eLEN2 — 2nd generation eLearning Exchange Networks.

International audienceSince May 2007 the authors of this paper have explored and evaluated the use, including relative merits and challenges of social networking within the context of higher education professional development programmes in France and in Britain (Marsh & Panckhurst, 2007; Panckhurst & Marsh, 2008). A social networking tool was adopted for Masters' level courses in order to try and establish an effective collaborative pedagogical environment and sense of community, by placing students at the centre of the learning process (cf. Coombes et al., 2003). This approach was initiated as students' professional backgrounds were very different and it was not within the remit of the more structured ‘academic' programme to cater for such diverse needs and experience. The tool (Ning : http://www.ning.com/) was used to create private communities (eLearning Exchange Networks — eLEN). They were set up to provide virtual discussion space for exchanges in a social network-type environment. The initial frameworks for learners to communicate within was created and structured by the authors, but within a relative short space of time the learners were encouraged to initiate and moderate discussion threads. Case studies of three different pedagogical contexts conducted during 2007-2008 show that the majority of students felt they were no longer “tied-down” to an institutional virtual learning environment (VLE) since the eLEN allowed learning and interaction on the open Web, and they considered they benefited from a sense of freedom, a shift of responsibility in terms of apprehending their own learning, a collaborative group developing towards a community of practice (CoP), and a chance to display their own autonomy and interactive/tutoring techniques. The latest case study (conducted during the University year 2008-2009), which is presented in this paper, introduces some new directions and questions: now that social networks have become very popular, even within pedagogical environments, will they continue to provide the same advantages as were recently exposed in previous case studies? Expectations of social networks are very different several years on. Will they be supplanted by a new technological or pedagogical innovation? Can we move towards second-generation eLENs so that they still include diversity, autonomy, openness, interaction? which are keywords that Downes (2008) associates with network usage? What distinguishes 1st and 2nd generation eLENs? What is the next step? Who are the drivers/stakeholders? What are the implications for institutions? How can institutional control (both qualitative and pedagogical) be maintained? In this paper, we posit that 2nd generation eLENs do not require new technology, but a new, more developed pedagogy is definitely mandatory. As Anderson (2009) stipulates: “social networking learning designs will prove more effective, efficient and motivating ways to support learning than any previous forms – including both traditional campus based and distance education”

The Laureate English Program: Taking a research informed approach to blended learning

The aim of this case study is to describe the implementation of the Laureate English Program (LEP), the consequent decision to roll out blended learning across the network, and the Laureate-Cambridge University Press research partnership. Phase 1 of the research was completed in September 2012. The goal of this first phase was to gain a general understanding of student profile, computer literacy and competence, student levels of achievement, and student feedback on their blended learning experience. Six hundred and forty-eight students and 35 teachers responded to a questionnaire, which included multiple choice questions and open ended questions requiring extended comment. The questionnaires revealed that less than 25% of the Laureate student group had ever learned a language online before, which impacted significantly on student perception and use of online learning content. Furthermore, the first phase of research has revealed the impact that a complex interplay of different factors has on the relative effectiveness of these blended programs, and it has acknowledged that research is central to informed decision making in order to provide for effective blended learning.DOI: 10.18870/hlrc.v3i1.10

Blended language learning: An effective solution but not without its challenges

The study discussed in this investigation is part of a larger collaborative initiative between Laureate Education and Cambridge University Press (LEP-CUP collaboration). This second phase of the research, completed in 2013, aimed to further explore the conclusions from phase 1 and set out to identify effective and appropriate best practice blended learning models within the network. A study was set up with 36 teachers, all experienced ELT teachers with differing levels of experience in blended language teaching, who took part in extended focus groups discussions sessions prompted by a series of questions. Responses from these groups of teachers indicated that a flipped classroom model is beginning to develop. The authors of this study found evidence of changing approaches to language teaching, changes that are not without their challenges, but for a number of the teachers who participated in this research sample these changes are bringing considerable benefit to their teaching experience. This study offered teachers another opportunity to become change managers for students who need to acquire the autonomous, life-long learning skills of the 21st as they transition into professional life. The scope of this study cannot address and solve all of the issues involved in this process, but it provides a step towards that end. DOI: 10.18870/hlrc.v4i3.21

Priority indicators for adolescent health measurement – recommendations from the Global action for Measurement of Adolescent health (GAMA) advisory group

This article describes the selection of priority indicators for adolescent (10e19 years) health measurement proposed by the Global Action for Measurement of Adolescent health advi- sory group and partners, building on previous work identifying 33 core measurement areas and mapping 413 indicators across these areas. The indicator selection process considered inputs from a broad range of stakeholders through a structured four-step approach: (1) definition of selection criteria and indicator scoring; (2) development of a draft list of indicators with metadata; (3) collection of public feedback through a survey; and (4) review of the feedback and finalization of the indicator list. As a part of the process, measurement gaps were also identified

Implantation accuracy of novel polyimide stereotactic electroencephalographic depth electrodes—a human cadaveric study

IntroductionStereoelectroencephalography (sEEG) is a minimally invasive procedure that uses depth electrodes stereotactically implanted into brain structures to map the origin and propagation of seizures in epileptic patients. Implantation accuracy of sEEG electrodes plays a critical role in the safety and efficacy of the procedure. This study used human cadaver heads, simulating clinical practice, to evaluate (1) neurosurgeon's ability to implant a new thin-film polyimide sEEG electrode according to the instructions for use (IFU), and (2) implantation accuracy.MethodsFour neurosurgeons (users) implanted 24 sEEG electrodes into two cadaver heads with the aid of the ROSA robotic system. Usability was evaluated using a questionnaire that assessed completion of all procedure steps per IFU and user errors. For implantation accuracy evaluation, planned electrode trajectories were compared with post-implantation trajectories after fusion of pre- and postoperative computer tomography (CT) images. Implantation accuracy was quantified using the Euclidean distance for entry point error (EPE) and target point error (TPE).ResultsAll sEEG electrodes were successfully placed following the IFU without user errors, and post-implant survey of users showed favorable handling characteristics. The EPE was 1.28 ± 0.86 mm and TPE was 1.61 ± 0.89 mm. Long trajectories (>50 mm) had significantly larger EPEs and TPEs than short trajectories (<50 mm), and no differences were found between orthogonal and oblique trajectories. Accuracies were similar or superior to those reported in the literature when using similar experimental conditions, and in the same range as those reported in patients.DiscussionThe results demonstrate that newly developed polyimide sEEG electrodes can be implanted as accurately as similar devices in the marker without user errors when following the IFU in a simulated clinical environment. The human cadaver ex-vivo test system provided a realistic test system, owing to the size, anatomy and similarity of tissue composition to that of the live human brain

Identification and mitigation of narrow spectral artifacts that degrade searches for persistent gravitational waves in the first two observing runs of Advanced LIGO

Searches are under way in Advanced LIGO and Virgo data for persistent gravitational waves from continuous sources, e.g. rapidly rotating galactic neutron stars, and stochastic sources, e.g. relic gravitational waves from the Big Bang or superposition of distant astrophysical events such as mergers of black holes or neutron stars. These searches can be degraded by the presence of narrow spectral artifacts (lines) due to instrumental or environmental disturbances. We describe a variety of methods used for finding, identifying and mitigating these artifacts, illustrated with particular examples. Results are provided in the form of lists of line artifacts that can safely be treated as non-astrophysical. Such lists are used to improve the efficiencies and sensitivities of continuous and stochastic gravitational wave searches by allowing vetoes of false outliers and permitting data cleaning

Identification and mitigation of narrow spectral artifacts that degrade searches for persistent gravitational waves in the first two observing runs of Advanced LIGO

Searches are under way in Advanced LIGO and Virgo data for persistent gravitational waves from continuous sources, e.g. rapidly rotating galactic neutron stars, and stochastic sources, e.g. relic gravitational waves from the Big Bang or superposition of distant astrophysical events such as mergers of black holes or neutron stars. These searches can be degraded by the presence of narrow spectral artifacts (lines) due to instrumental or environmental disturbances. We describe a variety of methods used for finding, identifying and mitigating these artifacts, illustrated with particular examples. Results are provided in the form of lists of line artifacts that can safely be treated as non-astrophysical. Such lists are used to improve the efficiencies and sensitivities of continuous and stochastic gravitational wave searches by allowing vetoes of false outliers and permitting data cleaning.Comment: 21 page

The Gravitational Universe

The last century has seen enormous progress in our understanding of the Universe. We know the life cycles of stars, the structure of galaxies, the remnants of the big bang, and have a general understanding of how the Universe evolved. We have come remarkably far using electromagnetic radiation as our tool for observing the Universe. However, gravity is the engine behind many of the processes in the Universe, and much of its action is dark. Opening a gravitational window on the Universe will let us go further than any alternative. Gravity has its own messenger: Gravitational waves, ripples in the fabric of spacetime. They travel essentially undisturbed and let us peer deep into the formation of the first seed black holes, exploring redshifts as large as z ~ 20, prior to the epoch of cosmic re-ionisation. Exquisite and unprecedented measurements of black hole masses and spins will make it possible to trace the history of black holes across all stages of galaxy evolution, and at the same time constrain any deviation from the Kerr metric of General Relativity. eLISA will be the first ever mission to study the entire Universe with gravitational waves. eLISA is an all-sky monitor and will offer a wide view of a dynamic cosmos using gravitational waves as new and unique messengers to unveil The Gravitational Universe. It provides the closest ever view of the early processes at TeV energies, has guaranteed sources in the form of verification binaries in the Milky Way, and can probe the entire Universe, from its smallest scales around singularities and black holes, all the way to cosmological dimensions

Multi-messenger observations of a binary neutron star merger

On 2017 August 17 a binary neutron star coalescence candidate (later designated GW170817) with merger time 12:41:04 UTC was observed through gravitational waves by the Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo detectors. The Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor independently detected a gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) with a time delay of ~1.7 s with respect to the merger time. From the gravitational-wave signal, the source was initially localized to a sky region of 31 deg2 at a luminosity distance of 40+8-8 Mpc and with component masses consistent with neutron stars. The component masses were later measured to be in the range 0.86 to 2.26 Mo. An extensive observing campaign was launched across the electromagnetic spectrum leading to the discovery of a bright optical transient (SSS17a, now with the IAU identification of AT 2017gfo) in NGC 4993 (at ~40 Mpc) less than 11 hours after the merger by the One- Meter, Two Hemisphere (1M2H) team using the 1 m Swope Telescope. The optical transient was independently detected by multiple teams within an hour. Subsequent observations targeted the object and its environment. Early ultraviolet observations revealed a blue transient that faded within 48 hours. Optical and infrared observations showed a redward evolution over ~10 days. Following early non-detections, X-ray and radio emission were discovered at the transient’s position ~9 and ~16 days, respectively, after the merger. Both the X-ray and radio emission likely arise from a physical process that is distinct from the one that generates the UV/optical/near-infrared emission. No ultra-high-energy gamma-rays and no neutrino candidates consistent with the source were found in follow-up searches. These observations support the hypothesis that GW170817 was produced by the merger of two neutron stars in NGC4993 followed by a short gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) and a kilonova/macronova powered by the radioactive decay of r-process nuclei synthesized in the ejecta