Preliminary frameworks and models for telework maturity within organisations

This paper is a preliminary step to assess the feasibility of telework for any given organisation. We posit two qualitative frames of telework to define the additional, digital referential platforms that exist with regard to work today: abstraction and conceptualisation. To communicate research within this field we utilise a language taxonomy derived out of a review of the relevant literature. Furthermore, we propose a transformer model to serve as a means to i) interpret quantitative aspects of telework such as metrics and KPIs and ii) inform stakeholder decisions with regard to appropriate telework configurations for their respective company

ISRU Soil Mechanics Vacuum Facility: Soil Bin Preparation and Simulant Strength Characterization

Testing in relevant environments is key to exploration mission hardware development. This is true on both the component level (in early development) and system level (in late development stages). During ISRU missions the hardware will interface with the soil (digging, roving, etc) in a vacuum environment. A relevant test environment will therefore involve a vacuum chamber with a controlled, conditioned simulant bed. However, in earth-based granular media, such as lunar soil simulant, gases trapped within the material pore structures and water adsorbed to all particle surfaces will release when exposed to vacuum. Early vacuum testing has shown that this gas release can occur violently, which loosens and weakens the simulant, altering the consolidation state. The Vacuum Facility #13, a mid-size chamber (3.66m tall, 1.5m inner diameter) at the NASA Glenn Research Center has been modified to create a soil mechanics test facility. A 0.64m deep by 0.914m square metric ton bed of lunar simulant was placed under vacuum using a variety of pumping techniques. Both GRC-3 and LHT-3M simulant types have been used. An electric cone penetrometer was used to measure simulant strength properties at vacuum including: cohesion, friction angle, bulk density and shear modulus. Simulant disruptions, caused by off gassing, affected the strength properties, but could be mitigated by reducing pump rate. No disruptions were observed at pressures below 2.5Torr, regardless of the pump rate. However, slow off gassing of the soil lead to long test times, a full week, to reach 10-5Torr. This work highlights the need for robotic machine-simulant hardware and operations in vacuum to expeditiously perform (sub-)systems tests

Application of Melodic Intonation Therapy Using Linguistic Principles: Acquisition and Generalization Effects

This investigation was designed to examine the acquisition and response generalization effects of Melodic Intonation Therapy (MIT).  Linguistic principles were applied to the selection of items used for treatment and measurement of generalization effects. Treatment was applied to “Wh- Questions” in the context of a multiple baseline design across behaviors with one participant with chronic Broca’s aphasia and acquired apraxia of speech. Generalization was measured to untrained exemplars of trained items as well as to untrained items with similar and different underlying linguistic representations. Preliminary findings indicated positive acquisition effects and possible generalization effects

Adult participation in children’s word searches: on the use of prompting, hinting, and supplying a model

Although word searching in children is very common, very little is known about how adults support children in the turns following the child’s search behaviours, an important topic because of the social, educational and clinical implications. This study characterises, in detail, teachers’ use of prompting, hinting and supplying a model. From a classroom dataset of 53 instances, several distinctive patterns emerged. A prompted completion sequence is initiated by a ‘word retrieval elicitor’ (‘fishing’) and is interpreted as a request to complete the phrase. Non-verbal prompting is accomplished through a combination of gaze and gesture and, also, as a series of prompts. Hinting supplies a verbal clue, typically via a wh-question, or by specifying the nature of the repairable. In contrast, the strategies that supply a linguistic model include both embedded and exposed corrections and offers of candidates. A sequential relationship was found between prompting, hinting and supplying a model which has implications for how clinicians and teachers can foster self-repair

The Impact of Digitisation Projects on the Work of Local Historians

Background: the methodology of historical research depends on a commitment to reporting and record keeping based on investigation of primary and secondary sources. This dependence on finding and assessing the reliability of information sources presents particular challenges to designers of information retrieval software intended to support historical research. Aim: this paper reports the results of a questionnaire distributed as the first phase of a research project intended to assess the information needs of historians working with original and/or digitised primary resources. We have been particularly interested in the work of “local” historians working with archives of local newspapers and with image collections that are in the process of being digitised. The prim ary aim at this stage was to discover whether these historians have a preference between original or digitised resources and to understand the reasons behind any preferences. In the longer term we aim to apply what we have learned to the development of a model of information seeking behaviour that can be used to guide the design of information retrieval applications supporting local historical research. Method: an online survey was distributed to historians in 43 universities in the UK. Results: The results show that historians make an interesting distinction between their preference for working with original documents and the greater “usefulness” of digitised resources. Conclusions: Historical research presents a number of unique challenges. Further research is needed into the unique aspects of the local historian’s information seeking behaviour. An important focus for this research will be the design of archival information retrieval systems that address these unique requirements

Climate Change in Northern New Hampshire: Past, Present and Future

EARTH’S CLIMATE CHANGES. It always has and always will. However, an extensive and growing body of scientific evidence indicates that human activities—including the burning of fossil fuel (coal, oil, and natural gas) for energy, clearing of forested lands for agriculture, and raising livestock—are now the primary force driving change in the Earth’s climate system. This report describes how the climate of northern New Hampshire has changed over the past century and how the future climate of the region will be affected by a warmer planet due to human activities

Climate Change in Southern New Hampshire: Past, Present and Future

EARTH’S CLIMATE CHANGES. It always has and always will. However, an extensive and growing body of scientific evidence indicates that human activities—including the burning of fossil fuel (coal, oil, and natural gas) for energy, clearing of forested lands for agriculture, and raising livestock—are now the primary force driving change in the Earth’s climate system. This report describes how the climate of southern New Hampshire has changed over the past century and how the future climate of the region will be affected by a warmer planet due to human activities

Empowering International Students as Global Citizens: Promising Praxis for Virtual Global Learning

The COVID-19 global pandemic disrupted the traditional ways of providing global learning to students in higher education, and offered international students new opportunities to develop intercultural competency in a virtual environment. Anchored in literature, teaching reflection, student reflection, and critical global citizenship education theory and practices, this article analyzes and discusses the andragogic, cultural, linguistic, academic, and technological dimensions of providing meaningful and inclusive global learning and engagement to international students in a virtual/online environment. Placing international students at the centre of critical academic decisions, this article introduces promising practices and strategies for empowering international students as global citizens, such as dealing with sociocultural and geopolitical issues, preparing international students for online learning, creating an open and safe online environment, situating intercultural learning and collaboration in authentic contexts, and practicing critical reflexivity