Elpidoforos S Soteriades, Loukas Petrokokkinos, Michael A Talias, Andreas Zissimos, Maria Kolovou, Constantinos Potiriadis, Vasiliki Kamenopoulou and Evangelos Georgiou
Radon is responsible for approximately 50 per cent of public exposure to environmental radiation. The purpose of this paper is to quantitatively assess indoor radon levels in…
Abstract
Purpose
Radon is responsible for approximately 50 per cent of public exposure to environmental radiation. The purpose of this paper is to quantitatively assess indoor radon levels in Cyprus.
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 500 passive radon detectors were used to estimate radon levels in the areas of Nicosia (capital), Paphos, Nisou and Famagusta. A total of 240 different public and private buildings were randomly selected in the above districts and two passive radon detectors were placed inside each building. The detectors were collected on average, three months following placement.
Findings
The average radon level from all passive detectors was 53.7 and 49.2 Bq/m3 after excluding the seven highest values. The two highest measurements were observed in Paphos, Tsada-Kili elementary school (429 Bq/m3) and Emba, Paphos district (410 Bq/m3), respectively. Differences were also seen in public buildings compared to private buildings (p=0.058). In addition, rural buildings had higher radon levels compared to urban buildings (p=0.001). Predictive multilevel regression models for logarithmic radon levels were employed and differences were seen on point estimates regarding building- and district-level radon measurements. Most of the random variability observed was due to building-level variation.
Practical implications
Residents from different geographic areas in Cyprus are reassured about the safety of indoor radon levels in public and private buildings.
Originality/value
The estimation of indoor radon levels was done by the optical microscopy technique using a specific mathematical formula. Observed radon levels do not raise concern regarding residents’ radon exposure in Cyprus. Paphos district and Nisou area may require further investigation.
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Theodoros Millidonis, Petros Lois, Ifigenia Georgiou and Evangelos Tsoukatos
This study conducts a systematic literature review to examine the interrelationships between e-learning critical success factors, instructors' perceptions of these factors, and…
Abstract
Purpose
This study conducts a systematic literature review to examine the interrelationships between e-learning critical success factors, instructors' perceptions of these factors, and the corresponding institutional actions taken by higher education institutions to achieve success in e-learning implementation, by fostering instructors’ acceptance of e-learning as a viable mode of delivery in higher education.
Design/methodology/approach
The research design employed in this study involves a systematic literature review of 43 peer-reviewed articles from EBSCO host and Scopus databases. The selected methodology employed thematic analysis of the gathered data by utilizing a multistep qualitative coding method of analysis.
Findings
The systematic literature review delivers three key findings. First, there is a notable divergence between instructors' perceptions of critical success factors for e-learning in higher education and the perspectives of other stakeholders, such as students, e-learning experts, and institutional management. Second, it emphasizes the importance for higher education institutions to understand and address instructors' perceptions to facilitate effective e-learning implementation. Third, the literature suggests potential causal relationships between institutional actions addressing the success factors deemed important by instructors and instructors' sustained acceptance of e-learning as a viable delivery mode.
Research implications
The present study enriches knowledge of instructor perceptions of critical success factors for effectiveness in higher education by extending research in institutional management actions to enable their achievement. This study has implications for research strands on how instructors’ motivation and propensity for e-learning acceptance can be influenced by institutional management and how to reduce the level of resistance to adopting e-learning courses by addressing e-learning’s critical success factors as perceived by instructors.
Originality/value
Based on the theoretical insights derived from the systematic literature review, a conceptual framework is constructed, integrating the three concepts under investigation: success factors, institutional actions, and instructors' acceptance of e-learning in higher education. This framework provides a basis for future research seeking to validate the potential causal relationships among these concepts. Moreover, the study contributes to existing literature by addressing and consolidating research strands related to critical success factors and instructors' perceptions of e-learning effectiveness in higher education.
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Theodoros Millidonis, Petros Lois, Ifigenia Georgiou and Evangelos Tsoukatos
In this paper, the authors review the extant literature on e-learning effectiveness in higher education (HE) to investigate how teachers are affected by the actions that the…
Abstract
Purpose
In this paper, the authors review the extant literature on e-learning effectiveness in higher education (HE) to investigate how teachers are affected by the actions that the management of higher education institutions (HEIs) need to take to address the success factors that are critical for e-learning effectiveness. E-learning, in the context of this study, encompasses the delivery of and access to a coordinated collection of learning materials and instructions over an electronic medium using a web server to provide the materials and a web browser to access them.
Design/methodology/approach
To address the study's aims the authors employ a narrative literature review methodology. Since the area under review is comprehensive and it entails the examination of several topics, the authors have selected this methodology to ensure thorough coverage, and a narrative literature review approach can provide the required degree of thoroughness as it covers a wide range of topics within the thematic area under review. The authors focus on contemporary scientific studies published between January 2017 and May 2022 on how teachers involved in e-learning are affected by management actions taken to achieve success factors for e-learning effectiveness within the HE sector, after identifying and grouping the success factors identified in prior literature into dimensions that reinforce effectiveness.
Findings
The authors of the present study have identified and outlined the most prevalent success factor dimensions by performing a narrative review of the extant literature on the topics of e-learning effectiveness and success factors, and by grouping the various success factors identified into the overarching dimensions presented. These dimensions must also be examined in terms of their relevant importance to the most significant e-learning stakeholder groups. Prior studies have made attempts to obtain relevant stakeholder views on success factors for e-learning, with the student perspective naturally being the most widely covered point of view in terms of e-learning success factors prioritization. More studies are needed that tackle the teachers' perspective as well, since this would enable researchers to determine how teachers view e-learning effectiveness success factors.
Originality/value
The authors also discover that the main success factors in literature are not discussed nearly enough from teachers' perspectives. The authors, therefore, highlight the importance of addressing teachers' perspectives, mainly because this will reinforce teacher acceptance of the e-learning system adopted by an HEI, and the authors also outline future research avenues through which the perception of teachers could be obtained. The authors have identified the technique of knowledge management as a potential method to involve teachers in the decision-making process concerning the management of e-learning more, by taking their views into account and documenting them. The authors have discerned that teachers' acceptance of e-learning would be reinforced by supportive management actions since as a result, teachers see improvements in their technological literacy and pedagogical skills, and this would bring about increased motivation, satisfaction and acceptance of e-learning systems.
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The purpose of this paper is to present the current situation regarding open access and institutional repositories (IRs) in Greece.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present the current situation regarding open access and institutional repositories (IRs) in Greece.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper reports on the development of IRs in Greece and discusses their content and the various access restrictions that apply to content. A questionnaire survey was used to identify current and future steps regarding open access from the IR managers' and library directors' perspective.
Findings
The paper finds that Greek IRs using DSpace and CDS Invenio software have been developed by libraries of academic institutions. The Berlin Declaration on open access has been signed by two academic institutions and one research institution, while another university will bring the matter to the Senate. Metadata harvesting is one point that all respondents agreed on, although it seems that a national harvesting service will not be established in the near future. Furthermore, content availability at the moment seems to be hindered by fear of copyright infringement rather than financial charges, at least for ETDs.
Research limitations/implications
Further research should be conducted in order to identify the rate of deposited published peer‐reviewed research in IRs. Furthermore, a broader survey could show the thoughts and future plans of the total of Greek IRs, not just those using OAI‐PMH or those with mixed content (gray literature and published research). Possible research topics could be the interoperability of IRs in order to build a national harvesting service and the access restrictions that are available for authors in each IR.
Originality/value
This paper is addressed to those wishing to be informed of the latest developments regarding IRs and open access in Greece. It also provides a brief insight into the views of leading IR managers and library directors.
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Aggeliki Tsohou, Maria Karyda, Spyros Kokolakis and Evangelos Kiountouzis
The purpose of this paper is to examine the potential of cultural theory as a tool for identifying patterns in the stakeholders' perception of risk and its effect on information…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the potential of cultural theory as a tool for identifying patterns in the stakeholders' perception of risk and its effect on information system (IS) risk management.
Design/methodology/approach
Risk management involves a number of human activities which are based on the way the various stakeholders perceive risk associated with IS assets. Cultural theory claims that risk perception within social groups and structures is predictable according to group and individual worldviews; therefore this paper examines the implications of cultural theory on IS risk management as a means for security experts to manage stakeholders perceptions.
Findings
A basic theoretical element of cultural theory is the grid/group typology, where four cultural groups with differentiating worldviews are identified. This paper presents how these worldviews affect the process of IS risk management and suggests key issues to be considered in developing strategies of risk management according to the different perceptions cultural groups have.
Research limitations/implications
The findings of this research are based on theoretical analysis and are not supported by relevant empirical research. Further research is also required for incorporating the identified key issues into information security management systems (ISMS).
Originality/value
IS security management overlooks stakeholders' risk perception; for example, there is no scheme developed to understand and manage the perception of IS stakeholders. This paper proposes some key issues that should be taken into account when developing strategies for addressing the issue of understanding and managing the perception of IS stakeholders.