bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of general outpatient surgery in adults at Batna Teaching Hospital
Authors:   Service de chirurgie, CHU Batna, – Algérie, SAHLI Allel , BAFDEL Omar , BENAZZA Ali , OUAHEB Abdelmalek , HALIMI Khemissi , LAMARA Abdelhak
Published: July 2021

Introduction : La chirurgie ambulatoire est un concept d’organisation spécifique liée à une durée de séjour réglementairement inférieure à une journée de travail « working day ». Deux motivations sont à l’origine du développement de cette alternative à l’hospitalisation traditionnelle : le désengorgement des lits et la réduction des coûts hospitaliers. Ainsi, nous voulons par ce travail évaluer la chirurgie générale en ambulatoire chez l’adulte au CHU de Batna. Matériel et méthodes : Nous avons mené une étude au CHU de Batna concernant 315 malades opérés selon le mode ambulatoire comparés à un deuxième groupe de 315 patients opérés en hospitalisation classique, ceci de Janvier 2014 à Mars 2016. Résultats : L’âge moyen est de 45,15 ± 15,81 ans dans le groupe A et de 47,18 ± 16,23 ans dans le groupe B (18- 86), sex ratio M/F = 1,46 dans le groupe A et 1,35 dans le groupe B). L’Indice de masse corporelle (IMC) moyen est de 27,71 ± 2,53 % dans le groupe A et 27,48 ± 2,41 % dans le groupe B. Le délai d’attente dans le groupe A est en moyenne de 30,8 jours et de 38,66 jours groupe B. La majorité des patients des deux groupes appartenaient au score ASA I ou II, avec une faible proportion de score ASA III. Discussion : Les patients âgés ou en surpoids restent éligibles à la chirurgie ambulatoire. La chirurgie ambulatoire a réduit de façon considérable le délai d’attente des patients. La morbidité postopératoire est liée aux NVPO et aux DPO qui sont les principales causes de réadmission non programmées. Enfin, la satisfaction est un excellent indicateur de l’efficacité globale de la chirurgie ambulatoire ; La chirurgie ambulatoire est perçue comme un élément de contribution à la diminution des dépenses hospitalière. Conclusion : La chirurgie ambulatoire est une chirurgie sûre et de qualité associant sécurité et efficience.
Thyroidectomy by technical vascular microsurgery without searching for recurrent nerves
Authors:   Service ORL et chirurgie cervico-faciale CHU Bab Eloued, Alger – Algérie, AMOURACHE Yacine
Published: July 2021

La chirurgie d’exérèse de la glande thyroïde est une chirurgie vasculaire quasi exclusive. Cependant, des éléments nobles, à savoir, les nerfs laryngés et les glandes parathyroïdes doivent être préservés ; d’autre part, le coût des moyens techniques doit aussi être mis en exergue. Tenant compte du souci d’une hémostase parfaite, de la préservation des éléments nobles et des moyens techniques non coûteux, on a conçu et mis en pratique notre technique dite « Thyroïdectomie par technique de microchirurgie vasculaire », sans la recherche des nerfs laryngés inférieurs ou nerfs récurrents, avec recherche et préservation des glandes parathyroïdes et sans drainage aspiratif post-opératoire. Le nombre de patients opérés par cette technique est de 41, 21 thyroïdectomies totales et 20 hémi-thyroïdectomies (13 droites et 7 gauches). Notre temps d’intervention était d’une heure trente minutes en moyenne. La durée d’hospitalisation, pour tous nos patients était d’un jour. Dans les suites opératoires, on n’a relevé aucune complication hémorragique et aucune paralysie récurrentielle, par contre on a observé 3 cas d’hypocalcémie transitoire.
Consumption of vancomycin at Batna University Hospital, 2017-2018
Authors:   Laboratoire central de micro-biologie CHU Batna, Algérie., BOUKHALFA Sana , SLIMANI Souhila , LOUNIS Assia , LALAYMIA Youcef ,   Pharmacie centrale CHU Batna, Algérie, KHELKHAL Salim
Published: July 2021

Objectif. Etudier la consommation de la vancomycine au niveau du CHU de Batna durant une période de 18 mois allant du janvier 2017 jusqu’à juin 2018. Matériels et méthodes. Etude rétrospective sur une période de 18 mois de janvier 2017 au juin 2018. Les taux de consommation de la vancomycine à partir de la base de données de la pharmacie centrale du CHU Batna. Seules les hospitalisations complètes étaient concernées par l’enquête. La journée de traitement antibiotique estimé (JTE) est la quantité exprimée en grammes de principe actif d’un antibiotique consommé divisé par la dose définie journalière (DDJ). Résultats. L’évolution semestrielle de la consommation de vancomycine au CHU Batna a connu une diminution durant la période d’étude : 37,54 DDJ/1000JH le 1er semestre, 34,15 DDJ/1000JH le 2ème semestre et 31,79 DDJ/1000 JH le 3ème semestre. Les services médicaux consommaient moins de vancomycine par rapport aux autres services : 6,66 DDJ/1000 JH durant la période d’étude. Les services d’hématologie, des brûlés et de réanimation médicale étaient les grands consommateurs de vancomycine, dont le service des brûlés occupait la première place : 147,04 DDJ/1000JH. La consommation importante de la vancomycine dans notre établissement était probablement à l’origine de l’émergence de souches d’Enterococcus faecium résistantes à la vancomycine (ERV) en 2017 et 2018. Conclusion. L’exposition souvent inappropriée de la population aux antibiotiques et la transmission interindividuelle des souches résistantes constituent les deux déterminants de l’émergence et de la diffusion des résistances bactériennes aux antibiotiques.
Fournier gangrene: our experience
Authors:   Service de Chirurgie Générale. CHU de Sétif – Algérie., OUAHAB Ilhem , BEHAR Abdelaziz
Published: July 2021

Nous rapportons une étude rétrospective de janvier 2012 à septembre 2017 de 23 cas de gangrène de Fournier opérés dans notre service. La gangrène de Fournier est une affection rare des parties molles par des germes aérobies et/ou anaérobies ; elle se développe le plus souvent à partir d'une lésion suppurée urogénitale, ano-rectale ou cutanée. Elle évolue brutalement vers la cellulite et la nécrose. La prédominance masculine était la règle avec un sex-ratio de 2,83. La prise en charge médicochirurgicale doit être urgente car le pronostic vital est mis en jeu.
The non-palpable testicle: Hidden entity of the testicle not descended
Authors:   Département de Médecine, Université Batna2, Batna – Algérie, BRINIS Nedjema , OUARHLENT Houssameddine , HADEF Djohra , LADJADJ Yasmina ,   Département de Médecine, Université d’Alger, Alger – Algérie
Published: July 2021

Le testicule non palpable reste toujours un sujet d’actualité en urologie pédiatrique. Sa gestion est controversée, car elle pose à la fois un problème diagnostique et thérapeutique. Après l’introduction de la laparoscopie en urologie pédiatrique, l’ectopie testiculaire était la première pathologie traitée par cette voie. Depuis, la laparoscopie est considérée comme le Gold Standard dans la prise en charge des testicules non palpables. Elle s’impose actuellement comme la technique de référence.
Respiratory system and menopause
Authors:   Service de pneumologie de l’hôpital Mohammed Seghir El Nekkache, Alger – Algérie, AISSANI Samia , ZITOUNI Ali
Published: July 2021

L’ostéoporose et les maladies cardio-vasculaires, avec une progression de l’athérosclérose représentent les principales conséquences de la carence hormonale au cours de la ménopause. Elles sont très fréquemment abordées dans la littérature. Quant aux conséquences sur l’appareil respiratoire, elles sont rarement évoquées et pourtant elles sont responsables de toux, de gêne respiratoire et même de symptomatologie d’asthme souvent confondue avec les maladies cardio-respiratoires. Elles sont la conséquence du vieillissement de l’appareil respiratoire et/ou de la chute hormonale observés au cours de la ménopause.
Fatigue in oncology. A marginalized symptom by oncologists, silently handicapping cancer patients!
Authors:   Oncologie medicale, CHU Khelil Amrane, Béjaia – Algérie., BOUDERSA Asma , KOUADRI Nassima ,   Oncologie médicale, CHU Ibn Rochd, Annaba – Algérie., DJEDI Hanane ,   Oncologie médicale, CHU Ibn Rochd, Annaba – Algérie.
Published: July 2021

La maladie cancéreuse est parmi les plus riches pathologies en matière de symptomatologie clinique ; cela est dû au cancer lui-même (sa localisation, sa taille, son aspect, son extension etc.), à ses traitements (chimiothérapie, radiothérapie, chirurgie etc.), ou aux complications qu’elles engendrent notamment les métastases. Certains de ses symptômes sont évidents et même alarmants, à titre d’exemple la douleur ou les vomissements qui poussent le praticien, face aux plaintes des patients, à prescrire en parallèle des traitements symptomatiques. Par contre, il y a des signes moins évidents qu’on passe à côté tels que la fatigue cancéreuse, considérée comme le symptôme le plus fréquent et passe même avant la douleur, mais malheureusement souvent négligées en raison du mode silencieux et insidieux de son installation. Dans cet article, nous allons essayer d’attirer l’attention sur ce symptôme fantôme, ainsi que de montrer l’importance de le connaitre et de le soigner afin d’éviter son retentissement grave sur la qualité de vie des patients cancéreux.
Fatigue in oncology. A marginalized symptom by oncologists, silently handicapping cancer patients!
Authors:   Laboratoire de chimie thérapeutique, Faculté de Médecine et de Pharmacie de Rabat, Université Mohamed V – Maroc., FETTAH Hicham , MOUTAOUAKIL Youssef , ADDAOUI Amal , LAMSAOURI Jamal
Published: July 2021

Les anticoagulants oraux directs ont montré leur efficacité pour la prévention et le traitement des événements thromboemboliques veineux et la prévention des accidents vasculaires cérébraux dans la fibrillation atriale. Ils exposent cependant à des complications hémorragiques à risque de conséquences létales ou fonctionnelles très sévères dont la prise en charge reste incertaine. Ce sont des situations où il est indispensable d’agir rapidement et de prendre en charge le patient en neutralisant l’effet anticoagulant à l’aide d’un antidote spécifique ou avec des concentrés de complexe prothrombinique non activés ou activés.
Trans-fatty acids
Authors:   Service d’Endocrinologie et Maladies Métaboliques EPH Bologhine Alger – Algérie. 2 Laboratoire d’Endocrinologie et Métabolisme Université Alger 1 Alger – Algérie., Azzoug Saïd , MESKINE Djamila
Published: July 2021

Les études ont montré que la consommation des acides gras trans provenant de l’hydrogénation industrielle partielle des huiles végétales était néfaste pour la santé en augmentant notamment le risque cardiométabolique ; leur consommation devrait donc être limitée voir interdite comme le suggèrent certaines recommandations. Mais d’un autre côté, certains acides gras trans naturels issus des ruminants pourraient être bénéfiques pour la santé et leur consommation ne devrait de ce fait pas être restreinte. L’effet des acides gras trans devrait donc être nuancé en fonction de leur origine naturelle ou industrielle.
Treatment of bone metastases by intravenous bisphosphonates and denosumab in breast cancer
Authors:   Service d’oncologie médicale, Centre Pierre et Marie Curie, Alger – Algérie, SAMI Soraya , BOUZID Kamel
Published: July 2021

Les métastases osseuses sont fréquentes dans le cancer du sein. Elles sont à l’origine d’une morbidité importante, entrainant des fractures, des douleurs osseuses, une compression médullaire ou une hypercalcémie. Les bisphosphonates intraveineux et le denosumab, associés aux différents traitements multidisciplinaires, améliorent la qualité de vie des patients. En effet, ils permettent une réduction des complications osseuses et la survenue des événements osseux.
Real Time Drip Monitoring System Using XKC-Y26-NPN
Authors: Ansari Nazida , Husaini Mohammad Shahid , Bheemdu Vadthya
Published: July 2021

The Projects aims to Present a real time Monitoring System which will be used to monitor the Intravenous Fluid remaining in the IV fluid bottle and to provide with an indication such that a timely alarm or an indication can be generated which will then be attended by the hospital staff. The need of the project arises from the fact that often times due to negligence or the absence of required staff, the needs of the patient is overlooked which not only result in discomfort but also can cause infection and even blood backflow. The project utilizes XKC Y-26 N-P-N sensor to detect the overall level of the fluid left in the bottle and if it is found that the level has gone below certain stipulated level an alarm system gives indication to the nursing station. The project also combines the temperature and heart sensors as it is vital to monitor the two important parameters, then with assistance from Excel data streamer Module the data is sent to excel sheet so that it can be displayed in an interactive model. The project has the potential to be used in hospitals which will be beneficial given the adverse Covid related scenario and the entire setup can be used to detect not only the IV fluid level but also any other fluid and sensor that is given to the patient.
A Qualitative Study of the Inclusion of Social Enterprise in the Entrepreneurial Education Curriculum
Authors: Phillips Robert A. , Jones Michael S.
Published: July 2021

Despite rising interest amongst students and the general public in social enterprise, it is often taught as an add-on along with sustainability in more general entrepreneurship courses. This has led to under-equipping students with the skills and knowledge they need to start a business in this area. We spoke to both academics and students, using semi-structured interviews, about their views of current social enterprise inclusion and what could be improved. The research found that entrepreneurship academics included social issues in their courses as part of entrepreneurial education, however, this was at introductory level and students were frustrated there was little opportunity to follow up on this interest, especially those in their final year, with no clear path for those interested. Focus varied between institutions and it was suggested that the institutional focus on employability statistics could be harmful for social entrepreneurship education. We suggest that more institutions have social enterprise modules which are able to be accessed university wide to allow multidisciplinarity, and separated out from general entrepreneurship at a higher level to fully focus on these issues to fully prepare those who are interested in starting or joining a social enterprise.
Students' self-perceptions of mindfulness after learning mindfulness techniques in a professional skills course
Authors: Dirhan Dara , Sarcona Alessandra
Published: July 2021

In this paper we describe the effect of incorporating two mindfulness techniques (keeping a diary and motivational interviewing) in a professional skills course, and the impact these had on students’ self-perceptions of mindfulness. Over the course of a fourteen-week semester, students were asked to keep a diary at four different time points and were also taught motivational interviewing skills, which they had to apply to a four-part counseling project. Using a pre-post study design and the validated tool, the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), we meausred students’ perceptions of mindfulness pre-course and post-course. Results from the study indicated that students’ perceptions of mindfulness significantly increased from pre-course to post-course. Further, most students agreed that both the diary assignments and practicing motivational interviewing increased mindfulness from pre-course to post-course. Additionally, a majority of students reported that practicing motivational interviewing enhanced their counseling skills on the four-part counseling project, and that the four diary assignments improved their writing skills. This study underscores the importance of incorporating mindfulness techniques into a professional skills course to increase students’ mindfulness, which can further benefit the student by increasing students’ professional skills to become more competent counselors and writers.
Exposing undergraduate students to research: A Condensed Matter Physics case study
Authors: Baba Yuriko , Díaz Elena , Domínguez-Adame Francisco , Díaz-Fernández Álvaro
Published: July 2021

In an effort to communicate major scientific breakthroughs to a vast audience, the media tends to present brief accounts of the findings and the process towards their discovery. While this may be sufficient for the layperson, it is certainly not enough for an undergraduate student in a scientific discipline. Moreover, the media will unlikely be able to judge the relevance of different breakthroughs and more emphasis will be put in those discoveries with more captivating titles. This is particularly worrying when it comes to actual students as it utterly biases their decisions when aiming to pursue a research career. The fact that syllabi tend to leave little to no room for introducing concepts that go beyond the standard curriculum leaves this problem unsolved. With the aim of tackling these issues, we have organized a workshop where experts from various institutions delivered lectures and even performed exhibitions of the phenomena being discussed. The initiative, named Recent Advances in Condensed Matter Physics, was aimed at undergraduate Physics students in their last two years at our University. In order to assess the strategies of our learning methodology, the experiment was carried out for three consecutive academic years and feedback from students was collected in the form of homework and surveys. The results show that introducing recent research discoveries in the curricula is a complex yet profitable strategy.
A case study on student perception of online lecturing
Authors: Wolff-Boenisch Domenik
Published: July 2021

This case study looks at implications of transitioning live to recorded lectures, a subject that has acquired an acute importance given COVID19 and the unexpected need to move lectures online. Over a period of six years, from 2015 to 2020, a questionnaire was handed out at the end of a ‘unit’ on environmental geoscience; a ‘unit’ at Australian universities represents a ‘course’ in the European and American tertiary system. This is a 2nd semester, 3rd year core unit of an Applied Geology course meaning that (most of) the polled students were about to acquire a bachelor of science finishing their undergraduate studies. The students were asked multiple questions related to iLectures and their attitude towards this asynchronous content delivery approach as integral part of a flipped classroom. Provided that such a STEM unit with 40-120 students can be deemed representative of the wider student community, the findings indicate that students in general have come to terms with online lectures, way before COVID19 gave them no other choice. Acceptance rates for iLectures were over 50 % across all years, except for 2020, a clear indication that COVID19 marred the online experience, probably due to oversaturation and isolation. The majority of the students saw benefits in this asynchronous lecturing approach, irrespective of whether the rationale behind it had been explained in detail. Despite seeing benefits of the flipped classroom and recorded lectures, one out of three students preferred live lectures. This number has increased after COVID19 to 40 %, yet another sign of the negative impact of the pandemic on online lecturing. This inference is unrelated to the quality of the recordings which was deemed high. Other than the conspicuous pandemic effect, the data show enough scatter to rule out any sustained trend of student attitudes across the years. This demonstrates the heterogeneous demographics of the students taking this unit. Finally, the importance of meaningful extended lecture notes to complement the recordings is highlighted.
The impact of study abroad experiences on international students’ employability: a preliminary study on Chinese engineering students in US
Authors: Huang Qian
Published: July 2021

This study aims to examine how study abroad experiences influence Chinese engineering students’ employability. Employability in this study is defined as capabilities, processes and performances before job search, during job search and after job search. This study aims to explore how study abroad experiences contribute to engineering students’ global competencies; how study abroad experiences influence engineering graduates’ job search process; what the long-term impact of study abroad experience on engineering graduates’ early careers are. This study adopts interpretative phenomenological approach via semi-structured interview. The preliminary findings include: firstly, study abroad experience is a premise for Chinese engineering students for being screened during job search both in China and abroad; secondly, study abroad allows students to discover their real interests which decided their career directions; thirdly, students kept learning and self-reflecting which contribute to their capabilities building; fourthly, study abroad trained engineering students with soft skills. Moreover, recommendation from professors and alumni facilitate the job search. Lastly, personal value and family reason influence graduates’ career decisions in working in China or abroad. Conclusion was drawn that study abroad experiences have positive impact on engineering students’ employability building, job search process and their early careers.
Post-editing Machine Translation in MateCat: a classroom experiment
Authors: Herget Katrin
Published: July 2021

Advances in machine translation resulted in an increase of both volume and quality of machine-translated texts. However, machine translation still requires humans to post-edit the translation. This paper proposes a product-based approach of a post-editing (PE) experiment that was carried out with a total of 10 MA translation students. The goal of this study comprised both the analysis of the post-editing results performed by student translators involving a machine-translated text in MateCat and the subsequent error markup. By comparing the quality reports obtained at the end of the post-editing process, we analysed the linguistic quality results and observed a heterogeneous error distribution, considerable divergence in severity level ratings and a huge span of TTE (time to edit). This study aims at making a contribution to the integration of post-editing activities into the translation technology classroom for students without prior experience in PE.
Meeting diversity during the covid-19 pandemic in a fully online learning environment
Authors: Pfennig Anja
Published: July 2021

Diversity among engineering students is growing more and more acknowledgeable in higher education – especially in first year classes where in applied universities students from many backgrounds form new classes. Differences in education (high school, job training, dual careers, etc.) are as common as various social aspects (family duties, etc.) that delay full time studying. This challenges students as well as lecturers especially in the covid-19 pandemic of 2020/2021. A standard based portfolio grading enables students to participate and place different skills in their cumulative assessment. The online course structure using Moodle as content management system (CMS) is based on inverted classroom teaching scenarios. These are supported by peer-to-peer lecture films and micro-lectures along with various online teaching materials and online meeting sessions. The portfolio cumulatively grades lectures, presentations, forum discussions, written homework and glossary entries. Although benefits of present classes are obvious the course results improved over previous semester especially for students with language difficulties. This paper reflects on the possibility to meet diversity in the covid-19 pandemic and enable first year mechanical engineering students to grow more homogeneous regarding scholarly work.
Exploring The Influence of COVID-19 on Initial Teacher Education in Malta: Student Participation in Higher Education
Authors: Gatt Suzanne , Bonello Charmaine , Deguara Josephine , Farrugia Rosienne , Muscat Tania , Milton Josephine , Said Lara , Spiteri Jane
Published: July 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic forced a rapid transition from onsite to online learning spaces for initial teacher education (ITE); with Universities even adopting new modes of pedagogy and assessment. This study explores: (1) how Maltese ITE undergraduate early years and postgraduate primary education students dealt with more remote forms of learning during the pandemic in Malta, and (2) the teaching/lecturing modes used, by lecturers, for remote learning, assessment and concerns that tie-in with broader student wellbeing. The data were gathered through an online quantitative survey designed to collect information about ITE students’ views. Student responses strongly suggest that in the eventuality of an ongoing vaccination ‘post-COVID’ era, ITE within HE programmes should consider revisiting the course content and delivery, supporting and fostering, blended and online approaches. A ‘blind spot’ reflecting the struggle for independence, autonomy, and control during COVID-19 in a postcolonial Maltese Higher Eduction context also emerged. The insights gained highlight how ITE students’ views on their experiences of online pedagogy, assessment, and how these new modes impacted their wellbeing within a Maltese HE context can serve to inform policy and practice. These results emphasize the need to promote participatory research amongst university students as key to inform HE policy and practice. Keywords: Initial Teacher Education; Online learning; Covid-19; student participation; Higher Education
Research development in doctoral education: role of languages and cultures
Authors: Pinto Susana
Published: July 2021

Portuguese universities have been receiving an increasing number of students from Portuguese-Speaking Countries at the level of PhD studies, namely from Brazil, Angola, Cape Verde and Mozambique. As acknowledged by research, undertaking a PhD overseas entails several challenges and one of the deepest concerns the implications of languages and cultures in several doctoral activities, since they act as significant research reconfiguration agents. Against this background, this paper reports on a study that aimed at understanding the role of languages and cultures in doctoral research development. For this matter, and within a qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with doctoral students from Portuguese-Speaking Countries attending a Portuguese university. Results from thematic analysis reveal that students’ linguistic and cultural backgrounds influence several stages of the research process: theme and research objetives definition, theorisation of the research problem and concept mobilisation, construction of data collection instruments and data collection and thesis writing. Implications of findings for institutional policy and practice concerning doctoral education and research are put forward.
New tools for online teaching and their impact on student learning
Authors: Huguet Carme , Pearse Jill , Esteve Jorge
Published: July 2021

In the context of the global Covid-19 crisis, a practical introductory Geosciences course was redesigned to aid student learning in a 100% virtual format. New materials were created to i) improve disciplinary language range and concept acquisition; ii) make classes more dynamic; iii) provide tools for self-regulated learning and assessment and iv) maintain student motivation. Usefulness of the new materials was evaluated using a voluntary online survey that was answered by 40% of the students. Additional information was obtained from the university's student evaluation survey. All tools were well-rated, but self-assessment quizzes and class presentations had the highest overall scores. Students commented on their usefulness in terms of knowledge acquisition and self-assessment. Perhaps not surprisingly, self-assessment quizzes were the one tool students felt kept them more motivated. These were closely followed by class presentations and short in-class quizzes. Students found the online access to all lesson materials very useful for self-paced learning. According to a majority of students, the in-class quizzes and student participation using the digital the whiteboard made classes more dynamic. Overall, the new strategies succeeded in improving students' learning and independence, but more work is needed to make classes more dynamic, and especially to improve student motivation. Intrinsic motivation is perhaps the most difficult to improve because in a 100% virtual course, it is difficult to promote student-student interactions and receive visual feedback from the class.  In view of the survey results, we introduce bonus activities in order to improve extrinsic motivation.
Zoom data analysis in an introductory course in mechanical engineering
Authors: Tao Hong , Feng Bohan
Published: July 2021

This investigation studies various data extracted from Zoom meetings which are used in teaching an introductory course in mechanical engineering online. Number of chatting students, chatting participation rate, as well as average of chats from chat reports are analyzed. Participcation in polling and polling performance are also studied. The effect of chatting, breakout room and polling in students engagement and activeness are evaluated.
Advancing higher-education practice by analyzing and training students' vocal charisma: Evidence from a Danish field study
Authors: Niebuhr Oliver
Published: July 2021

Charismatic speaking skills, particularly those of the voice, are known to be an important asset of managers, politicians, and even teachers. Students have so far been less in the limelight in this regard, although modern collaborative-learning and oral-examination concepts suggest that vocal charisma can already be a decisive factor for study success as well. The present paper examines this question based on 82 electrical-engineering students. Their initial self-introductions in front of the other fellow students were analyzed using a new acoustic technology that translates 16 voice features into a total vocal charisma (PASCAL) score. Results show that these PASCAL scores are overall low (i.e. improvable) and positively correlated with the oral exam grades of both individual students and student teams. Moreover, the teams' PASCAL scores positively correlate with the per-formance in the "Marshmallow Challenge", i.e. a creative teamwork task. Additional in-depth analyses show that teams without any above-average charismatic student performed worst, but that teams with more than one above-average charismatic student struggled with leadership conflicts and solo actions. We interpret our findings as a strong plea for (vocal) charisma analysis to be integrated in higher-education practice both for managing team dynamics and performance and for increasing individual study success.
Digitising a Learning Activity: Challenges and Opportunities
Authors: Juhary Jowati
Published: July 2021

As the world faces the new landcape in teaching and learning due to COVID-19, the pandemic, the strategies and approaches use for teaching and learning must ensure that no one students are not without digital resources. This paper explores the challenges and opportunities faced by the researcher and her students when a learning activity previously implemented in face-to-face sessions was transferred into an online learning environment. The learning activity, known as Work-the-Walk (WTW), is a transformative learning activity designed by the researcher, and the researcher has filed for a copyright of WTW. The objectives of this paper are to identify the challenges and opportunities raised by transferring WTW to a digital format, and ultimately to suggest the best ways to make the transition from a physical learning activity to a digital format effectively. Qualitative approach to research was used to obtain data for analysis and discussion. Preliminary findings suggest that the Digital WTW (D-WTW) present two main challenges and two main opportunities for both the researcher and students. Given this, the education providers must be willing to encourage the educators to provide various approaches to teaching and learning, as well as to promote experiments with various existing learning strategies used in face-to-face sessions, and to transfer them to be used in an online learning environment.
Model for Profiler Agent during unexpected educational circumstances
Authors: Cholakov Georgi , Stoyanova-Doycheva Asya
Published: July 2021

Nowadays distance education helps when no other traditional possibility is allowed. But is it a good alternative to replace entirely the traditional education? Could it provide at least the same level of quality or it brings problems that we are not prepared for? The paper presents an observation of a problem with keeping students focused on their education – constant dropping of engagement and unintentional loss of attention during situation of distance learning. Appling measures to keep students’ attraction led to the need of some aspects’ automation – a model for a new intelligent assistant, software agent, was developed, along with the current ones in the existing system. This assistant will create profiles of students, helping with personalized tracking of each student’s progress in specific subject, recommending topics to improve knowledge and fill knowledge gaps. It will “live” in the extension of an existing system and cooperate with other agents to accomplish its goals, proactively assisting in students’ learning aspects, as well as teachers’ efforts to prepare better and more suitable educational materials.
Pandemic Pedagogy: Assessing the Online Implementation of a Decolonial Curriculum
Authors: Morreira Shannon
Published: July 2021

The student protests in South Africa (2015–2017) triggered shifts in pedagogical practices, such that by 2020 many South African higher education institutions had begun to make some concrete moves towards more socially just pedagogies within teaching and learning (Quinn, 2019; Jansen, 2019). In March 2020, however, South Africa went into lockdown as a result of Covid-19, and all higher education teaching became remote and non-synchronous. This paper reports on the effects of the move to remote teaching on the implementation of a new decolonial ‘emplaced’ pedagogy at one South African university. The idea of emplacement draws on the careful incorporation of social space as a teaching tool within the social sciences, such that students can situate themselves as reflexive, embodied persons within concrete spaces and communities which carry particular social, economic and political histories. This paper draws on data from course evaluations and student assignments, as well as a description of course design, to argue that many of the benefits of careful emplacement in historical and contemporary context can happen even where students are never in the same physical spaces as one another or their lecturers.  This relies, however, on students’ having access to both the necessary technology and to an environment conducive to learning.
Stakeholders in curriculum development – case of Supply Chain and Logistics programme
Authors: Erjavec Jure
Published: July 2021

Higher education institutions involve various groups of stakeholders that can affect strategic and operational actions in various ways and extents. Understanding the relevance of particular stakeholders in regard to an organization is therefore of key importance. Previous research has shown the importance of involvement of different groups of stakeholders in the curriculum development. The main purpose of this paper is to present a conceptual framework for inclusion of various stakeholders in curriculum development cycle for graduate business programmes. This is done by applying the stakeholder map to curriculum development cycle to form the conceptual framework. The framework is then applied to a case of a Supply Chain and Logistics graduate programme curriculum development.
Active learning in digital communications with low-cost software defined radio
Authors: Botella-Mascarell Carmen , Soriano-Asensi Antonio , Segura-García Jaume , Roger Sandra
Published: July 2021

Digital Communications have been traditionally taught in laboratory sessions from a theoretical point of view, using simulation platforms. However, current Academic Accreditation includes the dimension of “what students are expected to be able to do”, which poses the need of decreasing the gap between standard simulated laboratory sessions and more practical and realistic approaches. In this paper, we propose a methodology to enhance the learning of practical aspects related to Digital Communications courses, as well as increasing the student’s engagement, via the use of low-cost software defined radio devices. This methodology has been applied in the Degree in Telematics Engineering at the School of Engineering from the University of Valencia, Spain. With the aim of improving the engagement of both master and undergraduate students, a project based learning methodology has been implemented. In the paper, the methodology is described, several laboratory activities based on the 802.11 standard are presented, and recommendations for practice are given.
The practicality of curricula towards improved employability
Authors: Aznar Mercedes
Published: July 2021

The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in a plunge of worldwide economies and consequently, new economic models must be evolved in order to come out of such an unfavourable situation. Innovation and creativity will be a must to reach success and it is here where young graduates can provide a fresh perspective. Certainly, the education system must also adapt to a new era that will result from this situation and although present curricula can become a constraint to achieve this goal in some cases, a drastic change in classroom methodology is a must. The objective of this paper is to describe that a learning process based on hand-on practice and autonomous learning can result in an upgrade of competences and skills. Therefore, a project carried out by Tourism undergraduates will be introduced in which students become the main characters of their own learning process. As a result, an increase in motivation has been revealed and also, in students’ maturity towards the learning experience.
Male infertility diagnostic laboratories during COVID-19 pandemic: development of a novel teaching/learning strategy
Authors: Santiago Joana , Corda Pedro O. , Fardilha Margarida
Published: July 2021

Objective: To design and implement a laboratory teaching/learning strategy applied to male infertility diagnostic during COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Seventy-five students attending Module 3 (M3): Male Infertility Diagnostic Laboratories, of curricular unit Laboratories in Biomedicine 5 were divided into 8 groups to reduce students’ number in class. M3 was organized in 2 Wet labs (WL; laboratory training) and 2 Dry labs (DL; theoretical-practical classes). At the end of M3, students completed a satisfaction survey. Results: Results showed that most students were satisfied with topics addressed, time dedicated outside the class, evaluation, and overall organization of WL and DL. The protocols provided and general conditions of WL were considered satisfactory. Only positive classifications were attributed to the learning goals, relevance of knowledge acquired, and opportunities to ask about evaluation. Qualitative data suggested that the dynamics, innovation, and organization of classes, allied to the knowledge and motivation of professors, provided the appropriate learning environment. Conclusions: The methodology implemented in M3 during COVID-19 pandemic represents a valid strategy to encourage and motivate students learning, stimulate teamwork, communication, and autonomy in the laboratory. Preparing dynamic, attractive, and motivating classes increases student's general satisfaction, improving the efficiency of the learning/teaching process.
Factors essential for successful and sustainable e-learning
Authors: Deliwe Ayanda Pamella
Published: July 2021

E-Learning has been viewed as a positive initiative in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), as it is said to improve opportunities for critical thinking, develops better problem solving abilities and assists in improvement of productivity and efficiency of employees. For HEIs to benefit from the advantages of e-learning there needs to be continuous research done on how best can HEIs ensure that there is successful and sustainable e-learning. Secondary data literature was reviewed and in collecting primary data six participants from one of the South African HEIs (UKZN) were interviewed. Information gathered through primary data collection was in line with the information obtained from literature. The difference was when the primary data revealed additional factors which are essential for successful and sustainable e-learning. These includes the importance of finances and regular discussions and engagements with champions/experts and research in the field of e-learning. Most of the literature highlights the importance of engagements with students, faculty and academic staff and not much emphases is placed on engagement with all stakeholders. This paper concluded by providing recommendations which needs to been considered by HEIs on how best they can achieve successful and sustainable e-learning.
A Problem-Based Learning Implementation to a Psychology Course in Higher Education
Authors: Cuadrado Isabel , Constantin Andreea A.
Published: July 2021

The present work describes a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) activity implemented in an undergraduate course of Psychology of Groups. Additionally, considering the findings on the effects of PBL on cognitive and motivational components, we also explored the effect of the PBL activity on students’ information processing strategies and intrinsic motivation using a pre-post design. Only 28 students (25% men) completed the measures at both point times (pre and post-activity). Although no significant pre-post differences was found for any of the measured variables, the observed trend of change revealed mixed results. While for some cognitive strategies (e.g., critical thinking, information management, information transference) a trend towards improvement could be observed between the pre-post phases, for strategies of information elaboration and information acquisition the trend was reversed. Despite the non significant results, the present work contributes to the field of research on PBL in higher education by describing and testing the effects of a PBL activity implemented in a social discipline, a field in which PBL implementation is rather scarce.
Developing a technology enabled workflow to aid space layout communication for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder - A project case study
Authors: Comiskey David , McGoldrick Josephine , Donnelly Shauna
Published: July 2021

Within the higher education sector there has been a shift towards flexible teaching and learning spaces that can be re-imagined and re-organised depending on the teaching approach to be employed. While this has undoubted benefits in terms of student engagement, innovative delivery, and exciting learning approaches, it potentially presents a challenge for a student group, those with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), that has not been fully considered to this point. This study draws upon advances in the Architectural Technology discipline to develop a methodology which can assist in designing and communicating proposed teaching environments, with a particular focus on the potential to benefit students with ASD. The methodology is presented in the form of a case study. The aim is to assist designers and end users in analysing and defining the necessary links to evaluate solutions for the layout planning of spaces, determining functionality and whether proposals are feasible. The output obtained from this workflow elevates its potential in aiding space layout planning, helping those who need assistance in understanding newly formed layouts.
Teaching in higher education during COVID 19 pandemic – Empirical findings and assumptions based on results of an online-survey in a European context
Authors: Schütte Patricia M. , Van der Sypt Gert , Gabriel Alexander , Kretschmer Saskia
Published: July 2021

The COVID 19 pandemic is a worldwide phenomenon: On the one hand, it poses challenges to all social subsystems, on the other, it tests the extent to which they can cope with such situations. This is also the case in higher education. In this context, digitization, which has been driven forward in the field for years, provides approaches and instruments for adapting to such situations by converting the system as far as possible to operation in virtual space. This has been done in many places in universities and universities of applied sciences. It remains to be seen how this is perceived by those involved. Therefore, the following article addresses the question: To what extent has the conversion of teaching and learning as a result of the restrictions on teaching caused by COVID 19 worked from the point of view of the teachers? To answer it, this paper presents empirical results of an online survey among teachers of the Cooperation Network for Risk, Safety & Security Studies (CONRIS). The results indicate a broad use of various digital tools for teaching and communication with students, but also deficits in the area of crisis structures as well as in social regards.
Building an interactive platform for practical design projects between students and industries
Authors: Qiu Sheng , Jiang Shou-xiang
Published: July 2021

The advancement of information media and the convenience of the Internet have fostered the growth of web-based instruction, interactive functions, and resources available for participants to engage, interact, learn, discuss, and access without time and space constraints. This paper aims to provide an introduction on an interactive online platform which is beneficial for university-enterprise cooperation. Enterprises and students have more online and offline opportunities to gain a better mutual understanding and actively collaborate. Combined with the “learning to learn” theory, this sustainable platform can enhance the learning of students so that they learn capabilities over time through guidance and practical projects exercise.
Clinical Simulation in pediatrics and neonatology using EDISON: an educational innovation project
Authors: Blasco José María , Balaguer-López Evelin , García-Molina Pablo , Sanchis-Sánchez Enrique , Buck-Sainz-Rozas Pablo , García-Martínez Pedro , Ruescas-Pérez Manuel
Published: July 2021

Introduction: Clinical simulation is a tool that allows creating controlled and safe spaces that mimic reality, where students can acquire skills and abilities prior to facing real situations. Methodology: This is a study with two phases. The first quasi-experimental phase where 3 questionnaires were used; two of them to assess knowledge (pretest - posttest) and the other one to assess the satisfaction of the training action. And the second phase was analytical, where the effectiveness of a training intervention in a confinement context based on the use of audiovisual materials created through EDISON was evaluated. Results: In 2019 the average satisfaction of the students was 9.22 (SD 0.72) out of 10. The most valued item was the one related to the domain that the instructors had regarding the knowledge imparted, with 9.79 out of 10. The students' knowledge improved in 9 of the 11 questions. Conclusions: The satisfaction of the students and the knowledge acquired were remarkable, being clinical simulation a methodology that helps to consolidate the knowledge and skills put into practice.