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Intensified susceptibility to riverbed incisions under sand mining impacts in the Vietnamese mekong delta: A long-term spatiotemporal analysis
No full textThe Vietnamese Mekong Delta (VMD) has experienced severe morphological changes for decades, resulting in serious social, economic, and environmental consequences. Several natural and anthropogenic factors have contributed to the increasing rate of riverbed incision along the VMD. While previous studies have assessed riverbed incisions in specific affected regions or within limited timeframes, a comprehensive analysis of long-term spatiotemporal variations in incised sediment volumes across the entire delta has been lacking. This study quantitatively evaluated the spatial and temporal morphological changes in the VMD utilizing bathymetric data from 1998 to 2020. Additionally, susceptibility zones, categorized into seven classes for incised and accreted sediment volumes, were delineated considering the influence of sand mining activities. Furthermore, this study pioneers the quantification of sand mining contributions to riverbed incisions along the VMD. The analysis revealed pronounced and irregular morphological alterations in the delta channels over the 22 years of the study. The estimated net annual incision volumes for the entire region were -119 Mm3/year, −69 Mm3/year, and -66 Mm3/year for the 1998–2005, 2005–2017, and 2017–2020 time intervals, respectively. Between 2017 and 2020, the dynamic processes intensified notably, with some areas experiencing either high incision (up to −13 m/year) or high accretion (up to 11 m/year). Intriguingly, most incise-prone areas were partly situated within regions associated with sand mining. The contribution of licensed sand mining to annual net riverbed incisions increased from 27.7 % in 2005–2017 to 35.3 % in 2017–2020. This study highlights the influence of sand mining on exacerbating the vulnerability of different areas within the VMD and provides valuable insights for effective sediment management strategies
Assessing stroke-induced abnormal muscle coactivation in the upper limb using the surface EMG co-contraction index: A systematic review
No full textElectromyography (EMG) is increasingly used in stroke assessment research, with studies showing that EMG co-contraction (EMG-CC) of upper limb muscles can differentiate stroke patients from healthy individuals and correlates with clinical scales assessing motor function. This suggests that EMG-CC has potential for both assessing motor impairments and monitoring recovery in stroke patients. However, systematic reviews on EMG-CC’s effectiveness in stroke assessment are lacking. To address this, the present study aims to synthesize recent evidence on EMG-CC’s use in evaluating stroke-induced muscle abnormality. Eighteen studies including a total of 308 stroke patients and 155 healthy controls were included. Fifteen out of Eighteen included studies used the EMG-CC to successfully differentiate abnormal muscle co-contraction performance of the affected upper limb, even in comparison to the unaffected side in static tasks (isometric maximal voluntary contractions) and dynamic tasks (movement-oriented or goal-oriented). The EMG-CC shows promise as a convenient and effective tool for evaluating the extent of abnormal muscle coactivation in the upper limbs of post-stroke patients with spasticity as well as assessing the effectiveness of rehabilitation interventions. Further research is needed to validate these findings and establish standardized protocols for EMG-CC’s use in stroke assessment.Accepted versio
The relationship between teachers’ support and students’ self-regulation in ESL collaborative learning in Hong Kong primary schools: The mediating role of students’ motivation
No full textThe open access publication is available at https://doi.org/10.1080/17501229.2025.2533973PurposeThis study aimed to investigate how different types of teachers’ support are associated with students’ self-regulated learning (SRL) strategy use in English as a second language (ESL) collaborative learning and the mediating role of motivation in these relationships.DesignA cross-sectional survey design was adopted to examine the relationships among the variables. Using convenience sampling, the study involved 386 fourth- and fifth-grade students from Hong Kong primary schools. Questionnaires were administered to measure students’ perceived teachers’ support, SRL strategy use, and motivation in ESL collaborative learning. Structural equation modeling and bootstrapping analysis were employed to assess the total, direct and indirect associations between teachers’ support and SRL strategy use.FindingsThe model demonstrated a good fit to the data. Informational support was directly and indirectly associated with goal-setting and planning through self-efficacy. In contrast, instrumental support showed a negative association with goal-setting and planning. Emotional support was positively related to behavioral regulation and self-evaluation. Appraisal support was positively linked to goal-setting and planning, monitoring, behavioral regulation and self-evaluation, both directly and indirectly through self-efficacy and anxiety.Originality/ValueThe findings confirmed distinct associations of multifaceted teachers’ support with students’ SRL strategy use, with motivation as a mediator, providing insights for instructional optimization
What distinguishes students’ engineering design performance: Design behaviors, design iterations, and application of science concepts
No full textEngineering design that requires mathematical analysis, scientific understanding, and technology is critical for preparing students for solving engineering problems. In simulated design environments, students are expected to learn about science and engineering through their design. However, there is a lack of understanding concerning linking science concepts with design problems to design artifacts. This study investigated how 99 high school students applied science concepts to solarize their school using a computer-aided engineering design software, aiming to explore the interaction between students’ science concepts and engineering design behaviors. Students were assigned to three groups based on their design performance: the achieving group, proficient group, and emerging group. By mining log activities, we explored the interactions among students’ application of science concepts, engineering design behaviors, design iterations, and their design performance. We found that the achieving group has a statistically higher number of design iterations than the other two performance groups. We also identified distinctive transition patterns in students’ applying science concepts and exercising design behaviors among three groups. The implications of this study are then discussed.Accepted versio
MLS945 Plasma physics and fusion energy
No full textM.Sc. Life Sciences (Clean Energy Physics) Ph.D. January Semester Examination 202
Advisor-advisee relationship and the organizational culture of doctoral programs on doctoral students’ mental health and academic performance: A scoping review protocol
No full textDoctoral students’ mental health is increasingly recognized as a critical issue in academia, with advisor-advisee relationships playing a key role in both well-being and academic performance. The organizational culture of doctoral programs may also influence these outcomes, but existing literature has not fully addressed the interplay between these factors. This scoping review aims to identify elements within the advisor-advisee relationship and supervision process that are associated with doctoral students’ mental health and academic performance, and to examine how the organizational culture of doctoral programs relates to these dynamics. The review will include both empirical studies and literature reviews focusing on these relationships. The following databases will be searched: Medline (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), Cochrane Library, Web of Science, ERIC, PubMed, CINAHL (EBSCOhost), and PsycInfo (APA). Studies will be screened by two independent researchers, with duplicates removed. There will be no restrictions on publication date or language. Data extraction will be conducted using a standardized spreadsheet, and findings will be synthesized using thematic analysis, with results presented in both narrative form and summary tables.Accepted versio
Applying argumentation-driven inquiry (ADI) to promote students’ argumentation performance in blended synchronous learning environment: A quasi-experimental study
No full textThis study explored the impact of Argumentation-driven inquiry (ADI) on primary school students’ argumentation performance in a blended synchronous learning environment (BSLE). A total of 159 fifth-grade primary school students (79 from an urban school and 80 from a rural school) participated in this quasi-experimental study. Students in the control group received inquiry-based (without argumentation) instruction in BSLE, while the experimental group students were instructed in an ADI approach in BSLE. Argumentation performance was measured before and immediately after the four-week research intervention. Results demonstrated that the remote (rural) school students in the experimental group scored significantly higher than remote (rural) school students in the control group on the Claim and Evidence dimensions, while no significant difference existed on the Reasoning and Counterclaim dimensions. The experimental group’s onsite (urban) school students scored significantly higher on the Claim and Reasoning dimensions than the control group’s onsite (urban) school students, though no significance was found in the overall score. This study also found that within the experimental group, the remote (rural) students scored significantly higher on the Evidence dimension of argumentation than the onsite (urban) students. The results of this study showed that in a BSLE, the ADI instructional approach had positive influence on the argumentation performance of primary school students in both rural and urban sites. Implementing ADI in BSLE could bridge the rural–urban gap in education and promote educational equity.Accepted versio
Methods employed in studies identifying “levels” of test anxiety in university students: A systematic review
No full textThe open access publication is available at https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15030331Test anxiety research has been dominated by attention to theory building and examining the causes and consequences of this construct. However, recently, considerable attention has been turned toward using test anxiety as a diagnostic indicator of students who are at risk of underperforming in educational settings. This systematic review of the literature was focused on (a) describing the strategies used in the field, (b) highlighting the benefits and limitations of those approaches, and (c) offering guidance in creating a framework for appropriate methods when identifying severity levels on measures of test anxiety for university students. The results confirmed that the vast majority of studies on test anxiety have no formal “leveling” approaches (maintaining test anxiety as a continuous variable). However, when researchers do employ “leveling” strategies, the majority adopt inappropriate methods (e.g., single-sample splits). However, there are exemplars that demonstrate statistically sound procedures for identifying distinct profiles of test anxiety that may form a basis to build consensus around a classification method for elevated test anxiety
Exploring students’ interdisciplinary collaborative learning outcomes and processes with varying degrees of knowledge heterogeneity
No full textThe open access version is available at https://doi.org/10.22318/cscl2025.745919Interdisciplinary collaborative learning (ICL) is key to 21st-century education. Knowledge heterogeneity (KH) plays an important role in interdisciplinary collaborative learning, but few empirical studies investigated how different degrees of knowledge heterogeneity shape the ICL in detail. This quasi-experimental study investigated how various degrees of knowledge heterogeneity affect student groups’ ICL outcomes and processes. A total of 48 undergraduates participated in this study. Group solution reports and verbal discussions were collected and analyzed. The findings showed that groups with a higher degree of KH performed significantly better than those with a lower degree of KH in adopting disciplinary insights. Different behavioural patterns were identified in knowledge integration, problem-solving, and coordination during ICL
Book review [Review of Global citizenship education: Modern individualism under the test of cosmopolitanism, by Sébastien Urbanski and Lucy Bell]
No full textThe open access version is available at https://doi.org/10.57928/cpp5-425