Area Of Interest Research Articles

EFL teachers’ engagement: The impact of well-being and emotion regulation

As foreign language education is a challenging and complex activity, investigating the factors that influence English as foreign language (EFL) teachers' engagement may be an interesting area of research. In this field, teachers' engagement is considered an important factor related to people's perception of work. With the emergence of Positive Psychology (PP), and with regard to the role of constructive emotion variables in teachers' engagement, more attention was paid to the practical aspects of life, and it views well-being as a crucial concern for individuals' success. Emotion regulation (ER), as another emotional trait, is noteworthy as it aids in managing the favorable and unfavorable emotions educators commonly encounter in educational settings. Therefore, the constructs of well-being and emotion regulation and their role in the EFL setting have been highlighted. Therefore, the current study sought to assess the effects of well-being and emotion regulation in EFL teachers' engagement. To this end, 410 Chinese EFL teachers were chosen to complete three scales, namely engagement, well-being and ER. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was run to inspect the responses of the teachers. The results specified that both ER and well-being had significant impacts on the engagement of Chinese EFL teachers. Indeed, 65 percent of changes in the EFL educators' engagement can be predicted by their well-being, and about 73 percent can be predicted by their emotional regulation. The consequences for EFL instructors, teacher trainers, and other academic stakeholders are also presented in detail.

Exploring Attentional Bias toward Alcohol Content: Insights from Eye-Movement Activity

Introduction: Attentional bias (AB) is an implicit selective attention toward processing disorder-significant information while neglecting other environmental cues. Considerable empirical evidence highlights the clinical implication of AB in the onset and maintenance of substance use disorder. An innovative method to explore direct measures of AB relies on the eye-movement activity using technologies like eye-tracking (ET). Despite the growing interest regarding the clinical relevance of AB in the spectrum of alcohol consumption, more research is needed to fully determine the AB patterns and its transfer from experimental to clinical applications. The current study consisted of three consecutive experiments. The first experiment aimed to design an ad-hoc visual attention task (VAT) consisting of alcohol-related and neutral images using a nonclinical sample (n = 15). The objective of the second and third experiments was to analyze whether the effect of type of image (alcohol-related vs. neutral images) on AB toward alcohol content using the VAT developed in the first experiment was different for type of drinker (light vs. heavy drinker in the second experiment [n = 30], and occasional social drinkers versus alcohol use disorder (AUD) patients in the third experiment [n = 48]). Methods: Areas of interest (AOIs) within each type of image (neutral and alcohol-related) were designed and raw ET-based data were subsequently extracted through specific software analyses. For experiment 1, attention maps were created and processed for each image. For experiments 2 and 3, data on ET variables were gathered and subsequently analyzed through a two-way ANOVA with the aim of examining the effects of the type of image and drinker on eye-movement activity. Results: There was a statistically significant interaction effect between type of image and type of drinker (light vs. heavy drinker in experiment 2, F(1, 56) = 13.578, p < 0.001, partial η2 = 0.195, and occasional social drinker versus AUD patients in the experiment 3, F(1, 92) = 35.806, p < 0.001, partial η2 = 0.280) for “first fixation” with large effect sizes, but not for “number of fixations” and “dwell time.” The simple main effect of type of image on mean “first fixation” score for AUD patients was not statistically significant. Conclusion: The data derived from the experiments indicated the importance of AB in sub-clinical populations: heavy drinkers displayed an implicit preference for alcohol-related images compared to light drinkers. Nevertheless, AB fluctuations in patients with AUD compared to the control group were found. AUD patients displayed an early interest in alcohol images, followed by an avoidance attentional processing of alcohol-related images. The results are discussed in light of recent literature in the field.

Effects of Embedding Special Interest Area in Instruction on the Engagement and Out-of-Seat Behaviors of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of embedding special interest areas (SIAs) in whole-group (WG) instruction on engagement and out-of-seat (OOS) behaviors for young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in general education classrooms. A multiple baseline across participants design was used to evaluate the functional relation between the SIA-embedded instruction and engagement and OOS behaviors of all three children. Non-targeted probes were conducted after every intervention session to investigate whether there was behavioral change when the SIAs were removed from instruction. Results indicated that embedding SIAs in WG instruction may increase the engagement behavior and decrease the OOS behavior of children with ASD; behavioral changes were maintained over time for all children.

Sentiment Analysis of Code-Mixed Text: A Comprehensive Review

Sentiment Analysis is the task of identifying and extracting the opinion expressed in a text to determine the writer&amp;#39;s perception of an entity. Due to globalization, people often mix two or more languages and use phonetic typing and lexical borrowing in web communication. This concept is known as code-mixing. Although extracting the opinion of text written in monolingual languages is simple and straightforward, Sentiment Analysis of code-mixed text is challenging. Classifiers fail within the context of the code-mixed text as text may consist of creative writing, spelling variations, grammatical errors, and different word orders. Hence, SA of code-mixed text is an interesting, challenging, and popular research area. This paper presents the state-of-the-art in Sentiment Analysis of code-mixed text by discussing each concept in detail. The paper also discusses the focused areas, techniques used, limitations, and performances of the studies related to code-mixing.

Geochemical and mineralogical characterizations of Silurian “Hot” shales: Implications for shale gas/oil reservoir potential in Jeffara basin-southeastern Tunisia, North Africa

The Silurian organic-rich hot shale deposits represent the origin of 80–90% Paleozoic sourced hydrocarbons on the entire Saharan Platform. As such, it is an area of significant interest for exploring its potential as an unconventional reservoir and gaining new insights into its properties. In this study, the geochemical and mineralogical analysis of eighty-two borehole samples from three studied wells (T, B, and M) located in Jeffara Basin, in southeastern Tunisa, distributed over a depth between 1200 m and 2200 m, show that the hot shale layer has significant potentials of an unconventional shale gas reservoir. According to the rock-eval and GCMS results, the total organic carbon (TOC) of the hot shale deposits is good to great, ranging between 0.54 wt% and 23.86 wt%, and the average hydrogen index (HI) is around ∼200 mg HC/g of TOC, which indicates that the hot shales were originally rich in type II/III organic matter (OM). The thermal maturity of the preserved OM is determined by the kerogen type with values varying from 0.4% to 1%, and Tmax values reaching 460 °C in T, B, and M wells which indicate that the hot shales preserved early mature to mature OM placed within oil/gas generation window. The calculated geochemical parameters reveal an average hydrocarbon generation potential (HGP) for the three studied wells of 20.37 kg HC/ton rock. In addition, the transformation ratios (TR) in T, B, and M wells are, respectively, 21.12%, 30% and 35.25%. However, only B and M wells show a cross-over layer, with oil saturation index (OSI) exceeding 100%, with significant potential as a hydrocarbon saturated source rock, making it a considerable target for unconventional oil exploration. Relevant results of Rock-Eval, biomarkers and XRD exhibit coherent features that reflect reducing marine conditions during the lower Silurian period. Moreover, the mineralogical composition was investigated to estimate the importance of frackable mineral fractions such as quartz (∼15%) and carbonates (calcite-dolomite). Mineral brittleness index (MBI) was calculated and compared to a well-known unconventional reservoir in the Neal shale member of the Floyd shale group in the Black Warrior Basin (US), which displays moderate to low MBI. The hot shales in the study area have a considerable MBI, which could be easily enhanced by hydraulic fracturing to liberate oil/gas from the potentially saturated unconventional shale reservoir.

Application of Orthopantomography in the Analysis of Bone Mineral Density in Patients with Osteogenesis Imperfecta

Osteogenesis imperfecta is a disorder characterized by osteopenia and bone fragility. Considering that orthopantomography is a routine diagnostic test in growing patients, it can be used to analyze bone density in these patients. The study sample consisted of 21 child patients diagnosed with OI, under medical treatment with antiresorptives and for whom orthopantomography was available, analyzed and compared with 20 healthy children. The panoramic radiographs were analyzed and the radiomorphometric indices and fractal dimension were measured after first selecting the areas of interest to be studied. The results showed that fractal dimension of the basal cortical bone was lower in the study group, and MCW was lower in patients with osteogenesis imperfecta. In addition, MCW and fractal dimension were lower with higher number of treatment cycles received. In light of the results obtained, we can conclude that panoramic radiography can be useful in analyzing changes in bone mineral density in these patients throughout the course of treatment.

Evaluatoion of intraoperative histology during nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy

Background. Currently, for patients with localized PC, intact erectile function, and low risk of extracapsular extension radical prostatectomy (RP) with nerve-sparing (NS) technique is indicated. The proven method of intraoperative control for the presence of positive surgical margin is the study of fresh frozen sections.Aim. To evaluate the method of intraoperative histological examination (cito-histology) in NS RP.Materials and methods. A prospective clinical study was conducted to examine fresh frozen sections in laparoscopic NS RP. Between February of 2021 and May of 2022, 90 patients diagnosed with prostate cancer underwent laparoscopic NS RP performed by the same surgeon. The patients were divided into 2 groups: group A (n = 40) included patients who underwent laparoscopic NS RP and intraoperative histology; group B (control group) (n = 50) included patients who underwent standard laparoscopic NS RP. Rapid histological and final histological examinations of all removed samples were carried out at the City Clinical Hospital No. 1 named after N.I. Pirogov by one pathologist. The presence of tumor tissue in a stained resection margin was considered positive surgical margin.Results. Oncological processes in macrosamples obtained by intraoperative histology were observed in 32 (80 %) patients, of which primary positive surgical margin was found in 9 (22.5 %) patients. Conversion of (cito) positive surgical margin status into final negative surgical margin was observed in 4 (10 %) patients. Conversion of the surgical margin status of (cito) negative to positive was observed in 1 (2.5 %) patient due to the targeted examination of the area of interest, and not the entire surface of the prostate. Overall 2-year survival in groups A and B was 100 % and 96 %, respectively; cancer-specific 2-year survival was 100 % and 100 %, respectively. Depending on the pathological group, recurrence-free 2-year survival was: group A (pT2) – 90 %; group B (pT2) – 92 %, group A (pT3) – 91.3 %; group B (pT3) – 77.3 %.Conclusion. The proposed method of intraoperative histological examination allows to determine the presence and location of positive surgical margin, which indicates to the surgeon the necessity of additional tissue removal in the neurovascular bundle area, reduces the technical and economic burden on pathology department compared to other methods of rapid histological examination, and reduces contraindications to performing the NS technique in RP especially in the intermediate-risk group.

Photon-Counting CT: High Resolution, Less Radiation

Why Is This an Important Area of Interest?&#x0D; &#x0D; CT scanners play an essential role as medical imaging devices for screening, diagnosis, and monitoring of various health conditions. Photon-counting CT (PCCT) is an emerging medical technology that can improve image quality with less radiation exposure.&#x0D; Although Health Canada has licensed certain PCCT scanners for use, it remains unclear whether PCCT currently has a place in care.&#x0D; &#x0D; What Is the Technology?&#x0D; &#x0D; PCCT uses a semiconductor material to directly convert each incident photon into an electrical signal. The detector can quickly read out and “count” each individual photon. By directly detecting each X-ray photon and its energy level, PCCT scans can provide a clearer image.&#x0D; &#x0D; What Is the Potential Impact?&#x0D; &#x0D; PCCT is intended to function like conventional CT (i.e., scanning various anatomical structures for the purpose of screening, diagnosing, and monitoring health conditions). Any person requiring a CT scan could potentially be eligible for a PCCT scan.&#x0D; PCCT requires less time to complete a scan versus a conventional system. This could increase the number of CT scans a health care organization can conduct per day, if there are resources available to operationalize the additional capacity (e.g., health care personnel).&#x0D; We identified evidence that suggests, with a few exceptions, PCCT can provide similar or improved image quality and reduced image noise with often reduced radiation doses compared to conventional CT. It remains unclear whether this results in improvements in key health outcomes. The increased image quality may also increase incidental findings (e.g., incidentalomas), most of which are not clinically relevant.&#x0D; Compared to conventional CT, trends indicate higher or similar diagnostic confidence among clinicians and improved comfort for patients with PCCT. Trends also suggest PCCT may be valuable at improving the ability to diagnose or detect key markers of certain health conditions or diseases, especially for lung conditions.&#x0D; PCCT may offer particular benefits to children, people who require frequent CT scans, and people living with overweight or obesity.&#x0D; &#x0D; What Else Do We Need to Know?&#x0D; &#x0D; PCCT scanners cost 3 to 5 times more than conventional CT scanners. Additional clinical trials to investigate whether the higher resolution and lower radiation doses result in downstream improvements in key health outcomes are imperative to determine if the additional cost of PCCT scanners is justified.&#x0D; To comprehensively assess whether PCCT should be implemented for clinical use in Canada, additional information on certain implementation factors — such as training requirements and implications of dual-machine exposure, user perceptions, accessibility, and its overall place in care — is needed.&#x0D;

Effective health management strategies for patients undergoing valve replacement: a bibliometric analysis of the current research status and future directions.

Valvular heart disease is a major health concern worldwide. The effective management of patients undergoing valve replacement determines their prognosis. Bibliometric analysis of studies on managing patients with artificial heart valves has not been previously performed. This study analyzed 2,771 publications related to patient management after valve replacement published in the Web of Science Core Collection database between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2022. Bibliometric analysis was performed using CiteSpace and VOSviewer considering countries, institutions, authors, journals, references, and keywords. The countries with the most significant contributions in this field were the United States of America (USA), Germany, and Italy. Leon MB from Columbia University, USA was the most influential author. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement was a current research hotspot, while anticoagulation management was a key area of interest. Combining anticoagulation therapy with internet-linked tools and portable health devices may offer new research avenues. Frailty assessment and intervention were potential future research areas. This bibliometric analysis provides clinicians and researchers with useful insights for developing novel ideas and directions to manage the health of patients undergoing valve replacement.

Conserving the Pilbara leaf-nosed bat: directions for future research and management

The Pilbara leaf-nosed bat (Rhinonicteris aurantia ‘Pilbara form’) is a threatened insectivorous microbat endemic to the Pilbara region of Western Australia. It is at risk of significant population decline, particularly due to habitat loss from mining. To address its key threats, stakeholders from a range of backgrounds collectively listed and prioritised research actions in 2013. This exercise was repeated in 2022 to evaluate and update progress of the research priorities. We conducted a review of scientific and grey literature (2013–2023) to: (1) identify the work undertaken to date that addressed the research priorities identified in the 2013 stakeholder workshop; (2) identify the current knowledge gaps in Pilbara leaf-nosed bat ecology, conservation, and threatening processes; and (3) highlight how these gaps relate to the newly ranked 2022 priority list for both research and management outcomes. We found that the 2013 research priorities were largely unaddressed, with most publications and unpublished industry reports in the review period primarily reporting presence or monitoring data around areas of interest to the resources sector, with minimal focus on the species’ conservation or management directly. Therefore, the knowledge gaps identified in 2013 were still largely relevant in 2022. Further targeted research is required to meet the 2022 priorities and better understand the habitat characteristics, movement ecology, disturbance buffer requirements, and cumulative impacts of mining on Pilbara leaf-nosed bat colonies. Overall, targeted research beyond traditional mining outputs, changes to regulatory procedure, and collaborative, adaptive management, are key to supporting the long-term persistence of Pilbara leaf-nosed bats.

Correlation Between Gaze Behaviors and Social Communication Skills of Young Autistic Children: A Meta-Analysis of Eye-Tracking Studies.

This meta-analysis examined correlations between eye-tracking measures of gaze behaviors manifested during dynamic salient social stimuli and behavioral assessment measures of social communication skills of young autistic children. We employed a multilevel model with random effects to perform three separate meta-analyses for correlation between social communication skills and (a) all gaze behaviors, (b) gaze duration, and (c) gaze transition. Subsequently, we performed meta-regression to assess the role of four moderators, including age, continuum of naturalness of stimuli, gaze metric, and area of interest, on correlation effect sizes that were heterogeneous at the population level. A total of 111 correlation coefficients from 17 studies for 1132 young autistic children or children with high-likelihood for autism (Mage range = 6-95months) were included in this meta-analysis. The correlation effect sizes for all three meta-analyses were significant, supporting the relation between improved gaze behaviors and better social communication skills. In addition, age, gaze metric, and area of interest were significant moderators. This suggests the importance of identifying meaningful gaze behaviors related to social communication skills and the increasingly influential role of gaze behaviors in shaping social communication skills as young autistic children progress through the early childhood stage. The continuum of naturalness of stimuli, however, was revealed to trend towards having a significant moderating effect. Lastly, it is important to note the evidence of potential publication bias. Our findings are discussed in the context of early identification and intervention and unraveling the complex nature of autism.

Genome-wide profiles of DNA damage represent highly accurate predictors of mammalian age.

The identification of novel age-related biomarkers represents an area of intense research interest. Despite multiple studies associating DNA damage with aging, there is a glaring paucity of DNA damage-based biomarkers of age, mainly due to the lack of precise methods for genome-wide surveys of different types of DNA damage. Recently, we developed two techniques for genome-wide mapping of the most prevalent types of DNA damage, single-strand breaks and abasic sites, with nucleotide-level resolution. Herein, we explored the potential of genomic patterns of DNA damage identified by these methods as a source of novel age-related biomarkers using mice as a model system. Strikingly, we found that models based on genomic patterns of either DNA lesion could accurately predict age with higher precision than the commonly used transcriptome analysis. Interestingly, the informative patterns were limited to relatively few genes and the DNA damage levels were positively or negatively correlated with age. These findings show that previously unexplored high-resolution genomic patterns of DNA damage contain useful information that can contribute significantly to both practical applications and basic science.

North African Endemism: A New Species of Black Fly (Diptera: Simuliidae) from the Djurdjura Mountains of Algeria.

Discoveries of endemic species highlight areas of biogeographic and conservation interest. Endemic species, however, are often morphologically disguised as more common and widespread species. The larval polytene chromosomes revealed a new species of black fly, Prosimulium fungiforme, from the Djurdjura Mountains of northern Algeria, and its female, male, pupa, and larva are described. The species is chromosomally unique; none of its 11 chromosomal rearrangements are shared with other species. Although the new species structurally resembles Prosimulium rufipes (Meigen) with which it previously has been confused, it can be distinguished from all other known species of Prosimulium in the Western Palearctic based on at least one character in each described life stage. Symbiotic organisms included two species of microsporidia, at least one of which is probably undescribed, one unknown protozoan pathogen novel in simuliids, and the trichomycete fungus Harpella melusinae Léger and Duboscq. Associated simuliid species included at least one new species of the genus Helodon. The new species of Prosimulium is tentatively considered endemic to the mountains of northern Algeria but might be expected in the mountains of eastern Morocco and northern Tunisia and perhaps in Sicily. If its endemic status holds, it would be the only nominal species of black fly unique to Algeria.

Exploring Influencing Marketing—Consumer Insights and Creators’ Perspectives

Internet users consistently lean towards influencers who actively participate in their respective areas of interest, providing thorough information and genuine product reviews. These practices have the potential to positively influence the decision-making process related to purchasing. This study delves into the realm of influencer marketing, examining it from the viewpoints of both consumers and specialists. The study is based on the qualitative research, employing both individual in-depth interviews and a focus group. More precisely, the investigation included a series of six individual interviews with influencers from Romania and a focus group comprising eight participants to grasp their perceptions of influencer marketing campaigns. The findings underscore the importance of transparency and authenticity for content creators. Influencers tailor their content based on the platform they use, revealing an existing correlation among them, all while underscoring the significance of transparency and striving to maintain close connections with their followers. This study not only offers a fresh perspective on understanding consumers’ views regarding the activities of content creators in the online domain but also sheds light on influencers’ perspectives concerning collaborations, content creation, and their relationships within their community. Theoretical implications encompass the identification of novel behavioral traits among Romanian consumers regarding influencer marketing actions and contributes to a clearer understanding of the term influencer marketing.

Analysis of mathematics education from a STEAM approach at secondary and pre-universitary educational levels: A systematic review

Society is in an incessant process of reflection but the educational system is not following the same path, creating an urgent need for a quality educational renovation in which new methodologies, approaches and educational resources are developed based on creation, collaboration and learning by doing. In this sense, the integrated education of science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) is postulated as an educational approach through which to transform the teaching-learning processes into processes that contribute to the development of critical, creative, and scientific thinking. Proof of this is the continuous increase in publications in this line of research. This article presents a systematic review with a total of 19 studies published in high-impact journals with the aim of making a critical reflection and evaluating the real scope of incorporating STEAM projects in education to improve the students' mathematical skills. In particular, five areas of interest have been evaluated: active learning in the teaching of STEAM subjects, the development of technological resources, the design and implementation of educational proposals, the evaluation of STEAM education and teacher training in STEAM education. Considering the results, we emphasize the need to continue working on the theoretical foundation and educational practice of this approach to allow teachers to implement it effectively.

Tracking contaminants in the aqueous effluent during supercritical water gasification and oxidation of swine manure in the flow mode

Biomass waste processing is an area of great interest due to its potential for reducing environmental impact and recovering resources. The present work investigates for the first time the composition of products resulting from supercritical water (SCW) gasification and oxidation of swine manure (SM) continuously fed into a tubular reactor at a temperature gradient along its vertical axis of 390–600 °C and a pressure of 25 MPa. Special attention is paid to how the operating parameters, including SM flow rate (6.5–10.7 g/min), oxidation ratio (OR ≤ 1.78), and the presence of NaOH additive (1 wt%) influenced the composition and concentration of contaminants (phenols, N-bearing aromatics, polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and ammonia) in the effluent collected at the reactor outlet. The results of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry indicate that water-soluble products comprise predominantly of phenols, pyridines, pyrroles, indoles, pyrazines, anilines, and quinolines. Increasing the reagent’s residence time during SCW gasification was observed to lower the amount of phenols in the effluent. In addition, the introduction of NaOH increases the yields of syngas and NH3 while lowering the concentration of N-bearing aromatics and PAHs. SCW oxidation of SM not only reduces contaminant levels in the effluent by several orders of magnitude, but also partially compensates for thermal inputs needed for the process implementation. Among N-bearing compounds, ammonia, pyridines, indoles, and quinolines display the highest resistance to oxidation. The paper explores the resource-saving and ecological benefits of SCW gasification and oxidation of SM.

Green and sustainable approaches for the Friedel-Crafts reaction between aldehydes and indoles.

The synthesis of indoles and their derivatives, more specifically bis(indolyl)methanes (BIMs), has been an area of great interest in organic chemistry, since these compounds exhibit a range of interesting biological and pharmacological properties. BIMs are naturally found in cruciferous vegetables and have been shown to be effective antifungal, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and even anticancer agents. Traditionally, the synthesis of BIMs has been achieved upon the acidic condensation of an aldehyde with indole, utilizing a variety of protic or Lewis acids. However, due to the increased environmental awareness of our society, the focus has shifted towards the development of greener synthetic technologies, like photocatalysis, organocatalysis, the use of nanocatalysts, microwave irradiation, ball milling, continuous flow, and many more. Thus, in this review, we summarize the medicinal properties of BIMs and the developed BIM synthetic protocols, utilizing the reaction between aldehydes with indoles, while focusing on the more environmentally friendly methods developed over the years.

Smartphone Use and Academic Performance among Undergraduate Students: Analysis of Systematic Reviews

The aim of this research is the systematic observations analyzed in this study explore the correlation between smartphone usage habits and learning outcomes among undergraduate students. The method used in this research is the Systematic Literature Review (SLR) Method. The SLR method is used to identify, review, research, and interpret all existing research on the phenomenon of the topic area of interest, with specific relevant research questions. By using the SLR method, systematic reviews and identification of journals can be carried out, in each process following predetermined steps or protocols. Data collection. Data Collection or data collection is the stage of collecting data for research. The results of the study are that by conducting a systematic review of the available literature, we can assess the relationship between smartphone use and academic performance among undergraduate students. The sources provided in the question do not directly address the relationship between smartphone use and academic achievement among undergraduate students. However, they provide information regarding various methodologies and methods used in studies of digital leadership and smartphone usage behavior. Therefore, although these sources do not provide direct evidence regarding the relationship between smartphone use and academic performance, they can provide insight into research methods and approaches that can be applied to investigate this issue. Additionally, studies on digital leadership highlight the importance of adaptability and effective communication in digital environments, which may be relevant to understanding the impact of smartphone use on academic performance. Based on the sources provided, both qualitative and quantitative studies are needed to comprehensively evaluate the relationship between smartphone use and academic achievement among undergraduate students.

Learning how to read children's books in the digital society: Book trailers as an educational tool in higher education

The new multimodal reading ecosystem currently contributes to the proposal of forms of mediation that take into account the hybridization of digital and analog paradigms. In this context, illustrated books intended for children can constitute an area of interest, since their discursive and aesthetic codes contribute to the development of multimodal reading strategies and to the positioning of the child reader before the information, at the same time that they generate pleasant reading and knowledge-building experiences. Accordingly, today’s publishing market requires a learning process from the mediator in order to develop the corresponding strategies with which to approach children’s books. Previous research has focused on the book trailer as a virtual epitext for the promotion of publications, and it has analyzed the identity of this tool to demonstrate its effectiveness in the promotion of reading. Along these lines, and with the purpose of verifying how this tool behaves in the introduction of future teachers to children’s books, an intervention is proposed that is based on the creation of book trailers. A total of 860 students from the Early Childhood and Primary Education teaching degree programs participated in the intervention. It included qualitative research that analyzed the documents/epitexts created by the students, written reflections within the framework of this project and the discourse collected a posteriori in interviews and discussion groups on the experience. The results reveal the potential that creating book trailers has for introducing teacher trainees to illustrated children’s books within the framework of the digital society.

Exploring the relationship between LMS interactions and academic performance: A Learning Cycle approach

Research on the relationship between the digital traces of students in Learning Management Systems (LMS) and their academic performance has traditionally been an area of interest in the field of learning analytics. Aiming at achieving high interpretability and generalizability, this study reviews past research, defines a new categorization scheme for interactions in LMS and investigates the relationships between clickstream data of students’ activity and course performance, measured as final grade. The results of the multiple regression analysis of Moodle log data collected from three courses of diverse nature using various classifications of interactions suggest that the new categorization, the CILC (Classification of Interactions based on the Learning Cycle), improves the explanatory power when compared to previous classifications. The analysis suggests that the predictive ability of the models could depend on the delivery mode, with predictions improving as the delivery mode transitions from face-to-face learning to online learning. This finding highlights the need for context-specific considerations about the learning process. Compared to previous research, the analysis also reveals nuances that suggest that the relationships may depend on the instructional design. Finally, the findings also seem to support the notion that increased data quantity and quality may improve predictive models. In summary, the study contributes with valuable insights into the interplay between LMS interactions, course delivery mode, instructional design, and academic performance, and advocates for a balanced exploration of white-box and black-box modeling approaches in learning analytics research.