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Learning Analytics (LA) captures the digital footprint of students' online learning activity. This study describes students' navigational behavior in an e-learning setting by processing the LA data obtained from Blackboard LMS. This is an attempt to understand the navigational behavior of students and the relationship with learning performance. The study was carried out with 88 learners from a Malaysian private university. The course sites' log data and students' performance were analyzed, and the results were as follows: 4 navigational behaviors played an important role in student's academic performance which are active days, total learning time, number of views, and days delayed in accessing the assessment. Active learning from Tuesdays to Thursdays had a significant positive effect on performance. It was found that the higher activities (total learning time, number of journals viewing) translate to better performance. Days delayed in attempting assessments had a significant but mixed effect on performance, depending on the type of assessment. However, the number of logins is insignificant. The findings of this study provide empirical evidence of the importance of self-discipline in online learning and provide instructors with a predictive measure as a call for early intervention to help online students. [For the full proceedings, see ED654100.]

The analysis of rotor dynamic aspects of a gas turbine is very much essential before the start of manufacturing. For better accuracy often designers look for 3D representations of the rotor models, however, these models have its advantages as well as disadvantages. The major disadvantages are the model size increases significantly. However, this issue can be addressed by model reduction techniques such as the use of external superelement (SE) which is obtained by component mode synthesis (CMS) or similar approaches for model reduction. The major limitation of this technique is that: Analysis needs a detailed 3D CAD model before the start of analysis. So, when we do not have the detailed 3D models of compressors and turbines or we want to study the effect of many design modifications on the performance of a rotor shaft system, while keeping the complexity low an equivalent mass representation for turbine and compressor systems are very useful. In this paper we have used an equivalent mass representation of a small gas turbine rotor and studied different performance performances like stability, unbalance response and modal frequencies while using different values for support systems of a rotor shaft system. Using parametric study, we could successfully propose the design modification for changing peak amplitudes as well as natural frequencies of the rotor dynamic system supported with a foil bearing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixed non edible oil (equal volume) such as processed dairy waste (PDW), Mahua oil (MO) and castor oil (CO) were utilized for the biodiesel (vegetable fuel) production. The chemical composition of this raw oil was examined by GC-MS analysis. The acid value of raw oil was received to be 4.11 mg of KOH/g oil hence, not recommended for direct transesterification reaction. Two step transesterification was proposed in this investigation namely esterification followed by transesterification. Three level esterification reaction was proposed to optimize the acid value of esterified oil. The acid catalyst concentration of 3 (v/v)% was produced esterified oil with least acid value of 0.41. This optimized catalyst concentration was utilized to produce 6L of esterified oil to conduct transesterification experiment. Four level, two parameter design of experiment was proposed to optimize the transesterification reaction variables such as reaction temperature and base catalyst loading for the maximum biodiesel yield. Totally, 12 transesterification experiments were performed to identify the optimum process variables. This study was produced maximum biodiesel of 96 vol % for the reaction temperature 55°C, catalyst utilization 1 wt%, reaction time 60 minutes and stirring speed 600 rpm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When social movements form political parties and subsequently win elections, they become insiders considered capable of changing policy. Despite the assumed benefits of political inclusion for social movements, it is unclear how they actually gain from inclusion. Often they gain only marginal insider status and find they can only add another veto to the policy making process, which limits rather than promotes policy change. The question, "How does political inclusion matter to movements?" was addressed using the case of regional language movements in India opposed to the central government's national language policy. The founding of regional language newspapers after a regional movement gains political power was analyzed to demonstrate that movements used their electoral gains as a political opportunity to strengthen their support base by providing symbolic and material resources to their supporters. A regression discontinuity design was used to empirically establish causality by analyzing the impact of movements' close-call election victories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New seed technologies are promoted as a vital part of meeting the challenge of feeding the world's growing population. But conflict over a variety of issues related to the social impacts of new seed technologies is a major challenge to their use. New seed technologies have been introduced in countries under a variety of property rules, ranging from a more "private market" oriented approach to alternatives treating new seed technologies as closer to a public good. Various combinations of these approaches are supported by national governments and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to organize farmers' access to these improved seed technologies. Yet, very little is known about equity of access to seed in community seed systems, or about variations in the social impacts of these different institutional designs. In reality, there is a hierarchy of access to seed from community seed banks, private agencies or state agencies. This hierarchy is often mediated by factors such as gender, social class, and size of farm holding. Therefore, it is likely that a number of seed banks within communities have different combinations of quantities and varieties of seed made available by private companies, traditional banks, or state agencies. All this results in complex patterns of seed sourcing. In this paper, we review the literature focused on social and gender impacts of the different institutional arrangements for distribution of improved seed technologies (IST) with specific emphasis on the case of India. We also draw insights from field level data from Southern India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current industry practice in flexible pipe tensile armor wire fatigue testing involves use of un-corroded specimens; however, if the armor wires in a flexible are prone to pitting corrosion during service, this adds a new dimension to the fatigue life consideration which is the focus of this paper. The paper presents a methodology to consistently evaluate fatigue lives of armor wires with pitting corrosion. Described herein is a methodology to create corrosion pits on armor wires and the results from a fatigue test program involving Non-Pitted and Pre-Pitted specimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past few years, media has become a major player in the coverage of cases of violence against women. While this has helped in bringing forward issues of violence against women prominently in the public eye, the media portrayal of women as victims or victims to be blamed have been repeatedly challenged by feminists. Typically cases of violence pertaining to celebrities and athletes receive more attention with some coverage of other instances. The stereotypical depictions of women are not unique to the US. Cases from countries like India also entail biased coverage within the country and internationally. In this paper we focus on the media coverage of the 2012 case of gang rape and eventual death of Jyoti Singh Pandey in India's capital city of Delhi. We examine the content of the coverage by the media within India and internationally to show how women's rights have become passive messages negating the broader politics of the contemporary women's movement. Our analysis of 748 media reports/articles identifies three main frames in the portrayal of women: mainstreaming gender, endangered woman, and the ungendered woman. At a theoretical level, we find that the media combines the very active woman as agent discourse with the passive and need for the protection of the woman frame. Our analysis contributes to discussions about the appropriation of women's agency by the media and reinforces the conservative discourse of the state and movements such as right wing movements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]