Expert Practitioners Research Articles

Teaching Peace Top-down, Bottom-up, or Both? Navigating Basic Dilemmas in Cross-Cultural Conflict Resolution Education

Abstract Despite decades of calls by the international community for the need to pivot the primary approach to cross-cultural conflict resolution education away from privileging Western, prescriptive models and methods of outside educators toward those based on the knowledge and expertise of local stakeholders, the dominant top-down paradigm persists. This article presents a new framework for cross-cultural conflict resolution education that builds on John Paul Lederach’s original distinction between prescriptive (top-down) versus elicitive (bottom-up) approaches, and extends it through grounded-theory research with expert practitioners working across cultures in conflict zones. The result is a contingency approach to working adaptively across different types of cross-cultural situations—based on five key factors—as well as insights into enacting hybrid combinations of both approaches. The implications and next steps for research and practice are discussed.

Language teacher expertise research: A theoretical case and research agenda

Abstract Expertise exists among all communities of educational practitioners at all levels and in all national contexts. By identifying expert practitioners, learning from them and valuing their professional competence, researchers can support, promote and build upon sustainable, embodied, holistic models of quality in ways that have direct relevance for the classroom, the curriculum and wider educational goals. Yet, despite its potential as a field of research, there have been relatively few studies involving expert language teachers to date. After a brief historical background, this article makes the case for language teacher expertise research, noting its high ecological validity, its great practical utility, its ability to bridge the research–practice divide and its potentially positive impact on teaching communities. Key methodological considerations are also discussed, including defining expertise, identifying expert teachers and looking beyond the limits of subject-specific pedagogy to understand the whole practitioner in their sociocultural context. The article then proposes a framework for future teacher expertise research that spans diverse methodologies. Six example research tasks from within this framework are proposed, each justified and exemplified, incorporating suggestions for research design that are intended to encourage both experienced and novice researchers to engage with teacher expertise as a promising domain for future investigation.

Quantitative Analysis Toward Guidance for Implementing E-Ticketing for Asphalt Paving Operations

Previous research efforts into e-ticketing for asphalt paving operations have qualitatively identified benefits and concerns. However, there is minimal academic literature detailing the quantitative impact of e-ticketing in the post-COVID-19 pandemic era. This research addresses this gap by gathering information from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) about e-ticketing practices to aid in determining potential implementation steps. Quantitative project information was collected from KYTC projects to compare the traditional weigh ticket collection process with e-ticketing processes for both project engineers and inspectors. The analysis shows statistically significant time savings for field employees but not project management personnel. Further, factors affecting e-ticketing implementation for both project engineers and inspectors were also investigated. For inspectors, the dataset was analyzed to determine how the project type and quality assurance responsibilities of the inspector altered the e-ticketing impact. For engineers, the dataset was analyzed to determine how the project type altered e-ticketing impacts and how e-ticketing affected the engineer reviewing and storing project data. Cluster analysis was completed for both project engineers and inspectors to group project types where e-ticketing impact was maximized, and a decision matrix was created to aid agencies in creating implementation plans. The primary contributions to the body of knowledge include a modified action research methodology applied to electronic bulk material tickets to incorporate practitioner expertise into implementation guidelines and quantitative findings indicating that state transportation agencies should first implement e-ticketing on large asphalt-resurfacing projects, such as interstate rehabilitations, where inspectors have strenuous quality assurance responsibilities to maximize benefit.

Decoding Depth of Meditation: EEG Insights from Expert Vipassana Practitioners

BackgroundMeditation practices have demonstrated numerous psychological and physiological benefits, yet capturing the neural correlates of varying meditative depths remains challenging. This study aimed to decode self-reported time-varying meditative depth in expert practitioners using EEG. MethodsExpert Vipassana meditators (n=34) participated in two separate sessions. Participants reported their meditative depth on a personally defined 1-5 scale using both traditional probing and a novel "spontaneous emergence" method. EEG activity and effective connectivity in theta, alpha, and gamma bands was used to predict meditative depth using machine/deep learning, including a novel method that fused source activity and connectivity information. ResultsWe achieved significant accuracy in decoding self-reported meditative depth across unseen sessions. The "spontaneous emergence" method yielded improved decoding performance to traditional probing and correlated more strongly with post-session outcome measures. Best performance was achieved by a novel machine learning method which fused spatial, spectral, and connectivity information. Conventional EEG channel-level methods and pre-selected default mode network regions fell short in capturing the complex neural dynamics associated with varying meditation depths. ConclusionsThis study demonstrates the feasibility of decoding personally defined meditative depth using EEG. The findings highlight the complex, multivariate nature of neural activity during meditation and introduce "spontaneous emergence" as an ecologically valid and less obtrusive experiential sampling method. These results have implications for advancing neurofeedback techniques and enhancing our understanding of meditative practices.

Survival Rate Of Composite Veneer - A Review

Composite veneers are a minimally invasive and increasingly popular choice for aesthetic dental restorations. Their clinical durability and success are determined by multiple factors, including material composition, patient habits, and the technical expertise of the dental practitioner. This review evaluates the existing research on the lifespan of composite veneers, with a focus on the key elements that affect their durability, clinical performance, and patient satisfaction. These elements include adhesive bonding methods, patient oral hygiene practices, and mechanical stressors that influence the long-term success of composite veneers.

GAME MEDIA BASED ON LOCAL WISDOM TO IMPROVE PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS' CRITICAL THINKING ABILITIES

This research aims to analyze the effectiveness test of interactive game media using Educandy based on local wisdom to improve the critical thinking skills of class V students which include C4 (analyzing), C5 (concluding) and C6 (creating). The research method is Research and Development (RnD) with the ADDIE Model which consists of 5 stages, namely Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation. Data collection instruments are interviews, expert validation questionnaires, practitioner questionnaires, pre-test and post-test questions, teacher and student response questionnaires. Data analysis used Paired sample T-Test and N-Gain tests with the help of SPSS 26.00 software. The research data shows that the recapitulation of expert scores was 90.14% in the media, including the valid category, the expert practitioner results were 86.67%, including the very practical category, and the average teacher response score was 90%, while the students' results were 87.1. % which means very valid and interesting. The results of the Paired Sample T-Test and N-Gain different tests show a significance value of 0.00 or ≤ 0.05, which means there is a difference before and after the use of game media. So, it can be concluded that interactive game media uses Educandy based on local wisdom fulfills the categories of valid, practical and interesting to use in learning and is effective for improving the critical thinking skills of fifth grade elementary school students.

Reducing the risk of social engineering attacks using SOAR measures in a real world environment: A case study

The global cost of successful cyberattacks is increasing annually, with there being a shift towards social engineering threats in recent years. Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting humans rather than technical systems, recognizing data as a critical resource, especially in the finance industry where breaches can lead to substantial losses and reputational damage. The present case study proposes measures to reduce human susceptibility to social engineering attacks, leveraging SOAR (Security Automation, Orchestration, and Response) technology for incident response automation. The study covers various issues in cybersecurity, SOAR, and social engineering, through analyzing interviews with expert practitioners in the field, addressing cybersecurity skills shortages and current cyber threats. Four social engineering vignettes were developed, representing real threats, along with specific SOAR measures implemented using Microsoft Sentinel. These measures were simulated to demonstrate their effectiveness by reducing the employee's vulnerability to social engineering attacks. The risk of social engineering attacks was successfully reduced by implementing a responsive approach through the developed SOAR measures. Some of the measures reduced the risk by locking user accounts or forcing password changes after a detected cyber incident while another measure was developed for awareness enhancements. Given the current shortage of cybersecurity professionals, technologies like SOAR are becoming increasingly relevant for security teams. However, SOAR alone cannot address all challenges posed by social engineering and should be viewed as a complementary measure rather than a standalone solution.

Satisfaction of patients with frozen shoulder following silent manipulation: a prospective observation study.

Silent manipulation is a procedure for frozen shoulders that involves manipulating the shoulder while the patient is awake by performing C5, C6, and C7 cervical nerve root block under ultrasound guidance. This retrospective study, conducted at Yokohama City University Hospital, aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes of silent manipulation and assess whether the experience level of the practitioner influenced treatment efficacy. Between October 2020 and January 2022, 53 patients who met the inclusion criteria underwent silent manipulation for frozen shoulder. The procedure was performed by either an experienced or a less experienced practitioner, and the patients were followed-up for up to 1year post-treatment. Silent manipulation resulted in significant improvements in shoulder range of motion, as measured by forward flexion, abduction, external rotation, and hand-behind-back, as well as in patient-reported outcomes, including disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand and Shoulder 36 scores. These improvements were observed 1week, 3months, and 1year after silent manipulation, indicating the short-term efficacy of the procedure. Furthermore, this study revealed that the practitioners' level of experience played a significant role in the outcomes. The experienced doctor achieved better 1st external rotation and belt tying outcomes, as well as Shoulder 36 pain, muscle strength, and activities of daily living domain scores. This suggests that technical expertise in silent manipulation is crucial to achieve optimal outcomes. Silent manipulation offers an effective therapeutic approach for frozen shoulder, leading to significant improvements in range of motion and patient satisfaction. Practitioner expertise is a vital factor in treatment success, emphasizing the importance of skilled professionals in the performance of this procedure.

Expert engagement in setting a climate adaptation research agenda

AbstractIn order to initiate the actionable science needed to support effective conservation under climate change, we engaged researchers and other experts in refining and prioritizing a climate adaptation research agenda that was originally developed via dialogue with natural resource managers. Experts identified topics that were missing or underrepresented in an initial practitioner‐defined list of science topics, and then scored topics according to the state of knowledge, the feasibility of research, and the potential that research might change management. Our process capitalizes on the complementarity between the expertise of practitioners and the expertise of researchers and other non‐practitioners, improves the transparency and legitimacy of the agenda‐setting process, and reveals the challenges public agencies have in focusing on some research topics.

General practitioners’ perspectives on data linkage in Australian general practice

ObjectiveIn the rapidly evolving landscape of digital health, data sharing using primary health care records has gained prominence. Linking primary care data with other administrative health datasets has the potential to provide a whole-of-life perspective on the patient journey and improve health outcomes. This study aimed to gain insight into Australian General Practitioners' (GPs) perspectives on the use of general practice health records for research and data linkage. ApproachThe study employed a mixed-methods approach. We conducted semi-structured interviews with GPs who had little experience of data sharing, focusing on understanding the challenges and opportunities that increased data sharing poses. We also conducted a three-round modified Delphi study with GPs with experience of and interest in research and data sharing to refine recommendations for data sharing using general practice data. ResultsIn this paper we describe the findings from both arms of the study and compare their recommendations to contribute to a nuanced understanding of general practitioners’ views on data linkage and sharing in general practice. Conclusions and ImplicationsBridging the knowledge gap between novices and expert practitioners, the findings will inform policies, practices, and initiatives to address the ethical, legal and social implications of data sharing in general practice settings in Australia.

Weighing up the options: experiences in applying decision science from a large-scale conservation program

ABSTRACT The need to make evidence-based decisions in conservation planning for threatened species in the face of limited resources and knowledge is widely recognised as a growing challenge. Increasingly sophisticated decision-support tools and approaches are available to conservation programs. The ability of conservation planners to effectively implement these tools will be key to incorporating complex information into threatened species management. The development of effective decision science approaches does not end when they are made available to planners. Planner and practitioner input into their use and outputs is an important part of incorporating these tools into on-ground conservation. The New South Wales Saving our Species program is a large-scale conservation program with jurisdiction over more than 1100 threatened species, ecological communities and populations. We discuss why co-design is key to successful implementation of decision science in program-level planning; this approach has supported the Saving our Species program to account for forms of knowledge that may otherwise be ignored by data driven optimisation. This paper focuses on the role of conservation planners in developing and applying decision tools. We present three case studies that deployed tools co-developed for the Saving our Species program. Through these case studies, we suggest that effective conservation planning can be best achieved through (1) narrowing down the number of options under consideration, by eliminating sub-optimal choices (2) supporting decision-makers to understand the relative advantages and disadvantages of the choices under consideration and (3) enhancing the effectiveness of decision-support tools by integrating practitioner expertise into their application.

Feasibility of a problem-based social constructivism learning model to improve higher-order thinking skills among primary school students

This research aims to demonstrate the results of an experiment on how the Problem-Based Social Constructivism Learning Model (PBSCL) can be developed to effectively promote Higher-Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) among primary school children. The methodology employed in this study was developmental research which involved thorough preliminary studies, meticulous product development and comprehensive product testing stages. Respondents for this study included model experts, language experts, content specialists and practitioners. Data collection instruments used were detailed questionnaires served during the feasibility test. In addition, product testing involved rigorously confirming the findings of product development through extensive expert validation, including learning model expert validation, content or material expert validation, language expert validation and practitioner validation. The results of the assessment on learning design expert validators for the PBSCL learning model indicated that they had high qualifications with the average score being 3.29. Consequently, learning design experts ensured that the criteria were meticulously met by the PBSCL learning model for HOTS improvement. Additionally, subject matter specialists confirmed the appropriateness and effectiveness of using the PBSCL learning model for HOTS improvement. The findings suggest that the PBSCL learning model has significant potential to substantially enhance HOTS among primary school students. However, further investigation is needed to fully validate its effectiveness and practical application in diverse educational settings.

An interpretative phenomenological study on nurses’ perceived affective wellbeing at work

Nurses face increasingly complex and challenging workloads, exacerbated by high rates of absenteeism, mental health issues, and low morale, all of which significantly impact patient care. This study focuses on exploring nurses’ perceived affective wellbeing, perceived workload burden, and the current working conditions they face. The objective was to understand nurses’ perspectives on affective wellbeing, self-care, and work-life balance. We utilized an interpretative phenomenological approach to design the data collection and management for this study. Through open dialogue, we explored the notion of wellbeing at work with nurses of varying levels of work experience, from fairly novice to expert practitioners who have worked for decades in their fields. The broader responsibilities of nurses of nurses within the National Health Service (NHS) were also examined. Two experts in interpretative phenomenological analysis led the discussion in three different groups, which each consisted of nurses with similar years of work experience, averaging 13 years. Thirty-eight registered nurses volunteered to participate in these discussion groups, with participants recruited from postgraduate courses and representing both acute and community care settings in regional hospitals. Nurses shared insights into what makes nursing a rewarding job but also acknowledged the significant challenges they face. Discussions highlight the stressful and traumatic circumstances nurses often encounter, particularly noting a lack of collegiality among nurses at all levels, limited career aspirations, inadequate support with workloads, and the emotional distress experienced in daily work life. Nurses described their jobs as exhausting and draining, leading to physical and emotional fatigue, detachment, and isolation. These findings hold relevance within the current landscape of nurse and resource shortages in the NHS. Of note, this study identified deeper concerns within the nursing workforce, including emotional dissonance, role dissonance, and disengagement.

Analytic Network Process on Early Warning Indicators for Financial System Stability

The purpose of this research is to find out the leading indicators of financial crisis from the perspective of expert practitioners, micro and macroeconomic sides; Based on the results of interviews with banking practitioner experts, related to the most important indicators of financial system stability in Indonesia, both microprudential and macroprudential criteria, both aspects are equally considered important and priority. However, from the practitioners' perspective, the microprudential aspect is a more important factor (0.506) than the macroprudential aspect (0.494). Macroprudential and Microprudential policies issued by Bank Indonesia as the central bank with full authority play an important role in maintaining Financial System Stability. The presence of the Financial System Stability Coordination Forum (FKSSK) which consists of several financial authorities is expected to be able to save the economic conditions of the Indonesian nation in the financial sector. For future research, this study is expected to be an initial step. For example, by further expanding the number of expert respondents who are not only from banking practitioners, but also from academics and policy makers.

Pengembangan Media Pembelajaran Berbasis Cerita Bergambar Untuk Meningkatkan Hasil Belajar Siswa Kelas V SDIT Persada Bayat

The background to this research is the minimal use of learning media, which makes learning tend to be monotonous, resulting in low student learning outcomes, especially in science and science subjects, material on economic activity processes. The aim of this research is to develop picture story-based learning media to improve the learning outcomes of class V students at SDIT Persada Bayat. This type of research is research and development (R&D) with the ADDIE model, which has stages of analysis, design, development, implementation and evaluation. The analysis techniques used are descriptive statistics, t-test and N-gain. Based on the results of material and language expert validation, the average percentage was 84.09% (very feasible), media expert validation was 91.67% (very feasible), and practitioner expert validation was 75% (decent). The practicality of the media from the student response questionnaire received an average percentage of 93.75% (very practical). Student learning achievement test scores experienced a significant increase with an average N-gain score percentage of 66.89% (quite effective). The results of this development research show that picture story-based learning media is feasible, practical and quite effective.

Pengembangan LKPD Discovery Learning untuk Menanamkan Pendidikan Karakter Siswa Kelas V Sekecamatan Jatinom Tahun Pelajaran 2023/2024

This research is motivated by the fact that the implementation of character education in schools has not been implemented optimally in the learning process. The need for developing student worksheets that are integrated with character education aims to establish student cooperation, activeness, independence, discipline and responsibility. The type of research used is research and development, also called R&D (Research and Development), using the Borg and Gall model, carried out in 6 stages. The validation results obtained from this research were that material experts received 93.18% (very worthy), media expert validation 87.5% (very worthy), and practitioner expert validation 84.1% (very worthy). The practicality of the LKPD obtained at SD Negeri 1 Mranggen had an average score of 88.66% (very practical), SD Negeri 2 Gedaren 89.16% (very practical) and SD N 2 Mranggen 87.83% (very practical). The value before product application and after product application experienced a significant increase with an N-gain score of 58.42% (quite effective). The results of this development research show that the discovery learning LKPD is feasible, practical and quite effective when used.

Development of Counting Box Media to Improve Understanding of Addition and Subtraction of Grade II Elementary School Students

The purpose of this study was to develop a counting box learning media that will be used to improve the understanding of addition and subtraction of grade II elementary school students that is valid, practical and effective. The type of method in this study is Research and Development (R&D). The product development model is ADDIE. Data collection techniques by conducting interviews, observations, questionnaires and tests. Analysis of research data using data analysis of validity, reliability, discrimination, level of difficulty, normality, homogeneity, hypothesis and effectiveness. The results carried out by the researcher, namely the validity of the counting box media in improving the understanding of addition and subtraction in grade II elementary school students, are suitable for use and have been validated by experts. The results of the validation of media experts were 98% (Very valid), material experts were 95.45% (Very valid), language experts were 91%% (Very valid), and practitioner experts were 95%% (Very Practical). Product trials conducted by researchers were in 2 stages, namely small-scale trials and field-scale trials. The results of the small-scale acquisition of pretest and posttest questions show that the average pretest score is 47.5, while the average posttest score is 55.5. The increase from the pretest to the posttest score is 8. On the field scale, the results of the average pretest score are 40, while the average posttest score increases to 92. So it can be concluded that there is an increase from the pretest to the posttest score of 52. Based on this, the counting box media is very valid, practical and effective to use in learning.

PENGEMBANGAN BAHAN AJAR MENULIS BIPA TINGKAT MADYA TINGGI BERBASIS KONTEKS LINGKUNGAN PELAJAR

This development research aims to produce an intermediate high level BIPA writing teaching material product based on the context of the learner's environment that has gone through a validation test. This research adapts Thiagarajan's 4D development model and is limited to the revision stage based on the assessment of expert validators and practitioners. Based on the validation results, an average percentage of 81.25% was obtained in the content feasibility aspect, an average percentage of 83.3% was obtained in the presentation feasibility aspect, an average percentage of 75% was obtained in the language feasibility aspect, and an average percentage of 81.06% was obtained in the display feasibility aspect. From the overall total validation results with an average percentage of 80.15%, it can be concluded that the teaching materials for writing intermediate high level BIPA based on the context of the learner's environment can be said to be feasible to use.

The DEVELOPMENT OF INTERACTIVE E-MODULES ASSISTED WITH CANVA AND PROFESSIONAL FLIP PDF ON OPPORTUNITY MATERIALS

This research aims to determine the results of the validity and practicality of developing interactive e-modules assisted by Canva and Flip PDF Professional on Opportunity material for class X SMA. The type of research used is Research and Development (R&D) with the ADDIE development model which includes five stages: analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. The research results show that the e-module product developed is included in the "very valid" and "very practical" categories. Validation was carried out by four validators, with percentage validity results: material expert (83%), lecturer media expert 1 (95%), lecturer media expert 2 (95%), and practitioner expert (90%), resulting in an average validity of 90 .75%. The implementation of a trial limited to 10 students showed a practicality level of 87.05%. Evaluation is carried out based on validator suggestions, resulting in improvements to media and material aspects. Thus, the interactive e-module developed is valid and practical for use in mathematics learning, facilitating students to learn independently and increasing active involvement in the learning process.

Analysing spectrum administration for 5G in India using a policy Delphi

5G technologies are introducing new capabilities and services in the telecommunications (telecom)industry, changing business models and market structures, and compelling alterations in regulatory frameworks. Telecom administrations across the world are making choices for regulation of key resources such as spectrum to meet 5G requirements. 5G is taking root in the Indian telecom market. This paper analyses expert stakeholder and practitioner opinion through a policy Delphi to examine what kind of regulatory and policy changes need to be made in India’s spectrum management policies in a 5G market and how these could be best adapted to the unique public policy and political economy environment of this country. It arrives at practical recommendations for planning, assigning, and pricing spectrum which could be of value to policy makers and regulators.