5,828 research outputs found
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF STUDIES ON WRITING IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
This paper presents a systematic literature review of studies about writing in elementary schools. A systematic search of databases was conducted to select studies. The aim was to identify and categorize difficulties and suggestions. A total of 52 articles published in peer-reviewed journals over the past 21 years were reviewed and analyzed using a well-established systematic literature review methodology, in academic-based research databases, after carefully reviewing the available literature and utilizing relevant sources. This review revealed that the studies mainly emphasize the relation between reading and writing, using technology in teaching writing, acquisition of writing and a method/approach or strategy suggestion, and structure/grammar in writing. Additionally, feedback, affective domain, and teaching writing at an early age are the focus points of other studies. The findings of this literature review allow teachers, administrators, and policy makers to employ and explore efficient writing activities to improve student engagement, motivation, and performance
Antecedents of customer loyalty in the manufacturing industry
This thesis concerns the study of customer loyalty and its antecedents in the UK
manufacturing sector. It adopts a critical realist perspective to the study of customer loyalty,
locating the concept in the relationship marketing and social psychology literatures. The
findings generated by the literature review and the results of an exploratory qualitative study
leads to the development of a conceptual framework in which functional, social and
emotional relationship value, customer satisfaction, and moderator variable, relationship age,
are believed to influence the level of customer loyalty in the manufacturing industry.
The conceptual framework is tested empirically using a quantitative survey design in the
context of the UK manufacturing industry. Data is analysed through application of the partial
least squares (PLS) structural equation modelling technique.
From a theoretical perspective, the study makes a number of valuable contributions to the
relationship marketing literature. The study confirms the importance of social and emotional
relationship value aspects on customer satisfaction and loyalty outcomes in the
manufacturing industry. The findings offer a new theoretical perspective of the role social and
emotional value play in creating loyal customers and the role emotional value performs in
buyer’s feelings of satisfaction in the B2B domain. The findings also suggest that customer
satisfaction acts as a partial mediator in the relationship between customer value and
customer loyalty. Moreover, a new theoretical concept of emotional value featuring frustration
and human touch in addition to interpersonal relationships is also evidenced from the
research results. Furthermore, the study also shows that the theory of consumption values
can be applied to the B2B manufacturing domain.
The results propose that behavioural loyalty can be expressed through customer satisfaction,
and functional and emotional elements of relationship value. Whereas, attitudinal loyalty can
be conveyed by customer satisfaction, and functional and social components of relationship
value. These relationships are in turn also partially mediated through customer satisfaction.
The results also indicate that all three dimensions of functional, social and emotional value
influence customer satisfaction outcomes.
Overall, the study provides recommendations on how to maximise customer loyalty through
strategic combinations of relationship value. It also provides guidance on how to improve
customer satisfaction through different elements of relationship value in the manufacturing
industry. From a practical viewpoint, the research study findings offer suppliers important
guidelines and a toolkit for establishing, developing, and maintaining successful relationships
with their customers in the manufacturing industry
The Metaverse: Survey, Trends, Novel Pipeline Ecosystem & Future Directions
The Metaverse offers a second world beyond reality, where boundaries are
non-existent, and possibilities are endless through engagement and immersive
experiences using the virtual reality (VR) technology. Many disciplines can
benefit from the advancement of the Metaverse when accurately developed,
including the fields of technology, gaming, education, art, and culture.
Nevertheless, developing the Metaverse environment to its full potential is an
ambiguous task that needs proper guidance and directions. Existing surveys on
the Metaverse focus only on a specific aspect and discipline of the Metaverse
and lack a holistic view of the entire process. To this end, a more holistic,
multi-disciplinary, in-depth, and academic and industry-oriented review is
required to provide a thorough study of the Metaverse development pipeline. To
address these issues, we present in this survey a novel multi-layered pipeline
ecosystem composed of (1) the Metaverse computing, networking, communications
and hardware infrastructure, (2) environment digitization, and (3) user
interactions. For every layer, we discuss the components that detail the steps
of its development. Also, for each of these components, we examine the impact
of a set of enabling technologies and empowering domains (e.g., Artificial
Intelligence, Security & Privacy, Blockchain, Business, Ethics, and Social) on
its advancement. In addition, we explain the importance of these technologies
to support decentralization, interoperability, user experiences, interactions,
and monetization. Our presented study highlights the existing challenges for
each component, followed by research directions and potential solutions. To the
best of our knowledge, this survey is the most comprehensive and allows users,
scholars, and entrepreneurs to get an in-depth understanding of the Metaverse
ecosystem to find their opportunities and potentials for contribution
Examples of works to practice staccato technique in clarinet instrument
Klarnetin staccato tekniğini güçlendirme aşamaları eser çalışmalarıyla uygulanmıştır. Staccato
geçişlerini hızlandıracak ritim ve nüans çalışmalarına yer verilmiştir. Çalışmanın en önemli amacı
sadece staccato çalışması değil parmak-dilin eş zamanlı uyumunun hassasiyeti üzerinde de
durulmasıdır. Staccato çalışmalarını daha verimli hale getirmek için eser çalışmasının içinde etüt
çalışmasına da yer verilmiştir. Çalışmaların üzerinde titizlikle durulması staccato çalışmasının ilham
verici etkisi ile müzikal kimliğe yeni bir boyut kazandırmıştır. Sekiz özgün eser çalışmasının her
aşaması anlatılmıştır. Her aşamanın bir sonraki performans ve tekniği güçlendirmesi esas alınmıştır.
Bu çalışmada staccato tekniğinin hangi alanlarda kullanıldığı, nasıl sonuçlar elde edildiği bilgisine
yer verilmiştir. Notaların parmak ve dil uyumu ile nasıl şekilleneceği ve nasıl bir çalışma disiplini
içinde gerçekleşeceği planlanmıştır. Kamış-nota-diyafram-parmak-dil-nüans ve disiplin
kavramlarının staccato tekniğinde ayrılmaz bir bütün olduğu saptanmıştır. Araştırmada literatür
taraması yapılarak staccato ile ilgili çalışmalar taranmıştır. Tarama sonucunda klarnet tekniğin de
kullanılan staccato eser çalışmasının az olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Metot taramasında da etüt
çalışmasının daha çok olduğu saptanmıştır. Böylelikle klarnetin staccato tekniğini hızlandırma ve
güçlendirme çalışmaları sunulmuştur. Staccato etüt çalışmaları yapılırken, araya eser çalışmasının
girmesi beyni rahatlattığı ve istekliliği daha arttırdığı gözlemlenmiştir. Staccato çalışmasını yaparken
doğru bir kamış seçimi üzerinde de durulmuştur. Staccato tekniğini doğru çalışmak için doğru bir
kamışın dil hızını arttırdığı saptanmıştır. Doğru bir kamış seçimi kamıştan rahat ses çıkmasına
bağlıdır. Kamış, dil atma gücünü vermiyorsa daha doğru bir kamış seçiminin yapılması gerekliliği
vurgulanmıştır. Staccato çalışmalarında baştan sona bir eseri yorumlamak zor olabilir. Bu açıdan
çalışma, verilen müzikal nüanslara uymanın, dil atış performansını rahatlattığını ortaya koymuştur.
Gelecek nesillere edinilen bilgi ve birikimlerin aktarılması ve geliştirici olması teşvik edilmiştir.
Çıkacak eserlerin nasıl çözüleceği, staccato tekniğinin nasıl üstesinden gelinebileceği anlatılmıştır.
Staccato tekniğinin daha kısa sürede çözüme kavuşturulması amaç edinilmiştir. Parmakların
yerlerini öğrettiğimiz kadar belleğimize de çalışmaların kaydedilmesi önemlidir. Gösterilen azmin ve
sabrın sonucu olarak ortaya çıkan yapıt başarıyı daha da yukarı seviyelere çıkaracaktır
Bridging technology and educational psychology: an exploration of individual differences in technology-assisted language learning within an Algerian EFL setting
The implementation of technology in language learning and teaching has a great influence onthe teaching and learning process as a whole and its impact on the learners’ psychological state seems of paramount significance, since it could be either an aid or a barrier to students’ academic performance. This thesis therefore explores individual learner differences in technology-assisted language learning (TALL) and when using educational technologies in
higher education within an Algerian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) setting.
Although I initially intended to investigate the relationship between TALL and certain affective variables mainly motivation, anxiety, self-confidence, and learning styles inside the classroom, the collection and analysis of data shifted my focus to a holistic view of individual learner
differences in TALL environments and when using educational technologies within and beyond the classroom. In an attempt to bridge technology and educational psychology, this
ethnographic case study considers the nature of the impact of technology integration in language teaching and learning on the psychology of individual language learners inside and
outside the classroom. The study considers the reality constructed by participants and reveals multiple and distinctive views about the relationship between the use of educational technologies in higher education and individual learner differences. It took place in a university
in the north-west of Algeria and involved 27 main and secondary student and teacher participants. It consisted of focus-group discussions, follow-up discussions, teachers’
interviews, learners’ diaries, observation, and field notes. It was initially conducted within the classroom but gradually expanded to other settings outside the classroom depending on the availability of participants, their actions, and activities.
The study indicates that the impact of technology integration in EFL learning on individual learner differences is both complex and dynamic. It is complex in the sense that it is shown in multiple aspects and reflected on the students and their differences. In addition to various positive and different negative influences of different technology uses and the different psychological reactions among students to the same technology scenario, the study reveals the
unrecognised different manifestations of similar psychological traits in the same ELT technology scenario. It is also dynamic since it is characterised by constant change according to contextual approaches to and practical realities of technology integration in language teaching and learning in the setting, including discrepancies between students’ attitudes and teacher’ actions, mismatches between technological experiences inside and outside the classroom, local concerns and generalised beliefs about TALL in the context, and the rapid and unplanned shift to online educational delivery during the Covid-19 pandemic situation.
The study may therefore be of interest, not only to Algerian teachers and students, but also to academics and institutions in other contexts through considering the complex and dynamic
impact of TALL and technology integration at higher education on individual differences, and to academics in similar low-resource contexts by undertaking a context approach to technology integration
Binaural virtual auditory display for music discovery and recommendation
Emerging patterns in audio consumption present renewed opportunity for searching or navigating music via spatial audio interfaces. This thesis examines the potential benefits and considerations for using binaural audio as the sole or principal output interface in a music browsing system. Three areas of enquiry are addressed. Specific advantages and constraints in spatial display of music tracks are explored in preliminary work. A voice-led binaural music discovery prototype is shown to offer a contrasting interactive experience compared to a mono smartspeaker. Results suggest that touch or gestural interaction may be more conducive input modes in the former case. The limit of three binaurally spatialised streams is identified from separate data as a usability threshold for simultaneous presentation of tracks, with no evident advantages derived from visual prompts to aid source discrimination or localisation. The challenge of implementing personalised binaural rendering for end-users of a mobile system is addressed in detail. A custom framework for assessing head-related transfer function (HRTF) selection is applied to data from an approach using 2D rendering on a personal computer. That HRTF selection method is developed to encompass 3D rendering on a mobile device. Evaluation against the same criteria shows encouraging results in reliability, validity, usability and efficiency. Computational analysis of a novel approach for low-cost, real-time, head-tracked binaural rendering demonstrates measurable advantages compared to first order virtual Ambisonics. Further perceptual evaluation establishes working parameters for interactive auditory display use cases. In summation, the renderer and identified tolerances are deployed with a method for synthesised, parametric 3D reverberation (developed through related research) in a final prototype for mobile immersive playlist editing. Task-oriented comparison with a graphical interface reveals high levels of usability and engagement, plus some evidence of enhanced flow state when using the eyes-free binaural system
The Future of Work and Digital Skills
The theme for the events was "The Future of Work and Digital Skills". The 4IR caused a
hollowing out of middle-income jobs (Frey & Osborne, 2017) but COVID-19 exposed the digital gap as survival depended mainly on digital infrastructure and connectivity. Almost overnight, organizations that had not invested in a digital strategy suddenly realized the need for such a strategy and the associated digital skills. The effects have been profound for those who struggled to adapt, while those who stepped up have reaped quite the reward.Therefore, there are no longer certainties about what the world will look like in a few years from now. However, there are certain ways to anticipate the changes that are occurring and plan on how to continually adapt to an increasingly changing world. Certain jobs will soon be lost and will not come back; other new jobs will however be created. Using data science and other predictive sciences, it is possible to anticipate, to the extent possible, the rate at which certain jobs will be replaced and new jobs created in different industries. Accordingly, the collocated events sought to bring together government, international organizations, academia, industry, organized labour and civil society to deliberate on how these changes are occurring in South Africa, how fast they are occurring and what needs to change in order to prepare society for the changes.Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)
British High Commission (BHC)School of Computin
Public librarians' perspectives of digital library for rural areas of Capricorn District Municipality, Limpopo Province
Even after two decades of a constitutional democracy that is prized as one of the most progressive achievements, public libraries and information services remain scarce in rural South Africa. This is despite the fact that Library and Information Services (LIS) are important to build and develop communities and foster enlightenment among citizens, but in direct contradiction to the rights of free education and the right to information enshrined in the Constitution. On the one hand, the establishment of new libraries in rural areas moves at inexcusable slower pace, while in the same vein, the population and communities continue to grow rapidly, with consequent demand for LIS. However, Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have positively impacted the library landscape and society at large. This transformation requires a shift from traditional ways of information provision to modern library services, namely, digital libraries. This study intended to investigate public librarians' perspectives of digital library for rural areas of Capricorn District Municipality (CDM), Limpopo Province. Moreover, to understand the nature of digital libraries and requirements for access and effective use of such libraries. A further objective is to ascertain whether digital libraries could be a solution for inaccessible LIS in rural areas. The study employed qualitative research approach through interpretive paradigm to investigate the perspectives of public librarians. The study adopted phenomenological research design. DeLone and McLean's Information System Success Model was adopted to frame the study. The population of the study was a total of the twenty-three public librarians with various titles from the CDM employed by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture and the Local Municipalities. A purposive sampling technique was employed. The sample of the study included five librarians from various public libraries. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and was analysed thematically. The study findings revealed that the digital libraries are not to replace the physical libraries, but to improve the LIS. It was found that digital library users require ICT tools of which some rural users may not afford. Moreover, users have varying preferences on the format of the information source, some may need printers to convert the digital information to print format adding financial implications on the rural user. The study indicated that basic computer literacy skills are central for access and use of digital library services, no advanced training is necessary. However, self-training might be sufficient for the use of digital library system, denoting expectation of a usable digital library system. The study revealed that the youth are expected to use the digital library services than other age groups, as youth are arguably conversant with internet technologies. The study found out that some librarians do digitise some of their heavily used materials to cater many users as they flock to the library, for instance, curriculum books. However, copyright laws might be overlooked or not taken cognisance of. Based on the findings, it was recommended that the current traditional libraries should operate as hybrid to provide LIS to enable users with no gadgets and other access challenges. Digitisation equipment, reliable internet, well-trained personnel are seen to be aspects of significance for digital library system. Moreover, it is encouraged that the digital library system should be inclusive of people with disabilities and other services beyond library services. It is further advised that the digital library system should provide services of traditional libraries which are possible digitally and subscribe to online information resources. This study shall serve as a guideline on implementation or establishment of digital libraries in a rural context. Therefore, other researchers can investigate the attitudes of digital library users and the likelihood of rural users on acceptance of digital libraries.Information ScienceM. Inf
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