scholarly journals A Case Study Exploring the Use of Virtual Reality in the Zoo Context

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 576-588
Author(s):  
Zsuzsa Lugosi ◽  
Phyllis C. Lee
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Natural Habitat ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Natural World ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Zoological Society ◽  
African Wild Dogs ◽  
Video Condition ◽  
Entertainment Value ◽  
Wild Dogs

Virtual Reality (VR) is now a popular tool in education and for engagement with the natural world, but to date little research has investigated its potential in a zoo setting. We aimed to gauge the interest of the visiting public in using VR technology at Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s (RZSS) Edinburgh Zoo. A VR (n = 12) and a video condition (n = 12), both introducing the lives and conservation concerns of African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus), were used to gain greater insight of the thoughts and perceptions of how individuals evaluated a purpose-built VR experience and to enable comparisons of learning outcomes for both technologies. We used semi-structured interviews; responses were evaluated through thematic analysis and descriptive analysis. Younger participants (aged 13-18 years) emphasized that VR allowed them close and personal access to the animals. Adult participants (aged 19 and above) pointed out the entertainment value of the VR experience while highlighting the potential of its educational aspect; that of enabling visitors to see animals in their natural habitat. While our results require further confirmation due to the limited sample size and restricted circumstances of data collection, we suggest that VR could be usefully introduced as a public education and visitor engagement tool that would benefit the visitors’ learning and overall experience at the zoo.

scholarly journals Abundance, distribution and conservation threats of African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) in the Loliondo Game Controlled Area, Tanzania

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
EMMANUEL MASENGA ◽  
SHOMBE N. HASSAN ◽  
KASHAIGILI JAPHET
Keyword(s):  
Abundance Distribution ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Lycaon Pictus ◽  
Conservation Action ◽  
Management Interventions ◽  
African Wild Dog ◽  
African Wild Dogs ◽  
Wild Dog ◽  
Conservation Threats ◽  
Wild Dogs

Abstract. Masenga E, Hasan SN, Japhet K. 2018. Abundance, distribution, and conservation threats of African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) in the Loliondo Game Controlled Area, Tanzania. Asian J For 2: 31-41. Assessment of abundance, distribution, and conservation threats to African wild dogs was conducted in Loliondo Game Controlled Area (LGCA), northern Tanzania. Specifically, the study focused on determining population size and structure, spatial distribution, attitudes of local people towards wild dogs and wild dog conservation and threats impacting the species. Semi-structured interviews, diurnal random searches, internal and external examinations of wild dogs carcasses examined, and night transect surveys were employed. Eight packs with a total of 132 recognized individuals at an average pack size of 16.50 ± SD 7.50 individuals were recorded. Pack sizes 3 individuals were reported to be sighted mostly and of all respondents (n= 210), only 26% were able to recognize wild dog sexes. The density of both known and unknown wild dogs was 0.19 animals/km2, higher compared to other carnivores. In terms of distribution, most of the packs were concentrated in the northern part as compared to the central and southern parts of LGCA. The species was observed to occur most in woodland type of vegetation. Interestingly, 55.30% of respondents showed a positive attitude towards wild dogs and wild dog conservation despite that 52.90% of respondents dismissed lack of any conservation action or strategy in place towards conserving the species. However, poisoning and Canine Distemper Virus were identified as the main threats. Therefore, conserving African wild dogs in LGCA requires mult-approach conservation efforts (i.e. awareness rising to community, fitting radio telemetry to the dogs and threats management interventions) due to nature of the species.

scholarly journals Heading for the Hills: Risk Avoidance Drives Den Site Selection in African Wild Dogs

PLoS ONE ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. e99686 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig R. Jackson ◽  
R. John Power ◽  
Rosemary J. Groom ◽  
Emmanuel H. Masenga ◽  
Ernest E. Mjingo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Site Selection ◽  
Risk Avoidance ◽  
Den Site Selection ◽  
African Wild Dogs ◽  
Wild Dogs

scholarly journals Sneeze to leave: African wild dogs ( Lycaon pictus ) use variable quorum thresholds facilitated by sneezes in collective decisions

2017 ◽  
Vol 284 (1862) ◽  
pp. 20170347 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reena H. Walker ◽  
Andrew J. King ◽  
J. Weldon McNutt ◽  
Neil R. Jordan
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Group Living ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Relative Strength ◽  
Directed Group ◽  
Collective Decisions ◽  
African Wild Dogs ◽  
Minimum Number ◽  
Collective Movements ◽  
Wild Dogs

In despotically driven animal societies, one or a few individuals tend to have a disproportionate influence on group decision-making and actions. However, global communication allows each group member to assess the relative strength of preferences for different options among their group-mates. Here, we investigate collective decisions by free-ranging African wild dog packs in Botswana. African wild dogs exhibit dominant-directed group living and take part in stereotyped social rallies: high energy greeting ceremonies that occur before collective movements. Not all rallies result in collective movements, for reasons that are not well understood. We show that the probability of rally success (i.e. group departure) is predicted by a minimum number of audible rapid nasal exhalations (sneezes), within the rally. Moreover, the number of sneezes needed for the group to depart (i.e. the quorum) was reduced whenever dominant individuals initiated rallies, suggesting that dominant participation increases the likelihood of a rally's success, but is not a prerequisite. As such, the ‘will of the group’ may override dominant preferences when the consensus of subordinates is sufficiently great. Our findings illustrate how specific behavioural mechanisms (here, sneezing) allow for negotiation (in effect, voting) that shapes decision-making in a wild, socially complex animal society.

scholarly journals Evaluation of the Implementation Process of the Mobile Health Platform ‘WelTel’ in Six Sites in East Africa and Canada Using the Modified Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (mCFIR)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samia El Joueidi ◽  
Kevin Bardosh ◽  
Richard Musoke ◽  
Binyam Tilahun ◽  
Maryam Abo Moslim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Implementation Research ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Implementation Process ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
User Friendliness ◽  
Domain 3 ◽  
And Performance

Abstract Background: Health systems globally are investing in integrating secure messaging platforms for virtual care in clinical practice. Implementation science is essential for adoption, scale-up, spread and maintenance of complex evidence-based solutions in clinics with evolving priorities. In response, the mHealth Research Group modified the existing Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (mCFIR) to evaluate implementation of virtual health tools in clinical settings. WelTel® is an evidence-based digital health platform widely deployed in various geographical and health contexts. Objectives: To identify the facilitators and barriers for implementing WelTel and to assess the application of the mCFIR tool in facilitating focus groups in different geographical and health settings. Methodology: Both qualitative and semi-quantitative approaches were employed. Six mCFIR sessions were held in three countries with 51 key stakeholders surveyed. The mCFIR tool consists of 5 Domains and 25 Constructs and was built and distributed through Qualtrics XM. “Performance ” and “Importance” scores were valued on a scale of 0 to 10 (Mean + SD). Descriptive analysis was conducted using R computing software. NVivo 12 Pro software was used to analyze mCFIR responses and to generate themes from the participants’ input. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the focus group facilitators to understand their experience using the mCFIR tool. Results: We observed a parallel trend in the scores for Importance and Performance. Of the five Domains, Domain 4 (End-user Characteristics) and Domain 3 (Inner Settings) scored highest in Importance (8.9 + 0.5 and 8.6 + 0.6, respectively) and Performance (7.6 + 0.7 and 7.2 + 1.3, respectively) for all sites. Domain 2 (Outer Setting) scored the lowest in both Importance and Performance for all sites (7.6 + 0.4 and 5.6 + 1.8). Areas of strengths included timely diagnosis, immediate response, cost-effectiveness, user-friendliness, and simplicity. Areas for improvement included training, phone accessibility, health authority’s engagement, and literacy. Conclusion: The mCFIR tool allowed for a comprehensive understanding of the barriers and facilitators to the implementation, reach, and scale-up of digital health tools. Participants emphasized the importance of creating partnerships with external organizations and health authorities in order to achieve sustainability and scalability.Trial Registration: NCT02603536 – November 11, 2015NCT01549457 – March 9, 2012

scholarly journals ANALISIS PENDAPATAN DAN PERSEPSI PETANI TERHADAP KEMITRAAN USAHA KAMPUNG KUCAI DI KABUPATEN BLITAR

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 58-67
Author(s):  
Lintar Brillian Pintakami ◽  
Eko Wahyu Budiman
Keyword(s):  
Sampling Method ◽  
Financial Institution ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Women Farmers ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Partnership Agreement ◽  
Depth Interviews

This study aims to describe the agribusiness partnership process that takes place in Kampung Kucai, analyze the income of chives farming, and the perception of chives farmers on the partnership process in Garum District, Blitar Regency. This research uses a qualitative approach in the form of a case study. Informants in this study were partner chives farmers in Kampung Kucai. Determination of the sample of plasma partner farmers was carried out by purposive sampling method. Informants were selected based on secondary data from the core and information from farmers. So the sample used for Kucai Mitra farmers is 20 people. In addition, there are also 5 key informants. The methods of data collection carried out in this study are of several types, namely structured interviews, in-depth interviews, participatory observations, and documentation. The data analysis method used in this researchis descriptive analysis,  income analysis, and Likert analysis. The results showed that the type of partnership between the Financial Institution "Bank BRI" and the partner chives farmers was classified as a nucleus-plasma partnership pattern. In the mechanism of the partnership pattern of the Financial Institution "BRI Bank" with the Kucai Farmer Group, it is carried out based on a partnership agreement. The agreement letter contains the identities of the two partnering parties and the rules given by "Bank BRI" as well as the location or planting area. The total income from chives farming is Rp. 242,000, -. The income of chives farming can be taken by women farmers once a month at the monthly member meeting in the Women Farmers Group or can be saved in advance. If they are saved, usually the women farmers in the research location will take the income before the Eid al-Fitr. The perception of partner chives farmers on the planning of partnership implementation is 80% or very good, the perception of partner chives farmers on the partnership process is 78% or quite good, and the perception of the evaluation of the partnership is very good with 85% results. So that the results of the Likert analysis on the average perception of partner chives farmers on the partnership process with financial institutions "Bank BRI" have a very good category with a percentage of 80% where the total score is 483.

scholarly journals Teachers’ Conceptions of Teaching Chinese Descriptive Composition With Interactive Spherical Video-Based Virtual Reality

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mengyuan Chen ◽  
Ching-Sing Chai ◽  
Morris Siu-Yung Jong ◽  
Michael Yi-Chao Jiang
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Conceptions Of Teaching ◽  
Self Identity ◽  
Supportive Environment ◽  
Structural Relationships ◽  
Phenomenographic Study ◽  
Conception Of Teaching ◽  
L1 Acquisition ◽  
Descriptive Writing

Phenomenographic research about teachers’ conception of teaching has consistently revealed that teachers’ conception of teaching influence their classroom practices, which in turn shape students’ learning experiences. This paper reports teachers’ conceptions of teaching with regards to the use of interactive spherical video-based virtual reality (ISV-VR) in Chinese descriptive composition writing. Twenty-one secondary teachers in Hong Kong involved in an ISV-VR-supported Chinese descriptive writing program participated in this phenomenographic study. Analyses of the semi-structured interviews establish seven conception categories that are specifically related to the use of ISV-VR for descriptive Chinese composition writing: (1) offering students more observational opportunities; (2) improving students’ writing skills; (3) promoting students’ learning participation and motivation; (4) shifting learning from teacher-centric to student-centric, (5) enhancing collaborative learning among students; (6) cultivating students’ positive values and moral character, and (7) shaping students’ self-identity as “writers.” The concurrent and convenient access to the ISV-VR resources was for the teachers an enriched and supportive environment for them to cultivate students’ writer identity. In addition, it was discovered that the structural relationships of the conceptions may be better organized along three axes of continuum: conception’s orientation, teaching attention locus, and understanding of writing. These categories form a hierarchy from skill-oriented to community-oriented, and finally to identity-oriented conception. The findings may provide researchers and practitioners with novel insight into the teaching of composition writing in the contexts of L1 acquisition supported by virtual reality technology.

scholarly journals The Beliefs and Aesthetics of Isaan Heritage Trees

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 158
Author(s):  
Surasak Sornsena ◽  
Preechawut Apirating ◽  
Sipp Suksamran
Keyword(s):  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
The People ◽  
Study Results ◽  
And Gender ◽  
The Aesthetic ◽  
Surrounding Areas ◽  
Art Elements ◽  
Heritage Trees ◽  
Heritage Tree

This article is a part of a Doctoral Thesis titled “Isaan Heritage Tree: From the Belief and the Aesthetic to the Creation of Visual Arts,” with the objectives of studying the belief and the aesthetic that exist in the Isaan Heritage Tree using the qualitative method. The study’s target groups can be divided into three following groups: the experts, the practitioners, and the related people. The area of study is in the Isaan region. The region is divided into upper Isaan, mid-Isaan, and lower Isaan. The research tools consist of surveys, non-participatory observation, and structured and non-structured interviews. The data collected from documents and field data was analyzed using Aesthetic Theory and Symbolic Interactionism Theory and presented using descriptive analysis.  The study results show that Isaan has a long history and development both in geography, the administration, society, the culture, and the migration of people who came to settle in the area from Luang Phrabang, Vientiane, and Champasak. This had caused the people and nation’s coming together and led to social management, which consists of regulations, religion, and belief. The beliefs of the Isaan people are connected to forest spirits, household spirits, or tree spirits. Five following characteristics of the Heritage Trees were also found: 1) The traditional beliefs related to the Heritage Trees of Isaan. 2) The new belief. 3) The beliefs that are connected to the locations. 4) The beliefs in the tree spirits whose identity and gender cannot be identified. 5) Auspicious and inauspicious beliefs. There are three aspects for the aesthetics: Aesthetic elements are the feeling of amazement due to the gigantic size filled with astonishment, mystery, and the fear of power. The interesting aspects of Art elements are the unity and relationship to the seasons, such as the Fall season, Rainy Season, and the blooming of flowers that contribute to the changes in the aesthetics changes. The visual art elements consist of six following components; bodies and shapes, lines, colors, textures, light and shadows, and area. It was found that the gigantic size and height cause amazements to the viewers. The physical lines of the Isaan Heritage trees were the lines along the trunks, the lines on the branches, and the lines that go along the leaves and flowers. There are different colors of the trunk, the leaves, and the flowers. The texture was rough, harsh, and the cracks follow the same directions as the trunk. There are botanical differences in the light and shadows of the heritage trees. As for the area, there are differences between the area of the heritage trees and the surrounding areas, as well as the differences within the Isaan Heritage Trees area.   Received: 25 January 2021 / Accepted: 31 March 2021 / Published: 10 May 2021

scholarly journals Validating a novel visual field assessment app: A pilot study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jen Ho ◽  
Andrew Keenlyside ◽  
Jake Sieradzki ◽  
Su Hua Sim ◽  
Mark Hughes
Keyword(s):  
Subjective Experience ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Visual Fields ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Field Assessment ◽  
Convenience Sampling ◽  
System Information ◽  
Quantitative And Qualitative Methods

Introduction The paper Cullen chart has been a validated adjunct to perimeters in detecting scotomas for various neuro-ophthalmological pathologies for decades. It was digitized into a prototype-app to empower future users to conduct remote monitoring of visual fields. This project aimed to refine the apps' usability for future users to self-assess and monitor their visual fields by exploring the difficulties faced using the app, to gather feedback, and subsequently to improve its usability for future iterations to objectively compare iterations using the MAUQ scores. Methods Participants (n = 15; age: 24-58) recruited through convenience sampling underwent mixed (quantitative and qualitative) methods to measure 1. Participants' adherence to the app instruction through observation, 2. objective experiences of using the app through self-reporting using the mHealth App Usability Questionnaire (MAUQ), and 3. Subjective experience of app using through semi-structured interviews. Descriptive analysis was computed for observation and MAUQ data. Thematic analysis was adopted to analyse the semi-structured interview data. Results 1/15 adhered to 3 written instructions and 8/15 participants had awkward hand movements. The MAUQ median score was 123/147, the MAUQ domain mean scores - ease of use and satisfaction, system information arrangement and usefulness were 81.6%(45.7/56), 80.6%(33.9/42) and 80.2%(39.3/49), respectively. Questions 4, 5, 9, 11 and 19 were the 5 lowest-scoring questions. Qualitative data were categorised into instructions, test, and feedback which had codes and subcodes. Conclusion Feedback for improvements were surrounding central fixation, remembering peripheral stimuli, uncover eye when interacting with peripheral stimuli, video examples, an introduction to the app and audio instructions.

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