Knowledge Extraction from Survey Data using Neural Networks

Surveys are an important tool for researchers. Survey attributes are typically discrete data measured on a Likert scale. Collected responses from the survey contain an enormous amount of data. It is increasingly important to develop powerful means for clustering such data and knowledge extraction that could help in decision-making. The process of clustering becomes complex if the number of survey attributes is large. Another major issue in Likert-Scale data is the uniqueness of tuples. A large number of unique tuples may result in a large number of patterns and that may increase the complexity of the knowledge extraction process. Also, the outcome from the knowledge extraction process may not be satisfactory. The main focus of this research is to propose a method to solve the clustering problem of Likert-scale survey data and to propose an efficient knowledge extraction methodology that can work even if the number of unique patterns is large. The proposed method uses an unsupervised neural network for clustering, and an extended version of the conjunctive rule extraction algorithm has been proposed to extract knowledge in the form of rules. In order to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method, it is applied to two sets of Likert scale survey data, and results show that the proposed method produces rule sets that are comprehensive and concise without affecting the accuracy of the classifier

Towards Implementing Upper Limb Spasticity Simulator(ULSS) in Medical Education; An Integrative Literature Review and Methodology

Simulation is widely used in Medical Education as a teaching and learning method. The purpose of this paper is to discover the implication of the simulator into clinical trainee behaviour, medical education, and patient safety. At the other hand, a methodology of quantitative research design towards implementing Upper Limb Spasticity Simulator (ULSS) named BITA1.0 is discussed. The Descriptive Quantitative Research design is focused on formative clinical assessment with students of Master in Rehabilitation, Universiti Teknologi MARA as subjects with pre and post-response test. With the intention of implementing BITA1.0 into medical education, the result from The Descriptive Quantitative Research is essential. Keywords: simulation; spasticity; upper limb; medical education eISSN: 2398-4287© 2020. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v5iSI3.255

Exploring the key marketing elements that shape brand awareness in service-oriented sector

Marketers employ various factors to create brand awareness. Small businesses in service industry encounter challenges in attracting consumers and adapting to market competition, contributing to the factors leading to their struggles. The purpose of the paper is to elaborate on the relationship between social media marketing, advertising, price, and product towards brand awareness. A quantitative method was used and research data was obtained via questionnaires. Purposive sampling method was applied and a total of 125 sample sizes of restaurant consumers in Perak were collected. The study findings indicated a significant and positive influence of all the variables predicting brand awareness

Learning Processes in a Canadian Exchange Program for Multicultural, Anti-Racist Education

In this article we report qualitative and quantitative analyses of 120 high school students’ learning processes during exchange programs emphasizing multicultural, anti-racist education in various Canadian cities. We found five topics of learning and six learning processes common to these exchanges; determined that students perceived significant changes to have occurred in reference to their personal, psychological knowledge and skills (but not their capacities to act in local societal contexts); and documented certain effects parents and teachers indirectly associated with this program perceived to have appeared after the program was completed. Our findings suggest the value of schools continuing similar exchanges across Canada as well as developing locally based policies and programs for multicultural education and long-term, grounded approaches to evaluat- ing these innovations. Dans cet article, les auteurs font état d’analyses qualitatives et quantitatives ayant trait aux processus d’apprentissage de 120 élèves du secondaire qui ont participé, dans diverses villes canadiennes, à des programmes d’échange privilégiant un enseignement multi- culturel et antiraciste. Après avoir identifié cinq sujets d’apprentissage et six processus d’apprentissage communs à ces programmes d’échange, les auteurs ont établi que les élèves ont noté chez eux des changements importants dans leurs connaissances et compé- tences personnelles et psychologiques (mais non dans leur aptitude à agir au sein de leur milieu). Les auteurs ont en outre décrit certains effets que les parents et les enseignants ont associés indirectement à ces programmes bien qu’ils ne se soient manifestés qu’une fois les programmes terminés. Les conclusions des auteurs donnent à penser que les écoles ont tout intérêt à continuer de favoriser de tels programmes d’échange à travers le pays et à mettre au point des politiques et des programmes locaux en matière d’enseignement multiculturel ainsi que des approches concrètes à long terme en vue d’évaluer ces nouvelles initiatives.

Scientific Knowledge of the Human Side of Information Security as a Basis for Sustainable Trainings in Organizational Practices

Comprehensive digitization leads to new chal-lenges because of cybercrime and related security countermeasures. There is no doubt that this will fundamentally affect our lives and is leading to an increase in the importance of information security (IS). However, technology solutions alone are not sufficient to ensure IS countermeasures. The human side of security is important to protect organizational assets like user information and systems. The paper illustrates these relationships in terms of information security awareness (ISA), examining its goals and the factors influencing it through the systematic analysis and review of scientific literature and the transfer of scientific knowledge for practical purposes. We reviewed the publications of leading academic journals in the field of IS over the past decade

Information Security Awareness in Public Administrations

Government digital agendas worldwide go hand in hand with the digital transformation in businesses and public administrations as well as the digital changes taking place in society. Information security (IS) and awareness (ISA) must be an integrated part of these agendas. The goal of IS is to protect information of all types and origins. Here, the employees play a necessary and significant role in the success of IS, and the entire staff of an institution need to know about their specific roles and be aware of the information security management system (ISMS). As there are still fundamental strategic deficiencies in the institutions themselves, humans should not be called “the weakest link” in the security chain. Rather, sustainable awareness-raising and training for people should be established in the institutions using interactive, authentic, and game-based learning methods. Psychological studies show the great importance of emotionalization when communicating IS knowledge and the reliable exchange of experience about IS. However, in many institutions, a change in culture is becoming necessary. IS must be integrated into all (business) processes and projects, and viable safeguards must be included. This chapter summarizes the most important scientific findings and transfers them to the practice of public administrations in Germany. Moreover, it shows examples of learning methods and provides practical assistance for IS sensitization and training

Interest in lifestyle advice at lung cancer screening: Determinants and preferences

Background Lung cancer screening could be a ‘teachable moment’ for behaviour change. Little is known about how advice about smoking cessation, or other behavioural cancer risk factors, would be received in this setting. Methods Using a population-based survey of 459 English adults (current smokers and recent quitters aged 50–75) we assessed willingness to receive lifestyle advice (about smoking, diet, weight, physical activity, alcohol consumption) at lung screening. Additional items assessed whether advice should be provided following abnormal screening results, the potential impact of advice on screening uptake, and preferred timing of advice. Results Overall, 64% (n = 292) of participants were willing to receive lifestyle advice at lung screening. A greater proportion of participants were willing to receive advice in a scenario where results required further investigation (83%; p < 0.01). However, 14% indicated the provision of lifestyle advice would make them less willing to attend lung screening. Non-White ethnicity and greater cancer risk factor awareness were associated with willingness to receive advice (p < 0.05). Half of smokers (51%) were willing to receive cessation advice. There was also interest in advice about diet (47%), weight (43%), physical activity (32%), and alcohol consumption (17%) among people not meeting current recommendations for these behaviours. There was a preference for advice to be delivered at the screening appointment (38%, n = 108) over other time-points. Conclusions Lung screening may offer an opportunity to provide advice about behavioural cancer risk factors. Future work should consider how to deliver effective interventions in this setting to support behaviour change, without affecting screening uptake

Interest in lifestyle advice at lung cancer screening: Determinants and preferences

Background Lung cancer screening could be a ‘teachable moment’ for behaviour change. Little is known about how advice about smoking cessation, or other behavioural cancer risk factors, would be received in this setting. Methods Using a population-based survey of 459 English adults (current smokers and recent quitters aged 50–75) we assessed willingness to receive lifestyle advice (about smoking, diet, weight, physical activity, alcohol consumption) at lung screening. Additional items assessed whether advice should be provided following abnormal screening results, the potential impact of advice on screening uptake, and preferred timing of advice. Results Overall, 64% (n = 292) of participants were willing to receive lifestyle advice at lung screening. A greater proportion of participants were willing to receive advice in a scenario where results required further investigation (83%; p < 0.01). However, 14% indicated the provision of lifestyle advice would make them less willing to attend lung screening. Non-White ethnicity and greater cancer risk factor awareness were associated with willingness to receive advice (p < 0.05). Half of smokers (51%) were willing to receive cessation advice. There was also interest in advice about diet (47%), weight (43%), physical activity (32%), and alcohol consumption (17%) among people not meeting current recommendations for these behaviours. There was a preference for advice to be delivered at the screening appointment (38%, n = 108) over other time-points. Conclusions Lung screening may offer an opportunity to provide advice about behavioural cancer risk factors. Future work should consider how to deliver effective interventions in this setting to support behaviour change, without affecting screening uptake

Success in teacher education: a comparative study of the factors affecting student success in teacher education programmes conducted through distance mode

This thesis seeks to identify factors which affect 'seU-perceived success' among graduate teachers taking courses at a distance and to apply the findings to the development of a Sri Lankan distance taught teacher education programme. Interviews with eight part-time PGCE students (UK) and discussions with the PGCE and OUUK course co-ordinators together with knowledge of Sri Lankan situation helped the development of two questionnaires (Teacher Education Questionnaire I for students and II for tutors). Data were collected from the 564 0l!SL (PGDE) I 299 OUUK (Advanced Diploma) and 57 part-time PGCE students and five tutors from each of the three programmes. A series of factor analyses of 28 'agree- disagree' statements for the OVERALL and the OUSL and OUUI< samples separately produced similar results and allowed common scores to be calculated. These scores, together with data from other items were then grouped into seven sets. Each set represented a possible area of influence on 'seU-perceived success'. Discriminant analysis was used to establish the major differences between the OUUI< and OUSL student populations. The two populations only differed in terms of support systems developed by the two institutions (OUUI< and OUSL). Both factor and discriminant analyses provided evidence that the development of a common model was possible in the understanding of 'self-perceived success' (represented by items measuring overall satisfaction, course will give skills, confident about passing and satisfaction with progress) among teachers taking courses at a distance. Then, the seven sets were submitted to a series of stepwise regression analyses to identify their importance in predicting 'seUperceived success'. The order in which the seven sets of variables were entered into the regression equation is as follows: (1) Self-related Demographics (2) Family Factors (2) School-related Variables (4) Study Time and Style of Study (5) Course-related Variables (6) Contact with Fellow Students (7) Contact with Tutor. The results demonstrated that all the seven sets of variables had a role to play in predicting 'self-perceived success' with Course-related Variables playing the strongest part. 'High transfer to practice', 'workload, level and methods suits' and 'important to pass' were the best single predictors of 'self-perceived success' but some variables related to tutor contact, contact with fellow students, school, family and self and study methods also significantly contributed either in the regression process (process model) or at the final stage of the analysis (final model). Separate analyses for the OUUK and OUSL samples confirmed. that seven sets of variables counted in both populations. The contributions made by noncourse factors in explaining 'self-perceived success' were more pronounced in the OUSL than in the OUUK regression. Finally, on the basis of the major findings of the study, suggestions for changes to the Sri Lankan PGOE programme are made. It is suggested that 'self-perceived success' of the PGDE students can be strengthened by various means, including improving the applicability of the course, strengthening support for Teaching Practice, promoting more and better student-tutor contact and student-student contact and also, improving OUSL- school contact