Evaluating the impact of Internet provision on students’ information‐gathering strategies

This paper explores the use of the World Wide Web (WWW) as a teaching and learning tool. In particular, it focuses on the impact of new technology on students’ learning. An investigative study was undertaken using two cohorts of students taking modules supported by WWW pages. Two modules were selected. These were taught by the same lecturer but adopted distinctly different approaches to delivering module content via the WWW. The administrative structure of both pages was similar in the delivery of basic information, lecture themes, assessment details, outline of essential reading, etc. However, the depth of the material provided in support of each lecture topic, and the styles of assessment for each module, were quite different. The study identified distinct differences in confidence in using the WWW and perceptions of its value for learning, between the two student cohorts. It is proposed that this is a reflection of the depth of material provided and the type of knowledge acquisition encouraged by the contrasting styles of the WWW pages

Recognition of Microseismic and Blasting Signals in Mines Based on Convolutional Neural Network and Stockwell Transform

The microseismic monitoring signals which need to be determined in mines include those caused by both rock bursts and by blasting. The blasting signals must be separated from the microseismic signals in order to extract the information needed for the correct location of the source and for determining the blast mechanism. The use of a convolutional neural network (CNN) is a viable approach to extract these blast characteristic parameters automatically and to achieve the accuracy needed in the signal recognition. The Stockwell Transform (or S-Transform) has excellent two-dimensional time-frequency characteristics and thus to obtain the microseismic signal and blasting vibration signal separately, the microseismic signal has been converted in this work into a two-dimensional image format by use of the S-Transform, following which it is recognized by using the CNN. The sample data given in this paper are used for model training, where the training sample is an image containing three RGB color channels. The training time can be decreased by means of reducing the picture size and thus reducing the number of training steps used. The optimal combination of parameters can then be obtained after continuously updating the training parameters. When the image size is 180 × 140 pixels, it has been shown that the test accuracy can reach 96.15% and that it is feasible to classify separately the blasting signal and the microseismic signal based on using the S-Transform and the CNN model architecture, where the training parameters were designed by synthesizing LeNet-5 and AlexNet

The Politics of Spin

Although lagging behind the excesses of current US and British spin doctors, Australia's spin industry is growing rapidly, raising questions about the impact of media management on effective scrutiny by journalists of political processes and issues. Political leaders can appear more visible but in fact be less accessible to detailed questioning by informed interviewers, and election campaigns are now dominated by sophisticated levels of media management by governments and oppositions. The rise of spin has had a negative impact on journalism, distorting news processes and encouraging more passive forms of journalism

Improving Provider Retention through Addressing Burnout at a Federally Qualified Health Center: A Quality Improvement Initiative

Background: Primary care providers employed by federally qualified health centers (FQHC) working with underserved populations experience high levels of burnout as patients are often medically complex, face healthcare disparities and societal stigmas. The aim of the project was to alleviate burnout and improve provider retention through introduction of organizational support measures. Participants involved were healthcare providers, as well as nurse management and senior leadership. Methods: The quality improvement approach for this project utilized the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle and a driver diagram to guide the selected interventions. Interventions were based on categories from Mayo’s Clinic’s Nine Organizational Strategies to Promote Engagement and Reduce Burnout. This project concentrated on three primary areas: leadership, workflow and administration, and collaboration. To gauge effectiveness of the interventions, a modified version of the Mini Z survey was administered to providers before the implementation of the interventions to establish baseline burnout within the organization. The same modified Mini Z survey was redistributed post-intervention featuring additional questions to assess the impact of the implemented strategies. Data focusing on the top three departure reasons were collected from providers who left the organization within the last two and a half years to identify recurring themes and patterns for a comprehensive understanding of factors influencing provider turnover. Results: There was a notable reduction in job related stress as from 69% pre-intervention to 60% post-intervention. A significant improvement was identified in the time spent at home on the electronic medical record (EMR) from 93% of providers reporting an excessive or moderately high amount of time pre-intervention to 60% post-intervention. The likelihood of provider departure within the next two years remained consistent pre- and post-intervention at 33%. Commonly cited reasons for departure were deficiencies in communication from leadership, systemic challenges, and broader organizational issues. Conclusions: The project did not directly result in improved provider retention or reduced burnout however, it provided a platform to analyze organizational shortcomings and initiate actions in these critical areas. This project serves as an initial step for organizations to explore more comprehensive strategies and implement measures aimed at enhancing provider satisfaction and well-being with the ultimate goal of retaining valuable providers

Fluorescent optical fibre chemosensor for the detection of mercury

This work aims to develop a stable, compact and portable fibre optic sensing system which is capable of real time detection of the mercury ion (II), Hg2+. A novel fluorescent polymeric material for Hg2+ detection, based on a coumarin derivative (acting as the fluorophore) and an azathia crown ether moiety (acting as the mercury ion receptor), has been designed and synthesized. The material was covalently attached to the distal end of an optical fibre and exhibited a significant increase in fluorescence intensity in response to Hg2+ in the μM concentration range via a photoinduced electron transfer (PET) mechanism. The sensor has also demonstrated a high selectivity for Hg2+ over other metal ions. A washing protocol was identified for sensor regeneration, allowing the probe to be re-used. The approach developed in this work can also be used for the preparation of sensors for other heavy metals

The method in Beckett\u27s madness : a critical study of Samuel Beckett\u27s drama

This paper presents an argument for a better under­ standing of Samuel Beckett\u27s drama, a type of drama which is typical of our modern world, a drama of experimenta tion, of revolt, and of paradoxes. This is the Theater of the Absurd

Tips For Teens - Achieving And Maintaining A Normal Body Weight

This educational handout is designed to inform and educate a general population of U.S. teens on the benefits of eating well and maintaining a healthy body weight. Five simple tips are included, along with the associated benefits of following the recommended steps.https://dune.une.edu/an_studedres/1098/thumbnail.jp

Improving Barrier Effectiveness using Human Factors Methods

PresentationThe Process Industry has an established practice of identifying barriers to credit as IPLs (Independent protection layers) through the use of methods such as PHA (Process Hazard Analysis) and LOPA (Layer of Protection Analysis) type studies. However, the validation of IPLs and barriers to ensure their effectiveness especially related to human and organization factors is lagging. The concept of barriers as discrete onion layers comprised of administrative controls, alarms, instruments, mechanical devices, and post-release mitigation is highly idealized. Even worse it is misleading because it blinds us to the reality that all barriers are human. Further, this human base is often made up of small groups of people, comprised of operations, maintenance, and technical staff, with a management layer. The groups of people that maintain and manage all barriers is the most critical factor to ensuring good performance of those barriers in the threat path of a hazard scenario. The methods of PHA and LOPA as currently practiced are not addressing this issue. There is not even awareness of this issue, because the mantra to “ensure independence between protection layers” creates the illusion that barriers can be made independent. The two related issues this paper will address are, (1) the human and organization impact on effectiveness of a single barrier, and (2) the human and organization impact on all barriers in the same threat path. The first issue can be addressed with established human factors and human reliability tools such as Task Analysis, coupled with a public domain human reliability model. The second issue is more complex and requires analyzing the groups of people that cross barrier types and can negatively influence multiple barriers. The methods and concepts will be explained by considering the following barrier types, in a common threat path. The approach described in this paper has been in use for the past two years applied to actual barriers. Critical Alarm with Operator Response Safety Instrumented System Mechanical Pressure Relief Device Demonstrating barrier effectiveness involves both qualitative and quantitative considerations. Demonstrating qualitative effectiveness is done by performing a Task Analysis to identify the degradation factors (human and organization) and degradation factor controls related to the barrier. Demonstrating quantitative effectiveness of the same requires use of a Human Reliability method. Neither of these approaches has been widely adopted in the Process Industry and so there exists a competency gap related to their use. However the need for these tools is evident by the incidents arising in industry due to human and organization factors. Finally, documenting the results on a Bow-tie diagram (the left-hand side) will be demonstrated. Identifying leading process safety indicators embedded in the Bow-tie will be discussed