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OBJECTIVE: Triage is the key to success in managing many injured people with limited resources. Therefore, triage training for crisis team medical staff is critical. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of asynchronous learning on immediate care personnel based on the Simple Triage and Quick Treatment System (START) triage system. METHODS: In this quasi-experimental study, asynchronous learning based on the START triage system was performed on the immediate care staff of Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences from February 2021 to December 2021. Sixty pre-hospital emergency medical staff were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. Intervention group participants were provided an asynchronous digital training module, and control group participants received the usual training. Data were collected in both groups as pre-test and post-test with demographic information and knowledge assessment questionnaires. RESULTS: Distance triage training based on the START triage system has a significant effect on the level of awareness of the need for triage and knowledge (awareness) and performance (individual efficiency) of immediate care in the intervention group compared to before training (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Considering the positive results of the pre-organizing model on raising the level of awareness of immediate care personnel, the use of this training method in triage in emergency medicine and retraining workshops could be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In unreliable asynchronous distributed systems with failures, achieving a causal view of the system across all processes is a challenging task. The Causal Reliable Broadcast (CRB) abstraction is used to solve this task. When CRB is implemented with algorithms that use logical vector clocks to timestamp broadcast events, the causal relationships between broadcast events can be detected with maximal accuracy. However, this timestamping mechanism used by CRB might not be useful for systems that need to reason about the causal relationships among both broadcast and delivery events. To address this challenge, the paper proposes a Causal Timestamp System (CTS) based on vector clocks that timestamps broadcast and delivery events capturing with maximal accuracy the causal relationships among those events. CTS simplifies the formal verification and testing of implementations of CRB algorithms based on CTS. Additionally, a new Global State Monitoring (GSM) algorithm is proposed, tailored to a distributed system that uses CRB with CTS. GSM enables finer-grained assessment of global states and application-dependent predicates of that system. We clarify these concepts with an IoT example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, the disruptions to higher education caused by COVID-19 required most campuses to make impromptu shifts to emergency remote teaching (ERT). When compared to traditional online education, ERT generally falls short in terms of pedagogies, pacing, and/or successful modality implementation. Elsewhere, it is established that the sudden shift towards online and asynchronous ERT delivery creates student challenges, especially in terms of internet unavailability and social disconnectedness. What remains understudied is the impact of COVID-19 on actual student learning. We address this knowledge gap using a natural research design where we (i) evaluated sustainability learning for traditional in-seat and online human geography students in Fall 2018 and (ii) obtained federal funding to evaluate sustainability learning for ERT and online students in Spring 2020. Results from the analysis indicate that in-seat students outperformed online students prior to COVID-19 on a standardized sustainability knowledge assessment by 13%. Results also indicate that in-seat students prior to COVID-19 (Fall 2018) outperformed ERT students (Spring 2020) by 28%. Discussion and limitations are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Formatting citations is a task faced by students across all disciplines and at all stages of their academic careers, and the wide variety of content types and formats used in music-related research means that this work can be especially complex for students in music classes. How can library staff teach music students about footnotes and bibliography entries without spending entire sessions pointing out the positions of commas and parentheses, thereby leaving limited time to discuss the relationship of citations to knowledge production? The authors introduce a range of methods for providing instruction on formatting citations, including the implementation of a flipped classroom approach, incorporating interactive tutorials, engaging students with in-class group activities, and providing course instructors with asynchronous learning tools like videos to link from a learning management system. By introducing students to the value of citing their sources and the process of citation creation, library staff can promote long-term retention of relevant concepts while using instruction time efficiently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNA (miRNA) serves as a pivotal regulator of numerous cellular processes, and the identification of miRNA-disease associations (MDAs) is crucial for comprehending complex diseases. Recently, graph neural networks (GNN) have made significant advancements in MDA prediction. However, these methods tend to learn one type of node representation from a single heterogeneous network, ignoring the importance of multiple network topologies and node attributes. Here, we propose SMDAP (Sequence hierarchical modeling-based Mirna-Disease Association Prediction framework), a novel GNN-based framework that incorporates multiple network topologies and various node attributes including miRNA seed and full-length sequences to predict potential MDAs. Specifically, SMDAP consists of two types of MDA representation: following a heterogeneous pattern, we construct a transfer learning-like synchronous mutual learning network to learn the first MDA representation in conjunction with the miRNA seed sequence. Meanwhile, following a homogeneous pattern, we design a subgraph-inspired asynchronous multi-scale embedding network to obtain the second MDA representation based on the miRNA full-length sequence. Subsequently, an adaptive fusion approach is designed to combine the two branches such that we can score the MDAs by the downstream classifier and infer novel MDAs. Comprehensive experiments demonstrate that SMDAP integrates the advantages of multiple network topologies and node attributes into two branch representations. Moreover, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve is 0.9622 on DB1, which is a 5.06% increase from the baselines. The area under the precision–recall curve is 0.9777, which is a 7.33% increase from the baselines. In addition, case studies on three human cancers validated the predictive performance of SMDAP. Overall, SMDAP represents a powerful tool for MDA prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learning with data streams has attracted much attention in recent decades. Conventional approaches typically assume that the feature and label of a data item can be timely observed at each round. In many real-world tasks, however, it often occurs that either the feature or the label is observed firstly while the other arrives with delay. For instance, in distributed learning systems, a central processor collects training data from different sub-processors to train a learning model, whereas the feature and label of certain data items can arrive asynchronously due to network latency. The problem of learning with asynchronous feature or label in streams encompasses many applications but still lacks sound solutions. In this article, we formulate the problem and propose a new approach to alleviate the negative effect of asynchronicity and mining asynchronous data streams. Our approach carefully exploits the timely arrived information and builds an online ensemble structure to adaptively reuse historical models and instances. We provide the theoretical guarantees of our approach and conduct extensive experiments to validate its effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, and especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, several university course units have moved from a traditional format, made of face-to-face lectures supplemented by notes and exercise sheets, to a blended learning format based mainly on asynchronous engagement with recorded lectures, videos, and notes, followed by supplementary synchronous sessions to consolidate and expand on the core material. While during Covid-19 the latter format presented clear advantages, as things slowly go back to normal course leaders are free to choose between the two formats, each of which has its own set of advantages and challenges. In this case study we explore the transition from a blended learning course back to a traditional faceto-face format, focusing on the use of an innovative 'anthology' approach to repurpose digital materials. Originally a blended learning course featuring a mix of videos, notes, and quizzes, the course underwent a transformation to adapt to a more conventional format without sacrificing the accumulated digital resources. Through this transition, an anthology of learning materials was created, which serves as supplementary support for student learning, providing a wealth of learning aids, ranging from mandatory activities to entirely optional exercises. Challenges encountered during this transition, specifically avoiding an increase in workload, and the maturity required from students, will be examined. We aim to provide a framework to highlight the potential of effectively reutilising blended learning resources within traditional teaching frameworks, while being mindful of workload issues, to enrich the students' learning experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the phenomenon of learner behavior change in synchronous and asynchronous online learning environments. The article assesses the level, stage, reasons, and impact of change among online learners. To facilitate systematic analysis, a set of comparison parameters has been developed. These parameters include success and failure rates, mode and location of learning, level of interaction, group and individualized learning, courses with practical exercises, economic factors, self-regulated learning, indicators of change, technological tools, learner satisfaction, and the impact of a blended learning model. Overall, this article contributes to the understanding of online learners' behavioral changes and provides valuable information to educators, administrators, and online education providers for designing effective online learning environments. The identified parameters can serve as a foundation for future research on how synchronous or asynchronous modes can either enhance or hinder the overall learning experience of online learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existing literature lacks a precise understanding of how online facilitation and dialogic discussions can positively impact students' comprehension of the Nature of Science (NoS). This study delves into the experiences of students and facilitators engaged in synchronous and asynchronous online dialogic discussions and e-facilitation to enhance our understanding of NoS. An innovative experiment employed a digital dialogue game to engage postgraduate students in a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) secondary science course. The participants included sixty-five PGCE science students and three lecturers specializing in different science disciplines (Physics, Chemistry, and Biology). Qualitative data collection methods and analysis, including transcripts of online discussions about NoS topics, were followed by critical event recall interviews to identify specific online dialogue events that significantly contributed to the comprehension of NoS. The findings contribute significantly to comprehending students' processes in grasping complex and debatable topics such as Nature of Science (NoS) within online dialogic discussions supported by e-facilitation. They emphasize the importance of establishing an open and expansive dialogic space, with a focus on the crucial roles of e-facilitators. The results also highlight a tension between active and passive roles in both synchronous and asynchronous online discussions. Additionally, the study sheds light on the influence of space, time, and texts in understanding NoS through e-facilitated online dialogic discussions. Notably, the research emphasizes the live chat room's significance within Interloc, accentuating its role as a social space fostering a sense of community and a safe environment for inquiry in online dialogue which supported understanding NoS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) and 5G paradigm brings infinite possibilities for data annotation for new applications in the industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). However, the problem of data annotation consistency under distributed architectures and growing concerns about issues such as data privacy and cybersecurity are major obstacles to improving the quality of distributed data annotation. In this paper, we propose a reputation-based asynchronous federated learning approach for digital twins. First, this paper integrates digital twins into an asynchronous federated learning framework, and utilizes a smart contract-based reputation mechanism to enhance the interconnection and internal interaction of asynchronous mobile terminals. In addition, in order to enhance security and privacy protection in the distributed smart annotation system, this paper introduces blockchain technology to optimize the data exchange, storage, and sharing process to improve system security and reliability. The data results show that the consistency of our proposed FedDTrep distributed intelligent labeling system reaches 99%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

\nPRACTICE POINTSWorkplace stress and burnout are a concern among human service leaders. Organizations need evidence-driven enhancements and actionable strategies that impact employee wellbeing. This study evaluates employee-focused training that draws from theory and research on hope in a large, multi-agency human service organization. The training used both in-person and asynchronous learning. A nonrandomized comparison group design with retrospective posttest assessment was used to investigate the potential impact of participation in hope training on workforce burnout and secondary trauma. Findings demonstrate statistically significant differences between those who completed training and those in the control group with no training.Burnout and secondary traumatic stress can have negative effects on the overall well-being of the human service workforce and if severe, can lead to a functional impairment.The cognitive process of hope, or positive future expectations, when nurtured in the workplace, has a positive impact on the overall employee wellbeing, including a reduction of burnout and secondary trauma symptoms.A training program designed to nurture the employee’s hopeful thinking processes for their personal and professional life was designed and provided to a large human service organization.The training increased hope among the sample that completed the training, and reduced reported symptoms of job burnout and secondary traumatic stress when compared to the group of employees who did not complete the training.Hopeful thinking provides strategies to set specific goals, solve problems to overcome barriers and sustain motivation during challenges.Burnout and secondary traumatic stress can have negative effects on the overall well-being of the human service workforce and if severe, can lead to a functional impairment.The cognitive process of hope, or positive future expectations, when nurtured in the workplace, has a positive impact on the overall employee wellbeing, including a reduction of burnout and secondary trauma symptoms.A training program designed to nurture the employee’s hopeful thinking processes for their personal and professional life was designed and provided to a large human service organization.The training increased hope among the sample that completed the training, and reduced reported symptoms of job burnout and secondary traumatic stress when compared to the group of employees who did not complete the training.Hopeful thinking provides strategies to set specific goals, solve problems to overcome barriers and sustain motivation during challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Point of care ultrasound (POCUS) education has grown significantly over the past two decades. Like most curricular items, POCUS education is siloed within individual graduate medical education (GME) programs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a shared GME POCUS curriculum between five GME programs at a single institution. Methods: Post-graduate-year-1 (PGY-1) residents from emergency medicine (EM), family medicine (FM), internal medicine (IM), combined internal medicine-pediatrics (IM-Peds) and combined emergency medicine-pediatrics (EM-Peds) residency programs were enrolled in a core POCUS curriculum. The curriculum included eleven asynchronous online learning modules and ten hands-on training sessions proctored by sonographers and faculty physicians with POCUS expertise. Data was gathered about the curriculum's effectiveness including participation, pre- and post-curricular surveys, pre- and post-knowledge assessments, and an objective skills assessment. Results: Of the 85 residents enrolled, 61 (72%) participated in the curriculum. Engagement varied between programs, with attendance at hands-on sessions varying the most (EM 100%, EM-Peds 100%, FM 40%, IM 22%, Med-Peds 11%). Pre- and post-knowledge assessment scores improved for all components of the curriculum. Participants felt significantly more confident with image acquisition, anatomy recognition, interpreting images and incorporating POCUS findings into clinical practice (p < 0.001) after completing the curriculum. Conclusion: In this shared GME POCUS curriculum, we found significant improvement in POCUS knowledge, attitudes, and psychomotor skills. This shared approach may be a viable way for other institutions to provide POCUS education broadly to their GME programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The following teaching brief advocates for the integration of lived experiences in course design as a means to facilitate equity, inclusion, and culturally responsive teaching. To address persisting inequalities and colonized structures, the authors propose an actionable insight and strategy by sharing a discussion activity in which students share photos and videos of their "backyards" as a vehicle to accentuate similarity within difference—the celebration of a diverse learning community that can only exist online. The proposed instructional activity, "Welcome to My Backyard," is informed by an understanding of how power dynamics, cultural biases, and lived experiences intersect in online education. By outlining how instructors can facilitate online discussions that drive a meta-awareness of diversity, equity, and inclusion among online learners, digital learning can be leveraged to build connections and community while encouraging critical thinking and active engagement with course materials that subvert traditional, colonial models of education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Privacy and trust are highly demanding in practical recommendation engines. Although Federated Learning (FL) has significantly addressed privacy concerns, commercial operators are still worried about several technical challenges while bringing FL into production. In addition, classical FL has several intrinsic operational limitations such as single-point failure, data and model tampering, and heterogenic clients participating in the FL process. To address these challenges in practical recommenders, we propose a responsible recommendation generation framework based on blockchain-empowered asynchronous FL that can be adopted for any model-based recommender system. In standard FL settings, we build an additional aggregation layer in which multiple trusted nodes guided by a mediator component perform gradient aggregation to achieve an optimal model locally in a parallel fashion. The mediator partitions users into K clusters, and each cluster is represented by a cluster head. Once a cluster gets semi-global convergence, the cluster head transmits model gradients to the FL server for global aggregation. In addition the trusted cluster heads are responsible to submit the converged semi-global model to a blockchain to ensure tamper resilience. In our settings, an additional mediator component works like an independent observer that monitors the performance of each cluster head, updates a reward score, and records it into a digital ledger. Finally, evaluation results on three diversified benchmarks illustrate that the recommendation performance on selected measures is considerably comparable with the standard and federated version of a well-known neural collaborative filtering recommender. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The new normal era allowed learning at IT vocational schools to be carried out directly (synchronously) through online meeting platforms and indirectly (asynchronously) through email, WhatsApp groups, and learning management system (LMS). However, the reality showed that not all synchronous and asynchronous learning implementations were effective. Based on these problems, it was necessary to evaluate and used an appropriate evaluation model. A breakthrough was used, namely the Amalgamation evaluation model based on the modification of the weighted product with the Provus and Alkin models in view of the Rwa Bhineda concept. The purpose of this research was to show the Amalgamation evaluation model design based on weighted product modification with the Provus and Alkin models in view of the Rwa Bhineda concept as the basis for determining the dominant indicators that need to be maintained for the synchronous-asynchronous learning effectiveness. This research used a development approach that focused on the design, initial trial, and initial trial revision. The analysis of this study results used a quantitative descriptive technique, namely the percentage descriptive calculation. This research results showed the evaluation model design was good categorized as evidenced by the average percentage of effectiveness was 88.67%. The emerging significance and value of this research results was the existence of innovation in the educational evaluation field, which makes it easier for evaluators to determine the dominant indicators that need to be maintained in supporting the effectiveness of synchronous-asynchronous learning implementation in IT vocational schools generally, and specifically in IT vocational schools in Bali. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although possessing flexibility and accessibility, asynchronous online courses suffer from high attrition and cause unsatisfactory learning performance, leading to a pressing need to understand factors influencing learners' continuance of learning intention. Based on the expectation confirmation model, this study investigated perceived enjoyment as an extended variable to unpack the mediating effects of perceived usefulness and perceived enjoyment on the relationship between confirmation and continuance intention. Quantitative data from 254 learners enrolled in asynchronous online English courses were obtained for data analysis. Results indicate that confirmation significantly and positively affects learners' continuance intention to take the asynchronous online English courses. Perceived usefulness and perceived enjoyment significantly mediate the relationship between confirmation and continuance intention. The total indirect effect of confirmation on continuance intention through perceived enjoyment and perceived usefulness and the combination of perceived enjoyment and perceived usefulness was 55.52%. Additionally, interviews with five learners revealed that despite limited real-time interaction, they highly value asynchronous online courses given that they promote self-regulated learning, offer choice freedom, foster a sense of achievement, and reduce anxiety and embarrassment risks that trigger their learning enjoyment. This study provided deep insights into factors influencing EFL learners' decisions in asynchronous learning. Instructors are suggested to improve the quality of courses, provide timely feedback, and design tasks to improve learners' perceptions of enjoyment and usefulness to further improve learners' confirmation of online courses and their continuance intention to engage in online synchronous learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the current state of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education in Morocco, identifies key challenges, and proposes strategies for improvement. Through a mixed-methods approach involving surveys and interviews with EFL teachers and students, the study highlights issues such as inadequate teacher training, out-dated curricula, and limited access to resources. The findings suggest that professional development for teachers, curriculum reform, integration of technology, and student-centred teaching approaches are crucial for enhancing EFL education in Morocco. The article concludes with practical recommendations and a call for policy support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surgical resection of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) often results in tumor recurrence and mild neurologic deficits. Here, a 3D asynchronous drug delivery system is innovatively developed to address the dual challenges of GBM recurrence and postoperative neurological deficit. Based on transcriptome analysis of tumor cells and tumor microenvironment (TME) cells between primary and recurrent mouse GBM tissues, a novel dual‐targeting approach is developed to combine mTOR pathway inhibition with microglia/macrophage repolarization. Then, in situ injectable methacrylated gelatin (GelMA) is constructed to perfectly fit into the tumor resection cavity and achieve direct delivery of dual‐targeted drugs, exhibiting outstanding postoperative GBM inhibitory effects in vivo. At the same time, neurotrophic factor‐saturated 3D‐printed GelMA patches are used to construct a 3D asynchronous drug delivery system, allowing gradual penetration of the neurotrophic factors into the underlying hydrogel to promote axonal sprouting after GBM suppression. Notably, this 3D asynchronous drug delivery system promotes neurological recovery without weakening the efficacy of inhibiting tumor recurrence. Therefore, this study not only proposes a new dual‐targeted GBM treatment strategy but also pioneers the construction of a 3D asynchronous drug delivery system for the comprehensive treatment of GBM. This study is expected to improve the poor prognosis of patients with GBM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Online teaching accelerated during COVID-19-associated lockdowns. At that time, it was assumed that university students wanted to revert to in-person sessions at the earliest opportunity. However, when in-person sessions were re-introduced, student attendance was not as high as expected. Therefore, we examined students' preferences of learning modes. Students (n = 968) from different UK universities, degree cohorts, study levels and biological sexes were given four learning-mode options: Face-to-face sessions for lectures and tutorials (in-person), Live online sessions for lectures and tutorials (Online-synchronous), Pre-recorded lectures and live online tutorials (Online-mixed-asynchronous-synchronous), and Pre-recorded lectures and face-to-face tutorials (Blended: in-person and online-asynchronous). Students ranked these options as per their preference via an online anonymous survey. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics 28. Results showed that the most frequently selected 1st and last choices were In-person and Online-synchronous modes, respectively. For the majority, above choices were the same across study levels and biological sex, but across degree cohorts, the 1st choice was either In-person or Blended. Proportion of students selecting In-person mode as their 1st choice (52.2%) was almost equal to the combined proportions of those selecting other learning modes as 1st choices (47.5%). Amongst degree cohorts, In-person mode was least preferred by Language Education students and most preferred by Bioscience and Sports & Exercise Science students. The latter cohort also preferred Online-synchronous mode more than other degree cohorts. Blended mode was preferred more by Language Education, Computer Science and Psychology students but preferred less by Sports & Exercise Science and Pharmacy students, compared to other degree cohorts. Ordinal regression revealed that Sports & Exercise Science students preferred Online-mixed-asynchronous-synchronous mode less than Language Education students. Undergraduates preferred In-person mode more and Online-mixed- asynchronous-synchronous mode less than postgraduates. Preference differences between biological sexes were insignificant. Thus, we identified students' preferences of learning modes and propose that not biological sex, but discipline and study level can predict/influence preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the dynamics of students' knowledge co-construction in an asynchronous gamified environment in higher education, focusing on peer discussions in college business courses. Utilizing epistemic network analysis, sequence pattern mining, and automated coding, we analyzed the interactions of 1,319 business students. Our findings revealed that externalization and epistemic activity were prevalent, demonstrating a strong link between problem-solving and conceptual understanding. Three primary discussion types were observed: argumentative, epistemic, and social, each with unique patterns of engagement and idea integration. Effective knowledge co-construction patterns included open-ended questions with an epistemic focus, debates serving as intense knowledge co-construction arenas, and social interactions fostering a supportive and collaborative learning environment. The introduction of gamification elements led to increased student engagement and participation. Our findings emphasize the significance of structured analysis, collaboration, and argumentation in promoting effective knowledge co-construction in peer learning settings. This study offers insights into the temporal interplay of discourse dimensions and their potential for collaborative learning, enhancing our understanding of how learning analytics can be employed to discover ways in which students co-construct knowledge in asynchronous gamified environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The field of Medicines Development faces a continuous need for educational evolution to match the interdisciplinary and global nature of the pharmaceutical industry. This paper discusses the outcomes of a 7-year collaboration between King's College London and the Global Medicines Development Professionals (GMDP) Academy, which aimed to address this need through a blended e-learning program. Methods: The collaboration developed a comprehensive curriculum based on the PharmaTrain syllabus, delivered through a combination of asynchronous and synchronous e-learning methods. The program targeted a diverse range of professionals serving in areas related to Medical Affairs. Results: Over seven annual cohorts, 682 participants from eighty-six countries were enrolled in the program. The program's effectiveness was assessed using Kirkpatrick's model, showing elevated levels of satisfaction (over 4.0 on a five-point scale), suggesting significant gains in competence at the cognitive level and leveraged performance. Notably, 70% of responding alumni reported significant improvement in their functions, corroborated by 30% of their supervisors. The further long-term impact of the program on their respective organization has not been established. Discussion: The GMDP Academy's program has significantly contributed to lifelong learning in Medicines Development, addressing educational gaps and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration. Its success highlights the importance of continuous education in keeping pace with the industry's evolving demands and underscores the potential of blended learning in achieving educational objectives in pharmaceutical medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance and relevance of e-learning courses in medicine and health sciences has increased significantly in the last decade. Despite this, there are few published teaching experiences of e-learning histology courses in the literature worldwide. The histology course we designed was structured on the Moodle platform as a learning management system, and the content was proposed in a synchronous (zoom) and asynchronous (recordings) format. We also included the use of free virtual microscopy tools. This study aimed to investigate the impact of an e-learning histology course on the satisfaction and performance of medical, nursing and midwifery students. The sample included 424 Chilean medical, nursing, and midwifery students from two cohorts. A Likert-type survey was administered at the end of the course. We performed exploratory analysis and ordinary least squares regression. In this study, we present a positive experience of an e-learning histology course. Exploratory factor analysis revealed three main factors related to "elearning satisfaction", "in-person class activities", and "course design and teaching quality". We also found that there was a positive and significant relationship between students' perceptions of the adaptation of the traditional (face-to-face) histology course into an e-learning format and their academic performance. Our study shows that e-learning histology courses that integrate lectures and practical sessions can be a valuable teaching method for learning histology. Curriculum developers and teachers need to consider the limitations and advantages of this type of teaching and incorporate these three factors into the design and assessment of e-learning histology courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of social presence on virtual learning experiences is of increased interest in educational research as teaching and learning transitions from traditional classrooms to online learning environments. Educators need to know more about how to design asynchronous learning experiences that will results in students' abilities to infer the mental states of others and participate in social conflict monitoring through perceptions of various social cues, as occurs in non-virtual instruction. Findings in the study showed that students' age and satisfaction with online learning were the two main variables shaping participants' mental states in online learning environments. Participants who expressed that online learning was sometimes a satisfying experience were more likely to believe that instructors could not resolve social conflicts. Otherwise, participants with some asynchronous learning experience tended to believe that social conflicts could be resolved by instructors teaching ethical decision-making skills and presenting and discussing multiple points of view. The outcomes of this study emphasize how instructors can work toward building social, cognitive, and teaching presence in online learning environments and can inform future social presence research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asynchronous online courses have become increasingly prevalent in higher education, offering numerous benefits, including flexibility and accessibility. However, these courses often face challenges related to the lack of direct interaction among students. This study is grounded in a Modified Theory of Interactions that seeks to comprehensively examine students' perspectives and levels of satisfaction concerning interactions in asynchronous courses in the context of higher education. The participants in this pilot study (N = 27) comprised both undergraduate and graduate students. This investigation employs a modified cross-sectional electronic survey instrument to gather students' a) demographics, b) satisfaction with learner-learner interaction, c) satisfaction with learner-content interaction, d) satisfaction with learner-instructor interaction, e) satisfaction with learner-technology interaction, and f) general satisfaction with this asynchronous course. The results underscore the pivotal role of learner-learner interaction and learner-content interaction in influencing general satisfaction in asynchronous courses. While also it also highlights a lack of significant correlation between learner-instructor interaction and general satisfaction as well as no significance between learner-technology interaction and general satisfaction, suggesting that while technology is a medium for facilitating learning, it is not the primary determinant of student satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study utilized the developmental research design to identify the least taught topics in basic calculus and design and investigate the effectiveness of a Moodle-based courseware package. Data were collected from seven basic calculus teachers and five academic administrators through survey questionnaires, interviews, and validation sheets. The quasi-experimental phase of the study used a pre-/post-test control group design with a sample of 69 students, 34 students in the experimental group and 35 students in the control group. The experimental group received instruction using an asynchronous Moodle-based courseware package, while the control group received instruction through lecture notes. Results showed that the least taught topics include infinite limits, limits at infinity, and limits of trigonometric, exponential, and logarithmic functions. These topics were least taught due to time constraints, students' capacity, scheduling, complexity, and relatability. Validation of the courseware package showed a very high validity. It was found that the use of Moodle-based courseware package and lecture notes effectively increased the students' performance. However, one-way analysis of covariance results showed that the experimental group gained considerably greater than those in the control group. It was recommended that teachers continue to update their knowledge of different teaching methodologies to develop an encouraging and dynamic learning environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Although both asynchronous and synchronous online learning have gained significant popularity in medical education, there have only been a few studies comparing the effectiveness of these two modalities. Methods: We compared the exam scores, the proportions of students who scored below the minimal passing levels, and the satisfaction levels of medical students who attended asynchronous online nuclear medicine courses to those who attended synchronous ones. Results: The asynchronous and the synchronous classes were attended by 241 and 268 students, respectively. The median score of the asynchronous class (Median=16, IQR=3) was not significantly different (p=0.859) from that of the synchronous class (Median=15, IQR=3). The percentage of students who scored below the minimum passing level in the asynchronous class (5.60%) was significantly higher (p=0.033) than that of the synchronous class (1.66%). Only 55 students from the asynchronous class (22.8%), and 12 students from the synchronous class (4.48%) returned the satisfaction questionnaires. From the available responses, we did not find significant difference between the satisfaction levels of the two classes. Conclusion: We found no significant difference in exam scores and satisfaction levels between asynchronous and synchronous online nuclear medicine courses for medical students. However, the asynchronous class had a higher proportion of students scoring below passing levels, which could imply caution needed when implementing online asynchronous teaching methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colleges and universities are facing new pressures to provide an educational experience that is engaging, motivating, and effective. Regardless of circumstances, effective learning shares many attributes like collaboration, exploration, and experiential techniques to foster student accountability for their learning. Engaging and providing stimulating tasks and activities to students are important and at the same time enunciate the need for the right approach, right technology usage, and relevancy. Collaborative learning not only helps to develop higher order thinking skills among students but also boosts their confidence, self-esteem, and understanding of diverse perspectives. Collaborative activities maximize educational experience by demonstrating content while also enhancing social and interpersonal skills. This paper focuses on the fundamentals of Discussion forums and Padlet as tools of best practices. Employment of these tools accelerates the learning process in synchronous and asynchronous environments thereby driving them toward success in this exponential landscape. In addition, these tools enhance student engagement through interactive, collaborative learning environments, fostering peer interaction, and feedback, ultimately improving retention and participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The challenge of H∞$$ {H}_{\infty } $$ and asynchronous reduced‐order design for Takagi‐Sugeno (T‐S) fuzzy Markovian jump systems (MJSs) with time‐varying delays under the event‐triggered scheme (ETS) is investigated in this dissertation. A distributed event‐triggered strategy is provided on the basis of the specified triggering function to ensure consensus in the system, so effectively reducing data transmission. The existence conditions for a class of Markovian jump discrete‐time systems are determined. Unlike previous results, we present a novel membership function‐dependent fuzzy Lyapunov‐Krasovsikii (L‐K) functional with mode‐dependent integral terms, resulting in a stochastically stable filtering error system with the desired H∞$$ {H}_{\infty } $$ performance. By solving linear matrix inequality (LMIs), the recommended filter parameters are achieved. The proposed reduced‐order filter is demonstrated in numerical examples as effective as it is advantageous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the spring of 2020, universities worldwide closed their campuses and transitioned their face‐to‐face courses to remote teaching with educational technologies due to the COVID‐19 pandemic. This unprecedented transition to online instruction created a unique learning environment for students and faculty. Our case‐based, qualitative study explores the perceived skill level changes of professors who implemented (with minimal training) online educational technologies to deliver business courses at a business school in the southwest United States. Business faculty completed a Likert‐scale survey instrument that used the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) teacher competency framework, which includes digitally communicating with students, delivering asynchronous material, delivering synchronous classes, using the learning management system, and providing digital assessments and feedback (2018). Study outcomes indicate that instructors' perceived skill sets in most topics grew due to the adoption of online educational technologies at the onset of the pandemic. Further study might focus on determining the long‐term implications of the growing integration of educational technology on business faculty instruction in both online and face‐to‐face classrooms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The metaverse, as an emerging technical term, conceptually aims to construct a virtual digital space that runs parallel to the physical world. Due to human behaviors and interactions being represented in the virtual world, security in the metaverse is a challenging issue in which the traditional centralized service model is one of the threat sources. To conquer the obstacle caused by centralized computing, blockchain-based solutions are potential problem-solving methods. However, it is difficult for a single blockchain to support large-scale data and business services in the metaverse, due to the scalability restrictions. Moreover, multi-chain settings also encounter the interoperability issues. In this work, we propose a Relay chain and Asynchronous consensus-based Consortium blockchain cross-Chain model, which realizes message transmission and cross-chain transactions in multiple chains by adopting the relay chain and cross-chain gateways. All nodes of the application chains and the relay chain execute cross-chain transactions in sequence and reach a consensus on transactions at any transmission delay. Our experiment evaluations demonstrate that our approach performs well in atomicity, security, and functionality (cross-chain transactions), such that the performance of blockchain scalability in the metaverse can be improved, compared with the traditional relay chain schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the necessity to enhance the effectiveness of online learning (OL) environments by examining the influence of social interactions on learner motivation, engagement, and success, specifically focusing on online computer science education (CSE). Acknowledging the limitations of peer-to-peer and learner-to-teacher interactions on online platforms, this paper delves into the potential of social learning (SL) organized through learner groups, communities, or networks to significantly enrich the learning experience. To test the hypothesis that SL positively impacts student outcomes, an experiment was conducted with 49 engineering students divided into two groups. The first group undertook an object-oriented programming course in C++ using the Moodle platform, while the second group, in addition to the online course, participated in asynchronous group activities through forums and synchronous interactions via chat. The results reveal a notable positive impact of SL on student outcomes, with participants in the second group reporting higher satisfaction levels and achieving superior results compared to those in the first group. The findings underscore the significance of integrating social interaction into OL environments, with potential implications for enhancing the overall quality of education and student performance in society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resource management in engineering design seeks to optimally allocate while maximizing the performance metrics of the final design. Bayesian optimization (BO) is an efficient design framework that judiciously allocates resources through heuristic-based searches, aiming to identify the optimal design region with minimal experiments. Upon recommending a series of experiments or tasks, the framework anticipates their completion to augment its knowledge repository, subsequently guiding its decisions toward the most favorable next steps. However, when confronted with time constraints or other resource challenges, bottlenecks can hinder the traditional BO's ability to assimilate knowledge and allocate resources with efficiency. In this work, we introduce an asynchronous learning framework designed to utilize idle periods between experiments. This model adeptly allocates resources, capitalizing on lower fidelity experiments to gather comprehensive insights about the target objective function. Such an approach ensures that the system progresses uninhibited by the outcomes of prior experiments, as it provisionally relies on anticipated results as stand-ins for actual outcomes. We initiate our exploration by addressing a basic problem, contrasting the efficacy of asynchronous learning against traditional synchronous multi-fidelity BO. We then employ this method to a practical challenge: optimizing a specific mechanical characteristic of a dual-phase steel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Dolev-Reischuk bound says that any deterministic Byzantine consensus protocol has (at least) quadratic (in the number of processes) communication complexity in the worst case: given a system with n processes and at most f < n / 3 failures, any solution to Byzantine consensus exchanges Ω (n 2) words, where a word contains a constant number of values and signatures. While it has been shown that the bound is tight in synchronous environments, it is still unknown whether a consensus protocol with quadratic communication complexity can be obtained in partial synchrony where the network alternates between (1) asynchronous periods, with unbounded message delays, and (2) synchronous periods, with δ -bounded message delays. Until now, the most efficient known solutions for Byzantine consensus in partially synchronous settings had cubic communication complexity (e.g., HotStuff, binary DBFT). This paper closes the existing gap by introducing SQuad, a partially synchronous Byzantine consensus protocol with O (n 2) worst-case communication complexity. In addition, SQuad is optimally-resilient (tolerating up to f < n / 3 failures) and achieves O (f · δ) worst-case latency complexity. The key technical contribution underlying SQuad lies in the way we solve view synchronization, the problem of bringing all correct processes to the same view with a correct leader for sufficiently long. Concretely, we present RareSync, a view synchronization protocol with O (n 2) communication complexity and O (f · δ) latency complexity, which we utilize in order to obtain SQuad. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the plethora of user-friendly audio/video creation and editing applications as well as free full-featured hosting platforms, videoing and sharing has become a lifestyle of today's students. Utilizing these spontaneous practices, the current study examined the effects of digital media assignments (DMAs) and accompanying asynchronous interaction on EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners' oral language skills. For this purpose, a cohort of 124 EFL college students was randomly selected and assigned into three groups: interactive digital media assignments (IDMA, n = 43), non-interactive digital media assignments (NDMA, n = 41), and traditional face-to-face assignments (FTFA, n = 40). The study adopted the mixed-method sequential explanatory design wherein quantitative data collection and analysis (oral language skills pre-posttests) was followed by qualitative data collection and analysis (perceptions survey). Quantitative findings revealed that participants in all groups showed improvements in both overall and micro-level oral language skills (i.e. oral content, fluency, pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar). However, IDMA students outperformed both NDMA and FTFA ones. Comparing NDMA and FTFA groups, the former performed better than the latter only in content and vocabulary, whereas it could not in fluency, pronunciation, grammar, or overall oral language skills. Thus, it can be inferred that DMAs alone helped improve only content elaboration and vocabulary. However, when done interactively, they could bolster students' overall as well as all micro-level oral language skills when compared to face-to-face assignments. Besides, despite describing digital media production as exhausting and time-consuming, IDMA students reported increased self-confidence, technical literacy, and language competence and decreased speaking apprehension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceived effect of a fully online Master of Education programme designed to prepare teachers to be accomplished teachers. Graduates of the programme completed a 33-item survey about the effect of the programme on five programme standards as student learning outcomes: content knowledge, planning learning environments, and applying effective teaching, assessment, and professional dispositions. We used a retrospective approach in that our graduates rated the frequency of their practice before and after the programme. All 33 items on the survey were statistically significant, indicating the increased frequency of practicing these five areas. We critically discussed the reasons why, in some items, there was almost the same across the participants of the study. The study's implications include the design of online graduate programmes for teachers and evaluative and analytical methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to COVID-19, educators rapidly pivoted to new and innovative ways of delivering lecture material. The ability to host synchronous lectures on platforms like Zoom gave students continued access to classroom material in the face of an ongoing pandemic. The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in exam scores between students attending a physiology class (PHSL3051) synchronously via Zoom or asynchronously by viewing recorded lectures posted after class. Students in PHSL3051 were evaluated with four unit exams and one cumulative final exam. Although pooled analysis of all students showed that synchronous lecture viewing positively predicted exam scores, this positive association was even larger when the data were analyzed by gender and ethnicity. For female-identified students and students of color (SOC), attending lectures synchronously was associated with average scores on every unit exam that were higher by 2.7–7.4 percentage points. Moreover, the greater a student's synchronous participation in the course throughout the semester, the better that student's performance on the cumulative final exam was likely to be. These data highlight the need to better understand how different groups of undergraduate students select and respond to different assessment methods used in the same course, which may have long-term effects on their overall performance at 4-year institutions. NEW & NOTEWORTHY: This study examined the relationship between lecture attendance (synchronous or asynchronous) and exam scores throughout the semester. Although everyone in the course benefited from synchronous lecture attendance, our data indicated that students of color (SOC) and female-identified students benefited most. SOC and female-identified students who participated synchronously had even higher mean scores on all exams within the course compared with SOC and female-identified students who participated asynchronously by watching recordings of the same lectures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This mixed-methods study captures multiple stakeholders' voices and experiences of a hybrid-flexible (HyFlex) learning environment. It juxtaposes different perceptions of learning experiences, equivalency, and interactions. Tutor strategies to facilitate communication across space are explored. Thirty-six undergraduate students experienced the HyFlex model with two synchronous participation modes (i.e., on-site vs. synchronous remote) and an asynchronous option. The study explores the HyFlex setting from three different perspectives. A survey captured students' perceptions of their motivation, learning, engagement levels, ease of communication, and collaboration experiences within or across spaces. An observation report sheds light on strategies to mediate the transition between the physical and virtual space. A tutor's journal provides the perspective of teaching on the physical–hybrid–virtual continuum. Meeting students' needs equally well in the physical and virtual space emerges as a key challenge. The article contributes to the research about hybrid education environments and the intentional planning of versatile interactional spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]