RHCE*ceCF encodes partial c and partial e but not CELO an antigen antithetical to Crawford

PubMed Central

Hipsky, Christine Halter; Lomas-Francis, Christine; Fuchisawa, Akiko; Reid, Marion E.; Moulds, Marilyn; Christensen, JoAnn; Nickle, Pam; Vege, Sunitha; Westhoff, Connie

2010-01-01

Background RH43 (Crawford) is encoded by RHCE*ce with nucleotide changes 48G>C, 697C>G, and 733C>G (RHCE*ceCF). We investigated the Rh antigen expression and antibody specificities in four patients with this allele. Methods Hemagglutination tests, DNA extraction, PCR-RFLP, AS-PCR, reticulocyte RNA isolation, RT-PCR cDNA analyses, cloning, and sequencing were performed by standard procedures. Results RBCs from two patients typed D+C−E−c+e+/−, hrS−/+W, hrB− and their serum was reactive (3+) with all RBC samples of common Rh phenotype tested, but non reactive with Rhnull or D- - RBCs (apparent alloanti-Rh17). At the RHCE locus, Patient 1 was homozygous for RHCE*ceCF, and Patient 2 inherited RHCE*ceCF in trans to a silenced RHCE*cE. Cross testing of serum and RBCs from these two samples showed mutual compatibility, indicating that both antibodies define the same novel high prevalence antigen on Rhce. Two additional patients, one whose serum contained alloanti-c but the RBCs typed C+c+, and one whose serum contained anti-e but the RBCs typed E+e+, also had RHCE*ceCF. RHCE*Ce was present in trans in the former and RHCE*cE in the latter patient. Conclusion We report that amino acid changes on RhceCF (Trp16Cys, Gln233Glu, and Leu245Val) alter the protein to the extent that c and e antigens are partial, and a high prevalence antigen, we have named CELO (provisional ISBT number 004058; RH58) is not expressed. CELO is antithetical to RH43 (Crawford). PMID:20609196

A qualitative case study of instructional support for web-based simulated laboratory exercises in online college chemistry laboratory courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schulman, Kathleen M.

This study fills a gap in the research literature regarding the types of instructional support provided by instructors in online introductory chemistry laboratory courses that employ chemistry simulations as laboratory exercises. It also provides information regarding students' perceptions of the effectiveness of that instructional support. A multiple case study methodology was used to carry out the research. Two online introductory chemistry courses were studied at two community colleges. Data for this study was collected using phone interviews with faculty and student participants, surveys completed by students, and direct observation of the instructional designs of instructional support in the online Blackboard web sites and the chemistry simulations used by the participating institutions. The results indicated that the instructors provided multiple types of instructional support that correlated with forms of effective instructional support identified in the research literature, such as timely detailed feedback, detailed instructions for the laboratory experiments, and consistency in the instructional design of lecture and laboratory course materials, including the chemistry lab simulation environment. The students in one of these courses identified the following as the most effective types of instructional support provided: the instructor's feedback, opportunities to apply chemistry knowledge in the chemistry lab exercises, detailed procedures for the simulated laboratory exercises, the organization of the course Blackboard sites and the chemistry lab simulation web sites, and the textbook homework web sites. Students also identified components of instructional support they felt were missing. These included a desire for more interaction with the instructor, more support for the simulated laboratory exercises from the instructor and the developer of the chemistry simulations, and faster help with questions about the laboratory exercises or experimental

The Development and Assessment of an Online Microscopic Anatomy Laboratory Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barbeau, Michele L.; Johnson, Marjorie; Gibson, Candace; Rogers, Kem A.

2013-01-01

Increasing enrollment in post-secondary institutions across North America, along with an increase in popularity of and demand for distance education is pressuring institutions to offer a greater number and variety of courses online. A fully online laboratory course in microscopic anatomy (histology) which can be taught simultaneously with a…

Comparison of a gross anatomy laboratory to online anatomy software for teaching anatomy.

PubMed

Mathiowetz, Virgil; Yu, Chih-Huang; Quake-Rapp, Cindee

2016-01-01

This study was designed to assess the grades, self-perceived learning, and satisfaction between occupational therapy students who used a gross anatomy laboratory versus online anatomy software (AnatomyTV) as tools to learn anatomy at a large public university and a satellite campus in the mid-western United States. The goal was to determine if equivalent learning outcomes could be achieved regardless of learning tool used. In addition, it was important to determine why students chose the gross anatomy laboratory over online AnatomyTV. A two group, post-test only design was used with data gathered at the end of the course. Primary outcomes were students' grades, self-perceived learning, and satisfaction. In addition, a survey was used to collect descriptive data. One cadaver prosection was available for every four students in the gross anatomy laboratory. AnatomyTV was available online through the university library. At the conclusion of the course, the gross anatomy laboratory group had significantly higher grade percentage, self-perceived learning, and satisfaction than the AnatomyTV group. However, the practical significance of the difference is debatable. The significantly greater time spent in gross anatomy laboratory during the laboratory portion of the course may have affected the study outcomes. In addition, some students may find the difference in (B+) versus (A-) grade as not practically significant. Further research needs to be conducted to identify what specific anatomy teaching resources are most effective beyond prosection for students without access to a gross anatomy laboratory. © 2015 American Association of Anatomists.

The Nature of Laboratory Learning Experiences in Secondary Science Online

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crippen, Kent J.; Archambault, Leanna M.; Kern, Cindy L.

2013-01-01

Teaching science to secondary students in an online environment is a growing international trend. Despite this trend, reports of empirical studies of this phenomenon are noticeably missing. With a survey concerning the nature of laboratory activities, this study describes the perspective of 35-secondary teachers from 15-different U.S. states who…

Development and Use of Online Prelaboratory Activities in Organic Chemistry to Improve Students' Laboratory Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chaytor, Jennifer L.; Al Mughalaq, Mohammad; Butler, Hailee

2017-01-01

Online prelaboratory videos and quizzes were prepared for all experiments in CHEM 231, Organic Chemistry I Laboratory. It was anticipated that watching the videos would help students be better prepared for the laboratory, decrease their anxiety surrounding the laboratory, and increase their understanding of the theories and concepts presented.…

Massively Multiplayer Online Games as Living Laboratories: Opportunities and Pitfalls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ducheneaut, Nicolas

The digital nature of online games makes them particularly amenable to large-scale, automated data collection and analysis; so researchers have begun to use them as living laboratories to test or refine the existing theories of human behavior. On the basis of several years of intensive data collection in several massively multiplayer online games, this chapter addresses three problems concerning validity and generalizability that must be taken into account. First, each game has a set of laws that steer player behavior, thereby introducing confounding factors that have to be taken into account by the researcher. Second, games attract skewed samples of players, and players may adopt transformed personalities inside the game world, which puts into question the validity of extending findings from observations in the digital realm into the physical one. Third, the lack of a clear boundary defining the "game space," illustrated by the many websites and forums for popular games, raises the question of whether online games themselves capture the totality of the user's experience. The problematic mapping between "real-world" behaviors and those in online games presents research opportunities as well as pitfalls that need to be avoided.

The Nature of Laboratory Learning Experiences in Secondary Science Online

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crippen, Kent J.; Archambault, Leanna M.; Kern, Cindy L.

2013-06-01

Teaching science to secondary students in an online environment is a growing international trend. Despite this trend, reports of empirical studies of this phenomenon are noticeably missing. With a survey concerning the nature of laboratory activities, this study describes the perspective of 35-secondary teachers from 15-different U.S. states who are teaching science online. The type and frequency of reported laboratory activities are consistent with the tradition of face-to-face instruction, using hands-on and simulated experiments. While provided examples were student-centered and required the collection of data, they failed to illustrate key components of the nature of science. The features of student-teacher interactions, student engagement, and nonverbal communications were found to be lacking and likely constitute barriers to the enactment of inquiry. These results serve as a call for research and development focused on using existing communication tools to better align with the activity of science such that the nature of science is more clearly addressed, the work of students becomes more collaborative and authentic, and the formative elements of a scientific inquiry are more accessible to all participants.

The testing effect for mediator final test cues and related final test cues in online and laboratory experiments.

PubMed

Coppens, Leonora C; Verkoeijen, Peter P J L; Bouwmeester, Samantha; Rikers, Remy M J P

2016-05-31

The testing effect is the finding that information that is retrieved during learning is more often correctly retrieved on a final test than information that is restudied. According to the semantic mediator hypothesis the testing effect arises because retrieval practice of cue-target pairs (mother-child) activates semantically related mediators (father) more than restudying. Hence, the mediator-target (father-child) association should be stronger for retrieved than restudied pairs. Indeed, Carpenter (2011) found a larger testing effect when participants received mediators (father) than when they received target-related words (birth) as final test cues. The present study started as an attempt to test an alternative account of Carpenter's results. However, it turned into a series of conceptual (Experiment 1) and direct (Experiment 2 and 3) replications conducted with online samples. The results of these online replications were compared with those of similar existing laboratory experiments through small-scale meta-analyses. The results showed that (1) the magnitude of the raw mediator testing effect advantage is comparable for online and laboratory experiments, (2) in both online and laboratory experiments the magnitude of the raw mediator testing effect advantage is smaller than in Carpenter's original experiment, and (3) the testing effect for related cues varies considerably between online experiments. The variability in the testing effect for related cues in online experiments could point toward moderators of the related cue short-term testing effect. The raw mediator testing effect advantage is smaller than in Carpenter's original experiment.

Content Analysis of Online Discussion on a Senior-High-School Discussion Forum of a Virtual Physics Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guan, Ying-Hua; Tsai, Chin-Chung; Hwang, Fu-Kwun

2006-01-01

In this study we content analyzed the online discussion of several senior-high-school groups on a forum of a virtual physics laboratory in Taiwan. The goal of our research was to investigate the nature of non-course-based online discussion and to find out some useful guidelines in developing such discussion forums for learning purposes. We adapted…

Comparison of a Gross Anatomy Laboratory to Online Anatomy Software for Teaching Anatomy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mathiowetz, Virgil; Yu, Chih-Huang; Quake-Rapp, Cindee

2016-01-01

This study was designed to assess the grades, self-perceived learning, and satisfaction between occupational therapy students who used a gross anatomy laboratory versus online anatomy software (AnatomyTV) as tools to learn anatomy at a large public university and a satellite campus in the mid-western United States. The goal was to determine if…

Two-Year Community: Human Anatomy Software Use in Traditional and Online Anatomy Laboratory Classes: Student-Perceived Learning Benefits

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuyatt, Brian L.; Baker, Jason D.

2014-01-01

This study evaluates the effectiveness of human anatomy software in face-to-face and online anatomy laboratory classes. Cognitive, affective, and psychomotor perceived learning was measured for students using Pearson Education's Practice Anatomy Laboratory 2.0 software. This study determined that student-perceived learning was significantly…

Virtual-Instrument-Based Online Monitoring System for Hands-on Laboratory Experiment of Partial Discharges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karmakar, Subrata

2017-01-01

Online monitoring of high-voltage (HV) equipment is a vital tool for early detection of insulation failure. Most insulation failures are caused by partial discharges (PDs) inside the HV equipment. Because of the very high cost of establishing HV equipment facility and the limitations of electromagnetic interference-screened laboratories, only a…

Conducting interactive experiments online.

PubMed

Arechar, Antonio A; Gächter, Simon; Molleman, Lucas

2018-01-01

Online labor markets provide new opportunities for behavioral research, but conducting economic experiments online raises important methodological challenges. This particularly holds for interactive designs. In this paper, we provide a methodological discussion of the similarities and differences between interactive experiments conducted in the laboratory and online. To this end, we conduct a repeated public goods experiment with and without punishment using samples from the laboratory and the online platform Amazon Mechanical Turk. We chose to replicate this experiment because it is long and logistically complex. It therefore provides a good case study for discussing the methodological and practical challenges of online interactive experimentation. We find that basic behavioral patterns of cooperation and punishment in the laboratory are replicable online. The most important challenge of online interactive experiments is participant dropout. We discuss measures for reducing dropout and show that, for our case study, dropouts are exogenous to the experiment. We conclude that data quality for interactive experiments via the Internet is adequate and reliable, making online interactive experimentation a potentially valuable complement to laboratory studies.

Taking Science Online: Evaluating Presence and Immersion through a Laboratory Experience in a Virtual Learning Environment for Entomology Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Annetta, Leonard; Klesath, Marta; Meyer, John

2009-01-01

A 3-D virtual field trip was integrated into an online college entomology course and developed as a trial for the possible incorporation of future virtual environments to supplement online higher education laboratories. This article provides an explanation of the rationale behind creating the virtual experience, the Bug Farm; the method and…

The Hawaiian Algal Database: a laboratory LIMS and online resource for biodiversity data

PubMed Central

Wang, Norman; Sherwood, Alison R; Kurihara, Akira; Conklin, Kimberly Y; Sauvage, Thomas; Presting, Gernot G

2009-01-01

Background Organization and presentation of biodiversity data is greatly facilitated by databases that are specially designed to allow easy data entry and organized data display. Such databases also have the capacity to serve as Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS). The Hawaiian Algal Database was designed to showcase specimens collected from the Hawaiian Archipelago, enabling users around the world to compare their specimens with our photographs and DNA sequence data, and to provide lab personnel with an organizational tool for storing various biodiversity data types. Description We describe the Hawaiian Algal Database, a comprehensive and searchable database containing photographs and micrographs, geo-referenced collecting information, taxonomic checklists and standardized DNA sequence data. All data for individual samples are linked through unique accession numbers. Users can search online for sample information by accession number, numerous levels of taxonomy, or collection site. At the present time the database contains data representing over 2,000 samples of marine, freshwater and terrestrial algae from the Hawaiian Archipelago. These samples are primarily red algae, although other taxa are being added. Conclusion The Hawaiian Algal Database is a digital repository for Hawaiian algal samples and acts as a LIMS for the laboratory. Users can make use of the online search tool to view and download specimen photographs and micrographs, DNA sequences and relevant habitat data, including georeferenced collecting locations. It is publicly available at . PMID:19728892

Evaluation of an Online Instructional Database Accessed by QR Codes to Support Biochemistry Practical Laboratory Classes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yip, Tor; Melling, Louise; Shaw, Kirsty J.

2016-01-01

An online instructional database containing information on commonly used pieces of laboratory equipment was created. In order to make the database highly accessible and to promote its use, QR codes were utilized. The instructional materials were available anytime and accessed using QR codes located on the equipment itself and within undergraduate…

Crystallization of the C-terminal head domain of the avian adenovirus CELO long fibre

PubMed Central

Guardado Calvo, Pablo; Llamas-Saiz, Antonio L.; Langlois, Patrick; van Raaij, Mark J.

2006-01-01

Avian adenovirus CELO contains two different fibres: fibre 1, the long fibre, and fibre 2, the short fibre. The short fibre is responsible for binding to an unknown avian receptor and is essential for infection of birds. The long fibre is not essential, but is known to bind the coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor protein. Both trimeric fibres are attached to the same penton base, of which each icosahedral virus contains 12 copies. The short fibre extends straight outwards, while the long fibre emerges at an angle. The carboxy-terminal amino acids 579–793 of the avian adenovirus long fibre have been expressed with an amino-terminal hexahistidine tag and the expressed trimeric protein has been purified by nickel-affinity chromatography and crystallized. Crystals were grown at low pH using PEG 10 000 as precipitant and belonged to space group C2. The crystals diffracted rotating-anode Cu Kα radiation to at least 1.9 Å resolution and a complete data set was collected from a single crystal to 2.2 Å resolution. Unit-cell parameters were a = 216.5, b = 59.2, c = 57.5 Å, β = 101.3°, suggesting one trimer per asymmetric unit and a solvent content of 46%. The long fibre head does not have significant sequence homology to any other protein of known structure and molecular-replacement attempts with known fibre-head structures were unsuccessful. However, a map calculated using SIRAS phasing shows a clear trimer with a shape similar to known adenovirus fibre-head structures. Structure solution is in progress. PMID:16682773

A Measure of the Effectiveness of Incorporating 3D Human Anatomy into an Online Undergraduate Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hilbelink, Amy J.

2009-01-01

Results of a study designed to determine the effectiveness of implementing three-dimensional (3D) stereo images of a human skull in an undergraduate human anatomy online laboratory were gathered and analysed. Mental model theory and its applications to 3D relationships are discussed along with the research results. Quantitative results on 62 pairs…

Laboratory Earth: Connecting Everything to Everything Else Online for Pre-college Educators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gosselin, D.; Bonnstetter, R.; Yendra, S.; Slater, T.

2007-12-01

The Laboratory Earth professional development series, which has been funded by NASA, consists of three, three- credit hour, graduate level, distance-delivered, online courses designed for K- 8 (and above) educators. Currently, we have delivered two module-based courses, Laboratory Earth I: Earth and its Systems and Laboratory Earth II: Earth's Natural Resource Systems. A third course tentatively titled, Laboratory Earth: Earth's Changing Environments, is under development. Our objectives are to deliver a high quality professional development experience, improve participant's ability to understand and apply Earth system science concepts in their classroom, and to increase teacher's sense of belonging to a community. Each course consists of four modules that engage students using multiple strategies to meet a variety of learning styles. To document learning, content questions are used to focus the student on the concepts they will be learning throughout the course. These questions are also used to assess the progress the student has made toward learning the concepts from the beginning to the end of the course. Analysis of the responses to the content questions from Lab Earth I demonstrates significant knowledge gains from the beginning to the end of the course. Preliminary data also suggests that the extent of learning is higher in the 8-week version than it is in the 16-week version of the course. An implicit goal of the courses is to help participants focus on learning, not grades. Unfortunately, grades have to be issued. Our grading strategy has evolved to a system that uses the ability of students to master course content along with active participation and the on-time, quality completion of the grading elements in the course. Course content mastery can be demonstrated in a variety of ways and it is up to the student to choose the method that they would like to use. Methods include writing essays, creating presentations, preparing an oral journal, and developing

Online-BSEE (Online Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering): An Asynchronous Online Electrical Engineering Degree Program with Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tang, Wendy; Westgate, Charles; Liu, Pao-Lo; Gouzman, Michael

2014-01-01

The Online Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering is a collaborative effort among three University Centers at SUNY (State University of New York), namely Stony Brook, Binghamton, and Buffalo. The program delivers the complete electrical engineering curriculum at the bachelor level to students online and asynchronously. Students, however,…

An Online Virtual Laboratory of Electricity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gómez Tejedor, J. A.; Moltó Martínez, G.; Barros Vidaurre, C.

2008-01-01

In this article, we describe a Java-based virtual laboratory, accessible via the Internet by means of a Web browser. This remote laboratory enables the students to build both direct and alternating current circuits. The program includes a graphical user interface which resembles the connection board, and also the electrical components and tools…

An exploratory investigation of the translation of Pacific Northwest Laboratory`s print manuals system to an on-line manuals system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Heubach, J.G.; Hunt, S.T.; Pond, L.R.

1992-06-01

Information management technology has proliferated in the past decade in response to the information explosion. As documentation accumulates, the need to access information residing in manuals, handbooks and regulations conveniently, accurately, and quickly has increased. However, studies show that only fractions of the available information is read (Martin, 1978). Consequently, one of the biggest challenges in linking information and electronic management of information is to use the power of communication technology to meet the information needs of the audience. Pacific Northwest Laboratories` (PNL) investigation of translating its print manual system to an on-line system fits this challenge precisely. PNL`s manualsmore » contain a tremendous amount of information for which manual holders are responsible. To perform their tasks in compliance with policy and procedure guidelines, users need to access information accurately, conveniently, and quickly. In order to select and use information management tools wisely, answers must be sought to a few basic questions. Communication experts cite four key questions: What do users want? What do users need? What characteristics of an on-line information system affect its usefulness? Who are the users whose wants and needs are to be met? Once these questions are answered, attention can be focused on finding the best match between user requirements and technology characteristics and weighing the costs and benefits of proposed options.« less

The effectiveness and user perception of 3-dimensional digital human anatomy in an online undergraduate anatomy laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hilbelink, Amy Joanne

2007-12-01

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of implementing desktop 3-dimensional (3D) stereo images of human anatomy into an undergraduate human anatomy distance laboratory. User perceptions of 2D and 3D images were gathered via questionnaire in order to determine ease of use and level of satisfaction associated with the 3D software in the online learning environment. Mayer's (2001, p. 184) principles of design were used to develop the study materials that consisted of PowerPoint presentations and AVI files accessed via Blackboard. The research design employed a mixed-methods approach. Volunteers each were administered a demographic survey and were then stratified into groups based upon pre-test scores. A total sample size of 62 pairs was available for combined data analysis. Quantitative research questions regarding the effectiveness of 2D versus the 3D treatment were analyzed using a doubly-multivariate repeated measures (Doubly-MANOVA) design. Paired test scores achieved by undergraduates on a laboratory practical of identification and spatial relationships of the bones and features of a human skull were used in the analysis. The questionnaire designed to gather user perceptions consisted of quantitative and qualitative questions. Response frequencies were analyzed for the two groups and common themes were noted. Results revealed a statistically significant difference in group means for the main effect of the treatment groups 2D and 3D and for the variables of identification and relationship with the 3D group outperforming the 2D group on both dependent variables. Effect sizes were determined to be small, 0.215 for the identification variable and 0.359 for the relationship variable. Overall, all students liked the convenience of using PowerPoint and AVI files online. The 3D group felt their PowerPoint was more realistic than did the 2D group and both groups appreciated the detailed labeling of the online images. One third of the

Augmented Reality for the Improvement of Remote Laboratories: An Augmented Remote Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andujar, J. M.; Mejias, A.; Marquez, M. A.

2011-01-01

Augmented reality (AR) provides huge opportunities for online teaching in science and engineering, as these disciplines place emphasis on practical training and unsuited to completely nonclassroom training. This paper proposes a new concept in virtual and remote laboratories: the augmented remote laboratory (ARL). ARL is being tested in the first…

Virtual, on-line, frog dissection vs. conventional laboratory dissection: A comparison of student achievement and teacher perceptions among honors, general ability, and foundations-level high school biology classes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kopec, Ronald H.

2002-09-01

Dissecting animal specimens has long been a tradition in biology classes. Objections by students, based on religious or ethical grounds, have been raised regarding the dissections of animals in classroom laboratories. A number of states now have legal proceedings or statewide policies requiring that alternatives to the actual dissection of laboratory animal specimens be permitted in their school districts. Alternatives to actual dissections have been developed in recent years. For a variety of reasons, performing an actual or conventional animal dissection may not be a desirable option. The purpose of this study was to investigate how a virtual On-line frog dissection compares with an actual laboratory dissection. What were the perceptions of the teacher's using it? How does student achievement compare among three the different ability levels on a pre and posttest regarding basic frog anatomy? Is a virtual On-line dissection a suitable alternative for students who, for whatever reason, do not participate in the actual laboratory experience? The subjects consisted of 218 biology students among three different ability levels, in a Northeastern suburban high school. Approximately half of the student groups participated in a virtual On-line dissection, the other half in an actual laboratory dissection. A pretest of basic frog anatomy was administered to the students two days before and the posttest one day after their dissection experience. Data were analyzed using matched pairs t-Tests, Analysis of Variance, Tukey HSD, and Squared Curvilinear Coefficients. Survey questionnaires were administered to the teachers after the dissection experiences were completed. There were no significant differences found in achievement between the virtual and conventional dissection groups. There were significant differences found in achievement score means among the three ability levels. There was no significant interaction between gender and achievement. Perceptions of the teacher

"I got it on Ebay!": cost-effective approach to surgical skills laboratories.

PubMed

Schneider, Ethan; Schenarts, Paul J; Shostrom, Valerie; Schenarts, Kimberly D; Evans, Charity H

2017-01-01

Surgical education is witnessing a surge in the use of simulation. However, implementation of simulation is often cost-prohibitive. Online shopping offers a low budget alternative. The aim of this study was to implement cost-effective skills laboratories and analyze online versus manufacturers' prices to evaluate for savings. Four skills laboratories were designed for the surgery clerkship from July 2014 to June 2015. Skills laboratories were implemented using hand-built simulation and instruments purchased online. Trademarked simulation was priced online and instruments priced from a manufacturer. Costs were compiled, and a descriptive cost analysis of online and manufacturers' prices was performed. Learners rated their level of satisfaction for all educational activities, and levels of satisfaction were compared. A total of 119 third-year medical students participated. Supply lists and costs were compiled for each laboratory. A descriptive cost analysis of online and manufacturers' prices showed online prices were substantially lower than manufacturers, with a per laboratory savings of: $1779.26 (suturing), $1752.52 (chest tube), $2448.52 (anastomosis), and $1891.64 (laparoscopic), resulting in a year 1 savings of $47,285. Mean student satisfaction scores for the skills laboratories were 4.32, with statistical significance compared to live lectures at 2.96 (P < 0.05) and small group activities at 3.67 (P < 0.05). A cost-effective approach for implementation of skills laboratories showed substantial savings. By using hand-built simulation boxes and online resources to purchase surgical equipment, surgical educators overcome financial obstacles limiting the use of simulation and provide learning opportunities that medical students perceive as beneficial. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Online Higher Education in the Natural Sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pearson, Karen; Liddicoat, Joseph

2013-04-01

Online courses in higher education allow traditional and non-traditional students to complete course work in all disciplines with great flexibility. Courses in the Natural Sciences are no exception because the online environment allows students to collapse time and space; to access a course anywhere; to get immediate feedback, tutoring and coaching; and to receive real-time interaction between themselves and the instructor. This presentation will highlight successful examples of course content from the areas of astronomy, environmental, and earth and physical sciences. Content examples will focus on helping students use their 'environment' as part of the laboratory experience in courses traditionally thought of as lecture and laboratory courses. These examples will include real and virtual field trips, use of multimedia content, collaboration between students and faculty to design and conduct experiments and field work, and modifications to traditional lecture methods for the online environment. Dr. Karen Pearson former director of Online-Learning and Academic Technologies and Professor Science and Mathematics at the Fashion Institute of Technology (SUNY) and Dr. Joseph Liddicoat will focus on how courses in the Natural Sciences can be delivered in the online environment while maintaining high academic standards and not losing the "hands" on experience students need while completing a laboratory science course as part of a liberal arts curriculum.

Whole Class Laboratories: More Examples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kouh, Minjoon

2016-01-01

Typically, introductory physics courses are taught with a combination of lectures and laboratories in which students have opportunities to discover the natural laws through hands-on activities in small groups. This article reports the use of Google Drive, a free online document-sharing tool, in physics laboratories for pooling experimental data…

Research on the Error Characteristics of a 110 kV Optical Voltage Transformer under Three Conditions: In the Laboratory, Off-Line in the Field and During On-Line Operation

PubMed Central

Xiao, Xia; Hu, Haoliang; Xu, Yan; Lei, Min; Xiong, Qianzhu

2016-01-01

Optical voltage transformers (OVTs) have been applied in power systems. When performing accuracy performance tests of OVTs large differences exist between the electromagnetic environment and the temperature variation in the laboratory and on-site. Therefore, OVTs may display different error characteristics under different conditions. In this paper, OVT prototypes with typical structures were selected to be tested for the error characteristics with the same testing equipment and testing method. The basic accuracy, the additional error caused by temperature and the adjacent phase in the laboratory, the accuracy in the field off-line, and the real-time monitoring error during on-line operation were tested. The error characteristics under the three conditions—laboratory, in the field off-line and during on-site operation—were compared and analyzed. The results showed that the effect of the transportation process, electromagnetic environment and the adjacent phase on the accuracy of OVTs could be ignored for level 0.2, but the error characteristics of OVTs are dependent on the environmental temperature and are sensitive to the temperature gradient. The temperature characteristics during on-line operation were significantly superior to those observed in the laboratory. PMID:27537895

Research on the Error Characteristics of a 110 kV Optical Voltage Transformer under Three Conditions: In the Laboratory, Off-Line in the Field and During On-Line Operation.

PubMed

Xiao, Xia; Hu, Haoliang; Xu, Yan; Lei, Min; Xiong, Qianzhu

2016-08-16

Optical voltage transformers (OVTs) have been applied in power systems. When performing accuracy performance tests of OVTs large differences exist between the electromagnetic environment and the temperature variation in the laboratory and on-site. Therefore, OVTs may display different error characteristics under different conditions. In this paper, OVT prototypes with typical structures were selected to be tested for the error characteristics with the same testing equipment and testing method. The basic accuracy, the additional error caused by temperature and the adjacent phase in the laboratory, the accuracy in the field off-line, and the real-time monitoring error during on-line operation were tested. The error characteristics under the three conditions-laboratory, in the field off-line and during on-site operation-were compared and analyzed. The results showed that the effect of the transportation process, electromagnetic environment and the adjacent phase on the accuracy of OVTs could be ignored for level 0.2, but the error characteristics of OVTs are dependent on the environmental temperature and are sensitive to the temperature gradient. The temperature characteristics during on-line operation were significantly superior to those observed in the laboratory.

OLES : Online Laboratory for Environmental Sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anquetin, Sandrine; Beaufil, Xavier; Chaffard, Véronique; Juen, Patrick

2015-04-01

One of the major scientific challenges in the 21st century is to improve our understanding on the evolution of the water cycle associated with the climate variability. Main issues concern the prediction of i) the water resource and the access to drinkable water and ii) the extreme events, both droughts and floods. Observation strategies covering a wide range of space and time scales must therefore be set up, while continuing advanced research on the involved mechanisms and developing integrated modeling approaches. Within this general context, the present work relies on three natural observatories, located in West Africa, Worldwide Glaciers, and in Mediterranean region, managed at LTHE (Laboratoire d'étude des Transferts en Hydrologie et Environnement; Grenoble, France) and gathered at OSUG (Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers; Grenoble, France). Their scientific objectives aim at improving the understanding of the water cycle functioning, providing water and mass balances for multi-scale basin sizes, and evaluating the hydrological impacts of the evolving climate. Water cycle variables (precipitation; soil moisture; snow cover; discharge; air and river temperatures; suspended material; etc …) are observed and recorded in 3 different databases built under specific technical constraints linked to the respective partnerships of the natural observatories. Each of the observatories has its own database, and modeling tools were developed separately leading to important efforts often duplicated. Therefore, there was a need to build an integrated cyber-infrastructure to provide access to data, and to shared tools and models that enable the understanding of the water cycle. This is the project called OLES, for Online Laboratory for Environmental Sciences. Focused on the understanding of the water cycle under contrasted climates, OLES facilitates the work of the scientific community and then, help interactions between the research community and water agencies or

Teaching Business Chinese Online.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Hang

2002-01-01

Discusses a comprehensive approach to teaching business Chinese online that is beng developed in the language learning laboratory at the University of Illinois. The courseware consists of two complementary parts: a business Chinese workbook and a business Chinese simulation. (Author/VWL)

Virtual Instruction: A Qualitative Research Laboratory Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stadtlander, Lee M.; Giles, Martha J.

2010-01-01

Online graduate programs in psychology are becoming common; however, a concern has been whether instructors in the programs provide adequate research mentoring. One issue surrounding research mentoring is the absence of research laboratories in the virtual university. Students attending online universities often do research without peer or lab…

Use and Acceptance of Information and Communication Technology among Laboratory Science Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnes, Brenda C.

2013-01-01

Online and blended learning platforms are being promoted within laboratory science education under the assumption that students have the necessary skills to navigate online and blended learning environments. Yet little research has examined the use of information and communication technology (ICT) among the laboratory science student population.…

On-line interactive virtual experiments on nanoscience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kadar, Manuella; Ileana, Ioan; Hutanu, Constantin

2009-01-01

This paper is an overview on the next generation web which allows students to experience virtual experiments on nano science, physics devices, processes and processing equipment. Virtual reality is used to support a real university lab in which a student can experiment real lab sessions. The web material is presented in an intuitive and highly visual 3D form that is accessible to a diverse group of students. Such type of laboratory provides opportunities for professional and practical education for a wide range of users. The expensive equipment and apparatuses that build the experimental stage in a particular standard laboratory is used to create virtual educational research laboratories. Students learn how to prepare the apparatuses and facilities for the experiment. The online experiments metadata schema is the format for describing online experiments, much like the schema behind a library catalogue used to describe the books in a library. As an online experiment is a special kind of learning object, one specifies its schema as an extension to an established metadata schema for learning objects. The content of the courses, metainformation as well as readings and user data are saved on the server in a database as XML objects.

The AtChem On-line model and Electronic Laboratory Notebook (ELN): A free community modelling tool with provenance capture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Young, J. C.; Boronska, K.; Martin, C. J.; Rickard, A. R.; Vázquez Moreno, M.; Pilling, M. J.; Haji, M. H.; Dew, P. M.; Lau, L. M.; Jimack, P. K.

2010-12-01

AtChem On-line1 is a simple to use zero-dimensional box modelling toolkit, developed for use by laboratory, field and chamber scientists. Any set of chemical reactions can be simulated, in particular the whole Master Chemical Mechanism (MCM2) or any subset of it. Parameters and initial data can be provided through a self-explanatory web form and the resulting model is compiled and run on a dedicated server. The core part of the toolkit, providing a robust solver for thousands of chemical reactions, is written in Fortran and uses SUNDIALS3 CVODE libraries. Chemical systems can be constrained at multiple, user-determined timescales; this enabled studies of radical chemistry at one minute timescales. AtChem On-line is free to use and requires no installation - a web browser, text editor and any compressing software is all the user needs. CPU and storage are provided by the server (input and output data are saved indefinitely). An off-line version is also being developed, which will provide batch processing, an advanced graphical user interface and post-processing tools, for example, Rate of Production Analysis (ROPA) and chainlength analysis. The source code is freely available for advanced users wishing to adapt and run the program locally. Data management, dissemination and archiving are essential in all areas of science. In order to do this in an efficient and transparent way, there is a critical need to capture high quality metadata/provenance for modelling activities. An Electronic Laboratory Notebook (ELN) has been developed in parallel with AtChem Online as part of the EC EUROCHAMP24 project. In order to use controlled chamber experiments to evaluate the MCM, we need to be able to archive, track and search information on all associated chamber model runs, so that they can be used in subsequent mechanism development. Therefore it would be extremely useful if experiment and model metadata/provenance could be easily and automatically stored electronically

EFL Students' "Yahoo!" Online Bilingual Dictionary Use Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tseng, Fan-ping

2009-01-01

This study examined 38 EFL senior high school students' "Yahoo!" online dictionary look-up behavior. In a language laboratory, the participants read an article on a reading sheet, underlined any words they did not know, looked up their unknown words in "Yahoo!" online bilingual dictionary, and wrote down the definitions of…

Laboratory testing in hyperthyroidism.

PubMed

Grebe, Stefan K G; Kahaly, George J

2012-09-01

The clinical diagnosis of hypo- or hyperthyroidism is difficult (full text available online: http://education.amjmed.com/pp1/272). Clinical symptoms and signs are often non-specific, and there is incomplete correlation between structural and functional thyroid gland changes. Laboratory testing is therefore indispensible in establishing the diagnosis of thyrotoxicosis. Similar considerations apply to treatment monitoring. Laboratory testing also plays a crucial role in establishing the most likely cause for a patient's hyperthyroidism. Finally, during pregnancy, when isotopic scanning is relatively contraindicated and ultrasound is more difficult to interpret, laboratory testing becomes even more important. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Online Help for Problem Gambling among Chinese Youths

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Chang Boon Patrick

2011-01-01

The objectives of this study were to determine the perceptions and accessibility of online help for problem gambling among Chinese youths. A group of undergraduates participated in a survey cum laboratory exercise to search for help for problem gambling in Macao, Hong Kong, and China. Online search engines were used. During the search process,…

Horizontal and vertical integration in hospital laboratories and the laboratory information system.

PubMed

Friedman, B A; Mitchell, W

1990-09-01

An understanding of horizontal and vertical integration and their quasi-integration variants is important for pathologists to formulate a competitive strategy for hospital clinical laboratories. These basic organizational concepts, in turn, are based on the need to establish control over critical laboratory inputs and outputs. The pathologist seeks greater control of mission-critical system inputs and outputs to increase the quality and efficiency of the laboratory operations. The LIS produces horizontal integration of the various hospital laboratories by integrating them vertically. Forward vertical quasi-integration of the laboratories is mediated primarily by the LIS through front-end valued-added features such as reporting of results and creating a long-term on-line test result archive. These features increase the value of the information product of pathology for clinicians and increase the cost of switching to another system. The LIS can also serve as a means for customizing the information product of the laboratories to appeal to new market segments such as hospital administrators.

Conducting spoken word recognition research online: Validation and a new timing method.

PubMed

Slote, Joseph; Strand, Julia F

2016-06-01

Models of spoken word recognition typically make predictions that are then tested in the laboratory against the word recognition scores of human subjects (e.g., Luce & Pisoni Ear and Hearing, 19, 1-36, 1998). Unfortunately, laboratory collection of large sets of word recognition data can be costly and time-consuming. Due to the numerous advantages of online research in speed, cost, and participant diversity, some labs have begun to explore the use of online platforms such as Amazon's Mechanical Turk (AMT) to source participation and collect data (Buhrmester, Kwang, & Gosling Perspectives on Psychological Science, 6, 3-5, 2011). Many classic findings in cognitive psychology have been successfully replicated online, including the Stroop effect, task-switching costs, and Simon and flanker interference (Crump, McDonnell, & Gureckis PLoS ONE, 8, e57410, 2013). However, tasks requiring auditory stimulus delivery have not typically made use of AMT. In the present study, we evaluated the use of AMT for collecting spoken word identification and auditory lexical decision data. Although online users were faster and less accurate than participants in the lab, the results revealed strong correlations between the online and laboratory measures for both word identification accuracy and lexical decision speed. In addition, the scores obtained in the lab and online were equivalently correlated with factors that have been well established to predict word recognition, including word frequency and phonological neighborhood density. We also present and analyze a method for precise auditory reaction timing that is novel to behavioral research. Taken together, these findings suggest that AMT can be a viable alternative to the traditional laboratory setting as a source of participation for some spoken word recognition research.

The Hawaiian Freshwater Algal Database (HfwADB): a laboratory LIMS and online biodiversity resource

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Biodiversity databases serve the important role of highlighting species-level diversity from defined geographical regions. Databases that are specially designed to accommodate the types of data gathered during regional surveys are valuable in allowing full data access and display to researchers not directly involved with the project, while serving as a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS). The Hawaiian Freshwater Algal Database, or HfwADB, was modified from the Hawaiian Algal Database to showcase non-marine algal specimens collected from the Hawaiian Archipelago by accommodating the additional level of organization required for samples including multiple species. Description The Hawaiian Freshwater Algal Database is a comprehensive and searchable database containing photographs and micrographs of samples and collection sites, geo-referenced collecting information, taxonomic data and standardized DNA sequence data. All data for individual samples are linked through unique 10-digit accession numbers (“Isolate Accession”), the first five of which correspond to the collection site (“Environmental Accession”). Users can search online for sample information by accession number, various levels of taxonomy, habitat or collection site. HfwADB is hosted at the University of Hawaii, and was made publicly accessible in October 2011. At the present time the database houses data for over 2,825 samples of non-marine algae from 1,786 collection sites from the Hawaiian Archipelago. These samples include cyanobacteria, red and green algae and diatoms, as well as lesser representation from some other algal lineages. Conclusions HfwADB is a digital repository that acts as a Laboratory Information Management System for Hawaiian non-marine algal data. Users can interact with the repository through the web to view relevant habitat data (including geo-referenced collection locations) and download images of collection sites, specimen photographs and

An online paradigm for exploring the self-reference effect

PubMed Central

Bentley, Sarah V.; Greenaway, Katharine H.; Haslam, S. Alexander

2017-01-01

People reliably encode information more effectively when it is related in some way to the self—a phenomenon known as the self-reference effect. This effect has been recognized in psychological research for almost 40 years, and its scope as a tool for investigating the self-concept is still expanding. The self-reference effect has been used within a broad range of psychological research, from cultural to neuroscientific, cognitive to clinical. Traditionally, the self-reference effect has been investigated in a laboratory context, which limits its applicability in non-laboratory samples. This paper introduces an online version of the self-referential encoding paradigm that yields reliable effects in an easy-to-administer procedure. Across four studies (total N = 658), this new online tool reliably replicated the traditional self-reference effect: in all studies self-referentially encoded words were recalled significantly more than semantically encoded words (d = 0.63). Moreover, the effect sizes obtained with this online tool are similar to those obtained in laboratory samples, and are robust to experimental variations in encoding time (Studies 1 and 2) and recall procedure (Studies 3 and 4), and persist independent of primacy and recency effects (all studies). PMID:28472160

Increasing Student Engagement with Practical Classes through Online Pre-Lab Quizzes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cann, Alan J.

2016-01-01

Laboratory practicals classes are an essential component of all science degrees, but are a pinch point because of rising student numbers, rising student expectations and falling student exposure to laboratory work prior to entering higher education. Augmentation of physical laboratory work with online interventions is not new, but as virtual…

Examination of the Effects of Dimensionality on Cognitive Processing in Science: A Computational Modeling Experiment Comparing Online Laboratory Simulations and Serious Educational Games

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lamb, Richard L.

2016-02-01

Within the last 10 years, new tools for assisting in the teaching and learning of academic skills and content within the context of science have arisen. These new tools include multiple types of computer software and hardware to include (video) games. The purpose of this study was to examine and compare the effect of computer learning games in the form of three-dimensional serious educational games, two-dimensional online laboratories, and traditional lecture-based instruction in the context of student content learning in science. In particular, this study examines the impact of dimensionality, or the ability to move along the X-, Y-, and Z-axis in the games. Study subjects ( N = 551) were randomly selected using a stratified sampling technique. Independent strata subsamples were developed based upon the conditions of serious educational games, online laboratories, and lecture. The study also computationally models a potential mechanism of action and compares two- and three-dimensional learning environments. F test results suggest a significant difference for the main effect of condition across the factor of content gain score with large effect. Overall, comparisons using computational models suggest that three-dimensional serious educational games increase the level of success in learning as measured with content examinations through greater recruitment and attributional retraining of cognitive systems. The study supports assertions in the literature that the use of games in higher dimensions (i.e., three-dimensional versus two-dimensional) helps to increase student understanding of science concepts.

How Reliable Is Laboratory Testing?

MedlinePlus

... laboratory testing. (See Who's Who in the Lab .) Post-Analytic Activities After the test is completed, the result must be delivered in ... View Sources NOTE: This article is based on research that ... of the Lab Tests Online Editorial Review Board . This article is periodically ...

A survey of Lab Tests Online-UK users: a key resource for patients to empower and help them understand their laboratory test results.

PubMed

Leyland, Rebecca; Freedman, Danielle B

2016-11-01

Background Lab Tests Online-UK celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2014 and to mark the occasion the first comprehensive survey of website users was undertaken. Methods A pop-up box with a link to Survey Monkey was used to offer website users the chance to participate in the survey, which was live from 4 March 2014 to 11 April 2014. Results Six hundred and sixty-one participants started the questionnaire and 338 completed all of the demographic questions. Although the website is designed and aimed at patients and the public, a significant number of respondents were health-care professionals (47%). The majority of survey participants found the Lab Tests Online-UK website via a search engine and were visiting the site for themselves. The majority of participants found what they were looking for on the website and found the information very easy or fairly easy to understand. The patient respondents were keen to see their laboratory test results (87%), but the majority did not have access (60%) at the time of the survey. Conclusions This survey provides good evidence that the Lab Tests Online-UK website is a useful resource for patients and health-care professionals alike. It comes at a poignant time as the release of results direct to patients starts with access to their medical records. The Lab Tests Online-UK website has a key role in enabling patients to understand their lab test results, and therefore empowering them to take an interest and engage in their own healthcare.

An exploratory investigation of the translation of Pacific Northwest Laboratory's print manuals system to an on-line manuals system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Heubach, J.G.; Hunt, S.T.; Pond, L.R.

1992-06-01

Information management technology has proliferated in the past decade in response to the information explosion. As documentation accumulates, the need to access information residing in manuals, handbooks and regulations conveniently, accurately, and quickly has increased. However, studies show that only fractions of the available information is read (Martin, 1978). Consequently, one of the biggest challenges in linking information and electronic management of information is to use the power of communication technology to meet the information needs of the audience. Pacific Northwest Laboratories' (PNL) investigation of translating its print manual system to an on-line system fits this challenge precisely. PNL's manualsmore » contain a tremendous amount of information for which manual holders are responsible. To perform their tasks in compliance with policy and procedure guidelines, users need to access information accurately, conveniently, and quickly. In order to select and use information management tools wisely, answers must be sought to a few basic questions. Communication experts cite four key questions: What do users want What do users need What characteristics of an on-line information system affect its usefulness Who are the users whose wants and needs are to be met Once these questions are answered, attention can be focused on finding the best match between user requirements and technology characteristics and weighing the costs and benefits of proposed options.« less

The total laboratory solution: a new laboratory E-business model based on a vertical laboratory meta-network.

PubMed

Friedman, B A

2001-08-01

Major forces are now reshaping all businesses on a global basis, including the healthcare and clinical laboratory industries. One of the major forces at work is information technology (IT), which now provides the opportunity to create a new economic and business model for the clinical laboratory industry based on the creation of an integrated vertical meta-network, referred to here as the "total laboratory solution" (TLS). Participants at the most basic level of such a network would include a hospital-based laboratory, a reference laboratory, a laboratory information system/application service provider/laboratory portal vendor, an in vitro diagnostic manufacturer, and a pharmaceutical/biotechnology manufacturer. It is suggested that each of these participants would add value to the network primarily in its area of core competency. Subvariants of such a network have evolved over recent years, but a TLS comprising all or most of these participants does not exist at this time. Although the TLS, enabled by IT and closely akin to the various e-businesses that are now taking shape, offers many advantages from a theoretical perspective over the current laboratory business model, its success will depend largely on (a) market forces, (b) how the collaborative networks are organized and managed, and (c) whether the network can offer healthcare organizations higher quality testing services at lower cost. If the concept is successful, new demands will be placed on hospital-based laboratory professionals to shift the range of professional services that they offer toward clinical consulting, integration of laboratory information from multiple sources, and laboratory information management. These information management and integration tasks can only increase in complexity in the future as new genomic and proteomics testing modalities are developed and come on-line in clinical laboratories.

Incorporating a collaborative web-based virtual laboratory in an undergraduate bioinformatics course.

PubMed

Weisman, David

2010-01-01

Face-to-face bioinformatics courses commonly include a weekly, in-person computer lab to facilitate active learning, reinforce conceptual material, and teach practical skills. Similarly, fully-online bioinformatics courses employ hands-on exercises to achieve these outcomes, although students typically perform this work offsite. Combining a face-to-face lecture course with a web-based virtual laboratory presents new opportunities for collaborative learning of the conceptual material, and for fostering peer support of technical bioinformatics questions. To explore this combination, an in-person lecture-only undergraduate bioinformatics course was augmented with a remote web-based laboratory, and tested with a large class. This study hypothesized that the collaborative virtual lab would foster active learning and peer support, and tested this hypothesis by conducting a student survey near the end of the semester. Respondents broadly reported strong benefits from the online laboratory, and strong benefits from peer-provided technical support. In comparison with traditional in-person teaching labs, students preferred the virtual lab by a factor of two. Key aspects of the course architecture and design are described to encourage further experimentation in teaching collaborative online bioinformatics laboratories. Copyright © 2010 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

The dynamics of emotions in online interaction

PubMed Central

Kappas, Arvid; Küster, Dennis

2016-01-01

We study the changes in emotional states induced by reading and participating in online discussions, empirically testing a computational model of online emotional interaction. Using principles of dynamical systems, we quantify changes in valence and arousal through subjective reports, as recorded in three independent studies including 207 participants (110 female). In the context of online discussions, the dynamics of valence and arousal is composed of two forces: an internal relaxation towards baseline values independent of the emotional charge of the discussion and a driving force of emotional states that depends on the content of the discussion. The dynamics of valence show the existence of positive and negative tendencies, while arousal increases when reading emotional content regardless of its polarity. The tendency of participants to take part in the discussion increases with positive arousal. When participating in an online discussion, the content of participants' expression depends on their valence, and their arousal significantly decreases afterwards as a regulation mechanism. We illustrate how these results allow the design of agent-based models to reproduce and analyse emotions in online communities. Our work empirically validates the microdynamics of a model of online collective emotions, bridging online data analysis with research in the laboratory. PMID:27853586

Choices of Pre-Service Science Teachers Laboratory Environments: Hands-on or Hands-off?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kapici, Hasan Ozgur; Akcay, Hakan

2018-01-01

Learning in laboratories for students is not only crucial for conceptual understanding, but also contributes to gaining scientific reasoning skills. Following fast developments in technology, online laboratory environments have been improved considerably and nowadays form an attractive alternative for hands-on laboratories. The study was done in…

Assessing students' learning outcomes, self-efficacy and attitudes toward the integration of virtual science laboratory in general physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghatty, Sundara L.

Over the past decade, there has been a dramatic rise in online delivery of higher education in the United States. Recent developments in web technology and access to the internet have led to a vast increase in online courses. For people who work during the day and whose complicated lives prevent them from taking courses on campus, online courses are the only alternatives by which they may achieve their goals in education. The laboratory courses are the major requirements for college and university students who want to pursue degree and certification programs in science. It is noted that there is a lack of laboratory courses in online physics courses. The present study addressed the effectiveness of a virtual science laboratory in physics instruction in terms of learning outcomes, attitudes, and self-efficacy of students in a Historically Black University College. The study included fifty-eight students (36 male and 22 female) of different science majors who were enrolled in a general physics laboratory course. They were divided into virtual and traditional groups. Three experiments were selected from the syllabus. The traditional group performed one experiment in a traditional laboratory, while the virtual group performed the same experiment in a virtual laboratory. For the second experiment, the use of laboratories by both groups was exchanged. Learner's Assessment Test (LAT), Attitudes Toward Physics Laboratories (ATPL), and Self-Efficacy Survey (SES) instruments were used. Additionally, quantitative methods such as an independent t-test, a paired t-test, and correlation statistics were used to analyze the data. The results of the first experiment indicated the learning outcomes were higher in the Virtual Laboratory than in the traditional laboratory, whereas there was no significant difference in learning outcomes with either type of lab instruction. However, significant self-efficacy gains were observed. Students expressed positive attitudes in terms of liking

An inter- laboratory proficiency testing exercise for rabies diagnosis in Latin America and the Caribbean

PubMed Central

Clavijo, Alfonso; Freire de Carvalho, Mary H.; Orciari, Lillian A.; Velasco-Villa, Andres; Ellison, James A.; Greenberg, Lauren; Yager, Pamela A.; Green, Douglas B.; Vigilato, Marco A.; Cosivi, Ottorino; Del Rio-Vilas, Victor J.

2017-01-01

The direct fluorescent antibody test (DFA), is performed in all rabies reference laboratories across Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Despite DFA being a critical capacity in the control of rabies, there is not a standardized protocol in the region. We describe the results of the first inter-laboratory proficiency exercise of national rabies laboratories in LAC countries as part of the regional efforts towards dog-maintained rabies elimination in the American region. Twenty three laboratories affiliated to the Ministries of Health and Ministries of Agriculture participated in this exercise. In addition, the laboratories completed an online questionnaire to assess laboratory practices. Answers to the online questionnaire indicated large variability in the laboratories throughput, equipment used, protocols availability, quality control standards and biosafety requirements. Our results will inform actions to improve and harmonize laboratory rabies capacities across LAC in support for the regional efforts towards elimination of dog-maintained rabies. PMID:28369139

Teaching Laboratory Management Principles and Practices Through Mentorship and Graduated Responsibility: The Assistant Medical Directorship.

PubMed

Hanley, Timothy; Sowder, Aleksandra M; Palmer, Cheryl Ann; Weiss, Ronald L

2016-01-01

With the changing landscape of medicine in general, and pathology in particular, a greater emphasis is being placed on laboratory management as a means of controlling spiraling medical costs and improving health-care efficiency. To meet this challenge, pathology residency programs have begun to incorporate formal laboratory management training into their curricula, using institutional curricula and/or online laboratory management courses offered by professional organizations. At the University of Utah, and its affiliated national reference laboratory, ARUP Laboratories, Inc, interested residents are able to supplement the departmental lecture-based and online laboratory management curriculum by participating in assistant medical directorship programs in one of several pathology subspecialty disciplines. The goals of many of the assistant medical directorship positions include the development of laboratory management skills and competencies. A survey of current and recent assistant medical directorship participants revealed that the assistant medical directorship program serves as an excellent means of improving laboratory management skills, as well as improving performance as a fellow and practicing pathologist.

Video networking of cardiac catheterization laboratories.

PubMed

Tobis, J; Aharonian, V; Mansukhani, P; Kasaoka, S; Jhandyala, R; Son, R; Browning, R; Youngblood, L; Thompson, M

1999-02-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility and accuracy of a video telecommunication network to transmit coronary images to provide on-line interaction between personnel in a cardiac catheterization laboratory and a remote core laboratory. A telecommunication system was installed in the cardiac catheterization laboratory at Kaiser Hospital, Los Angeles, and the core laboratory at the University of California, Irvine, approximately 40 miles away. Cineangiograms, live fluoroscopy, intravascular ultrasound studies and images of the catheterization laboratory were transmitted in real time over a dedicated T1 line at 768 kilobytes/second at 15 frames/second. These cases were performed during a clinical study of angiographic guidance versus intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) guidance of stent deployment. During the cases the core laboratory performed quantitative analysis of the angiograms and ultrasound images. Selected images were then annotated and transmitted back to the catheterization laboratory to facilitate discussion during the procedure. A successful communication hookup was obtained in 39 (98%) of 40 cases. Measurements of angiographic parameters were very close between the original cinefilm and the transmitted images. Quantitative analysis of the ultrasound images showed no significant difference in any of the diameter or cross-sectional area measurements between the original ultrasound tape and the transmitted images. The telecommunication link during the interventional procedures had a significant impact in 23 (58%) of 40 cases affecting the area to be treated, the size of the inflation balloon, recognition of stent underdeployment, or the existence of disease in other areas that was not noted on the original studies. Current video telecommunication systems provide high-quality images on-line with accurate representation of cineangiograms and intravascular ultrasound images. This system had a significant impact on 58% of the cases in this small

The View of Scientific Inquiry Conveyed by Simulation-Based Virtual Laboratories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Sufen

2010-01-01

With an increasing number of studies evincing the effectiveness of simulation-based virtual laboratories (VLs), researchers have discussed replacing traditional laboratories. However, the approach of doing science endorsed by VLs has not been carefully examined. A survey of 233 online VLs revealed that hypothetico-deductive (HD) logic prevails in…

Creation and Evaluation of a Laboratory Administration Curriculum for Pathology Residents.

PubMed

Guarner, Jeannette; Hill, Charles E; Amukele, Timothy

2017-10-01

A clinical laboratory management (CLM) curriculum that can objectively assess the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education pathology systems-based practice milestones and can provide consistent resident training across institutions is needed. Faculty at Emory University created a curriculum that consists of assay verification exercises and interactive, case-based online modules. Beta testing was done at Emory University and Johns Hopkins. Residents were required to obtain a score of more than 80% in the online modules to achieve levels 3 to 4 in the milestones. In addition, residents shadowed a laboratory director, performed an inspection of a laboratory section, and completed training in human subjects research and test utilization. Fourteen residents took and evaluated the laboratory administration curriculum. The printed certificates from the modules were used for objective faculty evaluation of mastery of concepts. Of all the activities the residents performed during the rotation, the online modules were ranked most helpful by all residents. A 25-question knowledge assessment was performed before and after the rotation and showed an average increase of 8 points (P = .0001). The multimodal CLM training described here is an easily adoptable, objective system for teaching CLM. It was well liked by residents and provided an objective measurement of mastery of concepts for faculty. © American Society for Clinical Pathology, 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

Online database for documenting clinical pathology resident education.

PubMed

Hoofnagle, Andrew N; Chou, David; Astion, Michael L

2007-01-01

Training of clinical pathologists is evolving and must now address the 6 core competencies described by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), which include patient care. A substantial portion of the patient care performed by the clinical pathology resident takes place while the resident is on call for the laboratory, a practice that provides the resident with clinical experience and assists the laboratory in providing quality service to clinicians in the hospital and surrounding community. Documenting the educational value of these on-call experiences and providing evidence of competence is difficult for residency directors. An online database of these calls, entered by residents and reviewed by faculty, would provide a mechanism for documenting and improving the education of clinical pathology residents. With Microsoft Access we developed an online database that uses active server pages and secure sockets layer encryption to document calls to the clinical pathology resident. Using the data collected, we evaluated the efficacy of 3 interventions aimed at improving resident education. The database facilitated the documentation of more than 4 700 calls in the first 21 months it was online, provided archived resident-generated data to assist in serving clients, and demonstrated that 2 interventions aimed at improving resident education were successful. We have developed a secure online database, accessible from any computer with Internet access, that can be used to easily document clinical pathology resident education and competency.

A Single-Display Groupware Collaborative Language Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Calderón, Juan Felipe; Nussbaum, Miguel; Carmach, Ignacio; Díaz, Juan Jaime; Villalta, Marco

2016-01-01

Language learning tools have evolved to take into consideration new teaching models of collaboration and communication. While second language acquisition tasks have been taken online, the traditional language laboratory has remained unchanged. By continuing to follow its original configuration based on individual work, the language laboratory…

Comparing Online to Face-To-Face Delivery of Undergraduate Digital Circuits Content

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LaMeres, Brock J.; Plumb, Carolyn

2014-01-01

This paper presents a comparison of online to traditional face-to-face delivery of undergraduate digital systems material. Two specific components of digital content were compared and evaluated: a sophomore logic circuits course with no laboratory, and a microprocessor laboratory component of a junior-level computer systems course. For each of…

eComLab: remote laboratory platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pontual, Murillo; Melkonyan, Arsen; Gampe, Andreas; Huang, Grant; Akopian, David

2011-06-01

Hands-on experiments with electronic devices have been recognized as an important element in the field of engineering to help students get familiar with theoretical concepts and practical tasks. The continuing increase the student number, costly laboratory equipment, and laboratory maintenance slow down the physical lab efficiency. As information technology continues to evolve, the Internet has become a common media in modern education. Internetbased remote laboratory can solve a lot of restrictions, providing hands-on training as they can be flexible in time and the same equipment can be shared between different students. This article describes an on-going remote hands-on experimental radio modulation, network and mobile applications lab project "eComLab". Its main component is a remote laboratory infrastructure and server management system featuring various online media familiar with modern students, such as chat rooms and video streaming.

Fully On-line Introductory Physics with a Lab

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schatz, Michael

We describe the development and implementation of a college-level introductory physics (mechanics) course and laboratory that is suited for both on-campus and on-line environments. The course emphasizes a ``Your World is Your Lab'' approach whereby students first examine and capture on video (using cellphones) motion in their immediate surroundings, and then use free, open-source software both to extract data from the video and to apply physics principles to build models that describe, predict, and visualize the observations. Each student reports findings by creating a video lab report and posting it online; these video lab reports are then distributed to the rest of the class for peer review. In this talk, we will discuss the student and instructor experiences in courses offered to three distinct audiences in different venues: (1) a Massively Open On-line Course (MOOC) for off-campus participants, (2) a flipped/blended course for on-campus students, and, most recently, (3) a fully-online course for off-campus students.

A Methodology to Obtain Learning Effective Laboratories with Learning Management System Integration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruano, Ildefonso; Gamez, Javier; Dormido, Sebastian; Gomez, Juan

2016-01-01

Online laboratories are useful and valuable resources in high education, especially in engineering studies. This work presents a methodology to create effective laboratories for learning that interact with a Learning Management System (LMS) to achieve advanced integration. It is based on pedagogical aspects and considers not only the laboratory…

The virtual laboratory: a new on-line resource for the history of psychology.

PubMed

Schmidgen, Henning; Evans, Rand B

2003-05-01

The authors provide a description of the Virtual Laboratory at Department III of the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science in Berlin. The Virtual Laboratory currently provides Internet links to rooms that present texts, instruments, model organisms, research sites, and biographies. Existing links provide access to a library of journals, handbooks, monographs, and trade catalogues; research institutes and laboratories; biographies and bibliographic essays; and essays by contemporary researchers. Historians of psychology are encouraged to submit photographic material and essays to the Virtual Laboratory.

Robotic laboratory for distance education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luciano, Sarah C.; Kost, Alan R.

2016-09-01

This project involves the construction of a remote-controlled laboratory experiment that can be accessed by online students. The project addresses a need to provide a laboratory experience for students who are taking online courses to be able to provide an in-class experience. The chosen task for the remote user is an optical engineering experiment, specifically aligning a spatial filter. We instrument the physical laboratory set up in Tucson, AZ at the University of Arizona. The hardware in the spatial filter experiment is augmented by motors and cameras to allow the user to remotely control the hardware. The user interacts with a software on their computer, which communicates with a server via Internet connection to the host computer in the Optics Laboratory at the University of Arizona. Our final overall system is comprised of several subsystems. These are the optical experiment set-up, which is a spatial filter experiment; the mechanical subsystem, which interfaces the motors with the micrometers to move the optical hardware; the electrical subsystem, which allows for the electrical communications from the remote computer to the host computer to the hardware; and finally the software subsystem, which is the means by which messages are communicated throughout the system. The goal of the project is to convey as much of an in-lab experience as possible by allowing the user to directly manipulate hardware and receive visual feedback in real-time. Thus, the remote user is able to learn important concepts from this particular experiment and is able to connect theory to the physical world by actually seeing the outcome of a procedure. The latter is a learning experience that is often lost with distance learning and is one that this project hopes to provide.

Self-Concept Clarity and Online Self-Presentation in Adolescents.

PubMed

Fullwood, Chris; James, Billie May; Chen-Wilson, Chao-Hwa Josephine

2016-12-01

The Internet may be conceptualized as a social laboratory, providing freedom to experiment with different presentations of self. Adolescence is an important time in the development of self-concept; however, little is known about how clarity of self-concept relates to online behavior. The principal aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that self-concept clarity would be associated with adolescents' inclination to experiment with online self-presentation. One hundred forty-eight participants aged 13-18 completed the Self-Concept Clarity Scale, the Facebook Intensity Scale, and the Presentation of Online Self Scale (POSS). Adolescents possessing a less stable sense of self reported experimenting with online self-presentation more regularly, presenting an idealized version of self and a preference for presenting themselves online. Adolescents with a more stable self-concept reported presenting an online self which was more consistent with their offline self-presentation. Younger adolescents were more likely to present an inconsistent self, whereas older adolescents presented themselves more consistently across different communication contexts. Finally, adolescents who spent more time on Facebook and had fewer Facebook friends were more likely to present multiple versions of self while online. The implications of these findings will be discussed in terms of the development of self-concept during adolescence and the potential for the online world to facilitate flexible identity construction and self-presentation.

Blended Learning within an Undergraduate Exercise Physiology Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elmer, Steven J.; Carter, Kathryn R.; Armga, Austin J.; Carter, Jason R.

2016-01-01

In physiological education, blended course formats (integration of face-to-face and online instruction) can facilitate increased student learning, performance, and satisfaction in classroom settings. There is limited evidence on the effectiveness of using blending course formats in laboratory settings. We evaluated the impact of blended learning…

Using Online Compound Interest Tools to Improve Financial Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hubbard, Edward; Matthews, Percival; Samek, Anya

2016-01-01

The widespread use of personal computing presents the opportunity to design educational materials that can be delivered online, potentially addressing low financial literacy. The authors developed and evaluated three different educational tools focusing on interest compounding. In the authors' laboratory experiment, individuals were randomized to…

Asking the Next Generation: The Implementation of Pre-University Students' Ideas about Physics Laboratory Preparation Exercises

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunnett, K.; Bartlett, P. A.

2018-01-01

It was planned to introduce online pre-laboratory session activities to a first-year undergraduate physics laboratory course to encourage a minimum level of student preparation for experiments outside the laboratory environment. A group of 16 and 17 year old laboratory work-experience students were tasked to define and design a pre-laboratory…

Virtual Laboratories and Virtual Worlds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hut, Piet

2008-05-01

Since we cannot put stars in a laboratory, astrophysicists had to wait till the invention of computers before becoming laboratory scientists. For half a century now, we have been conducting experiments in our virtual laboratories. However, we ourselves have remained behind the keyboard, with the screen of the monitor separating us from the world we are simulating. Recently, 3D on-line technology, developed first for games but now deployed in virtual worlds like Second Life, is beginning to make it possible for astrophysicists to enter their virtual labs themselves, in virtual form as avatars. This has several advantages, from new possibilities to explore the results of the simulations to a shared presence in a virtual lab with remote collaborators on different continents. I will report my experiences with the use of Qwaq Forums, a virtual world developed by a new company (see http://www.qwaq.com).

How Do Learning Outcomes, Assessments and Student Engagement in a Fully Online Geoscience Laboratory Compare to Those Of The Original Hands-on Exercise?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, F. M.

2015-12-01

In a third year geoscience elective for BSc majors, we adapted several active f2f learning strategies for an equivalent fully online version of the course. In particular, we converted a hands-on laboratory including analysis and interpretation of hand-specimens, sketching results and peer-to-peer discussion of scientific implications. This study compares learning outcomes in both formats and describes resources that make engaging, effective and efficient learning experiences for large classes in an asynchronous online environment. Our two hypotheses are: 1) a hands-on geology lab exercise can be converted for efficient fully online use without sacrificing feedback and assessment opportunities; 2) students find either the f2f or DE versions equally effective and enjoyable as learning experiences. Key components are an authentic context, interactive resources including sketching, strategies that enable efficient assessment and feedback on solo and group work, and asynchronous yet productive interaction with peers. Students in the f2f class handle real rock and fossil specimens, work with peers in the lab and classroom, and deliver most results including annotated figures on paper. DE students complete identical tasks using interactive high resolution figures and videos of specimens. Solo work is first delivered for automated assessment and feedback, then students engage asynchronously in small groups to improve results and discuss implications. Chronostratigraphy and other interpretations are sketched on prepared template images using a simple open-source sketching app that ensures equal access and consistent results that are efficient to assess by peers and instructors. Learning outcomes based on subsequent quizzes, sketches, and lab results (paper for f2f students and automated data entry for DE students), show that f2f and online students demonstrate knowledge and scientific interpretations of comparable quality. Effective engagement and group work are

On-Line Synthesis and Analysis by Mass Spectrometry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bain, Ryan M.; Pulliam, Christopher J.; Raab, Shannon A.; Cooks, R. Graham

2015-01-01

In this laboratory experiment, students learn how to use ESI to accelerate chemical synthesis and to couple it with on-line mass spectrometry for structural analysis. The Hantzsch synthesis of symmetric 1,4-dihydropyridines is a classic example of a one-pot reaction in which multiple intermediates can serve to indicate the progress of the reaction…

Anatomy "Steeplechase" Online: Necessity Sometimes Is the Catalyst for Innovation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Inuwa, Ibrahim Muhammad; Al Rawahy, Maimouna; Taranikanti, Varna; Habbal, Omar

2011-01-01

In most medical schools, summative practical examination in Anatomy usually takes the format of a "steeplechase" ("spotters" or "bell ringers") conducted in the gross anatomy laboratory using cadaveric material and prosected specimens. Recently, we have started to administer similar examinations online using the quiz…

Web Environment for Programming and Control of a Mobile Robot in a Remote Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

dos Santos Lopes, Maísa Soares; Gomes, Iago Pacheco; Trindade, Roque M. P.; da Silva, Alzira F.; de C. Lima, Antonio C.

2017-01-01

Remote robotics laboratories have been successfully used for engineering education. However, few of them use mobile robots to to teach computer science. This article describes a mobile robot Control and Programming Environment (CPE) and its pedagogical applications. The system comprises a remote laboratory for robotics, an online programming tool,…

Home Manufacture of Drugs: An Online Investigation and a Toxicological Reality Check of Online Discussions on Drug Chemistry.

PubMed

Hearne, Evelyn; Alves, Emanuele Amorim; Van Hout, Marie Claire; Grund, Jean-Paul C

2017-01-01

Emerging trends in market dynamics and the use of new psychoactive substances are both a public health concern and a complex regulatory issue. One novel area of investigation is the availability of homemade opioids, amphetamines and dissociatives, and the potential fueling of interest in clandestine home manufacture of drugs via the Internet. We illustrate here how online communal folk pharmacology of homemade drugs on drug website forums may actually inform home manufacture practices or contribute to the reduction of harms associated with this practice. Discrepancies between online information around purification and making homemade drugs safer, and the synthesis of the same substances in a proper laboratory environment, exist. Moderation and shutdown of synthesis queries and discussions online are grounded in drug websites adhering to harm-reduction principles by facilitating discussions around purification of homemade drugs only. Drug discussion forums should consider reevaluating their policies on chemistry discussions in aiming to reach people who cannot or will not refrain from cooking their own drugs with credible information that may contribute to reductions in the harms associated with this practice.

Options for Online Undergraduate Courses in Biology at American Colleges and Universities

PubMed Central

Varty, Alison K.

2016-01-01

I aimed to document the online undergraduate course supply in biology to evaluate how well biology educators are serving the diverse and growing population of online students. I documented online biology course offerings in the 2015–2016 academic year at 96 American colleges and universities. I quantified differences in variety, extent, and availability of courses offered by different kinds of academic institutions and characterized 149 online biology courses offered. Although there was no relationship between an institution’s enrollment size and any measure of its online biology offerings, I found significantly more online biology course options at 2-year public compared with 4-year public and 4-year private schools. Courses offered for nonmajors, including students pursuing healthcare-related degrees, were three times as common as those intended for biology majors, who were more likely to be offered hybrid courses with face-to-face laboratories. These data indicate some deficiencies in online biology course options; options for students majoring in biology are limited at all types of institutions examined with a minority of 4-year institutions having any online options in biology. Significant investment of institutional resources in faculty training and technological support are necessary to develop online biology courses that will benefit a larger student population. PMID:27856546

Real-Time Collaboration of Virtual Laboratories through the Internet

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jara, Carlos A.; Candelas, Francisco A.; Torres, Fernando; Dormido, Sebastian; Esquembre, Francisco; Reinoso, Oscar

2009-01-01

Web-based learning environments are becoming increasingly popular in higher education. One of the most important web-learning resources is the virtual laboratory (VL), which gives students an easy way for training and learning through the Internet. Moreover, on-line collaborative communication represents a practical method to transmit the…

Using crowdsourced online experiments to study context-dependency of behavior.

PubMed

Keuschnigg, Marc; Bader, Felix; Bracher, Johannes

2016-09-01

We use Mechanical Turk's diverse participant pool to conduct online bargaining games in India and the US. First, we assess internal validity of crowdsourced experimentation through variation of stakes ($0, $1, $4, and $10) in the Ultimatum and Dictator Game. For cross-country equivalence we adjust the stakes following differences in purchasing power. Our marginal totals correspond closely to laboratory findings. Monetary incentives induce more selfish behavior but, in line with most laboratory findings, the particular size of a positive stake appears irrelevant. Second, by transporting a homogeneous decision situation into various living conditions crowdsourced experimentation permits identification of context effects on elicited behavior. We explore context-dependency using session-level variation in participants' geographical location, regional affluence, and local social capital. Across "virtual pools" behavior varies in the range of stake effects. We argue that quasi-experimental variation of the characteristics people bring to the experimental situation is the key potential of crowdsourced online designs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Implementation of an Online Database for Chemical Propulsion Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

David B. Owen, II; McRight, Patrick S.; Cardiff, Eric H.

2009-01-01

The Johns Hopkins University, Chemical Propulsion Information Analysis Center (CPIAC) has been working closely with NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC); NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC); the University of Alabama at Huntsville (UAH); The Johns Hopkins University, Applied Physics Laboratory (APL); and NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to capture satellite and spacecraft propulsion system information for an online database tool. The Spacecraft Chemical Propulsion Database (SCPD) is a new online central repository containing general and detailed system and component information on a variety of spacecraft propulsion systems. This paper only uses data that have been approved for public release with unlimited distribution. The data, supporting documentation, and ability to produce reports on demand, enable a researcher using SCPD to compare spacecraft easily, generate information for trade studies and mass estimates, and learn from the experiences of others through what has already been done. This paper outlines the layout and advantages of SCPD, including a simple example application with a few chemical propulsion systems from various NASA spacecraft.

Online analysis of chlorine stable isotopes in chlorinated ethylenes: an inter-laboratory study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernstein, Anat; Shouakar-Stash, Orfan; Hunkeler, Daniel; Sakaguchi-Söder, Kaori; Laskov, Christine; Aravena, Ramon; Elsner, Martin

2010-05-01

In the last decade, compound-specific stable isotopes analysis of groundwater pollutants became an important tool to identify different sources of the same pollutant and for tracking natural attenuating processes in the sub-surface. It has been shown that trends in the isotopic composition of the target compounds can shed light on in-situ processes that are otherwise difficult to track. Analytical methods of carbon, nitrogen and hydrogen were established and are by now frequently used for a variety of organic pollutants. Yet, the motivation of introducing analytical methods for new isotopes is emerging. This motivation is further enhanced, as advantages of using two or more stable isotopes for gaining better insight on degradation pathways are well accepted. One important element which demands the development of appropriate analytical methods is chlorine, which is found in various groups of organic pollutants, among them the chlorinated ethylenes. Chlorinated ethylenes are considered as high priority environmental pollutants, and the development of suitable chlorine isotope methods for this group of pollutants is highly desired. Ideally, stable isotope techniques should have the capability to determine the isotopic composition of and individual target compound in a non-pure mixture, without the requirement of a laborious off-line treatment. Indeed, in the last years two different concepts for on-line chlorine isotope analysis methods were introduced, by using either a standard quadrapole GC/MS (Sakaguchi-Söder et al., 2007) or by using a GC/IRMS (Shouakar-Stash et al., 2006). We present a comparison of the performances of two concepts, carried out in five different laboratories: Waterloo (GC/IRMS), Neuchâtel (GC/MS), Darmstadt (GC/MS), Tübingen (GC/MS) and Munich (GC/IRMS). This comparison was performed on pure trichloroethylene and dichloroethylene products of different manufactures, as well as trichloroethylene and dichloroethylene samples that were exposed to

Virtual Laboratories to Achieve Higher-Order Learning in Fluid Mechanics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ward, A. S.; Gooseff, M. N.; Toto, R.

2009-12-01

Bloom’s higher-order cognitive skills (analysis, evaluation, and synthesis) are recognized as necessary in engineering education, yet these are difficult to achieve in traditional lecture formats. Laboratory components supplement traditional lectures in an effort to emphasize active learning and provide higher-order challenges, but these laboratories are often subject to the constraints of (a) increasing student enrollment, (b) limited funding for operational, maintenance, and instructional expenses and (c) increasing demands on undergraduate student credit requirements. Here, we present results from a pilot project implementing virtual (or online) laboratory experiences as an alternative to a traditional laboratory experience in Fluid Mechanics, a required third year course. Students and faculty were surveyed to identify the topics that were most difficult, and virtual laboratory and design components developed to supplement lecture material. Each laboratory includes a traditional lab component, requiring student analysis and evaluation. The lab concludes with a design exercise, which imposes additional problem constraints and allows students to apply their laboratory observations to a real-world situation.

A Virtual Rock Physics Laboratory Through Visualized and Interactive Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vanorio, T.; Di Bonito, C.; Clark, A. C.

2014-12-01

As new scientific challenges demand more comprehensive and multidisciplinary investigations, laboratory experiments are not expected to become simpler and/or faster. Experimental investigation is an indispensable element of scientific inquiry and must play a central role in the way current and future generations of scientist make decisions. To turn the complexity of laboratory work (and that of rocks!) into dexterity, engagement, and expanded learning opportunities, we are building an interactive, virtual laboratory reproducing in form and function the Stanford Rock Physics Laboratory, at Stanford University. The objective is to combine lectures on laboratory techniques and an online repository of visualized experiments consisting of interactive, 3-D renderings of equipment used to measure properties central to the study of rock physics (e.g., how to saturate rocks, how to measure porosity, permeability, and elastic wave velocity). We use a game creation system together with 3-D computer graphics, and a narrative voice to guide the user through the different phases of the experimental protocol. The main advantage gained in employing computer graphics over video footage is that students can virtually open the instrument, single out its components, and assemble it. Most importantly, it helps describe the processes occurring within the rock. These latter cannot be tracked while simply recording the physical experiment, but computer animation can efficiently illustrate what happens inside rock samples (e.g., describing acoustic waves, and/or fluid flow through a porous rock under pressure within an opaque core-holder - Figure 1). The repository of visualized experiments will complement lectures on laboratory techniques and constitute an on-line course offered through the EdX platform at Stanford. This will provide a virtual laboratory for anyone, anywhere to facilitate teaching/learning of introductory laboratory classes in Geophysics and expand the number of courses

Online Sellers’ Website Quality Influencing Online Buyers’ Purchase Intention

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shea Lee, Tan; Ariff, Mohd Shoki Md; Zakuan, Norhayati; Sulaiman, Zuraidah; Zameri Mat Saman, Muhamad

2016-05-01

The increase adoption of Internet among young users in Malaysia provides high prospect for online seller. Young users aged between 18 and 25 years old are important to online sellers because they are actively involved in online purchasing and this group of online buyers is expected to dominate future online market. Therefore, examining online sellers’ website quality and online buyers’ purchase intention is crucial. Based on the Theory of planned behavior (TPB), a conceptual model of online sellers’ website quality and purchase intention of online buyers was developed. E-tailQ instrument was adapted in this study which composed of website design, reliability/fulfillment, security, privacy & trust, and customer service. Using online questionnaire and convenience sampling procedure, primary data were obtained from 240 online buyers aged between 18 to 25 years old. It was discovered that website design, website reliability/fulfillment, website security, privacy & trust, and website customer service positively and significantly influence intention of online buyers to continuously purchase via online channels. This study concludes that online sellers’ website quality is important in predicting online buyers’ purchase intention. Recommendation and implication of this study were discussed focusing on how online sellers should improve their website quality to stay competitive in online business.

Use and Acceptance of Information and Communication Technology Among Laboratory Science Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnes, Brenda C.

Online and blended learning platforms are being promoted within laboratory science education under the assumption that students have the necessary skills to navigate online and blended learning environments. Yet little research has examined the use of information and communication technology (ICT) among the laboratory science student population. The purpose of this correlational, survey research study was to explore factors that affect use and acceptance of ICT among laboratory science students through the theoretical lens of the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model. An electronically delivered survey drew upon current students and recent graduates (within 2 years) of accredited laboratory science training programs. During the 4 week data collection period, 168 responses were received. Results showed that the UTAUT model did not perform well within this study, explaining 25.2% of the variance in use behavior. A new model incorporating attitudes toward technology and computer anxiety as two of the top variables, a model significantly different from the original UTAUT model, was developed that explained 37.0% of the variance in use behavior. The significance of this study may affect curriculum design of laboratory science training programs wanting to incorporate more teaching techniques that use ICT-based educational delivery, and provide more options for potential students who may not currently have access to this type of training.

The current role of on-line extraction approaches in clinical and forensic toxicology.

PubMed

Mueller, Daniel M

2014-08-01

In today's clinical and forensic toxicological laboratories, automation is of interest because of its ability to optimize processes, to reduce manual workload and handling errors and to minimize exposition to potentially infectious samples. Extraction is usually the most time-consuming step; therefore, automation of this step is reasonable. Currently, from the field of clinical and forensic toxicology, methods using the following on-line extraction techniques have been published: on-line solid-phase extraction, turbulent flow chromatography, solid-phase microextraction, microextraction by packed sorbent, single-drop microextraction and on-line desorption of dried blood spots. Most of these published methods are either single-analyte or multicomponent procedures; methods intended for systematic toxicological analysis are relatively scarce. However, the use of on-line extraction will certainly increase in the near future.

An overview of the U.S. Army Research Laboratory's Sensor Information Testbed for Collaborative Research Environment (SITCORE) and Automated Online Data Repository (AODR) capabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ward, Dennis W.; Bennett, Kelly W.

2017-05-01

The Sensor Information Testbed COllaberative Research Environment (SITCORE) and the Automated Online Data Repository (AODR) are significant enablers of the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL)'s Open Campus Initiative and together create a highly-collaborative research laboratory and testbed environment focused on sensor data and information fusion. SITCORE creates a virtual research development environment allowing collaboration from other locations, including DoD, industry, academia, and collation facilities. SITCORE combined with AODR provides end-toend algorithm development, experimentation, demonstration, and validation. The AODR enterprise allows the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL), as well as other government organizations, industry, and academia to store and disseminate multiple intelligence (Multi-INT) datasets collected at field exercises and demonstrations, and to facilitate research and development (R and D), and advancement of analytical tools and algorithms supporting the Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) community. The AODR provides a potential central repository for standards compliant datasets to serve as the "go-to" location for lessons-learned and reference products. Many of the AODR datasets have associated ground truth and other metadata which provides a rich and robust data suite for researchers to develop, test, and refine their algorithms. Researchers download the test data to their own environments using a sophisticated web interface. The AODR allows researchers to request copies of stored datasets and for the government to process the requests and approvals in an automated fashion. Access to the AODR requires two-factor authentication in the form of a Common Access Card (CAC) or External Certificate Authority (ECA)

State of the art in on-line techniques coupled to flow injection analysis FIA/on-line- a critical review

PubMed Central

Puchades, R.; Maquieira, A.; Atienza, J.; Herrero, M. A.

1990-01-01

Flow injection analysis (FIA) has emerged as an increasingly used laboratory tool in chemical analysis. Employment of the technique for on-line sample treatment and on-line measurement in chemical process control is a growing trend. This article reviews the recent applications of FlA. Most papers refer to on-line sample treatment. Although FIA is very well suited to continuous on-line process monitoring, few examples have been found in this areamost of them have been applied to water treatment or fermentation processes. PMID:18925271

Announcement: Guidance for U.S. Laboratory Testing for Zika Virus Infection: Implications for Health Care Providers.

PubMed

2016-11-25

CDC has released updated guidance online for U.S. laboratory testing for Zika virus infection. The guidance is available at https://www.cdc.gov/zika/laboratories/lab-guidance.html. Frequently asked questions are addressed at https://www.cdc.gov/zika/laboratories/lab-guidance-faq.html. This guidance updates recommendations for testing of specimens by U.S. laboratories for possible Zika virus infection. Major updates to the guidance with clinical implications for health care providers include the following.

An Internet-Based Distributed Laboratory for Interactive Chemical Engineering Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guo, Jing; Kettler, David J.; Al-Dahhan, Muthanna

2007-01-01

A common undergraduate chemical engineering experiment has been modified for on-line operation over the Internet. By adopting rapidly changing Internet and object component technologies, we developed a novel approach combining the Internet and regular laboratory equipment. The client-server applications use a Visual Basic and Labtech programming…

The effects of supplemental online learning aids on student performance and student engagement in Medical Microbiology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murray, Kimberly

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of online learning aids on student performance and engagement. The thirty-five participants of the current study were students enrolled in two sections of a junior level Medical Microbiology laboratory. The experimental section was required to spend ten minutes each week on an online learning aid. The online program, StudyMate(TM), was used to present text and images in the form of flash cards, multiple choice questions, matching, and crossword puzzles. Both groups completed the Index of Learning Style survey, an initial engagement survey at the start of the course, and a final engagement survey at the end of the course. Statistical analysis showed no significant differences between the groups at the start of the course or after the course was completed for learning style, science grade point average, overall grade point average, initial engagement or final engagement. A moderate correlation was found between microbiology course and laboratory grades and a reflective learning style.

Managing Laboratory Data Using Cloud Computing as an Organizational Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bennett, Jacqueline; Pence, Harry E.

2011-01-01

One of the most significant difficulties encountered when directing undergraduate research and developing new laboratory experiments is how to efficiently manage the data generated by a number of students. Cloud computing, where both software and computer files reside online, offers a solution to this data-management problem and allows researchers…

The quality and scope of information provided by medical laboratories to patients before laboratory testing: Survey of the Working Group for Patient Preparation of the Croatian Society of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine.

PubMed

Nikolac, Nora; Simundic, Ana-Maria; Kackov, Sanja; Serdar, Tihana; Dorotic, Adrijana; Fumic, Ksenija; Gudasic-Vrdoljak, Jelena; Klenkar, Kornelija; Sambunjak, Jadranka; Vidranski, Valentina

2015-10-23

The aim of this work was to evaluate to what extent the scope and content of information provided to patients is standardized across medical biochemistry laboratories in Croatia. Two on-line self-report surveys were sent out: Survey A regarding attitudes on importance of patient preparation and Survey B on the contents of patient preparation instructions. 13/118 laboratories (11%) do not provide written instructions to patients on how to prepare for laboratory testing, and 36 (40%) do not include information about water intake in their instructions. Only half of laboratories provide instructions for prostate-specific antigen (53.8%), female sex hormones (53.7%) and therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) (52.5%). Inadequate information about fasting status (55.0%) and 24 hour urine collection (77.9%) were frequent errors with high severity and were associated with the greatest potential to cause patient harm. Laboratory professionals in Croatia have a positive attitude towards the importance of patient preparation for laboratory testing. However, the information for laboratory testing is not standardized and frequently lacks guidance for tests related to TDM, coagulation and endocrinology. This study highlights the need for standardized, updated and evidence-based recommendations for patient preparation in order to minimize the risk for patients. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Virtual Reality and Online Databases: Will "Look and Feel" Literally Mean "Look" and "Feel"? [and]"Online" Interviews Dr. Thomas A. Furness III, Virtual Reality Pioneer.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Carmen

1992-01-01

The first of two articles discusses virtual reality (VR) and online databases; the second one reports on an interview with Thomas A. Furness III, who defines VR and explains work at the Human Interface Technology Laboratory (HIT). Sidebars contain a glossary of VR terms and a conversation with Toni Emerson, the HIT lab's librarian. (LRW)

Online Preparation Resources Help First Year Students to Benefit from Practical Classes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whittle, Sue R.; Bickerdike, Sue R.

2015-01-01

Practical skills are important for the employability of biosciences graduates; however, first year science undergraduates often struggle to adapt to university practical classes, affecting skills development and decreasing their enthusiasm for laboratory work. This study describes the effects of introducing online multimedia practical support…

Analyzing Online Behaviors, Roles, and Learning Communities via Online Discussions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yeh, Yu-Chu

2010-01-01

Online learning communities are an important means of sharing and creating knowledge. Online behaviors and online roles can reveal how online learning communities function. However, no study has elucidated the relationships among online behaviors, online roles, and online learning communities. In this study, 32 preservice teachers participated in…

Educator House Call: On-Line Data for Educators' Needs Assessment--Summary Report. NOAA Technical Memorandum GLERL-149

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sturtevant, Rochelle A.; Marshall, Ann

2009-01-01

On July 15, 2009, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's) Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) co-hosted a focus group--Educator House Calls: On-Line Data for Educators. The focus group was conducted at GLERL's main laboratory in Ann Arbor. The workshop was organized and funded by COSEE Great Lakes with student…

Assessing the feasibility of online SSVEP decoding in human walking using a consumer EEG headset.

PubMed

Lin, Yuan-Pin; Wang, Yijun; Jung, Tzyy-Ping

2014-08-09

Bridging the gap between laboratory brain-computer interface (BCI) demonstrations and real-life applications has gained increasing attention nowadays in translational neuroscience. An urgent need is to explore the feasibility of using a low-cost, ease-of-use electroencephalogram (EEG) headset for monitoring individuals' EEG signals in their natural head/body positions and movements. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of using a consumer-level EEG headset to realize an online steady-state visual-evoked potential (SSVEP)-based BCI during human walking. This study adopted a 14-channel Emotiv EEG headset to implement a four-target online SSVEP decoding system, and included treadmill walking at the speeds of 0.45, 0.89, and 1.34 meters per second (m/s) to initiate the walking locomotion. Seventeen participants were instructed to perform the online BCI tasks while standing or walking on the treadmill. To maintain a constant viewing distance to the visual targets, participants held the hand-grip of the treadmill during the experiment. Along with online BCI performance, the concurrent SSVEP signals were recorded for offline assessment. Despite walking-related attenuation of SSVEPs, the online BCI obtained an information transfer rate (ITR) over 12 bits/min during slow walking (below 0.89 m/s). SSVEP-based BCI systems are deployable to users in treadmill walking that mimics natural walking rather than in highly-controlled laboratory settings. This study considerably promotes the use of a consumer-level EEG headset towards the real-life BCI applications.

Exploring key factors in online shopping with a hybrid model.

PubMed

Chen, Hsiao-Ming; Wu, Chia-Huei; Tsai, Sang-Bing; Yu, Jian; Wang, Jiangtao; Zheng, Yuxiang

2016-01-01

Nowadays, the web increasingly influences retail sales. An in-depth analysis of consumer decision-making in the context of e-business has become an important issue for internet vendors. However, factors affecting e-business are complicated and intertwined. To stimulate online sales, understanding key influential factors and causal relationships among the factors is important. To gain more insights into this issue, this paper introduces a hybrid method, which combines the Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) with the analytic network process, called DANP method, to find out the driving factors that influence the online business mostly. By DEMATEL approach the causal graph showed that "online service" dimension has the highest degree of direct impact on other dimensions; thus, the internet vendor is suggested to made strong efforts on service quality throughout the online shopping process. In addition, the study adopted DANP to measure the importance of key factors, among which "transaction security" proves to be the most important criterion. Hence, transaction security should be treated with top priority to boost the online businesses. From our study with DANP approach, the comprehensive information can be visually detected so that the decision makers can spotlight on the root causes to develop effectual actions.

Internet, Multimedia and Virtual Laboratories in a 'Third World' Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Monge-Najera, Julian Antonio; Rivas Rossi, Marta; Mendez-Estrada, Victor Hugo

2001-01-01

Describes the development of low-cost multimedia courses and materials for use on the Internet, as well as virtual laboratories, at the Universidad Estatal a Distancia (Costa Rica). Explains how simultaneous production of traditional printed materials and online courses, outsourcing, and the use of HTML and Java can reduce costs for developing…

Live, Online Short-Courses: A Case Study of Innovative Teacher Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marrero, Meghan E.; Woodruff, Karen A.; Schuster, Glen S.; Riccio, Jessica Fitzsimons

2010-01-01

Teachers are searching for new venues through which they may meet stringent professional development requirements. Under competitive funding from NASA's (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) Office of Education and the NASA Explorer Schools Project, U.S. Satellite Laboratory, Inc. created a series of live, online, interactive…

Outbreak!: Teaching Clinical and Diagnostic Microbiology Methodologies with an Interactive Online Game

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Sherri; Smith, Geoffrey Battle

2004-01-01

Outbreak! is an online, interactive educational game that helps students and teachers learn and evaluate clinical microbiology skills. When the game was used in introductory microbiology laboratories, qualitative evaluation by students showed very positive responses and increased learning. Outbreak! allows students to design diagnostic tests and…

Virtual Voices: Online Teachers' Perceptions of Online Teaching Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Robin Davidson

2009-01-01

Online teachers' perceptions of online teaching standards published in 2006 by the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) and the National Education Association (NEA). Interviews with two teachers from each of the four online schools were studied following an online survey of 49 online teachers from these schools. Overall, participants reported…

Suicidality, psychopathology, and the internet: Online time vs. online behaviors.

PubMed

Harris, Keith M; Starcevic, Vladan; Ma, Jing; Zhang, Wei; Aboujaoude, Elias

2017-09-01

This study investigated whether several psychopathology variables, including suicidality, could predict the time people spend using the internet (hours online). Next, we examined a specific at-risk population (suicidal individuals) by their online behaviors, comparing suicidal individuals who went online for suicide-related purposes with suicidal individuals who did not go online for suicide-related purposes. An anonymous online sample of 713 (aged 18-71) reported hours online, psychiatric histories, and completed several standardized scales. After accounting for age and education, hierarchical regression modeling showed that the assessed psychopathology variables, including suicidality, did not explain significant variance in hours online. Hours online were better predicted by younger age, greater willingness to develop online relationships, higher perceived social support, higher curiosity, and lower extraversion. Suicidal participants, who did or did not go online for suicide-related purposes, did not differ on hours online. Multiple regression modeling showed that those who went online for suicide-related purposes were likely to be younger, more suicidal, and more willing to seek help from online mental health professionals. These findings revealed that hours online are not a valid indicator of psychopathology. However, studying online behaviors of specific at-risk groups could be informative and useful, including for suicide prevention efforts. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

From Online Student to Online Instructor: Assistive Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKnight, Jodi

2012-01-01

With the influx of online learning opportunities, online students and instructors are faced with a variety of challenges. Online students face the same challenges as do face-to-face learners, but by facing them in an online context, the interpretations of those challenges can lead to the success or failure of their overall educational experience.…

A user-centred methodology for designing an online social network to motivate health behaviour change.

PubMed

Kamal, Noreen; Fels, Sidney

2013-01-01

Positive health behaviour is critical to preventing illness and managing chronic conditions. A user-centred methodology was employed to design an online social network to motivate health behaviour change. The methodology was augmented by utilizing the Appeal, Belonging, Commitment (ABC) Framework, which is based on theoretical models for health behaviour change and use of online social networks. The user-centred methodology included four phases: 1) initial user inquiry on health behaviour and use of online social networks; 2) interview feedback on paper prototypes; 2) laboratory study on medium fidelity prototype; and 4) a field study on the high fidelity prototype. The points of inquiry through these phases were based on the ABC Framework. This yielded an online social network system that linked to external third party databases to deploy to users via an interactive website.

Antimicrobial susceptibility testing by Australian veterinary diagnostic laboratories.

PubMed

Hardefeldt, L Y; Marenda, M; Crabb, H; Stevenson, M A; Gilkerson, J R; Billman-Jacobe, H; Browning, G F

2018-04-01

The national strategy for tackling antimicrobial resistance highlights the need for antimicrobial stewardship in veterinary practice and for surveillance of antimicrobial susceptibility in veterinary pathogens. Diagnostic laboratories have an important role in facilitating both of these processes, but it is unclear whether data from veterinary diagnostic laboratories are similar enough to allow for compilation and if there is consistent promotion of appropriate antimicrobial use embedded in the approaches of different laboratories to susceptibility testing. A cross-sectional study of antimicrobial susceptibility testing and reporting procedures by Australian veterinary diagnostic laboratories was conducted in 2017 using an online questionnaire. All 18 veterinary diagnostic laboratories in Australia completed the questionnaire. Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion was the method predominantly used for antimicrobial susceptibility testing and was used to evaluate 86% of all isolates, although two different protocols were used across the 18 laboratories (CLSI 15/18, CDS 3/18). Minimum inhibitory concentrations were never reported by 61% of laboratories. Common isolates were consistently reported on across all species, except for gram-negative isolates in pigs, for which there was some variation in the approach to reporting. There was considerable diversity in the panels of antimicrobials used for susceptibility testing on common isolates and no consistency was apparent between laboratories for any bacterial species. We recommend that nationally agreed and consistent antimicrobial panels for routine susceptibility testing should be developed and a uniform set of guidelines should be adopted by veterinary diagnostic laboratories in Australia. © 2018 Australian Veterinary Association.

A remote laboratory for USRP-based software defined radio

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gandhinagar Ekanthappa, Rudresh; Escobar, Rodrigo; Matevossian, Achot; Akopian, David

2014-02-01

Electrical and computer engineering graduates need practical working skills with real-world electronic devices, which are addressed to some extent by hands-on laboratories. Deployment capacity of hands-on laboratories is typically constrained due to insufficient equipment availability, facility shortages, and lack of human resources for in-class support and maintenance. At the same time, at many sites, existing experimental systems are usually underutilized due to class scheduling bottlenecks. Nowadays, online education gains popularity and remote laboratories have been suggested to broaden access to experimentation resources. Remote laboratories resolve many problems as various costs can be shared, and student access to instrumentation is facilitated in terms of access time and locations. Labs are converted to homeworks that can be done without physical presence in laboratories. Even though they are not providing full sense of hands-on experimentation, remote labs are a viable alternatives for underserved educational sites. This paper studies remote modality of USRP-based radio-communication labs offered by National Instruments (NI). The labs are offered to graduate and undergraduate students and tentative assessments support feasibility of remote deployments.

Comparison of student achievement among two science laboratory types: traditional and virtual

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reese, Mary Celeste

Technology has changed almost every aspect of our daily lives. It is not surprising then that technology has made its way into the classroom. More and more educators are utilizing technological resources in creative ways with the intent to enhance learning, including using virtual laboratories in the sciences in place of the "traditional" science laboratories. This has generated much discussion as to the influence on student achievement when online learning replaces the face-to-face contact between instructor and student. The purpose of this study was to discern differences in achievement of two laboratory instruction types: virtual laboratory and a traditional laboratory. Results of this study indicate statistical significant differences in student achievement defined by averages on quiz scores in virtual labs compared with traditional face-to-face laboratories and traditional laboratories result in greater student learning gains than virtual labs. Lecture exam averages were also greater for students enrolled in the traditional laboratories compared to students enrolled in the virtual laboratories. To account for possible differences in ability among students, a potential extraneous variable, GPA and ACT scores were used as covariates.

Inter-laboratory calibration of natural gas round robins for δ2H and δ13C using off-line and on-line techniques

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dai, Jinxing; Xia, Xinyu; Li, Zhisheng; Coleman, Dennis D.; Dias, Robert F.; Gao, Ling; Li, Jian; Deev, Andrei; Li, Jin; Dessort, Daniel; Duclerc, Dominique; Li, Liwu; Liu, Jinzhong; Schloemer, Stefan; Zhang, Wenlong; Ni, Yunyan; Hu, Guoyi; Wang, Xiaobo; Tang, Yongchun

2012-01-01

Compound-specific carbon and hydrogen isotopic compositions of three natural gas round robins were calibrated by ten laboratories carrying out more than 800 measurements including both on-line and off-line methods. Two-point calibrations were performed with international measurement standards for hydrogen isotope ratios (VSMOW and SLAP) and carbon isotope ratios (NBS 19 and L-SVEC CO2). The consensus δ13C values and uncertainties were derived from the Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE) based on off-line measurements; the consensus δ2H values and uncertainties were derived from MLE of both off-line and on-line measurements, taking the bias of on-line measurements into account. The calibrated consensus values in ‰ relative to VSMOW and VPDB are: NG1 (coal-related gas): Methane: δ2HVSMOW = − 185.1‰ ± 1.2‰, δ13CVPDB = − 34.18‰ ± 0.10‰ Ethane: δ2HVSMOW = − 156.3‰ ± 1.8‰, δ13CVPDB = − 24.66‰ ± 0.11‰ Propane: δ2HVSMOW = − 143.6‰ ± 3.3‰, δ13CVPDB = − 22.21‰ ± 0.11‰ i-Butane: δ13CVPDB = − 21.62‰ ± 0.12‰ n-Butane: δ13CVPDB = − 21.74‰ ± 0.13‰ CO2: δ13CVPDB = − 5.00‰ ± 0.12‰ NG2 (biogas): Methane: δ2HVSMOW = − 237.0‰ ± 1.2‰, δ13CVPDB = − 68.89‰ ± 0.12‰ NG3 (oil-related gas): Methane: δ2HVSMOW = − 167.6‰ ± 1.0‰, δ13CVPDB = − 43.61‰ ± 0.09‰ Ethane: δ2HVSMOW = − 164.1‰ ± 2.4‰, δ13CVPDB = − 40.24‰ ± 0.10‰ Propane: δ2HVSMOW = − 138.4‰ ± 3.0‰, δ13CVPDB = − 33.79‰ ± 0.09‰ All of the assigned values are traceable to the international carbon isotope standard of VPDB and hydrogen isotope standard of VSMOW.

RNA design rules from a massive open laboratory

PubMed Central

Lee, Jeehyung; Kladwang, Wipapat; Lee, Minjae; Cantu, Daniel; Azizyan, Martin; Kim, Hanjoo; Limpaecher, Alex; Gaikwad, Snehal; Yoon, Sungroh; Treuille, Adrien; Das, Rhiju

2014-01-01

Self-assembling RNA molecules present compelling substrates for the rational interrogation and control of living systems. However, imperfect in silico models—even at the secondary structure level—hinder the design of new RNAs that function properly when synthesized. Here, we present a unique and potentially general approach to such empirical problems: the Massive Open Laboratory. The EteRNA project connects 37,000 enthusiasts to RNA design puzzles through an online interface. Uniquely, EteRNA participants not only manipulate simulated molecules but also control a remote experimental pipeline for high-throughput RNA synthesis and structure mapping. We show herein that the EteRNA community leveraged dozens of cycles of continuous wet laboratory feedback to learn strategies for solving in vitro RNA design problems on which automated methods fail. The top strategies—including several previously unrecognized negative design rules—were distilled by machine learning into an algorithm, EteRNABot. Over a rigorous 1-y testing phase, both the EteRNA community and EteRNABot significantly outperformed prior algorithms in a dozen RNA secondary structure design tests, including the creation of dendrimer-like structures and scaffolds for small molecule sensors. These results show that an online community can carry out large-scale experiments, hypothesis generation, and algorithm design to create practical advances in empirical science. PMID:24469816

The Virtual Anatomy Laboratory: Usability Testing to Improve an Online Learning Resource for Anatomy Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doubleday, Eldridge G.; O'Loughlin, Valerie D.; Doubleday, Alison F.

2011-01-01

An increasing number of instructors are seeking to provide students with online anatomy resources. Many researchers have attempted to identify associations between resource use and student learning but few studies discuss the importance of usability testing in resource design and modification. Usability testing provides information about ease of…

The Impact of Adding Online Homework Assignments to an Introduction to Physical Geology Class

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brevik, Eric C.

2017-04-01

the class was 15% A (90-100% scores), 32% B (80-90%), 19% C (70-80%), 19% D (60-79%), and 15% F (<60%). After adopting the online homework, the grade distribution was 13% A, 48% B, 24% C, 13% D, and 2% F. Therefore, students who either passed the class but didn't excel or who struggled with the class prior to online homework adoption saw improvements in their performance, while students who showed truly outstanding performance remained constant. Test grades showed a similar trend. The average test scores for those who received an A in the class were 88.0% prior to and 88.6% after adopting the online homework, while test averages for students who received less than an A were 63.9% prior to and 71.4% (7.5% improvement) after adopting the online homework. I am always making small changes to my classes in an effort to improve them, but the only major change made to the class over the time period covered in this study was replacing paper homework assignments (which were not graded) with the online homework assignments. In addition, there was no statistical difference in scores in the Introduction to Physical Geology Laboratory over the same period (87.8% average before adoption, 85.7% after adoption). Students are required to take the lecture and laboratory at the same time, so the student populations were identical. The online homework applied to the lecture, where grades improved, but not to the laboratory, where grades remained consistent. Therefore, it was concluded that the addition of online homework to the Introduction to Physical Geology class had a strong positive effect on student scores. While students who would excel regardless of the format (those who received A grades) showed the same performance under both class formats, those who fell farther down the grade scale showed significant improvement with the use of the online homework assignments. Acknowledgement The integration of online homework assignments into the Introduction to Physical Geology class was

The effect of $1, $5 and $10 stakes in an online dictator game.

PubMed

Raihani, Nichola J; Mace, Ruth; Lamba, Shakti

2013-01-01

The decision rules underpinning human cooperative behaviour are often investigated under laboratory conditions using monetary incentives. A major concern with this approach is that stake size may bias subjects' decisions. This concern is particularly acute in online studies, where stakes are often far lower than those used in laboratory or field settings. We address this concern by conducting a Dictator Game using Amazon Mechanical Turk. In this two-player game, one player (the dictator) determines the division of an endowment between himself and the other player. We recruited subjects from India and the USA to play an online Dictator Game. Dictators received endowments of $1, $5 or $10. We collected two batches of data over two consecutive years. We found that players from India were less generous when playing with a $10 stake. By contrast, the effect of stake size among players from the USA was very small. This study indicates that the effects of stake size on decision making in economic games may vary across populations.

An Online Social Networking Approach to Reinforce Learning of Rocks and Minerals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kennelly, Patrick

2009-01-01

Numerous and varied methods are used in introductory Earth science and geology classes to help students learn about rocks and minerals, such as classroom lectures, laboratory specimen identification, and field trips. This paper reports on a method using online social networking. The choice of this forum was based on two criteria. First, many…

SOCR: Statistics Online Computational Resource

PubMed Central

Dinov, Ivo D.

2011-01-01

The need for hands-on computer laboratory experience in undergraduate and graduate statistics education has been firmly established in the past decade. As a result a number of attempts have been undertaken to develop novel approaches for problem-driven statistical thinking, data analysis and result interpretation. In this paper we describe an integrated educational web-based framework for: interactive distribution modeling, virtual online probability experimentation, statistical data analysis, visualization and integration. Following years of experience in statistical teaching at all college levels using established licensed statistical software packages, like STATA, S-PLUS, R, SPSS, SAS, Systat, etc., we have attempted to engineer a new statistics education environment, the Statistics Online Computational Resource (SOCR). This resource performs many of the standard types of statistical analysis, much like other classical tools. In addition, it is designed in a plug-in object-oriented architecture and is completely platform independent, web-based, interactive, extensible and secure. Over the past 4 years we have tested, fine-tuned and reanalyzed the SOCR framework in many of our undergraduate and graduate probability and statistics courses and have evidence that SOCR resources build student’s intuition and enhance their learning. PMID:21451741

Options for Online Undergraduate Courses in Biology at American Colleges and Universities.

PubMed

Varty, Alison K

I aimed to document the online undergraduate course supply in biology to evaluate how well biology educators are serving the diverse and growing population of online students. I documented online biology course offerings in the 2015-2016 academic year at 96 American colleges and universities. I quantified differences in variety, extent, and availability of courses offered by different kinds of academic institutions and characterized 149 online biology courses offered. Although there was no relationship between an institution's enrollment size and any measure of its online biology offerings, I found significantly more online biology course options at 2-year public compared with 4-year public and 4-year private schools. Courses offered for nonmajors, including students pursuing healthcare-related degrees, were three times as common as those intended for biology majors, who were more likely to be offered hybrid courses with face-to-face laboratories. These data indicate some deficiencies in online biology course options; options for students majoring in biology are limited at all types of institutions examined with a minority of 4-year institutions having any online options in biology. Significant investment of institutional resources in faculty training and technological support are necessary to develop online biology courses that will benefit a larger student population. © 2016 A. K. Varty. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2016 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Development and Application of On-line Monitor for the ZLW-1 Axis Cracks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi-jun, Yang; Qian-hui, Yang; Jian-guo, Jin

2018-03-01

This article mainly introduces a method that uses acoustic emission techniques to achieve on-line monitor for the shaft cracks and crack growth. According to this method, axis crack monitor is produced by acoustic emission techniques. This instrument can apply to all the pressure vessels, pipelines and rotor machines that can bear buckling load. It has the online real-time monitoring, automatic recording, printing, sound and light alarm, collecting crack information function. After a series of tests in both laboratory and field, it shows that this instrument is very versatile and possesses broad prospects of development and application.

The Library in the Laboratory: Implementing an Online Library Tutorial in a Freshman Biology Lab

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barkley, Meg

2018-01-01

Online tutorials are a way many librarians connect with students. The main benefit is the ability to reach more students than traditional face-to-face instruction sessions. In 2016, the Life & Health Sciences Librarian received instruction session requests for a freshman biology lab to teach students how to search for articles and use proper…

Blended learning within an undergraduate exercise physiology laboratory.

PubMed

Elmer, Steven J; Carter, Kathryn R; Armga, Austin J; Carter, Jason R

2016-03-01

In physiological education, blended course formats (integration of face-to-face and online instruction) can facilitate increased student learning, performance, and satisfaction in classroom settings. There is limited evidence on the effectiveness of using blending course formats in laboratory settings. We evaluated the impact of blended learning on student performance and perceptions in an undergraduate exercise physiology laboratory. Using a randomized, crossover design, four laboratory topics were delivered in either a blended or traditional format. For blended laboratories, content was offloaded to self-paced video demonstrations (∼15 min). Laboratory section 1 (n = 16) completed blended laboratories for 1) neuromuscular power and 2) blood lactate, whereas section 2 (n = 17) completed blended laboratories for 1) maximal O2 consumption and 2) muscle electromyography. Both sections completed the same assignments (scored in a blinded manner using a standardized rubric) and practicum exams (evaluated by two independent investigators). Pre- and postcourse surveys were used to assess student perceptions. Most students (∼79%) watched videos for both blended laboratories. Assignment scores did not differ between blended and traditional laboratories (P = 0.62) or between sections (P = 0.91). Practicum scores did not differ between sections (both P > 0.05). At the end of the course, students' perceived value of the blended format increased (P < 0.01) and a greater percentage of students agreed that learning key foundational content through video demonstrations before class greatly enhanced their learning of course material compared with a preassigned reading (94% vs. 78%, P < 0.01). Blended exercise physiology laboratories provided an alternative method for delivering content that was favorably perceived by students and did not compromise student performance. Copyright © 2016 The American Physiological Society.

Analyzing Exonuclease-Induced Hyperchromicity by Uv Spectroscopy: An Undergraduate Biochemistry Laboratory Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ackerman, Megan M.; Ricciardi, Christopher; Weiss, David; Chant, Alan; Kraemer-Chant, Christina M.

2016-01-01

An undergraduate biochemistry laboratory experiment is described that utilizes free online bioinformatics tools along with readily available exonucleases to study the effects of base stacking and hydrogen bonding on the UV absorbance of DNA samples. UV absorbance of double-stranded DNA at the ?[subscript max] is decreased when the DNA bases are…

Negotiating Femininities Online

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davies, Julia

2004-01-01

Much has been written about the potential for online learning (Fryer, 1997; www. ngfl.gov.uk/ngfl/index.html). However this literature typically emphasizes not online learning but online education. In this paper I focus on the potential for online learning, specifically learning about issues surrounding femininity in the presence of online peers,…

LABORATORY EVALUATION OF A MICROFLUIDIC ELECTROCHEMICAL SENSOR FOR AEROSOL OXIDATIVE LOAD.

PubMed

Koehler, Kirsten; Shapiro, Jeffrey; Sameenoi, Yupaporn; Henry, Charles; Volckens, John

2014-05-01

Human exposure to particulate matter (PM) air pollution is associated with human morbidity and mortality. The mechanisms by which PM impacts human health are unresolved, but evidence suggests that PM intake leads to cellular oxidative stress through the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Therefore, reliable tools are needed for estimating the oxidant generating capacity, or oxidative load, of PM at high temporal resolution (minutes to hours). One of the most widely reported methods for assessing PM oxidative load is the dithiothreitol (DTT) assay. The traditional DTT assay utilizes filter-based PM collection in conjunction with chemical analysis to determine the oxidation rate of reduced DTT in solution with PM. However, the traditional DTT assay suffers from poor time resolution, loss of reactive species during sampling, and high limit of detection. Recently, a new DTT assay was developed that couples a Particle-Into-Liquid-Sampler with microfluidic-electrochemical detection. This 'on-line' system allows high temporal resolution monitoring of PM reactivity with improved detection limits. This study reports on a laboratory comparison of the traditional and on-line DTT approaches. An urban dust sample was aerosolized in a laboratory test chamber at three atmospherically-relevant concentrations. The on-line system gave a stronger correlation between DTT consumption rate and PM mass (R 2 = 0.69) than the traditional method (R 2 = 0.40) and increased precision at high temporal resolution, compared to the traditional method.

Variability of ethics education in laboratory medicine training programs: results of an international survey.

PubMed

Bruns, David E; Burtis, Carl A; Gronowski, Ann M; McQueen, Matthew J; Newman, Anthony; Jonsson, Jon J

2015-03-10

Ethical considerations are increasingly important in medicine. We aimed to determine the mode and extent of teaching of ethics in training programs in clinical chemistry and laboratory medicine. We developed an on-line survey of teaching in areas of ethics relevant to laboratory medicine. Reponses were invited from directors of training programs who were recruited via email to leaders of national organizations. The survey was completed by 80 directors from 24 countries who directed 113 programs. The largest numbers of respondents directed postdoctoral training of scientists (42%) or physicians (33%), post-masters degree programs (33%), and PhD programs (29%). Most programs (82%) were 2years or longer in duration. Formal training was offered in research ethics by 39%, medical ethics by 31%, professional ethics by 24% and business ethics by 9%. The number of reported hours of formal training varied widely, e.g., from 0 to >15h/year for research ethics and from 0 to >15h for medical ethics. Ethics training was required and/or tested in 75% of programs that offered training. A majority (54%) of respondents reported plans to add or enhance training in ethics; many indicated a desire for online resources related to ethics, especially resources with self-assessment tools. Formal teaching of ethics is absent from many training programs in clinical chemistry and laboratory medicine, with heterogeneity in the extent and methods of ethics training among the programs that provide the training. A perceived need exists for online training tools, especially tools with self-assessment components. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Using the e-Chasqui, web-based information system, to determine laboratory guidelines and data available to clinical staff.

PubMed

Blaya, Joaquin A; Yagui, Martin; Contreras, Carmen C; Palma, Betty; Shin, Sonya S; Yale, Gloria; Suarez, Carmen; Fraser, Hamish S F

2008-11-06

13% of all drug susceptibility tests (DSTs) performed at a public laboratory in Peru were duplicate. To determine reasons for duplicate requests an online survey was implemented in the e-Chasqui laboratory information system. Results showed that 59.6% of tests were ordered because clinical staff was unaware of ordering guidelines or of a previous result. This shows a benefit of using a web-based system and the lack of laboratory information available to clinical staff in Peru.

Development and Multi-laboratory Verification of US EPA ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

A drinking water method for seven pesticides and pesticide degradates is presented that addresses the occurrence monitoring needs of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for a future Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Regulation (UCMR). The method employs online solid phase extraction-liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (SPE-LC–MS-MS). Online SPE-LC–MS-MS has the potential to offer cost-effective, faster, more sensitive and more rugged methods than the traditional offline SPE approach due to complete automation of the SPE process, as well as seamless integration with the LC–MS-MS system. The method uses 2-chloroacetamide, ascorbic acid and Trizma to preserve the drinking water samples for up to 28 days. The mean recoveries in drinking water (from a surface water source) fortified with method analytes are 87.1–112% with relative standard deviations of <14%. Single laboratory lowest concentration minimum reporting levels of 0.27–1.7 ng/L are demonstrated with this methodology. Multi-laboratory data are presented that demonstrate method ruggedness and transferability. The final method meets all of the EPA's UCMR survey requirements for sample collection and storage, precision, accuracy, and sensitivity. The journal article describes the development of drinking water Method 543 for analysis of selected CCL 3 chemicals. It is anticipated this method may be used in a future Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Regulation to gather nationw

On-line identification of fermentation processes for ethanol production.

PubMed

Câmara, M M; Soares, R M; Feital, T; Naomi, P; Oki, S; Thevelein, J M; Amaral, M; Pinto, J C

2017-07-01

A strategy for monitoring fermentation processes, specifically, simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) of corn mash, was developed. The strategy covered the development and use of first principles, semimechanistic and unstructured process model based on major kinetic phenomena, along with mass and energy balances. The model was then used as a reference model within an identification procedure capable of running on-line. The on-line identification procedure consists on updating the reference model through the estimation of corrective parameters for certain reaction rates using the most recent process measurements. The strategy makes use of standard laboratory measurements for sugars quantification and in situ temperature and liquid level data. The model, along with the on-line identification procedure, has been tested against real industrial data and have been able to accurately predict the main variables of operational interest, i.e., state variables and its dynamics, and key process indicators. The results demonstrate that the strategy is capable of monitoring, in real time, this complex industrial biomass fermentation. This new tool provides a great support for decision-making and opens a new range of opportunities for industrial optimization.

Online Educators' Recommendations for Teaching Online: Crowdsourcing in Action

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunlap, Joanna C.; Lowenthal, Patrick R.

2018-01-01

Over the years, online educators have learned a great deal about what works and does not work when designing and facilitating online courses. During the past few years, we have used crowdsourcing to invite experienced online educators to share their recommendations for teaching online. In this article, we describe our use of crowdsourcing to…

Online Education Forum--Part Three: A Quality Online Educational Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dykman, Charlene A.; Davis, Charles K.

2008-01-01

This is the third in a series of three papers about online pedagogy and educational practice as part of the JISE "Online Education Forum." This paper deals with the question: "What approaches help assure a quality online educational experience?" Clearly achieving quality is the chief concern of everyone involved with online education. This article…

Introduction of Digital Computer Technology Into the Undergraduate Chemistry Laboratory. Final Technical Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perone, Sam P.

The objective of this project has been the development of a successful approach for the incorporation of on-line computer technology into the undergraduate chemistry laboratory. This approach assumes no prior programing, electronics or instrumental analysis experience on the part of the student; it does not displace the chemistry content with…

Research on technology of online gas chromatograph for SF6 decomposition products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, L.; Fan, X. P.; Zhou, Y. Y.; Tang, N.; Zou, Z. L.; Liu, M. Z.; Huang, G. J.

2017-12-01

Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) decomposition products were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed by several gas chromatographs in the laboratory. Test conditions and methods were selected and optimized to minimize and eliminate the SF6’ influences on detection of other trace components. The effective separation and detection of selected characteristic gases were achieved. And by comparison among different types of gas chromatograph, it was found that GPTR-S101 can effectively separate and detect SF6 decomposition products and has best the best detection limit and sensitivity. On the basis of GPTR-S101, online gas chromatograph for SF6decomposition products (GPTR-S201) was developed. It lays the foundation for further online monitoring and diagnosis of SF6.

Survey of laboratory practices for diagnosis of fungal infection in seven Asian countries: An Asia Fungal Working Group (AFWG) initiative.

PubMed

Chindamporn, Ariya; Chakrabarti, Arunaloke; Li, Ruoyu; Sun, Pei-Lun; Tan, Ban-Hock; Chua, Mitzi; Wahyuningsih, Retno; Patel, Atul; Liu, Zhengyin; Chen, Yee-Chun; Chayakulkeeree, Methee

2018-06-01

An online survey of mycology laboratories in seven Asian countries was conducted to assess the status, competence, and services available. Country representatives from the Asia Fungal Working Group (AFWG) contacted as many laboratories performing mycology diagnosis as possible in their respective countries, requesting that the laboratory heads complete the online survey. In total, 241 laboratories responded, including 71 in China, 104 in India, 11 in Indonesia, 26 in the Philippines, four in Singapore, 18 in Taiwan, and seven in Thailand. Overall, 129/241 (53.5%) surveyed mycology laboratories operate as separate designated mycology laboratories, 75/241 (31.1%) conduct regular formal staff training, 103/241 (42.7%) are accredited, and 88/157 (56.1%) participate in external quality assurance scheme (EQAS) programs. Microscopy and culture methods are available in nearly all laboratories, although few perform DNA sequencing (37/219; 16.9%) or use matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectroscopy (MALDI-TOF MS) (27/219; 12.3%) for isolate identification. Antifungal susceptibility testing is performed in 142/241 (58.9%) laboratories, mainly for yeasts. The most commonly performed nonculture diagnostic is cryptococcal antigen testing (66 laboratories), followed by galactomannan testing (55), polymerase chain reaction (PCR) diagnosis (37), and beta-D-glucan testing (24). Therapeutic drug monitoring is conducted in 21 laboratories. There is almost no access to advanced diagnostic tests, like galactomannan, β-D-glucan, and PCR, in the surveyed laboratories in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand. These results highlight the need for development of quality laboratories, accreditation and training of manpower in existing laboratories, and access to advanced non-culture-based diagnostic tests to facilitate the diagnosis of fungal infections in Asia.

Teachers' Online Experience: Is There a Covert Curriculum in Online Professional Development?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Norton, Priscilla; Hathaway, Dawn

2015-01-01

Although the literature emphasizes the need for teachers to have online learning experiences in preparation for teaching online, teachers have few opportunities to experience online learning. One opportunity is online professional development. The authors hypothesized that online professional development might serve not only as a way to gain…

Online Monitoring of Induction Motors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McJunkin, Timothy R.; Agarwal, Vivek; Lybeck, Nancy Jean

2016-01-01

The online monitoring of active components project, under the Advanced Instrumentation, Information, and Control Technologies Pathway of the Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program, researched diagnostic and prognostic models for alternating current induction motors (IM). Idaho National Laboratory (INL) worked with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) to augment and revise the fault signatures previously implemented in the Asset Fault Signature Database of EPRI’s Fleet Wide Prognostic and Health Management (FW PHM) Suite software. Induction Motor diagnostic models were researched using the experimental data collected by Idaho State University. Prognostic models were explored in the set of literature and through amore » limited experiment with 40HP to seek the Remaining Useful Life Database of the FW PHM Suite.« less

How to Better Engage Online Students with Online Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Britt, Margaret

2015-01-01

Online education is growing at a phenomenal rate. This growth in online education offers many opportunities to colleges and universities to reach students who may not have attended a traditional (brick and mortar) college or university. Online education also gives students more control over their education along with a more flexible schedule. As…

Online Organic Chemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Janowicz, Philip A.

2010-01-01

This is a comprehensive study of the many facets of an entirely online organic chemistry course. Online homework with structure-drawing capabilities was found to be more effective than written homework. Online lecture was found to be just as effective as in-person lecture, and students prefer an online lecture format with shorter Webcasts. Online…

Improving integrity of on-line grammage measurement with traceable basic calibration.

PubMed

Kangasrääsiö, Juha

2010-07-01

The automatic control of grammage (basis weight) in paper and board production is based upon on-line grammage measurement. Furthermore, the automatic control of other quality variables such as moisture, ash content and coat weight, may rely on the grammage measurement. The integrity of Kr-85 based on-line grammage measurement systems was studied, by performing basic calibrations with traceably calibrated plastic reference standards. The calibrations were performed according to the EN ISO/IEC 17025 standard, which is a requirement for calibration laboratories. The observed relative measurement errors were 3.3% in the first time calibrations at the 95% confidence level. With the traceable basic calibration method, however, these errors can be reduced to under 0.5%, thus improving the integrity of on-line grammage measurements. Also a standardised algorithm, based on the experience from the performed calibrations, is proposed to ease the adjustment of the different grammage measurement systems. The calibration technique can basically be applied to all beta-radiation based grammage measurements. 2010 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

To Enhance Collaborative Learning and Practice Network Knowledge with a Virtualization Laboratory and Online Synchronous Discussion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hwang, Wu-Yuin; Kongcharoen, Chaknarin; Ghinea, Gheorghita

2014-01-01

Recently, various computer networking courses have included additional laboratory classes in order to enhance students' learning achievement. However, these classes need to establish a suitable laboratory where each student can connect network devices to configure and test functions within different network topologies. In this case, the Linux…

Online Poker Gambling in University Students: Further Findings from an Online Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffiths, Mark; Parke, Jonathan; Wood, Richard; Rigbye, Jane

2010-01-01

Online poker is one of the fastest growing forms of online gambling yet there has been relatively little research to date. This study comprised 422 online poker players (362 males and 60 females) and investigated some of the predicting factors of online poker success and problem gambling using an online questionnaire. Results showed that length of…

Online Help Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-09-07

online materials (and the concomitant increase in the cost for hardcopy materials) will make online delivery the marketing choice. In sum, medium of...involved in programming, marketing , human factors research, training, and business management. Job Titles of Online Help Designers Job Title...of Company Senior Research Librarian Advisory Information Developer Research Staff Assistant Marketing Manager Manager of Online Documentation Table

PandASoft: Open Source Instructional Laboratory Administration Software

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gay, P. L.; Braasch, P.; Synkova, Y. N.

2004-12-01

PandASoft (Physics and Astronomy Software) is software for organizing and archiving a department's teaching resources and materials. An easy to use, secure interface allows faculty and staff to explore equipment inventories, see what laboratory experiments are available, find handouts, and track what has been used in different classes in the past. Divided into five sections: classes, equipment, laboratories, links, and media, its database cross links materials, allowing users to see what labs are used with which classes, what media and equipment are used with which labs, or simply what equipment is lurking in which room. Written in PHP and MySQL, this software can be installed on any UNIX / Linux platform, including Macintosh OS X. It is designed to allow users to easily customize the headers, footers and colors to blend with existing sites - no programming experience required. While initial data input is labor intensive, the system will save time later by allowing users to quickly answer questions related to what is in inventory, where it is located, how many are in stock, and where online they can learn more. It will also provide a central location for storing PDFs of handouts, and links to applets and cool sites at other universities. PandASoft comes with over 100 links to online resources pre-installed. We would like to thank Dr. Wolfgang Rueckner and the Harvard University Science Center for providing computers and resources for this project.

Strategically Planning Avionics Laboratory’s Facilities for the Future

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-09-01

Goldsboro Road Bethesda, Maryland 20817-5886 93 12 22 02 DISCLAIMII NOTICE THIS DOCUMENT IS BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE. THE COPY FURNISHLD TO DTIC CONTAINED A...Avionics Laboratory establish a multiyear strategy for improving its facility utilization nearly 7 years ago. That plan, which is still being implemented...experi- mental data transmission delays caused when on-line equipment is separated by as much as a mile. The plan - now nearly 7 years old - initiated

Exploring Online Graduate Students' Responses to Online Self-Regulation Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunn, Karee E.; Rakes, Glenda C.

2015-01-01

In this study, online graduate students participated in four brief online self-regulatory trainings for self-efficacy, achievement goal orientation, learning strategies, and attributional thinking. These variables are critical to success in learning environments, but perhaps even more so in the online academic environment (Rakes, Dunn, &…

Online Support Service Quality, Online Learning Acceptance, and Student Satisfaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Jung-Wan

2010-01-01

This paper examines potential differences between Korean and American students in terms of their perception levels regarding online education support service quality, online learning acceptance, and satisfaction. Eight hundred and seventy-two samples, which were collected from students in online classes in the United States and Korea, were…

Design and Emergence of a Pedagogical Online Infosec Laboratory as an Ensemble Artefact

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iqbal, Sarfraz

2016-01-01

Information security (InfoSec) education becomes increasingly important. Building hands-on capabilities to tackle challenges is a precondition to mitigate and eliminate cyber threats. Existing studies, however, show that the field lacks pedagogically founded information security laboratories that can be used flexibly to educate both on-campus and…

Optimization of analytical laboratory work using computer networking and databasing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Upp, D.L.; Metcalf, R.A.

1996-06-01

The Health Physics Analysis Laboratory (HPAL) performs around 600,000 analyses for radioactive nuclides each year at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). Analysis matrices vary from nasal swipes, air filters, work area swipes, liquids, to the bottoms of shoes and cat litter. HPAL uses 8 liquid scintillation counters, 8 gas proportional counters, and 9 high purity germanium detectors in 5 laboratories to perform these analyses. HPAL has developed a computer network between the labs and software to produce analysis results. The software and hardware package includes barcode sample tracking, log-in, chain of custody, analysis calculations, analysis result printing, and utility programs.more » All data are written to a database, mirrored on a central server, and eventually written to CD-ROM to provide for online historical results. This system has greatly reduced the work required to provide for analysis results as well as improving the quality of the work performed.« less

Laboratories for Writing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leander, Kevin M.

2000-01-01

Looks at online writing centers and their multiple relations to cyber spaces and physical places, as well as to institutional and cultural practices. Notes proliferation of online writing centers, hybrid relations of online and offline writing centers, relation of online writing centers to classrooms, transforming space and practice in online…

Introducing JCE Online

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1998-01-01

One of the many transitions that occurred while moving the Journal editorial offices from Austin to Madison was the unification of the WWW sites of the Journal and JCE Software into JCE Online. Since that time JCE Online has provided several valuable resources to the chemistry education community. With the introduction of JCE Online+ (see below), we have expanded these resources and have plans to expand them even further. We thought that the Journal readership might like to know what is available to them at JCE Online. That's what this new column will do each month. JCE Online is divided into several areas. Each constituent part maintains an area at JCE Online: this Journal, JCE Software, JCE Internet, and JCE Books. There also is an area that lists Chemical Education Happenings and an area that contains information About JCE.

Introducing Online Bibliographic Service to its Users: The Online Presentation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crane, Nancy B.; Pilachowski, David M.

1978-01-01

A description of techniques for introducing online services to new user groups includes discussion of terms and their definitions, evolution of online searching, advantages and disadvantages of online searching, production of the data bases, search strategies, Boolean logic, costs and charges, "do's and don'ts," and a user search questionnaire. (J…

Using Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games for Online Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Childress, Marcus D.; Braswell, Ray

2006-01-01

This article addresses the use of a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) to foster communication and interaction and to facilitate cooperative learning in an online course. The authors delineate the definition and history of massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs), and describe current uses of MMORPGs in education, including…

Questions as Indicators of Ocean Literacy: Students' Online Asynchronous Discussion with a Marine Scientist

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fauville, Géraldine

2017-01-01

In this article, 61 high-school students learned about ocean acidification through a virtual laboratory followed by a virtual lecture and an asynchronous discussion with a marine scientist on an online platform: VoiceThread. This study focuses on the students' development of ocean literacy when prompted to ask questions to the scientist. The…

On-line Monitoring of Actinide Concentrations in Molten Salt Electrolyte

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Curtis W. Johnson; Mary Lou Dunzik-Gougar; Shelly X. Li

2006-11-01

Pyroprocessing, a treatment method for spent nuclear fuel (SNF), is currently being studied at the Idaho National Laboratory. The key operation of pyroprocessing which takes place in an electrorefiner is the electrochemical separation of actinides from other constituents in spent fuel. Efficient operation of the electrorefiner requires online monitoring of actinide concentrations in the molten salt electrolyte. Square-wave voltammetry (SWV) and normal pulse voltammetry (NPV) are being investigated to assess their applicability to the measurement of actinide concentrations in the electrorefiner.

State of laboratory manual instruction in California community college introductory (non-majors) biology laboratory instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Priest, Michelle

College students must complete a life science course prior to graduation for a bachelor's degree. Generally, the course has lecture and laboratory components. It is in the laboratory where there are exceptional opportunities for exploration, challenge and application of the material learned. Optimally, this would utilize the best of inquiry based approaches. Most community colleges are using a home-grown or self written laboratory manual for the direction of work in the laboratory period. Little was known about the motivation, development and adaptation of use. It was also not known about the future of the laboratory manuals in light of the recent learning reform in California Community Colleges, Student Learning Outcomes. Extensive interviews were conducted with laboratory manual authors to determine the motivation, process of development, who was involved and learning framework used in the creation of the manuals. It was further asked of manual authors their ideas about the future of the manual, the development of staff and faculty and finally, the role Student Learning Outcomes would play in the manual. Science faculty currently teaching the non-majors biology laboratories for at least two semesters were surveyed on-line about actual practice of the manual, assessment, manual flexibility, faculty training and incorporation of Student Learning Outcomes. Finally, an evaluation of the laboratory manual was done using an established Laboratory Task Analysis Instrument. Laboratory manuals were evaluated on a variety of categories to determine the level of inquiry instruction done by students in the laboratory section. The results were that the development of homegrown laboratory manuals was done by community colleges in the Los Angeles and Orange Counties in an effort to minimize the cost of the manual to the students, to utilize all the exercises in a particular lab and to effectively utilize the materials already owned by the department. Further, schools wanted to

Evaluation of patient satisfaction with tailored online patient education information.

PubMed

Atack, Lynda; Luke, Robert; Chien, Elise

2008-01-01

Patients are using the Internet for access to standardized health information in ever-growing numbers. Although increased access to health information can be helpful, the quality of information varies widely. All too often, the information retrieved is incomplete, inaccurate, or inappropriate. An interdisciplinary team of clinicians, librarians, software engineers, and multimedia designers developed an online patient education system that enables clinicians to "prescribe" tailored, evidence-based health information. The system provides access to text and video that patients can adapt for language, vision, and hearing preferences. Usability testing was conducted with eight patients in a usability laboratory using the "think-aloud" method, surveys, and interviews. Results indicated that patients were highly satisfied and that the site has the potential to become a valuable resource in disease management. Patients made several recommendations regarding system appearance, function, and content that will have application for other groups developing online patient education systems.

Online Learning Self-Efficacy in Students with and without Online Learning Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zimmerman, Whitney Alicia; Kulikowich, Jonna M.

2016-01-01

A need was identified for an instrument to measure online learning self-efficacy, which encompassed the wide variety of tasks required of successful online students. The Online Learning Self-Efficacy Scale (OLSES) was designed to include tasks required of students enrolled in paced online courses at one university. In the present study, the…

Library Services Online: Introducing Library Services for Online MBA Classes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slavin, Laura C.

2015-01-01

In this article, a librarian at Lincoln Memorial University creates library services for an MBA program offered entirely online that is in the early stages of development. The library services include a subject guide and 4 tutorials that will be added to the MBA online orientation. Other services include offering online office hours and…

Knowledge Retention for Computer Simulations: A study comparing virtual and hands-on laboratories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Croom, John R., III

The use of virtual laboratories has the potential to change physics education. These low-cost, interactive computer activities interest students, allow for easy setup, and give educators a way to teach laboratory based online classes. This study investigated whether virtual laboratories could replace traditional hands-on laboratories and whether students could retain the same long-term knowledge in virtual laboratories as compared to hands-on laboratories. This study is a quantitative quasi-experiment that used a multiple posttest design to determine if students using virtual laboratories would retain the same knowledge as students who performed hands-on laboratories after 9 weeks. The study was composed of 336 students from 14 school districts. Students had their performances on the laboratories and their retention of the laboratories compared to a series of factors that might have affected their retention using a pretest and two posttests, which were compared using a t test. The results showed no significant difference in short-term learning between the hands-on laboratory groups and virtual laboratory groups. There was, however, a significant difference (p = .005) between the groups in long-term retention; students in the hands-on laboratory groups retained more information than those in the virtual laboratory groups. These results suggest that long-term learning is enhanced when a laboratory contains a hands-on component. Finally, the results showed that both groups of students felt their particular laboratory style was superior to the alternative method. The findings of this study can be used to improve the integration of virtual laboratories into science curriculum.

Teaching Astronomy Online

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radnofsky, Mary L.; Bobrowsky, Matthew

This article is intended to provide an overview of the practical, pedagogical, and philosophical considerations in designing a Web-based astronomy course, and to demonstrate the educational benefits that such online courses can afford students. Because online students need to take more responsibility for their learning, faculty must make course expectations extremely clear. Online education allows for increased student participation and equal access to college by such groups as the military, the handicapped, full-time employees, and rural and senior citizens. Teaching the sciences online--especially astronomy--gives students more time to think critically about new information. This article also includes tools, checklists, and resources helpful for introducing faculty to online course development in astronomy.

Study of Strategies Used in Online Searching 5: Differences between the Experienced and the Inexperienced Searcher.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oldroyd, B. K.

1984-01-01

Identifies characteristics of the experienced online searcher and discusses the results of three searches carried out by a variety of searchers in widely differing subject fields--presence of arsenic in coal, problems of working alone in laboratory or work area, and spectral sensitivity of the insect eye. (8 references) (EJS)

Wind Energy Finance (WEF): An Online Calculator for Economic Analysis of Wind Projects

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

2004-02-01

This brochure provides an overview of Wind Energy Finance (WEF), a free online cost of energy calculator developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory that provides quick, detailed economic evaluation of potential utility-scale wind energy projects. The brochure lists the features of the tool, the inputs and outputs that a user can expect, visuals of the screens and a Cash Flow Results table, and contact information.

ScriptingRT: A Software Library for Collecting Response Latencies in Online Studies of Cognition

PubMed Central

Schubert, Thomas W.; Murteira, Carla; Collins, Elizabeth C.; Lopes, Diniz

2013-01-01

ScriptingRT is a new open source tool to collect response latencies in online studies of human cognition. ScriptingRT studies run as Flash applets in enabled browsers. ScriptingRT provides the building blocks of response latency studies, which are then combined with generic Apache Flex programming. Six studies evaluate the performance of ScriptingRT empirically. Studies 1–3 use specialized hardware to measure variance of response time measurement and stimulus presentation timing. Studies 4–6 implement a Stroop paradigm and run it both online and in the laboratory, comparing ScriptingRT to other response latency software. Altogether, the studies show that Flash programs developed in ScriptingRT show a small lag and an increased variance in response latencies. However, this did not significantly influence measured effects: The Stroop effect was reliably replicated in all studies, and the found effects did not depend on the software used. We conclude that ScriptingRT can be used to test response latency effects online. PMID:23805326

Facilitating Successful Online Discussions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woods, Kathryn; Bliss, Kadi

2016-01-01

As online course offerings continue to evolve, researchers have examined many strategies for improving the online learning experience for both the instructor and the student. Asynchronous, online discussions are one of the most common components of online courses. This article provides information about the best practices for facilitating…

Online Instructors as Thinking Advisors: A Model for Online Learner Adaptation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benedetti, Christopher

2015-01-01

This article examines the characteristics and challenges of online instruction and presents a model for improving learner adaptation in an online classroom. Instruction in an online classroom presents many challenges, including learner individualization. Individual differences in learning styles and preferences are often not considered in the…

Library Online Systems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Folda, Linda; And Others

1989-01-01

Issues related to library online systems are discussed in six articles. Topics covered include staff education through vendor demonstrations, evaluation of online public access catalogs, the impact of integrated online systems on cataloging operations, the merits of smart and dumb barcodes, and points to consider in planning for the next online…

Online Interactions and Social Presence in Online Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Sang Joon; Huang, Kun

2018-01-01

The community of inquiry framework identified three essential elements of cognitive, social, and teaching presences for a successful online learning experience. Among them, social presence is key for developing personal relationships and enhancing collaboration and critical discourse in online courses. This study examined whether providing more…

University Student Online Plagiarism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Yu-mei

2008-01-01

This article reports a study investigating university student online plagiarism. The following questions are investigated: (a) What is the incidence of student online plagiarism? (b) What are student perceptions regarding online plagiarism? (c) Are there any differences in terms of student perceptions of online plagiarism and print plagiarism? (d)…

Online shopping hesitation.

PubMed

Cho, Chang-Hoan; Kang, Jaewon; Cheon, Hongsik John

2006-06-01

This study was designed to understand which factors influence consumer hesitation or delay in online product purchases. The study examined four groups of variables (i.e., consumer characteristics, contextual factors perceived uncertainty factors, and medium/channel innovation factors) that predict three types of online shopping hesitation (i.e., overall hesitation, shopping cart abandonment, and hesitation at the final payment stage). We found that different sets of delay factors are related to different aspects of online shopping hesitation. The study concludes with suggestion for various delay-reduction devices to help consumers close their online decision hesitation.

A Faculty Evaluation Model for Online Instructors: Mentoring and Evaluation in the Online Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mandernach, B. Jean; Donnelli, Emily; Dailey, Amber; Schulte, Marthann

2005-01-01

The rapid growth of online learning has mandated the development of faculty evaluation models geared specifically toward the unique demands of the online classroom. With a foundation in the best practices of online learning, adapted to meet the dynamics of a growing online program, the Online Instructor Evaluation System created at Park University…

Assessing Online Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Comeaux, Patricia, Ed.

2004-01-01

Students in traditional as well as online classrooms need more than grades from their instructors--they also need meaningful feedback to help bridge their academic knowledge and skills with their daily lives. With the increasing number of online learning classrooms, the question of how to consistently assess online learning has become increasingly…

Asking the next generation: the implementation of pre-university students’ ideas about physics laboratory preparation exercises

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dunnett, K.; Bartlett, P. A.

2018-01-01

It was planned to introduce online pre-laboratory session activities to a first-year undergraduate physics laboratory course to encourage a minimum level of student preparation for experiments outside the laboratory environment. A group of 16 and 17 year old laboratory work-experience students were tasked to define and design a pre-laboratory activity based on experiments that they had been undertaking. This informed the structure, content and aims of the activities introduced to a first year physics undergraduate laboratory course, with the particular focus on practising the data handling. An implementation study showed how students could try to optimise high grades, rather than gain efficiency-enhancing experience if careful controls were not put in place by assessors. However, the work demonstrated that pre-university and first-year physics students can take an active role in developing scaffolding activities that can help to improve the performance of those that follow their footsteps.

A Case Study of Online Degree Course Design and Performance of Online Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saul, Robert

2013-01-01

The increasing demand of learners in online higher education courses currently presents a challenge to online course designs in increasing the performance of learners. The online course design process involves many challenges, including a new delivery system, understanding online drivers for success, and an emerging profession of online…

Enhancing the Online Class: Effective Use of Synchronous Interactive Online Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Acosta-Tello, Enid

2015-01-01

The delivery of instruction through an online platform has become more prevalent, popular, and available every year. While students are taking advantage of the convenience provided by online instruction, their instructors are grappling with presenting, in an online format, the depth and richness of academic content without creating long, written…

Modeling a multivariable reactor and on-line model predictive control.

PubMed

Yu, D W; Yu, D L

2005-10-01

A nonlinear first principle model is developed for a laboratory-scaled multivariable chemical reactor rig in this paper and the on-line model predictive control (MPC) is implemented to the rig. The reactor has three variables-temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen with nonlinear dynamics-and is therefore used as a pilot system for the biochemical industry. A nonlinear discrete-time model is derived for each of the three output variables and their model parameters are estimated from the real data using an adaptive optimization method. The developed model is used in a nonlinear MPC scheme. An accurate multistep-ahead prediction is obtained for MPC, where the extended Kalman filter is used to estimate system unknown states. The on-line control is implemented and a satisfactory tracking performance is achieved. The MPC is compared with three decentralized PID controllers and the advantage of the nonlinear MPC over the PID is clearly shown.

Clinical laboratories collaborate to resolve differences in variant interpretations submitted to ClinVar.

PubMed

Harrison, Steven M; Dolinsky, Jill S; Knight Johnson, Amy E; Pesaran, Tina; Azzariti, Danielle R; Bale, Sherri; Chao, Elizabeth C; Das, Soma; Vincent, Lisa; Rehm, Heidi L

2017-10-01

Data sharing through ClinVar offers a unique opportunity to identify interpretation differences between laboratories. As part of a ClinGen initiative, four clinical laboratories (Ambry, GeneDx, Partners Healthcare Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, and University of Chicago Genetic Services Laboratory) collaborated to identify the basis of interpretation differences and to investigate if data sharing and reassessment resolve interpretation differences by analyzing a subset of variants. ClinVar variants with submissions from at least two of the four participating laboratories were compared. For a subset of identified differences, laboratories documented the basis for discordance, shared internal data, independently reassessed with the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics-Association for Molecular Pathology (ACMG-AMP) guidelines, and then compared interpretations. At least two of the participating laboratories interpreted 6,169 variants in ClinVar, of which 88.3% were initially concordant. Laboratories reassessed 242/724 initially discordant variants, of which 87.2% (211) were resolved by reassessment with current criteria and/or internal data sharing; 12.8% (31) of reassessed variants remained discordant owing to differences in the application of the ACMG-AMP guidelines. Participating laboratories increased their overall concordance from 88.3 to 91.7%, indicating that sharing variant interpretations in ClinVar-thereby allowing identification of differences and motivation to resolve those differences-is critical to moving toward more consistent variant interpretations.Genet Med advance online publication 09 March 2017.

Relationship between Online Learning Readiness and Structure and Interaction of Online Learning Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Demir Kaymak, Zeliha; Horzum, Mehmet Baris

2013-01-01

Current study tried to determine whether a relationship exists between readiness levels of the online learning students for online learning and the perceived structure and interaction in online learning environments. In the study, cross sectional survey model was used. The study was conducted with 320 voluntary students studying online learning…

Development and evaluation of an electronic health record configuration and customization laboratory course for clinical informatics students.

PubMed

Mohan, Vishnu; Hersh, William R

2013-01-01

There is a need for informatics educational programs to develop laboratory courses that facilitate hands-on access to an EHR, and allow students to learn and evaluate functionality and configuration options. This is particularly relevant given the diversity of backgrounds of informatics students. We implemented an EHR laboratory course that allowed students to explore an EHR in both inpatient and outpatient clinical environments. The course focused on specific elements of the EHR including order set development, customization, clinical decision support, ancillary services, and billing and coding functionality. Students were surveyed at the end of the course for their satisfaction with the learning experience. We detailed challenges as well as lessons learned after analyzing student evaluations of this course. Features that promote the successful offering of an online EHR course, include (1) using more than one EHR to allow students to compare functionalities, (2) ensuring appropriate course calibration, (3) countering issues specific to EHR usability, and (4) fostering a fertile environment for rich online conversations are discussed.

Using Solar Dynamics Observatory Data in the Classroom to Do Real Science -- A Community College Astronomy Laboratory Investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scherrer, Deborah K.; Hildreth, S.; Lee, S.; Dave, T.; Scherrer, P. H.

2013-07-01

A partnership between Stanford University and Chabot Community College (Hayward, CA) has developed a series of laboratory exercises using SDO (AIA, HMI) data, targeted for community college students in an introductory astronomy lab class. The labs lead students to explore what SDO can do via online resources and videos. Students investigate their chosen solar events, generate their own online videos, prepare their own hypotheses relating to the events, and explore outcomes. Final assessment should be completed by the end of summer 2013. Should the labs prove valuable, they may be adapted for high school use.

The Use of Online Modules and the Effect on Student Outcomes in a High School Chemistry Class

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lamb, Richard L.; Annetta, Len

2013-10-01

The purpose of the study was to review the efficacy of online chemistry simulations in a high school chemistry class and provide discussion of the factors that may affect student learning. The sample consisted of 351 high school students exposed to online simulations. Researchers administered a pretest, intermediate test and posttest to measure chemistry content knowledge acquired during the use of online chemistry laboratory simulations. The authors also analyzed student journal entries as an attitudinal measure of chemistry during the simulation experience. The four analyses conducted were Repeated Time Measures Analysis of Variance, a three-way Analysis of Variance, Logistic Regression and Multiple Analysis of Variance. Each of these analyses provides for a slightly different aspect of factors regarding student attitudes and outcomes. Results indicate that there is a statistically significant main effect across grouping type (experimental versus control, p = 0.042, α = 0.05). Analysis of student journal entries suggests that attitudinal factors may affect student outcomes concerning the use of online supplemental instruction. Implications for this study show that the use of online simulations promotes increased understanding of chemistry content through open-ended and interactive questioning.

What Online Networks Offer: "Online Network Compositions and Online Learning Experiences of Three Ethnic Groups"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lecluijze, Suzanne Elisabeth; de Haan, Mariëtte; Ünlüsoy, Asli

2015-01-01

This exploratory study examines ethno-cultural diversity in youth's narratives regarding their "online" learning experiences while also investigating how these narratives can be understood from the analysis of their online network structure and composition. Based on ego-network data of 79 respondents this study compared the…

Tolerance of sexual harassment: a laboratory paradigm.

PubMed

Angelone, David J; Mitchell, Damon; Carola, Kara

2009-12-01

The present study attempted to develop a laboratory analogue for the study of tolerance for sexual harassment by using an online speed-dating paradigm. In that context, the relation between participants' sexual harassment attitudes, perpetrator attractiveness, perpetrator status, and perceived dating potential of the perpetrator were examined as factors influencing participants' tolerance of sexually harassing behavior. Participants were 128 female college students from a small northeastern public university. Results indicated that attractiveness, high social status, and attitudinal beliefs about sexual harassment were all predictive of tolerance for sexual harassment, providing preliminary support for the validity of this paradigm. In addition, participants' self reported likelihood to date a bogus male dating candidate was also predictive of tolerance for sexual harassment, over and above the aforementioned variables, suggesting that dating potential can play a role in perceptions of sexual harassment. Further, this experiment demonstrated that perceptions of sexual harassment can be assessed using the in vivo measurement of behavior. In addition, using an online environment not only provides a contemporary spin and adds a greater degree of external validity compared to other sexual harassment analogues, it also reduces any risk of potential physical sexual contact for participants.

Using the "Indicators of Engaged Learning Online" Framework to Evaluate Online Course Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bigatel, Paula M.; Edel-Malizia, Stephanie

2018-01-01

This article is a case study of the use of the "Indicators of Engaged Learning Online" (IELO) framework (See Appendix 1) as a guide to evaluate the quality of online courses. The framework lends itself well to measures of engagement, particularly, in terms of online course design because of its comprehensiveness. Six online courses were…

A comparative analysis of traditional and online lab science transfer courses in the rural community college

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scott, Andrea

Through distance learning, the community college system has moved beyond geographical boundaries to serve all students and provide educational opportunities at a distance to individuals previously out of reach of the college community. With the inception of the Mississippi Virtual Community College (MSVCC) in January 2000, Mississippi's public community colleges have experienced unprecedented growth in online enrollments and online course offerings to include the laboratory sciences; however, transfer of online lab science courses are problematic for individuals who wish to gain admittance to Medical, Dental, and Pharmacy schools in Mississippi. Currently online lab science courses are not accepted for transfer for students seeking admission to Mississippi Medical, Dental, or Pharmacy schools. The need for this study, the statement of the problem, and the purpose of the study address transfer issues related to the transfer of online lab science courses in Mississippi and the impact of such on the student and community college. The study also addresses existing doubts regarding online course delivery as a viable method of lab science delivery. The purpose of the study was to investigate differences between online instructional delivery as compared to traditional face-to-face delivery with the following research questions to: (1) Investigate the perception of quality of online courses as compared to traditional face-to-face courses. (2) Investigate the difference in student performance in online transfer lab science courses as compared to student performance in traditional face-to-face lab science courses. The results of this 13 semester study show significant differences in both perception of quality and student performance between online instructional delivery as compared to traditional face-to-face delivery. The findings demonstrate a need for Mississippi Dental, Medical, and Pharmacy schools to reexamine the articulation agreement between IHL and Community and

Going Online the MI Way.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feldt, Jill

This booklet describes online searching using Materials Information, a metallurgy and metals science information service of the Institute of Metals in London and ASM International in Cleveland, Ohio, which is available through the major online vendors. Described in detail are online searching, online databases, costs, online hosts or vendors,…

A novel, optical, on-line bacteria sensor for monitoring drinking water quality

PubMed Central

Højris, Bo; Christensen, Sarah Christine Boesgaard; Albrechtsen, Hans-Jørgen; Smith, Christian; Dahlqvist, Mathis

2016-01-01

Today, microbial drinking water quality is monitored through either time-consuming laboratory methods or indirect on-line measurements. Results are thus either delayed or insufficient to support proactive action. A novel, optical, on-line bacteria sensor with a 10-minute time resolution has been developed. The sensor is based on 3D image recognition, and the obtained pictures are analyzed with algorithms considering 59 quantified image parameters. The sensor counts individual suspended particles and classifies them as either bacteria or abiotic particles. The technology is capable of distinguishing and quantifying bacteria and particles in pure and mixed suspensions, and the quantification correlates with total bacterial counts. Several field applications have demonstrated that the technology can monitor changes in the concentration of bacteria, and is thus well suited for rapid detection of critical conditions such as pollution events in drinking water. PMID:27040142

A novel, optical, on-line bacteria sensor for monitoring drinking water quality.

PubMed

Højris, Bo; Christensen, Sarah Christine Boesgaard; Albrechtsen, Hans-Jørgen; Smith, Christian; Dahlqvist, Mathis

2016-04-04

Today, microbial drinking water quality is monitored through either time-consuming laboratory methods or indirect on-line measurements. Results are thus either delayed or insufficient to support proactive action. A novel, optical, on-line bacteria sensor with a 10-minute time resolution has been developed. The sensor is based on 3D image recognition, and the obtained pictures are analyzed with algorithms considering 59 quantified image parameters. The sensor counts individual suspended particles and classifies them as either bacteria or abiotic particles. The technology is capable of distinguishing and quantifying bacteria and particles in pure and mixed suspensions, and the quantification correlates with total bacterial counts. Several field applications have demonstrated that the technology can monitor changes in the concentration of bacteria, and is thus well suited for rapid detection of critical conditions such as pollution events in drinking water.

The efficacy of World Wide Web-mediated microcomputer-based laboratory activities in the high school physics classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slykhuis, David A.

This research project examined the efficacy of an online microcomputer-based laboratory based (MBL) physics unit. One hundred and fifty physics students from five high schools in North Carolina were divided into online and classroom groups. The classroom group completed the MBL unit in small groups with assistance from their teachers. The online groups completed the MBL unit in small groups using a website designed for this project for guidance. Pre- and post-unit content specific tests and surveys were given. Statistical analysis of the content tests showed significant development of conceptual understanding by the online group over the course of the unit. There was not a significant difference between the classroom and online group with relation to the amount of conceptual understanding developed. Correlations with post-test achievement showed that pre-test scores and math background were the most significant correlates with success. Computer related variables, such as computer comfort and online access, were only mildly correlated with the online group. Students' views about the nature of physics were not well developed prior to the unit and did not significantly change over the course of the unit. Examination of the students' physics conceptions after instruction revealed common alternative conceptions such as confusing position and velocity variables and incorrect interpretations of graphical features such as slope.

Gene Polymorphism Studies in a Teaching Laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shultz, Jeffry

2009-02-01

I present a laboratory procedure for illustrating transcription, post-transcriptional modification, gene conservation, and comparative genetics for use in undergraduate biology education. Students are individually assigned genes in a targeted biochemical pathway, for which they design and test polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers. In this example, students used genes annotated for the steroid biosynthesis pathway in soybean. The authoritative Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) interactive database and other online resources were used to design primers based first on soybean expressed sequence tags (ESTs), then on ESTs from an alternate organism if soybean sequence was unavailable. Students designed a total of 50 gene-based primer pairs (37 soybean, 13 alternative) and tested these for polymorphism state and similarity between two soybean and two pea lines. Student assessment was based on acquisition of laboratory skills and successful project completion. This simple procedure illustrates conservation of genes and is not limited to soybean or pea. Cost per student estimates are included, along with a detailed protocol and flow diagram of the procedure.

Real-time on-line space research laboratory environment monitoring with off-line trend and prediction analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jules, Kenol; Lin, Paul P.

2007-06-01

With the International Space Station currently operational, a significant amount of acceleration data is being down-linked, processed and analyzed daily on the ground on a continuous basis for the space station reduced gravity environment characterization, the vehicle design requirements verification and science data collection. To help understand the impact of the unique spacecraft environment on the science data, an artificial intelligence monitoring system was developed, which detects in near real time any change in the reduced gravity environment susceptible to affect the on-going experiments. Using a dynamic graphical display, the monitoring system allows science teams, at any time and any location, to see the active vibration disturbances, such as pumps, fans, compressor, crew exercise, re-boost and extra-vehicular activities that might impact the reduced gravity environment the experiments are exposed to. The monitoring system can detect both known and unknown vibratory disturbance activities. It can also perform trend analysis and prediction by analyzing past data over many increments (an increment usually lasts 6 months) collected onboard the station for selected disturbances. This feature can be used to monitor the health of onboard mechanical systems to detect and prevent potential systems failures. The monitoring system has two operating modes: online and offline. Both near real-time on-line vibratory disturbance detection and off-line detection and trend analysis are discussed in this paper.

Developing a customised approach for strengthening tuberculosis laboratory quality management systems toward accreditation

PubMed Central

Trollip, Andre; Erni, Donatelle; Kao, Kekeletso

2017-01-01

Background Quality-assured tuberculosis laboratory services are critical to achieve global and national goals for tuberculosis prevention and care. Implementation of a quality management system (QMS) in laboratories leads to improved quality of diagnostic tests and better patient care. The Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA) programme has led to measurable improvements in the QMS of clinical laboratories. However, progress in tuberculosis laboratories has been slower, which may be attributed to the need for a structured tuberculosis-specific approach to implementing QMS. We describe the development and early implementation of the Strengthening Tuberculosis Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (TB SLMTA) programme. Development The TB SLMTA curriculum was developed by customizing the SLMTA curriculum to include specific tools, job aids and supplementary materials specific to the tuberculosis laboratory. The TB SLMTA Harmonized Checklist was developed from the World Health Organisation Regional Office for Africa Stepwise Laboratory Quality Improvement Process Towards Accreditation checklist, and incorporated tuberculosis-specific requirements from the Global Laboratory Initiative Stepwise Process Towards Tuberculosis Laboratory Accreditation online tool. Implementation Four regional training-of-trainers workshops have been conducted since 2013. The TB SLMTA programme has been rolled out in 37 tuberculosis laboratories in 10 countries using the Workshop approach in 32 laboratories in five countries and the Facility-based approach in five tuberculosis laboratories in five countries. Conclusion Lessons learnt from early implementation of TB SLMTA suggest that a structured training and mentoring programme can build a foundation towards further quality improvement in tuberculosis laboratories. Structured mentoring, and institutionalisation of QMS into country programmes, is needed to support tuberculosis laboratories to achieve

Online Facilitation and Motivation in Online MBA Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Kyong-Jee; Lu, Xiaojing; Lee, Seung-hee; Bonk, Curtis J.; Magjuka, Richard J.; Liu, Shijuan; Zhai, Mengyu; Su, Bude; Wise, Alyssa

2004-01-01

Online teaching and learning is making a significant impact on the fabric of higher education. In particular, online MBA programs have seen a rapid rise in student enrollments in recent years while the student enrollments in traditional in-residence MBA programs are in decline (Hayward, 2004; Lorenzo, 2004). This appears to be due, in part, to the…

Purity, adulteration and price of drugs bought on-line versus off-line in the Netherlands.

PubMed

van der Gouwe, Daan; Brunt, Tibor M; van Laar, Margriet; van der Pol, Peggy

2017-04-01

On-line drug markets flourish and consumers have high expectations of on-line quality and drug value. The aim of this study was to (i) describe on-line drug purchases and (ii) compare on-line with off-line purchased drugs regarding purity, adulteration and price. Comparison of laboratory analyses of 32 663 drug consumer samples (stimulants and hallucinogens) purchased between January 2013 and January 2016, 928 of which were bought on-line. The Netherlands. Primary outcome measures were (i) the percentage of samples purchased on-line and (ii) the chemical purity of powders (or dosage per tablet); adulteration; and the price per gram, blotter or tablet of drugs bought on-line compared with drugs bought off-line. The proportion of drug samples purchased on-line increased from 1.4% in 2013 to 4.1% in 2015. The frequency varied widely, from a maximum of 6% for controlled, traditional substances [ecstasy tablets, 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA) powder, amphetamine powder, cocaine powder, 4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine (2C-B) and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD)] to more than a third for new psychoactive substances (NPS) [4-fluoroamphetamine (4-FA), 5/6-(2-aminopropyl)benzofuran (5/6-APB) and methoxetamine (MXE)]. There were no large differences in drug purity, yet small but statistically significant differences were found for 4-FA (on-line 59% versus off-line 52% purity for 4-FA on average, P = 0.001), MDMA powders (45 versus 61% purity for MDMA, P = 0.02), 2C-B tablets (21 versus 10 mg 2C-B/tablet dosage, P = 0.49) and ecstasy tablets (131 versus 121 mg MDMA/tablet dosage, P = 0.05). The proportion of adulterated samples purchased on-line and off-line did not differ, except for 4-FA powder, being less adulterated on-line (χ 2  = 8.3; P < 0.02). Drug prices were mainly higher on-line, ranging for various drugs from 10 to 23% higher than that of drugs purchased off-line (six of 10 substances: P < 0.05). Dutch drug users increasingly

Characteristics of the Effective Online Teaching Faculty: Perspectives of Online University Administrators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Samora, Dina Lee

2013-01-01

The purpose of this explorative qualitative case study was to identify the characteristics online administrators reveal as existing in their most effective, and ineffective online teaching faculty (OTF). By identifying the characteristics of effective OTF, online administrators can develop practices to reduce and avoid the negative effects…

Marketing through Online Leadership to Retain Invisible Customers: Perceptions of Online Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kibiloski, F. Terry.

2012-01-01

This quantitative study examined the relationship between student perceived leadership styles of online university instructors, and the perceived customer satisfaction and retention of online students. Specifically, the four goals of this study were to determine: (a) students' perception of their online instructor's leadership style, (b) if…

Belonging Online: Students' Perceptions of the Value and Efficacy of an Online Learning Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LaPointe, Loralee; Reisetter, Marcy

2008-01-01

The proliferation of online course designs has changed the learning environments for many students and professors. Recommendations for best practice in online course design frequently include maximizing students' online peer connections, with the intention of building a viable, if virtual, online learning community. However, students' responses to…

The EnzymeTracker: an open-source laboratory information management system for sample tracking.

PubMed

Triplet, Thomas; Butler, Gregory

2012-01-26

In many laboratories, researchers store experimental data on their own workstation using spreadsheets. However, this approach poses a number of problems, ranging from sharing issues to inefficient data-mining. Standard spreadsheets are also error-prone, as data do not undergo any validation process. To overcome spreadsheets inherent limitations, a number of proprietary systems have been developed, which laboratories need to pay expensive license fees for. Those costs are usually prohibitive for most laboratories and prevent scientists from benefiting from more sophisticated data management systems. In this paper, we propose the EnzymeTracker, a web-based laboratory information management system for sample tracking, as an open-source and flexible alternative that aims at facilitating entry, mining and sharing of experimental biological data. The EnzymeTracker features online spreadsheets and tools for monitoring numerous experiments conducted by several collaborators to identify and characterize samples. It also provides libraries of shared data such as protocols, and administration tools for data access control using OpenID and user/team management. Our system relies on a database management system for efficient data indexing and management and a user-friendly AJAX interface that can be accessed over the Internet. The EnzymeTracker facilitates data entry by dynamically suggesting entries and providing smart data-mining tools to effectively retrieve data. Our system features a number of tools to visualize and annotate experimental data, and export highly customizable reports. It also supports QR matrix barcoding to facilitate sample tracking. The EnzymeTracker was designed to be easy to use and offers many benefits over spreadsheets, thus presenting the characteristics required to facilitate acceptance by the scientific community. It has been successfully used for 20 months on a daily basis by over 50 scientists. The EnzymeTracker is freely available online at http

The EnzymeTracker: an open-source laboratory information management system for sample tracking

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background In many laboratories, researchers store experimental data on their own workstation using spreadsheets. However, this approach poses a number of problems, ranging from sharing issues to inefficient data-mining. Standard spreadsheets are also error-prone, as data do not undergo any validation process. To overcome spreadsheets inherent limitations, a number of proprietary systems have been developed, which laboratories need to pay expensive license fees for. Those costs are usually prohibitive for most laboratories and prevent scientists from benefiting from more sophisticated data management systems. Results In this paper, we propose the EnzymeTracker, a web-based laboratory information management system for sample tracking, as an open-source and flexible alternative that aims at facilitating entry, mining and sharing of experimental biological data. The EnzymeTracker features online spreadsheets and tools for monitoring numerous experiments conducted by several collaborators to identify and characterize samples. It also provides libraries of shared data such as protocols, and administration tools for data access control using OpenID and user/team management. Our system relies on a database management system for efficient data indexing and management and a user-friendly AJAX interface that can be accessed over the Internet. The EnzymeTracker facilitates data entry by dynamically suggesting entries and providing smart data-mining tools to effectively retrieve data. Our system features a number of tools to visualize and annotate experimental data, and export highly customizable reports. It also supports QR matrix barcoding to facilitate sample tracking. Conclusions The EnzymeTracker was designed to be easy to use and offers many benefits over spreadsheets, thus presenting the characteristics required to facilitate acceptance by the scientific community. It has been successfully used for 20 months on a daily basis by over 50 scientists. The EnzymeTracker is

Health Professionals' Use of Online Information Retrieval Systems and Online Evidence.

PubMed

Lialiou, Paschalina; Pavlopoulou, Ioanna; Mantas, John

2016-01-01

Across-sectional survey was designed to determine health professionals' awareness and usage of online evidence retrieval systems in clinical practice. A questionnaire was used to measure professionals' behavior and utilization of online evidences, as well as, reasons and barriers on information retrieval. 439 nurses and physicians from public and private hospitals in Greece formulate the study's sample. The two most common reasons that individuals are using online information systems were for writing scientific manuscripts or filling a knowledge gap. A positive correlation was found between participants with postgraduate studies and information system usage. The majority of them (90,6%) believe that online information systems improves patient care and 67,6% of them had their own experiences on this. More support is needed to nurses and physicians in order to use the online evidence and as a result to improve the provided care and practices.

Designing online audiovisual heritage services: an empirical study of two comparable online video services

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ongena, G.; van de Wijngaert, L. A. L.; Huizer, E.

2013-03-01

The purpose of this study is to seek input for a new online audiovisual heritage service. In doing so, we assess comparable online video services to gain insights into the motivations and perceptual innovation characteristics of the video services. The research is based on data from a Dutch survey held among 1,939 online video service users. The results show that online video service held overlapping antecedents but does show differences in motivations and in perceived innovation characteristics. Hence, in general, one can state that in comparison, online video services comply with different needs and have differences in perceived innovation characteristics. This implies that one can design online video services for different needs. In addition to scientific implications, the outcomes also provide guidance for practitioners in implementing new online video services.

A Blended Approach to Active Learning in a Physiology Laboratory-Based Subject Facilitated by an e-Learning Component

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dantas, Arianne M.; Kemm, Robert E.

2008-01-01

Learning via online activities (e-learning) was introduced to facilitate existing face-to-face teaching to encourage more effective student preparation and then informed participation in an undergraduate physiology laboratory-based course. Active learning was encouraged by hypothesis formation and predictions prior to classes, with opportunities…

Interpersonal Interaction in Online Learning: Experienced Online Instructors' Perceptions of Influencing Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

York, Cindy S.; Richardson, Jennifer C.

2012-01-01

A multitude of factors influence interpersonal interaction between students and instructors in an online course. This study examines perceptions of six experienced online instructors to determine factors they believe increase interaction among their students and between the students and instructor of online courses. The end result is an inventory…

Suicidal and online: how do online behaviors inform us of this high-risk population?

PubMed

Harris, Keith M; McLean, John P; Sheffield, Jeanie

2014-01-01

To assist suicide prevention we need a better understanding of how suicidal individuals act in their environment, and the online world offers an ideal opportunity to examine daily behaviors. This anonymous survey (N = 1,016) provides first-of-its-kind empirical evidence demonstrating suicide-risk people (n = 290) are unique in their online behaviors. Suicidal users reported more time online, greater likelihood of developing online personal relationships, and greater use of online forums. In addition, suicide-risk women reported more time browsing/surfing and social networking. The authors conclude that suicide prevention efforts should respond to suicide-risk users' greater demands for online interpersonal communications.

HeinOnline: An Online Archive of Law Journals.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marisa, Richard J.

Law is grounded in the past, in the decisions and reasoning of generations of lawyers, judges, juries, and professors. Ready access to this history is vital to solid legal research, and yet, until 2000, much of it was buried in vast collections of aging paper journals. HeinOnline is a new online archive of law journals. Development of HeinOnline…

Online Sexuality Education Pedagogy: Translating Five In-Person Teaching Methods to Online Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Eli R.; Hamarman, Amelia M.; McKee, Ryan W.

2015-01-01

As higher education expands online course offerings, it is essential that sexuality educators strive to translate success from in-person courses into online pedagogy. While many educators remain anxious about, or sceptical of, the benefits of online sexuality education, the popularity of online courses demands engagement if educators are not to…

Building online brand perceptual map.

PubMed

Chiang, I-Ping; Lin, Chih-Ying; Wang, Kaisheng M

2008-10-01

Many companies have launched their products or services online as a new business focus, but only a few of them have survived the competition and made profits. The most important key to an online business's success is to create "brand value" for the customers. Although the concept of online brand has been discussed in previous studies, there is no empirical study on the measurement of online branding. As Web 2.0 emerges to be critical to online branding, the purpose of this study was to measure Taiwan's major Web sites with a number of personality traits to build a perceptual map for online brands. A pretest identified 10 most representative online brand perceptions. The results of the correspondence analysis showed five groups in the perceptual map. This study provided a practical view of the associations and similarities among online brands for potential alliance or branding strategies. The findings also suggested that brand perceptions can be used with identified consumer needs and behaviors to better position online services. The brand perception map in the study also contributed to a better understanding of the online brands in Taiwan.

Strategies for the assessment of competence in laboratory animal science courses.

PubMed

Hansen, Axel Kornerup; Sørensen, Dorte Bratbo

2014-10-01

Evaluation of skills, knowledge and competencies is an essential part of education in laboratory animal science. In Europe, a greater emphasis will be placed on such evaluations going forward, because the European Union will base its education and training framework on learning outcomes rather than on course time and syllabuses, as done previously. The authors present their experiences administering different written, oral and practical examinations for Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science Associations categories B, C and D courses. Examinations can be administered online as well as on campus, if time constraints are provided to compensate for the advantage of being able to use external resources. Overall, students benefit from exposure to multiple types of exams over the course of their education because each type prepares students for different situations.

Traditional Versus Online Biology Courses: Connecting Course Design and Student Learning in an Online Setting

PubMed Central

Biel, Rachel; Brame, Cynthia J.

2016-01-01

Online courses are a large and growing part of the undergraduate education landscape, but many biology instructors are skeptical about the effectiveness of online instruction. We reviewed studies comparing the effectiveness of online and face-to-face (F2F) undergraduate biology courses. Five studies compared student performance in multiple course sections at community colleges, while eight were smaller scale and compared student performance in particular biology courses at a variety of types of institutions. Of the larger-scale studies, two found that students in F2F sections outperformed students in online sections, and three found no significant difference; it should be noted, however, that these studies reported little information about course design. Of the eight smaller scale studies, six found no significant difference in student performance between the F2F and online sections, while two found that the online sections outperformed the F2F sections. In alignment with general findings about online teaching and learning, these results suggest that well-designed online biology courses can be effective at promoting student learning. Three recommendations for effective online instruction in biology are given: the inclusion of an online orientation to acclimate students to the online classroom; student-instructor and student-student interactions facilitated through synchronous and asynchronous communication; and elements that prompt student reflection and self-assessment. We conclude that well-designed online biology courses can be as effective as their traditional counterparts, but that more research is needed to elucidate specific course elements and structures that can maximize online students’ learning of key biology skills and concepts. PMID:28101268

Traditional Versus Online Biology Courses: Connecting Course Design and Student Learning in an Online Setting.

PubMed

Biel, Rachel; Brame, Cynthia J

2016-12-01

Online courses are a large and growing part of the undergraduate education landscape, but many biology instructors are skeptical about the effectiveness of online instruction. We reviewed studies comparing the effectiveness of online and face-to-face (F2F) undergraduate biology courses. Five studies compared student performance in multiple course sections at community colleges, while eight were smaller scale and compared student performance in particular biology courses at a variety of types of institutions. Of the larger-scale studies, two found that students in F2F sections outperformed students in online sections, and three found no significant difference; it should be noted, however, that these studies reported little information about course design. Of the eight smaller scale studies, six found no significant difference in student performance between the F2F and online sections, while two found that the online sections outperformed the F2F sections. In alignment with general findings about online teaching and learning, these results suggest that well-designed online biology courses can be effective at promoting student learning. Three recommendations for effective online instruction in biology are given: the inclusion of an online orientation to acclimate students to the online classroom; student-instructor and student-student interactions facilitated through synchronous and asynchronous communication; and elements that prompt student reflection and self-assessment. We conclude that well-designed online biology courses can be as effective as their traditional counterparts, but that more research is needed to elucidate specific course elements and structures that can maximize online students' learning of key biology skills and concepts.

Being Online: Social Presence as Subjectivity in Online Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kehrwald, Benjamin

2010-01-01

This article discusses the relationship between social presence and subjectivity in online learning environments. Drawing from views of subjectivity synthesised by de Sousa and an exploratory study into online social presence (by Kehrwald), the presentation identifies the links between various forms of subjectivity and the operation of social…

Statistical properties of online avatar numbers in a massive multiplayer online role-playing game

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Zhi-Qiang; Ren, Fei; Gu, Gao-Feng; Tan, Qun-Zhao; Zhou, Wei-Xing

2010-02-01

Massive multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) have been very popular in the past few years. The profit of an MMORPG company is proportional to how many users registered, and the instant number of online avatars is a key factor to assess how popular an MMORPG is. We use the online-offline logs on an MMORPG server to reconstruct the instant number of online avatars per second and investigate its statistical properties. We find that the online avatar number exhibits one-day periodic behavior and clear intraday pattern, the fluctuation distribution of the online avatar numbers has a leptokurtic non-Gaussian shape with power-law tails, and the increments of online avatar numbers after removing the intraday pattern are uncorrelated and the associated absolute values have long-term correlation. In addition, both time series exhibit multifractal nature.

Online terahertz thickness measurement in films and coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duling, Irl N.; White, Jeffrey S.

2017-02-01

Pulsed terahertz systems are currently being deployed for online process control and quality control of multi-layered products for use in the building products and aerospace industries. While many laboratory applications of terahertz can allow waveforms to be acquired at rates of 1 - 40 Hz, online applications require measurement rates of in excess of 100Hz. The existing technologies of thickness measurement (nuclear, x-ray, or laser gauges) have rates between 100 and 1000 Hz. At these rates, the single waveform bandwidth must still remain at 2THz or above to allow thinner layers to be measured. In the applications where terahertz can provide unique capability (e.g. multi-layer thickness, delamination, density) long-term stability must be guaranteed within the tolerance required by the measurement. This can mean multi-day stability of less than a micron. The software that runs on these systems must be flexible enough to allow multiple product configurations, while maintaining the simplicity required by plant operators. The final requirement is to have systems that can withstand the environmental conditions of the measurement. This might mean qualification in explosive environments, or operation in hot, wet or dusty environments. All of these requirements can put restrictions on not only the voltage of electronic circuitry used, but also the wavelength and optical power used for the transmitter and receiver. The application of terahertz systems to online process control presents unique challenges that not only effect the physical design of the system, but can also effect the choices made on the terahertz technology itself.

Online use statistics.

PubMed

Tannery, Nancy Hrinya; Silverman, Deborah L; Epstein, Barbara A

2002-01-01

Online use statistics can provide libraries with a tool to be used when developing an online collection of resources. Statistics can provide information on overall use of a collection, individual print and electronic journal use, and collection use by specific user populations. They can also be used to determine the number of user licenses to purchase. This paper focuses on the issue of use statistics made available for one collection of online resources.

Predictors of unwanted exposure to online pornography and online sexual solicitation of youth.

PubMed

Chang, Fong-Ching; Chiu, Chiung-Hui; Miao, Nae-Fang; Chen, Ping-Hung; Lee, Ching-Mei; Chiang, Jeng-Tung

2016-06-01

This study examined factors associated with the unwanted exposure to online pornography and unwanted online sexual solicitation victimization and perpetration of youth in Taiwan. A total of 2315 students from 26 high schools were assessed in the 10th grade, with follow-up performed in the 11th grade. Self-administered questionnaires were collected. Multivariate analysis results indicated that higher levels of online game use, pornography media exposure, Internet risk behaviors, depression, and cyberbullying experiences predicted online sexual solicitation victimization, while higher levels of Internet chat room use, pornography media exposure, Internet risk behaviors, cyberbullying experiences, and offline sexual harassment predicted online sexual solicitation perpetration. © The Author(s) 2014.

Students' Perceptions of Online Courses: The Effect of Online Course Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dobbs, Rhonda R.; Waid-Lindberg, Courtney A.; del Carmen, Alejandro

2017-01-01

While online learning is nothing new, research regarding student perceptions of online courses is limited and has generally focused on those who have taken online courses. Data were collected from 180 students taking criminal justice courses on campus at a large 4-year university in the Southwest and 100 students taking criminal justice courses in…

Laboratory Evaluation of Light Obscuration Particle Counters used to Establish use Limits for Aviation Fuel

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-01

markings are indicated, follow agency authorization procedures , e.g. RD/FRD, PROPIN, ITAR, etc. Include copyright information. 13. SUPPLEMENTARY...Contamination in Distillate Fuels (Visual Inspection Procedures ), as a final check of fuel to ensure aviation fuel is clear and bright before flight...Laboratories at the Detroit Arsenal. The online procedure for evaluating the light obscuration particle counters was modified from the concepts found

Instructional Principles for Online Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Shujen L.

2004-01-01

Four instructional principles for alleviating cognitive overload in online learning are suggested: 1) Guide learners to prepare and maintain an effective workstation for accessing online materials, 2) Employ advance organizers for effective online navigation, 3) Arrange instructional materials for easy online manipulation, and 4) Organize…

The Online Underworld.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scrogan, Len

1988-01-01

Discusses some of the misuses of telecommunicating using school computers, including online piracy, hacking, phreaking, online crime, and destruction boards. Suggests ways that schools can deal with these problems. (TW)

Developing a Virtual Rock Deformation Laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, W.; Ougier-simonin, A.; Lisabeth, H. P.; Banker, J. S.

2012-12-01

addition, some web based data collection tools are available to collect student feedback and opinions on their learning experience. The virtual laboratory is designed to be an online education tool that facilitates interactive learning.; Virtual Deformation Laboratory

An electronic thesaurus of Evidence Based Laboratory Medicine hematological and biochemical diagnostic tests.

PubMed

Dorizzi, R M; Maconi, M; Giavarina, D; Loza, G; Aman, M; Moreira, J; Bisoffi, Z; Gennuso, C

2009-10-01

The adoption of Evidence Based Laboratory Medicine (EBLM) has been hampered until today by the lack of effective tools. The SIMeL EBLM e-Thesaurus (on-line Repertoire of the diagnostic effectiveness of the laboratory, radiology and cardiology test) provides a useful support to clinical laboratory professionals and to clinicians for the interpretation of the diagnostic tests. The e-Thesaurus is an application developed using Microsoft Active Server Pages technology and carried out with Web Server Microsoft Internet Information Server and is available at the SIMeL website using a browser running JavaScript scripts (Internet Explorer is recommended). It contains a database (in Italian, English and Spanish) of the sensitivity and specificity (including the 95% confidence interval), the positive and negative likelihood ratios, the Diagnostic Odds Ratio and the Number Needed to Diagnose of more than 2000 diagnostic (most laboratory but also cardiology and radiology) tests. The e-Thesaurus improves the previous SIMeL paper and CD Thesaurus; its main features are a three languages search and a continuous and an easy updating capability.

Brain Activation in Motor Sequence Learning Is Related to the Level of Native Cortical Excitability

PubMed Central

Lissek, Silke; Vallana, Guido S.; Güntürkün, Onur; Dinse, Hubert; Tegenthoff, Martin

2013-01-01

Cortical excitability may be subject to changes through training and learning. Motor training can increase cortical excitability in motor cortex, and facilitation of motor cortical excitability has been shown to be positively correlated with improvements in performance in simple motor tasks. Thus cortical excitability may tentatively be considered as a marker of learning and use-dependent plasticity. Previous studies focused on changes in cortical excitability brought about by learning processes, however, the relation between native levels of cortical excitability on the one hand and brain activation and behavioral parameters on the other is as yet unknown. In the present study we investigated the role of differential native motor cortical excitability for learning a motor sequencing task with regard to post-training changes in excitability, behavioral performance and involvement of brain regions. Our motor task required our participants to reproduce and improvise over a pre-learned motor sequence. Over both task conditions, participants with low cortical excitability (CElo) showed significantly higher BOLD activation in task-relevant brain regions than participants with high cortical excitability (CEhi). In contrast, CElo and CEhi groups did not exhibit differences in percentage of correct responses and improvisation level. Moreover, cortical excitability did not change significantly after learning and training in either group, with the exception of a significant decrease in facilitatory excitability in the CEhi group. The present data suggest that the native, unmanipulated level of cortical excitability is related to brain activation intensity, but not to performance quality. The higher BOLD mean signal intensity during the motor task might reflect a compensatory mechanism in CElo participants. PMID:23613956

Towards a robust BCI: error potentials and online learning.

PubMed

Buttfield, Anna; Ferrez, Pierre W; Millán, José del R

2006-06-01

Recent advances in the field of brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) have shown that BCIs have the potential to provide a powerful new channel of communication, completely independent of muscular and nervous systems. However, while there have been successful laboratory demonstrations, there are still issues that need to be addressed before BCIs can be used by nonexperts outside the laboratory. At IDIAP Research Institute, we have been investigating several areas that we believe will allow us to improve the robustness, flexibility, and reliability of BCIs. One area is recognition of cognitive error states, that is, identifying errors through the brain's reaction to mistakes. The production of these error potentials (ErrP) in reaction to an error made by the user is well established. We have extended this work by identifying a similar but distinct ErrP that is generated in response to an error made by the interface, (a misinterpretation of a command that the user has given). This ErrP can be satisfactorily identified in single trials and can be demonstrated to improve the theoretical performance of a BCI. A second area of research is online adaptation of the classifier. BCI signals change over time, both between sessions and within a single session, due to a number of factors. This means that a classifier trained on data from a previous session will probably not be optimal for a new session. In this paper, we present preliminary results from our investigations into supervised online learning that can be applied in the initial training phase. We also discuss the future direction of this research, including the combination of these two currently separate issues to create a potentially very powerful BCI.

Conflict management in online relationships.

PubMed

Ishii, Kumi

2010-08-01

With the diffusion of networked technology, personal relationships can be easily formed and maintained online today. Similar to a face-to-face situation, conflict is also seen in these online relationships. Early theories suggested that computer-mediated communication (CMC) tends to increase conflicts because of the lack of social-context cues, and CMC is not rich enough to manage conflict. As CMC has become part of our daily life, we often face conflict online, and thus we need to understand how people manage conflict online. This study explored how online users manage interpersonal conflict. Self-report survey data from 159 university students were analyzed to examine their conflict-management styles in association with the perceived closeness of the online relationship and a future intention toward the relationship. The results indicated that online users select cooperative management styles to handle conflict in their close relationships. In addition, online users avoid less cooperative styles when they want to continue the relationship.

Attitudes toward buying online as predictors of shopping online for British and American respondents.

PubMed

Yang, Bijou; Lester, David; James, Simon

2007-04-01

This study compared the attitudes toward online shopping of British and American individuals. Using a sample of 327 British and American university students, the British respondents were found to have less favorable attitudes toward online shopping. Attitudes toward online shopping were found to be significant predictors of making online purchases. The implications of these results were discussed and suggestions made for future research.

On-line IR analyzer system to monitor cephamycin C loading on ion-exchange resin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shank, Sheldon; Russ, Warren; Gravatt, Douglas; Lee, Wesley; Donahue, Steven M.

1992-08-01

An on-line infrared analyzer is being developed for monitoring cephamycin C loading on ion exchange resin. Accurate measurement of product loading offers productivity improvements with direct savings from product loss avoidance, minimized raw material cost, and reduced off-line laboratory testing. Ultrafiltered fermentation broth is fed onto ion exchange columns under conditions which adsorb the product, cephamycin C, to the resin while allowing impurities to pass unretained. Product loading is stopped when the on-line analyzer determines that resin capacity for adsorbing product is nearly exhausted. Infrared spectroscopy has been shown capable of quantifying cephamycin C in the process matrix at concentrations that support process control decisions. Process-to-analyzer interface challenges have been resolved, including sample conditioning requirements. Analyzer requirements have been defined. The sample conditioning station is under design.

a Study of the Interferences with the On-Line Radioiodine Measurement Under Nuclear Accident Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tseng, Tung-Tse

In this research the interferences with the on -line detection of radioiodines, under nuclear accident conditions, were studied. The special tool employed for this research is the developed on-line radioiodine monitor (the Penn State Radioiodine Monitor), which is capable of detecting low levels of radioiodine on-line in air containing orders of magnitude higher levels of radioactive noble gases. Most of the data reported in this thesis were collected during a series of experiments called "Source -Term Experiment Program (STEP)." The experiments were conducted at the Argonne National Laboratory's TREAT reactor located at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL). In these tests, fission products were released from the Light Water Reactor (LWR) test fuels as a result of simulating a reactor accident. The Penn State Monitor was then used to sample the fission products accumulated in a large container which simulated the reactor containment building. The test results proved that the Penn State Monitor was not affected significantly by the passage of large amounts of noble gases through the system. Also, it confirmed the predicted results that the operation of conventional on-line radioiodine detectors would, under nuclear accident conditions, be seriously impaired by the passage of high concentrations of radioactive noble gases through such systems. This work also demonstrated that under conditions of high noble gas concentrations and low radioiodine concentrations, the formation of noble-gas-decayed alkali metals can seriously interfere with the on-line detection of radioiodine, especially during the 24 hours immediately after the accident. The decayed alkali metal particulates were also found to be much more penetrating than the ordinary type of particulates, since a large fraction (15%) of the particulates were found to penetrate through the commonly used High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter (rated >99.97% for 0.3 (mu)m particulate). Also, a

DOT Online Database

Science.gov Websites

site requires that JavaScript is enabled in order to function properly. Online Digital Special Collections Welcome to Online Digital Special Collections of interest to Department of Transportation (DOT

The use of online word of mouth opinion in online learning: a questionnaire survey.

PubMed

Sandars, John; Walsh, Kieran

2009-04-01

There is increasing use of online word of mouth opinion (user feedback) systems for general services but its use in online learning has not been previously investigated. To understand why users of BMJ Learning provide and read word of mouth feedback, and whether this feedback influences uptake of modules by prospective users. Online questionnaire of users of BMJ Learning who had completed online user feedback. 109 questionnaires were completed (response rate 25%). The main motivation to contribute was to influence the authors of the module (66%), and 43% stated that they wanted to help other users to make an informed choice. 16% stated that they wanted to develop an online community of learners. The main motivation to read the user feedback was to see if they agreed with the comments (56%). Online word of mouth opinion (user feedback) appears to be useful for online learners. There are also system design considerations since the attempt to create an online community of learners that is desired by some users will not be appreciated by others. Further research with a larger number of users is recommended to confirm the findings.

Assessment of pollutant load emission from combined sewer overflows based on the online monitoring.

PubMed

Brzezińska, Agnieszka; Zawilski, Marek; Sakson, Grażyna

2016-09-01

Cities equipped with combined sewer systems discharge during wet weather a lot of pollutants into receiving waters by combined storm overflows (CSOs). According to the Polish legislation, CSOs should be activated no more than ten times per year, but in Lodz, most of the 18 existing CSOs operate much more frequently. To assess the pollutant load emitted by one of the existing CSOs, the sensors for measuring the concentration of total suspended solids (SOLITAX sc) and dissolved chemical oxygen demand (UVAS plus) installed in the overflow chamber as well as two flowmeters placed in the outflow sewer were used. In order to check the data from sensors, laboratory tests of combined wastewater quality were conducted simultaneously. For the analysis of the total pollutant load emitted from the overflow, the raw data was denoised using the Savitzky-Golay method. Comparing the load calculated from the analytical results to online smoothed measurements, negligible differences were found, which confirms the usefulness of applying the sensors in the combined sewer system. Online monitoring of the quantity and quality of wastewater emitted by the combined sewer overflows to water receivers, provides a considerable amount of data very useful for combined sewerage upgrading based on computer modelling, and allows for a significant reduction of laboratory analysis.

Relationships of online exhaled, offline exhaled, and ambient nitric oxide in an epidemiologic survey of schoolchildren.

PubMed

Linn, William S; Berhane, Kiros T; Rappaport, Edward B; Bastain, Tracy M; Avol, Edward L; Gilliland, Frank D

2009-11-01

Field measurements of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and ambient nitric oxide (NO) are useful to assess both respiratory health and short-term air pollution exposure. Online real-time measurement maximizes data quality and comparability with clinical studies, but offline delayed measurement may be more practical for large epidemiological studies. To facilitate cross-comparison in larger studies, we measured FeNO and concurrent ambient NO both online and offline in 362 children at 14 schools in 8 Southern California communities. Offline breath samples were collected in bags at 100 ml/s expiratory flow with deadspace discard; online FeNO was measured at 50 ml/s. Scrubbing of ambient NO from inhaled air appeared to be nearly 100% effective online, but 50-75% effective offline. Offline samples were stored at 2-8 degrees C and analyzed 2-26 h later at a central laboratory. Offline and online FeNO showed a nearly (but not completely) linear relationship (R(2)=0.90); unadjusted means (ranges) were 10 (4-94) and 15 (3-181) p.p.b., respectively. Ambient NO concentration range was 0-212 p.p.b. Offline FeNO was positively related to ambient NO (r=0.30, P<0.0001), unlike online FeNO (r=0.09, P=0.08), indicating that ambient NO artifactually influenced offline measurements. Offline FeNO differed between schools (P<0.001); online FeNO did not (P=0.26), suggesting artifacts related to offline bag storage and transport. Artifact effects were small in comparison with between-subject variance of FeNO. An empirical statistical model predicting individual online FeNO from offline FeNO, ambient NO, and lag time before offline analysis gave R(2)=0.94. Analyses of school or age differences yielded similar results from measured or model-predicted online FeNO. Either online or offline measurement of exhaled NO and concurrent ambient NO can be useful in field epidemiology. Influence of ambient NO on exhaled NO should be examined carefully, particularly for offline measurements.

Reflectors as Online Extraverts?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Downing, Kevin; Chim, Tat Mei

2004-01-01

Increasingly, online learning is perceived as an effective method of instruction. Much recent educational research has focused on examining the purposes and situations for which online education is best suited. In this paper, students enrolled in two online courses are compared with their peers enrolled in equivalent classroom-based courses to…

Developing Online Doctoral Programmes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chipere, Ngoni

2015-01-01

The objectives of the study were to identify best practices in online doctoral programming and to synthesise these practices into a framework for developing online doctoral programmes. The field of online doctoral studies is nascent and presents challenges for conventional forms of literature review. The literature was therefore reviewed using a…

Diffractive optical element-based glossmeter for the on-line measurement of normal reflectance on a printed porous coated paper

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oksman, Antti; Kuivalainen, Kalle; Ta˚G, Carl-Mikael; Juuti, Mikko; Mattila, Rauno; Hietala, Eero; Gane, Patrick A. C.; Peiponen, Kai-Erik

2011-04-01

Gloss of a product, such as print gloss, is mainly inspected with conventional white light glossmeters both at laboratory or production facilities. However, problems occur in conventional gloss measurement when the inspected surface is vertically moved in the plane of incidence and reflection or when the measurement area is small or curved. For a partial solution to these problems, we have previously introduced diffractive optical element-based glossmeters (DOGs) for the gloss inspection in laboratories and off-line use. We present a new construction of DOG, termed μDOG 1D, for the one-dimensional on-line print gloss measurement, in the form of the reflectance determination normal to the surface. The function of the glossmeter is demonstrated by laboratory tests and on-line measurements at a heat-set web offset printing machine. It is shown that gloss (i.e., normal reflectance) and minute gloss variation of papers and prints can be measured at the printing line using the glossmeter. This glossmeter is expected to be useful in real-time monitoring of the gloss and surface-specific absorption not only in the printing industry but also in inspection of products in other industrial sectors, such as metal finishing, laminating, paper, and construction materials manufacturing.

The Online Learning Definitions Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

International Association for K-12 Online Learning, 2011

2011-01-01

The mission of the International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL) is to ensure all students have access to a world-class education and quality online learning opportunities that prepare them for a lifetime of success. "The Online Learning Definitions Project" is designed to provide states, districts, online programs, and…

Autonomy Support for Online Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Eunbae; Pate, Joseph A.; Cozart, Deanna

2015-01-01

Despite the rapid growth of online learning in higher education, the dropout rates for online courses has reached 50 percent. Lack of student engagement rank as a critical reason for frequent online course dropout. This article discusses autonomy support as a strategy to enhance online students' intrinsic motivation and engagement. Drawing from…

Online Heterogeneous Transfer by Hedge Ensemble of Offline and Online Decisions.

PubMed

Yan, Yuguang; Wu, Qingyao; Tan, Mingkui; Ng, Michael K; Min, Huaqing; Tsang, Ivor W

2017-10-10

In this paper, we study the online heterogeneous transfer (OHT) learning problem, where the target data of interest arrive in an online manner, while the source data and auxiliary co-occurrence data are from offline sources and can be easily annotated. OHT is very challenging, since the feature spaces of the source and target domains are different. To address this, we propose a novel technique called OHT by hedge ensemble by exploiting both offline knowledge and online knowledge of different domains. To this end, we build an offline decision function based on a heterogeneous similarity that is constructed using labeled source data and unlabeled auxiliary co-occurrence data. After that, an online decision function is learned from the target data. Last, we employ a hedge weighting strategy to combine the offline and online decision functions to exploit knowledge from the source and target domains of different feature spaces. We also provide a theoretical analysis regarding the mistake bounds of the proposed approach. Comprehensive experiments on three real-world data sets demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed technique.

Online Data Collection.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Topp, Neal W.; Pawloski, Bob

2002-01-01

Describes the eventful history of online data collection and presents a review of current literature following by a list of pros and cons to be considered when stepping into online surveying. (Contains 14 references.) (Author/YDS)

Approaches to Teaching Online: Exploring Factors Influencing Teachers in a Fully Online University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Badia, Antoni; Garcia, Consuelo; Meneses, Julio

2017-01-01

In recent years there has been widespread interest in the implementation of online courses in universities. While most studies about online learning environments primarily focus on technology-related issues or instructional methods, little attention has been given to online teachers and their teaching approaches. The aim of this paper is to…

An Online High School "Shepherding" Program: Teacher Roles and Experiences Mentoring Online Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drysdale, Jeffery S.; Graham, Charles R.; Borup, Jered

2014-01-01

Several online programs use on-site facilitators to create a stronger sense of community and reduce student dropout. However, very little research addresses how programs that are fully online can provide their students with comparable support. Using K-12 online research, this case study analyzed a "shepherding program" at Mountain…

The Anatomy of Online Offerings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoskins, Barbara J.

2014-01-01

The perceptions about online teaching and learning are frequently different from the reality. Some students say they expected the online course to be easier than the traditional face-to-face course and are surprised by the rigor, while skeptics decry the quality of online offerings since students cannot possibly learn as well online as they do in…

Adolescent online cyberbullying in Greece: the impact of parental online security practices, bonding, and online impulsiveness.

PubMed

Floros, Georgios D; Siomos, Konstantinos E; Fisoun, Virginia; Dafouli, Evaggelia; Geroukalis, Dimitrios

2013-06-01

The introduction of new technological media worldwide has had a number of unfortunate side effects for some adolescents, including cases of bullying others through the new media (cyberbullying) and over-involvement to the point of addiction. We examine the epidemiology of cyberbullying in a Greek setting, compare it with earlier data, determine the impact of any related psychosocial factors, and propose measures to combat the phenomenon. A cross-sectional study of the entire adolescent high-school student population of the island of Kos examined the relationship between their experiences of Internet cyberbullying and respective parental characteristics, including aspects of psychological bonding and online security measures. The sample consisted of 2017 students (51.8% boys, 48.2% girls). Comparisons are made with results obtained from an earlier survey in the same setting, 2 years earlier. There was a significant rise in reported experiences of Internet cyberbullying over the 2-year period. Security practices exercised by parents had a protective role with regards to whether a child had been cyberbullied, yet failed to prevent the perpetration of online victimization. A regression model indicated that impulsive use of the Internet and related online activities were predictive of whether an adolescent victimized others online. Cyberbullying frequency with regards to both victims and victimizers was high and associated with online impulsiveness, pointing to the possible existence of some commonalities. Further research is necessary to ascertain common underlying psychological factors and neurobiology. © 2013, American School Health Association.

Online Training in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuzic, Joze

2013-01-01

On-line training is becoming an interesting phenomenon in Australia and has attracted a lot of interest across many industries and businesses (Chan and Ngai, 2007). The research reported here looks at the use of online training in corporations in Australia. It focuses on two aspects of online training, the factors that "warrant" its…

Implementing Online Physical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mohnsen, Bonnie

2012-01-01

Online physical education, although seemingly an oxymoron, appears to be the wave of the future at least for some students. The purpose of this article is to explore research and options for online learning in physical education and to examine a curriculum, assessment, and instructional model for online learning. The article examines how physical…

Experienced Online Instructors: Beliefs and Preferred Supports Regarding Online Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGee, Patricia; Windes, Deborah; Torres, Maria

2017-01-01

While online courses are becoming a mainstay of college course offerings administrators, staff, instructors and students have different perceptions about how online courses should work. While faculty members are expert in their discipline and institutions provide support for acquiring content expertise, how instructors develop skills in online…

Designing testing service at baristand industri Medan’s liquid waste laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kusumawaty, Dewi; Napitupulu, Humala L.; Sembiring, Meilita T.

2018-03-01

Baristand Industri Medan is a technical implementation unit under the Industrial and Research and Development Agency, the Ministry of Industry. One of the services often used in Baristand Industri Medan is liquid waste testing service. The company set the standard of service is nine working days for testing services. At 2015, 89.66% on testing services liquid waste does not meet the specified standard of services company because of many samples accumulated. The purpose of this research is designing online services to schedule the coming the liquid waste sample. The method used is designing an information system that consists of model design, output design, input design, database design and technology design. The results of designing information system of testing liquid waste online consist of three pages are pages to the customer, the recipient samples and laboratory. From the simulation results with scheduled samples, then the standard services a minimum of nine working days can be reached.

Creating and Teaching a Web-Based, University-Level Introductory Chemistry Course that Incorporates Laboratory Exercises and Active Learning Pedagogies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phipps, Linda R.

2013-01-01

An introductory, nonscience-majors chemistry course was converted to a Web-based course. The differences in student populations, teaching strategies, laboratory methods, and learning outcomes are described. Practical information is also given on the use of software and other online technology to implement course conversion. (Contains 2 tables.)

Exploring physics students' engagement with online instructional videos in an introductory mechanics course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Shih-Yin; Aiken, John M.; Seaton, Daniel T.; Douglas, Scott S.; Greco, Edwin F.; Thoms, Brian D.; Schatz, Michael F.

2017-12-01

The advent of new educational technologies has stimulated interest in using online videos to deliver content in university courses. We examined student engagement with 78 online videos that we created and were incorporated into a one-semester flipped introductory mechanics course at the Georgia Institute of Technology. We found that students were more engaged with videos that supported laboratory activities than with videos that presented lecture content. In particular, the percentage of students accessing laboratory videos was consistently greater than 80% throughout the semester. On the other hand, the percentage of students accessing lecture videos dropped to less than 40% by the end of the term. Moreover, the fraction of students accessing the entirety of a video decreases when videos become longer in length, and this trend is more prominent for the lecture videos than the laboratory videos. The results suggest that students may access videos based on perceived value: students appear to consider the laboratory videos as essential for successfully completing the laboratories while they appear to consider the lecture videos as something more akin to supplemental material. In this study, we also found that there was little correlation between student engagement with the videos and their incoming background. There was also little correlation found between student engagement with the videos and their performance in the course. An examination of the in-video content suggests that students engaged more with concrete information that is explicitly required for assignment completion (e.g., actions required to complete laboratory work, or formulas or mathematical expressions needed to solve particular problems) and less with content that is considered more conceptual in nature. It was also found that students' in-video accesses usually increased toward the embedded interaction points. However, students did not necessarily access the follow-up discussion of these

Instructional Strategies and Course Design for Teaching Statistics Online: Perspectives from Online Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Dazhi

2017-01-01

Background: Teaching online is a different experience from that of teaching in a face-to-face setting. Knowledge and skills developed for teaching face-to-face classes are not adequate preparation for teaching online. It is even more challenging to teach science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) courses completely online because these…

Web Delivery of Interactive Laboratories: Comparison of Three Authoring Tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silbar, Richard R.

2002-04-01

It is well-known that the more a student interacts with a subject, the better he or she will learn it. This is particularly true in technical subjects. One way to do this is to have computer-based "laboratories" in which the student manipulates objects on the screen with keyboard or mouse and then sees the outcome of those actions. One example of such a laboratory we have built, using Macromedia's Authorware, deals with addition of two vectors in the geometric approach. The problem with Authorware, however, is that, if one wants to deliver the training over the Web, that requires the download and installation of a big plug-in. Therefore, as an experiment, I built clones of the Vector Addition Laboratory using Macromedia's Director or Flash, each of which have smaller plug-ins which are often already installed in the user's browser. The Director and Flash versions are similar to (but definitely not the same as) the Authorware version. This talk goes into these differences and demonstrates the techniques used. You can view the three examples on-line at http://www.whistlesoft.com/ silbar.

International online support to process optimisation and operation decisions.

PubMed

Onnerth, T B; Eriksson, J

2002-01-01

The information level at all technical facilities has developed from almost nothing 30-40 years ago to advanced IT--Information Technology--systems based on both chemical and mechanical on-line sensors for process and equipment. Still the basic part of information is to get the right data at the right time for the decision to be made. Today a large amount of operational data is available at almost any European wastewater treatment plant, from laboratory and SCADA. The difficult part is to determine which data to keep, which to use in calculations and how and where to make data available. With the STARcontrol system it is possible to separate only process relevant data to use for on-line control and reporting at engineering level, to optimise operation. Furthermore, the use of IT makes it possible to communicate internationally, with full access to the whole amount of data on the single plant. In this way, expert supervision can be both very local in local language e.g. Polish and at the same time very professional with Danish experts advising on Danish processes in Poland or Sweden where some of the 12 STARcontrol systems are running.

Customer satisfaction survey with clinical laboratory and phlebotomy services at a tertiary care unit level.

PubMed

Koh, Young Rae; Kim, Shine Young; Kim, In Suk; Chang, Chulhun L; Lee, Eun Yup; Son, Han Chul; Kim, Hyung Hoi

2014-09-01

We performed customer satisfaction surveys for physicians and nurses regarding clinical laboratory services, and for outpatients who used phlebotomy services at a tertiary care unit level to evaluate our clinical laboratory and phlebotomy services. Thus, we wish to share our experiences with the customer satisfaction survey for clinical laboratory and phlebotomy services. Board members of our laboratory designed a study procedure and study population, and developed two types of questionnaire. A satisfaction survey for clinical laboratory services was conducted with 370 physicians and 125 nurses by using an online or paper questionnaire. The satisfaction survey for phlebotomy services was performed with 347 outpatients who received phlebotomy services by using computer-aided interviews. Mean satisfaction scores of physicians and nurses was 58.1, while outpatients' satisfaction score was 70.5. We identified several dissatisfactions with our clinical laboratory and phlebotomy services. First, physicians and nurses were most dissatisfied with the specimen collection and delivery process. Second, physicians and nurses were dissatisfied with phlebotomy services. Third, molecular genetic and cytogenetic tests were found more expensive than other tests. This study is significant in that it describes the first reference survey that offers a survey procedure and questionnaire to assess customer satisfaction with clinical laboratory and phlebotomy services at a tertiary care unit level.

Customer Satisfaction Survey With Clinical Laboratory and Phlebotomy Services at a Tertiary Care Unit Level

PubMed Central

Koh, Young Rae; Kim, Shine Young; Kim, In Suk; Chang, Chulhun L.; Lee, Eun Yup; Son, Han Chul

2014-01-01

We performed customer satisfaction surveys for physicians and nurses regarding clinical laboratory services, and for outpatients who used phlebotomy services at a tertiary care unit level to evaluate our clinical laboratory and phlebotomy services. Thus, we wish to share our experiences with the customer satisfaction survey for clinical laboratory and phlebotomy services. Board members of our laboratory designed a study procedure and study population, and developed two types of questionnaire. A satisfaction survey for clinical laboratory services was conducted with 370 physicians and 125 nurses by using an online or paper questionnaire. The satisfaction survey for phlebotomy services was performed with 347 outpatients who received phlebotomy services by using computer-aided interviews. Mean satisfaction scores of physicians and nurses was 58.1, while outpatients' satisfaction score was 70.5. We identified several dissatisfactions with our clinical laboratory and phlebotomy services. First, physicians and nurses were most dissatisfied with the specimen collection and delivery process. Second, physicians and nurses were dissatisfied with phlebotomy services. Third, molecular genetic and cytogenetic tests were found more expensive than other tests. This study is significant in that it describes the first reference survey that offers a survey procedure and questionnaire to assess customer satisfaction with clinical laboratory and phlebotomy services at a tertiary care unit level. PMID:25187892

Should I take this course online?

PubMed

O'Neil, Carol; Fisher, Cheryl

2008-02-01

As the number of online nursing courses increases, students are faced with the daunting question, "Should I take this course online?" Although online courses are convenient, convenience should not be the sole factor for making this decision. Students and their advisors should discuss the characteristics of successful online students before deciding to take a course online. A study was conducted in which the same face-to-face and online version of a course were compared using Ragan's framework. The results of the study describe characteristics that can serve as useful criteria for predicting student success in an online course.

Neurosecretory Cell Types and Distribution in Unfed Female Hyalomma Dromedari (Acari: Ixodoidea: Ixodidae) Synganglion

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-01-01

of the cell in subtype VIh (Fig. 2). Type IX : In these oval celo, 2 subtypes are distinguished according to cell size and NSG distribution. The NSG...1977) : Neurosecretion in Ornithodoros savignyi (Audouin) (Ixodoidea : Arga- sidae ). The distribution of neurosecretory cells in the brain. J. Vet. Res

Using Infiniscope Exploratory Activities in an Online Astronomy Lab Course for Non-Science Majors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knierman, Karen; Anbar, Ariel; Tamer, A. Joseph; Hunsley, Diana; Young, Patrick A.; Center for Education Through eXploration

2018-01-01

With the growth of online astronomy courses, it has become necessary to design different strategies for students to engage meaningfully with astronomy content. In contrast to some of the previously designed “cookbook”-style lab exercises, the strategy of these Infiniscope activities is to provide an experience where the students explore and discover the content for themselves. The Infiniscope project was created by ASU’s School of Earth and Space Exploration and NASA’s Science Mission Directorate as part of the NASA Exploration Connection project. As part of this project, online activities on topics such as asteroids and Kuiper Belt objects, eclipses, and Kepler’s Laws were designed and created for middle school (grades 6-8) and informal education settings. This poster discusses adapting these activities to the undergraduate non-science major setting. In fall 2017, the Infiniscope activities, such as Small Worlds and Kepler’s Laws, will be incorporated into an Arizona State University online astronomy course, AST 113, which is the laboratory component for the Introduction to Solar System Astronomy course sequence. This course typically enrolls about 800-900 students per semester with a combination of students who are online only as well as those who also take in person classes. In this type of class, we cannot have any in-person required sessions and all content must be delivered online asynchronously. The use of the Infiniscope exploratory exercises will provide students with the ability to use NASA data in a hands-on manner to discover the solar system for themselves.

Trust and Online Reputation Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwan, Ming; Ramachandran, Deepak

Web 2.0 technologies provide organizations with unprecedented opportunities to expand and solidify relationships with their customers, partners, and employees—while empowering firms to define entirely new business models focused on sharing information in online collaborative environments. Yet, in and of themselves, these technologies cannot ensure productive online interactions. Leading enterprises that are experimenting with social networks and online communities are already discovering this fact and along with it, the importance of establishing trust as the foundation for online collaboration and transactions. Just as today's consumers must feel secure to bank, exchange personal information and purchase products and services online; participants in Web 2.0 initiatives will only accept the higher levels of risk and exposure inherent in e-commerce and Web collaboration in an environment of trust. Indeed, only by attending to the need to cultivate online trust with customers, partners and employees will enterprises ever fully exploit the expanded business potential posed by Web 2.0. But developing online trust is no easy feat. While various preliminary attempts have occurred, no definitive model for establishing or measuring it has yet been established. To that end, nGenera has identified three, distinct dimensions of online trust: reputation (quantitative-based); relationship (qualitative-based) and process (system-based). When considered together, they form a valuable model for understanding online trust and a toolbox for cultivating it to support Web 2.0 initiatives.

COLUG: Chicago Online Users Introductory Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Alexandra L., Ed.; Pyrce, Sharon R., Ed.

Intended to serve as an introduction to online searching in the Chicago area, the guide answers these basic questions for those considering going online for the first time: what is online searching, starting out online, local training for online searching, how to choose a terminal, 1200 baud equipment selection, how to prepare for and evaluate a…

National survey on internal quality control for tumour markers in clinical laboratories in China.

PubMed

Wang, Wei; Zhong, Kun; Yuan, Shuai; He, Falin; Du, Yuxuan; Hu, Zhehui; Wang, Zhiguo

2018-06-15

This survey was initiated to obtain knowledge on the current situation of internal quality control (IQC) practice for tumour markers (TMs) in China. Additionally, we tried to acquire the most appropriate quality specifications. This survey was a current status survey. The IQC information had been collected via online questionnaires. All of 1821 clinical laboratories which participated in the 2016 TMs external quality assessment (EQA) programme had been enrolled. The imprecision evaluation criteria were the minimal, desirable, and optimal allowable imprecisions based on biological variations, and 1/3 total allowable error (TEa) and 1/4 TEa. A total of 1628 laboratories answered the questionnaires (89%). The coefficients of variation (CVs) of the IQC of participant laboratories varied greatly from 1% (5 th percentile) to 13% (95 th percentile). More than 82% (82 - 91%) of participant laboratories two types of CVs met 1/3 TEa except for CA 19-9. The percentiles of current CVs were smaller than cumulative CVs. A number of 1240 laboratories (76%) reported their principles and systems used. The electrochemiluminescence was the most used principle (45%) and had the smallest CVs. The performance of laboratories for TMs IQC has yet to be improved. On the basis of the obtained results, 1/3 TEa would be realistic and attainable quality specification for TMs IQC for clinical laboratories in China.

Online Advertising in Social Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bagherjeiran, Abraham; Bhatt, Rushi P.; Parekh, Rajesh; Chaoji, Vineet

Online social networks offer opportunities to analyze user behavior and social connectivity and leverage resulting insights for effective online advertising. This chapter focuses on the role of social network information in online display advertising.

Mood, motives, and money: An examination of factors that differentiate online and non-online young adult gamblers.

PubMed

Goldstein, Abby L; Vilhena-Churchill, Natalie; Stewart, Sherry H; Hoaken, Peter N S; Flett, Gordon L

2016-03-01

Background and aims To date, there is a lack of research on psychological factors associated with young adult online gambling. The current study examined differences between young adult online and non-online gamblers, using information gathered at baseline and over 30 days during which participants reported on their moods, gambling behaviors, and reasons for initiating and discontinuing gambling. Methods Participants were 108 young adult regular gamblers (i.e., gambling four or more times in the past month) who participated in a 30-day daily diary study. Results Male gender, baseline coping motives for gambling and negative affect averaged across the 30 days emerged as significant correlates of online gambling, over and above other background variables. Online gamblers also scored higher on a baseline measure of pathological gambling. Over the 30 days of self-monitoring, online gamblers spent more time gambling, and won more money gambling, whereas non-online gamblers consumed more alcohol while gambling. Online gambling was more often initiated to make money, because of boredom and to demonstrate skills, whereas non-online gambling was more often initiated for social reasons and for excitement. Online gambling was more often discontinued because of boredom, fatigue or distress, whereas non-online gambling was discontinued because friends stopped gambling or mood was improved. Discussion and conclusions This study provides preliminary evidence that coping strategies may be particularly important to reduce risks for online gamblers, whereas strategies for non-online gamblers should focus on the social aspects of gambling.

Mood, motives, and money: An examination of factors that differentiate online and non-online young adult gamblers

PubMed Central

Goldstein, Abby L.; Vilhena-Churchill, Natalie; Stewart, Sherry H.; Hoaken, Peter N. S.; Flett, Gordon L.

2016-01-01

Background and aims To date, there is a lack of research on psychological factors associated with young adult online gambling. The current study examined differences between young adult online and non-online gamblers, using information gathered at baseline and over 30 days during which participants reported on their moods, gambling behaviors, and reasons for initiating and discontinuing gambling. Methods Participants were 108 young adult regular gamblers (i.e., gambling four or more times in the past month) who participated in a 30-day daily diary study. Results Male gender, baseline coping motives for gambling and negative affect averaged across the 30 days emerged as significant correlates of online gambling, over and above other background variables. Online gamblers also scored higher on a baseline measure of pathological gambling. Over the 30 days of self-monitoring, online gamblers spent more time gambling, and won more money gambling, whereas non-online gamblers consumed more alcohol while gambling. Online gambling was more often initiated to make money, because of boredom and to demonstrate skills, whereas non-online gambling was more often initiated for social reasons and for excitement. Online gambling was more often discontinued because of boredom, fatigue or distress, whereas non-online gambling was discontinued because friends stopped gambling or mood was improved. Discussion and conclusions This study provides preliminary evidence that coping strategies may be particularly important to reduce risks for online gamblers, whereas strategies for non-online gamblers should focus on the social aspects of gambling. PMID:28092184

Online impedance spectroscopy of lead acid batteries for storage management of a standalone power plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Depernet, Daniel; Ba, Oumar; Berthon, Alain

2012-12-01

This paper presents a contribution to implementation of hybrid power plants in rural areas without electricity in Senegal. Wind and photovoltaic generators coupling is used to benefit from renewable energy resources in this country. Lead acid storage batteries are coupled with the generators to ensure smoothness of the electricity generation. This work is focused in particular on the development of a low cost online impedance spectroscopy method to address the problem of limited lifetime of batteries and the difficulties of their maintenance in isolated areas. Control of static converter associated with the battery is adapted to integrate the functionality of characterization of batteries by impedance spectroscopy. An experimental platform developed in the laboratory has validated the method for online measurement of battery impedance spectrum and to initiate a phase of data monitoring.

Online Friendship, Romance, and Sex: Properties and Associations of the Online Relationship Initiation Scale.

PubMed

Harris, Keith M; Aboujaoude, Elias

2016-08-01

Online relationships are increasingly central to many people's lives. As a result, there is a growing need to scientifically examine their psychosocial implications. This study developed and tested the Online Relationship Initiation Scale (ORIS) through classical and item response theory analyses to address this need. An anonymous online survey included 713 adults, aged 18-71 years. The ORIS was tested on psychometric properties and examined for associations with gender and several standardized psychosocial measures. Results demonstrated unidimensionality of nine items, strong factor loadings, and high internal consistency (α = 0.90, ωt = 0.94). All items captured significant information on the latent trait and none showed differential item functioning by sex, age group, or ethnicity. General linear modeling confirmed hypotheses that men were more likely than women to initiate online relationships. Online relationship initiation was not strongly associated with perceived social support, but was positively related to financial distress, and willingness to engage in infidelity or unprotected sex. The ORIS was negatively associated with age and satisfaction with life and showed modest interactions with ethnicity and hours online. This study provided empirical evidence for an interpersonal relationship initiation construct. The ORIS was shown to be a psychometrically sound instrument for evaluating online interpersonal behaviors and their associations with psychosocial and demographic factors. Such psychometrically sound instruments can be useful in exploring online interpersonal behaviors and their significance.

Unsupervised Online Classifier in Sleep Scoring for Sleep Deprivation Studies

PubMed Central

Libourel, Paul-Antoine; Corneyllie, Alexandra; Luppi, Pierre-Hervé; Chouvet, Guy; Gervasoni, Damien

2015-01-01

Study Objective: This study was designed to evaluate an unsupervised adaptive algorithm for real-time detection of sleep and wake states in rodents. Design: We designed a Bayesian classifier that automatically extracts electroencephalogram (EEG) and electromyogram (EMG) features and categorizes non-overlapping 5-s epochs into one of the three major sleep and wake states without any human supervision. This sleep-scoring algorithm is coupled online with a new device to perform selective paradoxical sleep deprivation (PSD). Settings: Controlled laboratory settings for chronic polygraphic sleep recordings and selective PSD. Participants: Ten adult Sprague-Dawley rats instrumented for chronic polysomnographic recordings Measurements: The performance of the algorithm is evaluated by comparison with the score obtained by a human expert reader. Online detection of PS is then validated with a PSD protocol with duration of 72 hours. Results: Our algorithm gave a high concordance with human scoring with an average κ coefficient > 70%. Notably, the specificity to detect PS reached 92%. Selective PSD using real-time detection of PS strongly reduced PS amounts, leaving only brief PS bouts necessary for the detection of PS in EEG and EMG signals (4.7 ± 0.7% over 72 h, versus 8.9 ± 0.5% in baseline), and was followed by a significant PS rebound (23.3 ± 3.3% over 150 minutes). Conclusions: Our fully unsupervised data-driven algorithm overcomes some limitations of the other automated methods such as the selection of representative descriptors or threshold settings. When used online and coupled with our sleep deprivation device, it represents a better option for selective PSD than other methods like the tedious gentle handling or the platform method. Citation: Libourel PA, Corneyllie A, Luppi PH, Chouvet G, Gervasoni D. Unsupervised online classifier in sleep scoring for sleep deprivation studies. SLEEP 2015;38(5):815–828. PMID:25325478

Perceptions of Social Loafing in Online Learning Groups: A Study of Public University and U.S. Naval War College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Piezon, Sherry L.; Ferree, William D.

2008-01-01

Social loafing research has spanned several decades and fields of study. Research has provided support for both the existence of social loafing and its antecedents within the laboratory, classroom, and work place. Studies regarding the perceptions of social loafing and its effects in the online learning environment, however, are largely…

Constructing Disability in Online Worlds: Conceptualising Disability in Online Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carr, Diane

2010-01-01

In this paper the online construction of disability is investigated and the implications for educators working in virtual worlds are considered. Based on the analysis of data collected through interviews with deaf residents of "Second Life", it is argued that research into online identity, disability and education needs to allow room for…

JCE Online 99

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holmes, Jon L.

1999-04-01

As I write this, JCE Online is in the middle of being redesigned to make it a more usable resource. By the time you read this, the typical online page for articles of this Journal will look like Figure 1. The page has five main features:

• the page heading with the global menu bar
• the left-hand navigation bar
• the page menu bar near the top of the page and repeated near the bottom
• the main content region in the middle of the page
• the right-hand column of local navigation links

Application of Online Discussion and Cooperative Learning Strategies to Online and Blended College Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lynch, Douglas J.

2010-01-01

Effective online instructional practices may be applied to online and blended college courses. Carefully orchestrated online discussions support learning well beyond the limited face-to-face course time. Students gain greater depth of academic understanding and leadership skills if cooperative learning groups use research-based process and…

Online Report Card: Tracking Online Education in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, I. Elaine; Seaman, Jeff

2016-01-01

This is the thirteenth annual report on the state of online learning in U.S. higher education. The survey is designed, administered and analyzed by the Babson Survey Research Group in partnership with the Online Learning Consortium (OLC), Pearson, WCET, StudyPortals, and Tyton Partners, with additional data from the National Center for Education…

[Perception of health and safety risks among workers pathology laboratories].

PubMed

Alvarado-Cabrero, Isabel; Valencia-Cedillo, Raquel

2015-01-01

Health care workers are experiencing increasing numbers of occupational illnesses. Safety practices in anatomical pathology laboratories (APL) are crucial to prevent unnecessary exposures to both chemical and biological agents. The main goal of this study was to determine if pathologists perceptions and actual practice mirror regulatory guidelines. Current available recommendations for APL were reviewed and used to construct an online survey distributed to pathologists. The survey was completed by 121 participants. Eighty-seven (72 %) of respondents reported receiving inadequate safety training. Most pathologists (82 %) were not well-informed about biosafety practices. Sixty-three (52 %) participants felt that the risks of chemical and infectious disease exposures in the APL were low. Most respondents reported having a needle stick or cut (71 %). Eighty-six (71 %) of participants reported musculo skeletal problems. This study indicated that there is a need for improving training in anatomical pathology safety practices in Mexican laboratories as daily practices do not reflected current guidelines.

Online boosting for vehicle detection.

PubMed

Chang, Wen-Chung; Cho, Chih-Wei

2010-06-01

This paper presents a real-time vision-based vehicle detection system employing an online boosting algorithm. It is an online AdaBoost approach for a cascade of strong classifiers instead of a single strong classifier. Most existing cascades of classifiers must be trained offline and cannot effectively be updated when online tuning is required. The idea is to develop a cascade of strong classifiers for vehicle detection that is capable of being online trained in response to changing traffic environments. To make the online algorithm tractable, the proposed system must efficiently tune parameters based on incoming images and up-to-date performance of each weak classifier. The proposed online boosting method can improve system adaptability and accuracy to deal with novel types of vehicles and unfamiliar environments, whereas existing offline methods rely much more on extensive training processes to reach comparable results and cannot further be updated online. Our approach has been successfully validated in real traffic environments by performing experiments with an onboard charge-coupled-device camera in a roadway vehicle.

Performance optimization of an online retailer by a unique online resilience engineering algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azadeh, A.; Salehi, V.; Salehi, R.; Hassani, S. M.

2018-03-01

Online shopping has become more attractive and competitive in electronic markets. Resilience engineering (RE) can help such systems divert to the normal state in case of encountering unexpected events. This study presents a unique online resilience engineering (ORE) approach for online shopping systems and customer service performance. Moreover, this study presents a new ORE algorithm for the performance optimisation of an actual online shopping system. The data are collected by standard questionnaires from both expert employees and customers. The problem is then formulated mathematically using data envelopment analysis (DEA). The results show that the design process which is based on ORE is more efficient than the conventional design approach. Moreover, on-time delivery is the most important factor from the personnel's perspective. In addition, according to customers' view, trust, security and good quality assurance are the most effective factors during transactions. This is the first study that introduces ORE for electronic markets. Second, it investigates impact of RE on online shopping through DEA and statistical methods. Third, a practical approach is employed in this study and it may be used for similar online shops. Fourth, the results are verified and validated through complete sensitivity analysis.

Children's Online Privacy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aidman, Amy

2000-01-01

The first federal Internet privacy law (the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act) provides safeguards for children by regulating collection of their personal information. Unfortunately, teens are not protected. Legislation is pending to protect children from online marketers such as ZapMe! Interactive technologies require constant vigilance.…

Finding friends online: online activities by deaf students and their well-being.

PubMed

Blom, Helen; Marschark, Marc; Vervloed, Mathijs P J; Knoors, Harry

2014-01-01

Generally, deaf and hard of hearing (D/HH) children have fewer friends than hearing peers and their friendships are of a lower quality. The research hypothesis was that using the computer to communicate with new online friends through social network sites or playing games with offline friends is associated with D/HH friendship qualities, because it removes certain communication barriers D/HH face in offline communication settings. With online questionnaires the relation between computer use and online, mixed (offline friend who you also speak in online settings), and offline friendship quality of D/HH and hearing students (18-25 years) was compared in both the Netherlands (n = 100) and the United States (n = 122). In addition, the study examined whether the different friendship qualities were related to the participants' well-being. Results showed that, in general, D/HH students' friendship qualities and levels of well-being were similar to their hearing peers. The quality of the mixed friendships was positively related to well-being. Furthermore, the frequency of pc use with both online and offline friends was positively related to friendships qualities in both hearing and D/HH students. A combination of the online and offline friendship seems to be the most important friendship type for both hearing and D/HH students and it is worthwhile to encourage this friendship type.

Finding Friends Online: Online Activities by Deaf Students and Their Well-Being

PubMed Central

Blom, Helen; Marschark, Marc; Vervloed, Mathijs P. J.; Knoors, Harry

2014-01-01

Generally, deaf and hard of hearing (D/HH) children have fewer friends than hearing peers and their friendships are of a lower quality. The research hypothesis was that using the computer to communicate with new online friends through social network sites or playing games with offline friends is associated with D/HH friendship qualities, because it removes certain communication barriers D/HH face in offline communication settings. With online questionnaires the relation between computer use and online, mixed (offline friend who you also speak in online settings), and offline friendship quality of D/HH and hearing students (18–25 years) was compared in both the Netherlands (n = 100) and the United States (n = 122). In addition, the study examined whether the different friendship qualities were related to the participants' well-being. Results showed that, in general, D/HH students' friendship qualities and levels of well-being were similar to their hearing peers. The quality of the mixed friendships was positively related to well-being. Furthermore, the frequency of pc use with both online and offline friends was positively related to friendships qualities in both hearing and D/HH students. A combination of the online and offline friendship seems to be the most important friendship type for both hearing and D/HH students and it is worthwhile to encourage this friendship type. PMID:24520373

Online University Instructors' Experiences Relative to Ethical Behavior of Students in Online Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Jessica

2017-01-01

The phenomenon of unethical behavior in online courses can be problematic and is manifested in academic dishonesty. The specific problem of interest for this study was the experiences of online instructors relative to the problem of academic dishonesty in online courses needed to be better understood. The purpose of this qualitative…

Online deception: prevalence, motivation, and emotion.

PubMed

Caspi, Avner; Gorsky, Paul

2006-02-01

This research has three goals: first, to find out how prevalent online deception is within a sample of Israeli users, second, to explore the underlying motivations to deceive online, and third, to discover the emotions that accompany online deception. A web-based survey was distributed in 14 discussion groups, and the answers of 257 respondents were analyzed. It was found that, while most of the respondents believe that online deception is very widespread, only about one-third of them reported engaging in online deception. Frequent users deceive online more than infrequent users, young users more than old, and competent users more than non-competent. The most common motivations to deceive online were "play" on the one hand and privacy concerns on the other. Most people felt a sense of enjoyment while engaging in online deception. The results are discussed in light of a possible mechanism for changing personal moral standards.

Internet-Based Laboratory Immersion: When The Real Deal is Not Available

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meisner, Gerald; Hoffman, Harol

2004-11-01

Do you want all of your students to investigate equilibrium conditions in the physics lab, but don't have time for lab investigations? Do your under-prepared students need basic, careful and detailed remedial work to help them succeed? LAAPhysics provides an answer to these questions by means of robust online physics courseware based on: (1) a sound, research-based pedagogy (2) a rich laboratory environment with skills and operational knowledge transferable to the wet lab' and (3) a paradigm which is economically scalable. LAAPhysics provides both synchronous and asynchronous learning experiences for an introductory, algebra-based course for students (undergraduate, AP High School, seekers of a second degree), those seeking career changes, and pre-service and in-service teachers. We have developed a simulated physics laboratory comprised of virtual lab equipment and instruments, associated curriculum modules and virtual guidance for real time feedback, formative assessment and collaborative learning.

Do online pharmacies fit European internal markets?

PubMed

Mäkinen, Mia Maria; Rautava, Päivi Tuire; Forsström, Jari Johannes

2005-05-01

The aim of this article is to consider the suitability of online pharmacies into European internal market area. This required considering the models of present online pharmacies in respect to the existing legislation. Data on online pharmacy settings was collected by looking some online pharmacies, which were found by using Goggle search machine with term "online pharmacy" and by studying websites of some well-known online pharmacies. European legislation and policy were studied from European Union's official website. Online drug markets seem to be increasing in popularity for reasons related to their ready availability and cost benefits. Few online pharmacies are based in Europe, yet online markets are worldwide. Community legislation does not stipulate on the legality of online pharmacies on European internal markets. Instead Community legislation offers framework for electronic commerce that could also include online pharmacy practise. National legislation, however, may rule them out either directly or indirectly. Regardless of European internal markets online pharmacies' cross-border operations are particularly complicated. Preliminary ruling from the European Court of Justice concerning one European online pharmacy's cross-border practise is awaited 2003-2004 and will offer some aspects for future.

Real-time PCR (qPCR) primer design using free online software.

PubMed

Thornton, Brenda; Basu, Chhandak

2011-01-01

Real-time PCR (quantitative PCR or qPCR) has become the preferred method for validating results obtained from assays which measure gene expression profiles. The process uses reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), coupled with fluorescent chemistry, to measure variations in transcriptome levels between samples. The four most commonly used fluorescent chemistries are SYBR® Green dyes and TaqMan®, Molecular Beacon or Scorpion probes. SYBR® Green is very simple to use and cost efficient. As SYBR® Green dye binds to any double-stranded DNA product, its success depends greatly on proper primer design. Many types of online primer design software are available, which can be used free of charge to design desirable SYBR® Green-based qPCR primers. This laboratory exercise is intended for those who have a fundamental background in PCR. It addresses the basic fluorescent chemistries of real-time PCR, the basic rules and pitfalls of primer design, and provides a step-by-step protocol for designing SYBR® Green-based primers with free, online software. Copyright © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Online Identities and Social Networking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maheswaran, Muthucumaru; Ali, Bader; Ozguven, Hatice; Lord, Julien

Online identities play a critical role in the social web that is taking shape on the Internet. Despite many technical proposals for creating and managing online identities, none has received widespread acceptance. Design and implementation of online identities that are socially acceptable on the Internet remains an open problem. This chapter discusses the interplay between online identities and social networking. Online social networks (OSNs) are growing at a rapid pace and has millions of members in them. While the recent trend is to create explicit OSNs such as Facebook and MySpace, we also have implicit OSNs such as interaction graphs created by email and instant messaging services. Explicit OSNs allow users to create profiles and use them to project their identities on the web. There are many interesting identity related issues in the context of social networking including how OSNs help and hinder the definition of online identities.

Online Self-Organizing Social Systems: The Decentralized Future of Online Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiley, David A.; Edwards, Erin K.

2002-01-01

Describes an online self-organizing social system (OSOSS) which allows large numbers of individuals to self-organize in a highly decentralized manner to solve problems and accomplish other goals. Topics include scalability and bandwidth in online learning; self-organization; learning objects; instructional design underlying OSOSS, including…

Creating an Online Laboratory

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-03-18

Problem (TSP) to solve, a canonical computer science problem that involves identifying the shortest itinerary for a hypothetical salesman traveling among a...also created working versions of the travelling salesperson problem , prisoners’ dilemma, public goods game, ultimatum game, word ladders, and...the task within networks of others performing the task. Thus, we built five problems which could be embedded in networks: the traveling salesperson

Digital Literacy and Online Video: Undergraduate Students' Use of Online Video for Coursework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tiernan, Peter; Farren, Margaret

2017-01-01

This paper investigates how to enable undergraduate students' use of online video for coursework using a customised video retrieval system (VRS), in order to understand digital literacy with online video in practice. This study examines the key areas influencing the use of online video for assignments such as the learning value of video,…

Instructional Strategies to Help Online Students Learn: Feedback from Online Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watson, Firm Faith; Castano Bishop, Marianne; Ferdinand-James, Debra

2017-01-01

Increased enrollment in online programs and courses has prompted a plethora of research on instructional strategies that impact online students' learning. Most of these strategies came from instructors, and others were solicited from students. While the literature notes that students who have more university experience tend to provide more…

High School Online: Pedagogy, Preferences, and Practices of Three Online Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kerr, Shantia

2011-01-01

This multiple case study explores how three online, high school teachers used technological tools to create meaningful learning activities for their students. Findings reveal that teachers use a wide variety of tools and approaches to online learning. Tools are categorized as content, communication, and management tools. Approaches include…

Analyzing Educators' Online Interactions: A Framework of Online Learning Support Roles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nacu, Denise C.; Martin, Caitlin K.; Pinkard, Nichole; Gray, Tené

2016-01-01

While the potential benefits of participating in online learning communities are documented, so too are inequities in terms of how different populations access and use them. We present the online learning support roles (OLSR) framework, an approach using both automated analytics and qualitative interpretation to identify and explore online…

Rethinking Online Discourse: Improving Learning through Discussions in the Online Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Cass M.

2016-01-01

As colleges continue to expand online offerings, student participation within courses should be assessed to ensure that teachers can best implement effective, responsible lesson plans. This study examined discourse in an online classroom in order to gauge student participation by observing student-to-student and student-to-instructor exchanges…

Laboratory and field based evaluation of chromatography ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Monitor for AeRosols and GAses in ambient air (MARGA) is an on-line ion-chromatography-based instrument designed for speciation of the inorganic gas and aerosol ammonium-nitrate-sulfate system. Previous work to characterize the performance of the MARGA has been primarily based on field comparison to other measurement methods to evaluate accuracy. While such studies are useful, the underlying reasons for disagreement among methods are not always clear. This study examines aspects of MARGA accuracy and precision specifically related to automated chromatography analysis. Using laboratory standards, analytical accuracy, precision, and method detection limits derived from the MARGA chromatography software are compared to an alternative software package (Chromeleon, Thermo Scientific Dionex). Field measurements are used to further evaluate instrument performance, including the MARGA’s use of an internal LiBr standard to control accuracy. Using gas/aerosol ratios and aerosol neutralization state as a case study, the impact of chromatography on measurement error is assessed. The new generation of on-line chromatography-based gas and particle measurement systems have many advantages, including simultaneous analysis of multiple pollutants. The Monitor for Aerosols and Gases in Ambient Air (MARGA) is such an instrument that is used in North America, Europe, and Asia for atmospheric process studies as well as routine monitoring. While the instrument has been evaluat

A Parent's Guide to Choosing the Right Online Program. Promising Practices in Online Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watson, John; Gemin, Butch; Coffey, Marla

2010-01-01

Online learning continues to grow rapidly across the United States and the world, opening new learning opportunities for students and families. Informed estimates put the number of K-12 students in online courses at over 1 million, as parents and students are choosing online courses and schools for a variety of reasons that grow out of their…

Accessible Online Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Case, D. Elizabeth; Davidson, Roseanna C.

2011-01-01

The number of online courses offered at the postsecondary level is increasing at a rate greater than the increase in overall higher education enrollment, with approximately one of every four higher education students taking at least one course online (Allen and Seaman, 2009). In 2008, students with disabilities represented nearly 11% of all…

NPK NMR Sensor: Online Monitoring of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium in Animal Slurry.

PubMed

Sørensen, Morten K; Jensen, Ole; Bakharev, Oleg N; Nyord, Tavs; Nielsen, Niels Chr

2015-07-07

Knowledge of the actual content of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) in animal slurry is highly important to optimize crop production and avoid environmental pollution when slurry is spread on agricultural fields. Here, we present a mobile, low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) sensor suitable for online monitoring of the NPK content in animal slurry as an alternative to crude estimates or tedious nonspecific, off-site laboratory analysis. The sensor is based on (14)N, (17)O, (31)P, and (39)K NMR in a digital NMR instrument equipped with a 1.5 T Halbach magnet for direct detection of ammonium N, total P, and K and indirect evaluation of the organic N content, covering all practical components of NPK in animal slurry. In correlation studies, the obtained NMR measurements show good agreement with reference measurements from commercial laboratories.

Understanding Online (Game)worlds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klastrup, Lisbeth

With gameworlds as the prime example, this article discusses online worlds as new forms of cultural entertainment systems and presents a framework with which to analyse them. The framework takes its point of departure in a discussion of what online gameworlds are, which genres of worlds exist and how they can be understood as a new form of engaging experience similar to the type of experience we have when we are captivated by the fictional universes of novels, films and tabletop roleplaying games. The proposed framework is grounded in an aesthetic, communicative and sociological approach to online worlds as digital phenomena, with the primary objective of describing how online gameworlds are systems that create meaning through the production of the experience of “worldness”.

Online Course Use in New York High Schools: Results from a Survey in the Greater Capital Region. REL 2015-075

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clements, Margaret; Pazzaglia, Angela M.; Zweig, Jacqueline

2015-01-01

As in most states, New York does not currently have a state-level protocol for collecting data about schools' objectives or methods for offering online courses. The goals of the study conducted by the Regional Educational Laboratory Northeast and Islands' Northeast Rural Districts Research Alliance (NRDRA) were (1) to create a survey tool capable…

Ethical Issues in Online Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Bill; Simpson, Mary

2007-01-01

Teaching at a distance raises ethical issues particular to the distance context. When distance teaching is also online teaching, the situation is even more complex. Online teaching environments amplify the ethical issues faced by instructors and students. Online sites support complex discourses and multiple relationships; they cross physical,…

Web conferencing in online classrooms.

PubMed

Hart, Leigh

2014-01-01

Web conferencing is a promising tool for online education. A well-developed teaching strategy can lead to effective use of this technology to create a sense of community, engage students, and promote academic integrity in online courses. This article presents strategies for integrating Web conferencing into online nursing courses.

Perspectives for on-line analysis of bauxite by neutron irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beurton, Gabriel; Ledru, Bertrand; Letourneur, Philippe

1995-03-01

The interest in bauxite as a major source of alumina results in a strong demand for on-line instrumentation suitable for sorting, blending, and processing operations at the bauxite mine and for monitoring instrumentation in the Bayer process. The results of laboratory experiments based on neutron interactions with bauxite are described. The technique was chosen in order to overcome the problem of spatial heterogeneity in bulk mineral analysis. The evaluated elements contributed to approximately 99.5% of the sample weight. In addition, the measurements provide valuable information on physical parameters such as density, hygrometry, and material flow. Using a pulsed generator, the analysis system offers potential for on-line measurements (borehole logging or conveyor belt). An overall description of the experimental set-up is given. The experimental data include measurements of natural radioactivity, delayed radioactivity induced by activation, and prompt gamma rays following neutron reaction. In situ applications of neutron interactions provide continuous analysis and produce results which are more statistically significant. The key factors contributing to advances in industrial applications are the development of high count rate gamma spectroscopy and computational tools to design measurement systems and interpret their results.

Does self-selection affect samples' representativeness in online surveys? An investigation in online video game research.

PubMed

Khazaal, Yasser; van Singer, Mathias; Chatton, Anne; Achab, Sophia; Zullino, Daniele; Rothen, Stephane; Khan, Riaz; Billieux, Joel; Thorens, Gabriel

2014-07-07

The number of medical studies performed through online surveys has increased dramatically in recent years. Despite their numerous advantages (eg, sample size, facilitated access to individuals presenting stigmatizing issues), selection bias may exist in online surveys. However, evidence on the representativeness of self-selected samples in online studies is patchy. Our objective was to explore the representativeness of a self-selected sample of online gamers using online players' virtual characters (avatars). All avatars belonged to individuals playing World of Warcraft (WoW), currently the most widely used online game. Avatars' characteristics were defined using various games' scores, reported on the WoW's official website, and two self-selected samples from previous studies were compared with a randomly selected sample of avatars. We used scores linked to 1240 avatars (762 from the self-selected samples and 478 from the random sample). The two self-selected samples of avatars had higher scores on most of the assessed variables (except for guild membership and exploration). Furthermore, some guilds were overrepresented in the self-selected samples. Our results suggest that more proficient players or players more involved in the game may be more likely to participate in online surveys. Caution is needed in the interpretation of studies based on online surveys that used a self-selection recruitment procedure. Epidemiological evidence on the reduced representativeness of sample of online surveys is warranted.

Workload Management Strategies for Online Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crews, Tena B.; Wilkinson, Kelly; Hemby, K. Virginia; McCannon, Melinda; Wiedmaier, Cheryl

2008-01-01

With increased use of online education, both students and instructors are adapting to the online environment. Online educators must adjust to the change in responsibilities required to teach online, as it is quite intensive during the designing, teaching, and revising stages. The purpose of this study is to examine and update workload management…

Electronic laboratory system reduces errors in National Tuberculosis Program: a cluster randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Blaya, J A; Shin, S S; Yale, G; Suarez, C; Asencios, L; Contreras, C; Rodriguez, P; Kim, J; Cegielski, P; Fraser, H S F

2010-08-01

To evaluate the impact of the e-Chasqui laboratory information system in reducing reporting errors compared to the current paper system. Cluster randomized controlled trial in 76 health centers (HCs) between 2004 and 2008. Baseline data were collected every 4 months for 12 months. HCs were then randomly assigned to intervention (e-Chasqui) or control (paper). Further data were collected for the same months the following year. Comparisons were made between intervention and control HCs, and before and after the intervention. Intervention HCs had respectively 82% and 87% fewer errors in reporting results for drug susceptibility tests (2.1% vs. 11.9%, P = 0.001, OR 0.17, 95%CI 0.09-0.31) and cultures (2.0% vs. 15.1%, P < 0.001, OR 0.13, 95%CI 0.07-0.24), than control HCs. Preventing missing results through online viewing accounted for at least 72% of all errors. e-Chasqui users sent on average three electronic error reports per week to the laboratories. e-Chasqui reduced the number of missing laboratory results at point-of-care health centers. Clinical users confirmed viewing electronic results not available on paper. Reporting errors to the laboratory using e-Chasqui promoted continuous quality improvement. The e-Chasqui laboratory information system is an important part of laboratory infrastructure improvements to support multidrug-resistant tuberculosis care in Peru.

Women On-Line: Cultural and Relational Aspects of Women's Communication in On-line Discussion Groups.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferris, Sharmila Pixy

1996-01-01

Women's online communication often mirrors that of face-to-face communication, linguistically and relationally. Women-only online communities, however, provide an opportunity to develop a distinct relational and cultural style. Discusses gender differences in face-to-face language use, and in mixed gender online discussion groups. Describes…

Employers Often Distrust Online Degrees

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carnevale, Dan

2007-01-01

This article explains why employers are reluctant to accept potential employees with online degrees. The results of several surveys of those who evaluate potential employees and make hiring decisions indicate a bias against online degrees, even as more and more colleges are offering programs online. To those officials, the words "online…

Online Professional Development: A Primer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bates, Meg S.; Phalen, Lena; Moran, Cheryl

2016-01-01

Many teachers are turning to online professional development to meet their learning needs, but the vast array of available opportunities may be overwhelming. This article provides a framework for making sense of common online teacher learning opportunities. It also suggests situations where online professional development may be most useful and…

Benefits of Synchronous Online Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moser, Scott; Smith, Phil

2015-01-01

Most online courses are offered as "asynchronous" courses and have no real-time contact with students. The Synchronous online alternative provides normal scheduled class time and allows students to login to a virtual online classroom with the instructor. We provide an overview of two different platforms for hosting synchronous classes…

Fast Facts about Online Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

International Association for K-12 Online Learning, 2013

2013-01-01

This report explores the latest data concerning online and blended learning, enrollment, access, courses, and key policies indicators. It also reviews online learning statistics, trends, policy issues, and iNACOL strategic priorities. This report provides a snapshot view of state funding models for both full-time and supplemental online learning…

The Excellent Inevitability of Online Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brooks, Margaret

2009-01-01

Online enrollments have grown much faster than overall higher-education enrollments over the past few years, according to a 2008 report, "Staying the Course: Online Education in the United States," published by the Sloan-C, a consortium that promotes online education. During the period 2002-7, enrollment in online courses grew 19.7 percent,…

The impact of online brand community type on consumer's community engagement behaviors: consumer-created vs. marketer-created online brand community in online social-networking web sites.

PubMed

Lee, Doohwang; Kim, Hyuk Soo; Kim, Jung Kyu

2011-01-01

The current study proposed and tested a theoretical model of consumers' online brand community engagement behaviors, with particular attention given to online brand community type (consumer vs. marketer-created). By integrating attribution and social identity theories, this study investigated the causal linkages between intrinsic motives of altruism, social identification motivations, and online brand community engagement behaviors. The results showed that consumers' online brand community engagement intentions were indirectly influenced by the different types of communities through different levels of consumers' attributions to intrinsic motives of altruism. This study also found that, in the attribution processes, consumers' intrinsic motives of altruism motivated them to identify themselves socially with the online communities they join. Finally, this study demonstrated that the intrinsic motives of altruism and social identification motivations provided strong social incentives to motivate consumers to engage in subsequent online brand community behaviors.

The Rush to Online: Comparing Students' Learning Outcomes in Online and Face-to-Face Accounting Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmidt, Sara

2012-01-01

Online education has grown prolifically over the past several years. Great growth of online courses has generated significant volumes of research. Although there is abundant research on the topic of online education, the research that does exist lacks a necessary focus on the learning outcomes of the online modality. Further, the current…

Online Education in the Community College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Steven G.; Berge, Zane

2012-01-01

This paper looks at three areas impacting online education at the community college level. Community colleges account for more than half of all online students in the United States as of 2006. This makes the success of online learning at the community college level a critical part of the growing online learning movement. Using data for…

The Fog of Online Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baggaley, Jon; James, Sheila

2016-01-01

The authors recognized a close similarity between practices used in online genealogy research and those common in online education. Uses of a popular online database service were examined within a peer instruction community dedicated to researching a family history topic. Three community subgroups were divided into leaders, who base their work on…

Optimal and Adaptive Online Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luo, Haipeng

2016-01-01

Online learning is one of the most important and well-established machine learning models. Generally speaking, the goal of online learning is to make a sequence of accurate predictions "on the fly," given some information of the correct answers to previous prediction tasks. Online learning has been extensively studied in recent years,…

The Lie of Online Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zielinski, Dave

2000-01-01

Managers look at online training as an activity that should be done "off time" whereas employees still think of it as something to be done during working hours. No valid study has shown that online delivery reduces learning time. A better understanding of learning needs must be considered before requiring online training. (JOW)

A Professional Development Framework for Online Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baran, Evrim; Correia, Ana-Paula

2014-01-01

The quality of online programs in higher education is strongly correlated with how the professional development approaches respond to the needs of online teachers. These approaches are critical in helping online teachers adopt online pedagogical practices and reconstruct their teacher persona in an online environment. This study proposes a nested…

Collaborative online projects for English language learners in science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terrazas-Arellanes, Fatima E.; Knox, Carolyn; Rivas, Carmen

2013-12-01

This paper summarizes how collaborative online projects (COPs) are used to facilitate science content-area learning for English Learners of Hispanic origin. This is a Mexico-USA partnership project funded by the National Science Foundation. A COP is a 10-week thematic science unit, completely online, and bilingual (Spanish and English) designed to provide collaborative learning experiences with culturally and linguistically relevant science instruction in an interactive and multimodal learning environment. Units are integrated with explicit instructional lessons that include: (a) hands-on and laboratory activities, (b) interactive materials and interactive games with immediate feedback, (c) animated video tutorials, (d) discussion forums where students exchange scientific learning across classrooms in the USA and in Mexico, and (e) summative and formative assessments. Thematic units have been aligned to U.S. National Science Education Standards and are under current revisions for alignment to the Common Core State Standards. Training materials for the teachers have been integrated into the project website to facilitate self-paced and independent learning. Preliminary findings of our pre-experimental study with a sample of 53 students (81 % ELs), distributed across three different groups, resulted in a 21 % statistically significant points increase from pretest to posttest assessments of science content learning, t( 52) = 11.07, p = .000.

Laboratories | NREL

Science.gov Websites

| Z A Accelerated Exposure Testing Laboratory Advanced Optical Materials Laboratory Advanced Thermal Laboratory Structural Testing Laboratory Surface Analysis Laboratory Systems Performance Laboratory T Thermal Storage Materials Laboratory Thermal Storage Process and Components Laboratory Thin-Film Deposition

Clarifying the Links Among Online Gaming, Internet Use, Drinking Motives, and Online Pornography Use.

PubMed

Bőthe, Beáta; Tóth-Király, István; Orosz, Gábor

2015-04-01

This study was aimed at investigating the links between online gaming and online pornography use by considering gender, problematic Internet use, and different motives for alcohol drinking. University students (n=512; mean age=22.11 years; standard deviation=2.43 years; 64.06 percent women) filled in the Cyber Pornography Use Inventory, Hungarian version, the Problematic Online Gaming Questionnaire, Hungarian version (POGQ-HU), the Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire, Hungarian version (PIUQ-HU), and the Drinking Motive Questionnaire Revised Short Form, Hungarian version (DMQ-R-HU SF) questionnaires. According to hierarchical multiple regression analyses, the neglect factor of PIUQ-HU, the conformity factor of DMQ-R-HU SF, and the immersion and preoccupation factors of POGQ-HU have a significant predictive value on one's online pornography use, but gender does not. This research shows that independently from the effect of Internet and alcohol use dimensions, immersion and preoccupation factors of online gaming have significant effects on online pornography use. However, preoccupation has a negative effect on pornography use. Players scoring high on this subscale may think about gaming as the only interesting activity that rates higher than even pornography.

Online or In-Class: Evaluating an Alternative Online Pedagogy for Teaching Transcultural Nursing.

PubMed

Ochs, Jessica H

2017-06-01

Online learning formats are prevalent in current higher education. Given the changing student demographics and the drive for creativity in educating a technology-savvy student, it is imperative to incorporate innovative and alternative learning modalities to engage these students. This pilot study was designed as a quality improvement program evaluation comparing the effects of an online learning module with traditional classroom delivery of transcultural nursing content using a posttest two-group survey design in associate degree nursing students. The students' perceived knowledge and confidence were investigated after receiving the lecture for both the online and in-class groups. Data analysis revealed the online cohort perceived themselves as more knowledgeable concerning the ways that cultural factors influence nursing care, but not more confident in providing culturally competent care. Due to the students' perceived knowledge gain, this pilot study supports the use of online learning modules as being more effective than the traditional classroom delivery of transcultural nursing content. [J Nurs Educ. 2017;56(6):368-372.]. Copyright 2017, SLACK Incorporated.

Online Project Based Learning in Innovation Management.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Sullivan, David

2003-01-01

An innovation management course has three strands with face-to-face and online components: (1) seminars with online course notes and slides; (2) assignments (group online case studies, tutorials, in-class presentations); and (3) assessment (online, oral, in-class, written). Students are able to benchmark their work online and teachers use the…

Impact of Online Orientation for First-Time Online Students on Retention, Academic Success, and Persistence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marshall, Lynda

2017-01-01

A challenge faced by higher education is whether online orientation that is offered before the start of class can impact academic performance for online students. The purpose of this quantitative research study was to determine if there are significant differences in retention, academic success, and persistence between first time online students…

The Effects of Online Teaching Experience and Institution Type on Faculty Perceptions of Teaching Online

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Windes, Deborah L.; Lesht, Faye L.

2014-01-01

In light of the recent growth of online education and its disruptive impact on higher education, this study compared faculty attitudes toward teaching online across institution type, including community colleges and four-year public and private institutions, as well as across faculty with and without online teaching experience. While the data…

Online driver's license renewal.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-09-01

The Kentucky Department of Vehicle Regulation is exploring the possibility of developing and implementing online : drivers license renewal. The objective of this project was to: 1) evaluate online drivers license and REAL ID renewal : programs ...

TOXLINE (TOXICOLOGY INFORMATION ONLINE)

EPA Science Inventory

TOXLINE? (TOXicology information onLINE) are the National Library of Medicines extensive collection of online bibliographic information covering the pharmacological, biochemical, physiological, and toxicological effects of drugs and other chemicals. TOXLINE and TOXLINE65 together...

Does Self-Selection Affect Samples’ Representativeness in Online Surveys? An Investigation in Online Video Game Research

PubMed Central

van Singer, Mathias; Chatton, Anne; Achab, Sophia; Zullino, Daniele; Rothen, Stephane; Khan, Riaz; Billieux, Joel; Thorens, Gabriel

2014-01-01

Background The number of medical studies performed through online surveys has increased dramatically in recent years. Despite their numerous advantages (eg, sample size, facilitated access to individuals presenting stigmatizing issues), selection bias may exist in online surveys. However, evidence on the representativeness of self-selected samples in online studies is patchy. Objective Our objective was to explore the representativeness of a self-selected sample of online gamers using online players’ virtual characters (avatars). Methods All avatars belonged to individuals playing World of Warcraft (WoW), currently the most widely used online game. Avatars’ characteristics were defined using various games’ scores, reported on the WoW’s official website, and two self-selected samples from previous studies were compared with a randomly selected sample of avatars. Results We used scores linked to 1240 avatars (762 from the self-selected samples and 478 from the random sample). The two self-selected samples of avatars had higher scores on most of the assessed variables (except for guild membership and exploration). Furthermore, some guilds were overrepresented in the self-selected samples. Conclusions Our results suggest that more proficient players or players more involved in the game may be more likely to participate in online surveys. Caution is needed in the interpretation of studies based on online surveys that used a self-selection recruitment procedure. Epidemiological evidence on the reduced representativeness of sample of online surveys is warranted. PMID:25001007

Online Education: Panacea or Plateau

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seirup, Holly J.; Tirotta, Rose; Blue, Elfreda

2016-01-01

As online education continues to grow, understanding faculty and student perceptions seems to be an imperative piece of the decision to continue to expand online offerings. The purpose of this study was to review faculty and students perceptions of online learning and to gain an understanding of the current status of distance education. This study…

Quality Indicators of Online Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hirner, Leo; Kochtanek, Thomas

2012-01-01

The continued growth of online programs in higher education has resulted in concerns about how institutions monitor the quality of their online programs. These concerns indicate a need for a process by which online programs may be evaluated and compared. They provided the impetus for this study, the goals of which were to identify quality…

Online Fan Practices and CALL

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sauro, Shannon

2017-01-01

This article provides a narrative overview of research on online fan practices for language and literacy learning, use, and identity work. I begin with an introduction to online fan communities and common fan practices found in these online affinity spaces, the best known of which is fan fiction, fictional writing that reinterprets and remixes the…

Web-based Factors Affecting Online Purchasing Behaviour

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ariff, Mohd Shoki Md; Sze Yan, Ng; Zakuan, Norhayati; Zaidi Bahari, Ahamad; Jusoh, Ahmad

2013-06-01

The growing use of internet and online purchasing among young consumers in Malaysia provides a huge prospect in e-commerce market, specifically for B2C segment. In this market, if E-marketers know the web-based factors affecting online buyers' behaviour, and the effect of these factors on behaviour of online consumers, then they can develop their marketing strategies to convert potential customers into active one, while retaining existing online customers. Review of previous studies related to the online purchasing behaviour in B2C market has point out that the conceptualization and empirical validation of the online purchasing behaviour of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) literate users, or ICT professional, in Malaysia has not been clearly addressed. This paper focuses on (i) web-based factors which online buyers (ICT professional) keep in mind while shopping online; and (ii) the effect of web-based factors on online purchasing behaviour. Based on the extensive literature review, a conceptual framework of 24 items of five factors was constructed to determine web-based factors affecting online purchasing behaviour of ICT professional. Analysis of data was performed based on the 310 questionnaires, which were collected using a stratified random sampling method, from ICT undergraduate students in a public university in Malaysia. The Exploratory factor analysis performed showed that five factors affecting online purchase behaviour are Information Quality, Fulfilment/Reliability/Customer Service, Website Design, Quick and Details, and Privacy/Security. The result of Multiple Regression Analysis indicated that Information Quality, Quick and Details, and Privacy/Security affect positively online purchase behaviour. The results provide a usable model for measuring web-based factors affecting buyers' online purchase behaviour in B2C market, as well as for online shopping companies to focus on the factors that will increase customers' online purchase.

Characterizing popularity dynamics of online videos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Zhuo-Ming; Shi, Yu-Qiang; Liao, Hao

2016-07-01

Online popularity has a major impact on videos, music, news and other contexts in online systems. Characterizing online popularity dynamics is nature to explain the observed properties in terms of the already acquired popularity of each individual. In this paper, we provide a quantitative, large scale, temporal analysis of the popularity dynamics in two online video-provided websites, namely MovieLens and Netflix. The two collected data sets contain over 100 million records and even span a decade. We characterize that the popularity dynamics of online videos evolve over time, and find that the dynamics of the online video popularity can be characterized by the burst behaviors, typically occurring in the early life span of a video, and later restricting to the classic preferential popularity increase mechanism.

Management and Operations of Online Programs: Ensuring Quality and Accountability. Promising Practices in Online Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watson, John; Gemin, Butch

2009-01-01

Online learning is growing rapidly as states and districts are creating new online schools, and existing programs are adding new courses and students. The growth reflects the spreading understanding that online courses and programs can serve a wide variety of students and needs. These include: (1) Creating opportunities for small and rural school…

Using Online Learning for At-Risk Students and Credit Recovery. Promising Practices in Online Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watson, John; Gemin, Butch

2008-01-01

Online learning programs are designed to expand high-quality educational opportunities and to meet the needs of diverse students. While the primary reason online courses are offered in school districts is to expand offerings to courses that would otherwise be unavailable, the second most commonly cited reason for offering online learning is to…

Video Streaming in Online Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartsell, Taralynn; Yuen, Steve Chi-Yin

2006-01-01

The use of video in teaching and learning is a common practice in education today. As learning online becomes more of a common practice in education, streaming video and audio will play a bigger role in delivering course materials to online learners. This form of technology brings courses alive by allowing online learners to use their visual and…

Prepare, Do, Review: A skills-based approach for laboratory practical classes in biochemistry and molecular biology.

PubMed

Arthur, Peter; Ludwig, Martha; Castelli, Joane; Kirkwood, Paul; Attwood, Paul

2016-05-06

A new laboratory practical system is described which is comprised of a number of laboratory practical modules, each based around a particular technique or set of techniques, related to the theory part of the course but not designed to be dependent on it. Each module comprises an online recorded pre-lab lecture, the laboratory practical itself and a post-lab session in which students make oral presentations on different aspects of the practical. Each part of the module is assessed with the aim of providing rapid feedback to staff and students. Each laboratory practical is the responsibility of a single staff member and through this "ownership," continual review and updating is promoted. Examples of changes made by staff to modules as a result of student feedback are detailed. A survey of students who had experienced both the old-style laboratory course and the new one provided evidence of increased satisfaction with the new program. The assessment of acquired shills in the new program showed that it was much more effective than the old course. © 2016 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 44:276-287, 2016. © 2016 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Team Trust in Online Education: Assessing and Comparing Team-Member Trust in Online Teams versus Face-to-Face Teams

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beranek, Peggy M.; French, Monique L.

2011-01-01

Trust is a key factor in enabling effective team performance and, in online teams, needs to be built quickly and early. As universities expand their online offerings students are increasingly working in online teams. Understanding how trust development may differ in online teams versus face-to-face can have implications for online education…

A survey of current practices for genomic sequencing test interpretation and reporting processes in US laboratories.

PubMed

O'Daniel, Julianne M; McLaughlin, Heather M; Amendola, Laura M; Bale, Sherri J; Berg, Jonathan S; Bick, David; Bowling, Kevin M; Chao, Elizabeth C; Chung, Wendy K; Conlin, Laura K; Cooper, Gregory M; Das, Soma; Deignan, Joshua L; Dorschner, Michael O; Evans, James P; Ghazani, Arezou A; Goddard, Katrina A; Gornick, Michele; Farwell Hagman, Kelly D; Hambuch, Tina; Hegde, Madhuri; Hindorff, Lucia A; Holm, Ingrid A; Jarvik, Gail P; Knight Johnson, Amy; Mighion, Lindsey; Morra, Massimo; Plon, Sharon E; Punj, Sumit; Richards, C Sue; Santani, Avni; Shirts, Brian H; Spinner, Nancy B; Tang, Sha; Weck, Karen E; Wolf, Susan M; Yang, Yaping; Rehm, Heidi L

2017-05-01

While the diagnostic success of genomic sequencing expands, the complexity of this testing should not be overlooked. Numerous laboratory processes are required to support the identification, interpretation, and reporting of clinically significant variants. This study aimed to examine the workflow and reporting procedures among US laboratories to highlight shared practices and identify areas in need of standardization. Surveys and follow-up interviews were conducted with laboratories offering exome and/or genome sequencing to support a research program or for routine clinical services. The 73-item survey elicited multiple choice and free-text responses that were later clarified with phone interviews. Twenty-one laboratories participated. Practices highly concordant across all groups included consent documentation, multiperson case review, and enabling patient opt-out of incidental or secondary findings analysis. Noted divergence included use of phenotypic data to inform case analysis and interpretation and reporting of case-specific quality metrics and methods. Few laboratory policies detailed procedures for data reanalysis, data sharing, or patient access to data. This study provides an overview of practices and policies of experienced exome and genome sequencing laboratories. The results enable broader consideration of which practices are becoming standard approaches, where divergence remains, and areas of development in best practice guidelines that may be helpful.Genet Med advance online publication 03 Novemeber 2016.

Small Worlds Week: An online celebration of planetary science using social media to reach millions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mayo, Louis

2015-11-01

In celebration of the many recent discoveries from New Horizons, Dawn, Rosetta, and Cassini, NASA launched Small Worlds Week, an online, social media driven outreach program leveraging the infrastructure of Sun-Earth Days that included a robust web design, exemplary education materials, hands-on fun activities, multimedia resources, science and career highlights, and a culminating social media event. Each day from July 6-9, a new class of solar system small worlds was featured on the website: Monday-comets, Tuesday-asteroids, Wednesday-icy moons, and Thursday-dwarf planets. Then on Friday, July 10, nine scientists from Goddard Space Flight Center, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Naval Research Laboratory, and Lunar and Planetary Institute gathered online for four hours to answer questions from the public via Facebook and Twitter. Throughout the afternoon the scientists worked closely with a social media expert and several summer interns to reply to inquirers and to archive their chats. By all accounts, Small Worlds Week was a huge success with 37 million potential views of the social media Q&A posts. The group plans to improve and replicate the program during the school year with a more classroom focus, and then to build and extend the program to be held every year. For more information, visit http:// sunearthday.nasa.gov or catch us on Twitter, #nasasww.

Online bargaining and interpersonal trust.

PubMed

Naquin, Charles E; Paulson, Gaylen D

2003-02-01

The presented study explores the effect of interacting over the Internet on interpersonal trust when bargaining online. Relative to face-to-face negotiations, online negotiations were characterized by (a) lower levels of pre-negotiation trust and (b) lower levels of post-negotiation trust. The reduced levels of pre-negotiation trust in online negotiations (i.e., before any interaction took place) demonstrate that negotiators bring different expectations to the electronic bargaining table than to face-to-face negotiations. These negative perceptions of trust were found to mediate another aspect of the relationship, namely, desired future interaction. Those who negotiated online reported less desire for future interactions with the other party. Online negotiators also were less satisfied with their outcome and less confident in the quality of their performance, despite the absence of observable differences in economic outcome quality.

You're a What? Online Seller

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Torpey, Elka

2013-01-01

As online shopping has grown, so too has the number of people who make money selling products online. Online sellers can sell just about anything. Starting an online business can be as simple as having something to sell and access to the Internet. But there are a lot of factors to consider if one is going to have a business that thrives. One is to…

Decentralized Online Social Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Datta, Anwitaman; Buchegger, Sonja; Vu, Le-Hung; Strufe, Thorsten; Rzadca, Krzysztof

Current Online social networks (OSN) are web services run on logically centralized infrastructure. Large OSN sites use content distribution networks and thus distribute some of the load by caching for performance reasons, nevertheless there is a central repository for user and application data. This centralized nature of OSNs has several drawbacks including scalability, privacy, dependence on a provider, need for being online for every transaction, and a lack of locality. There have thus been several efforts toward decentralizing OSNs while retaining the functionalities offered by centralized OSNs. A decentralized online social network (DOSN) is a distributed system for social networking with no or limited dependency on any dedicated central infrastructure. In this chapter we explore the various motivations of a decentralized approach to online social networking, discuss several concrete proposals and types of DOSN as well as challenges and opportunities associated with decentralization.

Nurses' perceptions of online continuing education

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background There is increasing attention to online learning as a convenient way of getting professional training. The number and popularity of online nursing continuing education programs are increasing rapidly in many countries. Understanding these may contribute to designing these programs to maximize success. Also, knowing the perceptions and preferences in online learning aids development and orientation of online programs. The aims of this study are to show nurses' perceptions of online continuing education and to determine perceptions of various groups; area groups, working companies, frequency of computer usage and age. Methods The survey method was used in this quantitative study to reveal perception levels and relationship with related variables. Data were collected through an online instrument from a convenience sample of 1041 Registered Nurses (RNs) at an online bachelor's degree program. Descriptive and inferential analysis techniques were performed. Results Nurses generally have positive perceptions about online learning (X = 3.86; SD = 0.48). A significant difference was seen between nurses who used computers least and those with the highest computer usage [F (3, 1033) = 3.040; P < .05]. Neither nurses' ages nor lengths of working experience are significantly related to perceptions of online programs (r = -.013; P > .05 and r = -.036; P > .05, respectively). Nurses' perceptions are significantly different depending on the settings where they work [F (3,989) = 3.193; P < .05]. The difference between perceptions of nurses living in urban areas (X = 3.82; SD = .51) and those living in rural areas (X = 3.88; SD = .47) was not significant [t (994) = -1.570, P > .05]. Conclusions We found that nurses regard online learning opportunities as suitable for their working conditions and needs. Nurses should be provided with continued training through online learning alternatives, regardless of age, working experience or area of residence. PMID:22013974

Online Safety: Fraud, Security, Phishing, Vishing

MedlinePlus

... Theft Online Safety Privacy Report Scams and Frauds Online Safety Be aware of these scams when you' ... Security and Safety Internet Fraud Phishing and Vishing Online Security and Safety The internet makes many everyday ...

Adapting the Community of Inquiry Survey for an Online Graduate Program: Implications for Online Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kumar, Swapna; Ritzhaupt, Albert D.

2014-01-01

A cohort-based online professional doctorate program that consisted of both online coursework and research activities was designed using Garrison et al's community of inquiry (CoI) framework. The evaluation of the program proved a challenge because all existing CoI assessment methods in the past have dealt with online courses, not with online…

Social Features of Online Networks: The Strength of Intermediary Ties in Online Social Media

PubMed Central

Grabowicz, Przemyslaw A.; Ramasco, José J.; Moro, Esteban; Pujol, Josep M.; Eguiluz, Victor M.

2012-01-01

An increasing fraction of today's social interactions occur using online social media as communication channels. Recent worldwide events, such as social movements in Spain or revolts in the Middle East, highlight their capacity to boost people's coordination. Online networks display in general a rich internal structure where users can choose among different types and intensity of interactions. Despite this, there are still open questions regarding the social value of online interactions. For example, the existence of users with millions of online friends sheds doubts on the relevance of these relations. In this work, we focus on Twitter, one of the most popular online social networks, and find that the network formed by the basic type of connections is organized in groups. The activity of the users conforms to the landscape determined by such groups. Furthermore, Twitter's distinction between different types of interactions allows us to establish a parallelism between online and offline social networks: personal interactions are more likely to occur on internal links to the groups (the weakness of strong ties); events transmitting new information go preferentially through links connecting different groups (the strength of weak ties) or even more through links connecting to users belonging to several groups that act as brokers (the strength of intermediary ties). PMID:22247773

Assessment of a Multinational Online Faculty Development Program on Online Teaching: Reflections of Candidate E-Tutors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adnan, Muge; Kalelioglu, Filiz; Gulbahar, Yasemin

2017-01-01

Teaching online requires different skills, roles and competencies for online instructors compared to teaching in traditional learning environments. Universities should offer ongoing support in various forms to help academic staff through their online journey. This paper provides insights into a multinational faculty development program for…

Online written consultation, telephone consultation and offline appointment: An examination of the channel effect in online health communities.

PubMed

Wu, Hong; Lu, Naiji

2017-11-01

The emergence of online health communities broadens and diversifies channels for patient-doctor interaction. Given limited medical resources, online health communities aim to provide better treatment by decreasing medical costs, making full use of available resources and providing more diverse channels for patients. This research examines how online channel usage affects offline channels, i.e., "Online Booking, Service in Hospitals" (OBSH), and how the channel effects change with doctors' online and offline reputation. The study uses data of 4254 doctors from a Chinese online health community. Our findings demonstrate a strong relationship between online health communities and offline hospital communication with an important moderating role for reputation. There are significant channel effects, wherein written consultation complements OBSH (β=3.320, p<0.10), but telephone consultation can be a readily substitute for OBSH (β=-9.854, p<0.001). We also find that doctors with higher online and offline reputations can attract more patients to use the OBSH (β online =0.433, p<0.001; β offline =2.318&2.123, p<0.001). Third, channel effects fluctuate, relative to doctors' online and offline reputations: doctors with higher online reputations mitigate substitution effects between telephone consultation and OBSH (β=0.064, p<0.01), and doctors with higher offline reputations mitigate complementary effects between written consultation and OBSH (β=-1.586&-1.417, p<0.001). This study contributes to both knowledge and practice. This study shows that there is channel effect in healthcare, websites' managers can encourage physicians to provide online services, especially for these physicians who do not have enough patients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Converting virtual community members into online buyers.

PubMed

Gupta, Sumeet; Kim, Hee-Woong; Shin, Seon-Jin

2010-10-01

Although many online vendors have sponsored virtual communities (VCs) in the hope of reaping commercial benefits from it, not many have been successful in reaping commercial benefits from their VC. Online vendors can benefit greatly from having a VC, if the VC members can be converted into online buyers. This study examines the conversion of a VC member into an online buyer. Using a classical-conditioning approach, this study finds that members' committed participation in the VC is the springboard for online vendors to convert VC members into online buyers.

Identification of new transformation products during enzymatic treatment of tetracycline and erythromycin antibiotics at laboratory scale by an on-line turbulent flow liquid-chromatography coupled to a high resolution mass spectrometer LTQ-Orbitrap.

PubMed

Llorca, Marta; Rodríguez-Mozaz, Sara; Couillerot, Olivier; Panigoni, Karine; de Gunzburg, Jean; Bayer, Sally; Czaja, Rico; Barceló, Damià

2015-01-01

This work describes the formation of transformation products (TPs) by the enzymatic degradation at laboratory scale of two highly consumed antibiotics: tetracycline (Tc) and erythromycin (ERY). The analysis of the samples was carried out by a fast and simple method based on the novel configuration of the on-line turbulent flow system coupled to a hybrid linear ion trap - high resolution mass spectrometer. The method was optimized and validated for the complete analysis of ERY, Tc and their transformation products within 10 min without any other sample manipulation. Furthermore, the applicability of the on-line procedure was evaluated for 25 additional antibiotics, covering a wide range of chemical classes in different environmental waters with satisfactory quality parameters. Degradation rates obtained for Tc by laccase enzyme and ERY by EreB esterase enzyme without the presence of mediators were ∼78% and ∼50%, respectively. Concerning the identification of TPs, three suspected compounds for Tc and five of ERY have been proposed. In the case of Tc, the tentative molecular formulas with errors mass within 2 ppm have been based on the hypothesis of dehydroxylation, (bi)demethylation and oxidation of the rings A and C as major reactions. In contrast, the major TP detected for ERY has been identified as the "dehydration ERY-A", with the same molecular formula of its parent compound. In addition, the evaluation of the antibiotic activity of the samples along the enzymatic treatments showed a decrease around 100% in both cases. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bridging Social Capital in Online Communities: Heterogeneity and Social Tolerance of Online Game Players in Japan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kobayashi, Tetsuro

2010-01-01

This article examines the democratic potential of online communities by investigating the influence of network heterogeneity on social tolerance in an online gaming environment. Online game communities are potential sources of bridging social capital because they tend to be relatively heterogeneous. Causal analyses are conducted using structural…

Computer-simulated laboratory explorations for middle school life, earth, and physical Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

von Blum, Ruth

1992-06-01

Explorations in Middle School Science is a set of 72 computer-simulated laboratory lessons in life, earth, and physical Science for grades 6 9 developed by Jostens Learning Corporation with grants from the California State Department of Education and the National Science Foundation.3 At the heart of each lesson is a computer-simulated laboratory that actively involves students in doing science improving their: (1) understanding of science concepts by applying critical thinking to solve real problems; (2) skills in scientific processes and communications; and (3) attitudes about science. Students use on-line tools (notebook, calculator, word processor) to undertake in-depth investigations of phenomena (like motion in outer space, disease transmission, volcanic eruptions, or the structure of the atom) that would be too difficult, dangerous, or outright impossible to do in a “live” laboratory. Suggested extension activities lead students to hands-on investigations, away from the computer. This article presents the underlying rationale, instructional model, and process by which Explorations was designed and developed. It also describes the general courseware structure and three lesson's in detail, as well as presenting preliminary data from the evaluation. Finally, it suggests a model for incorporating technology into the science classroom.

Online professionalism: A synthetic review.

PubMed

Chretien, Katherine C; Tuck, Matthew G

2015-04-01

The rise of social media has increased connectivity and blurred personal and professional boundaries, bringing new challenges for medical professionalism. Whether traditional professionalism principles apply to the online social media space remains unknown. The purpose of this synthetic literature review was to characterize the original peer-reviewed research studies published between 1 January 2000-1 November 2014 on online professionalism, to assess methodologies and approaches used, and to provide insights to guide future studies in this area. The investigators searched three databases and performed manual searches of bibliographies to identify the 32 studies included. Most studies originated in the USA. Cross-sectional surveys and analyses of publicly available online content were the most common methodologies employed. Studies covered the general areas of use and privacy, assessment of unprofessional online behaviours, consensus-gathering of what constitutes unprofessional or inappropriate online behaviours, and education and policies. Studies were of variable quality; only around half of survey studies had response rates of 50% or greater. Medical trainees were the most common population studied. Future directions for research include public perspectives of online professionalism, impact on patient trust, and how to use social media productively as medical professionals.

Online Evaluative Conditioning Did Not Alter Internalized Homonegativity or Self-Esteem in Gay Men.

PubMed

Fleming, John B; Burns, Michelle Nicole

2017-09-01

Internalized homonegativity is linked to psychological distress in sexual minorities and is thus a potential treatment target in this population. Previous studies have shown that evaluative conditioning (EC) can modify self-esteem, another self-directed attitude. The present study aimed to determine if EC deployed over the Internet could modify self-esteem and internalized homonegativity. Gay men recruited online (N = 184) were randomly assigned to a control group or an experimental condition. Participants completed self-reports and measures of implicit attitudes before and after being exposed to control or experimental tasks. The study was administered online. There were no significant between-group differences on implicit or explicit self-esteem (ps > .49) or internalized homonegativity (ps > .28). Despite past laboratory success, Internet-based EC did not produce significant effects in implicit or explicit self-directed attitudes. Post hoc analyses did not support any of several potential explanations for these results. Alternative explanations are discussed. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Online-offline activities and game-playing behaviors of avatars in a massive multiplayer online role-playing game

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Zhi-Qiang; Zhou, Wei-Xing; Tan, Qun-Zhao

2009-11-01

Massive multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) are very popular in China, which provides a potential platform for scientific research. We study the online-offline activities of avatars in an MMORPG to understand their game-playing behavior. The statistical analysis unveils that the active avatars can be classified into three types. The avatars of the first type are owned by game cheaters who go online and offline in preset time intervals with the online duration distributions dominated by pulses. The second type of avatars is characterized by a Weibull distribution in the online durations, which is confirmed by statistical tests. The distributions of online durations of the remaining individual avatars differ from the above two types and cannot be described by a simple form. These findings have potential applications in the game industry.

Becoming Close with Others Online: Distributed Community Building in Online PBL Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

vanOostveen, Roland; Childs, Elizabeth; Clarkson, Jessica; Flynn, Kathleen

2016-01-01

Engaging in an online course has traditionally been perceived to be a lonely experience, with students busy viewing video lectures, working on problem sets and interacting intermittently with others using asynchronous technologies. More recently, over the past 6-7 years, online courses have become recognized as viable delivery vehicles for online…

Teaching Music Online: Changing Pedagogical Approach When Moving to the Online Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Carol

2017-01-01

The development of educational technology has provided platforms for undergraduate music courses to take place in an online environment. While technology is available, this does not mean that all teaching staff are ready for the pedagogical change required to implement teaching online. A transformation of pedagogical practice (that is, to online…

Potential of on-line visible and near infrared spectroscopy for measurement of pH for deriving variable rate lime recommendations.

PubMed

Tekin, Yücel; Kuang, Boyan; Mouazen, Abdul M

2013-08-08

This paper aims at exploring the potential of visible and near infrared (vis-NIR) spectroscopy for on-line measurement of soil pH, with the intention to produce variable rate lime recommendation maps. An on-line vis-NIR soil sensor set up to a frame was used in this study. Lime application maps, based on pH predicted by vis-NIR techniques, were compared with maps based on traditional lab-measured pH. The validation of the calibration model using off-line spectra provided excellent prediction accuracy of pH (R2 = 0.85, RMSEP = 0.18 and RPD = 2.52), as compared to very good accuracy obtained with the on-line measured spectra (R2 = 0.81, RMSEP = 0.20 and RPD = 2.14). On-line predicted pH of all points (e.g., 2,160) resulted in the largest overall field virtual lime requirement (1.404 t), as compared to those obtained with 16 validation points off-line prediction (0.28 t), on-line prediction (0.14 t) and laboratory reference measurement (0.48 t). The conclusion is that the vis-NIR spectroscopy can be successfully used for the prediction of soil pH and for deriving lime recommendations. The advantage of the on-line sensor over sampling with limited number of samples is that more detailed information about pH can be obtained, which is the reason for a higher but precise calculated lime recommendation rate.

Potential of On-Line Visible and Near Infrared Spectroscopy for Measurement of pH for Deriving Variable Rate Lime Recommendations

PubMed Central

Tekin, Yücel; Kuang, Boyan; Mouazen, Abdul M.

2013-01-01

This paper aims at exploring the potential of visible and near infrared (vis-NIR) spectroscopy for on-line measurement of soil pH, with the intention to produce variable rate lime recommendation maps. An on-line vis-NIR soil sensor set up to a frame was used in this study. Lime application maps, based on pH predicted by vis-NIR techniques, were compared with maps based on traditional lab-measured pH. The validation of the calibration model using off-line spectra provided excellent prediction accuracy of pH (R2 = 0.85, RMSEP = 0.18 and RPD = 2.52), as compared to very good accuracy obtained with the on-line measured spectra (R2 = 0.81, RMSEP = 0.20 and RPD = 2.14). On-line predicted pH of all points (e.g., 2,160) resulted in the largest overall field virtual lime requirement (1.404 t), as compared to those obtained with 16 validation points off-line prediction (0.28 t), on-line prediction (0.14 t) and laboratory reference measurement (0.48 t). The conclusion is that the vis-NIR spectroscopy can be successfully used for the prediction of soil pH and for deriving lime recommendations. The advantage of the on-line sensor over sampling with limited number of samples is that more detailed information about pH can be obtained, which is the reason for a higher but precise calculated lime recommendation rate. PMID:23966186

Inventing an Online Newspaper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McAdams, Melinda

1995-01-01

Summarizes the issues, debates, and decisions that helped to shape "The Washington Post's" online service, Digital Ink. Highlights include: differences between online and print versions of the newspaper, structure of the user interface, organization of information, content, searching and navigation, and advertising. (JKP)

Interpersonal dependency and online gaming addiction.

PubMed

Škařupová, Kateřina; Blinka, Lukas

2016-03-01

Background and aims The present study explores the relationship between social motivations and addiction to online gaming and if that possible connection can be explained by the personality traits responsible for social functioning. Methods We employ Bernstein's concept of interpersonal dependency to distinguish healthy dependency, dysfunctional detachment, and destructive overdependence, and Charlton and Danforth's conceptualisation of online gaming addiction and high engagement. An online questionnaire was administered to a self-nominated sample of 4,074 online gamers. Two regression models were constructed to separately explain gaming addiction and high engagement using social motivations to play, while controlling for age, gender, and time spent online. Results High scores on subscales measuring dysfunctional detachment and destructive overdependence were positively associated with online gaming addiction, while healthy dependency was negatively correlated with addiction scores. In contrast, the overall role of social motivation was negligible. Discussion People with healthy relationship profiles are less likely to develop problematic patterns of online gaming. High in-game engagement, although sharing some factors with addiction, was only poorly explained by the study variables, suggesting the mutual exclusiveness of addiction and engagement.

Effects of an Online Rational Emotive Curriculum on Primary School Students' Tendencies for Online and Real-World Aggression

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Eric Zhi-Feng; Ho, H. C.; Song, Y. J.

2011-01-01

This study investigated the relationship between online and real-world aggressive behavior among primary school students as well as the effects of an online rational emotive curriculum on reducing the tendency of students to display aggression online and in the real-world. We developed an online information literacy course integrated with rational…

Are Norms of Disclosure of Online and Offline Personal Information Associated with the Disclosure of Personal Information Online?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mesch, Gustavo S.; Beker, Guy

2010-01-01

This study investigated whether norms of self-disclosure of one's online and offline identity are linked to online disclosure of personal and intimate information. We expected online disclosure of personal and intimate information to be associated with norms of online disclosure. Secondary analysis of the 2006 Pew and American Life Survey of…

Online Assessment, Measurement and Evaluation: Emerging Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, David, Ed.; Hricko, Mary, Ed.; Howell, Scott, Ed.

2006-01-01

"Online Assessment, Measurement and Evaluation: Emerging Practices" provides a view of the possibilities and challenges facing online educators and evaluators in the 21st Century. As technology evolves and online measurement and assessment follow, "Online Assessment, Measurement and Evaluation: Emerging Practices" uses…

The Virtual Geophysics Laboratory (VGL): Scientific Workflows Operating Across Organizations and Across Infrastructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cox, S. J.; Wyborn, L. A.; Fraser, R.; Rankine, T.; Woodcock, R.; Vote, J.; Evans, B.

2012-12-01

The Virtual Geophysics Laboratory (VGL) is web portal that provides geoscientists with an integrated online environment that: seamlessly accesses geophysical and geoscience data services from the AuScope national geoscience information infrastructure; loosely couples these data to a variety of gesocience software tools; and provides large scale processing facilities via cloud computing. VGL is a collaboration between CSIRO, Geoscience Australia, National Computational Infrastructure, Monash University, Australian National University and the University of Queensland. The VGL provides a distributed system whereby a user can enter an online virtual laboratory to seamlessly connect to OGC web services for geoscience data. The data is supplied in open standards formats using international standards like GeoSciML. A VGL user uses a web mapping interface to discover and filter the data sources using spatial and attribute filters to define a subset. Once the data is selected the user is not required to download the data. VGL collates the service query information for later in the processing workflow where it will be staged directly to the computing facilities. The combination of deferring data download and access to Cloud computing enables VGL users to access their data at higher resolutions and to undertake larger scale inversions, more complex models and simulations than their own local computing facilities might allow. Inside the Virtual Geophysics Laboratory, the user has access to a library of existing models, complete with exemplar workflows for specific scientific problems based on those models. For example, the user can load a geological model published by Geoscience Australia, apply a basic deformation workflow provided by a CSIRO scientist, and have it run in a scientific code from Monash. Finally the user can publish these results to share with a colleague or cite in a paper. This opens new opportunities for access and collaboration as all the resources (models

USGS National Assessment of Oil and Gas Online (NOGA Online)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Biewick, L.H.

2003-01-01

The Central Energy Resources Team (CERT) of the U.S. Geological Survey is providing results of the USGS National Assessment of Oil and Gas online (NOGA Online). In addition to providing resource estimates and geologic reports, NOGA Online includes an internet map application that allows interactive viewing and analysis of assessment data and results. CERT is in the process of reassessing domestic oil and natural gas resources in a series of priority basins in the United States using a Total Petroleum System (TPS) approach where the assessment unit is the basic appraisal unit (rather than the oil and gas play used in the 1995 study). Assessments of undiscovered oil and gas resources in five such priority provinces were recently completed to meet the requirements of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 2000 (EPCA 2000). New assessment results are made available at this site on an ongoing basis.

Student Participation Patterns in Online Discussion: Incorporating Constructivist Discussion into Online Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Hoe Kyeung; Bateman, Betzi

2010-01-01

The purpose of this article was to explore student participation patterns in online discussion boards related to their characteristics and question types. The characteristics of students enrolled in an online course and the impact of types of discussion questions on student posts were examined. During the 16 weeks of a course, the participation…

Elective course in acute care using online learning and patient simulation.

PubMed

Seybert, Amy L; Kane-Gill, Sandra L

2011-04-11

To enhance students' knowledge of and critical-thinking skills in the management of acutely ill patients using online independent learning partnered with high-fidelity patient simulation sessions. Students enrolled in the Acute Care Simulation watched 10 weekly Web-based video presentations on various critical care and advanced cardiovascular pharmacotherapy topics. After completing each online module, all students participated in groups in patient-care simulation exercises in which they prepared a pharmacotherapeutic plan for the patient, recommended this plan to the patient's physician, and completed a debriefing session with the facilitator. Students completed a pretest and posttest before and after each simulation exercise, as well as midterm and final evaluations and a satisfaction survey. Pharmacy students significantly improved their scores on 9 of the 10 tests (p ≤ 0.05). Students' performance on the final evaluation improved compared with performance on the midterm evaluation. Overall, students were satisfied with the unique dual approach to learning and enjoyed the realistic patient-care environment that the simulation laboratory provided. Participation in an elective course that combined self-directed Web-based learning and hands-on patient simulation exercises increased pharmacy students' knowledge and critical-thinking skills in acute care.

Online Assessment and Measurement: Foundations and Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hricko, Mary; Howell, Scott

2006-01-01

Online learning is one of the most important topics in distance learning, but practitioners and researchers have experienced difficulty in defining the process. "Online Assessment and Measurement: Foundations and Challenges" approaches the topic by finding a common ground to properly analyze online assessment and measurement. "Online Assessment…

Online Actions with Offline Impact: How Online Social Networks Influence Online and Offline User Behavior.

PubMed

Althoff, Tim; Jindal, Pranav; Leskovec, Jure

2017-02-01

Many of today's most widely used computing applications utilize social networking features and allow users to connect, follow each other, share content, and comment on others' posts. However, despite the widespread adoption of these features, there is little understanding of the consequences that social networking has on user retention, engagement, and online as well as offline behavior. Here, we study how social networks influence user behavior in a physical activity tracking application. We analyze 791 million online and offline actions of 6 million users over the course of 5 years, and show that social networking leads to a significant increase in users' online as well as offline activities. Specifically, we establish a causal effect of how social networks influence user behavior. We show that the creation of new social connections increases user online in-application activity by 30%, user retention by 17%, and user offline real-world physical activity by 7% (about 400 steps per day). By exploiting a natural experiment we distinguish the effect of social influence of new social connections from the simultaneous increase in user's motivation to use the app and take more steps. We show that social influence accounts for 55% of the observed changes in user behavior, while the remaining 45% can be explained by the user's increased motivation to use the app. Further, we show that subsequent, individual edge formations in the social network lead to significant increases in daily steps. These effects diminish with each additional edge and vary based on edge attributes and user demographics. Finally, we utilize these insights to develop a model that accurately predicts which users will be most influenced by the creation of new social network connections.

Exploring the Therapeutic Affordances of Self-Harm Online Support Communities: An Online Survey of Members

PubMed Central

Bullock, Emma

2017-01-01

Background A growing number of online communities have been established to support those who self-harm. However, little is known about the therapeutic affordances arising from engagement with these communities and resulting outcomes. Objective The aim of this study was to explore the presence of therapeutic affordances as reported by members of self-harm online support communities. Methods In total, 94 respondents (aged 13-63 years, mean=23.5 years; 94% female) completed an online survey exploring their experiences of engaging with a self-harm online support community. Respondents varied in terms of how long they had been accessing an online community, with 22% (21/94) accessing less than 1 year, 39% (37/94) 1 to 2 years, 14% (13/94) 2 to 3 years, and 24.5% (23/94) more than 3 years. Responses were analyzed using deductive thematic analysis. Results The results of our analysis describe each of the five therapeutic affordances that were present in the data, namely (1) connection, the ability to make contact with others who self-harm for the purposes of mutual support and in so doing reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation; (2) adaptation, that is, how use of online support varies in relation to the personal circumstances of the individual user; (3) exploration, that is, the ability to learn about self-harm and learn about strategies to reduce or stop self-harming behavior; (4) narration, that is, the ability to share experiences, as well as read about the experiences of others; and (5) self-presentation, that is, how and what users present about themselves to others in the online community. Conclusions Our findings suggest that engagement with self-harm online support communities may confer a range of therapeutic benefits for some users, which may serve to minimize the psychosocial burden of self-harm and promote positive coping strategies. In addition, the online nature of the support available may be helpful to those who are unable to access face

The Online Consumer: An Examination of Gender, Age, Income and Education as Determinants of Online Repurchasing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Portillo, Carol D.

2017-01-01

Online purchasing has increased dramatically over the past 10 years and the pace is expected to continue to accelerate. This new channel of purchasing poses a challenge to online retailers as they strive to increase online repurchasing behavior. This non-experimental study addresses the problem of how to support a rapidly growing online…

Comparing Attitudes of Online Instructors and Online College Students: Quantitative Results for Training, Evaluation and Administration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eskey, Michael T.; Schulte, Marthann

2012-01-01

The past decade has witnessed an explosion in online learning opportunities for post-secondary students throughout the United States. The university has developed a Faculty Online Observation (FOO) model to allow for an annual observation of online adjunct faculty with a focus on five major areas of facilitation. To test the effectiveness and…

Making Online Learning Personal: Evolution, Evidentiary Reasoning, and Self-Regulation in an Online Curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marsteller, Robert B.

An online curriculum about biological evolution was designed according to the Promoting Evidentiary Reasoning and Self-regulation Online (PERSON) theoretical framework. PERSON is an attempt to develop online science instruction focused on supporting evidentiary reasoning and self-regulation. An efficacy study was conducted with 80 suburban high school biology students using a design-based research approach to develop a curriculum to promote biological evolution understandings, evidentiary reasoning, and self-regulation. Data sources and instruments included (1) the Biological Evolution Assessment Measurement (BEAM); (2) the modified Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ); (3) discussion forum posts; (4) formative assessments of evidence based reasoning; (5) Prediction, Monitoring, and Reflection forms (PMR); (6) the Online Instruction Questionnaire; and (7) field notes. Findings revealed that BEAM posttest scores were significantly greater than pretest scores for items designed to measure biological evolution content knowledge and evidentiary reasoning. Students tracked in a lower level biology course showed improvement in biological evolution understandings and evidentiary reasoning. It was found that performance on daily evidentiary reasoning tasks strongly predicted BEAM posttest scores. However, findings revealed that students did not meet local standards for performance on items designed to measure evidentiary reasoning. Students expressed a variety of opinions about their learning experiences with the online curriculum. Some students expressed a definite preference for traditional learning environments, while others expressed a definite preference for online learning. Self-regulatory ability did not significantly predict BEAM gain scores. Further, self-regulatory ability was not demonstrably improved as a result of this intervention. Implications for designing science instruction in asynchronous online learning environments to support

The Making of an Exemplary Online Educator

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Margaret; Perry, Beth; Janzen, Katherine

2011-01-01

What does it take to be an effective online educator? Can those who teach successfully face-to-face be equally effective online? This article details a descriptive qualitative research study of students' perspectives regarding qualities of exceptional online educators. Participants described interactions they had with online teachers they…

Developing an EEG-based on-line closed-loop lapse detection and mitigation system

PubMed Central

Wang, Yu-Te; Huang, Kuan-Chih; Wei, Chun-Shu; Huang, Teng-Yi; Ko, Li-Wei; Lin, Chin-Teng; Cheng, Chung-Kuan; Jung, Tzyy-Ping

2014-01-01

In America, 60% of adults reported that they have driven a motor vehicle while feeling drowsy, and at least 15–20% of fatal car accidents are fatigue-related. This study translates previous laboratory-oriented neurophysiological research to design, develop, and test an On-line Closed-loop Lapse Detection and Mitigation (OCLDM) System featuring a mobile wireless dry-sensor EEG headgear and a cell-phone based real-time EEG processing platform. Eleven subjects participated in an event-related lane-keeping task, in which they were instructed to manipulate a randomly deviated, fixed-speed cruising car on a 4-lane highway. This was simulated in a 1st person view with an 8-screen and 8-projector immersive virtual-reality environment. When the subjects experienced lapses or failed to respond to events during the experiment, auditory warning was delivered to rectify the performance decrements. However, the arousing auditory signals were not always effective. The EEG spectra exhibited statistically significant differences between effective and ineffective arousing signals, suggesting that EEG spectra could be used as a countermeasure of the efficacy of arousing signals. In this on-line pilot study, the proposed OCLDM System was able to continuously detect EEG signatures of fatigue, deliver arousing warning to subjects suffering momentary cognitive lapses, and assess the efficacy of the warning in near real-time to rectify cognitive lapses. The on-line testing results of the OCLDM System validated the efficacy of the arousing signals in improving subjects' response times to the subsequent lane-departure events. This study may lead to a practical on-line lapse detection and mitigation system in real-world environments. PMID:25352773

Online weight training.

PubMed

McNamara, John M; Swalm, Ricky L; Stearne, David J; Covassin, Tracey M

2008-07-01

The purpose of this study was to determine how a traditional weight training class compared to nontraditional classes that were heavily laden with technology. Could students learn resistance exercises by watching video demonstrations over the Internet? Three university weight training classes, each lasting 16 weeks, were compared. Each class had the same curriculum and workout requirements but different attendance requirements. The online group made extensive use of the Internet and was allowed to complete the workouts on their own at any gym that was convenient for them. Seventy-nine college-aged students were randomized into 3 groups: traditional (n = 27), hybrid (n = 25), and online (n = 27). They completed pretest and posttest measures on upper-body strength (i.e., bench press), lower-body strength (i.e., back squat), and knowledge (i.e., written exam). The results indicated that all 3 groups showed significant improvement in knowledge (p < 0.05). The online group did not require the students to attend class and may have resulted in significantly lower scores on the bench press (p < 0.05) and squats (p < 0.05). This study indicates that an online weight training course may improve knowledge but not strength. Possible reasons for a lack of improvement in the online group included lack of motivation, low accountability, and the possibility that the self-reported workouts were not accurate. These results suggest that there is a limit to how much technology can be used in a weight training class. If this limit is exceeded, some type of monitoring system appears necessary to ensure that students are actually completing their workouts.

Eye Movements of Online Chinese Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stickler, Ursula; Shi, Lijing

2015-01-01

Although online tutorials are becoming commonplace for language teaching, very few studies to date have provided insights into learners' behaviours in synchronous online interactions from their own perspective. This study employs eyetracking technology to investigate ten learners' attention during synchronous online language learning in a…

Taking It Online, and Making It Pay.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Online & CD-ROM Review, 1996

1996-01-01

Discusses taking content online and payment models online based on sessions at the 1996 Internet World International conference in London (England). Highlights include publishers' decisions to reproduce materials on the World Wide Web; designing Web sites; guidelines for online content; online pricing; and the pros and cons of charging online…

Students Matter: Quality Measurements in Online Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Unal, Zafer; Unal, Aslihan

2016-01-01

Quality Matters (QM) is a peer review process designed to certify the quality of online courses and online components. It has generated widespread interest and received national recognition for its peer-based approach to quality assurance and continuous improvement in online education. While the entire QM online course design process is…

Interpersonal dependency and online gaming addiction

PubMed Central

Škařupová, Kateřina; Blinka, Lukas

2016-01-01

Background and aims The present study explores the relationship between social motivations and addiction to online gaming and if that possible connection can be explained by the personality traits responsible for social functioning. Methods We employ Bernstein’s concept of interpersonal dependency to distinguish healthy dependency, dysfunctional detachment, and destructive overdependence, and Charlton and Danforth’s conceptualisation of online gaming addiction and high engagement. An online questionnaire was administered to a self-nominated sample of 4,074 online gamers. Two regression models were constructed to separately explain gaming addiction and high engagement using social motivations to play, while controlling for age, gender, and time spent online. Results High scores on subscales measuring dysfunctional detachment and destructive overdependence were positively associated with online gaming addiction, while healthy dependency was negatively correlated with addiction scores. In contrast, the overall role of social motivation was negligible. Discussion People with healthy relationship profiles are less likely to develop problematic patterns of online gaming. High in-game engagement, although sharing some factors with addiction, was only poorly explained by the study variables, suggesting the mutual exclusiveness of addiction and engagement. PMID:26690326

Engaging the Online Student: Instructor-Created Video Content for the Online Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Underdown, Kimber; Martin, Jeff

2016-01-01

The online platform in higher education is growing at a rapid pace; however, detractors claim the lack of personal connection between student and teacher presence will never allow online to reach the same level of quality instruction found in a live classroom setting. While there will always be drawbacks with both the live classroom and online…

Unsupervised online classifier in sleep scoring for sleep deprivation studies.

PubMed

Libourel, Paul-Antoine; Corneyllie, Alexandra; Luppi, Pierre-Hervé; Chouvet, Guy; Gervasoni, Damien

2015-05-01

This study was designed to evaluate an unsupervised adaptive algorithm for real-time detection of sleep and wake states in rodents. We designed a Bayesian classifier that automatically extracts electroencephalogram (EEG) and electromyogram (EMG) features and categorizes non-overlapping 5-s epochs into one of the three major sleep and wake states without any human supervision. This sleep-scoring algorithm is coupled online with a new device to perform selective paradoxical sleep deprivation (PSD). Controlled laboratory settings for chronic polygraphic sleep recordings and selective PSD. Ten adult Sprague-Dawley rats instrumented for chronic polysomnographic recordings. The performance of the algorithm is evaluated by comparison with the score obtained by a human expert reader. Online detection of PS is then validated with a PSD protocol with duration of 72 hours. Our algorithm gave a high concordance with human scoring with an average κ coefficient > 70%. Notably, the specificity to detect PS reached 92%. Selective PSD using real-time detection of PS strongly reduced PS amounts, leaving only brief PS bouts necessary for the detection of PS in EEG and EMG signals (4.7 ± 0.7% over 72 h, versus 8.9 ± 0.5% in baseline), and was followed by a significant PS rebound (23.3 ± 3.3% over 150 minutes). Our fully unsupervised data-driven algorithm overcomes some limitations of the other automated methods such as the selection of representative descriptors or threshold settings. When used online and coupled with our sleep deprivation device, it represents a better option for selective PSD than other methods like the tedious gentle handling or the platform method. © 2015 Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC.

Online Conferencing: Lessons Learned.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Lyndsay

This guide summarizes lessons learned from the author's experience of organizing and moderating five non-pedagogical online conferences that use World Wide Web-based conferencing software, whether synchronous or asynchronous. Seven sections cover the following topics: (1) the pros and cons of online conferencing; (2) setting objectives; (3)…

Online Videoconferencing Products: Update

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burton, Douglas; Kitchen, Tim

2011-01-01

Software allowing real-time online video connectivity is rapidly evolving. The ability to connect students, staff, and guest speakers instantaneously carries great benefits for the online distance education classroom. This evaluation report compares four software applications at opposite ends of the cost spectrum: "DimDim", "Elluminate VCS",…

The impact of collaborative groups versus individuals in undergraduate inquiry-based astronomy laboratory learning exercises

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sibbernsen, Kendra J.

One of the long-standing general undergraduate education requirements common to many colleges and universities is a science course with a laboratory experience component. One of the objectives frequently included in the description of most of these courses is that a student will understand the nature and processes of scientific inquiry. However, recent research has shown that learners in traditional undergraduate science laboratory environments are not developing a sufficiently meaningful understanding of scientific inquiry. Recently, astronomy laboratory activities have been developed that intentionally scaffold a student from guided activities to open inquiry ones and preliminary results show that these laboratories are successful for supporting students to understand the nature of scientific inquiry (Slater, S., Slater, T. F., & Shaner, 2008). This mixed-method quasi-experimental study was designed to determine how students in an undergraduate astronomy laboratory increase their understanding of inquiry working in relative isolation compared to working in small collaborative learning groups. The introductory astronomy laboratory students in the study generally increased their understanding of scientific inquiry over the course of the semester and this held true similarly for students working in groups and students working individually in the laboratories. This was determined by the examining the change in responses from the pretest to the posttest administration of the Views of Scientific Inquiry (VOSI) survey, the increase in scores on laboratory exercises, and observations from the instructor. Because the study was successful in determining that individuals in the astronomy laboratory do as well at understanding inquiry as those who complete their exercises in small groups, it would be appropriate to offer these inquiry-based exercises in an online format.

Online CTE in the Community College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garza Mitchell, Regina L.; Etshim, Rachal; Dietz, Brian T.

2016-01-01

This single-site case study explored how one community college integrated online education into CTE courses and programs. Through semi-structured interviews and document analysis, the study explores how one college integrated online education (fully online, hybrid, and web-enhanced) into areas typically considered "hands-on".…

Online Coregularization for Multiview Semisupervised Learning

PubMed Central

Li, Guohui; Huang, Kuihua

2013-01-01

We propose a novel online coregularization framework for multiview semisupervised learning based on the notion of duality in constrained optimization. Using the weak duality theorem, we reduce the online coregularization to the task of increasing the dual function. We demonstrate that the existing online coregularization algorithms in previous work can be viewed as an approximation of our dual ascending process using gradient ascent. New algorithms are derived based on the idea of ascending the dual function more aggressively. For practical purpose, we also propose two sparse approximation approaches for kernel representation to reduce the computational complexity. Experiments show that our derived online coregularization algorithms achieve risk and accuracy comparable to offline algorithms while consuming less time and memory. Specially, our online coregularization algorithms are able to deal with concept drift and maintain a much smaller error rate. This paper paves a way to the design and analysis of online coregularization algorithms. PMID:24194680

Pedagogical Perspectives for the Online Education Skeptic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brewer, Pam Estes; Brewer, Edward C.

2015-01-01

While online programs continue to grow at an astounding rate in higher education, many faculty remain skeptical of the efficacy of online models. This article provides an overview of some significant benefits of online education while recognizing some common concerns. An examination of the current literature and the authors' own online experiences…

Comparison of Online Game Addiction in High School Students with Habitual Computer Use and Online Gaming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Müezzin, Emre

2015-01-01

The aim of this study is to compare the online game addiction in high school students with the habitual computer use and online gaming. The sample selected through the criterion sampling method, consists of 61.8% (n = 81) female, 38.2% (n = 50) male, 131 high school students. The "Online Game Addiction Scale" developed by Kaya and Basol…

Risky online behaviors among adolescents: Longitudinal relations among problematic Internet use, cyberbullying perpetration, and meeting strangers online.

PubMed

Gámez-Guadix, Manuel; Borrajo, Erika; Almendros, Carmen

2016-03-01

Background and aims This study aims to analyze the cross-sectional and longitudinal relationship between three major risky online behaviors during adolescence: problematic Internet use, cyberbullying perpetration, and meeting strangers online. An additional objective was to study the role of impulsivity-irresponsibility as a possible explanatory variable of the relationships between these risky online behaviors. Methods The study sample was 888 adolescents that completed self-report measures at time 1 and time 2 with an interval of 6 months. Results The findings showed a significant cross-sectional relationship between the risky online behaviors analyzed. At the longitudinal level, problematic Internet use at time 1 predicted an increase in the perpetration of cyberbullying and meeting strangers online at time 2. Furthermore, meeting strangers online increased the likelihood of cyberbullying perpetration at time 2. Finally, when impulsivity-irresponsibility was included in the model as an explanatory variable, the relationships previously found remained significant. Discussion These results extend traditional problem behavior theory during adolescence, also supporting a relationship between different risky behaviors in cyberspace. In addition, findings highlighted the role of problematic Internet use, which increased the chances of developing cyberbullying perpetration and meeting strangers online over time. However, the results suggest a limited role of impulsivity-irresponsibility as an explicative mechanism. Conclusions The findings suggest that various online risk activities ought to be addressed together when planning assessment, prevention and intervention efforts.

Design of a specialized computer for on-line monitoring of cardiac stroke volume

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Webb, J. A., Jr.; Gebben, V. D.

1972-01-01

The design of a specialized analog computer for on-line determination of cardiac stroke volume by means of a modified version of the pressure pulse contour method is presented. The design consists of an analog circuit for computation and a timing circuit for detecting necessary events on the pressure waveform. Readouts of arterial pressures, systolic duration, heart rate, percent change in stroke volume, and percent change in cardiac output are provided for monitoring cardiac patients. Laboratory results showed that computational accuracy was within 3 percent, while animal experiments verified the operational capability of the computer. Patient safety considerations are also discussed.

Cold Climate Foundation Retrofit Experimental Hygrothermal Performance. Cloquet Residential Research Facility Laboratory Results

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goldberg, Louise F.; Harmon, Anna C.

2015-04-09

This project was funded jointly by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). ORNL focused on developing a full basement wall system experimental database to enable others to validate hygrothermal simulation codes. NREL focused on testing the moisture durability of practical basement wall interior insulation retrofit solutions for cold climates. The project has produced a physically credible and reliable long-term hygrothermal performance database for retrofit foundation wall insulation systems in zone 6 and 7 climates that are fully compliant with the performance criteria in the 2009 Minnesota Energy Code. These data currently span the periodmore » from November 10, 2012 through May 31, 2014 and are anticipated to be extended through November 2014. The experimental data were configured into a standard format that can be published online and that is compatible with standard commercially available spreadsheet and database software.« less

Online Monitoring of Concrete Structures in Nuclear Power Plants: Interim Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mahadevan, Sankaran; Cai, Guowei; Agarwal, Vivek

The existing fleet of nuclear power plants in the United States have initial operating licenses of 40 years, and many of these plants have applied for and received license extensions. As plant structures, systems, and components age, their useful life—considering both structural integrity and performance—is reduced as a result of deterioration of the materials. Assessment and management of aging concrete structures in nuclear plants require a more systematic approach than simple reliance on existing code-based design margins of safety. Structural health monitoring is required to produce actionable information regarding structural integrity that supports operational and maintenance decisions. The online monitoringmore » of concrete structures project conducted under the Advanced Instrumentation, Information, and Control Technologies Pathway of the Light Water Reactor Sustainability program at Idaho National Laboratory is seeking to develop and demonstrate capabilities for concrete structures health monitoring. Through this research project, several national laboratories and Vanderbilt University propose to develop a framework of research activities for the health monitoring of nuclear power plant concrete structures that includes the integration of four elements—damage modeling, monitoring, data analytics, and uncertainty quantification. This report briefly discusses activities in this project during October-December, 2014. The most significant activity during this period was the organizing of a two-day workshop on research needs in online monitoring of concrete structures, hosted by Vanderbilt University in November 2014. Thirty invitees from academia, industry and government participated in the workshop. The presentations and discussions at the workshop surveyed current activities related to concrete structures deterioration modeling and monitoring, and identified the challenges, knowledge gaps, and opportunities for advancing the state of the art; these

Best Practices for Online Business Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grandzol, John R.; Grandzol, Christian J.

2006-01-01

This integrative review of literature on online educational best practices is intended to provide a quick reference for those interested in designing online business courses and programs. Primarily American in its perspective, this review may be helpful for business schools seeking optimal online course designs that foster quality learning…

Designing Synchronous Online Interactions and Discussions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Barb; Schroeder, Meadow; Eaton, Sarah Elaine

2016-01-01

With increased improvements to technology for online teaching, synchronous instruction continues to grow. Increasing student interaction has been an important component to enhance a sense of community in online learning and improve student satisfaction. There is a paucity of research on how to effectively manage online interaction and increase…

Design and Implementation of the Retinoblastoma Collaborative Laboratory.

PubMed

Qaiser, Seemi; Limo, Alice; Gichana, Josiah; Kimani, Kahaki; Githanga, Jessie; Waweru, Wairimu; Dimba, Elizabeth A O; Dimaras, Helen

2017-01-01

The purpose of this work was to describe the design and implementation of a digital pathology laboratory, the Retinoblastoma Collaborative Laboratory (RbCoLab) in Kenya. The RbCoLab is a central lab in Nairobi that receives retinoblastoma specimens from all over Kenya. Specimens were processed using evidence-based standard operating procedures. Images were produced by a digital scanner, and pathology reports were disseminated online. The lab implemented standard operating procedures aimed at improving the accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of pathology reports, enhancing the care of Kenyan retinoblastoma patients. Integration of digital technology to support pathology services supported knowledge transfer and skills transfer. A bidirectional educational network of local pathologists and other clinicians in the circle of care of the patients emerged and served to emphasize the clinical importance of cancer pathology at multiple levels of care. A 'Robin Hood' business model of health care service delivery was developed to support sustainability and scale-up of cancer pathology services. The application of evidence-based protocols, comprehensive training, and collaboration were essential to bring improvements to the care of retinoblastoma patients in Kenya. When embraced as an integrated component of retinoblastoma care, digital pathology offers the opportunity for frequent connection and consultation for development of expertise over time.

Design and Implementation of the Retinoblastoma Collaborative Laboratory

PubMed Central

Qaiser, Seemi; Limo, Alice; Gichana, Josiah; Kimani, Kahaki; Githanga, Jessie; Waweru, Wairimu; Dimba, Elizabeth A.O.; Dimaras, Helen

2017-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this work was to describe the design and implementation of a digital pathology laboratory, the Retinoblastoma Collaborative Laboratory (RbCoLab) in Kenya. Method The RbCoLab is a central lab in Nairobi that receives retinoblastoma specimens from all over Kenya. Specimens were processed using evidence-based standard operating procedures. Images were produced by a digital scanner, and pathology reports were disseminated online. Results The lab implemented standard operating procedures aimed at improving the accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of pathology reports, enhancing the care of Kenyan retinoblastoma patients. Integration of digital technology to support pathology services supported knowledge transfer and skills transfer. A bidirectional educational network of local pathologists and other clinicians in the circle of care of the patients emerged and served to emphasize the clinical importance of cancer pathology at multiple levels of care. A ‘Robin Hood’ business model of health care service delivery was developed to support sustainability and scale-up of cancer pathology services. Discussion The application of evidence-based protocols, comprehensive training, and collaboration were essential to bring improvements to the care of retinoblastoma patients in Kenya. When embraced as an integrated component of retinoblastoma care, digital pathology offers the opportunity for frequent connection and consultation for development of expertise over time. PMID:28275608

Online Learning for Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kesner, Rebecca J., Ed.

2001-01-01

This newsletter contains two articles on teacher use of educational technology. The first article, "Online Learning for Teachers," (Stephen G. Barkley) explains that online learning has the ability to multiply both the effectiveness and efficiency of traditional onsite training by eliminating the need for travel. It describes the five components…

Serving the Online Learner

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boettcher, Judith V.

2007-01-01

Systems and services for recruiting, advising, and support of online students have seldom been at the top of the list when planning online and distance learning programs. That is now changing: Forces pushing advising and support services into the foreground include recognition of the student learner as "customer" and the increasing…

The Online Learning Academy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Suzanne Liebowitz; McKay, Donald P.; Culp, Ann; Baumann, Stephen; Elinich, Karen

This paper describes the Online Learning Academy (OLLA), a World Wide Web-based presence that supports the use of telecomputing in the classroom by: connecting teachers to each other and Internet educational resources; fostering the use of online resources and collaboration; encouraging and enabling the sharing of classroom experiences; and…

The Online Catalog Revolution.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kilgour, Frederick G.

1984-01-01

A review of library technological development and card catalog innovations of the past century and a half precedes a discussion of online public access catalog development. Design requirements and purpose of the online catalog, access techniques and provisions, costs, and future integration are highlighted. Twenty-two references are listed. (EJS)

Excessive Gambling and Online Gambling Communities.

PubMed

Sirola, Anu; Kaakinen, Markus; Oksanen, Atte

2018-04-05

The Internet provides an accessible context for online gambling and gambling-related online communities, such as discussion forums for gamblers. These communities may be particularly attractive to young gamblers who are active Internet users. The aim of this study was to examine the use of gambling-related online communities and their relevance to excessive gambling among 15-25-year-old Finnish Internet users (N = 1200). Excessive gambling was assessed by using the South Oaks Gambling Screen. Respondents were asked in a survey about their use of various kinds of gambling-related online communities, and sociodemographic and behavioral factors were adjusted. The results of the study revealed that over half (54.33%) of respondents who had visited gambling-related online communities were either at-risk gamblers or probable pathological gamblers. Discussion in these communities was mainly based on sharing gambling tips and experiences, and very few respondents said that they related to gambling problems and recovery. In three different regression models, visiting gambling-related online communities was a significant predictor for excessive gambling (with 95% confidence level) even after adjusting confounding factors. The association of visiting such sites was even stronger among probable pathological gamblers than among at-risk gamblers. Health professionals working with young people should be aware of the role of online communities in terms of development and persistence of excessive gambling. Monitoring the use of online gambling communities as well as utilizing recovery-oriented support both offline and online would be important in preventing further problems. Gambling platforms should also include warnings about excessive gambling and provide links to helpful sources.

How I Became a Convert to Online Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kremer, Nick

2011-01-01

This article describes how the author's skepticism about online education turns into belief when he teaches his own online course. Throughout the process of designing and facilitating his online course, he found himself slowly evolving from critic to champion of online education. Here, he shares the benefits of online learning.

Mentoring and Student Support in Online Doctoral Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kumar, Swapna; Coe, Catherine

2017-01-01

The increase in online graduate programs and the online mentoring of student research have led to the need to identify challenges faced by online mentees and successful strategies used by online mentors during the dissertation process. Based on semistructured interviews with ten graduates, strategies for online mentoring and areas of support…

Development and Validation of an On-Line Water Toxicity Sensor with Immobilized Luminescent Bacteria for On-Line Surface Water Monitoring

PubMed Central

Woutersen, Marjolijn; van der Gaag, Bram; Abrafi Boakye, Afua; Mink, Jan; Marks, Robert S.; Wagenvoort, Arco J.; Ketelaars, Henk A. M.; Brouwer, Bram; Heringa, Minne B.

2017-01-01

Surface water used for drinking water production is frequently monitored in The Netherlands using whole organism biomonitors, with for example Daphnia magna or Dreissena mussels, which respond to changes in the water quality. However, not all human-relevant toxic compounds can be detected by these biomonitors. Therefore, a new on-line biosensor has been developed, containing immobilized genetically modified bacteria, which respond to genotoxicity in the water by emitting luminescence. The performance of this sensor was tested under laboratory conditions, as well as under field conditions at a monitoring station along the river Meuse in The Netherlands. The sensor was robust and easy to clean, with inert materials, temperature control and nutrient feed for the reporter organisms. The bacteria were immobilized in sol-gel on either an optical fiber or a glass slide and then continuously exposed to water. Since the glass slide was more sensitive and robust, only this setup was used in the field. The sensor responded to spikes of genotoxic compounds in the water with a minimal detectable concentration of 0.01 mg/L mitomycin C in the laboratory and 0.1 mg/L mitomycin C in the field. With further optimization, which should include a reduction in daily maintenance, the sensor has the potential to become a useful addition to the currently available biomonitors. PMID:29165334

Development and Validation of an On-Line Water Toxicity Sensor with Immobilized Luminescent Bacteria for On-Line Surface Water Monitoring.

PubMed

Woutersen, Marjolijn; van der Gaag, Bram; Abrafi Boakye, Afua; Mink, Jan; Marks, Robert S; Wagenvoort, Arco J; Ketelaars, Henk A M; Brouwer, Bram; Heringa, Minne B

2017-11-22

Surface water used for drinking water production is frequently monitored in The Netherlands using whole organism biomonitors, with for example Daphnia magna or Dreissena mussels, which respond to changes in the water quality. However, not all human-relevant toxic compounds can be detected by these biomonitors. Therefore, a new on-line biosensor has been developed, containing immobilized genetically modified bacteria, which respond to genotoxicity in the water by emitting luminescence. The performance of this sensor was tested under laboratory conditions, as well as under field conditions at a monitoring station along the river Meuse in The Netherlands. The sensor was robust and easy to clean, with inert materials, temperature control and nutrient feed for the reporter organisms. The bacteria were immobilized in sol-gel on either an optical fiber or a glass slide and then continuously exposed to water. Since the glass slide was more sensitive and robust, only this setup was used in the field. The sensor responded to spikes of genotoxic compounds in the water with a minimal detectable concentration of 0.01 mg/L mitomycin C in the laboratory and 0.1 mg/L mitomycin C in the field. With further optimization, which should include a reduction in daily maintenance, the sensor has the potential to become a useful addition to the currently available biomonitors.

Examining the Elements of Online Learning Quality in a Fully Online Doctoral Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Templeton, Nathan R.; Ballenger, Julia N.; Thompson, J. Ray

2015-01-01

The purpose of this descriptive quantitative study was to examine the quality elements of online learning in a regional doctoral program. Utilizing the six quality dimensions of Hathaway's (2009) theory of online learning quality as a framework, the study investigated instructor-learner, learner-learner, learner-content, learner-interface,…

Measuring Student Engagement in the Online Course: The Online Student Engagement Scale (OSE)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dixson, Marcia D.

2015-01-01

Student engagement is critical to student learning, especially in the online environment, where students can often feel isolated and disconnected. Therefore, teachers and researchers need to be able to measure student engagement. This study provides validation of the Online Student Engagement scale (OSE) by correlating student self-reports of…

Why Online Education Will Attain Full Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sener, John

2010-01-01

Online higher education has attained scale and is poised to take the next step in its growth. Although significant obstacles to a full scale adoption of online education remain, we will see full scale adoption of online higher education within the next five to ten years. Practically all higher education students will experience online education in…

K12 Online School Practice in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Li; Wang, Nan; Qiao, Ailing

2009-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is two fold. First, it presents the developmental stages and running modes of K12 Online Schools in China. Second, it illustrates online education practice, its current status, and the use of ICT in online schools. The experiences and lessons learned from the development of the K12 Online Schools are presented,…

21 CFR 1304.55 - Reports by online pharmacies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 9 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Reports by online pharmacies. 1304.55 Section 1304... REGISTRANTS Online Pharmacies § 1304.55 Reports by online pharmacies. (a) Each online pharmacy shall report to... dosage units dispensed of all controlled substances combined. (b) Each online pharmacy shall report a...

Application of flipped classroom pedagogy to the human gross anatomy laboratory: Student preferences and learning outcomes.

PubMed

Fleagle, Timothy R; Borcherding, Nicholas C; Harris, Jennie; Hoffmann, Darren S

2017-12-28

To improve student preparedness for anatomy laboratory dissection, the dental gross anatomy laboratory was transformed using flipped classroom pedagogy. Instead of spending class time explaining the procedures and anatomical structures for each laboratory, students were provided online materials to prepare for laboratory on their own. Eliminating in-class preparation provided the opportunity to end each period with integrative group activities that connected laboratory and lecture material and explored clinical correlations. Materials provided for prelaboratory preparation included: custom-made, three-dimensional (3D) anatomy videos, abbreviated dissection instructions, key atlas figures, and dissection videos. Data from three years of the course (n = 241 students) allowed for analysis of students' preferences for these materials and detailed tracking of usage of 3D anatomy videos. Students reported spending an average of 27:22 (±17:56) minutes preparing for laboratory, similar to the 30 minutes previously allocated for in-class dissection preparation. The 3D anatomy videos and key atlas figures were rated the most helpful resources. Scores on laboratory examinations were compared for the three years before the curriculum change (2011-2013; n = 242) and three years after (2014-2016; n = 241). There was no change in average grades on the first and second laboratory examinations. However, on the final semi-cumulative laboratory examination, scores were significantly higher in the post-flip classes (P = 0.04). These results demonstrate an effective model for applying flipped classroom pedagogy to the gross anatomy laboratory and illustrate a meaningful role for 3D anatomy visualizations in a dissection-based course. Anat Sci Educ. © 2017 American Association of Anatomists. © 2017 American Association of Anatomists.

Online vs. Print Publications: Users' Opinions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Chih

The rapid expansion of online publications has raised some concerns about the use of online databases in comparison with using traditional print publications. To determine the opinions of end users about using Dialog online databases versus their corresponding print versions, three libraries in Atlanta, Georgia--Atlanta-Fulton Public Library,…

The Challenges of Online Nursing Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Glenn Gordon; Passmore, Denise; Faught, Timber

2009-01-01

To meet the current critical need for qualified nurses, many colleges have initiated online programs, primarily aimed towards registered nurse (RN) to BS students. Despite the growing number of online nursing programs, there is little research on instructor views of online learning. This study used interviews to investigate nursing instructor…

Interrupting Adult Learning through Online Pedagogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stuart-Buttle, Ros

2014-01-01

This paper considers online pedagogy in relation to Christian adult learning and asks how this might be interpreted by theological educators. The online community of inquiry is proposed as one recognized pedagogical approach and illustrated by reference to a continuing professional development programme for online adult learners across the church…

Knowledge Transfer in Online Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, David E.

2008-01-01

Research comparing online and traditional course delivery methods has sought to demonstrate the equivalence of student performance in online and traditional courses. This study examines the unique proposition that online course delivery is superior to traditional when it comes to applied learning and is thus superior in the process of knowledge…

Assessing Blackboard: Improving Online Instructional Delivery

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chawdhry, Adnan A.; Paullet, Karen; Benjamin, Daniel

2011-01-01

Universities and colleges have been offering online classes without assessing the tools used for online learning management to determine student perceptions. An understanding of the benefits and concerns as perceived by the student population is essential to implementing an online education environment that is conducive to a student's learning.…

Online role-playing for faculty development.

PubMed

Ladhani, Zahra; Chhatwal, Jugesh; Vyas, Rashmi; Iqbal, Mobeen; Tan, Christina; Diserens, Deborah

2011-03-01

There has been a rapid growth of online teaching in the past few years, yet the implementation of role-play for formal educational activities in an online setting is growing more slowly. The use of online role-playing for the development of health professions educators is virtually un-documented in the literature. In the project reported here we use role-playing as a method to motivate and increase active participation in an online web-based discussion on community-based medical education (CBME). The Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education & Research (FAIMER(®) ) Institute hosts virtual group discussions for fellows as part of its fellowship programmes, in order to deepen their knowledge base in health professions education and research. In June 2008, a group of seven FAIMER(®) fellows and faculty members moderated an online discussion on CBME using an online role-play exercise with other fellows and faculty members. Out of a total of 102 fellows, 36 (35.3%) participated actively, which exceeded the typical percentage of list server participation. In addition, a rich discussion resulted in a comprehensive report on the goals, challenges, logistical components, role of Health Ministry policy and the possible ethical mandate of CBME in developing countries. Online role-play encouraged distributed participation among a highly diverse international group of participants, supporting the conclusion that role-playing can be used effectively with mid-career health professional faculty members in the online environment. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2011.

Are online poker problem gamblers sensation seekers?

PubMed

Bonnaire, Céline; Barrault, Servane

2018-06-01

The purpose of this research was to examine the relationship between sensation seeking and online poker gambling in a community sample of adult online poker players, when controlling for age, gender, anxiety and depression. In total, 288 online poker gamblers were recruited. Sociodemographic data, gambling behavior (CPGI), sensation seeking (SSS), depression and anxiety (HADS) were evaluated. Problem online poker gamblers have higher sensation seeking scores (total, thrill and adventure, disinhibition and boredom susceptibility subscores) and depression scores than non-problem online poker gamblers. Being male, with total sensation seeking, disinhibition and depression scores are factors associated with online poker problem gambling. These findings are interesting in terms of harm reduction. For example, because disinhibition could lead to increased time and money spent, protective behavioral strategies like setting time and monetary limits should be encouraged in poker online gamblers. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Online Actions with Offline Impact: How Online Social Networks Influence Online and Offline User Behavior

PubMed Central

Althoff, Tim; Jindal, Pranav; Leskovec, Jure

2017-01-01

Many of today’s most widely used computing applications utilize social networking features and allow users to connect, follow each other, share content, and comment on others’ posts. However, despite the widespread adoption of these features, there is little understanding of the consequences that social networking has on user retention, engagement, and online as well as offline behavior. Here, we study how social networks influence user behavior in a physical activity tracking application. We analyze 791 million online and offline actions of 6 million users over the course of 5 years, and show that social networking leads to a significant increase in users’ online as well as offline activities. Specifically, we establish a causal effect of how social networks influence user behavior. We show that the creation of new social connections increases user online in-application activity by 30%, user retention by 17%, and user offline real-world physical activity by 7% (about 400 steps per day). By exploiting a natural experiment we distinguish the effect of social influence of new social connections from the simultaneous increase in user’s motivation to use the app and take more steps. We show that social influence accounts for 55% of the observed changes in user behavior, while the remaining 45% can be explained by the user’s increased motivation to use the app. Further, we show that subsequent, individual edge formations in the social network lead to significant increases in daily steps. These effects diminish with each additional edge and vary based on edge attributes and user demographics. Finally, we utilize these insights to develop a model that accurately predicts which users will be most influenced by the creation of new social network connections. PMID:28345078

Automatic online spike sorting with singular value decomposition and fuzzy C-mean clustering

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

other robust spike sorting algorithms. Conclusions This new software provides neuroscience laboratories with a new tool for fast and robust online classification of single neuron activity. This feature could become crucial in situations when online spike detection from multiple electrodes is paramount, such as in human clinical recordings or in brain-computer interfaces. PMID:22871125

Automatic online spike sorting with singular value decomposition and fuzzy C-mean clustering.

PubMed

Oliynyk, Andriy; Bonifazzi, Claudio; Montani, Fernando; Fadiga, Luciano

2012-08-08

sorting algorithms. This new software provides neuroscience laboratories with a new tool for fast and robust online classification of single neuron activity. This feature could become crucial in situations when online spike detection from multiple electrodes is paramount, such as in human clinical recordings or in brain-computer interfaces.

Thomson Parabola Spectrometer: a powerful tool for on-line plasma analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Altana, C.; Muoio, A.; Schillaci, F.

2015-07-01

In this paper we report on a new powerful and self-consistent analysis technique aimed in order to get information online on laser generated plasmas. Performance of the method has been carried out during two set of measurement by using two different lasers. The first set of data has been collected at LENS Laboratory of INFN-LNS in Catania by using a laser which produces pulses having energies of 2 J and temporal duration of 6 ns, while the second set of data has been collected at ILIL of INO-CNR in Pisa with a laser system capable of delivering pulses of upmore » to 10 mJ in 40 fs. (authors)« less

Employers' Perceptions of Online Accounting Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tabatabaei, Manouchehr; Solomon, Alison; Strickland, Emily; Metrejean, Eddie

2014-01-01

The main focus of this research is on perceptions of accounting employers of those individuals obtaining their accounting education online. An online survey of accounting professionals was conducted, and the findings suggest that a candidate with a traditional education is more suitable for employment than a candidate with an online education.…

Going the Distance with Online Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larreamendy-Joerns, Jorge; Leinhardt, Gaea

2006-01-01

This article charts the promissory notes and concerns related to college-level online education as reflected in the educational literature. It is argued that, to appreciate the potential and limitations of online education, we need to trace the issues that bind online education with distance education. The article reviews the history of distance…

32 CFR 701.102 - Online resources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 32 National Defense 5 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Online resources. 701.102 Section 701.102... THE NAVY DOCUMENTS AFFECTING THE PUBLIC DON Privacy Program § 701.102 Online resources. (a) Navy PA online Web site (http://www.privacy.navy.mil). This Web site supplements this subpart and subpart G. It...

32 CFR 701.102 - Online resources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 32 National Defense 5 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Online resources. 701.102 Section 701.102... THE NAVY DOCUMENTS AFFECTING THE PUBLIC DON Privacy Program § 701.102 Online resources. (a) Navy PA online Web site (http://www.privacy.navy.mil). This Web site supplements this subpart and subpart G. It...

32 CFR 701.102 - Online resources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 32 National Defense 5 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Online resources. 701.102 Section 701.102... THE NAVY DOCUMENTS AFFECTING THE PUBLIC DON Privacy Program § 701.102 Online resources. (a) Navy PA online Web site (http://www.privacy.navy.mil). This Web site supplements this subpart and subpart G. It...

32 CFR 701.102 - Online resources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 32 National Defense 5 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Online resources. 701.102 Section 701.102... THE NAVY DOCUMENTS AFFECTING THE PUBLIC DON Privacy Program § 701.102 Online resources. (a) Navy PA online Web site (http://www.privacy.navy.mil). This Web site supplements this subpart and subpart G. It...

How Students Develop Online Learning Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roper, Alan R.

2007-01-01

More and more, adult learners are finding the convenience and flexibility of online learning a match for their learning goals and busy lifestyles. Online degree programs, courses, and virtual universities targeting adult learners have proliferated in the past decade. Although students can easily locate an online course or degree program that's…

Supporting Wellness in Adult Online Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Jacklyn J.; Porto, Stella C. S.

2014-01-01

Online education cannot continue to grow at the current pace while ignoring a crucial component of campus support, wellness for adult online learners. This paper brings awareness to the concept of wellness as an important student support service in adult online education. It includes a summarized review of relevant literature and identifies…

The POIS (Parkland On-Line Information System) Implementation of the IBM Health Care Support/Patient Care System

PubMed Central

Mishelevich, David J.; Hudson, Betty G.; Van Slyke, Donald; Mize, Elaine I.; Robinson, Anna L.; Brieden, Helen C.; Atkinson, Jack; Robertson, James

1980-01-01

The installation of major components of a comprehensive Hospital Information System (HIS) called POIS, the Parkland On-line Information System, including identified success factors is described for the Dallas County Hospital District (DCHD) known also as the Parkland Memorial Hospital. Installation of the on-line IBM Health Care Support (HCS) Registration and Admissions Packages occurred in 1976 and implementation of the HCS Patient Care System (PCS) began in 1977 which includes on-line support of health care areas such as nursing stations and ancillary areas. The Duke Hospital Information System (DHIS) is marketed as the IBM HCS/Patient Care System (PCS). DCHD was the validation site. POIS has order entry, result reporting and work management components. While most of the patient care components are currently installed for the inpatient service, the Laboratories are being installed for the outpatient and Emergency areas as well. The Clinic Appointment System developed at the University of Michigan is also installed. The HCS family of programs use DL/1 and CICS and were installed in the OS versions, currently running under MVS on an IBM 370/168 Model 3 with 8 megabytes of main memory. ImagesFigure 1-AFigure 1-B

Exploring the Therapeutic Affordances of Self-Harm Online Support Communities: An Online Survey of Members.

PubMed

Coulson, Neil S; Bullock, Emma; Rodham, Karen

2017-10-13

A growing number of online communities have been established to support those who self-harm. However, little is known about the therapeutic affordances arising from engagement with these communities and resulting outcomes. The aim of this study was to explore the presence of therapeutic affordances as reported by members of self-harm online support communities. In total, 94 respondents (aged 13-63 years, mean=23.5 years; 94% female) completed an online survey exploring their experiences of engaging with a self-harm online support community. Respondents varied in terms of how long they had been accessing an online community, with 22% (21/94) accessing less than 1 year, 39% (37/94) 1 to 2 years, 14% (13/94) 2 to 3 years, and 24.5% (23/94) more than 3 years. Responses were analyzed using deductive thematic analysis. The results of our analysis describe each of the five therapeutic affordances that were present in the data, namely (1) connection, the ability to make contact with others who self-harm for the purposes of mutual support and in so doing reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation; (2) adaptation, that is, how use of online support varies in relation to the personal circumstances of the individual user; (3) exploration, that is, the ability to learn about self-harm and learn about strategies to reduce or stop self-harming behavior; (4) narration, that is, the ability to share experiences, as well as read about the experiences of others; and (5) self-presentation, that is, how and what users present about themselves to others in the online community. Our findings suggest that engagement with self-harm online support communities may confer a range of therapeutic benefits for some users, which may serve to minimize the psychosocial burden of self-harm and promote positive coping strategies. In addition, the online nature of the support available may be helpful to those who are unable to access face-to-face support. ©Neil S Coulson, Emma Bullock, Karen Rodham

'She met her (boy)friend online': Negotiating gender identity and sexuality among young Thai women in online space.

PubMed

Boonmongkon, Pimpawun; Ojanen, Timo T; Samakkeekarom, Ronnapoom; Samoh, Nattharat; Iamsilpa, Rachawadee; Topananan, Soifa; Cholratana, Mudjalin; Guadamuz, Thomas E

2013-01-01

This paper focuses on the experiences of women 15-24 years old living in one suburban district in Bangkok. Its objectives are to analyse processes of building and negotiating social identity and femininity in online spaces by young women; the ways in which young women express their sexuality using online technologies; connections between the 'online' and 'offline' worlds in terms of emotions as well as social and sexual networks; and traditional values regarding female sexuality reproduced through online media and how young women negotiate and resist these. Content and narrative analyses were conducted using qualitative data from 9 focus-group discussions and 14 narrative interviews. Findings indicated that the online media serve as tools that help young women develop and express their gender identities. Mobile phones and the Internet facilitate communication in order to express love, responsibility, intimacy and sexual desires. Discourse on women's chastity, which puts pressure on women to maintain their virginity, still influences online and mobile contents, messages and images among young women. However, women also exerted agency in negotiating and expressing their sexuality, both online and offline.

Online Classes See Cheating Go High-Tech

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Jeffrey R.

2012-01-01

Easy A's may be even easier to score these days, with the growing popularity of online courses. Tech-savvy students are finding ways to cheat that let them ace online courses with minimal effort, in ways that are difficult to detect. The issue of online cheating may rise in prominence, as more and more institutions embrace online courses, and as…

Online Sex-Seeking Among Men who have Sex with Men in Nigeria: Implications for Online Intervention.

PubMed

Stahlman, Shauna; Nowak, Rebecca G; Liu, Hongjie; Crowell, Trevor A; Ketende, Sosthenes; Blattner, William A; Charurat, Manhattan E; Baral, Stefan D

2017-11-01

The TRUST/RV368 project was undertaken to apply innovative strategies to engage Nigerian MSM into HIV care. In this analysis we evaluate characteristics of online sex-seekers from the TRUST/RV368 cohort of 1370 MSM in Abuja and Lagos. Logistic regression and generalized estimating equation models were used to assess associations with online sex-seeking. Online sex-seeking (n = 843, 61.5 %) was associated with participation in MSM community activities, larger social and sexual networks, and higher levels of sexual behavior stigma. In addition, online sex-seeking was associated with testing positive for HIV at a follow-up visit [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 2.02, 95 % confidence interval (CI) = 1.37, 2.98)] among those who were unaware of or not living with HIV at baseline. Across visits, online sex-seekers were marginally more likely to test positive for chlamydia/gonorrhea (aOR 1.28, 95 % CI 0.99, 1.64). Online sex-seekers in Nigeria are at increased risk for HIV/STIs but may not be benefiting from Internet-based risk reduction opportunities.

Risky online behaviors among adolescents: Longitudinal relations among problematic Internet use, cyberbullying perpetration, and meeting strangers online

PubMed Central

Gámez-Guadix, Manuel; Borrajo, Erika; Almendros, Carmen

2016-01-01

Background and aims This study aims to analyze the cross-sectional and longitudinal relationship between three major risky online behaviors during adolescence: problematic Internet use, cyberbullying perpetration, and meeting strangers online. An additional objective was to study the role of impulsivity–irresponsibility as a possible explanatory variable of the relationships between these risky online behaviors. Methods The study sample was 888 adolescents that completed self-report measures at time 1 and time 2 with an interval of 6 months. Results The findings showed a significant cross-sectional relationship between the risky online behaviors analyzed. At the longitudinal level, problematic Internet use at time 1 predicted an increase in the perpetration of cyberbullying and meeting strangers online at time 2. Furthermore, meeting strangers online increased the likelihood of cyberbullying perpetration at time 2. Finally, when impulsivity–irresponsibility was included in the model as an explanatory variable, the relationships previously found remained significant. Discussion These results extend traditional problem behavior theory during adolescence, also supporting a relationship between different risky behaviors in cyberspace. In addition, findings highlighted the role of problematic Internet use, which increased the chances of developing cyberbullying perpetration and meeting strangers online over time. However, the results suggest a limited role of impulsivity–irresponsibility as an explicative mechanism. Conclusions The findings suggest that various online risk activities ought to be addressed together when planning assessment, prevention and intervention efforts. PMID:28092196

Online Higher Education Commodity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chau, Paule

2010-01-01

This article analyzes the current trend towards online education. It examines some of the reasons for the trend and the ramifications it may have on students, faculty and institutions of higher learning. The success and profitability of online programs and institutions such as the University of Phoenix has helped to make the move towards online…

Master Online Teacher Competencies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Varvel, Virgil E., Jr.

2007-01-01

Online education continues to flourish across the globe. As we pass from the early adopter phase into acceptance by the masses, the number of instructors taking part in online education grows. Although qualified in their field, many instructors have no education in the methods of instruction or facilitation. Those that have such training often do…

Using Online Tone Generators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lincoln, James

2017-01-01

Online tone generators are free, user friendly, and can make for engaging and meaningful study of many topics in the areas of interference, waves, and the physics of music. By using a website such as OnlineToneGenerator.com, and through opening multiple windows simultaneously, students can immediately perform several experiments. In this article,…

Patients’ Online Access to Their Primary Care Electronic Health Records and Linked Online Services: Implications for Research and Practice

PubMed Central

Mold, Freda; de Lusignan, Simon

2015-01-01

Online access to medical records and linked services, including requesting repeat prescriptions and booking appointments, enables patients to personalize their access to care. However, online access creates opportunities and challenges for both health professionals and their patients, in practices and in research. The challenges for practice are the impact of online services on workload and the quality and safety of health care. Health professionals are concerned about the impact on workload, especially from email or other online enquiry systems, as well as risks to privacy. Patients report how online access provides a convenient means through which to access their health provider and may offer greater satisfaction if they get a timely response from a clinician. Online access and services may also result in unforeseen consequences and may change the nature of the patient-clinician interaction. Research challenges include: (1) Ensuring privacy, including how to control inappropriate carer and guardian access to medical records; (2) Whether online access to records improves patient safety and health outcomes; (3) Whether record access increases disparities across social classes and between genders; and (4) Improving efficiency. The challenges for practice are: (1) How to incorporate online access into clinical workflow; (2) The need for a business model to fund the additional time taken. Creating a sustainable business model for a safe, private, informative, more equitable online service is needed if online access to records is to be provided outside of pay-for-service systems. PMID:26690225

Patients' Online Access to Their Primary Care Electronic Health Records and Linked Online Services: Implications for Research and Practice.

PubMed

Mold, Freda; de Lusignan, Simon

2015-12-04

Online access to medical records and linked services, including requesting repeat prescriptions and booking appointments, enables patients to personalize their access to care. However, online access creates opportunities and challenges for both health professionals and their patients, in practices and in research. The challenges for practice are the impact of online services on workload and the quality and safety of health care. Health professionals are concerned about the impact on workload, especially from email or other online enquiry systems, as well as risks to privacy. Patients report how online access provides a convenient means through which to access their health provider and may offer greater satisfaction if they get a timely response from a clinician. Online access and services may also result in unforeseen consequences and may change the nature of the patient-clinician interaction. Research challenges include: (1) Ensuring privacy, including how to control inappropriate carer and guardian access to medical records; (2) Whether online access to records improves patient safety and health outcomes; (3) Whether record access increases disparities across social classes and between genders; and (4) Improving efficiency. The challenges for practice are: (1) How to incorporate online access into clinical workflow; (2) The need for a business model to fund the additional time taken. Creating a sustainable business model for a safe, private, informative, more equitable online service is needed if online access to records is to be provided outside of pay-for-service systems.

Assessing Online Collaborative Discourse.

PubMed

Breen, Henny

2015-01-01

This qualitative study using transcript analysis was undertaken to clarify the value of Harasim's Online Collaborative Learning Theory as a way to assess the collaborative process within nursing education. The theory incorporated three phases: (a) idea generating; (b) idea organizing; and (c) intellectual convergence. The transcripts of asynchronous discussions from a 2-week module about disaster nursing using a virtual community were analyzed and formed the data for this study. This study supports the use of Online Collaborative Learning Theory as a framework for assessing online collaborative discourse. Individual or group outcomes were required for the students to move through all three phases of the theory. The phases of the Online Collaborative Learning Theory could be used to evaluate the student's ability to collaborate. It is recommended that group process skills, which have more to do with interpersonal skills, be evaluated separately from collaborative learning, which has more to do with cognitive skills. Both are required for practicing nurses. When evaluated separately, the student learning needs are more clearly delineated. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Who Seeks Help Online for Self-Injury?

PubMed

Frost, Mareka; Casey, Leanne

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to identify differences between young people who seek help online for self-injury and those who self-injure but do not seek help online, in order to improve online services for young people at high risk of suicide. Young people reporting a history of self-injury (N = 679) were identified as part of larger study (N = 1,463) exploring help-seeking. One third of young people with a history of self-injury reported online help-seeking for self-injury. Online help-seekers were significantly more distressed, suicidal, and had a greater degree of self-injury compared to those who did not seek help online. The Internet provides an important form of support to the most at risk young people in this population, and may be a proximal step to face-to-face help-seeking. Further research is required to investigate the forms of support currently accessed by young people online, and their effectiveness.

Online gaming addiction? Motives predict addictive play behavior in massively multiplayer online role-playing games.

PubMed

Kuss, Daria J; Louws, Jorik; Wiers, Reinout W

2012-09-01

Recently, there have been growing concerns about excessive online gaming. Playing Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs) appears to be particularly problematic, because these games require a high degree of commitment and time investment from the players to the detriment of occupational, social, and other recreational activities and relations. A number of gaming motives have been linked to excessive online gaming in adolescents and young adults. We assessed 175 current MMORPG players and 90 nonplayers using a Web-based questionnaire regarding their gaming behavior, problems as consequences of gaming, and game motivations and tested their statistical associations. Results indicated that (a) MMORPG players are significantly more likely to experience gaming-related problems relative to nonplayers, and that (b) the gaming motivations escapism and mechanics significantly predicted excessive gaming and appeared as stronger predictors than time investment in game. The findings support the necessity of using measures that distinguish between different types of online games. In addition, this study proves useful regarding the current discussion on establishing (online) gaming addiction as a diagnosis in future categorizations of psychopathology.

Re-visiting internet addiction among Taiwanese students: a cross-sectional comparison of students' expectations, online gaming, and online social interaction.

PubMed

Lee, Yuan-Hsuan; Ko, Chih-Hung; Chou, Chien

2015-04-01

Using expectancy theory, this study aimed at identifying the attitudinal/behavioral factors that explain the relationship between Internet expectancies and Internet addiction among Taiwanese adolescents. A total of 25,573 students (49.8% boys and 50.2% girls) across junior and senior high schools participated in the study. The students reported on their background characteristics, general expectations from the Internet, attitudes toward online social interaction and online gaming, preferences in online social interaction, and dys-controlled online gaming behavior. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the indirect effects of Internet expectancies on Internet addiction through these attitudinal/behavioral factors. The results showed that Internet expectancies positively predicted students' attitudes toward online games and online social interaction, which in turn predicted their respective preferences or dys-controlled behavior and Internet addiction. The indirect effect of Internet expectancies was higher on Internet addiction via attitudes toward online gaming and dys-controlled online gaming than via attitudes toward and preferences of online social interaction. The indirect effects exhibited a larger impact on boys than on girls. The authors recommend that the expectancies of online gaming and social interaction be addressed in efforts to prevent and attenuate the severity of adolescent Internet addiction.

Design and Development of a Flexible Online Course for Making Accessible Online Courses.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koppi, Tony; Pearson, Elaine

The design rationale for the development of an exemplary, flexible online course for making accessible online courses is described. The authors developed the course by adopting the roles of content expert and instructional designer. The course has a dual purpose. The assessment for postgraduate students provides a guide to learning for academic…

The ESID Online Database network.