Developing performance data for making useful faculty and leadership decisions: Needs assessment as a vehicle

This article develops a methodology, based on the concepts of a results‐referenced needs assessment, to determine and prioritize perceived areas of existing or potential concern in an academic institution. The results were used to develop a baseline against which progress in addressing those concerns can be measured over time for the purpose of assessing continual improvement. The perceived areas of concern were identified by analyzing soft data—perceptions about performance and consequences—collected using questionnaires. These data reflected the personal, not independently verifiable judgments of needs based on the perceptions of the institution's engineering faculty. There is nothing in the methodology that is unique to academic institutions. It applies to any organization that considers human resources a valuable asset.     

Self-efficacy and prior domain knowledge: to what extent does monitoring mediate their relationship with hypermedia learning?

While research has documented the key role of monitoring processes during hypermedia learning, limited empirical research has used process data to examine the possibility that these processes mediate the relationship between motivational constructs (such as self-efficacy) and cognitive factors (such as prior domain knowledge) with hypermedia learning outcomes. This multi-method study addressed this issue by examining: (1) The extent to which the relationship between self-efficacy and hypermedia learning outcomes is mediated by the use of specific monitoring processes and; (2) The extent to which the relationship between prior domain knowledge and hypermedia learning outcomes is mediated by the use of specific monitoring processes. Participants included 68 education majors. A self-report questionnaire was used to measure self-efficacy, a pretest was used to measure prior domain knowledge, a posttest was used to measure learning outcomes, and a think-aloud protocol were used to identify the deployment of monitoring processes during a 30-min hypermedia learning task. Results indicated that the relationship between self-efficacy and specific monitoring processes (Monitoring Understanding, Monitoring Environment, and Monitoring Progress Towards Goals) was significantly detectable. Additionally, the relationship between prior domain knowledge and Monitoring Understanding was significantly detectable. Lastly, regression analyses revealed that the relationship between self-efficacy and hypermedia learning outcomes was mediated by the extent to which participants monitored their understanding and the environment.     

Microfluidic devices for studying heterotypic cell-cell interactions and tissue specimen cultures under controlled microenvironments

Microfluidic devices allow for precise control of the cellular and noncellular microenvironment at physiologically relevant length- and time-scales. These devices have been shown to mimic the complex in vivo microenvironment better than conventional in vitro assays, and allow real-time monitoring of homotypic or heterotypic cellular interactions. Microfluidic culture platforms enable new assay designs for culturing multiple different cell populations and∕or tissue specimens under controlled user-defined conditions. Applications include fundamental studies of cell population behaviors, high-throughput drug screening, and tissue engineering. In this review, we summarize recent developments in this field along with studies of heterotypic cell-cell interactions and tissue specimen culture in microfluidic devices from our own laboratory.     

The influence of red on perceptions of relative dominance and threat in a competitive context

Recent research has revealed that a person or team wearing red is more likely to win a physical contest than a person or team wearing another color. In the present research, we examined whether red influences perceptions of relative dominance and threat in an imagined same-sex competitive context, and did so attending to the distinction between wearing red oneself and viewing red on an opponent. Results revealed a bidirectional effect: wearing red enhanced perceptions of one's relative dominance and threat, and viewing an opponent in red enhanced perceptions of the opponent's relative dominance and threat. These effects were observed across sex, and participants seemed unaware of the influence of red on their responses. Our findings lead to practical suggestions regarding the use of colored attire in sport contexts, and add to an emerging, provocative literature indicating that red has a subtle but important influence on psychological functioning.     

Modelling of flood risks to people and property in a flood diversion zone

Extreme floods often occur in the middle Yangtze River. The Jingjiang flood diversion zone needs to be operated during these events to protect the safety of the levees along the Jingjiang Reach. Therefore, it is important to be able to predict the potential flood risks to people and property in such an area for the purpose of flood management. In this study, an integrated numerical model for estimating the flood risks in a flood diversion zone is proposed, including a module for predicting the 2D hydrodynamic processes of flood inundation in a study area with complex topography, and a special module for estimating the flood risks to people (children and adults) and property (vehicles, buildings, and crops) using newly developed safety criteria. The proposed model was used to predict the flood inundation process and variation in hazard degrees of people and property, based on a hypothetical discharge hydrograph during the operation of the Jingjiang flood diversion zone. The model predictions show high flood loss rates for various flooded objects such as people, vehicles, buildings, and crops, with a mean loss rate for these subjects of 75% after 140 h. This suggests that the operation of a flood diversion zone should be cautiously considered, as it would likely result in a huge loss of people and property. Furthermore, an investigation was conducted into the effects of different roughness coefficients and people stability criteria on the model predictions. The results show that variable Manning’s roughness coefficients need to be used in the hydrodynamic module according to different underlying surface conditions, and a mechanics-based criterion for the stability of people in floodwaters should be adopted to assess the potential hazard degrees.