Creating a Research Center: Space for Collaborations and Conversations

This report describes the creation of a library research center, where a team of librarians provide flexible, convenient, and personalized research assistance to students. A research center creates a positive user experience for students and places collaboration—both among librarians and students—at its core. Next-generation reference models must provide spaces and environments for students and librarians to engage in meaningful and deep information literacy conversations as outlined in the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education.     

Polytopic invariant and contractive sets for closed-loop discrete fuzzy systems

In this work a procedure for obtaining polytopic λ-contractive sets for Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy systems is presented, adapting well-known algorithms from literature on discrete-time linear difference inclusions (LDI) to multi-dimensional summations. As a complexity parameter increases, these sets tend to the maximal invariant set of the system when no information on the shape of the membership functions is available. λ-contractive sets are naturally associated to level sets of polyhedral Lyapunov functions proving a decay-rate of λ. The paper proves that the proposed algorithm obtains better results than a class of Lyapunov methods for the same complexity degree: if such a Lyapunov function exists, the proposed algorithm converges in a finite number of steps and proves a larger λ-contractive set.     

Floating-electrode enhanced constriction dielectrophoresis for biomolecular trapping in physiological media of high conductivity

We present an electrokinetic framework for designing insulator constriction-based dielectrophoresis devices with enhanced ability to trap nanoscale biomolecules in physiological media of high conductivity, through coupling short-range dielectrophoresis forces with long-range electrothermal flow. While a 500-fold constriction enables field focusing sufficient to trap nanoscale biomolecules by dielectrophoresis, the extent of this high-field region is enhanced through coupling the constriction to an electrically floating sensor electrode at the constriction floor. However, the enhanced localized fields due to the constriction and enhanced current within saline media of high conductivity (1 S/m) cause a rise in temperature due to Joule heating, resulting in a hotspot region midway within the channel depth at the constriction center, with temperatures of ∼8°–10°K above the ambient. While the resulting vortices from electrothermal flow are directed away from the hotspot region to oppose dielectrophoretic trapping, they also cause a downward and inward flow towards the electrode edges at the constriction floor. This assists biomolecular trapping at the sensor electrode through enabling long-range fluid sampling as well as through localized stirring by fluid circulation in its vicinity.     

Science learning in virtual environments: a descriptive study

Usually, students learn more if the method of instruction matches their learning style. Since Physics and Chemistry deal with three–dimensional (3–D) objects, the ability to visualize and mentally manipulate shapes is very helpful in their learning. In fact, much of what Physics and Chemistry students know takes the form of images. However, little attention has been given to the pedagogical effectiveness of visual stimuli in those disciplines. Computers are being increasingly used as teaching tools. The new approaches include simulations, multimedia presentations and, more recently, virtual environments. Computer–based worlds are useful to visualize physical and chemical processes allowing for better conceptual understanding. Since 3–D virtual environments need to be explored and evaluated in science education, we have created a virtual environment ( Virtual Water ) for studying phases of matter, phase transitions and atomic orbitals at the final year of high school and first year of university levels. Based on that work, we discuss the implications of visual learning in designing strategies to cater for differences in learning modes. Our study indicates that 3–D virtual environments may help students with high spatial aptitude to acquire better conceptual understandings. However, only some parameters (interactivity, navigation and 3–D perception) have shown to be relevant and only for some topics. On the other hand, stereoscopic visualizations do not seem to be relevant, with the exception of crystalline structures.     

Indexical Expressions in Word Problems and their Influence on Multiple Referents of the Unknown

When translating word problems into equations, a common error consists of using the same letter to refer to two different quantities. This error, called multiple referents for the unknown, can be connected to the existence of deictic or indexical expressions within the problem statement. This paper aims to analyse the influence of indexical expressions on the incidence of the multiple referents for the unknown error. Results from a quantitative study with 117 Spanish secondary students show a significantly higher number of such type of error when the problem statement contains indexical expressions. The analysis of students’ performances in subsequent interviews indicates that this error may be due to the fragmented reading of statements.     

E-learning and market orientation in higher education

Technology is modifying the way companies do business all over the world. The education sector is no exception; virtual education has emerged as a basic tool to satisfy the changing needs of traditional and newly incorporated students, as well as meet the new requirements of educational institutions. This article therefore tries to achieve a double objective: to analyze what drives the development of online education within the Universities of the European Union and to design a theoretical framework that permits to obtain responses to que question of why students continue their estudies at the same educational institution. Thus, first, the analysis of external factors identifies social, political and technological capacity as issues that explain the rise of e-learning within the field of European higher education. Second, the empirical work shows the design of a cause-effect model with relationships between different variables in which market orientation of Universities and usability play an important role in the future intentions of use for students.     

Las estrategias de aprendizaje en la Educación formal: enseñar a pensar y sobre el pensar

Resumen

En el presente trabajo se analiza la relación existente entre el concepto de estrategias de aprendizaje y de habilidades metacognitivas en el marco de un modelo explicativo basado en la mediación cognitiva. Posteriormente se revisan los métodos instruccionales que se han mostrado más eficaces en la instauración de macroestrategias entre los estudiantes, y se describe de manera pormenorizada un sistema de autointerrogación metacognitiva, el procedimiento metacognitive de enseñanza-aprendizaje (promete-a). La aplicación de promete-a, en un estudio piloto, a 16 profesores de distintos niveles educativos no-universitarios, ha demostrado tener una incidencia positiva en la planificación, monitorización y evaluación de los procesos cognitivos implicados en la tarea ae preparation de sesiones de clase.     

“I couldn't answer when you called my name”: A journey of language and culture integration

Dr. Ahnell examines several tenets of perceptual psychology and makes specific suggestions for their application by supervising teachers. All supervising teachers could benefit from reading this article.     

The Impact of Grey Literature in Advancing Global Karst Research: An Information Needs Assessment for a Globally Distributed Interdisciplinary Community

A survey of the global karst community was conducted in 2006. The survey was distributed via the World Wide Web to known karst researchers. The instrument was designed to generate an initial inventory of core grey information types, to assess levels of usage of grey information by the respondents, and to gauge the karst community’s willingness to participate in building and expanding both this collection and the associated controlled vocabularies.     

Evaluating the performance of calculus classes using operational research tools

This paper compares the efficiency of calculus classes. Two kinds of classes are evaluated: the traditional ones and others that use computational methods in teaching. This experiment was performed at Fluminense Federal University, Niterói, Brazil, from 1998 to 2000. The emphasis of this paper is on the quantitative evaluation using two operational research tools: multicriteria decision aid methods (mainly using the MACBETH approach) and data envelopment analysis. The evaluating variables are the level at which students enter the university and the performance of the students after studying calculus.