Sustaining K-12 Professional Development in Geology: Recurrent Participation in RockCamp

Researchers surveyed repeat attendees in a geology professional development program known as RockCamp in order to determine the reasons for their sustained involvement in this program. This article describes their findings, which suggest that the teachers' sustained involvement in the RockCamp Program is stimulated by situated learning experiences stressing a compare, contrast, connect, and construct pedagogy within a supportive learning community. Most teachers cited such reasons as efficacy, fun, right time of life, and support, as well as content, friendship, and methodology as reasons for their continued participation in the program. Educational levels: Graduate or professional

A Comparison of Information Technology Mediated Customer Services Between the U.S. and China

Information technology mediated customer service is a reality of the 21st century. More and more companies have moved their customer services from in store and in person to online through computer or mobile devices. Using 442 responses collected from one USA university (234 responses) and two Chinese universities (208 responses), the study investigates customer preferences over two service delivery models (either in store or online) on five types of purchasing (retail, eating-out, banking, travel and entertainment) and their perception difference in customer service quality between those two delivery models in the U.S. and China. The results show that the majority of the U.S. and Chinese students prefer in-store and in person for eating out and prefer computer/mobile devices for ordering tickets for travel and entertainment. In addition, more than half of the U.S. students prefer in person services for retail and banking, and this number reduces to 40% for Chinese students. In most customer service quality measurements, the results also show that Chinese students give higher ratings for ordering through a computer/mobile device than ordering in store, indicating ordering through computer/mobile devices has become more acceptable in China and has been perceived as having better customer services quality than in-store ordering

Managing Global Training Utilizing Distance Learning Technologies and Techniques: The United States Army Readiness Training

Distance learning (e-learning) is expanding at a very rapid pace as organizations throughout the world search for economical, responsive, and effective means to train workers to meet the challenges of the information age workplace. The Army Distance Learning Program (TADLP) model is discussed in the context of the global e-learning environment. Both e-learning infrastructure and management issues are identified, with emphasis on: (1) developing policy, (2) measuring performance, (3) managing resources, (4) maintaining standards, and (5) satisfying users. The TADLP program is challenging to manage effectively, and difficult to accurately assess program outcomes. The TADLP program is shown to have a well-executed infrastructure plan, quality management of both facilities and services by contractor-supplied staff, and well-designed classrooms. However, the program suffers from limited courseware, creating a bottleneck for full program utilization. A discussion follows relating the Army program to public and private e-learning programs and expectations.

Urologic complications of placenta percreta invading the urinary bladder: a case report and review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION: Placenta percreta invading the urinary bladder may cause hemorrhagic shock, hematuria and urologic complications at parturition. This retrospective survey of 54 patients reviews maternal characteristics, presentations, urologic complications, and management. METHODS: The first reported case of placenta percreta with urinary bladder invasion in Hawaii is presented. Medline search and literature review identified an additional 53 patients. A meta-analysis of all 54 cases was performed. RESULTS: Hematuria was present initially in 31% (17/54) patients. Of these, 9 of 17 required transfusion support. A preoperative diagnosis was established by ultrasound or MRI in 33% of patients. Cystoscopy was performed in 12 patients and did not make a preoperative diagnosis in any patient. 39 urologic complications included bladder laceration 26%, urinary fistula 13%, gross hematuria 9%, ureteral transection 6%, and small capacity bladder 4%. Partial cystectomy was performed in 44% (24/54). Three maternal deaths and 14 fetal deaths occurred. Only 1 patient subsequently had a delivery. CONCLUSION: Readily identifiable risk factors by history are important to suggest placenta percreta in pregnant patients with gross hematuria. Ultrasound and/or MRI can establish a preoperative diagnosis. Cystoscopy did not identify any patient preoperatively. Partial cystectomy is commonly required for extensive or deep bladder invasion

Software piracy: Issues and perceptions of Australian university students

Software piracy is reported as an ongoing problem for software developers and vendors. Significant revenue is lost when illegal copies of software are utilized, estimated by some to exceed $8 billion per year. Of particular concern are estimates that the problem is increasing, especially in those countries that have lax or no laws to protect intellectual property. Research was conducted to evaluate the attitudes and practices of selected first year Australian university students towards software copying practices. The findings show that respondents were most likely to let someone copy their software to gain favor, and students behave in a more ethical manner when they consider the consequences of their copying. The study also found that males were generally less ethical, and with this sample about 25% had illegally copied software and 25% had let someone illegally copy their software. The results were generally consistent with recent studies using populations from other countries

Automated spatiotemporal landslide mapping over large areas using RapidEye time series data

In the past, different approaches for automated landslide identification based on multispectral satellite remote sensing were developed to focus on the analysis of the spatial distribution of landslide occurrences related to distinct triggering events. However, many regions, including southern Kyrgyzstan, experience ongoing process activity requiring continual multi-temporal analysis. For this purpose, an automated object-oriented landslide mapping approach has been developed based on RapidEye time series data complemented by relief information. The approach builds on analyzing temporal NDVI-trajectories for the separation between landslide-related surface changes and other land cover changes. To accommodate the variety of landslide phenomena occurring in the 7500 km2 study area, a combination of pixel-based multiple thresholds and object-oriented analysis has been implemented including the discrimination of uncertainty-related landslide likelihood classes. Applying the approach to the whole study area for the time period between 2009 and 2013 has resulted in the multi-temporal identification of 471 landslide objects. A quantitative accuracy assessment for two independent validation sites has revealed overall high mapping accuracy (Quality Percentage: 80%), proving the suitability of the developed approach for efficient spatiotemporal landslide mapping over large areas, representing an important prerequisite for objective landslide hazard and risk assessment at the regional scale

Interrelations of vegetation growth and water scarcity in Iran revealed by satellite time series

Iran has experienced a drastic increase in water scarcity in the last decades. The main driver has been the substantial unsustainable water consumption of the agricultural sector. This study quantifies the spatiotemporal dynamics of Iran’s hydrometeorological water availability, land cover, and vegetation growth and evaluates their interrelations with a special focus on agricultural vegetation developments. It analyzes globally available reanalysis climate data and satellite time series data and products, allowing a country-wide investigation of recent 20+ years at detailed spatial and temporal scales. The results reveal a wide-spread agricultural expansion (27,000 km$^2$) and a significant cultivation intensification (48,000 km$^2$). At the same time, we observe a substantial decline in total water storage that is not represented by a decrease of meteorological water input, confirming an unsustainable use of groundwater mainly for agricultural irrigation. As consequence of water scarcity, we identify agricultural areas with a loss or reduction of vegetation growth (10,000 km$^2$), especially in irrigated agricultural areas under (hyper-)arid conditions. In Iran’s natural biomes, the results show declining trends in vegetation growth and land cover degradation from sparse vegetation to barren land in 40,000 km$^2$, mainly along the western plains and foothills of the Zagros Mountains, and at the same time wide-spread greening trends, particularly in regions of higher altitudes. Overall, the findings provide detailed insights in vegetation-related causes and consequences of Iran’s anthropogenic drought and can support sustainable management plans for Iran or other semi-arid regions worldwide, often facing similar conditions

A Preliminary Investigation of Quality Metrics and Performance for Selected Institutions Delivering Technology Mediated Higher Education

The 21st century has brought about significant change to both business organizations and educational institutions. One of the more important changes in delivering higher education is the development and growth of technology mediated higher education (online programs), delivered by both non-profit and for-profit college and university programs. These programs provide students with expanded opportunities to further their education and have enrolled hundreds of thousands of students in courses of study. This study assesses business school programs offering technology mediated higher education using five quality metrics: 1) external review and accreditation; 2) affordability; 3) admissions and graduation; 4) online students reviews and 5) selected online education quality issues for five technology mediated programs. The results show that among the five selected online programs, they all receive some type of accreditation, have low cost per credit and have a low or no admission standards. The areas that the students most likely discuss in the online reviews include professor, advisor, financial aid, job, and experience. A sentiment analysis of 3,596 student online reviews shows that more than half of the reviews are positive, and the average sentiment score is close to 1 (on a scale of -5 to +5

Colombian dry moist forest transitions in the Llanos Orientales—Acomparison of model and pollen-based biome reconstructions

Colombian vegetation, at the ecological level of the biome, is reconstructed at six sites using pollen data assigned a priori to plant functional types and biomes. The chosen sites incorporate four savanna sites (Laguna Sardinas, Laguna Angel, El Pin˜al and Laguna Carimagua), a site on the transition between savanna and Amazon rainforest (Loma Linda) and a site within the Amazon rainforest (Pantano de Monica). The areal extent of tropical moist forest, tropical dry forest and steppe have been subject to significant change: differential responses of the vegetation to climatic shifts are related to changes in plant available moisture, duration of dry season and edaphic controls on the vegetation. The record from El Pin˜al shows that the present-day savanna vegetation, dominated by steppe (Poaceae) with little occurrence of woody savanna taxa (e.g. Curatella, Byrsonima), was present since the last glacial period of the northern hemisphere. Unfortunately, El Pin˜al is located on an edaphic savanna and is not particularly responsive to registering change. Most records cover the early Holocene; one site records the El Abra stadial (Younger Dryas equivalent), when forest expansion reflects more humid climatic conditions and higher plant available moisture. During the early and middle Holocene, the maximum expansion of steppe and tropical dry forest occurred, indicating that dry climatic conditions continued to around 4000 CBP. The following period, from shortly before 4000 C BP, is characterised by an increase in forest and gallery forests, reflecting a wetter period probably with a shorter annual dry season. Anthropogenic influence on the vegetation is recorded by all the records over the last millennial, particularly characterised by a reduction in forest cover and high amplitude changes in vegetation. Biome transitions from one type to another, and the environmental controls on this shift, are investigated by applying a vegetation model (BIOME-3). The model uses climatic data from six meteorological stations that, encompass a range of environments within lowland Colombia, which are similar to the pollen data. The signals of vegetation change can be translated to the main environmental controls of temperature and moisture to indicate the degree of change needed in these parameters to record the vegetation change depicted by the pollen data. Moisture balance is the dominant control on driving vegetation change whether under seasonal or annual control. The combined reconstruction from pollen data and model output of biome-scale vegetation dynamics for lowland Colombia allows an understanding of the environmental controls to be developed