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Two new methods have been proposed to determine unexpected sum scores on sub-tests (testlets) both for paper-and-pencil tests and computer adaptive tests. A method based on a conservative bound using the hypergeometric distribution, denoted p, was compared with a method where the probability for each score combination was calculated using a highest density region (HDR). Furthermore, these methods were compared with the standardized log-likelihood statistic with and without a correction for the estimated latent trait value (denoted as l*[z] and l[z], respectively). Data were simulated on the basis of the one-parameter logistic model, and both parametric and non-parametric logistic regression was used to obtain estimates of the latent trait. Results showed that it is important to take the trait level into account when comparing subtest scores. In a nonparametric item response theory (IRT) context, on adapted version of the HDR method was a powerful alterative to p. In a parametric IRT context, results showed that l*[z] had the highest power when the data were simulated conditionally on the estimated latent trait level.

Copyright of Compendium of Veterinary Sciences / Compendio de Ciencias Veterinarias is the property of Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias de la Universidad Nacional de Asuncion and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Many of the analytical models commonly used in educational research often aim to maximize explained variance and identify variable importance within models. These models are useful for understanding general ideas and trends, but give limited insight into the individuals within said models. Data envelopment analysis (DEA), is a method rooted in organizational management that makes such insights possible. Unlike models alluded to above, DEA does not explain variance. Instead, it explains how efficiently an individual utilizes their inputs to produce outputs, and identifies which input is not being utilized optimally. This paper provides a history and usages of DEA from fields outside of education, and describes the math and processes behind it. This paper then extends DEA's usage into the educational field using a study on child reading ability. Using students from the Project KIDS dataset (n = 1987), DEA is demonstrated using a simple view of reading framework, identifying individual efficiency levels in using reading-based skills to achieve reading comprehension, determining which skills are being underutilized, and classifying new subsets of readers. New subsets of readers were identified using this method, with implications for more targeted interventions.

This paper sets out to tackle the issue of the criteria which should be met prior to submission of papers to indexed scientific journals. Firstly, the author addresses the field of qualitative research and tries to define the general characteristics of such works, and secondly, some clarification is brought with respect to the imbalance between the number of published articles in favor of quantitative research. Many authors from our region restate observations and cite other authors, and use the term "qualitative study" for such articles. This paper is also concerned with an overwhelming number of misconceptions which can be found in the articles made by the authors from the Balkans. These misconceptions include: (1) confirmation or rejection of hypotheses by correlations, (2) perform an analysis on "item-by-item" basis, (3) application of parametric statistics on non-parametric set of data; and so forth. Each of the mentioned misconceptions is explained in this paper, but it has not been attempted to prove them as this had been done before in numerous up-to-date textbooks. This paper also deals with action research,with respect to their relatively insignificant presence in highly ranked scientific journals, since they combine characteristics of qualitative and quantitative works. Some authors often fall into the trap of putting every action change in the focus of action research. Reproducibility of study is one of the most fundamental scientific prerequisites, and it has to be met by any study--qualitative, quantitative and action research alike.

Prior research has suggested that there may be differences in the ways that male and female students approach their online courses. Using data for 802 high school students enrolled in 14 online courses, this study explored gender differences in the interrelationships among online behaviors and course performance. The findings show that females were more active than males and that a higher degree of online activity and discussion forum viewing and posting was associated with better final grades, but the correlation was stronger for males than it was for females. Further exploration of posting behaviors revealed that females who received lower final grades were more active than males who received lower grades--they viewed more posts, wrote more posts, and wrote longer posts. These gender differences have implications for researchers, course providers, and course designers. [Paper presented at the Special Interest Group on Online Teaching and Learning (SIG-OTL), American Educational Research Association (AERA) Centennial Annual Meeting (100th, Washington, D.C., April 8-12, 2016).]

This paper relies on the ideas that underpin the scholarly school of developing pedagogical systems to assess the degree to which instructors are prepared to manage the development of the school they teach at. The authors propose a structural/functional model for instructor preparedness to be the subject of innovation activity, provide a relevant methodology for it, and describe the content and findings of their empirical substantiation of it. The study identifies instructor groups with a high, medium, and low degree of preparedness to manage innovation activity in a school and establishes statistically significant differences between them in terms of the degree to which the motivational, cognitive, technological, and organizational components of preparedness have been formed. The authors come up with a proof that the instructor's preparedness to be the subject of innovation activity depends on the degree of his/her preparedness to fulfill particular duties in managing this activity. The paper identifies specific factors behind the differences between instructors in this characteristic and determines the degree of their impact. The authors establish a close link between the instructor's preparedness to be the subject of innovation activity and his/her actual participation in resolving objectives in managing the school's development. The use of the authors' methodology for assessing instructors' preparedness to manage innovation activity in a school could help determine specific factors affecting it and develop individual trajectories of increase in their innovation competence, as well as facilitate their productive involvement in the process of working out the school development program.

A considerable number of studies have investigated students' learning in class and outside of class across subjects such as English, mathematics, and physical education in China and other countries. Scholars have found that students' activities in class and outside of class are closely related to their learning outcomes, self-regulated learning and future development of transition strategies. However, the relationship between Chinese basic education and students' choices of activities outside of class has rarely been addressed. Using mixed research methods, this paper examines the relationships between Chinese students' basic education and their choices of English activities at university. The results showed that the participants' basic education and senior high school rankings had significant influences on their choices of learning activities out of the class at university level. The paper also highlights occurrences beyond the classroom in the 21st century China.

The aim of this study is to assess the effects that teaching visually impaired (VI) preschool children play skills has on their abilities to initialize and respond to social interactions with their typically developing (TD) peers in a reverse mainstreaming preschool class. The subjects of the study were three female VI students regularly attending a preschool classroom. Based on their teacher's comments, all children were limited in their ability to initiate and maintain social initiations and in their ability to respond to social interaction initialized by their peers. Play skills were taught to the target students using direct teaching methods through small group arrangements outside the class. The study was conducted using a multiple probe design using probe sessions across subjects in order to determine the impact of play skills taught through direct instruction on the social interactions of children in the class. Visual and non-parametric analyses showed that the play skills taught are effective in increasing the target VI students' abilities to initiate interactions with their peers and in increasing their response behaviors. In addition, the target students not only generalized the interaction behaviors that they had learned to a girl of their own age, but they also retained what they had learned 2 and 3 weeks after the completion of the implementations. [This study was presented orally as a paper in the 4th World Conference on Educational Sciences (WCES/2012) in Barcelona on February 2, 2012.]

Ho and Reardon (2012) present methods for estimating achievement gaps when test scores are coarsened into a small number of ordered categories, preventing fine-grained distinctions between individual scores. They demonstrate that gaps can nonetheless be estimated with minimal bias across a broad range of simulated and real coarsened data scenarios. In this paper, we extend this previous work to obtain practical estimates of the imprecision imparted by the coarsening process and of the bias imparted by measurement error. In the first part of the paper, we derive standard error estimates and demonstrate that coarsening leads to only very modest increases in standard errors under a wide range of conditions. In the second part of the paper, we describe and evaluate a practical method for disattenuating gap estimates to account for bias due to measurement error. [This paper was published in "Journal of Educational and Behavioral Statistics" v40 n2 p158-189 Apr 2015 (EJ1057843).]

Problem Statement: Traditional forms of assessment such as essays and end of term examinations are still widely used in higher education in Ireland as the sole assessment method. These forms of assessment, while they may be valid and reliable approaches for collecting evidence of the acquisition of theoretical knowledge, rarely afford students the opportunity to apply knowledge to key professional scenarios. In the context of teacher education, if the aim is to develop teacher competence beyond the mere possession of technical skills then appropriate pedagogic and curriculum interventions need to be developed, implemented and evaluated. Purpose of Study: This paper argues that reflection and experiential learning should be infused through effective assessment strategies and embedded in the training and formation of trainee-teacher attributes. The authors draw on their experience as lecturers and module/course designers for an "Assessment" module within a teacher-training degree programme in a School of Education in the Republic of Ireland. Methods: This paper presents the findings of a 4-year study, which adopted a multi-methods approach. The research was conducted using both numerical and qualitative tools. A primary focus of the research used student reflection to generate relevant data suitable for analysis and this was then triangulated with module evaluations and numerical performance data. The paper describes the research that used constructivist principles to help foster the development of assessment competence through a cycle of action/critical reflection/revised action within an assessment portfolio design. Findings and Results: The research demonstrates that a learner-centred approach to assessment not only helps the student/trainee teacher in the development of their own professional competence but also shows teacher educators that they need to experience learning and reflection at a deep level in order to be able to develop the professional competence required of them as future teachers. Conclusions and Recommendations: Those students who participated in the study expressed their appreciation of the value of portfolio assessment and indicated that they would be prepared to use it in their future professional contexts. The research suggested that a number of recommendations be considered and these include enabling students to make sense of knowledge through reflection, and the design of assessments, which replicate authentic professional scenarios and require decision-making, in order to assist in developing a reflective capacity for appropriate professional judgment.

The growing interest in Human Rights Education (HRE) is linked in this paper to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC, 1989). The linkage between citizenship education and HRE is also highlighted, along with the necessary critiques of human rights pronouncements regarding the situation of HRE in Bahrain while the challenges ahead in improving and spreading HRE are also discussed. In an attempt to bring some much needed clarity to this field, this paper presents the theoretical and conceptual background for a field study that intends to examine whether young people graduating from high school in Bahrain are equipped with the civic knowledge and understanding necessary to participate effectively in society. It also presents young peoples' understanding of their rights, responsibilities and their awareness of the need for laws. In a mixed methods approach, quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed. A questionnaire was administered to 460 final year high school students (53.3% females and 46.7% males) with a mean age of 18. Followed by in-depth interviews with a stratified sample of 22 students. The findings provide valuable insights into the problems encountered by young Bahrainis as they engage in the process of learning about HRE. This helps the educators, curriculum designers and policy makers to rewrite the objectives, content, approach and methods of school HRE to ensure they match the changing context and the changing needs of the young citizens in Bahrain. (A bibliography is included.)

Copyright of Acta Paulista de Enfermagem is the property of Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, Escola Paulista de Enfermagem and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Educators should attempt to create a common and solid strategy in preschool educational institutions in order to sufficiently ensure a safe social environment of children. A research examining health and safety issues in Lithuanian preschools was carried out in Klaipeda. The aim of this paper was to analyse the conditions of safe environment creation for children in preschool educational institution and its development prospects. The following research questions were asked: (1) What are the factors that influence the safety of preschool educational institution environment and could these factors be developed? (2) What difficulties arise in the process of safe environment creation for children? (3) How could the creation of safe environment be developed in contemporary preschool educational institutions? A theoretical and empirical analysis of a safe environment creation allowed determining the following development perspectives: a) Possibilities of safe environment creation in a preschool educational institution depending on analysis of the activity condition in the institution; b) Formation of organisation mission and targets, strategy formation; c) Implementation and control of organisation; and d) Collaboration of directors. The paper first defines the research problems and the relevance of the topic. Subsequently the research design and methodology are described. Finally findings are reported and discussed in the light of the literature and conclusions drawn.

Contribution: This paper reports a curriculum development in hybrid problem-based learning (h-PBL), addresses the design, implementation, effectiveness, and assessment issues of h-PBL, and explains the mixed results observed regarding the impact of problem-based learning (PBL) on student grades from a hybrid perspective. Background: The effect of PBL on student learning is difficult to analyze. Empirical research on h-PBL has been scant in the engineering education field. Intended Outcomes: The hybrid approach described in this paper can be used to guide other course designs. Future research directions are also provided in order to better capture the positive effects of PBL on student learning. Application Design: A 3-D imaging project was developed and implemented using h-PBL. A non-parametric hypothesis test was conducted to compare four-year student performance data collected after the implementation of h-PBL with four-year student performance data collected under traditional lecturing; both sets of students were taught by the same instructor. Findings: Student project grades improved after h-PBL, whereas student cumulative course grades did not show significant improvement. The study suggests that higher ratios and weights of PBL, better timing in introducing PBL, and more integrated course components in the hybrid approach may further improve student performance.

Even though digital learning games have become common in education, relatively little is known about the usefulness of game-based assessment. This paper aims to explore if a game-based math test can provide added value to math education with respect to cognitive and affective outcomes. We used in-game measures, embedded in the game called Semideus Exam, focusing on conceptual fraction knowledge. In order to validate the game-based assessment approach, we compared the cognitive outcomes of 51 Finnish sixth graders, who completed both paper-based and game-based math tests in a randomized order. In addition, the students' test anxiety and flow experience were measured to evaluate the affective outcomes. The results indicate that the game-based test scores correlated significantly with the paper-based test scores suggesting that the game-based assessment was successfully implemented and the game provided comparable data with the paper-based test approach. More importantly, the results revealed that game-based assessment lowered test anxiety and increased engagement which is likely to decrease assessment bias caused by test anxiety. In addition, the results show that earlier playing experience and gender did not influence the game-based test score suggesting fairness of the game-based assessment approach. Although we identified several benefits of the game-based assessment approach, more evidence is needed on the usefulness and fairness of game-based assessments.

Purpose: A literature research conducted in education and agricultural education journals published during a period of 10 years revealed that 98% of the studies used parametric analyses. In general, model assumptions were not tested, and statistical criteria were not followed to apply the parametric approach. The objective of this paper is to persuade researchers to use the most appropriate statistical analysis for their data. Design/Methodology/approach: We present a case study in agricultural education where a parametric multiple linear regression (MLR) could be applied. A survey was designed to find out how Theory of Planned Behavior and Importance-Performance variables were associated to Behavioral Intent concerning landscape water conservation practices. Although model assumptions were not met, we initially carried out a MLR analysis based on the premise that the results could be reported descriptively if they were double cross-validated successfully. Findings: The double cross-validation of the MLR was not successful, and model assumptions were not held even though the sample size was large. A quantile regression (QR) model fitted the data well. Theory of Planned Behavior and Importance-Performance variables were good predictors of Behavioral Intent, excepting Attitude. Practical implications: Researchers must rely on statistical criteria to support decisions regarding the use of parametric or nonparametric procedures. Theoretical implications: The adherence to best practices in the utilization of statistical procedures must be discussed as an ethical matter in research across all fields of science. Originality/value: We demonstrate that imposing the Central Limit Theorem to use the MLR model is not the correct criterion to apply a parametric approach. We should use double cross-validation.

This paper aims to analyze the differences between internet facilities, internet usage purposes, internet self-efficacy (ISE), and internet perceptions in learning physics, regarding students' gender and grade. A total of 798 senior high school students were surveyed randomly from 10 schools in the urban area of Lampung Province, Indonesia. The data were analyzed with Chi-square tests, t-test and ANOVA test for parametric, and Mann-Whitney test and Kruskal-Wallis test for nonparametric. The results showed that by gender, female students were better at the ownership of computers and internet access via mobile phones. For the purpose of accessing internet, they were also identified more frequently in using internet for academic purposes, social media, and doing physics homework. Additionally, females were better at the perception about the benefit of the internet in learning physics. Besides, males were higher in using internet for entertainment and accessing physics' video and animation. For experience and frequency in accessing internet and ISE, there were no significant gender differences found. Meanwhile, the differences were found between grades in some general usage as well as in ISE. Overall, the higher the students' grade, the greater the percentage of students who use them, except in internet perception.

Participation in overseas programs has recently increased as an international strategy worldwide. However, Japan has been the exception, because the number of Japanese students studying abroad has decreased over the last decade. The Japanese government and universities began efforts to motivate Japanese students to gain international experience. However, efforts to measure the impact of overseas programs other than in English proficiency have been limited. This paper reports the benefits of three types of overseas short-term programs offered by Tottori University (TU) to support Japanese students in studying abroad through the Global Getaway Program (GGP), emphasizing practical training in developing countries. Data for this study were collected from students from 2006 to 2011 before the GGP and 2012 to 2016 after its implementation. Students were tested before and after participating in overseas short-term programs, and results were compared with those who did not participate. The questionnaire survey carried out revealed significant differences in all global competences skills between students who attended overseas programs and those that did not. In addition, after participating in the overseas program, students understood i, why English as a tool for communication will help them grow as internationally minded future leaders, ii, how foreign languages can lead to overseas practical skills, and iii, the importance of field practice as opposed to knowledge only acquired in the classroom. The achievement of this study increases the value of overseas training for the younger Japanese generation and their perception of developing advanced thinking abilities through practical education in developing countries.

Background: As of 2020, 20% of people residing in the United States of America (U.S.) lived in rural communities. Despite rural residents tending to be older, poorer, and having greater disease burden than their urban counterparts, the number of rural primary care providers continues to decline. Nearly 66% of U.S. Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Areas are designated as rural. Pharmacists can help address this shortage of rural primary care providers, often serving as providers of first-contact care; however, only 12% of U.S. pharmacists practice in rural communities. To help address this gap, in 2022 an elective Rural Pharmacy course was created at the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy by a faculty member who has rural practice experience. Methods: The course combines formal lectures, guest presentations by rural pharmacists and student interviews with additional rural pharmacists. For the 42 students enrolled in the course in 2022 and 2023, non-parametric statistics were used to compare the percentage of students who were raised in rural communities or who otherwise had extensive exposure to rural, and compare student interest ratings (1 to 7) about practicing/living rural at the beginning and end of the course. Students also wrote end-of-course reflection papers, commenting on the course and their interviews with rural pharmacists. Results: Across both years, 45% of the enrolled students had previous experience in rural communities. The net change in Rural Interest scores among students completing both questionnaires was + 5 in 2022 and + 2 in 2023, both non-significant differences. The largest shifts in student interest were from "Not Sure" at the start of the course to "Interested" or "Not Interested" at the end of the course, and from "Interested" to "Very Interested." In their reflection papers nearly 60% of students reported being most impressed by their interviews with rural pharmacists. Conclusions: A course addressing the benefits and challenges of practicing pharmacy in rural communities was well-received by pharmacy students. Even students who have little interest in living in a rural community can benefit from being introduced to rural culture, enabling them to provide more culturally-responsive care for patients from rural communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes an engineering outreach programme designed to increase the interest of under-represented youth in engineering and to disseminate pre-engineering design challenge materials to K-12 educators and volunteers. Given university students' critical role as facilitators of the outreach programme, researchers conducted a two-year design experiment to examine the programme's effectiveness at preparing university students to lead pre-engineering activities. Pre- and post-surveys incorporated items from the Student Engagement sub-scale of the Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale. Surveys were analysed using paired-samples t-test. Interview and open-ended survey data were analysed using discourse analysis and the constant comparative method. As a result of participation in the programme, university students reported a gain in efficacy to lead pre-engineering activities. The paper discusses programme features that supported efficacy gains and concludes with a set of design principles for developing learning environments that effectively prepare university students to facilitate pre-engineering outreach programmes.

Aim: The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of the bladder stimulation technique (BST) to collect urine samples from newborns and its effects on physiological parameters and comfort of the newborn. Design: This was a randomized controlled trial conducted in a NICU. A total of 64 newborns were divided into 2 groups: 32 newborns in the experimental group and 32 newborns in the control group. Methods: Newborns in the experimental group (EG) were subjected to the BST, and in the control group (CG), urine collection was via sterile urine bags, which is routine practice. Procedural success was defined as the collection of urine samples within 3 min of beginning the stimulation technique in the experimental group and of placing the sterile urine bag in the control group. Results: The success rate of the procedure in 3 min was 62.5% in the EG and 28% in the CG (P = 0.006, absolute difference: 35%, 95% confidence interval 27% to 42%, NNT: 3). According to the comparison of the overall mean COMFORTneo scale and pain and distress subscale scores at the 1‐ and 3‐min marks, there was a significant difference between the EG and CG (p < 0.05). The mean scores in the EG were higher than those in the CG. The mean oxygen‐saturation was significantly lower in the EG than in the CG (p < 0.05), and the increase in heart rate was significantly higher in the EG (p = 0.018). Conclusions: BST is a more successful method within 3 min for collecting urine samples from newborns compared to sterile urine bags. However, the newborns' comfort levels minimally decreased at 3 min, and they had moderate pain and distress, while the BST was being implemented. This increase in physiologic parameters was statistically significant but not clinically significant. Summary statement: What is already known about this topic? Urinary tract infection is a commonly diagnosed bacterial infection in young infants with fever. However, the symptoms of this infection are non‐specific, so urine samples are needed to accurately diagnose and exclude it.There are multiple methods available for collecting urine samples, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.The bladder stimulation technique is a noninvasive and efficient method for collecting urine samples. However, few studies have examined the pain and distress effects of this technique, and these studies have reported varying results. What this paper adds? This study found that bladder stimulation techniques were more effective than sterile urine bags in collecting urine samples within 3 min from newborns.The bladder stimulation technique led to decreased saturation and comfort levels, increased heart rate, and increased pain and distress in the newborns during urine sampling; these increases in physiologic parameters were statistically significant but not clinically significant. The implications of this paper: The bladder stimulation technique is an effective noninvasive method for quickly collecting urine samples.Considering the pain and distress‐increasing properties of the technique, it may be recommended before invasive interventions (bladder catheterization and suprapubic aspiration) when urine sample collection with urine bags is not possible; it can be used in cases where urgent urine collection is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The present study aimed to examine the effects of a mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) program and deep relaxation exercises on pregnancy‐related anxiety levels. Materials and Methods: This randomized parallel‐group controlled trial was conducted with 95 pregnant women (MBSR: n = 32, deep relaxation exercises: n = 31, control: n = 32) between 1 August and 15 October 2022 with pregnant women who were registered at the pregnancy outpatient clinics of a hospital in the Southeastern Anatolia Region of Türkiye. CONSORT guidelines were followed in our study. The participants in the MBSR group were given an eight‐session MBSR program, consisting of two sessions per week for 4 weeks, whereas the participants in the deep relaxation exercises group were asked to do exercises at home with deep relaxation videos four times a week for 4 weeks. The participants in the control group received only routine prenatal care. Results: The mean PRAQ‐R2 Fear of Giving Birth subscale scores of the participants in the MBSR and deep relaxation exercises groups after the intervention were lower than that of the participants in the control group. Additionally, the mean total PRAQ‐R2, PRAQ‐R2 Worries about Bearing a Physically or Mentally Handicapped Child subscale and PRAQ‐R2 Concern about One's Own Appearance subscale scores of the participants in the MBSR group were found to be significantly lower than the scores of those in the deep relaxation exercises and control groups (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The MBSR program is an effective method for reducing pregnancy‐related anxiety levels. Additionally, deep relaxation exercises are alternative practices for reducing the fear of giving birth among pregnant women. Trial registration: NCT05447000 Summary statement: What is already known about this topic? Anxiety is common during pregnancy.Alternative methods are becoming important considering the effects of complications of medical treatment on the mother and the fetus from treatments for anxiety in the prenatal period.What this paper adds? The MBSR program is an effective method for reducing pregnancy‐related anxiety levels.Deep relaxation exercises are alternative practices for reducing the fear of giving birth among pregnant women.The implications of this paper: This research provides a solid basis for the use of an MBSR program during midwifery and nursing practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To explore the rate of NUPs and associated factors in the PED of the 'Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe' in Valencia (Spain) using Andersen's Behavioural Model. Methods: We conducted a descriptive cross‐sectional study using Andersen's Behavioural Model in parents visiting the PED with their children at the 'Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe' in Valencia (Spain). Results: The study involved a total of 530 participants, of whom 419 (79%) had made an NUP. The predisposing factors identified were: (I) paediatric patients brought in by their fathers (OR = 0.460; p = 0.005), (II) lower educational attainment (OR = 3.841; p = 0.000), (III) first‐time parenthood (OR = 2.335; p = 0.000) and (IV) higher parental stress (OR = 1.974; p = 0.023). The enabling factors included: (I) responsibility for a significant part of the childcare shared with others (OR = 0.348; p = 0.041) and (II) the perception that PEDs provide better care than primary care (PC) services (OR = 1.628; p = 0.005). The need factors were: (I) existing chronic illness in the child seeking care (OR = 0.343; p = 0.000) and (II) the perceived severity of the urgency (OR = 0.440; p = 0.031). Conclusions: The NUP rates found in this study are similar to those found internationally. In accordance with Andersen's Behavioural Model, we identify predisposing, enabling and need factors to explain the multifactorial nature of NUPs in PEDs. Implications for Practice: Identifying the factors associated with NUPs enables interventions to be targeted at those groups most likely to engage in NUPs, thereby optimising the functioning of the PED and improving the well‐being of children and families. These interventions should focus on improving parental health literacy, providing education on making appropriate decisions about accessing health services and recognising severe symptoms in children, as well as improving access to high‐quality PC services. Providing support to parents during the transition to parenthood would also be beneficial. Reporting Method: This paper adheres to the STROBE initiative guidelines. Contribution from patients or members of the public: Participants, who voluntarily agreed to take part, contributed to the study by completing a paper‐based questionnaire containing all the study variables as prepared by the research team. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structural equation modeling (SEM) has become widespread in educational and psychological research. Its flexibility in addressing complex theoretical models and the proper treatment of measurement error has made it the model of choice for many researchers in the social sciences. Nevertheless, the model imposes some daunting assumptions and restrictions (e.g. normality and relatively large sample sizes) that could discourage practitioners from applying the model. Partial least squares SEM (PLS-SEM) is a nonparametric technique which makes no distributional assumptions and can be estimated with small sample sizes. In this paper a general introduction to PLS-SEM is given and is compared with conventional SEM. Next, step by step procedures, along with R functions, are presented to estimate the model. A data set is analyzed and the outputs are interpreted.

Online learning is a means of reaching marginalised and disadvantaged students within South Africa. Nevertheless, these students encounter obstacles in online learning. This research investigates South African students' opinions regarding online learning, culminating in a model of important connections (facets that connect students to their learning and the institution). Most participants had no prior experience with online learning. Their perceptions and barriers to learning may apply to other developing countries as well. A cross-sequential research design was employed using a survey among 58 fourth-year students who were studying a traditional paper-based module via open distance learning. The findings indicated certain essential connections: first, a "strong social presence" (through timely feedback, interaction with facilitators, peer-to-peer contact, discussion forums, and collaborative activities); second, "technological aspects" (technology access, online learning self-efficacy, and computer self-efficacy); and third, "tools" (web sites, video clips). The study revealed low levels of computer/internet access at home, which is of concern in an ODL milieu heading online. Institutions moving to online learning in developing countries should pay close attention to their students' situations and perceptions, and develop a path that would accommodate both the disadvantaged and techno-savvy students without compromising quality of education and learning. The article culminates in practical recommendations that encompass the main findings to help guide institutions in developing countries as they move towards online teaching and learning.

This paper utilizes a case-study design to discuss global aspects of massive open online course (MOOC) assessment. Drawing from the literature on open-course models and linguistic gatekeeping in education, we position freeform assessment in MOOCs as both challenging and valuable, with an emphasis on current practices and student resources. We report on the findings from a linguistically-diverse pharmacy MOOC, taught by a native English speaker, which utilized an automated essay scoring (AES) assignment to engage students in the application of course content. Native English speakers performed better on the assignment overall, across both automated- and human-graders. Additionally, our results suggest that the use of an AES system may disadvantage non-native English speakers, with agreement between instructor and AES scoring being significantly lower for non-native English speakers. Survey responses also revealed that students often utilized online translators, though analyses showed that this did not detrimentally affect essay grades. Pedagogical and future assignment suggestions are then outlined, utilizing a multicultural-lens and acknowledging the possibility of certain assessments disadvantaging non-native English speakers within an English-based MOOC system.

The first data structure that first-year undergraduate students learn during the programming and algorithms courses is the one-dimensional array. For novice programmers, it might be hard to understand different algorithms on arrays (e.g. searching, mirroring, sorting algorithms), because the algorithms dynamically change the values of elements. In these situations, visualizations and animations might be helpful didactic tools. In this paper, we briefly overview animations with different views and introduce our Javascript library for developing interactive micro-level animations. Using this library, different sorting algorithm animations were created, which were used in a pedagogical experiment. The results showed that our interactive animations helped students to understand the visualized sorting algorithms.

The present paper compares the vocabulary development of a group of CLIL and of traditional EFL learners along three years. The observation that a CLIL approach might provide with larger benefits in the long-run vocabulary is the starting point of this study. We had learners in the two groups complete a letter-writing task. These writings were then scrutinized for L1 influence in the form of borrowings and lexical creations. The frequency of the words in the letters was also an object of analysis. Results revealed that CLIL learners perform slightly better but non-significantly better than traditional EFL along the three years. Furthermore, the evolution of L1 influence and word use also followed an expected improvement pattern as learners went up grade. However, our results do not provide evidence of a growing CLIL advantage with increasing experience. The young age and low proficiency of learners in the present study might be blocking this possible advantage found elsewhere.

The relevance of this problem is related to the urgent need to explain peculiarities of anticipation and probabilistic forecasting in adolescence. It has revealed a contradiction: on the one hand, the problem of anticipation in ontogenesis is well developed, and, on the other hand, there remain understudied mechanisms of anticipation in adolescents. Therefore, this article is aimed at presenting the findings of anticipatory competence in teenagers. The theoretical base of the study is anticipatory concept of neurogenesis that considers the formation and development of neurotic disorders in connection with such personal characteristics of the patient, as the inability to predict the possible traumatic situations in the future and to plan ways to overcome them,--anticipatory competence. The basic methods in the study of this problem are the empirical methods of studying and comparing, allowing to reveal the specifics of anticipation in adolescents. The main results of the paper are as follows: both adolescents and young men reveal an average level of anticipatory competence; in adolescents overall anticipatory competence is made up of personal-situational anticipatory competence, spatial and temporal anticipatory incompetence. At the youthful age overall anticipatory competence is made up of personal-situational anticipatory competence and spatial and temporal anticipatory incompetence. The article submissions are of practical value for psychologists working with teenagers.

The images of "enemies" and "friends" remain in the focus of attention due to escalating discriminatory practices towards communication partners from different groups that one tends to ascribe negative features based on various stereotypes, social attitudes and representations. In this paper, the problem of metaphorical and narrative foundations of such phenomena as "discrimination" and "hate speech" is investigated. The purpose of this pilot research was studying the influence of "friend" and "alien" metaphors and the ideas of adults about Enemy and Friend on their adopting discriminatory practices towards other people. The author's technique for researching the metaphors of "friends" and "aliens" was developed, as well as one for studying the way discriminatory practices towards other people get adopted. The techniques for studying the characteristics of ideas about Enemy and Friend were applied. The empirical model of "friend" and "alien" metaphors and "enemy" and "friend" images as cognitive predictors of discriminatory practices towards others has been demonstrated. The correlation between "friend" and "alien" metaphors of different kinds, characteristics of personality's ideas about Enemy and Friend were analysed. The results of this research can be of use in solving the applied tasks in psychology of conflicts, in psychological consulting and tolerance trainings.

Due to a progressive deterioration of our planet and its resources, environmental education has become important and children are required to understand environmental issues at an early ages. So, they can cultivate the positive changes in the future. Over the past decade, many new evaluation methods have developed for evaluating user experience with children, but the results of these studies have tended to be reported in the isolation of other techniques. This paper use different methods include focus group, Fun toolkit, and game checklist for designing board game about recycling. First we sketch our primary ideas and then we design our first board game prototype and evaluate it by focus group in order to gather children opinion and then redesign it for further evaluation, after that we select two computer game about recycling, in this part 20 children participate in evaluating two games by fun toolkit. The experiences of each were captured by using 4 evaluation instrument in fun toolkit including: smileyometer, the fun sorter, the again-again, This or That method, The results showed that the Fun Toolkit and This or That method showed similar results and were able to establish a preference for one game over the other. However, there were some inconsistencies between the results of individual tools in the Fun toolkit and some of the constructs being measured in the This or That method. Further research will try to identify any ordering effects of each method and redundancies of the questions. Result of this part were used in promoting our game according to the result of fun toolkit. Game checklist was also used in order to redesign the different parts of the game, consequently, we design a board game of these young children's responses. Which can be used in both home and school area.

The relevance of the problem under investigation is conditioned by the fact that a person in the situation of the disease, especially the disease with a poor prognosis in the first place, transforms the system of the value-meaningful priorities, organizing time perspectives, which are drastically changing its structure and length. The resulting changes of the time perspective in the situation of the disease significantly affect the outcome and quality of life. The aim of the research is to study the dissociation of time perspective of the individual patients with hematological disease. The basic method to study this issue is the experimental method, which allows revealing the specifics of the dissociation of time perspective of the individual patients with oncohematological disease. The research results, obtained by the authors are as follows: the basic element of the time perspective of the individual patients with oncohematological disease is the fatalistic present, which is dissociated from the future and the positive past. Negative past is not dissociated, as it is a source of maintaining the experience of the fatalistic present. The increasing share of the future, its integration into the structure of the time perspective of the individual patients with oncohematological disease will allow activating the productive mechanisms of coping with the disease, which has a prognostic significance in the subjective attitude to their own disease. The paper submissions may be used in the provision of psychological assistance to patients with oncohematological disease.

Enhancing students' learning autonomy has been emphasized in the current round of English curriculum reforms by the Ministry of Education (MOE) in China. The initial aim of the new guidelines was developed to enhance students' English proficiency to better fulfil their basic education (Nine-year compulsory education). However, up until now, very little is known about the quality of students' basic education and their learner autonomy development. This paper uses the English language subject as a case to examine the relationship between the different locations of students' attendance of their basic education and their learner autonomy development at university level. The result shows that secondary schools' locations play a more important role in students' learner autonomy development at university. A "Have A Go" model is proposed to improve students' transition between high schools and universities in the English language learning process.

Assessment is one of the most important elements of student life and significantly shapes their learning. Consequently, tutors need to ensure that student awareness regarding assessment is promoted. Students should get the opportunity to practise assessing work and receive tutor feedback so that they might improve on both the work and their assessment of it. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how student engagement with criteria, exemplars, self-assessment, and feedback influenced students' performance, their assessment capacity, and also how students experienced the process. A mixed methods approach was used. Students' performance and assessments were established using a rubric that included 5 criteria each evaluated using 5 point Likert scale linked to descriptors. A thematic analysis of the focus group resulted in two themes. The findings show that overall students' performance in the assignment significantly improved between draft and final submissions. Students' assessment of their work significantly differed to the tutor's on some criteria at both submissions but in opposite directions on one criterion between both submissions. The focus group found that the rubric guided students to produce their draft while tutor feedback guided them to improve on it. However, these findings require further investigation. The following recommendations ensue from the research and should assist student development concerning assessment. Tutors should give students an opportunity to assess work and also see tutor's assessment of that work using the same criteria. Also, tutors should provide constructive feedback during an assignment.

Health professional students must be equipped with the skills necessary to interact with patients. Effective interpersonal skills are difficult to both learn and teach, requiring development, practise and evaluation in both educational and clinical settings. In professions such as physiotherapy, traditional approaches to teaching these skills have encompassed clinical modelling, and stand-alone didactic teaching of the theory behind communication. These provide limited opportunity for students to practise and receive feedback on their interpersonal and communication skills. This paper describes the implementation of an experiential small group learning approach in an undergraduate physiotherapy program and discusses outcomes. Implications for practice are that: experientially based small group learning with opportunities for practise, reflection, self-evaluation and feedback, can improve students' confidence and interpersonal skills; consistent and scaffolded participation in experiential learning opportunities and assessment of this participation across the program is key to this approach. Interpersonal skills remain a challenge for new graduates; support and mentoring in this domain by supervisors may enhance the transition to work.

This paper highlights the results of a research conducted in Bungoma County of Kenya between 2008-2009. The objective of the study was to investigate the attitudes of teachers and students towards the impact of availability and use of daily newspapers on students' speaking competence in English language. The study was based on the Communicative Language Teaching Approach and the theory underlying this approach is Krashen's Second Language Acquisition, the monitor model. The study used the mixed methods research approach adopting a correlation research design. Stratified, purposive and simple random sampling techniques were used to get the sample. The sample involved 16 teachers of English language and 135 form three students. The questionnaire, students' focused group discussions, and interview guide were used to collect data from the students and teachers respectively. The data collected was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The hypotheses were tested using non-parametric inferential statistics--Mann-Whitney U-test. From the analysis and interpretation of data, it was deduced that students who used daily newspapers showed better speaking competence in English language than those who did not use them. Consequently, it is recommended that the use of the daily newspapers as an instructional resource in teaching speaking skills in English language should be encouraged and improved in secondary schools in Kenya.

Randomized controlled trials are not always feasible in educational research, so researchers must use alternative methods to study treatment effects. Propensity score matching is one such method for observational studies that has shown considerable growth in popularity since it was first introduced in the early 1980s. This paper outlines the concept of propensity scores by explaining their theoretical principles and providing two examples of their usefulness within the realm of educational research. Through worked examples, we highlight the effectiveness of propensity scores as a method for reducing bias and increasing the balance between treatment and comparison groups. To aid in the understanding and future use of propensity scores, we provide R syntax for all our analyses.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to study Bayesian dependency modelling (BDM) to validate the model of educational experiences and the student-customer orientation questionnaire (SCOQ), and to identify the categories of educatonal experience in which students expect a higher educational institutions (HEI) to be student-customer oriented. Design/methodology/approach: This paper employs a cross-sectional quantitative survey study, mixed methods research, exploratory factor analysis and BDM. Findings: The validated model of educational experiences and the SCOQ; results indicate that students expect to be treated as customers in some, but not all categories of educational experience. Research limitations/implications: The authors contribute to existing literature on two fronts: the validated model of educational experiences and the categories of educational experience in which students expect to be treated as customers. Practical implications: The validated SCOQ presented in the paper may be used by other HEIs to assess the degree to which students expect a particular HEI to be customer oriented. Also, HEIs should assess students' expectations concerning student-customer orientation before employing such an approach. Originality/value: The paper presents a validated model of educational experiences and a SCOQ. Additionally, the study does not investigate whether students expect a HEI as such to be student-customer oriented (as most studies have done so far); instead, the aim is to find out whether, in which categories of educational experience and to what extent students expect a HEI to be student-customer oriented. Thus, the study explores the phenomenon of student-customer orientation at a deeper level, i.e. separately at the level of educational experiences.

Conventional methods for mediation analysis generate biased results when the mediator-outcome relationship depends on the treatment condition. This article shows how the ratio-of-mediator-probability weighting (RMPW) method can be used to decompose total effects into natural direct and indirect effects in the presence of treatment-by-mediator interactions. The indirect effect can be further decomposed into a pure indirect effect and a natural treatment-by-mediator interaction effect. Similar to other techniques for causal mediation analysis, RMPW generates causally valid results when the sequential ignorability assumptions hold. Yet unlike the model-based alternatives including path analysis, structural equation modeling, and their latest extensions, RMPW requires relatively few assumptions about the distribution of the outcome, the distribution of the mediator, and the functional form of the outcome model. Correct specification of the propensity score models for the mediator remains crucial when parametric RMPW is applied. The paper gives an intuitive explanation of the RMPW rationale, a mathematical proof, and simulation results for the parametric and non-parametric RMPW procedures. We apply the technique to identifying whether employment mediated the relationship between an experimental welfare-to-work program and maternal depression. A detailed delineation of the analytic procedures is accompanied by online Stata code as well as a stand-alone RMPW software program to facilitate users' analytic decision-making. [This article was published in "Journal of Educational and Behavioral Statistics," v40 n3 p307-340 Jun 2015 (see: EJ1063649).]

Over the past decade, there has been an increased exploration of ePortfolios in higher education across disciplines at both the undergraduate and graduate level. ePortfolios have been significantly under-explored, however, in the context of non-traditional continuing education environments within higher education. This paper explores students' perceptions of ePortfolios in a non-credit continuing education environment in three programs--Fine Arts, Writing and Editing, and Residential Interiors--unpacking some of the opportunities, challenges, and barriers associated with ePortfolio use. It concludes that continuing education students, at least in programs where traditional (hard copy) portfolios are commonplace, are positively inclined towards the introduction and use of ePortfolios, though the study still identifies two major concerns that need to be addressed--the level of computer literacy in the student body due to their variability in age and previous educational backgrounds, and the support for and portability of the ePortfolios for students and instructors.

The main purpose of the present paper is to investigate the problem of the nonparametric estimation of the expectile regression in which the response variable is scalar while the covariate is a random function. More precisely, an estimator is constructed by using the local linear k Nearest Neighbor procedures (kNN). The main contribution of this study is the establishment of the Uniform consistency in Number of Neighbors of the constructed estimators. These results are established under fairly general structural conditions on the classes of functions and the underlying models. The usefulness of our result for the smoothing parameter automatic selection is discussed. Some simulation studies are carried out to show the finite sample performances of the kNN estimator. The theoretical uniform consistency results, established in this paper, are (or will be) key tools for many further developments in functional data analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, there has been a notable shift in focus towards the analysis of non-stationary time series, driven largely by the complexities associated with delineating significant asymptotic behaviors inherent to such processes. The genesis of the theory of locally stationary processes arises from the quest for asymptotic inference grounded in nonparametric statistics. This paper endeavors to formulate a comprehensive framework for conducting inference within the realm of locally stationary functional time series by harnessing the conditional U-statistics methodology as propounded by W. Stute in 1991. The proposed methodology extends the Nadaraya-Watson regression function estimations. Within this context, a novel estimator was introduced for the single index conditional Ustatistics operator, adept at accommodating the non-stationary attributes inherent to the data-generating process. The primary objective of this paper was to establish the weak convergence of conditional Uprocesses within the domain of locally stationary functional mixing data. Specifically, the investigation delved into scenarios of weak convergence involving functional explanatory variables, considering both bounded and unbounded sets of functions while adhering to specific moment requirements. The derived findings emanate from broad structural specifications applicable to the class of functions and models under scrutiny. The theoretical insights expounded in this study constitute pivotal tools for advancing the domain of functional data analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this study is to analyse the risk factors for unplanned readmissions within 1 month after hospital discharge to develop a seamless support system from discharge to home care. Background: With shorter hospital stay lengths, understanding the characteristics of patients with multiple risk factors is important to prevent rehospitalization. Design: This is a single‐centre retrospective descriptive study. Methods: Logistic regression and decision tree analyses were performed using eight items from the records of 3117 patients discharged from a university hospital between April–September 2017 as risk factors. Results: Unplanned readmission risk was significantly associated with emergency hospitalization (odds ratio [OR]: 3.12, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.04–4.77), malignancy (OR: 2.16, 95% CI: 1.44–3.24), non‐surgical admission (OR: 1.76, 95% CI: 1.07–2.88), hospital stay of ≥ 15 days (OR: 1.66, 95% CI: 1.14–2.43) and decline in activities of daily living owing to hospitalization (OR: 1.68, 95% CI: 1.06–2.64). The highest risk combinations for rehospitalization were as follows: emergency hospitalization and malignancy; emergency admission, non‐malignancy and a hospital stay of ≥15 days; and scheduled hospitalization, no surgery and a hospital stay of ≥15 days. Conclusions: Patients with multiple risks for unplanned readmission should be accurately screened and provided with optimal home care. Summary statement: What is already known about this topic? Although the characteristics of patients at high risk of rehospitalization include malignancy, heart failure, conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other diseases prone to recurrence, old age, reduced activities of daily living and emergency hospitalization, few studies have reported on cases with multiple risks. What this paper adds? The most frequent risk types for unplanned readmissions within a month were emergency admissions for malignant tumours, emergency admissions for non‐malignant tumours with a hospital stay of 2 weeks or more and scheduled admissions for non‐surgical purposes with a length of stay of 2 weeks or more. The implications of this paper: The risk of unplanned readmission within 1 month of discharge increased due to a combination of multiple risks.This study helps us identify patients who are at high risk for readmission early in the hospitalization process and in providing nursing support for transition to their homes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]