The Effect of Digital Visualization Tools on Understanding of Non-Linear Functions in Advanced Algebra: A Mixed Methods Study in Georgia Schools, USA

Many Universities are building interdisciplinary programs that overlap engineering and fine art departments that focus on games, special effects, animation and other forms of interdisciplinary efforts. With increasing demands for education linking the Engineering Sciences and Fine Arts, fueled by the competitive nature of the industries that recruit graduates, educators need to become more efficient and effective in their task of educating engineering and art majors in cross-disciplinary courses.CS3650 at the University of Utah is a digital character production course. This course is interdisciplinary and draws from several disciplines including computer science, graphics, anatomy, sculpture, art, and entertainment. It is a prerequisite for our machinima class, which immerses students into 3D game engines. Visualization tools are used in the course to help students learn to create better digital models.Presented in this paper is an experimental comparison between traditional visualization tools and digital visualization tools, which are less expensive, easier to distribute, arrange/procure and transport than the traditional tools. Traditional visualization tools include lifelike skeleton reproductions, wooden body mass structures, actual live human models, and anatomy drawing books. The digital visualization tools that are contrasted in this paper are: a layered anatomically correct, digital human model (skin, muscles, masses and some bones adapted from several sources) and a VisTrails version of a properly produced human figure (interactive animation). The digital tools are used to replace the traditional visualization tools used in the same educational curriculum, which teaches students to design, model and produce digital characters for games, machinima, and animation. The quantitative experiment demonstrates that digital visualization tools help to improve a student's understanding of the complex software packages used to produce characters, helps to improve specific techniques used to model 3D characters, and it helps to improve understanding of 3D form, more than the traditional tools within the context of this educational curriculum.

Many Universities and Colleges are building interdisciplinary programs that overlap engineering and fine art departments allowing a focus on games, special effects, animation and other forms of invention that require interdisciplinary efforts. With increasing demands for education linking the Engineering Sciences and Fine Arts, fueled by the competitive nature of the industries that recruit graduates, educators need to become more efficient and effective in their jobs of educating engineering and fine art majors in cross-disciplinary courses.Many of the courses that draw from the disciplines of the engineering sciences and fine arts are neglected in the research of educational best practices and tools for enhancing the learning experiences of the students. The courses are also becoming larger and more unmanageable as presently taught.Digital character production courses can range from predominantly engineering content to one with mostly art content, or a combination in the middle of the two departments depending on curriculum design. Our course at the University of Utah is directly in the center, drawing equally from both disciplines. It gives students an applied experience in 3D graphics and the computer science that helps to produce 3D graphics. It is a prerequisite for our Machinima Class, which extends the blend of art and technology as it immerses students into 3D game engines for creating cinematic short animations. Our particular digital character production curriculum has been taught at many universities and has been refined over the last twelve years.Presented in this paper are two experimental comparisons between traditional visualization tools and digital visualization tools, which are less expensive, easier to distribute, easier to arrange/procure and easier to transport than the traditional tools. Traditional visualization tools include lifelike skeleton reproductions, wooden body mass structures, actual human models and anatomy drawing books. They are used in conjunction with lectures, demonstrations and one-on-one lab instruction. The digital visualization tools that are contrasted in this paper are: a layered anatomically correct, digital human model (skin, muscles, masses and some bones adapted from several sources) and a VisTrails MAYA version of a properly produced human figure (interactive animation). The digital tools are used to replace the traditional visualization tools used in the same educational curriculum, which teaches students to design, model and produce digital characters for games, machinima, and animation. The first experiment assesses if the digital visualization tools are comparable to traditional tools in three areas; for improving a student's understanding of the complex software packages used to produce characters, for improving specific techniques used to model 3D characters, and for improving understanding of 3D form/visual relationships. The second experimental comparison extends the analysis of the third area garnered from the other experiment to determine if the improved understanding of form/visual relationships extends into non-digital medium. Both experiments were designed to measure learning experiences and the ability to adapt modeling processes to a variety of different characters and not to just duplicate the process on similar characters.

The article analyzes digital visualization tools used in teaching Russian as a foreign language at the initial stage. The purpose of the article is to identify the degree of effectiveness of using various digital visualization tools in teaching Russian as a foreign language at the pre-university stage. The study presents the results of a questionnaire aimed at determining the role and place of digital visualization tools in teaching foreign students. The author of the article describes examples of tasks with the use of digital visualization, as well as the procedure for conducting the experimental part of the study, presents the results achieved in the course of training. The scientific novelty of the study consists in revealing the effectiveness of using digital visualization tools at the initial stage of teaching Russian as a foreign language; their role in the development of students’ speech activity skills

The research on the role of visualization in strategy work is maturing. However, the emphasis has been on strategy making by the top management and the role of visualization artifacts as a whole in that process. The study of digital visualizations and the role that their specific features play especially within strategy realization work of frontline employees is less common and largely an open question. We draw on a qualitative interpretive case study of how digital visualization tools were employed by frontline employees within an university in order to implement strategic turnaround by transforming its curriculum to reverse quality drift, stop enrollment decline, and gain international accreditation. The study findings show how digital visualization tools (i.e., four Linked Data visualizations representing curriculum maps) and the associated features (i.e., incorporating non-narrative, network depiction and adaptive interface functionalities) contributed to the realization phases of strategy understanding and strategy enactment. In particular, the study shows that, the interpretation of strategy appeared to be aided by three affordances affectivity, relationality and interactivity of visualization tools/features. Our study further shows that frontline employees work on strategy enactment was shaped both via legibility affordances (aiding enactment of strategy consistent with the original intent) as well as enunciability affordances (enabling enactment of strategy beyond originally intended). We contribute to the literature by proposing a framework that highlights how visualizations/features can (1) lubricate the strategy interpretation within the understanding phase of strategy realization; and (2) either guide frontline employee participation via legibility affordances or spark re-thinking of strategy via enunciability affordances within the enactment phase of strategy realization.

Digital teaching interventions allow for tailor-made university teaching. This is especially relevant for teacher education, where applicable professional teaching knowledge needs to be promoted for later professional success. Digital teaching tools have been shown to be a promising supplement for this purpose. Even though the corresponding demands in teacher education have been increasing in recent years, the need to develop digital learning tools usable in instruction is still urgent. The TWIND project develops digital learning tools for teacher education and evaluates them in a quasi-experimental design. The present work investigates the usability and application of these newly developed tools. Sixty-three trainee teachers worked independently over four weeks with one of two digital learning tools, focusing on either ‘Multilingualism in Classrooms’ or ‘Professional Communication in Classrooms.’ This study includes a pre-post-test of pedagogical knowledge facets as well as student and instructor ratings on the digital tools. The digital learning tools led to a positive change in the respective target facets of pedagogical knowledge. The student and instructor feedback reflected positively on the usability and usefulness of the new digital tools. Based on these findings, the limitations of the study as well as implications for further research and teacher education practice have been outlined.

ABSTRACTBackground or ContextStudies reporting the use of digital tools to promote the prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted and blood borne infections (STBBIs) have proliferated in recent years. Previous reviews highlight variability in the input sought from users in tool development, and its contribution to impact.ObjectiveThis scoping review sought to describe approaches to seeking and utilising user input, with the goal of providing guidance for developers.Search StrategySearches were conducted in MEDLINE, PsycInfo, and the Social Science Citation Index and results screened by two reviewers. The reference lists of included studies and review papers were also checked.Inclusion CriteriaPeer reviewed qualitative and mixed methods studies seeking user input on digital tools promoting the prevention and treatment of STBBIs, from prototyping onwards, published from after 2014 in English, were included.Data Extraction and SynthesisReported methods and findings were charted in Excel and synthesised using content analysis to provide an overview of methods and domains of user input and utilisation of this input.Main ResultsA total of 1838 unique titles and abstracts and the full text of 50 publications were screened. Data was charted from 37 eligible studies reporting findings from 34 projects developing digital health tools, including smartphone/tablet applications, websites/web‐based applications, chatbots, interactive automated SMS, and purpose‐built tools within dating and social media applications. Studies reported on tools developed for use by diverse target populations. The most common domain of input reported was usability (n = 31), while others—namely, satisfaction (n = 27), acceptability (n = 25), formative (n = 24), impact (n = 22), accessibility (n = 17), and engagement (n = 11)—were reported less consistently. User views were sought using qualitative methods such as interviews, focus groups and open‐ended survey questions, more often in combination with quantitative measures such as participant‐rated measures and engagement analytics. User suggestions for changes were reported in relation to three in four projects studied but incorporation of changes in less than half of projects.Discussion and ConclusionsThis review demonstrates considerable homogeneity in reported user input in the development of digital health tools. Input from users as co‐designers may improve the impact of tools on their intended outcomes.Patient and Public ContributionThis literature review brought together a group of researchers who have sought user input in the development of digital sexual health tools, but, due to resource limitations, did not involve potential users themselves, who are of diverse and disparate groups.

BackgroundHypertension, one of the most common cardiovascular conditions worldwide, necessitates comprehensive management due to its association with multiple health risks. Effective control often involves lifestyle changes and continuous monitoring, yet many individuals struggle to adhere to traditional management approaches. Digital health tools are emerging as promising alternatives, offering remote monitoring and real-time support. This study focuses on evaluating a digital tool specifically designed for hypertension management, analyzing its effectiveness, and gathering user perspectives on its functionality and impact.ObjectiveThe primary objective of this study is to assess the effectiveness of a digital health tool in managing hypertension. Additionally, the study aims to understand user experiences and satisfaction levels to gauge the tool’s acceptance and potential for long-term use. By analyzing data from a large cohort, we seek to determine whether the tool can contribute to meaningful reductions in blood pressure and support sustained engagement over time.MethodsThe study includes a cohort of 5136 participants who used the digital hypertension management tool. This tool provides continuous blood pressure monitoring, real-time feedback, and personalized health recommendations, which are crucial for tailored intervention. Participants recorded their blood pressure values over time, and we tracked retention rates to measure adherence. An online survey was administered to gather user feedback, focusing on ease of use, satisfaction levels, and perceived health benefits.ResultsOur analysis indicates a significant reduction in blood pressure values among users, with a positive correlation observed between the duration of use and the extent of blood pressure reduction. We performed a 1-sided Wilcoxon Rank Sum test to compare systolic blood pressure values in the first and last biweekly use intervals, and descriptive statistics were used to assess survey responses. High retention rates were observed, with 2583 (50.3%) participants using the tool after 1 year. Survey responses revealed high satisfaction, with users highlighting the tool’s ease of use and noting reduced anxiety related to blood pressure management. These results suggest that users found the digital tool both effective and convenient.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates the potential benefits of digital health tools in managing hypertension, emphasizing their ability to engage users over long periods and support blood pressure reduction. The high satisfaction rates and positive user feedback underscore the importance of user-centered design in creating effective health interventions. Overall, the findings suggest that digital tools, when designed with a focus on user experience, could be a valuable component in hypertension management strategies, complementing traditional health care approaches.

BackgroundArterial hypertension is one of the leading causes of premature death worldwide. In the care of patients with hypertension, digital tools – such as apps or wearables – can potentially help in prevention to facilitate lifestyle changes or to improve blood pressure control. In hypertension care in Germany, digital applications are only sporadically used by patients and recommended by physicians. This study, therefore, investigates the following questions: What preventive measures do hypertension patients use to manage their condition? What barriers can be identified? How is the use and acceptance of digital technologies for behavioural prevention?MethodsWe conducted semi-structured interviews with 31 patients with arterial hypertension in Germany. The interviews were conducted either in person or by phone and were analysed using Qualitative Content Analysis.ResultsSome interviewees use digital tools for prevention regularly, while others never do. Others have used them in the past or occasionally. Several facilitators and barriers to health behaviours and the use of digital tools were identified. These include the interviewees’ comorbidities, their routines, habits and preferences, as well as their attitude towards technological innovations. Their work situation, their financial resources and the support – or lack thereof – they receive from physicians and from their social environment also play a role. Furthermore, there are differences in the attribution of responsibility among the interviewees. While some attribute responsibility for health to the individual, others emphasise the relevance of aggravating and supportive conditions.ConclusionsThe findings indicate which factors influence the use of digital prevention tools by patients with hypertension. As described in the context of the digital divide and the inequality paradox of prevention, socioeconomic factors play a significant role in both health behaviour and the use of digital prevention tools. Some patients with hypertension may benefit from the use of digital prevention tools if appropriate conditions are created. During implementation, care should be taken to avoid exacerbating existing inequalities.Trial registrationDRKS00029761 (registration date july 27th 2022).Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12913-025-13284-6.

Due to the increased prevalence of chronic diseases, behavior changes are integral to self-management. Healthcare and other professionals are expected to support these behavior changes, and therefore, undergraduate students should receive up-to-date and evidence-based training in this respect. Our work aims to review the outcomes of digital tools in behavior change support education. A secondary aim was to examine existing instruments to assess the effectiveness of these tools. A PIO (population/problem, intervention, outcome) research question led our literature search. The population was limited to students in nursing, sports sciences, and pharmacy; the interventions were limited to digital teaching tools; and the outcomes consisted of knowledge, motivation, and competencies. A systematic literature review was performed in the PubMed, CINAHL, MEDLINE, Web of Science, SAGE, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases and by backward citation searching. We used PRISMA guidelines 2020 to depict the search process for relevant literature. Two authors evaluated included studies using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) independently. Using inclusion and exclusion criteria, we included 15 studies in the final analysis: six quantitative descriptive studies, two randomized studies, six mixed methods studies, and one qualitative study. According to the MMAT, all studies were suitable for further analysis in terms of quality. The studies resorted to various digital tools to improve students’ knowledge of behavior change techniques in individuals with chronic disease, leading to greater self-confidence, better cooperation, and practical experience and skills. The most common limitations that have been perceived for using these tools are time and space constraints.

Introduction. The article presents an overview of the research on developing soft skills in high school students, research findings on the assessment of universal competencies in high school students and the search for approaches to the development of universal competencies in high school students by means of using digital tools. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the level of soft skills among high school students and to justify the implementation of practical procedures within the framework of a digital learning environment. Materials and Methods. In order to assess the level of soft skills (e.g. emotional intelligence and self-monitoring) in Russian ninth graders (n=400) the authors applied the following general research methods: analysis, synthesis, and reviewing research literature. Empirical methods including M.Snyder’s Self-monitoring scale and Thomas–Kilmann’s inventory were used to reveal the types of behaviors for handling conflicts. The authors developed practical procedures aimed at enhancing self-control, communication and cooperation skills, and emotional intelligence, using Lift to Future and Learnis.ru educational platforms. The research methodology was based on the competence approach (A. M. Aronov, A. V. Barannikov, A. G. Burmus, I. A. Zimnaya, A. V. Khutorskoy) and modern approaches related to the problem of digitalization of education (Ya. A. Vahramenko, A. P. Ershov, I. V. Robert, S. A. Tanganyan). Results. The study revealed the main deficiencies in soft skills among the surveyed 9th graders. The authors identified invariant (lack of self-reflection, lack of motivation for self-development, unwillingness to change) and variable difficulties that impede the development of soft skills in ninth graders and are associated with individual personality traits: lack of self-confidence, excessive ambitions and desires, emotional immaturity, and increased fatigue. The study revealed a low level of emotional intelligence in 50 % of the respondents and a low level of cooperation skills in 75 % of the respondents. The authors presented a range of practical procedures based on using digital tools, which contributed to the development of soft skills indicators in high school students. The study suggests that measures aimed at enhancing soft skills should include both group and individual activities and take into account invariant and variable negative factors. The authors enrich the term ‘digital literacy’ with new content. Conclusions. Finally, the authors emphasize that digital tools contributed to maintaining motivation and increasing digital literacy in all the participants of the experiment.

To enable high school students, especially those interested in art and design-related careers, to improve their ability to integrate knowledge of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in their creative design practices and to be familiar with auto manufacturing, the development of a bridging curriculum, known as STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) using digital tools such as 3D printers, has been increasingly recognized as emergent and vital. As a bridging curriculum, it is essential to examine the curriculum with respect to high school and college students to highlight the differences in their knowledge and skills for improving curriculum development. Hence, we conducted a teaching experiment using a CO2-car engineering design curriculum in this study to analyze the learning outcomes of four groups of students (three 3D-printing groups: 108 high school students, 12 design college students, and 12 engineering college students; one handmade group: 36 high school students) to assess their competencies. The results of the present study highlight significant differences in creativity, forecast accuracy, race outcomes, and learning outcomes. Suggestions based on the results were generated to improve the curriculum. The findings in this study serve as a reference for the future design, development, and implementation of STEAM curricula.

Recovery schools for improving behavioral and academic outcomes among students in recovery from substance use disorders: a systematic review.

Today’s educational challenges necessitate the creative use of digital technology to adapt an effective pedagogical approach in chemistry teaching. While various visualization tools have been developed to improve visual-spatial skills, previous studies on digital technology interventions provide limited findings and show moderate effects on students’ learning. Moreover, students still have misconceptions even after using three-dimensional models physically or virtually while learning chemical bonding. Therefore, this study investigates the effectiveness of the CHEMBOND3D e-module that integrates the web-based visualization tool, Molview, on the chemical bonding concept knowledge and visual-spatial skills between treatment groups and control groups. A pretest-posttest non-equivalent control group with a quasi-experimental quantitative design is used in the research. Pilot studies were conducted to verify the validity and reliability of the CHEMBOND3D Chemical Bonding Knowledge Test and Revised Purdue Visualization Test of Rotations. A total of 112 pre-university students from 10 schools in Sabah were selected based on the sampling method. The findings showed significant improvement in the chemical bonding concept knowledge and visual-spatial skills for treatment group students using CHEMBOND3D e-module compared to control group students using conventional methods. This provides new evidence of the potential of web-based application in learning microscopic chemistry concept in chemical bonding. These findings can facilitate further studies of other digital visualization tools such as virtual reality and augmented reality in support of learning complex chemistry concepts in reaction mechanisms and chemical equilibrium.

IntroductionDigital medical devices (e.g., continuous glucose monitors), healthcare apps, and electronic health record tools like patient portals have significantly altered patient self-management and treatment, particularly for patients with chronic conditions.1–3...

BackgroundDigital triage tools for sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing can potentially be used as a substitute for the triage that general practitioners (GPs) perform to lower their work pressure. The studied tool is based on medical guidelines. The same guidelines support GPs’ decision-making process. However, research has shown that GPs make decisions from a holistic perspective and, therefore, do not always adhere to those guidelines. To have a high-quality digital triage tool that results in an efficient care process, it is important to learn more about GPs’ decision-making process.ObjectiveThe first objective was to identify whether the advice of the studied digital triage tool aligned with GPs’ daily medical practice. The second objective was to learn which factors influence GPs’ decisions regarding referral for diagnostic testing. In addition, this study provides insights into GPs’ decision-making process.MethodsA qualitative vignette-based study using semistructured interviews was conducted. In total, 6 vignettes representing patient cases were discussed with the participants (GPs). The participants needed to think aloud whether they would advise an STI test for the patient and why. A thematic analysis was conducted on the transcripts of the interviews. The vignette patient cases were also passed through the digital triage tool, resulting in advice to test or not for an STI. A comparison was made between the advice of the tool and that of the participants.ResultsIn total, 10 interviews were conducted. Participants (GPs) had a mean age of 48.30 (SD 11.88) years. For 3 vignettes, the advice of the digital triage tool and of all participants was the same. In those vignettes, the patients’ risk factors were sufficiently clear for the participants to advise the same as the digital tool. For 3 vignettes, the advice of the digital tool differed from that of the participants. Patient-related factors that influenced the participants’ decision-making process were the patient’s anxiety, young age, and willingness to be tested. Participants would test at a lower threshold than the triage tool because of those factors. Sometimes, participants wanted more information than was provided in the vignette or would like to conduct a physical examination. These elements were not part of the digital triage tool.ConclusionsThe advice to conduct a diagnostic STI test differed between a digital triage tool and GPs. The digital triage tool considered only medical guidelines, whereas GPs were open to discussion reasoning from a holistic perspective. The GPs’ decision-making process was influenced by patients’ anxiety, willingness to be tested, and age. On the basis of these results, we believe that the digital triage tool for STI testing could support GPs and even replace consultations in the future. Further research must substantiate how this can be done safely.