Communication Tools Research Articles

Instagram as a communication tool in sports: A case study of handball

Social networks are essential digital marketing tools that allow brands to build relationships with consumers. However, there is little evidence of their value in the field of sports. This study investigates what motivates handball fans to interact with handball organisations in four different countries, identifying digital communication patterns, and exploring the role of Instagram as a tool for participation. The paper focuses on one handball league from each of the study territories, namely: Liga Asobal (Spain), Liga Andebol (Portugal), Ligue Nationale de Handball (France) and Liqui Moly HBL (Germany). Using a sample of Instagram posts made over a three-month period, the study identifies trends in digital communication strategies, as well as peculiarities. The results indicate that all four leagues had a daily presence on Instagram, although ASOBAL and ANDEBOL showed significant difference in their use, participation and success on Instagram compared with HBL and NHL. The study concludes that the opportunities for interaction offered by social platforms and other means of two-way communication are not being fully exploited.

Evaluation of the Impact of Webinar on Teaching Mathematics to Undergraduate Students

Webinar is an application of video conferencing to communicate with a group of persons and have discussions as if all are in the same place. It is a handy tool for distance learning and educational-based communication. Employing webinars in education has the advantage of helping users achieve their goals in their comfort zones. In this study, a survey of 250 undergraduate students and 50 mathematics teachers on the impact of webinars on the teaching of mathematics was carried out. The students were divided into 50 students majoring in mathematics and 200 students who offered mathematics as a compulsory course. All the teachers were university lecturers currently teaching mathematics in the universities in Rivers State, Nigeria. All the subjects are familiar with the webinar. Fourteen-item Likert Scale questionnaire was used for the study. Data collected were analyzed using a chi-square test at a .05 significance level. The result reveals that webinars are an acceptable medium for teaching mathematics but with reservations. The proviso is that it should be used where one–to–one interaction is impossible. Secondly, the webinar package should be wealthy so that while discussing, it would be easy to understand and waste of resources on data avoided.

Feasibility Assessment of a Novel Isolation Care Tent in Uganda During the 2022 Sudan ebolavirus Outbreak.

This case study describes a feasibility assessment of a novel isolation care tent used in health facilities in Uganda during the 2022 Sudan ebolavirus outbreak. The Isolation System for Treatment and Agile Response to High-Risk Infections Model 1B (ISTARI 1B) is a single-occupancy, portable, negative-pressure isolation tent designed for the safe delivery of standard care to patients with a communicable disease, including Ebola disease (Sudan). At the request of the Uganda Ministry of Health, the Makerere University Infectious Diseases Institute and University of Nebraska Medical Center partnered to evaluate 7 health facilities across 4 districts in Uganda for infrastructure, case management, and infection prevention and control (IPC) capacity relevant to isolation care and ISTARI 1B use. A 3-day workshop was held with IPC leaders to provide familiarization and hands-on experience with the ISTARI 1B, delineate appropriate use scenarios in Ugandan healthcare settings, contextualize ISTARI 1B use in case management and IPC workflows, develop a framework for site assessment and implementation readiness, and consider ongoing monitoring, assessment, and intervention tools. Workshop participants performed a comprehensive site assessment and mock deployment of the ISTARI 1B. In this case study, we describe lessons learned from health facility assessments and workshop outcomes and offer recommendations to support successful ISTARI 1B implementation. Use scenarios and implementation strategies were identified across facility levels, including tools for site assessment, training, risk communication, and ongoing quality and safety monitoring.

For Whom the Note Scrolls: A Brief History of the Medical Record's Role in Education and the Risks It Faces in the Age of OpenNotes.

Dating back to ancient civilizations when records were carefully transcribed onto papyrus, clinical documentation has long served as a cornerstone of medical-and especially neurologic-education. From the case histories of Hippocrates to the diurnal patient logs used by trainees in the 18th and 19th centuries, clinical notes have an extended history as invaluable instruments of pedagogy, scholarly practice, and interprofessional communication. The novel paradigm introduced by Lawrence Weed in the 1950s, advocating for the problem-oriented medical record system, revolutionized the clinical note template and emphasized the need for physicians' carefully considered analyses of a patient's presentation to be clearly reflected in well-organized documentation. In the realm of medical records today, however, a profound shift is underway, largely propelled by the emergence of electronic medical records, the OpenNotes mandate of the federal 21st Century Cures Act, and, most recently, artificial intelligence (AI). Appropriately, patients now have full access to their medical records, but this raises critical questions. Should clinical notes now prioritize patient comprehension over their traditional role as educational instruments, aide-mémoire, and repositories of detailed assessments and insights? What role, if any, should AI have in the creation of physician notes and patient-facing clinical documents? These tensions underscore the delicate balance between transparency and the preservation of notes' clinical integrity and analytical depth. As we navigate the path forward, finding an equilibrium between openness and the continued utility of medical records as tools for education and professional communication will be imperative.

Improving cyber risk governance through storytelling

This paper addresses the critical challenge of cyber risk governance faced by executives, security committees and boards of directors in the rapidly changing digital landscape. Cyber security complexity, characterised by data deluges and the translational gap between technical jargon and business risk, significantly hinders effective cyber risk messaging and governance. Drawing on five years of research and interviews with chief information security officers (CISOs), the paper highlights the struggle in establishing trust and confidence in governance bodies due to these complexities. It introduces three constructs that aim to simplify cyber security messaging to enhance cyber risk governance: the intelligence to risk (I2R) pyramid, five risk impacts, and resilience and proximity graph. Each construct, illustrated with practical examples, is designed to provide clarity and foster understanding between cyber security professionals and governance bodies, ensuring a cohesive approach to cyber risk management. Readers can expect to gain valuable insights into overcoming the limitations of traditional risk communication tools such as risk registers. By adopting the presented storytelling approach, the paper promises strategies for building trust through transparency and accountability, bridging the communication gap between technical and executive levels, and facilitating informed decision making for improved governance outcomes in the face of cyber security threats.

A conceptual framework for landscape-based environmental risk assessment (ERA) of pesticides

While pesticide use is subject to strict regulatory oversight worldwide, it remains a main concern for environmental protection, including biodiversity conservation. This is partly due to the current regulatory approach that relies on separate assessments for each single pesticide, crop use, and non-target organism group at local scales. Such assessments tend to overlook the combined effects of overall pesticide usage at larger spatial scales. Integrative landscape-based approaches are emerging, enabling the consideration of agricultural management, the environmental characteristics, and the combined effects of pesticides applied in a same or in different crops within an area. These developments offer the opportunity to deliver informative risk predictions relevant for different decision contexts including their connection to larger spatial scales and to combine environmental risks of pesticides, with those from other environmental stressors. We discuss the needs, challenges, opportunities and available tools for implementing landscape-based approaches for prospective and retrospective pesticide Environmental Risk Assessments (ERA). A set of “building blocks” that emerged from the discussions have been integrated into a conceptual framework. The framework includes elements to facilitate its implementation, in particular: flexibility to address the needs of relevant users and stakeholders; means to address the inherent complexity of environmental systems; connections to make use of and integrate data derived from monitoring programs; and options for validation and approaches to facilitate future use in a regulatory context. The conceptual model can be applied to existing ERA methodologies, facilitating its comparability, and highlighting interoperability drivers at landscape level. The benefits of landscape-based pesticide ERA extend beyond regulation. Linking and validating risk predictions with relevant environmental impacts under a solid science-based approach will support the setting of protection goals and the formulation of sustainable agricultural strategies. Moreover, landscape ERA offers a communication tool on realistic pesticide impacts in a multistressors environment for stakeholders and citizens.

Leveraging Collaborative Partnerships to Enhance NWS and Emergency Management Communications through Exercising

Abstract Tabletop exercises examining weather-related hazards are not uncommon but are often built around somewhat generic scenarios that only touch on the meteorological communication environment at a very shallow level. A recent exercise in central Oklahoma sought to change that. A local emergency manager, personnel from a National Weather Service (NWS) forecast office, and a severe weather researcher with a background in exercise design and facilitation worked together to create and deliver a realistic severe weather simulation. Exercise participants were exposed to detailed forecast information via NWSChat—a dedicated communication tool used to connect NWS forecasters, emergency managers, and media members for real-time information sharing. NWS forecasters were able to both actively play in the exercise due to the use of NWSChat and observe how local decision-makers interpreted and utilized the impact-based decision support service (IDSS) graphics and short-term forecast updates. The collaborative approach of developing a detailed scenario with numerous real-world IDSS graphics, along with the use of NWSChat for real-time delivery, resulted in overwhelmingly positive feedback from the participants. The local emergency management office identified numerous areas for improvement in communicating real-time forecast information across their jurisdiction, along with gaps in current plans and resources. Meanwhile, the NWS forecast office had the opportunity to experiment with using the new NWSChat platform in a high-impact severe weather environment before a real-world event took place. Forecasters also gained insight into current IDSS graphic interpretation, noting areas for improved messaging to end users, such as adding storm motion to existing severe weather graphics.

Online Integrated Platform for Project Management

The Integrated Platform for University Projects (IPUP) aims to streamline student project management across academic disciplines. Utilizing web technologies and project management principles, IPUP provides a centralized hub for collaboration, communication, and progress tracking. Additionally, IPUP utilizes a plagiarism checking API as a method to ensure academic integrity. Project documentation submitted on the platform is analysed using the SmallSEO Tools Plagiarism checking API. This API employs algorithms defined by SmallSEO Tools to detect any plagiarized content within the documentation. The API returns a response indicating the percentage of content identified as copied. A predetermined threshold is set for this percentage; if the value exceeds this threshold, the submission is rejected by the website. IPUP serves as a driving force for academic innovation, enabling cross-disciplinary learning and excellence in project-based education, while also integrating communication tools and prioritizing data security.

The Effect of Language Anxiety and Proficiency on Saudi EFL Learners’ Attitudes Towards Teacher Code-Switching

This study investigates the attitudes of Saudi EFL learners towards teacher code-switching in the classroom and explores the effect of foreign language anxiety and language proficiency on these attitudes. This mixed-methods study combined quantitative and qualitative approaches. The quantitative part involved the use of a self-reported questionnaire to elicit learners’ attitudes towards teacher code-switching and foreign-language anxiety. Additionally, qualitative data were collected through an open-ended question to explore learners’ perspectives on the role of teacher code-switching in the classroom. The sample comprised 146 Saudi EFL students. The findings indicated that the Saudi EFL learners generally held a positive attitude towards teacher code-switching, perceiving it as a beneficial instructional, communicative tool for language learning. Furthermore, the study revealed that foreign language anxiety had a significant effect on learners’ attitudes towards code-switching, with high-anxiety learners exhibiting more positive attitudes than low-anxiety learners in three dimensions: subject access, classroom management, and interpersonal relations. Language proficiency, however, had no significant influence on learners’ attitudes towards teacher code-switching. These findings have important pedagogical implications that could help language teachers implement code-switching as an effective instructional tool to reduce learners’ anxiety and enhance the language learning experience.

Internet social networks: An escape from traditional Reality for Arab-Bedouin Youth in unfamiliar Villages

The objective of this research is to explore the impact of social media networks on the daily experiences of Arab-Bedouin adolescents. The study is based on semi-structured interviews with of 30 male youths from unrecognized villages in 2023. The outcomes highlight the significance of social media networks as an indispensable communication tool for males within a traditional societal structure, particularly for establishing connections with peers from diverse sectors and religions. The utilization of social media facilitates meaningful and comprehensive interaction between genders, as perceived by teenagers. It also fosters a profound and significant dialogue on an emotional plane, which remains inaccessible in the Bedouin boys' everyday lives.

THE ADVANTAGES OF MODERN COMMUNICATION IN THE LEADERSHIP ACTIVITY OF THE LEADERSHIP STAFF OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS (HEI): EXAMPLES FROM FOREIGN COUNTRIES

In the 21st century, the leadership of higher education institutions (HEIs) faces increasingly complex challenges due to rapid technological advancements and global interconnectedness. Modern communication technologies offer unprecedented opportunities for leadership to enhance the efficiency, collaboration, and decision-making processes within institutions. This article explores the advantages of modern communication technologies in the leadership activities of HEI leaders, drawing examples from foreign countries where innovative communication tools have been successfully integrated into leadership practices.

Psycho-semantic analysis of job advertisements as a communicative tool of educational marketing

Introduction. The relevance of the study of job advertisements for teachers and psychologists is associated with the need to find tools for regulating communication within the modern educational environment with dynamic, constantly changing working conditions. The publication of employer requirements sets the direction for changing the criteria for the success of the specialist, which changes the entire educational environment. The purpose of the study: to identify the categorical semantic structure of job advertisements for teachers (using the example of the "Infrastructure of Scientific Research Data" platform). Materials and methods. The object of the study was a corpus of teacher job vacancies from the "Infrastructure of Scientific Research Data" platform, published in 2023 in 83 regions of Russia (5561 vacancies). The job postings included descriptions of candidate requirements, information about the offered salary, and the region in which the vacancy was available. As a comparison group, a corpus of psychologist job vacancies (2076 vacancies) was considered. The following methods were used in the study: 1) Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) method for identifying and analyzing the structure of requirements presented in teacher and psychologist job vacancies; 2) Term Frequency-Inverse Document Frequency (TF-IDF) method for categorical semantic analysis of the structure of teacher and psychologist job vacancies and description of the semantic framework (frame) of the job description; 3) Descriptive statistical methods for analyzing the needs of professionals in helping professions in different regions of Russia and the conditions offered to them. The results of the study. The regions of the Russian Federation with the greatest need for teachers and psychologists have been identified. Based on the statistical significance in the collection of text documents, the most demanded skills of teachers by employers are identified: methodological development and design of an individual educational route (0.167), work with children with disabilities (0.144), organization of the educational process (0.089). For vacancies of psychologists, the most significant were: work on investigative actions (0.319), methodical work in an educational organization (0.187), psychological and pedagogical support for successful development and training (0.129). The main meanings governing professional pedagogical activity are more focused on meta-skills based on the values of inclusion and continuous improvement of education, as well as on flexible skills (Soft skills) that increase competitiveness in various fields of pedagogical activity. In the vacancies of psychologists, professional skills (Hard skills) are relevant, applicable in specific areas, which somewhat narrows the scope of professional implementation. Conclusion. The results of the empirical study allow for considering job vacancy advertisements as one of the communicative tools of educational marketing. Analyzing the significant professional skills from the employer's perspective will enable the development of recommendations for the development of professional communication for teachers, which can be considered in the system of continuous professional education, as well as in regulating interaction within the educational environment. Automated analysis of job vacancies can become a successful interactive diagnostic tool for educational marketing, necessary for the development of the educational space and the improvement of the competitiveness of educational institutions.

Limitations of Self-Report Tools in Pain Evaluation of Patients With Vertebral Fractures.

Few studies have evaluated the usefulness and limitations of pain assessment using verbal communication tools for acute orthopedic diseases in older patients. The purpose of this study was to assess the rate of usage of the numerical rating scale (NRS), a verbal communication tool, and to identify the characteristics of patients in whom continuous assessment was impossible. We retrospectively examined electronic medical records of patients with acute vertebral fractures who had been admitted to our hospital between April 2018 and March 2020. Continuous pain assessment using the NRS was possible in 43.2% of hospitalized patients with the fractures. The factors preventing continuous pain assessment using the NRS were an advanced age and low Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores. Based on the receiver-operating characteristic curves, the cutoff age and MMSE score were >85.3 years and <22, respectively. Continuous NRS-based pain assessment is difficult in older adult patients or those with cognitive decline with acute vertebral fractures. In future, a simple observational assessment tool for patients with dementia should be introduced in acute medical care settings.

A Palliative Care Curriculum May Promote Resident Self-Reflection and Address Moral Injury

IntroductionThere is a lack of formal palliative care education for surgical trainees, and the demanding nature of surgical training and exposure to challenging clinical scenarios can contribute to moral injury. We developed a palliative care curriculum to promote self-reflection, aiming to address moral injury in residents. MethodsFive 1-h palliative care sessions were delivered over the academic year to all post-graduate year (PGY) levels covering the following topics: personal awareness, delivering bad news, surgical palliation for cancer pathology, surgical palliation for noncancer pathology, and urgent palliative care. The curriculum focused on reflection and small group discussions. The Moral Injury Symptom Scale-Health Professional was administered to assess feelings of moral injury. Descriptive statistics, chi-squared analysis, and Mann–Whitney U-test were used to compare the demographics and survey responses. Results23 participants completed the preintervention survey, and 9 participants completed it postintervention. Over 50% of participants were PGY1 or PGY2 residents. Preintervention, 52% of participants reported feeling guilt over failing to save someone from being seriously injured or dying. 30% of participants reported that the feelings of guilt, shame, or distrust impaired their ability to function in relationships, at work, or other areas of life to at least a moderate degree. ConclusionsThe described palliative care curriculum accomplishes several goals as follows: it educates residents on palliative care topics, teaches communication tools, encourages self-reflection, and provides space for building peer relationships. The ease of implementation makes this curriculum applicable across various types of institutions, offering the potential to positively impact surgical training on a national scale.

Peran Masyarakat Desa Sumberejo pada Penyelenggaraan Pilkada Serentak Tahun 2024

The purpose of this journal is to provide socialization and education to the people of Sumberejo Village about political violations and the role of society in organizing regional elections. Participatory supervision plays an important role in realizing democratic leaders. Community participation that takes part in this regional election can produce integrity, credibility of organizers, transparency of organizers and accountability of election results. The method used by students is to use the socialization method by inviting members of the KPU, the people of Sumberejo Village, the Sumberejo Village apparatus, the Sub-district Panwas, and the Sumberejo Village PPS. The communication tools used by students to deliver the material are using Powerpoint and Projectors. With this socialization, it is hoped that all elements of society and government can work together to carry out regional elections fairly and in a focused manner.

The Impact of Remote Work on Workplace Loneliness During and after COVID-19: A Literature Review

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly transformed work practices, making remote work a mainstream operation rather than an option. This literature review investigates the complex relationship between remote work and workplace loneliness during and post-COVID-19. The review synthesizes findings from 13 empirical studies published between January 2020 and July 2024. Remote work offers flexibility, reduces commute times, and increases feelings of loneliness due to reduced social interactions. Key factors moderating this impact include social support, communication technologies, job demands, and job control. The review highlights the importance of robust social support systems and advanced communication tools to mitigate loneliness. It emphasizes the need for longitudinal research to understand the long-term effects of remote work on workplace loneliness. Practical insights for organizational leaders are provided to design remote work policies that enhance employee well-being and engagement.

Advances in communication tools and techniques for enhancing collaboration among creative professionals

Advances in communication tools and techniques for enhancing collaboration among creative professionals

Understanding Older Adults' Experiences With a Digital Health Platform in General Practice: Qualitative Interview Study.

In our aging population, primary care is under pressure to remain accessible to all. Effective use of digital health care could potentially lower general practitioners' (GPs) workload. Some general practices are already implementing a digital health platform as a primary method to contact their patients. However, it is unknown how older people experience this novel way to communicate with their GP. The aim of this study was to study the experiences of patients aged 65 years and older in general practices who use digital health as a primary communication tool. The secondary aims were to identify barriers and facilitators for the use of digital health care and whether a practice focus on digital health influences older patients' choice to enlist. We invited all patients aged 65 years and older at 2 general practices in Amsterdam that work with a novel digital health platform. We used purposive sampling to select a heterogeneous group of patients in terms of age, sex, level of education, digital literacy, and experiences with the digital app of their general practice. We conducted 18 semistructured interviews from May through July 2023. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, coded, and thematically analyzed. We generated three themes: (1) experiences of older people with digital health care in general practice, (2) impact of individual factors on digital health experiences, and (3) reasons for choosing a digitally oriented general practice. Participants reported both positive and negative experiences. The main perceived advantages of the digital health platform were increased accessibility, direct GP contact without an intermediary, and saving time through asynchronous communication. The disadvantages mentioned were log-in difficulties and problems with the automated explanatory questionnaire. Individual factors such as age, digital literacy, and expectations of general practice care seemed to impact people's experiences and could act as barriers or facilitators for using digital health. Reasons for older patients to enlist at a general practice were mainly practical. The digital orientation of the practice hardly played a role in this choice. Older patients in general practice see benefits to using a digital health platform that offers 2-way chat-based communication between the patient and GP. We found that individual factors such as skills, norms and values, attitudes toward digitalization, and expectations of general practice care impacted older patients' experiences with digital health care. For many older participants, the digital profile of the general practice did not play a role in their choice to enlist. Further improvement of digital health platforms will be necessary to ensure digital health for all in general practice.

Фідбек як інструмент управління розвитком закладів вищої освіти в умовах сьогодення

The research article is devoted to the theoretical aspects of ‘feedback’, particularly in the education system. The problems and prospects of applying feedback in the educational process are outlined. The features of feedback as a tool for managing the development of higher education institutions in today’s conditions are determined. It is emphasized that it is necessary to focus on organizational support for communication management in higher education institutions to develop higher education in Ukraine. It is noted that feedback is one of the most critical and widespread communication tools. It is determined that in managing the development of higher education institutions with the help of feedback, the following theses are achieved: improving the quality of the educational process, satisfaction of higher education students and research and teaching staff, optimization of management decisions, improvement of the communication process of all participants in the educational process, adaptation to changes, support for the development of research and teaching staff, promotion of innovation and development, planning and strategic development, improvement of student life. It is noted that the main tasks of feedback are helping to adapt faster, encouraging growth and development, and provoking changes to achieve the goals. Therefore, feedback is a tool for developing both the employee and the enterprise. The article identifies and characterizes the main types and kinds of feedback. The main types are positive, negative, and constructive feedback. For effective management of the development of higher education institutions, the most effective type of feedback is constructive. Attention is focused on the rules of constructive feedback. Attention is paid to the generally accepted and most optimal method of feedback – The Sandwich Method, which has both positive and negative aspects. Keywords: feedback, types of feedback, management of development of higher education institutions, research and teaching staff, higher education students.

Arabic as a Compulsory Language in Pesantren

This study aims to explain Arabic language learning as a compulsory communication language in pesantren. Arabic has a central role in daily activities in pesantren, both in the learning process and in social interactions between students. This research uses a qualitative approach with a case study type, which involves observation and interviews. The object in this research is intensive female students of University of Al-Amien Prenduan. The results showed that University of Al-Amien Prenduan campus is a campus that creates a foreign language environment. Arabic language learning does not only occur formally but also occurs non-formally through language programs. In addition, the support of a conducive environment and intensive language practice also accelerate the mastery of Arabic by the students. Thus, Arabic becomes an essential communication tool in shaping the character and increasing the scientific competence of santri in pesantren. This study concludes that learning Arabic as a compulsory communication language in pesantren is very effective in improving the language skills and religious understanding of santri.