bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Medical Students' Quest Towards the Long White Coat
Authors: Smith Christina Ramirez
Published: September 2017

Every year across the globe, thousands of students begin the quest towards becoming a medical doctor and donning a long white coat. Global research indicates that after beginning medical education, medical students' mental health and well-being dramatically declines. The loss of well-being continues into the residency and practice of medicine. The aim of this chapter is to broadly examine the pressures unique to medical students within the context of medical education training, higher education, and the general population. A call for medical education to adopt innovative policy, plans, and administrative and curricular changes designed to foster a culture conducive to the long-term positive mental health and well-being of medical students during training and into the internship and long-term practice of medicine concludes the chapter.
Medical Students' Perceived Stigma in Seeking Care
Authors: Joseph Virginia , Miller Jozelle M
Published: September 2017

This chapter discusses the stigma and the barriers, which hinder medical students from seeking help for both physical and mental health conditions. Stigma will also be explored from a cultural perspective; the authors will demonstrate how it is embedded in help seeking behaviour. The authors will explore the existing literature to highlight these issues, and demonstrate how negative help seeking behaviour contributes to the poor academic performance of the students, as well produces chronic mental and physical health conditions. Solutions and interventions to address this perceived stigma will also be discussed. The authors will emphasise the importance of educators and staff of medical schools taking a more proactive role, in providing the necessary environment to facilitate such change in behaviour, by implementing some of these interventions.
Medical Student Burnout
Authors: Lubin Robert , Hamlin Michael D.
Published: September 2017

Medical students' mental health is a topic of great interest as it has implications not only for medical students but also for the patients of these future doctors. Medical students face many academic pressures and burnout is one possible consequence of these stressors with some studies suggesting that burnout affects up to 50% of medical students. Our own study of American students in a medical programme located outside of the U.S. showed that student perceptions of the medical learning environment were linked with burnout suggesting that reducing burnout requires a pedagogical approach that addresses academically related stress factors. This chapter contends that one institutional strategy to prevent problems such as burnout is to adopt a theory-based approach to instructional design that addresses the causes of medical student stress and burnout from the instructional side.
From Medical Student to Medical Resident
Authors: McDonald Warren G. , Martin Matt , Salzberg Lenard D.
Published: September 2017

The transition from medical school to board-certified medical practice includes a period of intense, practical training known as medical residency. Medical residents are at risk for greater mental health distress than the general population. Interns, which are first year residents, are most at risk for, at worst, depression and suicidal ideation, and, at best, negative outlooks on the medical profession. Risk factors include role transition, decreased sleep, relocation, isolation, stigma toward mental health problems and treatment, and health care industry changes. Untreated mental health problems can lead to burnout later during a physician's career. Residents thrive on social and organisational support which can include systematic screening and treatment of mental health problems. Although research regarding best practices for addressing mental health problems during residency is limited, we offer four core strategies for preventing and addressing mental health problems in medical residents: education, screening, treatment, and support.
Digital Model of Bench-Marking for Development of Competitive Advantage
Authors: Mkrttchian Vardan , Bershadsky Alexander , Finogeev Alexey , Berezin Artiom , Potapova Irina
Published: September 2017

The chapter deals with the problems of digital modeling and the study of the interaction of the companies competing within the framework of the bench-marking process for definition, understanding and working out the strategy of effective functioning and increasing competitiveness. The companies are considered in the organizational field, representing iterative aggregate system of a big order with a nonlinear feedback where the order is defined by the number of differential equations. The system is described by coupled Van Der Pol differential equations with random right parts and a time lag. The model is built on the example of the market interaction of the two largest retailer networks. The developed model shows the mechanism of competition of the companies' pairs which are suggested to be investigated within the framework of the bench-marking concept.
Exploring Agency in Translation
Authors: Bozkurt Seyhan
Published: September 2017

This chapter explores the work and impact of Remzi Bengi and Yasar Nabi Nayir, two significant figures in the realm of culture planning and cultural exchange during the early Republican Period in Turkey. Bengi was an editor and the owner of Remzi Publishing House, a renowned publishing house, whilst Yasar Nabi Nayir, also an editor and publisher, was the proprietor of the journal Varlik and the Varlik Publishing House. This chapter argues that, in light of their significant contributions to publishing and translation activities of the period in question and their pioneering roles in the development of new culture repertoires and the cultural evolution of the same period, they should not be seen simply as editors and publishers but also as idea-makers, culture entrepreneurs and, indeed, “carriers” of life images.
The Interpreter as a Cultural Agent
Authors: Souza Izabel Emilia Telles de Vasconcelos
Published: September 2017

The interpreters' cultural role has evolved significantly over time. Understanding the profession's history is necessary to understand its cultural evolution. Prior to professionalization, history portrayed interpreters as intercultural agents who held power as essential players, working as cultural and linguistic mediators. With the advent of conference interpreting in the Nuremberg Trials, a new professional image reflected the primary role of the interpreter as a linguistic medium. Due to the more interactive communicative activities involved, dialogue interpreting reflected a broader cultural role. This chapter discusses how the cultural role of the interpreter evolved over time, and within specializations. It gives an overview of the evolution of the cultural role in historic interpreting, conference interpreting, community interpreting, and in the medical interpreting specialization.
Intercultural Communication Challenge
Authors: Ra Sophia
Published: September 2017

A leader in community interpreting, Australia provides professional interpreting services within its public health system. Healthcare interpreters face various challenges for a variety of reasons, including cultural differences. Existing research on healthcare interpreting focuses on differences between a mainstream culture of healthcare professionals and ethnically diverse cultures of migrant patients. Interpreters are widely regarded as bicultural professionals able to provide cultural information on behalf of patients as necessary or whenever healthcare professionals ask for it. However, research on healthcare interpreting in a globalized era should consider the changing nature of culture. The question of whether the interpreter should be a cultural broker remains controversial. Based on an ethnographic study of healthcare interpreters at a public hospital in Australia, this chapter aims to survey how multiple perspectives on cultural evolution affect healthcare interpreting.
Corrections and Punishment Approaches in South Africa
Authors: Bezuidenhout Christiaan , Booyens Karen
Published: September 2017

In this chapter, the authors focus on corrections and punishment in South Africa by drawing from the historical background of corrections to current punishment approaches. The different punishment eras are described ranging from the Colonial Era to Apartheid and finally Democratization. Within each of these eras the punishment philosophy is discussed. The authors then proceed with a discussion of current punishment approaches, which include incapacitation, retribution, rehabilitation and deterrence, with the last two approaches being applied to the South African context. Regarding deterrence, minimum sentence legislation is used as an example to illustrate how long term imprisonment may deter people from committing crime. However, the consequence of such a punishment approach is the overcrowding of prisons. Rehabilitation of offenders is discussed from the viewpoint of nothing works to what works and includes a description of rehabilitation programs and the introduction of victim-offender-dialogues in South African prisons.
Prison Education in Botswana Through the Eyes of Ex-Inmates
Authors: Lopang Kamogelo , Biao Idowu
Published: September 2017

This chapter reports on a study completed in 2014. The study sought to find out the nature of education that the Botswana Prison Service dispenses and the utilitarian nature of the said education as regards the reintegration of ex-inmates back into society. The conduct of the study was guided by three research questions and Mezirow's (1997) transformative learning was used as theoretical framework. A qualitative design with a phenomenological paradigm was employed in the conduct of the study and twenty-two (22) ex-inmates of Botswana prisons participated in the study. It was found out that while ex-inmates valued the kindness of their facilitators and rated highly the education they received in prison, they were frustrated by the fact that neither government establishments nor the private sector were ready to employ them upon discharge. It was recommended that a more humane space should be created for the reintegration of ex-inmates who return into society.
Computer Science and Prison Education
Authors: Okike Ezekiel U.
Published: September 2017

In this chapter, the discipline of computing science and its relevance in prison education are examined, starting with a description of computing science sub disciplines namely, computer science, computer engineering, software engineering, information technology, and information systems. The chapter opines that providing computer education to prison inmates should prepare them for gainful employment after release from the prison. It is suggested that equipping prison inmates with relevant computing skills is just as relevant as computer education in the normal society. Hence, it is strongly recommended that national governments in developing countries should take appropriate steps to implement a focused computing science education program in prisons including commissioning a feasibility study, consulting with local universities, and local universities playing active roles in developing appropriate curriculum of computing science education for prisoners.
Virtual Community Engagement to Advance Interoperability in Digital Health
Authors: DeBenedetti Gina , Kuru Kelly , Picton Peter , Monico Linda , Shaw-Verbic Tasha
Published: September 2017

This chapter will provide an overview of InfoCentral, a virtual community platform launched for advancing digital health information in Canada. Developed and hosted by Canada Health Infoway, InfoCentral has become a hub and resource for stakeholders in digital health to discuss, consider, and evaluate common challenges among digital health system compatibility across the country (i.e., interoperability). A synopsis of the role Infoway contributes toward advancing Canadian digital health, the background and considerations for InfoCentral, along with a series of three flourishing virtual community case studies will be examined. Critical success factors and lessons learned in establishing, supporting and growing productive virtual communities conclude this chapter.
Combinatorial Optimization Problems in Multimedia Delivery
Authors: Szkaliczki Tibor
Published: September 2017

The amount of multimedia data (video, audio, images, animation, etc.) delivered through the Internet is continuously increasing. There is a wide range of application possibilities of optimization methods in the multimedia systems such as adapting multimedia objects, replication of multimedia elements, resource assignment, etc. This chapter introduces selected combinatorial optimization problems arising during the operation of multimedia delivery systems. The efficient solution of the problems considered can enhance significantly the performance of the servers and improve the quality of the provided services. This chapter provides an overview of the algorithms that can be used in multimedia delivery. Both heuristics and adaptation of well-known combinatorial optimization algorithms can be applied to solve the problems concerned. The approaches are related to typical problems and solutions in discrete mathematics such as facility location problem, knapsack problem, monotonic optimization, linear programming, evolutionary algorithms, etc.
Nature-Inspired-Based Adaptive Neural Network Approximation for Uncertain System
Authors: Singh Uday Pratap , Jain Sanjeev , Tiwari Akhilesh , Singh Rajeev Kumar
Published: September 2017

In this chapter, we focus and studied on some important nature inspired optimization methods like Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), Firefly Algorithm (FA), Cuckoo Search (CS), Bat Algorithm (BA) and Flower Pollination Algorithm (FPA) are used for assign initial weights of Back-Propagation Neural Network (BPN). Success of neural networks are sturdily depends on different parameters and initialization weight is one, these nature inspired methods are used for optimization of mean square error (MSE) and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) are used as test functions. The proposed method is based updating population, moving positions and obtain best solution space. The combination of nature inspired method and neural network were developed with the scope of creating an improved balance between premature convergence and stagnation. The performance of the proposed method is tested on two nonlinear systems. Results of FANN, CSNN, BANN and FPANN envisage that the proposed method exhibit high level of identification accuracy and its tracking error is closed in the neighbourhood of zero.
Solving Vehicle Routing Problem With Multi-Phases Simulated Annealing Algorithm
Authors: Liñán-García Ernesto , De la Barrera-Gómez Helue I. , Vázquez-Esquivel Ana Laura , Aguirre-García Jesús , Cervantes-Payan Andrea Isabel , Escobedo-Hernández Edgar Osvaldo , López-Alday Luis A.
Published: September 2017

In this chapter, a new multi-phases meta-heuristic algorithm based on Simulated Annealing(SA) is proposed in order to solve the Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem (CVRP) with stochastic demands. This algorithm is named Multi-Phases Simulated Annealing (MPSA), which has four phases of annealing, which are Fast Quenching Phase (FQP), the Annealing Boltzmann Phase (ABP), the Bose-Einstein Annealing Phase (BEAP), and the Dynamical Equilibrium Phase (DEP). These four phases are applied in different ranges of temperature in the Simulated Annealing. The proposed algorithm is applied to generate very close to optimal solution for a cleaning distribution company. Proposed approach is focused to the Vehicle Routing Problem with homogeneous capacities and stochastic demands to gain solutions where routes are the most economical, so based on this, the proposed algorithm is applied to solve the limited Capacity Vehicle Routing Problem (CVRP), trying to provide more effective and efficient metaheuristics.
Multiobjective Strategy for an Industrial Gas Turbine
Authors: Ganesan T. , Aris Mohd Shiraz , I. Elamvazuthi
Published: September 2017

In gas power plants, the overall efficiency of the generation system plays a key role in ensuring stable and efficient power supply. Terms of power supply are usually detailed in power purchase agreements (PPA). Current requirements set by PPAs limit the net power produced by the supplier. This creates opportunities for plant optimization to focus on system efficiency - aiming to increase system life-time with lower operational costs. In this chapter, a gas turbine (GT) system is considered to demonstrate certain features of power plant optimization. Waste heat from the GT exhaust stack is fed into an absorption chiller (AC). The AC cools the air intake at the GT compressor. This cooling reduces the heat rate and increases the GT efficiency. This combined GT-AC system is optimized in a multiobjective setting while considering power limitations (imposed by the PPA). The enhanced chaotic differential evolution (CEDE) is employed for optimizing this system. The obtained results are presented and analyzed in detail.
Swarm Bee Colony Optimization for Heat Exchanger Distributed Dynamics Approximation With Application to Leak Detection
Authors: Boudouaoui Yassine , Habbi Hacene , Harfouchi Fatima
Published: September 2017

The process of heat exchange in thermal systems is generally characterized by complex phenomena that involve many uncertain, varying and distributed parameters. Reliable physical modeling of heat exchangers is rather difficult to achieve because of the complex dynamics. Approximations through lumping are usually considered for simplified modeling. However, simplifying assumptions might impact the model performance. Relying on lumped-parameter models limitations, this chapter presents an alternative swarm based fuzzy modeling methodology to design reliable temperature prediction models for heat exchanger process. Fuzzy rule-based models are self-generated from process measurements to predict temperature variations in the heat exchanger using a nonlinear modeling strategy based on artificial bee colony optimization. Experimental data collected from a parallel heat exchanger is used to test the designed temperature prediction models. An application study on water leak detection is also presented in order to assess the feasibility of the swarm fuzzy modeling methodology.
An Improved RBFNN Controller for a Class of Nonlinear Discrete-Time Systems With Bounded Disturbance
Authors: Singh Uday Pratap , Jain Sanjeev , Jain Deepak Kumar , Singh Rajeev Kumar
Published: September 2017

This chapter is concerned with an adaptive Radial basis function neural network (RBFNN) is studied and implemented for a class of nonlinear discrete-time system with bounded disturbance. Due to immeasurable states and presence of input-nonlinearities like backlash, dead zone and hystersis, the design of controller becomes more challenging. RBFNN is designed to the approximation of such nonlinear system at a relative degree of accuracy, which can be used for adaptation of nonlinear discrete-time systems with or without the presence of nonlinearities. RBFNN employs as a reference model which is useful to closed loop form of pure feedback controller. Based on Lyapunov method it is proven that proposed scheme for discrete-time nonlinear systems is asymptotically stable. Hence, not only stability of proposed system is assured but it is also shown that tracking error of model lies in closed neighborhood of zero. The feasibility of the RBFNN is demonstrated by two examples of nonlinear systems.
Selection of Molybdenum-Filled Hip Implant Material Using Grey Relational Analysis Method
Authors: Aherwar Amit , Singh Amit , Patnaik Amar , Unune Deepak
Published: September 2017

In this study, a series of implant material containing molybdenum of different weight percentages were fabricated via high temperature vertical vacuum casting induction furnace and examined their physical, mechanical and wear properties. The mechanical properties were tested by the micro-hardness tester and the compression testing machine, while the wear performance was analyzed through a pin-on-disc tribometer under different operating conditions at room temperature. Density, hardness, compressive strength and sliding wear were considered as criterions for this study. The proportions of alternatives consist of Co-30Cr as a base material and molybdenum as an alloying element which was varied from 0 to 4wt.%. Due to the conflict between the properties obtained, the Grey relational analysis method (GRA) was applied to choose the best material among the set of alternatives. From the results obtained, it was found that Co-30Cr implant material containing 4wt.%molybdenum provides the best combination of the properties for a given application (i.e. hip femoral head).
Enhanced Chaotic Grey Wolf Optimizer for Real-World Optimization Problems
Authors: Heidari Ali Asghar , Abbaspour Rahim Ali
Published: September 2017

The gray wolf optimizer (GWO) is a new population-based optimizer that is inspired by the hunting procedure and leadership hierarchy in gray wolves. In this chapter, a new enhanced gray wolf optimizer (EGWO) is proposed for tackling several real-world optimization problems. In the EGWO algorithm, a new chaotic operation is embedded in GWO which helps search agents to chaotically move toward a randomly selected wolf. By this operator, the EGWO algorithm is capable of switching between chaotic and random exploration. In order to substantiate the efficiency of EGWO, 22 test cases from IEEE CEC 2011 on real-world problems are chosen. The performance of EGWO is compared with six standard optimizers. A statistical test, known as Wilcoxon rank-sum, is also conducted to prove the significance of the explored results. Moreover, the obtained results compared with those of six advanced algorithms from CEC 2011. The evaluations reveal that the proposed EGWO can obtain superior results compared to the well-known algorithms and its results are better than some advanced variants of optimizers.
A Multiobjective Genetic-Algorithm-Based Optimization of Micro-Electrical Discharge Drilling
Authors: Unune Deepak Rajendra , Aherwar Amit
Published: September 2017

Inconel 718 superalloy finds wide range of applications in various industries due to its superior mechanical properties including high strength, high hardness, resistance to corrosion, etc. Though poor machinability especially in micro-domain by conventional machining processes makes it one of the “difficult-to-cut” material. The micro-electrical discharge machining (µ-EDM) is appropriate process for machining any conductive material, although selection of machining parameters for higher machining rate and accuracy is difficult task. The present study attempts to optimize parameters in micro-electrical discharge drilling (µ-EDD) of Inconel 718. The material removal rate, electrode wear ratio, overcut, and taper angle have been selected as performance measures while gap voltage, capacitance, electrode rotational speed, and feed rate have been selected as process parameters. The optimum setting of process parameters has been obtained using Genetic Algorithm based multi-objective optimization and verified experimentally.
Teaching How to Think Like a Programmer
Authors: Kalelioğlu Filiz , Gülbahar Yasemin , Doğan Dilek
Published: September 2017

This chapter aims to provide a general description of the preferred pedagogical approaches for the delivery and practice of computer science education based on a review of the literature. Pedagogical approaches mainly used in the teaching of computer science are unplugged activities, robotics programming, block-based or initial programming environments and cross-curricular activities. The preference of these pedagogical approaches varies according to the learners' age and level. Whilst all of these approaches can be used for all ages, some are aimed more at the beginner level than others. The benefits of using each of these approaches will be discussed in this chapter by way of considering educational tips.
A Research Agenda for Computational Thinking
Authors: Czerkawski Betul C.
Published: September 2017

It has been more than a decade since Jeanette Wing's (2006) influential article about computational thinking (CT) proposed CT to be a “fundamental skill for everyone” (p. 33) and that needs to be added to every child's knowledge and skill set like reading, writing and arithmetic. Wing suggested that CT is a universal skill, and not only for computer scientists. This call resonated with many educators leading to various initiatives by the International Society for Teacher in Education (ISTE) and Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) provided the groundwork to integrate CT into the K-12 curriculum. While CT is not a new concept and has been taught in computer science departments for decades, Wing's call created a shift towards educational computing and the need for integrating it into curriculum for all. Since 2006, many scholars have conducted empirical or qualitative research to study the what, how and why of CT. This chapter reviews the most current literature and identifies general research patterns, themes and directions for the future. The purpose of the chapter is to emphasize future research needs by cumulatively looking at what has been done to date in computational thinking research. Consequently, the conclusion and discussion section of the paper presents a research agenda for future.
From Virtual to Physical Problem Solving in Coding
Authors: Zhu Kening
Published: September 2017

Using coding education to promote computational thinking and nurture problem-solving skills in children has become an emerging global trend. However, how different input and output modalities in coding tools affect coding as a problem-solving process remains unclear. Of interest are the advantages and disadvantages of graphical and tangible interfaces for teaching coding to children. We conducted four kids coding workshops to study how different input and output methods in coding affected the problem-solving process and class dynamics. Results revealed that graphical input could keep children focused on problem solving better than tangible input, but it was less provocative for class discussion. Tangible output supported better schema construction and casual reasoning and promoted more active class engagement than graphical output but offered less affordance for analogical comparison among problems. We also derived insights for designing new tools and teaching methods for kids coding.
Analyzing Current Visual Tools and Methodologies of Computer Programming Teaching in Primary Education
Authors: Altiok Serhat , Yükseltürk Erman
Published: September 2017

In our age, computational thinking that involves understanding human behavior and designing systems for solving problems is important as much as reading, writing and arithmetic for everyone. Computer programming is one of the ways that could be promote the process of developing computational thinking, in addition to developing higher-order thinking skills such as problem solving, critical and creative thinking skills etc. However, instead of focusing on problems and sub-problems, algorithms, or the most effective and efficient solution, focusing on programming language specific needs and problems affects the computational thinking process negatively. Many educators use different tools and pedagogical approaches to overcome these difficulties such as, individual work, collaborative work and visual programming tools etc. In this study, researchers analyze four visual programming tools (Scratch, Small Basic, Alice, App Inventor) for students in K-12 level and three methodologies (Project-based learning, Problem-based learning and Design-based learning) while teaching programming in K-12 level. In summary, this chapter presents general description of visual programming tools and pedagogical approaches, examples of how each tool can be used in programming education in accordance with the CT process and the probable benefits of these tools and approaches to explore the practices of computational thinking.
Computational Thinking in Educational Digital Games
Authors: Haseski Halil İbrahim , Ilic Ulaş , Tuğtekin Ufuk
Published: September 2017

In our age, computational thinking is a required skill for the 21st century that guides individuals' systematic behavior towards resolving the problems they face. Today, it could be argued that one of the tools that could be used with the students to achieve this skill is the educational digital games. Literature review revealed no measurement tools that scrutinize the readiness levels of educational digital games for the students to achieve computational thinking skills. Thus, the present study aimed to develop a checklist to determine the competency of educational digital games in promoting the achievement of computational thinking skills determined by ISTE and CSTA (2011) by the students. It was considered that the developed measurement tool would facilitate the assessment of educational digital games for achievement of computational thinking skills and guide the designers. At the end of the study, recommendations for future research and applications are presented.
The Passion That Unites Us All
Authors: Mastromartino Brandon , Chou Wen-Hao Winston , Zhang James J.
Published: September 2017

Sports fans are individuals who are interested in and follow a sport, team, and/or athlete. These fans reinforce their identity as a fan by engaging in supportive and repetitive consumption behaviors that relate to the sport or team they are so passionate about. This chapter will provide an overview of the history and cultural heritage of sports fandom, discuss the significance and functions of fandom, underline what motivates individuals to consume sports, examine the consequences and results of fandom, and highlight contemporary research and developmental trends. This chapter will allow for a good understanding of where research on sports fandom is headed and the important issues affecting sports fans.
UNESCO, Digital Library, Interactive Design, and Communicability
Authors: Cipolla-Ficarra Francisco V. , Carré Jim , Ficarra Valeria M.
Published: September 2017

We present a new category of interactive design called “eidomix”. Besides, the early results of a heuristic evaluation of communicability with the purpose of highlighting the main elements of a website related to the diffusion of cultural heritage such as “World Digital Library” (www.wdl.org), from UNESCO. Finally, a first guidelines is presented for the generation of interactive contents aimed at the future era of expansion of communicability called “quantic-nanotechnological-self-sufficient.”
Multimedia, Scientific Information, and Visualization for Information Systems and Metrics
Authors: Cipolla-Ficarra Francisco V.
Published: September 2017

We present the main aspects of the importance of carrying out quality measurements in multimedia/interactive systems in the current era of expansion of communicability. Besides we disclose the first key elements to carry out techniques and/or methodologies to discover the quality attributes of an interactive system, such as the realization of quality metrics and the process of a heuristic evaluation. A set of examples online and off-line complete the current research work. In this set is stressed the economic importance of the process of evaluation in services and products related to the software, as well as some of the human factors to gain the hegemony of quality control.
An Exemplary Interface for All
Authors: Cipolla-Ficarra Francisco V. , Quiroga Alejandra , Carré Jim , Alma Jacqueline
Published: September 2017

In the current chapter is analyzed the latest interface of the video game that has been capable of adapting to the evolution of the software and the hardware for almost a quarter of a century: SimCity. By using notions of semiotics and interactive design the isotopies have been detected that boost the interaction of the users. Besides, the elements of the layout of the Web 2.0 are studied which have been incorporated into the latest version of the video game.
A Lisibility Assessment for Mobile Phones
Authors: Cipolla-Ficarra Francisco V. , Alma Jacqueline , Carré Jim
Published: September 2017

In the current chapter the lisibility or readability factor in mobile phones is analyzed, together with other components of usability engineering, communicability and ergonomics. Besides, we present the first results of readability in multimedia mobile phones for adult users, between classical mobile phones and the last generation of multimedia phone devices. In both cases the experiments have been carried out with the low price-range of those devices.
Kernel of the Labyrinths Hypertextuals
Authors: Cipolla-Ficarra Francisco V. , Quiroga Alejandra , Ficarra Valeria M.
Published: September 2017

In the chapter, the semantemes are amalyzed which serve as dychotomic links in the core of the online links with the negative goal of online interactive communication. We present the importance of literary recourses to describe or locate the way to be followed until reaching the origin of a node or set of them, which have been intertwined among themselves in the shape of a labyrinth with the purpose of disguising illicit deeds in the network, such as can be online attacks. In the analysis is presented a practical case and the strategy followed to detect in a reliable and safe way the kernel of those hypertextual labyrinths.
Digital Television and Senior Users
Authors: Cipolla-Ficarra Francisco V. , Alma Jacqueline , Cipolla-Ficarra Miguel
Published: September 2017

In this chapter the increase of the digital divide among the third age users and the digital television is studied. From an ergonomic point of view of the remote command keys the technological impact is analyzed of the introduction of the digital television, in a sample of the senior population in the south of Europe, at the moment of interacting with television. We also present the results of the experiments in a communicability and usability lab such as the changes of habits to get information about the latest local, national and international news.
Quo Vadis “Interaction Design and Children” in Europe?
Authors: Cipolla-Ficarra Francisco V. , Ficarra Valeria M.
Published: September 2017

In the current appendix are presented the results of a heuristic study about the lack of educational control related to the new technologies and the future generations, especially children. A set of examples make known the real factors which increase the digital divide among the European population of 2020. Finally, a heuristic equation is presented to detect quickly and easily the professionals who currently tend to be misleading in their interactive design for children.
Free Emails in Bad Portals
Authors: Cipolla-Ficarra Francisco V. , Quiroga Alejandra , Ficarra Valeria M.
Published: September 2017

The possibility that millions of users have a free access to a website to send and receive multimedia messages has contributed to the democratization of the Internet since 1995 in the south of Europe. We present how those websites in the second decade of the new millennium tend to a radial and vertical structure of online services. A heuristic and diachronical analysis of the main design categories of Yahoo Spain has been carried out in a human-computer interaction lab whose results are presented in the current research work. The informative aspects of the dynamic and/or static media have also been analyzed, especially in the content and also in the presentation of the online information, on the PC and tablet screens.
Statistics and Graphics Online
Authors: Cipolla-Ficarra Francisco V. , Quiroga Alejandra , Carré Jim , Ficarra Valeria M.
Published: September 2017

In the chapter are indicated the main links of the isotopies between the static information and the different ways of graphic representation for the readers of online newspapers. Besides, a set of examples of news is presented with statistic data, analyzing those that boost or discourage iconicity and the ease of understanding. Finally, a study is made of the link between the statistic and the use of the comic to draw the attention of the user.
Sifting Through the Sets
Authors: McGivney Claudia
Published: September 2017

Data-driven decision making has become a driving factor across many industries and reliance on verifiable data is crucial in this environment. Equitable access to reliable data is a key component in establishing a just society. This chapter provides a brief overview and background to open data resources, including current initiatives and policies, along with an exploration of challenges to accessing this information. The researcher reviewed over 2,000 open data websites and repositories in order to provide a selection of these as exemplars. All resources have been annotated, with specific attention paid to repositories offering large datasets and government resources.
Using Public Data From Different Sources
Authors: Cohen Yair
Published: September 2017

The United States federal government agencies as well as states agencies are liberating their data through web portals. Web portals like data.gov, census.gov, healthdata.gov, ed.gov and many others on the state level provide great opportunity for researchers of all fields. This chapter shows the challenges and the opportunities that lie by merging data from different pubic sources. The researcher collected and merged data from the following datasets: NYSED school report card, NYSED Fiscal Profile Reporting System, Civil Rights Data Collection, and Census 2010 School District Demographics System. The challenges include data validation, data cleaning, flatting data for easy reporting, and merging datasets based on text fields.
Big Data Analytics in Higher Education
Authors: Shah Tanveer H.
Published: September 2017

This chapter reviews the literature on the use of business analytics in higher education. Universities have large datasets available to predict future direction and generate actionable information. An important type of analytics used to improve management processes and to make informed decisions is big data business analytics. State university executive leaders may improve the effectiveness of their decisions by integrating business analytics in the decision-making models. However, there is a need to examine the use of big data business analytics in the decision-making process at the executive leadership level of the selected state universities. Especially in the context of how descriptive, predictive, prescriptive, decisive and basic analytics, and data collection influence the decision-making process at the executive leadership level of the state universities in terms of student retention and graduation rates.
What Are the Relationships Between Poverty, Attendance, Teacher Evaluations, and High School Graduation Rates?
Authors: Forman Kenneth , Markson Craig
Published: September 2017

The focus of this study was to examine the relationships among poverty, attendance rates, the New York State's Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) teacher evaluation system, and student achievement. The setting of this study was high schools from New York State's Nassau and Suffolk counties, a suburban region of New York City. The results of this study showed that poverty had a strong negative correlation with graduation rates from the Regents Diploma, accounting for 31.02 percent of the variance. However, the negative impact that poverty had on the graduation rates from the Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation more than doubled. While high school student attendance rates had a weak, but statistically significant, positive correlation with Regents Diploma graduation rates, the positive correlation more than tripled with the Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation graduation rates. The New York State teacher evaluation system did not have the desired effect on student achievement.
Effects of Annual Professional Performance Review on Teacher Efficacy, Instructional Practices, and Professional Development
Authors: Murphy-Jessen Erica
Published: September 2017

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of new Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) legislation on professional development, instructional practices, and teacher efficacy. Additionally, teacher perceptions of the impact of new APPR standards on the disability classification rate in their school districts were examined. A mixed-method survey was conducted comparing two Average Needs, public school districts, in New York. Although similar student demographics were reported, the disability classification rate in District 1 was above the state the average and District 2 below the state average. The results of this study revealed that the implementation of APPR legislation significantly affected teacher's perceptions of professional development, instructional practices, and teacher efficacy. Professional development proved to be of high importance for all teachers in both districts. However, there was little consensus about the effects of APPR on the disability classification rates.
Hiring Practices, Uses of Social Media, and Teacher Retention Differences
Authors: Waite Bridgette , Morote Elsa-Sofia
Published: September 2017

This study assesses the differences between teacher retention rate and human resource (HR) managers' hiring practices, self-efficacy. Their use of social media websites (Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter) for hiring was evaluated. Turnover of teachers with fewer than 5 years of experience was gathered from New York State Education Department (NYSED) database. New York State schools were separated by high and low teacher retention rates. A Likert Scale Survey with one open ended question was sent to school districts HR managers. An independent sample t test was used to determine the differences between high and low teacher retention rates. A content analysis is presented using the responses to the open-ended question. Findings indicated that less than half of the HR managers used social media in the hiring process. No significant differences between teacher retention rates, HR managers' practices, and HR self-efficacy was found.
Interdisciplinarity in Sustainability Science
Authors: Turvey Rosario Adapon
Published: September 2017

Over the last few decades, Sustainability Science (SS) has gained momentum and emerged in the academy with an extraordinary performance in knowledge production and contributions to the research and publications enterprise, growth in academic programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels, creation of centers/laboratories, and formation of scientific communities, networks and associations. Increasingly, terms like integration, collaboration and bridging of fields and disciplinary boundaries are in the forefront of conversations and/or debates. The key question addressed by this review essay is this: Is interdisciplinarity in Sustainability Science a challenge or opportunity for educational institutions and local communities in the 21st century? Considering the recent momentum in educational advancements and institutional progress, the study outlines relevant literature on interdisciplinarity in SS; synthesizes recent thinking and developments in SS and attempts to address what challenges and opportunities people across the globe face in sustainability education and research and in the development of academic programs and sustainable communities. When scientists, policy makers, academics get together as teams, partners and collaborators they are likely to be engaged in interdisciplinary work and possibly doing sustainability research, policy development and problem-solving to deal with the pressing demands and challenges of the 21st century society. In this context, it is urgent in science and society to seek solutions to major sustainability problems such as climate change and one way to address that is by doing interdisciplinary work in Sustainability Science.
Significance of Cultural Dimensions in Urban Planning Process for Sustainability of Pilgrimage Towns in India
Authors: Anurag Varma , Singhal Shaleen
Published: September 2017

This chapter raises the significance of integration of cultural attributes in the urban planning process for sustainability of pilgrimage towns. It identifies the spatial connotations of cultural practices, processes and events to review synergies between culture and urban planning. Two Indian pilgrimage towns of Vrindavan and Haridwar with congruent cultural context but diverse urban setting have been examined. Eight significant diverse attributes of both case studies are discussed for examining linkages of cultural dimensions with urban planning, and sustainability of indigenous urbanism of Indian pilgrimage towns. Recent policy initiatives in India envision an increasing inclusion of cultural and heritage aspects in urban development, but are constrained by paucity of empirical spatial research on Indian pilgrimage towns.
The Sustainable Development Approach in the Economy-Ecology Dilemma
Authors: Tenikler Gökhan , Şeren Gamze Yıldız
Published: September 2017

The managerial model of cooperation and dialogue-driven, international, and supranational efforts during the past half-century form one of the most important topics within the “sustainable development” concept. Rapidly growing human population, together with the unsustainable pattern of consumption of renewable natural resources for future generations, also leads to the transfer of resources. The concept of development in keeping with ecological concerns about the impact of the dynamic approach should be reformulated. Faced with such dilemmas, these debates illustrate the need for a rational approach. Without jeopardizing the needs of future generations, to meet the demands of today's resource usage, the authors envision a sustainable development approach that seeks to balance protection and use. This approach should be addressed in the context of an understanding.
Harnessing Knowledge for Sustainable Development
Authors: Djeflat Abdelkader
Published: September 2017

Arab countries face two major challenges resulting from increasing competition from the rest of the world and persistent reliance on mineral resources for their growth. At the same time, sustainable development is increasingly becoming a major concern for world development. In this respect, and from a sustainability point of view, knowledge economy opens up new and more accessible opportunities through the ‘substitution' of physical resources by immaterial resources. This situation raises two fundamental questions: the first one relates to the opportunity of ensuring sustainable development while the knowledge base remains rather weak and policies often short-sighted. The second one is how an integrated approach based on knowledge can strengthen existing knowledge bases and create new ones to further sustainable development. Looking at a sample of advanced countries and Arab countries, this chapter argues that sustainability of growth rests fundamentally on the capability of properly harnessing knowledge.
Policy Provisions and Teachers' Needs on Climate Change Education for Sustainable Development in Mongolia
Authors: Tugjamba Navchaa , Yembuu Batchuluun , Gantumur Amarbayasgalan , Getsel Uranchimeg
Published: September 2017

There is scientific consensus that Mongolia is already facing the negative consequences of climate change. Raising public awareness and increasing education initiatives is one of the most important ways to adapt and mitigate climate change. The present research team reviewed the policies and provisions in support developing climate change education for sustainable development. To strengthen public awareness of climate change and sustainable development, teachers at all level must play an important role. The team analyzed the level of teachers' knowledge of climate change education for sustainable development and determined the needs for teacher training. Education policy recommendations and the possibilities for teacher training were defined.