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Most of the existing predictive malaria risks models use very broad spatial scales. They are usually built for continental or national outlines. These models do not account for the complexity of socio-economic variables intervening in the malaria transmission process. Most of them are driven by weather data. However, it is difficult to make antimalarial interventions at a continental or national level and to act on climate variables alone. Consequently, the suitability of these models for real malaria prevention strategies is not high. Moreover, the existing informational-based prevention strategies are not suitable, since they are usually limited to the occasional usage of large public mass media to transfer bits of information. This study proposes new paths in malaria modelling and prevention. It is dedicated to the building of a thematically extended model integrating both environmental and social variables. The proposed prevention strategy is based on an educational philosophy integrating the actual malaria modelling results. The study starts with the implementation of a methodology dedicated to data creation and data analysis. The protocol of data creation is based on an urban malaria paradigm. It encompasses the epidemiological, environmental, and social components of malaria risk. The epidemiological component is elaborated through retrospective, self-reported, malaria febrile and clinical episodes of individuals at the household level. In addition to climate data, key ecological variables are created from remote sensing sources with a very high spatial resolution. New social indexes and coefficients measuring economic status, crowding conditions and prevention capacity of the population are created. A morphospatial structure of Yaoundé, which assumes the presence of distinct population aggregates, representing similar socio-economic profiles, is established using an object-oriented classification of QuickBird images. A spatial based index of urbanity (IU), quantitatively marking the difference between “urban” and “rural” patterns, is also built. A knowledge-base expressing the social, ecological and malarial significance of both population aggregates and index of urbanity is established and used in a Fuzzy Logic simulation approach to predict urban malaria in Yaoundé. The yearly malaria prevalence based on individuals in households in Yaoundé is 9% while the malaria prevalence based on households as an entity is 27%. Malaria prevalence is higher during the small rainy season. It is much more marked in peri-urban areas during this season, while people in central areas are more exposed during the big rainy season. A statistical multinomial model identified socio-economic and socio-ecologic variables, notably those related to the physical condition of houses, as being highly associated with frequent episodes of malaria in households. Variables related to prevention capacity perform very well in predicting the absence of malaria in households. Among the ecological variables, only elevation and the distance to urban agriculture (UA) areas are associated with malaria. The statistically (from multinomial models), overall-predicted household prevalence of malaria is lower than the observed one. The morphospatial structure of the city shows a clear distinction between very dense, centralized and “urbanized” population aggregates (PA) and very isolated, mostly peri-urban, “rural” population aggregates. The morphological model suggests that the intensity and sustainability of the malaria transmission are both dependant on demographical gradients. The less urbanized population aggregates, although being in proximity of urban agriculture areas, are demographically not suitable for a sustainable malaria transmission. The most urbanized population aggregates are too dense and too far from urban agriculture areas. This does not favour local malaria transmission. This rigid ecological pattern is somewhat biased by the identified social patterns. The densest population aggregates mostly host very poor people. This allows a part of this population to be at a high risk of malaria through localized urban farming activities. The other parts of dense population aggregates are located in centrally situated planned zones. They have better socio-economic and socio-ecologic conditions which significantly reduces their vulnerability to malaria. Population aggregates with suitable demographic conditions (not too dense or too isolated), in addition to a higher environmental and social vulnerability, are the most exposed. Although the Fuzzy Logic simulation procedure produces a predicted prevalence which is lower than that of the overall multinomial model, it also identifies these intermediate population aggregates as being the most exposed. Results of interviews show that, in general, the knowledge and perception of people of basic key factors associated with malaria transmission is bad. Moreover, this knowledge follows a social stratification with the richest people having the best background. An association between knowledge and prevention behaviour is also established. In order to use the model for malaria prevention, three educational game-based tools have been created. The tools are designed for different target audiences with regard to required support and cognitive capacities. A follow-up method based on a pre- and post-test, before- and after-, play sessions is used to measure the information transfer capacity of each game to players who had various social profiles. Until now, official antimalarial campaigns in Cameroon used other media such as posters, television, and paper journals. Games had been not used at all before. From the point of view of players, the proposed games are highly attractive. Among them, the computer-based one, mixing visual and audio cognitive aspects in the information transfer, shows a good information transfer capacity. Furthermore, the degree of progress in the acquisition of malaria relevant information is highly dependent on the frequency of play.
There is scarcity of research on scalable peer-feedback design and student’s peer-feedback perceptions and therewith their use in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). To address this gap, this study explored the use of peer-feedback design with the purpose of getting insight into student perceptions as well as into providing design guidelines. The findings of this pilot study indicate that peer-feedback training with the focus on clarity, transparency and the possibility to practice beforehand increases students willingness to partici- pate in future peer-feedback activities and training, increases their perceived usefulness, preparedness and general attitude regarding peer-feedback. The results of this pilot will be used as a basis for future large-scale experiments to compare different designs.
Abstract: Immediate effect study Purpose: The immediate effects of altered auditory feedback (AAF) and a placebo condition on clinical attributes of stuttering during scripted as well as spontaneous speech are investigated herein. The primary purpose is the extension of the evidence-base of the impact of AAF on the clinical characteristics of stuttering. Method: Two commercially available AAF devices were used to create the delayed auditory feedback (DAF) and frequency altered feedback (FAF) effects. The participants consisted of thirty German-speaking people who stutter (PWS), aged 18 to 68 (M = 36.5; SD = 15.2). Each subject produced four sets of oral readings, three sets of monologs and three sets of dialogs. The participants were exposed to different experimental conditions (No device, Placebo, active AAF using Device A, and active AAF using Device B) while producing the speech samples. The recordings were then electronically analyzed to detect changes in select features of stuttering; frequency, duration, speech rate, articulation rate and core behaviors. The occurrence of these variables was examined across all speech samples collected within the four experimental conditions. Results: A statistically significant difference in the frequency of stuttered syllables (%SS) was found while using both devices (p = .000). Although individual reactions varied widely, the most notable reductions in %SS occurred within the reading (M = 2.33, SD = 3.75) and monolog (M = 2.26, SD = 3.32) samples. Thus, active AAF settings had the least impact on speech fluency during conversational speech (M = 1.49, SD = 2.71). During the placebo condition (no active AAF parameters), the subject group also experienced a statistically significant decline in %SS (p = .028). Conclusion: This result indicates that the effects of AAF alone may not be the sole reason for fluency enhancements experienced when using a portable speech aid. Abstract: longitudinal trail Purpose: The effects of a portable altered auditory feedback (AAF) device on the severity of stuttering over a three-month period were investigated. The main goal was to examine the usage behavior and fluency-enhancements displayed during extended device utilization. Method: Qualitative data on implementation environments, utilization patterns and user satisfaction were collected weekly from a group of seven adults (M = 45.3; SD = 11.4) who stutter. For the analysis of quantitative changes in stuttering severity, speech samples were collected in person at the beginning and end of the trial period. Two phone conversations throughout the study provided additional conversational samples. Results: Individual responses were quite diverse within both quantitative and qualitative measures. Group analysis revealed that conversational speech was overall significantly more fluent when a device was used. The percentage of stuttered syllables was significantly lower z = -2.201, p = .028, r = -0.18 upon first using AAF (with device: Mdn = 1.53; without device: Mdn = 3.53) and during the personal conversation at the end of three months (with device: Mdn = 1.89; without device: Mdn = 3.97). However, during the two mid-trial phone conversations during which a device was used (T2 & T3), stuttering frequency remained largely unaltered T2: z = -.943, p = .345 (Mdn = 3.87); T3: z = -1.57, p = .116 (Mdn = 3.00). The analysis of weekly questionnaires and user diaries revealed that the device was most commonly used in familiar environments (63% at home). On average, the speech aid was utilized four to five times a week, with an overall satisfaction rate of 42%. Conclusion: Some meaningful conclusions for clinical work with clients wishing to use AAF can be drawn from these results. While AAF has its limits in reducing stuttering, ability to use a device may be optimized if usage is acquired in a guided clinical process.
Individuals differ in their timing of sleep (bed times, rise times) and in their preference for morning or evening hours. Previous work focused on the relationship between academic achievement and these variables in secondary school students. The main aim of the study is to investigate the relationship between chronotype and academic achievement in 10-year-old children (n = 1125, 536 girls, 584 boys and 5 sex unspecified) attending 4th grade of primary school. They filled a cognitive test (Culture Fair Intelligence Test, CFT 20-R) and questions about rise times and bed times, academic achievement, conscientiousness and motivation. We implemented questions about wake times and bed times, academic achievement (measured by grades in Mathematics, German, English and Nature & Culture), ‘‘scales for the assessment of learning and performance motivation’’ (SELLMO; Skalen zur Erfassung der Lern- und Leistungsmotivation for motivation), the short version of the Five-Factor Personality Inventory Children (FFPI-C) to measure conscientiousness, and the Composite Scale of Morningness (CSM) to assess morningness-eveningness. Mean CSM score was 37.84 ± 6.66, midpoint of sleep was 1:36 ± 00:25 and average sleep duration (time in bed) was 10:15 ± 0:48. Morningness orientation was positively related to intelligence, conscientiousness and learning objectives. Results showed that boys and girls did not differ in chronotype. There were significant differences between girls and boys in academic performance but the direction was subject-specific: Girls did better in languages (German, English) and Nature & Culture, but boys had better scores in Mathematics. Overall, there were no gender differences in grades. There were significant gender differences in midpoint of sleep with girls sleeping later and showed higher social jetlag. Eveningness orientation was related to avoidance performance objectives and work avoidance. Early midpoint of sleep, conscientiousness and intelligence were associated with better grades. The multivariate model showed that intelligence was the strongest predictor of good grades. Conscientiousness, motivation, younger age and an earlier midpoint of sleep were positively related to good grades. This is the first study in primary school pupils, and it shows that the negative relationship between evening orientation and academic achievement is already prevalent at this age even when controlling for important predictors of achievement.
How to improve science teacher effectiveness? In order to find answers to this question a first step in this study is a close observation and critical reflection on the level of science teacher training courses. During an international science teacher training course, which had been previously developed in a three-year European project (CAT4U), informal conversations of the participants were recorded and analysed allowing genuine insight in the ways that teachers exchange about profession-related content among themselves. This work is a first exploratory step into a fairly new field of professional development research, which hopes to come up with some reasonable hypotheses gained from the combination of current research literature and from deeper analyses of field data, that hopefully serves as an inspiration for teacher trainers in practice as well as for further educational research.