scholarly journals Using Text Mining to Gauge Student Sentiments about Hands-on Activities in a Protected Agriculture Course

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 129-134
Author(s):  
Gerardo H. Nunez

Hands-on activities enhance learning and increase student satisfaction in horticulture courses. Nevertheless, hands-on activities can have widely different impacts on student learning. To achieve and maintain educational quality, instructors need to evaluate and improve activities. This research used text mining and sentiment analysis to gauge student sentiments about hands-on activities in a protected agriculture course. Students participated in five hands-on activities and submitted short reflective essays about them. Essay texts were separated into single-word (unigram) or three-word (trigram) objects. Unigrams were compared with general-use emotion lexica to extract student sentiments from the texts. Trigrams were used to assess essay content. All activities elicited positive sentiments among students. Trust, anticipation, and joy were the most prominent emotions identified. The activity focused on freeze protection was preferred over the other activities. Although other activities were also well received, they should be refined for future offerings. The presented method could be used to assess hands-on activities, leading to continuous improvement and successful implementation of experiential learning in horticulture courses.

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ram P. Rustagi ◽  
Viraj Kumar

With the rapid increase in the volume of e-commerce, the security of web-based transactions is of increasing concern. A widespread but dangerously incorrect belief among web users is that all security issues are taken care of when a website uses HTTPS (secure HTTP). While HTTPS does provide security, websites are often developed and deployed in ways that make them and their users vulnerable to hackers. In this article we explore some of these vulnerabilities. We first introduce the key ideas and then provide several experiential learning exercises so that readers can understand the challenges and possible solutions to them in a hands-on manner.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Biermann ◽  
Salim Kanoun ◽  
Trond Davidsen ◽  
Robert Gray

Abstract Aims Since 2017, medical students at the University of Bergen were taught PET/CT “hands-on” by viewing PET/CT cases in native format on diagnostic workstations in the hospital. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, students were barred access. This prompted us to launch and evaluate a new freeware PET/CT viewing system hosted in the university network. Methods We asked our students to install the multiplatform Fiji viewer with Beth Israel PET/CT plugin (http://petctviewer.org) on their personal computers and connect to a central image database in the university network based on the public domain orthanc server (https://orthanc-server.com). At the end of course, we conducted an anonymous student survey. Results The new system was online within eight days, including regulatory approval. All 76 students (100 %) in the fifth year completed their course work, reading five anonymized PET/CT cases as planned. 41 (53 %) students answered the survey. Fiji was challenging to install with a mean score of 1.8 on a 5-point Likert scale (5 = easy, 1 = difficult). Fiji was more difficult to use (score 3.0) than the previously used diagnostic workstations in the hospital (score 4.1; p < 0.001, paired t-test). Despite the technical challenge, 47 % of students reported having learnt much (scores 4 and 5); only 11 % were negative (scores 1 and 2). 51 % found the PET/CT tasks engaging (scores 4 and 5) while 20 % and 5 % returned scores 2 and 1, respectively. Conclusion Despite the initial technical challenge, “hands-on” learning of PET/CT based on the freeware Fiji/orthanc PET/CT-viewer was associated with a high degree of student satisfaction. We plan to continue running the system to give students permanent access to PET/CT cases in native format regardless of time or location.


2017 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eyal Eckhaus ◽  
Galit Klein ◽  
Jeffrey Kantor

Management studies have been criticized for lagging behind the actual needs of organizations, ignoring experiential dimensions. We address this issue by applying experiential learning theory using an accountancy-oriented board game designed to help participants learn about cost management. The game was played in a pricing course with an enrolment of 104 accountancy students. We examined the impact levels of game entertainment and comprehensibility on the course material comprehension as well as the game’s impact on the final grade in the course. Results show that game participants had significantly higher grades than students that did not participate in the game, and that entertainment and comprehensibility of the game predict the understanding of course material. We also found that managerial employment capability can be predicted by level of challenge participants derive from the game. This study addresses the gap between traditional management education and practice. It provides empirical evidence of the value of hands-on gameplay experience for assimilation of course concepts and strategies. The results confirmed the importance of exposing players through an entertaining game simulation to challenges that arise in the business world. In addition, we lay the ground for future studies on the novel usage of the game as a tool to assess management skills.


Author(s):  
Daniel Roy Pearce ◽  
Mayo Oyama ◽  
Danièle Moore ◽  
Yuki Kitano ◽  
Emiko Fujita

In Japan, where there is a bias toward English-only in foreign language education, there are also grassroots efforts to introduce greater plurality in the classroom. However, introducing diverse languages and cultures into the classroom can lead to folklorization, the delivering of essentialized information in pre-packaged formats, which can potentially delegitimize other languages and cultures. This contribution examines a collaborative integrative plurilingual STEAM practice at an elementary school in Western Japan. In the ‘school lunches project,' the children experience various international cuisine, leading up to which they would engage with related languages and cultures through collaboratively produced plurilingual videos and museum-like exhibits of cultural artifacts. The interdisciplinary, hands-on, experiential learning within this project helped the children to develop an investigative stance toward linguistic and cultural artifacts, nurture a deeper awareness of languages and openness to diversity, foster reflexivity, and encourage interdisciplinary engagement.


Stroke ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 46 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy Jones ◽  
Gladys Campbell

Background and Purpose: A Comprehensive Stroke Center provides many opportunities for interactions with smaller facilities. Needs identified by our community facility partners was a standardized and effective neurological assessment of the stroke patient that could be performed by all staff and staff stroke education. Investigation into the Advanced Stroke Life Support (ASLS) course provided information that would serve as a blueprint to resolve both education needs. Method: Six staff members were certified as ASLS Instructors. ASLS course has been provided using didactic and hands on participation for scoring of patients with the Miami Emergency Neurologic Deficit (MEND) exam and stroke education. Participants were given a pre-test at the beginning of the educational experience, followed by a post test at the conclusion of class. Lectures included overview of five major stroke syndromes, basic MEND exam knowledge and scoring requirements, followed by review of treatment options and care provided once hospitalized. The learning opportunity was enhanced by interactive hands on session by each participant through performing the MEND exam on fellow participants and scoring of the MEND exam on scenario based test patients. Use of the interactive practice session with immediate feedback from instructors was key elements of student satisfaction and perceived learning during the educational experience. Results: Initial class evaluations and changes in pre and post test scores indicate an increase in participant stroke knowledge. 47 of 50 failed the pre-test with scores ranging from 35 to 85. Upon posttest all participants passed with scores ranging from 80 to 100. There was an increase in proficiency using the MEND exam from the initial practice session to use during the test patient scenarios. Additional survey results will be obtained using post class value analysis survey at least three months after class completion to demonstrate participants’ ability to apply knowledge to practice setting. Conclusion: Completion of ASLS course provides an increase of stroke knowledge that promotes application of information learned to care of stroke patients in practice settings.


2006 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 142-143 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Coyle-Rogers ◽  
Christie Putman

2020 ◽  
pp. 105256292096563
Author(s):  
Kathy Sanderson

As the prominence of experiential learning (EL) increases in management education, so do pressures on educators to adopt new, and less defined modes of classroom instruction. The incorporation of hands-on practice with standard pedagogy places expectations on educators to include assignments with emotional or ethical aspects. It is often assumed that as subject matter experts, educators are naturally equipped to manage EL. This article challenges the idea of such competence and readiness. It presents a stepped, self-awareness framework with guiding questions that educators can use to determine their own suitability and readiness for EL. To build competence, suggestions for educator development are included with each step. Examples from practice are presented to illustrate the use of the framework.


2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 920-936 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manjeet Kharub ◽  
Rahul S. Mor ◽  
Rajiv Sharma

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the cost leadership competitive strategy’s (CLCS) impact on firm performances and the mediating role of quality management (QM) practices in the context of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Design/methodology/approach A structures questionnaire data collected from 245 ISO 9000 certified MSMEs in India (65.1 per cent of response rate) have been utilised to understand the CLCS’s impact on firm performances. In the first step, the data adequacy tests were performed to check the reliability and validity of the questionnaire and survey data. After that, the partial mediating model (direct, indirect and total effect) along with structural equation modelling approach was employed to test the research hypotheses. Findings The study results revealed that no direct relationship exists between the CLCS and firm performances (0.12<β<0.13; p>0.05); however, QM practices entirely mediated their relationship (β=0.73, p<0.01). Among eight model parameters, with highest total effects on product quality improvement (β=0.6264) and process improvement (β=0.6028), the continuous improvement secured the rank 1, followed by information and analysis (β=0.2334) and supplier management (0.1839), respectively, at p<0.05. Based on the empirical results, it can be concluded that the continuous improvement via proper information and data analysis is the key to achieve CLCS’s goal in the MSMEs. Research limitations/implications The study results’ generalisation towards the large organisations is limited. The survey result findings applicability to other developing countries should also be treated with caution because the Indian Government subsidised the MSMEs selected for this study. The study results will help managers in implementing CLCS at the organisational level. The successful implementation will facilitate a competitive advantage in the local market and will motivate them to think globally. Originality/value The research observation and findings are expected to contribute to the strategic management in manufacturing industries. The study also confirms the existence of strategic management in MSMEs in a developing country. Furthermore, the major contribution is to understand the mediating role of QM practices, especially continuous improvement effect on the relationship between CLCS and firm performances in a developing country. The results indicated that the CLCS is only possible when the managers in the manufacturing sectors emphasis on the QM practices in their firms.


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