VIDEO.DE : an online video annotation tool for second language education

Audio-visual data are increasingly being used in academic language programs to incorporate authentic language use in the didactic practice and to enliven language learning material (Höfler-Hoang et al. 2011, Shrosbree 2008, Sydorenko 2010, Bargeron et al. 1999, Weyers 1999 a.o.). However, there is still need for a more systematic didactic embedding of videos as part of a blended learning program in language teaching practice. In this paper, we present the VIDEO.DE environment, an online platform that allows for a wide multiple employability of online video resources in academic language programs. The key feature of this environment is the student-oriented tool for the annotation of videos that was designed to involve students more actively with audio-visual material in a second language. Videos are thus coded by students according to a task-specific annotation scheme that is predefined by the language instructor and that can consist of parameters such as vocabulary, grammar and discursive features. The design of both the annotation tool and the flexible annotation scheme allows its application in different academic language programs. The didactic potential of this approach is tested in a pilot study for German as a foreign language and involves the collaboration between different partner institutions of the Association KU Leuven in Belgium. In a first step the VIDEO.DE – annotation tool is implemented in the curriculum of the partner institutions for German language instruction. By means of a questionnaire students are inquired about their motivation, involvement, self-activation and user-friendliness of the application. In a second step, the effect of video annotation on the implicit vocabulary learning, motivation and involvement of the students is measured in a small-scale case study. In contrast to most existing language learning environments based on video data, the VIDEO.de project provides a strongly student-centered annotation environment and interface, which stimulates students to engage in a process of collaborative annotation across the partner institutions

Video.de: towards a student-oriented video annotation tool and language learning environment

Context - In modern language education there is a growing tendency to use online accessible audio-visual data to incorporate authentic language use in the didactic practice (Höfler-Hoang et al. 2011, Shrosbree 2008, Sydorenko 2010, Bargeron et al. 1999, Weyers 1999 a.o.). Despite the vast growth of online accessible audio-visual material (such as the streaming media), there is still need for its systematic didactic embedding. Aim - The key purpose of the VIDEO.de-project is the development of a technological-didactic tool by which audio-visual material from existing online resources can be implemented in academic and professional language education. The actual elaboration of the tool is done in a pilot study for German linguistics and involves collaboration between different partner institutions of the Association KU Leuven. Approach - In the first step a layered and fine-grained annotation scheme is designed for the multiple coding of the videos, with parameters such as genre, vocabulary, grammar and discursive features. The next step involves the development of an online and user-friendly annotation and transcription tool as well as a didactic user interface. In order to advance students’ interactive use of the audio-visual material two innovative work forms are thus introduced: (a) an analysis module which consists of an interactive annotation environment for the independent coding of videos by students according to a task-specific annotation template, and (b) an online-exercise module with interactive exercises and assignments attached to every parameter in the annotation scheme. The design of both the technological tool and the annotation module allows for the further expandability to other academic language programs than German. Preliminary results - The effect of the VIDEO.de-method on the learning results and motivation of the students compared to the traditional method is measured in a small-scale case study. Furthermore, the instructors and the students are presented with a questionnaire which assesses their motivation, involvement, self-activation and user-friendliness of the tool. The preliminary results of this testing phase contribute to the integration of the VIDEO.de-method in the curriculum of the partner institutions for German language instruction. Relevance - The open database structure of VIDEO.de will allow students and language instructors to have direct access to relevant streaming video material as illustration for certain phenomena in language. In contrast to most existing language learning environments based on video data the VIDEO.de-project provides a strongly student-centered annotation environment and interface, which stimulates students to engage in a process of collaborative annotation across the partner institutions

Implementing streaming video in academic language programs: the VIDEO.DE project

Since the evolution of the Internet and of modern computer technology, online audio-visual data increasingly find their way into second language education to enliven the teaching material and to provide examples of authentic language use (Shrosbee 2008). Research has shown that videos have a positive effect on learners’ listening comprehension skills (Weyers 1999, Secules et al. 1992, Herron et al. 1995) and even on learners’ language production (Weyers 1999). In addition, videos increase the motivation and involvement of the learner (Herron et al. 1995) by showing language use in concrete communicative situations. Despite this increasing interest in authentic language use and the vast growth of online accessible audio-video material, there is still need for a more systematic embedding of video as part of a blended learning program in language teaching practice. The present project aims to address this need by introducing the VIDEO.DE application, an online platform which allows for a wide multiple employability of streaming video in academic language programs. The key feature of this application is the student-oriented tool for the annotation of videos that was designed to get students more actively involved with audio-visual material in a second language learning process. Accordingly, videos are coded by students according to a task-specific annotation scheme that is predefined by the language instructor and that can consist of parameters such as vocabulary, grammar and discursive features. In this way, the targeted elements or structures are practiced in their naturally occurring context. Moreover, the VIDEO.DE application has been designed in such a way to allow for the expandability to different academic language programs. The assessment of the didactic potential of this method is done in a pilot study for German as a foreign language and involves the collaboration between different partner institutions and academic language programs of the Association KU Leuven in Belgium. First, the VIDEO.DE-annotation tool was implemented in the curriculum of the partner institutions for German language instruction. The students were presented with a questionnaire, which assessed their motivation and involvement, but also the overall design and user-friendliness of the tool. Second, a small-scale case study was conducted to measure the effect of the VIDEO.DE-method of video annotation on the implicit vocabulary learning in comparison to the text-based method. The innovation of the VIDEO.DE-application lies in its strongly student-centered annotation environment and interface, which enables students to engage in a process of collaborative annotation across the partner institutions. Moreover, the open database structure of the application allows students and language instructors to gain direct access to annotated streaming video material, which can then serve as illustration material in the classroom.status: publishe

Dynamic modeling of the heat pipe-assisted annealing line

In a conventional continuous annealing line, the energy supplied to steel strip during heating is not recovered while cooling it. Therefore, an alternative heat transfer technology for energy efficient continuous annealing of steel was developed. This technology enables reusing the heat extracted during cooling of the strip in the heating part of the process. This is achieved by thermally linking the cooling strip to the heating strip via multiple rotating heat pipes. In this context, the dynamic simulation of a full heat pipe assisted annealing line is performed. The dynamic simulation consists of the interaction of computational building blocks, each comprising of a rotating heat pipe and strip parts wrapped around the heat pipe. The simulations are run for different installation configurations and operational settings, with the heat pipe number varying between 50 and 100 and with varying strip line speed and dimensions. The heat pipes are sized to be 0.5 m in diameter and 3 m in length. The simulation results show that the equipment is capable of satisfying the thermal cycle requirements of annealing both at steady-state and during transition between steady-states following changes in boundary conditions. With this concept, energy savings of up to 70% are feasible.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository 'You share, we take care!' - Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Large Scale Energy StorageProcess and EnergyEnergy Technolog

Transient modelling of rotating and stationary cylindrical heat pipes: An engineering model

Rotating wickless and stationary capillary cylindrical heat pipes are widely used heat transfer devices. Transient behavior of such heat pipes has been investigated numerically with computational fluid dynamics and lumped parameter models. In this paper, the advantages of both methods are combined into a novel engineering model that is low in computational cost but still accurate and rich in the details it provides. The model describes the interior dynamics of the heat pipe with a 2D representation of a cylindrical heat pipe. Liquid and vapor volumes are coarsely meshed in the axial direction. The cells are allowed to change in size in the radial direction during simulation. This allows for tracking the liquid/vapor interface without having to implement fine meshing. The model includes the equations for mass, momentum and energy and is applicable to both rotating and stationary heat pipes. The predictions of the model are validated with other experimental, numerical, and analytical works having an average deviation of less than 4%. The effects of various parameters on the system are explored. The presented model is suitable for the simulation of heat pipe systems in which both the level of detail and the computational cost are crucial factors.Energy TechnologyLarge Scale Energy StorageProcess and Energ

Effects of transfer-oriented curriculum on multiple behaviors in the Netherlands

Many school health promotion curricula address a single health behavior, without paying attention to potential learning effects in associated behavioral domains. We developed an innovative curriculum about smoking and safe sex that also focused on promoting students' transfer of knowledge, skills and attitudes to other domains. In a quasi-experimental study involving 1107 students (Grades 7 and 8) in the Netherlands, the curriculum was compared with regular lessons about smoking and safe sex. The central research questions were to what extent the transfer-oriented curriculum: (i) had effects on psychosocial determinants and behaviors in the domains of smoking and safe sex, (ii) had effects on determinants and behaviors in three domains about which no lessons were taught (consumption of alcohol, fruit and breakfast). Multi-level analyses showed that the answer to both questions is positive. The results indicate that a transfer approach may have surplus value over the classic domain-specific approach and warrant further elaboration in the future

Experimental and numerical investigation of contact heat transfer between a rotating heat pipe and a steel strip

A new concept for energy efficient annealing of steel strip comprises of multiple rotating heat pipes. Each heat pipe extracts heat from the cooling strip which is reused to increase the temperature of the heating strip. In this context, the heat transfer between the steel strip and the rotating heat pipe is investigated. When the strip is transported over the heat pipe, gas entrains in the gap. The gas compresses into a uniform gas layer. The contact heat transfer deteriorates due to this phenomenon. A numerical model to quantify the heat transfer between the surfaces is developed. Since there is no direct way to quantify the heat transfer between two moving surfaces, the problem is divided into a gas entrainment and a heat transfer part. The model is validated with experiments executed on a rotating heat pipe test rig. The validation was made varying the strip thickness, specific tension and strip velocity. The results show a uniform gas layer forming within the first 1° of the 180° wrap angle in all cases. The heat transfer is dominated by gas conduction. Results for the uniform gas layer region yield heat transfer coefficients in the range between 4000 and 20,000 W/m2·K.Energy TechnologyLarge Scale Energy StorageProcess and Energ