University Networking in Developing Countries based on C4D-Learning

In recent years, the establishment of cooperation networks between universities is one of the most important trends in higher education all over the world. Well recognized local and international university networks have been implemented in most educational institutions. It is common to find associations of various prestigious universities collaborating in a high-­‐technology research project including a very specialized teaching as well. This is the most common cooperation networks among higher education institutions in developed countries. An increasingly common type of networking between developed and developing universities is related to cooperation for development. This is the case of many universities in Africa that are needed for external help in order to improve its capabilities. Numerous memorandums of understanding regarding first world institutions that collaborate with universities in developing countries describe contributions of eventual visiting professors, teaching material and courses. But probably there exist another type of more important, but less explored association, such as networking among developing universities. The new goal, in this case, is not only the excellence but also the mutual development.

Assessment of learning outcomes in computing studies

The assessment of learning outcomes is a key concept in the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) since credits are awarded when the assessment shows the competences which were aimed at have been developed at an appropriate level. This paper describes a study which was first part of the project of the Bologna Experts Team-Spain and then developed as an independent study. It was carried out with the overall goal to gain experience in the assessment of learning outcomes. More specifically it aimed at 1) designing procedures for the assessment of learning outcomes related to these compulsory generic competences; 2) testing some basic psychometric features that an assessment device with some consequences for the subjects being evaluated needs to prove; 3) testing different procedures of standard setting, and 4) using assessment results as orienting feedback to students and their tutors. The process of development of tests to carry out the assessment of learning outcomes related to these competences, as well as some basic features regarding their reliability and validity is described and first results on the comparison of results achieved at two academic levels, will also be described at a later stage.

A holistic experience in the integrated learning of specialized English and content in Engineering degrees

This paper aims to outline a theory-based Content and Language Integrated Learning course and to establish the rationale for adopting a holistic approach to the teaching of languages in tertiary education. Our work focuses on the interdependence between Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), and the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), in particular regarding the learning of English within the framework of Telecommunications Engineering. The study first analyses the diverse components of the instructional approach and the extent to which this approach interrelates with technologies within the context of what we have defined as a holistic experience, since it also aims to develop a set of generic competences or transferable skills. Second, an example of a course project framed in this holistic approach is described in order to exemplify the specific actions suggested for learner autonomy and CLIL. The approach provides both an adequate framework as well as the conditions needed to carry out a lifelong learning experience within our context, a Spanish School of Engineering. In addition to specialized language and content, the approach integrates the learning of skills and capacities required by the new plans that have been established following the Bologna Declaration in 1999.

Improving engineering students' communication competence: designing innovative learning strategies

This research presents an innovative and formal educational initiative that is aimed at enhancing the development of engineering students’ specific competencies when studying Engineering Project Management subject. The framework of the experience combines theoretical concepts, the development of a real-case project carried out by multidisciplinary groups of three different universities, the use of software web 2.0 tools, and group and individual assignments of students that play different roles (project managers and team members). Under this scenario, this paper focuses on monitoring the communication competence in the ever growing Project Management virtual environment. Factors such as corporal language, technical means, stage, and management specific vocabulary among others have been considered in order to assess the students’ performance on this issue. As a main contribution, the paper introduces an ad-hoc rubric that, based on previous investigations, has been adapted and tested to this specific context. Additionally, the research conducted has provided some interesting findings that suggest further actions to improve and better define future rubrics, oriented to communication or even other competencies. As specific Project Management subject concerns, it has been detected that students playing the role of Project Managers strengthen their competencies more than those ones that play the role of Team Members. It has also been detected that students have more difficulty assimilating concepts related to risk and quality management. However those concepts related with areas of knowledge like scope, time or cost have been better assimilated by the students.

The usefulness of Usability and User Experience evaluation methods on an e-Learning platform development from a developer's perspective: A case study

The development of a web platform is a complex and interdisciplinary task, where people with different roles such as project manager, designer or developer participate. Different usability and User Experience evaluation methods can be used in each stage of the development life cycle, but not all of them have the same influence in the software development and in the final product or system. This article presents the study of the impact of these methods applied in the context of an e-Learning platform development. The results show that the impact has been strong from a developer's perspective. Developer team members considered that usability and User Experience evaluation allowed them mainly to identify design mistakes, improve the platform's usability and understand the end users and their needs in a better way. Interviews with potential users, clickmaps and scrollmaps were rated as the most useful methods. Finally, these methods were considered unanimously very useful in the context of the entire software development, only comparable to SCRUM meetings and overcoming the rest of involved factors.

Diseño del curso para operador "Coeficientes inherentes de reactividad" a plataforma e-Learning

Las centrales nucleares necesitan de personal altamente especializado y formado. Es por ello por lo que el sector de la formación especializada en centrales nucleares necesita incorporar los últimos avances en métodos formativos. Existe una gran cantidad de cursos de formación presenciales y es necesario transformar dichos cursos para utilizarlos con las nuevas tecnologías de la información. Para ello se necesitan equipos multidisciplinares, en los que se incluyen ingenieros, que deben identificar los objetivos formativos, competencias, contenidos y el control de calidad del propio curso. En este proyecto se utilizan técnicas de ingeniería del conocimiento como eje metodológico para transformar un curso de formación presencial en formación on-line a través de tecnologías de la información. En la actualidad, las nuevas tecnologías de la información y comunicación están en constante evolución. De esta forma se han sumergido en el mundo transformando la visión que teníamos de éste para dar lugar a nuevas oportunidades. Es por ello que este proyecto busca la unión entre el e-learning y el mundo empresarial. El objetivo es el diseño, en plataforma e-learning, de un curso técnico que instruya a operadores de sala de control de una central nuclear. El trabajo realizado en este proyecto ha sido, además de transformar un curso presencial en on-line, en obtener una metodología para que otros cursos se puedan transformar. Para conseguir este cometido, debemos preocuparnos tanto por el contenido de los cursos como por su gestión. Por este motivo, el proyecto comienza con definiciones básicas de terminología propia de e-learning. Continúa con la generación de una metodología que aplique la gestión de conocimiento para transformar cualquier curso presencial a esta plataforma. Definida la metodología, se aplicará para el diseño del curso específico de Coeficientes Inherentes de Reactividad. Finaliza con un estudio económico que dé viabilidad al proyecto y con la creación de un modelo económico que estime el precio para cualquier curso futuro. Abstract Nuclear power plants need highly specialized and trained personnel. Thus, nuclear power plant Specialized Training Sector requires the incorporation of the latest advances in training methods. A large array of face-to-face training courses exist and it has become necessary to transform said courses in order to apply them with the new information systems available. For this, multidisciplinary equipment is needed where the engineering workforce must identify educational objectives, competences and abilities, contents and quality control of the different courses. In this project, knowledge engineering techniques are employed as the methodological axis in order to transform a face-to-face training course into on-line training through the use of new information technologies. Nowadays, new information and communication technologies are in constant evolution. They have introduced themselves into our world, transforming our previous vision of them, leading to new opportunities. For this reason, the present Project seeks to unite the use of e-learning and the Business and Corporate world. The main objective is the design, in an e-learning platform, of a technical course that will train nuclear power plant control-room operators. The work carried out in this Project has been, in addition to the transformation of a face-to-face course into an online one, the obtainment of a methodology to employ in the future transformation of other courses. In order to achieve this mission, our interest must focus on the content as well as on the management of the various courses. Hence, the Project starts with basic definitions of e-learning terminology. Next, a methodology that applies knowledge management for the transformation of any face-to-face course into e-learning has been generated. Once this methodology is defined, it has been applied for the design process of the Inherent Coefficients of Reactivity course. Finally, an economic study has been developed in order to determine the viability of the Project and an economic model has been created to estimate the price of any given course

Strengthening and measuring project management competences of engineering students

Since 2010 the Industrial Engineering School at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (ETSII UPM) has its Plan Study accredited by ABET. Since then a big motivation has been promoted from the management team encouraging teachers to work on the measurement and strengthening of student¿s competences. Generic skills or behavior acquired significant importance in the workplace, particularly in relation to project management. Because of this, and framed within the requirements of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), the curriculum of the new degrees are being developed under the competence-based learning. This situation leads to the need to have a clear measurement tool skills as a basis for developing them within the curriculum. A group of multidisciplinary teachers have been working together during two years to design measuring instruments valid for engineering students.

Exploring three approaches to offer distance learning courses through a social network of health researchers in three African countries

The Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp hereby presents the results of two pilot distance learning training programmes, developed under the umbrella of the AFRICA BUILD project (FP7). The two courses focused on evidence-based medicine (EBM): with the aim of enhancing research and education, via novel approaches and to identify research needs emanating from the field. These pilot experiences, which were run both in English-speaking (Ghana), and French-speaking (Mali and Cameroon) partner institutions, produced targeted courses for the strengthening of research methodology and policy. The courses and related study materials are in the public domain and available through the AFRICA BUILD Portal (http://www.africabuild.eu/taxonomy/term/37); the training modules were delivered live via Dudal webcasts. This paper assesses the success and difficulties of transferring EBM skills with these two specific training programmes, offered through three different approaches: fully online facultative courses, fully online tutor supported courses or through a blended approach with both online and face-to-face sessions. Key factors affecting the selection of participants, the accessibility of the courses, how the learning resources are offered, and how interactive online communities are formed, are evaluated and discussed.

A framework for adaptive e-learning for continuum mechanics and structural analysis

This paper presents a project for providing the students of Structural Engineering with the flexibility to learn outside classroom schedules. The goal is a framework for adaptive E-learning based on a repository of open educational courseware with a set of basic Structural Engineering concepts and fundamentals. These are paramount for students to expand their technical knowledge and skills in structural analysis and design of tall buildings, arch-type structures as well as bridges. Thus, concepts related to structural behaviour such as linearity, compatibility, stiffness and influence lines have traditionally been elusive for students. The objective is to facilitate the student a teachinglearning process to acquire the necessary intuitive knowledge, cognitive skills and the basis for further technological modules and professional development in this area. As a side effect, the system is expected to help the students improve their preparation for exams on the subject. In this project, a web-based open-source system for studying influence lines on continuous beams is presented. It encompasses a collection of interactive user-friendly applications accessible via Web, written in JavaScript under JQuery and Dygraph Libraries, taking advantage of their efficiency and graphic capabilities. It is performed in both Spanish and English languages. The student is enabled to set the geometric, topologic, boundary and mechanic layout of a continuous beam. While changing the loading and the support conditions, the changes in the beam response prompt on the screen, so that the effects of the several issues involved in structural analysis become apparent. This open interaction with the user allows the student to simulate and virtually infer the structural response. Different levels of complexity can be handled, whereas an ongoing help is at hand for any of them. Students can freely boost their experiential learning on this subject at their own pace, in order to further share, process, generalize and apply the relevant essential concepts of Structural Engineering analysis. Besides, this collection is being added to the "Virtual Lab of Continuum Mechanics" of the UPM, launched in 2013 (http://serviciosgate.upm.es/laboratoriosvirtuales/laboratorios/medios-continuos-en-construcci%C3%B3n)

Plataforma MALL (Mobile-Assisted Language Learning) para el aprendizaje y desarrollo del conocimiento del idioma, particularizado en el Inglés

El creciente uso de las Tecnologías de la Información y las Comunicaciones en el ámbito educativo ha hecho posible que existan nuevas formas de enseñanza que facilitan el aprendizaje y la mejora de éste. Una de las ramas educativas que más influenciada se ha visto por esto es la de los idiomas, debido en gran parte a la necesidad global de aprender nuevas lenguas y mejorar sus conocimientos de ellas. Entre todos los idiomas que la gente desea aprender destaca uno por encima de todos, el inglés. Esto viene dado no solo por la presencia de éste a nivel mundial, sino por la gran repercusión en el ámbito educativo, comenzando a ser un requisito indispensable en la realización de estudios superiores. El presente proyecto Fin de Grado pretende contribuir a la mejora del conocimiento del inglés para estudiantes que no han alcanzado un nivel B2 de éste. En éste se desarrolla una plataforma educativa accesible por el mayor número de alumnos posibles, no solo solo a través de ordenadores personales, sino principalmente a través de dispositivos móviles tales como smartphones y tablets. Para que fuese posible una mayor utilización de esta por parte de los estudiantes era necesario la creación de una aplicación que pudiese ser utilizada desde cualquier dispositivo sin importar el sistema operativo empleado. Dicha plataforma educativa está formada por un juego de preguntas en la que los estudiantes deberán contestar correctamente para obtener una puntuación final con la que accederán a una clasificación con el resto de miembros de dicha plataforma. Con éste sistema de puntos se pretende dar una componente de gamificación al juego para motivar a los estudiantes a que sigan compitiendo y realizando test de preguntas. Además a dicha plataforma podrán acceder los profesores administradores de ella para monitorizar y ver resultados de los estudiantes participantes. ABSTRACT. The growing use of Information and Communication Technologies in the educational field has made possible for new teaching ways to exist, thus making learning easier and better. One of the more influenced educational branches by this fact is languages, largely due to a global need to learn them and improve knowledge. Among all the languages that people wish to learn, one stands out above them, English. It is given, not only by its worldwide presence, but by its big scholar repercussion; that English is an essential requirement for higher education. This final degree project aims to improve the english level for those who have a hard time doing it. This project develops an educational accesible platform to the greatest number of students, not only through personal computers, but mainly through mobile devices like smartphones or tablets. To make a great use of it by students possible, it was necessary an application which could be used from any device regardless of the operative system. This teaching platform is formed by a quiz game in which students must answer correctly in order to get a final score which will place them in a ranking composed by other platform members. With this score system it is intended to give a gamification component in order to motivate students to keep playing and answering question tests. Also, in this platform, administration teachers will be able to monitor the students and watch their results.

Mobile assisted language learning : prototipo de la aplicación UP2B2

La forma de consumir contenidos en Internet ha cambiado durante los últimos años. Inicialmente se empleaban webs estáticas y con contenidos pobres visualmente. Con la evolución de las redes de comunicación, esta tendencia ha variado. A día de hoy, deseamos páginas agradables, accesibles y que nos presenten temas variados. Todo esto ha cambiado la forma de crear páginas web y en todos los casos se persigue el objetivo de atraer a los usuarios. El gran auge de los smartphones y las aplicaciones móviles que invaden el mercado actual han revolucionado el mundo del estudio de los idiomas permitiendo compatibilizar los recursos punteros con el aprendizaje tradicional. La popularidad de los dispositivos móviles y de las aplicaciones ha sido el principal motivo de la realización de este proyecto. En él se realizará un análisis de las diferentes tecnologías existentes y se elegirá la mejor opción que se ajuste a nuestras necesidades para poder desarrollar un sistema que implemente el enfoque llamado Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) que supone una aproximación innovadora al aprendizaje de idiomas con la ayuda de un dispositivo móvil. En este documento se va a ofrecer una panorámica general acerca del desarrollo de aplicaciones para dispositivos móviles en el entorno del e-learning. Se estudiarán características técnicas de diferentes plataformas seleccionando la mejor opción para la implementación de un sistema que proporcione los contenidos básicos para el aprendizaje de un idioma, en este caso del inglés, de forma intuitiva y divertida. Dicho sistema permitirá al usuario mejorar su nivel de inglés mediante una interfaz web de forma dinámica y cercana empleando los recursos que ofrecen los dispositivos móviles y haciendo uso del diseño adaptativo. Este proyecto está pensado para los usuarios que dispongan de poco tiempo libre para realizar un curso de forma presencial o, mejor aún, para reforzar o repasar contenidos ya aprendidos por otros medios más tradicionales o no. La aplicación ofrece la posibilidad de que se haga uso del sistema de forma fácil y sencilla desde cualquier dispositivo móvil del que se disponga como es un smartphone, tablet o un ordenador personal, compitiendo con otros usuarios o contra uno mismo y mejorando así el nivel de partida a través de las actividades propuestas. Durante el proyecto se han comparado diversas soluciones, la mayoría de código abierto y de libre distribución que permiten desplegar servicios de almacenamiento accesibles mediante Internet. Se concluirá con un caso práctico analizando los requisitos técnicos y llevando a cabo las fases de análisis, diseño, creación de la base de datos, implementación y pruebas dentro del ciclo de vida del software. Finalmente, se migrará la aplicación con toda la información a un servidor en la nube. ABSTRACT. The way of consuming content on the Internet has changed over the past years. Initially, static websites were used with poor visual contents. Nevertheless, with the evolution of communication networks this trend has changed. Nowadays, we expect pleasant, accessible and varied topic pages and such expectations have changed the way to create web pages generally aiming at appealing and therefore, attracting users. The great boom of smartphones and mobile applications in the current market, have revolutionized the world of language learning as they make it possible to combine computing with traditional learning resources. The popularity of mobile devices and applications has been the main reason for the development of this project. Here, the different existing technologies will be examined and we will try to select the best option that adapts to our needs in order to develop a system that implements Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) that in broad terms implies an approach to language learning with the help of a mobile device. This report provides an overview of the development of applications for mobile devices in the e-learning environment. We will study the technical characteristics of different platforms and we will select the best option for the implementation of a system that provide the basic content for learning a language, in this case English, by means of an intuitive and fun method. This system will allow the user to improve their level of English with a web interface in a dynamic and close way employing the resources offered by mobile devices using the adaptive design. This project is intended for users who do not have enough free time to make a classroom course or to review contents from more traditional courses as it offers the possibility to make use of the system quickly and easily from any mobile device available such as a smartphone, a tablet or a personal computer, competing with other users or against oneself and thus improving their departing level through different activities. During the project, different solutions have been compared. Most of them, open source and free distribution that allow to deploy storage services accessible via the Internet. It will conclude with a case study analyzing the technical requirements and conducting phases of analysis, design and creation of a database, implementation and testing in the software lifecycle. Finally, the application will be migrated with all the information to a server in the cloud.

Improving flexible databases searches using machine learning

El objetivo principal de este proyecto ha sido introducir aprendizaje automático en la aplicación FleSe. FleSe es una aplicación web que permite realizar consultas borrosas sobre bases de datos nítidos. Para llevar a cabo esta función la aplicación utiliza unos criterios para definir los conceptos borrosos usados para llevar a cabo las consultas. FleSe además permite que el usuario cambie estas personalizaciones. Es aquí donde introduciremos el aprendizaje automático, de tal manera que los criterios por defecto cambien y aprendan en función de las personalizaciones que van realizando los usuarios. Los objetivos secundarios han sido familiarizarse con el desarrollo y diseño web, al igual que recordar y ampliar el conocimiento sobre lógica borrosa y el lenguaje de programación lógica Ciao-Prolog. A lo largo de la realización del proyecto y sobre todo después del estudio de los resultados se demuestra que la agrupación de los usuarios marca la diferencia con la última versión de la aplicación. Esto se basa en la siguiente idea, podemos usar un algoritmo de aprendizaje automático sobre las personalizaciones de los criterios de todos los usuarios, pero la gran diversidad de opiniones de los usuarios puede llevar al algoritmo a concluir criterios erróneos o no representativos. Para solucionar este problema agrupamos a los usuarios intentando que cada grupo tengan la misma opinión o mismo criterio sobre el concepto. Y después de haber realizado las agrupaciones usar el algoritmo de aprendizaje automático para precisar el criterio por defecto de cada grupo de usuarios. Como posibles mejoras para futuras versiones de la aplicación FleSe sería un mejor control y manejo del ejecutable plserver. Este archivo se encarga de permitir a la aplicación web usar el lenguaje de programación lógica Ciao-Prolog para llevar a cabo la lógica borrosa relacionada con las consultas. Uno de los problemas más importantes que ofrece plserver es que bloquea el hilo de ejecución al intentar cargar un archivo con errores y en caso de ocurrir repetidas veces bloquea todas las peticiones siguientes bloqueando la aplicación. Pensando en los usuarios y posibles clientes, sería también importante permitir que FleSe trabajase con bases de datos de SQL en vez de almacenar la base de datos en los archivos de Prolog. Otra posible mejora basarse en distintas características a la hora de agrupar los usuarios dependiendo de los conceptos borrosos que se van ha utilizar en las consultas. Con esto se conseguiría que para cada concepto borroso, se generasen distintos grupos de usuarios, los cuales tendrían opiniones distintas sobre el concepto en cuestión. Así se generarían criterios por defecto más precisos para cada usuario y cada concepto borroso.---ABSTRACT---The main objective of this project has been to introduce machine learning in the application FleSe. FleSe is a web application that makes fuzzy queries over databases with precise information, using defined criteria to define the fuzzy concepts used by the queries. The application allows the users to change and custom these criteria. On this point is where the machine learning would be introduced, so FleSe learn from every new user customization of the criteria in order to generate a new default value of it. The secondary objectives of this project were get familiar with web development and web design in order to understand the how the application works, as well as refresh and improve the knowledge about fuzzy logic and logic programing. During the realization of the project and after the study of the results, I realized that clustering the users in different groups makes the difference between this new version of the application and the previous. This conclusion follows the next idea, we can use an algorithm to introduce machine learning over the criteria that people have, but the problem is the diversity of opinions and judgements that exists, making impossible to generate a unique correct criteria for all the users. In order to solve this problem, before using the machine learning methods, we cluster the users in order to make groups that have the same opinion, and afterwards, use the machine learning methods to precise the default criteria of each users group. The future improvements that could be important for the next versions of FleSe will be to control better the behaviour of the plserver file, that cost many troubles at the beginning of this project and it also generate important errors in the previous version. The file plserver allows the web application to use Ciao-Prolog, a logic programming language that control and manage all the fuzzy logic. One of the main problems with plserver is that when the user uploads a file with errors, it will block the thread and when this happens multiple times it will start blocking all the requests. Oriented to the customer, would be important as well to allow FleSe to manage and work with SQL databases instead of store the data in the Prolog files. Another possible improvement would that the cluster algorithm would be based on different criteria depending on the fuzzy concepts that the selected Prolog file have. This will generate more meaningful clusters, and therefore, the default criteria offered to the users will be more precise.

Fostering English-taught higher education programs in a Spanish university: the "TechEnglish" innovative project

In recent years, coinciding with adjustments to the Bologna process, many European universities have attempted to improve their international profile by increasing course offerings in English. According to the Institute of International Education (IIE), Spain has notably increased its English-taught higher education programs, ranking fifth in the list of European countries by number of English-taught Master's programs in 2013. This article presents the goals and preliminary results of an on-going innovative education project (TechEnglish) that aims to promote course offerings in English at the Technical University of Madrid (Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, UPM). The UPM is the oldest and largest of all Technical Universities in Spain. It offers graduate and postgraduate programs that cover all the engineering disciplines as well as architecture. Currently, the UPM has no specific bilingual/multilingual program to promote teaching in English, although there is an Educational Model Whitepaper (with a focus on undergraduate degrees) that promotes the development of activities like an International Semester or a unique shared curriculum. The TechEnglish project is an attempt to foster courses taught in English at 7 UPM Technical Schools, including students and 80 faculty members. Four tasks were identified: (1) to design a university wide framework to increase course offerings, (2) to identify administrative difficulties, (3) to increase visibility of courses offered, and (4) to disseminate the results of the project. First, to design a program we analyzed existing programs at other Spanish universities, and other projects and efforts already under way at the UPM. A total of 13 plans were analyzed and classified according to their relation with students (learning), professors (teaching), administration, course offerings, other actors/institutions within the university (e.g., language departments), funds and projects, dissemination activities, mobility plans and quality control. Second, to begin to identify administrative and organizational difficulties in the implementation of teaching in English, we first estimated the current and potential course offerings at the undergraduate level at the UPM using a survey (student, teacher and administrative demand, level of English and willingness to work in English). Third, to make the course offerings more attractive for both Spanish and international students we examined the way the most prestigious universities in Spain and in Europe try to improve the visibility of their academic offerings in English. Finally, to disseminate the results of the project we created a web page and a workspace on the Moodle education platform and prepared conferences and workshops within the UPM. Preliminary results show that increasing course offerings in English is an important step to promote the internationalization of the University. The main difficulties identified at the UPM were related to how to acknowledge/certify the departments, teachers or students involved in English courses, how students should register for the courses, how departments should split and schedule the courses (Spanish and English), and the lack of qualified personnel. A concerted effort could be made to increase the visibility of English-taught programs offered on-line.

Public library consumer health information pilot project: results of a National Library of Medicine evaluation

In October 1998, the National Library of Medicine (NLM) launched a pilot project to learn about the role of public libraries in providing health information to the public and to generate information that would assist NLM and the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM) in learning how best to work with public libraries in the future. Three regional medical libraries (RMLs), eight resource libraries, and forty-one public libraries or library systems from nine states and the District of Columbia were selected for participation. The pilot project included an evaluation component that was carried out in parallel with project implementation. The evaluation ran through September 1999. The results of the evaluation indicated that participating public librarians were enthusiastic about the training and information materials provided as part of the project and that many public libraries used the materials and conducted their own outreach to local communities and groups. Most libraries applied the modest funds to purchase additional Internet-accessible computers and/or upgrade their health-reference materials. However, few of the participating public libraries had health information centers (although health information was perceived as a top-ten or top-five topic of interest to patrons). Also, the project generated only minimal usage of NLM's consumer health database, known as MEDLINEplus, from the premises of the monitored libraries (patron usage from home or office locations was not tracked). The evaluation results suggested a balanced follow-up by NLM and the NN/LM, with a few carefully selected national activities, complemented by a package of targeted activities that, as of January 2000, are being planned, developed, or implemented. The results also highlighted the importance of building an evaluation component into projects like this one from the outset, to assure that objectives were met and that evaluative information was available on a timely basis, as was the case here.

Feedback circuitry within a song-learning pathway.

The song system of birds consists of several neural pathways. One of these, the anterior forebrain pathway, is necessary for the acquisition but not for the production of learned song in zebra finches. It has been shown that the anterior forebrain pathway sequentially connects the following nuclei: the high vocal center, area X of lobus parolfactorius, the medial portion of the dorsolateral thalamic nucleus, the lateral magnocellular nucleus of anterior neostriatum (IMAN), and the robust nucleus of the archistriatum (RA). We now show in zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) that IMAN cells that project to RA also project to area X, forming a feedback loop within the anterior forebrain pathway. The axonal endings of the IMAN projection into area X form cohesive and distinct domains. Small injections of tracer in subregions of area X backfill a spatially restricted subset of cells in IMAN, that, in turn, send projections to RA that are arranged in horizontal layers, which may correspond to the functional representation of vocal tract muscles demonstrated by others. We infer from our data that there is a myotopic representation throughout the anterior forebrain pathway. In addition, we suggest that the parcellation of area X into smaller domains by the projection from IMAN highlights a functional architecture within X, which might correspond to units of motor control, to the representation of acoustic features of song, or both.