Development of a Design-Based Learning Curriculum through Design-Based Research for a Technology-Enabled Science Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Paul; Suh, Esther; Song, Donggil

2015-01-01

This exploratory study provides a deeper look into the aspects of students' experience from design-based learning (DBL) activities for fifth grade students. Using design-based research (DBR), this study was conducted on a series of science learning activities leveraging mobile phones with relevant applications and sensors. We observed 3 different…

An Exploratory Examination of a Grant-Making Project in Social Work Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Long, Dennis D.; McCarter, Susan; Thomas, M. Lori; Boyd, A. Suzanne

2012-01-01

Educators secure funding for MSW students to become a grant-making entity and provide monies to address local needs. An exploratory research design is used to obtain quantitative and qualitative data from students participating in the course-based project. Feedback suggests that students perceived increased abilities in the area of community needs…

Music Education in Montessori Schools: An Exploratory Study of School Directors' Perceptions in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rajan, Rekha S.

2017-01-01

This exploratory study examined the changing role of music education and the availability of musical experiences for students attending Montessori schools in the Midwestern United States. On a survey instrument designed by the researcher, Montessori school directors (N = 36) from eight states shared descriptions of the current role of music at…

The Implications of Talent Management for Diversity Training: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, Jim; Harte, Victoria

2010-01-01

Purpose: The paper seeks to explore the proposition that there is a need for research to address the connections between talent management (TM) and managing diversity as one example of achieving better integration and less separation in academic work on human resource (HR). Design/methodology/approach: An exploratory study of one organisation at a…

The Obstacles for the Teaching of 8th Grade TR History of Revolution and Kemalism Course According to the Constructivist Approach (An Example of Exploratory Sequential Mixed Method Design)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karademir, Yavuz; Demir, Selcuk Besir

2015-01-01

The aim of this study is to ascertain the problems social studies teachers face in the teaching of topics covered in 8th grade TRHRK Course. The study was conducted in line with explanatory sequential mixed method design, which is one of the mixed research method, was used. The study involves three phases. In the first step, exploratory process…

Exploratory studies to decide whether and how to proceed with full-scale evaluations of public health interventions: a systematic review of guidance.

PubMed

Hallingberg, Britt; Turley, Ruth; Segrott, Jeremy; Wight, Daniel; Craig, Peter; Moore, Laurence; Murphy, Simon; Robling, Michael; Simpson, Sharon Anne; Moore, Graham

2018-01-01

Evaluations of complex interventions in public health are frequently undermined by problems that can be identified before the effectiveness study stage. Exploratory studies, often termed pilot and feasibility studies, are a key step in assessing the feasibility and value of progressing to an effectiveness study. Such studies can provide vital information to support more robust evaluations, thereby reducing costs and minimising potential harms of the intervention. This systematic review forms the first phase of a wider project to address the need for stand-alone guidance for public health researchers on designing and conducting exploratory studies. The review objectives were to identify and examine existing recommendations concerning when such studies should be undertaken, questions they should answer, suitable methods, criteria for deciding whether to progress to an effectiveness study and appropriate reporting. We searched for published and unpublished guidance reported between January 2000 and November 2016 via bibliographic databases, websites, citation tracking and expert recommendations. Included papers were thematically synthesized. The search retrieved 4095 unique records. Thirty papers were included, representing 25 unique sources of guidance/recommendations. Eight themes were identified: pre-requisites for conducting an exploratory study, nomenclature, guidance for intervention assessment, guidance surrounding any future evaluation study design, flexible versus fixed design, progression criteria to a future evaluation study, stakeholder involvement and reporting of exploratory studies. Exploratory studies were described as being concerned with the intervention content, the future evaluation design or both. However, the nomenclature and endorsed methods underpinning these aims were inconsistent across papers. There was little guidance on what should precede or follow an exploratory study and decision-making surrounding this. Existing recommendations are inconsistent concerning the aims, designs and conduct of exploratory studies, and guidance is lacking on the evidence needed to inform when to proceed to an effectiveness study. PROSPERO 2016, CRD42016047843.

Education for Sustainable Development: An Exploratory Study in a Portuguese University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Torres, Ricardo; Vieira, Rui Marques; Rodrigues, Ana V.; Sá, Patrícia; Moreira, Gillian

2017-01-01

Purpose: The research aims to evaluate whether this educational approach is being implemented in a Portuguese public university and looking for explicit references to education for sustainable development (ESD) in the online descriptions of course units (CU). Design/methodology/approach: The research design adopted for this qualitative research…

Augmented Reality M-Learning to Enhance Nursing Skills Acquisition in the Clinical Skills Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garrett, Bernard M.; Jackson, Cathryn; Wilson, Brian

2015-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to report on a pilot research project designed to explore if new mobile augmented reality (AR) technologies have the potential to enhance the learning of clinical skills in the lab. Design/methodology/approach: An exploratory action-research-based pilot study was undertaken to explore an initial proof-of-concept design in…

Creativity Processes of Students in the Design Studio

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huber, Amy Mattingly; Leigh, Katharine E.; Tremblay, Kenneth R., Jr.

2012-01-01

The creative process is a multifaceted and dynamic path of thinking required to execute a project in design-based disciplines. The goal of this research was to test a model outlining the creative design process by investigating student experiences in a design project assignment. The study used an exploratory design to collect data from student…

Focusing on What Counts: Using Exploratory Focus Groups to Enhance the Development of an Electronic Survey in a Mixed-Methods Research Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Galliott, Natal'ya; Graham, Linda J.

2016-01-01

This paper illustrates the use of exploratory focus groups to inform the development of a survey instrument in a sequential phase mixed-methods study investigating differences in secondary students' career choice capability. Five focus groups were conducted with 23 Year 10 students in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Analysis of the focus…

Impacts of Social-Emotional Curricula on Three-Year-Olds: Exploratory Findings from the Head Start CARES Demonstration. Research Snapshot. OPRE Report 2014-78

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsueh, JoAnn; Lowenstein, Amy E.; Morris, Pamela; Mattera, Shira K.; Bangser, Michael

2014-01-01

This report presents exploratory impact findings for 3-year-olds from the Head Start CARES demonstration, a large-scale randomized controlled trial implemented in Head Start centers for one academic year across the country. The study was designed primarily to test the effects of the enhancements on 4-year-olds, but it also provides an opportunity…

[Not Available].

PubMed

Paturzo, Marco; Colaceci, Sofia; Clari, Marco; Mottola, Antonella; Alvaro, Rosaria; Vellone, Ercole

2016-01-01

. Mixed methods designs: an innovative methodological approach for nursing research. The mixed method research designs (MM) combine qualitative and quantitative approaches in the research process, in a single study or series of studies. Their use can provide a wider understanding of multifaceted phenomena. This article presents a general overview of the structure and design of MM to spread this approach in the Italian nursing research community. The MM designs most commonly used in the nursing field are the convergent parallel design, the sequential explanatory design, the exploratory sequential design and the embedded design. For each method a research example is presented. The use of MM can be an added value to improve clinical practices as, through the integration of qualitative and quantitative methods, researchers can better assess complex phenomena typical of nursing.

Possibilities-within-Constraints: Implementing the Funds of Knowledge Concept in the People's Republic of China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poole, Adam

2016-01-01

This article is designed as the starting point for future research into the implementation of the funds of knowledge concept in the People's Republic of China. Utilizing an exploratory research design, I sketch how the funds of knowledge concept could be used by teachers to empower ethnic minority and city-born migrant children disadvantaged by…

Informal Conversations and Learning Among Dental Students: Influence of School Design.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Myrick, Richard; Marx, Barbara Spencer

1967-01-01

Data are presented from an exploratory study examining the influence of dental school building design on the quality and quantity of student information conversations. The purposes of the research were to determine--(1) what patterns of interaction exist commonly among dental students, and (2) how the architectural design of the building…

Addiction Studies: Exploring Students' Attitudes toward Research in a Graduate Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

James, Raven; Simons, Lori

2011-01-01

An exploratory study was conducted to compare addiction studies and community counseling students' attitudes toward research. A survey of 66 addiction studies and 17 community counseling students in graduate programs was used to explore interest and self-efficacy in research and the research training environment. A pre/post test design was used to…

Effective Principles in Designing E-Course in Light of Learning Theories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Afifi, Muhammad K.; Alamri, Saad S.

2014-01-01

The researchers conducted an exploratory study to determine the design quality of some E-courses delivered via the web to a number of colleagues at the university. Results revealed a number of shortcomings in the design of these courses, mostly due to the absence of effective principles in the design of these E-courses, especially principles of…

University Students' Views on the Education and Teaching of Civilization History: Bayburt University Education Faculty Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elban, Mehmet

2017-01-01

The purpose of this research is to evaluate the teaching and educational activities in the civilization history lesson. The model of the research is the exploratory sequential design from mixed research patterns. The appropriate sampling method was used in the research. The qualitative data of the research were collected from 26 students through a…

Connecting Generations: Developing Co-Design Methods for Older Adults and Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xie, Bo; Druin, Allison; Fails, Jerry; Massey, Sheri; Golub, Evan; Franckel, Sonia; Schneider, Kiki

2012-01-01

As new technologies emerge that can bring older adults together with children, little has been discussed by researchers concerning the design methods used to create these new technologies. Giving both children and older adults a voice in a shared design process comes with many challenges. This paper details an exploratory study focusing on…

Developing Leadership: Exploring Childhoods of Women University Presidents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Madsen, Susan R.

2007-01-01

Purpose: Researchers argue that much of who we are is developed during childhood. Yet, little exploratory research has been conducted regarding the childhood experiences, activities, personalities, and perceptions of successful leaders. This paper aims to address this issue. Design/methodology/approach: In-depth, qualitative interviews were…

Exploring Academics' Approaches to Managing Team Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Augar, Naomi; Woodley, Carolyn J.; Whitefield, Despina; Winchester, Maxwell

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to develop an understanding of academics' approaches to managing team assessment at an Australian University with a view to informing policy development and assessment design. Design/methodology/approach: The research was conducted using a single exploratory case study approach focussing on the team assessment…

Designing a Virtual-Reality-Based, Gamelike Math Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xu, Xinhao; Ke, Fengfeng

2016-01-01

This exploratory study examined the design issues related to a virtual-reality-based, gamelike learning environment (VRGLE) developed via OpenSimulator, an open-source virtual reality server. The researchers collected qualitative data to examine the VRGLE's usability, playability, and content integration for math learning. They found it important…

The reduction of intoxication and disorder in premises licensed to serve alcohol: An exploratory randomised controlled trial

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Licensed premises offer a valuable point of intervention to reduce alcohol-related harm. Objective To describe the research design for an exploratory trial examining the feasibility and acceptability of a premises-level intervention designed to reduce severe intoxication and related disorder. The study also aims to assess the feasibility of a potential future large scale effectiveness trial and provide information on key trial design parameters including inclusion criteria, premises recruitment methods, strategies to implement the intervention and trial design, outcome measures, data collection methods and intra-cluster correlations. Design A randomised controlled trial in licensed premises that had experienced at least one assault in the year preceding the intervention, documented in police or hospital Emergency Department (ED) records. Premises were recruited from four study areas by piloting four recruitment strategies of varying intensity. Thirty two licensed premises were grouped into matched pairs to reduce potential bias and randomly allocated to the control or intervention condition. The study included a nested process evaluation to provide information on intervention acceptability and implementation. Outcome measures included police-recorded violent incidents, assault-related attendances at each premises' local ED and patron Breath Alcohol Concentration assessed on exiting and entering study premises. Results The most successful recruitment method involved local police licensing officers and yielded a 100% success rate. Police-records of violence provided the most appropriate source of data about disorder at the premises level. Conclusion The methodology of an exploratory trial is presented and despite challenges presented by the study environment it is argued an exploratory trial is warranted. Initial investigations in recruitment methods suggest that study premises should be recruited with the assistance of police officers. Police data were of sufficient quality to identify disorder and street surveys are a feasible method for measuring intoxication at the individual level. Trial registration UKCRN 7090; ISRCTN: 80875696 Funding Medical Research Council (G0701758) to Simon Moore, Simon Murphy, Laurence Moore and Jonathan Shepherd PMID:20946634

Middle School Educators' Perceptions of Online Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Theodocion, Kelley E.

2012-01-01

Numerous researchers have investigated distance education in postsecondary settings, but there is a paucity of research regarding the design and delivery of online professional development for K-12 educators. The goal of this mixed methods sequential exploratory study was to examine attitudes of middle grades educators toward an online…

Exploring Innovation: A Qualitative Study of Academic Libraries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beninghove, Linda Scanlon

2016-01-01

As academic libraries evolve to affirm their place as key partners in research, teaching, and learning in university communities, the process of innovation is one of great importance in the intentional design of library services, resources, and staffing. This dissertation was a qualitative, exploratory research study in which the conceptual…

Evaluating Three Allied Health Training Programs: Exploratory Research into Curriculum Relevance and Labor Market Conditions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Appel, Gary L.; And Others

1977-01-01

Presents results of a research effort designed to develop a methodology for assisting dietetic technicians, physical therapist assistants, and medical record technicians curriculum relevance, and to better understand labor market conditions affecting the utilization and distribution of midlevel technicians. (Author/LAS)

The Management of Retrenchment in Canadian Academic Libraries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Denis, Laurent-G.; Auster, Ethel

This exploratory study focuses on the management of decline as characterized by shrinking resources and substantial reductions in operating budgets (retrenchment) in academic research libraries in Canada. The first of four major sections of the report addresses the management of retrenchment in Canadian research libraries, including the design of…

Interpreters Talk a Lot, Among Other Things

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barik, Henri C.

1972-01-01

Exploratory study designed to provide a general overview of the simultaneous interpretation process. Based on an unpublished doctoral dissertation supported by a Public Health Service Research Grant from the National Institute of Mental Health. (VM)

Formative Qualitative Evaluation for "Exploratory" ITS Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murray, Tom

1993-01-01

Discusses evaluation methods applicable to exploratory research areas, provides an overview of qualitative and formative methods for exploratory research on intelligent tutoring systems (ITS) and describes an exploratory study in ITS knowledge acquisition which involved working with three educators to build an ITS for high school physics.…

A Study of Search Intermediary Working Notes: Implications for IR System Design.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spink, Amanda; Goodrum, Abby

1996-01-01

Reports findings from an exploratory study investigating working notes created during encoding and external storage (EES) processes by human search intermediaries (librarians at the University of North Texas) using a Boolean information retrieval (IR) system. Implications for the design of IR interfaces and further research is discussed.…

Designing Websites for Learning and Enjoyment: A Study of Museum Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Aleck C. H.; Gregor, Shirley

2006-01-01

This study reports on an exploratory research study that examined the design of websites that encourage both learning and enjoyment. This study examines museum websites that offer educational materials. As part of their mission, most museums provide the general public with educational materials for study and enjoyment. Many museums use the…

Using Microanalytical Simulation Methods in Educational Evaluation: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sondergeld, Toni A.; Beltyukova, Svetlana A.; Fox, Christine M.; Stone, Gregory E.

2012-01-01

Scientifically based research used to inform evidence based school reform efforts has been required by the federal government in order to receive grant funding since the reenactment of No Child Left Behind (2002). Educational evaluators are thus faced with the challenge to use rigorous research designs to establish causal relationships. However,…

Outsourcing of Instruction at Community Colleges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bailey, Thomas; Jacobs, James; Jenkins, Davis

2004-01-01

This report presents the findings of exploratory research designed to identify the characteristics of the outsourcing of instruction at community colleges and the forces that promote or block its spread. It is the second in a series of reports by the National Center for Postsecondary Improvement and the Community College Research Center on the…

Evaluation of Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Douglas, K. A.; Yale, M. S.; Bennett, D. E.; Haugan, M. P.; Bryan, L. A.

2014-12-01

The Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey (CLASS) is a widely used instrument designed to measure student attitudes toward physics and learning physics. Previous research revealed a fairly complex factor structure. In this study, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted on data from an undergraduate introductory physics course (n =3844 ) to determine whether a more parsimonious factor structure exists. Exploratory factor analysis results indicate that many of the items from the original CLASS have poor psychometric properties and could not be used in a revised factor structure. The cross validation showed acceptable fit statistics for a three factor model found in the exploratory factor analysis. This research suggests that a more optimum measurement of students' attitudes about physics and learning physics is obtained with a 15-item instrument, which describes the factors of personal application, personal effort, and problem solving. The proposed revised version of the CLASS offers researchers the opportunity to test a shortened version of the instrument that may be able to provide information about students' attitudes in the areas of personal application of physics, personal effort in a physics course, and approaches to problem solving.

The reduction of intoxication and disorder in premises licensed to serve alcohol: an exploratory randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Moore, Simon C; Brennan, Iain R; Murphy, Simon; Byrne, Ellie; Moore, Susan N; Shepherd, Jonathan P; Moore, Laurence

2010-10-14

Licensed premises offer a valuable point of intervention to reduce alcohol-related harm. To describe the research design for an exploratory trial examining the feasibility and acceptability of a premises-level intervention designed to reduce severe intoxication and related disorder. The study also aims to assess the feasibility of a potential future large scale effectiveness trial and provide information on key trial design parameters including inclusion criteria, premises recruitment methods, strategies to implement the intervention and trial design, outcome measures, data collection methods and intra-cluster correlations. A randomised controlled trial in licensed premises that had experienced at least one assault in the year preceding the intervention, documented in police or hospital Emergency Department (ED) records. Premises were recruited from four study areas by piloting four recruitment strategies of varying intensity. Thirty two licensed premises were grouped into matched pairs to reduce potential bias and randomly allocated to the control or intervention condition. The study included a nested process evaluation to provide information on intervention acceptability and implementation. Outcome measures included police-recorded violent incidents, assault-related attendances at each premises' local ED and patron Breath Alcohol Concentration assessed on exiting and entering study premises. The most successful recruitment method involved local police licensing officers and yielded a 100% success rate. Police-records of violence provided the most appropriate source of data about disorder at the premises level. The methodology of an exploratory trial is presented and despite challenges presented by the study environment it is argued an exploratory trial is warranted. Initial investigations in recruitment methods suggest that study premises should be recruited with the assistance of police officers. Police data were of sufficient quality to identify disorder and street surveys are a feasible method for measuring intoxication at the individual level. UKCRN 7090; ISRCTN: 80875696. Medical Research Council (G0701758) to Simon Moore, Simon Murphy, Laurence Moore and Jonathan Shepherd.

Research and Design. Technology Learning Activity. Teacher Edition. Technology Education Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oklahoma State Dept. of Vocational and Technical Education, Stillwater. Curriculum and Instructional Materials Center.

This curriculum guide provides technology learning activities designed to prepare students in grades 6-10 to work in the world of the future. The 8-day course provides exploratory, hands-on learning activities and information that can enhance the education of students of all types in an integrated curriculum that provides practical applications of…

Social Representations of Cybersecurity by University Students and Implications for Instructional Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pawlowski, Suzanne D.; Jung, Yoonhyuk

2015-01-01

Cybersecurity has become an essential topic in introductory information systems (IS) core courses. As an aid to course design, the exploratory research in this paper uses a social representations lens to elucidate the perceptions of cybersecurity and cybersecurity threats held by students. Analysis of qualitative survey data from 152 students at a…

Exploratory Research to Design a School Nurse-Delivered Intervention to Treat Adolescent Overweight and Obesity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gellar, Lauren; Druker, Sue; Osganian, Stavroula K.; Gapinski, Mary Ann; LaPelle, Nancy; Pbert, Lori

2012-01-01

Objective: In preparation for a pilot study to evaluate the efficacy of a school nurse-delivered intervention, focus groups were conducted to gain insight into the perceptions of stakeholders regarding the design and implementation of the intervention. Setting and Participants: Fifteen focus groups at participating schools. One hundred subjects,…

Learning from Rising Sixth Grade Readers: How Nooks Shaped Students' Reading Behaviors during a Summer Independent Reading Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Chrystine Cooper

2016-01-01

Researchers have documented a "summer reading setback" where an achievement gap between proficient and struggling readers expands during the summer. This research focuses on 20 rising sixth graders who participated in a summer independent reading initiative using Nook digital readers. Using a qualitative exploratory design and content…

Creativity as a Driver for Transformative Learning: Portraits of Teaching and Learning in a Contemporary Curriculum Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Troop, Meagan

2017-01-01

This exploratory study identifies aspects of pedagogical design and teaching practice that enabled creative capacities through the lens of the researcher's lived experience. A guiding research question in this investigation follows: (a) "What is the nature of the relationship between creative activity and transformative learning" and (b)…

Math Talk and Representations in Elementary Classrooms of Beginning Teachers: A MLM Exploratory Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alnizami, Reema

2017-01-01

This study examined the math talk and the use of multiple representations in elementary classrooms of 134 beginning teachers, all in their second year of teaching. A quantitative correlational research design was employed to investigate the research questions. The data were collected using a log instrument, the Instructional Practices Log in…

Barriers and Facilitators to Deaf Trauma Survivors' Help-Seeking Behavior: Lessons for Behavioral Clinical Trials Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Melissa L.; Wolf Craig, Kelly S.; Ziedonis, Douglas M.

2017-01-01

Deaf individuals experience significant obstacles to participating in behavioral health research when careful consideration is not given to accessibility during the design of study methodology. To inform such considerations, we conducted an exploratory secondary analysis of a mixed-methods study that originally explored 16 Deaf trauma survivors'…

An Exploration of Transformational Learning in Adults as a Result of Adventure Travel Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bennett, Michael

2013-01-01

The purpose of this exploratory qualitative research study was to identify the elements of adventure travel experiences that contribute to the process of transformational learning in adults. A qualitative research design was employed for this study. The sources of data were twelve pre-existing and de-identified interview transcriptions. A textual…

Breaking from binaries - using a sequential mixed methods design.

PubMed

Larkin, Patricia Mary; Begley, Cecily Marion; Devane, Declan

2014-03-01

To outline the traditional worldviews of healthcare research and discuss the benefits and challenges of using mixed methods approaches in contributing to the development of nursing and midwifery knowledge. There has been much debate about the contribution of mixed methods research to nursing and midwifery knowledge in recent years. A sequential exploratory design is used as an exemplar of a mixed methods approach. The study discussed used a combination of focus-group interviews and a quantitative instrument to obtain a fuller understanding of women's experiences of childbirth. In the mixed methods study example, qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis and quantitative data using regression analysis. Polarised debates about the veracity, philosophical integrity and motivation for conducting mixed methods research have largely abated. A mixed methods approach can contribute to a deeper, more contextual understanding of a variety of subjects and experiences; as a result, it furthers knowledge that can be used in clinical practice. The purpose of the research study should be the main instigator when choosing from an array of mixed methods research designs. Mixed methods research offers a variety of models that can augment investigative capabilities and provide richer data than can a discrete method alone. This paper offers an example of an exploratory, sequential approach to investigating women's childbirth experiences. A clear framework for the conduct and integration of the different phases of the mixed methods research process is provided. This approach can be used by practitioners and policy makers to improve practice.

Demand for Agricultural Extension Services among Small-Scale Maize Farmers: Micro-Level Evidence from Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gido, Eric O.; Sibiko, Kenneth W.; Ayuya, Oscar I.; Mwangi, Joseph K.

2015-01-01

Purpose: The objective of the study was to determine the level and determinants of demand for extension services among small-scale maize farmers in Kenya. Design/methodology/approach: Based on an exploratory research design, primary data were collected from a sample of 352 households through face-to-face interviews. Focus group discussions were…

Teleseminars and Teacher Education. Research Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Peter; Sofo, Frank

This exploratory study developed instructional materials designed to maximize learning through individual and group interaction and used the materials to examine the effectiveness of a teleseminar approach for interactive distance presentations. In this teleseminar model, duplicate sets of overhead transparencies with overlays and other materials…

MotionExplorer: exploratory search in human motion capture data based on hierarchical aggregation.

PubMed

Bernard, Jürgen; Wilhelm, Nils; Krüger, Björn; May, Thorsten; Schreck, Tobias; Kohlhammer, Jörn

2013-12-01

We present MotionExplorer, an exploratory search and analysis system for sequences of human motion in large motion capture data collections. This special type of multivariate time series data is relevant in many research fields including medicine, sports and animation. Key tasks in working with motion data include analysis of motion states and transitions, and synthesis of motion vectors by interpolation and combination. In the practice of research and application of human motion data, challenges exist in providing visual summaries and drill-down functionality for handling large motion data collections. We find that this domain can benefit from appropriate visual retrieval and analysis support to handle these tasks in presence of large motion data. To address this need, we developed MotionExplorer together with domain experts as an exploratory search system based on interactive aggregation and visualization of motion states as a basis for data navigation, exploration, and search. Based on an overview-first type visualization, users are able to search for interesting sub-sequences of motion based on a query-by-example metaphor, and explore search results by details on demand. We developed MotionExplorer in close collaboration with the targeted users who are researchers working on human motion synthesis and analysis, including a summative field study. Additionally, we conducted a laboratory design study to substantially improve MotionExplorer towards an intuitive, usable and robust design. MotionExplorer enables the search in human motion capture data with only a few mouse clicks. The researchers unanimously confirm that the system can efficiently support their work.

Bridging Theory with Practice: An Exploratory Study of Visualization Use and Design for Climate Model Comparison

DOE PAGES

Dasgupta, Aritra; Poco, Jorge; Wei, Yaxing; ...

2015-03-16

Evaluation methodologies in visualization have mostly focused on how well the tools and techniques cater to the analytical needs of the user. While this is important in determining the effectiveness of the tools and advancing the state-of-the-art in visualization research, a key area that has mostly been overlooked is how well established visualization theories and principles are instantiated in practice. This is especially relevant when domain experts, and not visualization researchers, design visualizations for analysis of their data or for broader dissemination of scientific knowledge. There is very little research on exploring the synergistic capabilities of cross-domain collaboration between domainmore » experts and visualization researchers. To fill this gap, in this paper we describe the results of an exploratory study of climate data visualizations conducted in tight collaboration with a pool of climate scientists. The study analyzes a large set of static climate data visualizations for identifying their shortcomings in terms of visualization design. The outcome of the study is a classification scheme that categorizes the design problems in the form of a descriptive taxonomy. The taxonomy is a first attempt for systematically categorizing the types, causes, and consequences of design problems in visualizations created by domain experts. We demonstrate the use of the taxonomy for a number of purposes, such as, improving the existing climate data visualizations, reflecting on the impact of the problems for enabling domain experts in designing better visualizations, and also learning about the gaps and opportunities for future visualization research. We demonstrate the applicability of our taxonomy through a number of examples and discuss the lessons learnt and implications of our findings.« less

Bridging Theory with Practice: An Exploratory Study of Visualization Use and Design for Climate Model Comparison

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dasgupta, Aritra; Poco, Jorge; Wei, Yaxing

Evaluation methodologies in visualization have mostly focused on how well the tools and techniques cater to the analytical needs of the user. While this is important in determining the effectiveness of the tools and advancing the state-of-the-art in visualization research, a key area that has mostly been overlooked is how well established visualization theories and principles are instantiated in practice. This is especially relevant when domain experts, and not visualization researchers, design visualizations for analysis of their data or for broader dissemination of scientific knowledge. There is very little research on exploring the synergistic capabilities of cross-domain collaboration between domainmore » experts and visualization researchers. To fill this gap, in this paper we describe the results of an exploratory study of climate data visualizations conducted in tight collaboration with a pool of climate scientists. The study analyzes a large set of static climate data visualizations for identifying their shortcomings in terms of visualization design. The outcome of the study is a classification scheme that categorizes the design problems in the form of a descriptive taxonomy. The taxonomy is a first attempt for systematically categorizing the types, causes, and consequences of design problems in visualizations created by domain experts. We demonstrate the use of the taxonomy for a number of purposes, such as, improving the existing climate data visualizations, reflecting on the impact of the problems for enabling domain experts in designing better visualizations, and also learning about the gaps and opportunities for future visualization research. We demonstrate the applicability of our taxonomy through a number of examples and discuss the lessons learnt and implications of our findings.« less

Graduate Transition into Work: The Bridging Role of Graduate Placement Programmes in the Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprise Workplace

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gallagher, Pádraig

2015-01-01

This research looks at the role of graduate placement programmes in bridging the gap between higher education and the small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) sector. The research design and methodology used in this study was exploratory, in-depth and qualitative in nature. The research took the form of a multiple case study and focused on seven…

Evaluating a Model of School-Based Health and Social Services: An Interdisciplinary Community-University Collaboration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bronstein, Laura R.; Anderson, Elizabeth; Terwilliger, Susan H.; Sager, Kristen

2012-01-01

The purpose of this article is to share results of an exploratory qualitative research study designed to shed light on experiences of an interdisciplinary group of elementary school staff and graduate students in a school-based services project. A researcher conducted 20 interviews with staff and graduate students who represented the fields of…

Moving in Unexpected Directions: Texas Elementary Uses Exploratory Research to Map Out an Evaluation Plan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chapman, Sue; Ortloff, Debora; Weaver, Laurie; Vesey, Winona; Anderson, Mary; Marquez, Michael; Sanchez, Melissa

2013-01-01

This article describes the actions taken by the members of the school leadership team at McWhirter Elementary Professional Development Laboratory School in Webster, Texas, when the results of the state reading assessment in spring 2010, had taken a sudden and dramatic drop from the previous year. The team designed an action research study to…

Exploring First-Year College Students' Cultural Competence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tharp, D. Scott

2017-01-01

The development of college students' cultural competence is important in an increasingly diverse world. This exploratory, qualitative, action research study examined how 158 first-year students understood and applied core concepts after participating in a standardized diversity and social justice lesson plan designed using transformative education…

Aligning Technology Education Teaching with Brain Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katsioloudis, Petros

2015-01-01

This exploratory study was designed to determine if there is a level of alignment between technology education curriculum and theories of intellectual development. The researcher compared Epstein's Brain Growth Theory and Piaget's Status of Intellectual Development with technology education curriculum from Australia, England, and the United…

Building a Better Workforce: A Case Study in Management Simulations and Experiential Learning in the Construction Industry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Douglas-Lenders, Rachel Claire; Holland, Peter Jeffrey; Allen, Belinda

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of experiential simulation-based learning of employee self-efficacy. Design/Methodology/Approach: The research approach is an exploratory case study of a group of trainees from the same organisation. Using a quasi-experiment, one group, pre-test-post-test design (Tharenou et al., 2007), a…

Building a Better Workforce: A Case Study in Management Simulations and Experiential Learning in the Construction Industry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Douglas-Lenders, Rachel Claire; Holland, Peter Jeffrey; Allen, Belinda

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of experiential simulation-based learning of employee self-efficacy. Design/Methodology/Approach: The research approach is an exploratory case study of a group of trainees from the same organisation. Using a quasi-experiment, one group, pre-test-post-test design (Tharenou et al., 2007), a…

A novel approach to exploring potential interactions among single-nucleotide polymorphisms of inflammation genes in gliomagenesis: an exploratory case-only study.

PubMed

Amirian, E Susan; Scheurer, Michael E; Liu, Yanhong; D'Amelio, Anthony M; Houlston, Richard S; Etzel, Carol J; Shete, Sanjay; Swerdlow, Anthony J; Schoemaker, Minouk J; McKinney, Patricia A; Fleming, Sarah J; Muir, Kenneth R; Lophatananon, Artitaya; Bondy, Melissa L

2011-08-01

Despite extensive research on the topic, glioma etiology remains largely unknown. Exploration of potential interactions between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of immune genes is a promising new area of glioma research. The case-only study design is a powerful and efficient design for exploring possible multiplicative interactions between factors that are independent of one another. The purpose of our study was to use this exploratory design to identify potential pair wise SNP-SNP interactions from genes involved in several different immune-related pathways for investigation in future studies. The study population consisted of two case groups: 1,224 histologic confirmed, non-Hispanic white glioma cases from the United States and a validation population of 634 glioma cases from the United Kingdom. Polytomous logistic regression, in which one SNP was coded as the outcome and the other SNP was included as the exposure, was utilized to calculate the ORs of the likelihood of cases simultaneously having the variant alleles of two different SNPs. Potential interactions were examined only between SNPs located in different genes or chromosomes. Using this data mining strategy, we found 396 significant SNP-SNP interactions among polymorphisms of immune-related genes that were present in both the U.S. and U.K. study populations. This exploratory study was conducted for the purpose of hypothesis generation, and thus has provided several new hypotheses that can be tested using traditional case-control study designs to obtain estimates of risk. This is the first study, to our knowledge, to take this novel approach to identifying SNP-SNP interactions relevant to glioma etiology. ©2011 AACR.

Evaluation of Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Douglas, K. A.; Yale, M. S.; Bennett, D. E.; Haugan, M. P.; Bryan, L. A.

2014-01-01

The Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey (CLASS) is a widely used instrument designed to measure student attitudes toward physics and learning physics. Previous research revealed a fairly complex factor structure. In this study, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted on data from an undergraduate introductory…

Collaboration in Cultural Heritage Digitisation in East Asia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Hyuk-Jin

2010-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to review the current status of collaboration in cultural heritage preservation in East Asia, including digital projects, and to suggest practical improvements based on a cultural structuralism perspective. Design/methodology/approach: Through exploratory research, the paper addresses aspects for successful…

Sustainability in Brazilian Federal Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palma, Lisiane Celia; de Oliveira, Lessandra M.; Viacava, Keitiline R.

2011-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify the number of courses related to sustainability offered in bachelor degree programs of business administration in Brazilian federal universities. Design/methodology/approach: An exploratory research was carried out based on a descriptive scope. The process of mapping federal universities in Brazil…

HRD in France: The Corporate Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weil, Amandine; Woodall, Jean

2005-01-01

Purpose: To explore and describe the roles, activities and strategies of French human resource development professionals. Design/methodology/approach: This paper is based primarily on exploratory and descriptive research. A range of secondary sources on European and French human resource development is critically reviewed to generate a number of…

Perception toward Organizational Learning Culture in Small-Size Business Enterprises

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graham, Carroll M.; Nafukho, Fredrick M.

2007-01-01

This study sought to determine the relationship between four independent variables educational level, longevity, gender, type of enterprise, and the dependent variable respondents' perception of culture toward organizational learning readiness. An exploratory correlational research design was employed to survey 498 employees in seven small…

Alcohol Consumption Decisions among Nonabusing Drinkers Diagnosed with Hepatitis C: An Exploratory Sequential Mixed Methods Study

PubMed Central

Stoller, Eleanor Palo; Webster, Noah J.; Blixen, Carol E.; McCormick, Richard A.; Hund, Andrew J.; Perzynski, Adam T.; Kanuch, Stephanie W.; Thomas, Charles L.; Kercher, Kyle; Dawson, Neal V.

2009-01-01

Most studies of decisions to curtail alcohol consumption reflect experiences of abusing drinkers. We employ an exploratory sequential research design to explore the applicability of this research to the experience of nonabusing drinkers advised to curtail alcohol consumption after a Hepatitis C diagnosis. A qualitative component identified 17 new decision factors not reflected in an inventory of factors based on synthesis of existing scales. We triangulated qualitative data by supplementing semi-structured interviews with Internet postings. A quantitative component estimated prevalence and association with current drinking of these new decision factors. Patients who quit drinking tended to attribute post-diagnosis drinking to occasional triggers, whereas patients who were still drinking were more likely to endorse rationales not tied to specific triggers. PMID:20046861

Identifying the Role of the International Consortium "MIT/LINC" in Supporting the Integration of ICT in Higher Education in Emerging Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Young; Moser, Franziska Zellweger

2008-01-01

The goal of this research effort is to provide insights on what core needs and difficulties exist toward the implementation of ICT in higher education in emerging countries and how a consortium like LINC can best support these efforts. An exploratory research design combining a survey, on-site interviews, participant observation and document…

Department of Defense Program Solicitation 94.2, Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program; FY 1994.

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-01-01

Disconnect Device for Large HP Permanent Magnet Motors N94-200 Image and Data Management System N94-201 Advanced Lightweight Influence Sweep N94-202 Surf... Permanent Magnet Motors CATEGORY: Exploratory Development SERVICE CRITICAL TECHNOLOGY AREA: Surface/Undersurface Vehicles OBJECTIVE: Design and

Delivering "Virtual Ethnicity" Drama: A Pedagogical Design for Bridging Digital and Diversity Barriers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, E. Vincent

2015-01-01

This study examines an original dramaturgical method for creating virtual world experience called virtual world drama. The instructional focus is improving students' aptitude for analyzing ethnic identity by instilling both conceptual and multicultural competency. An exploratory research method is used, relying on observation (disguised and…

Mobility Attitudes and Behaviours among Young Europeans

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doherty, Noeleen; Dickmann, Michael; Mills, Timothy

2010-01-01

Purpose: The paper seeks to explore the career attitudes, motivations and behaviours of young people in initial vocational education and training (IVET) in Europe. Design/methodology/approach: This exploratory web-based survey was conducted during the European year for mobility. Drawing on existing research on the motivators of international…

Leadership and Organizational Learning: Accounting for Variances in Small-Size Business Enterprises

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graham, Carroll M.; Nafukho, Fredrick M.

2007-01-01

This study's primary purpose was to determine the relationship between leadership and the dependent variable organizational learning readiness at three locations of a small-size business enterprise in the Mid-Western United States. Surveys were acquired within an exploratory correlational research design and the results indicated leadership…

Enhancing Student Engagement through Simulation in Programming Sessions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Isiaq, Sakirulai Olufemi; Jamil, Md Golam

2018-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the use of a simulator for teaching programming to foster student engagement and meaningful learning. Design/methodology/approach: An exploratory mixed-method research approach was adopted in a classroom-based environment at a UK university. A rich account of student engagement dimensions…

Instructional Leadership in Greek and English Outstanding Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaparou, Maria; Bush, Tony

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine instructional leadership (IL) in outstanding secondary schools within a centralised (Greece) and a partially decentralised (England) education context. Design/methodology/approach: Since the purpose of the study is exploratory, the researchers adopt a qualitative approach, employing a series of four…

Students' Self-Evaluation and Reflection (Part 1): "Measurement"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cambra-Fierro, Jesus; Cambra-Berdun, Jesus

2007-01-01

Purpose: The objective of the paper is the development and validation of scales to assess reflective learning. Design/methodology/approach: The research is based on a literature review plus in-classroom experience. For the scale validation process, exploratory and confirmatory analyses were conducted, following proposals made by Anderson and…

Perceptions of a Campus-Wide Condom Distribution Programme: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Francis, Diane B.; Noar, Seth M.; Widman, Laura; Willoughby, Jessica Fitts; Sanchez, Diana M.; Garrett, Kyla P.

2016-01-01

Objective: Condom distribution programmes are an important means of preventing sexually transmitted infections (STIs); yet little research has examined their perceived and actual impact on college campuses. Design: Quantitative, cross-sectional study. Setting: Large public university in the Southeastern USA. Method: Approximately 2 months after a…

Consultants: Love-Hate Relationships with Communities of Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pastoors, Katja

2007-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to explore consultants' experiences of communities of practice (CoPs) in one of the world's largest information technology companies against organisational strategies. The research focus concerns experiences of formal top-down and underground CoPs. Design/methodology/approach: The paper is an exploratory case study.…

A Qualitative Study of College-Based Peace Education Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boudreau, Will

2017-01-01

The purpose of this exploratory research study was to examine the perceptions of seven northeast United States, college-based, Peace Education program directors regarding their respective programs' characteristics and the challenges they face. This qualitative study was designed to fill a gap in the literature by examining the perceptions of…

Pattern of Task Interpretation and Self-Regulated Learning Strategies of High School Students and College Freshmen during an Engineering Design Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawanto, Oenardi; Butler, Deborah; Cartier, Sylvie C.; Santoso, Harry B.; Goodridge, Wade; Lawanto, Kevin N.; Clark, David

2013-01-01

The objective of this exploratory study was to describe patterns in self-regulated learning (SRL) for both high school students and college freshmen while engaged in a design activity. The main research question guiding this study was: How did high school and first-year college students self-regulate their approaches to learning when engaged in an…

An exploratory study of services marketing in global markets: major areas of inquiry for the health care services industry.

PubMed

Young, S; Erdem, S A

1996-01-01

It has been stated that one of the major challenges for the international marketer is the design of an efficient strategy for marketing services to international markets. This paper reviews some of the issues associated with services marketing in global markets along with the basic variables of service industries. An exploratory assessment of the health care services industry results in a list composed of several inquiry areas which should be examined by multinational companies. It is hoped that the review of the issues raised in this paper provides a basis for decision making and further research.

Biomimetic design processes in architecture: morphogenetic and evolutionary computational design.

PubMed

Menges, Achim

2012-03-01

Design computation has profound impact on architectural design methods. This paper explains how computational design enables the development of biomimetic design processes specific to architecture, and how they need to be significantly different from established biomimetic processes in engineering disciplines. The paper first explains the fundamental difference between computer-aided and computational design in architecture, as the understanding of this distinction is of critical importance for the research presented. Thereafter, the conceptual relation and possible transfer of principles from natural morphogenesis to design computation are introduced and the related developments of generative, feature-based, constraint-based, process-based and feedback-based computational design methods are presented. This morphogenetic design research is then related to exploratory evolutionary computation, followed by the presentation of two case studies focusing on the exemplary development of spatial envelope morphologies and urban block morphologies.

Exploratory Advanced Research Program

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-12-31

Exploratory advanced research focuses on longer-term, higher-risk research with a high payoff potential. It matches opportunities from discoveries in science and technology with the needs of specific industries. The uncertainties in the research appr...

Exploratory Advanced Research Program

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-12-15

Exploratory advanced research focuses on longer term, higher risk research with a high payoff potential. It matches opportunities from discoveries in science and technology with the needs of specific industries. The uncertainties in the research appr...

DataHub: Knowledge-based data management for data discovery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Handley, Thomas H.; Li, Y. Philip

1993-08-01

Currently available database technology is largely designed for business data-processing applications, and seems inadequate for scientific applications. The research described in this paper, the DataHub, will address the issues associated with this shortfall in technology utilization and development. The DataHub development is addressing the key issues in scientific data management of scientific database models and resource sharing in a geographically distributed, multi-disciplinary, science research environment. Thus, the DataHub will be a server between the data suppliers and data consumers to facilitate data exchanges, to assist science data analysis, and to provide as systematic approach for science data management. More specifically, the DataHub's objectives are to provide support for (1) exploratory data analysis (i.e., data driven analysis); (2) data transformations; (3) data semantics capture and usage; analysis-related knowledge capture and usage; and (5) data discovery, ingestion, and extraction. Applying technologies that vary from deductive databases, semantic data models, data discovery, knowledge representation and inferencing, exploratory data analysis techniques and modern man-machine interfaces, DataHub will provide a prototype, integrated environement to support research scientists' needs in multiple disciplines (i.e. oceanography, geology, and atmospheric) while addressing the more general science data management issues. Additionally, the DataHub will provide data management services to exploratory data analysis applications such as LinkWinds and NCSA's XIMAGE.

Exploratory procedures with carbon nanotube-based sensors for propellant degradation determinations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruffin, Paul B.; Edwards, Eugene; Brantley, Christina; McDonald, Brian

2010-04-01

Exploratory research is conducted at the US Army Aviation & Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center (AMRDEC) in order to perform assessments of the degradation of solid propellant used in rocket motors. Efforts are made to discontinue and/or minimize destructive methods and utilize nondestructive techniques to assure the quality and reliability of the weaponry's propulsion system. Collaborative efforts were successfully made between AMRDEC and NASA-Ames for potential add-on configurations to a previously designed sensor that AMRDEC plan to use for preliminary detection of off-gassing. Evaluations were made in order to use the design as the introductory component for the determination of shelf-life degradation rate of rocket motors. Previous and subsequent sensor designs utilize functionalized single-walled carbon nano-tubes (SWCNTs) as the key sensing element. On-going research is conducted to consider key changes that can be implemented (for the existing sensor design) such that a complete wireless sensor system design can be realized. Results should be a cost-saving and timely approach to enhance the Army's ability to develop methodologies for measuring weaponry off-gassing and simultaneously detecting explosives. Expectations are for the resulting sensors to enhance the warfighters' ability to simultaneously detect a greater variety of analytes. Outlined in this paper are the preliminary results that have been accomplished for this research. The behavior of the SWCNT sensor at storage temperatures is outlined, along with the initial sensor response to propellant related analytes. Preparatory computer-based programming routines and computer controlled instrumentation scenarios have been developed in order to subsequently minimize subjective interpretation of test results and provide a means for obtaining data that is reasonable and repetitively quantitative. Typical laboratory evaluation methods are likewise presented, and program limitations/barriers are outlined.

77 FR 37025 - Final Priority: Disability Rehabilitation Research Project-Burn Model Systems Centers

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-20

... other types of research, including but not limited to, descriptive research, exploratory research, and... interventions research and descriptive research, exploratory research, measures development, or other types of... injury or to conduct other types of research, including but not limited to, descriptive research...

Evaluation of Usability Utilizing Markov Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Penedo, Janaina Rodrigues; Diniz, Morganna; Ferreira, Simone Bacellar Leal; Silveira, Denis S.; Capra, Eliane

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to analyze the usability of a remote learning system in its initial development phase, using a quantitative usability evaluation method through Markov models. Design/methodology/approach: The paper opted for an exploratory study. The data of interest of the research correspond to the possible accesses of users…

Scaling the Fractal Plain: Towards a General View of Knowledge Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffiths, David; Evans, Peter

2011-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of the paper is to explore coherence across key disciplines of knowledge management (KM) for a general model as a way to address performance dissatisfaction in the field. Design/methodology/approach: Research employed an evidence-based meta-analysis (287 aspects of literature), triangulated through an exploratory survey (91…

Identifying Mentors for Student Employees on Campus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frock, David

2015-01-01

Purpose: This exploratory research project aims to seek an effective process for identifying supervisors of part-time student employees who also serve in a mentoring capacity. Design/methodology/approach: This paper is based on a review of literature and an evaluation process focused on established traits and functions of mentoring as applied to…

A Critical Analysis of Football Bowl Subdivision Coaching Contract Components

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nichols, Justin Keith

2012-01-01

This exploratory study is designed to inventory and analyze contract components used by Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) institutions in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to further contribute to the body research. The FBS is comprised of 120 institutions and 94 of those institutions submitted contracts to "USA Today"…

Conceptualising Teachers' Professional Learning with Web 2.0

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burden, Kevin John

2010-01-01

Purpose: This paper seeks to identify and develop an exploratory framework for conceptualising how teachers might use the affordances of Web 2.0 technologies to support their own professional learning. Design/methodology/approach: The paper draws on a large corpus of literature and recent research evidence to identify the principal elements and…

Working Parents Project (WPP). Final Interim Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mason, Theresa; Espinoza, Renato

Results are reported from a 2-year study designed to explore how the nature of women's jobs, as viewed by women and their husbands, influences the system of nuclear family relationships and affects parents' involvement with their children's schools. The research has evolved into a comparative exploratory study of the responses of 30 families to…

Career Pathways of Athletic Directors: Consideration of the Impact of Diversity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armstrong, Lenora E.

2011-01-01

This study explored career pathways for becoming an athletic director (AD) at National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Divisions I, II, and, III member institutions with consideration of gender and race/ethnicity. The study employed an exploratory, descriptive research design using a quantitative electronic survey tapping a census of all…

Students' Reactions to Manual-Based Treatments for Substance Abuse: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simons, Lori; Jacobucci, Raymond; Houston, Hank

2006-01-01

A quasi-experimental research design with quantitative and qualitative methodologies was conducted to explore reactions of 21 students to treatment manuals for substance abuse. Students were randomized to experimental (n = 11) and attention-control (n = 10) groups involving exposure to one of two manual-based therapy interventions. Quantitative…

13_2_30: Experiences, Perceptions and Expectations of Retail Employment for Generation Y

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Broadbridge, Adelina M.; Maxwell, Gillian A.; Ogden, Susan M.

2007-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine Generation Y, potential graduate entrants to UK retailing, in respect of their job experiences, career perceptions and initial employment expectations. Design/methodology/approach: Utilising qualitative research methods, an exploratory study was undertaken with 33 students (all of whom fell into the…

Stakeholder Engagement in Sustainability Reporting in Higher Education: An Analysis of Key Internal Stakeholders' Expectations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferrero-Ferrero, Idoya; Fernández-Izquierdo, María Ángeles; Muñoz-Torres, María Jesús; Bellés-Colomer, Lucía

2018-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to improve the understanding of stakeholder engagement in the context of sustainability reporting (SR) for higher education institutions (HEIs), together with the materiality principle and stakeholder expectations. Design/methodology/approach: This research uses an exploratory approach based on content…

Making the Invisible Visible: Personas and Mental Models of Distance Education Library Users

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Cynthia; Contrino, Jacline

2016-01-01

Gaps between users' and designers' mental models of digital libraries often result in adverse user experiences. This article details an exploratory user research study at a large, predominantly online university serving non-traditional distance education students with the goal of understanding these gaps. Using qualitative data, librarians created…

Design, Customization and Implementation of Energy Simulation with 5E Model in Elementary Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lye, Sze Yee; Wee, Loo Kang; Kwek, Yao Chie; Abas, Suriati; Tay, Lee Yong

2014-01-01

Science simulations are popular among educators as such simulations afford for multiple visual representation and interactivity. Despite the popularity and abundance on the internet, our literature review suggested little research has been conducted on the use of simulation in elementary school. Thus, an exploratory pilot case study was conducted…

Estimating a Meaningful Point of Change: A Comparison of Exploratory Techniques Based on Nonparametric Regression

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klotsche, Jens; Gloster, Andrew T.

2012-01-01

Longitudinal studies are increasingly common in psychological research. Characterized by repeated measurements, longitudinal designs aim to observe phenomena that change over time. One important question involves identification of the exact point in time when the observed phenomena begin to meaningfully change above and beyond baseline…

Exploring the Structure of Adaptive Behavior: Project Report Number 87-1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bruininks, Robert H.; McGrew, Kevin

This report presents results from three research studies that were designed to explore both the definition and the structure of the adaptive behavior construct. The first study investigated the structure of adaptive behavior as a function of age, developmental level, and type of handicap through an exploratory factor analysis of both the…

AN APPLICATION OF REINFORCEMENT PRINCIPLES TO CLASSROOM TEACHING.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

PORTER, DOUGLAS

THIS RESEARCH CONSIDERED THE TEACHING OF SPELLING AS A PHENOMENON MORE OR LESS ISOLATED FROM THE OTHER AREAS OF LANGUAGE ARTS INSTRUCTION THAT PROBABLY CONTRIBUTE TO SPELLING PERFORMANCE. THE MAJOR OBJECTIVES WERE--(1) TO DESIGN, CONSTRUCT, AND TEST MECHANICAL DEVICES FOR THE TEACHING OF SPELLING, AND (2) TO CARRY OUT AN EXPLORATORY INVESTIGATION…

Toward Strategic Human Resource Management in the Central Office

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mosley Linhardt, Heather LeAnn

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify and explore how human resources are managed, what human resource management can look like, and what organizational issues, tensions, and ambiguities are likely to surface as a district central office moves toward being more strategic with their human resources. The research design was an exploratory case…

Student and Instructor Responses to Emotional Motivational Feedback Messages in an Online Instructional Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sarsar, Firat

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of Emotional Motivational Feedback Message (EMFEM) in an online learning environment. This exploratory research was conducted using mixed method single case study design. Participants were 15 undergraduate students enrolled in an instructional technology course in a large state…

Application Development Methodology Appropriateness: An Exploratory Case Study Bridging the Gap between Framework Characteristics and Selection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Lawrence H., Jr.

2013-01-01

This qualitative study analyzed experiences of twenty software developers. The research showed that all software development methodologies are distinct from each other. While some, such as waterfall, focus on traditional, plan-driven approaches that allow software requirements and design to evolve; others facilitate ambiguity and uncertainty by…

Women in Literacy Speak. The Power of Woman-Positive Literacy Work.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lloyd, Betty-Ann, Ed.; And Others

This book contains 15 chapters that were written by women from 12 Canadian adult literacy and basic education programs who participated in an exploratory research project designed to document the process and results of woman-positive literacy work. The following sections are included: "Exploring the Concept of Woman-Positive within…

The Emergence of Inclusive Exploratory Talk in Primary Students' Peer Interaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rajala, Antti; Hilppo, Jaakko; Lipponen, Lasse

2012-01-01

In this study, we examine a prominent type of classroom talk, exploratory talk, in primary school peer interactions. Exploratory talk has been shown to be productive in facilitating problem solving and fostering school achievement. However, within the growing body of research concerning exploratory talk, the relation between exploratory talk and…

Instructional Design, Facilitation, and Perceived Learning Outcomes: An Exploratory Case Study of a Human Trafficking MOOC for Attitudinal Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watson, Sunnie Lee; Loizzo, Jamie; Watson, William R.; Mueller, Chad; Lim, Jieun; Ertmer, Peggy A.

2016-01-01

This exploratory case study describes the design and facilitation of a massive open online course (MOOC) for attitudinal change regarding human trafficking. It examines the course from the learners', instructor's, and instructional designer's perspectives. Two interviews with the instructor and instructional designer were conducted, and data from…

Unmanned Multiple Exploratory Probe System (MEPS) for Mars observation. Volume 1: Trade analysis and design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, Daniel E.; Crumbly, Christopher M.; Delp, Steve E.; Guidry, Michelle A.; Lisano, Michael E.; Packard, James D.; Striepe, Scott A.

1988-01-01

This report presents the unmanned Multiple Exploratory Probe Systems (MEPS), a space vehicle designed to observe the planet Mars in preparation for manned missions. The options considered for each major element are presented as a trade analysis, and the final vehicle design is defined.

How and Why Do IT Entrepreneurs Leave Their Salaried Employment to Start a SME? A Mixed Methods Research Design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mourmant, Gaëtan

This method paper addresses an untapped but important type of IT turnover: IT entrepreneurship. We seek to develop a mixed methods research (MMR) design to understand the factors and processes that influence turnover behavior of prospective (nascent) IT entrepreneurs. To do this, we review two prior streams of research: the entrepreneurship literature and IT employee turnover. We incorporate the results of this literature review into a conceptual framework describing how the relevant factors leading to entrepreneurial and turnover behavior change over time, either gradually or suddenly, in response to specific events. In addition, we also contribute to the research by arguing that mixed methods research (MMR) is appropriate to bridge the gap between entrepreneurial literature and the IT turnover literature. A third important contribution is the design of the MMR, combining a longitudinal approach with a retrospective approach; a qualitative with a quantitative approach and, the exploratory design with the triangulation design [1]. Finally, we discuss practical implications for IT managers and IT entrepreneurs.

The Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA): A Guide to a Good Qualitative Research Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alase, Abayomi

2017-01-01

As a research methodology, qualitative research method infuses an added advantage to the exploratory capability that researchers need to explore and investigate their research studies. Qualitative methodology allows researchers to advance and apply their interpersonal and subjectivity skills to their research exploratory processes. However, in a…

"Yes, I Feel Stronger with More Confidence and Strength:" Examining the Experiences of Immigrant Latina Women (ILW) Participating in the Si, Yo Puedo Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marrs Fuchsel, Catherine L.

2014-01-01

In 2011-2013, a qualitative exploratory study was conducted to examine the experiences of 36 immigrant Latina women who participated in a culturally specific 11-week curriculum--Sí Yo Puedo--in a psycho-educational group format. Using action research as a research design, four groups were conducted over a 2-year period at a community health clinic…

From a CV to an ePortfolio: An Exploration of Adult Learner's Perception of the ePortfolio as a Jobseeking Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kilroy, John

2017-01-01

ePortfolios are emerging as an alternative to the paper based CV in the employment recruitment process. This paper reports on the findings of research project that was designed to explore the perceptions of adult jobseekers on the use of an ePortfolio as a jobseeking tool. The research project utilised a qualitative exploratory case study to…

ECUT: Energy Conversion and Utilization Technologies program. Biocatalysis project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

The Biocatalysis Project is a mission-oriented, applied research and exploratory development activity directed toward resolution of the major generic technical barriers that impede the development of biologically catalyzed commercial chemical production. The approach toward achieving project objectives involves an integrated participation of Universities, Industrial Companies and Government Research Laboratories. The Project's technical activities were organized into three work elements: molecular modeling and applied genetics; bioprocess engineering; and bioprocess design and assessment.

Application of the Delphi technique in healthcare maintenance.

PubMed

Njuangang, Stanley; Liyanage, Champika; Akintoye, Akintola

2017-10-09

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the research design, issues and considerations in the application of the Delphi technique to identify, refine and rate the critical success factors and performance measures in maintenance-associated infections. Design/methodology/approach In-depth literature review through the application of open and axial coding were applied to formulate the interview and research questions. These were used to conduct an exploratory case study of two healthcare maintenance managers, randomly selected from two National Health Service Foundation Trusts in England. The results of exploratory case study provided the rationale for the application of the Delphi technique in this research. The different processes in the application of the Delphi technique in healthcare research are examined thoroughly. Findings This research demonstrates the need to apply and integrate different research methods to enhance the validity of the Delphi technique. The rationale for the application of the Delphi technique in this research is because some healthcare maintenance managers lack knowledge about basic infection control (IC) principles to make hospitals safe for patient care. The result of first round of the Delphi exercise is a useful contribution in its own rights. It identified a number of salient issues and differences in the opinions of the Delphi participants, noticeably between healthcare maintenance managers and members of the infection control team. It also resulted in useful suggestions and comments to improve the quality and presentation of the second- and third-round Delphi instruments. Practical implications This research provides a research methodology that can be adopted by researchers investigating new and emerging issues in the healthcare sector. As this research demonstrates, the Delphi technique is relevant in soliciting expert knowledge and opinion to identify performance measures to control maintenance-associated infections in hospitals. The methodology provided here could be applied by other researchers elsewhere to probe, investigate and generate rich information about new and emerging healthcare research topics. Originality/value The authors demonstrate how different research methods can be integrated to enhance the validity of the Delphi technique. For example, the results of an exploratory case study provided the rationale for the application of the Delphi technique investigating the key performance measures in maintenance-associated infections. The different processes involved in the application of the Delphi technique are also carefully explored and discussed in depth.

Exploratory Advanced Research Program

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-08-20

The Exploratory Advanced Research Program strives to develop partnerships with the public and private sectors because the very nature of EAR is to apply ideas across traditional fields of research and stimulate new approaches to problem solving. Thro...

Independent Research and Independent Exploratory Development FY 1985

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-01-01

whs’tkxwK 3nk ’ --’ ." -•ftFiu... imcnft fli m le- Apanl these individua complete * hic tm rmthstst h frttw tpsi hesltin ndte the correct answer (33%) were...describe itself, graphically indicating a Maintenance System ( TMS ), which design relationship, or examining a maintains a set of assumptions within an...critique comment by visually marking environment. At this point, how to utilize the elements involved, a TMS within Designer has not been clearly , defined

A Survey on Conflict Resolution Mechanisms in Public Secondary Schools: A Case of Nairobi Province, Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramani, Ken; Zhimin, Liu

2010-01-01

The broad objective of the study was to determine various mechanisms applied in resolving conflicts within public secondary schools in Nairobi province. This study used descriptive and exploratory research design. A sample comprising of principals, representatives of Boards of Governors (BoG's), class teachers, students and education officers was…

Virtual Worlds as the Next Asset of Virtual Learning Environments for Students in Business?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pelet, Jean-Eric; Lecat, Benoît

2012-01-01

The authors' research examines the effectiveness of a web-based virtual learning environment (VLE) in the context of management studies. This article provides two main contributions. First, an exploratory study introduces and describes the concept of VLE applied to the training of seven students in an "interactivity design" (IS) course.…

The Importance of Language in Students' Reasoning about Heat in Thermodynamic Processes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brookes, David T.; Etkina, Eugenia

2015-01-01

Researchers believe that the way that students talk, specifically the language that they use, can offer a window into their reasoning processes. Yet the connection between what students are saying and what they are actually thinking can be ambiguous. We present the results of an exploratory interview study with 10 participants, designed to…

Novice, Urban, High School, Special Education Teachers' Reports Regarding Initiating Instructional Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maule, Jay

2017-01-01

The purpose of this exploratory research study was to investigate novice, urban, high school, special education teachers' reports of how they initiate instructional change in an inclusive environment and the instructional change situations they feel ill-equipped to address. This qualitative study was designed to fill a gap in the literature by…

The Effects of Impetuous, Exploratory, and Overall Indecisiveness on Self-Esteem among Turkish University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sari, Enver

2007-01-01

This research was conducted in order to determine the relationships between levels of indecisiveness and their self-esteem among Turkish university students. The study was designed and implemented in 2006 with 320 voluntary university students of whom 170 were females and 150 males in Giresun, Turkey. The Personal Indecisiveness Scale (PIS;…

New York City's Children First Networks: Turning Accountability on Its Head

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wohlstetter, Priscilla; Smith, Joanna; Gallagher, Andrew

2013-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to report findings from an exploratory study of New York's Children First Networks (CFNs); to examine what is known about the CFNs thus far, drawing on new empirical research, as well as document review and analysis of secondary sources. Design/methodology/approach: Organizational learning theory guided this…

How Do Management Students Perceive the Quality of Education in Public Institutions?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Narang, Ritu

2012-01-01

Purpose: Keeping in mind the urgent need to deliver quality education in higher education institutes, the current paper seeks to measure the quality perception of management students in India. Design/methodology/approach: Based on an exploratory study a modified version of SERVQUAL was employed as the research instrument. Data were collected from…

The Bologna Process in Higher Education: An Exploratory Case Study in a Russian Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Esyutina, Maria; Fearon, Colm; Leatherbarrow, Nicky

2013-01-01

Purpose: The aim of the current article is to discuss the role of the Bologna process in enabling quality of educational change, internationalisation and greater mobility using an example case study of a Russian university. Some discussion is provided to offer insights and inform future research and practice. Design/methodology/approach: The…

Factors Affecting Teachers' Motivation: An HRM Challenge for Public Sector Higher Educational Institutions of Pakistan (HEIs)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rasheed, Muhammad Imran; Humayon, Asad Afzal; Awan, Usama; Ahmed, Affan ud Din

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore/investigate various issues of teachers ' motivation in public sector Higher Educational Institutions of Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach: This is an exploratory research where surveys have been conducted in the well known public sector Universities of Pakistan; primary data have been collected…

An Exploratory Comparison of Traditional Classroom Instruction and Anchored Instruction with Secondary School Students: Turkish Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elcin, Melih; Sezer, Baris

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of anchored instruction on the students in secondary school math studies classrooms. This study adopted a quasi-experimental design. This research involved both quantitative and qualitative methods to investigate the effects of anchored instruction on students' academical achievement,…

Online K-12 Charter School Administrators' Perceptions of Newly Hired Teachers' Transferal Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharp, Julin

2017-01-01

When hired to teach courses online, traditionally trained teachers may struggle to transition from non-online instructional delivery skills to research-based best practice strategies designed for the online classroom. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to examine how online K-12 charter school administrators perceived the…

An Exploratory Study Examining the Feasibility of Using Bayesian Networks to Predict Circuit Analysis Understanding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chung, Gregory K. W. K.; Dionne, Gary B.; Kaiser, William J.

2006-01-01

Our research question was whether we could develop a feasible technique, using Bayesian networks, to diagnose gaps in student knowledge. Thirty-four college-age participants completed tasks designed to measure conceptual knowledge, procedural knowledge, and problem-solving skills related to circuit analysis. A Bayesian network was used to model…

What Really Makes Students like a Web Site? What Are the Implications for Designing Web-Based Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hughes, Jane; McAvinia, Claire; King, Terry

2004-01-01

Faced with reduced numbers choosing to study foreign languages (as in England and Wales), strategies to create and maintain student interest need to be explored. One such strategy is to create "taster" courses in languages, for potential university applicants. The findings presented arise from exploratory research, undertaken to inform…

Teaching Effectiveness in Private Higher Education Institutions in Botswana: Analysis of Students' Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baliyan, Som Pal; Moorad, Fazlur Rehman

2018-01-01

This quantitative study analyzed the perceptions of students on teaching effectiveness in private higher education institutions in Botswana. An exploratory and descriptive survey research design was adopted in this study. A valid and reliable questionnaire was used to collect data through a survey of 560 stratified randomly sampled students in…

Taiwanese Families' Perspectives on Learning Disabilities: An Exploratory Study in Three Middle Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chu, Szu-Yin; Lo, Yu-Ling Sabrina

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate families' perspectives on learning disabilities (LD) in Taiwan. A researcher-designed survey was sent out to families of children with or without LD from three middle schools. Data from 153 participants were gathered and analysed. The survey consisted of four sections, namely demographic information,…

Designing and Facilitating a Virtual Homework Community for Third Grade Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bradley, Julie

2013-01-01

The purpose of this exploratory mixed methods research study was to understand how the establishment of an online Community of Practice approach supports the completion of homework for third grade students in an urban school. The study focused on issues of my facilitation and development of such an online community as well as the impacts on…

Economic Development and Maryland Community Colleges: An Identification and Comparison of Stakeholders' Perception

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Carolyn S.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this exploratory survey research was to replicate a study designed to examine the perception of community college administrators and local stakeholders regarding the economic development strategies, but applied to Maryland community colleges. A Web-based survey was directed to community college leaders (32) and local leaders (100).…

Students' Perspectives on Term-Time Employment: An Exploratory Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robotham, David

2013-01-01

The number of full-time students engaging in part-time employment during their studies at university continues to rise, both in the UK and in other countries. The majority of previous studies in this area have adopted a quantitative research design, using a survey. Findings from such studies have tended to focus on demonstrating what students are…

Exploiting the Potential of CD-ROM Databases: Staff Induction at the University of East Anglia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guillot, Marie-Noelle; Kenning, Marie-Madeleine

1995-01-01

Overviews a project exploring the possibility of using CD-ROM applications and the design of exploratory didactic materials to introduce academic staff to the field of computer-assisted instruction. The project heightened the staff's awareness of electronic resources and their potential as research, teaching, and learning aids, with particular…

Design of Teacher Assistance Tools in an Exploratory Learning Environment for Algebraic Generalization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gutierrez-Santos, S.; Geraniou, E.; Pearce-Lazard, D.; Poulovassilis, A.

2012-01-01

The MiGen project is designing and developing an intelligent exploratory environment to support 11-14-year-old students in their learning of algebraic generalization. Deployed within the classroom, the system also provides tools to assist teachers in monitoring students' activities and progress. This paper describes the design of these Teacher…

Exploratory research for the development of a computer aided software design environment with the software technology program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hardwick, Charles

1991-01-01

Field studies were conducted by MCC to determine areas of research of mutual interest to MCC and JSC. NASA personnel from the Information Systems Directorate and research faculty from UHCL/RICIS visited MCC in Austin, Texas to examine tools and applications under development in the MCC Software Technology Program. MCC personnel presented workshops in hypermedia, design knowledge capture, and design recovery on site at JSC for ISD personnel. The following programs were installed on workstations in the Software Technology Lab, NASA/JSC: (1) GERM (Graphic Entity Relations Modeler); (2) gIBIS (Graphic Issues Based Information System); and (3) DESIRE (Design Recovery tool). These applications were made available to NASA for inspection and evaluation. Programs developed in the MCC Software Technology Program run on the SUN workstation. The programs do not require special configuration, but they will require larger than usual amounts of disk space and RAM to operate properly.

TLNS3D/CDISC Multipoint Design of the TCA Concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Campbell, Richard L.; Mann, Michael J.

1999-01-01

This paper presents the work done to date by the authors on developing an efficient approach to multipoint design and applying it to the design of the HSR TCA (High Speed Research Technology Concept Aircraft) configuration. While the title indicates that this exploratory study has been performed using the TLNS3DMB flow solver and the CDISC (Constrained Direct Iterative Surface Curvature) design method, the CDISC method could have been used with any flow solver, and the multipoint design approach does not require the use of CDISC. The goal of the study was to develop a multipoint design method that could achieve a design in about the same time as 10 analysis runs.

Design for Deconstruction (DfD): Critical success factors for diverting end-of-life waste from landfills.

PubMed

Akinade, Olugbenga O; Oyedele, Lukumon O; Ajayi, Saheed O; Bilal, Muhammad; Alaka, Hafiz A; Owolabi, Hakeem A; Bello, Sururah A; Jaiyeoba, Babatunde E; Kadiri, Kabir O

2017-02-01

The aim of this paper is to identify Critical Success Factors (CSF) needed for effective material recovery through Design for Deconstruction (DfD). The research approach employed in this paper is based on a sequential exploratory mixed method strategy. After a thorough review of literature and conducting four Focus Group Discussion (FGDs), 43 DfD factors were identified and put together in a questionnaire survey. Data analyses include Cronbach's alpha reliability analysis, mean testing using significance index, and exploratory factor analysis. The result of the factor analysis reveals that an underlying factor structure of five DfD factors groups that include 'stringent legislation and policy', 'deconstruction design process and competencies', 'design for material recovery', 'design for material reuse', and 'design for building flexibility'. These groups of DfD factor groups show that the requirements for DfD goes beyond technical competencies and that non-technical factors such as stringent legislation and policy and design process and competency for deconstruction are key in designing deconstructable buildings. Paying attention to the factors identified in all of these categories will help to tackle impediments that could hinder the effectiveness of DfD. The results of this study would help design and project managers to understand areas of possible improvement in employing DfD as a strategy for diverting waste from landfills. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Review of CEFA Software: Comprehensive Exploratory Factor Analysis Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Soon-Mook

2010-01-01

CEFA 3.02(Browne, Cudeck, Tateneni, & Mels, 2008) is a factor analysis computer program designed to perform exploratory factor analysis. It provides the main properties that are needed for exploratory factor analysis, namely a variety of factoring methods employing eight different discrepancy functions to be minimized to yield initial…

Empowered to Play: A Case Study Describing the Impact of Powered Mobility on the Exploratory Play of Disabled Children.

PubMed

Sonday, Amshuda; Gretschel, Pam

2016-03-01

Exploratory play is one of the most vital ways in which children learn about their environment and develop. It is well documented that limited mobility restricts a child's ability to engage in their environment through exploratory play. In this study, a qualitative, collective case study design explored the impact of powered mobility on the exploratory play of two children with physical disabilities. Data were collected from the children, their parents and their siblings through participant observation and in-depth, informal interviews. This paper focuses on two themes: Opportunity to Play revealed how powered mobility increased opportunities for the children to become more actively engaged in exploratory play with others across a wider array of contexts, and My Child was Transformed highlighted significant changes in the affect and motivation of each child, which seemed to be linked to their increased internal control over their play choices. The findings suggest that the provision of powered mobility is a key contributor promoting the participation of physically disabled children in exploratory play. Because of undergraduate curricular constraints, a limitation of this study was that data were only confined to 2 months; affecting the depth of data gained that prolonged engagement would have offered. The study recommends for occupational therapy practice that occupational therapists advocate for easier access to powered mobility through governmental and policy means. The study also recommends further research be conducted on the experiences of the caregivers on how these powered mobility devices have influenced their day-to-day occupations. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Independent Research (IR) and Independent Exploratory Development (IED)

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-08-01

in the Workplace . Independent research/independent exploratory development, IR/IED...Exclusion Rate differences Over a Cut Score Domain, An Examination of Cognitive and Motivational Effects of Employee Interventions, and Cultural Diversity

Learning from the Failures of Others: The Effects of Post-Exit Knowledge Spillovers on Recipient Firms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amankwah-Amoah, Joseph

2011-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of post-exit knowledge diffusion created by departed firms on recipient firms. Design/methodology/approach: This is an inductive and exploratory study which tries to understand questions of how and why. The research used a qualitative interview methodology and data analysis using within…

Exploring the Profiles and Interplays of Pre-Service and In-Service Teachers' Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dong, Yan; Chai, Ching Sing; Sang, Guo-Yuan; Koh, Joyce Hwee Ling; Tsai, Chin-Chung

2015-01-01

This research surveyed three hundred and ninety pre-service and three hundred and ninety four in-service teachers with regards to the seven factors of technological pedagogical content knowledge, their beliefs about constructivist oriented teaching (CB) and design disposition (DD). Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses showed that the…

An Exploratory Study of the Diagnostic Teaching of Heuristic Problem Solving Strategies in Calculus.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lucas, John Frank

The aims of the study were to explore the effects of teaching heuristics in a calculus course and to generate hypotheses about related changes in heuristic usage and problem solving performance. Thirty college students in two classes participated and a Solomon four-group research design was used. Students from one group in each class were…

An Exploratory Study of the Perspectives of K-12 Latina School Administrators in One California Region

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodriguez, Helen

2017-01-01

This dissertation utilized a qualitative research design to explore the perceptions of Latina K-12 educational leaders in a southern geographic region within California. Current trends among K-12 public schools in California reflect a disproportionate ratio of Latino(a) students to Latino(a) school administrators. This disparity creates a need for…

Configurations of Instructional Leadership Enactments that Promote the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics in a New Zealand Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Higgins, Joanna; Bonne, Linda

2011-01-01

Purpose: This article examines how and why four leadership functions are enacted in an elementary school, with a focus on hierarchical and "heterarchical" configurations of leadership. Research Design: The data were collected using an exploratory 2-year case study approach, and the data set comprises one-on-one interviews and relevant school…

Technological Change and the Material Conditions of the Literate Practice of Medicine.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dutcher, Violet A.

A study, to support the need for exploratory research, was designed to elicit a description of the medical chart located in its setting--the chart was looked "through" as a tool (as a means to an end to effect particular medical goals) and looked "at" itself as technology. This could provide a way to understand the relationship…

Identifying the Local Impacts of National ATE Centers on Their Host Institutions: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henderson, Charles; Fynewever, Herb; Petcovic, Heather; Bierema, Andrea

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study is to identify the local impacts of national advanced technological education (ATE) centers on their host institutions. A sample of three mature, national ATE centers are chosen, with each center serving as a case for a mixed-methods, collective case study research design. Results, drawn from interviews and surveys,…

A Qualitative Case Study of the Bilingual Teacher Shortage in One Texas School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kennedy, Barbara H.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine how stakeholders in one Texas school district perceive, experience, and respond to the Spanish bilingual teacher shortage. The research design was qualitative with an exploratory, single case study approach. The case study school district was a mid-sized suburban district in Texas that utilized a dual…

Increasing Left and Right Brain Communication to Improve Learning for Tenth Grade Students in a Public School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, Jennifer J.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this exploratory correlation research study was to determine if students who engaged in exercises designed to increase left and right brain hemisphere connections would score higher on identical tests than those who did not perform the exercises. Because the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act requires students to reach benchmarks of…

Impacts of a Discussion-Based Academic Language Program on Classroom Interactions in 4th through 7th Grades

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LaRusso, Maria; Jones, Stephanie M.; Kim, Ha Yeon; Kim, James; Donovan, Suzanne; Snow, Catherine

2016-01-01

This paper presents an exploratory analysis of treatment-control differences in the quality of classroom interactions in 4th through 7th grade urban classrooms. Word Generation (WG) is a research-based academic language program for middle school students designed to teach novel vocabulary and literacy through language arts, math, science, and…

Exploring Fashion Design.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arata, Barbara

The purpose of the curriculum guide is to introduce the exploratory student to the fundamental skills and knowledge necessary for employment in the garment industry, from factory to design room. It was developed for a six or seven-week exploratory program for ninth or tenth grade students. The manual provides an introduction to the different areas…

PAPST, a User Friendly and Powerful Java Platform for ChIP-Seq Peak Co-Localization Analysis and Beyond.

PubMed

Bible, Paul W; Kanno, Yuka; Wei, Lai; Brooks, Stephen R; O'Shea, John J; Morasso, Maria I; Loganantharaj, Rasiah; Sun, Hong-Wei

2015-01-01

Comparative co-localization analysis of transcription factors (TFs) and epigenetic marks (EMs) in specific biological contexts is one of the most critical areas of ChIP-Seq data analysis beyond peak calling. Yet there is a significant lack of user-friendly and powerful tools geared towards co-localization analysis based exploratory research. Most tools currently used for co-localization analysis are command line only and require extensive installation procedures and Linux expertise. Online tools partially address the usability issues of command line tools, but slow response times and few customization features make them unsuitable for rapid data-driven interactive exploratory research. We have developed PAPST: Peak Assignment and Profile Search Tool, a user-friendly yet powerful platform with a unique design, which integrates both gene-centric and peak-centric co-localization analysis into a single package. Most of PAPST's functions can be completed in less than five seconds, allowing quick cycles of data-driven hypothesis generation and testing. With PAPST, a researcher with or without computational expertise can perform sophisticated co-localization pattern analysis of multiple TFs and EMs, either against all known genes or a set of genomic regions obtained from public repositories or prior analysis. PAPST is a versatile, efficient, and customizable tool for genome-wide data-driven exploratory research. Creatively used, PAPST can be quickly applied to any genomic data analysis that involves a comparison of two or more sets of genomic coordinate intervals, making it a powerful tool for a wide range of exploratory genomic research. We first present PAPST's general purpose features then apply it to several public ChIP-Seq data sets to demonstrate its rapid execution and potential for cutting-edge research with a case study in enhancer analysis. To our knowledge, PAPST is the first software of its kind to provide efficient and sophisticated post peak-calling ChIP-Seq data analysis as an easy-to-use interactive application. PAPST is available at https://github.com/paulbible/papst and is a public domain work.

PAPST, a User Friendly and Powerful Java Platform for ChIP-Seq Peak Co-Localization Analysis and Beyond

PubMed Central

Bible, Paul W.; Kanno, Yuka; Wei, Lai; Brooks, Stephen R.; O’Shea, John J.; Morasso, Maria I.; Loganantharaj, Rasiah; Sun, Hong-Wei

2015-01-01

Comparative co-localization analysis of transcription factors (TFs) and epigenetic marks (EMs) in specific biological contexts is one of the most critical areas of ChIP-Seq data analysis beyond peak calling. Yet there is a significant lack of user-friendly and powerful tools geared towards co-localization analysis based exploratory research. Most tools currently used for co-localization analysis are command line only and require extensive installation procedures and Linux expertise. Online tools partially address the usability issues of command line tools, but slow response times and few customization features make them unsuitable for rapid data-driven interactive exploratory research. We have developed PAPST: Peak Assignment and Profile Search Tool, a user-friendly yet powerful platform with a unique design, which integrates both gene-centric and peak-centric co-localization analysis into a single package. Most of PAPST’s functions can be completed in less than five seconds, allowing quick cycles of data-driven hypothesis generation and testing. With PAPST, a researcher with or without computational expertise can perform sophisticated co-localization pattern analysis of multiple TFs and EMs, either against all known genes or a set of genomic regions obtained from public repositories or prior analysis. PAPST is a versatile, efficient, and customizable tool for genome-wide data-driven exploratory research. Creatively used, PAPST can be quickly applied to any genomic data analysis that involves a comparison of two or more sets of genomic coordinate intervals, making it a powerful tool for a wide range of exploratory genomic research. We first present PAPST’s general purpose features then apply it to several public ChIP-Seq data sets to demonstrate its rapid execution and potential for cutting-edge research with a case study in enhancer analysis. To our knowledge, PAPST is the first software of its kind to provide efficient and sophisticated post peak-calling ChIP-Seq data analysis as an easy-to-use interactive application. PAPST is available at https://github.com/paulbible/papst and is a public domain work. PMID:25970601

Modeling and evaluating user behavior in exploratory visual analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Reda, Khairi; Johnson, Andrew E.; Papka, Michael E.

Empirical evaluation methods for visualizations have traditionally focused on assessing the outcome of the visual analytic process as opposed to characterizing how that process unfolds. There are only a handful of methods that can be used to systematically study how people use visualizations, making it difficult for researchers to capture and characterize the subtlety of cognitive and interaction behaviors users exhibit during visual analysis. To validate and improve visualization design, however, it is important for researchers to be able to assess and understand how users interact with visualization systems under realistic scenarios. This paper presents a methodology for modeling andmore » evaluating the behavior of users in exploratory visual analysis. We model visual exploration using a Markov chain process comprising transitions between mental, interaction, and computational states. These states and the transitions between them can be deduced from a variety of sources, including verbal transcripts, videos and audio recordings, and log files. This model enables the evaluator to characterize the cognitive and computational processes that are essential to insight acquisition in exploratory visual analysis, and reconstruct the dynamics of interaction between the user and the visualization system. We illustrate this model with two exemplar user studies, and demonstrate the qualitative and quantitative analytical tools it affords.« less

Nurse adoption of continuous patient monitoring on acute post-surgical units: managing technology implementation.

PubMed

Jeskey, Mary; Card, Elizabeth; Nelson, Donna; Mercaldo, Nathaniel D; Sanders, Neal; Higgins, Michael S; Shi, Yaping; Michaels, Damon; Miller, Anne

2011-10-01

To report an exploratory action-research process used during the implementation of continuous patient monitoring in acute post-surgical nursing units. Substantial US Federal funding has been committed to implementing new health care technology, but failure to manage implementation processes may limit successful adoption and the realisation of proposed benefits. Effective approaches for managing barriers to new technology implementation are needed. Continuous patient monitoring was implemented in three of 13 medical/surgical units. An exploratory action-feedback approach, using time-series nurse surveys, was used to identify barriers and develop and evaluate responses. Post-hoc interviews and document analysis were used to describe the change implementation process. Significant differences were identified in night- and dayshift nurses' perceptions of technology benefits. Research nurses' facilitated the change process by evolving 'clinical nurse implementation specialist' expertise. Health information technology (HIT)-related patient outcomes are mediated through nurses' acting on new information but HIT designed for critical care may not transfer to acute care settings. Exploratory action-feedback approaches can assist nurse managers in assessing and mitigating the real-world effects of HIT implementations. It is strongly recommended that nurse managers identify stakeholders and develop comprehensive plans for monitoring the effects of HIT in their units. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

An Exploratory Study of Sustainable Development at Italian Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vagnoni, Emidia; Cavicchi, Caterina

2015-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to outline the current status of the implementation of sustainability practices in the context of Italian public universities, highlighting the strengths and gaps. Design/methodology/approach: Based on a qualitative approach, an exploratory study design has been outlined using the model of Glavic and Lukman (2007) focusing…

An exploratory sequential design to validate measures of moral emotions.

PubMed

Márquez, Margarita G; Delgado, Ana R

2017-05-01

This paper presents an exploratory and sequential mixed methods approach in validating measures of knowledge of the moral emotions of contempt, anger and disgust. The sample comprised 60 participants in the qualitative phase when a measurement instrument was designed. Item stems, response options and correction keys were planned following the results obtained in a descriptive phenomenological analysis of the interviews. In the quantitative phase, the scale was used with a sample of 102 Spanish participants, and the results were analysed with the Rasch model. In the qualitative phase, salient themes included reasons, objects and action tendencies. In the quantitative phase, good psychometric properties were obtained. The model fit was adequate. However, some changes had to be made to the scale in order to improve the proportion of variance explained. Substantive and methodological im-plications of this mixed-methods study are discussed. Had the study used a single re-search method in isolation, aspects of the global understanding of contempt, anger and disgust would have been lost.

Exploratory Calibration of Adjustable-Protrusion Surface-Obstacle (APSO) Skin Friction Vector Gage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hakkinen, Raimo J.; Neubauer, Jeremy S.; Hamory, Philip J.; Bui, Trong T.; Noffz, Gregory K.; Young, Ron (Technical Monitor)

2003-01-01

The design of an adjustable-protrusion surface-obstacle (APSO) skin friction vector gage is presented. Results from exploratory calibrations conducted in laminar and turbulent boundary layers at the Washington University Low-Speed Wind Tunnel and for turbulent boundary layers at speeds up to Mach 2 on the ceiling of the NASA Glenn Research Center 8- X 6-ft Supersonic Wind Tunnel are also discussed. The adjustable-height gage was designed to yield both the magnitude and direction of the surface shear stress vector and to measure the local static pressure distribution. Results from the NASA test show good correlation for subsonic and low supersonic conditions covering several orders of magnitude in terms of the adopted similarity variables. Recommendations for future work in this area consist of identifying the physical parameters responsible for the disagreement between the university and NASA data sets, developing a compressibility correction specific to the APSO geometry, and examining the effect that static pressure distribution and skewed boundary layers have on the results from the APSO.

The use and misuse of statistical methodologies in pharmacology research.

PubMed

Marino, Michael J

2014-01-01

Descriptive, exploratory, and inferential statistics are necessary components of hypothesis-driven biomedical research. Despite the ubiquitous need for these tools, the emphasis on statistical methods in pharmacology has become dominated by inferential methods often chosen more by the availability of user-friendly software than by any understanding of the data set or the critical assumptions of the statistical tests. Such frank misuse of statistical methodology and the quest to reach the mystical α<0.05 criteria has hampered research via the publication of incorrect analysis driven by rudimentary statistical training. Perhaps more critically, a poor understanding of statistical tools limits the conclusions that may be drawn from a study by divorcing the investigator from their own data. The net result is a decrease in quality and confidence in research findings, fueling recent controversies over the reproducibility of high profile findings and effects that appear to diminish over time. The recent development of "omics" approaches leading to the production of massive higher dimensional data sets has amplified these issues making it clear that new approaches are needed to appropriately and effectively mine this type of data. Unfortunately, statistical education in the field has not kept pace. This commentary provides a foundation for an intuitive understanding of statistics that fosters an exploratory approach and an appreciation for the assumptions of various statistical tests that hopefully will increase the correct use of statistics, the application of exploratory data analysis, and the use of statistical study design, with the goal of increasing reproducibility and confidence in the literature. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Nursing Doctorates in Brazil: research formation and theses production.

PubMed

Scochi, Carmen Gracinda Silvan; Gelbcke, Francine Lima; Ferreira, Márcia de Assunção; Lima, Maria Alice Dias da Silva; Padilha, Katia Grillo; Padovani, Nátali Artal; Munari, Denize Bouttelet

2015-01-01

to analyze the formation of nursing doctorates in Brazil, from theses production, disciplines and other strategies focusing on research offered by courses. a descriptive and analytical study of the performance of 18 doctoral courses in nursing, running from 1982 to 2010, and defended their theses between 2010-2012. 502 theses were defended in this period, most linked to the online research process of health and nursing care. There are gaps in the knowledge of theoretical and philosophical foundations of care, nursing history and ethics. There are also weaknesses in the methodological design of the theses, with a predominance of descriptive and/or exploratory studies. This was consistent with international standards set with regards to the proposition of research of disciplines and complementary strategies in forming the doctorate. despite the efforts and advances in research formation, it is essential to expand to more robust research designs with a greater impact on production knowledge that is incorporated into practice.

Exploratory Research and Development Fund, FY 1990

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1992-05-01

The Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory Exploratory R D Fund FY 1990 report is compiled from annual reports submitted by principal investigators following the close of the fiscal year. This report describes the projects supported and summarizes their accomplishments. It constitutes a part of an Exploratory R D Fund (ERF) planning and documentation process that includes an annual planning cycle, projection selection, implementation, and review. The research areas covered in this report are: Accelerator and fusion research; applied science; cell and molecular biology; chemical biodynamics; chemical sciences; earth sciences; engineering; information and computing sciences; materials sciences; nuclear science; physics and research medicinemore » and radiation biophysics.« less

Exploratory Research and Development of Microwave Filters in Silicon Technology

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-25

admittance Gout . The equivalent model for the active inductor with parasitic components is also shown in Fig. 9. The values of the equivalent model are...minimizing the output admittance Gout . 23 B. Transconductor Design ID1 ID2 VS Rcomp VDD VDD Vc VG-vin/2VG+vin/2 vin M5 M3 M4 M1 M2 Fig. 10

"At Risk of Harm"? An Exploratory Survey of School Counsellors in the UK, Their Perceptions of Confidentiality, Information Sharing and Risk Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jenkins, Peter; Palmer, Joanne

2012-01-01

The primary objective of this study was to explore perceptions of UK school counsellors of confidentiality and information sharing in therapeutic work with children and young people, using qualitative methods. The research design employed a two-stage process, using questionnaires and follow-up interviews, with a small, non-random sample of school…

Cycling and Health: An Exploratory Study of Views about Cycling in an Area of North Liverpool, UK

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cavill, Nick; Watkins, Francine

2007-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore views about cycling among members of identified community groups living near the Loop Line, a cycling and walking path in a deprived part of North Liverpool, UK. Design/methodology/approach: Following a literature review, qualitative focus group research was conducted among six groups of children,…

Development of Attitudes towards Mathematics Scale (ATMS) Using Nigerian Data - Factor Analysis as a Determinant of Attitude Subcategories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zakariya, Yusuf F.

2017-01-01

This study was aimed at the development of an instrument for measuring students' attitudes towards mathematics. A survey research design was adopted involving 510 students randomly selected. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was carried out to determine the number of factors to be retained in the ATMS. The adequacy of the sample was confirmed by…

An exploratory cluster randomised trial of a university halls of residence based social norms intervention in Wales, UK

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Excessive alcohol consumption amongst university students has received increasing attention. A social norms approach to reducing drinking behaviours has met with some success in the USA. Such an approach is based on the assumption that student's perceptions of the norms of their peers are highly influential, but that these perceptions are often incorrect. Social norms interventions therefore aim to correct these inaccurate perceptions, and in turn, to change behaviours. However, UK studies are scarce and it is increasingly recognised that social norm interventions need to be supported by socio ecological approaches that address the wider determinants of behaviour. Objectives To describe the research design for an exploratory trial examining the acceptability, hypothesised process of change and implementation of a social norm marketing campaign designed to correct misperceptions of normative alcohol use and reduce levels of misuse, implemented alongside a university wide alcohol harm reduction toolkit. It also assesses the feasibility of a potential large scale effectiveness trial by providing key trial design parameters including randomisation, recruitment and retention, contamination, data collection methods, outcome measures and intracluster correlations. Methods/design The study adopts an exploratory cluster randomised controlled trial design with halls of residence as the unit of allocation, and a nested mixed methods process evaluation. Four Welsh (UK) universities participated in the study, with residence hall managers consenting to implementation of the trial in 50 university owned campus based halls of residence. Consenting halls were randomised to either a phased multi channel social norm marketing campaign addressing normative discrepancies (n = 25 intervention) or normal practice (n = 25 control). The primary outcome is alcohol consumption (units per week) measured using the Daily Drinking Questionnaire. Secondary outcomes assess frequency of alcohol consumption, higher risk drinking, alcohol related problems and change in perceptions of alcohol-related descriptive and injunctive norms. Data will be collected for all 50 halls at 4 months follow up through a cross-sectional on line and postal survey of approximately 4000 first year students. The process evaluation will explore the acceptability and implementation of the social norms intervention and toolkit and hypothesised process of change including awareness, receptivity and normative changes. Discussion Exploratory trials such as this are essential to inform future definitive trials by providing crucial methodological parameters and guidance on designing and implementing optimum interventions. Trial registration number ISRCTN: ISRCTN48556384 PMID:22414293

Green money

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlowicz, Michael

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently requesting proposals for its first round of science research grants for 1997. The program is designed to promote interdisciplinary research in ecosystem indicators; exploratory research; complex exposures and human variability in risk assessment; endocrine disrupters; ambient air quality; health effects of particulate matter; and drinking water and contaminated sediments. Application dates vary by topic between January 15 and February 15, 1997. Further information about the grants program can be obtained on the EPA web page at http://www.epa.gov/ncerqa, or by calling the EPA grants and fellowship hotline at 1-800-490-9194.

An Exploratory Study of Universal Design for Teaching Chemistry to Students with and without Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King-Sears, Margaret E.; Johnson, Todd M.; Berkeley, Sheri; Weiss, Margaret P.; Peters-Burton, Erin E.; Evmenova, Anya S.; Menditto, Anna; Hursh, Jennifer C.

2015-01-01

In this exploratory study, students in four co-taught high school chemistry classes were randomly assigned to a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) treatment or a comparison condition. Each co-teaching team taught one comparison and treatment class. UDL principles were operationalized for treatment: (a) a self-management strategy (using a…

An exploratory study examining the influence of translation on the validity and reliability of qualitative data in nursing research.

PubMed

Twinn, S

1997-08-01

Although the complexity of undertaking qualitative research with non-English speaking informants has become increasingly recognized, few empirical studies exist which explore the influence of translation on the findings of the study. The aim of this exploratory study was therefore to examine the influence of translation on the reliability and validity of the findings of a qualitative research study. In-depth interviews were undertaken in Cantonese with a convenience sample of six women to explore their perceptions of factors influencing their uptake of Pap smears. Data analysis involved three stages. The first stage involved the translation and transcription of all the interviews into English independently by two translators as well as transcription into Chinese by a third researcher. The second stage involved content analysis of the three data sets to develop categories and themes and the third stage involved a comparison of the categories and themes generated from the Chinese and English data sets. Despite no significant differences in the major categories generated from the Chinese and English data, some minor differences were identified in the themes generated from the data. More significantly the results of the study demonstrated some important issues to consider when using translation in qualitative research, in particular the complexity of managing data when no equivalent word exists in the target language and the influence of the grammatical style on the analysis. In addition the findings raise questions about the significance of the conceptual framework of the research design and sampling to the validity of the study. The importance of using only one translator to maximize the reliability of the study was also demonstrated. In addition the author suggests the findings demonstrate particular problems in using translation in phenomenological research designs.

An Exploratory Analysis of Game Telemetry from a Pediatric mHealth Intervention.

PubMed

Padman, Rema; Gupta, Disha; Sri Prakash, Bhargav; Krishnan, Chelladurai; Panchatcharam, K

2017-01-01

Pediatric obesity is a growing epidemic, with unhealthy eating habits and poor physical activity being major contributors. While video and mobile games have been shown to have a positive impact on behavior change in children, the mechanisms underlying game play that impact outcomes of interest are poorly understood. This research aims to examine the impact of a novel mobile gaming app on the design of behavioral interventions by learning from the rich and unique game telemetry generated from a randomized controlled trial of the app use by school children. In this exploratory analysis, we extract a partial dataset to build and analyze chronological sequences of game plays to understand key patterns in the game mechanics that players utilize as they navigate the game, and possible implications of the results.

The birds, the bees, and the Bible: single African American mothers' perceptions of a faith-based sexuality educaton program.

PubMed

Cornelius, Judith Bacchus

2009-01-01

This exploratory study examined single mothers' ideas on the development of a faith-based sexuality program. Twenty African American single mothers with adolescent children (11 to 13 years of age) who were of the same faith and members of one church, participated in two focus groups about how a faith-based sexuality program could be designed and implemented. The findings call attention to the need for research on the design of faith-based sexuality education programs for ethnic minority families headed by single mothers.

What Do GCSE Examiners Think of "Thinking Aloud"? Findings from an Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greatorex, Jackie; Suto, Irenka W. M.

2008-01-01

Background: "Thinking aloud" is a well-established method of data collection in education, assessment, and other fields of research. However, while many researchers have reported their views on its usage, the first-hand experiences of research participants have received less attention. Purpose: The aim of this exploratory study was to…

An Exploratory Study of the Restorative Benefits of Hiking in Wilderness Solitude and Its Relationship to Job Satisfaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellison, Mark Andrew

2010-01-01

The purpose of this exploratory research was to examine the relationship between the restorative benefits of hiking in wilderness solitude (RBHWS) and job satisfaction. This research is a jumping off point, intended to guide future research on the RBHWS, and the practical utilization of this in human resource development. This research sought to…

Exploratory Research and Development Fund, FY 1990. Report on Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1992-05-01

The Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory Exploratory R&D Fund FY 1990 report is compiled from annual reports submitted by principal investigators following the close of the fiscal year. This report describes the projects supported and summarizes their accomplishments. It constitutes a part of an Exploratory R&D Fund (ERF) planning and documentation process that includes an annual planning cycle, projection selection, implementation, and review. The research areas covered in this report are: Accelerator and fusion research; applied science; cell and molecular biology; chemical biodynamics; chemical sciences; earth sciences; engineering; information and computing sciences; materials sciences; nuclear science; physics and research medicine and radiationmore » biophysics.« less

An Examination of Student Outcomes and Student Satisfaction in a Flipped Learning Environment: A Quasi-Experimental Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Angela M.

2016-01-01

Flipped learning has become a hot topic in education, in part because of the media portrayal of flipped learning in existing news stories. Although there has been a rise in popularity and implementation, there has been a lack of empirical research in the field of flipped learning. The purpose of this exploratory study was to address some of the…

FORAST Database: Forest Responses to Anthropogenic Stress (FORAST)

DOE Data Explorer

McLaughlin, S. B. [ESD, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (USA); Downing, D. J. [ESD, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (USA); Blasing, T. J. [ESD, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (USA); Jackson, B. L. [ESD, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (USA); Pack, D. J. [ESD, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (USA); Duvick, D. N. [ESD, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (USA); Mann, L. K. [ESD, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (USA); Doyle, T. W. [ESD, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (USA)

1995-01-01

The Forest Responses to Anthropogenic Stress (FORAST) project was designed to determine whether evidence of alterations of long-term growth patterns of several species of eastern forest trees was apparent in tree-ring chronologies from within the region and to identify environmental variables that were temporally or spatially correlated with any observed changes. The project was supported principally by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with additional support from the National Park Service. The FORAST project was initiated in 1982 as exploratory research to document patterns of radial growth of forest trees during the previous 50 or more years within 15 states in the northeastern United States. Radial growth measurements from more than 7,000 trees are provided along with data on a variety of measured and calculated indices of stand characteristics (basal area, density, and competitive indices); climate (temperature, precipitation, and drought); and anthropogenic pollutants (state and regional emissions of SO2 and NOX, ozone monitoring data, and frequency of atmospheric-stagnation episodes and atmospheric haze). These data were compiled into a single database to facilitate exploratory analysis of tree growth patterns and responses to local and regional environmental conditions. The project objectives, experimental design, and documentation of procedures for assessing data collected in the 3-year research project are reported in McLaughlin et al. (1986).

Using Relevance Prompts: An Exploratory Study to Promote Eighth Graders' Comprehension and Retelling of Narrative Text

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fogarty, Melissa S.; Davis, John L.; Anderson, Leah L.; Myint, Ahmarlay

2017-01-01

This exploratory study investigated the effects of modifying eighth grade students' purposes for reading through a prompt designed to increase engagement with the text. The current study was conducted using a randomized between-subjects design, with a relevance prompt as the between-subjects factor and reader proficiency as a covariate. A sample…

AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING DESIGN AND STUDENT LEARNING. FINAL REPORT.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MARX, BARBARA S.; MYRICK, RICHARD

AN EXPLORATORY STUDY WAS MADE OF THE INFLUENCE OF HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING DESIGN UPON THE QUALITY AND QUANTITY AT STUDENT INFORMAL INTERACTIONS, AND THE NATURE AND CONTENT OF SUCH INTERACTIONS. THREE HIGH SCHOOLS WERE STUDIED, AND QUESTIONNAIRES AND INTERVIEWS WERE USED WITH THE 1631 STUDENTS IN THE TOP TWO GRADES. CONCEPTS WHICH WERE IDENTIFIED…

Understanding Practitioner Research as a Form of Life: An Eastern Interpretation of Exploratory Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Zongjie

2006-01-01

Allwright and colleagues around the world have been developing Exploratory Practice as an approach to practitioner research different from the familiar notion of teacher research. EP offers a set of principles devoted to understanding, in a collaborative mode, the quality of language classroom life. Several underlying points, such as "quality of…

Achieving integration in mixed methods designs-principles and practices.

PubMed

Fetters, Michael D; Curry, Leslie A; Creswell, John W

2013-12-01

Mixed methods research offers powerful tools for investigating complex processes and systems in health and health care. This article describes integration principles and practices at three levels in mixed methods research and provides illustrative examples. Integration at the study design level occurs through three basic mixed method designs-exploratory sequential, explanatory sequential, and convergent-and through four advanced frameworks-multistage, intervention, case study, and participatory. Integration at the methods level occurs through four approaches. In connecting, one database links to the other through sampling. With building, one database informs the data collection approach of the other. When merging, the two databases are brought together for analysis. With embedding, data collection and analysis link at multiple points. Integration at the interpretation and reporting level occurs through narrative, data transformation, and joint display. The fit of integration describes the extent the qualitative and quantitative findings cohere. Understanding these principles and practices of integration can help health services researchers leverage the strengths of mixed methods. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Friendliness, functionality and freedom: Design characteristics that support midwifery practice in the hospital setting.

PubMed

Hammond, Athena; Homer, Caroline S E; Foureur, Maralyn

2017-07-01

to identify and describe the design characteristics of hospital birth rooms that support midwives and their practice. this study used a qualitative exploratory descriptive methodology underpinned by the theoretical approach of critical realism. Data was collected through 21 in-depth, face-to-face photo-elicitation interviews and a thematic analysis guided by study objectives and the aims of exploratory research was undertaken. the study was set at a recently renovated tertiary hospital in a large Australian city. participants were 16 registered midwives working in a tertiary hospital; seven in delivery suite and nine in birth centre settings. Experience as a midwife ranged from three to 39 years and the sample included midwives in diverse roles such as educator, student support and unit manager. three design characteristics were identified that supported midwifery practice. They were friendliness, functionality and freedom. Friendly rooms reduced stress and increased midwives' feelings of safety. Functional rooms enabled choice and provided options to better meet the needs of labouring women. And freedom allowed for flexible, spontaneous and responsive midwifery practice. hospital birth rooms that possess the characteristics of friendliness, functionality and freedom offer enhanced support for midwives and may therefore increase effective care provision. new and existing birth rooms can be designed or adapted to better support the wellbeing and effectiveness of midwives and may thereby enhance the quality of midwifery care delivered in the hospital. Quality midwifery care is associated with positive outcomes and experiences for labouring women. Further research is required to investigate the benefit that may be transmitted to women by implementing design intended to support and enhance midwifery practice. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An economic and financial exploratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cincotti, S.; Sornette, D.; Treleaven, P.; Battiston, S.; Caldarelli, G.; Hommes, C.; Kirman, A.

2012-11-01

This paper describes the vision of a European Exploratory for economics and finance using an interdisciplinary consortium of economists, natural scientists, computer scientists and engineers, who will combine their expertise to address the enormous challenges of the 21st century. This Academic Public facility is intended for economic modelling, investigating all aspects of risk and stability, improving financial technology, and evaluating proposed regulatory and taxation changes. The European Exploratory for economics and finance will be constituted as a network of infrastructure, observatories, data repositories, services and facilities and will foster the creation of a new cross-disciplinary research community of social scientists, complexity scientists and computing (ICT) scientists to collaborate in investigating major issues in economics and finance. It is also considered a cradle for training and collaboration with the private sector to spur spin-offs and job creations in Europe in the finance and economic sectors. The Exploratory will allow Social Scientists and Regulators as well as Policy Makers and the private sector to conduct realistic investigations with real economic, financial and social data. The Exploratory will (i) continuously monitor and evaluate the status of the economies of countries in their various components, (ii) use, extend and develop a large variety of methods including data mining, process mining, computational and artificial intelligence and every other computer and complex science techniques coupled with economic theory and econometric, and (iii) provide the framework and infrastructure to perform what-if analysis, scenario evaluations and computational, laboratory, field and web experiments to inform decision makers and help develop innovative policy, market and regulation designs.

Applications of mixed-methods methodology in clinical pharmacy research.

PubMed

Hadi, Muhammad Abdul; Closs, S José

2016-06-01

Introduction Mixed-methods methodology, as the name suggests refers to mixing of elements of both qualitative and quantitative methodologies in a single study. In the past decade, mixed-methods methodology has gained popularity among healthcare researchers as it promises to bring together the strengths of both qualitative and quantitative approaches. Methodology A number of mixed-methods designs are available in the literature and the four most commonly used designs in healthcare research are: the convergent parallel design, the embedded design, the exploratory design, and the explanatory design. Each has its own unique advantages, challenges and procedures and selection of a particular design should be guided by the research question. Guidance on designing, conducting and reporting mixed-methods research is available in the literature, so it is advisable to adhere to this to ensure methodological rigour. When to use it is best suited when the research questions require: triangulating findings from different methodologies to explain a single phenomenon; clarifying the results of one method using another method; informing the design of one method based on the findings of another method, development of a scale/questionnaire and answering different research questions within a single study. Two case studies have been presented to illustrate possible applications of mixed-methods methodology. Limitations Possessing the necessary knowledge and skills to undertake qualitative and quantitative data collection, analysis, interpretation and integration remains the biggest challenge for researchers conducting mixed-methods studies. Sequential study designs are often time consuming, being in two (or more) phases whereas concurrent study designs may require more than one data collector to collect both qualitative and quantitative data at the same time.

Toward Reflective Judgment in Exploratory Factor Analysis Decisions: Determining the Extraction Method and Number of Factors To Retain.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knight, Jennifer L.

This paper considers some decisions that must be made by the researcher conducting an exploratory factor analysis. The primary purpose is to aid the researcher in making informed decisions during the factor analysis instead of relying on defaults in statistical programs or traditions of previous researchers. Three decision areas are addressed.…

Problem-Centered Design and Personal Teaching Style: An Exploratory Study of Youguang Tu's Course on Philosophy of Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lei, Hongde

2016-01-01

Youguang Tu is a contemporary Chinese philosopher of education. His course on philosophy of education had a significant impact on his students. This exploratory study examines how Tu designed and taught this course. Ultimately, there are two reasons why Tu's course had such a significant influence on his students. The first is that Tu used…

Using design science research to develop online enhanced pharmaceutical care services.

PubMed

Lapão, Luís Velez; Gregório, João; Mello, Diogo; Cavaco, Afonso; Mira Da Silva, Miguel; Lovis, Christian

2014-01-01

The ePharmaCare project aims at assessing the potential of eHealth services for the provision of pharmaceutical services interacting actively with patients. The results presented here focus on the first three steps of Design Science Research Methodology. A mixed methods approach was used with an online survey to collect data on use of information technologies in community pharmacy, followed by an exploratory observational time and business processes study, which use the shadowing method to identify and assess the opportunity to lunch online services. Combining this with the Service Experiment Blueprint and the Dáder method an enhanced pharmaceutical service was designed. Next, an artifact is developed and a prototype is implemented to demonstrate the value of online pharmaceutical services' delivery. This new service could represent a new perspective for pharmaceutical services integration within the health system.

[School blogs about sexuality: an exploratory documentary study].

PubMed

Valli, Gabriela Petró; Cogo, Ana Luísa Petersen

2013-09-01

The objective was to analyze the structure of school blogs on sexuality and their utilization by adolescents. This quantitative, exploratory and documentary study was performed with 11 blogs designed by students and available online in March of 2012. The information was submitted to hypertext analysis and descriptive statistics, taking research ethics norms into consideration. Group and education blogs developed in Portuguese and Brazilian schools were most often signed by their authors and suffered few updates. The written posts mixed scientific and informal languages, besides presenting videos and images. Every blog included information regarding the number of followers, visits, comments and a contact to answer questions. The highlighted discussed topics were birth control methods and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Blogs are a resource for health education that should promote active discussions and rely on the participation of health care professionals.

Student-to-Student Legacies in Exploratory Action Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moran, Katherine

2017-01-01

In 2013/2014, I conducted two consecutive cycles of exploratory action research aimed at improving the quality of my French engineering students' oral presentations in English. Each cycle involved a different group of students. I collaborated with the students extensively throughout the project and found that the experience was highly beneficial…

"Education Is Not Just Teaching": Learner Thoughts on Exploratory Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanks, Judith

2015-01-01

Exploratory Practice (EP) has recently been established as an innovative form of practitioner research in language education, one which includes learners alongside their teachers as co-researchers. However, to date, little attention has been given to learners' perspectives on this approach. This article focuses on the experiences of learners…

How Principals Learn to Lead: The Comparative Influence of On-the-Job Experiences, Administrator Credential Programs, and the ISLLC Standards in the Development of Leadership Expertise among Urban Public School Principals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Stephen H.; Leon, Ronald J.; Fultz, Miriam

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the comparative influence of college administrator credential programs, on-the-job experiences, and the ISLLC Standards in the development of leadership expertise among urban public school principals. An exploratory, ex-post-facto research design used both quantitative and qualitative approaches. A survey…

An Exploratory Study of the Effect of Screen Size and Resolution on the Legibility of Graphics in Automated Job Performance Aids. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dwyer, Daniel J.

Designed to assess the effect of alternative display (CRT) screen sizes and resolution levels on user ability to identify and locate printed circuit (PC) board points, this study is the first in a protracted research program on the legibility of graphics in computer-based job aids. Air Force maintenance training pipeline students (35 male and 1…

Exploratory Factor Analysis and Multisection Validation by Correlation of Student Self-Reported Attitudes of Teacher Effectiveness with Student Achievement as Measured by Achievement Tests for Middle School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weber, David M.

2013-01-01

This study investigated the use of a student evaluation of teaching survey designed by a suburban school district. Several statistical methodologies were used to evaluate the validity and reliability of the instrument. One hundred sections of grades 6-8 reading and mathematics courses were used to examine the research question: Is the Student…

An Exploratory Analysis of Projected Navy Officer Inventory Strength Using Data Farming

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-01

model’s run-time. 3. Base Case In addition to the experimental design, this study includes a base case scenario to serve as a baseline for comparison...47 3. SWO Operating Strength Deviation-Base Case One objective of this study is to determine the risk in operating strength deviation presented by...ANSWERS TO RESEARCH QUESTIONS ................................... 71  B.  RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE STUDIES ......................... 73  1.  Continuous

Exploratory Studies in Generalized Predictive Control for Active Aeroelastic Control of Tiltrotor Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kvaternik, Raymond G.; Juang, Jer-Nan; Bennett, Richard L.

2000-01-01

The Aeroelasticity Branch at NASA Langley Research Center has a long and substantive history of tiltrotor aeroelastic research. That research has included a broad range of experimental investigations in the Langley Transonic Dynamics Tunnel (TDT) using a variety of scale models and the development of essential analyses. Since 1994, the tiltrotor research program has been using a 1/5-scale, semispan aeroelastic model of the V-22 designed and built by Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. (BHTI) in 1981. That model has been refurbished to form a tiltrotor research testbed called the Wing and Rotor Aeroelastic Test System (WRATS) for use in the TDT. In collaboration with BHTI, studies under the current tiltrotor research program are focused on aeroelastic technology areas having the potential for enhancing the commercial and military viability of tiltrotor aircraft. Among the areas being addressed, considerable emphasis is being directed to the evaluation of modern adaptive multi-input multi- output (MIMO) control techniques for active stability augmentation and vibration control of tiltrotor aircraft. As part of this investigation, a predictive control technique known as Generalized Predictive Control (GPC) is being studied to assess its potential for actively controlling the swashplate of tiltrotor aircraft to enhance aeroelastic stability in both helicopter and airplane modes of flight. This paper summarizes the exploratory numerical and experimental studies that were conducted as part of that investigation.

Understanding interfirm relationships in business ecosystems with interactive visualization.

PubMed

Basole, Rahul C; Clear, Trustin; Hu, Mengdie; Mehrotra, Harshit; Stasko, John

2013-12-01

Business ecosystems are characterized by large, complex, and global networks of firms, often from many different market segments, all collaborating, partnering, and competing to create and deliver new products and services. Given the rapidly increasing scale, complexity, and rate of change of business ecosystems, as well as economic and competitive pressures, analysts are faced with the formidable task of quickly understanding the fundamental characteristics of these interfirm networks. Existing tools, however, are predominantly query- or list-centric with limited interactive, exploratory capabilities. Guided by a field study of corporate analysts, we have designed and implemented dotlink360, an interactive visualization system that provides capabilities to gain systemic insight into the compositional, temporal, and connective characteristics of business ecosystems. dotlink360 consists of novel, multiple connected views enabling the analyst to explore, discover, and understand interfirm networks for a focal firm, specific market segments or countries, and the entire business ecosystem. System evaluation by a small group of prototypical users shows supporting evidence of the benefits of our approach. This design study contributes to the relatively unexplored, but promising area of exploratory information visualization in market research and business strategy.

Disaster management and the critical thinking skills of local emergency managers: correlations with age, gender, education, and years in occupation.

PubMed

Peerbolte, Stacy L; Collins, Matthew Lloyd

2013-01-01

Emergency managers must be able to think critically in order to identify and anticipate situations, solve problems, make judgements and decisions effectively and efficiently, and assume and manage risk. Heretofore, a critical thinking skills assessment of local emergency managers had yet to be conducted that tested for correlations among age, gender, education, and years in occupation. An exploratory descriptive research design, using the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal-Short Form (WGCTA-S), was employed to determine the extent to which a sample of 54 local emergency managers demonstrated the critical thinking skills associated with the ability to assume and manage risk as compared to the critical thinking scores of a group of 4,790 peer-level managers drawn from an archival WGCTA-S database. This exploratory design suggests that the local emergency managers, surveyed in this study, had lower WGCTA-S critical thinking scores than their equivalents in the archival database with the exception of those in the high education and high experience group. © 2013 The Author(s). Journal compilation © Overseas Development Institute, 2013.

Nursing Doctorates in Brazil: research formation and theses production

PubMed Central

Scochi, Carmen Gracinda Silvan; Gelbcke, Francine Lima; Ferreira, Márcia de Assunção; Lima, Maria Alice Dias da Silva; Padilha, Katia Grillo; Padovani, Nátali Artal; Munari, Denize Bouttelet

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVE: to analyze the formation of nursing doctorates in Brazil, from theses production, disciplines and other strategies focusing on research offered by courses. METHOD: a descriptive and analytical study of the performance of 18 doctoral courses in nursing, running from 1982 to 2010, and defended their theses between 2010-2012. RESULTS: 502 theses were defended in this period, most linked to the online research process of health and nursing care. There are gaps in the knowledge of theoretical and philosophical foundations of care, nursing history and ethics. There are also weaknesses in the methodological design of the theses, with a predominance of descriptive and/or exploratory studies. This was consistent with international standards set with regards to the proposition of research of disciplines and complementary strategies in forming the doctorate. CONCLUSION: despite the efforts and advances in research formation, it is essential to expand to more robust research designs with a greater impact on production knowledge that is incorporated into practice. PMID:26312630

Measuring and Advancing Experimental Design Ability in an Introductory Course without Altering Existing Lab Curriculum.

PubMed

Shanks, Ryan A; Robertson, Chuck L; Haygood, Christian S; Herdliksa, Anna M; Herdliska, Heather R; Lloyd, Steven A

2017-01-01

Introductory biology courses provide an important opportunity to prepare students for future courses, yet existing cookbook labs, although important in their own way, fail to provide many of the advantages of semester-long research experiences. Engaging, authentic research experiences aid biology students in meeting many learning goals. Therefore, overlaying a research experience onto the existing lab structure allows faculty to overcome barriers involving curricular change. Here we propose a working model for this overlay design in an introductory biology course and detail a means to conduct this lab with minimal increases in student and faculty workloads. Furthermore, we conducted exploratory factor analysis of the Experimental Design Ability Test (EDAT) and uncovered two latent factors which provide valid means to assess this overlay model's ability to increase advanced experimental design abilities. In a pre-test/post-test design, we demonstrate significant increases in both basic and advanced experimental design abilities in an experimental and comparison group. We measured significantly higher gains in advanced experimental design understanding in students in the experimental group. We believe this overlay model and EDAT factor analysis contribute a novel means to conduct and assess the effectiveness of authentic research experiences in an introductory course without major changes to the course curriculum and with minimal increases in faculty and student workloads.

An Exploratory Study of Specific Factors in a Prison Environment That Affect a Manpower Training Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barton, Marlin C.; And Others

An exploratory study of a prison community is presented. The study employed a three-phase design: (1) a pre-survey of the prison community, (2) limited intervention, based on findings of the pre-survey, and (3) a post-survey to determine effects of intervention and to validate findings of the pre-survey for which no intervention had been designed.…

Community College Presidents in a Southern State: An Exploratory Qualitative Inquiry of Servant Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lehning, John

2013-01-01

This exploratory qualitative inquiry added to a limited body of research on the topic of community college presidents who practice the servant leadership philosophy, their influence on organizational effectiveness, and their influence on creating benefits for their community. The research question directing this study asked, What are the…

Exploratory Study of the HOPE Foundation[C] Courageous Leadership Academy: Summary of Findings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Seth; Choi, KC; Herman, Becki

2011-01-01

The HOPE Foundation (HOPE) commissioned the American Institutes for Research (AIR) to conduct an exploratory study of the implementation and impact of the Courageous Leadership Academy (CLA). In this report, the authors introduce the school reform model, describe the study methodology, present findings for each of the three research questions…

Group Work for Korean Expatriate Women in the United States: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suh, Suhyun; Lee, Myoung-Suk

2006-01-01

This paper presents the results of exploratory research with a group of seven Korean expatriate women. The study employed a modified Reality Therapy approach over eight meetings conducted by two professionally qualified leaders who also speak Korean. Qualitative research methods were used to analyze and describe the participants' experiences.…

Design of an Intervention to Minimize Ingestion of Fecal Microbes by Young Children in Rural Zimbabwe.

PubMed

Mbuya, Mduduzi N N; Tavengwa, Naume V; Stoltzfus, Rebecca J; Curtis, Valerie; Pelto, Gretel H; Ntozini, Robert; Kambarami, Rukundo A; Fundira, Dadirai; Malaba, Thokozile R; Maunze, Diana; Morgan, Peter; Mangwadu, Goldberg; Humphrey, Jean H

2015-12-15

We sought to develop a water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) intervention to minimize fecal-oral transmission among children aged 0-18 months in the Sanitation Hygiene Infant Nutrition Efficacy (SHINE) trial. We undertook 4 phases of formative research, comprising in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, behavior trials, and a combination of observations and microbiological sampling methods. The resulting WASH intervention comprises material inputs and behavior change communication to promote stool disposal, handwashing with soap, water treatment, protected exploratory play, and hygienic infant feeding. Nurture and disgust were found to be key motivators, and are used as emotional triggers. The concept of a safe play space for young children was particularly novel, and families were eager to implement this after learning about the risks of unprotected exploratory play. An iterative process of formative research was essential to create a sequenced and integrated longitudinal intervention for a SHINE household as it expects (during pregnancy) and then cares for a new child. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

EEG gamma coherence and other correlates of subjective reports during ayahuasca experiences.

PubMed

Stuckey, David E; Lawson, Robert; Luna, Luis Eduardo

2005-06-01

The current study examined QEEG power and coherence of ayahuasca experiences with two experienced participants in a Brazilian jungle setting. An exploratory case series design was adopted for naturalistic field research. EEGs recorded during visual imagery was compared to eyes-closed baselines. The most important findings were increases in global EEG coherence in the 36-44 Hz and 50-64 Hz frequency bands for both subjects. Widely distributed cortical hyper-coherence seems reasonable given the intense synesthesia during ayahuasca experiences. Other findings include increased modal EEG alpha frequency and global power decreases across the cortex in most frequency bands, which concur with the EEG of psychedelics literature. Exploratory analysis revealed the usefulness of analyzing single Hz bins over the standard wide-band analysis. The discovery-oriented naturalistic approach developed for this study resulted in potentially important findings. We believe that finding increases in global gamma coherence during peak psychedelic experiences might contribute to the discussion of binding theory. Also, in light of recent research with gamma coherence during advanced meditative conditions, our findings might further the comparison of shamanic psychedelic practices with meditation.

Exploring the Use of Individualized, Reflective Guidance In an Educational Multi-User Virtual Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, Brian C.

2007-02-01

This study examines the patterns of use and potential impact of individualized, reflective guidance in an educational Multi-User Virtual Environment (MUVE). A guidance system embedded within a MUVE-based scientific inquiry curriculum was implemented with a sample of middle school students in an exploratory study investigating (a) whether access to the guidance system was associated with improved learning, (b) whether students viewing more guidance messages saw greater improvement on content tests than those viewing less, and (c) whether there were any differences in guidance use among boys and girls. Initial experimental findings showed that basic access to individualized guidance used with a MUVE had no measurable impact on learning. However, post-hoc exploratory analyses indicated that increased use of the system among those with access to it was positively associated with content test score gains. In addition, differences were found in overall learning outcomes by gender and in patterns of guidance use by boys and girls, with girls outperforming boys across a spectrum of guidance system use. Based on these exploratory findings, the paper suggests design guidelines for the development of guidance systems embedded in MUVEs and outlines directions for further research.

Exploratory data project : freight resiliency performance measures.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-03-01

Exploratory Data Project: Freight Resiliency Performance Measures. (2009-10) FHWA's Office of Freight Management : and Operations, through a partnership with the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI), established a Freight : Performance M...

Mathematics Anxiety among Ghanaian Students: A Case Study of Students of Kinbu Senior High/Technical School, Accra and Hermann-Gmeiner SOS Junior High School, Tema

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bruce, Daniel

2016-01-01

The aim of this was to find out the reason for low performance in West African Examinations Council final examination in Core Mathematics. The exploratory research design was used for the study. A population of two hundred (200) students; 100 females and males in a breakdown of 50 males and 50 females from SHS and 50 males and 50 females from JHS…

Preliminary aerodynamic design considerations for advanced laminar flow aircraft configurations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Joseph L., Jr.; Yip, Long P.; Jordan, Frank L., Jr.

1986-01-01

Modern composite manufacturing methods have provided the opportunity for smooth surfaces that can sustain large regions of natural laminar flow (NLF) boundary layer behavior and have stimulated interest in developing advanced NLF airfoils and improved aircraft designs. Some of the preliminary results obtained in exploratory research investigations on advanced aircraft configurations at the NASA Langley Research Center are discussed. Results of the initial studies have shown that the aerodynamic effects of configuration variables such as canard/wing arrangements, airfoils, and pusher-type and tractor-type propeller installations can be particularly significant at high angles of attack. Flow field interactions between aircraft components were shown to produce undesirable aerodynamic effects on a wing behind a heavily loaded canard, and the use of properly designed wing leading-edge modifications, such as a leading-edge droop, offset the undesirable aerodynamic effects by delaying wing stall and providing increased stall/spin resistance with minimum degradation of laminar flow behavior.

Anxiety Outcomes after Physical Activity Interventions: Meta-Analysis Findings

PubMed Central

Conn, Vicki S.

2011-01-01

Background Although numerous primary studies have documented the mental health benefits of physical activity (PA), no previous quantitative synthesis has examined anxiety outcomes of interventions to increase PA. Objectives This meta-analysis integrates extant research about anxiety outcomes from interventions to increase PA among healthy adults. Method Extensive literature searching located published and unpublished PA intervention studies with anxiety outcomes. Eligible studies reported findings from interventions designed to increase PA delivered to healthy adults without anxiety disorders. Data were coded from primary studies. Random-effects meta-analytic procedures were completed. Exploratory moderator analyses using meta-analysis ANOVA and regression analogues were conducted to determine if report, methods, sample, or intervention characteristics were associated with differences in anxiety outcomes. Results Data were synthesized across 3,289 subjects from 19 eligible reports. The overall mean anxiety effect size (d-index) for two-group comparisons was 0.22 with significant heterogeneity (Q = 32.15). Exploratory moderator analyses found larger anxiety improvement effect sizes among studies that included larger samples, used random allocation of subjects to treatment and control conditions, targeted only PA behavior instead of multiple health behaviors, included supervised exercise (vs. home-based PA), used moderate or high-intensity instead of low-intensity PA, and suggested subjects exercise at a fitness facility (vs. home) following interventions. Discussion These findings document that some interventions can decrease anxiety symptoms among healthy adults. Exploratory moderator analyses suggest possible directions for future primary research to compare interventions in randomized trials to confirm causal relationships. PMID:20410849

Exploratory Usability Testing of User Interface Options in LibGuides 2

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thorngate, Sarah; Hoden, Allison

2017-01-01

Online research guides offer librarians a way to provide digital researchers with point-of-need support. If these guides are to support student learning well, it is critical that they provide an effective user experience. This article details the results of an exploratory comparison study that tested three key user interface options in LibGuides…

An Exploratory Qualitative Study of Italian High School Students Who Receive Private Tutoring in Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rega, Andrea

2012-01-01

My purpose for this exploratory qualitative research was to gain insights into the perceptions of high school students in Italy who receive private tutoring in mathematics, about their experience and expectations. Little prior research from the perspective of the students has been conducted. Results suggest that some students use private tutoring…

Action Research as an Approach to Integrating Sustainability into MBA Programs: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benn, Suzanne; Dunphy, Dexter

2009-01-01

This article reports on an exploratory project that employed an action research approach to integrating sustainability into core subjects in the MBA program at an Australian university. It documents the change methodology used, the theoretical basis for this choice, and the project outcomes. It then identifies some key enabling factors and…

Policy and Persistence: An Exploratory Mixed Methods Case Study of "Last Mile" Students at Portland State University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wubbold, Joseph Mark

2012-01-01

In an extension of educational attainment research, this exploratory mixed- methods case study examines the influence of institutional policies on the behavior of five cohorts (n = 925) of traditional first time, full time (FTFT) freshmen--called "Last Mile" students--at one urban research university located in the Pacific Northwest.…

A Social Approach to Decision-Making Capacity: Exploratory Research with People with Experience of Mental Health Treatment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDaid, Shari; Delaney, Sarah

2011-01-01

This paper reports on exploratory, qualitative research conducted with eight people with experience of mental health treatment about their understanding of decision-making capacity. While acknowledging that there are times when mental or emotional distress can interfere with the capacity to make decisions, participants described how their capacity…

The process and utility of classification and regression tree methodology in nursing research

PubMed Central

Kuhn, Lisa; Page, Karen; Ward, John; Worrall-Carter, Linda

2014-01-01

Aim This paper presents a discussion of classification and regression tree analysis and its utility in nursing research. Background Classification and regression tree analysis is an exploratory research method used to illustrate associations between variables not suited to traditional regression analysis. Complex interactions are demonstrated between covariates and variables of interest in inverted tree diagrams. Design Discussion paper. Data sources English language literature was sourced from eBooks, Medline Complete and CINAHL Plus databases, Google and Google Scholar, hard copy research texts and retrieved reference lists for terms including classification and regression tree* and derivatives and recursive partitioning from 1984–2013. Discussion Classification and regression tree analysis is an important method used to identify previously unknown patterns amongst data. Whilst there are several reasons to embrace this method as a means of exploratory quantitative research, issues regarding quality of data as well as the usefulness and validity of the findings should be considered. Implications for Nursing Research Classification and regression tree analysis is a valuable tool to guide nurses to reduce gaps in the application of evidence to practice. With the ever-expanding availability of data, it is important that nurses understand the utility and limitations of the research method. Conclusion Classification and regression tree analysis is an easily interpreted method for modelling interactions between health-related variables that would otherwise remain obscured. Knowledge is presented graphically, providing insightful understanding of complex and hierarchical relationships in an accessible and useful way to nursing and other health professions. PMID:24237048

Connecticut Vocational Agriculture Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connecticut State Dept. of Education, Hartford. Bureau of Vocational Services.

Designed for use in the Connecticut Regional Vocational Agriculture Centers, this curriculum provides exploratory and specialization units for four major areas of agriculture. These are Agriculture Mechanics, Animal Science, Natural Resources, and Plant Science. The exploratory units are required for grades 9 and 10, while the specialization units…

Designing Mathematical Learning Environments for Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Madden, Sandra R.

2010-01-01

Technology use in mathematics often involves either exploratory or expressive modeling. When using exploratory models, students use technology to investigate a premade expert model of some phenomena. When creating expressive models, students have greater flexibility for constructing their own model for investigation using objects and mechanisms…

The TIMSS Videotape Classroom Study: Methods and Findings from an Exploratory Research Project on Eighth-Grade Mathematics Instruction in Germany, Japan, and the United States. A Research and Development Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stigler, James W.; Gonzales, Patrick; Kwanaka, Takako; Knoll, Steffen; Serrano, Ana

This report presents the methods and preliminary findings of the Videotape Classroom Study, a video study of eighth-grade mathematics lessons in Germany, Japan, and the United States. This exploratory research project is part of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). The study included 231 eighth-grade mathematics…

The Impact of Visibility on Teamwork, Collaborative Communication, and Security in Emergency Departments: An Exploratory Study.

PubMed

Gharaveis, Arsalan; Hamilton, D Kirk; Pati, Debajyoti; Shepley, Mardelle

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the influence of visibility on teamwork, collaborative communication, and security issues in emergency departments (EDs). This research explored whether with high visibility in EDs, teamwork and collaborative communication can be improved while the security issues will be reduced. Visibility has been regarded as a critical design consideration and can be directly and considerably impacted by ED's physical design. Teamwork is one of the major related operational outcomes of visibility and involves nurses, support staff, and physicians. The collaborative communication in an ED is another important factor in the process of care delivery and affects efficiency and safety. Furthermore, security is a behavioral factor in ED designs, which includes all types of safety including staff safety, patient safety, and the safety of visitors and family members. This qualitative study investigated the impact of visibility on teamwork, collaborative communication, and security issues in the ED. One-on-one interviews and on-site observation sessions were conducted in a community hospital. Corresponding data analysis was implemented by using computer plan analysis, observation and interview content, and theme analyses. The findings of this exploratory study provided a framework to identify visibility as an influential factor in ED design. High levels of visibility impact productivity and efficiency of teamwork and communication and improve the chance of lowering security issues. The findings of this study also contribute to the general body of knowledge about the effect of physical design on teamwork, collaborative communication, and security.

Integrated Design of a Telerobotic Workstation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rochlis, Jennifer L.; Clarke, John-Paul

2001-01-01

The experiments described in this paper are part of a larger joint MIT/NASA research effort that focuses on the development of a methodology for designing and evaluating integrated interfaces for highly dexterous and multi-functional telerobots. Specifically, a telerobotic workstation is being designed for an Extravehicular Activity (EVA) anthropomorphic space station telerobot. Previous researchers have designed telerobotic workstations based upon performance of discrete subsets of tasks (for example, peg-in-hole, tracking, etc.) without regard for transitions that operators go through between tasks performed sequentially in the context of larger integrated tasks. The exploratory research experiments presented here took an integrated approach and assessed how subjects operating a full-immersion telerobot perform during the transitions between sub-tasks of two common EVA tasks. Preliminary results show that up to 30% of total task time is spent gaining and maintaining Situation Awareness (SA) of their task space and environment during transitions. Although task performance improves over the two trial days, the percentage of time spent on SA remains the same. This method identifies areas where workstation displays and feedback mechanisms are most needed to increase operator performance and decrease operator workload - areas that previous research methods have not been able to address.

Multi-modal virtual environment research at Armstrong Laboratory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eggleston, Robert G.

1995-01-01

One mission of the Paul M. Fitts Human Engineering Division of Armstrong Laboratory is to improve the user interface for complex systems through user-centered exploratory development and research activities. In support of this goal, many current projects attempt to advance and exploit user-interface concepts made possible by virtual reality (VR) technologies. Virtual environments may be used as a general purpose interface medium, an alternative display/control method, a data visualization and analysis tool, or a graphically based performance assessment tool. An overview is given of research projects within the division on prototype interface hardware/software development, integrated interface concept development, interface design and evaluation tool development, and user and mission performance evaluation tool development.

More About Reconfigurable Exploratory Robotic Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Howard, Ayanna; Nesnas, Issa; Werger, Barry; Helmick, Daniel; Clark, Murray; Christian, Raymond; Cipra, Raymond

2009-01-01

Modular exploratory robotic vehicles that will be able to reconfigure themselves in the field are undergoing development. Proposed for use in exploration of the surfaces of Mars and other remote planets, these vehicles and others of similar design could also be useful for exploring hostile terrain on Earth.

Rotation Criteria and Hypothesis Testing for Exploratory Factor Analysis: Implications for Factor Pattern Loadings and Interfactor Correlations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmitt, Thomas A.; Sass, Daniel A.

2011-01-01

Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) has long been used in the social sciences to depict the relationships between variables/items and latent traits. Researchers face many choices when using EFA, including the choice of rotation criterion, which can be difficult given that few research articles have discussed and/or demonstrated their differences.…

Is Counseling Going to the Dogs? An Exploratory Study Related to the Inclusion of an Animal in Group Counseling with Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lange, Amber M.; Cox, Jane A.; Bernert, Donna J.; Jenkins, Christie D.

2007-01-01

Research has demonstrated that the use of animals in counseling provides beneficial effects to clients. This article presents literature on Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT), and details an exploratory study that applied AAT in an adolescent anger management group. Consistent with other research, beneficial effects noted in this study included a…

Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) Space Sciences's Past, Present, and Future on the International Space Station (ISS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spivey, Reggie A.; Jordan, Lee P.

2012-01-01

The Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) is a double rack facility designed for microgravity investigation handling aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The unique design of the facility allows it to accommodate science and technology investigations in a "workbench" type environment. MSG facility provides an enclosed working area for investigation manipulation and observation in the ISS. Provides two levels of containment via physical barrier, negative pressure, and air filtration. The MSG team and facilities provide quick access to space for exploratory and National Lab type investigations to gain an understanding of the role of gravity in the physics associated research areas.

Connectivism in Postsecondary Online Courses: An Exploratory Factor Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hogg, Nanette; Lomicky, Carol S.

2012-01-01

This study explores 465 postsecondary students' experiences in online classes through the lens of connectivism. Downes' 4 properties of connectivism (diversity, autonomy, interactivity, and openness) were used as the study design. An exploratory factor analysis was performed. This study found a 4-factor solution. Subjects indicated that autonomy…

An Exploratory Study of Student Satisfaction with University Web Page Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gundersen, David E.; Ballenger, Joe K.; Crocker, Robert M.; Scifres, Elton L.; Strader, Robert

2013-01-01

This exploratory study evaluates the satisfaction of students with a web-based information system at a medium-sized regional university. The analysis provides a process for simplifying data interpretation in captured student user feedback. Findings indicate that student classifications, as measured by demographic and other factors, determine…

The Temporal Properties of E-Learning: An Exploratory Study of Academics' Conceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martins, Jorge; Nunes, Miguel Baptista

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present the results of an exploratory study that investigates Portuguese academics' conceptions concerning the temporal properties of e-learning, in the context of traditional Higher Education Institutions. Design/methodology/approach: Grounded Theory methodology was used to systematically analyse data…

Statistical analysis of Turbine Engine Diagnostic (TED) field test data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, Malcolm S.; Monyak, John T.

1994-11-01

During the summer of 1993, a field test of turbine engine diagnostic (TED) software, developed jointly by U.S. Army Research Laboratory and the U.S. Army Ordnance Center and School, was conducted at Fort Stuart, GA. The data were collected in conformance with a cross-over design, some of whose considerations are detailed. The initial analysis of the field test data was exploratory, followed by a more formal investigation. Technical aspects of the data analysis insights that were elicited are reported.

Defense Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program. Program Solicitation 90.1. FY-1990

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-10-01

Electronics Assemble and Test A90-125 Guided-Wave TeO2 Optical Devices A90-126 Acceleration Sensing Module for Munition Safety Systems A90-127 Electromagnetic...package containing all drawings and process information, complete operating manuals. A90-125 Guided-Wave TeO2 Optical Devices OBJECTIVE: This exploratory...bandwidth and efficiency of these devices. PHASE I: Phase one would consist of the design of several breadboard TeO2 AO devices each having TBWP of

Measuring and Advancing Experimental Design Ability in an Introductory Course without Altering Existing Lab Curriculum†

PubMed Central

Shanks, Ryan A.; Robertson, Chuck L.; Haygood, Christian S.; Herdliksa, Anna M.; Herdliska, Heather R.; Lloyd, Steven A.

2017-01-01

Introductory biology courses provide an important opportunity to prepare students for future courses, yet existing cookbook labs, although important in their own way, fail to provide many of the advantages of semester-long research experiences. Engaging, authentic research experiences aid biology students in meeting many learning goals. Therefore, overlaying a research experience onto the existing lab structure allows faculty to overcome barriers involving curricular change. Here we propose a working model for this overlay design in an introductory biology course and detail a means to conduct this lab with minimal increases in student and faculty workloads. Furthermore, we conducted exploratory factor analysis of the Experimental Design Ability Test (EDAT) and uncovered two latent factors which provide valid means to assess this overlay model’s ability to increase advanced experimental design abilities. In a pre-test/post-test design, we demonstrate significant increases in both basic and advanced experimental design abilities in an experimental and comparison group. We measured significantly higher gains in advanced experimental design understanding in students in the experimental group. We believe this overlay model and EDAT factor analysis contribute a novel means to conduct and assess the effectiveness of authentic research experiences in an introductory course without major changes to the course curriculum and with minimal increases in faculty and student workloads. PMID:28904647

Touch in mental health nursing: an exploratory study of nurses' views and perceptions.

PubMed

Gleeson, M; Higgins, A

2009-05-01

The aim of this study was to explore psychiatric nurses' perceptions of physical touch with people who experience mental health problems. A descriptive exploratory qualitative research design was used. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 10 registered psychiatric nurses who met the inclusion criteria and were randomly selected to participate in the study. Burnard's 14 stage-by-stage process of coding and categorization was used to analyse the data. Watson distinguished between two kinds of physical touch: instrumental and expressive. The findings indicated that physical touch was used in mental health nursing; however, it was only considered to be therapeutic to clients if used judiciously, with effective interpersonal skills. The participants in this study clearly identified the need to be sensitive to both the individual client needs, and honour their personal space and cultural background. A significant issue in this study was male participants concerns that touching female clients would be misinterpreted as a sexual advance. To protect themselves, male participants used touch in a cautious and minimal manner, and only in a public space, where others could view the interaction. In the absence of research on physical touch in mental health nursing there is a need for further research to explore in detail these findings.

Barriers and Facilitators to Deaf Trauma Survivors' Help-Seeking Behavior: Lessons for Behavioral Clinical Trials Research.

PubMed

Anderson, Melissa L; Wolf Craig, Kelly S; Ziedonis, Douglas M

2017-01-01

Deaf individuals experience significant obstacles to participating in behavioral health research when careful consideration is not given to accessibility during the design of study methodology. To inform such considerations, we conducted an exploratory secondary analysis of a mixed-methods study that originally explored 16 Deaf trauma survivors' help-seeking experiences. Our objective was to identify key findings and qualitative themes from consumers' own words that could be applied to the design of behavioral clinical trials methodology. In many ways, the themes that emerged were not wholly dissimilar from the general preferences of members of other sociolinguistic minority groups-a need for communication access, empathy, respect, strict confidentiality procedures, trust, and transparency of the research process. Yet, how these themes are applied to the inclusion of Deaf research participants is distinct from any other sociolinguistic minority population, given Deaf people's unique sensory and linguistic characteristics. We summarize our findings in a preliminary "Checklist for Designing Deaf Behavioral Clinical Trials" to operationalize the steps researchers can take to apply Deaf-friendly approaches in their empirical work. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A preliminary report of an educational intervention in practice management

PubMed Central

Crites, Gerald E; Schuster, Richard J

2004-01-01

Background Practice management education continues to evolve, and little information exists regarding its curriculum design and effectiveness for resident education. We report the results of an exploratory study of a practice management curriculum for primary care residents. Methods After performing a needs assessment with a group of primary care residents at Wright State University, we designed a monthly seminar series covering twelve practice management topics. The curriculum consisted of interactive lectures and practice-based application, whenever possible. We descriptively evaluated two cognitive components (practice management knowledge and skills) and the residents' evaluation of the curriculum. Results The mean correct on the knowledge test for this group of residents was 74% (n = 12) and 91% (n = 12) before and after the curriculum, respectively. The mean scores for the practice management skill assessments were 2.62 before (n = 12), and 3.65 after (n = 12) the curriculum (modified Likert, 1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree). The residents rated the curriculum consistently high. Conclusions This exploratory study suggests that this curriculum may be useful in developing knowledge and skills in practice management for primary care residents. This study suggests further research into evaluation of this curriculum may be informative for practice-based education. PMID:15380023

The effects of hands-free communication device systems: communication changes in hospital organizations

PubMed Central

Richardson, Joshua E; Ash, Joan S

2010-01-01

Objective To analyze the effects that hands-free communication device (HCD) systems have on healthcare organizations from multiple user perspectives. Design This exploratory qualitative study recruited 26 subjects from multiple departments in two research sites located in Portland, Oregon: an academic medical center and a community hospital. Interview and observation data were gathered January through March, 2007. Measurements Data were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Because this study was exploratory, data were coded and patterns identified until overall themes ‘emerged’. Results Five themes arose: (1) Communication access—the perception that HCD systems provide fast and efficient communication that supports workflow; (2) Control—social and technical considerations associated with use of an HCD system; (3) Training—processes that should be used to improve use of the HCD system; (4) Organizational change—changes to organizational design and behavior caused by HCD system implementation; and (5) Environment and infrastructure—HCD system use within the context of physical workspaces. Conclusion HCD systems improve communication access but users experience challenges integrating the system into workflow. Effective HCD use depends on how well organizations train users, adapt to changes brought about by HCD systems, and integrate HCD systems into physical surroundings. PMID:20064808

Facilitating Exploratory Learning in Schools through Virtual Worlds: Experiences from a Course Run at a School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iqbal, Ahmer

2012-01-01

The following paper examines the results of a research study in which a virtual world, Quest Atlantis (QA), was used to engage students in exploratory learning to teach about water quality issues. The main aim of the research was to find out how new digital learning environments and educational technology, such as virtual worlds, can be introduced…

Problem gambling in the workplace, characteristics of employees seeking help.

PubMed

Hawley, Carolyn E; Glenn, Margaret K; Diaz, Sebastian

2007-01-01

Few rigorous research studies exist to define the impact problem gambling may have on the workforce and the workplace. This study is an initial attempt to address this void by exploring the vocational patterns and demographics of callers with self report gambling problems to a state helpline. It utilizes Chi-squared Automatic Interaction (CHAID) Technique analysis to assess 1072 working age callers with gambling related problems. The goal of this exploratory investigation is to determine if the issue of problem gambling in the workplace warrants further research and, potentially, design of interventions. Discussion centers on the use of the information for development of employer based prevention and intervention efforts.

Sociocultural attitudes surrounding menstruation and alternative menstrual products: the explanatory role of self-objectification.

PubMed

Grose, Rose Grace; Grabe, Shelly

2014-01-01

We extend objectification theory research to consider the relationship between self-objectification and attitudes toward an alternative menstrual product in a diverse sample of female undergraduates from the United States (N = 151). We use a survey design to investigate attitudes toward one's menstruation as a potential mechanism that may explain this relationship. Reactions to an alternative menstrual product were predominantly negative, supporting prior research on stigma and shame surrounding menstruation. Exploratory structural equation modeling revealed attitudes toward one's menstruation mediated the relationship between self-objectification and participants' reactions to an alternative menstrual product. Implications for women's health are discussed.

Chinese Students' Perceptions of the Teaching in an Australian Accounting Programme--An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wong, Grace; Cooper, Barry J.; Dellaportas, Steven

2015-01-01

This exploratory study is designed to elicit and understand the views of Mainland Chinese students concerning their learning experience in an Australian accounting education programme. The article contributes to the literature by investigating the issues and implications associated with international students' perceptions of teaching, as little…

Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviours. Concerning Education for Sustainable Development: Two Exploratory Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michalos, Alex C.; Creech, Heather; McDonald, Christina; Kahlke, P. Maurine Hatch

2011-01-01

Celebrating the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014), this paper presents results of two exploratory surveys taken in the province of Manitoba, Canada in January to March 2008. A random sample of 506 adults completed a mailed out questionnaire designed to measure respondents' knowledge, attitudes and behaviours concerning…

An Exploratory Study of the Perceptions of AACSB International's 2013 Accreditation Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miles, Morgan P.; Franklin, Geralyn McClure; Grimmer, Martin; Heriot, Kirl C.

2015-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to report on the findings of an exploratory survey designed to measure AACSB member deans' perceptions about the recently revised 2013 Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) Accreditation Standards. In April of 2013, AACSB International released a major revision of its accreditation…

Can Playscapes Promote Early Childhood Inquiry towards Environmentally Responsible Behaviors? An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wight, R. Alan; Kloos, Heidi; Maltbie, Catherine V.; Carr, Victoria W.

2016-01-01

This paper investigates young children's exploratory play and inquiry on playscapes: playgrounds specifically designed to connect children with natural environments. Our theoretical framework posits that playscapes combine the benefits of nature and play to promote informal science exploration of natural materials. This, in turn, is expected to…

Authentic Reading, Writing, and Discussion: An Exploratory Study of a Pen Pal Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gambrell, Linda B.; Hughes, Elizabeth M.; Calvert, Leah; Malloy, Jacquelynn A.; Igo, Brent

2011-01-01

In this exploratory study, reading, writing, and discussion were examined within the context of a pen pal intervention focusing on authentic literacy tasks. The study employed a mixed-method design with a triangulation-convergence model to explore the relationship between authentic literacy tasks and the literacy motivation of elementary students…

Contingency Management for Adolescent Smokers: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tevyaw, Tracy O'Leary; Gwaltney, Chad; Tidey, Jennifer W.; Colby, Suzanne M.; Kahler, Christopher W.; Miranda, Robert; Barnett, Nancy P.; Rohsenow, Damaris J.; Monti, Peter M.

2007-01-01

This exploratory study investigated the efficacy and feasibility of a contingency management (CM) protocol for adolescent smokers that included use of a reduction phase. Using a within-participants design, 19 adolescents completed three 7-day phases: (1) reinforcement for attendance and provision of breath samples (RA) phase, (2) a washout phase,…

Describing medical student curiosity across a four year curriculum: An exploratory study.

PubMed

Sternszus, Robert; Saroyan, Alenoush; Steinert, Yvonne

2017-04-01

Intellectual curiosity can be defined as a desire for knowledge that leads to exploratory behavior and consists of an inherent and stable trait (i.e. trait curiosity) and a variable context-dependent state (i.e. state curiosity). Although intellectual curiosity has been considered an important aspect of medical education and practice, its relationship to medical education has not been empirically investigated. The purpose of this exploratory study was to describe medical students' intellectual curiosity across a four-year undergraduate program. We employed a cross-sectional design in which medical students, across a four-year undergraduate program at McGill University, completed the Melbourne Curiosity Inventory as a measure of their state and trait intellectual curiosity. A Mixed Models ANOVA was used to compare students across year of training. Four hundred and two out of 751 students completed the inventory (53.5%). Trait curiosity was significantly higher than state curiosity (M = 64.5, SD = 8.5 versus M = 58.5, SD = 11.6) overall, and within each year of training. This study is the first to describe state and trait intellectual curiosity in undergraduate medical education. Findings suggest that medical students' state curiosity may not be optimally supported and highlight avenues for further research.

The child's perspective on discomfort during medical research procedures: a descriptive study

PubMed Central

Staphorst, Mira S; Benninga, Marc A; Bisschoff, Margriet; Bon, Irma; Busschbach, Jan J V; Diederen, Kay; van Goudoever, Johannes B; Haarman, Eric G; Hunfeld, Joke A M; Jaddoe, Vincent V W; de Jong, Karin J M; de Jongste, Johan C; Kindermann, Angelika; Königs, Marsh; Oosterlaan, Jaap; Passchier, Jan; Pijnenburg, Mariëlle W; Reneman, Liesbeth; de Ridder, Lissy; Tamminga, Hyke G; Tiemeier, Henning W; Timman, Reinier; van de Vathorst, Suzanne

2017-01-01

Objective The evaluation of discomfort in paediatric research is scarcely evidence-based. In this study, we make a start in describing children's self-reported discomfort during common medical research procedures and compare this with discomfort during dental check-ups which can be considered as a reference level of a ‘minimal discomfort’ medical procedure. We exploratory study whether there are associations between age, anxiety-proneness, gender, medical condition, previous experiences and discomfort. We also describe children's suggestions for reducing discomfort. Design Cross-sectional descriptive study. Setting Paediatric research at three academic hospitals. Patients 357 children with and without illnesses (8–18 years, mean=10.6 years) were enrolled: 307 from paediatric research studies and 50 from dental care. Main outcome measures We measured various generic forms of discomfort (nervousness, annoyance, pain, fright, boredom, tiredness) due to six common research procedures: buccal swabs, MRI scans, pulmonary function tests, skin prick tests, ultrasound imaging and venepunctures. Results Most children reported limited discomfort during the research procedures (means: 1–2.6 on a scale from 1 to 5). Compared with dental check-ups, buccal swab tests, skin prick tests and ultrasound imaging were less discomforting, while MRI scans, venepunctures and pulmonary function tests caused a similar degree of discomfort. 60.3% of the children suggested providing distraction by showing movies to reduce discomfort. The exploratory analyses suggested a positive association between anxiety-proneness and discomfort. Conclusions The findings of this study support the acceptability of participation of children in the studied research procedures, which stimulates evidence-based research practice. Furthermore, the present study can be considered as a first step in providing benchmarks for discomfort of procedures in paediatric research. PMID:28765130

Exploratory study of long-term health-related quality of life in patients with surgically treated primary parotid gland cancer.

PubMed

Stenner, Markus; Beenen, Franziska; Hahn, Moritz; Koopmann, Mario; Weiss, Daniel; Hüttenbrink, Karl-Bernd

2016-01-01

Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) has received more and more attention as an outcome in cancer therapy. In this exploratory study, we assessed the long-term HRQOL among 77 surgically treated patients with parotid gland cancer. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30-questions (EORTC-QLQ-C30) and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 Head and Neck 35-questions (EORTC-QLQ-C30-H&N35) questionnaires were used in a cross-sectional design. The mean time-lag between initial diagnosis and completion of the questionnaire was 89.7 months. The HRQOL significantly increased with the time-lag to surgery and decreased with the patients' age. Factors with clinically significant effects in several areas of long-term HRQOL (ie, more than 4 scores) were age, type of neck dissection, preoperative facial nerve palsy, and postoperative radiation therapy. In parotid gland cancer surgery, factors, such as sex, age, type of surgery, facial nerve palsy, and radiation therapy, seem to be associated with clinically meaningful differences in long-term HRQOL scores. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

High School Students’ Perceptions of Motivations for Cyberbullying: An Exploratory Study

PubMed Central

Varjas, Kris; Talley, Jasmaine; Meyers, Joel; Parris, Leandra; Cutts, Hayley

2010-01-01

Objectives: Internet usage has increased in recent years resulting in a growing number of documented reports of cyberbullying. Despite the rise in cyberbullying incidents, there is a dearth of research regarding high school students’ motivations for cyberbullying. The purpose of this study was to investigate high school students’ perceptions of the motivations for cyberbullying. Method: We undertook an exploratory qualitative study with 20 high school students, conducting individual interviews using a semi-structured interview protocol. Data were analyzed using Grounded Theory. Results: The developed coding hierarchy provides a framework to conceptualize motivations, which can be used to facilitate future research about motivations and to develop preventive interventions designed to thwart the negative effects of cyberbullying. The findings revealed that high school students more often identified internally motivated reasons for cyberbullying (e.g., redirect feelings) than externally motivated (no consequences, non-confrontational, target was different). Conclusion: Uncovering the motivations for cyberbullying should promote greater understanding of this phenomenon and potentially reduce the interpersonal violence that can result from it. By providing a framework that begins to clarify the internal and external factors motivating the behavior, there is enhanced potential to develop effective preventive interventions to prevent cyberbullying and its negative effects. PMID:20882148

Investigating everyday measures through exploratory talk: whole class plenary intervention and landscape study at grade four

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gade, Sharada; Blomqvist, Charlotta

2018-03-01

We report an exploratory talk based, whole class plenary intervention, in relation to students' understanding of everyday measures and measurement, in a grade four classroom at a grade 4-6 school in Sweden. Extended, project related, teacher-researcher collaboration forms basis for such cultural historical activity theory or CHAT based efforts. As formative intervention, the conduct of the plenary is not pre-determined but embedded in ongoing curricular realities, with the agency of students and teacher promoted, pedagogical ideas reutilised and the role of researcher viewed as supporting design and growth of the intervention. Under Charlotta's guidance as teacher, the plenary is opportunity for her students to examine improbable scenarios such as, Can Eva and Anton measure the length of Sweden on foot, Can Lars and Iris measure their age in decimeters. A zone of proximal development is created, in which students make the transition from spontaneous to scientific concepts and learn how various units of measurement are objects-that-can-be-used-for-certain-purposes. With opportunity for critical and reflective inquiry, in a plenary designed to lead development, Charlotta's students look beyond the making of rote measurements and articulate a theory of measure in nascent terms. Such a landscape of teaching-learning is finally understood in terms of the nature of talk that was facilitated, the manner of pedagogy utilised, the style of teaching exercised and the kind of learning that was demanded of her students.

Missional Imaginations for Theological Education: Mixed Model, Exploratory, Action-Oriented Research Mapping the Theological Identity and Organizational Readiness for Change of Five Theological School Systems in the United States Originating after 1945

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Small, Kyle J. A.

2009-01-01

This dissertation explores the formal theologies and organizational readiness for change with a view towards adopting missional prototypes for theological education across a school's (system's) tradition, curriculum, and structure. The research assessed five theological schools in the United States through an exploratory, action-oriented,…

Enhancing rigor and practice of scoping reviews in social policy research: considerations from a worked example on the Americans with disabilities act.

PubMed

Harris, Sarah Parker; Gould, Robert; Fujiura, Glenn

2015-01-01

There is increasing theoretical consideration about the use of systematic and scoping reviews of evidence in informing disability and rehabilitation research and practice. Indicative of this trend, this journal published a piece by Rumrill, Fitzgerald and Merchant in 2010 explaining the utility and process for conducting reviews of intervention-based research. There is still need to consider how to apply such rigor when conducting more exploratory reviews of heterogeneous research. This article explores the challenges, benefits, and procedures for conducting rigorous exploratory scoping reviews of diverse evidence. The article expands upon Rumrill, Fitzgerald and Merchant's framework and considers its application to more heterogeneous evidence on the impact of social policy. A worked example of a scoping review of the Americans with Disabilities Act is provided with a procedural framework for conducting scoping reviews on the effects of a social policy. The need for more nuanced techniques for enhancing rigor became apparent during the review process. There are multiple methodological steps that can enhance the utility of exploratory scoping reviews. The potential of systematic consideration during the exploratory review process is shown as a viable method to enhance the rigor in reviewing diverse bodies of evidence.

An exploratory mixed-methods crossover study comparing DVD- vs. Web-based patient decision support in three conditions: The importance of patient perspectives.

PubMed

Halley, Meghan C; Rendle, Katharine A S; Gillespie, Katherine A; Stanley, Katherine M; Frosch, Dominick L

2015-12-01

The last 15 years have witnessed considerable progress in the development of decision support interventions (DESIs). However, fundamental questions about design and format of delivery remain. An exploratory, randomized mixed-method crossover study was conducted to compare a DVD- and Web-based DESI. Randomized participants used either the Web or the DVD first, followed by the alternative format. Participants completed a questionnaire to assess decision-specific knowledge at baseline and a questionnaire and structured qualitative interview after viewing each format. Tracking software was used to capture Web utilization. Transcripts were analyzed using integrated inductive and deductive approaches. Quantitative data were analyzed using exploratory bivariate and multivariate analyses. Exploratory knowledge analyses suggest that both formats increased knowledge, with limited evidence that the DVD increased knowledge more than the Web. Format preference varied across participants: 44% preferred the Web, 32% preferred the DVD and 24% preferred 'both'. Patient discussions of preferences for DESI information structure and the importance of a patients' stage of a given decision suggest these characteristics may be important factors underlying variation in utilization, format preferences and knowledge outcomes. Our results suggest that both DESI formats effectively increase knowledge. Patients' perceptions of these two formats further suggest that there may be no single 'best' format for all patients. These results have important implications for understanding why different DESI formats might be preferable to and more effective for different patients. Further research is needed to explore the relationship between these factors and DESI utilization outcomes across diverse patient populations. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Coping with Multiple Innovations in Schools: An Exploratory Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wallace, Mike

1991-01-01

Reviews small-scale, exploratory research into British schools' management of concurrent educational reform innovations generated by government, local education authorities, and the schools themselves. Describes changing innovations patterns, key factors influencing their adoption and implementation, the central management strategies employed, and…

MAP: an iterative experimental design methodology for the optimization of catalytic search space structure modeling.

PubMed

Baumes, Laurent A

2006-01-01

One of the main problems in high-throughput research for materials is still the design of experiments. At early stages of discovery programs, purely exploratory methodologies coupled with fast screening tools should be employed. This should lead to opportunities to find unexpected catalytic results and identify the "groups" of catalyst outputs, providing well-defined boundaries for future optimizations. However, very few new papers deal with strategies that guide exploratory studies. Mostly, traditional designs, homogeneous covering, or simple random samplings are exploited. Typical catalytic output distributions exhibit unbalanced datasets for which an efficient learning is hardly carried out, and interesting but rare classes are usually unrecognized. Here is suggested a new iterative algorithm for the characterization of the search space structure, working independently of learning processes. It enhances recognition rates by transferring catalysts to be screened from "performance-stable" space zones to "unsteady" ones which necessitate more experiments to be well-modeled. The evaluation of new algorithm attempts through benchmarks is compulsory due to the lack of past proofs about their efficiency. The method is detailed and thoroughly tested with mathematical functions exhibiting different levels of complexity. The strategy is not only empirically evaluated, the effect or efficiency of sampling on future Machine Learning performances is also quantified. The minimum sample size required by the algorithm for being statistically discriminated from simple random sampling is investigated.

The impact of a universal intervention targeting perfectionism in children: An exploratory controlled trial.

PubMed

Vekas, Eva J; Wade, Tracey D

2017-11-01

Perfectionism is considered to be an underlying mechanism of relevance to a broad array of indicators of psychological distress. The current research examined the impact of a three-session intervention targeting perfectionism in children on perfectionism, self-criticism, and well-being. The design of the current study can be considered quasi-experimental as the intervention and control classes were not randomly allocated but decided by convenience factors at the school level. Students (aged 10.08-12.79 years) were allocated to the intervention (N = 107, 41 boys) or control condition (N = 105, 33 boys), completing self-report assessments on perfectionism, self-criticism, and well-being at baseline, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up. At post-intervention, children in the intervention group had significantly lower perfectionism than the control group (d = 0.35, 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 0.07-0.62) and at 3-month follow-up had significantly higher levels of well-being (d = 0.33, 95% CI: 0.06-0.60). As predicted by theory, decreases in perfectionism mediated the relationship between condition and improved well-being. This exploratory study provides evidence for the usefulness of a brief universal prevention programme targeting perfectionism. Future research should use more robust designs, explore longer-term effects, and the impact on a wider range of variables, including scholastic achievement. Clinical implications Perfectionism linked with negative outcomes in children can be decreased in a classroom setting. Decreasing perfectionism leads to improved well-being in children. Limitations More rigorous designs along with better assessment of perfectionism are required in further evaluations. The impact of perfectionism on scholastic achievement in children requires further investigation. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

Design and development of a film-based intervention about teenage men and unintended pregnancy: applying the Medical Research Council framework in practice.

PubMed

Aventin, Áine; Lohan, Maria; O'Halloran, Peter; Henderson, Marion

2015-04-01

Following the UK Medical Research Council's (MRC) guidelines for the development and evaluation of complex interventions, this study aimed to design, develop and optimise an educational intervention about young men and unintended teenage pregnancy based around an interactive film. The process involved identification of the relevant evidence base, development of a theoretical understanding of the phenomenon of unintended teenage pregnancy in relation to young men, and exploratory mixed methods research. The result was an evidence-based, theory-informed, user-endorsed intervention designed to meet the much neglected pregnancy education needs of teenage men and intended to increase both boys' and girls' intentions to avoid an unplanned pregnancy during adolescence. In prioritising the development phase, this paper addresses a gap in the literature on the processes of research-informed intervention design. It illustrates the application of the MRC guidelines in practice while offering a critique and additional guidance to programme developers on the MRC prescribed processes of developing interventions. Key lessons learned were: (1) know and engage the target population and engage gatekeepers in addressing contextual complexities; (2) know the targeted behaviours and model a process of change; and (3) look beyond development to evaluation and implementation. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Utilizing Technology Effectively to Improve Millennials' Educational Performance: An Exploratory Look at Business Students' Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aviles, Maria; Eastman, Jacqueline K.

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to discuss how technological tools, such as Web 2.0 and online learning management systems, can be utilized to improve Millennials' educational performance. Design/methodology/approach: An exploratory survey of Millennial business students was conducted to measure their self-reported use and perceived…

Group Time in Early Childhood Centers: An Exploratory Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McAfee, Oralie

To investigate the current status of group time in early childhood centers, a small-scale exploratory study was designed and executed. Results of interviews with 35 teachers and observations in five classrooms serving children ages 2 1/2 through kindergarten revealed that all classrooms had at least one group time or circle time, usually in the…

Invited Reaction: Development and Exploratory Validation of an Organizational Efficacy Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Decker, Carol A.

2010-01-01

This paper presents the author's comments on James G. Bohn's article "Development and Exploratory Validation of an Organizational Efficacy Scale". In his article, Bohn has captured a deficiency, as he quotes, of "over two decades" in the human resource development (HRD) field. Since no scale has been designed specifically to measure efficacy at…

Comparisons of Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daniel, Larry G.

Historically, most researchers conducting factor analysis have used exploratory methods. However, more recently, confirmatory factor analytic methods have been developed that can directly test theory either during factor rotation using "best fit" rotation methods or during factor extraction, as with the LISREL computer programs developed…

A Restorative Justice Approach to Empathy Development in Sex Offenders: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roseman, Christopher P.; Ritchie, Martin; Laux, John M.

2009-01-01

The authors describe an exploratory study in sex offender treatment using a restorative justice approach to examine the shame, guilt, and empathy development of convicted sexual offenders. Implications for clinical practice and future research are highlighted. (Contains 3 tables.)

The mesencephalic trigeminal sensory nucleus is involved in acquisition of active exploratory behavior induced by changing from a diet of exclusively milk formula to food pellets in mice.

PubMed

Ishii, Toshiaki; Furuoka, Hidefumi; Kitamura, Nobuo; Muroi, Yoshikage; Nishimura, Masakazu

2006-09-21

Post-weaning mice fed exclusively milk display low-frequency exploratory behavior [Ishii, T., Itou, T., and Nishimura, M. (2005) Life Sci. 78, 174-179] compared to mice fed a food pellet diet. This low-frequency exploratory behavior switched to high-frequency exploration after a switch from exclusively milk formula to a food pellet diet. Acquisition of the high-frequency exploratory behavior was irreversible. Recently, we demonstrated that the mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus (Me5) is involved in the control of feeding and exploratory behavior in mice without modulating the emotional state [Ishii, T., Furuoka, H., Itou, T., Kitamura, N., and Nishimura, M. (2005) Brain Res. 1048, 80-86]. We therefore investigated whether the Me5 is involved in acquisition of high-frequency exploratory behavior induced by the switch in diet from an exclusively milk formula to food pellets. Mouse feeding and exploratory behaviors were analyzed using a food search compulsion apparatus, which was designed to distinguish between the two behaviors under standard living conditions. Immunohistochemical analysis of immediate early genes indicated that the Me5, which receives signals from oral proprioceptors, is transiently activated after the diet change. The change from low-frequency to high-frequency exploratory behavior was prevented in milk-fed mice by bilateral lesion of the Me5. These results suggest that the Me5 is activated by signals associated with mastication-induced proprioception and contributes to the acquisition of active exploratory behavior.

Developing a framework for successful research partnerships in global health.

PubMed

Larkan, Fiona; Uduma, Ogenna; Lawal, Saheed Akinmayọwa; van Bavel, Bianca

2016-05-06

The Centre for Global Health, Trinity College Dublin has as one of its goals, strengthening health systems in developing countries. In realising this goal we work across more than 40 countries with third-level, civil society, government, private sector and UN partners. Each of these requires that different relationships be established. Good principles must guide all global health research partnerships. An exploratory research project was undertaken with research partners of, and staff within, the Centre for Global Health. The aim was to build an evidence-based framework. An inductive exploratory research process was undertaken using a grounded theory approach in three consecutive phases: Phase I: An open-ended questionnaire was sent via email to all identified partners. Phase II: A series of consultative meetings were held with the staff of the Centre for Global Health. Phase III: Data sets from Phases I and II were applied to the development of a unifying framework. Data was analysed using grounded theory three stage thematic analysis - open, axial and selective coding. Relational and operational aspects of partnership were highlighted as being relevant across every partnership. Seven equally important core concepts emerged (focus, values, equity, benefit, leadership, communication and resolution), and are described and discussed here. Of these, two (leadership and resolution) are less often considered in existing literature on partnerships. Large complex partnerships can work well if all parties are agreed in advance to a common minimum programme, have been involved from the design stage, and have adequate resources specifically allocated. Based on this research, a framework for partnerships has been developed and is shared.

Exploratory technology research program for electrochemical energy storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kinoshita, K.

1992-06-01

The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Propulsion Systems provides support for an electrochemical energy storage program, that includes research and development (R&D) on advanced rechargeable batteries and fuel cells. A major goal of this program is to develop electrochemical power sources suitable for application in electric vehicles. The program centers on advanced systems that offer the potential for high performance and low life-cycle costs. The DOE Electrochemical Energy Storage Program is divided into two projects: the Electric Vehicle Advanced Battery Systems Development (EVABS) Program and the Exploratory Technology Research (ETR) Program. The EVABS Program management responsibility has been assigned to Sandia National Laboratory, and the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory is responsible for management of the ETR Program. The EVABS and ETR Programs include an integrated matrix of R&D efforts designed to advance progress on several candidate electrochemical systems. The United States Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC), a tripartite undertaking between DOE, the U.S. automobile manufacturers and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), was formed in 1991 to accelerate the development of advanced batteries for consumer EVs. The role of the ETR Program is to perform supporting research on the advanced battery systems under development by the USABC and EVABS Program, and to evaluate new systems with potentially superior performance, durability and/or cost characteristics. The specific goal of the ETR Program is to identify the most promising electrochemical technologies and transfer them to the USABC, the battery industry and/or the EVABS Program for further development and scaleup. This report summarizes the research, financial and management activities relevant to the ETR Program in FY 1991.

Towards viable, useful and usable human factors design guidance.

PubMed

Burns, C M; Vicente, K J; Christoffersen, K; Pawlak, W S

1997-01-01

This paper investigates the factors relevant to producing effective human factors design guidance, using the Engineering Data Compendium (EDC) as a research vehicle. A series of three exploratory experiments focusing on the factors that affect the usability, usefulness and viability of human factors handbooks was conducted. The results of these studies were interpreted in the context of the process by which the EDC was developed, leading to the following recommendations: (a) human factors guidance should be organized in a manner that is stepped in context; (b) human factors guidance should be based on an explicit requirements analysis; (c) the calibration of designers' perceptions of the cost of obtaining human factors information must be improved; (d) organizational policies must be changed to induce more effective information search behaviour.

Paradigms for adaptive statistical information designs: practical experiences and strategies.

PubMed

Wang, Sue-Jane; Hung, H M James; O'Neill, Robert

2012-11-10

In the last decade or so, interest in adaptive design clinical trials has gradually been directed towards their use in regulatory submissions by pharmaceutical drug sponsors to evaluate investigational new drugs. Methodological advances of adaptive designs are abundant in the statistical literature since the 1970s. The adaptive design paradigm has been enthusiastically perceived to increase the efficiency and to be more cost-effective than the fixed design paradigm for drug development. Much interest in adaptive designs is in those studies with two-stages, where stage 1 is exploratory and stage 2 depends upon stage 1 results, but where the data of both stages will be combined to yield statistical evidence for use as that of a pivotal registration trial. It was not until the recent release of the US Food and Drug Administration Draft Guidance for Industry on Adaptive Design Clinical Trials for Drugs and Biologics (2010) that the boundaries of flexibility for adaptive designs were specifically considered for regulatory purposes, including what are exploratory goals, and what are the goals of adequate and well-controlled (A&WC) trials (2002). The guidance carefully described these distinctions in an attempt to minimize the confusion between the goals of preliminary learning phases of drug development, which are inherently substantially uncertain, and the definitive inference-based phases of drug development. In this paper, in addition to discussing some aspects of adaptive designs in a confirmatory study setting, we underscore the value of adaptive designs when used in exploratory trials to improve planning of subsequent A&WC trials. One type of adaptation that is receiving attention is the re-estimation of the sample size during the course of the trial. We refer to this type of adaptation as an adaptive statistical information design. Specifically, a case example is used to illustrate how challenging it is to plan a confirmatory adaptive statistical information design. We highlight the substantial risk of planning the sample size for confirmatory trials when information is very uninformative and stipulate the advantages of adaptive statistical information designs for planning exploratory trials. Practical experiences and strategies as lessons learned from more recent adaptive design proposals will be discussed to pinpoint the improved utilities of adaptive design clinical trials and their potential to increase the chance of a successful drug development. Published 2012. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

The development and exploratory analysis of the Back Pain Attitudes Questionnaire (Back-PAQ)

PubMed Central

Darlow, Ben; Perry, Meredith; Mathieson, Fiona; Stanley, James; Melloh, Markus; Marsh, Reginald; Baxter, G David; Dowell, Anthony

2014-01-01

Objectives To develop an instrument to assess attitudes and underlying beliefs about back pain, and subsequently investigate its internal consistency and underlying structures. Design The instrument was developed by a multidisciplinary team of clinicians and researchers based on analysis of qualitative interviews with people experiencing acute and chronic back pain. Exploratory analysis was conducted using data from a population-based cross-sectional survey. Setting Qualitative interviews with community-based participants and subsequent postal survey. Participants Instrument development informed by interviews with 12 participants with acute back pain and 11 participants with chronic back pain. Data for exploratory analysis collected from New Zealand residents and citizens aged 18 years and above. 1000 participants were randomly selected from the New Zealand Electoral Roll. 602 valid responses were received. Measures The 34-item Back Pain Attitudes Questionnaire (Back-PAQ) was developed. Internal consistency was evaluated by the Cronbach α coefficient. Exploratory analysis investigated the structure of the data using Principal Component Analysis. Results The 34-item long form of the scale had acceptable internal consistency (α=0.70; 95% CI 0.66 to 0.73). Exploratory analysis identified five two-item principal components which accounted for 74% of the variance in the reduced data set: ‘vulnerability of the back’; ‘relationship between back pain and injury’; ‘activity participation while experiencing back pain’; ‘prognosis of back pain’ and ‘psychological influences on recovery’. Internal consistency was acceptable for the reduced 10-item scale (α=0.61; 95% CI 0.56 to 0.66) and the identified components (α between 0.50 and 0.78). Conclusions The 34-item long form of the scale may be appropriate for use in future cross-sectional studies. The 10-item short form may be appropriate for use as a screening tool, or an outcome assessment instrument. Further testing of the 10-item Back-PAQ's construct validity, reliability, responsiveness to change and predictive ability needs to be conducted. PMID:24860003

The community health clinics as a learning context for student nurses.

PubMed

Makupu, M B; Botes, A

2000-09-01

The purpose of the research study was to describe guidelines to improve the community health clinics as a learning context conductive to learning. The objectives of the study commenced by getting the perception of student nurses from a nursing college in Gauteng; community sisters from ten community health clinics in the Southern Metropolitan Local Council and college tutors from a college in Gauteng. The research design and method used, consisting of a qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual approach and the design was divided into two phases. Phase one consisted of a field/empirical study and phase two of conceptualization. In all the samples follow-up focus group interviews were conducted to confirm the findings. To ensure trustworthiness, Lincoln and Guba's model (1985) was implemented and data analysis was according to Tesch's model (1990 in Creswell 1994:155) based on a qualitative approach. The conceptual framework discussed, indicating a body of knowledge, was based on the study and empirical findings from phase one to give clear meaning and understanding regarding the research study.

Absenteeism in Undergraduate Business Education: A Proposed Model and Exploratory Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burke, Lisa A.

2010-01-01

One issue in undergraduate business education remaining underexamined is student absenteeism. In this article, the literature on undergraduate absenteeism is reviewed culminating in a proposed conceptual framework to guide future research, and an exploratory investigation of management students' attitudes about absenteeism is conducted.…

The methodological quality of nurse-sensitive indicators in Dutch hospitals: A descriptive exploratory research study.

PubMed

Kieft, R A M M; Stalpers, D; Jansen, A P M; Francke, A L; Delnoij, D M J

2018-06-01

Nurse-sensitive indicators (NSIs) are increasingly being developed and used to establish quality of nursing care in Western countries. The objective was to gain insights into the methodological quality of mandatory NSIs in Dutch hospitals, including indicators for pain, wound care, malnutrition and delirium. A descriptive exploratory design was used, starting with desk research into publicly available documents and reports describing the development of the NSIs included in this study. We used the validated Appraisal of Indicators through Research and Evaluation (AIRE) instrument to evaluate the methodological quality. Although the purpose and relevance of each individual NSI have been described, no detailed information about the criteria for selecting these topics is available. It is not clear which specific stakeholders participated and how their input was used. We found no information about the process of collecting and compiling scientific evidence. It is unclear whether and to what extent the usability of NSIs has been tested. The methodological quality of NSIs used in Dutch hospitals is less than optimal in various ways and it is therefore questionable if the indicators are accurate enough to identify changes or improve nursing practice. Our study also provides an example of how the methodological quality of NSIs can be assessed systematically, which is relevant considering the increasing use of NSIs in various countries. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Consortium for Planning, Developing, and Implementing Exploratory Industrial Career Development Models (Phase I of Three Phases). Interim Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oregon State Univ., Corvallis.

The report describes the organizational phase of a project designed to create program models and supporting literature for exploratory industrial career development programs for grades seven to ten. The project was undertaken by Oregon State University in cooperation with the Oregon State Department of Education and involved the formation of a…

Philanthropic Due Diligence: Exploratory Case Studies To Improve Investments in Urban Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Christine; Harvey, James; DeArmond, Michael

This paper is designed to help funders avoid some of the pitfalls of embarking on major reform efforts in troubled urban districts, proposing exploratory case studies as a tool to improve philanthropic giving. The paper explains what is behind the two major flaws of philanthropic investment (not knowing how one thinks schools will improve and not…

The Self-Discovery Programme for Children with Special Educational Needs in Mainstream Primary and Secondary Schools: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cullen-Powell, Lesley; Barlow, Julie; Bagh, Jagrup

2005-01-01

This exploratory study concerns the Self-Discovery Programme (SDP) designed for children with emotional and behavioural difficulties in mainstream schools. The aim of the SDP is to provide children with a range of practical relaxation skills that may enhance emotional wellbeing, increase self-awareness and promote self-regulatory behaviour.…

The Use of Message Framing to Promote Sexual Risk Reduction in Young Adolescents: A Pilot Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Camenga, Deepa R.; Hieftje, Kimberly D.; Fiellin, Lynn E.; Edelman, E. Jennifer; Rosenthal, Marjorie S.; Duncan, Lindsay R.

2014-01-01

Few studies have explored the application of message framing to promote health behaviors in adolescents. In this exploratory study, we examined young adolescents' selection of gain- versus loss-framed images and messages when designing an HIV-prevention intervention to promote delayed sexual initiation. Twenty-six adolescents (aged 10-14 years)…

Convenience and Community? An Exploratory Investigation into Learners' Experiences of Web Conferencing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cornelius, Sarah

2013-01-01

This paper presents the findings of an exploratory study into the experiences of a small group of learners who have made extensive use of web conferencing as part of their studies over the academic year 2009/10. The paper outlines the design of the programme and structure of web conferencing workshops. It draws on findings from a post-programme…

The Inside Story [Learning Packages for Exploratory Career Education--7th and 8th Grades: Teacher and Student Editions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kemp, Louie E., Comp.

The four learning packages for exploratory career education are designed for use at the seventh and eighth grade levels. Each unit includes coordinated teacher and student editions. The units are: Culinary Cubs, focusing on occupations in the areas of food management, production, and services, with special reference to dietitians; Mini Nursery,…

Careers in a Non-Western Context: An Exploratory Empirical Investigation of Factors Related to the Career Success of Chinese Managers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tu, Howard S.; Forret, Monica L.; Sullivan, Sherry E.

2006-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to conduct an exploratory empirical examination to determine if factors (e.g. demographic, human capital, motivational, and organizational) associated with career success in Western countries are also related to the career outcomes of Chinese managers. Design/methodology/approach: Survey data were obtained from…

University Faculty Members' Perceptions of the Factors That Facilitate Technology Integration into Their Instruction: An Exploratory Case Study in Qatar

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karkouti, Ibrahim Mohamad

2016-01-01

This qualitative, exploratory case study was designed to elicit faculty members' perceptions of the factors that facilitate technology integration into their instruction. The study was conducted at a midsized higher education institution in Qatar. Davis's (1986) technology acceptance model (TAM) is the conceptual framework that guided this study…

MapFactory - Towards a mapping design pattern for big geospatial data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rautenbach, Victoria; Coetzee, Serena

2018-05-01

With big geospatial data emerging, cartographers and geographic information scientists have to find new ways of dealing with the volume, variety, velocity, and veracity (4Vs) of the data. This requires the development of tools that allow processing, filtering, analysing, and visualising of big data through multidisciplinary collaboration. In this paper, we present the MapFactory design pattern that will be used for the creation of different maps according to the (input) design specification for big geospatial data. The design specification is based on elements from ISO19115-1:2014 Geographic information - Metadata - Part 1: Fundamentals that would guide the design and development of the map or set of maps to be produced. The results of the exploratory research suggest that the MapFactory design pattern will help with software reuse and communication. The MapFactory design pattern will aid software developers to build the tools that are required to automate map making with big geospatial data. The resulting maps would assist cartographers and others to make sense of big geospatial data.

Exploratory Practice: Work at the Cultural Inglesa, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allwright, Dick; Lenzuen, Rosa

1997-01-01

Focuses on the aim of the Cultural Inglesa, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which is the development of a new, fully sustainable concept for classroom-based research--exploratory practice--and its assimilation into the normal working and professional-development practices of Rio Cultura teachers. (Author/VWL)

Existential Measurement: A Factor Analytic Study of Some Current Psychometric Instruments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thauberger, Patrick C.; And Others

1982-01-01

Research in existentialism and ontology has given rise to several psychometric instruments. Used both exploratory and confirmatory principal-factor analyses to study relationships among 16 existential scales. Exploratory factor analysis provided some support of the theory that the avoidance of existential confrontation is a central function of…

Brief Report: An Exploratory Study of the Diagnostic Reliability for Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Lauren J.; Eapen, Valsamma; Maybery, Murray; Midford, Sue; Paynter, Jessica; Quarmby, Lyndsay; Smith, Timothy; Williams, Katrina; Whitehouse, Andrew J.

2017-01-01

Previous research shows inconsistency in clinician-assigned diagnoses of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). We conducted an exploratory study that examined the concordance of diagnoses between a multidisciplinary assessment team and a range of independent clinicians throughout Australia. Nine video-taped Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS)…

Exploratory Analysis in Learning Analytics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibson, David; de Freitas, Sara

2016-01-01

This article summarizes the methods, observations, challenges and implications for exploratory analysis drawn from two learning analytics research projects. The cases include an analysis of a games-based virtual performance assessment and an analysis of data from 52,000 students over a 5-year period at a large Australian university. The complex…

Docking-based classification models for exploratory toxicology studies on high-quality estrogenic experimental data

EPA Science Inventory

Background: Exploratory toxicology is a new emerging research area whose ultimate mission is that of protecting human health and environment from risks posed by chemicals. In this regard, the ethical and practical limitation of animal testing has encouraged the promotion of compu...

Exploratory Practice and Soft Systems Methodology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tajino, Akira; Smith, Craig

2005-01-01

This paper aims to demonstrate that Soft Systems Methodology (SSM), a soft systems approach developed in management studies (see Checkland, 1981), can be usefully linked with Exploratory Practice (EP), a form of practitioner research for language classrooms. Some compatible SSM and EP characteristics, in tandem, could enhance continual efforts to…

Language Teachers Making Sense of Exploratory Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanks, Judith

2015-01-01

This article critically examines the implementation of Exploratory Practice in an English for academic purposes (EAP) context in a British university. The innovation involved challenges as well as opportunities for uniting learning, teaching and research. Particular emphasis is given to two teachers, who are the focus of this article: the story of…

An Exploratory Comparative Case Study of Employee Engagement in Christian Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daniels, Jessica R.

2016-01-01

Numerous studies have identified a positive correlation between employee engagement and overall organizational performance. However, research on employee engagement specifically within higher education is limited, and even less attention has been focused on engagement within the context of Christian higher education. An exploratory comparative…

Teaching Writing in the Shadow of Standardized Writing Assessment: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brimi, Hunter

2012-01-01

This exploratory study results from interviews with five high school English teachers regarding their writing instruction. The researcher sought to answer these questions: (1) How had the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program's (TCAP) Writing Assessment affected their teaching as gauged by the teachers' statements regarding the assessment,…

Issues Related to the Frequency of Exploratory Analyses by Evidence Review Groups in the NICE Single Technology Appraisal Process.

PubMed

Kaltenthaler, Eva; Carroll, Christopher; Hill-McManus, Daniel; Scope, Alison; Holmes, Michael; Rice, Stephen; Rose, Micah; Tappenden, Paul; Woolacott, Nerys

2017-06-01

Evidence Review Groups (ERGs) critically appraise company submissions as part of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Single Technology Appraisal (STA) process. As part of their critique of the evidence submitted by companies, the ERGs undertake exploratory analyses to explore uncertainties in the company's model. The aim of this study was to explore pre-defined factors that might influence or predict the extent of ERG exploratory analyses. The aim of this study was to explore predefined factors that might influence or predict the extent of ERG exploratory analyses. We undertook content analysis of over 400 documents, including ERG reports and related documentation for the 100 most recent STAs (2009-2014) for which guidance has been published. Relevant data were extracted from the documents and narrative synthesis was used to summarise the extracted data. All data were extracted and checked by two researchers. Forty different companies submitted documents as part of the NICE STA process. The most common disease area covered by the STAs was cancer (44%), and most ERG reports (n = 93) contained at least one exploratory analysis. The incidence and frequency of ERG exploratory analyses does not appear to be related to any developments in the appraisal process, the disease area covered by the STA, or the company's base-case incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). However, there does appear to be a pattern in the mean number of analyses conducted by particular ERGs, but the reasons for this are unclear and potentially complex. No clear patterns were identified regarding the presence or frequency of exploratory analyses, apart from the mean number conducted by individual ERGs. More research is needed to understand this relationship.

Changes in psychological well-being in female patients with clinically diagnosed depression: an exploratory approach in a therapeutic setting.

PubMed

Van de Vliet, P; Knapen, J; Fox, Kr; Onghena, P; David, A; Probst, M; Van Coppenolle, H; Pieters, G

2003-11-01

The objective of this exploratory one-group pretest-posttest study was to evaluate the nature of psychological change in inward depressed psychiatric patients attending multi-disciplinary treatment, including physical activity, designed to improve mental well-being. Female depressed psychiatric patients (n = 51) were examined before and after this programme over a period of 3 months. The following psychological parameters were assessed: depression, anxiety, global self-esteem, and physical self-perceptions. Depressed patients demonstrated statistically significant improvements in depression, anxiety, global self-esteem and physical self-worth (t(50) ranging from -3.76 to 4.65, all p < 0.007; ES ranging from 0.53 to -0.65). Changes in depression and anxiety displayed a strong negative correlation with changes in global self-esteem, and those changes are independent of the initial severity of the depressive symptoms ( F(2,48) ranging from 0.03 to 0.70, n.s.). Patients with greater improvement in physical self-perceptions reported greater improvement anxious symptoms then patients who did not improve. Consequently, within the limitations of the research design it can be concluded that the programme appeared successful in improving psychological well-being in female depressed patients. Results also provide preliminary insight into the potential role of the physical self in recovery.

The mesencephalic trigeminal sensory nucleus is involved in the control of feeding and exploratory behavior in mice.

PubMed

Ishii, Toshiaki; Furuoka, Hidefumi; Itou, Takuya; Kitamura, Nobuo; Nishimura, Masakazu

2005-06-28

The mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus (Me5), which receives input from oral proprioceptors and projects to higher brain regions, is involved in mastication-induced modulation of satiation. To investigate how the Me5 is involved in the control of feeding and exploratory behavior, we examined the effect of bilateral electrolytic lesions of the Me5 on feeding and exploratory behavior in mice. Mouse feeding and exploratory behaviors were analyzed using a food-search-compulsion-apparatus (FSCA), which was designed to distinguish between the two behaviors under standard living conditions. To assess anxiety in mice in an unfamiliar environment, exploratory activity was analyzed in an automated hole-board apparatus. Mice with bilateral Me5 lesions had unique feeding and exploratory behavior profiles in the FSCA compared with sham-operated mice. Me5-lesioned mice spent more time in the food chamber during each trial in the FSCA, but the number of entries into the food chamber was decreased by 40% compared to sham-operated mice. Moreover, Me5 lesions markedly inhibited exploratory behavior, manifested as low-frequency exploration. In spite of the low-frequency exploration in the FSCA, Me5 lesions had no effect on various exploratory activities analyzed in the hole-board apparatus, i.e., total locomotor activity, frequency and duration of rearing and head-dipping, and latency to the first head-dipping. These results suggest that the Me5 is involved in the control of feeding and exploratory behavior through its ascending neuronal pathways in mice without modulating the emotional state.

Integrating qualitative research into evidence based practice.

PubMed

Greenhalgh, Trisha

2002-09-01

This article attempts to provide an overview of qualitative tools and methods using mainly examples from diabetes research. The other articles in this issue of the Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinics of North America have demonstrated the enormous contribution made in the past 15 years or so by rigorous quantitative studies of prevalence, diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy to clinical decision-making in endocrinology. In the early 21st century, the state of qualitative research into such topics as the illness experience of diabetes; the barriers to effective self care and positive health choices; the design of complex educational interventions; the design of appropriate, acceptable and responsive health services; and the decision-making behavior of health professionals, is such that there remain many more questions than answers. But qualitative research is increasingly recognized as an important, legitimate and expanding dimension of evidence-based health care (18;19). It is highly likely that the major landmark studies in diabetes care over the next decade will build on an exploratory qualitative study or incorporate an explanatory or evaluative dimension based on qualitative methods.

Boeing's High Voltage Solar Tile Test Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reed, Brian J.; Harden, David E.; Ferguson, Dale C.; Snyder, David B.

2002-10-01

Real concerns of spacecraft charging and experience with solar array augmented electrostatic discharge arcs on spacecraft have minimized the use of high voltages on large solar arrays despite numerous vehicle system mass and efficiency advantages. Boeing's solar tile (patent pending) allows high voltage to be generated at the array without the mass and efficiency losses of electronic conversion. Direct drive electric propulsion and higher power payloads (lower spacecraft weight) will benefit from this design. As future power demand grows, spacecraft designers must use higher voltage to minimize transmission loss and power cable mass for very large area arrays. This paper will describe the design and discuss the successful test of Boeing's 500-Volt Solar Tile in NASA Glenn's Tenney chamber in the Space Plasma Interaction Facility. The work was sponsored by NASA's Space Solar Power Exploratory Research and Technology (SERT) Program and will result in updated high voltage solar array design guidelines being published.

Empowerment in the process of health messaging for rural low-income mothers: an exploratory message design project.

PubMed

Aldoory, Linda; Braun, Bonnie; Maring, Elisabeth Fost; Duggal, Mili; Briones, Rowena Lynn

2015-01-01

Rural, low-income mothers face challenges to their health equal to or greater than those of low-income mothers from urban areas. This study put health message design into the hands of low-income rural mothers. The current study filled a research gap by analyzing a participatory process used to design health messages tailored to the everyday lives of rural low-income mothers. A total of forty-three mothers participated in nine focus groups, which were held from 2012 to 2013, in eight states. The mothers were from different racial and ethnic backgrounds. Participants discussed food security, physical activity, and oral health information. They created messages by considering several elements: visuals, length of message, voice/perspective, self-efficacy and personal control, emotional appeals, positive and negative reinforcements, and steps to health behavior change. This study was innovative in its focus on empowerment as a key process to health message design.

Boeing's High Voltage Solar Tile Test Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reed, Brian J.; Harden, David E.; Ferguson, Dale C.; Snyder, David B.

2002-01-01

Real concerns of spacecraft charging and experience with solar array augmented electrostatic discharge arcs on spacecraft have minimized the use of high voltages on large solar arrays despite numerous vehicle system mass and efficiency advantages. Boeing's solar tile (patent pending) allows high voltage to be generated at the array without the mass and efficiency losses of electronic conversion. Direct drive electric propulsion and higher power payloads (lower spacecraft weight) will benefit from this design. As future power demand grows, spacecraft designers must use higher voltage to minimize transmission loss and power cable mass for very large area arrays. This paper will describe the design and discuss the successful test of Boeing's 500-Volt Solar Tile in NASA Glenn's Tenney chamber in the Space Plasma Interaction Facility. The work was sponsored by NASA's Space Solar Power Exploratory Research and Technology (SERT) Program and will result in updated high voltage solar array design guidelines being published.

Epoch-making milestones in antibiotic exploratory researches in Japan.

PubMed

Hotta, Kunimoto

2017-01-01

Professor Satoshi Ōmura was awarded the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. He is the third to win the award for research on antibiotic, following Fleming' (UK, 1945, discovery of penicillin) and Waksman (USA, 1952, discovery of streptomycin), and the second person after Waksman to receive the award for research on actinomycetes. By focusing his research on macrolides stemming from leucomycin research rather than β-lactams like penicillin or aminoglycosides like streptomycin, Prof. Ōmura realized many scientific achievements. These efforts finally led to the discovery of avermectin and its semi-synthetic derivative, ivermectin, considered a monumental contribution to the human race. In this manuscript, I will outline the chronicles of the epoch-making antibiotic exploratory researches preceding Prof. Ōmura.

SOCR Motion Charts: An Efficient, Open-Source, Interactive and Dynamic Applet for Visualizing Longitudinal Multivariate Data

PubMed Central

Al-Aziz, Jameel; Christou, Nicolas; Dinov, Ivo D.

2011-01-01

The amount, complexity and provenance of data have dramatically increased in the past five years. Visualization of observed and simulated data is a critical component of any social, environmental, biomedical or scientific quest. Dynamic, exploratory and interactive visualization of multivariate data, without preprocessing by dimensionality reduction, remains a nearly insurmountable challenge. The Statistics Online Computational Resource (www.SOCR.ucla.edu) provides portable online aids for probability and statistics education, technology-based instruction and statistical computing. We have developed a new Java-based infrastructure, SOCR Motion Charts, for discovery-based exploratory analysis of multivariate data. This interactive data visualization tool enables the visualization of high-dimensional longitudinal data. SOCR Motion Charts allows mapping of ordinal, nominal and quantitative variables onto time, 2D axes, size, colors, glyphs and appearance characteristics, which facilitates the interactive display of multidimensional data. We validated this new visualization paradigm using several publicly available multivariate datasets including Ice-Thickness, Housing Prices, Consumer Price Index, and California Ozone Data. SOCR Motion Charts is designed using object-oriented programming, implemented as a Java Web-applet and is available to the entire community on the web at www.socr.ucla.edu/SOCR_MotionCharts. It can be used as an instructional tool for rendering and interrogating high-dimensional data in the classroom, as well as a research tool for exploratory data analysis. PMID:21479108

An Exploratory Review of Design Principles in Constructivist Gaming Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosario, Roberto A. Munoz; Widmeyer, George R.

2009-01-01

Creating a design theory for Constructivist Gaming Learning Environment necessitates, among other things, the establishment of design principles. These principles have the potential to help designers produce games, where users achieve higher levels of learning. This paper focuses on twelve design principles: Probing, Distributed, Multiple Routes,…

Exploratory Advanced Research Program : Research Associates Program 2014

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-12-31

Since 1954, the National Research Council (NRC) has conducted the Research Associateship Program (RAP) in cooperation with sponsoring Federal laboratories and other approved participating research organizations. RAP provides highly skilled and exceed...

Exploratory Advanced Research Program : Research Associates Program 2016

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-02-01

Since 1954, the National Research Council (NRC) has conducted the Research Associateship Program (RAP) in cooperation with sponsoring Federal laboratories and other approved participating research organizations. RAP provides highly skilled and exceed...

The Constructivist Approach? I Have Heard about It but I Have Never Seen It: "An Example of Exploratory Sequential Mixed Design Study"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Polat, Ahmet; Dogan, Soner; Demir, Selçuk Besir

2016-01-01

The present study was undertaken to investigate the quality of education based on the views of the students attending social studies education departments at the Faculties of Education and to determine the existing problems and present suggestions for their solutions. The study was conducted according to exploratory sequential mixed method. In…

The Constructivist Approach? I Have Heard about It but I Have Never Seen It "An Example of Exploratory Sequential Mixed Design Study"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Polat, Ahmet; Dogan, Soner; Demir, Selçuk Besir

2016-01-01

The present study was undertaken to investigate the quality of education based on the views of the students attending social studies education departments at the Faculties of Education and to determine the existing problems and present suggestions for their solutions. The study was conducted according to exploratory sequential mixed method. In…

Cracks in the Ceiling? Historical and Contemporary Trends of African American Deans of Schools of Social Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banks, Leon; Hopps, June Gary; Briggs, Harold E.

2018-01-01

This article presents data from an exploratory study of the demographic and published scholarship profiles of the deans and university provosts of the top 50 schools of social work as ranked by the 2016 U.S. News and World Report ratings. Method: The authors used an exploratory design to conduct a content analysis of the demographic and…

Exploratory Corrugated Infrared Hot-Electron Transistor Arrays

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-02-01

quantum well infrared photodetector ( QWIP ) structure. This improvement is consistent with the hot-electron distributions created by the thermal and...the designed value. This higher barrier height can be attributed to the finite p-type doping density in the material. 15. SUBJECT TERMS QWIP ...infrared photodetector ( QWIP ) sensor in a small exploratory array format, which is capable of suppressing the detector dark current. The new detector

An Exploratory Study of Inner-City College Athletes and Crime: Socialization, Risk, Strategy, and Hope

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Dexter Juan

2012-01-01

An exploratory study was conducted to focus on what is being done to help college athletes stay out of trouble and avoid activities that may lead to crime and/or criminal activity. The study was designed to find real examples of poor decisions and/or productive decisions made by athletes in order to provide for a rich learning opportunity. Crimes…

Argument-Driven Inquiry as a Way to Help Students Learn How to Participate in Scientific Argumentation and Craft Written Arguments: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sampson, Victor; Grooms, Jonathon; Walker, Joi Phelps

2011-01-01

This exploratory study examines how a series of laboratory activities designed using a new instructional model, called Argument-Driven Inquiry (ADI), influences the ways students participate in scientific argumentation and the quality of the scientific arguments they craft as part of this process. The two outcomes of interest were assessed with a…

Alternative Energy Curriculum for Trade and Industry Exploratory. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

University of Central Arkansas, Conway.

This study was a descriptive curriculum research project covering the development of learning packets on alternative energy. The purpose of the project was to improve instruction in trades and industry exploratory programs by providing alternative energy materials. It was anticipated that the use of a prepared learning package would facilitate the…

An Examination of Parametric and Nonparametric Dimensionality Assessment Methods with Exploratory and Confirmatory Mode

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kogar, Hakan

2018-01-01

The aim of the present research study was to compare the findings from the nonparametric MSA, DIMTEST and DETECT and the parametric dimensionality determining methods in various simulation conditions by utilizing exploratory and confirmatory methods. For this purpose, various simulation conditions were established based on number of dimensions,…

Comparing Fathers' Physical and Toy Play and Links to Child Behaviour: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

St George, Jennifer; Fletcher, Richard; Palazzi, Kerrin

2017-01-01

Increasing amounts of research show that fathers' involvement in children's lives contributes to the child's social, emotional and cognitive development; however, much of the evidence comes from fathers' caregiving and object play. This exploratory study compared the characteristics of 24 Australian fathers' play in two contexts--toy play and…

Informal Learning in Academic Student Organizations: An Exploratory Examination of Student-Faculty Interactions and the Relationship to Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holzweiss, Peggy C.; Parrott, Kelli Peck; Cole, Bryan R.

2013-01-01

This exploratory study examined informal learning opportunities that exist within student organizations. The researchers specifically isolated academic organizations and the interactions between students and faculty that may occur in this context. Findings indicate that 81% of participants experienced interactions with faculty within the context…

An Exploratory Study of Digital Video Editing as a Tool for Teacher Preparation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Calandra, Brendan; Gurvitch, Rachel; Lund, Jacalyn

2008-01-01

The authors' purpose was to examine teacher candidates' perspectives of successful teaching through personalized video vignettes. Furthermore, the authors were interested in how participants' written reflections might change as a result of creating these vignettes. This research used mixed-methods within the context of an exploratory multi-case…

The Nature of Professional Learning Communities in New Zealand Early Childhood Education: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cherrington, Sue; Thornton, Kate

2015-01-01

Professional learning communities are receiving increasing attention within the schooling sector but empirical research into their development and use within early childhood education contexts is rare. This paper reports initial findings of an exploratory study into the development of professional learning communities in New Zealand's early…

Application of Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling to Evaluate the Academic Motivation Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guay, Frédéric; Morin, Alexandre J. S.; Litalien, David; Valois, Pierre; Vallerand, Robert J.

2015-01-01

In this research, the authors examined the construct validity of scores of the Academic Motivation Scale using exploratory structural equation modeling. Study 1 and Study 2 involved 1,416 college students and 4,498 high school students, respectively. First, results of both studies indicated that the factor structure tested with exploratory…

Self-Regulatory Efficacy and Mindset of At-Risk Students: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matheson, Ian A.

2015-01-01

There is a limited body of research examining how students' beliefs about intelligence and about their abilities relate to different learning environments. As reported here, I examined secondary school students' beliefs, goals, and expectations guided by Zimmerman's (2000) model of self-regulated learning. In this exploratory study, 230 secondary…

An Exploratory Framework for Handling the Complexity of Mathematical Problem Posing in Small Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kontorovich, Igor; Koichu, Boris; Leikin, Roza; Berman, Avi

2012-01-01

The paper introduces an exploratory framework for handling the complexity of students' mathematical problem posing in small groups. The framework integrates four facets known from past research: task organization, students' knowledge base, problem-posing heuristics and schemes, and group dynamics and interactions. In addition, it contains a new…

Vocational Exploratory Programs: Career Selections and Attitudes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reynolds, Alfred

More research is needed on the effect of summer vocational exploratory programs for disadvantaged youth. Because of the limited number of high schools which offer a wide range of vocational courses, only one out of every five high school students has the opportunity to pursue viable technical or occupationally specific goals. However, research…

An Exploratory Study of Problem Gambling on Casino versus Non-Casino Electronic Gaming Machines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clarke, Dave; Pulford, Justin; Bellringer, Maria; Abbott, Max; Hodgins, David C.

2012-01-01

Electronic gaming machines (EGMs) have been frequently associated with problem gambling. Little research has compared the relative contribution of casino EGMs versus non-casino EGMs on current problem gambling, after controlling for demographic factors and gambling behaviour. Our exploratory study obtained data from questionnaires administered to…

Why Integrating Technology Has Been Unsuccessful in Kuwait? An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alfelaij, Bader

2016-01-01

In Kuwait, unsuccessful attempts to use and integrate technology into classrooms and lecture halls are currently being witnessed in schools and higher education institutions. Such failure is believed to be the consequence of various challenges, such as cultural, technical and contextual challenges. In this exploratory study, the researcher has…

Mentoring Matters: An Exploratory Survey of Educational Leadership Doctoral Students' Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Welton, Anjalé D.; Mansfield, Katherine Cumings; Lee, Pei-Ling

2014-01-01

There is limited research on quantitative differences between men and women's experiences in doctoral programs. We aim to fill that gap by sharing findings from a web-based exploratory survey of perceived gender differences on quality mentoring in educational leadership doctoral programs. According to survey results, there is limited…

Bullying and Victimisation Dynamics in High School: An Exploratory Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lekunze, Lucy M. George; Strom, B. Ivan

2017-01-01

Bullying is a worldwide concern and erroneous perceptions of the phenomenon could underscore unsustainable interventions. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to examine, in-depth, how some high school teachers from two schools in New Jersey perceived student bullying. The primary research question was: What perceptions do…

Parental Influence on Exploratory Students' College Choice, Major, and Career Decision Making

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Workman, Jamie L.

2015-01-01

This article explores parental influence on exploratory students' college choice, major, and career decision making. The research began with examination of a first year academic advising model and Living Learning Community. Parental influence emerged as a key theme in student decision making processes. The project was conducted using grounded…

Mission Attachment and Job Satisfaction among Emergency Shelter and Transitional Housing Service Professionals: An Exploratory Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fermin, Caroline P.

2017-01-01

This research study was an exploratory analysis to determine if a relationship existed between mission attachment and job satisfaction of emergency nonprofit domestic violence shelter/transitional housing workers. The study examined if the perceptions, beliefs, and attitudes were different between entry-level, middle-level, and senior-level…

Making the Case for Exploratory World Language Instruction in Catholic Elementary Schools through University Partnerships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burke, Brigid M.; Howard, Eric D.

2017-01-01

As a result of a university partnership, elementary students at two midwest Catholic elementary schools have been provided with exploratory world language instruction (FLEX) from pre-service teachers. To investigate students' attitudes and learning of Spanish, researchers interviewed second and fourth graders. The students' parents and pre-service…

Personal Epistemologies of Statisticians in Academia: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diamond, Aurel H.; Stylianides, Andreas J.

2017-01-01

In this exploratory study, we investigated the personal epistemologies of statisticians in academia with the aim of offering some insight into what might be an availing epistemology for learning statistics. Findings from in-depth, semi-structured interviews with six academics in the UK currently researching within the field of statistics showed…

Personality and Persuasive Technology: An Exploratory Study on Health-Promoting Mobile Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Halko, Sajanee; Kientz, Julie A.

Though a variety of persuasive health applications have been designed with a preventive standpoint toward diseases in mind, many have been designed largely for a general audience. Designers of these technologies may achieve more success if applications consider an individual's personality type. Our goal for this research was to explore the relationship between personality and persuasive technologies in the context of health-promoting mobile applications. We conducted an online survey with 240 participants using storyboards depicting eight different persuasive strategies, the Big Five Inventory for personality domains, and questions on perceptions of the persuasive technologies. Our results and analysis revealed a number of significant relationships between personality and the persuasive technologies we evaluated. The findings from this study can guide the development of persuasive technologies that can cater to individual personalities to improve the likelihood of their success.

Design and control of five fingered under-actuated robotic hand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahoo, Biswojit; Parida, Pramod Kumar

2018-04-01

Now a day's research regarding humanoid robots and its application in different fields (industry, household, rehabilitation and exploratory) is going on entire the globe. Among which a challenging topic is to design a dexterous robotic hand which not only can perform as a hand of a robot but also can be used in re habilitation. The basic key concern is a dexterous robot hand which can be able to mimic the function of biological hand to perform different operations. This thesis work is regarding design and control of a under-actuated robotic hand consisting of four under actuated fingers (index finger, middle finger, little finger and ring finger ) , a thumb and a dexterous palm which can copy the motions and grasp type of human hand which having 21degrees of freedom instead of 25Degree Of Freedom.

A Year-Long Research Experience Program in Solar and Atmospheric Physics at the Queensborough Community College of the City University of New York (CUNY)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Damas, M. C.; Cheung, T. D.; Ngwira, C.; Mohamed, A.; Knipp, D. J.; Johnson, L. P.; Zheng, Y.; Paglione, T.

2015-12-01

The Queensborough Community College (QCC) of the City University of New York (CUNY), a Hispanic and minority-serving institution, is the recipient of a 2-year NSF EAGER (Early Concept Grants for Exploratory Research) grant to design and implement a high-impact practice integrated research and education program in solar and atmospheric physics. Through a strong collaboration with CUNY/City College of New York and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center's Community Coordinated Modeling Center (CCMC), the project engages underrepresented community college students in geosciences-related STEM fields through a year-long research experience with two components: 1) during the academic year, students are enrolled in a course-based introductory research (CURE) where they conduct research on real-world problems; and 2) during the summer, students are placed in research internships at partner institutions. We will present the results of the first year-long research experience, including successes and challenges.

Exploratory Technology Research Program for electrochemical energy storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kinoshita, Kim

1994-09-01

The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Propulsion Systems provides support for an Electrochemical Energy Storage Program, that includes research and development (R&D) on advanced rechargeable batteries and fuel cells. A major goal of this program is to develop electrochemical power sources suitable for application in electric vehicles (EV's). The program centers on advanced systems that offer the potential for high performance and low life-cycle costs, both of which are necessary to permit significant penetration into commercial markets. The DOE Electrochemical Energy Storage Program is divided into two projects: the Electric Vehicle Advanced Battery Systems (EVABS) Development Program and the Exploratory Technology Research (ETR) Program. The EVABS Program management responsibility has been assigned to Sandia National Laboratories (SNL); Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (LBL) is responsible for management of the ETR Program. The EVABS and ETR Programs include an integrated matrix of R&D efforts designed to advance progress on selected candidate electrochemical systems. The United States Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC), a tripartite undertaking between DOE, the U.S. automobile manufacturers and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), was formed in 1991 to accelerate the development of advanced batteries for consumer EV's. The role of the FIR Program is to perform supporting research on the advanced battery systems under development by the USABC and EVABS Program, and to evaluate new systems with potentially superior performance, durability and/or cost characteristics. The specific goal of the ETR Program is to identify the most promising electrochemical technologies and transfer them to the USABC, the battery industry and/or the EVABS Program for further development and scale-up. This report summarizes the research, financial and management activities relevant to the ETR Program in CY 1993.

Exploratory Technology Research Program for electrochemical energy storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kinoshita, Kim

1994-09-01

The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Propulsion Systems provides support for an Electrochemical Energy Storage Program, that includes research and development (R&D) on advanced rechargeable batteries and fuel cells. A major goal of this program is to develop electrochemical power sources suitable for application in electric vehicles (EV's). The program centers on advanced systems that offer the potential for high performance and low life-cycle costs, both of which are necessary to permit significant penetration into commercial markets. The DOE Electrochemical Energy Storage Program is divided into two projects: the Electric Vehicle Advanced Battery Systems (EVABS) Development Program and the Exploratory Technology Research (ETR) Program. The EVABS Program management responsibility has been assigned to Sandia National Laboratories (SNL); Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (LBL) is responsible for management of the FIR Program. The EVABS and ETR Programs include an integrated matrix of R&D efforts designed to advance progress on selected candidate electrochemical systems. The United States Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC), a tripartite undertaking between DOE, the U.S. automobile manufacturers and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), was formed in 1991 to accelerate the development of advanced batteries for consumer EV's. The role of the FIR Program is to perform supporting research on the advanced battery systems under development by the USABC and EVABS Program, and to evaluate new systems with potentially superior performance, durability and/or cost characteristics. The specific goal of the ETR Program is to identify the most promising electrochemical technologies and transfer them to the USABC, the battery industry and/or the EVABS Program for further development and scale-up. This report summarizes the research, financial and management activities relevant to the ETR Program in CY 1993.

High intensity positron source at HFR: Basic concept, scoring and design optimisation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeman, A.; Tuček, K.; Debarberis, L.; Hogenbirk, A.

2012-01-01

Recent applications of positron beam techniques in various fields of research have led to an increasing demand for high intensity positron sources required for advanced applications, particularly in materials science. Considerable efforts are being made worldwide to design and set-up high intensity positron sources and beam systems that are based on several principles. Such positron sources could be used in fundamental and applied research experiments, as well as in industrial applications, especially in the field of condensed matter characterisation at the nanometre scale. Phenomena involving positrons are also important in other applied science fields such as medicine, biology, physics, energy, etc. However, such studies are often limited due to the relative lack of suitable positron sources. Results from the recently completed Exploratory Research Project called "HIPOS" are discussed in this paper, which describes the principles behind such a powerful very high intensity positron beam experimental facility that is based on a reactor source. Details of a proposed concept that uses nuclear reactions [(n, γ) and (γ, pair)] within a designed positron generator at the High Flux Reactor (HFR) in Petten are also discussed. The HIPOS source has been designed to produce slow positrons with intensity of the order of 10 10 e +/s.

Strategies to design clinical studies to identify predictive biomarkers in cancer research.

PubMed

Perez-Gracia, Jose Luis; Sanmamed, Miguel F; Bosch, Ana; Patiño-Garcia, Ana; Schalper, Kurt A; Segura, Victor; Bellmunt, Joaquim; Tabernero, Josep; Sweeney, Christopher J; Choueiri, Toni K; Martín, Miguel; Fusco, Juan Pablo; Rodriguez-Ruiz, Maria Esperanza; Calvo, Alfonso; Prior, Celia; Paz-Ares, Luis; Pio, Ruben; Gonzalez-Billalabeitia, Enrique; Gonzalez Hernandez, Alvaro; Páez, David; Piulats, Jose María; Gurpide, Alfonso; Andueza, Mapi; de Velasco, Guillermo; Pazo, Roberto; Grande, Enrique; Nicolas, Pilar; Abad-Santos, Francisco; Garcia-Donas, Jesus; Castellano, Daniel; Pajares, María J; Suarez, Cristina; Colomer, Ramon; Montuenga, Luis M; Melero, Ignacio

2017-02-01

The discovery of reliable biomarkers to predict efficacy and toxicity of anticancer drugs remains one of the key challenges in cancer research. Despite its relevance, no efficient study designs to identify promising candidate biomarkers have been established. This has led to the proliferation of a myriad of exploratory studies using dissimilar strategies, most of which fail to identify any promising targets and are seldom validated. The lack of a proper methodology also determines that many anti-cancer drugs are developed below their potential, due to failure to identify predictive biomarkers. While some drugs will be systematically administered to many patients who will not benefit from them, leading to unnecessary toxicities and costs, others will never reach registration due to our inability to identify the specific patient population in which they are active. Despite these drawbacks, a limited number of outstanding predictive biomarkers have been successfully identified and validated, and have changed the standard practice of oncology. In this manuscript, a multidisciplinary panel reviews how those key biomarkers were identified and, based on those experiences, proposes a methodological framework-the DESIGN guidelines-to standardize the clinical design of biomarker identification studies and to develop future research in this pivotal field. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Basic Exploratory Research versus Guideline-Compliant Studies Used for Hazard Evaluation and Risk Assessment: Bisphenol A as a Case Study

PubMed Central

Tyl, Rochelle W.

2009-01-01

Background Myers et al. [Environ Health Perspect 117:309–315 (2009)] argued that Good Laboratory Practices (GLPs) cannot be used as a criterion for selecting data for risk assessment, using bisphenol A (BPA) as a case study. They did not discuss the role(s) of guideline-compliant studies versus basic/exploratory research studies, and they criticized both GLPs and guideline-compliant studies and their roles in formal hazard evaluation and risk assessment. They also specifically criticized our published guideline-compliant dietary studies on BPA in rats and mice and 17β-estradiol (E2) in mice. Objectives As the study director/first author of the criticized E2 and BPA studies, I discuss the uses of basic research versus guideline-compliant studies, how testing guidelines are developed and revised, how new end points are validated, and the role of GLPs. I also provide an overview of the BPA guideline-compliant and exploratory research animal studies and describe BPA pharmacokinetics in rats and humans. I present responses to specific criticisms by Myers et al. Discussion and conclusions Weight-of-evidence evaluations have consistently concluded that low-level BPA oral exposures do not adversely affect human developmental or reproductive health, and I encourage increased validation efforts for “new” end points for inclusion in guideline studies, as well as performance of robust long-term studies to follow early effects (observed in small exploratory studies) to any adverse consequences. PMID:20049112

Towards an Understanding of Instructional Design Heuristics: An Exploratory Delphi Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

York, Cindy S.; Ertmer, Peggy A.

2011-01-01

Evidence suggests that experienced instructional designers often use heuristics and adapted models when engaged in the instructional design problem-solving process. This study used the Delphi technique to identify a core set of heuristics designers reported as being important to the success of the design process. The overarching purpose of the…

Inductive reasoning in the context of discovery: Analogy as an experimental stratagem in the history and philosophy of science.

PubMed

Fisher, Amy A

2018-06-01

Building on Norton's "material theory of induction," this paper shows through careful historical analysis that analogy can act as a methodological principle or stratagem, providing experimentalists with a useful framework to assess data and devise novel experiments. Although this particular case study focuses on late eighteenth and early nineteenth-century experiments on the properties and composition of acids, the results of this investigation may be extended and applied to other research programs. A stage in-between what Steinle calls "exploratory experimentation" and robust theory, I argue that analogy encouraged research to substantiate why the likenesses should outweigh the differences (or vice versa) when evaluating results and designing experiments. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Testing the Efficacy of Two New Variants of Recasts with Standard Recasts in Communicative Conversational Settings: An Exploratory Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wacha, Richard Charles; Liu, Yeu-Ting

2017-01-01

The purpose of this exploratory longitudinal study was to evaluate the efficacy of two new forms of recasts (i.e., elaborated and paraphrased recasts), each of which was designed to be more in accordance with contested views of input processing. The effectiveness of the two new forms of recasts was compared to that of conventional standard…

Designing Health Websites Based on Users’ Web-Based Information-Seeking Behaviors: A Mixed-Method Observational Study

PubMed Central

Pang, Patrick Cheong-Iao; Verspoor, Karin; Pearce, Jon

2016-01-01

Background Laypeople increasingly use the Internet as a source of health information, but finding and discovering the right information remains problematic. These issues are partially due to the mismatch between the design of consumer health websites and the needs of health information seekers, particularly the lack of support for “exploring” health information. Objective The aim of this research was to create a design for consumer health websites by supporting different health information–seeking behaviors. We created a website called Better Health Explorer with the new design. Through the evaluation of this new design, we derive design implications for future implementations. Methods Better Health Explorer was designed using a user-centered approach. The design was implemented and assessed through a laboratory-based observational study. Participants tried to use Better Health Explorer and another live health website. Both websites contained the same content. A mixed-method approach was adopted to analyze multiple types of data collected in the experiment, including screen recordings, activity logs, Web browsing histories, and audiotaped interviews. Results Overall, 31 participants took part in the observational study. Our new design showed a positive result for improving the experience of health information seeking, by providing a wide range of information and an engaging environment. The results showed better knowledge acquisition, a higher number of page reads, and more query reformulations in both focused and exploratory search tasks. In addition, participants spent more time to discover health information with our design in exploratory search tasks, indicating higher engagement with the website. Finally, we identify 4 design considerations for designing consumer health websites and health information–seeking apps: (1) providing a dynamic information scope; (2) supporting serendipity; (3) considering trust implications; and (4) enhancing interactivity. Conclusions Better Health Explorer provides strong support for the heterogeneous and shifting behaviors of health information seekers and eases the health information–seeking process. Our findings show the importance of understanding different health information–seeking behaviors and highlight the implications for designers of consumer health websites and health information–seeking apps. PMID:27267955

Designing Health Websites Based on Users' Web-Based Information-Seeking Behaviors: A Mixed-Method Observational Study.

PubMed

Pang, Patrick Cheong-Iao; Chang, Shanton; Verspoor, Karin; Pearce, Jon

2016-06-06

Laypeople increasingly use the Internet as a source of health information, but finding and discovering the right information remains problematic. These issues are partially due to the mismatch between the design of consumer health websites and the needs of health information seekers, particularly the lack of support for "exploring" health information. The aim of this research was to create a design for consumer health websites by supporting different health information-seeking behaviors. We created a website called Better Health Explorer with the new design. Through the evaluation of this new design, we derive design implications for future implementations. Better Health Explorer was designed using a user-centered approach. The design was implemented and assessed through a laboratory-based observational study. Participants tried to use Better Health Explorer and another live health website. Both websites contained the same content. A mixed-method approach was adopted to analyze multiple types of data collected in the experiment, including screen recordings, activity logs, Web browsing histories, and audiotaped interviews. Overall, 31 participants took part in the observational study. Our new design showed a positive result for improving the experience of health information seeking, by providing a wide range of information and an engaging environment. The results showed better knowledge acquisition, a higher number of page reads, and more query reformulations in both focused and exploratory search tasks. In addition, participants spent more time to discover health information with our design in exploratory search tasks, indicating higher engagement with the website. Finally, we identify 4 design considerations for designing consumer health websites and health information-seeking apps: (1) providing a dynamic information scope; (2) supporting serendipity; (3) considering trust implications; and (4) enhancing interactivity. Better Health Explorer provides strong support for the heterogeneous and shifting behaviors of health information seekers and eases the health information-seeking process. Our findings show the importance of understanding different health information-seeking behaviors and highlight the implications for designers of consumer health websites and health information-seeking apps.

Exploratory Factor Analysis and Psychometric Evaluation of the Teacher Reporting Attitude Scale for Child Sexual Abuse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walsh, Kerryann; Rassafiani, Mehdi; Mathews, Ben; Farrell, Ann; Butler, Des

2012-01-01

This paper presents an evaluation of an instrument to measure teachers' attitudes toward reporting child sexual abuse and discusses the instrument's merit for research into reporting practice. Based on responses from 444 Australian teachers, the Teachers' Reporting Attitude Scale for Child Sexual Abuse was evaluated using exploratory factor…

Classification of L2 Vocabulary Learning Strategies: Evidence from Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Bo; Li, Changyu

2011-01-01

This research presents a classification theory for the L2 vocabulary learning strategies. Based on the exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses of strategies that adult Chinese English learners used, this theory identifies six categories, four of which are related to the cognitive process in lexical acquisition and the other two are…

Enrollment Management Professionals in Community Colleges: An Exploratory Study of Their Influence on Student Recruitment and Retention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Tracy A.

2010-01-01

Community college leaders rely on enrollment management professionals (EMPs) to recruit and retain students, but research does not report the attributes these professionals should possess to contribute to student recruitment and retention. The purpose of this exploratory study was to determine if characteristics exist among EMPs that contribute to…

Changing Teachers' Practices through Exploratory Talk in Mathematics: A Discursive Pedagogical Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, Carol

2015-01-01

This paper presents data collected as part of an intervention research project to develop exploratory talk and collaborative group work with six and seven year-old students in mathematics. A discursive approach was used to analyse and interpret variations in the way that three case-study teachers, involved in the project, managed the group work…

An Exploratory Factor Analysis of the Sexual Orientation Counselor Competency Scale: Examining the Variable of Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ali, Shainna; Lambie, Glenn; Bloom, Zachary D.

2017-01-01

The Sexual Orientation Counselor Competency Scale (SOCCS), developed by Bidell in 2005, measures counselors' levels of skills, awareness, and knowledge in assisting lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) clients. In an effort to gain an increased understanding of the construct validity of the SOCCS, researchers performed an exploratory factor analysis on…

Parent Explanation and Preschoolers' Exploratory Behavior and Learning in a Shadow Exhibition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Schijndel, Tessa J. P.; Raijmakers, Maartje E. J.

2016-01-01

The present study fills a gap in existing visitor research by focusing on the preschool age group. The study explores relationships between parent explanation, children's exploratory behavior, and their domain-specific learning in a shadow exhibition. In addition, the effect of a preceding theater show on child and parent behaviors is examined. In…

An Exploratory Study of Fifth-Grade Students' Reasoning about the Relationship between Fractions and Decimals When Using Number Line-Based Virtual Manipulatives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Scott

2017-01-01

Understanding the relationship between fractions and decimals is an important step in developing an overall understanding of rational numbers. Research has demonstrated the feasibility of technology in the form of virtual manipulatives for facilitating students' meaningful understanding of rational number concepts. This exploratory dissertation…

Selective Attention in Web Forms: An Exploratory Case Study with Older People

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sayago, Sergio; Guijarro, Jose-Maria; Blat, Josep

2012-01-01

This article reports on an exploratory study aimed to identify which ways of marking required and optional fields help older people fill in web forms correctly. Drawing on a pilot study and selective attention research in ageing, modified versions of widely used forms were created, in which standard asterisks were replaced with one of three…

Characteristics of Effective Pedagogy of Third Grade English Learners in Language Arts: An Exploratory Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Merwin, Gregory J.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify pedagogical and non-pedagogical factors that affect the academic achievement of English Learner (EL) students in the area of language arts at Dr. Albert Schweitzer Elementary School in Anaheim, California. The researcher conducted an exploratory multiple case study to develop a comprehensive, contextual…

An Exploratory Factor Analysis of the URICA among Couple Therapy Participants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tambling, Rachel B.; Johnson, Lee N.

2012-01-01

Assessing and measuring client motivation to change has been of great interest to therapists and researchers in a variety of fields. This article presents the results of an exploratory factor analysis of the University of Rhode Island Change Assessment (URICA), a measure of motivation to change, in a sample of individuals in couple therapy. Four…

FACTOR 9.2: A Comprehensive Program for Fitting Exploratory and Semiconfirmatory Factor Analysis and IRT Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lorenzo-Seva, Urbano; Ferrando, Pere J.

2013-01-01

FACTOR 9.2 was developed for three reasons. First, exploratory factor analysis (FA) is still an active field of research although most recent developments have not been incorporated into available programs. Second, there is now renewed interest in semiconfirmatory (SC) solutions as suitable approaches to the complex structures are commonly found…

College Student Textbook Acquisition: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGowan, Matthew K.; Stephens, Paul R.

2015-01-01

The past ten years have seen an increase in the number of ways students can acquire textbooks. The traditional purchase of printed textbooks from the campus bookstore still exists, but now students can purchase e-books, buy online, or rent from either the campus bookstore or from an online provider. This research is an exploratory study of college…

Reasoning Words as Linguistic Features of Exploratory Talk: Classroom Use and What It Can Tell Us

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyd, Maureen; Kong, Yiren

2017-01-01

Reasoning words are linguistic features associated with classroom exploratory talk as students talk-to-learn, explore ideas, and probe each other's thinking. This study extends established research on use of reasoning words to a fourth- to fifth-grade literature-based English language learning context. We examined frequency and patterning of…

Horizontal Structure in Public Relations: An Exploratory Study of Departmental Differentiation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grunig, Larissa Schneider

An exploratory study of horizontal organizational structure investigated how the tasks in a public relations department are apportioned and why the structure is as it is. J. E. Grunig and T. Hunt's taxonomy of horizontal structures, which served as the framework for the research, suggests that the following structures are typical: by public, by…

An Exploratory Analysis of Job and Life Satisfaction among Entrepreneurs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lyons, Paul R.; DeCarlo, James F.

An exploratory study examined the job and life satisfaction of a sample of 32 female entrepreneurs residing in the tri-state area of Maryland, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. To compare the entrepreneurs' concepts of life and job satisfaction to those of women in more traditional occupations, researchers also studied a sample of 32 female nursing…

An Exploratory Study of the Impacts of an Employer-Supported Child Care Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morrissey, Taryn W.; Warner, Mildred E.

2011-01-01

Although employer-sponsored child care programs have become more common, there is little empirical research on whether these programs affect employees' satisfaction with child care or their work-life balance, and if effects vary across employee characteristics. In this exploratory study, we administered a survey to employees with children at one…

Seeing the Forest Despite the Trees: The Benefit of Exploratory Data Analysis to Program Evaluation Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sinacore, James M.; And Others

1992-01-01

It is argued that there is a benefit to applying techniques of exploratory data analysis (EDA) to program evaluation. The evaluation of a rehabilitation program for people with rheumatoid arthritis (20 subjects and 21 comparisons) through EDA supports the argument, indicating outcomes more precisely than conventional analysis of variance. (SLD)

Exploratory Two-Level Analysis of Individual- and School-Level Factors on Truant Youth Emotional/Psychological Functioning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dembo, Richard; Wareham, Jennifer; Schmeidler, James; Winters, Ken C.

2016-01-01

Research on samples of truant adolescents is limited, with little known about mental health problems among truant youths. This study provided an exploratory, multilevel examination of mental health problems for a sample of 300 truant adolescents. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated a single factor of multiple mental health problems at the…

Content-Specific Strategies to Advocate for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graybill, Emily C.; Varjas, Kris; Meyers, Joel; Watson, Laurel B.

2009-01-01

Researchers suggest that supportive school personnel may decrease some of the challenges encountered by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth in schools (Russell, Seif, & Truong, 2001); however, little is known about the approaches used by school-based advocates for LGBT youth. This exploratory study investigated the strategies used…

Fusion Propulsion and Power for Future Flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Froning, H. D., Jr.

1996-01-01

There are innovative magnetic and electric confinement fusion power and propulsion system designs with potential for: vacuum specific impulses of 1500-2000 seconds with rocket engine thrust/mass ratios of 5-10 g's; environmentally favorable exhaust emissions if aneutronic fusion propellants can be used; a 2 to 3-fold reduction in the mass of hypersonic airliners and SSTO aerospace planes; a 10 to 20 fold reduction in Mars expedition mass and cost (if propellant from planetary atmospheres is used); and feasibility or in-feasibility of these systems could be confirmed with a modest applied research and exploratory development cost.

Designing, implementing, and evaluating a media campaign illustrating the bystander role.

PubMed

Potter, Sharyn J; Stapleton, Jane G; Moynihan, Mary M

2008-01-01

Recent research found that training men and women to understand the role of bystanders in situations where violence against women (VAW) is occurring may reduce the incidence of VAW (Moynihan & Banyard, 2004). Therefore a public awareness campaign to increase understanding of the prosocial role of bystanders in reducing VAW was developed and implemented. The current article discusses the role of media campaigns in addressing public health issues and describes the initial development, implementation, and evaluation of a media campaign focused on the bystander role in reducing the incidence of VAW. Conclusions and future directions of this exploratory project are discussed.

EAR Program Research Results

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-01-01

The Exploratory Advanced Research (EAR) Program addresses the need for longer term, higher risk research with the potential for longterm improvements to transportation systems-improvements in planning, building, renewing, and operating safe, congesti...

The use of exploratory analyses within the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence single technology appraisal process: an evaluation and qualitative analysis.

PubMed

Kaltenthaler, Eva; Carroll, Christopher; Hill-McManus, Daniel; Scope, Alison; Holmes, Michael; Rice, Stephen; Rose, Micah; Tappenden, Paul; Woolacott, Nerys

2016-04-01

As part of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) single technology appraisal (STA) process, independent Evidence Review Groups (ERGs) critically appraise the company submission. During the critical appraisal process the ERG may undertake analyses to explore uncertainties around the company's model and their implications for decision-making. The ERG reports are a central component of the evidence considered by the NICE Technology Appraisal Committees (ACs) in their deliberations. The aim of this research was to develop an understanding of the number and type of exploratory analyses undertaken by the ERGs within the STA process and to understand how these analyses are used by the NICE ACs in their decision-making. The 100 most recently completed STAs with published guidance were selected for inclusion in the analysis. The documents considered were ERG reports, clarification letters, the first appraisal consultation document and the final appraisal determination. Over 400 documents were assessed in this study. The categories of types of exploratory analyses included fixing errors, fixing violations, addressing matters of judgement and the ERG-preferred base case. A content analysis of documents (documentary analysis) was undertaken to identify and extract relevant data, and narrative synthesis was then used to rationalise and present these data. The level and type of detail in ERG reports and clarification letters varied considerably. The vast majority (93%) of ERG reports reported one or more exploratory analyses. The most frequently reported type of analysis in these 93 ERG reports related to the category 'matters of judgement', which was reported in 83 (89%) reports. The category 'ERG base-case/preferred analysis' was reported in 45 (48%) reports, the category 'fixing errors' was reported in 33 (35%) reports and the category 'fixing violations' was reported in 17 (18%) reports. The exploratory analyses performed were the result of issues raised by an ERG in its critique of the submitted economic evidence. These analyses had more influence on recommendations earlier in the STA process than later on in the process. The descriptions of analyses undertaken were often highly specific to a particular STA and could be inconsistent across ERG reports and thus difficult to interpret. Evidence Review Groups frequently conduct exploratory analyses to test or improve the economic evaluations submitted by companies as part of the STA process. ERG exploratory analyses often have an influence on the recommendations produced by the ACs. More in-depth analysis is needed to understand how ERGs make decisions regarding which exploratory analyses should be undertaken. More research is also needed to fully understand which types of exploratory analyses are most useful to ACs in their decision-making. The National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme.

Identifying the Role of the International Consortium ``MIT/ LINC'' in Supporting the Integration of ICT in Higher Education in Emerging Countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Young; Moser, Franziska Zellweger

2008-04-01

The goal of this research effort is to provide insights on what core needs and difficulties exist toward the implementation of ICT in higher education in emerging countries and how a consortium like LINC can best support these efforts. An exploratory research design combining a survey, on-site interviews, participant observation and document analysis were employed to answer the research questions. Main challenges in establishing technology- based learning environments were identified in the area of pedagogies, finances, technological infrastructure, cultural change, organization, and management. LINC, as an non-political organization embedded in an academic environment, can take an important role in facilitating the dialogue among participants through various platforms, take an active role in promoting joint programs and assist with efforts to "localize" tools and practice.

Revitalization of food barns in supporting sustainable food security in Central Java

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riptanti, E. W.; Qonita, A.; Suprapti

2018-02-01

Rice barns have been developed in some areas in Central Java, but several problems seem to appear, leading to nonoptimal functions of nonactive food barns. The present article aims to examine revitalization of food barns through systematic, integrated, and sustainable empowerment. The research design is exploratory research to generate data that are in-depth qualitative and quantitative. Survey was applied in four regencies including Wonogiri, Purworejo, Temanggung, and Batang. Key informants comprise caretakers of food barns, village apparatus, public figures, and Food Security Office apparatus. The research results revealed that the food barns have not been managed in professional manners. Active roles of all members and caretakers, village government, and Food Security Agency are, therefore, required in revitalizing the food barns. In order to perform social functions well, the food barns should be profit-oriented to achieve sustainability.

Considerations in the Efficacy and Effectiveness of Virtual Reality Interventions for Stroke Rehabilitation: Moving the Field Forward

PubMed Central

Lange, Belinda

2015-01-01

In the past 2 decades, researchers have demonstrated the potential for virtual reality (VR) technologies to provide engaging and motivating environments for stroke rehabilitation interventions. Much of the research has been focused on the exploratory phase, and jumps to intervention efficacy trials and scale-up evaluation have been made with limited understanding of the active ingredients in a VR intervention for stroke. The rapid pace of technology development is an additional challenge for this emerging field, providing a moving target for researchers developing and evaluating potential VR technologies. Recent advances in customized games and cutting-edge technology used for VR are beginning to allow for researchers to understand and control aspects of the intervention related to motivation, engagement, and motor control and learning. This article argues for researchers to take a progressive, step-wise approach through the stages of intervention development using evidence-based principles, take advantage of the data that can be obtained, and utilize measurement tools to design effective VR interventions for stroke rehabilitation that can be assessed through carefully designed efficacy and effectiveness trials. This article is motivated by the recent calls in the field of rehabilitation clinical trials research for carefully structured clinical trials that have progressed through the phases of research. PMID:25343960

Considerations in the efficacy and effectiveness of virtual reality interventions for stroke rehabilitation: moving the field forward.

PubMed

Proffitt, Rachel; Lange, Belinda

2015-03-01

In the past 2 decades, researchers have demonstrated the potential for virtual reality (VR) technologies to provide engaging and motivating environments for stroke rehabilitation interventions. Much of the research has been focused on the exploratory phase, and jumps to intervention efficacy trials and scale-up evaluation have been made with limited understanding of the active ingredients in a VR intervention for stroke. The rapid pace of technology development is an additional challenge for this emerging field, providing a moving target for researchers developing and evaluating potential VR technologies. Recent advances in customized games and cutting-edge technology used for VR are beginning to allow for researchers to understand and control aspects of the intervention related to motivation, engagement, and motor control and learning. This article argues for researchers to take a progressive, step-wise approach through the stages of intervention development using evidence-based principles, take advantage of the data that can be obtained, and utilize measurement tools to design effective VR interventions for stroke rehabilitation that can be assessed through carefully designed efficacy and effectiveness trials. This article is motivated by the recent calls in the field of rehabilitation clinical trials research for carefully structured clinical trials that have progressed through the phases of research. © 2015 American Physical Therapy Association.

Timelines Revisited: A Design Space and Considerations for Expressive Storytelling.

PubMed

Brehmer, Matthew; Lee, Bongshin; Bach, Benjamin; Riche, Nathalie Henry; Munzner, Tamara

2017-09-01

There are many ways to visualize event sequences as timelines. In a storytelling context where the intent is to convey multiple narrative points, a richer set of timeline designs may be more appropriate than the narrow range that has been used for exploratory data analysis by the research community. Informed by a survey of 263 timelines, we present a design space for storytelling with timelines that balances expressiveness and effectiveness, identifying 14 design choices characterized by three dimensions: representation, scale, and layout. Twenty combinations of these choices are viable timeline designs that can be matched to different narrative points, while smooth animated transitions between narrative points allow for the presentation of a cohesive story, an important aspect of both interactive storytelling and data videos. We further validate this design space by realizing the full set of viable timeline designs and transitions in a proof-of-concept sandbox implementation that we used to produce seven example timeline stories. Ultimately, this work is intended to inform and inspire the design of future tools for storytelling with timelines.

Drug use in business bathrooms: An exploratory study of manager encounters in New York City

PubMed Central

Wolfson-Stofko, Brett; Bennett, Alex S.; Elliott, Luther; Curtis, Ric

2017-01-01

Background Though public bathroom drug injection has been documented from the perspective of people who inject drugs, no research has explored the experiences of the business managers who oversee their business bathrooms and respond to drug use. These managers, by default, are first-responders in the event of a drug overdose and thus of intrinsic interest during the current epidemic of opioid-related overdoses in the United States. This exploratory study assists in elucidating the experiences that New York City business managers have with people who inject drugs, their paraphernalia, and their overdoses. Methods A survey instrument was designed to collect data on manager encounters with drug use occurring in their business bathrooms. Recruitment was guided by convenience and purposive approaches. Results More than half of managers interviewed (58%, n = 50/86) encountered drug use in their business bathrooms, more than a third (34%) of these managers also found syringes, and the vast majority (90%) of managers had received no overdose recognition or naloxone training. Seven managers encountered unresponsive individuals who required emergency assistance. Conclusion The results from this study underscore the need for additional research on the experiences that community stakeholders have with public injection as well as educational outreach efforts among business managers. This research also suggests that there is need for a national dialogue about potential interventions, including expanded overdose recognition and naloxone training and supervised injection facilities (SIF)/drug consumption rooms (DCR), that could reduce public injection and its associated health risks. PMID:27768996

Baseline Brain Activity Predicts Response to Neuromodulatory Pain Treatment

PubMed Central

Jensen, Mark P.; Sherlin, Leslie H.; Fregni, Felipe; Gianas, Ann; Howe, Jon D.; Hakimian, Shahin

2015-01-01

Objectives The objective of this study was to examine the associations between baseline electroencephalogram (EEG)-assessed brain oscillations and subsequent response to four neuromodulatory treatments. Based on available research, we hypothesized that baseline theta oscillations would prospectively predict response to hypnotic analgesia. Analyses involving other oscillations and the other treatments (meditation, neurofeedback, and both active and sham transcranial direct current stimulation) were viewed as exploratory, given the lack of previous research examining brain oscillations as predictors of response to these other treatments. Design Randomized controlled study of single sessions of four neuromodulatory pain treatments and a control procedure. Methods Thirty individuals with spinal cord injury and chronic pain had their EEG recorded before each session of four active treatments (hypnosis, meditation, EEG biofeedback, transcranial direct current stimulation) and a control procedure (sham transcranial direct stimulation). Results As hypothesized, more presession theta power was associated with greater response to hypnotic analgesia. In exploratory analyses, we found that less baseline alpha power predicted pain reduction with meditation. Conclusions The findings support the idea that different patients respond to different pain treatments and that between-person treatment response differences are related to brain states as measured by EEG. The results have implications for the possibility of enhancing pain treatment response by either 1) better patient/treatment matching or 2) influencing brain activity before treatment is initiated in order to prepare patients to respond. Research is needed to replicate and confirm the findings in additional samples of individuals with chronic pain. PMID:25287554

Development of a scale to assess cancer stigma in the non-patient population.

PubMed

Marlow, Laura A V; Wardle, Jane

2014-04-23

Illness-related stigma has attracted considerable research interest, but few studies have specifically examined stigmatisation of cancer in the non-patient population. The present study developed and validated a Cancer Stigma Scale (CASS) for use in the general population. An item pool was developed on the basis of previous research into illness-related stigma in the general population and patients with cancer. Two studies were carried out. The first study used Exploratory factor analysis to explore the structure of items in a sample of 462 postgraduate students recruited through a London university. The second study used Confirmatory factor analysis to confirm the structure among 238 adults recruited through an online market research panel. Internal reliability, test-retest reliability and construct validity were also assessed. Exploratory factor analysis suggested six subscales, representing: Awkwardness, Severity, Avoidance, Policy Opposition, Personal Responsibility and Financial Discrimination. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed this structure with a 25-item scale. All subscales showed adequate to good internal and test-retest reliability in both samples. Construct validity was also good, with mean scores for each subscale varying in the expected directions by age, gender, experience of cancer, awareness of lifestyle risk factors for cancer, and social desirability. Means for the subscales were consistent across the two samples. These findings highlight the complexity of cancer stigma and provide the Cancer Stigma Scale (CASS) which can be used to compare populations, types of cancer and evaluate the effects of interventions designed to reduce cancer stigma in non-patient populations.

Enabling Advanced Wind-Tunnel Research Methods Using the NASA Langley 12-Foot Low Speed Tunnel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Busan, Ronald C.; Rothhaar, Paul M.; Croom, Mark A.; Murphy, Patrick C.; Grafton, Sue B.; O-Neal, Anthony W.

2014-01-01

Design of Experiment (DOE) testing methods were used to gather wind tunnel data characterizing the aerodynamic and propulsion forces and moments acting on a complex vehicle configuration with 10 motor-driven propellers, 9 control surfaces, a tilt wing, and a tilt tail. This paper describes the potential benefits and practical implications of using DOE methods for wind tunnel testing - with an emphasis on describing how it can affect model hardware, facility hardware, and software for control and data acquisition. With up to 23 independent variables (19 model and 2 tunnel) for some vehicle configurations, this recent test also provides an excellent example of using DOE methods to assess critical coupling effects in a reasonable timeframe for complex vehicle configurations. Results for an exploratory test using conventional angle of attack sweeps to assess aerodynamic hysteresis is summarized, and DOE results are presented for an exploratory test used to set the data sampling time for the overall test. DOE results are also shown for one production test characterizing normal force in the Cruise mode for the vehicle.

Development of a survey to assess adolescent perceptions of teen parenting.

PubMed

Herrman, Judith W; Nandakumar, Ratna

2012-01-01

Initiatives designed to prevent teen pregnancy are often based on adult perceptions of the negative aspects of a teen birth. Qualitative research has revealed that teens may perceive positive rewards associated with teen parenting. These perceptions have not yet been examined through survey research. The theory of reasoned action proposes that individuals assess the costs and rewards prior to engaging in a behavior and provides a framework for the development of a survey instrument designed to measure adolescent thoughts about the costs and rewards of the teen parenting experience. This manuscript describes the development and testing of a quantitative survey instrument designed to measure adolescents' perceptions. Pretesting, piloting, exploratory factor analysis, and a variety of reliability and validity measures were used to determine the value of the measure. The thoughts on teen parenting survey (TTPS) demonstrates an alpha level of .90. The TTPS yields a cumulative score of teen perceptions about the impact of a teen birth during the adolescent years that may be used to assess youth beliefs, correlated with demographic data, used to identify teens at risk for pregnancy/parenting, or provide a pretest/posttest to assess the effectiveness of interventions designed to foster realistic attitudes toward teen parenting.

Design Considerations of Help Options in Computer-Based L2 Listening Materials Informed by Participatory Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cárdenas-Claros, Mónica Stella

2015-01-01

This paper reports on the findings of two qualitative exploratory studies that sought to investigate design features of help options in computer-based L2 listening materials. Informed by principles of participatory design, language learners, software designers, language teachers, and a computer programmer worked collaboratively in a series of…

Argonne National Laboratory Annual Report of Laboratory Directed Research and Development program activities FY 2011.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Office of The Director)

As a national laboratory Argonne concentrates on scientific and technological challenges that can only be addressed through a sustained, interdisciplinary focus at a national scale. Argonne's eight major initiatives, as enumerated in its strategic plan, are Hard X-ray Sciences, Leadership Computing, Materials and Molecular Design and Discovery, Energy Storage, Alternative Energy and Efficiency, Nuclear Energy, Biological and Environmental Systems, and National Security. The purposes of Argonne's Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program are to encourage the development of novel technical concepts, enhance the Laboratory's research and development (R and D) capabilities, and pursue its strategic goals. projects are selectedmore » from proposals for creative and innovative R and D studies that require advance exploration before they are considered to be sufficiently developed to obtain support through normal programmatic channels. Among the aims of the projects supported by the LDRD Program are the following: establishment of engineering proof of principle, assessment of design feasibility for prospective facilities, development of instrumentation or computational methods or systems, and discoveries in fundamental science and exploratory development.« less

Revolution of Alzheimer Precision Neurology Passageway of Systems Biology and Neurophysiology.

PubMed

Hampel, Harald; Toschi, Nicola; Babiloni, Claudio; Baldacci, Filippo; Black, Keith L; Bokde, Arun L W; Bun, René S; Cacciola, Francesco; Cavedo, Enrica; Chiesa, Patrizia A; Colliot, Olivier; Coman, Cristina-Maria; Dubois, Bruno; Duggento, Andrea; Durrleman, Stanley; Ferretti, Maria-Teresa; George, Nathalie; Genthon, Remy; Habert, Marie-Odile; Herholz, Karl; Koronyo, Yosef; Koronyo-Hamaoui, Maya; Lamari, Foudil; Langevin, Todd; Lehéricy, Stéphane; Lorenceau, Jean; Neri, Christian; Nisticò, Robert; Nyasse-Messene, Francis; Ritchie, Craig; Rossi, Simone; Santarnecchi, Emiliano; Sporns, Olaf; Verdooner, Steven R; Vergallo, Andrea; Villain, Nicolas; Younesi, Erfan; Garaci, Francesco; Lista, Simone

2018-03-16

The Precision Neurology development process implements systems theory with system biology and neurophysiology in a parallel, bidirectional research path: a combined hypothesis-driven investigation of systems dysfunction within distinct molecular, cellular, and large-scale neural network systems in both animal models as well as through tests for the usefulness of these candidate dynamic systems biomarkers in different diseases and subgroups at different stages of pathophysiological progression. This translational research path is paralleled by an "omics"-based, hypothesis-free, exploratory research pathway, which will collect multimodal data from progressing asymptomatic, preclinical, and clinical neurodegenerative disease (ND) populations, within the wide continuous biological and clinical spectrum of ND, applying high-throughput and high-content technologies combined with powerful computational and statistical modeling tools, aimed at identifying novel dysfunctional systems and predictive marker signatures associated with ND. The goals are to identify common biological denominators or differentiating classifiers across the continuum of ND during detectable stages of pathophysiological progression, characterize systems-based intermediate endophenotypes, validate multi-modal novel diagnostic systems biomarkers, and advance clinical intervention trial designs by utilizing systems-based intermediate endophenotypes and candidate surrogate markers. Achieving these goals is key to the ultimate development of early and effective individualized treatment of ND, such as Alzheimer's disease. The Alzheimer Precision Medicine Initiative (APMI) and cohort program (APMI-CP), as well as the Paris based core of the Sorbonne University Clinical Research Group "Alzheimer Precision Medicine" (GRC-APM) were recently launched to facilitate the passageway from conventional clinical diagnostic and drug development toward breakthrough innovation based on the investigation of the comprehensive biological nature of aging individuals. The APMI movement is gaining momentum to systematically apply both systems neurophysiology and systems biology in exploratory translational neuroscience research on ND.

Revolution of Alzheimer Precision Neurology: Passageway of Systems Biology and Neurophysiology

PubMed Central

Hampel, Harald; Toschi, Nicola; Babiloni, Claudio; Baldacci, Filippo; Black, Keith L.; Bokde, Arun L.W.; Bun, René S.; Cacciola, Francesco; Cavedo, Enrica; Chiesa, Patrizia A.; Colliot, Olivier; Coman, Cristina-Maria; Dubois, Bruno; Duggento, Andrea; Durrleman, Stanley; Ferretti, Maria-Teresa; George, Nathalie; Genthon, Remy; Habert, Marie-Odile; Herholz, Karl; Koronyo, Yosef; Koronyo-Hamaoui, Maya; Lamari, Foudil; Langevin, Todd; Lehéricy, Stéphane; Lorenceau, Jean; Neri, Christian; Nisticò, Robert; Nyasse-Messene, Francis; Ritchie, Craig; Rossi, Simone; Santarnecchi, Emiliano; Sporns, Olaf; Verdooner, Steven R.; Vergallo, Andrea; Villain, Nicolas; Younesi, Erfan; Garaci, Francesco; Lista, Simone

2018-01-01

The Precision Neurology development process implements systems theory with system biology and neurophysiology in a parallel, bidirectional research path: a combined hypothesis-driven investigation of systems dysfunction within distinct molecular, cellular and large-scale neural network systems in both animal models as well as through tests for the usefulness of these candidate dynamic systems biomarkers in different diseases and subgroups at different stages of pathophysiological progression. This translational research path is paralleled by an “omics”-based, hypothesis-free, exploratory research pathway, which will collect multimodal data from progressing asymptomatic, preclinical and clinical neurodegenerative disease (ND) populations, within the wide continuous biological and clinical spectrum of ND, applying high-throughput and high-content technologies combined with powerful computational and statistical modeling tools, aimed at identifying novel dysfunctional systems and predictive marker signatures associated with ND. The goals are to identify common biological denominators or differentiating classifiers across the continuum of ND during detectable stages of pathophysiological progression, characterize systems-based intermediate endophenotypes, validate multi-modal novel diagnostic systems biomarkers, and advance clinical intervention trial designs by utilizing systems-based intermediate endophenotypes and candidate surrogate markers. Achieving these goals is key to the ultimate development of early and effective individualized treatment of ND, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The Alzheimer Precision Medicine Initiative (APMI) and cohort program (APMI-CP), as well as the Paris based core of the Sorbonne University Clinical Research Group “Alzheimer Precision Medicine” (GRC-APM) were recently launched to facilitate the passageway from conventional clinical diagnostic and drug development towards breakthrough innovation based on the investigation of the comprehensive biological nature of aging individuals. The APMI movement is gaining momentum to systematically apply both systems neurophysiology and systems biology in exploratory translational neuroscience research on ND. PMID:29562524

Design and operation of an anaerobic digester for waste management and fuel generation during long term lunar mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhoble, Abhishek S.; Pullammanappallil, Pratap C.

2014-10-01

Waste treatment and management for manned long term exploratory missions to moon will be a challenge due to longer mission duration. The present study investigated appropriate digester technologies that could be used on the base. The effect of stirring, operation temperature, organic loading rate and reactor design on the methane production rate and methane yield was studied. For the same duration of digestion, the unmixed digester produced 20-50% more methane than mixed system. Two-stage design which separated the soluble components from the solids and treated them separately had more rapid kinetics than one stage system, producing the target methane potential in one-half the retention time than the one stage system. The two stage system degraded 6% more solids than the single stage system. The two stage design formed the basis of a prototype digester sized for a four-person crew during one year exploratory lunar mission.

Caring for a Child with Learning Disabilities over a Prolonged Period of Time: An Exploratory Survey on the Experiences and Health of Older Parent Carers Living in Scotland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cairns, Deborah; Brown, Jayne; Tolson, Debbie; Darbyshire, Chris

2014-01-01

Background: The negative health impacts of prolonged caregiving are widely reported. However, there is a paucity of evidence concerning the impacts of a lifetime of caring on older parents of offspring with learning disabilities. Design and Methods: An exploratory postal survey including the Medical Outcome Study (Short Form) 36 version 2…

Description of the US Army small-scale 2-meter rotor test system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phelps, Arthur E., III; Berry, John D.

1987-01-01

A small-scale powered rotor model was designed for use as a research tool in the exploratory testing of rotors and helicopter models. The model, which consists of a 29 hp rotor drive system, a four-blade fully articulated rotor, and a fuselage, was designed to be simple to operate and maintain in wind tunnels of moderate size and complexity. Two six-component strain-gauge balances are used to provide independent measurement of the rotor and fuselage aerodynamic loads. Commercially available standardized hardware and equipment were used to the maximum extent possible, and specialized parts were designed so that they could be fabricated by normal methods without using highly specialized tooling. The model was used in a hover test of three rotors having different planforms and in a forward flight investigation of a 21-percent-scale model of a U.S. Army scout helicopter equipped with a mast-mounted sight.

High-angle-of-attack aerodynamics - Lessons learned

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chambers, J. R.

1986-01-01

Recently, the military and civil technical communities have undertaken numerous studies of the high angle-of-attack aerodynamic characteristics of advanced airplane and missile configurations. The method of approach and the design methodology employed have necessarily been experimental and exploratory in nature, due to the complex nature of separated flows. However, despite the relatively poor definition of many of the key aerodynamic phenomena involved for high-alpha conditions, some generic guidelines for design consideration have been identified. The present paper summarizes some of the more important lessons learned in the area of high angle-of-attack aerodynamics with examples of a number of key concepts and with particular emphasis on high-alpha stability and control characteristics of high performance aircraft. Topics covered in the discussion include the impact of design evolution, forebody flows, control of separated flows, configuration effects, aerodynamic controls, wind-tunnel flight correlation, and recent NASA research activities.

The Relationship of Bureaucratic Structure to School Climate: An Exploratory Factor Analysis of Construct Validity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lennon, Patricia A.

2010-01-01

This researcher examined the relationship of bureaucratic structure to school climate by means of an exploratory factor analysis of a measure of bureaucracy developed by Hoy and Sweetland (2000) and the four dimensional measure of climate developed by Hoy, Smith, and Sweetland (2002). Since there had been no other empirical studies whose authors…

Instructional Strategies and Best Practices for Improving the Achievement Gap in Mathematics: An Exploratory Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lord, Joey

2017-01-01

This qualitative exploratory case study focused on the achievement gap in mathematics that exists in one urban North Carolina middle school and the strategies used by school personnel to narrow this gap. The goal of this research was to determine effective instructional strategies and best practices used to engage students in learning that will…

Exploratory Development Research Effectiveness: A Second Evaluation,

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-09-01

A12i 537 EXPLORATORY DEVELOPMENT RESERCH EFFECTIVENESS: A / SECOND EVRLUATfON(U) CALIFORNIA STATE UNIV SACRAMENTO T A BUCKLES ET AL. SEP 78 CSUS/NPS...Administration - CSUS-NPS J077091 ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT . OBJECTIVE.............. . .. .. .. .... 1 DISCUSSION............. .. .. .. .... 1... contention that Work Unit Cost influenced the degree of transition. The last postulate that was tested concerned work unit classification by dollar amount. It

An Exploratory Case Study of Olympiad Students' Attitudes towards and Passion for Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oliver, Mary; Venville, Grady

2011-01-01

Much is known about high school students' attitudes towards science but there is almost no research on what passion for science might look like and how it might be manifested. This exploratory case study took advantage of a unique group of highly gifted science students participating in the Australian Science Olympiad (N = 69) to explore their…

The Effects of Using Exploratory Computerized Environments in Grades 1 to 8 Mathematics: A Meta-Analysis of Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sokolowski, Andrzej; Li, Yeping; Willson, Victor

2015-01-01

Background: The process of problem solving is difficult for students; thus, mathematics educators have made multiple attempts to seek ways of making this process more accessible to learners. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect size statistic of utilizing exploratory computerized environments (ECEs) to support the process of word…

Educators in Industry: An Exploratory Study to Determine How Teacher Externships Influence K-12 Classroom Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowen, Bradley; Shume, Teresa

2018-01-01

This exploratory study investigates the impacts of industry-based externships for K-12 teachers, and reports teachers' perspectives on how these experiences influenced K-12 classroom practices. The program of focus in this research study is the Educators in Industry: K-12 Externship Program. For four weeks in the summer, teacher-participants are…

The Impact of Student Self-Efficacy on Scientific Inquiry Skills: An Exploratory Investigation in "River City," a Multi-User Virtual Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ketelhut, Diane Jass

2007-01-01

This exploratory study investigated data-gathering behaviors exhibited by 100 seventh-grade students as they participated in a scientific inquiry-based curriculum project delivered by a multi-user virtual environment (MUVE). This research examined the relationship between students' self-efficacy on entry into the authentic scientific activity and…

Educator Perspectives on the Use of Alternative Assessment Methods within Taught Masters Programmes: An Exploratory Study Using Activity Theory and Q Methodology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deignan, Tim; Brown, Sally

2016-01-01

This article reports on an exploratory two-stage sequential mixed methods research study that investigated the views of university educators on the introduction of assessment methods other than essays, exams and dissertations within taught Masters programmes. In the first stage, interviews were conducted internationally with 45 participants and…

Living Accommodation for Young People. Report of An Exploratory Review.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Phyllis G.; Miller, A.

The Building Research Station has embarked on a series of case-studies on the provision of living accommodations for single young people in the 15 to 24 age group in England who live away from home because of education, training or employment. An exploratory review of the existing literature on the subject was made. Discussed are some of the…

Teacher and Student Use of Gesture and Access to Secondary Mathematics for Students with Learning Disabilities: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hord, Casey; Marita, Samantha; Walsh, Jennifer B.; Tomaro, Taylor-Marie; Gordon, Kiyana; Saldanha, Rene L.

2016-01-01

The researchers conducted an exploratory qualitative case study to describe the gesturing processes of tutors and students when engaging in secondary mathematics. The use of gestures ranged in complexity from simple gestures, such as pointing and moving the pointing finger in an arching motion to demonstrate mathematics relationships within…

Technical Objects between Categorisation and Learning: An Exploratory Case Study in French Middle School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Impedovo, M. A.; Andreucci, C.; Delserieys-Pedregosa, A.; Coiffard, C.; Ginestié, J.

2015-01-01

In this article we present exploratory research carried out in order to understand how students (from 12 to 14 years old) relate to technical objects. It uses technical objects that are part of everyday life and mediated reality. A questionnaire was administered to 57 students in French classes. The questionnaire was composed of three parts: 1)…

An Exploratory Investigation: Are Driving Simulators Appropriate to Teach Pre-Driving Skills to Young Adults with Intellectual Disabilities?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brooks, Johnell O.; Mossey, Mary E.; Tyler, Peg; Collins, James C.

2014-01-01

Research examining driver training for young adults with intellectual disabilities has been limited since the 1970s. The current pilot and exploratory study investigated teaching pre-driving skills (i.e. lane keeping and speed maintenance) to young adults with intellectual disabilities using an interactive driving simulator to provide dynamic and…

Tobephobia Experienced by Teachers in Secondary Schools: An Exploratory Study Focusing on Curriculum Reform in the Nelson Mandela Metropole

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singh, P.

2011-01-01

Because of its history from apartheid to democracy, the aspiration to reform schools is a recurrent theme in South African education. Efforts to reform education in schools based on the outcomes-based education (OBE) curriculum approach created major challenges for policy makers in South Africa. The purpose of this exploratory research was…

More than a Library?: Urban Poverty and an Exploratory Look at the Role of a Neighborhood Institution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ly, Carolyn

2010-01-01

Libraries have traditionally tended to be one of the few institutionally provided public resources for local residents in poor, urban, neighborhoods. This paper presents findings from the exploratory phase of an ongoing research project which examines, through participant observation, the "value" of a public library in a poor urban neighborhood.…

Visual Culture in the Elementary-School Classroom: Moving from Box-Store Commodities to Out-of-the-Box Thinking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fattal, Laura Felleman

2017-01-01

The goal of the action research project on visual culture is to contribute to the dialogue on the exploratory ecology vs commodity culture of the elementary school classroom. Exploratory culture, unlike commodity culture, applauds open-ended thinking, inchoate imaginings, and critical thinking with its attachment to divergent paths to resolving…

An Exploratory Examination of Literacy Assessment Practices of Adult Programs in North Carolina's Piedmont-Triad Region

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byrd, Eboni Nikita; Comer, Marcus M.

2007-01-01

It is estimated that 22 percent, of adults in the Piedmont Triad of North Carolina have poor literacy skills, meaning that they have difficulty with tasks involving simple texts and documents. Purpose: Given this low level of adult literacy, the purpose of this exploratory research study was to analyze the perceptions of North Carolina's adult…

Investigating Everyday Measures through Exploratory Talk: Whole Class Plenary Intervention and Landscape Study at Grade Four

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gade, Sharada; Blomqvist, Charlotta

2018-01-01

We report an exploratory talk based, whole class plenary intervention, in relation to students' understanding of everyday measures and measurement, in a grade four classroom at a grade 4-6 school in Sweden. Extended, project related, teacher-researcher collaboration forms basis for such cultural historical activity theory or CHAT based efforts. As…

Creating a Community of Inquiry in Large-Enrollment Online Courses: An Exploratory Study on the Effect of Protocols within Online Discussions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Baiyun; deNoyelles, Aimee; Patton, Kerry; Zydney, Janet

2017-01-01

It can be difficult to foster focused and effective communication in online discussions within large classes. Implementing protocols is a strategy that may help students communicate more effectively, facilitate their learning process, and improve the quality of their work within online discussions. In this exploratory research study, a protocol…

An Exploratory Study of Puerto Rican MSM Drug Users: The Childhood and Early Teen Years of Gay Males and Transsexual Females

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finlinson, H. Ann; Colon, Hector M.; Robles, Rafaela R.; Soto, Mayra

2008-01-01

Research suggests that sexual silence, family loyalty, and homophobia foster health-compromising behaviors among adult Latino gay males, but little is known about the effect of these sociocultural factors on the lives of Latino children and young teens characterized by gender nonconformity and homosexual orientation. This exploratory study of…

An Exploratory Study on K-12 Teachers' Use of Technology and Multimedia in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Florence; Carr, Marsha L.

2015-01-01

21st century has seen new technology and multimedia made available for integration in K-12 classrooms. This exploratory study examines K-12 teachers' use of technology and multimedia in the classroom in two southern counties in the Southeastern United States. The purpose of the study was to answer the following five research questions: 1) What…

An Exploratory Study of the Impact of Self-Efficacy and Learning Engagement in Coding Learning Activities in Italian Middle School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banzato, Monica; Tosato, Paolo

2017-01-01

In Italy, teaching coding at primary and secondary levels is emerging as a major educational issue, particularly in light of the recent reforms now being implemented. Consequently, there has been increased research on how to introduce information technology in lower secondary schools. This paper presents an exploratory survey, carried out through…

EAR Program Research Results : Updated through 2013

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-12-31

The Exploratory Advanced Research (EAR) Program addresses the need for longer term, higher risk research with the potential for long-term improvements to transportation systemsimprovements in planning, building, renewing, and operating safe, conge...

EAR Program Research Results: Updated through 2014

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-12-31

The Exploratory Advanced Research (EAR) Program addresses the need for longer term, higher risk research with the potential for long-term improvements to transportation systemsimprovements in planning, building, renewing, and operating safe, conge...

EAR Program Research Results: Updated through 2016

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-12-31

The Exploratory Advanced Research (EAR) Program addresses the need for longer term, higher risk research with the potential for long-term improvements to transportation systemsimprovements in planning, building, renewing, and operating safe, conge...

Accelerator & Fusion Research Division 1991 summary of activities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1991-12-01

This report discusses research projects in the following areas: Heavy-ion fusion accelerator research; magnetic fusion energy; advanced light source; center for x-ray optics; exploratory studies; superconducting magnets; and bevalac operations.

Accelerator Fusion Research Division 1991 summary of activities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Berkner, Klaus H.

1991-12-01

This report discusses research projects in the following areas: Heavy-ion fusion accelerator research; magnetic fusion energy; advanced light source; center for x-ray optics; exploratory studies; superconducting magnets; and bevalac operations.

Exploring the potential of Product Service Systems to achieve household waste prevention on new housing developments in the UK.

PubMed

Gottberg, Annika; Longhurst, Philip J; Cook, Matthew B

2010-03-01

Product service systems (PSS) are cleaner product concepts which have been developed to achieve improvements in resource productivity which may be realized from modern trends in service delivery. However, there is a paucity of research on the waste prevention performance of PSS in UK household markets. This paper reports the findings of exploratory research which begins to address this gap in knowledge. An exploratory waste prevention assessment was completed on four experimental PSS which were developed in conjunction with a major UK house-builder for delivery on their new housing developments. The results of the assessment show that the selected PSS concepts have potential to prevent high value and harmful Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) arising in UK household waste streams. Consistent with the canon of exploratory research, the assessment also identifies a number of factors which are thought to influence PSS waste prevention performance. It is recognized that further research is needed to gain an in-depth understanding of these factors as well as to define policy measures which enable the conditions in which PSS prevent household waste on new housing developments in the UK to be created.

Evaluation of Recent Upgrades to the NESS (Nuclear Engine System Simulation) Code

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fittje, James E.; Schnitzler, Bruce G.

2008-01-01

The Nuclear Thermal Rocket (NTR) concept is being evaluated as a potential propulsion technology for exploratory expeditions to the moon, Mars, and beyond. The need for exceptional propulsion system performance in these missions has been documented in numerous studies, and was the primary focus of a considerable effort undertaken during the Rover/NERVA program from 1955 to 1973. The NASA Glenn Research Center is leveraging this past NTR investment in their vehicle concepts and mission analysis studies with the aid of the Nuclear Engine System Simulation (NESS) code. This paper presents the additional capabilities and upgrades made to this code in order to perform higher fidelity NTR propulsion system analysis and design, and a comparison of its results to the Small Nuclear Rocket Engine (SNRE) design.

Development of an instrument based on the protection motivation theory to measure factors influencing women's intention to first pap test practice.

PubMed

Hassani, Lale; Dehdari, Tahereh; Hajizadeh, Ebrahim; Shojaeizadeh, Davoud; Abedini, Mehrandokht; Nedjat, Saharnaz

2014-01-01

Given that there are many Iranian women who have never had a Pap smear, this study was designed to develop and validate a measurement tool based on the Protection Motivation Theory to assess factors influencing the Iranian women's intention to perform first Pap testing. In this psychometric research, to determine the Content Validity Index (CVI) and the Content Validity Ratio (CVR), a panel of experts (n=10) reviewed scale items. Reliability was estimated through the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (n=30) and internal consistency (n=240). Also, factor analysis (exploratory and conformity) was performed on the data of the sample women who had never had a Pap smear test (n=240). A 26-item questionnaire was developed. The CVI and CVR scores of the scale were 0.89 and 0.90, respectively. Exploratory factor analysis loaded a 26-item with seven factors questionnaire (perceived vulnerability and severity, fear, response costs, response efficacy, self-efficacy, and protection motivation (or intention)) that jointly accounted for 72.76% of the observed variance. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated a good fit for the data. Internal consistency (range 0.70-0.93) and test-retest reliability (range 0.72-0.96) of sub-scales were acceptable. This study showed that the designed instrument was a valid and reliable tool for measuring the factors influencing the women's intention to perform their first Pap testing.

Designing and psychoanalysis: A comprehensive questionnaire on coping with domestic violence against women in Iranian society.

PubMed

Mohhamadian, Zeinab; Mohtashami, Jamileh; Rohani, Camelia; Jamshidi, Tayebeh

2018-01-01

Domestic violence is the third sociopathology after addiction and child abuse in Iran. Fifty-six percent of Iranian women in the range of 17-32 years old are exposed to the highest domestic violence. Objective: The aim of this study was to design and psychoanalyze a comprehensive questionnaire on coping with domestic violence against women in Iranian society. This study was carried out on a random sample of women exposed to domestic violence and referred to the health and care center of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Tehran, and Forensic Medical Centers in Urmia city (Iran), in 2017. Two hundred questionnaires were distributed among the participants. One hundred sixty-eight questionnaires were returned to the researchers for data analysis. Eight of those were excluded from the analysis because of incompleteness. Finally, exploratory factor analysis was performed. After reviewing the literature, a questionnaire with 32 items was developed. Content validity ratio (0.95) and content validity index (0.97) were obtained. The results of exploratory factor analysis indicated that the questionnaire explained 69.34% of the data variance. Cronbach's alpha coefficient, and test-retest methods were used for determining the reliability and the obtained value, which were 0.82 and 0.81, respectively. Validity and reliability of the questionnaire with 32 items were confirmed. The tool can be utilized to measure how women cope with domestic violence.

Building Identity and Community through Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rude, Carolyn D.

2015-01-01

A field's identity and sustainability depend on its research as well as on programs, practice, and infrastructure. Research and practice have a reciprocal relationship, with practice identifying research questions and researchers answering those questions to improve practice. Technical communication research also has an exploratory purpose, using…

Evaluation of a Novel Conjunctive Exploratory Navigation Interface for Consumer Health Information: A Crowdsourced Comparative Study

PubMed Central

Cui, Licong; Carter, Rebecca

2014-01-01

Background Numerous consumer health information websites have been developed to provide consumers access to health information. However, lookup search is insufficient for consumers to take full advantage of these rich public information resources. Exploratory search is considered a promising complementary mechanism, but its efficacy has never before been rigorously evaluated for consumer health information retrieval interfaces. Objective This study aims to (1) introduce a novel Conjunctive Exploratory Navigation Interface (CENI) for supporting effective consumer health information retrieval and navigation, and (2) evaluate the effectiveness of CENI through a search-interface comparative evaluation using crowdsourcing with Amazon Mechanical Turk (AMT). Methods We collected over 60,000 consumer health questions from NetWellness, one of the first consumer health websites to provide high-quality health information. We designed and developed a novel conjunctive exploratory navigation interface to explore NetWellness health questions with health topics as dynamic and searchable menus. To investigate the effectiveness of CENI, we developed a second interface with keyword-based search only. A crowdsourcing comparative study was carefully designed to compare three search modes of interest: (A) the topic-navigation-based CENI, (B) the keyword-based lookup interface, and (C) either the most commonly available lookup search interface with Google, or the resident advanced search offered by NetWellness. To compare the effectiveness of the three search modes, 9 search tasks were designed with relevant health questions from NetWellness. Each task included a rating of difficulty level and questions for validating the quality of answers. Ninety anonymous and unique AMT workers were recruited as participants. Results Repeated-measures ANOVA analysis of the data showed the search modes A, B, and C had statistically significant differences among their levels of difficulty (P<.001). Wilcoxon signed-rank test (one-tailed) between A and B showed that A was significantly easier than B (P<.001). Paired t tests (one-tailed) between A and C showed A was significantly easier than C (P<.001). Participant responses on the preferred search modes showed that 47.8% (43/90) participants preferred A, 25.6% (23/90) preferred B, 24.4% (22/90) preferred C. Participant comments on the preferred search modes indicated that CENI was easy to use, provided better organization of health questions by topics, allowed users to narrow down to the most relevant contents quickly, and supported the exploratory navigation by non-experts or those unsure how to initiate their search. Conclusions We presented a novel conjunctive exploratory navigation interface for consumer health information retrieval and navigation. Crowdsourcing permitted a carefully designed comparative search-interface evaluation to be completed in a timely and cost-effective manner with a relatively large number of participants recruited anonymously. Accounting for possible biases, our study has shown for the first time with crowdsourcing that the combination of exploratory navigation and lookup search is more effective than lookup search alone. PMID:24513593

Evaluation of a novel Conjunctive Exploratory Navigation Interface for consumer health information: a crowdsourced comparative study.

PubMed

Cui, Licong; Carter, Rebecca; Zhang, Guo-Qiang

2014-02-10

Numerous consumer health information websites have been developed to provide consumers access to health information. However, lookup search is insufficient for consumers to take full advantage of these rich public information resources. Exploratory search is considered a promising complementary mechanism, but its efficacy has never before been rigorously evaluated for consumer health information retrieval interfaces. This study aims to (1) introduce a novel Conjunctive Exploratory Navigation Interface (CENI) for supporting effective consumer health information retrieval and navigation, and (2) evaluate the effectiveness of CENI through a search-interface comparative evaluation using crowdsourcing with Amazon Mechanical Turk (AMT). We collected over 60,000 consumer health questions from NetWellness, one of the first consumer health websites to provide high-quality health information. We designed and developed a novel conjunctive exploratory navigation interface to explore NetWellness health questions with health topics as dynamic and searchable menus. To investigate the effectiveness of CENI, we developed a second interface with keyword-based search only. A crowdsourcing comparative study was carefully designed to compare three search modes of interest: (A) the topic-navigation-based CENI, (B) the keyword-based lookup interface, and (C) either the most commonly available lookup search interface with Google, or the resident advanced search offered by NetWellness. To compare the effectiveness of the three search modes, 9 search tasks were designed with relevant health questions from NetWellness. Each task included a rating of difficulty level and questions for validating the quality of answers. Ninety anonymous and unique AMT workers were recruited as participants. Repeated-measures ANOVA analysis of the data showed the search modes A, B, and C had statistically significant differences among their levels of difficulty (P<.001). Wilcoxon signed-rank test (one-tailed) between A and B showed that A was significantly easier than B (P<.001). Paired t tests (one-tailed) between A and C showed A was significantly easier than C (P<.001). Participant responses on the preferred search modes showed that 47.8% (43/90) participants preferred A, 25.6% (23/90) preferred B, 24.4% (22/90) preferred C. Participant comments on the preferred search modes indicated that CENI was easy to use, provided better organization of health questions by topics, allowed users to narrow down to the most relevant contents quickly, and supported the exploratory navigation by non-experts or those unsure how to initiate their search. We presented a novel conjunctive exploratory navigation interface for consumer health information retrieval and navigation. Crowdsourcing permitted a carefully designed comparative search-interface evaluation to be completed in a timely and cost-effective manner with a relatively large number of participants recruited anonymously. Accounting for possible biases, our study has shown for the first time with crowdsourcing that the combination of exploratory navigation and lookup search is more effective than lookup search alone.

Designing a Children's Water Garden as an Outdoor Learning Lab for Environmental Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byrd, Renee K.; Haque, Mary Taylor; Tai, Lolly; McLellan, Gina K.; Knight, Erin Jordan

2007-01-01

A Clemson University introductory landscape design class collaborated with South Carolina Botanical Gardens (SCBG) staff and coordinators of Sprouting Wings to design an exploratory Children's Garden within the SCBG. Service learning provides students with invaluable real-world experiences solving problems and interacting with clients while…

Communication Resource Use in a Networked Collaborative Design Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gay, Geri; Lentini, Marc

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine student use of a prototype networked collaborative design environment to support or augment learning about engineering design. The theoretical framework is based primarily on Vygotsky's social construction of knowledge and the belief that collaboration and communication are critical components…

Using Importance-Performance Analysis to Guide Instructional Design of Experiential Learning Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Sheri; Hsu, Yu-Chang; Kinney, Judy

2016-01-01

Designing experiential learning activities requires an instructor to think about what they want the students to learn. Using importance-performance analysis can assist with the instructional design of the activities. This exploratory study used importance-performance analysis in an online introduction to criminology course. There is limited…

Students' Knowledge Sources and Knowledge Sharing in the Design Studio--An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chiu, Sheng-Hsiao

2010-01-01

Architectural design is a knowledge-intensive activity; however, students frequently lack sufficient knowledge when they practice design. Collaborative learning can supplement the students' insufficient expertise. Successful collaborative learning relies on knowledge sharing between students. This implies that the peers are a considerable design…

An investigation into the prevalence of exploratory behavior in captive cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus).

PubMed

Quirke, Thomas; O'Riordan, Ruth

2015-01-01

Exploratory behavior in the wild is fundamentally linked to an animal's survival and natural life history. The ability to gather information about their environment, establish territories, assert dominance, communicate information regarding reproductive status and locate mates are closely associated with a range of exploratory behaviors. Understanding how these behaviors are performed within the captive setting is crucial in order to create a captive environment in which these behaviors can be expressed, and their function conserved. The objective of this research was to highlight the factors of captive husbandry and management that influence the occurrence of exploratory behaviour of cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) in captivity. One hundred and twelve cheetahs in 88 enclosures across nine zoological institutions in five countries were the subjects of this study. The presence of raised areas, number of movements between enclosures, group composition, sex and an interaction between group composition and the ability to view cheetahs in adjacent enclosures, all significantly influenced the prevalence of exploratory behavior in captive cheetahs. The presence of raised areas and an increasing number of movements between enclosures significantly increased the probability of observing exploratory behaviour, while this probability was significantly decreased for female cheetahs, when cheetahs were able to view conspecifics in adjacent enclosures, and were maintained in groups. A number of recommendations are discussed in relation to promoting exploratory behavior in captive cheetahs. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Bioengineered Temporomandibular Joint Disk Implants: Study Protocol for a Two-Phase Exploratory Randomized Preclinical Pilot Trial in 18 Black Merino Sheep (TEMPOJIMS)

PubMed Central

Monje, Florencio Gil; González-García, Raúl; Little, Christopher B; Mónico, Lisete; Pinho, Mário; Santos, Fábio Abade; Carrapiço, Belmira; Gonçalves, Sandra Cavaco; Morouço, Pedro; Alves, Nuno; Moura, Carla; Wang, Yadong; Jeffries, Eric; Gao, Jin; Sousa, Rita; Neto, Lia Lucas; Caldeira, Daniel; Salvado, Francisco

2017-01-01

Background Preclinical trials are essential to test efficacious options to substitute the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disk. The contemporary absence of an ideal treatment for patients with severe TMJ disorders can be related to difficulties concerning the appropriate study design to conduct preclinical trials in the TMJ field. These difficulties can be associated with the use of heterogeneous animal models, the use of the contralateral TMJ as control, the absence of rigorous randomized controlled preclinical trials with blinded outcomes assessors, and difficulties involving multidisciplinary teams. Objective This study aims to develop a new, reproducible, and effective study design for preclinical research in the TMJ domain, obtaining rigorous data related to (1) identify the impact of bilateral discectomy in black Merino sheep, (2) identify the impact of bilateral discopexy in black Merino sheep, and (3) identify the impact of three different bioengineering TMJ discs in black Merino sheep. Methods A two-phase exploratory randomized controlled preclinical trial with blinded outcomes is proposed. In the first phase, nine sheep are randomized into three different surgical bilateral procedures: bilateral discectomy, bilateral discopexy, and sham surgery. In the second phase, nine sheep are randomized to bilaterally test three different TMJ bioengineering disk implants. The primary outcome is the histological gradation of TMJ. Secondary outcomes are imaging changes, absolute masticatory time, ruminant time per cycle, ruminant kinetics, ruminant area, and sheep weight. Results Previous preclinical studies in this field have used the contralateral unoperated side as a control, different animal models ranging from mice to a canine model, with nonrandomized, nonblinded and uncontrolled study designs and limited outcomes measures. The main goal of this exploratory preclinical protocol is to set a new standard for future preclinical trials in oromaxillofacial surgery, particularly in the TMJ field, by proposing a rigorous design in black Merino sheep. The authors also intend to test the feasibility of pilot outcomes. The authors expect to increase the quality of further studies in this field and to progress in future treatment options for patients undergoing surgery for TMJ disk replacement. Conclusions The study has commenced, but it is too early to provide results or conclusions. PMID:28254733

Exploratory Advanced Research Program : Video Analytics Research Projects

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-12-01

The flagship dataset to emerge from the Transportation Research Boards second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP 2) study is the naturalistic driving study (NDS). The study is a focus on driver behavior and addresses the notion that it is po...

Research Priorities in Spasmodic Dysphonia

PubMed Central

Ludlow, Christy L.; Adler, Charles H.; Berke, Gerald S.; Bielamowicz, Steven A.; Blitzer, Andrew; Bressman, Susan B.; Hallett, Mark; Jinnah, H. A.; Juergens, Uwe; Martin, Sandra B.; Perlmutter, Joel S.; Sapienza, Christine; Singleton, Andrew; Tanner, Caroline M.; Woodson, Gayle E.

2009-01-01

OBJECTIVE To identify research priorities for increasing understanding of the pathogenesis, diagnosis and improved treatment of spasmodic dysphonia. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING A multidisciplinary working group was formed including both scientists and clinicians from multiple disciplines, otolaryngology, neurology, speech pathology, genetics and neuroscience, to review currently available information on spasmodic dysphonia and to identify research priorities. RESULTS Operational definitions for spasmodic dysphonia at different levels of certainty were recommended for diagnosis and recommendations made for a multi-center multidisciplinary validation study. CONCLUSIONS The highest priority is to characterize the disorder and identify risk factors that may contribute to its onset. Future research should compare and contrast spasmodic dysphonia with other forms of focal dystonia. Development of animal models is recommended to explore hypotheses related to pathogenesis. Improved understanding of the pathophysiology of SD should provide the basis for developing new treatment options and exploratory clinical trials. SIGNIFICANCE This document should foster future research to improve the care of patients with this chronic debilitating voice and speech disorder by otolaryngology, neurology, and speech pathology. PMID:18922334

Policies to increase the social value of science and the scientist satisfaction. An exploratory survey among Harvard bioscientists.

PubMed Central

Ballabeni, Andrea; Boggio, Andrea; Hemenway, David

2014-01-01

Basic research in the biomedical field generates both knowledge that has a value per se regardless of its possible practical outcome and knowledge that has the potential to produce more practical benefits. Policies can increase the benefit potential to society of basic biomedical research by offering various kinds of incentives to basic researchers. In this paper we argue that soft incentives or “nudges” are particularly promising. However, to be well designed, these incentives must take into account the motivations, goals and views of the basic scientists. In the paper we present the results of an investigation that involved more than 300 scientists at Harvard Medical School and affiliated institutes. The results of this study suggest that some soft incentives could be valuable tools to increase the transformative value of fundamental investigations without affecting the spirit of the basic research and scientists’ work satisfaction. After discussing the findings, we discuss a few examples of nudges for basic researchers in the biomedical fields. PMID:24795807

Policies to increase the social value of science and the scientist satisfaction. An exploratory survey among Harvard bioscientists.

PubMed

Ballabeni, Andrea; Boggio, Andrea; Hemenway, David

2014-01-01

Basic research in the biomedical field generates both knowledge that has a value per se regardless of its possible practical outcome and knowledge that has the potential to produce more practical benefits. Policies can increase the benefit potential to society of basic biomedical research by offering various kinds of incentives to basic researchers. In this paper we argue that soft incentives or "nudges" are particularly promising. However, to be well designed, these incentives must take into account the motivations, goals and views of the basic scientists. In the paper we present the results of an investigation that involved more than 300 scientists at Harvard Medical School and affiliated institutes. The results of this study suggest that some soft incentives could be valuable tools to increase the transformative value of fundamental investigations without affecting the spirit of the basic research and scientists' work satisfaction. After discussing the findings, we discuss a few examples of nudges for basic researchers in the biomedical fields.

Identifying Items to Assess Methodological Quality in Physical Therapy Trials: A Factor Analysis

PubMed Central

Cummings, Greta G.; Fuentes, Jorge; Saltaji, Humam; Ha, Christine; Chisholm, Annabritt; Pasichnyk, Dion; Rogers, Todd

2014-01-01

Background Numerous tools and individual items have been proposed to assess the methodological quality of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The frequency of use of these items varies according to health area, which suggests a lack of agreement regarding their relevance to trial quality or risk of bias. Objective The objectives of this study were: (1) to identify the underlying component structure of items and (2) to determine relevant items to evaluate the quality and risk of bias of trials in physical therapy by using an exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Design A methodological research design was used, and an EFA was performed. Methods Randomized controlled trials used for this study were randomly selected from searches of the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Two reviewers used 45 items gathered from 7 different quality tools to assess the methodological quality of the RCTs. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted using the principal axis factoring (PAF) method followed by varimax rotation. Results Principal axis factoring identified 34 items loaded on 9 common factors: (1) selection bias; (2) performance and detection bias; (3) eligibility, intervention details, and description of outcome measures; (4) psychometric properties of the main outcome; (5) contamination and adherence to treatment; (6) attrition bias; (7) data analysis; (8) sample size; and (9) control and placebo adequacy. Limitation Because of the exploratory nature of the results, a confirmatory factor analysis is needed to validate this model. Conclusions To the authors' knowledge, this is the first factor analysis to explore the underlying component items used to evaluate the methodological quality or risk of bias of RCTs in physical therapy. The items and factors represent a starting point for evaluating the methodological quality and risk of bias in physical therapy trials. Empirical evidence of the association among these items with treatment effects and a confirmatory factor analysis of these results are needed to validate these items. PMID:24786942

Childbirth Supporters' Experiences in a Built Hospital Birth Environment: Exploring Inhibiting and Facilitating Factors in Negotiating the Supporter Role.

PubMed

Harte, J Davis; Sheehan, Athena; Stewart, Susan C; Foureur, Maralyn

2016-04-01

To explore inhibiting and facilitating design factors influencing childbirth supporters' experiences. Birthing women benefit from the continuous, cooperative presence of supporters. However, little research has investigated how birth room design facilitates or inhibits supporters' role navigation. We conducted an exploratory video ethnographic single case study of childbirth supporters' experiences, within an Australian hospital birth environment. Video, field notes, and video-cued reflexive interviews with the woman, her midwives, and supporters were thematically analyzed using ethnographic/symbolic interactionist perspectives to frame supporters' understandings. Findings suggest supporters' experiences are complex, made more complicated by sparse understanding or accommodation of their needs in the built environment. Supporters' presence and roles are not facilitated by the physical space; they experience "an unbelonging paradox" of being needed, yet uncertain and "in the way" during "tenuous nest-building" activities. Suggested design guidelines to facilitate supporters' well-being and their roles in designed hospital birth spaces are provided. © The Author(s) 2016.

Latino Parental Access to Biliteracy Programs in Selected Latino-Majority Schools Based on the "Castaneda" Guidelines: Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palma, Griselda

2017-01-01

An exploratory study of Latino majority elementary (LME) schools was launched to investigate if parents of English Language Learners (ELLs) are provided due process to biliteracy programs in low-income schools in San Diego County. The main research question of the study asked: How are the instructional programs in LME schools preparing Latino ELLs…

The Effects of Meaning-Focused Pre-Tasks on Beginning-Level L2 Writing in German: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abrams, Zsuzsanna; Byrd, David R.

2017-01-01

Most studies on task-based language learning focus on the oral performance of advanced level learners of English as a second language (ESL), while little research examines the written performance of beginning language learners in non-ESL contexts. This exploratory study aims to address this gap, by examining the effect of pre-writing tasks on…

User roles and contributions during the new product development process in collaborative innovation communities.

PubMed

Guo, Wei; Zheng, Qing; An, Weijin; Peng, Wei

2017-09-01

Collaborative innovation (co-innovation) community emerges as a new product design platform where companies involve users in the new product development (NPD) process. Large numbers of users participate and contribute to the process voluntarily. This exploratory study investigates the heterogeneous roles of users based on a global co-innovation project in online community. Content analysis, social network analysis and cluster method are employed to measure user behaviors, distinguish user roles, and analyze user contributions. The study identifies six user roles that emerge during the NPD process in co-innovation community: project leader, active designer, generalist, communicator, passive designer, and observer. The six user roles differ in their contribution forms and quality. This paper contributes to research on co-innovation in online communities, including design team structure, user roles and their contribution to design task and solution, as well as user value along the process. In addition, the study provides practices guidance on implementing project, attracting users, and designing platform for co-innovation community practitioners. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Soviet ionospheric modification research

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Duncan, L.M.; Carlson, H.C.; Djuth, F.T.

1988-07-01

Soviet published literature in ionospheric modification research by high-power radio waves is assessed, including an evaluation of its impact on and applications to future remote-sensing and telecommunications systems. This assessment is organized to place equal emphasis on basic research activities, designed to investigate both the natural geophysical environment and fundamental plasma physics; advanced research programs, such as those studying artificial ionization processes and oblique high-power radio propagation and practical system applications and operational limitations addressed by this research. The assessment indicates that the Soviet Union sustains high-quality theoretical and experimental research programs in ionospheric modification, with a breadth and levelmore » of effort greatly exceeding comparable Western programs. Soviet theoretical research tends to be analytical and intuitive, as compared to the Western emphasis on numerical simulation techniques. The Soviet experimental approach is less exploratory, designed principally to confirm theoretical predictions. Although limited by inferior diagnostic capabilities, Soviet experimental facilities are more numerous, operate on a more regular basis, and transmit radio wave powers exceeding those os Western facilities. Because of its broad scope of activity, the Soviet Union is better poised to quickly exploit new technologies and system applications as they are developed. This panel has identified several key areas of Soviet research activity and emerging technology that may offer long-term opportunities for remote-sensing and telecommunications advantages. However, we have found no results that suggest imminent breakthrough discoveries in these fields.« less

Violence against women in video games: a prequel or sequel to rape myth acceptance?

PubMed

Beck, Victoria Simpson; Boys, Stephanie; Rose, Christopher; Beck, Eric

2012-10-01

Current research suggests a link between negative attitudes toward women and violence against women, and it also suggests that media may condition such negative attitudes. When considering the tremendous and continued growth of video game sales, and the resulting proliferation of sexual objectification and violence against women in some video games, it is lamentable that there is a dearth of research exploring the effect of such imagery on attitudes toward women. This study is the first study to use actual video game playing and control for causal order, when exploring the effect of sexual exploitation and violence against women in video games on attitudes toward women. By employing a Solomon Four-Group experimental research design, this exploratory study found that a video game depicting sexual objectification of women and violence against women resulted in statistically significant increased rape myths acceptance (rape-supportive attitudes) for male study participants but not for female participants.

Healthcare managers' decision making: findings of a small scale exploratory study.

PubMed

Macdonald, Jackie; Bath, Peter A; Booth, Andrew

2008-12-01

Managers who work in publicly funded healthcare organizations are an understudied group. Some of the influences on their decisions may be unique to healthcare. This study considers how to integrate research knowledge effectively into healthcare managers' decision making, and how to manage and integrate information that will include community data. This first phase in a two-phase mixed methods research study used a qualitative, multiple case studies design. Nineteen semi-structured interviews were undertaken using the critical incident technique. Interview transcripts were analysed using the NatCen Framework. One theme represented ;information and decisions'. Cases were determined to involve complex multi-level, multi-situational decisions with participants in practical rather than ceremonial work roles. Most considered organizational knowledge in the first two decision phases and external knowledge, including research, in the third phase. All participants engaged in satisficing to some degree.

Next Generation Traffic Control Systems Workshop Summary Report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-12-01

On February 3-4, 2015, at the Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center in McLean, Virginia, the Federal Highway Administration's Office of Operations Research and Development, with support from the Exploratory Advanced Research Program, convened the 2...

Basic Research in the Information Technology Industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Theis, Thomas N.; Horn, Paul M.

2003-07-01

Why do information technology companies support exploratory research in physics and allied fields? The answer is simple-because of the need to bring new technology quickly to market. Ultimately, even long-term research is all about speed.

From ISO 9001:2008 to ISO 9001:2015: Significant changes and their impacts to aspiring organizations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sari, Y.; Wibisono, E.; Wahyudi, R. D.; Lio, Y.

2017-11-01

ISO 9001:2015 is the latest version of ISO Quality Management System standard that has been updated recently from ISO 9001:2008. It is necessary for all organizations that have implemented and been certified with ISO 9001:2008 to prepare the transition and upgrade their Quality Management System because the certification will expire by September 2018. This paper attempts to provide knowledge on the significant changes from ISO 9001:2008 to ISO 9001:2015, what new requirements are added, and how they would impact the organizations. An exploratory and applied research was chosen as the research approach and aimed to explore what transition designs are needed to anticipate the changes as well as their impacts. The research applied a methodology of Plan-Do-Check-Action (PDCA) cycle into four organizations and their results were compared and discussed to explain the transition designs. Some qualitative methods such as observation and interview were used to collect the data. By addressing the new requirements, three transition designs that should be prepared are: (i) identifying needs from interested parties, (ii) analyzing internal and external factors of the organizations to formulate relevant strategies and quality objectives, and (iii) registering risks associated to business processes as well as organizational strategies.

Performing piety in sexual health research: gender, health and evangelical Christianities in a Mexican human papillomavirus (HPV) study.

PubMed

Wentzell, Emily

2017-12-01

Recent research suggests that health surveillance experiences like clinical trial participation might have unanticipated social consequences. I investigate how evangelical Christians participating in longitudinal, observational sexual health research incorporate that long-term medical surveillance into their religious practice. This exploratory research focuses on Mexican Cristianos' participation in the Cuernavaca arm of the multinational 'Human Papillomavirus in Men' ('HIM') study, which tested men for the common and usually asymptomatic sexually transmitted infection human papillomavirus (HPV) over time. I draw on interviews with heterosexual male research participants and their female partners throughout their medical research involvement, and data from church-based participant observation, to understand how couples framed the HIM study as an arena for performing piety. I argue that evangelical understandings of piety as moral practice encouraged participants to view long-term sexual health surveillance as assistance for living out the health, gender, and marital behaviors promoted by their congregations. This finding suggests that health research designers and ethics committees should consider the health and social outcomes of research participants' agentive incorporation of religious observance into study protocols.

“I’m stronger than I thought”: Native women reconnecting to body, health, and place

PubMed Central

Schultz, Katie; Walters, Karina L.; Beltran, Ramona; Stroud, Sandy; Johnson-Jennings, Michelle

2016-01-01

This community-based research applied principles of wilderness experience programming and Indigenous knowledges in an exploratory intervention designed to address health disparities in a tribal community. Drawing on historical trauma frameworks, tribal members rewalked the Trail of Tears to consider its effect on contemporary tribal health. Qualitative data from tribal members suggest that engagement with place and experiential learning, particularly the physical and emotional challenge of the Trail, facilitated changes in health beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. Deep engagement outside of traditional health service settings should be considered in interventions and may be particularly effective in promoting positive health behaviors in Native communities. PMID:27164432

The case for introducing pre-registered confirmatory pharmacological pre-clinical studies.

PubMed

Kiwanuka, Olivia; Bellander, Bo-Michael; Hånell, Anders

2018-05-01

When evaluating the design of pre-clinical studies in the field of traumatic brain injury, we found substantial differences compared to phase III clinical trials, which in part may explain the difficulties in translating promising experimental drugs into approved treatments. By using network analysis, we also found cases where a large proportion of the studies evaluating a pre-clinical treatment was performed by inter-related researchers, which is potentially problematic. Subjecting all pre-clinical trials to the rigor of a phase III clinical trial is, however, likely not practically achievable. Instead, we repeat the call for a distinction to be made between exploratory and confirmatory pre-clinical studies.

50 CFR 300.105 - Initiating a new fishery.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... comprehensive research/surveys or exploratory fishing has not been submitted to CCAMLR; (2) Catch and effort... research/survey cruises, such as distribution, abundance, demographic data and information on stock...

50 CFR 300.105 - Initiating a new fishery.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... comprehensive research/surveys or exploratory fishing has not been submitted to CCAMLR; (2) Catch and effort... research/survey cruises, such as distribution, abundance, demographic data and information on stock...

50 CFR 300.105 - Initiating a new fishery.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... comprehensive research/surveys or exploratory fishing has not been submitted to CCAMLR; (2) Catch and effort... research/survey cruises, such as distribution, abundance, demographic data and information on stock...

50 CFR 300.105 - Initiating a new fishery.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... comprehensive research/surveys or exploratory fishing has not been submitted to CCAMLR; (2) Catch and effort... research/survey cruises, such as distribution, abundance, demographic data and information on stock...

50 CFR 300.105 - Initiating a new fishery.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... comprehensive research/surveys or exploratory fishing has not been submitted to CCAMLR; (2) Catch and effort... research/survey cruises, such as distribution, abundance, demographic data and information on stock...

Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) Space Science's Past, Present, and Future on the International Space Station (ISS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spivey, Reggie A.; Spearing, Scott F.; Jordan, Lee P.; McDaniel S. Greg

2012-01-01

The Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) is a double rack facility designed for microgravity investigation handling aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The unique design of the facility allows it to accommodate science and technology investigations in a "workbench" type environment. MSG facility provides an enclosed working area for investigation manipulation and observation in the ISS. Provides two levels of containment via physical barrier, negative pressure, and air filtration. The MSG team and facilities provide quick access to space for exploratory and National Lab type investigations to gain an understanding of the role of gravity in the physics associated research areas. The MSG is a very versatile and capable research facility on the ISS. The Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) on the International Space Station (ISS) has been used for a large body or research in material science, heat transfer, crystal growth, life sciences, smoke detection, combustion, plant growth, human health, and technology demonstration. MSG is an ideal platform for gravity-dependent phenomena related research. Moreover, the MSG provides engineers and scientists a platform for research in an environment similar to the one that spacecraft and crew members will actually experience during space travel and exploration. The MSG facility is ideally suited to provide quick, relatively inexpensive access to space for National Lab type investigations.

Designing Instruction for Speed: Qualitative Insights into Instructional Design for Accelerated Online Graduate Coursework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trekles, Anastasia M.; Sims, Roderick

2013-01-01

The purpose of this exploratory case study was to explore instructional design strategies and characteristics of online, asynchronous accelerated courses and students' choices of deep or surface learning approaches within this environment. An increasing number of university programs, particularly at the graduate level, are moving to an…

Children as Educational Computer Game Designers: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baytak, Ahmet; Land, Susan M.; Smith, Brian K.

2011-01-01

This study investigated how children designed computer games as artifacts that reflected their understanding of nutrition. Ten 5th grade students were asked to design computer games with the software "Game Maker" for the purpose of teaching 1st graders about nutrition. The results from the case study show that students were able to…

The Cube and the Poppy Flower: Participatory Approaches for Designing Technology-Enhanced Learning Spaces

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Casanova, Diogo; Mitchell, Paul

2017-01-01

This paper presents an alternative method for learning space design that is driven by user input. An exploratory study was undertaken at an English university with the aim of redesigning technology-enhanced learning spaces. Two provocative concepts were presented through participatory design workshops during which students and teachers reflected…

Do Particular Design Features Assist People with Aphasia to Comprehend Text? An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Lucy; Read, Jennifer

2016-01-01

Background: Much of the evidence underlying guidelines for producing accessible information for people with aphasia focuses on client preference for particular design features. There is limited evidence regarding the effects of these features on comprehension. Aims: To examine the effects of specific design features on text comprehension. It was…

Design and installation of a subsea multiwell drilling template at Garden Banks Block 189

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Domangue, R.J.

1991-09-01

This paper describes the economics, design, and installation of a simple drilling template that was used to retain or save subsea exploratory and delineation wells in Garden Banks Block 189 (GB 189) in the Gulf of Mexico.

Review and assessment of designated driver programs as an alcohol countermeasure approach

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1987-02-01

Many drinking establishments have instituted designated driver programs (DDPs) which encourage one person in a group of patrons to remain sober and drive the others home. The primary objectives of this exploratory study were to: 1) identify DDPs thro...

An Exploratory Survey of Four Groups of 1987 Graduating Seniors' Perceptions Pertaining to (1) the Qualities of a Good Citizen, (2) the Sources of Citizenship Influence, and (3) the Contributions of Social Studies Courses and Programs of Study to Citizenship Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dynneson, Thomas L.; And Others

As a means of investigating the current status of citizenship education in the schools, this exploratory study was designed to study graduating high school seniors' perceptions of their citizenship experiences. A questionnaire was distributed to four schools in Texas, Minnesota, California, and Arkansas and data were analyzed using Boos's…

"Chipping away": non-consumer researcher perspectives on barriers to collaborating with consumers in mental health research.

PubMed

Happell, Brenda; Gordon, Sarah; Bocking, Julia; Ellis, Pete; Roper, Cath; Liggins, Jackie; Scholz, Brett; Platania-Phung, Chris

2018-04-30

Collaboration between researchers who have lived experience of mental illness and services (consumer researchers) and mental health researchers without (other mental health researchers) is an emergent development in research. Inclusion of consumer perspectives is crucial to ensuring the ethics, relevancy and validity of mental health research; yet widespread and embedded consumer collaboration of this nature is known to be impeded by attitudinal and organisational factors. Limited research describes consumer researchers' experiences of barriers. Other mental health researchers are key players in the co-production process yet there is also a paucity of research reporting their views on barriers to collaborating with consumers. To explore other researchers' views and experiences on partnering with consumer mental health researchers in Australia and New Zealand. Exploratory qualitative design. Eleven semi-structured interviews were conducted with mental health researchers. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed. Four themes concerning barriers to collaborating with consumers (hierarchies, status quo, not understanding, paternalism), and one theme on addressing the barriers (constantly chipping away) were identified. It is suggested that multifaceted strategies for advancing collaboration with consumers are most effective. It is imperative to attend to several barriers simultaneously to redress the inherent power disparity.

Behavioral and Psychosocial Considerations in Intelligence Analysis: A Preliminary Review of Literature on Critical Thinking Skills

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-01

Department of Defense, Washington Headquarters Services , Directorate for Information Operations and Reports (0704-0188), 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite... discovery (teaching by problem solving), and exploratory (teaching by exploration). Research suggests while guided discovery and exploratory training...34 College Student Journal 38 (2004): 482-493. MasterFILE Premier. EBSCO . 4 June 2008. - This study was conducted to determine whether an introductory

Drug use in business bathrooms: An exploratory study of manager encounters in New York City.

PubMed

Wolfson-Stofko, Brett; Bennett, Alex S; Elliott, Luther; Curtis, Ric

2017-01-01

Though public bathroom drug injection has been documented from the perspective of people who inject drugs, no research has explored the experiences of the business managers who oversee their business bathrooms and respond to drug use. These managers, by default, are first-responders in the event of a drug overdose and thus of intrinsic interest during the current epidemic of opioid-related overdoses in the United States. This exploratory study assists in elucidating the experiences that New York City business managers have with people who inject drugs, their paraphernalia, and their overdoses. A survey instrument was designed to collect data on manager encounters with drug use occurring in their business bathrooms. Recruitment was guided by convenience and purposive approaches. More than half of managers interviewed (58%, n=50/86) encountered drug use in their business bathrooms, more than a third (34%) of these managers also found syringes, and the vast majority (90%) of managers had received no overdose recognition or naloxone training. Seven managers encountered unresponsive individuals who required emergency assistance. The results from this study underscore the need for additional research on the experiences that community stakeholders have with public injection as well as educational outreach efforts among business managers. This research also suggests that there is need for a national dialogue about potential interventions, including expanded overdose recognition and naloxone training and supervised injection facilities (SIF)/drug consumption rooms (DCR), that could reduce public injection and its associated health risks. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development of a scale to assess cancer stigma in the non-patient population

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Illness-related stigma has attracted considerable research interest, but few studies have specifically examined stigmatisation of cancer in the non-patient population. The present study developed and validated a Cancer Stigma Scale (CASS) for use in the general population. Methods An item pool was developed on the basis of previous research into illness-related stigma in the general population and patients with cancer. Two studies were carried out. The first study used Exploratory factor analysis to explore the structure of items in a sample of 462 postgraduate students recruited through a London university. The second study used Confirmatory factor analysis to confirm the structure among 238 adults recruited through an online market research panel. Internal reliability, test-retest reliability and construct validity were also assessed. Results Exploratory factor analysis suggested six subscales, representing: Awkwardness, Severity, Avoidance, Policy Opposition, Personal Responsibility and Financial Discrimination. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed this structure with a 25-item scale. All subscales showed adequate to good internal and test-retest reliability in both samples. Construct validity was also good, with mean scores for each subscale varying in the expected directions by age, gender, experience of cancer, awareness of lifestyle risk factors for cancer, and social desirability. Means for the subscales were consistent across the two samples. Conclusions These findings highlight the complexity of cancer stigma and provide the Cancer Stigma Scale (CASS) which can be used to compare populations, types of cancer and evaluate the effects of interventions designed to reduce cancer stigma in non-patient populations. PMID:24758482

Effects of natural enrichment materials on stress, memory and exploratory behavior in mice.

PubMed

Acklin, Casey J; Gault, Ruth A

2015-07-01

Environmental enrichment is an essential component of laboratory animal housing that allows animals to engage in natural behaviors in an otherwise artificial setting. Previous research by the authors suggested that, compared with synthetic enrichment materials, natural materials were associated with lower stress levels in mice. Here, the authors compare the effects of different enrichment materials on stress, memory and exploratory behavior in Swiss Webster mice. Mice that were provided with natural enrichment materials had lower stress levels, better memory and greater exploratory behavior than did mice provided with synthetic enrichment materials or with no enrichment materials. These findings suggest that provision of natural enrichment materials can improve well-being of laboratory mice.

An exploratory pilot study to design and assess the credibility of a sham kinesiology treatment.

PubMed

Hall, Sue; Lewith, George; Brien, Sarah; Little, Paul

2008-12-01

Kinesiology is a complementary therapy assessing subtle change in manual muscle testing results to select individualised treatments. We report the exploratory 2-stage development and pilot of a sham kinesiology treatment for use in a clinical trial to evaluate the specific effects of this intervention. 1. To design, pilot and assess the credibility of a sham kinesiology treatment in a kinesiology-aware population. 2. To pilot the sham kinesiology in a cross-over study of sham versus real kinesiology, and to make an exploratory assessment of its credibility in a kinesiology-naïve population. 1. 10 kinesiology-aware volunteers received a specially designed sham treatment weekly for 5 weeks which was subject to a credibility assessment. 2. 10 kinesiology-naïve patients with low back pain were randomised to receive 4 real and 4 sham treatments in a cross-over design; the treatments were subject to a credibility assessment. 100% of participants found the sham protocol a credible treatment as measured by the credibility questionnaire. 100% of patients having real treatment first did not recognise that the second set of treatments were sham. Small numbers precluded the use of formal statistical tests. In this small sample it appeared feasible to deliver an apparently credible sham kinesiology treatment. This feasibility study has allowed us to develop a sham treatment for use in a larger prospective clinical trial of kinesiology in patients with low back pain. 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Feathers in the Nest: Establishing a Supportive Environment for Women Researchers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartley, Nicole; Dobele, Angela

2009-01-01

This paper discusses research examining the attitudes and behaviours of researching women in academia and considers the effect of these factors on successful researching outcomes. The results of this exploratory research highlight in particular, a number of interesting environmental influencers which contribute to enhancing successful work…

Cornell Center for Materials Research - An NSF MRSEC

Science.gov Websites

Cornell Center for Materials Research Cornell Center for Materials Research | An NSF MRSEC Search Research Atomic Membranes for 3D Systems Structured Materials for Strong Light-Matter Interactions Mechanisms, Materials, and Devices for Spin Manipulation Seed Projects - Exploratory Research Acknowledging

Emerging Action Research Traditions: Rigor in Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watkins, Karen E.; Nicolaides, Aliki; Marsick, Victoria J.

2016-01-01

The authors argue here that contemporary use of action research shares the exploratory, inductive nature of many qualitative research approaches--no matter the type of data collected--because the type of research problems studied are set in complex, dynamic, rapidly changing contexts and because action research is undertaken to support social and…

Survey Design: To Ask or Not to Ask? That is the Question...

PubMed

Sinkowitz-Cochran, Ronda L

2013-04-01

Surveys are one of the most frequent modes of observation and measurement. Survey research can be exploratory, descriptive, and/or explanatory. Modes of survey administration vary and include face-to-face, telephone, mail, and Internet. There are numerous considerations that that must be taken into account when designing and conducting a survey. Deciding what information is needed and why is important when developing questions for a survey; it is essential to define the purpose of the survey and to be as specific as possible in terms of the data to be collected. Response rate varies by target audience and is influenced by a number of factors such as incentives, survey length, and perceived burden. From question development to survey construction, the goal is to minimize measurement error with systematic planning and execution.

Measuring public opinion on alcohol policy: a factor analytic study of a US probability sample.

PubMed

Latimer, William W; Harwood, Eileen M; Newcomb, Michael D; Wagenaar, Alexander C

2003-03-01

Public opinion has been one factor affecting change in policies designed to reduce underage alcohol use. Extant research, however, has been criticized for using single survey items of unknown reliability to define adult attitudes on alcohol policy issues. The present investigation addresses a critical gap in the literature by deriving scales on public attitudes, knowledge, and concerns pertinent to alcohol policies designed to reduce underage drinking using a US probability sample survey of 7021 adults. Five attitudinal scales were derived from exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses addressing policies to: (1) regulate alcohol marketing, (2) regulate alcohol consumption in public places, (3) regulate alcohol distribution, (4) increase alcohol taxes, and (5) regulate youth access. The scales exhibited acceptable psychometric properties and were largely consistent with a rational framework which guided the survey construction.

Correctional services and prison chaplaincy in Australia: an exploratory study.

PubMed

Carey, Lindsay B; Del Medico, Laura

2014-12-01

This paper summarizes an exploratory study undertaken to consider the work of Australian chaplaincy personnel ministering to prisoners within correctional facilities. This qualitative research was not concerned with specific correctional institutions per se, but predominantly about the perspectives of chaplains concerning their professional contribution and issues they experienced while trying to provide pastoral care to prisoners. Data from a single-focus group indicated that prison chaplains were striving to fulfill religious and spiritual duties according to national and international standards for the treatment of prisoners. Given various frustrations identified by participants, that either impeded or thwarted their professional role as chaplains, a number of improvements were subsequently identified in order to develop the efficiency and effectiveness of chaplaincy and thus maximize the benefits of pastoral care to prisoners. Implications of this exploratory study relate not only to prison chaplaincy but also to ecclesiastical organizations, correctional facilities, governments and the need of support for further research to be conducted.

Psychometric testing on the NLN Student Satisfaction and Self-Confidence in Learning, Simulation Design Scale, and Educational Practices Questionnaire using a sample of pre-licensure novice nurses.

PubMed

Franklin, Ashley E; Burns, Paulette; Lee, Christopher S

2014-10-01

In 2006, the National League for Nursing published three measures related to novice nurses' beliefs about self-confidence, scenario design, and educational practices associated with simulation. Despite the extensive use of these measures, little is known about their reliability and validity. The psychometric properties of the Student Satisfaction and Self-Confidence in Learning Scale, Simulation Design Scale, and Educational Practices Questionnaire were studied among a sample of 2200 surveys completed by novice nurses from a liberal arts university in the southern United States. Psychometric tests included item analysis, confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses in randomly-split subsamples, concordant and discordant validity, and internal consistency. All three measures have sufficient reliability and validity to be used in education research. There is room for improvement in content validity with the Student Satisfaction and Self-Confidence in Learning and Simulation Design Scale. This work provides robust evidence to ensure that judgments made about self-confidence after simulation, simulation design and educational practices are valid and reliable. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Noise and autism spectrum disorder in children: An exploratory survey.

PubMed

Kanakri, Shireen M; Shepley, Mardelle; Varni, James W; Tassinary, Louis G

2017-04-01

With more students being educated in schools for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) than ever before, architects and interior designers need to consider the environmental features that may be modified to enhance the academic and social success of autistic students in school. This study explored existing empirical research on the impact of noise on children with ASD and provides recommendations regarding design features that can contribute to noise reduction. A survey, which addressed the impact of architectural design elements on autism-related behavior, was developed for teachers of children with ASD and distributed to three schools. Most teachers found noise control to be an important issue for students with autism and many observed children using ear defenders. In terms of managing issues related to noise, most teachers agreed that thick or soundproof walls and carpet in the classroom were the most important issues for children with ASD. Suggested future research should address architectural considerations for building an acoustically friendly environment for children with autism, identifying patterns of problematic behaviors in response to acoustical features of the built environment of the classroom setting, and ways to manage maladaptive behaviors in acoustically unfriendly environments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The blind student’s interpretation of two-dimensional shapes in geometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andriyani; Budayasa, I. K.; Juniati, D.

2018-01-01

The blind student’s interpretation of two-dimensional shapes represents the blind student’s mental image of two-dimensional shapes that they can’t visualize directly, which is related to illustration of the characteristics and number of edges and angles. The objective of this research is to identify the blind student’s interpretation of two-dimensional shapes. This research was an exploratory study with qualitative approach. A subject of this research is a sixth-grade student who experiencing total blind from the fifth grade of elementary school. Researchers interviewed the subject about his interpretation of two-dimensional shapes according to his thinking.The findings of this study show the uniqueness of blind students, who have been totally blind since school age, in knowing and illustrating the characteristics of edges and angles of two-dimensional shapes by utilizing visual experiences that were previously obtained before the blind. The result can inspire teachers to design further learning for development of blind student geometry concepts.

Investigating the Reliability and Factor Structure of Kalichman's "Survey 2: Research Misconduct" Questionnaire: A Post Hoc Analysis Among Biomedical Doctoral Students in Scandinavia.

PubMed

Holm, Søren; Hofmann, Bjørn

2017-10-01

A precondition for reducing scientific misconduct is evidence about scientists' attitudes. We need reliable survey instruments, and this study investigates the reliability of Kalichman's "Survey 2: research misconduct" questionnaire. The study is a post hoc analysis of data from three surveys among biomedical doctoral students in Scandinavia (2010-2015). We perform reliability analysis, and exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis using a split-sample design as a partial validation. The results indicate that a reliable 13-item scale can be formed (Cronbach's α = .705), and factor analysis indicates that there are four reliable subscales each tapping a different construct: (a) general attitude to misconduct (α = .768), (b) attitude to personal misconduct (α = .784), (c) attitude to whistleblowing (α = .841), and (d) attitude to blameworthiness/punishment (α = .877). A full validation of the questionnaire requires further research. We, nevertheless, hope that the results will facilitate the increased use of the questionnaire in research.

Hypothesis testing in hydrology: Theory and practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirchner, James; Pfister, Laurent

2017-04-01

Well-posed hypothesis tests have spurred major advances in hydrological theory. However, a random sample of recent research papers suggests that in hydrology, as in other fields, hypothesis formulation and testing rarely correspond to the idealized model of the scientific method. Practices such as "p-hacking" or "HARKing" (Hypothesizing After the Results are Known) are major obstacles to more rigorous hypothesis testing in hydrology, along with the well-known problem of confirmation bias - the tendency to value and trust confirmations more than refutations - among both researchers and reviewers. Hypothesis testing is not the only recipe for scientific progress, however: exploratory research, driven by innovations in measurement and observation, has also underlain many key advances. Further improvements in observation and measurement will be vital to both exploratory research and hypothesis testing, and thus to advancing the science of hydrology.

Action Research in EdD Programs in Educational Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osterman, Karen; Furman, Gail; Sernak, Kathleen

2014-01-01

This exploratory study gathered information about the use of action research within doctor of education programs in educational leadership and explored faculty understanding of and perspectives on action research. Survey data established that action research is used infrequently to meet dissertation requirements. Contributing factors include lack…

Object-oriented Technology for Compressor Simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Drummond, C. K.; Follen, G. J.; Cannon, M. R.

1994-01-01

An object-oriented basis for interdisciplinary compressor simulation can, in principle, overcome several barriers associated with the traditional structured (procedural) development approach. This paper presents the results of a research effort with the objective to explore the repercussions on design, analysis, and implementation of a compressor model in an object oriented (OO) language, and to examine the ability of the OO system design to accommodate computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code for compressor performance prediction. Three fundamental results are that: (1) the selection of the object oriented language is not the central issue; enhanced (interdisciplinary) analysis capability derives from a broader focus on object-oriented technology; (2) object-oriented designs will produce more effective and reusable computer programs when the technology is applied to issues involving complex system inter-relationships (more so than when addressing the complex physics of an isolated discipline); and (3) the concept of disposable prototypes is effective for exploratory research programs, but this requires organizations to have a commensurate long-term perspective. This work also suggests that interdisciplinary simulation can be effectively accomplished (over several levels of fidelity) with a mixed language treatment (i.e., FORTRAN-C++), reinforcing the notion the OO technology implementation into simulations is a 'journey' in which the syntax can, by design, continuously evolve.

Digital Modeling in Design Foundation Coursework: An Exploratory Study of the Effectiveness of Conceptual Design Software

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guidera, Stan; MacPherson, D. Scot

2008-01-01

This paper presents the results of a study that was conducted to identify and document student perceptions of the effectiveness of computer modeling software introduced in a design foundations course that had previously utilized only conventional manually-produced representation techniques. Rather than attempt to utilize a production-oriented CAD…

Characterizing the EEG correlates of exploratory behavior.

PubMed

Bourdaud, Nicolas; Chavarriaga, Ricardo; Galan, Ferran; Millan, José Del R

2008-12-01

This study aims to characterize the electroencephalography (EEG) correlates of exploratory behavior. Decision making in an uncertain environment raises a conflict between two opposing needs: gathering information about the environment and exploiting this knowledge in order to optimize the decision. Exploratory behavior has already been studied using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Based on a usual paradigm in reinforcement learning, this study has shown bilateral activation in the frontal and parietal cortex. To our knowledge, no previous study has been done on it using EEG. The study of the exploratory behavior using EEG signals raises two difficulties. First, the labels of trial as exploitation or exploration cannot be directly derived from the subject action. In order to access this information, a model of how the subject makes his decision must be built. The exploration related information can be then derived from it. Second, because of the complexity of the task, its EEG correlates are not necessarily time locked with the action. So the EEG processing methods used should be designed in order to handle signals that shift in time across trials. Using the same experimental protocol as the fMRI study, results show that the bilateral frontal and parietal areas are also the most discriminant. This strongly suggests that the EEG signal also conveys information about the exploratory behavior.

The effects of hands-free communication device systems: communication changes in hospital organizations.

PubMed

Richardson, Joshua E; Ash, Joan S

2010-01-01

To analyze the effects that hands-free communication device (HCD) systems have on healthcare organizations from multiple user perspectives. This exploratory qualitative study recruited 26 subjects from multiple departments in two research sites located in Portland, Oregon: an academic medical center and a community hospital. Interview and observation data were gathered January through March, 2007. Data were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Because this study was exploratory, data were coded and patterns identified until overall themes 'emerged'. Five themes arose: (1) Communication access-the perception that HCD systems provide fast and efficient communication that supports workflow; (2) Control-social and technical considerations associated with use of an HCD system; (3) Training-processes that should be used to improve use of the HCD system; (4) Organizational change-changes to organizational design and behavior caused by HCD system implementation; and (5) Environment and infrastructure-HCD system use within the context of physical workspaces. HCD systems improve communication access but users experience challenges integrating the system into workflow. Effective HCD use depends on how well organizations train users, adapt to changes brought about by HCD systems, and integrate HCD systems into physical surroundings.

Confirmatory factor analysis of the Child Health Questionnaire-Parent Form 50 in a predominantly minority sample.

PubMed

Hepner, Kimberly A; Sechrest, Lee

2002-12-01

The Child Health Questionnaire-Parent Form 50 (CHQ-PF50; Landgraf JM et al., The CHQ User's Manual. Boston, MA: The Health Institute, New England Medical Centre, 1996) appears to be a useful method of assessing children's health. The CHQ-PF50 is designed to measure general functional status and well-being and is available in several versions to suit the needs of the health researcher. Several publications have reported favorably on the psychometric properties of the CHQ. Landgraf et al. reported the results of an exploratory factor analysis at the scale level that provided evidence for a two-factor structure representing physical and psychosocial dimensions of health. In order to cross-validate and extend these results, a confirmatory factor analysis was conducted with an independent sample of generally healthy, predominantly minority children. Results of the analysis indicate that a two-factor model provides a good fit to the data, confirming previous exploratory analyses with this questionnaire. One additional method factor seems likely because of the substantial similarity of three of the scales, but that does not affect the substantive two-factor interpretation overall.

The Evaluation of a Self-Enumerated Scale of Quality of Life (CASP-19) in the Context of Research on Ageing: A Combination of Exploratory and Confirmatory Approaches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiggins, R. D.; Netuveli, G.; Hyde, M.; Higgs, P.; Blane, D.

2008-01-01

This paper describes the conceptual development of a self-enumerated scale of quality of life (CASP-19) and presents an empirical evaluation of its structure using a combination of exploratory and confirmatory factor analytic approaches across three different survey settings for older people living in England and Wales in the new millennium. All…

Designing and psychoanalysis: A comprehensive questionnaire on coping with domestic violence against women in Iranian society

PubMed Central

Mohhamadian, Zeinab; Rohani, Camelia; Jamshidi, Tayebeh

2018-01-01

Background Domestic violence is the third sociopathology after addiction and child abuse in Iran. Fifty-six percent of Iranian women in the range of 17–32 years old are exposed to the highest domestic violence. Objective: The aim of this study was to design and psychoanalyze a comprehensive questionnaire on coping with domestic violence against women in Iranian society. Methods This study was carried out on a random sample of women exposed to domestic violence and referred to the health and care center of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Tehran, and Forensic Medical Centers in Urmia city (Iran), in 2017. Two hundred questionnaires were distributed among the participants. One hundred sixty-eight questionnaires were returned to the researchers for data analysis. Eight of those were excluded from the analysis because of incompleteness. Finally, exploratory factor analysis was performed. Results After reviewing the literature, a questionnaire with 32 items was developed. Content validity ratio (0.95) and content validity index (0.97) were obtained. The results of exploratory factor analysis indicated that the questionnaire explained 69.34% of the data variance. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, and test-retest methods were used for determining the reliability and the obtained value, which were 0.82 and 0.81, respectively. Conclusion Validity and reliability of the questionnaire with 32 items were confirmed. The tool can be utilized to measure how women cope with domestic violence. PMID:29588816

Evolutionary tree design: An exploratory study of the influence of linear versus branching format on visitors' interpretation and understanding across age groups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MacDonald, Teresa Elise

This exploratory study sought to investigate the influence of tree graphic design---specifically linear versus branching depictions of taxa---on visitors in three different age groups (aged 11-13, 14-18, adults) interpretation and understanding using a multiple-case study strategy. The findings from this research indicate that linear and branched depictions elicit qualitatively different narratives and explanations about the relationships between the taxa in all age groups. Branched tree graphics support scientifically appropriate explanations of evolutionary relationships, i.e. that taxa are related via shared or common ancestry; while linear representations reinforce intuitive interpretations of ancestor-descendant or anagenic relationships. Furthermore, differences in the language used for linear and branched trees suggests that there is a spectrum within an analogy of developmental change that is thought to serve as a transitional concept between intuitive and scientific understanding--with 'evolved from' for branched depictions of taxa representing a shift towards an interpretation of shared ancestry rather than an individual transformation from one thing into another. In addition, branched graphics appear to support the correct reading and interpretation of shared or common ancestry in tree diagrams. Mixed reasoning was common and overall reasoning patterns were broadly similar among participants in all age groups, however, older youth (aged 14 to 18) and adults often provided more detail in their explanations and sometimes included references to evolutionary ideas such as variation, inheritance and selection.

Nanocommunication design in graduate-level education and research training programs at Osaka University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sekiya, Mizuki; An, SoonHwa; Ata, Masafumi

2014-09-01

After more than ten years of strategic investment research and development supported by government policies on science and technology, nanotechnology in Japan is making a transition from the knowledge creation stage of exploratory research to the stage of making the outcomes available for the benefit of society as a whole. Osaka University has been proactive in discussions about the relationship between nanotechnology and society as part of graduate and continuing education programs. These programs are intended to fulfill the social accountability obligation of scientists and corporations involved in R&D, and to deepen their understanding of the relationship between science and society. To meet those aims, the program has covered themes relating to overall public engagement relating to nanotechnology governance, such as risk management of nanomaterials, international standardization for nanotechnology, nanomeasurement, intellectual property management in an open innovation environment, and interactive communication with society. Nanotechnology is an emerging field of science and technology. This paper reports and comments on initiatives for public engagement on nanotechnology at Osaka University's Institute for NanoScience Design, which aims to create new technologies based on nanotechnology that can help realize a sustainable society.

Nanocommunication design in graduate-level education and research training programs at Osaka University.

PubMed

Sekiya, Mizuki; An, SoonHwa; Ata, Masafumi

2014-01-01

After more than ten years of strategic investment research and development supported by government policies on science and technology, nanotechnology in Japan is making a transition from the knowledge creation stage of exploratory research to the stage of making the outcomes available for the benefit of society as a whole. Osaka University has been proactive in discussions about the relationship between nanotechnology and society as part of graduate and continuing education programs. These programs are intended to fulfill the social accountability obligation of scientists and corporations involved in R&D, and to deepen their understanding of the relationship between science and society. To meet those aims, the program has covered themes relating to overall public engagement relating to nanotechnology governance, such as risk management of nanomaterials, international standardization for nanotechnology, nanomeasurement, intellectual property management in an open innovation environment, and interactive communication with society. Nanotechnology is an emerging field of science and technology. This paper reports and comments on initiatives for public engagement on nanotechnology at Osaka University's Institute for NanoScience Design, which aims to create new technologies based on nanotechnology that can help realize a sustainable society.

Bridging worlds/charting new courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

This report describes the work being done within Sandia's renewable energy program. This work touches on four major disciplines. (1) Photovoltaics. The goal of this project is to develop costeffective, reliable energy system technologies for energy supplies worldwide produced by U.S. industry. It encompasses cell research and development, collector development, technology evaluation, systems engineering, domestic and international applications, and design assistance. (2) Solar Thermal. This project endeavors to develop and increase acceptance of solar thermal electric and industrial technologies as cost-competitive candidates for power generation and to promote their commercialization. Its' major activities are with dish/Stirling systems, the Solar Two power tower, design assistance to industry and users, technology development and research activities. (3) Wind. The wind project impacts domestic and international markets with commercially feasible systems for utility-scale and other applications of wind energy. The project conducts applied research in aerodynamics, structural dynamics, fatigue, materials and controls, and engineering systems, and develops cooperative work with industry. (4) Geothermal. This project is developing technology to increase proven geothermal reserves and is assisting industry in expanding geothermal power on-line. Development work is in stemhole drilling, drilling techniques, instrumentation for geothermal wells, acoustic telemetry, and drilling exploratory wells.

Undergraduate research internships to support exploratory research in transportation engineering : project final report, Sept. 2008.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-09-01

The Case Western Reserve University Department of Civil Engineering is in the process of expanding its teaching and research activities, Transportation Engineering as part of its initiative in the overall area of Infrastructure Performance and Reliab...

77 FR 59934 - National Cancer Institute; Notice of Closed Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-01

....396, Cancer Biology Research; 93.397, Cancer Centers Support; 93.398, Cancer Research Manpower; 93.399... Committee: National Cancer Institute Special Emphasis Panel; Minority-Based Community Clinical Oncology... Committee: National Cancer Institute Special Emphasis Panel; Exploratory/Developmental Research Programs in...

Firefighter Workplace Learning: An Exploratory Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tracey, Edward A.

2014-01-01

Despite there being a significant amount of research investigating workplace learning, research exploring firefighter workplace learning is almost nonexistent. The purpose of this qualitative multi-case study was to explore how firefighters conceptualize, report, and practice workplace learning. The researcher also investigated how firefighters…

Disability research in counseling psychology journals: a 20-year content analysis.

PubMed

Foley-Nicpon, Megan; Lee, Sharon

2012-07-01

We conducted an exploratory content analysis of disability research in 5 major counseling psychology journals between 1990 and 2010. The goal was to review the counseling psychology literature to better understand the prevalence of disability research, identify research methods most often conducted, and elucidate the types of concerns most studied. We searched 5 journals (Journal of Counseling & Development, Journal of Counseling Psychology, The Counseling Psychologist, Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, and Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology) using keywords derived from disability terms defined by the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA). Articles were categorized by methodology and disability category examined. We found that disability research continues to comprise an extremely small amount (from less than 1% to 2.7%) of the counseling psychology literature, with the frequency of articles plateauing in recent years. The research design of articles published has changed, with an increased number of empirical articles and a decrease in literature reviews. We conclude by calling for increased empirical investigation of disability among journals specific to counseling psychology to recognize disability as an important aspect of diversity within the field.

Giving raw data a chance to talk: a demonstration of exploratory visual analytics with a pediatric research database using Microsoft Live Labs Pivot to promote cohort discovery, research, and quality assessment.

PubMed

Viangteeravat, Teeradache; Nagisetty, Naga Satya V Rao

2014-01-01

Secondary use of large and open data sets provides researchers with an opportunity to address high-impact questions that would otherwise be prohibitively expensive and time consuming to study. Despite the availability of data, generating hypotheses from huge data sets is often challenging, and the lack of complex analysis of data might lead to weak hypotheses. To overcome these issues and to assist researchers in building hypotheses from raw data, we are working on a visual and analytical platform called PRD Pivot. PRD Pivot is a de-identified pediatric research database designed to make secondary use of rich data sources, such as the electronic health record (EHR). The development of visual analytics using Microsoft Live Labs Pivot makes the process of data elaboration, information gathering, knowledge generation, and complex information exploration transparent to tool users and provides researchers with the ability to sort and filter by various criteria, which can lead to strong, novel hypotheses.

Giving Raw Data a Chance to Talk: A Demonstration of Exploratory Visual Analytics with a Pediatric Research Database Using Microsoft Live Labs Pivot to Promote Cohort Discovery, Research, and Quality Assessment

PubMed Central

Viangteeravat, Teeradache; Nagisetty, Naga Satya V. Rao

2014-01-01

Secondary use of large and open data sets provides researchers with an opportunity to address high-impact questions that would otherwise be prohibitively expensive and time consuming to study. Despite the availability of data, generating hypotheses from huge data sets is often challenging, and the lack of complex analysis of data might lead to weak hypotheses. To overcome these issues and to assist researchers in building hypotheses from raw data, we are working on a visual and analytical platform called PRD Pivot. PRD Pivot is a de-identified pediatric research database designed to make secondary use of rich data sources, such as the electronic health record (EHR). The development of visual analytics using Microsoft Live Labs Pivot makes the process of data elaboration, information gathering, knowledge generation, and complex information exploration transparent to tool users and provides researchers with the ability to sort and filter by various criteria, which can lead to strong, novel hypotheses. PMID:24808811