Computational Cognitive Models of Summarization Assessment Skills

This paper presents a general computational cognitive model of the way a summary is assessed by teachers. It is based on models of two subprocesses: determining the importance of sentences and guessing the cognitive rules that the student may have used. All models are based on Latent Semantic Analysis, a computational model of the representation of the meaning of words and sentences. Models' performances are compared with data from an experiment conducted with 278 middle school students. The general model was implemented in a learning environment designed for helping students to write summaries

Creating a space to think in a structured world: An exploration of the structures, relationships and emotions emerging in Network Meetings in the wider context of child care proceedings

This research stems from a long term interest in the challenges of engaging with families often described as “multi-problem families”, who appear reluctant to engage with or are unable to access the complex professional systems that are put in place to protect and support children. Breakdown between parents and professionals is said to feature in 70% of cases brought before family courts in care proceedings (Brophy 2006). The literature review will consider the characteristics of the UK child care and family justice systems that may contribute to this state of affairs and explore a number of projects and analyses that have attempted to address it. The study investigates the complex dynamics between parents and professionals involved in care proceedings, through detailed observations of Network Meetings - a practice that has developed in a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) and which takes place at the start of court mandated multi-disciplinary parenting assessments. The project has three intersecting dimensions: a detailed description of what happens in these meetings, a contextual description of what this tells us about the care system and an ethically grounded analysis of a developing clinical practice aimed at mediating the transition between court and clinic. The study evolves into an ethnography-inspired exploration of the structures, relationships and emotions emerging in Network Meetings and in the wider context of care proceedings. The methodology draws on a number of epistemological traditions in an attempt to capture the complexity and multi-layered nature of knowledge and experience. An “experience-near” approach is proposed from a “critical realist” perspective that encourages self-reflexivity. A thematic analysis of the meetings highlights some of the characteristics of care proceedings: the court’s emphasis on structure the tendencies of “adversarial systems” towards polarisation, binary thinking and closure. complex relationships between the court and the clinic In this context the request for a parenting assessment emerges as a search for a liminal space (Turner 1969) or thinking space to unravel complex and often contradictory stories, perspectives and experiences that are contested in the adversarial domain of the court and contribute to impasses and delay. The Network Meeting is analysed as a developing professional practice comparable to a kind of ritual that evolved over time in a particular agency and context in an attempt to create a boundaried space for a therapeutic assessment to be planned within the court timetable. Findings illustrate the attempts of professionals to move the system from the structure-dominated domain of the court to a space where less tangible aspects of human systems can be brought into light and opened to scrutiny. The concept of “communitas” and its relationship to “structure” as defined by Turner is used loosely to identify aspects of this transition during Network Meetings. The challenges of defining and researching “communitas” are explored through a critical reflective review of the methodological journey in this project. Conclusions highlight the challenges and value of bringing stakeholders together to experience the emotional and relational qualities of the system, to face the nature of impasses and engage with the complex dynamics, polarised positions and multiple perspectives involved in order to create a more authentic and fruitful thinking space. The characteristics of this space are considered together with the techniques used by practitioners (particularly chairs of meetings) in their attempts to move towards it

Fundamentals and future applications of electrochemical energy conversion in space

Long-term space missions require power sources and energy storage possibilities, capable at storing and releasing energy efficiently and continuously or upon demand at a wide operating temperature range, an ultra-high vacuum environment and a significantly reduced buoyant force. Electrochemical energy conversion systems play already a major role e.g., during launch and on the International Space Station, and it is evident from these applications that future human space missions - particularly to Moon and Mars - will not be possible without them. Here, we will provide an overview of currently existing electrochemical conversion technologies for space applications such as battery systems and fuel cells and outline their role in materials design and fabrication as well as fuel production. The focus lies on the current operation of these energy conversion systems in space as well as the challenges posed on them by this special environment. Future experiment designs which could help elucidating and optimizing their key operating parameters for an efficient and long-term operation are discussed

Estimation of the effectiveness factor of an outer-sphere redox couple (Fe3+/Fe2+) using rotating disk Ti/IrO2 electrodes of different loading

The effectiveness factor; E f , defined as the fraction of the surface that participates effectively in a given reaction, is an important parameter when operating three-dimensional (3D) electrodes. The rotating disk electrode (RDE) technique with the Fe3+/Fe2+ redox couple as a probe reaction has been used for the evaluation of the effectiveness factor of 3D Ti/IrO2 electrodes with different IrO2 loading. For this purpose, steady-state polarization measurements using Ti/IrO2 rotating disk electrodes in 0.5M Fe3+/Fe2+ in 1M HCl were carried out under well-defined hydrodynamic conditions. The low-field approximation relation has been used for the estimation of the exchange current densities j 0, of the Fe3+/Fe2+ redox couple. It was found for this redox couple that the effectiveness factor is very low (<2%) and essentially the 2D electrode surface area works effectively in the steady-state polarization measurement

Effectiveness factor of fast (Fe3+/Fe2+), moderate (Cl2/Cl−) and slow (O2/H2O) redox couples using IrO2-based electrodes of different loading

The effectiveness factor, E f, (fraction of the electrode surface that participates effectively in the investigated reaction) of fast (Fe3+/Fe2+), moderate (Cl2/Cl−) and slow (O2/H2O) redox couples has been estimated using IrO2-based electrodes with different loading. The method of choice was linear sweep voltammetry (measurement of the anodic peak current) for the Fe3+/Fe2+ redox couple and steady-state polarization (determination of the exchange current) for the O2 and Cl2 evolution reactions. The results have shown that the effectiveness factor depends strongly on the kinetics of the investigated redox reaction. For the Fe3+/Fe2+ redox couple, effectiveness factors close to zero (max 4%) have been obtained contrary to the O2 evolution reaction where effectiveness factors close to 100% can be achieved, all being independent of IrO2 loading. For the Cl2 evolution reaction, intermediate values of the effectiveness factor have been found and they decrease strongly, from 100% down to about 60%, with increasing loadin

Cumulative indoor exposures to Semi-Volatile Organic Compounds (SVOCs) in France: the ECOS project.

International audienceSemivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) are widely used indoor as plasticizers, flame retardants, or pesticides. They are present in indoor environments both in air (as gas and suspended particles) and settled dust. Thus exposition to possibly harmful agents: (phthalates, polybromodiphenylethers, organophosphorous compounds...) occurs (Mitchell et al. 2007;Wu et al. 2007). Here is presented the framework of the ECOS project, which objective is to assess domestic cumulative exposure to these substances and associated health risks

Une approche par scénarios pour la conception d’un dispositif d’accompagnement en ligne

Cet article s’adresse à un public de formateurs intéressés par la mise en place d’un dispositif d’accompagnement humain en ligne et partiellement automatisé dans le cadre d’une formation à distance. Son propos est de présenter une méthode de design pédagogique basée sur les scénarios, et d’en illustrer l’expression dans le cadre de la conception d’une situation d’assistance à la tâche de compréhension de synthèses de textes. Cette situation a été implantée dans une application en ligne afin de pouvoir être mise en œuvre en situation de formation universitaire.This paper is intended for trainers interested in the implementation of a partially automated online human support scheme as part of distance learning. It is aimed to present an instructional design method based on scenarios and illustrate it through providing support to better understand text summaries. This situation was tested in an online application before being implemented in an academic course.Dieser Artikel wendet sich an Ausbilder, die sich für die Einführung eines teilautomatisierten Online-Betreuungsdienstes im Rahmen einer Distanzausbildung interessieren. Wir stellen eine Methode des pädagogischen Designs vor, die auf Szenarien basiert und wir veranschaulichen sie im Rahmen der Konzipierung einer Betreuungssituation zur Verständigung von Textsynthesen. Diese Situation wurde in eine Online-Applikation eingeführt, damit sie in der Hochschulausbildung benutzt werden kann.Este artículo se dirige a un público de formadores interesados en la puesta en marcha de un dispositivo de acompañamiento humano en línea y parcialmente automatizado dentro del marco de una formación a distancia. Su propósito es presentar un método de diseño pedagógico basado en las secuencias,así como ilustrar su expresión dentro del marco de la concepción de una situación de ayuda a la tarea de comprensión de síntesis de textos. Esta situación ha sido implantada en una aplicación en línea con el fin de ser puesta en práctica en situación de formación universitaria

Nanostructured Ni-Fe-P Alloy for Alkaline Electrolyzer

In recent years, the interest towards green hydrogen has drastically increased due to the global decarbonization process. Electrochemical water splitting is considered an attractive solution to convert and store the surplus energy from renewable energy sources. However, hydrogen production by water electrolysis is not economically sustainable. To reduce the cost of produced hydrogen, it is necessary to switch from noble-metal catalyst (Pt, Pd…) to cheap alternatives with a lower per unit energy cost but at the same time able to guarantee a high electrocatalytic activity for both oxygen and hydrogen evolution reactions. Among transition metals, nickel was selected as active material for its low cost and high chemical stability in alkaline media. Currently, the most investigated transition metal catalyst includes alloy of nickel with sulfide, phosphide, and nitride. In this work, a ternary alloy of Nickel-Iron-Phosphorus with nanowires morphology was investigated and compared to the binary alloy of Nickel-Iron. Ni-Fe-P NWs electrodes were obtained by potential-controlled pulse electrochemical deposition using polycarbonate membrane as template. Electrodes morphology and structure were studied by scanning electrode microscopy (SEM), energy diffraction spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Electrodes were tested both as cathodes as anodes by Quasi Steady State Polarization (QSSP) and Galvanostatic Test. All the tests were performed in 30% w/w KOH aqueous solution at room temperature. Preliminary results showed better performance of the ternary alloy compared to the binary one

Nanostructured Ni-Fe-S Based Electrode for Hydrogen Production by Water Electrolysis

Green hydrogen is a real alternative to change the current energy system. Electrochemical water splitting is considered an attractive solution to convert and store the surplus of renewable energy sources. However, hydrogen production by water electrolysis is not economically sustainable due to the use of high noble metals as catalysts (generally platinum or palladium). In order to reduce costs, in this work we have synthesized a ternary alloy of nickel, iron and sulfur and used it as the cathode in an alkaline electrolyzer to produce hydrogen from water. Furthermore, to increase the features of the proposed alloy, this material was synthesized into the pore of a polycarbonate membrane to obtain a nanostructured electrode that exposes a very high surface area to the solution and consequently a large number of electrocatalytic active sites. The electrode fabrication was carried out by potential-controlled pulsed electrochemical deposition where the potential switch from -0.45 V to -1.3 V vs. SCE for 60 cycles. The electrode was characterized by SEM and EDS showing the nanostructured nature and the composition of the electrode. Then it was tested as the cathode in an alkaline electrolyzer (30% KOH) at room temperature. Preliminary results show that the addition of sulfur to the alloy permits to increase in the electrode features compared to the binary alloy of nickel and iron