Educational Purposes Research Articles

‘If I were at peace, I wouldn’t be here’: Staging incarceration’s transgenerational, transnational ghosts and memory in Jay Kuo’s Allegiance

While a majority of the Second World War-based musicals tend to glorify America’s heroism and downplay or ignore its injustices, Jay Kuo’s (2015) musical Allegiance centres on the unlawful incarceration of over one hundred and twenty thousand Japanese American civilians held in American concentration camps during the war, which is a history that many Americans continue not to be aware of. Through foregrounding Jessica Nakamura’s framework of response-ability, this article considers the ways Allegiance activates it, through the use of spectral embodiment as a means to engage ghosts of Japanese diasporic war memory, especially as it relates to the portrayal of the historical figure Mike Masaoka and a staging of the Hiroshima bombing. Allegiance’s staging of ghosts is similarly interrogated within a musical where unsettled personal trauma conjures ghosts of the past that must be settled by characters like the protagonist, Sammy Kimura, who enters a dialogic relationship with them. Through analysing press materials, onstage performances, interviews and documentary content, this article highlights how transnational connections and transgenerational response-ability are staged to help cope with and remember Japanese and Japanese American experiences. It similarly discusses how the musical form aided and inhibited the show’s meaning to and resonance with audiences throughout Allegiance’s production history. Through settling and unsettling the dead, this article considers how Allegiance enshrines personal, communal and national memories about wartime incarceration into a piece of art that serves educational and reparative purposes for the production companies and audiences who experienced the show on and off-Broadway.

Soundscape Composition in the Framework of Cognitive Systems

After more than fifty years of development, soundscape composition has evolved from its initial purposes of education and archival work into a significant branch of contemporary music creation. With the advancement of recording technology, digital audio processing tools, and computer music software, the creative means of soundscape composition have been greatly expanded. At the same time, soundscape composition requires composers to make comprehensive use of multiple fields such as technology, art, science, society and culture. However, this also introduces more complex creative challenges, as composers may need to efficiently coordinate the use of various tools in multitasking environments and manage multidimensional interactive scenarios, which demands higher levels of cognitive ability and clearer workflow. This paper aims to discuss my own soundscape composition project within the framework of cognitive theories (extended mind and distributed cognition), in order to explore underdeveloped perspectives on the practice and learning of soundscape composition. This perspective may provide soundscape composers with a richer cognitive theoretical foundation and potential methodological support in the creative process, helping composers or researchers understand the dynamic cognitive processes of soundscape composition based on an analysis of the entire environment.

Educational Use of AI Chatbot Responses: Exploring Situational Relevance in Higher Education

ABSTRACTThis study investigates various types of situational relevance as assessed by students in the context of AI‐generated responses for educational purposes. Data were collected through interviews with four undergraduate students, and a qualitative research method was employed to analyze data. The findings reveal the specific roles of AI chatbots concerning students' tasks and types of situational relevance. The research highlights differences between system inefficiencies and students' coping behaviors in situational relevance types, providing implications for future research.

Measurement of ascorbic acid samples’ optical rotation via an improvised polarimeter for purity assessment

Abstract The polarization of light finds practical application in physics and chemistry through the optical activity phenomenon, where polarimeters play a crucial role. This research builds on the improvised polarimeter designed by Kvittingen and Sjursnes [1], implemented with relevant modifications, to measure optical rotations of over-the-counter ascorbic acid samples. The study aims to assess the purity of two brands of ascorbic acid through polarimetry, comparing the calculated specific rotation with the literature values and supplementing the characterization with melting point determination. The constructed polarimeter, assembled using Lego bricks, provides an affordable alternative for educational purposes, addressing the challenges observed in the accessibility of commercial polarimeters for classroom demonstrations. The methodology encompasses pre-experiment steps involving polarimeter construction, the experiment utilizing polarimetry and complementary melting point determination, and post-experiment analysis to determine specific rotation from the measured optical rotations. Results indicate that Brand X exhibited specific rotations close to theoretical values, inferring high purity. Conversely, Brand Y shows significant deviations, suggesting potential impurities. These conclusions are supported by melting point data. The comprehensive approach combining polarimetry and melting point determination enhances the reliability of purity assessments, showcasing the effectiveness of the improvised polarimeter in practical applications.

THE EFFECT OF COLOUR-CODING ON LEARNING ENGLISH SENTENCE STRUCTURE

Colour carries a psychologically relevant meaning, and the colours we see affect our psychological performance. Colour-coding impacts learners’ cognitive processing as material-oriented interventions in multimedia learning. For educational purposes, colours can be used to stimulate neural activity, allowing pupils to learn, memorize, and retain new information more efficiently. Especially for those who are visual learners, the brighter the colours are, the more they are able to capture the attention for particular types of information. (Elliot and Maier: 2012). Colour-Coding Strategy can help pupils make connections, gain knowledge and have a positive impact on attention inside the classroom. So it is not a kind of fun. Using such a strategy in teaching and learning grammar can be as simple as just asking your pupils to take out their booklets and colouring pens and markers. The current research focuses on determining the effectiveness of using colour-coding as a better tool for learning sentence structure at the primary level. In light of the aim, the research’s null hypothesis has been formulated to be tested. The design of one group has been adopted, pre and post-tests used. The sample includes (32) female pupils who are randomly selected from Qubat Al Sakhrah primary school in Mosul city.

Application of artificial intelligence in higher education institutions for developing soft skills of future specialists in the sphere of information technology

Abstract This paper aims to delineate the significant role of artificial intelligence (AI) in developing the soft skills of future information technology (IT) professionals. To achieve this goal, the authors give some relevant considerations concerning using AI in teaching humanitarian subjects and explore the use of AI to develop soft skills essential for future IT professionals. First, the analysis of the survey results confirms that students are not aware that using AI in education is very helpful. That is why many students (51.8%) do not use them at all. Therefore, we have an intention to give the examples of the use of AI tools for educational purposes to equip students, first of all, with understanding of soft skills value, and, secondly, let them complete the tasks that contribute to the development and improvement of their soft skills. Second, we defined that the soft skills (communication, negotiation, problem-solving, finding a common language with colleagues and clients, public speaking, and intercultural) are essential for conducting professional communication with colleagues in the sphere of IT to satisfy the demands of the IT industry in the modern-day world. Third, the paper contributes scientifically to investigating the integration of AI technologies in the university-level educational landscape. Integrating AI in higher education institutions offers a promising route for developing or boosting the soft skills necessary for future specialists in the field of IT. Drawing on a comprehensive review of literature focusing on the use of AI technologies in the contemporary world and considering the empirical data from the online survey, the study investigates the opportunities of AI tools to foster soft skills required to achieve the active collaboration of IT employees for companies.

초등학교 디지털 기반 교육의 외재성 비판 및 시사점 탐색: 아이들의 흥미는 어디에서 오는가

The purpose of this study is to criticize the problems of digital-based education, which is actively discussed in the elementary school field, and to derive educational implications based on Dewey's concept of ontological interest. As a research method, the core ideas were summarized by analyzing Dewey's primary works and secondary studies with a syntopical reading method. As a result of the study, digital-based education promoted in the field of elementary school had a risk of external goods. As an educational implication for solving this problem, first, digital materials and teaching aids should be used as a medium for realizing educational interest beyond simple curiosity or impulse. Second, in the case of digital textbooks, it should be used as a place for the development of intellectual thinking through inquiry based on intrinsic interest. Third, regarding the use of digital platforms, it was discussed that the original purpose of education can only be realized by utilizing ontological interests in virtual and real spaces. Digital education in elementary schools will be established as an education that can develop the power to continue to grow when efforts and thinking are integrated based on the ontological interests of children.

Designing File Storage and Sharing System

Background: Files stored on a network are anticipated to be exchanged securely and efficiently. An internet-based file management platform that enables users to securely create, save, organize, collaborate, and share files. Sharing is a recently developed service idea that is frequently sought after by researchers and students. The suggested work offers many forms of data files, including documents and multimedia files. File storage has been a widely used storage method for many years. Materials and Methods: The proposed method used to build the website is Visual Studio 2015 with SQL server Database to provide file storage with different data type storage and it provides a service as an IT repository file storage system to help student and teachers to communicate with each other in academic way for publishing files in easy and in a flexible manner. Results: The proposed system results showed that the website can provide file upload with supported files are ".doc", ".docx", ".pptx", ".pdf", ".zip", ".rar", ".mp4", ".flv", ".avi", ".PDF", ".DOCX" and ".DOC". Results showed that the system uploaded file size 5M, 10 and 25 M smoothly. Conclusion: The work provides a flexible way to store and sharing files for different fields and we use it for education purposes. The results showed that the proposed system is very flexible in the process of uploading various files at a very high speed, due to the ease of uploading files to the server and accessing them by various students in the college.

Development and research of an autonomous mobile platform with reduced computing power requirements

Today, the market is saturated with a variety of autonomous robotic devices that offer a variety of solutions to opti-mize workflows in various industries. One of the leading areas of their application is the automation of warehouse operations, where store robots move and optimize warehouse processes, reducing labor costs and speeding up task completion. These technologies reveal some limitations and shortcomings. For example, categories of robots such as transport carts, forklifts, and automated towing vehicles are limited in their functionality, often resulting in the need to use multiple types of devices for different tasks. This leads to equipment redundancy and complicates integration into existing warehouse systems. Another significant aspect is the need to improve the routing and nav-igation algorithms for these devices. Modern autonomous robot systems often face route optimization challenges, especially in dynamic and complex warehouse environments. This can lead to inefficiencies and increased time delays [1]. The goal of this work is to develop an autonomous mobile platform that would solve possible problems with navigation, have well-developed routing algorithms combined with low cost for affordable use in small busi-nesses. The research methods involve conducting various experiments on a real mobile platform to collect data and evaluate performance, including measuring the speed, accuracy, and power consumption of transportation tasks. Development and optimization of new algorithms for managing a mobile platform, planning routes, analyz-ing signals from sensors, processing images and video from a camera. The result of the work is that the possibility of compatibility of the on-board computer (single board computer) with the flight controller for movement on the ground surface has been investigated. On this basis, a mobile platform was created, which is presented in this arti-cle. This configuration is suitable for moving the platform either autonomously or using a control panel. The role of the technical vision system in providing navigation has been studied. The results of the work highlight innovation and the use of model functionality to create effective autonomous land navigation systems, including coordinates. The mobile platform can be used for transporting goods in warehouses, for working in extreme situations, for environmental monitoring or for educational purposes.

Real-time particle visualization in an electric-cooled cloud chamber using machine learning

This paper presents the development and implementation of an electric-cooled cloud chamber designed to visualize alpha and beta particle tracks. Traditional cloud chambers rely on dry ice for cooling, which can be cumbersome and impractical for extended use. Our approach employs a Peltier device coupled with a commercial CPU cooler, providing a stable, large field of view, and long-lasting cooling environment. Additionally, we have integrated a real-time visualization system utilizing OpenCV and machine learning with TensorFlow. This system accurately identifies and labels particle tracks, enhancing the educational experience. The cloud chamber operates seamlessly with consumer laptops, such as the MacBook Air with an M1 chip, making it accessible and convenient for educational purposes. Initial qualitative results demonstrate the system’s effectiveness. Future work will focus on refining detection accuracy and exploring additional applications. This advancement not only improves the usability of cloud chambers but also offers new possibilities for interactive scientific education.

Exploring inclusive teaching practices of English for Academic Purposes (EAP) in Higher Education (HE): A call for systemic change

This brief communication underscores the critical importance of cultivating inclusive teaching practices in higher education (HE), particularly in English for Academic Purposes (EAP), as student demographics become increasingly diverse. Drawing on preliminary findings from a BALEAP-funded project, it advocates for comprehensive transformations across individual, departmental, and institutional levels to ensure effective implementation of inclusive teaching practices. Emphasising the multifaceted nature of inclusivity, this article highlights the need for a paradigm shift at the individual level, supported by continuous professional development and cultural competence enhancement. Moreover, it stresses the significance of systemic changes at departmental and institutional levels, including revisiting curriculum design and assessment practices. Finally, the article asserts that fostering inclusive teaching practices demands both independence and active collaboration among stakeholders, offering a roadmap for creating learning environments that value diversity and empower all students to succeed in HE. Through this lens, the preliminary findings and recommendations discussed offer initial insights into creating more inclusive and effective learning environments, resonating with the mission to support comprehensive learning development practices and pedagogies in HE.

Appraising the impact of currency redesign on the nigerian construction artisans in the informal sector

The currency redesign era may complicate financial transactions for construction artisans in the informal sector and threaten to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs) (1 and 2). The majority still need a bank account which may increase unemployment and hunger. Therefore, the study investigated Nigerian construction artisans’ challenges in the informal sector and proffered measures to mitigate future currency redesign challenges and, by extension, improve achieving Goals 1 and 2. The study employed a qualitative research design and engaged 28 knowledgeable participants in Lagos, Nigeria. The research achieved saturation with the selected participants and used a thematic analysis to analyse the collected data. The study shows that currency redesign is germane to construction sector advancement and developing economies at large. The impact includes increased unemployment, hunger, low patronage and productivity. These are threats to achieving Sustainable Development Goals 1 and 2. Among the top-ranked measures suggested are encouraging bank account openings, currency redesign should be in sequence and planned, public education and cash handler education purposes, and skills training (reskilling and upskilling). The study extends currency redesign and the construction artisans in the informal sector literature by showing that currency redesign is pertinent to the sector’s growth.

ModelBark: a toy model to study bark formation in woody species

Abstract The study of growth of woody species is a challenging issue, primarily due to the complexity of the involved processes, which span broad spatial and temporal scales. Very often, this latter aspect almost precludes complete experimentation, thereby hindering the comparison between theoretical predictions and real-world observations. Computer simulations offer an alternative approach, allowing for data collection based on theoretical assumptions, and has been applied to the analysis of different features in plant development, as the production of secondary vascular tissues, xylem and phloem, in woody plants. However, the simulation of bark development faces added difficulties, due to the scarcity of experimental observations to base the model on. In this paper, we introduce a computer model designed to simulate bark formation based on mechanical stimuli acting on the various types of cells comprising this tissue. Our model can be conceptualized as a cellular automaton of variable size with non-local updating rules. By adjusting the parameters defining the model, we investigate the most influential factors in bark development, obtaining the most common bark types observed in trees. Furthermore, we provide an intuitive interface, making it suitable for educational purposes as well.

NATIVE EXPERIENCE OF NATIONAL PATRIOTIC EDUCATION IN THE MILITARY SPHERE OF THE STUDIED PERIOD (END OF XX – BEGINNING OF XXI CENTURY)

In the modern conditions of full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war, the problem of national-patriotic education of future officers in military institutions of higher education of Ukraine emerges with all urgency. The priority of the formation of patriotic qualities in the officers of military institutions of higher education plays a key role in the readiness for conscious defense of the Motherland, which is the main task assigned to the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the conditions of hostilities with the enemy. The level of formation of patriotic qualities in future officers depends on the effectiveness of education of relevant properties in the personnel of military units and units, which determines their ability to selflessly fulfill the constitutional duty to consciously protect the Motherland. The basis of the formation of national self-awareness is the education of a conscientious officer, citizen, and patriot. National self-awareness is not an innate quality, it is formed during the life of an individual. At the current stage of Ukraine’s development, when the threat of losing state independence and the country’s integrity has increased, national-patriotic education in the military sphere has a priority role. The main aspect is the education of national-patriotic feeling in young officers, devotion to the defense of the state, on a national scale. The purpose of this article is to analyze the domestic experience of national-patriotic education in the military sphere of the late 20th – early 21st centuries. An integral part of the national-patriotic education of officers and personnel of the military forces is the formation of readiness to defend the Motherland. In the conditions of a full-scale war, education as a social phenomenon needs rethinking, development of new approaches and strategies in the development of a system of education of national-patriotic qualities in young officers and personnel in representatives of power structures. The external attributes of the army were also of great importance for the establishment of the national-patriotic upbringing of young officers: firstly, the development of new models of military uniforms and insignia; secondly, the approval of the provisions on military awards; thirdly, honorary names of military units that had a national historical origin. Thus, an important aspect of the investigated problem is the tendency to change the system of national-patriotic education in military institutions of higher education in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. This happened both at the legislative level and by filling the system of national-patriotic education with new content. The activities of the collectives of military institutions of higher education are aimed at: first, the formation of the national-patriotic consciousness of cadets; secondly, the awakening of national pride for the Ukrainian people; thirdly, hardening of patriotic consciousness; fourthly, training cadets to protect the independence of Ukraine, its state sovereignty. High results of educational work with cadets of institutions of higher education are ensured thanks to the inseparability of goals, the purpose of education in the conditions of both classroom and extra-auditory activities of the teaching staff of military higher education institutions. Turning to the historical experience of implementing the implementation of the national idea strengthens the search for ways to implement the national idea in the national-patriotic education of future officers in military institutions of higher education of Ukraine. Since effective educational work can be carried out under the conditions of a close combination of the achievements of cadets during educational and practical classes in military institutions of higher education of Ukraine with combat achievements of graduates of military institutions of higher education while protecting the territorial integrity of Ukraine, it is worth considering the possibilities of wider use of the potential of participants in hostilities for the formation of a patriotic consciousness and patriotic feelings. Today, the problem of national-patriotic education of young officers is becoming particularly acute, since the future of Ukraine as an independent, sovereign state depends on its solution.

Unlocking potential: understanding mobile device use patterns among year 9–11 students for learning

ABSTRACT The study examines the nature of smartphones for learning use patterns among students in grades 9–11 and its contexts in relation to personalised learning extracting risk factors associated with less mobile device use in learning. A latent class analysis (LCA) was employed. Various covariates were used to highlight groups of students at risk for effective smartphone-supported instruction. Participants were recruited for a cross-sectional online survey within the Monitoring of digital transformation series conducted in Russia in 2020/21. We identified four distinct profile groups of mobile device use among school students. Examining profile groups through the lenses of the Personalisation–Pluralisation Quadrant (PPQ) developed by Kucirkova and Littleton and the Substitution, Augmentation, Modification and Redefinition (SAMR) framework of Puentedura, we show that heterogeneous guidance should be provided to help students maximise the potential of smartphones for learning. This study represents a first attempt to examine the heterogeneous structure of mobile use among school students, using a latent class analysis and can be used as a reference to better understand the use of personal mobile devices among school students for educational purposes and personalised learning. The findings also result in targeted approaches to the teachers’ instruction according to the constructivism principles.

A two-headed accessory muscle on the sole of the foot

Anatomical variations include the absence of a muscle or tendon or its presence as an accessory muscle or tendon. Clinically, anatomic variations play an important role in diagnosis and theraphy. In anatomy dissection laboratory, during routine dissection for educational purposes, a 83 -year- old male cadaver was dissected and a two-headed accessory muscle was observed on the plantar surface of the left foot. The medial and lateral heads of the muscle were observed close to the medial and lateral plantar neurovascular bundles. The accessory muscle was pierced by the tendon of the flexor digitorum longus muscle and both muscles were inserted to the distal phalanx of the fifth toe. The variations of the accessory muscles should be taken into consideration in surgical interventions, since, they may change the course of the intervention or as in the case of abductor hallucis muscle, they may be used in reconstructive procedures as grafts. Therefore, it is crucial for surgeons, orthopedic physicians, and anatomists to have a detailed knowledge of the intrinsic muscles of the foot.22-07-2024

A low-cost electronic and optical system for magnetic hyperthermia experimental studies

Magnetic hyperthermia is an alternative to treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy that employs the heat generated by magnetic nanoparticles under the influence of a magnetic field to kill cancer cells while ideally causing no harm to healthy tissues. A low-cost magnetic hyperthermia investigation platform with commercially available and easy-to-assemble parts was presented to provide and expand research in this area for a larger scientific community. The magnetic hyperthermia measurement system consists of three main parts: a designed thermally insulated sample holder, a commercial 88 kHz magnetic induction heater, and a custom-built fiber optic based refractometer as temperature sensor. The system was tested with commercial EFH-1 magnetic fluids. Time dependent temperature changes were measured for applied magnetic fields of 3.5 kA/m, 4.8 kA/m, and 6.0 kA/m. The corresponding specific loss power values were calculated as 0.28 W/g, 0.51 W/g, and 0.79 W/g, respectively. Intrinsic loss power of commercial ferrofluid was determined as 0.25 ± 0.01 nHm2/kg, found to be comparable to the results of specialized commercial magnetic hyperthermia systems. The results show that the system can easily be used for hyperthermia demonstrations for educational purposes as well as in convenient scientific research with proper calibration.

Influence of Internet Use on Happiness in China: Mediating Effects of Environmental Quality Perception and Moderating Role of Sense of Environmental Security.

This study aims to comprehensively examine the effects of different types of Internet use and happiness while considering the mediating role of environmental quality perception and the moderating role of a sense of environmental security. Drawing on the uses and gratifications theory, negativity bias, and social cognitive theory, the study investigates the mediating role of environmental quality perception and the moderating role of environmental security in the above relationship. Using data from 3162 respondents in the 2021 Chinese Social Survey (CSS) and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), the study finds that Internet use for information and educational purposes significantly enhances happiness, with environmental quality perception acting as a mediator. Moreover, a moderating effect of environmental security was observed in the relationship between Internet use for educational purposes and national environmental quality perception. Specifically, the interaction between study-related Internet use and the sense of environmental security significantly and positively predicted national environmental quality perception. These findings highlight the complex interaction between Internet use, environmental factors, and happiness, offering insights into policy interventions aimed at improving Internet access and environmental awareness to enhance public mental health outcomes in China.

Moving towards justice and equity: Interdisciplinary dismantling of ableism and racism in special education

ABSTRACT This special issue engages with the reality and consequences of the harms and benefits of special education with a focus on racial disproportionality. It draws upon the diverse disciplinary, methodological, and theoretical orientations and positionalities of the contributing authors to better understand how ableism and racism are key factors related to the disproportionality problem. Our hope is that these papers will provide researchers, practitioners, and policymakers new lines of inquiry and praxis, challenging assumptions about the purpose and scope of special education and developing an emancipatory and inter disciplinary reimagining of special education equity research.

Synergetic Approach Model for Improving Vocational Education: Characteristics, Guidelines and Applications

The main purpose of vocational education is to prepare students for their future professional development, including the acquisition of skills and competencies necessary for the labor market. The research aims to present a model that gains effectiveness of applying a synergetic approach for improving vocational education. The synergetic approach could be an innovative pedagogical concept in VET that creates an open educational environment utilizing the application of different approaches and teaching methods. Basically the model proposed combines the change in curricula, the use of learning resources for practical teaching and the change in the way of assessment as kernel guideines for achieving better student outcomes. The ensuing benefits of applying a synergetic approach in VET are related to the possibility that vocational education is required to meet the needs of the contemporary labor market, as well as it answers to the expectations of society to prepare young people for their successful employment in industry. Other benefits are related to the possibility of restructuring the learning content, using various teaching methods, formative assessment, acquisition of permanent knowledge, as well as acquisition of skills for critical evaluation of information and self-evaluation of the achieved results to increase motivation. In synergetic learning, the content of the learning materials differs significantly from those traditionally used in vocational training, and the teacher has the opportunity to adapt the learning content to the needs of the specific student.