A multicase study for the evaluation of a pattern-based visual design process for collaborative learning

Collage is a pattern-based visual design authoring tool for the creation of collaborative learning scripts computationally modelled with IMS Learning Design (LD). The pattern-based visual approach aims to provide teachers with design ideas that are based on broadly accepted practices. Besides, it seeks hiding the LD notation so that teachers can easily create their own designs. The use of visual representations supports both the understanding of the design ideas and the usability of the authoring tool. This paper presents a multicase study comprising three different cases that evaluate the approach from different perspectives. The first case includes workshops where teachers use Collage. A second case implies the design of a scenario proposed by a third-party using related approaches. The third case analyzes a situation where students follow a design created with Collage. The cross-case analysis provides a global understanding of the possibilities and limitations of the pattern-based visual design approach.

Learning design twofold strategies for teacher-led inquiry andstudent active learning

This workshop paper states that fostering active student participation both in face-to-face lectures / seminars and outside the classroom (personal and group study at home, the library, etc.) requires a certain level of teacher-led inquiry. The paper presents a set of strategies drawn from real practice in higher education with teacher-led inquiry ingredients that promote active learning. Thesepractices highlight the role of the syllabus, the importance of iterative learning designs, explicit teacher-led inquiry, and the implications of the context, sustainability and practitioners’ creativity. The strategies discussed in this paper can serve as input to the workshop as real cases that need to be represented in design and supported in enactment (with and without technologies).

Assessment of construct validity of a virtual reality laparoscopy simulator.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess whether virtual reality (VR) can discriminate between the skills of novices and intermediate-level laparoscopic surgical trainees (construct validity), and whether the simulator assessment correlates with an expert's evaluation of performance. METHODS: Three hundred and seven (307) participants of the 19th-22nd Davos International Gastrointestinal Surgery Workshops performed the clip-and-cut task on the Xitact LS 500 VR simulator (Xitact S.A., Morges, Switzerland). According to their previous experience in laparoscopic surgery, participants were assigned to the basic course (BC) or the intermediate course (IC). Objective performance parameters recorded by the simulator were compared to the standardized assessment by the course instructors during laparoscopic pelvitrainer and conventional surgery exercises. RESULTS: IC participants performed significantly better on the VR simulator than BC participants for the task completion time as well as the economy of movement of the right instrument, not the left instrument. Participants with maximum scores in the pelvitrainer cholecystectomy task performed the VR trial significantly faster, compared to those who scored less. In the conventional surgery task, a significant difference between those who scored the maximum and those who scored less was found not only for task completion time, but also for economy of movement of the right instrument. CONCLUSIONS: VR simulation provides a valid assessment of psychomotor skills and some basic aspects of spatial skills in laparoscopic surgery. Furthermore, VR allows discrimination between trainees with different levels of experience in laparoscopic surgery establishing construct validity for the Xitact LS 500 clip-and-cut task. Virtual reality may become the gold standard to assess and monitor surgical skills in laparoscopic surgery.

Aspectos de usabilidad y accesibilidad en educación presencial y a distancia con personas de la tercera edad y tecnologías de eLearning

La població mundial envelleix progressivament, de la mateixa manera les noves tecnologies creixen cada dia. El sector de la població més gran de 60 anys, no té la mateixa facilitat que les persones joves, per a utilitzar aquests nous medis decomunicació, per aquesta raó s'ha de procurar dissenyar aquestes tecnologies tenint en compte les persones grans. Així no se'ls impedirà l'accessibilitat a aquest aprenentatge i al que se'ls oferirà com el eLearning, un cop puguin manejar les noves tecnologies d'una forma adequada. Es treballarà desde dins d'un projecte orientat a la accessibilitat del software per a persones grans, anomenat APADIS, amb els seus responsables, amb els educadors d'una escola per adults i amb els alumnes d'aquesta escola que passaran aser els usuaris de l'eina desenvolupada.Així és com analitzarem com es poden relacionar: les persones grans, les novestecnologies i l'aprenentatge.Si volem que aquestes persones passin a ser usuaris dels nostres sistemes, hem de fixar-nos en el diàleg que es crearà entre la persona i l'ordinador, i serà l'interfície la que ens permetrà que la comunicació entre ambes parts es pugui portar a terme amb èxit. Per a aixó, s'aplicaran tècniques de disseny i avaluació centrades en l'usuari, tècniques IPO, ajudant-nos de tècniques com les de la metodologia crítica comunicativa. Al treballar amb persones grans, ens donem compte que la utilització d'aquetes tècniques han de variar en alguns aspectes i que la comunicació juga un paper molt important al llarg de tot el desenvolupament. En el nostre cas hem treballat aquestes tècniques en larealització d'un gestor d'imatges que s'integrarà en el campus virtual que utilitzen en l'escola per adults de la Verneda. Veurem la importància de mantenir un contacte continu amb els participants, organitzant reunions i workshops, per a recollir adequadament els seus dubtes, problemes i sugerencies. Aquest contacte ens ha permès analitzar les prioritats per aquestes persones, com per exemple: que la informació deu mostrar-se d'una forma senzilla i simple, les funcionalitats deuen fer el que anuncien, en el nostre cas ademés s'havia de mantenir la mateixa línea gràfica i procediment utilitzat en el campus per a no despistar al usuari, els missatges d'error han d'ajudar no condemnar, com a conseqüència és important afegir pàgines d'ajuda que donin una seguretat al usuari a l'hora de realitzar una tasca.Els participants ens van demostrar la importància que te per ells col·laborar activament en les seves classes presencials, això ens va portar a pensar que les eines col·laboratives i el eLearning son ideals per aquest col·lectiu, ja que ens permeten treballar amb factors com la comunicació i l'aprenentatge. Com a resultat obtenim que per a traslladar un entorn d'aprenentatge presencial a un virtual, s'han de combinar els materials educatius digitals amb eines de comunicació col·laborativa, com els Blogs, fòrums...En el cas del campus de l'escola,per a treballar amb imatges es va pensar en Flickrutilitzant com a via de connexió entre els dos sistemes el gestor d'imatges creat.Dissenyant-lo com una via d'aprenentatge més simple que permetés utilitzar,gradualment amb el temps, una eina més complexa com és Flickr. S'ha treballat amb una eina concreta del eLearning, les Unitats d'Aprenentatge, aquestes ens han servit per analitzar un cas concret d'escenari d'aprenentatge virtual, veient com aquests han de representar tres aspectes claus: comunicació,col·laboració i aprenentatge.Aquest projecte, com s'ha citat al inici, se ha realitzat dins del context del projecteAPADIS, treballant conjuntament amb un grup multidisciplinari de persones. Peraquesta raó s'han utilitzats tècniques com les del modelatge visual, UML, que enspermeten explicar de forma gràfica i esquemàtica, sistemes informàtics a persones que no són d'aquest àmbit.En resum, a continuació s'analitzarà d'una forma social i tècnica, les mesures que podenpermetre unir persones grans amb sistemes interactius multimèdia que permetin accedira un aprenentatge.

Vuorovaikutuskouluttajana työyhteisöissä

This thesis concerns organizing a workshop about interaction in the various communities represented by Helsinki city's social welfare department. There were seventeen workshops altogether and they were organized in different communities; for example, in a children's daycare centre. The aim was to gain experience in the planning and organizing of these kinds of workshop. The workshops focused on dealing with interactive quetions arising out of the very community which was taking part in the workshop. These questions were discussed and handled using a technique called forum-statues. This means that the problems arising from the community were presented as living pictures to the group. There was also a short theoretical element concerning interactions between people, self-esteem, the different phases in developing a group, and the effects of conflicts in groups. There was a high degree of interest in the research and places were soon filled. The workshops consisted of a warming part with a lot of playing, a deepening part with questions arising out of the group, and a relaxation and feedback part at the end. The basis of the workshop was similar for all seventeen workshops. The athmosphere in workshops was discussive and open. The participants were engouraged to express there opinions and point of views. Feedback from the participantswas very positive. The participants obtained new points of view, according there fellow workers, and the community spirit improved. Shortage of time was, unfortunately, a problem. With more time, it would have been possible to go deeper into the problems of interaction within the community. Ceratinly, the research proved that there would be great demand for this kind of workshop in future.

Follicular helper T cells: implications in neoplastic hematopathology.

A distinct subset of T helper cells, named follicular T helper cells (T(FH), has been recently described. T(FH) cells are characterized by their homing capacities in the germinal centers of B-cell follicles where they interact with B cells, supporting B-cell survival and antibody responses. T(FH) cells can be identified by the expression of several markers including the chemokine CXCL13, the costimulatory molecules PD1 and inducible costimulator, and the transcription factor BCL6. They appear to be relevant markers for the diagnosis of angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) and have helped to recognize subsets of peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified, with nodal or cutaneous presentation expressing T(FH) antigens that might be related to AITL. In B-cell neoplasms, T(FH) cells are present within the microenvironment of nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma and follicular lymphoma, where they likely support the growth of neoplastic germinal center-derived B cells. Interestingly, the amount of PD1+ cells in the neoplastic follicles might have a favorable impact on the outcome of follicular lymphoma patients. Altogether, the availability of antibodies directed to T(FH)-associated molecules has important diagnostic and prognostic implications in hematopathology. In addition, T(FH) cells could represent interesting targets in T(FH)-derived lymphomas such as AITL, or in some B-cell neoplasms where they act as part of the tumor microenvironment.

Nonsurgical options for treatment of diabetic macular edema

In the new book series 'ESASO Course Series', the essentials of the courses of the European School for Advanced Studies in Ophthalmology (ESASO) are made available to interested ophthalmologists, optometrists, technicians and residents all over the world. In this volume, the seminars on surgical retina presented by renowned experts during ESASO's activities are collected. Many specialists have contributed their knowledge to make this volume a device to give practical support. The topics range from prevention to state-of-the-art diagnostic techniques and the latest surgical treatment options for many eye conditions such as diabetic retinopathy and rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. This publication provides the ophthalmologist with the main aspects of surgical retina in a simple and practical update.

Development of assistive technology for the visually impaired: use of the male condom

The objectives were to develop and evaluate an assistive technology for the use of the male condom by visually impaired men. It was a technology development study with the participation of seven subjects. Three workshops were performed between April and May of 2010; they were all filmed and the statements of the participants were transcribed and analyzed by content. Three categories were established: Sexuality of the visually impaired; Utilization of the text, For avoiding STDs, condoms we will use, divided in two subcategories, Concept discussion and Text evaluation; and Construction of a simple penile prosthesis. The knowledge transmitted related to STD, the utilization of the condom on the penile prosthesis made by the subjects themselves, and the interaction during the workshops were effective factors for the study. In the context of sexual health, the necessity of developing works involving the visually impaired was noted, addressing sexually transmitted diseases and focusing on the use of the condom by this population.

Els Enclavaments laborals a les comarques gironines

El treball pretén, per una banda, conèixer a grans trets el marc normatiu sobre la inserció laboral de les persones amb discapacitat i endinsar-se en què són i com s’articulen els enclavaments laborals.D’altra banda, pretén conèixer la situació actual i real dels centres especials de treball a les comarques de Girona

Taller de teatre socioeducatiu per a dones maltractades

Projecte que presenta una base teòrica construida a partir de l'animació sociocultural com a àmbit d'intervenció de l'educació social, passant per l'educació no formal, l'educació d'adults i l'educació en el temps lliure i l'oci i el teatre socioeducatiu. Aquesta base teòrica ha servit per idear i desenvolupar el taller de teatre per a dones maltractades

Cerebrospinal fluid in the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis: a consensus report.

The Committee of the European Concerted Action for Multiple Sclerosis (Charcot Foundation) organised five workshops to discuss CSF analytical standards in the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. This consensus report from 12 European countries summarises the results of those workshops. It is hoped that neurologists will confer with their colleagues in clinical chemistry to arrange the best possible local practice. The most sensitive method for the detection of oligoclonal immunoglobulin bands is isoelectric focusing. The same amounts of IgG in parallel CSF and serum samples are used and oligoclonal bands are revealed with IgG specific antibody staining. All laboratories performing isoelectric focusing should check their technique at least annually using "blind" standards for the five different CSF and serum patterns. Quantitative measurements of IgG production in the CNS are less sensitive than isoelectric focusing. The preferred method for detection of blood-CSF barrier dysfunction is the albumin quotient. The CSF albumin or total protein concentrations are less satisfactory. These results must be interpreted with reference to the age of the patient and the local method of determination. Cells should be counted. The normal value is no more than 4 cells/microliters. Among evolving optional tests, measurement of the combined local synthesis of antibodies against measles, rubella, and/or varicella zoster could represent a significant advance if it offers higher specificity (not sensitivity) for identifying chronic rather than acute inflammation. Other tests that may have useful correlations with clinical indices include those for oligoclonal free light chains, IgM, IgA, or myelin basic protein concentrations.

Computer Tips and Tricks Newsletter, May, 2007

Performance & Development Solutions (PDS) publishes a variety of newsletters that include some great information about our programs and services. Some of the topics you may find include: Upcoming Seminars Current events or news related to training Recognition of achievements How-to section

Computer Tips and Tricks Newsletter, December, 2005

Performance & Development Solutions (PDS) publishes a variety of newsletters that include some great information about our programs and services. Some of the topics you may find include: Upcoming Seminars Current events or news related to training Recognition of achievements How-to section

Computer Tips and Tricks Newsletter, January, 2006

Performance & Development Solutions (PDS) publishes a variety of newsletters that include some great information about our programs and services. Some of the topics you may find include: Upcoming Seminars Current events or news related to training Recognition of achievements How-to section