6,511 research outputs found

    2023-2024 Catalog

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    The 2023-2024 Governors State University Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog is a comprehensive listing of current information regarding:Degree RequirementsCourse OfferingsUndergraduate and Graduate Rules and Regulation

    The Perception of K-12 Instrumental Directors in Low-Income Areas on Virtual Learning with Skill Development and Retention

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    Due to the extreme measures taken to protect students from COVID-19 during the pandemic, schools closed their doors, and educators struggled to continue teaching through virtual learning platforms. Performance-based classrooms were encouraged to discover new methods and strategies to motivate students to thrive even though face-to-face rehearsals were restricted. This study examined the experiences secondary music education instrumentalists faced while attempting to utilize synchronous and asynchronous instruction in a 100 percent virtual performance-based environment. This study aimed to understand the negative and positive effects placed on secondary instrumentalists’ performance abilities, fundamental development, and participation/retention since the introduction of virtual learning in low-income areas. The focus of this study also examined the possible benefits of enhancing pedagogical skills through the addition of technological advances to push instrumental instruction and performances on the secondary level. This study followed a qualitative hermeneutic phenomenology design. Music educators in low-income DeKalb County communities were interviewed for this study. Participants were requested to share their perspectives and experiences of performance-based virtual learning and results. The study raised the need for future discussions to create and implement a state and national virtual music education guideline that would assist music educators in turning a devastating situation into a blessing for all art programs and their stakeholders

    Characterising the heat shock response in Trypanosoma congolense

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    Trypanosoma congolense causes significant economic burden across Sub-Saharan Africa, as it is the causative agent of Animal African Trypanosomiasis (AAT), a wasting disease affecting cattle which currently has no effective pharmaceutical treatment. T. congolense is a close relative of Trypanosoma brucei, they co-infect the same hosts so have been exposed to similar evolutionary selective pressures, and it is expected they will show similarities in host interactions. While T. brucei is a well-studied model organism, very little experimental work has been performed using T. congolense as tools have only recently been developed for genetic manipulation, but now is the time to use them to investigate the survival and infection mechanisms of the parasite. One of the major symptoms of AAT is a high fever which T. congolense responds to by eliciting the heat shock response, an important virulence factor which allows the parasite to survive in the host. The aim of this project is to characterise the T. congolense heat shock response, as understanding the mechanisms involved could pave the way for discovering novel drug targets in this parasite. It was found that T. congolense displays a very different heat shock response to T. brucei at both 41 °C and 42 °C, with 10% more cell death but less severe lag in growth in the 24 hours after heat shock. DHH1 and ZC3H11, proteins shown to be involved in heat shock, were successfully fluorescently tagged in BSF cells for both species, and a distinct re-localisation of DHH1 into foci can be seen in T. brucei cells upon heat shock but not in T. congolense. Flow cytometry analysis of cells in the period after heat shock revealed that both species arrest in G2/M, 4 hours after heat shock for T. brucei and 6 hours for T. congolense, which may be linked to cell cycle phase differentiation. Overall, T. congolense may have a more different heat shock response that T. brucei than expected. This is some of the first work investigating specific pathways in T. congolense and many techniques were successfully competed for the first time in this laboratory

    Taylor University Catalog 2023-2024

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    The 2023-2024 academic catalog of Taylor University in Upland, Indiana.https://pillars.taylor.edu/catalogs/1128/thumbnail.jp

    Digital Literary Landmarks of Aotearoa New Zealand

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    Digital literary forms in and of Aotearoa New Zealand have yet to be adequately historicised, and such works – and their authors – risk being lost to New Zealand’s literary history. Addressing the added challenge of doing history in the digital age, I offer an analytical survey of early digital literary works in or of NZ based around the categories of fiction, poetry, performance, and videogames. Cultivating a digital literary history serves us well not only in situating individual works of creative media in our collective cultural heritage but also in situating New Zealand amid broader networked culture.  

    Essays on Innovations in Public Sector Auditing

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    The current antecedents of innovation in the public sector, that is, the adoption of SDGs and the unprecedented technological advancements exert pressures on the Supreme audit institutions’(SAIs) current socio-technical system. This has led SAIs to adopt different strategies to maintain their relevance and improve the quality of their work and operations. This thesis investigated the different types of innovations currently happening in the SAIs environment and how SAIs are reacting to the demands of these changes. This exploratory work captured public sector audit innovation through the following three essays: The first essay focused on Digital Transformation (DT), investigated how SAIs approach, and interpret DT. In this regard, DT was investigated from a SAIs perspective. Due to it being a novel topic in public sector auditing research, a qualitative research method was adopted, this method was supported with expert interviews and archival and or document data. Key findings revealed that the definition of DT varies from SAI to SAI, and this variation resulted from the differences in the level of digital development in each country. SAIs applied reactive and, in some situations proactive change strategies were applied. In the reactive strategy, SAIs reacted to change induced by a situational demand while in the proactive strategy, they experiment with technologies in advance. Most of the SAIs applying proactive change strategy operates an innovation lab or an experimentation space(see Bojovic, Sabatier, and Coblence 2020; Bucher and Langley 2016; Cartel, Boxenbaum, and Aggeri 2019; Wulf 2000). As an impact on public sector auditing profession, the research addresses the popular narrative of SAI’s equating digitization or the use of digital technologies to Digital transformation. It reiterated the holistic nature of DT, by pointing at the risk involved when DT is tied solely to technology adoption strategy ignoring other aspects such as people, organizational structure, strategy, culture, etc.La trasformazione in corso dell'ambiente esterno delle Istituzioni Superiori di Controllo (ISC, Corte dei conti) sta modificando le esigenze di controllo e le aspettative dei vari stakeholders coinvolti. Infatti, questa trasformazione, innescato dai progressi tecnologici, dall'adozione degli Obiettivi di Sviluppo Sostenibile (OSS) e dalla trasparenza sta modificando il modo e gli strumenti con cui viene esercitata l’attività di controllo. Ciò ha portato le ISC a adottare diverse strategie ed a introdurre diverse innovazioni per mantenere la loro rilevanza e migliorare la qualità del loro servizio. Vari autori hanno evidenziato la necessità di indagare circa le implicazioni del cambio della strategia di controllo e dell’adozione delle varie innovazioni tecnologiche nelle ISC. Il lavoro di tesi contribuisce in questa direzione e indaga sulle varie innovazioni tecnologiche adottate dalle ISC e come questi Istituzioni hanno reagito alle pressioni esterne di cambiamento. La tesi adotta un approccio esplorativo e sviluppa tre diverse ricerche per rispondere alla domanda principale di ricerca. La prima ricerca si concentra sulla trasformazione digitale (TD), e indaga su come le ISC hanno affrontato e interpretato la TD. La metodologia utilizzata è di tipo qualitativo. Sono state effettuate varie interviste a esperti del settore a livello internazionale oltre all’analisi documentale degli archivi delle varie istituzioni analizzate. I risultati hanno mostrato una diversa interpretazione e percezione, tra le istituzioni oggetto dello studio, del concetto della TD, dovuta alle differenze di sviluppo digitale nei vari paesi analizzati. Inoltre, i risultati mostrano che le ISC hanno adottato strategie reattive di cambiamento e, in alcune situazioni, hanno adottato strategie proattive. Nel primo caso, che rappresenta la maggioranza dei casi analizzati, le ISC hanno reagito al bisogno ovvero quando si presenta una necessità di cambiamento. Mentre nel secondo caso, ovvero di strategia di cambiamento proattivo, le ISC hanno sperimentato le tecnologie in anticipo. La maggior parte delle Istituzioni che ha adottato strategie proattive di cambiamento gestisce un laboratorio di innovazione o uno spazio di sperimentazione (vedi Bojovic, Sabatier e Coblence 2020; Bucher e Langley 2016; Cartel, Boxenbaum e Aggeri 2019; Wulf 2000). Inoltre, la ricerca mostra come la digitalizzazione o l'uso delle tecnologie digitali vengono equiparati alla TD nelle ISC. Questo rischio di interpretazione del concetto si concretizza soprattutto, come mostrano i risultati, quando la TD viene legata esclusivamente alla strategia di adozione della tecnologia ignorando altri aspetti come le persone, la struttura organizzativa, la strategia, la cultura, ecc

    Socioeconomic Impacts of Long-Term Renewable Electricity Generation: a Multi-regional Analysis for Brazil

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    This thesis contributes to long-term renewable energy policymaking in developing economies by quantifying the net multi-regional macroeconomic, sectoral, and distributional impacts of renewable electricity investment in the case of Brazil from 2020 to 2050. Brazil has an outstanding potential for renewable electricity generation concentrated in its least developed region, the Northeast. New wind and solar power plants are currently channelling unprecedented investments to the Northeast, which should continue in the long run to maintain the low-carbon profile of electricity generation, potentially creating positive socioeconomic impacts and reducing regional inequalities. This thesis developed a recursive-dynamic Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model called TERM-BR E15, which has representations of Brazil’s five official geoeconomic regions, nine electricity generation sources, ten household income bands and ten wage levels. The CGE model simulations consist of soft links with three energy-system models which provided two long-term renewable electricity policy scenarios and a baseline. Additionally, two industrial strategy options were simulated. Modelling results were tested against the policymaking process through an expert elicitation in which 13 senior-level institutions’ representatives of the sector in Brazil provided their insights. Results indicate that the more solar and wind power installed capacity in 2050, the more socioeconomic benefits to Brazil’s Northeast region, suggesting that a long-term renewable pathway is not only technically feasible, but also economically and socially beneficial. Regional GDP gains in the Northeast would be between 1.91% and 4.98% relative to the baseline in policy scenarios. All socioeconomic variables analysed indicate gains to the Northeast and reduced regional inequalities. Regional industrial policy in the Northeast yields more positive national results than incentives to specific components nationally, while developing the Northeast economy even further through new manufacturing segments. Socioeconomic development, however, entails structural change in various aspects beyond the scope of modelling that require multi-objective policies across government levels and departments

    Digital Literacy Education in Welsh Primary and Secondary Schools from the 1960s to the Present

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    Digital technologies are imbued with ideologies that impact culture and society. These technologies are ubiquitous, pervasive, and central to how people communicate, consume information, and orchestrate their lives. Therefore, for people to fully understand the impact and influence of these technologies on their lives and engage with them and the digital environment in a critically informed way - digital literacy is an absolute and necessary requirement. However, we are not seeing digital literacy as standard. This study assesses: (1) Whether students are being sufficiently educated about how digital technologies use and affect them in a social, cultural, and ethical capacity; (2) Whether the programme content of digital literacy education (DLE) is primarily driven by neo-liberal economically driven government policies; and (3) How much influence private neo-liberal capitalistic enterprises have in determining the educational agenda of DLE? Qualitative data was collected via three focus group interviews and twenty-six semi-structured interviews which explored students, educational professionals, and government officials’ views of DLE in Wales. The data was thematically coded using critical discourse analysis, and analysed using theories developed in Herbert Marcuse’s 1964 publication One-Dimensional Man. The results indicated that DLE educational policy has broadened to include knowledge that extends beyond the teaching of purely mechanistic skills. However, a variety of factors were identified that impede their implementation. Additionally, it is argued that students’ mechanistic digital skills have been declining since the introduction of touch screen technologies into primary and secondary schools. Findings also indicated that educators main DLE focus was on preparing students for employment purposes, and the influence private neo-liberal capitalistic enterprises have in determining not only the educational agenda of DLE, but education in general is profound, and has accelerated exponentially since the COVID-19 imposed lockdowns

    Co-development of home energy management solutions in Finnish virtual communities

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    The increased use of renewable energy sources sets requirements for more flexible demand-side solutions with their intermittent production. The electricity network is getting smarter and approaching a level of a smart grid where the consumption can be optimized and kept in balance with the production. Since electricity consumption takes place within residential consumers’ homes as a part of their daily life its optimization is a personal subject that should be studied to be able to understand the best practices. It has also been found that it is common for active users to create their own solutions. All of these aspects together create opportunities for co-development between the consumers and commercial solution providers. The aim of this study was to bring clarity to the contemporary topics of home energy management and co-development via virtual communities. The research objective was set to first describe the processes of developing home energy management solutions in Finnish virtual communities and the solutions developed by consumers. Second part of the objective was to describe the solution providers and discuss ways of co-development between consumers and solution providers. Research questions were set accordingly to the research objective. First question was divided into two and it asked how the solutions are developed and what kinds of solutions are developed. The second question was divided into two as well and it asked what kinds of solutions are commercially available already and how the solution providers can participate in solution development in virtual communities. The phases of the research process were literature review, data collection using semi-structured interviews, qualitative data analysis, and synthesis. The findings of the literature review about consumers were that they can have more influence on consumption with smart home solutions and microgeneration. Innovative lead users were considered important in co-development. The concepts of smart grid and demand-side management were also discussed as well as virtual communities and knowledge sharing. A framework was constructed of the interaction of users and solution providers in virtual communities. Semi-structured interviews were chosen as the data collection method to collect interviewees’ experiences in various details. Seven consumers and seven solution providers were interviewed during the process. The chosen data analysis method was thematic analysis which was conducted with the help of computer-aided qualitative data analysis software. The results of the interviews revealed that there were lead users and user innovators who discussed solutions actively in virtual communities. Part of frequent interaction is knowledge sharing and helping out other community members. The virtual communities had tens of thousands of members. The recent growth in member amount seemed to lower the level of professionality and knowledge in the communities. Users had created mostly software based solutions, but also some hardware and behavioral were found. The most important benefits for users were monetary and information benefits. Among interviewed solution providers the most common business model was to provide home energy management systems as a service. With a subscription the customers get price-based consumption optimization. The providers were using virtual community platforms to some extent. Ideas for improvement include smaller pilot groups and discussion involving consumers. This study contributed to research fields of home energy management, user innovation, and virtual communities. Future research could include quantitative data from social media analysis.Uusiutuvien energianlähteiden lisääntynyt käyttö asettaa vaatimuksia joustavammille kuluttajapuolen ratkaisuille niiden jaksottaisesta tuotannosta johtuen. Sähköverkko kehittyy älykkäämmäksi ja lähestyy älykkään verkon tasoa, jossa kulutusta voidaan optimoida ja pitää tasapainossa tuotannon kanssa. Sähkön kulutus tapahtuu kotitalouskuluttajien kodeissa osana heidän jokapäiväistä elämäänsä, joten sen optimointi on henkilökohtainenkin asia, jota tulee tutkia sen parhaiden toimintatapojen ymmärtämiseksi. Lisäksi tutkimuksista on selvinnyt, että aktiiviset käyttäjät luovat omia ratkaisujaan melko yleisesti. Kaikki nämä näkökohdat yhdessä luovat mahdollisuuksia yhteiskehittämiselle kuluttajien ja kaupallisten ratkaisujen toimittajien välillä. Tämän tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli selventää kodin energianhallinnan ja virtuaaliyhteisöjen välityksellä tapahtuvan yhteiskehittämisen ajankohtaisia aiheita. Tutkimuksen tavoitteeksi asetettiin ensinnäkin suomalaisissa virtuaaliyhteisöissä tapahtuvan energianhallintaratkaisujen kehitysprosessien sekä kuluttajien kehittämien ratkaisujen kuvailu. Toisena osana tavoitetta oli kuvailla ratkaisuntarjoajia ja pohtia yhteiskehittämisen tapoja kuluttajien ja ratkaisuntarjoajien välillä. Tutkimuskysymykset asetettiin tutkimuksen tavoitteen mukaisesti. Ensimmäinen kysymys jaettiin kahteen osaan, joissa kysyttiin, kuinka ratkaisuja kehitetään, sekä millaisia ratkaisuja kehitetään. Toinen kysymys jaettiin niin ikään kahteen osaan, joissa kysyttiin, millaisia ratkaisuja on kaupallisesti tarjolla, sekä miten ratkaisuntarjoajat voivat osallistua ratkaisujen kehitykseen virtuaalisissa yhteisöissä. Tutkimusprosessin vaiheita olivat kirjallisuuskatsaus, tiedonkeruu teemahaastatteluilla, laadullinen data-analyysi, ja synteesi. Kirjallisuuskatsauksen löydökset kuluttajiin liittyen olivat, että heillä on paremmat mahdollisuudet vaikuttaa kulutukseen älykotiratkaisuilla sekä mikrotuotannolla. Kiinnostuneilla ja innovatiivisilla käyttäjillä on merkittävää arvoa yhteiskehittämisessä. Älykkään sähköverkon ja kysynnän hallinnan konseptit käsiteltiin katsauksessa virtuaalisten yhteisöjen ja tietämyksen jakamisen lisäksi. Tutkimuksessa koottiin myös viitekehys käyttäjien ja ratkaisuntarjoajien vuorovaikutuksesta virtuaalisissa yhteisöissä. Teemahaastattelut valittiin tiedonkeruumenetelmäksi, jotta haastateltavien kokemukset saatiin kerättyä monipuolisin yksityiskohdin. Prosessin aikana haastateltiin seitsemää kuluttajaa ja seitsemää ratkaisuntarjoajaa. Data-analyysi menetelmäksi valittiin aihekohtainen analyysi, joka toteutettiin tietokoneavusteisen laadullisen data-analyysin ohjelmiston avulla. Haastattelujen tulokset paljastivat, että lead user -tyyppiset käyttäjät ja innovaattorit keskustelivat ratkaisuista aktiivisesti virtuaalisissa yhteisöissä. Osana jatkuvaa vuorovaikutusta on tiedon jakaminen ja muiden yhteisön jäsenten auttaminen. Virtuaalisissa yhteisöissä oli kymmeniä tuhansia jäseniä. Viimeaikainen kasvu jäsenten määrässä vaikutti vähentävän ammattimaisuutta ja laskevan tietämyksen tasoa. Käyttäjät loivat enimmäkseen ohjelmistopohjaisia ratkaisuja, mutta myös joitakin laitteistoon ja käyttäytymiseen perustuvia ratkaisuja löydettiin. Tärkeimmät hyödyt käyttäjille olivat rahalliset ja tietohyödyt. Haastateltujen ratkaisuntarjoajien joukossa yleisin liiketoimintamalli oli tarjota kodin energianhallintajärjestelmää palveluna. Tilaamalla palvelun asiakkaat saavat hintaan perustuvan kulutuksen optimointipalvelun. Palveluntarjoajat käyttivät virtuaalisten yhteisöjen alustoja jossain määrin. Kehitysehdotuksiin sisältyy pienten testiryhmien käyttö ja asiakkaiden osallistaminen. Tämä tutkimus edesauttoi tutkimusta kodin energianhallinasta, käyttäjäinnovaatiosta, ja virtuaalisista yhteisöistä. Tuleva tutkimus voisi sisältää sosiaalisen median kvantitatiivista analyysiä

    The effectiveness of computer-based information systems: definition and measurement

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    Determining and enhancing the effectiveness of computer-based information systems (1/S) in organisations remains a top priority of managers. This study shows that the essential nature and role of 1/S is changing and that classic views of 1/S effectiveness have become increasingly inappropriate. Drawing on the organisational effectiveness literature, it is argued that user perceptions provide a practical alternative and a conceptually sound basis for defining and measuring 1/S effectiveness. A popular measure - User Information Satisfaction - is examined and empirical studies using this measure are critiqued. This reveal limited theoretical grounding or convergence but a growing emphasis on behavioural theory. Based on prior empirical work by the author and expectancy and motivation theory, a model of 1/S behaviours is offered. The model suggests that fit between the needs of the organisation and the capability of 1/S to satisfy these needs is essential to achieving 1/S effectiveness. Several hypotheses are formulated. The development and validation of a particular measurement instrument is traced. The instrument addresses 37 facets of the overall information systems function and respondents complete perceptual scales tapping the relative importance of these facets and how well each is performed. The instrument is used in a field survey of 1025 managers and 1/S staff in eleven large organisations. Attitudes towards 1/S are found to correlate with perceptions of fit between organisational needs and 1/S capabilities. The survey is complemented by management interviews, document analysis and an assessment of the dynamics of the relevant 1/S groups. Cultural and other features associated with perceived 1/S success are found. It is concluded that perceptions of organisational members are central to the meaning of information systems effectiveness, but that the user information satisfaction construct and purely attitudinal measures are inadequate. Based on the notion of fit, a new definition of 1/S effectiveness is proposed. Guidelines for measurement are presented and it is argued that the instrument used in this study is a satisfactory tool. Specific recommendations for management are made and rich opportunities for future research are identified
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