Distance learning, OER, and MOOCs: some UK experiences

This paper discusses learning at scale from the perspective of two UK Universities engaging in technology enhanced learning. Three case studies are used to illustrate ways in which scale has been achieved. There is diversity in how scale is supported but also common factors. Openness and choice appear as enablers in all cases

Benchmarking End-to-end Learning of MIMO Physical-Layer Communication

End-to-end data-driven machine learning (ML) of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems has been shown to have the potential of exceeding the performance of engineered MIMO transceivers, without any a priori knowledge of communication-theoretic principles. In this work, we aim to understand to what extent and for which scenarios this claim holds true when comparing with fair benchmarks. We study closed-loop MIMO, open-loop MIMO, and multi-user MIMO and show that the gains of ML-based communication in the former two cases can be to a large extent ascribed to implicitly learned geometric shaping and bit and power allocation, not to learning new spatial encoders. For MU-MIMO, we demonstrate the feasibility of a novel method with centralized learning and decentralized executing, outperforming conventional zero-forcing. For each scenario, we provide explicit descriptions as well as open-source implementations of the selected neural-network architectures.Comment: 6 pages, 8 figures, conference pape

Neurochemical and Behavioural Factors Affecting the Sensitive Period for Imprinting

An investigation of the neurochemical properties underlying the sensitive period for imprinting was undertaken by exploring the action of a mixture of an N-methyl-Daspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist ketamine (55 mg/kg) and an ∝₂-aradrenergic agonist, xylazine (6 mg/kg) (KX) on the ability of dark-reared chicks to imprint on day 8 posthatching. Chicks treated with this mixture at 10, 20 or 40 h after hatching and which were reared in the dark were able to imprint on day 8. Controls treated with saline were unable to imprint on day 8. Similarly, chicks treated with the KX mixture or with saline on day 4 or day 7 were not able to imprint on day 8. Two stimuli were used to imprint the chicks; a rotating stuffed hen, and a rotating red and black box. While day 2 chicks were able to imprint on the hen or the box, groups of day 8 chicks that had been treated with KX at 10, 20 or 40 h after hatching only imprinted if they had been exposed to the hen. Box-exposed groups did not imprint. This is not a predisposition-like effect because KX-treated chicks showed a preference for the hen only if they had previously been exposed to it

An analysis of university mathematics teaching using the knowledge quartet

We analyse accounts written by three mathematics lecturers on their practice using the Knowledge Quartet framework. This framework has been used to study how a teacher’s knowledge of mathematics and mathematics pedagogy influences his/her actions in the classroom at both the primary and secondary level. We consider how the framework could be used to study university level teaching, and we report on the dimensions of teacher knowledge that were made visible by this framework

An Analysis of University Mathematics Teaching using the Knowledge Quartet

We analyse accounts written by three mathematics lecturers on their practice using the Knowledge Quartet framework. This framework has been used to study how a teacher’s knowledge of mathematics and mathematics pedagogy influences his/her actions in the classroom at both the primary and secondary level. We consider how the framework could be used to study university level teaching, and we report on the dimensions of teacher knowledge that were made visible by this framework

An Analysis of University Mathematics Teaching using the Knowledge Quartet

We analyse accounts written by three mathematics lecturers on their practice using the Knowledge Quartet framework. This framework has been used to study how a teacher’s knowledge of mathematics and mathematics pedagogy influences his/her actions in the classroom at both the primary and secondary level. We consider how the framework could be used to study university level teaching, and we report on the dimensions of teacher knowledge that were made visible by this framework

Neurocognitive and Academic Outcomes at Age 10 Years of Extremely Preterm Newborns

Despite reductions in mortality and morbidity among children born extremely preterm, they remain at high risk of neurocognitive deficits, with up to 40% having significant cognitive deficits at school age. We assessed the rate of neurocognitive impairment in a contemporary US cohort of 873 children aged 10 years who were born <28 weeks’ gestation