K-12 MODERN SCHOOLS IN SERBIA: EXPLORATORY RESEARCH REGARDING TEACHERS GENUINE KNOWLEDGE AND PERCEPTION OF AI-BASED OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES IN EDUCATION

LINK Educational Alliance (LEA is an educational group based in the Republic of Serbia which involves privately owned providers of formal and informal education, the format for the development of Educational Technologies services and Business support for their business. The exploratory research was conducted among K-12 teachers among a total population of 152 and a sample of 77 respondents (50.66%) to provide information about the perception of the teachers towards implementation of the Artificial intelligence-based solutions and the opportunities and challenges that artificial intelligence (AI) will bring into their daily activities, as well as their genuine knowledge about AI. For data analysis, we used SmartPLs Software version 3.0, making inferential and variable association analyses. The teaching process, based on the opinion of  K-12 teachers regarding activities that might be automatised through AI implementation in the educational process, supported by their level of awareness and knowledge about AI. For example, AI offers opportunities to automate specific strategies and activities, which would achieve better organisation of teachers' working time and productivity and increase the share of time that teachers spend "directly interacting with students" is the central hypothesis whose validity is tested. The aim of this study is to provide adequate model for testing AI attitudes in K-12 level of education in Republic of Serbia, among teachers in elementary and secondary schools.

Blockchain technology enhances sustainable higher education

This research investigates blockchain technology, focusing on the influence of motivation on collaborative work, which positively influences learning performance in Higher Education Institutions (HEI). In addition, blockchain technology is correlated with decentralisation, security and integrity, and anonymity and encryption. It can also be perceived as a consensus mechanism, rewarding students, professors, and universities as a smart contract. Therefore, this technology has been used to improve higher education. It also allows less informed people to interact with better-informed peers and mentors. Finally, this study aims to enhance the current state of blockchain applications comprehension. The methodology used for this research includes document analysis, literature review, content analysis (blockchain platforms), the case study method, and the survey method. In statistical considerations, aiming to evaluate indicators, this research presents the Composite Reliability Analysis, Cronbach Alpha Coefficients, and the Bootstrapping method (Variance Inflation Factor). All these analyses aimed to present a designed research model. This exploratory research gathered data from 150 students at 3 universities in Serbia, Romania, and Portugal. As demonstrated, using student motivation has a significant and positive impact on the quality of student collaborative work. Student collaborative work also correlates with students’ higher level of engagement in the educational process, and the more engaged students are, the better their learning outcomes will be. As a result, in higher education, student involvement boosted learning outcomes. Researchers found that motivation, teamwork, and student involvement were important factors in improving student learning outcomes, as were blockchain-based tools. The results from the quantitative analysis indicate that Collaborative work, Motivation, Engagement, MOOCs, AR, VR, Gamification, and Online class were associated with learning performance.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The potential of blockchain technology in higher education as perceived by students in Serbia, Romania, and Portugal

Lifelong learning approaches that include digital, transversal, and practical skills (i.e., critical thinking, communication, collaboration, information literacy, analytical, metacognitive, reflection, and other research skills) are required in order to be equitable and inclusive and stimulate personal development. Realtime interaction between teachers and students and the ability for students to choose courses from curricula are guaranteed by decentralized online learning. Moreover, through blockchain, it is possible to acquire skills regarding the structure and content while also implementing learning tools. Additionally, documentation validation should be equally crucial to speeding up the process and reducing costs and paperwork. Finally, blockchains are open and inclusive processes that include people and cultures from all walks of life. Learning in Higher Education Institutions (HEI) is facilitated by new technologies, connecting blockchain to sustainability, which helps understand the relationship between technologies and sustainability. Besides serving as a secure transaction system, blockchain technology can help decentralize, provide security and integrity, and offer anonymity and encryption, therefore, promoting a transaction rate increase. This study investigates an alternative in which HEI includes a blockchain network to provide the best sustainable education system. Students’ opinions were analyzed, and they considered that blockchain technology had a very positive influence on learning performance.This work was financially supported by Information Technology School, ITS—Belgrade, Serbia, project ITS/M-TT-DH-UM-01122021. This work was financially supported by the research unit on Governance, Competitiveness and Public Policy (UIDB/04058/2020) + (UIDP/04058/2020), funded by national funds through FCT—Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A FUNCTIONAL APPROACH TO NATURAL LANGUAGE

This article does not aim to erase the border, rather vague, between natural and artificial languages, but to offer the researcher in the field of language analysis a useful tool for their logical generation and interpretation. After processing the available literature and setting the theoretical framework, a case study was conducted concerning the application of the functional approach in natural languages, and the obtained results indicate the following conclusion: The only difference between functional and natural language is that the condition of interrupting recursive calls may be external to the calling auto function in the case of natural language. Basically, once the message is understood or transmitted, it leaves the loop, this aspect being part of the communication protocol between peopl

Trusted Hart for Mobile RISC-V Security

The majority of mobile devices today are based on Arm architecture that supports the hosting of trusted applications in Trusted Execution Environment (TEE). RISC-V is a relatively new open-source instruction set architecture that was engineered to fit many uses. In one potential RISC-V usage scenario, mobile devices could be based on RISC-V hardware. We consider the implications of porting the mobile security stack on top of a RISC-V system on a chip, identify the gaps in the open-source Keystone framework for building custom TEEs, and propose a security architecture that, among other things, supports the GlobalPlatform TEE API specification for trusted applications. In addition to Keystone enclaves the architecture includes a Trusted Hart -- a normal core that runs a trusted operating system and is dedicated for security functions, like control of the device's keystore and the management of secure peripherals. The proposed security architecture for RISC-V platform is verified experimentally using the HiFive Unleashed RISC-V development board.Comment: This is an extended version of a paper that has been published in Proceedings of TrustCom 202

A Site Evaluation Campaign for a Ground Based Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescope in Romania

Around the world, several scientific projects share the interest of a global network of small Cherenkov telescopes for monitoring observations of the brightest blazars - the DWARF network. A small, ground based, imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescope of last generation is intended to be installed and operated in Romania as a component of the DWARF network. To prepare the construction of the observatory, two support projects have been initiated. Within the framework of these projects, we have assessed a number of possible sites where to settle the observatory. In this paper we submit a brief report on the general characteristics of the best four sites selected after the local infrastructure, the nearby facilities and the social impact criteria have been applied.Comment: 6 pages, 5 Postscript figure

Looking beyond appearances: a multi-analytical approach on the prehistoric clay weights

AbstractIn this paper we analyzed a batch of 64 clay weights from three archaeological sites located in Romania (Gumelniţa, Măgura-Jilava, and Sultana) that belong to Kodjadermen-Gumelniţa-Karanovo VI cultural complex (4600–3900 cal. BC). Our approach includes an interdisciplinary investigation based on technological analysis, experimental archaeology, and X-ray CT scans coupled with statistical analysis. This investigation has a high potential to reveal relevant information regarding the technological background (e.g., inclusion, voids, temper, etc.), manufacturing stages (e.g., modeling, shaping, kneading, etc.), or transformation processes (e.g., drying and firing vs. weight and size modification) in order to identify, explain and understand thechaîne operatoirefor this type of artefacts. Moreover, correlation of the results with the experimental archaeology could offer an integrative interpretation about the material culture of past humans and its multiple meanings, but also critical information about the multiple dimensions of manufacture for these objects (e.g., time, effort, physical–chemical processes, etc.). The multi-analytical approach proposed here also includes a comparative study of technological aspects of these clay weights across the three archaeological sites investigated, as well as the experimental replicas

Statistical evaluation of mineral water from Valcea County area through quality indices

Significant global consumption of mineral water is fueled by perceived therapeutic and medicinal qualities, cultural habits and taste. In Valcea County are several resorts with such mineral springs, which can have multiple benefits for human health. For this reason, it is important to investigate the level of their pollution with heavy metals. The aim of this study was to detect the level of heavy metals present in the studied mineral waters, to evaluate the analytical results using environmental statistical indices, and to compare the results with the legislation in force. Thus, mineral water samples were collected from three resorts of Valcea County (Baile Olanesti, Calimanesti-Caciulata and Baile Govora). The analyzed metals (Cd, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) were determined with ICP-EOS technique and the obtained results were compared to enforce legislation. Statistical analyses were applied and two environmental statistical indices, namely the metal distribution coefficient (kd) and the total environmental risk index (IER) were evaluated. The calculated values for the total environmental risk index were below 0 (IER ≤ 0), which indicates that none of the studied water samples pose a risk for the environment. The low values of the distribution coefficient indicate a low ability to bind the metal in particles and therefore, insignificant toxicity. The distribution coefficient calculated for zinc (1.12 L/kg) and lead (0.68 L/kg) in Baile Olanesti indicates a high capacity of the metals to bind in particles, compared to other metals

STUDY ON QUALITY AND SAFETY OF WHITE JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE (Helianthus tuberosus), FRESHLY HARVESTED, AS SOURCE OF RAW MATERIAL FOR FUNCTIONAL FOOD AND PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS

Within this paper, a study on physical and chemical features of white Jerusalem artichoke tuber’s (Helianthus tuberosus) cultivated in Southern Romania, Fetesti, Ialomita, was achieved. The Romanian Plain, where Fetesti locality is situated is characterized by unlimited fields, considered as first- class lands, namely with deep well drained and aerated soil, easy to work, presenting a good permeability and water stocking, with relative high natural fertility for most of plants of culture adapted to climate conditions and which are not difficult to be exploited as arable field. For this study, the tuber vegetal product, in fresh state, was used, being studied samples taken from the vegetal crop established near the road traffic, starting from the half part of cultivated area and from the farthest side, in order to identify the possible pollutant substances acting on minerals, oligoelements, but especially heavy metals contained by it; therefore, not only quality studies, but also complementary studies have been made in order to determine also the safety aspects of this potential source of raw active matter of natural vegetal origin for food industry, functional food, food supplements and pharmaceutical industry

STUDY ON QUALITY AND SAFETY OF WHITE TOPINAMBOUR (Helianthus tuberosus), DRY, AS SOURCE OF RAW MATERIAL FOR FUNCTIONAL FOOD AND PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS

Within this paper, a study on physical and chemical features of white topinambour tuber (Helianthus tuberosus) cultivated in Southern Romania, Fetesti, Ialomita, was performed. For this study, the tuber vegetal product, in dry state, was used, being studied samples taken from the vegetal crop established near the road traffic, starting from the half part of cultivated area and from the farthest side, in order to identify the possible pollutants acting on minerals, oligoelements, but especially heavy metals contained by it; therefore, complementary studies to quality ones have been made in order to determine also the safety aspects of this potential source of raw active matter of natural vegetal origin for food industry, functional food, food supplements and pharmaceutical industry