Joongbu University

ABSTRACT Computational thinking (CT) and programming are essential competencies in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, spurring interest in learner‐centered and artificial intelligence (AI)‐based education. Combining the active environment of flipped learning with the personalized support of generative AI is a promising new strategy for programming education; however, research integrating these elements remains limited. This study investigated the effects of programming education that incorporates both flipped learning and generative AI on students' CT and problem‐solving skills, with particular attention to variations by university size and educational setting. Participants were students enrolled in introductory software courses at two universities (K and J). Programming lessons integrating generative AI and flipped learning were developed, and changes in students' CT and problem‐solving skills were evaluated using pre‐ and post‐surveys and analyses of programming assignments. The study also examined the relationship between programming‐related CT components (problem decomposition, abstraction, algorithm design, automation, and simulation) and students' programming difficulties, as well as key factors contributing to differences in learning outcomes between institutes. The results revealed significant improvements in the CT and problem‐solving skills of students. Based on these findings, pedagogical strategies were proposed to optimize the use of generative AI and flipped learning in diverse educational contexts. This study provides valuable insights into the application of active, personalized learning in various settings, including introductory software education and online learning.

Rapid digital economy development is reshaping urban governance and resource allocation, but its impact on urban land green use efficiency (ULGUE) remains insufficiently examined. This study investigates whether and how digital economy development enhances ULGUE in China, focusing on direct effects, mediating mechanisms, and spatial spillovers. Using panel data from 282 prefecture-level cities during 2007–2022, ULGUE is measured with the Super-Slack-Based Measure model. The National E-Commerce Demonstration City policy serves as a quasi-natural experiment within a Differences-in-Differences framework. Complementary analyses include instrumental variable estimation, propensity score matching, and the spatial Durbin model, with robustness checks using 5G population density. Findings indicate that the digital economy and 5G infrastructure significantly improve ULGUE. Mechanism tests highlight green technology innovation and resource efficiency as key channels, with strong spatial spillover effects. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that policy impacts are strongest in eastern and early pilot cities, moderate in central regions, and weakest in western areas. Overall, the study enriches interdisciplinary research on digitalization and sustainability, and provides policy insights suggesting that region-specific green strategies and targeted digital infrastructure deployment are essential to achieve balanced and sustainable urban transitions.

This study examined generational differences in texting preference and call anxiety, focusing on their associations with social anxiety and perceived controllability of texting. Younger adults (in their 20s and 30s) reported stronger preferences for texting and higher call anxiety than older adults (in their 40s and 50s). Social anxiety significantly predicted perceived controllability in texting—defined as the sense of preparedness and editability in text-based communication—which, in turn, influenced both texting preference and call anxiety. Age was negatively associated with social anxiety and controllability in texting, suggesting that younger individuals are more socially anxious and value the control afforded by text messaging. These findings illustrate how dispositional factors and digital media norms interact to shape generational differences in communication behavior.

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has affected global healthcare and raised concerns about growth hormone (GH) therapy outcomes in pediatric patients with short stature. This study compared GH therapy efficacy and outcomes before and during the pandemic. We retrospectively analyzed 2,827 pediatric patients with idiopathic GH deficiency, short stature in children born small for gestational age (SGA), Turner syndrome (TS), or idiopathic short stature (ISS) from the LG Growth Study, categorized into pre-pandemic (February 2017–January 2020, n = 1,612) and pandemic (February 2020–January 2023, n = 1,215) groups. The key outcomes included height standard deviation score (SDS), body mass index (BMI)-SDS, insulin-like growth factor 1 levels, and adverse events. Significant differences were observed between groups. During the pandemic, the proportion of SGA and TS decreased, whereas that of ISS increased. IGF-1 and total cholesterol levels were higher in the early treatment phase of the pandemic but tended to normalize over time. Reported adverse events were markedly lower during the pandemic, particularly infectious and systemic complications. GH therapy remained effective during the pandemic despite healthcare disruptions. Pandemic-related shifts in BMI, IGF-1, and adverse event reports suggest environmental influences on treatment patterns. These findings underscore the importance of monitoring chronic pediatric care under changing public health conditions.

Prostate cancer's prevalence is rapidly increasing in Korea, with incidence rates rising by over 13% annually since 2017 according to the Korea Central Cancer Registry, highlighting the need for effective early detection strategies. This study systematically reviews the benefits and harms of PSA-based prostate cancer screening, focusing on its clinical effectiveness and public health implications. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, we searched five databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, and KMbase) for studies from 2014 to 2024. The eligible studies included RCTs, cohort studies, meta-analyses, and guidelines. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane tool. We synthesized our findings narratively due to their methodological heterogeneity. Sixteen studies were included. PSA screening reduced prostate-cancer-specific mortality by 20-31%, as reported in multiple randomized controlled trials, such as ERSPC and ProScreen, among men aged 55-69, but showed minimal impact on all-cause mortality. Advanced tools such as MRI and multi-biomarker models, which were implemented in several included studies, enhanced diagnostic accuracy. The potential harms included overdiagnosis, overtreatment, and psychological distress. Community-based education and shared decision-making, inferred from observational and implementation studies, improved participation and equity in screening. PSA-based screening offers modest mortality benefits but carries the risk of overdiagnosis. Precision diagnostics and risk-stratified strategies improve screening outcomes. Public health approaches, particularly those led by nurses and community health workers, are essential to promoting informed, equitable screening decisions.

The rapid expansion of streaming platforms and OTT services is fundamentally reshaping traditional film production practices. This study draws on in-depth interviews with film producers and outsourced martial arts directors, who have worked on both Netflix originals and commercial films, as well as on prior research, to examine how Netflix’s production system influences the economic, institutional, and administrative landscape of Korean film production labor—and its effect on creative autonomy and identity. Applying the “good work” versus “bad work” framework proposed by Hesmondhalgh and Baker, the analysis reveals both positive and negative facets. On the positive side, long-term contracts, global exposure, and considerable creative freedom for key creators have been observed. Conversely, issues such as burdensome production reporting, frequent meetings with headquarters, and inadequate insurance systems intended to reduce costs present challenges. Remarkably, the study also finds that for lower-tier production staff, the working conditions in both traditional commercial films and Netflix projects are largely indistinguishable, suggesting that conventional practices persist within certain outsourced sectors. Overall, the results indicate that Korean Netflix original productions generally meet the criteria for “good work” in terms of their final outcomes and social contributions. However, they also underscore the urgent need for policy measures aimed at streamlining administrative processes and enhancing labor protection.

French missionary Dallet (1874) wrote in his book that ‘The thousand character essay’ had been utilized as a textbook for the children of the ancient Chinese country for Chinese character. Now in Korea, ‘The thousand character essay’ is called as ‘Tcheonzamun’. Park et al., (2021a) and Park et al., (2021b) translated several Tcheonzamun poems. Now, the present researcher tries to translate a Tcheonzamun poem. There are two methods for the translation of Tcheonzamun (The thousand character essay) poem. The first one is through the meaning of Chinese character, and the other is through Korean pronunciation of Chinese character (Park et al., 2021a; Park et al., 2021b). And the range of translation of Tcheonzamun poem is (Tcheonzamun 081st-096th). The present researcher used somewhat old Tcheonzamun book (Han, 1583). The present researcher deleted same part of two Chinese characters on a line, and the translation was carried out with the remained part(s) of Chinese character. A line means, for example, 081st-084rd four letters. The title of this work is ‘My dear husband! Do you want me to be (有) the intelligent (吉) wife (小人) for you? You have said that you are going to think me as your senior (主). Please, let me - your wife- speak (口) freely, and make me to be excited at my talking as a pottery kiln (陶) (Tcheonzamun 081st-096th)’. The result obtained from this work will be described as follows. <Number in Tcheonzamun Chinese characters (the pronunciation on Korean language and written in English alphabet)> 081-084 始(Si) 制(Ze) 文(Mun) 字(Za). My darling, my husband, you have said these following things. You want to establish (始) some new rules or principles (制). So you are going to write some letters (字) in order to make a document (文) about those rules or principles. 085-088 乃(Nae) 服(Bog) 衣(Eui)-衣+丿=丿 裳(Sang)-衣+丿=小口. It is right! But my darling, my husband, you do not know the most important thing. Before the document, there is one thing for you to do. Do you want that these clothes (服) are prepared right now (乃)? If it is so, the talking (口) of me your wife (小) must be carefully heard (丿) by you. 089-092 推(Tchu)-手-人-亠=主 位(Wi)-人-亠=小 讓(Yang)-厶-厶-一=言井衣 國(Gug)-幺-手-一=几. My dear Darling, my husband! Do you want me - your wife(小) to be senior or be higher in importance (主) in our family? In order for our family to be such a state, you - my husband must become as follows. You must change from the vacant person (几) to the person of good speaker (言), to the person utilizable like water on the well (井), to the person of beauty or warmness like the clothes (衣). 093-096 有(Yu) 虞(U)-广=吉小人 陶(Do) 唐(Dang) -广=主口. My dear husband! Do you want me to be (有) the intelligent (吉) wife (小人) for you? You have said that you are going to think me as your senior (主). Please, let me - your wife- speak (口) freely, and make me to be excited at my talking as a pottery kiln (陶).