Introduction to the Ethics of Human Subjects Research
Introduces students to ethics concepts as they apply to questions and challenges in conducting human subject research.
New Learning Methodologies and Tools for Corporate
E-Learning
While e-learning has become accepted in large companies as a standard option for training, most corporate e-learning has not produced the hoped-for performance improvement. Yet elearning has a tremendous amount of unrealized potential to provide high-quality, educationally-sound, engaging training that improves employeesÂ’ performance. Corporate elearningÂ’s lack of success seems to be due to the dearth of widely-publicized methods to teach skills needed by corporate employees, and by the percei
Dan Hamermesh - Beauty and the labour market
Dan Hamermesh (University of Texas, Austin) talks to Romesh Vaitilingam about his research programme on the impact of people's physical appearance on their pay and other life outcomes
The use of NLP tools for Basque in a multiple user CALL environment and its feedback
In this article, we present a Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) environment for Basque. The environment has different aims: on the one hand, to offer the users (teachers, learners and computational linguists) different tools and language resources to clarify the linguistic doubts they might have about the language, and on the other hand, to store information about language learners, deviations and errors as the basis for further studies in CALL and Natural Language Processing (NLP). The
“Cultures in negotiation”: teachers’ acceptance/resistance attitudes considering the infusion of
A teachersÂ’ training project, employing teacher-mentored in-school training approach, has been recently initiated in Greek secondary education for the introduction of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) into the classroom. Data resulting from this project indicate that although teachers express considerable interest in learning how to use technology they need consistent support and extensive training in order to consider themselves able for integrating it into their instructional pra
Blast on Humvee from an IED
Simulation created using the CFD code named CEBAM (Computational Explosion And Blast Assessment Model). CEBAM is capable of simulating blast loads from high explosive, vapor clouds, and bursting vessels. Blast loading on a Humvee from an IED detonated near the vehicle. Research performed by Risknology, Inc.
Internet Scout Project
The homepage of the Bruns Lab at the University of California-Berkeley Department of Plant and Microbial Biology provides an excellent collection of online resources for mycologists. Offering much more than the usual faculty directory and research overview, this well-maintained Web site doubles as a gateway to mycology on the Web. Features include various primer maps, sequence alignment files, abstracts for recent publications from the Bruns Lab, a virtual tour of the lab that includes a terrifi
Using visualizations to teach problem-solving skills in mathematics: Which kind of visualization wor
In the experiment described in this paper we investigated the effects of different kinds of computer-based visualizations on the acquisition of problem-solving skills in the domain of probability theory. Learners received either purely text-based worked examples, text plus an instruction to mentally imagine the examplesÂ’ contents, or they could retrieve either static pictures or concrete animations that depicted the problem statement and the problem states achieved by applying a specific solut
Making the abstract concrete: Visualizing mathematical solution procedures
This paper reports on an experiment investigating the effects of different kinds of computer-based visualizations on the acquisition of problem-solving skills in the domain of probability theory. Learners received either purely text-based worked examples, text plus an instruction to mentally imagine the examplesÂ’ contents, or the possibility of retrieving either static pictures or concrete animations that depicted the problem statement and the problem states achieved by applying a specific solu
The impact of example comparisons on schema acquisition: Do learners really need multiple examples?
Comparing multiple examples within problem categories is usually considered a necessary prerequisite for schema acquisition. However, there is an evident lack of conclusive empirical evidence supporting this claim. Moreover, there are findings indicating that carefully designed one-example conditions may allow for profitable processes of example comparison as well. In line with this reasoning, we present an experiment - that builds up on a series of studies conducted by Quilici and Mayer (1996)
Cognitive tools for discovery learning
Cognitive tools, defined here as instruments that support or perform cognitive processes for learners in order to support learning, can bridge the difference between open learning environments, like discovery learning environments and traditional supportive instructional environments. This article discusses a definition of the concept of cognitive tool and its use in learning. Two examples of cognitive tools for discovery environments are presented, and it is made clear how these tools can serve
Collaborative distributed environments for learning design tasks by means of modelling and simulatio
The Simulation discipline has to face new challenges such as the incorporation of Collaborative Technologies for professional use as well as for teaching purposes. This integration permits the creation of new kinds of support for collaborative learning processes. In this paper, we explore the potential of this synergy with DomoSim-TPC, a synchronous distributed collaborative environment for the teaching and learning of Domotics. The system supports an active, simulation-based and problem-based a
Open Distance Inter-University Synergies Between Europe, Africa and the Middle East (ODISEAME)
The challenge facing new technologies is whether they can contribute to a qualitative step up and to education for all as a process of facilitating the development of creative people with the ability to think critically and to engage in socially relevant decision making. In this paper, we describe a project whose purpose is to develop a learning environment that takes into account current expertise in learning theory in order to facilitate productive collaboration in a way that leads to active c
Designing biases that augment socio-cognitive interactions
This chapter questions the assumption that the best environment for computer-supported collaborative learning is the one that most closely reproduces the features of face-to-face collaboration. Empirical studies have failed to establish the superiority of group interaction with richer media. Instead, the chapter explores media features that do not exist in face-to-face interactions and explains how these features might augment group cognition. The first feature, the persistency of the informatio
Internet Scout Project
The International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior's (IAVCEI) website advocates its research in volcanology and closely related disciplines as well as its work to mitigate volcanic disasters. After learning about the history of the organization, users can discover the many projects undertaken by the commissions including a volcanic eruption database and research involving the chemistry of volcanic gases. Researchers can learn about possible funding opportunities a
Towards a Generic Platform for Developing CSCL Applications Using Grid Infrastructure
The goal of this paper is to explore the possibility of using CSCL component-based software under a Grid infrastructure. The merge of these technologies represents an attractive, but probably quite laborious enterprise if we consider not only the benefits but also the barriers that we have to overcome. This work presents an attempt toward this direction by developing a generic platform of CSCL components and discussing the advantages that we could obtain if we adapted it to the Grid. We then pro
A Model for the Efficient Representation and Management of Online Collaborative Learning Interaction
This study aims to explore the importance of the efficient representation and management of the event information generated from group activity in online collaborative learning practices so that we can use it to provide awareness about individual and group behaviour. The achievement of this goal first involves the design of a conceptual model of collaborative learning interaction that structures and classifies the information generated in an online collaborative learning situation at several lev
An Experimental Study on Peer Selection in a P2P Network over PlanetLab
Peer selection is an important aspect in many P2P applications
requiring efficient assignment and execution of
jobs to peer nodes and search and file transfer, among others.
Due to increasing interest of using P2P systems for distributed
computing, peer selection is taking relevance and
several models have been proposed in the P2P literature.
Yet, there are very few experimental studies for peer selection
in P2P networks deployed in real large scale networks.
In this work we present an experimen
The virtual training center: a support tool for teachers community
Communities of practice for teachers are emerging, where the issues of life long learning of in-service teacher is supported by a collective effort and by applying modern methodologies and tools. The paper describes how effective support to teachers communities is achieved by means of a Virtual Training Center, that is the virtual meeting place of the community, which was built during the I*Teach pilot project. Teachers who have similar goals, but few opportunities to physically meet each other
Internet Scout Project
Clay Mathematics Institute (CMI) sponsors the Clay Mathematics Research Academy to "inspire young people with the thrill of working on the frontiers of mathematical research." Each year, twelve high school students are recruited and a Colloquium is held at CMI headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts. After the intense 8-day seminar, participants continue their work using iResearch, a web-based collaborative tool suite designed by the Academy. The 2004 Academy Colloqium Series was held March 19
