An integrated approach to courseware

Software engineering is becoming increasingly important as an engineering discipline, and its teaching in universities and other higher education institutions should be of high quality. In this paper we describe a tool (BOSS — the Boss Online Submission System) which aids the education of software engineers. BOSS allows students to submit programming assignments online, and to run black-box tests on their programs prior to submission. Instructors can use BOSS to assist in marking such assignments by allowing submitted programs to be tested against multiple data sets. We describe how BOSS helps in the teaching of specific conceptual aspects of software engineering, and how it addresses some of the practical issues involved in teaching large student numbers in a pedagogically neutral manner

Cultural transmission results in convergence towards colour term universals.

As in biological evolution, multiple forces are involved in cultural evolution. One force is analogous to selection, and acts on differences in the fitness of aspects of culture by influencing who people choose to learn from. Another force is analogous to mutation, and influences how culture changes over time owing to errors in learning and the effects of cognitive biases. Which of these forces need to be appealed to in explaining any particular aspect of human cultures is an open question. We present a study that explores this question empirically, examining the role that the cognitive biases that influence cultural transmission might play in universals of colour naming. In a large-scale laboratory experiment, participants were shown labelled examples from novel artificial systems of colour terms and were asked to classify other colours on the basis of those examples. The responses of each participant were used to generate the examples seen by subsequent participants. By simulating cultural transmission in the laboratory, we were able to isolate a single evolutionary force-the effects of cognitive biases, analogous to mutation-and examine its consequences. Our results show that this process produces convergence towards systems of colour terms similar to those seen across human languages, providing support for the conclusion that the effects of cognitive biases, brought out through cultural transmission, can account for universals in colour naming

Incorporating learning styles in a computer-supported collaborative learning model

Collaborative learning enables individual learners to combine their own expertise, experience and ability to accomplish a mutual learning goal. The grouping of learners, and learning from social interactions with peer-learners, are two basic characteristics of collaborative learning. For individual learners to benefit from collaborative learning, individual learners with different characteristics must be grouped together. In this paper, we propose a computer-supported collaborative learning model which incorporates learning styles for improving collaborative learning. The proposed model is novel since it can provide overall support for collaborative learning. In addition, the way we have incorporated learning styles in the model is a new approach to constituting heterogeneous groups containing learners with dissimilar learning styles and detect learning styles through monitoring collaborative interactions

Goal driven optimization of process parameters for maximum efficiency in laser bending of advanced high strength steels

Laser forming or bending is fast becoming an attractive option for the forming of advanced high strength steels (AHSS), due primarily to the reduced formability of AHSS when compared with conventional steels in traditional contact-based forming processes. An inherently iterative process, laser forming must be optimized for efficiency in order to compete with contact based forming processes; as such, a robust and accurate method of optimal process parameter prediction is required. In this paper, goal driven optimization is conducted, utilizing numerical simulations as the basis for the prediction of optimal process parameters for the laser bending of DP 1000 steel. A key consideration of the optimization process is the requirement for minimal microstructural transformation in automotive grade high strength steels such as DP 1000

Evolving a Facilitation Process towards Student Centred Learning: A Case Study in Computing

This paper discusses our experiences in moving to student centred learning. It describes the action research approach and the context for the module at Masters level in systems analysis and design. It discusses the learning materials provided as an alternative to lectures, including a book, a set of videos, courseware and a web site. The initial teaching approach dictated a pace to the students. This evolved towards students working through the material at their own pace. As the teaching approach reached a steady state, there was a discernible improvement in students\u27 minimum marks and pass rates. Student feedback by questionnaire is analysed, concentrating on the learning materials, the teaching approach and the advantages and disadvantages. In general, students preferred the teaching approach, particularly the autonomy it provided them. Staff reflections and lessons learnt are also considered. In general, staff recognised that their time with students was more productive and that students became more self-reliant. Conclusions are drawn and general issues that emerged from the work identified

Strengthening Community Based Social Protection Practices for Child Protection

Much attention is paid to social protection at macro-level, using a variety of centralized instruments to deliver a range of benefits to poor and vulnerable people. However, less attention has been paid to the role of communities in social protection, and in particular the role of traditional systems. Such mechanisms are known to exist in Myanmar, but to date few studies have documented their range, impact and potential utility for social protection. Data was collected by community volunteers from volunteers from 39 villages representing eight of the 14 States and Regions of Myanmar. All communities studied had evidence of community led social protection systems, and the average fund distributed per year amounted to $2,650 per village. Community based programmes to enable poor children to access to primary education were practiced in all eight respective States/ Regions funded by primarily by the contributions of the community .These typically delivered a cash grant to children of school age in poor households. In terms of health, several villages had schemes to enable access to vaccination and health care for poor children, providing either a cash grant or volunteer help. Community based systems are estimated to meet around 30% of reported social protection needs for children. Community systems were limited in approach, and by relatively small capital funds. Limited data exists to demonstrate the evidence of efficacy of scaling up of community led systems

Reduced intensity conditioning T depleted allogeneic transplants in AML: Are there any factors predicting favourable outcomes?

Reduced intensity conditioning (RIC) regimens permit the extension of a potentially curative graft-versus-leukemia effect to older patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) whose outlook with conventional chemotherapy would be poor. T cell depletion using alemtuzumab reduces the risk of severe graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after RIC allografts but may compromise anti-leukemic activity. We have therefore analyzed which factors predict long term survival in 65 patients with AML transplanted using an alemtuzumab based RIC regimen. The 100 day transplant related mortality for the whole cohort of patients was 10%. 30% of patients developed Grade II-IV acute GVHD and 21% chronic GVHD. The 3 year overall survival was 47%. Survival was significantly influenced by status at transplant (p = 0.002), presentation cytogenetics (p = 0.03) and the presence of a molecular mismatch at Class 1 or II HLA alleles in patients transplanted using an unrelated donor (p = 0.001) but not by age. Alemtuzumab based RIC regimens have the capacity to deliver sustained remissions in older patients with AML with a modest risk of GVHD but patients with active disease at the time of transplant or adverse cytogenetics require novel transplant strategies. Alternative stem cell sources should be considered in patients lacking a sibling or molecularly matched unrelated donor

Challenges and Feasibility of Applying Reasoning and Decision Making for a Lifeguard Undertaking a Rescue

ABSTRACT: In areas where lifeguard services operate, less than 6% of all rescued persons need medical attention and require CPR. In contrast, among areas where no lifeguard services are provided almost 30% require CPR. This difference indicates in importance of the lifeguard. Lifeguard work requires effective problem identification, diagnostic strategies and management decisions to be made in high-risk environments, where time is of the essence. The purpose of this investigation was to assess all variables involved in lifeguard work related to a water rescue, and how the information obtained could inform lifeguard training and therefore performance. Methods: By using the drowning timeline, the authors explored all variables involved in a single rescue event by inviting 12 lifeguards to complete a survey of their professional role using a three-round Delphi survey technique. The total potential number of decisions for each phase and sub-phases, the number of variables, the probability of a single event repeating, the duration of each sub-phase and amount of variables demanded per minute were measured. Each sub-phase was presented as predominantly rational (if less than 1 variable per/min) or intuitive (if more than 1/min). Results: The variables identified in sub-phases were: “preparation to work” (8 variables and 0.0001 variables/min) and “prevent” (22 variables; 0.03 variables/min); these sub-phases were predominately considered to lead to rational decisions. The variables identified during “rescue” (27 variables and 2.7 variables/min) and “first-aid” (7 variables and 1.7 variables) were predominantly considered intuitive processes. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the complexity of a decision-making process during the quick, physically and mentally stressful moments of rescuing someone. The authors propose better decision-making processes can be achieved by reducing the time interval between identification of a problem and making a decision. Understanding this complex mechanism may allow more efficient training resulting, in faster and more reliable decision-makers, with the overall benefit of more lives save

The economic burden of inpatient paediatric care in Kenya: household and provider costs for treatment of pneumonia, malaria and meningitis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Knowledge of treatment cost is essential in assessing cost effectiveness in healthcare. Evidence of the potential impact of implementing available interventions against childhood illnesses in developing countries challenges us to define the costs of treating these diseases. The purpose of this study is to describe the total costs associated with treatment of pneumonia, malaria and meningitis in children less than five years in seven Kenyan hospitals.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Patient resource use data were obtained from largely prospective evaluation of medical records and household expenditure during illness was collected from interviews with caretakers. The estimates for costs per bed day were based on published data. A sensitivity analysis was conducted using WHO-CHOICE values for costs per bed day.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Treatment costs for 572 children (pneumonia = 205, malaria = 211, meningitis = 102 and mixed diagnoses = 54) and household expenditure for 390 households were analysed. From the provider perspective the mean cost per admission at the national hospital was US $95.58 for malaria, US$177.14 for pneumonia and US $284.64 for meningitis. In the public regional or district hospitals the mean cost per child treated ranged from US$47.19 to US $81.84 for malaria and US$54.06 to US $99.26 for pneumonia. The corresponding treatment costs in the mission hospitals were between US$43.23 to US $88.18 for malaria and US$ 43.36 to US $142.22 for pneumonia. Meningitis was treated for US$ 189.41 at the regional hospital and US $ 201.59 at one mission hospital. The total treatment cost estimates were sensitive to changes in the source of bed day costs. The median treatment related household payments within quintiles defined by total household expenditure differed by type of facility visited. Public hospitals recovered up to 40% of provider costs through user charges while mission facilities recovered 44% to 100% of costs.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Treatments cost for inpatient malaria, pneumonia and meningitis vary by facility type, with mission and tertiary referral facilities being more expensive compared to primary referral. Households of sick children contribute significantly towards provider cost through payment of user fees. These findings could be used in cost effectiveness analysis of health interventions.</p

Conservation practice could benefit from routine testing and publication of management outcomes

Effective conservation requires a step change in the way practitioners can contribute to science and can have access to research outputs. The journal Conservation Evidence was established in 2004 to help practitioners surmount several obstacles they face when attempting to document the effects of their conservation actions scientifically. It is easily and freely accessible online. It is free to publish in and it enables global communication of the effects of practical trials and experiments, which are virtually impossible to get published in most scientific journals. The driving force behind Conservation Evidence is the need to generate and share scientific information about the effects of interventions