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Destabilizing whiteness and black oppression in academe: a critical analysis of power, consciousness, and liberation
No full textWhiteness is a pernicious and pervasive problem deeply rooted in the fabric of public institutions and organizations. This article critically examines the intricate interplay between whiteness, black oppression, consciousness, power dynamics, and liberation within academe. The authors interrogate the historical and socio-political foundations of whiteness and its pervasive influence on systemic marginalization and oppression. We draw from Black studies, whiteness studies, and critical race theory to both theorize constructions of whiteness and analyze its impact on Black oppression in the academy. We advocate for shifts in institutional practice preceded by shifts in consciousness that would then influence behavior. We propose two alternative models to analyze whiteness: Framework 1: explores the nature of whiteness and white normativity as embedded in a paradigm that centers power in privilege, fear, and fragility; Framework 2 puts forth a liberatory vision, one that requires a shift from privilege to environmentally sustainable living, from fragility to internal resilience, and from fear to the decolonization of the mind. These frameworks call out and seek to disrupt oppressive structures, intending to decolonize and emancipate our minds and envision ways to dismantle and disentangle ourselves from blindly obeying norms perpetrated by whiteness
The influence of online distance learning and digital skills on digital literacy among university students post Covid-19.
Get PDFOnline distance learning policies were formulated and implemented among some Malaysian universities long ago, but their value emerged since COVID- 19. Emanating from the diffusion of innovation theory, this study examined the perception of higher education students on the influence and relationship between six independent variables (compatibility, observability, relative advantage, complexity, trialability, and digital skills) and one dependent variable (digital literacy). A total of 524 respondents were sampled, comprising students from six public and private Malaysian universities. The findings from the correlation analysis show a significant positive relationship between the six independent variables and the dependent variable. Meanwhile, in the regression analysis, three of the independent variables (observability, trialability, and digital skill) have a significant and positive effect on digital literacy. This study placed the diffusion of innovation in a specific context that supports designing online distance learning and digital literacy policies
Time-Lapse Geophysical Measurements for Monitoring Coastal Groundwater Dynamics in an Unconfined Aquifer
No full textThe coastal zone, which is the interface between land and sea, is hydrodynamically very active due to the complex interactions of various hydrological controls and variable-density fluids. These forces vary over time, resulting in a state of dynamic equilibrium in the system. The major hydrological processes in coastal aquifer systems are salt water intrusion and submarine groundwater discharge, which are interdependent. Monitoring these complex processes is crucial for sustainable coastal zone management but poses a significant research challenge. In this study, we demonstrate the effectiveness of non-invasive geophysical techniques, specifically the time-lapse electrical resistivity imaging method, in conjunction with groundwater monitoring, for monitoring coastal groundwater dynamics in an unconfined aquifer at varying time scales and hydrogeological settings present at formerly glaciated sites worldwide. We generated two-dimensional baseline salt water intrusion maps for the test site, located on the coast of Rhode Island, USA. The time-lapse electrical resistivity survey method enables the rapid estimation of fresh groundwater discharge. Our approach offers insight into the mechanisms and seasonably variable salt water–freshwater interactions in unconfined heterogeneous aquifers. Although the results are site-specific, their implications are broad and may stimulate other studies related to sea to land pollution (sea water intrusion) and land to sea pollution (groundwater discharge) in heterogeneous coastal aquifer settings
SVM for Classification of Ten-Finger Imagined Movements using tEEG Signals
No full textThe search for advancements and insights in Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) technology has led to the exploration of tripolar ring electrodes-electroencephalography (tEEG). While conventional electroencephalography (EEG) remains popular for its non-invasive nature and high temporal resolution, tEEG presents itself as a viable alternative with its enhanced spatial resolution, alongside the retention of temporal characteristics, artifact suppression, and noise reduction capabilities. Prior research has investigated the utility of tEEG in classifying imagined two-finger movements and physical five-finger movements, albeit with limited success. This work utilizes a Support Vector Machine (SVM) for imagined ten-finger classification using tEEG and EEG signals of seven healthy subjects. Data features were extracted solely from the unprocessed, raw time series of a single tEEG electrode. The obtained results demonstrated accuracies approaching 100 % in most instances
Nanoparticle transport in biomimetic polymer-linked emulsions
No full textThe ability of nanoparticles to penetrate and transport through soft tissues is essential to delivering therapeutics to treat diseases or signaling agents for advanced imaging and sensing. Nanoparticle transport in biological systems, however, is challenging to predict and control due to the physicochemical complexity of tissues and biological fluids. Here, we demonstrate that nanoparticles suspended in a novel class of soft matter—polymer-linked emulsions (PLEs)—exhibit characteristics essential for mimicking transport in biological systems, including subdiffusive dynamics, non-Gaussian displacement distributions, and decoupling of dynamics from material viscoelasticity. Using multiple particle tracking, we identify the physical mechanisms underlying this behavior, which we attribute to a coupling of nanoparticle dynamics to fluctuations in the local network of polymer-linked droplets. Our findings demonstrate the potential of PLEs to serve as fully synthetic mimics of biological transport
Global Horizons: Assessing the Impact of Study Abroad Programs on Intercultural Competence Development Pre-College Technology Students
Get PDFAcross fields, college and university graduates are increasingly expected to perform effectively in diverse, multi-cultural work environments. Given this reality, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are actively designing strategies to help students develop intercultural skills. Prior research has revealed that deliberately structured study abroad programs are an effective approach to nurturing intercultural competence among graduates. Consciously designed study abroad programs can provide students with opportunities to learn and reflect on their experiences. In this study, we aim to understand the impact of a study abroad program on pre-freshmen students enrolled in a College of Technology. Using a mixed-methods design, we examined the intercultural learning gains and experiences of the participating students. The results of the study showed that studying abroad contributed significantly to the intercultural development of the students. Additionally, the study characterized the challenges faced by the students and the valuable insights they gained while interacting with people from different cultures. In summary, our findings confirmed that study abroad programs can serve as a gateway for students by equipping them with the practical skills and strategies needed to navigate the complexities of cross-cultural interactions
How to design an effective MOOC to promote media literacy: A study based on the Educational Design Research approach
Get PDFThe research aims to establish a conceptual framework to design a MOOC to promote media literacy in the context of information disorder. Information disorder is a phenomenon that mainly occurs from the large flow of false or incorrect content posted on the internet. Promoting media literacy is a way of helping citizens to face the challenges of disinformation processes. The educational design research involves the development of a MOOC prototype based on the literature review and improvement through successive iterations with groups of experts and MOOC participants. The first stage of investigation is the literature review for the development of a prototype. The design is based on a conceptual framework and upon theoretical propositions. Thus, this article is the result of the first phase of this investigation in which the literature review generates the conceptual framework for the prototype of the MOOC to promote media literacy in social media in the Brazilian context. The data from the literature review were grouped into four dimensions (technological, social, operational, and pedagogical) that are the basis of the prototype design. The main results of the investigation are a) electing a typology of MOOC to promote media literacy b) a conceptual framework for the elaboration of sMOOC to promote media literacy in the context of information disorder and c) an educommunicative proposal (topics and approaches) for sMOOC based on the articulation of social media
Swimming Against the Tide: Resistance Strategies and Agentic Skills Used by Childfree Women
Get PDFIn pronatalist societies, the decision to remain childfree creates a conflict-laden scenario. This article explores how childfree women confront social hostility and defend their reproductive autonomy through resistance strategies and tactics. With this aim, the results of a feminist research, positioned from feminist Standpoint theory and digital ethnography, are presented. The researcher conducted biographical-narrative interviews with sixteen voluntary childless women from Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, Spain, and the United Kingdom, all of whom were members of a childfree Facebook group. This research revealed that there is a persistent tension between societal pressure placed on these women in pronatalist societies and their exercise of reproductive autonomy. This tension compels them to adopt four resistance strategies: questioning socialization and societal expectations surrounding motherhood; coping with social pressure; assuming a transgressive identity; and projecting a positive future. Each one of these strategies entails specific tactics employed by the participants. This paper highlights the connections between these strategies, their associated tactics, and the agentic skills involved
The Impact of Social Media Use on Attitudes Toward Mental Healthcare: The Role of Emotional Connectedness and Routine Integration of Social Media
No full textSocial media use plays an important role in the lives of adolescents and young adults, who use various platforms for social connectedness and support. The current study focuses on the relationship between social media engagement and adolescents’ and emerging adults’ attitudes and beliefs toward mental health help-seeking. This study explored the amount of time spent as well as the emotional connectedness to social media. Data were collected through online survey panels of adolescents aged 13–17 (n = 126) and emerging adults aged 18–24 (n = 125) living in the USA. Our results indicated that spending more than 5 h per day on social media was directly associated with posting on social media for help. However, subsequent analyses suggested that the impact of time spent was indirect via the level of connection to social media use. Routine use of social media was associated with less distrust and lower negative attitudes toward mental health care, while emotional connection to social media use was associated with higher levels of distrust and negative attitudes. Both levels of connection with social media use were associated with posting for help on social media. Social media use could both be a risk factor and a potential resource for adolescent and emerging adult mental health and help-seeking
FY2023 Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Statistical Survey: University of Rhode Island Data
No full textThe report contains FY2023 data as submitted by the University of Rhode Island Libraries for the 2023 Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Annual Survey