Observational evidence for a negative shortwave cloud feedback in middle to high latitudes

Exploiting the observed robust relationships between temperature and optical depth in extratropical clouds, we calculate the shortwave cloud feedback from historical data, by regressing observed and modeled cloud property histograms onto local temperature in middle to high southern latitudes. In this region, all CMIP5 models and observational data sets predict a negative cloud feedback, mainly driven by optical thickening. Between 45° and 60°S, the mean observed shortwave feedback (−0.91 ± 0.82 W m−2 K−1, relative to local rather than global mean warming) is very close to the multimodel mean feedback in RCP8.5 (−0.98 W m−2 K−1), despite differences in the meridional structure. In models, historical temperature-cloud property relationships reliably predict the forced RCP8.5 response. Because simple theory predicts this optical thickening with warming, and cloud amount changes are relatively small, we conclude that the shortwave cloud feedback is very likely negative in the real world at middle to high latitudes.

Closed-loop feedback computation model of dynamical reputation based on the local trust evaluation in business-to-consumer e-commerce

Trust and reputation are important factors that influence the success of both traditional transactions in physical social networks and modern e-commerce in virtual Internet environments. It is difficult to define the concept of trust and quantify it because trust has both subjective and objective characteristics at the same time. A well-reported issue with reputation management system in business-to-consumer (BtoC) e-commerce is the “all good reputation” problem. In order to deal with the confusion, a new computational model of reputation is proposed in this paper. The ratings of each customer are set as basic trust score events. In addition, the time series of massive ratings are aggregated to formulate the sellers’ local temporal trust scores by Beta distribution. A logical model of trust and reputation is established based on the analysis of the dynamical relationship between trust and reputation. As for single goods with repeat transactions, an iterative mathematical model of trust and reputation is established with a closed-loop feedback mechanism. Numerical experiments on repeated transactions recorded over a period of 24 months are performed. The experimental results show that the proposed method plays guiding roles for both theoretical research into trust and reputation and the practical design of reputation systems in BtoC e-commerce.

Positiv feedback : En kvalitativ studie

Vårt syfte med studien är att undersöka hur enhetschefer anser att de ger och hur de får positiv feedback och i hur stor utsträckning det förekommer. Vi har valt att göra studien i en kommun, inom vård och omsorg, där enhetscheferna har samma chef och finns i samma verksamhet. Vår frågeställning: Förekommer positiv feedback och i sådana fall i vilken typ av kommunikationsform?I vilken utsträckning förekommer positiv feedback?Hur upplever enhetschefen positiv feedback?Vi har valt att använda en kvalitativ metod och göra intervjuer med semi- strukturerade frågor. Undersökningen genomfördes med att vi intervjuade nio enhetschefer inom vård och omsorg i en kommun. Vi har sammanfattat intervjuerna, där redovisar vi allmänt om enhetschefernas arbete och vad de säjer om positiv feedback.I analysen väver vi ihop resultatet av undersökningen med teori. De teorier vi använt oss av i studien är symbolisk interaktion, ledarskap, makt, motivation, kommunikation och feedback. Positiv feedback förekommer, men uppfattas olika av enhetscheferna utifrån deras synsätt och behov. Att ge och få positiv feedback sker både muntligt och skriftligt och har en effekt på både enhetschefer och medarbetare anser enhetscheferna. Det är väldigt individuellt vad positiv feedback betyder för varje enskild enhetschef.

Scanlation - What Fan Translators of Manga Learn in the Informal Learning Environment

The present paper discusses two pilot studies carried out to see the possibility of the fan community of manga (Japanese comics), in which fan translators translate the original Japanese manga into English (which is called scanlation), functioning as an informal learning environment for the Japanese language learning and translator training. Two pilot studies consist of a) comparison of the original Japanese version with the scanlation and official translation, and b) comparison of the original Japanese version with two different versions of scanlation to see the translators’ level of Japanese language and the overall translation quality. The results show that in scanlation versions, there were numbers of inaccuracies which would prevent them to be treated as professional translation. Some of these errors are clearly caused by insufficient understanding of Japanese language by the translator. However, the pilot studies also suggested some interesting features of fan translation, such as the treatment of cultural references. The two pilot studies indicate that it is desirable to conduct further studies with more data, in order to confirm the results of present studies, and to see the possible relationship between the types of trnalsation errors found in scanlation and the particular type of Japanese language (informal, conversational) that could be learned from manga.

Student and teacher response system : development of an interactive anonymous real-timeformative feedback system

This paper is focusing IT-supported real-time formative feedback in a classroom context. The development of a Student and Teacher Response System (STRS) is described. Since there are a number of obstacles for effective interaction in large classes IT can be used to support the teachers aim to find out if students understand the lecture and accordingly adjust the content and design of the lecture. The system can be used for formative assessment before, during, and after a lecture. It is also possible for students to initiate interaction during lectures by posing questions anonymously. The main contributions of the paper are a) the description of the interactive real-time system and b) the development process behind it.

Development of a Real-time Formative Feedback Student Response System

This paper is focusing IT-supported real-time formative feedback in a classroom context. The development of a Student and Teacher Response System (STRS) is described. Since there are a number of obstacles for effective interaction in large classes, IT can be used to support the teachers aim to find out if students understand the lecture and accordingly adjust the content and design of the lecture. The system can be used for formative assessment before, during, and after a lecture. It is also possible for students to initiate interaction during lectures by posing questions anonymously. The main contributions of the paper are a) the description of the interactive real-time system and b) the development process behind it.

Informal sanctions and conditional cooperation: : A natural experiment on voluntary contributions to a public good.

In a natural experiment, this paper studies the impact of an informal sanctioning mechanism on individuals’ voluntary contribution to a public good. Cross-country skiers’ actual cash contributions in two ski resorts, one with and one without an informal sanctioning system, are used. I find the contributing share to be higher in the informal sanctioning system (79 percent) than in the non-sanctioning system (36 percent). Previous studies in one-shot public good situations have found an increasing conditional contribution (CC) function, i.e. the relationship between expected average contributions of other group members and the individual’s own contribution. In contrast, the present results suggest that the CC-function in the non-sanctioning system is non-increasing at high perceived levels of others’ contribution. This relationship deserves further testing in lab.

Feedback i matematikundervisning : En empirisk undersökning om hur sex lärare undervisande i årskurs 1-3 ger muntlig och skriftlig feedback på elevers lösningar av matematikuppgifter

I studien undersöks hur lärare ger elever muntlig och skriftlig feedback på uppgiftsnivå i matematikundervisningen. För att undersöka detta har observationer och intervjuer av kvalitativ karaktär utförts med sex lärare som undervisar i årskurs 1-3. Insamlade och avbildade dokument i form av elevers räkneböcker har också varit en del av datainsamlingsmetoden. För att på bästa sätt undersöka och besvara studiens frågeställning har grundad teori valts ut och använts som forskningsansats. Utifrån insamlad data och med substantiv och teoretisk kodning som verktyg har en teoretisk modell utvecklats. Modellen visar att muntlig och skriftlig feedback som ges från lärare till elev på uppgiftsnivå kan vara antingen direkt eller indirekt. Beroende på om feedbacken är muntlig eller skriftlig, direkt eller indirekt, kan den också vara bekräftande, uppmuntrande, upprepande, informerande, stöttande eller uppmanande. Detta resultat redovisas med hjälp av en så kallad "fyrfältare". Värt att notera är också att resultatet i studien visar att muntlig feedback ges i betydligt högre grad än skriftlig feedback. Ett par slutsatser som dras utifrån studiens resultat är att verkligheten skiljer sig från hur tidigare forskning förespråkar att feedback bör komma till uttryck i klassrummet och att elevernas ålder samt lärarnas tid spelar en avgörande roll för vilken sorts feedback som ges. En annan viktig slutsats som också dras utifrån studiens redovisade resultat är att vissa kategorier av feedback är mer effektiva för elevers lärande i matematik än andra.

Capability outcomes from educational and ICT capability inputs : an analysis of ICT use in informal education in Kenya

In the field of Information and Communication Technologies for Development (ICT4D) ICT use in education is well studied. Education is often seen as a pre-requisite for development and ICTs are believed to aid in education, e.g. to make it more accessible and to increase its quality. In this paper we study the access and use of ICT in a study circle (SC) education program in the south coast of Kenya. The study is qualitative reporting results based on interviews and observations with SC participants, government officers and SC coordinators and teachers. The study builds on the capability approach perspective of development where individuals’ opportunities and ability to live a life that they value are focused. The aim of the study is to investigate the capability outcomes enabled through the capability inputs access and use of ICT in education as well as the factors that enabled and/or restricted the outcomes. Findings show that many opportunities have been enabled such as an increase in the ability to generate an income, learning benefits, community development and basic human development (e.g. literacy and self-confidence). However, conversion factors such as a poorly developed infrastructure and poor IT literacy prevent many of the individuals from taking full advantage of the ICT and the opportunities it enables. 

Hur feedback på uppgiftsnivå och processnivå kan skilja elevers resonemang åt i matematik : En empirisk undersökning om hur elevers resonemang skiljer sig åt beroende på vilken feedback som ges

Denna studie undersöker hur feedback på uppgiftsnivå respektive processnivå kan utveckla elevers resonemang när eleverna arbetar med problemlösningsuppgifter inom matematiken. De typer av resonemang som undersöks är algoritmiska och kreativa matematiska resonemang. Åtta elevpar från årskurs 5 fick arbeta med problemlösningsuppgifter och fick efterhand de behövde feedback på uppgiftsnivå eller processnivå. Efter genomförandet analyserades vilken resonemangstyp eleverna använde före och efter feedback på uppgiftsnivå respektive processnivå getts. Resultaten visar att elever som får feedback på processnivå i större utsträckning utvecklar fullständiga kreativa matematiska resonemang jämfört med de elever som får feedback på uppgiftsnivå.

Life situations and the care burden for stroke pa­tients and their informal caregivers in a prospective cohort study

Background. The purpose of this study was to analyse whether the parallel life situation between stroke patients and their informal caregivers (dyads) shown in cross-sectional studies prevails also in a longitudinal perspective. Methods. A total of 377 Swedish stroke patients, aged ‡65 years, and their 268 informal caregivers were followed from hospital admission and one year on. Analyses were based on patient interviews, functional ability (MMSE) score, Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) score, Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) score, self-rated health score, and the Gothenburg Quality of Life (GQL) activity score. Similar information was obtained by postal questionnaires from informal caregivers, also including information on the nature and amount of assistance provided and on Caregiver Burden (CB) score. Results. Before index admission informal caregivers provided care on average 5 h per week and after discharge 11 h per week (P < 0.0001). Support volume was associated with patient sex (more for men), low patient’s functional ability, low received municipal social service support, closeness of patient–caregiver relation, and short distance to patient’s home. Significant positive associations within the dyads were found for HAD anxiety score (P < 0.0001), total NHP score (P < 0.0001), and GQL activity score (P < 0.0001) after adjustment for patient’s age, sex, functional ability, and patient–caregiver relationship. CB score increased with amount of informal caregiver support, patient’s age, and with low functional ability and low amount of municipal social service support. All these associations were constant across time. Conclusions. There was an association within the dyads regarding anxiety score, NHP score, and activity score. CB score was generally high.