A Multi-Criteria Approach to Decision Making in Broadband Technology Selection

A new European Union regulatory framework for the telecom sector has been under a process of transposition to national laws by its member states that should have been completed by the end of 2020, notwithstanding some delays. A core purpose of the regulatory framework is to guarantee that most citizens will have access to very fast Internet connections, capable of 100 Mbps download link speed, regardless of where they live. According to this new framework, in areas where the market does not deliver, governments are to launch public tenders for the deployment, maintenance, and operations of network infrastructure as well as services, and public funds should be used to support the deployment of these broadband networks in less densely populated areas. Needless to say, public tenders of this nature are subject to different criteria when it comes to candidate evaluation. In this paper, we present a decision model for the selection of operators to deploy and maintain broadband networks in scarcely populated areas, taking into consideration infrastructure costs, the technical quality offered by the solutions, and the credibility of the candidates. We suggest an integrated multi-stakeholder multi-criteria approach and demonstrate how it can be used in this complex area and find that in the example provided, taking a relevant set of criteria into the analysis, optical fibre networks hold much higher chances to be used in these public tenders compared to networks based on the broadly favoured 5G technology.

Online English Learning for Mechanical Engineering Students during the Pandemic: Challenges and Suggestions

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought changes to the whole world. This pandemic also has an impact on the learning system in Indonesia. From the previous face-to-face learning to online learning, including for English courses. This study aims to elaborate on what challenges were faced by students during online English learning, and what suggestions were given to face and solve these challenges. The object of this research was the first semester students of Mechanical Engineering at the Tanah Laut State Polytechnic. There were 33 students in the Mechanical Engineering department. By using qualitative research methods from written response data and semi-structured interviews, the results showed that there were challenges in the form of unstable or poor internet connections, sudden power outages, lack of interest in learning, and even running out of internet quota while studying. Students also suggested that each material had a learning video that could be replayed at home. They also suggested giving assignments in the form of direct practice with online interaction so that it was easier to understand and corrected directly by lecturers. Furthermore, they suggested apps for more enjoyable English learning related to a machine or their field. This study provided an overview of the online English learning process for mechanical engineering students during the pandemic. It is hoped that in the future it will be able to come up with better solutions to the existing challenges.

Performance Analysis on Multiple Device Connections of Small Office Home Office Network

Malaysia has been supported by one of the high-speed fiber internet connections called TM UniFi. TM UniFi is very familiar to be used as a medium to apply Small Office Home Office (SOHO) concept due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of the communication vendors offer varieties of network services to fulfill customers' needs and satisfaction during the pandemic. Quality of Services is queried by most users by the fact of increased on users from time to time. Therefore, it is crucial to know the network performance contrary to the number of devices connected to the TM UniFi network. The main objective of this research is to analyze TM UniFi performance with the impact of multiple device connections or users' services. The study was conducted to analyze the QoS on its traffic, packets transfer, RTT, latency, and throughput. Wireshark simulation program has been used as a network traffic capture where PCAP files have been analyzed by using PCAP Analyzer for Splunk. Traffic filtering has been enabled to capture selected traffic to measure network performance. The result shows that better network performance can be achieved if a smaller number of devices are connected at the same time. The percentage of packet loss, RTT, latency is increased when more users connected at the same time. The throughput also shows a decrease for multi-device connections. Based on the analysis it can be concluded that TM UniFi still can provide good network services for the SOHO network environment and sufficient bandwidth despite the rapid user growth in Malaysia.

COVID-19 impacts on virtual exchange around the world

The COVID-19 pandemic has simultaneously created both opportunities and challenges for the emerging field of virtual exchange: On one hand, institutional administrators and funding organisations saw virtual exchange as the solution to global learning needs while physical travel was restricted and traditional mobility programmes were suspended. On the other hand, instructors felt overwhelmed by transitioning all of their teaching online, and without physical access to their educational institutions, many students and instructors lacked reliable internet connections or safe places to engage in learning, not to mention the financial burdens of the pandemic. This moderated panel discussion which took place during the IVEC 2020 conference invited diverse perspectives to explore the impacts of the pandemic on virtual exchange in various contexts around the world. Central to the discussion were issues of equity, inclusion and justice: Is virtual exchange truly a more accessible and equitable form of global learning, as it is often promoted to be? In this video contribution, Eva Haug moderates the conversation between Maha Bali, Paulo Goes, and Anita Patankar around the following questions. * How is virtual exchange a solution to global learning during COVID-19? * What have been the two to three most relevant impacts of the pandemic on virtual exchange activity at your institution, in your country, or region of the world? * How can we as a field of practitioners maintain and sustain the current momentum and interest in VE in a post-COVID-19 world? * Can intercultural exchange be apolitical? * If an institution is in a position of power or privilege, how can they create space in virtual exchange for institutions that are less represented? The video recording is accessible on: https://vimeo.com/459415071 (CC BY-NC-NC)

Selection of Coffee Shop Business Locations Using the Analytical Hierarchy Process Method

The Coffee Shop business is one of the trending businesses in Indonesia, so competition in this business field can be said to be increasing rapidly. In order to get a strategic business location, the majority of decision makers are wrong in choosing the location of their business, this is due to the lack of analysis and to the data from the location survey and the lack of decision-making limitations in analyzing the survey data. For this reason, it is necessary to create a system, where this system uses the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method to assist in processing survey data. The application of the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method in determining the location of the Coffee Shop business is determined using 7 (criteria) criteria including rental prices, buildings, clean water, accessibility, distance to offices, internet connections and electricity sources. The final result of the process using the AHP method is ranking of several alternative locations that have been set, and several alternative locations get the highest global weight, it becomes recommendations for the development of this coffee shop business

COVID-19 Effects on Students’ Teaching and Learning Perspectives in Malaysian Varsities

The COVID-19 pandemic has had dramatic effects on the socio-economic and well beings of Malaysians. The objective of the study is to find the effects of the pandemic on university students both on the technical side, such as the sufficiency of infrastructure and the internet to support online teaching and learning (T&L), as well as on the social side, such as stress level and focus on the study. The nationwide study on the effect of the pandemic on Malaysian varsities students was conducted at the end of 2020. There are many important issues uncovered in this study ranging from the technical side, such as internet-ready programs, socio-economic side, to the psychological perspectives. It shall provide invaluable insights to the related ministries while preparing appropriate reactions during the recovery period. The survey revealed that almost 74% of students highlighted that internet coverage and connectivity was the main issue in online T&L. Although statistics show that 90% of Malaysian households have access to the internet, 49% of students reported that their internet connections were poor. The effects of the pandemic are far-reaching, students belonging to the most vulnerable category find themselves in the most non-conducive place to learn, and they are disturbed by siblings. The socio-economics impacts brought about by the pandemic cause ripple effects onto their families. The government distribution of relief aids has lessened the burden of many people, including students; nevertheless, much improvement could be made, especially in the internet facility and coverage.

A Novel Model for Large-Scale Online College Learning in Postpandemic Era: AI-Driven Approach

COVID-19 is a pandemic with a wide reach and explosive magnitude, and the world has been bracing itself for impact. Many have lost their jobs and savings, and many are homeless. For better or worse, COVID-19 has permanently changed our lives. For college students, the pandemic means giving up most of the on-campus experience in the postpandemic era and performing online learning instead. Virtual lessons may become a permanent part of college education. Large-scale online learning typically utilizes interactive live video streaming. In this study, we analyzed a codec and video streaming transmission protocol using artificial intelligence. First, we studied an intraframe prediction optimization algorithm for the H.266 codec based on long short-term memory networks. In terms of video streaming transmission protocols, real-time communication optimization based on Quick UDP Internet connections and Luby Transform codes is proposed to improve the quality of interactive live video streaming. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed strategy outperforms three benchmarks in terms of video streaming quality, video streaming latency, and average throughput.

An Evaluation of E-Learning Implementation During Covid-19 Pandemic in Elementary School

This study aims to evaluate the implementation of online learning at SD 3 Wergu Wetan. This evaluative research uses the Stake model from the planning, implementation stages, and which is then linked to the online learning implementation guide from the Ministry of Education and Culture. Subjects were taken purposively consisting of principals, teachers, and students, as well as parents as measured by interviews, documentation, and observation. Data were analyzed descriptively qualitatively. The results showed that in planning, the teacher emphasized the achievement of the main indicators, reading, writing, and arithmetic skills, using student worksheets. The implementation aspect, learning process uses WhatsApp, YouTube, and study groups. Parents and internet connections are critical success factors for online learning. Teachers need the training to create their own media. In the output aspect, the average score of students is good but students' abilities are not in accordance with the results achieved because the exam is done at home so that an online assessment is needed that students can do independently. Implementation of online learning has been going quite well and is included in the B category.

Digital Assessment Experiences in Mathematics under Modular Distance Learning

Modular distance learning is indispensable and using digital assessment as a method to measure students' progress is essential as the Philippines education system shifted from face to face classes to distance learning this time of pandemic. The main purpose of this study was to describe the lived experiences of the students about digital assessment in mathematics under modular distance learning. This study utilized Qualitative Research Design, Hermeneutic Phenomenological method which involved 15 students. There were four emerging categories and eventually formed nine major themes:(1) Educational Involvement (2) Learners Engagement (3) Support (4) Educational Tool Refinement. While the emerging major themes were 1) students experience digital assessment tool predicament in mathematics (2) difficulty grasping the topic through teachers’ instructional method (3) students have a proclivity to engage in academic dishonesty (4) procrastination and cramming are common among students during exams (5) learners have become passive to their own learning development (6) students' internet connections at home are inadequate (7) students are unable to focus during the exam as a result of the destructive environment (8) Digital Assessment tool commendation and new preference is evident among the students (9) Students have learned to appreciate the worth of their time and work. Keywords: Modular Distance Learning, Digital Assessment.