bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Single‐step isolation of extracellular vesicles by size‐exclusion chromatography
Authors: Böing Anita N. , van der Pol Edwin , Grootemaat Anita E. , Coumans Frank A. W. , Sturk Auguste , Nieuwland Rienk
Published: September 2014

Background

Isolation of extracellular vesicles from plasma is a challenge due to the presence of proteins and lipoproteins. Isolation of vesicles using differential centrifugation or density‐gradient ultracentrifugation results in co‐isolation of contaminants such as protein aggregates and incomplete separation of vesicles from lipoproteins, respectively.

Aim

To develop a single‐step protocol to isolate vesicles from human body fluids.

Methods

Platelet‐free supernatant, derived from platelet concentrates, was loaded on a sepharose CL‐2B column to perform size‐exclusion chromatography (SEC; n=3). Fractions were collected and analysed by nanoparticle tracking analysis, resistive pulse sensing, flow cytometry and transmission electron microscopy. The concentrations of high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) and protein were measured in each fraction.

Results

Fractions 9–12 contained the highest concentrations of particles larger than 70 nm and platelet‐derived vesicles (46%±6 and 61%±2 of totals present in all collected fractions, respectively), but less than 5% of HDL and less than 1% of protein (4.8%±1 and 0.65%±0.3, respectively). HDL was present mainly in fractions 18–20 (32%±2 of total), and protein in fractions 19–21 (36%±2 of total). Compared to the starting material, recovery of platelet‐derived vesicles was 43%±23 in fractions 9–12, with an 8‐fold and 70‐fold enrichment compared to HDL and protein.

Conclusions

SEC efficiently isolates extracellular vesicles with a diameter larger than 70 nm from platelet‐free supernatant of platelet concentrates. Application SEC will improve studies on the dimensional, structural and functional properties of extracellular vesicles.
Synthesis of phosphoramidites of isoGNA, an isomer of glycerol nucleic acid
Authors: Kim Keunsoo , Punna Venkateshwarlu , Karri Phaneendrasai , Krishnamurthy Ramanarayanan
Published: September 2014

IsoGNA, an isomer of glycerol nucleic acid GNA, is a flexible (acyclic) nucleic acid with bases directly attached to its linear backbone. IsoGNA exhibits (limited) base-pairing properties which are unique compared to other known flexible nucleic acids. Herein, we report on the details of the preparation of isoGNA phosphoramidites and an alternative route for the synthesis of the adenine derivative. The synthetic improvements described here enable an easy access to isoGNA and allows for the further exploration of this structural unit in oligonucleotide chemistry thereby spurring investigations of its usefulness and applicability.
Étude d'un dispositif d'aide pour articuler le Regroupement d'Adaptation à la classe d'origine
Authors: Nédélec-Trohel Isabelle
Published: September 2014

Dans cet article, nous nous interrogeons sur la manière de penser le lien entre le regroupement d’adaptation (RA) et la classe. Du côté des professeurs, comment favoriser, dans la classe, la réactivation par les élèves des savoirs repris au RA ? Nous avons choisi d’enquêter sur un dispositif d’aide particulier, élaboré et mis en œuvre par un maître spécialisé (ME) avec la collaboration d’un maître de classe de CE2, adressé à cinq élèves moins avancés en mathématiques. Dans ce dispositif, la dernière séance dite « séance de diffusion » se déroule dans la classe ; à cette occasion, le maître E et les élèves donnent à voir aux pairs et au professeur ordinaire certaines des situations d’apprentissage travaillées au RA. Nous regardons comment s’opère la migration du savoir mathématique du RA vers la classe.
Mastoiditis Mimicry: Retro-auricular Cellulitis Related to Otitis Externa
Authors: Block Stan L.
Published: September 2014

Retro-auricular cellulitis associated with otitis externa is now the great mimicker of mastoiditis. It may be the most common cause of this specific cellulitis/auricular protrusion when it is associated with otitis externa. This column presents six cases of children who presented with peri-auricular redness, four of whom had protuberant ear and retro-auricular cellulitis.

[
Pediatr Ann
. 2014;43(9):342–347.]
A Pediatrician’s Guide to Caring for the Complex Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Graduate
Authors: Billimoria Zeenia C. , Kamat Deepak
Published: September 2014

Despite a decreasing trend in premature births, greater numbers of infants born at the limits of viability are surviving to discharge. Most of these infants have complex medical problems requiring multidisciplinary care. These infants are primarily cared for by the general pediatrician, but their needs are quite different from those of a full-term healthy newborn. The paucity of data regarding care for these infants complicates their management after hospital discharge. In this article, the authors present the most current evidence-based practices and provide a guide to the general pediatrician on caring for the complex neonatal intensive care unit graduate.

[
Pediatr Ann
. 2014;43(9):369–372.]
Using Targeted Messaging to Increase Physical Activity in Older Adults: A Review
Authors: Ostrander Rachel E. , Thompson Hilaire J. , Demiris George
Published: September 2014

Physical activity has many benefits for older adults; however, motivating older adults to engage in and maintain optimal levels of physical activity can be challenging for health care providers. A comprehensive literature review was performed to determine whether any evidence-based methods of delivery or particular content for targeted messaging exist that result in actual improvements in physical activity of older adults. Findings of the review demonstrate that messaging directed toward older adults to be physically active resulted in improvements in physical activity up to 1 year. Across studies many different modes of message delivery were shown to be effective. Message content, whether tailored or not, resulted in significant increases in physical activity. There is evidence to support the use of environmentally mediated messaging (i.e., local walking paths) for stronger results. Targeting the client’s stage of change, having an activity partner if preferred, and scheduling physical activity also contribute to improved effects. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 40(9), 36–48.]

Ms. Ostrander is graduate, Adult/Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Track, and Dr. Thompson is Associate Professor, Biobehavioral Nursing and Health Systems, University of Washington; and Dr. Demiris is Alumni Endowed Professor, Biobehavioral Nursing and Health Systems, and Professor, Biomedical Informatics and Medical Education, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.

Ms. Ostrander was supported, in part, by the Division of Nursing, Bureau of Health Professions, Health Resources and Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services (grant D62HP24194). The remaining authors have disclosed no potential conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise.

Address correspondence to Hilaire J. Thompson, PhD, RN, CNRN, ACNP-BC, FAAN, Associate Professor, Biobehavioral Nursing and Health Systems, University of Washington, UW SON, BNHS Box 357266, Seattle, WA 98195-7266; e-mail:
hilairet@uw.edu.

 Received: July 26, 2013

 Accepted: February 07, 2014

 Posted Online: March 31, 2014
A Rare Case of Acetabulum Osteomyelitis Mimicking Bone Sarcoma
Authors: Anagnostakos Konstantinos , Schmitt Eduard , Orth Patrick
Published: September 2014

A 57-year-old man presented to the authors’ department with pain over the right hip joint over a 3-month period. External magnetic resonance imaging showed a structure in the right acetabulum that was highly suspicious for a bone sarcoma. External 3-phase bone scintigraphy substantiated the suspected diagnosis. A computer tomography-guided biopsy was performed. Microbiologic examination showed a
Staphylococcus aureus
strain. Histopathologic findings showed chronic fibrous osteomyelitis. Because of doubts about these findings made by radiologists, open biopsy with retrieval of bony samples from the acetabulum and hip joint puncture was repeated. At that time, the serum C-reactive protein level was 48.8 mg/dL and the white blood cell count was 5600×10
6
/L. Microbiologic examination showed a
S aureus
and a
Staphylococcus epidermidis
strain in both regions. Results of blood cultures were negative. Based on these findings, the decision was made to perform a septic femoral head and neck resection. After meticulous debridement, necrosectomy, and pulsatile lavage, a gentamicin and vancomycin–impregnated cement spacer was implanted. Postoperatively, systemic antibiotic treatment with cefuroxime and rifampicin was administered for 4 weeks, followed by 2 weeks of oral antibiotics. Mobilization was allowed under toe-touch bearing of the operated extremity. The further postoperative course was uneventful. Prosthesis implantation was performed after 3 months. White blood cell count and C-reactive protein values were normal at the time of surgery. Histologic and microbiologic examination of tissue samples taken intraoperatively showed no evidence of persistent infection. At follow-up after 1 year, the patient had no complaints and has no local or systemic signs of infection.
Meniscal Repair Techniques Required for the Surgeon Performing Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
Authors: Lembach Mark , Johnson Darren L.
Published: September 2014

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears are a common injury treated surgically by orthopedic specialists. There is a high incidence of concurrent meniscal injury that must be recognized and appropriately treated by the surgeon. The surgeon must be prepared to address the full spectrum of meniscal injuries with complex meniscal repair techniques when performing ACL reconstruction to decrease the likelihood of reoperation or postoperative symptoms for the patient. [
Orthopedics.
2014; 37(9):617–621.]
Closed Reduction and K-Wiring With the Kapandji Technique for Completely Displaced Pediatric Distal Radial Fractures
Authors: Satish Bhava R. J. , Vinodkumar Muniramaiah , Suresh Masilamani , Seetharam Prasad Y. , Jaikumar Krishnaraj
Published: September 2014

In completely displaced pediatric distal radial fractures, achieving satisfactory reduction with closed manipulation and maintenance of reduction with casting is difficult. Although the Kapandji technique of K-wiring is widely practiced for distal radial fracture fixation in adults, it is rarely used in pediatric acute fractures. Forty-six completely displaced distal radial fractures in children 7 to 14 years old were treated with closed reduction and K-wire fixation. One or 2 intrafocal K-wires were used to lever out and reduce the distal fragment’s posterior and radial translation. One or 2 extrafocal K-wires were used to augment intrafocal fixation. Postoperative immobilization was enforced for 3 to 6 weeks (with a short arm plaster of Paris cast for the first half of the time and a removable wrist splint for the second half), after which time the K-wires were removed. Patients were followed for a minimum of 4 months. Mean patient age was 9.5 years. Near-anatomical reduction was achieved easily with the intrafocal leverage technique in all fractures. Mean procedure time for K-wiring was 7 minutes. On follow-up, there was no loss of reduction; remanipulation was not performed in any case. There were no pin-related complications. All fractures healed, and full function of the wrist and forearm was achieved in every case. The Kapandji K-wire technique consistently achieves easy and near-anatomical closed reduction by a leverage reduction method in completely displaced pediatric distal radial fractures. Reduction is maintained throughout the fracture-healing period. The casting duration can be reduced without loss of reduction, and good functional results can be obtained.
Large Joint Osteoarticular Infection Caused by
Mycobacterium arupense
Authors: Seidl Adam , Lindeque Bennie
Published: September 2014

Nontuberculous mycobacteria tenosynovitis and osteoarticular infections have increased during the past 25 years. At least 15 different species of atypical mycobacteria have been mentioned in the literature as the cause of orthopedic infections.
Mycobacterium arupense
is a recently discovered species that is closely related to the
Mycobacterium terrae
complex. A review of the literature found
M arupense
cited as the cause of a single case of tenosynovitis of the hand. To the authors’ knowledge, this organism has never been cited as the cause of a large joint infection. This article describes a case of knee osteoarticular infection caused by
M arupense
in a 69-year-old woman with no known immunocompromising comorbidities. The patient had more than a decade of knee pain and infection refractory to multiple surgical debridements and broad-spectrum antibiotics. Radical debridement with synovectomy and large-quantity bone resection cleared the infection with more than 2 years of follow-up. Clinically relevant findings in this case include the unusual and challenging nature of diagnosing and treating atypical mycobacterial musculoskeletal infection. The operative principles and techniques that apply to other bacterial osteoarticular infections are appropriate for musculoskeletal infection with
M arupense
. Furthermore, correct identification and speciation of atypical mycobacteria is crucial to guide antibiotic treatment.
Transoral Approach for Revision Surgery of Os Odontoideum With Atlantoaxial Dislocation
Authors: Wu ZengHui , Xu JunJie , Wang ZhiYun , Xia Hong , Zhang Qingshun , Ma XiangYang , Zhang Kai
Published: September 2014

Revision surgery for os odontoideum with irreducible atlantoaxial dislocation with a transoral approach is not commonly seen. Typically, management of this type of atlantoaxial dislocation is through posterior fixation and fusion or transoral decompression and posterior fusion. This report describes revision surgery in a patient with os odontoideum who was treated with a transoral approach. A 50-year-old man was diagnosed with os odontoideum and atlantoaxial dislocation in 2007 and was treated surgically with posterior occipitocervical internal fixation and fusion. In 2012, he had recurrence of neck pain and numbness of the limbs. Neurologic function was grade D according to the standard neurologic classification of spinal cord injury from the American Spinal Injury Association. Because this was a revision surgery, the internal fixation implant was removed through a posterior approach and a transoral approach was used for release, reduction, internal fixation, and fusion. Two 6-mm cages filled with autogenous bone were introduced into the lateral mass spaces for bony fusion and distraction, and 2 cervical compressive mini-frames were used for fixation. Complete atlantoaxial reduction and decompression of the spinal cord were achieved. The patient reported improvement of symptoms after surgery. Movement of the extremities increased from grade III force to grade V, and neurologic status improved from American Spinal Injury Association grade D to grade E. A transoral approach for release, reduction, bony fusion, and fixation could be an effective procedure for the treatment of os odontoideum with irreducible atlantoaxial dislocation. It provides a new option for bony fusion and internal fixation of the atlantoaxial joint.
Baccalaureate Nursing Students’ Experience of Dyadic Learning in an Acute Care Setting
Authors: Trueman Gregg , Osuji Joseph , El-Hussein Mohamed Toufic
Published: September 2014

This article describes a unique learning project designed to address the praxis gap between baccalaureate nursing students’ clinical learning and theoretic principles of collaborative practice on an acute medical–surgical unit in Canada. The study was framed by the active engagement model to provide second-year nursing students a nontraditional approach to develop their nursing practice. Clinical faculty partnered with medical–surgical nursing staff and eight baccalaureate nursing students to explore the experience of collaborative learning and stakeholders’ anticipated learning outcomes while working in dyads. A modified phenomenological approach was used in understanding the experience of dyadic learning through reflective journals, course evaluation data, and a semistructured exit interview for analysis. Four themes were revealed based on students’ reflection of their experience: work engagement, relational practice, autonomy, and empowerment. These themes underscore the strengths and opportunities associated with this nontraditional approach to clinical learning. [
J Nurs Educ
. 2014;53(9, Suppl.):S65–S72.]
Cambios en el perfil terpénico y en el crecimiento secundario en poblaciones en decaimiento de Pinus sylvestris L. bajo influencia mediterránea en respuesta a factores locales
Authors: Sanz M. A. , Sánchez J. , Camarero J. J. , Peguero-Pina J. J. , Sancho-Knapik D. , Gil-Pelegrín E.
Published: September 2014

El perfil terpénico podría dar información sobre el estado hídrico en el pino albar, especialmente cuando se comparen especímenes de una zona geográfica concreta afectados por factores ambientales locales. Los terpenos de acículas, brotes del año y madera fueron analizados en diez ejemplares afectados y otros tantos no afectados por el decaimiento mediante cromatografía de masas acoplada a espectrometría de masas. La serie de crecimiento secundario en ambos tipos de ejemplares fue también estudiada. La concentración total de ácidos resínicos aumentó de modo significativo en los árboles afectados tanto en brotes del año como en acículas. La cantidad de ácidos de tipo pimarano también aumentó en los brotes de los árboles afectados. La profundidad del suelo y el crecimiento secundario era menor en este tipo de ejemplares, que muestran una mayor sensibilidad en términos dendrocronológicos. El perfíl terpénico podría utilizarse como una herramienta adicional a la estimación del estado hídrico, especialmente cuando el árbol está afectado por condiciones de estrés moderadas pero prolongadas en el tiempo.
Seasonal photoacclimation patterns in the intertidal macroalga Cystoseira tamariscifolia (Ochrophyta)
Authors: Celis-Plá Paula S. M. , Korbee Nathalie , Gómez-Garreta Amelia , Figueroa Félix L.
Published: September 2014

Cystoseira tamariscifolia thalli collected from rocky shores and rockpools in winter and summer in Southern Spain were incubated for 7 days in UV transparent cylindrical vessels under outdoor conditions. Photosynthetic activity estimated as in vivo chlorophyll α fluorescence of photosystem II, photosynthetic pigments, antioxidant activity (DPPH assay), phenolic compounds and total internal C and N contents were determined after short-term (3 d) and mid-term (7 d) periods. Maximum quantum yield of PSII (Fv/Fm) was significantly higher in field-collected algae and after 7 d incubation in winter than in summer. In rocky shores and rockpools thalli, maximum electron transport rate (ETRmax) and photosynthetic efficiency (αETR) were much higher in summer than in winter. ETR of outdoor-grown thalli (in situ ETR) showed a daily pattern, with a decrease at noon in both winter and summer (3rd and 7th days). We found much higher antioxidant activity in thalli collected in summer than in winter. However, the concentration of internal UV screen substances (polyphenols) was higher in winter than in summer, whereas the release of phenolic compounds was lower. The highest capacity of acclimation in C. tamariscifolia found in summer and RS with emersion periods was explained by the highest dynamic photoinhibition, energy dissipation (non-photochemical quenching) and antioxidant activity (EC50).
Diversity in Security Environments
Authors: Kayem Anne V. D. M. , Ssembatya Richard , Burke Mark-John
Published: September 2014

Information security is generally discussed in terms of preventing adversarial access to applications and to the data these applications handle. The authors note, however, that increasingly, creating information security solutions that are based on the difficulty of discovering the solution is no longer a truly viable approach. Some of the reasons for this include the increasing availability of faster processing power, high-performance computing systems, and big data availability. On the opposite end, issues such as frequent power outages in resource-constrained environments make applying standard security schemes challenging. In this chapter, the authors discuss examples that highlight the challenges of applying conventional security solutions to constrained resource environments. They postulate that effective security solutions for these environments require rather unconventional approaches to security-solution design. Such solutions would need to take into consideration environmental and behavioral factors in addition to drawing inspiration in certain cases from natural or biological processes.
Is It Privacy or Is It Access Control?
Authors: Osborn Sylvia L.
Published: September 2014

With the widespread use of online systems, there is an increasing focus on maintaining the privacy of individuals and information about them. This is often referred to as a need for privacy protection. The author briefly examines definitions of privacy in this context, roughly delineating between keeping facts private and statistical privacy that deals with what can be inferred from data sets. Many of the mechanisms used to implement what is commonly thought of as access control are the same ones used to protect privacy. This chapter explores when this is not the case and, in general, the interplay between privacy and access control on the one hand and, on the other hand, the separation of these models from mechanisms for their implementation.
Towards a Paradigm Shift in Higher Education in the MENA Region
Authors: Al-Khatib Hayat
Published: September 2014

Higher education in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has not been able to deliver the needed knowledge and technology transfer to generate productivity and innovation in this part of the world (Arab Economic and Social Summit, 2009; Thomson and Reuters, 2007). Youth unemployment in the MENA region remains the highest in the world, with the Middle East rating 21% and North Africa rating 25%, out of whom one-third are university graduates (World Bank, 2013). The chapter aims to address issues pertaining to the need to shift perspective in higher education in the MENA region, in the light of its growing importance as a developing entity with natural and human resources. The chapter identifies the role of higher education, in policies and practice, in addressing the needs of the region and transforming its resources, human and physical, to further its economic development.
Linking Education to Creating a Knowledge Society
Authors: Weber Alan S.
Published: September 2014

Due to the continued high price of oil and gas, the oil-rich State of Qatar has used its large budget surpluses in the last decade to finance human capacity development, including research, higher education, and the reshaping of its K-12 educational system. This chapter argues that the recent substantial educational reforms in the State of Qatar are closely intertwined with planned future economic transformation (diversification). Although Qatar possesses the world's third largest reserves of natural gas, this resource is ultimately finite and over-reliance on one major economic driver (hydrocarbons) for the bulk of GDP creates boom and bust cycles that have shaped Gulf politics and social development since the 1970s. This chapter examines Qatar's educational efforts to build a knowledge economy to transition away from a resource-rich export-based hydrocarbon economy towards economic activities linked to patents, research, trademarked technologies, skills, and knowledge products.
Critical Review of Curriculum in Legal Financial Studies in Turkey
Authors: Banerji Deboshree , Das Rituparna
Published: September 2014

Curriculum development and legislation are often viewed as parallel issues that do not affect each other; however, it cannot be denied that without a sound legislation or statute development, curriculum development will become stagnant and wither, eventually resulting in the deteriorated quality of manpower and economy alike. Legal financial education in Turkey is relatively new and the country and its academicians as well as legislators need to learn a lot from its peers around the world. Through this chapter, an attempt is made to sensitize the academic community, educational planners, and also the government to the need for developing awareness and knowledge of financial legislations in the phase of sweeping changes that the financial markets are undergoing in the post-crisis period.
Entrepreneurship Approach to Higher Education Policy Aspects
Authors: Deshpande Mukund
Published: September 2014

To disseminate higher education and provide new alternatives to traditional models, an entrepreneurial approach to university education is desirable. Researchers have pleaded that learning and teaching in higher education over the last two decades has provided a variety of concepts, methods, and findings that are of both theoretical interest and practical relevance. Stimulating innovative and growth-oriented entrepreneurship is a key to economic and societal challenge to which universities and colleges have much to contribute. The intent of this chapter is to educate the institutions, students, learners, and the public in general about the path to higher education that is intended in today's globalization scenario to meet with diverse needs of profession, business, and government. In short, the chapter highlights and elaborates the grouping of policies used to achieve higher education leading to elevated standard in the society. This chapter provides material to institutions, universities, and researchers to understand better the growing importance of the MENA region in today's global economy that would facilitate acquiring knowledge for developing the relatively understudied MENA region. This province is looking for prospects in developing higher education owing to its budding significance in the world economy. In particular, the chapter explores how global higher education and technological advancements are influencing the progress and prosperity of this region.
Student Feedback Process in Enhancement of Quality of Higher Education
Authors: Ojasalo Jukka
Published: September 2014

The purpose of this chapter is to increase knowledge of using student feedback in the quality management of higher education. While the literature includes plenty of theories and discussion on the nature of quality, student feedback, and higher education, very few studies have approached student feedback utilization in terms of two parallel processes: universities' and students' processes. However, there is a clear need for such approaches, since university is the service provider and students are the customers. Understanding both sides and both processes gives a new and relevant perspective to this phenomenon. This chapter contributes to the literature by proposing a conceptual process model of using student feedback in the quality enhancement of higher education. The model illustrates two parallel combined processes and their actions: universities' processes and students' processes. The method and model development of this chapter is based on an extensive literature analysis.
Networking International Student Collaboration and Experiential Exercise Projects
Authors: Vargas-Hernández José G.
Published: September 2014

This chapter analyzes and reflects on an experiential exercise from the points of view of instructor and students attending University Center of Economic and Managerial Sciences at University of Guadalajara and participating in the “X-Culture International Student Collaboration Project” as a professional, inter-personal, and inter-institutional networking platform.
On the Intersection of Artificial Intelligence and Distance Education
Authors: Kose Utku
Published: September 2014

In today's world, intelligent systems play an important role in improving humankind's life standards and providing effective solutions for real-world-based problems. In this sense, such intelligent systems are the research outputs of the Artificial Intelligence field in Computer Science. Today, in many fields intelligent systems are widely used to obtain effective and accurate results for the problems encountered. At this point, education is one of the most remarkable fields in which lots of Artificial Intelligence-oriented research works are performed. When we consider the education field in terms of the latest technological developments, we can also see that the e-learning technique and more generally distance education approach are highly associated with the applications of Artificial Intelligence. Therefore, in this chapter the author explores the trends within the interaction between Artificial Intelligence and Distance Education. The chapter is a brief report on current trends of applications of “intelligent distance education” solutions. It also provides a short focus on the future possibilities of the relation of Artificial Intelligence and Distance Education.
Intelligent Educational Support System
Authors: Mutlu-Bayraktar Duygu
Published: September 2014

Increasing student numbers lead to new needs in the education sector. New systems are needed due to expert numbers that are insufficient in specialties, such as instructors, directors, and advisors. Type, goal, and specialty of intelligent systems programmed to satisfy this need are being developed with each passing day. The aim of this chapter is to develop an intelligent system that provides support with schedule, academic orientation, choice of profession, and career planning to students. To make a regular schedule for students would generally cause an inappropriate program, which is hardly followed by students in case they were indiscriminately prepared without any information about students' characteristics. Instead of this method, it is the point to be familiar with the academic success, study, resting, and even meal time of the student, and to know which lessons are studied on which days and to make an appropriate schedule for studying. According to the teachers, it is time-consuming and difficult to perform this method for all students. Within this scope, an intelligent system preparing a study schedule is developed considering the students' characteristics and study habits.
Expert Systems in Distance Education
Authors: Mutlu-Bayraktar Duygu , Esgin Esad
Published: September 2014

Computers have been used in educational environments to carry out applications that need expertise, such as compiling, storing, presentation, and evaluation of information. In some teaching environments that need expert knowledge, capturing and imitating the knowledge of the expert in an artificial environment and utilizing computer systems that have the ability to communicate with people using natural language might reduce the need for the expert and provide fast results. Expert systems are a study area of artificial intelligence and can be defined as computer systems that can approach a problem for which an answer is being sought like an expert and present solution recommendations. In this chapter, the definition of expert systems and their characteristics, information about the expert systems in teaching environments, and especially their utilization in distance education are given.
Design and Development of an Expert System Shell Program and Evaluation of Its Effectiveness
Authors: Tufekci Aslihan
Published: September 2014

In recent years, the amount of software developed to be used in the fields of computer-assisted teaching, e-learning, and distance education, and their quality levels have greatly varied. In order to meet the increasing demand for effective and suitable coursewares at an optimum level, the most convenient method is believed to be that these coursewares should be developed by teachers themselves, and a considerable number of quality studies focusing on these coursewares should be conducted to improve educational processes in general. At this point, the studies and projects benefitting from the advantages of artificial intelligence-based approaches are becoming frequently available in the related literature as an innovative trend. The current chapter deals with the design and development of an “expert system shell program” on the basis of certain specific goals and needs mentioned in the literature. The main objective of the study is to assist teachers in developing their own courseware by using this particular program. The shell program developed within the scope of this study was tested on a group of people that consists of teachers from different fields of teaching and education levels, and its effectiveness was evaluated through certain methods.
Evolutionary Approach for Automatic and Dynamic Modeling of Students' Learning Styles
Authors: Dorça Fabiano Azevedo
Published: September 2014

Most of the distance educational systems consider only little, or no, adaptivity. Personalization according to specific requirements of an individual student is one of the most important features in adaptive educational systems. Considering learning and how to improve a student's performance, these systems must know the way in which an individual student learns best. In this context, this chapter depicts an application of evolutionary algorithms to discover students' learning styles. The approach is mainly based on the non-deterministic and non-stationary aspects of learning styles, which may change during the learning process in an unexpected and unpredictable way. Because of the stochastic and dynamic aspects enclosed in learning process, it is important to gradually and constantly update the student model. In this way, the student model stochastically evolves towards the real student's learning style, considering its fine-tuned strengths. This approach has been tested through computer simulation of students, and promising results have been obtained. Some of them are presented in this chapter.
Optimizing Blended Teaching and Learning in Brick-and-Mortar Institutions
Authors: Agamba Joachim Jack
Published: September 2014

The increase of blended instructional offerings in brick-and-mortar institutions provides leverage for the appropriate utilization of technology for instruction to optimize learning and serve a generation of learners who prefer such environments. However, the question of appropriate use of technology to improve student performance rests on teacher belief. Where faculty believe that they are content experts who should be trusted to deliver instruction as they see fit, the integration of technology becomes a choice. Some faculty see a clear demarcation between curriculum development and instruction as two separate processes involving separate activities (Heinich, 2011). The missing link appears to be a lack of appreciation for the benefits of instructional design principles that increase learning outcomes as a result of interactivity. This chapter focuses on the need for the inclusion of instructional design principles for in-service and pre-service teacher professional development to assist faculty transition effectively to blended instructional delivery. Barriers that impede the appropriate use of technology for blended delivery need to be identified and alternative approaches need to be applied to assist instructors and increase the effective use of technology in blended learning environments that are more learner-centered.
Utilizing Learning Management System (LMS) Tools to Achieve Differentiated Instruction
Authors: Palahicky Sophia
Published: September 2014

Students bring their own knowledge, experiences, and personal interests to brick-and-mortar and virtual classrooms. When instructional strategies and learning activities are developed based on prior knowledge, experiences, and personal interests, the instruction is a form of differentiation. This chapter discusses how Learning Management Systems (LMSs) can help teachers and instructors achieve differentiated instruction that meets individual needs. There are two important implications of differentiated instruction: (a) lessons are tailored to meet individual and diverse student needs, and (b) lessons cannot be planned without knowledge about who the learners are. When taking into consideration that teaching is tailored to meet individual needs, it becomes apparent that differentiated instruction means more work for the teacher or instructor. It also means the teacher or instructor has to continually change learning activities and is not able to use handy pre-designed ones because student progress or lack of progress informs teaching strategies. This chapter argues that differentiated instruction is worth the time and effort because it responds to individual needs, and responsive teaching maximizes each student's success.
Student Outcomes and Retention in Online Academic and Training Programs
Authors: Hubbard R. S.
Published: September 2014

The purpose of this chapter is to examine online education in order to understand how to improve student outcomes and retention. On the surface, although it might appear that the term “online education” only applies to academic institutions, in this chapter, the use of this term also applies to online training programs in business and other organizational settings. Additionally, this chapter offers six specific recommendations that faculty, students, administrators, management, and support staff can undertake to assure that students and faculty will have the resources to successfully complete an online academic or training program. These recommendations are to improve students' abilities to direct their own learning, to facilitate practices that keep students on track, to increase students' abilities to identify with their groups; to enable student groups to achieve goals, to create opportunities for faculty to share best practices, and to implement a management system that tracks the effectiveness of the other recommendations and monitors retention rates.
Blogs in Teacher Education
Authors: Semingson Peggy
Published: September 2014

This chapter examines the content of written blog postings of students enrolled in a face-to-face course focusing on literacy assessment methods and practice for Pre-Service Teachers (PST) seeking elementary teaching certification. The purpose of the study was to examine the transcription of the students' postings and Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) to look for the three types of elements that comprise the Community of Inquiry according to as well as the examination of broader themes and trends across the data (Corbin & Strauss, 1990). Data included blog posts from a 15-week semester with a total of 702 combined posts and comments from a total of 40 undergraduate students. Data were analyzed using the constant-comparative method () and the framework of the Community of Inquiry Model (). Students engaged in various levels of cognitive stages of inquiry while also building on and developing social presence throughout the course. Teacher presence also guided the social construction of knowledge throughout the course. Examination of the teacher presence suggests that the instructor needed to provide more scaffolding in modeling evidence-based practice and problem-solving on the blog as students did not always connect their practice to evidence-based or text-based support.
Mobile Social Media as a Catalyst for Collaborative Curriculum Redesign
Authors: Cochrane Thomas , Guinibert Matthew , Simeti Clinton , Brannigan Ross , Kala Abhishek
Published: September 2014

This chapter illustrates the potential of mobile social media to be used as a catalyst for collaborative curriculum redesign. The authors critique a case study implementing a mobile social media framework for creative pedagogies and draw out the implications of this framework for wider educational contexts. They conclude that an effective mobile social media framework for collaborative curriculum redesign must meet three goals: model the building of learning communities, explore the unique affordances of mobile social media to enable new pedagogies, and establish a supporting technology infrastructure.
A Case Study of Developing Suitable Mobile Learning Technology for a Distance Learning Masters Programme
Authors: Dodman Tracey , Bird Terese , Hopkins David
Published: September 2014

In 2012, following some development work, the Department of Criminology launched a new distance-learning course: the MSc Security, Conflict, and International Development (SCID). The target profile for students looking to enroll in this course were living or working in and around conflict regions; they may be forces personnel or professional staff stationed in areas of conflict or recent conflict. Therefore, reliable Internet connection (broadband or cellular) is often rare or intermittent. The course was designed to give learners a rich learning experience in such a way that their learning could remain largely uninterrupted when they experienced loss of Internet connection. Learners in this course were sent an Apple iPad as part of their course fees and given instructions to download a Course App comprising multimedia-rich learning resources. The programme enabled students to study and learn whilst on the move and provided an opportunity for study where otherwise it would have been very difficult, if not impossible for some. The authors believe they have widened participation and enhanced learning capacity through the innovative programme design. This programme is explored in this chapter.
Mobile Technology in Higher Education
Authors: Deyoe Meghan Morris , Newman Dianna L. , Lamendola Jessica M.
Published: September 2014

Innovative instructional strategies and approaches are in high demand in STEM higher education. Currently, interest lies in the integration of mobile technology within these settings to provide learning opportunities that are flexible and feasible enough to increase student understanding using critical inquiry. Although the positive impact of the use of mobile technology in many pilot settings is known, there are still numerous questions left unanswered in relation to the effectiveness of the use of mobile technology as it is replicated from developer across enthusiastic replicator use to required use. This chapter examines the replication and transferability patterns related to the use of a mobile technology device within and across multiple instructors, settings, context, and content areas. Key variables explored relate to student and instructor prior use and experience with the mobile technology, pedagogical goals, and similarly, content and context to original use.
Opportunities and Challenges of Mobile Technologies in Higher Education Pedagogy in Africa
Authors: Iraki Frederick Kang'ethe
Published: September 2014

Since the late 1990s, Kenya has undergone a real technological revolution, especially in the domain of mobile telephony and Internet connectivity. From a negligible number of handsets in the hands of the political elites, today almost every adult Kenyan has a mobile phone, or access to one. This is thanks to reduced costs following expansion and diversification of the market niche. Despite this remarkable progress, research has shown that cell phones are used mainly for financial transactions, social communication, and entertainment, but hardly for learning purposes. This means that despite the impressive number of smartphone owners in the university, for example, the devices are not used for enhancing student learning or teaching. In Kenya, more than 60% of the population employs mobile banking, thus underscoring the immense potential that the cell phones have for education. This chapter explores the benefits and challenges in employing mobile telephony to improve the quality of teaching and learning.
Promoting Strategic Reading Using the iBooks Author Application
Authors: Auer Natalia
Published: September 2014

Students are increasingly bringing their own mobile devices into the classroom. However, they do not take advantage of the various features that technology offers for supporting learning. The focus of the chapter is on digital reading in learning and particularly in foreign language learning with tablets. The author reviews the literature on digital reading and discusses briefly the use of reading strategies to promote reading comprehension. This is followed by a discussion of how the application iBooks Author was used in a research project in September 2012 in an Adult Education Centre in Denmark. The aim of the project was to determine to what extent students employ reading strategies when using tablets and which functions in the tablets support reading comprehension. Using a theoretical framework for learning strategies, the author discusses the design of digital material embedding reading strategies. The chapter concludes with practical suggestions for teachers and educational designers for promoting strategic reading using the iBooks Author application.
Integrating Mobile Technologies in Multicultural Multilingual Multimedia Projects
Authors: Yildiz Melda N. , Scharaldi Kristine
Published: September 2014

This chapter explores the role of mobile technologies, such as Global Positioning System (GPS) and cell phones and tablet PC technologies, in higher education and professional development; offers creative strategies and possibilities for integrating GPS and mobile technologies into the curriculum with limited resources; outlines participants' projects and digital stories; and demonstrates examples that integrates Maps, Mathematics, and Media Education using cell phones, tablet PCs, and GPS devices in a gallery walk. The study explores a wide range of meanings participants associated with experiential project-based learning activities; the impact of mobile technologies in developing multicultural and multilingual curriculum that promotes inclusive and differentiated instruction; the ways in which participants integrated math, maps, and media into their learning; and how they gained alternative points of view on global education and renewed interest and commitment to community service and socially responsible teaching. This chapter will benefit teacher candidates and teacher educators who seek innovative and cost-effective strategies and tools in higher education.
Web 2.0 Technology Use by Students in Higher Education
Authors: Gitonga Rhoda K. , Murungi Catherine G.
Published: September 2014

Web 2.0 technologies are technologies on the Internet such as blogs, wikis, and online forums that allow people to create, share, collaborate, and communicate their ideas. Blogs are known to enhance team cooperation and foster a learning community within the class. Wikis have been used to promote group work. Online discussion forums assist with problem-based learning. Facebook/Twitter have the potential to support social learning through community networking services such as wall pasting, chatting, content-sharing, and tagging. Despite the enormous potential and apparent cost effectiveness of new learning media for facilitating social-networked learning, problem-based learning, and promoting group work, its application by institutions of higher learning in developing African countries is low. The purpose of the study was to investigate the use of Web 2.0 technologies in teaching and learning in Kenyan universities. The researchers used surveys to collect data for this study. The findings reveal that the use of Web 2.0 technologies by students in Kenyan universities was quite low. Finally, other implications need to be explored in the context of the study, including the learners and the Web 2.0 technology resources available.