Search Results (180)

The conceptual design phase in architecture establishes the foundation for subsequent design decisions and influences up to 80% of a building’s lifecycle environmental impact. While Building Information Modeling (BIM) demonstrates transformative potential for sustainable design, its application during conceptual design remains constrained by perceived technical complexity and limited support for abstract thinking. This research examines how BIM tools can facilitate conceptual design through diagrammatic reasoning, thereby bridging technical capabilities with creative exploration. A mixed-methods approach was employed to develop and validate a Diagrammatic BIM (D-BIM) framework. It integrates diagrammatic reasoning, parametric modeling, and performance evaluation within BIM environments. The framework defines three core relationships—dissection, articulation, and actualization—which enable transitions from abstract concepts to detailed architectural forms in Revit’s modeling environments. Using Richard Meier’s architectural language as a structured test case, a 14-week quasi-experimental study with 19 third-year architecture students assessed the framework’s effectiveness through pre- and post-surveys, observations, and artifact analysis. Statistical analysis revealed significant improvements (p < 0.05) with moderate to large effect sizes across all measures, including systematic design thinking, diagram utilization, and academic self-efficacy. Students demonstrated enhanced design iteration, abstraction-to-realization transitions, and performance-informed decision-making through quantitative and qualitative assessments during early design stages. However, the study’s limitations include a small, single-institution sample, the absence of a control group, a focus on a single architectural language, and the exploratory integration of environmental analysis tools. Findings indicate that the framework repositions BIM as a cognitive design environment that supports creative ideation while integrating structured design logic and performance analysis. The study advances Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) by embedding critical, systems-based, and problem-solving competencies, demonstrating BIM’s role in sustainability-focused early design. This research provides preliminary evidence that conceptual design and BIM are compatible when supported with diagrammatic reasoning, offering a foundation for integrating competency-based digital pedagogy that bridges creative and technical dimensions of architectural design. Full article

Nowadays, Flutter with the Dart programming language has become widely popular in mobile developments, allowing developers to build multi-platform applications using one codebase. An increasing number of companies are adopting these technologies to create scalable and maintainable mobile applications. Despite this increasing relevance, university curricula often lack structured resources for Flutter/Dart, limiting opportunities for students to learn it in academic environments. To address this gap, we previously developed the Flutter Programming Learning Assistance System (FPLAS), which supports self-learning through interactive problems focused on code comprehension through code-based exercises and visual interfaces. However, it was observed that many students completed the exercises without fully understanding even basic concepts, if they already had some knowledge of object-oriented programming (OOP). As a result, they may not be able to design and implement Flutter/Dart codes independently, highlighting a mismatch between the system’s outcomes and intended learning goals. In this paper, we propose a guided self-study approach of integrating documentation, code, visual output, and exercise in FPLAS. Two existing problem types, namely, Grammar Understanding Problems (GUP) and Element Fill-in-Blank Problems (EFP), are combined together with documentation, code, and output into a new format called Integrated Introductory Problems (INTs). For evaluations, we generated 16 INT instances and conducted two rounds of evaluations. The first round with 23 master students in Okayama University, Japan, showed high correct answer rates but low usability ratings. After revising the documentation and the system design, the second round with 25 fourth-year undergraduate students in the same university demonstrated high usability and consistent performances, which confirms the effectiveness of the proposal. Full article

Engineering education often struggles to connect academic content with the real-world skills demanded by industry. Despite the inclusion of teamwork, collaborative learning, and leadership training in engineering curricula, many graduates remain unprepared to deal with complex and professional challenges. This study presents a cross-curricular, practice-oriented methodology designed to strengthen the integration of theoretical knowledge and professional competencies among engineering students. The method has been implemented in the degree in Industrial Design and Product Development Engineering at the University of Cádiz. Students engaged in a realistic design task—developing an outdoor clothesline system—requiring the application of content from Materials Science, Structural Analysis, and Computer-Aided Design. Digital tools such as MILAGE LEARN+ (for gamified content review) and MindMeister (for concept mapping) have been integrated to promote autonomous learning and interdisciplinary thinking. The methodology has also been designed to improve transversal skills such as initiative, communication, and teamwork through collaborative and student-led project development. The approach has been evaluated through pre- and post-intervention surveys, informal feedback, and internship outcomes. The results showed a 40% reduction in students reporting difficulty retaining theoretical content (from 78% to 38%) and a 29% increase in self-perceived autonomous learning. The proportion of students feeling unprepared for professional environments dropped from 73% to 34%. Those experiencing anxiety when facing real-world problems has been reduced from 92% to 57%. Students have also reported greater motivation and a clearer understanding of the practical relevance of the academic content. These findings suggest that structured interdisciplinary challenges, when supported by blended learning tools and authentic design problems, can significantly improve student readiness for professional practice. The proposed methodology offers a replicable and adaptable model for other engineering programs seeking to modernize their curricula and foster transferable and real-world skills. Full article

Delegation of authority remains a critical yet insufficiently addressed capability in Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) systems. Building on an existing delegation model that introduced the concept of a Verifiable Mandate (VM) for expressing authority and access rights, this paper extends the approach with a rigorous formalization of delegation semantics, enabling unambiguous reasoning over roles, grants, and constraints. The formal model is aligned with standards from the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), and its constructs are embedded into an extended credential schema that preserves compatibility with the Verifiable Credentials (VC) data model while introducing delegation-specific attributes. A generalized VM schema is defined, supporting both generic and business-specific instantiations, and ensuring structural and semantic interoperability. Policy compliance is operationalized through a policy-based enforcement architecture, where rules are authored in the Rego language and evaluated at runtime by the Open Policy Agent (OPA). The architecture incorporates trusted registries for schema and policy distribution, allowing verifiers to define and enforce context-specific delegation rules in a modular and interoperable manner. Validation through realistic scenarios, such as postal service and academic use cases, demonstrates how formal semantics, schema validation, and language-based policy enforcement can be combined to enable secure, verifiable, and context-aware delegation in SSI ecosystems. Full article

Introduction: Understanding adolescent maturational development and its impact on physical and psychological well-being is essential for supporting the academic and professional growth of undergraduate students in Health Sciences programs (Psychology, Medicine, and Nursing). This study aimed to assess and compare self-concept, self-perception, physical activity, and lifestyle among first-year Health Sciences students. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with first-year students at the University of La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain. Data were collected using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents (PAQ-A), and Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC). Variables included sex, age, study program, and body mass index (BMI). Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, reliability assessment (Cronbach’s alpha), distribution tests, and chi-squared tests. Results: Among 190 participants, the RSES showed generally positive self-esteem, although 75% of students reported low self-confidence. Male Psychology students all scored in the fair range on self-perception. Physical activity was low, particularly among female students, with 20% classified as sedentary. HBSC results indicated the need for lifestyle improvements. SOC-13 scores showed that 80.5% of students had fair levels of sense of coherence. Conclusions: Health Sciences students exhibited low self-concept, emotional distress, sedentary habits, and inadequate lifestyle behaviors. Male Nursing students and female Psychology students had the poorest self-concept scores. The findings emphasize the need for interventions promoting healthy habits and emotional well-being among students entering health-related academic programs. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic brought significant challenges to university students in China, including the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. To understand the stress and coping strategies of university students during the pandemic, we conducted focus groups with 56 Hong Kong university students from late December 2022 to mid-January 2023. Thematic analysis using a deductive data analytic approach based on the Transactional Theory of Stress and Coping was applied to form concepts on coping strategies. The findings revealed four major challenges faced by Hong Kong university students, which were the accumulation of negative emotions, health-related anxiety and frequent change in pandemic-related policies, conflict with family members, and challenges in online learning and academic and career development. When coping with these challenges, students used the following coping strategies: (1) seeking social support, emphasizing the positive and tension reduction to manage their negative emotions; (2) problem-focused coping and emphasizing the positive to deal with health-related anxiety and stress arising from the frequent change in pandemic-related policies; (3) seeking social support, tension reduction, distancing/detachment and self-isolation/keeping to themselves to handle conflict with family members; (4) seeking social support, problem-focused coping, emphasizing the positive and using distancing/detachment to cope with challenges in online learning and academic and career development. Moreover, comparing students with different backgrounds, the findings showed that more students with a high level of self-perceived resilience employed the emphasizing the positive coping strategy, while more students with financial difficulties applied tension-reduction coping strategies. This study contributes to the stress and coping literature by illustrating Hong Kong young people’s stress and coping strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study also supports the Transactional Theory of Stress and Coping and extends the discussion to various coping theories. Full article

The study investigates the interplay among second language (L2) learners’ willingness to communicate (WTC), L2 self-confidence (L2SC), and academic self-concept (ASC) within a cohort of Vietnamese university students studying in the United Kingdom. Employing an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, self-reported quantitative data were collected via validated survey instruments (n = 32 students), followed by semi-structured interviews with a purposive subsample (n = 5 students) to contextualise the findings. Results revealed that participants exhibited moderate levels of WTC and L2 self-confidence, alongside emerging academic self-concept. Significant positive correlations were observed between WTC and L2 self-confidence and between L2 self-confidence and academic self-concept; a weak, non-significant association was found between WTC and academic self-concept. Qualitative data corroborated these patterns, highlighting how learners’ communicative confidence was shaped by supportive environments and evolving self-perceptions. While self-comparisons and cultural expectations occasionally influenced students’ academic self-concept, most participants reported resilience and a commitment to communication development. The study contributes to the literature by integrating psychological and contextual variables influencing WTC, offering pedagogical implications for enhancing communicative competence among international English as a second language learners. Full article

Core mathematics courses are fundamental to the academic success of engineering students in higher education. These courses equip students with skills and knowledge applicable to their specialized fields. However, first-year engineering students often face significant challenges in mathematics due to a range of factors, including insufficient preparation, mathematics anxiety, and difficulty connecting theoretical concepts to real-life applications. The transition from secondary to tertiary mathematics remains a key area of educational research, with ongoing discussions about effective pedagogical approaches for teaching engineering mathematics. This study utilized a belief survey to gain general insights into the attitudes of first-year mathematics students towards the subject. In addition, it employed the activity theory framework to conduct a deeper exploration of the experiences of first-year engineering students, aiming to identify contradictions, or “tensions,” encountered within a flipped-classroom learning environment. Quantitative data were collected using surveys that assessed students’ self-reported confidence, competence, and knowledge development. Results from Friedman’s and Wilcoxon’s Signed-Rank Tests, conducted with a sample of 20 participants in 10 flipped-classroom sessions, statistically showed significant improvements in all three areas. All of Friedman’s test statistics were above 50, with p-values below 0.05, indicating meaningful progress. Similarly, Wilcoxon’s Signed-Rank Test results supported these findings, with p values under 0.05, leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis. The qualitative data, derived from student questionnaire comments and one-to-one interviews, elucidated critical aspects of flipped-classroom delivery. The analysis revealed emerging contradictions (“tensions”) that trigger “expansive learning”. These tensions encompassed the following: student expectation–curriculum structure; traditional versus novel delivery systems; self-regulation and accountability; group learning pace versus interactive learning; and the interplay between motivation and anxiety. These tensions are vital for academic staff and stakeholders to consider when designing and delivering a first-year mathematics course. Understanding these dynamics can lead to more effective, responsive teaching practices and support student success during this crucial transition phase. Full article

This study examines the factors that motivate viewers to financially support streamers on the Twitch digital platform. It proposes a conceptual framework that combines the uses and gratifications theory (UGT) with Michel Foucault’s concept of the practice of freedom (PF). Using a cross-sectional quantitative survey of 560 Portuguese Twitch users, the model investigates how three core constructs from UGT—entertainment, socialization, and informativeness—affect the intention to donate, with PF acting as a mediating variable. Structural equation modeling confirms that all three UGT-based motivations significantly influence donation intentions, with socialization exhibiting the strongest mediated effect through PF. The findings reveal that Twitch donations go beyond mere instrumental or playful actions; they serve as performative expressions of identity, autonomy, and ethical subjectivity. By framing PF as a link between interpersonal engagement and financial support, this study provides a contribution to media motivation research. The theoretical integration enhances our understanding of pro-social behavior in live streaming environments, challenging simplistic, transactional interpretations of viewer contributions vis-à-vis more political ones and the desire to freely dispose of what is ours to give. Additionally, this study may lay the groundwork for future inquiries into how ethical self-formation is intertwined with monetized online participation, offering useful insights for academics, platform designers, and content creators seeking to promote meaningful digital interactions. Full article

Data analysis and machine learning have become essential cross-disciplinary skills for engineering students and professionals. Traditionally, these topics are taught through lectures or online courses using pre-existing datasets, which limits the opportunity to engage with the full cycle of data analysis and machine learning, including data collection, preparation, and contextualization of the application field. To address this, we designed and implemented a learning activity that involves students in every step of the learning process. This activity includes multiple stages where students conduct experiments to record their own electroencephalographic (EEG) signals and use these signals to learn data analysis and machine learning techniques. The purpose is to actively involve students, making them active participants in their learning process. This activity was implemented in six courses across four engineering careers during the 2023 and 2024 academic years. To validate its effectiveness, we measured improvements in grades and self-reported motivation using the MUSIC model inventory. The results indicate a positive development of competencies and high levels of motivation and appreciation among students for the concepts of data analysis and machine learning. Full article

In today’s increasingly data-driven educational landscape, teachers are expected to use data to inform instructional decisions. However, effective data use depends not only on statistical competence but also on motivation, attitudes, and academic self-concept. This study examines how these factors influence student teachers’ readiness to engage with standardized assessment data. A survey of 164 Flemish primary education student teachers assessed their motivation, attitudes toward data use, and academic self-concept. Cluster analysis identified four distinct profiles, ranging from highly competent yet disengaged users to low-performing but externally motivated individuals, highlighting significant variability in data engagement. A pre- and post-test study design involving an e-course on basic statistical concepts demonstrated that targeted instruction can enhance perceived competence, particularly in areas such as box plot interpretation. Findings suggest that technical training alone is insufficient to promote sustained data use; fostering intrinsic motivation, positive attitudes, and a strong academic self-concept is essential for long-term engagement with data. Full article

The transition towards adulthood represents a complex period in which the development of personal identity culminates in young adults, whilst, at the same time, many undertake university studies in order to access the job market. The aim of the present study was to analyse the associations between self-concept, motivation, and learning strategies in the Spanish university context using structural equations to examine sex as a modifying factor. A descriptive, cross-sectional, and ex post facto study was conducted with a representative sample of 2736 students. The results revealed a positive association between academic self-concept and the three basic psychological needs, with the needs of autonomy and competence being of particular importance amongst the males. It was determined that the satisfaction of all of the needs favoured the development of learning strategies in both genders, with the exception of the need for relatedness, which was not relevant. Finally, it was demonstrated that the females employed better elaboration strategies, whilst the males were better able to regulate effort. It can, therefore, be concluded that the promotion of self-determined motivation favours the development of a positive self-image and learning strategies, with it being crucial for students to be intrinsically motivated. This may help university students avoid dropping out from degree courses. Full article

Prediction of individual differences in academic achievement is one of the most prominent longstanding goals of differential psychology. Historically, the main source of prediction has been measures of intelligence and related cognitive abilities. Researchers have suggested that non-ability traits, such as personality, may also provide useful information in predicting academic achievement. Meta-analyses have indicated that there are significant correlations between such variables, but most of the existing studies have been conducted with cross-sectional designs, or with a limited inclusion of intelligence/cognitive ability variables, making it difficult to determine whether the non-ability measures provide incremental predictive validity for academic achievement. In this longitudinal study, both extensive cognitive ability and non-ability trait measures (personality, interests, self-concept/self-estimates of abilities, and motivational traits) were administered at the beginning of secondary school, and criterion measures of ability and academic achievement were obtained after four years of secondary school. The results indicate that although non-ability trait measures have significant and meaningful correlations with the criterion measures, their incremental predictive validity over cognitive abilities alone is somewhat diminished. Nonetheless, there is potential utility for including assessments of non-ability traits for predicting future academic performance and elective course enrollments. Full article

This paper explores suicidality and suicide research from an autoethnographic analysis framed through grief concepts. Self-identifying as a Muslim in the United States, the author explains how lived experiences being racialized through Islamophobia, identifying as a genderfluid non-binary woman, being socially biracial, holding a postpartum bipolar diagnosis, and being connected to a diaspora, are critical elements to develop a deeper sociocultural understanding of suicide. Grief concepts that are used to analyze these themes include disenfranchised grief, ambiguous loss, anticipatory grief, and secondary loss. While these grief concepts are understood as part of the author’s embodied lived experience as an individual, there is also a collective grief that is explored through the author’s bilingual experience with Arabic as it relates to the topics of suicide and genocide occurring in the Arabic-speaking diaspora located in Gaza, Palestine. A conceptual framework is offered to make sense of the author’s lived experience by both incorporating and challenging existing academic perspectives on suicide and research. The emic, or insider, perspective is contextualized such that it may hold implications beyond the individual author, such as for U.S. Muslims and other hard-to-reach populations. A positionality statement demonstrates the author’s reflexivity of being an insider ‘participant’–researcher in conducting transformative research approaches with the U.S. Muslim community. Further directions are shared for scholars with lived experience who may seek to utilize comparable individual or collaborative autoethnographic approaches with such majority-world communities. Full article

Virtual Exchange (VE) has emerged as a promising alternative to traditional physical exchange, experiencing exponential growth in recent years to enhance students’ learning outcomes. However, the ways in which VE can effectively and mutually benefit diverse student populations remain unclear. This study introduces a specifically designed VE project utilizing the “Zoom-Sandwiched Cross-Chapter Concept Map” model and investigates its impact on college students enrolled in an introductory-level course in the US and China. The ten-week VE project incorporated both academic and cultural components. While our previous publication focused on the academic component and its benefits on student academic performance, this article emphasizes the cultural component and the integrated nature of the project. Our results demonstrated the effectiveness of this project in promoting students’ career readiness competencies, particularly teamwork and communication skills. Additionally, our comparative data highlighted how this project significantly improved the behavioral dimension of Intercultural Communication Competence (ICC) and influenced career & self-development for Chinese students while fostered leadership skills among US students. The VE project presented in this article provides valuable guidance for integrating VE into curricula across various disciplines, helping to shape future VE initiatives globally. Full article