User Centered Desing in E-Learning Environments : from Usability to Learner Experience

The advent of the Internet had a great impact on distance education and rapidly e-learning has become a killer application. Education institutions worldwide are taking advantage of the available technology in order to facilitate education to a growing audience. Everyday, more and more people use e-learning systems, environments and contents for both training and learning. E-learning promotes educationamong people that due to different reasons could not have access to education: people who could nottravel, people with very little free time, or withdisabilities, etc. As e-learning systems grow and more people are accessing them, it is necessary to consider when designing virtual environments the diverse needs and characteristics that different users have. This allows building systems that people can use easily, efficiently and effectively, where the learning process leads to a good user experience and becomes a good learning experience.

The Regulation of Skeletal and Cardiac Muscle Blood Flow in Humans. Studies by positron emission tomography with special reference to exercise, adenosine and nitric oxide

Virtually every cell and organ in the human body is dependent on a proper oxygen supply. This is taken care of by the cardiovascular system that supplies tissues with oxygen precisely according to their metabolic needs. Physical exercise is one of the most demanding challenges the human circulatory system can face. During exercise skeletal muscle blood flow can easily increase some 20-fold and its proper distribution to and within muscles is of importance for optimal oxygen delivery. The local regulation of skeletal muscle blood flow during exercise remains little understood, but adenosine and nitric oxide may take part in this process. In addition to acute exercise, long-term vigorous physical conditioning also induces changes in the cardiovasculature, which leads to improved maximal physical performance. The changes are largely central, such as structural and functional changes in the heart. The function and reserve of the heart’s own vasculature can be studied by adenosine infusion, which according to animal studies evokes vasodilation via it’s a_2A receptors. This has, however, never been addressed in humans in vivo and also studies in endurance athletes have shown inconsistent results regarding the effects of sport training on myocardial blood flow. This study was performed on healthy young adults and endurance athletes and local skeletal and cardiac muscle blod flow was measured by positron emission tomography. In the heart, myocardial blood flow reserve and adenosine A_2A receptor density, and in skeletal muscle, oxygen extraction and consumption was also measured. The role of adenosine in the control of skeletal muscle blood flow during exercise, and its vasodilator effects, were addressed by infusing competitive inhibitors and adenosine into the femoral artery. The formation of skeletal muscle nitric oxide was also inhibited by a drug, with and without prostanoid blockade. As a result and conclusion, it can be said that skeletal muscle blood flow heterogeneity decreases with increasing exercise intensity most likely due to increased vascular unit recruitment, but exercise hyperemia is a very complex phenomenon that cannot be mimicked by pharmacological infusions, and no single regulator factor (e.g. adenosine or nitric oxide) accounts for a significant part of exercise-induced muscle hyperemia. However, in the present study it was observed for the first time in humans that nitric oxide is not only important regulator of the basal level of muscle blood flow, but also oxygen consumption, and together with prostanoids affects muscle blood flow and oxygen consumption during exercise. Finally, even vigorous endurance training does not seem to lead to supranormal myocardial blood flow reserve, and also other receptors than A_2A mediate the vasodilator effects of adenosine. In respect to cardiac work, atheletes heart seems to be luxuriously perfused at rest, which may result from reduced oxygen extraction or impaired efficiency due to pronouncedly enhanced myocardial mass developed to excel in strenuous exercise.

Generic and professional caring in a Chinese setting: an ethnopraphic study

The objective of the present study is to describe the cultural care practices, meanings, values and beliefs which form the basis of caring in a Chinese context. The research has its starting point in a caring science perspective and a qualitative research approach with interpretative ethnography as methodological guideline. The theoretical perspective is formed by elements of the theory of caritative caring, developed by Eriksson, and the theory of Culture Care Diversity and Universality, developed by Leininger. Previous research of suffering, culture and caring is described and also a presentation of actual transcultural nursing research as well as a presentation of the social structure dimensions of Chinese culture is included in the theoretical background. The empirical part includes patients and relatives, nurses and Hu Gongs as informants. The data collected are analysed based on Geertz’s idea of forming “thick descriptions” through examining the “what, how and why” of people’s actions. The findings show that the family has a prominent position in Chinese caring practices. The patient plays an unobtrusive role and a mutual dependence between the patient and the family members is evident. The professional nursing care is an extended act which includes the family in the caring relationship. The care practices of the Chinese nurse are characterized by great professional nursing skills. Suffering is described by the informants as being caused by disease, pain and social circumstances. “Social suffering” is described as worse than physical or mental suffering. Culturally competent and congruent care is a prerequisite for avoiding cultural pain, imposition and blindness when caring for the suffering human being. The findings of the present study necessitate a broadening in caring theory to include the family in the caring relationship. A further conclusion is that a broadening in our perception and understanding of culture would promote the delivery of culturally competent and congruent care. Suffering need to be seen as enclosed in cultural patterns of how it is expressed, interpreted, understood and relieved. Care and caring need to be seen as embedded in culture and the care practices values and beliefs have to be congruent with the cultural patterns where the care is provided.

Adherence and perceptions regarding simulation training in undergraduate health Sciences

BACKGROUND: Simulation techniques are spreading rapidly in medicine. Suc h resources are increasingly concentrated in Simulation Laboratories. The MSRP-USP is structuring such a laboratory and is interested in the prevalence of individual initiatives that could be centralized there. The MSRP-USP currently has five full-curriculum courses in the health sciences: Medicine, Speech Therapy, Physical Therapy, Nutrition, and Occupational Therapy, all consisting of core disciplines. GOAL: To determine the prevalence of simulation techniques in the regular courses at MSRP-USP. METHODS: Coordinators of disciplines in the various courses were interviewed using a specifically designed semi-structured questionnaire, and all the collected data were stored in a dedicated database. The disciplines were grouped according to whether they used (GI) or did not use (GII) simulation resources. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: 256 disciplines were analyzed, of which only 18.3% used simulation techniques, varying according to course: Medicine (24.7.3%), Occupational Therapy (23.0%), Nutrition (15.9%), Physical Therapy (9.8%), and Speech Therapy (9.1%). Computer simulation programs predominated (42.5%) in all five courses. The resources were provided mainly by MSRP-USP (56.3%), with additional funding coming from other sources based on individual initiatives. The same pattern was observed for maintenance. There was great interest in centralizing the resources in the new Simulation Laboratory in order to facilitate maintenance, but there was concern about training and access to the material. CONCLUSIONS: 1) The MSRP-USP simulation resources show low complexity and are mainly limited to computer programs; 2) Use of simulation varies according to course, and is most prevalent in Medicine; 3) Resources are scattered across several locations, and their acquisition and maintenance depend on individual initiatives rather than central coordination or curricular guidelines

Is professional recognition in plastic surgery related to activity in research

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relation of medical research, with the participation of prominent plastic surgeon in Congress.METHODS: We reviewed the scientific programs of the last 3 Brazilian Congress of Surgery, were selected 21 Brazilian plástic surgeons invited to serve as panelists or speakers in roundtable sessions in the last 3 congresses (Group 1). We randomly selected and paired by other members (associates) of the Brazilian Society of Plastic Surgery, with no participation in congress as speaker (Group 2). We conducted a search for articles published in journals indexed in Medline, Lilacs and SciELO for all doctors selected during the entire academic career and the last 5 years from March 2007 until March 2012. We assessed the research activity through the simple counting of the number of publications in indexed journals for each professional. The number of publications groups was compared.RESULTS: articles produced throughout career: Group 1- 639 articles (average of 30.42 items each). Group 2- 79 articles (mean 3.95 articles each). Difference between medias: p <0.001.CONCLUSION: The results demonstrate that the Brazilian Society of Plastic Surgery seeking professionals with a greater number of publications and journals of higher impact. This approach encourages new members to pursue a higher qualification, and give security to congressmen, they can rely on the existence of a technical criterion in the choice of speakers.

Roles of leadership in complex environments : Enhancing Knowledge Flows in Organisational Constellations through Practice-Based Innovation Processes

Global challenges, complexity and continuous uncertainty demand development of leadership approaches, employees and multi-organisation constellations. Current leadership theories do not sufficiently address the needs of complex business environments. First of all, before successful leadership models can be applied in practice, leadership needs to shift from the industrial age to the knowledge era. Many leadership models still view leadership solely through the perspective of linear process thinking. In addition, there is not enough knowledge or experience in applying these newer models in practice. Leadership theories continue to be based on the assumption that leaders possess or have access to all the relevant knowledge and capabilities to decide future directions without external advice. In many companies, however, the workforce consists of skilled professionals whose work and related interfaces are so challenging that the leaders cannot grasp all the linked viewpoints and cross-impacts alone. One of the main objectives of this study is to understand how to support participants in organisations and their stakeholders to, through practice-based innovation processes, confront various environments. Another aim is to find effective ways of recognising and reacting to diverse contexts, so companies and other stakeholders are better able to link to knowledge flows and shared value creation processes in advancing joint value to their customers. The main research question of this dissertation is, then, to seek understanding of how to enhance leadership in complex environments. The dissertation can, on the whole, be characterised as a qualitative multiple-case study. The research questions and objectives were investigated through six studies published in international scientific journals. The main methods applied were interviews, action research and a survey. The empirical focus was on Finnish companies, and the research questions were examined in various organisations at the top levels (leaders and managers) and bottom levels (employees) in the context of collaboration between organisations and cooperation between case companies and their client organisations. However, the emphasis of the analysis is the internal and external aspects of organisations, which are conducted in practice-based innovation processes. The results of this study suggest that the Cynefin framework, complexity leadership theory and transformational leadership represent theoretical models applicable to developing leadership through practice-based innovation. In and of themselves, they all support confronting contemporary challenges, but an implementable method for organisations may be constructed by assimilating them into practice-based innovation processes. Recognition of diverse environments, their various contexts and roles in the activities and collaboration of organisations and their interest groups is ever-more important to achieving better interaction in which a strategic or formal status may be bypassed. In innovation processes, it is not necessarily the leader who is in possession of the essential knowledge; thus, it is the role of leadership to offer methods and arenas where different actors may generate advances. Enabling and supporting continuous interaction and integrated knowledge flows is of crucial importance, to achieve emergence of innovations in the activities of organisations and various forms of collaboration. The main contribution of this dissertation relates to applying these new conceptual models in practice. Empirical evidence on the relevance of different leadership roles in practice-based innovation processes in Finnish companies is another valuable contribution. Finally, the dissertation sheds light on the significance of combining complexity science with leadership and innovation theories in research.

Effects of losartan combined with exercise training in spontaneously hypertensive rats

We investigate whether combined treatment with losartan, an angiotensin II receptor blocker, and exercise training (ET) in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) would have an additive effect in reducing hypertension and improving baroreflex sensitivity when compared with losartan alone. Male SHR (8 weeks old) were assigned to 3 groups: sedentary placebo (SP, N = 16), sedentary under losartan treatment (SL, N = 11; 10 mg kg-1 day-1, by gavage), and ET under losartan treatment (TL, N = 10). ET was performed on a treadmill 5 days/week for 60 min at 50% of peak VO2, for 18 weeks. Blood pressure (BP) was measured with a catheter inserted into the carotid artery, and cardiac output with a microprobe placed around the ascending aorta. The baroreflex control of heart rate was assessed by administering increasing doses of phenylephrine and sodium nitroprusside (iv). Losartan significantly reduced mean BP (178 ± 16 vs 132 ± 12 mmHg) and left ventricular hypertrophy (2.9 ± 0.4 vs 2.5 ± 0.2 mg/g), and significantly increased baroreflex bradycardia and tachycardia sensitivity (1.0 ± 0.3 vs 1.7 ± 0.5 and 2.0 ± 0.7 vs 3.2 ± 1.7 bpm/mmHg, respectively) in SL compared with SP. However, losartan combined with ET had no additional effect on BP, baroreflex sensitivity or left ventricular hypertrophy when compared with losartan alone. In conclusion, losartan attenuates hypertension and improves baroreflex sensitivity in SHR. However, ET has no synergistic effect on BP in established hypertension when combined with losartan, at least at the dosage used in this investigation.

A forced running wheel system with a microcontroller that provides high-intensity exercise training in an animal ischemic stroke model

We developed a forced non-electric-shock running wheel (FNESRW) system that provides rats with high-intensity exercise training using automatic exercise training patterns that are controlled by a microcontroller. The proposed system successfully makes a breakthrough in the traditional motorized running wheel to allow rats to perform high-intensity training and to enable comparisons with the treadmill at the same exercise intensity without any electric shock. A polyvinyl chloride runway with a rough rubber surface was coated on the periphery of the wheel so as to permit automatic acceleration training, and which allowed the rats to run consistently at high speeds (30 m/min for 1 h). An animal ischemic stroke model was used to validate the proposed system. FNESRW, treadmill, control, and sham groups were studied. The FNESRW and treadmill groups underwent 3 weeks of endurance running training. After 3 weeks, the experiments of middle cerebral artery occlusion, the modified neurological severity score (mNSS), an inclined plane test, and triphenyltetrazolium chloride were performed to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed platform. The proposed platform showed that enhancement of motor function, mNSS, and infarct volumes was significantly stronger in the FNESRW group than the control group (P<0.05) and similar to the treadmill group. The experimental data demonstrated that the proposed platform can be applied to test the benefit of exercise-preconditioning-induced neuroprotection using the animal stroke model. Additional advantages of the FNESRW system include stand-alone capability, independence of subjective human adjustment, and ease of use.

Words on wisdom: perspective transformation in a "learning in retirement institute" /

In this study, 7 men and women with an average age of 77 were interviewed regarding their experience of attending courses at a Learning in Retirement Institute (LRI) in southern Ontario. The purpose was to explore the role of wisdom in the learning of these retirees. Explicit theories of wisdom developed by selected philosophers, psychologists, and religious thinkers were compared to the implicit theories of wisdom that respondents expressed. Further comparisons were drawn between these implicit theories of wisdom and the act of perspective transformation in transformative learning. Some evidence was found that the development of wisdom compares favourably to perspective transformation, especially with regards to the behavioural changes associated with critical self-reflection. Among all the respondents, those 3 LRI stude.its who had also moderated courses indicated that they had experienced the most opportunities for critical self-reflection. These 3 also expressed deep satisfaction in having been able to put their learnings to use as teachers. A recommendation of this study is that opportunities for sharing and acting upon the results of discourse within Learning in Retirement Institutes should be implemented. In the absence of evaluation, opportunities for praxis (such as coop placements) must be developed so that students can measure their success against objective criteria and hence attach meaning to their studies.

Experiential learning instruments : an examination of the concept of the instrumental approach in experiential learning

Experiential Learning Instruments (ELls) are employed to modify the leamer's apprehension and / or comprehension in experiential learning situations, thereby improving the efficiency and effectiveness of those modalities in the learning process. They involve the learner in reciprocally interactive and determining transactions with his/her environment. Experiential Learning Instruments are used to keep experiential learning a process rather than an object. Their use is aimed at the continual refinement of the learner's knowledge and skill. Learning happens as the leamer's awareness, directed by the use of Ells, comes to experience, monitor and then use experiential feedback from living situations in a way that facilitates knmvledge/skill acquisition, self-correction and refinement. The thesis examined the literature relevant to the establishing of a theoretical experiential learning framework within which ELls can be understood. This framework included the concept that some learnings have intrinsic value-knowledge of necessary information-while others have instrumental value-knowledge of how to learn. The Kolb Learning Cycle and Kolb's six characteristics of experiential learning were used in analyzing three ELls from different fields of learning-saxophone tone production, body building and interpersonal communications. The ELls were examined to determine their learning objectives and how they work using experiential learning situations. It was noted that ELls do not transmit information but assist the learner in attending to and comprehending aspects of personal experience. Their function is to telescope the experiential learning process.

Comparison of strength gains over 13 and 26-weeks of resistance training in children

The primary aim of this study was to determine if there were significant strength gains achieved by children participating in the Hamilton Wentworth District School Board Sport Academy Program. The secondary aim was to determine if the children participating in the 26-week program achieved greater gains or if a plateau in strength adaptations occurred following the 13-week session. The tertiary aim was to determine if there were varying levels of response to the training stimulus between grade 7, grade 8 and grade 9 subjects. Ninety-eight (98) subjects completed a13-week RT program. 6RM strength testing of the chest press, seated row and leg press were conducted prior to the program. Subjects were tested following the 13-week training stimulus to determine if strength gains were achieved and to assess the variation in strength adaptations between the groups. Forty seven (47) subjects completed 26 weeks ofRT. Subjects' strength was tested prior to starting the program, at week 13 of the program and at week 26 of the program to determine the variation in adaptation over a 13 week program versus a 26- week RT program. There were significant (pins across strength measures in the sample following 13 weeks ofRT. Strength adaptations were not significantly (pin all strength measures from pre intervention to 13 weeks. From 13 weeks to 26 weeks grade 8 subjects showed significant gains in both the chest press and seated row exercises while grade 9 subjects showed significant gains across the 6RM seated row, chest press, and leg press measures.

Whose Voice Is Present?: An Examination of Power and Privilege in Service-Learning in Ontario Universities

This research paper examines themes of power and privilege that occur within service-learning as described by 3 Ontario universities on their service-learning websites. Due to size and time restrictions, this paper was able to examine only 3 Ontario universities: Brock, Wilfrid Laurier, and Lakehead. The purpose of this study is geared towards service-learning practitioners in order for the universities and students to become more self-aware of their immense place of privilege within the service-learning context. Qualitative narrative analysis research methods were employed in this purposeful sample to examine how each university’s story of service-learning reflected themes of power and privilege. The research found that each university posed a unique narrative of service-learning representing various stakeholders’ voices and presence in different ways on their website. Brock largely focuses on faculty and student voices. Laurier intentionally attempts to include all three stakeholder voices, although still favours students and the university as an audience over the community. Lakehead’s unique program includes a plethora of voices and intends much of their information for the community members, students, and the university. The implications of this research demonstrate that universities have a large amount of power and privilege, which is carried through to the students within the service-learning partnership.

Web2.0, knowledge sharing and privacy in E-learning

Quand le E-learning a émergé il ya 20 ans, cela consistait simplement en un texte affiché sur un écran d'ordinateur, comme un livre. Avec les changements et les progrès dans la technologie, le E-learning a parcouru un long chemin, maintenant offrant un matériel éducatif personnalisé, interactif et riche en contenu. Aujourd'hui, le E-learning se transforme de nouveau. En effet, avec la prolifération des systèmes d'apprentissage électronique et des outils d'édition de contenu éducatif, ainsi que les normes établies, c’est devenu plus facile de partager et de réutiliser le contenu d'apprentissage. En outre, avec le passage à des méthodes d'enseignement centrées sur l'apprenant, en plus de l'effet des techniques et technologies Web2.0, les apprenants ne sont plus seulement les récipiendaires du contenu d'apprentissage, mais peuvent jouer un rôle plus actif dans l'enrichissement de ce contenu. Par ailleurs, avec la quantité d'informations que les systèmes E-learning peuvent accumuler sur les apprenants, et l'impact que cela peut avoir sur leur vie privée, des préoccupations sont soulevées afin de protéger la vie privée des apprenants. Au meilleur de nos connaissances, il n'existe pas de solutions existantes qui prennent en charge les différents problèmes soulevés par ces changements. Dans ce travail, nous abordons ces questions en présentant Cadmus, SHAREK, et le E-learning préservant la vie privée. Plus précisément, Cadmus est une plateforme web, conforme au standard IMS QTI, offrant un cadre et des outils adéquats pour permettre à des tuteurs de créer et partager des questions de tests et des examens. Plus précisément, Cadmus fournit des modules telles que EQRS (Exam Question Recommender System) pour aider les tuteurs à localiser des questions appropriées pour leur examens, ICE (Identification of Conflits in Exams) pour aider à résoudre les conflits entre les questions contenu dans un même examen, et le Topic Tree, conçu pour aider les tuteurs à mieux organiser leurs questions d'examen et à assurer facilement la couverture des différent sujets contenus dans les examens. D'autre part, SHAREK (Sharing REsources and Knowledge) fournit un cadre pour pouvoir profiter du meilleur des deux mondes : la solidité des systèmes E-learning et la flexibilité de PLE (Personal Learning Environment) tout en permettant aux apprenants d'enrichir le contenu d'apprentissage, et les aider à localiser nouvelles ressources d'apprentissage. Plus précisément, SHAREK combine un système recommandation multicritères, ainsi que des techniques et des technologies Web2.0, tels que le RSS et le web social, pour promouvoir de nouvelles ressources d'apprentissage et aider les apprenants à localiser du contenu adapté. Finalement, afin de répondre aux divers besoins de la vie privée dans le E-learning, nous proposons un cadre avec quatre niveaux de vie privée, ainsi que quatre niveaux de traçabilité. De plus, nous présentons ACES (Anonymous Credentials for E-learning Systems), un ensemble de protocoles, basés sur des techniques cryptographiques bien établies, afin d'aider les apprenants à atteindre leur niveau de vie privée désiré.

Le développement positif des jeunes en contexte sportif parascolaire : évaluation du programme d’intervention psychosociale Bien dans mes Baskets

L’objectif général de cette thèse était d’explorer le développement personnel de jeunes à risque de délinquance et de décrochage scolaire à travers leur participation à un programme d’intervention psychosociale nommé « Bien dans mes Baskets » (BdmB). Ce programme utilise le basketball parascolaire comme outil d’intervention et il a comme particularité qu’une bonne partie de ses entraineurs-intervenants détiennent une formation professionnelle en travail social ou domaines connexes. Cette thèse présente les résultats de trois études faisant partie d’un projet de recherche plus vaste portant sur l’évaluation du programme BdmB. Une première étude a exploré le processus de transfert, à d’autres domaines d’activités, des habiletés de vie ciblées par le programme BdmB. Des entretiens semi-directifs ont été réalisés auprès de 14 anciens participants et sept anciennes participantes du programme. Nos résultats suggèrent que trois principaux facteurs semblent avoir joué un rôle dans le processus de transfert des habiletés de vie développées au sein de BdmB, soit la présence de contextes favorisant l’apprentissage expérientiel, la valeur relative accordée aux différents domaines d’activités et la trajectoire de vie. Il ressort également de nos données qu’au-delà du processus de transfert sur une base individuelle, il est possible qu’un transfert puisse s’opérer dans la communauté. L’objectif de la deuxième étude était d’explorer comment et dans quelle mesure les expériences au sein de BdmB ont pu servir de levier au processus d’empowerment. Des entretiens semi-directifs ont été réalisés auprès de sept anciennes participantes de BdmB. Nos résultats suggèrent que la pratique sportive, combinée à une intervention psychosociale, peut contribuer au développement d’un plus grand contrôle sur sa vie. Cette amélioration serait la résultante cumulative de divers apprentissages, dont le développement et le transfert d’habiletés de vie et la capacité à résister aux influences externes négatives présentes dans leurs milieux de vie respectifs, ainsi que l’impact positif des expériences vécues au sein de BdmB sur la persévérance scolaire et les aspirations professionnelles. Une troisième étude avait pour objectif d’évaluer l’impact du programme BdmB sur le sentiment d’appartenance à l’école et la perception de soutien social. Un devis quasi expérimental a été utilisé pour évaluer l’impact du programme auprès des athlètes-étudiants(es) actuels. Le groupe d’intervention était composé des athlètes-étudiants de BdmB et les groupes de comparaison étaient constitués des étudiants de la même école ne participant pas au programme et pratiquant ou non un autre sport. Les individus ont été sondés à deux reprises à l’aide d’un questionnaire auto administré sur une période de deux années scolaires. Les résultats de l’étude indiquent que le groupe BdmB a développé un meilleur sentiment d’appartenance et a perçu un meilleur soutien social par rapport aux groupes de comparaison.

Value orientation of professional students in kerala

The present study is on value orientation of professional students•and as such the theoretical value is inherent and implied. Variation on this value is likely to be limited among the subjects. The relevance of the present study is with particular reference, to management as a profession. In organisational settings motivation plays an important role. According to McClelland's theory of needs, achievement, power, and affiliation are the three important needs that help in understanding motivation. Achieve~ent need may be defined as the drive to excel, to achieve in relation to a set of standards, and to strive to succeed. Some people have a compelling drive to succeed. They have a desire to do something better or more efficiently than it has been done before. McClelland found that high achievers differentiate themselves from others by their desire to do things . better. Considering this fact, 'achievement' is included as one of the values for the study