Effectiveness of Virtual Reality to Enhance Classroom Instruction

Virtual Reality (VR) has become an increasingly effective and powerful medium for learning, especially when applied to subjects that involve acquiring situational awareness/navigation. Research has shown an encouraging array of positive learning outcomes in applying VR technology to support and improve learning. Findings include observing positive effects on learning of spatial awareness acquisition and navigation. Apart from these observations, research has demonstrated that learners enjoy their VR educational experience.This study utilized a VR software program (Oculus Rift ISS), as the VR learning material. 2 groups of students were instructed on navigating through the interior and around the exterior of the ISS via different means; one group (Group 1) received conventional instruction and one group (Group 2) received VR instruction. Following instruction, half of Group 1 participants were assessed by conventional means and the other half were assessed in the VR-rendered environment. Following VR instruction, half of Group 2 participants were assessed by conventional means and the other half were assessed in the VR-rendered environment. Assessment included questions on situational awareness, module identification and navigation completion times. Pearson correlation coefficient revealed a moderate degree of correlation (± 0.31) between the effect of VR instruction and assessment, demonstrating a positive effect of VR instruction. Pearson correlation coefficient revealed a low degree of correlation (± 0.18) between the effect of conventional instruction and assessment, demonstrating conventional instruction was less effective than VR instruction for this type of learning

The Linguacuisine Project: A Cooking-based Language Learning Application

[EN] In this article, we present the Linguacuisine app, which was a product of the Erasmus Plus-funded project ‘Linguacuisine’.Erasmus Plus-funded project ‘Linguacuisine’.Seedhouse, P. (2019). The Linguacuisine Project: A Cooking-based Language Learning Application. The EuroCALL Review. 27(2):75-97. https://doi.org/10.4995/eurocall.2019.13663OJS7597272Ayeomoni, M.O. (2011). Language, food and culture: Implications for language development and expansion in Nigeria. International Journal of Educational Research and Technology, 2(2), 50-55.Barcroft, J. (2002). Semantic and Structural Elaboration in L2 Lexical Acquisition, Language Learning, 52(2), pp. 323-363. https://doi.org/10.1111/0023-8333.00186Carretero, S. Vuorikari, R. & Punie. Y. (2017). DigComp 2.1: The Digital Competence Framework for Citizens with eight proficiency levels and examples of use. EUR 28558. https://doi.org/10.2760/388Dix, A., Finlay, J., Abowd, G. & Beale, R. (2003). User-Centred Design. London: Prentice Hall.Ellis, R. (2003). Task-based Language Learning and Teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Johnson, K. (2003). Designing language teaching tasks. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230596672Paterson, A. & Willis, J. (2008), English through music. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Samuda, V. & Bygate, M. (2008). Tasks in Second Language Learning. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230596429Schmitt, N. & McCarthy, M. (Eds.) (1997), Vocabulary: Description, Acquisition, and Pedagogy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Seedhouse, P. (Ed.) (2017). Task-Based Language Learning in a Real-World Digital Environment: The European Digital Kitchen. London: Bloomsbury.Seedhouse, P., Preston, A., Olivier, P., Jackson, D., Heslop, P., Plötz, T., Balaam, M. & Ali, S. (2013). The French Digital Kitchen: Implementing Task-Based Language Teaching beyond the Classroom. International Journal of Computer Assisted Language Learning and Teaching, 3(1), 50-72. https://doi.org/10.4018/ijcallt.2013010104Skehan, P. (1998). A cognitive approach to language learning. Oxford: Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1177/003368829802900209Skehan, P. (2003). Task-based instruction. Language Teaching, 36, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1017/S026144480200188XThomas, M. & Reinders, H. (Eds.) (2010), Task-Based Language Learning and Teaching with Technology. London, New York: Continuum International Publishing Group.Willis, J. (1996). A framework for task-based learning. Harlow, U.K.: Longman

A Critical Evaluation of Community Rail Policy and Practice During the New Labour Years 2003 - 2010

Seedhouse, Andrew Colin A Critical Evaluation Of Community Rail Policy And Practice During The New Labour Years 2003 - 2010 This thesis examines how the changing governance environments introduced under New Labour compromised or assisted the delivery of the 2004 Community Rail Development Strategy. It considers the origins of Community Rail and the circumstances which led to the adoption of the 2004 Strategy and its content. It explores the wider processes of governance change across multiple scales and the rise of a new neoliberal approach favoured by recent administrations, with particular emphasis of New Labour’s introduction of the Third Way and its creation of the third sector. The primary research aim and four core research objectives are tested within six Community Rail Partnership (CRP) case study areas, through the application of a multi-methodological approach combining desk-based quantitative analysis with qualitative semi-structured interviews of actors engaged in the case study areas and wider policy elites. For each of the case study areas, an empirical overview of the transport planning policies of actor members of the CRPs is undertaken, as well as visual and audio station audits. The research then examines the place of the 2004 Strategy within the wider transport planning policy landscape at all tiers of regional and sub-regional government, concluding a very mixed approach to engagement and support. The resurgent approach to localism and the role of New Labour’s Local Strategic Partnerships are considered in identifying existing levels of CRP engagement and opportunities to create functional spaces of engagement. It identifies a high level of correlation between current CRP activities and alignment with core performance indicators of this new governance framework, manifesting itself in a published national toolkit model. The research then examines the importance of a CRP’s own approach to governance; the role of core individuals; and the importance of actor engagement to support a stable platform for delivering successful Strategy outputs and outcomes. It concludes by recommending national policy options to improve on outcome delivery for individual CRPs and their members.Greater Western Research Fund Department for Transpor

Terahertz emitters based on microcavity dipolaritons

We propose the use of dipolaritons -- quantum well excitons with large dipole moment, coupled to a planar microcavity -- for generating terahertz (THz) radiation. This is achieved by exciting the system with two THz detuned lasers that leads to dipole moment oscillations of the exciton polariton at the detuning frequency, thus generating a THz emission. We have optimized the structural parameters of a system with microcavity embedded AlGaAs double quantum wells and shown that the THz emission intensity is maximized if the laser frequencies both match different dipolariton states. The influence of the electronic tunnel coupling between the wells on the frequency and intensity of the THz radiation is also investigated, demonstrating a trade-off between the polariton dipole moment and the Rabi splitting.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures. This article has been submitted to Applied Physics Letter

NMR Diffusion and Relaxation Studies on Surfactant Systems

The unique bilateral structure of surfactants allows for a variety of interesting applications in society and industry. In this study, we focused on one particular non-ionic surfactant referred to as C10E7P2OH. Six solutions were analyzed by DOSY, T1 and T2 experiments in order to determine the structure and size of the aggregates formed in solution. Three of these solutions contain the surfactant C10E7P2OH in water at concentrations by mass of 2, 3.5 and 5%. Three solutions contain surfactant at identical concentrations, and also D-limonene at 2% by mass

Task-based interaction

The ‘task’ has become a fundamental concept in language teaching pedagogy. However, there is a lack of studies which present a ‘holistic’ analysis and evaluation of the interaction produced by tasks in the class-room. Based on a database of lesson extracts, this article attempts to characterize task-based interaction as a variety, discusses its pedagogical and interactional advantages and disadvantages, and considers what kinds of learning it might be promoting

<em>Doing language testing</em>: learner-initiated side sequences in a technology-mediated language learning environment

\ua9 2024 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor &amp; Francis Group. We present doing language testing sequences; L2 learners decide for themselves to test themselves or each other explicitly on new linguistic items, outside the official task cycle with no professional present, investing extra time and energy. We examine how and why pairs of learners do this, and its impact on their learning. They use an App to learn Chinese language and culture whilst cooking in their university dormitory kitchens, receiving multimedia instructions and help from a tablet. Using a mixed-methods research design, we asked: How is the practice of doing language testing organised in interactional terms? Using multimodal CA we found: learners organised the interaction themselves and introduced their own learning interests. Some self-tested and some peer-tested; some consulted the system and some did not. To ascertain the reasons why the learners decided to do language testing, we used post-hoc interviews and found their major motivation was to have an improved learning experience. We then compared their vocabulary post-test score gains with those who did not do language testing and found they made significantly higher gains with a learning advantage. The study shows that some students are motivated to do language testing in order to enhance their task performance and learning experience, in which they succeed

Application of Bioinstrumentation in Developing a Pressure Suit for Suborbital Flight

This presentation features Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University\u27s U-2 pressure suit. Built to be light and cost-effective, this suit is comfortable, comes in multiple sizes, operates in pressures up to 5 PSID, has an active airflow-based cooling system, and features bio-instrumentation to measure heart rate, breathing rate, skin temperature and other vitals

Applying digital sensor technology: A problem-solving approach

There is currently an explosion in the number and range of new devices coming onto the technology market that use digital sensor technology to track aspects of human behaviour. In this article, we present and exemplify a three-stage model for the application of digital sensor technology in applied linguistics that we have developed, namely, Technology–Problem–Iterative Development and Research. We present three projects that have used this model. In the first and second, a language learning environment was facilitated and tracked by digital sensor technology, while in the second and third projects, the technology enabled multimodal data collection and analysis. All projects investigated how a digital learning environment might be designed, implemented, and evaluated. The research focus has been on how to record and analyse the process of language learning through spoken interaction using digital sensor technology. This model is amenable to a variety of methodological approaches, as we see conversation analysis used in the first two projects and multimodal corpus linguistics in the third