Revealing Developers’ Arguments on Validating the Incidence of Code Smells: A Focus Group Experience

Identifying code smells is considered a subjective task. Unfortunately, current automated detection tools cannot deal with such subjectivity, requiring human validation. Developers tend to follow different, albeit complementary, strategies when validating the identified smells. Intending to find out developers' arguments when validating the incidence of code smells, we conducted a focus group session with developers familiar with identifying code smells. We distributed them among two groups, in which they had to argue about the incidence of a code smell: either accepting or rejecting its presence. Based on their arguments, we compiled a set of general heuristics that developers follow when validating smells. We then used these heuristics for composing validation items. We understand that the set of validation items proposed may support developers in reflecting on the incidence of code smells. However, further studies are needed for reaching a more comprehensive and optimized set. The experience of this study reveals that conducting focus group sessions is helpful to emerge the tacit knowledge of developers when validating code smells.

Sexual Harassment Deterrent Mechanism to Safeguard the Well-Being of Sports Practitioners

Objective - This article attempts to discuss an on-going sexual harassment deterrent initiative in safeguarding the well-being of sports practitioners in Malaysia. Methodology/Technique – The primary data used in this article is taken from a focus group session which consisted of a total of 35 participants. The main objective of this article is to discuss the results, specifically the recommendations made by focus group participants which consisted of government officers, members of NGOs, sports experts, and sports practitioners. The focus group participants firstly pin-pointed the inadequacy of current deterrent mechanisms that have failed to protect Malaysian athletes from sexual harassment such that more often than not many cases have been unreported or have simply been dismissed altogether. Following this, suggestions and recommendations were put forward by the focus group participants to improve on the mechanisms that would ensure a safe and supportive environment for all Malaysians in sport in order to eliminate all forms of sexual harassment, abuse, and exploitation. Finding – Taking into consideration the suggestions and recommendations put forth by the focus group this paper suggests a 4Ps framework in order to eliminate all forms of sexual harassment and abuse in sport. Type of Paper: Empirical. JEL Classification: I310, Z32, Z280. Keywords: Safeguard; Well-being; Sports Practitioners; Sexual Harassment; Deterrent Mechanism Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Syahirah, S; Fathynah, S; Hamid, B.A; Ismail, H; Puteh, F. (2021). Sexual Harassment Deterrent Mechanism to Safeguard the Well-Being of Sports Practitioners, GATR Global J. Bus. Soc. Sci. Review, 9(1): 50 – 57. https://doi.org/10.35609/gjbssr.2021.9.1(6)

Building a precision oncology workforce by multidisciplinary and case-based learning

Background Participants in two recent National Academy of Medicine workshops identified a need for more multi-disciplinary professionals on teams to assist oncology clinicians in precision oncology. Methods We developed a graduate school course to prepare biomedical students and pharmacy students to work within a multidisciplinary team of oncology clinicians, pathologists, radiologists, clinical pharmacists, and genetic counselors. Students learned precision oncology skills via case-based learning, hands-on data analyses, and presentations to peers. After the course, a focus group session was conducted to gain an in-depth student perspective on their interprofessional training experience, achievement of the course learning outcomes, ways to improve the course design in future offerings, and how the course could improve future career outcomes. A convenience sampling strategy was used for recruitment into the focus group session. A thematic content analysis was then conducted using the constant comparative method. Results Major themes arising from student feedback were (1) appreciation of a customized patient case-based teaching approach, (2) more emphasis on using data analysis tools, (3) valuing interdisciplinary inclusion, and (4) request for more student discussion with advanced preparation materials. Conclusions Feedback was generally positive and supports the continuation and expansion of the precision oncology course to include more hands-on instruction on the use of clinical bioinformatic tools.

Us-ing: Producing Qualitative Inquiry Pedagogies With/in Lively Packets of Relations

We share about an introductory qualitative inquiry (QI) class when we asked students to bring their “thinking with theory” assignment paper and then invited them to think with theory-tissue paper-scissors-discarded library books-writing from literature reviews-transcripts of interviews-fieldnotes as a way to produce newness. This assignment was conceived as the result of our own theoretically informed approach(es) to pedagogy; it was not enough for us to read about post-theories or even to put them to work in our own inquiries, but we also had to find ways to live them out in our pedagogies. In this way, this assignment became one way for our students not only to read about QI, but also be/do qualitative inquiry(ers)—differently—as they came to know/be(come)/do. We focus this article on one student, Gigi, as she created and shared during that night in class and participated later in a follow-up focus group session. We end the article with several questions for other instructors of QI to consider in relation to their pedagogies and what they produce.

An Autonomous Robot-to-Group Exercise Coach at a Senior Living Community

A NAO humanoid robot is programmed to act as an autonomous exercise instructor at a senior living community. In an on-site session, the robot does (i) a warm-up routine in which the robot directs participants to ask it to perform various tasks such as dancing and reciting poems and (ii) an exercise routine in which the robot guides participants through various physical exercises such as leg, hand, and neck exercises. The participants include six elderly residents, three nurses/caregivers, and two administrators. The elderly group is categorized with respect to cognitive awareness and physical capability. The session is videoed and then analyzed to measure several dimensions of human-robot interaction with these diverse participants, including affective reaction, effective reaction, and group responsiveness. Following the exercise session, a focus group session is conducted with the seniors and a separate focus group session conducted with the nurses and administrators to glean further data.

Face-to-Face in Writing: My First Attempt at Conducting a Text-based Online Focus Group

Having completed graduate degrees in educational research and counseling, I have studied the theory of focus groups and participated in many while in a classroom setting. Interestingly, I had never moderated one until my first attempt in a text-based online environment. This paper describes my preparation for the session as well as the issues I faced while actually conducted the focus group. Readers will find that being prepared by establishing rapport with their group prior to the event, understanding the change of dynamics that distance brings to the process and handling the pressures of an expanded role as moderator, will help ensure a successful focus group session.

An Autonomous Robot-to-Group Exercise Coach at a Senior Living Community

A NAO humanoid robot is programmed to act as an autonomous exercise instructor at a senior living community. In an on-site session, the robot does (i) a warm-up routine in which the robot directs participants to ask it to perform various tasks such as dancing and reciting poems and (ii) an exercise routine in which the robot guides participants through various physical exercises such as leg, hand, and neck exercises. The participants include six elderly residents, three nurses/caregivers, and two administrators. The elderly group is categorized with respect to cognitive awareness and physical capability. The session is videoed and then analyzed to measure several dimensions of human-robot interaction with these diverse participants, including affective reaction, effective reaction, and group responsiveness. Following the exercise session, a focus group session is conducted with the seniors and a separate focus group session conducted with the nurses and administrators to glean further data.

Face-to-Face in Writing: My First Attempt at Conducting a Text-based Online Focus Group

Having completed graduate degrees in educational research and counseling, I have studied the theory of focus groups and participated in many while in a classroom setting. Interestingly, I had never moderated one until my first attempt in a text-based online environment. This paper describes my preparation for the session as well as the issues I faced while actually conducted the focus group. Readers will find that being prepared by establishing rapport with their group prior to the event, understanding the change of dynamics that distance brings to the process and handling the pressures of an expanded role as moderator, will help ensure a successful focus group session.