Team project work for distance learners in engineering � challenges and benefits

Team Engineering (first presented in autumn 2006) was the first course (module) at the Open University (OU) to use wikis and video-conferencing in combination to support the work of project teams. Teams of five students, working remotely from one another, tackle an engineering project over 32 weeks. The teams schedule regular meetings throughout the project and these are conducted using FlashMeeting, a lightweight video-conferencing system being developed by the OU�s Knowledge Media Institute, KMi (http://flashmeeting.open.ac.uk). Unlike other systems, FlashMeeting requires no software installation. In addition, it not only archives the meetings but also provides detailed analysis of the proceedings. The teams are encouraged to use the wiki facility in the OU�s virtual learning environment (VLE) for their collaborative report-writing. The collective work of the team is assessed through these reports. The performance of the individual is assessed through their reflective account of the project. The archiving facility in FlashMeeting has been of huge help in developing this. For the next presentation of the course a learning journal is to be added to the existing means of support. Feedback from tutors and students alike has been extremely positive, whilst recognising the limitations of the technologies in their current implementations. This paper gives an account of the students� achievements and offers an assessment of the pedagogic potential of using these media together

The role of public lands in geothermal energy

Talk by Texas Land Commissioner Bob Landis Armstrong on both the legal and environmental aspects of utilizing geothermal resources

The Ursinus Weekly, April 9, 1951

Exams speeded for army tests scheduled here • Operetta cancelled • Forum to feature archaeologist in final program • Committee heads named • Weekly staff named; Banquet planned • MSGA, class election system Ok\u27d; Women\u27s groups nominate candidates • Fuhrman to play at Junior Prom; Queen will reign • New Cub and Key members discussed • Bloodmobile to visit Ursinus campus again • Reviewer notes variance in dramatic play-bill presented by Curtain Club • Next Lantern planned • Editorials: Broad outlook; Tribute • Y plans professors\u27 panel • Stolen stone in Scotland? • Students\u27 worries traced • Letters to the editor • Library boasts several rare books; Also Brazilian pamphlets • Friend gives 3,500 postals to college • Don\u27t pity the campus nobody; He\u27s divinely happy • Fords trounce Bears 10-4 in baseball season opener • Kramer undefeated in Inquirer tourney • Leety, Jones selected as sports aids • Coach Whiting eyes successful season for \u2751 tennis team • W. Helfferich takes fifth in NCAA wrestling meet • Schedule released for softball games • Varsity Club to give production • Five senior coeds play final games at Ursinus • Lions hand Grizzly nine second straight defeat 6-5 • Belles prepare for opener at Albright • May Day program progresses as committees are announced • Woman scientist to address society • Y political action group visits capitol • Rental fee for caps, gowns set for graduating class • YMCA announces nominations for 1951-1952 term offices • 4 students represent Ursinus as Yugoslavia in UN delegates • Deafness is topic of pre-med meeting • Pi Gamma Mu to vote • Glessner to speakhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1564/thumbnail.jp

The Ursinus Weekly, February 12, 1951

New high set by B-list group as 106 qualify • Y schedules chats, conducts retreat • Paynter-Keller production scores hit in Curtain Club group presentation • Play contest in progress; May Day heads named • Alumna to speak at girls\u27 Color Day program Thursday • Eight enter Ursinus for Spring term • Forum to feature Indian editor at next session • Speak Easy title of Ruby show • TV auditions slated • 3 graduate school test dates released • Ursinus to enter competition in intercollegiate bridge • Dr. Miller to give IRC summary of Department of State conferences attended in recent weeks • Washington trip planned by PAC • Meistersingers give concert • Editorial: Attend forums? • Senior class discusses Ruby and after-game record dance • Red Cross to organize • Juniors discuss bands • French Club to present dance Wednesday night in music studio • Thespians to discuss play • Dictionary of Folklore and Legend includes work of Dr. Phillips on Pennsylvania Dutch • Behind-scenes Dean handles transcripts, records dating from 1873, in routine work • Men reveal resignation toward draft situation • Alumnae back and Duryea\u27s got \u27em; Grads return in role of preceptresses • Coach Seeders drives Bruins toward coveted Middle Atlantic championship • Grizzlies win and lose in non-league contests • Bears edge Blue Hens for loop lead, 62-60 • Mermaids triumph over Drexel, 35-22 • Belles bag first over Bryn Mawr • Brodbeck I & II, Stine lead • Dr. Baker chooses poetry of A. E. Housman for readinghttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1558/thumbnail.jp

The Ursinus Weekly, February 12, 1951

New high set by B-list group as 106 qualify • Y schedules chats, conducts retreat • Paynter-Keller production scores hit in Curtain Club group presentation • Play contest in progress; May Day heads named • Alumna to speak at girls\u27 Color Day program Thursday • Eight enter Ursinus for Spring term • Forum to feature Indian editor at next session • Speak Easy title of Ruby show • TV auditions slated • 3 graduate school test dates released • Ursinus to enter competition in intercollegiate bridge • Dr. Miller to give IRC summary of Department of State conferences attended in recent weeks • Washington trip planned by PAC • Meistersingers give concert • Editorial: Attend forums? • Senior class discusses Ruby and after-game record dance • Red Cross to organize • Juniors discuss bands • French Club to present dance Wednesday night in music studio • Thespians to discuss play • Dictionary of Folklore and Legend includes work of Dr. Phillips on Pennsylvania Dutch • Behind-scenes Dean handles transcripts, records dating from 1873, in routine work • Men reveal resignation toward draft situation • Alumnae back and Duryea\u27s got \u27em; Grads return in role of preceptresses • Coach Seeders drives Bruins toward coveted Middle Atlantic championship • Grizzlies win and lose in non-league contests • Bears edge Blue Hens for loop lead, 62-60 • Mermaids triumph over Drexel, 35-22 • Belles bag first over Bryn Mawr • Brodbeck I & II, Stine lead • Dr. Baker chooses poetry of A. E. Housman for readinghttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1558/thumbnail.jp

The Third Gravitational Lensing Accuracy Testing (GREAT3) Challenge Handbook

The GRavitational lEnsing Accuracy Testing 3 (GREAT3) challenge is the third in a series of image analysis challenges, with a goal of testing and facilitating the development of methods for analyzing astronomical images that will be used to measure weak gravitational lensing. This measurement requires extremely precise estimation of very small galaxy shape distortions, in the presence of far larger intrinsic galaxy shapes and distortions due to the blurring kernel caused by the atmosphere, telescope optics, and instrumental effects. The GREAT3 challenge is posed to the astronomy, machine learning, and statistics communities, and includes tests of three specific effects that are of immediate relevance to upcoming weak lensing surveys, two of which have never been tested in a community challenge before. These effects include realistically complex galaxy models based on high-resolution imaging from space; spatially varying, physically-motivated blurring kernel; and combination of multiple different exposures. To facilitate entry by people new to the field, and for use as a diagnostic tool, the simulation software for the challenge is publicly available, though the exact parameters used for the challenge are blinded. Sample scripts to analyze the challenge data using existing methods will also be provided. See http://great3challenge.info and http://great3.projects.phys.ucl.ac.uk/leaderboard/ for more information.Comment: 30 pages, 13 figures, submitted for publication, with minor edits (v2) to address comments from the anonymous referee. Simulated data are available for download and participants can find more information at http://great3.projects.phys.ucl.ac.uk/leaderboard

The Ursinus Weekly, November 19, 1951

Four soloists for Messiah concert named • Fraternities give out bids; Plan parties next week • Student-faculty talents presented for benefit of Campus Chest fund • Kiszonas is new senior class prexy • Red Cross disbands • WSGA hears plans for Student Union • Forum speaker says religious belief implies skeptical aspect • Curtain rises on Private Lives act tomorrow night • Nominees listed for \u2753 yearbook positions • Curtain Club play set for 2-night run • Student tells of conditions in Russia • Senior ball set • Campus Chest campaign reaches half-way mark • Haverford College student panel to argue army conscription here • Editorials: Thanksgiving, 1951; East is world headache • Gigi, French play, opens at Philadelphia theater • Alumni • Letters to the editor • Dr. McClure delivers lecture on education • If Collegeville were in Korea, this could happen • Thanksgiving: Pre and Post • Messiah tradition came with Dr. Philip • Bruins to play benefit in York • East Stroudsburg handed initial defeat by Belles • Bears defeated in finale by unbeaten Susquehanna • Curtis Hall wins interdorm title • Women begin to play in intramural hockey • Susquehanna completes unbeaten, untied year • Band attacked for disinterest • Soccer squad closes its season by losing to Franklin & Marshall team • Nevison lectures to Chem society • Intercollegiate bridge tournament to begin • Pediatrics talk given pre-medders • Square dance enjoyedhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1528/thumbnail.jp