Progression to impaired glucose regulation and diabetes in the population-based Inter99 study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Engberg, Susanne; Vistisen, Dorte; Lau, Cathrine

2009-01-01

Objective: To estimate the progression rates to impaired glucose regulation (impaired fasting glucose or impaired glucose tolerance) and diabetes in the Danish population-based Inter99 study and in a high-risk subpopulation, separately. Research Design and Methods: From a population-based primary...... glucose regulation using the current World Health Organization classification criteria were calculated for the first time in a large European population-based study. The progression rates to diabetes show the same pattern as seen in the few similar European studies....... prevention study, the Inter99 study, 4,615 individuals without diabetes at baseline and with relevant follow-up data were divided into a low- and a high-risk group based on a risk estimate of ischemic heart disease or the presence of risk factors (smoking, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, obesity...... estimated directly from baseline to 5-year follow-up for all the participants, and from baseline through 1- and 3-, to 5-year follow-up for the high-risk individuals, separately. Results: In the combined low- and high-risk group, 2.1 per 100 person-years progressed from normal glucose tolerance to impaired...

Developing and testing transferability and feasibility of a model for educators using simulation-based learning - A European collaboration

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bøje, Rikke Buus; Bland, Andrew; Sutton, Andrew

2017-01-01

of the study were to develop a model to educate the educators who deliver simulation-based learning and to test to which extent this model could be transferred to education providers in different national settings. METHODS: This model, its transferability and feasibility, was tested across three European...

Institutional shifts in inter-municipal service delivery: an analysis of developments in eight Western European countries

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hulst, J.R.; van Montfort, A.J.G.M.; Haveri, A.; Airaksinen, J.; Kelly, J.

2009-01-01

Comparative research on inter-municipal cooperation in eight European countries shows that there is a great variety of institutional arrangements for cooperation across the different countries. Also, these arrangements tend to change over time in terms of the scope of cooperation among partners,

Education in the Learning Economy: a European perspective

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lundvall, Bengt-Åke; Rasmussen, Palle; Lorenz, Edward

2008-01-01

The knowledge-based and the learning economy perspectives have in common that they point to an inherent tendency toward a polarisation in labour markets between people with strong and people with weak educational foundation. On this background we discuss how a movement toward mode 2 learning may...... be combined with strategies that aim at reducing inequality. We argue that the reform strategy that is the most adequate will be different in European education systems with more or less elitist characteristics and with different emphasis on respectively tacit and codified knowledge....

The LADM based on INTERLIS

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Germann, M.; Kaufmann, J.; Lemmen, C.H.J.; Van Oosterom, P.J.M.; De Zeeuw, K.

2015-01-01

Both the conceptual schema language INTERLIS and the land administration domain model (LADM) share the same model driven architecture (MDA) principles. In this paper we explore how INTERLIS and LADM complement each other in actual implementation of land administration system based on the LADM using

A germ for young European scientists: Drawing-based modelling.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Joolingen, Wouter

2017-01-01

An important movement in European science education is that learning should be inquiry-based and represents realistic scientific practice. The inquiry-based nature of science education is essential to interest more young people for a career in science and technology. Creating models is broadly seen

European Management Learning: A Cross-Cultural Interpretation of Kolb's Learning Cycle.

Science.gov (United States)

Jackson, Terence

1995-01-01

A survey of a French business school with multinational branch campuses received 123 usable responses supporting the proposition that cross-cultural differences exist within each of Kolb's learning cycle stages. National profiles of learning preferences were developed for French, German, Spanish, Anglo-Irish, and Eastern European learners. (SK)

Inter-Labeler and Intra-Labeler Variability of Condition Severity Classification Models Using Active and Passive Learning Methods

Science.gov (United States)

Nissim, Nir; Shahar, Yuval; Boland, Mary Regina; Tatonetti, Nicholas P; Elovici, Yuval; Hripcsak, George; Moskovitch, Robert

2018-01-01

Background and Objectives Labeling instances by domain experts for classification is often time consuming and expensive. To reduce such labeling efforts, we had proposed the application of active learning (AL) methods, introduced our CAESAR-ALE framework for classifying the severity of clinical conditions, and shown its significant reduction of labeling efforts. The use of any of three AL methods (one well known [SVM-Margin], and two that we introduced [Exploitation and Combination_XA]) significantly reduced (by 48% to 64%) condition labeling efforts, compared to standard passive (random instance-selection) SVM learning. Furthermore, our new AL methods achieved maximal accuracy using 12% fewer labeled cases than the SVM-Margin AL method. However, because labelers have varying levels of expertise, a major issue associated with learning methods, and AL methods in particular, is how to best to use the labeling provided by a committee of labelers. First, we wanted to know, based on the labelers’ learning curves, whether using AL methods (versus standard passive learning methods) has an effect on the Intra-labeler variability (within the learning curve of each labeler) and inter-labeler variability (among the learning curves of different labelers). Then, we wanted to examine the effect of learning (either passively or actively) from the labels created by the majority consensus of a group of labelers. Methods We used our CAESAR-ALE framework for classifying the severity of clinical conditions, the three AL methods and the passive learning method, as mentioned above, to induce the classifications models. We used a dataset of 516 clinical conditions and their severity labeling, represented by features aggregated from the medical records of 1.9 million patients treated at Columbia University Medical Center. We analyzed the variance of the classification performance within (intra-labeler), and especially among (inter-labeler) the classification models that were induced by

Inter-labeler and intra-labeler variability of condition severity classification models using active and passive learning methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Nissim, Nir; Shahar, Yuval; Elovici, Yuval; Hripcsak, George; Moskovitch, Robert

2017-09-01

Labeling instances by domain experts for classification is often time consuming and expensive. To reduce such labeling efforts, we had proposed the application of active learning (AL) methods, introduced our CAESAR-ALE framework for classifying the severity of clinical conditions, and shown its significant reduction of labeling efforts. The use of any of three AL methods (one well known [SVM-Margin], and two that we introduced [Exploitation and Combination_XA]) significantly reduced (by 48% to 64%) condition labeling efforts, compared to standard passive (random instance-selection) SVM learning. Furthermore, our new AL methods achieved maximal accuracy using 12% fewer labeled cases than the SVM-Margin AL method. However, because labelers have varying levels of expertise, a major issue associated with learning methods, and AL methods in particular, is how to best to use the labeling provided by a committee of labelers. First, we wanted to know, based on the labelers' learning curves, whether using AL methods (versus standard passive learning methods) has an effect on the Intra-labeler variability (within the learning curve of each labeler) and inter-labeler variability (among the learning curves of different labelers). Then, we wanted to examine the effect of learning (either passively or actively) from the labels created by the majority consensus of a group of labelers. We used our CAESAR-ALE framework for classifying the severity of clinical conditions, the three AL methods and the passive learning method, as mentioned above, to induce the classifications models. We used a dataset of 516 clinical conditions and their severity labeling, represented by features aggregated from the medical records of 1.9 million patients treated at Columbia University Medical Center. We analyzed the variance of the classification performance within (intra-labeler), and especially among (inter-labeler) the classification models that were induced by using the labels provided by seven

How European American and Taiwanese Mothers Talk to Their Children about Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jin; Fung, Heidi; Bakeman, Roger; Rae, Katharine; Wei, Wanchun

2014-01-01

Little cross-cultural research exists on parental socialization of children's learning beliefs. The current study compared 218 conversations between European American and Taiwanese mothers and children (6-10 years) about good and poor learning. The findings support well-documented cultural differences in learning beliefs. European Americans…

Towards a Web-Based Handbook of Generic, Process-Oriented Learning Designs

Science.gov (United States)

Marjanovic, Olivera

2005-01-01

Process-oriented learning designs are innovative learning activities that include a set of inter-related learning tasks and are generic (could be used across disciplines). An example includes a problem-solving process widely used in problem-based learning today. Most of the existing process-oriented learning designs are not documented, let alone…

Problem Based Learning - Linking Students and Industry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fink, Flemming K.

2006-01-01

WG2_G4 Problem based learning – linking students and industry: a case study from Aalborg, Denmark Flemming K. Flink ELITE Aalborg University In Aalborg University, Denmark, all study programmes are organised around inter-disciplinary project work in groups. Up to 50% of the study work is problem-...... is essentially problem solving. The presentation looks into on campus POPBL and the Facilitated Work Based Learning (FBL) for continuing education. It also presents case examples of POPBL work....

Comparison of several inter-TSO compensation methods in the context of the internal electricity market of the European Union

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Olmos Camacho, Luis [Instituto de Investigacion Tecnologica (IIT), ETSI ICAI, Universidad Pontificia Comillas, Alberto Aguilera 23, 28015 Madrid (Spain)]. E-mail: luis.olmos@iit.upcomillas.es; Perez-Arriaga, Ignacio J. [Instituto de Investigacion Tecnologica (IIT), ETSI ICAI, Universidad Pontificia Comillas, Alberto Aguilera 23, 28015 Madrid (Spain)

2007-04-15

Inter-TSO payment methods (ITC methods) provide the aggregate compensations and charges faced by countries in a region, because of the use that agents in each country make of the transmission grids of the other countries. These compensations and charges should modify local access charges in each country. The paper closely examines the most promising methods for computing ITCs presently considered in the Internal Electricity Market (IEM) of the European Union, namely the Average Participations (AP) method and the With and Without Transits (WWT) method. Some attention is also given to a third method that lies somewhere between the two previous ones: the Average Participations applied to Transits (APT) method. The performance of the AP, WWT and APT methods is compared with that of the temporary method presently applied to compute compensations in the IEM. The three methods are closely examined both from a conceptual point of view and taking into account the numerical results they produce. Based on this analysis, the AP method is proposed as the best option to compute ITCs in the European Union. The paper draws on research projects carried out for the European Commission and the Florence Regulatory Forum.

Comparison of several inter-TSO compensation methods in the context of the internal electricity market of the European Union

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olmos Camacho, Luis; Perez-Arriaga, Ignacio J.

2007-01-01

Inter-TSO payment methods (ITC methods) provide the aggregate compensations and charges faced by countries in a region, because of the use that agents in each country make of the transmission grids of the other countries. These compensations and charges should modify local access charges in each country. The paper closely examines the most promising methods for computing ITCs presently considered in the Internal Electricity Market (IEM) of the European Union, namely the Average Participations (AP) method and the With and Without Transits (WWT) method. Some attention is also given to a third method that lies somewhere between the two previous ones: the Average Participations applied to Transits (APT) method. The performance of the AP, WWT and APT methods is compared with that of the temporary method presently applied to compute compensations in the IEM. The three methods are closely examined both from a conceptual point of view and taking into account the numerical results they produce. Based on this analysis, the AP method is proposed as the best option to compute ITCs in the European Union. The paper draws on research projects carried out for the European Commission and the Florence Regulatory Forum

The Role of Cedex s Railway Inter operability Laboratory (RIL) in the European ERTMS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tamarit Rodriguez de Huici, J.

2015-01-01

The RIL is the most recently laboratory set up within CEDEXs premises. From the start, it has aimed to support the development of rail transport at both European and Spanish levels. This article describes the role played by CEDEX-RIL in the development of ERTMS, and the close link which from its inception, has existed between this system and the EMSET project, in which the feasibility of the European Railway inter operability was demonstrated with the participation of the whole European signalling industry. The key factor for the success of this project was the creation of both and independent laboratory and testing sites which, right from the very beginning, enjoyed the confidence of the industry, thus allowing for the first time the execution of cross tests between companies. Finally, and equally important, this paper shows the fruitful evolution followed by the laboratory aforementioned, which, from its establishment, has evolved from performing tests on generic ERTMS constituents to undertaking, first, remote tests jointly carried out between specific commercial projects with different suppliers on track and on-board; and, second, Handover tests between diverse RBC suppliers. (Author)

Inter-individual differences in audio-motor learning of piano melodies and white matter fiber tract architecture

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Engel, Annerose; Hijmans, Brenda S.; Cerliani, Leonardo; Bangert, Marc; Nanetti, Luca; Keller, Peter E.; Keysers, Christian

Humans vary substantially in their ability to learn new motor skills. Here, we examined inter-individual differences in learning to play the piano, with the goal of identifying relations to structural properties of white matter fiber tracts relevant to audio-motor learning. Non-musicians (n = 18)

Prevalence of inter-hemispheric asymetry in children and adolescents with interdisciplinary diagnosis of non-verbal learning disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Wajnsztejn, Alessandra Bernardes Caturani; Bianco, Bianca; Barbosa, Caio Parente

2016-01-01

To describe clinical and epidemiological features of children and adolescents with interdisciplinary diagnosis of non-verbal learning disorder and to investigate the prevalence of inter-hemispheric asymmetry in this population group. Cross-sectional study including children and adolescents referred for interdisciplinary assessment with learning difficulty complaints, who were given an interdisciplinary diagnosis of non-verbal learning disorder. The following variables were included in the analysis: sex-related prevalence, educational system, initial presumptive diagnoses and respective prevalence, overall non-verbal learning disorder prevalence, prevalence according to school year, age range at the time of assessment, major family complaints, presence of inter-hemispheric asymmetry, arithmetic deficits, visuoconstruction impairments and major signs and symptoms of non-verbal learning disorder. Out of 810 medical records analyzed, 14 were from individuals who met the diagnostic criteria for non-verbal learning disorder, including the presence of inter-hemispheric asymmetry. Of these 14 patients, 8 were male. The high prevalence of inter-hemispheric asymmetry suggests this parameter can be used to predict or support the diagnosis of non-verbal learning disorder. Descrever as características clínicas e epidemiológicas de crianças e adolescentes com transtorno de aprendizagem não verbal, e investigar a prevalência de assimetria inter-hemisférica neste grupo populacional. Estudo transversal que incluiu crianças e adolescentes encaminhados para uma avaliação interdisciplinar, com queixas de dificuldades de aprendizagem e que receberam diagnóstico interdisciplinar de transtorno de aprendizagem não verbal. As variáveis avaliadas foram prevalência por sexo, sistema de ensino, hipóteses diagnósticas iniciais e respectivas prevalências, prevalência de condições em relação à amostra total, prevalência geral do transtorno de aprendizagem não verbal

Pupils' Views on an ICT-Based Learning Environment in Health Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Räihä, Teija; Tossavainen, Kerttu; Enkenberg, Jorma; Turunen, Hannele

2014-01-01

This paper presents a study that examined pupils' views on an ICT-based learning environment in health learning. The study was a part of the wider European Network of Health Promoting Schools programme (ENHPS; since 2008, Schools for Health in Europe, SHE) in Finland, and particularly its sub-project, From Puijo to the World with Health Lunch,…

Challenges facing the European power transmission tariffs: The case of inter-TSO compensation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stoilov, Dimo; Dimitrov, Yulian; Francois, Bruno

2011-01-01

This article draws attention to problems important for all EU power consumers-the unfairness in individual payments for power transmission and in the cross-border subsidy element in the mechanism of Inter-Transmission System Operators (TSO) Compensation (ITC). A brief review of power transmission tariffs brings out the structure of the problems. A short retrospection explains their growth. The essence of the ITC mechanism is explained and existing shortcomings are illustrated. The deficiencies of existing regulations for transmission pricing are analyzed. In the light of this analysis, the ITC problem is reconsidered and defined more precisely. The basic prerequisites to an ITC reformulation process are presented. The main principles of a new simple, transparent and equitable approach are suggested, in accordance with the contemporary legal positions and functions of the TSOs. - Highlights: → Investigations in the mechanism known as Inter-TSO Compensation (ITC). → Deficiencies in European regulations for cross-border power transmission payments. → Main principles of a new approach avoiding the existing cross-subsidies. → Appeal for reconsideration and a more precise definition of the ITC problem. → Public welfare enhancement by fairness in payment for power transmission.

The Effect of Cooperative Learning on Inter Ethnic Relations in Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Curry, Philip; De Amicis, Leyla; Gilligan, Robbie

2011-01-01

The aim of this study is to synthesize all existing empirical evidence on the effects of Cooperative Learning on inter-ethnic relations in school settings. The review is: (1) Systematic including published and unpublished research; (2) Up-to-date; (3) Inclusive of all school going age groups (4 to 18 years of age); and (4) Inclusive of only school…

Innovations in technology and the online learning environment: A case study of inter-university collaboration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jansen ZANETTA

2010-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a case study of online learning. It is based on the researcher’s participation in an inter-university collaborative module at two higher education institutions in South Africa and the United States from August to December 2001. The paper addresses the advantages and disadvantages of the online learning environment and learning in a Virtual Classroom. It provides a critical interpretation of the virtual classroom experienced in this collaboration between institutions. It finds that there are benefits from applying this technology in educational practices and programs particularly in the African context where a large majority of school-leaving learners have little or no access to higher education. However, it also expounds the NEPAD (New Partnership for Africa’s Development initiative to produce ICT in schools throughout Africa to fulfil the Millennium Development Goals on education in developing countries.

Towards a Competence Profile for Inter-Organizational Learning in Open Innovation Teams

Science.gov (United States)

du Chatenier, Elise; Verstegen, Jos; Biemans, Harm; Mulder, Martin

2008-01-01

While inter-organizational learning in open innovation teams has received much attention lately, research into its human dimension is lacking. This paper, therefore, explores the competencies professionals need for this process. Three studies were executed: a theoretical study, explorative interviews and focus groups. A competence profile was…

Transformative Learning as an "Inter-Practice" Phenomenon

Science.gov (United States)

Hodge, Steven

2014-01-01

Transformative learning theory and practice-based theory both offer compelling but distinct accounts of adult learning. The vicissitudes of individual meaning-making is the focus of transformative learning theory whereas practice-based accounts view participation in social practices as the key to understanding learning. Despite their differing…

Project Report ECLIPSE: European Citizenship Learning Program for Secondary Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olga Bombardelli

2014-04-01

Full Text Available This paper reports on a European project, the Comenius ECLIPSE project (European Citizenship Learning in a Programme for Secondary Education developed by six European partners coordinated by the University of Trento in the years 2011-2014. ECLIPSE (co-financed by the EACEA - Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency aims at developing, testing, and implementing a Programme of European Citizenship, in order to improve citizenship competence and responsibility and to strengthen the sense of belonging and European identity of 8th grade pupils. These goals are reachable thanks to a number of measures in formal, non-formal and informal fields. The project partners created teaching and monitoring tools for pupils: seven ECMs (European Citizenship Modules, knowledge tests, pupils’ portfolio, and suggestions for teachers, especially a portfolio for ECLIPSE educators. The ECLIPSE teaching/ testing materials were implemented in several schools of the partner’s countries in order to make sure that it is useful for European pupils of different school systems. It can be used in a flexible way keeping in mind different learning needs in each school system, with a view to improving transversal competencies like learning to learn, as well as initiative and active involvement in improving the chances for young people in citizenship and work worlds. Dieses Papier beschreibt ein europäisches Projekt: das Comenius Projekt ECLIPSE (European Citizenship Learning in einem Programm für Secondary Education, das von sechs europäischen Partnern entwickelt und von der Universität Trient in den Jahren 2011-2014 koordiniert wurde. ECLIPSE wurde von der EACEA (Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency kofinanziert; es zielt auf die Entwicklung, Überprüfung und Implementierung eines Programms zur Entwicklung eines europäischen Bürgersinns, um Kompetenzen als Staatsbürger und zugleich einer europäischen Identität und Verantwortung bei Sch

Ark of Inquiry: Responsible Research and Innovation through Computer-Based Inquiry Learning

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Margus Pedaste; Leo Siiman; Bregje de Vries; Mirjam Burget; Tomi Jaakkola; Emanuele Bardone; Meelis Brikker; Mario Mäeots; Marianne Lind; Koen Veermans

2015-01-01

Ark of Inquiry is a learning platform that uses a computer-based inquiry learning approach to raise youth awareness to Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI). It is developed in the context of a large-scale European project (http://www.arkofinquiry.eu) and provides young European citizens

The fostering of innovative eLearning strategies in European higher education

OpenAIRE

Aczel, James; Cotinat, Olivier; Franco, Adelaide; Hardy, Pascale; Iggulden, Helen; Komáromi, Laszlo; Maillet, Katherine; Medina, Sara; Meiszner, Andreas; Obermueller, Eva; Reichl, Franz; Spinoglio, Mark; Staniland, Karen

2006-01-01

Although there are strong attempts being made by various European observatories and European Commission programmes to identify and disseminate innovative eLearning practices (MENON, 2006), the factors that determine educational effectiveness are, as yet, not well understood. In particular, while an extraordinarily wide range of university-level eLearning programmes are rapidly becoming available from large numbers of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) across Europe, the sharing of good prac...

Case-based learning in VTLE: An effective strategy for improving learning design

OpenAIRE

Guàrdia Ortiz, Lourdes; Sangrà, Albert; Maina, Marcelo Fabián

2014-01-01

This article presents preliminary research from an instructional design perspective on the design of the case method as an integral part of pedagogy and technology. Key features and benefits using this teaching and learning strategy in a Virtual Teaching and Learning Environment (VTLE) are identified, taking into account the requirements of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) for a competence-based curricula design. The implications of these findings for a learning object appro...

Use of HOMA-IR to diagnose non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a population-based and inter-laboratory study

OpenAIRE

Isokuortti, Elina; Zhou, You; Peltonen, Markku; Bugianesi, Elisabetta; Clement, Karine; Bonnefont-Rousselot, Dominique; Lacorte, Jean-Marc; Gastaldelli, Amalia; Schuppan, Detlef; Schattenberg, Jörn M.; Hakkarainen, Antti; Lundbom, Nina; Jousilahti, Pekka; Männistö, Satu; Keinänen-Kiukaanniemi, Sirkka

2017-01-01

Aims/hypothesis\\ud \\ud Recent European guidelines for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) call for reference values for HOMA-IR. In this study, we aimed to determine: (1) the upper limit of normal HOMA-IR in two population-based cohorts; (2) the HOMA-IR corresponding to NAFLD; (3) the effect of sex and PNPLA3 genotype at rs738409 on HOMA-IR; and (4) inter-laboratory variations in HOMA-IR.\\ud \\ud Methods\\ud \\ud We identified healthy individuals in two population-based cohorts (FINRISK 20...

Problem Based Learning in Engineering Education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dahms, Mona-Lisa; Sauerbier, Gabriele; Stubbe, Korinna

2006-01-01

This paper describes a recent EU-project from five European Institutions. The aim was the development and implementation of a new international Master’s programme for staff development, directed towards the introduction of Problem Based Learning methods in the field of engineering education...

Strategic Renewal in Regulatory Environments. How inter- and intra-organisational institutional forces influence European incumbent energy firms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stienstra, M.

2008-01-01

How do incumbent firms strategically renew in regulatory environments? Assuming that regulation can both constrain and enable a firm's strategic renewal opportunities, we investigate how and to what extent incumbent firms undertake exploitative and explorative strategic renewal actions in order to remain competitive. Exploitative strategic renewal involves those actions that strengthen or optimise a firm's current resource deployments, whereas explorative strategic renewal relates to actions that generate new sources of value creation for the firm. Based on old institutional theory, new institutional theory, neo-institutional theory and institutional entrepreneurship literature, a multi-level framework that combines selection and adaptation arguments has been developed and applied to investigate strategic renewal behaviour of a sample of European energy incumbents. At industry level of analysis, results show how inter-organisational institutional forces significantly impact firms' choices of exploitative and explorative strategic renewal actions through regulative, normative and cognitive forces. At organisational unit level of analysis, we find that the extent of intra-organisational regulative forces is positively related to exploitative strategic renewal actions. In addition, entrepreneurial proclivity appears to be a catalyst of both exploitative and explorative strategic renewal actions. Finally, our results provide insights how environmental selection and firm level adaptation are interrelated in the context of regulation. The extent of inter-organisational regulative forces positively moderates the relationship between intra-organisational regulative forces and exploitative strategic renewal actions.

Interprofessional peer-assisted learning as a low-threshold course for joint learning: Evaluation results of the interTUT Project.

Science.gov (United States)

Reichel, Kathrin; Dietsche, Stefan; Hölzer, Henrike; Ewers, Michael

2016-01-01

The delivery of needs-based health care services requires a team-based and collaborative approach of different health professionals, which is not yet sufficienctliy implemented on a day to day basis. Interprofessional learning activities aim to respond to this in future. The cross-university pilot project interTUT used peer-assisted learning approaches and extracurricular tutorials in order address this issue. During the pilot phase, eight students and trainees have been acquired. Together, they prepared and led four extracurricular tutorials on core topics of interprofessional cooperation and documented them in procedure manuals. The course was evaluated using a standardized participant survey (n=72) and two focus groups (n=3, n=5) in which participants were asked to reflect on their individual learning experiences. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the survey data and the focus group material was interpreted using qualitative content analysis. The results indicated a high level of satisfaction, acceptance of and further demand for peer-supported learning activities. The students and trainees reported changed attitudes and subjective knowledge growth regarding the other professional groups. The constructive learning atmosphere as well as having access to a forum for interprofessional exchange were equally valued. Extracurricular tutorials offer a low-threshold and very promising point of contact for the facilitation of interprofessional teaching and learning. However, this should be viewed against the background that, as part of the pilot project, only a small number of students and trainees who were already interested in the topic could be reached by this optional course. A comprehensive, long-term trial of this teaching and learning format, its linkage to curricular courses, and further research on its education-specific and practice-related effects are, therefore, necessary.

The Open Method of Co-ordination and the Analysis of Mutual Learning Processes of the European Employment Strategy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nedergaard, Peter

The purpose of this paper is solely to address two interlinked methodological and theoretical questions concerning the Open Method of Coordination (OMC), using the European Employment Strategy as a case: First, what is the most appropriate approach to learning in the analyses of the processes...... of the European Employment Strategy (EES)? Second, how is mutual learning processes diffused among the Member States? In answering these two questions the paper draws on a social constructivist approach to learning thereby contributing to the debate about learning in the political science literature. At the same...... time, based on this concept of learning, it is concluded that the learning effects of the EES are probably somewhat larger than what is normally suggested, but that successful diffusion still depends on a variety of contextual factors....

Inter-individual differences in how presentation modality affects verbal learning performance in children aged 5 to 16

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meijs, Celeste; Hurks, Petra P M; Wassenberg, Renske; Feron, Frans J M; Jolles, Jelle

2016-01-01

This study examines inter-individual differences in how presentation modality affects verbal learning performance. Children aged 5 to 16 performed a verbal learning test within one of three presentation modalities: pictorial, auditory, or textual. The results indicated that a beneficial effect of

Improving inter-transmission compensation in EU

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stoilov, Dimo; Stoilov, Luben

2013-01-01

This article is intended as a roadmap to the correction of the existing shortcomings in the EU power transmission tariff system, especially in the existing mechanism of Inter-Transmission System Operator (TSO) Compensation (ITC). The relevant literature is surveyed and the essence of the issue is formulated. Definitions, preconditions, assumptions and constraints for the problem are explained. The paper outlines the most simple and straightforward approach for the improvement of inter-transmission compensation in the Continental European Synchronous Area. The proposals are based on the old practice of socialization of the network costs retained in almost all European countries, i.e. the principle of charging the customers “at the exit”. Equal treatment is given to internal users and cross-border users: a TSO is reimbursed for both internal and cross-border flows from the users conjoined to its network on an equal footing with the users extracting power from the peripheral nodes. The existing inequity in individual payments for power transmission is overcome and the cross-border subsidy element is avoided. This approach should be tested (modeled and evaluated) with real data for the European union of networks. Some key parts of the article are written in a more popular style, in order to be accessible to inexpert readers as well. -- Highlights: •A roadmap to the correction of the shortcomings in the EU power transmission tariff system. •Simple and straightforward approach for improvement of ITC in the European synchronous area. •Equal treatment to internal and cross-border users avoiding cross-subsidies. •Formalization and illustration of the approach. •Real data tests for the European interconnected systems should be performed

The changing concept of competence and categorisation of learning outcomes in Europe: Implications for the design of higher education radiography curricula at the European level

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castillo, Joseph; Caruana, Carmel J.; Wainwright, David

2011-01-01

The Bologna process has made the qualifications framework of the European Higher Educational Area based on three cycles and on learning outcomes central to curriculum development in higher education in Europe. The Tuning Educational Structures in Europe project recommended that learning outcomes be expressed in terms of competences. The expression of educational programme learning outcomes as inventories of competences has since become the norm at the European level. However, the more recent European Qualifications Framework for lifelong learning utilises a tripartite set of categories of learning outcomes, namely, knowledge, skills and competence. In addition, the definition of competence used though overlapping with that used by Tuning, is however not identical. This article reviews and discusses the changing definition of the concept of competence and changes in categorisation of learning outcomes in Europe and their potential impact on curriculum development in radiography at the European level. It is proposed that the shift in the definition of competence and in the categorisation of learning outcomes should be taken into account in the formulation of new European curricula or the updating of present ones so that they may reference in a more direct manner to the levels of the European Qualifications Framework.

EUROPEAN LABOUR PRODUCTIVITY AND CORPORATE E-LEARNING ACTIVITIES: AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muratore Fabrizio

2010-07-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this analysis is to test the hypothesis which growth in workers’ competency level is affected by educational, training and workplace features. We focused above all on the corporate e-learning activities and labour productivity, in order to identify differences between European countries. Our findings showed some statistical significances related to six variables concerning a macro view of knowledge and innovation in the workplace, whereby we highlighted the comparison of mutual positions of European countries on the basis of a potential component of investments in human capital which is e-learning. According to statistical significativity we specifically noted that most Northern European countries have a comparative advantage in terms of labour productivity and direct investments than those in the south.

Inter-Professional Collaboration in Action Research

Science.gov (United States)

Leeman, Yvonne; van Koeven, Erna; Schaafsma, Frank

2018-01-01

This article describes an example of inter-professional action research conducted by teachers and university-based researchers/teacher educators in a vocational college in the Netherlands. The research was aimed at the professional learning of the teachers on their pedagogical approach to a new curriculum initiative. Despite a difficult context in…

Teaching European Studies: A Blended Learning Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alina Christova

2011-12-01

Full Text Available This paper will be looking into the teaching method developed by the Institute for European Studies in Brussels, combining an e-learning tool- the E-modules- with face-to-face training sessions and webinars. The main aim is to analyse the three different components of this “blended learning” pedagogical approach, as well as the way they complement each other and to address a few of the challenges that have emerged from the experience of working with them so far. The E-modules are an e-learning platform that has been designed with the purpose of offering a structured and interactive way of learning how the European Union functions. The face-to-face training component currently takes the form of three days in-house seminars, covering in an intensive manner the most important areas of the curriculum. The lectures are held by a mix of academics and practitioners, hereby ensuring a balanced approach, in which theory and practice come together to facilitate the learning experience. The third element of the “blended learning” method is placed in-between online and face-to-face learning: interactive seminars and debates are held online, giving the participants the chance to deepen their knowledge in certain fields of interest and to discuss the content of the course with specialists and among themselves. The mixture of delivery and interaction methods was chosen in order to accommodate a large variety of target groups, ranging from students to professionals working with EU-related issues, with different backgrounds and geographical origins. One of the main challenges is to use each medium for the functionalities it is best designed for and to ensure that the various pieces of the pedagogical puzzle fit together perfectly, while allowing the learners the flexibility that had initially directed them towards “blended learning” instead of a classical classroom approach.

Strategic Renewal in Regulatory Environments. How inter- and intra-organisational institutional forces influence European incumbent energy firms

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stienstra, M.

2008-11-20

How do incumbent firms strategically renew in regulatory environments? Assuming that regulation can both constrain and enable a firm's strategic renewal opportunities, we investigate how and to what extent incumbent firms undertake exploitative and explorative strategic renewal actions in order to remain competitive. Exploitative strategic renewal involves those actions that strengthen or optimise a firm's current resource deployments, whereas explorative strategic renewal relates to actions that generate new sources of value creation for the firm. Based on old institutional theory, new institutional theory, neo-institutional theory and institutional entrepreneurship literature, a multi-level framework that combines selection and adaptation arguments has been developed and applied to investigate strategic renewal behaviour of a sample of European energy incumbents. At industry level of analysis, results show how inter-organisational institutional forces significantly impact firms' choices of exploitative and explorative strategic renewal actions through regulative, normative and cognitive forces. At organisational unit level of analysis, we find that the extent of intra-organisational regulative forces is positively related to exploitative strategic renewal actions. In addition, entrepreneurial proclivity appears to be a catalyst of both exploitative and explorative strategic renewal actions. Finally, our results provide insights how environmental selection and firm level adaptation are interrelated in the context of regulation. The extent of inter-organisational regulative forces positively moderates the relationship between intra-organisational regulative forces and exploitative strategic renewal actions.

Use of HOMA-IR to diagnose non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a population-based and inter-laboratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

Isokuortti, Elina; Zhou, You; Peltonen, Markku; Bugianesi, Elisabetta; Clement, Karine; Bonnefont-Rousselot, Dominique; Lacorte, Jean-Marc; Gastaldelli, Amalia; Schuppan, Detlef; Schattenberg, Jörn M; Hakkarainen, Antti; Lundbom, Nina; Jousilahti, Pekka; Männistö, Satu; Keinänen-Kiukaanniemi, Sirkka; Saltevo, Juha; Anstee, Quentin M; Yki-Järvinen, Hannele

2017-10-01

Recent European guidelines for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) call for reference values for HOMA-IR. In this study, we aimed to determine: (1) the upper limit of normal HOMA-IR in two population-based cohorts; (2) the HOMA-IR corresponding to NAFLD; (3) the effect of sex and PNPLA3 genotype at rs738409 on HOMA-IR; and (4) inter-laboratory variations in HOMA-IR. We identified healthy individuals in two population-based cohorts (FINRISK 2007 [n = 5024] and the Programme for Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes in Finland [FIN-D2D; n = 2849]) to define the upper 95th percentile of HOMA-IR. Non-obese individuals with normal fasting glucose levels, no excessive alcohol use, no known diseases and no use of any drugs were considered healthy. The optimal HOMA-IR cut-off for NAFLD (liver fat ≥5.56%, based on the Dallas Heart Study) was determined in 368 non-diabetic individuals (35% with NAFLD), whose liver fat was measured using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ( 1 H-MRS). Samples from ten individuals were simultaneously analysed for HOMA-IR in seven European laboratories. The upper 95th percentiles of HOMA-IR were 1.9 and 2.0 in healthy individuals in the FINRISK (n = 1167) and FIN-D2D (n = 459) cohorts. Sex or PNPLA3 genotype did not influence these values. The optimal HOMA-IR cut-off for NAFLD was 1.9 (sensitivity 87%, specificity 79%). A HOMA-IR of 2.0 corresponded to normal liver fat (HOMA-IR measured in Helsinki corresponded to 1.3, 1.6, 1.8, 1.8, 2.0 and 2.1 in six other laboratories. The inter-laboratory CV% of HOMA-IR was 25% due to inter-assay variation in insulin (25%) rather than glucose (5%) measurements. The upper limit of HOMA-IR in population-based cohorts closely corresponds to that of normal liver fat. Standardisation of insulin assays would be the first step towards definition of normal values for HOMA-IR.

Current and Future Trends in Game-Based Learning

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Carlos Vaz de Carvalho

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The first number of the second volume of the EAI Transactions on Serious Games focuses on the results presented on the European Conference on Game-Based Learning. This event, already on the 8th edition, has set standards in terms of presentation of research and practice and in the pointing out of new and future trends in the development of Game-Based Learning. As such, we are quite thrilled to be able to report them here.

MO-DE-BRA-02: From Teaching to Learning: Systems-Based-Practice and Practice-Based-Learning Innovations in Medical Physics Education Programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kapur, A

2015-01-01

Purpose: The increasing complexity in the field of radiation medicine and concomitant rise in patient safety concerns call for enhanced systems-level training for future medical physicists and thus commensurate innovations in existing educational program curricula. In this work we report on the introduction of three learning opportunities to augment medical physics educational programs towards building systems-based practice and practice-based learning competencies. Methods: All initiatives were introduced for senior -level graduate students and physics residents in an institution with a newly established medical-physics graduate program and therapeutic-physics residency program. The first, centered on incident learning, was based on a spreadsheet tool that incorporated the reporting structure of the Radiation Oncology-incident Learning System (ROILS), included 120 narratives of published incidents and enabled inter-rater variability calculations. The second, centered on best-practices, was a zero-credit seminar course, where students summarized select presentations from the AAPM virtual library on a weekly basis and moderated class discussions using a point/counterpoint approach. Presentation styles were critiqued. The third; centered on learning-by-teaching, required physics residents to regularly explain fundamental concepts in radiological physics from standard textbooks to board certified physics faculty members. Results: Use of the incident-learning system spreadsheet provided a platform to recast known accidents into the framework of ROILS, thereby increasing awareness of factors contributing to unsafe practice and appreciation for inter-rater variability. The seminar course enhanced awareness of best practices, the effectiveness of presentation styles and encouraged critical thinking. The learn-by-teaching rotation allowed residents to stay abreast of and deepen their knowledge of relevant subjects. Conclusion: The incorporation of systems

MO-DE-BRA-02: From Teaching to Learning: Systems-Based-Practice and Practice-Based-Learning Innovations in Medical Physics Education Programs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kapur, A [North Shore-LIJ Health System, New Hyde Park, NY (United States)

2015-06-15

Purpose: The increasing complexity in the field of radiation medicine and concomitant rise in patient safety concerns call for enhanced systems-level training for future medical physicists and thus commensurate innovations in existing educational program curricula. In this work we report on the introduction of three learning opportunities to augment medical physics educational programs towards building systems-based practice and practice-based learning competencies. Methods: All initiatives were introduced for senior -level graduate students and physics residents in an institution with a newly established medical-physics graduate program and therapeutic-physics residency program. The first, centered on incident learning, was based on a spreadsheet tool that incorporated the reporting structure of the Radiation Oncology-incident Learning System (ROILS), included 120 narratives of published incidents and enabled inter-rater variability calculations. The second, centered on best-practices, was a zero-credit seminar course, where students summarized select presentations from the AAPM virtual library on a weekly basis and moderated class discussions using a point/counterpoint approach. Presentation styles were critiqued. The third; centered on learning-by-teaching, required physics residents to regularly explain fundamental concepts in radiological physics from standard textbooks to board certified physics faculty members. Results: Use of the incident-learning system spreadsheet provided a platform to recast known accidents into the framework of ROILS, thereby increasing awareness of factors contributing to unsafe practice and appreciation for inter-rater variability. The seminar course enhanced awareness of best practices, the effectiveness of presentation styles and encouraged critical thinking. The learn-by-teaching rotation allowed residents to stay abreast of and deepen their knowledge of relevant subjects. Conclusion: The incorporation of systems

Innovation in European Vocational Education and Training: Network Learning in England, Finland and Germany

Science.gov (United States)

Heikkila, Eila

2013-01-01

This article presents a comparative study of innovation in vocational education and training (VET) in three innovative European countries: England, Finland and Germany. The focus is on innovation emerging from VET practitioners' (directors, teachers, project coordinators, etc.) participation in inter-organisational networks with local, regional,…

Networking European Universities through e-learning (reviewed text

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jana Dlouhá

2008-05-01

The main purpose of the Inventory is to show concrete examples which have been implemented in the Member States under the concept of ESD in formal and non-formal learning contexts and which are at the forefront as regards innovative approaches. Projects/programmes selected as innovative good practice will be used to inform the preparation of the next Progress Report on the EU Sustainable Development Strategy in Education. See European Commission DG Education and Culture Inventory of innovative practices in education for sustainable development, the case study VCSE - Virtual Campus for a Sustainable Europe (EUROPEAN LEVEL, page 33.

Who makes European Cohesion Policy: a practitioners’ learning perspective

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Fanny Sbaraglia

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Through the European Social Fund (ESF, the European Union subsidizes social inclusion and occupational trainee projects. This policy instrument is formulated by European Union institutions and implemented by regions through a call for projects which requires innovative actions and a result-oriented strategy. It is a key vantage point to observe sub-national implementation of an European Union policy instrument in a sub-national practitioner’s perspective, a topic under-investigated in the literature. For a project to receive funding, sub-national practitioners must take the European Union requirements (accounting standards, evidence of innovation etc. and their social needs into account. Against this backdrop, this research tackles an original question: how can local practitioners adapt their policy actions to fit with European Union requirements? Taking the region of Wallonia in Belgium as a case study, the ESF implementation is considered as a specific policy process in sub-national policy sectors. Adopting an in-depth qualitative perspective, this research contends that it depends on practitioners’ learning, practices and experience of past applications, their specific socio-economic context and income maximization.

Cytomorphology review of 100 newly diagnosed lower-risk MDS patients in the European LeukemiaNet MDS (EUMDS) registry reveals a high inter-observer concordance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Swart, L. de; Smith, A.; MacKenzie, M.; Symeonidis, A.; Neukirchen, J.; Mikulenkova, D.; Vallespi, T.; Zini, G.; Paszkowska-Kowalewska, M.; Kruger, A.; Saft, L.; Fenaux, P.; Bowen, D.; Hellstrom-Lindberg, E.; Cermak, J.; Stauder, R.; Tatic, A.; Holm, M.S.; Malcovati, L.; Madry, K.; Droste, J.A.; Blijlevens, N.M.; Witte, T.J. de; Germing, U.

2017-01-01

The European LeukemiaNet MDS (EUMDS) registry is collecting data of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) patients belonging to the IPSS low or intermediate-1 category, newly diagnosed by local cytologists. The diagnosis of MDS can be challenging, and some data report inter-observer variability with regard

On-line interprofessional learning: introducing constructivism through enquiry-based learning and peer review.

Science.gov (United States)

Hughes, Matthew; Ventura, Susie; Dando, Mark

2004-08-01

Interest in on-line methods of learning has accelerated in recent years. There has also been an interest in developing student-centred approaches to learning and interprofessional education. This paper illustrates the issues in designing a large (more than 700 students), on-line, inter-professional module for third year, undergraduate students drawn from nine professional healthcare courses and from four campus sites. It uses an enquiry-based learning approach. The learning theories of Piaget, Vygotsky and Schön are integrated with the on-line frameworks of Salmon and Collis et al., together with conclusions drawn from the literature and our own experiences, to produce a design that encourages students to learn through participation, re-iteration, peer-review and reflection. Consideration is given to improving student motivation and attitudes towards change, both in the design and the delivery of the module.

The ITER programme. Successful European inter-governmental cooperation in the scientific and technical fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haignere, C.; Bigot, B.

2008-01-01

At a time when energy questions - be it global warming or the depletion of sources of fossil fuels - are increasingly in the news, nuclear fusion seems, in the very long term, to raise the possibility of providing humanity with virtually inexhaustible energy. Europe is in the forefront of research in this field. It is the leader in a major international collaborative exercise which should lead to the establishment of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor. After a presentation of the issues surrounding fusion, Claudie Haignere and Bernard Bigot, who are closely involved, through their respective activities, in this venture, outline the genesis of the ITER project and the manifold inter-governmental negotiations - both between EU member states and with the other members of the project (Japan, USA, Russia etc.) - that have accompanied its development. Those negotiations led to the signing in November 2006 of a precise cooperation agreement on the ITER programme (with sharing of the financial burden), which came into force in October 2007. ITER (which is to be built at Cadarache in France) thus represents a particularly successful example of inter-governmental cooperation in the scientific and technical fields. For this reason, the authors see it as a model to be followed in many other fields included within the European Research Area (ERA), which the EU intends to develop in the coming years. (authors)

Quality of care in European home care programs using the second generation interRAI Home Care Quality Indicators (HCQIs).

Science.gov (United States)

Foebel, Andrea D; van Hout, Hein P; van der Roest, Henriëtte G; Topinkova, Eva; Garms-Homolova, Vjenka; Frijters, Dinnus; Finne-Soveri, Harriet; Jónsson, Pálmi V; Hirdes, John P; Bernabei, Roberto; Onder, Graziano

2015-11-14

Evaluating the quality of care provided to older individuals is a key step to ensure that needs are being met and to target interventions to improve care. To this aim, interRAI's second-generation home care quality indicators (HCQIs) were developed in 2013. This study assesses the quality of home care services in six European countries using these HCQIs as well as the two derived summary scales. Data for this study were derived from the Aged in Home Care (AdHOC) study - a cohort study that examined different models of community care in European countries. The current study selected a sub-sample of the AdHOC cohort from six countries whose follow-up data were complete (Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands). Data were collected from the interRAI Home Care instrument (RAI-HC) between 2000 and 2002. The 23 HCQIs of interest were determined according to previously established methodology, including risk adjustment. Two summary measures, the Clinical Balance Scale and Independence Quality Scale were also determined using established methodology. A total of 1,354 individuals from the AdHOC study were included in these analyses. Of the 23 HCQIs that were measured, the highest proportion of individuals experienced declines in Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs) (48.4 %). Of the clinical quality indicators, mood decline was the most prevalent (30.0 %), while no flu vaccination and being alone and distressed were the most prevalent procedural and social quality indicators, respectively (33.4 and 12.8 %). Scores on the two summary scales varied by country, but were concentrated around the median mark. The interRAI HCQIs can be used to determine the quality of home care services in Europe and identify areas for improvement. Our results suggest functional declines may prove the most beneficial targets for interventions.

Nursing students learning the pharmacology of diabetes mellitus with complexity-based computerized models: A quasi-experimental study.

Science.gov (United States)

Dubovi, Ilana; Dagan, Efrat; Sader Mazbar, Ola; Nassar, Laila; Levy, Sharona T

2018-02-01

Pharmacology is a crucial component of medications administration in nursing, yet nursing students generally find it difficult and self-rate their pharmacology skills as low. To evaluate nursing students learning pharmacology with the Pharmacology Inter-Leaved Learning-Cells environment, a novel approach to modeling biochemical interactions using a multiscale, computer-based model with a complexity perspective based on a small set of entities and simple rules. This environment represents molecules, organelles and cells to enhance the understanding of cellular processes, and combines these cells at a higher scale to obtain whole-body interactions. Sophomore nursing students who learned the pharmacology of diabetes mellitus with the Pharmacology Inter-Leaved Learning-Cells environment (experimental group; n=94) or via a lecture-based curriculum (comparison group; n=54). A quasi-experimental pre- and post-test design was conducted. The Pharmacology-Diabetes-Mellitus questionnaire and the course's final exam were used to evaluate students' knowledge of the pharmacology of diabetes mellitus. Conceptual learning was significantly higher for the experimental than for the comparison group for the course final exam scores (unpaired t=-3.8, pLearning with complexity-based computerized models is highly effective and enhances the understanding of moving between micro and macro levels of the biochemical phenomena, this is then related to better understanding of medication actions. Moreover, the Pharmacology Inter-Leaved Learning-Cells approach provides a more general reasoning scheme for biochemical processes, which enhances pharmacology learning beyond the specific topic learned. The present study implies that deeper understanding of pharmacology will support nursing students' clinical decisions and empower their proficiency in medications administration. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Inter-Cultural Communication in Student Research

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hjaltadóttir, Rannveig Edda

This article describes a project undertaken at the University of Southern Denmark designed to support active group work and inter-cultural communication between international students. The project is based on using group work and cooperative learning principles to do student research, therefore...... challenging the students to solve problems as a group. The main aim of the research is to investigate the possible effects of using integrated student research and group work using cooperative learning methods to develop international communication skills of students in multi-cultural higher education courses....

Inter- and intra-firm learning synergy through integrating absorptive capacity and employee suggestion processes: The case study of Frauenthal Automotive Toruń company

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrzej Lis

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of the paper is to study relationships between the processes of absorptive capacity (inter-firm learning and learning lessons through employee suggestions (intra-firm learning and identify potential synergies between them. The research interest is focused on investigating the following problems: (1 How do organizations apply external knowledge to support intra-organizational learning processes? (2 How should the employee suggestion system be organized to increase (or build absorptive capacity? The exploratory case study analysis is applied to answer research questions and achieve the aim of the study. The unit of analysis is constituted by inter-firm and intra-firm learning processes observed in the firm Frauenthal Automotive Toruń (FTO.

Use of Simulation in Nursing Education: Initial Experiences on a European Union Lifelong Learning Programme--Leonardo Da Vinci Project

Science.gov (United States)

Terzioglu, Fusun; Tuna, Zahide; Duygulu, Sergul; Boztepe, Handan; Kapucu, Sevgisun; Ozdemir, Leyla; Akdemir, Nuran; Kocoglu, Deniz; Alinier, Guillaume; Festini, Filippo

2013-01-01

Aim: The aim of this paper is to share the initial experiences on a European Union (EU) Lifelong Learning Programme Leonardo Da Vinci Transfer of Innovation Project related to the use of simulation-based learning with nursing students from Turkey. The project started at the end of the 2010 involving 7 partners from 3 different countries including…

Key Competences for the Development of Lifelong Learning in the European Union

Science.gov (United States)

Hozjan, Dejan

2009-01-01

This paper discusses certain developments in education policy in the European Union since the implementation of the Lisbon strategy. Greater focus on lifelong learning as a means of increasing the competitiveness of the European Union, and establishment of several new, efficient policy tools (above all the "open method of coordination")…

The LEONARDO-DA-VINCI pilot project "e-learning-assistant" - Situation-based learning in nursing education.

Science.gov (United States)

Pfefferle, Petra Ina; Van den Stock, Etienne; Nauerth, Annette

2010-07-01

E-learning will play an important role in the training portfolio of students in higher and vocational education. Within the LEONARDO-DA-VINCI action programme transnational pilot projects were funded by the European Union, which aimed to improve the usage and quality of e-learning tools in education and professional training. The overall aim of the LEONARDO-DA-VINCI pilot project "e-learning-assistant" was to create new didactical and technical e-learning tools for Europe-wide use in nursing education. Based on a new situation-oriented learning approach, nursing teachers enrolled in the project were instructed to adapt, develop and implement e- and blended learning units. According to the training contents nursing modules were developed by teachers from partner institutions, implemented in the project centers and evaluated by students. The user-package "e-learning-assistant" as a product of the project includes two teacher training units, the authoring tool "synapse" to create situation-based e-learning units, a student's learning platform containing blended learning modules in nursing and an open sourced web-based communication centre. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Blended learning versus traditional teaching-learning-setting: Evaluation of cognitive and affective learning outcomes for the inter-professional field of occupational medicine and prevention / Blended Learning versus traditionelles Lehr-Lernsetting: Evaluierung von kognitiven und affektiven Lernergebnissen für das interprofessionelle Arbeitsfeld Arbeitsmedizin und Prävention

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eckler Ursula

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Blended learning is characterised as a combination of face-to-face teaching and e-learning in terms of knowledge transfer, students’ learning activities and reduced presence at the teaching facility. The present cohort study investigated long-term effects of blended learning regarding cognitive outcomes as well as self-indicated estimates of immediate learning effects on the affective domain in the inter-professional field of occupational medicine. Physiotherapy students (bachelor degree at FH Campus Wien – University of Applied Sciences completed the course Occupational Medicine/Prevention either in a traditional teaching-learning setting entirely taught face-to-face (control-group, n=94, or with a blended learning model (intervention-group, n=93. Long-term effects (1.5 year follow-up on the cognitive learning outcomes were assessed according to four levels of Bloom’s learning objectives. In addition, students estimated potential benefits resulting from blended learning based on four Krathwohl’s learning objectives for the affective domain by means of a six-option Likert scale (n=282. Concerning cognitive outcomes, significant results favouring both groups were found with effect sizes from small to medium. The traditional teaching-learning setting resulted in significantly better results in the upmost aspired learning objective (analysis at the long-term (p<0,01; r=-0,33. In contrast, the intervention group resulted in significantly better long-term results on learning objective levels 1 (knowledge and 2 (understanding (p=0,01; r=-0,20 and, p=0,02; r=-0,17, respectively. Hence, no general recommendation favouring either the classical setting or blending learning can be drawn regarding the cognitive domain. However, students’ self-indications on the affective domain give preference to blended learning, particularly if inter-professional teamwork is a course objective.

Improving competencies in evidence-based dementia care: Results from a pilot study on a novel inter-professional training course (the KOMPIDEM project

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Balzer, Katrin

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Objective: In order to address well-known challenges in dementia care, an inter-professional course was developed to improve medical students’ and nursing students’ competencies in the provision of evidence-based care for people with dementia. The course comprises lectures, problem-based learning (PbL tutorials and visitations to care facilities. A pilot study was conducted to evaluate the acceptance and feasibility of the inter-professional course.Methodology: Alongside preliminary implementation of the newly developed course, a pre-post survey was carried out involving all participating students. The questionnaire contained standardized and open-ended questions on participants’ views regarding the quality and relevance of several course components and characteristics. The data were analyzed by means of descriptive statistics.Results: When the course was offered the first time, multiple barriers became evident, leading to premature course termination and subsequent revision of the curriculum. When the revised course was offered, 10 medical students and 8 nursing students participated. The course proved feasible, and the median overall quality was rated as “2” (IQR 2–3 at a rating scale ranging from 1 (very good to 6 (inadequate. Following aspects were most frequently judged positively: the course’s inter-professional scope, the visitations to care facilities and the PbL tutorials. Potential for improvement was particularly noted with regard to a more distinct focus on well-defined, mainly practical learning outcomes. There were no indications of systematic between-group differences in the medical and nursing students’ perceptions of the course program.Conclusions: The results confirmed the feasibility of the inter-professional course on dementia care and the relevance of its inter-professional scope. However, to ensure sustainable course implementation in the long term, further program adaptations based on current findings and

The politics of inter-regionalism: relations between international regional organizations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vleuten, J.M. van der; Ribeiro Hoffman, A.; Reinalda, B.

2013-01-01

As the development of relations between international regional organizations, inter-regionalism denotes a relatively recent phenomenon. Largely due to systemic bipolarity, inter-regional relations remained limited to 'dialogue partnerships' between the European Community (EC) and other regional

ComplexContact: a web server for inter-protein contact prediction using deep learning

KAUST Repository

Zeng, Hong; Wang, Sheng; Zhou, Tianming; Zhao, Feifeng; Li, Xiufeng; Wu, Qing; Xu, Jinbo

2018-01-01

ComplexContact (http://raptorx2.uchicago.edu/ComplexContact/) is a web server for sequence-based interfacial residue-residue contact prediction of a putative protein complex. Interfacial residue-residue contacts are critical for understanding how proteins form complex and interact at residue level. When receiving a pair of protein sequences, ComplexContact first searches for their sequence homologs and builds two paired multiple sequence alignments (MSA), then it applies co-evolution analysis and a CASP-winning deep learning (DL) method to predict interfacial contacts from paired MSAs and visualizes the prediction as an image. The DL method was originally developed for intra-protein contact prediction and performed the best in CASP12. Our large-scale experimental test further shows that ComplexContact greatly outperforms pure co-evolution methods for inter-protein contact prediction, regardless of the species.

ComplexContact: a web server for inter-protein contact prediction using deep learning

KAUST Repository

Zeng, Hong

2018-05-20

ComplexContact (http://raptorx2.uchicago.edu/ComplexContact/) is a web server for sequence-based interfacial residue-residue contact prediction of a putative protein complex. Interfacial residue-residue contacts are critical for understanding how proteins form complex and interact at residue level. When receiving a pair of protein sequences, ComplexContact first searches for their sequence homologs and builds two paired multiple sequence alignments (MSA), then it applies co-evolution analysis and a CASP-winning deep learning (DL) method to predict interfacial contacts from paired MSAs and visualizes the prediction as an image. The DL method was originally developed for intra-protein contact prediction and performed the best in CASP12. Our large-scale experimental test further shows that ComplexContact greatly outperforms pure co-evolution methods for inter-protein contact prediction, regardless of the species.

ComplexContact: a web server for inter-protein contact prediction using deep learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Hong; Wang, Sheng; Zhou, Tianming; Zhao, Feifeng; Li, Xiufeng; Wu, Qing; Xu, Jinbo

2018-05-22

ComplexContact (http://raptorx2.uchicago.edu/ComplexContact/) is a web server for sequence-based interfacial residue-residue contact prediction of a putative protein complex. Interfacial residue-residue contacts are critical for understanding how proteins form complex and interact at residue level. When receiving a pair of protein sequences, ComplexContact first searches for their sequence homologs and builds two paired multiple sequence alignments (MSA), then it applies co-evolution analysis and a CASP-winning deep learning (DL) method to predict interfacial contacts from paired MSAs and visualizes the prediction as an image. The DL method was originally developed for intra-protein contact prediction and performed the best in CASP12. Our large-scale experimental test further shows that ComplexContact greatly outperforms pure co-evolution methods for inter-protein contact prediction, regardless of the species.

STENCIL: Science Teaching European Network for Creativity and Innovation in Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Cattadori, M.; Magrefi, F.

2013-12-01

STENCIL is an european educational project funded with support of the European Commission within the framework of LLP7 (Lifelong Learning Programme) for a period of 3 years (2011 - 2013). STENCIL includes 21 members from 9 European countries (Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, France, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Slovenia, Turkey.) working together to contribute to the general objective of improving science teaching, by promoting innovative methodologies and creative solutions. Among the innovative methods adept a particolar interest is a joint partnership between a wide spectrum of type of institutions such as schools, school authorities, research centres, universities, science museums, and other organizations, representing differing perspectives on science education. STENCIL offers to practitioners in science education from all over Europe, a platform; the web portal - www.stencil-science.eu - that provides high visibility to schools and institutions involved in Comenius and other similar European funded projects in science education. STENCIL takes advantage of the positive results achieved by the former European projects STELLA - Science Teaching in a Lifelong Learning Approach (2007 - 2009) and GRID - Growing interest in the development of teaching science (2004-2006). The specific objectives of the project are : 1) to identify and promote innovative practices in science teaching through the publication of Annual Reports on Science Education; 2) to bring together science education practitioners to share different experiences and learn from each other through the organisation of periodical study visits and workshops; 3) to disseminate materials and outcomes coming from previous EU funded projects and from isolated science education initiatives through the STENCIL web portal, as well as through international conferences and national events. This contribution aims at explaining the main features of the project together with the achieved results during the project's 3 year

A design-based approach with vocational teachers to promote self-regulated learning

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jossberger, Helen; Brand-Gruwel, Saskia; Van de Wiel, Margje; Boshuizen, Els

2011-01-01

Jossberger, H., Brand-Gruwel, S., Van de Wiel, M., & Boshuizen, H. P. A. (2011, August). A design-based approach with vocational teachers to promote self-regulated learning. Presentation at the 14th European Conference for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI), Exeter, England.

The portuguese partnership in an OLD european project : the benefits of e-learning

OpenAIRE

Menezes, Helena; Gil, Henrique

2002-01-01

The paper aims to present the data collected on the Portuguese participation in a European project (Comenius) related to distance learning. In particular, we present the main advantages of using e-learning platforms in the educational context.

IPTV inter-destination synchronization: A network-based approach

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stokking, H.M.; Deventer, M.O. van; Niamut, O.A.; Walraven, F.A.; Mekuria, R.N.

2010-01-01

This paper introduces a novel network-based approach to inter-destination media synchronization. The approach meets the need for synchronization in advanced TV concepts like social TV and offers high scalability, unlike conventional end-point based approaches. The solution for interdestination media

Transnational Learning Processes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nedergaard, Peter

This paper analyses and compares the transnational learning processes in the employment field in the European Union and among the Nordic countries. Based theoretically on a social constructivist model of learning and methodologically on a questionnaire distributed to the relevant participants......, a number of hypotheses concerning transnational learning processes are tested. The paper closes with a number of suggestions regarding an optimal institutional setting for facilitating transnational learning processes.Key words: Transnational learning, Open Method of Coordination, Learning, Employment......, European Employment Strategy, European Union, Nordic countries....

The effects of integrating service learning into computer science: an inter-institutional longitudinal study

Science.gov (United States)

Payton, Jamie; Barnes, Tiffany; Buch, Kim; Rorrer, Audrey; Zuo, Huifang

2015-07-01

This study is a follow-up to one published in computer science education in 2010 that reported preliminary results showing a positive impact of service learning on student attitudes associated with success and retention in computer science. That paper described how service learning was incorporated into a computer science course in the context of the Students & Technology in Academia, Research, and Service (STARS) Alliance, an NSF-supported broadening participation in computing initiative that aims to diversify the computer science pipeline through innovative pedagogy and inter-institutional partnerships. The current paper describes how the STARS Alliance has expanded to diverse institutions, all using service learning as a vehicle for broadening participation in computing and enhancing attitudes and behaviors associated with student success. Results supported the STARS model of service learning for enhancing computing efficacy and computing commitment and for providing diverse students with many personal and professional development benefits.

Effectiveness of simulation-based learning on student nurses' self-efficacy and performance while learning fundamental nursing skills.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Hsin-Hsin

2015-01-01

It was noted worldwide while learning fundamental skills and facing skills assessments, nursing students seemed to experience low confidence and high anxiety levels. Could simulation-based learning help to enhance students' self-efficacy and performance? Its effectiveness is mostly unidentified. This study was conducted to provide a shared experience to give nurse educators confidence and an insight into how simulation-based teaching can fit into nursing skills learning. A pilot study was completed with 50 second-year undergraduate nursing students, and the main study included 98 students where a pretest-posttest design was adopted. Data were gathered through four questionnaires and a performance assessment under scrutinized controls such as previous experiences, lecturers' teaching skills, duration of teaching, procedure of skills performance assessment and the inter-rater reliability. The results showed that simulation-based learning significantly improved students' self-efficacy regarding skills learning and the skills performance that nurse educators wish students to acquire. However, technology anxiety, examiners' critical attitudes towards students' performance and their unpredicted verbal and non-verbal expressions, have been found as possible confounding factors. The simulation-based learning proved to have a powerful positive effect on students' achievement outcomes. Nursing skills learning is one area that can benefit greatly from this kind of teaching and learning method.

Learning-based stochastic object models for characterizing anatomical variations

Science.gov (United States)

Dolly, Steven R.; Lou, Yang; Anastasio, Mark A.; Li, Hua

2018-03-01

It is widely known that the optimization of imaging systems based on objective, task-based measures of image quality via computer-simulation requires the use of a stochastic object model (SOM). However, the development of computationally tractable SOMs that can accurately model the statistical variations in human anatomy within a specified ensemble of patients remains a challenging task. Previously reported numerical anatomic models lack the ability to accurately model inter-patient and inter-organ variations in human anatomy among a broad patient population, mainly because they are established on image data corresponding to a few of patients and individual anatomic organs. This may introduce phantom-specific bias into computer-simulation studies, where the study result is heavily dependent on which phantom is used. In certain applications, however, databases of high-quality volumetric images and organ contours are available that can facilitate this SOM development. In this work, a novel and tractable methodology for learning a SOM and generating numerical phantoms from a set of volumetric training images is developed. The proposed methodology learns geometric attribute distributions (GAD) of human anatomic organs from a broad patient population, which characterize both centroid relationships between neighboring organs and anatomic shape similarity of individual organs among patients. By randomly sampling the learned centroid and shape GADs with the constraints of the respective principal attribute variations learned from the training data, an ensemble of stochastic objects can be created. The randomness in organ shape and position reflects the learned variability of human anatomy. To demonstrate the methodology, a SOM of an adult male pelvis is computed and examples of corresponding numerical phantoms are created.

Using Participatory Learning & Action (PLA) research techniques for inter-stakeholder dialogue in primary healthcare: an analysis of stakeholders' experiences.

Science.gov (United States)

de Brún, T; O'Reilly-de Brún, M; Van Weel-Baumgarten, E; Burns, N; Dowrick, C; Lionis, C; O'Donnell, C; Mair, F S; Papadakaki, M; Saridaki, A; Spiegel, W; Van Weel, C; Van den Muijsenbergh, M; MacFarlane, A

2017-01-01

aspects of primary healthcare. Participatory methodologies have the potential to support engagement and dialogue between stakeholders from academic, migrant community and health service settings. This paper focuses on a specific participatory research methodology, Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) in which all stakeholders are regarded as equal partners and collaborators in research.Our research question for this paper was: "Does the application of PLA lead to meaningful engagement of all stakeholders, and if so, what elements contribute to a positive and productive inter-stakeholder dialogue?". Methods We explored the use of PLA in RESTORE, a European FP7-funded project, during 2011-2015 in 5 countries: Austria, Greece, Ireland, the Netherlands and the UK. The objective of RESTORE was to investigate and support the implementation of guidelines and training initiatives (G/TIs) to enhance communication in cross-cultural primary care consultations with migrants.Seventy eight stakeholders (migrants, interpreters, doctors, nurses and others - see Table 2) participated in a total of 62 PLA sessions (discussions, activities, evaluations) of approximately 2-3 h' duration across the five sites. During the fieldwork, qualitative data were generated about stakeholders' experiences of engagement in this dialogue, by means of various methods including participatory evaluations, researchers' fieldwork reports and researcher interviews. These were analysed following the principles of thematic analysis. Results Stakeholders involved in PLA inter-stakeholder dialogues reported a wide range of positive experiences of engagement, and very few negative experiences. A positive atmosphere during early research sessions helped to create a sense of safety and trust. This enabled stakeholders from very different backgrounds, with different social status and power, to offer their perspectives in a way that led to enhanced learning in the group - they learned with and from each other. This

On-line case discussion assessment in ultrasound: The effect on student centred and inter-professional learning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harrison, G.; Mulloy, B.; Harris, A.; Flinton, D.

2012-01-01

In 2009 an asynchronous on-line case discussion assessment was introduced, to replace an existing traditional case study assessment, within the Medical Ultrasound Programmes at City University London, to help extend collaborative, inter-professional student-led learning skills. Two clinical modules were used to develop the on-line learning method with associated assessments. Students selected and led a clinical case from their department, uploaded anonymised images and case details with questions, to encourage interaction from other colleagues. Thirty students participated in the on-line case discussions. The assessment was evaluated via informal feedback, end of module feedback and an on-line questionnaire. Some students completed two modules, using the on-line discussion, others were involved in only one module, of which 21 out of 26 students completed end of module feedback for the 1st module and 18 out of 20 students completed feedback from the 2nd module. Twelve students out of 30 completed the on-line questionnaire. Feedback suggested that the on-line case discussions were a good learning tool, providing a wide range of cases for students to participate in or read and learn from each other. All students found the cases interesting, engaging and useful, but time consuming. Despite the small numbers involved, useful feedback was provided to assist further development of the assessment, particularly in relation to the number of cases being assessed and length of availability. On-line case discussions are an innovative, engaging method to encourage self directed, collaborative learning which could be utilised in the health care setting to share interesting cases, promote inter-professional and self-directed learning.

Lessons Learned from Deploying a Video-Based Web 2.0 Platform in an Executive Education Context

Science.gov (United States)

Maxwell, Katrina; Angehrn, Albert A.

Although IT has been very successful in enabling distributed, collaborative learning and knowledge creation in open-source communities, its promise in other contexts is still an open question. In this paper, we describe the deployment of a video-based Web2.0 platform in an executive education context. The platform, which we developed, makes extensive use of video, profiling, game dynamics, agents and network visualizations in order to capture the attention and involvement of the learning community members. Our goal was to provide executive education participants with an attractive, interactive platform for extending their learning and networking beyond the classroom. This experience has allowed us to identify three main barriers to Web2.0 inter-organizational learning and collaboration in executive education: technological barriers, motivational barriers and the inter-organizational aspect itself.

Project-based learning in the teaching-learning process university. A longitudinal study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sandoval Hamón Leyla Angélica

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The European Higher Education Area promotes the change in teaching-learning, where students have a more active role in their educational process. The main objective of this work is to analyse the use of an alternative proposal, focus in student-based teamwork activities, who seek to favour the acquisition and deepening of knowledge and skills. The implementation of this research was carried out by means of a longitudinal study in the subject of the degree of Economics, with the development of the methodology of Project Based Learning integrating the ICTs and improving the evaluation process (e.g. establishing headings and psychometric analysis of knowledge tests. The results of the research showed an improvement in the learning process from the observation, collection of works, analysis of knowledge tests and the official survey by students to assess the activity and the development of their competitors.

[Empathy, inter-professional collaboration, and lifelong medical learning in Spanish and Latin-American physicians-in-training who start their postgraduate training in hospitals in Spain. Preliminary outcomes].

Science.gov (United States)

San-Martín, Montserrat; Roig-Carrera, Helena; Villalonga-Vadell, Rosa M; Benito-Sevillano, Carmen; Torres-Salinas, Miquel; Claret-Teruel, Gemma; Robles, Bernabé; Sans-Boix, Antonia; Alcorta-Garza, Adelina; Vivanco, Luis

2017-01-01

To identify similarities and differences in empathy, abilities toward inter-professional collaboration, and lifelong medical learning, between Spanish and Latin-American physicians-in-training who start their posgraduate training in teaching hospitals in Spain. Observational study using self-administered questionnaires. Five teaching hospitals in the province of Barcelona, Spain. Spanish and Latin-American physicians-in-training who started their first year of post-graduate medical training. Empathy was measured using the Jefferson scale of empathy. Abilities for inter-professional collaboration were measured using the Jefferson scale attitudes towards nurse-physician collaboration. Learning was measured using the Jefferson scale of medical lifelong learning scale. From a sample of 156 physicians-in-training, 110 from Spain and 40 from Latin America, the Spanish group showed the highest empathy (pempathy and inter-professional collaboration for the whole sample (r=+0.34; pempathy in the development of inter-professional collaboration abilities. In Latin-American physicians who start posgraduate training programs, lifelong learning abilities have a positive influence on the development of other professional competencies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

A research-based inter-institutional collaboration to diversify the biomedical workforce: ReBUILDetroit.

Science.gov (United States)

Andreoli, Jeanne M; Feig, Andrew; Chang, Steven; Welch, Sally; Mathur, Ambika; Kuleck, Gary

2017-01-01

Faced with decades of severe economic decline, the city of Detroit, Michigan (USA) is on the cusp or reinventing itself. A Consortium was formed of three higher education institutions that have an established mission to serve an urban population and a vested interest in the revitalization of the health, welfare, and economic opportunity in the Detroit metro region that is synergistic with national goals to diversify the biomedical workforce. The purpose of this article is to describe the rationale, approach, and model of the Research Enhancement for BUILDing Detroit (ReBUILDetroit) Consortium, as a cross-campus collaborative for students, faculty, and institutional development. The ReBUILDetroit program is designed to transform the culture of higher education in Detroit, Michigan by educating and training students from diverse and socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds to become the next generation of biomedical researchers. Marygrove College, University of Detroit Mercy, and Wayne State University established a Consortium to create and implement innovative, evidence-based and cutting-edge programming. Specific elements include: (1) a pre-college summer enrichment experience; (2) an inter-institutional curricular re-design of target foundational courses in biology, chemistry and social science using the Research Coordination Network (RCN) model; and (3) cross-institutional summer faculty-mentored research projects for ReBUILDetroit Scholars starting as rising sophomores. Student success support includes intentional and intrusive mentoring, financial support, close faculty engagement, ongoing workshops to overcome academic and non-academic barriers, and cohort building activities across the Consortium. Institutional supports, integral to program creation and sustainability, include creating faculty learning communities grounded in professional development opportunities in pedagogy, research and mentorship, and developing novel partnerships and accelerated

Power learning or path dependency? Investigating the roots of the European Food Safety Authority.

Science.gov (United States)

Roederer-Rynning, Christilla; Daugbjerg, Carsten

2010-01-01

A key motive for establishing the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) was restoring public confidence in the wake of multiplying food scares and the BSE crisis. Scholars, however, have paid little attention to the actual political and institutional logics that shaped this new organization. This article explores the dynamics underpinning the making of EFSA. We examine the way in which learning and power shaped its organizational architecture. It is demonstrated that the lessons drawn from the past and other models converged on the need to delegate authority to an external agency, but diverged on its mandate, concretely whether or not EFSA should assume risk management responsibilities. In this situation of competitive learning, power and procedural politics conditioned the mandate granted to EFSA. The European Commission, the European Parliament and the European Council shared a common interest in preventing the delegation of regulatory powers to an independent EU agency in food safety policy.

Agent-based inter-organizational systems in advanced logistics operations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

M. Wasesa (Meditya)

2017-01-01

textabstract“Agent-based Inter-organizational Systems (ABIOS) in Advanced Logistics Operations” explores the concepts, the design, and the role and impact of agent-based systems to improve coordination and performance of logistics operations. The dissertation consists of one conceptual study and

Fostering Self-Regulated Learning through the European Language Portfolio: An Embedded Mixed Methods Study

Science.gov (United States)

Ziegler, Nicholas Allan

2014-01-01

The European Language Portfolio (ELP) is an alternative assessment used in foreign language classes throughout Europe to support and record language learning. Directly linked to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (Council of Europe, 2001) proficiency guidelines, it is designed to achieve an ambitious dual goal: document…

[Problem-based learning, a comparison in the acquisition of transversal competencies].

Science.gov (United States)

González Pascual, Juan Luis; López Martin, Inmaculada; Toledo Gómez, David

2009-01-01

In the European Higher Education Area (EEES in Spanish reference), a change in the pedagogical model has occurred: from teaching centered on the figure of the professor to learning centered on students, from an integral perspective. This learning must bring together the full set of competencies included in the program requirements necessary to obtain a degree. The specific competencies characterize a profession and distinguish one from others. The transversal competencies surpass the limits of one particular discipline to be potentially developed in all; these are subdivided in three types: instrumental, interpersonal and systemic. The authors describe and compare the acquisition of transversal competencies connected to students' portfolios and Problem-based Learning as pedagogical methods from the perspective of second year nursing students at the European University in Madrid during the 2007-8 academic year To do so, the authors carried out a transversal descriptive study; data was collected by a purpose-made questionnaire the authors developed which they based on the transversal competencies of the Tuning Nursing Project. Variables included age, sex, pedagogical method, perception on acquisition of those 24 competencies by means of a Likert Scale. U de Mann-Whitney descriptive and analytical statistics. The authors conclude that the portfolio and Problem-based Learning are useful pedagogical methods for acquiring transversal competencies; these results coincide with those of other studies. Comparing both methods, the authors share the opinion that the Problem-based Learning method could stimulate the search for information better than the portfolio method.

Analysis of European Discourses on Adult Education and Training and Lifelong Learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manuela Terrasêca

2011-10-01

Full Text Available In the most recent years, the European Union published a set of documents with diverse statutes that have been setting the agenda of the so-called "European dimension of education", in particular concerning to education, training and lifelong learning. Several analyses are being produced on these European discourses with emphasis on the criticism about: i its political pragmatism (Canário, R., 2003, ii its vocational bias, iii the transformation of State, Work and Citizenship relations induced by these European texts (Lima, L., 2003, Medina, T., 2002. In this article the authors intend to identify and to characterize the “profiles” of Citizen, State and Labor that emerge from the European discourses. The aim is to highlight how these discourses produce and induce a legitimate framework and meaning for the field and policies on adult education.

What is the future of work based learning in VET?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Christian Helms

not to pursue an academic career. Countries with strong apprenticeship systems tend to have less youth unemployment and a smoother transition to the labour market than others. Furthermore, from a learning perspective, the outcomes of work-based training and informal learning are enhanced when they are combined...... that question the future role and organisation of work-based training in VET. The purpose of this paper is to examine these challenges based on a review of research on European VET systems and analyses of the Danish dual system of VET. In the end of the paper, some innovative solutions to these challenges...

Validation of non-formal and informal learning from a European perspective – linking validation arrangements with national qualifications frameworks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Borut Mikulec

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The paper analyses European policy on the validation of non-formal and informal learning, which is presented as a “salvation narrative” that can improve the functioning of the labour market, provide a way out from unemployment and strengthen the competitiveness of the economy. Taking as our starting point recent findings in adult education theory on the validation of non-formal and informal learning, we aim to prove the thesis that what European validation policy promotes is above all economic purpose and that it establishes a “Credential/Credit-exchange” model of validation of non-formal and informal learning. We proceed to ecxamine the effect of European VNIL policy in selected European countries where validation arrangements are linked to the qualifications framework. We find that the “Credential/ Credit-exchange” validation model was first established in a few individual European countries and then transferred, as a “successful” model, to the level of common European VNIL policy.

Interdisciplinary and inter-institutional differences in learning preferences among Malaysian medical and health sciences students.

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Rebecca S Y; Siow, Heng Loke; Kumarasamy, Vinoth; Shaherah Fadhlullah Suhaimi, Nazrila

2017-10-01

The learner-centred approach in medical and health sciences education makes the study of learning preferences relevant and important. This study aimed to investigate the interdisciplinary, inter-institutional, gender and racial differences in the preferred learning styles among Malaysian medical and health sciences students in three Malaysian universities, namely SEGi University (SEGi), University of Malaya (UM) and Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR). It also investigated the differences in the preferred learning styles of these students between high achievers and non-high achievers. This cross-sectional study was carried out on medical and health sciences students from three Malaysian universities following the approval of the Research and Ethics Committee, SEGi University. Purposive sampling was used and the preferred learning styles were assessed using the VARK questionnaire. The questionnaire was validated prior to its use. Three disciplines (medicine, pharmacy and dentistry) were chosen based on their entry criteria and some similarities in their course structure. The three participating universities were Malaysian universities with a home-grown undergraduate entry medical program and students from a diverse cultural and socioeconomic background. The data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software, version 22. VARK subscale scores were expressed as mean+standard deviation. Comparisons of the means were carried out using t-test or ANOVA. A p value of 0.05). This study gives an insight into the learner characteristics of more than one medical school in Malaysia. Such multi-institutional studies are lacking in the published literature and this study gives a better representation of the current situation in the learning preferences among medical students in Malaysia.

Easing Access for Lifelong Learners: A Comparison of European Models for University Lifelong Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Müller, Romina; Remdisch, Sabine; Köhler, Katharina; Marr, Liz; Repo, Saara; Yndigegn, Carsten

2015-01-01

Easing access to higher education (HE) for those engaging in lifelong learning has been a common policy objective across the European Union since the late 1990s. To reach this goal, the transition between vocational and academic routes must be simplified, but European countries are at different developmental stages. This article maps the…

Inspiring Lecturers: Sharing E-Learning Practice through European Case Studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hayes, Sarah; Godsk, Mikkel; Andersen, Majbrit Vandsø

2009-01-01

Sharing best practice in e-learning, when undertaken as an active process, can provide valuable insights, with a real capacity to inspire. This has been our experience in collecting European university e-learning case studies. How this was achieved is the focus of this paper, which discusses...... collaboration, using a database and a weblog (EUNIC, 2008). Some examples of the case studies are provided, with suggestions of ways to develop this process further....... a consistent approach to transferring knowledge that might be followed and developed by others. We will outline a methodology for sharing best practices of e-learning. We will explain how these cases, rather like short stories, were identified, gathered and communicated by the EUNIS ELearning Task Force...

Deep learning for EEG-Based preference classification

Science.gov (United States)

Teo, Jason; Hou, Chew Lin; Mountstephens, James

2017-10-01

Electroencephalogram (EEG)-based emotion classification is rapidly becoming one of the most intensely studied areas of brain-computer interfacing (BCI). The ability to passively identify yet accurately correlate brainwaves with our immediate emotions opens up truly meaningful and previously unattainable human-computer interactions such as in forensic neuroscience, rehabilitative medicine, affective entertainment and neuro-marketing. One particularly useful yet rarely explored areas of EEG-based emotion classification is preference recognition [1], which is simply the detection of like versus dislike. Within the limited investigations into preference classification, all reported studies were based on musically-induced stimuli except for a single study which used 2D images. The main objective of this study is to apply deep learning, which has been shown to produce state-of-the-art results in diverse hard problems such as in computer vision, natural language processing and audio recognition, to 3D object preference classification over a larger group of test subjects. A cohort of 16 users was shown 60 bracelet-like objects as rotating visual stimuli on a computer display while their preferences and EEGs were recorded. After training a variety of machine learning approaches which included deep neural networks, we then attempted to classify the users' preferences for the 3D visual stimuli based on their EEGs. Here, we show that that deep learning outperforms a variety of other machine learning classifiers for this EEG-based preference classification task particularly in a highly challenging dataset with large inter- and intra-subject variability.

Is blended learning and problem-based learning course design suited to develop future public health leaders? An explorative European study.

Science.gov (United States)

Könings, Karen D; de Jong, Nynke; Lohrmann, Christa; Sumskas, Linas; Smith, Tony; O'Connor, Stephen J; Spanjers, Ingrid A E; Van Merriënboer, Jeroen J G; Czabanowska, Katarzyna

2018-01-01

Public health leaders are confronted with complex problems, and developing effective leadership competencies is essential. The teaching of leadership is still not common in public health training programs around the world. A reconceptualization of professional training is needed and can benefit from innovative educational approaches. Our aim was to explore learners' perceptions of the effectiveness and appeal of a public health leadership course using problem-based, blended learning methods that used virtual learning environment technologies. In this cross-sectional evaluative study, the Self-Assessment Instrument of Competencies for Public Health Leaders was administered before and after an online, blended-learning, problem-based (PBL) leadership course. An evaluation questionnaire was also used to measure perceptions of blended learning, problem-based learning, and tutor functioning among 19 public health professionals from The Netherlands ( n  = 8), Lithuania ( n  = 5), and Austria ( n  = 6).Participants showed overall satisfaction and knowledge gains related to public health leadership competencies in six of eight measured areas, especially Political Leadership and Systems Thinking. Some perceptions of blended learning and PBL varied between the institutions. This might have been caused by lack of experience of the educational approaches, differing professional backgrounds, inexperience of communicating in the online setting, and different expectations towards the course. Blended, problem-based learning might be an effective way to develop leadership competencies among public health professionals in international and interdisciplinary context.

Blended learning versus traditional teaching-learning-setting: Evaluation of cognitive and affective learning outcomes for the inter-professional field of occupational medicine and prevention / Blended Learning versus traditionelles Lehr-Lernsetting: Evaluierung von kognitiven und affektiven Lernergebnissen für das interprofessionelle Arbeitsfeld Arbeitsmedizin und Prävention

OpenAIRE

Eckler Ursula; Greisberger Andrea; Höhne Franziska; Putz Peter

2017-01-01

Blended learning is characterised as a combination of face-to-face teaching and e-learning in terms of knowledge transfer, students’ learning activities and reduced presence at the teaching facility. The present cohort study investigated long-term effects of blended learning regarding cognitive outcomes as well as self-indicated estimates of immediate learning effects on the affective domain in the inter-professional field of occupational medicine. Physiotherapy students (bachelor degree) at ...

Feedback from European Social Partners as Part of the Consultation on the Commission's Memorandum on Lifelong Learning. Supporting Document to the Communication from the Commission Making a European Area of Lifelong Learning a Reality.

Science.gov (United States)

Commission of the European Communities, Brussels (Belgium). Directorate-General for Education and Culture.

This document provides European social partners' responses to the Commission's memorandum on lifelong learning. Part 1, Opinion of the European Center of Enterprises, makes comments and proposals related to the memorandum's six key messages, which are new basic skills for all; more investment in human resources; innovation in teaching and…

On Law and Policy in a European and European Union Patent Court (EEUPC)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schovsbo, Jens Hemmingsen; Petersen, Clement Salung

On 4 December 2009, the European Council unanimously adopted conclusions on an enhanced patent system in Europe, which inter alia intends to establish a new EU patent as well as a new common patent judiciary - the European and European Union Patent Court (EEUPC). The EEUPC will constitute a new sui...... generis, transnational court system with exclusive jurisdiction in respect of civil litigation related to the infringement and validity of European patents and EU patent. This paper considers this proposal for the establishment of the EEUPC under two basic observations, namely that substantive law...

On Law and Policy in a European and European Union Patent Court (EEUPC)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, Clement Salung; Schovsbo, Jens Hemmingsen

2010-01-01

On 4 December 2009, the European Council unanimously adopted conclusions on an enhanced patent system in Europe, which inter alia intends to establish a new EU patent as well as a new common patent judiciary – the European and European Union Patent Court (EEUPC). The EEUPC will constitute a new sui...... generis, transnational court system with exclusive jurisdiction in respect of civil litigation related to the infringement and validity of European patents and EU patent. This paper considers this proposal for the establishment of the EEUPC under two basic observations, namely that substantive law...

Information Technology-Based Open Learning--A Study Report. Occasional Paper InTER/12/89.

Science.gov (United States)

Hodgson, V., Ed.; And Others

This document reports on a study which focused on improving the flexibility and responsiveness of vocational education and training provision in Great Britain by producing a plan for information technology-based open learning (ITOL) provision. In the first section, the ITOL model is described through three scenarios. Benefits to learners such as…

Education in Disaster Management and Emergencies: Defining a New European Course.

Science.gov (United States)

Khorram-Manesh, Amir; Ashkenazi, Michael; Djalali, Ahmadreza; Ingrassia, Pier Luigi; Friedl, Tom; von Armin, Gotz; Lupesco, Olivera; Kaptan, Kubilay; Arculeo, Chris; Hreckovski, Boris; Komadina, Radko; Fisher, Philipp; Voigt, Stefan; James, James; Gursky, Elin

2015-06-01

Unremitting natural disasters, deliberate threats, pandemics, and humanitarian suffering resulting from conflict situations necessitate swift and effective response paradigms. The European Union's (EU) increasing visibility as a disaster response enterprise suggests the need not only for financial contribution but also for instituting a coherent disaster response approach and management structure. The DITAC (Disaster Training Curriculum) project identified deficiencies in current responder training approaches and analyzed the characteristics and content required for a new, standardized European course in disaster management and emergencies. Over 35 experts from within and outside the EU representing various organizations and specialties involved in disaster management composed the DITAC Consortium. These experts were also organized into 5 specifically tasked working groups. Extensive literature reviews were conducted to identify requirements and deficiencies and to craft a new training concept based on research trends and lessons learned. A pilot course and program dissemination plan was also developed. The lack of standardization was repeatedly highlighted as a serious deficiency in current disaster training methods, along with gaps in the command, control, and communication levels. A blended and competency-based teaching approach using exercises combined with lectures was recommended to improve intercultural and interdisciplinary integration. The goal of a European disaster management course should be to standardize and enhance intercultural and inter-agency performance across the disaster management cycle. A set of minimal standards and evaluation metrics can be achieved through consensus, education, and training in different units. The core of the training initiative will be a unit that presents a realistic situation "scenario-based training."

Atlas-based segmentation technique incorporating inter-observer delineation uncertainty for whole breast

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bell, L R; Pogson, E M; Metcalfe, P; Holloway, L; Dowling, J A

2017-01-01

Accurate, efficient auto-segmentation methods are essential for the clinical efficacy of adaptive radiotherapy delivered with highly conformal techniques. Current atlas based auto-segmentation techniques are adequate in this respect, however fail to account for inter-observer variation. An atlas-based segmentation method that incorporates inter-observer variation is proposed. This method is validated for a whole breast radiotherapy cohort containing 28 CT datasets with CTVs delineated by eight observers. To optimise atlas accuracy, the cohort was divided into categories by mean body mass index and laterality, with atlas’ generated for each in a leave-one-out approach. Observer CTVs were merged and thresholded to generate an auto-segmentation model representing both inter-observer and inter-patient differences. For each category, the atlas was registered to the left-out dataset to enable propagation of the auto-segmentation from atlas space. Auto-segmentation time was recorded. The segmentation was compared to the gold-standard contour using the dice similarity coefficient (DSC) and mean absolute surface distance (MASD). Comparison with the smallest and largest CTV was also made. This atlas-based auto-segmentation method incorporating inter-observer variation was shown to be efficient (<4min) and accurate for whole breast radiotherapy, with good agreement (DSC>0.7, MASD <9.3mm) between the auto-segmented contours and CTV volumes. (paper)

Teaching and learning reflexive skills in inter- and transdisciplinary research: A framework and its application in environmental science education

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fortuin, K.P.J.; Koppen, van C.S.A.

2016-01-01

A crucial skill for researchers in inter- and transdisciplinary environmental projects is the ability to be reflexive about knowledge and knowledge production. Few studies exist on the operationalization of reflexive skills and teaching and learning strategies that help students master these skills.

Learned voices of European citizens: from governmental to political subjectivation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simons MAARTEN

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The article focuses on the way in which voice operates within the current discourse of democracy, citizenship, and learning. Based on an analysis of «learning devices» and «citizenship devices» we will show that the individual is asked to articulate him or herself in particular ways as evidence of engagement, of inclusion, and of participatory democracy. It is someone’s «personhood» –issues related to identity, preferences, feelings of ownership– that comes to count as evidence of civic engagement and political involvement. This process of personalization –the inscription of the individual as a person that turns him or her into a European citizen– will be described as an important aspect of the current mode of governmental subjectivation. To address this we explore, in line with Jacques Rancière, the notion of «political subjectivation». While governmental subjectivation involves a process of identification with the order of society, political subjectivation is a paradoxical process of deidentification with the social order. It is about the articulation of one’s voice as equal within a social order in which one has no voice according to the ruling organisation of positions.

Pervasive e-learning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Helms, Niels Henrik; Hundebøl, Jesper

2009-01-01

The establishment of pervasive learning environments is based on the successful combination and re-configuration of inter-connected sets of activities and contexts. This chapter presents a definition of Pervasive (e) Learning Environments and discusses the pedagogical potentials and challenges...

Environmental organisations and the EC. Action options of environmental organisations for improving environmental consciousness and environmental policy in the European Community. Draft summary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hey, C.; Brendle, U.

1992-01-01

A European-wide awakening of environmental organizations began in the middle of the eighties, about the same time as the political push for EC integration. The European work of the environmental organizations is at a turning point almost everywhere. Most organizations made important structural decisions in the last few years, and the speed of the change has been fast. The landscape of environment organizations is becoming more complex and certainly more politically important on a European level. This push for internationalization will certainly entail an inter-cultural learning process, which could lead to a 'European' identity in the mid-term. The various national condition for environmental organizations in Germany, Spain, Holland, Great Britain, and on a European level are compared here. (orig./DG)

The information system of learning quality control in higher education institutions: achievements and problems of European universities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Orekhova Elena

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The article deals with the main trends in the development of the system of learning quality control connected with the European integration of higher education and the democratization of education. The authors analyze the state of information systems of learning quality control existing in European higher education and identify their strong and weak points. The authors show that in the learning process universities actively use innovative analytic methods as well as modern means of collecting, storing and transferring information that ensure the successful management of such a complex object as the university of the 21st century.

European Union - Space of Regeneration, Learning and Innovation in the Context of Sustainable Multidisciplinary Research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Florin Răzvan Bălășescu

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Objective The Lisbon Strategy set a new goal for the EU economy: the transition to a knowledge based economy, competitive and sustainable at macro and regional levels, by creating the European Research Area – a geographic area without frontiers for researches, where scientific resources are better managed to create more jobs and improve Europe's competitiveness. That means an interaction between specific and multidisciplinary research network. Approach However, general research methodology sustains the importance of static and revolutionary specific criteria of Scientific Research Programs but also reveals the natural process of multidisciplinary researches. In this context, the European Union could be regarded as a specific and multidisciplinary research area, as a network of flows, connections, relationships, interdependencies, and interferences between natural - experimental and social-humanistic research spheres (economics, management, sociology and complex systems ecology. Prior Work: In this respect some researchers suggested that both natural and social systems could be considered as multidisciplinary complex adaptive systems consisting of specific cluster network connections ( in the form of biotic and abiotic nodes, respectively, the competitive and regional poles with the ability to continuous self-organizing, learning and regenerating process especially in crisis situations. Implications and Value Paper Utility The present paper might be useful to illustrate the contribution of technical-economic and socio-ecological researches to increasing the sustainability framework of European Research Area by considering the transition from the R&D approach (development through research process to the L&D approach (development through learning process.

The Open Method of Co-ordination and the Analysis of Mutual Learning Processes of the European Employment Strategy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nedergaard, Peter

2005-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to address two normative and interlinked methodological and theoretical questions concerning the Open Method of Coordination (OMC): First, what is the most appropriate approach to learning in the analyses of the processes of the European Employment Strategy (EES......)? Second, how should mutual learning processes be diffused among the Member States in order to be efficient? In answering these two questions the paper draws on a social constructivist approach to learning thereby contributing to the debate about learning in the political science literature. At the same...... time, based on the literature and participatory observations, it is concluded that the learning effects of the EES are probably somewhat larger than what is normally suggested, but that successful diffusion still depends on a variety of contextual factors. At the end of the paper a path for empirical...

Developing Policy Instruments for Education in the EU: The European Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Elken, Mari

2015-01-01

The European Qualifications Framework (EQF) for lifelong learning has been characterized as a policy instrument with a number of contested ideas, raising questions about the process through which such instruments are developed at European level. The introduction of the EQF is in this article examined through variations of neo-institutional theory:…

The State of Ethical Learning of Students in the Spanish University System: Considerations for the European Higher Education Area

Science.gov (United States)

Buxarrais, Maria Rosa; Esteban, Francisco; Mellen, Teodor

2015-01-01

With the establishment of the European higher education area (EHEA), the ethical learning of students is a matter of central importance in European universities. This paper examines the current state of ethical learning of students in the Spanish university system. We present the results of a descriptive survey, which used a training model for…

Experiences with Learning Management Systems in 113 European Institutions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Morten Flate Paulsen

2003-10-01

Full Text Available This article presents the major findings from six regional analyses conducted within the framework of the European Web-edu project (http://www.nettskolen.com/in_english/webedusite/index.html. It analyses the experiences of European institutions with the Learning Management Systems that they have purchased or developed themselves. Data was collected from in-depth interviews with 113 European experts, usually the systems managers in the institutions, in 17 countries. The analyses of the interviews revealed as many as 52 different commercial and 35 self-developed LMS systems. The article presents the data from these interviews and includes a series of important findings from the study. One conclusion is that there is a host of commercial and self-developed systems that seem to work satisfactorily in various educational institutions throughout Europe. The systems are not able to handle all the functions the institutions want, and they can be improved in many ways. But most systems encountered in the analyses seem to be good enough for handling online education successfully. Another conclusion is that the European market is not dominated by the American LMS systems. In countries that do not use English as the first language, locally developed LMS systems have successfully ousted the American products. Remarkably, a large number of the LMS systems used in Europe are commercial systems developed locally, or self-developed systems built by the institutions.

Learning architectures and negotiation of meaning in European trade unions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Linda Creanor

2005-12-01

Full Text Available As networked learning becomes familiar at all levels and in all sectors of education, cross-fertilisation of innovative methods can usefully inform the lifelong learning agenda. Development of the pedagogical architectures and social processes, which afford learning, is a major challenge for educators as they strive to address the varied needs of a wide range of learners. One area in which this challenge is taken very seriously is that of trade unions, where recent large-scale projects have aimed to address many of these issues at a European level. This paper describes one such project, which targeted not only online courses, but also the wider political potential of virtual communities of practice. By analysing findings in relation to Wenger's learning architecture, the paper investigates further the relationships between communities of practice and communities of learners in the trade union context. The findings suggest that a focus on these relationships rather than on the technologies that support them should inform future developments.

Inter professionalization and the breakaway from classic concepts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Borgnakke, Karen; Nielsen, Cathrine Sand

2014-01-01

to explore and describe how the perspective of InBetween can help to strengthen and develop the individual, inter-professional and (inter)organisational learning generating new knowledge of: - the contributions of InBetween to the quality of future health professional education and to the future healthcare...

CONFINTEA VI follow-up and the role of university lifelong learning: Some issues for European higher education

Science.gov (United States)

Németh, Balázs

2011-08-01

The Belém Framework for Action underlines, among many other issues, that quality in adult learning and education must be holistic and multidimensional both as a concept and in practice, using various tools such as partnerships with higher education institutions. Bridging adult and higher education is difficult, but the lifelong learning paradigm may help European universities to meet the challenge. This paper argues that European higher education institutions should, on the one hand, educate adults to qualify them for their complex roles in society and economy either through academic programmes or in other, non-formal ways. On the other hand, higher education institutions should promote quality research on adult learning and education and develop active citizenship too. Emphasis was clearly given to the former task in the Budapest Statement in December 2008 as part of the European preparatory process for CONFINTEA VI, and the latter has been articulated by UNESCO for more than a decade. This paper suggests that a balanced position may help universities in setting themselves up as better and more effective learning organisations.

Protein (multi-)location prediction: using location inter-dependencies in a probabilistic framework

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Motivation Knowing the location of a protein within the cell is important for understanding its function, role in biological processes, and potential use as a drug target. Much progress has been made in developing computational methods that predict single locations for proteins. Most such methods are based on the over-simplifying assumption that proteins localize to a single location. However, it has been shown that proteins localize to multiple locations. While a few recent systems attempt to predict multiple locations of proteins, their performance leaves much room for improvement. Moreover, they typically treat locations as independent and do not attempt to utilize possible inter-dependencies among locations. Our hypothesis is that directly incorporating inter-dependencies among locations into both the classifier-learning and the prediction process can improve location prediction performance. Results We present a new method and a preliminary system we have developed that directly incorporates inter-dependencies among locations into the location-prediction process of multiply-localized proteins. Our method is based on a collection of Bayesian network classifiers, where each classifier is used to predict a single location. Learning the structure of each Bayesian network classifier takes into account inter-dependencies among locations, and the prediction process uses estimates involving multiple locations. We evaluate our system on a dataset of single- and multi-localized proteins (the most comprehensive protein multi-localization dataset currently available, derived from the DBMLoc dataset). Our results, obtained by incorporating inter-dependencies, are significantly higher than those obtained by classifiers that do not use inter-dependencies. The performance of our system on multi-localized proteins is comparable to a top performing system (YLoc+), without being restricted only to location-combinations present in the training set. PMID:24646119

Protein (multi-)location prediction: using location inter-dependencies in a probabilistic framework.

Science.gov (United States)

Simha, Ramanuja; Shatkay, Hagit

2014-03-19

Knowing the location of a protein within the cell is important for understanding its function, role in biological processes, and potential use as a drug target. Much progress has been made in developing computational methods that predict single locations for proteins. Most such methods are based on the over-simplifying assumption that proteins localize to a single location. However, it has been shown that proteins localize to multiple locations. While a few recent systems attempt to predict multiple locations of proteins, their performance leaves much room for improvement. Moreover, they typically treat locations as independent and do not attempt to utilize possible inter-dependencies among locations. Our hypothesis is that directly incorporating inter-dependencies among locations into both the classifier-learning and the prediction process can improve location prediction performance. We present a new method and a preliminary system we have developed that directly incorporates inter-dependencies among locations into the location-prediction process of multiply-localized proteins. Our method is based on a collection of Bayesian network classifiers, where each classifier is used to predict a single location. Learning the structure of each Bayesian network classifier takes into account inter-dependencies among locations, and the prediction process uses estimates involving multiple locations. We evaluate our system on a dataset of single- and multi-localized proteins (the most comprehensive protein multi-localization dataset currently available, derived from the DBMLoc dataset). Our results, obtained by incorporating inter-dependencies, are significantly higher than those obtained by classifiers that do not use inter-dependencies. The performance of our system on multi-localized proteins is comparable to a top performing system (YLoc+), without being restricted only to location-combinations present in the training set.

Monitoring inter-channel nonlinearity based on differential pilot

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Wanli; Yang, Aiying; Guo, Peng; Lu, Yueming; Qiao, Yaojun

2018-06-01

We modify and simplify the inter-channel nonlinearity (NL) estimation method by using differential pilot. Compared to previous works, the inter-channel NL estimation method we propose has much lower complexity and does not need modification of the transmitter. The performance of inter-channel NL monitoring with different launch power is tested. For both QPSK and 16QAM systems with 9 channels, the estimation error of inter-channel NL is lower than 1 dB when the total launch power is bigger than 12 dBm after 1000 km optical transmission. At last, we compare our inter-channel NL estimation method with other methods.

Adaptive online learning based tissue segmentation of MR brain images

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Damkat, C.

2007-01-01

The aging population in the European Union and the US has increased the importance of research in neurodegenerative diseases. Imaging plays an essential role in this endeavor by providing insight to the intricate cellular and inter-cellular processes in living tissues that will otherwise be

The Impact of Strong Climate Change on Inter-state Balancing in a Fully-renewable Simplified European Electricity System

Science.gov (United States)

Wohland, Jan; Witthaut, Dirk

2017-04-01

Electricity systems with a high penetration of renewables are strongly affected by weather patterns. Due to the variability of the climate system, a substantial fraction of energy supply needs to be provided by dispatchable power plants even if the consumption is on average balanced by renewables (e.g. Rodriguez et al. [2014]). In an interconnected system like the European electricity grid, benefits can arise from balancing generation mismatches spatially as long as overproduction in one region coincides with lack of generation in another region. These benefits might change as the climate changes and we thus investigate alterations of correlations between wind timeseries and Backup energy requirements. Our analysis is based on a five member model-ensemble from the EUROCORDEX initiative and we focus on onshore wind energy. We use the highest temporal (3h) and spatial (0.11°) resolution available to capture the intermittent and spatially diverse nature of renewable generation. In view of inter-model spread and other uncertainties, we use the strong climate change scenario rcp8.5 in order to obtain a high signal-to-noise ratio. We argue that rcp8.5 is best suited to reveal interesting interactions between climate change and renewable electricity system despite the fact that is in contradiction to the UNFCCC temperature goals (e.g. Schleussner et al. [2016]). We report spatially inhomogeneous alterations of correlations. In particular, we find increasing correlations between central and northern European states and decreasing correlations at the south-western and south-eastern margins of Europe. This hints to a lowering of balancing potentials within central and northern Europe due to climate change. A possible explanation might be associated to polar amplification and increasing frequencies of blocking events (Coumou [2015]). Moreover, we compute wind energy generation using a single-turbine model and a semi-random deployment procedure as developed in Monforti et al

Inter-laboratory proficiency tests to detect viral fish diseases

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kahns, Søren; Nicolajsen, Nicole; Skall, Helle Frank

An inter-laboratory proficiency test has ben provided by the European Community Laboratory (CRL) for Fish Diseases every year since 1996. The test is provided to all European National Reference Laboratories (NRLs) that are obliged to participate and to a limited number of non-European NRLs, making......) but also to assess their ability to differentiate other fish viruses as spring viraemia of carp virus, infectious pancreatic necrosis virus, perch rhabdovirus etc. Five coded ampoules are provided to participants containing lyophilised supernatant from infected cell cultures. The CRL collect the data...

Inter-operability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Plaziat, J.F.; Moulin, P.; Van Beurden, R.; Ballet, E.

2005-01-01

Building an internal gas market implies establishing harmonized rules for cross border trading between operators. To that effect, the European association EASEE-gas is carrying out standards and procedures, commonly called 'inter-operability'. Set up in 2002, the Association brings together all segments of the gas industry: producers, transporters, distributors, traders and shippers, suppliers, consumers and service providers. This workshop presents the latest status on issues such as barriers to gas trade in Europe, rules and procedures under preparation by EASEE-gas, and the implementation schedule of these rules by operators. This article gathers 5 presentations about this topic given at the gas conference

Supporting inter-topic entity search for biomedical Linked Data based on heterogeneous relationships.

Science.gov (United States)

Zong, Nansu; Lee, Sungin; Ahn, Jinhyun; Kim, Hong-Gee

2017-08-01

The keyword-based entity search restricts search space based on the preference of search. When given keywords and preferences are not related to the same biomedical topic, existing biomedical Linked Data search engines fail to deliver satisfactory results. This research aims to tackle this issue by supporting an inter-topic search-improving search with inputs, keywords and preferences, under different topics. This study developed an effective algorithm in which the relations between biomedical entities were used in tandem with a keyword-based entity search, Siren. The algorithm, PERank, which is an adaptation of Personalized PageRank (PPR), uses a pair of input: (1) search preferences, and (2) entities from a keyword-based entity search with a keyword query, to formalize the search results on-the-fly based on the index of the precomputed Individual Personalized PageRank Vectors (IPPVs). Our experiments were performed over ten linked life datasets for two query sets, one with keyword-preference topic correspondence (intra-topic search), and the other without (inter-topic search). The experiments showed that the proposed method achieved better search results, for example a 14% increase in precision for the inter-topic search than the baseline keyword-based search engine. The proposed method improved the keyword-based biomedical entity search by supporting the inter-topic search without affecting the intra-topic search based on the relations between different entities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pervasive e-learning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hundebøl, Jesper; Helms, Niels Henrik

2009-01-01

This article falls within planning, production and delivery of innovative learning resources. The establishment of pervasive learning environments is based on the successful combination and re-configuration of inter-connected sets of learning objects, databases and data-streams. The text presents...... a definition of Pervasive Learning Environments and discusses the pedagogical potentials and challenges in developing such environments with emphasis on context, new didactics, content and affordances....

A Web-Based Learning Support System for Inquiry-Based Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Dong Won; Yao, Jingtao

The emergence of the Internet and Web technology makes it possible to implement the ideals of inquiry-based learning, in which students seek truth, information, or knowledge by questioning. Web-based learning support systems can provide a good framework for inquiry-based learning. This article presents a study on a Web-based learning support system called Online Treasure Hunt. The Web-based learning support system mainly consists of a teaching support subsystem, a learning support subsystem, and a treasure hunt game. The teaching support subsystem allows instructors to design their own inquiry-based learning environments. The learning support subsystem supports students' inquiry activities. The treasure hunt game enables students to investigate new knowledge, develop ideas, and review their findings. Online Treasure Hunt complies with a treasure hunt model. The treasure hunt model formalizes a general treasure hunt game to contain the learning strategies of inquiry-based learning. This Web-based learning support system empowered with the online-learning game and founded on the sound learning strategies furnishes students with the interactive and collaborative student-centered learning environment.

European inter-institutional impact study of MammaPrint

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cusumano, P. G.; Generali, D.; Ciruelos, E.; Manso, L.; Ghanem, I.; Lifrange, E.; Jerusalem, G.; Klaase, J.; de Snoo, F.; Stork-Sloots, L.; Dekker-Vroling, L.; Holzik, M. Lutke

Aim: To measure the impact of MammaPrint on adjuvant treatment decisions and to analyze the agreement in treatment decisions between hospitals from 4 European countries for the same patient cohort. Methods: Breast cancer patients were prospectively enrolled and MammaPrint was assessed. Patients'

A NEW CONCEPT IN LANGUAGE LEARNING: APPLICATION OF EUROPEAN LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmet GÜNEYLI

2006-12-01

Full Text Available This study aims to adapt European Language Portfolio (ELP to teaching Turkish as a foreign languagewhose application has been planned since 2005 in all European countries. With the European Language Passport programEuropean Validity Committee aims to set a langugage learning standard and encourage multi-culturalism among EUcountries. This program targets to find out which langugages the individuals speak and to discover where, how and whenthey have learnt the language. It also provides an opportunity for them to travel, reside and work in European countries.Today, ELP is in progress of becoming a common purpose in Europe. Therefore, ELP must be utilized in teaching Turkishas a foreign language. ELP must be piloted in laboratory schools through experimental studies with an approprietlydeveloped portfolio. Pilot projects must be applied in elementary, secondary, high schools and universities with acollaboration with the Ministry of Education. This study was conducted in TOMER ( the language center of AnkaraUniversity. For this study an experimental design was used. The sample includes 20 students in the control group and 20students in the experimental group. In this study students’ proficiency level of Turkish related to four basic language skills(reading, writing, listening and speaking and their attitude towards ELP application were examined.

An Inter-Personal Information Sharing Model Based on Personalized Recommendations

Science.gov (United States)

Kamei, Koji; Funakoshi, Kaname; Akahani, Jun-Ichi; Satoh, Tetsuji

In this paper, we propose an inter-personal information sharing model among individuals based on personalized recommendations. In the proposed model, we define an information resource as shared between people when both of them consider it important --- not merely when they both possess it. In other words, the model defines the importance of information resources based on personalized recommendations from identifiable acquaintances. The proposed method is based on a collaborative filtering system that focuses on evaluations from identifiable acquaintances. It utilizes both user evaluations for documents and their contents. In other words, each user profile is represented as a matrix of credibility to the other users' evaluations on each domain of interests. We extended the content-based collaborative filtering method to distinguish other users to whom the documents should be recommended. We also applied a concept-based vector space model to represent the domain of interests instead of the previous method which represented them by a term-based vector space model. We introduce a personalized concept-base compiled from each user's information repository to improve the information retrieval in the user's environment. Furthermore, the concept-spaces change from user to user since they reflect the personalities of the users. Because of different concept-spaces, the similarity between a document and a user's interest varies for each user. As a result, a user receives recommendations from other users who have different view points, achieving inter-personal information sharing based on personalized recommendations. This paper also describes an experimental simulation of our information sharing model. In our laboratory, five participants accumulated a personal repository of e-mails and web pages from which they built their own concept-base. Then we estimated the user profiles according to personalized concept-bases and sets of documents which others evaluated. We simulated

Problem-based learning versus lectures : comparison of academic results and time devoted by teachers in a course on Dentistry in Special Patients

OpenAIRE

Moreno López, Luis Alberto; Somacarrera Pérez, Mª Luisa; Díaz Rodríguez, Milagros; Campo Trapero, Julián; Cano Sánchez, Jorge

2009-01-01

Objectives: Problem-Based Learning (PBL) is a teaching-learning technique centred on the complete development of the student. It has been successfully implemented in several universities, notably in the health sciences. The process of creating the European Higher Education Area, initiated in Bologna, encourages European universities to use new methodologies in the teaching-learning process, including PBL. Our objectives were to analyze the results obtained by using PBL with fifth-year Den...

Lifelong Learning Policy Agenda in the European Union: A Bi-Level Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Panitsides, Eugenia A.; Anastasiadou, Sofia

2015-01-01

The Lisbon European Summit in 2000 has been a milestone in reframing education policies to foster a "knowledge economy", whilst amid the challenges of the new decennium Lifelong Learning (LLL) has been propounded as a powerful lever for attaining "sustainable growth". The present article aims to elucidate the development of an…

Development of an Online Smartphone-Based eLearning Nutrition Education Program for Low-Income Individuals.

Science.gov (United States)

Stotz, Sarah; Lee, Jung Sun

2018-01-01

The objective of this report was to describe the development process of an innovative smartphone-based electronic learning (eLearning) nutrition education program targeted to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education-eligible individuals, entitled Food eTalk. Lessons learned from the Food eTalk development process suggest that it is critical to include all key team members from the program's inception using effective inter-team communication systems, understand the unique resources needed, budget ample time for development, and employ an iterative development and evaluation model. These lessons have implications for researchers and funding agencies in developing an innovative evidence-based eLearning nutrition education program to an increasingly technology-savvy, low-income audience. Copyright © 2016 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impact assessment and policy learning in the European Commission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruddy, Thomas F.; Hilty, Lorenz M.

2008-01-01

Governance for sustainable development requires policy coherence and Environmental Policy Integration, which are being hindered by difficulties coordinating the two separate impact assessment processes being conducted in the European Commission. One of them, the Commission-wide Impact Assessment process, looks primarily at EU-internal impacts, whereas the other one, Sustainability Impact Assessment (SIA) in DG Trade, looks outward to other countries and intergovernmental organizations. Ideally, the two processes should complement one another, especially as the two are set to continue being done in parallel. The paper uses a case study of the reform of the European sugar regime under a World Trade Organization ruling to demonstrate how the two impact assessment processes could better complement one another. Feedback from the experience had with existing trade agreements could then promote policy learning and inform the negotiations on new agreements. The number of new bilateral and Regional Trade Agreements is expected to continue rising, thus increasing the importance of the Commission-wide Impact Assessment process required for them

Ethnic differences in inter- and intra-situational blood pressure variation: Comparisons among African-American, Hispanic-American, Asian-American, and European-American women.

Science.gov (United States)

James, Gary D; Bovbjerg, Dana H; Hill, Leah A

2016-11-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the daily inter- and intra-situational ambulatory blood pressure (BP) variation by ethnicity in women. The African-American (N = 82; Age = 39.7 + 8.9), Hispanic-American (N = 25; age = 37.5 + 9.4), Asian-American (N = 22; Age = 35.2 + 8.6), and European-American (N = 122; Age = 37.2+ 9.4) women in this study all worked in similar positions at two major medical centers in NYC. Each wore an ambulatory monitor during the course of one mid-week workday. Proportional BP changes from work or home to sleep, intra-situational BP variation (standard deviation [SD]) and mean situational BP levels were compared among the groups using ANOVA models. African-American and Asian-American women had significantly smaller proportional work-sleep systolic changes than either European- (P women, but the Asian-American women's changes tended to be smallest. The variability (SD) of diastolic BP at work was significantly greater among African- and Hispanic-American women compared to Asian- and European-American women (all P women had greater sleep variability than European-American women (P Asian-American women had the highest level of sleep diastolic pressure (all comparisons P Asian-American women have an attenuated proportional BP decline from waking environments to sleep compared to European-American and Hispanic-American women. Asian-American nocturnal BP may be elevated relative to all other groups. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:932-935, 2016. © 2016Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Mapping Judicial Dialogue across National Borders: An Exploratory Network Study of Learning from Lobbying among European Intellectual Property Judges

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emmanuel Lazega

2012-05-01

Full Text Available This paper looks at dialogue and collective learning across borders through personal networks of judges. We focus on judges participating in the Venice Forum, bringing together European patent judges involved in institutional lobbying for the construction of a European Patent Court. Empirical observation shows that personal networks of discussion with foreign judges, reading of their work and references to their decisions do exist in this milieu and can be mapped. Our network study shows that judges from some European countries are more active in this dialogue than judges from other countries. The learning process is driven, to some extent, by a small subset of super-central judges who frame this dialogue and can be considered to be opinion leaders in this social milieu. We measure a strong level of consensus among the judges on several controversial issues surrounding the procedure of a possible future European Patent Court. But strong differences between them remain. Dialogue and collective learning do not, by themselves, lead to convergence towards a uniform position in these controversies.

Inter-laboratory exercise on steroid estrogens in aqueous samples

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heath, E.; Kosjek, T.; Andersen, Henrik Rasmus

2010-01-01

to the analytical techniques applied, the accuracy and reproducibility of the analytical methods and the nature of the sample matrices. Overall, the results obtained in this inter-laboratory exercise reveal a high level of competence among the participating laboratories for the detection of steroid estrogens......An inter-laboratory comparison exercise was organized among European laboratories, under the aegis of EU COST Action 636: "Xenobiotics in Urban Water Cycle" The objective was to evaluate the performance of testing laboratories determining "Endocrine Disrupting Compounds" (EDC) in various aqueous...

Policies of Adult Education in Portugal and France: The European Agenda of Validation of Non-Formal and Informal Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Cavaco, C.; Lafont, P.; Pariat, M.

2014-01-01

This article analyses the influence of the European Union's educational policies on the implementation of devices for the recognition and the validation of informal and non-formal learning within public policies on education and training for adults in European Union Member States. Portugal and France are taken as examples. The European Union's…

Revisiting Inter-Genre Similarity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sturm, Bob L.; Gouyon, Fabien

2013-01-01

We revisit the idea of ``inter-genre similarity'' (IGS) for machine learning in general, and music genre recognition in particular. We show analytically that the probability of error for IGS is higher than naive Bayes classification with zero-one loss (NB). We show empirically that IGS does...... not perform well, even for data that satisfies all its assumptions....

Exploration of Exploitation Approaches of European Projects on ICT and Foreign Language Learning: the CEFcult project case

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rusman, Ellen; Rajagopal, Kamakshi; Stoyanov, Slavi; Van Maele, Jan

2011-01-01

Rusman, E., Rajagopal, K., Stoyanov, S., & Van Maele, J. (2011, 20-21 October). Exploration of Exploitation Approaches of European Projects on ICT and Foreign Language Learning: the CEFcult project case. Paper presented at the 4th International Conference ICT for Language Learning, Florence, Italy.

Inter-ethnic differences in valve morphology, valvular dysfunction, and aortopathy between Asian and European patients with bicuspid aortic valve.

Science.gov (United States)

Kong, William K F; Regeer, Madelien V; Poh, Kian K; Yip, James W; van Rosendael, Philippe J; Yeo, Tiong C; Tay, Edgar; Kamperidis, Vasileios; van der Velde, Enno T; Mertens, Bart; Ajmone Marsan, Nina; Delgado, Victoria; Bax, Jeroen J

2018-04-14

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has been shown safe and feasible in patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) morphology. Evaluation of inter-ethnic differences in valve morphology and function and aortic root dimensions in patients with BAV is important for the worldwide spread of this therapy in this subgroup of patients. Comparisons between large European and Asian cohorts of patients with BAV have not been performed, and potential differences between populations may have important implications for TAVR. The present study evaluated the differences in valve morphology and function and aortic root dimensions between two large cohorts of European and Asian patients with BAV. Aortic valve morphology was defined on transthoracic echocardiography according to the number of commissures and raphe: type 0 = no raphe and two commissures, type 1 = one raphe and two commissures, type 2 = two raphes and one commissure. Aortic stenosis and regurgitation were graded according to current recommendations. For this study, aortic root dimensions were manually measured on transthoracic echocardiograms at the level of the aortic annulus, sinus of Valsalva (SOV), sinotubular junction (STJ), and ascending aorta (AA). Of 1427 patients with BAV (45.2 ± 18.1 years, 71.9% men), 794 (55.6%) were Europeans and 633 (44.4%) were Asians. The groups were comparable in age and proportion of male sex. Asians had higher prevalence of type 1 BAV with raphe between right and non-coronary cusps than Europeans (19.7% vs. 13.6%, respectively; P < 0.001), whereas the Europeans had higher prevalence of type 0 BAV (two commissures, no raphe) than Asians (14.5% vs. 6.8%, respectively; P < 0.001). The prevalence of moderate and severe aortic regurgitation was higher in Europeans than Asians (44.2% vs. 26.8%, respectively; P < 0.001) whereas there were no differences in BAV with normal function or aortic stenosis. After adjusting for demographics, comorbidities

Knowledge based economy in European Union

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ecaterina Stănculescu

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Nowadays we assist at a fundamental change from the economy based mainly on resources to the one based mostly on knowledge. The concept has been launched in the last decade of the past century. The knowledge became a production agent and a value creation instrument for whatever country and of course for an entire community like European Union which is constantly concerned by its development and competitiveness. This paper presents the principal characteristics of the present EU preoccupations with the expansion of a knowledge based economy through the 2020 European Development Strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive economy, and especially for the Framework Programs (Framework Programme 7 and Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme.

Report on inter-noise 99; Inter-noise 99 sanka hokok

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koike, H. [Japan Automobile Research Institute Inc., Tsukuba (Japan)

2000-04-01

Inter-Noise (International Congress on Noise Control Engineering) is a society on noise/vibration and the control technology. Inter-Noise 99 was held on December 6, 7 and 8, 1999, at Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the U.S. The theme was Noise Control in the New Millennium. The number of the participants registered was 555 (151 from the U.S., 89 from Japan, 248 from European countries, and 69 from Asian/other countries). Dr. Harold Marshall gave a keynote lecture titled Noise Control by Design in the 21st Century - An Architectural Acoustic Perspective. From a standpoint of architectural acoustics, he stated the perspective, subjects, and course of the technical development pertaining to technologies needed in the 21st century. The papers read are mostly from the following fields: measuring technology, military exercise noise, modeling, forecast and simulation, aerodynamic/underwater sound, etc. In the session on the tire noise where the author read a paper, 14 papers were read. The number of the papers read was more than that in 1998, probably influenced by the tire noise regulation in Europe and Japan. (translated by NEDO)

PBL - Problem Based Learning for Companies and Clusters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hamburg, I; Vladut, G.

2016-07-01

Small and medium sized companies (SMEs) assure economic growth in Europe. Generally many SMEs are struggling to survive in an ongoing global recession and often they are becoming reluctant to release or pay for staff training. In this paper we present shortly the learning methods in SMEs particularly the Problem Based Learning (PBL) as an efficient form for SMEs and entrepreneurship education. In the field of Urban Logistics it was developed four Clusters with potential of innovation and research in four European Regions: Tuscany - Italy, Valencia - Spain, Lisbon and Tagus - Portugal, Oltenia – Romania. Training and mentoring for SMEs, are essential to create competitiveness. Information and communication technologies (ICT) support the tutors by using an ICT platform which is in the development. (Author)

The Rise of the Information Society amongst European Academics

Science.gov (United States)

Salajan, Florin D.

2008-01-01

This study investigates the information society discourse in the European Union in relation to the European Commission's eLearning programmes, based on selected academics' conceptualisation of the term. It reveals a mixed picture of the perceptions that academics have of the information society in their respective countries. The findings indicate…

Inter-municipal communities as semi-regional (quasi governments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Golić Darko

2014-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper, the author discusses specific forms of integrated inter-municipal cooperation in some European countries which have certain characteristics of regional governments. Relying on the analysis of different forms of this inter-municipal cooperation, the author elaborates on some common features underlying these communities, with specific reference to their functional aspects. Bearing in mind that the imminent needs for regional planning, coordination of local policies and operation of regional offices are exercised through different institutional solutions, we point out that it is possible to provide an appropriate institutional and decentralized framework for accomplishing these goals even without changing the existing territorial organization system. Although the entities that are created through these specific forms of inter-municipal cooperation cannot be designated as territorial-political units in institutional terms, this is what they are from a functional point of view.

Learning second language vocabulary: neural dissociation of situation-based learning and text-based learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeong, Hyeonjeong; Sugiura, Motoaki; Sassa, Yuko; Wakusawa, Keisuke; Horie, Kaoru; Sato, Shigeru; Kawashima, Ryuta

2010-04-01

Second language (L2) acquisition necessitates learning and retrieving new words in different modes. In this study, we attempted to investigate the cortical representation of an L2 vocabulary acquired in different learning modes and in cross-modal transfer between learning and retrieval. Healthy participants learned new L2 words either by written translations (text-based learning) or in real-life situations (situation-based learning). Brain activity was then measured during subsequent retrieval of these words. The right supramarginal gyrus and left middle frontal gyrus were involved in situation-based learning and text-based learning, respectively, whereas the left inferior frontal gyrus was activated when learners used L2 knowledge in a mode different from the learning mode. Our findings indicate that the brain regions that mediate L2 memory differ according to how L2 words are learned and used. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Association Between Dietary Flavonoid and Lignan Intakes and Incident Type 2 Diabetes in European Populations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zamora-Ros, Raul; Forouhi, Nita G.; Sharp, Stephen J.

2013-01-01

OBJECTIVE To study the association between dietary flavonoid and lignan intakes, and the risk of development of type 2 diabetes among European populations.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition-InterAct case-cohort study included 12,403 incide...... demonstrate inverse associations between flavonoids, particularly flavanols and flavonols, and incident type 2 diabetes. This suggests a potential protective role of eating a diet rich in flavonoids, a dietary pattern based on plant-based foods, in the prevention of type 2 diabetes....

Inter-teaching: Improving the Academic Performance of Auditing Students in Vietnam

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mark Wheaton

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of inter-teaching; a student engagement pedagogy associated with behavioural and engagement theories and designed to engage students in their own learning. This methodology was introduced as a response to create a more positive outcome for students studying an auditing course who have historically experienced difficulties with successfully completing the subject. Inter-teaching was implemented and its effectiveness measured by comparing the final exam grade distributions from inter-teaching and the lecture tutorial teaching methods. Using a quantitative research methodology, students fail grade distributions were significantly lower in the inter-teaching semesters compared to previous semesters where the instructional method of teaching was the lecture model. The results suggested that inter-teaching may be a more effective method of teaching, resulting in an improved academic performance in the auditing course. It is expected that this study will contribute towards the effectiveness of student learning, an improvement in pass rates, and overall greater student satisfaction in advanced accounting courses.

From the Editors: Resource Centers for Learning and Research (RCLR), and strategic librarian’s services for an Europe based on knowledge

OpenAIRE

Sílvia Sunyer Lazaro

2006-01-01

The development processes of the European Space for Higher Education (ESHE) and the European Research Area (ERA) are two big challenges that European Union must face, if it has to evolve from an industry-based society to a knowledge-based one. The goals fixed by ESHE and ESR fully affect the main activities of higher education: learning, teaching and research. Being a supporting facility for these activities, university libraries are affected by these processes too. To face that challeng...

Motivation, students' needs and learning outcomes: a hybrid game-based app for enhanced language learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Berns, Anke; Isla-Montes, José-Luis; Palomo-Duarte, Manuel; Dodero, Juan-Manuel

2016-01-01

In the context of European Higher Education students face an increasing focus on independent, individual learning-at the expense of face-to-face interaction. Hence learners are, all too often, not provided with enough opportunities to negotiate in the target language. The current case study aims to address this reality by going beyond conventional approaches to provide students with a hybrid game-based app, combining individual and collaborative learning opportunities. The 4-week study was carried out with 104 German language students (A1.2 CEFR) who had previously been enrolled in a first-semester A1.1 level course at a Spanish university. The VocabTrainerA1 app-designed specifically for this study-harnesses the synergy of combining individual learning tasks and a collaborative murder mystery game in a hybrid level-based architecture. By doing so, the app provides learners with opportunities to apply their language skills to real-life-like communication. The purpose of the study was twofold: on one hand we aimed to measure learner motivation, perceived usefulness and added value of hybrid game-based apps; on the other, we sought to determine their impact on language learning. To this end, we conducted focus group interviews and an anonymous Technology Acceptance Model survey (TAM). In addition, students took a pre-test and a post-test. Scores from both tests were compared with the results obtained in first-semester conventional writing tasks, with a view to measure learning outcomes. The study provides qualitative and quantitative data supporting our initial hypotheses. Our findings suggest that hybrid game-based apps like VocabTrainerA1-which seamlessly combine individual and collaborative learning tasks-motivate learners, stimulate perceived usefulness and added value, and better meet the language learning needs of today's digital natives. In terms of acceptance, outcomes and sustainability, the data indicate that hybrid game-based apps significantly improve

Smartness of Learning Ecosystems and its bottom-up emergence in six European Campuses

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Giovannella, Carlo; Andone, Diana; Dascalu, Mihai

by the Maslow’s Pyramid and on the achievement of the state of “flow” by the actors involved in the learning processes. Here we report on the first validation of such a benchmarking approach that has been tested in six European Campuses involving more than 800 students. The critical analysis of the outcomes...

Sustainability inter-linkages in reporting vindeicated: a study of European companies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lozano, R.

2013-01-01

Recently, there has been a rapid growth in company sustainability reporting, as well as an improvement in quality of reports. A number of guidelines have been instrumental in this process; however, they still do not consider the importance of the inter-linkages and synergies among the different

European Citizenship and Youth in Bulgaria: A Qualitative Comparative Analysis between Bulgarians and Bulgarian Turks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gianfranco Brusaporci

2015-05-01

Full Text Available European citizenship is a new concept, which has evolved with the process of European integration. Starting from the younger generations, the EU seeks to establish a modern and innovative view of citizenship through three fundamental elements - rights, identity and participation - that could lead to new ways of conceiving the relationship of institutions-citizens and citizenscitizens. The idea of European citizenship tends to overcome the historical idea of national states and national identity. It does this by reinforcing its supranational nature and developing an attitude of tolerance towards diversity and human/minority rights. Thus, to verify the impact European citizenship has on the younger generation in Bulgaria, this research is based on an inter-ethnic sample of 30 interviews (16 Bulgarians, 14 Bulgarian Turks and applies a qualitative comparative analysis method. This research seeks to answer these two main questions: 1 How do young Bulgarians perceive the concept of EU citizenship? 2 How do young Bulgarians perceive the new European citizenship in regard to the inter-ethnic relations in their own country? The study suggests that the EU’s attempt to promote European citizenship is underachieving. On the one hand, young Bulgarian people tend to be well exposed to European citizenship, irrespective of their ethnic belonging. On the other hand, the majority of them are sceptical of the tangible value of European citizenship for the reinforcement of a more encompassing and shared notion of diversity and minority rights.

European Marine Information System. Eumaris; European Marine Information System. Eumaris

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Caiaffa, E. [ENEA, Centro Ricerche Casaccia, Rome (Italy). Dipt. Ambiente

1999-07-01

The present paper summarises the activities developed by ETC/MCE, under European Environment Agency (EEA) contract, on the Geographic Information System. The aim of present paper is to introduce some general concepts about the Geographic Information Systems and to investigate the potential of G.I.S. as tool for the assessment of the European seas. Care has also been taken to explain the main technical and educational reasons that led to EUMARIS GIS birth, its evolution in the last year, till to its presentation at the Inter-Regional Forum of the European Conventions held in Venice. GIS is a technological tool phenomenon involving various aspects and different issues; many examples of thematic maps involving that different subjects are shown in the paper. [Italian] Il presente articolo riassume le attivita' svolte, nell'ambito del Geographic Information System, dall'ETC/MCE sotto contratto con l'Agenzia Europea per l'Ambiente (EEA) che ha sede a Copenhagen. Scopo del presente articolo e' quello di introdurre alcuni concetti generali sui Geographic Information System (GIS) e di dimostrare la possibilita' di utilizzare il GIS stesso come strumento per la valutazione dello stato dei mari dell'Europa. Si e' cercato di spiegare le principali ragioni tecniche che hanno portato alla nascita del progeto del GIS EUMARIS, alla sua realizzazione fino alla sua presentazione all'Inter-Regional Forum of European Conventions tenutosi a Venezia. Si e' cercato anche di mostrare come un GIS per sua natura e' uno strumento che coinvolge vari aspetti tecnologici e differenti tipi di dati; nell'articolo vengono mostrati diversi esempi di mappe tematiche che contengono tali differenti argomenti.

Innovation in learning - An inter-professional approach to improving communication.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitchell, Marion; Groves, Michele; Mitchell, Charles; Batkin, Judy

2010-11-01

Inter-professional education (IPE) is recognised as a major way of introducing students in the health professions to the importance of teamwork and communication in the delivery of excellent healthcare. This pilot project evaluated mixed versus single discipline group tutorials of nursing and medical students as a way to promote IPE and understanding of communication. Four tutorial sessions were video-recorded and analysed using a video analysis coding grid. Additional data were drawn from student evaluations and assessment of group participation and were subjected to quantitative and qualitative analysis. The case study as portrayed in the DVD was thought to provide an effective learning tool by both sets of students. Medical students rated the need for mixed group tutorials significantly lower than the nursing students who thought the tutorial activity helped with an appreciation of the importance of communication to effective teamwork. However, medical students in the single discipline group did not understand the nursing role. The resources fostered reflection on student's own professional role as well as others; however, the importance of communication within the nursing role needs to be recognised by nursing students and curriculum designers. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An action research protocol to strengthen system-wide inter-professional learning and practice [LP0775514

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Travaglia Joanne

2007-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Inter-professional learning (IPL and inter-professional practice (IPP are thought to be critical determinants of effective care, improved quality and safety and enhanced provider morale, yet few empirical studies have demonstrated this. Whole-of-system research is even less prevalent. We aim to provide a four year, multi-method, multi-collaborator action research program of IPL and IPP in defined, bounded health and education systems located in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT. The project is funded by the Australian Research Council under its industry Linkage Program. Methods/Design The program of research will examine in four inter-related, prospective studies, progress with IPL and IPP across tertiary education providers, professional education, regulatory and registration bodies, the ACT health system's streams of care activities and teams, units and wards of the provider facilities of the ACT health system. One key focus will be on push-pull mechanisms, ie, how the education sector creates student-enabled IPP and the health sector demands IPL-oriented practitioners. The studies will examine four research aims and meet 20 research project objectives in a comprehensive evaluation of ongoing progress with IPL and IPP. Discussion IPP and IPL are said to be cornerstones of health system reforms. We will measure progress across an entire health system and the clinical and professional education systems that feed into it. The value of multi-methods, partnership research and a bi-directional push-pull model of IPL and IPP will be tested. Widespread dissemination of results to practitioners, policymakers, managers and researchers will be a key project goal.

Atmospheric Correction Inter-comparison Exercise (ACIX)

Science.gov (United States)

Vermote, E.; Doxani, G.; Gascon, F.; Roger, J. C.; Skakun, S.

2017-12-01

The free and open data access policy to Landsat-8 (L-8) and Sentinel-2 (S-2) satellite imagery has encouraged the development of atmospheric correction (AC) approaches for generating Bottom-of-Atmosphere (BOA) products. Several entities have started to generate (or plan to generate in the short term) BOA reflectance products at global scale for L-8 and S-2 missions. To this end, the European Space Agency (ESA) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) have initiated an exercise on the inter-comparison of the available AC processors. The results of the exercise are expected to point out the strengths and weaknesses, as well as communalities and discrepancies of various AC processors, in order to suggest and define ways for their further improvement. In particular, 11 atmospheric processors from five different countries participate in ACIX with the aim to inter-compare their performance when applied to L-8 and S-2 data. All the processors should be operational without requiring parametrization when applied on different areas. A protocol describing in details the inter-comparison metrics and the test dataset based on the AERONET sites has been agreed unanimously during the 1st ACIX workshop in June 2016. In particular, a basic and an advanced run of each of the processor were requested in the frame of ACIX, with the aim to draw robust and reliable conclusions on the processors' performance. The protocol also describes the comparison metrics of the aerosol optical thickness and water vapour products of the processors with the corresponding AERONET measurements. Moreover, concerning the surface reflectances, the inter-comparison among the processors is defined, as well as the comparison with the MODIS surface reflectance and with a reference surface reflectance product. Such a reference product will be obtained using the AERONET characterization of the aerosol (size distribution and refractive indices) and an accurate radiative transfer code. The inter

Knowledge Circulations in Inter-Para/Professional Practice: A Sociomaterial Enquiry

Science.gov (United States)

Fenwick, Tara

2014-01-01

In studies of professional learning, the rise of sociomaterial accounts draw attention to the political importance of nonhuman as well as human actors, the material as well as discursive, as inter-related in knowing and action. Of particular relevance to the issue of inter-professional work in health services, some researchers have argued that…

Parental Choice of Schooling, Learning Processes and Inter-Ethnic Friendship Patterns: The Case of Malay Students in Chinese Primary Schools in Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Sua, Tan Yao; Ngah, Kamarudin; Darit, Sezali Md.

2013-01-01

This study surveys 200 Malay students enrolled in three Chinese primary schools in relation to three issues, i.e., parental choice of schooling, learning processes and inter-ethnic friendship patterns. The three issues are explored through a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies. Parental expectations for their…

Participation, Democracy and Citizenship of Indigenous Peoples in the International Context Through the European systems and Inter-American Human Rights

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roberto Luiz Silva

2016-06-01

Full Text Available This article presents the global democratization for the protection of minorities through the global promotion of European systems and Inter-American Human Rights. At the level of international human rights law, these ideas are the basis of so-called “speci- fication process rights of individuals”, according to which, in addition to general universal rights extended to all, there is need to recognize specific rights to certain groups vulne- rable in society. With the goal of achieving real equality, or at least reduce the existing factual inequalities. Thus, consolidation of protection of minorities reflects the situation of need access to fair legal system to ensure the effectiveness of fundamental rights and the full consolidation of access to justice through the international courts of justice, aimed at protection of human rights the international context.

Exploration of Exploitation Approaches of European Projects on ICT and Foreign Language Learning: the CEFcult project case

OpenAIRE

Rusman, Ellen; Rajagopal, Kamakshi; Stoyanov, Slavi; Van Maele, Jan

2011-01-01

Rusman, E., Rajagopal, K., Stoyanov, S., & Van Maele, J. (2011, 20-21 October). Exploration of Exploitation Approaches of European Projects on ICT and Foreign Language Learning: the CEFcult project case. Paper presented at the 4th International Conference ICT for Language Learning, Florence, Italy. Available at: http://www.pixel-online.net/ICT4LL2011/conferenceproceedings.php

Learning between projects: More than sending messages in bottles

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hartmann, Andreas; Dorée, André

2015-01-01

Although learning from projects has gained much importance in research and practice, progress in understanding and improving inter-project learning appears to be slight. We argue that the adoption of a sender/receiver approach limits the learning effectiveness in project-based organisations. Drawing

eLearning in education and advanced training in neuroradiology: introduction of a web-based teaching and learning application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zajaczek, J.E.W.; Goetz, F.; Haubitz, B.; Donnerstag, F.; Becker, H.; Kupka, T.; Behrends, M.; Matthies, H.K.; Rodt, T.; Walter, G.F.

2006-01-01

New information technologies offer the possibility of major improvements in the professional education and advanced training of physicians. The web-based, multimedia teaching and learning application Schoolbook has been created and utilized for neuroradiology. Schoolbook is technically based as a content management system and is realized in a LAMP environment. The content is generated with the help of the developed system and stored in a database. The layout is defined by a PHP application, and the webpages are generated from the system. Schoolbook is realized as an authoring tool so that it can be integrated into daily practice. This enables the teacher to autonomously process the content into the web-based application which is used for lectures, seminars and self-study. A multimedia case library is the central building block of Schoolbook for neuroradiology, whereby the learner is provided with original diagnostic and therapeutic data from numerous individual cases. The user can put individual emphasis on key learning points as there are various ways to work with the case histories. Besides the case-based way of teaching and learning, a systematically structured way of dealing with the content is available. eLearning offers various opportunities for teaching and learning in academic and scientific as well as in economic contexts. Web-based applications such as Schoolbook may be beneficial not only for basic university education but also for the realization of international educational programmes such as the European Master of Medical Science with a major in neuroradiology. (orig.)

eLearning in education and advanced training in neuroradiology: introduction of a web-based teaching and learning application.

Science.gov (United States)

Zajaczek, J E W; Götz, F; Kupka, T; Behrends, M; Haubitz, B; Donnerstag, F; Rodt, T; Walter, G F; Matthies, H K; Becker, H

2006-09-01

New information technologies offer the possibility of major improvements in the professional education and advanced training of physicians. The web-based, multimedia teaching and learning application Schoolbook has been created and utilized for neuroradiology. Schoolbook is technically based as a content management system and is realized in a LAMP environment. The content is generated with the help of the developed system and stored in a database. The layout is defined by a PHP application, and the webpages are generated from the system. Schoolbook is realized as an authoring tool so that it can be integrated into daily practice. This enables the teacher to autonomously process the content into the web-based application which is used for lectures, seminars and self-study. A multimedia case library is the central building block of Schoolbook for neuroradiology, whereby the learner is provided with original diagnostic and therapeutic data from numerous individual cases. The user can put individual emphasis on key learning points as there are various ways to work with the case histories. Besides the case-based way of teaching and learning, a systematically structured way of dealing with the content is available. eLearning offers various opportunities for teaching and learning in academic and scientific as well as in economic contexts. Web-based applications such as Schoolbook may be beneficial not only for basic university education but also for the realization of international educational programmes such as the European Master of Medical Science with a major in neuroradiology.

eLearning in education and advanced training in neuroradiology: introduction of a web-based teaching and learning application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zajaczek, J.E.W. [Hannover Medical School, Department of Neuroradiology (OE 8210), Hannover (Germany); Hannover Medical School, Department of Medical Informatics, Hannover (Germany); Goetz, F.; Haubitz, B.; Donnerstag, F.; Becker, H. [Hannover Medical School, Department of Neuroradiology (OE 8210), Hannover (Germany); Kupka, T.; Behrends, M.; Matthies, H.K. [Hannover Medical School, Department of Medical Informatics, Hannover (Germany); Rodt, T. [Hannover Medical School, Department of Neurosurgery, Hannover (Germany); Walter, G.F. [Medical University of Graz, Graz (Austria)

2006-09-15

New information technologies offer the possibility of major improvements in the professional education and advanced training of physicians. The web-based, multimedia teaching and learning application Schoolbook has been created and utilized for neuroradiology. Schoolbook is technically based as a content management system and is realized in a LAMP environment. The content is generated with the help of the developed system and stored in a database. The layout is defined by a PHP application, and the webpages are generated from the system. Schoolbook is realized as an authoring tool so that it can be integrated into daily practice. This enables the teacher to autonomously process the content into the web-based application which is used for lectures, seminars and self-study. A multimedia case library is the central building block of Schoolbook for neuroradiology, whereby the learner is provided with original diagnostic and therapeutic data from numerous individual cases. The user can put individual emphasis on key learning points as there are various ways to work with the case histories. Besides the case-based way of teaching and learning, a systematically structured way of dealing with the content is available. eLearning offers various opportunities for teaching and learning in academic and scientific as well as in economic contexts. Web-based applications such as Schoolbook may be beneficial not only for basic university education but also for the realization of international educational programmes such as the European Master of Medical Science with a major in neuroradiology. (orig.)

Outline and Evaluation of a Joint European and Canadian Virtual Mobility: e-Learning Project

Science.gov (United States)

Hilliard, Alan

2006-01-01

The "virtual mobility" project was created as part of a joint Canadian and European Commission funded project to explore cross-cultural clinical curricular developments in the radiation sciences. The aim of the project was to facilitate student learning of the cross-cultural differences in the delivery of healthcare within the…

Cross-Cultural Issues of Intra- and Inter-Organisational Cooperation in Space Operations: A Survey Study with Ground Personnel of the European Space Agency

Science.gov (United States)

Mjeldheim Sandal, Gro; Mjeldheim Sandal, Gro; Manzey, Dietrich

Today's space operations often involve close co-working of people with different ethnical, professional and organizational backgrounds. The aim of the study was to examine the implications of cultural diversity for efficient collaboration within the European Space Agency (ESA), and between ESA employees and representatives from other agencies. Methods: A web-based survey was answered by 905 employees at the European Astronaut Centre and at the European Space Technology Centre. An adapted version of the Flight Management Attitude Questionnaire by Helmreich and Merrit was used. Personnel were also asked about interpersonal and operational issues that interfered with efficient co-working within ESA and in relation to other space agencies. Results: Collaboration within ESA: A descriptive analysis was conducted of the rank orders of challenges perceived by members of different nationalities (the Netherlands (N=68), German (N=138), Italian (N=135), French (N=124), British (N=84) and Scandinavian (27).Rank orders show a surprisingly uniformity across nationalities. Most respondents perceived differences in the preferred leadership style as the main challenge for co-working in multi-national groups followed by differences in dealing with conflicts and misunderstandings. In contrast communication problems due different languages and differences in non-verbal behaviour, as well as differences in gender stereotypes were among the lowest rated issues. However, Scandinavian respondents showed a different pattern from other nationalities. Collaboration between agencies: The most significant issues reported to interfere with the efficiency of inter-agency collaboration varied. Most difficulties were reported in relation to clarity of communication, insufficient sharing of task related information, understanding the process of decision making in partner organization, and authoritarian leadership style in the partner organization Conclusion: Cultural differences in leadership and

Problem Based Learning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

de Graaff, Erik; Guerra, Aida

, the key principles remain the same everywhere. Graaff & Kolmos (2003) identify the main PBL principles as follows: 1. Problem orientation 2. Project organization through teams or group work 3. Participant-directed 4. Experiental learning 5. Activity-based learning 6. Interdisciplinary learning and 7...... model and in general problem based and project based learning. We apply the principle of teach as you preach. The poster aims to outline the visitors’ workshop programme showing the results of some recent evaluations.......Problem-Based Learning (PBL) is an innovative method to organize the learning process in such a way that the students actively engage in finding answers by themselves. During the past 40 years PBL has evolved and diversified resulting in a multitude in variations in models and practices. However...

Models of Inter-Organizational Logistics Management in Slovenia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sašo Murtič

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Throughout the history, the transportation of goods and related logistics have played an important role in human development and existence. This pertains to numerous interlinked processes, whose management is often linked to social system, international linkages, development of industry, market and market specifics. In modern times, the management of these processes is increasingly bound to globalization of production and market, moving of production to countries with cheaper labour force, environmental protection. The present Slovenian economy depends to a large extent on economies and corporate relations of the European Union and the world. Such inter-connectedness demands frequent transportation of semi-finished and finished goods. By providing timely delivery of goods, transportation consequently enables inter-organizational linkages and individual production, economic, market and other processes. Organizational and inter-organizational management of transport logistics demands profound understanding of transport flows, freight forwarding expertise and knowledge of transport, tax, environmental and other related regulations. Adequate knowledge and mastering of cultural, linguistic, national and other differences is important as well. The presented analysis and evaluation form the basis of the construction of inter-organizational model of logistics management in Slovenia.

European wet deposition maps based on measurements

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Leeuwen EP van; Erisman JW; Draaijers GPJ; Potma CJM; Pul WAJ van; LLO

1995-01-01

To date, wet deposition maps on a European scale have been based on long-range transport model results. For most components wet deposition maps based on measurements are only available on national scales. Wet deposition maps of acidifying components and base cations based on measurements are needed

Inter-Professional Team Objective Structured Clinical Examination (ITOSCE: Teaching and Assessment Strategies of the Inter Professional Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fatemeh Keshmiri

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Background: In the recent decades, Inter-Professional Team Objective Structured Clinical Examination (ITOSCE has been considered as an efficient tool in evaluating the teamwork and the Inter-professional competences. The aim of this study was to review the literature related ITOSCE as educational tool. Method: This narrative review study was conducted in 2015. Relevant literature was found by searching the databases such as: PubMed, Medline, CINAHL, Google Scholar, Science Direct, EBSCO, ProQuest. Title searching was performed in full English texts without time limitation using keywords including; Team, Inter professional Team, Group, Inter-disciplinary, Objective Structured Clinical Examination (TOSCE, ITOSCE, GOSCE. Results: 19 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analyses. In 13 studies, ITOSCE was used as an assessment tool, and in 6 studies as a learning tool. ITOSCE had been used in several fields such as: obstetrics, gynecology, emergency, palliative care with participating of a variety of disciplines, including: medicine, pharmacy, several trends of nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and Social working. Conclusion: Eventually, it can be noted that ITOSCE plays significant role as an educational and evaluation tool to improve inter-professional teamwork competences among the students. Further studies are needed to develop to examine the psychometric criteria of ITOSCE.

Lessons learnt on recruitment and fieldwork from a pilot European human biomonitoring survey

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fiddicke, Ulrike; Becker, Kerstin; Schwedler, Gerda

2015-01-01

, training of interviewers in all issues of recruitment, fieldwork and sampling through information material and training sessions is crucial. A survey involving many European countries needs time for preparation and conduct. Materials for quality control prepared for all steps of recruitment, fieldwork...... biomonitoring (HBM) survey which came into action as the pilot study DEMOCOPHES (DEMOnstration of a study to COordinate and Perform Human biomonitoring on a European Scale). Seventeen European countries conducted a survey with harmonized instruments for, inter alia, recruitment, fieldwork and sampling......, in autumn/winter 2011/2012. Based on the countries' experiences of conducting the pilot study, following lessons learnt were compiled: the harmonized fieldwork instruments (basic questionnaire, urine and hair sampling) turned out to be very valuable for future HBM surveys on the European scale. A school...

Convergence of the National Public Administration Systems within the European Union in the Context of the European Model Emergence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cezar Corneliu MANDA

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The long running history for over half a century of the European Union was marked initially by the need to approach the member states’ administrations, with a view to getting them more compatible, as a prerequisite of the EU’s functioning, at the foreseen political-legal and economic parameters, and then the respective tendency started to intensify progressively relative to the more and more ambitious goals and objectives of the European Union establishment. Today we witness an increased dynamics of such a process which seems to integrate even the specificities derived from the sovereignty elements, considered not long ago as sacred, at the states level, a processuality whose finality consists in the continuous consolidation of the European administrative area, as an essential corollary to the effective inter-community mechanisms development, equally as an effect of the states’ integration but also a condition for the European project success. In such a context, the present approach proposes to analyse and identify the degree of cohesion and of similarity between the EU states administrations, which revolve around the emergence of the common characteristics, considered as authentic values of the administrative area, susceptible to be accepted altogether as bases for the European administration model, whose outline tends to become more visible.

Atmospheric Correction Inter-Comparison Exercise

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Georgia Doxani

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The Atmospheric Correction Inter-comparison eXercise (ACIX is an international initiative with the aim to analyse the Surface Reflectance (SR products of various state-of-the-art atmospheric correction (AC processors. The Aerosol Optical Thickness (AOT and Water Vapour (WV are also examined in ACIX as additional outputs of AC processing. In this paper, the general ACIX framework is discussed; special mention is made of the motivation to initiate the experiment, the inter-comparison protocol, and the principal results. ACIX is free and open and every developer was welcome to participate. Eventually, 12 participants applied their approaches to various Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 image datasets acquired over sites around the world. The current results diverge depending on the sensors, products, and sites, indicating their strengths and weaknesses. Indeed, this first implementation of processor inter-comparison was proven to be a good lesson for the developers to learn the advantages and limitations of their approaches. Various algorithm improvements are expected, if not already implemented, and the enhanced performances are yet to be assessed in future ACIX experiments.

Simulation and Analysis of Autonomous Time Synchronization Based on Asynchronism Two-way Inter-satellite Link

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, L.; Yang, X. H.; Sun, B. Q.; Qin, W. J.; Kong, Y.

2013-09-01

The measurement of the inter-satellite link is one of the key techniques in the autonomous operation of satellite navigation system. Based on the asynchronism inter-satellite two-way measurement mode in GPS constellation, the reduction formula of the inter-satellite time synchronization is built in this paper. Moreover, the corrective method of main systematic errors is proposed. Inter-satellite two-way time synchronization is simulated on the basis of IGS (International GNSS Service) precise ephemeris. The impacts of the epoch domestication of asynchronism inter-satellite link pseudo-range, the initial orbit, and the main systematic errors on satellite time synchronization are analyzed. Furthermore, the broadcast clock error of each satellite is calculated by the ``centralized'' inter-satellite autonomous time synchronization. Simulation results show that the epoch domestication of asynchronism inter-satellite link pseudo-range and the initial orbit have little impact on the satellite clock errors, and thus they needn't be taken into account. The errors caused by the relativistic effect and the asymmetry of path travel have large impact on the satellite clock errors. These should be corrected with theoretical formula. Compared with the IGS precise clock error, the root mean square of the broadcast clock error of each satellite is about 0.4 ns.

European Union response to Fukushima. European stress tests and peer review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jamet, Philippe [Autorite de Surete Nucleaire (ASN), Paris (France)

2012-07-01

Following the severe accidents which started in the Fukushima Dai-ichi NPP on 11 March 2011, the European Council requested that a comprehensive safety and risk assessment, in light of preliminary lessons learned, be performed on all EU nuclear plants. Therefore, stress tests and peer review assessing natural initiating events, the loss of safety systems and severe accident management have been performed in the 15 European Union countries with nuclear power plants as well as Switzerland and Ukraine. The final peer review report of the European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group (ENSREG) highlights four main areas for improvement to be explored across Europe: 1. Development by the Western European Nuclear Regulators' Association (WENRA), with the contribution of the best available EU expertise, of a European guidance on assessment of natural hazards and margins; 2. Importance of Periodic Safety Review to be underlined by ENSREG; 3. Expeditious implementation of the recognised measures to protect containment integrity; 4. Prevention of accidents resulting from natural hazards and limitation of their consequences. The peer review of the European stress tests was completed in April 2012. In their conclusive statement issued 26 April 2012, the national European regulators and the European Commission as European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group (ENSREG) required that follow-up would occur by way of an ENSREG action plan. Country specific action plans will be developed and peer review workshop will be organised to share lessons learned on the implementation of post-Fukushima safety improvements.

European Union response to Fukushima. European stress tests and peer review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jamet, Philippe

2012-01-01

Following the severe accidents which started in the Fukushima Dai-ichi NPP on 11 March 2011, the European Council requested that a comprehensive safety and risk assessment, in light of preliminary lessons learned, be performed on all EU nuclear plants. Therefore, stress tests and peer review assessing natural initiating events, the loss of safety systems and severe accident management have been performed in the 15 European Union countries with nuclear power plants as well as Switzerland and Ukraine. The final peer review report of the European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group (ENSREG) highlights four main areas for improvement to be explored across Europe: 1. Development by the Western European Nuclear Regulators' Association (WENRA), with the contribution of the best available EU expertise, of a European guidance on assessment of natural hazards and margins; 2. Importance of Periodic Safety Review to be underlined by ENSREG; 3. Expeditious implementation of the recognised measures to protect containment integrity; 4. Prevention of accidents resulting from natural hazards and limitation of their consequences. The peer review of the European stress tests was completed in April 2012. In their conclusive statement issued 26 April 2012, the national European regulators and the European Commission as European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group (ENSREG) required that follow-up would occur by way of an ENSREG action plan. Country specific action plans will be developed and peer review workshop will be organised to share lessons learned on the implementation of post-Fukushima safety improvements.

Editorial - Keeping the Learning in Computer-Based Learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

William Kilbride

2002-09-01

Full Text Available Political rhetoric about knowledge economies and learning societies really ought to be an educationalist's dream. Add to that the revolutionary power of electronic media, and an insatiable hunger for archaeology among the public, archaeology teaching should be well placed to flourish. In England, the Department for Culture Media and Sport has just closed its call for interest in the multi-million pound Culture Online programme. The New Opportunities Fund has already spent fifty million pounds on digitisation alone, while the Heritage Lottery Fund is encouraging heritage agencies to distribute their data sets online. The JISC continues to expand its information environment, investing most recently in virtual learning environments. In Europe, the 6th Framework promises a single European Research Area, and grid technologies allow high quantities of data to empower an information society - supported by the millions of euros already invested in 'e-content'. All of these programmes, and many many more, provide openings for archaeologists to invest in training, teaching and learning. How can archaeology, in particular staff and students in our educational establishments, take best advantage of this information-rich, digitally-empowered learning society?

Strengths-based Learning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ledertoug, Mette Marie

-being. The Ph.D.-project in Strength-based learning took place in a Danish school with 750 pupils age 6-16 and a similar school was functioning as a control group. The presentation will focus on both the aware-explore-apply processes and the practical implications for the schools involved, and on measurable......Strength-based learning - Children͛s Character Strengths as Means to their Learning Potential͛ is a Ph.D.-project aiming to create a strength-based mindset in school settings and at the same time introducing strength-based interventions as specific tools to improve both learning and well...

The Teaching and Learning of Foreign Languages in Spain from the Sixteenth to Eighteenth Centuries: Influences and Inter-Relationships

Science.gov (United States)

López, Javier Suso

2018-01-01

This study of the learning of foreign languages in Spain between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries sets out to demonstrate the importance of situating research on any given era in a pan-European plurilingual context. A brief historiographical overview is followed by a discussion of language teaching materials and methods from a sociocultural…

Knowledge collaborative incentive based on inter-organizational cooperative innovation of project-based supply chain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guangdong Wu

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Purpose: Within project-based supply chain inter-organizational cooperative innovation, the achievement of project value-adding reflects by factors such as project-based organizational effect level, the relationship between project cooperative innovation objectives etc. The purpose is to provide a reliable reference for the contractor reasonably allocate the effect level and resources between the knowledge input and innovation stage and realize the knowledge collaboration for project-based supply chain. Design/methodology/approach: Based on the assumption of equal cooperation between project-based organizations, from the view of maximizing project value-adding and the relationship of effect cost between knowledge input and innovation stage in consideration, the knowledge collaborative incentive model for project-based supply chain inter-organizational cooperative innovation was established, and solved through the first-order and second-order approach, then the digital simulation and example analysis were presented. Findings: The results show that, the project management enterprise resorted to adjust project knowledge collaboration incentive intensity and implemented knowledge input-innovation coordinative incentive strategy, not only could achieve project value-adding maximization, but also could realize net earnings Pareto improvement between project management enterprise and contractor. Research limitations/implications: To simplify the knowledge flow among project-based organizations, the knowledge flow in the model hypothesis is presented as knowledge input and knowledge innovation stage, thus it may affect the final analysis results. Originality/value: In construction project practice, knowledge is become more and more important to achieve project value-adding. The research can provide a theoretical guideline for the project-based organizations, such as the contractor, the owner, especially how to utilize their core knowledge.

Creating European guidelines for Chiropractic Incident Reporting and Learning Systems (CIRLS: relevance and structure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wangler Martin

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In 2009, the heads of the Executive Council of the European Chiropractors' Union (ECU and the European Academy of Chiropractic (EAC involved in the European Committee for Standardization (CEN process for the chiropractic profession, set out to establish European guidelines for the reporting of adverse reactions to chiropractic treatment. There were a number of reasons for this: first, to improve the overall quality of patient care by aiming to reduce the application of potentially harmful interventions and to facilitate the treatment of patients within the context of achieving maximum benefit with a minimum risk of harm; second, to inform the training objectives for the Graduate Education and Continuing Professional Development programmes of all 19 ECU member nations, regarding knowledge and skills to be acquired for maximising patient safety; and third, to develop a guideline on patient safety incident reporting as it is likely to be part of future CEN standards for ECU member nations. Objective To introduce patient safety incident reporting within the context of chiropractic practice in Europe and to help individual countries and their national professional associations to develop or improve reporting and learning systems. Discussion Providing health care of any kind, including the provision of chiropractic treatment, can be a complex and, at times, a risky activity. Safety in healthcare cannot be guaranteed, it can only be improved. One of the most important aspects of any learning and reporting system lies in the appropriate use of the data and information it gathers. Reporting should not just be seen as a vehicle for obtaining information on patient safety issues, but also be utilised as a tool to facilitate learning, advance quality improvement and to ultimately minimise the rate of the occurrence of errors linked to patient care. Conclusions Before a reporting and learning system can be established it has to be clear

International inter-rater agreement in scoring acne severity utilizing cloud-based image sharing of mobile phone photographs.

Science.gov (United States)

Foolad, Negar; Ornelas, Jennifer N; Clark, Ashley K; Ali, Ifrah; Sharon, Victoria R; Al Mubarak, Luluah; Lopez, Andrés; Alikhan, Ali; Al Dabagh, Bishr; Firooz, Alireza; Awasthi, Smita; Liu, Yu; Li, Chin-Shang; Sivamani, Raja K

2017-09-01

Cloud-based image sharing technology allows facilitated sharing of images. Cloud-based image sharing technology has not been well-studied for acne assessments or treatment preferences, among international evaluators. We evaluated inter-rater variability of acne grading and treatment recommendations among an international group of dermatologists that assessed photographs. This is a prospective, single visit photographic study to assess inter-rater agreement of acne photographs shared through an integrated mobile device, cloud-based, and HIPAA-compliant platform. Inter-rater agreements for global acne assessment and acne lesion counts were evaluated by the Kendall's coefficient of concordance while correlations between treatment recommendations and acne severity were calculated by Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. There was good agreement for the evaluation of inflammatory lesions (KCC = 0.62, P cloud-based image sharing for acne assessment. Cloud-based sharing may facilitate acne care and research among international collaborators. © 2017 The International Society of Dermatology.

Conceptualizing inter-organizational triads

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vedel, Mette; Holma, Anne-Maria; Havila, Virpi

2016-01-01

of inter-organizational phenomena. However, not all studies involving a context of three actors are actually examining triads. This paper offers a robust definition of three-actor constellations qualifying as triads. Moreover, it elaborates on different types of inter-organizational triads, based on two...... aspects of collectivity; cohesion and the ability to act as a single entity. The definition of inter-organizational triads and the categorization of different types of triads will hopefully encourage further studies of triads; the smallest and simplest network which offers insights, which cannot...

Modelling Inter-Particle Forces and Resulting Agglomerate Sizes in Cement-Based Materials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kjeldsen, Ane Mette; Geiker, Mette Rica

2005-01-01

The theory of inter-particle forces versus external shear in cement-based materials is reviewed. On this basis, calculations on maximum agglomerate size present after the combined action of superplasticizers and shear are carried out. Qualitative experimental results indicate that external shear ...

Investigation of Inter-Node B Macro Diversity for Single-Carrier Based Radio Access in Evolved UTRA Uplink

Science.gov (United States)

Kawai, Hiroyuki; Morimoto, Akihito; Higuchi, Kenichi; Sawahashi, Mamoru

This paper investigates the gain of inter-Node B macro diversity for a scheduled-based shared channel using single-carrier FDMA radio access in the Evolved UTRA (UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access) uplink based on system-level simulations. More specifically, we clarify the gain of inter-Node B soft handover (SHO) with selection combining at the radio frame length level (=10msec) compared to that for hard handover (HHO) for a scheduled-based shared data channel, considering the gains of key packet-specific techniques including channel-dependent scheduling, adaptive modulation and coding (AMC), hybrid automatic repeat request (ARQ) with packet combining, and slow transmission power control (TPC). Simulation results show that the inter-Node B SHO increases the user throughput at the cell edge by approximately 10% for a short cell radius such as 100-300m due to the diversity gain from a sudden change in other-cell interference, which is a feature specific to full scheduled-based packet access. However, it is also shown that the gain of inter-Node B SHO compared to that for HHO is small in a macrocell environment when the cell radius is longer than approximately 500m due to the gains from hybrid ARQ with packet combining, slow TPC, and proportional fairness based channel-dependent scheduling.

Blockchain-based Public Key Infrastructure for Inter-Domain Secure Routing

OpenAIRE

de la Rocha Gómez-Arevalillo , Alfonso; Papadimitratos , Panos

2017-01-01

International audience; A gamut of secure inter-domain routing protocols has been proposed in the literature. They use traditional PGP-like and centralized Public Key Infrastructures for trust management. In this paper, we propose our alternative approach for managing security associations, Secure Blockchain Trust Management (SBTM), a trust management system that instantiates a blockchain-based PKI for the operation of securerouting protocols. A main motivation for SBTM is to facilitate gradu...

The new architecture of the European Union

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Radivojević Zoran

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The Lisbon Treaty has brought significant changes into the architecture of the European Union. The most important novelty, however, is the establishment of a full unity of the Union structure achieved by creating new and strengthening the existing elements. The new elements of this unity are the disappearance of the European Community, the 'independence' of the European Atomic Energy Community, constituting the European Union as a single entity and the introduction of EU values. At the same time, the Lisbon Treaty has strengthened the existing elements of the common institutional mechanisms, rules on amending the founding treaties and EU membership. However, constituting the Union as a single entity which has replaced and succeeded the European Communities has not abolished the EU elements of diversity. In the areas that differed, even before the adoption of the Lisbon Treaty, from the community pillar, there remain significant differences in the nature and the scope of competences of the Union institutions. This mainly regards the common foreign and security policy, which now includes the defense policy, where the existing model of inter-state cooperation has been only slightly interfered with. In contrast, in the field of police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters, which has become part of a larger Area of Freedom, Security and Justice, the inter-state model of cooperation has been abandoned in some of its most important elements. However, the implementation of some of the important elements of the supranational model has been postponed.

Presentations and recorded keynotes of the First European Workshop on Latent Semantic Analysis in Technology Enhanced Learning

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Several

2007-01-01

Presentations and recorded keynotes at the 1st European Workshop on Latent Semantic Analysis in Technology-Enhanced Learning, March, 29-30, 2007. Heerlen, The Netherlands: The Open University of the Netherlands. Please see the conference website for more information:

Autonomous Inter-Task Transfer in Reinforcement Learning Domains

Science.gov (United States)

2008-08-01

Mountain Car. However, because the source task uses a car with a motor more than twice as powerful as in the 3D task, the tran- sition function learned in...powerful car motor or changing the surface friction of the hill • s: changing the range of the state variables • si: changing where the car starts...Aamodt and Enric Plaza. Case-based reasoning: Foundational issues, methodological variations, and system approaches, 1994. Mazda Ahmadi, Matthew E

Inter-cooperative collective intelligence techniques and applications

CERN Document Server

Bessis, Nik

2014-01-01

This book covers the latest advances in the rapid growing field of inter-cooperative collective intelligence aiming the integration and cooperation of various computational resources, networks and intelligent processing paradigms to collectively build intelligence and advanced decision support and interfaces for end-users. The book brings a comprehensive view of the state-of-the-art in the field of integration of sensor networks, IoT and Cloud computing, massive and intelligent querying and processing of data. As a result, the book presents lessons learned so far and identifies new research issues, challenges and opportunities for further research and development agendas. Emerging areas of applications are also identified and usefulness of inter-cooperative collective intelligence is envisaged.   Researchers, software developers, practitioners and students interested in the field of inter-cooperative collective intelligence will find the comprehensive coverage of this book useful for their research, academic...

The Role of Cedex s Railway Inter operability Laboratory (RIL) in the European ERTMS; Actuaciones del Laboratorio de Interoperabilidad ferroviaria (LIF) del CEDEX en el despliegue Europeo ERTMS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tamarit Rodriguez de Huici, J.

2015-07-01

The RIL is the most recently laboratory set up within CEDEXs premises. From the start, it has aimed to support the development of rail transport at both European and Spanish levels. This article describes the role played by CEDEX-RIL in the development of ERTMS, and the close link which from its inception, has existed between this system and the EMSET project, in which the feasibility of the European Railway inter operability was demonstrated with the participation of the whole European signalling industry. The key factor for the success of this project was the creation of both and independent laboratory and testing sites which, right from the very beginning, enjoyed the confidence of the industry, thus allowing for the first time the execution of cross tests between companies. Finally, and equally important, this paper shows the fruitful evolution followed by the laboratory aforementioned, which, from its establishment, has evolved from performing tests on generic ERTMS constituents to undertaking, first, remote tests jointly carried out between specific commercial projects with different suppliers on track and on-board; and, second, Handover tests between diverse RBC suppliers. (Author)

The Epistemological Fog in Realising Learning to Learn in European Curriculum Policies

Science.gov (United States)

Leat, David; Thomas, Ulrike; Reid, Anna

2012-01-01

The European Union is concerned about the economic prospects of its member states as they have to compete against newly emerging economies with lower wages and high ambitions. Part of the strategy to deal with this economic shadow is to create a knowledge economy, but in order to achieve this, a shift to a competence-based curriculum model is seen…

Developing pre-qualification inter-professional education for nursing and medical students: sampling student attitudes to guide development.

Science.gov (United States)

Morison, Sue; Boohan, Mairead; Moutray, Marianne; Jenkins, John

2004-03-01

Teamwork and collaboration are regarded as important goals for health and social care education and inter-professional education (IPE) the vehicle to achieve this. However, there is debate concerning the best strategies for implementation, location and delivery of IPE. This exploratory study was undertaken to anticipate some of the problems of implementing a pre-qualification IPE programme for Children's Branch nursing students and medical students undertaking a Paediatrics module and to identify strategies to maximise success. A modified version of the readiness for inter-professional learning scale (RIPLS), including additional open-ended questions, was used with a convenient, purposeful sample of 20 medical and 10 nursing students. Both groups regarded learning team-working skills as important. Medical students regarded IPE as a means to learn about team-work and professional roles otherwise they indicated a preference for a discipline-based approach. Both groups were found to have acquired a strong sense of their own professional role. Both perceived IPE as disadvantageous if it impeded their own professional learning. Results also highlighted the importance of class size, stage of learning, appropriate skills and subject in IPE planning. We conclude that a small exploratory study can provide a useful guide for programme planning and additional qualitative data can enable a more comprehensive explanation of results.

Inter-laboratory verification of European pharmacopoeia monograph on derivative spectrophotometry method and its application for chitosan hydrochloride.

Science.gov (United States)

Marković, Bojan; Ignjatović, Janko; Vujadinović, Mirjana; Savić, Vedrana; Vladimirov, Sote; Karljiković-Rajić, Katarina

2015-01-01

Inter-laboratory verification of European pharmacopoeia (EP) monograph on derivative spectrophotometry (DS) method and its application for chitosan hydrochloride was carried out on two generation of instruments (earlier GBC Cintra 20 and current technology TS Evolution 300). Instruments operate with different versions of Savitzky-Golay algorithm and modes of generating digital derivative spectra. For resolution power parameter, defined as the amplitude ratio A/B in DS method EP monograph, comparable results were obtained only with algorithm's parameters smoothing points (SP) 7 and the 2nd degree polynomial and those provided corresponding data with other two modes on TS Evolution 300 Medium digital indirect and Medium digital direct. Using quoted algorithm's parameters, the differences in percentages between the amplitude ratio A/B averages, were within accepted criteria (±3%) for assay of drug product for method transfer. The deviation of 1.76% for the degree of deacetylation assessment of chitosan hydrochloride, determined on two instruments, (amplitude (1)D202; the 2nd degree polynomial and SP 9 in Savitzky-Golay algorithm), was acceptable, since it was within allowed criteria (±2%) for assay deviation of drug substance, for method transfer in pharmaceutical analyses. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of Inter-sentential vs Intra-sentential Code-Switching: With a Focus on Past Tense

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hanieh Kashi

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The current study aimed at the comparative effect of inter-sentential vs intra-sentential code-switching on learning past tense. Initially, through non-random convenient sampling, the researcher chose 90 female EFL learners at the elementary level. Next, Key English Test (KET was administered to the 90 learners and the results were used to select 60 participants for the purpose of this study. The participants were then divided into two groups each consisting of 30 learners. Afterwards, a grammar pretest having 30 items focusing on past simple tense was given to both groups. Following that, the grammatical explanations were provided for the two groups for ten sessions using code-switching.  The first experimental group received inter-sentential code switching in line with Reyes’s (2004 as a switch between two languages, where a sentence in one of the languages is completed and the next sentence starts with the other language (Reyes, 2004. In the second experimental group, in line with Reyes’s (2004, the switching occurred within a sentence. The results of statistical analysis indicated that inter-sentential code-switching proved more effective compared to intra-sentential code-switching on the learning of past tense by EFL learners. Based on the findings of the present study, EFL teachers are encouraged to use inter-sentential code-switching more compared to intra-sentential code-switching when it comes to teaching grammar.

Management accounting as the inter-organisational boundary

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jakobsen, Morten

2010-01-01

Purpose - The literature on managing inter-organisational relationships typically suggests managing these relationships based on the formalised exchange of information across the organisational boundary with due respect to trust build-up through successive interactions. This article argues...... that a focus on trust reduces the flexibility and accessibility of resources and hence ruins the advantages of inter-organisational relationships. The article focuses on power as a means for absorbing uncertainty when managing inter-organisational relationships. Methodology - The article is based on findings...... from a case study of inter-organisational relationships. Governmentality is used as a framework for analysing the practise of managing inter-organisational relationships. Findings - A number of representations are employed along the boundary between the case study parties and thereby the boundary...

Correction of gene expression data: Performance-dependency on inter-replicate and inter-treatment biases.

Science.gov (United States)

Darbani, Behrooz; Stewart, C Neal; Noeparvar, Shahin; Borg, Søren

2014-10-20

This report investigates for the first time the potential inter-treatment bias source of cell number for gene expression studies. Cell-number bias can affect gene expression analysis when comparing samples with unequal total cellular RNA content or with different RNA extraction efficiencies. For maximal reliability of analysis, therefore, comparisons should be performed at the cellular level. This could be accomplished using an appropriate correction method that can detect and remove the inter-treatment bias for cell-number. Based on inter-treatment variations of reference genes, we introduce an analytical approach to examine the suitability of correction methods by considering the inter-treatment bias as well as the inter-replicate variance, which allows use of the best correction method with minimum residual bias. Analyses of RNA sequencing and microarray data showed that the efficiencies of correction methods are influenced by the inter-treatment bias as well as the inter-replicate variance. Therefore, we recommend inspecting both of the bias sources in order to apply the most efficient correction method. As an alternative correction strategy, sequential application of different correction approaches is also advised. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synchronization and Inter-Layer Interactions of Noise-Driven Neural Networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuniati, Anis; Mai, Te-Lun; Chen, Chi-Ming

2017-01-01

In this study, we used the Hodgkin-Huxley (HH) model of neurons to investigate the phase diagram of a developing single-layer neural network and that of a network consisting of two weakly coupled neural layers. These networks are noise driven and learn through the spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) or the inverse STDP rules. We described how these networks transited from a non-synchronous background activity state (BAS) to a synchronous firing state (SFS) by varying the network connectivity and the learning efficacy. In particular, we studied the interaction between a SFS layer and a BAS layer, and investigated how synchronous firing dynamics was induced in the BAS layer. We further investigated the effect of the inter-layer interaction on a BAS to SFS repair mechanism by considering three types of neuron positioning (random, grid, and lognormal distributions) and two types of inter-layer connections (random and preferential connections). Among these scenarios, we concluded that the repair mechanism has the largest effect for a network with the lognormal neuron positioning and the preferential inter-layer connections.

The development of European gas markets. Environmental, economic and political perspectives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Estrada, J.; Moe, A.; Martinsen, K.D.

1996-01-01

By reviewing past history and developments in the European gas markets and European energy policy, this book identifies the driving forces for future market development. Topics covered include future gas demand and potential supplies, inter-fuel competition and the likely structure of gas markets in Europe in the future. (UK)

Building a Model of Successful Collaborative Learning for Company Innovativeness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Agata Sudolska

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of the paper is to develop a model of successful collaborative learning for company innovativeness. First of all, the paper explores the issue of inter-firm learning, focusing its attention on collaborative learning. Secondly, inter-firm learning relationships are considered. Thirdly, the ex ante conditions of collaborative learning and the intra-organizational enhancers of inter-firm learning processes are studied. Finally, a model of the critical success factors for collaborative learning is developed.

Mobile Inquiry Based Learning

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Specht, Marcus

2012-01-01

Specht, M. (2012, 8 November). Mobile Inquiry Based Learning. Presentation given at the Workshop "Mobile inquiry-based learning" at the Mobile Learning Day 2012 at the Fernuniversität Hagen, Hagen, Germany.

Differentiating case-based learning from problem-based learning after a twoday introductory workshop on case-based learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aqil Mohammad Daher

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Background Considerable overlap exists between case-based learning (CBL and problem-based learning (PBL and differentiating between the two can be difficult for a lot of the academicians. Aims This study gauged the ability of members of medical school, familiar with a problem-based learning (PBL curriculum, to differentiate between case-based learning (CBL and PBL after a two-day workshop on CBL. Methods A questionnaire was distributed to all participants, attending the introductory course on CBL. It was designed to document the basic characteristics of the respondents, their preference for either CBL or PBL, their ability to recognize differences between CBL and PBL, and their overall perception of the course. Results Of the total workshop participants, 80.5 per cent returned the completed questionnaire. The mean age of the respondents was 44.12±12.31 years and women made up a slight majority. Majority favoured CBL over PBL and felt it was more clinical, emphasizes on self-directed learning, provides more opportunities for learning, permits in-depth exploration of cases, has structured environment and encourages the use of all learning resources. On the respondents’ ability to discriminate CBL from PBL, a weighted score of 39.9 per cent indicated a failure on the part of the respondents to correctly identify differences between CBL and PBL. Less than half opined that CBL was a worthwhile progression from PBL and about third would recommend CBL over PBL. Conclusion It seems that majority of the respondents failed to adequately differentiate between CBL and PBL and didn’t favour CBL over PBL.

Learning and Innovation in Inter-Organizational Relationships and Networks

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nooteboom, B.

2006-01-01

This paper gives a survey of insights into inter-firm alliances and networks for innovation, from a constructivist, interactionist perspective on knowledge, which leads to the notion of 'cognitive distance'.It looks at both the competence and the governance side of relationships.Given cognitive

An Inter-Disciplinary Language for Inter-Disciplinary Communication: Academic Globalization, Ethos, Pathos, and Logos

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marta Szabo White

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Inspired by the intersection of character, emotions, and logic, much like a Hungarian Rhapsody which is beautifully sad; this paper explores ethos, pathos, and logos in the context of Academic Globalization. As students of the world, an inter-disciplinary language is pivotal for inter-disciplinary communication. Given that the current state of the world stems primarily from miscommunications, it is imperative to launch a cognitive language tool which underscores global commonalities and mitigates cultural differences. Such a platform would foster interdisciplinary research, education, and communication. New paradigms would evolve, grounded in ethos, pathos, and logos. Like yin and yang, these states are interrelated, interacting, and interchanging learning spheres. Just as day and night blend at some point; just as the Parthenon epitomized Greek thought, celebrated the birthplace of democracy, and for the first time, depicted everyday citizens in friezes- underscoring their impactful role- ethos, pathos, and logos represent cross-disciplinary communication devices which synergistically transform and ignite academic globalization. The Literature Review links the concepts of ethos, pathos, and logos with the seminal work Lewis and his LMR framework, which has given birth to Cultureactive and subsequently to ICE [InterCultural Edge]. http://www.fuqua.duke.edu/ciber/programs/we_organize/ice/ Accessed February 14, 2014

ETUDE - European Trade Union Distance Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Creanor, Linda; Walker, Steve

2000-01-01

Describes transnational distance learning activities among European trade union educators carried out as part of the European Trade Union Distance Education (ETUDE) project, supported by the European Commission. Highlights include the context of international trade union distance education; tutor training course; tutors' experiences; and…

Learning between projects: More than sending messages in bottles

OpenAIRE

Hartmann, Andreas; Dorée, André

2015-01-01

Although learning from projects has gained much importance in research and practice, progress in understanding and improving inter-project learning appears to be slight. We argue that the adoption of a sender/receiver approach limits the learning effectiveness in project-based organisations. Drawing upon the notion of learning as a social activity embedded in an organisational context, we develop the argument that learning from projects takes place within projects rooted in the historical, or...

A yeast pheromone-based inter-species communication system.

Science.gov (United States)

Hennig, Stefan; Clemens, André; Rödel, Gerhard; Ostermann, Kai

2015-02-01

We report on a pheromone-based inter-species communication system, allowing for a controlled cell-cell communication between the two species Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe as a proof of principle. It exploits the mating response pathways of the two yeast species employing the pheromones, α- or P-factor, as signaling molecules. The authentic and chimeric pheromone-encoding genes were engineered to code for the P-factor in S. cerevisiae and the α-factor in S. pombe. Upon transformation of the respective constructs, cells were enabled to express the mating pheromone of the opposite species. The supernatant of cultures of S. pombe cells expressing α-factor were able to induce a G1 arrest in the cell cycle, a change in morphology to the typical shmoo effect and expression driven by the pheromone-responsive FIG1 promoter in S. cerevisiae. The supernatant of cultures of S. cerevisiae cells expressing P-factor similarly induced cell cycle arrest in G1, an alteration in morphology typical for mating as well as the activation of the pheromone-responsive promoters of the rep1 and sxa2 genes in a pheromone-hypersensitive reporter strain of S. pombe. Apparently, both heterologous pheromones were correctly processed and secreted in an active form by the cells of the other species. Our data clearly show that the species-specific pheromone systems of yeast species can be exploited for a controlled inter-species communication.

Investigating and Promoting Trainee Science Teachers' Conceptual Change of the Nature of Science with Digital Dialogue Games `InterLoc'

Science.gov (United States)

Mansour, Nasser; Wegerif, Rupert; Skinner, Nigel; Postlethwaite, Keith; Hetherington, Lindsay

2016-10-01

The purpose of this study is to explore how an online-structured dialogue environment supported (OSDE) collaborative learning about the nature of science among a group of trainee science teachers in the UK. The software used (InterLoc) is a linear text-based tool, designed to support structured argumentation with openers and `dialogue moves'. A design-based research approach was used to investigate multiple sessions using InterLoc with 65 trainee science teachers. Five participants who showed differential conceptual change in terms of their Nature of Science (NOS) views were purposively selected and closely followed throughout the study by using key event recall interviews. Initially, the majority of participants held naïve views of NOS. Substantial and favourable changes in these views were evident as a result of the OSDE. An examination of the development of the five participants' NOS views indicated that the effectiveness of the InterLoc discussions was mediated by cultural, cognitive, and experiential factors. The findings suggest that InterLoc can be effective in promoting reflection and conceptual change.

TEACHING GEOGRAPHY TO CHILDREN WITH LEARNING DIFFICULTIES, IN THE EUROPEAN SCHOOLS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

IULIA ŞCHIOPU

2016-01-01

Full Text Available European Schools offer the opportunity to observe the differences between students and how attention towards the individual is needed. Backed up by a set of frameworks, such as Gestion Mentale, Neuro-linguistic Programming and thinkers such as Paulo Freire, the work of empowering the individual when a challenge is present is exemplified in the context of Geography. What makes a student succeed when the default method is proven challenging. There is no limit as to what methods could be applied as long as they are all guided by the lines of placing the student in a powerful spot: the spot where a challenge becomes a learning opportunity.

Learning from the Germans? History and Memory in German and European Discourses of Integration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew Beattie

2007-08-01

Full Text Available History and memory appear to be increasingly important to discussions of European values and identity, as exemplified by references to ‘bitter experiences’ and ‘divided pasts’ in the draft EU constitution. The article takes recent suggestions that Europe could learn from German experiences of confronting multiple difficult pasts as its starting point, and considers critically what lessons those German experiences might in fact hold for ‘Europe’. It explores similarities and differences in the two integration contexts and their dominant approaches to, and assumptions about history and public memory. Specifically, it considers debates about the east-west division of the Cold War and about the place of communism and nazism in public memory. Contrary to common assumptions, the article argues that German experiences are not necessarily worth of European emulation.

Inter-laboratory exercise on steroid estrogens in aqueous samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heath, E.; Kosjek, T.; Andersen, H.R.; Holten Luetzhoft, H.-C.; Adolfson Erici, M.; Coquery, M.; Duering, R.-A.; Gans, O.; Guignard, C.; Karlsson, P.; Manciot, F.; Moldovan, Z.; Patureau, D.; Cruceru, L.; Sacher, F.; Ledin, A.

2010-01-01

An inter-laboratory comparison exercise was organized among European laboratories, under the aegis of EU COST Action 636: 'Xenobiotics in Urban Water Cycle'. The objective was to evaluate the performance of testing laboratories determining 'Endocrine Disrupting Compounds' (EDC) in various aqueous matrices. As the main task three steroid estrogens: 17α-ethinylestradiol, 17β-estradiol and estrone were determined in four spiked aqueous matrices: tap water, river water and wastewater treatment plant influent and effluent using GC-MS and LC-MS/MS. Results were compared and discussed according to the analytical techniques applied, the accuracy and reproducibility of the analytical methods and the nature of the sample matrices. Overall, the results obtained in this inter-laboratory exercise reveal a high level of competence among the participating laboratories for the detection of steroid estrogens in water samples indicating that GC-MS as well as LC-MS/MS can equally be employed for the analysis of natural and synthetic hormones. - Herein are presented the results of the first international inter-laboratory study on determination of selected steroid hormones in environmental aqueous samples.

Tacit Knowledge Generation and Inter-Organizational Memory Development in a Supply Chain Context

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iskander Zouaghi

2011-10-01

Full Text Available In recent years, particular attention has been paid to knowledge management and organizational learning in general and tacit knowledge management and organizational memory in particular. This interest is driven by saturation of various markets, innovation speed and increasingly uncertain environments that have led companies to organize and structure themselves as parts of supply chains, by focusing on their core competencies and outsourcing non value-added and less strategic activities. Developing distinctive competencies under such circumstances comes from tacit knowledge learning, creation and memorization. In this paper, we first analyze tacit knowledge from different perspectives; we show how individuals and organizations can learn from tacit knowledge and how they also create new relational and collaborative tacit knowledge from individual, organizational and inter-organizational learning. We then explore how this knowledge can be capitalized into inter-organizational memory which is independent of individuals and organizations within the supply chain.

Innovation and inter-firm linkages : new implications for policy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nooteboom, B

This article discusses the implications for competition, innovation and learning of different forms of inter-firm linkage, ways to govern them, different 'generic systems' of innovation, and government policy. It employs a transformed theory of transactions that can deal with innovation and

A New IMS Based Inter-working Solution

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Zhongwen; Brunner, Richard

With the evolution of third generation network, more and more multimedia services are developed and deployed. Any new service to be deployed in IMS network is required to inter-work with existing Internet communities or legacy terminal users in order to appreciate the end users, who are the main drivers for the service to succeed. The challenge for Inter-working between IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) and non-IMS network is “how to handle recipient’s address”. This is because each network has its own routable address schema. For instance, the address for Google Talk user is xmpp:xyz@google.com, which is un-routable in IMS network. Hereafter a new Inter-working (IW) solution between IMS and non-IMS network is proposed for multimedia services that include Instant Messaging, Chat, and File transfer, etc. It is an end-to-end solution built on IMS infrastructure. The Public Service Identity (PSI) defined in 3GPP standard (3rd Generation Partnership Project) is used to allow terminal clients to allocate this IW service. When sending the SIP (Session Initial Protocol) request out for multimedia services, the terminal includes the recipient’s address in the payload instead of the “Request-URI” header. In the network, the proposed solution provides the mapping rules between different networks in MM-IW (Multimedia IW). The detailed technical description and the corresponding use cases are present. The comparison with other alternatives is made. The benefits of the proposed solution are highlighted.

Impact of Reconstruction Algorithms on CT Radiomic Features of Pulmonary Tumors: Analysis of Intra- and Inter-Reader Variability and Inter-Reconstruction Algorithm Variability.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Hyungjin; Park, Chang Min; Lee, Myunghee; Park, Sang Joon; Song, Yong Sub; Lee, Jong Hyuk; Hwang, Eui Jin; Goo, Jin Mo

2016-01-01

To identify the impact of reconstruction algorithms on CT radiomic features of pulmonary tumors and to reveal and compare the intra- and inter-reader and inter-reconstruction algorithm variability of each feature. Forty-two patients (M:F = 19:23; mean age, 60.43±10.56 years) with 42 pulmonary tumors (22.56±8.51mm) underwent contrast-enhanced CT scans, which were reconstructed with filtered back projection and commercial iterative reconstruction algorithm (level 3 and 5). Two readers independently segmented the whole tumor volume. Fifteen radiomic features were extracted and compared among reconstruction algorithms. Intra- and inter-reader variability and inter-reconstruction algorithm variability were calculated using coefficients of variation (CVs) and then compared. Among the 15 features, 5 first-order tumor intensity features and 4 gray level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM)-based features showed significant differences (palgorithms. As for the variability, effective diameter, sphericity, entropy, and GLCM entropy were the most robust features (CV≤5%). Inter-reader variability was larger than intra-reader or inter-reconstruction algorithm variability in 9 features. However, for entropy, homogeneity, and 4 GLCM-based features, inter-reconstruction algorithm variability was significantly greater than inter-reader variability (palgorithms. Inter-reconstruction algorithm variability was greater than inter-reader variability for entropy, homogeneity, and GLCM-based features.

Developing midwifery practice through work-based learning: an exploratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

Marshall, Jayne E

2012-09-01

To explore what effect the introduction of a Work-Based Learning Module undertaken by midwives in a range of maternity settings has had on their personal professional development, as well as the impact on developing local maternity and neonatal care provision. A case study approach was used consisting of mixed methods. Quantitative data were collected through questionnaires from midwives and their Clinical Supervisors at the end of the module, with a survey questionnaire to each midwifery manager, six months following the implementation of the midwives' project in practice. Qualitative data were collected by focus groups at six different work place locations, with health professionals who had experienced the midwives' projects within the workplace. Quantitative data were manually analysed whereas content analysis was used to identify recurrent themes from the qualitative data, with the support of Computer Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis Software. The University of Nottingham granted ethical approval for the study. Twelve midwives who undertook the work-based module, their respective Clinical Supervisors (n = 12), their employers/managers (n = 12) and health professionals (n = 28) within six individual National Health Service Trusts in the East Midlands of the United Kingdom took part in the study. The work-based learning module not only led to the personal and professional development of the midwife, but also to improving multi-professional collaboration and the consequential development of maternity services within the local Trusts. The value of leading change by completing an innovative and tangible work-based project through a flexible mode of study strengthened the midwives' clinical credibility among colleagues and employers and supports the philosophy of inter-professional learning and working. This novel Work Based approach to learning has the potential to further develop the provision of post-registration education for midwives and other health

Comparing Early Childhood Education and Care from a Rights-based Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Ancheta Arrabal

2015-06-01

Full Text Available This paper pretends to examine how the equal right to quality education and care in the phase of early childhood is developed in different policies, particularly within the processes for the inclusion of children in situations of social risk and exclusion in the European systems of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC. Extracted from the findings of the author’s PhD, the following pages include some of the main characteristics, as well as the outcomes and the conclusions of the study, which are briefly described, comprising the structure of a comparison on the ECEC policies between three representative countries in Europe. The work attended to the previous studies on early childhood describing ECEC throughout western European societies, to analyse their impact in equity of opportunity considering ECEC as the long life learning base, and discussing its implications for the inter-generational exclusion, in searching policy recommendations to enhance ECEC and child well-being. 

A framework for work-based learning: basic pillars and the interactions between them

OpenAIRE

Ferrández Berrueco, María Reina; Kekale, Tauno; Devins, David

2016-01-01

Purpose – European policy is placing an increasing emphasis on involving employers and labour market institutions in the design and delivery of higher education (HE) programmes that match curricula to current and future needs of the economy. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the curriculum development process for work-based learning (WBL) programmes and to connect it to the basic pillars, organizational and pedagogical strategies and key stages that enable higher education instit...

Intra-rater and inter-rater reliability of a medical record abstraction study on transition of care after childhood cancer.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Micòl E Gianinazzi

Full Text Available The abstraction of data from medical records is a widespread practice in epidemiological research. However, studies using this means of data collection rarely report reliability. Within the Transition after Childhood Cancer Study (TaCC which is based on a medical record abstraction, we conducted a second independent abstraction of data with the aim to assess a intra-rater reliability of one rater at two time points; b the possible learning effects between these two time points compared to a gold-standard; and c inter-rater reliability.Within the TaCC study we conducted a systematic medical record abstraction in the 9 Swiss clinics with pediatric oncology wards. In a second phase we selected a subsample of medical records in 3 clinics to conduct a second independent abstraction. We then assessed intra-rater reliability at two time points, the learning effect over time (comparing each rater at two time-points with a gold-standard and the inter-rater reliability of a selected number of variables. We calculated percentage agreement and Cohen's kappa.For the assessment of the intra-rater reliability we included 154 records (80 for rater 1; 74 for rater 2. For the inter-rater reliability we could include 70 records. Intra-rater reliability was substantial to excellent (Cohen's kappa 0-6-0.8 with an observed percentage agreement of 75%-95%. In all variables learning effects were observed. Inter-rater reliability was substantial to excellent (Cohen's kappa 0.70-0.83 with high agreement ranging from 86% to 100%.Our study showed that data abstracted from medical records are reliable. Investigating intra-rater and inter-rater reliability can give confidence to draw conclusions from the abstracted data and increase data quality by minimizing systematic errors.

[Verification of Learning Effects by Team-based Learning].

Science.gov (United States)

Ono, Shin-Ichi; Ito, Yoshihisa; Ishige, Kumiko; Inokuchi, Norio; Kosuge, Yasuhiro; Asami, Satoru; Izumisawa, Megumi; Kobayashi, Hiroko; Hayashi, Hiroyuki; Suzuki, Takashi; Kishikawa, Yukinaga; Hata, Harumi; Kose, Eiji; Tabata, Kei-Ichi

2017-11-01

 It has been recommended that active learning methods, such as team-based learning (TBL) and problem-based learning (PBL), be introduced into university classes by the Central Council for Education. As such, for the past 3 years, we have implemented TBL in a medical therapeutics course for 4-year students. Based upon our experience, TBL is characterized as follows: TBL needs fewer teachers than PBL to conduct a TBL module. TBL enables both students and teachers to recognize and confirm the learning results from preparation and reviewing. TBL grows students' responsibility for themselves and their teams, and likely facilitates learning activities through peer assessment.

Case study: Teaching European Active Citizenship (TEACh)-course, EU

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Milana, Marcella; Bernt Sorensen, Tore

2007-01-01

Learning for democratic citizenship has been the object of several projects supported by the European Commission, under the Socrates / Grundtvig 1.1. Action. Nonetheless only very few had the specific aim of exploring the relations between learning for democratic citizenship and non-formal adult...... for different professionals in education. Thirdly, the course is to be considered on the edge of non-formal and formal learning activities, as it is organized accordingly to the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). Participants are awarded 3 ECTS points to be spent in a variety of learning and working...... contexts. Fourthly, the course has a point of reference in the political debate on active and democratic citizenship at European level. In particular, the course makes use of the conceptualization of competences for active and democratic citizenship developed by the European Union and the Council of Europe...

How to confidently teach EBM on foot: development and evaluation of a web-based e-learning course.

Science.gov (United States)

Weberschock, Tobias; Sorinola, Olanrewaju; Thangaratinam, Shakila; Oude Rengerink, Katrien; Arvanitis, Theodoros N; Khan, Khalid S

2013-10-01

Scarcity of well-trained clinical tutors is a key constraint in integrating teaching of evidence-based medicine (EBM) into clinical activities. We developed a web-based educational course for clinical trainers to confidently teach EBM principles in everyday practice. Its e-learning modules defined the learning objectives and incorporated video clips of practical and effective EBM teaching methods for exploiting educational opportunities in six different clinical settings. We evaluated the course with clinical tutors in different specialties across six European countries using a questionnaire to capture learning achievement against preset objectives. Among 56 tutors, 47 participants (84%) improved their scores from baseline. The mean pre-course score was 69.2 (SD=10.4), which increased to 77.3 (SD=11.7) postcourse (peffect size was moderate with a Cohen's d of 0.73. An e-learning approach incorporating videos of applied EBM teaching and learning based on real clinical scenarios in the workplace can be useful in facilitating EBM teaching on foot. It can be integrated in the continuing professional development programmes for clinical trainers.

Risk-based decision making and risk management of European Union regional programs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michalopoulos Evangelos

2008-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a generalized method for management decision making incorporating risk assessment techniques. The risk based decision making methodology is applied to European Union expenditure programs used to implement its regional policy, such as the community support framework, community initiatives, special initiatives and other European policies. An example is presented for the development of an audit (inspection program in the region of West Macedonia, Greece, during the implementation of the 3rd Community Structural Support Framework Operational Program. The generic nature of the method permits its use in the management of similar European regional programs in Greece and other European countries. It is also applicable to many other industries interested in applying risk-based management decisions to physical or process based systems. .

Achievement of learning outcome after implemented physical modules based on problem based learning

Science.gov (United States)

Isna, R.; Masykuri, M.; Sukarmin

2018-03-01

Implementation of Problem BasedLearning (PBL) modules can grow the students' thinking skills to solve the problems in daily life and equip the students into higher education levels. The purpose of this research is to know the achievement of learning outcome after implementation physics module based on PBL in Newton,s Law of Gravity. This research method use the experimental method with posttest only group design. To know the achievement of student learning outcomes was analyzed using t test through application of SPSS 18. Based on research result, it is found that the average of student learning outcomes after appliying physics module based on PBL has reached the minimal exhaustiveness criteria. In addition, students' scientific attitudes also improved at each meeting. Presentation activities which contained at learning sync are also able to practice speaking skills and broaden their knowledge. Looking at some shortcomings during the study, it is suggested the issues raised into learning should be a problem close to the life of students so that, the students are more active and enthusiastic in following the learning of physics.

Inter-professional education of prospective speech-language therapists and primary school teachers through shared professional practice placements.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Leanne; McNeill, Brigid; Gillon, Gail T

2017-07-01

Preliminary studies of inter-professional education (IPE) among student speech-language therapists (SLTs) and student teachers suggest that workshop-based applications are beneficial in preparing participants for elements of collaborative practice. Situating IPE within the students' professional practice placements may provide another useful avenue to develop attitudes, knowledge and skills for inter-professional collaboration. Research examining the impact of different approaches to IPE is required to advance our understanding of effective design and evaluation of such initiatives. To understand how student SLTs and student teachers develop competency for collaborative practice when co-working during professional practice placements to support children's speech and literacy development. A case study design was used to monitor the impact of the IPE. Student SLTs (n = 4) were paired with student teachers (n = 4) to participate in shared professional practice placements in junior school classrooms. An inductive thematic analysis of interviews conducted with participants after the IPE was employed to explore the development of competencies in collaborative practice. Change in inter-disciplinary knowledge and perceptions over the IPE was evaluated via survey to further explore the development of collaborative competencies. Integration of qualitative and quantitative findings suggested that participants began to develop four broad areas of collaborative competency: understanding of professional roles and expertise, communication skills to support shared decision-making, inter-dependency in supporting children's learning, and flexibility to implement alternative instructional practices. Interview analysis also revealed factors related to the facilitators and learning contexts that supported and/or limited the collaboration between participants. Shared placement experiences between student SLTs and student teachers may be an effective method for building participants

"Learning to Do" as a Pillar of Education and Its Links to Entrepreneurial Studies in Higher Education: European Contexts and Approaches

Science.gov (United States)

Miclea, Mircea

2004-01-01

The author links the "learning to do" pillar, one of the four pillars of the Delors Report of 1996 , "Learning: The Treasure Within", to the principles and purposes of an entrepreneurial university and the aims of the European Commission and the Bologna Process to enhance the employability of graduates of higher education. An entrepreneurial…

Learning outcomes between Socioscientific Issues-Based Learning and Conventional Learning Activities

OpenAIRE

Piyaluk Wongsri; Prasart Nuangchalerm

2010-01-01

Problem statement: Socioscientific issues-based learning activity is essential for scientific reasoning skills and it could be used for analyzing problems be applied to each situation for more successful and suitable. The purposes of this research aimed to compare learning achievement, analytical thinking and moral reasoning of seventh grade students who were organized between socioscientific issues-based learning and conventional learning activities. Approach: The samples used in research we...

Intelligent Web-Based Learning System with Personalized Learning Path Guidance

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, C. M.

2008-01-01

Personalized curriculum sequencing is an important research issue for web-based learning systems because no fixed learning paths will be appropriate for all learners. Therefore, many researchers focused on developing e-learning systems with personalized learning mechanisms to assist on-line web-based learning and adaptively provide learning paths…

Medizinbibliotheken: inter:disziplinär – inter:national –inter:aktiv

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bauer, Bruno

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The focus of the current issue 3/2017 of GMS Medizin – Bibliothek – Information is the annual conference 2017 of the German Medical Libraries Association in Vienna. The motto of the conference was “Medical Libraries: inter:disciplinary – inter:national – inter:active”. The authors in this issue are Bruno Bauer (Austrian Transition to Open Access 2017–2020, Beata Górczynska (Development and structure of Polish veterinary school system and its libraries, Katharina Heldt, Henriette Senst & Jessica Riedel (Salon on the institute’s history: outstanding artifacts. 28.01.2016 to 15.12.2016, Jutta Matrisciano, Martina Semmler-Schmetz & Saskia Rohmer (Advice – From info snack to special menu: Solutions of the MedMA-Bib, Stefan Nortmann (The ‘Ersti-Café’ of the Medical Branch Library Münster, Sandra Rümmele (Toolbox: The new teaching library project of the Central Medical Library of the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Eva Seidlmayer & Christoph Poley (One Health – Transdisciplinarity at ZB MED and Heike Andermann (“Medical Libraries: inter:disciplinary – inter:national – inter:active”. Annual Meeting of the German Medical Library Association (AGMB, September 25 to 27, 2017 in Vienna. Furthermore this focus issue features articles from Stefan Grün & Christoph Poley (Statistical evaluation of semantic entities from metadata and full text on German Medical Science corpora and Iris Reimann (German MLA News; Competition of the German MLA Pioneer projects in medical libraries 2017: Introduction of the winners; Competition of the German MLA (AGMB Pioneer projects in medical libraries 2018 – Announcement.

Virtual Learning Environments and Learning Forms -experiments in ICT-based learning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Helbo, Jan; Knudsen, Morten

2004-01-01

This paper report the main results of a three year experiment in ICT-based distance learning. The results are based on a full scale experiment in the education, Master of Industrial Information Technology (MII) and is one of many projects deeply rooted in the project Virtual Learning Environments...... and Learning forms (ViLL). The experiment was to transfer a well functioning on-campus engineering program based on project organized collaborative learning to a technology supported distance education program. After three years the experiments indicate that adjustments are required in this transformation....... The main problem is that we do not find the same self regulatoring learning effect in the group work among the off-campus students as is the case for on-campus students. Based on feedback from evaluation questionnaires and discussions with the students didactic adjustments have been made. The revised...

Web-Based Instruction, Learning Effectiveness and Learning Behavior: The Impact of Relatedness

Science.gov (United States)

Shieh, Chich-Jen; Liao, Ying; Hu, Ridong

2013-01-01

This study aims to discuss the effects of Web-based Instruction and Learning Behavior on Learning Effectiveness. Web-based Instruction contains the dimensions of Active Learning, Simulation-based Learning, Interactive Learning, and Accumulative Learning; and, Learning Behavior covers Learning Approach, Learning Habit, and Learning Attitude. The…

A survey-based analysis of life-long learning patterns of young entrepreneurs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rînciog Johana

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Our approach, in this paper, is focused on life-long learning tools that are available for young Romanian entrepreneurs, in their early career stages. Life-long learning in the case of entrepreneurs is not a topic widely covered in scientific literature up to this moment. Most of the scientific papers related to entrepreneurship focus on the idea of innovation and creativity that characterizes entrepreneurship. On the other side, the scientific literature that considers life-long learning, discusses the case of employees or managers, who are required to improve their knowledge and skills in order to perform at the work place. For the current paper, it was aimed to survey the lifelong learning tools available to young Romanian people and to evaluate their efficiency with the help of interviews with young entrepreneurs on their educational path. Otherwise stated, we intended to provide more insights on the learning methods and practices of entrepreneurs, and to establish whether the current formal education represents a strong basis for entrepreneurs’ life-long learning. The research that we performed revealed that young Romanian entrepreneurs practice indeed a lifelong learning based not as much on formal education, as on learning by practicing and networking. Starting from the observations obtained, it was conceived, based on current European best practices and projective discussions with the same young entrepreneurs, a set of life-long learning initiatives that may be promoted in the entrepreneurial community, and we identify the actual steps to be taken by life-long learning education providers in order to implement these initiatives. This paper’s conclusions serve as both a state of the art analysis, in a field which is vital for entrepreneurs surviving in competitive environments, and as a prospective guide for improving the present market of life-long learning programs.

Integr8: enhanced inter-operability of European molecular biology databases.

Science.gov (United States)

Kersey, P J; Morris, L; Hermjakob, H; Apweiler, R

2003-01-01

The increasing production of molecular biology data in the post-genomic era, and the proliferation of databases that store it, require the development of an integrative layer in database services to facilitate the synthesis of related information. The solution of this problem is made more difficult by the absence of universal identifiers for biological entities, and the breadth and variety of available data. Integr8 was modelled using UML (Universal Modelling Language). Integr8 is being implemented as an n-tier system using a modern object-oriented programming language (Java). An object-relational mapping tool, OJB, is being used to specify the interface between the upper layers and an underlying relational database. The European Bioinformatics Institute is launching the Integr8 project. Integr8 will be an automatically populated database in which we will maintain stable identifiers for biological entities, describe their relationships with each other (in accordance with the central dogma of biology), and store equivalences between identified entities in the source databases. Only core data will be stored in Integr8, with web links to the source databases providing further information. Integr8 will provide the integrative layer of the next generation of bioinformatics services from the EBI. Web-based interfaces will be developed to offer gene-centric views of the integrated data, presenting (where known) the links between genome, proteome and phenotype.

Mathematical Foundation Based Inter-Connectivity modelling of Thermal Image processing technique for Fire Protection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sayantan Nath

2015-09-01

Full Text Available In this paper, integration between multiple functions of image processing and its statistical parameters for intelligent alarming series based fire detection system is presented. The proper inter-connectivity mapping between processing elements of imagery based on classification factor for temperature monitoring and multilevel intelligent alarm sequence is introduced by abstractive canonical approach. The flow of image processing components between core implementation of intelligent alarming system with temperature wise area segmentation as well as boundary detection technique is not yet fully explored in the present era of thermal imaging. In the light of analytical perspective of convolutive functionalism in thermal imaging, the abstract algebra based inter-mapping model between event-calculus supported DAGSVM classification for step-by-step generation of alarm series with gradual monitoring technique and segmentation of regions with its affected boundaries in thermographic image of coal with respect to temperature distinctions is discussed. The connectedness of the multifunctional operations of image processing based compatible fire protection system with proper monitoring sequence is presently investigated here. The mathematical models representing the relation between the temperature affected areas and its boundary in the obtained thermal image defined in partial derivative fashion is the core contribution of this study. The thermal image of coal sample is obtained in real-life scenario by self-assembled thermographic camera in this study. The amalgamation between area segmentation, boundary detection and alarm series are described in abstract algebra. The principal objective of this paper is to understand the dependency pattern and the principles of working of image processing components and structure an inter-connected modelling technique also for those components with the help of mathematical foundation.

Plasma creatinine in dogs: intra- and inter-laboratory variation in 10 European veterinary laborat

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mrs. Ulleberg, T.; Robben, J.H.; Nordahl, K.; Mr. Ulleberg, T.; Heiene, R.

2011-01-01

Abstract BACKGROUND: There is substantial variation in reported reference intervals for canine plasma creatinine among veterinary laboratories, thereby influencing the clinical assessment of analytical results. The aims of the study was to determine the inter- and intra-laboratory variation in

Web-Based Learning Environment Based on Students’ Needs

Science.gov (United States)

Hamzah, N.; Ariffin, A.; Hamid, H.

2017-08-01

Traditional learning needs to be improved since it does not involve active learning among students. Therefore, in the twenty-first century, the development of internet technology in the learning environment has become the main needs of each student. One of the learning environments to meet the needs of the teaching and learning process is a web-based learning environment. This study aims to identify the characteristics of a web-based learning environment that supports students’ learning needs. The study involved 542 students from fifteen faculties in a public higher education institution in Malaysia. A quantitative method was used to collect the data via a questionnaire survey by randomly. The findings indicate that the characteristics of a web-based learning environment that support students’ needs in the process of learning are online discussion forum, lecture notes, assignments, portfolio, and chat. In conclusion, the students overwhelmingly agreed that online discussion forum is the highest requirement because the tool can provide a space for students and teachers to share knowledge and experiences related to teaching and learning.

APPLICATION OF THE EUROPEAN EXPERIENCE IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHERS’ TRAINING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Victoria Barkasi

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The article defines the role of the European experience in the foreign language teachers` training in the modern society, the use of International relations in education. The concept of common European education is analyzed. Due to this concept teaching and learning standards, educational models, and teaching objectives are brought together with the aim to create the common all-European educational system. In order to join this all-European scheme Ukraine needs to make modifications in its educational system. The fundamental idea is to use blended learning as the dominant instructional mode in higher education. The authors examine how the study of the leading European powers` educational experience helps to approach the problems of education in Ukraine critically. English Language Department of Mykolaiv V. Sukhomlynsky National University as a part of the consortium, composed of ten higher education institutions, takes part in the TEMPUS-project «Improving teaching European languages through the introduction of on-line technology (blended learning to train teachers." Blended learning is a powerful technology to be implemented into the modern model of Ukrainian education in order to get the level of European educational system. The article highlights how participation in the implementation of TEMPUS-project can be an effective tool for improving the training of the foreign languages teachers.

EFFECT OF PROBLEM BASED LEARNING IN COMPARISION WITH LECTURE BASED LEARNING IN FORENSIC MEDICINE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Padmakumar

2015-09-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Problem based learning (PBL is an approach to learning and instruction in which students tackle problems in small groups under the supervision of a teacher. This style of learning assumed to foster increased retention of knowledge, improve student’s gene ral problem solving skills, enhance integration of basic science concepts in to clinical problems, foster the development of self - directed learning skills and strengthen student’s intrinsic motivation. AIM: The study was conducted to compare the effect of Problem based learning in comparison with lecture based learning. SETTING: A cross - sectional study was conducted among 2nd year MBBS students of Jubilee Mission Medical College and Research Institute, Thrissur during the period of December 2014 to March 20 15. METHODOLOGY: The batch is divided into two groups (A & B, 45 in each group. By using PBL method, blunt force injuries were taught to Group - A and sharp weapon injuries to group - B. By using lecture based learning (LBL method blunt force injuries were t aught to Group - B and sharp weapon injuries to group - A. At the end of the session a test in the form of MCQ was conducted on the students to evaluate their learning outcome. OBSERVATION AND RESU LTS: In session I, the average test score of LBL group was 8.16 and PBL group was 12. The difference was statistically significant. In session - II also 45 students has participated each in LBL and PBL classes. The average of test score of LBL group was 7.267 and PBL was 11.289, which was highly significant statistical ly . CONCLUSION: Study has proven that problem based learning is an effective teaching learning method when compared to conventional lecture based learning.

Project- Based Learning and Problem-Based Learning: Are They Effective to Improve Student's Thinking Skills?

OpenAIRE

Anazifa, R. D; Djukri, D

2017-01-01

The study aims at finding (1) the effect of project-based learning and problem-based learning on student's creativity and critical thinking and (2) the difference effect of project-based learning and problem-based learning on student's creativity and critical thinking. This study is quasi experiment using non-equivalent control-group design. Research population of this study was all classes in eleventh grade of mathematics and natural science program of SMA N 1 Temanggung. The participants we...

Inter-laboratory exercise on steroid estrogens in aqueous samples

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heath, E., E-mail: ester.heath@ijs.s [Department of Environmental Sciences, Jozef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Kosjek, T. [Department of Environmental Sciences, Jozef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Andersen, H.R.; Holten Luetzhoft, H.-C. [Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Miljoevej 113, DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby (Denmark); Adolfson Erici, M. [Stockholm University, ITM SE-106 91 Stockholm (Sweden); Coquery, M. [Cemagref, U.R. QELY, F-69336 Lyon (France); Duering, R.-A. [Giessen University, Institute of Soil Science and Soil Conservation, Giessen (Germany); Gans, O. [Umweltbundesamt GmbH, Unit Organic Analysis, Spittelauer Laende 5, 1090 Vienna (Austria); Guignard, C. [CRP Gabriel Lippmann, EVA, 41 rue du Brill, L-4422 Belvaux (Luxembourg); Karlsson, P. [Lantmannen Analycen AB, Research and Development, Sjoehagsgatan 3 Box 905, 5319, Lidkoeping (Sweden); Manciot, F. [CAE VEOLIA ENVIRONMENT, 1 Place de Turenne, 94417 Saint Maurice Cedex (France); Moldovan, Z. [National Institute of Research and Development for Isotopic and Molecular Technology, Mass Spectrometry Department, Str. Donath 65-103, 400293 Cluj-Napoca (Romania); Patureau, D. [INRA, UR50, Laboratoire de Biotechnologie de l' Environnemet (LBE), Avenue des etangs, F-11100 Narbonne (France); Cruceru, L. [Pollution Control Department, National Research Institute for Industrial Ecology (ECOIND), Sos.Panduri 90-92, sector 5, Bucharest (Romania); Sacher, F. [DVGW-Technologiezentrum Wasser, Karlsruher Strasse 84, 76139 Karlsruhe (Germany); Ledin, A. [Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Miljoevej 113, DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby (Denmark)

2010-03-15

An inter-laboratory comparison exercise was organized among European laboratories, under the aegis of EU COST Action 636: 'Xenobiotics in Urban Water Cycle'. The objective was to evaluate the performance of testing laboratories determining 'Endocrine Disrupting Compounds' (EDC) in various aqueous matrices. As the main task three steroid estrogens: 17alpha-ethinylestradiol, 17beta-estradiol and estrone were determined in four spiked aqueous matrices: tap water, river water and wastewater treatment plant influent and effluent using GC-MS and LC-MS/MS. Results were compared and discussed according to the analytical techniques applied, the accuracy and reproducibility of the analytical methods and the nature of the sample matrices. Overall, the results obtained in this inter-laboratory exercise reveal a high level of competence among the participating laboratories for the detection of steroid estrogens in water samples indicating that GC-MS as well as LC-MS/MS can equally be employed for the analysis of natural and synthetic hormones. - Herein are presented the results of the first international inter-laboratory study on determination of selected steroid hormones in environmental aqueous samples.

The influence of learning in collaborative improvement

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Jacob S.; Boer, Harry; Gertsen, Frank

2008-01-01

Collaborative improvement is a purposeful inter-company interactive process that focuses on continuous incremental innovation aimed at enhancing the partnership's overall performance. Considering that in such an environment the capability to learn jointly and individually is crucial, this paper...... takes a learning perspective on collaborative improvement and addresses the question: How do organisational learning and collaboration interplay and affect improvement performance? Based on an analysis of three dyads of the same Extended Manufacturing Enterprise, this paper concludes that a robust...

Inquiry Based Science Education og den sociokulturelt forankrede dialog i naturfagsundervisningen

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Østergaard, Lars Domino

2012-01-01

Through study, investigation and discussion of the concept Best Practice in science education (Ellebæk & Østergaard, 2009) it was shown, that the dialogue in the teaching sequences was an important factor for the children’s understanding, engagement and interest for the science subjects......). The method is central in the action research project NatSats, where focus is on chidren’s hypothesizing and the way teacher’s use dialogue in their teaching or guiding of children in kindergarten and primary school. Results from the project indicate that an open and interrogative dialogue based...... and phenomena. In this article we will discuss dialogue in the light of sociocultural learning theories, and relate it to Inquiry Based Science Education (IBSE), as the pedagogical and didactical method, which are promoted most strongly these years (e.g. in the inter-European Pollen and Fibonacci projects...

Action dependent heuristic dynamic programming based residential energy scheduling with home energy inter-exchange

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Yancai; Liu, Derong; Wei, Qinglai

2015-01-01

Highlights: • The algorithm is developed in the two-household energy management environment. • We develop the absent energy penalty cost for the first time. • The algorithm has ability to keep adapting in real-time operations. • Its application can lower total costs and achieve better load balancing. - Abstract: Residential energy scheduling is a hot topic nowadays in the background of energy saving and environmental protection worldwide. To achieve this objective, a new residential energy scheduling algorithm is developed for energy management, based on action dependent heuristic dynamic programming. The algorithm works under the circumstance of residential real-time pricing and two adjacent housing units with energy inter-exchange, which can reduce the overall cost and enhance renewable energy efficiency after long-term operation. It is designed to obtain the optimal control policy to manage the directions and amounts of electricity energy flux. The algorithm’s architecture is mainly constructed based on neural networks, denoting the learned characteristics in the linkage of layers. To get close to real situations, many constraints such as maximum charging/discharging power of batteries are taken into account. The absent energy penalty cost is developed for the first time as a part of the performance index function. When the environment changes, the residential energy scheduling algorithm gains new features and keeps adapting in real-time operations. Simulation results show that the developed algorithm is beneficial to energy conversation

How to Enhance Interdisciplinary Competence--Interdisciplinary Problem-Based Learning versus Interdisciplinary Project-Based Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Brassler, Mirjam; Dettmers, Jan

2017-01-01

Interdisciplinary competence is important in academia for both employability and sustainable development. However, to date, there are no specific interdisciplinary education models and, naturally, no empirical studies to assess them. Since problem-based learning (PBL) and project-based learning (PjBL) are learning approaches that emphasize…

Problem-based learning and radiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thurley, P.; Dennick, R.

2008-01-01

The Royal College of Radiologists recently published documents setting out guidelines to improve the teaching of radiology to medical students. These included recommendations that clinicians who teach radiology should be aware of newer educational techniques, such as problem-based learning, and should be involved in the development of curricula and assessment in medical schools. This review aims to introduce the educational theories behind problem-based learning and describe how a problem-based learning tutorial is run. The relevance of problem-based learning to radiology and the potential advantages and disadvantages are discussed

Integrated complex care model: lessons learned from inter-organizational partnership.

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, Eyal; Bruce-Barrett, Cindy; Kingsnorth, Shauna; Keilty, Krista; Cooper, Anna; Daub, Stacey

2011-01-01

Providing integrated care for children with medical complexity in Canada is challenging as these children are, by definition, in need of coordinated care from disparate providers, organizations and funders across the continuum in order to optimize health outcomes. We describe the development of an inter-organizational team constructed as a unique tripartite partnership of an acute care hospital, a children's rehabilitation hospital and a home/community health organization focused on children who frequently use services across these three organizations. Model building and operationalization within the Canadian healthcare system is emphasized. Key challenges identified to date include communication and policy barriers as well as optimizing interactions with families; critical enablers have been alignment with policy trends in healthcare and inter-organizational commitment to integrate at the point of care. Considerations for policy developments supporting full integration across service sectors are raised. Early indicators of success include the enrolment of 34 clients and patients and the securing of funds to evaluate and expand the model to serve more children.

Damping control strategies of inter-area low-frequency oscillation for DFIG-based wind farms integrated into a power system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Li, Hui; Liu, Shengquan; Ji, Haiting

2014-01-01

on the power system stabilizer (PSS) control method. Transient simulation on different damping gain coefficients are conducted for justification. Following the OTEF mechanism analysis, an additional fuzzy damping control strategy with the active/reactive power loop is proposed by identifying the oscillation......This study investigates the inter-area low-frequency damping control strategies of a doubly fed induction generator (DFIG)-based wind farm through oscillation transient energy function (OTEF) analysis. Based on the OTEF descent expressions, the feasibility of damping the inter-area low...... oscillation of the wind turbine shaft. The proposed additional fuzzy control strategy with the active/reactive power loop has better damping performance than the presented PSS control, especially for damping the inter-area low-frequency oscillation....

Internal Border Controls in the European Union

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Carsten Willemoes; Sørensen, Karsten Engsig

2012-01-01

Recent events, involving inter alia France and Denmark, have stimulated renewed interest in the introduction of different forms of border controls at the internal borders within the European Union. These border control measures are aimed at checking either persons or goods or both. Against...... the background of these events, this article analyses the existing rules regulating controls of persons and goods, and explores how these rules may or may not stand in the way of introducing border controls at the European Union’s internal borders. These events have resulted in a call for reforms of the current...

Developing Global Leaders: Building Effective Global- Intercultural Collaborative Online Learning Environments

Science.gov (United States)

Ivy, Karen Lynne-Daniels

2017-01-01

This paper shares the findings of a study conducted on a virtual inter-cultural global leadership development learning project. Mixed Methods analysis techniques were used to examine the interviews of U.S. and Uganda youth project participants. The study, based on cultural and social constructivist learning theories, investigated the effects of…

Incorporating functional inter-relationships into protein function prediction algorithms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kumar Vipin

2009-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Functional classification schemes (e.g. the Gene Ontology that serve as the basis for annotation efforts in several organisms are often the source of gold standard information for computational efforts at supervised protein function prediction. While successful function prediction algorithms have been developed, few previous efforts have utilized more than the protein-to-functional class label information provided by such knowledge bases. For instance, the Gene Ontology not only captures protein annotations to a set of functional classes, but it also arranges these classes in a DAG-based hierarchy that captures rich inter-relationships between different classes. These inter-relationships present both opportunities, such as the potential for additional training examples for small classes from larger related classes, and challenges, such as a harder to learn distinction between similar GO terms, for standard classification-based approaches. Results We propose a method to enhance the performance of classification-based protein function prediction algorithms by addressing the issue of using these interrelationships between functional classes constituting functional classification schemes. Using a standard measure for evaluating the semantic similarity between nodes in an ontology, we quantify and incorporate these inter-relationships into the k-nearest neighbor classifier. We present experiments on several large genomic data sets, each of which is used for the modeling and prediction of over hundred classes from the GO Biological Process ontology. The results show that this incorporation produces more accurate predictions for a large number of the functional classes considered, and also that the classes benefitted most by this approach are those containing the fewest members. In addition, we show how our proposed framework can be used for integrating information from the entire GO hierarchy for improving the accuracy of

Teaching Problem Based Learning as Blended Learning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kolbæk, Ditte; Nortvig, Anne-Mette

2018-01-01

Problem-based and project organized learning (PBL) was originally developed for collaboration between physically present students, but political decisions at many universities require that collaboration, dialogues, and other PBL activities take place online as well. With a theoretical point...... of departure in Dewey and a methodological point of departure in netnography, this study focuses on an online module at Aalborg University where teaching is based on PBL. With the research question ‘How can teachers design for PBL online,’ this study explores the teacher’s role in a six weeks’ blended learning...... program, and we present suggestions for designs for blended learning PBL based on case studies from two PBL courses...

Seven-step problem-based learning in an interaction design course

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schultz, Nette; Christensen, Hans Peter

2004-01-01

The objective in this paper is the implementation of the highly structured seven-step PBL procedure as part of the learning process in a human-computer interaction design course at the Technical University of Denmark, taking into account the common learning processes in PBL and the interaction de...... others in a single course. The evaluation results showed that the students definitely took a deep approach to learning, and indicated clearly that the students had obtained competences not only within the traditional HCI curriculum but also in terms of team-work skills.......The objective in this paper is the implementation of the highly structured seven-step PBL procedure as part of the learning process in a human-computer interaction design course at the Technical University of Denmark, taking into account the common learning processes in PBL and the interaction...... individual reports after each case in the PBL-process in order to explore the students’ inter- and intra-personal team skills development in the learning process. Different qualitative and quantitative evaluation methods have been used to obtain a thorough evaluation of PBL used as a learning method among...

CONSIDERATIONS ON THE EUROPEAN SOCIAL DIALOGUE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mihai, OPRESCU

2014-11-01

Full Text Available At the moment, worldwide, social dialogue is considered to be a very useful tool in solving serious social problems caused by globalization or as a consequence of the way the costs and benefits of the economic changes are distributed. Promoting social dialogue at European level remains a strategic objective of the European Union, which must be sustained by all appropriate means, and in the same time it should be used as an instrument for Stability and Development. Improving the convergence of the social partners' actions from the Member States with the social partners' actions from the Community level is required for the effectiveness of European social dialogue. Social dialogue will be applied, in the next period, into the trans-national system, at regional and inter-regional levels, given the trends of decentralization, integration and globalization that affect all communities.

The Graduating European Dentist: Contemporaneous Methods of Teaching, Learning and Assessment in Dental Undergraduate Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Field, J C; Walmsley, A D; Paganelli, C; McLoughlin, J; Szep, S; Kavadella, A; Manzanares Cespedes, M C; Davies, J R; DeLap, E; Levy, G; Gallagher, J; Roger-Leroi, V; Cowpe, J G

2017-12-01

It is often the case that good teachers just "intuitively" know how to teach. Whilst that may be true, there is now a greater need to understand the various processes that underpin both the ways in which a curriculum is delivered, and the way in which the students engage with learning; curricula need to be designed to meet the changing needs of our new graduates, providing new, and robust learning opportunities, and be communicated effectively to both staff and students. The aim of this document is to draw together robust and contemporaneous methods of teaching, learning and assessment that help to overcome some of the more traditional barriers within dental undergraduate programmes. The methods have been chosen to map specifically to The Graduating European Dentist, and should be considered in parallel with the benchmarking process that educators and institutions employ locally. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Comparison of Natural Language Processing Rules-based and Machine-learning Systems to Identify Lumbar Spine Imaging Findings Related to Low Back Pain.

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, W Katherine; Hassanpour, Saeed; Heagerty, Patrick J; Rundell, Sean D; Suri, Pradeep; Huhdanpaa, Hannu T; James, Kathryn; Carrell, David S; Langlotz, Curtis P; Organ, Nancy L; Meier, Eric N; Sherman, Karen J; Kallmes, David F; Luetmer, Patrick H; Griffith, Brent; Nerenz, David R; Jarvik, Jeffrey G

2018-03-28

To evaluate a natural language processing (NLP) system built with open-source tools for identification of lumbar spine imaging findings related to low back pain on magnetic resonance and x-ray radiology reports from four health systems. We used a limited data set (de-identified except for dates) sampled from lumbar spine imaging reports of a prospectively assembled cohort of adults. From N = 178,333 reports, we randomly selected N = 871 to form a reference-standard dataset, consisting of N = 413 x-ray reports and N = 458 MR reports. Using standardized criteria, four spine experts annotated the presence of 26 findings, where 71 reports were annotated by all four experts and 800 were each annotated by two experts. We calculated inter-rater agreement and finding prevalence from annotated data. We randomly split the annotated data into development (80%) and testing (20%) sets. We developed an NLP system from both rule-based and machine-learned models. We validated the system using accuracy metrics such as sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). The multirater annotated dataset achieved inter-rater agreement of Cohen's kappa > 0.60 (substantial agreement) for 25 of 26 findings, with finding prevalence ranging from 3% to 89%. In the testing sample, rule-based and machine-learned predictions both had comparable average specificity (0.97 and 0.95, respectively). The machine-learned approach had a higher average sensitivity (0.94, compared to 0.83 for rules-based), and a higher overall AUC (0.98, compared to 0.90 for rules-based). Our NLP system performed well in identifying the 26 lumbar spine findings, as benchmarked by reference-standard annotation by medical experts. Machine-learned models provided substantial gains in model sensitivity with slight loss of specificity, and overall higher AUC. Copyright © 2018 The Association of University Radiologists. All rights reserved.

Nuclear cardiology core syllabus of the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI).

Science.gov (United States)

Gimelli, Alessia; Neglia, Danilo; Schindler, Thomas H; Cosyns, Bernard; Lancellotti, Patrizio; Kitsiou, Anastasia

2015-04-01

The European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI) Core Syllabus for Nuclear Cardiology is now available online. The syllabus lists key elements of knowledge in nuclear cardiology. It represents a framework for the development of training curricula and provides expected knowledge-based learning outcomes to the nuclear cardiology trainees. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2015. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Curriculum structure, content, learning and assessment in European undergraduate dental education - update 2010.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Manogue, M

2011-08-01

This paper presents an updated statement on behalf of the Association for Dental Education in Europe (ADEE) in relation to proposals for undergraduate Curriculum Structure, Content, Learning, Assessment and Student \\/ Staff Exchange for dental education in Europe. A task force was constituted to consider these issues and the two previous, related publications produced by the Association (Plasschaert et al 2006 and 2007) were revised. The broad European dental community was circulated and contributed to the revisions. The paper was approved at the General Assembly of ADEE, held in Amsterdam in August 2010 and will be updated again in 2015.

A Learning Object Approach To Evidence based learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zabin Visram

2005-06-01

Full Text Available This paper describes the philosophy, development and framework of the body of elements formulated to provide an approach to evidence-based learning sustained by Learning Objects and web based technology Due to the demands for continuous improvement in the delivery of healthcare and in the continuous endeavour to improve the quality of life, there is a continuous need for practitioner's to update their knowledge by accomplishing accredited courses. The rapid advances in medical science has meant increasingly, there is a desperate need to adopt wireless schemes, whereby bespoke courses can be developed to help practitioners keep up with expanding knowledge base. Evidently, without current best evidence, practice risks becoming rapidly out of date, to the detriment of the patient. There is a need to provide a tactical, operational and effective environment, which allows professional to update their education, and complete specialised training, just-in-time, in their own time and location. Following this demand in the marketplace the information engineering group, in combination with several medical and dental schools, set out to develop and design a conceptual framework which form the basis of pioneering research, which at last, enables practitioner's to adopt a philosophy of life long learning. The body and structure of this framework is subsumed under the term Object oriented approach to Evidence Based learning, Just-in-time, via Internet sustained by Reusable Learning Objects (The OEBJIRLO Progression. The technical pillars which permit this concept of life long learning are pivoted by the foundations of object oriented technology, Learning objects, Just-in-time education, Data Mining, intelligent Agent technology, Flash interconnectivity and remote wireless technology, which allow practitioners to update their professional skills, complete specialised training which leads to accredited qualifications. This paper sets out to develop and

TRESCIMO: European Union and South African smart city contextual dimension

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Coetzee, L

2015-12-01

Full Text Available the question is raised if insights into a South African Smart City can strengthen European initiatives. A need for inter-continental automated testing facilities such as those developed by TRESCIMO is identified through which integrated experiments can...

The Association between dietary flavonoid and lignan intakes and incident type 2 diabetes in European populations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zamora-Ros, R.; Forouhi, N.G.; Buijsse, B.; Schouw, van der Y.T.; Boeing, H.; Feskens, E.J.M.

2013-01-01

OBJECTIVE To study the association between dietary flavonoid and lignan intakes, and the risk of development of type 2 diabetes among European populations. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition-InterAct case-cohort study included 12,403 incident

Enabling Tussle-Agile Inter-networking Architectures by Underlay Virtualisation

Science.gov (United States)

Dianati, Mehrdad; Tafazolli, Rahim; Moessner, Klaus

In this paper, we propose an underlay inter-network virtualisation framework in order to enable tussle-agile flexible networking over the existing inter-network infrastructures. The functionalities that inter-networking elements (transit nodes, access networks, etc.) need to support in order to enable virtualisation are discussed. We propose the base architectures of each the abstract elements to support the required inter-network virtualisation functionalities.

Students Learn How Nonprofits Utilize Volunteers through Inquiry-Based Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Bolton, Elizabeth B.; Brennan, M. A.; Terry, Bryan D.

2009-01-01

This article highlights how undergraduate students implemented inquiry-based learning strategies to learn how nonprofit organizations utilize volunteers. In inquiry-based learning, students begin with a problem or question with some degree of focus or structure provided by the professor. The student inquiry showcased in this article was based on a…

Statistical analysis of hydrological response in urbanising catchments based on adaptive sampling using inter-amount times

Science.gov (United States)

ten Veldhuis, Marie-Claire; Schleiss, Marc

2017-04-01

Urban catchments are typically characterised by a more flashy nature of the hydrological response compared to natural catchments. Predicting flow changes associated with urbanisation is not straightforward, as they are influenced by interactions between impervious cover, basin size, drainage connectivity and stormwater management infrastructure. In this study, we present an alternative approach to statistical analysis of hydrological response variability and basin flashiness, based on the distribution of inter-amount times. We analyse inter-amount time distributions of high-resolution streamflow time series for 17 (semi-)urbanised basins in North Carolina, USA, ranging from 13 to 238 km2 in size. We show that in the inter-amount-time framework, sampling frequency is tuned to the local variability of the flow pattern, resulting in a different representation and weighting of high and low flow periods in the statistical distribution. This leads to important differences in the way the distribution quantiles, mean, coefficient of variation and skewness vary across scales and results in lower mean intermittency and improved scaling. Moreover, we show that inter-amount-time distributions can be used to detect regulation effects on flow patterns, identify critical sampling scales and characterise flashiness of hydrological response. The possibility to use both the classical approach and the inter-amount-time framework to identify minimum observable scales and analyse flow data opens up interesting areas for future research.

The european passive plant (EPP) design: compliance with the european utilities requirements (EUR)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noviello, L.; Oyarzabal, M.

1996-01-01

Back 1986, most of the European firms have participated to the American program called the Advanced Light Water Reactors (ALWR) including the development of the Utilities Requirements as well as four projects as for instance AP600. Later, in the year 1990, seven European firms have begun to develop the European Utilities Requirements. This development is justified by the fact that the lessons learned by the nuclear power plants designs programs of the years 1980 can be incorporated and the European specific conditions can be taken into consideration. Thus, in 1994, eight European firms - Westinghouse and their industrial partners - have decided to launch a multiphase program in order to check the AP600 compliance with the European Utilities Requirements (EUR) and to develop the required alterations. Today, the phase I of the EPP (European Passive Plant) program has been completed. In this phase, the main important objectives have been reached. (O.M.)

Vocational Training in the European Union

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehmet BALCI

2013-01-01

Full Text Available European Union requires some standards in all areas. Today, the importance of training qualified individuals which holds an important place in the development of countries increases and certain standards are adopted creating common European Union tools in the field of vocational and technical education. In this study, vocational education and training policies system and the standards adopted by the European Union are discussed. Furthermore, this study was accepted as a European Union project in 2010 and the results obtained from the Leonardo Da Vinci Life Learning European Union project called “Web Based Basic Vocational Training” between the years 2010-2012 were presented. Since the partners of these projects are Turkey, Spain and Germany, the structure of vocational education, institutions of public and private vocational education and the diplomas and certificates entitled after these educations are included. As Turkey is on its way to become a European Union member, a number of advices are presented for Turkey to reach its destination about vocational education standards that European Union has aimed. The purpose of the study is not only to be a guide for the young who want to get professional training in the countries that are European Union members or candidates about how and where to have education opportunities but also to give a chance for trainers and training managers, participating in vocational training, so as to glimpse different practices from different countries and compare these practices between the countries of European Union and their countries. The study is also very important as it has the opportunities for training managers to see if their countries' vocational education is close enough to vocational education in European Union.

Background suppression of infrared small target image based on inter-frame registration

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Xiubo; Xue, Bindang

2018-04-01

We propose a multi-frame background suppression method for remote infrared small target detection. Inter-frame information is necessary when the heavy background clutters make it difficult to distinguish real targets and false alarms. A registration procedure based on points matching in image patches is used to compensate the local deformation of background. Then the target can be separated by background subtraction. Experiments show our method serves as an effective preliminary of target detection.

The right time to learn: mechanisms and optimization of spaced learning

Science.gov (United States)

Smolen, Paul; Zhang, Yili; Byrne, John H.

2016-01-01

For many types of learning, spaced training, which involves repeated long inter-trial intervals, leads to more robust memory formation than does massed training, which involves short or no intervals. Several cognitive theories have been proposed to explain this superiority, but only recently have data begun to delineate the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms of spaced training, and we review these theories and data here. Computational models of the implicated signalling cascades have predicted that spaced training with irregular inter-trial intervals can enhance learning. This strategy of using models to predict optimal spaced training protocols, combined with pharmacotherapy, suggests novel ways to rescue impaired synaptic plasticity and learning. PMID:26806627

Infusing an Inter-Professional and Inter-University Perspective into Healthcare Education

Science.gov (United States)

Goldberg, Lynette R.; Koontz, Jennifer Scott; Downs, David; Uhlig, Paul; Kumar, Neil G.; Shah, Sapna; Clark, Paige E.; Coiner, Christina; Crumrine, Daiquirie

2010-01-01

A national (USA) student-led, case-based CLinician/Administrator Relationship Improvement OrganizatioN (CLARION) competition focuses students in medical and related healthcare programs on the provision of healthcare that is safe, timely, equitable, patient-centred, effective and efficient. Students work in four-person, inter-professional teams to…

Problem-based learning

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Loyens, Sofie; Kirschner, Paul A.; Paas, Fred

2010-01-01

Loyens, S. M. M., Kirschner, P. A., & Paas, F. (2011). Problem-based learning. In S. Graham (Editor-in-Chief), A. Bus, S. Major, & L. Swanson (Associate Editors), APA educational psychology handbook: Vol. 3. Application to learning and teaching (pp. 403-425). Washington, DC: American Psychological

Blended Learning Opportunities in Ukrainian IT Public Education

Science.gov (United States)

Szimkovics, Tamás

2017-01-01

Based on previous surveys the usage of ICT and blended learning is at a low level in Ukraine. To catch up with the European average, it is important to familiarize the students and teachers with blended learning in the secondary school. The information technology classes provide the best opportunity to introduce the blended learning, because they…

The effect of discovery learning and problem-based learning on middle school students’ self-regulated learning

Science.gov (United States)

Miatun, A.; Muntazhimah

2018-01-01

The aim of this research was to determine the effect of learning models on mathematics achievement viewed from student’s self-regulated learning. The learning model compared were discovery learning and problem-based learning. The population was all students at the grade VIII of Junior High School in Boyolali regency. The samples were students of SMPN 4 Boyolali, SMPN 6 Boyolali, and SMPN 4 Mojosongo. The instruments used were mathematics achievement tests and self-regulated learning questionnaire. The data were analyzed using unbalanced two-ways Anova. The conclusion was as follows: (1) discovery learning gives better achievement than problem-based learning. (2) Achievement of students who have high self-regulated learning was better than students who have medium and low self-regulated learning. (3) For discovery learning, achievement of students who have high self-regulated learning was better than students who have medium and low self-regulated learning. For problem-based learning, students who have high and medium self-regulated learning have the same achievement. (4) For students who have high self-regulated learning, discovery learning gives better achievement than problem-based learning. Students who have medium and low self-regulated learning, both learning models give the same achievement.

The Creation of Task-Based Differentiated Learning Materials for Students with Learning Difficulties and/or Disabilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Barker, Trevor; Jones, Sara; Britton, Carol; Messer, David

This paper describes Horizon, a European-funded project designed to increase employment opportunities for students with disabilities or learning difficulties. The project established a working cafe/restaurant (Cafe Horizon) in East London staffed by students. Part of the project involved the creation of multimedia units linked directly to Level 1…

European Patient Summary Guideline: Focus on Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Berler, Alexander; Tagaris, Anastassios; Chronaki, Catherine

2016-01-01

The European Patient Summary (PS) guideline specifies a minimal dataset of essential and important information for unplanned or emergency care initially defined in the epSOS project with aim to improve patients' safety and quality of Care. The eHealth Network of European Union (EU) Member State (MS) representatives established under Article 14 of the EU directive 2011/24 on patient rights to cross-border healthcare adopted PS guideline in November 2013 and since then the guideline has been part of MS strategic eHealth implementation plans, standardization efforts, and concrete regional, national, European and international projects. This paper reviews implementation efforts for the implementation of an operational patient summary service in Greece drawing on challenges and lessons learned for sustainable standards-based large scale eHealth deployment in Europe and abroad, as well as the reuse of best practices from international standards and integration profiles.

Inter-Judge Agreement in Classifying Students as Learning Disabled.

Science.gov (United States)

Epps, Susan; And Others

Eighteen judges with backgrounds in assessment, decision making, and learning disabilities were asked to use an array of information to differentiate learning disabled (LD) and non-learning disabled students. Each judge was provided with forms containing information on 42 test or subtest scores of 50 school-identified LD students and 49 non-LD…

A European Approach to Lifelong Learning: Goals and Realities.

Science.gov (United States)

Thery, Michel; Roussel, Patrick; Zygmunt, Christian

2003-01-01

Comparison of company practices regarding continuing training of employees shows great diversity among the 15 European Union member states. In 11 countries, over 70 percent of companies are "training involved" (TICs). South European countries have a low percentage of TICs; the proportion of TICs in north European countries is over 80…

Learning Object Retrieval and Aggregation Based on Learning Styles

Science.gov (United States)

Ramirez-Arellano, Aldo; Bory-Reyes, Juan; Hernández-Simón, Luis Manuel

2017-01-01

The main goal of this article is to develop a Management System for Merging Learning Objects (msMLO), which offers an approach that retrieves learning objects (LOs) based on students' learning styles and term-based queries, which produces a new outcome with a better score. The msMLO faces the task of retrieving LOs via two steps: The first step…

Features and characteristics of problem based learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eser Ceker

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Throughout the years, there appears to be an increase in Problem Based Learning applications in education; and Problem Based Learning related research areas. The main aim of this research is to underline the fundamentals (basic elements of Problem Based Learning, investigate the dimensions of research approached to PBL oriented areas (with a look for the latest technology supported tools of Problem Based Learning. This research showed that the most researched characteristics of PBL are; teacher and student assessments on Problem Based Learning, Variety of disciplines in which Problem Based Learning strategies were tried and success evaluated, Using Problem Based Learning alone or with other strategies (Hybrid or Mix methods, Comparing Problem Based Learning with other strategies, and new trends and tendencies in Problem Based Learning related research. Our research may help us to identify the latest trends and tendencies referred to in the published studies related to “problem based learning” areas. In this research, Science Direct and Ulakbim were used as our main database resources. The sample of this study consists of 150 articles.

The «PBL WORKING ENVIRONMENT» as interactive and expert system to learn the problem-based learning method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susana Correnti

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The «PBL working environment» is a virtual environment developed in the framework of SCENE project (profeSsional development for an effeCtive PBL approach: a practical experiENce through ICT-enabled lEarning solution, co-funded by the European Lifelong Learning Program. The «PBL working environment» is devoted to prepare headmasters and teachers of secondary and vocational schools to use Problem-Based Learning (PBL pedagogy effectively. It is a student-centered pedagogy where learners are «actively» engaged in real world problems to solve or challenges to meet. Students develop problem-solving, self-directed learning and team skills. The «PBL working environment» is an virtual tool including three main elements: e-learning platform, virtual facilitator and PBL repository. Teachers, trainers and headmasters/school managers learn the PBL pedagogy by attending an on-line course (e-learning platform delivered through the «inductive method». It allows learners to experience PBL approach, by practicing it stage by stage, and then learn to turn practice into theory by abstracting their experience to build a theoretical understanding. Since generating the proper scenario is the most critical aspect of PBL, after benefiting from the on-line course, users can benefit from a further support: the Virtual Facilitator. It provides tips and hints on how correctly design a problem scenario and by asking questions to collect data on user's specific needs. The Virtual Facilitator is able to provide a/or more suitable example(s which match as closest as possible the teacher/trainer need. Finally, users can share problem scenarios and projects of different subjects of studies and with different characteristics uploaded and downloaded in the PBL repository.

Merging Problem-Based Learning with Simulation-Based Learning in the Medical Undergraduate Curriculum: The PAIRED Framework for Enhancing Lifelong Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Koh, Jansen

2016-01-01

Lifelong learning is an essential trait that is expected of every physician. The CanMeds 2005 Physician Competency Framework emphasizes lifelong learning as a key competency that physicians must achieve in becoming better physicians. However, many physicians are not competent at engaging in lifelong learning. The current medical education system is deficient in preparing medical students to develop and carry out their own lifelong learning curriculum upon graduation. Despite understanding how physicians learn at work, medical students are not trained to learn while working. Similarly, although barriers to lifelong learning are known, medical students are not adequately skilled in overcoming these barriers. Learning to learn is just as important, if not more, as acquiring the skills and knowledge required of a physician. The medical undergraduate curriculum lacks a specific learning strategy to prepare medical students in becoming an adept lifelong learner. In this article, we propose a learning strategy for lifelong learning at the undergraduate level. In developing this novel strategy, we paid particular attention to two parameters. First, this strategy should be grounded on literature describing a physician’s lifelong learning process. Second, the framework for implementing this strategy must be based on existing undergraduate learning strategies to obviate the need for additional resources, learner burden, and faculty time. In this paper, we propose a Problem, Analysis, Independent Research Reporting, Experimentation Debriefing (PAIRED) framework that follows the learning process of a physician and serves to synergize the components of problem-based learning and simulation-based learning in specifically targeting the barriers to lifelong learning. PMID:27446767

Web-Based Learning Support System

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Lisa

Web-based learning support system offers many benefits over traditional learning environments and has become very popular. The Web is a powerful environment for distributing information and delivering knowledge to an increasingly wide and diverse audience. Typical Web-based learning environments, such as Web-CT, Blackboard, include course content delivery tools, quiz modules, grade reporting systems, assignment submission components, etc. They are powerful integrated learning management systems (LMS) that support a number of activities performed by teachers and students during the learning process [1]. However, students who study a course on the Internet tend to be more heterogeneously distributed than those found in a traditional classroom situation. In order to achieve optimal efficiency in a learning process, an individual learner needs his or her own personalized assistance. For a web-based open and dynamic learning environment, personalized support for learners becomes more important. This chapter demonstrates how to realize personalized learning support in dynamic and heterogeneous learning environments by utilizing Adaptive Web technologies. It focuses on course personalization in terms of contents and teaching materials that is according to each student's needs and capabilities. An example of using Rough Set to analyze student personal information to assist students with effective learning and predict student performance is presented.

Virtual Learning Environments and Learning Forms -experiments in ICT-based learning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Helbo, Jan; Knudsen, Morten

2004-01-01

This paper report the main results of a three year experiment in ICT-based distance learning. The results are based on a full scale experiment in the education, Master of Industrial Information Technology (MII) and is one of many projects deeply rooted in the project Virtual Learning Environments...... didactic model has until now been a positive experience........ The main problem is that we do not find the same self regulatoring learning effect in the group work among the off-campus students as is the case for on-campus students. Based on feedback from evaluation questionnaires and discussions with the students didactic adjustments have been made. The revised...

GLM Proxy Data Generation: Methods for Stroke/Pulse Level Inter-Comparison of Ground-Based Lightning Reference Networks

Science.gov (United States)

Cummins, Kenneth L.; Carey, Lawrence D.; Schultz, Christopher J.; Bateman, Monte G.; Cecil, Daniel J.; Rudlosky, Scott D.; Petersen, Walter Arthur; Blakeslee, Richard J.; Goodman, Steven J.

2011-01-01

In order to produce useful proxy data for the GOES-R Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) in regions not covered by VLF lightning mapping systems, we intend to employ data produced by ground-based (regional or global) VLF/LF lightning detection networks. Before using these data in GLM Risk Reduction tasks, it is necessary to have a quantitative understanding of the performance of these networks, in terms of CG flash/stroke DE, cloud flash/pulse DE, location accuracy, and CLD/CG classification error. This information is being obtained through inter-comparison with LMAs and well-quantified VLF/LF lightning networks. One of our approaches is to compare "bulk" counting statistics on the spatial scale of convective cells, in order to both quantify relative performance and observe variations in cell-based temporal trends provided by each network. In addition, we are using microsecond-level stroke/pulse time correlation to facilitate detailed inter-comparisons at a more-fundamental level. The current development status of our ground-based inter-comparison and evaluation tools will be presented, and performance metrics will be discussed through a comparison of Vaisala s Global Lightning Dataset (GLD360) with the NLDN at locations within and outside the U.S.

Africanized honeybees are slower learners than their European counterparts

Science.gov (United States)

Couvillon, Margaret J.; Degrandi-Hoffman, Gloria; Gronenberg, Wulfila

2010-02-01

Does cognitive ability always correlate with a positive fitness consequence? Previous research in both vertebrates and invertebrates provides mixed results. Here, we compare the learning and memory abilities of Africanized honeybees ( Apis mellifera scutellata hybrid) and European honeybees ( Apis mellifera ligustica). The range of the Africanized honeybee continues to expand, superseding the European honeybee, which led us to hypothesize that they might possess greater cognitive capabilities as revealed by a classical conditioning assay. Surprisingly, we found that fewer Africanized honeybees learn to associate an odor with a reward. Additionally, fewer Africanized honeybees remembered the association a day later. While Africanized honeybees are replacing European honeybees, our results show that they do so despite displaying a relatively poorer performance on an associative learning paradigm.

Inquiry-Based Learning in China: Lesson Learned for School Science Practices

Science.gov (United States)

Nuangchalerm, Prasart

2014-01-01

Inquiry-based learning is widely considered for science education in this era. This study aims to explore inquiry-based learning in teacher preparation program and the findings will help us to understanding what inquiry-based classroom is and how inquiry-based learning are. Data were collected by qualitative methods; classroom observation,…

Estradiol differentially affects auditory recognition and learning according to photoperiodic state in the adult male songbird, European starling (Sturnus vulgaris

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rebecca M. Calisi

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Changes in hormones can affect many types of learning in vertebrates. Adults experience fluctuations in a multitude of hormones over a temporal scale, from local, rapid action to more long-term, seasonal changes. Endocrine changes during development can affect behavioral outcomes in adulthood, but how learning is affected in adults by hormone fluctuations experienced during adulthood is less understood. Previous reports have implicated the sex steroid hormone estradiol (E2 in both male and female vertebrate cognitive functioning. Here, we examined the effects of E2 on auditory recognition and learning in male European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris. European starlings are photoperiodic, seasonally breeding songbirds that undergo different periods of reproductive activity according to annual changes in day length. We simulated these reproductive periods, specifically 1. photosensitivity, 2. photostimulation, and 3. photorefractoriness in captive birds by altering day length. During each period, we manipulated circulating E2 and examined multiple measures of learning. To manipulate circulating E2, we used subcutaneous implants containing either 17-β E2 and/or fadrozole (FAD, a highly specific aromatase inhibitor that suppresses E2 production in the body and the brain, and measured the latency for birds to learn and respond to short, male conspecific song segments (motifs. We report that photostimulated birds given E2 had higher response rates and responded with better accuracy than those given saline controls or FAD. Conversely, photosensitive, animals treated with E2 responded with less accuracy than those given FAD. These results demonstrate how circulating E2 and photoperiod can interact to shape auditory recognition and learning in adults, driving it in opposite directions in different states.

Cytomorphology review of 100 newly diagnosed lower-risk MDS patients in the European LeukemiaNet MDS (EUMDS) registry reveals a high inter-observer concordance.

Science.gov (United States)

de Swart, Louise; Smith, Alex; MacKenzie, Marius; Symeonidis, Argiris; Neukirchen, Judith; Mikulenková, Dana; Vallespí, Teresa; Zini, Gina; Paszkowska-Kowalewska, Malgorzata; Kruger, Anton; Saft, Leonie; Fenaux, Pierre; Bowen, David; Hellström-Lindberg, Eva; Čermák, Jaroslav; Stauder, Reinhard; Tatic, Aurelia; Holm, Mette Skov; Malcovati, Luca; Mądry, Krzysztof; Droste, Jackie; Blijlevens, Nicole; de Witte, Theo; Germing, Ulrich

2017-07-01

The European LeukemiaNet MDS (EUMDS) registry is collecting data of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) patients belonging to the IPSS low or intermediate-1 category, newly diagnosed by local cytologists. The diagnosis of MDS can be challenging, and some data report inter-observer variability with regard to the assessment of the MDS subtype. In order to ensure that correct diagnoses were made by the participating centres, blood and bone marrow slides of 10% of the first 1000 patients were reviewed by an 11-person panel of cytomorphologists. All slides were rated by at least 3 panel members (median 8 panel members; range 3-9). Marrow slides from 98 out of 105 patients were of good quality and therefore could be rated properly according to the WHO 2001 classification, including assessment of dysplastic lineages. The agreement between the reviewers whether the diagnosis was MDS or non-MDS was strong with an intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.85. Six cases were detected not to fit the entry criteria of the registry, because they were diagnosed uniformly as CMML or AML by the panel members. The agreement by WHO 2001 classification was strong as well (ICC = 0.83). The concordance of the assessment of dysplastic lineages was substantial for megakaryopoiesis and myelopoiesis and moderate for erythropoiesis. Our data show that in general, the inter-observer agreement was high and a very low percentage of misdiagnosed cases had been entered into the EUMDS registry. Further studies including histomorphology are warranted.

Evolution of the european data base

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bonnefous, S.; Despres, A.

1991-01-01

Works connected with the data base on the European grid are carried on following several ways: 1. Enrichment of the data base, with the inclusion of new data (milk products, agricultural products). Progress along this line is depending on the progress made within EUROSTAT. 2. Elaboration of the data base on a finer grid (10 km * 10 km), for the meshes that are estimated more critical (because they include important potential sources of pollution), or for very non-homogeneous meshes (costal areas). 3. Development and/or acquisition of softwares allowing an exploitation and an easy consultation of the data base. At the present state, installation of the data base with 10 000 km 2 meshes on the PARADOX system is in progress. (PARADOX is a software for data base maintenance). A graphical representation software (cartography) completes the system, allowing the visualization of the data. The paper presents the current state of development of this work

The European Project Semester at ISEP: The Challenge of Educating Global Engineers

Science.gov (United States)

Malheiro, Benedita; Silva, Manuel; Ribeiro, Maria Cristina; Guedes, Pedro; Ferreira, Paulo

2015-01-01

Current engineering education challenges require approaches that promote scientific, technical, design and complementary skills while fostering autonomy, innovation and responsibility. The European Project Semester (EPS) at Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto (ISEP) (EPS@ISEP) is a one semester project-based learning programme (30 European…

Web-based mini-games for language learning that support spoken interaction

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Strik, H

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The European ‘Lifelong Learning Programme’ (LLP) project ‘Games Online for Basic Language learning’ (GOBL) aimed to provide youths and adults wishing to improve their basic language skills access to materials for the development of communicative...

A Versatile Software Package for Inter-subject Correlation Based Analyses of fMRI

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jukka-Pekka eKauppi

2014-01-01

Full Text Available In the inter-subject correlation (ISC based analysis of the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI data, the extent of shared processing across subjects during the experiment is determined by calculating correlation coefficients between the fMRI time series of the subjects in the corresponding brain locations. This implies that ISC can be used to analyze fMRI data without explicitly modelling the stimulus and thus ISC is a potential method to analyze fMRI data acquired under complex naturalistic stimuli. Despite of the suitability of ISC based approach to analyze complex fMRI data, no generic software tools have been made available for this purpose, limiting a widespread use of ISC based analysis techniques among neuroimaging community. In this paper, we present a graphical user interface (GUI based software package, ISC Toolbox, implemented in Matlab for computing various ISC based analyses. Many advanced computations such as comparison of ISCs between different stimuli, time window ISC, and inter-subject phase synchronization are supported by the toolbox. The analyses are coupled with re-sampling based statistical inference. The ISC based analyses are data and computation intensive and the ISC toolbox is equipped with mechanisms to execute the parallel computations in a cluster environment automatically and with an automatic detection of the cluster environment in use. Currently, SGE-based (Oracle Grid Engine, Son of a Grid Engine or Open Grid Scheduler and Slurm environments are supported. In this paper, we present a detailed account on the methods behind the ISC Toolbox, the implementation of the toolbox and demonstrate the possible use of the toolbox by summarizing selected example applications. We also report the computation time experiments both using a single desktop computer and two grid environments demonstrating that parallelization effectively reduces the computing time. The ISC Toolbox is available in https://code.google.com/p/isc-toolbox/.

A versatile software package for inter-subject correlation based analyses of fMRI.

Science.gov (United States)

Kauppi, Jukka-Pekka; Pajula, Juha; Tohka, Jussi

2014-01-01

In the inter-subject correlation (ISC) based analysis of the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data, the extent of shared processing across subjects during the experiment is determined by calculating correlation coefficients between the fMRI time series of the subjects in the corresponding brain locations. This implies that ISC can be used to analyze fMRI data without explicitly modeling the stimulus and thus ISC is a potential method to analyze fMRI data acquired under complex naturalistic stimuli. Despite of the suitability of ISC based approach to analyze complex fMRI data, no generic software tools have been made available for this purpose, limiting a widespread use of ISC based analysis techniques among neuroimaging community. In this paper, we present a graphical user interface (GUI) based software package, ISC Toolbox, implemented in Matlab for computing various ISC based analyses. Many advanced computations such as comparison of ISCs between different stimuli, time window ISC, and inter-subject phase synchronization are supported by the toolbox. The analyses are coupled with re-sampling based statistical inference. The ISC based analyses are data and computation intensive and the ISC toolbox is equipped with mechanisms to execute the parallel computations in a cluster environment automatically and with an automatic detection of the cluster environment in use. Currently, SGE-based (Oracle Grid Engine, Son of a Grid Engine, or Open Grid Scheduler) and Slurm environments are supported. In this paper, we present a detailed account on the methods behind the ISC Toolbox, the implementation of the toolbox and demonstrate the possible use of the toolbox by summarizing selected example applications. We also report the computation time experiments both using a single desktop computer and two grid environments demonstrating that parallelization effectively reduces the computing time. The ISC Toolbox is available in https://code.google.com/p/isc-toolbox/

Dimensions of problem based learning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Jørgen Lerche; Andreasen, Lars Birch

2013-01-01

The article contributes to the literature on problem based learning and problem-oriented project work, building on and reflecting the experiences of the authors through decades of work with problem-oriented project pedagogy. The article explores different dimensions of problem based learning such...... and Learning (MIL). We discuss changes in the roles of the teachers as supervisors within this learning environment, and we explore the involvement of students as active participants and co-designers of how course and project activities unfold....

20 Years of Total and Tropical Ozone Time Series Based on European Satellite Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Loyola, D. G.; Heue, K. P.; Coldewey-Egbers, M.

2016-12-01

Ozone is an important trace gas in the atmosphere, while the stratospheric ozone layer protects the earth surface from the incident UV radiation, the tropospheric ozone acts as green house gas and causes health damages as well as crop loss. The total ozone column is dominated by the stratospheric column, the tropospheric columns only contributes about 10% to the total column.The ozone column data from the European satellite instruments GOME, SCIAMACHY, OMI, GOME-2A and GOME-2B are available within the ESA Climate Change Initiative project with a high degree of inter-sensor consistency. The tropospheric ozone columns are based on the convective cloud differential algorithm. The datasets encompass a period of more than 20 years between 1995 and 2015, for the trend analysis the data sets were harmonized relative to one of the instruments. For the tropics we found an increase in the tropospheric ozone column of 0.75 ± 0.12 DU decade^{-1} with local variations between 1.8 and -0.8. The largest trends were observed over southern Africa and the Atlantic Ocean. A seasonal trend analysis led to the assumption that the increase is caused by additional forest fires.The trend for the total column was not that certain, based on model predicted trend data and the measurement uncertainty we estimated that another 10 to 15 years of observations will be required to observe a statistical significant trend. In the mid latitudes the trends are currently hidden in the large variability and for the tropics the modelled trends are low. Also the possibility of diverging trends at different altitudes must be considered; an increase in the tropospheric ozone might be accompanied by decreasing stratospheric ozone.The European satellite data record will be extended over the next two decades with the atmospheric satellite missions Sentinel 5 Precursor (launch end of 2016), Sentinel 4 and Sentinel 5.

Model-based machine learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Bishop, Christopher M

2013-02-13

Several decades of research in the field of machine learning have resulted in a multitude of different algorithms for solving a broad range of problems. To tackle a new application, a researcher typically tries to map their problem onto one of these existing methods, often influenced by their familiarity with specific algorithms and by the availability of corresponding software implementations. In this study, we describe an alternative methodology for applying machine learning, in which a bespoke solution is formulated for each new application. The solution is expressed through a compact modelling language, and the corresponding custom machine learning code is then generated automatically. This model-based approach offers several major advantages, including the opportunity to create highly tailored models for specific scenarios, as well as rapid prototyping and comparison of a range of alternative models. Furthermore, newcomers to the field of machine learning do not have to learn about the huge range of traditional methods, but instead can focus their attention on understanding a single modelling environment. In this study, we show how probabilistic graphical models, coupled with efficient inference algorithms, provide a very flexible foundation for model-based machine learning, and we outline a large-scale commercial application of this framework involving tens of millions of users. We also describe the concept of probabilistic programming as a powerful software environment for model-based machine learning, and we discuss a specific probabilistic programming language called Infer.NET, which has been widely used in practical applications.

eLearning techniques supporting problem based learning in clinical simulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Docherty, Charles; Hoy, Derek; Topp, Helena; Trinder, Kathryn

2005-08-01

This paper details the results of the first phase of a project using eLearning to support students' learning within a simulated environment. The locus was a purpose built clinical simulation laboratory (CSL) where the School's philosophy of problem based learning (PBL) was challenged through lecturers using traditional teaching methods. a student-centred, problem based approach to the acquisition of clinical skills that used high quality learning objects embedded within web pages, substituting for lecturers providing instruction and demonstration. This encouraged student nurses to explore, analyse and make decisions within the safety of a clinical simulation. Learning was facilitated through network communications and reflection on video performances of self and others. Evaluations were positive, students demonstrating increased satisfaction with PBL, improved performance in exams, and increased self-efficacy in the performance of nursing activities. These results indicate that eLearning techniques can help students acquire clinical skills in the safety of a simulated environment within the context of a problem based learning curriculum.

What Is the Key for Older People to Show Interest in Playing Digital Learning Games? Initial Qualitative Findings from the LEAGE Project on a Multicultural European Sample.

Science.gov (United States)

Diaz-Orueta, Unai; Facal, David; Nap, Henk Herman; Ranga, Myrto-Maria

2012-04-01

Learning digital games can influence both older adults' health condition and their capacity to carry on activities in their actual environment. The goal of the current study was to explore and define the user requirements for developing digital learning games for older Europeans, focusing on types of learning games, motivational and social aspects, and preferences on game controllers. For this initial stage, a qualitative focus group study was performed in three participating countries (Spain, The Netherlands, and Greece) where both games existing in the market and others developed in other European Commission projects like HERMES were presented to them, both on video presentations and also with the possibility to actually test some of them. Challenge, socialization, fun, providing learning opportunities, and escape from daily routine were extracted as the main keys why older people would be interested in playing digital games. Users described themselves as active and participating in many leisure activities, and this level of activity appeared to be related with the contents proposed for digital games, such as physical activity, culture, arts, and other human sciences (history, geography, traveling, foreign languages, music), and daily life skills (cooking, computer use, first aid). The knowledge gathered from the focus groups will be used as input for the design of a learning game that will be largely compatible with the needs and abilities of a wide range of older Europeans.

Distance Training in the European Union. ZIFF Papiere 96.

Science.gov (United States)

Keegan, Desmond

A study examined distance training in the European Union (EU) countries. First, recent literature on the following topics was reviewed: technology-supported learning, flexible and distance learning, development of open distance learning, and teleconferencing and distance learning. Next, enrollments and trends in distance learning in the EU as a…

An interactive E-Learning portal in pediatric endocrinology : Practical experience

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kranenburg-van Koppen, L.J.C.; Grijpink-van den Biggelaar, K.; Drop, S.L.S.

2013-01-01

Based on educational considerations, the European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) e-learning portal has been developed, providing an interactive learning environment for up-to-date information in pediatric endocrinology. From March 2011 to January 2012, five small-scale pilot studies

Analysis of underlying causes of inter-expert disagreement in retinopathy of prematurity diagnosis. Application of machine learning principles.

Science.gov (United States)

Ataer-Cansizoglu, E; Kalpathy-Cramer, J; You, S; Keck, K; Erdogmus, D; Chiang, M F

2015-01-01

Inter-expert variability in image-based clinical diagnosis has been demonstrated in many diseases including retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), which is a disease affecting low birth weight infants and is a major cause of childhood blindness. In order to better understand the underlying causes of variability among experts, we propose a method to quantify the variability of expert decisions and analyze the relationship between expert diagnoses and features computed from the images. Identification of these features is relevant for development of computer-based decision support systems and educational systems in ROP, and these methods may be applicable to other diseases where inter-expert variability is observed. The experiments were carried out on a dataset of 34 retinal images, each with diagnoses provided independently by 22 experts. Analysis was performed using concepts of Mutual Information (MI) and Kernel Density Estimation. A large set of structural features (a total of 66) were extracted from retinal images. Feature selection was utilized to identify the most important features that correlated to actual clinical decisions by the 22 study experts. The best three features for each observer were selected by an exhaustive search on all possible feature subsets and considering joint MI as a relevance criterion. We also compared our results with the results of Cohen's Kappa [36] as an inter-rater reliability measure. The results demonstrate that a group of observers (17 among 22) decide consistently with each other. Mean and second central moment of arteriolar tortuosity is among the reasons of disagreement between this group and the rest of the observers, meaning that the group of experts consider amount of tortuosity as well as the variation of tortuosity in the image. Given a set of image-based features, the proposed analysis method can identify critical image-based features that lead to expert agreement and disagreement in diagnosis of ROP. Although tree-based

Survey of e-learning implementation and faculty support strategies in a cluster of mid-European medical schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Back, David Alexander; Behringer, Florian; Harms, Tina; Plener, Joachim; Sostmann, Kai; Peters, Harm

2015-09-03

The use of electronic learning formats (e-learning) in medical education is reported mainly from individual specialty perspectives. In this study, we analyzed the implementation level of e-learning formats and the institutional support structures and strategies at an institutional level in a cluster of mid-European medical schools. A 49-item online questionnaire was send to 48 medical schools in Austria, Germany and Switzerland using SurveyMonkey®. Data were collected between February and September of 2013 and analyzed using quantities, statistical and qualitative means. The response rate was 71 %. All schools had implemented e-learning, but mainly as an optional supplement to the curriculum. E-learning involved a wide range of formats across all disciplines. Online learning platforms were used by 97 % of the schools. Full-time e-learning staff was employed by 50 %, and these had a positive and significant effect on the presence of e-learning in the corresponding medical schools. In addition, 81 % offered training programs and qualifications for their teachers and 76 % awarded performance-oriented benefits, with 17 % giving these for e-learning tasks. Realization of e-learning offers was rewarded by 33 %, with 27 % recognizing this as part of the teaching load. 97 % would use curriculum-compatible e-learning tools produced by other faculties. While all participating medical schools used e-learning concepts, this survey revealed also a reasonable support by institutional infrastructure and the importance of staff for the implementation level of e-learning offerings. However, data showed some potential for increasing tangible incentives to motivate teachers to engage in further use of e-learning. Furthermore, the use of individual tools and the distribution of e-learning presentations in various disciplines were quite inhomogeneous. The willingness of the medical schools to cooperate should be capitalized for the future, especially concerning the provision of e-learning

Simulation and case-based learning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ørngreen, Rikke; Guralnick, David

2008-01-01

Abstract- This paper has its origin in the authors' reflection on years of practical experiences combined with literature readings in our preparation for a workshop on learn-by-doing simulation and case-based learning to be held at the ICELW 2008 conference (the International Conference on E-Learning...... in the Workplace). The purpose of this paper is to describe the two online learning methodologies and to raise questions for future discussion. In the workshop, the organizers and participants work with and discuss differences and similarities within the two pedagogical methodologies, focusing on how...... they are applied in workplace related and e-learning contexts. In addition to the organizers, a small number of invited presenters will attend, giving demonstrations of their work within learn-by-doing simulation and cases-based learning, but still leaving ample of time for discussion among all participants....

The Analysis of Mutual Learning Processes in the European Employment Strategy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nedergaard, Peter

of policy diffusion of the EES learning processes as predicted in the model in section 4. Section 6 deals with the conflictual views on the size and character of the learning processes of the EES in recent studies and proposes a new methodological path to investigate the mutual learning processes based upon......The paper is structured as follows: Section 2 summarizes the recent debate in the political science literature on analytical approaches to learning, which has gradually developed in a direction of being less and less individualistic. Section 3 follows up on this development and introduces a social...... constructivist approach to learning that redefines learning as changes in language-constituted relations to others. In section 4 this argument is elaborated into a model for mutual learning. Section 5 contains a qualitative analysis of the organisation of the EES in practice with regard to the possibilities...

Design for game based learning platforms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Birgitte Holm; Meyer, Bente

2010-01-01

This paper focuses on the challenges related to the design of game based learning platforms for formal learning contexts that are inspired by the pupil's leisure time related use of web 2.0. The paper is based on the project Serious Games on a Global Market Place (2007-2011) founded by the Danish...... of web 2.0 and integrates theories of learning, didactics, games, play, communication, multimodality and different pedagogical approaches. In relation to the introduced model the teacher role is discussed.......This paper focuses on the challenges related to the design of game based learning platforms for formal learning contexts that are inspired by the pupil's leisure time related use of web 2.0. The paper is based on the project Serious Games on a Global Market Place (2007-2011) founded by the Danish...... Council for Strategic Research, in which an online game-based platform for English as a foreign language in primary school is studied. The paper presents a model for designing for game based learning platforms. This design is based on cultural and ethnographic based research on children's leisure time use...

Possible ways of corporate tax base harmonization in the European Union

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Danuše Nerudová

2008-01-01

Full Text Available The possible ways of corporate tax base harmonization in the European Union are presented in the paper. Present situation when there are 27 different taxation systems used in the EU increases compliance costs of taxation to the companies and therefore decreases their competitiveness. It was proved, that there is negative correlation between the size of the company and the size of the compliance costs of taxation. Based on that, the European Commission has decided for twin-track strategy – to introduce home state taxation in the short term and common consolidated corporate tax base in the long term. In respect to the fact, that the pilot project in the frame of home state taxation system has not started yet, the attention has been turned to the common consolidated corporate tax base. The paper discusses the possible attitudes and methods of consolidated tax base allocation. Based on mentioned arguments the formulary apportionment with factors which generate the taxable income of the group (assets, payroll, turnover, etc. seems to be the best solution. Factors and their weight should become the subject of further discussion in the European Union. The aim of the paper is to present the possible harmonization models and further to discuss the methods which could be used for allocation of the consolidated tax base under CCCTB.

Distance learning, problem based learning and dynamic knowledge networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Giani, U; Martone, P

1998-06-01

This paper is an attempt to develop a distance learning model grounded upon a strict integration of problem based learning (PBL), dynamic knowledge networks (DKN) and web tools, such as hypermedia documents, synchronous and asynchronous communication facilities, etc. The main objective is to develop a theory of distance learning based upon the idea that learning is a highly dynamic cognitive process aimed at connecting different concepts in a network of mutually supporting concepts. Moreover, this process is supposed to be the result of a social interaction that has to be facilitated by the web. The model was tested by creating a virtual classroom of medical and nursing students and activating a learning session on the concept of knowledge representation in health sciences.

Image quality assessment based on inter-patch and intra-patch similarity.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fei Zhou

Full Text Available In this paper, we propose a full-reference (FR image quality assessment (IQA scheme, which evaluates image fidelity from two aspects: the inter-patch similarity and the intra-patch similarity. The scheme is performed in a patch-wise fashion so that a quality map can be obtained. On one hand, we investigate the disparity between one image patch and its adjacent ones. This disparity is visually described by an inter-patch feature, where the hybrid effect of luminance masking and contrast masking is taken into account. The inter-patch similarity is further measured by modifying the normalized correlation coefficient (NCC. On the other hand, we also attach importance to the impact of image contents within one patch on the IQA problem. For the intra-patch feature, we consider image curvature as an important complement of image gradient. According to local image contents, the intra-patch similarity is measured by adaptively comparing image curvature and gradient. Besides, a nonlinear integration of the inter-patch and intra-patch similarity is presented to obtain an overall score of image quality. The experiments conducted on six publicly available image databases show that our scheme achieves better performance in comparison with several state-of-the-art schemes.

Measuring the Differences between Traditional Learning and Game-Based Learning Using Electroencephalography (EEG) Physiologically Based Methodology

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Ching-Huei

2017-01-01

Students' cognitive states can reflect a learning experience that results in engagement in an activity. In this study, we used electroencephalography (EEG) physiologically based methodology to evaluate students' levels of attention and relaxation, as well as their learning performance within a traditional and game-based learning context. While no…

Contemporary Perspectives in Adult Education and Lifelong Learning -- Andragogical Model of Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Blaszczak, Iwona

2013-01-01

Nowadays, adult education and lifelong learning constitutes one of the most significant factors influencing economic growth and social development. Definitions such as "knowledge society" and "knowledge-based economy" exist in a great number of the Polish and European Union papers and documents and they are not only the…

Gameplay Engagement and Learning in Game-Based Learning: A Systematic Review

Science.gov (United States)

Abdul Jabbar, Azita Iliya; Felicia, Patrick

2015-01-01

In this review, we investigated game design features that promote engagement and learning in game-based learning (GBL) settings. The aim was to address the lack of empirical evidence on the impact of game design on learning outcomes, identify how the design of game-based activities may affect learning and engagement, and develop a set of general…

Inter-rater reliability of an observation-based ergonomics assessment checklist for office workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Pereira, Michelle Jessica; Straker, Leon Melville; Comans, Tracy Anne; Johnston, Venerina

2016-12-01

To establish the inter-rater reliability of an observation-based ergonomics assessment checklist for computer workers. A 37-item (38-item if a laptop was part of the workstation) comprehensive observational ergonomics assessment checklist comparable to government guidelines and up to date with empirical evidence was developed. Two trained practitioners assessed full-time office workers performing their usual computer-based work and evaluated the suitability of workstations used. Practitioners assessed each participant consecutively. The order of assessors was randomised, and the second assessor was blinded to the findings of the first. Unadjusted kappa coefficients between the raters were obtained for the overall checklist and subsections that were formed from question-items relevant to specific workstation equipment. Twenty-seven office workers were recruited. The inter-rater reliability between two trained practitioners achieved moderate to good reliability for all except one checklist component. This checklist has mostly moderate to good reliability between two trained practitioners. Practitioner Summary: This reliable ergonomics assessment checklist for computer workers was designed using accessible government guidelines and supplemented with up-to-date evidence. Employers in Queensland (Australia) can fulfil legislative requirements by using this reliable checklist to identify and subsequently address potential risk factors for work-related injury to provide a safe working environment.

The European initiative for quality management in lung cancer care

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Blum, Torsten G; Rich, Anna; Baldwin, David

2014-01-01

. The Task Force undertook four projects: 1) a narrative literature search on quality management of lung cancer; 2) a survey of national and local infrastructure for lung cancer care in Europe; 3) a benchmarking project on the quality of (inter)national lung cancer guidelines in Europe; and 4) a feasibility...... study of prospective data collection in a pan-European setting. There is little peer-reviewed literature on quality management in lung cancer care. The survey revealed important differences in the infrastructure of lung cancer care in Europe. The European guidelines that were assessed displayed wide...... countries. The European Initiative for Quality Management in Lung Cancer Care has provided the first comprehensive snapshot of lung cancer care in Europe....

DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS STUDENTS WITH PROJECT BASED LEARNING MODEL- BASED TRAINING IN LEARNING PHYSICS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ratna Malawati

2016-06-01

Full Text Available This study aims to improve the physics Science Process Skills Students on cognitive and psychomotor aspects by using model based Project Based Learning training.The object of this study is the Project Based Learning model used in the learning process of Computationa Physics.The method used is classroom action research through two learning cycles, each cycle consisting of the stages of planning, implementation, observation and reflection. In the first cycle of treatment with their emphasis given training in the first phase up to third in the model Project Based Learning, while the second cycle is given additional treatment with emphasis discussion is collaboration in achieving the best results for each group of products. The results of data analysis showed increased ability to think Students on cognitive and Science Process Skills in the psychomotor.

European Radiation Protection Course - Basics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Massiot, Philippe; Ammerich, Marc; Viguier, Herve; Jimonet, Christine; Bruchet, Hugues; Vivier, Alain; Bodineau, Jean-Christophe; Etard, Cecile; Metivier, Henri; Moreau, Jean-Claude; Nourredine, Abdel-Mijd

2014-01-01

Radiation protection is a major challenge in the industrial applications of ionising radiation, both nuclear and non-nuclear, as well as in other areas such as the medical and research domains. The overall objective of this textbook is to participate to the development of European high-quality scheme and good practices for education and training in radiation protection (RP), coming from the new Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom laying down basic safety standards for protection against the dangers arising from exposure to ionising radiation. These ERPTS (European Radiation Protection Training Scheme) reflects the needs of the Radiation Protection Expert (RPE) and the Radiation Protection Officer (RPO), specifically with respect to the Directive 2013/59/Euratom in all sectors where ionising radiation are applied. To reflect the RPE training scheme, six chapters have been developed in this textbook: Radioactivity and nuclear physics; Interaction of ionising radiation with matter; Dosimetry; Biological effects of ionising radiation; Detection and measurement of ionising radiation; Uses of sources of ionising radiation. The result is a homogeneous textbook, dealing with the ERPTS learning outcomes suggested by ENETRAPII project (European Network on Education and Training in Radiological Protection II) from the 7. Framework Programme. A cyber-book is also part of the whole training material to develop the concept of 'learning more' (http://www.rpe-training.eu). The production of this first module 'basics' training material, in the combined form of a textbook plus a cyber-book as learning tools, will contribute to facilitate mutual recognition and enhanced mobility of these professionals across the European Union. (authors)

European oil demand and 1993 Common Market potential effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chevalier, J.M.

1991-01-01

Unification of the energy european market will heavily enhance external energy dependence and inter-energy competition. In order to respond to these new challenges, petroleum industry will have to change, probably in the direction of an increased integration concentration. Petroleum market share, moreover, will depend largely from environmental trends in EEC politics and regulations

Improving Early Detection of Refugee-Related Stress Symptoms: Evaluation of an Inter-Professional and Inter-Cultural Skills Training Course in Sweden

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Carlén

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Twenty-three of 26 participants, mainly women from six local agencies involved in the reception of refugees, completed a university course titled “Refugee-related stress and mental health—local cooperation”, which was spread over seven days in 2011. The course was based on evidence and clinical experience and was commissioned to serve as competency training by Stockholm County Council and Södertälje Municipality. It received funding from the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare. It was a continuation of an earlier one-week full-time university course from 2010 with the same title. As a result of a new law relating to refugee reception, which led to organizational change, the participants requested a continuation of the original course. The learning objectives were met (5.4 on a 6-point scale; 1 = strongly disagree, 6 = strongly agree. The general assessment of the course as a whole by the participants was 5.7 (on a 6-point scale, 1 = very unsatisfied, 6 = very satisfied. The participants thought that their skills had increased, and their perception was that they had significantly better control of their work situation following completion of the course. The most important findings were that participants from different agencies at the local level: (1 perceived that they had developed the sense that there was a local inter-cultural and inter-professional inter-agency collaboration in the reception of newly arrived refugees and (2 will continue efforts to stabilize and develop this together. This method of teaching, in terms of skills training, is not a “quick fix.” It is a process, and it needs support from those in power in order to continue.

Development of a reliable simulation-based test for diagnostic abdominal ultrasound with a pass/fail standard usable for mastery learning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Østergaard, Mia L; Nielsen, Kristina R; Albrecht-Beste, Elisabeth

2018-01-01

training can benefit from competency-based education based on reliable tests. • This simulation-based test can differentiate between competency levels of ultrasound examiners. • This test is suitable for competency-based education, e.g. mastery learning. • We provide a pass/fail standard without false...... from The European Federation of Societies for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology. Four groups of experience levels were constructed: Novices (medical students), trainees (first-year radiology residents), intermediates (third- to fourth-year radiology residents) and advanced (physicians with ultrasound...

Multi-sectoral action for child safety-a European study exploring implicated sectors.

Science.gov (United States)

Scholtes, Beatrice; Schröder-Bäck, Peter; Förster, Katharina; MacKay, Morag; Vincenten, Joanne; Brand, Helmut

2017-06-01

Injury to children in Europe, resulting in both death and disability, constitutes a significant burden on individuals, families and society. Inequalities between high and low-income countries are growing. The World Health Organisation Health 2020 strategy calls for inter-sectoral collaboration to address injury in Europe and advocates the whole of government and whole of society approaches to wicked problems. In this study we explore which sectors (e.g. health, transport, education) are relevant for four domains of child safety (intentional injury, water, road and home safety). We used the organigraph methodology, originally developed to demonstrate how organizations work, to describe the governance of child safety interventions. Members of the European Child Safety Alliance, working in the field of child safety in 24 European countries, drew organigraphs of evidence-based interventions. They included the different actors involved and the processes between them. We analyzed the organigraphs by counting the actors presented and categorizing them into sectors using a pre-defined analysis framework. We received 44 organigraphs from participants in 24 countries. Twenty-seven sectors were identified across the four domains. Nine of the 27 identified sectors were classified as 'core sectors' (education, health, home affairs, justice, media, recreation, research, social/welfare services and consumers). This study reveals the multi-sectoral nature of child safety in practice. It provides information for stakeholders working in child safety to help them implement inter-sectoral child safety interventions taking a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to health governance. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Competition-Based Learning: A Model for the Integration of Competitions with Project-Based Learning Using Open Source LMS

Science.gov (United States)

Issa, Ghassan; Hussain, Shakir M.; Al-Bahadili, Hussein

2014-01-01

In an effort to enhance the learning process in higher education, a new model for Competition-Based Learning (CBL) is presented. The new model utilizes two well-known learning models, namely, the Project-Based Learning (PBL) and competitions. The new model is also applied in a networked environment with emphasis on collective learning as well as…

Globalisation, Consumption and the Learning Business.

Science.gov (United States)

Field, John

1995-01-01

Distance open learning represents both an outcome of and a primary factor in globalization. Despite investment in infrastructure, software, and human resources, demand for distance open learning in the European market remains constrained. The European Union's policies conceptualize a "European economic space" that ignores the real…

Assessing Impact of Technology Based Digital Equalizer Programme on Improving Student Learning Outcomes

Science.gov (United States)

Sarkar, Subrata; Mohapatra, Sanjay; Sundarakrishnan, J.

2017-01-01

The objective of this research was to assess the impact of the Digital Equalizer program (DE Program) in terms of student learning outcomes of students in subjects like science, mathematics and geography after 8 months of implementing the DE program in 283 schools across 30 districts of Odisha, India. This study was a inter group and intra group…

Foundations of Game-Based Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Plass, Jan L.; Homer, Bruce D.; Kinzer, Charles K.

2015-01-01

In this article we argue that to study or apply games as learning environments, multiple perspectives have to be taken into account. We first define game-based learning and gamification, and then discuss theoretical models that describe learning with games, arguing that playfulness is orthogonal to learning theory. We then review design elements…

Characteristics of Problem-Based Learning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kolmos, Anette

2003-01-01

Problem BAsed LEarning (PBL) is widely regarded as a successful and innovative method for engineering education. The article highlights the Dutch approach of directing the learning process throuogh problem analysis and the Danish model of project-organised learning...

What students learn in problem-based learning: a process analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

E.H.J. Yew (Elaine); H.G. Schmidt (Henk)

2012-01-01

textabstractThis study aimed to provide an account of how learning takes place in problem-based learning (PBL), and to identify the relationships between the learning-oriented activities of students with their learning outcomes. First, the verbal interactions and computer resources studied by nine

Conflict Management in Inter-racial Relationships

OpenAIRE

Sakti D, Andika; Lailiyah, S.Sos, M.I.Kom, Nuriyatul

2016-01-01

Based on the principle of conformity, a person tends to prefer a partner who has in common with him. But as the times goes by along with the era which is increasingly open, we have encountered inter-racial relationships, including in Indonesia. When couples come from different cultural backgrounds, the values, rules, standpoints, habits, and methods that used in relationship must also be different. The characteristics differences are tend to be the cause of conflict on inter-racial relationsh...

COTS-based OO-component approach for software inter-operability and reuse (software systems engineering methodology)

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, J.; Oyaki, A.; Hwang, C.; Hung, C.

2000-01-01

The purpose of this research and study paper is to provide a summary description and results of rapid development accomplishments at NASA/JPL in the area of advanced distributed computing technology using a Commercial-Off--The-Shelf (COTS)-based object oriented component approach to open inter-operable software development and software reuse.

Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing for Inter-Library Services: A Case Study in a University

Science.gov (United States)

Pernot, Eli; Roodhooft, Filip; Van den Abbeele, Alexandra

2007-01-01

Although the true costs of inter-library loans (ILL) are unknown, universities increasingly rely on them to provide better library services at lower costs. Through a case study, we show how to perform a time-driven activity-based costing analysis of ILL and provide evidence of the benefits of such an analysis.

Learning Object Metadata in a Web-Based Learning Environment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Avgeriou, Paris; Koutoumanos, Anastasios; Retalis, Symeon; Papaspyrou, Nikolaos

2000-01-01

The plethora and variance of learning resources embedded in modern web-based learning environments require a mechanism to enable their structured administration. This goal can be achieved by defining metadata on them and constructing a system that manages the metadata in the context of the learning

PMF5.0 vs. CMB8.2: An inter-comparison study based on the new European SPECIEUROPE database

Science.gov (United States)

Bove, Maria Chiara; Massabò, Dario; Prati, Paolo

2018-03-01

Receptor Models are tools widely adopted in source apportionment studies. We describe here an experiment in which we integrated two different approaches, i.e. Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) and Chemical Mass Balance (CMB) to apportion a set of PM10 (i.e. Particulate Matter with aerodynamic diameter lower than 10 μm) concentration values. The study was performed in the city of Genoa (Italy): a sampling campaign was carried out collecting daily PM10 samples for about two months in an urban background site. PM10 was collected on Quartz fiber filters by a low-volume sampler. A quite complete speciation of PM samples was obtained via Energy Dispersive-X Ray Fluorescence (ED-XRF, for elements), Ionic Chromatography (IC, for major ions and levoglucosan), thermo-optical Analysis (TOT, for organic and elemental carbon). The chemical analyses provided the input database for source apportionment by both PMF and CMB. Source profiles were directly calculated from the input data by PMF while in the CMB runs they were first calculated by averaging the profiles of similar sources collected in the European database SPECIEUROPE. Differences between the two receptor models emerged in particular with PM10 sources linked to very local processes. For this reason, PMF source profiles were adopted in refined CMB runs thus testing a new hybrid approach. Finally, PMF and the "tuned" CMB showed a better agreement even if some discrepancies could not completely been resolved. In this work, we compared the results coming from the last available PMF and CMB versions applied on a set of PM10 samples. Input profiles used in CMB analysis were obtained by averaging the profiles of the new European SPECIEUROPE database. The main differences between PMF and CMB results were linked to very local processes: we obtained the best solution by integrating the two different approaches with the implementation of some output PMF profiles to CMB runs.

Team-based learning for midwifery education.

Science.gov (United States)

Moore-Davis, Tonia L; Schorn, Mavis N; Collins, Michelle R; Phillippi, Julia; Holley, Sharon

2015-01-01

Many US health care and education stakeholder groups, recognizing the need to prepare learners for collaborative practice in complex care environments, have called for innovative approaches in health care education. Team-based learning is an educational method that relies on in-depth student preparation prior to class, individual and team knowledge assessment, and use of small-group learning to apply knowledge to complex scenarios. Although team-based learning has been studied as an approach to health care education, its application to midwifery education is not well described. A master's-level, nurse-midwifery, didactic antepartum course was revised to a team-based learning format. Student grades, course evaluations, and aggregate American Midwifery Certification Board examination pass rates for 3 student cohorts participating in the team-based course were compared with 3 student cohorts receiving traditional, lecture-based instruction. Students had mixed responses to the team-based learning format. Student evaluations improved when faculty added recorded lectures as part of student preclass preparation. Statistical comparisons were limited by variations across cohorts; however, student grades and certification examination pass rates did not change substantially after the course revision. Although initial course revision was time-consuming for faculty, subsequent iterations of the course required less effort. Team-based learning provides students with more opportunity to interact during on-site classes and may spur application of knowledge into practice. However, it is difficult to assess the effect of the team-based learning approach with current measures. Further research is needed to determine the effects of team-based learning on communication and collaboration skills, as well as long-term performance in clinical practice. This article is part of a special series of articles that address midwifery innovations in clinical practice, education, interprofessional

Cloud-Based Mobile Learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexandru BUTOI

2013-01-01

Full Text Available As the cloud technologies are largely studied and mobile technologies are evolving, new di-rections for development of mobile learning tools deployed on cloud are proposed.. M-Learning is treated as part of the ubiquitous learning paradigm and is a pervasive extension of E-Learning technologies. Development of such learning tools requires specific development strategies for an effective abstracting of pedagogical principles at the software design and implementation level. Current paper explores an interdisciplinary approach for designing and development of cloud based M-Learning tools by mapping a specific development strategy used for educational programs to software prototyping strategy. In order for such instruments to be user effective from the learning outcome point of view, the evaluation process must be rigorous as we propose a metric model for expressing the trainee’s overall learning experience with evaluated levels of interactivity, content presentation and graphical user interface usability.

Effects of team-based learning on self-regulated online learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Whittaker, Alice A

2015-04-10

Online learning requires higher levels of self-regulation in order to achieve optimal learning outcomes. As nursing education moves further into the blended and online learning venue, new teaching/learning strategies will be required to develop and enhance self-regulated learning skills in nursing students. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of team-based learning (TBL) with traditional instructor-led (IL) learning, on self-regulated online learning outcomes, in a blended undergraduate research and evidence-based practice course. The nonrandomized sample consisted of 98 students enrolled in the IL control group and 86 students enrolled in the TBL intervention group. The percentage of total possible online viewing time was used as the measure of self-regulated online learning activity. The TBL group demonstrated a significantly higher percentage (p learning activities than the IL control group. The TBL group scored significantly higher on the course examinations (p = 0.003). The findings indicate that TBL is an effective instructional strategy that can be used to achieve the essential outcomes of baccalaureate nursing education by increasing self-regulated learning capabilities in nursing students.

Personalised Learning Object System Based on Self-Regulated Learning Theories

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Alharbi

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Self-regulated learning has become an important construct in education research in the last few years. Selfregulated learning in its simple form is the learner’s ability to monitor and control the learning process. There is increasing research in the literature on how to support students become more self-regulated learners. However, the advancement in the information technology has led to paradigm changes in the design and development of educational content. The concept of learning object instructional technology has emerged as a result of this shift in educational technology paradigms. This paper presents the results of a study that investigated the potential educational effectiveness of a pedagogical framework based on the self-regulated learning theories to support the design of learning object systems to help computer science students. A prototype learning object system was developed based on the contemporary research on self-regulated learning. The system was educationally evaluated in a quasi-experimental study over two semesters in a core programming languages concepts course. The evaluation revealed that a learning object system that takes into consideration contemporary research on self-regulated learning can be an effective learning environment to support computer science education.

Supporting Case-Based Learning in Information Security with Web-Based Technology

Science.gov (United States)

He, Wu; Yuan, Xiaohong; Yang, Li

2013-01-01

Case-based learning has been widely used in many disciplines. As an effective pedagogical method, case-based learning is also being used to support teaching and learning in the domain of information security. In this paper, we demonstrate case-based learning in information security by sharing our experiences in using a case study to teach security…

Multi- Inter- and Trans-disciplinary research promoted by the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST): Lessons and experiments

OpenAIRE

Stavridou , Ioanna; Ferreira , Afonso

2010-01-01

Multi-, inter-, trans- disciplinary research has gained a lot of interest and investment during the past two decades as a result of the realization that many of today's challenges are resistant to traditional research approaches and require cross-fertilization between different disciplines and integrated knowledge from heterogeneous sources. Despite these needs, evaluation of multi- / inter- / trans- disciplinary research remains one of the least defined aspects. For the purpose of this paper...

Phenomena of Inter-age Manipulations in Interaction "Teacher-Student"

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miklyaeva A.V.,

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Thearticlepresentsthe results of studies of the phenomenon empirical inter-age manipulation in the pedagogical interaction. Inter-age manipulation is considered a form of manipulation carried out on the basis of an appeal to the participants in the interaction age roles. Based on the results of a survey 109 teenagers 13-15 years, using a questionnaire, color test of relations and projective drawing shows that inter-age manipulation is a common way to impact on the students, elected teacher. Teachers are the subjects of inter-age manipulation more often than students. It was revealed that the effectiveness of inter-age manipulation in pedagogical interaction increases if it is meaningful is consistent with the normative content of age roles, as well as «inter-age distance" between the teacher and the students. The greatest effectiveness of have inter-age manipulation undertaken for older teachers, and manipulation "from below" from young teachers

Managing the Gap between Curriculum Based and Problem Based Learning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bygholm, Ann; Buus, Lillian

2009-01-01

/or but rather both/and. In this paper we describe an approach to design and delivery of online courses in computer science which on the one hand is based on a specified curriculum and on the other hand gives room for different learning strategies, problem based learning being one of them. We discuss......Traditionally there has been a clear distinction between curriculum based and problem based approaches to accomplish learning. Preferred approaches depend of course on conviction, culture, traditions and also on the specific learning situation. We will argue that it is not a question of either...

The use of a mobile assistant learning system for health education based on project-based learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Ting-Ting

2014-10-01

With the development of mobile devices and wireless technology, mobile technology has gradually infiltrated nursing practice courses to facilitate instruction. Mobile devices save manpower and reduce errors while enhancing nursing students' professional knowledge and skills. To achieve teaching objectives and address the drawbacks of traditional education, this study presents a mobile assistant learning system to help nursing students prepare health education materials. The proposed system is based on a project-based learning strategy to assist nursing students with internalizing professional knowledge and developing critical thinking skills. Experimental results show that the proposed mobile system and project-based learning strategy can promote learning effectiveness and efficiency. Most nursing students and nursing educators showed positive attitudes toward this mobile learning system and looked forward to using it again in related courses in the future.

Inter-observer variation in masked and unmasked images for quality evaluation of clinical radiographs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tingberg, A.; Eriksson, F.; Medin, J.; Besjakov, J.; Baarth, M.; Haakansson, M.; Sandborg, M.; Almen, A.; Lanhede, B.; Alm-Carlsson, G.; Mattsson, S.; Maansson, L. G.

2005-01-01

Purpose: To investigate the influence of masking on the inter-observer variation in image quality evaluation of clinical radiographs of chest and lumbar spine. Background: Inter-observer variation is a big problem in image quality evaluation since this variation is often much bigger than the variation in image quality between, for example, two radiographic systems. In this study, we have evaluated the effect of masking on the inter-observer variation. The idea of the masking was to force every observer to view exactly the same part of the image and to avoid the effect of the overall 'first impression' of the image. A discussion with a group of European expert radiologists before the study indicated that masking might be a good way to reduce the inter-observer variation. Methods: Five chest and five lumbar spine radiographs were collected together with detailed information regarding exposure conditions. The radiographs were digitised with a high-performance scanner and five different manipulations were performed, simulating five different exposure conditions. The contrast, noise and spatial resolution were manipulated by this method. The images were printed onto the film and the individual masks were produced for each film, showing only the parts of the images that were necessary for the image quality evaluation. The quality of the images was evaluated on ordinary viewing boxes by a large group of experienced radiologists. The images were examined with and without the masks with a set of image criteria (if fulfilled, 1 point; and not fulfilled, 0 point), and the mean score was calculated for each simulated exposure condition. Results: The results of this study indicate that - contrary to what was supposed - the inter-observer variation increased when the images were masked. In some cases, especially for chest, this increase was statistically significant. Conclusions: Based on the results of this study, image masking in studies of fulfilment of image criteria cannot

Creating Regional Futures: A Scenario-Based Inter- and Transdisciplinary Case Study as a Model for Applied Student-Centred Learning in Geography

Science.gov (United States)

Fromhold-Eisebith, Martina; Freyer, Bernhard; Mose, Ingo; Muhar, Andreas; Vilsmaier, Ulli

2009-01-01

Human geography students face changing qualification requirements due to a shift towards new topics, educational tasks and professional options regarding issues of spatial development. This "practical turn" raises the importance of inter- and transdisciplinary work, management and capability building skills, with case study projects and…

Adding Social Elements to Game-Based Learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chien-Hung Lai

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Game-based learning is to present the instruction by games in learning, with the main purpose of triggering learners’ motives instead of instructing the courses. Thus, increasing learning motive by game-based learning becomes a common instructional strategy to enhance learning achievement. However, it is not easy to design interesting games combined with courses. In 2011, Echeverria proposed a design to combine characteristics of games with elements of courses by matching the virtual scenarios in games with proper courses. However, in the past game-based learning, students were gathered in regular places for several times of game-based learning. Students’ learning was limited by time and space. Therefore, for students’ game-based learning at any time and in any places, based on theories of design elements of online community game Aki Järvinen, this study treats Facebook as the platform of games. The development by online community game is easier, faster and cheaper than traditional video games. In 2006, Facebook allowed API program of the third party. Therefore, by Facebook, this study provides the platform for students to learn in social lives to explore students’ activities in online community games. Questionnaire survey is conducted to find out if the design of non-single user game is attractive for students to participate in game-based learning. In order to make sure that the questionnaires can be the criteria to investigate students’ intention to play games, by statistical program of social science; this study validates reliability and validity of items of questionnaire to effectively control the effect of online community games on students’ learning intention.

Learning Theory Foundations of Simulation-Based Mastery Learning.

Science.gov (United States)

McGaghie, William C; Harris, Ilene B

2018-06-01

Simulation-based mastery learning (SBML), like all education interventions, has learning theory foundations. Recognition and comprehension of SBML learning theory foundations are essential for thoughtful education program development, research, and scholarship. We begin with a description of SBML followed by a section on the importance of learning theory foundations to shape and direct SBML education and research. We then discuss three principal learning theory conceptual frameworks that are associated with SBML-behavioral, constructivist, social cognitive-and their contributions to SBML thought and practice. We then discuss how the three learning theory frameworks converge in the course of planning, conducting, and evaluating SBML education programs in the health professions. Convergence of these learning theory frameworks is illustrated by a description of an SBML education and research program in advanced cardiac life support. We conclude with a brief coda.

Bare-Bones Teaching-Learning-Based Optimization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Feng Zou

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Teaching-learning-based optimization (TLBO algorithm which simulates the teaching-learning process of the class room is one of the recently proposed swarm intelligent (SI algorithms. In this paper, a new TLBO variant called bare-bones teaching-learning-based optimization (BBTLBO is presented to solve the global optimization problems. In this method, each learner of teacher phase employs an interactive learning strategy, which is the hybridization of the learning strategy of teacher phase in the standard TLBO and Gaussian sampling learning based on neighborhood search, and each learner of learner phase employs the learning strategy of learner phase in the standard TLBO or the new neighborhood search strategy. To verify the performance of our approaches, 20 benchmark functions and two real-world problems are utilized. Conducted experiments can been observed that the BBTLBO performs significantly better than, or at least comparable to, TLBO and some existing bare-bones algorithms. The results indicate that the proposed algorithm is competitive to some other optimization algorithms.

A Comparative Analysis of E-Learning Policy Formulation in the European Union and the United States: Discursive Convergence and Divergence

Science.gov (United States)

Erichsen, Elizabeth Roumell; Salajan, Florin D.

2014-01-01

This study developed a framework that compares the content and purposes of "federal" level European Union (EU) and United States (US) e-learning policy to ascertain trends, patterns, and points of convergence and divergence across the years 1994-2010. It reveals that the EU and US are applying similar rhetoric for policy framing,…

Model-Based Learning Environment Based on The Concept IPS School-Based Management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hamid Darmadi

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The results showed: (1 learning model IPS-oriented environment can grow and not you love the cultural values of the area as a basis for the development of national culture, (2 community participation, and the role of government in implementing learning model of IPS-based environment provides a positive impact for the improvement of management school resources, (3 learning model IPS-based environment effectively creating a way of life together peacefully, increase the intensity of togetherness and mutual respect (4 learning model IPS-based environment can improve student learning outcomes, (5 there are differences in the expression of attitudes and results learning among students who are located in the area of conflict with students who are outside the area of conflict (6 analysis of the scale of attitudes among school students da SMA result rewards high school students to the values of unity and nation, respect for diversity and peaceful coexistence, It is recommended that the Department of Education authority as an institution of Trustees and the development of social and cultural values in the province can apply IPS learning model based environments.

Testing the Community-Based Learning Collaborative (CBLC) implementation model: a study protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanson, Rochelle F; Schoenwald, Sonja; Saunders, Benjamin E; Chapman, Jason; Palinkas, Lawrence A; Moreland, Angela D; Dopp, Alex

2016-01-01

High rates of youth exposure to violence, either through direct victimization or witnessing, result in significant health/mental health consequences and high associated lifetime costs. Evidence-based treatments (EBTs), such as Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), can prevent and/or reduce these negative effects, yet these treatments are not standard practice for therapists working with children identified by child welfare or mental health systems as needing services. While research indicates that collaboration among child welfare and mental health services sectors improves availability and sustainment of EBTs for children, few implementation strategies designed specifically to promote and sustain inter-professional collaboration (IC) and inter-organizational relationships (IOR) have undergone empirical investigation. A potential candidate for evaluation is the Community-Based Learning Collaborative (CBLC) implementation model, an adaptation of the Learning Collaborative which includes strategies designed to develop and strengthen inter-professional relationships between brokers and providers of mental health services to promote IC and IOR and achieve sustained implementation of EBTs for children within a community. This non-experimental, mixed methods study involves two phases: (1) analysis of existing prospective quantitative and qualitative quality improvement and project evaluation data collected pre and post, weekly, and monthly from 998 participants in one of seven CBLCs conducted as part of a statewide initiative; and (2) Phase 2 collection of new quantitative and qualitative (key informant interviews) data during the funded study period to evaluate changes in relations among IC, IOR, social networks and the penetration and sustainment of TF-CBT in targeted communities. Recruitment for Phase 2 is from the pool of 998 CBLC participants to achieve a targeted enrollment of n = 150. Study aims include: (1) Use existing quality improvement

Brain-Based Learning and Standards-Based Elementary Science.

Science.gov (United States)

Konecki, Loretta R.; Schiller, Ellen

This paper explains how brain-based learning has become an area of interest to elementary school science teachers, focusing on the possible relationships between, and implications of, research on brain-based learning to the teaching of science education standards. After describing research on the brain, the paper looks at three implications from…

A clinically integrated curriculum in evidence-based medicine for just-in-time learning through on-the-job training: the EU-EBM project.

Science.gov (United States)

Coppus, Sjors F P J; Emparanza, Jose I; Hadley, Julie; Kulier, Regina; Weinbrenner, Susanne; Arvanitis, Theodoros N; Burls, Amanda; Cabello, Juan B; Decsi, Tamas; Horvath, Andrea R; Kaczor, Marcin; Zanrei, Gianni; Pierer, Karin; Stawiarz, Katarzyna; Kunz, Regina; Mol, Ben W J; Khan, Khalid S

2007-11-27

Over the last years key stake holders in the healthcare sector have increasingly recognised evidence based medicine (EBM) as a means to improving the quality of healthcare. However, there is considerable uncertainty about the best way to disseminate basic knowledge of EBM. As a result, huge variation in EBM educational provision, setting, duration, intensity, content, and teaching methodology exists across Europe and worldwide. Most courses for health care professionals are delivered outside the work context ('stand alone') and lack adaptation to the specific needs for EBM at the learners' workplace. Courses with modern 'adaptive' EBM teaching that employ principles of effective continuing education might fill that gap. We aimed to develop a course for post-graduate education which is clinically integrated and allows maximum flexibility for teachers and learners. A group of experienced EBM teachers, clinical epidemiologists, clinicians and educationalists from institutions from eight European countries participated. We used an established methodology of curriculum development to design a clinically integrated EBM course with substantial components of e-learning. An independent European steering committee provided input into the process. We defined explicit learning objectives about knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviour for the five steps of EBM. A handbook guides facilitator and learner through five modules with clinical and e-learning components. Focussed activities and targeted assignments round off the learning process, after which each module is formally assessed. The course is learner-centred, problem-based, integrated with activities in the workplace and flexible. When successfully implemented, the course is designed to provide just-in-time learning through on-the-job-training, with the potential for teaching and learning to directly impact on practice.

Project-Based Learning in the Masters degree in Nuclear Engineering at BarcelonaTECH. Experience gained in the area of Management of Nuclear Power Plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reventos, F.; Vives, E.; Brunet, A.; Sabate, R.; Calvino, F.; Batet, L.

2014-01-01

From its first edition, that took place in 2011-2012, the Masters degree in Nuclear Engineering from BarcelonaTECH has been using techniques of Project-Based Learning to fulfill the purpose of training nuclear engineers with a profile suitable for positions in the industry. The Master is sponsored by ENDESA and relies on the collaboration with institutions and companies. The Master is embedded in EMINE, the European Master in Innovation in Nuclear Energy, supported by KIC-InnoEnergy and the European Institute of Technology. (Author)

Project-Based Learning in the Masters degree in Nuclear Engineering at BarcelonaTECH. Experience gained in the area of Management of Nuclear Power Plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reventos, F.; Vives, E.; Brunet, A.; Sabate, R.; Calvino, F.; Batet, L.

2014-07-01

From its first edition, that took place in 2011-2012, the Masters degree in Nuclear Engineering from BarcelonaTECH has been using techniques of Project-Based Learning to fulfill the purpose of training nuclear engineers with a profile suitable for positions in the industry. The Master is sponsored by ENDESA and relies on the collaboration with institutions and companies. The Master is embedded in EMINE, the European Master in Innovation in Nuclear Energy, supported by KIC-InnoEnergy and the European Institute of Technology. (Author)

Personalised learning object based on multi-agent model and learners’ learning styles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Noppamas Pukkhem

2011-09-01

Full Text Available A multi-agent model is proposed in which learning styles and a word analysis technique to create a learning object recommendation system are used. On the basis of a learning style-based design, a concept map combination model is proposed to filter out unsuitable learning concepts from a given course. Our learner model classifies learners into eight styles and implements compatible computational methods consisting of three recommendations: i non-personalised, ii preferred feature-based, and iii neighbour-based collaborative filtering. The analysis of preference error (PE was performed by comparing the actual preferred learning object with the predicted one. In our experiments, the feature-based recommendation algorithm has the fewest PE.

Deep Correlated Holistic Metric Learning for Sketch-Based 3D Shape Retrieval.

Science.gov (United States)

Dai, Guoxian; Xie, Jin; Fang, Yi

2018-07-01

How to effectively retrieve desired 3D models with simple queries is a long-standing problem in computer vision community. The model-based approach is quite straightforward but nontrivial, since people could not always have the desired 3D query model available by side. Recently, large amounts of wide-screen electronic devices are prevail in our daily lives, which makes the sketch-based 3D shape retrieval a promising candidate due to its simpleness and efficiency. The main challenge of sketch-based approach is the huge modality gap between sketch and 3D shape. In this paper, we proposed a novel deep correlated holistic metric learning (DCHML) method to mitigate the discrepancy between sketch and 3D shape domains. The proposed DCHML trains two distinct deep neural networks (one for each domain) jointly, which learns two deep nonlinear transformations to map features from both domains into a new feature space. The proposed loss, including discriminative loss and correlation loss, aims to increase the discrimination of features within each domain as well as the correlation between different domains. In the new feature space, the discriminative loss minimizes the intra-class distance of the deep transformed features and maximizes the inter-class distance of the deep transformed features to a large margin within each domain, while the correlation loss focused on mitigating the distribution discrepancy across different domains. Different from existing deep metric learning methods only with loss at the output layer, our proposed DCHML is trained with loss at both hidden layer and output layer to further improve the performance by encouraging features in the hidden layer also with desired properties. Our proposed method is evaluated on three benchmarks, including 3D Shape Retrieval Contest 2013, 2014, and 2016 benchmarks, and the experimental results demonstrate the superiority of our proposed method over the state-of-the-art methods.

Digital game-based learning in secondary education

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Huizenga, J.C.

2017-01-01

This PhD thesis presents research on digital game-based learning in secondary education. The main research question is: How do digital games contribute to learning, engagement and motivation to learn? The thesis contains seven chapters. Chapter one is an introduction to digital game-based learning

Learning-based diagnosis and repair

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roos, Nico

2017-01-01

This paper proposes a new form of diagnosis and repair based on reinforcement learning. Self-interested agents learn locally which agents may provide a low quality of service for a task. The correctness of learned assessments of other agents is proved under conditions on exploration versus

Evidence-based policy learning: the case of the research excellence indicat

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hardeman, S.; Vertesy, D.

2016-07-01

Excellence is arguably the single most important concept in academia today, especially when it comes to science policy making. At the same time, however, excellence leads to a great amount of discomfort, leading some to plea for an overall rejection of the concept. The discomfort with excellence reaches its heights whenever proposals are made for measuring it. Yet, especially given the period of professionalization science policy making finds itself in, these same metrics are frequently called upon to legitimate policy interventions. Excellence and its measurement, it seems therefore, is something we can neither life with nor without. This paper offers some middle ground in the debate on excellence and its measurement for science policy purposes. Using the case of the European Commission’s Research Excellence Indicator as an example, we show how the development and use of indicators offers an opportunity for learning in science policy making. Ultimately, therefore, we show how and in what ways measuring excellence can contribute to evidence-based science policy learning in practice. (Author)

Music Learning Based on Computer Software

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Baihui Yan

2017-12-01

Full Text Available In order to better develop and improve students’ music learning, the authors proposed the method of music learning based on computer software. It is still a new field to use computer music software to assist teaching. Hereby, we conducted an in-depth analysis on the computer-enabled music learning and the music learning status in secondary schools, obtaining the specific analytical data. Survey data shows that students have many cognitive problems in the current music classroom, and yet teachers have not found a reasonable countermeasure to them. Against this background, the introduction of computer music software to music learning is a new trial that can not only cultivate the students’ initiatives of music learning, but also enhance their abilities to learn music. Therefore, it is concluded that the computer software based music learning is of great significance to improving the current music learning modes and means.

Connectivity model for Inter-working multi-hop wireless networks

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Salami, O

2009-08-01

Full Text Available pairs in inter-working multi-hop wireless networks can be evaluated based on the availability of radio links and communication routes. This paper presents an analytical study of the link and route availability in inter-working multi-hop wireless networks....

Online charging for IMS-based inter-domain composite services

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Le, M.V.; Rumph, F.J.; Huitema, G.B.; Beijnum, B.J.V.; Nieuwenhuis, L.J.M.

2009-01-01

In order to manage financial risks online charging of composite services is becoming increasingly important for service providers to support service delivery in inter-domain environments. The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) has developed a framework for off-line and online charging of

Combining Correlation-Based and Reward-Based Learning in Neural Control for Policy Improvement

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Manoonpong, Poramate; Kolodziejski, Christoph; Wörgötter, Florentin

2013-01-01

Classical conditioning (conventionally modeled as correlation-based learning) and operant conditioning (conventionally modeled as reinforcement learning or reward-based learning) have been found in biological systems. Evidence shows that these two mechanisms strongly involve learning about...... associations. Based on these biological findings, we propose a new learning model to achieve successful control policies for artificial systems. This model combines correlation-based learning using input correlation learning (ICO learning) and reward-based learning using continuous actor–critic reinforcement...... learning (RL), thereby working as a dual learner system. The model performance is evaluated by simulations of a cart-pole system as a dynamic motion control problem and a mobile robot system as a goal-directed behavior control problem. Results show that the model can strongly improve pole balancing control...

A Learning Object Approach To Evidence based learning

OpenAIRE

Zabin Visram; Bruce Elson; Patricia Reynolds

2005-01-01

This paper describes the philosophy, development and framework of the body of elements formulated to provide an approach to evidence-based learning sustained by Learning Objects and web based technology Due to the demands for continuous improvement in the delivery of healthcare and in the continuous endeavour to improve the quality of life, there is a continuous need for practitioner's to update their knowledge by accomplishing accredited courses. The rapid advances in medical science has mea...

How does the terrestrial carbon exchange respond to inter-annual climatic variations? A quantification based on atmospheric CO2 data

Science.gov (United States)

Rödenbeck, Christian; Zaehle, Sönke; Keeling, Ralph; Heimann, Martin

2018-04-01

The response of the terrestrial net ecosystem exchange (NEE) of CO2 to climate variations and trends may crucially determine the future climate trajectory. Here we directly quantify this response on inter-annual timescales by building a linear regression of inter-annual NEE anomalies against observed air temperature anomalies into an atmospheric inverse calculation based on long-term atmospheric CO2 observations. This allows us to estimate the sensitivity of NEE to inter-annual variations in temperature (seen as a climate proxy) resolved in space and with season. As this sensitivity comprises both direct temperature effects and the effects of other climate variables co-varying with temperature, we interpret it as inter-annual climate sensitivity. We find distinct seasonal patterns of this sensitivity in the northern extratropics that are consistent with the expected seasonal responses of photosynthesis, respiration, and fire. Within uncertainties, these sensitivity patterns are consistent with independent inferences from eddy covariance data. On large spatial scales, northern extratropical and tropical inter-annual NEE variations inferred from the NEE-T regression are very similar to the estimates of an atmospheric inversion with explicit inter-annual degrees of freedom. The results of this study offer a way to benchmark ecosystem process models in more detail than existing effective global climate sensitivities. The results can also be used to gap-fill or extrapolate observational records or to separate inter-annual variations from longer-term trends.

Toward Project-based Learning and Team Formation in Open Learning Environments

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Spoelstra, Howard; Van Rosmalen, Peter; Sloep, Peter

2014-01-01

Open Learning Environments, MOOCs, as well as Social Learning Networks, embody a new approach to learning. Although both emphasise interactive participation, somewhat surprisingly, they do not readily support bond creating and motivating collaborative learning opportunities. Providing project-based

Intra-and-Inter Species Biomass Prediction in a Plantation Forest: Testing the Utility of High Spatial Resolution Spaceborne Multispectral RapidEye Sensor and Advanced Machine Learning Algorithms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Timothy Dube

2014-08-01

Full Text Available The quantification of aboveground biomass using remote sensing is critical for better understanding the role of forests in carbon sequestration and for informed sustainable management. Although remote sensing techniques have been proven useful in assessing forest biomass in general, more is required to investigate their capabilities in predicting intra-and-inter species biomass which are mainly characterised by non-linear relationships. In this study, we tested two machine learning algorithms, Stochastic Gradient Boosting (SGB and Random Forest (RF regression trees to predict intra-and-inter species biomass using high resolution RapidEye reflectance bands as well as the derived vegetation indices in a commercial plantation. The results showed that the SGB algorithm yielded the best performance for intra-and-inter species biomass prediction; using all the predictor variables as well as based on the most important selected variables. For example using the most important variables the algorithm produced an R2 of 0.80 and RMSE of 16.93 t·ha−1 for E. grandis; R2 of 0.79, RMSE of 17.27 t·ha−1 for P. taeda and R2 of 0.61, RMSE of 43.39 t·ha−1 for the combined species data sets. Comparatively, RF yielded plausible results only for E. dunii (R2 of 0.79; RMSE of 7.18 t·ha−1. We demonstrated that although the two statistical methods were able to predict biomass accurately, RF produced weaker results as compared to SGB when applied to combined species dataset. The result underscores the relevance of stochastic models in predicting biomass drawn from different species and genera using the new generation high resolution RapidEye sensor with strategically positioned bands.

CONSRANK: a server for the analysis, comparison and ranking of docking models based on inter-residue contacts

KAUST Repository

Chermak, Edrisse

2014-12-21

Summary: Herein, we present CONSRANK, a web tool for analyzing, comparing and ranking protein–protein and protein–nucleic acid docking models, based on the conservation of inter-residue contacts and its visualization in 2D and 3D interactive contact maps.

CONSRANK: a server for the analysis, comparison and ranking of docking models based on inter-residue contacts

KAUST Repository

Chermak, Edrisse; Petta, A.; Serra, L.; Vangone, A.; Scarano, V.; Cavallo, Luigi; Oliva, R.

2014-01-01

Summary: Herein, we present CONSRANK, a web tool for analyzing, comparing and ranking protein–protein and protein–nucleic acid docking models, based on the conservation of inter-residue contacts and its visualization in 2D and 3D interactive contact maps.

Motion Learning Based on Bayesian Program Learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cheng Meng-Zhen

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The concept of virtual human has been highly anticipated since the 1980s. By using computer technology, Human motion simulation could generate authentic visual effect, which could cheat human eyes visually. Bayesian Program Learning train one or few motion data, generate new motion data by decomposing and combining. And the generated motion will be more realistic and natural than the traditional one.In this paper, Motion learning based on Bayesian program learning allows us to quickly generate new motion data, reduce workload, improve work efficiency, reduce the cost of motion capture, and improve the reusability of data.

Concept-Based Learning in Clinical Experiences: Bringing Theory to Clinical Education for Deep Learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Nielsen, Ann

2016-07-01

Concept-based learning is used increasingly in nursing education to support the organization, transfer, and retention of knowledge. Concept-based learning activities (CBLAs) have been used in clinical education to explore key aspects of the patient situation and principles of nursing care, without responsibility for total patient care. The nature of best practices in teaching and the resultant learning are not well understood. The purpose of this multiple-case study research was to explore and describe concept-based learning in the context of clinical education in inpatient settings. Four clinical groups (each a case) were observed while they used CBLAs in the clinical setting. Major findings include that concept-based learning fosters deep learning, connection of theory with practice, and clinical judgment. Strategies used to support learning, major teaching-learning foci, and preconditions for concept-based teaching and learning will be described. Concept-based learning is promising to support integration of theory with practice and clinical judgment through application experiences with patients. [J Nurs Educ. 2016;55(7):365-371.]. Copyright 2016, SLACK Incorporated.

The Effect of Animation in Multimedia Computer-Based Learning and Learning Style to the Learning Results

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad RUSLI

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The effectiveness of a learning depends on four main elements, they are content, desired learning outcome, instructional method and the delivery media. The integration of those four elements can be manifested into a learning modul which is called multimedia learning or learning by using multimedia. In learning context by using computer-based multimedia, there are two main things that need to be noticed so that the learning process can run effectively: how the content is presented, and what the learner’s chosen way in accepting and processing the information into a meaningful knowledge. First it is related with the way to visualize the content and how people learn. The second one is related with the learning style of the learner. This research aims to investigate the effect of the type of visualization—static vs animated—on a multimedia computer-based learning, and learning styles—visual vs verbal, towards the students’ capability in applying the concepts, procedures, principles of Java programming. Visualization type act as independent variables, and learning styles of the students act as a moderator variable. Moreover, the instructional strategies followed the Component Display Theory of Merril, and the format of presentation of multimedia followed the Seven Principles of Multimedia Learning of Mayer and Moreno. Learning with the multimedia computer-based learning has been done in the classroom. The subject of this research was the student of STMIK-STIKOM Bali in odd semester 2016-2017 which followed the course of Java programming. The Design experiments used multivariate analysis of variance, MANOVA 2 x 2, with a large sample of 138 students in 4 classes. Based on the results of the analysis, it can be concluded that the animation in multimedia interactive learning gave a positive effect in improving students’ learning outcomes, particularly in the applying the concepts, procedures, and principles of Java programming. The

Plasma creatinine in dogs: intra- and inter-laboratory variation in 10 European veterinary laboratories

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ulleberg Thomas

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background There is substantial variation in reported reference intervals for canine plasma creatinine among veterinary laboratories, thereby influencing the clinical assessment of analytical results. The aims of the study was to determine the inter- and intra-laboratory variation in plasma creatinine among 10 veterinary laboratories, and to compare results from each laboratory with the upper limit of its reference interval. Methods Samples were collected from 10 healthy dogs, 10 dogs with expected intermediate plasma creatinine concentrations, and 10 dogs with azotemia. Overlap was observed for the first two groups. The 30 samples were divided into 3 batches and shipped in random order by postal delivery for plasma creatinine determination. Statistical testing was performed in accordance with ISO standard methodology. Results Inter- and intra-laboratory variation was clinically acceptable as plasma creatinine values for most samples were usually of the same magnitude. A few extreme outliers caused three laboratories to fail statistical testing for consistency. Laboratory sample means above or below the overall sample mean, did not unequivocally reflect high or low reference intervals in that laboratory. Conclusions In spite of close analytical results, further standardization among laboratories is warranted. The discrepant reference intervals seem to largely reflect different populations used in establishing the reference intervals, rather than analytical variation due to different laboratory methods.

From scientifically based research to evidence based learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rosa Cera

2016-02-01

Full Text Available This essay is a reflection on the peculiarities of the scientifically based research and on the distinctive elements of the EBL (evidence based learning, methodology used in the study on the “Relationship between Metacognition, Self-efficacy and Self-regulation in Learning”. The EBL method, based on the standardization of data, explains how the students’ learning experience can be considered as a set of “data” and can be used to explain how and when the research results can be considered generalizable and transferable to other learning situations. The reflections present in this study have also allowed us to illustrate the impact that its results have had on the micro and macro level of reality. They helped to fill in the gaps concerning the learning/teaching processes, contributed to the enrichment of the scientific literature on this subject and allowed to establish standards through rigorous techniques such as systematic reviews and meta-analysis.

Effect of the inter-block spacing on the thermal performance of a PCM based heat sink

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Faraji, M.; El Qarnia, H. [Cadi Ayyad Univ., Marrakech (Morocco). Faculte des sciences Semlalia, Dept. de physique, Laboratoire de mecanique des fluides et d' energetique; El Khadir, L. [Cadi Ayyad Univ., Marrakech (Morocco). Faculte des sciences Semlalia, Dept. de physique, Laboratoire d' tomatique de l' Environnement et Procedes de Transferts

2010-07-01

Advanced electronic devices require efficient thermal control systems. Heat transfer analysis of such systems is challenging because of constraints regarding space limitations, power consumption and noise level. This study considered the problem of melting and natural convection in a rectangular enclosure heated with 3 heat sources with a constant and uniform volumetric heat generation. The heat sources were protruding and mounted on a vertical conducting plate. Conjugate conduction in a plate and heat sources coupled with natural convection and melting process were examined in an effort to determine the effects of the inter-blocks spacing ratio on the thermal performance of the cooling PCM-heat sink. The percentage contribution of substrate heat conduction on the total removed heat from heat sources was also investigated. Correlations were derived for the non- dimensional secured working time and the corresponding melt fraction. In order to investigate the thermal behaviour of the proposed heat sink, a mathematical model was developed based on the mass, momentum and energy conservation equations. The results revealed that for lower inter-blocks spacing, the dimensionless secured working time needed by the chips to reach the critical temperature was maximized. The highest inter-blocks spacing ratio provoked a sudden rise in chip temperatures and thus reduced the dimensionless secured working time. It was concluded that this approach can be used in the design of PCM-based cooling systems. 9 refs., 2 tabs., 4 figs.

Constructivism Based Learning: Design and Practice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lia Kurniawati

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract One of many problems in the madrasahs is that learning processes less-involve students actively (teacher-centered, thus, it affects to the improvement of learning outcomes and quality of the graduates. The purposes of this study are , firstly, to analyze what type of constructivism learning models, which can be developed to overcome madrasahs’ problems. Secondly, how to design and implement a learning plan based on the developed constructivism models. This research was conducted at Private Islamic Elementary School  (Madrasah Ad-Diyanah Ciputat, South Tangerang. Research method used in this study is descriptive-qualitative research. The results showed that the active learning models based on constructivism are suitable to be developed in the Madarasah, which were the models of Problem Based Learning (PBM, Realistic Learning, Inquiry Learning and Thematic Learning and also how the development of the learning processes from the lesson plans to the learning implementation showed a paradigm shifting from teacher-centered to student-centered. Abstrak Salah satu permasalahan di madrasah-madrasah adalah proses pembelajaran yang kurang melibatkan siswa secara aktif (berpusat pada guru, sehingga hal ini mengakibatkan pada peningkatan hasil belajar dan kualitas lulusan. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah, pertama, untuk menganalisis jenis model pembelajaran konstruktivisme apa yang dapat dikembangkan untuk mengatasi permasalahan di madrasah. Ke dua, bagaimana merancang dan melaksanakan rencana pembelajaran berdasarkan model konstruktivisme yang dikembangkan. Penelitian ini dilaksanakan di Sekolah Dasar Swasta (madrasah Ad-Diayanah Ciputat, Tangerang Selatan. Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah metode deskriptif-kualitatif. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa model pembelajaran aktif yang berbasis konstruktivisme sesuai untuk dikembangkan di madrasah, yakni model pembelajaran Problem Based Learning (PBL, Pembelajaran Realistis, Pembelajaran

Development Of Entrepreneur Learning Model Based On Problem Based Learning To Increase Competency Independence And Creativity Students Of Industrial Engineering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leola Dewiyani

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Currently it is undeniable that the competition to get a job is very tight and of course universities have an important role in printing human resources that can compete globally not least with the Department of Industrial Engineering Faculty of Engineering Muhammadiyah University of Jakarta FT UMJ. Problems that occur is based on the analysis obtained from the track record of graduates researchers found that 60 percent of students of Industrial Engineering FT UMJ work not in accordance with the level of education owned so financially their income is still below the standard. This study aims to improve the competence of students of Industrial Engineering Department FT UMJ in entrepreneurship courses especially through the development of Problem Based Learning based learning model. Specific targets of this research were conducted with the aim to identify and analyze the need to implement learning model based on Problem Based Learning Entrepreneurship and to design and develop the model of entrepreneurship based on Problem Based Learning to improve the competence independence and creativity of Industrial Engineering students of FT UMJ in Entrepreneurship course. To achieve the above objectives this research uses research and development R amp D method. The product produced in this research is the detail of learning model of entrepreneurial model based on Problem Based Learning entrepreneurship model based on Problem Based Learning and international journals

Inter-rater Agreement of Clinicians' Treatment Recommendations Based on Modified Barium Swallow Study Reports.

Science.gov (United States)

Slovarp, Laurie; Danielson, Jennifer; Liss, Julie

2018-06-07

The modified barium swallow study (MBSS) is a commonly used radiographic procedure for diagnosis and treatment of swallowing disorders. Despite attempts by dysphagia specialists to standardize the MBSS, most institutions have not adopted such standardized procedures. High variability of assessment patterns arguably contribute to variability of treatment recommendations made from diagnostic information derived from the MBSS report. An online survey was distributed to speech-language pathologists (SLPs) participating in American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA) listservs. Sixty-three SLPs who treat swallowing disorders participated. Participating SLPs reviewed two MBSS reports and chose physiologic treatment targets (e.g., tongue base retraction) based on each report. One report primarily contained symptomatology (e.g., aspiration, pharyngeal residue) with minimal information on impaired physiology (e.g., laryngeal incompetence, reduced hyolaryngeal elevation/excursion). In contrast, the second report contained a clear description of impaired physiology to explain the dysphagia symptoms. Fleiss kappa coefficients were used to analyze inter-rater agreement across the high and low physiology report types. Results revealed significantly higher inter-rater agreement across clinicians when reviewing reports with clear explanation(s) of physiologic impairment relative to reports that primarily focused on symptomatology. Clinicians also reported significantly greater satisfaction and treatment confidence following review of reports with clear description(s) of impaired physiology.

Learning in non-formal education : is it “youthful” for youth in action?

OpenAIRE

Norqvist, Lars; Leffler, Eva

2017-01-01

This article offers insights into the practices of a non-formal education programme for youth provided by the European Union (EU). It takes a qualitative approach and is based on a case study of the European Voluntary Service (EVS). Data were collected during individual and focus group interviews with learners (the EVS volunteers), decision takers and trainers, with the aim of deriving an understanding of learning in non-formal education. The research questions concerned learning, the recogni...

Inter-rater reliability of a modified version of Delitto et al.’s classification-based system for low back pain : a pilot study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Apeldoorn, Adri T.; van Helvoirt, Hans; Ostelo, Raymond W.; Meihuizen, Hanneke; Kamper, Steven J.; van Tulder, Maurits W.; de Vet, Henrica C W

2016-01-01

Study design:: Observational inter-rater reliability study. Objectives: To examine: (1) the inter-rater reliability of a modified version of Delitto et al.’s classification-based algorithm for patients with low back pain; (2) the influence of different levels of familiarity with the system; and (3)

Prediction of Second-Order Moments of Inter-Channel Interference with Principal Component Analysis and Neural Networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jones, Rasmus Thomas; Medeiros Diniz, Júlio César; Yankov, Metodi Plamenov

2017-01-01

A machine learning framework for predicting auto-correlation functions of inter-channel nonlinearities within the uncompensated optical fiber link is proposed. Low generalization error is obtained on the test data....

Features and Characteristics of Problem Based Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Ceker, Eser; Ozdamli, Fezile

2016-01-01

Throughout the years, there appears to be an increase in Problem Based Learning applications in education; and Problem Based Learning related research areas. The main aim of this research is to underline the fundamentals (basic elements) of Problem Based Learning, investigate the dimensions of research approached to PBL oriented areas (with a look…

Tema 1: Refitting existing simulations to meet with new learning objectives – from supply chain management to virtual collaboration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Timo Leinema

2012-10-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses the application possibilities of business simulation games in teaching. By application possibilities we mean the different ways of arranging the learning sessions using the one and same simulation game. Thus, we are not discussing what kind of games should be built for certain educational purposes, or how a game should be built to facilitate certain kind of learning experiences. Our assumption is that a certain game can be applied in different manners to produce very different kinds of learning experiences, serving very diverse learning goals. We are interested in how the learning potential of existing games can be expanded without making any changes in the actual game algorithms, but by rethinking the activities around the game. In this paper we discuss the shift from intra-team learning to inter-team learning, and especially further to learning which is based on dispersed inter-team collaboration in a virtual environment. We will demonstrate our message with one specific, existing business simulation game.

Service Learning to Promote Brain-Based Learning in Undergraduate Teaching

Science.gov (United States)

Nwokah, Eva E.; Leafblad, Stefanie

2013-01-01

In this study 44 undergraduate students in a language development course participated in service learning with preschool homeless and low-income children as a course requirement. Students completed a survey, questionnaires, reflective journaling, and small-group debriefing sessions. Based on current views on brain-based learning from cortical…

Project-Based Learning in Programmable Logic Controller

Science.gov (United States)

Seke, F. R.; Sumilat, J. M.; Kembuan, D. R. E.; Kewas, J. C.; Muchtar, H.; Ibrahim, N.

2018-02-01

Project-based learning is a learning method that uses project activities as the core of learning and requires student creativity in completing the project. The aims of this study is to investigate the influence of project-based learning methods on students with a high level of creativity in learning the Programmable Logic Controller (PLC). This study used experimental methods with experimental class and control class consisting of 24 students, with 12 students of high creativity and 12 students of low creativity. The application of project-based learning methods into the PLC courses combined with the level of student creativity enables the students to be directly involved in the work of the PLC project which gives them experience in utilizing PLCs for the benefit of the industry. Therefore, it’s concluded that project-based learning method is one of the superior learning methods to apply on highly creative students to PLC courses. This method can be used as an effort to improve student learning outcomes and student creativity as well as to educate prospective teachers to become reliable educators in theory and practice which will be tasked to create qualified human resources candidates in order to meet future industry needs.

ENVIRONMENTAL LEARNING APPROACHES IN IMPROVING LEARNING OUTCOMES IN ACID-BASE SUBJECT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rachmat Sahputra

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Learning in the understanding of acid-base chemistry in schools needs to be improved so research to determine differences in learning outcomes between students taught using environmental approaches and methods lectures in class XI SMA on acid-base subject needs to be done. In this study, using a quasi-experimental method using a data collection tool achievement test essay form. The test statistic results of the post-test learning has been obtained Asymp value. Sig (2-tailed 0,026 that showed the differences between students' learning outcomes with a control experimental class with effect size of 0.63 or much influence difference with the percentage 23.57% which indicated that the learning environment approach can improve learning outcomes of high school students.

Research in Progress--Update April 1990. Occasional Paper InTER/14/90.

Science.gov (United States)

Boots, Maureen, Comp.

This document contains abstracts of 29 research projects in progress in Great Britain divided into six sections: (1) the current phase of Information Technology in Education Research (InTER) programs on groupwork with computers, tools for exploratory learning, conceptual change in science, and bubble dialogue as an ethnographic research tool; (2)…

E-LEARNING FROM NATURE THROUGH E-LESSONS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anca Cristina COLIBABA

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The article is a study based on the e-Learning from Nature project (2015-1-IT02-KA201-015133 funded by the European Commission. The project’s main objectives are centred on improving students’ low achievement and stimulating secondary school students’ interest in science subjects. The article focuses on scientific education and its challenges and suggests an innovative approach which connects science with nature. It examines one of the most important project outputs: the e-lessons (short video lessons created within the European partnership and the way they can contribute to increasing students’ motivation to learn science. Participant teachers’ testimonials have also been considered in the general evaluation of this project output.

Allergy, living and learning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chivato, T; Valovirta, E; Dahl, R

2012-01-01

Allergy Living and Learning (ALL) is a European initiative designed to increase knowledge and understanding of people living with allergies in order to improve respiratory allergy care.......Allergy Living and Learning (ALL) is a European initiative designed to increase knowledge and understanding of people living with allergies in order to improve respiratory allergy care....

Action research in inter-organisational networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Goduscheit, René Chester; Rasmussen, Erik Stavnsager; Jørgensen, Jacob Høj

2007-01-01

Traditionally, the literature on action research has been aimed at intra-organisational issues. These studies have distinguished between two researcher roles: The problem-solver and the observer. This article addresses the distinct challenges of action research in inter-organisational projects....... In addition to the problem-solver and observer roles, the researcher in an inter-organisational setting can serve as a legitimiser of the project and manage to involve partners that in an ordinary business-to-business setting would not have participated. Based on an action research project in a Danish inter......-organisational network, this article discusses potential pitfalls in the legitimiser role. Lack of clarity in defining the researcher role and project ownership in relation to the funding organisation and the rest of the network can jeopardise the project and potentially the credibility of the researchers. The article...

Competence development: Key issues and trends in European competence policies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Milana, Marcella

  In recent years there has been a rising political attention on competence development both at national and international level. At European level in particular, since 2000, with the set of the Lisbon Agenda, different bodies representing the Union have been very productive in generating working...... papers, reports, and communications that led to directives and resolutions concerning the development and recognition of skills and competences in a lifelong learning perspective. In 2005 this process led to the definition of a European Framework on Key Competences for Lifelong Learning - covering those...... competences that are given priority within the Union - as well as a European Qualification Framework, a reference tool for making qualifications - here described in terms of progressive levels of competence - transparent and transferable within the European borders. The aim of the paper is to investigate...

Fruit and vegetable intake and type 2 diabetes: EPIC-InterAct prospective study and meta-analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, Andrew J; Forouhi, Nita G; Ye, Zheng; Buijsse, Brian; Arriola, Larraitz; Balkau, Beverley; Barricarte, Aurelio; Beulens, Joline WJ; Boeing, Heiner; Büchner, Frederike L; Dahm, Christina C; de Lauzon-Guillain, Blandine; Fagherazzi, Guy; Franks, Paul W; Gonzalez, Carlos; Grioni, Sara; Kaaks, Rudolf; Key, Timothy J; Masala, Giovanna; Navarro, Carmen; Nilsson, Peter; Overvad, Kim; Panico, Salvatore; Quirós, Jose Ramón; Rolandsson, Olov; Roswall, Nina; Sacerdote, Carlotta; Sánchez, María-José; Slimani, Nadia; Sluijs, Ivonne; Spijkerman, Annemieke MW; Teucher, Birgit; Tjonneland, Anne; Tumino, Rosario; Sharp, Stephen J; Langenberg, Claudia; Feskens, Edith JM; Riboli, Elio; Wareham, Nicholas J

2013-01-01

Background/Objective Fruit and vegetable intake (FVI) may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D), but the epidemiological evidence is inconclusive. The aim of this study is to examine the prospective association of FVI with T2D and conduct an updated meta-analysis. Subjects/Methods In the EPIC-InterAct (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer-InterAct) prospective case-cohort study nested within eight European countries, a representative sample of 16 154 participants and 12 403 incident cases of T2D were identified from 340 234 individuals with 3.99 million person-years of follow-up. For the meta-analysis we identified prospective studies on FVI and T2D risk by systematic searches of MEDLINE and EMBASE until April 2011. Results In EPIC-InterAct, estimated FVI by dietary questionnaires varied more than two-fold between countries. In adjusted analyses the hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) comparing the highest with lowest quartile of reported intake was 0.90 (0.80-1.01) for FVI; 0.89 (0.76-1.04) for fruit, and 0.94 (0.84-1.05) for vegetables. Among FV sub-types, only root vegetables were inversely associated with diabetes 0.87 (0.77-0.99). In meta-analysis using pooled data from five studies including EPIC-InterAct, comparing the highest with lowest category for FVI was associated with a lower relative risk of diabetes (0.93 (0.87-1.00)). Fruit or vegetables separately were not associated with diabetes. Among FV sub-types, only green leafy vegetable intake (RR: 0.84 (0.74-0.94)) was inversely associated with diabetes. Conclusions Sub-types of vegetables, such as root vegetables or green leafy vegetables may be beneficial for the prevention of diabetes, while total FVI may exert a weaker overall effect. PMID:22854878

Learning and Motivational Processes When Students Design Curriculum-Based Digital Learning Games

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Weitze, Charlotte Lærke

2015-01-01

This design-based research (DBR) project has developed an overall gamified learning design (big Game) to facilitate the learning process for adult students by inviting them to be their own learning designers through designing digital learning games (small games) in cross-disciplinary subject...... matters. The DBR project has investigated and experimented with which elements, methods, and processes are important when aiming at creating a cognitive complex (Anderson and Krathwohl, 2001) and motivating learning process within a reusable game-based learning design. This project took place in a co......, or programming provide a rich context for learning, since the construction of artefacts, in this case learning games, enables reflection and new ways of thinking. The students learned from reflection and interaction with the tools alone as well as in collaboration with peers. After analysing the students...

Students' learning processes during school-based learning and workplace learning in vocational education : a review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dr. Harmen Schaap; Dr. Liesbeth Baartman; Prof.Dr. Elly de Bruijn

2012-01-01

This article reviews 24 articles in order to get a structured view on student's learning processes when dealing with a combination of school-based learning and workplace learning in vocational education. It focuses on six main themes: students' expertise development, students' learning styles,

Ukrainian and European Baroque in the Context of “Sister Arts” Idea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olga Shikirinskaya

2015-08-01

Full Text Available The article deals with the “Sister Arts” tradition as the interrelationship of various art forms (poetry, fiction, painting, theatre, music etc. relative to the Baroque period. “Sister Arts” criticism, based on E.G. Lessing essay “Laocoön…” uses the inter-art analogies to appreciate the importance of literature in the Arts, as well as to comprehend aspects of the modern approach to the synthesis of the arts. The article presents the aesthetic concept of Baroque art and its realization in architecture, sculpture, decorative and applied arts, music and literature on the background of the European and Ukrainian cultural tradition.

Adding Social Elements to Game-Based Learning

OpenAIRE

Chien-Hung Lai; Yu-Chang Lin; Bin-Shyan Jong; Yen-Teh Hsia

2014-01-01

Game-based learning is to present the instruction by games in learning, with the main purpose of triggering learners’ motives instead of instructing the courses. Thus, increasing learning motive by game-based learning becomes a common instructional strategy to enhance learning achievement. However, it is not easy to design interesting games combined with courses. In 2011, Echeverria proposed a design to combine characteristics of games with elements of courses by matching the virtual scenario...

Rethinking the globalisation of problem-based learning: how culture challenges self-directed learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Frambach, Janneke M; Driessen, Erik W; Chan, Li-Chong; van der Vleuten, Cees P M

2012-08-01

Medical schools worldwide are increasingly switching to student-centred methods such as problem-based learning (PBL) to foster lifelong self-directed learning (SDL). The cross-cultural applicability of these methods has been questioned because of their Western origins and because education contexts and learning approaches differ across cultures. This study evaluated PBL's cross-cultural applicability by investigating how it is applied in three medical schools in regions with different cultures in, respectively, East Asia, the Middle East and Western Europe. Specifically, it investigated how students' cultural backgrounds impact on SDL in PBL and how this impact affects students. A qualitative, cross-cultural, comparative case study was conducted in three medical schools. Data were collected through 88 semi-structured, in-depth interviews with Year 1 and 3 students, tutors and key persons involved in PBL, 32 observations of Year 1 and 3 PBL tutorials, document analysis, and contextual information. The data were thematically analysed using the template analysis method. Comparisons were made among the three medical schools and between Year 1 and 3 students across and within the schools. The cultural factors of uncertainty and tradition posed a challenge to Middle Eastern students' SDL. Hierarchy posed a challenge to Asian students and achievement impacted on both sets of non-Western students. These factors were less applicable to European students, although the latter did experience some challenges. Several contextual factors inhibited or enhanced SDL across the cases. As students grew used to PBL, SDL skills increased across the cases, albeit to different degrees. Although cultural factors can pose a challenge to the application of PBL in non-Western settings, it appears that PBL can be applied in different cultural contexts. However, its globalisation does not postulate uniform processes and outcomes, and culturally sensitive alternatives might be developed. �

EDUCATING ENGINEERS FOR/IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT? WHAT WE KNEW, WHAT WE LEARNED, AND WHAT WE SHOULD LEARN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karel F Mulder

2010-01-01

Full Text Available In the past decade, several engineering universities, mainly in Europe, but also in Australia, North America, and Japan, have been addressing the issue of sustainable development. Engineering education in sustainable development has been discussed at many occasions. What questions have been addressed, what answers have been provided, and what are the main remaining topics for research into engineering education in sustainable development? What should engineers learn regarding sustainable development? How to trigger institutional change within engineering schools: top-down or bottom-up? How to trigger cultural change, how to win the hearts and souls of the faculty? Curriculum change: starting new programs or changing existing ones? The contribution of active learning and project based learning? The role of external stakeholders, external cooperation? How to measure sustainable development learning effects? Practice what you preach: how to green the campus, diminish resource consumption and sustainabilise procurement? How to teach normative content in an academic context? The paper, based mainly on the European literature on EESD of the last decade, discusses the answers that were provided and present an agenda for further research in EESD (This paper has mainly a European perspective. An overview of sustainable development engineering education in the USA can be found in [80].

Mental health service users' experiences of an education intervention based on a European Union project: A comparison between nine European countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Nieminen, Irja; Kaunonen, Marja

2018-06-19

Mental health service users (MHSUs) often face difficulties in achieving successful participation in education; however, the tools that could help them succeed are rarely investigated. This study aimed to illuminate the experiences of MHSUs in an education intervention based on a European Union (EU) project. Their experiences are compared across nine EU countries. The data were collected through individual interviews with MHSUs (n = 47) at day activity centres that provide mental health services. An inductive content analysis was used as the method of analysis. Three main categories, which include seven subcategories, are revealed by the analysis. The main categories are as follows: (i) the factors related to MHSUs' educational preparedness, (ii) the dimensions of the learning environment, and (iii) the effects of training intervention. The MHSUs' experiences with the education intervention were similar across all countries. The findings showed that this education intervention is a multidimensional process. It contains social, mental, and physical dimensions linked to a learner and learning environment. These dimensions influence the MHSUs' ability to participate in the education process. At its best, the education intervention supports the personal growth of MHSUs and prepares them for social integration. An education intervention can be a usable tool in the rehabilitation of MHSUs if the multidimensional nature of education is taken into consideration. Therefore, designing and executing education interventions requires the attendance of the MHSUs in cooperation with mental health and education professionals. Our findings suggest a tentative framework that can be used in designing and executing education for MHSUs. © 2018 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

Eliminating Language Barriers Online at European Prisons (ELBEP): A Case-Study

Science.gov (United States)

Barkan, M.; Toprak, E.; Kumtepe, A. T.; Kumtepe, E. Genc; Ataizi, M.; Pilanci, H.; Mutlu, M. E.; Kayabas, I.; Kayabas, B. Kip

2011-01-01

ELBEP (Eliminating Language Barriers in European Prisons Through Open and Distance Education Technology) is a multilateral project funded by the European Union (EU) Lifelong Learning, Grundtvig (Adult Education) Programme. It aims to overcome language/communication problems between prison staff and foreign inmates at European prisons via online…

Transferring an Outcome-Oriented Learning Architecture to an IT Learning Game

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schmitz, Birgit; Klemke, Roland; Totschnig, Michael; Czauderna, André; Specht, Marcus

2011-01-01

Schmitz, B., Klemke, R., Totschnig, M., Czauderna, A., & Specht, M. (2011, 23 September). Transferring an outcome-oriented learning architecture to an IT learning game. Presented at the 6th European conference on Technology enhanced learning: towards ubiquitous learning (EC-TEL 2011), Palermo,

Student Perceptions of Team-based Learning vs Traditional Lecture-based Learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Frame, Tracy R; Cailor, Stephanie M; Gryka, Rebecca J; Chen, Aleda M; Kiersma, Mary E; Sheppard, Lorin

2015-05-25

To evaluate pharmacy student perceptions of team-based learning (TBL) vs traditional lecture-based learning formats. First professional year pharmacy students (N=111) at two universities used TBL in different courses during different semesters (fall vs spring). Students completed a 22-item team perceptions instrument before and after the fall semester. A 14-item teaching style preference instrument was completed at the end of the spring semester. Data were analyzed using Wilcoxon signed rank test and Mann-Whitney U test. Students who experienced TBL in the fall and went back to traditional format in the spring reported improved perceptions of teams and preferred TBL format over a traditional format more than students who experienced a traditional format followed by TBL. Students at both universities agreed that the TBL format assists with critical-thinking, problem-solving, and examination preparation. Students also agreed that teams should consist of individuals with different personalities and learning styles. When building teams, faculty members should consider ways to diversify teams by considering different views, perspectives, and strengths. Offering TBL early in the curriculum prior to traditional lecture-based formats is better received by students, as evidenced by anecdotal reports from students possibly because it allows students time to realize the benefits and assist them in building teamwork-related skills.

An Innovative Teaching Method To Promote Active Learning: Team-Based Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Balasubramanian, R.

2007-12-01

Traditional teaching practice based on the textbook-whiteboard- lecture-homework-test paradigm is not very effective in helping students with diverse academic backgrounds achieve higher-order critical thinking skills such as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Consequently, there is a critical need for developing a new pedagogical approach to create a collaborative and interactive learning environment in which students with complementary academic backgrounds and learning skills can work together to enhance their learning outcomes. In this presentation, I will discuss an innovative teaching method ('Team-Based Learning (TBL)") which I recently developed at National University of Singapore to promote active learning among students in the environmental engineering program with learning abilities. I implemented this new educational activity in a graduate course. Student feedback indicates that this pedagogical approach is appealing to most students, and promotes active & interactive learning in class. Data will be presented to show that the innovative teaching method has contributed to improved student learning and achievement.

Design of a virtual PBL learning environment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kolmos, Anette; Qvist, Palle; Du, Xiangyun

2006-01-01

The technological development has created a need for engineers who are oriented towards a global market, have the ability to be involved in interdisciplinary professional and intercultural teams, and who possess lifelong learning competencies. This entails a demand for new educational programmes...... that are more student-centred. In order to support that development, a new master programme (60 European Credit Transfer System) the Master of Problem Based Learning (MPBL) has been established with the aim to improve engineering education. The master programme addresses staff and is an international distance...... programme capable of recruiting participants from all over the world. In terms of contents, it is organized exemplary according to the problem-based and project-based learning method and the participants have to experiment and develop their own teaching and curriculum. On the virtual learning side...

[E-learning and problem based learning integration in cardiology education].

Science.gov (United States)

Gürpinar, Erol; Zayim, Neşe; Başarici, Ibrahim; Gündüz, Filiz; Asar, Mevlüt; Oğuz, Nurettin

2009-06-01

The aim of this study was to determine students' satisfaction with an e-learning environment which is developed to support classical problem-based learning (PBL) in medical education and its effect on academic achievement. In this cross-sectional study, students were provided with a web-based learning environment including learning materials related to objectives of the subject of PBL module, which could be used during independent study period. The study group comprised of all of the second year students (164 students) of Akdeniz University, Medical Faculty, during 2007-2008 education period. In order to gather data about students' satisfaction with learning environment, a questionnaire was administered to the students. Comparison of students' academic achievement was based on their performance score in PBL exam. Statistical analyses were performed using unpaired t test and Mann Whitney U test. Findings indicated that 72.6% of the students used e-learning practice. There is no statistically significant difference between mean PBL performance scores of users and non-users of e-learning practice (103.58 vs. 100.88) (t=-0.998, p=0.320). It is found that frequent users of e-learning application had statistically significant higher scores than non-frequent users (106.28 vs. 100.59) (t=-2.373, p=0.01). In addition, 72.6% of the students declared they were satisfied with the application. Our study demonstrated that the most of the students use e-learning application and are satisfied with it. In addition, it is observed that e-learning application positively affects the academic achievement of the students. This study gains special importance by providing contribution to limited literature in the area of instructional technology in PBL and Cardiology teaching.

Problem-Based Learning and Learning Approach: Is There a Relationship?