Search

Over the last 5 years, massive open online courses (MOOCs) have increasingly provided learning opportunities across the world in a variety of domains. As with many emerging educational technologies, why and how people come to MOOCs needs to be better understood and importantly what factors contribute to learners' MOOC performance. It is known that online learning environments require greater levels of self-regulation, and that high levels of motivation are crucial to activate these skills. However, motivation is a complex construct and research on how it functions in MOOCs is still in its early stages. Research presented in this article investigated how motivation and participation influence students' performance in a MOOC, more specifically those students who persist to the end of the MOOC. Findings indicated that the strongest predictor of performance was participation, followed by motivation. Motivation influenced and was influenced by students' participation during the course. Moreover, situational interest played a crucial role in mediating the impact of general intrinsic motivation and participation on performance. The results are discussed in relation to how educators and designers of MOOCs can use knowledge emerging from motivational assessments and participation measures gleaned from learning analytics to tailor the design and delivery of courses.

Undernutrition in developing countries continues to affect 780 million people resulting in poor growth and development; increasing the burden of disease and imposing a number of costs on the affected countries. The aim of this study was to establish the dietary diversity and consumption patterns among small-holder farming households. A cross-sectional study was carried out in Kiboga district, Uganda and Bukoba district, Tanzania with 220 and 199 households, respectively. Results from the 24 hour recall showed that white roots, tubers and bananas were the most consumed food group in the two districts with a significantly higher consumption in Kiboga than Bukoba. However, households in Bukoba had higher dietary diversity scores compared to those in Kiboga even though both districts had 52% of the households consuming diets with moderate dietary diversity. The percentage of households consuming vitamin A rich vegetables and fruits, and animal protein (flesh meats, organ meats and eggs) was negligible. There was no significant difference between food group consumption at household level and that of the youngest 6-59 month-old child within these households. High consumption of a food group and absence of a food group by the whole household was matched by the consumption of the children. Only 48% and 35% of caregivers in Kiboga and Bukoba, respectively reported preparing special meals for the child. Younger caregivers, ability of households to rent out land, and distance to market were variables that significantly influenced intake of vitamin A and iron but not protein. The results highlight opportunities for the promotion of vitamin A- rich fruits and vegetables, and protein foods in between the main household meals of the day, as well as avenues through which nutrition education can be reinforced to improve the knowledge and skills of the households, especially the decision makers and care givers of children under five years of age. Key words: Dietary diversity, Food groups, Household consumption, Smallholder, Vitamin A, Protein, INTRODUCTION The world's greatest challenge is to secure sufficient and healthy food for all, in an environmentally sustainable manner [1]. Great strides have been made in the reduction of the [...]

Fei-Yi Zhao,1– 3,* Li Li,4,* Peijie Xu,5,* Gerard A Kennedy,2,* Zhen Zheng,2 Yan-Mei Wang,3 Wen-Jing Zhang,3 Li-Ping Yue,1 Yuen-Shan Ho,6 Qiang-Qiang Fu,7 Russell Conduit2 1Department of Nursing, School of International Medical Technology, Shanghai Sanda University, Shanghai, 201209, People’s Republic of China; 2School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC, 3083, Australia; 3Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200071, People’s Republic of China; 4Shanghai Changning Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai, 200335, People’s Republic of China; 5School of Computing Technologies, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia; 6School of Nursing, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, People’s Republic of China; 7Yangpu Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200090, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Yuen-Shan Ho, School of Nursing, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, People’s Republic of China, Tel +852 2766 6410, Fax +852 2364 9663, Email janice.ys.ho@polyu.edu.hk Qiang-Qiang Fu, Yangpu Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200090, People’s Republic of China, Tel + 86 021-6569 0520, Fax +86 021-6569 6249, Email qiangqiang.fu@tongji.edu.cnBackground and Aims: Increasing interest in hypnotherapy’s application for a wide range of health conditions has spurred a rise in global research and publications. This study aims to visualize development patterns and current research hotspots in clinical hypnotherapy practice using scientometric methods, and to predict future research directions based on the keyword trending topics analysis.Methods: Data on hypnotherapy applications and mechanisms in clinical settings between 1994 and 2023 were gathered from Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed, followed by analysis and visualization using the VOSviewer, Bibliometrix package in R, and CiteSpace.Results: A total of 1,549 publications were examined, indicating a steady annual increase with an average growth rate of 8.5%, reaching a high of 134 publications in 2022. The United States was the primary research hub. Collectively, 1,464 distinct institutions involving 3,195 scholars contributed to this research theme. Collaboration was predominantly confined to the same country, institution, and/or research team. High-frequency keywords included “Pain”, “Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)”, and “Anxiety”. Systematic review and/or meta-analysis have emerged as favored research methods. fMRI and EEG were commonly used techniques for exploring the neuropsychological mechanisms underlying hypnotherapy. “Self-Hypnosis”, “Virtual Reality”, and “Meditation” were predicted as trending topics, indicating that patients’ self-managed hypnosis practice, virtual reality hypnotherapy, and exploration of the variations in mechanisms between meditation and hypnotherapy might be emerging topics and/or future key research directions within the current field.Conclusion: The use of hypnotherapy for diverse clinical issues, particularly pain, IBS, and comorbid anxiety, is garnering global attention. The evidence-based approach is widely used to assess the quality of clinical evidence for hypnotherapy. Researchers are keen on innovating traditional hetero-hypnosis, with a shift towards more cost-effective self-hypnosis and immersive virtual reality hypnotherapy. Promoting and reinforcing collaborative research efforts across countries, institutions, and teams is warranted.Keywords: scientometrics, VOSviewer, Citespace, hypnosis, anxiety, pain, irritable bowel syndrome, complementary and alternative medicine

The purpose of this report is to provide the first comprehensive, multidisciplinary study of the Haverty skeletal series. This discussion includes a summary of the events associated with the original discovery, a reconstruction of the geologic and stratigraphic context of the locality, a description of the apparently associated archaeological materials, a full morphological description of the remains, and a summary of the current status of the dating evidence.

Previously assumed to be a homogenous and highly skilled group with respect to information and communications technology, the so-called Net Generation has instead been shown to possess a diverse range of technology skills and preferences. To better understand this diversity, we subjected data from 2096 students aged between 17 and 26 from three Australian universities to a cluster analysis. Through this analysis, we identified four distinct types of technology users: "power" users (14% of sample), "ordinary" users (27%), "irregular" users (14%) and "basic" users (45%). A series of exploratory chi-square analyses revealed significant associations between the different types of technology users and the university that students attended, their gender and age and whether the student was local or international. No associations were found for analyses related discipline area, socio-economic status or rurality of residence. The findings are discussed in light of the rhetoric associated with commentaries about the Net Generation, and suggestions about their implications for teaching and learning in universities are offered.

Fei-Yi Zhao,1– 3,* Li Li,4,* Peijie Xu,5,* Wen-Jing Zhang,3,* Gerard A Kennedy,2 Zhen Zheng,2 Yan-Mei Wang,3 Li-Ping Yue,1 Yuen-Shan Ho,6 Qiang-Qiang Fu,7 Russell Conduit2 1Department of Nursing, School of International Medical Technology, Shanghai Sanda University, Shanghai, 201209, People’s Republic of China; 2School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC, 3083, Australia; 3Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200071, People’s Republic of China; 4Shanghai Changning Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai, 200335, People’s Republic of China; 5School of Computing Technologies, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia; 6School of Nursing, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, SAR, People’s Republic of China; 7Yangpu Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200090, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Yuen-Shan Ho, School of Nursing, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, SAR, People’s Republic of China, Tel +852 2766-6410, Fax +852 2364-9663, Email janice.ys.ho@polyu.edu.hk Qiang-Qiang Fu, Yangpu Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200090, People’s Republic of China, Tel + 86 021-6569 0520, Fax + 86 021-6569 6249, Email qiangqiang.fu@tongji.edu.cnBackground: Acupuncture is popular in the treatment of mental illness. This study determined its feasibility and role in managing postpartum depression (PPD) using a network meta-analysis.Methods: We systematically searched seven databases up to May 2024 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) appraising acupuncture’s efficacy and safety against waitlist-control, placebo, standard control, or as an add-on treatment. Cochrane criteria were followed.Results: Thirteen studies encompassing 872 participants underwent analysis. Both pairwise and network meta-analysis indicated that acupuncture, psychotherapy, and antidepressants were comparable in clinical efficacy rate and in reducing Hamilton Depression Scale and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale scores. Acupuncture and psychotherapy also effectively mitigated concurrent anxiety symptoms. Combining acupuncture with antidepressants augmented therapeutic efficacy and reduced reported gastrointestinal adverse effects associated with antidepressant use. Acupuncture combined with psychotherapy offered similar benefits with superior safety profile. However, the quality of evidence ranged from very low to low due to significant risks of bias and limited sample sizes. The efficacy of psychotherapy and the combination of acupuncture and psychotherapy might be underestimated, as most RCTs used supportive therapy or individual counseling as positive controls instead of recommended approaches like interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) per PPD guidelines.Conclusion: Current evidence precludes strong recommendations of administering acupuncture in PPD. Rigorous RCTs are essential to validate promising outcomes observed in comparisons between acupuncture, antidepressants, and their combined application. It remains inconclusive whether acupuncture’s antidepressive effect is specific or non-specific. Given that psychotherapy is a recommended first-line treatment, investigating the potential efficacy enhancement of combining acupuncture with IPT/CBT is paramount to ascertain the preferred therapeutic approach for PPD.Keywords: postpartum depression, acupuncture, antidepressants, interpersonal psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, clinical trials

This paper reports on the use of an electronic voting system (EVS) in a first-year computing science subject. Previous investigations suggest that students' use of an EVS would be positively associated with their learning outcomes. However, no research has established this relationship empirically. This study sought to establish whether there was an association between students' use of an EVS over one semester and their performance in the subject's assessment tasks. The results from two stages of analysis are broadly consistent in showing a positive association between EVS usage and learning outcomes for students who are, relative to their class, more correct in their EVS responses. Potential explanations for this finding are discussed as well as modifications and future directions of this program of research.