Enhancing Information Language Learning with Mobile Technology - Does it Work?

There are many theories that attempt to explain second language acquisition processes and factors determining success or failure. Despite a lack of general agreement between proponents of these theories, research has convincingly shown that the amount of exposure to target language input is one important predictor of ultimate achievement levels. ‘Time on task’ is as important in language learning as it is in many other domains (cf. Reber, 1993) and it is therefore important to identify ways in which this can be increased. An obvious possibility is to encourage learners to engage with (and in) the language outside the classroom. Informal learning, in the sense of learning outside of formal education, has been shown to be a major aspect of adult learning (Cross, 2007) and, given appropriate preparation and support, learners can greatly increase opportunities for learning if they can do so independently. Mobile technologies have obvious potential in this regard. However, is it possible to improve language skills in this way? In this article we report on an exploratory study into the use of cellphones for extensive listening practice. We used input enhancement to draw learners’ attention to not only the meaning of the materials but also the formal (grammatical) aspects of the input. We found that the use of mobile technology presented a number of challenges and in this study did not result in learners acquiring the target structures. We conclude with a number of recommendations for the use and future study of mobile technologies for (language) learning

Excited decuplet baryons from QCD sum rules

A calculation of the mass spectrum in the baryon decuplet sector is presented using the method of QCD sum rules. Sum rules are derived for states of spin-parity 3/2+- and 1/2+ using both the conventional method and a parity-projection method. The predictive ability of the sum rules is explored by a Monte-Carlo based analysis procedure in which the three phenomenological parameters (mass, coupling, threshold) are treated as free parameters and fitted simultaneously. Taken together, the results give an improved determination of the mass spectrum in this sector from the perspective of non-perturbative QCD.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures, 3 table

Coupled QCD sum rules for positive and negative-parity nucleons

A new approach of the QCD sum rule is proposed in which positive and negative-parity baryons couple with each other. With positive and negative-parity states explicitly taken into account, sum rules are derived by means of the dispersion relation in energy. The method is applied to the nucleon channel and the parity splitting of the nucleon resonance states is studied. It is found that the obtained sum rules have a very good Borel stability. This suggests that the ansatz for the spectral function in the present sum rule approximates the physical spectrum better than the usual lowest pole plus continuum ansatz. The predicted masses of the positive and negative nucleons reproduce the experimental ones fairly well. Especially, the mass difference is extremely close to the experimental value.Comment: 14pages, 2figure

Evaluation of financial aspects and energy performance indicators of residential real estate in the Netherlands

The introduction of the concept of sustainable building in the construction industry has led to different measures to reduce the environmental impact of building objects in the past decades. Because the built environment accounts for more than 40% of the total energy consumption in Europe (EC, 2002), energy saving techniques receive much attention. In the Netherlands the overall energy performance of houses can be calculated by three different indicators. In order to compare these Energy Performance Indicators (EPI) seven residential objects are evaluated. This study reflects on the financial efficiency of energy saving measures, techniques or technologies by introducing a new variable for the gains related to the value increase of houses. It is found that the energy performance of houses has gradually improved during the last century. The results of the financial analysis point out that the return on investments is high in Dutch real estate

Operator product expansion in static-quark effective field theory: large perturbative correction

We calculate the coefficients of operators with dimensions d <= 7 in the operator product expansion of correlators of q Gamma Q currents, for the effective field theory of an infinite-mass quark, Q. Exact two-loop results are obtained, with an arbitrary gauge group and spacetime dimension, for the perturbative (d=0) and quark-condensate (d=3) contributions, confirming our previous result for the anomalous dimension of the current. Leading-order results are given for light-quark operators with d=5, 6, 7 and gluon operators with d=4, 6. The existence of a perturbative correction of order 100% precludes a reliable determination of f_B from non-relativistic sum rules.Comment: Old preprint (a typo in dimension-7 contribution corrected

Development of PV powered consumer products using future scenarios

Given the high potential of PV technology to reduce the environmental impact of electricity use of consumer products, it would be worthwhile to advance the application of PV systems in mass produced products. To date this field of application has been explored only to a limited extent. For this reason the developers of consumer products, the industrial designers, might be unaware of the possibilities of product-integrated PV systems [1][2]. Their focus on the utility of consumer products might have an added value to existing R&D of PV technology which emphasizes on increased performance and decreased production cost. In the nearby future integration of both points of view might be important to better integrate PV cells in consumer products. Therefore, in this paper, we will assess industrial product design of integrated PV technology in the context of future scenarios. In our project about 25 product designers have conceptually designed products with integrated flexible PV cells within a future scenario. By observing the resulting cases we can evaluate how the design process was established in the framework of integrated technology design, the product phase model and future scenarios. The PV-powered products that will be evaluated are an electronic book, an information bracelet, a floating platform, sports garment and a robotic monitoring device. Each product is supported by visual materials such as renderings and an explanation of the design process based on scenarios

A practical approach to product design for future worlds using scenario-development

The focus of consumer product design is shifting from primarily offering functionality, towards\ud experience and emotion driven product characteristics [1]. At the same time the functioning of\ud products is more and more defined in its social context. Product designers can play a major role in\ud developing our future social context, as long as they are aware of the responsibility towards users,\ud society and environment. In the master ‘Design & Styling’ of the Industrial Design Engineering\ud program of the University of Twente, we created a course “Create the Future”, addressing both these\ud future- and society oriented aspects of design. In this paper we describe the course structure and the\ud associated teaching methods, give examples of student results and discuss the points of interest and\ud application possibilities. In the 2008 edition the students explored the future of food. First the students\ud created a future context by investigating, building and visualizing multiple scenarios. Subsequently\ud they designed a future product concept within these scenario contexts. It showed that the structure of\ud this course was particularly suitable for designing products for the not so near future, i.e. 15-20 years\ud ahead. Especially scenario development proved to be a good instrument for the students to be able to\ud create a tangible context for designing future products and services