Digital Commons Network^™

Neurofeedback: New Territories And Neurocognitive Mechanisms Of Endogenous Neuromodulation, Talma Hendler

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Neurofeedback (NF) is endogenous neuromodulation of circumscribed brain circuitry. While its use of real-time brain activity in a closed-loop system is similar to brain-computer interfaces, instead of controlling an external device like the latter, the goal of NF is to change a targeted brain function. In this special issue on NF, we present current and future methods for extracting and manipulating neural function, how these methods may reveal new insights about brain function, applications, and rarely discussed ethical considerations of guiding and interpreting the brain activity of others. Together, the articles in this issue outline the possibilities of NF use …

Juxtaposition Of Bone Age And Sexual Maturity Rating Of The Taiwanese Population, Wen-Li Lu, Chung-Hsing Wang, Yi-Chun Lin, Fuu-Jen Tsai

BioMedicine

Background Bone age (BA) and sexual maturity rating (SMR) are the imperative measures in assessing adolescent growth and development. However, studies indigenous to the Taiwanese population with regard to the association of SMR and BA in adolescence is scarce. This study attempts to utilize the AI-assessed BA results to establish a relationship between BA and SMR of the Taiwanese population in regard to the initiation of puberty. Materials and methods The electronic medical records with examinations of bone age assessed between January 1st 2019 and December 31st 2019 were reviewed retrospectively. Records of the same individuals were retained only the …

Integrating Natural Product Research Laboratory With Artificial Intelligence: Advancements And Breakthroughs In Traditional Medicine, Jai-Sing Yang, Shih-Chang Tsai, Yuan-Man Hsu, Da-Tian Bau, Chia-Wen Tsai, Wen-Shin Chang, Sheng-Chu Kuo, Sheng-Chu Kuo, Chien-Chih Yu, Yu-Jen Chiu, Fuu-Jen Tsai

BioMedicine

The Natural Product Research Laboratory (NPRL) of China Medical University Hospital (CMUH) was established in collaboration with CMUH and Professor Kuo-Hsiung Lee from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The laboratory collection features over 6,000 natural products worldwide, including pure compounds and semi-synthetic derivatives. This is the most comprehensive and fully operational natural product database in Taiwan. This review article explores the history and development of the NPRL of CMUH. We then provide an overview of the recent applications and impact of artificial intelligence (AI) in new drug discovery. Finally, we examine advanced powerful AI-tools and related software …

Restorative Pedagogy To Build Community In The Classroom: Autoethnographic Reflections From Faculty, Sheila M. Mcmahon, Zahra Ahmed, Michelle Bemiller

International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

Restorative justice (RJ) is a philosophy and set of practices that center harms and needs. Within a classroom setting, an RJ pedagogical approach invites a process of shared learning that attends to critical issues of equity, power, and voice. Utilizing an autoethnographic approach, this manuscript includes critical reflections from three faculty members from diverse disciplines and positionalities about the use of RJ approaches to teaching in our respective classrooms. This paper includes discussion about the intersection of RJ with critical pedagogy, power differentials, and pragmatic issues of classroom structure learning design.

Transformative Interventions In Cell Biology: The Development And Use Of Instructor/Student-Interactive Demonstrations Of Key Cell Biology Concepts, Prashanth Rao, Ashok Upadhyaya, Meera Nanjundan

International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

In Cell Biology, a sophomore/junior undergraduate-level high-enrollment core course, students are expected to develop a broad and detailed understanding of the functioning of eukaryotic cells. For example, some of the more challenging biological concepts include machinery involved in the replication and translational processes, protein trafficking/orientation in membranes, as well as both G protein-coupled receptor and receptor tyrosine kinase signal transduction pathways. In this instructional article, we describe prior published reports of the use of interactive demonstrations of several of these key biological concepts in the classroom. Furthermore, we narrate our efforts to integrate several of these disparate evidence-based techniques (EBTs) …

Flipped Teaching Eased The Transition To Online Learning Of College Students In Stem Courses During Covid-19, Sinan Onal, Carolyn Butts-Wilmsmeyer, Charles Serrano, Paige Dickey, Georgia Bracey, Sharon Locke, Julie Fickas, Chaya Gopalan

International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

Following COVID-19, teaching was abruptly shifted from a live to a virtual format, posing a challenge to both students and faculty. There is a need to employ alternatives, emphasizing targeting the factors that suit Generation Z students for effective learning while maintaining social distancing. Understanding students' perceptions about the educational environment plays a vital role in planning and implementing teaching strategies for the future. Flipped teaching (FT) has been a successful instructional method because it embeds active learning strategies and some remote learning for which students are responsible. This study examined the perceptions of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) …

Meanings Of Authentic Learning Scenarios: A Study Of The Interplay Between Higher Education And Employability Of Higher Education Graduates, Kajsa Falkner, Eva Edman Stålbrandt

International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

The study is a part of the Erasmus+ project Skill-UP: Matching graduates’ skills and labour world demands through authentic learning scenarios. Higher education provides many different opportunities for students’ learning, though there are limited possibilities for them to learn through collaboration in authentic learning experiences. The article reports on a study which investigates meanings of authentic learning scenarios in higher education in relation to the employability of higher education graduates in a course within the bachelor’s programme in study and career guidance at Stockholm University, Sweden. Pre- and post-questionnaires on the employability skills of new graduates were completed by final …

Efficacy Of Online Laboratory Exercises In Achieving Undergraduate Learning Outcomes In Introductory Astronomy Classes, Kristen Miller, Shelli Carter

International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

Fully online courses and degree programs are popular with students today. It is important that these courses provide the same rigor and value of a traditional learning experience in a face-to-face classroom in order to ensure mastery of concepts and learning objectives. Online classes typically have suffered due to a lack of hands-on experiences for the students. One remedy to this is to include simulated hands-on work in the course through online laboratory exercises. The belief is that these simulated labs allow students to actively engage in the learning process, thus providing a traditional learning component in the online classroom. …

The Effects Of Math Anxiety On The Performance Of Undergraduate Business Majors: Using Self-Efficacy As A Mediator, Audrey Meador

International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

This research contributes to the body of knowledge regarding mathematics anxiety, self-efficacy, and performance in mathematics. Specifically, this study analyzed these constructs as they pertain to undergraduate business students enrolled in entry-level, prerequisite mathematics courses. Information was collected via surveys utilizing the Mathematics Self-Efficacy and Anxiety Questionnaire (MSEAQ). Results based on regression modeling were consistent with prior research involving the relationship between mathematics anxiety and performance, with self-efficacy serving as a mediator. Data indicated an inverse relationship between math anxiety and math self-efficacy, an inverse relationship between math anxiety and students’ expected grade, differences in math self efficacy by business …

Hybrid Teaching And Learning In Higher Education: An Appreciative Inquiry, Lori E. Kniffin, Justin Greenleaf

International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

This study is an appreciative inquiry (Cooperrider & Srivasta, 1987; Priest et al., 2013) into hybrid courses offered in Fall 2020, which included a combination of face-to-face and online elements. The courses in this study were part of an academic leadership studies program at Fort Hays State University and were taught in the hybrid format for the first time in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of the study was to identify the assets of the hybrid modality of instruction in order to retain and implement them post-pandemic in any modality. Our findings include three themes: (1) perceptions of …

“It’S Like Listening To An Audiobook”: University Of Botswana Students’ Lived Experiences And Views About Online Learning During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Boitumelo Ramoroka, Keokgale Basetsana Tlhobogang, Brigid Goitse Conteh, Beauty Boikanyo Ntereke

International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

The abrupt shift to online teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic put a strain on the education sector the world over. Using the social constructivist theory, this study postulates that faceto- face teaching and learning does not seamlessly translate to online instruction both in terms of pedagogical practice and learner experiences. This study explores students’ experiences with the quality of online learning during the pandemic. Data were collected through focus group discussions with undergraduate students across seven faculties. A thematic analysis of the responses reveals that participants mostly reported negative experiences with online learning arising from factors such as …

Active Learning Classrooms Vs Computer Labs: Student Learning, Emotion, And Classroom Settings, Megumi Kuwabara

International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

Using undergraduate students in the research methods course in Child Development as participants and keeping the instructional approach consistent, this study examined two research questions. The first research question tested the effect of two classroom settings, active learning classrooms (ALCs) versus computer labs, on students’ learning. The results found that students in ALCs performed marginally better than computer labs for overall course grades and papers, but not for exams. The second research question tested the relationship between the reduction of negative feeling state and learning and investigated whether the relationship differed based on the classroom setting (ALCs vs computer lab). …

Promoting Innovation Via A University-Organized Online Hackathon, Arnon Hershkovitz, Orly Lahav

International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

This article presents a study of a full-day, university-organized, online hackathon that aimed at designing solutions to problems raised in remote learning and teaching. The event, with about 80 participants, was carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic when many schools were closed and shifted to emergency remote teaching. The hackathon participants were challenged to design innovative solutions to authentic problems that have been raised during this situation. Using an online questionnaire, to which 28 of the hackathon participants responded, we quantitatively and qualitatively examined how the event had affected them. Findings suggest that participating in the hackathon mostly contributed to …

Epistemological And Ontological Beliefs Of Educational Psychology Doctoral Students, Lia Daniels, Lauren Alston

International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

As a discipline, educational psychology is somewhat idiosyncratic in terms of content and methodologies. Such idiosyncrasies are likely rooted in the philosophical history of the discipline which involves both the empirical tradition of Thorndike and the contextualized pragmatics of James and Dewey. Despite this, there is little teaching about epistemological and ontological beliefs in most educational psychology doctoral programs. The purpose of this research was to (a) describe educational psychology doctoral students’ epistemological and ontological beliefs and (b) determine the effectiveness of a four-part activity in supporting students’ learning about epistemology and ontology. This study represents scholarship of teaching and …

Factors Related To Study Progress Among First-Year Agriculture Students, Hanna-Riitta Kymäläinen, Jokke Hasa, Ilona Södervik

International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

The first study year at university predicts the progress and quality of later studies. The aim of our study was to explore factors that affect first-year agriculture students. In the end of their first year, 49 students answered a questionnaire measuring self-efficacy, approaches to learning, and study-related burnout. They also reported the factors that enhanced or impeded their studies. According to their approaches to learning, students were clustered into three profiles. One of these represented successful students with an organized approach, strong self-efficacy and little burnout, and another a more unorganized group. The third group had a dissonant profile and …

Factors Related To Study Progress Among First-Year Agriculture Students, Hanna-Riitta Kymäläinen

International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

The first study year at university predicts the progress and quality of later studies. The aim of our study was to explore factors that affect first-year agriculture students. In the end of their first year, 49 students answered a questionnaire measuring self-efficacy, approaches to learning, and study-related burnout. They also reported the factors that enhanced or impeded their studies. According to their approaches to learning, students were clustered into three profiles. One of these represented successful students with an organized approach, strong self-efficacy and little burnout, and another a more unorganized group. The third group had a dissonant profile and …

Promoting Innovation Via A University-Organized Online Hackathon, Arnon Hershkovitz, Orly Lahav

International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

This article presents a study of a full-day, university-organized, online hackathon that aimed at designing solutions to problems raised in remote learning and teaching. The event, with about 80 participants, was carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic when many schools were closed and shifted to emergency remote teaching. The hackathon participants were challenged to design innovative solutions to authentic problems that have been raised during this situation. Using an online questionnaire, to which 28 of the hackathon participants responded, we quantitatively and qualitatively examined how the event had affected them. Findings suggest that participating in the hackathon mostly contributed to …

The Impact Of Judo Training On The Development Of Cognitive Functions - A Systematic Review, Jakub Biedrzycki, Radosław Laskowski

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

A careful review of research was conducted to evaluate the impact of martial arts training on cognitive development in people of various ages. The analyzed research from the areas of psychology and physiology suggested that physical activity may have a positive impact on cognitive functions. Judo, as a form of martial art, not only offers physical benefits, but can also impact the cognitive function of practitioners. The purpose of this review is to examine the available scientific research on the effects of judo on various aspects of cognitive function, including memory, concentration, problem-solving ability, and other related mental functions. Therefore, …

Empowering Egyptian Women Through Social Media: A Comparative Analysis Of Economic Sustainability Campaigns By Banks On Facebook, Dr. Noura Eissa

Future Journal of Social Science

This comparative analytical study examines how Egyptian banks use Facebook to promote women’s economic empowerment by bridging between the disciples of economics, social media marketing, and gender studies. Media messages can substantially influence societal norms and perceptions of women's economic empowerment, leading them to open bank accounts and access services such as loans, credit cards, and online banking. The two banks under study are Banque Misr, a leading state-owned bank, and Commercial International Bank, which has international affiliations. The study employs a content analysis to evaluate Facebook messages published by these banks targeting women by exploring the appeals used, the …

Aligning Artificial Intelligence With Climate Change Adaptation In Egypt, Lara Mohamed Abdelrazik Ms.

Future Journal of Social Science

Abstract:

One of the frequently witnessed barriers to accelerating action on climate change is related to the construction of data bases, variables, and models as well as data extraction. According to the Grantham Research Institute on climate change and the environment, several subfields of Artificial Intelligence identify patterns to support the completion of specific tasks towards combating climate change such as; gathering, completing, and interpreting large, and complete datasets by making it possible to enhance data-driven decision-making for climate action. However, the negative side of AI was also recognized.

Learning algorithms to understand how AI’s climate impact goes beyond its …

The Impact Of Student Engagement Activities On Future Climate Change Adaptation: The Case Of Student Simulation Models, Bassel Mostafa Elkalaf

Future Journal of Social Science

This paper explores the critical role of student engagement in addressing the growing challenges of climate change, with a focus on the Model United Nations (MUN) as a case study. As climate-related security threats increase globally, educational platforms that prepare youth for effective leadership in climate politics are more essential than ever. MUN, a widely practiced student activity simulating global policy-making, provides a valuable opportunity for students to deepen their understanding of the interconnectedness between climate change, peace, and security. By participating in MUN simulations, students engage in debates, develop innovative solutions, and practice diplomatic skills, all while exploring the …

(De)Politicizing The Environment: Scenes From The Arab Context, Dr. Mai Mogib Mosad M

Future Journal of Social Science

The world wars-with their different types- had contributed to the launch of many research fields that focused on war and peace studies. However, by the end of the Cold War, attention has been transformed to focus on civil wars, peace reconstruction processes, and human security, to find an answer to whether the scarcity of resources will increase the risk of conflict. Since then, the environment has become a fundamental issue in international politics and has even turned to a source of attraction for the field of international relations. Politicizing and De-politicizing the environment has gained more concern in recent years …

Unlocking The Nexus: Ownership Structures, Nursing Staff, And Quality Of Care In Nursing Homes - A Quantitative Study, Paget Rawlins

Theses & Dissertations

Through its comprehensive examination, this quantitative study provides a thorough assessment of the association between nursing home overall quality rating, nursing home ownership structures, RN staffing, and the impact that RN staffing has on long-stay quality measures. This study examined the secondary Minimum Data Set assessments from Texas nursing homes (N=1,062). This data set was obtained from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Provider (CMS) Information website. The first linear analyses indicated there is no statistically significant association between nursing homes with better organizational structures and overall quality ratings. The second linear analysis indicated that there is a statistically …

Covenant Dynamics: Understanding The Contrasting Outcomes Of Manna And Quail In Exodus 16 And Numbers 11, Rev. Hyeseong Peter Lee

Theology Graduate Theses

No abstract provided.

Why Linear Faults Have Fewer Earthquakes: A Geometric Explanation, Julio C. Urenda, Aaron Velasco, Olga Kosheleva, Vladik Kreinovich

Departmental Technical Reports (CS)

Earthquakes usually occur in the vicinity of fault lines. Until recently, geophysical analysis implied that the fault shape should not strongly affect the frequency of its earthquakes. However, recent statistical analysis has shown that faults whose shape is close to linear experience much fewer earthquakes than faults of more complex shape. Based on this empirical fact, researchers have adjusted the corresponding geophysical models, so the updated models do explain this newly discovered phenomenon. The experience of geophysics shows that the updated model will probably need to be updated again when new data appears. It is therefore desirable to come up …

Fair Economic Division: How To Modify Shapley Value To Take Into Account That Different People Have Different Productivity, Christian Servin, Vladik Kreinovich

Departmental Technical Reports (CS)

Purpose: When several participants, working together, gained some amount of money, what is the fair way to distribute this amount between them? This is the problem that the future Nobelist Lloyd Shapley was working on when he proposed what is now called the Shapley value -- a division uniquely determined by natural fairness assumptions. However, this solutions is not universal: it assumes that all participants are equal -- in particular, that they have equal productivity. In practice, people have different productivity levels, and these productivity levels can differ a lot: e.g., some software engineers are several times more productive than …

How Shapley Value And Its Generalizations Can Help In The Analysis Of Complex Engineering Systems And What Next, Niklas Winnewisser, Michael Beer, Olga Kosheleva, Vladik Kreinovich

Departmental Technical Reports (CS)

For a complex engineering system -- such as a city's street network -- it is important to predict how its functionality is decreased when some of these components break down, and, if repairs are needed and repairs budget is limited, which subset of the set of components should be repaired first to maximize the resulting functionality. For systems with a large number of components, the number of possible subsets is astronomical, we cannot try to simulate all these subsets. So, the natural idea is to approximate the actual dependence of functionality on the subset by a simple expression -- linear …

What Is Optimal Granularity When Estimating Reliability Of A Complex Engineering Systems, Niklas Winnewisser, Michael Beer, Olga Kosheleva, Vladik Kreinovich

Departmental Technical Reports (CS)

For complex engineering systems, the usual way to estimate their reliability is to run simulations. If the resulting estimate does not satisfy the desired reliability level, we must replace some components with more reliable and again run simulations. This can take several iterations, so the required computation time often becomes unrealistically long. It is known that it is possible to speed up computations if components belong to a few types, and components of each type are identical. So, a natural idea to deal with the general case is to use the general granularity idea, i.e., to group components with similar …

Anchoring Athlete Safety: A Case Study Of The Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies Of Usa Gymnastics, Daniel Ray Raney

Experience Industry Management

In response to the unprecedented scrutiny following the Larry Nassar case, USA Gymnastics initiated comprehensive policy reforms aimed at strengthening the safeguarding framework for its minor athletes. The purpose of this study was to examine the organization's current minor athlete abuse prevention policies and evaluate their effectiveness. A case study was conducted on USA Gymnastics through a tool created by the researcher with data collected from USA Gymnastics Safe Sport Policy, the US Center for Safe Sport, and USA Gymnastics governing structure. While USA Gymnastics has created a formidable policy to protect its minor athletes, significant gaps still remain. The …

Faculty And Students’ Perceptions Of Universal Design For Learning (Udl) At A Midwestern Community College, Houyame Lkhider

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the implementation and impact of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles in community college online courses. Using a qualitative research approach, the study investigates how UDL affects student engagement, accessibility, and learning outcomes from the perspectives of both students and instructors. Data were collected through interviews with three students and one instructor, as well as a comprehensive analysis of course content to assess alignment with UDL guidelines. Findings reveal that while UDL principles enhance accessibility and foster a more inclusive learning environment, discrepancies exist between faculty and student perceptions of course quality and effectiveness. These differences highlight …