Learning&Information Technologies Cartography

Nowadays, many researches focus their efforts in studies and applications on the Learning area. However, there is a lack of a reference system that permits to know the positioning and the existing links between Learning and Information Technologies. This paper proposes a Cartography where explains the relationships between the elements that compose the Learning Theories and Information Technologies, considering the own features of the learner and the Information Technologies Properties. This intersection will allow us to know what Information Technologies Properties promote Learning Futures

What makes a looked after child happy and unhappy?

What is good for a looked after child is usually decided by adults with the child’s voice often peripheral. One way to make the child central to decision-making is to ask them what makes them happy or unhappy. In doing this, the definition of happiness has to be neither a description of what has gone well in life nor an immediate state of mind, but should encompass the Aristotelian concept of eudaimonia. This is often translated as happiness but also incorporates notions of well-being and flourishing. The study reported here was undertaken as part of a children’s health needs assessment in an English local authority. It sought to understand why looked after children experience such high levels of poor mental health and make growing demands on therapeutic services. The proportion of young people displaying above average scores on validated measures, such as the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), is growing each year. The aim was to find out what looked after children say makes them happy and unhappy and what they see as likely to increase their well-being, and to compare their suggestions with those of the professionals and carers involved in their lives. Focus groups with children and professionals then discussed the same question, with the professionals also examining their understanding of SDQ results and their relevance to practice. The study found significant differences between the views of the children and professionals in both the range and emphasis of what is seen as important. Moreover, these adult assumptions were rarely tested by meaningful discussions with young people when key decisions were made; indeed, these seemed to be made about rather than with the children. In addition, the SDQ was not widely used by professionals to assess children’s emotional health and well-being needs. The study concluded that discussions about happiness can usefully support holistic understandings of looked after children’s experiences and aid planning and practice development

Methods for constructing 3D geological and geophysical models of flood basalt provinces

In this thesis, realistic 3D geological models of flood basalt provinces are constructed. These models are based on outcrop observations and remote sensing data from the North Atlantic Igneous Province, collected by a variety of methods including terrestrial laser scanning. Geophysical data are added to the models to make them suitable for generating synthetic seismic data. Flood basalt provinces contain a number of different volcanic facies, distinguished by their outcrop appearance and physical properties. These include tabular-classic and compound-braided lava flows, intrusions and hyaloclastites. 3D models are constructed for tabular-classic lava flows based on satellite data from Iceland and laser scanning data from a variety of locations. Models for compound-braided lava flows are based on terrestrial laser scanning data and field observations from the Faroe Islands and the Isle of Skye. An additional finding of this work is that volcanic facies can be differentiated in wireline log data from boreholes. Facies show characteristic velocity distributions which can be linked to onshore observations and used to understand volcanic facies in offshore boreholes. Data from boreholes on the Faroe Islands are used to add seismic velocities to the 3D geological models above. This thesis also develops methods and workflows for constructing 3D geological models of flood basalt lava flows. The collection of digital 3D data using terrestrial laser scanning is evaluated, and data processing workflows are developed

Improving Writing Skills Through the Use of Morning Work in the Second-Grade Classroom

In an effort to impact second-grade student writing, the vehicle of morning work was utilized as a pre-existing opportunity to incorporate research-based best practices in writing. To frame this project, the capstone question was asked, “How can morning work be used to improve second-grade student writing skills?” This capstone set out to identify the practices that would yield the best results in a small amount of time and found that authentic, contextual writing experiences would support this goal. While explicit skill instruction is important, authentic writing experiences allow students to, not only practice writing, but also understand and use grammar, spelling, and handwriting in context, rather than isolation. The resulting project provides additional writing practice in the form of morning work that makes connections between specific skills and authentic writing contexts. Thoughtful reflection highlights project strengths, as well as perspectives for future application