Exploring the role of blended learning for teaching and learning effectiveness in institutions of higher learning: An empirical investigation

As the years progress there has been rapid growth in Blended Learning (BL) adoption, but only few research focused on adoption issues related to learners, academic staffs and management. Thus, research is needed to guide universities in strategically examining learners, academic staffs and management adoption of BL. Accordingly, this study develops a model to facilitate university policy makers in their decision making to assess students learning and academic staffs teaching outcome. Furthermore, this study explores on the factors that influence BL adoption in universities, through an empirical study from the perspectives of learners, academic staffs, and management. In particular, it examines the current BL practice adoption effectiveness in universities. Based on extensive review of prior studies, survey questionnaires was designed and distributed to convenience samples of 87 students, academic staffs, and management in 3 Malaysia universities to validate the developed model. Next, Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to analyze the survey data. Findings reveal that supportive factors, attitude, learning mode, satisfaction, course management, and ease of use positively predict the perception of learners and academic staffs’ to adopt BL. Similarly, findings suggest that the perception of management towards BL adoption is positively determined by the strategy, structure, and support factors. Moreover, findings reveal that the impact of BL on learners’ effectiveness is positively predicted by achievement, engagement, involvement, retention, and cognitive outcome. Additionally, findings suggest that the impact BL on academic staffs’ effectiveness is significantly influence by delivery, performance, evaluation, motivation. Theoretical implications from this study contribute to enhance teaching quality by enriching course management, improving learning content, and facilitate management policies towards effective BL adoption

A managerial perspective on institutions' administration readiness to diffuse blended learning in higher education: concept and evidence

There has been rapid development in Blended Learning (BL) diffusion and prior studies mainly focused on issues related to students and lecturers in improving teaching and learning outcomes, but very few studies focused on institution’s readiness and diffusion issues. Thus, there is need for institutional-based research to guide universities, colleges, and polytechnics to strategically diffuse BL. Accordingly, this study develops a model to investigate the variables and associated factors that influence institutions' administration readiness to diffuse BL initiatives based on Diffusion of Innovation (DoI) theory and institutional BL adoption framework that comprises of mature implementation stage of BL. Quantitative research approach was employed and data was collected using online survey questionnaire from 223 e-learning administrators/managers in Malaysia universities, colleges, and polytechnics. Next, Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) technique was employed for data analysis. Results indicate that institutional structure, resource support, technology infrastructure, management strategies, and ethical considerations are key variables that positively predict administration readiness to diffuse BL initiatives in higher education. Additional results from Importance Performance Map Analysis (IPMA) in PLS-SEM suggest that institutional structure has the strongest effect on administrators’ readiness to diffuse BL and is also the most important variable that influences BL diffusion in institutions. Theoretically, findings from this study provide insights on how institutions’ administration perception and acceptance of BL approach can be enhanced. Practically, the developed model can be employed as a readiness tool to assess institutions current state in implementing BL environment and further provides a road map for future improvement

A managerial perspective on institutions' administration readiness to diffuse blended learning in higher education: concept and evidence

There has been rapid development in Blended Learning (BL) diffusion and prior studies mainly focused on issues related to students and lecturers in improving teaching and learning outcomes, but very few studies focused on institution?s readiness and diffusion issues. Thus, there is need for institutional-based research to guide universities, colleges, and polytechnics to strategically diffuse BL. Accordingly, this study develops a model to investigate the variables and associated factors that influence institutions' administration readiness to diffuse BL initiatives based on Diffusion of Innovation (DoI) theory and institutional BL adoption framework that comprises of mature implementation stage of BL. Quantitative research approach was employed and data was collected using online survey questionnaire from 223 e-learning administrators/managers in Malaysia universities, colleges, and polytechnics. Next, Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) technique was employed for data analysis. Results indicate that institutional structure, resource support, technology infrastructure, management strategies, and ethical considerations are key variables that positively predict administration readiness to diffuse BL initiatives in higher education. Additional results from Importance Performance Map Analysis (IPMA) in PLS-SEM suggest that institutional structure has the strongest effect on administrators? readiness to diffuse BL and is also the most important variable that influences BL diffusion in institutions. Theoretically, findings from this study provide insights on how institutions? administration perception and acceptance of BL approach can be enhanced. Practically, the developed model can be employed as a readiness tool to assess institutions current state in implementing BL environment and further provides a road map for future improvement

Specific β-Tubulin Isotypes Can Functionally Enhance or Diminish Epothilone B Sensitivity in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells

Epothilones are a new class of microtubule stabilizing agents with promising preclinical and clinical activity. Their cellular target is β-tubulin and factors influencing intrinsic sensitivity to epothilones are not well understood. In this study, the functional significance of specific β-tubulin isotypes in intrinsic sensitivity to epothilone B was investigated using siRNA gene knockdown against βII-, βIII- or βIVb-tubulins in two independent non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines, NCI-H460 and Calu-6. Drug-treated clonogenic assays showed that sensitivity to epothilone B was not altered following knockdown of βII-tubulin in both NSCLC cell lines. In contrast, knockdown of βIII-tubulin significantly increased sensitivity to epothilone B. Interestingly, βIVb-tubulin knockdowns were significantly less sensitive to epothilone B, compared to mock- and control siRNA cells. Cell cycle analysis of βIII-tubulin knockdown cells showed a higher percentage of cell death with epothilone B concentrations as low as 0.5 nM. In contrast, βIVb-tubulin knockdown cells displayed a decrease in epothilone B-induced G2-M cell cycle accumulation compared to control siRNA cells. Importantly, βIII-tubulin knockdowns displayed a significant dose-dependent increase in the percentage of apoptotic cells upon treatment with epothilone B, as detected using caspase 3/7 activity and Annexin-V staining. Higher concentrations of epothilone B were required to induce apoptosis in the βIVb-tubulin knockdowns compared to control siRNA, highlighting a potential mechanism underlying decreased sensitivity to this agent. This study demonstrates that specific β-tubulin isotypes can influence sensitivity to epothilone B and may influence differential sensitivity to this promising new agent

Kimura disease of submandibular gland : submandibular Kimura disease

Kimura disease (KD) is a rare benign chronic inflammatory disorder of unknown aetiology prevalence in young adult Asian males. Head and neck region especially salivary gland and cervical lymph node are the most commonly affected. In contrast to parotid gland, submandibular gland involvement is rarely reported. Diagnosis is always challenging due to variable presentations that may mimic other inflammatory or neoplastic conditions, and non-specific imaging, cytology, and histopathology findings. Generally, there was several treatments modality reported but showed variable response with high recurrence rate. The treatment for submandibular gland KD specifically is not well describe due to its rarity. We present a case of KD with submandibular gland and cervical lymph node involvement in elderly man that mimic malignancy and highlight the challenging in management.peer-reviewe

A volumetric display for visual, tactile and audio presentation using acoustic trapping

Science-fiction movies such as Star Wars portray volumetric systems that not only provide visual but also tactile and audible 3D content. Displays, based on swept volume surfaces, holography, optophoretics, plasmonics, or lenticular lenslets, can create 3D visual content without the need for glasses or additional instrumentation. However, they are slow, have limited persistence of vision (POV) capabilities, and, most critically, rely on operating principles that cannot also produce tactile and auditive content. Here, we present for the first time a Multimodal Acoustic Trap Display (MATD): a mid-air volumetric display that can simultaneously deliver visual, auditory, and tactile content, using acoustophoresis as the single operating principle. Our system acoustically traps a particle and illuminates it with red, green, and blue light to control its colour as it quickly scans through our display volume. Using time multiplexing with a secondary trap, amplitude modulation and phase minimization, the MATD delivers simultaneous auditive and tactile content. The system demonstrates particle speeds of up to 8.75m/s and 3.75m/s in the vertical and horizontal directions respectively, offering particle manipulation capabilities superior to other optical or acoustic approaches demonstrated to date. Beyond enabling simultaneous visual, tactile and auditive content, our approach and techniques offer opportunities for non-contact, high-speed manipulation of matter, with applications in computational fabrication and biomedicine

Measurement of Exclusive B Decays to Final States Containing a Charmed Baryon

Using data collected by the CLEO detector in the Upsilon(4S) region, we report new measurements of the exclusive decays of B mesons into final states of the type Lambda_c^+ p-bar n(pi), where n=0,1,2,3. We find signals in modes with one, two and three pions and an upper limit for the two body decay Lambda_c^+ pbar. We also make the first measurements of exclusive decays of B mesons to Sigma_c p-bar n(pi), where n=0,1,2. We find signals in modes with one and two pions and an upper limit for the two body decay Sigma_c p-bar. Measurements of these modes shed light on the mechanisms involved in B decays to baryons.Comment: 11 pages postscript, also available through http://w4.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLNS, submitted to PR

Measurement of the Masses and Widths of the Sigma_c^++ and Sigma_c^0 Charmed Baryons

Using data recorded by the CLEO II and CLEO II.V detector configurations at CESR, we report new measurements of the masses of the Sigma_c^{++} and Sigma_c^0 charmed baryons, and the first measurements of their intrinsic widths. We find M(Sigma_c^{++}) - M(Lambda_c^+) = 167.4 +- 0.1 +- 0.2 MeV, Gamma(Sigma_c^{++}) = 2.3 +- 0.2 +- 0.3 MeV, and M(Sigma_c^0) - M(Lambda_c^+) = 167.2 +- 0.1 +- 0.2 MeV, Gamma(Sigma_c^0) = 2.5 +- 0.2 +- 0.3 MeV, where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively.Comment: 9 pages postscript, also available through http://w4.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLNS, submitted to PRD, Rapid Communications. Reference [13] correcte

Evidence for the Decay D0→K+π−π+π−D^0\to K^+ \pi^-\pi^+\pi^-

We present a search for the ``wrong-sign'' decay D0 -> K+ pi- pi+ pi- using 9 fb-1 of e+e- collisions on and just below the Upsilon(4S) resonance. This decay can occur either through a doubly Cabibbo-suppressed process or through mixing to a D0bar followed by a Cabibbo-favored process. Our result for the time-integrated wrong-sign rate relative to the decay D0 -> K- pi+ pi- pi+ is (0.0041 +0.0012-0.0011(stat.) +-0.0004(syst.))x(1.07 +-0.10)(phase space), which has a statistical significance of 3.9 standard deviations.Comment: 9 pages postscript, also available through http://w4.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLNS, submitted to PR

Hadronic Mass Moments in Inclusive Semileptonic B Meson Decays

We have measured the first and second moments of the hadronic mass-squared distribution in B -> X_c l nu, for P(lepton) > 1.5 GeV/c. We find <M_X^2 - M_D[Bar]^2> = 0.251 +- 0.066 GeV^2, )^2 > = 0.576 +- 0.170 GeV^4, where M_D[Bar] is the spin-averaged D meson mass. From that first moment and the first moment of the photon energy spectrum in b -> s gamma, we find the HQET parameter lambda_1 (MS[Bar], to order 1/M^3 and beta_0 alpha_s^2) to be -0.24 +- 0.11 GeV^2. Using these first moments and the B semileptonic width, and assuming parton-hadron duality, we obtain |V_cb| = 0.0404 +- 0.0013.Comment: 11 pages postscript, also available through http://w4.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLNS, submitted to PR