HEA/JISC Open Educational Resources case study: pedagogical development from OER practice: research ethics OER: can they be 'radically repurposed and remixed'?

This case study provides guidance on discovering, reusing and repurposing of Open Educational Resources (OER). It is presented within the context of research ethics OER for higher education learning and teaching and, together with the OER guidance, provides examples of OER found for this subject area

Discovering Data Quality Problems

Existing methodologies for identifying dataquality problems are typically user-centric, where dataquality requirements are first determined in a top-downmanner following well-established design guidelines, orga-nizational structures and data governance frameworks. In thecurrent data landscape, however, users are often confrontedwith new, unexplored datasets that they may not have anyownership of, but that are perceived to have relevance andpotential to create value for them. Such repurposed datasetscan be found in government open data portals, data marketsand several publicly available data repositories. In suchscenarios, applying top-down data quality checkingapproaches is not feasible, as the consumers of the data haveno control over its creation and governance. Hence, dataconsumers – data scientists and analysts – need to beempowered with data exploration capabilities that allowthem to investigate and understand the quality of suchdatasets to facilitate well-informed decisions on their use.This research aims to develop such an approach fordiscovering data quality problems using generic exploratorymethods that can be effectively applied in settings where datacreation and use is separated. The approach, named LANG,is developed through a Design Science approach on the basisof semiotics theory and data quality dimensions. LANG isempirically validated in terms of soundness of the approach,its repeatability and generalizability

Evaluating the Quality of Repurposed Data – The Role of Metadata

Existing approaches for evaluating data quality were established for settings where user requirements regarding data use can be explicitly gathered. However, users are often faced with new, unfamiliar, and repurposed datasets, where they have not been involved in the data collection and data creation processes. Furthermore, there is evidence that there is typically a lack of supporting information, such as metadata, for such datasets. Yet, users need to evaluate the quality of such data and determine if the data can be used for intended purposes. In this paper, we aim to gain an empirical understanding of the role of metadata in evaluating the quality of repurposed data. Using an interview approach, we collected rich qualitative data that reveals current practices, key challenges, preferences, and approaches for improvement regarding evaluating the quality of repurposed data

Slashdot, open news and informated media: exploring the intersection of imagined futures and web publishing technology

"In this essay, my interest is in how imagined media futures are implicated in the work of producing novel web publishing technology. I explore the issue through an account of the emergence of Slashdot, the tech news and discussion site that by 1999 had implemented a number of recommendation features now associated with social media and web 2.0 platforms. Specifically, I aim to understand the connection between the development of Slashdot’s influential content-management system (CMS) - an elaborate publishing infrastructure called “Slash” that allowed editors to choose reader submissions for publication and automatically distributed the work of moderating the comments sections among trusted users - and two distinct visions of a web-enabled transformation of media production.

Development and Marketing of a Repurposed Textile Product for Homeless Individuals in Northwest Arkansas

Growing concerns over waste disposal methods have led to a greater focus on recycling efforts in the textile industry. Second only to the oil industry, the textile industry continues to be one of the most wasteful among leading businesses around the world and determining ways to repurpose fashion materials could be a reasonable solution to this growing problem (Dobilaite, V., Mileriene, G., Juciene, M., & Sacevičienė, 2017). In addition to alleviating disposal issues, repurposed materials could serve the humanitarian needs of local communities, and even more importantly, could specifically benefit homeless populations. The purpose of this project was to design, execute, analyze, critique and report on the development of a sleeping bag prototype using repurposed materials created to benefit homeless populations in Northwest Arkansas. The product logo for the sleeping bag, identified by the name, “HIP”, was established to represent the slogan, “Homelessness Is Personal.” Using the design methodology established, the HIP prototype could be distributed to individuals living in homeless communities in Northwest Arkansas. By using repurposed materials for the end product, waste reduction of textile products may result. Further, engagement of the community could be accomplished by using the design methodology to establish work groups for production of the sleeping bags. Ultimately, this design methodology was designed so that distribution to other communities outside of the Northwest Arkansas region could be a foreseeable future goal of the committee. Materials collected from Goodwill in Fayetteville, Arkansas were used in creating the prototype and production was completed at the University of Arkansas Apparel Merchandising and Product Development (AMPD) design and development labs. Projections indicate that the design, development, and marketing efforts surrounding the HIP prototype are potentially conducive to the creation of a lasting and sustainable project, which might continue to creatively engage students for many years to come

A systematic review on Drug Re-profiling/Re-Purposing

Hardcore capability of drug repurposing has allowed rising population of diversified diseased patients to approach various medications with known safety profiles. In an ongoing scenario considering current pharmaceutical market, we have numerous drugs that are approved and repurposed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Developing and bringing a novel drug molecule from the laboratory to a market requires a lot of investment in terms of money, efforts, and time. On the other hand, repurposing a drug holds the capability of bringing out best cures with harmless, ease availability and inexpensive quality. Sildenafil, Chloroquine, Metformin are some examples of repurposed drug used in multiple disease models. Despite numerous challenges, drug repurposing stood to be a core component to any comprehensive drug re-discovering strategies which has been planned to bring benefit to the patients suffering from a wide variety of dreadful ailments. In this review, we have discussed the various repurposed drugs in numerous types of cancer, deadly novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) and some orphan diseases. This paper holds various examples of drugs which are still under clinical trial and have high chances of being approved as repurposed drugs benefitting humankind

LIGHT IN COMMUNITY: a study in the adaptive reuse of sacred space

ABSTRACT MOTIVATION American life is increasingly fragmented, leading to a sense of restlessness and disconnection. Much of that fragmentation can be traced to our pattern of architectural and sociological development, namely, the rise of the automobile suburbs in the 1950s and 60s and the abandonment of densely populated, human- scaled environments like that of the small town or city center (Oldenberg, 1999). PROBLEM Large numbers of architecturally significant buildings have fallen into disrepair over the years following the “white flight” of the 1960s and 70s, during which significant segments of investment dollars left city centers and followed to the suburbs (Kunstler, 1994). Specifically, older church buildings have fallen victim to a dilemma of sociological change. Many of the congregations that inhabit historic church buildings do not have the vitality, vision, and sometimes funds to maintain their buildings. While there are many newer congregations that do have the vision and vitality to maintain an older building, they often do not have the funds to do so. As a result, an increasing number of community treasures, buildings built at a dense urban and human scale, are being lost to neglect and misuse. METHODS In order to gain a clearer and more specific understanding of the issues involved in revitalizing and maintaining historic sacred spaces for the benefit of their communities, a course of study was undertaken which included readings of books and articles on urban revitalization such as “The Past and Future City” by Stephanie Meeks, those on third place like Ray Oldenberg’s classic, “The Great Good Place”, and some on the integration of the arts in community centers and shared space. Case studies of successful adaptive reuse projects of church and synagogue buildings, such as Maison de la Littérature in Quebec City and those undertaken by Partners for Sacred Places in Philadelphia, were investigated. Interviews were conducted with leaders from both older and newer urban congregations, and with directors of local community centers and for-profit businesses. RESULTS According to studies completed by The National Trust, historic buildings help a city to maintain its urban vitality, and maintaining stock of old buildings must be an important component of any serious conversation about sustainability in the built environment (Meeks, 2016). At the same time, many historic and architecturally significant buildings which were constructed at a time when church attendance was a larger part of the American cultural experience are falling into disrepair because the congregations that inhabit them are often unable to generate the energy, vitality, and funding that is necessary to maintain them. REFLECTIONS/CONCLUSIONS This project will explore the development of a community center for education and the performing arts in an historic church building. The program will include a small cafe, rentable studio space, a library/ reading room, a performance venue, and event space. Research will support development of a third place model, successful adaptive reuse of sacred space, and will explore options for cost-effective renovation of an historic space