A reliability evaluation framework for smart meters based on AGG-ARIMA and PFR

The unavoidable outliers and the characteristics of the small sample dataset affect the performance of the Failure Rate (FR) prediction and reliability analysis model of Smart Meters (SMs). To solve these problems, we choose the Basic Error (BE) as the performance index of the equipment and propose a reliability evaluation framework for SMs by combining AGG-ARIMA and PFR for the first time. First, the Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model is used to predict the BEs to describe the performance of SMs. Then, an Adaptive Gauss Genetic-algorithm (AGG) is used to optimize the order of ARIMA and a Proportional FR (PFR) model is established to analyze the reliability of batch SMs through the BE predictions. Finally, actual datasets from four companies are used to verify the effectiveness of our evaluation framework. The experimental results show that our framework has better reliability assessment performance for SMs under small sample conditions, and has strong adaptability to the analysis of individual meters.

The Effectiveness of Employee Performance Appraisal System in Health Sector: Evidence from Iranian organizations

Introduction: Performance appraisal is a formal process to review and improve the organizational performance of employees regularly. Despite the appropriate organizational frameworks for performance appraisal, they are not apparently addressing the operational realities of health care organizations. This study thus aimed to examine the effectiveness of the current performance appraisal system of employees at Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) from the perspective of employees. Methods: The data were collected from 504 TUMS employees using researcher-developed questionnaire following the validation. It consisted of 46 questions covering such various dimensions as performance expectations, communication of performance objectives to employees, self-assessment, performance metrics, surveyors, and performance appraisal results. ANOVA, t-test, Post hoc and Tukey statistical tests were used during analysis process by SPSS 22. Results: The performance appraisal system was not found as effective as expected from the employees’ perspective and the scores for all its dimensions dropped below the average. The overall performance appraisal score was 2.71 (out of 5). There was also a significant correlation between the employees’ education and organizational job group and the score of performance appraisal (p<0.0001). Conclusion: The current appraisal system according to the results is not well functioning. Therefore, it seems necessary to make urgent changes. The lack of active participation from employees and managers in performance appraisal development process, and the subsequent low motivation to improve their performance seems to be a persistent challenge. A fairly desirable solution might be to decentralize the appraisal processes rendering more authority to managers and supervisors along with empowering managers.

Digital and Scientific Literacy with Games: A Pedagogical Process Based on System Engineering

This study presents a Brazilian teaching-learning experience in basic education where game development is used to promote both digital and scientific literacy throughout the National Common Curricular Base (BNCC). Focused on students’ cognitive aspects, the approach presents a pedagogical architecture based on systems development. Thus, it was possible to catalyze convergence between interest in the Science curricular program and the result of knowledge acquisition - such as skills development - by its means. The experiment was carried out centered on genetics studies where students collaboratively produced a digital game, improving in school assessment performance as an outcome. Therefore, we corroborate the effectiveness of creating games as an educational strategy able to optimize aspects of creativity, communication, collaboration, logical reasoning, problem-solving, abstract thinking and resilience.

Developing performance instruments assessment of 5th grade elementary school students in integrated thematic learning

This study aims to develop an instrument for assessing student performance in elementary schools. The type of research and development used refers to the R&D theory of Borg and Gall. This study was conducted in three schools in Bandar Lampung. The sample data of this research were taken from the fifth-grade students of SD Negeri 1 Perumnas Way Halim. For data collection, observation, questionnaires, and documentation were employed, with descriptive analysis of the percentage of expert and practitioner validation, followed by instrument analysis for validity and reliability. This finding indicates that the assessment performance instruments of students in elementary schools were developed with theoretical and practical feasibility. Suggestions and limitations for future research are also discussed.

P.132 Investigation of Simulation-Based Lumbar Puncture Teaching Paradigms for Novice Learners

Background: Simulation-based educations’ prevalence within clinical neuroscience is on the rise, however investigation into what environment is most conducive to optimizing learning performance is limited. We aimed to determine whether training a simple-to-complex (progressive) sequence would result in superior learning compared to complex-to-simple (mixed) or complex-only sequences. Methods: A three-arm, prospective, randomised experiment was conducted to determine the effects on novice learner LP performance and cognitive load during learning and a very complex simulated reality assessment test 9-11 days later. Results: During learning, sterility breaches decreased linearly over time (p<.01) with no group differences, and accuracy was higher in the progressive group compared to complex-only (p<.01) and trended in the mixed group (p<.09). Across the learning phase cognitive load increased in the progressive group (p<.01) and decreased across the mixed group (p<.01). At assessment, there were no group differences in number of sterility breaches (p=.66), needle passes (p=.68) or cognitive load (p=.25). Conclusions: Contrary to our hypothesis, equivocal assessment performance was found across groups. Our results suggest that successive progression in complexity of simulation does not increase novice learner outcomes. Further, a “one-size fits all” approach to simulated environment complexity in clinical neurosciences education may be warranted given equivocal learning and less resources necessary.

Association between the triglyceride glucose index and coronary collateralization in coronary artery disease patients with chronic total occlusion lesions

Background Recent studies have substantiated the role of the triglyceride glucose (TyG) index in predicting the prognosis of coronary artery disease (CAD) patients, while no relevant studies have revealed the association between the TyG index and coronary collateralization in the event of coronary chronic total occlusion (CTO). The current study intends to explore whether, or to what extent, the TyG index is associated with impaired collateralization in CAD patients with CTO lesions. Methods The study enrolled 1093 CAD patients undergoing cardiac catheterization for at least one CTO lesion. Data were collected from the Beijing Anzhen Hospital record system. The degree of collaterals was determined according to the Rentrop classification system. The correlation between the TyG index and coronary collateralization was assessed. Results Overall, 318 patients were included in a less developed collateralization (Rentrop classification 0-1) group. The TyG index was significantly higher in patients with impaired collateralization (9.3±0.65 vs. 8.8±0.53, P<0.001). After adjusting for various confounding factors, the TyG index remained correlated with the occurrence of impaired collateralization, with odds ratios (ORs) of 1.59 and 5.72 in the T2 and T3 group compared with the first tertile group (P<0.001). In addition, subgroup analysis showed that higher TyG index values remained strongly associated with increased risk of less developed collateralization. To compare the risk assessment efficacy for the formation of collateralization between the TyG index and other metabolic abnormality indicators, an area under the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) was obtained. A significant improvement in the risk assessment performance for impaired collateralization emerged when adding the TyG index into a baseline model. Conclusions The increased TyG index is strongly associated with less developed collateralization in CAD patients with CTO lesions and its risk assessment performance is better than single metabolic abnormality indicators.

Distance Learning Amidst Covid-19 Pandemic: Attitude and Assessment Performance of High School Students in Three Moroccan Private High Schools

The outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic worldwide urged educational institutions to come up with quick and effective alternatives to ensure students’ learning and academic year continuity. Morocco was no exception to deal with that situation. As a response to the pandemic, the Ministry of Education launched distance learning as a “new” mode for learning across the country. The objective of the current study is to investigate students’ attitude towards distance learning during the pandemic. Also, it is an attempt to evaluate the impact of distance learning on students’ assessments. 119 students from 3 private schools in Rabat Morocco were involved in the study. A closed-questionnaire was shared with the target population via Google-Form. Later, 12 student informants were recruited to share insights on their learning journey amidst the outbreak of the pandemic. The findings reveal that students’ attitudes have shifted to a positive direction after being introduced to distance learning. However, the findings indicate that there is a negative correlation between distance learning and in-class assessment. The study also concludes by key recommendations found in the students’ responses and review of literature on the need to adopt effective methods in distance learning.

Rising to the Challenge of COVID-19: Pivoting to Online and Project-Based Physiotherapy Student Placements in Contemporary Professional Settings

Online and project-based student placements in sport and corporate settings were incorporated within the Macquarie University Doctor of Physiotherapy following the restriction of face-to-face delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study explores student and educator perceptions of these placements, and analyses student performance results to provide future recommendations. The mixed-methods design included a student survey, semi-structured educator interviews and quantitative analysis of student assessment performance comparing 2020 to 2018/2019 cohorts. Quantitative survey data were described, with proportional differences between groups analysed. Open-ended survey responses and interview transcripts were thematically analysed, and integration of all results was performed. Themes derived from 24 student surveys highlighted that the learning experiences and skills required for online and project-based placements were varied and valuable. Analysis of 176 students’ performance showed differences between performance and applicability of assessment items in 2020 placements in comparison to previous years, although all students met performance requirements. Analysis of eight educator interviews identified that online and project-based placements changed experiences for all stakeholders and highlighted the need for enhanced educator and student communication and organisation for the placement to be successful. Online and project-based placements were considered a better reflection of contemporary work practices, producing valuable deliverables to the business. Three final integrated themes were identified regarding online and project-based elements of placements: learning experiences of students differed, skills for students and educators differed, and placements were representative of real-world work. A hybrid approach that incorporates both online and onsite placement time and includes a project-based component is recommended for future placements. Project-based and online elements provide genuine and valuable learning opportunities for physiotherapy students in preparation for real-world work.

Exclusion from constructive alignment unmasked by emergency teaching

CONTEXT The research study was conducted at a contact-based, research-intensive university in South Africa, where the faculty of engineering has adopted a feedback-feedforward approach to improving engineering pedagogy through theoretically-supported, interdisciplinary and community-of-practice approaches. The outcomes-based curricula are designed to explicitly align teaching/learning activities, the intended learning outcomes and assessment tasks. The Covid-19 emergency remote teaching (ERT) phase has raised the question of the disjuncture between student perceptions and assessment performance during independent, remote learning.PURPOSE OR GOALA faculty-wide research initiative to determine how undergraduate engineering students were experiencing ERT revealed significant systemic challenges and heightened academic stress. Of particular concern in 2021 is the 2nd year cohort, whose entire 1st year was under ERT conditions. Poor first term assessment performance suggested the need to investigate not only how students were studying, but their perceptions of their practices and efforts in relation to their perceptions of course requirements, and consequently their performance.APPROACH OR METHODOLOGY/METHODS A mixed-method survey-based approach was used to assess second year students’ perceptions of a design-based module. The surveys were sent out when it became clear that performance was going to be substantially poorer than expected for their first in-person and closed-book assessment after ERT. The samples were taken after the assessment, after the model answers lecture, after the marks were published, and again after an intervention. The 2020 marks were compared with the last in-person assessments from 2019. Out of the 280 students, 142 responded to the survey.ACTUAL OR ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES Students overestimated their marks after writing, even after seeing the model answers. Two thirds reported the paper as difficult, which reduced to 58% after the model answers, and 74% after releasing the marks. Two thirds said online lectures prepared them sufficiently, but after the marks only 45% did. After a reflection-in-action intervention, 81% considered them sufficient and the error in estimated marks for the next assessment reduced by 41%. Despite 97% engagement with the lectures and 96% claiming to have done the tutorials and practicals on their own, only 38% used the Q&amp;A forums, and not a single student made an appointment with the lecturer.CONCLUSIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS/SUMMARY While constructive alignment is a common pedagogical approach, it does not explicitly include alignment to student abilities or perceptions. In contact-based, socio-culturally mediated contexts, educators may tacitly be responsive to (mis)conceptions to enhance alignment between student abilities, expectations and intended course outcomes. We suggest, in this paper, that a constructive alignment model needs to include methods to overcome self-efficacy gaps, given that we need to produce critically-thinking, confident, and capable graduates.