Academic Gap Research Articles

The Impact of a Short and Explicit Labeling Bias Video on Preservice Educator Behavioral Expectations

Even with increased efforts to close the academic gap by providing appropriate services to students with disabilities, there is still a gap in outcomes that requires identification of possible contributing factors. One often hypothesized mechanism for these continued disparities is the stigma associated with disability categorization or “labeling bias.” However, there is paucity of scholarship that addresses effective ways to reduce labeling bias within the classroom. This study draws from the dual-process model to experimentally investigate if a short video clip moves participants from System 1 implicit thinking to System 2 deliberate thinking resulting in reduced biases in expectations of behavior. This study utilized an experimental, between-subjects, vignette factorial design to measure pre-service educator perceptions of inappropriate behaviors between students with and without an identified disability label. The results of analysis of covariance and post hoc testing indicate significant interaction effects between the label of the student and the video clip. Specifically, biased responses by disability label were dependent on whether the participant was assigned to the video clip condition. Participants in the video condition indicated an expectation of reduced behaviors for the positively associated label condition and increased behaviors for the negatively associated label condition. Practical implications and limitations are discussed.

The computational turn in online mental health research: A systematic review

Digital trace data and computational methods are increasingly being used by researchers to study mental health phenomena (i.e. psychopathology and well-being) in social media. Computer-assisted mental health research is not simply a continuation of previous studies, but rather raises ethical, conceptual and methodological issues that are critical to behavioural science but have not yet been systematically explored. Based on a systematic review of n = 147 studies, we reveal a multidisciplinary field of research that has grown immensely since 2010, spanning the humanities, social sciences, and engineering. We find that a substantial majority of studies in our sample lack a standardized form of ethical consideration, focus on specific constructs and have a rather narrow focus on specific social media platforms. Based on our findings, we discuss how computational elements have influenced mental health research, highlight academic gaps and suggest promising directions for future studies.

Changes of Women's Status from the Evolution of Dunhuang Murals—Taking Images of Donors and Feitian Legends as Examples

It is well-known that social phenomena can be reflected in art. In the past research time, there have been some research results about the Dunhuang murals and gender equality, respectively. However, there is no such one as combining the two meaningful topics together and applying them in modern society. The aim of this study is to analyze the trend of murals painted in Dunhuang by comparing the characteristics in a different time, from the Beiliang Dynasty to the Yuan Dynasty, and then compare the trend of feminization of the mural images with the changes in women's status during this 1000 years. After comparing and analyzing, the different, even contrary, results lead to deeper thoughts: from what perspective the women's status should be analyzed and described? Definitely, the four dimensions, including economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment, should not be ignored and must be treated seriously. That is meaningful for the research of Dunhuang Grottoes, the images painted in Dunhuang, the studies of ancient China, today’s gender inequality, and many other areas. It is confident that this article will fill academic gaps and provide a new idea to other researchers.

A Look into the Impact of Syrian Refugees on Women-Owned Micro and Small Enterprises in Jordan

Jordan has experienced an unprecedented refugee crisis since 2011, adding to the country' s burdens due to the scarcity of resources and previous waves of asylum seekers. Although micro and small enterprises (MSEs) aim to empower women, specifically regarding achieving the UN' s Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, there is very little research focus on this type of enterprise and how refugees impact MSEs' sustainability. Purpose: This paper investigates how Syrian refugees impact Jordanian women-owned MSEs' sustainability. Design: The study used case studies and qualitative interviews with 24 female entrepreneurs whose enterprises did or did not achieve sustainability; five experts were also interviewed. Findings: No significant negative impact of refugees on women' s MSEs was found. Original: This study offers a unique perspective by filling an academic gap in the research on the influence refugees have on women' s MSEs. Implications: Further studies are recommended to build a solid database of female entrepreneurs.

The nation of the people: An analysis of Podemos and Five Star Movement's discourse on the nation

AbstractThis article empirically explores how populist actors talk about the nation. This is a research area mostly tackled in studies on right‐wing populism, with other forms of populist politics usually left out of the analysis. To fill this academic gap, we focus on the Spanish party Podemos and the Italian Five Star Movement (M5S). The former is a paradigmatic example of radical left populism, whereas the latter is commonly considered as a catch‐all populist party with no clear ideological connotation. Through a discourse analysis on leaders' speeches and official public declarations, we focus on the role that national identity plays in the strategies of Podemos and M5S and on the type of nation they discursively construct. Whilst Podemos' populist strategy purposely aims at contending to the right ideologically loaded concepts and signifiers to construct an idea of nation fitting the party's leftist values, M5S's strategy mostly aims at appropriating valence issues, such as the “Made in Italy” brand and the concept of “national interest”. Thus, our analysis contributes to clarify the differences between the leftist political culture of Podemos and the “post‐ideological” one of M5S, as also reflected by survey data confirming strong differences in “nationalist” attitudes between their respective electorates.

The Reviewing of Social Reproduction Theories: Social Capital on Students’ Academic Success

Inequality in human society exists in our lives and influences educational sources. Educational equity is a manifestation of social equity. It is a state of educational development in which a certain society not only gives all members of society freedom and equal choice, but also shares public educational resources at the time and all levels. In fact, education equity should include at least two essential aspects: equality of educational rights and equality of educational opportunities. This article investigates the reasons and phenomena of social reproductions by reviewing some relevant theories of social capital. The main arguments of our research are:1) education is a way of gathering different groups into an average position and helps students benefit from each other. Therefore, the theoretical concepts of social capital influence individual educational success [1], [2] & [3]; 2) Educational competition and social reproduction are caused by unequal educational resources; 3) The academic gap are extended due to various family classes. By reviewing previous research, this article, to some extent, illustrates the cause of social reproductions, which might inspire future researchers.

Defocusing PTV Applied To An Open Wet Clutch – From Macro To Micro

The approach of defocusing particle tracking velocimetry (defocusing PTV) is applied in various levels of magnification to the fluid flow of an open wet clutch with radial grooving. The magnification ranges from M=0.8 up to M=15, whereas corresponding defocusing sensitivities ranges from 67.1 to 9.0 µm/pixel. This specific set-up appears necessary, since a comparative wide field-of-view as well as a detailed consideration inside the groove seems equally important for this particular scenario. It can be shown that all optical configurations can properly depict the occurring fluid flow phenomena that are present in an open wet clutch. The smallest magnification can properly depict the region between the inner and the outer radius and is thus closing the academic gap for open clutch flows, since a groove-to-groove analysis as well as an evaluation along the entire radius becomes possible. The smallest magnification yields the highest accuracy in terms of {x,y} and also in z-direction. The accuracy in z-direction is quantified with the region near to the stator, where the theoretical axial velocity should be zero. The set-up with M=0.8 reaches an uncertainty of the particle-image diameter of 2σ_di=0.24 pixel. The remaining set-ups have higher uncertainties. The smaller defocusing sensitivity cannot outperform the loss in intensity and a less distinct intensity peak at the outer part of the defocused image due to the large magnification and the used Questar lens. These findings are supported by a fluid flow analysis, where the circumferential velocity u_φ in the middle of the groove is used as comparative case. All magnifications were able, to depict the considered velocity properly, while the uncertainty increases for higher-magnification configurations. In summary, the present study demonstrates the feasibility and robustness of the defocusing PTV-approach for such sub-millimeter gap-flow scenarios in technical applications. The flexibility in terms of magnification reached within this experimental investigation makes defocusing PTV a candidating technique for such industry-relevant research scenarios.

Whole-Grade Acceleration: From Student to Policy

Whole-grade acceleration moves a student up one or more grades in response to that student’s academic needs. Although grade-skipping is supported by decades of research, this type of acceleration is not often used. Acceleration policies make whole-grade acceleration available to more students who would benefit, encourage more educators to use the intervention, and result in more equitable access of acceleration to qualified students. Whole-grade acceleration policies detail the entire process of obtaining accelerated placement and services—from the referral of the student through the transition to acceleration. A child-study team (not an individual) makes the decision, addresses academic gaps, and monitors the student’s transition to acceleration. Acceleration policies help ensure this intervention is implemented consistently. Utilizing excellent acceleration policies can result in students achieving the developmental goal of competence and engagement in learning.

Effect of Deep Learning Approach on Career Self-Efficacy: Using Off-Campus Internships of Hospitality College Students as an Example

Off-campus internships are among the policies implemented over the years to reduce the academic gap in the hospitality industry. Additionally, career decision making is unavoidable for college students, who can use different learning strategies in internships to gain knowledge beyond textbooks and determine their future direction. Our research aims to explore the mediating role of self-regulated learning in the relationship between deep learning approach (DLA) in hospitality internships and career self-efficacy. Moreover, it uses cognitive engagement as a moderator to explore the relationships between the three constructs. Data are collected through stratified sampling from hospitality college students in Taiwan who completed off-campus internships. Descriptive statistics are employed, and confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling are conducted to analyze the data. Results indicate the following: (1) DLA has a positive influence on self-regulated learning. (2) Self-regulated learning has a positive influence on career self-efficacy. (3) DLA has a positive influence on career self-efficacy. (4) Self-regulated learning mediates the effect of DLA on career self-efficacy. (5) Cognitive engagement moderates the effect of DLA and self-regulated learning on career self-efficacy. Theoretical and practical implications are also discussed.

A Needs-Based Analysis of Teaching on Vaccinations and COVID-19 in German Medical Schools.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlights the need for improving public confidence in vaccines. Academic gaps and redundancies on vaccinations must be identified to revise the medical curriculum for up-to-date training of medical students. This cross-sectional survey assessed the status of vaccine-related teaching in general and specific to COVID-19 in medical schools across Germany. A total of 4313 medical students completed a questionnaire comprising items on national learning goals and perceived needs for teaching on vaccinations. Mixed methods were used to analyse data quantitatively for relative frequencies (%) and correlations between teaching items and semesters (Spearman’s rho), and qualitatively (content analysis). Our findings showed that 38.92% of the students were dissatisfied with teaching on vaccine-preventable diseases, but the perceived satisfaction increased in later semesters (r = 0.46, p < 0.001). Moreover, 75.84% and 68.15% of the students were dissatisfied with teaching related to vaccine scepticism and vaccine-related communication strategies, respectively. Furthermore, 63.79% reported dissatisfaction with teaching on COVID-19 disease and 72.93% with teaching on COVID-19 vaccines. A total of 79.12% stated they educated others on COVID-19 and its vaccines and 75.14% felt responsible to do so. A majority of the medical students were dissatisfied with teaching on dealing with vaccine scepticism, communication strategies and COVID-19 vaccines. We recommend practice-oriented vaccine education, especially for teaching communication skills to medical students.

A study on the school community beyond the time of Corona and the academic gap debate

A study on the school community beyond the time of Corona and the academic gap debate

Populist discourse and the resulting discontent in hybrid regimes: an examination of Rouhani’s rhetoric in the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT This work is an attempt to fill the academic gap that neglects the close reading of speeches of political leaders in non-democratic societies during the COVID-19 pandemic. To this end, this research focuses on the rhetoric of Hassan Rouhani, the former president of Iran, during the first wave of the COVID-19 crisis. Using the two main rhetorical devices of identification and metaphor, this work analyzes all of Rouhani’s speeches from February 2, 2020, to April 27, 2020. In addition, all speeches by three most powerful clerics in Iran, namely Khamenei, Saeidi, and Alamolhoda, and a sample of tweets by Iranian users (1644 in total) were analyzed to understand the extent to which Rouhani’s rhetoric was successful. The results show that Rouhani articulated a populist discourse during the pandemic. In an attempt to break away from hegemonic discourse, he sought to identify his government, rather than the state, with the people to construct a discursive us. Nevertheless, his rhetoric did not go down well with Iranian Twitter users. This study also analyzes Rouhani’s deft juggling act to woo both the populace and the conservative power centers to satisfy them while trying to distance himself from the latter .

Understanding the influence of business strategy in corporate social responsibility: evidence from Chinese firms in Africa

Purpose This study aims to understand better how business strategies impact a company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR). Design/methodology/approach In this research, two categories of business strategy are proposed, and partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the research model using a sample of 150 valid surveys data from the Chinese manufacturing firms industry in Africa. Findings This study indicates business strategy in terms of real support and development approach plan in the Chinese manufacturing industry has a crucial influence on CSR effectiveness. Business strategy leads to effective CSR practices by adding value to firm products, services, marketing strategies and technological investment. Practical implications Companies can use a support strategy for effective CSR to improve corporate social performance. The study expands upon previous insights into corporate leaders enhancing their CSR strategy because it may successfully contribute to environmental preservation. Social implications This research mobilized and found academic gaps in business strategy regarding real support and development approach; it is necessary to combine the impacts of business strategy at multiple levels of analysis to explain the expansion of CSR to integrate the stakeholder theory. Originality/value This study offers a deeper perspective and provides empirical evidence of a better understanding of CSR effectiveness by emphasizing the role of business strategy. Effective CSR implementation requires integrating the influences of company strategy and real support at multiple levels of analysis to explain CSR dispersion.

Decision Tree Model for Educational Services Predicting Children’s Academic Performance by Income Group

Background and objective This study used the decision tree analysis among data mining techniques to determine whether children’s academic performance can be classified and predicted by income group based on factors of educational services. Methods For empirical analysis, data from the 10th Panel Study on Korean Children collected in 2017 was utilized. A F test was conducted to analyze the differences in variables by income group, and a decision tree analysis was conducted on the cost and time of private education services utilized by children to predict their academic performance by income group. Results First, as a result of analyzing the research variables by income group, there was a significant difference in institute time, community center time, institute cost, lesson cost, after-school cost, and culture center cost. Second, as a result of the decision tree analysis that predicts children’s academic performance by income group, it was found that for children in the low-income group, institute cost, institute time, visiting cost, and after-school time were important variables that predict their academic performance. For children in the middle-income group, institute cost, after-school time, and after-school cost were important variables for predicting academic performance. For children in the high-income group, the important variables were institute time, institute cost, after-school time, and after-school cost. Conclusion There was no significant difference in children’s academic performance in the earlier grades of elementary school, but there was a significant difference in the private education service they utilized, which may affect future income gaps as well as education gaps. This suggested the need to diversify and improve the quality of public education services as a countermeasure for the fact that parental income will cause an academic gap among children through private education.

Setting the three-stage R&amp;D shared portfolio methodology: an innovative approach to industry–university collaboration

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present an approach to start industry–university (I-U) collaboration through a stepped process aimed at building a portfolio of research and development (R&amp;D) projects.Design/methodology/approachIt devises from an 18-month action-research program held between a multinational automotive manufacturer and the a top-ranked Brazilian university.FindingsThe three-stage R&amp;D shared portfolio methodology results from a combined application of quality function deployment-like correlation matrices and roadmapping. A first matrix tackles industry interests and correlates product performance dimensions and components to reveal broad research areas of interest. A second matrix correlates research areas and engineering competences, highlighting the types of the required know-how from the university standpoint. Thirdly, academic experts help to fill a roadmap-like layer with possible collaborative R&amp;D deliverables over time.Research limitations/implicationsSince the study lies on a single experience, extensions to other contexts should be made with care. However, the proposal offers robust rationale and a set of supporting tools to nurture new applications.Practical implicationsTheoretical and methodological reflections help managers tackling the long-standing problem of setting a shared R&amp;D agenda.Originality/valueLiterature on I-U collaboration tends or to over-emphasize the role of technology transfer offices in promoting the partnerships or to seek implications for public policy. This research offers a valuable approach to build shared R&amp;D project portfolio from a managerial viewpoint, filling an academic gap and offering guidance for managers in both sides.

IMPACT OF INVESTORS SENTIMENT ON IPO PERFORMANCE: EVIDENCE FROM NASDAQ AND NYSE

Purpose- The paper explores the correlation between investors’ sentiment, underpricing and performance over a period of 36 months of newly issued American stocks with a sample of 199 newly listed firms on NASDAQ and NYSE within the period of January 2015 to April 2021. IPOs listed on US stock exchanges have received little attention even though anomalies related to new stock issues are well documented. We aim to fill the existing academic gap. Methodology- We have hypothesized investor sentiment as the potential explaining variable inducing the anomalies observed and we extract this variable from the American Association of Individual Investors survey results per the nearest date of each IPO issue. We compute the returns in two separate timeframes. The Market Adjusted Initial Returns (MAIRs) are computed as the price change observed during the offer day, adjusted to the S&amp;P500 index. We investigate long-term performance by calculating the Buy-and-Hold Abnormal Return (BHARs) of each IPO for a period of 36months. The company characteristics, which are age, proceeds, number of issued shares, venture capital backing status and economic sector, are retrieved from Thomson Reuter’s screens to control on IPO pricing. Then we use a regression model to see whether the predictor variable has an effect on the outcome variable. Findings- We found that the correlation between the bullish ratio and the MAIRs confirms results found in previous literature and no relationship between investor sentiment and long run performance have been observed. Conclusion- We conclude that on American stock markets, the existing underpricing can be explained by investors overreacting to new issues while findings relative to the long run performance contradict earlier research, as there is no evidence of underperformance among companies that went public between January 2015 and April 2021. Further research can be oriented toward understand why the documented poor performance related to IPOs no longer exists, as well as the particular characteristics of US markets which are favorable to the profitability of the new issues in the long-term. Keywords: Investor sentiment, behavioral finance, long-term performance, underpricing, initial public offering, IPO. JEL Codes: D91, G10, G41

The European Union’s development assistance for health (DAH) in Vietnam: any other purposes than health improvement?

ABSTRACT Development Assistance for health (DAH) has increased dramatically these last two decades. While according to the official rhetoric, it aims at ‘health improvement’ and ‘poverty reduction’, such apolitical purposes have been questioned by scholars who identified other major objectives. However, few studies have sought to uncover the motivations behind EU’s health assistance. To fill such academic gap, this article explores the main drivers that have guided the EU’s DAH in Vietnam where the EU celebrated in 2020 its 25 years of health cooperation. Opting for a ‘multiple sources of foreign aid model’ that considers that no single factor can explain foreign aid decision, and adopting a ‘holistic approach’ that focuses on the modalities, the narratives, the allocation, and the terms of health assistance, as well as the international and domestic contexts in which it has taken place, this study identifies five major purposes: (a) the confirmation of EU’s identities within the global health community. (b) the defense of the relevance of its approach of health assistance to influence international norms framing international health aid, (c) its support to the leading role of the WHO in global health, and (d) the facilitation of trade and investment opportunities for European companies.

Exploring Digital Literacy Skills in Social Sciences and Humanities Students

Digital literacy is among the mandatory abilities to any higher education level and represents a fundamental ingredient in successful professionalization. Considering the deep penetration of digital technologies in everyday life, digital literacy offers a set of transversal skills that could improve a whole area of activities, from banking operations to civic participation. However, these skills are diverse and vary according to the development of technologies and society. This study fills an important academic gap on digital literacy by placing it in a specific and well-defined context, analyzing different perspectives that involve such learning, such as predictors of digital literacy in different types of students. In addition, research increases its importance as it is being developed during the pandemic, a period characterized by accelerated technological use and sudden changes. This research used a quantitative design based on the answers to a questionnaire conducted from March 2021 to May 2021. From a methodological perspective, we tested several hypotheses using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) within the structural equation model (SEM). The results show that communication, critical thinking, problem-solving, and technical digital skills are more present in the case of students enrolled in social sciences, while other digital skills (i.e., creativity and information) are more prevalent in the case of humanities students. Moreover, the results showed that, except for creativity and problem-solving-related digital skills, all of the digital skills were significantly influenced by students’ different levels of education.

Assessing Institutional Support to Online Education at Tertiary Level in Bangladesh Coping with COVID-19 Pandemic: An Empirical Study

Institutional support and quality education are linked in a significant way. During COVID-19, institutional support is critical to closing the huge academic gap that has emerged as physical academic practices have been moved to a virtual education system using technology. This research aims to assess institutional support for online education in Bangladesh during the COVID-19 pandemic. This analysis focused on the three main elements of the adapted model of institutional support (AMIS) of Bond et al. (2007), and the institutional support model (ISM) of Valverde and Rodriguez (2002), namely financial support (FS), technical support (TS), and mentoring support (MS). The findings of this research are, a few universities in Bangladesh have provided average support for continuing online education, while others have just started taking online classes. Several problems have been discovered, such as the lack of dedicated software for conducting online academic activities, lack of training and grooming, lack of mentoring, poor internet access, lack of smartphones, high internet package rates, and so on. This study concludes with some policy recommendations for a smooth online education system in Bangladesh.

Negating the Narrative: Moving Away from the Rhetoric of ‘Lost Learning’ in Providing Additionality to Ensure Equity for Disadvantaged Students during School Closures in England

Two periods of compulsory school closure in England as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the adoption of virtual teaching and learning environments. Although such platforms had already been launched in English schools prior to March 2020, when schools closed, their usage by classroom teachers had not been established. Pupil premium funding to support disadvantaged students in English schools began in 2011, with the aim of narrowing the academic performance gap between these students and their peers. Less likely to do as well at school as their peers, the consequent narrative around these children at school is one of ‘catch-up’, a narrative which grew during the pandemic with debate around ‘lost learning’ amongst all children, but particularly, the disadvantaged. The enduring assumption that these children will do less well than their peers, rather than be less likely to, was thus further compounded. This paper considers one secondary school English department’s provision of additionality to support equity during the pandemic, its success and lessons which might be applied in the future.