Standards als Möglichkeit zur Professionalisierung

In der Diskussion der letzten Jahre haben sich so genannte Standards als massgebender Orientierungspunkt zur Realisierung professionalisierter Berufsausbildung herausgeschält. Auch wenn noch weitgehend unerforscht und damit unklar ist, auf welche Art und Weise in der Lehrerinnen- und Lehrerbildung Standards als zentrale handlungsleitende Berufskompetenzen erreicht und erworben werden können, ist doch die Ausrichtung auf das Berufsfeld und damit die Orientierung an Standards eine direkte Folge der Entkoppelung von Allgemein- und Berufsbildung und damit ein Gebot der Stunde. In diesem Artikel beschreiben wir, wie wir an der PHZ Luzern im Planungsprozess versucht haben, in allen Fachbereichen die Standardkonzepte für eine konsequente Ausrichtung der Ausbildung auf das Berufsfeld fruchtbar zu machen

An Analysis of Verdi\u27s Dramatic and Musical Unity in Desdemona\u27s Monologue

The purpose of this study is to examine as thoroughly as possible Desdemona\u27s monologue in Verdi\u27s fourth act Otello. The study includes a detailed analysis of the composer\u27s approach both musically and dramatically

Identification of rotordynamic forces in a flexible rotor system using magnetic bearings

Methods are presented for parameter identification of an annular gas seal on a flexiblerotor test rig. Dynamic loads are applied by magnetic bearings (MBs) that support the rotor. MB forces are measured using fiber-optic strain gauges that are bonded to the poles of the MBs. In addition to force and position measurements, a finite element (FE) rotor model is required for the identification algorithms. The FE rotor model matches free-free characteristics of the test rotor. The addition of smooth air seals to the system introduces stiffness and damping terms for identification that are representative of reaction forces in turbomachines. Tests are performed to experimentally determine seal stiffness and damping coefficients for different running speeds and preswirl conditions. Stiffness and damping coefficients are determined using a frequency domain identification method. This method uses an iterative approach to minimize error between theoretical and experimental transfer functions. Several time domain approaches are also considered; however, these approaches do not produce valid identification results. Stiffness coefficients are measured using static test results and an MB current and position based model. Test results produce seal coefficients with low uncertainties for the frequency domain identification method. Static test uncertainties are an order of magnitude larger, and time domain attempts fail to produce sealIn addition to the primary identification research, an investigation of the relationships between MB force, strain, and magnetic field is conducted. The magnetic field of an MB is modeled using commercial FE software. The magnetic field model is used to predict strain measurements for quasi-static test conditions. The strain predictions are compared with experimental strain measurements. Strain predictions agree with experimental measurements, although strain is typically over-predicted. coefficient measurements

Overcoming Organizational Obstacles to Artificial Intelligence Value Creation: Propositions for Research

Artificial intelligence (AI) is the next technology revolution, and one which offers huge potential benefits for companies around the world. In fact, companies that learn how to use AI effectively will be positioned to maximize value creation using data in the emerging algorithmic economy. Uptake of AI has been limited, however, and there are mounting concerns associated with AI use. This paper explores what companies need to better understand about AI so they can make the most of this transformational technology. The paper develops a research framework and an associated research agenda intended to motivate practice-based research that will help organizations overcome obstacles for AI value creation

Fiber optic strain gauge calibration and dynamic flexibility transfer function identification in magnetic bearings

Historical attempts to measure forces in magnetic bearings have been unsuccessful as a result of relatively high uncertainties. Recent advances in the strain-gauge technology have provided a new method for measuring magnetic bearing forces. Fiber optic strain gauges are roughly 100 times more sensitive than conventional strain gauges and are not affected by electro-magnetic interference. At the Texas A&M Turbomachinery Laboratory, installing the fiber-optic strain gauges in magnetic bearings has produced force measurements with low uncertainties. Dynamic flexibility transfer functions exhibiting noticeable gyroscopic coupling have been identified and compared with results of a finite element model. The comparison has verified the effectiveness of using magnetic bearings as calibrated exciters in rotordynamic testing. Many applications including opportunities for testing unexplained rotordynamic phenomena are now feasible

A hand hygiene intervention to decrease infections among children attending day care centers: Design of a cluster randomized controlled trial

Background: Day care center attendance has been recognized as a risk factor for acquiring gastrointestinal and respiratory infections, which can be prevented with adequate hand hygiene (HH). Based on previous studies on environmental and sociocognitive determinants of caregivers' compliance with HH guidelines in day care centers (DCCs), an intervention has been developed aiming to improve caregivers' and children's HH compliance and decrease infections among children attending DCCs. The aim of this paper is to describe the design of a cluster randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of this intervention.Methods/design: The intervention will be evaluated in a two-arm cluster randomized controlled trial among 71 DCCs in the Netherlands. In total, 36 DCCs will receive the intervention consisting of four components: 1) HH products (dispensers and refills for paper towels, soap, alcohol-based hand sanitizer, and hand cream); 2) training to educate about the Dutch national HH guidelines; 3) two team training sessions aimed at goal setting and formulating specific HH improvement activities; and 4) reminders and cues to action (posters/stickers). Intervention DCCs will be compared to 35 control DCCs continuing usual practice. The primary outcome measure will be observed HH compliance of caregivers and children, measured at baseline and one, three, and six months after start of the intervention. The secondary outcome measure will be the incidence of gastrointestinal and respiratory infections in 600 children attending DCCs, monitored over six months by parents using a calendar to mark th

Exploring well-being at work - An interview study on how IT professionals perceive their workplace

The workplace is particularly important for promoting well-being at work and general life satisfaction, as performing a professional activity can be perceived as satisfying and motivating. In addition, employment opens up opportunities for individual development that employees may be perceived as fulfilling. By conducting an interview study with IT professionals of a German medium-sized company, we investigate which factors of the individual work environment are perceived as conducive to the performance of everyday job duties and thus increase well-being at work. Furthermore, we analyze the extent to which participants are satisfied with the implementation of the factors that are important to them, whether socio-demographic differences are relevant, and whether the perception of the work environment has an effect on employees' commitment. Results show that interpersonal factors in particular are considered to be important in everyday working life. About individual factors, a mixed picture emerged, whereby sociodemographic differences play only a minor role. Furthermore, there are indications of a positive relationship between the perception of the work environment and the IT professionals' commitment. In-depth analysis of the employee statements helps to determine which aspects of the work environment should be implemented, developed, or promoted. In the long term, this can support individual learning and development paths and generates a work environment that sustainably promotes employees' well-being at work and fosters long-term employment relationships

The sequence of rice chromosomes 11 and 12, rich in disease resistance genes and recent gene duplications

Background: Rice is an important staple food and, with the smallest cereal genome, serves as a reference species for studies on the evolution of cereals and other grasses. Therefore, decoding its entire genome will be a prerequisite for applied and basic research on this species and all other cereals. Results: We have determined and analyzed the complete sequences of two of its chromosomes, 11 and 12, which total 55.9 Mb (14.3% of the entire genome length), based on a set of overlapping clones. A total of 5,993 non-transposable element related genes are present on these chromosomes. Among them are 289 disease resistance-like and 28 defense-response genes, a higher proportion of these categories than on any other rice chromosome. A three-Mb segment on both chromosomes resulted from a duplication 7.7 million years ago (mya), the most recent large-scale duplication in the rice genome. Paralogous gene copies within this segmental duplication can be aligned with genomic assemblies from sorghum and maize. Although these gene copies are preserved on both chromosomes, their expression patterns have diverged. When the gene order of rice chromosomes 11 and 12 was compared to wheat gene loci, significant synteny between these orthologous regions was detected, illustrating the presence of conserved genes alternating with recently evolved genes. Conclusion: Because the resistance and defense response genes, enriched on these chromosomes relative to the whole genome, also occur in clusters, they provide a preferred target for breeding durable disease resistance in rice and the isolation of their allelic variants. The recent duplication of a large chromosomal segment coupled with the high density of disease resistance gene clusters makes this the most recently evolved part of the rice genome. Based on syntenic alignments of these chromosomes, rice chromosome 11 and 12 do not appear to have resulted from a single whole-genome duplication event as previously suggested

GaAs Photoconductive Closing Switches with High Dark Resistance and Microsecond Conductivity Decay

Silicon-doped n-type gallium arsenide crystals, compensated with diffused copper, were studied with respect to their application as photoconductive, high-power closing switches. The attractive features of GaAs:Cu switches are their high dark resistivity, their efficient activation with Nd:YAG laser radiation, and their microsecond conductivity decay time constant. In the authors\u27 experiment, electric fields are high as 19 kV/cm were switched, and current densities of up to 10 kA/cm2 were conducted through a closely compensated crystal. At field strengths greater than approximately 10 kV/cm, a voltage `lock-on\u27 effect was observed

A Communal Struggle: Team-Teaching at the University of Luxembourg

INTRODUCTION Team-teaching, also known as collaborative-teaching, co-teaching and pair-lecturing has been practiced for ages (Buckley 2000). It is generally described as a positive pedagogical practice that can both enhance learning among students and the experience of teaching among instructors (Plank 2011, 2014). While it is acknowledged that team-teaching is not simple and requires great coordination among instructors, it is presented in gleaming terms for both instructors and students alike. More recent work highlights an increased necessity for collaborative-teaching due to the growing complexity in higher education combined with dwindling resources (Minett-Smith and Davis 2020), or as a deliberate cost-saving measure (Liebel et al. 2017). Yet, little quantitative evidence can be found in the literature showing the positive efficacy of this methodology, relative to Student Evaluation Teaching (SET) measures (for exception see: Carpenter et al. 2007). Thus, this study aims to answer: 1) how prevalent is team-teaching; 2) what are the most common team compositions (number of instructors, gender, instructor status and seniority); 3) are there any significant differences in SET scores relative to differences in composition; and 4) what can we learn from the open-text feedback to help us understand, or contextualize, any quantitative differences found between solo- versus team-taught courses? DATA & METHODS To address our research questions and investigate the contours of team teaching in the Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences (FHSE) at the University of Luxembourg, we use SET data (course feedback), as an indirect measure of quality of education (Marsh 2007). We use descriptive statistics and regression analysis to examine the quantitative feedback for a total of 2908 courses collected over eight semesters (Winter semester 2015-Summer semester 2019). We compliment these results with content analysis of open-text comments that help us understand and contextualize the quantitative findings. PRELIMINARY RESULTS While course feedback data does not directly measure the quality of learning experienced by students (i.e., whether students learn better in team-taught courses vs. solo instructor courses), it does however shed light on the general sentiment experienced and reported by participating students. Preliminary analyses indicate that approximately 30% of courses are team-taught (60% with two-person teams and 40% with teams of 3 and 4+ instructors). Furthermore, we found that, on average, team-taught courses receive significantly lower ratings from students than solo instructor courses. In the remainder of this article, we analyse this basic finding and discuss the implications for team teaching