Developing an Interactive Tabletop Mediated Activity to Induce Collaboration by Implementing Design Considerations Based on Cooperative Learning Principles

Constructive collaboration can be a difficult matter. For this reason, we are implementing and studying an interactive-tabletop-mediated activity that aims at inducing collaboration among participants. The resulting activity ‘Orbitia’ is designed as a serious game. Participants are asked to act as a space- mining crew, which has to collect minerals with a rover and rely on a camera- drone for reconnaissance, while keeping the rover out of harm and managing limited resources. In this paper we provide an account of how we designed Orbitia’s pedagogical structuring by relying on the Johnsons’ cooperative learning approach whose fundamental concept is “positive interdependence”. More particularly, we show how we worked on resource, role and task inter- dependence to design three collaboration-inducing ‘flagship’ devices: the rover- steering-device (RSD), the item-locating-device (ILD) and the responsibility- activating-device (RAD)

Extensive Photometry of V1838 Aql During the 2013 Superoutburst

We present an in-depth photometric study of the 2013 superoutburst of the recently discovered cataclysmic variable V1838 Aql and subsequent photometry near its quiescent state. A careful examination of the development of the superhumps is presented. Our best determination of the orbital period is Porb=0.05698(9) days, based on the periodicity of early superhumps. Comparing the superhump periods at stages A and B with the early superhump value we derive a period excess of ɛ=0.024(2) and a mass ratio of q=0.10(1). We suggest that V1838 Aql is approaching the orbital period minimum and thus has a low-mass star as a donor instead of a substellar object

Extensive Photometry of V1838 Aql During the 2013 Superoutburst

International audienceWe present an in-depth photometric study of the 2013 superoutburst of the recently discovered cataclysmic variable V1838 Aql and subsequent photometry near its quiescent state. A careful examination of the development of the superhumps is presented. Our best determination of the orbital period is Porb=0.05698(9) days, based on the periodicity of early superhumps. Comparing the superhump periods at stages A and B with the early superhump value we derive a period excess of ɛ=0.024(2) and a mass ratio of q=0.10(1). We suggest that V1838 Aql is approaching the orbital period minimum and thus has a low-mass star as a donor instead of a substellar object

How Race Affects Dismissals of College Football Coaches

We employ a discrete-time hazard model and a Blinder-decomposition approach to explore the possibility of racial discrimination in the dismissal and retention of college-football coaches by university administrations. A rich data set consisting of 81 institutions over an 11-year period (1990-2000) that contains, in addition to a coach\u27s race, variables on cumulative winning records, annual on-the-field improvements, and pre-/post-season game participation by institutions and their coaches is employed. Our study finds that black coaches, on average, face a dismissal probability that is 9.6 percentage points below that of their nonblack counterparts, ceteris paribus, suggesting that black head coaches may be the beneficiaries of favorable treatment by university administrators. Such a result likely stems from universities\u27 approach to social concerns involving race and gender issues. This finding also fits a construct that considers workplace discrimination as multi-dimensional. For example, black representation in the college football coaching ranks may be disproportionately low, possibly as a result of discrimination. However, once hired, black coaches are given more time to succeed than nonblacks, other things constant