Understanding your digital identity

The term “Digital Identity” is used here to describe the persona a person projects across the internet. Your Digital Identity as perceived by other people is made up of material that you post yourself (for example photographs on Flickr and your own web page) but it also is made up of material other people put there about you (blog posts that mention you, photographs in which you are tagged). The “This is Me” project has developed resources that can be used by students and others to appreciate what their Digital Identity is and how they can control it to help present the persona with the reputation that they want

Barriers and opportunities of e-learning implementation in Iraq: a case of public universities

Although the implementation of e-learning initiatives has reached advanced stages in developed countries, it is still in its infancy in many developing nations and the Middle East in particular. Recently, few public universities in Iraq have initiated limited attempts to use e-learning alongside traditional classrooms. However, different obstacles are preventing successful adoption of this technology. The present research aimed to highlight challenges that hinder effective implementation of e-learning in Iraq and recommend possible solutions to tackle them. A total of 108 respondents voluntarily participated in this research. They consisted of academic staff (N=74), professors in charge of e-learning (N=3), and undergraduate students (N=31). Three methods were used to collect data: a survey instrument, semi-structured interviews, and focus groups. Data was then analyzed and reported quantitatively and qualitatively. This provided in-depth understanding to the current status of e-learning in public Iraqi universities and highlighted major hindrances of its successful application. Based on this analysis, the study proffered many recommendations that should be considered in order to fully benefit from e-learning technologies

A psychometric analysis of reliability and validity of the index of learning styles (ILS)

Prior literature showed that Felder and Silverman learning styles model (FSLSM) was widely adopted to cater to individual styles of learners whether in traditional or Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL). In order to infer this model, the Index of Learning Styles (ILS) instrument was proposed. This research aims to analyse the soundness of this instrument in an Arabic sample. Data were integrated from different courses and years. A total of 259 engineering students participated voluntarily in the study. The reliability was analysed by applying internal construct reliability, inter-scale correlation, and total item correlation. The construct validity was also considered by running factor analysis. The overall results indicated that the reliability and validity of perception and input dimensions were moderately supported, whereas processing and understanding dimensions showed low internal-construct consistency and their items were weakly loaded in the associated constructs. Generally, the instrument needs further effort to improve its soundness. However, considering the consistency of the produced results of engineering students irrespective of cross-cultural differences, it can be adopted to diagnose learning styles

Digital identity for the retired

A This Is Me workbook for the retired or vulnerable internet user

Facebook & BlackBoard: comparative view of learning environments

For several years, online educational tools such as Blackboard have been used by Universities to foster collaborative learning in an online setting. Such tools tend to be implemented in a top-down fashion, with the institution providing the tool to the students and instructing them to use it. Recently, however, a more informal, bottom up approach is increasingly being employed by the students themselves in the form of social networks such as Facebook. With over 9,000 registered Facebook users at the beginning of this study, rising to over 12,000 at the University of Reading alone, Facebook is becoming the de facto social network of choice for higher education students in the UK, and there was increasing anecdotal evidence that students were actively learning via Facebook rather than through BlackBoard. To test the validity of these anecdotes, a questionnaire was sent to students, asking them about their learning experiences via BlackBoard and Facebook. The results show that students are making use of the tools available to them even when there is no formal academic content, and that increased use of a social networking tool is correlated with a reported increase in learning as a result of that use

NEUROlogical Prognosis After Cardiac Arrest in Kids (NEUROPACK) study: protocol for a prospective multicentre clinical prediction model derivation and validation study in children after cardiac arrest

Introduction Currently, we are unable to accurately predict mortality or neurological morbidity following resuscitation after paediatric out of hospital (OHCA) or in-hospital (IHCA) cardiac arrest. A clinical prediction model may improve communication with parents and families and risk stratification of patients for appropriate postcardiac arrest care. This study aims to the derive and validate a clinical prediction model to predict, within 1 hour of admission to the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU), neurodevelopmental outcome at 3 months after paediatric cardiac arrest. Methods and analysis A prospective study of children (age: >24 hours and <16 years), admitted to 1 of the 24 participating PICUs in the UK and Ireland, following an OHCA or IHCA. Patients are included if requiring more than 1 min of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and mechanical ventilation at PICU admission Children who had cardiac arrests in PICU or neonatal intensive care unit will be excluded. Candidate variables will be identified from data submitted to the Paediatric Intensive Care Audit Network registry. Primary outcome is neurodevelopmental status, assessed at 3 months by telephone interview using the Vineland Adaptive Behavioural Score II questionnaire. A clinical prediction model will be derived using logistic regression with model performance and accuracy assessment. External validation will be performed using the Therapeutic Hypothermia After Paediatric Cardiac Arrest trial dataset. We aim to identify 370 patients, with successful consent and follow-up of 150 patients. Patient inclusion started 1 January 2018 and inclusion will continue over 18 months. Ethics and dissemination Ethical review of this protocol was completed by 27 September 2017 at the Wales Research Ethics Committee 5, 17/WA/0306. The results of this study will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented in conferences. Trial registration number NCT03574025

Roles and practices of general practitioners and psychiatrists in management of depression in the community

BACKGROUND: Little is known about depressed patients' profiles and how they are managed. The aim of the study is to compare GPs and psychiatrists for 1°) sociodemographic and clinical profile of their patients considered as depressed 2°) patterns of care provision. METHODS: The study design is an observational cross-sectional study on a random sample of GPs and psychiatrists working in France. Consecutive inclusion of patients seen in consultation considered as depressed by the physician. GPs enrolled 6,104 and psychiatrists 1,433 patients. Data collected: sociodemographics, psychiatric profile, environmental risk factors of depression and treatment. All clinical data were collected by participating physicians; there was no direct independent clinical assessment of patients to check the diagnosis of depressive disorder. RESULTS: Compared to patients identified as depressed by GPs, those identified by psychiatrists were younger, more often urban (10.5% v 5.4% – OR = 2.4), educated (42.4% v 25.4% – OR = 3.9), met DSM-IV criteria for depression (94.6% v 85.6% – OR = 2.9), had been hospitalized for depression (26.1% v 15.6% – OR = 2.0) and were younger at onset of depressive problems (all adjusted p < .001). No difference was found for psychiatric and somatic comorbidity, suicide attempt and severity of current depression. Compared to GPs, psychiatrists more often prescribed tricyclics and very novel antidepressants (7.8% v 2.3% OR = 5.0 and 6.8% v 3.0% OR = 3.8) with longer duration of antidepressant treatment. GPs' patients received more "non-conventional" treatment (8.8% v 2.4% OR = 0.3) and less psychotherapy (72.2% v 89.1% OR = 3.1) (all adjusted p < .001). CONCLUSION: Differences between patients mainly concerned educational level and area of residence with few differences regarding clinical profile. Differences between practices of GPs and psychiatrists appear to reflect more the organization of the French care system than the competence of providers