scholarly journals Using paired teaching for earthquake education in schools

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 281-295
Author(s):  
Solmaz Mohadjer ◽  
Sebastian G. Mutz ◽  
Matthew Kemp ◽  
Sophie J. Gill ◽  
Anatoly Ischuk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plate Tectonics ◽  
Seismic Energy ◽  
Classroom Culture ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Plate Boundaries ◽  
Earthquake Hazards ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Earth’S Interior ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Earth's Interior

Abstract. In this study, we have created 10 geoscience video lessons that follow the paired-teaching pedagogical approach. This method is used to supplement the standard school curriculum with video lessons, instructed by geoscientists from around the world, coupled with activities carried out under the guidance of classroom teachers. The video lessons introduce students to the scientific concepts behind earthquakes (e.g. the Earth's interior, plate tectonics, faulting, and seismic energy), earthquake hazards, and mitigation measures (e.g. liquefaction, structural, and non-structural earthquake hazards). These concepts are taught through hands-on learning, where students use everyday materials to build models to visualize basic Earth processes that produce earthquakes and explore the effects of different hazards. To evaluate the effectiveness of these virtual lessons, we tested our videos in school classrooms in Dushanbe (Tajikistan) and London (United Kingdom). Before and after the video implementations, students completed questionnaires that probed their knowledge on topics covered by each video, including the Earth's interior, tectonic plate boundaries, and non-structural hazards. Our assessment results indicate that, while the paired-teaching video lessons appear to enhance student knowledge and understanding of some concepts (e.g. Earth's interior, earthquake location forecasting, and non-structural hazards), they bring little change to their views on the causes of earthquakes and their relation to plate boundaries. In general, the difference between UK and Tajik students' level of knowledge prior to and after video testing is more significant than the difference between pre- and post-knowledge for each group. This could be due to several factors affecting curriculum testing (e.g. level of teachers' participation and classroom culture) and students' learning of content (e.g. pre-existing hazards knowledge and experience). To maximize the impact of school-based risk reduction education, curriculum developers must move beyond innovative content and pedagogical approaches, take classroom culture into consideration, and instil skills needed for participatory learning and discovery.

scholarly journals Using paired teaching for earthquake education in schools

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Solmaz Mohadjer ◽  
Sebastian G. Mutz ◽  
Matthew Kemp ◽  
Sophie J. Gill ◽  
Anatoly Ischuk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Plate Tectonics ◽  
Classroom Culture ◽  
Plate Boundaries ◽  
Earthquake Hazards ◽  
School Based ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Earth’S Interior ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Earth's Interior

Abstract. Lack of access to science-based natural hazards information impedes the effectiveness of school-based disaster risk reduction education. To address this challenge, we have created ten geoscience video lessons that follow the paired teaching pedagogical approach. This method is used to supplement the standard school curriculum with video lessons instructed by geoscientists from around the world coupled with activities carried out by local classroom teachers. The video lessons introduce students to the scientific concepts behind earthquakes (e.g., Earth's interior, plate tectonics, faulting, and seismic energy), earthquake hazards and mitigation measures (e.g., liquefaction, structural and non-structural earthquake hazards). These concepts are taught through hands-on learning where students use everyday materials to build models to visualize basic Earth processes that produce earthquakes, and explore the effects of different hazards. To evaluate the effectiveness of these virtual lessons, we tested our videos with school classrooms in Dushanbe (Tajikistan) and London (United Kingdom). Before and after video implementations, students completed questionnaires that probed their knowledge on topics covered by each video including the Earth's interior, tectonic plate boundaries, and non-structural hazards. Our assessment results indicate that while the paired teaching videos appear to enhance student views and understanding of some concepts (e.g., Earth's interior, earthquake location forecasting, and non-structural hazards), they bring little change to their views on causes of earthquakes and their relation to plate boundaries. In general, the difference between UK and Tajik students' level of knowledge prior to and after video testing is more significant than the difference between pre- and post-knowledge for each group. This could be due to several factors affecting curriculum testing (e.g., level of teachers' participation and suitable classroom culture) and students' learning of content (e.g., pre-existing hazards knowledge and experience). Taken together, to maximize the impact of school-based risk reduction education, curriculum developers must move beyond innovative content and pedagogical approaches, take classroom culture into consideration, and instil skills needed for participatory learning and discovery.

scholarly journals Mitigating impact of spatial variance of turbulence in wind energy applications

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 439-450
Author(s):  
Jonas Kazda ◽  
Jakob Mann
Keyword(s):  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Random Error ◽  
Wind Farm ◽  
Second Order ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Order Moment ◽  
Spatial Variance ◽  
Turbine Performance ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. For the first time an analytical solution for the quantification of the spatial variance of the second-order moment of correlated wind speeds was developed in this work. The spatial variance is defined as random differences in the sample variance of wind speed between different points in space. The approach is successfully verified using simulation and field data. The impact of the spatial variance on three selected applications relevant to the wind energy sector is then investigated including mitigation measures. First, the difference of the second-order moment between front-row wind turbines of Lillgrund wind farm is investigated. The variance of the difference ranges between 25 % and 48 % for turbulence intensities ranging from 7 % to 10 % and a sampling period of 10 min. It is thus suggested to use the second-order moment measured at each individual turbine as input to flow models of wind farm controllers in order to mitigate random error. Second, the impact of the spatial variance of the measured second-order moment on the verification of wind turbine performance is investigated. Misalignment between the mean wind direction and the line connecting the meteorological mast and wind turbine is observed to result in an additional random error in the observed second-order moment of wind speed. In the investigated conditions the random error was up to 34 %. Such a random error adds uncertainty to the turbulence intensity-based classification of the fatigue loads and power output of a wind turbine. To mitigate the random error, it is suggested to either filter the measured data for low angles of misalignment or quantify wind turbine performance using the ensemble-averaged measurements of the same wind conditions. Third, the verification of sensors in wind farms was investigated with respect to the impact of distant reference measurements. In the case of a misalignment between the wind direction and the line connecting sensor and reference, an increased random error will hamper the comparison of the measured second-order moments. The suggested mitigation measures are equivalent to those for the verification of turbine performance.

scholarly journals Focus on the notice: evidence of spatial skills’ effect on middle school learning from a computer simulation

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Colleen M. Epler-Ruths ◽  
Scott McDonald ◽  
Amy Pallant ◽  
Hee-Sun Lee
Keyword(s):  
Middle School ◽  
Middle School Students ◽  
Plate Tectonics ◽  
Spatial Skills ◽  
Scientific Model ◽  
School Students ◽  
Online Curriculum ◽  
Computer Visualization ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThis article represents the findings from the qualitative portion of a mixed methods study that investigated the impact of middle school students’ spatial skills on their plate tectonics learning while using a computer visualization. Higher spatial skills have been linked to higher STEM achievement, while use of computer visualizations has mixed results for helping various students with different spatial levels. This study endeavors to better understand the difference between what high and low spatial-skilled middle school students notice and interpret while using a plate tectonic computer visualization. Also, we examine the differences in the quantity and quality of students’ spatial language. The collected data include student spatial scores, student interviews, screencasts, and online artifacts. The artifacts were students’ answers to questions inserted in an online curriculum (GEODE) with the embedded computer visualization (Seismic Explorer). Students were asked what they “noticed” during interviews and in the curriculum. Typed student answers and interviews were analyzed for types and quantity of spatial words. Analysis of typed answers and interviews indicated that there are differences in the number and types of spatial words used by high or low spatial students. Additionally, high spatial learners talk about depth, notice patterns in data and are more likely to make a hypothesis to explain what they see on the screen. Findings suggest that students go through an iterative cycle of noticing and interpreting when using a scientific model. Overall, results show a significant positive relationship between spatial skills and what students notice while learning plate tectonics. An explanation for the increased gain in plate tectonics comprehension is that students with higher spatial skills notice more, so they are able to interpret more details of the model. This finding implies that students with low spatial skills do not benefit as much from use of a computer visualization and will need more scaffolding in order to interpret details in the computer visualization.

scholarly journals Mitigating Impact of Spatial Variance of Turbulence in Wind Energy Applications

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonas Kazda ◽  
Jakob Mann
Keyword(s):  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Random Error ◽  
Wind Farm ◽  
Second Order ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Order Moment ◽  
Spatial Variance ◽  
Turbine Performance ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. The first analytical solution for the quantification of the spatial variance of the second-order moment of correlated wind speeds was developed in this work. The spatial variance is defined as random differences in the sample variance of wind speed between different points in space. The approach is successfully verified using simulation and field data. The impact of the spatial variance on three selected applications relevant to the wind energy sector is then investigated including mitigation measures. First, the difference of the second-order moment between front-row wind turbines of Lillgrund wind farm is investigated. The variance of the difference ranges between 25 % and 48 % for turbulence intensities ranging from 7 % to 10 % and a sampling period of 10 min. It is thus suggested to use the second-order moment measured at each individual turbine as input to flow models of wind farm controllers in order to mitigate random error. Second, the impact of the spatial variance of the measured second-order moment on the verification of wind turbine performance is investigated. Misalignment between the mean wind direction and the line connecting the meteorological mast and wind turbine is observed to result in an additional random error in the observed second-order moment of wind speed. In the investigated conditions the random error was up to 34 %. Such random error adds uncertainty to the turbulence intensity-based classification of the fatigue loads and power output of a wind turbine. To mitigate the random error it is suggested to either filter the measured data for low angles of misalignment, or to quantify wind turbine performance using the ensemble averaged measurements of the same wind conditions. Third, the verification of sensors in wind farms was investigated with respect to the impact of distant reference measurements. In case of a misalignment between the wind direction and the line connecting sensor and reference, an increased random error will hamper the comparison of the measured second-order moments. The suggested mitigation measures are equivalent to those for the verification of turbine performance.

Earth, Cradle of Life

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Chambers ◽  
Jacqueline Mitton
Keyword(s):  
Plate Tectonics ◽  
Basaltic Rock ◽  
Early Earth ◽  
Crustal Recycling ◽  
Earth’S Interior ◽  
Earth's Interior ◽  
The Waves ◽  
Basaltic Crust

This chapter studies the composition of early Earth, which consisted of two layers: a dense iron-rich core at the center, surrounded by a thick rocky mantle. Gradually, Earth acquired a third layer, a thin basaltic crust on the floor of the ocean. In a few places, the basaltic rock became thick enough to poke up above the waves to form the first primitive continents. As the basalt cooled, it grew denser and eventually became heavier than the mantle below. This configuration was unstable, and in places, the heavy basaltic crust began to sink, or subduct, back into the mantle, where it eventually mixed with rocks deep in Earth's interior. As the basaltic crust subducted, it pulled neighboring material with it, making room for new crust to form and setting up the conditions necessary for plate tectonics—the process of crustal recycling that continues to operate on Earth today.

Paired teaching approach to earthquake education: a cross-country comparison between Dushanbe, Tajikistan and London, United Kingdom

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Solmaz Mohadjer ◽  
Sebastian Mutz ◽  
Matthew Kemp ◽  
Sophie Gill ◽  
Anatoly Ischuk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Hazard Identification ◽  
Classroom Culture ◽  
Earthquake Forecasting ◽  
Plate Boundaries ◽  
School Based ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Hazard Experience ◽  
The Impact

<p>Lack of access to science-based natural hazards information impedes the effectiveness of school-based disaster risk reduction education. To address this challenge, we have created 10 geosciences video lessons (https://www.youtube.com/user/EuroGeosciencesUnion) that follow an innovative pedagogy known as paired teaching. This approach is used to supplement the standard school curriculum with video lessons instructed by geoscientists from around the world and activities carried out by local classroom teachers.</p><p>To evaluate the effectiveness of these virtual lessons, we tested selected videos with 38 sixth grade students (12 years of age) and 39 nine grade students (12-13 years of age) from two school classes in Dushanbe (Tajikistan) and London (United Kingdom), respectively. By examining the same videos with two different groups of student populations, we aimed to identify potential factors (e.g., geographic location, culture, level of hazard experience) influencing students’ learning and/or teachers’ teaching of natural hazard information. We asked students from both groups to complete questionnaires before and after video implementations. Questionnaires probed students on topics covered by each video including the Earth’s interior, tectonic plate boundaries, and nonstructural hazards.  </p><p>Prior to video implementation, a significant percentage of students from Dushanbe (71%) and from London (51%) demonstrated no conceptual framework about the Earth’s interior. However, when asked about the causes of earthquakes, 90% of London students mentioned plate tectonics in their responses while 51% of Dushanbe students only made references to mountains and volcanoes. Both groups responded similarly to questions concerning earthquake forecasting where most students said it is possible to know the location of future earthquakes, but not their exact time of occurrence. Similarly, both groups demonstrated some knowledge of nonstructural hazards found in typical school classrooms prior to video testing. Following video implementation, a notable portion of Tajik students (71%) showed an increased level of understanding of the Earth’s interior. This is 40% higher than the level of improvement observed in the responses of the UK students. Tajik students showed little improvement (23%) in their understanding of the causes of earthquakes, and continued to list mountains and volcanoes as the primary reasons for earthquake occurrence. For nonstructural hazards identification, both groups showed significant improvement in classroom hazard identification (60% and 80% for Dushanbe and London groups, respectively).  </p><p>Our video testing and result comparison between two groups reveal a number of factors affecting curriculum testing (e.g., level of teachers’ participation and suitable classroom culture) and students’ learning of content (e.g., past hazard experience). In this presentation, we discuss these factors and how to maximize the impact of school-based risk reduction education.  </p>

scholarly journals Detection and Isolation of Asymptomatic Individuals Can Make The Difference in COVID-19 Epidemic Management

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lia Mayorga ◽  
Clara García Samartino ◽  
Gabriel Flores ◽  
Sofía Masuelli ◽  
María V. Sánchez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Compartmental Model ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Asymptomatic Group ◽  
Healthcare Burden ◽  
Fundamental Part ◽  
Management Policies ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Asymptomatic Individuals ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Ideal

Abstract Background: Mathematical modelling of infectious diseases is a powerful tool for the design of management policies and a fundamental part of the arsenal currently deployed to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We present a compartmental model for the disease where symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals move separately. We introduced healthcare burden parameters allowing to infer possible containment and suppression strategies. In addition, the model was scaled up to describe different interconnected areas, giving the possibility to trigger regionalized measures. It was specially adjusted to Mendoza-Argentina’s parameters, but is easily adaptable for elsewhere. Results: Overall, the simulations we carried out were notably more effective when mitigation measures were not relaxed in between the suppressive actions. Since asymptomatics or very mildly affected patients are the vast majority, we studied the impact of detecting and isolating them. The removal of asymptomatics from the infectious pool remarkably lowered the effective reproduction number, healthcare burden and overall fatality. Furthermore, different suppression triggers regarding ICU occupancy were attempted. The best scenario was found to be the combination of ICU occupancy triggers (on: 50%, off: 30%) with the detection and isolation of asymptomatic individuals. In the ideal assumption that 45% of the asymptomatics could be detected and isolated, there would be no need for complete lockdown, and Mendoza’s healthcare system would not collapse. Conclusions: Our model and its analysis inform that the detection and isolation of all infected individuals, without leaving aside the asymptomatic group is the key to surpass this pandemic.

scholarly journals Distribution, cycling and impact of water in the Earth's interior

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (6) ◽  
pp. 879-891 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huaiwei Ni ◽  
Yong-Fei Zheng ◽  
Zhu Mao ◽  
Qin Wang ◽  
Ren-Xu Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Deep Water ◽  
Plate Tectonics ◽  
Water Distribution ◽  
Seismic Velocity ◽  
Water Cycle ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Water Reservoir ◽  
Plate Motion ◽  
Earth’S Interior ◽  
Earth's Interior

Abstract The Earth's deep interior is a hidden water reservoir on a par with the hydrosphere that is crucial for keeping the Earth as a habitable planet. In particular, nominally anhydrous minerals (NAMs) in the silicate Earth host a significant amount of water by accommodating H point defects in their crystal lattices. Water distribution in the silicate Earth is highly heterogeneous, and the mantle transition zone may contain more water than the upper and lower mantles. Plate subduction transports surface water to various depths, with a series of hydrous minerals and NAMs serving as water carriers. Dehydration of the subducting slab produces liquid phases such as aqueous solutions and hydrous melts as a metasomatic agent of the mantle. Partial melting of the metasomatic mantle domains sparks off arc volcanism, which, along with the volcanism at mid-ocean ridges and hotspots, returns water to the surface and completes the deep water cycle. There appears to have been a steady balance between hydration and dehydration of the mantle at least since the Phanerozoic. Earth's water probably originates from a primordial portion that survived the Moon-forming giant impact, with later delivery by asteroids and comets. Water could play a critical role in initiating plate tectonics. In the modern Earth, the storage and cycling of water profoundly modulates a variety of properties and processes of the Earth's interior, with impacts on surface environments. Notable examples include the hydrolytic weakening effect on mantle convection and plate motion, influences on phase transitions (on the solidus of mantle peridotite in particular) and dehydration embrittlement triggering intermediate- to deep-focus earthquakes. Water can reduce seismic velocity and enhance electrical conductivity, providing remote sensing methods for water distribution in the Earth's interior. Many unresolved issues around the deep water cycle require an integrated approach and concerted efforts from multiple disciplines.

Evaluation of the impact of public investment programs on social and economic performance of territories

2019 ◽  
pp. 109-123
Author(s):  
I. E. Limonov ◽  
M. V. Nesena
Keyword(s):  
Bayesian Modeling ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Public Investment ◽  
Difference In Differences ◽  
The Public ◽  
Export Activity ◽  
Regional Investment ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Development Institution

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of public investment programs on the socio-economic development of territories. As a case, the federal target programs for the development of regions and investment programs of the financial development institution — Vnesheconombank, designed to solve the problems of regional development are considered. The impact of the public interventions were evaluated by the “difference in differences” method using Bayesian modeling. The results of the evaluation suggest the positive impact of federal target programs on the total factor productivity of regions and on innovation; and that regional investment programs of Vnesheconombank are improving the export activity. All of the investments considered are likely to have contributed to the reduction of unemployment, but their implementation has been accompanied by an increase in social inequality.

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