Statistical profiling of unemployed jobseekers : the increasing availability of big data allows for the profiling of unemployed jobseekers via statistical models

Statistical models can help public employment services to identify factors associated with long-term unemployment and to identify groups at risk. Statistical profiling models will probably even become more prominent as new machine learning techniques in combination with the increasing availability of big data will improve their predictive power. However, a policy maker cannot just define an outcome variable at the start of the project and walk away: a continuous dialogue between data analysts, policy makers and caseworkers is very important. Indeed, throughout the process, normative decisions are to be made: profiling practices misclassify many individuals. They can reinforce but also prevent existing patterns of discrimination

Development and international validation of custom-engineered and code-free deep-learning models for detection of plus disease in retinopathy of prematurity: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), a leading cause of childhood blindness, is diagnosed through interval screening by paediatric ophthalmologists. However, improved survival of premature neonates coupled with a scarcity of available experts has raised concerns about the sustainability of this approach. We aimed to develop bespoke and code-free deep learning-based classifiers for plus disease, a hallmark of ROP, in an ethnically diverse population in London, UK, and externally validate them in ethnically, geographically, and socioeconomically diverse populations in four countries and three continents. Code-free deep learning is not reliant on the availability of expertly trained data scientists, thus being of particular potential benefit for low resource health-care settings. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study used retinal images from 1370 neonates admitted to a neonatal unit at Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK, between 2008 and 2018. Images were acquired using a Retcam Version 2 device (Natus Medical, Pleasanton, CA, USA) on all babies who were either born at less than 32 weeks gestational age or had a birthweight of less than 1501 g. Each images was graded by two junior ophthalmologists with disagreements adjudicated by a senior paediatric ophthalmologist. Bespoke and code-free deep learning models (CFDL) were developed for the discrimination of healthy, pre-plus disease, and plus disease. Performance was assessed internally on 200 images with the majority vote of three senior paediatric ophthalmologists as the reference standard. External validation was on 338 retinal images from four separate datasets from the USA, Brazil, and Egypt with images derived from Retcam and the 3nethra neo device (Forus Health, Bengaluru, India). FINDINGS: Of the 7414 retinal images in the original dataset, 6141 images were used in the final development dataset. For the discrimination of healthy versus pre-plus or plus disease, the bespoke model had an area under the curve (AUC) of 0·986 (95% CI 0·973-0·996) and the CFDL model had an AUC of 0·989 (0·979-0·997) on the internal test set. Both models generalised well to external validation test sets acquired using the Retcam for discriminating healthy from pre-plus or plus disease (bespoke range was 0·975-1·000 and CFDL range was 0·969-0·995). The CFDL model was inferior to the bespoke model on discriminating pre-plus disease from healthy or plus disease in the USA dataset (CFDL 0·808 [95% CI 0·671-0·909, bespoke 0·942 [0·892-0·982]], p=0·0070). Performance also reduced when tested on the 3nethra neo imaging device (CFDL 0·865 [0·742-0·965] and bespoke 0·891 [0·783-0·977]). INTERPRETATION: Both bespoke and CFDL models conferred similar performance to senior paediatric ophthalmologists for discriminating healthy retinal images from ones with features of pre-plus or plus disease; however, CFDL models might generalise less well when considering minority classes. Care should be taken when testing on data acquired using alternative imaging devices from that used for the development dataset. Our study justifies further validation of plus disease classifiers in ROP screening and supports a potential role for code-free approaches to help prevent blindness in vulnerable neonates. FUNDING: National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre based at Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and the University College London Institute of Ophthalmology. TRANSLATIONS: For the Portuguese and Arabic translations of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section

Online peer assessment in higher education: a systematic review of literature in educational practices

Neste artigo procedemos a uma revisão sistemática da literatura sobre Online Peer Assessment (OPA) no Ensino Superior, mediadas por Tecnologias Digitais de Informação e Comunicação (TIC). Identificamos suas características, centrais e opcionais e mapeamos exemplos práticos (procedimentos e TIC) de OPA que poderão ser transversais, adaptáveis e aplicáveis em diversas unidades curriculares e regimes educacionais. Os resultados apontam para a utilização da OPA como uma estratégia que potencia a “avaliação para a aprendizagem”. Os referenciais teóricos subjacentes, os métodos de avaliação e os tipos de TIC utilizadas indicam seu direcionamento para um maior envolvimento e responsabilidade do aluno na sua aprendizagem. Evidenciamos na literatura que se busca desenvolver essas competências, dando ao aluno oportunidades com alguma regularidade para autoavaliar-se e avaliar seus pares por meio de feedback construtivo. Há também evidências de que dar ou produzir feedback é mais benéfico para a aprendizagem do que apenas recebê-lo, como também é cognitivamente mais exigente e envolve os alunos de forma mais ativa e os direciona ao pensamento crítico e a processos metacognitivos. A partir dos resultados alcançados, consideramos que a OPA, enquanto ferramenta cognitiva, contribui para a construção do conhecimento e para a reflexão sobre a aprendizagem. Um desafio que se coloca diz respeito ao desenvolvimento criativo com foco na diversificação e na inovação das práticas de avaliação no sentido de potenciar aprendizagens e resultados acadêmicos, em atenção às necessidades de aprendizagem que se manifestam frente às expectativas da educação atual e futura e às exigências da sociedade.In this research a systematic review of literature about Online Peer Assessment (OPA) in higher education, mediated by Information and Communication Technology (ICT), was carried out. Optional and central characteristics and its practices (procedures and ICT) were identified and mapping. These procedures and practices may be transversal, adaptable and applied in several curriculum units and educational regimes. The results point to the use of OPA as a strategy that enhances “assessment for learning”. The theoretical framework, the methods of assessment and the kinds of ICT used indicate directions for greater involvement and responsibility from the part of the student in his/her learning. Theoretical framework identifies the need to develop students’ skills, providing them with opportunities for self-assessment and peer assessment on a regular basis through constructive feedback. There is also evidence that to give or receive feedback is more beneficial for learning than just receiving it. It is also cognitively more demanding and directs the students to critical thinking and metacognitive processes. From the results obtained, OPA is seen as a cognitive tool, contributing to the building of knowledge and to reflection about learning. Issues for further reflection are also identified such as the creative development of assessment methods with a focus on diversity and innovation in order to enhance students’ learning and academic results, taking into account their learning needs in face of the expectations of current and future education and the demands of society.CIEC - Centro de Investigação em Estudos da Criança, IE, UMinho (UI 317 da FCT), PortugalFundos Nacionais através da FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia) e cofinanciado pelo Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER) através do COMPETE 2020 – Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização (POCI) com a referência POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007562info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Factors influencing students’ receptivity to formative feedback emerging from different assessment cultures

Introduction Feedback after assessment is essential to support the development of optimal performance, but often fails to reach its potential. Although different assessment cultures have been proposed, the impact of these cultures on students’ receptivity to feedback is unclear. This study aimed to explore factors which aid or hinder receptivity to feedback. Methods Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, the authors conducted six focus groups in three medical schools, in three separate countries, with different institutional approaches to assessment, ranging from a traditional summative assessment structure to a fully implemented programmatic assessment system. The authors analyzed data iteratively, then identified and clarified key themes. Results Helpful and counterproductive elements were identified within each school’s assessment system. Four principal themes emerged. Receptivity to feedback was enhanced by assessment cultures which promoted students’ agency, by the provision of authentic and relevant assessment, and by appropriate scaffolding to aid the interpretation of feedback. Provision of grades and comparative ranking provided a helpful external reference but appeared to hinder the promotion of excellence. Conclusions This study has identified important factors emerging from different assessment cultures which, if addressed by programme designers, could enhance the learning potential of feedback following assessments. Students should be enabled to have greater control over assessment and feedback processes, which should be as authentic as possible. Effective long-term mentoring facilitates this process. The trend of curriculum change towards constructivism should now be mirrored in the assessment processes in order to enhance receptivity to feedback

Impotence due to corporeal veno-occlusive dysfunction: Long-term follow-up of venous surgery

Corporeal veno-occlusive dysfunction is an important cause of organic impotence and is characterized by increased flow rates to create and to maintain erection during artificial erection produced by intracavernous saline infusion. Sixty-seven patients with this erectile insufficiency underwent penile ligature-resection of deep dorsal vein between 1982 and 1986, and were evaluated by nocturnal plethysmography, pharmacocavernometry as well as a questionnaire about their sexual life for long-term follow-up. The surgical procedure was controlled in the operating room by reduction of the erectile flow rates. Thirty-one patients were potent postoperatively and were able to have satisfactory intercourse. Results after resection were slightly better than after simple ligation of the deep dorsal vein. Four patients had penile glans insensibility resulting from the surgical dissection. There were 7 relapses several months after the procedure due to leakage through other deeper veins. Eight failures were due to additional psychogenic disorders or to neurologic disease not accurately diagnosed before the treatment because they all developed normal papaverine-induced erection after venous surgery while before it they only developed a slight tumescence. Reduction of the erectile flow rates within normal values was impossible during surgery in 3 patients. Eleven failures were due to concomitant arterial disease. Resection of the deep dorsal vein car, restore penile erection in patients with cavernovenous leakage in about 50% of well-selected patients.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe