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This article discusses the design and implementation of a new programming tool for Greek novices as a means to improve introductory programing instruction in Greece. We implemented Koios, a new highly interactive and visual programming tool for Greek novices, based on the body of research in the field of psychology of programming. The main contribution of this article is the empirical demonstration of the benefit of this tool in novice programming, compared with two other popular programming tools for Greek novices. The results show that users of Koios performed significantly better than users of the other two programming tools.

Over the past three decades, there has been increasing attention on improving healthcare quality, reliability, and ultimately, patient outcomes, through the provision of healthcare that that is influenced by the best available evidence, and devoid of rituals and tradition. The main purpose of this systematic review is to determine the differences and similarities, if any, between evidence-informed practice and evidence-based practice educational interventions; as well as the role each concept plays in the application of evidence into practice. In addition, the present systematic review aims to determine whether the two concepts act together, or individually to facilitate the effective application of evidence into practice. These aims will be achieved by exploring the effectiveness of evidence-informed practice educational interventions versus evidence-based practice educational interventions in improving the knowledge, attitudes, understanding, and behavior required for the effective application of evidence into practice among undergraduate pre-registered health and social care students.

School environment interventions are strongly supported by the World Health Organisation framework for health promoting schools (Barnekow et al., 2006). Indeed school-based education interventions for improving knowledge of back health and postural behaviour have been used in numerous countries worldwide to improve children's and adolescents' knowledge of back health, postural awareness and behaviour (Dugan, 2018). Back health educational programmes aim to decrease the risk of spinal, back and other musculoskeletal problems which may lead to disability and musculoskeletal pain both in the present and in the future (Arghavani et al., 2014; Habybabady et al., 2012; Vidal et al., 2013). Whilst numerous school-based education programmes have been implemented to reduce smoking, decrease alcohol consumption and teenage pregnancies, increase physical activity and healthy eating, and prevent obesity in children and youth, educational programmes teaching children and youth about the importance of back health, posture and ergonomics, together with ways of preventing back pain, have not received as much attention. There is currently no standard school-based educational programme for improving knowledge of back health, ergonomics and postural behaviour of school children. These programmes are designed to support students' academic success in educational establishments. Educational establishments, or schools are broadly defined as institutions dedicated to education. These interventions generally engage school children in some form of active learning that cognitively and physically engages them in learning to improve knowledge, ergonomics and postural behaviour (Dugan, 2018). The programmes described in the literature vary from country to country as well as within countries. The contents of the education back health programmes have included lectures or lectures with actual demonstrations, practical sessions, workshops, individual lessons, class group lessons, curriculum lessons, posters, hands on learning as well as educational modules. These studies have varied in their aims, the teachers teaching the intervention, the duration and intensity of the interventions as well as the content and strategies of the programmes.

Citizens face online privacy threats from social media, online service providers and governments. Privacy-enhancing tools (PETs) can prevent privacy invasion, but the uptake of these is limited. We developed a novel conceptual framework for privacy self-protection, consisting of a classification framework of four distinct privacy threats and our own novel staged model of PET adoption requisites. Through an expert survey (N = 12) and a lay user survey (N = 500), we identified suitable PETs for non-expert users and identified potential barriers to PET adoption. Based on the studies and our theoretical framework, we then developed and implemented a PET decision support tool called PEDRO, and conducted expert evaluations (N = 10) to confirm the validity of its recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research uniquely examines time perspective (TP) predictors of online security behaviour. Participants (N = 121) completed questionnaires assessing computer security use, security behaviour intentions, and time perspective. Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed computer security use was positively by predicted by Future TP. Device Securement was positively predicted from Carpe Diem TP. Updating was positively predicted from a Carpe Diem TP and a Past Negative TP. Proactive Awareness was negatively predicted from Present Hedonism. As time perspective is malleable, an ability to switch effectively between the TPs may enhance aspects of online security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With over 800 million users worldwide, the global importance of Facebook as a social-networking platform is beyond doubt. This popularity, particularly among university-students, has encouraged research to explore ways in which social networking can be adapted into virtual learning environments. In particular, this study uses the think-aloud technique to explore university-students' use of and interaction with Facebook. Twenty-six Teesside University students who were also Facebook users took part in a think-aloud study. Seven major categories of experience emerged during the coding and categorisation process of the think-aloud data. Further analysis revealed that six fundamental psychological needs were each related to particular themes of user-experience. Overall, the results demonstrate that psychological needs are particular qualities of students' experience that are important in online social networking. Future research should investigate psychological needs in the context of virtual learning environments and ways in which these needs can be best supported for learning.

RESix experiments studied relative frequency judgment and recall of sequentially presented items drawn from 2 distinct categories (i.e., city and animal). The experiments show that judged frequencies of categories of sequentially encountered stimuli are affected by certain properties of the sequence configuration. We found (a) a "first-run effect" whereby people overestimated the frequency of a given category when that category was the first "repeated" category to occur in the sequence and (b) a dissociation between judgments and recall; respondents may judge 1 event more likely than the other and yet recall more instances of the latter. Specifically, the distribution of recalled items does not correspond to the frequency estimates for the event categories, indicating that participants do not make frequency judgments by sampling their memory for individual items as implied by other accounts such as the availability heuristic (Tversky & Kahneman, 1973) and the availability process model (Hastie & Park, 1986). We interpret these findings as reflecting the operation of a judgment heuristic sensitive to sequential patterns and offer an account for the relationship between memory and judged frequencies of sequentially encountered stimuli. (Contains 4 footnotes, 3 tables, and 2 figures.)

Objective: To identify how British families discuss sexual matters and to determine if the use of a multimedia computer program increases knowledge to promote communication about sexual topics. Design: A mixed-method approach in which families were interviewed within the family environment. Method: Twenty families from the north east of England were recruited through purposive sampling. The first element of the research involved semi-structured interviews to identify how sexual matters were discussed within families. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed using the modified grounded theory approach of Strauss and Corbin. The second part of the research involved families exploring a sex and relationship education resource to determine if knowledge and confidence in knowledge enhanced communication about sexual matters within families. Results: The majority of parents and their children were found to discuss sexual matters openly within families. The resource was found to affect communication of sexual topics and increased knowledge and confidence in knowledge of parents and their children. Conclusion: The results highlight the feasibility of using multimedia computer programs to educate and increase communication about sexual matters within families. Future research needs to focus on more diverse populations to assess the accuracy of this research and the possibility of developing parent programmes with the aim of educating parents so they can provide effective sex education to their children.

Objective: The aim of the current study was to examine adolescents' perceptions of the quality of a Sex and Relationship Education (SRE) intervention, their preferences for sources of SRE and how these vary as a function of gender, school's faith and school type. Design: A non-experimental design was used. Setting: The participants (N = 759 adolescent girls [n = 448] and boys [n = 326]), who had attended an SRE intervention and had previously been given formal SRE within the school they attended, completed a survey questionnaire. Method: A questionnaire was designed to assess perceptions and preference of the intervention. The data were analysed using logistic regression. Results: Adolescents judged the sex education intervention to be of high quality and enjoyed being taught by sexual-health workers. Preferred sources of SRE included sexual-health workers, parents and peers as well as the media. Gender, school's faith (Church of England or Catholic) and school type (mainstream, special needs) were predictors of preference for various aspects of SRE. Conclusion: The results highlight the crucial role of experienced qualified SRE educators, but also the supplementary role of parents and peers as well as the auxiliary role of Internet sites, magazines, phone lines and schools. Stereotypical preferences of boys and girls outside SRE seem to be perpetuated in SRE, and special needs and mainstream adolescents' preferences are consistent with their communication and education outside SRE. (Contains 5 tables and 1 note.)

Science education is concerned with the meaningful pursuit of comprehension, knowledge and understanding of scientific concepts and processes. In Vygotskian social constructivist learning, personal interpretation, decision-making and community cooperation fosters long-term understanding and transference of learned concepts. The construction of knowledge requires learners to be actively involved in the process of learning. For effective science learning to take place an instructor's pedagogical approach must be anchored in meaningful contexts so that students have actual opportunities to experience science. This paper presents the early stages of a research project that attempts to assess and define effective measurements for evaluating strategies for communicating science by using LEGO robots and Mindstorms™ RCX controllers that are collaboratively constructed and programmed by students using virtual technologies while physically situated in different locations.