Learners and E-learning

The purpose of this qualitative inquiry is to analyze the literature on the topic of learner needs in distance learning from the perspective of the student. All research studies, surveys, and case studies were considered as long as they satisfied the following two conditions: a) they were published in a peer-reviewed professional journal and b) they reported on findings obtained from student feedback. Attention was given to those scholarly publications that reported on American community college students or undergraduate students’ feedback of their needs in e-learning. The theoretical foundation underlying the inquiry came from Malcolm Knowles’s (1977) Principles of Andragogy and the social constructivist theory. The examined research papers and studies confirm that Knowles’s principles of adult learning remain to be a valid theoretical approach in online environments as well. Finally, learner feedbacks point to the validity of the principles of social constructivist theory as the most likely approach to online learning

Bitcoin: Bauble or Bullion?

The purpose of this paper is to examine in what ways capital-B Bitcoin, the system, and lower-b bitcoin, the unit of account, are or are not money. Bitcoin is the largest, by market capitalization, financial asset labeled cryptocurrency and the first decentralized digital currency. The paper canvasses the academic, business and technical literature to scrutinize the validity of this neologism\u27s implied equivalency to money as a concept, system and artifact from historical, economic, political, teleological, theoretical and functional perspectives. The author(s) of Bitcoin invented blockchain, that is a shared, decentralized, time stamped, public ledger, to solve the problem of double spending. The risk of fraud, paying several counterparties with the same coin, was an intractable limitation on digital cash replacing paper money. The addition of blockchain to proof of work and advanced cryptography was a major advance in electronic cash systems. The combination of other features with this innovation, in particular a programmed steady growth and overall limit on supply, created in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies that followed a potential challenger to fiat currencies. This paper tests Bitcoin\u27s progress and prospects in credibly replacing sovereign currencies in theory and in practice. Our conclusion is that the replacement of fiat currencies by cryptocurrencies in the world economy is not imminent. However, the underlying technology of cryptocurrencies holds great promise for improving the security and efficiency of the global financial and monetary systems

Cotula coronopifolia : invasive or just another alien species?

It is known that alien species can become invasive in a new environment and in new geographic areas. The recent and rapid expansion of Cotula coronopifolia (cotula)on the island of Öland in Sweden has raised questions about its potential invasiveness. The lack of information about the species ecology and behavior lead to this study which focuses on cotula’s history of expansion, dispersal mechanisms and potential vectors, expansion speed and habitat preferences, and if there is any spatial competition between cotula and native species. A literature review, a field study and a couple of floating experiments indicates that the main dispersal mechanism of cotula is its good floating ability regarding both plants and seeds. The present population in Sweden is most likely a result of secondary spread by water across the Baltic Sea around 2002. A mapping survey done over two seasons, 2018 and 2019, of two populations on the island of Öland and a demographic study showed a high dispersal potential, with 2.4 million seeds produced per m2, and an expansion speed of, at least, 380 m per year. The field study, in combination with the mapping survey, showed that cotula has a broader niche in terms of habitat preferences than the literature indicated. I also found that the adult plants were able to endure much more frost and ice than previously known. A survey of 290 vegetation plots (0.0625 m2) with cotula present showed that there is a negative correlation between the cover of cotula and the native species and also with species number. This indicates spatial competition between cotula and the native species. The present populations will likely continue to grow and spread since there is plenty of uncolonized habitat available along the coasts of the Baltic Sea. Hence, there is a need for an action plan to prevent further establishment and a readiness for rapid eradication once the species reaches new areas.I samband med den nyliga och hastiga spridningen av kotula, Cotula coronopifolia i Sverige har det väckts frågor kring dess potentiella invasivitet. Eftersom litteraturen kring kotulans ekologi och historia är mycket sparsam så initierades denna studie som fokuserar på kotulans historiska spridningsvägar, dess spridningsmekanismer och potentiella vektorer, dess expansionshastighet, habitatpreferenser, och om det finns någon indikation på spatial/rumslig konkurrens mellan kotulan och inhemska arter. Litteraturstudien, fältstudien och flytexperimenten indikerar att den huvudsakliga spridningsmekanismen är dess goda flytförmåga, av både plantor och frön. Dagens svenska population är troligen ett resultat av sekundär spridning och kom troligen vattenvägen över Östersjön kring år 2002. Kartläggningen som gjordes av två populationer på Öland, år 2018 och 2019, tillsammans med en demografistudie visar på kotulans höga spridningspotential, en fröproduktion av 2,4 miljoner frön per kvadratmeter och en expansionshastighet på minst 380 meter per år. Denna studie visade också att kotulan har en bredare habitatnisch och uthärdar mer kyla och frost än vad litteraturen indikerar. En täckningsgradsinventering utfördes i 290 stycken 0,0625 m2 vegetationsrutor där kotula fanns närvarande, vilket visade på att det fanns en negativ korrelation mellan kotulas täckningsgrad och de inhemska arternas och även med antalet arter. Detta indikerar att det förekommer spatial konkurrens mellan kotula och de inhemska arterna. Den befintliga populationen i Sverige kommer troligtvis att fortsätta expandera och sprida sig då det finns gott om potentiellt habitat längs Östersjöns kuster. Därav behövs det en handlingsplan som avser att hindra vidare spridning och en beredskap för utrotning av kotula när den etablerar sig på nya lokaler

Den behovsanpassade trädgården

Många äldre bor kvar i sin villa hela livet men med ålder eller sjukdom kommer ofta mer problem med kroppen såsom minskad ork och möjlighet att utföra vissa rörelser. Detta kan leda fram till svårigheter att både använda och sköta den egna trädgården. Genom den litteraturstudie som genomfört framgår det att genom att anpassa trädgårdsmiljön med väl planerade gångar, upphöjda odlingsbäddar och väl planerad komposition kan skötseln i trädgården minska, möjligheten till att känna sig effektiv och välmående i trädgården ökar samt ger möjlighet till en ökad självständighet. Två tillgänglighetsanpassade platser undersöktes närmare och när platserna jämfördes mot litteraturens lösningar gick det att se stora likheter i utformningen. Som en slutlig del av detta arbete gjordes ett gestaltningsförslag på en villaträdgård där fokus i gestaltningen var att göra miljön så tillgänglig och välanpassad som möjligt för att skötsel och användning av trädgården skulle bli så optimal som möjligt för de boendes önskemål och behov. Syftet och målet med detta arbete var att samla kunskap om tillgänglighet för att på så sätt få ytterligare ett verktyg till hjälp för att utforma väl anpassade gestaltningar i och för framtiden.Many people continue to live in their own detached house with a garden even when they are getting old. However, with age often comes more problems with the body like less energy level and more trouble with certain movements. This may cause problems with managing a garden. The literature study showed that if the garden is better adapted with help of a well-planned garden system with good level materials, raised garden beds and with strategic chosen composition of plants this will contribute to lower management and lead to the ability to feel more efficient and thereby more satisfied. Two accessible places were examined more closely and when these places were compared to the solutions in the literature, there were big similarities in the strategy of the design. The last piece of this project was to present a design proposition for a garden with focus on accessibility. The goal was to do the chosen garden as accessible and well planned as possible to match the residents wishes and needs. The purpose and goal for this work was to gather knowledge of accessibility and by doing that get access to yet another tool for future design projects

Avalanche defences for Flateyri, Iceland. From hazard evaluation to construction of defences.

The village of Flateyri was hit by two major avalanches in 1995, with the latter one killing 20 of the 45 people caught in it. These, together with the catastrophic avalanche in the nearby Súôavík in January the same year, initiated a complete review of all government actions and regulations regarding avalanche risk and avalanche defences in Iceland. The government set a long term goal for the acceptable risk to people living in avalanche prone areas and increased funding for the construction of avalanche defences. The avalanche situation in Flateyri is quite serious and the risk the inhabitants live with is very high. The town is threatened by avalanches from two gullies, Innra-Bæjargil in the north-west and Skollahvilft in the north-east, with several records of avalanches reaching well into the present residential area. To fulfil the safety requirements, an appraisal study was carried out and a proposal made for avalanche defences for the community, consisting of two earthfill deflecting dams and an earthfill catching dam. The proposal was accepted by the local authorities and the Icelandic government in the spring of 1996, design work was carried out in that summer and construction work started in September 1996. The construction of the dams is now close to completion, two years after the accident

Harvestmen (Arachnida: Opiliones) in Estonia: results of the Estonian Malaise Trap Project

The species composition of Estonian harvestmen (Opiliones) was revised based on a critical review of published data and examination of the material from the Estonian Malaise Trap Project (EMTP), which is briefly introduced. Four years of collecting (from 2008 to 2011) with “Czech type”Malaise traps from 15 localities throughout Estonia resulted in 4,102 specimens of 9 species. Two of them, Lophopilio palpinalis (Herbst, 1799) and Leiobunum tisciae (Avram, 1968), were found from Estonia for the first time. Combined with reliable published data, the number of harvestmen species known from Estonia is now set at 12. Distribution and habitat preferences of harvestmen in Estonia were examined subjecting the Malaise trapping data to a quantitative analysis using environmental variables recorded for each trap location. Only tree layer density (i.e. the presence of forest as such) was identified as a significant predictor of harvestmen abundance and diversity which indicates a low degree of habitat specificity in boreo-nemoral harvestmen

The avalanche situation in Neskaupstadur, Iceland : A preliminary defensive plan

The avalanche situation in the town of Neskaupstaôur is rather unique and in many respects more difficult than in any other place in Iceland. The avalanche risk is high in a large portion of the 2,7 km long residential area, with similar snow accumulation conditions throughout the entire area. Additionally, conditions for the construction of avalanche defences are rather difficult. The avalanche starting zones are extensive and many of these have difficult geological conditions. The uppermost houses are located close to the mountain, with limited space to construct avalanche defences above them, especially in the western part of the town. After the avalanche accidents in Súàavík and Flateyri in 1995 the Icelandic government has set a long term goal for the acceptable risk to people living in avalanche prone areas. To fulfil this goal, a risk analysis has to be made in connection with avalanche defence planning. The risk analysis for Neskaupstaôur indicates that the risk level is far above the acceptable limits in certain parts of the town. To improve the situation, a preliminary protection plan has been set up for the whole town. The plan is based on a combination of supporting structures, deflecting dams, catching dams and breaking mounds

Kvinnlig hand : hiragana genom tiderna

During the Heian period the Japanese writing system consisted of Japanese characters, hiragana and Chinese called kanji. Chinese characters were used in formal and academic situations by men. The socially accepted way for women to write was with hiragana, at that time called onnade – the woman’s hand. The purpose of this essay is to examine if traces of the gender differentiated writing system still remains. Is there still such a thing as women’s writing? This is examined through interviews with Japanese women and in history of the Japanese writing system with emphasis on the hiragana syllabary and how the society’s view concerning writing and gender has changed

Reinventory of the marsh Svartvikskärret, Öland : nature conservation values and mapping

Arealen rikkärr i Sverige har minskat och fragmenterats då dess hydrologi ofta rubbas eller på grund av igenväxning. Syftet med denna studie är att belysa ett av Sveriges alla rikkärr i igenväxningsrisk och att undersöka själva igenväxningsfasen. Svartvikskärret på norra Öland ligger i ett större myrområde, Fagerums strandmyr. Året 1981 skrevs en rapport: Böda Kronopark – Naturinventering av Urban Ekstam och Ingmar Martinsson. I den rapporten ingår en särskild beskrivning av Fagerums strandmyr (s.56–58). Ekstam & Martinsson skriver i den rapporten att Svartvikskärret bör skyddas och bevaras och att åtgärder brådskar. Idag finns området med i myrskyddsplanen och norra delen är med i Natura 2000 men har ännu ingen skötselplan. Detta är ännu ett syfte med detta projekt: Att kartlägga gränsen mellan agkärr och rikkärr så att en officiell skötselplan kan skapas. Återinventering som utfördes under sommaren 2017 ger bevis på att rikkärret ännu är hotat då ytterligare igenväxning har skett. Totalt noterades 64 arter men endast 23 av de 33 arterna som nämns i rapporten från 1981 återfanns. Det lades dess utom ut fyra transekter med totalt 48 provytor var tionde meter vilket gör det möjligt för bättre jämförelser i framtida inventeringar. Den nya karteringen av området visade att nästan två hektar av det öppna kärret har vuxit igen och att naturvärdet har sjunkit sedan 1981. Trots detta finns ännu stora naturvärden kvar och att kontinuerligt slå och röja området är nödvändigt för att bevara detta en gång så artrika område. Ett förslag att restaurera det forna gladvattnet görs för att på så sätt göra det möjligt för återkolonisation av försvunna arter.The area of rich fens in Sweden has been reduced due to fragmentation from disturbed hydrology and overgrowth. The focus of this study is to highlight one of Sweden's rich fens at risk of overgrowing and to investigate the actual process of overgrowing. Svartvikskärret in northern Öland is located in a larger marsh area, Fagerum strandmyr. In 1981, a report was written: Böda Kronopark – Naturinventering by Urban Ekstam and Ingmar Martinsson. This report includes a special description of Fagerums strandmyr (p.56-58). Ekstam & Martinsson write in this report that Svartvikskärret should be protected and preserved and that action is urgent. Today, the area is included in “myrskyddsplanen” (the mire protection plan) and the northern section is part of Natura 2000 but as yet has no action plan. A purpose of this project is to map the boundary between species-poor Cladium mariscus fen and rich fen so that an official action plan can be developed. The re-inventory proves that the rich fen is still threatened because further growth of shrubs and trees has taken place. A grand total of 64 species were noted during the project but only 23 of the 33 species mentioned in the 1981 report were refound. Four transects were placed with a grand total of 48 survey plots every ten metres, making better comparisons possible for future re-inventories. The new mapping of the area revealed that nearly two hectares of open marsh has been overgrown and that the natural value of the area has been reduced since 1981. Despite this, high natural values still remain. Continuous mowing and cutting down of woody species in the area is necessary in order to preserve this once so diverse area. A proposal is also made to restore the previous open water conditions to enable recolonization of lost species