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Many educational strategies have been proposed to improve students' learning motivation and outcomes. This paper reports the student learning outcome results of a three-year study centered on the Electronics course at the Department of Physics of National Taiwan University. In the first year, peer instruction (PI) with in-class lectures was implemented. In the second year, in-class lectures were replaced with online lectures in a flipped classroom (FC) approach, and PI in class was maintained. In the third year, PI-based conceptual questions (CQs) were scored as part of in-class homework to enhance motivation for online lecture preview. Learning performance was evaluated based on cumulative percentage of correct answers to CQs and summative assessment. The results revealed improved student performance on summative assessment with PI and FC approaches combined. Furthermore, when CQs were scored, overall learning outcomes were significantly enhanced. In addition, an advantage of using a PI plus FC approach over using PI alone is that more course materials can be covered in online videos, which prevents a loss of lecture content to the time-consuming, in-class discussions involved in PI. Our study indicates that when students' motivations to prepare before class are reinforced using graded CQs, the learning outcome enhancement of PI plus FC is even more significant.

Purpose: The internationalization of higher education institutions (HEIs) is the top stage of international relations among universities, and it is no longer regarded as a goal but as a means to improve the education of sustainability. As institutional commitments to internationalize higher education continue to grow, so does the need to critically consider the intended purposes and actual outcomes of the resulting programs and policies. This study aims to explore how institutional international policies influence outcomes of HEIs internationalization in the East Asian region, specifically in Taiwan and Japan. Design/methodology/approach: The study used quantitative design. 3,158 participants, including 1,192 participants from Taiwan and 1,966 participants from Japan, were randomly recruited to complete the Academic Profession in the Knowledge Society (APIKS), an international survey examining the change in academic work in HEIs. The study adopted quantitative data and used two variables (institutional international policies and outcomes of internationalization) with descriptive, correlational, and moderated multiple hierarchical regression analysis with SPSS computer software to answer the research questions. Findings: The study showed that both Taiwanese and Japanese academics have high agreements on the outcomes of internationalization for enhancing academic quality and increasing mobility of students. In both countries, two institutional international policies of HEIs internalization- clear internationalization strategies and funding for faculty members to undertake research abroad- can significantly influence the process of internationalization in the teaching-oriented and research-oriented HEIs respectively. Originality/value: This study provides insight into the relationship between institutional international policies and the outcomes of HEIs internationalization in Taiwan and Japan. It provides university leaders with empirical evidence for implementing managerial strategies of internationalization that promote education for sustainability in HEIs.

This interview study takes translingual identity as its theoretical framework and a sociocultural linguistic approach as an analytical tool to examine how two Western-educated Taiwanese professors of English writing (Beth and Nita) construct a translingual professional identity. While Beth presented herself as a competent writing instructor beyond the binary of native- and nonnative-English-speaking teachers (NESTs or NNESTs) to help students develop both descriptive grammar and pragmatic knowledge of how to write, Nita saw herself as superior to not only NESTs for her knowledge in second language (L2) writing but also NNESTs for her teaching of fluency over accuracy. These complex negotiations for a translingual identity and professional legitimacy contribute to our understanding of how translingual identity can be used as a lens to understand Western-educated teachers' identity negotiation in the EFL context beyond the confined categories of NEST and NNEST.

Students from Asian countries form the largest group of mobile international students in Western anglophone countries. Despite research on the mobility experiences of international students to anglophone and non-anglophone countries, there are limited cross-comparative, mixed-method studies exploring the experiences of host language acquisition and usage and how these impact on academic performance and shapes social connectedness. This study contributes further understanding by exploring language acquisition experiences of international university students in Taiwan and Australia, where the language of instruction is not their native language. In the two universities studied, usage levels (general usage, speaking, reading, listening and writing) differed and depended on situational and contextual needs. Those studying in Australia consistently reported higher mean scores of host language usage across three of the five components: listening, reading and writing. Written communication was perceived to be a challenge for both groups during interviews. Overall, students preferred face-to-face classroom learning and highly valued peer support. Information communication and technology use was common in supporting vocabulary and pronunciation. We discuss how the findings of our study inform the types of academic learning support needed, and how these differed, depending on the host language, and student background.

A number of Mobile-Assisted-Language-Learning (MALL) apps have been developed to enlarge students' vocabulary. However, few studies have discussed the potential to learn words deeply and productively. Therefore, this study evaluated the effectiveness of a mind mapping MALL app as an aid to assist northern Taiwan EFL participants in learning vocabulary. The research questions aimed to examine changes in vocabulary learning outcomes, and the perspectives the participants held regarding the app. Data were collected through tests (pretest, posttest and delayed posttest), visualized vocabulary knowledge mind mappings, and surveys. The posttest results showed the use of the mind mapping MALL app enhanced EFL vocabulary learning (t = 3.68, p<0.05; Cohen's d = 0.81, r = 0.38). In addition, based on the questionnaire responses, experimental participants agreed that not only did the MALL app provide them with a feasible way to move from receptive ways of learning to productive ways of learning, but it also bolstered word consciousness and word retention. Analytical ANCOVA results also verified that learners benefited more from the mind mapping app with respect to learning performance in their delayed posttest (t = 3.45, p<.05; Cohen's d = 0.77, r = 0.36). The findings may be construed as an effective method towards learning foreign words and further exploring the potential of vocabulary learning and MALL.

This study aimed to develop a maker spirit problem-based learning (PBL) innovation and entrepreneurship course and explore its impact on students' learning effectiveness. A mixed research method was adopted for this study, in which qualitative and quantitative data were collected for inductive analysis. The research subjects comprised 49 students who took the 'Innovation and Entrepreneurship Course' at a university of science and technology. Further, an 18-week experimental teaching activity was implemented, in which the 'Maker Spirit -- PBL Innovation and Entrepreneurship Course' was innovatively developed. Results revealed that most students showed significant positive learning effectiveness in two levels, namely 'innovation and entrepreneurship', and 'maker practice', after the experimental teaching. Therefore, five major implementation points of the 'Maker Spirit -- PBL Innovation and Entrepreneurship Course' were proposed to provide references for future implementations and applications in the teaching field.

In this study, experimental teaching was conducted through the artificial intelligence of things (AIOT) practical course, and the 4D (discover, define, develop, deliver) double diamond shape was used to design the course and plan the teaching content to observe the students' self-efficacy and learning anxiety. The technology acceptance model (TAM) concept was used to explore learning effectiveness and satisfaction. A total of 36 Senior One students from a senior high school in Kaohsiung were selected as the research subjects in two classes per week for 13 weeks. Questionnaires and qualitative interviews were used to understand the correlation between students' self-efficacy, anxiety, outcomes, and learning satisfaction with the AIOT course during the flipped learning process. The study used SmartPLS3 to analyze the measurement model and structural model, and bootstrapping to conduct the path analysis and validate the research hypotheses. Because this research provides students with relevant online teaching videos for linking and browsing in the textbooks, and the video time should not be too long, in the teaching process, small-scale online learning courses are adopted for flipped teaching, which promptly arouses students' interest and enhances their learning participation. Through the sharing of homework with each other, its content deficiencies were modified, students' anxiety in learning was reduced, and the effect of learning and thinking together was achieved; in the teaching mode, theoretical content was combined with physical and practical courses to implement cross-disciplinary. To learn, the principle of 4D double diamond design to make "reciprocal corrections" between curriculum planning and teaching implementation as the teaching model framework was used. The results of this study show "self-efficacy" has a significant positive effect on the "perceived usefulness" and "perceived ease of use" of users. "Learning anxiety" does not significantly predict the "perceived ease of use" or "perceived usefulness" of flipped learning using online e-learning. The "perceived ease of use" and "perceived usefulness" have positive impacts on the prediction of "behavioral intention" in flipped teaching using online digital teaching materials. The "perceived ease of use" has a positive and high impact on "perceived usefulness". "Learning engagement" positively affects students' actual "behavioral intention" towards learning. Students are highly receptive to learning new knowledge about science and technology.

Neoliberalism was widely adopted both in South Korea and Taiwan in the mid-1990s. With governmental reforms, both countries adopted variants of competition-based funding mechanisms for higher education. This funding mechanism has been widely applied in most funding allocations for higher education in Korea from 2003 to 2017 and in Taiwan from 2004 to 2015. This study investigates whether competition-based funding is based on institutional performance rather than on traditional funding approaches such as budget history-based and student enrollment-based approaches. This study collected institutional funding data from 142 four-year universities in Korea and 100 four-year universities in Taiwan. This study found that funding is mostly contingent on the number of students, especially undergraduate students in Korea, and on prior budget history in Taiwan. This implies that although competition-based funding is widely applied in Korea and Taiwan, traditional factors such as student enrollment and budget history still influence funding decisions. However, this study also found that institutional performance is established in both countries' government funding mechanisms. Institutional performance accounted for 27.6% in Korea in 2017, and for 16.7% in Taiwan in 2015. This study further discusses side effects brought by the funding scheme of both countries.

This study explores Taiwanese college students' awareness and action on UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) launched in 2015. These goals define key dimensions wherein youth's recognition, appreciation, and implementations ignite global citizenship, therefore enhancing both employability and mobility. The SDGs have set a strong presence in higher education, but perhaps not enough as most studies have not assessed a holistic view of undergraduates' SDGs perception. In a well-globalized Chinese society where undergraduate degrees are as widespread as in Taiwan, this study aims to uncover whether higher education institutions (HEIs) in Taiwan have served as enabling environments for the growth of global citizens. Building on the government's educational reforms and individual policies, it asks: on which aspects have Taiwan excelled or receded, why, and what can our example offer the global community in sowing global citizens? The Importance--Performance Analysis (IPA) grid was conducted to assess college students' recognition and implementation of each goal. A list of 17 goals and 68 items were identified from literature reviews and each item was rated using a five-point Likert scale. On the scale, the online survey enables the 1238 college students from HEIs, ranging from research to non-research ones, to rate the relative importance of the items, followed by another performance rating. We aspire analysis of the responses to allow reflection on the implementation of professional and general education, as results indicate the factors contributing to students' cognition of the SDGs. Echoing current policy in Taiwan, we intend to offer insights and recommendations to extend students' SDGs vision, ultimately enhancing youth's international understanding and mobility.

There are a multitude of factors influencing the learning outcomes of students, with all previous studies basing their conclusions upon predetermined variables according to different theories and exploring the relevance between them. In this study, two important antecedents--the transfer of teachers' knowledge and student orientation--are put forward based on the knowledge conversion theory and marketing concepts to explore the conspicuousness between various factors within the structural model. This study uses students from colleges in Taiwan as its research samples. Purposive sampling is adopted to acquire the samples required for statistics. A total of 801 participants are involved in this study. The results indicate that knowledge transfer at the teacher level plays a significant role in students' absorptive capacity and learning outcomes, that student orientation at college levels has a great influence on students' absorptive capacity, and that the prior knowledge of students has a positive moderating effect on the influence of teachers' knowledge transfer on students' absorptive capacities. Based on these results, the study provides suggestions for relevant theoretical and practical implications to indicate the contributions of this research.

Previous studies have indicated the challenges posed by large classes in promoting quality education and better student learning. This paper argues that empirically exploring other latent variables inherent in the pedagogical triangle of the teacher, the learner and the content hold a number of promises in elucidating the dynamics of large classes as an emerging phenomenon in global higher education. This study intends to examine how university lecturers' teaching styles moderate the relationship between teaching job and student learning involvement in the context of large classes. A multi-aspect survey was conducted with 446 electrical engineering students from six public universities in Taiwan. The use of inferential statistics revealed marked differences in the lecturers' teaching job involvement and teaching styles when grouped according to institutional types, positions at their respective universities, and years of service. Notably, among the various teaching styles, the expert-model and delegator teaching styles can significantly predict students' learning involvement; the formal authority teaching style moderates the relationship between lecturers' teaching job involvement and students' learning involvement. General implications are drawn from these findings and are discussed as they apply to the teaching of large classes.

The purpose of this study is to explore the associations among learning motivation, engagement and outcomes, and the moderating role of various traits in the relationship between deep approaches to learning and outcomes. Based on data from 2,340 students in multiple universities in Taiwan, this study proposes two alternative models, tested by Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The findings suggest that deep approaches to learning play a critical role in improving college students' cognitive and non-cognitive gains. The moderating effect in learning outcomes could be attributed to student and faculty traits, suggesting that in order to understand students' learning process, each trait should be considered individually. Implications for theory and practice are also discussed in this paper.

Research productivity has been a critical issue in terms of academic development in higher education. In this study, we adopt a life-course perspective to examine the personal factors, mostly age-related, affecting research productivity in a Taiwanese research-oriented university. Covering a time series of 20 years, our dataset includes individual research performance of faculty and other relevant covariates over their life course. The growth curve model designed for multilevel modeling of repeated measures is applied to capture the age effect. Our analysis contributes to the thread of this literature in several dimensions. First, the faculty's early academic achievement is positively associated with their later performance providing support for the cumulative advantage theory. Unlike the prediction of the utility maximizing theory, faculty with an administrative position leads to higher productivity. Finally, reinforcement still plays a critical role in regulating the productivity for non-early promising faculty.

Business simulation games (BSGs) are educational tools that help students develop business management knowledge and skills. However, to date, relatively little research has investigated the factors that influence students' BSG usage intention. Grounded on the extended unified theory of acceptance and use of technology, this study helped to fill this gap by exploring intention to use BSGs. Specifically, this study investigated the influence of performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation, and price value on behavioral intention to use BSGs. Data collected from 141 useful respondents were tested against the research model using partial least square approach. The results of this study indicated that behavioral intention to use BSGs was influenced by facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation, and price value. Unexpectedly, performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and social influence were not predictive of students' behavioral intention to use BSGs. These findings enhanced our understanding of students' BSG usage behavior and provided several important theoretical and practical implications for the application of BSG in the context of business and management education.

Changes in social systems demonstrate that various structural disadvantages have jointly led to increasing competition among higher education institutions (HEIs) in many countries, especially Taiwan. Institutional administrators must recognize the need to understand how to improve performance and consistently outperform other institutions. Building on two theoretical frameworks that link antecedents and institutional performance, this study examines the relationships among institutional resources, social capital, and performance within Taiwan's HEIs and the mediating role of institutional resources. By using structural equation modeling (SEM), we tested the multi-group model in three diverse HEI sizes: large, medium, and small. The results showed that each higher education institution, as a function of its history and past success, had different slack resources available, and these resource combinations were shown to be a relevant factor in explaining inter-higher-education-institution variance in each outcome. Considering HEI sizes, even small HEIs can enhance their performance through consolidating existing internal social capital and strengthening external social capital.

Background: The significant increase in medical disputes and lawsuits in recent years in Taiwan has severely affected behavior and ecology in medical practice. For this reason, we designed integrated courses on ethics and law and conducted a questionnaire-based career plan study to understand whether these issues influence their specialty selection process. Method: We randomly selected sixth-year medical students that rotated to our hospital to take an integrated course on medical ethics, laws and regulations, and problem-based learning. The students completed the same questionnaire before and after the course. We used a five-point Likert scale for agreement. In addition to calculating the proportion of agreement, we used paired t-tests in the question items before and after the course at a 0.05 level of significance. A qualitative analysis was also made. Results: This study included 98 medical students, 65 of whom were male, and 33 were female. In terms of reasons for studying medicine, the question item with the highest agreement proportion was "I chose to study medicine because being a doctor will enable me to lead a stable life"; in terms of career plans, it was "I will choose my specialty based on my personal aspirations and interests". On agreement scale, significant increases were presented in "I will choose my specialty based on my personal aspirations and interests" and "I will choose my specialty based on my sense of accomplishment". However, a significant reduction was found in "I will choose my specialty based on quality-of-life considerations". Qualitative analysis indicated that the students learnt that "acquiring good communication skills and fulfilling the obligation to obtain informed consent are the fundamental means of preventing medical disputes". Conclusion: After completing the course, medical students put greater emphasis on personal aptitude, interests, and sense of accomplishment, and less on quality-of-life in choosing a specialty.

This study analyzes and discusses how competition-based funding has been institutionalized in the three North East Asian countries of Japan, Korea, and Taiwan since the neoliberal reforms in the 1990s. We found that states set aside additional, 'competition-based' funding for distribution among higher education institutions. In addition, private universities have emerged as winners at the zero-sum game because their management styles are much more aligned with the managerial style. However, private universities are bound by state policy, and regulatory frameworks are deeply institutionalized within them with the growing public funding. We also observe that institutional practices of public universities are moving to market-oriented systems because of the growing competition. However, the increased responsiveness of HEIs to state policy does not necessarily result in an increase in their societal contributions because a university as a professional organization has the potential for generating a better societal contribution through collaborations as well as competition.

Simple Summary: Systemic therapy is the primary treatment option for patients diagnosed with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. The aim of our retrospective study is to assess the comparative effectiveness and safety of two treatment regimens in the first-line setting: lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab and atezolizumab plus bevacizumab. Our findings indicate that both regimens show similar overall survival, progression-free survival, and acceptable safety profiles in real-world conditions. Background: The combination of anti-angiogenic therapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors has revolutionized the management of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC). While an early-phase study demonstrated promising outcomes for lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab (L+P) in treating uHCC, the LEAP-002 trial did not meet its primary endpoint. However, the comparative efficacy between L+P and atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (A+B) as first-line treatment remains a topic of uncertainty. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness and safety of L+P in contrast to A+B among patients diagnosed with uHCC. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of enrolled patients with uHCC who received L+P or A+B as initial systemic treatment at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital from June 2019 to December 2022. The overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), and disease control rate (DCR) by modified RECIST were compared. Results: 121 patients were recruited, with 37 receiving L+P and 84 receiving A+B. Among them, 95 (78.5%) patients were BCLC stage C, and 99 (81.8%) patients had viral etiology for HCC, predominantly chronic HBV (68.6%). Both the L+P and the A+B groups demonstrated comparable OS (18.2 months versus 14.6 months, p = 0.35) and PFS (7.3 months versus 8.9 months, p = 0.75). The ORR and DCR were similar. After propensity score matching, the results remained consistent between the matched patients. Treatment-related adverse events of any grade occurred in 30 (81.1%) in the L+P group and 62 (73.8%) in the A+B group. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that L+P and A+B exhibit comparable efficacy and safety profiles in real-world settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review assesses interventions to reduce loneliness in Chinese older adults, analyzing 36 studies involving 3965 participants. Focusing on individuals aged 50 and over, the meta-analysis reveals a significant overall effect size (Hedges' g = 0.937, 95% CI [0.71,1.16], p<0.001), highlighting the effectiveness of psychological and mixed-method approaches. Despite promising results, methodological concerns suggest cautious interpretation. Future research should aim to refine intervention quality and examine the impact of technology-supported methods on loneliness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to estimate the population-attributable fraction (PAF) of psychiatric and physical disorders for suicide among older adults, focusing on sex- and age-specific factors. Data from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Data and National Death Registry included 9136 cases of suicide in individuals aged 65+, with 89,439 matched controls. Physical and psychiatric disorders were identified through diagnostic records. Conditional logistic regression assessed risk factors, and PAF was calculated using disorder prevalence and adjusted odds ratios. Major suicide risk factors among older adults were depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, and sleep disorders. Physical disorders like hypertension, peptic ulcers, and cancer also showed significant PAF values. The combined PAF of physical disorders equaled that of psychiatric disorders. Psychiatric disorders had a greater impact on women and the youngest-old adults, while physical disorders had a higher contribution among men, middle-old adults, and oldest-old adults. Relying solely on claim data to identify psychiatric and physical disorders may underestimate their prevalence and associations with suicide due to unrecorded cases of individuals not seeking help and the absence of key risk factors like social isolation and family support. This study identifies preventable or treatable risk factors for older adult suicide, emphasizing the need to target specific psychiatric and physical disorders in suicide prevention efforts while taking into account sex- and age-specific considerations. It also underscores the importance of establishing social welfare support systems to address the unique challenges older adults face. • Depressive, anxiety, and sleep disorders are significant suicide risk factors among older adults. • Physical disorders like cancer, hypertension, and peptic ulcers also contribute to suicide risk. • The combined impact of physical and psychiatric disorders on suicide risk is comparable. • Psychiatric disorders are more influential in women and the youngest-old • Physical disorders have a greater impact on men and older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study employed social cognitive theory and social cognitive career theory (SCCT) as foundations to explore the influence of high school students' beliefs about female gender roles and female engineer role models on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) self-efficacy and professional commitment to engineering. A total of 88 students from a national girls' high school participated in STEM project-based learning. A survey questionnaire named The STEM Self-efficacy and Professional Commitment to Engineering Questionnaire, developed by the researchers, was administered to collect data, and a structured equation model was employed to confirm the multi-theoretical model developed in this study. The results of this study show that enhancing the gender role beliefs and engineer role models of female students may increase their STEM self-efficacy and professional commitment to engineering. In other words, the female high school students' professional commitment to engineering model can explain students' intentions for future engineering careers. Thus, this study suggests integrating STEM project-based learning into the curricula of various schools and integrating female engineer role models into STEM project-based learning activities for female students, which can enhance female high school students' STEM self-efficacy and professional commitment to engineering.

With accelerated progress of information and communication technologies (ICT), web-based instruction (WBI) is becoming a popular method for education resources distributing and delivering. This study was conducted to explore what factors influence college students' behavioral intentions to utilize WBI systems. To achieve this aim, a WBI system was developed and employed in a vocational college in Taiwan to support undergraduate courses learning. Drawing on the concepts from Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA), and Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), this study proposes a nomological framework and develops an instrument for measuring college students' intention to use the WBI platform. The empirical results indicate that students show great readiness and positive intentions towards the system for their web-based learning activities and expose a possible benefit from its use in the long term. The research findings can provide instrumental suggestions for web-based instruction practices and may serve as instrumental guidelines for WBI systems to be effectively designed to advance college students' interests and activations in the virtual learning environment. (Contains 2 figures and 3 tables.)

This study aims to explore the effects of applying game-based learning to webcam motion sensor games for autistic students' sensory integration training for autistic students. The research participants were three autistic students aged from six to ten. Webcam camera as the research tool wad connected internet games to engage in motion sensor games. Through the motion sensor games, the researchers were able to collect data from physiological monitoring, observation (including sensory integration observation and process observation), and interviews. The findings of the study reveal that: (1) the teacher and the participants possess positive attitude toward applying webcam motion sensor games to sensory integration training; (2) Webcam motion sensor games can enhance autistic students' learning interest; and (3) applying the game-based learning to webcam motion sensor games can improve the effect of autistic students' muscle training and endurance. (Contains 4 tables and 5 figures.)

Teaching cases in medical education are often exhibited through various professional angles, but for patient-centered teaching cases, the division of labor among different specialties is even more important. However, general medical education platforms cannot provide such mechanisms for physicians. Thus, this study adopted a clinical medical education platform "HINTS" to establish a patient-centered interdisciplinary medical/clinical education mechanism for medical students to obtain a more holistic thinking process in practical training for clinical medicine. Additionally, rule-based and document-view methods were administered to successfully establish methods to edit and present teaching cases, installing them on "HINTS." The results of the preliminary experimentation show that applying online PBL case system can be very beneficial for the learning effects of medical students. (Contains 2 tables and 4 figures.)

The purpose of the study aimed to explore the effects of three different forms of the multimedia teaching materials on the achievements and attitudes of junior high school students in a chemistry laboratory context. The three forms of the multimedia teaching materials, static pictures, video, and animation, were employed to teach chemistry experiments to 54 eighth-grade students in Pingtung County, Taiwan. The research tools included the self-editing questionnaire of learning achievement, the experimental step checklist, and the learning feedback questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and ANCOVA were administered to analyze the collected data. The findings of the study indicate that the video and animation have more significant effects on promoting students' learning achievements in a chemistry laboratory context than static pictures in terms of operating equipment, technical operation, experimental procedures, and observation performance. Additionally, the students indicated that video presentation can best assist them in understanding the experiments. Finally, the findings and suggestions of this study can be useful references for multimedia designers, teachers, and school administrators. (Contains 8 tables and 3 figures.)

The purpose of this study aimed to construct an online competitive game-based learning system by using freeware for junior high school students and to assess its effectiveness. From the learning standpoints, game mechanisms including learning points, competition mechanism, training room mechanism, questioning & answering mechanism, tips, and feedback mechanism are taken into consideration while constructing the system. The system contains screens of Log-in, Game lobby, Waiting room, Player's room, Question & Answer, and Scoring. After the system was established, it was implemented in a 10 week teaching experiment. A total of 35 junior high school students participated in this teaching experiment. Both pre-test and post-test were administered and analyzed. A 5-point Likert scale questionnaire, containing domains of system operation, learning effectiveness, competition and incentive, and training room learning was also included to assess user's satisfaction. Descriptive analysis and independent t test were used to analyze the collected data. The findings of the study show that most students are satisfied with the four domains of the freeware constructed online competitive game-based learning system. Meanwhile, the online competitive game-based learning system is effective for junior high school students' learning. (Contains 5 tables and 9 figures.)

The purpose of this study is to design different hands-on science activities and investigate which activities could better promote female students' learning motivation towards science. This study conducted three types of science activities which contains nine hands-on activities, an experience scale and a learning motivation scale for data collection. Five hundred female students and three science teachers were recruited in this study. Three hundred students from all participants needed to fill out an experience scale about hands-on science activities and the other 200 students were divided into three groups and joined in different hands-on activities. All female students of three groups need to fill out the learning motivation scale before and after exercising hands-on activities. The results showed that all types of hands-on activities in this study could promote female students' learning motivation towards science, but the hands-on activities about daily life issues could better promote female students' learning motivation toward science than the others. This study suggested that hands-on activities should be considered in science teaching strategies. Science teachers and teaching material designers also need to design some science topics and activities which are closely related to daily life to promote female students' learning motivation towards science. (Contains 5 tables and 1 figure.)

This study aims to explore the sixth grade students' parents' Internet literacy and parenting style on Internet parenting in Kaohsiung County in Taiwan. Upon stratified cluster sampling, a total of 822 parents from 34 classes in 28 schools participated in this study. The descriptive statistics and chi-square test were used to analyze the responses of the "Internet parenting questionnaire." The findings of this study include: (1) the current situations of the sixth grade students' parents' behavior of Internet usage, Internet literacy, parenting style, and Internet parenting are explored and analyzed, and (2) there are significant correlations among the students' parents' behavior of Internet usage, parenting style, Internet literacy, and Internet parenting. (Contains 5 tables and 1 figure.)

Which form of Chinese characters should be taught in Chinese language classes: traditional or simplified? The results of a questionnaire distributed to sections at the University of Florida show the reasons for students' preferences for one or the other form. In view of the students' awareness that traditional characters are more beneficial to understanding Chinese culture, and of revaluations in China of the traditional form as a carrier of culture, the author maintains that the prevalent practice of teaching simplified characters in US classrooms should be modified. Various other linguistic and historical considerations contribute to this recommendation. Finally, the author offers some suggestions regarding methods of teaching. (Contains 6 footnotes and 1 figure.)

In this study, we have synthesized the research on visualization and representation to propose a model consisting of 4 major components of visualization competence in learning science: constructing, interpreting, transforming, and critiquing visualizations. We have developed and validated an assessment that measures students' visualization competence of matter (VCM). We administered the VCM assessment to 762 7th to 12th grade students at 2 public high schools in Taiwan. The students had started to learn concepts of matter at the particulate level in the 7th grade. However, traditional assessments rarely measure students' visualization competence in science. It was therefore unclear how well the students performed on visualization of matter across grade levels. Overall, the results indicated that the students' visualization competence of matter improved as they advanced to higher grades. A significant factor accounting for the development of their visualization competence of matter is their course experience, not their age or gender. We also found that content knowledge plays only a conditional role in students developing visualization competence of that content. Implications and future studies are discussed.

Land hermit crabs play a pivotal role in ecosystems as scavengers, contributing to the nutrient cycle in coastal forests and serving as a food source for various consumers. Nevertheless, they are subjected to large-scale capture for the pet trade in multiple regions. It is imperative to expand our knowledge of land hermit crabs to enhance conservation efforts. Taiwan is located in the transition zone between tropical and subtropical regions with rich biodiversity. Seven land hermit crab (Family: Coenobitidae) species have been identified here, namely Birgus latro, Coenobita brevimanus, C. cavipes, C. perlatus, C. purpureus, C. rugosus, and C. violascens. This article introduces the scientific record of the 8th species, Coenobita pseudorugosus, in Taiwan. Further ecological research of C. pseudorugosus is essential to deepen our understanding of this species and ensure its conservation status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This cohort study investigated factors associated with 336 Taiwanese family caregivers' emotional and cognitive preparedness for death of a loved one with terminal cancer. Caregivers' death-preparedness states (no-death-preparedness [as reference], cognitive-death-preparedness-only, emotional-death-preparedness-only, and sufficient-death-preparedness states) were previously identified. Associations of factors with these states were determined by a hierarchical generalized linear model. Financial hardship decreased caregivers' likelihood for the emotional-death-preparedness-only and sufficient-death-preparedness states. Physician prognostic disclosure increased membership in the cognitive-death-preparedness-only and sufficient-death-preparedness states. The better the quality of the patient-caregiver relationship, the higher the odds for the emotional-death-preparedness-only and sufficient-death-preparedness states, whereas the greater the tendency for caregivers to communicate end-of-life issues with their loved one, the lower the odds for emotional-death-preparedness-only state membership. Stronger coping capacity increased membership in the emotional-death-preparedness-only state, but perceived social support was not associated with state membership. Providing effective interventions tailored to at-risk family caregivers' specific needs may facilitate their death preparedness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biotic exchanges between Taiwan and Mainland China have shaped the biodiversity and ecosystems of both regions. Exchanges from Mainland China to Taiwan have received more attention, mainly studied in terrestrial vertebrates, while the reverse direction and invertebrates have largely been overlooked. Here, we explore the dispersal events between these two regions based on the moths of three species groups of Obeidia, including Taiwan taxa and its relatives from mainland. We conducted mixed methods and analysis, including reconstructing a phylogenetic tree, estimating associated divergence times and inferring ancestral areas and source regions, to explore the phylogeographical structure and genetic pattern of three groups based on eight genes. Our results revealed a structure of three clades and every clade included at least one Taiwanese taxa and its closest relatives of mainland of China, and also served Taiwan as an important source region of two mainland taxa. Our study revealed various origin pattern and dispersal models on the basis of three species groups of Obeidia. Bi‐directional biotic exchange via a land bridge were found: four Taiwanese taxa originated from mainland, and two of them migrated back to mainland. Both eastern Himalayas and south China are important origin areas for Taiwan biota, and the dominant source region may need multiple insect cases to confirm. Our study also provided evidences for disjunct distribution from the perspective of insecta molecular phylogeny. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research demonstrates changes in the behaviors and characteristics of sintered bricks while using industrial sludge ash (ISA) and waste glass (WG) as a replacement for clay in the brick manufacturing procedure. Owing to the limited amount of available land in Taiwan, it is becoming increasingly difficult to locate suitable sites for sanitary landfills, which is a common final disposal method for ash that is produced during thermal treatment in sludge factories. To meet the urgent need for land, the final waste disposal must convert this waste into a new resource. This research investigated the feasibility of using general industrial sludge ash waste, due to its abundance and high potential as a raw material in producing bricks. The result of this study shows that the bricks made from ISA and WG under a certain mixture proportion (ISA50%/WG40%/Clay10%) had excellent industrial potentials, such as compressive strength and water absorption rate. However, owing to the wide variety of components from different sources of ISA, the mixture proportion might vary accordingly. This study also analyzed the incineration index, proportion design, and process improvement, as well as investigating the possibility of increasing the total use of sludge ash as a resource. This study shows the potentials of utilizing wastes as raw materials in industrial manufacturing procedures. Therefore, more wastes can be tested and turned into resources in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals with shoulder impingement syndrome (SIS) exhibit changes in corticospinal excitability, scapular kinematics, and scapular muscle-activation patterns. To restore the scapular kinematics and muscle-activation patterns in individuals with SIS, treatment protocols usually include scapula-focused exercises, such as scapular-orientation and strength training. To investigate whether scapular-orientation and strength training can reverse the altered corticospinal excitability of recreational overhead athletes with SIS. Randomized controlled clinical trial. University laboratory. Forty-one recreational overhead athletes with SIS: 20 in the scapular-orientation group (age = 26.45 ± 4.13 years, height = 171.85 ± 7.88 cm, mass = 66.70 ± 10.68 kg) and 21 in the strengthening group (age = 26.43 ± 5.55 years, height = 171.62 ± 5.87 cm, mass = 68.67 ± 10.18 kg). Both groups performed a 30-minute training protocol consisting of 3 exercises to strengthen the lower trapezius (LT) and serratus anterior muscles without overactivating the upper trapezius muscles. Participants in the scapular-orientation group were instructed to consciously activate their scapular muscles with electromyographic biofeedback and cues, whereas the strengthening group did not receive biofeedback or cues for scapular motion. Corticospinal excitability was assessed using transcranial magnetic stimulation. Scapular kinematics and muscle activation during arm elevation were also measured. After training, both groups demonstrated an increase in motor-evoked potentials in the LT (P =.004) and increases in scapular upward rotation (P =.03), LT activation (P <.001), and serratus anterior activation (P <.001) during arm elevation. Moreover, the scapular-orientation group showed higher LT activation levels during arm elevation after training than the strengthening group (P =.03). With or without biofeedback and cues, scapula-focused exercises improved scapular control and increased corticospinal excitability. Adding biofeedback and cues for scapular control during exercise helped facilitate greater LT activation, so feedback and cues are recommended during scapula-focused training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This letter examines the impact of political uncertainty on stock prices by utilizing a quasi-experiment, i.e. Taiwan accidentally fires a missile towards mainland China. As this missile accident was entirely unforeseen by investors in the market, it provided a complete exogenous shock causing political uncertainty. We find that the political uncertainty caused by the events has significant negative effects on stock prices, especially for firms that have economic and geographical connections with Taiwan or are adjacent to Taiwan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zhejiang's aesthetic education has developed rapidly in recent years, especially in the context of global aesthetic education that promotes the integration of noble culture with popular culture and emphasizes diversity, compromise, and reproducibility. In light of this year's high reexamination of aesthetic education by the country, provinces, and cities, aesthetic education has been elevated to a new level. However, existing aesthetic education still has problems, such as the indistinguishability of aesthetic education and art education concepts, the one-sidedness of aesthetic education content, and the shortage of aesthetic education teachers. These problems have long affected the development of Zhejiang's aesthetic education. The issue of promoting aesthetic education has become a major concern for aesthetic education teachers throughout the province and even the country. Therefore, this article focuses on the current situation and problems of Zhejiang's aesthetic education. A comparison of the current status and achievements of Taiwan's aesthetic education with Zhejiang, drawing on each other's experience, learning from each other's strengths and weaknesses, and in-depth research on teachers' performance in aesthetic education, aesthetic education training programs, and campus cultural construction, and other aspects is put forward. A series of implementation plans for the promotion of aesthetic education, such as "synergy training" and "education of people with a view," was provided as a practical experiment and a theoretical reference for promoting the rapid development of aesthetic education in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study mainly aimed to explore the effects of project-based learning (PBL) integrated into science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) activities and to analyze the creativity displayed by junior high school students while performing these activities. With a quasi-experimental design, 60 ninth-grade students from a junior high school in southern Taiwan were selected as subjects to participate in the six-week teaching experiment. The teaching design was centered on STEM activities and integrated with the strategy of project-based learning. The teaching contents included teaching materials integrating CaC2 steamship-derived knowledge of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, physics and chemistry as well as related teaching activities. Three conclusions were drawn. First, the key teaching points of the five stages of STEM project-based learning--preparation, implementation, presentation, evaluation and correction--can improve students' creativity. The learning objectives of STEM project-based learning can strengthen students' ability in STEM learning and STEM-integrated application. STEM project-based learning can further develop the affective domain of creativity, including adventurousness, curiosity, imagination and challenge. Based on the conclusions, this paper proposes suggestions regarding the implementation of STEM PBL activities to enhance the creativity and STEM-integrated application ability of junior high school students.

We examined the effect of cultural familiarity and question-preview types on the listening comprehension of L2 learners. The results showed that the participants who received the full question-preview format scored higher than those receiving either the answer-option preview or question-stem preview, despite a statistically nonsignificant difference across the three previewing activities. In addition, the participants exposed to diverse cultural texts did not perform differently in their comprehension score. The findings suggest that the use of visual cues and key-vocabulary instruction in both texts may have compromised the positive psychological value of question previewing in enhancing comprehension of the unfamiliar text.

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) prevalence in adults at a younger age has increased but the disease status may go unnoticed. This study aimed to determine whether the onset age and subsequent diabetic complications can be attributed to the polygenic architecture of T2D in the Taiwan Han population. A total of 9,627 cases with T2D and 85,606 controls from the Taiwan Biobank were enrolled. Three diabetic polygenic risk scores (PRSs), PRS_EAS and PRS_EUR, and a trans-ancestry PRS (PRS_META), calculated using summary statistic from East Asian and European populations. The onset age was identified by linking to the National Taiwan Insurance Research Database, and the incidence of different diabetic complications during follow-up was recorded. PRS_META (7.4%) explained a higher variation for T2D status. And the higher percentile of PRS is also correlated with higher percentage of T2D family history and prediabetes status. More, the PRS was negatively associated with onset age (β = −0.91 yr), and this was more evident among males (β = −1.11 vs. −0.76 for males and females, respectively). The hazard ratio of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and diabetic foot were significantly associated with PRS_EAS and PRS_META, respectively. However, the PRS was not associated with other diabetic complications, including diabetic nephropathy, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension. Our findings indicated that diabetic PRS which combined susceptibility variants from cross-population could be used as a tool for early screening of T2D, especially for high-risk populations, such as individuals with high genetic risk, and may be associated with the risk of complications in subjects with T2D. NEW & NOTEWORTHY: Our findings indicated that diabetic polygenic risk score (PRS) which combined susceptibility variants from Asian and European population affect the onset age of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and could be used as a tool for early screening of T2D, especially for individuals with high genetic risk, and may be associated with the risk of diabetic complications among people in Taiwan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the impact of small water bodies on outdoor temperatures in their vicinity, using a campus located in the subtropical region of Taichung City, Taiwan, as the research subject. By employing on-site measurements and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations, we examined their temporal and spatial influence, as well as comparisons between actual measurements and software predictions. Key findings include the following: (1) Small water bodies exhibit discernible temperature-regulating effects on their surrounding areas. While the influence diminishes with distance, this attenuation is not stark, and is potentially constrained by the water body's patch size. (2) Regulatory effects vary between day and night. In summer, temperature reductions of up to 3.5 °C (simulated) and 3.2 °C (measured) were observed. Conversely, in winter, daytime temperatures around water bodies may rise by up to 3.9 °C. (3) Discrepancies between CFD simulations and actual measurements, influenced by fluctuations in Global Horizontal Irradiation (GHI), range from +2.5 °C to −1.8 °C. During high GHI periods, measured values surpass simulations, whereas during low or zero GHI conditions, simulations exceed measurements. Moreover, high regression analysis R2 values validate the feasibility of CFD simulations for predicting water body-induced temperature changes. Insights from this study offer valuable guidance for urban planners and policymakers seeking sustainable urban climate management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Besides hospital size, clinical diagnosis and severity of patient cases determine the total platelet usage. Therefore, the appropriateness of platelet usage could not be compared simply with the total units of platelet usage in each hospital. This study aimed to objectively monitor and analyze platelet usage after implementing a single‐unit issuing policy for each platelet transfusion in our hospital in October 2020. Materials and Methods: We used three objective indices, X, Y, and Z, to monitor platelet usage and compared it with other hospitals. Three indices were generated by dividing the annual total units of platelet usage by the total annual reimbursement, total number of admissions, and average total reimbursement per admission for each hospital. Results: The new indices X and Y alleviated hospital size–dependent differences. Index Y was preferred over X because its value fluctuated less during the COVID‐19 pandemic. The Z index was adjusted for the average total reimbursement per admission, and the results showed that more patients with higher disease complexity did not have increased platelet usage during the COVID‐19 pandemic. In our hospital (H1), index Z decreased from 2019 to 2021 due to a policy of issuing a single unit for each platelet transfusion. Conclusion: These three objective indices are suitable for peer comparison and monitoring platelet usage in hospitals, irrespective of their size. They could be applied to promote patient blood management and provide an early response to the gradual shortage of blood resources owing to the aging population and declining birth rate in Taiwan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emotion dynamics have emerged as a transdiagnostic risk factor for psychopathology and mental health problems. However, despite their transdiagnostic importance, limited research has identified how emotion dynamics are shaped and characterized by adolescents' daily family and school experiences. The present study explored whether interparental conflict, parent-adolescent conflict, and school problems were associated with adolescent emotion dynamics across positive emotions (PE) and negative emotions (NE). Participants were 163 adolescents between the ages of 12 and 14 (55% female; Mage = 12.79, SD = 0.73) and their parents who completed 10-day, twice-daily diary assessments recruited in Taiwan. Adolescents reported school problems and emotions in the afternoon, and parent-adolescent conflict and emotions in the evening, while parents reported interparental conflict in the evening. The results showed that interparental conflict was associated with greater NE intensity and variability, and lower PE intensity and inertia. Parent-adolescent conflict was associated with greater NE intensity, variability, and inertia, and lower PE intensity and greater PE inertia. School problems were associated with greater NE intensity, variability, and inertia, and lower PE intensity and greater PE variability and inertia. Furthermore, moderation tests indicated that interparental conflict was linked to NE intensity and school problems were linked to NE inertia only among adolescents with lower support seeking. The findings highlight the importance of daily family conflict and school problems in shaping adolescent emotion dynamics and underscore the protective role of support seeking in mitigating altered emotion dynamics against family conflict and school problems. Highlights: Daily family conflicts and school problems are related to altered emotion dynamics. Support seeking moderates the associations of family conflicts and school problems with altered emotion dynamics. Evaluating emotional processes has the potential to reduce mental health problems among adolescents affected by family conflicts and school problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines how businesses in Taiwan's servicescapes are adapting to the growing trend of mobile payments and innovation ecosystems. Through the analysis of four case studies, we uncover the strategies these firms employ to address the challenges posed by changing consumer payment habits. Our research reveals that these companies are establishing efficient mechanisms within their ecosystems, supported by well-structured organizational frameworks. By leveraging innovation ecosystems, they are reshaping financial services and promoting collaborative growth among participants through technology, platforms, resource sharing, and knowledge exchange. This collaborative approach is driving significant changes in the sector, helping these businesses navigate through various challenges while fostering innovation and growth. Additionally, the scarcity of comprehensive observations of the digital payment ecosystem highlights the necessity for further exploration of actor interactions, regulatory mechanisms, and ecosystem management strategies. Such research efforts are crucial for enhancing our understanding of the evolving landscape of digital payments and innovation ecosystems, facilitating informed decision-making and promoting sustainable development in this dynamic industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective We aimed to assess the efficacy of cefoperazone/sulbactam (CPZ/SUL) in extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacterales infections and identify factors influencing outcomes. Methods This retrospective multicentre study was conducted in Taiwan (January 2015 to December 2020) and examined the efficacy of CPZ/SUL treatment in ESBL-producing Enterobacterales bacteraemia. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined using agar dilution; ESBL/AmpC genes were detected using polymerase chain reaction. The primary outcome was clinical success, whereas the secondary outcome was 30-day mortality. Clinical success was defined as the complete resolution of clinical signs and symptoms of K. pneumoniae or E. coli infection, with no evidence of persistent or recurrent bacteraemia. The factors influencing outcomes were identified using a multivariate analysis. Results CPZ/SUL demonstrated a clinical success rate of 82.7% (91/110) in treating ESBL-producing Enterobacterales bacteraemia, with a 30-day mortality rate of 9.1% (10/110). Among 110 ESBL-producing isolates, a high clinical success rate was observed at an MIC of ≤32/32 mg/L. Multivariate analysis revealed that a Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) of ≥6 was associated with lower clinical success [odds ratio (OR): 5.80, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.15–29.14, P = 0.033]. High Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores (≥6) were significantly associated with increased 30-day mortality (OR: 14.34, 95% CI: 1.45–141.82, P = 0.023). Discussion CPZ/SUL demonstrated a clinical success rate of 82.7% (91/110) in treating ESBL-producing Enterobacterales bacteraemia. Treatment success was evident when the CPZ and SUL MIC was ≤32/32 mg/L. Comorbidities (CCI ≥6) were associated with lower clinical success, while disease severity (Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score ≥6) correlated with higher mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the Industrial Applications Division (IAD) at the National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center (NSRRC) in Taiwan. The IAD works with key domestic industries to provide synchrotron-radiation (SR) analytical tools and solutions to boost industrial development. The article highlights the applications of SR technology in various industries, including semiconductors, lithium-ion batteries, polymers and carbon fibers, steel and iron metallurgy, pharmaceuticals, and micro devices. The NSRRC operates two synchrotron radiation facilities and is constructing a new beamline dedicated to industrial applications. The article emphasizes the positive impacts of SR technology on Taiwan's industries and the potential for future innovations. [Extracted from the article]

This article describes a structural examination of the interaction among different imaginative capacities and the entrepreneurial intention of electrical and computer engineering students. Two studies were combined to confirm the factor structure of survey items and test the hypothesised interaction model. The results indicated that imaginative capacity has 3 dimensions: conceiving, initiating, and transforming, whereas entrepreneurial intention comprises 2 factors: conviction and preparation. In addition, the results indicated that initiating imagination strongly affected entrepreneurial conviction and preparation; conceiving imagination positively predicted entrepreneurial conviction, whereas transforming imagination negatively predicted entrepreneurial preparation. The results also indicated that students possessing high, as well as those possessing low, conceiving and transforming imaginations demonstrated a high level of entrepreneurial preparation. In addition, an increase in transforming imagination increases the preparation of students possessing low initiating imagination and reduces the preparation of students possessing high initiating imagination. For developing a novel approach to conduct research on entrepreneurial intention and for discussing the practical implications of the findings, this study explicates alternative methods of cultivating students, promoting their interests, and enabling entrepreneurial behaviour in them by stimulating their imaginative capacities.