bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ISOLATION, PURIFICATION AND PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING OF POLYSACCHARIDE FRACTIONS FROM APIUM GRAVEOLENS’ L. BOTANICAL FORMS
Authors: Surbeeva Elizaveta Sergeevna , Komova Sofya Igorevna , Shurakova Valeria Sergeevna , Nevedyuk Ksenia Stepanovna , Efremova Ulyana Andreevna , Krishtanova Nadezhda Aleksandrovna , Sanaeva Ella Pavlovna , Terninko Inna Ivanovna
Published: May 2024

The study of natural polysaccharides is an important area of research due to their pharmacological effects, including antiviral activity and the ability to regulate metabolic disorders. In addition, these polymeric structures realize several properties (sorption, shaping, transport (and delivery systems), which increases the interest of scientists in their isolation and analysis. This study aims to comparatively investigate the polysaccharide fractions in different botanical forms of celery odouriferous. The objectives of the study include the isolation of polysaccharide fractions, their purification by the Sevag method, estimation of monomeric composition of the fractions after acid hydrolysis by the HPTLC method, and determination of structural characteristics of the molecules by IR spectroscopy. Alcohol-soluble polysaccharides (ASPS), water-soluble polysaccharides (WSPS), and pectin substances (PS) were isolated from leaf, petiole, and root botanical forms of celery. After purification, the obtained substances were amorphous powders of light brown or light beige colour and odourless. The root botanical form of celery showed the highest yield of the target compounds (total (13.54±1.07)% after purification), while the petiole form (total (5.51±0.04)% after purification) showed the lowest yield. The monomeric composition of pectins and WSPS showed a predominance of galactose and arabinose, whereas the alcoholic ones showed a predominance of fructose and glucose. The interpretation of IR spectra showed the presence of absorption bands characteristic of free and bound carboxyl groups, C-O-C valence vibrations, α-configuration of the glycosidic bond, and C1-α-conformation of galacturonic acid in different polysaccharide fractions, which allows us to draw some conclusions regarding the structure of the substances. A comparative study of polysaccharide fractions of different botanical forms of odorous celery was carried out for the first time. Based on the results obtained, it is possible to single out WSPS and PS of celery root crops as the most promising phytosubstances for further development of products of functional, specialized nutrition and potential medicines on their basis. The methods of analysis used in the study can be proposed as part of the regulatory documentation for the control of these products.
Features of diagnostics and treatments of the patient with type 2 diabetes mellitus and chronic ischtmia with threating lower limb loss
Authors: Bondarenko O. N. , Yaroslavceva M. V. , Galstyan G. R. , Larina V. A. , Petrosyan A. S. , Mokrysheva N. G.
Published: May 2024

The article presents the result of our own observation of the patient with a poor control of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) for a long period, complicated by obliterating atherosclerosis of the arteries of the lower extremities, Menckeberg’s sclerosis and chronic ischemia threatening loss of the lower extremity (CLLI). A feature of the clinical manifestation are complications associated with potentially regional (angiosomal) ischemia of the foot, as well as variant anatomy, represented by hypoplasia of the vascular lower leg in the patient. The clinical consequences of vascular calcification due to long-term decompensation of carbohydrate metabolism and the development of diabetic distal polyneuropathy (DDP) led to falsely high values of the cuff test in the patient. Disadvantages of non-invasive methods for diagnosing limb ischemia and advantages of the complex application of tests for diseases of the arteries of the lower extremities are discussed. Using WIFI classification according to the degree of ulceration, the degree of ischemia, and the degree of infection on the foot (Wound, Ischemia and Foot Infection), the tactics of managing the patient are presented. The important role of ultrasonic duplex scanning (USDS) in the visualization of the arteries of the legs and feet in patients with DM is substantiated. The importance of a multidisciplinary approach in the management of a comorbid patient with type 2 diabetes and CLTI is emphasized.
Development and validation of machine learning models to predict unplanned hospitalizations of patients with diabetes within the next 12 months
Authors: Andreychenko A. E. , Ermak A. D. , Gavrilov D. V. , Novitskiy R. E. , Gusev A. V.
Published: May 2024

BACKGROUND: The incidence of diabetes mellitus (DM) both in the Russian Federation and in the world has been steadily increasing for several decades. Stable population growth and current epidemiological characteristics of DM lead to enormous economic costs and significant social losses throughout the world. The disease often progresses with the development of specific complications, while significantly increasing the likelihood of hospitalization. The creation and inference of a machine learning model for predicting hospitalizations of patients with DM to an inpatient medical facility will make it possible to personalize the provision of medical care and optimize the load on the entire healthcare system.

AIM: Development and validation of models for predicting unplanned hospitalizations of patients with diabetes due to the disease itself and its complications using machine learning algorithms and data from real clinical practice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: 170,141 depersonalized electronic health records of 23,742 diabetic patients were included in the study. Anamnestic, constitutional, clinical, instrumental and laboratory data, widely used in routine medical practice, were considered as potential predictors, a total of 33 signs. Logistic regression (LR), gradient boosting methods (LightGBM, XGBoost, CatBoost), decision tree-based methods (RandomForest and ExtraTrees), and a neural network-based algorithm (Multi-layer Perceptron) were compared. External validation was performed on the data of the separate region of Russian Federation.

RESULTS: The best results and stability to external validation data were shown by the LightGBM model with an AUC of 0.818 (95% CI 0.802–0.834) in internal testing and 0.802 (95% CI 0.773–0.832) in external validation.

CONCLUSION: The metrics of the best model were superior to previously published studies. The results of external validation showed the relative stability of the model to new data from another region, that reflects the possibility of the model’s application in real clinical practice.
The impact of innovative glucose-lowering drugs on the course and outcome of COVID-19 in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Markova T. N. , Stas M. S.
Published: May 2024

Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are at high risk of adverse outcomes in coronavirus infection (COVID-19). Despite the gradual resolution of the pandemic, new strains of the virus are emerging, characterized by high contagiousness, and the risk of infection becoming a seasonal disease is increasing. In this connection, the issue of identifying risk factors that aggravate the course of COVID-19 in patients with T2DM, including the role of initial hypoglycemic therapy, remains relevant.

The review presents and systematizes up-to-date information (according to randomized clinical trials and meta-analyses) on the effect of outpatient and inpatient use of metformin and innovative hypoglycemic drugs (glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors) on the course and outcome of COVID-19 in patients with T2DM. At the same time, the potential mechanisms of the pathogenetic effect of drugs on the course of COVID-19, positive and negative aspects of their administration are described.
Молодежные лидеры в Краснодарском крае: профили, стратегии успеха и ресурсный потенциал
Authors: Мирошниченко Инна Валерьевна , Кольба Алексей Иванович , Самаркина Ирина Владимировна , Бориско Ольга Александровна
Published: May 2024

В статье отражены результаты исследования субъектных характеристик молодежного лидерства в Краснодарском крае. Цель работы — оценить возможности включения молодежных лидеров в систему публичного управления развитием человеческого капитала в регионе. Междисциплинарная методология основана на сочетании социологического, психологического и политологического подходов к анализу молодежного лидерства. Применяется качественная стратегия эмпирического исследования, включающая в себя комплекс социологических методов сбора информации (фокус-групповые дискуссии, экспертные сессии, глубинные интервью).
Полученные результаты позволили уточнить содержание профилей молодежных лидеров («потребители» и «преобразователи»), различающихся ориентацией либо на собственное развитие, либо на решение общественных проблем. Охарактеризованы траектории развития молодежных лидеров (институционально-представительская, командная, «управление развитием» и др.) и выделены присущие им стратегии достижения успеха. Определены актуальные и латентные ресурсы, существующие в рамках двух типов лидерства, субъектные и объектные маркеры лидерства. В целом состояние молодежного лидерства в регионе по итогам проведенного исследования охарактеризовано как кризисное. Авторы приходят к выводу, что ресурсный потенциал молодежных лидеров может быть более полно использован для их интеграции в институты и практики публичного управления регионом.
Благодарность. Исследование «Молодежное лидерство в региональных практиках публичного управления развитием человеческого капитала: стратегии достижения успеха, возможности, результаты» выполнено в рамках государственного задания Министерства науки и высшего образования РФ (FZEN -2022-0013).
Качество занятости работников в России: измерение на основе индексного подхода
Authors: Вередюк Олеся Васильевна , Черных Екатерина Алексеевна
Published: May 2024

Статья посвящена многомерному измерению качества занятости на основе данных выборочных обследований населения. Апробирован индексный подход к измерению качества занятости, интегрирующий три его измерения — доход от работы, стабильность и условия занятости — через набор соответствующих индикаторов для каждого из них. Базой для расчетов стали данные Российского мониторинга экономического положения и здоровья населения в России (РМЭЗ НИУ ВШЭ). Агрегатный коэффициент (индекс) депривации качества занятости с границами от 0 до 1 составил 0,139, то есть в среднем положение каждого работника в России находится ниже порогового значения в 0,5 при учете трех рассматриваемых измерений качества занятости. Также рассчитаны составляющие индекс коэффициенты распространенности и интенсивности депривации качества занятости.
Применяя данный индексный подход к оценке депривации качества занятости в разрезе групп по возрасту, полу и уровню образования, авторы получили результаты, которые, с одной стороны, подтверждают уже имеющиеся научные представления о разрывах в качестве занятости социально-демографических групп, с другой стороны, позволяют увидеть проблему с нового ракурса. Дизайн индекса и содержательная интерпретируемость значений позволяют позиционировать его как дополнение к существующим подходам к оценке различных характеристик занятости.
Серая зона социального: к вопросу о концептуализации в рамках системно-коммуникативного подхода
Authors: Сапан Илья Евгеньевич , Шарапов Игорь Родионович
Published: May 2024

Авторы предпринимают попытку осуществить концептуализацию понятия «серая зона» в рамках социальных практик. В качестве релевантного метода, который позволяет описать совокупность качественных характеристик серой зоны, исследователи избирают системно-коммуникативный подход, возникший на основе достижений социальной теории Никласа Лумана. Предлагая в качестве эмпирических данных несколько кейсов из области банковской и правовой сферы, авторы последовательно излагают ключевые особенности серых зон как совокупности разнородных коммуникаций, не участвующих в воспроизводстве (аутопойезисе) социальных систем. С опорой на системно-коммуникативный подход серую зону можно рассматривать как нечто, что социальная система не может проинтерпретировать в логике собственных коммуникаций, то есть до определенного времени не может подвергать наблюдению и встраиванию в свой коммуникативный ряд. Авторы приходят к выводу, что изучение феномена серой зоны и его дальнейшей концептуализации возможно только постфактум. Однако попытка задать генерализованное описание данного явления на основании эмпирических фактов может послужить начальной точкой для разработки стратегий управления и регулирования данного явления в будущем.
Изменчивость ковид-скептических установок в России: результаты анализа двух волн лонгитюдного опроса «Ценности в кризисе»
Authors: Афанасьева Юлия Александровна , Соколов Борис Олегович , Широканова Анна Александровна
Published: May 2024

В ходе пандемии COVID-19 многие люди, в том числе в России, не воспринимали угрозу, исходящую от нового вируса, всерьез и игнорировали базовые меры предосторожности, такие как ношение масок и соблюдение социальной дистанции. В силу очевидной опасности, которую подобные взгляды и провоцируемое ими безответственное поведение представляют для других людей, феномен ковид-скептицизма стал объектом пристального интереса социологов и специалистов в сфере общественного здоровья. Однако большинство научных работ по теме фокусируются на установлении коррелятов ковид-скептицизма в статической, кросс-секционной перспективе.
Настоящее исследование направлено на выявление социально-демографических и личностных факторов изменчивости индивидуальных установок по отношению к коронавирусу в российском контексте и пытается ответить на вопрос, какие характеристики отличают тех, кто перестает быть ковид-скептиками с течением времени, от тех, чьи установки меняются в обратном направлении. Для этого используются данные двух волн российской части лонгитюдного международного онлайн-опроса «Ценности в кризисе» (июнь 2020 г. и апрель — май 2021 г.).
Доля скептиков среди участников опроса, принявших участие в обеих волнах, чуть менее чем за год сократилась с 37,4% до 31,6%. Среди повторно опрошенных 15,4% перестали быть ковид-скептиками, а 9,6% стали ими. Те, кто отказывается от скептической позиции, старше тех, кто ее принимает, имеют более высокий доход, больше тревожатся по поводу здоровья — как собственного, так и близких. Кроме того, бывшие скептики в большей степени (по сравнению с новыми) поддерживают ценности равенства и выбора (подвиды эмансипативных ценностей К. Вельцеля). Переход из группы нескептиков в группу скептиков (равно как и наоборот) также тесно ассоциируется со снижением (ростом) институционального доверия.
Благодарность. Статья подготовлена в рамках гранта, предоставленного Министерством науки и высшего образования Российской Федерации (№ соглашения о предоставлении гранта: 075-15-2022-325).
Потребление новостей в повседневной рутине думскроллеров
Authors: Казун Анастасия Дмитриевна
Published: May 2024

Изменения в медиасреде и ситуационный контекст привели к тому, что в 2022 г. многие россияне существенно увеличили потребление новостей. Часть потребителей информации можно было охарактеризовать как думскроллеров — чрезмерно активных потребителей негативных новостей, несмотря на связанные с ними тревогу и злость. В данной работе рассматривается, как такие медиарепертуары вписываются в рутину, соотносятся с другими повседневными активностями и локализуются во времени и пространстве. Эмпирическую базу исследования составили 47 интервью с думскроллерами, проведенные в период с 20 ноября 2022 г. по 30 марта 2023 г. Делается вывод, что потребление новостей может быть интегрировано в рутину думскроллеров двумя способами. Оно может быть (1) распределенным в течение дня или (2) происходить в выделенное время. В первом случае новости заполняют свободное время человека, в том числе в моменты переключения между разными задачами. Такое распределенное потребление информационного контента может происходить в необычных контекстах: на вечеринке, на выставке, в душе, в состоянии сильного алкогольного опьянения и т.д. Во втором случае информанты подчеркивают, что они сознательно выбирают время и локацию для просмотра новостей, что позволяет им совмещать несколько повседневных активностей или потреблять информационный контент в среде, которая воспринимается как более безопасная и комфортная. Сделан вывод, что классифицировать интенсивное потребление новостей как проблемное следует не только на основании количественных показателей, но и исходя из того, как оно вписано в распорядок дня и соотносится с другими повседневными активностями. Отдельные практики потребления информации, выделенные для думскроллеров, вероятно, являются следствием технического развития и перехода к медиасреде с большим выбором. Можно предположить, что они свойственны и менее активным потребителям новостей.
Благодарность. Исследование поддержано Российским научным фондом (РНФ), грант № 23-78-01206, https://rscf.ru/project/23-78-01206/.
Nutritional and therapeutic potentials of Carica papaya Linn. seed: A comprehensive review
Authors: Adeoye Raphael Idowu , Olopade Esther Temidayo , Olayemi Ifeoluwa Oluwatosin , Okaiyeto Kunle , Akiibinu Moses Olayemi
Published: May 2024

The health benefits and nutritional value of pawpaw or papaya (Carica papaya Linn.) are well established. The entire papaya plant—including the leaves, fruit, bark, root, juice, seeds and latex - is used for dietary, medicinal and other purposes. However, papaya seeds are the under-exploited part since they are typically seen as waste after the edible fruits have been processed and consumed. Hence, the aim of this review is to document the nutraceutical and therapeutic potential of Carica papaya seeds with a view of enhancing its prospect in drug development.  The following title search criteria were used “Carica papaya” OR “Papaya” OR “Pawpaw OR C. papaya” AND “seed” OR “seed oil”; while “fruits OR leaves OR stem OR root OR juice OR latex” were excluded. The articles used for this research were limited to the original research articles and those written in English Language only.  The seeds which are often seen as waste products offer countless possibilities for developing new nutritional supplements and medicines due to the huge vital micronutrients and a variety of secondary metabolites that have been reported to be embedded in them. Papaya seeds contain beneficial phytochemicals such as carotenoids, flavonoids, alkaloids, phytosterols and tocopherols. These substances, have intriguing nutraceutical qualities and are important in the treatment and amelioration of several medical disorders. Benzyl glucosinolates, caricin, fatty acids, crude fibre, carpaine, glucotropaeolin, benzyl isothiocyanate, crude protein, benzyl thiourea, hentriacontane, ß-sitostrol and enzymes (myrosinase and papain) were discovered as nutritional components in papaya seeds. Papaya seeds may be used medicinally as antioxidant, antidiabetic, antiulcerogenic, liver cirrhosis treatment and menstrual cycle modulation.
Defining “data” in conversations with students about the ethical use of learning analytics
Authors: Brooker Abi , Corrin Linda , Fisher Josie , Mirriahi Negin
Published: May 2024

In any conversation about the development of ethical standards for practice, it is vital that all stakeholders have a shared understanding of the main concepts in order to reach agreement. In the context of higher education and learning analytics, while many conversations are underway, it is less clear that such a shared understanding exists around the concept of “data”. In order to understand this situation more fully we conducted a study to investigate students’ perceptions of the ethical and privacy considerations related to the data that universities collect and use about them for the purposes of learning analytics. In this paper, we focus specifically on the understandings students have of the types of data that can be collected about them within the educational environment. The outcomes showed that there was a diversity of understandings, but that five main data types emerged. In developing a better understanding of the ways students understand data, it can assist institutions to have more effective conversations with students about the ethical use of learning analytics.
Developing virtual collaborative health team educational environments
Authors: Cochrane Thomas , Stretton Todd , Aiello Stephen , Britnell Sally , Christie Duncan , Cook Stuart , Narayan Vickel
Published: May 2024

In this short paper we introduce a conceptual framework that is under development to create virtual educational environments to simulate collaborative health team experiences. Building on our work of developing virtual environments for authentic Paramedicine education scenarios, we are extending the concept across the seven health disciplines at the university, beginning initially with a prototype involving three health discipline teams: Paramedicine, Nursing, and Physiotherapy. Using a design based research methodology we are developing prototypes of immersive simulated environments to simulate the real - world interaction between these three health teams for our students. We leverage a low cost mobile BYOD approach enabling rapid prototyping and development of these scenarios.
Visualising mixed reality simulation for multiple users
Authors: Cowling Michael , Birt James
Published: May 2024

Blended reality seeks to encourage co-presence in the classroom, blending student experience across virtual and physical worlds. In a similar way, Mixed Reality, a continuum between virtual and real environments, is now allowing learners to work in both the physical and the digital world simultaneously, especially when combined with an immersive headset experience. This experience provides innovative new experiences for learning, but faces the challenge that most of these experiences are single user, leaving others outside the new environment. The question therefore becomes, how can a mixed reality simulation be experienced by multiple users, and how can we present that simulation effectively to users to create a true blended reality environment? This paper proposes a study that uses existing screen production research into the user and spectator to produce a mixed reality simulation suitable for multiple users. A research method using Design Based Research is also presented to assess the usability of the approach.
Improving the undergraduate Science experience through an evidence-based framework for design, implementation and evaluation of flipped learning
Authors: Davila Yvonne , Huber Elaine , Reyna Jorge , Meier Peter
Published: May 2024

Flipped Learning (FL) is a student-centred pedagogical approach where new content is introduced prior to class which permits more time during class for active learning. Despite the growing body of evidence of the effectiveness of FL, many educators are reluctant to adopt this approach to teaching or are unsure of how to implement FL in their classes. Many students are uncertain of how to adapt their approaches to learning to a FL curriculum. In response to these challenges and calls for a robust framework to guide the design and implementation of FL, we developed the Flipped Teacher and Flipped Learner (FTFL) Framework based on the pedagogical literature. This paper reports on the use of our FTFL framework in the redesign of a large first year science subject from a traditional delivery to a FL delivery. We evaluated the efficacy of the redesign using a mixed methods approach with data on students’ interactions with FL activities, and student and educator experiences. Findings from two iterations of the redesign indicate successful implementation of FL through high student engagement with online and class materials, and positive feedback from students and academics. Using the FTFL framework to guide the design and integration of FL, with an emphasis on clear communication, is key to our successful FL intervention and support of student learning.
‘One size does not fit all’
Authors: Galaige Joy , Torrisi-Steele Geraldine
Published: May 2024

Online learning is immensely popular and attracts learners from diverse cultural backgrounds. Given learning is situated in culture, the diversity of online students presents a great challenge to course designers, but remains largely unaddressed. To complicate matters, Learning Management Systems (LMS), though efficient and easy to use for course design, promote a one-size-fits-all’ approach. The PhD study referred to in this paper seeks to make inroads to cultural sensitivity in LMS. A beginning point for the project is to explore Instructional designers’ perspectives on culturally sensitive online learning design features. We report on the early findings from this first step and aim to incite rich discussion around culture, instructional design and online learning.
Face-to-face and virtual mathematics enrichment for rural schools:
Authors: Galligan Linda , Addie Ron , Stern Linda , Axelsen Taryn
Published: May 2024

In this paper the authors report on the University of Southern Queensland’s (USQ) Mathematics Rural and Regional Communities (MRRC) project. This project is an extension to the Mathematics Enrichment Program (MEP), which has been running since 2007. Since the MEP’s inception, more than 500 students, 29 schools, 15 pre-service teachers (who are involved to gain practical teaching experience) and many volunteer university lecturers and other mathematics and education professionals have been involved. The MRRC project builds on USQ’s MEP to offer content in an online or virtual format. Through an interactive virtual environment, the MRRC project connects regional high schools to USQ’s two campuses to build the capacity of the teachers and students involved. The authors describe the overall aim and structure of the MRRC program, preliminary evaluations of the program, analysis of the virtual space and future plans for the program.
Monash Rocks
Authors: Macfarlan Barbara , Anderson Marian , Boyce Julie , Chandler Tom , Bochynek Thomas , Yeates Mike , Maynard Colin
Published: May 2024

This paper describes the development of the “Monash Rocks” app - designed to bring our landscape to life through augmented reality. We describe the highs and lows of the development process, the lessons we learned along the way, and our plans for further development of the app to showcase the Monash Earth Sciences Garden and extend the space into further innovative, immersive teaching and learning experiences. The creation of Monash University’s Earth Sciences Garden (MESG), a "living" geological map of Victoria collating nearly 500 rock specimens, gave us the perfect vehicle for an Augmented Reality (AR) experience. Students and visitors to the MESG can now use the Monash Rocks App on their phones to view a 3D display that overlays the live camera feed on the device enhancing the experience of the environment, taking it to another dimension. The value in augmenting a learning environment is in its ability to pull virtual objects into real scenes (Green & Chandler, 2014, p.549), in this case expanding the physical environment through time and space on a journey back millions of years. The rock now becomes alive, telling its story and supplying information that is missing in the “real life” walk through the garden.
A Community of Inquiry approach to learning design in a community-engaged learning program
Authors: Marjadi Brahm , Dave Kashmira , Mason Glenn
Published: May 2024

The Medicine in Context (MiC) program is the flagship community-engaged learning and teaching program at the Western Sydney University School of Medicine. MiC students attend placements at community organisations, General Practice clinics and face-to-face tutorials and lectures for two fiveweek blocks. Responding to students’ lack of engagement and preference for more flexible delivery modes, a blended learning approach using the Community of Inquiry framework to guide the design has been gradually introduced since 2014. The MiC webpage was revised to simplify access to key information and resources. Five lectures were transformed into online modules and one workshop was converted into a flipped classroom. Multi-media open educational resources were added to replace some reading materials. Online “Weekly Study Guide” scaffolds, paces and aligns students’ self-directed learning with MiC learning outcomes. Moving program evaluation and some assessments to an online platform enables more timely feedback. These developments have resulted in novel, engaging learning activities. Preliminary evaluation indicates students’ greater engagement with the MiC program and deeper levels of learning indicated by increased levels of reflection and the demonstration of MiC learning outcomes being satisfied.
The combined effects of physical and virtual models in learning cellular biology
Authors: Wu Jinlu , Van Nguyen Hong , Chen Ruilin , Fan Pui Yee Fiona , Loh Kar Jun
Published: May 2024

Physical models have long been used in science education for visualization of complex cellular structure and dynamics during face-to-face lecture (F2F). Recent advancement of technology has enabled us to create virtual models and to share knowledge remotely. This study aims to find out whether physical and virtual models work synergistically to enhance student engagement in learning an undergraduate Life Sciences module. Three independent experiments were conducted to assess learning effectiveness on three biology concepts through four learning approaches: video with virtual model only, video with integration of virtual and physical model demonstration, F2F lecture using virtual model only, F2F lecture using virtual and physical models. Participants were randomly assigned to different groups each with one learning approach. Data collected through pre- and post-tests revealed that significant improvement in learning scientific concepts occurred in one of three controlled experiments when the video contains both virtual and physical models, while no obvious difference found in the other two experiments. This data suggests that well-prepared digital media alone may convey scientific information well and additional physical models do not aid in information acquisition. However, feedback survey on student learning experience showed that all participants preferred to learn from physical models. In all three experiments, students consistently voted that the physical models attracted their attention and enhanced their interests. They made better mind maps and raised more questions. These hint that a combination of digital media with physical models might improve engagement and promote higher order thinking.
The changing nature of student engagement during a digital learning task
Authors: Wiseman Paul , Lodge Jason , Arguel Amaël , Kennedy Gregor
Published: May 2024

The construct of student engagement has been useful in understanding students' motivation in digital learning environments where they are required to show increased autonomy and independence in learning. Increasing clarity around this construct has allowed researchers to more accurately describe the nature of student engagement and the context in which it is being investigated. At a task-level, psychological states of engagement have been shown to be beneficial for students' positive learning experience, and performance. Despite this, we still lack knowledge of how these engaged states unfold or sustain during a learning task. In this paper we report on a qualitative study that investigated undergraduate students' experiences of psychological states of engagement in a digital learning task. Findings revealed that the three dimensions of engagement - cognition, affect, and behaviour - changed in intensity, with students experiencing both times of engagement and of not being engaged through the course of a digital learning task.
The pedagogy-technology nexus:
Authors: Barac Karin , Prestridge Sarah , Main Katherine
Published: May 2024

This paper reports on the early findings of a research study into academic design practices when incorporating educational technology. As part of the overall project, students were questioned on their perceptions of the use of technologies in the course. The insights gained from the students are discussed within the parameters of three major themes that emerged from the data informing implications to practice in academic development and learning design.
Using the perceptions of online university students to improve the pedagogy and practice of distance educators
Authors: Bolton David , Northcote Maria , Kilgour Peter , Hinze Jason
Published: May 2024

This paper reports on the findings of an investigation into the experiences of undergraduate and postgraduate distance education students from one higher education institution, Avondale College of Higher Education. All of the institution’s current students who were enrolled in a distance course or who had previously completed a distance component of their course were surveyed using an online questionnaire. A subgroup of this population also contributed to focus group discussions. Findings from an analysis of the combined data gathered from the online questionnaire and the focus groups were used to inform the institution’s professional development (PD) program that supports lecturers to design and teach online courses. Results of the study are outlined in terms of distance students’ perceptions about the institution’s distance education program, specifically in relation to course structure, interaction and communication, presentation of materials, use of media and design consistency. The paper concludes with recommendations for addressing the weaknesses of online learning programs including both curriculum design and PD strategies.
Generating learning through the crowd
Authors: Bryant Peter
Published: May 2024

Social media and higher education pedagogy have enjoyed a chequered relationship with significant debates about the efficacy of social media as a site of student centred learning, the manager/host of an individual’s learning trajectory and as a tool of facilitating collaborative learning at scale. This paper presents the findings from the evaluation of Constitution UK, an innovative civic engagement and open learning project run by the London School of Economics and Political Science (UK). This was the lead initiative in an institution-wide shift in pedagogical approach, designed to transform the learning experience through supporting students to be co-producers of knowledge. We argue that some of the behaviours inherent in social media learning (centred on fleeting connections, digital identity and discontinuous engagement) can create the conditions for effective learning through experience and practice, both at scale in open, online modes as well in the face-to-face delivery environment. Challenging the dominant pedagogical approaches of other massive online programmes, Constitution UK brought together a civil community of people engaging in the process of digital citizenship that produced a crowdsourced constitution for the United Kingdom. The learning design of the project successfully engineered both learning and problem solving at scale. The key aspects of the project arising from how social media can facilitate critical thinking, engagement, peer and crowd learning have informed pedagogical change within the mainstream provision of the School for initiatives such as Students as Producers, civic engagement over Brexit and games-based learning.
It takes a village
Authors: Smith Debborah
Published: May 2024

Digital textbooks now incorporate various technological enhancements, and offer many opportunities for learning and teaching in higher education. Despite some enthusiasm for this medium, lecturers tend not to integrate the extra activities into their courses preferring instead to simply have them available as optional extra activities for students. One reason for this barrier to use is the time and effort required to integrate technology into the curriculum in a meaningful way, and lecturers may feel they lack the necessary knowledge to do this effectively. Despite the existence of institutional support to assist educators with technology enhanced learning, the services don’t always align with what faculty want or need. As a result, there have been calls to improve staff training and professional development. This paper presents a theorised inquiry into educators’ reflections on the integration of digital textbooks using Mishra & Koehler’s TPACK framework as an underpinning theory. The findings suggest the need for training and support that is individualised to instructors’ specific needs, and allows for increased collaboration between various stakeholders. It is concluded that professional development that focusses on the development of TPACK, and operates within a collaborative and context-specific learning community could support the increased uptake of digital textbooks in higher education.
Women and rural people’s participation in tertiary education through Internet resources in India
Authors: Sandhu Sandeep
Published: May 2024

India has a large formal higher education system, however the enrolment of women and rural people in universities is not substantial. Women enrolment in tertiary education was reported only 41.5% of the total enrolment in the academic year 2010-2011 and only 7% population in rural areas have a higher education. Many socio-cultural barriers prevent people from accessing higher education in India. The integration of the Internet into the higher education sector has the potential to improve access to tertiary education in India regardless gender and area. Using personal narrative and interview data, this article explores how Internet resources can be used to enhance women and rural people’s participation in tertiary education in India.
A cross-disciplinary evaluation of digitally recorded feedback in higher education
Authors: Phillips Michael , Ryan Tracii , Henderson Michael
Published: May 2024

Research demonstrates that assessment feedback created using audio, video, and screencast recordings can offer advantages over text-based feedback. However, the majority of research and experience in this domain has largely been limited to a single disciplinary or cohort context. This project aimed to empirically investigate if recorded feedback (i.e. audio, video, and screencast) could be effectively implemented across different contexts, including disciplines. As part of this, teaching staff from five discrete subjects provided digitally recorded feedback to students on at least one assessment task. Assessment types included various forms of written assignments, completed by individuals or groups of students. This paper reports on survey data collected from 351 students who received recorded feedback or text-based feedback. Survey respondents were enrolled in five subjects across four disciplines (Education, Pharmacy, Engineering, and Management). To triangulate the survey findings, interview data from nine students are also included. Overall, the findings indicate that students in all disciplines found digitally recorded feedback to be more satisfying, more useful, and more engaging than text-based feedback alone. However, these outcomes differed across contexts; results tended to be elevated in subjects with smaller cohorts, and when richer audiovisual modalities were used. In two of the cases students, while still being overall positive, indicated that the feedback was less clear, usable and satisfying than indicated in other cases. These differences are explored and issues of teacher experience, cohort size, group assessment, and disciplinary cognate traditions are considered.
Flipping diverse classrooms
Authors: Pechenkina Ekaterina
Published: May 2024

Flipped Classroom is a pedagogical approach in which all or some of direct instruction is moved outside of the face-to-face environment to dedicate more in-class time to ‘hands-on’, experimental and engaging activities. Usually enabled by educational technology, the Flipped Classroom approach draws on the ‘active learning’ philosophy which implies that students must share responsibility for their learning with their instructors, resulting in more impactful learner behaviours. Considering university classrooms are increasingly diverse, with international students forming a significant cohort of learners, instructor perceptions of internationals students in Flipped Classrooms are of interest. This is particularly important because international students, especially those from Asian countries, can be perceived by instructors as ‘passive’ learners’ regardless of students’ actual skills, learning preferences and goals. This presumed ‘passivity’ may clash with instructors’ goals, potentially creating tensions-filled dynamics between instructors and international students in Flipped Classrooms. The proposed article explores university instructors’ perceptions of international students in technology-enabled Flipped Classrooms to understand how these perceptions may influence instructors’ choices for the design of the flip. Findings demonstrate that while some instructors view international students as a barrier to impactful Flipped Classroom, others draw on their classroom’s diversity, using it as a source of inspiration, and designing the flip with international students in mind.
Evaluating the sustainability of tablet devices in blended learning
Authors: Palikat Cynthia , Gruba Paul
Published: May 2024

Blended approaches to teaching and learning and higher education often demand the provision of substantial investments in professional development, curriculum change and technological resources. Given the intense effort required for successful courses, focus has turned increasingly on the sustainability of blended learning in higher education. In this study, we adopt an argument based approach to the sustainable use of tablet computers in a university pathway course. After mapping out the argument with key stakeholders, we conduct a participatory action research project that takes into account observations, interviews and personal reflections. Results of the evaluation point to a ‘weak argument’ for the continued use of tablet computers that demonstrates their use is not sustainable. We conclude with suggestions to turn to issues of curricular alignment and further adoption of argument based evaluation for educational technology.
Using threshold concepts about online teaching to support novice online teachers
Authors: Northcote Maria , Gosselin Kevin , Kilgour Peter , McLoughlin Catherine , Boddey Chris
Published: May 2024

As online learning expands across the higher education sector, individual university lecturers are required to take on roles that incorporate responsibilities for designing and teaching online courses. Their growing capacities to fulfil these roles are sometimes supported by professional development (PD) programs within their institutions while some staff engage in staff development activities outside their home institutions. These programs and activities may take place within Communities of Practice (CoPs) while others are conducted on an individual basis. While much research has been undertaken into the field of online teaching and learning, including investigations into the most useful technological tools to incorporate into the design of online courses, the design of PD curricula to support the needs of novice teachers of online courses has not been as extensively explored. This paper reports on the outcomes of an Office for Learning and Teaching (OLT) funded project which purposely set out to identify the threshold concepts about online teaching that university lecturers develop as they engage in both the individual and communal aspects of designing and teaching online courses. The paper explains how the identification of threshold concepts about online teaching informed the development of a set of curriculum guidelines for the PD of novice online teachers. Recommendations for the design of PD for individual teachers (at the “me” level) are provided along with recommendations for the institution (at the “us” level).
A framework for program wide curriculum transformation
Authors: Nicolettou Angela , Chester Andrea , Soulis Spiros
Published: May 2024

Designing and delivering higher education programs in a global climate of constant change, technological advances and uncertain futures leads to the need for curriculum transformation practices that are innovative and responsive. This paper describes a university-wide approach to developing a framework for program level transformation that is strengths-based, data-informed and design-led. A strengths based approach builds on good practice, creating a space that is positive and forward looking. Data informed practice and the inclusion of data wranglers on the project allowed for conversations about the known, unknowns and desirable directions to take place and inform directions. Design-led practices introduced design thinking principles such a building empathy and co-design with students, alumni and industry. The emergent framework has three key stages: vision, design and build. The vision stage focuses on the program team, its students, industry and desired direction for transformation. The design stage focuses on defining challenges, ideating, co-designing and creating a plan for development. The build stage uses a rapid prototyping and iterative approach to development that incorporates user testing early in the stage. The project has delivered a framework for program level transformation and innovation and has shown that a strengths-based approach that is data informed and engages with students as codesigners has the capacity to unite teams, inform program visions and allow for innovative practices to emerge. Taking a learner experience approach to design also highlighted the value in engaging students and industry in curriculum design from the start of the process rather than simply as end users.
Challenges and tensions in the role of the LMS for medical education
Authors: Lyall Jill , Freund Katharina , Webb Alexandra
Published: May 2024

In the context of discussions of a “next generation LMS” and other contemporary challenges in higher education, this case study looks at the iterative process a team of educational designers and Medical School academics at Australian National University used in a review of the ANU's Medical School LMS sites. Adopting the framework of the actor network theory, this reflective process discovered the tensions, dynamics and issues involved, and worked to gain and maintain key Medical School staff engagement and support for the review and for any changes that might be recommended. This paper reflects on emerging possible models for technology-enhanced learning beyond our current institutional LMS while acknowledging the institutional constraints on learning innovation within the global higher education context. Next generation LMS models may provide a more flexible future solution that could be applicable not just to medical education, but to higher education generally.
Online global collaboration
Authors: Lindsay Julie , Redmond Petrea
Published: May 2024

New teaching and learning approaches are emerging through the use of technology including online global collaboration. Educators involved in global collaboration forge external relationships with others beyond their immediate learning environment. They modify and adapt the curriculum to include global learning opportunities for their learners. Global collaboration provides opportunities for rich global, cognitive, social, cultural and life-changing experiences to their students. Online global collaboration broadly refers to geographically dispersed educators that use online technologies to learn with others beyond their immediate environment to support curricular objectives, intercultural understandings, critical thinking, personal, social and ICT capabilities. This paper will report some preliminary findings from an investigation into the perceptions of K-12 educators who facilitate global collaborative learning. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews that were then themed to identify the key affordances and inhibitors to online global collaboration. The paper will provide recommendations for global collaboration in teacher education.