This study analyzed four widely used videoconferencing systems: Zoom, Skype, Microsoft Teams, and WhatsApp. Using experiential e-learning as the framework for analysis, this study examined the ...systems' general characteristics, learning-related features, and usability. We conducted an analytical evaluation and analyzed system features in regard to their impact on the quality of the online educational experience. The results of this analysis provide guidance for selecting effective videoconferencing systems to support learning. They also offer insights on ways to explore teaching approaches and pedagogies for distance education. This paper offers a set of recommendations as well as suggestions for videoconferencing system improvements.
Asynchronous online discussion is a learning activity commonly used in online teaching. The way instructors participate in asynchronous online discussions significantly impacts students' learning ...outcomes. This systematic review aims to determine the effects of instructor participation in asynchronous online discussions on student performance by analysing 25 relevant studies in the past twelve years (2011–22). The findings show that the research was focused on the presence, frequency and type of instructor participation. The effects of instructor participation on student performance were mixed and concentrated in five main aspects: the quantity of student participation, the quality of student participation, student achievements, student emotions and student learning time. Not only the teaching experience of instructors but also course content, learning objectives, class sizes and learner characteristics influenced the effects. Based on the findings, several recommendations were made to help instructors effectively participate in asynchronous online discussions, thereby contributing to improving the quality of online education.
Practitioner notes
What is already known about this topic
Asynchronous online discussion is a learning activity commonly used in online teaching.
The way instructors participate in asynchronous online discussions significantly impacts students' learning outcomes.
What this paper adds
Previous research on instructor participation in asynchronous online discussions and student performance primarily focuses on the presence, frequency and type of instructor participation.
The impact of instructor participation on student performance is mixed and concentrated in the following main areas:
Quantity of student participation
Quality of student participation
Student achievements
Student emotions
Student learning time
The effects of instructor participation are influenced not only by the teaching experience of instructors but also by:
Course content
Learning objectives
Class sizes
Learner characteristics
Implications for practice and/or policy
Instructors should participate in asynchronous online discussions based on the class sizes, more in small classes (within 15 students) and less in large classes (more than 30 students). If it is possible, divide the large classes into small discussion groups.
Instructors should initiate discussions with heuristic and interesting open‐ended questions, gradually release control and give the central position to students and intervene only when necessary (eg, keep discussions on track, provide correct information, extend discussions, mediate conflicts, etc).
Instructors should apply appropriate facilitation strategies (eg, establish detailed discussion rubrics, grade student posts and provide regular individual feedback).
Instructors should use more instructional comments and supplement them with sincere rather than perfunctory social comments.
Based on the availability of many nutrients,
tree leaves have been widely employed as nutrients and nutraceuticals in recent years. The leaves contain a small amount of anti-nutritional factors and ...are abundant in innumerable bioactive compounds. Recently, in several in vivo and in vitro investigations, moringa leaves' bioactive components and functionality are highlighted. Moringa leaves provide several health advantages, including anti-diabetic, antibacterial, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory properties. The high content of phytochemicals, carotenoids, and glucosinolates is responsible for the majority of these activities as reported in the literature. Furthermore, there is growing interest in using moringa as a value-added ingredient in the development of functional foods. Despite substantial study into identifying and measuring these beneficial components from moringa leaves, bioaccessibility and bioavailability studies are lacking. This review emphasizes recent scientific evidence on the dietary and bioactive profiles of moringa leaves, bioavailability, health benefits, and applications in various food products. This study highlights new scientific data on the moringa leaves containing nutrient and bioactive profiles, bioavailability, health benefits, and uses in various food items. Moringa has been extensively used as a health-promoting food additive because of its potent protection against various diseases and the widespread presence of environmental toxins. More research is needed for utilization as well as to study medicinal effects and bioaccesibility of these leaves for development of various drugs and functional foods.
Feelings of community increase information flow, cooperation, support, and a sense of commitment toward group goals. Many studies have explored the significance of sense of community and ...collaborative learning activities in online learning environments. Using a correlational study, the relationship between students' sense of community and their attitude toward online collaborative learning was examined in this study. Results indicate that collaboration and sense of community were moderately correlated. A positive correlation between collaboration and students' sense of community was determined. It was also noticed that the degree of correlation between sense of community and collaborative learning was higher among graduate students than among undergraduate students. Furthermore, a higher degree of correlation existed between a positive attitude toward collaborative learning and the dimensions of sense of community when compared to the correlation between a negative attitude toward collaborative learning and sense of community.
In the last decade, smartphone use increased exponentially among the population mainly among adolescents and young adults. Today, people are constantly clinging to the smartphone in many situations ...of their life, even though this activity can have physical and psychological negative consequences. Through the popularization of smartphones, a new dependency was born, nomophobia, defined as the fear of being away from one’s smartphone. This study analyzes the propensity of young adults (18–24 years old) towards nomophobia and lifestyle. A sample of 495 participants showed a positive and moderate correlation between nomophobia and psychopathological symptoms. Interpersonal sensitivity, obsession-compulsion, and the number of hours of smartphone use per day were identified as strong predictors of nomophobia. Results show that smartphone use, and feelings of personal inadequacy and inferiority are relevant when explaining nomophobia.
In recent years, the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) technology has created new possibilities for designing and developing diverse learning experiences. Given the capabilities of ...this new generation of generative AI tools represented by ChatGPT, it is no surprise that many online instructors are simultaneously amazed and alarmed when considering the implications for online learning. Researchers have found that generative AI tools like ChatGPT have promising applications in interpreting educational questions and generating solutions, improving learning outcomes as well as enhancing student engagement, emphasizing academic integrity, and assisting with assessment design. Still, embracing this AI chatbot requires a thorough understanding of its affordances and limitations. In this reflection, we problematize the questions around the use of generative AI for education. We explore the design principles and strategies for creating successful AI-enhanced online learning experiences while considering ethical and social issues of generative AI in online learning.
The consumption of edible insects (EI) is traditional in many parts of the world, but not in others. In fact, despite globalization and the multiple advantages pointed out about the consumption of ...EI, there are still many countries where entomophagy is seen with disgust and aversion. This systematic review aimed to examine the motivations that influence the consumption of EI in diverse cultures and understand if there are differences between Western countries (WC) and insect-eating countries (IEC). It further evaluated whether the degree of acceptability was influenced by the form of consumption of the insects (eating whole insects or foods containing insects). This literature review was conducted in November 2021 within three databases, Web of Science, PubMed and Scopus, according to the Preferred Reporting of Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis and using PRISMA directives. From a total of 245 studies, 31 were selected to be included in this review, based on the inclusion criteria defined: only original research articles, from 2010 or beyond, and written in English. The results indicated that the main motivations that determine the consumption of EI are related to gender, age, sustainability, nutritional value, sensory attributes, tradition/culture, food neophobia, disgust and familiarity/past experiences. Moreover, whereas in IEC, there is a greater focus on factors related to sensory attributes, availability, affordability and preferences, in WC, there is a bigger emphasis on determinants such as nutritional value, sustainability, benefits, familiarity/past experience, tradition/culture, food neophobia and disgust. Finally, it was observed that people in WC are more willing to accept food products containing insects rather than the whole insect, which is one of the most promising points to be addressed in the future. Overall, this review highlights that there are numerous factors influencing the consumption of edible insects, and differences between WC and IEC are clear in what concerns the motivations of consumers. Hence, targeting market segments and consumers' characteristics has to be present when designing strategies to incentivize the consumption of EI in WC as a part of a global strategy for sustainability of food systems.
In recent years, edible insects have been suggested as an alternative food that is more sustainable compared with other sources of animal protein. However, knowledge about the sustainability aspects ...associated with this source of food may play a role in convincing consumers to adopt insects as part of their diet. In this context, the present study investigated the level of knowledge about the sustainability of edible insects in a group of people originating from 14 countries, with some naturally entomophagous and others not. To measure the knowledge, 11 items were selected and the scores obtained were tested with statistical tools (t-test for independent samples, analysis of variance—ANOVA) to search for differences according to sociodemographic and socioeconomic characteristics, geographical origin, and consumption habits of edible insects. The obtained results showed that, in general, knowledge is moderate, with the values of the average scores for the 11 items investigated ranging from 0.23 ± 0.99 to 0.66 ± 1.02, on a scale ranging from −2 (=very low knowledge) to 2 (=very high knowledge). The highest scores were found for items relating to the lower use of animal feed and lower emission of greenhouse gases required for the production of insects compared with beef. When investigating the differences between groups of participants, significant differences were generally found, revealing a trend for higher knowledge among males and young adults, for participants residing in urban areas and in countries such as Spain, Mexico, and Poland, and for participants with higher education levels and higher incomes. When testing the influence of consumption variables on the level of knowledge, the results showed a higher knowledge for participants who had already consumed insects or are willing to consume them. Finally, it was observed that higher knowledge was found for participants whose motivation to consume insects related to curiosity, a wish to preserve the planet, the gastronomic characteristics of insects, and their nutritional value. In conclusion, these results clearly indicate a very marked influence of a number of variables on the knowledge about the sustainability of edible insects, and this may be helpful to delineate strategies to effectively raise knowledge and eventually increase the willingness to consider insects as a more sustainable alternative to partially replace other protein foods, even in countries where this is a not a traditional practice.
Understanding what is lacking in the online teaching literature is critical to helping researchers and practitioners develop programs and support mechanisms for online teachers in higher education. ...This review formulates a critique of the standards- and competency-driven vision of online teaching from the perspective of transformative learning theory, in order to offer an alternative exploration of the professional development of online teachers as adult learners. The results indicate that while research about online teacher roles and competencies guides the development of teacher preparation and training programs, it lacks in terms of addressing the issues of empowerment of online teachers, promoting critical reflection, and integrating technology into pedagogical inquiry. An alternative perspective is suggested that considers teachers as adult learners who continuously transform their meaning of structures related to online teaching through a continuous process of critical reflection and action.
•Nomophobia was investigated as a theoretical construct among young adults.•Dimensions of nomophobia were identified and described.•The Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q) was devised and validated.•The ...NMP-Q can be used as a measure of nomophobia.•Nomophobia can be considered a situational phobia and included in DSM-5.
Nomophobia is considered a modern age phobia introduced to our lives as a byproduct of the interaction between people and mobile information and communication technologies, especially smartphones. This study sought to contribute to the nomophobia research literature by identifying and describing the dimensions of nomophobia and developing a questionnaire to measure nomophobia. Consequently, this study adopted a two-phase, exploratory sequential mixed methods design. The first phase was a qualitative exploration of nomophobia through semi-structured interviews conducted with nine undergraduate students at a large Midwestern university in the U.S. As a result of the first phase, four dimensions of nomophobia were identified: not being able to communicate, losing connectedness, not being able to access information and giving up convenience. The qualitative findings from this initial exploration were then developed into a 20-item nomophobia questionnaire (NMP-Q). In the second phase, the NMP-Q was validated with a sample of 301 undergraduate students. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a four-factor structure for the NMP-Q, corresponding to the dimensions of nomophobia. The NMP-Q was shown to produce valid and reliable scores; and thus, can be used to assess the severity of nomophobia.
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