Subject Matter Research Articles

Application of the maturity model for collaborative scheduling for construction projects

PurposeThis paper introduces the weighting, analysis and validation method used in the development of the Maturity Model for Collaborative Scheduling (MMCS). The scoring and ranking process introduced by the MMCS fills a gap in the literature by supporting the selection of collaborative scheduling (CS) practices that yield more weight toward the achievement of higher maturity levels in the development and implementation of CS. The ranking process can then be used during pre/post project execution to track collaborative scheduling in practice against the model’s weighting and provide the project team with constructive feedback and actionable steps for reaching the next highest level of collaboration.Design/methodology/approachThe MMCS, which focuses on five pillars (key areas of interest for CS) and related swim lanes (specific attributes), covers a broad range of areas in the construction industry and was coded into a survey. The relative weights of pillars and swim lanes were then established using the Delphi method with the group of subject matter experts (SMEs), analyzed using multi-objective decision analysis (MODA) and validated using 241 answers to a survey with questions drawn from the MMCS, including organizations across the industry in the United States.FindingsThe project scoring defines bounds for bronze, silver and gold levels of collaboration in scheduling. Project evaluations can then be used to identify areas for continuous improvement and enhanced collaboration. We offer recommendations and best practices for project improvement.Originality/valueTwo original contributions resulted from this work: (1) a method to elicit weights based on a combination of Delphi, MODA and survey methods was used to develop and validate a scale with three different maturity levels to support the use and continuous improvement of CS practices and (2) a validated model was used to assess the maturity level of CS in construction projects alongside specific recommendations to move upward in terms of maturity. In practice, project leaders can use this model to assess project performance, advance the project’s maturity and guide continuous improvement efforts for enhanced collaboration.

Understanding Maritime Subjects in Vocational High Schools through Online Learning

This study explores the effectiveness of online learning for maritime subjects in Indonesian vocational high schools, focusing on how the rapid advancement of information technology has reshaped education in this unique field. Using a quantitative approach with 275 respondents, the research analyzes key factors that influence students' understanding of maritime subjects, such as digital literacy, motivation, and their perceptions of the effectiveness of online learning. The findings indicate moderate levels of both digital literacy and motivation for online learning, with flexibility being the most appreciated benefit. However, challenges related to social isolation were also noted. A predictive model developed during the research accounts for 43% of the variance in comprehension of the subject matter, identifying digital literacy and perceived online learning effectiveness as the strongest predictors. Additionally, the grade level of students significantly influenced their comprehension scores. This study emphasizes the need to integrate digital skills training and to employ engaging instructional strategies to enhance learning outcomes. Future research could investigate the use of immersive technologies, such as virtual reality or simulations, to better support practical skills development in maritime education, ensuring that students are well-prepared for real-world challenges in the maritime industry

In-service teachers’ and pre-service teachers’ perceptions of interdisciplinary instruction combining music and mathematics

ABSTRACT This qualitative-phenomenological study explores the perceptions of in-service and pre-service teachers regarding the integration of music and mathematics in elementary education. Using interviews, audio recordings, questionnaires, and blog analysis, the research examines the effects of interdisciplinary teaching. The methodology adopted in this study provides a robust framework for analysis, facilitating a comprehensive exploration of the subject matter. Findings show positive views among four in-service mathematics teachers and one music teacher, who observed increased student engagement, motivation, and creativity. Additionally, 50 pre-service teachers expressed curiosity about this approach, emphasizing the need for better training and resources in teacher education. Despite initial concerns, teachers acknowledged the importance of collaborative planning and instructional support for interdisciplinary learning. This study highlights the potential of integrating music and math to enhance student outcomes and innovation in education.

The Life + Death Education Framework: Proposition of a 'Universal' Framework for Implementation.

Life and death education is a distinct field of study that has potential life relevance for consideration (e.g., self-awareness and subsequent improvement of one's own health well-being). Existing research development, situating in different learning-sociocultural contexts, has provided consistent evidence that showcases the differing viewpoints of life functioning (e.g., what is the true meaning of life?) and the intricate nature of death and dying (e.g., a death ritual that closely associates with a particular cultural group). Some of the research studies undertaken indicate the effective use of 'philosophization' or the discourse of philosophical analysis, enabling individuals to philosophize, contemplate, and seek transpersonal understanding of the subject matters of life and death (e.g., can a state of 'spiritual transcendence' help to alleviate a person's fear of death?). Such discourse, interestingly, has offered some informative yields for enriching and meaningful life purposes - for example, the seeking to attain transpersonal understanding of life (e.g., what does a state of self-transcendence actually mean?) and/or transpersonal life experience may assist a senior citizen to cope with his mental health during a temporary health crisis. Our teaching and research interest of life and death education over the past decade has led us to consider one important line of inquiry for development: namely, the proposition of a 'universal' blueprint or framework of life and death education for curriculum development, teaching, and research purposes. We are cognizant of the fact that, to date, there is no clear consensus or agreement as to what one is expected (e.g., specific learning outcome) to teach students who wish to study and learn about life and death education. On this basis, the present theoretical article introduces a theoretical framework, termed as 'The Life + Death Education Framework' (e.g., for universities), to assist educators for their quality teaching and/or research inquiries of life and death education. We firmly believe that the Life + Death Education Framework can be universal and, in this case, apply to different learning-sociocultural contexts.

Shi Lu and Fine Arts Magazine: Resonance in the Age of Art

Fine Arts magazine paid attention to and discussed Shi Lu for about six years in the 1950s and 1960s. It witnessed his transformation from traditional style to "strange changes in ink and brushwork" and the expansion of his subject matter. It also triggered discussions on the balance between traditional inheritance and innovation, as well as the renewal of critical standards. Through discussing Shi Lu's works, the magazine tries to guide the direction of Chinese painting creation, encourage attention to reality and innovation, construct a new discourse system and image paradigm, and trigger thoughts on tradition, innovation, and standards.

Kompetencje cyfrowe Polaków w świetle teorii przyspieszenia społecznego

The dynamic development and spread of information and communication technologies have caused contemporary society, also known as modern or information society, to undergo constant changes. These are taking place both in the technological, economic and social spheres, becoming the focus of researchers in social, economic, engineering and technical sciences. As a result of these changes, we can even, according to Hartmut Rosa (2020), speak of a society of acceleration, in which technological acceleration is accompanied by an acceleration of the pace of living. As part of numerous consequences, acquiring new skills and improving those already acquired, especially in the use of ICT, becomes particularly important. Achieving an appropriate level of expertise turns out to be almost indispensable, both at the micro level - the realm of work and everyday life of individuals, and at the macro level, as a condition for stable and systematic socio-economic development. Therefore, the purpose of the article is to analyze the level of digital competence of Poles, primarily focusing on the level of overall digital skills and its changes over recent years, the type of digital skills that pose particular challenges, as well as to determine the rank of Poland as compared to other European Union member states regarding the subject matter. The source material is statistical data from Eurostat and Poland Statistics.

Individual right to clean air including compensation for health damage – comment on JP v Ministre de la Transition écologique, C-61/21

Abstract On the one hand, the EU member states are to manage ambient air quality in line with the Air Quality Directive (dir. 2008/50/EC) provisions that put forward local air quality targets. On the other hand, EU citizens have their right to demand that their local authorities pass ‘air quality plans’ for towns or districts where air quality standards were below the so-called limit values. In 2008, in the Janecek Judgement of the Court of Justice of 25.07.2008, C-237/07 Dieter Janecek v. Freistaat Bayern EU:C:2008:447. case the Court of Justice of the EU (the CJEU) for the first time recognised the direct effect of Articles 13 and 23 of this directive, and in this way granted rights to individuals to challenge local air quality plans for their inefficiency. The main point of this article is to prove that EU citizens have a subjective, justiciable right to clean and healthy air, and to examine whether this right entitles them to compensation for health damage due to air pollution, as was the subject matter of the commented case: JP v Ministre de la Transition écologique. Therefore, it is necessary to examine the three conditions of the Francovich rule for state liability established in the Brasserie du Pêcheur case: ‘1. the rule of law infringed must be intended to confer rights on individuals; 2. the breach must be sufficiently serious, 3. and there must be a direct causal link between the breach of the obligation resting on the state and the damage sustained by the injured parties’ Judgement of the Court of Justice of 5.03.1996, C-46/93 and 48/93 Brasserie du Pêcheur EU:C:1996:79. .

Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment During Simultaneous Operations in Industrial Plant Maintenance Based on Job Safety Analysis

The risk of accidents during simultaneous operations (SIMOPS) in plant maintenance has been increasing. However, research on methods to prevent such accidents has been limited. This study aims to develop a novel framework, hazard identification and risk assessment of simultaneous operations (HIRAS), for identifying and evaluating potential hazards during concurrent tasks. The framework developed herein is expected to be an effective safety management tool that can help prevent accidents during these operations. To this end, the job location and hazard information in job safety analysis (JSA) were standardized into four attributes. The standardized information was then synchronized spatially and temporally to develop a HIRAS model that identifies and assesses the impact of hazards between operations. The model was tested using 40 JSA documents corresponding to maintenance operations at Company P, a South Korean steel-making company. The model was tested in two scenarios: one with planned operations and the other with unplanned operations in addition to planned operations. The performance evaluation results of the first scenario showed an F1-score of 98.33%. In this case, a recall of 97.52% means that the model identified 97.52% of the hazard-inducing factors. The second scenario was compared with the results of a review by six subject matter experts (SMEs). The comparison of the results identified by the SMEs and the model showed an accuracy of 89.3%. This study demonstrates the potential of JSA, which incorporates the domain knowledge of workers and can be used not only for individual tasks but also as a safety management tool for surrounding operations. Furthermore, by improving the plant maintenance work environment, it is expected to prevent accidents, protect workers’ lives and health, and contribute to the long-term sustainable management of companies.

Analisis Kesiapan Mahasiswa Pendidikan Teknik Bangunan untuk Menjadi Guru

This research was conducted in the Building Engineering Education Study Program. The purpose of this study is to analyze the understanding of Building Engineering Education students towards the subject matter to be taught at SMK. Evaluate the understanding possessed by Building Engineering Education students about the teaching profession. Identify the pedagogical skills of Building Engineering Education students. This research is a quantitative approach research with a descriptive method. The results of the Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test normality test obtained a sig of 0.70. Because the significance value is greater than 0.05, it can be concluded that the residual value of the X variable data is normally distributed. showed that most of the students' understanding of the subject matter taught (X1) was high (54.84%), showing that most of the students' understanding of the teaching profession (X2) was high (48.40%), showing that most of the students' pedagogical skills (X3) were high (61.30%), students' understanding of the subject matter to be taught at SMK There were 54.84% of students showing a good understanding of the subject matter to be taught at SMK. Student understanding of the teaching profession 48.40% of students who have a high interest in becoming teachers. There are 61.30% of students who have the necessary pedagogical skills in the learning process.

Study tutors’ professional role and practical work with newly arrived students in Sweden

Study Tutoring in the Mother Tongue is a support measure in Swedish schools typically offered to newly arrived students. The space is often referred to as one for translanguaging because, during tutoring sessions, both study tutors and students alternate between using their native language (L1) and Swedish while discussing the subject matter. The few studies available describe study tutors as a critical ‘language and culture bridge’ for newly arrived students’. In this study, we interview ten study tutors from across Sweden to explore their perceptions of their professional role and practical work with newly arrived students. The results show that study tutors describe their work as an essential support measure for newly arrived students’ success and inclusion in school. Yet, the study tutors also highlight their work as having collaboration, time and resource constraints, and that they feel they lack the training to address these challenges. In response, the study tutors see their work as pragmatic, relying on their professional backgrounds and initiative to support their students, at times acting outside their official responsibilities. These findings show the underutilization of study tutors, the potential of which could be developed through their greater inclusion in school planning and formalized training.

Let's Have a Chat: How Well Does an Artificial Intelligence Chatbot Answer Clinical Infectious Diseases Pharmacotherapy Questions?

It is unknown whether ChatGPT provides quality responses to infectious diseases (ID) pharmacotherapy questions. This study surveyed ID pharmacist subject matter experts (SMEs) to assess the quality of ChatGPT version 3.5 (GPT-3.5) responses. The primary outcome was the percentage of GPT-3.5 responses considered useful by SME rating. Secondary outcomes were SMEs' ratings of correctness, completeness, and safety. Rating definitions were based on literature review. One hundred ID pharmacotherapy questions were entered into GPT-3.5 without custom instructions or additional prompts, and responses were recorded. A 0-10 rating scale for correctness, completeness, and safety was developed and validated for interrater reliability. Continuous and categorical variables were assessed for interrater reliability via average measures intraclass correlation coefficient and Fleiss multirater kappa, respectively. SMEs' responses were compared by the Kruskal-Wallis test and chi-square test for continuous and categorical variables. SMEs considered 41.8% of responses useful. Median (IQR) ratings for correctness, completeness, and safety were 7 (4-9), 5 (3-8), and 8 (4-10), respectively. The Fleiss multirater kappa for usefulness was 0.379 (95% CI, .317-.441) indicating fair agreement, and intraclass correlation coefficients were 0.820 (95% CI, .758-.870), 0.745 (95% CI, .656-.816), and 0.833 (95% CI, .775-.880) for correctness, completeness, and safety, indicating at least substantial agreement. No significant difference was observed among SME responses for percentage of responses considered useful. Fewer than 50% of GPT-3.5 responses were considered useful by SMEs. Responses were mostly considered correct and safe but were often incomplete, suggesting that GPT-3.5 responses may not replace an ID pharmacist's responses.

Pre-Service Teachers’ Professional Vision of Argumentation Opportunities in Their Analysis of Videotaped Science Classroom Episodes

ABSTRACT To foster scientific argumentation in the classroom, science teachers need to be able to notice and interpret situations in their lessons that are starting points for argumentation discourses. To sustainably promote these skills, which we denote as a professional vision of argumentation opportunities, it seems crucial to start training teachers as early as their pre-service phase. Thus, we have developed a vignette-based practice activity with a category system that trains this vision. In this exploratory study, qualitative content analysis was used to examine eight pre-service science teachers’ (PSTs) responses in this practice activity. The results show that the PSTs were able to successfully identify and describe argumentation opportunities in videotaped chemistry and physics lessons. However, these PSTs had difficulties in explaining the contentious moments in the opportunities they had identified and in predicting suitable instructions that could promote argumentation. Overall, PSTs’ professional vision improved during a nine-week intervention, but differences—e.g. regarding the subject matter of a vignette or PSTs’ prior knowledge—also became apparent. The paper identifies such influencing factors and provides recommendations for using the practice activity in science teachers’ professional development.

Money laundering and the automobile industry: a comparative study between the laws of Mauritius and UK

Purpose Motor vehicles play a vital role in the economic and social growth of any country. However, they have recently become instruments and a source of illegally obtained financial gains for criminal bodies and individuals. This study aims to assess the laws of Mauritius on AML procedures to prevent money laundering through vehicles transactions. Design/methodology/approach To achieve the research objective, the black letter research method was used by analysing laws, regulations and case laws on the subject matter. A desk-based and doctrinal approach was also used by examining policy papers, scholarly articles and newspaper materials on the researched topic. Additionally, the research adopted a comparative analysis by assessing how the laws of another country address the issue of money laundering through vehicle transaction and the selected country is the UK. Findings The research concluded that Mauritius AML laws are lagging behind of the UK laws and accordingly, some measures were suggested to deal with the issue of money laundering through vehicles transactions. Accordingly, this research recommended that motor vehicle dealers who are high value dealers engaged in cash transactions above certain threshold, must also be categorised as reporting persons under the FIAMLA such that the prescribed AML measures apply to them. Additionally, it is convenient for the FCC to be embodied with some additional punitive and corrective powers to assist the Commission in its fight for the prevention and elimination of financial crimes in Mauritius. Originality/value At present, this study will be among the first academic writings on the intersection between money laundering and the automobile industry and on the effectiveness of the legal and regulatory measures undertaken by the Mauritian authorities to prevent money laundering through vehicles transactions. The study is carried out with the aim of combining a large amount of empirical, theoretical and factual information that can be of use to various stakeholders and not only to academics.

Teaching principles of macroeconomics after COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic uniquely affected nearly all the subject matter in a typical principles of macroeconomics class. Fluctuations in the basic macroeconomic data in the COVID era were staggering and offer new teaching opportunities. In addition, because the recession was primarily driven by supply side shocks, the entire episode offers a unique avenue to present the theoretical models of the macroeconomy. Finally, new fiscal and monetary policy responses crafted over the past two recessions need to be fully incorporated into the material of macro principles going forward.

Pengembangan Media Pembelajaran Video Animasi Berbasis Powtoon pada Mata Pelajaran Teknologi Perkantoran Kelas X SMK Satya Bhakti 2 Jakarta

This study aims to develop video-based interactive learning media using the Powtoon application for Office Technology lessons in class X SMK Satya Bhakti 2 Jakarta. The method used in this research is Research and Development (R&D) with the ADDIE model, which includes the stages of analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. The evaluation results show that the developed learning media is very feasible to use, with an average score of 92.17% from media experts and 96.19% from material experts, both of which fall into the category of ‘Very Feasible.’ This research is expected to increase the effectiveness of learning and attract students' interest in understanding the subject matter.

Teaching Performance of Students of the Faculty of Education, Sohag University: "An Evaluative Study in Light of Teacher Preparation Standards"

This study aimed to evaluate the teaching performance of student teachers at the Faculty of Education, Sohag University, based on teacher preparation standards. The research employed a descriptive-analytical approach and developed a checklist comprising 64 sub-skills categorized under seven main standards: lesson planning, classroom management and student interaction, use of teaching strategies, integration of educational tools and technologies, personal traits and interpersonal skills, mastery of subject matter, and student learning assessment. The performance of 50 student teachers from scientific and literary disciplines was assessed using an observation checklist. The results revealed that teaching performance was moderate across six standards and good in the "personal traits and interpersonal skills" standard. Statistically significant differences (p ≤ 0.01) were found in favor of scientific students compared to their literary counterparts. The study emphasized the need to enhance student teachers' skills to improve the quality of teaching performance.

Evaluating the Correlation between the Teaching Performance of Primary School English Language Teachers and the Training they Received

Teaching is a profession that requires its practitioners to be trained and certified. The training may take the form of pre-service or in-service. The teachers who pass through either of these modes of training are also required to possess ample and reasonable knowledge and skills of the subject matter they teach. In addition, the training that they take should focus on shaping their attitudes towards the teaching profession so that they can adapt, improve or change the reality they find in schools. In addition, they are expected to possess ample experiences of teaching. Purpose. This explanatory study explored the relationship between the training that teacher trainees received at Kemissie College of Teachers Education in Ethiopia and their teaching practice at primary schools. Methodology. The researchers collected the data for the study from pre-service teachers of the college using a questionnaire, interview, document analysis and classroom observations. A mixed approach was employed to collect and analyze the data. The results show that some of the courses contribute less to helping the trainees develop the required competence to teach the subject. There are also neglected but relevant courses. In addition, the practicum program is not being run as it is intended to be run. The relationship between the training that the teachers received and the teaching practice at primary schools is not strong. Therefore, it is recommended that more relevant courses and contents should be given emphasis. The practicum program should also acquaint trainees with the reality at primary schools in order to attain the intended purpose of the program. Supervisors and mentors should also guide the trainees and help them progress in their profession. Conclusion. This study found that the teacher training curriculum focuses on subject area knowledge, professional skills and teaching practices. These components are essential and helpful to train competent primary school teachers. The participants in the study revealed that some of the courses that they attended have contributed positively to their effective teaching of English at primary schools.

A Classroom Intervention of Enhancing Namibian Preservice Science Teachers’ Conceptual Understanding of Properties of Waves Through Mnemonics

This quantitative classroom intervention study investigated the effectiveness of using mnemonics to enhance preservice teachers’ conceptual understanding of the topic of wave properties in physics. The study involved a sample of 30 final-year undergraduate preservice teachers enrolled in the Bachelor of Education Honours, Senior Primary with specializations in Natural Science and Health Education at Dorado Campus of The International University of Management in Namibia. The primary objective was to assess the impact of a targeted mnemonic-based instructional intervention on their ability to comprehend and apply key physics concepts related to wave properties. Initially, participants’ baseline understanding of these concepts was evaluated through pre-intervention assessments, which provided a measure of their existing knowledge. A structured mnemonic-based teaching intervention was then implemented over a specified period, designed to facilitate improved understanding of wave properties. Following the intervention, post-assessment evaluations were conducted to compare and measure changes in the participants’ conceptual understanding of the subject matter. This comparative analysis aimed to identify any significant improvements resulting from the mnemonic-based instruction. The findings indicated that there were notable improvements in the participants’ conceptual grasp of wave properties after the mnemonic-based intervention. Additionally, the study collected and analyzed participants’ feedback regarding the use of mnemonics, offering insights into their perceptions of the technique’s effectiveness as a pedagogical tool for learning complex scientific concepts. This research contributes to the broader field of physics concepts by providing evidence-based strategies to enhance the preparation of preservice teachers, particularly in physics education. Ultimately, the results of this study have the potential to inform and improve teaching practices, fostering more effective and engaging educational experiences in future science classrooms.

Analytical Study of Experiential Learning: Experiential Learning Theory in Learning Activities

The aim of this research is to describe experiential learning in learning activities. David A. Kolb's Learning Theory highlights four keys stages: experience, reflection, abstract concepts, and active experimentation. This research is a library research or literature review, primarily focus on collecting and reviewing various previous studies on Kolb's learning theory. The findings indicate that the four stages of experiential learning models can enhance student engagement, deepen understanding of subject matter better, develop critical and creative skills to face future challenges, and foster collaborative work, and it can be effectively implemented at all levels of education. It can be concluded that learning activities using the experiential learning model can encourage student involvement to achieve maximum learning outcomes, and can be used at all levels of education while still paying attention to elements of relevance of the material and learning environment. However, there are still several shortcomings and challenges in applying this theory, particularly in terms of resource readiness.

The Liminality of Fraud: Reimagining Fraud Theory to Inform Financial Crime Prevention

Abstract Utilizing knowledge from academics, practitioners and subject matter experts with lived experience of fraud, this paper offers four significant contributions to fraud theory. Firstly, we argue that fraudsters seek out liminal spaces. Secondly, the paper identifies that fraudsters do not always seek immediate financial gain. Thirdly, we argue that within liminal space, individuals are transformed into fraud victims or potentially ‘co-offenders’ used to target businesses. By understanding the importance of liminality for the success of fraudulent interactions, we propose that both on and offline spaces that are vulnerable to facilitating fraud can be identified. Finally, we make the argument that aspects of situational crime prevention can be utilized within liminal spaces at key points to prevent fraud.