Vulnerability assessments of pesticide leaching to groundwater

Pesticides may have adverse environmental effects if they are transported to groundwater and surface waters. The vulnerability of water resources to contamination of pesticides must therefore be evaluated. Different stakeholders, with different objectives and requirements, are interested in such vulnerability assessments. Various assessment methods have been developed in the past. For example, the vulnerability of groundwater to pesticide leaching may be evaluated by indices and overlay-based methods, by statistical analyses of monitoring data, or by using process-based models of pesticide fate. No single tool or methodology is likely to be appropriate for all end-users and stakeholders, since their suitability depends on the available data and the specific goals of the assessment. The overall purpose of this thesis was to develop tools, based on different process-based models of pesticide leaching that may be used in groundwater vulnerability assessments. Four different tools have been developed for end-users with varying goals and interests: (i) a tool based on the attenuation factor implemented in a GIS, where vulnerability maps are generated for the islands of Hawaii (U.S.A.), (ii) a simulation tool based on the MACRO model developed to support decision-makers at local authorities to assess potential risks of leaching of pesticides to groundwater following normal usage in drinking water abstraction districts, (iii) linked models of the soil root zone and groundwater to investigate leaching of the pesticide mecoprop to shallow and deep groundwater in fractured till, and (iv) a meta-model of the pesticide fate model MACRO developed for 'worst-case' groundwater vulnerability assessments in southern Sweden. The strengths and weaknesses of the different approaches are discussed

Developing a business improvement strategy based on the EFQM model

The use of the EFQM model and other business excellence models (BEM’s) has been recognised as a way of improving business processes among organisations. The information gathered through self-assessments using these models show the performance of organisations against several model criteria. There is evidence that organisations find it difficult to integrate the information from self-assessments to current business improvement programs or projects. Additionally, it has been claimed that the final reports derived from the deployment of self-assessments are rarely followed up. Thus, despite good efforts and some knowledge gained through the use of BEM’s there is a lack of methods, models, and techniques that effectively integrate the self-assessments with current business improvement strategies. In this context, the effective deployments of BEM’s and follow up activities and plans can contribute to support and develop business improvement strategies. Under this perspective, this paper explores the appropriate methods and techniques than can help to integrate self-assessments outcomes based on the EFQM model into a business improvement strategy. Based on emerging issues derived from an empirical study with twelve European Organisations that have used the EFQM model for more than five years, the paper identifies some of the best practices to integrate self-assessment outcomes with business improvement strategies. It then proposes a framework that can help to accomplish this integration and to mitigate the problems mentioned earlier. The conclusion of this work emphasises the necessity to standardise this process, and to integrate it with current knowledge management projects to store and retrieve the information for future business improvements project

Analysis of the contribution of the Netherlands commercial CPUE data to ICES stock assessments in the years 1995 - 2000

The contribution of the Dutch commercial CPUE data to the stock assessments of North Sea plaice and sole in the years 1995-2000 has been analysed. The CPUE series are based on the total landings at age in the Dutch beam trawl fishery and the total effort (in HP days at sea) of this fishery. It is shown that the contribution of the sole CPUE data to the final XSA assessments is higher that the contribution of the plaice CPUE data. It is discussed what the general role is of commercial CPUE data in the calibration process of a stock assessment model. The reason for the higher contribution of the sole CPUE data is explained. It is further discussed what the potential caveats are for the use of commercial CPUE data and how that applies to e.g. North Sea plaice

Solving multiple-criteria R&D project selection problems with a data-driven evidential reasoning rule

In this paper, a likelihood based evidence acquisition approach is proposed to acquire evidence from experts'assessments as recorded in historical datasets. Then a data-driven evidential reasoning rule based model is introduced to R&D project selection process by combining multiple pieces of evidence with different weights and reliabilities. As a result, the total belief degrees and the overall performance can be generated for ranking and selecting projects. Finally, a case study on the R&D project selection for the National Science Foundation of China is conducted to show the effectiveness of the proposed model. The data-driven evidential reasoning rule based model for project evaluation and selection (1) utilizes experimental data to represent experts' assessments by using belief distributions over the set of final funding outcomes, and through this historic statistics it helps experts and applicants to understand the funding probability to a given assessment grade, (2) implies the mapping relationships between the evaluation grades and the final funding outcomes by using historical data, and (3) provides a way to make fair decisions by taking experts' reliabilities into account. In the data-driven evidential reasoning rule based model, experts play different roles in accordance with their reliabilities which are determined by their previous review track records, and the selection process is made interpretable and fairer. The newly proposed model reduces the time-consuming panel review work for both managers and experts, and significantly improves the efficiency and quality of project selection process. Although the model is demonstrated for project selection in the NSFC, it can be generalized to other funding agencies or industries.Comment: 20 pages, forthcoming in International Journal of Project Management (2019

Navigating the Information Highway: A Multilayered Approach for First-Year Graduate Students

Taylor University’s Zondervan Library developed a multifaceted approach of engagement with graduate students of the Master of Higher Education and Student Development program, utilizing a variety of venues and courses relating to advanced research and writing. Regular assessments provided feedback for improvement within the embedded program structure. A second component of this model involved an archival project, which facilitated student research with primary documents in the university archives. Overall, graduate student understanding and ownership of the research process increased, and teaching faculty noticed improvement in the quality of research-based assignments as well as the program’s thesis project

Investigating The Dynamic Behavior Of Introducing Outcomes Assessments In Information Systems Programs For Accreditation Compliance

The success of information systems programs accreditation process is dependent on a crucial accreditation compliance requirement which is assessing programs’ outcomes and using these assessments to close the loop and introduce key adjustments in the programs to raise outcomes level above an acceptable benchmark level. Furthermore, institutions would be required to maintain these assessments processes throughout the accreditation period and produce interim reports about their implementations. However, outcomes assessments feedback implementation is a complex and dynamic process which can produce unexpected and surprising results. This study investigates the different forms of assessment process and studies its dynamics by developing an academic program model with outcomes assessments feedback. These developments are based on genuine experiences with information systems program assessments and successful accreditation by ABET. The development uses system dynamics approach which can model complex and dynamic socio-technical systems. A system dynamics modeling and simulation are developed which can help academic administrators study the consequences of any assessment policy decisions in an interactive and dynamic way. Simulation runs revealed inherent oscillation of program outcomes over the years. Both the model and the discovered program outcomes oscillation are validated by analyzing actual assessments data collected over five year period. Extenuating this oscillation demands a careful design of the assessments feedback policies as well as course delivery to balance its effects. The simulation results lead to recommending guidelines to achieve effective assessments and raise the program quality. This is a novel approach to study outcomes assessments processes using the rich system dynamics approach

IMPLEMENTASI PEMBELAJARAN PENDIDIKAN AGAMA ISLAM MELALUI MODEL PEMBELAJARAN PROBLEM BASED LEARNING KELAS X DI SMAN 5 MALANG

In educational process, learning model is an important component. One of that can help educators in the PAI learning process is to apply a learning model. One of the learning models applied by PAI teachers at SMAN 5 Malang in order to develop student skills is problem-based learning. Here the researcher chose SMAN 5 Malang as the place for the research action. Researchers used descriptive qualitative research methods. Regarding the results obtained, in the learning planning process the teacher makes a syllabus and lesson plans in the process of making lesson plans, the institution facilitates teachers by holding workshops for preparing lesson plans at the beginning of each semester. The implementation of teacher learning creates a lively class using a problem-based model that makes students excited in learning process and can achieve learning goals. Educators carry out reflection and assessments that are carried out not only at the end of the lesson but also at the mid-semester and end-semester assessments using both written, oral and practical tests

An evaluation of the RAPID assessment-based process improvement method for small firms

[Abstract]: With increasing interest by the software development community in software process improvement (SPI), it is vital that SPI programs are evaluated and the reports of lessons learned disseminated. This paper presents an evaluation of a program in which low-rigour, one-day SPI assessments were offered at no cost to 22 small Australian software development firms. The assessment model was based on ISO/IEC 15504 (SPICE). About twelve months after the assessment, the firms were contacted to arrange a follow-up meeting to determine the extent to which they had implemented the recommendations from the assessment. Comparison of the process capability levels at the time of assessment and the follow-up meetings revealed that the process improvement program was effective in improving the process capability of many of these small software development firms. Analysis of the assessment and follow-up reports explored important issues relating to SPI: elapsed time from assessment to follow-up meeting, the need for mentoring, the readiness of firms for SPI, the role of the owner/manager, the advice provided by the assessors, and the need to record costs and benefits. Based on a meta-analysis of the program and its outcomes, advice and recommendations are provided to small firms and assessors. As well as providing validation of the assessment model and method, the outcomes from this research have the potential to better equip practitioners and consultants to undertake software process improvement, hence increasing the success of small software development firms in domestic and global markets