Participation Gaps - Social Software In Higher Education Teaching

Lernende durch die Einbindung von «Web 2.0»-Angeboten aktiver in Lehrveranstaltungen einzubeziehen, ist ein aktuell diskutiertes Thema. Ziel dieses Beitrags ist es, jenseits der im theoriebasierten Fachdiskurs erwähnten Potenziale anhand empirischer Arbeiten auch typische Probleme zu analysieren, die mit der Umsetzung von Social Software im Bereich der Hochschule einhergehen. Methodisch handelt es sich nicht um eine Meta-Studie, sondern um eine vom Umfang her begrenzte, daher beispielhafte, aber systematische Sichtung vorwiegend englischsprachiger, empirisch basierter Arbeiten zum Einsatz von Social Software – insbesondere Blogs und Wikis – im Rahmen von Hochschullehrveranstaltungen. Die Analyse der gesichteten Fallstudien zeigt, dass das Phänomen ausbleibender studentischer Partizipation thematisiert wird, dass verschiedene Überlegungen zur Forcierung verbindlicher Beteiligung erprobt, jedoch die Folgen dieser spezifischen Interventionen zur Erhöhung der Beteiligung nur selten reflektiert werden. Abschliessend werden grundsätzliche Probleme und Spannungsfelder partizipativer Ansätze mit digitalen Medien im Bildungsraum Hochschule diskutiert.The integration of "Web 2.0" offers to involve learners more actively in courses is a topic currently under discussion. The aim of this article is, beyond the potential mentioned in the theory-based discourse, to analyse typical problems associated with the implementation of social software in higher education on the basis of empirical work. Methodologically, this is not a meta-study, but rather a limited in scope, therefore exemplary, but systematic review of predominantly English-language, empirically based works on the use of social software - especially blogs and wikis - in the context of higher education courses. The analysis of the case studies reviewed shows that the phenomenon of lacking student participation is addressed, that various considerations for forcing mandatory participation are tried out, but that the consequences of these specific interventions to increase participation are rarely reflected upon. Finally, fundamental problems and areas of tension of participatory approaches with digital media in the educational space of higher education are discussed

Dynamic Averaging Load Balancing on Arbitrary Graphs

In this paper we study dynamic averaging load balancing on general graphs. We consider infinite time and dynamic processes, where in every step new load items are assigned to randomly chosen nodes. A matching is chosen, and the load is averaged over the edges of that matching. We analyze the discrete case where load items are indivisible, moreover our results also carry over to the continuous case where load items can be split arbitrarily. For the choice of the matchings we consider three different models, random matchings of linear size, random matchings containing only single edges, and deterministic sequences of matchings covering the whole graph. We bound the discrepancy, which is defined as the difference between the maximum and the minimum load. Our results cover a broad range of graph classes and, to the best of our knowledge, our analysis is the first result for discrete and dynamic averaging load balancing processes. As our main technical contribution we develop a drift result that allows us to apply techniques based on the effective resistance in an electrical network to the setting of dynamic load balancing

SQUIRRELnovo : de novo design of a PPARalpha agonist by bioisosteric replacement

Shape complementarity is a compulsory condition for molecular recognition. In our 3D ligand-based virtual screening approach called SQUIRREL, we combine shape-based rigid body alignment with fuzzy pharmacophore scoring. Retrospective validation studies demonstrate the superiority of methods which combine both shape and pharmacophore information on the family of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs). We demonstrate the real-life applicability of SQUIRREL by a prospective virtual screening study, where a potent PPARalpha agonist with an EC50 of 44 nM and 100-fold selectivity against PPARgamma has been identified..

Cooperation between ‹Assistance›, ‹Consulting› and ‹Development Partnership›: Reflections from a School Development Project on Cooperation between Schools and Universities in Design-based Research

Die Zusammenarbeit von Wissenschaft und Praxis in Schulentwicklungsprojekten steht vor vielfältigen Herausforderungen. Der Beitrag analysiert und reflektiert die Ausgestaltung von Kooperationsstrukturen und Kommunikationswegen in entwicklungsorientierten Forschungsprojekten zur Schulentwicklung am Beispiel des Darmstädter Modellschulprojekts. In diesem gestaltungs- und entwicklungsorientierten Forschungsprojekt wurden drei Schulen auf ihrem Weg zu digital souverän agierenden und im Schulalltag ‹digital literacy› vermittelnden Schulen forschend begleitet: eine integrierte Gesamtschule, eine berufliche Schule sowie eine Sprachheilschule. Die Kooperation erfolgte über zwei Jahre. In der Betrachtung schulischer Teilprojekte beschreibt der Beitrag drei unterschiedliche Kooperationsmodi zwischen Praktiker:innen und Wissenschaftler:innen, die Entwicklungsprozesse für alle Beteiligten ermöglichten: «Zuarbeit», «Beratung» und «Entwicklungspartnerschaft». Auf der Basis der vorgestellten Kooperationsmodi wird sichtbar, mit welchen Herausforderungen und Konflikten die Personen aus wissenschaftlicher und praktischer Perspektive konfrontiert waren. Anstatt lediglich zwischen erfolgreicher oder nicht erfolgreicher Kooperation zu unterscheiden, eröffnen die skizzierten «Grade» der Kooperation eine Heuristik, um Formen der Zusammenarbeit zwischen Praktiker:innen sowie Forschenden reflektieren wie auch aktiv und sensibel gestalten zu können.Cooperation between science and practice in school development projects faces many challenges. This article analyses and reflects on the design of cooperation structures and communication channels in development-oriented research projects on school development using the example of the Darmstadt Model School Project. In the design-oriented research project, three schools – an integrated, comprehensive school, a vocational school and a school with a special focus on language support – were accompanied by research on their way to becoming digitally confident schools that teach ‹digital literacy› in everyday school life. The cooperation took place over two years. Looking closer at the different school sub-projects, we describe different cooperation formats between practitioners and researchers, enabling development processes for all participants. We distinguish between three modes of cooperation: «assistance», «consultation», and «development partnership». On this basis, the various challenges and conflicts become apparent from a scientific and practical perspective

Beteiligungsprozesse und Entwicklungschancen für Kommunen und Regionen

Der Weg zu einer nachhaltigen Energieerzeugung erfordert eine aktive gesellschaftliche Akzeptanz. Auf die Bedürfnisse der Bürger(innen) abgestimmte Beteiligungsformen bieten die Möglichkeit, kreative Unterstützungspotentiale zu nutzen und positive Effekte auch auf anderen Ebenen des Gemeindelebens zu erzielen

Oral antibiotic bowel decontamination in open and laparoscopic sigmoid resections for diverticular disease

PURPOSE There is an ongoing debate on whether or not to use oral antibiotic bowel decontamination in colorectal surgery, despite the numerous different regimens in terms of antibiotic substances and duration of application. As we routinely use oral antibiotic bowel decontamination (selective decontamination of the digestive tract (SDD) regimen and SDD regimen plus vancomycin since 2016) in surgery for diverticular disease, our aim was to retrospectively analyze the perioperative outcome in two independent centers. METHODS Data from two centers with a routine use of oral antibiotic bowel decontamination for up to 20 years of experience were analyzed for the perioperative outcome of 384 patients undergoing surgery for diverticular disease. RESULTS Overall morbidity was 12.8%, overall mortality was 0.3%, the overall rate of anastomotic leakage (AL) was 1.0%, and surgical site infections (SSIs) were 5.5% and 7.8% of all infectious complications including urinary tract infections and pneumonia. No serious adverse events were related to use of oral antibiotic bowel decontamination. Most of the patients (93.8%) completed the perioperative regimen. Additional use of vancomycin to the SDD regimen did not show a further reduction of infectious complications, including SSI and AL. CONCLUSION Oral antibiotic decontamination appears to be safe and effective with low rates of AL and infectious complications in surgery for diverticular disease

Food security impact of global equities : executive summary

This study describes methodologies that have been developed to assess the food security impact of agricultural technologies supplied by stock exchange companies on the basis of publicly available revenue data. The methods have been developed for fertiliser, improved seeds, cooling and packaging. Given the lack of information on key variables at present it is only possible to apply the method for fertiliser to all companies that sell the technology in their portfolio. For the other three technologies additional information is necessary that is not publicly available