Alternative Learning Approaches for Enhanced Students’ Engagement in Engineering Courses

In the context of globalization and explosion of knowledge, engineering practices have to make a shift from mere problem solving towards more innovative solutions embedded in an array of social, economic, cultural and ethical issues.  Innovation is a key differentiator in an increasingly global economy.  The role of our engineering schools in providing human capital, necessary to meet future national needs, new orientation. Today’s learners perceive learning as a “plug and play” experience.  They want to plunge in and learn through participation and experimentation. Traditional approaches emphasize the presentation of information and consider learning as mere absorption of information.  In contrast an effective student centered learning requires different perspectives from students and the teachers.  The lecture dominated system encourages a passive learning environment, a highly compartmentalized curriculum and instills neither motivation nor skills for lifelong learning.  It leaves no time for critical thinking, creative thinking and association with reality.  Students today are active learners.  The need of the hour is knowledge construction that can be achieved through active learning strategies like discussions, role play, group work, problem based learning, and project based learning.  Students’ engagement is seen as a successful indicator of classroom instruction. It depends on the level of academic challenge, active and collaborative learning, student-faculty interaction, enriching educational experiences and a supportive learning environment.  This paper reports the various faculty training programmes organized in a university environment on the use of alternative learning approaches like discussions, role play and group work and its impact on students’ engagement. Keywords: Critical thinking; Creative thinking; Active learning; Students’ engagement; Alternative learning approache

Analysis Of Question Papers In Engineering Courses With Respect To Hots (Higher Order Thinking Skills)

It is generally perceived that a substantial number of engineering faculty are still unaware of alternative educational methods, and many who are aware of them choose not to incorporate them into their approach to teaching. There are several likely reasons for this inertia, aside from the inevitable human resistance to change. The primary focus of imparting information is restricted to fulfilling the course requirements and, the upcoming term end examination. It is imperative to adopt a change from teaching to learning paradigm engaging the students in Higher Order Thinking Skills. Knowledge and technological advancements are changing the role of engineering and engineering faculty in the society. Engineering Education reforms need to focus on inductive teaching and stimulated learning. Students should be taught critical thinking skills and creative thinking skills to keep pace with the rapidly changing engineering profession. This paper reports the study done to test and explore the faculty awareness of Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives in the cognitive domain and Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) and to evaluate question papers set by engineering faculty with respect to HOTS as proposed by Bloom’s Taxonomy. Various active learning strategies to enhance critical thinking skills and creative thinking skills of the students are recommended for use by the faculty in their interactions with the students.

Essays on operational productivity and customer satisfaction in offshore software projects

In recent times, both academia and practitioners have increasingly focused on the importance of offshore outsourcing. Analysts estimate that the offshore component of IT services is expected to rise to $70 billion by 2007. Despite this increase, the popular press has cited dissatisfaction among firms that have outsourced software projects to offshore locations. Primary reasons cited for the customer dissatisfaction with outsourcing include the increased complexity of managing the relationship, reduced productivity and reduced operational effectiveness. This issue has not received much academic attention. This dissertation attempts to address this gap in the academic literature by studying the problem from two different perspectives of a software supply chain. The first perspective is effectiveness – where the focus is on managing the internal processes to have a positive impact on customers. This is important, because a satisfied customer is key to a successful and profitable organization. Accordingly, in Chapter 2 of this dissertation, we study the determinants of project performance and customer satisfaction in outsourced offshore software projects. The second perspective is the internal efficiency – where focus is on increasing the efficiency of processes and people; thus, leading to increase in productivity. Clearly these two perspectives are intertwined. An understanding of factors affecting productivity of individuals will enable the managers to set appropriate goals for team members, improve delivery performance, and ultimately increase customer satisfaction. Chapters 3 and 4 of this dissertation investigate productivity improvement using software maintenance as a context. In Chapter 3, we investigate the role of both individual-level factors, such as overall experience, task variety, and newness of task handled, and team-level factors such as team size, new team member entry, and team member exit, on individual productivity. Next, in Chapter 4, we investigate how productivity can be improved by better allocation of individual’s effort to tasks that have the following property: the longer it takes to resolve the task, the less is the likelihood that the task will be completed successfully

The necessity of replanning during the intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for head and neck cancer, to ensure adequate coverage of target volume

Introduction: In head and neck cancer the location, size, shape of disease, and normal anatomy change in 6-7 weeks radiotherapy. As a result, steep dose gradients move across target and critical structures resulting in underdose to target and overdose to critical structures. Aim: comparison of target coverage in initial IMRT plan and replan and to quantify dose changes to normal structures in two plans. Methods and Material: 30 patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer patients planned for curative radiotherapy were selected and treated with 3DCRT plan. For dosimetric comparison IMRT plan was created for pre-treatment and repeat CT, which was done after 40Gy. Statistical analysis used: Statistical methods (student’s paired t-test) were applied. Results: Both PTV coverage (V95 from 96.29±1.12 to 97.33±0.80) and dose (D95 from 66.64±0.87 to 67.57±0.74) increased in replanned CT. Both max and mean doses to the brainstem and spinal cord along with mean dose to parotid glands increased in replanned CT. Conclusions: Replanning is necessary during mid-treatment to accommodate anatomical and dosimetric changes during curative radiotherapy

Unintentional Passive Islanding Detection and Prevention Method with Reduced Non-Detection Zones

Islanding detection and prevention are involved in tandem with the rise of large- and small-scale distribution grids. To detect islanded buses, either the voltage or the frequency variation has been considered in the literature. A modified passive islanding detection strategy that coordinates the V-F (voltage–frequency) index was developed to reduce the non-detection zones (NDZs), and an islanding operation is proposed in this article. Voltage and frequency were measured at each bus to check the violation limits by implementing the proposed strategy. The power mismatch was alleviated in the identified islands by installing a battery and a diesel generator, which prevented islanding events. The proposed strategy was studied on the three distinct IEEE radial bus distribution systems, namely, 33-, 69-, and 118-bus systems. The results obtained in the above-mentioned IEEE bus systems were promising when the proposed strategy was implemented. The results of the proposed strategy were compared with those of methods developed in the recent literature. As a result, the detection time and number of islanded buses are reduced

A prospective comparative dosimetric study between diffusion weighted MRI (DWI) & T2-weighted MRI (T2W) for target delineation and planning in cervical cancer brachytherapy

AimTo evaluate the difference between GTVBT (Gross Tumor Volume at Brachytherapy) and HR CTV (High Risk Clinical Tumor Volume) delineated with DWI and T2W MRI. To evaluate doses to organs at risk and targets from plans generated using T2W and DWI.BackgroundFunctional imaging with DWI can improve cervical tumor distinction as it is more sensitive than T2W MRI even in detecting parametrial invasion. This study does a dosimetric comparison between a T2W and DWI based plan.MethodsFifty carcinoma cervix patients were subjected to MRI based brachytherapy. T2W and a diffusion weighted sequence were acquired. Target delineation and brachytherapy planning was done on both T2W and DWI. Standard DVH parameters were recorded and the treatment was given using the plan generated from T2W images.ResultsGTVBT and HRCTV contours on DWI were different when compared with T2W. Mean GTVBT volume on T2W and DWI was 5.25 and 5.23, respectively (p value 0.8). Mean HRCTV on T2W and DWI was 28.3 and 27 cc, respectively (p value 0.003). Planning on the above volumes resulted in a superior coverage in terms of HRCTV D90 and D100 for DWI based plan, HRCTV D90 — 735.1 and 741 cGy for T2W and DWI, respectively (p value 0.006), HRCTV D100 — 441.05 and 444.5 for T2W and DWI plans, respectively (p value = 0.006). Doses to the OAR were not significantly increased.ConclusionGEC ESTRO based contouring guidelines cover all the functionally abnormal areas on DWI. DWI should only be used as a supplement to T2W for contouring target volumes

Pyrrolidinium-2-carboxylate–4-nitrophenol (1/2)

In the title compound, C5H9NO2·2C6H5NO3, the pyrrolidine ring of the pyrrolidinium-2-carboxylate zwitterion adopts a twisted conformation on the –CH2—CH2– bond adjacent to the N atom. The mean plane of this pyrrolidine ring forms dihedral angles of 25.3 (3) and 32.1 (3)° with the two nitrophenol rings. An intramolecular N—H...O hydrogen bond occurs in the pyrrolidinium-2-carboxylate molecule. In the crystal, molecules are linked via O—H...O and N—H...O hydrogen bonds, enclosing R32(8) ring motifs, forming chains running parallel to the a axis. These chains are further cross-linked by O—H...O and C—H...O hydrogen bonds, forming undulating two-dimensional networks lying parallel to (001)

Exploration of Phyllanthus acidus mediated silver nanoparticles and its activity against infectious bacterial pathogen

Abstract In our present investigation, synthesis of nontoxic, eco friendly and cost effective silver nanoparticles, Phyllanthus acidus (P. acidus) was used as starting material. The influence of phyto-constituents present in aqueous extracts of Phyllanthus acidus was found to be effective in reduction of silver nitrate to free silver nanoparticles (PA-AgNPs). HPTLC finger print analysis reveals the presence of flavonoid, quercetin in aqueous extracts of Phyllanthus acidus. Surface plasmon racemonance exhibited λ max at 462 nm through UV–Vis spectroscopy. Zeta size revealed that the size of nanoparticles were with in the range of 65–250 nm with polydisperse index (PDI) of 0.451. The negative charge of zeta potential value (− 16.4) indicates repulsion among PA-AgNPs with their excellent stability. FESEM-EDAX, XRD and TEM analysis confirmed the presence of nano-crystalline PA-AgNPs with different morphological textures. Further, PA-AgNPs has shown potent antibacterial effect on E. coli cells. The greater antibacterial effect (viable and dead cells) of PA-AgNPs were confirmed by using acridine orange (AO) dye which can able to provide insight of healthy as well as damaged DNA. Live cells emit florescence green and dead cells (treated with PA-AgNPS at 20 and 40 µg/ml) appear as pale orange red colour. Post treatment, investigations of PA-AgNPs on E. coli cells under SEM was found to be effective against cell membrane damages which leads to cell death or cell growth arrest. Hence, from the above findings, we strongly recommend silver nanoparticles from Phyllanthus acidus can be used as a potential source for antimicrobial agent for chronic infections and also against other harmful microorganisms

Pancreatic duct size and gland texture are associated with pancreatic fistula after pancreaticoduodenectomy but not after distal pancreatectomy.

BACKGROUND:Pancreatic fistula remains a morbid complication after pancreatectomy. Since the proposed mechanism of pancreatic fistula is different between pancreaticoduodenectomy and distal pancreatectomy, we hypothesized that pancreatic gland texture and duct size are not associated with pancreatic fistula after distal pancreatectomy. METHODS:All patients ≥18 years in the 2014-15 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) targeted pancreatectomy dataset were linked with the ACS NSQIP Public Use File (PUF). Pancreatic duct size (6 mm) and pancreatic gland texture (hard, intermediate, soft) were categorized. Separate multivariable analyses were performed to evaluate associations between pancreatic duct size and gland texture after pancreaticoduodenectomy and distal pancreatectomy. RESULTS:A total of 9366 patients underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy or distal pancreatectomy during the study period. Proportion of pancreatic fistula was similar after distal pancreatectomy (606 of 3132, 19.4%) and pancreaticoduodenectomy (1163 of 6335, 18.4%, p = 0.245). Both pancreatic gland texture and duct size were significantly associated with pancreatic fistula after pancreaticoduodenectomy (p<0.001). However, there was no association between pancreatic fistula and gland texture or duct size (all p≥0.169) after distal pancreatectomy. Operative approach (minimally invasive versus open) was not associated with pancreatic fistula after distal pancreatectomy (p = 0.626). Patients with pancreatic fistula after distal pancreatectomy had increased rate of postoperative complications including longer length of stay, higher rates of readmission and reoperation compared to patients who did not have a pancreatic fistula (all p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS:Unlike among patients who had pancreaticoduodenectomy, pancreatic gland texture and duct size are not associated with development of pancreatic fistula following distal pancreatectomy. Other clinical factors should be considered in this patient population