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Article
Publication date: 30 April 2021

Anna Rissanen and Jane M. Costello

Online resources can be helpful for students and can augment the content presented in learning environments. A team consisting of four biologists, a graduate student…

432

Abstract

Purpose

Online resources can be helpful for students and can augment the content presented in learning environments. A team consisting of four biologists, a graduate student, instructional designer and media developers collaborated on the design, development and evaluation of first-year biology online tutorials in a Canadian University. The tutorials were designed to address knowledge gaps resulting in low success rates and attrition of first-year students in biology. The decrease in the number of students in STEM has alarmed educators, prompting a call for efforts to increase STEM majors in universities. Large class sizes, such as first year biology with ∼900 registrants annually, with detail-oriented, content-heavy loads, can result in low success rates and attrition.

Design/methodology/approach

Active learning methods, including online formative assessments, which encourage student engagement in course material, can be effective in large introductory science classes, and thus, the authors provided engagement with tutorial online resources. The authors identified the tutorial topics by analyzing previous years' tests, student feedback and pedagogical research in undergraduate biology. The top five topics identified as common misconceptions or troublesome concepts within the course were selected. Standard instructional design processes were used to produce high-quality online tutorials. Tutorials included learning materials, videos, animations, self-assessments, reflective questions and badges to facilitate deep learning of the topics. Effectiveness of the tutorials was evaluated using quantitative methods and quasi-experimental design to compare the student learning results between the control year (without tutorials) and the year when tutorials were offered. Pre- and posttests measuring conceptual understanding were administered to assess gains in student learning. Additionally, student engagement was measured using the Classroom Survey of Student Engagement (CLASSE), and data from learning management system was collected.

Findings

Results of the study show that the tutorials were an effective means of providing supplementary assistance to students as well as fostering a gain in students' levels of engagement with the course. Data analysis indicates that there was a significant increased gain in learning of core concepts in biology. Specifically, using formative online assessments resulted in measurable learning gains in students who participated voluntarily, in comparison to students who chose not to engage in self-paced quiz testing.

Originality/value

As seen from the description earlier, the tutorials, and this project, provide suitable university-level complexity to address specific learning gaps in the first year course. They provide a valuable service to students in terms of representing content in an alternate format and motivating students as they engaged with videos and self-assessment most frequently. The project adds to the teaching and learning environment with respect to program design, mode of delivery and scheduling by providing self-paced tutorials that focus on specific concepts in biology. Students may review these resources whenever and as often as they feel necessary to better master the concepts. This makes the content applicable for the various preferences for approaches to learning and accommodation requirements found in students. Importantly, using formative online assessments resulted in measurable learning gains in students who participated voluntarily, in comparison to students who chose not to engage in self-paced quiz testing.

Details

Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, vol. 15 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2050-7003

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Article
Publication date: 5 January 2023

Anna Rissanen, John G. Hoang and Michelle Spila

The goals of this research study included evaluating the outcomes of Interdisciplinary Science Threshold Experience (InSciTE) on student experience of science discipline, level of…

261

Abstract

Purpose

The goals of this research study included evaluating the outcomes of Interdisciplinary Science Threshold Experience (InSciTE) on student experience of science discipline, level of sense belongingness to a large Faculty of Science (FoS), outcomes in learning science literacy skills and whether a student's background played a role in the differences of effects of the high-impact teaching practices. InSciTE was designed to facilitate the transition from high school to a large research-intensive university, and specifically to a FoS with over 6,000 undergraduate students.

Design/methodology/approach

The FoS in a Canadian university engaged in the development of a *9 credit program bundling foundational statistics and chemistry courses with integration of aspects of mathematics and biology or physics to create a new first-year, academic interdisciplinary experience called InSciTE. This project-based curriculum emphasized teamwork and leadership, and presented complex interdisciplinary challenges facing today's world. A team-teaching environment consisting of instructors, a lab coordinator and teaching assistants was instrumental for the core InSciTE courses. In addition, the authors utilized a variety of learning practices with interdisciplinary themes to meet the learning outcomes. Course activities included field experience and tours, blended learning and flipped lectures, guest speakers, discovery-based lab activities, group discussions and projects, a capstone research project, and a combination of formative and summative assessments. The authors proposed two hypotheses for the evaluative study; first that the high-impact practices (HIP) will improve students’ experiences and belongingness to science faculty, and second that InSciTE facilitates learning of scientific literacy skills. To assess the effectiveness of InSciTE, the authors used two surveys, the first being the Test of Scientific Literacy Skills (TOSLS), which measures skills related to major aspects of scientific literacy: recognizing and analysing the use of methods of inquiry that lead to scientific knowledge and the ability to organize, analyse, and interpret quantitative data and scientific information. The second survey examined student belongingness, motivation and autonomous learning, combined with demographic data questions.

Findings

The results suggest that InSciTE students reported higher feelings of relatedness, group membership, and career aspirations and performed better on the TOSLS compared to students in other science courses.

Originality/value

As a leader in interdisciplinary science, the FoS at a Canadian university developed a full-year course bundling foundational statistics and chemistry courses with integration of some aspects of mathematics and biology or physics to create a new first-year, academic interdisciplinary experience called InSciTE. This project-based curriculum emphasized teamwork and leadership, and presented complex interdisciplinary challenges facing today's world aiming to facilitate transition from high school to a research-intensive university.

Details

Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, vol. 15 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2050-7003

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Article
Publication date: 8 February 2024

Xinyu Dong, Cleopatra Veloutsou and Anna Morgan-Thomas

Negative brand engagement represents a pervasive and persistent feature of interactivity in online contexts. Although existing research suggests that consumer negativity is…

733

Abstract

Purpose

Negative brand engagement represents a pervasive and persistent feature of interactivity in online contexts. Although existing research suggests that consumer negativity is potentially more impactful or detrimental to brands than its positive counterpart, few studies have examined negative brand-related cognitions, feelings and behaviours. Building on the concept of brand engagement, this study aims to operationalise negative online brand engagement.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents the results of nine studies that contributed to the development and validation of the proposed scale. Building on the concept of engagement, Studies 1–3 enhanced the construct conceptualisation and generated items. Study 4 involved validation with an academic expert panel. The process of measure operationalisation and validation with quantitative data was completed in Studies 5–8. Finally, the scale's nomological validity was assessed in Study 9.

Findings

The results confirm the multidimensional nature of negative online brand engagement. The validated instrument encompasses four dimensions (cognition, affection, online constructive behaviour and online destructive behaviour), captured by 17 items.

Originality/value

Progress in understanding and dealing with negative online brand engagement has been hampered by disagreements over conceptualisation and the absence of measures that capture the phenomenon. This work enhances managerial understanding of negativity fostering strategies that protect brand engagement and improve firm performance.

Details

Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing, vol. 18 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-7122

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Book part
Publication date: 26 July 2014

Lars Engwall, Enno Aljets, Tina Hedmo and Raphaël Ramuz

Computer corpus linguistics (CCL) is a scientific innovation that has facilitated the creation and analysis of large corpora in a systematic way by means of computer technology…

Abstract

Computer corpus linguistics (CCL) is a scientific innovation that has facilitated the creation and analysis of large corpora in a systematic way by means of computer technology since the 1950s. This article provides an account of the CCL pioneers in general but particularly of those in Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Switzerland. It is found that Germany and Sweden, due to more advantageous financing and weaker communities of generativists, had a faster adoption of CCL than the other two countries. A particular late adopter among the four was Switzerland, which did not take up CCL until foreign professors had been recruited.

Details

Organizational Transformation and Scientific Change: The Impact of Institutional Restructuring on Universities and Intellectual Innovation
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78350-684-2

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Article
Publication date: 22 May 2009

Outi Simonen, Elina Viitanen, Juhani Lehto and Anna‐Maija Koivisto

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how managers in social and health care evaluate the knowledge sources affecting their decision‐making, and how the evaluations were…

1412

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how managers in social and health care evaluate the knowledge sources affecting their decision‐making, and how the evaluations were associated with the managers' professional background, activity sector, gender, age and management experience.

Design/methodology/approach

The study data are gathered from a questionnaire survey to the middle‐line doctor, nurse and social managers (n=404) within the responsibility area of a Finnish university hospital. Assessed the proportions of individual knowledge sources in the complete data set and their associations with the subjects' background data. In addition, grouping of individual knowledge sources variables are made using factor analysis.

Findings

The findings indicate that social and health care managers attempt to utilize diverse knowledge sources. Overall, professional experience and education, organization budget, and action plans of one's own unit are estimated as knowledge sources with the greatest impact. Manager's professional background and activity sector are associated with the kind of knowledge affecting their decision‐making. Some differences are noted between genders, but differences with respect to age or management experience are non‐significant.

Research limitations/implications

Social and health care organizations represent expert organizations where decision‐making is steered by professions and management tasks.

Originality/value

This paper suggests that the future decision‐makers will be required to identify versatile knowledge areas across cultural barriers, and to be capable of making comprehensive decisions affecting the entire organization.

Details

Journal of Health Organization and Management, vol. 23 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-7266

Keywords

Available. Open Access. Open Access
Article
Publication date: 30 January 2025

Emmanuel Abankwah Ofori, Bernice Djangmah Akweley, Benjamin Eghan, Raphael Kanyire Seidu and Richard Acquaye

The purpose of this study is to present a mini-integrated review on upcycling as a marketing strategy used by brands in promoting sustainability. Upcycling has emerged as a…

135

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to present a mini-integrated review on upcycling as a marketing strategy used by brands in promoting sustainability. Upcycling has emerged as a promising strategy for sustainability in the fashion industry. Activities within the industry have resulted in the release of toxic chemicals, carbon emissions and unsustainable products with significant environmental impacts. This has influenced manufacturers and researchers to adopt alternative but sustainable approaches.

Design/methodology/approach

In this mini-integrated review, relevant documents and information were sourced from appropriate databases and websites to provide a brief insight into upcycling as a marketing tool.

Findings

This mini-integrated review further provides insight into how effective upcycling can be integrated into a brand’s marketing strategy as a tool to communicate its commitment to sustainability and the production of high-value products for consumer satisfaction. It concludes that the fashion industry has a significant impact on the environment, and the practice of upcycling has surfaced as a potential solution to address issues of sustainability paving the way for further studies.

Originality/value

Brands use upcycling to differentiate themselves from competitors and appeal to consumers who prioritize sustainability. By emphasizing the environmental benefits of upcycling, brands can position themselves as leaders in the domain of sustainable fashion practices.

Details

Journal of Responsible Production and Consumption, vol. 2 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2977-0114

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Article
Publication date: 1 February 2022

Niklas Sörum and Marcus Gianneschi

The aim of the study is to analyse negotiations about ownership and style in access-based apparel related to processes of identity construction.

1507

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of the study is to analyse negotiations about ownership and style in access-based apparel related to processes of identity construction.

Design/methodology/approach

The study applies a qualitative and interpretative method and relies on semi-structured depth interviews and focus group interviews with clothing library users as the main data source. The conceptual context of this paper is that of consumer culture theory approaches to consumer identity construction and the role of object ownership in consumer identity projects.

Findings

The empirical analysis highlights how processes of consumer identity construction related to symbolic values of clothing and self-possession mechanisms related to ownership are negotiated in encounters with access-based types of fashion consumption with effects on potential consumer adoption of access-based forms of consumption. The findings are structured in six analytical themes.

Social implications

There are several aspects of this research which are of relevance to the sustainability agenda and which have societal implications. Identity has been identified, in previous research, as a key conceptual tool for exploring, predicting and deepening the understanding of pro-environmental and sustainable behaviours. As such, if the aim is to strengthen the commitment of societies to environmental and sustainable behaviours, then this will require greater knowledge of consumers' identities and meaning-making processes. This is a challenge, not least in terms of recognizing the barriers identified in this study as relating to issues of consumer identity construction.

Originality/value

This study reveals multiple possibilities as well as barriers for implementing collaborative apparel consumption schemes in a fashion and apparel context. Some of the barriers might be explained by clothing's emotional character and close relationship to identity formation. Furthermore, the participants questioned whether access and renting services could substitute the meanings of owning. In conclusion, the authors argue that clothing may be a challenging type of goods to integrate in liquid forms of consumption and findings point out complexities amongst fashion-conscious consumers regarding meaning and identity values of collaborative apparel consumption. Theoretical contributions of an interpretative consumer identity approach for understanding barriers as well as possibilities for consumer adoption of access-based fashion are developed in the concluding sections of the article.

Details

Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International Journal, vol. 27 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1361-2026

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Article
Publication date: 21 August 2023

Adeel Shah, Musawir Ali Soomro, Arsalan Zahid Piprani, Zhang Yu and Muhammad Tanveer

The desire of international retail brands to implement sustainable supply chain practices in the fashion value chain and improve suppliers' sustainability efforts; this research…

782

Abstract

Purpose

The desire of international retail brands to implement sustainable supply chain practices in the fashion value chain and improve suppliers' sustainability efforts; this research paper elucidates the relationship between blockchain technology and sustainability to impact apparel firms' triple bottom line.

Design/methodology/approach

For studying the impact of sustainable supply chain practices on the triple bottom line, a survey questionnaire was chosen and sent out to 500 garment companies simultaneously, of which 371 responded. The data collected is cross-sectional. The questionnaire survey was developed keeping in mind a few demographic elements such as experience, age and qualification to generalize the findings. For analysis, SmartPLS is used to run model structuring and regression analysis.

Findings

Test runs on model structure confirm the instrument's validity and reliability. Bootstrapping on the theoretical model to test developed hypotheses suggests that supply chain sustainability practices positively affect social, environmental and economic performance in a direct relationship. Further, indirect relation testing conducted to test blockchain technology's moderation influences only the constructs' relations.

Research limitations/implications

The clubbing of sustainable supply chain practices and blockchain technology is a novel idea in the apparel industry; however, there are more constructs in the context of practice-based theory and supply chain which impact firm performance. Also, the research limits itself from discussing IT infrastructure and smart contract types that impact the technology's performance.

Practical implications

The study provides a framework for interpreting the synergetic influence of SSCP on firm social, environmental and economic performances, which is demanded both by consumers and regulators in an industry. The results suggest that managers sustainably design the production ecosystem, thus eliminating any discrepancy or slackness in the complete chain. Usually, suppliers are ignored, which are precursors in implementing SSCP.

Originality/value

The paper studies sustainability problems through ecological modernization theory and practical-based theory giving a unique perspective on the issue faced by the apparel industry and combining sustainable supply chain practices and blockchain.

Details

Journal of Strategy and Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1755-425X

Keywords

Available. Open Access. Open Access
Article
Publication date: 29 May 2019

Marjo Määttänen, Sari Asikainen, Taina Kamppuri, Elina Ilen, Kirsi Niinimäki, Marjaana Tanttu and Ali Harlin

While aiming to create methods for fibre recycling, the question of colours in waste textiles is also in focus; whether the colour should be kept or should be removed while…

6298

Abstract

Purpose

While aiming to create methods for fibre recycling, the question of colours in waste textiles is also in focus; whether the colour should be kept or should be removed while recycling textile fibre. More knowledge is needed for colour management in a circular economy approach.

Design/methodology/approach

The research included the use of different dye types in a cotton dyeing process, the process for decolourizing and the results. Two reactive dyes, two direct dyes and one vat dye were used in the study. Four chemical treatment sequences were used to evaluate colour removal from the dyed cotton fabrics, namely, HCE-A, HCE-P-A, HCE-Z-P-A and HCE-Y-A.

Findings

The objective was to evaluate how different chemical refining sequences remove colour from direct, reactive and vat dyed cotton fabrics, and how they influence the specific cellulose properties. Dyeing methods and the used refining sequences influence the degree of colour removal. The highest achieved final brightness of refined cotton materials were between 71 and 91 per cent ISO brightness, depending on the dyeing method used.

Research limitations/implications

Only cotton fibre and three different colour types were tested.

Practical implications

With cotton waste, it appears to be easier to remove the colour than to retain it, especially if the textile contains polyester residues, which are desired to be removed in the textile refining stage.

Originality/value

Colour management in the CE context is an important new track to study in the context of the increasing amount of textile waste used as a raw material.

Details

Research Journal of Textile and Apparel, vol. 23 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1560-6074

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Article
Publication date: 5 January 2015

Jyoti Srivastava and Padma S. Vankar

This paper aims to study carotenoids as a natural food colorant from Canna flowers. There is a growing demand for eco-friendly and non-toxic colorants, specifically for…

362

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to study carotenoids as a natural food colorant from Canna flowers. There is a growing demand for eco-friendly and non-toxic colorants, specifically for health-sensitive applications such as colours of food and textiles. Red Canna variety can be grown in normal garden situations and gives ample of flowers yielding good amount of natural colorant for both the purposes.

Design/methodology/approach

In the present work, ultrasound extraction of natural colorant from Canna indica flowers has been studied. The use of ultrasound is found to have a significant improvement in the extraction efficiency of colorants obtained from dry and fresh Canna flowers in different mediums. Ultrasonic cavitational processing has twofold advantages, it is an eco-friendly and cost-effective process.

Findings

The total carotenoid content in dry and fresh flower extract was found to be between 136.56 and 978.89 mg/kg. The assessment of antioxidant activity (AOA) in dry and fresh flower extract was found to be 5.78-78.33 per cent assayed by scavenging 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical and identified by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) studies.

Research implications/limitations

The use of ultrasonication for the extraction of colorant has been the main feature and a step towards technological advancement in the area of finding newer method of efficient extraction of the colorant.

Practical implications

The ease of extraction due to ultrasound waves has been the highlight.

Originality/value

It is for the first time that the phytochemical data of red Canna flower and has been studied, the total carotenoid content and antioxidant activities of different extracts of Canna were measured. The extraction of natural dye from C. indica flowers using ultrasound has been found to have significant improvement in the extraction efficiency of the colorant obtained from flowers.

Details

Pigment & Resin Technology, vol. 44 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0369-9420

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