Multiwavelength Polarimetric Lidar for Foliage Obscured Man-Made Target Detection

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Challenges in Learning Unified Modeling Language: From the Perspective of Diagrammatic Representation and Reasoning

Unified modeling language (UML) is widely taught in the information systems (IS) curriculum. To understand UML in IS education, this paper reports on an empirical study that taps into students’ learning of UML. The study uses a concept-mapping technique to identify the challenges in learning UML notational elements. It reveals that some technical properties of UML diagrammatic representation, coupled with students’ cognitive attributes, hinder both perceptual and conceptual processes involved in searching, recognizing, and inferring visual information, which creates learning barriers. This paper also discusses how to facilitate perceptual and conceptual processes in instruction to overcome learning challenges. The study provides valuable insights for the IS educators, the UML academic community, and practitioners

Using Cognitive Maps of Mental Models to Evaluate Learning Challenges: A Case Study

Mental models are organized knowledge structures that individuals form to make sense of the world around them. Cognitive maps are the externalized portrayals of mental models in graphical format. Mental models and cognitive maps have been used as an instructional design method, an assessment tool, and a learning strategy in college education. In this paper, we propose a novel use of mental models and cognitive maps as a device to elicit students’ challenges in learning course materials. Our case study in an Information Systems class illustrates how cognitive maps are constructed from students’ mental models, how learning challenges are identified from cognitive maps, and how learning challenges can be coped with in teaching. Our proposed use of cognitive maps and mental models can provide educators with insights into the learning challenges from students’ perspectives, and help design instructional strategies for more effective teaching

Effects of Signaling on Learner Engagement in Informal Learning on YouTube

Millions of educational videos available on YouTube offer unprecedented learning opportunities. A considerable number of studies have been directed toward YouTube educational videos. Yet, research on learner engagement with YouTube educational videos is scarce, despite its central role in learning. This paper addresses this research gap. We adopt the conceptualization that learner engagement has three dimensions - behavioral, emotional, and cognitive- and investigate how signaling in YouTube educational video presentation affects learner engagement in informal learning. Our analysis shows that signaling positively affects behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement. These findings substantiate the empirical knowledge on learner engagement with YouTube educational videos. Our study corroborates traditional video engagement research and extends its relevance to the social media learning environment. It also informs video designers and developers on adding features in the video presentation to optimize learner engagement with YouTube educational videos

Educative Sensemaking on Social Media: An Empirical Investigation of Informal Learning on YouTube

Educational videos on social media are widely used in informal learning. However, empirical studies hardly look into sensemaking, a key aspect in the construction of meaning and knowledge, of educational videos on social media in informal learning, despite the growing interest and practice in educative sensemaking. This study addresses this research gap. We draw upon sensemaking theories and investigate how the physical properties of educational videos affect sensemaking. Our research shows how information control, anchor, and noise are associated with committed interpretation in the learning communities to understand the scientific inquiry at hand with data from YouTube educational videos. This study makes timely contributions to the literature on the educative sensemaking in informal learning on social media. It also offers insights into the better design of educational videos to facilitate sensemaking and informal learning

Development of a multiwavelength airborne polarimetric lidar for vegetation remote sensing

A Multiwavelength Airborne Polarimetric Lidar (MAPL) system has been developed for vegetation remote sensing purposes to support the Airborne Remote Sensing Program at the University of Nebraska. The MAPL design and instrumentation are described in detail. Characteristics of the MAPL system include dual-wavelength detection, lidar waveform capture, and polarimetric measurement, which provide enhanced opportunities for vegetation remote sensing, compared to current sensors. Vegetation canopy models, for a single tree and for the three dimensional forests, are developed for airborne lidar applications; and efforts are made towards modeling the vegetation lidar waveform. This study also develops the theoretical analysis for the vegetation canopy lidar, by combining the lidar equation with the canopy models. The noise sources that may affect the performance of the MAPL are discussed and the ground signal to noise ratio (SNR) under the vegetation cover conditions is also investigated. The optical alignment of the MAPL system is briefly introduced. Polarimetric calibration of the system by laboratory measurements of the Stokes parameters of various materials is discussed. Range detection ability was field tested and calibrated. To validate the system\u27s ability for vegetation canopy detection, extended ground tests were performed on the separate trees and the forest detection. Efforts were also made toward a tree species discrimination algorithm applying the MAPL data. Backscattered polarimetric returns, the depolarization ratios, polarimetric normalized difference vegetation indices, and polarimetric band ratios are presented in this dissertation; many of them are obtained for the first time

Relationships between Involuntary Visual Cueing and Sensemaking of YouTube Videos

Sensemaking plays a critical role in the everyday use of social media, which are increasingly visual as video, images, and other visual content permeate. Yet, research on the sensemaking of visual information on social media is minimal. This study addresses this research gap by investigating the relationships between involuntary visual cues (color contrast and visual complexity) and making sense of videos on YouTube and Reddit. It finds that color contrast has a significant association with sensemaking on both platforms and that visual complexity is a significant predictor of sensemaking only on Reddit. Our study adds to the research on sensemaking on social media. It expands social media analysis from textual to visual information and contributes to the knowledge of visual sensemaking on social media. It also provides practitioners with guidelines for designing videos that facilitate visual sensemaking

Use of Mental Models and Cognitive Maps to Understand Students\u27 Learning Challenges

Mental models and cognitive maps have been used in college business education as an instructional design technique, assessment tool, and learning strategy. The authors propose a novel use of mental models and cognitive maps as a device to elicit students\u27 challenges in learning the domain knowledge of a course. Such usage is illustrated in a management information systems course. This student-focused approach can help instructor to better understand students\u27 learning challenges and enhance teaching effectiveness

Educative Sensemaking on Social Media: An Empirical Investigation of Informal Learning on YouTube

Educational videos on social media are widely used in informal learning. However, empirical studies hardly look into sensemaking, a key aspect in the construction of meaning and knowledge, of educational videos on social media in informal learning, despite the growing interest and practice in educative sensemaking. This study addresses this research gap. We draw upon sensemaking theories and investigate how the physical properties of educational videos affect sensemaking. Our research shows how information control, anchor, and noise are associated with committed interpretation in the learning communities to understand the scientific inquiry at hand with data from YouTube educational videos. This study makes timely contributions to the literature on the educative sensemaking in informal learning on social media. It also offers insights into the better design of educational videos to facilitate sensemaking and informal learning

Recent Progress on the Functionalization of Endohedral Metallofullerenes

Functionalization of endohedral metallofullerenes (EMFs) plays an important role in exploring the reactivity of EMFs and stabilizing missing EMFs, thus conferring tunable properties and turning EMFs into applicable materials. In this review, we present exhaustive progress on the functionalization of EMFs since 2019. Classic functionalization reactions include Prato reactions, Bingel–Hirsch reactions, radical addition reactions, carbene addition reactions, and so on are summarized. And new complicated multi-component reactions and other creative reactions are presented as well. We also discuss the structural features of derivatives of EMFs and the corresponding reaction mechanisms to understand the reactivity and regioselectivity of EMFs. In the end, we make conclusions and put forward an outlook on the prospect of the functionalization of EMFs