Youth perspectives on their development in a coding community

2019 ◽  
Vol 120 (5/6) ◽  
pp. 327-348
Author(s):  
Ricarose Roque ◽  
Natalie Rusk
Keyword(s):  
Identity Development ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Online Community ◽  
Computational Thinking ◽  
Young Person ◽  
Emergent Leadership ◽  
Problem Solving Skills ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
High Level

Purpose Many initiatives are seeking to engage children in learning to code. However, few studies have examined how children’s engagement in learning and using coding develops over time. This study aims to seek young people’s perspectives on what they viewed as important in their long-term participation in a coding community. Design/methodology/approach This study identified youth with a high level of participation and who demonstrated emergent leadership in the Scratch online community. Using methods from qualitative research on youth development, individual interviews were conducted in which these youth were asked about memorable moments in their participation and how these experiences influenced them. Findings While each young person described a unique pathway and perspective, this study identified key experiences that motivated their participation, influenced their development and inspired their emergent leadership. These experiences included opportunities to learn through exploration, to receive feedback from peers, to engage in creative collaboration and to contribute to the community. Practical implications This study discussed these findings in light of previous research on youth development, and it suggests that building on practices and principles from research on youth programs can help more young people become engaged in developing broader skills with coding. Originality/value Youth highlighted experiences that enabled them to express their ideas, to build relationships, to help others and to see themselves in new ways. Their perspectives expand beyond the predominant focus of coding initiatives on computational thinking and problem-solving skills to also support social, leadership and identity development.

EWOM firestorm: young consumers and online community

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sasithorn Suwandee ◽  
Jiraporn Surachartkumtonkun ◽  
Aurathai Lertwannawit
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Online Community ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Service Failures ◽  
Young Consumers ◽  
Mixed Factorial Design ◽  
Information Characteristics ◽  
High Level

Purpose This study aims to examine the influence of homophily in an online community and the effect of electronic word of mouth (eWOM) consensus on young consumers’ attitudes. Design/methodology/approach This study implemented an experimental research design using a two (low/high homophily) × two (low/high eWOM consensus) mixed factorial design. This study explores young consumers’ changes in brand attitude after encountering negative eWOM. Findings The results indicate that a high consensus of negative eWOM among online community members leads to significant changes in attitude, while a low consensus of negative eWOM does not produce such an effect. Negative eWOM from either high or low homophilous sources produces significant changes in attitude. There are significant attitude changes when a strong consensus of negative eWOM is received from a source with a high level of homophily. Research limitations/implications Service failures in offline service settings lead to the dissemination of negative eWOM on social media. To handle and prevent social media crises, researchers should understand online crises antecedents relating to information characteristics i.e. eWOM consensus and characteristics of online community members to evaluate the crises impact. Brands should monitor tone and dialogue of online community member on social media to remedy and diminish any damage done to their brand image from negative eWOM. Originality/value This study contributes to the application of social network theory by understanding the role of nodes on negative eWOM effect in social media.

scholarly journals The intention to prevent sexual risk behaviors among the youth in Yangon, Myanmar

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann Jirapongsuwan ◽  
Sithu Swe ◽  
Arpaporn Powwattana
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Risk ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Risk Behaviors ◽  
Sexual Risk Behaviors ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
High Level

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the intention to prevent sexual risk behaviors and associated factors among the youth in Yangon, Myanmar.Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectional descriptive research was undertaken among 192 youths. Participants included the youth residing in the study area and participated in the youth development program. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were applied to identify an association.FindingsThe findings indicated that the proportion of a high level of intention to prevent sexual risk behaviors was 53.6%. The factors associated with the intention to prevent sexual risk behaviors were: belief strength on sexual risk behaviors (aOR = 2.84; 95% CI: 1.06–7.26), normative belief on the prevention of sexual risk behaviors (aOR = 2.03; 95% CI: 3.03–6.23), motivation to comply with preventing sexual risk behaviors (aOR = 4.72; 95% CI: 3.11–6.23), decision-making (aOR = 2.46; 95% CI: 2.22–5.41) and negotiation (aOR = 6.3; 95% CI: 2.37–10.23)Research limitations/implicationsThe study was a cross-sectional study and cannot establish causal relationships. These results can be a guideline for implementation for the youth but may limit the generalization of results to other age groups in Myanmar.Practical implicationsFindings can be used as a local and national public health guideline for developing interventions to prevent sexual risk behaviors.Originality/valueSexual risk behavior is considered taboo and puts Myanmar youths at risk of health and social problems. It is important for prevention efforts to determine factors related to sexual intentions to prevent the consequence of these problems.

scholarly journals Not just a blip in someone’s life: integrating brokering practices into out-of-school programming as a means of supporting and expanding youth futures

2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 296-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dixie Ching ◽  
Rafi Santo ◽  
Christopher Hoadley ◽  
Kylie Peppler
Keyword(s):  
Identity Development ◽  
Young Person ◽  
Learning Opportunities ◽  
After School ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Area Of Interest ◽  
Information Landscape ◽  
School Programming ◽  
Future Learning

Purpose This article makes a case for the importance of brokering future learning opportunities to youth as a programmatic goal for informal learning organizations. Such brokering entails engaging in practices that connect youth to events, programs, internships, individuals and institutions related to their interests to support them beyond the window of a specific program or event. Brokering is especially critical for youth who are new to an area of interest: it helps them develop both a baseline understanding of the information landscape and a social network that will respond to their needs as they pursue various goals. The paper aims to describe three critical levers for brokering well in informal settings: creating learning environments that allow trust to form between youth and educators and enable educators to develop an understanding of a young person’s interests, needs and goals; attending to a young person’s tendency (or not) to reach out to educators after a program is over to solicit assistance; and enabling potential brokers to efficiently locate appropriate future learning opportunities for each young person who approaches them. The authors also include a set of program practices for providers who wish to increase their brokering impact, as well as recommendations geared primarily toward organization leaders. The authors hope that this paper brings clarity and enhanced significance to the practice of brokering as a strategy to support youth pathways toward meaningful futures. Design/methodology/approach Insights presented here are the result of a participatory knowledge building and sharing process with a community of after-school providers known as the Mozilla Hive NYC Learning Network. The topic of discussion was how these providers might continue to support young people in their intensive project-based programs after the program was over. The authors of this article, acting as embedded research partners to Hive NYC, contributed insights to these discussions based on ethnographic fieldwork and case studies of high-school-age youth in the Hive NYC context. Findings The authors articulate a set of brokering practices and a conceptual model that communicates how brokering might lead to valued long-term outcomes for youth, including increased social capital. Originality/value The intent is that information and perspectives from this article will inform youth-serving practice and serve as a catalyst for further conversations and activities geared toward promoting youth pathways of learning and identity development.

Moving beyond the first response phenomenon

2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (7/8) ◽  
pp. 627-643 ◽  
Author(s):  
Camilla Malm ◽  
Stefan Andersson ◽  
Håkan Jönson ◽  
Lennart Magnusson ◽  
Elizabeth Hanson
Keyword(s):  
Research Process ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
First Response ◽  
Formal Framework ◽  
Informal Carers ◽  
High Level ◽  
Research Demands

Purpose In Sweden, the care of older people and people with disabilities is increasingly carried out by informal carers, often family members, who are unpaid and outside a professional or formal framework. While there is an increasing awareness of the role of carers within service systems and their own needs for support, their involvement in research is underexplored. The purpose of this paper is to explore carers’ views and experiences of involvement in research and development (R&D) work. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative study was conducted, consisting of 12 individual interviews with carers from different local Swedish carer organizations. Findings Core findings included carers’ discussions of the perceived challenges and benefits of their involvement in research, both generally and more specifically, in the context of their involvement in the development of a national carer strategy. Research limitations/implications Limitations included the relative lack of male carer participants and the convenience sample. Practical implications Authentic carer involvement in research demands a high level of engagement from researchers during the entire research process. The provided CRAC framework, with reference to the themes community, reciprocity, advocacy and circumstantiality, may help researchers to understand and interpret carer involvement in research and provide the prerequisites for their involvement. Originality/value There is a dearth of studies that systematically examine carer involvement in research. This paper attempts to redress this gap by providing a nuanced analysis of carer involvement in R&D work from the perspective of carers themselves.

Improving graduateness: addressing the gap between employer needs and graduate employability in Palestine

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadine Nabulsi ◽  
Beverley McNally ◽  
Grace Khoury
Keyword(s):  
Youth Unemployment ◽  
Quantitative Information ◽  
Training And Development ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Problem Solving Skills ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social ◽  
High Level ◽  
Skill Shortages

PurposeThis research paper seeks to identify multiple stakeholder perceptions relating to the level of graduateness of a group of business school graduates in Palestine.Design/methodology/approachAn exploratory mixed method approach was employed. Survey data provided the quantitative information that was analysed using statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS). Interviews of 1.5–2 h duration were conducted to gather the qualitative data. The study utilised an inductive thematic approach to analyse these data.FindingsEmployers were resolute in the view that despite the high level of youth unemployment in Palestine, they still had difficulty in sourcing suitably qualified graduates. Collaboration between employers and higher education providers is not of a level that supports the development of graduateness. The identified key skill shortages occurred in the soft skills area, for example, written and verbal communication, language and problem-solving skills, negotiation and conflict resolution.Research limitations/implicationsAs an exploratory research study, there are opportunities for future research investigating more deeply the themes identified and the success or otherwise of the recommended initiatives.Practical implicationsThis study has implications for both educationalists and policymakers, regarding the prioritisation of development funding and of policies and practices aimed at improving youth employment. There are implications for all stakeholders with regard to collaboration in curriculum development, provision of education, and training and development programmes targeting young people to ensure that they are work ready.Originality/valueThis paper is one of the first to examine the skills gap between business schools' graduates and employment in Palestine.

Effects of LEGO robotic on freshmen students' computational thinking and programming learning attitudes in Taiwan

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cathy Weng ◽  
Isaac Manyonge Matere ◽  
Chih-Hsien Hsia ◽  
Mei-Yen Wang ◽  
Apollo Weng
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
University Students ◽  
Computational Thinking ◽  
Project Based Learning ◽  
Problem Solving Skills ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Learning Attitude ◽  
Learning Attitudes ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Programming Knowledge

PurposeAdvancements in technology require that everyone is skilled with computational thinking (CT), problem-solving and computer programming skills. This study aims to examine the development of CT in problem-solving skills (PSS) and programming learning attitude by integrating LEGO robotics kits in a project-based learning course.Design/methodology/approachThis study examines the development of CT in PSS and programming learning attitude by integrating LEGO robotics kits in a project-based learning course. This study consists of a single group pre-post-test research design with 32 freshmen university students. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected by pre-post-tests and recording of classroom discussions, respectively.FindingsTherefore, this finding implies that robotics can be used to develop CT in university students; however, there is a need for designing curricula with advanced robotic kits as artificial intelligence (AI) has become more prevalent. Hence, programming knowledge learned will help students to understand the application of robots in AI.Originality/valueThe study creates educators' awareness that CT skills might be developed in freshmen university students through robotics. However, many still consider them toys rather than learning aids.

Improving consumers’ eating habits: what if a brand could make a difference?

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (7) ◽  
pp. 885-900
Author(s):  
Amélie Guèvremont
Keyword(s):  
Behavioral Change ◽  
Online Community ◽  
Eating Habits ◽  
Behavioral Changes ◽  
Positive Role ◽  
Transformative Power ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
The Individual

Purpose This research sheds light on behavioral change by demonstrating the transformative power of a brand on the process of eating behavioral change. The selected brand is Three Times a Day (a culinary blog whose mission is to encourage a healthier diet). This study aims to identify food-related behavioral changes as a result of consumers’ relationship with this brand and identify antecedents to such changes. Design/methodology/approach A netnography of the brand online community and 14 individual in-depth interviews were conducted. Findings Netnography results identify four categories of behavioral changes emerging from the relationship with the brand (e.g. choosing healthier/more varied foods, developing an interest in cooking and adopting a healthier lifestyle). Analysis of the individual interviews substantiate the role of brand attachment as a driver of positive change and identify three antecedents: brand-self connection (through past, actual and ideal self), brand exposure and satisfaction of individual needs (i.e. autonomy, competence and relatedness). Research limitations/implications Results enrich the literature on behavioral change and highlight the positive role of a brand in the context of improving eating habits. Findings extend the understanding of the consequences of attachment beyond its influence at the attitudinal level by focusing on concrete consumer behavior. Social implications It is recognized that despite good intentions, individuals keep making poor food choices. This important issue is associated with several diseases and increasing social costs. This research explores how to influence consumers in adopting better eating habits. Originality/value This study is one of the first to examine the power of a food-related brand to enhance positive eating practices and improve diet.

Identity Exploration and Commitment of Albanian Youth as a Function of Social Opportunity Structure

2006 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 268-276 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aida Orgocka ◽  
Jasna Jovanovic
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Identity Development ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Male Students ◽  
Opportunity Structure ◽  
School Students ◽  
Identity Exploration

This study examined how social opportunity structure influences identity exploration and commitment of Albanian high school students. A total of 258 students completed a questionnaire that gauged their identity exploration and commitment in three domains: education, occupation, and family. ANOVA results indicated that, overall, students scored highest in exploration in the domain of education and in commitment in the domain of family. Students' exploration and commitment were linked to gender. Albanian female students scored higher than male students in exploration and commitment regarding education and family. Perceived work opportunities in Albania or abroad also significantly moderated participants' exploration in the domain of education and were associated with commitment in education and occupation. As one of the first studies to explore Albanian youth's identity development in relation to social opportunity structure, findings are discussed in light of furthering the field of Albanian adolescent and youth development.

scholarly journals Mutations in fbiD (Rv2983) as a Novel Determinant of Resistance to Pretomanid and Delamanid in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

2020 ◽  
Vol 65 (1) ◽  
pp. e01948-20
Author(s):  
Dalin Rifat ◽  
Si-Yang Li ◽  
Thomas Ioerger ◽  
Keshav Shah ◽  
Jean-Philippe Lanoix ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mycobacterium Tuberculosis ◽  
Clinical Evidence ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Solid Media ◽  
High Level ◽  
Level Resistance

ABSTRACTThe nitroimidazole prodrugs delamanid and pretomanid comprise one of only two new antimicrobial classes approved to treat tuberculosis (TB) in 50 years. Prior in vitro studies suggest a relatively low barrier to nitroimidazole resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis, but clinical evidence is limited to date. We selected pretomanid-resistant M. tuberculosis mutants in two mouse models of TB using a range of pretomanid doses. The frequency of spontaneous resistance was approximately 10−5 CFU. Whole-genome sequencing of 161 resistant isolates from 47 mice revealed 99 unique mutations, of which 91% occurred in 1 of 5 genes previously associated with nitroimidazole activation and resistance, namely, fbiC (56%), fbiA (15%), ddn (12%), fgd (4%), and fbiB (4%). Nearly all mutations were unique to a single mouse and not previously identified. The remaining 9% of resistant mutants harbored mutations in Rv2983 (fbiD), a gene not previously associated with nitroimidazole resistance but recently shown to be a guanylyltransferase necessary for cofactor F420 synthesis. Most mutants exhibited high-level resistance to pretomanid and delamanid, although Rv2983 and fbiB mutants exhibited high-level pretomanid resistance but relatively small changes in delamanid susceptibility. Complementing an Rv2983 mutant with wild-type Rv2983 restored susceptibility to pretomanid and delamanid. By quantifying intracellular F420 and its precursor Fo in overexpressing and loss-of-function mutants, we provide further evidence that Rv2983 is necessary for F420 biosynthesis. Finally, Rv2983 mutants and other F420H2-deficient mutants displayed hypersusceptibility to some antibiotics and to concentrations of malachite green found in solid media used to isolate and propagate mycobacteria from clinical samples.

scholarly journals Understanding employee turnover in humanitarian organizations

2016 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 208-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rameshwar Dubey ◽  
Angappa Gunasekaran ◽  
Nezih Altay ◽  
Stephen J Childe ◽  
Thanos Papadopoulos
Keyword(s):  
Employee Turnover ◽  
Factor Loading ◽  
Personal Factors ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Humanitarian Organizations ◽  
Using Data ◽  
High Level

Purpose – At a time when the number and seriousness of disasters seems to be increasing, humanitarian organizations find that besides their challenging work they are faced with problems caused by a high level of turnover of staff. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Based on the 24 variables leading to employee turnover identified by Cotton and Tuttle (1986) the authors analyse the work-related, external and personal factors affecting employee turnover in humanitarian organizations, using a survey of members of the Indian National Institute of Disaster Management. Findings – Results indicated that the three factors are present. Of the external factors, only employment perception had a factor loading over 0.7; of the work-related factors, all were significant; of the personal factors, biographical information, marital status, number of dependants, aptitude and ability and intelligence had the highest loadings. It was also shown that behavioural intentions and net expectation were not significant. Originality/value – Only a few studies reported on employee turnover and its reasons are not well understood in the context of humanitarian organizations. To address this need, the aim of this paper is to explore the personal reasons impacting employee turnover in humanitarian organizations. In the study the authors have adopted 24 variables used in Cotton and Tuttle (1986) and classified into constructs to explain turnover, and further tested the model using data gathered from humanitarian organizations.

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