Toward Emotionally Accessible Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)

This paper outlines an approach to evaluating the emotional content of three Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) using the affective computing approach of prosody detection on two different text-to-speech voices in conjunction with human raters judging the emotional content of course text. The intent of this work is to establish the potential variation on the emotional delivery of MOOC material through synthetic voice

La déglaciation et le relèvement isostatique sur la côte est de la baie d’Hudson

Sur la côte orientale de la baie d'Hudson, dans la région située entre Poste-de-la-Baleine et le golfe de Richmond, les dernières glaces wisconsiniennes se sont écoulées vers l'ouest; la déglaciation s'effectuant entre 8.100 ans 14C BP (Poste-de-la-Baleine) et 7,600 ans 14C BP (golfe de Richmond). L'altitude maximale atteinte par la mer postglaciaire de Tyrrell s'élève vers le sud-sud-ouest, passant de 230 m au nord du golfe de Richmond à 315 m à l'extrémité nord du détroit des Manitounuk. Au golfe de Richmond, 185 plages soulevées marquent l'émersion des terres depuis la déglaciation. On a pu mettre en évidence une périodicité de 45 ans dans leur construction. Les corrélations entre les années 14C et les années sidérales indiquent des variations du 14C atmosphérique semblables à celles mises en évidence par Suess (1970). La courbe d'émersion des terres, établie à partir des plages soulevées, dénote un relèvement isostatique composite. Le socle d'abord infléchi vers le sud-sud-ouest obéit à la disparition du centre de radiation glaciaire pléni-wisconsinien (allégement du sud-est de la baie d'Hudson), puis à celle du centre de radiation plus récent du Nouveau-Québec. Le relèvement glacio-isostatique décroît de 6,5 cm/an vers 6.000 ans 14C BP à 1,1 cm/an aujourd'hui. Une remontée eustatique de l'ordre de 20 m se produit entre la déglaciation et 6.000 ans 14C BP, où le niveau marin paraît identique à celui d'aujourd'hui. Le calcul des taux de variations eustatiques met en évidence des oscillations métriques du niveau de la mer, correspondant aux événements climatiques connus pendant cette période de l'Holocène.On the eastern coast of Hudson Bay, in the area between Great-Whale-River and the Richmond Gulf, the last wisconsinian ices flowed westward. The deglaciation took place between 8.100 l*C yr BP (Great-Whale-River) and 7.600 1 4 C yr BP (Richmond Gulf). The maximum limit of the Tyrrell Sea rises toward the south-east, from 230 m (north of Richmond Gulf) to 315 m (north of Manitounuk sound). In the Richmond Gulf, 185 successive raised beaches were built during the emergence of the land which followed the deglaciation. A 45 yr periodicity appears in their construction. Correlation between ï 4 C and sideral ages are in agreement with Suess' curve (1970). The emergence curve, established from the raised beaches, indicate a multiple component isostatic uplift. The land, first tilted toward NNE, is uplifted in relation to the main wisconsinian ice load on south-eastern Hudson Bay at the beginning, and later in relation to the more recent ice center of New Québec. The isostatic rate of uplift decreases from the 6,5 cm/yr at 6.000 14C yr BP, to a present rate of 1,1 cm/yr. A 20 m eustatic rise is observed between the deglaciation and 6.000 14C yr BP, when the sea level seemed similar to the present one. Variations in the rate of sea level changes indicate secondary eustatic oscillations of metric amplitude, which correspond to the main climatic events of that period of the Holocene

Spiritual Coping as a Mediator of Distress and Posttraumatic Growth Among Adult Female Survivors of Sexual Abuse by Religious Leaders

Problem Posttraumatic growth has been defined as the positive psychological and behavioral changes that come about in the aftermath of a struggle with traumatic life events. The literature notes the existence of posttraumatic growth among survivors of intimate partner violence, childhood and/or adult sexual abuse, bereavement, terrorism, and other events. This study explored posttraumatic growth in a sample of female survivors of sexual abuse by religious leaders by examining how distress, spiritual coping, and posttraumatic growth were related in this population. This study examined the mediatory role of spiritual coping between distress and posttraumatic growth. Method Surveys that measured spiritual coping, distress, posttraumatic growth, and the context of abuse were completed by 113 participants. The following were inclusion criteria for the sample: female identification, age 18 or older, and an experience of sexual abuse by religious leaders. The resulting data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, Path Analysis, and Structural Equation Modeling. Results Path Analysis indicated that positive spiritual coping, but not negative spiritual coping, was a predictor of PTG. High distress was also found to directly predict posttraumatic growth. However, distress and spiritual coping were not related to one another. Consequently, spiritual coping did not mediate the relationship between distress and posttraumatic growth. Conclusions While this study did not find that spiritual coping played a mediatory role in the relationship between distress and posttraumatic growth, it provided evidence of a direct correlation between high distress and posttraumatic growth. This finding supports the literature suggesting a positive link between these two constructs. Additionally, the fact that negative spiritual coping was unrelated to posttraumatic growth while positive spiritual coping directly predicted posttraumatic growth lends support to the distinctiveness of these coping styles and suggests that certain styles of spiritual coping are more likely to facilitate growth than others. Lastly, the link between positive spiritual coping and posttraumatic growth suggests that positive spiritual coping can be a beneficial resource for female survivors of sexual abuse by religious leaders

The last interglacial in the northern North Atlantic and adjacent areas: evidence for a more zonal climate than during the Holocene

We document climate conditions from the last interglacial optimum (LIO) or marine isotope stage 5e (MIS 5e) from terrestrial and oceanic sedimentary archives. Terrestrial climate conditions are reconstructed from pollen assemblages, whereas sea-surface temperature and salinity conditions are estimated from dinocyst assemblages and foraminiferal data (both assemblages and stable isotope composition of carbonate shells). LIO data from the eastern Canadian Arctic and northern Labrador Sea led to reconstruct much higher summer air temperature and seasurface temperature than at present by about 5°C. Data from southeastern Canada and southern Labrador Sea also suggest more thermophilic vegetation and warmer conditions although the contrast between LIO and the Holocene is of lesser amplitude. On the whole, the terrestrial and marine data sets from the northwest North Atlantic and adjacent lands suggest limited influence of southward flow from Arctic waters through the east Greenland and Labrador Currents as compared to the modern situation. The compilation of sea-surface reconstructions from the northwest and northeast North Atlantic indicate much reduced longitudinal contrasts of temperatures than at present, thus a more zonal pattern of circulation. The reconstructions also indicate a lower sea-surface salinity than at present, thus stronger stratification of upper water masses, which would be compatible with a reduced North Atlantic deep-water formation

Paleoenvironments along the Eastern Laurentide Ice Sheet Margin and Timing of the Last Ice Maximum and Retreat

Palynological and isotopic analysis in a few deep-sea cores from the Labrador Sea reveals strong environmental changes related to the Late Pleistocene glacial fluctuations over eastern Canada. On the whole, the Labrador Sea was characterized by strong exchanges between North Atlantic water masses, Arctic outflows, and meltwater discharges from Laurentide, Greenland and lnuitian ice sheets. The penetration of temperate Atlantic waters persisted throughout most of the Late Pleistocene, with a brief interruption during the Late Wisconsinan. During this glacial substage, a slight but continuous meltwater runoff from the Laurentide ice margins grounded on the northern Labrador Shelf is indicated by relatively low 18O values and low-salinity (< 30‰) dinocyst assemblages. The calving of the ice margin, the melwater outflow and the subsequent dilution of surface waters offshore Labrador probably contributed to the dispersal of floating ice and, consequently, to a southward displacement of the polar front restraining the penetration of North Atlantic waters into the Labrador Sea. The advection of southern air masses along the Laurentide ice margins, shown by pollen assemblages, was favourable to abundant precipitation and therefore, high ice accumulation rates, especially over northern Labrador during the Late Wisconsinan. The déglaciation is marked by a brief, but significant, melting event of northern Laurentide ice shortly after 17 ka. The main glacial retreat occurred after ca. 11 ka. It allowed restoration of WSW-ENE atmospheric trajectories, increased phytoplanktonic productivity, and penetration of North Atlantic water masses into the Labrador Sea.L'analyse palynologique et isotopique de forages de la mer du Labrador révèle des changements des paléo-milieux du Pleistocene supérieur, en relation étroite avec les glaciations de l'est du Canada. De façon générale, la mer du Labrador a connu des échanges importants entre les masses d'eaux nord-atlantiques, celles des bassins septentrionaux de l'est du Canada et celles d'apports d'eaux de fonte des grandes calottes de l'hémisphère nord (laurentidienne, groenlandaise et inuitienne). La mer du Labrador fut influencée par la pénétration des masses d'eaux tempérées de l'Atlantique Nord au cours de la majeure partie du Pleistocene supérieur, à l'exception du Wisconsinien supérieur. Pendant cet épisode, des apports discrets mais continus d'eaux de fonte le long des marges glaciaires immergées dans le secteur ouest de la mer du Labrador sont indiqués par de faibles teneurs en 18O et par les assemblages de dinokystes associés à de faibles salinités (< 30‰). Le vêlage le long des marges glaciaires, l'évacuation des eaux de fonte et la dilution subséquente des masses d'eaux superficielles ont sans doute favorisé une dispersion méridionale des glaces flottantes pendant le Wisconsinien supérieur, provoquant ainsi une descente latitudinale du front polaire et limitant la pénétration de la dérive nord-atlantique dans la mer du Labrador. Par ailleurs, l'advection de masses d'air d'origine méridionale le long des marges de l'inlandsis, révélée par les influx polliniques, a certainement contribué à d'abondantes précipitations induisant un bilan positif des glaces laurentidiennes, en particulier au nord du Labrador. Le déclin de l'inlandsis laurentidien est marqué par un premier épisode de fonte, bref mais considérable, peu après 17 ka. La déglaciation principale, postérieure à 11 ka, fut suivie du rétablissement de trajectoires atmosphériques WSW-ENE, d'une augmentation notable de la productivité phytoplanctonique et d'une influence accrue de la dérive nord-atlantique dans la mer du Labrador.Aus der palynologischen und isotopischen Analyse einiger Tiefseebohrungen im Meer von Labrador ergeben sich starke Umweltveränderungen in enger Beziehung zu den glacialen Schwankungen in Ostkanada im spaten Pleistozän. Im Ganzen gesehen gab es im Meer von Labrador einen bedeutenden Austausch zwischen den Wassermassen des Nordatlantik, arktischem Abfliefien und dem Schmelzwasser von den Eisdecken. Über fast das ganze spate Pleistozän mit kurzer Unterbrechung im spaten glacialen Wisconsin dauerte das Eindringen wärmeren Wassers aus dem Atlantik an. Relativ niedrige 180-Werte und der geringe Salzgehalt (< 30‰) der Dinokyst-Ansammlungen weisen darauf hin, da|3 während dieser glazialen Zwischenphase ein geringer aber fortlaufender Schmelzwasserabflufi von den laurentischen Eisrändern, die auf dem Nördlichen Labrador-Schelf festsitzen, stattfand. Das Kalben des Eisrands, das Schmelzwasserabfliepen und die anschlieBiende Verdunnung des Oberflächenwassers vor der Kiiste Labradors trug vermutlich zu der Auflockerung des schwimmenden Eises bei und fuhrte als Folge davon zu einer Verschiebung der Polarfront und schränkte so das Vordringen des Nordatlantikwassers in das Meer von Labrador ein. Das Entlangstreichen südlicher Luftmassen an den laurentischen Eisrändern, was durch Pollen-Ansammlungen erkennbar ist, begünstigte starke Niederschiäge und dadurch grope Eiszuwachsraten, besonders uber dem nördlichen Labrador während des spaten glazialen Wisconsin. Die Enteisung ist durch eine kurze aber bedeutende Schmelzphase des nördlichen laurentischen Eises kurz nach 17 ka gekennzeichnet. Der Haupteisriickzug geschah nach ungefähr 11 ka. Er fuhrte zu der Wiederherstellung der WSW-ONO Luftströmungen, vergrofierte die phytoplanktonische Produktivität und das Vordringen nordatlantischer Wassermassen in das Meer von Labrador

Applying UDL Principles in an Inclusive Design Project Based on MOOCs Reviews

The wide-scale adoption of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) comes with learners that have variable needs. While MOOCs may be attracting a wide range of learners, there is a need to provide those learners with a means to evaluate what is working in MOOCs and what areas of learning design can be improved. While learners may have compliments and criticisms of course designs, there is a need to organize feedback from such a wide range of participants into a coherent and actionable structure. This chapter describes the YourMOOC4all project, which offers the possibility for any learner to freely judge and provide feedback on the design of MOOCs in accordance with how it meets learner needs and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles. This kind of user feedback can be of great value for the future development of MOOC platforms, courses, and associated educational resources. YourMOOC4all gathers valuable information directly from the learners themselves to improve aspects such as the educational quality, accessibility, and usability of the learning environment

[Editorial] Special Collection on Doctoral Research: Learning in an Open World

This editorial introduces the JIME special collection focused on “Doctoral Research: Learning in an Open World

Humanising Text-to-Speech Through Emotional Expression in Online Courses

This paper outlines an innovative approach to evaluate the emotional content of three online courses using the affective computing approach of prosody detection on two different text-to-speech (TTS) voices in conjunction with human raters judging the emotional content of the text. This work intends to establish the potential variation on the emotional delivery of online educational resources through the use of synthetic voice, which automatically articulates text into audio. Preliminary results from this pilot research suggest that about one out of every three sentences (35%) in a MOOC contained emotional text and two existing assistive technology voices had poor emotional alignment when reading this text. Synthetic voices were more likely to be overly negative when considering their expression as compared to the emotional content of the text they are reading, which was most frequently neutral. We also analyzed a synthetic voice for which we configured the emotional expression to align with course text, which showed promising improvements