scholarly journals Virtual Fieldtrips: construction, delivery, and implications for future geological fieldtrips

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica Helen Pugsley ◽  
John A. Howell ◽  
Adrian Hartley ◽  
Simon J. Buckley ◽  
Rachel Brackenridge ◽  
...  

Abstract. Virtual geological fieldtrips have become increasingly popular over the last decade, with the advent of remote piloted vehicles (RPVs; drones) leading to progressively sophisticated photorealistic virtual outcrops (VOs). As the COVID-19 pandemic led to widespread international travel restrictions, virtual fieldtrips (VFTs) became practical, and necessary substitutes for traditional fieldtrips. This contribution explores two VFTs delivered to a master’s level Petroleum Geoscience course at the University of Aberdeen, normally run as traditional fieldtrips to the Spanish Pyrenees and Utah. The paper describes the delivery of these VFTs and examines student perception, gauged primarily through questionnaires. The VFTs were run in LIME, a software specifically designed for the interpretation of 3D models and the delivery of VFTs. Overall, the student questionnaires reflect the satisfaction of group with the teaching method and feedback was more positive for the virtual fieldtrips than the equivalent real-world trips in earlier years. Our findings also highlight several notable advantages associated with VFTs, including the ability to examine geology data at a range of scales, financial and access inclusivity, and reduced environmental impact. Several disadvantages with VFTs were also highlighted, including a reduction in social cohesion, and missing out on the experience of travelling and being outdoors. Our findings highlight implications for future application of VFTs and the opportunity to utilise both traditional fieldtrips and VFTs within a blended learning approach.

2007 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 405-413 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colin Jones

Entrepreneurship education is the process of providing individuals with the ability to recognize commercial opportunities and the insight, self-esteem, knowledge and skills to act on them. It includes instruction in opportunity recognition, commercializing a concept, marshalling resources in the face of risk and initiating a business venture. It also includes instruction in traditional business disciplines such as management, marketing, information systems and finance. This paper describes the design and introduction of a new programme in entrepreneurship at the University of Tasmania. Rather than adopt a traditional business school (passive learning) approach, this programme largely reverses the method and responsibility of learning through the process of student-centred learning. This method of learning represents a challenging departure from traditional mainstream teaching practices. In considering the benefits achievable from this teaching method, the paper also addresses the difficulties involved in transferring increased responsibility to students to manage their futures.


GIS Business ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 21-28
Author(s):  
Abasiama G. Akpan ◽  
Chris Eriye Tralagba

Electronic learning or online learning is a part of recent education which is dramatically used in universities all over the world. As well as the use and integration of e-learning is at the crucial stage in all developing countries. It is the most significant part of education that enhances and improves the educational system. This paper is to examine the hindrances that influence e-learning in Nigerian university system. In order to have an inclusive research, a case study research was performed in Evangel University, Akaeze, southeast of Nigeria. The paper demonstrates similar hindrances on country side. This research is a blend of questionnaires and interviews, the questionnaires was distributed to lecturers and an interview was conducted with management and information technology unit. Research had shown the use of e-learning in university education which has influenced effectively and efficiently the education system and that the University education in Nigeria is at the crucial stage of e-learning. Hence, some of the hindrances are avoiding unbeaten integration of e-learning. The aim of this research is to unravel the barriers that impede the integration of e-learning in universities in Nigeria. Nevertheless, e-learning has modified the teaching and learning approach but integration is faced with many challenges in Nigerian University.


2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Steve J. Bickley ◽  
Ho Fai Chan ◽  
Ahmed Skali ◽  
David Stadelmann ◽  
Benno Torgler

Abstract Background The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the vast differences in approaches to the control and containment of coronavirus across the world and has demonstrated the varied success of such approaches in minimizing the transmission of coronavirus. While previous studies have demonstrated high predictive power of incorporating air travel data and governmental policy responses in global disease transmission modelling, factors influencing the decision to implement travel and border restriction policies have attracted relatively less attention. This paper examines the role of globalization on the pace of adoption of international travel-related non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) during the coronavirus pandemic. This study aims to offer advice on how to improve the global planning, preparation, and coordination of actions and policy responses during future infectious disease outbreaks with empirical evidence. Methods and data We analyzed data on international travel restrictions in response to COVID-19 of 185 countries from January to October 2020. We applied time-to-event analysis to examine the relationship between globalization and the timing of travel restrictions implementation. Results The results of our survival analysis suggest that, in general, more globalized countries, accounting for the country-specific timing of the virus outbreak and other factors, are more likely to adopt international travel restrictions policies. However, countries with high government effectiveness and globalization were more cautious in implementing travel restrictions, particularly if through formal political and trade policy integration. This finding is supported by a placebo analysis of domestic NPIs, where such a relationship is absent. Additionally, we find that globalized countries with high state capacity are more likely to have higher numbers of confirmed cases by the time a first restriction policy measure was taken. Conclusions The findings highlight the dynamic relationship between globalization and protectionism when governments respond to significant global events such as a public health crisis. We suggest that the observed caution of policy implementation by countries with high government efficiency and globalization is a by-product of commitment to existing trade agreements, a greater desire to ‘learn from others’ and also perhaps of ‘confidence’ in a government’s ability to deal with a pandemic through its health system and state capacity. Our results suggest further research is warranted to explore whether global infectious disease forecasting could be improved by including the globalization index and in particular, the de jure economic and political, and de facto social dimensions of globalization, while accounting for the mediating role of government effectiveness. By acting as proxies for a countries’ likelihood and speed of implementation for international travel restriction policies, such measures may predict the likely time delays in disease emergence and transmission across national borders.


Author(s):  
Pranoy Ghosh ◽  
Krithika M Pai ◽  
Manohara Pai M M ◽  
Ujjwal Verma ◽  
Frederic Rivet ◽  
...  

International tourism shows slight recovery in June and July 2021 driven by vaccinations and border reopening International tourist arrivals (overnight visitors) in the first seven months of 2021 were 40% below the levels of 2020, and still 80% down when compared to the same period of pre-pandemic year 2019. After a weak start of the year, international tourism saw a modest improvement during the months of June and July 2021. The small improvement in June and July was underpinned by the reopening of many destinations to international travel, mostly in Europe and the Americas. The relaxation of travel restrictions to vaccinated travellers, coupled with progress made in the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines, contributed to ease travel restrictions, lift consumer confidence and gradually restore safe mobility in Europe and other parts of the world. Small islands in the Caribbean, Africa, and Asia and the Pacific, together with a few small European destinations recorded the best performance in June and July, with arrivals coming close to, or sometimes exceeding pre-pandemic levels. July (-67%) saw comparatively better performance than June (-77%), making it the best month so far since April 2020. Asia and the Pacific continued to suffer the weakest results in January-July 2021, with a 95% drop in international arrivals compared to the same period in 2019. The Middle East (-82%) recorded the second largest decline, followed by Europe and Africa (both -77%). The Americas (-68%) saw a comparatively smaller decrease. Although destinations continued to report very weak international tourism revenues in the first seven months of 2021, several countries recorded a modest improvement in the months of June and July, and some even surpassed the earnings of 2019. The same is true for outbound travel. Among the larger source markets, France (-35% over 2019) and the United States (-49%) saw a small rebound in expenditure in July. Despite the relative improvement over the low levels of 2020, international tourism remained well below 2019 levels. This is also reflected in the evaluation made by the UNWTO Panel of Experts in the September survey, showing mixed results for the period May-August 2021. Looking ahead, most experts continue to expect a rebound in 2022, driven by unleashed pent-up demand, mostly during the second and third quarter of that year. Nearly one-third of respondents expect a potential rebound in 2023. Almost half of all experts continue to see a return of international arrivals to 2019 levels in 2024 or later.


2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 61-68
Author(s):  
Nor Syamimi Samsudin ◽  
◽  
Ismail Samsuddin ◽  
Ahmad Faisol Yusof ◽  
Mohd Zikri Mohd Zaki ◽  
...  

The purpose of this research is to measure the effectiveness of constructivist learning approach in structural study specifically for architecture students. Theoretically, improving student’s performance in mathematics is challenging for today education. In architectural education, structural study is part of the non- design courses in the syllabus under the area of technology and environment and it involve in mathematical calculations. In the context of typical classrooms that adopt conventional teaching method, students are usually taught using structured rules based on the given academic syllabus. However, teaching architecture students need a different approach. This is because architecture students learn by understanding the application into practice rather than by only solving the principleproblem. Purposive sampling which is the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking (TTCT) was selected as the method of the study and teaching experiment was conducted. In the experimental structural design, 26 groups of architecture students were tested based on two situations; pre-test (original) and post-test (change), and tests are conducted according to the stages and times set for each topic. The experiment was designed based on the Constructivist learning approach as foundation of the experiment to study the mathematical creativity of the students. The findings show that there are positive impacts on creativity in the subject of structural study which beneficially affects their understanding and application abilities. Further research needs to done to ensure this beneficial outcome can be greatly support students’ long-term retention of knowledge and skills. Keywords: Constructivist learning approach, Creativity in mathematical thinking, and Experimental study for architecture students


2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 1-36 ◽  

International travel plunges 70% in the first eight months of 2020 International tourist arrivals (overnight visitors) declined 70% in the first eight months of 2020 over the same period of last year, amid global travel restrictions including many borders fully closed, to contain the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. International arrivals plunged 81% in July and 79% in August, traditionally the two busiest months of the year and the peak of the Northern Hemisphere summer season. Despite such large declines, this represents a relative improvement over the 90% or greater decreases of the previous months, as some destinations started to reopen to international tourism, mostly in the European Union. The decline in January-August 2020 represents 700 million fewer international tourist arrivals compared to the same period in 2019, and translates into a loss of US$ 730 billion in export revenues from international tourism, more than 8 times the loss in 2009 under the impact of the global economic crisis. Asia and the Pacific, the first region to suffer the impact of the pandemic, saw a 79% decrease in arrivals in January-August 2020. Africa and the Middle East both recorded a 69% drop this eight-month period, while Europe saw a 68% decline and the Americas 65%. Data on international tourism expenditure continues to reflect very weak demand for outbound travel, though in several large markets such as the United States, Germany and Italy there is a small uptick in spending in the months of July and August. Based on latest trends, a 75% decrease in international arrivals is estimated for the month of September and a drop of close to 70% for the whole of 2020. While demand for international travel remains subdued, domestic tourism is strengthening recovery in several large markets such as China and Russia. The UNWTO Confidence Index continues at record lows. Most UNWTO Panel Experts expect a rebound in international tourism by the third quarter of 2021 and a return to pre-pandemic 2019 levels not before 2023. Experts consider travel restrictions as the main barrier weighing on the recovery of international tourism, along with slow virus containment and low consumer confidence.


Author(s):  
Juliano Aparecido Pereira

ENGLISHThe article presents and discusses an experience in Brazil on an architectural design method of teaching created by the School of Architecture and Urban Design of the University of Sao Paulo (FAU USP). We refer to a Pedagogical Reform proposed in 1962 and its consequences on the formation of Brazilian architects. Known as the 1962 Reform and having as its leader, in association with other professors, architect and professor João Batista Vilanova Artigas (1913-1985), the proposed new model for a method of project education ended up by being adopted, in some aspects, but not all, by the majority of Brazilian schools of architecture and urban design. The reform led by Vilanova Artigas proposed an overcoming of project teaching methods based either on the traditional model of architectural composition, by way of the School of Fine Arts, or on those for the formation of architect-engineers, by way of the Polytechnics. This new teaching method would be based on parameters for the comprehension of architectural practice, pointing to a generalist formation of the architect, thus instrumentalizing him to act within the various scales of architectural production: objects, buildings, cities and visual communication. In this context is manifested the intention for the creation of a University of Design, founded on the practice of investigation and studio research, thus overcoming the boundaries of a project scale in a school of architecture, limited between the realization of a building scale and, at most, of a city. To understand this generalist and plural outlook becomes a contribution to the discussion on the formation of contemporary architects and their awareness and instrumentalization for action before the complex professional demands of present day societies. PORTUGUÊSO artigo apresenta e discute uma experiência no Brasil de método e ensino de projeto de arquitetura, elaborado pela Faculdade de Arquitetura e Urbanismo da Universidade de São Paulo, a FAU USP. Referimo-nos a uma Reforma Pedagógica proposta no ano de 1962 e as suas consequências à formação dos arquitetos brasileiros. Conhecida como a Reforma de 1962 e tendo como seu líder, associado a outros professores, o arquiteto e professor João Batista Vilanova Artigas (1913-1985), o novo modelo proposto de método de ensino de projeto passou a ser adotado, sob alguns aspectos, mas não todos, pela maior parte das Faculdades de Arquitetura e Urbanismo brasileiras. A reforma liderada por Vilanova Artigas propunha uma superação dos métodos de ensino de projeto baseados ou no modelo tradicional de composição de arquitetura, via Escolas de Belas Artes, ou então naqueles de formação de arquitetos-engenheiros, via Escolas Politécnicas. O método de ensino proposto iria se basear em novos parâmetros de compreensão da prática da arquitetura, apostando em uma formação generalista do arquiteto, instrumentalizando-o a atuar nas várias escalas de produção arquitetônica: objetos, edifícios, cidades e comunicação visual. Nesse contexto manifesta-se a intenção de criação de uma Universidade do Projeto, fundada na prática de investigação e na pesquisa do ateliê, superando assim o limite da escala de projeto de uma Faculdade de Arquitetura, limitada entre a realização da escala do edifício e, quando muito, da cidade. Compreender essa formação generalista e plural coloca-se como contribuição à discussão da formação do arquiteto contemporâneo e a sua sensibilização e instrumentalização para ação frente às complexas demandas profissionais das sociedades atuais.


Author(s):  
Thai Quang Pham ◽  
Maia Rabaa ◽  
Luong Huy Duong ◽  
Tan Quang Dang ◽  
Quang Dai Tran ◽  
...  

Background: One hundred days after SARS-CoV-2 was first reported in Vietnam on January 23rd, 270 cases have been confirmed, with no deaths. We describe the control measures used and their relationship with imported and domestically-acquired case numbers. Methods: Data on the first 270 SARS-CoV-2 infected cases and the timing and nature of control measures were captured by Vietnam's National Steering Committee for COVID-19 response. Apple and Google mobility data provided population movement proxies. Serial intervals were calculated from 33 infector-infectee pairs and used to estimate the proportion of pre-symptomatic transmission events and time-varying reproduction numbers. Results: After the first confirmed case on January 23rd, the Vietnamese Government initiated mass communications measures, contact tracing, mandatory 14-day quarantine, school and university closures, and progressive flight restrictions. A national lockdown was implemented between April 1st and 22nd. Around 200,000 people were quarantined and 266,122 RT-PCR tests conducted. Population mobility decreased progressively before lockdown. 60% (163/270) of cases were imported; 43% (89/208) of resolved infections were asymptomatic. 21 developed severe disease, with no deaths. The serial interval was 3.24 days, and 27.5% (95% confidence interval, 15.7%-40.0%) of transmissions occurred pre-symptomatically. Limited transmission amounted to a maximum reproduction number of 1.15 (95% confidence interval, 0.37-2.36). No community transmission has been detected since April 15th. Conclusions: Vietnam has controlled SARS-CoV-2 spread through the early introduction of communication, contact-tracing, quarantine, and international travel restrictions. The value of these interventions is supported by the high proportion of asymptomatic cases and imported cases, and evidence for substantial pre-symptomatic transmission.


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