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Genetic Science Learning Center
Genetic Science Learning Center Making science and health easy for everyone to understand Home News Our Team What We Do ... Collaboration Conferences Current Projects Publications Contact The Genetic Science Learning Center at The University of Utah is a ...
Learning Joomla! 3 extension development
Plummer, Tim
A practical guide with step-by-step examples that build on each other so you can learn by doing and get hands-on knowledge about creating your plugins, modules, and components in Joomla.""Learning Joomla! 3 Extension Development, Third Edition"" is for developers who want to create their own Joomla extensions. It is assumed you will have some basic PHP, HTML, and CSS knowledge, but you don't need any prior Joomla programming experience. This book will also be useful to people who just want to make minor customizations to existing Joomla extensions and build on the work of others in the open so
Space Operations Learning Center
Lui, Ben; Milner, Barbara; Binebrink, Dan; Kuok, Heng
The Space Operations Learning Center (SOLC) is a tool that provides an online learning environment where students can learn science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) through a series of training modules. SOLC is also an effective media for NASA to showcase its contributions to the general public. SOLC is a Web-based environment with a learning platform for students to understand STEM through interactive modules in various engineering topics. SOLC is unique in its approach to develop learning materials to teach schoolaged students the basic concepts of space operations. SOLC utilizes the latest Web and software technologies to present this educational content in a fun and engaging way for all grade levels. SOLC uses animations, streaming video, cartoon characters, audio narration, interactive games and more to deliver educational concepts. The Web portal organizes all of these training modules in an easily accessible way for visitors worldwide. SOLC provides multiple training modules on various topics. At the time of this reporting, seven modules have been developed: Space Communication, Flight Dynamics, Information Processing, Mission Operations, Kids Zone 1, Kids Zone 2, and Save The Forest. For the first four modules, each contains three components: Flight Training, Flight License, and Fly It! Kids Zone 1 and 2 include a number of educational videos and games designed specifically for grades K-6. Save The Forest is a space operations mission with four simulations and activities to complete, optimized for new touch screen technology. The Kids Zone 1 module has recently been ported to Facebook to attract wider audience.
Extension through Partnerships: Research and Education Center Teams with County Extension to Deliver Programs
Mullahey, J. Jeffrey
Budget reductions have severely affected resources available to deliver agriculture and natural resource Extension programs in Florida. University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences delivers Extension programming through a unique partnership between research and education centers and county Extension. Science-based information…
Principles Guiding Vocabulary Learning through Extensive Reading
Nation, Paul
Extensive reading is one of a range of activities that can be used in a language learning course. Ideally, the choice of activities to go into a course should be guided by principles which are well supported by research. Similarly, the way each of those activities is used should be guided by well-justified principles. In this article, we look at…
Extensible Adaptive System for STEM Learning
Copyright 2013 Raytheon BBN Technologies Corp. All Rights Reserved ONR STEM Grand Challenge Extensible Adaptive System for STEM Learning ...Contract # N00014-12-C-0535 Raytheon BBN Technologies Corp. (BBN) Reference # 14217 In partial fulfillment of contract deliverable item # A001...Quarterly Progress Report #2 April 7, 2013 –July 6, 2013 Submitted July 16, 2013 BBN Technical POC: John Makhoul Raytheon BBN Technologies
A Computer Learning Center for Environmental Sciences
Mustard, John F.
In the fall of 1998, MacMillan Hall opened at Brown University to students. In MacMillan Hall was the new Computer Learning Center, since named the EarthLab which was outfitted with high-end workstations and peripherals primarily focused on the use of remotely sensed and other spatial data in the environmental sciences. The NASA grant we received as part of the "Centers of Excellence in Applications of Remote Sensing to Regional and Global Integrated Environmental Assessments" was the primary source of funds to outfit this learning and research center. Since opening, we have expanded the range of learning and research opportunities and integrated a cross-campus network of disciplines who have come together to learn and use spatial data of all kinds. The EarthLab also forms a core of undergraduate, graduate, and faculty research on environmental problems that draw upon the unique perspective of remotely sensed data. Over the last two years, the Earthlab has been a center for research on the environmental impact of water resource use in and regions, impact of the green revolution on forest cover in India, the design of forest preserves in Vietnam, and detailed assessments of the utility of thermal and hyperspectral data for water quality analysis. It has also been used extensively for local environmental activities, in particular studies on the impact of lead on the health of urban children in Rhode Island. Finally, the EarthLab has also served as a key educational and analysis center for activities related to the Brown University Affiliated Research Center that is devoted to transferring university research to the private sector.
Rolex learning center English guide
Della Casa, Francesco
The novel architectural form of this building, conceived of by the architects of SAANA (winners of the Pritzker Prize in 2010), compelled the building engineers to come up with unprecedented structural, technical and logistical solutions. And yet, once the Rolex Learning Center was complete, the ingenuity required for its construction had become practically invisible in the eyes of the uninitiated. This richly illustrated guide provides, in condensed form, an account of the extraordinary adventure of the realization of the Rolex Learning Center. It explains in detail the context of its construction and brings to light the spatial subtleties of its architecture. In addition, it provides the visitor of the building with all the needed technical information and many novel facts and figures.
Extensions of guiding center motion to higher order
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Northrop, T.G.; Rome, J.A.
In a static magnetic field, some well-known guiding center equations maintain their form when extended to next order in gyroradius. In these cases, it is only necessary to include the next order term in the magnetic moment series. The differential equation for guiding center motion which describes both the parallel and perpendicular velocities correctly through first order in gyroradius is given. The question of how to define the guiding center position through second order arises and is discussed, and second order drifts are derived for one usual definition. The toroidal canonical angular momentum, P/sub phi/, of the guiding center in an axisymmetric field is shown to be conserved using the guiding center velocity correct through first order. When second-order motion is included, P/sub phi/ is no longer a constant. The above extensions of guiding center theory help to resolve the different tokamak orbits obtained either by using the guiding center equations of motion or by using conservation of P/sub phi/
Extensions of guiding center motion to higher order
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Northrop, T.G.; Rome, J.A.
In a static magnetic field, some well-known guiding center equations maintain their form when extended to next order in gyroradius. In these cases, it is only necessary to include the next order term in the magnetic moment series. The differential equation for guiding center motion which describes both the parallel and perpendicular velocities correctly through first order in gyroradius is given. The question of how to define the guiding center position through second order arises and is discussed, and second order drifts are derived for one usual definition. The toroidal canonical angular momentum, P/sub phi/, of the guiding center in an axisymmetric field is shown to be conserved using the guiding center velocity correct through first order. When second order motion is included, P/sub phi/ is no longer a constant. The above extensions of guiding center theory help to resolve the different tokamak orbits obtained either by using the guiding center equations of motion or by using conservation of P/sub phi/
Hybrid Teaching in Extension: Learning at the Crossroads
Hino, Jeff; Kahn, Cub
Extension clients' learning preferences are changing, with many increasingly going online for educational content. In response, Oregon State University Extension pilot tested a training program for Extension educators to explore hybrid teaching--a methodology that could provide more flexible access to a wider audience. Hybrid teaching offers a…
Reliability Centered Maintenance as a tool for plant life extension
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Elliott, J.O.; Mulay, J.N.; Nakahara, Y.
Currently in the nuclear industry there is a growing interest in lowering the cost and complexity of maintenance activities while at the same time improving plant reliability and safety in an effort to prepare for the technical and regulatory challenges of life extension. This seemingly difficult task is being aided by the introduction of a maintenance philosophy developed originally by the airline industry and subsequently applied with great success both in that industry and the U.S. military services. Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM), in its basic form, may be described as a consideration of reliability and maintenance problems from a systems level approach, allowing a focus on preservation of system function as the aim of a maintenance program optimized for both safety and economics. It is this systematic view of plant maintenance, with the emphasis on overall functions rather than individual parts and components which sets RCM apart from past nuclear plant maintenance philosophies. It is also the factor which makes application of RCM an ideal first step in development of strategies for life extension, both for aging plants, and for plants just beginning their first license term. (J.P.N.)
Extension and Higher Education Service-Learning: Toward a Community Development Service-Learning Model
Stoecker, Randy
This article explores how on-the-ground Extension educators interface with higher education service-learning. Most service-learning in Extension has focused on precollege youth and 4-H. When we look at higher education service-learning and Extension in Wisconsin, we see that there is not as much connection as might be expected. County-based…
Using Non-Extension Volunteering as an Experiential Learning Activity for Extension Professionals
Andrews, Kevin B.; Lockett, Landry L.
Extension professionals can gain much-needed competencies in volunteer administration through experiential learning by participating in volunteer activities. Experiential learning is a means of behavior change that allows the individual learner to reflect on, abstract, and apply their experiences to new situations. This article expands on…
Learning PrimeFaces extensions development
Jonna, Sudheer
This book provides a step by step approach that explains the most important extension components and their features. All the major features are explained by using the JobHub application with supporting screenshots.If you are an intermediate to advanced level user (or developer) who already has a basic working knowledge of PrimeFaces, then this book is for you.The only thing you need to know is Java Server Faces(JSF).
Learning Type Extension Trees for Metal Bonding State Prediction
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Frasconi, Paolo; Jaeger, Manfred; Passerini, Andrea
Type Extension Trees (TET) have been recently introduced as an expressive representation language allowing to encode complex combinatorial features of relational entities. They can be efficiently learned with a greedy search strategy driven by a generalized relational information gain and a discr......Type Extension Trees (TET) have been recently introduced as an expressive representation language allowing to encode complex combinatorial features of relational entities. They can be efficiently learned with a greedy search strategy driven by a generalized relational information gain...
Learning investment indicators through data extension
Dvořák, Marek
Stock prices in the form of time series were analysed using single and multivariate statistical methods. After simple data preprocessing in the form of logarithmic differences, we augmented this single variate time series to a multivariate representation. This method makes use of sliding windows to calculate several dozen of new variables using simple statistic tools like first and second moments as well as more complicated statistic, like auto-regression coefficients and residual analysis, followed by an optional quadratic transformation that was further used for data extension. These were used as a explanatory variables in a regularized logistic LASSO regression which tried to estimate Buy-Sell Index (BSI) from real stock market data.
A Culture of Learning: Inside a Living-Learning Center
Kranzow, Jeannine; Hinkle, Sara E.; Muthiah, Richard; Davis, Colin
Exploring the culture of a living-learning center, this study examines the educational practices that aim to link in- and out-of-class experiences. Through a cultural lens, the authors offer a glimpse into a living-learning center located within a state institution in the Midwest that models a way of effectively connecting the curricular and…
Team learning center design principles
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Daily, B.; Loveland, J.; Whatley, A. [New Mexico State Univ., Las Cruces, NM (United States)] [and others
This is a preliminary report of a multi-year collaboration of the authors addressing the subject: Can a facility be designed for team learning and would it improve the efficiency and effectiveness of team interactions? Team learning in this context is a broad definition that covers all activities where small to large groups of people come together to work, to learn, and to share through team activities. Multimedia, networking, such as World Wide Web and other tools, are greatly enhancing the capability of individual learning. This paper addresses the application of technology and design to facilitate group or team learning. Many organizational meetings need tens of people to come together to do work as a large group and then divide into smaller subgroups of five to ten to work and then to return and report and interact with the larger group. Current facilities were not, in general, designed for this type of meeting. Problems with current facilities are defined and a preliminary design solution to many of the identified problems is presented.
Inquiry and Digital Learning Centers
Pappas, Marjorie L.
"Inquiry is an investigative process that engages students in answering questions, solving real world problems, confronting issues, or exploring personal interests" (Pappas and Tepe 2002, 27). Students who engage in inquiry learning need tools and resources that enable them to independently gather and use information. Scaffolding is important for…
Colorado Learning Disabilities Research Center.
DeFries, J. C.; And Others
Results obtained from the center's six research projects are reviewed, including research on psychometric assessment of twins with reading disabilities, reading and language processes, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder and executive functions, linkage analysis and physical mapping, computer-based remediation of reading disabilities, and…
Learning System Center App Controller
Naeem, Nasir
This book is intended for IT professionals working with Hyper-V, Azure cloud, VMM, and private cloud technologies who are looking for a quick way to get up and running with System Center 2012 R2 App Controller. To get the most out of this book, you should be familiar with Microsoft Hyper-V technology. Knowledge of Virtual Machine Manager is helpful but not mandatory.
Learning-Centered Leadership: A Conceptual Foundation
Murphy, Joseph; Elliott, Stephen N.; Goldring, Ellen; Porter, Andrew C.
The purpose of this analysis is to describe the research base that undergirds the emerging concept of learning-centered leadership. We begin with our definition of leadership. Leadership is "the process of influencing others to achieve mutually agreed upon purposes for the organization" (Patterson, 1993, p. 3). Next, we make a number of…
The Kepler Science Operations Center Pipeline Framework Extensions
Klaus, Todd C.; Cote, Miles T.; McCauliff, Sean; Girouard, Forrest R.; Wohler, Bill; Allen, Christopher; Chandrasekaran, Hema; Bryson, Stephen T.; Middour, Christopher; Caldwell, Douglas A.;
The Kepler Science Operations Center (SOC) is responsible for several aspects of the Kepler Mission, including managing targets, generating on-board data compression tables, monitoring photometer health and status, processing the science data, and exporting the pipeline products to the mission archive. We describe how the generic pipeline framework software developed for Kepler is extended to achieve these goals, including pipeline configurations for processing science data and other support roles, and custom unit of work generators that control how the Kepler data are partitioned and distributed across the computing cluster. We describe the interface between the Java software that manages the retrieval and storage of the data for a given unit of work and the MATLAB algorithms that process these data. The data for each unit of work are packaged into a single file that contains everything needed by the science algorithms, allowing these files to be used to debug and evolve the algorithms offline.
Distance Learning With NASA Lewis Research Center's Learning Technologies Project
Petersen, Ruth
The NASA Lewis Research Center's Learning Technologies Project (LTP) has responded to requests from local school district technology coordinators to provide content for videoconferencing workshops. Over the past year we have offered three teacher professional development workshops that showcase NASA Lewis-developed educational products and NASA educational Internet sites. In order to determine the direction of our involvement with distance learning, the LTP staff conducted a survey of 500 U.S. schools. We received responses from 72 schools that either currently use distance learning or will be using distance learning in 98-99 school year. The results of the survey are summarized in the article. In addition, the article provides information on distance learners, distance learning technologies, and the NASA Lewis LTP videoconferencing workshops. The LTP staff will continue to offer teacher development workshops through videoconferencing during the 98-99 school year. We hope to add workshops on new educational products as they are developed at NASA Lewis.
Performance Evaluation of Extension Education Centers in Universities Based on the Balanced Scorecard
Wu, Hung-Yi; Lin, Yi-Kuei; Chang, Chi-Hsiang
This study aims at developing a set of appropriate performance evaluation indices mainly based on balanced scorecard (BSC) for extension education centers in universities by utilizing multiple criteria decision making (MCDM). Through literature reviews and experts who have real practical experiences in extension education, adequate performance…
Health Extension in New Mexico: An Academic Health Center and the Social Determinants of Disease
Kaufman, Arthur; Powell, Wayne; Alfero, Charles; Pacheco, Mario; Silverblatt, Helene; Anastasoff, Juliana; Ronquillo, Francisco; Lucero, Ken; Corriveau, Erin; Vanleit, Betsy; Alverson, Dale; Scott, Amy
The Agricultural Cooperative Extension Service model offers academic health centers methodologies for community engagement that can address the social determinants of disease. The University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center developed Health Extension Rural Offices (HEROs) as a vehicle for its model of health extension. Health extension agents are located in rural communities across the state and are supported by regional coordinators and the Office of the Vice President for Community Health at the Health Sciences Center. The role of agents is to work with different sectors of the community in identifying high-priority health needs and linking those needs with university resources in education, clinical service and research. Community needs, interventions, and outcomes are monitored by county health report cards. The Health Sciences Center is a large and varied resource, the breadth and accessibility of which are mostly unknown to communities. Community health needs vary, and agents are able to tap into an array of existing health center resources to address those needs. Agents serve a broader purpose beyond immediate, strictly medical needs by addressing underlying social determinants of disease, such as school retention, food insecurity, and local economic development. Developing local capacity to address local needs has become an overriding concern. Community-based health extension agents can effectively bridge those needs with academic health center resources and extend those resources to address the underlying social determinants of disease. PMID:20065282
Urban Extension: Aligning with the Needs of Urban Audiences Through Subject-Matter Centers
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Brad Gaolach
Full Text Available The educational program model is the principle approach Extension uses to deliver on its mission of "taking knowledge to the people." However, with county-based faculty fully engaged in long-term program delivery, they may have little or no capacity to address emerging issues faced by urban communities. Urban governments often seek the research capacity of a university in addition to, or instead of, the traditional Extension programming model but sometimes turn first to other urban-serving universities. Washington State University Extension has addressed these challenges by establishing subject-matter centers. This article examines how subject-matter centers can add capacity to traditional Extension offices in order to be responsive to emerging local needs, suggesting models that other university Extension programs may use or adapt to their local communities. These models also foster more community engagement and articulate greater public value for the institution as a whole.
Extension of Small-Scale Postharvest Horticulture Technologies—A Model Training and Services Center
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Lisa Kitinoja
Full Text Available A pilot Postharvest Training and Services Center (PTSC was launched in October 2012 in Arusha, Tanzania as part of a United States Agency for International Development (USAID funded project. The five key components of the PTSC are (1 training of postharvest trainers, (2 postharvest training and demonstrations for local small-scale clientele, (3 adaptive research, (4 postharvest services, and (5 retail sales of postharvest tools and supplies. During the years of 2011–2012, a one year e-learning program was provided to 36 young horticultural professionals from seven Sub-Saharan African countries. These postharvest specialists went on to train more than 13,000 local farmers, extension workers, food processors, and marketers in their home countries in the year following completion of their course. Evaluators found that these specialists had trained an additional 9300 people by November 2014. When asked about adoption by their local trainees, 79% reported examples of their trainees using improved postharvest practices. From 2012–2013, the project supported 30 multi-day training programs, and the evaluation found that many of the improved practices being promoted were adopted by the trainees and led to increased earnings. Three PTSC components still require attention. Research activities initiated during the project are incomplete, and successful sales of postharvest goods and services will require commitment and improved partnering.
How to Create a Learning-Centered ESL Program
Bista, Krishna
This paper reviews the major features of learning-centered community colleges that offer educational programs and experiences for learners, based on individual need. By citing some exemplary learning colleges, the author examines the concepts and ideas of learning-centered colleges in teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) programs. An…
Beyond the Art Lesson: Free-Choice Learning Centers
Werth, Laurie
In this article, the author emphasizes that by providing learning centers in the art studio environment and by providing "free-choice time," art educators can encourage and reinforce the natural learning styles of students. Learning centers give elementary students the freedom to pursue individual artistic expression. They give students an…
Validating a Technology Enhanced Student-Centered Learning Model
Kang, Myunghee; Hahn, Jungsun; Chung, Warren
The Technology Enhanced Student Centered Learning (TESCL) Model in this study presents the core factors that ensure the quality of learning in a technology-supported environment. Although the model was conceptually constructed using a student-centered learning framework and drawing upon previous studies, it should be validated through real-world…
76 FR 32967 - Proposed Extensions and Waivers: National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center
... under Parts B and C of the IDEA that ultimately improve their developmental and early learning outcomes... strengthen State and local early childhood systems and improve outcomes for infants, toddlers, and children... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION [CFDA No. 84.326H] Proposed Extensions and Waivers: National Early...
Creating and Implementing Diverse Development Strategies to Support Extension Centers and Programs
Page, Christopher S.; Kern, Michael A.
Declining government funding for higher education requires colleges and universities to seek alternative revenue streams, including through philanthropic fund-raising. Extension-based subject matter centers and other programs can benefit from the thoughtful supplementation of traditional revenue sources with individual, corporate, and private…
Comparison of methods for determining the centers of extensive air showers
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Poirier, J.; Funk, E.; Mikocki, S.; Rohrer, N.
Monte Carlo techniques are used to generate extensive air shower data. Two methods of determining the core location of the shower have been investigated: the method of least squares and the method of maximizing the likelihood function. The likelihood function method gives a precision of shower center location two times better than the χ 2 method for small numbers of detected particles. (orig.)
Professionals calling in lifelong learning centers
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Victor Manuel Monteiro Seco
Full Text Available Purpose: This study aims to understand how the way people see their work and the authentizotic character of their organizational climate contribute to the building of a Great Place to Work. Design/methodology/approach: This paper presents the results of a quantitative investigation that correlate the perceptions of organizational climate and the work orientations of professionals with different occupations on Portuguese lifelong education centers. Findings: The study indicates that all the core elements of an authentizotic organization contribute to explain what people potentially expect from their companies: adequate material conditions plus a meaningful contribution. Practical implications: The study has implications in the future for National Qualification Agency directors, education politicians and human resource managers who are responsible for providing good expectations within a healthy context of talent retention. Originality/value: The novel contribution of this paper is the finding that employee's work orientations and authentizotic climate are related to each other in a Lifelong learning Center in the public education sector.
Space Operations Learning Center Facebook Application
Lui, Ben; Milner, Barbara; Binebrink, Dan; Kuok, Heng
The proposed Space Operations Learning Center (SOLC) Facebook module, initially code-named Spaceville, is intended to be an educational online game utilizing the latest social networking technology to reach a broad audience base and inspire young audiences to be interested in math, science, and engineering. Spaceville will be a Facebook application/ game with the goal of combining learning with a fun game and social environment. The mission of the game is to build a scientific outpost on the Moon or Mars and expand the colony. Game activities include collecting resources, trading resources, completing simple science experiments, and building architectures such as laboratories, habitats, greenhouses, machine shops, etc. The player is awarded with points and achievement levels. The player s ability increases as his/her points and levels increase. A player can interact with other players using multiplayer Facebook functionality. As a result, a player can discover unexpected treasures through scientific missions, engineering, and working with others. The player creates his/her own avatar with his/her selection of its unique appearance, and names the character. The player controls the avatar to perform activities such as collecting oxygen molecules or building a habitat. From observations of other successful social online games such as Farmville and Restaurant City, a common element of these games is having eye-catching and cartoonish characters, and interesting animations for all activities. This will create a fun, educational, and rewarding environment. The player needs to accumulate points in order to be awarded special items needed for advancing to higher levels. Trophies will be awarded to the player when certain goals are reached or tasks are completed. In order to acquire some special items needed for advancement in the game, the player will need to visit his/her neighboring towns to discover the items. This is the social aspect of the game that requires the
Tracking Active Learning in the Medical School Curriculum: A Learning-Centered Approach
McCoy, Lise; Pettit, Robin K; Kellar, Charlyn; Morgan, Christine
Background: Medical education is moving toward active learning during large group lecture sessions. This study investigated the saturation and breadth of active learning techniques implemented in first year medical school large group sessions. Methods: Data collection involved retrospective curriculum review and semistructured interviews with 20 faculty. The authors piloted a taxonomy of active learning techniques and mapped learning techniques to attributes of learning-centered instruction. Results: Faculty implemented 25 different active learning techniques over the course of 9 first year courses. Of 646 hours of large group instruction, 476 (74%) involved at least 1 active learning component. Conclusions: The frequency and variety of active learning components integrated throughout the year 1 curriculum reflect faculty familiarity with active learning methods and their support of an active learning culture. This project has sparked reflection on teaching practices and facilitated an evolution from teacher-centered to learning-centered instruction. PMID:29707649
Tracking Active Learning in the Medical School Curriculum: A Learning-Centered Approach.
McCoy, Lise; Pettit, Robin K; Kellar, Charlyn; Morgan, Christine
Medical education is moving toward active learning during large group lecture sessions. This study investigated the saturation and breadth of active learning techniques implemented in first year medical school large group sessions. Data collection involved retrospective curriculum review and semistructured interviews with 20 faculty. The authors piloted a taxonomy of active learning techniques and mapped learning techniques to attributes of learning-centered instruction. Faculty implemented 25 different active learning techniques over the course of 9 first year courses. Of 646 hours of large group instruction, 476 (74%) involved at least 1 active learning component. The frequency and variety of active learning components integrated throughout the year 1 curriculum reflect faculty familiarity with active learning methods and their support of an active learning culture. This project has sparked reflection on teaching practices and facilitated an evolution from teacher-centered to learning-centered instruction.
Instructional Leadership: A Learning-Centered Guide.
Hoy, Anita Woolfolk; Hoy, Wayne Kolter
This book was written with the assumption that teachers and administrators must work as colleagues to improve instruction and learning in schools. It was written to be consistent with the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) standards for school administrators, especially Standards 1 and 2, which emphasize a learning-centered…
Implementasi Student Centered Learning dalam Praktikum Fisika Dasar
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Rudy K.
Full Text Available Telah dilakukan penelitian untuk mengimplementasikan student centered learning dalam praktikum fisika dasar. Berdasarkan pengalaman di jurusan fisika Unesa selama ini, kendala yang dijumpai adalah masih banyak mahasiswa yang belum dapat mandiri dalam melaksanakan kegiatan praktikumnya karena lebih banyak menunggu penjelasan dari pembimbing dan kurang berinisiatif dalam menyelesaikan masalah praktikumnya. Student centered learning (SCL merupakan strategi pembelajaran yang menempatkan mahasiswa sebagai subyek aktif dan mandiri yang bertanggung jawab sepenuhnya atas pembelajarannya. Memperhatikan karakteristik praktikum yang lebih mengarah pada pengembangan keterampilan ilmiah (hard skills dan soft skills mahasiswa dalam mengidentifikasi gejala dan menyelesaikan masalah perlu dilakukan pendekatan pembelajaran yang inovatif yang dapat mengembangkan keterampilan ilmiah mahasiswa secara maksimal. Untuk mengatasi keadaan tersebut, telah diujicobakan suatu mekanisme implementasi SCL dalam praktikum fisika dasar yang diharapkan dapat mengoptimalkan keterampilan praktikum mahasiswa. Efektivitas mekanisme kegiatan praktikum dengan pendekatan SCL tersebut dilihat berdasarkan sejauhmana sasaran yang diinginkan tersebut tercapai. Hasil implementasi student centered learning dalam penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa: 1 Atribut-atribut student centered learning yang dapat diintegrasikan ke dalam praktikum fisika dasar meliputi: kerja kelompok, diskusi, menulis, presentasi, dan pemecahan masalah. 2 Atribut-atribut softs skills mahasiswa yang bersesuaian dengan atribut-atribut student centered learning yang diintegrasikan ke dalam praktikum fisika dasar adalah: kerjasama merupakan penekanan dari kegiatan kerja kelompok, manajemen diri merupakan penekanan dari kegiatan diskusi, komunikasi tulis merupakan penekanan dari kegiatan menulis, komunikasi lisan merupakan penekanan dari kegiatan presentasi, berfikir kritis dan analitis merupakan penekanan dari pemecahan
Determinants of E-learning Acceptance among Agricultural Extension Agents in Malaysia: A Conceptual Framework
Mangir, Safaie; Othman, Zakirah; Udin, Zulkifli Mohamed
The objective of this paper is to develop a framework on e-learning acceptance among agricultural extension agents in Malaysian agricultural sector. E-learning is viewed as a solution in response to the increasing need for learning and training. This paper will review past literatures for the relevant factors that influence behavioral intention for e-learning acceptance as well as the relevant behavioral theories that provide the foundation for developing research framework to illustrate the ...
A Learning Center on the Lever for Young Children.
Keislar, Evan R.; Luckenbill, Maryann
This document describes a project designed to explore the possibilities of children's learning in mechanics. The principle of the lever, one example of a simple machine, was used in the form of a balance toy. The apparatus was set up as a game in a specially devised learning center. The children made non-verbal predictions as to which way the bar…
Assessing the Academic Medical Center as a Supportive Learning Community
Gannon, Sam C.
Academic medical centers are well-known for their emphasis on teaching, research and public service; however, like most large, bureaucratic organizations, they oftentimes suffer from an inability to learn as an organization. The role of the research administrator in the academic medical center has grown over time as the profession itself has…
A control center design revisited: learning from users' appropriation
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Souza da Conceição, Carolina; Cordeiro, Cláudia
This paper aims to present the lessons learned during a control center design project by revisiting another control center from the same company designed two and a half years before by the same project team. In light of the experience with the first project and its analysis, the designers and res...
A Study of Informal Learning among University of Wyoming Extension Educators
Skrabut, Stanley A.
University of Wyoming Extension educators are often hired because of their subject matter expertise; yet, they must still develop education skills as well as learn to use various and ever-changing technologies. This research was conducted to understand what impact guided instruction on informal learning concepts and methods had on UW Extension…
The Dynamics of Project-Based Learning Extension Courses: The "Laboratory of Social Projects" Case Study
Arantes do Amaral, Joao Alberto
In this case study we discuss the dynamics that drive a free-of-charge project-based learning extension course. We discuss the lessons learned in the course, "Laboratory of Social Projects." The course aimed to teach project management skills to the participants. It was conducted from August to November of 2015, at Federal University of…
Increasing the Use of Student-Centered Pedagogies from Moderate to High Improves Student Learning and Attitudes about Biology
Connell, Georgianne L.; Donovan, Deborah A.; Chambers, Timothy G.
Student-centered strategies are being incorporated into undergraduate classrooms in response to a call for reform. We tested whether teaching in an extensively student-centered manner (many active-learning pedagogies, consistent formative assessment, cooperative groups; the Extensive section) was more effective than teaching in a moderately student-centered manner (fewer active-learning pedagogies, less formative assessment, without groups; the Moderate section) in a large-enrollment course. One instructor taught both sections of Biology 101 during the same quarter, covering the same material. Students in the Extensive section had significantly higher mean scores on course exams. They also scored significantly higher on a content postassessment when accounting for preassessment score and student demographics. Item response theory analysis supported these results. Students in the Extensive section had greater changes in postinstruction abilities compared with students in the Moderate section. Finally, students in the Extensive section exhibited a statistically greater expert shift in their views about biology and learning biology. We suggest our results are explained by the greater number of active-learning pedagogies experienced by students in cooperative groups, the consistent use of formative assessment, and the frequent use of explicit metacognition in the Extensive section. PMID:26865643
Active-Learning versus Teacher-Centered Instruction for Learning Acids and Bases
Sesen, Burcin Acar; Tarhan, Leman
Background and purpose: Active-learning as a student-centered learning process has begun to take more interest in constructing scientific knowledge. For this reason, this study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of active-learning implementation on high-school students' understanding of "acids and bases". Sample: The sample of this…
76 FR 50224 - Medicare Program; Accountable Care Organization Accelerated Development Learning Sessions; Center...
...] Medicare Program; Accountable Care Organization Accelerated Development Learning Sessions; Center for... (CMS). This two-day training session is the second Accelerated Development Learning Session (ADLS.... Through Accelerated Development Learning Sessions (ADLS), the Innovation Center will test whether...
Developing user-centered concepts for language learning video games
Poels, Yorick; Annema, Jan Henk; Zaman, Bieke; Cornillie, Frederik
This paper will report on an ongoing project which aims to develop video games for language learning through a user-centered and evidence-based approach. Therefore, codesign sessions were held with adolescents between 14 and 16 years old, in order to gain insight into their preferences for educational games for language learning. During these sessions, 11 concepts for video games were developed. We noticed a divide between the concepts for games that were oriented towa...
Reliability centered maintenance streamlining through lessons learned
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Strong, D.K.
In late 1986, PSE and G concluded that the Nuclear Department would develop a consistent approach to maintenance at Artificial Island (Salem and Hope Creak nuclear units). Preventive maintenance (PM) would be the heart of this approach. In the last six months of 1987 departments affected by the maintenance program participated on working groups that developed the Artificial Island maintenance philosophy. The central theme of the maintenance philosophy is the RCM (reliability centered maintenance) process. A pilot project tested the process in 1988. In 1989 the Central PM Group formed and in 1990 was given responsibility and authority to analyze, approve, implement, and control PM program changes. RCM is the central theme of the PM improvement effort but not the whole effort. Other important pieces included in this paper are: development of a common PM program, improvement of work instructions, development of predictive maintenance techniques into programs, development of a PM basis database, development of PM feedback from failure trends, root cause analysis, maintenance performance indicators, technicians, and engineers
Work in Progress : Learner-Centered Online Learning Facility
Pantic, M.; Zwitserloot, R.; De Weerdt, M.M.
This paper describes a novel, learner-centered technology for authoring web lectures. Besides seamless integration of video and audio feeds, Microsoft PowerPoint slides, and web-pages, the proposed Online Learning Facility (OLF) also facilitates online interactive testing and review of covered
Integrating Adaptive Games in Student-Centered Virtual Learning Environments
del Blanco, Angel; Torrente, Javier; Moreno-Ger, Pablo; Fernandez-Manjon, Baltasar
The increasing adoption of e-Learning technology is facing new challenges, such as how to produce student-centered systems that can be adapted to each student's needs. In this context, educational video games are proposed as an ideal medium to facilitate adaptation and tracking of students' performance for assessment purposes, but integrating the…
Learning curve for intracranial angioplasty and stenting in single center.
Cai, Qiankun; Li, Yongkun; Xu, Gelin; Sun, Wen; Xiong, Yunyun; Sun, Wenshan; Bao, Yuanfei; Huang, Xianjun; Zhang, Yao; Zhou, Lulu; Zhu, Wusheng; Liu, Xinfeng
To identify the specific caseload to overcome learning curve effect based on data from consecutive patients treated with Intracranial Angioplasty and Stenting (IAS) in our center. The Stenting and Aggressive Medical Management for Preventing Recurrent Stroke and Intracranial Stenosis trial was prematurely terminated owing to the high rate of periprocedural complications in the endovascular arm. To date, there are no data available for determining the essential caseload sufficient to overcome the learning effect and perform IAS with an acceptable level of complications. Between March 2004 and May 2012, 188 consecutive patients with 194 lesions who underwent IAS were analyzed retrospectively. The outcome variables used to assess the learning curve were periprocedural complications (included transient ischemic attack, ischemic stroke, vessel rupture, cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome, and vessel perforation). Multivariable logistic regression analysis was employed to illustrate the existence of learning curve effect on IAS. A risk-adjusted cumulative sum chart was performed to identify the specific caseload to overcome learning curve effect. The overall rate of 30-days periprocedural complications was 12.4% (24/194). After adjusting for case-mix, multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that operator experience was an independent predictor for periprocedural complications. The learning curve of IAS to overcome complications in a risk-adjusted manner was 21 cases. Operator's level of experience significantly affected the outcome of IAS. Moreover, we observed that the amount of experience sufficient for performing IAS in our center was 21 cases. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
21st Century Community Learning Centers: Providing Afterschool and Summer Learning Support to Communities Nationwide
Afterschool Alliance, 2014
The 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) initiative is the only federal funding source dedicated exclusively to before-school, afterschool, and summer learning programs. Each state education agency receives funds based on its share of Title I funding for low-income students at high-poverty, low performing schools. Funds are also…
Evaluation of Online Video Usage and Learning Satisfaction: An Extension of the Technology Acceptance Model
Nagy, Judit T.
The aim of the study was to examine the determining factors of students' video usage and their learning satisfaction relating to the supplementary application of educational videos, accessible in a Moodle environment in a Business Mathematics Course. The research model is based on the extension of "Technology Acceptance Model" (TAM), in…
The Knowledge Base as an Extension of Distance Learning Reference Service
Casey, Anne Marie
This study explores knowledge bases as extension of reference services for distance learners. Through a survey and follow-up interviews with distance learning librarians, this paper discusses their interest in creating and maintaining a knowledge base as a resource for reference services to distance learners. It also investigates their perceptions…
75 FR 49946 - National Drug Intelligence Center: Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Extension...
... DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE [OMB Number 1105-0087] National Drug Intelligence Center: Agency Information...), National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC), will be submitting the following information collection request... Kevin M. Walker, General Counsel, National Drug Intelligence Center, Fifth Floor, 319 Washington Street...
Karyotype Learning Center: A Software For Teaching And Learning Cytogenetics
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Joelma Freire De Mesquita
Full Text Available The in vitro cultivation of human cells is an essential part of the work of every diagnostic cytoge-netics laboratory. Almost all human cytogenetic studies involve the examination of dividing bloodcell population by blocking cell division at metaphase with subsequent processing and staining bybanding techniques. The chromosome constitution is described as Karyotype that states the totalnumber of chromosomes and the sex chromosome constitution. Karyotypes are prepared by cuttingup a photograph of the spread metaphase chromosomes, matching up homologous chromosomes andsticking them back down on a card or nowadays more often by getting an image analysis computerto do the job. Chromosomes are identied by their size, centromere position and banding pattern.Teaching a student how to detect and interpret even the most common chromosome abnormaliti-es is a major challenge: mainly, in a developing country where the laboratorial facilities are notalways available for a big number of students. Therefore, in this work we present an educationalsoftware for teaching undergraduate students of Medical and Life Sciences Courses how to arrangenormal and abnormal chromosomes in the form of karyotype. The user, using drag-and-drop, is da-red to match up homologous chromosome. For that, we have developed a free full access web site(http://www.biomol.net/cariotipo/ for hosting the software. The latter has proved to be light andfast even under slow dial-up connections. This web site also oers a theoretical introductory sectionwith basic concepts about karyotype. Up to now the software has been successfully applied to un-dergraduate courses at the University of Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO. The students have approved thesoftware; to them the similarities with the well-known game solitaire turns the exercise more excitingand provides additional stimulus to learn and understand karyotype. Professors have also used thesoftware as complementary material in their regular classes
Workforce Optimization for Bank Operation Centers: A Machine Learning Approach
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Sefik Ilkin Serengil
Full Text Available Online Banking Systems evolved and improved in recent years with the use of mobile and online technologies, performing money transfer transactions on these channels can be done without delay and human interaction, however commercial customers still tend to transfer money on bank branches due to several concerns. Bank Operation Centers serve to reduce the operational workload of branches. Centralized management also offers personalized service by appointed expert employees in these centers. Inherently, workload volume of money transfer transactions changes dramatically in hours. Therefore, work-force should be planned instantly or early to save labor force and increase operational efficiency. This paper introduces a hybrid multi stage approach for workforce planning in bank operation centers by the application of supervised and unsu-pervised learning algorithms. Expected workload would be predicted as supervised learning whereas employees are clus-tered into different skill groups as unsupervised learning to match transactions and proper employees. Finally, workforce optimization is analyzed for proposed approach on production data.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Yulia Hapsari
Full Text Available In a country like Indonesia, one of challenges in learning English as a foreign language is a lack of exposure of English in its authentic sense. The use of authentic materials seems to be an option to cope with this situation. One of the ways to optimize the use of the authentic materials to trigger students to experience learning and to enhance their active involvement in the learning process is by using it in extensive listening activities. Through extensive listening by using authentic materials, students are exposed to real native speech in meaningful language use. As the result, difficulties in listening gradually disappear. In order to put the idea into practice, the first thing to do is to set objectives of each meeting based on core vocabulary and grammar that are suitable for the learners using comprehensible input principle as the basic consideration. Second, selecting authentic materials that suit the objectives and that give exposure to formulaic language and meaningful language use. Then, preparing activities in which the instruction is reasonable and lead to sufficient practice to develop fluency. Finally, synchronize teaching activities to increase students' motivation to learn. As a follow up activities, students are informed and eventually involved in the whole process. Thus, students experience learning and actively involved in their learning process.
Study Circles in Online Learning Environment in the Spirit of Learning-Centered Approach
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Simándi Szilvia
Full Text Available Introduction: In the era of information society and knowledge economy, learning in non-formal environments gets a highlighted role: it can supplement, replace or raise the knowledge and skills gained in the school system to a higher level (Forray & Juhász, 2008, as the so-called "valid" knowledge significantly changes due to the acceleration of development. With the appearance of information technology means and their booming development, the possibilities of gaining information have widened and, according to the forecasts, the role of learning communities will grow. Purpose: Our starting point is that today, with the involvement of community sites (e.g. Google+, Facebook etc. there is a new possibility for inspiring learning communities: by utilizing the power of community and the possibilities of network-based learning (Ollé & Lévai, 2013. Methods: We intend to make a synthesis based on former research and literature focusing on the learning-centered approach, online learning environment, learning communities and study circles (Noesgaard & Ørngreen, 2015; Biggs & Tang, 2007; Kindström, 2010 Conclusions: The online learning environment can be well utilized for community learning. In the online learning environment, the process of learning is built on activity-oriented work for which active participation, and an intensive, initiative communication are necessary and cooperative and collaborative learning get an important role.
76 FR 66931 - Medicare Program; Accountable Care Organization Accelerated Development Learning Sessions; Center...
...] Medicare Program; Accountable Care Organization Accelerated Development Learning Sessions; Center for... Services (CMS). This two-day training session is the third and final Accelerated Development Learning... the quality of care for beneficiaries. Through Accelerated Development Learning Sessions (ADLS), the...
Inquiry based learning: a student centered learning to develop mathematical habits of mind
Handayani, A. D.; Herman, T.; Fatimah, S.; Setyowidodo, I.; Katminingsih, Y.
Inquiry based learning is learning that based on understanding constructivist mathematics learning. Learning based on constructivism is the Student centered learning. In constructivism, students are trained and guided to be able to construct their own knowledge on the basis of the initial knowledge that they have before. This paper explained that inquiry based learning can be used to developing student's Mathematical habits of mind. There are sixteen criteria Mathematical Habits of mind, among which are diligent, able to manage time well, have metacognition ability, meticulous, etc. This research method is qualitative descriptive. The result of this research is that the instruments that have been developed to measure mathematical habits of mind are validated by the expert. The conclusion is the instrument of mathematical habits of mind are valid and it can be used to measure student's mathematical habits of mind.
Increasing the Use of Student-Centered Pedagogies from Moderate to High Improves Student Learning and Attitudes about Biology.
Connell, Georgianne L; Donovan, Deborah A; Chambers, Timothy G
Student-centered strategies are being incorporated into undergraduate classrooms in response to a call for reform. We tested whether teaching in an extensively student-centered manner (many active-learning pedagogies, consistent formative assessment, cooperative groups; the Extensive section) was more effective than teaching in a moderately student-centered manner (fewer active-learning pedagogies, less formative assessment, without groups; the Moderate section) in a large-enrollment course. One instructor taught both sections of Biology 101 during the same quarter, covering the same material. Students in the Extensive section had significantly higher mean scores on course exams. They also scored significantly higher on a content postassessment when accounting for preassessment score and student demographics. Item response theory analysis supported these results. Students in the Extensive section had greater changes in postinstruction abilities compared with students in the Moderate section. Finally, students in the Extensive section exhibited a statistically greater expert shift in their views about biology and learning biology. We suggest our results are explained by the greater number of active-learning pedagogies experienced by students in cooperative groups, the consistent use of formative assessment, and the frequent use of explicit metacognition in the Extensive section. © 2016 G. L. Connell, D. A. Donovan, and T. G. Chambers. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2016 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).
Automatic labeling of MR brain images through extensible learning and atlas forests.
Xu, Lijun; Liu, Hong; Song, Enmin; Yan, Meng; Jin, Renchao; Hung, Chih-Cheng
Multiatlas-based method is extensively used in MR brain images segmentation because of its simplicity and robustness. This method provides excellent accuracy although it is time consuming and limited in terms of obtaining information about new atlases. In this study, an automatic labeling of MR brain images through extensible learning and atlas forest is presented to address these limitations. We propose an extensible learning model which allows the multiatlas-based framework capable of managing the datasets with numerous atlases or dynamic atlas datasets and simultaneously ensure the accuracy of automatic labeling. Two new strategies are used to reduce the time and space complexity and improve the efficiency of the automatic labeling of brain MR images. First, atlases are encoded to atlas forests through random forest technology to reduce the time consumed for cross-registration between atlases and target image, and a scatter spatial vector is designed to eliminate errors caused by inaccurate registration. Second, an atlas selection method based on the extensible learning model is used to select atlases for target image without traversing the entire dataset and then obtain the accurate labeling. The labeling results of the proposed method were evaluated in three public datasets, namely, IBSR, LONI LPBA40, and ADNI. With the proposed method, the dice coefficient metric values on the three datasets were 84.17 ± 4.61%, 83.25 ± 4.29%, and 81.88 ± 4.53% which were 5% higher than those of the conventional method, respectively. The efficiency of the extensible learning model was evaluated by state-of-the-art methods for labeling of MR brain images. Experimental results showed that the proposed method could achieve accurate labeling for MR brain images without traversing the entire datasets. In the proposed multiatlas-based method, extensible learning and atlas forests were applied to control the automatic labeling of brain anatomies on large atlas datasets or dynamic
Multi-center MRI carotid plaque component segmentation using feature normalization and transfer learning
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
van Engelen, Arna; van Dijk, Anouk C; Truijman, Martine T.B.
implementation of supervised methods. In this paper we segment carotid plaque components of clinical interest (fibrous tissue, lipid tissue, calcification and intraplaque hemorrhage) in a multicenter MRI study. We perform voxelwise tissue classification by traditional same-center training, and compare results...... not yield significant differences from that reference. We conclude that both extensive feature normalization and transfer learning can be valuable for the development of supervised methods that perform well on different types of datasets.......Automated segmentation of plaque components in carotid artery MRI is important to enable large studies on plaque vulnerability, and for incorporating plaque composition as an imaging biomarker in clinical practice. Especially supervised classification techniques, which learn from labeled examples...
Capacity Extension of Software Defined Data Center Networks With Jellyfish Topology
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Mehmeri, Victor; Vegas Olmos, Juan José; Tafur Monroy, Idelfonso
We present a performance analysis of Jellyfish topology with Software-Defined commodity switches for Data Center networks. Our results show up to a 2-fold performance gain when compared to a Spanning Tree Protocol implementation.......We present a performance analysis of Jellyfish topology with Software-Defined commodity switches for Data Center networks. Our results show up to a 2-fold performance gain when compared to a Spanning Tree Protocol implementation....
The Managers' Experiential Learning of Program Planning in Active Ageing Learning Centers
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Chun-Ting Yeh
Full Text Available Planning older adult learning programs is really a complex work. Program planners go through different learning stages and accumulate experiences to be able to undertake the task alone. This study aimed to explore the experiential learning process of older adult learning program planners who work in the Active Ageing Learning Centers (AALCs. Semi-structure interviews were conducted with seven program planners. The findings of this study were identified as follows. 1 Before being a program planner, the participants' knowledge results from grasping and transforming experience gained from their family, their daily lives and past learning experiences; 2 after being a program planner, the participants' experiential learning focused on leadership, training in the institute, professional development, as well as involvement in organizations for elderly people; and 3 the participants' experiential learning outcomes in the older adult learning program planning include: their ability to reflect on the appropriateness and fulfillment of program planning, to apply theoretical knowledge and professional background in the field, and to make plans for future learning and business strategies.
Neuromorphic cognitive systems a learning and memory centered approach
Yu, Qiang; Hu, Jun; Tan Chen, Kay
This book presents neuromorphic cognitive systems from a learning and memory-centered perspective. It illustrates how to build a system network of neurons to perform spike-based information processing, computing, and high-level cognitive tasks. It is beneficial to a wide spectrum of readers, including undergraduate and postgraduate students and researchers who are interested in neuromorphic computing and neuromorphic engineering, as well as engineers and professionals in industry who are involved in the design and applications of neuromorphic cognitive systems, neuromorphic sensors and processors, and cognitive robotics. The book formulates a systematic framework, from the basic mathematical and computational methods in spike-based neural encoding, learning in both single and multi-layered networks, to a near cognitive level composed of memory and cognition. Since the mechanisms for integrating spiking neurons integrate to formulate cognitive functions as in the brain are little understood, studies of neuromo...
Progress of the Architectural Competition: Learning Center, the Lausanne Example
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Mirjana Rittmeyer
Full Text Available Point of entry to the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL, the Learning Center will be a place to learn, to obtain information, and to live. Replacing and improving the old main library, this new building will gradually assimilate all EPFL department libraries collections and services, as they are integrated into a global information system. Conceived as the place for those who are learning, mainly students, who have no personal working area on the campus, it is designed to adapt itself to the 'seasons' of academic life throughout the year (flexibility and modularity of rooms, extended opening hours during exam periods. It will take into account group working habits (silence vs. noise, changes in the rhythm of student life (meals, working alone, discussions, etc., and other environmental factors. Of course the needs of EPFL staff and alumni, local industry and citizens have also been carefully considered in the design. By offering a multitude of community functions, such as a bookshop, cafeteria and restaurant services, and rooms for relaxation and discussion, the Learning Center will link the campus to the city. Areas devoted to exhibition and debate will also be included, enforcing its role as an interactive science showcase, in particular for those technologies related to the research and teaching of the EPFL. The presentation described the process and steps towards the actual realisation of such a vital public space: from the programme definition to the collaboration with the bureau of architects (SAANA, Tokyo who won the project competition, the speakers showed what are the challenges and lessons already taken when working on this major piece of architecture, indeed the heart of the transformation of the technical school build in the 1970s into a real 2000s campus.
Student-Centered Transformative Learning in Leadership Education: An Examination of the Teaching and Learning Process
Haber-Curran, Paige; Tillapaugh, Daniel W.
Innovative and learner-centered approaches to teaching and learning are vital for the applied field of leadership education, yet little research exists on such pedagogical approaches within the field. Using a phenomenological approach in analyzing 26 students' reflective narratives, the authors explore students' experiences of and process of…
The Application of Carl Rogers' Person-Centered Learning Theory to Web-Based Instruction.
Miller, Christopher T.
This paper provides a review of literature that relates research on Carl Rogers' person-centered learning theory to Web-based learning. Based on the review of the literature, a set of criteria is described that can be used to determine how closely a Web-based course matches the different components of Rogers' person-centered learning theory. Using…
Work-based learning and role extension: A match made in heaven?
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Eddy, Angela
This paper presents, and discusses the findings from an exploratory study which examined a cohort of postgraduate therapeutic radiographer students' experiences of undertaking work-based learning to support role extension. The findings showed that three themes emerged which impacted on individual experiences: organisational issues, role and practice issues related to competence development and the individual's background and experience. The conclusions are that new models must emerge, and be evaluated, to offer appropriate support to those individuals who demonstrate the skills and ability to progress to advanced and consultant levels. Departments need to deliberate how they can effectively introduce and support role extension, giving specific consideration to study time, the number of higher level practitioners in training, as well as how to offer effective clinical supervision. Collaboration between higher education institutes and departments should enable the development of tripartite agreements to facilitate effective support for the learners.
Electronic health records and technical assistance to improve quality of primary care: Lessons for regional extension centers.
Boas, Samuel J; Bishop, Tara F; Ryan, Andrew M; Shih, Sarah C; Casalino, Lawrence P
In 2009, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act apportioned $643 million for a Health Information Technology Extension Program, which established Regional Extension Centers (RECs) to support the implementation and use of electronic health records (EHRs). Little is known, however, about how RECs should assist in EHR implementation and how they should structure ongoing support. The purpose of this paper is to describe physicians' experiences with the Primary Care Information Project (PCIP), an REC run by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. We interviewed 17 physicians enrolled in PCIP to understand the role of the EHRon quality of care and their experience with technical assistance from PCIP. All physicians stated that they felt that the EHR improved the quality of care they delivered to their patients particularly because it helped them track patients. All the physicians found technical assistance helpful but most wanted ongoing assistance months or years after they adopted the EHR. © 2013 Published by Elsevier Inc.
The Use of an e-Learning System for Agricultural Extension: A Case Study of the Rural Development Administration, Korea
Park, Duk-Byeong; Cho, Yong-Been; Lee, Minsoo
The study explores the e-learning system of the Computer-Based Agricultural Extension Program (CBAES) and examines the differences in user satisfaction and preferences between the two systems for Agricultural Education and Extension at the Rural Development Administration (RDA) in Korea. It also describes the architecture, services, user…
The Development of a Learning Dashboard for Lecturers: A Case Study on a Student-Centered E-Learning Environment
Santoso, Harry B.; Batuparan, Alivia Khaira; Isal, R. Yugo K.; Goodridge, Wade H.
Student Centered e-Learning Environment (SCELE) is a Moodle-based learning management system (LMS) that has been modified to enhance learning within a computer science department curriculum offered by the Faculty of Computer Science of large public university in Indonesia. This Moodle provided a mechanism to record students' activities when…
Learning to learn with farmers : a case study of an adult learning extension project conducted in Queensland, Australia 1990 - 1995
Hamilton, N.A.
In this thesis, the relationship between the use of participatory processes in the development and use of information and knowledge and their impact on change is described and explored. This research utilises a major extension project carried out with respect to fallow management in
Learning Centers: A Report of the 1977 NEH Institute at Ohio State University.
Allen, Edward D.
A description of the twenty learning center units for advanced classes developed by the French and Spanish teacher-participants. Learning centers permit students to work independently at well-defined tasks. The units deal with housing, shopping, cooking, transportation, sports, fiestas, literature, history, architecture, painting, and music.…
Fostering the development of effective person-centered healthcare communication skills: an interprofessional shared learning model.
Cavanaugh, James T; Konrad, Shelley Cohen
To describe the implementation of an interprofessional shared learning model designed to promote the development of person-centered healthcare communication skills. Master of social work (MSW) and doctor of physical therapy (DPT) degree students. The model used evidence-based principles of effective healthcare communication and shared learning methods; it was aligned with student learning outcomes contained in MSW and DPT curricula. Students engaged in 3 learning sessions over 2 days. Sessions involved interactive reflective learning, simulated role-modeling with peer assessment, and context-specific practice of communication skills. The perspective of patients/clients was included in each learning activity. Activities were evaluated through narrative feedback. Students valued opportunities to learn directly from each other and from healthcare consumers. Important insights and directions for future interprofessional learning experiences were gleaned from model implementation. The interprofessional shared learning model shows promise as an effective method for developing person-centered communication skills.
Active-learning versus teacher-centered instruction for learning acids and bases
Acar Sesen, Burcin; Tarhan, Leman
Background and purpose: Active-learning as a student-centered learning process has begun to take more interest in constructing scientific knowledge. For this reason, this study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of active-learning implementation on high-school students' understanding of 'acids and bases'. Sample The sample of this study was 45 high-school students (average age 17 years) from two different classes, which were randomly assigned to the experimental (n = 21) and control groups (n = 25), in a high school in Turkey. Design and methods A pre-test consisting of 25 items was applied to both experimental and control groups before the treatment in order to identify student prerequisite knowledge about their proficiency for learning 'acids and bases'. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to compare the pre-test scores for groups and no significant difference was found between experimental (ME = 40.14) and control groups (MC = 41.92) in terms of mean scores (F 1,43 = 2.66, p > 0.05). The experimental group was taught using an active-learning curriculum developed by the authors and the control group was taught using traditional course content based on teacher-centered instruction. After the implementation, 'Acids and Bases Achievement Test' scores were collected for both groups. Results ANOVA results showed that students' 'Acids and Bases Achievement Test' post-test scores differed significantly in terms of groups (F 1,43 = 102.53; p acid and base theories'; 'metal and non-metal oxides'; 'acid and base strengths'; 'neutralization'; 'pH and pOH'; 'hydrolysis'; 'acid-base equilibrium'; 'buffers'; 'indicators'; and 'titration'. Based on the achievement test and individual interview results, it was found that high-school students in the experimental group had fewer misconceptions and understood the concepts more meaningfully than students in control group. Conclusion The study revealed that active-learning implementation is more effective at
The Development of a Robot-Based Learning Companion: A User-Centered Design Approach
Hsieh, Yi-Zeng; Su, Mu-Chun; Chen, Sherry Y.; Chen, Gow-Dong
A computer-vision-based method is widely employed to support the development of a variety of applications. In this vein, this study uses a computer-vision-based method to develop a playful learning system, which is a robot-based learning companion named RobotTell. Unlike existing playful learning systems, a user-centered design (UCD) approach is…
78 FR 33228 - Final Waiver and Extension of the Project Period for the National Dropout Prevention Center for...
... the National Dropout Prevention Center for Students With Disabilities [Catalog of Federal Domestic... period enables the currently funded National Dropout Prevention Center for Students with Disabilities... Dropout Prevention Center for Students with Disabilities. The Center was funded under the Technical...
A Design Framework for Enhancing Engagement in Student-Centered Learning: Own It, Learn It, and Share It
Lee, Eunbae; Hannafin, Michael J.
Student-centered learning (SCL) identifies students as the owners of their learning. While SCL is increasingly discussed in K-12 and higher education, researchers and practitioners lack current and comprehensive framework to design, develop, and implement SCL. We examine the implications of theory and research-based evidence to inform those who…
The proboscis extension reflex to evaluate learning and memory in honeybees ( Apis mellifera): some caveats
Frost, Elisabeth H.; Shutler, Dave; Hillier, Neil Kirk
The proboscis extension reflex (PER) is widely used in a classical conditioning (Pavlovian) context to evaluate learning and memory of a variety of insect species. The literature is particularly prodigious for honeybees ( Apis mellifera) with more than a thousand publications. Imagination appears to be the only limit to the types of challenges to which researchers subject honeybees, including all the sensory modalities and a broad diversity of environmental treatments. Accordingly, some remarkable insights have been achieved using PER. However, there are several challenges to evaluating the PER literature that warrant a careful and thorough review. We assess here variation in methods that makes interpretation of studies, even those researching the same question, tenuous. We suggest that the numerous variables that might influence experimental outcomes from PER be thoroughly detailed by researchers. Moreover, the influence of individual variables on results needs to carefully evaluated, as well as among two or more variables. Our intent is to encourage investigation of the influence of numerous variables on PER results.
Addressing Information Literacy through Student-Centered Learning
Bond, Paul
This case study describes several courses that resulted from a teaching partnership between an instructional technologist/professor and a librarian that evolved over several semesters, and the information literacy implications of the course formats. In order to increase student engagement, active learning and inquiry-based learning techniques were…
Implementing and measuring safety goals and safety culture. 2. Extensive Efforts to Learn Lessons from Overseas Nuclear Power Plants
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Maki, Nobuo
The transfer of nuclear power plant (NPP) operating experiences is one of the important measures for the safe operation of NPPs. The Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO),World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO), and Nuclear Information Center of Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry are the organizations providing Japanese utilities with useful information on incidents and accidents that have occurred at foreign NPPs. The Kansai Electric Power Company (KEPCO) has established two organizations to make extensive efforts to learn lessons from overseas NPPs: One is the Nuclear Power Plant Maintenance Training Center (MTC), and the other is the Institute of Nuclear Safety System (INSS). This paper describes the function of these organizations in transferring knowledge and expertise to ensure the safe operation of Japanese NPPs as well as recent outcomes. MTC was set up in October 1983. Before its establishment, expertise on NPP maintenance was mainly transferred on an on-the-job basis through daily maintenance work. However, after various NPP incidents and accidents, the importance of off-site training for maintenance personnel was emphasized. MTC possesses full-sized or nearly full sized mockups of Mihama NPP Unit 3 and Takahama NPP Unit 3. Furthermore, many kinds of mechanical, electrical, and instrumental equipment are furnished for training. In 1999, more than 2400 (man/day) maintenance personnel in total had training at MTC. In the tube rupture accident of a steam generator of KEPCO's Mihama Unit 2 on February 9, 1991, the emergency core cooling system actuated for the first time in the history of NPP operation in Japan. The cause of the accident was a fault in the manufacturing process of the steam generator, which was not detected until the accident. After an in-depth evaluation of the accident, many corrective actions were taken to prevent the recurrence of a similar accident. As a part of the actions, KEPCO established INSS in March
Adult Basic Learning in an Activity Center: A Demonstration Approach.
Metropolitan Adult Education Program, San Jose, CA.
Escuela Amistad, an activity center in San Jose, California, is now operating at capacity, five months after its origin. Average daily attendance has been 125 adult students, 18-65, most of whom are females of Mexican-American background. Activities and services provided by the center are: instruction in English as a second language, home…
Criteria and foundations for the implementation of the Learning Resource Centers
Raquel Zamora Fonseca
Review the criteria and rationale basis for the implementation of research - library and learning resource centers. The analysis focused on the implementation of CRAIs in university libraries and organizational models that can take.
Criteria and foundations for the implementation of the Learning Resource Centers
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Raquel Zamora Fonseca
Full Text Available Review the criteria and rationale basis for the implementation of research - library and learning resource centers. The analysis focused on the implementation of CRAIs in university libraries and organizational models that can take.
An access to care center as a learning organization.
Parris, U
The Durham Access to Care (DATC) is one of the new streamlined vehicles for the delivery of integrated home-based and community-based health services across Ontario. Management and staff in this change transition have undertaken to become a learning organization. To implement this visionary process leadership qualities and style is key. This article gives a brief account of DATC and its move to becoming a learning organization and the author's observational reflections of an effective leadership style.
Epidemiologic methods lessons learned from environmental public health disasters: Chernobyl, the World Trade Center, Bhopal, and Graniteville, South Carolina.
Svendsen, Erik R; Runkle, Jennifer R; Dhara, Venkata Ramana; Lin, Shao; Naboka, Marina; Mousseau, Timothy A; Bennett, Charles
Environmental public health disasters involving hazardous contaminants may have devastating effects. While much is known about their immediate devastation, far less is known about long-term impacts of these disasters. Extensive latent and chronic long-term public health effects may occur. Careful evaluation of contaminant exposures and long-term health outcomes within the constraints imposed by limited financial resources is essential. Here, we review epidemiologic methods lessons learned from conducting long-term evaluations of four environmental public health disasters involving hazardous contaminants at Chernobyl, the World Trade Center, Bhopal, and Graniteville (South Carolina, USA). We found several lessons learned which have direct implications for the on-going disaster recovery work following the Fukushima radiation disaster or for future disasters. These lessons should prove useful in understanding and mitigating latent health effects that may result from the nuclear reactor accident in Japan or future environmental public health disasters.
Lessons learned: mobile device encryption in the academic medical center.
Kusche, Kristopher P
The academic medical center is faced with the unique challenge of meeting the multi-faceted needs of both a modern healthcare organization and an academic institution, The need for security to protect patient information must be balanced by the academic freedoms expected in the college setting. The Albany Medical Center, consisting of the Albany Medical College and the Albany Medical Center Hospital, was challenged with implementing a solution that would preserve the availability, integrity and confidentiality of business, patient and research data stored on mobile devices. To solve this problem, Albany Medical Center implemented a mobile encryption suite across the enterprise. Such an implementation comes with complexities, from performance across multiple generations of computers and operating systems, to diversity of application use mode and end user adoption, all of which requires thoughtful policy and standards creation, understanding of regulations, and a willingness and ability to work through such diverse needs.
Allocation of Tutors and Study Centers in Distance Learning Using Geospatial Technologies
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Shahid Nawaz Khan
Full Text Available Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU is Pakistan's largest distance learning institute, providing education to 1.4 million students. This is a fairly large setup across a country where students are highly geographically distributed. Currently, the system works using a manual approach, which is not efficient. Allocation of tutors and study centers to students plays a key role in creating a better learning environment for distance learning. Assigning tutors and study centers to distance learning students is a challenging task when there is a huge geographic spread. Using geospatial technologies in open and distance learning can fix allocation problems. This research analyzes real data from the twin cities Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The results show that geospatial technologies can be used for efficient and proper resource utilization and allocation, which in turn can save time and money. The overall idea fits into an improved distance learning framework and related analytics.
Workforce Optimization for Bank Operation Centers: A Machine Learning Approach
Sefik Ilkin Serengil; Alper Ozpinar
Online Banking Systems evolved and improved in recent years with the use of mobile and online technologies, performing money transfer transactions on these channels can be done without delay and human interaction, however commercial customers still tend to transfer money on bank branches due to several concerns. Bank Operation Centers serve to reduce the operational workload of branches. Centralized management also offers personalized service by appointed expert employees in these centers. In...
Extensions and applications of ensemble-of-trees methods in machine learning
Bleich, Justin
Ensemble-of-trees algorithms have emerged to the forefront of machine learning due to their ability to generate high forecasting accuracy for a wide array of regression and classification problems. Classic ensemble methodologies such as random forests (RF) and stochastic gradient boosting (SGB) rely on algorithmic procedures to generate fits to data. In contrast, more recent ensemble techniques such as Bayesian Additive Regression Trees (BART) and Dynamic Trees (DT) focus on an underlying Bayesian probability model to generate the fits. These new probability model-based approaches show much promise versus their algorithmic counterparts, but also offer substantial room for improvement. The first part of this thesis focuses on methodological advances for ensemble-of-trees techniques with an emphasis on the more recent Bayesian approaches. In particular, we focus on extensions of BART in four distinct ways. First, we develop a more robust implementation of BART for both research and application. We then develop a principled approach to variable selection for BART as well as the ability to naturally incorporate prior information on important covariates into the algorithm. Next, we propose a method for handling missing data that relies on the recursive structure of decision trees and does not require imputation. Last, we relax the assumption of homoskedasticity in the BART model to allow for parametric modeling of heteroskedasticity. The second part of this thesis returns to the classic algorithmic approaches in the context of classification problems with asymmetric costs of forecasting errors. First we consider the performance of RF and SGB more broadly and demonstrate its superiority to logistic regression for applications in criminology with asymmetric costs. Next, we use RF to forecast unplanned hospital readmissions upon patient discharge with asymmetric costs taken into account. Finally, we explore the construction of stable decision trees for forecasts of
Implementation of Cooperative Learning in the Center for Community Service and Continuing Education at Kuwait University
Alansari, Eissa M.
The purpose of this study is to review the success of implementation of cooperative learning in various courses delivered at the Center for Community Service and Continuing Education at Kuwait University. According to recent research in the field of social cognition, learning situations which make use of the social context often achieve superior…
Organizational Transformation from the Inside Out: Reinventing the MIT Center for Organizational Learning.
Clanon, Jeff
The 2-year process by which the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Center for Organizational Learning transformed into the self-governed Society for Organizational Learning illustrates new ways of conceiving organizations, the capabilities required for change, and critical elements of the process: diverse representation, grounding in business…
Narrative as a learning tool in science centers : potentials, possibilities and merits
Murmann, Mai; Avraamidou, Lucy
In this theoretical paper we explore the use of narrative as a learning tool in informal science settings. Specifically, the purpose of this paper is to ex-plore how narrative can be applied to exhibits in the context of science centers to scaffold visitors science learning. In exploring this idea,
Intergenerational Learning at a Nature Center: Families Using Prior Experiences and Participation Frameworks to Understand Raptors
Zimmerman, Heather Toomey; McClain, Lucy Richardson
Using a sociocultural framework to approach intergenerational learning, this inquiry examines learning processes used by families during visits to one nature center. Data were collected from videotaped observations of families participating in an environmental education program and a follow-up task to draw the habitat of raptors. Based on a…
When Enrollments Bulge but Budgets Don't, Consider "Satellite Learning Centers."
Reecer, Marcia
Describes Dade County (Florida) schools' answer to crowded classrooms and burgeoning primary enrollments: satellite learning centers built and maintained by local companies as employee childcare benefits. Each center is attached to a nearby "host" school that disburses funds, keeps student records, and supplies support services. (MLH)
Integrating Student-Centered Learning in Finance Courses: The Case of a Malaysian Research University
Janor, Hawati; Rahim, Ruzita Abdul; Rahman, Aisyah Abdul; Auzairy, Noor Azryani; Hashim, Noor Azuan; Yusof, Muhamad Zain
The student-centered learning (SCL) approach is an approach to education that focuses on learners and their needs, rather than relying upon the input of the teacher's. The present paper examines how the SCL approach is integrated as a learner-centered paradigm into finance courses offered at a business school in a research university in Malaysia.…
Using Technology to Support Experiential Learning in Extension Nutrition and Health Programs
Schuster, Ellen
Much has been written about hybrid or blended learning in K-12 and higher education. In hybrid, or blended learning, face-to-face and online delivery of content are provided. The challenge is how best to use each delivery mode to optimize learning. For example, students may view videos or other multimedia content outside of class, with class time…
The efficacy of student-centered instruction in supporting science learning.
Granger, E M; Bevis, T H; Saka, Y; Southerland, S A; Sampson, V; Tate, R L
Transforming science learning through student-centered instruction that engages students in a variety of scientific practices is central to national science-teaching reform efforts. Our study employed a large-scale, randomized-cluster experimental design to compare the effects of student-centered and teacher-centered approaches on elementary school students' understanding of space-science concepts. Data included measures of student characteristics and learning and teacher characteristics and fidelity to the instructional approach. Results reveal that learning outcomes were higher for students enrolled in classrooms engaging in scientific practices through a student-centered approach; two moderators were identified. A statistical search for potential causal mechanisms for the observed outcomes uncovered two potential mediators: students' understanding of models and evidence and the self-efficacy of teachers.
Including the Disabled : The Chiminike Interactive Learning Center in Honduras
Maria Valéria Pena; Barbara Brakarz
In the aftermath of Hurricane Mitch in 1998, the Honduras Interactive Environmental Learning and Science Promotion Project "Profuturo" was launched as a multi-sectoral effort designed to encourage and expand scientific, environmental, and cultural knowledge and management in the context of Honduras' sustainable development needs and ethnic diversity. Profuturo benefits Hondurans by providi...
From lending to learning the development and extension of public libraries
O'Beirne, Rónán
From Lending to Learning provides a theoretical overview and practical guide to the functional area of delivering learning services within public libraries. It traces the development of public library service delivery and critically appraises the inherent tension between offering an educational-focused or leisure-focused library. The current and future policy directions are explored against the backdrop of the emerging learning society. A general overview of recent developments in learning theory is followed by an insight into the learning landscape. The issues and practicalities of setting up
Worker-Centered Learning: A Union Guide to Workplace Literacy.
Sarmiento, Anthony R.; Kay, Ann
This guide examines organized labor's views on adult literacy. It also describes several union-sponsored workplace education programs and suggests how a union can plan and operate a worker-centered literacy program. The book is organized in three parts. The first part examines workplace literacy in four chapters that cover the following: the…
Perspectives of Students' Behavior Towards Mobile Learning (M-learning in Egypt: an Extension of the UTAUT Model
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R. A. Ali
Full Text Available The rapid development of third-generation (3G mobile technologies has led to the emergence of a new kind of learning called mobile learning (m-learning. M-learning means the use of mobile devices to access learning materials at anytime and anywhere with the aid of mobile terminals and networks. This paper explores the possibility of applying m-learning for schools in Egypt through a proposed model of acceptance factors that may affect the students' intentions to adopt m-learning. We use the original model of Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT and extended it with three new factors mobility, interactivity, and enjoyment.
The Plant Information Center (PIC): A Web-Based Learning Center for Botanical Study.
Greenberg, J.; Daniel, E.; Massey, J.; White, P.
The Plant Information Center (PIC) is a project funded under the Institute of Museum and Library Studies that aims to provide global access to both primary and secondary botanical resources via the World Wide Web. Central to the project is the development and employment of a series of applications that facilitate resource discovery, interactive…
Kennedy Space Center's NASA/Contractor Team-Centered Total Quality Management Seminar: Results, methods, and lessons learned
Kinlaw, Dennis C.; Eads, Jeannette
It is apparent to everyone associated with the Nation's aeronautics and space programs that the challenge of continuous improvement can be reasonably addressed only if NASA and its contractors act together in a fully integrated and cooperative manner that transcends the traditional boundaries of proprietary interest. It is, however, one thing to assent to the need for such integration and cooperation; it is quite another thing to undertake the hard tasks of turning such a need into action. Whatever else total quality management is, it is fundamentally a team-centered and team-driven process of continuous improvement. The introduction of total quality management at KSC, therefore, has given the Center a special opportunity to translate the need for closer integration and cooperation among all its organizations into specific initiatives. One such initiative that NASA and its contractors have undertaken at KSC is a NASA/Contractor team-centered Total Quality Management Seminar. It is this seminar which is the subject of this paper. The specific purposes of this paper are to describe the following: Background, development, and evolution of Kennedy Space Center's Total Quality Management Seminar; Special characteristics of the seminar; Content of the seminar; Meaning and utility of a team-centered design for TQM training; Results of the seminar; Use that one KSC contractor, EG&G Florida, Inc. has made of the seminar in its Total Quality Management initiative; and Lessons learned.
Lessons Learned from an LGBTQ Senior Center: A Bronx Tale.
McGovern, Justine; Brown, Dwayne; Gasparro, Vita
This article describes an interdisciplinary pilot study exploring the impact of LGBTQ senior centers on the lives of center members. Many LGBTQ adults face the future having experienced stigma and bias, restricted rights, and rejection from family of origin, and are now growing older without the support of a partner and adult children. As a result, older LGBTQ adults experience higher rates of depression, loneliness and isolation, and shortened life expectancy as compared to non-LGBTQ peers. Findings from focus group and key informant interviews highlight features of LGBTQ senior center experiences that can significantly improve members' quality of life. These include providing family, acceptance and a home, which can have an impact on outlook and outcomes. Moreover, findings suggest the need for re-thinking hetero-normative definitions of "community" in the context of LGBTQ aging. Beyond sharing findings from the study, suggesting a conceptual framework for deepening understanding about LGBTQ aging, and identifying lines of future inquiry, the article articulates implications for social work research, practice and education. Ultimately, the article argues that social work is well positioned to improve quality of life for this under-served population when it adopts a cultural humility stance in research, practice and education.
Interface between problem-based learning and a learner-centered paradigm.
Karimi, Reza
Problem-based learning (PBL) has made a major shift in support of student learning for many medical school curricula around the world. Since curricular development of PBL in the early 1970s and its growth in the 1980s and 1990s, there have been growing numbers of publications providing positive and negative data in regard to the curricular effectiveness of PBL. The purpose of this study was to explore supportive data for the four core objectives of PBL and to identify an interface between the objectives of PBL and a learner-centered paradigm. The four core PBL objectives, ie, structuring of knowledge and clinical context, clinical reasoning, self-directed learning, and intrinsic motivation, were used to search MEDLINE, the Education Resources Information Center, the Educator's Reference Complete, and PsycINFO from January 1969 to January 2011. The literature search was facilitated and narrowed if the published study included the following terms: "problem-based learning", "medical education", "traditional curriculum", and one of the above four PBL objectives. Through a comprehensive search analysis, one can find supportive data for the effectiveness of a PBL curriculum in achieving the four core objectives of PBL. A further analysis of these four objectives suggests that there is an interface between PBL objectives and criteria from a learner-centered paradigm. In addition, this review indicates that promotion of teamwork among students is another interface that exists between PBL and a learner-centered paradigm. The desire of medical schools to enhance student learning and a need to provide an environment where students construct knowledge rather than receive knowledge have encouraged many medical schools to move into a learner-centered paradigm. Implementation of a PBL curriculum can be used as a prevailing starting point to develop not only a learner-centered paradigm, but also to facilitate a smooth curricular transition from a teacher-centered paradigm to a
On the Changing Nature of Learning Context: Anticipating the Virtual Extensions of the World
Westera, Wim
Contextual learning starts from the premise that learning cannot take place in a vacuum, but should somehow be connected with real world attributes to make sense to learners. Today, digital media tend to bring about new dimensions of context: internet connections and mobile devices enable learners to overcome restrictions of time and location, and…
78 FR 11803 - Proposed Waiver and Extension of the Project Period for the National Dropout Prevention Center...
... the National Dropout Prevention Center for Students With Disabilities [Catalog of Federal Domestic... would enable the currently funded National Dropout Prevention Center for Students with Disabilities to... about dropout prevention for students with disabilities, and to develop a series of high-quality...
Analyzing γ rays of the Galactic Center with deep learning
Caron, Sascha; Gómez-Vargas, Germán A.; Hendriks, Luc; Ruiz de Austri, Roberto
We present the application of convolutional neural networks to a particular problem in gamma ray astronomy. Explicitly, we use this method to investigate the origin of an excess emission of GeV γ rays in the direction of the Galactic Center, reported by several groups by analyzing Fermi-LAT data. Interpretations of this excess include γ rays created by the annihilation of dark matter particles and γ rays originating from a collection of unresolved point sources, such as millisecond pulsars. We train and test convolutional neural networks with simulated Fermi-LAT images based on point and diffuse emission models of the Galactic Center tuned to measured γ ray data. Our new method allows precise measurements of the contribution and properties of an unresolved population of γ ray point sources in the interstellar diffuse emission model. The current model predicts the fraction of unresolved point sources with an error of up to 10% and this is expected to decrease with future work.
Helping Hand: The Salin Kaalaman Tungo sa Kaunlaran Extension Program of Polytechnic University of the Philippines Among the Beneficiaries of the Pilot Centers in Sta. Mesa, Manila, Philippines
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Junnette B. Hasco
Full Text Available One of the four-fold functions of State Universities and Colleges in accordance by their mandates was to provide assistance to communities; this was achieved thru conducting different skills and development trainings in partnership with Local Government Units (LGU's. This study was conducted to assess the current Extension program of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP. Some 74 beneficiaries from the 23 centers of Sta. Mesa, Manila were identified through the use of purposive sampling. The data gathering made use of aided surveys. Weighted Mean and Pearson Product Moment of Correlation was used to treat and process statistical data. Findings revealed that the Extension Services conducted by the PUP Salin Kaalaman Tungo sa Kaunlaran Extension Program (SALIN were highly effective regarding Information Dissemination, Staff and Officials, Trainings and Programs, Trainers and Speakers, Programs, Accommodation and Venue and the personal impact of the Extension Program to the Beneficiaries. Satisfaction rating on the extension program was also high. Further, this study found out that as respondents are satisfied with the implementation of SALIN, the greater the chance of positive assessment on the effectiveness of the project. The study also disclosed problems and recommendations identified by the respondents. In addressing the research gaps, this study further identified recommendations to enhance capabilities of program implementers such as better execution in the delivery of extension services, fund sourcing and forging linkages or networking.
The Physics Learning Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
Nossal, S. M.; Watson, L. E.; Hooper, E.; Huesmann, A.; Schenker, B.; Timbie, P.; Rzchowski, M.
The Physics Learning Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison provides academic support and small-group supplemental instruction to students studying introductory algebra-based and calculus-based physics. These classes are gateway courses for majors in the biological and physical sciences, pre-health fields, engineering, and secondary science education. The Physics Learning Center offers supplemental instruction groups twice weekly where students can discuss concepts and practice with problem-solving techniques. The Center also provides students with access on-line resources that stress conceptual understanding, and to exam review sessions. Participants in our program include returning adults, people from historically underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, students from families in lower-income circumstances, students in the first generation of their family to attend college, transfer students, veterans, and people with disabilities, all of whom might feel isolated in their large introductory course and thus have a more difficult time finding study partners. We also work with students potentially at-risk for having academic difficulty (due to factors academic probation, weak math background, low first exam score, or no high school physics). A second mission of the Physics Learning Center is to provide teacher training and leadership experience for undergraduate Peer Mentor Tutors. These Peer Tutors lead the majority of the weekly group sessions in close supervision by PLC staff members. We will describe our work to support students in the Physics Learning Center, including our teacher-training program for our undergraduate Peer Mentor Tutors
Influences of posterior-located center of gravity on lumbar extension strength, balance, and lumbar lordosis in chronic low back pain.
Kim, Dae-Hun; Park, Jin-Kyu; Jeong, Myeong-Kyun
In patients with chronic low back pain, the center of gravity (COG) is abnormally located posterior to the center in most cases. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of posterior-located COG on the functions (lumbar extension strength, and static and dynamic balance) and structure (lumbar lordosis angle and lumbosacral angle) of the lumbar spine. In this study, the COG of chronic low back pain patients who complained of only low back pain were examined using dynamic body balance equipment. A total of 164 subjects participated in the study (74 males and 90 females), and they were divided into two groups of 82 patients each. One group (n=82) consisted of patients whose COG was located at the center (C-COG); the other group (n=82) consisted of patients whose COG was located posterior to the center (P-COG). The following measures assessed the lumber functions and structures of the two groups: lumbar extension strength, moving speed of static and dynamic COGs, movement distance of the static and dynamic COGs, lumbar lordosis angle, and lumbosacral angle. The measured values were analyzed using independent t-tests. The group of patients with P-COG showed more decreases in lumbar extension strength, lumbar lordosis angle, and lumbosacral angle compared to the group of patients with C-COG. Also this group showed increases in moving speed and movement distance of the static COG. However, there were no differences in moving speed and movement distance of the dynamic COG between the two groups. These findings suggest that chronic LBP patients with P-COG have some disadvantages to establish lumbar extension strength and static and dynamic balance, which require specific efforts to maintain a neutral position and to control posture.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Joao Alberto Arantes do Amaral
Full Text Available In this case study we discuss the dynamics that drive a free-of-charge project-based learning extension course. We discuss the lessons learned in the course, "Laboratory of Social Projects." The course aimed to teach project management skills to the participants. It was conducted from August to November of 2015, at Federal University of São Paulo (Unifesp, Osasco Campus, Brazil. The course had 72 participants (41 community members and 31 university students. The participants worked in teams of four members (on average and developed 13 projects on behalf of eight NGOs that help people in need. In our research, we followed a mixed methods approach, using unstructured questionnaires and project reports as sources of information. We made use of system thinking analysis to reveal the dynamics that unfolded during the course. Our main findings are: 1 free-of-charge extension courses can be much more challenging to manage than traditional courses; the bureaucracy of getting the university's approval and problems related to dropouts are issues to consider; 2 the workload of the professors involved can be substantially higher than the workload of similar regular courses; 3 the use of project-based learning techniques can be very effective; 4 the courses can provide a very rich experience to the participants, promoting intense knowledge-sharing among all involved.
Lessons Learned from Implementing the Patient-Centered Medical Home
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Ellen P. Green
Full Text Available The Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH is a primary care model that provides coordinated and comprehensive care to patients to improve health outcomes. This paper addresses practical issues that arise when transitioning a traditional primary care practice into a PCMH recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA. Individual organizations' experiences with this transition were gathered at a PCMH workshop in Alexandria, Virginia in June 2010. An analysis of their experiences has been used along with a literature review to reveal common challenges that must be addressed in ways that are responsive to the practice and patients' needs. These are: NCQA guidance, promoting provider buy-in, leveraging electronic medical records, changing office culture, and realigning workspace in the practice to accommodate services needed to carry out the intent of PCMH. The NCQA provides a set of standards for implementing the PCMH model, but these standards lack many specifics that will be relied on in location situations. While many researchers and providers have made critiques, we see this vagueness as allowing for greater flexibility in how a practice implements PCMH.
Learning Resources Centers and Their Effectiveness on Students' Learning Outcomes: A Case-Study of an Omani Higher Education Institute
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Peyman Nouraey
Full Text Available The study aimed at investigating the use and effectiveness of a learning resources center, which is generally known as a library. In doing so, eight elements were investigated through an author-designed questionnaire. Each of these elements tended to delve into certain aspects of the afore-mentioned center. These elements included a students' visits frequency, b availability of books related to modules, c center facilities, d use of discussion rooms, e use of online resources, f staff cooperation, g impact on knowledge enhancement, and, h recommendation to peers. Eighty undergraduate students participated in the study. Participants were then asked to read the statements carefully and choose one of the five responses provided, ranging from strongly agree to strongly disagree. Data were analyzed based on 5-point Likert Scale. Findings of the study revealed that participants were mostly in agreement with all eight statements provided in the questionnaire, which were interpreted as positive feedbacks from the students. Then, the frequencies of responses by the participants were reported. Finally, the results were compared and contrasted and related discussions on the effectiveness of libraries and learning resources centers on students' learning performances and outcomes were made.
Perspectives on learning through research on critical issues-based science center exhibitions
Pedretti, Erminia G.
Recently, science centers have created issues-based exhibitions as a way of communicating socioscientific subject matter to the public. Research in the last decade has investigated how critical issues-based installations promote more robust views of science, while creating effective learning environments for teaching and learning about science. The focus of this paper is to explore research conducted over a 10-year period that informs our understanding of the nature of learning through these experiences. Two specific exhibitions - Mine Games and A Question of Truth - provide the context for discussing this research. Findings suggest that critical issues-based installations challenge visitors in different ways - intellectually and emotionally. They provide experiences beyond usual phenomenon-based exhibitions and carry the potential to enhance learning by personalizing subject matter, evoking emotion, stimulating dialogue and debate, and promoting reflexivity. Critical issues-based exhibitions serve as excellent environments in which to explore the nature of learning in these nonschool settings.
Developing Student-Centered Learning Model to Improve High Order Mathematical Thinking Ability
Saragih, Sahat; Napitupulu, Elvis
The purpose of this research was to develop student-centered learning model aiming to improve high order mathematical thinking ability of junior high school students of based on curriculum 2013 in North Sumatera, Indonesia. The special purpose of this research was to analyze and to formulate the purpose of mathematics lesson in high order…
A Study of Time Spent Working at Learning Centers. Technical Report #17.
Omori, Sharon; And Others
This study examined the proportion of time children in the Kamehameha Early Education Program schools spend at actual school work in learning centers. Systematic time-sampled observations using multiple observers were conducted in December-January and again in March-April. The subjects, 12 children (6 kindergarteners and 6 first graders) were…
Learning Center and Study Carrels: A Comparative Study. Technical Report #18.
Chun, Sherlyn; And Others
This Kamehameha Early Education Program (KEEP) report presents a comparative study of the work rates of kindergarten and first grade children in two classroom environments: a learning-center and a study-carrel environment. The subjects, seven matched pairs of kindergarten and first grade students, were chosen on the basis of the results of a…
Transformation of an academic medical center: lessons learned from restructuring and downsizing.
Woodard, B; Fottler, M D; Kilpatrick, A O
This article reviews management literature on health care transformation and describes the processes, including restructuring, job redesign, and downsizing, involved in one academic medical center's experience. The article concludes with lessons learned at each of the stages of the transformation process: planning, implementation, and process continuation. Managerial implications for similar transformation efforts in other health care organizations are suggested.
Elementary School Principals' Learning-Centered Leadership and Educational Outcomes: Implications for Principals' Professional Development
Reardon, R. Martin
This article arises from research in one school district (utilizing the Vanderbilt Assessment of Leadership in Education, VAL-ED) into the relationships among the perceptions of elementary school leaders of their learning-centered leadership, and student achievement on state-mandated tests of reading in Virginia. Beyond the percentage of students…
Mobilizing Learning Resources in a Transnational Classroom: Translocal and Digital Resources in a Community Technology Center
Noguerón-Liu, Silvia
Drawing from transnational and activity theory frameworks, this study analyzes the ways translocal flows shape learning in a community technology center serving adult immigrants in the US Southwest. It also explores students' constructions of the transnational nature of the courses they took, where they had access to both online and face-to-face…
Automated Library Networking in American Public Community College Learning Resources Centers.
Miah, Adbul J.
Discusses the need for community colleges to assess their participation in automated library networking systems (ALNs). Presents results of questionnaires sent to 253 community college learning resource center directors to determine their use of ALNs. Reviews benefits of automation and ALN activities, planning and communications, institution size,…
The CAREL Center for Education Diagnosis and Learning: A Self-Correcting Innovative Model.
Jenny, Albert
The Central Atlantic Regional Educational Laboratory (CAREL) Center for Educational Diagnosis and Learning is a model based on a cybernetic approach for the development of educational programs designed to personalize the student's instructional experiences and humanize his daily living. The CAREL Project has set three major objectives and 12…
Patterns of Tight and Loose Coupling in a Competitive Marketplace: The Case of Learning Center Franchises
Aurini, Janice Danielle
The concept of coupling--the relationship between the environment, administrative goals, and instructional practices of education organizations--is a staple in New Institutional research. Yet processes of coupling have remained elusive. Drawing on ethnographic research of the "Ontario Learning Center" (OLC) franchise, along with…
State of the Art Student Support Services in an IEP Learning Center
Hanson, Jessica; Maxwell, Jeffrey; Mulder, Monika
Intensive English language programs (IEPs) at American universities have the task of recruiting, retaining, and preparing international students for mainstream classes. In order to achieve these tasks, many programs have explored using supplemental instruction (SI) in the form of learning centers (LCs) to support their students. In this study, we…
Family Literacy Project. Learning Centers for Parents and Children. A Resource Guide.
Crocker, M. Judith, Ed.; And Others
This guide is intended to help adult education programs establish family literacy programs and create Family Learning Centers in Cleveland Public Schools. The information should assist program coordinators in developing educational components that offer activities to raise the self-esteem of the parents and provide them with the knowledge and…
Preparedness and Emergency Response Learning Centers: supporting the workforce for national health security.
Richmond, Alyson L; Sobelson, Robyn K; Cioffi, Joan P
The importance of a competent and prepared national public health workforce, ready to respond to threats to the public's health, has been acknowledged in numerous publications since the 1980s. The Preparedness and Emergency Response Learning Centers (PERLCs) were funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2010 to continue to build upon a decade of focused activities in public health workforce preparedness development initiated under the Centers for Public Health Preparedness program (http://www.cdc.gov/phpr/cphp/). All 14 PERLCs were located within Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) accredited schools of public health. These centers aimed to improve workforce readiness and competence through the development, delivery, and evaluation of targeted learning programs designed to meet specific requirements of state, local, and tribal partners. The PERLCs supported organizational and community readiness locally, regionally, or nationally through the provision of technical consultation and dissemination of specific, practical tools aligned with national preparedness competency frameworks and public health preparedness capabilities. Public health agencies strive to address growing public needs and a continuous stream of current and emerging public health threats. The PERLC network represented a flexible, scalable, and experienced national learning system linking academia with practice. This system improved national health security by enhancing individual, organizational, and community performance through the application of public health science and learning technologies to frontline practice.
Service-Learning. National Dropout Prevention Center/Network Newsletter. Volume 22, Number 4
Duckenfield, Marty, Ed.
The "National Dropout Prevention Newsletter" is published quarterly by the National Dropout Prevention Center/Network. This issue contains the following articles: (1) Dropouts and Democracy (Robert Shumer); (2) 2011 NDPN Crystal Star Winners; (3) Service-Learning as Dropout Intervention and More (Michael VanKeulen); and (4) Teacher…
The High-Energy Astrophysics Learning Center, Version 1. [CD-ROM].
Whitlock, Laura A.; Allen, Jesse S.; Lochner, James C.
The High-Energy Astrophysics (HEA) Learning Center gives students, teachers, and the general public a window into the world of high-energy astrophysics. The universe is revealed through x-rays and gamma rays where matter exists under extreme conditions. Information is available on astrophysics at a variety of reading levels, and is illustrated…
User Acceptance of YouTube for Procedural Learning: An Extension of the Technology Acceptance Model
Lee, Doo Young; Lehto, Mark R.
The present study was framed using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to identify determinants affecting behavioral intention to use YouTube. Most importantly, this research emphasizes the motives for using YouTube, which is notable given its extrinsic task goal of being used for procedural learning tasks. Our conceptual framework included two…
Introducing Inmates to Extension through Financial Education and Experiential Learning Tools
Richel, Karen
Research shows that in order to reduce recidivism rates in prisons, financial education and other life skills should be a mandatory topic in our prison systems. By creating a learning environment conducive to the specialized needs of this audience, an inmate's ability to set goals, recognize wants and needs, maintain bank accounts, create a…
Regulatory Approach To and Lessons Learned with Licensing of Service Life Extension at PAKS NPP
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Petofi, G.
Paks Nuclear Power Plant of Hungary decided to extend the original design lifetime of the plant by 20 years, which expires on December 31, 2012 concerning unit 1. The Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority established the legal environments in order to license the extension using an approach similar to that followed in the United States. The regulation specifies the pre-conditions for the extension, defines the scoping and screening process for the passive and long lived systems, structures and components to be involved in the licensing and the respective methods of treatment and also determines how the active components shall be dealt with during the extended lifetime. The regulatory procedure is a two-step process including the oversight of the preparatory programme of the operator for the extension that started 4 years before the expiry of the lifetime and the licensing process itself, which is currently under way for unit 1 after the submittal of the licensee's application at the end of 2011. The first experiences with the regulatory assessment of the application are available yet and presented in this paper. (author)
Interface between problem-based learning and a learner-centered paradigm
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Karimi R
Full Text Available Reza KarimiPacific University School of Pharmacy, Hillsboro, OR, USABackground: Problem-based learning (PBL has made a major shift in support of student learning for many medical school curricula around the world. Since curricular development of PBL in the early 1970s and its growth in the 1980s and 1990s, there have been growing numbers of publications providing positive and negative data in regard to the curricular effectiveness of PBL. The purpose of this study was to explore supportive data for the four core objectives of PBL and to identify an interface between the objectives of PBL and a learner-centered paradigm.Methods: The four core PBL objectives, ie, structuring of knowledge and clinical context, clinical reasoning, self-directed learning, and intrinsic motivation, were used to search MEDLINE, the Education Resources Information Center, the Educator's Reference Complete, and PsycINFO from January 1969 to January 2011. The literature search was facilitated and narrowed if the published study included the following terms: "problem-based learning", "medical education", "traditional curriculum", and one of the above four PBL objectives.Results: Through a comprehensive search analysis, one can find supportive data for the effectiveness of a PBL curriculum in achieving the four core objectives of PBL. A further analysis of these four objectives suggests that there is an interface between PBL objectives and criteria from a learner-centered paradigm. In addition, this review indicates that promotion of teamwork among students is another interface that exists between PBL and a learner-centered paradigm.Conclusion: The desire of medical schools to enhance student learning and a need to provide an environment where students construct knowledge rather than receive knowledge have encouraged many medical schools to move into a learner-centered paradigm. Implementation of a PBL curriculum can be used as a prevailing starting point to
Learning from Primary Health Care Centers in Nepal: reflective writings on experiential learning of third year Nepalese medical students
Dhital, Rolina; Subedi, Madhusudan; Prasai, Neeti; Shrestha, Karun; Malla, Milan; Upadhyay, Shambhu
Background Medical education can play important role in cultivating the willingness among the medical students to work in underprivileged areas after their graduation. Experiential learning through early exposure to primary health care centers could help students better understand the opportunities and challenges of such settings. However, the information on the real experiences and reflections of medical students on the rural primary health care settings from low-income countries like Nepal ...
Person-Centered Learning using Peer Review Method – An Evaluation and a Concept for Student-Centered Classrooms
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Dominik Dolezal
Full Text Available Using peer assessment in the classroom to increase student engagement by actively involving the pupils in the assessment process has been practiced and researched for decades. In general, the literature suggests using peer review for project-based exercises. This paper analyzes the applicability of peer assessment to smaller exercises at secondary school level and makes recommendations for its use in computer science courses. Furthermore, a school pilot project introducing student-centered classrooms, called "learning office", is described. Additionally, a concept for the implementation of peer assessment in such student-centered classrooms is outlined. We introduced two traditional secondary school classes consisting of a total of 57 students to the peer assessment method within the scope of the same software engineering course. The peer students assessed two of 13 exercises using the Moodle workshop activity. The students evaluated these two exercises using an anonymous online questionnaire. At the end of the course, they rated each of the 13 exercises regarding their learning motivation. Overall, the anonymous feedback on the peer review exercises was very positive. The students not only obtained more feedback, but also received it in a timelier manner compared to regular teacher assessment. The results of the overall rating of all 13 exercises revealed that the two peer reviewed exercises have been rated significantly better than the other eleven exercises assessed by the teacher. Evidence therefore suggests that peer review is a viable option for small- and medium-sized exercises in the context of computer science education at secondary school level under certain conditions, which we discuss in this paper.
Integrative Student Learning: An Effective Team Learning Activity in a Learner-Centered Paradigm
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Reza Karimi, RPh, PhD
Full Text Available Purpose: An Integrative Student Learning (ISL activity was developed with the intent to enhance the dynamic of student teamwork and enhance student learning by fostering critical-thinking skills, self-directed learning skills, and active learning. Case Study: The ISL activity consists of three portions: teambuilding, teamwork, and a facilitator driven "closing the loop" feedback discussion. For teambuilding, a set of clue sheets or manufacturer's drug containers were distributed among student pairs who applied their pharmaceutical knowledge to identify two more student pairs with similar clues or drugs, thus building a team of six. For teamwork, each team completed online exams, composed of integrated pharmaceutical science questions with clinical correlates, using only selected online library resources. For the feedback discussion, facilitators evaluated student impressions, opened a discussion about the ISL activity, and provided feedback to teams' impressions and questions. This study describes three different ISL activities developed and implemented over three days with first year pharmacy students. Facilitators' interactions with students and three surveys indicated a majority of students preferred ISL over traditional team activities and over 90% agreed ISL activities promoted active learning, critical-thinking, self-directed learning, teamwork, and student confidence in online library searches. Conclusions: The ISL activity has proven to be an effective learning activity that promotes teamwork and integration of didactic pharmaceutical sciences to enhance student learning of didactic materials and confidence in searching online library resources. It was found that all of this can be accomplished in a short amount of class time with a very reasonable amount of preparation.
Integrative Student Learning: An Effective Team Learning Activity in a Learner-Centered Paradigm
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Reza Karimi
Full Text Available Purpose: An Integrative Student Learning (ISL activity was developed with the intent to enhance the dynamic of student teamwork and enhance student learning by fostering critical-thinking skills, self-directed learning skills, and active learning. Case Study: The ISL activity consists of three portions: teambuilding, teamwork, and a facilitator driven "closing the loop" feedback discussion. For teambuilding, a set of clue sheets or manufacturer's drug containers were distributed among student pairs who applied their pharmaceutical knowledge to identify two more student pairs with similar clues or drugs, thus building a team of six. For teamwork, each team completed online exams, composed of integrated pharmaceutical science questions with clinical correlates, using only selected online library resources. For the feedback discussion, facilitators evaluated student impressions, opened a discussion about the ISL activity, and provided feedback to teams' impressions and questions. This study describes three different ISL activities developed and implemented over three days with first year pharmacy students. Facilitators' interactions with students and three surveys indicated a majority of students preferred ISL over traditional team activities and over 90% agreed ISL activities promoted active learning, critical-thinking, self-directed learning, teamwork, and student confidence in online library searches. Conclusions: The ISL activity has proven to be an effective learning activity that promotes teamwork and integration of didactic pharmaceutical sciences to enhance student learning of didactic materials and confidence in searching online library resources. It was found that all of this can be accomplished in a short amount of class time with a very reasonable amount of preparation. Type: Case Study
20 CFR 670.515 - What responsibilities do the center operators have in managing work-based learning?
... have in managing work-based learning? 670.515 Section 670.515 Employees' Benefits EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR THE JOB CORPS UNDER TITLE I OF THE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT ACT... managing work-based learning? (a) The center operator must emphasize and implement work-based learning...
What do we learn about hadronic interactions at ultrahigh energies from extensive air shower observations?
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Rebel, H.
The interpretation of extensive air shower (EAS) observations needs a sufficiently accurate knowledge of the interactions driving the cascade development in the atmosphere. While the electromagnetic and weak interaction parts do not provide principal problems, the hadronic interaction is a subject of uncertainties and debates, especially in the ultrahigh energy region extending the energy limits of man made accelerators and experimental knowledge from collider experiments. Since the EAS development is dominantly governed by soft processes, which are presently not accessible to a perturbative QCD treatment, one has to rely on QCD inspired phenomenological interaction models, in particular on string-models based on the Gribov-Regge theory like QGSJET, VENUS and SYBILL. Recent results of the EAS experiments KASCADE are scrutinized in terms of such models used as generators in the Monte Carlo EAS simulation code CORSIKA. (author)
Meaningful Learning Moments on a Family Medicine Clerkship: When Students Are Patient Centered.
Huang, William Y; Rogers, John C; Nelson, Elizabeth A; Wright, Crystal C; Teal, Cayla R
Reflection after patient encounters is an important aspect of clinical learning. After our medical school instituted a reflection paper assignment for all clerkships, we wanted to learn about the types of encounters that students found meaningful on a family medicine clerkship and how they impacted students' learning. Family and Community Medicine Clerkship students completed a reflection paper after the clerkship, based on guidelines that were used for all clerkship reflection papers at our medical school. Two reviewers independently organized student responses into themes and then jointly prioritized common themes and negotiated any initial differences into other themes. A total of 272 reflection papers describing an actual learning moment in patient care were submitted during the study period of January 2011--December 2012. In describing actions performed, students most frequently wrote about aspects of patient-centered care such as listening to the patient, carefully assessing the patient's condition, or giving a detailed explanation to the patient. In describing effects of those actions, students wrote about what they learned about the patient-physician interaction, the trust that patients demonstrated in them, the approval they gained from their preceptors, and the benefits they saw from their actions. An important contribution of a family medicine clerkship is the opportunity for students to further their skills in patient-centered care and realize the outcomes of providing that type of care.
Profile of New Mexico Military Institute's Toles Learning Center: Marketing the LRC into the Twenty-First Century.
McLaren, M. Bruce
Describes New Mexico Military Institute (NMMI), a state-supported combined military high school/junior college. Discusses its new learning resources center, the impact of the center on the community, and efforts to promote a greater demand for center services and raise funds for the facility. Recommends 14 marketing strategies. (DMM)
Fuzzy cognitive maps for applied sciences and engineering from fundamentals to extensions and learning algorithms
Fuzzy Cognitive Maps (FCM) constitute cognitive models in the form of fuzzy directed graphs consisting of two basic elements: the nodes, which basically correspond to "concepts" bearing different states of activation depending on the knowledge they represent, and the "edges" denoting the causal effects that each source node exercises on the receiving concept expressed through weights. Weights take values in the interval [-1,1], which denotes the positive, negative or neutral causal relationship between two concepts. An FCM can be typically obtained through linguistic terms, inherent to fuzzy systems, but with a structure similar to the neural networks, which facilitates data processing, and has capabilities for training and adaptation. During the last 10 years, an exponential growth of published papers in FCMs was followed showing great impact potential. Different FCM structures and learning schemes have been developed, while numerous studies report their use in many contexts with highly successful m...
Learning Across the Big-Science Boundary: Leveraging Big-Science Centers for Technological Learning
Autio, E.; Streit-Bianchi, M.
The interaction between industrial companies and the public research sector has intensified significantly during recent years (Bozeman, 2000), as firms attempt to build competitive advantage by leveraging external sources of learning (Lambe et al., 1997). By crossing the boundary between industrial and re- search spheres, firms may tap onto sources of technological learning, and thereby gain a knowledge- based competitive advantage over their competitors. Such activities have been actively supported by national governments, who strive to support the international competitiveness of their industries (Georghiou et al., 2000; Lee, 1994; Rothwell et al., 1992).
Epidemiologic Methods Lessons Learned from Environmental Public Health Disasters: Chernobyl, the World Trade Center, Bhopal, and Graniteville, South Carolina
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Timothy A. Mousseau
Full Text Available Background: Environmental public health disasters involving hazardous contaminants may have devastating effects. While much is known about their immediate devastation, far less is known about long-term impacts of these disasters. Extensive latent and chronic long-term public health effects may occur. Careful evaluation of contaminant exposures and long-term health outcomes within the constraints imposed by limited financial resources is essential. Methods: Here, we review epidemiologic methods lessons learned from conducting long-term evaluations of four environmental public health disasters involving hazardous contaminants at Chernobyl, the World Trade Center, Bhopal, and Graniteville (South Carolina, USA. Findings: We found several lessons learned which have direct implications for the on-going disaster recovery work following the Fukushima radiation disaster or for future disasters. Interpretation: These lessons should prove useful in understanding and mitigating latent health effects that may result from the nuclear reactor accident in Japan or future environmental public health disasters.
Student-Centered Learning: Functional Requirements for Integrated Systems to Optimize Learning
Glowa, Liz; Goodell, Jim
The realities of the 21st-century learner require that schools and educators fundamentally change their practice. "Educators must produce college- and career-ready graduates that reflect the future these students will face. And, they must facilitate learning through means that align with the defining attributes of this generation of…
Teaching torque with 5E learning strategy: an off-center disk case
Balta, Nuri
In this paper, five simple demonstrations with an off-center disk that can be easily constructed and demonstrated in science class are described along with the 5E learning strategy. These demonstrations can be used to help students develop an understanding of the relationship between the centre of mass and torque. These STEM activities are appropriate for high school or first-year college physics, and are expected to engage students during physics courses.
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Zuhal CUBUKCU
Full Text Available Nowadays, educational systems are being questionned to find effective solutions to problems that are being encountered, and discussions are centered around the ways of restructuring systems so as to overcome difficulties. As the consequences of the traditional teaching approach, we can indicate that the taught material is not long-lasting but easily forgotten, that students do not sufficiently acquire the knowledge and skills that are aimed at developing, and that students lack transferring their knowledge to real life. In our current situation, individuals prefer to use educational resources where and when they want, based on their individual skills and abilities. Throughout the world, because the internet infrastructure has developed quite rapidly, it has been offered as an alternative way for a rich learning and teaching environment. This study aims at determining teacher candidates' preferences regarding internet-based learning environments in student-centered education by involving the teacher candidates enrolled at Osmangazi University, Faculty of Education, Primary School Teaching, Mathematics Teaching and Computer and Educational Technologies Education programmes. This study is a descriptive study. The data collection scale consists of the "Constructivist Internet-based Education of Science Scale (CILES-S". The sample group of teacher candidates in the study showed differences with respect to their preferences regarding internet-based learning in student-centered education. The candidates scored higher in the internet-based learning environments of Cognitive Development and Critical Judgement. The lowest average scores of the sample group were observed in the internet-based learning environment of Episthemologic awareness.
Exploring student learning profiles in algebra-based studio physics: A person-centered approach
Pond, Jarrad W. T.; Chini, Jacquelyn J.
In this study, we explore the strategic self-regulatory and motivational characteristics of students in studio-mode physics courses at three universities with varying student populations and varying levels of success in their studio-mode courses. We survey students using questions compiled from several existing questionnaires designed to measure students' study strategies, attitudes toward and motivations for learning physics, organization of scientific knowledge, experiences outside the classroom, and demographics. Using a person-centered approach, we utilize cluster analysis methods to group students into learning profiles based on their individual responses to better understand the strategies and motives of algebra-based studio physics students. Previous studies have identified five distinct learning profiles across several student populations using similar methods. We present results from first-semester and second-semester studio-mode introductory physics courses across three universities. We identify these five distinct learning profiles found in previous studies to be present within our population of introductory physics students. In addition, we investigate interactions between these learning profiles and student demographics. We find significant interactions between a student's learning profile and their experience with high school physics, major, gender, grade expectation, and institution. Ultimately, we aim to use this method of analysis to take the characteristics of students into account in the investigation of successful strategies for using studio methods of physics instruction within and across institutions.
The University of Nebraska at Omaha Center for Space Data Use in Teaching and Learning
Grandgenett, Neal
Within the context of innovative coursework and other educational activities, we are proposing the establishment of a University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) Center for the Use of Space Data in Teaching and Learning. This Center will provide an exciting and motivating process for educators at all levels to become involved in professional development and training which engages real life applications of mathematics, science, and technology. The Center will facilitate innovative courses (including online and distance education formats), systematic degree programs, classroom research initiatives, new instructional methods and tools, engaging curriculum materials, and various symposiums. It will involve the active participation of several Departments and Colleges on the UNO campus and be well integrated into the campus environment. It will have a direct impact on pre-service and in-service educators, the K12 (kindergarten through 12th grade) students that they teach, and other college students of various science, mathematics, and technology related disciplines, in which they share coursework. It is our belief that there are many exciting opportunities represented by space data and imagery, as a context for engaging mathematics, science, and technology education. The UNO Center for Space Data Use in Teaching and Learning being proposed in this document will encompass a comprehensive training and dissemination strategy that targets the improvement of K-12 education, through changes in the undergraduate and graduate preparation of teachers in science, mathematics and technology education.
Evaluation of long term health-related quality of life in extensive burns: a 12-year experience in a burn center.
Xie, Bing; Xiao, Shi-chu; Zhu, Shi-hui; Xia, Zhao-fan
We sought to evaluate the long term health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients survived severely extensive burn and identify their clinical predicting factors correlated with HRQOL. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 20 patients survived more than 2 years with extensive burn involving ≥70% total body surface area (TBSA) between 1997 and 2009 in a burn center in Shanghai. Short Form-36 Medical Outcomes Survey (SF-36), Brief Version of Burn Specific Health Scale (BSHS-B) and Michigan Hand Outcome Questionnaire (MHQ) were used for the present evaluation. SF-36 scores were compared with a healthy Chinese population, and linear correlation analysis was performed to screen the clinical relating factors predicting physical and mental component summary (PCS and MCS) scores from SF-36. HRQOL scores from SF-36 were significantly lower in the domains of physical functioning, role limitations due to physical problems, pain, social functioning and role limitations due to emotional problems compared with population norms. Multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that only return to work (RTW) predicted improved PCS. While age at injury, facial burns, skin grafting and length of hospital stay were correlated with MCS. Work, body image and heat sensitivity obtained the lowest BSHS-B scores in all 9 domains. Improvements of HRQOL could still be seen in BSHS-B scores in domains of simple abilities, hand function, work and affect even after a quite long interval between burns and testing. Hand function of extensive burn patients obtained relatively poor MHQ scores, especially in those without RTW. Patients with extensive burns have a poorer quality of life compared with that of general population. Relatively poor physical and psychological problems still exist even after a long period. Meanwhile, a trend of gradual improvements was noted. This information will aid clinicians in decision-making of comprehensive systematic regimens for long term rehabilitation
Ethanol-induced effects on sting extension response and punishment learning in the western honey bee (Apis mellifera.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Manuel A Giannoni-Guzmán
Full Text Available Acute ethanol administration is associated with sedation and analgesia as well as behavioral disinhibition and memory loss but the mechanisms underlying these effects remain to be elucidated. During the past decade, insects have emerged as important model systems to understand the neural and genetic bases of alcohol effects. However, novel assays to assess ethanol's effects on complex behaviors in social or isolated contexts are necessary. Here we used the honey bee as an especially relevant model system since bees are typically exposed to ethanol in nature when collecting standing nectar crop of flowers, and there is recent evidence for independent biological significance of this exposure for social behavior. Bee's inhibitory control of the sting extension response (SER and a conditioned-place aversion assay were used to study ethanol effects on analgesia, behavioral disinhibition, and associative learning. Our findings indicate that although ethanol, in a dose-dependent manner, increases SER thresholds (analgesic effects, it disrupts the ability of honey bees to inhibit SER and to associate aversive stimuli with their environment. These results suggest that ethanol's effects on analgesia, behavioral disinhibition and associative learning are common across vertebrates and invertebrates. These results add to the use of honey bees as an ethanol model to understand ethanol's effects on complex, socially relevant behaviors.
Investigating student communities with network analysis of interactions in a physics learning center
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Eric Brewe
Full Text Available Developing a sense of community among students is one of the three pillars of an overall reform effort to increase participation in physics, and the sciences more broadly, at Florida International University. The emergence of a research and learning community, embedded within a course reform effort, has contributed to increased recruitment and retention of physics majors. We utilize social network analysis to quantify interactions in Florida International University's Physics Learning Center (PLC that support the development of academic and social integration. The tools of social network analysis allow us to visualize and quantify student interactions and characterize the roles of students within a social network. After providing a brief introduction to social network analysis, we use sequential multiple regression modeling to evaluate factors that contribute to participation in the learning community. Results of the sequential multiple regression indicate that the PLC learning community is an equitable environment as we find that gender and ethnicity are not significant predictors of participation in the PLC. We find that providing students space for collaboration provides a vital element in the formation of a supportive learning community.
Investigating student communities with network analysis of interactions in a physics learning center
Brewe, Eric; Kramer, Laird; Sawtelle, Vashti
Developing a sense of community among students is one of the three pillars of an overall reform effort to increase participation in physics, and the sciences more broadly, at Florida International University. The emergence of a research and learning community, embedded within a course reform effort, has contributed to increased recruitment and retention of physics majors. We utilize social network analysis to quantify interactions in Florida International University's Physics Learning Center (PLC) that support the development of academic and social integration. The tools of social network analysis allow us to visualize and quantify student interactions and characterize the roles of students within a social network. After providing a brief introduction to social network analysis, we use sequential multiple regression modeling to evaluate factors that contribute to participation in the learning community. Results of the sequential multiple regression indicate that the PLC learning community is an equitable environment as we find that gender and ethnicity are not significant predictors of participation in the PLC. We find that providing students space for collaboration provides a vital element in the formation of a supportive learning community.
Integrating knowledge exchange and the assessment of dryland management alternatives - A learning-centered participatory approach.
Bautista, Susana; Llovet, Joan; Ocampo-Melgar, Anahí; Vilagrosa, Alberto; Mayor, Ángeles G; Murias, Cristina; Vallejo, V Ramón; Orr, Barron J
The adoption of sustainable land management strategies and practices that respond to current climate and human pressures requires both assessment tools that can lead to better informed decision-making and effective knowledge-exchange mechanisms that facilitate new learning and behavior change. We propose a learning-centered participatory approach that links land management assessment and knowledge exchange and integrates science-based data and stakeholder perspectives on both biophysical and socio-economic attributes. We outline a structured procedure for a transparent assessment of land management alternatives, tailored to dryland management, that is based on (1) principles of constructivism and social learning, (2) the participation of stakeholders throughout the whole assessment process, from design to implementation, and (3) the combination of site-specific indicators, identified by local stakeholders as relevant to their particular objectives and context conditions, and science-based indicators that represent ecosystem services of drylands worldwide. The proposed procedure follows a pattern of eliciting, challenging, and self-reviewing stakeholder perspectives that aims to facilitate learning. The difference between the initial baseline perspectives and the final self-reviewed stakeholder perspectives is used as a proxy of learning. We illustrate the potential of this methodology by its application to the assessment of land uses in a Mediterranean fire-prone area in East Spain. The approach may be applied to a variety of socio-ecological systems and decision-making and governance scales. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Active learning and student-centered pedagogy improve student attitudes and performance in introductory biology.
Armbruster, Peter; Patel, Maya; Johnson, Erika; Weiss, Martha
We describe the development and implementation of an instructional design that focused on bringing multiple forms of active learning and student-centered pedagogies to a one-semester, undergraduate introductory biology course for both majors and nonmajors. Our course redesign consisted of three major elements: 1) reordering the presentation of the course content in an attempt to teach specific content within the context of broad conceptual themes, 2) incorporating active and problem-based learning into every lecture, and 3) adopting strategies to create a more student-centered learning environment. Assessment of our instructional design consisted of a student survey and comparison of final exam performance across 3 years-1 year before our course redesign was implemented (2006) and during two successive years of implementation (2007 and 2008). The course restructuring led to significant improvement of self-reported student engagement and satisfaction and increased academic performance. We discuss the successes and ongoing challenges of our course restructuring and consider issues relevant to institutional change.
Effect of learner-centered teaching on motivation and learning strategies in a third-year pharmacotherapy course.
Cheang, Kai I
To develop, implement, and assess a learner-centered approach to teaching a third-year pharmacotherapy course in a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program. The pharmacotherapy course was restructured according to the learner-centered approach. The Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) was administered to students before and after taking the course, and changes in MSLQ subscales from baseline were evaluated. Students' response to the learner-centered approach and characteristics associated with MSLQ scores were also evaluated. Compared to baseline, students' intrinsic goal orientation control of learning beliefs, self-efficacy, critical thinking, and metacognitive self-regulation improved after taking the course. Students responded positively to the learner-centered approach. Additionally, students with a clinical practice career orientation or who prepared frequently for classes scored higher on several MSLQ domains. The learner-centered approach was effective in promoting several domains of motivation and learning strategies in a third-year pharmacotherapy course.
A global learning-centered approach to higher education: workplace development in the 21st century
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Carlos Tasso Eira de Aquino
Full Text Available Competition in the 21st century economy requires corporations, organizations, and professionals to face a common challenge: diverse individuals need consistent motivation towards building competences that increase personal marketability using a combination of higher education and professional development. This article represents an evolving report summary and non-traditional learning-centered approach focusing on adult competences necessary for succeeding in the competitive global marketplace of the 21st century. The purpose of this article is to understand the needs of constantly changing employer demands in the work environment. Exploring contemporary approaches related to skill development, adult education, and learning processes, will be the path towards higher levels of professional success. This article will provide readers with an enlightening discussion focusing on the necessary adult skills and competencies professionals need to succeed in the global marketplace.
Creating a Community of Practice: Lessons Learned from the Center for Astronomy Education (Invited)
Brissenden, G.
The Center for Astronomy Education (CAE) is devoted to improving teaching and learning in Astro 101. To accomplish this, a vital part of CAE is our broader community of practice which includes over 1000 instructors, graduate and undergraduate students, and postdocs. It is this greater community of practice that supports each other, helps, and learns from each other beyond what would be possible without it. As our community of practice has grown, we at CAE have learned many lessons about how different facets of CAE can best be used to promote and support our community both as a whole and for individual members. We will discuss the various facets of CAE, such as our online discussion group Astrolrner@CAE (http://astronomy101.jpl.nasa.gov/discussion) and its Guest Moderator program, our CAE Regional Teaching Exchange Coordinator program, our CAE Workshop Presenter Apprenticeship Training program, our online This Month's Teaching Strategy, monthly newsletters, and various types of socializing and networking sessions we hold at national meetings. But more importantly, we will discuss the lessons we've learned about what does and does not work in building community within each of these facets.
The Case of the Unhappy Sports Fan: Embracing Student-Centered Learning and Promoting Upper-Level Cognitive Skills through an Online Dispute Resolution Simulation
Ponte, Lucille M.
Pedagogical experts contend that students learn best when they are actively involved in and responsible for their own learning. In a student-centered learning environment, the instructor ideally serves primarily as a learning resource or facilitator. With the guidance of the instructor, students in active learning environments strive for…
wACSF—Weighted atom-centered symmetry functions as descriptors in machine learning potentials
Gastegger, M.; Schwiedrzik, L.; Bittermann, M.; Berzsenyi, F.; Marquetand, P.
We introduce weighted atom-centered symmetry functions (wACSFs) as descriptors of a chemical system's geometry for use in the prediction of chemical properties such as enthalpies or potential energies via machine learning. The wACSFs are based on conventional atom-centered symmetry functions (ACSFs) but overcome the undesirable scaling of the latter with an increasing number of different elements in a chemical system. The performance of these two descriptors is compared using them as inputs in high-dimensional neural network potentials (HDNNPs), employing the molecular structures and associated enthalpies of the 133 855 molecules containing up to five different elements reported in the QM9 database as reference data. A substantially smaller number of wACSFs than ACSFs is needed to obtain a comparable spatial resolution of the molecular structures. At the same time, this smaller set of wACSFs leads to a significantly better generalization performance in the machine learning potential than the large set of conventional ACSFs. Furthermore, we show that the intrinsic parameters of the descriptors can in principle be optimized with a genetic algorithm in a highly automated manner. For the wACSFs employed here, we find however that using a simple empirical parametrization scheme is sufficient in order to obtain HDNNPs with high accuracy.
[Technology: training centers--a new method for learning surgery in visceral surgery].
Troidl, H
The importance of training centers can be best described after first answering a few questions like: 1. What kind of surgery will we deal with in the future? 2. What kind of surgeon do we need for this surgery, if it is basically different? 3. How will this surgeon have to be educated/trained for this different surgery? Although I am aware of the fact, that statements about future prospects are usually doomed to fail, I maintain that endoscopic surgery will be an essential part of general surgery. If this is so, surgery will be dominated by extremely complicated technology, new techniques and new instruments. It will be a "different" surgery. It will offer more comfort at the same safety. The surgeon of the future will still need a certain personality; he will still need intuition and creativity. To survive in our society, he will have to be an organiser and even a businessman. Additionally, something new has to be added: he will have to understand modern, complicated technology and will have to use totally different instruments for curing surgical illness. This makes it clear that we will need a different education/training and may be even a different selection of surgeons. We should learn from other professions sharing common interests with surgery, for example, sports where the common interest is achieving most complicated motions and necessarily highly differentiated coordination. Common interest with airline pilots is the target of achieving absolute security. They have a highly differentiated selection and training concept. Training centers may be-under certain prerequisites-a true alternative for this necessary form of training. They must have a concept, i.e. contents and aims have to be defined, structured and oriented on the requirements of surgery for the patient. Responsibility for the concept, performance and control can only be in the hands of Surgical Societies and Universities. These prerequisites correspond most likely to training centers being
Lessons Learned from Engineering a Multi-Mission Satellite Operations Center
Madden, Maureen; Cary, Everett, Jr.; Esposito, Timothy; Parker, Jeffrey; Bradley, David
NASA's Small Explorers (SMEX) satellites have surpassed their designed science-lifetimes and their flight operations teams are now facing the challenge of continuing operations with reduced funding. At present, these missions are being re-engineered into a fleet-oriented ground system at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). When completed, this ground system will provide command and control of four SMEX missions and will demonstrate fleet automation and control concepts. As a path-finder for future mission consolidation efforts, this ground system will also demonstrate new ground-based technologies that show promise of supporting longer mission lifecycles and simplifying component integration. One of the core technologies being demonstrated in the SMEX Mission Operations Center is the GSFC Mission Services Evolution Center (GMSEC) architecture. The GMSEC architecture uses commercial Message Oriented Middleware with a common messaging standard to realize a higher level of component interoperability, allowing for interchangeable components in ground systems. Moreover, automation technologies utilizing the GMSEC architecture are being evaluated and implemented to provide extended lights-out operations. This mode of operation will provide routine monitoring and control of the heterogeneous spacecraft fleet. The operational concepts being developed will reduce the need for staffed contacts and is seen as a necessity for fleet management. This paper will describe the experiences of the integration team throughout the re-enginering effort of the SMEX ground system. Additionally, lessons learned will be presented based on the team's experiences with integrating multiple missions into a fleet-automated ground system.
DCDM1: Lessons Learned from the World's Most Energy Efficient Data Center
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Sickinger, David E [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Van Geet, Otto D [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Carter, Thomas [Johnson Controls
This presentation discusses the holistic approach to design the world's most energy-efficient data center, which is located at the U.S. Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). This high-performance computing (HPC) data center has achieved a trailing twelve-month average power usage effectiveness (PUE) of 1.04 and features a chiller-less design, component-level warm-water liquid cooling, and waste heat capture and reuse. We provide details of the demonstrated PUE and energy reuse effectiveness (ERE) and lessons learned during four years of production operation. Recent efforts to dramatically reduce the water footprint will also be discussed. Johnson Controls partnered with NREL and Sandia National Laboratories to deploy a thermosyphon cooler (TSC) as a test bed at NREL's HPC data center that resulted in a 50% reduction in water usage during the first year of operation. The Thermosyphon Cooler Hybrid System (TCHS) integrates the control of a dry heat rejection device with an open cooling tower.
Challenges to the Global Concept of Student-Centered Learning with Special Reference to the United Arab Emirates: "Never Fail a Nahayan"
Jackson, Liz
Student-centered learning has been conceived as a Western export to the East and the developing world in the last few decades. Philosophers of education often associate student-centered learning with frameworks related to meeting the needs of individual pupils: from Deweyan experiential learning, to the "pedagogy of the oppressed" and…
The Student-Centered Active Learning Environment for Undergraduate Programs (SCALE-UP) Project
Beichner, Robert J.
How do you keep a classroom of 100 undergraduates actively learning? Can students practice communication and teamwork skills in a large class? How do you boost the performance of underrepresented groups? The Student-Centered Active Learning Environment for Undergraduate Programs (SCALE-UP) Project has addressed these concerns. Because of their inclusion in a leading introductory physics textbook, project materials are used by more than 1/3 of all science, math, and engineering majors nationwide. The room design and pedagogy have been adopted at more than 100 leading institutions across the country. Physics, chemistry, math, astronomy, biology, engineering, earth sciences, and even literature classes are currently being taught this way. Educational research indicates that students should collaborate on interesting tasks and be deeply involved with the material they are studying. We promote active learning in a redesigned classroom for 100 students or more. (Of course, smaller classes can also benefit.) Class time is spent primarily on "tangibles" and "ponderables"--hands-on activities, simulations, and interesting questions. Nine students sit in three teams at round tables. Instructors circulate and engage in Socratic dialogues. The setting looks like a banquet hall, with lively interactions nearly all the time. Hundreds of hours of classroom video and audio recordings, transcripts of numerous interviews and focus groups, data from conceptual learning assessments (using widely-recognized instruments in a pretest/posttest protocol), and collected portfolios of student work are part of our rigorous assessment effort. Our findings (based on data from over 16,000 students collected over five years as well as replications at adopting sites) can be summarized as the following: 1) Female failure rate is 1/5 of previous levels, even though more is demanded of students. 2) Minority failure rate is 1/4 that seen in traditionally taught courses. 3) At-risk students are more
Lessons Learned from Creating the Public Earthquake Resource Center at CERI
Patterson, G. L.; Michelle, D.; Johnston, A.
The Center for Earthquake Research and Information (CERI) at the University of Memphis opened the Public Earthquake Resource Center (PERC) in May 2004. The PERC is an interactive display area that was designed to increase awareness of seismology, Earth Science, earthquake hazards, and earthquake engineering among the general public and K-12 teachers and students. Funding for the PERC is provided by the US Geological Survey, The NSF-funded Mid America Earthquake Center, and the University of Memphis, with input from the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology. Additional space at the facility houses local offices of the US Geological Survey. PERC exhibits are housed in a remodeled residential structure at CERI that was donated by the University of Memphis and the State of Tennessee. Exhibits were designed and built by CERI and US Geological Survey staff and faculty with the help of experienced museum display subcontractors. The 600 square foot display area interactively introduces the basic concepts of seismology, real-time seismic information, seismic network operations, paleoseismology, building response, and historical earthquakes. Display components include three 22" flat screen monitors, a touch sensitive monitor, 3 helicorder elements, oscilloscope, AS-1 seismometer, life-sized liquefaction trench, liquefaction shake table, and building response shake table. All displays include custom graphics, text, and handouts. The PERC website at www.ceri.memphis.edu/perc also provides useful information such as tour scheduling, ask a geologist, links to other institutions, and will soon include a virtual tour of the facility. Special consideration was given to address State science standards for teaching and learning in the design of the displays and handouts. We feel this consideration is pivotal to the success of any grass roots Earth Science education and outreach program and represents a valuable lesson that has been learned at CERI over the last several
Improved Student Learning through a Faculty Learning Community: How Faculty Collaboration Transformed a Large-Enrollment Course from Lecture to Student Centered
Elliott, Emily R.; Reason, Robert D.; Coffman, Clark R.; Gangloff, Eric J.; Raker, Jeffrey R.; Powell-Coffman, Jo Anne; Ogilvie, Craig A.
Undergraduate introductory biology courses are changing based on our growing understanding of how students learn and rapid scientific advancement in the biological sciences. At Iowa State University, faculty instructors are transforming a second-semester large-enrollment introductory biology course to include active learning within the lecture setting. To support this change, we set up a faculty learning community (FLC) in which instructors develop new pedagogies, adapt active-learning strategies to large courses, discuss challenges and progress, critique and revise classroom interventions, and share materials. We present data on how the collaborative work of the FLC led to increased implementation of active-learning strategies and a concurrent improvement in student learning. Interestingly, student learning gains correlate with the percentage of classroom time spent in active-learning modes. Furthermore, student attitudes toward learning biology are weakly positively correlated with these learning gains. At our institution, the FLC framework serves as an agent of iterative emergent change, resulting in the creation of a more student-centered course that better supports learning. PMID:27252298
Program Evaluation for U.S. Army Lifelong Learning Centers (LLCs): Extension to Military Operational Speciality (MOS)-Based LLCs
groups, coordination, classroom observation , fact- checking, and discussion. The author is especially grateful for the assistance of Mr. Pat Baker, Mr... classroom observation , archival data analysis, and system analysis. Data collection alternatives to surveys were emphasized in order to explore the...groups, classroom observation , and survey was used. Specifically, two focus groups were conducted, one with 25N10 students (N= 16) and one with 25N 10
Program Evaluation for U.S. Army Lifelong Learning Centers (LLCs): Extension to Military Operational Speciality (MOS)-Based LLCs
National Research Council Canada - National Science Library
Clanciola, Anna
.... This effort also examined the requirements for enabling LLC self-assessment. Some modification to the assessment framework was necessary to include external factors that moderate the relation between outputs and outcomes...
Determinants of Perceived Learning and Satisfaction in Online Business Courses: An Extension to Evaluate Differences between Qualitative and Quantitative Courses
Eastman, Jacqueline K.; Aviles, Maria; Hanna, Mark D.
This study examined the determinants of perceived learning and satisfaction in online courses and the moderating effect of course type. For perceived learning outcomes, those students who perceive a higher level of interaction and those students who are satisfied will report higher levels of learning outcomes. There were significant differences…
Marine Corps Center for Lessons Learned. Volume 8, Issue 11, November 2012
MARINE CORPS CENTER FOR LESSONS LEARNED M C C L L R E P O R T: F E AT U R E D A R T I C L E S A N D L E S S O N S : R E G U L A R F E AT U R E S...L O A D S F R O M T H E M C C L L W E B S I T E , OCTOBER 2012 R E G U L A R F E AT U R E S : Photo credit: Sgt Rachael Moore A Joint Terminal...Follower by Ira Chaleff, and ▪ Fahim Speaks by Fahim Fazli and Michael Moffett . 19 MCCLL Products "in the Pipeline" Several recent, ongoing and
Increasing Student Success in Large Survey Science Courses via Supplemental Instruction in Learning Centers
Hooper, Eric Jon; Nossal, S.; Watson, L.; Timbie, P.
Large introductory astronomy and physics survey courses can be very challenging and stressful. The University of Wisconsin-Madison Physics Learning Center (PLC) reaches about 10 percent of the students in four introductory physics courses, algebra and calculus based versions of both classical mechanics and electromagnetism. Participants include those potentially most vulnerable to experiencing isolation and hence to having difficulty finding study partners as well as students struggling with the course. They receive specially written tutorials, conceptual summaries, and practice problems; exam reviews; and most importantly, membership in small groups of 3 - 8 students which meet twice per week in a hybrid of traditional teaching and tutoring. Almost all students who regularly participate in the PLC earn at least a "C," with many earning higher grades. The PLC works closely with other campus programs which seek to increase the participation and enhance the success of underrepresented minorities, first generation college students, and students from lower-income circumstances; and it is well received by students, departmental faculty, and University administration. The PLC staff includes physics education specialists and research scientists with a passion for education. However, the bulk of the teaching is conducted by undergraduates who are majoring in physics, astronomy, mathematics, engineering, and secondary science teaching (many have multiple majors). The staff train these enthusiastic students, denoted Peer Mentor Tutors (PMTs) in general pedagogy and mentoring strategies, as well as the specifics of teaching the physics covered in the course. The PMTs are among the best undergraduates at the university. While currently there is no UW-Madison learning center for astronomy courses, establishing one is a possible future direction. The introductory astronomy courses cater to non-science majors and consequently are less quantitative. However, the basic structure
Improvement of medical education using web-based lecture repetition and extension: e-learning experiences of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Tuebingen
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Wallwiener, Markus
Full Text Available In order to improve the education of its medical students, the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the University of Tuebingen established e-learning in terms of web-based lecture repetition and extension. Subsequent to lectures, questions are provided online. The participation is voluntary, but requires registration. The results of the analysed period (winter term 2004/2005, summer term 2005 and winter term 2005/2006 including more than 380 e-learning users are encouraging. An average of 45% of the target group used the offered online questions. The students who completed at least 75% of all prepared question units achieved significantly better results than their traditional learning fellow students (p=0.002. Users got more frequent the marks "good" and "very good". Twice as much conventional learning students as e-learning users failed the examination. E-Learning and the technical implementation are repeatedly appreciated by the students. In the future, more medical courses will be supplemented with e-learning, according to the students request.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Siminto Siminto
Full Text Available Previously the paradigm change was done from the teacher centered to the student centered in teaching learning process. It was expected to be able to encourage the students to be involved in building their knowledge, attitude, and character. Besides that, English learners did not understand about the native culture and morality values to the language that they are learning. Cross cultural understanding knowledge is very useful to improve the students' ability in recognizing the dissimilarity culture and live together in the middle of the dissimilarity culture. This research was based on the qualitative research principle. The research type used was qualitative study by using action research design. Subject of this research was the fourth semester students who have programmed Introduction to Literature in English Study Program at Palangkaraya State Islamic Institute in academic year 2014/2015, consisted of two learning group. Based on the research findings, by implementing of student-centered learning and cross cultural understanding, it showed that they can increase: (1 the students' readiness, being active, seriousness in analyzing English literature text; (2 the students' performance in doing of tasks given to each students to be able to share their understanding about English literature text to the other students; (3 the students' learning quality, academic achievement, interest, response in learning of Introduction to Literature related to literature text analysis concept mastering; (4 the students' morality and multicultural values. It could be seen from the students' study result, literature text analysis result, and the students' character.
Measuring the Usability of Augmented Reality e-Learning Systems: A User-Centered Evaluation Approach
Pribeanu, Costin; Balog, Alexandru; Iordache, Dragoş Daniel
The development of Augmented Reality (AR) systems is creating new challenges and opportunities for the designers of e-learning systems. The mix of real and virtual requires appropriate interaction techniques that have to be evaluated with users in order to avoid usability problems. Formative usability aims at finding usability problems as early as possible in the development life cycle and is suitable to support the development of such novel interactive systems. This work presents an approach to the user-centered usability evaluation of an e-learning scenario for Biology developed on an Augmented Reality educational platform. The evaluation has been carried on during and after a summer school held within the ARiSE research project. The basic idea was to perform usability evaluation twice. In this respect, we conducted user testing with a small number of students during the summer school in order to get a fast feedback from users having good knowledge in Biology. Then, we repeated the user testing in different conditions and with a relatively larger number of representative users. In this paper we describe both experiments and compare the usability evaluation results.
Streamlining Workflow for Endovascular Mechanical Thrombectomy: Lessons Learned from a Comprehensive Stroke Center.
Wang, Hongjin; Thevathasan, Arthur; Dowling, Richard; Bush, Steven; Mitchell, Peter; Yan, Bernard
Recently, 5 randomized controlled trials confirmed the superiority of endovascular mechanical thrombectomy (EMT) to intravenous thrombolysis in acute ischemic stroke with large-vessel occlusion. The implication is that our health systems would witness an increasing number of patients treated with EMT. However, in-hospital delays, leading to increased time to reperfusion, are associated with poor clinical outcomes. This review outlines the in-hospital workflow of the treatment of acute ischemic stroke at a comprehensive stroke center and the lessons learned in reduction of in-hospital delays. The in-hospital workflow for acute ischemic stroke was described from prehospital notification to femoral arterial puncture in preparation for EMT. Systematic review of literature was also performed with PubMed. The implementation of workflow streamlining could result in reduction of in-hospital time delays for patients who were eligible for EMT. In particular, time-critical measures, including prehospital notification, the transfer of patients from door to computed tomography (CT) room, initiation of intravenous thrombolysis in the CT room, and the mobilization of neurointervention team in parallel with thrombolysis, all contributed to reduction in time delays. We have identified issues resulting in in-hospital time delays and have reported possible solutions to improve workflow efficiencies. We believe that these measures may help stroke centers initiate an EMT service for eligible patients. Copyright © 2017 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Measuring and Articulating the Value of Community Engagement: Lessons Learned from 100 Years of Cooperative Extension Work
Franz, Nancy
The Cooperative Extension System was created in 1914 with the passage of the Smith-Lever Act. The act provided resources to improve access to education by creating this nationwide organization to bring land-grant university research and resources to people where they lived and worked. Cooperative Extension was the first formal nationwide structure…
Belotecan/cisplatin versus etoposide/cisplatin in previously untreated patients with extensive-stage small cell lung carcinoma: a multi-center randomized phase III trial
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Oh, In-Jae; Kim, Kyu-Sik; Park, Cheol-Kyu; Kim, Young-Chul; Lee, Kwan-Ho; Jeong, Jin-Hong; Kim, Sun-Young; Lee, Jeong-Eun; Shin, Kye-Chul; Jang, Tae-Won; Lee, Hyun-Kyung; Lee, Kye-Young; Lee, Sung-Yong
No novel chemotherapeutic combinations have demonstrated superior efficacy to etoposide/cisplatin (EP), a standard treatment regimen for extensive-stage small cell lung carcinoma (ES-SCLC) over the past decade. We aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of belotecan/cisplatin (BP) and EP regimens in chemotherapy- and radiotherapy-naïve patients with previously untreated ES-SCLC. We conducted a multi-center, randomized, open-label, parallel-group, phase III clinical study. A total of 157 patients were recruited at 14 centers with 147 patients meeting the inclusion/exclusion criteria and randomized to either BP (n = 71) or EP (n = 76) treatment arms. A non-inferior response rate (RR) in the BP arm, analyzed by intent-to-treat analysis according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.0 criteria, was used as the primary endpoint. The secondary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). In the BP arm, one patient had a complete response, 41 had a partial response (PR), and 17 had stable disease (SD). In the EP arm, 35 patients had PR and 28 had SD. The RR in the BP arm was non-inferior to the EP regimen in patients with ES-SCLC (BP: 59.2 %, EP: 46.1 %, difference: 13.1 %, 90 % two-sided confidence interval: -0.3–26.5, meeting the predefined non-inferiority criterion of -15.0 %). No significant differences in OS or PFS were observed between the treatment arms. Hematologic toxicities, including grade 3/4 anemia and thrombocytopenia, were significantly more prevalent in the BP arm than the EP arm. The RR to the BP regimen was non-inferior to the EP regimen in chemotherapy- and radiotherapy-naïve patients with previously untreated ES-SCLC. Hematologic toxicities were significantly more prevalent in the BP group, indicating that BP should be used with care, particularly in patients with a poor performance status. Further studies assessing PFS and OS are required to validate the superiority of the BP regimen. Clinical
Occurrence of pesticides in groundwater and sediments and mineralogy of sediments and grain coatings underlying the Rutgers Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Upper Deerfield, New Jersey, 2007
Reilly, Timothy J.; Smalling, Kelly L.; Meyer, Michael T.; Sandstrom, Mark W.; Hladik, Michelle; Boehlke, Adam R.; Fishman, Neil S.; Battaglin, William A.; Kuivila, Kathryn
Water and sediment samples were collected from June through October 2007 from seven plots at the Rutgers Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Upper Deerfield, New Jersey, and analyzed for a suite of pesticides (including fungicides) and other physical and chemical parameters (including sediment mineralogy) by the U.S. Geological Survey. Plots were selected for inclusion in this study on the basis of the crops grown and the pesticides used. Forty-one pesticides were detected in 14 water samples; these include 5 fungicides, 13 herbicides, 1 insecticide, and 22 pesticide degradates. The following pesticides and pesticide degradates were detected in 50 percent or more of the groundwater samples: 1-amide-4-hydroxy-chorothalonil, alachlor sulfonic acid, metolachlor oxanilic acid, metolachlor sulfonic acid, metalaxyl, and simazine. Dissolved-pesticide concentrations ranged from below their instrumental limit of detection to 36 micrograms per liter (for metolachlor sulfonic acid, a degradate of the herbicide metolachlor). The total number of pesticides found in groundwater samples ranged from 0 to 29. Fourteen pesticides were detected in sediment samples from continuous cores collected within each of the seven sampled plots; these include 4 fungicides, 2 herbicides, and 7 pesticide degradates. Pesticide concentrations in sediment samples ranged from below their instrumental limit of detection to 34.2 nanograms per gram (for azoxystrobin). The total number of pesticides found in sediment samples ranged from 0 to 8. Quantitative whole-rock and grain-coating mineralogy of sediment samples were determined by x-ray diffraction. Whole-rock analysis indicated that sediments were predominantly composed of quartz. The materials coating the quartz grains were removed to allow quantification of the trace mineral phases present.
Agricultural extension and mass media.
Perraton, H
To learn more about the use of the mass media for agricultural extension, the World Bank has considered the efforts of 2 units: INADES-formation in West Africa and the Extension Aids Branch of Malawi. The INADES-formation study focuses on Cameroon but also considers work in Rwanda and the Ivory Coast. Some general conclusions emerge from a comparison of the 2 organizations. Malawi operates an extension service which reaches farmers through extension agents, through farmer training centers, and through mass media. The Extension Aids Branch (EAB) has responsibility for its media work and broadcasts 4 1/2 hours of radio each week. Its 6 regular radio programs include a general program which interviews farmers, a music request program in which the music is interspersed with farming advice, a farming family serial, and a daily broadcast of agricultural news and information. The 17 cinema vans show some agricultural films, made by EAB, some entertainment films, and some government information films from departments other than the ministry of agriculture. EAB also has a well-developed program of research and evaluation of its own work. INADES-formation, the training section of INADES, works towards social and economic development of the population. It teaches peasant farmers and extension agents and does this through running face-to-face seminars, by publishing a magazine, "Agripromo," and through correspondence courses. In 1978-79 INADES-formation enrolled some 4500 farmers and extension agents as students. Both of these organizations work to teach farmers better agriculture techniques, and both were created in response to the fact that agricultural extension agents cannot meet all the farmers in their area. Despite the similarity of objective, there are differences in methods and philosophy. The EAB works in a single country and uses a variety of mass media, with print playing a minor role. INADES-formation is an international and nongovernmental organization and its
Student-centered and teacher-centered learning environment in pre-vocational secondary education: Needs and motivation
Smit, Karin; De Brabander, Cornelis; Martens, Rob
In this study the perception of psychological needs and motivation in a student-centred and a teacher-centred learning environment are compared, using Self Determination Theory as a framework. The self-report Intrinsic Motivation Inventory was completed by 230 students (mean age 16.1 years) in
Using Educational Theory and Research to Refine Agricultural Extension: Affordances and Barriers for Farmers' Learning and Practice Change
Sewell, A. M.; Hartnett, M. K.; Gray, D. I.; Blair, H. T.; Kemp, P. D.; Kenyon, P. R.; Morris, S. T.; Wood, B. A.
Purpose: To examine the factors that support and hinder farmers' learning and to investigate the impact of an innovative learning program on farmers' practice change. Design/methodology/approach: Individual interviews and focus group discussions were held with 24 farmers over 20 months. Observations were made of these farmers as they participated…
Learner Differences in Perceived Satisfaction of an Online Learning: An Extension to the Technology Acceptance Model in an Arabic Sample
Al-Azawei, Ahmed; Lundqvist, Karsten
Online learning constitutes the most popular distance-learning method, with flexibility, accessibility, visibility, manageability and availability as its core features. However, current research indicates that its efficacy is not consistent across all learners. This study aimed to modify and extend the factors of the Technology Acceptance Model…
Learning to Design Backwards: Examining a Means to Introduce Human-Centered Design Processes to Teachers and Students
Gibson, Michael R.
"Designing backwards" is presented here as a means to utilize human-centered processes in diverse educational settings to help teachers and students learn to formulate and operate design processes to achieve three sequential and interrelated goals. The first entails teaching them to effectively and empathetically identify, frame and…
Getting down to Dollars and Cents: What Do School Districts Spend to Deliver Student-Centered Learning?
Miller, Lawrence J.; Gross, Betheny; Ouijdani, Monica
In the era of No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top, school districts are under increasing pressure from policymakers to hold all students to high performance standards. In response, a growing number of schools are embracing the principles of student-centered learning (SCL). SCL is a contemporary approach that combines progressive and…
Lessons Learned Recruiting Minority Participants for Research in Urban Community Health Centers.
Fam, Elizabeth; Ferrante, Jeanne M
To help understand and mitigate health disparities, it is important to conduct research with underserved and underrepresented minority populations under real world settings. There is a gap in the literature detailing real-time research staff experience, particularly in their own words, while conducting in-person patient recruitment in urban community health centers. This paper describes challenges faced at the clinic, staff, and patient levels, our lessons learned, and strategies implemented by research staff while recruiting predominantly low-income African-American women for an interviewer-administered survey study in four urban Federally Qualified Health Centers in New Jersey. Using a series of immersion-crystallization cycles, fieldnotes and research reflections written by recruiters, along with notes from team meetings during the study, were qualitatively analyzed. Clinic level barriers included: physical layout of clinic, very low or high patient census, limited private space, and long wait times for patients. Staff level barriers included: unengaged staff, overburdened staff, and provider and staff turnover. Patient level barriers included: disinterested patients, patient mistrust and concerns over confidentiality, no-shows or lack of patient time, and language barrier. We describe strategies used to overcome these barriers and provide recommendations for in-person recruitment of underserved populations into research studies. To help mitigate health disparities, disseminating recruiters' experiences, challenges, and effective strategies used will allow other researchers to build upon these experience in order to increase recruitment success of underserved and underrepresented minority populations into research studies. Copyright © 2018 National Medical Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
A Case Study of Key Stakeholders' Perceptions of the Learning Center's Effectiveness for English Learners at a District in Central California
Nava, Norma Leticia
This qualitative study explored stakeholders' (administrators, teachers, and parents) perspectives of English learners in the learning center, a response to intervention model, at a school district in Central California. Research existed concerning the yearly academic growth of students in a learning center, but there was a lack of knowledge about…
Community Opinion and Satisfaction with the Leadership at an Urban Community Educational Learning Center during an Organizational Transformation Process: A Frontline Perspective from Community Stakeholders
Lewis, Joseph Lee
This study examined selected community stakeholders' perception of the current leadership at their local community educational learning center during an organizational transformation and cultural change process. The transition from a community college to an educational learning center, mandated in 2006 by the Accredition Commission and agreed on…
Teaching and Learning in the Era of the Common Core: An Introduction to the Project and the Nine Research Papers in the "Students at the Center" Series
Jobs for the Future, 2012
Despite the wide interest in and need for student-centered approaches to learning, educators have scant access to a comprehensive accounting of the key components of it. To build the knowledge base for the emerging field of student-centered learning, Jobs for the Future, a national nonprofit based in Boston, commissioned papers from nine teams of…
The Model of Community Learning Center Development: A Case Study of PKBM Assolahiyah in West Java
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Ferdinal Asmin
Full Text Available Sustaining community learning center (CLC as a community activity centerby increasing the community capacity and skill to deal with socio-economics challenges is an important focus to ensure the success of CLC. This study was aimed to describe the sustainability elements of CLC development and analyze the policy elements that influence the sustainability of CLC program, particularly in related to CSR program. This study approach was combining a qualitative approach and quantitative approach with analytic decision method which is never conducted in the previous studies on CLC. Data and information were collected through document studies, observations and structured interviews through questionnaires, then they were analyzed using descriptive analysis and interpretive structural modeling (ISM analysis. From ten elements of CLC sustainability were analyzed, the result of study emphasized to the importance of CLC management capacity enhancement in PKBM Assolahiyah. The result was synthesized into a policy model of CLC development through CSR program. The policy model should involve the roles of government, scientist, and non-governmental organization (NGO to strengthen the CLC development
Scaffolding the design of accessible eLearning content: a user-centered approach and cognitive perspective.
Catarci, Tiziana; De Giovanni, Loredana; Gabrielli, Silvia; Kimani, Stephen; Mirabella, Valeria
There exist various guidelines for facilitating the design, preparation, and deployment of accessible eLearning applications and contents. However, such guidelines prevalently address accessibility in a rather technical sense, without giving sufficient consideration to the cognitive aspects and issues related to the use of eLearning materials by learners with disabilities. In this paper we describe how a user-centered design process was applied to develop a method and set of guidelines for didactical experts to scaffold their creation of accessible eLearning content, based on a more sound approach to accessibility. The paper also discusses possible design solutions for tools supporting eLearning content authors in the adoption and application of the proposed approach.
Using the MoodleReader as an Extensive Reading Tool and Its Effect on Iranian EFL Students' Incidental Vocabulary Learning
Alavi, Sepideh; Keyvanshekouh, Afsaneh
The present study focused on using the MoodleReader to promote extensive reading (ER) in an Iranian EFL context, emphasizing its effect on students' incidental vocabulary acquisition. Thirty eight Shiraz University sophomores were assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group used the MoodleReader for their ER program, while…
Investigating the Effect of Learning Styles in a Blended E-Learning System: An Extension of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)
Al-Azawei, Ahmed; Parslow, Patrick; Lundqvist, Karsten
This study assesses learner perceptions of a blended e-learning system (BELS) and the feasibility of accommodating educational hypermedia systems (EHSs) according to learning styles using a modified version of the technology acceptance model (TAM). Recently, Moodle has been adopted by an Iraqi university alongside face-to-face (F2F) classrooms to…
Quality indicators for learner-centered postgraduate medical e-learning.
de Leeuw, Robert A; Westerman, Michiel; Scheele, Fedde
The objectives of this study were to identify the needs and expectations of learners and educational experts in postgraduate medical e-learning, and to contribute to the current literature. We performed four focus-group discussions with e-learning end-users (learners) and didactic experts. The participants were postgraduate learners with varying levels of experience, educational experts from a Dutch e-learning task group, and commercial experts from a Dutch e-learning company. Verbatim transcribed interview recordings were analyzed using King's template analysis. The initial template was created with reference to recent literature on postgraduate medical e-learning quality indicators. The transcripts were coded, after which the emerging differences in template interpretation were discussed until a consensus was reached within the team. The final template consisted of three domains of positive e-learning influencers (motivators, learning enhancers, and real-world translation) and three domains of negatively influential parameters (barriers, learning discouragers, and poor preparation). The interpretation of the final template showed three subjects which form the basis of e-learning, namely, Motivate, Learn and Apply. This study forms a basis for learning in general and could be applied to many educational instruments. Individual characteristics should be adapted to the target audience. Three subjects form the basis of, and six themes cover all items needed for, good (enough) postgraduate e-learning. Further research should be carried out with learners and real-world e-learning to validate this template.
Factors that Influence the Perceived Advantages and Relevance of Facebook as a Learning Tool: An Extension of the UTAUT
Escobar-Rodríguez, Tomás; Carvajal-Trujillo, Elena; Monge-Lozano, Pedro
Social media technologies are becoming a fundamental component of education. This study extends the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) to identify factors that influence the perceived advantages and relevance of Facebook as a learning tool. The proposed model is based on previous models of UTAUT. Constructs from previous…
The Mediating Effects of Student Engagement on the Relationships between Academic Disciplines and Learning Outcomes: An Extension of Holland's Theory
Pike, Gary R.; Smart, John C.; Ethington, Corinna A.
This research examined the relationships among students' academic majors, levels of engagement, and learning outcomes within the context of Holland's person-environment theory of vocational and educational behavior. The study focused on the role of student engagement as a mediating agent in the relationships between academic majors and student…
Predicting User Acceptance of Collaborative Technologies: An Extension of the Technology Acceptance Model for E-Learning
Cheung, Ronnie; Vogel, Doug
Collaborative technologies support group work in project-based environments. In this study, we enhance the technology acceptance model to explain the factors that influence the acceptance of Google Applications for collaborative learning. The enhanced model was empirically evaluated using survey data collected from 136 students enrolled in a…
Problem-Based Educational Game Becomes Student-Centered Learning Environment
Rodkroh, Pornpimon; Suwannatthachote, Praweenya; Kaemkate, Wannee
Problem-based educational games are able to provide a fun and motivating environment for teaching and learning of certain subjects. However, most educational game models do not address the learning elements of problem-based educational games. This study aims to synthesize and to propose the important elements to facilitate the learning process and…
A User-Centered Educational Modeling Language Improving the Controllability of Learning Design Quality
Zendi, Asma; Bouhadada, Tahar; Bousbia, Nabila
Semiformal EMLs are developed to facilitate the adoption of educational modeling languages (EMLs) and to address practitioners' learning design concerns, such as reusability and readability. In this article, SDLD (Structure Dialogue Learning Design) is presented, which is a semiformal EML that aims to improve controllability of learning design…
Mobile-Assisted Second Language Learning: Developing a Learner-Centered Framework
Leow, Choy Khim; Yahaya, Wan Ahmad Jaafar Wan; Samsudin, Zarina
The Mobile Assisted Language Learning concept has offered infinite language learning opportunities since its inception 20 years ago. Second Language Acquisition however embraces a considerably different body of knowledge from first language learning. While technological advances have optimized the psycholinguistic environment for language…
Use of A Comic Book to Assist Student Learning of Dimensions of Patient-Centered Care
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Jagannath Muzumdar
Full Text Available Objective: To evaluate the use of comic books as a supplemental reading to assist student learning of the dimensions of patient-centered care. The Innovation: A comic book titled Mom's Cancer was used as a supplemental reading in a course that introduced 2nd year pharmacy students (in a 0-6 year program to the social aspects of pharmacy practice. Students read the book and provide their reflections about the book and topic covered in it. Critical Analysis: A total of 100 students registered in two sections of the course provided their responses. Student responses to the comic book activity were overwhelmingly positive. More than half of the student reflections included their personal experience with the healthcare system. The comic book format helped illustrate patient experiences with chronic illness to students. The range of comic books is not enough to give a comprehensive coverage of all the topics in the pharmacy curriculum. Getting the appropriate comic book for the respective topic could be challenging. Also, the effectiveness of comics as an education tool may be limited, if readers are less likely to take information provided via this medium seriously. Next Steps: The positive responses from students highlight the point that pharmacy faculty could use comic books in their pharmacy courses. Further research is needed to determine topics that would be effectively addressed by comic books and best practices for comic book use in pharmacy curriculum. Conflict of Interest The author declares no conflicts of interest or financial interests that the authors or members of their immediate families have in any product or service discussed in the manuscript, including grants (pending or received, employment, gifts, stock holdings or options, honoraria, consultancies, expert testimony, patents and royalties Type: Note
English for Specific Purposes (ESP Modules in the Self-Access Learning Center (SALC for Success in the Global Workplace
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Kevin Knight
Full Text Available University students must prepare themselves to be successful members of the global workforce, and this paper introduces one way for a self-access center to support such preparation by students outside of the formal classroom environment. In this paper, it is proposed that the Self-Access Learning Center (SALC at Kanda University of International Studies (KUIS provide ESP (English for specific purposes modules intended to prepare students for their future careers. Within these self-study modules, the following should be recognized and incorporated: 1. The principles of ESP 2. Elements of outcome-based education 3. The relationship between leadership, learning, and teachingIn describing such ESP modules, this paper also proposes the development of self-access materials that could be made available to facilitate the independent study.
Marketing Management and Cultural Learning Center: The Case Study of Arts and Cultural Office, Suansunandha Rajabhat University
Pirada Techaratpong
This qualitative research has 2 objectives: to study marketing management of the cultural learning center in Suansunandha Rajabhat University and to suggest guidelines to improve its marketing management. This research is based on a case study of the Arts and Culture Office in Suansunandha Rajabhat University, Bangkok. This research found the Art and Culture Office has no formal marketing management. However, the marketing management is partly covered in the overall bu...
The ConocoPhillips Center for a Sustainable WE2ST (Water-Energy Education, Science, and Technology): Lessons Learned from an Innovative Research-Education-Outreach Center at Colorado School of Mines
Hogue, T. S.; Blaine, A. C.; Martin, A. C.
The ConocoPhillips Center for a Sustainable WE2ST (Water-Energy Education, Science, and Technology) is a testament to the power of collaboration and innovation. WE2ST began as a partnership between ConocoPhillips (foundation gift) and the Colorado School of Mines (CSM) with the goal of fostering solutions to water-energy challenges via education, research and outreach. The WE2ST center is a training ground for the next generation of water-energy-social scientists and engineers and is a natural fit for CSM, which is known for its expertise in water resources, water treatment technologies, petroleum engineering, geosciences, and hydrology. WE2ST has nine contributing faculty researchers that combine to create a web of expertise on sustainable energy and water resources. This research benefits unconventional energy producers, water-reliant stakeholders and the general public. Areas of focus for research include water sources (quality and quantity), integrated water-energy solution viability and risk, and social-corporate responsibility. The WE2ST Center currently provides annual support for 8-9 Graduate Fellows and 13 Undergraduate Scholars. Top-tier graduate students are recruited nationally and funded similar to an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (GRF). Undergraduate Scholars are also recruited from across the CSM campus to gain experience in faculty laboratories and on research teams. All WE2ST students receive extensive professional skills training, leadership development, communication skills training, networking opportunities in the water-energy industries, and outreach opportunities in the community. The corner stone of the WE2ST Center is a focus on communication with the public. Both in social science research teams and in general interactions with the public, WE2ST seeks to be "an honest broker" amidst a very passionate and complex topic. WE2ST research is communicated by presentations at technical conferences, talking with people at public gatherings
Conversion of Provider EMR Training from Instructor-Led Training to eLearning at an Academic Medical Center.
Sharp, Karen; Williams, Michele; Aldrich, Alison; Bogacz, Adrienne; Denier, Sighle; McAlearney, Ann S
This case study overviews the conversion of provider training of the electronic medical record (EMR) from an instructor-led training (ILT) program to eLearning at an Academic Medical Center (AMC). This conversion provided us with both a useful training tool and the opportunity to maximize efficiency within both our training and optimization team and organization. eLearning Development Principles were created and served as a guide to assist us with designing an eLearning curriculum using a five step process. The result was a new training approach that allowed learners to complete training at their own pace, and even test out of sections based on demonstrated competency. The information we have leads us to believe that a substantial return on our investment can be obtained from the conversion with positive impacts that have served as the foundation for the future of end user EMR training at our AMC.
Lessons Learned (3 Years of H2O2 Propulsion System Testing Efforts at NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center)
Taylor, Gary O.
John C. Stennis Space Center continues to support the Propulsion community in an effort to validate High-Test Peroxide as an alternative to existing/future oxidizers. This continued volume of peroxide test/handling activity at Stennis Space Center (SSC) provides numerous opportunities for the SSC team to build upon previously documented 'lessons learned'. SSC shall continue to strive to document their experience and findings as H2O2 issues surface. This paper is intended to capture all significant peroxide issues that we have learned over the last three years. This data (lessons learned) has been formulated from practical handling, usage, storage, operations, and initial development/design of our systems/facility viewpoint. The paper is intended to be an information type tool and limited in technical rational; therefore, presenting the peroxide community with some issues to think about as the continued interest in peroxide evolves and more facilities/hardware are built. These lessons learned are intended to assist industry in mitigating problems and identifying potential pitfalls when dealing with the requirements for handling high-test peroxide.
Program Evaluation Metrics for U.S. Army Lifelong Learning Centers
National Research Council Canada - National Science Library
Cianciolo, Anna T
.... The impact of lifelong learning on organizational excellence seems clear. However, it is unknown how LLCs promote readiness using educational technology and how LLC effectiveness should be measured...
Impact of the Implementation of Information Technology on the Center for Army Lessons Learned
National Research Council Canada - National Science Library
Wizner, Anthony
.... This research evaluates the impact that the implementation of an Information Technology infrastructure has had on the efficiency of Army's Lessons Learned Process and the overall effectiveness...
Visual Learning: A Learner Centered Approach to Enhance English Language Teaching
Philominraj, Andrew; Jeyabalan, David; Vidal-Silva, Christian
This article presents an empirical study carried out among the students of higher secondary schools to find out how English language learning occurs naturally in an environment where learners are encouraged by an appropriate method such as visual learning. The primary data was collected from 504 students with different pretested questionnaires. A…
Connecting Learning: Brain-Based Strategies for Linking Prior Knowledge in the Library Media Center
Vanderbilt, Kathi L.
The brain is a complex organ and learning is a complex process. While there is not complete agreement among researchers about brain-based learning and its direct connection to neuroscience, knowledge about the brain as well as the examination of cognitive psychology, anthropology, professional experience, and educational research can provide…
Interactive Learning to Stimulate the Brain's Visual Center and to Enhance Memory Retention
Yun, Yang H.; Allen, Philip A.; Chaumpanich, Kritsakorn; Xiao, Yingcai
This short paper describes an ongoing NSF-funded project on enhancing science and engineering education using the latest technology. More specifically, the project aims at developing an interactive learning system with Microsoft Kinect™ and Unity3D game engine. This system promotes active, rather than passive, learning by employing embodied…
Embodied and mediated learning in SMALLab: a student-centered mixed-reality environment
Birchfield, D.A.; Campana, E.; Hatton, S.; Johnson-Glenberg, M.C.; Kelliher, A.; Olson, L.; Martinez, C.; Savvides, P.; Tolentino, L.; Uysal, S.
In recent years, much work in K-12 educational technology has shifted away from addressing the problem of mere accessibility and toward a greater emphasis on the effective design of learning environments that make innovative use of emerging digital technologies. Contemporary research in the Learning
A Framework for Structuring Learning Assessment in a Online Educational Game: Experiment Centered Design
Conrad, Shawn; Clarke-Midura, Jody; Klopfer, Eric
Educational games offer an opportunity to engage and inspire students to take interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematical (STEM) subjects. Unobtrusive learning assessment techniques coupled with machine learning algorithms can be utilized to record students' in-game actions and formulate a model of the students' knowledge…
Quality indicators for learner-centered postgraduate medical e-learning
de Leeuw, Robert A; Westerman, Michiel; Scheele, Fedde
Objectives: The objectives of this study were to identify the needs and expectations of learners and educational experts in postgraduate medical e-learning, and to contribute to the current literature. Methods: We performed four focus-group discussions with e-learning end-users (learners) and
Analisis dan Perancangan Website Pembelajaran Bahasa Secara Mandiri di Self Access Language Learning Center Bina Nusantara
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Hady Pranoto
Full Text Available The purpose of this research is to build an independent language learning applications using Internet technologies to facilitate the user in learning the language. The research method used is by analyzing the ongoing learning process; analyze the constraints and limitations of existing facilities and designing new processes to address existing constraints and limitations. In designing a language self learning website authors examine the existing through observation, interviews and questionnaires to the stakeholders who use the system. Observations also observed duration of the user in conducting learning activities, and provided space to accommodate the transaction. After analysis of the current system, author designing the new system using object-oriented design methods and using analysis tools UML. After completed the system design done system built using ASP.NET programming language. The Conclusions is an independent language learning applications using Internet technology giving easy way to facilitate the learning process in terms of accesing time and place, and the application also provide facilities for teacher to monitoring student self learning.
Generalizing the order and the parameters of macro-operators by explanation-based learning - Extension of Explanation-Based Learning on Partial Order
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Li, Huihua
The traditional generalization methods such as FIKE's macro-operator learning and Explanation-Based Learning (EBL) deal with totally ordered plans. They generalize only the plan operators and the conditions under which the generalized plan can be applied in its initial total order, but not the partial order among operators in which the generalized plan can be successfully executed. In this paper, we extend the notion of the EBL on the partial order of plans. A new method is presented for learning, from a totally or partially ordered plan, partially ordered macro-operators (generalized plans) each of which requires a set of the weakest conditions for its reuse. It is also valuable for generalizing partially ordered plans. The operators are generalized in the FIKE's triangle table. We introduce the domain axioms to generate the constraints for the consistency of generalized states. After completing the triangle table with the information concerning the operator destructions (interactions), we obtain the global explanation of the partial order on the operators. Then, we represent all the necessary ordering relations by a directed graph. The exploitation of this graph permits to explicate the dependence between the partial orders and the constraints among the parameters of generalized operators, and allows all the solutions to be obtained. (author) [fr
Extensive Analysis of Worldwide Events Related to The Construction and Commissioning of Nuclear Power Plants: Lessons Learned and Recommendations
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Noel, M.; Zerger, B.; Vuorio, U.; )
Lessons learnt from past experience are extensively used to improve the safety of nuclear power plants (NPPs) worldwide. Although the process of analyzing operational experience is now widespread and well developed, the need for establishment of a similar process for construction experience was highlighted by several countries embarking on construction of new NPPs and in some international forums including the Working Group on the Regulation of New Reactors (WGRNR) of the OECD-NEA. In 2008, EU Member State Safety Authorities participating to the EU Clearinghouse on Operational Experience Feedback decided to launch a topical study on events related to pre-operational stages of NPPs. The aim of this topical study is to reduce the recurrence of events related to the construction, the initial component manufacturing and the commissioning of NPPs, by identifying the main recurring and safety significant issues. For this study, 1090 IRS event reports, 857 US Licensee Event Reports (LERs) and approximately 100 WGRNR reports have been preselected based on key word searches and screened. The screening period starts from the beginning of the databases operation (in the 1980's as far as IRS and LER database are concerned) and ends in November 2009. After this initial screening, a total of 582 reports have been found applicable (247 IRS reports, 309 LERs and 26 WGRNR reports). Events considered for this study were those which have been initiated before the start of commercial operation, and detected before or even long after commercial operation. The events have been classified into 3 main categories (construction, manufacturing and commissioning), and into further sub-categories (building structures, metallic liners, electrical components, anchors, I and C, penetrations and building seals, emergency diesel generators, pipes, valves, welds, pumps, etc.) in order to facilitate the detailed analysis with the final objective to formulate both equipment specific
Do collaborative practical tests encourage student-centered active learning of gross anatomy?
Green, Rodney A; Cates, Tanya; White, Lloyd; Farchione, Davide
Benefits of collaborative testing have been identified in many disciplines. This study sought to determine whether collaborative practical tests encouraged active learning of anatomy. A gross anatomy course included a collaborative component in four practical tests. Two hundred and seven students initially completed the test as individuals and then worked as a team to complete the same test again immediately afterwards. The relationship between mean individual, team, and difference (between team and individual) test scores to overall performance on the final examination (representing overall learning in the course) was examined using regression analysis. The overall mark in the course increased by 9% with a decreased failure rate. There was a strong relationship between individual score and final examination mark (P learning occurring during the collaborative testing and that weaker students gained the benefit from team marks without significant active learning taking place. This negative outcome may be due to insufficient encouragement of the active learning strategies that were expected to occur during the collaborative testing process. An improved understanding of the efficacy of collaborative assessment could be achieved through the inclusion of questionnaire based data to allow a better interpretation of learning outcomes. Anat Sci Educ 9: 231-237. © 2015 American Association of Anatomists. © 2015 American Association of Anatomists.
Identification of Learning Management Systems Functional Areas and Limitations (Case Study: E-Learning Center of University of Tehran
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Ali akbar Farhangi
Full Text Available Currently, ICT and educational processes are experiencing development and innovation. This new trend will help promote educational technology and enhance innovations regarding educational planning. E-learning is considered as one of the most prominent ICT applications across the world. Advantages of virtual learning have entailed daily usage in various universities. Learning management systems are specific web-based systems to manage, track students, define courses, and evaluate the learners. However, these systems may involve inefficiencies and disadvantages as well. This paper attempts to identify the LMS functional areas in University of Tehran based on a specific conceptual framework and to present the relevant issues and problems for each dimension. The data for the present study were collected using focused group interviews, system observations. The researchers also compared the documents and the university system with that of other universities. The results of the theme analysis indicated that "communication" and "system cooperation" dimensions are involved with more important problems and issues. The researchers believe that the main issues are due to the test modules, evaluations, and systemic and underlying databases.
Writing Effectively as Counseling Center Directors and Administrators: Lessons Learned from a 2-Minute Speech
Sevig, Todd; Bogan, Yolanda; Dunkle, John; Gong-Guy, Elizabeth
Administrative writing is a crucial skill needed for the counseling center professional to be able to transmit knowledge and values for the rest of the campus community. This article highlights both conceptual and technical aspects of effective writing.
Organizational Learning in Research and Development Centers in Developing Economies: The Influence of Institutional Contexts
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Claudia del Carmen Díaz-Pérez
Full Text Available The evolving role of public research institutes in the world in the recent decades has placed significant challenges for them. Governments and stakeholders continue to question their relevance and their ability to adapt to the changing circumstances and demands from society. Attempts to develop new organizational models and management strategies are common in both developed and emerging economies. Public R&D laboratories are thus faced with the need to undertake rapid organizational learning processes in order to adapt and to maintain legitimacy. However, these learning processes may be more complex and difficult when the institutional arrangements in which these organizations are nested are themselves immature. We present an analysis of those learning processes on the basis organizational case studies in Mexico and abroad. Theoretical and policy issues are discussed.
Student-Centered Modules to Support Active Learning in Hydrology: Development Experiences and Users' Perspectives
Tarboton, D. G.; Habib, E. H.; Deshotel, M.; Merck, M. F.; Lall, U.; Farnham, D. J.
Traditional approaches to undergraduate hydrology and water resource education are textbook based, adopt unit processes and rely on idealized examples of specific applications, rather than examining the contextual relations in the processes and the dynamics connecting climate and ecosystems. The overarching goal of this project is to address the needed paradigm shift in undergraduate education of engineering hydrology and water resources education to reflect parallel advances in hydrologic research and technology, mainly in the areas of new observational settings, data and modeling resources and web-based technologies. This study presents efforts to develop a set of learning modules that are case-based, data and simulation driven and delivered via a web user interface. The modules are based on real-world case studies from three regional hydrologic settings: Coastal Louisiana, Utah Rocky Mountains and Florida Everglades. These three systems provide unique learning opportunities on topics such as: regional-scale budget analysis, hydrologic effects of human and natural changes, flashflood protection, climate-hydrology teleconnections and water resource management scenarios. The technical design and contents of the modules aim to support students' ability for transforming their learning outcomes and skills to hydrologic systems other than those used by the specific activity. To promote active learning, the modules take students through a set of highly engaging learning activities that are based on analysis of hydrologic data and model simulations. The modules include user support in the form of feedback and self-assessment mechanisms that are integrated within the online modules. Module effectiveness is assessed through an improvement-focused evaluation model using a mixed-method research approach guiding collection and analysis of evaluation data. Both qualitative and quantitative data are collected through student learning data, product analysis, and staff interviews
Christman-Rothlein, Liz; Meinbach, Anita M.
Information is given on how to put together a learning center. Discusses information and activity packets for a complete learning center on tornadoes including objectives, directions, materials, photographs of physical arrangements, and posttest. (DC)
Improved Extension Neural Network and Its Applications
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Yu Zhou
Full Text Available Extension neural network (ENN is a new neural network that is a combination of extension theory and artificial neural network (ANN. The learning algorithm of ENN is based on supervised learning algorithm. One of important issues in the field of classification and recognition of ENN is how to achieve the best possible classifier with a small number of labeled training data. Training data selection is an effective approach to solve this issue. In this work, in order to improve the supervised learning performance and expand the engineering application range of ENN, we use a novel data selection method based on shadowed sets to refine the training data set of ENN. Firstly, we use clustering algorithm to label the data and induce shadowed sets. Then, in the framework of shadowed sets, the samples located around each cluster centers (core data and the borders between clusters (boundary data are selected as training data. Lastly, we use selected data to train ENN. Compared with traditional ENN, the proposed improved ENN (IENN has a better performance. Moreover, IENN is independent of the supervised learning algorithms and initial labeled data. Experimental results verify the effectiveness and applicability of our proposed work.
Analysis of the learning curve for peroral endoscopic myotomy for esophageal achalasia: Single-center, two-operator experience.
Lv, Houning; Zhao, Ningning; Zheng, Zhongqing; Wang, Tao; Yang, Fang; Jiang, Xihui; Lin, Lin; Sun, Chao; Wang, Bangmao
Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) has emerged as an advanced technique for the treatment of achalasia, and defining the learning curve is mandatory. From August 2011 to June 2014, two operators in our institution (A&B) carried out POEM on 35 and 33 consecutive patients, respectively. Moving average and cumulative sum (CUSUM) methods were used to analyze the POEM learning curve for corrected operative time (cOT), referring to duration of per centimeter myotomy. Additionally, perioperative outcomes were compared among distinct learning curve phases. Using the moving average method, cOT reached a plateau at the 29th case and at the 24th case for operators A and B, respectively. CUSUM analysis identified three phases: initial learning period (Phase 1), efficiency period (Phase 2) and mastery period (Phase 3). The relatively smooth state in the CUSUM graph occurred at the 26th case and at the 24th case for operators A and B, respectively. Mean cOT of distinct phases for operator A were 8.32, 5.20 and 3.97 min, whereas they were 5.99, 3.06 and 3.75 min for operator B, respectively. Eckardt score and lower esophageal sphincter pressure significantly decreased during the 1-year follow-up period. Data were comparable regarding patient characteristics and perioperative outcomes. This single-center study demonstrated that expert endoscopists with experience in esophageal endoscopic submucosal dissection reached a plateau in learning of POEM after approximately 25 cases. © 2016 Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society.
Digital Didactical Designs: Teachers' Integration of iPads for Learning-Centered Processes
Jahnke, Isa; Kumar, Swapna
This research presents five examples of how teachers integrated iPads into their classrooms, as part of a larger study of 15 Danish classrooms. Classroom observations and interviews with teachers revealed the use of multiple apps and a focus on creativity, production, and collaboration in the learning process. We discuss the results in the context…
Mobile Based User-Centered Learning Environment for Adult Absolute Illiterates
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Inayat ur-Rehman
Full Text Available Education plays a vital role in the success of any community. Countries with increased literacy rate have improved their status on the world map. In recent years, the use of e-learning methodologies has been significant. However, majority of the previous methodologies are focused on the formal education or toddlers. The technoliteracy solutions for children are not suitable for adults and those designed specifically for adults are text dominant and require the users of these applications to be functional literate. Moreover, users' interest (sense of belonging is not taken into consideration in existing solutions. To address the aforementioned issues, a user study is conducted to collect users' interests. Another highlight of our study is that we develop our system as a mobile device application to facilitate our target user group. Based on the collected interests, a 3D virtual learning environment is designed and developed for adult illiterate learners. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed environment, an experimental study is carried out with users. The results show that the proposed learning environment significantly improves adults learning.
Value Innovation in Learner-Centered Design. How to Develop Valuable Learning Tools
Breuer, Henning; Schwarz, Heinrich; Feller, Kristina; Matsumoto, Mitsuji
This paper shows how to address technological, cultural and social transformations with empirically grounded innovation. Areas in transition such as higher education and learning techniques today bring about new needs and opportunities for innovative tools and services. But how do we find these tools? The paper argues for using a strategy of…
The role of mathematics and modeling in a competency centered learning system
Langereis, G.R.; Hu, J.; Feijs, L.M.G.
With competency based learning in a project driven environment, we are facing a different perspective of how students perceive mathematical modelling. In this paper, a model is proposed where conventional education is seen as a process from math to design, while competency driven approaches tend to
Big Bucks or Big Problems: The Implications of the Franchise Learning Centers for Reading Professionals.
Stahl, Norman A.
Because the mass marketing of educational support services through franchised reading clinics is growing on a daily basis, both reading specialists and reading supervisors need to become aware of the growth of this industry and of its implications for the educational system. Primary forces in the franchising movement, Sylvan Learning Corporation,…
The Curriculum Material Center's Vital Link to Play and Learning: What's the Connection?
Madray, Amrita; Catalano, Amy
Many educational theorists who study child development concur that the importance of play related materials in schools, homes and libraries is vital to the concept of play and learning. As academic librarians responsible for information literacy, and as the education liaison for the management and collection development of the instructional…
Creating a Student-centered Learning Environment: Implementation of Problem-based Learning to Teach Microbiology to Undergraduate Medical Students.
Kandi, Venkataramana; Basireddy, Parimala Reddy
Introduction Medical education involves training necessary to become a physician or a surgeon. This includes various levels of training like undergraduate, internship, and postgraduate training. Medical education can be quite complex, since it involves training in pre-clinical subjects (anatomy, physiology, biochemistry), the para-clinical subjects (microbiology, pathology, pharmacology, and forensic medicine), and a discrete group of clinical subjects that include general medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, ear, nose and throat specialization, paediatrics, cardiology, pulmonology, dermatology, ophthalmology, and orthopaedics, and many other clinical specializations and super specialities (cardio-thoracic surgery, neurosurgery, etc.). Training medical students involves both classroom teaching and practical applications. Classroom teaching is usually confined to didactic lectures, where the teacher unilaterally disseminates the information. This kind of teaching was recently noted to be not very effective in producing better quality medical graduates. The present study aims to introduce problem-based learning (PBL) to teach microbiology to undergraduate medical students and evaluate their perception towards such type of learning. Methods A total of 159 students were included in the study. An informed and oral consent was obtained from each participant, and the study was approved by the institutional ethical committee. All the students included in the study were grouped into 14 groups of 11-13 students. Students were carefully grouped ensuring that each group had a good mix that included different levels of achievers. Students were given a detailed introduction to the exercise before they started it. A questionnaire that consisted of 11 points was given to the students and they were asked to give feedback (strongly disagree, disagree, agree to some extent, agree, strongly agree) both on the functioning of PBL and the tutor performance during PBL
Tolerability and safety of Souvenaid in patients with mild Alzheimer's disease: results of multi-center, 24-week, open-label extension study.
Olde Rikkert, Marcel G M; Verhey, Frans R; Blesa, Rafael; von Arnim, Christine A F; Bongers, Anke; Harrison, John; Sijben, John; Scarpini, Elio; Vandewoude, Maurits F J; Vellas, Bruno; Witkamp, Renger; Kamphuis, Patrick J G H; Scheltens, Philip
The medical food Souvenaid, containing the specific nutrient combination Fortasyn Connect, is designed to improve synapse formation and function in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Two double-blind randomized controlled trials (RCT) with Souvenaid of 12 and 24 week duration (Souvenir I and Souvenir II) showed that memory performance was improved in drug-naïve mild AD patients, whereas no effects on cognition were observed in a 24-week RCT (S-Connect) in mild to moderate AD patients using AD medication. Souvenaid was well-tolerated in all RCTs. In this 24-week open-label extension (OLE) study to the 24-week Souvenir II RCT, long-term safety and intake adherence of the medical food Souvenaid was evaluated. Patients with mild AD (n = 201) received Souvenaid once-daily during the OLE. Main outcome parameters were safety and product intake adherence. The memory domain z-score from a revised neuropsychological test battery was continued as exploratory parameter. Compared to the RCT, a similar (low) incidence and type of adverse events was observed, being mainly (68.3%) of mild intensity. Pooled data (RCT and OLE) showed that 48-week use of Souvenaid was well tolerated with high intake adherence (96.1%). Furthermore, a significant increase in the exploratory memory outcome was observed in both the active-active and control-active groups during Souvenaid intervention. Souvenaid use for up to 48-weeks was well tolerated with a favorable safety profile and high intake adherence. The findings in this OLE study warrant further investigation toward the long-term safety and efficacy of Souvenaid in a well-controlled, double-blind RCT.
Student-Centered Learning in an Earth Science, Preservice, Teacher-Education Course
Avard, Margaret
In an effort to get elementary teachers to teach more science in the classroom, a required preservice science education course was designed to promote the use of hands-on teaching techniques. This paper describes course content and activities for an innovative, student-centered, Earth science class. However, any science-content course could be…
Exploratory Study of Perceived Barriers to Learning in an Urban Educational Opportunity Center
Lee, Jung Min
The purpose of this study was to identify the perceived barriers of adult learners to program in the State University of New York (SUNY) Manhattan Educational Opportunity Center (MEOC) from the perspectives of students and teachers. The study also sought to determine teachers' insights regarding means of motivating adult students to continue…
Mutually Beneficial Service Learning: Language Teacher Candidates in a Local Community Center
Hildebrandt, Susan A.
This article reports on a project designed to provide mutually beneficial solutions to challenges faced by world language teacher candidates, their preparation program, and a local community center. The project provided opportunities for teacher candidates enrolled in a world language (WL) teacher education course to complete clinical experiences…
10 Years Later: Lessons Learned from an Academic Multidisciplinary Cosmetic Center
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Jenny T. Chen, MD
Conclusion:. Although the creation of our academic cosmetic ambulatory surgery center has greatly increased the overall volume of cosmetic surgery performed at the University of Wisconsin, the majority of surgical volume and revenue is reconstructive. As is seen nationwide, minimally invasive cosmetic procedures represent our most rapidly expanding revenue stream.
Assessment techniques for a learning-centered curriculum: evaluation design for adventures in supercomputing
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Helland, B. [Ames Lab., IA (United States); Summers, B.G. [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
As the classroom paradigm shifts from being teacher-centered to being learner-centered, student assessments are evolving from typical paper and pencil testing to other methods of evaluation. Students should be probed for understanding, reasoning, and critical thinking abilities rather than their ability to return memorized facts. The assessment of the Department of Energy`s pilot program, Adventures in Supercomputing (AiS), offers one example of assessment techniques developed for learner-centered curricula. This assessment has employed a variety of methods to collect student data. Methods of assessment used were traditional testing, performance testing, interviews, short questionnaires via email, and student presentations of projects. The data obtained from these sources have been analyzed by a professional assessment team at the Center for Children and Technology. The results have been used to improve the AiS curriculum and establish the quality of the overall AiS program. This paper will discuss the various methods of assessment used and the results.
Building and Managing Makerspaces in Extension
Francis, Dave; Hill, Paul; Graham, Dallini; Swadley, Emy; Esplin, Kaleb
As traditional face-to-face Extension office interactions are supplanted by online education options, the makerspace offers a venue for authentic engagement between Extension and the community. In makerspaces, learners make and learn from one another in a cooperative learning environment. Through involvement in the maker movement, Extension has an…
Student-Centered Support Systems to Sustain Logo-Like Learning
Martinez , Sylvia
Conventional wisdom attributes the lack of effective technology use in classrooms to a shortage of professional development or poorly run professional development. At the same time, logo-like learning environments require teachers to develop more expertise not only in technology but also in pedagogy. This paper proposes that the perceived lack of technology professional development is a myth and that traditional professional development is ill-suited to teaching teachers how to create log...
Delivering Training Assessments in a Soldier Centered Learning Environment: Year One
virtual classroom in comparison to the mobile training. Social cognitive theory (see Bandura , 1986) would support the idea that creating a social ...R. (1996). ACT: A simple theory of complex cognition. American Psychologist, 51(4), 355-365. Bandura , A. (1986). Social foundations of thought...architecture that would allow timely feedback with customizable levels of specificity necessitates a time investment and requires expertise in learning theory
Optimizing Virtual Network Functions Placement in Virtual Data Center Infrastructure Using Machine Learning
Bolodurina, I. P.; Parfenov, D. I.
We have elaborated a neural network model of virtual network flow identification based on the statistical properties of flows circulating in the network of the data center and characteristics that describe the content of packets transmitted through network objects. This enabled us to establish the optimal set of attributes to identify virtual network functions. We have established an algorithm for optimizing the placement of virtual data functions using the data obtained in our research. Our approach uses a hybrid method of visualization using virtual machines and containers, which enables to reduce the infrastructure load and the response time in the network of the virtual data center. The algorithmic solution is based on neural networks, which enables to scale it at any number of the network function copies.
Advantages and Disadvantages of the Patient-Centered Medical Home: A Critical Analysis and Lessons Learned.
Budgen, Jacqueline; Cantiello, John
This article provides a detailed examination of the pros and cons associated with patient-centered medical homes (PCMHs). Opinions and findings from those who have studied PCMHs and those who have been directly involved with this type of health care model are outlined. Key lessons from providers are detailed, and critical success factors are highlighted. This synthesized analysis serves to lend evidence to health care managers and providers who are considering implementation of the PCMH model.
Learning Curves: Making Quality Online Health Information Available at a Fitness Center
Dobbins, Montie T.; Tarver, Talicia; Adams, Mararia; Jones, Dixie A.
Meeting consumer health information needs can be a challenge. Research suggests that women seek health information from a variety of resources, including the Internet. In an effort to make women aware of reliable health information sources, the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center – Shreveport Medical Library engaged in a partnership with a franchise location of Curves International, Inc. This article will discuss the project, its goals and its challenges.
Integrating Heuristic and Machine-Learning Methods for Efficient Virtual Machine Allocation in Data Centers
Pahlevan, Ali; Qu, Xiaoyu; Zapater Sancho, Marina; Atienza Alonso, David
Modern cloud data centers (DCs) need to tackle efficiently the increasing demand for computing resources and address the energy efficiency challenge. Therefore, it is essential to develop resource provisioning policies that are aware of virtual machine (VM) characteristics, such as CPU utilization and data communication, and applicable in dynamic scenarios. Traditional approaches fall short in terms of flexibility and applicability for large-scale DC scenarios. In this paper we propose a heur...
Learning Curves: Making Quality Online Health Information Available at a Fitness Center.
Dobbins, Montie T; Tarver, Talicia; Adams, Mararia; Jones, Dixie A
Meeting consumer health information needs can be a challenge. Research suggests that women seek health information from a variety of resources, including the Internet. In an effort to make women aware of reliable health information sources, the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - Shreveport Medical Library engaged in a partnership with a franchise location of Curves International, Inc. This article will discuss the project, its goals and its challenges.
10 Years Later: Lessons Learned from an Academic Multidisciplinary Cosmetic Center.
Chen, Jenny T; Nayar, Harry S; Rao, Venkat K
In 2006, a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services-accredited multidisciplinary academic ambulatory surgery center was established with the goal of delivering high-quality, efficient reconstructive, and cosmetic services in an academic setting. We review our decade-long experience since its establishment. Clinical and financial data from 2006 to 2016 are reviewed. All cosmetic procedures, including both minimally invasive and operative cases, are included. Data are compared to nationally published reports. Nearly 3,500 cosmetic surgeries and 10,000 minimally invasive procedures were performed. Compared with national averages, surgical volume in abdominoplasty is high, whereas rhinoplasty and breast augmentation is low. Regarding trend data, breast augmentation volume has decreased by 25%, whereas minimally invasive procedural volume continues to grow and is comparable with national reports. Similarly, where surgical revenue remains steady, minimally invasive revenue has increased significantly. The majority of surgical cases (70%) are reconstructive in nature and insurance-based. Payer mix is 71% private insurance, 18% Medicare and Medicaid, and 11% self-pay. Despite year-over-year revenue increases, net profit in 2015 was $6,120. Rent and anesthesia costs exceed national averages, and employee salary and wages are the highest expenditure. Although the creation of our academic cosmetic ambulatory surgery center has greatly increased the overall volume of cosmetic surgery performed at the University of Wisconsin, the majority of surgical volume and revenue is reconstructive. As is seen nationwide, minimally invasive cosmetic procedures represent our most rapidly expanding revenue stream.
Stephenson Cancer Center at the University of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City is an NCI-designated cancer center at the forefront of NCI-supported cancer research. Learn more about the Stephenson Cancer Center's mission.
Program Evaluation Metrics for U.S. Army Lifelong Learning Centers
SPONSORING/ MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. MONITOR ACRONYM ARI U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences 11. MONITOR ...e.g., technical support and planning); (3) telecommuting (largely the unique features of distance education); and (4) support (e.g., organizational...will be a greater reduction when I learn more about how to use the system. ()Reduced the time to zero ; I did not have to do admin tasks in class, so we
The Evolution of Failure Analysis at NASA's Kennedy Space Center and the Lessons Learned
Long, Victoria S.; Wright, M. Clara; McDanels, Steve
The United States has had four manned launch programs and three station programs since the era of human space flight began in 1961. The launch programs, Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and Shuttle, and the station programs, Skylab, Shuttle-Mir, and the International Space Station (ISS), have all been enormously successful, not only in advancing the exploration of space, but also in advancing related technologies. As each subsequent program built upon the successes of previous programs, they similarly learned from their predecessors' failures. While some failures were spectacular and captivated the attention of the world, most only held the attention of the dedicated men and women working to make the missions succeed.
Mathematics intervention for children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder: A replication and extension of the math interactive learning experience (MILE) program.
Kully-Martens, Katrina; Pei, Jacqueline; Kable, Julie; Coles, Claire D; Andrew, Gail; Rasmussen, Carmen
Individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) experience deficits in behavior, cognition, and academic functioning resulting from prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE). Although receiving intervention for developmental disabilities is a strong protective factor against negative outcomes in FASD, intervention research in this population is in its infancy. The purpose of this study was to replicate and extend a mathematics intervention, the Math Interactive Learning Experience (MILE) program, which was developed in the USA specifically for children with FASD. Twenty-eight Canadian children aged 4-10 years with confirmed PAE or an FASD diagnosis were assigned to either the MILE intervention or a contrast intervention. Following a relatively brief, individualized, one-on-one intervention, children in the MILE group demonstrated significantly greater changes in math achievement compared to the contrast group. Significant changes in other cognitive functions were not observed. Older age, lower IQ, and confirmed PAE but no FASD diagnosis were associated with greater math achievement change in the MILE group. The replication and extension of the math intervention appears to have significant, positive impact on mathematics achievement scores of children with PAE and FASD. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
The effect of extensive reading and paired-associate learning on long-term vocabulary retention: an event-related potential study.
Chun, Eunjin; Choi, Sungmook; Kim, Junsoo
We investigated the relative efficacy of extensive reading (ER) and paired-associate learning (PAL) in the ability of second language (L2) learners to retain new vocabulary words. To that end, we combined behavioral measures (i.e., vocabulary tests) and an event-related potential (ERP) investigation with a focus on the N400 ERP component to track short- and long-term vocabulary retention as a consequence of the two different approaches. Behavioral results indicated that both ER and PAL led to substantial short-term retention of the target words. In contrast, on a long-term basis, ER was more effective than PAL to a considerable degree as indicated by a large-size effect (d=1.35). Evidence from the N400 effects (d=1.70) observed in the parietal electrode group (P3, Pz, P4) provided further support for the superior effects of ER over PAL on long-term vocabulary retention. The converging evidence challenges the assumptions of some L2 researchers and makes a significant contribution to the literature of vocabulary acquisition, because it provides the first ERP evidence that ER is more conducive to long-term vocabulary retention than PAL. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Why Use-Centered Game-Based Learning in Higher Education? The Case of Cesim Simbrand
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Tatiana Kikot
Full Text Available This paper endeavours to research about simulation/serious games exploration within University of Algarve (Portugal, namely Cesim SimBrand for Marketing Simulation (course unit. A total amount of 30 learners participated in this study through a mixed survey (openended and closed-ended queries. The empirical evidences exhibit interesting outcomes: (i a response rate of 50 percent; (ii these tools increase learning engagement, although it is essential to be more realistic; (iii teamwork seems to be a controversial topic; (iv learners had a positive experience; however, some feel unprepared before their usage (prior knowledge. Hence, this survey provides a good platform for future research and approaches how to promote a better exploration of simulation/serious games. To conclude, this manuscript will be divided into six sections: (i the 5W's of game-based learning; (ii research (statement of the problem, aims/objectives, philosophical approach and data collection/analysis; (iii diagnosis (game deliver and learners' pre-perception; (iv findings (learners' profile, awareness, experiences and preparation; (v limitations and future work (methodological limitations and tools/analysis upgrade; and, (vi conclusions.
Second Life: A Virtual Learning Center for the Study of Sharks
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Tryfonas Papadamou
Full Text Available In this work the educational capabilities of the virtual world Second Life are researched and tested. A virtual world is constructed to support education for sustainable development. The life and characteristics of the shark is studied as this fish has received a lot of negative publicity and is in the danger of extinction. A virtual museum was developed for this purpose. The research question is focused on whether it can be used effectively in a modern classroom and how difficult is for an educator to develop such an application. To achieve that, a number of learning activities were developed, a number of on line questionnaires were issued and a series of virtual meetings were held. Teachers used the application and answered the questionnaires. The entire effort was attempted through Internet exclusively.
Value Innovation in Learner-Centered Design. How to Develop Valuable Learning Tools.
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Henning Breuer
Full Text Available This paper shows how to address technological, cultural and social transformations with empirically grounded innovation. Areas in transition such as higher education and learning techniques today bring about new needs and opportunities for innovative tools and services. But how do we find these tools? The paper argues for using a strategy of (user value innovation that creatively combines ethnographic methods with strategic industry analysis. By focusing on unmet and emerging needs ethnographic research identifies learner values, needs and challenges but does not determine solutions. Blue-ocean strategy tools can identify new opportunities that alter existing offerings but give weak guidance on what will be most relevant to users. The triangulation of both is illustrated through an innovation project in higher education.
The Use of DOE Technologies at The World Trade Center Incident: Lessons Learned
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
McCabe, B.; Kovach, J.; Carpenter, C.; Blair, D.
In response to the attack of the World Trade Center (WTC) on September 11, 2001, the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) National Hazmat Program (OENHP) assembled and deployed a HAZMAT Emergency Management Team (Team) to the disaster site (Site). The response team consisted of a Certified Industrial Hygienist and a rotating team of industrial hygienists, safety professionals, and certified HAZMAT instructors. Through research funded by the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management (EM) and managed by the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), the IUOE conducted human factors assessments on baseline and innovative technologies during real-world conditions and served as an advocate at the WTC disaster site to identify opportunities for the use and evaluation of DOE technologies. From this work, it is clear that opportunities exist for more DOE technologies to be made readily available for use in future emergencies
The Use of DOE Technologies at The World Trade Center Incident: Lessons Learned
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
McCabe, B.; Kovach, J.; Carpenter, C.; Blair, D.
In response to the attack of the World Trade Center (WTC) on September 11, 2001, the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) National Hazmat Program (OENHP) assembled and deployed a HAZMAT Emergency Management Team (Team) to the disaster site (Site). The response team consisted of a Certified Industrial Hygienist and a rotating team of industrial hygienists, safety professionals, and certified HAZMAT instructors. Through research funded by the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management (EM) and managed by the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), the IUOE conducted human factors assessments on baseline and innovative technologies during real-world conditions and served as an advocate at the WTC disaster site to identify opportunities for the use and evaluation of DOE technologies. From this work, it is clear that opportunities exist for more DOE technologies to be made readily available for use in future emergencies.
An interprofessional service-learning course: uniting students across educational levels and promoting patient-centered care.
Dacey, Marie; Murphy, Judy I; Anderson, Delia Castro; McCloskey, William W
Recognizing the importance of interprofessional education, we developed a pilot interprofessional education course at our institution that included a total of 10 nursing, BS health psychology, premedical, and pharmacy students. Course goals were for students to: 1) learn about, practice, and enhance their skills as members of an interprofessional team, and 2) create and deliver a community-based service-learning program to help prevent or slow the progression of cardiovascular disease in older adults. Teaching methods included lecture, role-play, case studies, peer editing, oral and poster presentation, and discussion. Interprofessional student teams created and delivered two different health promotion programs at an older adult care facility. Despite barriers such as scheduling conflicts and various educational experiences, this course enabled students to gain greater respect for the contributions of other professions and made them more patient centered. In addition, inter-professional student teams positively influenced the health attitudes and behaviors of the older adults whom they encountered. Copyright 2010, SLACK Incorporated.
Do "trainee-centered ward rounds" help overcome barriers to learning and improve the learning satisfaction of junior doctors in the workplace?
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Acharya V
Full Text Available Vikas Acharya,1Amir Reyahi,2 Samuel M Amis,3 Sami Mansour2 1Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire, Coventry, 2Luton and Dunstable University Hospital, Luton, 3Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK Abstract: Ward rounds are widely considered an underutilized resource with regard to medical education, and therefore, a project was undertaken to assess if the initiation of "trainee-centered ward rounds" would help improve the confidence, knowledge acquisition, and workplace satisfaction of junior doctors in the clinical environment. Data were collated from junior doctors, registrar grade doctors, and consultants working in the delivery suite at Luton and Dunstable University Hospital in Luton over a 4-week period in March–April 2013. A review of the relevant literature was also undertaken. This pilot study found that despite the reservations around time constraints held by both junior and senior clinicians alike, feedback following the intervention was largely positive. The junior doctors enjoyed having a defined role and responsibility during the ward round and felt they benefited from their senior colleagues' feedback. Both seniors and junior colleagues agreed that discussing learning objectives prior to commencing the round was beneficial and made the round more learner-orientated; this enabled maximal learner-focused outcomes to be addressed and met. The juniors were generally encouraged to participate more during the round and the consultants endeavored to narrate their decision-making, both were measures that led to greater satisfaction of both parties. This was in keeping with the concept of "Legitimate peripheral participation" as described by Lave and Wenger. Overall, trainee-centered ward rounds did appear to be effective in overcoming some of the traditional barriers to teaching in the ward environment, although further work to formalize and quantify these findings
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Anneli Bowie
Full Text Available The current emphasis on social responsibility and community collaboration within higher education has led to an increased drive to include service learning in the curriculum. With its emphasis on mutually beneficial collaborations, service learning can be meaningful for both students and the community, but is challenging to manage successfully. From a design education perspective, it is interesting to note that contemporary design practice emphasises a similar approach known as a human-centered design, where users are considered and included throughout the design process. In considering both service learning and human-centred design as foundations for design pedagogy, various philosophical and methodological similarities are evident. The paper explores the relationship between a service learning community engagement approach and a human-centered design approach in contemporary communication design education. To this end, each approach is considered individually after which a joint frame of reference is presented. Butin's service learning typology, namely the four Rs – respect, reciprocity, relevance and reflection – serves as a point of departure for the joint frame of reference. Lastly, the potential value and relevance of a combined understanding of service learning and human-centered design is considered.
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F. Schoenmaker
Full Text Available The biochemistry discipline integrates the curriculum of all graduation courses onthe Biological Area and is a basis for other disciplines. The students' difficulties inthis discipline are already widely recognized. To investigate these difficulties, wecreated a drop-in on line service that has two purposes: (1 To give support tostudents' learning by answering their questions and solving their problemswhenever they appear and (2 to analyze the questions presented, as a strategy todiagnose the most prevalent difficulties. After two semesters of this service on line,217 questions were received and answered. There were few conceptual questionsbeing the majority related to problems and exercises. The most frequent questionsdealt with cell metabolism (54,4%, mainly lipid metabolism and aerobicmetabolism; basic concepts (11,5% such as about amino acids and buffer, proteinstructure (8,3% and enzymes (7,8%. These percentages are correlated to thenumber of hours dedicated to each subjects in the disciplines. The main difficultiesfounded were: integration of metabolic processes in different tissues, induction ofenergy reserve oxidation, reciprocal regulation between glycolysis andgluconeogenesis. We suppose that the lack of laboratory practice difficults thelearning of basic concepts. A more in-deep analysis will be necessary toinvestigate the causes of the pointed difficulties.
The academic health center in complex humanitarian emergencies: lessons learned from the 2010 Haiti earthquake.
Babcock, Christine; Theodosis, Christian; Bills, Corey; Kim, Jimin; Kinet, Melodie; Turner, Madeleine; Millis, Michael; Olopade, Olufunmilayo; Olopade, Christopher
On January 12, 2010, a 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck Haiti. The event disrupted infrastructure and was marked by extreme morbidity and mortality. The global response to the disaster was rapid and immense, comprising multiple actors-including academic health centers (AHCs)-that provided assistance in the field and from home. The authors retrospectively examine the multidisciplinary approach that the University of Chicago Medicine (UCM) applied to postearthquake Haiti, which included the application of institutional structure and strategy, systematic deployment of teams tailored to evolving needs, and the actual response and recovery. The university mobilized significant human and material resources for deployment within 48 hours and sustained the effort for over four months. In partnership with international and local nongovernmental organizations as well as other AHCs, the UCM operated one of the largest and more efficient acute field hospitals in the country. The UCM's efforts in postearthquake Haiti provide insight into the role AHCs can play, including their strengths and limitations, in complex disasters. AHCs can provide necessary intellectual and material resources as well as technical expertise, but the cost and speed required for responding to an emergency, and ongoing domestic responsibilities, may limit the response of a large university and hospital system. The authors describe the strong institutional backing, the detailed predeployment planning and logistical support UCM provided, the engagement of faculty and staff who had previous experience in complex humanitarian emergencies, and the help of volunteers fluent in the local language which, together, made UCM's mission in postearthquake Haiti successful.
An Exploration Of Engagement, Motiviation And Student-Centered Learning In Physical Education
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Barbara WARNER
Full Text Available This author examines the discrepancy between the known benefits of physical activity and the startling statistics of obesity in children between the ages of 12 and 17. She queries if it is time to look at educators as contributing to this problem and questions if our current teaching styles and curriculum are working for students. In addition, the author explores the question if by allowing our students autonomy, will this equate to engagement and motivation to continue to participate in physical activities? Through a discussion of her personal experiences and a literature review focusing on the areas of autonomy, engagement and motivation, the author shares input into how and why some students experience physical education in a negative manner, and some things that educators can do to improve student engagement and motivation. Her argument demonstrates that an autonomous, student-centered teaching approach will positively affect student engagement, which in turn causes motivation and a desire to participate in life-long physical activity.
Lessons learned obtaining informed consent in research with vulnerable populations in community health center settings
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Riden Heather E
Full Text Available Abstract Background To improve equity in access to medical research, successful strategies are needed to recruit diverse populations. Here, we examine experiences of community health center (CHC staff who guided an informed consent process to overcome recruitment barriers in a medical record review study. Methods We conducted ten semi-structured interviews with CHC staff members. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, and structurally and thematically coded. We used NVivo, an ethnographic data management software program, to analyze themes related to recruitment challenges. Results CHC interviewees reported that a key challenge to recruitment included the difficult balance between institutional review board (IRB requirements for informed consent, and conveying an appropriate level of risk to patients. CHC staff perceived that the requirements of IRB certification itself posed a barrier to allowing diverse staff to participate in recruitment efforts. A key barrier to recruitment also included the lack of updated contact information on CHC patients. CHC interviewees reported that the successes they experienced reflected an alignment between study aims and CHC goals, and trusted relationships between CHCs and staff and the patients they recruited. Conclusions Making IRB training more accessible to CHC-based staff, improving consent form clarity for participants, and developing processes for routinely updating patient information would greatly lower recruitment barriers for diverse populations in health services research.
Lessons learned from a pharmacy practice model change at an academic medical center.
Knoer, Scott J; Pastor, John D; Phelps, Pamela K
The development and implementation of a new pharmacy practice model at an academic medical center are described. Before the model change, decentralized pharmacists responsible for order entry and verification and clinical specialists were both present on the care units. Staff pharmacists were responsible for medication distribution and sterile product preparation. The decentralized pharmacists handling orders were not able to use their clinical training, the practice model was inefficient, and few clinical services were available during evenings and weekends. A task force representing all pharmacy department roles developed a process and guiding principles for the model change, collected data, and decided on a model. Teams consisting of decentralized pharmacists, decentralized pharmacy technicians, and team leaders now work together to meet patients' pharmacy needs and further departmental safety, quality, and cost-saving goals. Decentralized service hours have been expanded through operational efficiencies, including use of automation (e.g., computerized provider order entry, wireless computers on wheels used during rounds with physician teams). Nine clinical specialist positions were replaced by five team leader positions and four pharmacists functioning in decentralized roles. Additional staff pharmacist positions were shifted into decentralized roles, and the hospital was divided into areas served by teams including five to eight pharmacists. Technicians are directly responsible for medication distribution. No individual's job was eliminated. The new practice model allowed better alignment of staff with departmental goals, expanded pharmacy hours and services, more efficient medication distribution, improved employee engagement, and a staff succession plan.
Study of the Index System for Assessing Learner-Centered Online Courses
Li, Mei
With the development of e-learning, the quality of web-based courses attracts extensive interest. This paper draws upon the results conducted amongst students enrolled in an online language course at a northern Chinese university. The design of the course aims to create the learner-centered environment: personalized learning environment,…
The AIA Solar Learning Center: Taking Inquiry-based EPO Online
Wills-Davey, Meredith; Attrill, G. D. R.; Engell, A.
The observations of the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly aboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO-AIA) are expected to be groundbreaking within the field of heliophysics. To properly promote and explain the data produced by AIA, it is important that an innovative EPO effort be put forth. This has led to the development of "The AIA Solar Learning Center" (SLC), an inquiry-based educational website geared towards teaching about AIA and the Sun in general. The goal of the SLC is to provide K-12 students, teachers, parents, and homeschoolers with information and education about the Sun, primarily through hands-on activity modules that explain different aspects of our nearest star and the methods of observing it. While each module ultimately aims to impart information about the Sun or some related physical process, the activities also range across a host of different disciplines, including geology, chemistry, history, music, and art. In order to make the content applicable and accessible, activities are tailored to multiple difficulty levels, catering to different age groups. There is also a strong push towards facilitating teachers; activities are designed to fulfill specific teaching standards, and a host of additional teaching material is provided, including lesson plans and powerpoint presentations. Ultimately, the SLC aims to make science and the Sun inviting and accessible. The "Meet the Scientists" page will provide pictures and personal bios of participating scientists. Students will have the opportunity to interactively ask solar-related questions. There is even a host of lighter fare, such as a solar music playlist and links to relevant Facebook pages.
Earth Hazards Consortium: a Unique Approach to Student-Centered Learning
Mann, C. P.; Granados, H. D.; Durant, A.; Wolf, R. E.; Girard, G.; Javier, I. H.; Cisneros, M.; Rose, W.; Sánchez, S. S.; Stix, J.
contributing to their professional development, in addition to gaining a unique cultural experience. The course and field trip foci for the next two years are: Volcanic Edifice Failure/Cascades and Western Canada (2007) and Convergent Plate Boundary Volcanism/Mexican Volcanic Belt (2008). The consortium welcomes participation in the EHaz program from interested discussion leaders, students, and education specialists in teaching and learning.
You Can Lead Students to Water, but You Can't Make Them Think: An Assessment of Student Engagement and Learning through Student-Centered Teaching
Bradford, Jennifer; Mowder, Denise; Bohte, Joy
The current project conducted an assessment of specific, directed use of student-centered teaching techniques in a criminal justice and criminology research methods and statistics class. The project sought to ascertain to what extent these techniques improved or impacted student learning and engagement in this traditionally difficult course.…
21st Century Community Learning Centers: Stable Funding for Innovation and Continuous Improvement. Research Update: Highlights from the Out-of-School Time Database. Number 8
Wimer, Christopher; Harris, Erin
As the only federal funding stream that provides dedicated funds for afterschool programs across the country, the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) initiative plays an important role in supporting the innovation that takes place in afterschool programs. Social innovation has been defined as "a novel solution to a social…
Do "trainee-centered ward rounds" help overcome barriers to learning and improve the learning satisfaction of junior doctors in the workplace?
Acharya, Vikas; Reyahi, Amir; Amis, Samuel M; Mansour, Sami
Ward rounds are widely considered an underutilized resource with regard to medical education, and therefore, a project was undertaken to assess if the initiation of "trainee-centered ward rounds" would help improve the confidence, knowledge acquisition, and workplace satisfaction of junior doctors in the clinical environment. Data were collated from junior doctors, registrar grade doctors, and consultants working in the delivery suite at Luton and Dunstable University Hospital in Luton over a 4-week period in March-April 2013. A review of the relevant literature was also undertaken. This pilot study found that despite the reservations around time constraints held by both junior and senior clinicians alike, feedback following the intervention was largely positive. The junior doctors enjoyed having a defined role and responsibility during the ward round and felt they benefited from their senior colleagues' feedback. Both seniors and junior colleagues agreed that discussing learning objectives prior to commencing the round was beneficial and made the round more learner-orientated; this enabled maximal learner-focused outcomes to be addressed and met. The juniors were generally encouraged to participate more during the round and the consultants endeavored to narrate their decision-making, both were measures that led to greater satisfaction of both parties. This was in keeping with the concept of "Legitimate peripheral participation" as described by Lave and Wenger. Overall, trainee-centered ward rounds did appear to be effective in overcoming some of the traditional barriers to teaching in the ward environment, although further work to formalize and quantify these findings, as well as using greater sample sizes from different hospital departments and the inclusion of a control group, is needed.
A Machine Learning Recommender System to Tailor Preference Assessments to Enhance Person-Centered Care Among Nursing Home Residents.
Gannod, Gerald C; Abbott, Katherine M; Van Haitsma, Kimberly; Martindale, Nathan; Heppner, Alexandra
Nursing homes (NHs) using the Preferences for Everyday Living Inventory (PELI-NH) to assess important preferences and provide person-centered care find the number of items (72) to be a barrier to using the assessment. Using a sample of n = 255 NH resident responses to the PELI-NH, we used the 16 preference items from the MDS 3.0 Section F to develop a machine learning recommender system to identify additional PELI-NH items that may be important to specific residents. Much like the Netflix recommender system, our system is based on the concept of collaborative filtering whereby insights and predictions (e.g., filters) are created using the interests and preferences of many users. The algorithm identifies multiple sets of "you might also like" patterns called association rules, based upon responses to the 16 MDS preferences that recommends an additional set of preferences with a high likelihood of being important to a specific resident. In the evaluation of the combined apriori and logistic regression approach, we obtained a high recall performance (i.e., the ratio of correctly predicted preferences compared with all predicted preferences and nonpreferences) and high precision (i.e., the ratio of correctly predicted rules with respect to the rules predicted to be true) of 80.2% and 79.2%, respectively. The recommender system successfully provides guidance on how to best tailor the preference items asked of residents and can support preference capture in busy clinical environments, contributing to the feasibility of delivering person-centered care.
Iowa Water Center | Iowa Water Center
Home Iowa State University Extension Iowa Water Center Submitted by mollyd on April 24, 2012 - 09 :42 Advancing the state of water knowledge and management The Iowa Water Center is a part of a nationwide network of university-based water centers created to encourage interdisciplinary water research
Extension Learners' Use of Electronic Technology
Guenthner, Joseph F.; Swan, Benjamin G.
Extension clientele use electronic technology for entertainment, communication, and business. Educational programs that use electronic technology can enhance learning. To learn more about use of electronic technology among Extension clientele, we surveyed 80 university students and 135 potato farmers. We found that the farmers were likely to use…
Implementing Student-Centered Learning Practices in a Large Enrollment, Introductory Food Science and Human Nutrition Course
Korte, Debra; Reitz, Nicholas; Schmidt, Shelly J.
Informed by the latest research on how people learn, effective teachers address both aspects of the teaching-learning equation--they engage students in the course material by implementing best teaching practices and they prepare students for learning by sharing best learning practices. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of…
The Learning Facilitation Role of Agricultural Extension Workers in the Adoption of Integrated Pest Management by Tropical Fruit Growers in Thailand.
Elsey, Barry; Sirichoti, Kittipong
A sample of 120 Thai fruit growers reported that agricultural extension workers were influential in their adoption of integrated pest management, which balances cultural tradition and progressive practice. Extension workers used discussion and reflection on practical experience, a participatory and collaborative approach to the adoption of…
Control of simultaneous outbreaks of carbapenemase-producing enterobacteriaceae and extensively drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infection in an intensive care unit using interventions promoted in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2012 carbapenemase-resistant Enterobacteriaceae Toolkit.
Enfield, Kyle B; Huq, Nujhat N; Gosseling, Megan F; Low, Darla J; Hazen, Kevin C; Toney, Denise M; Slitt, Gavin; Zapata, Heidi J; Cox, Heather L; Lewis, Jessica D; Kundzins, John R; Mathers, Amy J; Sifri, Costi D
We describe the efficacy of enhanced infection control measures, including those recommended in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 2012 carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) toolkit, to control concurrent outbreaks of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) and extensively drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (XDR-AB). Before-after intervention study. Fifteen-bed surgical trauma intensive care unit (ICU). We investigated the impact of enhanced infection control measures in response to clusters of CPE and XDR-AB infections in an ICU from April 2009 to March 2010. Polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the presence of blaKPC and resistance plasmids in CRE. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis was performed to assess XDR-AB clonality. Enhanced infection-control measures were implemented in response to ongoing transmission of CPE and a new outbreak of XDR-AB. Efficacy was evaluated by comparing the incidence rate (IR) of CPE and XDR-AB before and after the implementation of these measures. The IR of CPE for the 12 months before the implementation of enhanced measures was 7.77 cases per 1,000 patient-days, whereas the IR of XDR-AB for the 3 months before implementation was 6.79 cases per 1,000 patient-days. All examined CPE shared endemic blaKPC resistance plasmids, and 6 of the 7 XDR-AB isolates were clonal. Following institution of enhanced infection control measures, the CPE IR decreased to 1.22 cases per 1,000 patient-days (P = .001), and no more cases of XDR-AB were identified. Use of infection control measures described in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 2012 CRE toolkit was associated with a reduction in the IR of CPE and an interruption in XDR-AB transmission.
Integrating neuroscience in the training of psychiatrists: a patient-centered didactic curriculum based on adult learning principles.
Ross, David A; Rohrbaugh, Robert
The authors describe the development and implementation of a new adult psychiatry residency didactic curriculum based on adult learning principles and an integrative, patient-centered approach that includes a progressive 4-year neuroscience curriculum. The authors describe the process of conducting a needs assessment, engaging stakeholders and developing guiding principles for the new curriculum. The curriculum was evaluated using qualitative measures, a resident survey, course evaluations, and a pilot version of a specialized assessment tool. Feedback from the resident survey and from course evaluations was positive, and residents indicated interest in receiving additional training in neuroscience. Residents self-reported not incorporating neuroscience into formulation and treatment planning as often as other perspectives. They also reported that neuroscience was reinforced less by clinical faculty than other perspectives. Performance on the curriculum assessment corroborated that clinical application of neuroscience may benefit from additional reinforcement. Residents responded well to the design and content of the new didactic curriculum. The neuroscience component appears to have achieved its primary objective of enhancing attitudes to the field. Continued work including enhancing the culture of neuroscience at the clinical sites may be required to achieve broader behavioral goals.
[figure removed for brevity, see original site] Side-by-Side Comparison Click on image for larger view This ultraviolet image from NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer shows the Southern Pinwheel galaxy, also know as Messier 83 or M83. It is located 15 million light-years away in the southern constellation Hydra. Ultraviolet light traces young populations of stars; in this image, young stars can be seen way beyond the main spiral disk of M83 up to 140,000 light-years from its center. Could life exist around one of these far-flung stars? Scientists say it's unlikely because the outlying regions of a galaxy are lacking in the metals required for planets to form. The image was taken at scheduled intervals between March 15 and May 20, 2007. It is one of the longest-exposure, or deepest, images ever taken of a nearby galaxy in ultraviolet light. Near-ultraviolet light (or longer-wavelength ultraviolet light) is colored yellow, and far-ultraviolet light is blue. What Lies Beyond the Edge of a Galaxy The side-by-side comparison shows the Southern Pinwheel galaxy, or M83, as seen in ultraviolet light (right) and at both ultraviolet and radio wavelengths (left). While the radio data highlight the galaxy's long, octopus-like arms stretching far beyond its main spiral disk (red), the ultraviolet data reveal clusters of baby stars (blue) within the extended arms. The ultraviolet image was taken by NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer between March 15 and May 20, 2007, at scheduled intervals. Back in 2005, the telescope first photographed M83 over a shorter period of time. That picture was the first to reveal far-flung baby stars forming up to 63,000 light-years from the edge of the main spiral disk. This came as a surprise to astronomers because a galaxy's outer territory typically lacks high densities of star-forming materials. The newest picture of M83 from the Galaxy Evolution Explorer is shown at the right, and was taken over a longer period of time. In fact, it is one of the
Improving Disability Awareness among Extension Agents
Mahadevan, Lakshmi; Peterson, Rick L.; Grenwelge, Cheryl
Increasing prevalence rates and legislative mandates imply that educators, parents, and Extension agents will need better tools and resources to meet the needs of special populations. The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service addresses this issue by using e-learning tools. Extension agents can take advantage of these courses to gain critical…
An examination of blood center structure and hospital customer satisfaction: what can centralized and decentralized blood centers learn from each other?
Carden, Robert; DelliFraine, Jami L
The cost of blood and blood products has increased rapidly over the last several years while the supply of available blood donors has simultaneously decreased. Higher blood costs and donor shortages have put a strain on the relationship between blood suppliers and their hospital customers. This study examines the association between blood center centralization or decentralization and several aspects of hospital satisfaction. Centralized and decentralized blood centers have significant differences in various aspects of hospital customer satisfaction. Advantages and disadvantages of the two structures are discussed, as well as areas for future research.
A student-centered approach for developing active learning: the construction of physical models as a teaching tool in medical physiology.
Rezende-Filho, Flávio Moura; da Fonseca, Lucas José Sá; Nunes-Souza, Valéria; Guedes, Glaucevane da Silva; Rabelo, Luiza Antas
Teaching physiology, a complex and constantly evolving subject, is not a simple task. A considerable body of knowledge about cognitive processes and teaching and learning methods has accumulated over the years, helping teachers to determine the most efficient way to teach, and highlighting student's active participation as a means to improve learning outcomes. In this context, this paper describes and qualitatively analyzes an experience of a student-centered teaching-learning methodology based on the construction of physiological-physical models, focusing on their possible application in the practice of teaching physiology. After having Physiology classes and revising the literature, students, divided in small groups, built physiological-physical models predominantly using low-cost materials, for studying different topics in Physiology. Groups were followed by monitors and guided by teachers during the whole process, finally presenting the results in a Symposium on Integrative Physiology. Along the proposed activities, students were capable of efficiently creating physiological-physical models (118 in total) highly representative of different physiological processes. The implementation of the proposal indicated that students successfully achieved active learning and meaningful learning in Physiology while addressing multiple learning styles. The proposed method has proved to be an attractive, accessible and relatively simple approach to facilitate the physiology teaching-learning process, while facing difficulties imposed by recent requirements, especially those relating to the use of experimental animals and professional training guidelines. Finally, students' active participation in the production of knowledge may result in a holistic education, and possibly, better professional practices.
Integrating Patient-Reported Outcomes into Spine Surgical Care through Visual Dashboards: Lessons Learned from Human-Centered Design.
Hartzler, Andrea L; Chaudhuri, Shomir; Fey, Brett C; Flum, David R; Lavallee, Danielle
The collection of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) draws attention to issues of importance to patients-physical function and quality of life. The integration of PRO data into clinical decisions and discussions with patients requires thoughtful design of user-friendly interfaces that consider user experience and present data in personalized ways to enhance patient care. Whereas most prior work on PROs focuses on capturing data from patients, little research details how to design effective user interfaces that facilitate use of this data in clinical practice. We share lessons learned from engaging health care professionals to inform design of visual dashboards, an emerging type of health information technology (HIT). We employed human-centered design (HCD) methods to create visual displays of PROs to support patient care and quality improvement. HCD aims to optimize the design of interactive systems through iterative input from representative users who are likely to use the system in the future. Through three major steps, we engaged health care professionals in targeted, iterative design activities to inform the development of a PRO Dashboard that visually displays patient-reported pain and disability outcomes following spine surgery. Design activities to engage health care administrators, providers, and staff guided our work from design concept to specifications for dashboard implementation. Stakeholder feedback from these health care professionals shaped user interface design features, including predefined overviews that illustrate at-a-glance trends and quarterly snapshots, granular data filters that enable users to dive into detailed PRO analytics, and user-defined views to share and reuse. Feedback also revealed important considerations for quality indicators and privacy-preserving sharing and use of PROs. Our work illustrates a range of engagement methods guided by human-centered principles and design recommendations for optimizing PRO Dashboards for patient
Integrating Patient-Reported Outcomes into Spine Surgical Care through Visual Dashboards: Lessons Learned from Human-Centered Design
Hartzler, Andrea L.; Chaudhuri, Shomir; Fey, Brett C.; Flum, David R.; Lavallee, Danielle
Introduction: The collection of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) draws attention to issues of importance to patients—physical function and quality of life. The integration of PRO data into clinical decisions and discussions with patients requires thoughtful design of user-friendly interfaces that consider user experience and present data in personalized ways to enhance patient care. Whereas most prior work on PROs focuses on capturing data from patients, little research details how to design effective user interfaces that facilitate use of this data in clinical practice. We share lessons learned from engaging health care professionals to inform design of visual dashboards, an emerging type of health information technology (HIT). Methods: We employed human-centered design (HCD) methods to create visual displays of PROs to support patient care and quality improvement. HCD aims to optimize the design of interactive systems through iterative input from representative users who are likely to use the system in the future. Through three major steps, we engaged health care professionals in targeted, iterative design activities to inform the development of a PRO Dashboard that visually displays patient-reported pain and disability outcomes following spine surgery. Findings: Design activities to engage health care administrators, providers, and staff guided our work from design concept to specifications for dashboard implementation. Stakeholder feedback from these health care professionals shaped user interface design features, including predefined overviews that illustrate at-a-glance trends and quarterly snapshots, granular data filters that enable users to dive into detailed PRO analytics, and user-defined views to share and reuse. Feedback also revealed important considerations for quality indicators and privacy-preserving sharing and use of PROs. Conclusion: Our work illustrates a range of engagement methods guided by human-centered principles and design
Implementing the competences-based students-centered learning approach in Architectural Design Education. The case of the T MEDA Pilot Architectural Program at the Hashemite University (Jordan
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Ahmad A. S. Al Husban
Full Text Available Higher educational systems become increasingly oriented towards the competences-based student-centered learning and outcome approach. Worldwide, these systems are focusing on the students as a whole: focusing on their dimensional, intellectual, professional, psychological, moral, and spiritual. This research was conducted in an attempt to answer the main research question: how can the architectural design courses be designed based on the required competences and how can the teaching, learning activities and assessment methods be structured and aligned in order to allow students to achieve and reach the intended learning outcomes? This research used a case study driven best practice research method to answer the research questions based on the T MEDA pilot architectural program that was implemented at the Hashemite University, Jordan. This research found that it is important for architectural education to adapt the students-centered learning method. Such approach increases the effectiveness of teaching and learning methods, enhances the design studio environment, and focuses on students' engagement to develop their design process and product. Moreover, this research found that using different assessment methods in architectural design courses help students to develop their learning outcomes; and inform teachers about the effectiveness of their teaching process. Furthermore, the involvement of students in assessment produces effective learning and enhances their design motivation. However, applying competences-based students-centered learning and outcome approach needs more time and staff to apply. Another problem is that some instructors resist changing to the new methods or approaches because they prefer to use their old and traditional systems. The application for this method at the first time needs intensive recourses, more time, and good cooperation between different instructors and course coordinator. However, within the time this method
Articulating Value and Impact Through Outcome-Centered Service Delivery: the Student and Learning Support Experience at the University of Sunderland.
Grieves, Kay; Pritchard, Oliver
Purpose- The purpose of this paper is to share the ways in which Student and Learning Support at the University of Sunderland has embedded and matured a new outcome-centered performance model - our Quality Model - in order to create an agile evidence-base of value, outcome and impact evidence. We will also share how, having established the fundamental principles regarding value and impact capture in our library setting, the concepts and approaches have also been developed and applied successf...
Effects of a Centered Virtual Teaching Environment on Learning Styles in the Academic Performance of College Students
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H. Fontalvo
Full Text Available Based on the concept of adaptive hypermedia, the webCT platform was used to design a learning virtual environment that would allow students' interaction of different support materials with their usual styles of learning. GA Latin Square design was used to determine the role that environment and learning styles, along with intrinsic motivation, played on academic performance, navigation patterns, and number of visits to the support materials. The study showed an important difference in academic performance in favor of the Balanced group. Intrinsic motivation was the main explicative factor for the differences found beyond learning styles. The conclusion was that there are differences in the way of using the objects of learning, and that there are differentiated patterns to access the support material, depending on the students' learning styles.
EFL Students' Attitudes towards Self-Access Language Learning Centers (SALC: The Case of Iranian ESP Students
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Farzaneh Javdani
Full Text Available This article presents the attitude of ESP learners towards the role of Self-Access Language Learning Centres in improving their reading comprehension. It provides an evaluation of the success of these contents as well as an interpretation of students' understanding of the related concepts. Finally it identifies factors that enhance or hinder the successful implementation of Self-Access Language Learning. Both qualitative and quantitative instruments were used to elicit data that give insight into learners' perceptions of the issues under review. Self-Access Language Learning was evaluated positively by the students, both as a means to improve specialised English and as a means to develop autonomy as well as autonomous learning skills. The study identified a number of factors that contributed to these perceptions. It also revealed that students' understanding of independent learning is rather shallow. Finally a number of recommendations were made for a successful implementation of Self-Access Language Learning into a curriculum.
User-Centered Design of Learn to Quit, a Smoking Cessation Smartphone App for People With Serious Mental Illness.
Vilardaga, Roger; Rizo, Javier; Zeng, Emily; Kientz, Julie A; Ries, Richard; Otis, Chad; Hernandez, Kayla
Smoking rates in the United States have been reduced in the past decades to 15% of the general population. However, up to 88% of people with psychiatric symptoms still smoke, leading to high rates of disease and mortality. Therefore, there is a great need to develop smoking cessation interventions that have adequate levels of usability and can reach this population. The objective of this study was to report the rationale, ideation, design, user research, and final specifications of a novel smoking cessation app for people with serious mental illness (SMI) that will be tested in a feasibility trial. We used a variety of user-centered design methods and materials to develop the tailored smoking cessation app. This included expert panel guidance, a set of design principles and theory-based smoking cessation content, development of personas and paper prototyping, usability testing of the app prototype, establishment of app's core vision and design specification, and collaboration with a software development company. We developed Learn to Quit, a smoking cessation app designed and tailored to individuals with SMI that incorporates the following: (1) evidence-based smoking cessation content from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and US Clinical Practice Guidelines for smoking cessation aimed at providing skills for quitting while addressing mental health symptoms, (2) a set of behavioral principles to increase retention and comprehension of smoking cessation content, (3) a gamification component to encourage and sustain app engagement during a 14-day period, (4) an app structure and layout designed to minimize usability errors in people with SMI, and (5) a set of stories and visuals that communicate smoking cessation concepts and skills in simple terms. Despite its increasing importance, the design and development of mHealth technology is typically underreported, hampering scientific innovation. This report describes the systematic development of the first smoking
Roadside air particulate monitoring in the PM10 range at the Poveda Learning Center, EDSA, Metro Manila
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Santos, Flora L.; Pabroa, Preciosa Corazon B.; Esguerra, Luz V.; Racho, Joseph Michael; Almoneda, Rosalina V.; Sucgang, Raymond
The Philippine Nuclear Research Institute undertakes air particulate matter monitoring in the PM10 range using a Gent-type dichotomous sampler. Samples are collected in 2 fractions; fine, having a mean aerodynamic diameter below 2.2 microns and coarse, with mean aerodynamic diameter of 2.2-10 microns. The PNRI station at Poveda Learning Center, Mandaluyong, Metro Manila was identified for sample collection under this project. The sampler is located about 100 m. away from the major highway, Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA), on the roof-deck of a three-story building. Mean annual and 24-hour PM10 levels were found to be below the national standards: 60 ug/cu m annual mean and 150 ug/cu m 24-hour value. Using the Gent sampler, the weight of the fine fraction underestimates PM2.5 by 15%. The sum of the coarse and fine fractions is equal to PM10. The 24-hour value for PM2.2 is generally below the US EPA standard of 65 ug./cu m while the annual mean is generally in exceedance of the long-term standard of 15 ug/cu m. This indicates the need to study current standards and its efficacy in protecting the general population from adverse health effects due to fine particulate pollution. Correlation plots of coarse and fine fractions with PM10 show greater contribution of the coarse fraction to PM10. Contribution of the fine fraction is found to decrease from 36% in 2002, to 29% in 2003 and 20% in 2004. Fine fraction contribution to PM10 at another station, the Ateneo de Manila is 40% for both years. The station at the Ateneo is farther from the road and is exposed to a lower volume of vehicular traffic. High coarse particle contribution to PM10 at the Poveda station could be due to particles resuspended from the road by the vehicles. An increase in the concentration of coarse particles is observed in 2003 which remains at the same level in 2004. Fine particle concentration also increases in 2003 but decreases in 2004, possibly reflecting the impact of government drive
User-Centered Design of Learn to Quit, a Smoking Cessation Smartphone App for People With Serious Mental Illness
Rizo, Javier; Zeng, Emily; Kientz, Julie A; Ries, Richard; Otis, Chad; Hernandez, Kayla
Background Smoking rates in the United States have been reduced in the past decades to 15% of the general population. However, up to 88% of people with psychiatric symptoms still smoke, leading to high rates of disease and mortality. Therefore, there is a great need to develop smoking cessation interventions that have adequate levels of usability and can reach this population. Objective The objective of this study was to report the rationale, ideation, design, user research, and final specifications of a novel smoking cessation app for people with serious mental illness (SMI) that will be tested in a feasibility trial. Methods We used a variety of user-centered design methods and materials to develop the tailored smoking cessation app. This included expert panel guidance, a set of design principles and theory-based smoking cessation content, development of personas and paper prototyping, usability testing of the app prototype, establishment of app's core vision and design specification, and collaboration with a software development company. Results We developed Learn to Quit, a smoking cessation app designed and tailored to individuals with SMI that incorporates the following: (1) evidence-based smoking cessation content from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and US Clinical Practice Guidelines for smoking cessation aimed at providing skills for quitting while addressing mental health symptoms, (2) a set of behavioral principles to increase retention and comprehension of smoking cessation content, (3) a gamification component to encourage and sustain app engagement during a 14-day period, (4) an app structure and layout designed to minimize usability errors in people with SMI, and (5) a set of stories and visuals that communicate smoking cessation concepts and skills in simple terms. Conclusions Despite its increasing importance, the design and development of mHealth technology is typically underreported, hampering scientific innovation. This report describes the
Exercise, character strengths, well-being, and learning climate in the prediction of performance over a 6-month period at a call center.
Moradi, Saleh; Nima, Ali A; Rapp Ricciardi, Max; Archer, Trevor; Garcia, Danilo
Performance monitoring might have an adverse influence on call center agents' well-being. We investigate how performance, over a 6-month period, is related to agents' perceptions of their learning climate, character strengths, well-being (subjective and psychological), and physical activity. Agents (N = 135) self-reported perception of the learning climate (Learning Climate Questionnaire), character strengths (Values In Action Inventory Short Version), well-being (Positive Affect, Negative Affect Schedule, Satisfaction With Life Scale, Psychological Well-Being Scales Short Version), and how often/intensively they engaged in physical activity. Performance, "time on the phone," was monitored for 6 consecutive months by the same system handling the calls. Performance was positively related to having opportunities to develop, the character strengths clusters of Wisdom and Knowledge (e.g., curiosity for learning, perspective) and Temperance (e.g., having self-control, being prudent, humble, and modest), and exercise frequency. Performance was negatively related to the sense of autonomy and responsibility, contentedness, the character strengths clusters of Humanity and Love (e.g., helping others, cooperation) and Justice (e.g., affiliation, fairness, leadership), positive affect, life satisfaction and exercise Intensity. Call centers may need to create opportunities to develop to increase agents' performance and focus on individual differences in the recruitment and selection of agents to prevent future shortcomings or worker dissatisfaction. Nevertheless, performance measurement in call centers may need to include other aspects that are more attuned with different character strengths. After all, allowing individuals to put their strengths at work should empower the individual and at the end the organization itself. Finally, physical activity enhancement programs might offer considerable positive work outcomes.
Exercise, Character Strengths, Well-Being and Learning Climate in the Prediction of Performance over a Six-Month Period at a Call Center
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Saleh eMoradi
Full Text Available Background: Performance monitoring might have an adverse influence on call center agents' well-being. We investigate how performance, over a six-month period, is related to agents' perceptions of their learning climate, character strengths, well-being (subjective and psychological, and physical activity.Method: Agents (N = 135 self-reported perception of the learning climate (Learning Climate Questionnaire, character strengths (Values In Action Inventory Short Version, well-being (Positive Affect, Negative Affect Schedule, Satisfaction With Life Scale, Psychological Well-Being Scales Short Version, and how often/intensively they engaged in physical activity. Performance, time on the phone, was monitored for six consecutive months by the same system handling the calls. Results: Performance was positively related to having opportunities to develop, the character strengths clusters of Wisdom and Knowledge (e.g., curiosity for learning, perspective and Temperance (e.g., having self-control, being prudent, humble, and modest, and exercise frequency. Performance was negatively related to the sense of autonomy and responsibility, contentedness, the character strengths clusters of Humanity and Love (e.g., helping others, cooperation and Justice (e.g., affiliation, fairness, leadership, positive affect, life satisfaction and exercise Intensity.Conclusion: Call centers may need to create opportunities to develop to increase agents' performance and focus on individual differences in the recruitment and selection of agents to prevent future shortcomings or worker dissatisfaction. Nevertheless, performance measurement in call centers may need to include other aspects that are more attuned with different character strengths. After all, allowing individuals to put their strengths at work should empower the individual and at the end the organization itself. Finally, physical activity enhancement programs might offer considerable positive work outcomes.
QR Codes as Mobile Learning Tools for Labor Room Nurses at the San Pablo Colleges Medical Center
Del Rosario-Raymundo, Maria Rowena
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the use of QR codes as mobile learning tools and examine factors that impact on their usefulness, acceptability and feasibility in assisting the nurses' learning. Design/Methodology/Approach: Study participants consisted of 14 regular, full-time, board-certified LR nurses. Over a two-week period,…
Positioning Extension Massive Open Online Courses (xMOOCs) within the Open Access and the Lifelong Learning Agendas in a Developing Setting
Nkuyubwatsi, Bernard
Recent reports on xMOOCs indicate that underprivileged learners in need of higher education have minimally been reached by these courses. While the "open access" agenda is needed to reach such learners, most MOOCs have been developed in societies that have shifted toward the "lifelong learning" agenda. In this paper, xMOOCs are…
If I Had a Hammer (and Several Million Dollars): The Saga of the AIHEC Cultural Learning Centers.
Edinger, Anne; Ambler, Marjane
Presents an interview with Gail Bruce and Anne Ediger, who, in the early 1990s, conceived the idea of building cultural centers on 30 tribal college campuses. States that they imagined the centers would simply serve as repositories for Indian artifacts; however, after years of fund-raising efforts and program obstacles, the buildings transformed…
Research on Mathematics Learning at the "Center of Individual Development and Adaptive Education" (IDeA)--An Introduction
Krummheuer, Götz
In 2008, the research center "Individual Development and Adaptive Education" was constituted by the Goethe University, the German Institute for International Educational Research, and the Sigmund Freud Institute, all located in Frankfurt am Main, Germany (http://www.idea-frankfurt.eu). The research of the center focuses on the…
A wide array research model for providing evidence in person-centered psychotherapies, or what we can learn from LOFAR
van Doesum, N.J.; Takens, R.J.
Recently, the World Association for Person-Centered and Experiential Psychotherapy and Counseling (WAPCEPC) has installed a Scientific Committee to promote empirical research to support the person-centered and experiential (PCE) approach. For this endeavor to be successful, traditional methods may
An Approach for Calculating Student-Centered Value in Education - A Link between Quality, Efficiency, and the Learning Experience in the Health Professions.
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Peter Nicklen
Full Text Available Health professional education is experiencing a cultural shift towards student-centered education. Although we are now challenging our traditional training methods, our methods for evaluating the impact of the training on the learner remains largely unchanged. What is not typically measured is student-centered value; whether it was 'worth' what the learner paid. The primary aim of this study was to apply a method of calculating student-centered value, applied to the context of a change in teaching methods within a health professional program. This study took place over the first semester of the third year of the Bachelor of Physiotherapy at Monash University, Victoria, Australia, in 2014. The entire third year cohort (n = 78 was invited to participate. Survey based design was used to collect the appropriate data. A blended learning model was implemented; subsequently students were only required to attend campus three days per week, with the remaining two days comprising online learning. This was compared to the previous year's format, a campus-based face-to-face approach where students attended campus five days per week, with the primary outcome-Value to student. Value to student incorporates, user costs associated with transportation and equipment, the amount of time saved, the price paid and perceived gross benefit. Of the 78 students invited to participate, 76 completed the post-unit survey (non-participation rate 2.6%. Based on Value to student the blended learning approach provided a $1,314.93 net benefit to students. Another significant finding was that the perceived gross benefit for the blended learning approach was $4014.84 compared to the campus-based face-to-face approach of $3651.72, indicating that students would pay more for the blended learning approach. This paper successfully applied a novel method of calculating student-centered value. This is the first step in validating the value to student outcome. Measuring economic value
An Approach for Calculating Student-Centered Value in Education - A Link between Quality, Efficiency, and the Learning Experience in the Health Professions.
Nicklen, Peter; Rivers, George; Ooi, Caryn; Ilic, Dragan; Reeves, Scott; Walsh, Kieran; Maloney, Stephen
Health professional education is experiencing a cultural shift towards student-centered education. Although we are now challenging our traditional training methods, our methods for evaluating the impact of the training on the learner remains largely unchanged. What is not typically measured is student-centered value; whether it was 'worth' what the learner paid. The primary aim of this study was to apply a method of calculating student-centered value, applied to the context of a change in teaching methods within a health professional program. This study took place over the first semester of the third year of the Bachelor of Physiotherapy at Monash University, Victoria, Australia, in 2014. The entire third year cohort (n = 78) was invited to participate. Survey based design was used to collect the appropriate data. A blended learning model was implemented; subsequently students were only required to attend campus three days per week, with the remaining two days comprising online learning. This was compared to the previous year's format, a campus-based face-to-face approach where students attended campus five days per week, with the primary outcome-Value to student. Value to student incorporates, user costs associated with transportation and equipment, the amount of time saved, the price paid and perceived gross benefit. Of the 78 students invited to participate, 76 completed the post-unit survey (non-participation rate 2.6%). Based on Value to student the blended learning approach provided a $1,314.93 net benefit to students. Another significant finding was that the perceived gross benefit for the blended learning approach was $4014.84 compared to the campus-based face-to-face approach of $3651.72, indicating that students would pay more for the blended learning approach. This paper successfully applied a novel method of calculating student-centered value. This is the first step in validating the value to student outcome. Measuring economic value to the student may
Christenson, James A.; And Others
The article describes the work activities of the extension sociologist, the relative advantage and disadvantage of extension roles in relation to teaching/research roles, and the relevance of sociological training and research for extension work. (NQ)
Evaluating the learning curve for retroperitoneoscopic adrenalectomy in a high-volume center for laparoscopic adrenal surgery
Uitert, A. van; D'Ancona, F.C.H.; Deinum, J.; Timmers, H.J.L.M.; Langenhuijsen, J.F.
BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic adrenalectomy is an effective method for benign adrenal tumor removal. In the literature, both lateral transperitoneal (TLA) and posterior retroperitoneoscopic (RPA) approaches are described. Since 2007, the number of patients increased significantly in our center.
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Mahmud Mahmud
Full Text Available This study aimed to explore the effectiveness of English and Arabic teaching and learning the Language and Culture Center (LCC at the State Institute for Islamic Studies Shekh Nurjati Cirebon (SIIS SNJ based on the students' perception. The study is to find out students' opinion toward English and Arabic teaching and learning process and provide beneficial information for the teaching system in the LCC. This study used descriptive survey approach. The subjects were the students of English and Arabic intensive program. The data were collected through the questionnaire The results of the study are as follows. First, the teaching quality indicator is categorized as fairly effective. Second, the generic skills indicator is categorized as less effective. Third, students' motivation indica-tor is categorized as less effective. Fourth, learning resources is categorized as not effective. Fifth, the assessment appropriateness is categorized as fairly effective. Sixth, the students' workload is catego-rized as less effective. Seventh, the curriculum content is categorized as less effective. Keywords: students' perception, teaching and learning, effectiveness.
The KhoeSan Early Learning Center Pilot Project: Negotiating Power and Possibility in a South African Institute of Higher Learning
De Wet, Priscilla
As we search for a new paradigm in post-apartheid South Africa, the knowledge base and worldview of the KhoeSan first Indigenous peoples is largely missing. The South African government has established various mechanisms as agents for social change. Institutions of higher learning have implemented transformation programs. KhoeSan peoples, however,…
Evidence-Centered Design for Diagnostic Assessment within Digital Learning Environments: Integrating Modern Psychometrics and Educational Data Mining
Rupp, André A.; Nugent, Rebecca; Nelson, Brian
In recent years the educational community has increasingly embraced digital technologies for the purposes of developing alternative learning environments, providing diagnostic feedback, and fostering the development of so-called 21st-century skills. This special issue is dedicated to bridging recent work from the disciplines of educational and…
Stakeholders' Perceptions of Quality and Potential Improvements in the Learning Resources Centers at Omani Basic Education Schools
Al Musawi, Ali; Amer, Talal
This study attempts to investigate the stakeholders' perceptions of quality and prospective improvements in the learning resources centres (LRC) at Omani basic education schools. It focuses on different aspects of the LRCs: organisation, human resources, technological, and educational aspects along with the difficulties faced by these LRCs and…
WE-D-204-03: CAMPEP Residencies in a Canadian Context: Comprehensive Cancer Centers and Integrated Learning Environments
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Parker, W.
Speakers in this session will present overview and details of a specific rotation or feature of their Medical Physics Residency Program that is particularly exceptional and noteworthy. The featured rotations include foundational topics executed with exceptional acumen and innovative educational rotations perhaps not commonly found in Medical Physics Residency Programs. A site-specific clinical rotation will be described, where the medical physics resident follows the physician and medical resident for two weeks into patient consultations, simulation sessions, target contouring sessions, planning meetings with dosimetry, patient follow up visits, and tumor boards, to gain insight into the thought processes of the radiation oncologist. An incident learning rotation will be described where the residents learns about and practices evaluating clinical errors and investigates process improvements for the clinic. The residency environment at a Canadian medical physics residency program will be described, where the training and interactions with radiation oncology residents is integrated. And the first month rotation will be described, where the medical physics resident rotates through the clinical areas including simulation, dosimetry, and treatment units, gaining an overview of the clinical flow and meeting all the clinical staff to begin the residency program. This session will be of particular interest to residency programs who are interested in adopting or adapting these curricular ideas into their programs and to residency candidates who want to learn about programs already employing innovative practices. Learning Objectives: To learn about exceptional and innovative clinical rotations or program features within existing Medical Physics Residency Programs. To understand how to adopt/adapt innovative curricular designs into your own Medical Physics Residency Program, if appropriate.
What do we need to know to predict ENSO? Student-centered learning in a Master course in Climate Physics
Lübbecke, Joke; Glessmer, Mirjam
An important learning outcome of a Master of Sciences program is to empower students to understand which information they need, how they can gain the required knowledge and skills, and how to apply those to solve a given scientific problem. In designing a class on the El-Nino-Southern-Oscillation (ENSO) for students in the Climate Physics program at Kiel University, Germany, we have implemented various active learning strategies to meet this goal. The course is guided by an overarching question, embedded in a short story: What would we need to know to successfully predict ENSO? The students identify desired learning outcomes and collaboratively construct a concept map which then serves as a structure for the 12 weeks of the course, where each individual topic is situated in the larger context of the students' own concept map. Each learning outcome of the course is therefore directly motivated by a need to know expressed by the students themselves. During each session, students are actively involved in the learning process. They work individually or in small groups, for example testing different index definitions, analyzing data sets, setting up simple numerical models and planning and constructing hands-on experiments to demonstrate physical processes involved in the formation of El Niño events. The instructor's role is to provide the necessary background information and guide the students where it is needed. Insights are shared between groups as students present their findings to each other and combine the information, for example by cooperatively constructing a world map displaying the impacts of ENSO or by exchanging experts on different ENSO oscillator theories between groups. Development of this course was supported by the PerLe Fonds for teaching innovations at Kiel University. A preliminary evaluation has been very positive with students in particular appreciating their active involvement in the class.
WE-D-204-03: CAMPEP Residencies in a Canadian Context: Comprehensive Cancer Centers and Integrated Learning Environments
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Parker, W. [McGill University Health Center (Canada)
Speakers in this session will present overview and details of a specific rotation or feature of their Medical Physics Residency Program that is particularly exceptional and noteworthy. The featured rotations include foundational topics executed with exceptional acumen and innovative educational rotations perhaps not commonly found in Medical Physics Residency Programs. A site-specific clinical rotation will be described, where the medical physics resident follows the physician and medical resident for two weeks into patient consultations, simulation sessions, target contouring sessions, planning meetings with dosimetry, patient follow up visits, and tumor boards, to gain insight into the thought processes of the radiation oncologist. An incident learning rotation will be described where the residents learns about and practices evaluating clinical errors and investigates process improvements for the clinic. The residency environment at a Canadian medical physics residency program will be described, where the training and interactions with radiation oncology residents is integrated. And the first month rotation will be described, where the medical physics resident rotates through the clinical areas including simulation, dosimetry, and treatment units, gaining an overview of the clinical flow and meeting all the clinical staff to begin the residency program. This session will be of particular interest to residency programs who are interested in adopting or adapting these curricular ideas into their programs and to residency candidates who want to learn about programs already employing innovative practices. Learning Objectives: To learn about exceptional and innovative clinical rotations or program features within existing Medical Physics Residency Programs. To understand how to adopt/adapt innovative curricular designs into your own Medical Physics Residency Program, if appropriate.
Which Emotional Profiles Exhibit the Best Learning Outcomes? A Person-Centered Analysis of Students' Academic Emotions
Ganotice, Fraide A., Jr.; Datu, Jesus Alfonso D.; King, Ronnel B.
Previous studies on academic emotions have mostly used variable-centered approaches. Although these studies have elucidated the relationships between academic emotions and key academic outcomes, they cannot identify naturally-occurring groups of students defined by distinct academic emotion profiles. In this study, we adopted a person-centered…
Lessons Learned from the Creation of a Center of Excellence in Low Vision and Vision Rehabilitation in Wenzhou, China
Marinoff, Rebecca; Heilberger, Michael H.
A model Center of Excellence in Low Vision and Vision Rehabilitation was created in a health care setting in China utilizing an inter-institutional relationship with a United States optometric institution. Accomplishments of, limitations to, and stimuli to the provision of low vision and vision rehabilitation services are shared.
Science teacher learning for MBL-supported student-centered science education in the context of secondary education in Tanzania
Voogt, Joke; Tilya, F.; van den Akker, Jan
Science teachers from secondary schools in Tanzania were offered an in-service arrangement to prepare them for the integration of technology in a student-centered approach to science teaching. The in-service arrangement consisted of workshops in which educative curriculum materials were used to
WE-G-BRA-01: Patient Safety and Treatment Quality Improvement Through Incident Learning: Experience of a Non-Academic Proton Therapy Center
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Zheng, Y; Johnson, R; Zhao, L; Ramirez, E; Rana, S; Singh, H; Chacko, M [Procure Proton Therapy Center, Oklahoma City, OK (United States)
Purpose: Incident learning has been proven to improve patient safety and treatment quality in conventional radiation therapy. However, its application in proton therapy has not been reported yet to our knowledge. In this study, we report our experience in developing and implementation of an in-house incident learning system. Methods: An incident learning system was developed based on published principles and tailored for our clinical practice and available resource about 18 months ago. The system includes four layers of error detection and report: 1) dosimetry peer review; 2) physicist plan quality assurance (QA); 3) treatment delivery issue on call and record; and 4) other incident report. The first two layers of QA and report were mandatory for each treatment plan through easy-to-use spreadsheets that are only accessible by the dosimetry and physicist departments. The treatment delivery issues were recorded case by case by the on call physicist. All other incidents were reported through an online incident report system, which can be anonymous. The incident report includes near misses on planning and delivery, process deviation, machine issues, work flow and documentation. Periodic incident reviews were performed. Results: In total, about 116 errors were reported through dosimetry review, 137 errors through plan QA, 83 treatment issues through physics on call record, and 30 through the online incident report. Only 8 incidents (2.2%) were considered to have a clinical impact to patients, and the rest of errors were either detected before reaching patients or had negligible dosimetric impact (<5% dose variance). Personnel training & process improvements were implemented upon periodic incident review. Conclusion: An incident learning system can be helpful in personnel training, error reduction, and patient safety and treatment quality improvement. The system needs to be catered for each clinic's practice and available resources. Incident and knowledge sharing among
WE-G-BRA-01: Patient Safety and Treatment Quality Improvement Through Incident Learning: Experience of a Non-Academic Proton Therapy Center
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Zheng, Y; Johnson, R; Zhao, L; Ramirez, E; Rana, S; Singh, H; Chacko, M
Purpose: Incident learning has been proven to improve patient safety and treatment quality in conventional radiation therapy. However, its application in proton therapy has not been reported yet to our knowledge. In this study, we report our experience in developing and implementation of an in-house incident learning system. Methods: An incident learning system was developed based on published principles and tailored for our clinical practice and available resource about 18 months ago. The system includes four layers of error detection and report: 1) dosimetry peer review; 2) physicist plan quality assurance (QA); 3) treatment delivery issue on call and record; and 4) other incident report. The first two layers of QA and report were mandatory for each treatment plan through easy-to-use spreadsheets that are only accessible by the dosimetry and physicist departments. The treatment delivery issues were recorded case by case by the on call physicist. All other incidents were reported through an online incident report system, which can be anonymous. The incident report includes near misses on planning and delivery, process deviation, machine issues, work flow and documentation. Periodic incident reviews were performed. Results: In total, about 116 errors were reported through dosimetry review, 137 errors through plan QA, 83 treatment issues through physics on call record, and 30 through the online incident report. Only 8 incidents (2.2%) were considered to have a clinical impact to patients, and the rest of errors were either detected before reaching patients or had negligible dosimetric impact (<5% dose variance). Personnel training & process improvements were implemented upon periodic incident review. Conclusion: An incident learning system can be helpful in personnel training, error reduction, and patient safety and treatment quality improvement. The system needs to be catered for each clinic's practice and available resources. Incident and knowledge sharing among
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Mobility Data Analytics Center.
Mobility Data Analytics Center aims at building a centralized data engine to efficiently manipulate : large-scale data for smart decision making. Integrating and learning the massive data are the key to : the data engine. The ultimate goal of underst...
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Agus Sholeh
Full Text Available To have good acquisition and awareness in reading, the learners need a long and continuous process, and therefore, they are required to have autonomy in learning reading. This study aims to promote learner autonomy in reading class by combining learner-centered reading teaching and extensive reading teaching. Learner-centered reading teaching was carried out through group discussion, presentation, and language awareness activities. Meanwhile, extensive reading teaching was done to review the learners' materials in presentation and reinforce their acquisition. Those two different approaches were applied due to differences on learner's characteristics and needs. The result showed some success in the practice of autonomy, indicated by changes on learners' attitude. However, many learners showed that they focused more on obtaining score than on developing their language acquisition. By implementing the approach, the teacher can assist learners to be aware of their ability to learn independently and equip them with the skill needed for long-life learning.
Engaging partners to initiate evaluation efforts: tactics used and lessons learned from the prevention research centers program.
Wright, Demia Sundra; Anderson, Lynda A; Brownson, Ross C; Gwaltney, Margaret K; Scherer, Jennifer; Cross, Alan W; Goodman, Robert M; Schwartz, Randy; Sims, Tom; White, Carol R
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) Prevention Research Centers (PRC) Program underwent a 2-year evaluation planning project using a participatory process that allowed perspectives from the national community of PRC partners to be expressed and reflected in a national logic model. The PRC Program recognized the challenge in developing a feasible, useable, and relevant evaluation process for a large, diverse program. To address the challenge, participatory and utilization-focused evaluation models were used. Four tactics guided the evaluation planning process: 1) assessing stakeholders' communication needs and existing communication mechanisms and infrastructure; 2) using existing mechanisms and establishing others as needed to inform, educate, and request feedback; 3) listening to and using feedback received; and 4) obtaining adequate resources and building flexibility into the project plan to support multifaceted mechanisms for data collection. Participatory methods resulted in buy-in from stakeholders and the development of a national logic model. Benefits included CDC's use of the logic model for program planning and development of a national evaluation protocol and increased expectations among PRC partners for involvement. Challenges included the time, effort, and investment of program resources required for the participatory approach and the identification of whom to engage and when to engage them for feedback on project decisions. By using a participatory and utilization-focused model, program partners positively influenced how CDC developed an evaluation plan. The tactics we used can guide the involvement of program stakeholders and help with decisions on appropriate methods and approaches for engaging partners.
Ensuring the success of women faculty at AMCs: lessons learned from the National Centers of Excellence in Women's Health.
Morahan, P S; Voytko, M L; Abbuhl, S; Means, L J; Wara, D W; Thorson, J; Cotsonas, C E
Since the early 1970s, the numbers of women entering medical school and, subsequently, academic medicine have increased substantially. However, women faculty have not advanced at the expected rate to senior academic ranks or positions of leadership. In 1996, to counter this trend, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office on Women's Health included women's leadership as a required component of the nationally funded Centers of Excellence in Women's Health to identify effective strategies and initiate model programs to advance women faculty in academic medicine. The authors describe the experience of Centers at seven U.S. medical schools in initiating and sustaining leadership programs for women. The processes used for program formation, the current programmatic content, and program evaluation approaches are explained. Areas of success (e.g., obtaining support from the institution's leaders) and difficulties faced in maintaining an established program (such as institutional fiscal constraints and the diminishing time available to women to participate in mentoring and leadership activities) are reviewed. Strategies to overcome these and other difficulties (e.g., prioritize and tightly focus the program with the help of an advisory group) are proposed. The authors conclude by reviewing issues that programs for women in academic medicine will increasingly need to focus on (e.g., development of new kinds of skills; issues of recruitment and retention of faculty; and increasing faculty diversity).
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Bujor, A.; Harwood, C.; Lei, Q.; Viktorov, A., E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com [Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, Ottawa, Ontario (Canada)
The CNSC has introduced the term Design Extension Conditions (DEC) in regulatory document RD-337 version 2, 'Design of New Nuclear Power Plants' which was issued for public consultation in July 2012. The primary drivers for this change compared with the earlier version of RD-337 are to maintain alignment with the equivalent International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safety standard and to introduce changes resulting from lessons learned from the Fukushima Daiichi accident. RD-337 version 2 and the accompanying guidance document GD-337 establish high level design requirements and expectations for new Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs), including those pertaining to DEC. Other regulatory documents provide requirements for safety analysis and accident management as well as other aspect relevant to DEC. Nevertheless, the currently available guidance specific to DEC is not comprehensive, while the practices just begin to emerge. CNSC and industry stakeholders are actively discussing how the high level requirements and expectations will be applied in various fields. This paper is a summary of a CNSC discussion paper that is being developed to encourage substantive stakeholder discussions. The topic of DEC is being advanced rapidly both nationally and internationally. With this in mind, this paper does not intend to provide a final established position, but rather to stimulate discussion on the subject of DEC. This paper provides the definition of DEC, gives background information relating to the adoption of the term, describes the identification of DECs and the underlying principles associated with design, analysis, operational and procedural requirements. As described in this paper, DEC and associated requirements apply to new NPPs. Applicability to existing NPPs is also discussed. (author)
Radio Wavelength Studies of the Galactic Center Source N3, Spectroscopic Instrumentation For Robotic Telescope Systems, and Developing Active Learning Activities for Astronomy Laboratory Courses
Ludovici, Dominic Alesio
The mysterious radio source N3 appears to be located within the vicinity of the Radio Arc region of the Galactic Center. To investigate the nature of this source, we have conducted radio observations with the VLA and the VLBA. Continuum observations between 2 and 50 GHz reveal that N3 is an extremely compact and bright source with a non-thermal spectrum. Molecular line observations with the VLA reveal a compact molecular cloud adjacent to N3 in projection. The properties of this cloud are consistent with other galactic center clouds. We are able to rule out several hypotheses for the nature of N3, though a micro-blazar origin cannot be ruled out. Robotic Telescope systems are now seeing widespread deployment as both teaching and research instruments. While these systems have traditionally been able to produce high quality images, these systems have lacked the capability to conduct spectroscopic observations. To enable spectroscopic observations on the Iowa Robotic Observatory, we have developed a low cost (˜ 500), low resolution (R ˜ 300) spectrometer which mounts inside a modified filter wheel and a moderate cost (˜ 5000), medium resolution (R ˜ 8000) fiber-fed spectrometer. Software has been developed to operate both instruments robotically and calibration pipelines are being developed to automate calibration of the data. The University of Iowa offers several introductory astronomy laboratory courses taken by many hundreds of students each semester. To improve student learning in these laboratory courses, we have worked to integrate active learning into laboratory activities. We present the pedagogical approaches used to develop and update the laboratory activities and present an inventory of the current laboratory exercises. Using the inventory, we make observations of the strengths and weaknesses of the current exercises and provide suggestions for future refinement of the astronomy laboratory curriculum.
Professional development and extension programs
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Bereznai, G. [University of Ontario Institute of Technology, Oshawa, ON (Canada)
Professional Development (PD) refers to the means by which people acquire, develop, maintain and enhance the specialist knowledge and skills needed to practice in their profession. Extension Programs (aka Continuing Education) are offered by most post-secondary degree/diploma/certificate granting institutions.The courses are typically taken on a part-time basis, and course delivery often includes distance learning technology. An important implementation of PD is via workplace training, industry specific seminars, workshops and non-credit courses offered by a wide range of service providers.
Professional development and extension programs
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Bereznai, G.
Professional Development (PD) refers to the means by which people acquire, develop, maintain and enhance the specialist knowledge and skills needed to practice in their profession. Extension Programs (aka Continuing Education) are offered by most post-secondary degree/diploma/certificate granting institutions.The courses are typically taken on a part-time basis, and course delivery often includes distance learning technology. An important implementation of PD is via workplace training, industry specific seminars, workshops and non-credit courses offered by a wide range of service providers.
The Indiana University Center for Healthcare Innovation and Implementation Science: Bridging healthcare research and delivery to build a learning healthcare system.
Azar, Jose; Adams, Nadia; Boustani, Malaz
In the United States, it is estimated that 75,000 deaths every year could be averted if the healthcare system implemented high quality care more effectively and efficiently. Patient harm in the hospital occurs as a consequence of inadequate procedures, medications and other therapies, nosocomial infections, diagnostic evaluations and patient falls. Implementation science, a new emerging field in healthcare, is the development and study of methods and tools aimed at enhancing the implementation of new discoveries and evidence into daily healthcare delivery. The Indiana University Center for Healthcare Innovation and Implementation Science (IU-CHIIS) was launched in September 2013 with the mission to use implementation science and innovation to produce great-quality, patient-centered and cost-efficient healthcare delivery solutions for the United States of America. Within the first 24 months of its initiation, the IU-CHIIS successfully scaled up an evidence-based collaborative care model for people with dementia and/or depression, successfully expanded the Accountable Care Unit model positively impacting the efficiency and quality of care, created the first Certificate in Innovation and Implementation Science in the US and secured funding from National Institutes of Health to investigate innovations in dementia care. This article summarizes the establishment of the IU-CHIIS, its impact and outcomes and the lessons learned during the journey. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier GmbH.
Endovascular Stroke Therapy Results Improve over Time: The 'Learning Curve' at a New Comprehensive Stoke Center
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Ethan A. Benardete
Full Text Available Background: The requirements for a comprehensive stroke center (CSC include the capability to perform endovascular stroke therapy (EST. EST is a complex process requiring early identification of appropriate patients and effective delivery of intervention. In order to provide prompt intervention for stroke, CSCs have been established away from large academic centers in community-based hospitals. We hypothesized that quantifiable improvements would occur during the first 2 years of a community-based CSC as the processes and personnel evolved. We report the results over time of EST at a new community-based CSC. Methods: We have retrospectively analyzed demographic data and outcome metrics of EST from the initiation phase of a new community-based CSC. Data was divided into year 1 and year 2. Statistical analysis (Student's t test and Fisher's exact test was performed to compare the patient population and outcomes across the two time periods. Outcome variables included the thrombolysis in cerebral infarction (TICI score, a change in the NIH stroke scale score and the modified Rankin Scale (mRS score. Analysis of variance (ANOVA was used to statistically analyze the relationship between population variables and outcome. Computed tomography (CT angiography and CT perfusion analysis were used to select patients for EST. Approximately half of the patients undergoing EST were excluded from receiving intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (IV rt-PA by standard criteria, while the other half showed no sign of improvement following 1 h of IV rt-PA treatment. Mechanical thrombolysis with a stentriever was performed in the majority of cases with or without intra-arterial medication. The majority of treated occlusions were in the middle cerebral artery. Results: A total of 18 patients underwent EST during year 1 and year 2. A statistically significant increase in good outcomes (mRS score ≤2 at discharge was seen from year 1 to year 2 (p = 0
Learner-Centered Teaching and Improving Learning by Writing Down the Statement of Problems in an Introductory Physics Course
Aurora, Tarlok
In a calculus-based introductory physics course, students were assigned to write the statements of word problems (along with the accompanying diagrams if any), analyze these, identify important concepts/equations and try to solve these end-of- chapter homework problems. They were required to bring to class their written assignment until the chapter was completed in lecture. These were quickly checked at the beginning of the class. In addition, re-doing selected solved examples in the textbook were assigned as homework. Where possible, students were asked to look for similarities between the solved-examples and the end-of-the-chapter problems, or occasionally these were brought to the students' attention. It was observed that many students were able to solve several of the solved-examples on the test even though the instructor had not solved these in class. This was seen as an improvement over the previous years. It made the students more responsible for their learning. Another benefit was that it alleviated the problems previously created by many students not bringing the textbooks to class. It allowed more time for problem solving/discussions in class.
Commission for the Accreditation of Birth Centers
... Learning Login: Commissioners Birth Centers CABC Learning Place Home Accredited Birth Centers Find CABC Accredited Birth Centers What does ... In the Pursuit of Excellence You are here: Home In the ... for the Accreditation of Birth Centers (CABC) provides support, education, and accreditation to ...
1970-1971 Annual Report: Extension Service Program, Silliman University.
Maturan, Eulalio G.
The 1970-1971 annual report of the Extension Service Program of Silliman University, Dumaguete City, Philippines, treats the following projects: Mabinay Agricultural Extension, Mabinay Negrito Action-Research, Reforestation, and Livestock Dispersal. Also discussed are the Rural Publications Center and other extension services--a radio program,…
Journal of Agricultural Extension
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Scope of journal The Journal of Agricultural Extension" is devoted to the advancement of knowledge of agricultural extension services and practice through the publication of original and empirically based research, ... Vol 22, No 1 (2018) ... Symbol recognition and interpretation of HIV/AIDS pictorial messages among rural ...
Hayward, J. A.
Agricultural extension is one component in an array including research, training, education, marketing, international trade, etc. which develop together to bring about growth, and sustained growth determines the priorities for extension. These priorities depend inevitably on the stage of development of a country or region, and on the current…
Aprendizaje centrado en el trabajo independiente Aprendizagem orientada para o trabalho independente Learning centered on self-employment
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Eldis Román-Cao
developmental learning for college students.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Negin, C.A.
The nuclear power industry's addressing of life extension is a natural trend in the maturation of this technology after 20 years of commercial operation. With increasing emphasis on how plants are operated, and less on how to build them, attention is turning on to maximizing the use of these substantial investments. The first studies of life extension were conducted in the period from 1978 and 1982. These were motivated by the initiation, by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), of studies to support decommissioning rulemaking. The basic conclusions of those early studies that life extension is feasible and worth pursuing have not been changed by the much more extensive investigations that have since been conducted. From an engineering perspective, life extension for nuclear plants is fundamentally the same as for fossil plants
Spatial analyses identify the geographic source of patients at a National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Su, Shu-Chih; Kanarek, Norma; Fox, Michael G; Guseynova, Alla; Crow, Shirley; Piantadosi, Steven
We examined the geographic distribution of patients to better understand the service area of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, a designated National Cancer Institute (NCI) comprehensive cancer center located in an urban center. Like most NCI cancer centers, the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center serves a population beyond city limits. Urban cancer centers are expected to serve their immediate neighborhoods and to address disparities in access to specialty care. Our purpose was to learn the extent and nature of the cancer center service area. Statistical clustering of patient residence in the continental United States was assessed for all patients and by gender, cancer site, and race using SaTScan. Primary clusters detected for all cases and demographically and tumor-defined subpopulations were centered at Baltimore City and consisted of adjacent counties in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, New Jersey and New York, and the District of Columbia. Primary clusters varied in size by race, gender, and cancer site. Spatial analysis can provide insights into the populations served by urban cancer centers, assess centers' performance relative to their communities, and aid in developing a cancer center business plan that recognizes strengths, regional utility, and referral patterns. Today, 62 NCI cancer centers serve a quarter of the U.S. population in their immediate communities. From the Baltimore experience, we might project that the population served by these centers is actually more extensive and varies by patient characteristics, cancer site, and probably cancer center services offered.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Mohsen Laabidi
Full Text Available Nowadays learning technologies transformed educational systems with impressive progress of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT. Furthermore, when these technologies are available, affordable and accessible, they represent more than a transformation for people with disabilities. They represent real opportunities with access to an inclusive education and help to overcome the obstacles they met in classical educational systems. In this paper, we will cover basic concepts of e-accessibility, universal design and assistive technologies, with a special focus on accessible e-learning systems. Then, we will present recent research works conducted in our research Laboratory LaTICE toward the development of an accessible online learning environment for persons with disabilities from the design and specification step to the implementation. We will present, in particular, the accessible version "MoodleAcc+" of the well known e-learning platform Moodle as well as new elaborated generic models and a range of tools for authoring and evaluating accessible educational content.
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Nielsen, Thomas Bang
in order to relate the results to the service levels used in call centers. Furthermore, the generic nature of the approximation is demonstrated by applying it to a system incorporating a dynamic priority scheme. In the last paper Optimization of overflow policies in call centers, overflows between agent......The main topics of the thesis are theoretical and applied queueing theory within a call center setting. Call centers have in recent years become the main means of communication between customers and companies, and between citizens and public institutions. The extensively computerized infrastructure...... in modern call centers allows for a high level of customization, but also induces complicated operational processes. The size of the industry together with the complex and labor intensive nature of large call centers motivates the research carried out to understand the underlying processes. The customizable...
Dettol: Managing Brand Extensions
Anand Kumar Jaiswal; Arpita Srivastav; Dhwani Kothari
This case is about evolution of a parent brand and its subsequent extensions into different product categories. Dettol as a brand has immense trust and loyalty from the consumers. Since the 1930s when Dettol was introduced in India, it has occupied a distinct position in the mind of its consumers. To achieve fast growth and leverage the strong brand equity of Dettol, Reckitt Benckiser India Limited (RBIL) rolled out a number of brand extensions. Some of these extensions such as Dettol soap an...
Does Extensive Reading Promote Reading Speed?
He, Mu
Research has shown a wide range of learning benefits accruing from extensive reading. Not only is there improvement in reading, but also in a wide range of language uses and areas of language knowledge. However, few research studies have examined reading speed. The existing literature on reading speed focused on students' reading speed without…
Trials and Triumphs of Expanded Extension Programs.
Leavengood, Scott; Love, Bob
Oregon extension faced challenges in presenting programs in the wood products industry. Several traditional tactics, revised to suit a new audience, have proved successful: personal coaching, building partnerships, and providing a high level of service. Newer methods, such as database marketing and distance learning, are also proving to be…
Cooperative Extension as a Framework for Health Extension: The Michigan State University Model.
Dwyer, Jeffrey W; Contreras, Dawn; Eschbach, Cheryl L; Tiret, Holly; Newkirk, Cathy; Carter, Erin; Cronk, Linda
The Affordable Care Act charged the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to create the Primary Care Extension Program, but did not fund this effort. The idea to work through health extension agents to support health care delivery systems was based on the nationally known Cooperative Extension System (CES). Instead of creating new infrastructure in health care, the CES is an ideal vehicle for increasing health-related research and primary care delivery. The CES, a long-standing component of the land-grant university system, features a sustained infrastructure for providing education to communities. The Michigan State University (MSU) Model of Health Extension offers another means of developing a National Primary Care Extension Program that is replicable in part because of the presence of the CES throughout the United States. A partnership between the MSU College of Human Medicine and MSU Extension formed in 2014, emphasizing the promotion and support of human health research. The MSU Model of Health Extension includes the following strategies: building partnerships, preparing MSU Extension educators for participation in research, increasing primary care patient referrals and enrollment in health programs, and exploring innovative funding. Since the formation of the MSU Model of Health Extension, researchers and extension professionals have made 200+ connections, and grants have afforded savings in salary costs. The MSU College of Human Medicine and MSU Extension partnership can serve as a model to promote health partnerships nationwide between CES services within land-grant universities and academic health centers or community-based medical schools.
University of Wisconsin - Extension
... to know how to advance an innovative tech idea I want to know more about agricultural resources available in Wisconsin I want to learn how I can get training and support for my small business I want to learn how I can get ...
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Racz, I.
The problem of the existence of local extensions of spacetime is considered. It is shown that for a spacetime including an incomplete inextendible non-coiling causal geodesic curve there exists a particular C k (resp. C k- ) local extension provided that the curvature and its covariant derivatives are well behaved up to order k + 1 (resp. k) along a family of causal geodetics (around the chosen one). (R.P.) 15 refs
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Jaeger, Manfred
We introduce type extension trees as a formal representation language for complex combinatorial features of relational data. Based on a very simple syntax this language provides a unified framework for expressing features as diverse as embedded subgraphs on the one hand, and marginal counts...... of attribute values on the other. We show by various examples how many existing relational data mining techniques can be expressed as the problem of constructing a type extension tree and a discriminant function....
Less extensive surgery compared to extensive surgery
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Lauszus, Finn F; Petersen, Astrid C; Neumann, Gudrun
-up by hospital data files, general practitioner, death certificate, and autopsy report. Revision of histopathology by a single pathologist. Main outcome measures: Survival and relapse by clinical data, stage, and type of surgery. RESULTS: The incidence of AGCT was 1.37 per year per 100,000 women (95% CI: 1.08, 1.......68). The median follow-up time was 15 years and for the 79 surviving women 22 years. Stage I was found in 94% of cases. Relapse occurred in 24% of women in stage I and 100% of the other stages. Survival in stage I was 95%, 89% and 84% after 5, 10 and 20 years respectively. Increased survival of stage I......: The survival of women was better in AGCT than in epithelial ovarian tumor. Age and type of surgery, besides stage, influenced survival. Total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy is the recommended treatment with advancing age. At younger age less extensive surgery was associated...
Method Extreme Learning Machine for Forecasting Number of Patients' Visits in Dental Poli (A Case Study: Community Health Centers Kamal Madura Indonesia)
Sari Rochman, E. M.; Rachmad, A.; Syakur, M. A.; Suzanti, I. O.
Community Health Centers (Puskesmas) are health service institutions that provide individual health services for outpatient, inpatient and emergency care services. In the outpatient service, there are several polyclinics, including the polyclinic of Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT), Eyes, Dentistry, Children, and internal disease. Dental Poli is a form of dental and oral health services which is directed to the community. At this moment, the management team in dental poli often has difficulties when they do the preparation and planning to serve a number of patients. It is because the dental poli does not have the appropriate workers with the right qualification. The purpose of this study is to make the system of forecasting the patient's visit to predict how many patients will come; so that the resources that have been provided will be in accordance with the needs of the Puskesmas. In the ELM method, input and bias weights are initially determined randomly to obtain final weights using Generalized Invers. The matrix used in the final weights is a matrix whose outputs are from each input to a hidden layer. So ELM has a fast learning speed. The result of the experiment of ELM method in this research is able to generate a prediction of a number of patient visit with the RMSE value which is equal to 0.0426.
Educational outreach and impacts of white-tailed deer browse on native and invasive plants at the Crooked Creek Environmental Learning Center, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania
Lindsay, Lisa O.
Overabundance of deer can assist the intrusion of invasive plants through browse, leading to homogenization of plant communities. Public attitudes towards native and invasive plant species and white-tailed deer browse related to personal experiences, can be changed through education focusing public awareness of ramifications of deer browse on native and invasive plants. I developed an interactive, interpretive Self-Guided Walking Tour brochure of the "You Can Trail" to provide an educational outreach program for visitors of Crooked Creek Environmental Learning Center that includes ecologically important native and invasive plants species from my investigation. This research study focuses on the overall abundance of native and invasive plant species once Odocoileus virginianus have been removed from the landscape during collection periods in June and September 2013 from exclosure and access plots that were maintained for seven years. Similarity of abundance were found in native and invasive abundance of forbs, bushes and percentage of ground cover. Differences included native bush volume being greater than invasive bush volume in the access plot in June with opposing results in the exclosure plot, being greater in invasive bush volume. However, in September, native and invasive bush volume was similar within the exclosure plot, while invasive bush volume decreased in the access plot. Invasive vines recorded in the June access plot were absent in the September collection period.
Learning Curve in a Western Training Center of the Circumferential En Bloc Esophageal Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection in an In Vivo Animal Model
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Miguel A. Tanimoto
Full Text Available Aim. Evaluate the feasibility to overcome the learning curve in a western training center of the en bloc circumferential esophageal (ECE- ESD in an in vivo animal model. Methods. ECE-ESD was performed on ten canine models under general anesthesia on artificial lesions at the esophagus marked with coagulation points. After the ESD each canine model was euthanized and surgical resection of the esophagus and stomach was carried out according to "the Principles of Humane Experimental Technique, Russel and Burch." The specimen was fixed with needles on cork submerged in formalin with the esophagus and stomach then delivered to the pathology department to be analyzed. Results. ECE-ESD was completed without complications in the last 3/10 animal models. Mean duration for the procedures was 192±35 minutes (range 140–235 minutes. All the procedures were done at the animal lab surgery room with cardio pulmonary monitoring and artificial ventilation by staff surgery members and a staff member of the Gastroenterology department trained during 1999–2001 at the Fujigaoka hospital of the Showa U. in Yokohama, Japan, length (range 15–18 mm and 51±6.99 width (range 40–60 mm. Conclusion. ECE-ESD training is feasible in canine models for postgraduate endoscopy fellows.
Revisiting the student centered
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Sarauw, Laura Louise
Has the orthodoxy of progressive pedagogy, or what praise as the student centered, become means of an overall managerial turn that erodes students' freedom do learn? This is the main question in Bruce Macfarlane's book Freedom to learn - The Threat to Student Academic Freedom and Why it Needs...... to be Reclaimed (2017). In eighth well-written chapters, Macfarlane explores an often-overlooked paradox in higher education teaching and learning: The idea of the student centered learning, deriving from humanist psychology and progressive pedagogy, has been hijacked by increased and continuous demands of bodily......, cognitive and emotional performance that restricts students' freedom to develop as autonomous adults. Macfarlane's catch 22 is, however, that his heritage from humanist psychology, i.e. the idea that we as humans are born with an inner potential that we should be free to realise though education...
Android Access Control Extension
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Anton Baláž
Full Text Available The main objective of this work is to analyze and extend security model of mobile devices running on Android OS. Provided security extension is a Linux kernel security module that allows the system administrator to restrict program's capabilities with per-program profiles. Profiles can allow capabilities like network access, raw socket access, and the permission to read, write, or execute files on matching paths. Module supplements the traditional Android capability access control model by providing mandatory access control (MAC based on path. This extension increases security of access to system objects in a device and allows creating security sandboxes per application.
Life extension economic analysis
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Smithling, A.P.
Life extension economic analyses of fossil fueled power plants need the development of consistent methods which consider the capital costs associated with component replacement or repair and estimates of normal station capital expenditures over the units remaining life. In order to link capital and production costs, Niagra Mohawk Power Corp. develops most and worst cases. A most case includes capital components that would definitely need replacement or modification for life extension. The worst case scenario contains must case capital costs plus various components which may need replacement or modification. In addition, two forecasted conditions are used, base case capacity and low capacity
Transitioning from Faculty-Led Lecture to Student-Centered Field Learning Facilitated by Near-Peer Mentors: Preliminary Findings from the GeoFORCE/ STEMFORCE Program.
Berry, M.; Wright, V. D.; Ellins, K. K.; Browder, M. G. J.; Castillo, R.; Kotowski, A. J.; Libarkin, J. C.; Lu, J.; Maredia, N.; Butler, N.
GeoFORCE Texas, a geology-based outreach program in the Jackson School of Geosciences, offers weeklong summer geology field based courses to secondary students from minority-serving high schools in Texas and the Bahamas. Students transitioning from eighth to ninth grade are recruited into the program and ideally remain in GeoFORCE for four years. The program aims to empower underrepresented students by exposing them to experiences intended to inspire them to pursue geoscience or other STEM careers. Since the program's inception in 2005, GeoFORCE Texas has relied on a mix of classroom lectures delivered by a geoscience faculty member and time in the field. Early research findings from a National Science Foundation-sponsored GeoPaths-IMPACT project are influencing the evolution of field instruction away from the faculty-led lecture model to student-centered learning that may improve students' grasp of key geological concepts. The eleventh and twelfth grade programs are shifting towards this strategy. Each trip is facilitated by a seven-person team comprised of a geoscience graduate student, master teachers, four undergraduate geology students, and preservice teachers. Members of the instructional team reflected the racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity that the geoscience strives to achieve; all are excellent role models for GeoFORCE students. The outcome of the most recent Central Texas twelfth grade trip, which used a student-centered, project-based approach, was especially noteworthy. Each group was given a topic to apply to what they saw in the field, such as fluvial systems, cultural significance, or geohazards, etc., and present in any manner in front of peers and a panel of geoscience experts. Students used the latest presentation technology available to them (e.g. Prezi, iMovies) and sketches and site notes from field stops. The final presentations were clear, informative, and entertaining. It can be concluded that the students were more engaged with the
The relation between Turkish university EFL students' educational and social background and their attitude toward self-directed learning and their attendance at self-access centers
İskenderoğlu, Zeynep
Ankara : The Faculty of Letters and the Institute of Economics and Social Sciences of Bilkent Univ., 1992. Thesis (Master's) -- Bilkent University, 1992. Includes bibliographical references leaves 52-55. In the last decade the focus of EFL/ESL has been on the learner and the learning experience of the learner. Teaching learners how to learn and how to direct their learning has been the focus of attention. In other words, teaching them how to learn vocabulary rather than teaching list...
Mailman Segal Center for Human Development | NSU
rendition of the National Anthem sung by Jonathan Richard, a young man with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD Dean Jim & Jan Moran Family Center Village Collaborations Early Learning Programs About Early Learning Programs Family Center Preschool About Our Preschool Enrollment Family Center Infant & Toddler
Speak Easy: Multimedia Tools Bring Language Learning Straight to the Learner, Anytime, Anyplace--and Put the Library at the Center
Hoffert, Barbara
How does one learn a second language? By drilling on conjugations? By practicing dialog? For decades, though the recommended method kept changing, linguists tended to argue that there was only one best way to learn French or Spanish or Hindi. But no more. Now, linguists agree that there's more than one way to learn a new language effectively and…
Health-Related Quality of Life for Children and Adolescents with Specific Language Impairment: A Cohort Study by a Learning Disabilities Reference Center.
Hubert-Dibon, Gaëlle; Bru, Marie; Gras Le Guen, Christèle; Launay, Elise; Roy, Arnaud
To assess the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of children with specific language impairment (SLI). In a prospective sample at a Learning Disabilities Reference Center, proxy-rated HRQOL (KIDSCREEN-27) was assessed for children with SLI and unaffected children from January 1, 2014 to March 31, 2015. Quality of life predictors for children with SLI were evaluated by recording the length and number of speech therapy and psychotherapy sessions and the specific school organization that the children had participated in. The KIDSCREEN scores of the two groups were compared using nonparametric statistics. The questionnaires were completed by the parents of 67 children with SLI and 67 unaffected children. For children with SLI, the mean HRQOL scores were significantly lower for physical and psychological well-being, autonomy and parent relation, social support, and school environment compared to the reference group, controlling for age and parental education (β = -6.7 (-12.7;-.7) P = 0.03, β = -4.9 (-9.5;-.3) P = 0.04, β = -8.4 (-14.2;-2.6) P = 0.005, β = -11.6 (-19.5;-3.7) P = 0.004, β = -7.1(-12.4;-1.7) P = 0.010, respectively). Multivariate analyses in the group of children with SLI found that children who had undergone psychotherapy sessions or who had been enrolled in specific schooling programs had reduced HRQOL scores in social support and school environment and that children who were in a special class had higher scores in physical well-being. Children with SLI had significantly lower HRQOL scores as compared to unaffected children. Measurement of HRQOL could serve as one of the strategies employed throughout the follow-up of these individuals to provide them with the most appropriate and comprehensive care possible.
Health-Related Quality of Life for Children and Adolescents with Specific Language Impairment: A Cohort Study by a Learning Disabilities Reference Center.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Gaëlle Hubert-Dibon
Full Text Available To assess the health-related quality of life (HRQOL of children with specific language impairment (SLI.In a prospective sample at a Learning Disabilities Reference Center, proxy-rated HRQOL (KIDSCREEN-27 was assessed for children with SLI and unaffected children from January 1, 2014 to March 31, 2015. Quality of life predictors for children with SLI were evaluated by recording the length and number of speech therapy and psychotherapy sessions and the specific school organization that the children had participated in. The KIDSCREEN scores of the two groups were compared using nonparametric statistics.The questionnaires were completed by the parents of 67 children with SLI and 67 unaffected children. For children with SLI, the mean HRQOL scores were significantly lower for physical and psychological well-being, autonomy and parent relation, social support, and school environment compared to the reference group, controlling for age and parental education (β = -6.7 (-12.7;-.7 P = 0.03, β = -4.9 (-9.5;-.3 P = 0.04, β = -8.4 (-14.2;-2.6 P = 0.005, β = -11.6 (-19.5;-3.7 P = 0.004, β = -7.1(-12.4;-1.7 P = 0.010, respectively. Multivariate analyses in the group of children with SLI found that children who had undergone psychotherapy sessions or who had been enrolled in specific schooling programs had reduced HRQOL scores in social support and school environment and that children who were in a special class had higher scores in physical well-being.Children with SLI had significantly lower HRQOL scores as compared to unaffected children. Measurement of HRQOL could serve as one of the strategies employed throughout the follow-up of these individuals to provide them with the most appropriate and comprehensive care possible.
A personalized mobile patient guide system for a patient-centered smart hospital: Lessons learned from a usability test and satisfaction survey in a tertiary university hospital.
Yoo, Sooyoung; Jung, Se Young; Kim, Seok; Kim, Eunhye; Lee, Kee-Hyuck; Chung, Eunja; Hwang, Hee
The present study focused on the design, implementation, and evaluation of a personalized mobile patient guide system that utilizes smart phones, indoor navigation technology and a hospital information system (HIS) to address the difficulties that outpatients face in finding hospital facilities, recognizing their daily treatment schedule, and accessing personalized medical and administrative information. The present study was conducted in a fully digitized tertiary university hospital in South Korea. We developed a real-time location-based outpatient guide system that consists of Bluetooth access points (APs) for indoor navigation, an Android-based guide application, a guide server, and interfaces with the HIS. A total of 33 subjects and 43 outpatients participated in the usability test (UT) and the satisfaction survey, respectively. We confirmed that the indoor navigation feature can be applied to outpatient departments with precision using a position error test. The participants in the UT completed each scenario with an average success rate of 67.4%. According to the results, we addressed the problems and made improvements to the user interface by providing users with context-based guidance information. The satisfaction rating of the system was high, with an average score of 4.0 out of 5.0, showing its utility as a patient-centered hospital service. The innovative mobile patient guide system for outpatients is feasible and can be successfully implemented to provide personalized information with high satisfaction. Additionally, the issues identified and lessons learned from our experiences regarding task scheduling, indoor navigation, and usability should be considered when developing the system. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Mobile Applications for Extension
Drill, Sabrina L.
Mobile computing devices (smart phones, tablets, etc.) are rapidly becoming the dominant means of communication worldwide and are increasingly being used for scientific investigation. This technology can further our Extension mission by increasing our power for data collection, information dissemination, and informed decision-making. Mobile…
Maximizing Program Delivery in Extension: Lessons from Leadership for Transformation.
Laughlin, Kevin M.; Schmidt, Janet L.
Reviews advantages and disadvantages of four extension delivery methods: partnerships, master volunteer programs, information centers, and regional programs. Concluded that the key is matching individual, community, and emerging needs with the right method. (SK)
Consumer-Centered Extension Education Website Increases Usage
Franics, Sarah L.; Martin, Peggy; Taylor, Kristin
Concern about young families' ability to cope with rising food prices resulted in creating Spend Smart. Eat Smart (SSES), a website focused on budget-friendly nutrition information for limited resource audiences (LRA). SSES was redesigned using LRAs needs and preferences to increase use by LRAs. SSES usage increased after it was revised to…
Straßburger , Lutz
International audience; In proof theory one distinguishes sequent proofs with cut and cut-free sequent proofs, while for proof complexity one distinguishes Frege-systems and extended Frege-systems. In this paper we show how deep inference can provide a uniform treatment for both classifications, such that we can define cut-free systems with extension, which is neither possible with Frege-systems, nor with the sequent calculus. We show that the propositional pigeon-hole principle admits polyno...
The Comparison between Teacher Centered and Student Centered Educational Methods
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
M Anvar
Full Text Available Background and Purpose: Various approaches to learning are suggested & practiced. The traditional medical education were more teacher centered oriented . In this method the students' involvement in the process of learning is not remarkable, but the new approach to medical education supports the students involvement. This study evaluated the various method of lecturing considering students involvements.Methods: One hundred two first year medical and nursing students involved in this study and their opinion about these two methods of learning were obtained by filling of a questionnaire. The subject of the lectures was "general psychology" which was carried out 50% by the students and 50% by the teacher. The statistical analysis was carried out by SPSS program.Results: Considering students opinion in student-centered method the various aspect of learning such as mutual understanding, use of textbooks and references were significantly increased , whereasother aspects of learning such as self esteem, study time, innovation, and study attitude though were improved, but were not significant as compared with teacher centered method. In teacher-centeredmethod the understanding of the subjects was significantly increased .Other aspects of learning such as motivation and concentration were improved but not significantly as compared with studentcentered method.Conclusion: As the result showed student centered method was favored in several aspects of learning while in teacher centered method only understanding of the subject was better . Careful choice of teaching method to provide a comprehensive learning experience should take into account these differences.Key words: TEACHER CENTERED, STUDENT CENTERED, LEARNING
Aarts, JM
Two types of seemingly unrelated extension problems are discussed in this book. Their common focus is a long-standing problem of Johannes de Groot, the main conjecture of which was recently resolved. As is true of many important conjectures, a wide range of mathematical investigations had developed, which have been grouped into the two extension problems. The first concerns the extending of spaces, the second concerns extending the theory of dimension by replacing the empty space with other spaces. The problem of de Groot concerned compactifications of spaces by means of an adjunction of a set of minimal dimension. This minimal dimension was called the compactness deficiency of a space. Early success in 1942 lead de Groot to invent a generalization of the dimension function, called the compactness degree of a space, with the hope that this function would internally characterize the compactness deficiency which is a topological invariant of a space that is externally defined by means of compact extensions of a...
Use of Demonstration Gardens in Extension: Challenges and Benefits
Glen, Charlotte D.; Moore, Gary E.; Jayaratne, K. S. U.; Bradley, Lucy K.
Extension agents' use of demonstration gardens was studied to determine how gardens are employed in horticultural programming, perceived benefits and challenges of using gardens for Extension programming, and desired competencies. Gardens are primarily used to enhance educational efforts by providing hands-on learning experiences. Greatest…
Learn how to do business with EPA's Clean Air Markets, including registering to use the Emissions Collection and Monitoring Plan System (ECMPS), the CAMD Business System (CBS), and learn how to submit monitored emissions data.
Use of Genomic Databases for Inquiry-Based Learning about Influenza
Ledley, Fred; Ndung'u, Eric
The genome projects of the past decades have created extensive databases of biological information with applications in both research and education. We describe an inquiry-based exercise that uses one such database, the National Center for Biotechnology Information Influenza Virus Resource, to advance learning about influenza. This database…
77 FR 9960 - Final Environmental Impact Statement for Extension of F-Line Streetcar Service to Fort Mason...
... Environmental Impact Statement for Extension of F-Line Streetcar Service to Fort Mason Center, San Francisco, CA... Environmental Impact Statement for the Extension of F-Line Streetcar Service to Fort Mason Center, San Francisco... the extension of the historic streetcar F-line from Fisherman's Wharf to the Fort Mason Center, in San...
EXTENSION EDUCATION SYMPOSIUM: reinventing extension as a resource--what does the future hold?
Mirando, M A; Bewley, J M; Blue, J; Amaral-Phillips, D M; Corriher, V A; Whittet, K M; Arthur, N; Patterson, D J
The mission of the Cooperative Extension Service, as a component of the land-grant university system, is to disseminate new knowledge and to foster its application and use. Opportunities and challenges facing animal agriculture in the United States have changed dramatically over the past few decades and require the use of new approaches and emerging technologies that are available to extension professionals. Increased federal competitive grant funding for extension, the creation of eXtension, the development of smartphone and related electronic technologies, and the rapidly increasing popularity of social media created new opportunities for extension educators to disseminate knowledge to a variety of audiences and engage these audiences in electronic discussions. Competitive grant funding opportunities for extension efforts to advance animal agriculture became available from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and have increased dramatically in recent years. The majority of NIFA funding opportunities require extension efforts to be integrated with research, and NIFA encourages the use of eXtension and other cutting-edge approaches to extend research to traditional clientele and nontraditional audiences. A case study is presented to illustrate how research and extension were integrated to improve the adoption of AI by beef producers. Those in agriculture are increasingly resorting to the use of social media venues such as Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitter to access information required to support their enterprises. Use of these various approaches by extension educators requires appreciation of the technology and an understanding of how the target audiences access information available on social media. Technology to deliver information is changing rapidly, and Cooperative Extension Service professionals will need to continuously evaluate digital technology and social media tools to appropriately integrate them into learning and
Learning to Learn Together with CSCL Tools
Schwarz, Baruch B.; de Groot, Reuma; Mavrikis, Manolis; Dragon, Toby
In this paper, we identify "Learning to Learn Together" (L2L2) as a new and important educational goal. Our view of L2L2 is a substantial extension of "Learning to Learn" (L2L): L2L2 consists of learning to collaborate to successfully face L2L challenges. It is inseparable from L2L, as it emerges when individuals face problems…
Continuous multivariate exponential extension
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Block, H.W.
The Freund-Weinman multivariate exponential extension is generalized to the case of nonidentically distributed marginal distributions. A fatal shock model is given for the resulting distribution. Results in the bivariate case and the concept of constant multivariate hazard rate lead to a continuous distribution related to the multivariate exponential distribution (MVE) of Marshall and Olkin. This distribution is shown to be a special case of the extended Freund-Weinman distribution. A generalization of the bivariate model of Proschan and Sullo leads to a distribution which contains both the extended Freund-Weinman distribution and the MVE
Rao, M V S
Ultrahigh energy cosmic rays carry information about their sources and the intervening medium apart from providing a beam of particles for studying certain features of high energy interactions currently inaccessible at man-made accelerators. They can at present be studied only via the extensive air showers (EAS's) they generate while passing through the Earth's atmosphere, since their fluxes are too low for the experiments of limited capability flown in balloons and satellites. The EAS is generated by a series of interactions of the primary cosmic ray and its progeny with the atmospheric nucle
Linking Classroom and Community: A Theoretical Alignment of Service Learning and a Human-Centered Design Methodology in Contemporary Communication Design Education
Bowie, Anneli; Cassim, Fatima
The current emphasis on social responsibility and community collaboration within higher education has led to an increased drive to include service learning in the curriculum. With its emphasis on mutually beneficial collaborations, service learning can be meaningful for both students and the community, but is challenging to manage successfully.…
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Sternberg, Virginia
First I will give a short history of this Center which has had three names and three moves (and one more in the offing) in three years. Then I will tell you about the accomplishments made in the past year. And last, I will discuss what has been learned and what is planned for the future. The Energy and Environment Information Center (EEIC), as it was first known, was organized in August 1975 in San Francisco as a cooperative venture by the Federal Energy Administration (FEA), Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These three agencies planned this effort to assist the public in obtaining information about energy and the environmental aspects of energy. The Public Affairs Offices of FEA, ERDA and EPA initiated the idea of the Center. One member from each agency worked at the Center, with assistance from the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory Information Research Group (LBL IRG) and with on-site help from the EPA Library. The Center was set up in a corner of the EPA Library. FEA and ERDA each contributed one staff member on a rotating basis to cover the daily operation of the Center and money for books and periodicals. EPA contributed space, staff time for ordering, processing and indexing publications, and additional money for acquisitions. The LBL Information Research Group received funds from ERDA on a 189 FY 1976 research project to assist in the development of the Center as a model for future energy centers.
Statistical learning from a regression perspective
Berk, Richard A
This textbook considers statistical learning applications when interest centers on the conditional distribution of the response variable, given a set of predictors, and when it is important to characterize how the predictors are related to the response. As a first approximation, this can be seen as an extension of nonparametric regression. This fully revised new edition includes important developments over the past 8 years. Consistent with modern data analytics, it emphasizes that a proper statistical learning data analysis derives from sound data collection, intelligent data management, appropriate statistical procedures, and an accessible interpretation of results. A continued emphasis on the implications for practice runs through the text. Among the statistical learning procedures examined are bagging, random forests, boosting, support vector machines and neural networks. Response variables may be quantitative or categorical. As in the first edition, a unifying theme is supervised learning that can be trea...
Difficulties in Learning English Faced By Visually Impaired Students at Center of Language Development (P2B in State Islamic University (UIN Sunan Kalijaga
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Widya Aryanti
The result shows that there are some difficulties faced by VIS. These difficulties can be put into two different categories: internal and external difficulties. Internal difficulties come from the VIS themselves which relates to VIS' sight conditions and their learning strategies. External difficulties come from the learning environment including difficulties from the lecturer, friends, materials and the facilities.VIS have different learning strategies. The lecturer should discuss some classroom adaptations such as seating arrangement, friends' assistance and peer teaching, adapted facilities and exam accommodation, for instance exam assistance, longer exam time, inclusive examination and larger print for low vision students. Finally, the lecturer should choose appropriate teaching strategies, media and teaching aids.
Teaching Astronomy through e-learning in Poland: Astronomical Education in teacher training conducted by the Regional Teacher Training Center in Skierniewice
Dabrowska, A. E.
Regional Teacher Training Centre (RTTC) in Skierniewice is one of 49 public, accredited institutions in Poland carrying out it statutory goals at the regional level. It has been operating since 1989 and is responsible for organizing of support of schools, institutions, networks of teachers for cooperation and self-education, organizing various forms of in-service training and disseminating examples of good practice. It also has rich experience in teaching by using modern Interactive Computer Technology (ICT) tools and e-learning platform. I present examples about teaching of Astronomical issues through teacher training both as hands on workshops as well as through e-learning. E-learning is playing an important role in organizing educational activities not only in the field of modern didactic but also in learning Science subjects. Teachers find e-learning as a very economical, easy and convenient way of learning and developing their knowledge and skills. Moreover, they are no longer afraid of using new ICT tools and programs which help them to cooperate with students effectively. Since 2011 RTTC in Skierniewice has been an organizer of many on-line in-service programs for teachers, in learning Science. Some of them are organized as blended-learning programs which allow teachers to participate first in hands on activities then continue learning on the Moodle platform. These courses include two 15 and 30-hours of Astronomical topics. Teachers have the opportunity to gain knowledge and receive materials not only about the Universe and the Solar System but also can learn to use tools like Stellarium, Celestia, WorldWide Telescope, Your Sky and other tools. E-learning modules consist of both publishing learning materials in various forms, eg. PowerPoint Presentations, Word & PDF materials, web sites, publications, working sheets as well as practical duties like participation in chats, forums, tasks, Wiki, group workshop. Teachers use these materials for extending their
Ground System Extensibility Considerations
Miller, S. W.; Greene, E.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) are jointly acquiring the next-generation civilian weather and environmental satellite system: the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS). The Joint Polar Satellite System will replace the afternoon orbit component and ground processing system of the current Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellites (POES) managed by NOAA. The JPSS satellites will carry a suite of sensors designed to collect meteorological, oceanographic, climatological and geophysical observations of the Earth. The ground processing system for JPSS is known as the JPSS Common Ground System (JPSS CGS). Developed and maintained by Raytheon Intelligence, Information and Services (IIS), the CGS is a multi-mission enterprise system serving NOAA, NASA and their national and international partners, such as NASA's Earth Observation System (EOS), NOAA's current POES, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's (JAXA) Global Change Observation Mission - Water (GCOM-W1), and DoD's Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP). The CGS provides a wide range of support to a number of national and international missions, including command and control, mission management, data acquisition and routing, and environmental data processing and distribution. The current suite of CGS-supported missions has demonstrated the value of interagency and international partnerships to address global observation needs. With its established infrastructure and existing suite of missions, the CGS is extensible to a wider array of potential new missions. This paper will describe how the inherent scalability and extensibility of the CGS enables the addition of these new missions, with an eye on global enterprise needs in the 2020's and beyond.
Turning an Extension Aide into an Extension Agent
Seevers, Brenda; Dormody, Thomas J.
For any organization to remain sustainable, a renewable source of faculty and staff needs to be available. The Extension Internship Program for Juniors and Seniors in High School is a new tool for recruiting and developing new Extension agents. Students get "hands on" experience working in an Extension office and earn college credit…
Blending Formal and Informal Learning Networks for Online Learning
Czerkawski, Betül C.
With the emergence of social software and the advance of web-based technologies, online learning networks provide invaluable opportunities for learning, whether formal or informal. Unlike top-down, instructor-centered, and carefully planned formal learning settings, informal learning networks offer more bottom-up, student-centered participatory…
Building an imaging center: laying the foundation.
Foreman, M Shane; Geise, Jon D; Reed, Mary A
In Spring 2003, Central Louisiana Imaging, Inc. (CLII), an 11-member radiology group, decided to create a properly configured freestanding imaging center. Before moving forward with the project, CLII conducted extensive market research and learned the following: CLII's ability to draw patients from a broad geography (central Louisiana) would work in its favor While the defined market was shrinking slightly and made up of middle-income households, the population was fairly well insured and aging at a rate comparable to the nation. Given an aging population and advances in technology, market demand for imaging was projected to grow despite the shrinking population. There were opportunities to differentiate on quality technology, service offering, and customer service; the sophistication and positioning of competitors is more important than the sheer number of competitors. CLII's relationship with key referring physicians was likely portable and would translate into volume within the new center. The group measured each potential service or modality against 5 evaluation criteria to determine whether a market opportunity existed: demographic fit, projected market demand, competitive positioning, "anchor service," and synergy with CLII's strategy. Once the market opportunity was confirmed and the service offering was set, CLII completed a 5-year proforma in order to project cash flows, capital costs, and the anticipated return on investment. CLII opened the imaging center in September 2004. Ten months into opeations, the center was a measurable success. The levels, and break-even by month 4, volumes are currently at year 2 levels, and the center recently added nuclear medicine and its second magnetic resonance imaging system-11 months ahead of schedule.
Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research Centers Impact Report: Advances in protecting children's health where they live, learn, and play
In 1997, EPA and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) partnered to form the Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research Centers. This impact report summarizes the history of the program, scientific findings since the program's incept...
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Sanda Dragos
Full Text Available Using a learning management system (LMS is a common practise nowadays. Such instruments are used in educational institutions to enhance and support the teaching act as well as in industry for training purposes. In a computer science department of an university such instrument tends to be a basic requirement. That is because not only it allows a better management of courses and a better communication between students and professors, but can also serve as a perfect instrument for presenting teaching related materials for computer science subjects. During the years I have created and used several such instruments: a System with Interactive ackNowledgement and Evaluation of students work during laboratory sessions (SINE, a Php Utility used in Laboratories for Student Evaluation (PULSE, and PULSE Extended. The aim of this paper is to present the current enhancements of PULSE.
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Kleinaltenkamp, Michael; Plewa, Carolin; Gudergan, Siegfried
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to advance extant theorizing around resourceintegration by conceptualizing and delineating the notion of a usage center. Ausage center consists of a combination of interdependent actors that draw onresources across their individual usage processes to create v...
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Racz, Istvan, E-mail: email@example.com [RMKI, H-1121 Budapest, Konkoly Thege Miklos ut 29-33 (Hungary)
The global extendibility of smooth causal geodesically incomplete spacetimes is investigated. Denote by {gamma} one of the incomplete non-extendible causal geodesics of a causal geodesically incomplete spacetime (M, g{sub ab}). First, it is shown that it is always possible to select a synchronized family of causal geodesics {Gamma} and an open neighbourhood U of a final segment of {gamma} in M such that U comprises members of {Gamma}, and suitable local coordinates can be defined everywhere on U provided that {gamma} does not terminate either on a tidal force tensor singularity or on a topological singularity. It is also shown that if, in addition, the spacetime (M, g{sub ab}) is globally hyperbolic, and the components of the curvature tensor, and its covariant derivatives up to order k - 1 are bounded on U, and also the line integrals of the components of the kth-order covariant derivatives are finite along the members of {Gamma}-where all the components are meant to be registered with respect to a synchronized frame field on U-then there exists a C{sup k-} extension {Phi} : (M,g{sub ab}) {yields}(M,g{sub ab}) so that for each {gamma}-bar from {Gamma}, which is inextendible in (M, g{sub ab}), the image, {Phi}{gamma}-bar, is extendible in (M,g{sub ab}). Finally, it is also proved that whenever {gamma} does terminate on a topological singularity (M, g{sub ab}) cannot be generic.
Web Extensible Display Manager
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Slominski, Ryan [Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (TJNAF), Newport News, VA (United States); Larrieu, Theodore L. [Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (TJNAF), Newport News, VA (United States)
Jefferson Lab's Web Extensible Display Manager (WEDM) allows staff to access EDM control system screens from a web browser in remote offices and from mobile devices. Native browser technologies are leveraged to avoid installing and managing software on remote clients such as browser plugins, tunnel applications, or an EDM environment. Since standard network ports are used firewall exceptions are minimized. To avoid security concerns from remote users modifying a control system, WEDM exposes read-only access and basic web authentication can be used to further restrict access. Updates of monitored EPICS channels are delivered via a Web Socket using a web gateway. The software translates EDM description files (denoted with the edl suffix) to HTML with Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) following the EDM's edl file vector drawing rules to create faithful screen renderings. The WEDM server parses edl files and creates the HTML equivalent in real-time allowing existing screens to work without modification. Alternatively, the familiar drag and drop EDM screen creation tool can be used to create optimized screens sized specifically for smart phones and then rendered by WEDM.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Tschudi, William; Xu, Tengfang; Sartor, Dale; Koomey, Jon; Nordman, Bruce; Sezgen, Osman
through extensive participation with data center professionals, examination of case study findings, and participation in data center industry meetings and workshops. Industry partners enthusiastically provided valuable insight into current practice, and helped to identify areas where additional public interest research could lead to significant efficiency improvement. This helped to define and prioritize the research agenda. The interaction involved industry representatives with expertise in all aspects of data center facilities, including specialized facility infrastructure systems and computing equipment. In addition to the input obtained through industry workshops, LBNL's participation in a three-day, comprehensive design ''charrette'' hosted by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) yielded a number of innovative ideas for future research.
未来学习空间应用效果评价--以北京师范大学未来学习体验中心为例%Evaluation of the Future Learning Space:A Case Analysis of the Future Experiential Learning Center at Beijing Normal University
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
宋畅; 刘月; 陈悦; 李秋菊; 江丰光
Research on active learning spaces has attracted great attention in recent years. A focus of the research is the design and use of these spaces that provide diverse and comfortable learning experiences. In 2014, the Future Ex-periential Learning Center at Beijing Normal University which contained eight classrooms with different functions was opened. They are interactive discussion classroom, interactive teaching classroom, interactive group-learning class-room, teacher education-training classroom, international cooperation remote classroom, mobile learning classroom, explore learning classroom, and recording and broadcasting control room. Twenty-one classes were taught in the Fu-ture Experiential Learning Center with eighteen teachers and more than 300 students involved. This study employed a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods to systematically evaluate the design and effects of the active learn-ing space at the Future Experiential Learning Center. We used questionnaires, interviews, and classroom observations to obtain data about student and teacher satisfaction and classroom interaction. Student satisfaction survey involved all the students. Questionnaires were sent to 215 students and 180 questionnaires were ultimate recovered. Teacher satis-faction survey was a sampling survey. Interviews were conducted with four typical teachers among all the eighteen teachers. Classroom observations were carried out in four typical classes which were chosen from all the twenty-one classes. The study found that students and teachers were overall satisfied with the classroom and believed the Future Learning Space could better support teaching. Firstly, the questionnaires showed that the mean value of the student satisfaction was 3. 90 (M=3. 90) which indicated the students were satisfied with the classroom generally. In all eight dimensions, there were five dimensions of which mean values were higher than the overall average (M=3. 90). They were classroom
Lessons learned from process incident databases and the process safety incident database (PSID) approach sponsored by the Center for Chemical Process Safety
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Sepeda, Adrian L.
Learning from the experiences of others has long been recognized as a valued and relatively painless process. In the world of process safety, this learning method is an essential tool since industry has neither the time and resources nor the willingness to experience an incident before taking corrective or preventative steps. This paper examines the need for and value of process safety incident databases that collect incidents of high learning value and structure them so that needed information can be easily and quickly extracted. It also explores how they might be used to prevent incidents by increasing awareness and by being a tool for conducting PHAs and incident investigations. The paper then discusses how the CCPS PSID meets those requirements, how PSID is structured and managed, and its attributes and features
A Classification of BPEL Extensions
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Oliver Kopp
Full Text Available The Business Process Execution Language (BPEL has emerged as de-facto standard for business processes implementation. This language is designed to be extensible for including additional valuable features in a standardized manner. There are a number of BPEL extensions available. They are, however, neither classified nor evaluated with respect to their compliance to the BPEL standard. This article fills this gap by providing a framework for classifying BPEL extensions, a classification of existing extensions, and a guideline for designing BPEL extensions.
Input Skewedness, Consistency, and Order of Frequent Verbs in Frequency-Driven Second Language Construction Learning: A Replication and Extension of Casenhiser and Goldberg (2005) to Adult Second Language Acquisition
Nakamura, Daisuke
Recent usage-based models of language acquisition research has found that three frequency manipulations; (1) skewed input (Casenhiser & Goldberg 2005), (2) input consistency (Childers & Tomasello 2001), and (3) order of frequent verbs (Goldberg, Casenhiser, & White 2007) facilitated construction learning in children. The present paper addresses…
Developing a Conceptual Framework for Evaluation of E-Content of Virtual Courses: E-Learning Center of an Iranian University Case Study
Akhavan, Peyman; Arefi, Majid Feyz
The purpose of this study is to obtain suitable quality criteria for evaluation of electronic content for virtual courses. We attempt to find the aspects which are important in developing e-content for virtual courses and to determine the criteria we need to judge for the quality and efficiency of learning objects and e-content. So we can classify…
Effects of Emotional Needs on Participation of Children Aged 4-6 with Learning Disabilities in Early Childhood Centers in Starehe Division, Nairobi County, Kenya
Lilian, Ganira Khavugwi; Odundo, Paul Amolo; Ngaruiya, Boniface
During early childhood, the foundations for emotional, social and spiritual well being of children with learning disabilities (CWLD) are laid. The CWLD emotional well being is influenced by all the experiences they go through. It is essential to provide warm, trusting relationships, predictable and safe environment, affirmation and respect for all…
Essential Conditions for Technology-Supported, Student-Centered Learning: An Analysis of Student Experiences with Math Out Loud Using the ISTE Standards for Students
Dondlinger, Mary Jo; McLeod, Julie; Vasinda, Sheri
This article explores links between student experiences with technology-rich mathematics instruction and the ISTE Standards for Students. Research methods applied constructivist grounded theory to analyze data from student interviews against the ISTE Standards for Students to identify which elements of the design of this learning environment…
Explorations of Colleges, Universities, and Career Training Centers in Las Vegas, Nevada: Creating Educational and Training Programs for Displaced Workers to Learn Marketable Employment Skills
Gonyea, Jacob Patrick
The city of Las Vegas, Nevada has experienced a slowdown in tourism, a drop in property taxes and consolidated tax revenue used to support the city's operating budget, and a lack of economic diversification. Because of these changes, the ability of displaced workers to learn marketable employment skills continues to be an important issue for the…
"Cancer Cell Biology:" A Student-Centered Instructional Module Exploring the Use of Multimedia to Enrich Interactive, Constructivist Learning of Science
Bockholt, Susanne M.; West, J. Paige; Bollenbacher, Walter E.
Multimedia has the potential of providing bioscience education novel learning environments and pedagogy applications to foster student interest, involve students in the research process, advance critical thinking/problem-solving skills, and develop conceptual understanding of biological topics. "Cancer Cell Biology," an interactive, multimedia,…
Technologies for Learner-Centered Feedback
Costello, Jane; Crane, Daph
As the number, type, and use of technologies to support learning increases, so do the opportunities for using these technologies for feedback. Learner-centered feedback is a core to the teaching-learning process. It is related to assessment in describing how learners perform in their learning, their gain in knowledge, skills, and attitudes.…
Integrated of Mobile Phone as Interactive Media in Extensive Listening
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Kodir Al-Baekani Abdul
Full Text Available Learning English is the most difficult to learn by students, especially in learning of listening aspect. This research aims to investigate the process of listening activity in the classroom using mobile phone as interactive media in extensive listening and how the students' responds of learning listening using mobile phone as an interactive media in extensive listening. Methodology of this research is descriptive qualitative. The subject of this research is Private Senior High School Muhammadiyah Karawang with 30 students as the sample of this research. The data analysis of this research uses the result of observation, interview, and documentation. Observation is used to know the learning process in classroom. Interview is used to know the students' respond in learning process. While documentation is used to strengthen the data. The result of observation class shows that the process of teaching and learning listening as follows: (1 the teacher begins learning within 10 minutes, (2 the main activity using mobile phone in learning listening within 25 minutes, and (2 the final activity: the teacher gives a test to measure the students' ability in listening comprehension. Meanwhile, the result of interview with the students shows that students mentioned convenience and interesting using mobile phone (37% and accessed in anywhere and anytime (30%, easiness (17%, authenticity (10%, and usefulness and fun (7% to use their mobile phone in English listening.
Effective, Efficient Online Training in Cooperative Extension
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Jane Chin Young
Full Text Available In order to keep pace with media and communications trends in education, Cooperative Extension (CE faces the need to shift from traditional face-to-face delivery to online alternatives. This exploratory study focused on evaluating the effectiveness of on-demand, interactive online training compared to its face-to-face counterpart. Targeted for CE staff and volunteers whose work impacts youth, families and communities, the design centered on the university's cost-effective in-house technology tools. The study results make the case for online delivery as effective and efficient. Strategies for developing a process for online delivery in CE are also offered.
METALS (Minority Education Through Traveling and Learning in the Sciences) and the Value of Collaborative Field-centered Experiences in the Geosciences (Invited)
White, L. D.
METALS (Minority Education Through Traveling and Learning in the Sciences) is a field-based, geoscience diversity program developed by a collaborative venture among San Francisco State University, the University of Texas at El Paso, the University of New Orleans, and Purdue University. Since 2010, this program has created meaningful geoscience experiences for underrepresented minorities by engaging 30 high school students in experiential learning opportunities each year. During METALS field trips, the primarily urban students observe natural landforms, measure water quality, conduct beach profiles, and interpret stratigraphic and structural features in locations that have included southern Utah, southern Louisiana, central Wyoming, and northern California. In these geological settings participants are also able to focus on societally relevant, community-related issues. Results from program evaluation suggest that student participants view METALS as: (1) opening up new opportunities for field-based science not normally available to them, (2) engaging in a valuable science-based field experience, (3) an inspirational, but often physically challenging, undertaking that combines high-interest geology content with an exciting outdoor adventure, and (4) a unique social experience that brings together people from various parts of the United States. Further evaluation findings from the four summer trips completed thus far demonstrate that active learning opportunities through direct interaction with the environment is an effective way to engage students in geoscience-related learning. Students also seem to benefit from teaching strategies that include thoughtful reflection, journaling, and teamwork, and mentors are positive about engaging with these approaches. Participants appear motivated to explore geoscience topics further and often discuss having new insights and new perspectives leading to career choices in geosciences. Additionally, students who had a prior and
From the Editors: Resource Centers for Learning and Research (RCLR), and strategic librarian's services for an Europe based on knowledge
Sílvia Sunyer Lazaro
The development processes of the European Space for Higher Education (ESHE) and the European Research Area (ERA) are two big challenges that European Union must face, if it has to evolve from an industry-based society to a knowledge-based one. The goals fixed by ESHE and ESR fully affect the main activities of higher education: learning, teaching and research. Being a supporting facility for these activities, university libraries are affected by these processes too. To face that challeng...
The Effects of Extensive Reading on Reading Comprehension, Reading Rate, and Vocabulary Acquisition
Suk, Namhee
Several empirical studies and syntheses of extensive reading have concluded that extensive reading has positive impacts on language learning in second- and foreign-language settings. However, many of the studies contained methodological or curricular limitations, raising questions about the asserted positive effects of extensive reading. The…
Flipping the Classroom: Assessment of Strategies to Promote Student-Centered, Self-Directed Learning in a Dental School Course in Pediatric Dentistry.
Bohaty, Brenda S; Redford, Gloria J; Gadbury-Amyot, Cynthia C
The aim of this study was to explore student and course director experiences with the redesign of a traditional lecture-based course into a flipped classroom for teaching didactic content in pediatric dentistry to second-year dental students. The study assessed student satisfaction, extent of student engagement, overall course grades, and course director satisfaction. The students enrolled in a flipped classroom pediatric dentistry course (spring semester 2014; SP14) were asked to complete pre- and post-course questionnaires to assess their perceptions of active learning, knowledge acquisition, and course satisfaction. The process was repeated with the class enrolled in the same course the following year (SP15). Responses for SP14 and SP15 resulted in an overall response rate of 95% on the pre questionnaire and 84% on the post questionnaire. The results showed that the greatest perceived advantage of the flipped classroom design was the availability and access to online content and course materials. Students reported enhanced learning due to heightened engagement in discussion. The results also showed that students' overall course grades improved and that the course director was satisfied with the experience, particularly after year two. Many calls have been made for educational strategies that encourage critical thinking instead of passive learning environments. This study provides one example of a course redesign and demonstrates the need for both faculty and student development to ensure success when a flipped classroom methodology is introduced.
Think - Baltic Extension / Kalle Kask
Kask, Kalle
Tallinna TÜ Rehabilitatsiooni tehnoloogia keskus korraldas pressikonverentsi, kus tutvustati osalemist EL V raamprogrammis Think - Baltic Extension, mis on suunatud puuetega inimeste tööhõive tagamisele
Robotic hand with modular extensions
Salisbury, Curt Michael; Quigley, Morgan
A robotic device is described herein. The robotic device includes a frame that comprises a plurality of receiving regions that are configured to receive a respective plurality of modular robotic extensions. The modular robotic extensions are removably attachable to the frame at the respective receiving regions by way of respective mechanical fuses. Each mechanical fuse is configured to trip when a respective modular robotic extension experiences a predefined load condition, such that the respective modular robotic extension detaches from the frame when the load condition is met.
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Katan, Lina Hauge; Baarts, Charlotte
Research-based teaching has long been a distinguishing trait of higher education. Engaging students in research-like processes has been employed to great effect in learning and continues to be encouraged by educational studies. The literature on this subject reflects how 'technical' or 'field......' exercises tend to dominate the common understandings of research-based learning. Here we address a specific area of inquiry overlooked by previous studies: whether and how reading, thinking and writing indeed share the same learning potentials as the practical foundation for research-based teaching....... In the humanities and social sciences, integrated acts of reading, writing and thinking account for an obvious and substantial overlap in student and researcher practices, creating a clear opportunity for research-based teaching. Moreover, our empirical data point to reading, thinking and writing as quintessential...
Procedural pain management in Italy: learning from a nationwide survey involving centers of the Italian Association of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Chiara Po'
Full Text Available Procedural pain is an important aspect of care in pediatrics, and particularly in pediatric oncology where children often consider this to be the most painful experience during their illness. Best recommended practice to control procedural pain includes both sedative-analgesic administration and non-pharmacological treatments, practiced in an adequate and pleasant setting by skilled staff. A nationwide survey has been conducted among the Italian Centers of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology to register operators' awareness on procedural pain, state of the art procedural pain management, operators' opinions about pain control in their center, and possible barriers impeding sedation-analgesia administration. Based on indications in the literature, we discuss the results of the survey to highlight critical issues and suggest future directions for improvement. Future objectives will be to overcome differences depending on size, improve operators' beliefs about the complexity of pain experience, and promote a global approach to procedural pain.
Forensic Archaeological Recovery of a Large-Scale Mass Disaster Scene: Lessons Learned from Two Complex Recovery Operations at the World Trade Center Site.
Warnasch, Scott C
In 2006, unexpected discoveries of buried World Trade Center (WTC) debris and human remains were made at the World Trade Center mass disaster site. New York City's Office of Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) was given the task of systematically searching the site for any remaining victims' remains. The subsequent OCME assessment and archaeological excavation conducted from 2006 until 2013, resulted in the recovery of over 1,900 victims' remains. In addition, this operation demonstrated the essential skills archaeologists can provide in a mass disaster recovery operation. The OCME excavation data illustrates some of the challenges encountered during the original recovery effort of 2001/2002. It suggests that when understood within the larger site recovery context, certain fundamental components of the original recovery effort, such as operational priorities and activities in effect during the original recovery, directly or indirectly resulted in unsearched deposits that contained human remains. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.
How different are ICT-supported pedagogical practices from extensive and non-extensive ICT-using science teachers?
Voogt, Joke
This paper aims to understand the differences between characteristics of ICT-supported pedagogical practices of grade 8 science teachers of extensive and non-extensive ICT-using science teachers. The differences of the pedagogical practices are described in terms of innovative and traditionally important practice orientations. The innovative practice orientation reflects a demand for education in an information society (e.g. communication skills; ability to learn at own pace), while the tradi...
Repeat Customer Success in Extension
Bess, Melissa M.; Traub, Sarah M.
Four multi-session research-based programs were offered by two Extension specialist in one rural Missouri county. Eleven participants who came to multiple Extension programs could be called "repeat customers." Based on the total number of participants for all four programs, 25% could be deemed as repeat customers. Repeat customers had…
Frames and extension problems I
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Christensen, Ole
In this article we present a short survey of frame theory in Hilbert spaces. We discuss Gabor frames and wavelet frames and set the stage for a discussion of various extension principles; this will be presented in the article Frames and extension problems II (joint with H.O. Kim and R.Y. Kim)....
Why Do Extension Agents Resign?
Manton, Linda Nunes; van Es, J. C.
Past and current Illinois extension agents were surveyed via mail questionnaires as to reasons for staying or leaving extension programs. Reasons for leaving included family changes, family moves, opportunity to advance, better salary/benefits, dissatisfaction with administration, and too much time away from family. (CT)
Quotient semigroups and extension semigroups
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
Introduction. Abelian groups and semigroups play an important role in the classification of C. ∗. -algebras and their extensions. ... -algebra extension theory and K K-theory, it is crucial to study the theory of quotient semigroups from the ...
Universal extensions to simulate specifications
Hesselink, Wim H.
A previous paper introduced eternity variables as an alternative to the prophecy variables of Abadi and Lamport and proved the formalism to be semantically complete: every simulation F. K -> L that preserves quiescence contains a composition of a history extension, an extension with eternity
Involving Extension in Urban Food Systems: An Example from California
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Lucy Diekmann
Full Text Available Nationwide, Extension is increasingly involved in local food system work. In cities, initiatives to improve the local food system often include urban agriculture, which has attracted the attention of diverse stakeholders for its many potential social, health, economic, and environmental impacts. This article illustrates how Extension in the San Francisco Bay Area is developing urban agriculture programming and engaging in food-system-related partnerships. It also shares lessons learned from these efforts. In this metropolitan region, Extension practice aligns well with research findings on Extension involvement in local food systems, particularly with the emphasis on providing educational opportunities and resources adapted to unique needs of city residents and working collaboratively with community and government partners to facilitate broader food system change. The results of this case study will be useful for Extension personnel in designing and implementing programs related to urban food systems.
It participates in the 97th learning lecture, social meeting; Dai 97 kai Gakujitsu koenkai{center_dot}konshinkai ni sankashite
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Maruta, T.; Moriya, M.; Izumi, K.
An inorganic material academic meeting the 97th learning lecture, a social meeting and a study tour meeting were held for both days of (Thu) for 5 days in November 4 (Wed), the 10th year of Heisei. Contents of a lecture go into the large area to the thing that that method analysis technique structure analysis formation response thing materiality side was examined, the spot in the construction, building field like contents. A problem such as CO{sub 2} is an especially important problem as a negative legacy due to the industrial development, the diffusion of the car, and so on. (NEDO)
Lessons Learned from Delayed Versus Immediate Microsurgical Reconstruction of Complex Maxillectomy and Midfacial Defects: Experience in a Tertiary Center in Mexico.
Santamaria, Eric; de la Concha, Erika
Microsurgical reconstruction of complex midfacial and maxillectomy defects is among the most challenging procedures in plastic surgery, and it often requires composite flaps to improve functional and aesthetic results. Various factors have been identified as having influence in the outcome of microsurgical reconstruction. In this article, the authors present their experience with immediate and delayed reconstruction of complex maxillectomy defects in a tertiary center in Mexico. The authors present a total of 37 patients with microsurgical reconstruction of a complex maxillectomy defect; 13 patients had immediate and 24 had delayed reconstructions. The authors recommend doing immediate reconstruction when feasible. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Evaluation of Columbia, U.S. Meat Animal Research Center Composite, Suffolk, and Texel rams as terminal sires in an extensive rangeland production system: VI. Measurements of live-lamb and carcass shape and their relationship to carcass yield and value.
Notter, D R; Mousel, M R; Leeds, T D; Zerby, H N; Moeller, S J; Lewis, G S; Taylor, J B
Linear measurements on live lambs and carcasses can be used to characterize sheep breeds and may have value for prediction of carcass yield and value. This study used 512 crossbred lambs produced over 3 yr by mating Columbia, U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC) Composite, Suffolk, and Texel rams to adult Rambouillet ewes to assess sire-breed differences in live-animal and carcass shape and to evaluate the value of shape measurements as predictors of chilled carcass weight (CCW), weight of high-value cuts (rack, loin, leg, and sirloin; HVW), weight of trimmed high-value cuts (trimmed rack and loin and trimmed, boneless leg and sirloin; TrHVW), and estimated carcass value before (CVal) and after trimming of high-value cuts (TrCVal). Lambs were produced under extensive rangeland conditions, weaned at an average age of 132 d, fed a concentrate diet in a drylot, and harvested in each year in 3 groups at target mean BW of 54, 61, and 68 kg. Canonical discriminant analysis indicated that over 93% of variation among sire breeds was accounted for by the contrast between tall, long, less-thickly muscled breeds with greater BW and CCW (i.e., the Columbia and Suffolk) compared with shorter, more thickly muscled breeds with smaller BW and CCW. After correcting for effects of year, harvest group, sire breed, and shipping BW, linear measurements on live lambs contributed little to prediction of CCW. Similarly, after accounting for effects of CCW, linear measurements on live animals further reduced residual SD (RSD) of dependent variables by 0.2 to 5.7%, with generally positive effects of increasing live leg width and generally negative effects of increasing heart girth. Carcass measurements were somewhat more valuable as predictors of carcass merit. After fitting effects of CCW, additional consideration of carcass shape reduced RSD by 2.1, 3.6, 9.5, and 2.2% for HVW, TrHVW, CVal, and TrCVal, respectively. Effects of increasing carcass leg width were positive for HVW, Tr
Lucinda Huffaker and the Hospitality of the Wabash Center
Placher, William C.
As associate director and then director of the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion, Lucinda Huffaker has been a key factor in the Center's reputation for hospitality. The Center's work presupposes that reflection on teaching improves teaching and learning, and good reflection on one's teaching requires taking risks and…
Journal of Agricultural Extension submitted to Agricultural Extension ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
... typically confront narrower range of labour markets than men, and lower wage ... capabilities of women and by extension the household, female household ..... gap in accessibility to productive resources between male and female heads of.
Teaching and learning methods in IVET
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Aarkrog, Vibe
The cases deals about learner centered learning in a commercial program and a technical program.......The cases deals about learner centered learning in a commercial program and a technical program....
Programming Reactive Extensions and LINQ
Liberty, Jesse
Pro Reactive Extensions and LINQ is a deep dive into the next important technology for .NET developers: Reactive Extensions. This in-depth tutorial goes beyond what is available anywhere else to teach how to write WPF, Silverlight, and Windows Phone applications using the Reactive Extensions (Rx) to handle events and asynchronous method calls. Reactive programming allows you to turn those aspects of your code that are currently imperative into something much more event-driven and flexible. For this reason, it's sometimes referred to as LINQ for Events. Reactive programming hinges on the concep
Extensions of the Standard Model
Zwirner, Fabio
Rapporteur talk at the International Europhysics Conference on High Energy Physics, Brussels (Belgium), July 27-August 2, 1995. This talk begins with a brief general introduction to the extensions of the Standard Model, reviewing the ideology of effective field theories and its practical implications. The central part deals with candidate extensions near the Fermi scale, focusing on some phenomenological aspects of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model. The final part discusses some possible low-energy implications of further extensions near the Planck scale, namely superstring theories.
Center for Adaptive Optics | Center
Astronomy, UCSC's CfAO and ISEE, and Maui Community College, runs education and internship programs in / Jacobs Retina Center Department of Psychology University of California, San Francisco Department of University School of Optometry Maui Community College Maui Community College Space Grant Program Montana
The educational impact of the Specialty Care Access Network-Extension of Community Healthcare Outcomes program.
Salgia, Reena J; Mullan, Patricia B; McCurdy, Heather; Sales, Anne; Moseley, Richard H; Su, Grace L
With the aging hepatitis C cohort and increasing prevalence of fatty liver disease, the burden on primary care providers (PCPs) to care for patients with liver disease is growing. In response, the Veterans Administration implemented initiatives for primary care-specialty referral to increase PCP competency in complex disease management. The Specialty Care Access Network-Extension of Community Healthcare Outcomes (SCAN-ECHO) program initiative was designed to transfer subspecialty knowledge to PCPs through case-based distance learning combined with real-time consultation. There is limited information regarding the initiative's ability to engage PCPs to learn and influence their practice. We surveyed PCPs to determine the factors that led to their participation in this program and the educational impact of participation. Of 51 potential participants, 24 responded to an anonymous survey. More than 75% of respondents participated more than one time in a SCAN-ECHO clinic. Providers were motivated to participate by a desire to learn more about liver disease, to apply the knowledge gained to future patients, and to save their patients time traveling to another center for specialty consultation. Seventy-one percent responded that the didactic component and case-based discussion were equally important. It is important that participation changed clinical practice: 75% of providers indicated they had personally discussed the information they learned from the case presentations with their colleague(s), and 42% indicated they helped a colleague care for their patient with the knowledge learned during discussions of other participants' cases. This study shows that the SCAN-ECHO videoconferencing program between PCPs and specialists can educate providers in the delivery of specialty care from a distance and potentially improve healthcare delivery.
Nationwide program of education for undergraduates in the field of disaster medicine: development of a core curriculum centered on blended learning and simulation tools.
Ingrassia, Pier Luigi; Ragazzoni, Luca; Tengattini, Marco; Carenzo, Luca; Della Corte, Francesco
In recent years, effective models of disaster medicine curricula for medical schools have been established. However, only a small percentage of medical schools worldwide have considered at least basic disaster medicine teaching in their study program. In Italy, disaster medicine has not yet been included in the medical school curriculum. Perceiving the lack of a specific course on disaster medicine, the Segretariato Italiano Studenti in Medicina (SISM) contacted the Centro di Ricerca Interdipartimentale in Medicina di Emergenza e dei Disastri ed Informatica applicata alla didattica e alla pratica Medica (CRIMEDIM) with a proposal for a nationwide program in this field. Seven modules (introduction to disaster medicine, prehospital disaster management, definition of triage, characteristics of hospital disaster plans, treatment of the health consequences of different disasters, psychosocial care, and presentation of past disasters) were developed using an e-learning platform and a 12-hour classroom session which involved problem-based learning (PBL) activities, table-top exercises, and a computerized simulation (Table 1). The modules were designed as a framework for a disaster medicine curriculum for undergraduates and covered the three main disciplines (clinical and psychosocial, public health, and emergency and risk management) of the core of "Disaster Health" according to the World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine (WADEM) international guidelines for disaster medicine education. From January 2011 through May 2013, 21 editions of the course were delivered to 21 different medical schools, and 524 students attended the course. The blended approach and the use of simulation tools were appreciated by all participants and successfully increased participants' knowledge of disaster medicine and basic competencies in performing mass-casualty triage. This manuscript reports on the designing process and the initial outcomes with respect to learners
Changing the Learning Environment in the College of Engineering and Applied Science: The impact of Educational Training on Future Faculty and Student- Centered Pedagogy on Undergraduate Students
Gaskins, Whitney
Over the past 20 years there have been many changes to the primary and secondary educational system that have impacted students, teachers, and post-secondary institutions across the United States of America. One of the most important is the large number of standardized tests students are required to take to show adequate performance in school. Students think differently because they are taught differently due to this focus on standardized testing, thus changing the skill sets students acquire in secondary school. This presents a critical problem for colleges and universities, as they now are using practices for and have expectations of these students that are unrealistic for the changing times. High dropout rates in the College of Engineering have been attributed to the cultural atmosphere of the institution. Students have reported a low sense of belonging and low relatability to course material. This study developed a "preparing the future" faculty program that gave graduate students at the University of Cincinnati a unique training experience that helped them understand the students they will educate. They received educational training, developed from a future educator's curriculum that covered classroom management, standards, and pedagogy. Graduate students who participated in the training program reported increases in self-efficacy and student understanding. To reduce negative experiences and increase motivation, Challenge Based Learning (CBL) was introduced in an undergraduate Basic Electric Circuits (BEC) course. CBL is a structured model for course content with a foundation in problem-based learning. CBL offers general concepts from which students derive the challenges they will address. Results show an improved classroom experience for students who were taught with CBL.
Developing a Mobile Extension Course for Youth Livestock Producers
Weitzenkamp, Deborah; Dam, Karna; Chichester, Lindsay
The 4-H Livestock Quality Assurance course is a mobile Extension course for youth and youth leaders. In 3 years of implementation, over 6,600 participants from 16 states have learned about good production practices for animal agriculture through the innovative online Nebraska Livestock Quality Assurance course. By evaluating the needs of our youth…
Online Leader Training Course: Nebraska Equine Extension Leader Certification
Cottle, Lena; D'Angelo, Nicole
The Nebraska Equine Advancement Level Leader Certification Program is an online learning tool that clarifies principles of the Nebraska 4-H Equine Advancement Programs. Through an online Moodle course through eXtension.org, 4-H leaders and Extension educators are able to fulfill the certification requirement from any location before allowing youth…
Poverty Simulations: Building Relationships among Extension, Schools, and the Community
Franck, Karen L.; Barnes, Shelly; Harrison, Julie
Poverty simulations can be effective experiential learning tools for educating community members about the impact of poverty on families. The project described here includes survey results from three simulations with community leaders and teachers. This project illustrated how such workshops can help Extension professionals extend their reach and…
Carolinas Energy Career Center
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Classens, Anver; Hooper, Dick; Johnson, Bruce
Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC), located in Charlotte, North Carolina, established the Carolinas Energy Career Center (Center) - a comprehensive training entity to meet the dynamic needs of the Charlotte region's energy workforce. The Center provides training for high-demand careers in both conventional energy (fossil) and renewable energy (nuclear and solar technologies/energy efficiency). CPCC completed four tasks that will position the Center as a leading resource for energy career training in the Southeast: • Development and Pilot of a New Advanced Welding Curriculum, • Program Enhancement of Non-Destructive Examination (NDE) Technology, • Student Support through implementation of a model targeted toward Energy and STEM Careers to support student learning, • Project Management and Reporting. As a result of DOE funding support, CPCC achieved the following outcomes: • Increased capacity to serve and train students in emerging energy industry careers; • Developed new courses and curricula to support emerging energy industry careers; • Established new training/laboratory resources; • Generated a pool of highly qualified, technically skilled workers to support the growing energy industry sector.
Research-extension-farmer linkages
African Journals Online (AJOL)
agricultural research and extension services, Government in 1990 set up a number of ... charged with the role of articulating the most appropriate research and ... production of 1800 copies of NARO bulletin, 1000 copies of Uganda Journal of ...
Journal of Environmental Extension: Submissions
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Journal of Environmental Extension is purely academic and accepts positional or ... and so responsibility for the content and macro formatting remain of the author. ... For research articles, the methodology, result analysis (statistical tests to be ...
Situated learning theory: adding rate and complexity effects via Kauffman's NK model.
Yuan, Yu; McKelvey, Bill
For many firms, producing information, knowledge, and enhancing learning capability have become the primary basis of competitive advantage. A review of organizational learning theory identifies two approaches: (1) those that treat symbolic information processing as fundamental to learning, and (2) those that view the situated nature of cognition as fundamental. After noting that the former is inadequate because it focuses primarily on behavioral and cognitive aspects of individual learning, this paper argues the importance of studying learning as interactions among people in the context of their environment. It contributes to organizational learning in three ways. First, it argues that situated learning theory is to be preferred over traditional behavioral and cognitive learning theories, because it treats organizations as complex adaptive systems rather than mere information processors. Second, it adds rate and nonlinear learning effects. Third, following model-centered epistemology, it uses an agent-based computational model, in particular a "humanized" version of Kauffman's NK model, to study the situated nature of learning. Using simulation results, we test eight hypotheses extending situated learning theory in new directions. The paper ends with a discussion of possible extensions of the current study to better address key issues in situated learning.
Laser Tracker Utilization Methodology in Measuring Truth Trajectories for INS Testing on 6 Degree of Freedom Table at the Marshall Space Flight Center's Contact Dynamics Simulation Laboratory with Lessons Learned
Leggett, Jared O.; Bryant, Thomas C.; Cowen, Charles T.; Clifton, Billy W.
When performing Inertial Navigation System (INS) testing at the Marshall Space Flight Center's (MSFC) Contact Dynamics Simulation Laboratory (CDSL) early in 2017, a Leica Geosystems AT901 Laser Tracker system (LLT) measured the twist & sway trajectories as generated by the 6 Degree Of Freedom (6DOF) Table in the CDSL. These LLT measured trajectories were used in the INS software model validation effort. Several challenges were identified and overcome during the preparation for the INS testing, as well as numerous lessons learned. These challenges included determining the position and attitude of the LLT with respect to an INS-shared coordinate frame using surveyed monument locations in the CDSL and the accompanying mathematical transformation, accurately measuring the spatial relationship between the INS and a 6DOF tracking probe due to lack of INS visibility from the LLT location, obtaining the data from the LLT during a test, determining how to process the results for comparison with INS data in time and frequency domains, and using a sensitivity analysis of the results to verify the quality of the results. While many of these challenges were identified and overcome before or during testing, a significant lesson on test set-up was not learned until later in the data analysis process. It was found that a combination of trajectory-dependent gimbal locking and environmental noise introduced non-negligible noise in the angular measurements of the LLT that spanned the evaluated frequency spectrum. The lessons learned in this experiment may be useful for others performing INS testing in similar testing facilities.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Natzkov, S. [TOTEMA, Ltd., Sofia (Bulgaria); Nikolov, M. [CERB, Sofia (Bulgaria)
The design life of the main power equipment-boilers and turbines is about 105 working hours. The possibilities for life extension are after normatively regulated control tests. The diagnostics and methodology for Boilers and Turbines Elements Remaining Life Assessment using up to date computer programs, destructive and nondestructive control of metal of key elements of units equipment, metal creep and low cycle fatigue calculations. As well as data for most common damages and some technical decisions for elements life extension are presented.
Kuminsky, Konstantin
If you are a system administrator who has some experience with virtualization and already uses VMware vCenter, but wishes to learn more, then this is the book for you. If you are looking for tips or shortcuts for common administration tasks as well as workarounds for pain points in vSphere administration, you'll find this guide useful.
76 FR 22674 - Manufacturing Extension Partnership Advisory Board
... 5 p.m. on May 15, 2011. ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Orlando World Center Marriott... Open Meeting. SUMMARY: NIST announces that the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Advisory Board, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will hold an open meeting on Sunday, May 15, 2011...
75 FR 19941 - Manufacturing Extension Partnership Advisory Board
... 4:30 p.m. on May 2, 2010. ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at Orlando World Center Marriott... open meeting. SUMMARY: NIST announces that the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Advisory Board, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will hold an open meeting on Sunday, May 2, 2010 from...
75 FR 36588 - Veterinary Feed Directive; Extension of Comment Period
... 558 [Docket No. FDA-2010-N-0155] Veterinary Feed Directive; Extension of Comment Period AGENCY: Food... veterinary feed directive (VFD) regulation. The agency is taking this action in response to requests for an... CONTACT: Neal Bataller, Center for Veterinary Medicine (HFV-230), Food and Drug Administration, 7500...
The CenterSpot: Safari Schoolroom.
Wirtz, Ruth E.
Described are activities to be used in five learning centers which build on children's interests in wild animals. Developed is an imaginary safari park with artwork depicting wild animals and tropical vegetation. Objectives, materials, and directions are included. (KC)
National Center for Mathematics and Science
NCISLA logo National Center for Improving Student Learning and Achievement in Mathematics and Wisconsin-Madison Powerful Practices in Mathematics & Sciences A multimedia product for educators . Scaling Up Innovative Practices in Mathematics and Science (Research Report). Thomas P. Carpenter, Maria
Use of blended learning in workplace learning
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Georgsen, Marianne; Løvstad, Charlotte Vange
-based teaching materials. This paper presents the experiences of this particular project, and goes on to discuss the following points: • The blended learning design – use of IT for teaching, learning and communication • Digital learning materials – principals of design and use • Work place learning and learning......In 2014, a new system has been put in place for the inspection and approval of social welfare institutions in Denmark. In as little as 10 weeks, 330 new employees in five regional centres participated in an introductory course, designed as work place learning with extensive use of e-learning and IT...... from work – the interplay between experiences of the learner and the curriculum of the program •The approach taken to customising the e-learning design to the needs and demands of a particular case....
Integrating community health workers into a patient-centered medical home to support disease self-management among Vietnamese Americans: lessons learned.
Wennerstrom, Ashley; Bui, Tap; Harden-Barrios, Jewel; Price-Haywood, Eboni G
There is evidence that patient-centered medical homes (PCMHs) and community health workers (CHWs) improve chronic disease management. There are few models for integrating CHWs into PCMHs in order to enhance disease self-management support among diverse populations. In this article, we describe how a community-based nonprofit agency, a PCMH, and academic partners collaborated to develop and implement the Patient Resource and Education Program (PREP). We employed CHWs as PCMH care team members to provide health education and support to Vietnamese American patients with uncontrolled diabetes and/or hypertension. We began by conducting focus groups to assess patient knowledge, desire for support, and availability of community resources. Based on findings, we developed PREP with CHW guidance on cultural tailoring of educational materials and methods. CHWs received training in core competencies related to self-management support principles and conducted the 4-month intervention for PCMH patients. Throughout the program, we conducted process evaluation through structured team meetings and patient satisfaction surveys. We describe successes and challenges associated with PREP delivery including patient recruitment, structuring/documenting visits, and establishing effective care team integration, work flow, and communication. Strategies for mitigating these issues are presented, and we make recommendations for other PCMHs seeking to integrate CHWs into care teams. © 2014 Society for Public Health Education.
What Can We Learn in Electrocatalysis, from Nanoparticulated Precious and/or Non-Precious Catalytic Centers Interacting with Their Support?
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Juan Manuel Mora-Hernández
Full Text Available This review is devoted to discussing the state of the art in the relevant aspects of the synthesis of novel precious and non-precious electrocatalysts. It covers the production of Pt- and Pd-based electrocatalysts synthesized by the carbonyl chemical route, the synthesis description for the preparation of the most catalytically active transition metal chalcogenides, then the employment of free-surfactants synthesis routes to produce non-precious electrocatalysts. A compilation of the best precious electrocatalysts to perform the hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR is described; a section is devoted to the synthesis and electrocatalytic evaluation of non-precious materials which can be used to perform the HOR in alkaline medium. Apropos the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR, the synthesis and modification of the supports is also discussed as well, aiming at describing the state of the art to improve kinetics of low temperature fuel cell reactions via the hybridization process of the catalytic center with a variety of carbon-based, and ceramic-carbon supports. Last, but not least, the review covers the experimental half-cells results in a micro-fuel cell platform obtained in our laboratory, and by other workers, analyzing the history of the first micro-fuel cell systems and their tailoring throughout the time bestowing to the design and operating conditions.
Using an evidence-based approach for system selection at a large academic medical center: lessons learned in selecting an ambulatory EMR at Mount Sinai Hospital.
Kannry, Joseph; Mukani, Sonia; Myers, Kristin
The experience of Mount Sinai Hospital is representative of the challenges and problems facing large academic medical centers in selecting an ambulatory EMR. The facility successfully revived a stalled process in a challenging financial climate, using a framework of science and rigorous investigation. The process incorporated several innovations: 1) There was a thorough review of medical informatics literature to develop a mission statement, determine practical objectives and guide the demonstration process; 2) The process involved rigorous investigation of vendor statements, industry statements and other institution's views of vendors; 3) The initiative focused on user-centric selection, and the survey instrument was scientifically and specifically designed to assess user feedback; 4) There was scientific analysis of validated findings and survey results at all steering meetings; 5) The process included an assessment of vendors' ability to support research by identifying funded and published research; 6) Selection involved meticulous total cost of ownership analysis to assess and compare real costs of implementing a vendor solution; and finally, 7) There were iterative meetings with stakeholders, executives and users to understand needs, address concerns and communicate the vision.
Colloborative International Resesarch on the Water Energy Nexus: Lessons Learned from the Clean Energy Research Center - Water Energy Technologies (CERC-WET)
Remick, C.
The U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center - Water and Energy Technologies (CERC-WET) is a global research partnership focused on developing and deploying technologies that to allow the U.S. and China to thrive in a future with constrained energy and water resources in a changing global climate. This presentation outlines and addresses the opportunities and challenges for international research collaboration on the so called "water-energy nexus", with a focus on industrial partnership, market readiness, and intellectual property. The U.S. Department of Energy created the CERC program as a research and development partnership between the United States and China to accelerate the development and deployment of advanced clean energy technologies. The United States and China are not only the world's largest economies; they are also the world's largest energy producers and energy consumers. Together, they account for about 40% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions. The bilateral investment in CERC-WET will total $50 million over five years and will target on the emerging issues and cut-edge research on the topics of (1) water use reduction at thermoelectric plants; (2) treatment and management of non-traditional waters; (3) improvements in sustainable hydropower design and operation; (4) climate impact modeling, methods, and scenarios to support improved understanding of energy and water systems; and (5) data and analysis to inform planning and policy.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Silvio Calgaro Neto
Full Text Available This article is dedicated to explore the field of knowledge related to rural extension. In general, a three complementary perspective is used as theoretical strategy to present this epistemological study. The first perspective, seeks to accomplish a brief archeology of rural extension, identifying the remarkable historical passages. At the second, we look to some theoretical models through the modern epistemological platform. Finally, the third perspective, aims to present a methodological proposal that contemplate this epistemic characteristics, relating with the contemporary transformations observed in the knowledge construction and technological transference for a rural development. Keywords: Total institutions. University.
A Moodle extension to book online labs
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Antonio C. Cardoso
Full Text Available The social constructivist philosophy of Moodle makes it an excellent choice to deliver e-learning contents that require collaborative activities, such as those that are associated with online labs. In the case of online labs that enable web access to real devices (remote workbenches, access time should be reserved beforehand. A booking tool will avoid access conflicts and at the same time will help the students to organise their time and activities. This paper presents a Moodle extension that was developed within the Leonardo da Vinci MARVEL project, with the objective of meeting this requirement. The booking tool presented enables resource sharing in general and may be used to organise access to any type of scarce resources, such as to online labs and to the videoconferencing rooms that are needed to support collaborative activities.
verbal extensions: valency decreasing extensions in the basà ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
London: Hodder. Education. Imoh, P.M., 2013. Verbal extensions: Valency increasing operations in Basà verbal system. Paper presented at the West African Languages Congress (WALC) and 26th Annual. Conference of the Linguistic Association of Nigeria (26th CLAN), 29th July to 2nd August. 2013, University of Ibadan, ...
Is boundary extension emotionally selective?
Ménétrier, Emmanuelle; Didierjean, André; Vieillard, Sandrine
When they have to memorize a picture, people usually build a memory trace including more extensive boundaries than the original picture, a phenomenon known as boundary extension or BE. This article looks at whether the emotion category expressed (i.e., happiness, pleasure, irritation, or anger) by actors in short films could have an influence on the BE effect. The results showed that positively valenced emotions (happiness, pleasure) led to an extension effect, while the negatively valenced ones (anger, irritation) did not produce any significant memory distortion. The arousal dimension of emotions had no significant effect on BE. The current results were discussed in the light of previous studies on the links between BE and emotions.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Liu, S.N.; Ammirato, F.V.; Nottingham, L.D.
Component life extension is the process of making run-repair-replace decisions for plant components and includes a thorough analysis of the capability of the component to perform throughout the projected lifetime. For many critical plant components, nondestructive evaluation (NDE) is essential in determining whether the component can be operated safely and economically in the extended life period and to help utilities determine safe and economic inspection intervals. NDE technology is required for not only detecting defects that could grow to a size of concern during extended lifetimes, but also will be called upon to measure and monitor accumulating material degradation that strongly affects component reliability. This paper discusses the role of NDE in life extension by reviewing three examples--a reactor pressure vessel, steam turbine-generator rotors, and generator retaining rings. In each example, the contribution of NDE to life extension decisions is described. (author)
Elbow arthroscopy: valgus extension overload.
Ahmad, Christopher S; Conway, John E
Valgus torque combined with deceleration produces high compression and shear forces acting on the posteromedial olecranon and the posteromedial trochlea. This valgus extension overload process may cause posteromedial trochlea chondromalacia, chondral flap formation, osteochondrosis, subchondral erosion, a subchondral insufficiency fracture, and marginal exostosis formation. Olecranon pathologies include proximal stress reaction, a posteromedial tip stress fracture, a transverse proximal process stress fracture, exostosis formation, exostosis fragmentation, and intra-articular loose bodies. Symptoms include posteromedial elbow pain during the deceleration phase of the throwing motion. The extension impingement test reproduces posterior or posteromedial pain similar to that experienced while throwing. Special radiographic techniques and CT scans can show loose bodies and osteophyte fragmentation. Surgical treatment is indicated when symptoms persist despite nonsurgical management. Based on clinical and basic science research, all patients with valgus extension overload should be comprehensively evaluated for medial ulnar collateral ligament insufficiency. Surgical treatment is limited to the resection of osteophytes only; normal olecranon should not be resected.
Radiology and Enterprise Medical Imaging Extensions (REMIX).
Erdal, Barbaros S; Prevedello, Luciano M; Qian, Songyue; Demirer, Mutlu; Little, Kevin; Ryu, John; O'Donnell, Thomas; White, Richard D
Radiology and Enterprise Medical Imaging Extensions (REMIX) is a platform originally designed to both support the medical imaging-driven clinical and clinical research operational needs of Department of Radiology of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. REMIX accommodates the storage and handling of "big imaging data," as needed for large multi-disciplinary cancer-focused programs. The evolving REMIX platform contains an array of integrated tools/software packages for the following: (1) server and storage management; (2) image reconstruction; (3) digital pathology; (4) de-identification; (5) business intelligence; (6) texture analysis; and (7) artificial intelligence. These capabilities, along with documentation and guidance, explaining how to interact with a commercial system (e.g., PACS, EHR, commercial database) that currently exists in clinical environments, are to be made freely available.
On extensions of superconformal algebras
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Nagi, Jasbir
Starting from vector fields that preserve a differential form on a Riemann sphere with Grassmann variables, one can construct a superconformal algebra by considering central extensions of the algebra of vector fields. In this paper, the N=4 case is analyzed closely, where the presence of weight zero operators in the field theory forces the introduction of noncentral extensions. How this modifies the existing field theory, representation theory, and Gelfand-Fuchs constructions is discussed. It is also discussed how graded Riemann sphere geometry can be used to give a geometrical description of the central charge in the N=1 theory
Engineering system dynamics a unified graph-centered approach
Brown, Forbes T
For today's students, learning to model the dynamics of complex systems is increasingly important across nearly all engineering disciplines. First published in 2001, Forbes T. Brown's Engineering System Dynamics: A Unified Graph-Centered Approach introduced students to a unique and highly successful approach to modeling system dynamics using bond graphs. Updated with nearly one-third new material, this second edition expands this approach to an even broader range of topics. What's New in the Second Edition? In addition to new material, this edition was restructured to build students' competence in traditional linear mathematical methods before they have gone too far into the modeling that still plays a pivotal role. New topics include magnetic circuits and motors including simulation with magnetic hysteresis; extensive new material on the modeling, analysis, and simulation of distributed-parameter systems; kinetic energy in thermodynamic systems; and Lagrangian and Hamiltonian methods. MATLAB(R) figures promi...
Cross, L. E.; Newnham, R. E.; Biggers, J. V.
This report focuses upon the parts of the Center program which have drawn most extensively upon Navy funds. In the basic study of polarization processes in high K dielectrics, major progress has been made in understanding the mechanisms in relaxor ferroelectric in the perovskite structure families. A new effort is also being mounted to obtain more precise evaluation of the internal stress effects in fine grained barium titanate. Related to reliability, studies of the effects of induced macro-defects are described, and preparation for the evaluation of space charge by internal potential distribution measurements discussed. To develop new processing methods for very thin dielectric layers, a new type of single barrier layer multilayer is discussed, and work on the thermal evaporation of oriented crystalline antimony sulphur iodide describe.
African Journal of Livestock Extension
African Journals Online (AJOL)
African Journal of Livestock Extension aims to bring to the fore the role and significance of livestock in maintaining rural, peri-urban and urban households, vis-à-vis its impact on poverty alleviation, household nutritional status, economic coping strategy and provision of employment. The focus of the journal relates to all ...
Extensiveness of Farmers' Buying Process
Kool, M.; Meulenberg, M.T.G.; Broens, D.F.
In this article we study farmers' buying processes, in particular the selection of a supplier for a given farm input. Extensiveness of farmers' buying processes is defined as the degree information acquisition and alternative evaluation effort carried out to prepare that selection. Hypotheses,
Cross System Extensions (CSE) experience
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Johnston, T.Y.
Cross System Extension (CSE) provides VM/XA systems with the ability to share minidisks and spool in loosely coupled environment. CSE will also cooperate with the VM/HPO Inter System Facility (ISF) in sharing minidisks between VM/XA and VM/HPO to XA, reliability of CSE, and some operational considerations when running with it
Extension Resources for International Trade
Seal, Susan D.
With the opening of additional trade partnerships, the reduction of global transportation and communication costs, and the increase in demand for U.S. agricultural products and services, international trade is an area of great importance to more and more Extension clients and stakeholders. This article provides information about the primary…
Agricultural Extension. A Reference Manual.
Maunder, Addison, H.
The basic philosophy of agricultural extension was established in the more highly developed countries over the past century. Newly formed nations, the rural population of which formerly maintained a subsistence agriculture with limited industry, found it essential to establish a better-balanced economy. This led to a variety of rural services and…
Extensions of the standard model
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ramond, P.
In these lectures we focus on several issues that arise in theoretical extensions of the standard model. First we describe the kinds of fermions that can be added to the standard model without affecting known phenomenology. We focus in particular on three types: the vector-like completion of the existing fermions as would be predicted by a Kaluza-Klein type theory, which we find cannot be realistically achieved without some chiral symmetry; fermions which are vector-like by themselves, such as do appear in supersymmetric extensions, and finally anomaly-free chiral sets of fermions. We note that a chiral symmetry, such as the Peccei-Quinn symmetry can be used to produce a vector-like theory which, at scales less than M/sub W/, appears to be chiral. Next, we turn to the analysis of the second hierarchy problem which arises in Grand Unified extensions of the standard model, and plays a crucial role in proton decay of supersymmetric extensions. We review the known mechanisms for avoiding this problem and present a new one which seems to lead to the (family) triplication of the gauge group. Finally, this being a summer school, we present a list of homework problems. 44 references
An extension of Babinet's principle
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
da Silveira, R.
It is shown that the diffraction pattern produced by any of two complementary screens and the one produced by a slit having the shape of their boundary, oscillates in opposite phase. This extension of Babinet's principle is illustrated with examples from nuclear scattering and classical optics
Extension properties of states on operator algebras
Hamhalter, Jan
We summarize and deepen some recent results concerning the extension problem for states on operator algebras and general quantum logics. In particular, we establish equivalence between the Gleason extension property, the Hahn-Banach extension property, and the universal state extension property of projection logics. Extensions of Jauch-Piron states are investigated.
Attempted establishment of proficiency levels for laparoscopic performance on a national scale using simulation: the results from the 2004 SAGES Minimally Invasive Surgical Trainer-Virtual Reality (MIST-VR) learning center study.
Van Sickle, K R; Ritter, E M; McClusky, D A; Lederman, A; Baghai, M; Gallagher, A G; Smith, C D
The Minimally Invasive Surgical Trainer-Virtual Reality (MIST-VR) has been well validated as a training device for laparoscopic skills. It has been demonstrated that training to a level of proficiency on the simulator significantly improves operating room performance of laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The purpose of this project was to obtain a national standard of proficiency using the MIST-VR based on the performance of experienced laparoscopic surgeons. Surgeons attending the Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) 2004 Annual Scientific Meeting who had performed more than 100 laparoscopic procedures volunteered to participate. All the subjects completed a demographic questionnaire assessing laparoscopic and MIST-VR experience in the learning center of the SAGES 2004 meeting. Each subject performed two consecutive trials of the MIST-VR Core Skills 1 program at the medium setting. Each trial involved six basic tasks of increasing difficulty: acquire place (AP), transfer place (TP), traversal (TV), withdrawal insert (WI), diathermy task (DT), and manipulate diathermy (MD). Trial 1 was considered a "warm-up," and trial 2 functioned as the test trial proper. Subject performance was scored for time, errors, and economy of instrument movement for each task, and a cumulative total score was calculated. Trial 2 data are expressed as mean time in seconds in Table 2. Proficiency levels for laparoscopic skills have now been established on a national scale by experienced laparoscopic surgeons using the MIST-VR simulator. Residency programs, training centers, and practicing surgeons can now use these data as guidelines for performance criterion during MIST-VR skills training.
Understanding Learning Cultures
Hodkinson, Phil; Biesta, Gert; James, David
This paper sets out an explanation about the nature of learning cultures and how they work. In so doing, it directly addresses some key weaknesses in current situated learning theoretical writing, by working to overcome unhelpful dualisms, such as the individual and the social, and structure and agency. It does this through extensive use of some…
Holistic Approach to Data Center Energy Efficiency
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Hammond, Steven W [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
This presentation discusses NREL's Energy System Integrations Facility and NREL's holistic design approach to sustainable data centers that led to the world's most energy-efficient data center. It describes Peregrine, a warm water liquid cooled supercomputer, waste heat reuse in the data center, demonstrated PUE and ERE, and lessons learned during four years of operation.
xSPDE: Extensible software for stochastic equations
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Simon Kiesewetter
Full Text Available We introduce an extensible software toolbox, xSPDE, for solving ordinary and partial stochastic differential equations. The toolbox makes extensive use of vector and parallel methods. Inputs are exceptionally simple, to reduce the learning curve, with default options for all of the many input parameters. The code calculates functional means, correlations and spectra, checks for errors in both time-step and sampling, and provides several choices of algorithm. Most aspects of the code, including the numerical algorithm, have a modular functional design to allow user modifications.
The Saskatchewan/New Brunswick Healthy Start-Départ Santé intervention: implementation cost estimates of a physical activity and healthy eating intervention in early learning centers.
Sari, Nazmi; Muhajarine, Nazeem; Froehlich Chow, Amanda
Participation in daily physical activity and consuming a balanced diet high in fruits and vegetables and low in processed foods are behaviours associated with positive health outcomes during all stages of life. Previous literature suggests that the earlier these behaviours are established the greater the health benefits. As such, early learning settings have been shown to provide an effective avenue for exploring and influencing the physical activity and healthy eating behaviours of children before school entry. However, in addition to improving individual level health of children, such interventions may also result in a number of social benefits for the society. In fact, research among adult populations has shown that sufficient participation in physical activity can significantly lower hospital stays and physician visits, in turn leading to positive economic outcomes. To our knowledge there is very limited literature about economic evaluations of interventions implemented in early learning centers to increase physical activity and healthy eating behaviours among children. The primary purpose of this paper is to identify inputs and costs needed to implement a physical activity and healthy eating intervention (Healthy Start-Départ Santé (HS-DS)) in early learning centres throughout Saskatchewan and New Brunswick over the course of three years. In doing so, implementation cost is estimated to complete the first phase of a social return on investment analysis of this intervention. In order to carry out this evaluation the first step was to identify the inputs and costs needed to implement the intervention, along with the corresponding outputs. With stakeholder interviews and using existing database, we estimated the implementation cost by measuring, valuing and monetizing each individual input. Our results show that the total annual cost of implementing HS-DS was $378,753 in the first year, this total cost decreased slightly in the second year ($356,861) and again
Educational training in ead: the experience of teaching, research and extension in the course of graduation computing
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Noeli Antonia Pimentel Vaz
Full Text Available The University has as one of its pillars the teaching, research and extension triad. Only through the articulation between these three activities can higher education institutions fulfill their role: to fully form citizens capable of acting critically and reflexively in society. This work aims to present the experience of the Degree in Computer Science of the Center for Teaching and Learning in Network of the State University of Goiás in the curricular component Supervised Stage. Through this component the students went to elementary schools in their municipalities to analyze and intervene to propose improvements in the teaching-learning process, using computational resources with pedagogical functionalities. After the course of research and intervention, the academics presented their research papers to a committee made up of professors from the area at the First Scientific Meeting of the CEAR / UEG, and from these works, the best ones were selected and presented their work, also in the III Congress of Teaching, Research and Extension of UEG. In these two moments the academics had access to updated information in their area of professional training and / or study; Discussed with the academic community, through the presentation of relevant thematic banners. In this way, they had the opportunity to reflect the professional training panorama of the degrees, exchanging experiences and interacting with teachers / researchers in the area.
Curve collection, extension of databases
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Gillemot, F.
Full text: Databases: generally calculated data only. The original measurements: diagrams. Information loss between them Expensive research eg. irradiation, aging, creep etc. Original curves should be stored for reanalysing. The format of the stored curves: a. Data in ASCII files, only numbers b. Other information in strings in a second file Same name, but different extension. Extensions shows the type of the test and the type of the file. EXAMPLES. TEN is tensile information, TED is tensile data, CHN is Charpy informations, CHD is Charpy data. Storing techniques: digitalised measurements, digitalising old curves stored on paper. Use: making catalogues, reanalysing, comparison with new data. Tools: mathematical software packages like quattro, genplot, exel, mathcad, qbasic, pascal, fortran, mathlab, grapher etc. (author)
Extension agents and conflict narratives
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Bond, Jennifer Lauren
Purpose: This work investigated the narratives of development extensionists in relation to natural resource conflict, in order to understand the competing discourses surrounding the wicked problems of natural resource management in Laikipia County, Kenya. Methodology: Q methodology was used...... to elicit the conflict narratives present among extension professionals. A concourse of 221 statements were devised from interviews and group discussions with key informants and a final sample of 49 statements was used for the sorting. Thirteen Q-sorts were undertaken with among rural extension...... professionals from government, non-government, faith-based and private organizations. Findings: Four factors were elicited from the data, labelled—A: 'Improved Leadership'; B: 'Resource-centred conflict'; C: 'Improved Governance'; and D: 'Improved Management'. Practical Implications: Narratives of neo...
New examples of frobenius extensions
Kadison, Lars
This volume is based on the author's lecture courses to algebraists at Munich and at G�teborg. He presents, for the first time in book form, a unified approach from the point of view of Frobenius algebras/extensions to diverse topics, such as Jones' subfactor theory, Hopf algebras and Hopf subalgebras, the Yang-Baxter Equation and 2-dimensional topological quantum field theories. Other Features: Initial steps toward a theory of noncommutative ring extensions. Self-contained sections on Azumaya algebras and strongly separable algebras. Applications and generalizations of Morita theory and Azumaya algebra due to Hirata and Sugano. Understanding the text requires no prior background in Frobenius algebras or Hopf algebras. An index and a thorough list of further references are included. There is an appendix giving a brief historical guide to the literature.
Linear programming foundations and extensions
Vanderbei, Robert J
Linear Programming: Foundations and Extensions is an introduction to the field of optimization. The book emphasizes constrained optimization, beginning with a substantial treatment of linear programming, and proceeding to convex analysis, network flows, integer programming, quadratic programming, and convex optimization. The book is carefully written. Specific examples and concrete algorithms precede more abstract topics. Topics are clearly developed with a large number of numerical examples worked out in detail. Moreover, Linear Programming: Foundations and Extensions underscores the purpose of optimization: to solve practical problems on a computer. Accordingly, the book is coordinated with free efficient C programs that implement the major algorithms studied: -The two-phase simplex method; -The primal-dual simplex method; -The path-following interior-point method; -The homogeneous self-dual methods. In addition, there are online JAVA applets that illustrate various pivot rules and variants of the simplex m...
Managing BWR plant life extension
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ianni, P.W.; Kiss, E.
Recent studies have confirmed that extending the useful life of a large nuclear plant can be justified with very high cost benefit ratio. In turn, experience with large power plant systems and equipment has shown that a well-integrated and -managed plan is essential in order to achieve potential economic benefits. Consequently, General Electric's efforts have been directed at establishing a life extension plan that considers alternative options and cost-effective steps that can be taken in early life, those appropriate during middle life, and those required in late life. This paper briefly describes an approach designed to provide the plant owner a maximum of flexibility in developing a life extension plan
Perineural extension of facial melanoma
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Kalina, Peter [Mayo Clinic, Department of Radiology, Rochester, Minnesota (United States); Bevilacqua, Paula
A 64-year-old man presented with a pigmented cutaneous lesion on the right side of his face along with right facial numbness. Histological examination revealed malignant melanoma. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed perineural extension along the entire course of the maxillary division of the right trigeminal nerve. This is a rare but important manifestation of the spread of head and neck malignancy. (orig.)
Recall in extensive form games
Klaus Ritzberger
This paper considers characterizations of perfect recall in extensive form games. It is shown that perfect recall can be expressed in terms of choices without any reference to infomation sets. When information sets are taken into account, it is decomposable into an ordering of information sets and that players do not forget what they knew nor what they did. Thus, if information sets are partially ordered, then perfect recall is implied by the player's inability to refine her information from ...
Dosimetry of β extensive sources
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Rojas C, E.L.; Lallena R, A.M.
In this work, we have been studied, making use of the Penelope Monte Carlo simulation code, the dosimetry of β extensive sources in situations of spherical geometry including interfaces. These configurations are of interest in the treatment of the called cranealfaringyomes of some synovia leisure of knee and other problems of interest in medical physics. Therefore, its application can be extended toward problems of another areas with similar geometric situation and beta sources. (Author)
Improving the Impact of Extension through the Use of Anticipation Guides
Smith, Rebecca C.; Lemley, Stephanie M.
In this article, we present the anticipation guide as a tool for preparing Extension audiences to learn the main points of Extension materials. Anticipation guides improve learner comprehension by appealing to an individual's natural curiosity and helping the individual focus on key ideas. Anticipation guides can be used with all types of…
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts
Dr. Charlotte Kvasnovsky, a surgery resident and Ph.D. candidate in biostatistics, discusses various types of drug resistance in TB patients in South Africa. Created: 12/16/2016 by National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID). Date Released: 12/16/2016.
Students' Ways of Experiencing Human-Centered Design
Zoltowski, Carla B.
This study investigated the qualitatively different ways which students experienced human-centered design. The findings of this research are important in developing effective design learning experiences and have potential impact across design education. This study provides the basis for being able to assess learning of human-centered design which…
Designing and application of SAN extension interface based on CWDM
Qin, Leihua; Yu, Shengsheng; Zhou, Jingli
As Fibre Channel (FC) becomes the protocol of choice within corporate data centers, enterprises are increasingly deploying SANs in their data central. In order to mitigate the risk of losing data and improve the availability of data, more and more enterprises are increasingly adopting storage extension technologies to replicate their business critical data to a secondary site. Transmitting this information over distance requires a carrier grade environment with zero data loss, scalable throughput, low jitter, high security and ability to travel long distance. To address this business requirements, there are three basic architectures for storage extension, they are Storage over Internet Protocol, Storage over Synchronous Optical Network/Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SONET/SDH) and Storage over Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM). Each approach varies in functionality, complexity, cost, scalability, security, availability , predictable behavior (bandwidth, jitter, latency) and multiple carrier limitations. Compared with these connectiviy technologies,Coarse Wavelength Division Multiplexing (CWDM) is a Simplified, Low Cost and High Performance connectivity solutions for enterprises to deploy their storage extension. In this paper, we design a storage extension connectivity over CWDM and test it's electrical characteristic and random read and write performance of disk array through the CWDM connectivity, testing result show us that the performance of the connectivity over CWDM is acceptable. Furthermore, we propose three kinds of network architecture of SAN extension based on CWDM interface. Finally the credit-Based flow control mechanism of FC, and the relationship between credits and extension distance is analyzed.
iPads and Tablets: Today's Extension Demonstration
Nancy Franz; Peggy Martin
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach educators are using iPadsto deepen and expand education by showing learners online resources on nutrition including signing up for blogs and visiting our Spend Smart Eat Smart website and Facebook page. A video describing the project is available at http://vimeo.com/64757580. Of the 281 learners who responded to a survey, 96% learned additional nutrition information outside of our classes from the Spend Smart Eat Smart Facebook page, blog, and webs...
7 CFR 2.66 - Administrator, Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service.
... extension program through grants to regional rural development centers and competitive grants to land-grant... Small Business Innovation Development Act of 1982 for USDA (15 U.S.C. 638(e)-(k)). (51) Administer a..., and Extension Service. (1) Administer research and technology development grants related to the...
Clean Energy Solutions Center (Presentation)
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Reategui, S.
The Clean Energy Ministerial launched the Clean Energy Solutions Center in April, 2011 for major economy countries, led by Australia and U.S. with other CEM partners. Partnership with UN-Energy is extending scope to support all developing countries: 1. Enhance resources on policies relating to energy access, small to medium enterprises (SMEs), and financing programs; 2. Offer expert policy assistance to all countries; 3. Expand peer to peer learning, training, and deployment and policy data for developing countries.
A Studi on High Plant Systems Course with Active Learning in Higher Education Through Outdoor Learning to Increase Student Learning Activities
Nur Rokhimah Hanik, Anwari Adi Nugroho
Biology learning especially high plant system courses needs to be applied to active learning centered on the student (Active Learning In Higher Education) to enhance the students' learning activities so that the quality of learning for the better. Outdoor Learning is one of the active learning invites students to learn outside of the classroom by exploring the surrounding environment. This research aims to improve the students' learning activities in the course of high plant systems through t...
iPads and Tablets: Today's Extension Demonstration
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Nancy Franz
Full Text Available Iowa State University Extension and Outreach educators are using iPadsto deepen and expand education by showing learners online resources on nutrition including signing up for blogs and visiting our Spend Smart Eat Smart website and Facebook page. A video describing the project is available at http://vimeo.com/64757580. Of the 281 learners who responded to a survey, 96% learned additional nutrition information outside of our classes from the Spend Smart Eat Smart Facebook page, blog, and website; 93% learned about nutrition practices; and 88% learned about food resource management practices. Educators are also using the video clips on our websites as demonstrations during lessons. The educators no longer carry demonstration supplies, and learners return to the video demonstrations outside of class. The "Extension demonstration" as a delivery method still has strong impact, but now resides in the two-dimensional world of the internet brought to learners through mobile devices. Long live the Extension demonstration!
Linguistic Extensions of Topic Models
Movie Legally Multiplex Heralded As Linchpin To Growth The Shape of Cinema , Transformed At the Click of a Mouse A Peaceful Crew Puts Muppets...Linguistic Representation of Multiple Languages The formalism of WordNet has been applied to many languages from different language families, e.g. Japanese ...could be also share information gleaned from 100 reviews on Amazon.com's Japanese and German language sites. 6.2.3 Learning Deeper Structures and Testing
An influence of extremal edges on boundary extension.
Hale, Ralph G; Brown, James M; McDunn, Benjamin A; Siddiqui, Aisha P
Studies have shown that people consistently remember seeing more of a studied scene than was physically present (e.g., Intraub & Richardson Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 15, 179-187, 1989). This scene memory error, known as boundary extension, has been suggested to occur due to an observer's failure to differentiate between the contributing sources of information, including the sensory input, amodal continuation beyond the view boundaries, and contextual associations with the main objects and depicted scene locations (Intraub, 2010). Here, "scenes" made of abstract shapes on random-dot backgrounds, previously shown to elicit boundary extension (McDunn, Siddiqui, & Brown Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 21, 370-375, 2014), were compared with versions made with extremal edges (Palmer & Ghose Psychological Science, 19, 77-84, 2008) added to their borders, in order to examine how boundary extension is influenced when amodal continuation at the borders' view boundaries is manipulated in this way. Extremal edges were expected to reduce boundary extension as compared to the same scenes without them, because extremal edge boundaries explicitly indicate an image's end (i.e., they do not continue past the view boundary). A large and a small difference (16 % and 40 %) between the close and wide-angle views shown during the experiment were tested to examine the effects of both boundary extension and normalization with and without extremal edges. Images without extremal edges elicited typical boundary extension for the 16 % size change condition, whereas the 40 % condition showed signs of normalization. With extremal edges, a reduced amount of boundary extension occurred for the 16 % condition, and only normalization was found for the 40 % condition. Our findings support and highlight the importance of amodal continuation at the view boundaries as a component of boundary extension.
Coal Combustion Products Extension Program
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Tarunjit S. Butalia; William E. Wolfe
This final project report presents the activities and accomplishments of the ''Coal Combustion Products Extension Program'' conducted at The Ohio State University from August 1, 2000 to June 30, 2005 to advance the beneficial uses of coal combustion products (CCPs) in highway and construction, mine reclamation, agricultural, and manufacturing sectors. The objective of this technology transfer/research program at The Ohio State University was to promote the increased use of Ohio CCPs (fly ash, FGD material, bottom ash, and boiler slag) in applications that are technically sound, environmentally benign, and commercially competitive. The project objective was accomplished by housing the CCP Extension Program within The Ohio State University College of Engineering with support from the university Extension Service and The Ohio State University Research Foundation. Dr. Tarunjit S. Butalia, an internationally reputed CCP expert and registered professional engineer, was the program coordinator. The program coordinator acted as liaison among CCP stakeholders in the state, produced information sheets, provided expertise in the field to those who desired it, sponsored and co-sponsored seminars, meetings, and speaking at these events, and generally worked to promote knowledge about the productive and proper application of CCPs as useful raw materials. The major accomplishments of the program were: (1) Increase in FGD material utilization rate from 8% in 1997 to more than 20% in 2005, and an increase in overall CCP utilization rate of 21% in 1997 to just under 30% in 2005 for the State of Ohio. (2) Recognition as a ''voice of trust'' among Ohio and national CCP stakeholders (particularly regulatory agencies). (3) Establishment of a national and international reputation, especially for the use of FGD materials and fly ash in construction applications. It is recommended that to increase Ohio's CCP utilization rate from 30% in 2005 to