Digital Technology Tools Research Articles

Digitally Driven Urban Governance: Framework and Evaluation in China

With the rapid development of digital technology, the role of digitalisation in urban governance continues to emerge. Building a theoretical analysis framework and evaluation system of digitally driven urban governance has important theoretical and practical significance for stimulating the efficiency of digital technology tools and improving the energy level of urban digital governance. This paper aims to explore the mechanism of urban governance enabled by digital technology, innovatively change the previous thinking mode that only attaches importance to facility construction and e-government platforms, adopt ecological thinking, and comprehensively consider the role of “soft elements” such as strategic support, industrial support, the security environment, talent support, and the market environment. Then, the extreme value variance method and the coefficient of variation method are used to calculate the overall capacity and secondary index scores of each city, and the standard deviation of secondary index scores is used to represent the sub-environmental balance of the cross-sectional data of China’s provinces. In order to further explore which indicators restrict the improvement of China’s urban digital governance capacity, this study also constructs an obstacle degree model. The results show the following: (1) The overall capability of China’s digitally driven urban governance is low, with a total score of 27.25, indicating that China’s digitally driven urban governance is in its infancy. (2) There is a significant development imbalance among Chinese provinces, with Beijing ranking first with a score of 81.16, and Tibet, Qinghai, Xinjiang, Heilongjiang, and Ningxia scoring less than 13.30 points, ranking as the bottom 5 among the 31 provinces. (3) The shortcomings of talent support, industrial support, and the security environment restrict the improvement of the entire digital ecological governance ability.

Integration of Technological Tools in English Literature Pedagogy: Enhancing the Teaching-Learning Experience

Digital technology has transformed English Language anad Literature pedagogy. The use of digital technology in English Literature pedagogy represents a significant advancement in Literature and Language learning, significantly enhancing both teaching and learning processes. Technology helps students learn more effectively, which helps educators improve their instruction. The method keeps developing to help teachers acquire a language more quickly for their students. Teachers choose software-based instructional systems that enhance students' positive interactions with their instructors and promote the acquisition of the English language in its entirety. This research aims to explore the integration of digital technological tools in English Literature and Language teaching and it endorses various methods to encourage the best possible instruction. It also investigates a variety of facets of teaching and technological resources that gives educators access to cutting-edge tools for effective and high-quality instruction. For this study, an explanatory qualitative methodod is opted (Creswell & Poth, 2018). For the survey of the literature, a linguistic and traditional description of the technology, and a thorough analysis of its relevance to currently used teaching techniques have all been conducted. The findings address key challenges by emphasizing the potential of digital and contemporary tools to enhance language education. The study advocates for the use of digital technological tools tools to improve Enlish language learning.

Guangfu Cultural Inheritance Under Digital Media: Design Practice and Cultural Communication of Cantonese Dialect Emoticons

With the rapid development of digital technology, social media and instant messaging tools have become an indispensable part of people s daily life. As an emerging visual language, emoticons have not only enriched people s communication methods, but also become an important carrier of cultural communication. How Guangfu culture, especially the Cantonese dialect, as an important cultural symbol in southern China, can be effectively inherited and disseminated in digital media has become a topic worth exploring. In this paper, we will discuss the design practice of Cantonese dialect emoticons and their role in cultural communication for reference.

Dijitalde yeni benlik aranıyor: Cinsiyetsizlik söylemleri üzerine bir çalışma

The concept of self-expresses a person's views on himself/herself. The uploads a person makes to himself/herself show how the self is perceived. The development and rapid spread of communication technologies have made digital technologies easily enter daily life. Many digital technology tools such as tablets, phones, and computers have created an environment allowing people to present their self-presentations and selves virtually. Mainly because social media applications allow for making friends, creating a new identity and profile, and meeting the need for socialization. Their structure allows for communication, which brings about the use of these channels by many individuals. The recent spread of the concept of genderlessness by influencers especially shows that a new one has been added to how the self is constructed through social media. In the method section, this study discussed Instagram, one of Turkey's most used social media platforms. Two influencers with the highest number of followers in Turkey and Europe, who emphasize genderlessness discourses, were examined within the sample. According to the findings, influencers emphasize genderlessness discourses.

User Experience of a Large-Scale Smartphone-Based Observational Study in Multiple Sclerosis: Global, Open-Access, Digital-Only Study.

The Floodlight Open app is a digital health technology tool (DHTT) that comprises remote, smartphone sensor-based tests (daily activities) for assessing symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS). User acquisition, engagement, and retention remain a barrier to successfully deploying such tools. This study aims to quantitatively and qualitatively investigate key user experience (UX) factors associated with the Floodlight Open app. Floodlight Open is a global, open-access, digital-only study designed to understand the drivers and barriers in deploying a DHTT in a naturalistic setting without supervision and onboarding by a clinician. Daily activities included tests assessing cognition (Information Processing Speed and Information Processing Speed Digit-Digit), hand-motor function (Pinching Test and Draw a Shape Test), and postural stability and gait (Static Balance Test, U-Turn Test, and Two-Minute Walk Test [2MWT]). All daily activities except the 2MWT were taken in a fixed sequence. Qualitative UX was studied through semistructured interviews in a substudy of US participants with MS. The quantitative UX analysis investigated the impact of new UX design features on user engagement and retention in US participants for 3 separate test series: all daily activities included in the fixed sequence (DA), all daily activities included in the fixed sequence except the Static Balance Test and U-Turn Test (DAx), and the 2MWT. The qualitative UX substudy (N=22) revealed the need for 2 new UX design features: a more seamless user journey during the activation process that eliminates the requirement of switching back and forth between the app and the email that the participants received upon registration, and configurable reminders and push notifications to help plan and remind the participants to complete their daily activities. Both UX design features were assessed in the quantitative UX analysis. Introducing the more seamless user journey (original user journey: n=608; more seamless user journey: n=481) improved the conversion rate of participants who enrolled in the study and proceeded to successfully activate the app from 53.9% (328/608) to 74.6% (359/481). Introducing reminders and push notifications (with reminders and notifications: n=350; without reminders and notifications: n=172) improved continuous usage time (proportion of participants with ≥3 consecutive days of usage: DA and DAx: ~30% vs ~12%; 2MWT: ~30% vs ~20%); test completion rates (maximum number of test series completed: DA: 279 vs 64; DAx: 283 vs 126; 2MWT: 302 vs 76); and user retention rates (at day 30: DA: 53/172, 30.8% vs 34/350, 9.7%; DAx: 53/172, 30.8% vs 60/350, 17.1%; 2MWT: 39/172, 22.6% vs 22/350, 6.2%). Inactivity times remained comparable. The remote assessment of MS with DHTTs is a relatively nascent but growing field of research. The continued assessment and improvement of UX design features can play a crucial role in the successful long-term adoption of new DHTTs.

BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGIES IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES AND CAPABILITIES

International relations today require additional functional capabilities to enhance transparency, security, and efficiency in various areas, from interactions between national political actors to intergovernmental cooperation. Due to its functional features, blockchain technology can improve and simplify international cooperation through decentralization and the absence of a central controlling body; transparency, which allows all network participants to have equal access to identical information; immutability and data security, as information cannot be changed or deleted without the consent of all network participants; and automation through smart contracts that automatically execute upon the agreed conditions. Improving blockchain understanding is possible through various international programs involving stakeholders, with international relations being one of the important areas. Coordination and alignment of political components between countries to create common standards will promote the global implementation of certain standards and norms for blockchain and international cooperation. This will create a clear environment for implementing information and communication technologies aimed at developing the potential of politicians, civil servants, international players, government institutions, the private sector, and other stakeholders. However, the adoption of blockchain in many countries will require a review of the legal framework, the adoption of new norms, and the possible repeal of certain laws. The role of international organizations in the blockchain industry will grow, as most governments still lack clear policies on the technology, while the private sector is already actively promoting it. Ultimately, the widespread use of blockchain as a digital technology tool in modern international relations can lead to fundamental changes in various fields, from trade and finance to intellectual property protection and political stability. The article discusses the problems of using blockchain technology in international relations with the disclosure of its functional features and further opportunities for improving cooperation at the interstate level.

Technology trends in practice: A survey of occupational therapy practitioners.

Given the evolving digital revolution, technology and digital tools are becoming inseparable from work and daily occupations. Occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs) focus on supporting individuals in their desired and needed activities. Many of these daily activities (i.e., online banking, shopping, social media, smartphone use) require digital skills at a growing rate, and insufficient technological skills may subject individuals to limited engagement and social isolation. To understand OTPs attitudes regarding technology utilization. We surveyed 109 OTPs about their attitudes, work practices, and barriers to addressing their clients' digital technological functioning. The findings of our study suggest that while OTPs acknowledge the importance and potential benefit of technology for their clients, there is a notable professional gap in the training and skills of OTPs to support their clients' digital functioning effectively and to integrate technology into their practice. There is a need to improve and expand OTP's digital skills and knowledge regarding addressing clients' digital functioning and technology implementation in occupational therapy practice.

Caring for our planet: a world apart or same difference? A global music collaboration

PurposeThe impact and collective threat of climate change is of key concern to all. Music and arts education can play a role by responding to the ongoing climate crisis through the creation of artworks as activism. This paper discusses a collaborative online international music project and its potential contribution to sustainable development education.Design/methodology/approach 10,427 miles and 11 hours apart, music education students undertook the project, working in groups with a mix of students from Aberdeen, Scotland and Melbourne, Australia in each group. Each student collected video footage that captured their experience of climate concerns related to their environment. Students combined and edited the footage then collaboratively composed music to accompany the footage. This research was conceived as a collaborative self-study project undertaken by the authors as music teacher educators.FindingsThe results show a range of musical and extra musical outcomes and challenges. Evidence suggests that a collaborative online international music learning experience may contribute to sustainable development education and regenerative practice more broadly. Students began to develop their practice as educators for school and community contexts embedding learning for sustainability and climate consciousness, thus enabling them to develop as active global citizens.Originality/valueThis paper argues for greater attention to the affordances of digital collaborative music technology tools to facilitate creative projects as well as the need to reimagine musical experience, drawing together strands of music, sustainability education, technology and global citizenship. This paper also argues for the importance of embedding the UN Sustainable Development Goals in teaching and learning in Higher Education.

Understanding digital transformation challenges for online learning and teaching in higher education institutions: a review and research framework

PurposeThe widespread uptake of digital technology tools for online teaching and learning reached its peak during the nationwide lockdown triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. It transformed the higher education institutions (HEIs) marketplace both in developed and developing countries. However, in this process of digital transformation, several HEIs, specifically from developing countries, faced major challenges. That threatened to affect their sustainability and performance. In this vein, this study conducts a bibliometric review to map the challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic and suggest strategies for HEIs to cope with post-pandemic situations in the future.Design/methodology/approachThis comprehensive review encompasses 343 papers published between 2020 and 2023, employing a systematic approach that combines bibliometrics and content analysis to thoroughly evaluate the articles.FindingsThe investigation revealed a lack of published work addressing the specific challenges faced by the faculty members affecting their well-being. The study underscores the importance of e-learning technology adoption for higher education sustainability by compelling both students and teachers to rely heavily on social media platforms to maintain social presence and facilitate remote learning. The reduced interpersonal interaction during the pandemic has had negative consequences for academic engagement and professional advancement for both educators and students.Practical implicationsThis has implications for policymakers and the management of HEIs, as it may prove useful in reenvisioning and redesigning future curricula. The paper concludes by developing a sustainable learning framework using a blended approach. Additionally, we also provide directions for future research to scholars.Originality/valueThis study has implications for policymakers and HEI management to rethink the delivery of future courses with a focus on education and institute sustainability. Finally, the research also proposes a hybrid learning framework for sustainability and forms a robust foundation for scholars in future research.

Transformative Impact of Technology in Landscape Architecture on Landscape Research: Trends, Concepts and Roles

The role of technology in landscape architecture (TLA) has significantly evolved since the 19th century, increasingly integrating with digital tools and technologies in the 21st century. Despite its growing importance, there is a notable deficiency in the scholarly literature regarding the progression of TLA trends and their interplay with the core domains and research themes within landscape research. The influence of TLA on landscape research remains ambiguous, especially concerning its ability to generate new knowledge and impact design and sustainability practices. Furthermore, there is a critical need to delineate how TLA differs from allied general digital technology tools and to identify specific specializations that are emerging within the TLA field. To explore the above gaps, this study utilized a mixed methods approach involving secondary data from peer-reviewed publications, primary data from the archival research of winning projects, and expert interviews based on the two major research types of “Research through Design (RTD)” and “Research for Design (RFD)” to explore the TLA’s contribution. This research is significant as it: (1) identified the trend of TLA; (2) conceptualized the TLA, and (3) identified its role in relation to the core domains and research themes of landscape research.

Enhancing Safety in the Construction of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and Microreactors (MRs) through Improving Guidelines and Involving Digital Technology Tools

Enhancing Safety in the Construction of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and Microreactors (MRs) through Improving Guidelines and Involving Digital Technology Tools

Young Children’s Digital Literacy Practices with Caregivers in the Home Environment: Voices of Chinese Parents and Grandparents

The development of children’s digital literacy is essential in the 21st century. Digital technologies have been adopted by both parents and grandparents to enhance children’s quality of education, in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals (e.g., SDGs 4 and 17). Many children have been provided with all types of digital tools and e-devices from birth, which puts their caregivers in a challenging position. In that context, investigating the attitudes, beliefs, communication, and practices of caregivers when interacting with young children while utilizing digital technologies is crucial for comprehending the disparity in digital literacy between parents and grandparents. In this study, we adopted a mixed research design to examine Chinese intergenerational caregiving during the COVID-19 pandemic and different types of caregivers’ beliefs, practices, and communication with children through various digital tools in the home environment. A caregiver-reported survey was conducted to investigate the primary caregivers’ beliefs, practices, and communication using digital media tools with children at home. Intergenerational interviews with 18 families further identified the different methods of caregiving between parents and grandparents. Mixed attitudes were found concerning popular technologies commonly used at home and children’s digital literacy practices, and we heard intergenerational concerns about children’s use of digital technologies. This study shows that Chinese fathers are generally more supportive of digital practices at home, while mothers are more restrictive of their children’s use of digital technology tools. Grandparenting may be overwhelming for Chinese seniors in the 21st century.

Adoption of Digital Technologies as a Driver for Cost Leadership Strategy in Tour Firms within Nairobi City County, Kenya

Digital technologies play a major role in reducing the cost of operations in tour firms. The main focus of the study was to find out the adoption of digital technologies as a driver of cost leadership strategy in tour firms within Nairobi City County. The specific objective was to investigate the influence of mobile applications on cost leadership strategy in tour firms in Nairobi City County. Embedded research design was applied in the study. The study adopted the null hypothesis that mobile applications had no statistically significant influence on cost leadership strategy in tour firms within Nairobi City County. The study population was 278 tour firms obtained from the Kenya Association of Tour Operators (KATO) list where a sample of 164 tour firms were selected through the application of Yemane’s (1967) sample size formula. 10 tour firm mangers were selected for interviews. Systematic random sampling was utilized for the determination of the sample size of 164 tour firms. Semi-structured questionnaires and interview schedules were utilized as data instruments. Questionnaires were filled by tour consultants while interviews were conducted with tour firm managers. 133 respondents filled out the questionnaires representing 81% response rate while 7 interviewees were conducted representing 70% response rate. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used during data analysis. The study utilized both ANOVA and multiple regression tests to test the hypotheses, and influence between the adoption of digital technology and cost leadership strategy. The results of the R Square equals 0.919 therefore revealing that 91.9% of cost leadership is attributed to mobile applications. The study confirmed there was a statistical significance (p =.000) between mobile applications and cost leadership. Mobile applications as a digital technology tool accounted for a positive significant increase (B = 637) in cost leadership strategy. The study concluded that there is a positive strong influence between the adoption of mobile applications and cost leadership strategy. The study recommends that tour firms should fully adopt digital technologies to maximize cost control, minimize marketing costs, and promote operational efficiency

İlkokul Matematik Öğretiminde Kullanılan Dijital Teknoloji Araçlarının Başarıya Etkisi - Derleme Çalışması

Bu çalışma ile ilkokul kademesinde matematik öğretim sürecinde kullanılan dijital teknoloji araçlarının matematik başarısına etkisini konu alan deneysel araştırmaları incelemek ve bu araştırmaların içerdiği çeşitli bilgileri sistemli biçimde bir araya getirmek amaçlanmıştır. Sistematik derleme çalışması olarak yapılandırılan çalışmada dahil etme kriterlerini sağlayan 24 ulusal ve uluslararası araştırma çalışmaya dahil edilmiştir. İncelenen araştırmaların daha çok makale türünde olduğu, çoğunlukla 2019 yılında yapıldığı, uygulama yapılan sınıf düzeyinin en çok 4.sınıf olduğu, uygulamalarda en çok Kesirler konusunun ele alındığı diğer yandan geometri, ölçme ve veri toplama öğrenme alanlarında 1.ve 2. sınıflara yönelik konuların olmadığı görülmüştür. Kullanılan dijital araç türü olarak en çok dijital oyunların kullanıldığı gibi çeşitli sonuçlara ulaşılmıştır. Aynı zamanda yapılan araştırmalardaki ortak sonucun dijital teknoloji araçlarının kullanımının matematik başarısını arttırdığı yönündedir.

Recent advances in smart manufacturing: a case study of small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMME)

The digital revolution is the future pathway to experiencing business evolution. It will be difficult for any organization to remain in business without deploying fourth industry revolution (4IR) techniques. This review guides prospective business owners on the need to embrace Smart Manufacturing (SM) timely and appropriate to enhance their business performance indicators. Many manufacturing companies are facing challenges in adopting SM tools in their organization due to a lack of essential resources despite the benefits associated with SM. Therefore, this study systematically reviewed the criteria evaluation techniques in implementing digital factories. This work has analysed small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMME), with the view to enumerate the appropriate criteria to determine the level of digital technology tools adoption framework. It also highlights how to compensate for the inadequate technical and financial resources in SM. The guidelines for SM implementation adoption in SMME is a research gap that was missing in previous studies. SM benefits, challenges, applications, significance, impact, and future perspectives, are discussed. Evaluation Criteria for SM Adoption practices were also expounded. The framework used in this study will help SMME owners to adopt SM.

Digitalization of The Formation and Testing of Laws and Regulations In Indonesia

This research was conducted to examine how efforts to digitize the formation and also test the laws and regulations in Indonesia. Where the Ministry of Law and Human Rights as an institution representing the government in the formation of laws and regulations through the Directorate General of Laws and Regulations launched a digitalization program for the formation of laws and regulations to make it easier for the public to participate in the formation of laws and regulations because it is equipped with five innovations, namely e-public participation, e-invitation, e-litigation, Design HelpDesk, Design Chat Podcast (OPERA). Meanwhile, in terms of legal review, the Constitutional Court as a judicial institution tasked with maintaining the constitution and democracy and protecting human rights so that they can be easily recognized by the Indonesian people through digital technology tools so that the Indonesian people can not only easily know the Constitutional Court but also can easily submit applications or lawsuits to the Constitutional Court if they experience constitutional losses, namely through www.mahkamahkonstitusi.go.id website. With the efforts to digitize the formation and testing of these laws and regulations, it is expected that the public will be more active in participating in the formation and testing of laws and regulations

Decolonizing Digital Technology in Africa: A Political Thought

This paper critically examines how almost everybody in the world cannot survive without using digital technology tools in the contemporary days. The use of digital technology tools has become a daily life requirement in the world. It is in such a perspective that these digital technology tools are therefore assessed as the pre-requisite tools that are needed for almost everybody nowadays. However, in the African context and taking Africa as the unity of analysis, the same digital technology tools are criticized for having both negative and positive impacts on African society. Mostly judged as good for adults, some researchers observe that digital technology tools are very dangerous to young children if not supervised by adults for what they have to use them for. From an African political perspective, these tools are not only dangerous but also colonial apparatuses based on the fact that these tools are colonially designed—a scandal for African society. Politically, any fabricated technological device is made for a particular objective. This questions multiple missions of technological digital tools that are exported to Africa—considered as a laboratory. Decolonizing digital technology in Africa therefore attracts an African political thought as an emergent need to challenge such a dominium digito-colonial complex situation.

The digital economy brings new opportunities for arts and culture

We are currently in the digital era of the 21st century, and the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence has brought new energy to the evolution of museums. Museums must inevitably advance towards digitisation. Therefore, the variety of applications for artificial intelligence and other related technologies should be broadened. At the same time, numerous arising issues need to be addressed. The focus of this paper is the objective of increasing young visitors’ satisfaction. Herein, we leverage an assortment of digital technology tools and continuously evaluate their commercial feasibility. It is hoped that a rise in satisfaction can be accomplished through the exemplar business plan provided.

The Phygitalization of Moderne Languages Teaching in the Aftermath of COVID-19

Against numerous, more or less favourable backgrounds, education is among the many fields of activity always changing for progress, as it is designed so as to meet the needs of society. For some decades now, and even more to come, the main trigger for change has been technology. Being acknowledged for its immediate benefits, such as effort and time saving or enjoying the convenience of accessing wide-open resources, digital technology has considerably influenced all interested stakeholders’ perspective on education. This article aims to present the role that digital technology tools play, not only in addressing the teaching challenges inherent in the aftermath of the COVID-19, but also in engaging and empowering students attending the English for Economics and Business Communication seminar at the Bucharest University of Economic Studies (ASE Bucharest). Many of the approaches used in what was called hybrid, blended, asynchronous or semi-synchronous teaching and learning currently prove to be useful tools in bridging the digital world with the physical one, with the purpose of driving engagement, avoiding info dumping, diversifying assessment means, all in all providing interactive experiences for both teachers and learners.

A Case Study of Millennial English Teachers’ Awareness of Digital Media in EFL Classrooms

Digital literacy embodies the competence in effectively employing technology for information retrieval, appraisal, creation, and transmission. This case study not only explores the digital literacy of millennial English teachers but uniquely unveils the seamless integration of a diverse array of digital media into their EFL classrooms. The questionnaire served as a means to gauge the extent of the millennial English teachers understood the notion of digital literacy. Meanwhile, to understand how they use digital technology resources in their instructional design and pedagogical strategies, this study deployed observation, interview, and document analysis. Ten English teachers from Cianjur who belong to the millennial generation enlisted in the study. The findings underscored that the participants adeptly utilized an array of digital technology tools in their day-to-day professional undertakings. They have demonstrated proficiency with digital teaching tools and have seamlessly integrated them into their EFL classroom. Nonetheless, there is a discernible need for further support in advancing their digital literacy skills, and further, collaborative environment to explore innovative pedagogical approaches. Also, a sufficient amount of time for professional development is necessary, as are policies that promote the effective use of mobile devices in the classroom. Furthermore, it is imperative to stimulate the teachers’ experimentation with emerging technologies and elevate their digital literacy levels. Therefore, it is advised that government and policymakers proffer substantial, reliable, and easily accessible technical support tailored to the needs of millennial English teachers to continue their digital literacy growth.