Yavaa: supporting data workflows from discovery to visualization

Recent years have witness an increasing number of data silos being opened up both within organizations and to the general public: Scientists publish their raw data as supplements to articles or even standalone artifacts to enable others to verify and extend their work. Governments pass laws to open up formerly protected data treasures to improve accountability and transparency as well as to enable new business ideas based on this public good. Even companies share structured information about their products and services to advertise their use and thus increase revenue. Exploiting this wealth of information holds many challenges for users, though. Oftentimes data is provided as tables whose sheer endless rows of daunting numbers are barely accessible. InfoVis can mitigate this gap. However, offered visualization options are generally very limited and next to no support is given in applying any of them. The same holds true for data wrangling. Only very few options to adjust the data to the current needs and barely any protection are in place to prevent even the most obvious mistakes. When it comes to data from multiple providers, the situation gets even bleaker. Only recently tools emerged to search for datasets across institutional borders reasonably. Easy-to-use ways to combine these datasets are still missing, though. Finally, results generally lack proper documentation of their provenance. So even the most compelling visualizations can be called into question when their coming about remains unclear. The foundations for a vivid exchange and exploitation of open data are set, but the barrier of entry remains relatively high, especially for non-expert users. This thesis aims to lower that barrier by providing tools and assistance, reducing the amount of prior experience and skills required. It covers the whole workflow ranging from identifying proper datasets, over possible transformations, up until the export of the result in the form of suitable visualizations

NASA Tech Briefs, December 1991

Topics include: Electronic Components and Circuits. Electronic Systems, Physical Sciences, Materials, Computer Programs, Mechanics, Machinery, Fabrication Technology, Mathematics and Information Sciences

Broadening the Scope of Security Usability from the Individual to the Organizational : Participation and Interaction for Effective, Efficient, and Agile Authorization

Restrictions and permissions in information systems -- Authorization -- can cause problems for those interacting with the systems. Often, the problems materialize as an interference with the primary tasks, for example, when restrictions prevent the efficient completing of work and cause frustration. Conversely, the effectiveness can also be impacted when staff is forced to circumvent the measure to complete work -- typically sharing passwords among each other. This is the perspective of functional staff and the organization. There are further perspectives involved in the administration and development of the authorization measure. For instance, functional staff need to interact with policy makers who decide on the granting of additional permissions, and policy makers, in turn, interact with policy authors who actually implement changes. This thesis analyzes the diverse contexts in which authorization occurs, and systematically examines the problems that surround the different perspectives on authorization in organizational settings. Based on prior research and original research in secure agile development, eight principles to address the authorization problems are identified and explored through practical artifacts

Socio-psychological components in the identity construction process of adult learners of English at EOI: between motivation and anxiety. Drama as a tool to help overcome anxiety and enhance motivation

Tesis doctoral inédita leída en la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Facultad de Filosofía y Letras, Departamento de Lingüística General, Lenguas Modernas, Lógica y Filosofía de la Ciencia, Teoría de la Literatura y Literatura Comparada. Fecha de lectura: 28-6-2017El objetivo principal de esta tesis doctoral ha sido investigar los conceptos de Motivación y Ansiedad en Lenguas Extranjeras (o FLA4) como parte de la construcción de la identidad de alumnos de Escuela Oficial de Idiomas (EOI). En efecto, el proceso de aprendizaje resulta potencialmente perturbador para el ego en edad adulta, por lo que sentimientos y pensamientos negativos pueden interferir en el desarrollo de una imagen positiva de un usuario de L25. Para fomentar la motivación y controlar la FLA se han diseñado y sometido a ensayo empírico unas actividades teatrales. Se ha recabado y analizado tanto datos cuantitativos como cualitativos en una muestra de 94 alumnos adultos de EOI. Los resultados indican que el género y la edad son aspectos significativos de la identidad, ya que son las participantes de sexo femenino y los de edad mayor quienes admitieron más la FLA. La motivación intrínseca resultó predominante, aunque se ha registrado también una motivación extrínseca al alza debido al contexto económico actual español. El esfuerzo por alcanzar un ser ideal6 se ha revelado un potente motor de motivación, pero al mismo tiempo algo que puede generar FLA, cuyos efectos negativos se han comprobado también a nivel de comprensión oral, hecho que no se había investigado anteriormente. Además, se ha descubierto que la auto-eficacia7 es la variable que más repercute en la FLA de una forma aún más poderosa o perjudicial que el propio nivel de conocimientos del alumno. Los alumnos de nivel básico parecen tener menos consciencia de la FLA y no utilizar las mismas estrategias contra sus efectos que los de nivel avanzado. Para este fin, las técnicas teatrales se han demostrado eficaces para aumentar la confianza a través de un proceso de identificación con un rol. De hecho, se ha apreciado una transformación en los alumnos gracias a dichas técnicas. En particular, si se utilizan de manera constante, pueden tener un efecto aún más duradero a largo plazo como terapia contra la FLA. En definitiva, esta tesis contribuye a la investigación en el campo de la FLA con un nuevo constructo, la Ansiedad en la Comprensión Oral, además de profundizar en los conceptos expuestos gracias a datos cualitativos y brindando una propuesta pedagógica basada en técnicas teatrales.The main objective of this doctoral dissertation was to deal with the constructs Motivation and Foreign Language Anxiety (FLA) as part of the identity construction of adult learners at Escuela Oficial de Idiomas (EOI). In fact, the learning process may be experienced as potentially ego-threatening at an adult age, and thus negative feelings and thoughts may interfere in the development of a positive image as L2 users1. In order to enhance motivation and tackle FLA, some drama activities have been designed and empirically tested. Both quantitative and qualitative data were gathered and analysed on a sample of 94 adult EOI learners. Results indicate that gender and age are significant identity-related aspects, with female and older respondents admitting more to FLA. Intrinsic motivation turned out to be overwhelming, even though an increasing extrinsic one was also registered, due to the changing economic situation in Spain. The struggle to attain an ideal self2 has been found as a powerful motivation drive, but also as a generator of FLA, whose detrimental effects were proven also in terms of listening comprehension, an area previously not tested. Moreover, self-efficacy3 was discovered as the best predictor of FLA, even more powerful or detrimental than a learner’s actual proficiency level. Elementary students seemed to be less aware of FLA and not to deploy the same strategies as the advanced students to tackle its effects. To this purpose, drama techniques have proven successful in order to enhance confidence through a process of role identification with an L2 persona. Indeed, a transformation appeared to be brought about thanks to drama. In particular, if used consistently, learning an L2 through drama might have a more consistent effect as a therapy against FLA in the long run. In sum, this thesis contributes a new construct, Listening Anxiety, to FLA research; in addition, it provides more insights into FLA and motivation thanks to qualitative data, as well as a pedagogical proposal based on drama techniques

Reflections on the COVID-19 pandemic

This free to access book was written by an international group of practising, retired, student and university radiographers. This book, published by ISRRT, focuses on radiographer reflections of the COVID-19 pandemic. It explores a range of perspectives about the pandemic, including personal and professional experiences