			Home About us Contact

Possible Areas (possible + area)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	28%
Business, Economics, Finance and Accounting	28%

Selected Abstracts

Self-efficacy in the context of online learning environments: A review of the literature and directions for research

PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT QUARTERLY, Issue 3-4 2008
Charles B. Hodges
The purpose of this paper is to examine the construct of self-efficacy in the context of online learning environments. Self-efficacy is defined as "beliefs in one's capabilities to organize and execute the courses of action required to produce given attainments" (Bandura, 1997, p. 3). Traditionally, the four main sources of self-efficacy development are enactive master experiences, vicarious experiences, verbal persuasion, and physiological and affective state (Bandura, 1997). In this paper, self-efficacy is introduced in general. Research related to academic self-efficacy and self-efficacy in online learning environments is reviewed. The study of self-efficacy in online learning environments is new relative to the construct of self-efficacy. Research on self-efficacy and the use of computers in instructional situations has been included to broaden the literature base. The development of self-efficacy beliefs in online environments is highlighted as well as self-efficacy assessment issues. Possible areas of self-efficacy research in online environments are suggested, including pedagogical agents, persuasive feedback, and self-efficacy assessment. [source]

The Needs and Benefits of Applying Textual Data Mining within the Product Development Process

QUALITY AND RELIABILITY ENGINEERING INTERNATIONAL, Issue 1 2004
Rakesh Menon
Abstract As a result of the growing competition in recent years, new trends such as increased product complexity, changing customer requirements and shortening development time have emerged within the product development process (PDP). These trends have added more challenges to the already-difficult task of quality and reliability prediction and improvement. They have given rise to an increase in the number of unexpected events in the PDP. Traditional tools are only partially adequate to cover these unexpected events. As such, new tools are being sought to complement traditional ones. This paper investigates the use of one such tool, textual data mining for the purpose of quality and reliability improvement. The motivation for this paper stems from the need to handle ,loosely structured textual data' within the product development process. Thus far, most of the studies on data mining within the PDP have focused on numerical databases. In this paper, the need for the study of textual databases is established. Possible areas within a generic PDP for consumer and professional products, where textual data mining could be employed are highlighted. In addition, successful implementations of textual data mining within two large multi-national companies are presented. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Self-awareness of mastery and improvability of entrepreneurial competence in small businesses in the agrifood sector

HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT QUARTERLY, Issue 2 2010
Thomas Lans
An important assumption of entrepreneurial competence is that (at least part of) it can be learned and developed. However, human resources development (HRD) practices aimed at further strengthening and developing small-business owner,managers' entrepreneurial competence are complex and underdeveloped. A multisource assessment of owner,managers' entrepreneurial competence in a well-defined sector was conducted to provide an answer to the research question: How do self-assessments about mastery and improvability of entrepreneurial competence made by owner,managers relate to the same assessments made by significant others in the small-business work environment? The data show that owner,managers rate their own mastery of entrepreneurial competence significantly lower than internal assessors in their work environment do. Furthermore, the assessors indicate many possible areas for improvement of owner,managers' entrepreneurial competence. Nonetheless, mastery and improvability patterns differ considerably between the assessors. Multisource assessments as adopted in this study can help owner,managers raise their self-awareness, and consequently help them bypass some of their often costly trial-and-error learning. [source]

The Legislative Powers and Impact of the European Parliament

JCMS: JOURNAL OF COMMON MARKET STUDIES, Issue 2 2003
Andreas Maurer
This article investigates the impact of the legislative powers of the European Parliament (EP), particularly the co-decision procedure. After explaining the development of the legislative procedures, the article analyses the extent to which the different procedures have been used since their creation. It then considers how growing legislative power has affected the EP's internal development, how far the EP has been able to influence EU legislation, and whether EP involvement in legislation has enhanced or impeded the efficiency of the EU legislative process. The article concludes by considering possible areas for further reform of the EP's role in the EU's legislative system. [source]

Towards case-based performance measures: uncovering deficiencies in applied medical care

JOURNAL OF EVALUATION IN CLINICAL PRACTICE, Issue 4 2001
Simon Hoelzer MD
Abstract Measures are designed to evaluate the processes and outcomes of care associated with the delivery of clinical (and non-clinical) services. They allow for intra- and interorganizational comparison to be used continuously to improve patient health outcomes. The use of performance measures always means to abstract the complex reality (medical scenarios and procedures) in order to provide an understandable and comparable output. Measures can focus on global performance. The more detailed data are available the more specific judgements with respect to the appropriateness of clinical decision-making and implementation of evidence are feasible. Externally reported measures are intended both to inform and lead to action. By providing this information, deficiencies in patient care and unnecessary variations in the care process can be uncovered. Such variations have contributed to disparities in morbidity and mortality. The developments in information technology, especially world-wide interconnectivity, standards for electronic data exchange and facilities to store and manage large amounts of data, offer the opportunity to analyse health-relevant information in order to make the delivery of healthcare services more transparent for consumers and providers. Global performance measures, such as the overall life expectancy (mortality) in a country, can give a rough orientation of how well health systems perform but they do not offer general solutions nor spe-cific insights into care processes that have to be improved. In contrast to population-based measures, case-based performance measures use a defined group of patients depending on specific patient characteristics and features of disease. By means of these measures we are able to compare the number of patients that receive a necessary medical procedure against those patients who do not. The use of case-based measures is a bottom-up approach to improve the overall performance in the long run. They are not only a tool for global orientation but can offer a straightforward link to the areas of deficient care and the underlying procedures. Performance measures are relevant to providers as well as consumers, from their own individual perspective. Cased-based measures focus on the management of individual patient. This approach to performance measurement can inform physicians in a meaningful and constructive way by monitoring their individual performance and by pointing out possible areas of improvement. [source]

Key issues in the persistence of underrepresented minority students

NEW DIRECTIONS FOR INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH, Issue 130 2006
Deborah Faye Carter
Research on retention of students of color suggests possible areas of intervention to improve academic success. [source]

Teenage and adult tonsillectomy: dose,response relationship between diathermy energy used and morbidity

CLINICAL OTOLARYNGOLOGY, Issue 5 2007
A.A.J. Cardozo
Objective:, To determine whether an increase in the use of bipolar diathermy energy to perform a tonsillectomy is associated with an increase in postoperative pain and haemorrhage. Study design:, Prospective study. Setting:, District General Hospital. Methods:, In all, 101 patients above the age of 13 years who underwent a tonsillectomy that involved the use of bipolar diathermy during the study period were included. The cumulative amount of diathermy energy used to perform each tonsillectomy was calculated with the help of a digital stop clock timing device connected to the diathermy foot-pedal. Main outcome measures:, Postoperative pain scores and the incidence of secondary haemorrhage were recorded for each patient at four points in time following surgery, up to the tenth postoperative day. The haemorrhage rates were categorised into three groups (no bleeding, minor bleeding and major bleeding) according to severity. Associations between the diathermy energy used to perform each tonsillectomy and the corresponding postoperative pain scores and secondary bleeding rates were investigated. Results:, There was a statistically significant positive relationship between the total amount of bipolar diathermy energy used per tonsillectomy and the pain scores at all the four recorded points in time (rs = 0.44,0.72, P < 0.001). When the median energy consumption in the three groups (no bleeding, minor bleeding and major bleeding) were compared using the Kruskal,Wallis test, we found that there was limited evidence of a difference between the groups, but this was not statistically significant at the 5% level [H (2) = 5.374, P = 0.065, 99% CI 0.058,0.071]. Conclusions:, Increased use of bipolar diathermy during the performance of a tonsillectomy is associated with a statistically significant increased amount of postoperative pain. The dose,response relationship between diathermy energy and postoperative bleeding is less clear. This suggests that there could be other important factors such as surgical instrument characteristics and degree of tonsillar adherence that have an additional influence and are therefore possible areas for future research. [source]