Dependence Of Coefficient Research Articles

Psychometric properties of a questionnaire on medical students’ satisfaction with a community health program

Changes in the learning modes during the recent COVID-19 pandemic has provided a need to construct a feedback questionnaire to measure medical students’ satisfaction with community-based health programs. A total of 551 forms which has a 5-point Likert scale were submitted by the medical students upon concluding the public health program in 2018-2021 (which includes face-to-face and virtual learning). Reliability coefficients were estimated for each factor (domain) with values >0.70. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to assess the validity of the instrument, using principal components analysis with varimax rotation. EFA identified two factors; the first included 6 items (67.031%) of the total variance, the second explained 4 items (10.114%) and together explained 77.15%. root mean squared error of approximation (RMSEA): 0.074; normed fit index (NFI): 0.975; comparative fit index (CFI): 0.981; incremental fit index (IFI): 0.981; goodness of fit index (GFI): 0.956; Tucker Lewis index (TLI): 0.972. The overall students’ satisfaction had a Cronbach’s alpha test of 0.945 with a 95% confidence interval (0.938-0.952), and a reliability using Guttman Split-Half for overall was 0.894. Students’ satisfaction questionnaire with the public health program has a good reliability and validity in contrasting educational situations and it is worthwhile to include as part of the quality improvement.

Work environment as predictors of perceived organisational performance of private university libraries in South-west, Nigeria

The library is the major source of information provider in the university community, which makes it a storehouse of information for intellectual development for staff and students. The effective and efficient performance of any private university library personnel will greatly depend on the work environment of the private university library which can be conducive or unconducive for them to perform their task. To this effect, this study investigated the influence of the work environment on organisational performance of private university libraries in South-west, Nigeria. Two research questions were answered while one hypothesis was tested at 0.05 alpha level. The study adopted survey research design of the correlational type with the study population of 430 librarians from 30 private universities established as at 2021, in the six states of South-west, Nigeria. The study used total enumeration method to cover all the professional and para-professional library personnel. A validated questionnaire was used for data collection. The Cronbach alpha was used to compute the reliability coefficient of the instruments as follows: Work environment (0.730) and organisational performance (0.885). Sample of 378 questionnaires were retrieved and used for data analysis using descriptive statistics, while inferential statistics was used for data analysis. Findings revealed that the state of work environment of private university libraries in the south-west is conducive. Result from the finding indicated that there is large organisational performance in the private university libraries, the result also revealed that there is a significant relationship between work environment and organisational performance of private university libraries in South-West, Nigeria (r=.513, n=378, p (.000)<.05) and Psychological work environment (r=.449, p(.000)<.05), has the highest influence. Hence, work environment influenced/enhanced organisational performance of private university libraries in the study.

A quasistatic electro-elastic contact problem with long memory and slip dependent coefficient of friction

In this paper we consider a mathematical model describing a quasistatic frictional contact problem between a deformable body and an obstacle, say a foundation. We assume that the behavior of the material is described by a linear electro-elastic constitutive law with long memory. The contact is modeled with a version of Coulomb's law of dry friction in which the normal stress is prescribed on the contact surface. Moreover, we consider a slip dependent coefficient of friction. We derive a variational formulation for the model, in the form of a coupled system for the displacements and the electric potential. Under a less assumption on the coefficient of friction, we prove the existence result of weak solutions of the model. We can show the uniqueness of solution by adding another condition (3.10). The proofs are based on arguments of time-dependent variational inequalities, differential equations and Banach fixed point theorem.

Bayesian Maximal Reliability Evaluation Using Latent Variable Modeling

ABSTRACT We discuss an application of Bayesian factor analysis for estimation of the optimal linear combination and associated maximal reliability of a multi-component measuring instrument. The described procedure yields point and credibility interval estimates of this reliability coefficient, which are readily obtained in educational and behavioral measurement research. In addition, the outlined method permits evaluation of the gain in measurement consistency resulting from utilizing the maximal reliability coefficient instead of the traditionally used overall sum score reliability. The discussed Bayesian inference approach is applicable with widely available software in empirical studies, and is illustrated using a data example.

New Bivariate Copulas via Lomax Distribution Generated Distortions

We develop a framework for creating distortion functions that are used to construct new bivariate copulas. It is achieved by transforming non-negative random variables with Lomax-related distributions. In this paper, we apply the distortions to the base copulas of independence, Clayton, Frank, and Gumbel copulas. The properties of the tail dependence coefficient, tail order, and concordance ordering are explored for the new families of distorted copulas. We conducted an empirical study using the daily net returns of Amazon and Google stocks from January 2014 to December 2023. We compared the popular Clayton, Gumbel, Frank, and Gaussian copula models to their corresponding distorted copula models induced by the unit-Lomax and unit-inverse Pareto distortions. The new families of distortion copulas are equipped with additional parameters inherent in the distortion function, providing more flexibility, and are demonstrated to perform better than the base copulas. After analyzing the data, we have found that the joint extremes of Amazon and Google stocks are more likely for high daily net returns than for low daily net returns.

Недисциплинированность среди учащихся старших классов средней школы: роль домашнего контроля поведения и религиозности

<p>The study investigated the indiscipline of senior secondary school students and the contribution of home behaviour control and religiosity in Cross River State, Nigeria. An ex-post facto research design was adopted for the study. The population comprised 62,501 senior secondary school students in three educational zones. A multistage sampling procedure was adopted to select 1250 students from 30 randomly sampled public and private secondary schools. The Student Opinion Questionnaire (SOQ) was used for data collection. Experts in measurement and evaluation and educational psychology validated the instrument. The test-retest reliability coefficient ranged from 0.78-0.91. The data collected were analysed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results revealed that home behaviour control and home religiosity significantly influenced secondary school students' indiscipline behaviour. Specifically, students from firm homes and with high levels of religiosity generally exhibited lower indiscipline behaviour across all the dimensions. In comparison, those from lax homes and homes with low levels of religiosity manifested higher levels of indiscipline behaviour. These findings align with role theory, which suggests that individuals' behaviour is shaped by their immediate social environment. Policymakers can use these results to develop programs that promote positive behaviour by encouraging the development of a strong religious foundation in the home and promoting clear expectations and rules for behaviour.</p>

Feasibility, acceptability, and perceived usefulness of a community-evidence-based harm reduction intervention for sexualized stimulant use among Mexican gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men

BackgroundThe use of stimulants and other substances with the purpose of enhancing, maintaining, and prolonging sexual activity is known as sexualized substance use. Also known as chemsex, this pattern of use has been mainly explored in high-income countries. The aim of this article was to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and usefulness of a community- evidence-based harm reduction intervention among Mexican gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM) adults who reported sexualized stimulant use in the past 6 months and who were not enrolled in any psychosocial treatment.MethodsThe in-person intervention was designed in partnership with gbMSM who used substances. It consisted of 39 harm reduction strategies before, during, and after episodes of use. The components of the intervention were health and self-care, safety, and psychopharmacology. The intervention was delivered at a university campus, a public recreational space, and an HIV public clinic. Feasibility to deliver the intervention was assessed based on enrolment and completion rates; acceptability through a 28-item, 5-point Likert scale (140 max.) constructed and validated for the Mexican population with good reliability coefficients; usefulness through a 5-point Likert scale (“not useful”-“very useful”) for each of the 39 strategies; and potential behavioral change by subtracting the likelihood of implementing each strategy minus the frequency of use of the technique before the intervention.ResultsParticipants (n = 19; recruitment rate = 35.2%; completion rate = 84.2%) rated the intervention as acceptable with a mean score of 121.6 (SD = 7.5). The highest potential for behavioral change was regarding the use of information about the half-life of stimulants, polysubstance use, and overdose prevention.ConclusionsThis intervention is feasible when provided within public health services where potential participants are already in contact. Harm reduction strategies need to surpass sexually transmitted infections prevention and HIV care and focus on substance use and mental health strategies.

대학생의 인구통계학적 특성과 ESG 인지 및 교육 유무에 따른 ESG 인식수준과 중요도 간의 차이연구

Objectives The purpose of this study is to analyze the differences in ESG awareness and importance among uni-versity students based on their demographic characteristics, as well as awareness and education regarding ESG. Methods The subjects of this study include 301 undergraduate students enrolled at a four-year university. Using SPSS 23.0, the characteristics of the study population were analyzed in terms of frequency (%), and the reliability coefficient, trend, and normality of the research variables were examined. Differences between groups were ana-lyzed by t-test and ANOVA, followed by Scheffé's post hoc test. Results The main research findings are as follows. First, there were no statistically significant differences in the levels of awareness and importance of ESG factors among groups of university students based on gender, age, and major. In terms of grade, the awareness levels for overall ESG perception, as well as for the E and G perception factors, were higher in the second year compared to the fourth year. However, there was no statistically significant difference in the perception level of S. Grade level showed statistically significant differences in both the im-portance of ESG and its subfactors, with juniors and seniors perceiving ESG as more important than freshmen. Second, the analysis of differences in ESG awareness levels and importance, based on whether university stu-dents are aware of ESG, revealed that across all factors, students who are aware of ESG showed higher levels compared to those who did not. Third, the analysis of differences in ESG awareness levels and importance based on whether university students received ESG education revealed that, across all factors, students who underwent ESG education showed higher levels compared to those who did not. Conclusions This study confirms the importance of ESG and education as perceived by university students. This article aims to propose approaches that focus on implementing ESG in universities.

유아 놀이중심 교육과정을 반영한 기후·생태계 프로그램 효과성 연구

Objectives The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of a climate-ecosystem program reflect-ing an early childhood play-based curriculum on early childhood development (nature), environmental con-servation attitudes, ecological literacy, and early childhood playfulness. Methods The study participants are 5-year-old children from a kindergarten in Gyeonggi Province, with 13 in-dividuals in the experimental group and 15 individuals in the control group. SPSS 23.0 was used to determine the mean, standard deviation, and reliability coefficient of the study variables. The homogeneity test was conducted using the pre-test mean scores between groups, and the difference between the experimental and control groups was analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test based on post-test mean scores. Pre-post differences between the experimental and comparison groups were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results The main research results are as follows: First, the simple difference between the pre-test and post-test mean scores of the study variables revealed improvement in the experimental group(from 0.13 to 1.02 points), while the comparison group showed both an increase(from 0.01 to 0.36 points) and a decrease(from -0.26 to -0.03 points). There was no statistically significant difference in pretest mean scores between the experimental and comparison groups, confirming homogeneity. The pre-post difference test of the experimental group showed statistically significant differences in early childhood development (nature) and environmental conservation atti-tudes and subscales (conservation attitude, recycling attitude, environmental pollution prevention attitude), eco-logical literacy and subscales (nature's rights, intention to support, resource protection, ecological sensitivity, eco-logical social environment, ecological development_reverse, nature governance_reverse, ecological crisis indif-ference), and early childhood playfulness and some subscales (physical spontaneity, social spontaneity, sense of humor). On the other hand, there were no statistically significant differences in the cognitive spontaneity and ex-pression of pleasure sub-domains of preschoolers' playfulness. The pre-post difference test for the comparison group found statistical significance only for ecological sensitivity, a sub-scale of ecological literacy, and physical spontaneity, a sub-scale of preschoolers' playfulness. Second, the factors that resulted in statistically significant differences in post-hoc mean scores between the experimental and comparison groups were environmental con-servation attitudes and their sub-scales, recycling attitudes, ecological literacy and its sub-scales, supportive in-tention, ecological sensitivity, nature dominance(reverse), and ecological crisis indifference. Conclusions The results of this study confirm the effectiveness of climate and ecosystem programs through play. As an extension of this study, we aim to propose collaborative activities with the local community through a living lab approach.

Validation of the Mexican version of the EORTC QLQ-CR29 in patients with colorectal cancer.

The evaluation of the quality of life (QoL) of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) is an essential measure to measure the impact of the disease and treatments on the lives of patients. However, in Latin America there is no validated and reliable instrument to assess this construct. This study aims to validate the EORTC QLQ-CR29 instrument in the Mexican population with CRC. This study aims to validate the EORTC QLQ-CR29 instrument in the Mexican population with CRC. The study used an instrumental design and a nonprobabilistic sample due to availability, made up of 251 patients with CRC, with an average age of 54.7 ± 12.28 years. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed, as well as concurrent validity tests. The exploratory factorial analysis yielded 4 factors that explained 51.64% of the variance, with a Cronbach reliability coefficient of .766 and an Omega index of .725. The confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the proposed theoretical model fits the data almost perfectly, with an error close to 0, which shows that it is a balanced and parsimonious instrument to measure the QoL of the patients with CRC. The EORTC QLQ-CR29 instrument proved to be a valid and reliable instrument for use in clinical care and research directed at patients with CRC in Mexico. Its use is recommended by multidisciplinary health teams in oncology in Mexico, since it allows knowing the patient's perspective on the impact of CRC on their life, guiding therapeutic decision-making and being a primary outcome measure.

Statistical assessment of reliability of anthropometric measurements in the multi-site South African National Dietary Intake Survey 2022.

Anthropometric data quality in large multicentre nutrition surveys is seldom adequately assessed. In preparation for the South African National Dietary Intake Survey (NDIS-2022), this study assessed site leads' and fieldworkers' intra- and inter-rater reliability for measuring weight, length/height, mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), waist circumference (WC) and calf circumference (CC). Standardised training materials and measurement protocols were developed, and new anthropometric equipment was procured. Following two training rounds (12 site lead teams, 46 fieldworker teams), measurement reliability was assessed for both groups, using repeated measurements of volunteers similar to the survey target population. Reliability was statistically assessed using the technical error of measurement (TEM), relative TEM (%TEM), intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) and coefficient of reliability (R). Agreement was visualised with Bland-Altman analysis. By %TEM, the best reliability was achieved for weight (%TEM = 0.260-0.923) and length/height (%TEM = 0.434-0.855), and the poorest for MUAC by fieldworkers (%TEM = 2.592-3.199) and WC (%TEM = 2.353-2.945). Whole-sample ICC and R were excellent ( > 0.90) for all parameters except site leads' CC inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.896, R = 0.889) and fieldworkers' inter-rater reliability for MUAC in children under two (ICC = 0.851, R = 0.881). Bland-Altman analysis revealed no significant bias except in fieldworkers' intra-rater reliability of length/height measurement in adolescents/adults ( + 0.220 (0.042, 0.400) cm). Reliability was higher for site leads vs. fieldworkers, for intra-rater vs. inter-rater assessment, and for weight and length/height vs. circumference measurements. NDIS-2022 site leads and fieldworkers displayed acceptable reliability in performing anthropometric measurements, highlighting the importance of intensive training and standardised measurement protocols. Ongoing reliability assessment during data collection is recommended.

Technical Adequacy of the Data-Based Instruction Knowledge and Skills Assessment in Writing

Teachers’ knowledge and skills about data-based instruction (DBI) can influence their self-efficacy and their implementation of DBI with fidelity, ultimately playing a crucial role in improving student outcomes. The purpose of this brief report is to provide evidence for the technical adequacy of a measure of DBI knowledge and skills in writing by examining its internal consistency reliability, considering different factor structures, and assessing item statistics using classical test theory and item response theory. We used responses from 154 elementary school teachers, primarily special educators, working with children with intensive early writing needs. Results from confirmatory factor analysis did not strongly favor either a one-factor solution, representing a single dimension of DBI knowledge and skills, or a two-factor solution, comprising knowledge and skills subscales. Internal consistency reliability coefficients were within an acceptable range, especially with the one-factor solution assumed. Item difficulty and discrimination estimates varied across items, suggesting the need to further investigate certain items. We discuss the potential of using the DBI Knowledge and Skills Assessment, specifically in the context of measuring teacher-level DBI outcomes in writing.

Examining the reliability and validity of the arabic version of the Glasgow Sleep Effort Scale (GSES).

Sleep effort refers to the cognitive and behavioral exertion involved in initiating and maintaining sleep. High sleep effort is increasingly recognized as perpetuating insomnia and poor sleep quality. Validated sleep effort scales enable the quantification of this construct in clinical and research settings. However, no Arabic version has been available. This study translated and validated the Glasgow Sleep Effort Scale (GSES) into Arabic to assess sleep effort in Arabic-speaking populations. The GSES was translated into Arabic using the forward-backward translation approach. This involved an initial Arabic translation from the source followed by a back translation into English to ensure accuracy. A total of 369 participants were recruited to assess the psychometric properties of the Arabic version of the GSES, specifically its reliability and validity. The reliability analysis included Cronbach's α, McDonald's ω, and test-retest reliability. Validity was examined using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to evaluate the unidimensionality of the scale and assess model fit. Convergent validity was also assessed through correlation analysis with the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 Scale (GAD-7). The Cronbach's α reliability coefficient and McDonald's ω for the scale were found to be 0.87 (95% CI: 0.85-0.89). The test-retest reliability was 0.95 (95% CI: 0.93 - 0.97) after two weeks. The one-factor model showed an acceptable fit, with a CFI of 0.96, a TLI of 0.94, and an SRMR of 0.04. Invariance analysis revealed that male and female participants conceptualized and responded to the GSES items similarly, without differences in factor loadings or scale characteristics between the sexes. The Arabic version of the GSES has good convergent validity, as shown by the significant correlation between the AIS and the GSES (r = 0.72, p < 0.001). Similarly, the GAD-7 score was significantly correlated with the GSES score (r = 0.77, p < 0.001). This is the first study in which the GSES was validated in Arabic. This allows the scale to reliably gauge sleep effort among Arabic speakers, providing new clinical and research opportunities to understand how maladaptive sleep effort may contribute to insomnia and suboptimal sleep in this demographic population.

Forensic Accounting and Corporate Fraud in Deposit Money Banks in Nigeria

This study examined forensic accounting and corporate fraud in Nigerian deposit money banks. The components of the study state that ten employees were randomly selected from ten banks, which represented all of the Deposit Money Banks in Ekiti State, Nigeria. As a result, a purposive sample technique was used to select the Head of Operations, Fund Transfer Officer, Resident Internal Control Officials, and Cash Officials. A self-structured questionnaire used to collect the required data from the respondents underwent a validity and reliability test. Using Cronbach Alpha, the study's dependability coefficient was 0.782, which was considered high. The collected data was examined using multiple regression. In deposit money banks, it was discovered that forensic observation, 0.339 (p=0.041&lt;0.05), 0.530 (p=0.001&lt;0.05), and 0.341 (p=0.013&lt;0.05) respectively, benefited from forensic interview, forensic interrogation, and forensic observation. Furthermore, a positive and significant effect on fraud detection and prevention in deposit money institutions was observed for forensic review, forensic inspection, and forensic documentation, to the tune of 0.291 (p=0.036&lt;0.05), 0.603 (p=0.000&lt;0.05), and 0.611 (p=0.00&lt;0.05), respectively. In terms of fraud detection and prevention, it has been shown that forensic litigation and investigation play a significant role in corporate fraud. Therefore, it was suggested that deposit money institutions use trained forensic accountants who are skilled in implementing the appropriate deterrent measures in order to stop fraud before it starts. This type of research could be expanded to include additional businesses from various industries.

Development and validation of a novel criterion of histologic healing in ulcerative colitis defined by inflammatory cell enumeration in lamina propria mucosae: A multicenter retrospective cohort in China.

Histological healing is closely associated with improved long-term clinical outcomes and lowered relapses in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). Here, we developed a novel diagnostic criterion for assessing histological healing in UC patients. We conducted a retrospective cohort study in UC patients, whose treatment was iteratively optimized to achieve mucosal healing at Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital of Tongji University from January 2017 to May 2022. We identified an inflammatory cell enumeration index (ICEI) for assessing histological healing based on the proportions of eosinophils, CD177+ neutrophils, and CD40L+ T cells in the colonic lamina propria under high power field (HPF), and the outcomes (risks of symptomatic relapses) of achieving histological remission vs. persistent histological inflammation using Kaplan-Meier curves. Intrareader reliability and inter-reader reliability were evaluated by each reader. The relationships to the changes in the Nancy index and the Geboes score were also assessed for responsiveness. The ICEI was further validated in a new cohort of UC patients from other nine university hospitals. We developed an ICEI for clinical diagnosis of histological healing, i.e., Y=1.701X1 + 0.758X2 + 1.347X3 - 7.745 (X1, X2, and X3 represent the proportions of CD177+ neutrophils, eosinophils, and CD40L+ T cells, respectively, in the colonic lamina propria under HPF). The receiver operating characteristics curve (ROC) analysis revealed that Y <-0.391 was the cutoff value for the diagnosis of histological healing and that an area under the curve (AUC) was 0.942 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.905-0.979) with a sensitivity of 92.5% and a specificity of 83.6% (P<0.001). The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for the intrareader reliability was 0.855 (95% CI: 0.781-0.909), and ICEI had good inter-reader reliability of 0.832 (95% CI: 0.748-0.894). During an 18-month follow-up, patients with histological healing had a substantially better outcome compared with those with unachieved histological healing (P<0.001) using ICEI. During a 12-month follow-up from other nine hospitals, patients with histological healing also had a lower risk of relapse than patients with unachieved histological healing. ICEI can be used to predict histological healing and identify patients with a risk of relapse 12 months and 18 months after clinical therapy. Therefore, ICEI provides a promising, simplified approach to monitor histological healing and to predict the prognosis of UC. Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, No. ChiCTR2300077792.

Dynamics of Performance Appraisal among Staff in the Ministry Of Education and Training in Lesotho

The objective of this study was to determine whether employees are appraised in an objective manner in the Ministry of Education and Training in Lesotho and also to establish whether performance appraisal brings about intended results in this ministry. This investigation adapted a mixed-methods approach. The population comprised 100 employees of the Ministry of Education and Training. A sample of 50 officers was selected from the population using proportionate stratified random sampling. Data were collected through a use of a questionnaire. The reliability of this instrument was ascertained through employing the split halves which consequently yielded the reliability coefficient of 0.82. Chi-square analysis revealed that employees are appraised in an objective manner in the Ministry of Education and Training in Lesotho. On the other hand, chi-square analysis showed that performance appraisal does not bring about intended results in this ministry. On the basis of these results, it was concluded that performance appraisal is conducted in an objective manner in the Ministry of Education and Training in Lesotho and also that performance appraisal does not bring about intended results in this Ministry.

A Scale Development Study to Determine Preschool Teachers' Perception of Gender Roles in the Classroom

The aim of this study is to develop an in-class gender role perception scale for preschool teachers. The study group of the research consists of 493 pre-school teachers working in independent kindergartens, kindergartens within primary schools and kindergartens within secondary schools in Nevşehir, Kırşehir, Niğde and Aksaray provinces of Turkey. The content validity of the scale was ensured by expert opinions. Construct validity was ensured by both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. KMO and Bartlett tests were used to determine the suitability of the created items for factor analysis, and these tests were found to be significant at the p &amp;lt;.05 level. With the factor analysis performed to reveal the factor structure of the scale items, a structure consisting of 4 sub-dimensions and 42 items was determined: "general gender discourses in fairy tales and stories, gender role characteristics, gender-specific behavioral reactions and gender". In the reliability analysis of the scale items, Spearman-Brown and Guttman Split-Half reliability coefficients were calculated and these coefficients were found to be suitable for all sub-dimensions. Cronbach's Alpha (α) values were calculated and the resulting coefficient value was found suitable for reliability. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed and the fit indices confirmed the structure created by the factor analysis.

The reliability of the College of Intensive Care Medicine of Australia and New Zealand “Hot Case” examination

BackgroundHigh stakes examinations used to credential trainees for independent specialist practice should be evaluated periodically to ensure defensible decisions are made. This study aims to quantify the College of Intensive Care Medicine of Australia and New Zealand (CICM) Hot Case reliability coefficient and evaluate contributions to variance from candidates, cases and examiners.MethodsThis retrospective, de-identified analysis of CICM examination data used descriptive statistics and generalisability theory to evaluate the reliability of the Hot Case examination component. Decision studies were used to project generalisability coefficients for alternate examination designs.ResultsExamination results from 2019 to 2022 included 592 Hot Cases, totalling 1184 individual examiner scores. The mean examiner Hot Case score was 5.17 (standard deviation 1.65). The correlation between candidates’ two Hot Case scores was low (0.30). The overall reliability coefficient for the Hot Case component consisting of two cases observed by two separate pairs of examiners was 0.42. Sources of variance included candidate proficiency (25%), case difficulty and case specificity (63.4%), examiner stringency (3.5%) and other error (8.2%). To achieve a reliability coefficient of > 0.8 a candidate would need to perform 11 Hot Cases observed by two examiners.ConclusionThe reliability coefficient for the Hot Case component of the CICM second part examination is below the generally accepted value for a high stakes examination. Modifications to case selection and introduction of a clear scoring rubric to mitigate the effects of variation in case difficulty may be helpful. Increasing the number of cases and overall assessment time appears to be the best way to increase the overall reliability. Further research is required to assess the combined reliability of the Hot Case and viva components.

ZoAM GameBot: a Journey to the Lost Computational World in the Amazonia

The search for alternative teaching-learning processes that attract more interest and involvement of young people, has inspired the development of a game with a chatbot architecture based on interactive storytelling and multiple learning paths. Thus, we introduce in this article the GameBot ZoAm, developed for the Discord instant messaging and social platform. ZoAm offers a unique learning experience centered around storytelling, focusing on fundamental computing concepts and logical challenges that enhance computational thinking skills. Furthermore, the game also promotes an appreciation for Amazonian culture and folklore, with decision-making with human values. An action research study was conducted involving students from the last years of the end of elementary school. The research utilized a heuristic analysis based on the Gameplay Heuristics (PLAY) by Desurvire and Wiberg (ANO), and the evaluation model proposed by Korhonen and Koivisto (ANO) for mobile devices. The analysis employed a reduced and merged set of heuristics from these models, suited for the gamebot’s context, focusing on I) Usability, II) Gameplay and Immersion, and III) Mobility. Regarding the reliability coefficient used to evaluate the survey applied to students after playing the gamebot, Cronbach’s Alpha and Guttman Lambda-6 (G6(smc)) coefficients were applied. These metrics were chosen to ensure the internal consistency and reliability of survey items, reflecting on how effectively the questions measured the focuses proposed by the heuristic analysis. The findings indicate that the game has the potential to facilitate the assimilation of the integrated concepts and sustain student interest throughout gameplay.

Students-staff classroom co-creation as model of employability skills development in a Nigerian university

PurposeThe paper explored students-staff classroom co-creation and students' involvement in out-of-class engagements as means of fostering employability skills in higher education institutions (HEIs). The paper aimed to present an alternative but equally effective means that HEIs can leverage to foster relevant 21st Century employability skills among undergraduates using day-to-day in-class and out-of-class activities and other non-formal campus activities.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopted descriptive survey design. A total of 350 undergraduates who participate in out-of-class activities were purposively selected from seven (7) faculties. An instrument designed by the author was used to gather data for the study. The instrument was subjected to Cronbach Alpha analysis for item-by-item consistency and it yielded the reliability co-efficient of 0.88. Data collected from the respondents were analyzed using descriptive statistics of frequency count, mean and standard deviation.FindingsInteractive classrooms, where students and lecturers co-create to provide solutions to problems enhance students' self-esteem, problem solving, analytical, communication and leadership skills amongst others. It was also found that students who got involved in one or more out-of-class activity on campus acquire specific competencies such as networking, collaboration, communication, leadership, multidisciplinary thinking, etc.Research limitations/implicationsDue to a limited sample size, it might be inappropriate to generalize findings. Researchers are encouraged to test this proposition further.Practical implicationsThe paper highlights the need for HEIs to leverage student-staff co-creation and out-of-class engagement in their bid to produce employable graduates.Originality/valueThis paper clearly presents alternative but effective means of fostering employability in HEIs.