The Impact of MCAST Apprentices on Insurance Companies Operating in Malta - A Manager’s Perspective

This study probes the MCAST insurance apprenticeship scheme and the impact of apprentices on the local insurance companies, acting as sponsors. This study is of particular relevance since the local insurance firms are experiencing growth but have the challenge of employee turnover and skills shortage. This research study investigates the work-based learning experience of students, the mentoring of apprentices and the supervising procedures adopted by MCAST and the insurance firms. The purpose is to analyse the impact of MCAST trainees on local insurance firms and depict practical recommendations to ameliorate the learning experience of the apprentices. The recommendations emanating from this study, assist MCAST to develop high-performance apprenticeship schemes and assist the local insurance industry, in the recruiting and training of young employees. This qualitative research gathers data through nine in-depth, semi-structured interviews and adopts the Grounded Theory Methodology to address the research problem and attain the stated objectives. The researcher adopts the constructivist approach incorporating an inductive and abductive stance. The findings emanating from the data illustrate the need to promote the insurance industry as a provider of stable and fulfilling careers with the possibility of job mobility. MCAST and the insurance firms need to enhance their collaboration to promote the insurance apprenticeship, among young learners, even at secondary level. An overhaul of the mentoring and supervising approach is needed to provide a work-based learning experience of excellence to MCAST apprentices. MCAST apprenticeship is considered by the insurance executives as the best training opportunity to recruit skilled workers and create networks. The scheme is cost effective to the firms and is considered as a long-term investment in human resources. A well-planned strategy to enhance collaboration and share knowledge between the leading VET provider of the Maltese Islands and the insurance industry is required for the benefit of the apprentices who are the future employees of the local insurance firms.

Understanding the Effects of Mindfulness Meditation Combined With Aromatherapy, to Enhance the Wellbeing of MCAST ICS Lecturers: A Narrative Study

This study looks at the effects of the combined practice of mindful meditation and aromatherapy on the wellbeing of MCAST ICS lecturers, potentially providing resources that can help them deal with various stressors. Each practice is supported with literature underlining its effects towards a holistic wellbeing. The researcher uses a qualitative narrative inquiry approach to draw meaning and understanding out of the participants’ experiences. Three MCAST ICS lecturers participated in this study. Their background in health care enables them to relate better with the benefits of mindful meditation and aromatherapy. The research design of this study consists of four stages; a pre-session held with the three participants, weekly mindful meditation sessions for six weeks, individual interviews with each participant, followed by a focus group. Three of the six sessions included aromatherapy and a mindful journal was kept throughout the sessions. The analysis format could either develop as an analysis of narrative or narrative of analysis. In this study both formats were used, however, due to the word count limit only the analysis of narrative is seen. The researcher elicited whole segments from the individual transcripts to develop various themes. To examine the data for the emergent themes the researcher chose to use thematic narrative analysis as it focuses on the ‘told’ (Riessman 2008). In this case the ‘told’ is what helped identify the common patterns found across the narratives. As themes started to emerge, whenever possible the researcher used the MAXQDA software to facilitate the process. Mindful meditation was found to lead to a series of events that enhance self-awareness, thus enhancing holistic wellbeing and positively effecting the individual’s approach towards work and family. This can be achieved because mindful meditation has the potential to enhance one’s social skills, soft skills, and emotional intelligence. Furthermore, combining aromatherapy with mindful meditation was found to positively enhance one’s experience. However, it was not the only decisive factor since the ambience was also an influencer.

Complementary Therapies for Cancer Patients: A Narrative Inquiry from the Perspective of Three Health Care Practitioners

This paper explores the experiences of an oncologist, a clinical complementary therapist, and a clinical psychologist regarding the use of complementary therapies (CTs) by cancer patients. Additionally, it also investigates the efficacy of CTs and their contribution in alleviating the side-effects of cancer and its treatment when used simultaneously with conventional cancer medication. A qualitative research design using narrative inquiry was adopted to gain the in-depth experience of the three participants. It is a cross-sectional study, portraying a longitudinal perspective through the professional years of experience that these research participants have in the oncology domain. Purposive sampling was the method used to choose the participants, and data was collected through in-depth narrative interviewing. The interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic narrative analysis. Four central themes emerged from this study that depict: (1) the impact of cancer on the patients’ well-being, (2) the role of complementary therapies from the practitioners’ perspective, (3) the need for reliable information that is easily accessible to both patients and healthcare practitioners, and (4) the imminent demand for therapists who are qualified in clinical complementary therapies. Conclusions drawn from this study indicate that more evidence-based research is required to support the use of CTs in cancer care as well as additional training on CTs to the healthcare professionals. It is advised that oncology doctors are informed about the versatility of CTs, their benefits and the possible harmful interactions with conventional cancer medication, and additionally, it is recommended that in order to increase patients’ awareness of the use of CTs within cancer care, information on their safety and efficacy should be made more readily available to the patients. Furthermore, the need for more complementary therapists who are specialised to work within the field of oncology was identified, hence it is recommended that local vocational institutions such as MCAST address this demand by providing accredited courses and training in clinical complementary therapies.

Critical Success Factors in Lean Implementation – A Maltese Context

For the past 30 years, Lean has become popular throughout organisations across the globe. Based on the Toyota Production System (TPS), Lean is a proven systematic methodology to reduce waste in processes, optimise efficiency and ensure quality in the end products. Although Lean has been proven to be a successful methodology, it also has a high failure rate. Research has identified a range of critical success factors (CSF) that are crucial towards the successful implementation of Lean. This research endeavour takes a qualitative approach, using Grounded Theory (GT) to investigate Lean implementation in Maltese organisations and to determine whether established CSFs are applicable to the Maltese context. Participants from the manufacturing, catering, and logistics industries are interviewed, with the data coded and analysed using MAXQDA2020. The findings suggest the importance of leadership as a catalyst in driving change within an organisation to foster a culture of continuous improvement.

System Mapping as a Service for Post-COVID Regional Transition

The COVID-19 pandemic brought about a devastating economic and social disruption. The virus outbreak was possibly triggered in Wuhan, in the Chinese province of Hubei. In a few weeks it escalated to a global pandemic. In an intensely connected global economy the disease left contractions in demand and supply. Consumer and organisational purchasing patterns were distorted and created market anomalies. The global financial markets plunged. The restricted mobility among countries slowed drastically the global economic activities, especially in territories whose main source of revenue is related to tourism. In this context, a consortium of ten partners from nine European countries embarked on a collaborative research project, funded by EIT Climate-KIC. The project aims to provide policymakers and decision-makers with an innovative qualitative research tool that will aid a resilient recovery from COVID-19. Complex challenges, such as the COVID pandemic, require a systems approach to decision-making rather than linear models of decision-making.

Responding to Student Needs through Library E-Database Investment – An MCAST Journey

The aim of this study was to explore the requirements of the Malta College of Arts Science and Technology (MCAST) library users and to propose an adequate solution to their academic needs. The present study also examines the current scenario at MCAST in relation to the usage and awareness of e-resources. A quantitative research approach was adopted for this study with a survey as a research instrument. This paper is based on a previous investigation conducted to better understand user satisfaction and associated issues. Like in any other area, librarianship and innovation walk hand in hand. In this case, digitalisation can be seen as both a challenge and an opportunity. MCAST Library is no exception. Prior to 2020, there was already a demand for more electronic resources in response to the addition of new courses. A thorough search was then conducted by the library team to find a solution to the users’ requirements. The selection of the ideal database was mainly based upon two variables. Firstly, its proper coverage of all the institutes was ensured. Secondly, the presence of new resources that are not duplicated in the databases available to MCAST at that time was confirmed. Following the analysis of feedback and comments obtained through an online questionnaire, the library focused on IEEE Xplore as it satisfied most of the requirements. Following the successful initial trial runs and the report of subsequent usage, the IEEE database was acquired. The provision of electronic resources indicates a boost in quality research amongst MCAST students, faculty, and researchers.

Prevalence of Hearing Loss in the Maltese Adult Population

The following retrospective study was conducted to determine the prevalence of hearing loss (HL) in the Maltese Islands. It is estimated that this will be found to be between 1.4% and 15.2% of the population according to previous studies held by the Maltese National Census in 2011, estimations made by the World Health Organisation and published statistics by EuroStat. A significant correlation between HL and age of participants is expected. Correlations between HL and sex, region of inhabitancy and awareness of HL will also be calculated using Statistical Package for the Social Science. The data was collected by a privately owned company following the British Standard of Audiology’s procedure for Surveillance Audiometry and targeted a population of males and females 18 years and older. Spearman’s Correlation Coefficient showed a significant correlation between age and HL as hypothesised (0.578 with significance found at 0.01). All Pearson Chi-Square results however showed no significance on HL being correlated with sex, region, or awareness. On review, indications were found to further study the relationship between HL severity and sound pollution of varying localities. Awareness of HL requires further study more specific to this cause in order to extrapolate distinctive results. In conclusion, the prevalence of HL was found to be 2% of the population, thus confirming the hypothesis. Since participation was voluntary, the majority of which were elderly, the cohort did not produce a true random sample. A larger, more random sample would produce more accurate insight on HL prevalence in the Maltese Islands.

Is Block-Based Programming an Effective Teaching Tool?

Block-based Programming (BBP) is used as a teaching tool and has gained popularity with young people who start to learn computer programming. BBP hides the programming complexity and allows the user to write programs via a simple, visual interface. In this study, MCAST students’ opinions about BBP are compared to more traditional programming methods. This includes whether they think introducing programming through BBP at Level 2 is the right approach. This research is important to MCAST’s computing curricula to remain relevant to the students’ needs. The research participants are students who joined MCAST form Level 2 and have now completed Level 3 or a higher qualification. Twenty independent variables related to BBP have been identified from secondary data. These factors include: BBP is fun and media rich, it simplifies complex programming concepts, it has poor debugging tools, and it targets a younger audience. These factors are presented to the research participants via an online survey, which they answered using a five-point Likert scale (from Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree). The participants were also asked some questions specifically on BBP to measure how much they value BBP as a teaching tool at their level. Out of 73 students who were contacted 32 responded to the survey. A test question was planted in the survey to check for consistency; one answer did not pass the validity test and was removed from the dataset. The data collected from the 31 surveys was analysed using SPSS. A dimensionality reduction technique (Principal Component Analysis) was then applied to the dataset to reduce the number of independent variables. The rotation matrix suggested that the variables may be reduced to five (from 20). Almost all the participants approve of BBP as the ideal approach with Level 2 students, but they also suggest that a text-based programming language should be introduced as well. Based on this research it is suggested to keep using BBP as a pedagogical tool but change the specific current tool used in class, Scratch, to one which offers a translation of the visual steps to text-based. Alternatively, complement the BBP tool with a text-based one.

The Adaptation and Remediation of Comic to Film: A Critical Analysis of the Remediation of a Comic Trope in Function and Form

Because graphic novels and film both contain a strong visual element, they continue to have an effect on each other’s development. Aspects from comics have been succesfully remediated into film, and vice-versa. There are, however, clear distinctions between the two mediums. This paper explores the adaptations of comics to film, noting how some film adaptations merely adapt the narrative, while others apply some of the aesthetic qualaties and visual communication tropes of the graphic novel into the film. Examples like “Dick Tracey”, “300”, and even more so, “Scott Pilgrim versus the World” show how remediation of comics in film can work. The more recent “Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse”, is probably the film which remediates comics better than any other film, including brief moments where juxtaposed panels showing sequential actions are used. This being, according to many comic scholars, the main defining feature of the comic medium. It is the trope which I will be exploring in more detail in further studies, attempting to remediate it into film in a way which reflects its use in comics more accurately. This paper serves as a literature review, which provides detailed understanding of the comic and film visual languages, the differences and similarities between them, and will be the basis upon which further research is built.

Technologies Employed Within the Healthcare Setting During the COVID-19 Pandemic For A Continuation of Care: Emerging CoP

In early 2020, the coronavirus (COVID-19 ) was declared a pandemic (“WHO Director-General’s opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 – 11 March 2020” 2020), as the respiratory disease spread and productively infected patients generating havoc in the health sector (Chan 2020). As a response, digital services were offered to patients to allow the continuation of care and digital tools were adopted to assist health professionals (HP) in maintaining a social distance and minimising viral transmission (Meinert, Milne-Ives, Surodina and Lam 2020). Although much is discussed of the technologies employed during this period, changes in practices adopted by HP have been largely overlooked. Applying technology to the clinical setting improves the interprofessional community of practice as HP can collaborate on clinical decisions improving clinical outcomes (Waldman, Waldman, Waldman and Abuabara 2020). This literature review takes an exploratory stance into the technologies employed by HP during the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic to investigate how their professional development has been affected. The study aimed to clarify the role of technologies utilised during the COVID-19 pandemic in the health sector and discuss the extent to which practice differed from the traditional means. Moreover, the study sought to shed a light on how technology assists HP in their role and professional development during the pandemic and possible thereafter. Core literature is discussed to identify whether emerging CoP has evolved within health communities due to the technology revolution in this short period and whether the technology employed shall be considered permanently to ensure best practices. The data provide convincing evidence that technology changed the way health care is delivered. Moreover, the findings show that COVID-19 pandemic has created a CoP between HP to share best practices in this new era that may lead to a shift in their professional development long after the pandemic has ended.