This study explores the pedagogical potential of Interactive Spherical Video-Based Virtual Reality (ISVVR) in geography education from the teachers’ perspective. Based on a synthesized developmental model, namely ACE (Acceptance, Creation, and Expertise), we analyzed 187 sets of survey data collected in teacher professional training in which geography teachers were introduced to the production of ISVVR for learning and teaching purposes. The quantitative data analysis revealed that the participants were positive about the pedagogical use of ISVVR. Also, based on the analysis of the qualitative data gathered through the open-ended survey questions via a data-mining technique, we found that participants’ adoption concerns were already beyond the evaluative acceptance level, majorly revolving around issues on pedagogical technology integration. It is suggested that further efforts of teacher professional development are needed for designing and refining the pedagogical use of ISVVR in practice.

Providing humans with quality education is regarded as one of the core pillars supporting the sustainable development of the world. The idea of computational thinking (CT) brings an innovative inspiration for people to adapt to our intelligent, changing society. It has been globally viewed as crucial that 21st-century learners should acquire the necessary skills to solve real-world problems effectively and efficiently. Recent studies have revealed that the nurture of CT should not only focus on thinking skills, but also on dispositions. Fostering students’ CT dispositions requires the cultivation of their confidence and persistence in dealing with complex problems. However, most of the existing measurement methods related to CT pivot on gauging thinking skills rather than dispositions. The framework of the CT disposition measurement model proposed in this paper was developed based on three theoretical features of thinking dispositions: Inclination, capability, and sensitivity. A two-phase analysis was conducted in this study. With the participation of 640 Grade 5 students in Hong Kong, a three-dimensional construct of the measurement model was extracted via exploratory factor analysis (16 items). The measurement model was further validated with another group of 904 Grade 5 students by confirmative factor analysis and structural equation modeling. The results align with the theoretical foundation of thinking dispositions. In addition, a CT knowledge test was introduced to explore the influences between students’ CT dispositions and their CT knowledge understanding.

ATEX (explosive atmosphere) risk assessment is required when any equipment or system could generate a potentially explosive atmosphere. Despite the fact that many operations on plants and equipment containing dangerous substances are performed by operators, influences of human and organizational factors (HOF) are mostly neglected in the ATEX risk assessment. The integrated methodology described here is proposed to address two challenges: (1) identification of the HOF influence on the ATEX risk assessment, and (2) quantification of the HOF influence. The proposed methodology enriches the traditional ATEX risk assessment procedure, which consists of four steps: (1) area classification, (2) ignition source identification, (3) damage analysis, and (4) ATEX risk evaluation. The advantages of the ATEX-HOF methodology are demonstrated through the application to a paint mixing station in an automotive manufacturing plant. The ATEX risk assessment methodologies are mainly semi-quantitative. The ATEX-HOF methodology provides a quantitative analysis for the area classification and ignition source identification, and a semi-quantitative approach for the damage analysis. As a result, the ATEX-HOF risk evaluation becomes more accurate. An event tree-based probabilistic assessment has been introduced, considering both the technical barrier failure (Pr_tbf) and the human intervention in terms of human error probability (HEP). The case study allowed for demonstrating how taking HOFs into account is particularly important in companies where the safety culture is lower and consequently, the usual hypothesis of the correctness of operator intervention (in maintenance, normal operations, and emergency) could bring to non-conservative results.