171 research outputs found
Multidisciplinary perspectives on Artificial Intelligence and the law
This open access book presents an interdisciplinary, multi-authored, edited collection of chapters on Artificial Intelligence (‘AI’) and the Law. AI technology has come to play a central role in the modern data economy. Through a combination of increased computing power, the growing availability of data and the advancement of algorithms, AI has now become an umbrella term for some of the most transformational technological breakthroughs of this age. The importance of AI stems from both the opportunities that it offers and the challenges that it entails. While AI applications hold the promise of economic growth and efficiency gains, they also create significant risks and uncertainty. The potential and perils of AI have thus come to dominate modern discussions of technology and ethics – and although AI was initially allowed to largely develop without guidelines or rules, few would deny that the law is set to play a fundamental role in shaping the future of AI. As the debate over AI is far from over, the need for rigorous analysis has never been greater. This book thus brings together contributors from different fields and backgrounds to explore how the law might provide answers to some of the most pressing questions raised by AI. An outcome of the Católica Research Centre for the Future of Law and its interdisciplinary working group on Law and Artificial Intelligence, it includes contributions by leading scholars in the fields of technology, ethics and the law.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Capturing engagement in early science learning: triangulating observational, psychophysiological, and self-report measures
This thesis examined engagement in early science learning in the context of a science centre, particularly how, and to what extent, the process of engagement can be captured and measured in early years children. To achieve it, this thesis explored the potential of using a multimodal approach which captures the three components of engagement (cognitive, behavioural, and emotional) by triangulating simultaneous data from different tools, proposed theoretically by Azevedo (2015). Firstly, an observational study of children naturally interacting in a science centre showed that early-years children gravitate more and for longer to a hands-on exhibit compared to a planned-discovery exhibit. Secondly, a feasibility study showed it was feasible to use and triangulate the following tools in children from 3-7 years in a real-world context: engagement scales for behaviour coding using videorecording, a head-mounted camera, an electrodermal sensor (EDA), and a self-report questionnaire. Thirdly, the main triangulation study involved 28 children interacting with a sand exhibit at a Science Centre.
Findings showed a relationship between children's cognitive-behavioural observations and their emotional arousal (EDA markers), but not with their self-report measures. Specifically, results showed that children's emotional arousal peaks were more likely to increase if they were doing cognitive-demanding behaviours such as strategic decision-making or looking away from the exhibit whilst searching for their parents. There was an increase in this effect the longer its duration lasted, but no effect was found for specific timepoints when a behaviour happened.. Children also engaged more when using new or previously used strategic behaviours rather than when adapting or immediately repeating them, as well as when persevering on a goal until fulfilled. A final study evaluated expert science practitioners' perception of engagement when they judged engagement as an outcome compared with as a process. A slider tool was developed to capture practitioners’ continuous perception of the process of engagement while they watched a video of the interaction, as well as their overall perception of engagement by giving a single value. Their agreement amongst the three different videos used was also examined, and how much they aligned with results from the previous triangulation study. Results showed no differences comparing between dynamic and discrete single scoring, however, the continuous dynamic score showed more nuances behind practitioner’s rating of engagement throughout the interaction. These dynamic ratings also showed more agreement between the practitioners, and although practitioners’ perceptions aligned to identify the video classified as the highest level of engagement, when levels were lower, evaluation of the level of engagement was challenging and practitioners did not agree on the intensity of the perceived engagement.
Overall, this body of research highlights how multiple sources of data can provide a richer picture of what could be understood as engagement, particularly when engagement is conceptualised as a continuous process, which may inform improvements in both facilitation and exhibit design through deeper understanding of engagement processes and tailoring them specifically to different age groups. However, the findings also highlight some of limitations some of the different tools used here have for specific situations. This research presents a theoretical advancement by conceptually examining engagement as a process as well as an outcome along with contributing a thorough examination of early years' informal science learning engagement and relevant tools to capture it. This is an area which has been greatly understudied compared to other age groups and contexts. This research can improve informal learning experiences in key developmental stages, particularly for populations with limited access to informal learning contexts
A review of commercialisation mechanisms for carbon dioxide removal
The deployment of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) needs to be scaled up to achieve net zero emission pledges. In this paper we survey the policy mechanisms currently in place globally to incentivise CDR, together with an estimate of what different mechanisms are paying per tonne of CDR, and how those costs are currently distributed. Incentive structures are grouped into three structures, market-based, public procurement, and fiscal mechanisms. We find the majority of mechanisms currently in operation are underresourced and pay too little to enable a portfolio of CDR that could support achievement of net zero. The majority of mechanisms are concentrated in market-based and fiscal structures, specifically carbon markets and subsidies. While not primarily motivated by CDR, mechanisms tend to support established afforestation and soil carbon sequestration methods. Mechanisms for geological CDR remain largely underdeveloped relative to the requirements of modelled net zero scenarios. Commercialisation pathways for CDR require suitable policies and markets throughout the projects development cycle. Discussion and investment in CDR has tended to focus on technology development. Our findings suggest that an equal or greater emphasis on policy innovation may be required if future requirements for CDR are to be met. This study can further support research and policy on the identification of incentive gaps and realistic potential for CDR globally
Recommended from our members
Examining university student satisfaction and barriers to taking online remote exams
Recent years have seen a surge in the popularity of online exams at universities, due to the greater convenience and flexibility they offer both students and institutions. Driven by the dearth of empirical data on distance learning students' satisfaction levels and the difficulties they face when taking online exams, a survey with 562 students at The Open University (UK) was conducted to gain insights into their experiences with this type of exam. Satisfaction was reported with the environment and exams, while work commitments and technical difficulties presented the greatest barriers. Gender, race and disability were also associated with different levels of satisfaction and barriers. This study adds to the increasing number of studies into online exams, demonstrating how this type of exam can still have a substantial effect on students experienced in online learning systems and
technologies
Biotechnology to Combat COVID-19
This book provides an inclusive and comprehensive discussion of the transmission, science, biology, genome sequencing, diagnostics, and therapeutics of COVID-19. It also discusses public and government health measures and the roles of media as well as the impact of society on the ongoing efforts to combat the global pandemic. It addresses almost every topic that has been studied so far in the research on SARS-CoV-2 to gain insights into the fundamentals of the disease and mitigation strategies. This volume is a useful resource for virologists, epidemiologists, biologists, medical professionals, public health and government professionals, and all global citizens who have endured and battled against the pandemic
Assuming Data Integrity and Empirical Evidence to The Contrary
Background: Not all respondents to surveys apply their minds or understand
the posed questions, and as such provide answers which lack coherence, and
this threatens the integrity of the research. Casual inspection and limited
research of the 10-item Big Five Inventory (BFI-10), included in the dataset of
the World Values Survey (WVS), suggested that random responses may be
common.
Objective: To specify the percentage of cases in the BRI-10 which include
incoherent or contradictory responses and to test the extent to which the
removal of these cases will improve the quality of the dataset.
Method: The WVS data on the BFI-10, measuring the Big Five Personality (B5P), in South Africa (N=3 531), was used. Incoherent or contradictory responses were removed. Then the cases from the cleaned-up dataset were analysed for their theoretical validity.
Results: Only 1 612 (45.7%) cases were identified as not including incoherent
or contradictory responses. The cleaned-up data did not mirror the B5P- structure, as was envisaged. The test for common method bias was negative. Conclusion: In most cases the responses were incoherent. Cleaning up the data did not improve the psychometric properties of the BFI-10. This raises concerns about the quality of the WVS data, the BFI-10, and the universality of B5P-theory. Given these results, it would be unwise to use the BFI-10 in South Africa. Researchers are alerted to do a proper assessment of the
psychometric properties of instruments before they use it, particularly in a
cross-cultural setting
- …