Mixed Modality Research Articles

Niveles de Rendimiento y Satisfacción Laboral, en trabajadores en diferentes modalidades en una muestra Argentina

In the present investigation, the relationship between the levels of work performance and their respective dimensions with respect to job satisfaction is studied, comparing said levels in face-to-face, mixed and hybrid workers after returning to work in the context of the Covid-19 post-pandemic. An ad-hoc questionnaire, the Argentinian adaptation of the Koopmans Job Performance Scale and the Mac Donald and Mac Intyere Generic Job Satisfaction Scale were applied, and 500 Argentine workers were surveyed (M= 33.52, SD= 10.43). The results reflected a positive relationship between performance and job satisfaction and an inverse relationship between Satisfaction and counterproductive behaviors. On the other hand, it was found that satisfaction is lower in those who carry out their work in person with respect to the other modalities. Finally, it is concluded that satisfaction is a crucial indicator for companies and employers, which is, determinant on their performance. On the other hand, the mixed modality is the one that presents the highest levels of performance and satisfaction, as a consequence of the benefits that this modality offers the worker.

A44Simulated placement preparation: physiotherapy student acceptability of a multi-level simulated placement preparation week

Practice based learning (PBL) remains a universal mandatory experience for physiotherapy students. Challenges of placement capacity were heightened by the impact of COVID 19 as well as growing demand in response to the NHS long term plan/interim people plan for growth in AHP workforce. These challenges provided opportunity to rapidly progress sustainable PBL capacity utilizing simulation as replacement and enhancement of PBL. Having established simulation as placement replacement within the Faculty of Health & Wellbeing at University of Winchester [1], the simulated placement preparation (SPP) project aimed to explore the acceptability of simulation as preparatory enhancement of PBL, delivering a week of multilevel peer assisted simulated PBL; two primary objectives of reducing demand on capacity and optimizing students’ success in PBL through preparatory simulated activities. Simulation and learning focused on the development of digital capabilities in recognition of the Topol review that reflected the requirements of NHS workforce to be digitally capable [2]. Additionally, the KNOWSBEST study [3] recommended digital capability and simulation within PBL, thus simulated activities were designed to promote core digital capabilities including training and simulation in remote consultations and presenting simulated scenarios accessed via electronic patient records. Collaborative learning in practice (CLiP) model of supervision was used to promote peer assisted learning with learning outcomes focused on communication and MDT domains of the common placement assessment form (CPAF), familiarization with digital technologies and orientation and management of scenarios in high acuity environments and enhancement of digital capabilities. The SPP week utilized mixed modality and fidelity simulated activities including ‘real play’ remote consultations, simulated patients, manikins/ventilators and virtual simulations. Students completed faculty developed questionnaires pre and post SPP relating to self-assessed communication and telehealth capability and specific clinical competence in musculoskeletal and cardiorespiratory physiotherapy. A convenience sample of students participated in focus group interviews following subsequent completion of PBL to explore their perceived impact of SPP on subsequent PBL. Thematic analysis was used to analyse focus group interviews and pre-post anaylsis conducted using repeated measures ANOVA. Results demonstrated increased capabilities in teleconsultation and appreciation of digital technologies potential. Students reported enhancement of in person and remote communication as well as clinical capabilities in high acuity environments. Students reported the SPP week as an acceptable means of replacing one week of PBL, enhancing the preparedness for clinical environments and sustainably increasing placement capacity by providing 4440 hours of simulated PBL. Authors confirm that all relevant ethical standards for research conduct and dissemination have been met. The submitting author confirms that relevant ethical approval was granted, if applicable.

Changes in Physician Electronic Health Record Use With the Expansion of Telemedicine

Understanding the drivers of electronic health record (EHR) burden, including EHR time and patient messaging, may directly inform strategies to address physician burnout. Given the COVID-19-induced expansion of telemedicine-now used for a substantial proportion of ambulatory encounters-its association with EHR burden should be evaluated. To measure the association of the telemedicine expansion with time spent working in the EHR and with patient messaging among ambulatory physicians before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. This longitudinal cohort study analyzed weekly EHR metadata of ambulatory physicians at UCSF Health, a large academic medical center. The same EHR measures were compared for 1 year before the COVID-19 pandemic (August 2018-September 2019) with the same period 1 year after its onset (August 2020-September 2021). Multivariable regression models evaluating the association between level of telemedicine use and EHR use were then assessed after the onset of the pandemic. The sample included all physician-weeks with at least 1 scheduled half-day clinic in the 11 largest ambulatory specialties at UCSF Health. Data analyses were performed from March 1, 2022, through July 1, 2023. Physicians' weekly modality mix of either entirely face-to-face visits, mixed modalities, or entirely telemedicine. The EHR time during and outside of patient scheduled hours (PSHs), time spent documenting (normalized per 8 PSHs), and electronic messages sent to and received from patients. The study sample included 1052 physicians (437 [41.5%] men and 615 [58.5%] women) during 115 weeks, which provided 35 697 physician-week observations. Comparing the period before to the period after pandemic onset showed that physician time spent working in the EHR during PSHs increased from 4.53 to 5.46 hours per 8 PSH (difference, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.87-0.98; P < 0.001); outside of PSHs, increased from 4.29 to 5.34 hours (difference, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.95-1.14; P < 0.001); and time documenting during and outside of PSHs increased from 6.35 to 8.18 hours (difference, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.72-1.94; P < 0.001). Mean weekly messages received from patients increased from 16.76 to 30.33, and messages sent to patients increased from 13.82 to 29.83. In multivariable models, weeks with a mix of face-to-face and telemedicine (β, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.31-0.55; P < .001) visits or entirely telemedicine (β, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.74-1.09; P < .001) had more EHR time during PSHs than all face-to-face weeks, with similar results for EHR time outside of PSHs. There was no association between telemedicine use and messages received from patients, whereas mixed modalities (β, -0.90; 95% CI, -1.73 to -0.08; P = .03) and all telemedicine (β, -4.06; 95% CI, -5.19 to -2.93; P < .001) were associated with fewer messages sent to patients compared with entirely face-to-face weeks. The findings of this longitudinal cohort study suggest that telemedicine is associated with greater physician time spent working in the EHR, both during and outside of scheduled hours, mostly documenting visits and not messaging patients. Health systems may need to adjust productivity expectations for physicians and develop strategies to address EHR documentation burden for physicians.

The (Vi)Kings’ Saga: Mixed Modality as the Key to the Construction of Meaning in Jómsvíkinga saga

Abstract The objective of this article is to analyse the narrative functions of mixed modality in Jómsvíkinga saga, a text that combines elements of different saga genres, primarily the kings’ sagas and the legendary sagas. It is argued here that the mixed modality is not a sign of the early saga’s imperfection, but it serves as a narrative device that contributes to the saga’s capacity to indirectly express commentary on social issues that were current at the time of the saga’s composition.

Developing self-care habits through a hybrid coaching framework in higher education

IntroductionThis study tested the efficacy of a hybrid asynchronous/synchronous coaching framework designed to both improve graduate business students’ self-care habits and promote the strategy of coaching to address personal and professional growth. The coaching framework included individual coaching, asynchronous text-based coaching, and group coaching sessions.MethodsThis study tested the mixed modality coaching framework’s ability to promote healthy self-care practices for students as tested with a Self-care Behavior Inventory. Participants were 32 business and health care administration graduate students in a mid-sized university business school.ResultsThe data showed there was an increase in self-care behaviors after eight weeks of coaching, but the change was not significant. Majority of participants indicated satisfaction with the coaching framework.DiscussionThe study was also designed to assess the coaching framework’s ability to engage students and encourage students to use various coaching methods as a personal and professional development tool. Student surveys showed that students found the framework as a whole to be useful. The required coaching time per student for the framework was approximately one hour and nine minutes per student.ConclusionsStudents reported they were likely to want to participate in coaching in some modality again in the future. Group and text-based coaching, while less popular than individual coaching, had good or high satisfaction with most students.

Emergent literacy: effects of a multi-tier intervention in a COVID-19 pandemic context

ABSTRACT Emergent literacy (EL) interventions are effective at fostering foundational skills for reading and writing. During the COVID-19 pandemic schools faced several challenges to maintain these interventions, namely changing face-to-face to remote modalities. In this study, the effects of a multi-tier emergent literacy intervention are examined, delivered both in face-to-face and remote modalities, during the second COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. The intervention was delivered to 102 preschool Portuguese children (aged 5–6 years) according to the Multi-Tier Systems of Support (MTSS) framework and evaluated using a pre and post-test design and a single group. The results showed significant gains after the intervention in all emergent literacy skills evaluated: phonological awareness, vocabulary, print concepts, alphabet knowledge, and emergent writing. These findings highlight the relevance of systematic interventions that implement universal screenings, progress monitoring and decision-making processes based on children’s performance, and the potentialities of using mixed modalities (face-to-face and remote) to deliver such interventions in uncertain times.

Student’s Choice: In-Person, Online, or on Demand? A Comparison of Instructional Modality Preference and Effectiveness

The recent increase in online instruction caused by the 2020 pandemic has reignited the debate over the efficacy of online instruction compared to in-person instruction. This study explored the impact various modes of instruction had on student achievement and compared students’ stated modality preference with their actual attendance behavior. Results show that while most students preferred in-person instruction (74%), only 47% of those who indicated they preferred in-person instruction attended class only in-person. Many attended classes utilizing a modality other than in-person, and several students switched their preferred modality away from in-person instruction. In general, students who attended class using a mixed modality or in-person achieved slightly better results than those attending class live online. However, the only statistically significant difference was between those participating predominantly in person and those watching class recordings (88% compared to 84% on average). Overall, many students achieved high grades regardless of their chosen instructional modality. In addition, students reported appreciating the option of multiple modalities when they could not attend class in their preferred modality. These results suggest offering a choice of modalities benefited many students.

Use of virtual classrooms to support teaching in the mixed modality, of the subjects of Ecological Engineering and Air conditioning and refrigeration

To help reduce the problem of remote knowledge imparting, such as not having access to a computer during class time, not being able to rent an hour of internet or not having Wi-Fi, the authors of the article generated the project PAPIME with PE100222 code, which aims to Generate new didactic resources to improve the teachinglearning process of the aforementioned subjects, so that it can be used in the online and mixed modality. As a first stage, they created virtual classrooms in Classroom and Moodle where they included didactic material such as class videos, notes, support texts, infographics, mind maps, word search, crossword puzzles and practical activities that can be done from home for each subject of the project. . This article presents the actions carried out as the second stage of the project, which includes the adjustments made to each virtual classroom based on the opinions of the students who used them and the generation of virtual classrooms to include support material for the presentation of the extraordinary ones of the subjects involved.

(110) Characterizing Sexuality and Assessing Predictors of Sexual Satisfaction in Patients with Multiple Myeloma

Abstract Introduction There is a paucity of literature documenting cancer-related sexual concerns among patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Despite profound sexual changes being reported in other types of hematological cancer (i.e., lymphoma, leukemia), all types of hematological cancer patients tend to be grouped together, potentially overlooking the unique concerns of patients with MM. Objective This study is the first to characterize sexuality uniquely in the MM population, and to examine predictors of sexual satisfaction for MM, comparatively with participants with other hematological cancer types. Methods We performed a mixed modality self-report survey of patients with hematological cancer, recruiting both in-person and online. Men and women with MM (N=89) and other hematological cancers (N=84) participated in our survey. The survey included demographics and health information, as well as several quantitative sexuality measures including sexual distress, sexual function, sexual flexibility, sexual interest, sexual communication, and sexual satisfaction. Results MM survivors exhibited poor sexual function but low sexual distress, and endorsed mid-high scores on measures of sexual interest, sexual flexibility, sexual communication, and sexual satisfaction. Results indicate that for MM and other hematological cancer survivors, lower sexual distress and higher sexual communication were associated with higher sexual satisfaction (b = .428, p &amp;lt; .001; b = -.299, p = .001) while sexual flexibility, sexual interest, and sexual function did not explain significant variance in sexual satisfaction. Thematic analysis on open-ended questions indicates that potentially unique to MM, consequences of bone disease (i.e., bone pain, bone fracture, and spinal cord compression) affected sexual expression and resulted in reduced mobility impacting sexual activity, as well as painful sexual experiences, or anxiety relating to sex. Conclusions This study supported the need for sexual health interventions for those diagnosed with MM. Further, it demonstrated that sexual interventions that are used for other hematological cancer patients may be similarly effective for those with MM. Special consideration regarding the impact of bone disease on sexual expression in MM patients should be taken. Disclosure No

Implementing an interprofessional palliative care education program to speech-language therapy and dietetic students

ABSTRACT Palliative care education for allied health professionals has received minimal research attention. This longitudinal study followed the development of an education program for speech-language therapy (SLT) and dietetic (DT) students. The project comprised three stages. In Stage I, consenting SLT and DT graduates (n = 9) were interviewed 6 months after graduation exploring preparedness for working in palliative care. Interviews were transcribed, and topics were extracted through content analysis. In Stage II, a new palliative care curriculum was developed using the extant literature and gaps reported in Stage I. In Stage III, we implemented and evaluated the new curriculum. Students were surveyed before (n = 68) and after (n = 42) the new program and at 6-month post-graduation (n = 15) to capture student-reported changes in knowledge and confidence in palliative care. In Stage I, 10 topics were developed covering knowledge, roles, team, family-focused care, and feelings. In Stage II, a hybrid program was developed including e-learning modules, didactic lectures, and a simulated learning experience. In Stage III, student feedback demonstrated positive shifts in knowledge and confidence ratings from medians 3–6 to 5–8 (1 = none; 10 = excellent) across all domains. Gains in knowledge and confidence were consistently higher at 6-month post-graduation for final survey respondents. Mixed modality interprofessional palliative care education for allied health professionals has merit in improving knowledge, confidence, and perceived preparedness for practice.

Gaming among female adolescents: profiling and psychopathological characteristics in the Indian context.

Gaming is a predominant leisure time activity among adolescents, and the literature suggests that unrestrained gaming behavior might lead to gaming disorder. ICD-11 and DSM-5 have recognized gaming disorder as a psychiatric condition and grouped it under the behavioral addiction category. Research on gaming behavior and addiction is largely based on data from the male population, and problematic gaming has largely been understood from the male perspective. In this study, we are attempting to bridge the existing lacuna in the literature by exploring gaming behavior, gaming disorder, and its related psychopathological characteristics among female adolescents in India. The study was conducted on a sample of 707 female adolescent participants who were contacted through schools and academic institutes in a city in Southern India. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey design, and data were administered using the mixed modality of online and offline data collection. The participants filled out the following set of questionnaires: socio-demographic sheet, Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short-Form (IGDS9-SF), Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), Rosenberg self-esteem scale, and Brief sensation-seeking scale (BSSS-8). The data gathered from the participants were then statistically analyzed using SPSS software version 26. The descriptive statistics revealed that 0.8% of the sample (i.e., five participants out of 707) obtained scores meeting gaming addiction criteria. Correlation analysis demonstrated a significant relationship between all the psychological variables with total IGD scale scores (p < 0.05). Total SDQ, total BSSS-8, and domain scores of SDQ, such as emotional symptoms, conduct, hyperactivity, and peer problems, were positively correlated, whereas total Rosenberg scores and domain scores of prosocial behaviors of SDQ were negatively correlated. The Mann-Whitney U-test was employed to compare "with gaming disorder" and "without gaming disorder" categories of female participants. Comparing these two groups revealed significant differences in emotional symptoms, conduct, hyperactivity/inattention, peer problem, and self-esteem scale scores. Furthermore, quantile regression was computed, showing that conduct, peer problem, and self-esteem displayed trend-level prediction for gaming disorder. Female adolescents prone to gaming addiction can be identified through psychopathological characteristics of conduct, peer problem, and low self-esteem. This understanding can be useful in developing a theoretical model focusing on early screening and preventive strategies for at-risk female adolescents.

Maternal and perinatal outcomes in mixed antenatal care modality implementing telemedicine in the southwestern region of Colombia during the COVID-19 pandemic

IntroductionContingency measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic limited access to routine prenatal care for pregnant women, increasing the risk of pregnancy complications due to poor prenatal follow-up, especially in those patients at high obstetric risk. This prompted the implementation and adaptation of telemedicine.ObjectiveWe aim to evaluate the maternal and perinatal outcomes of patients who received prenatal care in-person and by telemedicine.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective observational cohort study of pregnant women who received exclusive in-person and alternate (telemedicine and in-person) care from March to December 20,202, determining each group's maternal and neonatal outcomes.ResultsA total of 1078 patients were included, 156 in the mixed group and 922 in the in-person group. The patients in the mixed group had a higher number of prenatal controls (8 (6–9) vs 6 (4–8) p < 0.001), with an earlier gestational age at onset (7.1 (6–8.5) vs 9.3 (6.6–20.3), p < 0.001), however, they required a longer hospital stay (26 (16,67%) vs 86 (9,33%), p = 0.002) compared to those attended in-person; there were no significant differences in the development of obstetric emergencies, maternal death or neonatal complications.DiscussionIncorporating telemedicine mixed with in-person care could be considered as an alternative for antenatal follow-up of pregnant women in low- and middle-income countries with barriers to timely and quality health care access.

Mental health and psychosocial interventions integrating sexual and reproductive rights and health, and HIV care and prevention for adolescents and young people (10-24 years) in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic scoping review.

Interventions targeting combined sexual and reproductive health, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) management and mental health care in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are few. There is a need to address common determinants of poor mental, psychosocial and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) through multimodal and multipronged interventions for adolescents. The main objective of this study was to identify whether and how interventions targeting adolescent SRHR and HIV with a focus on pregnant and parenting adolescents in SSA include mental health components and how these components and their outcomes have been reported in the literature. We carried out a two process scoping review approach between 01.04.2021 and 23.08.2022. In the first stage, we searched the PubMed database to identify studies focusing on adolescents and young people aged 10 to 24 from 2001 to 2021. We identified studies focusing on HIV and SRHR that had mental health and psychosocial aspects to the interventions. Our search yielded 7025 studies. Of these 38 were eligible based on our screening criteria that covered interventions, and on further scrutiny, using PracticeWise, an established coding system, we identified select problems and practices to provide a more granular assessment of how interventions developed for this context mapped on to specific problems. At this second stage process, we selected 27 studies for inclusion as actual interventional designs for further systematic scoping of their findings and we used the Joanna Briggs Quality Appraisal checklist to rate these studies. This review was registered within the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO), number CRD42021234627. Our first set of findings is that when coding problems and solutions, mental health concerns were the least common category of problems targeted in these SRHR/HIV interventions; nevertheless, psychoeducation and cognitive behavioral strategies such as improved communication, assertiveness training, and informational support were offered widely. Of the 27 interventional studies included in the final review, 17 RCTs, 7 open trials, and 3 mixed designs, represented nine countries of the 46 countries in SSA. Intervention types included peer, community, family, digital, and mixed modality interventions. Eight interventions focused on caregivers and youth. Social or community ecology associated problems (being an orphan, sexual abuse, homelessness, negative cultural norms) were the most common risk factors and were more frequent than medical issues associated with HIV exposure. Our findings highlight the relevance and centrality of social issues related to adolescent mental and physical health along with the need to strengthen multimodal interventions along the lines of problems we have identified in our review. Combined interventions jointly addressing adolescent SRHR, HIV, and mental health have been relatively understudied, despite evidence that adverse social and community factors are rampant in this population. MK was funded by Fogarty International CenterK43 TW010716-05 and lead the initiative.

A Phenomenology of First-Year Music Teaching During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The purpose of this phenomenology was to examine the lived experience of being a first-year music teacher during the COVID-19 pandemic. Across two data waves, the first in winter 2020 and the second in late spring 2021, we collected written reflections and conducted online interviews with 10 music teachers who began their careers in 2020 to 2021. We found that participants’ experiences were characterized by overwhelm, disconnection, a pervasive concern for well-being, and a sense of missing out. These experiences were shaped by contextual factors like being responsible for mixed instructional modalities, coping with inconsistent student attendance, and navigating safety protocols that presented barriers to learning. The essence of being a first-year music teacher during the pandemic was the feeling of being adrift amid a largely lost year, looking to the next year as another first year of teaching. We suggest that this cohort of novice music teachers is distinct from previous cohorts, having been shaped by an intensified teaching experience. Induction supports such as mentoring may need to be extended through the first 3 years of their careers, and researchers should continue to follow this cohort because their trajectory is unclear.

Desarrollo de habilidades lingüísticas a través de la subtitulación didáctica: una revisión sistemática

This article presents a systematic review of the literature on the use of subtitling in the teaching of foreign languages in university contexts in the last five years. First, the conceptual framework of audiovisual translation for didactic purposes, its classification and influence on the development of linguistic skills are presented, then the methodology used for the search and compilation of studies. Considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria, fourteen empirical studies were selected and then distributed into four sections according to the type of subtitling they address: intralinguistic, standard interlinguistic, inverse interlinguistic and mixed modalities. The results show that subtitling enhances the acquisition of vocabulary, oral comprehension, oral production and grammatical understanding in foreign languages. In addition, participants report a good reception of the subtitling task.

Navigating the Case-based Learning Multimodal Learning Environment: A Qualitative Study Across the First-year Medical Students

Case-based learning (CBL) is a popular instructional method aiming to bridge theory and clinical practice. This study aims to explore how the CBL mixed modality curriculum influence students’ learning styles and support-learning strategies. We employed an explanatory sequential mixed method with an initial 44-itemed Felder-Silverman’s Index of Learning Style (ILS) questionnaire distributed to the first-year medical students (n = 142) using convenience sampling to describe preferred learning styles. The qualitative phase utilised three focus group discussions (FGDs) to explore the multimodal learning style exhibited by students in depth. Most students preferred a combination of learning styles reflective, sensing, visual and sequential (i.e., the RSVISeq style, 24.64%) from the ILS analysis. The frequency of learning preference from processing to understanding were well balanced: sequential-global domain (66.2%), sensing–intuitive (59.86%), active–reflective (57%) and visualverbal (51.41%). The qualitative data reported three major themes, namely, Theme 1: CBL mixed modalities navigates learner’s learning style, Theme 2: Learners active learning strategies from the CBL modalities supports learning and Theme 3: CBL modalities facilitating theory into clinical knowledge. Many quantitative and qualitative studies have reported the multimodal learning style of the first-year medical students. Medical students utilise multimodal learning styles to attain clinical knowledge when learning with CBL mixed modalities. Educators’ awareness of the multimodal learning style is crucial in delivering the CBL mixed modalities effectively, considering strategic pedagogical support for students to engage and learn CBL in bridging theoretical knowledge and clinical practice.

Different Chromosome Segregation Patterns Coexist in the Tetraploid Adriatic Sturgeon Acipenser naccarii

The Adriatic sturgeon, Acipenser naccarii (Bonaparte, 1836), is a critically endangered tetraploid endemism of the Adriatic region; it has been targeted, over the last 20 years, by different conservation programs based on controlled reproduction of captive breeders followed by the release of their juvenile offspring; its preservation would greatly benefit from the correct and coordinated management of the residual genetic variability available in the different captive stocks. In this sense, the setup of an efficient parental allocation procedure would allow identifying familiar groups and establishing informed breeding plans, effectively preserving genetic variation. However, being the species tetraploid, the analyses often deal with complex genome architecture and a preliminary evaluation of allele segregation patterns at different chromosomes is necessary to assess whether the species can be considered a pure tetraploid, as previously observed at some loci, or if a more complex situation is present. Here we study the segregation at 14 microsatellites loci in 12 familiar groups. Results support in different families the tetrasomic segregation pattern at 11 markers and the disomic segregation at three markers. The Adriatic sturgeon thus shows a mixed inheritance modality. In this species, and likely in other sturgeons, accurate knowledge of the loci used for paternity analysis is therefore required.

MODALITY OF PRACTICE AFFECTS BALANCE IMPROVEMENT WHILE LEARNING TO MOVE WITH A KNEE CRUTCH

PURPOSE: This study determined the impact of practice time and modality of practice on Balance while wearing a knee crutch (KC) on dominant leg, which gives a participant a “Peg Leg” like situation to move around. METHODS: Fifteen female (five in each group) and fifteen male (five in each group) participants were randomly assigned to one of three practice groups: Walking (W), Balance Training (BT), Combination (WBT). Four five-minute practice sessions were completed with balance tested before wearing KC, immediately after putting KC on, after each practice session, and after taking KC off. Balance was calculated as the average distance of three center of pressure measures of body sway during 20 second trials. A 7(time) x 3 (group) Mixed ANOVA followed by a Scheffe multiple comparisons (SMC) were done. RESULTS: ANOVA indicated a significant Time (F(6,162)=88.441, p < .001) and Group (F(2,27)=5.120, p=.013) main effects with significant interaction (F(12,162)=2.744, p = .002). SMC indicated that WBT (53.6 + 14.1 cm, 51.6 + 9.9 cm, 45.6 + 8.0 cm) was significantly different from the BT (36.9 + 4.7 cm, 36.4 + 5.6 cm, 38.4 + 6.0 cm) and W (41.0 + 7.0 cm, 40.7 + 6.4 cm, 35.8 + 3.4 cm) groups following the last three practice sessions (P < .045). The BT and W groups were not significantly different throughout the tests (P > .456). CONCLUSION: Balance appears to improve more efficiently with a consistent modality rather than mixing modalities.

Distanced Online Learning in Language Teaching: From Students’ Perception

This quantitative study aims to analyze the impact of audiovisual content delivered through Canva, discussion forums via Zoom and online evaluations delivered via Mentimeter and Google Form in the Distanced Learning model delivered online. This study aims to measure students' perceptions of the learning environment that has drastically changed to online. The method that will be carried out in this study uses the Perceptions Blended Learning Environments Questionnaire (PBLEQ) method. This study aims to measure students' perceptions of the learning environment that has changed to online. The research steps included distributing online questionnaires to 68 students of the Public Health, Nutrition and Law study program, which contained questions about students' perceptions of changing face-to-face learning to online learning, on the contribution of online learning, and on online assignments. Then, more detailed questions were given in the interview session to validate the answers to the questionnaire. The results of online learning show that audiovisual content, discussion forums and online evaluations in distanced learning have a positive effect on the teaching and learning process. This study recommends the incorporation of mixed learning modalities during the planning and implementation of educational programs in the context of developing student competencies. It can be concluded that distanced and also blended learning is an alternative to improve teaching and learning conditions in the 21st Century. Keywords : Distanced Learning; Language Teaching; Technology

Modality-Adaptive Mixup and Invariant Decomposition for RGB-Infrared Person Re-identification

RGB-infrared person re-identification is an emerging cross-modality re-identification task, which is very challenging due to significant modality discrepancy between RGB and infrared images. In this work, we propose a novel modality-adaptive mixup and invariant decomposition (MID) approach for RGB-infrared person re-identification towards learning modality-invariant and discriminative representations. MID designs a modality-adaptive mixup scheme to generate suitable mixed modality images between RGB and infrared images for mitigating the inherent modality discrepancy at the pixel-level. It formulates modality mixup procedure as Markov decision process, where an actor-critic agent learns dynamical and local linear interpolation policy between different regions of cross-modality images under a deep reinforcement learning framework. Such policy guarantees modality-invariance in a more continuous latent space and avoids manifold intrusion by the corrupted mixed modality samples. Moreover, to further counter modality discrepancy and enforce invariant visual semantics at the feature-level, MID employs modality-adaptive convolution decomposition to disassemble a regular convolution layer into modality-specific basis layers and a modality-shared coefficient layer. Extensive experimental results on two challenging benchmarks demonstrate superior performance of MID over state-of-the-art methods.