Budomo, Kim February 19, 2020

Lorenzo, Aliyanamae 12-RESPONSIBILITY

Perdible, Patricia CONEAP
Rebusi, Lloyd
Villa, Jiolo

Research Critique:
Learning Aids of Risk Assessment Apps for Practical Engineering Student: A Case Study

Problem statement and purpose Answers

1What is the problem and/or purpose of the research study?
2. Does the problem or purpose statement express a relationship between two or more
variables? If so, what is/are the relationship(s)? Are they testable?
3. Does the problem statement and/or purpose specify the nature of the population being Yes, the nature of the population is in regards to students and their learning
studied? What is it?
4. What significance of the problem, if any, has the investigator identified?
Review of literature and theoretical framework
1. What concepts are included in the review? Of particular importance, note those
concepts that are the independent and dependent variables and how they are
conceptually defined.
2. Does the literature review make the relationships among the variables explicit or
place the variables within a theoretical/conceptual framework? What are the
relationships?
3. What gaps or conflicts in knowledge of the problem are identified?
The purpose of the study is to extend the mobile apps capability to assist the student
learning environment and improve learning process in the university subject
Yes, the following are the relationships given in the study: “Can educational apps
support and enhance learning”, “Can educational apps assist students regardless of
being in or out the classroom setting”, and “Can the app be beneficial to 3rd parties
related to the student?”. The aforementioned relationships are testable.
environment.
The investigator identified the streamlining of risk assessment via use of an application.
The concepts are mostly about technology, mobile devices and the usage of Ergonomics
Risk Assessment Applications which are then the independent variables of the review.
The dependent variables would now be the students’ learning effectiveness in practical
session workplace, practical learning and human factors engineering (HFE).
The literature review makes the relationships among the variables explicit and an
example of relationships stated in the review, “Can educational apps support and
enhance learning” now pertaining to human comprehension abilities.
It is easy for engineers to run software simulations to fix problems. However, they did
not have a practical understanding to initially setup the problem.
4. Are the references cited by the author mostly primary or secondary sources? Give an
example of each.
5. What are the operational definitions of the independent and dependent variables? Do
they reflect the conceptual definitions?
Hypotheses or research questions
1. What hypotheses or research questions are stated in the study?
2. If research questions are stated, are they used in addition to hypotheses or to guide an The research questions were not stated in conjunction with hypotheses.
exploratory study?
3. What are the independent and dependent variables in the statement of each
hypothesis or research question?
4. If hypotheses are stated, is the form of the statement statistical (also called null) or
research?
5. What is the direction of the relationship in each hypothesis, if indicated?
References are mostly secondary.
Eppard, J., Nasser, O., & Reddy, P. (2016). The Next Generation of Technology:
Mobile Apps in the English Language Classroom, is an online journal source.
Sukadarin, E. H., Deros, B. M., Ghani, J. A., Ismail, A. R., Nawi, N. S. M., & Abdull,
N. (2016). Validity test for Simple Ergonomics Risk Assessment (SERA) method., is a
physical journal source.
Middleton, J., Gorard, S., Taylor, C. and Bannan-Ritland, B., 2014. 2 The “Compleat”
Design Experiment1. Handbook of Design Research Methods in Education: Innovations
in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Learning and Teaching., is a
physical textbook source.
Mital, A., Kilbom, Å., & Kumar, S. (Eds.). (2000). Ergonomics guidelines and problem
solving (Vol. 1). Elsevier., is an online database source.
The use of ERA applications is the principle deciding component of the contextual
analysis and is the independent variable. They do reflect mental concepts as we amend
the use of technology for education that can benefit us students.
The following research questions were posed:
“To what extend the mobile apps capable to improve learning process in university
subject?”, “To what extend the apps capable to assist the students in their learning
environment, either in the classroom setting or outside of the classroom?”, and lastly
“What are the benefits of the mobile apps for other parties (outside university) that
dealt directly with the student?”
Dependent variables are the students’ learning effectiveness in practical session
workplace, practical learning and human factors engineering (HFE). Whereas for
independent variable is the use of Ergonomics Risk Assessment (ERA).
Research questions were stated, refer to question #2
Research questions were stated, refer to question #2
6. Are the hypotheses testable? The research questions are testable.
Sample
1. How was the sample selected? Only students from Manufacturing Ergonomics class were selected to perform this task
and the assessment was facilitated by a particular lecturer. There were about 20 fourth
year undergraduate students involved in this study. They were selected because this risk
assessment is one of the syllabus for this subject which is under design of manual
handling scope. Therefore, their understanding on this field is better than those who did
not enrolled in this class.
2. What type of sampling method is used? Is it appropriate to the design? In order to check the effectiveness of the SERA mobile apps, the design-based research
(DBR) concept has been applied in this study. It can be said appropriate because based
on Kinesh et al. [20], DBR is a method to bridge educational theory and practice by
involving students "actual experiences and their feedback of those experiences." This
concept was based on the idea from Kelly et al. and Middleton et al. [21-22].
3. Does the sample reflect the population as identified in the problem or purpose It can be assumed that they reflect the population as identified in the problem or
purpose of this study. Since one-fifth of the total population have an idea or prior
understanding about the subject matter, their feedback will be the evidence others will
hold onto.
4. Is the sample size appropriate? The sample size is appropriate.
5. To what population may the findings be generalized? What are the limitations in The finding may be generalized to students and industry preferences. Since
generalizability? generalization can never be made with certainty, findings are not absolute and must not
be relied on 100 percent.
Research design
1. What type of design is used? Qualitative research design was used.
2. Does the design seem to flow from the proposed research problem, theoretical Yes. The design of the study seems to flow the proposed research problem, theoretical
framework, literature review, and hypothesis? framework, literature review and hypothesis.
3. What type(s) of data-collection method(s) is/are used in the study? The type of data collection method used in the study is survey because the basis of the
data and results are the feedbacks given by those who tried to use the product or the
samples.
4. Are the data-collection procedures similar for all subjects? No
5. How have the rights of subjects been protected? The rights of subjects have been protected through ethical considerations such as
personal information nor their names weren’t revealed publicly.
6. What indications are given that informed consent of the subjects has been ensured? Applications have been presented to the ergonomics and education technology experts.

Instruments
1. Physiological measurement: Is a rationale given for why a particular instrument or They required the members to utilize the use of their application for the researchers to
method was selected? If so, what is it? What provision is made for maintaining the gather their data and results. In order for them to be accurate in gathering information
accuracy of the instrument and its use, if any? they made use of other platform such as Gmail for direct messaging.
2. Observational methods: Who did the observing? How were the observers trained to The interviewers are the specialist and some instructor and lecturer. Lecturers gives
minimize bias? Was there an observational guide? Were the observers required to make some introduction to the respondents and explained the research
saw? Is there any reason to believe that the inferences about what they presence of the
observers affect the behavior of the subjects?
3. Interviews: Who were the interviewers? How were they trained to minimize the bias? The interviewers are the specialist and some instructor and lecturer. Minimizing the bias
Is there evidence of any interview bias? If so, what was it? was not mentioned in the paper.
4. Questionnaires: What is the type and/or format of the questionnaire(s) (e.g. Likert, N/A
open-ended)? Is (Are) it (they) consistent with the conceptual definition(s)?
5. Available data and records: Are the records that were used appropriate to the problem The data and records utilized by the researchers were for the most part applicable to
being studied? Are the data being used to describe the sample or to test the hypothesis? their study. The data was mainly used in order for them to test the hypothesis.
6. What type of reliability is reported for each instrument? The SERA application provides high-grade security for applications in sensitive fields
and it also integrates easily with your existing applications and systems.
7. What level of reliability is reported? Is it acceptable? There were no specified number pertaining the level of reliability but the researchers
claimed that their application is assessed by professionals.
8. What type of validity is reported for each instrument? It predominantly relies upon the trustworthiness of the members when utilizing the
application.
9. Does the validity of each instrument seem adequate? Why? The validity of each instrument is adequate because of the complexity of their
application which is functional for students learning capabilities.
 Analysis of data
1. If hypothesis testing was done, was/were the hypotheses supported or not supported?
2. Are the results interpreted in the context of the problem/purpose, hypothesis, and
nursing practice theoretical framework/literature reviewed?
3. What relevance for nursing practice does the investigator identify, if any?
4. What generalizations are made?
5. Are the generalizations within the scope of the findings or beyond the findings?
6. What recommendations for future research are stated or implied?
7. Are there other studies with similar findings?
8. What risks/benefits are involved for patients if the research findings would be used in The practical student helps the company to determine the risk of working
practice?
9. Is direct application of the research findings feasible in terms of time, effort, money,
and legal/ethical risks?
10. How and under what circumstances are the findings applicable to nursing practice?
11. Should these results be applied to nursing practice?
It only talks about the working conditions of engineering using five
Factors including posture, force, breaks, work pace and other factors
Educational apps can indeed support and enhance learning, educational apps are
environmentally friendly, Use of apps are highly valued by students, and is beneficial to
companies in improving their worker’s conditions
Improve the working condition by considering improvement on the workplace
environment as well as interaction between worker and tools for maintenance.
Yes
conditionforthiscurrentactivity.Basedonthisobservation,thereismoderate
ergonomicriskexposureleveltotheworker.Hence,thecurrentpracticeforthis
activity should be improved. Based on the observation, there are two
recommendationsforthecompany,intermofimprovementonthefacilities(eg:
lighting)and equipment(eg: provide adjustable jig and fixture).
The posture of taking care of the patient and also during surgery. During
surgery, the force can also identified.
Yes, it is a big opportunity for the nursing student to apply this kinds of
factors. The use of apps is highly valued by students; and new formats are
beneficialtothemandindustry.Forindustry,ithelpstoimprovetheworking
conditionoftheworkersuchasthepostureduringsurgeryandtheotherfactors
 of SERA.
12. Would it be possible to replicate this study in another clinical practice setting? It is possible to replicate the study in another setting with another population.

Conclusions,
implications,
recommendations,
and utilization for
nursing practice
 1. If hypothesis testing was done, was/were the
hypotheses supported or not supported?
2. Are the results interpreted in the context of
the problem/purpose, hypothesis, and theoretical framework/literature reviewed?
3. What relevance for nursing practice does the
investigator identify, if any?
4. What generalizations are made?
5. Are the generalizations within the scope of
the findings or beyond the findings?
6. What recommendations for future research
are stated or implied?
7. Are there other studies with similar
findings?
8. What risks/benefits are involved for patients
if the research findings would be used in
practice?
9. Is direct application of the research findings
feasible in terms of time, effort, money, and
legal/ethical risks?
10. How and under what circumstances are the
findings applicable to nursing practice?
11. Should these results be applied to nursing
practice?
12. Would it be possible to replicate this study
in another clinical practice setting?