Almost as helpful as good theory: Some conceptual possibilities for the online classroom

Interest and activity in the use of C&IT in higher education is growing, and while there is effort to understand the complexity of the transition to virtual space, aspects of development, particularly clarity about the nature of the learning community, may only be lightly theorized. Based on an ongoing action research study involving postgraduate students studying in the UK and USA, this paper will identify some theoretical roots and derive from these six conceptual areas that seem to the authors to have relevance and significance for behaviour online. An exploration of these forms the basis for a two‐dimensional model which can account for what happens when groups come together to learn in cyberspace. In depicting this model, there is acknowledgement of the existence of third and fourth dimensions at work. However, the explanatory power of taking these extra dimensions into account is beyond the scope of the analysis thus far

Time to experiment: A response

It is with some pleasure that we were given the opportunity to offer this paper for commentary and we are grateful for the efforts made by readers to help us to refine our thinking. Given the constraints of space, we will respond to the main comments in turn. We plan to submit a more considered and elegant paper to a future edition when we have worked more on our model

Vanishing results for the cohomology of complex toric hyperplane complements

Suppose R is the complement of an essential arrangement of toric hyperlanes in the complex torus and ? = ?1(R). We show that H*(R;A) vanishes except in the top degree n when A is one of the following systems of local coefficients: (a) a system of nonresonant coefficients in a complex line bundle, (b) the von Neumann algebra N?, or (c) the group ring Z?. In case (a) the dimension of Hn is the Euler characteristic, e(R), and in case (b) the nth l2 Betti number is also |e(R)|.hyperplane arrangements, toric arrangements, local systems, L2-cohomology.

Fight with hope, fight without hope, but fight absolutely: an interview with Mike Davis

When in late April Bernie Sanders, the independent senator from Vermont a democratic socialist but not a Democrat, announced that he would run for president in the Democratic Party primary no one could imagine the wide social support that he would win during his electoral campaign. If Sanders wins the Democrats’ nod, it will be the most unexpected result of the modern nomination era. Since white conservatism is much closer to the tonality of the current American political affairs than to any version of democratic socialism, even a Trump nomination would rank as less surprising. The studies of Mike Davis, an American Marxist writer, political activist, urban theorist, and historian, have explored, among other topics, the American politics of the last century with an emphasis on the formation (or better the deformation) of the American working class

Evaluating Surface Area-Basin Volume Relationships for Prairie Potholes

Establishing a relationship between surface area and volume of prairie potholes provides a simple method to estimate changes in water storage across the landscape. Applications include better prediction of floods and improved design for wetland restoration. Length, width, depth, surface area, and volumes were surveyed for eighty two potholes within the upper Turtle River watershed which lies sixty kilometers west of Grand Forks, ND. These data were used to determine the relationship and uncertainty between pothole surface and volume. Chi squared tests defined distributions of each variable. F and T statistical tests resolved similarities in variance and mean. The eighty two potholes were separated according to their National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) classification and tested using chi squared. T and F tests on the separate classes verified if the populations have a different mean and variance. Difference in depth, in particular, suggests that the two most common NWI classes PEMC and PEMA in the watershed are separate and distinct, based on the results from discriminant analysis. Despite this conclusion and the fact that PEMC wetlands are physically larger than PEMA wetlands, there is a stronger correlation between surface area and volume when the two classes remain combined. Regression of surface area and volume leads to an equation that can be applied to similar watershed throughout the prairie pothole region

DeadDrop: Message Passing Without Metadata Leakage

Even when network data is encrypted, observers can make inferences about content based on collected metadata. DeadDrop is an exploratory API designed to protect the metadata of a conversation from both outside observers and the facilitating server. To do so, DeadDrop servers are passed no recipient address, instead relying upon the recipient to check for messages of their own volition. In addition, the recipient downloads a copy of every encrypted message on the server to prevent even the server from knowing to whom each message is intended. To these purposes, DeadDrop is mostly successful. However, it does not obscure all information that can potentially be used to identify a client, and slows down quickly as the number of users and messages increases. As it is, DeadDrop can be effective in specific scenarios. Improvements could potentially solve the scaling issues, but might weaken the anonymization

Bill Davis Interview

Transcript of oral history interview with Bill Davis by Mike Downs on his experiences during the Vietnam War on January 26, 1984

Mike Davis

Davis was WESN manager and reflects on Myers\u27 support for the station. He cites this as an empowering experience, when someone believes in you. Davis is now an academic and has been an administrator and draws on the experiences he had as a student in his interactions with students today. He thinks the administration isn\u27t usually visible on a college campus but that his presences and way of emphasizing the unique qualities of IWU students was intended to make students feel welcome. Davis also describes the condition of Myers\u27 office

Hybrid NoHam

This proposal centers on the “NoHam” neighborhood in Detroit, Michigan. This neighborhood has been largely overlooked by Detroit city leaders; however, current residents have created a strong community where residents care for their homes and neighbors to their greatest ability. We seek to enhance the existing community while encouraging growth centered on the Detroit City Football Club. This project identifies existing bungalows for rehabilitation and proposes construction of new contextually appropriate bungalows along a neighborhood corridor. This corridor would anchor a newly developed community center and new soccer training grounds. These interventions seek not only to repopulate vacant lots with housing, but also to strengthen two communities by creating hybrid culture and place.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/120309/1/Davis-Rivera_HybridNoHam.pd

Computer system evolution requirements for autonomous checkout of exploration vehicles

This study, now in its third year, has had the overall objective and challenge of determining the needed hooks and scars in the initial Space Station Freedom (SSF) system to assure that on-orbit assembly and refurbishment of lunar and Mars spacecraft can be accomplished with the maximum use of automation. In this study automation is all encompassing and includes physical tasks such as parts mating, tool operation, and human visual inspection, as well as non-physical tasks such as monitoring and diagnosis, planning and scheduling, and autonomous visual inspection. Potential tasks for automation include both extravehicular activity (EVA) and intravehicular activity (IVA) events. A number of specific techniques and tools have been developed to determine the ideal tasks to be automated, and the resulting timelines, changes in labor requirements and resources required. The Mars/Phobos exploratory mission developed in FY89, and the Lunar Assembly/Refurbishment mission developed in FY90 and depicted in the 90 Day Study as Option 5, have been analyzed in detailed in recent years. The complete methodology and results are presented in FY89 and FY90 final reports