scholarly journals Teaching with digital geology in the high Arctic: opportunities and challenges

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 399-420
Author(s):  
Kim Senger ◽  
Peter Betlem ◽  
Sten-Andreas Grundvåg ◽  
Rafael Kenji Horota ◽  
Simon John Buckley ◽  
...  

Abstract. The Covid-19 pandemic occurred at a time of major revolution in the geosciences – the era of digital geology. Digital outcrop models (DOMs) acquired from consumer drones, processed using user-friendly photogrammetric software and shared with the wider audience through online platforms are a cornerstone of this digital geological revolution. Integration of DOMs with other geoscientific data, such as geological maps, satellite imagery, terrain models, geophysical data and field observations, strengthens their application in both research and education. Teaching geology with digital tools advances students' learning experience by providing access to high-quality outcrops, enhancing visualization of 3D geological structures and improving data integration. Similarly, active use of DOMs to integrate new field observations will facilitate more effective fieldwork and quantitative research. From a student's perspective, georeferenced and scaled DOMs allow for an improved appreciation of scale and of 3D architecture, which is a major threshold concept in geoscientific education. DOMs allow us to bring geoscientists to the outcrops digitally, which is particularly important in view of the Covid-19 pandemic that restricts travel and thus direct access to outcrops. At the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), located at 78∘ N in Longyearbyen in Arctic Norway, DOMs are actively used even in non-pandemic years, as the summer field season is short and not overlapping with the Bachelor “Arctic Geology” course package held from January to June each year. In 2017, we at UNIS developed a new course (AG222 “Integrated Geological Methods: From Outcrop To Geomodel”) to encourage the use of emerging techniques like DOMs and data integration to solve authentic geoscientific challenges. In parallel, we have established the open-access Svalbox geoscientific portal, which forms the backbone of the AG222 course activities and provides easy access to a growing number of DOMs, 360∘ imagery, subsurface data and published geoscientific data from Svalbard. Considering the rapid onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Svalbox portal and the pre-Covid work on digital techniques in AG222 allowed us to rapidly adapt and fulfil at least some of the students' learning objectives during the pandemic. In this contribution, we provide an overview of the course development and share experiences from running the AG222 course and the Svalbox platform, both before and during the Covid-19 pandemic.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim Senger ◽  
Peter Betlem ◽  
Sten-Andreas Grundvåg ◽  
Rafael Kenji Horota ◽  
Simon John Buckley ◽  
...  

Abstract. The Covid-19 pandemic occurred at a time of major revolution in the geosciences – the era of digital geology. Digital outcrop models (DOMs) acquired from consumer drones, processed using user-friendly photogrammetric software and shared with the wider audience through online platforms are a cornerstone of this digital geological revolution. Integration of DOMs with other geoscientific data, such as geological maps, satellite imagery, terrain models, geophysical data and field observations strengthens their application in both research and education. Teaching geology with digital tools advances students’ learning experience by providing access to spectacular outcrops, enhancing visualization of 3D geological structures and improving data integration. Similarly, active use of DOMs to integrate new field observations will facilitate more effective fieldwork and quantitative research. From a student’s perspective, geo-referenced and scaled DOMs allow an improved appreciation of scale and of 3D architecture, a major threshold concept in geoscientific education.In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, DOMs allow to bring geoscientists to the outcrops digitally. At the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), located at 78° N in Longyearbyen in Arctic Norway, DOMs are actively used even in non-pandemic years, as the summer field season is short and not overlapping with the Bachelor “Arctic Geology” course package held from January to June each year. In 2017, we at UNIS developed a new course (‘AG222: Integrated Geological Methods: from outcrop to geomodel’) to encourage the use of emerging techniques like DOMs and data integration to solve authentic geoscientific challenges. In parallel, we have established the open access Svalbox geoscientific portal, which forms the backbone of the AG222 course activities and provides easy access to a growing number of DOMs, 360° imagery, subsurface data and published geoscientific data from Svalbard. Considering the rapid onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Svalbox portal and the pre-Covid work on digital techniques in AG222 allowed us to rapidly adapt and fulfill at least some of the students’ learning objectives during the pandemic. In this contribution, we provide an overview of the course development and share experiences from running the AG222 course and the Svalbox platform, both before and during the Covid-19 pandemic. 


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 238212052110240
Author(s):  
Davis Boardman ◽  
Jeffrey A Wilhite ◽  
Jennifer Adams ◽  
Daniel Sartori ◽  
Richard Greene ◽  
...  

Background: During the rapid onset of the pandemic, clinicians transitioned from traditional outpatient practice to virtual modalities for providing routine care to patient panels. Like training programs nationwide, telemedicine training and assessment had not been systematically incorporated into our residency. In response, a scheduled Internal Medicine (IM) Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) was adapted to a remote modality to become virtual care-focused learning experience for trainees and to provide valuable feedback to educators. Methods: Standardized Patients (SPs) rated residents on their communication (including information gathering, relationship development and patient education), patient activation and satisfaction, and telemedicine skills. Analyses included a comparison of domain scores for residents who participated in both the 2020 remote and 2019 in-person OSCEs, and a review of written resident comments about the virtual OSCE. Results: During 2020’s video visit OSCE (VOSCE), residents (n = 23) excelled at nonverbal communication but struggled with virtual physical exams and information gathering. In debrief, residents expressed substantial interest in more opportunity to practice virtual visit skills going forward. In comparing scores of the virtual care (2020) OSCE with the in-person (2019) version, the small subset of residents who participated in both assessments (n = 9) performed similarly on communication skills, patient satisfaction and activation. Patient education scores were significantly lower during the virtual care OSCE ( P = .008). Conclusion: Our reformulated OSCE accomplished 3 goals including; (1) physically distancing residents from SPs per COVID regulations, (2) providing residents with the opportunity to practice critical virtual visit skills, and (3) alerting our educators to curricular improvement areas. Our methods are useful for other institutions and have applications to the larger medical education community.


Author(s):  
Leah Katherine Saal

Although (1) literacy teacher education research and professional practice standards highlight the significance of empathy as a central tenant of teachers' professional dispositions, and (2) developing deeper and more empathetic understanding of others is a frequently cited rationale for utilizing service-learning as a critical pedagogy for in-service and pre-service teacher preparation, little quantitative research exists measuring in-service teachers' empathy or empathy development. The purpose of this chapter is to explore how a course-embedded, self-selected, and community-based service-learning experience effected participating literacy teachers' self-reported empathy. While participants scores increased in the pre-post condition, results of a paired sample t-test indicated no significant difference in teachers' self-reported empathy across the pre-post condition. Implications for practice and program administration as well as suggestions for future research are discussed.


2012 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony Giovinazzo ◽  
Nathan Bryson ◽  
Timothy Tankosic

This article addresses the strategic application of systemic oral transmucosal* (i.e., sublingual and buccal) drug delivery. Circumvention of first-pass hepatic metabolism in the gut, rapid onset of action, easy access via the oral cavity, easy administration for patients with dysphagia and a high level of patient acceptance are the principal advantages of the oral transmucosal route. Key clinical and commercial strategies driving the development of oral transmucosal formulations are addressed. A case study of Cynapsus Therapeutics' APL-130277, a sublingual apomorphine formulation in clinical development for Parkinson's disease exemplifies the scientific, clinical and commercial considerations for systemic oral transmucosal drug delivery. *Note: In this article, oral transmucosal delivery refers to systemic drug delivery through the sublingual or buccal mucosa. Local delivery to the oral mucosa is not included.


2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael N. Moeti ◽  
Sello N. Mokwena ◽  
Dimakatso D. Malebana

Background: The retail industry globally provides online shopping services to offer consumers easy access to a variety of shopping services. Like retailers in other countries, the retail industry in South Africa offers online shopping services to its consumers. South African consumers in Limpopo province are still reliant on the traditional shopping method, despite the convenience, ease of access and the elimination of physical boundaries offered by online shopping.Objectives: This article investigated and discussed the factors which affect the acceptance and use of online shopping by consumers in Limpopo province.Method: A quantitative research approach was used in this research. Data were gathered using a paper-based questionnaire and were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software.Results: The perceived trialability was found to have significant influence on the acceptance and use of online shopping, whereas relative advantage, compatibility, complexity and external variables such as security and awareness were found not to be significant factors in the acceptance and use of online shopping in Limpopo province.Conclusion: The research revealed that the effectiveness of trialability increased the intention to accept and use online shopping. Retail consumers in Limpopo province did not accept and use online shopping because of the lack of experience and trust. Trialability will make it easy for retail consumers in Limpopo province to build confidence in online s hopping, thus consumers may in the future be willing to accept and use online shopping. Retail consumers were found to be willing to accept and use online shopping.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sampath Kumar L Rompicherla ◽  
Karthik Arumugam ◽  
Sree Lalitha Bojja ◽  
Nitesh Kumar ◽  
Mallikarjuna Rao Chamallamudi

Abstract With the increasing ageing population and progressive nature of the disease, Alzheimer's disease (AD) poses to be an oncoming epidemic with limited therapeutic strategies. It is characterized by memory loss, behavioral instability, impaired cognitive function, predominantly, cognitive inability manifested due to the accumulation of β-amyloid, with malfunctioned cholinergic system. Rivastigmine, a reversible dual cholinesterase inhibitor is more tolerable and widely used choice of drug for AD. However, rivastigmine being hydrophilic and undergoing first pass metabolism, exhibits low CNS bioavailability. Nanoformulations including liposomes and PLGA nanoparticles can encapsulate hydrophilic drugs and deliver efficiently to brain. Besides, the nasal route is receiving considerable attention recently, due to its direct access to brain. Therefore, the present study attempts to evaluate the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of nasal liposomal and PLGA nanoparticle formulations of rivastigmine in scopolamine induced amnesia model and validate the best formulation by employing pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic (PK-PD) modelling. Nasal liposomal rivastigmine formulation showed the best pharmacokinetic features with rapid onset of action (Tmax=5 minutes), higher Cmax (1489.5 ± 620.71), enhanced systemic bioavailability (F=118.65 ± 23.54; AUC= 35921.75 ± 9559.46), increased half-life (30.92 ± 8.38 minutes), and reduced clearance rate (Kel (1/min) = 0.0224 ± 0.006) compared to oral rivastigmine (Tmax= 15 minutes; Cmax= 56.29 ± 27.05; F=4.39 ± 1.82; AUC=1663.79 ± 813.54; t1/2= 13.48 ± 5.79; Kel (1/min) =0.0514 ± 0.023). Further, the liposomal formulation significantly rescued the memory deficit induced by scopolamine superior to other formulations as assessed in Morris water maze and passive avoidance tasks. PK-PD modelling demonstrated strong correlation between the pharmacokinetic parameters and acetylcholinesterase inhibition of liposomal formulation.


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shelagh M. Ross ◽  
Agnes Kukulska-Hulme ◽  
Helen Chappel ◽  
Brian Joyce

This paper reports an analysis of computer conference structures set up for a distance education course in which major components of the teaching and learning involve group discussions and collaboration via asynchronous text-based conferencing. As well as adopting traditional e-moderator roles, tutors were required to design appropriate online spaces and navigation routes for students. Tutors’ views concerning conference structures focussed on tensions between enabling easy access to conference areas, facilitating the successful running of activities, and addressing students’ subsequent needs for retrieval of conference material for assessment tasks. The geographically dispersed course tutors initially explored these issues in reflective online conversations. Comparisons were made between structures that were set up differently but all used for essentially the same tasks and purposes. Evidence from conference messages, from student feedback given in questionnaire and interview responses, as well as from students’ written assignments, provided insights into the impact such structures may have on the student learning experience. Students found conference areas for their own group easy to navigate, but they had concerns about managing the large number of messages; these concerns centred on the volume, threading, linking, length, and language of messages.


Author(s):  
Brian Stucky ◽  
John Deck ◽  
Ramona Walls ◽  
Robert Guralnick

Ideally, an information system that automates the integration of disparate datasets should be able to minimize the loss of information from any one dataset, achieve computational complexity suitable for working with large datasets, be flexible enough to easily incorporate new data sources, and produce output that is easily analyzed and understood by data users. Achieving all of these goals within highly heterogeneous and highly complex data domains is a major challenge. In this talk, we present the results of our recent efforts to develop such a system for data about plant phenology. Our data integration system, which is built around the Plant Phenology Ontology, currently supports semantically fine-grained integration of phenological data from both field observations and herbarium specimens. We show that even with a heavily axiomatized ontology and sophisticated, machine-reasoning-based data analysis, it is possible to implement a high-throughput data integration pipeline capable of processing millions of individual records in a matter of minutes while running on modest, server-class hardware. Success requires careful ontology design and judicious application of machine reasoning techniques. We also discuss some of the many challenges that remain for designing efficient, general-purpose data integration systems.


2018 ◽  
Vol XIX (1) ◽  
pp. 555-560
Author(s):  
Băutu E

In 2003, the Romanian National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology inaugurated National Integrated Meteorological System (SIMIN), consisting of a network of stations and instruments for measurement and detection of hydro and meteorological data, a specialized communication network, a forecasting network, and a dissemination network. With a setup cost of $55 million and a national priority role, SIMIN (implemented by Lockheed Martin) is relatively black boxed even today, using proprietary technology and software. Few institutions have direct access to the data it provides. In this paper, we present the design of a web-based software application built on open source software that allows easy access to and processing of data available in SIMIN.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 131
Author(s):  
Chih-Fong Lo ◽  
Chin-Huang Lin

As English is a global language, it is important for students to learn it effectively and efficiently. Learning English from English cram schools is very popular in Taiwan. Most students have studied in English cram schools for some period of time of their English learning experience. The present study concerns about how English cram school learners’ English learning attitudes related to their learning motivation and learning well-being in Taiwan. By using the quantitative research methodology, an empirical research model has been proposed and 277 valid questionnaires were collected. The research results show that learning motivation has a significant impact on learning attitude and learning well-being. Then, the English learning attitude provides mediated effects between learning motivation and well-being. Learning attitude is the key to English learning well-being. Furthermore, a participant’s gender has a significant moderating effect between learning intrinsic motivation and attitude. According to research findings, some suggestions such as using e-learning tools were provided for teachers and educators of the cram schools in Taiwan.


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