Real Experiments Research Articles

Training and Mentoring of Classroom Action Research as a Strategy for Developing Chinese Teacher Skills

Training and Mentoring of Classroom Action Research as a Strategy for Developing Chinese Teacher Skills

Development of Learning Media to Improve Critical Thinking Skills and Creativity of Vocational Students

An important aspect in education is the teacher and the student. Teachers have a duty in teaching and students have obligations in learning. In the learning process, it is necessary to apply the strategies used by the teacher so that students can understand the material presented. One of the strategies used is learning media. Besides, helping in increasing the understanding of students, learning media also helps in improving the critical thinking skills and creativity of vocational students. The purpose of this study is to analyze the development of learning media to improve the critical thinking skills and creativity of vocational students. The research method is qualitative. The data collection technique is carried out by literature study, namely data collection by reviewing books, literature, notes, and various related reports. Then, the data analysis is done by Miles and Huberman analysis, namely data collection, data reduction, data presentation, and conclusions. The results obtained show that the development of learning media is important to improve the critical thinking skills and creativity of vocational students. Simulations, games, and projects are effective solutions for practicing these skills, with simulations providing real experiences, games increasing student interest, and projects allowing students to collaborate on solving complex tasks. Learning media must also be by the interests and needs of vocational students and use relevant technology. Thus, the development of learning media is a critical step in preparing vocational students to face complex future challenges.

Development of Local Path Planning Using Selective Model Predictive Control, Potential Fields, and Particle Swarm Optimization

This paper focuses on the real-time obstacle avoidance and safe navigation of autonomous ground vehicles (AGVs). It introduces the Selective MPC-PF-PSO algorithm, which includes model predictive control (MPC), Artificial Potential Fields (APFs), and particle swarm optimization (PSO). This approach involves defining multiple sets of coefficients for adaptability to the surrounding environment. The simulation results demonstrate that the algorithm is appropriate for generating obstacle avoidance paths. The algorithm was implemented on the ROS platform using NVIDIA’s Jetson Xavier, and driving experiments were conducted with a steer-type AGV. Through measurements of computation time and real obstacle avoidance experiments, it was shown to be practical in the real world.

A flexible multi-temporal orthoimage mosaicking method based on dynamic variable patches

Orthoimage mosaicking plays an important role in remote sensing applications, such as environment monitoring and protection. However, the cloud coverage in remote sensing images often results in substantial loss of information and degradation of data quality, bringing lots of challenges to orthoimage mosaicking. Therefore, this paper proposes a flexible multi-temporal orthoimage mosaicking method based on dynamic variable patches. Different from most existing pixel-based mosaicking methods, the proposed method defines patch as the minimal processing unit for orthoimage mosaicking, and the size and position of each patch are dynamic variable. Patches from different images are rearranged under the image texture consistency constraint to generate the mosaic image. In the proposed method, the initial positions of available patches of all images are determined first, then the initial size of each patch is determined by the cloud coverage and the effective area of image. Subsequently, considering the inevitable misalignments between different orthoimages, the texture similarity between patches is utilized to select the most suitable patch, and the size of the patch is also dynamically adjusted to make the misalignments within each patch controllable. Finally, considering the color inconsistency in the overlapping areas of neighboring images, an area-weighted image blending algorithm is also presented to achieve invisible seams and smooth transitions in the final mosaic. Not only does the proposed method produce mosaic images with minimal cloud coverage areas by excluding cloud pixels as much as possible, but it is also flexible for the mosaicking of images with varying degrees of misalignments, which is achieved by dynamically adjusting the size and position of each patch while maintaining texture consistency constraint. Both simulated experiments and real data experiments are carried out to verify the performance of the proposed method. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can generate the mosaic image with higher spatial continuity and radiometric consistency.

Image reconstruction method for incomplete CT projection based on self-guided image filtering.

In some fields of medical diagnosis or industrial nondestructive testing, it is difficult to obtain complete computed tomography (CT) data due to the limitation of radiation dose or other factors. Therefore, image reconstruction of incomplete projection data is the focus of this paper. In this paper, a new image reconstruction model based on self-guided image filtering (SGIF) term is proposed for few-view and segmental limited-angle (SLA) CT reconstruction. Then the alternating direction method (ADM) is used to solve this model. For simplicity, we call it ADM-SGIF method. The key idea of ADM-SGIF method is to use the reconstructed image itself as a reference and utilize its structural features to guide CT reconstruction. This method can effectively preserve image structures and remove shading artifacts. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed reconstruction method, we conduct digital phantom and real CT data experiments. The results indicate that ADM-SGIF method outperforms competing methods, including total variation (TV), relative total variation (RTV), and L0-norm minimization solved by ADM (ADM-L0) methods, in both subjective and objective evaluations.

Enhancing Disaster Preparedness for Junior High School Students at SMPN 24 Padang City Using Virtual Reality Method

Indonesia frequently experiences earthquakes, resulting in significant financial losses and casualties, especially in Padang. A major factor contributing to the high number of victims is the general public's lack of knowledge and preparedness for such disasters. Teenagers, including middle school students, are particularly vulnerable. Consequently, at SMPN 24 in Padang, virtual reality (VR) technology has been introduced to educate students about disaster preparedness. This simulation provided a realistic learning experience, allowing students to practice for emergencies without endangering themselves. At SMPN 24 in Padang, 32 students underwent an earthquake simulation using the VR approach. The results indicated an enhanced understanding of disaster preparedness among the students, with the median comprehension score rising from 59.00 to 60.50. Evaluations suggest that VR technology effectively increases students' disaster awareness and readiness. In summary, thanks to the virtual reality (VR) training, students at SMPN 24 in Padang feel better equipped to face potential earthquake disasters.

Comparison of ranibizumab, aflibercept, and dexamethasone implant monotherapy in treatment-naive eyes with diabetic macular edema: A 12-month real-life experience.

To compare the functional and anatomical outcomes of ranibizumab, aflibercept, and dexamethasone implant monotherapy in treatment-naive eyes with diabetic macular edema (DME) in real-life conditions. In this retrospective cohort study, data were obtained from the hospital database of treatment-naive patients diagnosed with DME with at least 12 months of follow-up. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central retinal thickness (CRT) at baseline, third month, sixth month, ninth month, and 12th month were recorded. In addition, a subgroup analysis was performed based on having good (below 0.4 log of minimum angle of resolution [logMAR]) or poor (0.4 logMAR and above) vision. A total of 219 eyes of 142 patients were included in the study. The change in the mean BCVA from baseline to 12th month was from 0.62 logMAR to 0.42 logMAR (P < 0.001) in the ranibizumab group, from 0.56 logMAR to 0.39 logMAR (P < 0.001) in the aflibercept group, and from 0.46 logMAR to 0.5 logMAR (P = 0.653) in the dexamethasone group. There was no significant difference between the treatment groups at any time point (P > 0.05). The mean amount of CRT change was statistically significant at 12 months in all groups (ranibizumab: -175.4 µm, aflibercept: -153.3 µm, dexamethasone: -71.4 µm) (P < 0.05). In eyes with initially good vision, the final BCVA at 12 months was significantly better in the ranibizumab group compared to the dexamethasone group (P = 0.008). The aflibercept group had better visual acuity than the dexamethasone group, but there was no statistically significant difference (P = 0.059). There was no significant difference in final BCVA in eyes with initially poor vision. No serious ocular/systemic complications were noted. At the 12th month, a significant decrease in CRT was achieved in all treatment groups, whereas only ranibizumab and aflibercept groups had a significant BCVA increase. In eyes with initially good vision, the final BCVA at 12 months was better in the ranibizumab group compared to the dexamethasone group, whereas it was similar in all groups having initially poor vision.

Grace Under Pressure

Being recognized as one of the President’s Lister (PL) in an academic institution reflects one specific student's dedication, intelligence, and hard work. Therefore, this research investigated and revealed the real-life experiences of students who achieved President's List status as they endeavored to maintain consistency amidst the challenges posed by the pandemic. This phenomenological research comprised 10 participants, evenly distributed between in-depth interviews (IDI) and focus group discussions (FGD). These individuals were exclusively selected from Kapalong College of Agriculture, Sciences, and Technology, all of whom were consistent President's List (PL) students enrolled in the Institute of Teacher Education (ITEd), specifically third-year and fourth-year students. The collected data underwent analysis through coding and thematic analysis. The findings of the study delineated varied experiences, coping mechanisms, strategies, and perspectives of the chosen PL students regarding their pursuit of consistency amidst the pandemic. Lastly, the findings and results of the study are deemed essential and beneficial to the field of education, especially in all Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), as this may serve as their basis for crafting guidelines and policies like special scholarships to these honour students in support to their consistency with their academic pursuit. The results could also provide valuable insights to the Commission on Higher Education for formulating a memorandum and updating the Program Standard and Guidelines, particularly in implementing a flexible learning approach while taking into account the preparedness of both students and educators.

Simulation in nursing: the importance of involving service users.

The term 'service user' is an amorphous concept that can refer to a variety of groups. It refers to people who use or have used a service, or to the carers or parents of service users, or it can be used to refer to lay people, the public or non-professionals. It can also be used to refer to all or any combination of these. To maximise the potential of simulation, it is crucial to involve service users: their inclusion in the co-design of simulations, alongside patient educators and participatory decision-makers, provides invaluable input from a patient perspective. They also make an important contribution by portraying patients in the scenarios within which students interact, providing perspectives based on real-life experiences, offering students an insight into how patients could respond. Such an approach to designing simulations as part of nursing education will help develop professionals who are more patient-centred, culturally competent and more responsive to patient needs.

Underwater virtual reality for marine education and ocean literacy: technological and psychological potentials

Given the crucial role the ocean plays in human and planetary health, ocean literacy (OL)—understanding the ocean’s influence on us and our influence on the ocean—has been gaining momentum as a significant component and determinant of sustainable human-ocean interactions. Underwater virtual reality (UVR) enables participants to take a virtual dive while being simultaneously immersed in water. Through this unique double immersion, UVR is offering new avenues of psychological access and pedagogical opportunities toward the ocean; this study is thus the first to explore UVR’s potential for OL and marine environmental education. Following two UVR activities in a pool, we conducted semi-structured interviews and survey questionnaires with 19 marine scientists and education experts. Our findings indicate UVR has important technological and psychological potentials, including (1) high levels of presence, (2) infrequency of motion sickness, and (3) the ability to trigger powerful emotions and affective states such as awe, empathy, and flow. In this way, UVR can create a realistic experience of the ocean that improves OL and reduces psychological distance to marine environmental issues. We also advance a new seven-dimensional OL framework, following our findings that UVR has unique potentials for improving ‘emoceans’, attitude, awareness, and ocean connectedness.

The Development of Augmented Reality As English Learning Media in Junior High School

The existence of learning media on various platforms provides variety and assistance for teachers in delivering learning materials. Not much has been developed in educational media compared to entertainment media such as gaming, films, songs, dance, and music. Educational media need to be packaged in a simple, effective, and efficient manner and respond to the needs of today’s students. In the context of the world of learning English at the junior high school level, learning media is needed as an effort to provide real experience in terms of honing English communication skills. Augmented Reality is one of the media that is able to bridge the needs of students, namely making abstract learning experiences feel concrete. Therefore, this research aims to design learning media for junior high school English on the basis of Augmented Reality with content containing stories from North Sumatra. The research method applied in this study is Research &amp; Development. Data acquisition techniques used were documentation, questionnaires, interviews, and tests which were applied in accordance with nine research stages, namely: (1) identification and analysis of media needs; (2) collection of media materials and tools; (3) development of media prototype designs; (4) implementation media prototype; (5) media prototype validation; (6) media prototype revision; (7) media trial on junior high school students; (8) final revision; and (9) media prototype that has been tested. The final result of this study contains AR in the form of flash cards. AR markers are printed on cards and students only focus their smartphone cameras on markers that have been printed in card form. After the camera has successfully scanned the marker, a learning video will appear. There are five cards (markers) in this study, and each card will play a different learning video.&#x0D; Keywords: augmented reality, media, English, junior high school

Real in virtual or virtual in real? Intersecting virtual and real experience in open-world video games and heritage tourism

ABSTRACT The increasing numbers of open-world games provide a sense of immersion, as if users were in a virtual world, by guaranteeing free movement within that world. One example is Ghost of Tsushima, a game developed by Sucker Punch Productions in the United States and released in 2020. The game was created by adding fictional elements to the historical facts surrounding the Mongol Empire’s invasion of the Japanese island of Tsushima in 1274. The developer implemented a virtual world as close as possible to the truth through thorough historical research into local records. This article aims to investigate the relationship and boundary between real and virtual tourism afforded by realistic virtual worlds, as well as provide a hybrid analysis of community discussions around Ghost of Tsushima on the social media forum Reddit. The community’s posts and comments suggest that the game cultivates a sense of immersion that can generate the desire to experience Tsushima, Japan in real life. However, this study also found that the game’s particular representations shape expectations in a way that influences the nature and extent of tourist initiatives.

Financial Technologies for All MENA citizens: Tackling barriers and promoting inclusion

The digital divide within the financial sector, closely intertwined with the rapid evolution of financial technologies, commonly known as "FinTech," has fundamentally reshaped the landscape of financial services. These innovations have ushered in novel avenues for accessibility, enhancing the security of financial transactions and transcending traditional spatiotemporal constraints. This paper embarks on a journey to address key inquiries within the MENA region. It explores digital financial inclusion levels across MENA countries, identifies segments facing digital financial exclusion, scrutinizes the role of the digital divide, often compounded by a lack of financial literacy, as a barrier to financial inclusion, and investigates how FinTech can serve as a catalyst for inclusive development, with a specific focus on marginalized groups like women and the elderly. Our research employs a comprehensive mixed-methodological approach. We draw from micro-level data sourced from 9053 individuals, extracted from the World Bank's latest Global Findex 2021 database. Our comparative analysis, rooted in a two-step principal component analysis method to create the MENA Digital Financial Inclusion Index (DFII), shedding light on the current state of digital financial inclusion in the MENA region. Despite recent initiatives, our findings underscore that digital financial inclusion in the region remains relatively low. Furthermore, our estimations, based on the Heckman selection methodology, emphasize the pivotal role played by factors such as educational attainment, labor force participation, information and communication technologies, and internet access as primary drivers of digital financial inclusion in the MENA region. Our research contributes a substantial body of empirical evidence regarding digital financial inclusion levels across MENA countries, charting a path toward bridging the digital divide within the financial sector. These strategies encompass enhancing digital financial literacy, catalyzing broader participation in the labor market, and facilitating expanded access to mobile phones and the Internet. In light of our comprehensive dataset, the policy implications drawn from our study are of paramount interest to financial sector regulators in the MENA region, grounded in the real-life experiences of the individuals constituting our database, with the overarching goal of elevating digital financial inclusion in the region to new heights.

Intravenous fosfomycin in combination regimens as a treatment option for difficult-to-treat infections due to multi-drug-resistant Gram-negative organisms: A real-life experience

To investigate the efficacy of intravenous (IV) fosfomycin as combination therapy for treatment of difficult-to-treat (DTT) acute and subacute infections with multi-drug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria (GNB), and risk factors associated with 90-day mortality. A retrospective, observational, monocentric study enrolled patients treated with IV fosfomycin in combination regimens (≥72 h) for proven DTT-MDR-GNB infection. Multi-variate regression analysis identified independent risk factors for 90-day mortality. A propensity score for receiving fosfomycin was performed to control for confounding factors. In total, 70 patients were included in this study: 54.3% had carbapenem-resistant isolates, 31.4% had ceftazidime/avibactam-resistant isolates and 28.6% had ceftolozane/tazobactam-resistant isolates. The main pathogens were Pseudomonas aeruginosa (57.1%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (22.9%). The most prevalent infections were nosocomial pneumonia (42.9%), osteomyelitis (17.1%) and intra-abdominal infections. All-cause 30- and 90-day mortality were 15.7% and 31.4%, respectively (18.9% and 50% considering acute DTT-MDR-GNB infections alone). Relapse at 30 days occurred in 22.9% of cases (29% with emergence of fosfomycin resistance). Mortality at 90 days was independently associated with septic shock and ceftolozane/tazobactam resistance. The relationship between resistance to ceftolozane/tazobactam and 90-day mortality was confirmed to be significant after adjustment by propensity score analysis (hazard ratio 5.84, 95% confidence interval 1.65-20.68; P=0.006). Fosfomycin seems to be a promising salvage, combination treatment in DTT-MDR-GNB infections. Resistance to ceftolozane/tazobactam seems to be independently associated with treatment failure. Randomized clinical trials focusing on pathogen and infection sites are needed urgently to demonstrate the superiority of fosfomycin in combination with other agents for the resolution of DTT-MDR-GNB infections.

A Perspective on E-workers’ Preferences and Experiences: A Case Study

The year 2020 transformed the world of work. The authors considered it essential to determine how this form of work operates. The main purpose of this study was to understand the impact of e-work on employees as well as on their preferences and experiences. We aimed to identify the preferences and experiences of e-workers from a number of European Union countries working in a multicultural Greek company. We used an online survey, and 182 employees participated in the study. This paper answers three research questions: Is there a positive or negative relationship in the perception of the e-working model among e-employees (in terms of age, gender, level of education and parental status)? What do e-employees lose or gain when working remotely (in terms of age, gender, level of education and parental status)? And is e-working a blessing or a burden? The results showed there is no one-size-fits-all model, as it is driven by organisational culture and employees’ demands. The data show both positive and negative experiences. Perceived age, gender, education and parental status mediated the relationship between e-work and various variables and sub-variables. The major implication of the findings is that increasing e-work in the workplace may be an efficient way to work, because we collected and analysed data quantitatively to inform experience of the real experiences of e-workers.&#x0D; &#x0D; Received: 25 November 2023 / Accepted: 14 February 2024 / Published: 5 March 2024

Dual-assisted high-precision tracking technique for wideband multiplexed signals in new generation GNSS

With the evolution of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), new generation GNSS signals have adopted the dual-frequency multiplexing modulation techniques, which jointly modulate multiple signals located on multiple sub-frequencies into a Wideband Multiplexed Signal (WMS). Although WMSs were proposed initially to reduce the complexity of satellite transmitters and improve the transmission efficiency of signals, their multi-component structures and wide root mean square bandwidths introduced by high-frequency subcarriers also provide the possibility to improve the GNSS ranging precision. Therefore, this paper proposes a Dual-assisted Multi-component Tracking (DMT) technique, which can not only fully use high-frequency subcarriers in WMSs, but also effectively track carrier, subcarrier, and code by jointly utilizing all components in WMS. In this paper, the tracking and ranging performances of DMT are comprehensively analyzed theoretically and by simulation and real experiments. The results show that compared with existing WMS tracking methods, DMT can achieve tracking results with lower tracking jitters and ranging results with higher precision, providing a highly advantageous solution for new generation GNSS signal processing.

A Study Examining Gender Bias of Female Students in Group Activity Teams

Gender bias is a pervasive issue, and group activities that are commonly seen in schools, workplaces, and other environments may be a form in which gender bias is manifested and exacerbated. Therefore, understanding the existence and impact of gender bias in group activities is of great significance for promoting gender equality and justice. This study adopted a mixed-methods research design, integrating both questionnaire surveys and in-depth interviews, and explored whether female students feel gender bias in group activity teams, in order to further understand the specific manifestations of gender bias in group activity teams and the real experiences of female students. The study found that after group activities, the average scores of Hostile Sexism and Benevolent Sexism among female students increased, indicating that the activities may exacerbate gender bias and strengthen gender stereotypes. In-depth interviews further validated this finding and provided more specific examples. The interviewed female students reported that they experienced gender bias such as interruptions to their speaking and dismissal of their opinions, as well as stereotypical expectations of gender roles. To minimize gender bias, they suggested countermeasures such as grouping by gender and increasing gender equality education and training. These findings reveal the potential impact of group activities on gender bias and provide important references for improving activity design and promoting gender equality.

Experimental and Simulative Evaluation of a Reinforcement Learning Based Cold Gas Thrust Chamber Pressure Controller

At DLR neural networks, as potential future controller for rocket engines, are studied. A neural network-based chamber pressure controller for a simplified cold gas thruster is presented and analyzed in simulation and experiment. The goal of the controller is twofold: It can track a trajectory with different changes of setpoints and it allows to set and control a wide variety of steady state chamber pressures. The neural network gets feeding line pressure measurement data as input and calculates valve positions as output values. The training phase of the controller is done with a reinforcement learning algorithm in an EcosimPro/ESPSS simulation, that is validated with data from the corresponding experimental set up. To increase the robustness and to allow a transfer from the simulation directly to the test facility domain randomization is applied. The controller is evaluated in simulations and experiment. It was found that – in the range of physically possible operation points – the controller achieves a constantly high reward which corresponds to a low error and a good control performance. In the simulation the controller was able to adjust all required set points with a steady state error of less than 0.1bar while retaining a small overshoot and an optimal settling time. It is found that the controller is also able to regulate all desired set points in the real experiment. A reference trajectory with different steps, linear and sinus changes in target pressure is tested in simulation and experiment. The controller was in both cases able to successfully follow the given trajectory.

Home and Journey in Experiences of the Eastern Orthodox Divine Liturgy

This paper explores the experiential reality surrounding the Divine Liturgy, a Byzantine rite in Orthodox Christianity that has remained central to Eastern practice globally since Late Antiquity. The article draws on multi-sited ethnography in the glocal context of the Orthodox Church of Finland (OCF), a national church of minority and a site of multicultural interaction. Our analysis shows participants articulate their experiences with the Liturgy in an epistemology of interiority by which (1) they constantly, if unevenly, and agentically engage with the Liturgy in a form of individual, vernacular artistry. This interiority is (2) both sensorial and interpretative, and (3) ambivalently grounded in motifs of being “at home” and, at the same time, “on a journey.” That is, participants from different backgrounds make a connection to the Liturgy both as a spiritual and a literal home, relating to different elements—Finnish, Karelian, Byzantine, and Church Slavonic—in its ritualistic aesthetics. At the same time, Liturgy emerges as a perpetual journey of new openings and glimpses, informed by past experiences and life trajectories, and participants relate to these two aspects simultaneously.

Probiotic mixture in patients after Helicobacter pylori eradication: a real-life experience.

Eradication for Helicobacter pylori usually induces digestive dysbiosis that, in turn, elicits symptoms. Consequently, probiotic supplementation may counterbalance the disturbed microbiota after this procedure. So, probiotics may restore microbiota homeostasis quickly relieve complaints. The current study evaluated the efficacy and safety of Abivisor®, a food supplement containing Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus LR06 (3 billion living cells), Lactiplantibacillus pentosus LPS01(100 million living cells), Lactiplantibacillus plantarum LP01 (1 billion living cells), and N-acetyl cysteine (60 mg). Patients were randomized into two groups (2:1). Group A took one stick/daily for 60 days after eradication. Group B was considered as control. Patients were evaluated at baseline (T0) and after 15 (T1), 30 (T2), and 60 (T3) days. The severity of digestive symptoms was measured by patients using a Visual Analog Scale. The percentage of patients with each symptom was also evaluated. Abivisor® has significantly and progressively diminished intestinal symptoms' presence and severity at T1, T2, and even more at T3. Accordingly, the percentage of symptomatic patients diminished more rapidly and significantly in group A than in B. All patients well tolerated the food supplement. The present study suggests that Abivisor® may be an effective and safe therapeutic option for managing patients undergoing H. pylori eradication.