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Personal weather stations and sharing weather data via the Internet
No full textIn this article we discuss several software packages that are designed to display and archive data from a personal weather station
Three stages of student engagement in a flipped-classroom environment: Appendix 4
No full textThe literature suggests that students tend to prefer in-person lectures to video lectures. This paper identifies potential causes of this phenomenon and triggers of student engagement in a flipped-classroom environment.Eight short in-house mathematics videos were prepared and made available to foundation engineering students on the university’s virtual learning environment, prior to each topic being discussed in class. The in-house videos were viewed more than accompanying external on-line video lectures for all topics covered. Students preferred in-house videos with a voice describing a drawing as it is being drawn, not one drawn earlier, and an equation as it is being written, not one written earlier. In-house videos that were produced using high numbers of pre-prepared pages tended to be viewed less. These findings suggest a gradient of student engagement from the external on-line video lecture to the interactive group learning experience. Three evidence-based stages of student engagement are proposed: (1) external video, (2) in-house video with high numbers of pre-prepared pages and (3) in-house video with low numbers of pre-prepared pages. Further validation of these stages of student engagement, and an exploration of lecturer preparedness and social presence during the production of short in-house mathematics videos, is recommended
Islamic Graphic Design: towards a new concept of grid system applications
No full textThis study will explore the structure of Islamic visual applications. The history of Islamic graphic design can be identified through visual applications in Islamic manuscripts, including elements such as calligraphy, illustration, ornamentation and page layout. Each of these applications has its own theories that suggest the reasons for the geometrical structure of these elements.The central thesis of this study is that all the visual applications that appear on the pages of Islamic manuscripts are structured using the same grid system. This grid was used as a design tool in the craft of Islamic manuscripts and can be considered an Islamic codicological tool.There are many earlier studies that suggest that Islamic visual art and design simply represent Islamic doctrine. However, such studies consider neither the question of design craft nor the tools and techniques that were used in the visual applications. It was this omission that led some researchers, such as Deroche (2006), to study Islamic manuscripts more critically, examining Islamic codicology and considering the variety of tools that were used in composing Islamic manuscripts.This thesis challenges previous research in this area by demonstrating the importance of the geometrical structure of each application in the grid system, showing how each page is crafted to integrate these applications, paying particular attention to their size and scale. This analysis was undertaken using two methods: firstly, geometric analysis, in order to establish the structure of the grid system on pages containing different types of visual application; secondly, through a quantitative case study, in which 51 manuscripts were analysed according to the identified criteria.Finally, it has been argued that this grid system has relevance for contemporary Islamic graphic design artists, showing them a way of using the grid system to generate and structure their work using different types of Arabic typography, illustration and ornamentation
Evaluating the efficacy of digital games to develop communication skills in an arts environment
No full textMuch has been written about the theoretical potential of digital games to transform teaching and learning and to offer new forms of digital assessment; yet the education system in the United Kingdom (UK) is arguably still focused exclusively on the assessment and reward of individual effort and achievement. This can be at odds with the requirements of twenty-first century working environments and in the requirements for developing the personal employability characteristics of students. Engaging students in authentic collaborative project work that requires sophisticated and coordinated communication can present real challenges.Employers are increasingly demanding as prerequisite that graduates have highly developed communication and collaborative team working skills for opportunities in the digital industries such as Games Design, however Games Design students are often quite isolated in their personal industry related practice, working methods and their online lifestyles and lack the "soft skills" which would enable them to work successfully within a team. The authors elaborate on how Hull School of Art and Design has attempted to address this problem through the implementation of an Applied Game, the "Watercooler Game", for their Games Industry undergraduates. They present their reflections on the rationale behind the pedagogic approach, the decision to develop an applied game to address their pedagogic challenges and their experience of working with a commercial Games Developer in producing the game. Using a sophisticated evaluation framework, devised as part of the EU Horizon 2020 funded Realising an Applied Gaming Eco-system (RAGE) project, the authors present the initial findings of their evaluation of game from a multidimensional perspective. The pedagogic approach, the technical approach adopted by the developers of the game (an open source asset based approach) and the pedagogic efficacy of the game through evaluation of the learning objectives achieved and how these finding may be applicable in a wider educational context
Qualities, teaching, and measurement of compassion in nursing: a systematic review.
No full textCompassion has global implications for nursing care. However, failure to provide compassionate care is reported by patients. Nursing and nurse education have been scrutinized about the impact training can have on student's compassion. Furthermore, there is a paucity of standardised measures to assess levels of nurses' compassion. To identify (1) the qualities of a compassionate nurse, (2) how compassion is taught to nursing students, and (3) the instruments used to measure compassion in nursing. Systematic literature review. CINHAL, EBSCO, SCOPUS, PubMed, Ovid Nursing. A systematic review of published research was conducted with. No limitations in the search timeframe were used. Articles were included if they were (1) nurses (2) nursing students (3) educators and (4) patient groups, (5) written in English. Articles that were, peer reviewed, research articles, or articles grounded in evidence based practice were also included. Fourteen studies (6 UK, 3 USA, 2 Canada, 1 Korea, 1 Thailand, and 1 Netherlands) identified eleven characteristics of a compassionate nurse. Two UK and one Australian study investigated teaching compassion to nursing students. Four articles reported on instruments used to measure compassion in nursing. Three were American, and one Korean. This review identified only 21 papers overall. Several qualities of a compassionate nurse were found. In addition, few studies have explored how compassion is taught to nursing students. Also, there are a limited number of instruments for measuring compassion in nursing. More research is needed in nurse education to develop a teaching approach and psychometric measure for nurses' compassion
Innovation and I4.0 Management in Connected and Autonomous Automotive Manufacturing
No full textThe paper aims to present the holistic view on the principles and practices of innovation, innovation management and industry 4.0 within connected and autonomous automotive manufacturing environments. It has been seen through literature that innovation management practices enable companies to compete within the autonomous and connected vehicle market and is considered as an emerging and competitive differentiation towards the growth of the product and that of meeting customer demands within the changing markets. Similarly, industry 4.0 has the capabilities to offer new and innovative insights within manufacturing processes, allowing organisations to exchange data across systems and enable them to utilise the information more effectively and efficiently towards future decision-making capabilities. Virtualisation of the process and that of the supply ensures more smooth operations between intra-organisations and external partners and hence more advanced data sharing systems are going to be provide the functionality within the global environments. The paper examines the linkage of innovation management and industry 4.0 practices within connected and autonomous vehicles in automotive sector
Fatigue crack growth assessment and fatigue resistance enhancement of aluminium alloys
No full textFatigue damage of aluminium alloys is one of the key concerns in transport industries, particularly in the aerospace industry. The purpose of the project is to develop new knowledge and techniques against fatigue failure for these industries through a systematic investigation of fatigue resistance and crack growth behaviours of aluminium alloys.Fatigue and fracture mechanics have been investigated analytically, numerically and experimentally in this project. Overload transient effect on fatigue crack growth has been examined by considering various parameters including crack closure, overload ratio (OLR), load ratio
Sustainability of Open-Source ERP systems in SMEs
No full textThe work is this thesis is based on research undertaken in conjunction with an SME based in north-west UK, delivering apprenticeship and commercial training programmes to its customers (For the purpose of confidentiality it is referred to as ITL). To match the needs of the business and achieve its goals, in 2010, the company in partnership with a local university, custom built and implemented an Open Source ERP system. The aim of the implementation was to improve its operational efficiency and customer relationships, thereby increasing its balance sheet. In the initial days, the ERP system served the needs of the business. However, over a period of time, the project lost its focus and thus leading to failure of the ERP system i.e. an unsustainable system.Through a literature review it was inferred that this is a known phenomenon around the globe, where organisations might have a successful adoption, but this might not necessarily lead to efficient performance in long run. There is limited research available on how to make an ERP system sustainable and little or no research available specific to sustainability of open-source ERP system in SMEs. With the advent of new capabilities in the Open Source area, it is important that ERP systems literature is up to date, especially in the context of open-source and SMEs.To identify some of the barriers to sustainability, the author adopted a case study approach and for more than 3 years thoroughly studied the organisation’s behaviour under different scenarios. This thorough study was used to draw conclusions and identify issues and barriers. The identified factors were then used to develop a sustainability framework. Thorough the literature review on open source ERP systems and ERP system implementations in SMEs and large organisations was done as part of this research. The study revealed that there are several parallels between organisations having open source and organisations having proprietary ERP systems implemented. Similarly, several parallels were also found between identified factors of SMEs and large organisations, who have an ERP system implemented
Impact of a varied understanding of school bullying
No full textPurpose: Traditional school bullying is complex and overlapping, hence research suggests there is a varied definition of the term (Canty, Stubbe, Steers & Collings, 2016). The current study investigated the potential effects of the term bullying on adolescent experiences of bullying. Additionally, the study examined bully, victim, bully-victim, and bystander identity as a moderating factor of experience of the term.Design/methodology/approach: Research appears to seldom offer adolescents the opportunity to discuss bullying using qualitative methods within naturalistic environments. Therefore, the current study adopted a phenomenological framework for adolescents to share their experiences. Data comprised recordings of semistructured interviews and focus groups with adolescents (n = 20) in high-school settings.Findings: The current study supported the notion that adolescents perceive a varied use of the term bullying in schools. The sample experience a varied understanding of bullying in which they explain: 1) increases exposure to bullying, 2) impacts social perception of bullying, 3) reduces trust in anti-bullying intervention, 4) reduces coping self-efficacy amongst victims of bullying, and 5) impacts negatively on friendships.Originality/value: Findings suggest a knowledge deficit in transferring information about school bullying from experts to non-experts. The sample indicated that a varied use of the term bullying has negative impact on their social and emotional functioning particularly; in managing distress and maintaining relationships.Additionally, inconsistent understanding of the term was said to increase the frequency of bullying, perception of bullying, and trust in intervention amongst the sample. Limitations of the research, recommendations for practice and intervention are briefly discussed
Agathon Redivivus: love and incorporeal beauty: Ficino's De Amore, Speech V
No full textThe personality and the writings of Marsilio Ficino mark the turning point from the middleages to the Renaissance. In John Marenbon’s apt description, medieval philosophy is ‘the story of a complex tradition founded in Neoplatonism, but not simply as a continuation or development of Neoplatonism itself’ (2007: 3). ‘Not simply’ because the Enneads, the first and finest flowering of that tradition, testify to Plotinus’ deep engagement, not only with the thought of Plato, Aristotle, the Stoics and the Middle Platonists, but also with a variety of theologico-mystical writings of diverse middleeastern provenances, from Egypt to Persia. This complex tradition, Ficino transmitted to the West in the form of translations from Greek into Latin of the dialogues of Plato and the Enneads of Plotinus as well as of several commentaries on those texts by later thinkers. In addition to such exegetical works, Ficino wrote several philosophical treatises of his own. Finally, as an ordained priest, he was also well acquainted with the writings of the Church Fathers, all of which had contributed to his belief that religion should not be separated from philosophy. To the completion of this ambitious scholarly programme and the fulfilment of his commitment to the Church, he brought the resources of his powerfully syncretistic mind. Rather than merely combining various texts and traditions, he made them speak to each other and, in the process, evolved a system that was both sui generis and attuned to the new ways of thinking that were then emerging in quattrocento Florence. His in-depth understanding of all these texts, together with his ability to spot similarities, analogies and correspondences between them, enabled him to fuse into a coherent system various elements which a modern historian of philosophy would regard as dissimilar if not incompatible. His philosophical acumen enabled him, when he thought it appropriate, to improve on the views of those he regarded as his masters and to fill whatever gaps he found in their arguments.The present essay is an attempt to unravel the nature of Ficino’s syncretism, in which three levels of widening scope will be distinguished: authorial, trans-authorial and trans-doctrinal. To achieve a desirable level of both precision and concision, a short text will then be analysed, namely Speech Five of his most widely read treatise, a Latin commentary on Plato’s Symposium, entitled Commentarium in Convivium Platonis De Amore. It will be shown how, through the fictional speech that he put in the mouth of Marsuppini, his chosen spokesperson of the Platonic Agathon, Ficino succeeded, not only in blending Platonic, Plotinian and Christian elements in the reconstruction of an argument that Plato had meant us to regard as flawed to the core, but he also composed an elegant and original speech that continues to intrigue and enchant its readers after a gap of over six centuries