The lived user experience of virtual environments: Initial steps of a phenomenological analysis in a safety training setting

Virtual environments (VEs) are making their way into various sectors of life to enhance and support human activity, including learning. VEs have been used in various contexts for training, and in many cases they are designed to model or simulate - as accurately and authentically as possible - a specific work context. In striving for authenticity, visual and representative realism tends to receive most of the development input, despite of several studies that challenge its importance. New training avenues have raised the importance of rigorous phenomenological descriptions for a deeper understanding of user experience in the actual context of use. This paper reports the preliminary steps in a phenomenological analysis of how employees working in actual hazardous settings experience virtual safety training environments. Such open-ended research project can reveal new aspects of user experience that can advice the development and evaluation of human-computer interaction in digital technology-enhanced training contexts

Magnetic Resonance-Based Attenuation Correction and Scatter Correction in Neurological Positron Emission Tomography/Magnetic Resonance Imaging—Current Status With Emerging Applications

In this review, we will summarize the past and current state-of-the-art developments in attenuation and scatter correction approaches for hybrid positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. The current status of the methodological advances for producing accurate attenuation and scatter corrections on PET/MR systems are described, in addition to emerging clinical and research applications. Future prospects and potential applications that benefit from accurate data corrections to improve the quantitative accuracy and clinical applicability of PET/MR are also discussed. Novel clinical and research applications where improved attenuation and scatter correction methods are beneficial are highlighted

Validation of [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose and positron emission tomography (PET) for the measurement of intestinal metabolism in pigs, and evidence of intestinal insulin resistance in patients with morbid obesity

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NEMA NU 4-2008 and in vivo imaging performance of RAYCAN trans-PET/CT X5 small animal imaging system

The RAYCAN Trans-PET/CT X5 is a preclinical positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT) system intended for in vivo imaging of rats and mice, featuring all-digital readout electronics for PET data acquisition.The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) NU 4-2008 performance evaluation was conducted on the RAYCAN Trans-PET/CT X5 in addition to assessing in vivo imaging performance of the system on live animals. The performance characteristics of the system were evaluated, including system spatial resolution, count rate performance, sensitivity and image quality. The system imaging performance is assessed in dynamic in vivo PET imaging.The system resolution defined as full width half maximum (FWHM) was 2.07 mm, 2.11 mm and 1.31 mm for the tangential, radial and axial resolution, respectively, at the center of the field of view. The peak noise equivalent count rate (NECR) values measured were 61 kcps at 0.19 MBq ml(-1) for the rat size phantom and 126 kcps at 1.53 MBq ml(-1) for the mouse size phantom. Scatter fractions were 24% and 14% for the rat and mouse phantom. The measured peak sensitivity of the system was 1.70%. Image quality in static imaging was deemed sufficient based on the image quality phantom study, with average activity concentration of 155 +/- 8.6 kBq ml(-1) and image uniformity of 5.57% when using two-dimensional filtered backprojection algorithm (2D-FBP). Rods in the image quality phantom were visualized easily up to 2 mm in size. In dynamic in vivo PET imaging, time-activity-curves from several regions were successfully measured, characterizing the radioactivity distribution in myocardial blood pool, liver, left ventricle and the lung.In conclusion, the RAYCAN Trans-PET/CT X5 system can be considered a suitable option for basic imaging needs in preclinical imaging

Authentic learning with technology for professional development in vaccine management

Online professional development (OPD) is gaining increasing popularity. However, online learning environments are not always considered effective venues for supporting authentic learning experiences, and the suitability of OPD for practical learning has not been widely explored. This case study paper presents findings of a pilot implementation of an OPD program in vaccine management designed according to the pedagogical principles of authentic learning, using a range of educational technologies as cognitive tools. The study examines how the authentic learning design and the technologies used affect the participants’ learning experience, experience of authenticity and the perceived impact of the course on professional learning. Data was collected through observations, an online post-course survey and interviews with the participants. A thematic content analysis was conducted. The findings suggest the pedagogical framework of authentic e-learning provides useful guidelines for the design of fully online, yet active and practice-driven, professional development that is also perceived as authentic by the participants. Using online education technologies as cognitive tools can support the creation of an authentic learning environment where practical, transferable professional skills can be acquired. Achieving this requires careful consideration of accessibility and usability issues and ensuring that the technologies used serve an authentic purpose

Neither the frying pan nor the fire: In search of a balanced authentic e-learning design through an educational design research process

Teaching in higher education in the 21st century can be a demanding and complex role and academic educators around the globe are dealing with questions related to change. This paper describes a new type of a professional development program for teaching faculty, using a pedagogical model based on the principles of authentic e-learning. The program was developed with the help of an iterative educational design research process and rapid prototyping based on on-going research and redesign. This paper describes how the findings of the evaluations guided the design process and how the impact of the measures taken was in turn researched, in order to eventually identify and refine design principles for an authentic e-learning program for international teaching faculty professional development

Giving virtual world learning a pedagogical boost with a gamified authentic learning design

Gamification is one of today’s hot topics in education. However, the concept is new and sometimes gets mixed up with others, such as virtual worlds or game-based learning. Understanding of what gamification actually is and what the educational benefits are is also diverse. The nDiVE research team explores how learning work related skills in supply chain management with the help of immersive virtual worlds can be supported with a learning design building on elements of gamification and the pedagogical framework of authentic learning. The complexity of supply chains and the related skills cannot be fully acquired from textbooks or other traditional ways of teaching and learning. There is also an identified gap in graduate skills and organisational expectations. While immersive virtual worlds can be extremely useful in that they can take students to learning situations that otherwise would not be safe, feasible or cost-effective, it is important not to let cutting edge technology steal the show. Instead, a pedagogically sound learning design should be employed to ensure a beneficial learning experience. Authentic learning provides a useful design framework for gamified learning experiences in a virtual world

Learning cultures and multiculturalism

In the rapidly globalizing 21st century knowledge society, multicultural understanding plays a major role. However, what do we mean by “culture” in the educational context, what aspects have or should have an impact on our learning environments, and might some of these assumptions direct the development of our learning environments in an unintended and possibly undesirable way? New learning models that differ from traditional learning approaches might cause a type of a “learning culture shock” for some learners. What are the best ways to avoid and overcome cultural clashes in online learning? This chapter discusses the experiences of two cases from multicultural and multidisciplinary online programs for teacher education and professional development. Both of the programs are based on the principles of authentic e-learning framework described by Herrington, Reeves, and Oliver (2010). The aim of the study was to find out how learners with different cultural backgrounds experience the authentic e-learning process, as well as to find out what impact the authentic e-learning model has on the development of the learning culture

The role of gamification and game-based learning in authentic assessment within virtual environments

Gamification is the application of game-based elements to non-game systems. Within education this can incorporate many game-based mechanisms. We review the use of some of these specifically: rewind, ghost images, save points and multiple lives, and time and space control. The opportunities to use these game-based mechanisms to assist assessment have remained under-examined and under-exploited. However, these game-based elements are particularly pertinent within authentic learning supported by virtual environments. Thus, we identify how these game-based mechanisms can improve assessment while increasing efficiency and providing new opportunities for educators