1,721,141 research outputs found
Benefits of a physics-driven interdisciplinary final project for mechanical engineering undergraduates
No full textIn the context of higher education, the call for interdisciplinary learning is becoming increasingly imperative. This holds especially true for fields like Mechanical Engineering, where complex challenges often transcend the boundaries of traditional disciplines. On the other hand, active learning activities promote curiosity, enjoyment, and interest. An interdisciplinary final project with an 'active' approach creates an opportunity for students to integrate and apply knowledge across multiple subject areas. In this contribution, we discuss the results obtained in the Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering of the University of Palermo (Italy) in the last three years, since the Bachelor's degree candidates have had the possibility to choose an interdisciplinary final project, showing that it offers a myriad of advantages that not only prepare students for real-world scenarios but also foster innovation and holistic problem-solving skills. By exposing students to interdisciplinary challenges, these projects ensure that graduates are equipped to navigate the complexities of emerging technologies and adapt to changing industry dynamics. The challenges and possibilities of these self-directed thinking are also discussed
A 5E-based learning experience to introduce concepts relevant in Quantum Physics
Full text linkWe here present and discuss a 5E-based learning activity focused on introductory concepts of Quantum Physics experienced at the Bachelor of Electrical Engineering of a Kenyan University. The described constructivist environment aimed at supporting an effective understanding of concepts very relevant in Modern Physics, such as wave-particle dualism, discretization, de Broglie wavelength, Heisenberg Uncertainty principle, atomic models, particle in a box, etc., by triggering a chain of reasoned investigation, inquiry, problem solving, and collaboration with peers. As it is well known, the 5E-based learning cycle is a student-centred instructional approach which helps learners to broaden their views on the concepts and link together the ideas, by means of five phases of instruction: Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Elaboration, and Evaluation. Our findings show the proposed workflows successfully engaged students into active learning, stimulating the activation of the inquiry process and, at the same time, supporting the clarifying of important experimental and technological aspects of modern physics. This learning path represents a feasible example of a combination of a traditional lecture-based teaching method with laboratory and computational activities
The Superconductivity Phenomenon from the Discovery to the BCS Theory: A Storytelling Approach
No full textSuperconductors are the most bizarre among the known materials. Counterintuitive quantum–mechanical effects ensure that, below a critical temperature, they are characterized by zero electrical resistance and by a plenty of unexpected properties, each one of them sufficient to spark the imagination. The superconducting properties are not bound to a particular element or to a crystal structure but to heterogeneous factors that differentiate at microscopic level whose discovery and understanding has interested experimental as well as theoretical research. Recently, unconventional and unexpected superconductivity has been discovered in selected twisted graphene bilayers. Although more than 100 years have passed since the discovery of superconductivity, this finding is an exciting result because graphene, thanks to its simple crystal structure, might be used as an experimental tool to investigate the mechanism of unconventional superconductivity in high Tc superconductors and/or microscopic electronic correlation processes observable at macroscopic level. In this chapter we summarize the relevant achievements in the field of superconductivity, both in the experimental and in the theoretical field, starting from its discovery, up to the BCS theory, and mention the incredible and unique properties of superconductivity that have the potential to revolutionize electrical transmission, transportation, and physics as we know it today. With the goal of giving pedagogical value to this review, we adopted a storytelling approach to summarize the attempts to explain and link the various aspects of the superconductivity, whose range extends from electron–phonon interactions to heavy fermions and massless quasiparticles
Application of remote experiments in a secondary school using MOOC approach
No full textThis paper presents first attempt to incorporate remote and virtual experiments in MOOC environment for the secondary school instruction. In case study the VISIR+ remote experiment of the WebLab-Deusto was used. The basic topic of physics “Resistors in series” was suggested for the mentioned above experiment. The open edX platform was employed to build the MOOC for the school lesson - we named it ‘micro-MOOC’. The results could be helpful for secondary school sector representatives, education instructors, parents and policy makers to respond to current and future education needs
Design of an open-lab activity for engineering students: A case study
Full text linkProject- or discovery-based learning activities promote curiosity, enjoyment, and interest deriving from the stimulating context in which students operate. Providing a concrete contextualization of laboratory activities could improve student motivation and learning outcomes. In this contribution, a case study related to a workshop on laboratory activities proposed for Engineering Master students is presented, and designed with the aim of developing practical competencies, increasing problem-solving skills, and providing design abilities. Using the facilities available in the Measurements and Control Laboratory, the students, starting from concept knowledge acquired in basic subjects, such as Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Electronics, design and implement their experiments, gaining a deeper understanding of core disciplinary concepts while strengthening soft and teamwork skills. The challenges and possibilities of these self-directed thinking and learning laboratory activities are also discussed
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
A Graduate Level Personalized Learning Environment in the Field of f-NIRS Signal Processing
Full text linkActive student involvement and instruction through experience in everyday contexts are pedagogical approaches suitable to promote inquiry-based learning and improve learners' cognitive skills. Nevertheless, many university and postgraduate courses offer lecture-based instructions of theoretical concepts to the students; little attention is still devoted to design hands-on activities, to improve practical/technical competencies and enhance students' effective understanding of the concepts. The development of a personalized, student-centered learning environment that encourages teamwork and inquiry-based learning aligns with the contemporary push for interdisciplinary education in bioengineering fields. This is particularly relevant for fostering expertise in emerging technologies like functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (f-NIRS). In this framework, this paper reports a lab activity for bioelectronic engineering and/or biomedical science students focused on analyzing prefrontal cortex activation during a memory task, processing the f-NIRS signals. This pilot activity, conducted at the University of Palermo (Italy), involved Master's and Ph.D. students working in teams to address challenges in experimental design. The study combines cutting-edge biosignal detection techniques with innovative educational strategies, offering substantial contributions to both bioengineering and educational research. The outcomes suggest that a hands-on and student-centered laboratory, experienced through a methodical sequence of self-directed learning activities, could considerably boost the student motivation to learn and the level of engagement in bioengineering and biosciences
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
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