Subject Matter Research Articles

Does the human professor or artificial intelligence (AI) offer better explanations to students? Evidence from three within-subject experiments

ABSTRACT Three within-subject experiments were conducted by providing students with answers to content questions across different subject matters (a definition, explanation, and example) offered by a human professor (subject-matter expert) versus generative artificial intelligence (ChatGPT). In a randomized order, students read both the expert and ChatGPT’s responses (both were de-identified and declared to be “professors,” so students were not aware one was artificial intelligence), rated both explanations on teaching clarity and competence, and then reported on their affect toward the content and situational interest. Study 1 (interpersonal communication content) revealed no significant differences in repeated measure ratings comparing the expert versus ChatGPT. However, in Study 2 (business communication content) and Study 3 (instructional communication content), compared with the expert, ChatGPT (impersonating a professor) was rated by the same students as higher in teaching clarity and competence, and it generated more student affect and situational interest. In Study 2 and Study 3, a within-subjects mediation analysis revealed that ChatGPT generated more student affect toward the content through the clarity in responses it provided to students.

Escape Rooms for Education: A Meta-analysis

This meta-analysis aims to investigate the effectiveness of educational escape rooms in improving learning outcomes and fostering positive attitudes. Specifically, it seeks to examine their impact on the acquisition of content knowledge and the development of attitudes. Additionally, the study conduct a moderator analysis to explore how variables such as subject matter, types of escape rooms, and participants' age may influence these effects. After systematically screening the literature, 22 studies were deemed eligible for inclusion in the meta-analysis. The findings demonstrated a high effect size in knowledge gains and moderate effect size in attitude change, with 0.86 and 0.63, respectively. Interestingly, the moderator analysis did not uncover any statistically significant distinctions in effect sizes based on the three aforementioned moderators. In conclusion, this study affirms the effectiveness of educational escape rooms across a variety of academic disciplines and offers valuable insights for educators and practitioners interested in employing escape rooms as a means of educational innovation.

Nonarbitrability and Mandatory Rules: Brothers, Not Twins

Notwithstanding the lack of clear legislative intent, Belgian judges have unilaterally prohibited the arbitration of exclusive distribution disputes, unless a specific Belgian pro-distributor statute was applied or unless similar substantive foreign rules were applied. However, in 2023, the Court of Cassation finally reversed its jurisprudence. Yet, the syllogism underlying this longawaited reversal remains unsatisfactory. It mistakenly equates a conflict-of-laws issue concerning mandatory rules with questions of nonarbitrability under international arbitration law. Such an overly simplistic assimilation is inappropriate in many respects. It dilutes the tailored legal standard applicable to international arbitration into a lesser question of applicable rules. It unduly prevents a subject matter from entering ratione materiae into the arbitration field. Upon closer examination, it conflates two substantively different gateways to arbitration: the nonarbitrability doctrine (Article V(2)(a) of the New York Convention) and the public policy exception (Article V(2)(b) thereof). In so doing, it needlessly erodes confidence in the arbitral process, which is based on parties’ autonomy, and violates the principles of judicial non-interference in international arbitral proceedings and of competence-competence. In essence, regardless of the pro-arbitration outcome in the case at hand, this flawed syllogism violates the New York Convention’s straightforward language and pro-arbitration ethos by potentially generating unnecessary, unforeseeable, and improper exceptions to arbitration.

The level of knowledge about dental malocclusion in students at Islamic boarding schools

Introduction: Malocclusions often found daily include crowding of teeth, open bites, cross bites, protrusion, and maxillary or mandibular teeth. This proves that the community's need for orthodontic treatment is very high. Knowledge results from human knowledge, which occurs after people sense certain objects. A person's knowledge of an object contains two aspects, namely positive aspects and negative aspects. Purpose: To identify the level of knowledge about dental malocclusion in students at Islamic boarding schools. Methods: The questionnaire was prepared for pre and post-tests. The questionnaire contains 12 questions using the Guttman scale which has two answer choices "yes" or "no", where positive answers are given a score of 1 and negative answers are scored 0. Results: There was a significant increase of understanding in the mean of subject matter from the post-test mean was higher (14,4%) than the pre-test rate (12,1%) with a significant difference (P=0.000) Conclusion: The goal of this community service was to successfully provide counseling about the importance of awareness of dental malocclusion at the Islamic Boarding School in Karangmojo, Ponorogo, East Java by conducting a questionnaire of pretest and posttest to understand the level of knowledge of dental malocclusion. The level of knowledge was increased by the result of the post-test mean was higher (14,4%) than the pre-test rate (12,1%) with a significant difference (P=0.000).

The commercialisation of NTFPs and conservation of forest: a systematic review for forestry policy

PurposeThis current review examines the scientific literature report on non-timber forest products (NTFPs) commercialisation and forest conservation in different jurisdictions.Design/methodology/approachA systematic review using Scopus-indexed articles on NTFP commercialisation and forest conservation was done using the PRISMA framework.FindingsThe review categorised the factors influencing the commercialisation of NTFPs and forest conservation into five broad factors and sub-factors: socioeconomic, market-based, ecosystem, cultural and institutional factors. The scholarly publications on NTFP commercialisation and forest conservation have been undulating, with two years recording no publication on the subject matter under review. Besides, China and India in Asia are leading in the number of publications on NTFPs’ commercialisation. The review revealed ambivalence and symbiotic relationship among the factors influencing the commercialisation of NTFPs and forest conservation. Specifically, tenure arrangement, strict regulations to forest entry, market information asymmetry, bureaucracy in certification acquisition, seasonality and distance were identified as barriers to NTFPs’ commercialisation. While market demands for NTFPs increased, NTFPs’ prices and unsustainable harvesting activities were threats to forest conservation. Policymakers should focus on safeguarding customary property rights and indigenous knowledge in forest conservation, designing workable capacity-building schemes for NTFP entrepreneurs and reducing the cost and processes in certification acquisition.Originality/valueThere are reviews on NTFPs’ commercialisation and livelihoods, but a synergy between NTFPs’ commercialisation and forest conservation for forest policy direction is yet to be done in the literature. Also, while earlier studies systematically reviewed literature on NTFPs’ commercialisation, they did not relate the studies to forest conservation.

Meta-Analysis of Collaborative Learning Approaches in Educational Management and Their Impact on Student Performance

This meta-analysis investigates the effects of collaborative learning approaches within the framework of educational management and their impact on student performance. Collaborative learning, as a student-centered instructional method, has been widely adopted across various educational levels and settings. However, its effectiveness in enhancing academic achievement remains a topic of debate. This study synthesizes findings from 12 empirical studies conducted between 2022-2024, covering primary, secondary, and higher education contexts globally. Using a random-effects model, the meta-analysis quantifies the overall effect size of collaborative learning approaches on student performance, while accounting for variations in geographical region, subject matter, and educational level. The results reveal a high to strong positive effect of collaborative learning on student academic performance (mean effect size = 0.819). Additionally, subgroup analyses show that the impact is more pronounced in subjects requiring higher-order thinking skills, such as science and mathematics, and in educational settings where collaborative learning is systematically supported by institutional management. The analysis also highlights key factors that influence the success of collaborative learning, including group dynamics, teacher facilitation, and the integration of technology.

A review on sustainability challenges of flame retardants for textiles

Purpose A review of sustainability challenges of flame retardants (FRs) for textiles has been conducted. Specifically, the purpose of this paper is to identify and recommend solutions to sustainability challenges emanating from the raw material, processing technology and performance of the FRs used for textiles. Design/methodology/approach The approach used in preparing this paper was based on the review of various scholarly databases about the subject matter. The review approach is designed to inform the readers about the sustainability challenges of FRs for textiles. The science of burning and FRs for synthetic and cellulosic fibres were reviewed. Both synthetic and natural biodegradable FRs for textiles has been identified. The obtained literature was then synthesised to get information about sustainable challenges of non-halogenated FRs both synthetic and natural biodegradable. Finally, possible approaches for mitigating the identified challenges have been recommended. Findings The sustainability challenges of the FRs in terms of raw material, processing, affordability and performance have been identified. Synthetic FRs suffer from sustainability challenges in terms of raw materials, processing and non-renewability. Despite the environmental friendliness and sustainability in terms of being renewability, processability and biodegradability, natural biodegradable FRs have poor performance compared to synthetic ones. Moreover, natural biodegradable FRs depend on geographical condition and lack economic variability data. Potentially, the challenges of FRs can be mitigated through eco-friendly synthesis, chemical modification and sustainable methods of applications. Because of its renewability and environmental friendliness, biodegradable FRs have a potential to becoming sustainable if researched more. Originality/value In this review, a collection of literature about sustainability challenges of FRs and the approaches to overcome the challenges has been provided. The collected information was analysed and synthesised to bring understanding of the science of burning, types and application of FRs for textiles and biodegradable FRs. Sustainability challenges have been identified, and mitigation approaches are provided.

Utopías comunitarias como apuestas del futuro entre los purhépecha

This article shows how organizations and projects in contemporary Indigenous communities are structured around imaginaries of a desirable future. Here the idea of utopia suggests potential, enabling an understanding of the effects of reaffirming ethnic belonging within the community. The concept of utopia as a guide to the future is discussed with regard to its limits, reach, and explanatory power as a category. The empirical subject matter is forty years of experience of a Purépecha community that has been fighting for recognition.

Paediatric mass casualty response through the lens of Functional Resonance Analytical Methodology- lessons learned

BackgroundMass Casualty Incidents are rare but can significantly stress healthcare systems. Functional Resonance Analytical Methodology (FRAM) is a systematic approach to model and explore how complex systems adapt to variations and to understand resilient properties in the face of perturbations. The aim of this study was to use FRAM to create a model of a paediatric trauma system during the initial response to the Manchester Arena Attack to provide resilience-based insights for the management of future Mass Casualty Incidents (MCI).MethodsQualitative interviews in the immediate aftermath of a terrorist bombing, were followed up with further in-depth probing of subject matter experts to create a validated and verified FRAM model. This model was compared with real incident data, then simplified for future studies.ResultsA Work As Imagined (WAI) model of how a paediatric emergency department provided resilient healthcare for MCI patients from reception and resuscitation to definitive care is presented. A focused model exploring the pathway for the most severely injured patients that will facilitate the simulation of a myriad of potential emergency preparedness resilience response scenarios is also presented.ConclusionsThe systematic approach undertaken in this study has produced a model of a paediatric trauma system during the initial response to the Manchester Arena Attack, providing key insights on how a resilient performance was sustained. This modelling may provide an important step forward in the preparedness and planning for future MCIs.

Mind the Guardrails: Epistemic Trespassing and Apt Deference

ABSTRACT An epistemic trespasser is someone who lacks expertise in a domain yet expresses an opinion about its subject matter based on their own assessment of the evidence. Epistemic trespassing is prima facie problematic, but philosophers have argued that it is appropriate when the trespasser possesses relevant skills and evidence. We argue that this defence is available to epistemic trespassers more often than most philosophers have recognized, but it does not vindicate trespassing. The justified trespasser must also possess an appropriately refined sense of how and to whom they ought to defer, with ‘deference’ understood as taking opinions and the shape of debates very seriously in deliberation, and as appropriate caution in dissent. This sense of what we call the guardrails is constituted largely by a kind of know-how, which arises from long experience in a domain: the epistemic trespasser almost always lacks this know-how.

The biblical teaching on the gift of life

Just as this document ‘does not intend to present the Church's entire teaching on the dignity of unborn life and procreation’ (cf. Foreword), so the present biblical-theological reflection does not intend to present a complete and exhaustive treatment of the biblical foundations and the theological implications of the subject matter discussed here and the solutions formulated.

A diversity-aware recommendation system for tutoring

Diversity plays a major role when a student is looking for a tutor to better understand some concepts or an entire course. In fact, algorithms for recommending potential tutors have to take into account several aspects of diversity that may be critical to successful tutoring. The tutor must have the appropriate competencies in the subject matter. In addition, he/she must be able to convey the knowledge and skills associated with the tutoring topic. Moreover, the personality traits of the tutee and the tutor can facilitate or hinder the learning process during tutoring. This study presents the experience of ‘SOS TUTORÍA UC’, a responsive web application aimed at facilitating academic assistance among students. Special emphasis is placed on the importance of incorporating dimensions of diversity that can inform the artificial intelligence algorithms of the potential tutor recommendation system. Indeed, competence in the topic tutored is the first diversity criterion for recommending more knowledgeable potential tutors. In addition, the tutee has to choose whether to look for tutors with personalities that are “different”, “similar” or “indifferent” to his or her own preferences for academic assistance on the specific topic. To achieve this, ‘SOS TUTORÍA UC’ is integrated with the WeNet platform, which provides user management services and user recommendation algorithms. The results of the testing of the recommendation system were positive with regard to the criterion of competence, while the criterion of personality should be addressed for improvement. In order to improve the tutor-tutee matching process, participants emphasized the importance of considering the criterion of personality traits in addition to competence. They also requested additional information and parameters to facilitate tutor selection.

The development and validation of a knowledge, attitude, and practice questionnaire of methamphetamine use

Methamphetamine is a synthetic psychostimulant that is showing a rising trend of usage among adolescents and youths. Its harmful side effects and high risk of developing addiction is a public health problem. Recognizing the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) on methamphetamine is critical in the planning of an intervention strategy. Currently there is a lack of KAP questionnaires on methamphetamine. The study aims to develop and validate a KAP questionnaire on methamphetamine-use for use among Malaysian adolescents. Following an extensive literature review, face and content validity were carried out among healthcare workers, the public, students, and local subject matter experts. A pilot study was conducted amongst 50 students to assess the test-retest reliability. The questionnaire was then distributed to two groups of 269 and 331 individuals for the Exploratory (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), respectively. The internal reliability was also assessed among these groups. The content validation consisting of Item Content Validity Index (I-CVI, ranging from 0.875 to 1.00), and Scale Content Validity Index (S-CVI/Ave = 0.941) both showed good validation scores. Test-retest reliability showcased an Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) of > 0.7, indicating its reliability. The model was constructed via the EFA resulting in four constructs, and the model’s goodness of fit was confirmed with CFA. An internal reliability was calculated with Cronbach’s Alpha and showed acceptable reliability (α-values > 0.6) for all constructs. The KAP questionnaire of methamphetamine use is a valid and reliable tool that can be used among Malaysian adolescents. The model arising from this study, can also be used as a guide for future intervention models for adolescent methamphetamine-use disorder.

Entrepreneurial Competency of Single-Mother Entrepreneurs

Today, the business world has embraced increasing uncertainty and abrupt changes. The concern for business owners is business sustainability, which is crucial for their business to remain relevant and flexible in unpredictable business environments. The process of change forces business owners to be ready for any consequences that affect their business. Due to overwhelming tasks and responsibilities, single mothers may need help to succeed in business. The present research offers a comprehensive review of business continuity from the perspective of single mothers. Within the scope of this research is an exhaustive and methodical investigation of the business acumen of single mothers as entrepreneurs. A literature review was conducted, and the findings may offer a comprehensive discussion of several dimensions of entrepreneurial competency. The findings contribute new information to the existing body of knowledge regarding entrepreneurial competency, which has been a recurrent topic of discussion among earlier academics who have explored the subject matter to investigate. At the end of this paper, practising entrepreneurial competency with single-mother entrepreneurs has several implications. These findings can be applied and utilized by single-mother entrepreneurs, as well as by the government, industry, and the community.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Blood Transfusion among Hospitalized Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

Background and Objectives: Hematological disorders, especially chronic anemia and coagulation disorders, are common in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Severe anemia is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in this special group of patients and is also responsible for decreased hope and quality of life. Despite the use of appropriate iron therapy and erythropoietin-stimulating agents, red blood cell transfusion is occasionally required, usually in the setting of acute bleeding or for correction of perioperative anemia. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the progression of chronic diseases and worsened the outcomes for patients with nephrological conditions. As a precautionary measure against infections, patients’ access to hospitalization for their procedures has been reduced and their chronic complications, including hematological abnormalities, have gotten out of control. Materials and Methods: Our retrospective observational study was designed to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on blood transfusion for the patients with chronic kidney disease hospitalized in our emergency county medical unit, over a period of four years (2019–2022) who were admitted or at least referred for evaluation to the Nephrology department. We also followed the measures adopted to ensure the necessary blood products during this time. Results: Between 2190–2022, a total of 24,096 hospitalized patients were transfused at the Emergency County Clinical Hospital in Constanta, Romania. Meanwhile, in the nephrology and other medical or surgical wards of our medical unit, 1590 CKD patients were transfused with different blood derivatives. During the pandemic years, as expected, the number of transfused patients and transfused blood units decreased by 4% and 7%, respectively, in comparison with the pre-pandemic year, 2019. Unlike the general trend of transfusion activity, more patients with CKD transfused in 2022 (580) than before the pandemic (414 in 2019), and the number of blood units was higher in 2022 than in 2019 for red blood products and plasma. Between 2020–2022, from the total number of transfused patients in our study, 254 with CKD patients (16%) and 798 non-CKD (4%) died in-hospital. Conclusions: The adaptive strategies implemented to ensure the necessary blood products in the hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic mainly included restrictive transfusion and limitation of elective surgical procedures. The subject matter of the article is important as blood shortages are a problem that healthcare workers may encounter in future pandemics.

The Effect of the Needham and Cosgrove – Osborne Model on Acquiring the Concepts of the Fundamentals of Education among Students of the College of Education

The research seeks to ascertain the influence of the Needham and Cosgrove-Osborne models on the comprehension of educational foundations among students at the Faculty of Education. Employing a partially controlled experimental design, the researcher randomly selected a control group from Division C, with Division A representing the first experimental group and Division B the second. The study involved 92 participants, with 30 students in each experimental group and 32 in the control group. To ensure statistical equivalence among the three groups, the researcher utilized one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to assess variables such as chronological age (in months), intelligence test results, and the previous year's Grade Point Average (GPA). A test was crafted to evaluate concept acquisition, with its validity and reliability duly established. Upon statistical analysis of the students' responses using ANOVA and the Scheffe test to pinpoint differences in means, the findings revealed significant disparities between the average scores of students in the first and second experimental groups, who studied the subject matter using the Needham, Cosgrove, or Osborne models. The researcher posits that the Needham and Cosgrove-Osborne models should be integrated into teaching practices, given their demonstrated effectiveness as instructional paradigms.

Pandemic storytelling and student engagement: How students imagined pandemics before COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract Student engagement is one of the critical issues in science classes. This commentary explores the value of storytelling in microbiology education and student engagement. It is a result of an undergraduate exercise, where students were asked to draft short stories on pandemics before the COVID-19 pandemic (i.e., conducted in 2016–2019). The analysis of student writings (total of 244 short stories) aimed to understand the students' perception of pandemics, the diseases they chose to write about, and their level of knowledge of pandemics. Interestingly, 56.6% of students chose viruses to be the cause of their pandemics, 35.7% chose bacteria, 4.5% chose parasites, and a single student chose a fungus. Respiratory mode of transmission was the top pick in the stories (30%), followed by fecal-oral route, sexually transmitted, and skin-to-skin contact. Therefore, their choice of respiratory diseases as the focus of their short story may suggest their limited understanding of pandemics beyond such diseases. The varying levels of detail in the stories suggested that storytelling could be insightful in identifying knowledge gaps and engaging students. Two exciting questions remain: (1) For the students who wrote those short stories before the COVID-19 pandemic, how did they feel when it hit? (2) If the students are asked again to write a pandemic short story, what would it look like nowadays? A deeper understanding of epidemiology and the social impact of pandemics is crucial for developing effective pandemic preparedness and response plans, and undergraduate courses can play a vital role in this endeavor. Overall, this commentary highlights the value of storytelling in engaging students to assess their knowledge of specific subject matters.

The Impact of an Educational Kit Based on a Virtual Laboratory in Chemistry for First-Year Middle School Students and Their Astute Thinking

The present study investigates the influence of a virtual laboratory-based learning kit on the development of clever thinking skills among middle school students engaged in chemistry education. This research responds to the increasing demand for effective and engaging pedagogical approaches within the realm of science education. The study formulates a null hypothesis asserting that there is no statistically significant difference, at the 0.05 significance level, between the average scores of students in the experimental group utilizing the virtual laboratory-based learning kit and those in the control group receiving instruction through traditional methods. An experimental design with partial control was employed, featuring an experimental group comprising 34 students and a control group consisting of 32 students from Qadisiyah Middle School for Boys. Participants were randomly selected to create an unbiased sample of 66 students. The groups were equated based on key variables, such as age, grade 6 grade point average (GPA), and prior knowledge of the subject matter. To facilitate effective learning, twenty-four daily teaching plans were meticulously constructed: the experimental group’s plans were aligned with the virtual laboratory-based educational kit, while the control group adhered to conventional instructional techniques. Subsequent statistical analysis was performed using SPSS to assess the outcomes of the two independent samples with unequal sizes. The findings revealed a significant enhancement in clever thinking skills among students in the experimental group who engaged with the virtual laboratory-based educational kit, in comparison to their counterparts in the control group. In conclusion, the results of this study indicate notable advantages associated with the incorporation of a virtual laboratory-based educational kit into chemistry instruction to foster the development of clever thinking skills among students. This research advocates for the integration of virtual laboratories into pedagogical practices and encourages further investigation across various educational levels and subjects to ascertain their broader implications for learning outcomes.

The Law Applicable to Electronic Signatures Comparative Study

This study dealt with one of the most important legal subjects in private international law that relates to the topic of law applicable to electronic signature and is problematic by the lack of clear and explicit texts to determine the law required on the topic The main objective of the study was to reflect the legal regulation in private international law of such a problem, as well as to address some practical and applicable problems relating to the topic of the study, including the legal nature of an electronic signature, When preparing this study, the researcher relied on the inductive approach by extracting legal texts on the subject of the letter in accordance with Jordanian legislation. in addition to the analytical approach where the researcher analysed and described the legislative and doctrinal positions and international conventions associated with the subject matter of the letter, The prescriptive approach, through a statement of the legal nature of the electronic signature. The researcher produced a series of results, the most important of which was the absence of clear and explicit texts specifying the law applicable to the electronic signature. This result was reflected in the recommendations of this letter, which were the most important recommendation to the Jordanian legislature that legal rules should be drawn up to determine the law applicable to the subject matter of the study.

Cooperation objective evaluation in aviation: validation and comparison of two novel approaches in simulated environment

IntroductionIn operational environments, human interaction and cooperation between individuals are critical to efficiency and safety. These states are influenced by individuals' cognitive and emotional states. Human factor research aims to objectively quantify these states to prevent human error and maintain constant performances, particularly in high-risk settings such as aviation, where human error and performance account for a significant portion of accidents.MethodsThus, this study aimed to evaluate and validate two novel methods for assessing the degree of cooperation among professional pilots engaged in real-flight simulation tasks. In addition, the study aimed to assess the ability of the proposed metrics to differentiate between the expertise levels of operating crews based on their levels of cooperation. Eight crews were involved in the experiments, consisting of four crews of Unexperienced pilots and four crews of Experienced pilots. An expert trainer, simulating air traffic management communication on one side and acting as a subject matter expert on the other, provided external evaluations of the pilots' mental states during the simulation. The two novel approaches introduced in this study were formulated based on circular correlation and mutual information techniques.Results and discussionThe findings demonstrated the possibility of quantifying cooperation levels among pilots during realistic flight simulations. In addition, cooperation time is found to be significantly higher (p < 0.05) among Experienced pilots compared to Unexperienced ones. Furthermore, these preliminary results exhibited significant correlations (p < 0.05) with subjective and behavioral measures collected every 30 s during the task, confirming their reliability.