Empirical Study in Teaching First-Year Database Students

This paper describes the authors’ experience in team teaching two occurrences of a first-level undergraduate ‘Database Applications’ module. An analysis of the two occurrences revealed a difference in attendance, marks, seminar participation and attitude. This paper attempts to identify some reasons for this difference as well as reviewing some of the teaching activities that were used in this module. It analyzes the success of these activities and the perception and feedback from each group of students, and some possible recommended changes to the module

Word statistics in Blogs and RSS feeds: Towards empirical universal evidence

We focus on the statistics of word occurrences and of the waiting times between such occurrences in Blogs. Due to the heterogeneity of words' frequencies, the empirical analysis is performed by studying classes of "frequently-equivalent" words, i.e. by grouping words depending on their frequencies. Two limiting cases are considered: the dilute limit, i.e. for those words that are used less than once a day, and the dense limit for frequent words. In both cases, extreme events occur more frequently than expected from the Poisson hypothesis. These deviations from Poisson statistics reveal non-trivial time correlations between events that are associated with bursts of activities. The distribution of waiting times is shown to behave like a stretched exponential and to have the same shape for different sets of words sharing a common frequency, thereby revealing universal features.Comment: 16 pages, 6 figure

Verbs and gender: the hidden agenda of a multicultural society

This study explores the issue of gender inequality displayed in action verbs found in English language secondary school textbooks using the Hidden Curriculum Theory. The two aspects of hidden curriculum are the frequency imbalance, i.e., male occurrences are more than female, and gender stereotyping based on roles, i.e., masculine against feminine activities. This study used both quantitative and qualitative methods for collecting data. Wordsmith Tools 4.0 (WST) was used to analyse five categories of action verbs: activity verbs, process verbs, verbs of bodily sensation, transitional event verbs, and momentary verbs. The concordance tool from the WST was used to tabulate occurrences based on gender portrayals. School teachers who taught English at secondary schools were also interviewed to validate the findings and link them to the theoretical framework used. The findings reveal gender inequality is evident in these textbooks

Children’s ability to recall unique aspects of one occurrence of a repeated event

Preschool and school-age children’s memory and source monitoring were investigated by questioning them about one occurrence of a repeated lab event (n = 39). Each of the four occurrences had the same structure, but with varying alternatives for the specific activities and items presented. Variable details had a different alternative each time; hi/lo details presented the identical alternative three times and changed once. New details were present in one occurrence only and thus had no alternatives. Children more often confused variable, lo, and new details across occurrences than hi details. The 4- to 5-year-oldchildren were less accurate than 7- to 8-year-old children at attributing details to the correct occurrence when specifically asked. Younger children rarely recalled new details spontaneously, whereas 50% of the older children did and were above chance at attributing them to their correct occurrence. Results are discussed with reference to script theory, fuzzy-trace theory and the source-monitoring framework

Utilising wearable and environmental sensors to identify the context of gait performance in the home

In this paper we describe our work on the development of a multi-sensory deployment within the homes of elderly people prone to falling. The aim of our work is to provide both preventative guidance with regards to environmental hazards, as well as to create rich information context around gait performance, near-falls or falls that do happen so the cause can be diagnosed more thoroughly. We use a gait analysis platform developed at the TRIL Centre, coupled with a SenseCam wearable camera, to identify the activities and the location in the home during walking activities. In addition to this, and to add even more context, we use home energy- monitoring to enhance our understanding of activities and activity patterns in the home. This method could support older people in identifying a key problem and allow the participant to modify their behaviour or environment to limit or prevent future occurrences

Petitions, Gravamina and the early modern state : local influence on central legislation in England and Germany (Hesse)

This essay hopes to throw some more light on these developments by focusing on two very heterogeneous case studies in the period between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries. It will examine the range of means employed by the subjects of the Holy Roman Empire, mainly the territory of Hesse, and England to influence the laws by which they were governed. The emphasis, however, is not so much on spectacular, extraordinary occurrences such as riots and rebellions (whose impact is by now widely acknowledged), but on the sort of routine activities which marked everyday political life all across the Continent. Having sketched (i) the differing institutional frameworks of the two case studies, we will proceed to (ii) a comparative discussion of popular participation in legislative activities and propose (iii) some general conclusions about the importance of this phenomenon for our understanding of the making of the modern state

Seasonal variation of transmission line outages in Peninsular Malaysia

Researchers have observed the impact of climate changes on overhead line outages. It is known that overhead lines are very prone to lightning strikes due to their height and location which are normally in an open and exposed area. Studies have also reported that transmission and distribution lines experience very high failure rates due to lightning strikes. The tropics experience greater lightning activities and have higher peaks where transmission lines suffer frequent line outages. This paper examined studies that have been conducted on line outages due to lightning activities, especially in the tropical areas. Lightning detection system is also discussed as well as how to evaluate line performance. Seasonal variation of lightning occurrences and line outage pattern help to predict lightning occurrences and to optimise a suitable power protection system of overhead lines. It has been widely reported that lightning occurrences and line outages are significantly related and lightning activity was more prevalent during inter monsoon seasons

Between the average and late adulthood – classes for “seniors 50+”

The article analyzes occurrences related to conducting classes for “seniors 50+”, targets of the design of such an offer and the strengths and weaknesses of this approach. These issues are considered in the context of the theory associated with aging, as well as with the changes which are taking place in society. In conclusion it has been shown that these activities can play a preventive and developmentoriented function.The article analyzes occurrences related to conducting classes for “seniors 50+”, targets of the design of such an offer and the strengths and weaknesses of this approach. These issues are considered in the context of the theory associated with aging, as well as with the changes which are taking place in society. In conclusion it has been shown that these activities can play a preventive and developmentoriented function