Trends in the development of e-learning in higher education and future directions

Teachers and students in higher education are coming to realize that to become competent practitioners there is need to take advantage of up-to-date digital technologies and learning practices. Learning process requires measurement and evaluation of students behaviour. In the case of e-learning evidence is sought for improvements resulting from the use of online tools and processes desired to achieve a given set of learning outcomes. In this 21st century, knowledge is fast becoming a powerful engine in life. The visions, innovations, and inventions are the building blocks of developing knowledgeable and sustainable society. E-learning has facilitated the use of a plethora of internet and web-based applications as the method of communication with a distributed audience. Therefore, institutions of higher learning are constantly venturing into new and innovative methods and are radically changing the educational practice making it competitive. Some schools of thought are of the opinion that the present structure of materials as used in e-learning unlike turning the pages of a book lacks some degree of interactivity and pedagogical strategy. This makes students feel that the contents are static and uninteresting

Portals and Vle: how are they related and what are they for

Portals and VLE (Virtual Learning Environment) are increasingly being deployed for use in most universities. At a recent meeting of the eLearning Task Force held in Paris, January 29th 2009, the need for clarification of what they are and how they are related was highlighted. This presentation results from exchanges among participants during this meeting

Factores influyentes para la adopción BIM de las empresas de arquitectura y diseño estructural en el Perú

Building Information Modeling (BIM) es una metodología de trabajo para la creación y gestión de la información de un proyecto de construcción que ofrece beneficios a la industria de la construcción para la creación colaborativa de información digital (Gamez, et al., 2014). En Perú, muchas empresas de ingeniería y construcción se han embarcado en la adopción de BIM. Sin embargo, el Segundo Estudio de Adopción BIM de Lima y Callao (Murguía, et al., 2021) encontró que dentro de los proyectos que han adoptado BIM, aproximadamente solo el 20% de las empresas de diseño crean sus propios modelos BIM. El 80% de los modelos son creados por consultores BIM o la empresa contratista. Este desigual nivel de adopción podría ser problemática en contextos como el peruano, donde el sector público empezará a requerir BIM para sus proyectos de construcción. Basado en las clasificaciones de estudios previos sobre BIM tales como: la teoría de difusión de innovaciones y la aceptación del usuario al uso de la tecnología de la información, la siguiente investigación logra identificar y clasificar los factores que llevan al punto de adopción del uso de BIM de los proyectistas de arquitectura y estructuras durante la etapa de diseño de un proyecto de construcción. Mediante el análisis de datos cualitativos, con base en entrevistas semiestructuradas a profesionales y gerentes de empresas de arquitectura e ingeniería, se logra clasificar los factores influyentes en 3 diferentes grupos. El primero referente al valor de BIM que, se subdivide en: Modelado, Sistematización y Compatibilización. La segunda comprende las motivaciones al uso de BIM, tales como: Motivaciones sociales (de imagen interna o externa; y de influencia social o exigencia), y motivaciones económicas (proyectos únicos o cruzados; y colaboración y Macro-BIM). Finalmente, en la tercera clasificación, se identifica los factores de la industria que influyen en la adopción, clasificados en: Factores tecnológicos y económicos; del marco normativo; y de aprendizaje y conocimientos

Factors Associated with Marburg Hemorrhagic Fever:

Background. Reliable on-site polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for Marburg hemorrhagic fever (MHF) is not always available. Therefore, clinicians triage patients on the basis of presenting symptoms and contact history. Using patient data collected in Uige, Angola, in 2005, we assessed the sensitivity and specificity of these factors to evaluate the validity of World Health Organization (WHO)–recommended case definitions for MHF. Methods. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors of PCR confirmation of MHF. A data-derived algorithm was developed to obtain new MHF case definitions with improved sensitivity and specificity. Results. A MHF case definition comprising (1) an epidemiological link or (2) the combination of myalgia or arthralgia and any hemorrhage could potentially serve as an alternative to current case definitions. Our dataderived case definitions maintained the sensitivity and improved the specificity of current WHO-recommended case definitions. Conclusions. Continued efforts to improve clinical documentation during filovirus outbreaks would aid in the refinement of case definitions and facilitate outbreak control

Development of E-learning in higher education and future directions

The present paper is based on the work of the ‘Future of E-Learning Group’, a constituent of the EUNIS E-Learning task Force. The group has set up a number of tasks to fulfill its role, one of which, is seeking and disseminating information on the development of e-learning with a view to ensuring the right guide is provided for progress into the future. In our work to date, in this era of globalization, we question the ability of present university systems to respond adequately and appropriately to complex demands of an Information Economy. There’s increasing involvement of private sector in higher education. The effects on future learning on the use of varying tools as well as the design of competency-based performance in e-learning have been reported (Wolrery et al, 2000; Sluijsmans et al, 2006). Several multimedia learning systems are being developed for use as future interactive educational tools (Low et al, 2003). New thinking is required for the new relationships that are being developed between creative subjects and technology when we consider the nature of universities in their present state of existence as public sector institutions. The university of the future can be perceived as a setup, based on international trade in educational services, with universities fulfilling the functions of licensing, quality assurance and cultural custodianship. The pressent paper discusses some of these issues and reports on the future directions of e-learning as they relate to higher education

Geometric entangling gates for coupled cavity system in decoherence-free subspaces

We propose a scheme to implement geometric entangling gates for two logical qubits in a coupled cavity system in decoherence-free subspaces. Each logical qubit is encoded with two atoms trapped in a single cavity and the geometric entangling gates are achieved by cavity coupling and controlling the external classical laser fields. Based on the coupled cavity system, the scheme allows the scalability for quantum computing and relaxes the requirement for individually addressing atoms.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figur

'Divided they stand, divided they fail': opposition politics in Morocco

The literature on democratization emphasises how authoritarian constraints usually lead genuine opposition parties and movements to form alliances in order to make demands for reform to the authoritarian regime. There is significant empirical evidence to support this theoretical point. While this trend is partly visible in the Middle East and North Africa, such coalitions are usually short-lived and limited to a single issue, never reaching the stage of formal and organic alliances. This article, using the case of Morocco, seeks to explain this puzzle by focusing on ideological and strategic differences that exist between the Islamist and the secular/liberal sectors of civil society, where significant opposition politics occurs. In addition, this article also aims to explain how pro-democracy strategies of the European Union further widen this divide, functioning as a key obstacle to democratic reforms

A Pilot Study Comparing HPV-Positive and HPV-Negative Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas by Whole Exome Sequencing.

Background. Next-generation sequencing of cancers has identified important therapeutic targets and biomarkers. The goal of this pilot study was to compare the genetic changes in a human papillomavirus- (HPV-)positive and an HPV-negative head and neck tumor. Methods. DNA was extracted from the blood and primary tumor of a patient with an HPV-positive tonsillar cancer and those of a patient with an HPV-negative oral tongue tumor. Exome enrichment was performed using the Agilent SureSelect All Exon Kit, followed by sequencing on the ABI SOLiD platform. Results. Exome sequencing revealed slightly more mutations in the HPV-negative tumor (73) in contrast to the HPV-positive tumor (58). Multiple mutations were noted in zinc finger genes (ZNF3, 10, 229, 470, 543, 616, 664, 638, 716, and 799) and mucin genes (MUC4, 6, 12, and 16). Mutations were noted in MUC12 in both tumors. Conclusions. HPV-positive HNSCC is distinct from HPV-negative disease in terms of evidence of viral infection, p16 status, and frequency of mutations. Next-generation sequencing has the potential to identify novel therapeutic targets and biomarkers in HNSCC