Search Results (1,254)

Augmented Reality (AR) has emerged as a promising educational tool, offering new opportunities to enhance learning through immersive and interactive experiences. This study aimed to evaluate the degree of acceptance of AR by secondary school students using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as the theoretical framework. A quasi-experimental post-test design was implemented with a sample of 321 students (ages 14–17) who engaged with ComputAR, a mobile AR application developed specifically for a didactic unit on computer systems. Data were collected through a validated TAM questionnaire encompassing five dimensions: “perceived usefulness”, “perceived ease of use”, “perceived enjoyment”, “attitude towards using”, and “behavioural intention to use”. The results indicate a high level of acceptance of AR-based educational tools. Significant differences were found in “perceived ease of use” depending on gender, with male students reporting higher ease, while no gender differences emerged in “perceived usefulness” or “behavioural intention”. Additionally, ICT previous experience was shown to positively affect “perceived enjoyment”, ease of use, and usefulness. In conclusion, these findings confirm the relevance of AR for fostering student motivation and engagement. Full article

Against the backdrop of green and sustainable development, green innovation has become a central issue of concern for both society and academia. Based on regional innovation system and network theories, this study conceptualizes the urban knowledge base as a network structure rather than a simple collection of isolated knowledge elements. Using green patent licensing data, a multi-layer network is constructed, and the Exponential Random Graph Model (ERGM) is employed to examine the impact of urban knowledge network structures on city-level innovation diffusion. The study finds that in the green ICT field, cities’ deep embedding in knowledge networks weakens their ability to absorb external innovations, while broad embedding facilitates the introduction of external innovations. In the green transportation field, deep embedding in knowledge networks enhances the absorption of external innovations, whereas broad embedding has no significant effect. In both fields, knowledge combination potential and knowledge uniqueness promote the outward diffusion of local innovations but weaken the inflow of external innovations. This study not only offers theoretical insights into innovation diffusion at the city level but also provides guidance for policymakers in developing targeted urban sustainable development strategies. Full article

Nowadays, the use of technology has become increasingly indispensable, leading to prolonged exposure to computers and other screen devices. This situation is common in work areas related to Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), where people spend long hours in front of a computer. This exposure has been associated with the development of musculoskeletal disorders, among which nonspecific back pain is particularly prevalent. This observational study presents the design of a telerehabilitation strategy based on 3D animations, which is aimed at enhancing the musculoskeletal health of individuals working or studying in ICT-related fields. The intervention was developed through the Moodle platform and designed using the ADDIE instructional model, incorporating educational content and therapeutic exercises adapted to digital ergonomics. The sample included university students in the field of computer science who were experiencing symptoms associated with prolonged computer use. After a four-week intervention period, the results show favorable changes in pain perception and knowledge of postural hygiene. These findings suggest that a distance-based educational and therapeutic strategy may be a useful approach for the prevention and treatment of back pain in academic settings. Full article

Due to the severe hazard of aflatoxins (AFs) to humans, it is of great significance to detect the key aflatoxins, aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) and aflatoxin G₁ (AFG₁), in food and feed in simple, rapid, and semi-quantitative ways. The hybridoma clone 3A1 was prepared in this study, and anti-AFB₁ monoclonal antibody (mAb) with high specificity and affinity (9.38 × 10⁸ L/mol) from 3A1 was purified. The indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ic-ELISA) demonstrated that the linear detection range for AFB₁ was 0.029–1.526 ng/mL with a limits of determination (LOD) of 0.023 ng/mL. A latex microsphere-based immunochromatographic test strip (LM-ICTS) was constructed based on 3A1, which showed that the strip could detect AFB₁ (LOD: lower than 1.79 ng/mL) and AFG₁ (LOD: lower than 8.08 ng/mL), and the linear detection ranges for AFB₁ and AFG₁ are 1.79–48.46 ng/mL and 8.08–107.40 ng/mL, respectively. The average recoveries of intra-assay and inter-assay for peanuts were (98.4 ± 4.7)% and (92.6 ± 7.6)%, and the average coefficient of variation (CVs) were 4.38% and 8.15%, respectively. For sunflower seeds, the intra-assay and inter-assay recoveries were (94.4 ± 7.2)% and (89.2 ± 4.3)%, and the average CVs were 6.6% and 4.9%, respectively. In summary, the developed LM-ICTS exhibited excellent sensitivity and specificity, which provided a rapidly stable on-site detection choice for AFB₁ and AFG₁ to contaminated agricultural samples, including grain and feed. Full article

Teaching with technology enhances instructional effectiveness and student engagement, particularly in mathematics, accounting, and ICT education. Digital learning creates an interactive environment that fosters deeper understanding and keeps learners updated with current trends. For teachers, it offers tools to assess student strengths and weaknesses better, guiding them to develop targeted interventions. However, successful technology integration depends on educators’ digital skills, an area where many still face challenges. This paper aims to assess teachers’ technological and pedagogical proficiency and identify barriers to integration. The study employed a mixed-method approach with 60 teacher respondents selected through stratified random sampling from both urban and rural schools. Data was collected through online interviews, classroom observations, and pre- and post-survey questionnaires focusing on confidence, competence, and willingness to use technology. Thematic analysis and paired sample t-tests using SPSS v.20 revealed a significant improvement in teachers’ technological skills following an intervention program. It also identified both internal and external factors hindering technological integration in the classroom. Findings emphasize that sustained support and training are essential for effective technology use in the classroom and recommend that school administrators embed technology in curriculum planning to enhance both instruction and extension activities. Full article

The aim of the study was to evaluate the digital business transformation across EU countries and its relationship with key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), and SDG 13 (Climate Action). The Digital Business Transformation Index, developed from eleven digital technology indicators related to e-business and e-commerce, is constructed using Principal Component Analysis to provide a comprehensive framework for assessing digitalization at the enterprise level. The results reveal substantial disparities among member states, with northern and western countries leading, while southern and eastern countries are lagging behind. Regression analyses show a strong positive relationship between digital business transformation and SDG 9 and a negative association with SDG 13. Cluster analysis identifies six groups of countries with varying levels of digital and sustainability performance and emphasizes the need for tailored policy responses. Evidence confirms a digital–green trade-off in many EU countries; however, strategic policy integration can mitigate this challenge. The findings underline the importance of targeted investments in R&D, digital infrastructure, and ICT training, particularly in underperforming regions. Tailored measures are essential to ensure that digital business transformation aligns with inclusive and sustainable development across the EU. Full article

This feature paper explores the comparative pedagogical roles of concrete and virtual manipulatives in preservice mathematics teacher education. Based on a design-based research (DBR) methodology, this study investigates the effects of tangible tools (e.g., base-ten blocks, fraction circles) and digital applications (e.g., GeoGebra Classic 6, Polypad) on preservice teachers’ problem solving, conceptual understanding, engagement, and instructional reasoning. Data were collected through surveys (n = 53), semi-structured interviews (n = 25), and classroom observations (n = 30) in a Spanish university’s teacher education program. Key findings show that both forms of manipulatives significantly enhance engagement and conceptual clarity, but are affected by logistical and digital access barriers. This paper further proposes a theoretically grounded model for simulating manipulatives through ICT-based environments, enabling scalable and adaptive mathematics teacher training. By linking constructivist learning theory, the Technologically Enhanced Learning Environment (TELE) framework, and simulation-based pedagogy, this model aims to replicate the cognitive, affective, and collaborative affordances of manipulatives in virtual contexts. Distinct from prior work, this study contributes an integrated theoretical and practical framework, contextualized through empirical classroom data, and presents a clear plan for real-world ICT-based implementation. The findings provide actionable insights for teacher educators, edtech developers, and policymakers seeking to expand equitable and engaging mathematics education through simulation and blended modalities. Full article

In the digital era, integrating technology into education is essential to meet contemporary educational demands. This systematic review examines the competencies and skills in educational technology required from in-service teachers serving in elementary, middle, and high schools, alongside the training models and methods implemented over the past decade. Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search was conducted in the Scopus, WOS, and ERIC databases, focusing on studies published between 2014 and 2025. A total of 82 studies were selected based on predefined inclusion criteria. The review analyzed competencies, skills, training models, and methods, identifying prevailing trends in teacher training for educational technology. The review identified seven key competencies, emphasizing skills such as using software, educational applications, and platforms, as well as virtual collaboration. The TPACK model emerged as the predominant framework for teacher training, encompassing various methods, including professional learning communities and Problem-Based Learning. A progressive and structured approach is necessary to develop teachers’ competencies, encompassing both basic technical skills and the adoption of emerging technologies. Continuous and context-specific teacher training in educational technology is critical for sustainable integration and pedagogical transformation. Barriers such as limited infrastructure and resistance to change highlight the need for strong institutional support and mentorship. Future research should aim to expand to diverse educational settings to validate and extend these findings. Full article

pH is a critical parameter requiring precise monitoring across scientific, industrial, and biological domains. Fluorescent pH probes offer a powerful alternative to traditional methods (e.g., electrodes, indicators), overcoming limitations in miniaturization, long-term stability, and electromagnetic interference. By utilizing photophysical mechanisms—including intramolecular charge transfer (ICT), photoinduced electron transfer (PET), and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)—these probes enable high-sensitivity, reusable, and biocompatible sensing. This review systematically details recent advances, categorizing probes by operational pH range: strongly acidic (0–3), weakly acidic (3–7), strongly alkaline (>12), weakly alkaline (7–11), near-neutral (6–8), and wide-dynamic range. Innovations such as ratiometric detection, organelle-specific targeting (lysosomes, mitochondria), smartphone colorimetry, and dual-analyte response (e.g., pH + Al³⁺/CN⁻) are highlighted. Applications span real-time cellular imaging (HeLa cells, zebrafish, mice), food quality assessment, environmental monitoring, and industrial diagnostics (e.g., concrete pH). Persistent challenges include extreme-pH sensing (notably alkalinity), photobleaching, dye leakage, and environmental resilience. Future research should prioritize broadening functional pH ranges, enhancing probe stability, and developing wide-range sensing strategies to advance deployment in commercial and industrial online monitoring platforms. Full article

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are becoming increasingly important for sustainable rural development through the smart village concept. This study aims to model ICT’s potential for public services management in European rural areas. It identifies ICT applications across rural service domains, analyzes how these technologies address specific rural challenges, and evaluates their benefits, implementation barriers, and future prospects for sustainable rural development. A qualitative content analysis method was applied using purposive sampling to analyze 79 peer-reviewed articles from EBSCO and Elsevier databases (2000–2024). A deductive approach employed predefined categories to systematically classify ICT applications across rural public service domains, with data coded according to technology scope, problems addressed, and implementation challenges. The analysis identified 15 ICT application domains (agriculture, healthcare, education, governance, energy, transport, etc.) and 42 key technology categories (Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cloud computing, digital platforms, mobile applications, etc.). These technologies address four fundamental rural challenges: limited service accessibility, inefficient resource management, demographic pressures, and social exclusion. This study provides the first comprehensive systematic categorization of ICT applications in smart villages, establishing a theoretical framework connecting technology deployment with sustainable development dimensions. Findings demonstrate that successful ICT implementation requires integrated urban–rural cooperation, community-centered approaches, and balanced attention to economic, social, and environmental sustainability. The research identifies persistent challenges, including inadequate infrastructure, limited digital competencies, and high implementation costs, providing actionable insights for policymakers and practitioners developing ICT-enabled rural development strategies. Full article

This study explores digital inequality as a socio-spatial phenomenon within the context of smart inclusion, focusing on the Regional Unit of Xanthi, Greece—a region marked by ethno-cultural diversity and pronounced urban–rural contrasts. Using a mixed-methods design, this research integrates secondary quantitative data with qualitative insights from semi-structured interviews, aiming to uncover how spatial, demographic, and cultural variables shape digital engagement. Geographic Information System (GIS) tools are employed to map disparities in internet access and ICT infrastructure, revealing significant gaps linked to geography, education, and economic status. The findings demonstrate that digital inequality is particularly acute in rural, minority, and economically marginalized communities, where limited infrastructure intersects with low digital literacy and socio-economic disadvantage. Interview data further illuminate how residents navigate exclusion, emphasizing generational divides, perceptions of technology, and place-based constraints. By bridging spatial analysis with lived experience, this study advances the conceptualization of digitally inclusive smart regions. It offers policy-relevant insights into how territorial inequality undermines the goals of smart development and proposes context-sensitive interventions to promote equitable digital participation. The case of Xanthi underscores the importance of integrating spatial justice into smart city and regional planning agendas. Full article

The digital business environment is rapidly evolving with advancements in information technology (IT), increasing the risk of information security incidents. Grounded in the resource-based view and in contingency theory, this study adopts a different approach from prior research by conceptualizing security management activities not as mere risk control mechanisms, but as strategic innovation drivers that can enhance corporate performance (sales revenue and operating profit). The authors develop a research model with six independent variables, including internal and external security management activities, CISO role configuration (independent or dual-role with CIO), and investment levels in IT and information security. The dependent variables include sales revenue and operating profit, with ISMS or ISO certification as a moderating variable. Using information security (IS) disclosures and financial data from 545 Korean firms that have reported their security management activities to the Ministry of Science and ICT, multiple regression and moderation analyses reveal that high IT investment negatively impacts performance, but this effect is mitigated when formal security systems, like ISMS or ISO, are in place. The results suggest that integrating recognized security frameworks into management strategies can enhance both innovation and financial outcomes, encouraging a proactive approach to security management. Full article

Global resource depletion has intensified scrutiny on Sustainable Development Goal 12 (SDG12), where consumption-based material footprint serves as a critical sustainability metric. Despite its transformative potential, the paradoxical role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in resource conservation remains underexplored. This study adopts an extended STIRPAT model as the analytical framework. It employs the Method of Moments Quantile Regression to evaluate the non-linear effects of digitalization-related indicators and other influencing factors on material footprint. The analysis is conducted across different quantiles for G20 countries from 2000 to 2020. The results show that (1) ICT exhibits a substantial positive effect on consumption-based material footprint under all quantiles. This leads to an increase in the material footprint, hindering the G20’s progress toward achieving SDG12. (2) The impact of ICT varies notably, with a more pronounced adverse effect on SDG12 in countries with higher resource consumption. (3) ICT goods export trade, technological innovation, and globalization significantly mitigate ICT’s adverse impact on resource consumption. This study provides targeted recommendations for G20 countries on how to leverage ICT to achieve SDG12 more effectively. Full article

In this study, we synthesized novel donor–π–acceptor (D–π–A) functional dyes bearing a carbonyl-bridged bithiophene as a π-conjugated spacer and evaluated the absorption and fluorescence properties as well as the photostability. The developed dyes 1-CO–3-CO possess an N,N-diphenylaminophenyl electron donor unit and an electron acceptor unit such as a formyl group (1-CO), an (N,N-diethylthiobarbituryl)methylene moiety (2-CO), or a (3-dicyanomethylidene-1-indanon-2-yl)methylene moiety (3-CO). The absorption spectra of 1-CO–3-CO in dichloromethane at room temperature showed absorption maxima at 569 nm, 631 nm, and 667 nm, respectively, and the stronger acceptors in 2-CO and 3-CO led to enhancement of the ICT character. In addition, 2-CO and 3-CO had a second absorption band in the visible region, showing panchromatic absorption properties. Electrochemical analyses of the developed dyes revealed that the carbonyl bridging group in the π-spacer contributes to stabilization of the frontier orbitals such as the highest occupied and lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals (HOMO and LUMO, respectively), in comparison with the referential dyes bearing a dibutylmethylene-bridged bithiophene spacer, 1-CBu₂–3-CBu₂. The HOMO/LUMO stabilization brought about high photostability in the doped poly(methyl methacrylate) film. Full article

The rapid uptake of electric vehicles (EVs) in the Jawa–Madura–Bali (Jamali) grid produces highly variable charging demands that threaten the supply–demand balance. To forestall instability, we developed a predictive simulation based on long short-term memory (LSTM) networks that combines historical generation and consumption patterns with models of EV population growth and initial charging-time (ICT). We introduce a novel supply–demand balance score to quantify weekly and annual deviations between projected supply and demand curves, then use this metric to guide the machine-learning model in optimizing annual growth rate (AGR) and preventing supply demand imbalance. Relative to a business-as-usual baseline, our approach improves balance scores by 64% and projects up to a 59% reduction in charging load by 2060. These results demonstrate the promise of data-driven demand-management strategies for maintaining grid reliability during large-scale EV integration. Full article