Accessible Immersion Metrics (AIM) for Second Language Acquisition : A Constructivist Innovation for the ESL Classroom

Abstract: This study was designed to validate a constructivist learning framework, herein referred to as Accessible Immersion Metrics (AIM), for second language acquisition (SLA) as well as to compare two delivery methods of the same framework. The AIM framework was originally developed in 2009 and is proposed as a “How to” guide for the application of constructivist learning principles to the second language classroom. Piloted in 2010 at Champlain College St-Lambert, the AIM model allows for language learning to occur, free of a fixed schedule, to be socially constructive through the use of task-based assessments and relevant to the learner’s life experience by focusing on the students’ needs rather than on course content.||Résumé : Cette étude a été principalement conçu pour valider un cadre d'apprentissage constructiviste, ci-après dénommé Accessible Immersion Metrics - AIM, pour l'acquisition d'une langue seconde - SLA. Le cadre de l'AIM est proposé comme un mode d'emploi pour l'application des principes constructivistes à l'apprentissage d’une langue seconde. Créé en 2009 par l'auteur, et piloté en 2010 au Collège Champlain St-Lambert, le modèle de l'AIM permet l'apprentissage des langues à se produire, sans horaire fixe et socialement constructive grâce à l'utilisation des évaluations alignées basées sur des tâches pertinentes à l'expérience de vie de l'étudiant en se concentrant sur les besoins des élèves plutôt que sur le contenu des cours.

Building bridges between user and designer: co-creation, immersion and perspective taking

Designing for users rather than with users is still a common practice in technology design and innovation as opposed to taking them on board in the process. Design for inclusion aims to define and understand end-users, their needs, context of use, and, by doing so, ensure that end-users are catered for and included, while the results are geared towards universality of use. We describe the central role of end-user and designer participation, immersion and perspective to build user-driven solutions. These approaches provided a critical understanding of the counterpart role. Designer(s) could understand what the user’s needs were, experience physical impairments, and see from other’s perspective the interaction with the environment. Users could understand challenges of designing for physical impairments, build a sense of ownership with technology and explore it from a creative perspective. The understanding of the peer’s role (user and designer), needs and perspective enhanced user participation and inclusion.

La simulation par immersion clinique, un outil de transfert des connaissances en formation initiale au DEC en Techniques d’inhalothérapie

Le programme d’études Techniques d’inhalothérapie révisé par le ministère de l’Éducation est implanté en 1997 selon une approche par compétences. Ce nouveau programme propose alors des compétences centrées sur la tâche, indépendamment de la clientèle visée, ce qui provoque le morcellement des contenus spécifiques aux différentes clientèles, notamment la clientèle pédiatrique. Depuis plusieurs années, les différentes instances d’évaluation du programme 141 – Techniques d’inhalothérapie relèvent des lacunes reliées au développement des compétences et à l’exposition de situations d’apprentissage spécifiques à la clientèle pédiatrique. L’intégration de simulations par immersion clinique est donc envisagée comme piste de solution, premièrement pour mobiliser les connaissances antérieures reliées à la clientèle pédiatrique qui ont été morcelées à travers le programme, et deuxièmement en permettant une exposition uniforme aux situations cliniques jugées incontournables dans la formation des inhalothérapeutes au Cégep de Sherbrooke. La simulation par immersion clinique est reconnue comme une activité pédagogique soutenant le développement du raisonnement clinique, rehaussant la préparation clinique et favorisant la confiance professionnelle chez les étudiants et les étudiantes en formation initiale. Toutefois, sera-t-elle un outil permettant le transfert des connaissances antérieures ? À travers les quatre composantes de l’activité de simulation par immersion clinique, retrouve-t-on une composante favorisant plus qu’une autre ce transfert des connaissances ? Un devis mixte joignant le recueil de données quantitatives et qualitatives a permis d’analyser la perception des finissants et finissantes en Techniques d’inhalothérapie ainsi que la perception d’enseignantes et d’inhalothérapeutes sur les attributs des quatre composantes de la simulation par immersion clinique favorisant le transfert des connaissances antérieures. Un questionnaire et des entrevues semi-dirigées, incluant le visionnement des activités de simulation par immersion clinique, ont permis cette collecte de données. Selon la perception de tous les participantes et les participants à cette recherche exploratoire, le transfert des connaissances antérieures est présent à l’intérieur des quatre composantes de la simulation par immersion clinique: le breffage, l’action, l’observation et particulièrement lors du débreffage. Il est toutefois difficile d’isoler une seule composante, puisque les données qualitatives dégagent des perceptions fermes sur les attributs de chacune des composantes favorisant le transfert, joignant des arguments soulevant les différents styles d’apprenants. Sachant que la simulation par immersion clinique n’est pas une activité pédagogique monolithique, est-il pertinent de croire qu’elle mobilise des particularités relatives aux différents styles d’apprentissage à travers ses composantes? Existe-t-il des styles en lien entre le transfert des connaissances antérieures et les styles d’apprentissage? Bien que cette recherche exploratoire propose la perception qu’il existe un processus de transfert des connaissances à l’intérieur des quatre composantes de la simulation par immersion clinique, les résultats de recherche ne peuvent être généralisés, notamment en raison du nombre de participants. Il sera donc pertinent de poursuivre la recherche sur le sujet.

Perspective d'étudiantes infirmières de leur environnement d'apprentissage de la pratique en contexte de diversité culturelle lors d'une immersion clinique à l'international

Il existe une grande diversité dans les programmes de formation en sciences infirmières concernant l’organisation de stages d’immersion clinique à l’international et le soutien offert aux étudiantes (Kokko, 2011). Cette étude de cas qualitative explore, selon la perspective d’étudiantes infirmières, les éléments de l’environnement d’apprentissage de la pratique en contexte de diversité culturelle dans le cadre d’une immersion clinique à l’international. Le modèle constructiviste de développement de la compétence culturelle de Blanchet Garneau (2013 ; Blanchet Garneau et Pepin, 2015a) a servi de cadre de référence à cette étude. Dix étudiantes ayant participé à l’immersion clinique ont pris part à une entrevue individuelle en profondeur. Suite à une analyse qualitative thématique des données inspirée de Miles, Huberman et Saldana (2014), trois thèmes inter reliés ressortent : accompagnement par de multiples collaborations, trouver sa place dans le milieu d’accueil et écart entre les attentes des étudiantes et l’expérience vécue. Ces thèmes permettent de comprendre l’environnement d’apprentissage des étudiantes dans le développement de leur compétence culturelle, notamment leur capacité de s’ouvrir aux différentes réalités en contexte de diversité culturelle. Puisque peu d’écrits abordent spécifiquement les éléments de l’environnement d’apprentissage liés à la capacité de s’ouvrir aux différentes réalités de la pratique en contexte de diversité culturelle à l’étranger, cette étude contribue à l’approfondissement des éléments de l’environnement d’apprentissage présenté dans le modèle de Blanchet Garneau (2013 ; Blanchet Garneau et Pepin, 2015) et constitue un ajout aux connaissances actuelles liées au développement de la compétence culturelle.

Perspective d'étudiantes infirmières de leur environnement d'apprentissage de la pratique en contexte de diversité culturelle lors d'une immersion clinique à l'international

Il existe une grande diversité dans les programmes de formation en sciences infirmières concernant l’organisation de stages d’immersion clinique à l’international et le soutien offert aux étudiantes (Kokko, 2011). Cette étude de cas qualitative explore, selon la perspective d’étudiantes infirmières, les éléments de l’environnement d’apprentissage de la pratique en contexte de diversité culturelle dans le cadre d’une immersion clinique à l’international. Le modèle constructiviste de développement de la compétence culturelle de Blanchet Garneau (2013 ; Blanchet Garneau et Pepin, 2015a) a servi de cadre de référence à cette étude. Dix étudiantes ayant participé à l’immersion clinique ont pris part à une entrevue individuelle en profondeur. Suite à une analyse qualitative thématique des données inspirée de Miles, Huberman et Saldana (2014), trois thèmes inter reliés ressortent : accompagnement par de multiples collaborations, trouver sa place dans le milieu d’accueil et écart entre les attentes des étudiantes et l’expérience vécue. Ces thèmes permettent de comprendre l’environnement d’apprentissage des étudiantes dans le développement de leur compétence culturelle, notamment leur capacité de s’ouvrir aux différentes réalités en contexte de diversité culturelle. Puisque peu d’écrits abordent spécifiquement les éléments de l’environnement d’apprentissage liés à la capacité de s’ouvrir aux différentes réalités de la pratique en contexte de diversité culturelle à l’étranger, cette étude contribue à l’approfondissement des éléments de l’environnement d’apprentissage présenté dans le modèle de Blanchet Garneau (2013 ; Blanchet Garneau et Pepin, 2015) et constitue un ajout aux connaissances actuelles liées au développement de la compétence culturelle.

‘Crows’ vs. ‘Avatar’, or: 3D vs. total-dimensional immersion

3D film’s explicit new space depth arguably provides both an enhanced realistic quality to the image and a wealth of more acute visual and haptic sensations (a ‘montage of attractions’) to the increasingly involved spectator. But David Cronenberg’s related ironic remark that ‘cinema as such is from the outset a «special effect»’ should warn us against the geometrical naiveté of such assumptions, within a Cartesian ocularcentric tradition for long overcome by Merleau-Ponty’s embodiment of perception and Deleuze’s notion of the self-consistency of the artistic sensation and space. Indeed, ‘2D’ traditional cinema already provides the accomplished «fourth wall effect», enclosing the beholder behind his back within a space that no longer belongs to the screen (nor to ‘reality’) as such, and therefore is no longer ‘illusorily’ two-dimensional. This kind of totally absorbing, ‘dream-like’ space, metaphorical for both painting and cinema, is illustrated by the episode ‘Crows’ in Kurosawa’s Dreams. Such a space requires the actual effacement of the empirical status of spectator, screen and film as separate dimensions, and it is precisely the 3D caracteristic unfolding of merely frontal space layers (and film events) out of the screen towards us (and sometimes above the heads of the spectators before us) that reinstalls at the core of the film-viewing phenomenon a regressive struggle with reality and with different degrees of realism, originally overcome by film since the Lumière’s Arrival of a Train at Ciotat seminal demonstration. Through an analysis of crucial aspects in Avatar and the recent Cave of Forgotten Dreams, both dealing with historical and ontological deepening processes of ‘going inside’, we shall try to show how the formal and technically advanced component of those 3D-depth films impairs, on the contrary, their apparent conceptual purpose on the level of contents, and we will assume, drawing on Merleau-Ponty and Deleuze, that this technological mistake is due to a lack of recognition of the nature of perception and sensation in relation to space and human experience.

Thermodynamic Study Of The Micellization Of Zwitterionic Surfactants And Their Interaction With Polymers In Water By Isothermal Titration Calorimetry.

The micellization of a homologous series of zwitterionic surfactants, a group of sulfobetaines, was studied using isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) in the temperature range from 15 to 65 °C. The increase in both temperature and the alkyl chain length leads to more negative values of ΔGmic(0) , favoring the micellization. The entropic term (ΔSmic(0)) is predominant at lower temperatures, and above ca. 55-65 °C, the enthalpic term (ΔHmic(0)) becomes prevalent, figuring a jointly driven process as the temperature increases. The interaction of these sulfobetaines with different polymers was also studied by ITC. Among the polymers studied, only two induced the formation of micellar aggregates at lower surfactant concentration: poly(acrylic acid), PAA, probably due to the formation of hydrogen bonds between the carboxylic group of the polymer and the sulfonate group of the surfactant, and poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate), PSS, probably due to the incorporation of the hydrophobic styrene group into the micelles. The prevalence of the hydrophobic and not the electrostatic contributions to the interaction between sulfobetaine and PSS was confirmed by an increased interaction enthalpy in the presence of electrolytes (NaCl) and by the observation of a significant temperature dependence, the latter consistent with the proposed removal of hydrophobic groups from water.

Chemical Immobilization Of Crosslinked Polymeric Ionic Liquids On Nitinol Wires Produces Highly Robust Sorbent Coatings For Solid-phase Microextraction.

Super elastic nitinol (NiTi) wires were exploited as highly robust supports for three distinct crosslinked polymeric ionic liquid (PIL)-based coatings in solid-phase microextraction (SPME). The oxidation of NiTi wires in a boiling (30%w/w) H2O2 solution and subsequent derivatization in vinyltrimethoxysilane (VTMS) allowed for vinyl moieties to be appended to the surface of the support. UV-initiated on-fiber copolymerization of the vinyl-substituted NiTi support with monocationic ionic liquid (IL) monomers and dicationic IL crosslinkers produced a crosslinked PIL-based network that was covalently attached to the NiTi wire. This alteration alleviated receding of the coating from the support, which was observed for an analogous crosslinked PIL applied on unmodified NiTi wires. A series of demanding extraction conditions, including extreme pH, pre-exposure to pure organic solvents, and high temperatures, were applied to investigate the versatility and robustness of the fibers. Acceptable precision of the model analytes was obtained for all fibers under these conditions. Method validation by examining the relative recovery of a homologous group of phthalate esters (PAEs) was performed in drip-brewed coffee (maintained at 60 °C) by direct immersion SPME. Acceptable recoveries were obtained for most PAEs in the part-per-billion level, even in this exceedingly harsh and complex matrix.

Corrosion Kinetics And Topography Analysis Of Ti-6al-4v Alloy Subjected To Different Mouthwash Solutions.

This study evaluated the corrosion kinetics and surface topography of Ti-6Al-4V alloy exposed to mouthwash solutions (0.12% chlorhexidine digluconate, 0.053% cetylpyridinium chloride and 3% hydrogen peroxide) compared to artificial saliva (pH6.5) (control). Twenty Ti-6Al-4V alloy disks were used and divided into 4 groups (n=5). For the electrochemical assay, standard tests as open circuit potential and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were applied at baseline, 7 and 14days after immersion in the solutions. Scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and profilometry (average roughness - Ra) were used for surface characterization. Total weight loss of disks was calculated. Data were analyzed by ANOVA and Bonferroni's test (α=0.05). Hydrogen peroxide generated the lowest polarization resistance (Rp) values for all periods (P<0.05). For the capacitance (Cdl), similar results were observed among groups at baseline (P=0.098). For the 7 and 14-day periods, hydrogen peroxide promoted the highest Cdl values (P<0.0001). Hydrogen peroxide promoted expressive superficial changes and greater Ra values than the others (P<0.0001). It could be concluded that solutions containing cetylpyridinium chloride and chlorhexidine digluconate might be the mouthwashes of choice during the post-operatory period of dental implants. However, hydrogen peroxide is counter-indicated in these situations. Further studies evaluating the dynamics of these solutions (tribocorrosion) and immersing the disks in daily cycles (two or three times a day) to mimic a clinical situation closest to the application of mouthwashes in the oral cavity are warranted to prove our results.

Effects Of Sterilization Methods On The Physical, Chemical, And Biological Properties Of Silk Fibroin Membranes.

Silk fibroin has been widely explored for many biomedical applications, due to its biocompatibility and biodegradability. Sterilization is a fundamental step in biomaterials processing and it must not jeopardize the functionality of medical devices. The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of different sterilization methods in the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of dense and porous silk fibroin membranes. Silk fibroin membranes were treated by several procedures: immersion in 70% ethanol solution, ultraviolet radiation, autoclave, ethylene oxide, and gamma radiation, and were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction, tensile strength and in vitro cytotoxicity to Chinese hamster ovary cells. The results indicated that the sterilization methods did not cause perceivable morphological changes in the membranes and the membranes were not toxic to cells. The sterilization methods that used organic solvent or an increased humidity and/or temperature (70% ethanol, autoclave, and ethylene oxide) increased the silk II content in the membranes: the dense membranes became more brittle, while the porous membranes showed increased strength at break. Membranes that underwent sterilization by UV and gamma radiation presented properties similar to the nonsterilized membranes, mainly for tensile strength and FTIR results.

Effect Of Daily Use Of An Enzymatic Denture Cleanser On Candida Albicans Biofilms Formed On Polyamide And Poly(methyl Methacrylate) Resins: An In Vitro Study.

Candida biofilms on denture surfaces are substantially reduced after a single immersion in denture cleanser. However, whether this effect is maintained when dentures are immersed in cleanser daily is unclear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the daily use of enzymatic cleanser on Candida albicans biofilms on denture base materials. The surfaces of polyamide and poly(methyl methacrylate) resin specimens (n=54) were standardized and divided into 12 groups (n=9 per group), according to study factors (material type, treatment type, and periods of treatment). Candida albicans biofilms were allowed to form over 72 hours, after which the specimens were treated with enzymatic cleanser once daily for 1, 4, or 7 days. Thereafter, residual biofilm was ultrasonically removed and analyzed for viable cells (colony forming units/mm(2)) and enzymatic activity (phospholipase, aspartyl-protease, and hemolysin). Factors that interfered with the response variables were analyzed by 3-way ANOVA with the Holm-Sidak multiple comparison method (α=.05). Polyamide resin presented more viable cells of Candida albicans (P<.001) for both the evaluated treatment types and periods. Although enzymatic cleansing significantly (P<.001) reduced viable cells, daily use did not maintain this reduction (P<.001). Phospholipase activity significantly increased with time (P<.001) for both materials and treatments. However, poly(methyl methacrylate) based resin (P<.001) and enzymatic cleansing treatment (P<.001) contributed to lower phospholipase activity. Aspartyl-protease and hemolysin activities were not influenced by study factors (P>.05). Although daily use of an enzymatic cleanser reduced the number of viable cells and phospholipase activity, this treatment was not effective against residual biofilm over time.

Nitric Oxide-releasing Poly(vinyl Alcohol) Film For Increasing Dermal Vasodilation.

Pathological conditions associated with the impairment of nitric oxide (NO) production in the vasculature, such as Raynaud's syndrome and diabetic angiopathy, have stimulated the development of new biomaterials capable of delivering NO topically. With this purpose, we modified poly(vinyl-alcohol) (PVA) by chemically crosslinking it via esterification with mercaptosuccinic acid. This reaction allowed the casting of sulfhydrylated PVA (PVA-SH) films. Differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffractometry showed that the crosslinking reaction completely suppressed the crystallization of PVA, leading to a non-porous film with a homogeneous distribution of -SH groups. The remaining free hydroxyl groups in the PVA-SH network conferred partial hydrophylicity to the material, which was responsible for a swelling degree of ca. 110%. The PVA-SH films were subjected to an S-nitrosation reaction of the -SH groups, yielding a PVA containing S-nitrosothiol groups (PVA-SNO). Amperometric and chemiluminescence measurements showed that the PVA-SNO films were capable of releasing NO spontaneously after immersion in physiological medium. Laser Doppler-flowmetry, used to assess the blood flow in the dermal microcirculation, showed that the topical application of hydrated PVA-SNO films on the health skin led to a dose- and time-dependent increase of more than 5-fold in the dermal baseline blood flow in less than 10min, with a prolonged action of more than 4h during continuous application. These results show that PVA-SNO films might emerge as a new material with potential for the topical treatment of microvascular skin disorders.

Delivery Of A Urology Online Course Using Moodle Versus Didactic Lectures Methods.

To subjectively and objectively compare an accessible interactive electronic library using Moodle with lectures for urology teaching of medical students. Forty consecutive fourth-year medical students and one urology teacher were exposed to two teaching methods (4 weeks each) in the form of problem-based learning: - lectures and - student-centered group discussion based on Moodle (modular object-oriented dynamic learning environment) full time online delivered (24/7) with video surgeries, electronic urology cases and additional basic principles of the disease process. All 40 students completed the study. While 30% were moderately dissatisfied with their current knowledge base, online learning course delivery using Moodle was considered superior to the lectures by 86% of the students. The study found the following observations: (1) the increment in learning grades ranged from 7.0 to 9.7 for students in the online Moodle course compared to 4.0-9.6 to didactic lectures; (2) the self-reported student involvement in the online course was characterized as large by over 60%; (3) the teacher-student interaction was described as very frequent (50%) and moderately frequent (50%); and (4) more inquiries and requisitions by students as well as peer assisting were observed from the students using the Moodle platform. The Moodle platform is feasible and effective, enthusing medical students to learn, improving immersion in the urology clinical rotation and encouraging the spontaneous peer assisted learning. Future studies should expand objective evaluations of knowledge acquisition and retention.

O emprego de quitosana quimicamente modificada com anidrido succínico na adsorção de azul de metileno

The adsorption capacity of alpha-chitosan and its modified form with succinic anhydride was compared with the traditional adsorbent active carbon by using the dye methylene blue, employed in the textile industry. The isotherms for both biopolymers were classified as SSA systems in the Giles model, more specifically in L class and subgroup 3. The dye concentration in the supernatant in the adsorption assay was determined through electronic spectroscopy. By calorimetric titration thermodynamic data of the interaction between methyene blue and the chemically modified chitosan at the solid/liquid interface were obtained. The enthalpy of the dye/chitosan interaction gave 2.47 ± 0.02 kJ mol-1 with an equilibrium constant of 7350 ± 10 and for the carbon/dye interaction this constant gave 5951 ± 8. The spontaneity of these adsorptions are reflected by the free Gibbs energies of -22.1 ± 0.4 and -21.5 ± 0.2 kJ mol-1, respectively, found for these systems. This new adsorbent derived from a natural polysaccharide is as efficient as activated carbon. However 97% of the bonded dye can be eluted by sodium chloride solution, while this same operation elutes only 42% from carbon. Chitosan is efficient in dye removal with the additional advantage of being cheap, non-toxic, biocompatible and biodegradable.

Construção de um calorímetro isotérmico diferencial de alta sensibilidade e baixo custo

The high cost of sensitivity commercial calorimeters may represent an obstacle for many calorimetric research groups. This work describes the construction and calibration of a batch differential heat conduction calorimeter with sample cells volumes of about 400 μL. The calorimeter was built using two small high sensibility square Peltier thermoelectric sensors and the total cost was estimated to be about US$ 500. The calorimeter was used to study the excess enthalpy of solution of binary mixtures of liquids, as a function of composition, for the following binary systems of solvents: water + 1,4-dioxane or + dimethylsulfoxide at 298,2 ± 0,5 K.