Platform For Users Research Articles

Utilizing Serious Games as an Interactive Platform for Programming Learning in Informatics Students

Programming is a critical skill for informatics students, enabling them to design systems, develop software, and analyze user requirements. However, many students face significant challenges in understanding programming concepts and syntax, particularly during the initial stages of learning. These difficulties often stem from limited proficiency in reading, debugging, and writing code, coupled with low motivation and engagement in the learning process. To address these challenges, it is essential to adopt engaging and enjoyable instructional approaches. Serious games have proven to be an effective instructional method, enhancing students' motivation and engagement through game-based elements. This study introduces DolananCoding, a serious game developed as an interactive platform for teaching structured programming courses. DolananCoding incorporates two key features: live coding and a leaderboard, both designed to boost students' motivation and engagement in programming learning. The platform was rigorously evaluated through two testing methods: system testing and user testing. System testing validated the fulfillment of functional requirements, including modules, materials, and experience points, all of which met the expected standards. User testing assessed the platform's user satisfaction through a questionnaire administered to 76 students, yielding an average satisfaction score of 4.3 out of 5.0. These results indicate a positive reception among students, demonstrating the platform's readiness for integration into programming learning.

The Influence of Student Engagement and Student Satisfaction on Continuous Use of Paid Knowledge on Moocs Platform: A Survey Case Study of School of Management, Guangdong University of Technology

Background and Aim: Since 2012, the advent of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) has sparked a global revolution in digital education. As modern educational technology continues to advance rapidly, the sharing of educational resources and the establishment of online courses have become critical priorities. This research aims to analyze the current state of online course learning among students in management colleges, tackle the challenge of enhancing online learning environments, develop innovative models for online platforms, and meet diverse learning needs. Through investigation and research on students' understanding of online courses, usage patterns, and existing challenges, the study seeks to foster well-rounded management professionals equipped to meet the demands of contemporary society. Materials and Methods: This study involves seven variables that will be assessed through questionnaires to ensure reliability and validity in research measurement. To achieve this, we integrated previous questionnaire designs related to paid courses on knowledge payment platforms and conducted a pre-test to refine the questionnaire based on participant feedback and data performance. Following adjustments, a finalized version of the questionnaire was developed to enhance accuracy in data collection. The focus of this research is on users of paid knowledge platforms who either intend to purchase or have already made purchases. Therefore, screening questions were initially included in the questionnaire design to identify respondents familiar with paid courses. Respondents not aware of such courses were excluded from further questioning. Subsequently, additional inquiries were directed towards filtering out those unwilling to pay. The final sample analysis was conducted exclusively on users who were aware of paid courses and either expressed willingness or demonstrated behavior in paying for them. Results: The researcher will outline the study's subjects in this chapter, including the target population, sample units, sample size, and related sampling procedures. Additionally, they will establish the research instrument for this study and delineate the various sections of the questionnaire. The validity, internal consistency, and reliability of the research content will also be addressed. Internal validity is determined by two factors: prediction and Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Conclusion: The relevant research findings are presented, which are beneficial for learners in both courses, and the level of support provided by the course structure varies for different learners; Understanding the needs of learners for the course is essential. Based on the aforementioned research, the ultimate goal is to promote curriculum optimization and iteration and provide corresponding guidance and references for developing MOOC classes to enhance teachers' teaching abilities.

Comparing secondary school students’ foreign language anxiety and academic achievement in face-to-face and online settings: a case study in China

ABSTRACT The present study investigated foreign language anxiety (FLA) and foreign language (FL) achievement of 151 secondary school students in traditional face-to-face (F2F) and online English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classes. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected. The quantitative data revealed that the participants reported a lower leve l of FLA in online settings than that in traditional F2F settings, significantly in two dimensions (communication apprehension and test anxiety); and FLA was negatively correlated with FL achievement in online EFL classes, with better academic achievements due to decline of anxiety. The qualitative data revealed that FLA in F2F settings was primarily related to the participants themselves, such as bad performance in dictations, failure in quizzes, and poor homework, while FLA in online settings was more correlated with teachers (i.e. teacher questioning, teaching method and teacher’s roll call) and environment (i.e., camera monitoring, internet instability, and usage of teaching platforms). The factors contributing to such results have been thoroughly analysed and explored to offer pedagogical implications for online and offline EFL education.

SANS TRACAS: Design and Evaluation of a Cross-Platform Tool for Conducting Online EEG Experiments

For nearly a century, electroencephalography (EEG) research has been a crucial tool in the study of brain activity, and this valuable research technique is becoming increasingly accessible due to recent advancements in technology. In this article, we report on a collaborative effort between cognitive neuroscientists and human–computer interaction (HCI) researchers to design, develop, and evaluate Sans Tracas – a cross-platform web application for running EEG experiments online. Using a multidisciplinary and user-centric iterative design approach, Sans Tracas was designed to be easy to use by researchers and study participants alike. To evaluate the feasibility of Sans Tracas for conducting online EEG experiments for people with varying EEG and Brain Computer Interface (BCI) knowledge, we conducted a study with 55 participants, followed by a semi-structured interview with 11 participants to uncover more qualitative insights into the usability and people’s perception of the platform. Results showed that the average number of trials to connect the Muse with Sans Tracas was 2.55 (SD = 3.42). The average time to complete the entire study was 17 minutes (SD = 4 minutes). Participants also found Sans Tracas fun to participate in EEG experiments independently and reported more interest in EEG and BCI research than before the study. We conclude that Sans Tracas is a usable platform for conducting online EEG studies and offers an alternative to traditional in-lab settings.

Толерантность к неопределенности у студентов-пользователей онлайн-платформ с разными статусами виртуальной идентичности

<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Objective. </strong>Assessment the contribution of virtual identity statuses and identity components to variation in uncertainty tolerance of ambiguity among users of online platforms in age of students. <br><strong>Background. </strong>The users of online platforms reconsider identity commitments and explore identity alternatives in conditions of information uncertainty and ambiguity. Previous studies have clearly established what non-adaptive processes of identity development in real environments compensating for by problematic use of online platforms and assessing with low levels of tolerance for uncertainty, but little is known about the impact of virtual identity on tolerance of ambiguity. <br><strong>Study design. </strong>We how ambiguity tolerance relates to virtual identity using a survey method among students who are users of online platforms. The associations of virtual identity and tolerance of ambiguity were examined using Pearson's r-test, and linear regression (Fisher's F-test), and structural equation modeling (SEM). <br><strong>Participants. </strong>The sample consisted of data obtained from 350 students (35% male; 65% female), aged 18 to 25 (<em>M</em> = 19,8; <em>SD</em> = 1,62), users of online platforms. <br><strong>Measurements. </strong>The study measured the indicators of virtual identity (VISI) and tolerance of ambiguity (MSTAT-I) using methods adapted to the Russian research pool. <br><strong>Results. </strong>Commitment of virtual identity increases tolerance of ambiguity – a general measure, uncertainty preference, of attitudes towards new, ambiguous, difficult to understand, uncertain and internally contradictory environmental stimuli. The Exploration of virtual identity is associated with a preference for uncertainty. We have found that age raised the levels of the understanding of complex information and reduces the levels of the interest in new stimuli decreases. The outcomes of this study revealed that age gradient was found to be more pronounced in males than females, such that users of the males demonstrated higher growth forecast of levels of a tolerance of ambiguity. Moreover, a virtual identity status influences tolerance for ambiguity, such that users with a diffuse virtual identity reported a tendency to perceive ambiguity (ambiguous and new) situations as sources of threat. <br><strong>Conclusions. </strong>The current study sparse existing literature of psychology with new data of whether tolerance of ambiguity relates robustly to identity, and support predictions of variability in tolerance of ambiguity depending on the virtual identity status, age and gender among users of online platforms in age of students. The pre-adaptive mechanism that links components of identity search and acceptance in virtual environments use to tolerance of ambiguity, this mechanism may be further moderated by age and gender factors.</p>

Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Fake News: A Comparative Study of Instagram Users in Greece and Portugal

As our society increasingly relies on digital platforms for information, the spread of fake news has become a pressing concern. This study investigates the ability of Greek and Portuguese Instagram users to identify fake news, highlighting the influence of cultural differences. The responses of 220 Instagram users were collected through questionnaires in Greece and Portugal. The data analysis investigates characteristics of Instagram posts, social endorsement, and platform usage duration. The results reveal distinct user behaviors: Greeks exhibit a unique inclination towards social connections, displaying an increased trust in friends’ content and investing more time on Instagram, reflecting the importance of personal connections in their media consumption. They also give less importance to a certain post’s characteristics, such as content opposing personal beliefs, emotional language, and poor grammar, spelling, or formatting when identifying fake news, compared to the Portuguese, suggesting a weaker emphasis on content quality in their evaluations. These findings show that cultural differences affect how people behave on Instagram. Hence, content creators, platforms, and policymakers need specific plans to make online spaces more informative. Strategies should focus on enhancing awareness of key indicators of fake news, such as linguistic quality and post structure, while addressing the role of personal and social networks in the spread of misinformation.

System Design of an Online Marketplace Towards the Standardisation of Sustainable Energy Efficiency Investments in Buildings

Nowadays, the increase in sustainable investments, especially when it comes to energy efficiency in buildings, has been recognised as an important pillar towards reductions in energy consumption. In this context, there is a need for efficient and user-friendly digital tools that can support decision-making procedures for all involved parties in the energy efficiency value chain. The scope of this paper is to present a high-level architecture and system design of the energy efficiency marketplace developed within the framework of the ENERGATE project, an EU-funded initiative aiming to assist Building Owners, Project Implementors, and Financial Institutions to collaborate and execute energy-efficient building renovations. To this end, structured data through predefined information entries will be collected. This will facilitate the interactions between heterogenous stakeholders and contribute to the standardisation of processes. The paper focuses on the functional description of the system design of the ENERGATE platform by defining the architecture, components, modules, interfaces, and structured data, as well as highlighting the requirements of potential platform users and design principles to meet the necessary requirements while ensuring security, reliability, and effectiveness.

Populational Uses of Complementary Therapies via a Digital Platform in France: Motivations and Needs.

Background: Complementary and integrative medicine (CIM) encompasses over 400 modalities, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). In 2011, 70% of the European Union's population reported having used CIM at least once, with 25% using it annually. This study examines the engagement, motivations, and satisfaction of users in the French health care system through data from Medoucine, France's largest online platform for complementary therapies. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive analysis was conducted using Medoucine's database from 2017 to 2023, adhering to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines. Data were sourced from practitioner profiles, appointment logs, and patient comments collected at baseline (day 0, J0) and follow-up (day 30, J30). Survey questions, including "What type of complementary therapy are you seeking?" provided clarity on how CIM therapies were introduced. The study included a "recommendation question" at baseline to evaluate satisfaction: "Would you recommend this practitioner to your friends and family?". Response rates varied between 10% and 67%, depending on the question. Categorical variables were analyzed as percentages. Results: Among 225,251 platform users, 67.7% (152,464) responded to the recommendation question at J0, 15% (33,823) reported health improvements at J30, and 10% (22,596) discovered sustainable health strategies. Most users were women (68.6%). Key motivations included well-being and personal development (17.4%), stress, anxiety, and phobias (17.1%), and sleep disorders (7%). Hypnosis (15%), traditional Chinese medicine (8.4%), and reflexology (6.7%) were the most commonly selected modalities. At J30, 74.8% reported health improvements, with notable benefits for well-being (80.7%) and stress (76.3%). Conclusion: This study underscores the growing demand for CIM therapies in France, driven by a need for stress relief, personal development, and physical and psychological health management. High satisfaction rates and perceived health benefits highlight the potential of CIM to complement conventional care. Integrating evidence-based CIM into mainstream health care systems, as recommended by the WHO, offers an opportunity to address patient needs and enhance health care delivery.

EyeDraw: Investigating the Perceived Effects of Shared Gaze on Remote Collaborative Drawing

Shared gaze, where collaborators can see each other's point of gaze visualized on their screen in real time, is a novel non-verbal mechanism that augments remote collaborations and increases shared awareness and common grounding. While past studies have focused on well-structured tasks and analyzed task performance and efficiency, our study explores the domain of collaborative drawing for recreational purposes and focuses on collaborators' own perceptions. We surveyed 75 users of online collaborative drawing platforms who mostly drew collaboratively for recreation and artistic growth; they reported the importance of communication but also of retaining individual space despite the collaborative setting. Informed by this and prior research on shared gaze, we evaluate collaboration by allowing two collaborators to draw synchronously on a shared canvas and share their point of gaze. We conducted a study with 24 pairs that drew collaboratively under all combinations of shared gaze and voice communication. Combining voice and shared gaze was perceived to reach the best balance between tightly coupled collaboration and parallel individual execution. Shared gaze led to higher spatial awareness and less turn-taking was observed in conditions that shared gaze was present. Surprisingly, many participants found the lack of any communication medium to afford the highest degree of divergent thinking. Our findings provide guidelines for adaptive tools that consider individual preferences as well as the nature of the task to better support remote collaborations that are open-ended and prize creativity.

Sentiment analysis of social media data: Business insights and consumer behavior trends in the USA

The digital age has reformed how organizations in the USA reach out to their consumers and has opened up more avenues for understanding consumer sentiment and behavior. This research explored consumer sentiment and behavior trends through social media data with particular emphasis on platforms popular in the USA. By analyzing various social media channels, the study aimed to determine leading trends that drive consumer perception and behavior in real-time. The present research focused on the main social media platforms used in the USA: X-Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Sentiment analysis data was gathered using the usage of different social media platforms for their unique features and APIs. X-Twitter, being the most useful social media platform for real-time microblogging, provided a very strong API for the analyst to access the tweets, user profiles, and engagement metrics, which is very good for gathering public sentiment and trending topics. With the high volume of users, Facebook exposed the Graph API, which allowed fetching user interactions, comments, and reactions on public posts, giving insight into consumer opinions and brand perception. Also, Instagram's API enabled the collection of visual content along with captions and engagement data, enriching the analysis with multimodal sentiment insights. Three machine learning models were used, most notably, logistic regression, random forest classifier, and XG-Boost. Strategic metrics were used to evaluate the performance of the model: accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score. With a perfect score for the two algorithms, XG-Boost and Logistic Regression were perfectly able to classify on all metrics, while Random Forest Classifier had high scores close to the other two models, though a little lower in some metrics than the other two. The results of sentiment analysis will provide actionable insights for businesses that want to improve their positioning in the market. By interpreting the data on sentiment, companies in the USA can identify strengths and weaknesses in their offerings and make targeted improvements. Sentiment analysis has proved a crucial tool for US businesses in further improving marketing and customer engagement. Sentiment analysis will help companies in the USA create a meaningful understanding of the perceptions of the general public about its products and services.

How can Social Media Platforms Usage Support Investors' Green Investment Intention An empirical study

How can Social Media Platforms Usage Support Investors' Green Investment Intention An empirical study

Knowledge sharing platform users' switching intention from the perspective of the push-pull-mooring framework

Knowledge sharing platform users' switching intention from the perspective of the push-pull-mooring framework

Awareness and Usage of Domestic Food Nutrition Information Database Platforms

Awareness and Usage of Domestic Food Nutrition Information Database Platforms

Social Media Branding Strategy to Increase the Tourist Attraction of the Palintang Rock Cliffs, Wargaluyu Village

Cadas Palintang Cliff at Wargaluyu village has great natural potential and high value as a tourist destination. Although its popularity among tourists is still limited. This journal aims to strategise branding through the use of social media in an effort to increase interest in tourism at Cadas Palintang Cliff. USing quantitative approach, this journal analises branding strategies which focuses on destination image management, content creation, along with the usage of social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Data is collected through deep interviews with tourism management, social media content analyzer, and direct observation. Study shows that consistent and interesting branding, combined with active interaction on social media, can increase tourist’s interest and broaden the market. Usage of local hashtags, collaboration with influencers, along with visual content which highlights the beautiful nature of Cadas Palintang Cliff became a key element in this strategy. This journal suggests recommendations to tourist’s destination management in optimizing social media to promote tourist’s destination sustainably.

CUSTOMER PARTICIPATION ETHICAL REVIEW AND VALUE CO-CREATION ON SHARING ECONOMY PLATFORMS AMONG CUSTOMERS OF GREEN FOOD IN GHANA

The objective of this research was to design a framework to examine the impact of ethical reviews on participation and co-creation on sharing economy platforms among customers of green foods. Data was collected from 591 green food customers on share economic platform users in Ghana, using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling to address the essential role of ethical review as a mediating factor between customer participation and the intention to co-create value on share economy platforms. The results confirm that consumers’ ethical reviews of sharing economy platforms act as a crucial mediating variable that influences customer participation and value co-creation. This study introduces a novel construct of customer ethics review, proposing a multidimensional framework for understanding consumers’ ethical reviews of sharing economy platforms and their impact on value co-creation. This work is the first to examine the ethical review of sharing economy platforms, offering a new construct to enhance ethics literature and providing practical insights for platform operators to foster customer participation and co-creation.

Exploring the Characteristics and Extent of Travel Influencers’ Impact on Generation Z Tourist Decisions

The social media phenomenon revolutionized the way people communicate and share information in all age groups. In the context of global expansion and its undeniable popularity, social media platforms have favored the emergence of a new concept, the social media influencer (SMI). SMIs are online celebrities, followed and copied by a large number of users. The paper’s goal is to investigate the capacity of travel SMIs to influence the tourist decisions of Generation Z members. Aiming to obtain insight results, an exploratory study was conducted using the qualitative focus group research method. The respondents are members of Generation Z, users of social media platforms for travel planning. The main results highlight the characteristics of travel SMIs’ activities and influences, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of following their recommendations in the travel planning process. Also, this study highlights the reduced influence of Romanian travel SMIs on Generation Z tourists, despite the fact that they are primary information consumers on this communication channel. The results could contribute to establishing general benchmarks of a future professional career for Generation Z members as travel SMIs, an important sustainable option for communication in tourism.

“Oh how I love being a woman”: post-feminism and contemporary femininity on TikTok

ABSTRACT Research has explored how the rise of new social media platforms affords new opportunities for public representations of femininity to varying effects. This paper contributes to this body of work drawing on videos posted on the social media platform, TikTok. We ask, how is womanhood being represented on the platform? To address this, we thematically analysed TikTok videos (n = 150) garnering the most attention from platform users that represent experiences unique to being “a woman” which share the sound “Oh how I love being a woman.” The following themes were identified: safety, beauty as self-care and feminine bonding, and authenticity as mess. Videos concerned with safety offer a critique of structural gendered norms by representing the lived realities ofg women’s management of a dangerous public sphere. Concurrently, there are contrasting representations of womanhood in the private spaces of bedrooms and bathrooms. Feminine connection and enjoyment via beauty rituals celebrate a retreat into the private sphere, whilst mess signifies a particularly authentic performance of femininity. We contend that these representations may indicate a concerning trend in post-feminist culture where the public/private binary is reinforced, and structural gendered inequities are acknowledged yet perceived as inherent and unchanging.

Examining pharmacy students’ utilisation of an online curricular resource platform

Objective: To evaluate how Doctor of Pharmacy Students (PharmD) at one school of pharmacy use an online curricular resource platform, explicitly identifying the most frequently used resources and potential barriers to their usage. Methods: An anonymous, voluntary electronic survey using Qualtrics was administered to all PharmD students at a single institution in spring 2023. The survey included demographic questions and items on platform usage frequency, resource utilisation, and reasons for using or not using the platform and its resources. Descriptive statistics characterised the study population. Chi-square tests examined the impact of professional year and GPA on platform utilisation. Results: A survey of 180 students revealed that 37.8% were in Year 4, 52.2% occasionally used the online curricular resource platform, and 49.2% did not use any multimedia available. The most utilised tool was the Top 300 Pharmacy Flash Cards (32.5%). Chi-square and p-value analyses indicated significant differences in resource usage across professional years, while no association was found between GPA and resource usage frequency. Conclusion:This study highlights the importance of diverse online resources and effective study tools in enhancing pharmacy education. By understanding student usage patterns, educators can optimise online platforms to meet educational needs better, improving learning experiences and outcomes.

A aula virou slide: o ensino de Sociologia entre telas e resistências

The article addresses the difficulties of teaching Sociology in public schools in São Paulo under the High School Reform policy. This policy compartmentalizes scientific knowledge, making it easier for corporations to influence and normalize certain discourses. The State Education Secretary of São Paulo (SEDUC-SP) has intensified the process of educational patronization to implement the project, which has compromised teachers’ autonomy and undermined the theoretical and epistemological foundations of Sociology teaching. An examination of the materials provided by SEDUC for teachers reveals that these standardized resources for teaching are outdated and hinder the application of diverse and dialogic teaching methods. These materials lack credibility and contain errors, resulting in an unrealistic teaching plan with superficial content resembling what is often found on social media, assuming that students are primarily digital platform users whose attention needs to be captivated. Keywords: sociology teaching, high school, high school reformation.

Pengaruh Rating Dan Online Consumer Review Terhadap Minat Beli Dengan Kepercayaan Sebagai Variabel Mediasi Pada Marketplace Tokopedia (Studi Pada Mahasiswa Manajemen Angkatan 2019 Universitas Muhammadiyah Metro)

Based on data from Iprice.com in 2022, Tokopedia is the number 1 top order in Indonesia for e-commerce that has the most visitors. The survey, which involved 1,200 e-commerce platform users, found that Tokopedia was the most reviewed e-commerce platform. It can be seen from the public showing their trust by shopping online and providing information to other people to also shop at Tokopedia. This study has a goal, namely to find out whether ratings have a direct effect on trust. To find out whether online consumer reviews have a direct effect on trust. To find out whether the rating has a direct effect on buying interest. To find out whether online consumer reviews have a direct effect on purchase intention. To find out whether trust has a direct effect on buying interest. The sample of this research was Management Students Class of 2019 at Muhammadiyah Metro University with a total of 102 students. Data collection used a questionnaire, and data analysis used validity test, reliability test, normality test, homogeneity test, linearity test and regression significance and path analysis (path analysis) using the program (SPSS). The results of the study show that there is a positive effect of Rating on Trust, there is a positive effect of Online Consumer Reviews on Trust, there is a positive effect of Rating on Purchase Intention, there is a positive effect of Online Consumer Reviews on Purchase Intention, there is a positive effect of Trust on Online Consumer Reviews.