Technology-enhanced Personalised Learning: Untangling the Evidence

Technology-enhanced personalised learning is not yet common in Germany, which is why we have tasked scientists with summarising the current status of international research on the matter. This study demonstrates the great potential of technology in implementing effective personalised learning. Nevertheless, it has not been assessed yet whether the practical implementation actually works: Even in countries such as the U.S., which lead the way in using techology in classroom settings, hardly any evaluation studies have been done to prove the effectiveness of technology-enhanced personalised learning. In the light of the above, the authors make recommendations for actions to be taken in Germany to make best use of the potential of technology in providing individual support and guidance to students

Comprehensive Positive School Discipline Resource Guide

This document provides a guide to assist schools and districts by providing information, resources, and tools to further the development of Positive School Discipline practices

Internet of Things (IoT) for Automated and Smart Applications

Internet of Things (IoT) is a recent technology paradigm that creates a global network of machines and devices that are capable of communicating with each other. Security cameras, sensors, vehicles, buildings, and software are examples of devices that can exchange data between each other. IoT is recognized as one of the most important areas of future technologies and is gaining vast recognition in a wide range of applications and fields related to smart homes and cities, military, education, hospitals, homeland security systems, transportation and autonomous connected cars, agriculture, intelligent shopping systems, and other modern technologies. This book explores the most important IoT automated and smart applications to help the reader understand the principle of using IoT in such applications

Diet, physical activity and behavioural interventions for the treatment of overweight or obese adolescents aged 12 to 17 years

Adolescent overweight and obesity has increased globally, and can be associated with short- and long-term health consequences. Modifying known dietary and behavioural risk factors through behaviour changing interventions (BCI) may help to reduce childhood overweight and obesity. This is an update of a review published in 2009. To assess the effects of diet, physical activity and behavioural interventions for the treatment of overweight or obese adolescents aged 12 to 17 years. We performed a systematic literature search in: CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, LILACS, and the trial registers ClinicalTrials.gov and ICTRP Search Portal. We checked references of identified studies and systematic reviews. There were no language restrictions. The date of the last search was July 2016 for all databases. We selected randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of diet, physical activity and behavioural interventions for treating overweight or obesity in adolescents aged 12 to 17 years. Two review authors independently assessed risk of bias, evaluated the overall quality of the evidence using the GRADE instrument and extracted data following the guidelines of the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. We contacted trial authors for additional information. We included 44 completed RCTs (4781 participants) and 50 ongoing studies. The number of participants in each trial varied (10 to 521) as did the length of follow-up (6 to 24 months). Participants ages ranged from 12 to 17.5 years in all trials that reported mean age at baseline. Most of the trials used a multidisciplinary intervention with a combination of diet, physical activity and behavioural components. The content and duration of the intervention, its delivery and the comparators varied across trials. The studies contributing most information to outcomes of weight and body mass index (BMI) were from studies at a low risk of bias, but studies with a high risk of bias provided data on adverse events and quality of life.The mean difference (MD) of the change in BMI at the longest follow-up period in favour of BCI was -1.18 kg/m(2) (95% confidence interval (CI) -1.67 to -0.69); 2774 participants; 28 trials; low quality evidence. BCI lowered the change in BMI z score by -0.13 units (95% CI -0.21 to -0.05); 2399 participants; 20 trials; low quality evidence. BCI lowered body weight by -3.67 kg (95% CI -5.21 to -2.13); 1993 participants; 20 trials; moderate quality evidence. The effect on weight measures persisted in trials with 18 to 24 months' follow-up for both BMI (MD -1.49 kg/m(2) (95% CI -2.56 to -0.41); 760 participants; 6 trials and BMI z score MD -0.34 (95% CI -0.66 to -0.02); 602 participants; 5 trials).There were subgroup differences showing larger effects for both BMI and BMI z score in studies comparing interventions with no intervention/wait list control or usual care, compared with those testing concomitant interventions delivered to both the intervention and control group. There were no subgroup differences between interventions with and without parental involvement or by intervention type or setting (health care, community, school) or mode of delivery (individual versus group).The rate of adverse events in intervention and control groups was unclear with only five trials reporting harms, and of these, details were provided in only one (low quality evidence). None of the included studies reported on all-cause mortality, morbidity or socioeconomic effects.BCIs at the longest follow-up moderately improved adolescent's health-related quality of life (standardised mean difference 0.44 ((95% CI 0.09 to 0.79); P = 0.01; 972 participants; 7 trials; 8 comparisons; low quality of evidence) but not self-esteem.Trials were inconsistent in how they measured dietary intake, dietary behaviours, physical activity and behaviour. We found low quality evidence that multidisciplinary interventions involving a combination of diet, physical activity and behavioural components reduce measures of BMI and moderate quality evidence that they reduce weight in overweight or obese adolescents, mainly when compared with no treatment or waiting list controls. Inconsistent results, risk of bias or indirectness of outcome measures used mean that the evidence should be interpreted with caution. We have identified a large number of ongoing trials (50) which we will include in future updates of this review

Aging between Participation and Simulation

This publication aims to initiate an interdisciplinary discourse on the ethical, legal, and social implications of socially assistive technologies in healthcare. It combines practically relevant insights and examples from current research and development with ethical analysis to uncover moral pitfalls at the intersection between the promotion of social participation and well-being, and risks that may diminish the achievement of these ends

Management of cannabis use disorder and related issues. A clinician’s guide.

This guide provides the knowledge essential to help people reduce, cease, or manage their cannabis-use problems. The manual aims to provide facts, figures, and useful techniques to assist clinicians in providing evidence-based treatments for cannabis users wishing to change the patterns of their use. The manual also provides a number of worksheets to use with cannabis clients. The manual is divided into 12 sections: Chapter 1: Background information Chapter 2: Working with cannabis users Chapter 3: Screening for cannabis use Chapter 4: Assessment Chapter 5: Withdrawal management Chapter 6: Brief interventions Chapter 7: Special considerations Chapter 8: Family interventions Chapter 9: Psycho-education and social support Chapter 10: Treating mental health in cannabis users Chapter 11: Screening tools Chapter 12: Worksheet

From Chinese Local State-Owned Enterprise to Global MNE: a Mixed Methods Investigation into pre- and post- Strategic Asset Seeking OFDI in sub-national CMNEs

Over the last several decades, Chinese local state owned enterprises (LSOEs) have become significant forces in Chinese outward foreign direct investment (OFDI). I first show, using a quantitative regression model, how LSOEs have a comparatively stronger strategic asset seeking (SAS) orientation. Operating within a diversified external political economy, and possessing unique status and features following decentralization, LSOEs face particular challenges, to which SAS oriented OFDI has arguably been one response. I then investigate the case of China’s Northern Heavy Industries (NHI) Group from Liaoning Province. The group operates in the Tunnel Boring Machinery (TBM) industry and has become one of the world’s most successful TBM players. It has done so through several large foreign strategic asset related acquisitions (one in France and one in the US). I draw from interviews and hand-collected primary information from the parent firm in China, and the acquired subsidiaries in France, the United States and Germany. I explore in particular pre and post SAS related FDI decision making and integration strategies and behaviours. I identify: (1) Local state ownership as an important factor determining pre-OFDI strategic decision making and post-OFDI integration; (2) The Chinese institutional environment as a potential comparative advantage for LSOEs in negotiating with foreign investment targets or partners; (3) the challenges and responses to post FDI SAS integration for local state-owned Chinese businesses. To date we know relatively little in detail about the ways in which local Chinese MNEs have managed to catch-up with developed market counterparts. This research therefore contributes to our understanding of theories like Mathews’ (2006) ‘LLL’ model, the ‘springboard’ perspective of Luo and Tung (2007), and Chinese OFDI determination theory by Buckley et al. (2007). It also sheds important new light on the institutional perspective, particularly the role of local government in spurring Chinese MNEs (CMNE) OFDI related catch-up

Ensuring Every Student Suceeds with a Supportive School Climate

It’s tough to learn in an environment that doesn’t feel safe and supportive—not just physically safe, but also academically, behaviorally, socially, and emotionally safe! Let’s look at school climate through each of lenses and see how we can make our learning environments engaging and inviting, even for defeated, defiant, and discouraged kids, including those who may have had negative, contentious, and failure-oriented experiences in the past. For all grade levels and subject areas

Design revolutions: IASDR 2019 Conference Proceedings. Volume 1: Change, Voices, Open

In September 2019 Manchester School of Art at Manchester Metropolitan University was honoured to host the bi-annual conference of the International Association of Societies of Design Research (IASDR) under the unifying theme of DESIGN REVOLUTIONS. This was the first time the conference had been held in the UK. Through key research themes across nine conference tracks – Change, Learning, Living, Making, People, Technology, Thinking, Value and Voices – the conference opened up compelling, meaningful and radical dialogue of the role of design in addressing societal and organisational challenges. This Volume 1 includes papers from Change, Voices and Open tracks of the conference

Aging between Participation and Simulation

This publication aims to initiate an interdisciplinary discourse on the ethical, legal, and social implications of socially assistive technologies in healthcare. It combines practically relevant insights and examples from current research and development with ethical analysis to uncover moral pitfalls at the intersection between the promotion of social participation and well-being, and risks that may diminish the achievement of these ends