Authentic Environment Research Articles

Socionomutbildning i en digital värld

Social work education in a digital world - Computer-based simulations in vocational training Digital technology is on the rise in social work education. Distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the digitisation process, and students are now encountering digital technology in many ways. At the same time, the social work profession is skill based, conducting exercises with role play, and case studies and clinical placement have long been regarded as the ways in which students can prepare for their professional role. In today’s digitalised society, teaching methods where computer-based simulations are used for skills training are gaining ground. This article aims to gain an overview of these teaching methods based on the following questions: a) What different types of computer-based simulations are used for the skills training of social work students? b) What skills do the computer-based simulations intend to teach? and c) How do social work students perceive skills training with computer-based simulations? A scoping review was completed with searches in several databases (APA PsycInfo, Eric, Scopus, Sociological Abstracts and SwePub) comprising international publications focusing on social work, higher education and computer-based simulations. Based on the inclusion criteria, 13 articles were included. The results show that there are several different types of computer-based simulations where virtual clients and virtual worlds are the most used. The vocational training that appeared to be most common was to practice conversational methods and make assessments together with reflection and self-awareness. The students were predominantly positive towards vocational training with computer-based simulations due to increased engagement and the opportunity for repetition in a safe and authentic environment. One challenge, however, is to sufficiently train students and teachers in the software used to ensure the teaching method is useful. Thus, there are lessons to be learnt from international studies of computer-based simulations as it is becoming increasingly common in social work education in Sweden.

Supporting the Teacher Identity of Pre-Service Science Teachers through Working at a Non-Formal STEM Learning Laboratory

This qualitative case study aims to examine the role of a non-formal STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) learning laboratory in supporting the development of teacher identity among pre-service science teachers. With teacher identity impacting the educational responsiveness and resilience of a teacher, it is important to support the professional identity of STEM educators if we are to enhance the quality of STEM education. Data collection occurred in three stages between 2017 and 2024. Qualitative content analysis through an inductive category formation was used for data analysis. The intercoder reliability was checked (Cohen’s kappa 0.802). Results suggest that non-formal STEM learning environments can enhance pre-service teachers’ professional learning and identity by allowing the autonomous practical application of theory in an authentic collaborative laboratory environment and by strengthening their self-efficacy through positive teaching experiences. Participants reported that such versatile experiences are generally not available during their formal university education. This study offers suggestions for STEM teacher education and insights into ongoing research dialogues about the role of non-formal learning in supporting the learning and identity of STEM teachers.

Comparison of subjective evaluations in virtual and real environments for soundscape researcha).

Emerging technologies of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are enhancing soundscape research, potentially producing new insights by enabling controlled conditions while preserving the context of a virtual gestalt within the soundscape concept. This study explored the ecological validity of virtual environments for subjective evaluations in soundscape research, focusing on the authenticity of virtual audio-visual environments for reproducibility. Different technologies for creating and reproducing virtual environments were compared, including field recording, simulated VR, AR, and audio-only presentation, in two audio-visual reproduction settings, a head-mounted display with head-tracked headphones and a VR lab with head-locked headphones. Via a series of soundwalk- and lab-based experiments, the results indicate that field recording technologies provided the most authentic audio-visual environments, followed by AR, simulated VR, and audio-only approaches. The authenticity level influenced subjective evaluations of virtual environments, e.g., arousal/eventfulness and pleasantness. The field recording and AR-based technologies closely matched the on-site soundwalk ratings in arousal, while the other approaches scored lower. All the approaches had significantly lower pleasantness ratings compared to on-site evaluations. The choice of audio-visual reproduction technology did not significantly impact the evaluations. Overall, the results suggest virtual environments with high authenticity can be useful for future soundscape research and design.

Efficacy of First-Line Treatment With Pertuzumab and Trastuzumab in Advanced Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2-Positive Breast Cancer in Routine Clinical Practice.

The first-line treatment for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive (HER2+) metastatic breast cancer (MBC) involves a combination of trastuzumab, pertuzumab, and a taxane (TPH). This study assessed the efficacy of trastuzumab and pertuzumab (PH) in routine practice, following the treatment protocols of Uruguay's National Resources Fund (FNR), akin to clinical trials. Patients with advanced MBC treated with PH between 2008 and 2022 per FNR protocols were evaluated. The Kaplan-Meyer method and log-rank test were utilized for analyzing overall survival (OS). Demographic and clinical variables, including age, menopausal status, and hormone receptors (HR), were analyzed. The study included 318 PH-treated patients. The median age was 56 years, with 63.2% being postmenopausal and 60.4% HR and HER-2 positive. With a median follow-up of 17.2 months, the median OS was 29 months. OS varied based on HR status and the presence of metastases at different sites, significantly lower in patients with brain, cutaneous/subcutaneous, and pulmonary metastases. Additionally, OS was higher in patients treated at private institutions compared to public ones. This study demonstrates the disparity in oncological treatment efficacy between clinical trials and clinical reality in Uruguay, emphasizing the importance of authentic environment research for more representative and effective medicine in Latin America.

Evaluation of Biocompatibility Properties of Dental Materials: xCELLigence® System

The toxic and biological impacts of dental materials play a pivotal role in their clinical application within dentistry. The assessment of these materials typically commences with in vitro tests upon initial development, progressing to in vivo animal experiments and clinical trials. In vitro cell culture tests afford the examination of tissue responses at the cellular level, allowing the observation of physiological activities. Moreover, these tests offer a cost-effective and time-efficient alternative to animal experiments, rendering them easily applicable and replicable. Recently, real-time cell analysis systems, such as the xCELLigence® system, have emerged as a promising substitute for traditional testing methods, potentially surpassing them in the biocompatibility evaluation of dental materials. The xCELLigence® system facilitates the concurrent observation and analysis of cells within their authentic environment, obviating the need for cell staining or marking. This review seeks to underscore the advantageous features of the xCELLigence® system, which serves to mitigate the drawbacks associated with conventional in vitro biocompatibility evaluation methods.

The impact of high-immersion virtual reality on EFL learners’ foreign language speaking anxiety: A mixed-method approach

AbstractHigh-immersion virtual reality (HiVR) attracts increasing attention among language learning researchers because of its potential to enhance language learning. Prior studies focused mainly on HiVR and linguistic knowledge acquisition, and little is known about HiVR and emotions in language learning. Foreign language speaking anxiety (FLSA) is a common emotion that inhibits language learning and use, so it is important to explore approaches to alleviate it. This study investigated the potential use of HiVR for coping with FLSA in which 140 Chinese EFL learners were randomly assigned to four groups (35 students each) with a different combination of learning environments (HiVR or classroom) and learning principles (situated learning or teacher-centred learning). Students’ pre- and post-test of FLSA levels within and among four groups were compared via t-tests and ANOVA. Participants’ descriptions of FLSA change and perceptions of the effects of HiVR on FLSA were integrated with quantitative results for analysis. The integration of analysis showed that although most students perceived HiVR as a useful tool for alleviating FLSA, it is difficult for them to apply the reduced anxiety experienced in HiVR to real-life situations. The statistical results also showed that HiVR did not influence students’ real-life FLSA significantly. Most participants reported that HiVR offered them an authentic environment and enjoyable learning activities, which engaged them in learning, but the use of avatars in HiVR sometimes created an obstacle to communication. Implications for using HiVR technology to enhance foreign language learning are provided.

Exploring the effects of intelligent personal assistants on bilingual education teachers’ L2 speaking proficiency

ABSTRACT Communication in a second and foreign language (L2) is regarded as the most challenging and anxiety-inducing language skill for L2 learners and teachers. The emergence of artificial intelligence and automatic speech recognition (ASR) has opened new avenues for enhancing L2 interaction, with intelligent personal assistants (IPAs) showing significant potential. While prior research has predominantly focused on learners, using IPAs for bilingual education (BE) teachers has received relatively little attention. The study investigated the effects of IPAs (i.e. Google Assistant) on BE teachers’ L2 speaking proficiency and their perceptions of IPA-assisted L2 speaking. Thirty Taiwanese BE teachers who were L2 English speakers participated in a semester-long IPA-mediated interaction program. These teachers interacted with Google Assistant in their daily lives. Both quantitative (English speaking proficiency tests) and qualitative data (semi-structured interviews) were collected and analyzed. The results revealed that Google Assistant significantly promoted BE teachers’ English-speaking proficiency. Most teachers confirmed that Google Assistant could establish an authentic environment that facilitates communication, increases English-speaking opportunities, enhances practice frequency, and provides scaffolding and immediate feedback, which contribute to their English speaking proficiency. Integrating Google Assistant into lesson preparation proved valuable, enabling teachers to access curriculum-related information efficiently and increasing their motivation to engage with IPAs.

CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF THE INTRODUCTION OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES IN ENGLISH LESSONS FOR PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION

The article is devoted to the problem of using digital technologies, describes their positive aspects and presents some modern pedagogical tools in the process of learning English for professional purposes.The author explores the potential of using widespread software such as editorial and publishing applications such as blogging platforms: WordPress and Blogger, podcasting services such as Podomatic; platforms that serve as repositories and sharing environments for videos, slides and images, such as Flickr, YouTube, Vimeo and Slideshare; tools for collaborative accumulation of information and publications such as wikis; learning management systems such as Moodle; social networking tools such as Twitter and Facebook or the alternative for educational use Edmodo.Online games, wikis and blogs are explored, where games have always been used in language classes, but recently the concept of gamification has been applied to justify its introduction into the educational process. The role of the Internet as an authentic environment where English teachers conduct the educational process, enhance their professional development, and search for new materials and ideas for their classes is clarified.The global Internet helps students to implement autonomous learning and search for material for personal growth according to their own needs.A blended learning approach combines classroom learning with online learning, as well as synchronous (e.g. Skype, video conferencing rooms) and asynchronous (discussion groups, blogs, learning management systems, etc.) communication tools, which helps to increase learning efficiency.Modern information and communication technologies ensure active, creative learning of new material by students and allow them to present material at a new and higher level.

Serious game for radiotherapy training

BackgroundCancer patients are often treated with radiation, therefore increasing their exposure to high energy emissions. In such cases, medical errors may be threatening or fatal, inducing the need to innovate new methods for maximum reduction of irreversible events. Training is an efficient and methodical tool to subject professionals to the real world and heavily educate them on how to perform with minimal errors. An evolving technique for this is Serious Gaming that can fulfill this purpose, especially with the rise of COVID-19 and the shift to the online world, by realistic and visual simulations built to present engaging scenarios. This paper presents the first Serious Game for Lung Cancer Radiotherapy training that embodies Biomedical Engineering principles and clinical experience to create a realistic and precise platform for coherent training.MethodsTo develop the game, thorough 3D modeling, animation, and gaming fundamentals were utilized to represent the whole clinical process of treatment, along with the scores and progress of every player. The model’s goal is to output coherency and organization for students’ ease of use and progress tracking, and to provide a beneficial educational experience supplementary to the users’ training. It aims to also expand their knowledge and use of skills in critical cases where they must perform crucial decision-making and procedures on patients of different cases.ResultsAt the end of this research, one of the accomplished goals consists of building a realistic model of the different equipment and tools accompanied with the radiotherapy process received by the patient on Maya 2018, including the true beam table, gantry, X-ray tube, CT Scanner, and so on. The serious game itself was then implemented on Unity Scenes with the built models to create a gamified authentic environment that incorporates the 5 main series of steps; Screening, Contouring, External Beam Planning, Plan Evaluation, Treatment, to simulate the practical workflow of an actual Oncology treatment delivery for lung cancer patients.ConclusionThis serious game provides an educational and empirical space for training and practice that can be used by students, trainees, and professionals to expand their knowledge and skills in the aim of reducing potential errors.

SPAMMER DETECTION AND FAKE USER IDENTIFICATION ON SOCIAL NETWORKS

The project titled "Spammer Detection and Fake User Identification on Social Networks" aims to explore and implement a novel approach to concealing information within digital images while preserving their visual integrity. With the exponential growth of social media platforms like Instagram, the issue of spam and fake user accounts has become increasingly prevalent, posing significant challenges to the integrity and user experience of these platforms. In this project, a comprehensive approach to address the problem of spammer detection and fake user identification on Instagram is proposed. Leveraging machine learning techniques, including Decision Tree Classifier, KNN Classifier, Random Forest Classifier, and Logistic Regression Algorithm, the project aims to develop robust models capable of automatically identifying and flagging suspicious accounts. By analyzing various features such as user behaviour patterns, engagement metrics, and content characteristics, these classifiers will be trained to differentiate between genuine and fake accounts effectively. The project's ultimate goal is to contribute to the enhancement of Instagram's spam detection mechanisms, fostering a safer and more authentic social media environment for users. Key Words: Spam detection, Fake user identification, KNN Classifier, Decision Tree Classifier, Random Forest Classifier, Logistic Regression Algorithm.

Development of Immersive Virtual Reality Hospital Fire Management and Evacuation Training Program for Nursing Students in Hong Kong

While nursing students never experience hospital fire, they should know how to evacuate the patients under their care. Using Virtual Reality (VR) can offer students a unique leaning experience of this uncommon situation. The purpose of this study was to development a VR simulation program of a hospital fire evacuation training for the nursing students and evaluated the satisfaction of the participants. It was a pilot study conducted in a local private university offering a pre-registration, higher diploma of mental health nursing program. A VR simulation program regarding fire evacuation in a psychiatric hospital was newly developed. The students enrolled in the final year of this program were recruited by convenience sampling. A questionnaire was employed to evaluate participants' satisfaction after they completing the program. Descriptive statistics was employed to analyze the participants' characteristics and quantitative results of the questionnaires. The study was approved by the institution review board of the study university. The overall satisfaction of this workshop was 4.6/5 (n = 65). The highest score was the knowledge (4.7/5), presentation and facilitation skill (4.7/5) of facilitator. Half of the students rated excellent to the design, content and facilities of this workshop. In the narrative comment, some students were satisfied with authentic 3-dimension environment at the VR cave. Besides, the students treasured the chance to act as ward in-charge in evacuation. The first immersive VR simulation program for hospital fire management was developed and generally well-received by the nursing students.

Improving immersive experiences in virtual natural setting for public health and environmental design: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

In recent years, virtual reality (VR) technology has emerged as a powerful tool in the field of therapeutic landscapes. For hospitalized patients or individuals with limited mobility, VR provides highly personalized therapy by simulating authentic natural environments within a safe, convenient, and engaging setting. This study investigated the effectiveness of immersing patients in virtual natural environments for health recovery and compared the varying impacts of different types of landscapes on patients' recovery levels. The aim was to complement traditional medical approaches and enhance environmental design in the field of public health. Researchers systematically reviewed databases (January 2018 to August 2, 2023) to identify randomized controlled trials comparing the efficacy of virtual nature immersion with other treatments. The inclusion/exclusion criteria were established based on the population, intervention, comparison, outcomes, study design, and other aspects (expanded PICO) framework. The Cochrane tool was employed to assess the risk of bias. Meta-analysis was conducted by pooling the mean differences with a 95% confidence interval. Among 30 trials, a total of 2123 patients met the inclusion criteria, with 15 studies included in the meta-analysis. 30 trials met the criteria. Results show significant improvements in pain, anxiety, fear, and some physiological indicators with virtual nature-based treatments. On the other hand, natural scenes incorporating blue and green elements have been applied more extensively and have shown more significant effects. In comparison to conventional methods, this study strongly advocates that virtual reality environments are a crucial tool in bridging the gap between patients and nature, demonstrating their potential to reshape medical interventions and improve environmental design in the field of public health.

Serious games in high-stakes assessment contexts: a systematic literature review into the game design principles for valid game-based performance assessment

The systematic literature review (1) investigates whether ‘serious games’ provide a viable solution to the limitations posed by traditional high-stakes performance assessments and (2) aims to synthesize game design principles for the game-based performance assessment of professional competencies. In total, 56 publications were included in the final review, targeting knowledge, motor skills and cognitive skills and further narrowed down to teaching, training or assessing professional competencies. Our review demonstrates that serious games are able to provide an environment and task authentic to the target competency. Collected in-game behaviors indicate that serious games are able to elicit behavior that is related to a candidates’ ability level. Progress feedback and freedom of gameplay in serious games can be implemented to provide an engaging and enjoyable environment for candidates. Few studies examined adaptivity and some examined serious games without an authentic environment or task. Overall, the review gives an overview of game design principles for game-based performance assessment. It highlights two research gaps regarding authenticity and adaptivity and concludes with three implications for practice.

Full-coverage unobtrusive health monitoring of elders at homes

Due to the fast increase of the elderly population, in-home eldercare has emerged as an important topic of research. Existing studies in intelligent health monitoring have yielded promising outcomes. Nevertheless, these approaches fall short of achieving round-the-clock, unobtrusive surveillance. Herein, we introduce a system offering full-dimensional and unobtrusive in-home health monitoring for elderly individuals living alone. We deploy smart sensors, including infrared, bed, sound, and physiological sensors, to provide all-around coverage of the elderly living space. The proposed system proficiently identifies activities such as cooking, coughing, snoring, talking, listening to music, and walking, while concurrently estimating the indoor location and providing intelligent sleep monitoring and assessment of physiological parameters. Our proposed algorithm has undergone evaluation using real-world data, encompassing a 30-day activity record of ten subjects aged 65 and older. The results demonstrate the remarkable effectiveness of our method, showcasing a high degree of accuracy in recognizing a diverse range of activities. This substantiates the practical implementation of our system in authentic homecare environments.

A Context-based Teaching Concept on Electric Circuits - Development and First Results

Despite the importance of electricity for today’s industrial society, students often perceive the abstract topic of electric circuits as uninteresting. In order to foster students’ interest, we developed a context-based teaching concept on simple circuits. Building on research findings on students’ interests, the concept covers the topic at the example of contexts like bumper cars, the electric eel, or the electric fence. While previous studies suggest that such a context-based approach can improve affective factors such as student interest, the evidence on the impact on students’ conceptual understanding is inconclusive. Therefore, we empirically evaluated the teaching concept in a field study with 7th and 8th graders to investigate the effects of context-based teaching on students’ conceptual understanding, while also assessing their interest and self-concept. By comparing our concept with conventional teaching in a pre-post-follow-up design, we aim to improve the current state of research regarding the effects of context-based teaching in authentic teaching environments. First analyses did not reveal significant differences between the context-based concept and conventional approaches, neither regarding the affective factors interest and self-concept nor conceptual understanding.

Exploring the impact of S-doped Fe-N-C materials on the ORR mechanism within a constant potential solvation model

The widespread application of S doping in Fe-N-C materials aims to enhance the catalytic activity for oxygen reduction reactions (ORR). However, the current doping strategies are primarily centered on the first coordination layer encompassing Fe atoms. Consequently, this study employs first-principles calculations to compute the formation and binding energies of FeN4 doped with S atom. It further delves into the influence of diverse doping sites on catalyst stability and meticulously analyzes the configurations and corresponding ORR activities of four catalysts, namely FeN4S-N (Number=0∼3), utilizing a constant-potential implicit solvent model to simulate authentic electrocatalytic environments. The findings reveal that under vacuum conditions, FeN4S1 exhibits the utmost ORR activity, boasting a potential of 0.53 V. Conversely, within the constant-potential implicit solvation model, FeN4S2 emerges as the catalyst with the highest ORR activity, achieving a potential of 0.39 V. Therefore, calculations leveraging the constant-potential solvation model offer more realistic insights into catalyst design, thereby guiding the development of superior catalysts.

A Path Planning Method for Collaborative Coverage Monitoring in Urban Scenarios

In recent years, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have become a popular and cost-effective technology in urban scenarios, encompassing applications such as material transportation, aerial photography, remote sensing, and disaster relief. However, the execution of prolonged tasks poses a heightened challenge owing to the constrained endurance of UAVs. This paper proposes a model to accurately represent urban scenarios and an unmanned system. Restricted zones, no-fly zones, and building obstructions to the detection range are introduced to make sure the model is realistic enough. We also introduced an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) into the model to solve the endurance of the UAVs in this long-time task scenario. The UGV and UAVs constituted a heterogeneous unmanned system to collaboratively solve the path-planning problem in the model. Building upon this model, this paper designs a Three-stage Alternating Optimization Algorithm (TAOA), involving two crucial steps of prediction and rolling optimization. A three-stage scheme is introduced to rolling optimization to effectively address the complex optimization process for the unmanned system. Finally, the TAOA was experimentally validated in both synthetic scenarios and scenarios modeled based on a real-world location to demonstrate their reliability. The experiments conducted in the synthetic scenarios aimed to assess the algorithm under hypothetical conditions, while the experiments in the scenarios based on real-world locations provided a practical evaluation of the proposed methods in more complex and authentic environments. The consistent performance observed across these experiments underscores the robustness and effectiveness of the proposed approaches, supporting their potential applicability in various real-world scenarios.

The Impact of Teacher Teaching in Developing Critical Thinking on Students' Critical Reading Ability

<p>Researchers believe that awareness and monitoring of comprehension processes are very important for developing one's reading skills. One of the main issues in the world of education today is concern about students' ability to read critically and evaluate the material they read. This research aims to investigate the impact of teacher teaching in developing critical thinking on students' critical reading abilities. To achieve this goal, we selected 50 students from private high schools with an age range of 16-18 years as research participants. They were then divided into two groups, namely the experimental group and the control group, after being homogenized through the Nelson test. Next, the same content in the form of ten reading texts was taught to both groups, with the only difference that the experimental group received training in critical reading strategies such as annotating, asking questions, detailing, summarizing, and concluding, while the control group applied a general comprehension approach. The results of data analysis using an independent t-test show that teaching critical reading strategies has a significant impact on the development of students' critical reading skills, resulting in rejection of the null hypothesis. These findings can have relevant implications for the Impact of Teacher Teaching in Developing Critical Thinking on Students' Critical Reading Ability, promoting learning in authentic, interactive, and student-focused environments in their reading classes.</p>

Feedback seeking abilities of L2 writers using ChatGPT: a mixed method multiple case study

PurposeThe study investigated the feedback seeking abilities of learners in L2 writing classrooms using ChatGPT as an automated written corrective feedback (AWCF) provider. Specifically, the research embarked on the exploration of L2 writers’ feedback seeking abilities in interacting with ChatGPT for feedback and their perceptions thereof in the new learning environment.Design/methodology/approachThree EFL learners of distinct language proficiencies and technological competences were recruited to participate in the mixed method multiple case study. The researcher used observation and in-depth interview to collect the ChatGPT prompts written by the participants and their reflections of feedback seeking in the project.FindingsThe study revealed that: (1) students with different academic profiles display varied abilities to utilize the feedback seeking strategies; (2) the significance of feedback seeking agency was agreed upon and (3) the promoting factors for the development of students’ feedback seeking abilities are the proactivity of involvement and the command of metacognitive regulatory skills.Research limitations/implicationsAdditionally, a conceptual model of feedback seeking in an AI-mediated learning environment was postulated. The research has its conceptual and practical implications for researchers and educators expecting to incorporate ChatGPT in teaching and learning. The research unveiled the significance and potential of using state-of-the-art technologies in education. However, since we are still in an early phase applying such tools in authentic pedagogical environments, many instructional redevelopment and rearrangement should be considered and implemented.Originality/valueThe work is a pioneering effort to explore learners' feedback seeking abilities in a ChatGPT-enhanced learning environment. It pointed out new directions for process-, and student-oriented research in the era of changes.

Developing skills for sustainable development through community-focused learning

For engineering students to become leaders in sustainable development, they need to develop the ability to apply empathy in partnership with communities and collaborate across disciplinary boundaries. This is difficult to facilitate in the dominant engineering education paradigm that emphasizes technical ability while social engagement is not stressed as much. We have implemented community-focused experiential education to foster skills for leadership in sustainable development. Experiential education is based on the theory of situated learning, in which students learn through the praxis of authentic environments. Implementing experiential learning in the classroom exposes engineering students to the necessary skills to deal with wicked and complex problems. It creates an environment that gives space for failure and learning then iteration. The implementation of experiential learning in the course reimagines how engineering education can be structured with an emphasis on community engagement and creative problem-solving. In this paper, we introduce an innovative community-based learning (CBL) integrated course with multiple community partners and stakeholders. Students in the course had the opportunity to interact with faculty, industry, and policymakers outside their discipline.