Open Access Journals at Aalborg University
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Selling repurposed furniture: An exploratory study into consumer perception
Get PDFRepurpose is becoming more popular as a circularity strategy. This circularity strategy is specifically promising in the case of furniture. One of the challenges of upscaling repurpose is the negative consumer perception of repurposed products. Studies up to date pertain to consumer perception of refurbished products and products using recycled content. In this study we investigate (1) to which extent the motives mentioned within literature play a role when it comes to consumers’ perception of repurposed furniture and (2) to what extent the visibility of past identity of repurposed furniture and storytelling play a role in consumer perception. The result indicate that aesthetic and functional quality are highly valued. Storytelling seems to be a secondary motive for customers to consider a repurposed product. We further identified three categories of repurposed furniture (i.e., visibly repurposed, non-visibly repurposed and unique look) that appeal to different consumer segments. While further research can be done into the demographic profiles, these categories can be used by designers/makers to make repurposed products that better appeal to their envisioned customer base.  
Design for longevity in industrial products: A pedagogical case study on steel moulds for injection mould manufacturing
Get PDFThis paper aims to demonstrate the life cycle costing and environmental impacts of different R-strategy scenarios, with a focus on steel moulds. Reuse primarily focuses on remanufacturing steel moulds and exploring the most environmentally optimal strategy, serving as a supplier in a circular economy. The scope of this case study does not include recycling scenarios. The study uses a pedagogical case study in collaboration with The LEGO Group. One approach is to map the CO2-eq footprint of steel mould consumption to prepare for a digital architecture based on material consumption and circular strategies
Building Critical Thinking and Self-Confidence in Speaking Class for Non-Native English Speakers: Obstacles and Perspectives
Get PDFDeveloping critical thinking and self-confidence in speaking classes is essential for non-native English speakers learning English as a foreign language. This study explores the challenges and effectiveness of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in speaking classes at Gajah Tunggal Polytechnic through qualitative analysis of student and lecturer perspectives. Findings reveal that language barriers, passive learning habits, and fear of mistakes hinder active participation. However, PBL enhances speaking proficiency, independent learning, and collaborative problem-solving skills. Despite its benefits, challenges such as limited resources and insufficient educator training impede implementation. This study emphasizes the need for institutional support, pedagogical adjustments, and targeted interventions to optimize PBL for non-Native English Speakers. The insights gained provide guidance for educators and policymakers seeking to improve English language instruction in similar contexts
Sparede emissioner ved landstrøm for færger og krydstogtskibe i Københavns Havn og Aarhus Havn: Artikel
Get PDFNår skibe bruger landstrøm i havn, reduceres deres emissioner meget effektivt, og samtidig forbedres luftkvaliteten i havnene og de nærliggende byområder. Landstrømsanlæg (OPS: Onshore Power Supply) til færger blev etableret i 2020 på Molslinjens hurtigfærgeterminal i Aarhus Havn og i 2021 på DFDS' passagerfærgeterminal i Københavns Havn. OPS er også etableret for krydstogtskibe ved en krydstogtkajplads i Aarhus Havn i 2023, og mellem 2025 og 2028 er det planlagt at installere OPS på fem krydstogtkajpladser i Københavns Havn.Denne artikel præsenterer det maksimale potentiale for emissionsbesparelser i Københavns Havn og Aarhus Havn for en situation, hvor alle færger og krydstogtskibe er fuldt tilsluttet OPS, hvilket betyder, at alle skibe modtager landstrøm i stedet for at producere elektricitet med deres dieselmotorer, mens de ligger ved kaj.I Københavns Havn udgør de beregnede emissionsbesparelser for krydstogtskibe langt de største dele af de samlede beregnede emissionsbesparelser for krydstogtskibe og færger i havnen. For krydstogtskibene beregnes følgende procentvise besparelsesandele (angivet i parentes) for brændstofforbrug (94 %), SO2 (92 %), NOx (91 %), PM2,5 (97 %), CO2 (94 %), CH4 (100 %), N2O (92 %) og CO2eq (94 %). Krydstogtskibenes meget store besparelsesandele for PM2,5 og CH4 skyldes de meget store PM2,5-, og CH4-emissioner, der undgås fra hhv. de HFO-drevne og (de få) LNG-drevne krydstogtskibe, når landstrøm bruges.Også i Aarhus Havn udgør de beregnede emissionsbesparelser for krydstogtskibe langt de største dele af de samlede beregnede emissionsbesparelser for krydstogtskibe og færger i havnen. For krydstogtskibene beregnes følgende procentvise besparelsesandele (angivet i parentes) for brændstofforbrug (74 %), SO2 (98 %), NOx (79 %), PM2,5 (89 %), CO2 (74 %), CH4 (79 %), N2O (74 %) og CO2eq (74 %). I Aarhus Havn er andelene af sparede SO2- og PM2,5-udledninger særligt høje for krydstogtskibe set i forhold til færger, fordi det effektive svovlindhold på 0,1 % i brændstoffet krydstogtskibene sparer ved at bruge landstrøm er meget højere end svovlindholdet på 0,005 % i det MDO/MGO-brændstof færgerne sparer ved at bruge landstrøm, og fordi der undgås meget store PM2,5-emissioner fra de HFO-drevne krydstogtskibe.Faktiske elforbrugstal for tre krydstogtskibe i Aarhus Havn, oplyst ved projektperiodens afslutning, er en del lavere end elforbruget, der beregnes for skibene. Dette peger på en stor usikkerhed ved at bruge beregnede elforbrug som input til emissionsberegningerne, og at de beregnede sparede brændstofforbrug og emissioner for krydstogtskibe sandsynligvis er for høje. De mest præcise resultater for sparede brændstofforbrug og emissioner vil kunne opnås ved at bruge faktiske elforbrugsdata i beregningerne for alle skibe, der modtager landstrøm i havn
Kapacitetsforøgelse på M1/M2 : Artikel
No full textPassagertallet på metroens M1 og M2-linjer stiger betydeligt, hvilket skaber behov for øget kapacitet. Metroselskabet igangsatte i 2017 et investeringsprogram for at øge kapaciteten med minimum 35 % i myldretiden, blandt andet ved at tilføje 8 nye tog til den samlede flåde. Over 2022-2023 gennemførte Metroselskabet i samarbejde med driftsleverandøren Metro Service et omfattende testprogram for at optimere køreplaner og sikre driftens robusthed med flere tog i myldretiden
Conceptualizing Academics Experiences in Adopting Project-based Learning in Maritime Higher Education: An Analysis through Activity Theory
Get PDFThis study examines how academics experience the adoption of project-based learning (PBL) in maritime higher education, analyzed through Engeström's Activity Theory. While PBL has shown effectiveness in higher education, little research addresses the contradictions that arise in specific teaching and learning contexts. Using a qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews with 16 faculty members in a UAE maritime institute revealed key tensions: differing perspectives between academics and practitioners, inconsistent use of technological tools, and the absence of standardized progression rules for student projects. Faculty discussions informed recommendations such as targeted professional development, shared e-resources, and a phased PBL framework. The findings underline the need for inclusive dialogue, structured flexibility, and academic leadership in optimizing PBL implementation. This study offers a theoretically grounded and contextually novel analysis that informs curriculum design, stakeholder collaboration, and policy development, contributing to both academic understanding and the enhancement of professional practice in maritime higher education
Striking a new Balance? Courses, Project Work, and Problem-based Learning
Get PDFThis article examines how two content courses in the first and second semesters of a master’s program were redesigned to promote problem-based learning (PBL). In both cases, the syllabi were revised to emphasize problem-orientation, group work, and exemplarity. The impetus for these changes was a study reform initiated by the department management, which reduced the weight of project work in each semester from 15 to 10 ECTS credits. The article provides an account of the study board’s deliberations and analyzes student evaluations of the redesigned courses. Finally, in light of the current pressures on student-driven project work, the article discusses the potential for reinforcing the PBL model through course-level innovations
Graduate Entry Students' Reflection on Alternating Problem-Based Learning and Clinical Placements
Get PDFProblem-based learning (PBL) and early clinical placements (CP) are recognised as complementary strategies for developing clinical reasoning (CR) in medical education. However, how alternating between these formats influences the CR process from students’ perspectives remains underexplored. This qualitative-led exploratory mixed-methods study examined how curriculum sequencing shapes Graduate Entry Medical students’ perceptions of their CR process. Fourteen Year-2 students participated across two pre-existing streams: one began with PBL and the other with CP before switching. Across these alternating phases, students completed the Self-Assessment of Clinical Reflection and Reasoning (SACRR), applied reasoning through vignette-based single-best-answer (SBA) questions to prompt reflection on their reasoning processes. Students’ reflections were further explored through in-depth semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis formed the primary interpretive strand, supported by descriptive quantitative data. Interview findings revealed that alternating PBL and CP encouraged students to reflect on, apply, and progressively refine their reasoning skills. Students valued the complementary relationship between classroom discussion and authentic clinical exposure, citing case-based dialogue, GP teaching, and supportive environments as key enablers, while heavy workloads, examination pressures, and over-guided PBL sessions were perceived as barriers to CR process. Overall, CR development emerged as a gradual, experiential process enhanced by the dynamic interplay of PBL and clinical learning. These findings underscore the importance of integrating structured discussion with authentic patient encounters rather than privileging one learning format or sequence over the other
Navigating the Transition: Problem-Based Learning as Technical Writing Pedagogy
Get PDFThis article reports on an IRB approved multi-semester qualitative study investigating student experiences during the challenging transition to Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in a technical writing (TW) course. The primary purpose of this research is to evaluate the effectiveness of specific strategies utilized to facilitate this transition and to develop practical principles for instructors implementing PBL. Transitional strategies include: a structured, recursive PBL framework (based on Hmelo-Silver's cycle), a four-day cyclical schedule, incremental assignments, and a questioning strategy deriving answers from the problem description. Utilizing thematic analysis of student interviews, reflections, and researcher field notes, this research identifies initial student frustration and uncertainty largely stemming from a perceived lack of direct instruction and concerns regarding assessment standards. While these transitional strategies produced some benefits, they did not eliminate student frustration and uncertainty. However, findings also reveal that strategically implemented, collaboratively created checklists (functioning as contract grading) and required peer reviews provided crucial support, mitigating anxieties and fostering deeper engagement. Furthermore, PBL encouraged creative expression in assignments and facilitated functional, contextualized discussions of grammar and mechanics. This research offers practical principles for TW instructors seeking to ease student transition into PBL, thereby maximizing its potential pedagogical benefits
Non-Financial Reporting, Double Materiality, and Business Model Evaluation: An Empirical Study of ESG Ratings in Europe
Get PDFPurpose: This paper investigates the adoption of non-financial reporting (NFR) standards and the double materiality (DM) principle, and their possible implications on external performance measures, namely ESG ratings. By doing so, it positions reporting practices as mechanisms that affect disclosure quality and the transparency and accountability of firms’ business models.
Design/Methodology/Approach: Longitudinal analysis over three years (2020–2022) was conducted using the 366 European listed companies' annual reports. Descriptive statistics and ordinary least squares regressions were employed to analyze the association between reporting practices, DM adoption, and ESG ratings from several rating agencies.
Findings: The results show that the adoption of non-financial reporting frameworks is associated with higher ESG ratings among European firms. However, the early adoption of double materiality does not yet have a significant impact on ESG performance at this stage.
Research implications: The study contributes to the business model literature by demonstrating how reporting practices and regulatory development build external representations of firms' value creation, delivery, and capture. It highlights the role of disclosure frameworks and double materiality as institutional forces with the capacity to transform business models to meet stakeholder and regulatory pressures.
Originality/Value: This study is one of the first longitudinal tests that empirically analyze the impact of non-financial reporting frameworks and DM on ESG ratings, and which sheds new light on how they impact evaluation of sustainable business model