a c Digital Literacy in Higher Education: A Case Study of Student Engagement with E-Tutorials Using Blended Learning By Published On :: 2019-01-28 Aim/Purpose: This paper reports on a case study project which had three goals; to develop a suite of original interactive digital skills e-tutorials to be embedded in undergraduate and postgraduate courses; to evaluate the students’ experience and engagement with the e-tutorials over one semester; and to explore their general attitudes towards online and blended learning. Background: Online and blended learning modes continue to grow in popularity in higher education, with the aim of streamlining and enhancing student learning, supporting collaboration and creativity, and equipping students with the skills they will require to work and live in an increasingly digitized world. This practice-based case study highlights factors which positively and negatively affect user engagement with digital learning objects and explores students’ perceptions of the role of online learning within their academic programs. Methodology: A suite of nine interactive e-tutorials, addressing essential digital literacy skills for university students, was developed through instructor and student peer collaboration using Articulate software, informed by best practice. The e-tutorials were embedded in the institutional Learning Management System for three undergraduate and postgraduate courses, in which digital literacy formed the core learning content, to complement classroom-based learning. Students in these courses were surveyed via SurveyMonkey about their specific experience of using the e-tutorials, as well as their general perceptions of digital literacy and online learning. Eighty-six students in total completed the questionnaire, which consisted of twenty-three closed- and open-ended questions. Contribution: Through highlighting both the positive and the challenging aspects of the students’ reported experience of online learning, this case study contributes useful insights to the body of literature on user engagement with digital learning objects in higher education, as well as students’ perceptions and experience of blended learning. Findings: The e-tutorials were perceived as valuable in reinforcing classroom learning, allowing respondents to revise concepts and materials covered in face-to-face classes, at their own pace and in their own time. Survey responses showed that the accessibility, ease-of-use, design and duration of the e-tutorials were deemed effective in terms of user engagement; however, several technological challenges were identified, such as browser incompatibility, uneven sound quality and general Internet connection issues, which disrupted their learning. Overall, students expressed enjoyment of the learning facilitated by the e-tutorials; however, rather than favoring online learning alone, they expressed a preference for a blended learning environment, with a combination of complementary learning approaches; survey respondents did not generally wish to forego face-to-face classes entirely. Recommendations for Practitioners: Instructors should seek to strategically embed interactive digital learning objects in their courses at defined points of need in a logical structure, e.g., to reinforce classroom-based learning, or to support specific skill development. Potential disruption to learning should be minimized by following best practice guidelines to ensure ease of access, a seamless user experience, and timely feedback, as well as providing adequate support for rapid resolution of technical glitches. Recommendation for Researchers: E-tutorials offer a useful means of exploring ways in which students acquire learning in the digital environment. A wider, collaborative exploration is needed to provide comparative studies which move beyond case studies. Impact on Society: Online learning mechanisms, such as e-tutorials, offer students different means of acquiring essential literacy skills and different ways to interact with content. E-tutorials constitute reusable learning objects, which can be accessed as just-in-time delivery modes, when students perceive they need to review particular skills or reinforce learning material. Future Research: This research is now expanding into different types of reusable learning objects. E-tutorials may be developed in multiple ways, and comparative research around e-tutorial models will deepen our understanding of how students interact with content in formal learning contexts. As the digital educational landscape continues to expand alongside traditional face-to-face and analogue learning modes, a key research focus will be student and instructor perceptions and experience of blended learning in different contexts. Full Article
a c Redesigning an Introductory Programming Course to Facilitate Effective Student Learning: A Case Study By Published On :: 2020-08-28 Aim/Purpose: This study reports the outcome of how a first pilot semester introductory programming course was designed to provide tangible evidence in support of the concept of Student Ownership of Learning (SOL) and how the outcomes of this programming course facilitate effective student learning. Background: Many instructors want to create or redesign their courses to strengthen the relationship between teaching and learning; however, the researchers of this study believe that the concept of Student Ownership of Learning (SOL) connects to student engagement and achievement in the classroom setting. The researchers redesigned the introductory programming course to include valuable teaching methods to increase Student Ownership of Learning and constructive approaches such as making students design an authentic mobile app project as individuals, partners, or within teams. The high quality of students’ projects positioned them as consultants to the university IT department. Methodology: This paper employs a case study design to construct a qualitative research method as it relates to the phenomenon of the study’s goals and lived experiences of students in the redesigned introductory programming course. The redesigned course was marketed to students as a new course with detailed description and elements that were different from the traditional computer science introductory programming course requirement. The redesigned introductory programming course was offered in two sections: one section with 14 registered students and the other section with 15 registered students. One faculty member instructed both sections of the course. A total of 29 students signed up for the newly redesigned introductory programming course, more than in previous semesters, but two students dropped out within the first two weeks of the redesigned course making a total of 27 students. The redesigned coursework was divided into two parts of the semester. The first part of the semester detailed description and elements of the coursework including a redesigned approach with preparation for class, a quiz, and doing homework in class, which gives students control of decisions whenever possible; and working with each other, either with a partner or in a team. The second part of the semester focuses on students designing a non-trivial working mobile app and presenting their developing mobile app at a significant public competition at the end of the semester. Students developed significantly complex mobile apps and incorporated more complex functionality in their apps. Both Management Information System (MIS) major students and Computer Science major students were in the same course despite the fact that MIS students had never taken a programming course before; however, the Computer Science students had taken at least one course of programming. Contribution: This study provides a practical guide for faculty members in Information Technology programs and other faculty members in non-Computer Science programs to create or redesign an introductory course that increases student engagement and achievement in the classroom based on the concept of Student Ownership of Learning (SOL). This study also deepens the discussion in curriculum and instruction on the value to explore issues that departments or programs should consider when establishing coursework or academic programs. Findings: This study found two goals evidently in support to increase Student Ownership of Learning (SOL). The first goal (Increase their ownership of learning SOL) showed that students found value in the course contents and took control of their learning; therefore, the faculty no longer had to point out how important different programming concepts were. The students recognized their own learning gap and were excited when shown a programming concept that addressed the gap. For example, student comments were met with “boy, we can really use this in our app” instead of comments about how complex they were. The coursework produced a desired outcome for students as they would get the knowledge needed to make the best app that they could. The second goal (Develop a positive attitude toward the course) showed positive results as students developed a more positive attitude towards the course. Student actions in the classroom strongly reflected a positive attitude. Attendance was almost 100% during the semester even though no points for attendance were given. Further evidence of Student Ownership of Learning and self-identity was students’ extensive use of the terminology and concept of the course when talking to others, especially during the public competition. Students were also incorporating their learning into their identities. For example, teams became known by their app such as the Game team, the Recipe team, and the Parking team. One team even made team t-shirts. Another exciting reflection of the Student Ownership of Learning which occurred was the learning students did by themselves. Recommendations for Practitioners: Practitioners can share best practices with faculty in different departments, programs, universities, and educational consultants to cultivate the best solution for Student Ownership of Learning based on student engagement and achievement in the classroom setting. Recommendation for Researchers: Researchers can explore different perspectives with scholars and practitioners in various disciplinary fields of study to create or redesign courses and programs to reflect Student Ownership of Learning (SOL). Impact on Society: Student Ownership of Learning is relevant for faculty and universities to incorporate in the creation or redesigning of coursework in academic programs. Readers can gain an understanding that student engagement and achievement are two important drivers of Student Ownership of Learning (SOL) in the classroom setting. Future Research: Practitioners and researchers could follow-up in the future with a study to provide more understanding and updated research information from different research samples and hypotheses on Student Ownership of Learning (SOL). Full Article
a c A Cognitive Approach to Assessing the Materials in Problem-Based Learning Environments By Published On :: 2021-07-12 Aim/Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to develop and evaluate a debiasing-based approach to assessing the learning materials in problem-based learning (PBL) environments. Background: Research in cognitive debiasing suggests nine debiasing strategies improve decision-making. Given the large number of decisions made in semester-long, problem-based learning projects, multiple tools and techniques help students make decisions. However, instructors may struggle to identify the specific tools or techniques that could be modified to best improve students’ decision-making in the project. Furthermore, a structured approach for identifying these modifications is lacking. Such an approach would match the debiasing strategies with the tools and techniques. Methodology: This debiasing framework for the PBL environment is developed through a study of debiasing literature and applied within an e-commerce course using the Model for Improvement, continuous improvement process, as an illustrative case to show its potential. In addition, a survey of the students, archival information, and participant observation provided feedback on the debiasing framework and its ability to assess the tools and techniques within the PBL environment. Contribution: This paper demonstrates how debiasing theory can be used within a continuous improvement process for PBL courses. By focusing on a cognitive debiasing-based approach, this debiasing framework helps instructors 1) identify what tools and techniques to change in an PBL environment, and 2) assess which tools and techniques failed to debias the students adequately, providing potential changes for future cycles. Findings: Using the debiasing framework in an e-commerce course with significant PBL elements provides evidence that this framework can be used within IS courses and more broadly. In this particular case, the change identified in a prior cycle proved effective and additional issues were identified for improvement. Recommendations for Practitioners: With the growing usage of semester-long PBL projects in business schools, instructors need to ensure that their design of the projects incorporates techniques that improve student learning and decision making. This approach provides a means for assessing the quality of that design. Recommendation for Researchers: This study uses debiasing theory to improve course techniques. Researchers interested in assessment, course improvement, and program improvement should incorporate debiasing theory within PBL environments or other types of decision-making scenarios. Impact on Society: Increased awareness of cognitive biases can help instructors, students, and professionals make better decisions and recommendations. By developing a framework for evaluating cognitive debiasing strategies, we help instructors improve projects that prepare students for complex and multifaceted real-world projects. Future Research: The approach could be applied to multiple contexts, within other courses, and more widely within information systems to extend this research. The framework might also be refined to make it more concise, integrated with assessment, or usable in more contexts. Full Article
a c Formative Assessment Activities to Advance Education: A Case Study By Published On :: 2021-05-30 Aim/Purpose: During the education of future engineers and experts in the field of computer science and information communication technology, the achievement of learning outcomes related to different levels of cognitive ability and knowledge dimensions can be a challenge. Background: Teachers need to design an appropriate set of activities for students and combine theory-based knowledge acquisition with practical training in technical skills. Including various activities for formative assessment during the course can positively affect students’ motivation for learning and ensure appropriate and timely feedback that will guide students in further learning. Methodology: The aim of the research presented in this paper is to propose an approach for course delivery in the field of software engineering and to determine whether the use of the approach increases student’s academic achievement. Using the proposed approach, the course Process Modeling for undergraduate students was redesigned and experimental study was conducted. Course results of the students (N=82) who took the new version of the course (experimental group) were compared to the results of the students from the control group (N=66). Contribution: An approach for a blended learning course in the field of software engineering was developed. This approach is based on the formative assessment activities that promote collaboration and the use of digital tools. Newly designed activities are used to encourage a greater level of acquired theoretical content and enhance the acquisition of subject-specific skills needed for practical tasks. Findings: The results showed that students who participated in the formative assessment activities achieved significantly better results. They had significantly higher scores in the main components of assessment compared to the students from the control group. In addition, students from the experimental group expressed positive views about the effectiveness of the used approach. Recommendations for Practitioners: The proposed approach has potential to increase students’ motivation and academic achievements so practitioners should consider to apply it in their own context. Recommendation for Researchers: Researchers are encouraged to conduct additional studies to explore the effectiveness of the approach with different courses and participants as well as to provide further insights regarding its applicability and acceptance by students. Impact on Society: The paper provides an approach and an example of good practice that may be beneficial for the university teachers in the field of computer science, information-communication technology, and engineering. Future Research: In the future, face-to-face activities will be adapted for performance in an online environment. Future work will also include a research on the possibilities of personalization of activities in accordance with the students’ characteristics. Full Article
a c Innovative Pedagogical Strategies of Streaming, Just-in-Time Teaching, and Scaffolding: A Case Study of Using Videos to Add Business Analytics Instruction Across a Curriculum By Published On :: 2021-01-29 Aim/Purpose: Business analytics is a cross-functional field that is important to implement for a college and has emerged as a critically important core component of the business curriculum. It is a difficult task due to scheduling concerns and limits to faculty and student resources. This paper describes the process of creating a central video repository to serve as a platform for just in time teaching and the impact on student learning outcomes. Background: Industry demand for employees with analytical knowledge, skills, and abilities requires additional analytical content throughout the college of business curriculum. This demand needs other content to be added to ensure that students have the prerequisite skills to complete assignments. Two pedagogical approaches to address this issue are Just-in-Time Teaching (JiTT) and scaffolding, grounded in the Vygoskian concept of “Zone of Proximal Development. Methodology: This paper presents a case study that applies scaffolding and JiTT teaching to create a video repository to add business analytics instruction to a curriculum. The California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST) and Major Field Test (MFT) scores were analyzed to assess learning outcomes. Student and faculty comments were considered to inform the results of the review. Contribution: This paper demonstrates a practical application of scaffolding and JiTT theory by outlining the process of using a video library to provide valuable instructional resources that support meaningful learning, promote student academic achievement, and improve program flexibility. Findings: A centrally created library is a simple and inexpensive way to provide business analytics course content, augmenting standard content delivery. Assessment of learning scores showed an improvement, and a summary of lessons learned is provided to guide implications. Recommendations for Practitioners: Pedagogical implications of this research include the observation that producing a central library of instructor created videos and assignments can help address knowledge and skills gaps, augment the learning of business analytics content, and provide a valuable educational resource throughout the college of business curriculum. Recommendation for Researchers: This paper examines the use of scaffolding and JiTT theories. Additional examination of these theories may improve the understanding and limits of these concepts as higher education evolves due to the combination of market forces changing the execution of course delivery. Impact on Society: Universities are tasked with providing new and increasing skills to students while controlling the costs. A centrally created library of instructional videos provides a means of delivering meaningful content while controlling costs. Future Research: Future research may examine student success, including the immediate impact of videos and longitudinally using video repositories throughout the curriculum. Studies examining the approach across multiple institutions may help to evaluate the success of video repositories. Faculty acceptance of centrally created video libraries and assignments should be considered for the value of faculty recruiting and use in the classroom. The economic impact on both the university and students should be evaluated. Full Article
a c Key Factors for a Creative Environment in Saudi Arabian Higher Education Institutions By Published On :: 2023-04-29 Aim/Purpose: This research explores the influence of organizational-level and individual-level creativity and innovation and the technology acceptance model toward the higher education creative environment that consists of research creativity and teaching creativity. Background: Creativity and innovation are essential pillars for higher education institutions (HEIs). The two terms are interconnected, where creativity is referring to finding better ideas to do the work, while innovation is referring to how to do and implement these creative ideas. Choosing the optimal creative process and the organizational support needed to develop it is an important goal in achieving a creative and inventive environment. For the success of the creative environment to ensure the improvement of higher education institutions, information technology as social networking sites plays a crucial part in the creative process within universities. However, assessing the creativity and innovation of Saudi higher education institutions has not been well recognized. Universities today serve as knowledge-based institutions because they are at the forefront of cutting-edge R&D and scientific innovations. Creating such a productive research environment in universities, however, necessitates a work culture that encourages employees to be more creative while also encouraging the creation of new ideas and innovations. Methodology: A survey instrument was utilized as a quantitative method for this research to gather data from the study sample on the influencing variables employed in the research framework. Respondent data were analyzed using a disjoint two-stage method using PLS-SEM path modelling. Contribution: The results of this research contribute to the theoretical and scientific literature by offering a model of creativity and innovation in higher education institutions. The model proposes an optimal blend of organizational, individual, and technology variables that contribute to the development of the Higher Education Creative Environment in HEIs via creativity in teaching and research and a culture of innovation. In another way, the proposed framework especially helps to comprehend the challenges regulating establishing teaching and research creativity in HEIs via the adoption of organizational, individual, and technology enablers identified as part of this study. Findings: According to the results, organizational factors such as organizational encouragement, freedom, and challenging work have a positive relationship with the higher education creative environment. However, realistic work pressure, a lack of organizational impediments, managerial encouragement, and work group support is insufficient to affect the creative environment in higher education in Saudi Arabia. Individual variables (creative thinking skills and expertise, for example) also have a positive impact on the higher education creative environment. In the higher education creative environment, however, the influence of intrinsic motivation is insignificant. Finally, technology factors such as social networking site adoption intention, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use have the potential to influence the higher education creative environment. Recommendations for Practitioners: On the practical front, the obvious recommendation of this research is that it enables top leadership in Saudi HEIs to rethink the norms of creativity and innovation in their institutions, thereby instilling a mindset guided by a flourishing culture of creativity in the HEI environment with a specific focus on creativity practices in research and teaching domains. Furthermore, to promote the environment’s creativity within Saudi Arabian HEIs, university leaders must consider the suggested Organizational, Individual, and Technology factors as key enablers of creativity and innovation, which will guide them in revisiting their strategic actions in terms of further augmenting the creative performance of their academic’s staff, thereby sustaining a culture of Higher Education Creative Environment (HECE). Recommendation for Researchers: This study addressed many organizational, individual, and technology variables that facilitate Saudi Arabian HECE accomplishment in the form of research and teaching creativity. Furthermore, fresh insights for Saudi public HEIs are revealed when the success aspects of the creative environment are considered. If academic leadership at Saudi HEIs is to encourage the creative environment in general and creativity in teaching and research, it would be suitable for them to highlight individual, organizational, and technology success elements. As a result, their HEIs will be able to produce more innovative research, products, and services that can support and meaningfully achieve national transformation initiatives, opening the path for a transition into a knowledge-based economy. Impact on Society: In fact, this research is based on a quantitative research method, and the findings were also significant especially considering the current global crises. It is clearly understood by this process that includes organizational, individual, and technology factors as key enablers of the creative performance of academic staff, thereby sustaining a culture of HECE. Future Research: While providing the research model, it is probable that this study overlooked any other crucial aspects influencing creativity and innovation. As a result, future research should look at additional variables that may impact HECE in Saudi Arabian HEIs. Furthermore, while this study focused on deriving HECE with a particular emphasis on research and teaching creativity as results, future research might look at deriving other creativity outcomes (e.g., entrepreneurial creativity) within the investigated HECE dimension. Full Article
a c A Constructionist Approach to Learning Computational Thinking in Mathematics Lessons By Published On :: 2024-09-02 Aim/Purpose: This study presents some activities that integrate computational thinking (CT) into mathematics lessons utilizing GeoGebra to promote constructionist learning. Background: CT activities in the Indonesian curriculum are dominated by worked examples with less plugged-mode activities that might hinder students from acquiring CT skills. Therefore, we developed mathematics and CT (math+CT) lessons to promote students’ constructionist key behaviors while learning. Methodology: The researchers utilized an educational design research (EDR) to guide the lesson’s development. The lesson featured 11 applets and 22 short questions developed in GeoGebra. To improve the lesson, it was sent to eight mathematics teachers and an expert in educational technology for feedback, and the lesson was improved accordingly. The improved lessons were then piloted with 17 students, during which the collaborating mathematics teachers taught the lessons. Data were collected through the students’ work on GeoGebra, screen recording when they approached the activities, and interviews. We used content analysis to analyze the qualitative data and presented descriptive statistics to quantitative data. Contribution: This study provided an example and insight into how CT can be enhanced in mathematics lessons in a constructionist manner. Findings: Students were active in learning mathematics and CT, especially when they were engaged in programming and debugging tasks. Recommendations for Practitioners: Educators are recommended to use familiar mathematics software such as GeoGebra to support students’ CT skills while learning mathematics. Additionally, our applets are better run on big-screen devices to optimize students’ CT programming and debugging skills. Moreover, it is recommended that students work collaboratively to benefit from peer feedback and discussion. Recommendation for Researchers: Collaboration with teachers will help researchers better understand the situation in the classroom and how the students will respond to the activities. Additionally, it is important to provide more time for students to get familiar with GeoGebra and start with fewer errors to debug. Future Research: Further research can explore more mathematics topics when integrating CT utilizing GeoGebra or other mathematics software or implement the lessons with a larger classroom size to provide a more generalizable result and deeper understanding. Full Article
a c Investigating Factors Contributing to Student Disengagement and Ownership in Learning: A Case Study of Undergraduate Engineering Students By Published On :: 2024-07-22 Aim/Purpose: Despite playing a critical role in shaping the future, 70% of undergraduate engineers report low levels of motivation. Student disengagement and a lack of ownership of their learning are significant challenges in higher education, specifically engineering students in the computer science department. This study investigates the various causes of these problems among first-year undergraduate engineers. Background: Student disengagement has become a significant problem, especially in higher education, leading to reduced academic performance, lower graduation rates, and less satisfaction with learning. The study intends to develop approaches that encourage a more interesting and learner-motivated educational environment. Methodology: This research uses a mixed methods approach by combining quantitative data from a survey-based questionnaire with qualitative insights from focus groups to explore intrinsic and extrinsic motivators, instructional practices, and student perceptions of relevance and application of course content. The aim of this method is to make an all-inclusive exploration into undergraduate engineering students’ perspectives on factors contributing to this disengagement and the need for more ownership. Contribution: Inculcating passion for engineering among learners seems demanding, with numerous educational programs struggling with issues such as a lack of interest by students and no personal investment in learning. Understanding the causes is of paramount importance. The study gives suggestions to help teachers or institutions create a more engaged and ownership-based learning environment for engineering students. Findings: The findings revealed a tangled web influencing monotonous teaching styles, limited opportunities and applications, and a perceived gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world engineering problems. It emphasized the need to implement more active learning strategies that could increase autonomy and a stronger sense of purpose in their learning journey. It also highlights the potential use of technology in promoting student engagement and ownership. Further research is needed to explore optimal implementation strategies for online simulations, interactive learning platforms, and gamification elements in the engineering curriculum. Recommendations for Practitioners: It highlights the complex interplay of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation factors and the need to re-look at instructional practice and emphasize faculty training to develop a more student-centered approach. It also stresses the need to look into the relevance and application of the course content. Recommendation for Researchers: More work needs to be done with a larger, more diverse sample population across multiple institutions and varied sociocultural and economic backgrounds. Impact on Society: Enhancing learners’ educational experience can result in creating a passionate and competent team of engineers who can face future obstacles fearlessly and reduce the production of half-baked graduates unprepared for the profession’s challenges. Future Research: Conduct long-term studies to assess the impact of active learning and technology use on student outcomes and career readiness. Investigate scaling up successful strategies across diverse engineering programs. See if promising practices work well everywhere. Full Article
a c The authenticity of digital evidence in criminal courts: a comparative study By www.inderscience.com Published On :: 2024-10-07T23:20:50-05:00 Scientific progress has a significant impact on both reality and the law that applies to it. As the ICT system has positive points that are considered an added value to it, it made it easier for people to perform their tasks and facilitate interpersonal communication for individuals, saved effort and money, and reduced the time needed to accomplish part of the duties. However, at the same time, it has become a means of committing offences and a fertile space for the existence of offence, to the extent that offence in our current era has become the result of intermarriage between human intelligence and artificial intelligence. Thus, the issue of proving cybercrimes requires a deep exploration in the notion of the authenticity of audio evidence obtained from electronic searches, as well as the process of eavesdropping and recording phone calls, and the use of expert and inspection procedures in criminal lawsuits and its impact on proof before the criminal courts. Full Article
a c Influence of nostalgic behaviour on the consumption patterns of adults: a conceptual framework By www.inderscience.com Published On :: 2024-10-21T23:20:50-05:00 Nostalgia has an intrinsic association with consumer behaviour. Retrieval of memories drives emotions among consumers and reinforces experience-led buying decisions. Despite nostalgia, and consumption being a common practice at various times in life, issues regarding the nostalgia stimuli on customers' perceptions and buying decisions remain less explored. This article aims at exploring the consumption pattern of adult consumers by analysing the influence of nostalgic behaviour referring to the autobiographic memories and social motivations. It describes the purchase intentions and consumption pattern among adult consumers in the context of self-reference criteria based on nostalgic memories and social motivations. This article offers constructive understanding on establishing relationship between nostalgic memories and consumption pattern over the temporal framework and establishing the brand loyalty and hedonic satisfaction. It contributes to the existing literature by critically examining the theoretical concepts and empirical findings of previous studies on perceptions of consumers on nostalgic emotions and their role in making buying decisions. Full Article
a c Revolutionising facility layout: a case study of dynamic facility layout in cable production By www.inderscience.com Published On :: 2024-10-14T23:20:50-05:00 In the competitive landscape of globalised markets, businesses must prioritise cost reduction for sustained competitiveness. This study delves into the dynamic facility layout problem (DFLP) within a cable production company in Kerala, emphasising adaptability to changing production demands. Addressing material handling costs and rearrangement expenses, the research evaluates the efficacy of the current static layout and explores the benefits of transitioning to a dynamic layout. The case study reveals potential cost savings through the strategic restructuring of machine arrangements. The innovative machine learning-based genetic algorithm (ML-GA) integrates machine learning algorithms, genetic algorithms, and a local search method, offering a cutting-edge solution to dynamic facility layout challenges. By considering demand variability and relocation costs, the study provides insights for informed decision-making, emphasising the significance of material flow patterns. This research contributes to enhancing efficiency and profitability, providing practical implications for businesses navigating the complexities of modern manufacturing. Full Article
a c An MCDM approach to compare different concepts of SMED to reduce the setup time in concrete products manufacturing: a case study By www.inderscience.com Published On :: 2024-11-11T23:20:50-05:00 In the construction sector, moulding machines are crucial in producing concrete products, yet changing their mould can pose challenges for some businesses. This paper presents a case study aimed at reducing the setup time of HESS RH 600 moulding machine. Four alternatives are proposed and evaluated to achieve this goal. The first alternative involves converting internal to external activities, while the subsequent alternatives aim to improve the basic solution. These include building a canopy near the machine (alternative 2), installing an air reservoir (alternative 3), and a comprehensive approach involving building the canopy, installing the air reservoir, and adding a new forklift to facilitate the machine setup process (alternative 4). The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) heuristic method is used to select the best alternative solution based on prespecified criteria. It is found that the application of the single-minute exchange of die (SMED) solution without any further improvement is the most favourable. Full Article
a c Advancing mobile open learning through DigiBot technology: a case study of using WhatsApp as a scalable learning tool By www.inderscience.com Published On :: 2024-06-24T23:20:50-05:00 This article presents a case study that outlines the potential of DigiBot technology, an interactive automated response program, in mobile open learning (MOL) for business subjects. The study, which draws on a project implemented in Sub-Saharan Africa, demonstrates the applications of DigiBots delivered via WhatsApp to over 650,000 learners. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the article reports on live event tracking, qualitative observations from facilitators and learning technologists, and a learner survey (<i>N</i> = 304,000). The research offers practical recommendations and proposes a model for scalable DigiBot learning. Findings reveal that in this case, DigiBot MOL had the potential to effectively address two key obstacles in open learning: accessibility and scalability. Leveraging mobile platforms such as WhatsApp mitigates accessibility restrictions, particularly in resource-constrained contexts, while tailored micro-learning enhances scalability. Full Article
a c Case study: when a bright idea creates a business dilemma By www.inderscience.com Published On :: 2024-06-24T23:20:50-05:00 Bright Lights has a history of success, but is at a pivotal point, facing the pains of strategic change. One salesperson has found a way to maintain sales and increase profit margin, but it requires operating between the lines of ethical boundaries. Ethics provides a choice between right and right as opposed to moral temptation of right and wrong (Kidder, 1996). As the case unfolds, Jim receives a mandate of which customers he can call on, reducing sales, profit margin, and customer satisfaction. A top performer, Jim finds a solution within company policy and the law, but although not hidden, is not entirely transparent. This creates two ethical decisions: 1) Should he be reprimanded or praised? 2) Should the company update policies to ban his actions, or promote his actions among other salespeople? This case clearly strikes the dilemma found in navigating the boundaries of a questionable business strategy. Full Article
a c COVID-19 disruptions driving sustainable tourism: a case of the Hawaiian tourism industry By www.inderscience.com Published On :: 2024-06-24T23:20:50-05:00 This study inquires about the COVID-19-generated momentum and how it resulted in transformative opportunities for the hard-hit tourism industry in Hawai'i. It also investigates the type of sustainability-based management strategies that were favoured by actors from the industry to help navigate uncertain times and capture transformative opportunities. Findings indicate that actors from the tourism industry in Hawai'i perceived the COVID-19 pandemic as a huliau, or a point of transformation, to reflect and re-evaluate the tourism industry's responsibility and shift toward a recovery focused on sustainability. This research confirms that the pandemic-driven momentum accelerated opportunities for changing and transforming traditional business models and indicators of progress within the tourism industry in Hawai'i. Further research may explore additional Pacific Island countries to gain a deeper understanding of the problem within the region's context. Full Article
a c A data classification method for innovation and entrepreneurship in applied universities based on nearest neighbour criterion By www.inderscience.com Published On :: 2024-09-03T23:20:50-05:00 Aiming to improve the accuracy, recall, and F1 value of data classification, this paper proposes an applied university innovation and entrepreneurship data classification method based on the nearest neighbour criterion. Firstly, the decision tree algorithm is used to mine innovation and entrepreneurship data from applied universities. Then, dynamic weight is introduced to improve the similarity calculation method based on edit distance, and the improved method is used to realise data de-duplication to avoid data over fitting. Finally, the nearest neighbour criterion method is used to classify applied university innovation and entrepreneurship data, and cosine similarity is used to calculate the similarity between the samples to be classified and each sample in the training data, achieving data classification. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves a maximum accuracy of 96.5% and an average F1 score of 0.91. These findings indicate a high level of accuracy, recall, and F1 value for data classification using the proposed method. Full Article
a c Intellectual property management in technology management: a comprehensive bibliometric analysis during 2000-2022 By www.inderscience.com Published On :: 2024-10-30T23:20:50-05:00 Presently, there are many existing academic studies on the development, protection and operation of intellectual property management (IPM). Therefore, provides a comprehensive econometric analysis in order to provide scholars, with a clearer understanding of the evolution and development of IP management research during 2000 to 2022. The study is aiming to help scholars to better discern the expanding IPM research field from a multidimensional perspective. The database used for this analysis is the Web of Science Core Collection database. After retrieval through keywords and using a variety of tools such as CiteSpace, VOSviewer, Bibliometrix and HistCite, 1033 documents were refined to conduct the econometric analysis, and produce graphs. The findings indicate that the US is a highly active country/region in the field IP management research, and its expanding IP management research is branching out into other disciplines. The study also presents the future directions and possible challenges for IPM in technology management. Full Article
a c Preserving and delivering audiovisual content integrating Fedora Commons and MediaMosa By jodi-ojs-tdl.tdl.org Published On :: Thu, 08 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0600 The article describes the integrated adoption of Fedora Commons and MediaMosa for managing a digital repository. The integration was experimented along with the development of a cooperative project, Sapienza Digital Library (SDL). The functionalities of the two applications were exploited to built a weaving factory, useful for archiving, preserving and disseminating of multi-format and multi-protocol audio video contents, in different fruition contexts. The integration was unleashed by means of both repository-to-repository interaction, and mapping of video Content Model's disseminators to MediaMosa's Restful services. The outcomes of this integration will lead to a more flexible management of the dissemination services, as well as to economize the overproduction of different dissemination formats. Full Article Articles repositories preservation multimedia Digital Libraries Digital Repositories Preservation
a c Building a Community of Curatorial Practice at Penn State: A Case Study By jodi-ojs-tdl.tdl.org Published On :: Thu, 08 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0600 The Penn State University Libraries and Information Technology Services (ITS) collaborated on the development of Curation Architecture Prototype Services (CAPS), a web application for ingest and management of digital objects. CAPS is built atop a prototype service platform providing atomistic curation functions in order to address the current and emerging requirements in the Libraries and ITS for digital curation, defined as “... maintaining and adding value to a trusted body of digital information for future and current use; specifically, the active management and appraisal of data over the entire life cycle” (Pennock, 2006)[7]. Additional key goals for CAPS were application of an agile-style methodology to the development process and an assessment of the resulting tool and stakeholders’ experience in the project. This article focuses in particular on the community-building aspects of CAPS, which emerged from a combination of agile-style approaches and our commitment to engage stakeholders actively throughout the process, from the construction of use cases, to decisions on metadata standards, to ingest and management functionalities of the tool. The ensuing community of curatorial practice effectively set the stage for the next iteration of CAPS, which will be devoted to planning and executing the development of a production-ready, enterprise-quality infrastructure to support publishing and curation services at Penn State. Full Article Articles curation microservices agile infrastructure stakeholders Digital Curation Curation Microservices Community of Practice Agile Methodology
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