Innovation Attributes of F2F Computer Assisted Cooperative Learning in Teaching Reading Skills

This study aimed at investigating the innovation attributes of face-to-face Computer Assisted Cooperative Learning (CACL). It employed a mixed method design as the data were collected through a survey and semi-structured interviews. The findings showed that face to face CACL has a high degree of adoption in higher education institutes to teach EFL/ESL learners. Also, the regression analysis showed that the five factors are strong predictors of innovation adoption with complexity has the highest significance, followed by compatibility, relative advantage, observability and trialability respectively. The study found that accessibility is an emerging innovation attribute which increases the adoption of any innovation practice. The paper concluded that the human element of face-to-face cooperative learning increases the adoption of CACL, and that relative advantage has influence on the other innovation attributes. The study recommends using face-to-face CACL in teaching EFL/ESL learners, and using accessibility as an innovation attribute.

Innovation Attributes of F2F Computer-Assisted Cooperative Learning in Teaching Reading Skills

This study aimed at investigating the innovation attributes of face-to-face Computer Assisted Cooperative Learning (CACL). It employed a mixed method design as the data were collected through a survey and semi-structured interviews. The findings showed that face to face CACL has a high degree of adoption in higher education institutes to teach EFL/ESL learners. Also, the regression analysis showed that the five factors are strong predictors of innovation adoption with complexity has the highest significance, followed by compatibility, relative advantage, observability and trialability respectively. The study found that accessibility is an emerging innovation attribute which increases the adoption of any innovation practice. The paper concluded that the human element of face-to-face cooperative learning increases the adoption of CACL, and that relative advantage has influence on the other innovation attributes. The study recommends using face-to-face CACL in teaching EFL/ESL learners, and using accessibility as an innovation attribute.

Subhealth Risk Perception Scale: Development and Validation of a New Measure

Background. To develop an individual’s physical subhealth risk perception scale and evaluate its reliability and validity, so as to provide a measurement tool for individual physical health risk. Methods. A questionnaire on the perception risk of physical subhealth was developed. Using a random sampling method, 785 people in the Anhui provincial physical examination centre were selected as the research participants. Of the questionnaires returned, 770 were valid, giving an effective rate of 98%. Firstly, the Pearson correlation coefficient method was used to study the correlation of 35 items in the initial scale, and then, polychoric factor structure analysis was carried out by using the Pratt D matrix to optimize the item structure. The Cronbach’α coefficient method was used to test the internal consistency reliability, and a structural equation model was used to explore the construct validity of the scale. The discriminant validity of the scale was obtained by factor analysis. A general linear model was used to analyse the relationship between the clinical manifestations of physical subhealth and the level of risk perception, and the convergent validity of the scale was evaluated. Results. All the data of 35 items were significantly correlated at the 0.01 level. The correlation coefficients between a1 and a2, a3 and a4, b1 and b2, b2 and b3, c4 and c5, c5 and c6, c6 and c7, c8 and c9, d1 and d2, d2 and d3, e5 and e6, g1 and g2, g2 and g3, and g2 and g4 were greater than 0.6. The items with correlation coefficients greater than 0.6 were reduced by a Pratt D matrix. The resulting physical subhealth risk perception scale covers five factors with a total of 18 items. The Cronbach’α coefficient of the scale was 0.889, and the Cronbach’α coefficients of the five factors F1-F5 were 0.780, 0.825, 0.801, 0.736, and 0.704, respectively. Structural equation model analysis showed that χ 2 / df = 3.43 , p < 0.001 , RMSEA = 0.08 , GFI = 0.88 , NFI = 0.84 , AGFI = 0.84 , and CFI = 0.88 . Factor analysis showed that factors F1–F5 had significant correlations ( p < 0.01 ), and the correlation coefficients were less than the corresponding square root value of AVE. Based on the subhealth clinical manifestations of the participants, the general linear model was used to explore the convergent validity of the scale, and the results indicated that the scale passed the convergent validity test. Conclusions. We propose a physical subhealth risk perception scale amounting to 18 items, which includes five dimensions: health knowledge (2 items), risk perception (5 items), trust selection (4 items), information channel (4 items), and social groups (3 items). The reliability and validity of the physical subhealth risk perception scale are acceptable. Applying the scale into practice has potential to improve the overall public health level.

Adaptation and validation of a scale to evaluate the quality of virtual courses developed for medical students in Peru during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, medical education migrated to digital environments, without clear guidelines for virtual courses or evaluations of how these courses have been developed. Objective: To adapt and validate a scale to evaluate the quality of virtual courses developed for human medicine students in Peru. Methods: Cross-sectional study that adapted a scale to assess the quality of virtual courses to the context of Peruvian medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic, using the Delphi methodology and pilot tests for a rigorous evaluation of the items, resulting in a scale of 30 items that were described with summary statistics. In addition to the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with Oblimin rotation, together with the adequacy and sample fit with Bartlett test and Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO), while the internal consistency was estimated with the alpha coefficient. Results: A total of 297 medical students in Peru were surveyed. The descriptive statistics for the items showed a normal distribution, while the Bartlett test showed no inadequacy (X2=6134.34, p<0.01) and with the KMO test an overall value greater than 0.92 was found, therefore an AFE was performed where five factors were identified (General Quality and Didactic Methodology, Design and Navigation of the Virtual Platform, Multimedia Resources, Academic Materials) with 30 items. In the internal consistency, an alpha coefficient greater than 0.85 was estimated for the factors evaluated. Conclusions: The adapted scale of 30 items grouped into five factors or domains, show adequate evidence of validity and reliability to be used in the evaluation of the quality of virtual courses developed for Peruvian human medicine students during the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Keywords: Education, Medical; Education, Distance; Validation; Surveys and Questionnaires; COVID-19.

Critical language assessment literacy of EFL teachers: Scale construction and validation

Critical language assessment (CLA) has been addressed in numerous studies. However, the majority of the studies have overlooked the need for a practical framework to measure the CLA dimension of teachers’ language assessment literacy (LAL). This gap prompted us to develop and validate a critical language assessment literacy (CLAL) scale to further underscore the role of CLA principles and their practice as an essential part of teachers’ LAL. In the first phase, a pool of items was generated through a comprehensive review of the related studies. In the quantitative phase, the developed scale was administered to 255 English as a foreign language teachers selected through convenience and snowball sampling. The data were analyzed through exploratory factor analysis for construct validity and Cronbach’s alpha for estimating internal consistency. The results showed that the items loaded on five factors: (a) teachers’ knowledge of assessment objectives, scopes, and types; (b) assessment use consequences; (c) fairness; (d) assessment policies; and (e) national policy and ideology. It was found that the scale had a high level of internal consistency and construct validity, which suggests that this scale has the potential to be useful in assessing language teachers’ CLAL and to raise language teachers’ awareness of CLAL constructs.

Construction and validation of the employability questionnaire for accounting graduates

PurposeGlobally, serious doubts are now expressed about the quality of accounting education, and employers are concerned about the lack of employability among graduates. There is a lack of a validated tool to measure employability in the Saudi Arabia context. Such a tool is required to assess the level of employability so that required corrective measures could be taken. The purpose of the study is to construct and validate a questionnaire to measure employability of accounting graduates.Design/methodology/approachThe data for the study was collected from various accounting professionals using a pool of 50 items from 420 randomly collected samples. The researchers used different statistical techniques, including exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, to construct and validate the 29 item questionnaire.FindingsBased on the purpose of the study, a questionnaire for measuring the employability of accounting graduates was constructed. The questionnaire developed and scientifically validated through various scientific techniques has 20 items under five factors. The questionnaire is ideal for measuring employability of accounting graduates.Originality/valueA fair review of the literature revealed a dearth of a validated tool to measure employability of accounting graduates. The study has constructed and validated a questionnaire to measure employability of accounting graduates, thereby bridging the gap in literature. This questionnaire, it is expected, would facilitate the conduct of further empirical examinations about employability of accounting graduates.

Measurement Invariance of Alabama Parenting Questionnaire Across Age, Gender, Clinical Status, and Informant

This study aimed to investigate the measurement invariance of the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire (for both long [APQ-lg] and short [APQ-9] forms) across age, gender, clinical status, and informant (i.e., parent vs. child reports). The sample was composed of adolescents (community sample: N = 1,746; clinical sample: N = 166) and parents ( N = 149). The analyses were conducted in R. Measurement invariance was assessed via multi-group confirmatory factor analysis, equivalence test, and subsampling approach. The original model of APQ-lg (five factors) showed a significantly better fit than other concurrent models (five concurrent models were specified, based on prior literature). For APQ-lg, we found measurement invariance across gender and partial measurement invariance across age, clinical status, and informant. For APQ-9, we confirmed the measurement invariance across gender and clinical status, while across age and informant partial measurement invariance was attested. Overall, our study indicated that APQ-lg and APQ-9 are two valid tools for measuring parenting practices with some caveats.

Sociocultural Adaptation Among University Students in Hungary: The Case of International Students From Post-Soviet Countries

With the number of international students increasing worldwide, the sociocultural adaptation difficulties that sojourners face should be addressed adequately. This study explored the sociocultural adaptation of international students (N = 267,Mage = 24.5, SD = 4.7) in Hungary. The exploratory factor analysis of the Sociocultural Adaptation Scale yielded five factors: Affiliative Relations, Bureaucracy and Services, Power Relations, Cultural Understanding, and Academic Performance. The students’ countries of origin (post-Soviet countries versus others) and locations of residence (the capital versus small cities) were determinants of sociocultural adaptation. Depressive symptoms, perceived stress, and lower life satisfaction were associated with greater sociocultural adaptation difficulties. Resilient coping was linked with a lower level of difficulties in academic performance (rs = −.20) and cultural understanding (rs = −.15). Our findings supported that the students’ countries of origin, places of residence, and mental health should be considered in improving counseling and educational programs targeting international students.

The impact of social media marketing on brand loyalty: The case of digital products in Vietnam

This study aims at researching and analysing the effects of social media marketing on brand loyalty of customers. The data were collected through surveys of 230 customers of digital products in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The research results show 05 elements of social media marketing have positive impact on customers’s brand loyalty. Five factors include: (1) offers advantageous campaigns of digital brands; (2) offers relevant content to consumer’s concern; (3) brand contents are frequently updated; (4) offers popular contents shared between friends and (5) appears on various devices and offers applications on social media. Based on research results, this study also proposes a number of implications for management at enterprises.

Users Versus Non-users: The Impact of Experience on Hotel Guests’ Attitudes Towards Service Robots in Hotels

The use of robotics and artificial intelligence have created a shift in the ways the service-based hospitality and tourism industry can fulfill the needs and wants of consumers that were earlier fulfilled only by humans. Robots have added the automation and self-service experience that play a vital role in the improvements of efficiency, speed, and the overall experience for the guests using technology. While there are many benefits of using robots in the industry, there are also risks associated with the excessive usage of robots on guest experience. As a result of the pros and cons on the topic, it is very important to gather data and analyze the results to further investigate and understand what the outcomes will be for the industry, its employees, and its customers. The purpose of this study is to examine the perceptions of the use of robots in the hotels as perceived by hotel guests who used a service robot and who did not. A self-administered survey was developed, and 939 usable responses were collected from hotel guests. Factor analysis showed that five factors emerged in the study: Advantages, Attitudes, Disadvantages, Pandemic Related, and Fear. Guests recognize the opportunities that service robots are bringing to their experience while voicing their concerns and fears about the use of them. Findings also showed that there are significant differences between users and non-users.