How to make the fourth revolution: Human factors in the adoption of electronic instructional aids

The prospects and problems of getting higher education in the United States (high school and above) to more fully utilize electronic technologies are examined. Sociological, psychological, and political factors are analyzed to determine the feasibility of adopting electronic instructional techniques. Differences in organizations, attitudes, and customs of different kinds of students, teachers, administrators, and publics are crucial factors in innovation

What Role Has Social Media Played in Violence Perpetrated by Incels?

This paper aimed to answer the question, what role has social media played in violence perpetrated by Incels? Incels, or Involuntary celibates, are members of an online subculture who define themselves as unable to find sexual partners. Incels have been responsible for a number of violent attacks and mass killings in recent years. This exploration involved a content analysis of online incel forums such as such as reddit and 4-chan, and of news articles about incel attacks. The content analysis of social media examined incel ideology and online rhetoric of hate and violence; while the analysis of news articles examined attacks by various offenders with ties to the incel movement, and their social media activity. This exploration found three primary conclusions. Firstly, social media was key in forming incels as a hate group because it connected them and provided a community conducive to radicalization. Secondly, social media played a crucial role in fostering violence perpetrated by incels due to positive reinforcement of violent rhetoric, and the idolization of past offenders. Finally, incels pose a growing threat and have connections to other ideologically far right groups such as white supremacists. This research asserts that incel violence should be considered alongside other misogynistic attacks such as rejection killings and sexual violence, and as part of a larger wave of far right violence, altogether representing a present threat worthy of more peace research

Keep Your Fingerprints to Yourself: New York Needs a Biometric Privacy Law

(Excerpt) Imagine walking into a store, picking something up, and just walking out. No longer is this shoplifting, it is legal. In 2016, Amazon introduced their “Just Walk Out” technology in Seattle. “Just Walk Out” uses cameras located throughout the store to monitor shoppers, document what they pick up, and automatically charge that shoppers’ Amazon account when they leave the store. Recently, Amazon started selling “Just Walk Out” technology to other retailers. Since then, retailers have become increasingly interested in collecting and using customers’ “biometric identifiers and information.” Generally, “biometrics” is used to refer to “measurable human biological and behavioral characteristics that can be used for identification, or the automated methods of recognizing an individual based on those characteristics.” With the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in more contactless payment, the commercial use of biometric identifiers and information has grown exponentially. As biometric technology is constantly evolving, so is its definition. Some examples of physical characteristics typically measured are: retina or iris scans, fingerprints, voiceprints, and scans or records of hand or face geometry. Behavioral characteristics can include handwriting samples and signatures, voice recognition, and keyboard stroke and typing habits. Data collected and recorded by measuring an individual’s biological characteristics are known as “biometric identifiers.” Data derived and conclusions drawn from these biometric identifiers are known as “biometric information.

Reviving Reliance

This Article explores the misalignment between the disclosure requirements of the federal securities laws and the private causes of action available to investors to enforce those requirements. Historically, federally mandated disclosures were designed to allow investors to set an appropriate price for publicly traded securities. Today’s disclosures, however, also enable stockholders to participate in corporate governance and act as a check on managerial misbehavior. To enforce these requirements, investors’ chief option is a claim under the general antifraud statute, section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. But courts are deeply suspicious of investors’ attempts to use the Act to hold corporations liable for false statements related to governance. As this Article demonstrates, judicial skepticism can be traced to the functional elimination of the element of reliance from private investors’ claims. Without the element of reliance, courts cannot discriminate between deception, which section 10(b) prohibits, and poor managerial decisionmaking, to which section 10(b) does not speak. Doctrines that courts developed to distinguish between the two now have the perverse effect of devaluing disclosures intended to facilitate shareholder participation in corporate governance. More troublingly, they enforce a normative viewpoint that shareholders do not, or should not, have interests beyond the short-term maximization of a firm’s stock price. This interpretation of shareholder preferences undermines modern regulatory initiatives that employ shareholders as a restraining force on antisocial corporate conduct. This Article proposes that courts adopt new interpretations of section 10(b) that reestablish the centrality of reliance. By doing so, courts can facilitate shareholders’ participation in the corporate governance structure and reward investors who inhabit the role of corporate monitor

Perceptions of E-Learning Utility-Towards a Canadian Forces Strategy

Supervisor: Tom JonesThis qualitative research examines the perceptions of e-learning stakeholders within the Canadian Department of Defence and makes strategy recommendations that may support e-learning adoption. A review of the literature describes the diffusion of educational technology as a slow and evolutionary process that may take twenty-five years or more to be realized in educational settings. Adoption is more successful if the technologies are easily integrated, not too complex and offer obvious advantage over existing practices. A review of distance education systems suggests a return to the basics. Large distance education systems thrive using print as the media of choice to support learning. Leading theories of distance education inform the reader of the essential requirements to support learning at a distance including the requirement for interaction and communication. The Canadian Forces (CF) are aligned with the Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) and the Shareable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM). As one of only two ADL colabs located outside the United States, learning objects, contrary perspectives to the learning object paradigm, and notions about the SCORM standard are explored. Moreover, many complex notions embedded in the learning object concept have led some to ask where is the learning in learning objects and complex standards. Two related themes that have recently gained momentum are the convergence of knowledge management with e-learning and the rapid development of e-learning. These notions seem to support a shift from course-based learning to just-in-time and informal learning constructs. Elements of a strategic plan including the requirement for vision and leadership are examined as critical components to adoption. There is no shortage of educational technology. However, vision, leadership, and pedagogical practices have not kept pace with technological development. Hence, strategy and vision must be able to withstand the constant barrage and challenge of implementing new technologies. The Chapter Four, “findings,” provides a rich description of the challenges of implementing advanced technology applications, in the words of the candidates who were interviewed. The Chapter Five, “conclusion,” provides strategic recommendations that may be considered for implementation

Investigating Fabrication Methods For Micro Single-Chamber Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

A Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) is a green energy technology that offers a cleaner and efficient alternative to fossil fuels. The efficiency and utility of SOFCs can be enhanced by fabricating miniaturized component structures within the fuel cell footprint. This research focuses on the microfabrication of parallel-connected inter-digitized design of micro single chamber SOFC (μ-SC-SOFCs). In this dissertation, candidate micro/nano fabrication techniques to precisely fabricate micro patterns on planar substrates have been studied. These include EBL, soft lithography, photolithography, and direct-writing. After analyzing preliminary results, two combinational approaches were further investigated. The first method involves the combination of the photolithography and pulse laser deposition (PLD) process. The second method combines direct-writing technique with photolithography. The combination of direct-writing and photolithography is a novel method for fabricating micro SC-SOFC with multilayer electrolyte/electrode structures that will increase SOFC efficiency. To understand and optimize the direct-write process, the cathode electrode slurry was investigated. In the initial research the effects of dispersant on LSCF slurry rheology was studied. Further, the effects of solid loading and binder concentrations on the cathode electrode dimensions, microstructure and resistance were evaluated. Finally, process parameters for direct-writing technology (extrusion pressure, nozzle speed, stand-off distance) were studied