Chi-Hua Wu

With globalization and technology advancement, traditional teaching models are facing challenges due to the diverse needs of modern learners. It is necessary to enhance learner engagement and motivation, and incorporating Internet of Things (IoT)-assisted teaching tools has become a major concern for educators. However, the time it takes to develop new teaching tools and integrate IoT technology must be shortened by combining educational content with game mechanics seamlessly. Therefore, we developed a gamified teaching model by incorporating IoT technology. We used the “System, Indicators, Criteria” framework to develop a three-tiered board game evaluation and development model. Based on this framework, a teaching tool was designed to provide personalized learning experiences with IoT technology. The tool provides abstract knowledge, fosters interaction and collaboration among learners, and thus enhances engagement. To ensure a rigorous design and evaluation process, we employed quality function deployment (QFD), analytic hierarchy process (AHP), and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation (FCE). The developed model facilitates the integration of IoT technology with innovative design concepts and enhances the application value of teaching tools in education. The model also enhances intelligence, interactivity, and creativity for traditional education to revitalize learning experiences.

Breast volume is crucial for ensuring proper bra fit and comfort, significantly influencing women’s physiological and psychological well-being. This study aims to develop a novel method for breast-volume self-measurement, allowing women to accurately assess their breast volume without specialized equipment. We employed a geometric approximation of the breast as a combination of a partial elliptical cone and an irregular partial ellipsoid, leading to the formulation of a new volume equation. The method was validated against established standards, including the specimen drainage method and 3D scanning techniques. The findings revealed that our self-measurement approach achieved a relative error of only 3.8%, outperforming the 4.8% of 3D scanning and the 86.3% associated with traditional breast-volume equations. This innovative self-measurement technique enhances accuracy and serves as a practical solution for health and nutritional assessments, alongside body image evaluations. Its user-friendly nature positions it as a valuable tool for women’s health, particularly in personal fitness and ergonomic design.

Selecting an appropriate bra product has long been a challenge for adolescent girls, whose breasts are rapidly growing. This challenge arises due to the absence of a rational benchmark for breast measurement. Traditional benchmarks are based on ergonomic principles, using reference points located on the human skeleton. However, the breast lacks a bone structure for support, leading to highly variable measurement results. In this study, the jugular notch and the xiphoid process were selected as breast measurement points according to academic principles. Their accuracy, stability, and deviation were experimentally investigated through tactile assessment of adolescent girls at different stages of development. Based on the experimental results, a novel breast measurement coordinate system was established, and its accuracy was verified by conversion calculations using a geodetic coordinate system. The results indicated that the numerical calculation of the breast shape was more accurate using the newly established breast measurement coordinate system.

This study investigates the association between leisure activities (recreation, sports, social contact, artistic, cultural, religious, and rest) and mental health disorders among Malaysian university students. There were 332 respondents enrolled in the public and private universities, polytechnics and other higher academic institutions in Malaysia were surveyed using a quantitative questionnaire. The study performed multiple regression and correlation analyses on the data using the statistical package for social science (SPSS). The findings indicated that six out of seven categories of leisure activities were significantly linked to mental health issues. The six types of leisure time activities were recreation, sports, social interaction, cultural, religious, and rest. Cultural activities have the highest impact on mental health, with the highest beta value. The universities and polytechnics should consider launching several types of leisure activities and tailor specific activities that may reduce mental health issues.

This study’s goal is to investigate the links between pay and benefits, worklife balance, professional development, and employee retention among academic home tutors in a Malaysian private school. Data from 80 respondents from this private school were gathered using a quantitative survey method. Statistical package for social science (SPSS) was employed throughout the study to analyze the data. The study results showed that salary & compensation and career enhancement positively correlate with employee retention. Meanwhile, work-life balance was not statistically linked with employee retention. The management should revise the human resource management practices by including these elements. The management should design salary & compensation packages that fit with individual knowledge, capabilities, and performance. The management may also consider offering flexible work schedules, such as training, mentoring, job mobility, and a reduction in working hours, as well as wellness assistance, such as counselling services and health and wellness initiatives. This will give employees the chance to advance their careers.

This study investigates the association between the personality traits of academic staff members and their job performance in a Malaysian private educational institution. The personality traits were based on the Big Five model, which has five dimensions: openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. About 110 participants from this institution were surveyed using a quantitative questionnaire, and their data were gathered. Throughout the study, the data were examined utilizing multiple regression analysis and factor analysis. According to the study’s findings, conscientiousness, and openness to experience significantly positively affect job performance. However, it was determined that extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism were not statistically significant and had no connection to job performance. As a result, in this institution, openness to experience is the most essential predictor of job performance. The findings of this study showed the management that openness to experience and conscientiousness are crucial for improving job performance inside the institution. Therefore, the management should pay more attention to these areas and recruit new employees with openness to experience and conscientious personality traits.

In Taiwan, people who enjoy traditional Gongfu tea are becoming older and older, while the younger generation has many alternative beverages to select from. In order to sustainably pass down traditional tea-drinking culture, this study has incorporated concepts and methodologies of the peak-end rule, customer journey maps (CJMs), quality function deployment (QFD), fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP), and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation based on entropy, resulting in the development of a set of tea utensils tailored for a novice or beginner tea maker with the purpose of improving the tea-drinking experience of the younger generation. In this study, the ranking of the importance in regard to six design requirements turned out to be: enhancing the sniffing experience (0.240); having ergonomic designs that facilitate a smooth process of pouring hot water into the cup (0.205); increasing the ease of storing tea utensils after brewing (0.162); enabling users to more precisely determine the strength of the tea (0.144); increasing fun while pouring tea leaves into the teapot (0.143); and having clearly designated space for placing each tea utensil (0.107). Through the experts’ evaluation, 66.6% of them rated the design outcome as “good” or “very good”, indicating that the innovative tea utensils developed in this study can effectively satisfy users’ needs. This study can be the supplement to the innovation shortage of tea-culture-related studies, establish the research framework in the academic field, and bring more innovation and potential to the field of the tea culture.

In the dual context of the cultural economy and the creative economy, culture is considered a unique source of competitiveness, making culture preservation a vital issue for peripheral areas. In this paper, it is argued that gamification is a valuable strategy for developing cross-cultural designs. The unique advantages of games in cultural preservation and promotion for peripheral areas with limited institutional resources are further articulated. To illustrate this, a set of design principles was proposed and the distinctive boat-based (Tanka) culture in southern China was taken as an example. A case study was conducted based on document analysis of the history of the Tanka culture and field research on the Tanka settlements in the Humen New Bay area, showing the development process and thus demonstrating the possibility of promoting the preservation and sustainable development of culture in peripheral areas through gamification. After testing the proposed game, some adjustments were suggested. However, participants generally agreed that they learned some Tanka customs through the gameplay, indicating the effectiveness of the game in Tanka culture preservation. This research thus contributes to both theory and practice by providing theoretical background and early practice.