An evaluation of electronic individual peer assessment in an introductory programming course

[Abstract]: Peer learning is a powerful pedagogical practice delivering improved outcomes over conventional teacher-student interactions while offering marking relief to instructors. Peer review enables learning by requiring students to evaluate the work of others. PRAISE is an on-line peer-review system that facilitates anonymous review and delivers prompt feedback from multiple sources. This study is an evaluation of the use of PRAISE in an introductory programming course. Use of the system is examined and attitudes of novice programmers towards the use of peer review are compared to those of students from other disciplines, raising a number of interesting issues. Recommendations are made to introductory programming instructors who may be considering peer review in assignments

Visual analytics for supply network management: system design and evaluation

We propose a visual analytic system to augment and enhance decision-making processes of supply chain managers. Several design requirements drive the development of our integrated architecture and lead to three primary capabilities of our system prototype. First, a visual analytic system must integrate various relevant views and perspectives that highlight different structural aspects of a supply network. Second, the system must deliver required information on-demand and update the visual representation via user-initiated interactions. Third, the system must provide both descriptive and predictive analytic functions for managers to gain contingency intelligence. Based on these capabilities we implement an interactive web-based visual analytic system. Our system enables managers to interactively apply visual encodings based on different node and edge attributes to facilitate mental map matching between abstract attributes and visual elements. Grounded in cognitive fit theory, we demonstrate that an interactive visual system that dynamically adjusts visual representations to the decision environment can significantly enhance decision-making processes in a supply network setting. We conduct multi-stage evaluation sessions with prototypical users that collectively confirm the value of our system. Our results indicate a positive reaction to our system. We conclude with implications and future research opportunities.The authors would like to thank the participants of the 2015 Businessvis Workshop at IEEE VIS, Prof. Benoit Montreuil, and Dr. Driss Hakimi for their valuable feedback on an earlier version of the software; Prof. Manpreet Hora for assisting with and Georgia Tech graduate students for participating in the evaluation sessions; and the two anonymous reviewers for their detailed comments and suggestions. The study was in part supported by the Tennenbaum Institute at Georgia Tech Award # K9305. (K9305 - Tennenbaum Institute at Georgia Tech Award)Accepted manuscrip

Automatic Frechet differentiation for the numerical solution of boundary-value problems

A new solver for nonlinear boundary-value problems (BVPs) in Matlab is presented, based on the Chebfun software system for representing functions and operators automatically as numerical objects. The solver implements Newton's method in function space, where instead of the usual Jacobian matrices, the derivatives involved are Frechet derivatives. A major novelty of this approach is the application of automatic differentiation (AD) techniques to compute the operator-valued Frechet derivatives in the continuous context. Other novelties include the use of anonymous functions and numbering of each variable to enable a recursive, delayed evaluation of derivatives with forward mode AD. The AD techniques are applied within a new Chebfun class called chebop which allows users to set up and solve nonlinear BVPs in a few lines of code, using the "nonlinear backslash" operator (\). This framework enables one to study the behaviour of Newton's method in function space

The design and evaluation of an anonymous, two-way, ethics management reporting system

Despite a recognized need for whistleblowing systems in academic research, little to no attention has been given to the necessary requirements for and specific design of effective whistleblowing systems. In order to increase the rate of reporting, it is critical for reporting systems to be designed with the intent to reduce employee fears and inhibitions by reducing the potential for retaliation. Therefore, the goal of this three-essay dissertation was to enhance a firm\u27s ability to solicit and investigate concerns by proposing and evaluating a system aimed at fostering anonymous, two-way communication between employees and investigators of wrongdoing. In essay one, design science (Hevner et al., 2004; March & Smith, 1995; Walls, Widmeyer, & El Savvy, 1992, 2004) was employed in order to theorize and justify the design of an anonymous reporting system artifact. In doing so, existing reporting systems were examined and modern technologies were incorporated into a proposed design of an anonymous, two-way ethics management reporting system. Essay two reviewed existing theories in the extant whistleblowing literature and relied upon communication research, both inter-personal and computer-mediated, to address the limitations of prior theory regarding reduced perceptions of credibility for anonymous whistleblowers. The experiment tasked subjects with evaluating simulated two-way communication between an investigator and an employee attempting to blow the whistle on financial wrongdoing. The results provide strong evidence that two-way communication can reduce the credibility gap between perceptions of anonymous and identified whistleblowers. Lastly, essay three assessed the system design proposed in essay one from the perspective of the organizational insider. The proposed system was also compared to other channels available to report wrongdoing, such as the use of open door policies and telephone hotlines. Two simultaneous online experiments tested user perceptions of anonymity protections provided by each channel, as well as the specific whistlebloweroriented design features proposed in the design. This essay provides evidence that online reporting systems are perceived to provide significantly higher anonymity protections than phone hotlines and open door policies, while select features of the proposed system impact user perceptions of anonymity

Implementation and Evaluation o of Online Learning at the Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health, Osijek, Croatia – Project Report

This paper presents the report on the project of implementation and evaluation of online learning at the Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health Osijek. The aim of this project was to include online learning in the teaching process at the Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health, and to assess student’s satisfaction with online learning implemented during elective courses in social sciences. Several dislocated study programs were included, where video conferencing equipment was installed and video conference lectures were held during elective courses in social sciences (Health economics, ealth management, Quality control) using Carnet video conferencing system. Lectures were recorded and made available for students to access at different times and locations. An anonymous survey assessing students’ experience and perception of online education was conducted after each course as a part of the regular anonymous course evaluation survey. A large proportion of students were satisfied with the online lectures and agreed that online teaching improves education quality

Modeling Errors in Biometric Surveillance and De-duplication Systems

In biometrics-based surveillance and de-duplication applications, the system commonly determines if a given individual has been encountered before. In this dissertation, these applications are viewed as specific instances of a broader class of problems known as Anonymous Identification. Here, the system does not necessarily determine the identity of a person; rather, it merely establishes if the given input biometric data was encountered previously. This dissertation demonstrates that traditional biometric evaluation measures cannot adequately estimate the error rate of an anonymous identification system in general and a de-duplication system in particular. In this regard, the first contribution is the design of an error prediction model for an anonymous identification system. The model shows that the order in which individuals are encountered impacts the error rate of the system. The second contribution - in the context of an identification system in general - is an explanatory model that explains the relationship between the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve and the Cumulative Match Characteristic (CMC) curve of a closed-set biometric system. The phenomenon of biometrics menagerie is used to explain the possibility of deducing multiple CMC curves from the same ROC curve. Consequently, it is shown that a good\u27\u27 verification system can be a poor\u27\u27 identification system and vice-versa.;Besides the aforementioned contributions, the dissertation also explores the use of gait as a biometric modality in surveillance systems operating in the thermal or shortwave infrared (SWIR) spectrum. In this regard, a new gait representation scheme known as Gait Curves is developed and evaluated on thermal and SWIR data. Finally, a clustering scheme is used to demonstrate that gait patterns can be clustered into multiple categories; further, specific physical traits related to gender and body area are observed to impact cluster generation.;In sum, the dissertation provides some new insights into modeling anonymous identification systems and gait patterns for biometrics-based surveillance systems

Computerised peer-assessment that supports the rewarding of evaluative skills in essay writing (CAP) and programming (Coursemaker)

This short paper details recent innovations in the development of peer-assessed environments that support the automated rewarding of the higher order skills of evaluation in two areas of higher education, namely essay writing and computer programming. The work builds upon past uses and developments of the CAP (computerised assessment by peers) system that has been used as a means of providing a safe, anonymous and qualitative method of assessing student peer-assessment for the past four years within the School of Computing at the University of Glamorgan, South Wales

P33. Optimising student experience: an innovative and integrated tutor support and development programme

Background The curriculum of the five year MBBS course at HYMS is integrated and student–centred with regular clinical skills sessions throughout the first two years. The clinical skills tutors are practising clinicians who deliver their teaching role alongside everyday clinical practice. The essential features of our successful support system have evolved during our first eight years, creating a vibrant integrated and innovative Community of Practice. Our support system includes:• Peer observation • Regular online student-tutor feedback • Regular tutor training sessions • Regular Action Learning Sets • New tutor mentoring • Annual Performance Review 65 • Tutor commitment to completing a Postgraduate Certificate in Medical Education • Core staff in key roles facilitating inclusion of tutors in all aspects of the medical school. • Involvement in student assessment.Our tutors benefit and learn from each other’s experiences whilst developing professionally as educators embedded within medical school life. The Community of Practice ensures that tutors deliver consistently high quality student learning experience. The evaluation includes:• Students complete online, anonymous evaluation of tutors • We performed an evaluation of one session by observing all tutors • Informal evaluation that problems are now frequently managed by the tutor group rather than by faculty