Participating in Synchronous Online Education

There is an increasing need for education since the workforce of today is expected to be highly educated and continuously learn. Distance education is a powerful response to meet the growing need for education. Online education, here concisely defined as distance education mediated online, is the most common type of distance education. It mainly relies on asynchronous communication although it is well known that many students regard the lack of synchronous communication as disadvantageous. This thesis aims to achieve a deeper understanding of how, why and when synchronous communication, as a complement to asynchronous communication, affects student participation in online education. In order to study the complex phenomenon of online student participation, various qualitative and quantitative data collection methods for assessing both perceived participation and actual participation were used. The aim was investigated in two offerings of an online undergraduate course and two series of online discussions on master level, and by conducting focus group interviews with experienced practitioners. The findings indicate that synchronous communication has the potential to enhance online student participation. Light was shed on two dimensions of participation, which were labelled personal participation and cognitive participation. The thesis suggests that synchronous communication, as a complement to asynchronous communication, may better support personal participation. This is likely to induce arousal and motivation, and increased convergence on meaning, especially in smaller groups. Synchronous communication seems particularly beneficial for supporting task and social support relations, and to exchange information with a lower degree of complexity. By drawing on the studies of the thesis and previous research, propositions on when to support synchronous communication in online education were suggested

Guest Editors\u27 Preface

This special issue, entitled “Sign Language, Deaf Culture, and Bilingual Education”, contains a selection of invited papers reflecting the importance of cultural and educational aspects of sign language research worldwide to highlight 20 years of Croatian Sign Language (HZJ) research. This important celebration coincides with the 60th anniversary of the Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Zagreb

Web Weather 2.0: Improving Weather Information with User-Generated Observations

Introducing web weather 2.0, this paper suggests that active participation by civil society may arise through sharing of environmental data through observations of weather and other measurable variables in the environment performed by individuals. Collecting data from individuals is here suggested for improving weather data currently used by weather research centers and practitioners. Extending these current sets of weather data by using web 2.0 may address some issues stated by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) regarding spatial and temporal resolutions of meteorological data including knowledge on different processes between the air and other environmental systems. To test the concept of web weather 2.0, the usability of weather data collected from individuals and the expected quantities of such data need to be determined. In addition, collection methods should be developed. Aiming at the design of an artifact that can meet these needs, this paper presents some important steps of the design process of a “share weather” system, including several demonstrations and experiments performed on different user groups, i.e. school children performing weather observations as a part of their daily tasks and education, and adults interested in weather due to their daily dependence on traffic conditions. This paper provides new knowledge about user-generated observations of weather, including quality and motivation to contribute, and guidance on how future systems for collection of environmental data from individuals may be created. After testing the feasibility of the designed “share weather” artifact, we conclude that the potential role of individuals in producing valuable information beneficial to society should be considered within several branches of environmental sciences as well as policy-making

Preliminarna analiza pouzdanosti i valjanosti upitnika Profil ishoda rehabilitacije slušanja

The aim of this paper is to provide a preliminary analysis of the reliability and validity of the Aural Rehabilitation Outcome Profile questionnaire (PIRS). This self-assessment questionnaire is used to quantify functional hearing difficulties in adults in regards to factors such as acoustic environment and interlocutor features (parts 1, 3, and 5), frequency of occurrence of different compensating communication strategies, and severity of socio-emotional consequences of acquired hearing loss (part 4), influence of acquired hearing loss (AHL) on everyday activities (part 2), and hearing aid performance and user satisfaction (part 5). An analysis of the reliability and validity of each individual part/scale of PIRS was conducted on data obtained from 47 adult participants (37 hearing aid users and 10 normal hearing individuals), including the analysis of Cronbach’s reliability coefficients and intraclass correlation coefficients, factor analysis, and the Mann-Whitney U for testing the self-assessment differences between hearing participants and those with hearing loss as well as correlation analysis between hearing loss degree and self-assessment results. The results indicated that all PIRS subscales/parts show the properties of reliability and validity, warranting additional examination of psychometric properties with the goal of assessing the suitability of using PIRS as a clinical outcome measure of aural rehabilitation for acquired hearing loss.Cilj ovog rada je provedba preliminarne analize pouzdanosti i valjanosti Profila ishoda rehabilitacije slušanja (PIRS) – upitnika samoprocjene namijenjenog kvantifikaciji funkcionalnih teškoća slušanja s obzirom na zvučno okruženje i obilježja sugovornika (1., 3. i 5. dio), učestalost pojave različitih kompenzacijskih komunikacijskih strategija i izraženost socio-emocionalnih posljedica SOS-a (4. dio), stupanj utjecaja SOS-a na svakodnevne aktivnosti (2. dio) te kvalitetu slušne izvedbe i zadovoljstvo dodijeljenim slušnim pomagalom (5. dio). Analiza navedenih metrijskih obilježja svakog pojedinog dijela PIRS-a provedena je na uzorku od 47 odraslih sudionika (37 korisnika slušnog pomagala i 10 čujućih osoba), a uključila je analizu Cronbachovih koeficijenata pouzdanosti i međuklasnih korelacijskih koeficijenata, provedbu faktorske analize, primjenu Mann-Whitney U Testa u ispitivanju razlika u samoprocjeni između čujućih i sudionika s oštećenjem sluha te korelacijsku analizu stupnjeva oštećenja sluha i rezultata samoprocjene. Rezultati navedenihpostupaka pokazali su da svi dijelovi PIRS-a posjeduju pouzdanost i valjanost čiji potencijal opravdava daljnje ispitivanje njihovih metrijskih svojstava s ciljem provjere kliničke primjene PIRS-a kao mjere ishoda rehabilitacije SOS-a

Эритодермическая форма красного волосяного лишая

ПИТИРИАЗ КРАСНЫЙ ВОЛОСЯНОЙ /диагнлишай красный волосянойЭРИТЕМАКОЖНЫЕ БОЛЕЗНИ ПАПУЛЕЗНО-ЧЕШУЙЧАТЫЕ /диаг

Maintenence and management of quality of life, personal health, and work ability of nurses

Cilj rada je ispitati koji su najizrazitiji stresori u svakodnevnom radu medicinskih sestara/ tehničara, kako djeluju na njihovo zdravlje, radnu sposobnost i kvalitetu života. Na temelju rezultata predložiti mjere poboljšanja suočavanja sa stresom, korištenjem vještina samozaštite usmjerenih na utvrđivanje strategije, načina i tehnika samozaštite, koji doprinose njihovu očuvanju kvalitete života, osobnog zdravlja i radne sposobnosti. Ispitanici. U istraživanje je uključeno 93 medicinskih sestara/ tehničara zaposlenih u Specijalnoj bolnici za rehabilitaciju Krapinske Toplice (N= 38) i na Klinici za kardiovaskularne bolesti Medicinskog fakulteta Sveučilišta J. J. Strossmayer u Osijeku, Magdalena (N= 55). Metode. Dragovoljno i anonimno ispitivanje provedeno je Upitnikom za procjenu utjecaja rada na zdravlje i radnu sposobnost IBG- ŠNZ. Podaci su unijeti u bazu podataka (excel), načinjena je deskriptivna statistička obrada, a rezultati prikazani tablično i grafički. Razlike u kategorijskim varijablama analizirane su hi-kvadrat testom. P vrijednosti 0,05); natpolovična većina ih je nezadovoljna (52,6%, odnosno 63,6%). Svaki drugi ispitanik bi želio ponekad prekinuti sa svojim poslom (55,2%, odnosno 58,2%), petina ispitanika posao smatra obavezom i sve više odbojnim, te 62,4% nema mogućnost napredovanja. Najbolje ocijenjen segment je suradnja s kolegama. U području kvalitete života i uravnoteženosti zamjedbeno je veliki broj djelomično zadovoljnih i nezadovoljnih trenutnom kvalitetom života (48,4%). Zaključci. Zamjedbeno je veliki broj nezadovoljnih trenutnom kvalitetom života, ne smatraju svoj poslovni život ispunjenim, a najučestalija bolest koja je povezana s obavljanjem posla je gornjeg dijela leđa, te se potrebno zalagati kod odgovarajućih tijela da se prizna kao profesionalna bolest. Interventne mjere treba temeljiti na dragocjenom čimbeniku izvrsne suradnje s kolegama na poslu koju navode ispitanici.The aim is to find out which are the most typical stressors in the daily work of nurses, and how these affect their health, ability to work and quality of life. Based on the results, the aim is also to suggest improvement measures for coping with stress, and using the skills of self-protection aimed at determining the strategies, methods and techniques of self-protection, which contribute to the preservation of the quality of life, personal health and work ability. Respondents. The study included 93 nurses employed at The Krapinske Toplice Special Hospital for Medical Rehabilitation (N=38) and The Magdalena Special Hospital for Cardiovascular Surgery and Cardiology (N=55). Methods. The voluntary and anonymous analysis was conducted through the IBG-ŠNZ Questionnaire for the Assessment of the Impact of Work on Health and Work Ability. The data were entered into a database (Excel), the statistical analysis was made descriptive, and the results were presented in tables and graphs. The differences in categorical variables were analysed using the chi-squared test. The P values 0.05): more than half were dissatisfied (52.6% and 63.6%, respectively). Every second respondent considered taking a break from the job (55.2% and 58.2%, respectively), one-fifth of the respondents considered their work an obligation and saw it as increasingly repulsive, and 62.4% saw no opportunity for advancement. The top rated segment was the cooperation with colleagues. In the area of quality of life and balance, there was a considerable portion of subjects who were partially satisfied and dissatisfied with the current quality of life (48.4%). Conclusions. A significant number of subjects were dissatisfied with the current quality of life and did not consider their business life fulfilling. Problems with the upper back counted as the most common ailments associated with the job, and it is necessary to address the appropriate authorities in order for these to be recognised as occupational diseases. Emergency measures should be based on the precious factor of the excellent cooperation with colleagues quoted by the respondents