Adult numeracy: a review of research

This report provides an overview of existing research on adult numeracy, with a strong focus on the United Kingdom but also including other countries. The emphasis is on poor numeracy: its antecedents and effects, teaching and learning to overcome it, and the potential use of ICT and mobile technologies in that pursuit

Patent Scope and Innovation in the Software Industry

Software patents have received a great deal of attention in the academic literature. Unfortunately, most of that attention has been devoted to the problem of whether software is or should be patentable subject matter. With roughly eighty thousand software patents already issued, and the Federal Circuit endorsing patentability without qualification, those questions are for the history books. The more pressing questions now concern the scope to be accorded software patents. In this Article, we examine the implications of some traditional patent law doctrines for innovation in the software industry. We argue that patent law needs some refinement if it is to promote rather than impede the growth of this new market, which is characterized by rapid sequential innovation, reuse and re-combination of components, and strong network effects that privilege interoperable components and products

Effect of Hydrocolloids and Emulsifiers on Baking Quality of Composite Cassava-Maize-Wheat Breads

Cassava is widely available worldwide but bread quality is impaired when cassava is used in the bread formulation. To overcome this problem, different improvers were tested in the preparation of composite cassava-maize-wheat (CMW) breads. Emulsifiers, diacetyl tartic acid ester of monoglycerides (DATEM), sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate (SSL), and lecithin (LC); and hydrocolloids, carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and high-methylated pectin (HM pectin) were added during dough preparation of the composite flours (cassava-maize-wheat, 40 : 10 : 50). Each emulsifier was tested in combination with the hydrocolloids at levels of 0.1, 0.3, and 0.5% while hydrocolloids were used at a level of 3%. Bread quality attributes such as specific loaf volume, crust colour, crumb moisture, and firmness were measured. The specific volume of the fresh breads significantly improved with the addition of hydrocolloids (7.5 and 13%) and in combination with emulsifiers (from 7.9 to 27%) compared with bread produced without improvers. A significant improvement of brownness index and firmness of the composite flours breads was achieved with the addition of hydrocolloids and emulsifiers. The results show that emulsifiers and hydrocolloids can significantly improve the baking quality of CMW breads and thereby enhance the potential for using locally produced flours in bread baking

NorthStar, a support tool for the design and evaluation of quality improvement interventions in healthcare

Background: The Research-Based Education and Quality Improvement (ReBEQI) European partnership aims to establish a framework and provide practical tools for the selection, implementation, and evaluation of quality improvement (QI) interventions. We describe the development and preliminary evaluation of the software tool NorthStar, a major product of the ReBEQI project. Methods: We focused the content of NorthStar on the design and evaluation of QI interventions. A lead individual from the ReBEQI group drafted each section, and at least two other group members reviewed it. The content is based on published literature, as well as material developed by the ReBEQI group. We developed the software in both a Microsoft Windows HTML help system version and a web-based version. In a preliminary evaluation, we surveyed 33 potential users about the acceptability and perceived utility of NorthStar. Results: NorthStar consists of 18 sections covering the design and evaluation of QI interventions. The major focus of the intervention design sections is on how to identify determinants of practice (factors affecting practice patterns), while the major focus of the intervention evaluation sections is on how to design a cluster randomised trial. The two versions of the software can be transferred by email or CD, and are available for download from the internet. The software offers easy navigation and various functions to access the content. Potential users (55% response rate) reported above-moderate levels of confidence in carrying out QI research related tasks if using NorthStar, particularly when developing a protocol for a cluster randomised trial Conclusion: NorthStar is an integrated, accessible, practical, and acceptable tool to assist developers and evaluators of QI interventions

Review of research and evaluation on improving adult literacy and numeracy skills

The purposes of this literature review are threefold. First, this review summarises findings of the research from the last decade in six fields identified by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) as critical to its forward planning: (1) the economic, personal and social returns to learning; (2) the quality and effectiveness of provision; (3) the number of learning hours needed for skills gain; (4) learner persistence; (5) the retention and loss of skills over time; (6) the literacy and numeracy skills that are needed. Second, this review assesses this evidence base in terms of its quality and robustness, identifying gaps and recommending ways in which the evidence base can be extended and improved. Thirdly, this review attempts to interpret the evidence base to suggest, where possible, how returns to ALN learning for individuals, employers and wider society might be increased through effective and cost-effective interventions

The e ects of gender-segregated competition on learning and performance in chess

A statistical analysis of FIDE rated games of high-performance chess players during a 10 year period is made. Players who finish with higher rating are found to have faced higher rating differences - their opponents are higher rated than them - and a positive correlation is found between challenge faced and rating improvement. Despite being a small minority in the population, women are found to play the majority of their games against other women. An agent-based model of chess tournament competition is presented incorporating the concept of desirable difficulties in which players get a long-term benefit from facing challenging opponents. Self-segregating to playing within a group to is found to be detrimental to the improvement of the elite of the group that self-segregates when they are a minority. The smaller the minority, the higher the performance cost found. This effect is found to be linked in the model to the learning that takes place when facing difficult opponents.#Competitividad1 recurso en línea (archivo de texto)Se realizó un análisis estadístico de partidas con rating FIDE de jugadores de ajedrez de alto desempeño durante 10 años. Se encontró que los jugadores que terminaron con mayor rating fueron quienes enfrentaron mayores diferencias de rating en su contra, comparados con sus oponentes, y se encontró una correlación positiva entre reto enfrentado en las partidas y mejoría de rating. A pesar de se una pequeña minoría en la población de jugadores, las mujeres juegan la mayor parte de sus partidas contra otras mujeres. Se presentó un modelo basado en agentes de la competición en torneos de ajedrez incorporando el concepto de dificultades deseables en el que los jugadores obtienen un beneficio a largo plazo al enfrentar oponentes retadores. Se encontró que auto-segregarse a jugar dentro de un grupo es perjudicial para la mejoría de rating de la élite del grupo que se auto-segrega. Se encontró que este efecto es mayor mientras menor sea la participación del grupo minoritario. Se halló que en el modelo este efecto se asocia al aprendizaje que ocurre cuando se enfrentan tareas retadoras