Use of signaling to integrate desktop virtual reality and online learning management systems

Desktop virtual reality is an emerging educational technology that offers many potential benefits for learners in online learning contexts; however, a limited body of research is available that connects current multimedia learning techniques with these new forms of media. Because most formal online learning is delivered using learning management systems, it is important to consider how to best integrate the visually complex and highly concrete desktop virtual reality into more text-driven and abstract environments such as those found in learning managements systems. This review of literature examines recent signaling literature within the context of multimedia learning and hypermedia learning. Signaling is a technique that involves using cues to emphasize important information in materials (Mayer, 2009, pp. 108–117). The analysis concluded that the depth and breadth of signaling literature is severely lacking. While certain related bodies of literature can be used to inform signaling research in desktop virtual reality and online learning management systems, no studies were found that directly address these topics. This article makes several important contributions to the body of signaling literature. First, based on what is known through literature, this article is a first attempt at examining signaling as a technique for integrating desktop virtual reality with online learning management systems. Second, this analysis resolves an important gap in literature by differentiating between signaling and cueing. Third, this article provides a survey of recent signaling-related literature and identifies specific areas that inform future work with desktop virtual reality delivered using online learning management systems. Finally, a taxonomy for classifying multimedia and hypermedia is presented as a tool for more effectively describing interventions used in signaling research.     

Self‐Assembly of Ferromagnetic Organic–Inorganic Perovskite‐Like Films

Perovskite‐based organic–inorganic hybrids hold great potential as active layers in electronics or optoelectronics or as components of biosensors. However, many of these applications require thin films grown with good control over structure and thickness—a major challenge that needs to be addressed. The work presented here is an effort towards this goal and concerns the layer‐by‐layer deposition at ambient conditions of ferromagnetic organic–inorganic hybrids consisting of alternating CuCl₄‐octahedra and organic layers. The Langmuir‐Blodgett technique used to assemble these structures provides intrinsic control over the molecular organization and film thickness down to the molecular level. Magnetic characterization reveals that the coercive field for these thin films is larger than that for solution‐grown layered bulk crystals. The strategy presented here suggests a promising cost effective route to facilitate the excellently controlled growth of sophisticated materials on a wide variety of substrates that have properties relevant for the high density storage media and spintronic devices.     

Phase diagrams of Sc-M(IV–VII)-C systems

Translated from Poroshkovaya Metallurgiya, No. 9(321), pp. 49–57, September, 1989.     

Exploring Relationships Between Eye Tracking and Traditional Usability Testing Data

This study explored the relationships between eye tracking and traditional usability testing data in the context of analyzing the usability of Algebra Nation?, an online system for learning mathematics used by hundreds of thousands of students. Thirty-five undergraduate students (20 females) completed seven usability tasks in the Algebra Nation? online learning environment. The participants were asked to log in, select an instructor for the instructional video, post a question on the collaborative wall, search for an explanation of a mathematics concept on the wall, find information relating to Karma Points (an incentive for engagement and learning), and watch two instructional videos of varied content difficulty. Participants’ eye movements (fixations and saccades) were simultaneously recorded by an eye tracker. Usability testing software was used to capture all participants’ interactions with the system, task completion time, and task difficulty ratings. Upon finishing the usability tasks, participants completed the System Usability Scale. Important relationships were identified between the eye movement metrics and traditional usability testing metrics such as task difficulty rating and completion time. Eye tracking data were investigated quantitatively using aggregated fixation maps, and qualitative examination was performed on video replay of participants’ fixation behavior. Augmenting the traditional usability testing methods, eye movement analysis provided additional insights regarding revisions to the interface elements associated with these usability tasks.     

State-resolved spectroscopy of high vibrational levels of water up to the dissociative continuum

We summarize here our experimental studies of the high rovibrational energy levels of water. The use of double-resonance vibrational overtone excitation followed by energy-selective photofragmentation and laser-induced fluorescence detection of OH fragments allowed us to measure previously inaccessible rovibrational energies above the seventh OH-stretch overtone. Extension of the experimental approach to triple-resonance excitation provides access to rovibrational levels via transitions with significant transition dipole moments (mainly OH-stretch overtones) up to the dissociation threshold of the O-H bond. A collisionally assisted excitation scheme enables us to probe vibrations that are not readily accessible via pure laser excitation. Observation of the continuous absorption onset yields a precise value for the O-H bond dissociation threshold, 41?145.94 ± 0.15?cm(-1). Finally, we detect long-lived resonances as sharp peaks in spectra above the dissociation threshold.     

Colour in short-term thermo-mechanically densified veneer of various wood species

Effect of short-term thermo-mechanical (STTM) densification temperature and pressure on the surface colour of veneer of four wood species—alder (Alnus glutinosa Gaertn.), beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), birch (Betula verrucosa Ehrh.), and pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) as well as possible correlations among all determined colour parameters (L*, a*, b*, h, C* and ?E) were investigated. Veneer sheets were densified at temperatures of 100, 150 or 200 °C and pressures of 4, 8 or 12 MPa for 4 min. The results were compared with those of non-densified veneers. The colour change of the samples was evaluated by CIEL*a*b* and L*h*C* colour co-ordinate systems. The results indicated: the temperature and pressure of densification affected to a big extent the colour of the veneer samples, with the effect of densification temperature being more evident than that of pressure. After the densification process, the veneers darkened. Colour changes are most pronounced at the highest densification temperature of 200 °C and very small at the lower temperatures of 100 and 150 °C for all investigated wood species. The change in a* is more pronounced than the change in L* or b*. In general, alder and birch veneer samples are characterized by the highest values of total colour difference followed by pine and beech samples among the four species. The quadratic models can be used for the prediction of surface colour in the densification process. The results of this study indicate that it is possible to govern surface colouration of wood veneers during densification process on an industrial basis.     

Gloss of thermally densified alder (Alnus glutinosa Goertn.), beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), birch (Betula verrucosa Ehrh.), and pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) wood veneers

Thermo-mechanical densification of wood is performed to improve physical and mechanical properties of wood. During this treatment aesthetic properties of wood, including gloss, also change. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the effect of short-term thermo-mechanical (STTM) densification in different wood species (alder (Alnus glutinosa Goertn.), beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), birch (Betula verrucosa Ehrh.), and pine (Pinus sylvestris L.)) on their gloss changes. Commercial wood veneers were densified in a hot plate press for 4 min at temperatures of 100, 150 and 200 °C, pressures of 4, 8 and 12 MPa. Gloss was evaluated at 20°, 60° and 85° angles of incident light using PICO GLOSS 503. Gloss measurements showed an enhancement of aesthetic properties of densified wood. Findings of this study indicated that both densification temperature and pressure have a significant effect on wood gloss. Gloss values of densified wood increased with increasing densification temperature and pressure for all investigated species. Compared to non-densified wood, gloss (85°) values (across/along the grain) for alder, beech, birch and pine increased after treatment to 2109.1/2376.9, 1728.6/2311.1, 2787.5/3000, and 2591.7/1216.7 %, respectively. The greatest gloss values were recorded at 200 °C and pressure of 12 MPa for all tested angles of incident light and for all densified wood samples. Gloss changes for birch were the highest, but the glossiest surface was observed for pine among all investigated species after wood densification.