Supporting the first year student experience through the use of learning technologies

This guide is based on discussion and contributions by the E-learning and the First Year Student Experience (ELFYSE) special interest group (SIG). ELFYSE SIG was supported by Middlesex University and the Higher Education Academy in 2009-10. It has provided a focus for practitioners involved in further and higher education as well as those who are interested in how learning technologies can support the first-year experience and the challenges which face institutions and students. Specifically, these are: transition, retention and progression. This guide will be of interest to both academic and support staff who contribute to the first year experience for students: e-learning managers, learning technologists, widening participation managers, induction leaders, student achievement advisors and those implementing enhancement initiatives for the student experience. Bringing together the areas of e-learning and student transition, retention and progression, this guide draws on both theory and practice to provide recommendations for and guidance to both academic and support staff on using learning technologies to support the first-year student experience. It is designed to help you think about ways of approaching and incorporating the use of learning technologies to support and enhance your students' first-year experience

An exploration of perceptions of learning and e-learning held by students who withdraw and those who persist with UK higher education

This paper discusses the relationships that first-year students have with learning and with technology. Due to the lack of previous work linking e-learning with student retention, differences between ‘withdrawers’ and ‘persisters’ were explored. Data were collected using interviews and questionnaires and analysed using thematic analysis. Evidence of a deficit approach to e-learning appears to manifest itself in both groups and technologies that promote social interaction were primarily reserved for personal use rather than within an institutional context. Recommendations from this research include the need to learn how technologies promoting social interaction are used and incorporate lessons learnt into the design of e-learning experiences

Final report to the Higher Education Academy. managing connections: using e-learning tracking information to improve retention rates in higher education

The Final Report provides an outline of the research design, the findings and the recommendations which arose from the ‘Managing Connections: using e-learning tracking information to improve retention rates in higher education’ project, which was funded by the Higher Education Academy and Middlesex University between 2007 and 2008

IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGES ON HYDROLOGIC BALANCE: A CASE STUDY OF VOCHA PLAIN, KORINTHIA

Σκοπός της εργασίας αυτής αποτελεί η αξιολόγηση υδρολογικών παραμέτρων του κλιματικού μοντέλου σε σχέση με πραγματικά υδρολογικά δεδομένα. Απώτερος στόχος της εργασίας αποτελεί η εκτίμηση των επιπτώσεων των κλιματικών αλλαγών στο υδατικό ισοζύγιο. Για αυτόν το σκοπό, συνδυάστηκε το κλιματικό μοντέλο RegCM3 και η μέθοδος Thornthwaite. Για την εφαρμογή της μεθόδου, επιλέχθηκε η περιοχή που καλύπτει το νοτιοανατολικό τμήμα του Κορινθιακού κόλπου. Η περιοχή χαρακτηρίζεται από έντονη αστικοποίηση, εντατική γεωργία, τουριστική ανάπτυξη, με συνεχώς αυξανόμενες υδατικές ανάγκες. Από την αξιολόγηση των υδρολογικών παραμέτρων του κλιματικού μοντέλου RegCM3 με τα αντίστοιχα πραγματικά δεδομένα διαπιστώνεται η αξιοπιστία του μοντέλου. Από τον συνδυασμό του κλιματικού μοντέλου RegCM3 και της μεθόδου Thornthwaite διαπιστώνεται ότι κατά τις μελλοντικές περιόδους 2028-2040, 2058-2070 και 2088-2100 αναμένεται αύξηση της πραγματικής εξατμισοδιαπνοής, ως αποτέλεσμα της μείωσης της βροχόπτωσης και της αύξησης της θερμοκρασίας.The aim of this study is to evaluate climate model hydrological parameters in comparison to recorded hydrological data and estimate the impacts of climate change on water balance. For this purpose, a combination of climate model precipitation and temperature data and Thornthwaite method was applied for the period 1988-2000 and the future periods 2028-2040, 2058-2070 and 2088 2100. The application of this combination was carried out in a coastal region in Southeastern part of Korinthiakos Gulf (southern Greece). The area is suitable for this target, because it is characterized by urbanization, intensive agriculture and tourism development, with increasing water demands. The evaluation of climate model parameters in comparison to observed data shows that the RegCM3 model is a reliable model. According to the future projections and the Thornthwaite method, the real evapotranspiration is estimated to increase, as a result precipitation decrease and temperature increase

Extreme precipitation related to circulation types for four case studies over the Eastern Mediterranean

International audienceThe analysis of the links between the extreme precipitation and the associated atmospheric conditions through an aloft circulation type approach at the 500-hPa geopotential level, for the time period of 1958?2000, is the main motivation for the present study. Four stations in the eastern Mediterranean (17.5° E to 37.5° E and 30° N to 40° N) were selected as separate case studies. The extreme precipitation conditions were defined by the two most widely used indices: the 90th and 95th percentiles. It was found that two cyclonic types (C ? with its centre over the station and Cwsw ? with its centre at the WSW of the station) were mainly associated with extreme rainfall conditions for all the selected stations. Generally, these circulation types are deepening during days with extreme precipitation in comparison to the general mean field of the type

Cyclones in the Mediterranean region: present and future climate scenarios derived from a general circulation model (HadAM3P)

International audienceIn this paper, an attempt is made to assess and evaluate the skill of the Hadley Center atmospheric General Circulation Model (HadAM3P) in generating successfully the frequency and intensity of severe cyclones (<1000 hPa) in the Mediterranean region. The cyclonic occurrence is studied in three regions of enhanced cyclonic activity: Gulf of Genoa, Southern Italy and Cyprus. It was found that the HadAM3P predicts a future decrease of the frequency of the severe cyclones at the SLP level, but the future cyclones will be more intense (deeper), especially at the 500 hPa level

KINEMATIC ANALYSIS EVOLUTION OF EXTENDED LANDSLIDES: TWO CASE STUDIES FROM WESTERN GREECE

Οι κατολισθήσεις αποτελούν τον πιο συχνό κίνδυνο στην Δυτική Ελλάδα, μαζί με τους σεισμούς και τις πυρκαγιές. Έχουν πραγματοποιηθεί πολλές μελέτες με σκοπό την μελέτη των φαινομένων καθώς επίσης και καταγραφή τους σε χάρτες. Στην παρούσα εργασία αναλύονται δύο από τις πλέον καλά μελετημένες κατολισθήσεις ως προς την εξέλιξή τους. Οι κατολισθήσεις της Παναγοπούλας και της Καρυάς αποτελούν δύο αντιπροσωπευτικές θέσεις μακράς παρακολούθησης μέσω αποκλισιομετρικών μετρήσεων. Ο παράγοντας εναύσματος και στις δύο περιπτώσεις είναι οι έντονες βροχοπτώσεις. Η κύρια τεχνικογεωλογική ενότητα που σχετίζεται με αυτές είναι ο σχηματισμός του φλύσχη. Οι αποκλισιομετρικές μετρήσεις για ένα μεγάλο χρονικό διάστημα αναλύονται και σχεδιάζονται τυπικά διαγράμματα μετακινήσεων. Γίνεται χρήση ενός απλού στατιστικού μοντέλου που περιλαμβάνει κανονικοποίηση των δεδομένων κατά τη διάρκεια συγκεκριμένων φάσεων μετακίνησης με βασικό σκοπό να αναγνωριστούν τα κινηματικά χαρακτηριστικά της μετακίνησης και να εκτιμηθούν οι επικρατούσες ταχύτητες.Two of the most well known historical landslide occurrences are analyzed and their temporal evolution is presented. The sites of Panagopoula and Karya are often referred as the most representative cases of long term ground displacements based on inclinometer monitoring data. Regarding these cases, the heavy rainfalls constitute the main controlling (triggering) factor, while flysch is the critical landslide-prone formation which significantly contributes to landsliding. The inclinometer data through a long time period were analyzed and typical movement diagrams were compiled. A simple statistical model including data normalization through several active stages (phases) of movement is used to identify the common kinematic features as well as to estimate the velocity trend type of movement

Quantifying uncertainties in precipitation: a case study from Greece

The main objective of the present study was the examination and the quantification of the uncertainties in the precipitation time series over the Greek area, for a 42-year time period. The uncertainty index applied to the rainfall data is a combination (total) of the departures of the rainfall season length, of the median data of the accumulated percentages and of the total amounts of rainfall. Results of the study indicated that all the stations are characterized, on an average basis, by medium to high uncertainty. The stations that presented an increasing rainfall uncertainty were the ones located mainly to the continental parts of the study region. From the temporal analysis of the uncertainty index, it was demonstrated that the greatest percentage of the years, for all the stations time-series, was characterized by low to high uncertainty (intermediate categories of the index). Most of the results of the uncertainty index for the Greek region are similar to the corresponding results of various stations all over the European region