery, racism, indigenous removal, and other forms of race-based exploitation. Other work on this topic demonstrates the power of reflectivity and mindfulness practices in reducing the impact of racial biases. The heart of this creative thesis is a research-based curriculum for a learning community of educators to develop capacity to incorporate reflectivity, meditation, and liberatory pedagogies into their classrooms. This curriculum is designed for …
Gec Meeting Minutes For Dec 3, 2018, General Education Committee
Gec Meeting Minutes For Dec 3, 2018, General Education Committee
General Education Committee Minutes
No abstract provided.
Applying The Principles Of Universal Design For Learning (Udl) In The College Classroom, Kathleen A. Boothe, Marla J. Lohmann, Kimberly A. Donnell, D. Dean Hall
Applying The Principles Of Universal Design For Learning (Udl) In The College Classroom, Kathleen A. Boothe, Marla J. Lohmann, Kimberly A. Donnell, D. Dean Hall
The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship
Universities are charged with educating students from diverse backgrounds, including ELL students, nontraditional students, military students, first generation college students, and students with disabilities. In order to meet the wide variety of learning needs and abilities in the college classroom, teachers must find innovative methods for reaching this diverse population of students. One potential solution is Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Through instructional and assessment strategies that address the “why”, how”, and “what” of learning, the UDL approach ensures that all students can learn. The research regarding the concept of using UDL in the college classroom is minimal, but shows …
Looking Inward: Higher Education Public Relations And Internal Communication, Kelly A. Campbell
Looking Inward: Higher Education Public Relations And Internal Communication, Kelly A. Campbell
Dissertations
There has been a decline in public good will toward institutions of higher education for nearly four decades. Resultantly, the public, media, and politicians call for greater transparency. It would be beneficial for institutions of higher education to utilize strategic means to communicate their stories, successes and brand directly to various publics. A critical, albeit often an overlooked public, are the employees of the university. They can serve as ambassadors for the university interacting with outside publics. In this capacity, not only do employees need to know information about their organization to function well at their positions, they also need …
Perceptions Of Confidentiality And Stigma Associated With Use Of Counseling Services, Jesi Hall
Perceptions Of Confidentiality And Stigma Associated With Use Of Counseling Services, Jesi Hall
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Counseling services are offered in most universities, but are often underutilized. Past researchers found that students listed time, cost, stigma, and confidentiality concerns as their top reasons for avoiding seeking help (e.g., Clement et al., 2015; Dearing, Maddux, and Tangney, 2005). The purpose of this study was to identify whether concerns about confidentiality affect stigma related to use of mental health services. Students answered questions about perceived stigma and the reasons they have avoided seeking counseling in the past. Those who had previously used services reported fewer confidentiality concerns. In a stepwise multiple regression, concerns about confidentiality were found to …
The Impact Of Transfer Shock In A Dental Hygiene Program At A Four-Year Health-Sciences University, Claire Sallee Tucker
The Impact Of Transfer Shock In A Dental Hygiene Program At A Four-Year Health-Sciences University, Claire Sallee Tucker
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
In order for a student to be successful in dental hygiene education, the student must gain the required knowledge and skills necessary to perform as a hygienist and possess the ability to utilize critical thinking to apply these attributes while in the program and on the National Board of Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE) (Alzahrani, Thompson, & Bauman, 2007; Fried, Maxey, Battani, Gurenlian, Byrd, & Brunick, 2017). Dental hygiene students who attend a medical university have the option to take required pre-requisite courses at a community college or a four-year university. All dental hygiene students transfer from another institution and all …
A Leak In The Pipeline: College In Jail From The Participants’ Perspective, Kathy Mora
A Leak In The Pipeline: College In Jail From The Participants’ Perspective, Kathy Mora
Student Theses
Offering college-level coursework to people in correctional facilities has proven to be a good investment in reducing recidivism and violence, however, how incarcerated students evaluate ‘prison to college pipeline’ programs, and how they access education after release is less understood. This study is a participant-observation approach with semi-structured surveys of a college class in Rikers Island that aims to answer the question: How do incarcerate students describe their experience with college in jail and their post-release plans to continue their education? This study uses 25 surveys of persons who participated in a college program in Rikers Island. A significant theme …
2018 November 26 - Graduate Council Minutes, College Of Graduate And Continuing Studies, East Tennessee State University
2018 November 26 - Graduate Council Minutes, College Of Graduate And Continuing Studies, East Tennessee State University
Graduate Council Agendas and Minutes
No abstract provided.