Influential Factors That Affect Retention and Language Acquisition in Beginning ESL Adults Students

This study explored the problem of student attrition in beginning courses of an Intensive English Program (IEP) that may affect the sustainability of the IEP. The purpose of the study was to understand the perceptions of continuing students and the factors that influenced their motivation and engagement to persist studying in the IEP. Constructivism and behavioral social learning theory guided this study. The research problem addressed the need for students to remain in IEPs and achieve second language acquisition. The research questions were designed to learn what instructional approaches motivated and engaged participants to persist in successive introductory courses. A qualitative case study design, guided by interpretive epistemology, was used to collect students\u27 opinions, perceptions, and suggestions on their experiences in their first course. The target population was beginners in a second IEP course at a community college. A purposive sample of 16 participants took part in 2 focus groups, individual interviews, and open-ended surveys for data triangulation. Constant comparative analysis using open and axial coding was used to aggregate data themes for inquiry. The findings revealed that poor student engagement, lack of mentorship qualities in instructors, and little inclusion of technology have been persistent reasons for their dissatisfaction. The project, a collaborative professional development effort, was designed for IEP instructors to gain awareness on past and current research about the andragogical framework of student-centeredness which culminated with the cooperative elaboration of a set of best practices. The social impact of the study comes from benefits that sustainable IEP programs could offer to communities with large populations of immigrants and to international visitors to empower them to achieve immersion into English-speaking societies

Ultra-thin 3D silicon sensors for neutron detection

We present a novel neutron detector based on an ultra-thin 3D silicon sensor with a sensitive volume only 10 µm thick. This ultra-thin active volume allows a high gamma-ray rejection, a key requirement in order to discriminate the signal coming from the neutrons in a mixed neutron-gamma ray environment. The device upper-side is covered with a novel boron-based compound that detects neutrons by means of the 10B(n,α)7Li nuclear reaction. The performance of test devices has been investigated first with a gamma-ray source to evaluate the gamma-ray rejection factor, and then with an 241AmBe neutron source to assess the neutron-gamma ray discrimination properties.Peer reviewe

A new Variable Curvature concept for Linear Fresnel Reflectors Solar Concentrating Systems

In a Linear Fresnel Reflector (LFR) solar concentrating system [1] a series of single axis linear reflectors target the sunrays to a longitudinal facedown receiver on top of a fixed structure. The LFR technology offers simplicity and reduced costs when compared with the standard Parabolic Trough technology, but it also suffers from reduced optical performance, especially with large incidence angles. The present preliminary study explores the possibilities of a variable curvature geometrical concept for a LFR that would achieve a more focused solar print over the receptor than in a traditional fixed geometry system.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Innovative concepts of Integrated Solar Combined Cycles (ISCC) using a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC)

Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) is one of the most promising ways for electricity production of the upcoming years with high penetration of intermittent renewable energy sources such as wind and solar-photovoltaics. This is due to the fact that CSP when coupled to Thermal Energy Storage (TES) system enables large, inexpensive and flexible energy dispatch, which contributes to energy grid stabilization. At the same time, TES allows for steady operation of the power block by reducing undesirable fluctuations due to weather transient conditions and increasing the number of hours that the power block operates at design conditions 1. Despite the abovementioned advantages of CSP systems, a step further is needed for increase overall system efficiency and decrease CO2 emissions. Several studies have been performed considering high efficiency plant layouts such as combined cycle. For the latter, several works have been investigated about solar integration of combined cycle using parabolic trough and solar tower technologies. In both cases, solar energy was used for water/steam preheating and evaporation steps of the Rankine cycle in combination with the exhaust gases of fossil-fuel gas turbine engine. However, no research has been performed considering ISCC coupled with a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC). In this research, two innovative layouts of ISCC power plants will be analyzed. First considers a ISCC based on solar tower and second a ISCC with a parabolic trough collector field coupled to the Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG). The objective of this research is analyze the energy behavior of both layouts, selecting the best ISCC scheme to be coupled with a SOFC. The simulations will be performed using Thermoflex software. In both layouts, a SOFC is introduced before the combustion chamber at the topping cycle, and a Rankine cycle (bottoming cycle) with 2 pressures is considered.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Interest groups’ incentives to cooperate in the production of information in the context of the EU policy-making

The literature on information economics serves the European Commission to justify the participation of interest groups in response to problems of asymmetric information in the European Union (EU) policy-making processes. Using the framework of the agency theory, the role of interest groups as information producers is incorporated into a model where the types of conditions in which they would have the incentive to cooperate in the production of information are examined. The results of the model show that the interest group’s expected utility when acting independently is equal to the reserve utility, while it increases when acting cooperatively. It can therefore be concluded that incentives for cooperation in the production of information among interest groups exist. One potential policy implication for the EU is that the EC could decrease the conditions of the contracts, thereby diminishing the costs of obtaining information.peer-reviewe

Learning Analytics to Detect Evidence of Fraudulent Behaviour in Online Examinations

Lecturers are often reluctant to set examinations online because of the potential problems of fraudulent behaviour from their students. This concern has increased during the coronavirus pandemic because courses that were previously designed to be taken face-to-face have to be conducted online. The courses have had to be redesigned, including seminars, laboratory sessions and evaluation activities. This has brought lecturers and students into conflict because, according to the students, the activities and examinations that have been redesigned to avoid cheating are also harder. The lecturers’ concern is that students can collaborate in taking examinations that must be taken individually without the lecturers being able to do anything to prevent it, i.e. fraudulent collaboration. This research proposes a process model to obtain evidence of students who attempt to fraudulently collaborate, based on the information in the learning environment logs. It is automated in a software tool that checks how the students took the examinations and the grades that they obtained. It is applied in a case study with more than 100 undergraduate students. The results are positive and its use allowed lecturers to detect evidence of fraudulent collaboration by several clusters of students from their submission timestamps and the grades obtained

Web 2.0 en el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje. Aplicación a la enseñanza de Economía de la Empresa

El uso de Internet y su evolución acelerada en el tiempo no afecta exclusivamente a las empresas, sino que su ritmo viene marcado precisamente por los que se han de considerar nuevos productores de contenido en la Red. La Universidad no puede quedarse atrás en el uso de las TIC pero tampoco puede centrarse exclusivamente en plataformas de aprendizaje on-line de sofisticación elevada –OCW, Moodle, entre otros-, pero sin otorgar poder para modificar y generar contenidos a los usuarios. La Unidad Docente de Organización de Empresas del Departamento de Economía y Gestión Forestal de la Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros de Montes de la Universidad Politécnica de Madrid propone el uso de plataformas Web 2.0 con el objeto de desarrollar competencias tradicionales y competencias 2.0. Estas plataformas tienen una gran acogida entre el alumnado, presentan utilidad tanto en el presente como en el futuro, y se puede utilizar como plataforma de Learning 2.0 de la Economía y Organización de Empresa

GPS and Galileo Wide Area RTK concepts

Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version