scholarly journals Informing the Sustainable Pursuit of Happiness

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (22) ◽  
pp. 9491
Author(s):  
Scott Cloutier ◽  
Michael Angilletta ◽  
Jean-Denis Mathias ◽  
Nuri C. Onat
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Computer Game ◽  
Optimization Approach ◽  
Subjective Happiness ◽  
Board Game ◽  
Pursuit Of Happiness ◽  
Use Of Time ◽  
Optimality Model ◽  
Demographic Processes ◽  
Sustainability Challenges

Although most people want to be happy, the pursuit of happiness involves an overwhelming number of choices and great uncertainty about the consequences. Many of these choices have significant implications for sustainability, which are rarely considered. Here, we present an optimality model that maximizes subjective happiness, which can eventually account for sustainability outcomes. Our model identifies the optimal use of time or energy to maximize happiness. Such models tell people how to invest in domains of happiness (e.g., work vs. leisure) and how to choose activities within domains (e.g., playing a computer game vs. playing a board game). We illustrate this optimization approach with data from an online survey, in which people (n = 87) either recalled or imagined their happiness during common activities. People reported decelerating happiness over time, but the rate of deceleration differed among activities. On average, people imagined spending more time on each activity than would be needed to maximize happiness, suggesting that an optimality model has value for guiding decisions. We then discuss how such models can address sustainability challenges associated with overinvesting (e.g., excessive CO2 emissions). To optimize happiness and explore its implications for sustainability over long periods, models can incorporate psychological processes that alter the potential for happiness and demographic processes that make lifespan uncertain. In cases where less objective approaches have failed, a quantitative theory may improve opportunities for happiness, while meeting sustainability outcomes.

scholarly journals Use of ‘Time Trap Board Game’ to Teach Grammar

2013 ◽  
Vol 105 ◽  
pp. 398-409 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tengku Nazatul Shima Tengku Dato Paris ◽  
Rahmah Lob Yussof
Keyword(s):  
Board Game ◽  
Use Of Time

scholarly journals P061: Post-market surveillance of a serious board game: the GridlockED experience

CJEM ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (S1) ◽  
pp. S85
Author(s):  
S. Hale ◽  
T. Chan
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Patient Flow ◽  
Board Game ◽  
Board Games ◽  
Institutional Review ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Post Market ◽  
Disaster Scenario ◽  
Main Barrier

Introduction: In 2016, a team at McMaster began developing GridlockED, an educational (or “serious”) board game designed to teach medical learners about patient flow in the emergency department. As serious board games are a relatively new phenomenon in medical education, there is little data on how marketed games are actually used once received by end-users. In this study our goal was to better understand the demographics and game usage for purchasers of the GridlockED board game, which will inform the further improvement or expansion of the game. Methods: Individuals who expressed interest in purchasing gridlockED via our online storefront were sent an anonymous online survey via Google Form. The survey collected demographic and qualitative data with a focus on the respondent's role in medicine, how they have used GridlockED, who they have played GridlockED with, and what changes or additions to GridlockED they would like to see. We also asked about changes for a potential mass-market version of the game targeted towards non-medical individuals. Individuals who did not purchase the game were asked about their barriers to purchase. We received an exemption for this study from our institutional review board. Results: 42 responses (out of 300 individuals on our mailing list, 14% response rate) were collected. Responding purchasers were from 16 different roles in healthcare and 11 different countries. The top 5 roles were: EM trainee, Community EM MD, Academic EM MD, Physicians from other specialties, and EM program director. The majority of respondents were Canadian (38%), with America (21%), New Zealand (10%), and Turkey (7%) the only other countries to have more than 2 respondents. 50% reported having played the game, with the most common use cases being for fun (76%), for teaching trainees (33%) or training with colleagues (19%). For those who did not purchase, price was the largest barrier (81%). 50% of respondents expressed interest in a disaster scenario expansion pack, with 33% interested in set lesson plans. Conclusion: GridlockED attracted interest from a wide range of medical professionals, both in terms or role and location. Users mainly reported using the game for fun, with fewer users using the game for teaching/training purposes. The main barrier to purchase was the game's price.

scholarly journals Application of Game-Based Learning in the Teaching Process of Disaster Medicine for Medical Students

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (s1) ◽  
pp. s101-s101
Author(s):  
Hai Hu
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Computer Game ◽  
Disaster Medicine ◽  
Board Game ◽  
Game Based Learning ◽  
Teaching Process ◽  
Novel Method ◽  
Great Possibility ◽  
Injury Classification ◽  
Better Than

Introduction:Classroom instruction of disaster medicine for medical students is complicated and lacks attraction. Nowadays a novel method, which is named Game-Based Learning (GBL), has been used in other fields and received good feedback.Aim:To apply GBL to the teaching process of disaster medicine and discuss the effect of its application.Methods:A computer game was devised based on a syllabus of disaster medicine and employed it in classes of disaster medicine for medical students. Then a questionnaire about the application of GBL in education was used inquiring the demands of medical students for the designing of GBL in disaster medicine, including their platform and game mode preferences. Feedback was collected and data was analyzed after the class.Results:201 questionnaires were issued, and the valid rate was 100%. From the responses, 77% of medical students considered the application of GBL in education on disaster medicine was necessary, and 73% of the respondents thought it was practical. Furthermore, over 90% of medical students expressed their expectation for the adoption of GBL. According to another survey of 51 medical students we conducted, after attending a class about knowledge of injury classification with one board game adopted, most of the students believed GBL was better than traditional methods of teaching.Discussion:There is a high approbation degree among medical students to the adoption of GBL in the teaching process of disaster medicine, which suggests a great possibility for the application of GBL in medical education. It is concluded that GBL can be used in the teaching process of disaster medicine.

An International Study on Learning and Process Choices in the Global Game Jam

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 27-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Arya ◽  
Jeff Chastine ◽  
Jon Preston ◽  
Allan Fowler
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Development Process ◽  
Community Building ◽  
Learning Experiences ◽  
Computer Game ◽  
International Study ◽  
Limited Time ◽  
Demographic Information ◽  
Global Game ◽  
Two Phases

This paper reports the results of an online survey done by Global Game Jam (GGJ) participants in January 2012. This is an expansion of an earlier survey of a local game jam event and seeks to validate and extend previous studies. The objectives of this survey were collecting demographic information about the GGJ participants, understanding their motivations, studying the effectiveness of GGJ as a learning and community-building experience, and understanding the process used by GGJ participants to make a computer game in extremely limited time. The survey was done in two phases: pre-jam and post-jam. Collectively, the information in this survey can be used to (1) plan different learning experiences, (2) revise the development process for professional and academic projects, and (3) provide additional elements to game jams or change their structures based on the participants' comments to make them more fruitful.

scholarly journals Sustainability practices at higher education institutions in Asia

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Walter Leal Filho ◽  
Maria Alzira Pimenta Dinis ◽  
Subarna Sivapalan ◽  
Halima Begum ◽  
Theam Foo Ng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Or Education ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainability Practices ◽  
Sustainability Challenges

Purpose It is still unclear how Asian universities incorporate the theory or practice of sustainable development (SD) in their research and education programmes. To address this gap, the purpose of this paper is to report on a study that has examined how universities in Asian countries handle and address matters related to SD. Design/methodology/approach The study used a bibliometric analysis and an online survey-method. The online survey data were analysed through descriptive analysis and one-sample student’s t-test. Findings The study indicates that there is considerable variation among the Asian countries regarding sustainability practices in higher education institutions (HEIs). The HEIs in far eastern countries, such as Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand are perceived to demonstrate more sustainability practices. Research limitations/implications Even though a substantial number of participants participated in the survey, it did not cover all Asian countries. The online survey was carried out over a limited period of time, and not all HEIs in the field may have received information about the study. Practical implications Asia is the largest continent facing a number of sustainability challenges. In this context, the contribution of HEIs is very important. The findings of the current study may serve as a baseline for Asian HEIs to take more initiatives towards SD goals, as HEIs are responsible for the education and training of hundreds of thousands of students who will be occupying key positions in industry, government or education in the coming years. Originality/value The study contributes to the existing literature in two distinct ways. First, it was possible to develop a comprehensive instrument to measure sustainability practices in HEIs. Second, this study has filled the gap of the scarcity of studies regarding sustainability practices in HEIs in Asia.

scholarly journals Establishing the Relative Importance of Specific Sustainability Themes That Influence Women’s Choice of Engineering as a Career Using the Analytical Hierarchy Process

2022 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 566
Author(s):  
Ibifuro Ken-Giami ◽  
Sarinova Simandjuntak ◽  
Linda Yang ◽  
Ann Coats ◽  
David Sanders
Keyword(s):  
Analytical Hierarchy Process ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Recruitment Strategy ◽  
Valuable Insight ◽  
Relative Importance ◽  
Underrepresentation Of Women ◽  
Social Environmental ◽  
Sustainability Challenges ◽  
Hierarchy Process

Understanding the importance of salient factors associated with sustainability challenges that engineers are known to solve in influencing women’s choice of engineering is particularly important in this present world where a combination of these sustainability issues, the underrepresentation of women and the need for more engineers remain a challenge to the profession. However, little is known about the degree of importance of more detailed themes within the social, environmental and economic sustainability pillars in such career decisions. Consequently, the aim of this paper is to understand the relative importance of specific sustainability-themed factors influencing women’s choice of engineering, using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). An AHP structurally designed online survey was used to gather and analyze data from a sample of 414 UK and Nigeria respondents. The results showed that of all the ten sustainability-themed factors examined in this study, water quality/quantity, climate change, waste management, biodiversity, and material consumption/energy use, had a greater influence on the respondents’ choice of engineering relative to other factors. The data revealed specific rather than general sustainability themes that appeal to women’s choice of engineering. This could offer valuable insight from a recruitment strategy perspective to help engineering stakeholders to focus their attention and recruitment efforts on the most salient areas of influence.

scholarly journals The Impact of an Online Happiness Course on Subjective Happiness Among College Students

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 69
Author(s):  
Casey Murdoch Rodowicz ◽  
Laura Morris ◽  
Cara L. Sidman ◽  
Kelsey Beyer
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Survey Methodology ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Subjective Happiness ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Beneficial Impact ◽  
The Impact

Background: This research examined the subjective happiness of students enrolled in either a 5-week happiness or a 5-week recreational course, both administered online. Studies have shown improvements in college students’ well-being after teaching them behavior modification strategies, in a face-to-face setting, similar to those implemented in the present study. In addition, the past three decades of research on positive psychology has provided extensive evidence of the beneficial impact of happiness, or positive psychological interventions (PPIs), on various aspects of well-being. These include emotional variables related to stress.Aim: The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of an evidence-based online happiness course on subjective happiness among college students. Methods: Participants (N = 74) were self-selected based on course enrollment. The population of interest was college students (18 – 22 years of age). An online survey methodology was utilized for data collection of pretest/posttest measures of subjective happiness.Results: Participants in both the happiness and recreational courses reported increased measures of subjective happiness, although there was no significant difference between group meansConclusion: Future research investigating university-based happiness courses and other interventions, using a variety of delivery formats, is recommended to determine the most effective ways to improve overall happiness in student populations.

scholarly journals Step-wise modifications of the Vegetation Optimality Model

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Remko Christiaan Nijzink ◽  
Jason Beringer ◽  
Lindsay Beaumont Hutley ◽  
Stanislaus Josef Schymanski
Keyword(s):  
Soil Texture ◽  
Optimality Theory ◽  
Input Data ◽  
Optimization Approach ◽  
Flux Tower ◽  
Optimality Model ◽  
Free Drainage ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Conventional Models ◽  
Modified Soil

Abstract. The Vegetation Optimality Model (VOM, Schymanski et al., 2009, 2015) is an optimality-based, coupled water-vegetation model that predicts vegetation properties and behaviour based on optimality theory, rather than calibrating vegetation properties or prescribing them based on observations, as most conventional models do. In order to determine wheter optimality theory can alleviate common shortcomings of conventional models, as identified in a previous model inter-comparison study along the North Australian Tropical Transect (NATT) (Whitley et al., 2016), a range of updates to previous applications of the VOM have been made for increased generality and improved comparability with conventional models. To assess in how far the updates to the model and input data would have affected the original results, we implemented them one-by-one while reproducing the analysis of Schymanski et al. (2015). The model updates included extended input data, the use of variable atmospheric CO2-levels, modified soil properties, implementation of free drainage conditions, and the addition of grass rooting depths to the optimized vegetation properties. A systematic assessment of these changes was carried out by adding each individual modification to the original version of the VOM at the flux tower site of Howard Springs, Australia. The analysis revealed that the implemented changes affected the simulation of mean annual evapo-transpiration (ET) and gross primary productivity (GPP) by no more than 20 %, with the largest effects caused by the newly imposed free drainage conditions and modified soil texture. Free drainage conditions led to an underestimation of ET and GPP, whereas more fine-grained soil textures increased the water storage in the soil and resulted in increased GPP. Although part of the effect of free drainage was compensated for by the updated soil texture, when combining all changes, the resulting effect on the simulated fluxes was still dominated by the effect of implementing free drainage conditions. Eventually, the relative error for the mean annual ET, in comparison with flux tower observations, changed from an 8.4 % overestimation to an 10.2 % underestimation, whereas the relative errors for the mean annual GPP stayed similar with a change from 17.8 % to 14.7 %. The sensitivity to free drainage conditions suggests that a realistic representation of groundwater dynamics is very important for predicting ET and GPP at a tropical open-forest savanna site as investigated here. The modest changes in model outputs highlighted the robustness of the optimization approach that is central to the VOM architecture.

scholarly journals How to Improve Users’ Loyalty to Smart Health Devices? The Perspective of Compatibility

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (19) ◽  
pp. 10722
Author(s):  
Xin Liao ◽  
Dongming Wu ◽  
Qianqian Zhang ◽  
Ge Han
Keyword(s):  
Theoretical Model ◽  
Empirical Data ◽  
User Satisfaction ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Health Management ◽  
Underlying Mechanism ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Smart Health ◽  
Sustainability Challenges

Despite the explosive growth of smart health devices in recent years, the industry faces serious sustainability challenges. From the perspective of compatibility, this study proposed a theoretical model to help understand the formation of users’ loyalty. Using an online survey method, we collected empirical data from 375 users with experience of smart health devices. The results indicate that compatibility with online health management and compatibility with value positively affect users’ satisfaction, which in turn contributes to users’ loyalty to smart health devices. Meanwhile, both compatibility with online and offline health management have significant impacts on users’ compatibility with value. Finally, the mediation tests suggested that user satisfaction significantly mediates the effects of compatibility with online practice and compatibility with value on loyalty. Theoretically, this study contributes to the literature by investigating the influence of three compatibilities on loyalty and verifying the underlying mechanism linking them. Practically, the findings of this study can provide valuable insights for practitioners to increase consumers’ loyalty.

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