Teach Less and Learn More

Author(s):  
Ratneswary Rasiah ◽  
Sotheeswari Somasundram ◽  
Kelly Pei Leng Tee ◽  
Jason James Turner

This study aims to investigate the impact of assessments and instructional technology on a students' learning experience and the development of their graduate capabilities. In a disruptive employment market where there appears to be a mis-match between employer expectations and the graduate skill-set, the onus has fallen upon education providers to better align the capabilities taught in school with employer and employment market expectations. Using a survey-based approach to collect 118 responses, this research revealed the positive and significant roles played by assessments and technology in enhancing students' learning development of graduate capabilities, with the use of technology identified as the stronger influencer on student learning. The findings of this study are beneficial to educators and policy makers, providing insight into the individual and collective role of assessment(s) and embedding technology into the curriculum as means to address the skills gap which should inform further research into the graduate skills conundrum.

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-83
Author(s):  
Maheshwar Prasad Yadav

This study analyzes the impact of macroeconomic variables on entrepreneurship development in renewable energy sector of Nepal. This study examines the effect of GDP, market size in terms of population and number of households, and sales in terms of number of renewable energy systems installed on entrepreneurship development, i.e., number of renewable energy enterprises (REEs) using data from 1992/93 to 2016/17 by estimating various logarithmic models. The study concludes that the most important factor affecting entrepreneurship development is market size followed by GDP and sales in the context of renewable energy sector in Nepal. This study is considered to be useful for REEs, development actors, academia and policy makers creating employment by increasing production and providing energy in the country. The study can be further extended by incorporating the opinion and views of respondents from customers, regulating authorities and development actors in the sector to get greater insight into the results.


2015 ◽  
Vol 49 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 190-211 ◽  
Author(s):  
Machiel J. Reinders ◽  
Ruud Frambach ◽  
Mirella Kleijnen

Purpose – This study aims to investigate the effects of two types of expertise (self-service technology and service type) on the disconfirmation of customers’ expectations and the use-related outcomes of technology-based self-service (TBSS). Design/methodology/approach – This empirical study pertains to the mandatory use of a national public transport chip card in The Netherlands based on a sample of 267 users of this TBSS. Findings – The findings show that technology experts experienced a less positive disconfirmation of expectations and reported less positive evaluations of the new self-service than technology novices. Technology experts also showed lower intentions to engage in positive word-of-mouth than technology novices. The evaluation of the self-service by technology novices is more positive for those that are service experts as compared to service novices, while the evaluation by technology experts is more negative for those that are service experts as compared to service novices. Research limitations/implications – This study provides insight into how different types and levels of customer expertise affect individuals’ assessments of a TBSS upon its mandatory use. Practical implications – For marketing managers and public policy-makers, understanding the multifaceted role of customer expertise enables more effective market segmentation and targeting, thus improving implementation of TBSS. Originality/value – This research suggests that customers’ technology and service expertise have some counter-intuitive effects on TBSS use-related outcomes.


2014 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Kopasker

Existing research has consistently shown that perceptions of the potential economic consequences of Scottish independence are vital to levels of support for constitutional change. This paper attempts to investigate the mechanism by which expectations of the economic consequences of independence are formed. A hypothesised causal micro-level mechanism is tested that relates constitutional preferences to the existing skill investments of the individual. Evidence is presented that larger skill investments are associated with a greater likelihood of perceiving economic threats from independence. Additionally, greater perceived threat results in lower support for independence. The impact of uncertainty on both positive and negative economic expectations is also examined. While uncertainty has little effect on negative expectations, it significantly reduces the likelihood of those with positive expectations supporting independence. Overall, it appears that a general economy-wide threat is most significant, and it is conjectured that this stems a lack of information on macroeconomic governance credentials.


2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 95-109
Author(s):  
Heba Aziz ◽  
Osman El-Said ◽  
Marike Bontenbal

The objective of this study was to measure the level of cruise tourists' satisfaction as well as the relationship between satisfaction, recommendation, return intention, and expenditure. Also, the impact of factors such as nationality, length of the visit, and age on the level of expenditure was measured. An empirical approach for data collection was followed and a total of 152 questionnaires were collected from cruise tourists visiting the capital city of Oman, Muscat, as cruise liners anchor at Sultan Qaboos Port. Results of the regression analysis supported the existence of a causal relationship between satisfaction with destination attributes, overall satisfaction, recommendation, return intention, and expenditure. It was found that the average expenditure varies according to age and length of the visit. Recommendations for policy makers were suggested on how to increase the role of cruise tourism in strengthening the economy.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 1087
Author(s):  
Loreley Castelli ◽  
María Laura Genchi García ◽  
Anne Dalmon ◽  
Daniela Arredondo ◽  
Karina Antúnez ◽  
...  

RNA viruses play a significant role in the current high losses of pollinators. Although many studies have focused on the epidemiology of western honey bee (Apis mellifera) viruses at the colony level, the dynamics of virus infection within colonies remains poorly explored. In this study, the two main variants of the ubiquitous honey bee virus DWV as well as three major honey bee viruses (SBV, ABPV and BQCV) were analyzed from Varroa-destructor-parasitized pupae. More precisely, RT-qPCR was used to quantify and compare virus genome copies across honey bee pupae at the individual and subfamily levels (i.e., patrilines, sharing the same mother queen but with different drones as fathers). Additionally, virus genome copies were compared in cells parasitized by reproducing and non-reproducing mite foundresses to assess the role of this vector. Only DWV was detected in the samples, and the two variants of this virus significantly differed when comparing the sampling period, colonies and patrilines. Moreover, DWV-A and DWV-B exhibited different infection patterns, reflecting contrasting dynamics. Altogether, these results provide new insight into honey bee diseases and stress the need for more studies about the mechanisms of intra-colonial disease variation in social insects.


Author(s):  
Giuliano Sansone ◽  
Elisa Ughetto ◽  
Paolo Landoni

AbstractAlthough a great deal of attention has been paid to entrepreneurship education, only a few studies have analysed the impact of extra-curricular entrepreneurial activities on students’ entrepreneurial intention. The aim of this study is to fill this gap by exploring the role played by Student-Led Entrepreneurial Organizations (SLEOs) in shaping the entrepreneurial intention of their members. The analysis is based on a survey that was conducted in 2016 by one of the largest SLEOs in the world: the Junior Enterprises Europe (JEE). The main result of the empirical analysis is that the more time students spent on JEE and the higher the number of events students attended, the greater their entrepreneurial intention was. It has been found that other important drivers also increase students’ entrepreneurial intention, that is, the Science and Technology field of study and the knowledge of more than two foreign languages. These results confirm that SLEOs are able to foster students’ entrepreneurial intention. The findings provide several theoretical, practical and public policy implications. SLEOs are encouraged to enhance their visibility and lobbying potential in order to be recognized more as drivers of student entrepreneurship. In addition, it is advisable for universities and policy makers to support SLEOs by fostering their interactions with other actors operating in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, who promote entrepreneurship and technology transfer activities. Lastly, this paper advises policy makers to assist SLEOs’ activities inside and outside the university context.


Endocrinology ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 150 (6) ◽  
pp. 2882-2888 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole Kane ◽  
Rodney Kelly ◽  
Philippa T. K. Saunders ◽  
Hilary O. D. Critchley

The endometrial lining of the human uterus contains a population of phenotypically distinct (CD56bright, CD16dim), tissue-specific, natural killer [uterine natural killer (uNK)] cells that play a key role in the establishment of a successful pregnancy. An increase in the number of endometrial uNK cells occurs when the conceptus implants, and there is a further increase during the early stages of placentation. Here, we describe studies that have identified human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG), a glycoprotein synthesized by the preimplantation conceptus, as a novel regulator of uNK cell proliferation. The impact of hCG on uNK cells was mediated via the mannose receptor (CD206) rather than by the classical hCG/LH receptor that was not expressed. The mannose receptor and hCG were colocalized on the surface of uNK cells, and proliferation did not occur if cells were incubated with deglycosylated hCG or intact hCG in the presence of excess d-Mannose. These novel observations provide new insight into the endocrine-immune dialogue that exists between the conceptus and immune cells within the receptive endometrium, and have implications for the role of uNK cell-trophoblast interactions and pregnancy outcome.


2017 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 184797901771262 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmad Adnan Al-Tit

Numerous studies have been conducted to explore the individual effects of organizational culture (OC) and supply chain management (SCM) practices on organizational performance (OP) in different settings. The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of OC and SCM on OP. The sample of the study consisted of 93 manufacturing firms in Jordan. Data were collected from employees and managers from different divisions using a reliable and valid measurement instrument. The findings confirm that both OC and SCM practices significantly predict OP. The current study is significant in reliably testing the relationship between SCM practices and OP; however, it is necessary to consider cultural assumptions, values and beliefs as the impact of OC on OP is greater than the impact of SCM practices. Based on the results, future studies should consider the moderating and mediating role of OC on the relationship between SCM practices and OP.


2011 ◽  
Vol 53 (3) ◽  
pp. 392-401 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sue Bussell ◽  
John Farrow

This article begins by discussing the specific industrial relations challenges of the highly competitive aviation industry. It then reflects on the outcome of the recent intense national debate over industrial relations, exploring the consequences of that debate for practice and policy, and discusses some key issues that remain in play. Although the Fair Work Act 2009 may have come about as a reaction to what many perceive as the ‘excesses’ of Work Choices, the new Act does not so much ‘wind back the clock’ as represent a significant new development in Australia’s long and unique industrial relations history. This article will discuss the impact of the changes, to date, made by the Fair Work Act on one organization, including the expansion of the ‘safety net’, and how the new compromise between the role of the ‘collective’ and the role of the ‘individual’ struck by the Act has the potential to fundamentally change the nature and structure of bargaining. We offer these comments as practitioners who have worked under successive industrial relations regimes since the early 1980s.


2014 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amira Galin

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to obtain insight into court-referred mediation in the Israeli Labor Courts, by analyzing its processes and outcomes, as a function of tactics used by both the disputants and the mediator. Design/methodology/approach – Observation of 103 court-referred mediations, for each of which a detailed process and outcome were documented. Data on disputants' refusal to participate in the mediation was also collected. At the end of each mediation case, disputants were given a questionnaire in which they expressed their satisfaction with the outcome and their evaluation of the mediator's contribution. Findings – A low rate of refusal to participate in court-referred mediation was found. Also, the higher the ratio of soft tactics to pressure tactics employed (by all parties involved) during the process, the higher the rate of agreements. Mediators use significantly more soft tactics than disputants, and are more active in using tactics. The two significant variables that predict the mediation's agreement are the ratio between soft tactics to pressure tactics used by all parties, and mediator contribution to the process. Practical implications – The significant role of soft tactics in the process, outcome, and satisfaction of court-referred mediation may serve as a guideline for disputants and mediators. Originality/value – This unique research, which examines the impact of tactics on court-referred mediation, may provide added and significant theoretical insight into its process and outcome, as well as a better understanding of other “hybrid” (compulsory at the beginning, voluntary at the end) mediations.


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