Gamification through leaderboards : an empirical study in engineering education

Universities are looking for solutions to engage more students in STEM domains and enhance their learning performance (LP). In this context, gamification is put forward as a solution to achieve this aim. The present study examined the effect of gamification – building on leaderboards ‐ on LP. Furthermore, mediating variables, such as intrinsic motivation, self‐efficacy, engagement, and background variables, such as sex, previous gaming experience, and undergraduate major, were considered. A pretest‐posttest quasi‐experimental design with an experimental and a control condition was set up (n = 89) in an Introductory Computer Programming course. We observed a significant improvement in the LP of students in the gamified condition. However, no interaction effect was detected, due to mediating and background variables. The high learning gain is a favorable indicator that gamification might be a promising approach to promote STEM programs

Physical education teachers‘ competences in preventing sport injuries and its need to develop them

Background: School is a place where kids spent most of their time in young age so it is crucial to maintain safety measures in its environment (Lithuanian Law on Education, 2011). In previous research (Bobrova et al., 2001; Strukčinskienė et al., 2015) scientists have discovered that pupils mostly get injured in physical education (PE) classes. Although there is no teacher who wants his student to get injured, once in a while it can happen and therefore cause long-term damage to students’ health. For this reason, it is essential to investigate sport injuries in PE classes: prevalence, cause of occurrence, type of injuries, differences in injuries among genders. The main goal is to avoid or reduce these kind of injuries and a front line of this to happen is in the hands of PE teachers. Research goal: To determine competence of PE teachers in Kaunas city for injury prevention and its need for development. Tasks: 1. To determine PE teachers knowledge in sport injury prevention. 2. To identify types of students‘ injuries that occur in PE classes. 3. To estimate PE teachers‘ need for development of sport injury prevention competencies. Hypothesis: PE teachers need competence in sport injury prevention classes. Results: PE teachers are competent in providing key knowledge of sport injury prevention to students but they do express the need for development in this particular sphere. Women are more likely to use their communication skills then men (p < 0, 05). Conclusion: Even though no significant number of severe injuries were observed in this research, but teachers expressed a demand for knowledge in sport injury prevention. PE teacher think that irrational PE curriculum organization methods and poor schools’ equipment base can be a cause of sports injuries for students

Relationship between thigh muscles length, pelvis position and lumbar lordosis size

Object of study: thigh muscles length, pelvis position and lumbar lordosis size correlations in static positions and movement time. Hypothesis of study: we believe, that the subjects who set the thigh muscles length changes, characterized by abnormal pelvis position and lumbar lordosis size in static positions and movement time. Aim of study: to determine the correlation between the length of the thigh muscles, pelvis position and lumbar lordosis size in static positions and movement time. Problem of study: person to maintain a stright, correct the vertical position of the body, do not be functional or structural abnormalities including musculoskeletal system of passive and active structural parts. System imbalance in the body leads to many complications, such as abnormal posture and spinal curves from the lower cross syndrome appearance, lumbar – pelvic rhythm. Therefore, we need tools that can efficiently and reliably to assess the resulting musculoskeletal disorders. Analyzed the literature we found the best way without damaging the health of the investigation and without the high cost of trials can be measured and evaluated in numerical optimal lumbar lordosis size. Visual observation not quantitative information on the lumbar lordosis size and other structures. The literature found little information on the reliability of this method. Therefore a need for more detailed studies to confirm the effectiveness of this method and reliability. This area of reseach needed to be compared with reliable and have long been used in clinical methods. Also, the authors provide details of the pelvis position, lumbar lordosis size and thigh muscles length relationship between controversially different from one other. Goals of study: 1. To determine the pelvis position and pelvic tilt degree of differences in the application kineziotherapy clinical testing, digital photography analysis and kinematic analysis methods. 2. To determine the relationship between the pelvis position, lumbar lordosis size and length of the thigh muscles in static positions. 3. To determine the relationship between the pelvis position, lumbar spine mobility and thigh muscles length in movement time. Methods and organisation of study: the study involved 27 subjects from 21 to 28 years of age. Following the initial assesment of the situation pelvic visually using AutoCAD and kinematic motion analysis program, the subjects are divided into groups. Group I – individuals with normal pelvic position, group II – individuals with tilted forward pelvic position. It was also measured BMI and anthropometric data. In the next phase of the study did not include subjects with a backward pelvic position ant the leg length difference was greater than 1 cm. The second stage was measured thigh muscle length, lumbar lordosis size, lumbar spine mobility and lumbar – pelvic rhythm. Among the pelvis position, lumbar lordosis size and thigh muscle length in static positions, and pelvis position, lumbar spine mobility and thigh muscle length, was not found statistically significant correlation. Conclusions: 1. After positioning the pelvis and pelvic tilt degree of differences in the application of clinical kinesiothepy testing, digital photography analysis and kinematic analysis methods did not identify any statistically significant diffrence. 2. Evaluation of the pelvic position, lumbar lordosis size and the size of the thih muscle length interrelations in static positions, including by very weak correlation that was not statistically significant. 3. Evaluation of the pelvic position, lumbar spine mobility and the size of the thih muscle length interrelations in motion time, including by very weak correlation that was not statistically significant

Evaluation of Pension System in Lithuania

Magistrantūros studijų baigiamasis darbas, 57 puslapiai, 10 paveikslų, 6 lentelės, 42 literatūros šaltiniai, 2 priedai, lietuvių kalba. PRASMINIAI ŽODŽIAI: pensija, pensijų sistema, valstybinio socialinio draudimo pensija, privatūs pensijų fondai, vertinimas. Tyrimo objektas – Lietuvos pensijų sistema po 2003 m. struktūrinės reformos. Tyrimo laikotarpis – 2004–2011 m. Tyrimo tikslas – įvertinus pensijų sistemą Lietuvoje po 2003 m. struktūrinės reformos, pateikti pensijų sistemos tobulinimo galimybes siekiant palaikyti būsimų pensininkų pragyvenimo lygį pensiniu laikotarpiu. Iškeltam tikslui pasiekti sprendžiami šie uždaviniai: 1) atskleisti pensijų sistemų reformos priežastis ir pensijų sistemos vertinimo metodus; 2) įvertinti taikomus pensijų finansavimo ir organizavimo modelius; 3) parengti pensijų sistemos Lietuvoje įvertinimo metodiką; 4) atlikus pensijų sistemos vertinimą pateikti pasiūlymus pensijų sistemos tobulinimui. Tyrimo metodai: tiriant pensijų sistemų reformos priežastis ir pensijų sistemos vertinimo metodus naudoti bendramoksliniai tyrimo metodai – mokslinės literatūros bei teisinių ES dokumentų analizė ir sintezė, loginė analizė bei sintezė. analizuojant ir vertinant pensijų sistemą Lietuvoje – statistiniai duomenų rinkimo bei analizės ir sintezės metodai, teisės aktų analizė ir sintezė, statistinei informacijai apdoroti ir sisteminti panaudoti grupavimo, palyginimo ir grafinio vaizdavimo būdai, modeliavimo metodas. Tyrimo rezultatai: • pirmojoje darbo dalyje aptarta pensijų reformos esmė, priežastys, pensijų sistemos finansavimo būdai ir modeliai, vertinimo metodai, identifikuota mokslinė problema. • antrojoje darbo dalyje parengta pensijų sistemos vertinimo metodika. Vertinimo kriterijais pasirinkta silpnųjų ir stipriųjų pensijų sistemos pusių identifikavimas, bei galimybių ir grėsmių numatymas, įmokų tarifo sumažinimo reikšmės pensininkų pajamoms vertinimas bei būsimų pensininkų pensijų dydžio modeliavimas. • trečiojoje darbo dalyje atlikta pensijų sistemos Lietuvoje po struktūrinės 2003 m .pensijų reformos analizė ir patiekti pasiūlymai jai tobulinti. Pagrindinės tyrimo išvados rodo, kad pensijų sistema po reformos neatlieka iškeltų tikslų ir neapsaugo pensininkus nuo pajamų sumažėjimo. Todėl darbe pateiktos pensijų sistemos tobulinimo galimybės, kuriomis rekomenduojama naudotis tobulinant Lietuvos pensijų sistemą. Tyrimo rezultatai publikuoti: JURGELAITIS M. 2012. Pensijų reformos vertinimo metodika. Studentų mokslinė konferencija Jaunasis mokslininkas 2012. Kaunas, Akademija, 2012.Final work of University Master studies: 53 pages, 9 figures, 5 tables, 42 references, 2 annexes, language – Lithuanian. KEYWORDS: pension, pension system, pension of the state social insurance, private pension funds, evaluation. Object of the research – Lithuanian pension system after the structural reform in 2003. Period of the research –2004–2011. Aim of the research – to evaluate the pension system in Lithuania after the structural reform in 2003, to provide improvement opportunities ofthe pension system in order to maintain the living standards of the future pensioners in theirretirement. Objectives: 1) To reveal the reasons of the pension system reform and the methods of pension system evaluation; 2) To evaluate the applied models offinancing and organization of pension system; 3) To prepare the evaluation methodology for the pension system in Lithuania; 4) To make proposals for improvement ofthe pension system. Methods of research:analysis and synthesis of scientific literature and legal EU documents, logical analysis and synthesis, statistic data collection and analysis, grouping, comparison and graphical representation. Results of the research: • The first part describes the essence, reasons of the pension reform, ways and models of financing the pension system, evaluation methods, defines the scientific problem. • The second part provides the prepared methodologyfor pension system evaluation. The strong and weak sides of the pension system identification, the provision of opportunities and threats, the evaluation of the significance of decreasing the payment tariff for the pensioners’ income and the modeling of the future pensioners’ pension levelare chosen as the evaluation criteria. • The third part presents the analysis of the pension system in Lithuania after the structural pension reform in 2003 and makes proposals for its improvement. The main conclusions of the research show that the post-reform pension system does not realize the aims and does not prevent decreaseof the pensioners’ income. Therefore, the thesis provides the opportunities of thesystem development, which are recommended to use for improving the Lithuanian pension system. Results of the research are published: JURGELAITIS M. 2012. The Evaluation Methodology of the Pension Reform.Students’ scientific conference The Young Scientist 2012. Kaunas, Akademija, 2012.Žemės ūkio akademijaVytauto Didžiojo universiteta

Physical education teachers‘ competences in preventing sport injuries and its need to develop them

Background: School is a place where kids spent most of their time in young age so it is crucial to maintain safety measures in its environment (Lithuanian Law on Education, 2011). In previous research (Bobrova et al., 2001; Strukčinskienė et al., 2015) scientists have discovered that pupils mostly get injured in physical education (PE) classes. Although there is no teacher who wants his student to get injured, once in a while it can happen and therefore cause long-term damage to students’ health. For this reason, it is essential to investigate sport injuries in PE classes: prevalence, cause of occurrence, type of injuries, differences in injuries among genders. The main goal is to avoid or reduce these kind of injuries and a front line of this to happen is in the hands of PE teachers. Research goal: To determine competence of PE teachers in Kaunas city for injury prevention and its need for development. Tasks: 1. To determine PE teachers knowledge in sport injury prevention. 2. To identify types of students‘ injuries that occur in PE classes. 3. To estimate PE teachers‘ need for development of sport injury prevention competencies. Hypothesis: PE teachers need competence in sport injury prevention classes. Results: PE teachers are competent in providing key knowledge of sport injury prevention to students but they do express the need for development in this particular sphere. Women are more likely to use their communication skills then men (p < 0, 05). Conclusion: Even though no significant number of severe injuries were observed in this research, but teachers expressed a demand for knowledge in sport injury prevention. PE teacher think that irrational PE curriculum organization methods and poor schools’ equipment base can be a cause of sports injuries for students

Sustainable toursim situation analysis of Kaunas city and Kaunas district terms of tourists

Object: Sustainable tourism. Aim: Perform Kaunas city and Kaunas district sustainable tourism tourists situation analysis point of view. Work targets: 1. After analyzing the results of the work have observed that there is a problem of education in Kaunas city and Kaunas district of sustainable tourism. It is noted that many tourist do not know or do not understand what is sustainable tourism. 2. It is observed that the tourist understands the nature protection importance and benefits, but nevertheless prefer a more polluting vehicles for traveling. The growth of the tourism sector, the number of travelers increases, so the environmental damage caused by tourists every year is increasing. 3. It is also noticed that there are advertising shortage in Kaunas city and region, for promoting inbound tourism, and develop the city of Kaunas sustainable tourism development plan in order to promote inbound tourism in Kaunas city

Risk assessment of falls in the elderly patients, treated in the Geriatrics department

Background: The number of elderly people is rapidly increasing in the Lithuanian population. It is forecasted that after 14 years, around one third (28.9 percent) of Lithuanian inhabitants will be composed of people, who are 60 years old and older. Falls are a frequently occurring and a relevant problem for the elderly people. From 30 to 60% of elderly people falling at least once a year. For as much as up to 60% of people, the results of such falls are unfortunate and have serious consequences: fractures in femoral neck and upper limbs, brain injuries or even death. These consequences may harm their health, worsens the quality of life, independence and mobility. It is important to assess the risk of falls in elderly people, in order to avoid the potential falls in the future. Ours aim was to assess the risk of falls in the patients, treated in the Geriatrics Department. Objectives: to evaluate risk of falls by using different tests of gait and balance assessment, to establish factors, related with a great risk of falls, by analysing data from physical, laboratory, anamnesis and mental assessment. Methods: The study population consists of 68 patients, hospitalised in the Geriatrics Department of Kaunas Clinical Hospital. Four tests were performed: “Romberg test” (test No. I), “Stand up and go” (test No. II), “Speed test of normal gate” (test No. III) and “Standing up from the chair test” (test No. IV). A great risk of falls was established in the following cases: test No. I – if a person stands in Romberg position 20 sec., test No. III – if a person walks 10 sec. Three functional and psycho-emotional condition tests were performed: Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE), Barthel Index and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Certain factors were estab[...]

MDA-Based Approach for Blockchain Smart Contract Development

Blockchain smart contracts can support the decentralisation of business processes, but due to smart contracts’ specifics, their development is a complicated process. Introducing model-driven development principles in smart contract development can facilitate requirement specification, design, and implementation activities. This paper presents a model-driven development method MDAsmartCD (Model-Driven Architecture-based Smart Contract Development) to alleviate smart contract development by supporting the complete MDA life cycle, covering the definition of Computation-Independent Model, Platform-Independent Model, and two instances of Platform-Specific Models. In MDAsmartCD, model transformations (model-to-model and model-to-text) are used to produce smart contract code in the Hyperledger Fabric platform Go and the Ethereum platform Solidity programming languages. The method application was demonstrated by implementing the smart contract for the hackathon solution and executing the generated Solidity and Go smart contracts in the workflow of issuing certificates for hackathon participants. During the execution of the workflow, both deployed smart contracts behaved identically and recorded analogous results in respective blockchain data storages. This demonstrated that the MDAsmartCD method enables the generation of compilable and executable smart contract code, ready for deployment on a blockchain platform

MDA-Based Approach for Blockchain Smart Contract Development

Blockchain smart contracts can support the decentralisation of business processes, but due to smart contracts&rsquo; specifics, their development is a complicated process. Introducing model-driven development principles in smart contract development can facilitate requirement specification, design, and implementation activities. This paper presents a model-driven development method MDAsmartCD (Model-Driven Architecture-based Smart Contract Development) to alleviate smart contract development by supporting the complete MDA life cycle, covering the definition of Computation-Independent Model, Platform-Independent Model, and two instances of Platform-Specific Models. In MDAsmartCD, model transformations (model-to-model and model-to-text) are used to produce smart contract code in the Hyperledger Fabric platform Go and the Ethereum platform Solidity programming languages. The method application was demonstrated by implementing the smart contract for the hackathon solution and executing the generated Solidity and Go smart contracts in the workflow of issuing certificates for hackathon participants. During the execution of the workflow, both deployed smart contracts behaved identically and recorded analogous results in respective blockchain data storages. This demonstrated that the MDAsmartCD method enables the generation of compilable and executable smart contract code, ready for deployment on a blockchain platform