scholarly journals Tailoring Signs to Engage Two Distinct Types of Geotourists to Geological Sites

Geosciences ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonja Prendivoj
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Knowledge Building ◽  
Contextual Factors ◽  
Visitor Experience ◽  
Holding Power ◽  
Interpretive Signs ◽  
Diverse Audience

Interpretive signs are the silent ambassadors of geosites and serve a diverse audience. The primary aim of this study is to develop signs for geosites targeted at two unique groups of geotourists. A conceptual multidisciplinary geotourist typology is formulated to identify two main classes of geotourists comprising the audience. Latent and archetypal geotourists inhabit various roles at geotourism sites depending on their expectations for the event, affecting the visitor experience via fluid contextual factors. Principally, latent geotourists arrive seeking novel touristic experiences while archetypal geotourists seek knowledge-building opportunities. Because signs represent one fragment of the multi-dimensional visitor experience, an approach that offers a palette of options is advocated. After the unified typology to identify the audience is presented, a multi-layered technique that offers both interpretation and a link to augmented information on signs is suggested. Some best practices in sign design are described and preliminary plans for testing are shared. The author’s overriding goal is to refine the mechanics and format of signs to garner maximum attracting and holding power, ensuring that the message is read and the target outcome is achieved. By providing tools to visitors to geological sites that enable them to create narratives that are compatible with their expectations, we facilitate a multi-dimensional constructive experience that engages everyone.

scholarly journals Visitor Journey Application Development for Omni-Channels

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bakhtiyor Esanov ◽  
Ajantha Dahanayake
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Conceptual Model ◽  
Visitor Experience ◽  
Application Development ◽  
Virtual Campus

The primary purpose of conducting this research is to determine how campus journey application development is progressing. As a result, this research proposes a conceptual model for visitor journey application development. The study included 100 top ranking educational institutes and additionally included Finnish and Estonian universities. 39 virtual campus tour applications and 36 visitor journey applications are benchmarked in total for this study. Provides an example of visitor journey mapping with features, complexities, and best practices that are influential for improving visitor experience during visitor journey application development.

scholarly journals Evaluation of the attention capture and holding power of interpretive signs among visitors to a self-guided trail in the High Tatras National Park (Slovakia)

Envigogika ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Juraj Švajda ◽  
Jan Činčera
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
Statistical Methods ◽  
National Park ◽  
Evaluation Research ◽  
Attention Capture ◽  
Holding Power ◽  
Low Degree ◽  
Interpretive Signs ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The High Tatras

Nature trails have become very popular and have become the most widespread method of interpreting natural and cultural heritage. This paper presents the result of evaluation research of a nature trail in the High Tatras National Park (Slovakia). The holding power and attention capture of the individual panels were assessed by observation including further analysis of other factors related to the interpretive quality or location of the panels. Evaluation shows that the trail is overloaded with text and does not adequately link the communicated content with the surroundings. The individual trail panels have a relatively low degree of holding power and attention capture. The evaluation reveals the importance of good quality and thoughtful interpretation of natural heritage. Overall, the study also shows the difficulties associated with the use of statistical methods to analyze the effectiveness of selected trail features. 

Inquiry in Action: Reflections on the Implementation of Best Practices in Child- and Family-Focused University–Community Partnerships

2020 ◽  
Vol 201 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-53
Author(s):  
Mary E. Walsh ◽  
Shauna M. Adams ◽  
Susan Ferguson ◽  
Mary O. Hearst ◽  
Jo-Viviane Jones ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Early Childhood Development ◽  
Contextual Factors ◽  
The United States ◽  
Community Partnerships ◽  
Childhood Development ◽  
University Community

University–community partnerships (UCPs) are increasingly utilized to address issues in education. In this article, we present reflections on best practices for child- and family-focused UCPs. These reflections emerged before, during, and after a convening that brought together representatives from five UCPs in the United States that emphasized early childhood development and received funding from the same philanthropic source. The convening elicited perspectives on best practices for UCPs and identified community- and university-related contextual factors that affected implementation of these best practices. The findings from this study will contribute to the enhancement of future UCPs in education.

scholarly journals The AI-Atlas: Didactics for Teaching AI and Machine Learning On-Site, Online, and Hybrid

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 318
Author(s):  
Thilo Stadelmann ◽  
Julian Keuzenkamp ◽  
Helmut Grabner ◽  
Christoph Würsch
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Public Speaking ◽  
Graduate Program ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Design Based Research ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Diverse Audience

We present the “AI-Atlas” didactic concept as a coherent set of best practices for teaching Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) to a technical audience in tertiary education, and report on its implementation and evaluation within a design-based research framework and two actual courses: an introduction to AI within the final year of an undergraduate computer science program, as well as an introduction to ML within an interdisciplinary graduate program in engineering. The concept was developed in reaction to the recent AI surge and corresponding demand for foundational teaching on the subject to a broad and diverse audience, with on-site teaching of small classes in mind and designed to build on the specific strengths in motivational public speaking of the lecturers. The research question and focus of our evaluation is to what extent the concept serves this purpose, specifically taking into account the necessary but unforeseen transfer to ongoing hybrid and fully online teaching since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our contribution is two-fold: besides (i) presenting a general didactic concept for tertiary engineering education in AI and ML, ready for adoption, we (ii) draw conclusions from the comparison of qualitative student evaluations (n = 24–30) and quantitative exam results (n = 62–113) of two full semesters under pandemic conditions with the result of previous years (participants from Zurich, Switzerland). This yields specific recommendations for the adoption of any technical curriculum under flexible teaching conditions—be it on-site, hybrid, or online.

Cluster Branding

2020 ◽  
pp. 17-32
Author(s):  
Toby Nelson
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Knowledge Building ◽  
The United States ◽  
Resource Extraction ◽  
Knowledge Based ◽  
Knowledge Based Economy ◽  
Innovation Clusters

Innovation economies are a departure from traditional modes of development. Where the latter privileges activities like resource extraction and infrastructure construction, the former emphasizes less material approaches such as knowledge-building and talent creation. In its drive to become a knowledge-based economy, Dubai may face challenges of perceptual legitimacy in its newly formed innovation clusters. At the same time, however, a strength of image bulwarks its established clusters like finance and logistics. This chapter summarizes best practices and existing theory on cluster branding, briefly examines several innovation clusters in Europe and the United States, and finally ruminates on the opportunities and challenges faced by Dubai in creating strong brands that communicate innovation.

Cognitive Aids

2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 148-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keaton A. Fletcher ◽  
Wendy L. Bedwell
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Cognitive Load ◽  
Medical Practice ◽  
Contextual Factors ◽  
Needs Analysis ◽  
Qualitative Synthesis ◽  
Experience Level ◽  
Cognitive Aids ◽  
Physical Resources ◽  
Emotional Demands

The high task and emotional demands of healthcare drain individual cognitive, affective, and physical resources. When these resources are depleted, practitioners are no longer able to vigilantly prevent system-based errors from occurring. Cognitive aids have frequently been suggested—and implemented—as a method to reduce the cognitive load associated with medical practice. Although cognitive aids can offer true benefits, haphazard implementation and overuse has led to “checklist fatigue.” To avoid this misuse and to maximize the benefits of these beneficial tools, we suggest that cognitive aids should be clear, easy to use, adaptable to the context, properly trained prior to implementation, pilot tested, and based on a needs-analysis. Furthermore, it appears that best practices for one type of cognitive aid in one context cannot necessarily be generalized to another. Therefore, this qualitative synthesis of the literature aims to provide three contextual factors to consider when addressing an issue with a cognitive aid. Designers and administrators need to consider the skill type that will be addressed, the physical, social, and organizational environment in which the aid will be utilized, as well as the experience level of the targeted users.

scholarly journals Using Implementation Research to Promote the Expansion and Sustainability of Intergenerational Programs

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 732-732
Author(s):  
Leslie Hasche
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Implementation Science ◽  
Organizational Context ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Contextual Factors ◽  
Implementation Strategies ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Intergenerational Programs ◽  
Implementation Studies

Abstract Implementation studies provide guidance on how to reduce the gap between empirically-supported interventions and routine care. For intergenerational programs that bring older adults and other generations together to promote social connection, improve health and well being, and to reduce ageism, the role of implementation science is rarely studied. Intergenerational programs have a long-standing role in social service and housing contexts, yet the quality of the evidence and sustainability of these programs is often in question. This symposium aims to demonstrate how implementation studies can identify available evidence and influential contextual factors to examine issues of adoption, fidelity, and sustainability of intergenerational programs. First, a scoping review of the available evidence on best practices of intergenerational programs will help highlight fidelity issues. Second, an environmental scan for intergenerational housing will highlight how contextual factors may impact the adoption and spread of intergenerational programs. Third, a pre-implementation study delivering multi-modal best practices training to local community sites will share indicators of the feasibility of training staff to implement evidence-based intergenerational practices. Finally, an evaluation of a community collaborative of organizations implementing intergenerational programs will highlight the process by which organizations develop and sustain partnerships. The chair will summarize how the studies’ methodological approaches incorporate implementation science and outcomes. Implications for both future research on organizational context, funding, and implementation strategies, as well as for practice settings will be named. The discussion will identify implementation gaps that will need to be overcome to expand and sustain intergenerational programs.

scholarly journals Use of Evidence-Informed Deliberative Processes by Health Technology Assessment Agencies Around the Globe

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wija Oortwijn ◽  
Maarten Jansen ◽  
Rob Baltussen
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Health Technology Assessment ◽  
Technology Assessment ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Contextual Factors ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
Appraisal Committee ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Deliberative Processes

Background: Evidence-informed deliberative processes (EDPs) were recently introduced to guide health technology assessment (HTA) agencies to improve their processes towards more legitimate decision-making. The EDP framework provides guidance that covers the HTA process, ie, contextual factors, installation of an appraisal committee, selecting health technologies and criteria, assessment, appraisal, and communication and appeal. The aims of this study were to identify the level of use of EDPs by HTA agencies, identify their needs for guidance, and to learn about best practices. Methods: A questionnaire for an online survey was developed based on the EDP framework, consisting of elements that reflect each part of the framework. The survey was sent to members of the International Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment (INAHTA). Two weeks following the invitation, a reminder was sent. The data collection took place between September-December 2018. Results: Contact persons from 27 member agencies filled out the survey (response rate: 54%), of which 25 completed all questions. We found that contextual factors to support HTA development and the critical elements regarding conducting and reporting on HTA are overall in place. Respondents indicated that guidance was needed for specific elements related to selecting technologies and criteria, appraisal, and communication and appeal. With regard to best practices, the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE, UK) were most often mentioned. Conclusion: This is the first survey among HTA agencies regarding the use of EDPs and provides useful information for further developing a practical guide for HTA agencies around the globe. The results could support HTA agencies in improving their processes towards more legitimate decision-making, as they could serve as a baseline measurement for future monitoring and evaluation.

scholarly journals Opportunities and Obstacles: Technology’s Potential for Expanding Access to Higher Education

2011 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Clothey
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Digital Divide ◽  
International Collaboration ◽  
Knowledge Building ◽  
Access To Higher Education ◽  
Innovative Technologies ◽  
Technology In Higher Education ◽  
Equality Of Access

Innovative technologies have forever impacted the field of education by connecting any topic in any discipline to any learner in any place. This new reality provides vastly expanded possibilities for international collaboration, knowledge building, sharing of best practices, and new ways to teach, both within the classroom and without. Nevertheless, even as new modes of providing education proliferate, the digital divide also grows, making technology solutions for expanding access a continuing issue of debate. This article looks at trends and challenges for expanding access to higher education via technology. Specifically it will address how the role of infrastructure, fiscal restraints, and culture relate to differences in accessibility and the application of technology in higher education. Through an overview of current use of technologies in differing educational contexts, the article analyzes some examples that either support or oppose the idea of promoting technology as an effective tool for facilitating equality of access.

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