Designing and Developing Digital and Blended Learning Solutions

The continuous advancement in computing, together with the decline in its cost, has resulted in technology becoming ubiquitous (Arbaugh, 2008, Gros, 2007). Technology is growing and is part of our lives in almost every respect, including the way we learn. Technology helps to collapse time and space in learning. For example, technology allows learners to engage with their instructors synchronously, in real time and also asynchronously, by enabling sessions to be recorded. Space and distance is no longer an issue provided there is adequate bandwidth, which determines the most appropriate format such text, audio or video. Technology has revolutionised the way learners learn; courses are designed; and ‘lessons’ are delivered, and continues to do so. The learning process can be made vastly more efficient as learners have knowledge at their fingertips, and unfamiliar concepts can be easily searched and an explanation found in seconds. Technology has also enabled learning to be more flexible, as learners can learn anywhere; at any time; and using different formats, e.g. text or audio. From the perspective of the instructors and L&D providers, technology offers these same advantages, plus easy scalability. Administratively, preparatory work can be undertaken more quickly even whilst student numbers grow. Learners from far and new locations can be easily accommodated. In addition, many technologies can be easily scaled to accommodate new functionality and/ or other new technologies. ‘Designing and Developing Digital and Blended Learning Solutions’ (5DBS), has been developed to recognise the growing importance of technology in L&D. This unit contains four learning outcomes and two assessment criteria, which is the same for all other units, besides Learning Outcome 3 which has three assessment criteria. The four learning outcomes in this unit are: • Learning Outcome 1: Understand current digital technologies and their contribution to learning and development solutions; • Learning Outcome 2: Be able to design blended learning solutions that make appropriate use of new technologies alongside more traditional approaches; • Learning Outcome 3: Know about the processes involved in designing and developing digital learning content efficiently and what makes for engaging and effective digital learning content; • Learning Outcome 4: Understand the issues involved in the successful implementation of digital and blended learning solutions. Each learning outcome is an individual chapter and each assessment unit is allocated its own sections within the respective chapters. This first chapter addresses the first learning outcome, which has two assessment criteria: summarise the range of currently available learning technologies; critically assess a learning requirement to determine the contribution that could be made through the use of learning technologies. The introduction to chapter one is in Section 1.0. Chapter 2 discusses the design of blended learning solutions in consideration of how digital learning technologies may support face-to-face and online delivery. Three learning theory sets: behaviourism; cognitivism; constructivism, are introduced, and the implication of each set of theory on instructional design for blended learning discussed. Chapter 3 centres on how relevant digital learning content may be created. This chapter includes a review of the key roles, tools and processes that are involved in developing digital learning content. Finally, Chapter 4 concerns delivery and implementation of digital and blended learning solutions. This chapter surveys the key formats and models used to inform the configuration of virtual learning environment software platforms. In addition, various software technologies which may be important in creating a VLE ecosystem that helps to enhance the learning experience, are outlined. We introduce the notion of personal learning environment (PLE), which has emerged from the democratisation of learning. We also review the roles, tools, standards and processes that L&D practitioners need to consider within a delivery and implementation of digital and blended learning solution.

Avaliação da política de segurança alimentar implementada através dos restaurantes populares do Rio Grande do Norte

This survey has to general objective to evaluate the Food Safety Policy implemented by Restaurantes Populares do Rio Grande do Norte. The survey is qualitative of type exploratory and descriptive. The universe of survey is all Units of Food and Nutrition (UAN) of the Restaurantes Populares do Rio Grande do Norte. To collects of data were used two instruments: interview and form. The interviews were intended to analyze the four axes of the Food Safety: access, food quality, production and marketing of food and organizational arrangement. The form was used to check the quality of nutrition and sanitary-hygienic food served. We used two types of forms: a spreadsheet with the weekly menu and the portions served to verify that the meals serve the nutritional needs proposed by the program; and the check-list of ANVISA to verify the sanitary-hygienic conditions in each unit. Through the survey data and analyses made observe that the access category have some problems such as lack of registration, lack of advertising of Restaurants and wastage of public resources, making policy that should be of included in a policy of exclusion. In the nutritional aspect there is neglect on the daily nutritional goal, because it is not accomplished nutritional analysis of menu offered, the nutritionists do not know what should be the nutritional value of meals served; in the hygienic-health aspect trough the problems identified is concludes that there is no guarantee of food quality hygienic-sanitary, committing the program as a Food Safety Program. About the production and marketing of food is observed some problems as: the goal of sale of meals is not achieved in full, the purchase of genres does not stimulate the local economy, nor generates jobs and income, and inefficient performance of the MEIOS's supervision. In the analysis of organizational arrangement is concluded that the partnerships are beneficial, despite some negative points, therefore, are these partnerships the problems of non-compliance, as both the MEIOS and Nutriti of important criteria established in the partnership. Therefore, it is understood that the Programa Restaurantes Populares in its original formulation is proposed to be a food safety policy, but has some problems that impossible to meet its goal, making it unprofitable like Food Safety Policy

Studio Stratigrafico-Vulcanologico della Successione Piroclastica di Lower Pollara - Salina (Isole Eolie)

L’argomento di questo lavoro di tesi è lo studio stratigrafico-vulcanologico dei depositi della successione piroclastica di Lower Pollara, nel settore NW dell’isola di Salina (Isole Eolie). Questa successione corrisponde alla prima attività esplosiva, di tipo subpliniana, del cratere di Pollara, ed è caratterizzata da un’ampia distribuzione areale sia sull'isola di Salina, sia sull'adiacente isola di Lipari, dove è noto un livello di tefra. Questo studio stratigrafico-vulcanologico, attraverso la ricostruzione di una sezione stratigrafica di dettaglio della successione piroclastica, suddividendola in diverse unità deposizionali, ha permesso di ricostruire lo stile eruttivo ed i meccanismi di innesco relativi a questa attività esplosiva del centro eruttivo di Pollara.

Comunicação interna em empreendimento hoteleiro: um enfoque gerencial

Globalization, which increased the market to a position of competition and change never before experienced, also imposed a series of changes that have transformed the social systems, organizations increasingly complex. In this scenario, communication has received attention from modern managers. Research indicates that some sectors of activity, more than others, rely on communication as a tool for achieving their goals. The tourism sector, located in the service segment is configured as one of these activities, which the hotel is part of the composite product. With the intention to acknowledge these aspects in this study sought to analyze the characteristics of internal communication in a hotel project in the managerial perspective. To try to answer this purpose we constructed a framework based on authors that discuss organizational communication, internal communication and hotel businesses. For the purpose of research was chosen a unit of study to assess the views of managers regarding the issue. In the unit studied was sought to apprehend these meanings through interviews with a group of managers in the organization and analysis of documents. Data were analyzed through content analysis of Bardin (1977), with the technique of categorical analysis, as it sought to capture aspects that allow the description of the contents of the messages. The results pointed to an organizational reality based heavily on orality, who lives constantly with noise and using communication to regulate behavior. With little or no reflection on managerial communication inferred that subordinates should not absorb the message completely, a phenomenon that can not be responsible for the complete fulfillment thereof. Moreover, it was realized that the organization studied did not plan your communication, since, yet the views as a strategic tool to achieve your goals

Importance of size-selective particle measuring for assessing occupational exposures: a case study “from field to fork”

Sampling the total air concentration of particulate matter (PM) only provides a basic estimate of exposure that normally not allows correlating with the observed health effects. Therefore is of great importance to recognize the particles size distribution and, particularly, the exposure to fine particles (≤ 2.5 μm). This particles dimension corresponds to the respirable fraction, the one that can implicate local and systemic effects due to particle deposition and clearance from the lungs and transport within the organism. This study intended to describe occupational exposure to PM2.5 in three units related with swine production and consumption, namely: feed production, swine production and swine slaughterhouse. A size-selective particle measuring in five to six workplaces of each unit was performed. Measurements of PM were done using a portable direct-reading hand-held equipment (Lighthouse, model 3016 IAQ). Data showed slaughterhouse unit with higher values, with values ranging from 0.030 to 0.142 mg/m3 (0.073 + 0.043), being the cutting room the workplace with higher values. In feed production unit, values were between 0.026 and 0.033 mg/m3 (0.028 + 0.003) with the warehouse of pharmacy products as the workplace with higher values. Finally, in swine unit values ranged from 0.006 to 0.048 mg/m3 (0.023 + 0.017) with the batteries area presenting the higher values. PM can be rich in fungi and bacteria and their metabolites, such as endotoxins and mycotoxins. Previous publications already showed high contamination in these occupational settings and particles can have an important role in exposure since can easily act as carrier of these agents. Data acquired allow not only a better prediction of particle penetration into respiratory regions of the respiratory tract, but also a better estimation of PM health effects. Moreover, data permit to identify the workplaces where investment should be made to prevent and reduce exposure.

Développement d’un questionnaire cognitif bref, le FaCE (The Fast Cognitive Evaluation), selon la modélisation Rasch adapté aux patients avec cancer

Les déficits cognitifs sont présents chez les patients atteints de cancer. Les tests cognitifs tels que le Montreal Cognitive Assessment se sont révélés peu spécifiques, incapables de détecter des déficits légers et ne sont pas linéaires. Pour suppléer à ces limitations nous avons développé un questionnaire cognitif simple, bref et adapté aux dimensions cognitives atteintes chez les patients avec un cancer, le FaCE « The Fast Cognitif Evaluation », en utilisant la modélisation Rasch (MR). La MR est une méthode mathématique probabiliste qui détermine les conditions pour qu’un outil soit considéré une échelle de mesure et elle est indépendante de l’échantillon. Si les résultats s’ajustent au modèle, l’échelle de mesure est linéaire avec des intervalles égaux. Les réponses sont basées sur la capacité des sujets et la difficulté des items. La carte des items permet de sélectionner les items les plus adaptés pour l’évaluation de chaque aspect cognitif et d’en réduire le nombre au minimum. L’analyse de l’unidimensionnalité évalue si l’outil mesure une autre dimension que celle attendue. Les résultats d’analyses, conduites sur 165 patients, montrent que le FaCE distingue avec une excellente fiabilité et des niveaux suffisamment différents les compétences des patients (person-reliability-index=0.86; person-separation-index=2.51). La taille de la population et le nombre d’items sont suffisants pour que les items aient une hiérarchisation fiable et précise (item-reliability=0.99; item-séparation-index=8.75). La carte des items montre une bonne dispersion de ceux-ci et une linéarité du score sans effet plafond. Enfin, l’unidimensionnalité est respectée et le temps d’accomplissement moyen est d’environ 6 minutes. Par définition la MR permet d’assurer la linéarité et la continuité de l’échelle de mesure. Nous avons réussi à développer un questionnaire bref, simple, rapide et adapté aux déficits cognitifs des patients avec un cancer. Le FaCE pourrait, aussi, servir de mesure de référence pour les futures recherches dans le domaine.

Lesion detection performance: comparative analysis of low-dose CT data of the chest on two hybrid imaging systems

Incidental findings on low-dose CT images obtained during hybrid imaging are an increasing phenomenon as CT technology advances. Understanding the diagnostic value of incidental findings along with the technical limitations is important when reporting image results and recommending follow-up, which may result in an additional radiation dose from further diagnostic imaging and an increase in patient anxiety. This study assessed lesions incidentally detected on CT images acquired for attenuation correction on two SPECT/CT systems. Methods: An anthropomorphic chest phantom containing simulated lesions of varying size and density was imaged on an Infinia Hawkeye 4 and a Symbia T6 using the low-dose CT settings applied for attenuation correction acquisitions in myocardial perfusion imaging. Twenty-two interpreters assessed 46 images from each SPECT/CT system (15 normal images and 31 abnormal images; 41 lesions). Data were evaluated using a jackknife alternative free-response receiver-operating-characteristic analysis (JAFROC). Results: JAFROC analysis showed a significant difference (P < 0.0001) in lesion detection, with the figures of merit being 0.599 (95% confidence interval, 0.568, 0.631) and 0.810 (95% confidence interval, 0.781, 0.839) for the Infinia Hawkeye 4 and Symbia T6, respectively. Lesion detection on the Infinia Hawkeye 4 was generally limited to larger, higher-density lesions. The Symbia T6 allowed improved detection rates for midsized lesions and some lower-density lesions. However, interpreters struggled to detect small (5 mm) lesions on both image sets, irrespective of density. Conclusion: Lesion detection is more reliable on low-dose CT images from the Symbia T6 than from the Infinia Hawkeye 4. This phantom-based study gives an indication of potential lesion detection in the clinical context as shown by two commonly used SPECT/CT systems, which may assist the clinician in determining whether further diagnostic imaging is justified.

Processo de indexação: estudo de caso único no Sistema de Bibliotecas (SIB) da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande - FURG

Estudo de caso único exploratório e descritivo voltado a analisar a indexação em uma das bibliotecas universitárias do SIB/FURG. Os objetivos específicos, delimitados a partir do contexto já citado, foram: a) Identificar e analisar, através de mapeamento cognitivo, os procedimentos metodológicos empregados na indexação nas atividades de análise, síntese e representação da informação; b) Identificar os conceitos/noções com maior importância na percepção da indexadora quanto ao processo de indexação e as relações entre tais conceitos de forma a construir o mapa cognitivo do processo a partir da percepção da indexadora; e c) Descrever e analisar a indexação de livros na unidade em estudo sob aspecto da análise, síntese e representação destes através da aplicação do Protocolo Verbal. As técnicas utilizadas para a coleta de informação no estudo de caso único foram a Self-Q e o Protocolo Verbal, ambas centradas na abordagem qualitativa. Conclui-se, a partir da construção do mapa cognitivo da indexadora, que as noções/conceitos que sustentam sua prática voltam-se, em sua maioria, a aspectos de caráter procedimental. Percebeu-se também que a prática de indexação ocorre desconectada dos princípios de especificidade e exaustividade. Sobre a indexação de livros conclui-se que, na unidade sob estudo, as operações de análise são desenvolvidas de modo empírico através da leitura e interpretação de partes do documento indexado. Identificou-se que o enfoque da prática não recai apenas no documento mas também, no usuário. A análise e síntese ocorrem de forma integrada, sendo que, em alguns momentos, a síntese é desenvolvida a partir do conhecimento dos descritores do tesauro. A delimitação dos conceitos, por sua vez, foi influenciada, por vezes, pelo(a): uso de termos já empregados na unidade em que atua/sistema, presença do descritor no sumário, conhecimento das demandas dos usuários, área de domínio em que indexa e percepção enquanto profissional. Percebeu-se que não existem níveis definidos quanto a exaustividade e especificidade na indexação. Na representação dos conceitos foram identificadas dificuldades ocasionadas pela ausência de relacionamentos entre termos e/ou ausência de termos voltados a área indexada no tesauro empregado. Conclui-se que faz-se necessário o desenvolvimento de uma política de indexação formalizada para basilar a prática desenvolvida no SIB/FURG.

Developmental Neural Correlates of Social Interaction

Children develop in a sea of reciprocal social interaction, but their brain development is predominately studied in non-interactive contexts (e.g., viewing photographs of faces). This dissertation investigated how the developing brain supports social interaction. Specifically, novel paradigms were used to target two facets of social experience—social communication and social motivation—across three studies in children and adults. In Study 1, adults listened to short vignettes—which contained no social information—that they believed to be either prerecorded or presented over an audio-feed by a live social partner. Simply believing that speech was from a live social partner increased activation in the brain’s mentalizing network—a network involved in thinking about others’ thoughts. Study 2 extended this paradigm to middle childhood, a time of increasing social competence and social network complexity, as well as structural and functional social brain development. Results showed that, as in adults, regions of the mentalizing network were engaged by live speech. Taken together, these findings indicate that the mentalizing network may support the processing of interactive communicative cues across development. Given this established importance of social-interactive context, Study 3 examined children’s social motivation when they believed they were engaged in a computer-based chat with a peer. Children initiated interaction via sharing information about their likes and hobbies and received responses from the peer. Compared to a non-social control, in which children chatted with a computer, peer interaction increased activation in mentalizing regions and reward circuitry. Further, within mentalizing regions, responsivity to the peer increased with age. Thus, across all three studies, social cognitive regions associated with mentalizing supported real-time social interaction. In contrast, the specific social context appeared to influence both reward circuitry involvement and age-related changes in neural activity. Future studies should continue to examine how the brain supports interaction across varied real-world social contexts. In addition to illuminating typical development, understanding the neural bases of interaction will offer insight into social disabilities such as autism, where social difficulties are often most acute in interactive situations. Ultimately, to best capture human experience, social neuroscience ought to be embedded in the social world.

Desenvolvimento de um flotador industrial

A presente dissertação apresenta uma investigação teórica e prática na área de Engenharia e Design de Produto com o objetivo principal de desenvolver um Flotador Industrial para a Adventech, procurando indicadores inovadores, competitivos e focando a necessidade de encontrar uma solução que reflita numa relação entre necessidade, utilizador, performance e design. Desta forma, no presente trabalho cruzam-se temas como a Engenharia e o Design de Produto, Tratamentos de Efluentes Líquidos e Flotação de modo a introduzir e compreender o desenvolvimento deste equipamento. Foi efetuada uma pesquisa sobre o tema para compreender, as suas características e limitações, bem como as formas e mecanismos utilizados para dar resposta aos requisitos e produzir um produto eficiente e eficaz. Paralelamente realizou-se uma abordagem teórica sobre Design de Produto e Processo de Flotação, de modo a conhecer o seu desenvolvimento e as suas restrições, preocupações e objetivos. Complementou-se o trabalho desenvolvido com pesquisa e analisaram-se os produtos existentes na concorrência com o objetivo de conhecer características técnicas, funcionais e físicas. Desta forma, o estudo desenvolvido nesta dissertação serviu e auxiliou o projeto no resultado final, incluindo a materialização do conceito para proporcionar uma boa relação entre utilizador, performance e design. Obtendo assim, um resultado final com características adequadas nas diversas aplicações deste produto nas Estações de Águas Residuais, reduzindo custos de operação e manutenção, eficiência do processo de flotação e vida útil do produto. Paralelamente o design proporciona uma apresentação estética do produto que transmite fiabilidade e profissionalismo.