Learning Program Research Articles

Evaluation of a basic-clinical integrated pharmacology case-based learning program from a student perspective using the CIPP model.

This study aimed to systematically evaluate the effectiveness of case-based learning (CBL) within a basic-clinical integrated educational program using the Context, Input, Process, and Product (CIPP) evaluation model. The CBL program was integrated into the Pharmacology-Clinical Case Practice component of the pharmacology course, a mandatory course for first-year medical students. To evaluate the program, a CIPP model-based questionnaire was developed, assessing needs, goals, resources, educational management, and outcomes. To ensure the reliability and validity of the variables, factor analysis was performed, reducing an initial set of 28 items to 18 final observation variables distributed across four factors. The survey, designed to measure learner satisfaction, was administered to 37 students who participated in the Pharmacology-Clinical Case Practice course during the first semester of 2022. Participants rated their satisfaction with the CBL program based on the CIPP model (on a 5-point scale), giving an average score of 4.17. This suggests that learners who followed the CBL program combining basic and clinical components generally found the program operationally effective with positive outcomes. The teaching model and evaluation model applied in this study can be utilized in various majors when operating CBL classes that link basic and clinical education in medical schools in the future.

Manajemen pembelajaran siswa dengan Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) di SLB Samara Bunda Yogyakarta

This study aims to determine the implementation of learning management students who have autistic disorders that include planning, organizing, implementing and evaluating for children with autistic disorders in Samara Bunda SLB Yogyakarta. Supporting factors and inhibitors in the implementation of learning for students who experience autistic disorders in Samara Bunda SLB Yogyakarta. The results of the ability of students who experience autism disorders after getting learning at Samara Bunda Yogyakarta SLB, this study uses a qualitative approach, the data sources in this study include the principal, vice principal of the affairs of Curriculum, Studentism, Advice and Infrastructure, class teacher, school committee, people old students, and documents, the main instrument in this study is the researcher. Learning management for students with autistic disorders consists of 1). Learning planning, 2). Organizing learning, 3). Implementation of learning, 4). Evaluation of learning. Students' ability as a result of participating in learning programs at Samara Bunda SLB is that students become emotionally stable, independent, confident, concentrated, child behavior becomes more controlled, social communication skills are increased, skilled and capable. Factors that support the learning of students with autistic disorders in Samara Bunda SLB are good and directed student abilities, good cooperation between the school and parents / guardians, good cooperation between schools, the government, stakeholders and observers of education in students with autism disorders , availability of facilities and infrastructure, adequate funding, and experts. The inhibiting factors in achieving learning goals are the students' initial abilities that have not been good, not directed, and behaviors that cannot be controlled, the absence of continuity between teachers and parents

Organizational learning programs to fulfilling basic needs at work: significance for work attractiveness and turnover in strained sectors

Purpose This study aims to explore whether participation in employer-provided skills and learning programs can strengthen older workers’ abilities to carry out their work in a meaningful way so that it increases work attractiveness and a willingness to remain in the current job position. Design/methodology/approach A survey was distributed to assistance nurses, nurses and teachers, aged 55 years and older in a Swedish City (n = 1,342), analyzed descriptively and with structural equation modeling. Findings This paper showed positive relationships between active participation in organizational learning programs (OLPs) and autonomy, relatedness, competence and also attractive work. Associations are observed between participation in learning programs, e.g. mentorship, through the strengthened basic needs at work with work attractiveness and lower intention to leave, but not prolonged retirement preference. Research limitations/implications The cross-sectional quantitative design restricts drawing causal conclusions about associations. Practical implications OLPs at work may be seen as potential measures to strengthen work conditions, fulfilling basic psychological needs at work and increase work attractiveness in strained welfare sectors. Social implications There are some welfare sectors that – more than others – are strained by challenges to maintain, sustain and develop quality, knowledge and staff due to poor economic and social resources with regard to sustainability, e.g. in the educational and caring sectors. Strengthening organizational measures is needed to support sustainable development. Originality/value This study applies advanced statistical methods, in a large empirical sample, and shows the importance of skills and learning programs for job attractiveness among older workers in female-dominated, strained welfare sectors.

Deep learning for diagnostic charting on pediatric panoramic radiographs.

Artificial intelligence (AI)-based systems are used in dentistry to ensure a more accurate and efficient diagnostic process. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the performance of a deep learning (DL) program for the detection and classification of dental structures and treatments on panoramic radiographs of pediatric patients. In total, 4821 anonymized digital panoramic radiographs of children between 5 and 13 years of age were analyzed by YOLOv4, a CNN (Convolutional Neural Networks)-based object detection model. The ability to make a correct diagnosis was tested on samples from pediatric patients examined within the scope of the study. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 26.0 software. The YOLOv4 model diagnosed the primary teeth, permanent tooth germs, and brackets successfully, with high F1 scores of 0.95, 0.90, and 0.76, respectively. Although this model achieved promising results, there were certain limitations for some dental structures and treatments, including fillings, root canal treatments, and supernumerary teeth. The architecture of the present study achieved reliable results, with some specific limitations for detecting dental structures and treatments. The detection of certain dental structures and previous dental treatments on pediatric panoramic radiographs by using a DL-based approach may provide early diagnosis of some dental anomalies and help dental practitioners to find more accurate treatment options by saving time and effort.

Strabismus Screening Using Eyetracker Combined with Machine Learning

Purpose: To assess the effectiveness of an automated screening program that diagnoses horizontal strabismus using machine learning based on ocular deviation data captured by the wearable eyetracker, Tobii pro glasses 2 (TPG2).Methods: The TPG2 which locates the pupil center to measure ocular movement was used. In normal adults wearing TPG2, horizontal ocular deviation was induced by covering the left eye and applying prisms of varying strengths (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 PD base-in and out) to the right eye. TPG2 automatically recorded ocular deviation before and after prism induction generating 28 types of ocular deviation sets. From each set, 20 X-axis values before and after ocular deviation were randomly extracted using an oversampling technique creating a total of 61,600 ocular deviation sets. For training, 56,000 sets were used and 5,600 were evaluated for sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve (AUC).Results: Eleven normal adults (5 males) participated with a mean age of 34.8 ± 7.37 years. Based on an 8 PD threshold, deviations of 8 PD or less demonstrated a sensitivity of 1.0, a specificity of 0.95, and an AUC of 0.97. When categorized into three groups based on 8 PD and 20 PD thresholds, the results were: sensitivity of 0.90 and specificity of 0.95 for ≤ 8 PD; sensitivity of 0.60 and specificity of 1.00 for 8-20 PD; sensitivity of 1.00 and specificity of 0.88 for > 20 PD.Conclusions: The machine learning program developed using induced ocular deviations measured with prisms and TPG2 shows promise for use in future strabismus screening tests.

An educational intervention study on mandatory reporting of intimate partner violence: changes in knowledge and attitudes among healthcare providers

BackgroundIntimate partner violence (IPV) is a major public health concern. Healthcare providers can play a crucial role in reporting cases of IPV or suspected IPV injuries to the police or the criminal justice system, commonly referred to as mandatory reporting. However, mandatory reporting of intimate partner violence (MR-IPV) is a debated topic that can pose complex challenges for healthcare providers. This underscores the importance of training programs to ensure that healthcare providers can fulfill their MR-IPV obligations.MethodsWe developed an educational intervention on MR-IPV and assessed its impact on healthcare providers’ knowledge and attitudes. The study used a pre- and post-test design with three measurement points: baseline (T0), immediately after the intervention (T1), and six months later (T2). The intervention was conducted at a university college in Norway, with data collected between October 2022 and May 2023. The intervention was delivered to 37 healthcare providers who were currently part-time students in mental healthcare. Changes in knowledge and attitudes between T0 and T1, and T0 and T2 were analyzed through nonparametric tests on related samples using the Marginal homogeneity (Stuart–Maxwell) test. Risk differences (RD), along with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI), were calculated for selected categories.ResultsThe number of participants knowing the MR law increased from 2.9% at baseline to 62.9% at T1 (RD = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.41—0.79) and to 31.4% at T2 (RD = 0.29, 95% CI: 0.11–0.46). The number of participants reporting knowing relevant criteria increased from 0.0% at baseline to 68.6% at T1 (RD = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.50–0.87) and to 34.3% at T2 (RD = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.16—0.53). We observed several persistent changes in healthcare providers' attitudes towards MR, including finding MR to be a useful instrument and generally complying with MR requirements.ConclusionsThe findings suggest that this educational intervention can have a positive impact on healthcare providers' attitudes and compliance with MR-IPV. Before the intervention, few participants reported knowing the MR law and its application criteria, demonstrating the importance of continuous learning and evidence-based training programs.

Describing youth participatory evaluation of educational interventions as a key domain of the social determinants of health: protocol for a scoping review

IntroductionYouth participatory evaluation is one model for monitoring global outcomes and assessing interventions to improve young people’s health equity and well-being while embracing principles of participation and empowerment. Little is...

Machine Learning for Upper Limb Flexion Movement Classification

Introduction: This paper introduces the development and validation of a Machine Learning (ML) program aimed at discerning smooth and jittery arm movements during flexion/extension exercises. Objective: The study compares the efficacy of three classification algorithms—K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Logistic Regression—in differentiating flexion/extension movements with and without added weight. Method: Using a quasi-experimental design, participants voluntarily performed the exercise under two conditions: with and without a 5-kilogram dumbbell. Meticulous frame-by-frame extraction of movement parameters informed the data collection process. Results: Biomechanical analysis identified key features (minAngle, coefTrajectory, maxJerk, avgAcceleration, and frames) relevant for algorithm training. Post-normalization, KNN, Logistic Regression, and SVM demonstrated robust validation performance through metrics and confusion matrices. Detection of a userdependent data leak prompted a user-specific validation approach. Conclusion: This research amalgamates biomechanics and ML, yielding insights into algorithmic performance for detecting weighted exercises. Robust validation is crucial for ensuring the generalizability of classification models in real-world scenarios.

Editorial for the Special Issue: "Novel Solutions and Novel Approaches in Operational Research"

Abstract This special issue of Business Systems Research (SI of the BSR) is being co-published by the Slovenian Society INFORMATIKA – Section for Operational Research (SSI -SOR). It focuses on recent advances in Operations Research and Management Science (OR / MS), with a particular emphasis on linking OR / MS with other areas of quantitative and qualitative methods in the context of a multidisciplinary framework. The ten papers that were chosen for this Special Issue of the BSR present advancements and new techniques (methodology) in the field of Operations Research (OR), as well as their application in a variety of fields, including risk management, mathematical programming, game theory, gravity, spatial analysis, logistics, circular economy, continuous improvement, sustainability, e-commerce, forecasting, Gaussian processes, linear regression, multi-layer perceptron, and machine learning.

Does being physically active and engaged affect reading ability? A review of the literature

Reading ability is one of the basic skills to open the horizons of knowledge and bring authentic input for a performance of the mind. Learning programs in higher education are aimed at equipping students to have comprehensive critical thinking-based reading skills. Learning to read is an abstract process of cognition which is the performance of the sense of sight, a cognitive process consisting of critical thinking and self-awareness elaboration. It is suspected that students who are active will have better speed in reading comprehension. This research aims to examine based on research evidence by reviewing the literature. Materials were searched using the keywords "physical activity to reading skill". Searches were conducted in Scopus and PubMed accounts. Based on the analysis step using PRISMA, 13 relevant articles were finally obtained in accordance with the purpose of writing. Based on this study and review, it can be concluded that physical activity can be in the form of walking, cycling, play programs, gross motor interventions, providing motor stimulation to the whole body, has a positive effect on reading ability. The positive results of physical activity are the acquisition of fine and gross motor skills, the achievement of a good level of fitness that bridges the enthusiasm and endurance of learning so that it affects reading skills. The second conclusion from this study, besides specifically affecting reading skills, is also evidenced by 7 articles mentioning activity, activeness and the results of these two things affecting academic achievement. Keywords: Physical Activity, Active, reading ability

STRYV365 peak team and Brain agents: teacher perspectives on school impact of a trauma-informed, social-emotional learning approach for students facing adverse childhood experiences.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have a profound impact on children's and adolescents' academic performance and overall wellbeing. In contrast, positive childhood experiences help mitigate the negative effects of ACEs on health and wellbeing. Trauma-informed and social-emotional learning (SEL) programs in schools may address these impacts, with school staff playing a pivotal role in ensuring their success and influencing school outcomes. This study aimed to assess the strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement in the STRYV365 peak team and Brain Agents programs. The aim was to refine program implementation and determine the preliminary effects on students, teachers, and the broader school environment. To achieve this goal, four focus groups were conducted after the program concluded, involving 17 school leaders, administrators, and teachers from four urban schools serving students in fifth through ninth grades. The audio transcripts were professionally transcribed and analyzed by four co-authors using Dedoose for inductive coding, leading to the identification of major themes and subthemes. Three key themes were identified from transcripts: school-wide perspectives of STRYV365 programs, strengths and impacts of STRVY365 programs, and suggestions for program improvement. School staff noted that the peak team was particularly engaging for students, helping them develop SEL skills and foster both peer-to-coach and peer-to-peer relationships. Additionally, the STRYV365 programs were found to enhance student-teacher relationships and staff relationships. Teachers expressed strong interest in taking a more active role in future programming. Overall, this study highlights the importance of teacher and administrator involvement in maintaining consistent SEL activities for urban youth. The findings also suggest that short-term, 4-week SEL programs can have a positive effect on school culture, as well as on student-teacher relationships and teacher-teacher relationships.

Exploring the Relationship Between Challenge and Reward for Game Based Learning

The aim of this research is to investigate how problem-solving challenges affect young people’s motivation for learning computer programming. It explores the relationship between difficulty and reward as part of a game-based learning application and evaluates the effectiveness of the ARCS learning model when teaching primary school children. Research in game-based learning is based, in part, on the study of the impact of games on students' learning motivation, engagement and outcomes. The ARCS model, developed by John Keller in 1987, is a widely recognized model for designing effective instruction that motivates and engages learners. The model is a cognitive psychology-based learning model that consists of four main elements: Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction. A pilot study comprising primary school teachers was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the ARCS model. Two experiments were conducted: the first an experimental group based on the design of the game focussing on the player’s experience and evaluation of the difficulty and reward mechanisms. For this group, the game dynamically changes in terms of difficulty and rewards. This is achieved by adjusting the difficulty and rewards through a dynamic player score to maintain player attention, confidence, and satisfaction. The second experiment involved a control group, where the game adopts a traditional linear learning model where difficulty and reward are fixed. For both experiments, data was collected from a feedback questionnaire. The questionnaire was designed to be closely aligned and mapped to the ARCS learning model’s four elements. The scores of the results were based on the Likert scale and t-test to determine the significance of the difference in scores between the experimental and control groups. Results based on data analysis of the user study show that the overall mean score of the experimental group is higher (= 4/5) compared to the control group (= 2.2/5) on all four ARCS elements. Further analysis shows that the most prominent teaching impact is on players’ satisfaction.

Transformation of Adults as Transformational Learners

Thesis. The aim of this study is to investigate at the ground level how transformational learning within the framework of adult education (andragogy) occurs in the lives of adults who experience this process. The research was designed as a qualitative study based on phenomenological approach and carried out with eight adult participants from Izmir-Turkey, Bratislava-Slovakia, Cersak-Slovenia and Lecce-Italy. Concept. Transformational learning is a process that enables individuals to question their feelings, thoughts and frames of reference and to gain a new perspective as a result of these questions. The research examined the stages and conceptual framework of this process based on Mezirow's transformational learning theory. Semi-structured interviews with participants were aimed at understanding how this learning process was triggered and how it was experienced. Results and Conclusion. According to findings adults went through a transformation process in line with the theoretical information obtained in the literature, experienced a dilemma before the transformation, gained a new perspective by criticizing the sources of feelings, thoughts and references they had in their previous lives, benefited from the experiences of people who went through this process, developed critical thinking skills, mostly made a plan, acquired new knowledge and skills, new roles according to their experiences, and it is understood that they have adopted a new worldview. The obtained data will contribute to the development of adult learning programs, the contribution of adult learning institutions to educational activities, researchers who will conduct research on adult learning and the literature in more detailed examination of transformational learning in adult learning.

Financial Barriers to Reducing Nitrogen Pollution in Dutch Dairy Farms

SummaryNitrogen fertiliser boosts agricultural yields, but its excessive use destabilises ecosystems. That is why Dutch policy makers want to reduce nitrogen pollution on dairy farms. Cleaner technologies and structural changes could reduce farm emissions. We benchmarked farms, organised an expert consultation, and reviewed the literature to determine the degree to which the lack of available internal and external finance is a barrier to reducing nitrogen pollution. Although the average dairy farm in our sample can finance these investments, a significant share of farmers cannot. We find that investments vastly drain the currently accessible finances available to dairy farmers. Subsidies to reduce the price of investments and measures to increase farm net cash flows could mitigate this problem, while equity funds or preferential interest rate systems would be ineffective. Farm management is not bound by access to finance. Our findings suggest that improved management could vastly reduce the accumulation of nitrogen surplus on farms. Interestingly, we estimate that this can be achieved while increasing profits. The wide‐scale adoption of best practices can be facilitated by establishing and financing advisory services and peer learning programmes to spread knowledge and awareness.

Using hope theory to understand changes from professional learning in inclusive education

AbstractProfessional learning for quality teaching is a lifelong enterprise. Nevertheless, it entails a considerable cost with varying outcomes. Drawing on Snyder's hope theory and Pantic's teacher agency, this paper aims to present a model aimed at deepening our understanding of teachers' intentions and competencies in inclusive education. The model formulates a professional learning cycle tailored to address their unique needs. This study draws on data from a larger qualitative dominant mixed‐methods study exploring 18 teachers' professional learning experience with the inclusionEd online platform. The process involved a pre‐training online survey and interviews and employed multiple strategies for data analysis. Descriptive statistics were used for pre‐training survey data to assess teacher‐participants' attitudes towards inclusion and efficacy levels in this area. Subsequently, using Snyder's hope theory and Pantic's teacher agency, we deductively analysed interview data. The quantitative results showed that teacher‐participants had positive beliefs about inclusive education with high efficacy. However, qualitative data analysis uncovered a misalignment between their stated beliefs and enacted beliefs, revealing diverse pathways to both success and challenges in their implementation of inclusive practices. The qualitative analysis, combined with the preliminary survey findings, unveiled the fluidity of hope and identified the influences on shifting hope and maintaining a positive stance. We offer an illustration of teacher professional learning pathways. Understanding how these pathways might be used to increase the value and outcomes of professional learning programmes is discussed. This study concludes with a discussion of theoretical and practical implications and directions for future research.

Tiers of Engagement: Achieved Learning From Business Simulations Reflected in Economics Students’ Experiences

This article investigates the impact of a business simulator in an online economics course, focusing on the relationship between student engagement and reflections on learning. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, our study analyzes responses from 328 students who used the "Hubro Business Simulator" in a flexible online bachelor's program in economics and administration. Students provided reflections on the simulator as a learning activity, application of theoretical concepts and practical relevance. Qualitative analysis of 1640 responses further explored the depth of students' reflections, categorized into different tiers of engagement based on their responses. This analysis builds on Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) and motivational theory. The study sought to determine whether students reporting higher levels of engagement exhibited deeper metacognitive reflections compared to their less engaged peers. Findings support a link between the level of engagement and the depth of reflection. Students with higher engagement levels were more likely to reflect on specific ways in which the simulator had supported their learning and understanding of theoretical concepts. This paper discusses the limitations and implications of these findings for enhancing game-based learning interventions, emphasizing the need to foster higher engagement levels to improve educational outcomes in online learning environments. The study contributes to the literature on game-based learning by providing a large empirical study on how business simulators can foster higher-order thinking and deeper learning reflections among economics students. It also highlights the role of engagement in using business simulators as learning tools, offering insights that could improve the learning design and implementation in similar online and flexible learning program contexts.

An Independent Learning System for Flutter Cross-Platform Mobile Programming with Code Modification Problems

Nowadays, with the common use of smartphones in daily lives, mobile applications have become popular around the world, which will lead to a rise in Flutter framework. Developed by Google, Flutter with Dart programming provides a cross-platform development environment to create visually appealing and responsive user interfaces across mobile, web, and desktop platforms using a single codebase. However, due to time and staff limitations, the Flutter/Dart programming course is not included in curricula, even in IT departments in universities. Therefore, independent learning environments for students are essential to meet this growing popularity. Previously, we have developed programming learning assistant system (PLAS) as a web-browser-based self-learning platform for novice students. PLAS offers various types of exercise problems designed to cultivate programming skills step-by-step through a lot of code reading and code writing practices. Among them, one particular type is the code modification problem (CMP), which asks to modify the given source code to satisfy the new specifications. CMP is expected to be solved by novices with little effort if they have knowledge of other programming languages. Thus, PLAS with CMP will be an excellent platform for independent learning. In this paper, we present PLAS with CMP for the independent learning of Flutter/Dart programming. To improve the readability of the source code by students, we provided rich comments on grammar or behaviors. Besides, the code can be downloaded so that students can check and run it on an IDE. For evaluations, we generated 38 CMP instances for basic and multimedia/storage topics in Flutter/Dart programming and assigned them to 21 master students at Okayama University, Japan, who have never studied it. The results confirm the validity of the proposal.

Improving learning outcomes for out-of-school children: evidence from a randomized evaluation of an accelerated learning program in Liberia

ABSTRACT Children in Liberia receive 2.2 learning-adjusted years of schooling, one of the lowest levels of educational attainment in the world. We study one approach to address low enrollment and low rates of learning: a 10-month accelerated learning program run by the Luminos Fund to help out-of-school children catch up to grade level. We conducted a randomized evaluation of the program across 100 communities in Liberia. We find that the program had large effects on reading and numeracy skills for out-of-school children, and that children in the program catch up to the learning levels of children in government schools.

Becoming community researchers: The development and implementation of a competency-based program enabling older adult learning of qualitative research in a public health setting

ABSTRACT Partnering a local nonprofit social agency, the authors developed and implemented a learning program for a group of older persons preparing them to conduct qualitative research within a healthcare setting as community researchers in Singapore. This paper illustrates how learning for new occupations, job identities, and work can be supported via a competency-based approach that enables and clarifies links between research work, older adult learning, and assessment. It demonstrates how learning processes and contexts matter as much, if not more than outcomes, skills, and tasks typical of conventional competency-based training. Thus, the paper builds upon but also challenges the paradigm of competency-based training. It offers a more developmental approach or strategy for older adult learning that promotes dialogic, reflexive, and hands-on/applied learning, corresponding with educational gerontology principles.

'For me it's just the conversation:' responsive feeding influences among early childhood educators.

Early learning and childcare (ELCC) programmes play an important role in shaping children's eating behaviours and long-term health by establishing a responsive feeding environment that encompasses not only mealtime behaviours but also extends to play activities and language used throughout the day. Despite their potential benefits, many ELCC centres do not consistently implement responsive feeding behaviours, facing challenges with organisational and behavioural changes within these environments. This study aims to identify influences on responsive feeding behaviours among early childhood educators prior to an intervention. A qualitative study guided by the Behaviour Change Wheel framework and Capability Opportunity Motivation - Behaviour (COM-B) model. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted, recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was employed to identify themes, categorising them within the corresponding COM-B domains. Canada. Forty-one ELCC staff in various roles across eight centres from two provinces in eastern Canada. Fifteen influences, spanning across all six domains of the COM-B model, were identified, highlighting gaps in educators' knowledge and skills, varied approaches to food and feeding, and the interactions with children, parents, and co-workers on mealtimes dynamics. Additionally, costs, centre location and other physical resources emerged as enabling opportunities for responsive feeding behaviours. These findings offer a comprehensive exploration of the diverse factors influencing responsive feeding behaviours among educators, each varying in its potential for future behaviour change intervention.