Towards the Design of a Synchronous Virtual Learning System

The field of education has undoubtedly been affected by the penetrating influence of information and communication technology, characterized by improved access to the internet, and the increasing use of computing devices. However, education in Africa generally and specifically in Nigeria and other developing countries still face a 21st Century challenge in making education available and accessible to all. To this end therefore, this paper presents a conceptual approach, as to how tailor made e-learning services could be realized and integrated with a real time video conference server and any existing learning management system in order to facilitate a synchronous virtual learning environment in making education accessible and available to both remote students (distance learning students) and onsite users in Universities and other related educational institutes. It proposes a functional framework to exemplify educational services such as file sharing to enhance collaboration, a digital resource center for retrieval of both free and paid relevant academic resource. A conference room for real time classroom participation which learning platform should provide in order to enhance both teaching and learning performance of course instructors and their students respectively is also proposed. It provides an operational design which describes how custom made e-learning portal integrated with an Open source Video Conference server could be realized, in facilitating a synchronous virtual learning service. Furthermore, it proposes a Virtual Learning Network architecture to show how both remote and onsite students could optimize quality network access in realizing these electronic learning services

Towards the Design of a Synchronous Virtual Learning System

The field of education has undoubtedly been affected by the penetrating influence of information and communication technology, characterized by improved access to the internet, and the increasing use of computing devices. However, education in Africa generally and specifically in Nigeria and other developing countries still face a 21st Century challenge in making education available and accessible to all. To this end therefore, this paper presents a conceptual approach, as to how tailor made e-learning services could be realized and integrated with a real time video conference server and any existing learning management system in order to facilitate a synchronous virtual learning environment in making education accessible and available to both remote students (distance learning students) and onsite users in Universities and other related educational institutes. It proposes a functional framework to exemplify educational services such as file sharing to enhance collaboration, a digital resource center for retrieval of both free and paid relevant academic resource. A conference room for real time classroom participation which learning platform should provide in order to enhance both teaching and learning performance of course instructors and their students respectively is also proposed. It provides an operational design which describes how custom made e-learning portal integrated with an Open source Video Conference server could be realized, in facilitating a synchronous virtual learning service. Furthermore, it proposes a Virtual Learning Network architecture to show how both remote and onsite students could optimize quality network access in realizing these electronic learning services

Энергоэффективная обучаемая модель динамической ставки для будущей беспроводной сети

In this paper, an energy efficient learning model for spectrum auction based on dynamic spectrum auction process is proposed. The proposed learning model is based on artificial intelligence. This paper examines and establishes the need for the users to learn their bid price based on information about the previous bids of the other users in the system. The paper shows that using Q reinforcement learning to learn about the bids of the users during the auction process helps to reduce the amount of energy consumed per file sent for the learning users. The paper went further to modify the traditional Q reinforcement learning process and combined it with Bayesian learning because of the deficiencies associated with Q reinforcement learning. This helps the exploration process to converge faster thereby, further reducing the energy consumption by the systemВ статье представлена энергоэффективная обучающая модель аукциона частот, основанная на его динамическом процессе. Предложенная модель обучения базируется на искусственном интеллекте. Рассмотрены требования по установлению цены предложения на основе информации о предыдущих ставках других пользователей в системе. Применяя Q-обучение, можно сократить количество потребляемой энергии за файл, отправленный для пользователей обучения. Описаны изменения традиционного процесса Q-обучения и объединение его с Байесовским обучением из-за недостатков Q-обучения. Это помогает ускорить процесс поиска, тем самым уменьшая потребление энергии системо

Энергоэффективная обучаемая модель динамической ставки для будущей беспроводной сети

In this paper, an energy efficient learning model for spectrum auction based on dynamic spectrum auction process is proposed. The proposed learning model is based on artificial intelligence. This paper examines and establishes the need for the users to learn their bid price based on information about the previous bids of the other users in the system. The paper shows that using Q reinforcement learning to learn about the bids of the users during the auction process helps to reduce the amount of energy consumed per file sent for the learning users. The paper went further to modify the traditional Q reinforcement learning process and combined it with Bayesian learning because of the deficiencies associated with Q reinforcement learning. This helps the exploration process to converge faster thereby, further reducing the energy consumption by the systemВ статье представлена энергоэффективная обучающая модель аукциона частот, основанная на его динамическом процессе. Предложенная модель обучения базируется на искусственном интеллекте. Рассмотрены требования по установлению цены предложения на основе информации о предыдущих ставках других пользователей в системе. Применяя Q-обучение, можно сократить количество потребляемой энергии за файл, отправленный для пользователей обучения. Описаны изменения традиционного процесса Q-обучения и объединение его с Байесовским обучением из-за недостатков Q-обучения. Это помогает ускорить процесс поиска, тем самым уменьшая потребление энергии системо

Adaptation of the Wound Healing Questionnaire universal-reporter outcome measure for use in global surgery trials (TALON-1 study): mixed-methods study and Rasch analysis

BackgroundThe Bluebelle Wound Healing Questionnaire (WHQ) is a universal-reporter outcome measure developed in the UK for remote detection of surgical-site infection after abdominal surgery. This study aimed to explore cross-cultural equivalence, acceptability, and content validity of the WHQ for use across low- and middle-income countries, and to make recommendations for its adaptation.MethodsThis was a mixed-methods study within a trial (SWAT) embedded in an international randomized trial, conducted according to best practice guidelines, and co-produced with community and patient partners (TALON-1). Structured interviews and focus groups were used to gather data regarding cross-cultural, cross-contextual equivalence of the individual items and scale, and conduct a translatability assessment. Translation was completed into five languages in accordance with Mapi recommendations. Next, data from a prospective cohort (SWAT) were interpreted using Rasch analysis to explore scaling and measurement properties of the WHQ. Finally, qualitative and quantitative data were triangulated using a modified, exploratory, instrumental design model.ResultsIn the qualitative phase, 10 structured interviews and six focus groups took place with a total of 47 investigators across six countries. Themes related to comprehension, response mapping, retrieval, and judgement were identified with rich cross-cultural insights. In the quantitative phase, an exploratory Rasch model was fitted to data from 537 patients (369 excluding extremes). Owing to the number of extreme (floor) values, the overall level of power was low. The single WHQ scale satisfied tests of unidimensionality, indicating validity of the ordinal total WHQ score. There was significant overall model misfit of five items (5, 9, 14, 15, 16) and local dependency in 11 item pairs. The person separation index was estimated as 0.48 suggesting weak discrimination between classes, whereas Cronbach's α was high at 0.86. Triangulation of qualitative data with the Rasch analysis supported recommendations for cross-cultural adaptation of the WHQ items 1 (redness), 3 (clear fluid), 7 (deep wound opening), 10 (pain), 11 (fever), 15 (antibiotics), 16 (debridement), 18 (drainage), and 19 (reoperation). Changes to three item response categories (1, not at all; 2, a little; 3, a lot) were adopted for symptom items 1 to 10, and two categories (0, no; 1, yes) for item 11 (fever).ConclusionThis study made recommendations for cross-cultural adaptation of the WHQ for use in global surgical research and practice, using co-produced mixed-methods data from three continents. Translations are now available for implementation into remote wound assessment pathways