An Evaluation Model of a Disruptive Technology During Covid-19 Pandemic

Disruptive Technologies have created radical transformations in different industry fields. They also changed principles governing market and competitions. This role was considered an advantage in different organizational aspects including performance, effectiveness and competitiveness. The attendance of these technologies was not bounded by these aspects alone, it has also flourished in crises and specifically Covid-19 pandemic. One of these disruptive technologies that caught interest in this crisis is cloud collaboration platforms (CCPs). CCPs were essential and critical in a key sector during the pandemic, which was education. The pandemic outbreak caused a mandatory conversion towards online education leaded by CCPs. Demonstration of these platforms during the pandemic was accompanied with their evaluation using different criteria. Still, these criteria were neither clearly justified in their reasons of use nor classified according to their importance during the pandemic. In this paper, a model of CCPs evaluation criteria during the pandemic is presented. This model is based on previous research criteria and applies inductive approach through discovering users experience regarding these criteria during the pandemic. Functionality, reliability and usability in addition to their sub-standards were the main criteria that have been assessed and ranked by users. The users who rated the criteria were academics and experts of a university in Jordan and they were engaged in online education using CCPs. Evaluation was conducted using a quantitative approach using an online questionnaire which was distributed to these academics. Findings show that security and understandability are the most significant criteria that we should look after during the pandemic. Fault tolerance, accuracy, suitability and maturity standards have the second priority and finally, compliance, recoverability, learnability and interoperability have the third priority. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

The role of web browsing in credit risk prediction

Online mail order and online retail purchases have increased rapidly in recent years worldwide, with Covid-19 forcing almost all non-grocery shopping to move online. These practices have facilitated the availability of new data sources, such as web behavioural variables providing scope for innovation in credit risk analysis and decision practices. This paper examines new web browsing variables and incorporates them into survival analysis as predictors of probability of default (PD). Using a large sample of purchase and repayment credit accounts from a major digital retailer and financial services provider, we show that these new variables enhance the predictive accuracy of probability of default (PD) models at account level. This also holds in the absence of credit bureau data, therefore, the new information can help people who may not have a credit history (thin file) who cannot be assessed using traditional variables. Moreover, we leverage on the dynamic nature of these new web variables and explore their predictive value in short and long- term horizons. By adding macroeconomic variables, the possibility for stress-testing is provided. Our empirical findings provide insights into web browsing behaviour, highlight how the inclusion of non-standard variables can improve credit risk scoring models and lending decisions and may provide a solution to the thin files problem. Our results also suggest a direct value added to the online retail credit industry as firms should leverage the increasing trend of consumers embracing the digital environment. © 2022 The Authors

Response, readiness and challenges of online teaching amid COVID-19 pandemic: the case of higher education in Bangladesh

Objective: Online education is a relatively new phenomenon in Bangladesh. Gathering data online during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, this study examines the response, readiness and challenges of online education in the Bangladeshi context. Method: Data were collected by applying qualitative approaches such as focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with purposively selected students and teachers involved in online education at two public and three private universities. Results: The findings reveal an immediate response from some universities and late or no action from others in continuing education during the pandemic. Since teachers, students or the university administration were unprepared for such a situation, there was a shortage of or creation of initiatives, although a certain degree of success was noticed. Major challenges include the lack of appropriate technology, knowledge of technology use, teachers' inadequate skills in operating the system and motivating students, poor Internet facilities and high Internet costs, and absence of a calm environment at students' homes. Conclusion: Steps such as workshops for teacher development, improvement of technology and facilities, subsidies in Internet use, revisits to higher education and emergency education laws, and assistance from other professionals and institutions are proposed for consideration. KEY POINTS What is already known about this topic: A number of higher educational institutions (HEIs) worldwide have introduced online education, and have been continuing teaching–learning activities online from the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. HEI teachers in developed countries have prior training and experience in conducting online education;however, several pedagogical, technical and management-related challenges have been identified. HEIs in Bangladesh do not have a specific policy regarding continuing education in an emergency. This is the first time that online education has been launched. What this study adds: This study explores how HEIs, particularly teachers, respond to continuing teaching–learning activities. It illustrates teachers' pedagogical, technical and management-related readiness necessary for online education. This study also identifies several challenges in continuing online teaching–learning activities in Bangladesh HEIs. © 2021 Australian Psychological Society.

Debriefing in Online Primary ESL Classrooms During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study

—The meaningfulness of the current educational landscape, where online learning is heavily practised, is often questioned. Experiential learning focuses on the learning process that learners undergo. It is beli eved to help them to make sense of the learning process through active participation and meaningful reflective practice. Debriefing is an experiential learning strategy that requires learners to reflect on their learning experiences and connect them to real-life situations. However, only a limited number of studies have investigated the use of debriefing in the English language teaching and learning context. To this end, this case study aimed to explore the effects of debriefing in online ESL classrooms and the challenges of online debriefing. The case study was conducted in Bintulu, a town in the Malaysian state of Sarawak, and involved two teachers who were actively conducting online ESL lessons during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data collection was conducted through in-depth interviews and observations of recorded online ESL lessons with a focus on the debriefing sessions. The findings indicated that debriefing has positive effects on active English language learners as it helps to improve their critical thinking ability as well as their oral and written language proficiency. The challenges of debriefing in online ESL classrooms include learners being hesitant to talk during lessons, teachers facing difficulties in using appropriate debriefing questions, as well as various technical problems. © 2023 ACADEMY PUBLICATION.

Online Conversation as Methodology in Multireferential Cyberresearch-Formation

The current post-Covid-19 pandemic crisis context, has potentiated the online conversation (Pimentel;Araujo, 2020), in the academic scenario, in general. In this article we present this practice as a device of research-training (Josso, 2004;Macedo, 2010;Santos, 2014) with multireferential inspiration (Ardoino, 1998) in scientific initiation research (PIBIC/CNPq) and in the research of the Master in Education at UERN, aiming to understand how online conversations have contributed to the emergence of formative and authorial processes, in the context of cyberculture. In our research we assume another way of producing meaning. Different from the formalist, rigid and purist values of Cartesianism, we think of knowledge in the scope of heterogeneity, of welcoming and working with difference, a perspective in which dialogue and the production of narratives through online conversation show potency in a different formation in relation to research. By using Mentimeter, Video, and Google Forms, the research subjects produced formative experiences enriched by the reflexive act of questioning, narrating, dialoguing, and collaboratively changing themselves.

Administration in private higher education institutions through virtual platforms in Honduras

The main goal of this research was to analyze the education in universities through virtual platforms in Honduras caused by COVID.19. A quantitative approach was used, with an exploratory-descriptive research level;in addition, questionnaires were used with a reliability level of 0.847 Cronbach's Alpha. The sample consisted of five private universities represented by sixty teachers. It was found that a fast adaptation to virtuality was achieved, which reflected a high level of satisfaction of the teachers. It is concluded that private institutions at the higher education develop new strategies to maintain the fluency of classes by having programs and platforms for virtual teaching

The Student Learning Experience: A Case Study in Object-Based Learning

Artifacts are a primary source of information for fashion history students participating in object-based learning through careful observation, analysis and interpretation. Object-based learning is an advantage that allows students to connect the course material with the physical artifact in-person. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, classes at a Midwestern university moved midterm to an online format. Artifacts previously viewed in person were posted digitally, thus this was the first semester that artifact analysis included both in-person and online. Students evaluated their learning experience in artifact analysis in-person and online with the goal to understand their perspective on advantages and disadvantages. In-person, students could examine details such as textile weave and hand or machine stitching. Online, multiple views of a garment on a mannequin were available to better understand the shape and silhouette of the garment. In the future, we will incorporate both venues, taking advantage of the best student learning experiences from each. © 2022 ITAA.

Identification of counselor mind process on online counseling

Internal counselor competence refers to the metacognition skills to manage all their mental experiences and internal conditions. These are in the form of mind skills. In particular, in the industrial revolution 4.0 and the COVID-19 pandemic situation, online counselors face many unpredictable and unfamiliar conditions. This study aims to identify the state level of the counselor's mind skills during online counseling sessions. This research method uses survey research methods of 181 online counselors in various regions in Indonesia. A mind skills journal is the instrument used for data collection to assess the four levels of counselor metacognition (reflective, strategic, aware, and tacit). The analysis used basic statistics and graphs. The results showed the overall score of the mind skills level was 78.166%, which was in the strategic use level. The mind skills contribution can be counselor self-regulation, counselor assessment, verbalization, information visualization description, causal analysis, and predictive planning. Suggestions based on research results are the need for an alternative to improve mind skills through reflective learning of prospective counselors and reflective supervision activities of counselors in the field. © 2023, Institute of Advanced Engineering and Science. All rights reserved.

The influence of the Covid-19 pandemic on guests' evaluations of hotel services

The impact of the second Covid-19 wave on guests' evaluations of hotel services is scarce and mainly focused on Asia. We compared positive and negative comments of 1196 pre-pandemic reviews with 1065 reviews written during the pandemic of hotels in the heart of Europe. We found a significant drop in overall guest scores;however, guests commenting positively on the hotel's handling of the pandemic, rated their stay significantly higher. Furthermore, we observed substantial shifts in guests' comments on certain hotel attributes. Our findings provide, therefore, useful insights for hotel managers into guests' expectations and hotel experiences under strict safety conditions. © 2023 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

"Let's accept it”: Vietnamese university language teachers' emotion in online synchronous teaching in response to COVID-19

Objective: Teaching is often described as one of the most emotional-laden professions, and teachers experience a wide range of emotions while teaching. In times of the COVID-19 pandemic, the crisis of conversion to online teaching has triggered new emotional experiences of teachers that not many studies have taken into account. Method: Studying emotion from a post-structuralist lens, this study examines the emotional orientations of Vietnamese higher education language teachers and their emotional responses in online teaching environments. Results: The findings show that the pedagogically and technologically distinctive features of online teaching aroused unique challenges and emotions of teachers, both positive and negative. Also, the teachers reported a number of strategies to cope with the new situation. Conclusion: The study highlights the critical need for acknowledgement and support of institutions for the transition to online teaching in the "new normal situation”. © 2021 Australian Psychological Society.

Perspectives of non-expert users on cyber security and privacy: An analysis of online discussions on twitter

Many researchers have studied non-expert users' perspectives of cyber security and privacy aspects of computing devices at home, but their studies are mostly small-scale empirical studies based on online surveys and interviews and limited to one or a few specific types of devices, such as smart speakers. This paper reports our work on an online social media analysis of a large-scale Twitter dataset, covering cyber security and privacy aspects of many different types of computing devices discussed by non-expert users in the real world. We developed two new machine learning based classifiers to automatically create the Twitter dataset with 435,207 tweets posted by 337,604 non-expert users in January and February of 2019, 2020 and 2021. We analyzed the dataset using both quantitative (topic modeling and sentiment analysis) and qualitative analysis methods, leading to various previously unknown findings. For instance, we observed a sharp (more than doubled) increase of non-expert users' tweets on cyber security and privacy during the pandemic in 2021, compare to in the pre-COVID years (2019 and 2020). Our analysis revealed a diverse range of topics discussed by non-expert users, including VPNs, Wi-Fi, smartphones, laptops, smart home devices, financial security, help-seeking, and roles of different stakeholders. Overall negative sentiment was observed across almost all topics in all the three years. Our results indicate the multi-faceted nature of non-expert users' perspectives on cyber security and privacy and call for more holistic, comprehensive and nuanced research on their perspectives. © 2022

Telematic Education at the University: A Study in Future Teachers

The emergence of Information and Communication Technologies in the educational area has allowed the expansion of learning through telematic means. In addition, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the consequent closure of school institutions, led to the massive application of fully online or combined training (face-to-face and with telematics support). The objective of this research was to know the evaluations of university students who intend to be teachers, about the training they are receiving by telematic means. To do this, an online questionnaire was designed, validated and applied to 523 students from two universities from Spain and one from Portugal. Descriptive and multivariate analyzes were performed, obtaining statistically significant differences. The results show that telematic education is not evaluated in a particularly positive way by the students, highlighting that they miss socializing with their classmates, although they recognize that its implementation also offers advantages such as greater flexibility and a reduction in economic expenses. Finally, the need to transform teaching methodologies for an efficient transition from face-to-face to telematic learning is discussed, and concludes with guidelines to improve the quality and effectiveness of online and combined training plans for higher education students.

A social media-based framework for quantifying temporal changes to wildlife viewing intensity: Quantifying changes to wildlife viewing intensity

Documenting how human pressure on wildlife changes over time is important to minimise potential adverse effects through implementing appropriate management and policy actions;however, obtaining objective measures of these changes and their potential impacts is often logistically challenging, particularly in the natural environment. Here, we developed a modular stochastic model that infers the ratio of actual viewing pressure on wildlife in consecutive time periods (years) using social media, as this medium is widespread and easily accessible. Pressure was calculated from the number of times individual animals appeared in social media in pre-defined time windows, accounting for time-dependent variables that influence them (e.g. number of people with access to social media). Formulas for the confidence intervals of viewing pressure ratios were rigorously developed and validated, and corresponding uncertainty was quantified. We applied the developed framework to calculate changes to wildlife viewing pressure on loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) at Zakynthos island (Greece) before and during the COVID-19 pandemic (2019–2021) based on 2646 social media entries. Our model ensured temporal comparability across years of social media data grouped in time window sizes, by correcting for the interannual increase of social media use. Optimal sizes for these windows were delineated, reducing uncertainty while maintaining high time-scale resolution. The optimal time window was around 7-days during the peak tourist season when more data were available in all three years, and >15 days during the low season. In contrast, raw social media data exhibited clear bias when quantifying changes to viewing pressure, with unknown uncertainty. The framework developed here allows widely-available social media data to be used objectively when quantifying temporal changes to wildlife viewing pressure. Its modularity allowed viewing pressure to be quantified for all data combined, or subsets of data (different groups, situations or locations), and could be applied to any site supporting wildlife exposed to tourism. © 2022 The Author(s)

Efficiency of Online Learning during Covid-19 Pandemic

COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound effect on campuses, compelling learning systems to shift away from face-to-face engagement and toward online instruction. The purpose of this research is to investigate the effectiveness of remote learning in the event of a COVID-19 pandemic. To obtain responses, a self-administered online survey was used. After data screening, 315 data were proceeded to the next analysis. Additionally, the data were devoid of missing cases and outliers. The measuring model was evaluated for indicator and internal consistency reliability, convergent and discriminant validity. Meanwhile, the structural model was evaluated by SmartPLS version 3.2.9 utilising the bootstrapping approach. Findings revealed self-discipline and flexibility were significant towards effectiveness of online learning among students at the UiTM Kelantan, Kota Bharu Campus. The findings argue that, in the modern era, internet technologies have increased the flexibility of post secondary education in a variety of ways. Institutions should make strategic use of these new flexibility, concentrating on chances to engage students more deeply in learning that results in practical outcomes. © 2023, World Scientific and Engineering Academy and Society. All rights reserved.

Online teaching during COVID-19 pandemic in Fiji: challenges, facilitators and improvement strategies

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore online teaching experiences of educators in Fiji National University (FNU). Although they quickly adapted to online teaching, their experiences are yet to be explored and documented, hence the relevance of this study. Design/methodology/approach: This study used phenomenological research design to understand the lived experiences of participants' regarding online teaching. A total of 58 in-depth interviews were conducted among educators, at various levels and analysed thematically using an inductive approach. Findings: The findings show online teaching challenges including difficulties maintaining students' engagement, teaching practically oriented courses, assessing students and embracing change, limited knowledge impact and output, anxiety and stress, inadequate teaching environment, increased workload and unstable Internet. The facilitators and enablers were flexibility, free Internet, creating conducive environment, Moodle training, skills acquisition and support from faculty members' and information technology team. Recommendations for improvement ranged from modifying course outline, summarising previous lessons, reducing course load, adequate assessment tools, incentives, guidelines enforcement to regular training. Originality/value: This is an original work carried out by the researchers in a specific context. The findings suggest the need to address various challenges for effective online teaching. School managers' and relevant key stakeholders need to understand educators' teaching experiences as well as their recommended improvement strategies, to enhance online teaching. © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Unintended consequences of knowledge management during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021: the case of Netflix

Purpose: Unintended consequences of knowledge management (KM) can be harmful if they are calamitous. However, they can occasionally be advantageous during catastrophes. The purpose of this study is to investigate how KM can be accidentally propitious during the COVID-19 pandemic using the case of Netflix. Design/methodology/approach: Explanatory factor analysis, multilevel and multiple regressions were used with a sample of 45 countries. Findings: In the authors' sample, the hypothesized direct relationship between culture (i.e. individualism, power distance and indulgence) and collective pandemic resilience (CPR) was found. In addition, the hypothesized moderating effect of Netflix KM on the relationship between culture and CPR was partially confirmed. The findings suggest that KM during the pandemic can generate an unintended consequence of intensifying the degree of CPR. Research limitations/implications: Small sample size, data paucity and the constructed variable of CPR might limit the generalizability of this study's results. Nonetheless, one important research implication is that KM qua unintended consequences can have a significant moderating effect on the relationship between culture and resilience. Practical implications: This paper highlights how organizations and society can cocreate the value of KM accidentally for the benefit of a larger public during calamities. Also, firms should proactively search for a wider application of their KM beyond their original intention. Originality/value: This paper initiates a new discussion of positive consequences of unintended KM. Unlike individual-level studies of collective resilience in the past, to the best of the authors' knowledge, this study generates country-level implications for the first time. © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Facilitator reflections on online delivery of simulation-based mental health education during COVID-19

Purpose: During COVID-19, Maudsley Simulation successfully pivoted to fully online delivery of simulation-based education (SBE) in mental health. In migrating digitally, the simulation faculty experienced a range of new phenomena and challenges. The authors' experiences may be transferable to other specialities and for other educator groups. By sharing the authors' experiences, this study aims to support others adapt to online SBE. Design/methodology/approach: This piece represents the authors' collective reflections on the challenges of adapting their facilitation skills to the online environment. It also offers various suggestions on how to improve the learner experience in view of these challenges. Findings: Beyond merely platform orientation and operating procedure familiarisation, the team gained insights into ensuring optimal learning, engagement and participant experience during online deliveries. Delivery of online SBE brings several potential barriers to psychological safety and these warrant careful consideration by experienced simulationists. Practical implications: Optimising participant engagement and psychological safety remain key considerations despite this novel medium. Facilitators must be willing to adapt accordingly to begin delivering high-quality online SBE. Originality/value: From their experience, facilitators must reframe their debriefing expectations and adjust how they engage participants and manage group dynamics given the inherently different nature of this new learning environment.

Reimagining Social Work Placements in the Covid-19 Pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed how social work education is provided, and these changes are particularly pronounced in field education. Globally, the introduction of restrictions on mobility and social interaction have contributed to the cancellation, postponement and early termination of social work field placements. Accrediting bodies, social work field education departments and industry partner agencies have needed to rapidly adapt how placements are conceptualised and provided. This article examines the experiences of agencies who have continued to provide student placements throughout the pandemic. Interviews were conducted with placement supervisors employed at twelve human services agencies partnering with a university social work department in Melbourne, Australia. Whilst experiencing challenges, agencies outlined how they adapted to the environment to enable meaningful student placement experiences. This article contributes to an ongoing discussion around the trajectory of social work field education and the significance of agency-based placements in this evolution.

Exploring dynamic effects on classifying service quality attributes under the impacts of COVID-19 with evidence from online reviews

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is exploring the effects of segment dynamic and temporal dynamic triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic on classifying service quality attributes, thereby formulating improvement strategies to satisfy customers and respond to threats. Design/methodology/approach: Given the dynamics of the attractive quality theory, this paper designs a framework with four phases by embedding techniques of text mining and deep learning based on evidence from online reviews. Findings: This paper figures out dynamics of service quality attributes for distinct segments and their dynamic proportion along with different stages of the pandemic. Another finding demonstrates segment dynamic and temporal dynamic effects of sentiments toward service quality attributes on customer satisfaction under the impacts of pandemic. Classification results and improvement strategies are derived for varying segments at different pandemic situations. Practical implications: This paper reveals dynamic effects on classifying service quality attributes, which contributes to assisting hospitality practitioners from different segments in improving service quality when facing with the challenges of crisis and potential risks. Originality/value: Given hospitality industry is time- and segment-sensitive, the authors achieve the quantification of dynamics of attractive quality theory and extend it into hospitality marketing and crisis management from the perspective of dynamics with evidence from online reviews. © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Pro or Anti? A Social Influence Model of Online Stance Flipping

Social influence characterizes the change of an individual's stances in a complex social environment towards a topic. Two factors often govern the influence of stances in an online social network: endogenous influences driven by an individual's innate beliefs through the agent's past stances and exogenous influences formed by social network influence between users. Both endogenous and exogenous influences offer important cues to user susceptibility, thereby enhancing the predictive performance on stance changes or flipping. In this work, we propose a stance flipping prediction problem to identify Twitter agents that are susceptible to stance flipping towards the coronavirus vaccine (i.e., from pro-vaccine to anti-vaccine). Specifically, we design a social influence model where each agent has some fixed innate stance and a conviction of the stance that reflects the resistance to change;agents influence each other through the social network structure. From data collected between April 2020 to May 2021, our model achieves 86% accuracy in predicting agents that flip stances. Further analysis identifies that agents that flip stances have significantly more neighbors engaging in collective expression of the opposite stance, and 53.7% of the agents that flip stances are bots and bot agents require lesser social influence to flip stances. © 2013 IEEE.