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National character
No full textIssues surrounding national character are further complicated in terms of repositioning of power in a country or between countries in an era of globalization. Due to increasing interconnectedness and ‘de-territorialization’ on a global scale, national character has increasingly become hybrid, mobile, and less bounded. However, it is crucial to note that national character, as part of distinctive localities, still plays a central role in maintaining the appeal of individual countries in global tourism development. Cultural and heritage tourism Although countries of origin cannot be regarded as a sole indicator for assessing tourist behavior or characteristics, national character still plays a significant role in categorizing and disseminating the stereotypical perceptions and images of both tourists and locals. In future studies, critical focus needs to be placed on enhancing the nuanced understanding of varying elaborations and differing evaluations of national character in complex global tourism development
Multi-task framework for vibration-based structural damage detection of spatial truss structure using graph learning
Get PDFPurpose
The spatial truss is a special type of structure in civil engineering with striking visualization, used for covering large spaces such as stadiums, commercial centers, and train stations. Due to its multi-component nature and large size, timely monitoring of its structural health is a tedious and challenging mission, for which using vibration signals measured from embedded sensors has shown promising results, reducing significant time and effort compared to manual methods. In order to exploit vibration data more effectively, this study explores a novelty data-driven approach that performs multiple structural damage detection tasks ranging from detecting damage, localizing damage, and quantifying damage severity.
Methods
The main steps of the proposed approach are: converting truss data, including geometrical information and vibration signal, into graph data, leveraging the graph attention network for spatial-temporal feature extraction, and elaborating a compound loss function for multi-task learning. The proposed approach’s efficiency and efficacy are quantitatively demonstrated via four case studies with increasing levels of complexity.
Results
The results show that the detection achieves more than 95% accuracy for both a 2D truss structure with 23 elements and a 3D dome truss with 120 bars, while around 90% detection accuracy is obtained for multi-damage scenarios in a 3D spatial double-grid truss with 581 bars. Furthermore, the high detection accuracy is reaffirmed with experimental data of an actual truss structure.
Conclusion
The unique advantage of the proposed model over other counterparts is the ability to encode the geometrical configuration of the truss structure via the adjacency matrix. Therefore, it can be applied to various truss structures in a straightforward way with minor adjustments, given appropriate training data
Effects of one-to-one music therapy in older adults with cognitive impairment: a randomized controlled trial
Get PDFThis study investigated the effects of music therapy (MT), a nonpharmacological therapy, on cognitive, behavioral, and physiological outcomes in older adults with mild-to-moderate cognitive decline residing in care home settings. A randomized controlled trial design was employed, with 42 care home residents (Mage = 86.25 years) randomly assigned to either a one-to-one 16-week MT intervention or an active control group receiving storytelling. Experimental and control activities were matched on key aspects, and groups were equivalent at baseline concerning demographic factors, general health, cognitive–behavioral characteristics, and cognitive reserve levels. Pre/postintervention neuropsychological and behavioral measures were collected, alongside saliva samples for cortisol/dehydroepiandrosterone ratio and respiratory sinus arrhythmia analysis as indicators of overall stress and autonomic regulation. The MT group exhibited benefits in cognitive, behavioral, and physiological domains, suggesting potential advantages in maintaining cognitive functioning and reducing neuropsychiatric symptoms. Biomarkers indicated possible mechanisms underlying the effectiveness of MT. The 16 one-to-one interactive MT sessions—delivered over 5 months—had a positive impact on older adults with mild-to-moderate cognitive decline living in care home settings. The implications of these findings for healthy aging and suggestions for future research are discussed
Enhancing feedback capabilities with the peer feedback module
Get PDFFeedback has a powerful impact on student learning (Hattie & Timperley, 2007). Although it has now become an essential component of higher education courses, learning how to receive and provide feedback can be difficult, as evidenced by dissatisfaction in student surveys on a global scale (e.g., MacKay et al., 2019). Carless and Boud (2018) argue that for feedback to be effective, students need to develop their feedback-related capabilities.
To enhance student feedback capabilities, feedback should be viewed as a complex process that has the potential to enhance learning and which emphasizes student agency (Niemienen et al., 2021). Peer feedback offers a range of opportunities for promoting student agency, where students practice constructing, delivering, and receiving feedback (Nicol et al., 2014). In the shift to hybrid and digital learning contexts, such opportunities are frequently mediated by technology, which may require different or additional capabilities to traditional teacher-led feedback practices.
A small body of work from the peer feedback literature has focused on what specific capabilities students need during the feedback process. For example, Han and Xu (2020) argue that the literacy needed for peer feedback includes cognitive readiness (making judgements and taking action) and social-affective readiness (appreciating feedback and managing affect). To expand on this, peer feedback has been conceptualized as entailing a cognitive aspect (knowing what to critique in the work), a critical thinking aspect (such as judging work), and a socio-emotional aspect (considering emotions and the social climate) (Cheng et al., 2023).
With the understanding that feedback literacy can be developed over time (Malecka et al., 2022) and a recent focus on developing interventions to improve feedback skills (see Little et al., 2024), this poster presentation details the creation and development of a feedback literacy intervention which contains an online module to develop peer feedback skills. To participate in the intervention, students are required to reflect on their feedback literacy levels using a recently developed feedback literacy behaviour scale (FLBS) (Dawson et al., 2023). Following this, participants engage in a student-led, self-paced online module nested within the University’s learning management system. Each sub-module targets different peer feedback capabilities which have been categorized into five dimensions, including domain knowledge, using evaluative judgement, crafting and delivering the feedback message, managing the socio-emotional environment, and using motivation. After participation in the online module, students complete an organic and pre-existing peer feedback activity before assessing their feedback literacy levels once more through the FLBS (Dawson et al., 2023). A smaller sample of students are involved in focus groups, where insights into how the module has the potential to influence feedback capabilities are discussed. Participants also bring along student work to highlight how their feedback capabilities have been used.
Through this intervention, learners may develop better feedback practices (including general feedback literacy). Crucially, they may also learn how to provide effective and helpful feedback information to their peers, which is one of the key requirements for moving beyond university and into the workforce
Analyzing docker vulnerabilities through static and dynamic methods and enhancing IoT security with AWS IoT Core, CloudWatch, and GuardDuty
Get PDFIn the age of fast digital transformation, Docker containers have become one of the central technologies for flexible and scalable application deployment. However, this has opened a new dimension of challenges in security, which are skyrocketing with increased technology adoption. This paper discerns these challenges through a manifold approach: first, comprehensive static analysis by Trivy, and second, real-time dynamic analysis by Falco in order to uncover vulnerabilities in Docker environments pre-deployment and during runtime. One can also find similar challenges in security within the Internet of Things (IoT) sector, due to the huge number of devices connected to WiFi networks, from simple data breaches such as brute force attacks and unauthorized access to large-scale cyber attacks against critical infrastructure, which represent only a portion of the problems. In connection with this, this paper is calling for the execution of robust AWS cloud security solutions: IoT Core, CloudWatch, and GuardDuty. IoT Core provides a secure channel of communication for IoT devices, and CloudWatch offers detailed monitoring and logging. Additional security is provided by GuardDuty’s automatized threat detection system, which continuously seeks out potential threats across network traffic. Armed with these technologies, we try to build a more resilient and privacy-oriented IoT while ensuring the security of our digital existence. The result is, therefore, an all-inclusive work on security in both Docker and IoT domains, which might be considered one of the most important efforts so far to strengthen the digital infrastructure against fast-evolving cyber threats, combining state-of-the-art methods of static and dynamic analyses for Docker security with advanced, cloud-based protection for IoT devices
Validity matters more than cheating
Get PDFCheating attracts a significant amount of attention in conversations about assessment, and with good reason: if students cheat, we cannot be sure they have met the learning outcomes of their course. In this conceptual article we question the attention given to cheating as a concept and argue that the broader concept of validity is a more important concern. We begin by questioning what cheating is, why it is wrong, and how justifiable the approaches used to address cheating are. We then propose a reframing of cheating as subsumed by assessment validity. In this view, cheating is addressed without moralising, as part of the broader positive mission of assurance of learning. This perspective highlights how attempts to improve validity by addressing cheating can sometimes make validity worse, for example when an anti-cheating technology reduces cheating but creates problems for inclusion. In shifting focus from cheating to validity, we hope to draw renewed attention to what matters most in assessment: that we know our graduates are capable of what we say they are
Psychological empowerment and exercising: the relationships between exercising, self‐stereotyping, agency, autonomy and physical self‐efficacy in non‐Western women
Get PDFDespite recent efforts towards equality, there are still gender disparities in Middle Eastern societies, where women are often discouraged from viewing themselves as autonomous, competent and self‐determining individuals due to the internalization of traditional gender norms. Research on women's empowerment in multicultural and non‐Western societies is scarce. In the absence of other interventions, exercising has been effective in increasing women's psychological and physical strength. The present study focused on women (N = 250) living in a non‐Western and multicultural environment, aiming to assess whether (a) self‐stereotyping negatively correlates with factors of empowerment (operationalized as a sense of autonomy, agency and self‐efficacy) and exercising, (b) exercising is positively associated with factors of empowerment and (c) if exercising would mediate the hypothesized relationship of self‐stereotyping on empowerment. Secondly, the study also qualitatively explored the subjectively reported exercising motives and outcomes. The results of quantitative analyses confirmed that self‐stereotyping was negatively correlated with autonomy and agency, but not with physical self‐efficacy. Exercising was positively correlated with all the factors of empowerment and negatively with self‐stereotyping. The structural equation modelling supported the intermediary role of exercising in the associations between self‐stereotyping and autonomy and agency. The qualitative analysis revealed that although the participants principally exercised for health‐related motives, the reported outcome was primarily reflective of experiences of empowerment. The findings could be used to inform current policies and interventions geared towards women to support and promote their physical and psychological well‐being
The form of AI-driven luxury: how generative AI (GAI) and Large Language Models (LLMs) are transforming the creative process
Get PDFThis paper aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the extent to which generative AI (GAI) tools and Large Language Models (LLMs) can design new creative and meaningful products in the luxury industry. To this end, the research involves three qualitative studies to understand the cognitive and emotional response towards the creative outcome. Results reveal that consumers perceived that the GAI-designed luxury products reflect and reinforce the essence and symbolic values of the brands, and that their perception is influenced by knowledge of GAI authorship of the product. Finally, our findings open new possible scenarios based on the high/low GAI creativity employment for product design vs. high/low quality of manufacturing and materials on product/brand essence (namely product/brand essence matrix)
From carbon capture to cash: strategic environmental leadership, AI, and the performance of U.S. firms
Get PDFThis research unravels the strategic confluence of environmental leadership and cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the realm of Carbon Capture technology, and their combined effect on the financial fortitude of U.S. firms. It posits that a firm's environmental vision, when led by transformative green leadership, significantly propels the effective adoption of Carbon Capture solutions. Drawing on data from 145 publicly traded U.S. entities from the years 2017 to 2019, provided by the Carbon Disclosure Project and Compustat, this study meticulously explores the interrelation between a firm's environmental initiatives - including managerial focus, shared vision, proactive green strategies, and innovation—and its performance outcomes. The findings illuminate that while environmental commitments like management focus and a unified vision greatly encourage the embracement of Carbon Capture, the financial implications of these adoptions present a complex picture
Resident rebellion: the interplay of fear, responsibility, animosity, and norms in shaping residents' opposition towards tourism
Get PDFAlthough animosity has been well examined as a precursor of peoples' intention to visit a destination, its role in predicting locals' intentions to oppose tourism is under-researched. Emphasis has also been placed on stable rather than situational animosity, with the latter resulting from temporary reasons such as the pandemic. This research used protection motivation theory to explain how residents' fear of contracting COVID-19 and ascribing responsibility to tourists for spreading the virus determined their feelings of animosity towards visitors and their behavioral intentions to oppose tourism. Results based on 413 surveys with Fiji residents revealed that fear of COVID-19 positively affects ascribed responsibility, which impacts residents' animosity; the latter determining behavioral intent to oppose tourism. The magnitude of nearly all relationships was moderated by residents’ sense of personal obligation to protect their community. Implications to tourism theory and practice are provided