2,559 research outputs found

    Creating a performance-oriented e-learning environment: A design science approach

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    E-learning is now being used by many organizations as an approach for enhancing the skills of knowledge workers. However, most applications have performed poorly in motivating employee learning, being perceived as less effective due to a lack of alignment of learning with work performance. To help solve this problem, we developed a performance-oriented approach using design science research methods. It uses performance measurement to clarify organizational goals and individual learning needs and links them to e-learning applications. The key concept lies in a Key Performance Indicator model, where organizational mission and vision are translated into a set of targets that drive learning towards a goal of improving work performance. We explored the mechanisms needed to utilize our approach and examined the necessary conceptual framework and implementation details. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach, a prototype workplace e-learning system was developed and used to evaluate the effectiveness of our approach. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.postprin

    ESTABLISHING THE ROADMAP FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF GENOMIC MEDICINE AND PHARMACOGENOMICS IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

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    The slow clinical application of genomic medicine and Pharmacogenomics (PGx) is attributed mainly to lack of knowledge of genomic medicine and PGx and confidence among healthcare professionals, scarcity of infrastructure, and absence of stakeholders’ interest. The objective of this study is to lay out a strategic plan for the implementation of genomic medicine and PGx in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by exploring multiple areas: (1) the educational environment of genomic medicine and PGx in colleges and universities; (2) knowledge, and attitude of the medical and health sciences students, academics, and the healthcare providers; (3) the current infrastructure of genetic and genomic services; (4) the views and vision of the stakeholders. These areas were explored using a mixed-method approach of qualitative and quantitative research designs besides mapping the educational environment of genomics and PGx as well as genetic and genomic services. The assessment of university curricula resulted in “genetics” being included in the majority of universities\u27 syllabus. PGx was taught in six universities but only for pharmacy majors. The mean knowledge score of the surveyed healthcare providers was 5.2 (± 2.3) out of nine, which shows a fair level of knowledge. However, 92% showed a positive attitude regarding the availability of genetic testing. The top identified barrier for implementation for genomics and PGx was the cost of testing (62%), followed by lack of training or education of genomics and PGx (58%) and lack of health insurance coverage (57%). Moreover, the mean knowledge score for medical and health sciences students was 5.4 (± 2.7). Regarding genetic and genomic services, prenatal testing was the most offered genetic service among the laboratories included in the study, and blood samples were the main sample type for genetic testing followed by saliva. There was no standardization of the accreditation bodies, health insurance coverage. Most of the interviewed stakeholders emphasized the clinical demand for genomic medicine in UAE. However, many were less inclined to articulate the need for PGx at present. Most of the stakeholders were in favor of building infrastructure for better genetic services in the country. However, stakeholders from the health insurance sector had a contradicting stance about the cost-effectiveness of genomic medicine. The majority were concerned with the legal and ethical aspects of genomic medicine and had an opposing stance on direct-to-consumer kits. In addition, based on these findings, this thesis conceptualizes a pharmacogenomics literacy framework alongside a roadmap for the implementation of genomic medicine and PGx in UAE

    Big Data and the Precision Medicine Revolution

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    The big data revolution is making vast amounts of information available in all sectors of the economy including health care. One important type of data that is particularly relevant to medicine is observational data from actual practice. In comparison to experimental data from clinical studies, observational data offers much larger sample sizes and much broader coverage of patient variables. Properly combining observational data with experimental data can facilitate precision medicine by enabling detection of heterogeneity in patient responses to treatments and tailoring of health care to the specific needs of individuals. However, because it is high-dimensional and uncontrolled, observational data presents unique methodological challenges. The modeling and analysis tools of the production and operations management field are well-suited to these challenges and hence POM scholars are critical to the realization of precision medicine with its many benefits to society.https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/145441/1/1386_Hopp.pd

    e-Business challenges and directions: important themes from the first ICE-B workshop

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    A three-day asynchronous, interactive workshop was held at ICE-B’10 in Piraeus, Greece in July of 2010. This event captured conference themes for e-Business challenges and directions across four subject areas: a) e-Business applications and models, b) enterprise engineering, c) mobility, d) business collaboration and e-Services, and e) technology platforms. Quality Function Deployment (QFD) methods were used to gather, organize and evaluate themes and their ratings. This paper summarizes the most important themes rated by participants: a) Since technology is becoming more economic and social in nature, more agile and context-based application develop methods are needed. b) Enterprise engineering approaches are needed to support the design of systems that can evolve with changing stakeholder needs. c) The digital native groundswell requires changes to business models, operations, and systems to support Prosumers. d) Intelligence and interoperability are needed to address Prosumer activity and their highly customized product purchases. e) Technology platforms must rapidly and correctly adapt, provide widespread offerings and scale appropriately, in the context of changing situational contexts

    EVALUATION OF A LOCAL ADULT GENERAL EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (GED) PROGRAM

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    The General Educational Development (GED) is a high school equivalency credential sought after by millions of Americans who do not hold a traditional high school diploma. This program evaluation offers insight to a local adult GED program as it seeks to increase the retention and GED completion rates of the students in their program. The evaluation utilized a participatory approach and qualitative design, with document review and semi-structured interviews as the primary data sources. Thematic analysis was utilized to organize evaluation results into themes representing areas of effectiveness and improvement. The recommendations include addressing learner barriers through individualized education plans, focused skill development, peer support structures, highly engaged learning, learner pathways, team professional development, streamlining program processes, and fully leveraging program benefits

    Bilingual Family Literacy Programming in West Michigan: Points of Alignment and Disconnect among Learners, Instructors, and Local Partners

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    This research explores the beliefs and experiences of stakeholders in a family literacy program through the Literacy Center of West Michigan and Head Start for Kent County. The program is currently developing a curriculum to improve outcomes for learner specific goals. Therefore, one motivation behind this research is to analyze the goals, needs, and understandings for the multiple stakeholders within the program. On a national scale, there exists a need to better define the goals of family literacy programming in general. Points of alignment and disconnect for the participants in this study reflect realities that extend beyond the program at the Literacy Center of West Michigan. Goals for stakeholders are, after all, partly inspired by the family literacy needs that are observed on a regular basis for each participant. This study utilized semi-structured interviews with learners, tutors, and local partners that all participate in the program. The research questions included identifying the priorities for all stakeholders, how these priorities were aligned or disconnected with one another, and how stakeholders are communicating these priorities with each other. These questions inform program development by identifying the goals of these stakeholders in order to ensure coordinated efforts. Four learners and their tutors were interviewed, along with three representatives for Head Start for Kent County. The interviews were recorded and themes that emerged from the data were categorized. Results show that communication styles between stakeholders impacted alignment of goals (or lack thereof). Verbal communication and home to school connections were the most frequently identified goals for all stakeholders, but there were also unique goals for each group. These results indicate a need for open and direct dialogue about family literacy programming to align efforts and produce better outcomes for participants

    Electronic Visit Verification: The Weight of Surveillance and the Fracturing of Care

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    In Electronic Visit Verification: The Weight of Surveillance and the Fracturing of Care, Data & Society Researcher Alexandra Mateescu finds that the surveillance of US home care workers through a state-funded mobile app called electronic visit verification ("EVV") erodes critical support for people with disabilities and older adults while offloading significant, unacknowledged burdens onto both workers and service recipients.Drawing on interviews with advocates, activists, and twenty workers and service recipients across the country, Mateescu describes how the rollout of EVV systems within Medicaid home- and community-based programs was built on a poor understanding of how services are actually provided
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