bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Persistence and a Creative Facility Solution Enable Successful Development of Stranded Offshore Gas
Authors: Coghlan G.. , Westera D.. , Ritzema K..
Published: March 2015

The F3-FA field is a small, offshore gas field in the Dutch sector of the southern North Sea. The discovery well drilled there in 1971 located rich gas in the Jurassic Scruff Greensand (SGSS) formation; however, its constrained size meant that field appraisal could not take place for another decade, with two wells drilled in 1982. Following appraisal, the field struggled to compete for investment capital and pipeline access against other development opportunities. Ultimately, the original operator exited the field in 2008, and Centrica Energy purchased its equity and field operatorship.

A different opportunity set allowed Centrica and its partner EBN to advance the field development. Uncertainty regarding the dynamic performance of the field and recognition of its limited volumes, and, therefore, limited producing field life, led to the adoption of a self-installing platform (SIP). The platform is currently the largest of its kind in the world at 133 m high, being slightly heavier than the Eiffel Tower and designed for future reuse at another location for the purpose of producing some other small accumulation.

The platform was installed in September 2010, with full processing and compression facilities in place, and tied into the northern offshore-gas-transport (NOGAT) pipeline system. Production is from a single, near-horizontal production well. The well design called for drilling across two fault blocks with potentially different fluid charges and pressures. The reliance on a single development well reflected the marginal nature of the development, with a range of reserves that reflected uncertainty about gas distribution and the dynamic behavior of a reservoir that did not have any analogs to draw on. First production was achieved in January 2011, and, to date, the field has performed strongly, with no indication of the aquifer influx that was an uncertainty going into development. The condensate yield has also proved to be much higher than anticipated.

The prolonged time between exploration and first production is a familiar trait for many small developments in recent years in the southern North Sea, often executed by a new breed of operator. This length of time is also typical of the choices needed to bring such fields to production, given modest reserves and unresolvable subsurface uncertainties.
Temperature-Prediction Model for a Horizontal Well With Multiple Fractures in a Shale Reservoir
Authors: Yoshida Nozomu , Zhu Ding , Hill A.D.. D.
Published: March 2015

Downhole temperature measurements, either by permanent sensors or temporarily conveyed tools, provide information that has been used in many production-diagnosis applications. This paper presents a study that correlates the temperature behavior to the flow profile in a multistage-fractured horizontal well. The ultimate goal is to interpret well performance and to optimize fracture-treatment design from monitored temperature data.

This study has developed flow and thermal models for a system of horizontal wells with transverse fractures under single-phase gas-flow conditions. The system was divided into a horizontal wellbore and a reservoir having multiple fractures. The wellbore-flow and -thermal models were formulated on the basis of mass, momentum, and energy balance. Numerical reservoir simulation was adopted for the reservoir-flow problem, and the reservoir-thermal model was formulated by a transient energy-balance equation, considering viscous dissipation heating and temperature variation caused by fluid expansion in addition to heat conduction and convection. In the reservoir system, the primary hydraulic fractures perpendicular to the horizontal well were modeled explicitly with thin grid cells, and the fracture network around the horizontal well was modeled as an enhanced-permeability zone with respect to the unstimulated-matrix permeability. The reservoir grids between two fractures were spaced logarithmically to capture transient-flow behavior. The reservoir-flow and -thermal models were coupled with the wellbore models to predict the temperature distribution in a horizontal wellbore. The results of the models show two main mechanisms in this thermal problem: head conduction by formation heating/cooling effects at nonperforated zones and wellbore-fluid mixing effects, with reservoir inflow at fracture locations (fluid-entry points).

The examples in the paper illustrate that the models can be used to predict temperature profiles in stimulated horizontal wells for identical or nonidentical transverse fractures. Sensitivity studies were performed to evaluate the influences of fracture conductivity and half-length on temperature behavior in the defined system. The results indicate that the wellbore temperature is sensitive to both the fracture geometry (fracture half-length) and the conductivity across the investigated data range, though they showed different behaviors with time. This work shows that realtime post-fracture temperature-data measurement offers the potential to help evaluate created-fracture parameters, such as fracture conductivity and effective half-lengths.
Environmental Stewardship: Global Applications of a Nonradioactive Method To Identify Proppant Placement and Propped-Fracture Height
Authors: Duenckel R.J.. J. , Palisch T.T.. T. , Han X.. , Saldungaray P..
Published: March 2015

Accurate assessment of intervals receiving proppant and the determination of near-wellbore fracture heights are valuable in assessing and optimizing stimulation strategies. Proppant-placement evaluation in hydraulic fractures has traditionally involved the detection of radioactive (R/A) tracers pumped downhole with the proppant. However, as environmental regulations regarding this technique have tightened, and with increased scrutiny by the public and regulatory bodies of the industry in general and hydraulic fracturing in particular, the need for an alternative to R/A tracers has become paramount.

A new technology for assessing intervals receiving proppant and determining fracture heights by use of a non-R/A detectable proppant has been introduced recently. The technology has found global acceptance and has proved to be a robust and accurate method of locating proppant in the near-wellbore region. In addition to eliminating the safety and environmental concerns with R/A tracers, this new method also provides a permanent indication of the proppant location near the wellbore. Unlike traditional R/A tracers that must be logged before the radioisotopes completely decay, this new method will allow investigation of the proppant pack many years or decades in the future, which will provide critical information during remedial or redevelopment work that cannot be determined with conventional approaches.

A review of the current state of regulatory impediments to the use of R/A tracers in key producing regions around the world is presented, highlighting the need for an alternative diagnostic technology. The technology used in the application of the non-R/A detectable proppant is described, and comparisons with other fracture-diagnostic technologies are presented. Several case histories are shown that illustrate various applications of the technology in regions around the globe. These case histories include applications performed in Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and North America. In addition to identifying proppant location and fracture height, this technology can be used in other applications such as the evaluation of gravel-pack quality. If the current trends in regulatory actions related to hydraulic fracturing continue, it is anticipated that the use of R/A tracers will be restricted to fewer and fewer locales. At the same time, reliable fracture diagnostics for optimization of hydraulic fracturing, from both a wellperformance and a cost-control standpoint, remains extremely important.
NUGGETS Gas Field: Pushing the Operational Barriers
Authors: Saha P.. , Parsa A.. , Abolarin J..
Published: March 2015

The Northern Underwater Gas Gathering, Export, and Treatment System (NUGGETS) subsea development in the northern North Sea consists of five gas wells and a 40- to 70-km tieback to the Alwyn platform, with first gas in 2001 and peak gas production of 6 million std m3/d in 2004. Project life was expected to be 10 years, with the main constraints being methanol (MeOH) requirements for hydrate management and sealine minimum turndown.

Because of increasing water production, the wells were shut in one after another, and the field was scheduled to be decommissioned in 2010. At that time, the minimum recommended MeOH concentration was approximately 28% (wt/wt; MeOH/water), which allowed for a maximum water production of 40 std m3/d. Because of a concerted effort to keep gas rates at targets that respected all constraints and to reduce MeOH use to zero, an additional 4.0 million BOE has been produced from NUGGETS. This represents an incremental recovery of approximately 3%. In addition, the field life has been extended, with the possibility of further prospects being tied into the existing facilities.

With MeOH constraints removed, the new issues became subsea-system-life longevity and reservoir management. Current field-operations philosophy is optimized to respect the minimum gas rate per well with or without water production. It is also aimed to manage water coning in the reservoir. The reservoir has very high permeability with kv/kh ≈ 1 and strong aquifer influx. Moreover, numerical and analytical methods were used to investigate the coning.

This paper provides a critical assessment of the methods used from the flow-assurance, well-performance, and reservoir-management points of view. It concludes with a set of observations and recommendations for operators of dry-gas fields with strong aquifers and long subsea tiebacks.
Coal-Seam-Gas Reservoir Surveillance—Extracting Value From Suspended Coreholes, Surat Basin, Queensland, Australia
Authors: Young S.R.. R. , Norton G.F.C.. F.C. , Foo K.J.. J.
Published: March 2015

In 2009, QGC (a BG Group company) began developing coal-seam-gas (CSG) feedstock for its new liquefied-natural-gas (LNG) plant and required a subsurface model and field-development plan to underpin the investment case for the project. Fundamental to the modeling process was acquiring appropriate data to calibrate subsurface models and enhance confidence in their predictive quality. As part of an integrated reservoir-surveillance strategy, specific pressure- and temperature-monitoring wells were required.

This paper describes the successful laboratory and field implementation of an innovative completion technique that converts suspended coreholes into reservoir- and aquifer-monitoring wells. The coreholes are re-entered, and vibrating wire piezometers attached to capillary coiled tubing are positioned and cemented in place alongside selected reservoir intervals. The well is then “plugged and abandoned,” and the lease is remediated to leave only a small surface footprint for the data logger and telemetry. The cement is effectively impermeable to fluid movement, but possesses sufficient permeability to transmit reservoir pore pressure to an adjacent piezometer.

Recompletion of coreholes provides a cost-effective means of acquiring valuable downhole data while eliminating the need to drill a well specifically for monitoring in the same vicinity. Data gathered over the reservoir interval (the Walloon Coal Measures) can inform and help resolve reservoir properties on a regional scale, enhance understanding of the contribution to flow, and provide data points to pressure match a reservoir model. Data gathered over the aquifers within Springbok sandstone and Gubbermunda sandstone enable estimates of any CSG-production effects on groundwater.
Semiquantitative Applications of Downhole-Temperature Data in Subsurface Surveillance
Authors: Wu Xingru , Sui Weibo , Jiang Yuanlin
Published: March 2015

Permanent downhole-pressure and -temperature gauges have been installed in many intelligent wells worldwide, providing high-resolution and precision surveillance data about the performance of wells and reservoirs. Compared with the pressure data, the temperature data have been underused in the petroleum industry.

In this paper, we first examine the measured downhole-temperature variation caused by the Joule-Thomson effect and infer the true reservoir temperature and the skin history from the temperature data. An analytical relationship between the temperature data and the skin is presented. Through the use of this relationship, many purposeful surveillance studies, such as monitoring the skin change of the well, can be conducted. Examples of such studies will be provided and discussed using some deepwater-field data.

Furthermore, the downhole temperature can be used to detect whether water breakthrough occurs by means of matrix or fracture through use of the thermal retardation factor. When coupled with the production data and pressure-falloff (PFO) tests, the downhole-temperature data can be used to estimate the water-breakthrough time. The application of this analysis is of practical interest for subsea-well development because of the prohibitive costs and high risks of production logging.
Filtration in Frac Packs and Its Impact on Injector Performance
Authors: Hwang Jongsoo , Sharma M.M.. M.
Published: March 2015

The filtration of solids in the injection water in a frac pack is the primary factor controlling the injectivity decline in frac-packed water-injection-well completions. The injectivity may decline rapidly or much more slowly, depending on the degree of frac-pack filtration. The widening and lengthening of frac packs and the associated loss of sand control are affected also. However, there are no experimental data available for the filtration coefficient at high velocities that are typical in frac packs. In this research, the filtration coefficients were measured experimentally in high-velocity flows encountered in frac packs. The solid concentrations and pressure drops across proppant-pack sections were measured and correlated with earlier filtration theory and permeability-decline models. The filtration coefficients were measured at various flow rates and for different proppant sizes. Our experiments show that at high fluid velocities, the filtration coefficient is significantly lower than that estimated from prior correlations that are based on low-velocity filtration.

We have developed new empirical correlations for filtration coefficients at high flow rates in frac packs. The improved filtration coefficients were used as the primary input into a well-injectivity model. The proper estimation of the filtration enabled us to more accurately analyze the impact of injection rates and proppant selection on injector performance (i.e., predict long-term injection-well behavior). The effect of particle filtration in the frac pack, and its effect on injector performance, was captured accurately for the first time. The newly presented empirical correlations coupled with a model for frac-pack growth in the injection well allowed us to estimate accurately the fracture dimensions and the long-term water injectivity of frac-packed injectors. These results can be used for frac-pack design, proppant selection, and specification of injection-water quality.
A Mechanistic Slug-Liquid-Holdup Model for Different Oil Viscosities and Pipe-Inclination Angles
Authors: Wang S.. , Zhang H.-Q.. -Q. , Sarica C.. , Pereyra E..
Published: March 2015

Slug liquid holdup is one of the most important parameters of slug flow. It is closely related to the average liquid holdup and pressure gradient of slug flow in wells and pipelines. The mechanistic models of Barnea and Brauner (1985) and of Zhang et al. (2003a) are based on the turbulent liquid-slug assumption for low-viscosity oils. However, for high-viscosity oil, the liquid slug is laminar because of the low slug Reynolds number. In this study, a mechanistic slug-liquid-holdup model is developed for low- and high-oil-viscosity slug flows. The model is based on two shear mixings: shear mixing between the slug front and pipe wall and shear mixing between the slug body and liquid film. The model uses slug-flow characteristics that can be calculated by solving the continuity and momentum equations of slug flow. A data bank consisting of 418 slug-liquid-holdup measurements that were obtained from various authors is used to analyze and validate the model. In the data bank, liquid viscosity ranges from 0.0016 to 0.589 Pa·s (1.6 to 589 cp). Pipe-inclination angle ranges from −30° to upward vertical. Pipe inside diameter varies from 5.08 to 10 cm. Statistical evaluations are conducted and compared with predictions of other models, and significant improvement is observed in the performance of the new model.
Development of a Tool to Assess Hydrate-Plug-Formation Risk in Oil-Dominant Pipelines
Authors: Aman Zachary M. , Zerpa Luis E. , Koh Carolyn A. , Sum Amadeu K.
Published: March 2015

This work presents a new simple algorithm for the rapid screening of hydrate plug formation risk, using experimental models of gas hydrate plug formation in oil-dominant systems. The algorithm is based on hydrate formation from an emulsified water phase, where resultant hydrate particles may interact to form large aggregates that increase slurry viscosity and pressure drop. Predictions of pressure drop were compared with a hydrate-forming industrial flow loop, resulting in average absolute deviations between model and experiment of less than 5 psi for liquid-phase Reynolds numbers of less than 75,000 and water content below 70 vol% of all liquid.
Tubing Anchors Can Reduce Production Rates and Pump Fillage
Authors: McCoy James N. , Lynn Rowlan O.. , Taylor Carrie A. , Podio A.L.. L.
Published: March 2015

Modern completion techniques have greatly increased the production-rate capability of wells. Many wells have the potential to produce more liquid and gas, but the use of tubing anchors in certain wellbore locations chokes the gas flow up the casing and results in increased backpressure against the formation, which restricts production from the well. A gaseous liquid column can form above the tubing anchor and cause high pressure in the gas below the tubing anchor that restricts the liquid and gas flow from the reservoir.

Often, low pump fillage and low production rates are blamed on a poor gas separator, when actually the separator is operating efficiently and is separating the liquid from the gas. In the condition described, all of the liquid in the wellbore below the tubing anchor falls to the pump and is being removed by the pump. The problem is that high pressure in the gas column below the tubing anchor is restricting production from the well. Additional production is available if the high pressure that is restricting production from the formation is removed. The accumulation of a gaseous liquid column above the tubing anchor when constant low pump fillage is observed indicates that liquid exists above the tubing anchor whereas only free gas exists from the tubing anchor down to the pump. Limited liquid production falls down the casing wall, while the casing annulus is almost completely filled with gas if the pump is set below the formation (McCoy et al. 2013).

Field testing with automated fluid-level-measurement equipment to perform liquid-depression tests verifies that a gaseous liquid column exists (Rowlan et al. 2008) above the tubing anchor and a gas column exists below the tubing anchor in wells with high fluid levels, with low pump fillage, and with the tubing anchor located above the pump. These field data were acquired on several wells and are shown to verify the preceding analysis of the well's performance. This fluid-distribution condition is not generally known. Locating the tubing anchor below the pump prevents this condition and will improve production in these wells.
Measurement and Analysis of Logistics Energy Efficiency in China from
Perspective of Total Factor Productivity
Authors: Li-Guo Zhang
Published: March 2015

Based on data envelopment analysis model (DEA), this paper constructs a measure function of logistics energy
efficiency. Using provincial panel data from 2003 to 2009, it measures logistics energy efficiency in China from
perspective of total factor productivity and analyzes the dynamic changes and regional disparity of logistics energy
efficiency. The results show that, (1) the average growth rate of energy consume of China logistics is 13.8%, and the
output value of that is only 5.7%;(2) The highest efficiency province is Hebei and the lowest is Yunnan which is only
0.3547. (3) The logistics energy efficiency of China in three regions was found while the East is best which 0.815 is, and
the West is the worst which is 0.472.
Mode Choice Behavior of Various Airport User Groups for Ground Airport Access
Authors: Roh Hyuk-Jae
Published: March 2015

In this research, we used a multinomial logit (MNL) discrete choice analysis technique to deepen the
understanding of the mode choice behavior of various airport user groups categorized by trip purpose and trip distance for
ground airport access. We used revealed preference (RP) data collected by an on-site-survey administrated by the Korea
Transport Institute (KOTI) at the Kimpo International Airport passenger terminal in South Korea. Initially, four basic
models were selected from a variety of model specifications, and these were analyzed to address general preferences in
mode choice. The models were then evaluated in terms of the resulting estimation. The best-fitting model specification
among four models was chosen for further study. Both trip distance models (standard-distance (SD) and long-distance
(LD)) and trip purpose models (departing (D) and non-departing (ND)) were estimated. The results analyzed in this study
encompass an unambiguous spectrum of mode choice behaviors associated with distinct airport user groups. The
fundamental information, either revealed or reflected by modeling ground airport access for various airport user groups,
could be essential not only to transportation planners -especially at the first phase of airport planning- but also to airport
authorities faced with difficulties in managing ground transportation facilities to effectively serve airport users.
Heat pipe heat exchanger and its potential to energy recovery in the tropics
Authors: Yau Yat , Ahmadzadehtalatapeh Mohammad
Published: March 2015

The heat recovery by the heat pipe heat exchangers was studied in the
tropics. Heat pipe heat exchangers with two, four, six, and eight numbers of
rows were examined for this purpose. The coil face velocity was set at 2 m/s
and the temperature of return air was kept at 24?C in this study. The
performance of the heat pipe heat exchangers was recorded during the one week
of operation (168 hours) to examine the performance data. Then, the collected
data from the one week of operation were used to estimate the amount of
energy recovered by the heat pipe heat exchangers annually. The effect of the
inside design temperature and the coil face velocity on the energy recovery
for a typical heat pipe heat exchanger was also investigated. In addition,
heat pipe heat exchangers were simulated based on the effectiveness-NTU
method, and their theoretical values for the thermal performance were
compared with the experimental results.
Modeling of the working cycle of the pressure-powered pump
Authors: Kolendic Petar , Genic Srbislav , Jacimovic Branislav , Cupric Nenad , Jakimov Sasa , Radanov Branka
Published: March 2015

This paper presents an analysis of working parameters of the pressure-powered
pump. Mathematical models for determining the pump filling and discharge
periods were developed and statistically compared to experimental results.
The statistical parameters of the final correlation between here presented
mathematical model and experimental results are in the acceptable range. Pump
characteristics are presented in the common manner: in the form of the pump
head vs. capacity diagram.
Evaporation and condensation of falling binary liquid film
Authors: Nasr Abdelaziz , Al-Ghamdi Abdulmajeed
Published: March 2015

This paper investigates a numerical analysis of coupled heat and mass
transfer during the simultaneous evaporation and condensation in the
presence of a binary liquid film flowing on one of two parallel vertical
plates under mixed convection. The first plate of a vertical channel is
externally insulated and wetted by a binary liquid film while the second one
is dry and isothermal. The liquid mixture consists of water (the more
volatile component) and ethylene glycol while the gas mixture has three
components: dry air, water vapour and ethylene glycol vapour. The conducted
simulations enable the analysis of the heat and mass transfer during water
evaporation and ethylene glycol condensation for different inlet gas
properties. It is found that an increase of the inlet vapour concentration
of ethylene glycol enhances the water evaporation while the increase of the
inlet vapour concentration of water slightly enhances the ethylene glycol
vapour condensation. The increase of inlet gas temperature considerably
benefits the water evaporation and slightly influences the ethylene glycol
condensation.
Preparation and characterization of copper oxide nanoparticles and determination of enhancement in critical heat flux
Authors: Kshirsagar Jagdeep , Shrivastava Ramakant , Adwani Prakash
Published: March 2015

The main focus of the present work is to prepare the CuO nanoparticles by
economical Sol-Gel method and further to prepare the CuO nanofluid with base
fluid as deionised water. The size of nanoparticles is determined by Debye-
Scherer formula and size of the particles is conformed 20.4054nm. Critical
heat flux characteristics of nanofluid were investigated with different
weight concentrations of CuO nanoparticles. The experimental work revealed an
increase in critical heat flux value just about 57.26 percent. Surface
roughness of heater surface is measured for all weight concentrations of
nanofluid which shows increase in Ra value up to some extent is a cause to
enhance CHF.
Experimental study on density, thermal conductivity, specific heat, and viscosity of water-ethylene glycol mixture dispersed with carbon nanotubes
Authors: Ganeshkumar Jayabalan , Kathirkaman Durai , Raja Kandhaswamy , Kumaresan Vellisamy , Velraj Ramalingam
Published: March 2015

This article presents the effect of adding multi wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) in water ? ethylene glycol mixture on density and various thermophysical properties such as thermal conductivity, specific heat and viscosity. Density of nanofluids was measured using standard volumetric flask method and the data showed a good agreement with the mixing theory. The maximum thermal conductivity enhancement of 11 % was noticed for the nanofluids with 0.9 wt. %. Due to lower specific heat of the MWCNT, the specific heat of the nanofluids decreased in proportion with the MWCNT concentration. The rheological analysis showed that the transition region from shear thinning to Newtonian extended to the higher shear stress range compared to that of base fluids. Viscosity ratio of the nanofluids augmented anomalously with respect to increase in temperature and about 2.25 fold increase was observed in the temperature range of 30 ? 40 ?C. The modified model of Maron and Pierce predicted the viscosity of the nanofluids with the inclusion of effect of aspect ratio of MWCNT and nanoparticle aggregates.
Selected coelomic fluid parameters of sterlet, Acipenser ruthenus L.: effects of light color and photoperiod
Authors: Azarin Hajar , Aramli Mohammad Sadegh , Naderi Fatemeh
Published: March 2015

Light and color have effect physiological aspects of fish such as growth, the neuro-hormonal system, and reproduction. In the present study, the effects of light color and photoperiod on the levels of selected parameters of coelomic fluid (glucose, total protein, cholesterol, calcium, magnesium) of female sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus) were investigated. Thirty-six broodstock were kept in 12 experimental tanks (500 l) for six months. The fish were reared under four different light regimes (two photoperiods of 18L:6D and 6L:18D and two colors - red and blue) at an intensity of 150 Lx (three replicates). Fish reared under the red-long photoperiod had the highest concentration of the selected parameters of the coelomic fluid. Moreover, significant differences were noted in the all the parameters in fish reared under the red-long photoperiod in comparison with fish from the other treatments (P < 0.05). The results indicate that light (color and photoperiod) influences egg quality during the final stage of A. ruthenus reproduction.
Administrative, legal, natural, and socioeconomic factors that impede the functioning and development of inland fisheries in Poland
Authors: Mickiewicz Maciej , Wołos Arkadiusz
Published: March 2015

The results of a questionnaire survey of the managers of fisheries enterprises entitled to operate in fisheries zones are presented. The aim of the study was to determine the degree to which selected factors have a negative impact on the functioning and development of fisheries. The impediment posed by the different factors was determined with a rating scale. The factors that posed impediments were ranked, from greatest to smallest, as follows: cormorant predation on ichthyofauna; commercial and recreational fisheries poaching; national and local administrations (e.g., flawed laws, bureaucracy, incompetence, etc.); unenforced regulations and laws or the lack of them; excessive leasing fees; water eutrophication and pollution; development of recreation linked with the aquatic environment; eco-terrorism, other fees payable to the state in addition to leasing fees; difficulties with selling fish; recreational fisheries pressure.
Student-Centred Outcomes of an E-Learning Course on Public Health in Hanoi and New York
Authors: Tran Bach Xuan , Nguyen Quyen Le Thi , Nong Vuong Minh , Maher Rachel Marie , Nguyen Anh Tuan , Nguyen Huyen Anh , Nguyen Cuong Tat , Phuc Do Huyen , Lai Thi Hoa , Thi Le Huong
Published: March 2015

Background We evaluated the satisfaction and improvement in learning outcomes of students taking a distance course in Public Health facilitated by the Institute for Preventive Medicine and Public Health at the Hanoi Medical University and the State University of New York at Albany.

Methods A total of 36 students participated in pre- and post- course surveys online. We developed the Vietnamese E-Learning Student Outcomes Profile (VESOP) to evaluate the impact of distance learning methods on students’ learning outcomes. Factor analysis was applied to construct the measure items into five domains: Academic Skills, Intellectual Abilities, Interactions, Responsibility and Educational Engagement. Multivariate regression models, selected using stepwise approach, determined factors associated with changes in students’ learning outcomes. Student satisfaction with the course was assessed by determining their willingness to participate in and pay for future distance learning courses.

Results The students showed moderate improvement in “Interactions” and large improvements in the other four domains. Factors associated with improvements included previous academic performance, English proficiency, ease of access to the internet and computers, and time spent studying. All students passed the course, all would be willing to take another distance learning course, and 26 students would be willing to pay for such as course with certification.

Conclusions Findings of this study highlight the potential of distance learning as a complementary educational method that could greatly benefit Public Health students. It encourages and supports the development of such training programs for Public Health students in Vietnam.
Tpdk, a New Definition of the Tpack Model for a University Setting
Authors: Bachy Sylviane
Published: March 2015

In this paper we propose a new Technopedagogical Disciplinary Knowledge model. This model integrates four separate dimensions, which we use to measure a teacher’s effectiveness. These are the individual teacher’s discipline (D), personal epistemology (E), pedagogical knowledge (P), and knowledge of technology (T). We also acknowledge the existence of relationships between these components. These can be more or less correlated depending on the teacher’s individual profile. They are always present, but they do not necessarily have the same weighting. In order to test the potential differences between teachers’ profiles, we designed a questionnaire, which tested our model’s components, and the relationships between them. This questionnaire was initially submitted to a group of teachers with whom we were familiar, to ensure the questions were understandable and that, based on what we already knew of the teachers’ characteristics, the profiles that emerged were reliable. A second test was then carried out, which we used to compare the answers of university and non-university level teachers, based in the two institutions in which we work. This second questionnaire was used to test the consistency of responses, and the correlations between the model’s different dimensions. Having analysed the outcome of these questionnaires, it appears that “pedagogical knowledge” is significantly correlated with the other three dimensions. This consolidated framework has helped us to build a system of education development coaching for teaching practices that use technology widely.
The Effects of Social Networking Sites in Distance Learning on Learners’ Academic Achievements
Authors: Özmen Büşra , Atıcı Bünyamin
Published: March 2015

The general aim of this study is to determine the effects of learning management systems supported by social networking sites on learners’ academic achievements in distance education. The study group consisted of 75 undergraduate students from a state university in eastern Turkey. The data for the study, in which an experimental research design was used, were collected through an achievement test, which consisted of 40 multiple-choice questions. Within the scope of the research, a learning management system and a social networking site were utilized in a distance education course. As a result of the research, it was seen that social network supported distance learning activities created a more positive effect on the achievements of the learners than the distance learning activities. Also, it was determined that social network supported distance education activities were more effective in the acquisition of behaviours at the knowledge level of the cognitive domain than activities in other groups; however, the groups were not different from each other in relation to the acquisition of behaviours at the comprehension level of the cognitive domain. In this context, it was concluded that the learning management systems used in distance education should be supported by social networking sites to increase the academic achievement of learners.
Case for ‘Passive’ Learning – the ‘Silent’ Community of Online Learners
Authors: Smith Donna , Smith Katy
Published: March 2015

This paper examines two modules within the Faculty of Social Sciences at The Open University (OU) and considers the extent to which ‘passive’ learning may be taking place. Both are level one modules (first year undergraduate) and use a combination of asynchronous (forums) and synchronous (Blackboard Collaborate technology, branded ‘OU Live’) technologies for teaching. The data reveals that student ‘passive engagement’ with forums (reading messages in a forum, but not ‘actively’ posting, colloquially known as lurking) is far higher than ‘active engagement’ (posting in the forum). The data also shows that participation in OU Live is very low. This initially suggests that teaching and learning strategies needs to be reconsidered, to encourage or increase ‘active engagement’. However, the data, alongside literature, also suggests that some students may find value in engaging ‘passively’. From the perspective of a Higher Education (HE) institute such as the OU, this may have implications for the tuition delivery strategy used to deliver the module material, as well as how staff development occurs for the tutors that deliver the material. For example, rather than focus a significant effort on encouraging students to participate in active forum use, the emphasis may need to be shifted to ensuring that appropriate/sufficient material is available to ‘passive engagers’.
Web 2.0 Use in Higher Education
Authors: Rogers-Estable Michelle
Published: March 2015

This study analyzed current uses of emerging Web 2.0 technologies in higher education with the intent to better understand which tools teachers are using in the classroom. A total of 189 faculty in higher education from three western US universities were invited to participate, with 54 completing the survey. The survey included open-ended questions as well to offer an alternative analysis approach. In this study, the respondents claimed that the intrinsic factors of a lack of time and training were the main barriers to use, and reported positive views of Web 2.0 use in class, with 75% saying that these tools would benefit students and 83% saying they would benefit teacher-student interactions. In contrast to these results only 44% of the respondents used at least 4 of the 13 listed Web 2.0 tools with students. The reported uses did not match with the reported benefits, and this would support the results that extrinsic factors (time, training, support), instead of intrinsic factors (beliefs, motivation, confidence) are the main barriers to faculty in this study using more Web 2.0 in education. The top five Web 2.0 tools used, in order of preference, follow: (a) video sharing with tools like YouTube; (b) instant messaging; (c) blogs; (d) social communities, such as Facebook; and (e) podcasts or video casts. This data was originally submitted to the Abraham S. Fischler School of Education in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education.
Introducing a Structured Format for Learner Selfassessment: the Tutor’S Perspective
Authors: Jacobs Clare , Winnard Yvette , Elliott Vicki
Published: March 2015

This paper describes our experience of introducing a structured format for students requesting formative feedback on draft work. Initially the aims were to encourage the development of selfassessment skills in distance-learning students and to develop the dialogue between student and tutor. In 2013 we considered the benefits of this initiative could be applied to campus based students with a similar profile. The experiences of staff involved in this process were collated and the advantages and challenges recorded.

Our experience confirms this process results in high quality, specific and consistent feedback which can impact on students’ success in summative assessment. The development of trust in the process results in useful dialogue and increased self-esteem as students gain confidence in their critical-thinking skills. An unexpected benefit shows students utilise the process to express anxieties about, not only their studies, but personal and work challenges, thereby enabling us to provide additional support.

The most challenging aspect for tutors is the time required to provide feedback in this format. This process highlights distinct benefits for students and in our view these outweigh the issue of tutor time, but resources need to be addressed before it can be used effectively for larger cohorts.
The Flipped-Classroom Approach: The Answer to Future Learning?
Authors: Kurtz Gila , Tsimerman Alexandr , Steiner-Lavi Orna
Published: March 2015

The study examines students’ assessments of the use of the flipped classroom approach in an undergraduate course in the Business Department at the College for Academic Studies in Israel. In its essence, learners prepare for classes by watching videos away from class, allowing the classroom encounter to focus on discussion, exercises, and discourse. Data were collected by a questionnaire distributed toward the end of the course. The students reported that watching videos between lessons enhanced interest, alleviated boredom, and enriched the learning. To a lesser extent, they reported it increased their involvement in learning, understanding of the learning material, and confidence in their ability to understand it. While acknowledging the convenience of watching course videos between classes, however, the participants clearly preferred to watch them in class. Multivariate analysis revealed that working students were less positive about using the flipped-classroom approach than non-working students, female students were more positive than male ones, and older students were more positive than younger ones. Furthermore, the stronger the senses of having classmates nearby, the more positive the participants were about the contribution of watching the videos.
Online Full-Time Faculty’S Perceptions of Ideal Evaluation Processes
Authors: DeCosta Meredith , Bergquist Emily , Holbeck Rick , Greenberger Scott
Published: March 2015

Post-secondary institutions around the world use various methods to evaluate the teaching performance of faculty members. Effective evaluations identify areas of instructional strength, provide faculty with opportunities for growth, and allow for reflective inquiry. While there is an extensive body of research related to the evaluation of faculty in traditional settings, there have been few studies examining online faculty members’ perceptions of evaluation processes. The present study involved dissemination of an e-survey to online full-time faculty at a large university in the Southwest United States, as well as qualitative content analysis of survey data. Findings suggest that online full-time faculty expressed interest in improvement as instructors, distinct from modality, and preferred descriptive, qualitative, and holistic feedback rather than quantitative or punitive feedback. Further, participants articulated a desire to be evaluated by those with content-specific knowledge rather than teaching expertise in the online environment. This study has implications for online distance administrators and those stakeholders involved in online faculty evaluation. Additional research is needed to continue to establish a baseline for how online faculty members conceptualize ideal evaluation processes.
Learning Innovation: A Framework for Transformation
Authors: Salmon Gilly
Published: March 2015

Learning with and through technological enhancements operates in a landscape unrecognisable only a few years ago. Focussing on Higher Education, this article shows how to capture and model complex strategic processes that will move the potential of online and blended learning in universities to new stages of development. It offers the example of a four quadrant model created as a framework for an online and blended learning innovation strategy, and its successful implementation in practice.
Rapid Evaluation of Germinability of Primed China Aster (Callistephus Chinensis Ness.) Seeds with Physiological and Biochemical Markers
Authors: Badek Bogumiła , Romanowska-Duda Zdzisława , Grzesik Mieczysław , Duijn Bert van
Published: March 2015

The correlation between the sowing value of primed China aster seeds represented by germination percentage (GP), mean germination time (MGT), germination uniformity expressed as the time between 25% and 75% of germinated seeds (T75-25) and some selected physiological characteristics - total activity of dehydrogenases (TAD), activity of catalase (AC), activity of cell cycle (ACC) and electrolyte leakage (EL) has been analysed in order to find useful markers of biological quality of seeds. To achieve this objective, analyses of effects of three methods of water supply to seeds viz. - hydroconditioning by soaking in excessive amount of water (M1), hydroconditioning by soaking in limited amount of water (M2) or hydroconditioning by contact with solid carrier of water - matriconditioning (M3), three levels (30.0, 35.0 and 40.0%) of seed moisture content (m.c.) and three incubation periods (1, 8 and 10 days) during priming and hence their influence on germination properties (GP, MGT, T75-25) in comparison with TAD, AC, ACC and EL were determined. The results showed that MGT and T75-25 were correlated with TAD, AC, ACC and EL, irrespective of their priming method and sowing value. Therefore, all the investigated physiological/biochemical parameters of seed quality can be used as markers of germinability and sowing value reached by primed China aster seeds. The results also proved that, irrespective of the water supply method applied, hydration of seeds up to 37.5% m.c., and their incubation at 20 °C for 8 days, followed by drying to their initial moisture content, increased to the greatest extent the speed and uniformity of seed germination and their physiological activity.
In Vitro Propagation Of Nepalese Orchids: A Review
Authors: Silva Jaime A. Teixeira da , Acharya Kamal P.
Published: March 2015

Nepalese orchids are made up of 458 taxa. Despite a ban on the collection and trade of all orchid species in Nepal, numerous anthropogenic factors are leading to the rapid loss of natural stands of germplasm. Biotechnology, specifically in vitro propagation, may be the only viable solution for preserving and reintroducing endangered germplasm back into the wild. Despite the large germplasm base, only tissue culture studies have been conducted, and most have focused almost exclusively on in vitro seed germination, the bulk of which have been conducted in the past few years. No other biotechnological advances have yet been made. This brief review provides a short synopsis of the advances made thus far in the in vitro propagation of Nepalese orchids.
Changes In The Expression Of Three Cold-Regulated Genes In ‘Elsanta’ And ‘Selvik’ Strawberry (Fragaria × Ananassa) Plants Exposed To Freezing
Authors: Badek Bogumiła , Napiórkowska Bogusława , Masny Agnieszka , Korbin Małgorzata
Published: March 2015

Cold temperatures in midwinter and late-spring frosts cause severe damages to strawberry plants cultivated in temperate climate regions. Despite the seriousness of the problem, the plant mechanism of defense against cold stress has not been fully elucidated yet, especially in its molecular aspect. The presented investigations were conducted on the cold-susceptible cultivar ‘Elsanta’ and the cold-tolerant cultivar ‘Selvik’. Expression profiles of three genes (CBF4, COR47 and F3H) were determined at three time-points: 0, 6 and 12 weeks after sub-zero treatment at -12 °C. The CBF4 gene was very strongly up-regulated in ‘Selvik’ plants and the highest value of the transcript level was detected just after the treatment (time - point 0). The F3H transcript in the treated ‘Selvik’ plants reached the level 4 times higher than in control plants in the 12th week after treatment (time-point 3). In ‘Elsanta’ plants, the CBF4 and COR47 genes were slightly up-regulated (time-point 2), while the F3H gene showed stability of expression. High positive correlation between the transcript level of COR47 and transcript level of CBF4 genes was observed for both cultivars.