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This study adds to the existing body of knowledge on the benefits to learners of using an interdisciplinary design thinking (DT) pedagogical approach taking the form of a micro credential with an extra curricula workshop.

The interpretivist research examined opinion via nine semi-structured interviews with learners who had participated in a workshop. The interviews focussed on demographic information, learning strategies, workshop interdisciplinary benefits and being taught via DT. The recorded interviews and transcriptions were analysed via NVivo and content analysis.

The results are themed into development opportunities, future learning, making meaning and sense and practical application of knowledge and skills reflection for the students. The DT pedagogy worked well for the students who confirmed university learning should be this way, adding to the debate on embedding engaging interdisciplinary methods to embed entrepreneurship and innovation in the curriculum.

The research is original as the use of DT has added value to the students' development and mindset. Developing graduates this way benefits the local and national economy, as the reach of graduates' transferability makes them fit for the future.

The main purpose of this analysis was to demonstrate the value of predictive modeling of student success and identify the key groups of students for which library instruction could provide the most impact.

Data regarding the attendance of library instruction associated with a first-year writing course were combined with student demographic and academic data over a four year period representing over 10,000 students. We applied supervised machine learning methods to determine the most accurate model for predicting student outcomes, including course outcome, persistence and graduation. We also assessed the impact of library instruction on these outcomes.

The gradient-boosted decision tree model provided the most accurate predictions. The impact of library instruction was modest but still was second only to the previous grade point average (GPA). The value of this metric, however, was greatest for students who were struggling, especially those who were first-generation students, regardless of ethnicity. More notably, the impact of library instruction was substantially greater for specific student demographics, including students with lower cumulative GPAs.

Features of the models were limited to high-level academic metrics, some of which may not be very useful in predicting outcomes. Measures more closely related to learning styles, the course or course of study could provide for greater accuracy.

Prediction modeling could allow for a more selective approach to outreach and offers information that the librarian can use to customize instruction sessions and reference interactions.

Targeting students who may be at risk of not succeeding in a course has ethical implications either way. If used to bias the subjective assessments, these predictions could produce self-fulfilling prophecies. Conversely, to ignore indicators of possible difficulties the student may have with the material is a disservice to the education of that student.

There are few studies that have incorporated library instruction into models of predicting student outcomes. Library resources and services can play a major role in the success of students, particularly those who have had less exposure to the resources and skills needed to use these resources.

Promoting positive mental health is increasingly being encouraged as the focus of research and policies on the mental health of construction personnel. Most measures of mental health, however, typically use negative indicators such as depression and anxiety and are not specifically developed for the construction workforce, especially those with a Global South background. These limitations have made it challenging to measure construction personnel’s positive mental health. The purpose of this study was, therefore, to develop a scale for measuring the positive mental health of construction personnel with a Global South background.

Guided by Keyes’ two-continua model of mental health, the study objectives were addressed through a mixed-methods study using the case of Ghana. Qualitative data collected from eight key stakeholder groups using 16 interviews and two rounds of focus group discussions were analysed thematically. Quantitative data were obtained through a survey of 425 construction personnel and analysed using confirmatory factor analysis and correlation analysis.

Thematic analysis revealed a four-dimensional structure of positive mental health, namely, emotional, psychological, social and spiritual. Confirmatory factor analysis and correlation analysis of the results indicated good instrument validity and reliability.

Existing measures of positive mental health are based on a three-dimensional model, i.e. emotional, social and psychological well-being. By including spiritual well-being, this study proposes a four-dimensional measurement model as a more comprehensive and promising measure to use in surveys of positive mental health among the construction workforce, especially those with a Global South background, and to develop suitable interventions for them.

Research highlights that residential care experienced children and young people in Scotland have poorer educational outcomes than their peers within the wider population. Despite this, poor educational attainment is not inevitable, and further research is needed to increase the understanding of long-term trajectories. This paper aims to address a gap in contemporary literature that is of benefit to practitioners, academics and policymakers. Despite experiencing adversity, attachment, separation and loss, school attainment data on leaving care only reflects part of the educational journey.

Using a mixed methodology and social constructionist theoretical framework, a practitioner-led PhD study gathered data from questionnaires and qualitative information from 13 semi-structured interviews with young people who had experienced residential care in Scotland. Recruitment was through a gatekeeper within a national third-sector organisation. The educational trajectories for young people with experience of residential care in Scotland are complex. A lived experience perspective from a PhD study illustrates that statistical data only captures part of the journey and the author needs to reconsider how success is measured.

Of the 13 participants in the study, 12 achieved success educationally, although for the majority of those interviewed, attainment continued after leaving compulsory education. Barriers to greater success included placement uncertainty and movement, stigma, low expectations, pressure to not become a statistic, procedural obstacles and inconsistency or poor relationships.

Supportive relationships and stable placements can create circumstances conducive to effective learning, but evidence reflects that support is necessary throughout the life course if children, young people and adults with care experience are to reach their full academic potential.

Research into the educational outcomes for those with experience of residential care in Scotland is limited. This paper, from a PhD, provides lived experience accounts from a practitioner-led study.

This study investigated the factors contributing to the reduction of plagiarism. It focuses on elucidating the concept of plagiarism, its legal and ethical implications, the punitive measures implemented to address plagiarism and the level of awareness of plagiarism policies.

An online survey was administered to 649 students (160 male, 489 female) of the College of Social Sciences at Kuwait University (KU) to investigate the relationships between a number of factors linked to plagiarism, including its definition, legal and ethical implications, understanding of plagiarism regulations and the consequences associated with plagiarism.

The aforementioned factors and underlying causes that contribute to engaging in plagiarism were substantially correlated. Regression analysis revealed that variables such as legal and ethical considerations, familiarity with plagiarism regulations and the existence of sanctions were statistically significant predictors of the factors contributing to the occurrence of plagiarism.

The findings can help the Kuwait University administration and similar universities in the region focus on increasing students’ awareness of plagiarism and can aid in developing better policies that include the definition of plagiarism and penalties for undertaking this academic misconduct.

This study shows universities the importance of increasing students’ awareness of academic misconduct and can help create appropriate and robust policies.

Many studies have examined pre-diploma students' backgrounds and academic performance with results showing that some did not achieve the expected level of competence. This study aims to examine the relationship between students’ demographic characteristics and their academic achievement at the pre-diploma level using machine learning.

Secondary data analysis was used in this study, which involved collecting information about 1,052 pre-diploma students enrolled at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Pahang Branch between 2017 and 2021. The research procedure was divided into two parts: data collecting and pre-processing, and building the machine learning algorithm, pre-training and testing.

Gender, family income, region and achievement in the national secondary school examination (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia [SPM]) predict academic performance. Female students were 1.2 times more likely to succeed academically. Central region students performed better with a value of 1.26. M40-income students were more likely to excel with an odds ratio of 2.809. Students who excelled in SPM English and Mathematics had a better likelihood of succeeding in higher education.

This research was limited to pre-diploma students from UiTM Pahang Branch. For better generalizability of the results, future research should include pre-diploma students from other UiTM branches that offer this programme.

This study is expected to offer insights for policymakers, particularly, the Ministry of Higher Education, in developing a comprehensive policy to improve the tertiary education system by focusing on the fourth Sustainable Development Goal.

These pre-diploma students were found to originate mainly from low- or middle-income families; hence, the programme may help them acquire better jobs and improve their standard of living. Most students enrolling on the pre-diploma performed below excellent at the secondary school level and were therefore given the opportunity to continue studying at a higher level.

This predictive model contributes to guidelines on the minimum requirements for pre-diploma students to gain admission into higher education institutions by ensuring the efficient distribution of resources and equal access to higher education among all communities.

This study uses a meta-analysis approach to analyse the impact of applying corporate green accounting practices as vital sustainable development tools on firm performance. This study aims to examine the moderating effects of country-specific variables and characteristics on the association between corporate green accounting and firm performance.

Three databases were used for a meta-analysis of 68 independent studies involving 19,625 subjects conducted over 25 years from 1996 to 2020.

The results show that corporate green accounting positively affects firm performance, but country-specific variables do not moderate this association. The positive association between corporate green accounting and firm performance was enhanced when it was measured in terms of environmental costs. Subgroup analyses revealed that study characteristics are significant source of heterogeneity in the corporate green accounting indicators-firm performance association.

The findings suggest that firms should strategise to integrate environmental costs into their respective financial accounting frameworks, which would help managers justify the contribution of their firms towards environmental protection.

Accessing accurate and timely information on corporate environmental functioning can assist national policymakers in framing appropriate legislation on environmental protection and sustainable development.

Although meta-analysis has been used previously in accounting research (Guthrie and Murthy, 2009; Alcouffe et al., 2019), to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to use a meta-analytical technique to examine the impact of corporate green accounting on firm performance.