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An Integrated Framework of Online Learning Effectiveness in Institutions of Higher Learning

<p><p style="text-align:justify">In the early stages of adopting online learning, both learners and teachers displayed resistance, but the COVID-19 pandemic has forced a widespread shift to digital learning. To facilitate this transition, there is a growing focus on highlighting the effectiveness of online learning, which directly impacts learning outcomes. This study investigates online learning effectiveness through an integrated framework that considers online assessment practices and online course design as independent variables, with online learning support as a moderating variable. Understanding the effectiveness of online learning is crucial as hybrid learning becomes the "new norm" in education, combining online and offline methods for teaching the digital generation. Using a quantitative research design involving 232 students at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, the study found that online assessment practices and course design significantly influence students perceived learning outcomes in an online learning environment. Additionally, online learning support positively moderates this relationship. These findings offer a comprehensive perspective on how online assessment practices, course design, and support systems contribute to the quality of higher education in Malaysia amidst evolving educational practices.</p></p>

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Developing Students' Critical Thinking: Examining the Influence of Learning Management Approaches Through Meta-Analysis and Propensity Score Matching

Critical thinking is a skill that enables individuals to keep pace with changes and enhances crucial competencies for contemporary competitiveness. Many researchers have studied learning management approaches to develop students' critical thinking, resulting in a substantial body of knowledge but lacking clear systematic summaries. The researchers aimed to (a) examine the effect sizes and research characteristics influencing students' critical thinking, and (b) compare the effect sizes of learning management approaches after adjusting with propensity score matching from 108 graduate research published between 2002 and 2021. Data were collected using research characteristics recording forms and research quality assessment questionnaires. Effect sizes were calculated using Glass's method and analyzed through random effect, fixed effect, and regression meta-analysis. Findings revealed that (a) research on developing learning management approaches influences students' critical thinking at a high level (d ̅ = 1.669), with nine research characteristics, including the field of publication, courses, total duration, teacher learning process, learning media, measurement and evaluation, research design, research statistics, and research quality, statistically significantly influencing students' critical thinking, and (b) after adjustment, inquiry-based learning significantly influences students' critical thinking. Recommendations for developing students' critical thinking include learning activities that encourage problem exploration, expanding thinking through collaborative analysis, and applying diverse media and activity sheets tailored to context suitability.

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A Causal Model of Learning Loss in the Midst of COVID-19 Pandemic Among Thai Lower Secondary School Students

<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt">It is known that the COVID-19 pandemic led to learning losses among students both domestically and internationally. Therefore, situational and casual factors were examined to discover and understand them so that learning loss could be reduced or recovered from. This research aimed to: (a) study learning loss situation; and (b) develop and examine the causal model of learning loss among lower secondary school students affected by the pandemic. The sample included 650 Grade 7-9 students selected by multi-stage random sampling. The data was collected using a self-developing questionnaire as a research instrument. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent samples t-test, ANOVA, and structural equation modeling (SEM) through the LISREL program. The findings were: (a) Lower secondary school students had an average academic achievement learning loss at the moderate level with the highest mean of learning loss in mathematics (<em>M</em>=3.012, <em>SD</em>=1.074), and an average learning characteristics learning loss at the medium level (<em>M</em>=2.824, <em>SD</em>=0.842). Several situational factors had a different effect depending on the school size with a statistical significance of .05.; and (b) the causal model showed the learning loss of grade 7-9 students was consistent with the empirical data (χ2=46.885, <em>df</em>=34, <em>p</em>= .069, GFI=0.991, AGFI=0.964, CFI=0.999, RMSEA=0.024, SRMR=0.014).</span></span></span></p>

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Resting-state brain activity as a biomarker of chronic pain impairment and a mediator of its association with pain resilience.

Past cross-sectional chronic pain studies have revealed aberrant resting-state brain activity in regions involved in pain processing and affect regulation. However, there is a paucity of longitudinal research examining links of resting-state activity and pain resilience with changes in chronic pain outcomes over time. In this prospective study, we assessed the status of baseline (T1) resting-state brain activity as a biomarker of later impairment from chronic pain and a mediator of the relation between pain resilience and impairment at follow-up. One hundred forty-two adults with chronic musculoskeletal pain completed a T1 assessment comprising a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scan based on regional homogeneity (ReHo) and self-report measures of demographics, pain characteristics, psychological status, pain resilience, pain severity, and pain impairment. Subsequently, pain impairment was reassessed at a 6-month follow-up (T2). Hierarchical multiple regression and mediation analyses assessed relations of T1 ReHo and pain resilience scores with changes in pain impairment. Higher T1 ReHo values in the right caudate nucleus were associated with increased pain impairment at T2, after controlling for all other statistically significant self-report measures. ReHo also partially mediated associations of T1 pain resilience dimensions with T2 pain impairment. T1 right caudate nucleus ReHo emerged as a possible biomarker of later impairment from chronic musculoskeletal pain and a neural mechanism that may help to explain why pain resilience is related to lower levels of later chronic pain impairment. Findings provide empirical foundations for prospective extensions that assess the status of ReHo activity and self-reported pain resilience as markers for later impairment from chronic pain and targets for interventions to reduce impairment. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Resting-state markers of impairment: Higher baseline (T1) regional homogeneity (ReHo) values, localized in the right caudate nucleus, were associated with exacerbations in impairment from chronic musculoskeletal pain at a 6-month follow-up, independent of T1 demographics, pain experiences, and psychological factors. Mediating role of ReHo values: ReHo values in the right caudate nucleus also mediated the relationship between baseline pain resilience levels and later pain impairment among participants. Therapeutic implications: Findings provide empirical foundations for research extensions that evaluate (1) the use of resting-state activity in assessment to identify people at risk for later impairment from pain and (2) changes in resting-state activity as biomarkers for the efficacy of treatments designed to improve resilience and reduce impairment among those in need.

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A comparative study of functional outcome of percutaneous kirschner wire fixation versus philos plating of proximal humerus fractures

: Proximal humerus fractures, accounting for approximately 5% of all fractures, pose a significant challenge in orthopedic management due to their complex anatomy and diverse fracture patterns. Treatment options range from conservative methods to various surgical interventions, each with its pros and cons. This study specifically compares two commonly employed surgical techniques: Open reduction & internal fixation with PHILOS plate and percutaneous k-wire fixation with/without external clamps. This study aims to address the effectiveness of each technique by evaluating functional outcomes using validated scoring systems like the Constant-Murley Score. To assess the functional outcomes of two surgical treatment methods (K-wire application and PHILOS plate fixation) for proximal humerus fractures. : A randomized prospective study was conducted on patients coming to the Orthopaedics outpatient department or casualty of tertiary care hospital for a duration of 1 year from Dec 2022 to Nov 2023. A total of 18 patients were included in the study. The mean Constant- Murley Score (CMS) was 81 +/- 6.13 for the PHILOS plating group and 76.88 +/- 7.37 for the K-wire treated group with a p-value of 0.08. The results for CMS were excellent in 22.2% of patients and good in 66.7% of patients in PHILOS treated group and excellent for 11.11%, good for 66.67% and satisfactory for 22.2% in the K-wire treated group. Both groups achieved satisfactory functional outcomes with CM Score at the final follow-up. Both techniques achieved favorable outcomes, with a majority of patients in both groups (88.89% for PHILOS and 77.78% for K-wire) achieving good to excellent results based on the CMS scores.

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