Search Results (709)

This study analyzes the ICT infrastructure in teaching practice centers from the perspective of students enrolled in early childhood and primary education degree programs at a Spanish university during the 2024–2025 academic year. A quantitative, cross-sectional design was employed. A questionnaire was distributed to all first- to fourth-year students via the university platform, with a sample of 556 participants. The data collection instrument consisted of an ad hoc adaptation and extension of the validated EdSocEval_V2 questionnaire, ensuring factorial validity. It was used to examine the availability of technological resources for communication and digital management, together with personal and contextual variables to support data classification. Results indicate high availability of basic digital resources, including projectors, Wi-Fi, interactive whiteboards, printers, alongside limited access to robotics, digital tablets, and classrooms of the future. High homogeneity was observed in communication and digital management resources, such as websites, virtual learning environments and corporate email. MANOVA analyses revealed that students perceive ICT infrastructure to be more integrated at higher levels of primary education, with no significant differences based on school ownership. Binary logistic regressions showed that school ownership predicts the availability of certain ICT resources, with private schools exhibiting lower network presence. Full article

Dimensional accuracy of 3D-printed implant models is essential for precise implant-supported restorations. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of printing orientation and model base design on the accuracy of implant position transfer. A standardized maxillary model with four implants was scanned using an intraoral scanner. Solid and hollow models were designed and printed using digital light processing (DLP) technology at orientations of 0°, 45°, and 90° (n = 10 per group). All models were digitized with a high-precision industrial scanner, and implant position deviations were determined by comparing corresponding reference points with the master model. Data were analyzed using two-way analysis of variance and post hoc tests (α = 0.05). Printing orientation significantly affected accuracy (p < 0.001). Models printed at 45° showed the highest deviations, whereas those printed at 0° and 90° exhibited comparable and superior accuracy. Model design (solid vs. hollow) had no significant influence at 0° and 90°, but hollow models were more accurate at 45° (p < 0.001). Mean deviations ranged from 131 μm to 382 μm. Printing at 0° or 90° is recommended, while 45° orientations should be avoided. Model design showed minimal effect on accuracy. Full article

The synergistic development of digitalization and green transition has become a key driver for promoting China’s high-quality economic development. To elucidate the impact and mechanism of digital–green policy synergy on urban carbon emissions, this paper utilizes the intersection of the “National Big Data Comprehensive Pilot Zones” (BDPZ) and “Low-Carbon City Pilot” (LCCP) programs as a quasi-natural experiment. Based on panel data from 300 prefecture-level cities in China from 2005 to 2023, a multi-period DID model is constructed for empirical research. The empirical results indicate the following: (1) The synergy between digital and green policies significantly curbs urban carbon emissions, and this conclusion remains robust after parallel trend tests and a series of robustness checks. (2) Compared with single digital or green policies, the digital–green synergy exhibits a significantly superior carbon reduction effect. (3) Mechanism analysis reveals that digital–green synergy promotes low-carbon transition primarily through three pathways: driving green technology innovation, promoting the agglomeration of scientific and technological talent, and optimizing the allocation efficiency of capital factors. (4) Heterogeneity analysis reveals stronger emission reduction effects in non-resource-based, eastern, and developed cities, highlighting how structural rigidities and the digital divide constrain the policy’s effectiveness. We suggest strengthening policy integration and adopting differentiated strategies to break path dependence and achieve “Dual Carbon” goals. Full article

Digital technologies have been widely adopted in the Cultural Heritage sector over the past few decades. Many museums, galleries, historic sites, and other cultural institutions now host multimedia exhibitions or temporary installations in which technology plays a significant role in shaping the visitor experience. Among these, Extended Reality (XR) technologies, including Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), have been extensively applied and studied. Spatial Augmented Reality (SAR), a branch of AR, has also become increasingly present in cultural contexts; however, the academic literature still lacks a comprehensive and systematic review of studies addressing its use. Furthermore, various methods of inquiry and evaluation have been employed to assess SAR applications in cultural institutions, both from the perspective of visitors and from that of cultural practitioners and stakeholders. This scoping review, conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines, collected a total of 47 papers that introduce the academic perspectives on SAR in the cultural domain. It reports its definitions, applications, documented benefits, and the different evaluation approaches identified in the literature. Through a snowball sampling methodology, the collection has been expanded to include 33 additional studies. After the screening process, the authors reviewed 34 papers, presenting the gaps identified in the literature and outlining suggested directions for future research. Full article

The technological attributes of urban digital infrastructure (UDI) are transforming labor skill structures in the market, thereby altering changes in skill premiums. This study investigates the relationship between UDI and skill premiums by developing a theoretical model that incorporates both digital and material capital. Using data from the China Labor Force Dynamic Survey and urban statistics, we examine the underlying mechanisms. The findings indicate that UDI exhibits skill-biased technological attributes, thereby increasing the skill premium. UDI development raises the demand for high-skilled labor across both skill-intensive and non-skill-intensive industries, altering the labor skill structure and consequently elevating the skill premium. This effect stems from the complementarity between UDI-related digital capital and high-skilled labor. Compared to material capital, deepening digital capital enables high-skilled labor to contribute more significantly to output. Full article

Background: In the era of rapid technological advancement, digital transformation has emerged as a pivotal strategy for enhancing operational efficiency and competitiveness in logistics enterprises, particularly amid globalization and post pandemic recovery; this study aims to evaluate its multifaceted impact on business performance using a multi-criteria framework focused on Vietnamese firms. Methods: Employing structural equation modeling on primary survey data from 346 middle and senior level managers, alongside the Malmquist productivity index derived from data envelopment analysis on secondary financial indicators spanning 2020 to 2024, the research integrates latent variables such as organizational capability, technological innovation capability, institutional pressure, digital transformation, and business performance. Results: Key findings reveal a strong positive correlation between technological innovation capability and organizational capability (path coefficient 0.522), with organizational capability directly influencing business performance (0.359), while institutional pressure positively affects digital transformation (0.321) but negatively impacts business performance (−0.152); overall, digital transformation exhibits limited optimization, contributing to modest productivity gains and a potential 23% cost reduction through technologies like Internet of Things and artificial intelligence. Conclusions: These results underscore the necessity for logistics enterprises to strengthen organizational integration and training to maximize digital transformation benefits, thereby fostering sustainable competitiveness in global supply chains. Full article

Digital technology has facilitated substantial progress in the development and implementation of virtual museums. Despite these advancements, current virtual museums continue to face challenges in spatial layout and information presentation, including limited exhibit hierarchy, inefficient spatial organization, low information display efficiency, and sub-optimal visual experiences. To address these challenges, spatial intelligence algorithms are utilized to reconstruct three-dimensional models of selected cultural relics for scene creation and to optimize the spatial layout of virtual museum exhibits. The layout optimization approach considers both symmetrical and asymmetrical arrangements, as well as visual hierarchy and information density. This approach aims to establish a more complex exhibit hierarchy, rational spatial organization, and enhanced visual information display. Comparative experiments and analyses of the visual impact from symmetrical layout optimization, along with other spatial layout optimizations, are conducted. User evaluations and eye-tracking experiments indicate that spatial intelligence-optimized algorithms improve both spatial layout and information display in virtual museums, leading to a more positive user visual experience. Full article

Incorporating STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) into early childhood education has been associated with children’s holistic development. STEM education not only enhances critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving, and other 21st-century skills but also contributes significantly to cognitive growth, emotional regulation, and social abilities. Within the early childhood context, the use of play and toys emerges as a natural and powerful medium for introducing STEM concepts in developmentally appropriate and engaging ways. Play and toys have a prominent role, and previous studies have provided strong evidence on their educational benefits. Toys enhanced with technological characteristics (Technology-Enhanced Toys—TETs), such as coding and interactive toys, are increasingly being viewed as cultural tools that mediate learning and nurture cognitive and collaborative skills among young learners. However, the impact TETs have on young children’s STEM learning remains largely unexplored. This qualitative observational study, grounded in a socio-cultural perspective, explored how 37 children aged 3 to 4 years in four early childhood settings in Greece exhibited STEM-related behaviours during free play with technology-enhanced toys. Data were collected through systematic video recordings and written observations over a three-month period that involved interacting with various TETs, such as Bee-Bot, Coko Robot, a remote-controlled dog, and others. Results indicate that playing with TETs enhanced problem-solving, computational thinking, and collaboration, thus affirming the positive influence of digital technology and the potential of TETs to enrich early STEM education. Implications for equity, the importance of teachers’ professional development in effectively integrating TETs into early childhood curricula and the need for further research will also be discussed. Full article

Against the backdrop of the “dual carbon” strategy and digital rural development, examining the impact of farmers’ digital literacy on the adoption and efficiency of green agricultural technologies can provide micro-level evidence and actionable policy insights for advancing the green transformation of agriculture. Through a systematic literature review and thematic analysis of 52 eligible studies, this study identifies a significant triple role of digital literacy—as an enabler, a mediating mechanism, and a potential barrier—in the adoption of green agricultural technologies. While digital literacy significantly facilitates technology adoption, its positive effects are constrained by a “capacity gap” arising from limited digital skills, low literacy levels, and inadequate digital infrastructure. Technology adoption demonstrates distinct stratification: digital information and communication technologies (ICTs) exhibit high penetration but superficial utilization; green production technologies are largely limited by capital availability; and precision agriculture, intelligent systems, and blockchain applications remain primarily at the pilot or demonstration stage. Furthermore, the interaction between digital literacy and technology adoption enhances agricultural efficiency by reducing income disparities, fostering rural entrepreneurship, and improving green total factor productivity (GTFP). This review highlights the importance of targeted policies and further research to address the capacity gap, realize sustained efficiency gains, and promote digital empowerment as a pathway to sustainable agricultural transformation. Full article

To achieve energy savings, reduce consumption, and support the “dual-carbon” strategy in China, this study applies digital twin technology to investigate the centralized air-conditioning water system of a metro-station HVAC installation and develops a high-fidelity digital twin model to reveal the thermal delay and thermal attenuation characteristics of the pipeline network. Using the noncausal modeling approach of the Modelica language, a full digital twin representation of the centralized air-conditioning water network is constructed by covering chillers, cooling towers, pumps, terminal units, the pipeline network, etc. The model is validated against real operation data to ensure high fidelity. Validation shows the predicted chilled water flow rate of the digital twin model agrees well with the measured chilled water flow rate with an RMSE of 0.27 kg/s. Validation also shows the difference is about 0.3 °C between the digital twin prediction and the measurement in the main pipe. Based on the validation digital twin model, the thermal delay and thermal attenuation characteristics of the centralized air-conditioning water system are seriously evaluated. The results indicate that branch K3, due to its longest transport distance, exhibits a delay of 227 s. The overall thermal delay of the system reaches 7.5 min. The temperature attenuation of this water system is about 0.2 °C due to heat loss through pipe walls. The findings may offer theoretical support for the optimal regulation and control, fault detection, and anomaly identification of this centralized air-conditioning water system. Full article

This in vitro study aimed to evaluate the effects of resin type, layer thickness, and printing orientation on the surface and mechanical properties of 3D-printed occlusal splints fabricated using digital light processing (DLP) technology. Three commercially available splint resins (KeySplint Hard, Freeprint Splint 2.0, and V-Print Splint) were used to fabricate 180 rectangular specimens with two-layer thicknesses (50 µm and 100 µm) and three printing orientations (0°, 45°, 90°). Surface roughness (Ra, Rz), gloss, microhardness, flexural strength, and elastic modulus were measured. Statistical analysis was performed using robust ANOVA with Bonferroni correction. Resin type and printing orientation significantly influenced all surface and mechanical properties (p < 0.001), while layer thickness had a limited effect. Keystone resin exhibited the smoothest surface and highest gloss, whereas Freeprint resin showed the highest microhardness and elastic modulus. Printing at 45° generally enhanced flexural strength and provided more balanced mechanical performance. SEM analysis confirmed that surface morphology varied with orientation, correlating with profilometric and gloss measurements. Resin composition and printing orientation are critical determinants of the mechanical and surface performance of 3D-printed occlusal splints. Optimizing these parameters can improve durability, esthetics, and clinical functionality. All tested materials achieved clinically acceptable surface smoothness, supporting their suitability for intraoral use. Full article

The Chinese government is committed to promoting the deep integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technology with rural development, advocating for the construction of a new “rural revitalization” model supported by information technology. However, its actual effectiveness and economic mechanisms require more thorough empirical verification. Based on Chinese sample data from 2011 to 2023, this study empirically examines the impact of AI on rural revitalization. Findings reveal that AI exerts a significant and sustained supportive role in comprehensive rural revitalization. Deeper analysis reveals that the AI-driven process of comprehensive rural revitalization is not linear but exhibits an inverted “U” pattern—initially promoting then inhibiting development. Mechanism tests indicate that AI empowers comprehensive rural revitalization by enhancing innovation activity and economic dynamism. In the samples where there is a data trading center, a high population density, and a large proportion of rural population, the enabling effect of artificial intelligence is more pronounced, indicating that data elements, population size, and location are important external influencing factors. The paper argues that policy optimization should focus on building a strategic ecosystem for “digital-intelligent villages,” advancing institutional development alongside technological implementation, and devising tiered implementation strategies to fully unleash AI’s enabling potential. Full article

In the era of digital intelligence, cultural heritage is undergoing a profound transformation. This study investigates how digital technologies facilitate the inheritance and innovation of traditional culture in China, focusing on the case of Huangyan’s Song Rhyme Culture in Zhejiang Province. Drawing on the framework of “glocalized intelligent heritage,” the research explores how global technological systems interact with local cultural practices to produce new forms of cultural continuity. Methodologically, the study employs a qualitative case study approach supported by empirical data. It combines policy analysis, semi-structured interviews with twenty-six stakeholders, field observations, and quantitative indicators such as visitor statistics, online engagement, and project investment. This mixed design provides both contextual depth and measurable evidence of digital transformation. The findings show that digital intelligence has reshaped cultural representation, platform-based public engagement, and local sustainability. In Huangyan, technologies such as AI-based monitoring, 3D modeling, and VR exhibitions have transformed heritage display into an interactive and educational experience. Digital media have enhanced public engagement, with more than 1.2 million virtual visits and over 20 million online interactions recorded in 2024. At the same time, the project has stimulated cultural tourism and creative industries, contributing to a 28.6% increase in cultural revenue between 2020 and 2024. The study concludes that digital intelligence can function as a cultural bridge by strengthening heritage mediation, widening access, and enabling platform- and institution-based participation, while noting that embodied intergenerational cultural transmission lies beyond the direct measurement of this research design. Full article

Digital technology is profoundly transforming the experiential landscape of tourism. However, its application does not necessarily produce cultural experiences, creating a critical bottleneck that constrains the sustainable development of the cultural tourism industry and broader societal culture. To address this gap, this study introduces psychological ownership theory as an overarching explanatory framework. It constructs and validates an integrated model that examines how digital technology characteristics (interactivity and innovativeness) influence cultural experience through three parallel mediating pathways: cognitive evaluation (perceived usefulness and ease of use), scenario construction, and flow experience. Based on 540 visitor questionnaires, structural equation modeling validated the theoretical model. Findings reveal that the interactivity and innovation of digital technology jointly stimulate visitors’ psychological ownership through three parallel pathways. Specifically, technological innovativeness exhibited the strongest effect on perceived ease of use (β = 0.387, p < 0.001), while the indirect effect via the flow experience path was also significant (effect size = 0.036). This process stimulates visitors’ psychological ownership, ultimately leading to cultural experiences. The study systematically reveals the pathways through which digital technology empowers cultural experiences across three dimensions: as a rational tool, an emotional narrative medium, and an intrinsic psychological catalyst. It highlights that strategically allocating technological resources to cultivate visitors’ psychological ownership is crucial for driving high-quality industrial development. Furthermore, the research offers significant implications for cultural sustainability, suggesting that such internally motivated identification provides a more effective foundation for the living transmission of culture and socio-cultural sustainability than external regulations or imposed norms. Full article

This study aims to (1) examine the impact of AI-driven learning tools (AI-LTs) on educational sustainability (EDS) and (2) investigate the mediating role of students’ engagement (SE) and the moderating effect of digital resilience (DR) in this relationship. Based on sociotechnical systems theory (STS), self-determination theory (SDT), and resilience theory, and (3) developing a multidimensional framework to explore how technological, psychological, and contextual factors interact to shape sustainable learning outcomes. Data were gathered from 387 university students in Saudi universities using a standardized questionnaire and subsequently analyzed utilizing SPSS version 28 and PROCESS Macro Version 4.0. The study performed multiple regression and moderated mediation to evaluate the proposed relationships. The results confirmed that AI-LTs significantly enhance educational sustainability. Based on the findings, AI-LTs significantly improve the long-term viability of education, particularly when it is tailored to individual students, encourages active participation, and is logical from a pedagogical perspective. Student engagement was found to influence the relationship, suggesting that when AI tools are utilized effectively, they foster a sustained commitment to education and improved learning outcomes. Furthermore, digital resilience has a significant influence on the connection between AI-LT–EDS, indicating that students who exhibited improved adaptability to digital challenges reaped considerable benefits. The research enhances the existing literature by integrating three complementary frameworks—STS, SDT, and resilience theory—to provide a comprehensive understanding of AI’s role in sustainable education. Practically, the study underscored the importance of AI integration strategies that improve digital resilience, student engagement, and structural imbalance. The results demonstrated that AI usage necessitates significant institutional support and improved technology to establish educational environments that are adaptable, resilient, and easily accessible to students. Full article