Game-based learning: using business simulators in the university classroom [Aprender jugando: la utilización de simuladores empresariales en el aula universitaria]

In recent years, technological advances have paved the way for advances in education through the deployment of innovative teaching tools designed to improve the learning experience. Such active, experiential teaching/learning tools include business simulation games which aim to boost motivation, autonomous learning and learner-centered control of the learning process. The present study provides an analysis of the implantation of a college-level course designed around a business simulation game-with a special focus on the learning process as experienced by the learners themselves. To this end, the paper seeks to identify those factors which have a positive impact on the learning experience and contribute to learner satisfaction. More specifically, learner personality traits and attitude, the role emotions may play, facilitative learning conditions and learners'' intention to use business simulation games again in the future are analyzed. Our findings demonstrate that support from teachers, a high degree of learner motivation and perceived fun will have a particularly positive impact on the opinion learners hold of this innovative teaching/learning tool. Los avances tecnológicos han permitido que la educación también evolucione introduciendo herramientas pedagógicas innovadoras que mejoran la experiencia de aprendizaje para los individuos. Una de estas herramientas para el aprendizaje activo y experiencial es el uso de juegos de simulación empresarial. Estas nuevas herramientas pedagógicas permiten mejorar la motivación, autonomía y control del estudiante en su proceso de aprendizaje. Este estudio pretende analizar el éxito en la implantación de una asignatura basada en un juego de simulación empresarial mediante el estudio de la experiencia de aprendizaje del estudiante a través de dicho juego. Para ello, el trabajo persigue identificar aquellos factores que pueden contribuir a que dicha experiencia de aprendizaje sea satisfactoria para los alumnos. En concreto, se analiza el papel que pueden jugar las emociones, la personalidad del individuo, las condiciones facilitadoras, la actitud y la intención futura de uso del juego de simulación empresarial. Los resultados ponen de manifiesto que el apoyo recibido por parte del profesorado, la diversión del estudiante y un alto nivel de entusiasmo experimentado con el juego de simulación contribuirán de forma especialmente positiva a la opinión de los estudiantes sobre esta herramienta pedagógica innovadora

Modelling Wind Turbine Failures based on Weather Conditions

A large proportion of the overall costs of a wind farm is directly related to operation and maintenance (O&M) tasks. By applying predictive O&M strategies rather than corrective approaches these costs can be decreased significantly. Here, especially wind turbine (WT) failure models can help to understand the components' degradation processes and enable the operators to anticipate upcoming failures. Usually, these models are based on the age of the systems or components. However, latest research shows that the on-site weather conditions also affect the turbine failure behaviour significantly. This study presents a novel approach to model WT failures based on the environmental conditions to which they are exposed to. The results focus on general WT failures, as well as on four main components: gearbox, generator, pitch and yaw system. A penalised likelihood estimation is used in order to avoid problems due to for example highly correlated input covariates. The relative importance of the model covariates is assessed in order to analyse the effect of each weather parameter on the model output

Probability density function selection based on the characteristics of wind speed data

The probabilistic approach has an important place in the wind energy research field as it provides cheap and fast initial information for experts with the help of simulations and estimations. Wind energy experts have been using the Weibull distribution for wind speed data for many years. Nevertheless, there exist cases, where the Weibull distribution is inappropriate with data presenting bimodal or multimodal behaviour which are unfit in high, null and low winds that can cause serious energy estimation errors. This paper presents a procedure for dealing with wind speed data taking into account non-Weibull distributions or data treatment when needed. The procedure detects deviations from the unimodal (Weibull) distribution and proposes other possible distributions to be used. The deviations of the used distributions regarding real data are addressed with the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and the annual energy production (AEP)

Modelling the effects of environmental conditions on wind turbine failures

Operation and maintenance is one of the main cost drivers of modern wind farms and has become an emerging field of research over the past years. Understanding the failure behaviour of wind turbines (WTs) can significantly enhance operation and maintenance processes and is essential for developing reliability and strategic maintenance models. Previous research has shown that especially the environmental conditions, to which the turbines are exposed to, affect their reliability drastically. This paper compares several advanced modelling techniques and proposes a novel approach to model WT system and component failures based on the site-specific weather conditions. Furthermore, to avoid common problems in failure modelling, procedures for variable selection and complexity reduction are discussed and incorporated. This is applied to a big failure database comprised of 11 wind farms and 383 turbines. The results show that the model performs very well in several situations such as modelling general WT failures as well as failures of specific components. The latter is exemplified using gearbox failures

Selection of the Most Suitable Decomposition Filter for the Measurement of Fluctuating Harmonics

The proliferation of nonlinear loads in both industrial and residential distribution grids leads to undesirable nonsinusoidal and fluctuating harmonic pollution on voltage and current waveforms. New analysis tools, such as wavelets, are being used to overcome the problems posed by the use of the Fourier transform when analyzing complex waveforms. Nevertheless, the selection of the wavelet basis must be done carefully to minimize spectral leakage due to the nonexact frequency discrimination. In this context, this paper proposes an objective method for comparing different wavelet families for the measurement of harmonic contents. This methodology is applicable for determining the best filter among the 53 preselected structures according to the following requirements: frequency selectivity, computational complexity, convolution results, and observed spectral leakage. With all these considerations, the Butterworth infinite-impulse response filter of order 29 was found to be the best wavelet decomposition structure to achieve an effective harmonic analysis up to the 50th order

Understanding online business simulation games: the role of flow experience, perceived enjoyment and personal innovativeness

This study aimed to empirically predict the degree of acceptance of an online business simulation game in an educational context. To do so, this study proposed an extended technology acceptance model that includes variables such as perceived enjoyment and flow. In addition, the moderating role of students'' personal imiovativeness in the technology field was analysed. The framework was empirically tested applying partial least squares to a sample of 266 students. Results reveal that perceived enjoyment is a key variable in explaining students'' perceived ease of use, usefulness and attitudes towards the simulation. Perceived ease of use is not significantly related to flow experience. However, this relationship is moderated by personal innovativeness. Indeed, results indicate that the higher the students'' personal innovativeness, the more attenuated the effect of perceived ease of use on the attitude towards the game and on flow experience. The study offers relevant insights for the pedagogical use of competitive digital technologies in university contexts

Oxygen-Induced Dimerization of Alkyl-Manganese(II) 2,6-Bisiminopyridine Complexes: Selective Synthesis of a New Ditopic NNN-Pincer Ligand

The outcome of the reaction of manganese(II) dialkyls with 2,6-bisiminopyridine (BIP) ligands is dramatically altered by the presence of very small amounts of oxygen (< 0.5 mol %), leading to binuclear species. These arise from the dimerization of the initial product, a Mn(II) 4-alkyl-2,6-bisiminodihydropyridinate alkyl complex. Cleavage of the binuclear Mn products with methanol affords the free dimeric bases, which can be regarded as a special type of ditopic NNN pincer ligand with an unusual tricyclic framework. The coordinative ability of the new ligands has been probed with the syntheses of Zn and Pd organometallic derivativesMinisterio de Economía e Innovación TQ2015- 68978-

On the effects of environmental conditions on wind turbine performance: an offshore case study

Monitoring wind turbine (WT) performance offers a means of identifying abnormal operation, but only if natural disturbances of the operating regime change can be excluded. WT performance monitoring usually relies on the analysis of operational power curves, generally based on data from the supervision control and data acquisition system. However, these curves do not reflect the source of variability, negatively affecting the capabilities for detecting WT abnormal performance. This work aims at understanding and quantifying changes in WT performance variability due to different environmental conditions during normal and wake-free operating conditions, based on an offshore case study. The magnitude of performance fluctuations is highly influenced by environmental conditions, being higher during high turbulence intensity and low wind shear conditions. The Taylor law, with small time windows, is suitable to describe them for low-mid winds in the absence of dedicated wind measurements, often not permanently available offshore, and could potentially result in more effective performance monitoring solutions. Nevertheless, the heteroskedastic nature of the power deviations negatively affects fitting possibilities. The results support the importance of using low data aggregation periods to understand the dynamics of WT performance

Activity and space patterns of Pyrenean desman (Galemys pyrenaicus) suggest non-aggressive and non-territorial behaviour

The Pyrenean desman is considered a flagship species for biodiversity and evolution. However, its scientific knowledge is still under development and currently on debate, particularly in relation to its behavioural ecology and social organization. Based on the previous hypothesis of individual desmans being solitary and territorial, activity and space patterns were considered to be arranged to avoid conspecifics. However, recent insights into the species’ social behaviour revealed non-interspecific avoidance. With this study, we provide novel insights into the activity and space patterns of the desman, and their relation to its social behaviour. A total of 30 individuals were trapped, 18 of which provided informative radiotracking data to study (1) activity behaviour, (2) the proportion of the home range utilized and the distances travelled, and (3) the dominant movement directionality. Activity and space use patterns were affected by daylight and seasonality, but not by sex, age or number of other conspecifics sharing the home range. In contrast to the previous observations, individuals did not show a pattern of directionality in their movements. Noticeably, we observed encounters between individuals without evidence of aggressive behaviour. Our results suggest that desmans do not alter their activity or their spatial behaviour to avoid encounters with conspecifics, as previously suggested. These novel findings provide more evidence of a social structure and organization with social interactions and non-aggressive behaviour. This is of relevance for management actions and for the conservation of this endemic mammal

Recubrimientos bioactivos: Hidroxiapatita y titania

Peer Reviewe