Better e-Learning for innovation in education

This book is an output from the ERASMUS+ project number 2015-1-TR01-KA204-021954 under the name 'Better e-Learning for All' (Project acronym: Better-E)This book - "Better e-Learning for Innovation in Education" - intends to provide an overview of the most important issues that relate Education through e-Learning and Pedagogical Innovation.Acknowledgements: The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Community's ERASMUS+ PROGRAMME under grant agreement no. 2015-1-TR01-KA204-021954 “Better e-Learning for All”.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Review of Detection and Monitoring Systems for Buried High Pressure Pipelines:Final Report

The Netherlands has approximately two million kilometers of underground cables and pipelines. One specific type of buried infrastructure is the distribution network of hazardous material such as gas, oil, and chemicals (‘transportleiding gevaarlijke stoffen’). This network comprises 22.000 kilometers of high-pressure transportation pipelines. Because they are located under the ground, these pipelines are subject to excavation damages. Incidents in them Belgian Gellingen (2004) and German Ludwigshafen (2014) show that consequences of pipeline damages are significant. They can cause fatalities to excavation workers and impact the environment too. In addition, only direct costs for recovery of damages are estimated by the pipeline owner association (VELIN) to range already from several hundreds of thousands to even a few millions of euros. This figure does not yet include the indirect costs. Serious incidents will eventually undermine the public’s acceptance for hazardous pipelines, so it goes without saying that pipeline excavation incidents should, therefore, be avoided. Nowadays, third parties seem to be causing most of the damage to underground pipelines (Capstick, 2007; CONCAWE, 2013; EGIG, 2015; J. M. Muggleton & Rustighi, 2013). Reasons for this, often mentioned by industry, are that utility location information (KLIC-melding) is not always available and, when available, it is not always accurate or too difficult to interpret by excavator operators. It is crucial to detect underground infrastructure in a timely fashion to avoid damages. For this purpose, initiatives are needed to help excavator operators to detect pipelines and monitor groundworks taking place close to pipelines. Such initiatives could focus on the identification and the development of technologies for pipeline strike avoidance. The first step in this direction was this study – which in turn is related to the Safety Deals that are prepared by the association of pipeline owners in the Netherlands (VELIN) and the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment. VELIN and I&M requested the University of Twente to systematically review existing technologies for excavation damage avoidance. Such an overview is not available to the Dutch industry to date. The project team therefore identified and described existing systems for global monitoring and detection of utilities. These systems eventually help detect clashes between excavator equipment and high-pressure transportation pipelines

An Educational Intervention in Hispanic Patients to Increase Awareness of Skin Cancer Risks and to Improve Their Sun Protective Behaviors

Abstract Background. Skin cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in the United States. Malignant melanoma is the least common skin cancer type but the deadliest form causing the vast majority of skin cancer deaths. Its incidence has increased dramatically worldwide, being the sixth most commonly diagnosed cancer in the USA in both genders in 2018. Fair-skinned patients have the highest incidence of melanoma and, for this reason, receive more education than other groups. Minority groups are more likely to have melanomas that metastasize and have poorer outcomes than Non-Hispanic Whites. Blacks and Hispanics do not use daily skin cancer protective strategies and are less knowledgeable about skin cancer risks and prevention methods than Non-Hispanic Whites (NHW). A lack of public education efforts tailored toward minorities, socioeconomic status, access to care, and a lack of early diagnosis is thought to contribute to the disparity in survival rates between minorities and NHW. Method: A Quality Improvement Project with a Quasi-Experimental Design was developed to increase Hispanic patients\u27 knowledge about skin cancer risks and protective behaviors. A convenience sample of 30 Hispanic patients aged 20-65 who attended a Dermatology Clinic to receive medical attention for skin conditions different from skin cancer was recruited between June 19th and September 4th, 2020. Local advertisements posted in the waiting and exam rooms and medical assistants\u27 help were very useful in recruiting the participants. The whole implementation of the QIP was online using a telemedicine platform DermConnect Doxy. me, and Qualtrics. After completing a pre-intervention survey, the participants received an educational intervention that encompassed a PowerPoint Presentation and a practical demonstration of how to perform a self-skin examination and to apply the sun protector effectively. Immediately after the implementation of the educational intervention, the patients completed the post-intervention survey. The data was collected, processed, and analyzed using Qualtrics. Results: After the Educational Intervention, there was an overall group knowledge average improvement of 58.3%. Although 63.3% of participants were able to identify the association between tanning salon use and skin cancer, and 70% were capable of recognizing melanoma as a type of skin cancer previous to the intervention, some areas of knowledge deficit were identified. These areas were: the association between blistering sunburn occurrence during childhood and adolescence and the increased melanoma incidence in adulthood, the skin cancer types, the alarming melanoma signs, the typical sites where melanoma appears in Hispanics, and the right frequency to perform the self-skin examination and to visit the dermatologist. Most participants did not recognize the use of sunglasses and sun exposure avoidance between 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM as sun-protective methods in the pre-intervention surveys. Melanomas could also appear from the retinal pigment cells, and sunglasses\u27 use is an appropriate strategy to prevent them in this localization. Conclusions: This cultural-sensitive Educational Intervention effectively raised Hispanic participants\u27 knowledge about skin cancer risks and protective behaviors. Primary prevention through education is decisive to reduce the incidence of the different types of Skin Cancers and specifically melanoma, not only among Hispanics but also in any other ethnic group. It is crucial to start educating Hispanics as earlier as in childhood and adolescence due to the strong association between sunburns occurring during these early years of life and Malignant Melanoma\u27s appearance later in adulthood

Managing Change at Universities

In dem Sammelband werden Reformprojekte vorgestellt, die Teilnehmende eines afrikanisch-asiatischen Qualifizierungsprogramms für Dekane an ihren Heimathochschulen umgesetzt haben. In den Projekten haben sie Veränderungen in verschiedenen Bereichen initiiert. Dazu gehören Verbesserungen in Forschung und Lehre sowie die Einführung einer Qualitätssicherung. Im "DIES International Deans' Course" werden Managementfähigkeiten für Fakultätsmanager:innen im afrikanischen und südostasiatischen Raum vermittelt. Die Autorinnen und Autoren zeigen, dass es auch unter schwierigen Bedingungen möglich ist, erfolgreiche Änderungsprozesse auf den Weg zu bringen. Alle Beiträge des Bandes sind auf Englisch verfasst

Development and validation of a psychological screening tool to assess pre-enlistment psychological factors likely to impact on military well-being and performance in the context of the Sri Lankan military

Military personnel who are directly involved in war face its most harmful consequences. However, research suggests that personality differences and characteristics might mitigate or exacerbate the impact on individual responses to war-related experiences. These characteristics could be either risk or protective factors.The current study aimed to develop and validate a psychological screening tool to assess pre-enlistment personality factors which can contribute to the well-being of military personnel and determine whether this tool can predict variables related to military well-being and performance.Two main studies were conducted to achieve these aims. Firstly, a cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted with 960 junior military officers representing triforces in Sri Lanka for scale development and validation. A tool was developed combining Resilience Scale (RS25), Dispositional Resilience Scale (DRS15), and Mental Toughness Questionnaire (MTQ48). This tool was validated through EFA and CFA processes adopting a split sample cross validation method and resulting a scale with 42 items which was named as the “Resilience Inventory for Military (RIM)”. These 42 items comprised two factors. One consisted of 20 resilience items, the other consisted of 22 mental toughness items. Both subscales in this scale demonstated good validity and reliability levels.Secondly, a longitudinal study was carried out with 92 Cadet trainees to determine whether this scale can predict the turnover intention of the trainees, newcomer adjustment of trainees, training satisfaction,training performance and their general mental health condition. The results demonstrated that those who score high on the RIM scale have a greater adjustment, good level of mental health, are less likely to exibhit turnover intention and more satisfied with the training.The findings can help Sri Lankan military forces identify the most resilient candidates for military service and minimise negative behaviour outcomes among military personnel. Also, this research suggests how mental toughness, hardiness and resilience relate together.This approach might also be of use elsewhere in South Asia

Digitalization of Retail Stores using Bluetooth Low Energy Beacons

This thesis explores the domains of retail stores and the Internet of Things, with a focus on Bluetooth Low Energy beacons. It investigates how one can use the technology to improve physical stores, for the benefit of both the store and the customers. It does this by going through literature and information from academia and the relevant industry. Additionally, an interview with an expert in the retail domain is conducted, and a survey consisting of a series of interviews and questionnaire with what can be considered experts in the IT domain. A prototype app called Stass is developed, the app demonstrates some of the usages of the technology and is also used for evaluating the performance of the beacons.Masteroppgave i informasjonsvitenskapINFO39

Managing Change at Universities

In dem Sammelband werden Reformprojekte vorgestellt, die Teilnehmende eines afrikanisch-asiatischen Qualifizierungsprogramms für Dekane an ihren Heimathochschulen umgesetzt haben. In den Projekten haben sie Veränderungen in verschiedenen Bereichen initiiert. Dazu gehören Verbesserungen in Forschung und Lehre sowie die Einführung einer Qualitätssicherung. Im "DIES International Deans' Course" werden Managementfähigkeiten für Fakultätsmanager:innen im afrikanischen und südostasiatischen Raum vermittelt. Die Autorinnen und Autoren zeigen, dass es auch unter schwierigen Bedingungen möglich ist, erfolgreiche Änderungsprozesse auf den Weg zu bringen. Alle Beiträge des Bandes sind auf Englisch verfasst

Improving the understanding of cosmological horizons through the use of interactive animations

Animations for educational purposes have been studied for more than 40 years. The results of the research have over time defined some general canons shared by the developers [Adams et al., 2008a, R. E. Mayer, 2009]. The aim of this thesis is to investigate the effectiveness of an interactive didactic graphic software developed ad hoc in a contest of introductory cosmology.\\ The Physics topic addressed in this teaching unit is that of cosmological horizons. The choice of this topic stems from two main reasons: our willingness to test the use of interactive educational animations in an advanced Physics context and the fact that there are documented difficulties in learning these concepts [Davis and Lineweaver, 2004]. In the development of the interactive software we have followed general guidelines that have been defined on the basis of cognitive load theory [Sweller et al., 1998]. In addition, we have try to include in the work a new paradigm, the so-called "Perceptual symbol systems" approach [Barsalou, 1999], which has been used in the context of Physics education with good results [Z. Chen and Gladding, 2014]. In the first chapter of this thesis we will make an analysis of the literature on educational animations. After a brief historical overview of the documented use of these media in literature, we will cover the theoretical aspects involved. In our theoretical analysis we distinguish mainly two levels: “understanding”, or the clarity with which information is used, and “learning”, or the mechanisms by which mental models are built in the student. Next we will consider the guidelines for a successful project developing simulation useful for the teaching of Physics: "PhET" from the University of Colorado. In the second chapter we analyse the Physics involved in the so called Horizon problem in cosmology. First we outline the necessary prerequisites; then, starting from these concepts, we will set a discussion on the cosmological horizons and which problems are connected to its understanding. Finally, we will conclude by talking about the perspectives that are opened in the cosmological field starting from this problem. In the third chapter we continue the analysis of the same topic from the teaching perspective. We describe the fundamental steps in learning these concepts and identify the teaching objectives. In the forth chapter we explain in detail the individual choices in the design of a new proposal of interactive simulations useful for the teaching of the cosmological horizons in the light of what emerged in previous chapters. This discussion addresses not only the design of the simulations but also some technical aspects related to data creation and optimization. In the fifth chapter we discuss the development of a protocol of questions which have guided the interview with three respondent for a first test of the effectiveness of our animation in favoring the learning of cosmological horizons. In the sixth chapter we discuss on the outcomes of the interviews in relation to our teaching objectives. The seventh and last chapter is dedicated to final consideration and suggestion for a possible development of the project

Heavy-flavour production at forward rapidity as a function of charged-particle multiplicity with ALICE at the LHC

Heavy-flavour hadrons are hadrons made up of at least a charm or beauty heavy quark. They are produced in the early stages of ultra-relativistic collisions via hard scatterings and are important tools for studying different aspects of Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) in hadronic collisions. Charged-particle multiplicity gives information on the global characteristics of the event and could be used to characterize particle production mechanisms. In hadronic collisions at Large Hadron Collider (LHC) energies, there is a significant contribution of Multiple Parton Interactions (MPI), i.e. several hard partonic interactions occurring in a single collision between nucleons. Therefore, the measurement of heavy-flavour hadrons as a function of charged-particle multiplicity gives insight into the mechanisms influencing their production in hadronic collisions at these energies and is a tool to test the influence of MPIs. Furthermore, charged-particle multiplicity dependence of heavy-flavour hadron production is used to test the ability of QCD theoretical models to reproduce data. In this thesis we investigate the production of heavy flavours via the single muon decay channel at forward rapidity as a function of the charged-particle multiplicity measured at central rapidity in proton-lead (p–Pb) collisions at √ sNN = 8.16 TeV using ALICE (A Large Ion Collider Experiment) at the LHC. ALICE is a dedicated detector optimized to study ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions in which the Quark-Gluon Plasma (QGP - the state of matter which prevailed in the Early Universe shortly after the Big Bang) is created. ALICE also studies proton-proton (pp) and p–Pb collisions. In pp collisions, production cross sections obtained from data provide information used to test pQCD theories while in p–Pb collisions, where the energy density is believed to be too low to produce the QGP, the presence of additional nuclear matter can alter the wavefunction of the nucleus leading to modified observables - the so-called cold nuclear matter (CNM) effects. The study of the multiplicity dependence of heavy-flavour production in p-Pb collisions may give important information regarding initial-state effects in CNM. Both pp and p– Pb collisions provide reference for comparison with heavy-ion (Pb–Pb) collisions. ALICE measures hadrons, leptons, and photons up to very high transverse momentum (pT) ≈100 GeV/c. The detector consists of a central barrel, which covers a rapidity of |y| < 1 and a Muon Spectrometer which covers the forward rapidity, -4 < y < -2.5. In this thesis, the production of heavy flavours via the contribution of their muonic decays to the inclusive pT-differential muon yield at forward (2.03 < ycms < 3.53) and backward (-4.46 < ycms < -2.96) rapidity reconstructed with the Muon Spectrometer and charged-particle multiplicity using the Silicon Pixel Detector located in the central barrel (|y| <1) in p-Pb collisions at √ sNN = 8.16 TeV in the forward and backward rapidity are studied. The aim of the study is to probe the role of MPIs in the production of heavy flavours focusing on the contribution of hard and soft processes as well as to investigate effects of the presence of multiple binary nucleon-nucleon interactions and the initial state effects modified by CNM in particle production