External Assessment Research Articles

Renewable energy plants: environmental compatibility and external costs assessment at global, regional and local scale

In Italy and many European countries energy production from biomass is encouraged by strong economic subsidies (in Italy up to 280 €/MWh granted through a feed-in tariff linked to the electrical production) so that biomass energy plants are getting large diffusion. Nevertheless, this kind of energy plant can involve heavy PM10, NOx, ammonia, methane and N2O emissions, as well as indirect emissions relating to cultivation, transport, fertilizers’ production. Within the described outline, the definition of the environmental compatibility as well as technological and economic issues dealing with the emerging renewable energy scenario is of primary importance. This evaluation should take into account global parameters as well as environmental impacts at regional and local scale coming from new polluting emissions. The environmental balances regarding new energy plants are of primary importance within very polluted areas such as Northern Italy where air quality limits are systematically exceeded. The paper analyses the energy and environmental performances of anaerobic co-digestion of manure and energy crops, wood and poultry manure combustion, involving the emissive balances, analysing different possible energy scenarios, using environmental economics tools like the ExternE methodology, an approach devoted to the assessment of the externalities associated to airborne pollution. The most important conclusion that can be drawn is that the production of renewable energy from anaerobic digestion, can strongly increase ammonia and NOx emissions and, in some cases, also GHG emissions could be worrying, whereas the application of best available techniques to waste gas cleaning and energy recovery allows positive environmental balances.

Assessment of Human Exposure to Traditional and Novel Organophosphate Esters via Multiple Personal Matrices.

Herein, 16 traditional and 13 novel organophosphate esters (OPEs) in skin wipes, personal PM2.5, sputum, and nails (fingernails and toenails) and 7 OPE metabolites in urine synchronously obtained from 64 college students were analyzed. Similar compositional profiles of the OPEs were found in skin wipes and nails and in personal PM2.5 and induced sputum. Significant correlations were observed between the concentrations of high-lipophilicity low-volatility OPEs in skin wipes and nails and between the concentrations of high-volatility low-lipophilicity OPEs in personal PM2.5 and sputum. These results imply that OPEs in fingernails and toenails may mainly come from external sources rather than internal exposure, and human nails and sputum can be used as indicators of human exposure to OPEs. A comparison between the daily exposure doses of the OPEs in personal PM2.5 and sputum shows that more volatile compounds may have higher inhalation bioavailability, which should be considered to improve the accuracy of inhalation exposure assessments. According to comprehensive external and internal exposure assessment, dermal absorption may be a more dominant pathway than inhalation, and skin wipes may be the best representative environmental matrix of human exposure to OPEs.

Assessing Teachers’ Capabilities to Work with Models and Evaluate Results in the Context of a Complex and Authentic STEM Problem

Since the practice turn, the contemporary education landscape has been shifting from mere knowledge dissemination to empowering students to solve problems. Special emphasis is given to problems on which students work for an extended period (at least several hours; frequently multiple school days). While working on such problems, it is essential to employ a variety of activities. Two of these are working with models and evaluating models and their results. One topic that has received little attention up to now is the question of to what extent educators are able to apply these skills. This study, fundamentally exploratory in nature, seeks to delve into such an assessment by evaluating the competence of n=20 educators in estimating and evaluating building evacuation duration using digital simulations. Our results show that the participants self-assessed as being able to solve such exercises. However, this was contrasted by our external assessment of the solutions provided by the participants, which showed that the solutions lacked in quality.

Penetration mechanics of ceramic/metal functionally graded plates under ballistic impact: An experimental perspective

This paper deals with a comprehensive experimental analysis of the penetration mechanics and failure mechanisms of SiC/AA6061 functionally graded plates under ballistic impact. The external, cross-sectional, and high-speed photographic damage and failure assessments of the plates were performed. The novelty of this study is to investigate the ballistic impact behavior of a ceramic/metal functionally graded plate with different compositional gradients in a wide range of impact velocities considering below and above the ballistic limit and to reveal a detailed analysis of the damage and failure mechanisms of the plate. This can provide fundamental insights into the design of ceramic/metal functionally graded armor materials. The results indicate that the metal-dense gradient plate shows localized ductile failures as ductile perforation and plugging, whereas the ceramic-dense gradient plate exhibits brittle failures as comminution and conoidal fracture. Tailoring a relatively continuous compositional gradient instead of an abrupt variation, namely the linear gradient, provides tensile stress wave attenuation and resistance to crack growth and fracture.

TRADUÇÃO E ADAPTAÇÃO TRANSCULTURAL DA RESILIENCE AT WORK SCALE PARA O PORTUGUÊS DO BRASIL

ABSTRACT Objective: to translate and cross-culturally adapt the Resilience at Work Scale for the Brazilian context. Method: Methodological study comprising the stages of conceptual, item, semantic, and operational equivalences. Resilience at Work Scale is composed of 25 items (long version) and 20 items (short version), rated on a seven-point Likert scale. A test-retest was applied to a sample of 45 educators and health workers. Quadratic weighted Kappa and intraclass correlation were used. Result: The adaptation of the 25 items followed the phases of translation, back translation, external assessment, expert committee, pre-tests, test-retest reliability, and equivalence between the original and adapted versions. Two items initially showed less than 90% comprehensibility, but satisfactory results were obtained in a new pre-test after adjustments. The overall Intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.83. Conclusion: The final version of the Resilience at Work Scale 25-Brasil was properly adapted to the Brazilian culture to measure resilience at work. It is an Emancipatory Technology as it enables the implementation of knowledge that contributes to thinking, reflecting, and acting in the face of the individual or collective health-disease continuum.

A Review of the Effects of Coronavirus on University Students’ Learning

This article aims to explore how the COVID-19 pandemic affects students’ learning and to determine the most effective way for universities to manage the epidemic while continuing their regular operations. The study also aims to identify any areas where universities’ behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic or any similar crises in the future may need to be improved. The primary purpose of any university is to carry out academic activities, and this research focuses on how to do so effectively and efficiently. The study reports that COVID-19 has hurt graduate programs, internships, internal and external assessments, and student learning after reviewing the literature. However, the pandemic has also allowed universities to improve their internet and ICT infrastructure and provide the necessary skills for their workforce to deliver effective learning. This was done in addition to mitigating the learning challenges brought on by COVID-19. While the article focuses on analyzing the body of literature about the impact of COVID-19 on student learning during the pandemic, it also identifies several areas that need further investigation. To provide an integrated approach to managing university academic business while combating the pandemic, research must be done from the viewpoint of teachers, lecturers, administrators, and other parties. The first chapter of the study covers the primary data and history of COVID-19. COVID-19 began in late 2019 and rapidly spread globally. The World Health Organization classified COVID-19 as a pandemic in early 2020. COVID-19 has affected every aspect of life, including schooling. The second chapter examines the impact of the pandemic on students' learning, as well as the containment and preventative measures implemented by the relevant authorities to halt the virus’s spread. This chapter covers the enrollment of students before and after COVID-19, the teaching strategies used to reduce the risk of infection and ensure student learning, the validity and efficiency of student assessments, and other experiences, including stress on a physical, emotional, and financial level. It also discusses internships and jobs and outlines some benefits and opportunities associated with efficient learning as a means of advancing. The final chapter emphasizes the limitations of the paper's topic under discussion.

A comparative study of online gaming between high-performing and low-performing students—A case from China

Children are a nation's future. In the digital era, online gaming has become deeply ingrained in the lives of children, significantly impacting them. Thus, comprehensively examining this situation is imperative. However, the existing research has predominantly focused on analyzing online gaming among underachieving students. This narrow focus has magnified the negative implications of gaming among this group while overlooking the underlying structural realities. To address this, in contrast to prior studies emphasizing underachieving students' gaming behavior, this paper takes a holistic and group-specific approach. Based on academic performance and using purposive sampling, 35 participants (18 students, 12 parents, and 5 teachers) were selected for a comprehensive investigation. This study compares the gaming behavior, significance, external assessments, and the urban–rural and socioeconomic factors associated with underachieving and high-achieving students. The study reveals stark differences in gaming behavior between the two groups. Underachieving students tend to engage in excessive gaming, whereas their high-achieving counterparts exhibit more moderate gaming habits. Further analysis uncovers distinct meanings associated with online gaming for these two groups. Underachieving students' gaming patterns align with the established theory of compensatory gaming, fulfilling their lack of achievement and meaning in real life. Conversely, high-achieving students conform to the enrichment theory, viewing gaming as a means to enrich their learning and overall lives, rather than a substitute for what is lacking. The disparity in gaming behavior is further amplified by the differential evaluations provided by parents and teachers. Moreover, this study underscores the deeper structural distinctions between these two groups rooted in urban–rural backgrounds and family education.

Reassessing the efficacy of bevacizumab in newly diagnosed glioblastoma: A systematic review and external pseudodata-based analysis.

First-line use of bevacizumab for glioblastoma (GBM) was evaluated in 2 phase 3 randomized controlled trials (RCT), demonstrating an impact on progression-free survival but not overall survival (OS). However, the crossover events of these trials raised concerns regarding the reliability of this latter analysis. In this study, we conducted an external control-based reassessment of the bevacizumab efficacy in newly diagnosed GBM (ndGBM) against the standard Stupp protocol. A systematic review of the literature was conducted to identify the phase 3 RCTs in ndGBM incorporating the Stupp protocol as an arm. For the selected studies, we extracted individual patient survival pseudodata of the Stupp protocol arm by digitizing the Kaplan-Meier plots. A comprehensive pipeline was established to select suitable control studies as external benchmarks. Among the 13 identified studies identified in our systematic review, 4 studies resulted as comparable with the AVAglio trial and 2 with the RTOG 0825. Pooled individual patient pseudodata analysis showed no differences in terms of OS when bevacizumab was added to the Stupp protocol. The external-controlled-based reassessment of the bevacizumab treatment in ndGBM confirmed its lack of efficacy in extending OS. Our study includes a summary table of individual patient survival pseudodata from all phase 3 RCTs in ndGBM employing the Stupp protocol and provides a pipeline that offers comprehensive guidance for conducting external control-based assessments in ndGBM.

Does exchange rate misalignments lead changes in macroeconomic fundamentals?

This article aimed at verifying the reliability of equilibrium exchange rate (EER) concepts by exploring if exchange rate misalignments are leading to changes in macroeconomic fundamentals. The authors focused on G10 currencies and the three most popular EER models which the IMF regularly uses within the External Balance Assessment: Purchasing Power Parity, Behavioural EER and Fundamental EER. In methodological terms, the study applied the cross-sectional predictability approach developed by Sarno and Schmeling (2014), which ranks countries on the basis of the scale of EER misalignment to check if this ranking helps to predict key macro variables. The results indicate that EER misalignment contains cross-sectional predictive power and allows forecasting real effective exchange rates, short-term interest rates and current account balance differences across countries.

National Service Scheme (NSS) Training in dental education: Assessment of self reported empathy and clinical performance.

To compare self-reported empathy scores, clinical performance between National Service Scheme (NSS) volunteers and non-volunteers in dental schools; and to predict clinical performance score using self-reported empathy score. A cross sectional survey of 336 undergraduates from 16 dental schools in Andhra Pradesh state, India was conducted using Google forms. The questionnaire was divided into four sections. Section A consists of a single question asking whether a graduate is a NSS volunteer or not. Section B consisted of Jefferson Scale of Empathy Health Profession Students' Version (JSPE-HPS) with 20 items based on a 7-point Likert scale. Section C was designed to investigate students' self-confidence in performing 35 clinical procedures on a 5-point Likert scale. Section D gathered information related to clinical exam score in external practical assessment during final year. The data collected were subjected to appropriate statistical tests. The JSPE-HPS score between NSS volunteers (91.52+7.35) and non-volunteers (76.21+5.42) was significantly different. The overall self-reported clinical score was 3.57+.34 and 3.08+.43 for NSS volunteers and non-volunteers respectively (p=0.000). Also, the mean clinical performance score was higher for NSS volunteers (501.15+53.97) compared to non-volunteers (445.03+34.94). The JSPE-HPS scoreswere positively associated with clinical performance scores (r=0.559). Furthermore, we discovered that JSPE-HPS scoresignificantly predicted clinical exam score (β = 2.959, p< .000). NSS training enabled dental undergraduate students acquire empathy and clinical skills during their education. Key words:Clinical Skills, Dental Education, Empathy, National Service SchemeCare Team.

External Risk Assessment for Substations Based on Single and Superimposed Anomaly Risks

External Risk Assessment for Substations Based on Single and Superimposed Anomaly Risks

Проблеми реформування освіти в Україні під час війни

The scientific article critically analyzes the course and intermediate results of the reform of secondary education according to the concept of “New Ukrainian School”. There is an active search for the reasons why the reform of secondary education does not fulfill the goals and objectives of ensuring high-quality educational achievements in subjects of learning at all educational levels. It is substantiated that one of the important reasons for the low educational results of current education is the attempt to reform secondary education separately from professional and higher education. In addition, the founders of the “New Ukrainian School” concept tried to mechanically transfer the experience of the functioning of the educational systems of developed countries (Finland, Poland, Germany) to the unprepared Ukrainian soil. Another reason for the low educational results demonstrated by secondary school students is the effort of the compilers of educational programs and textbooks to come up with a universal textbook that would satisfy all students. However, children have different natural aptitudes and abilities for learning certain subjects, so it is necessary to find ways to implement a differentiated approach not only in the cognitive component but also in techniques, methods, and forms of learning, as well as in educational technologies. It is necessary to improve external independent assessment, as it does not provide for objective educational results, and therefore does not motivate school students to systemic and systematic learning. A negative role is played by the Internet, which provides solutions to problems, as well as tutoring. With its help, students and their parents get the idea that it is not necessary to make great efforts in daily studies at school, it is enough to work with a tutor during the last year of study, and all problems with external examinations will be solved. In connection with the war, many problems also arose in higher education institutions: how to encourage students to attend classes during distance learning and to engage in active mental activity during lectures or seminars (practical) classes; how to motivate students to systematically study and do homework after classes (4–5 hours) every day; what control units can be used to achieve an objective assessment of the students’ mastering of educational material, etc. Keywords: education, New Ukrainian school, higher school, reformation, teacher.

ASSESSMENT OF THE PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY OF PEDAGOGICAL PERSONNEL: DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN EXPERIENCE

This article presents an overview of domestic and foreign publications on the evaluation of the professional activity of teachers. We singled out the model of internal evaluation, which consists of the evaluation of the teacher's professional activity based on the results of the students' educational activity and the formative evaluation, which is based on observations of the teacher's activity. As a separate type of assessment, we provide a model of external assessment, namely the certification of teaching staff. In each evaluation model, researchers pay attention to their positive and negative characteristics. Existing schemes for evaluating the teacher's professional activity have various forms, they differ significantly in terms of frameworks, methods, criteria, standards and tools for collecting data on the teacher's activity. Teacher evaluations in Western countries differ in the procedures for conducting them, and often the differences lie in the scale of the evaluation, the frequency of the evaluation, the determination of those responsible, the development of criteria, the methods of collecting information for this process, the impact of the results on the educational process and the position of the teacher. Most of the authors of the presented publications are united in the fact that the system of evaluation of the teacher's professional activity should be organized in such a way that it contributes to his professional growth, so that different models, forms, methods, methods of evaluation can be used in one educational institution, so that they are a tool that contributes to the improvement of the quality of the educational process.

The Eco-Friendly Side of Analyst Coverage: The Case of Green Innovation

Green innovation is a key solution to resource depletion and natural environment deterioration. It is advancing the march toward marrying business with sustainability worldwide. Embodying green elements in core innovative activities naturally becomes the critical information for the external assessments of organizations. To identify this information channel effect, the current study is intended for shedding light on the effects of financial analysts, a prominent and professional stakeholder group, on corporate green innovation. Combining the comprehensive incoPat database with the data of Chinese publicly listed manufacturing firms over the period from 2003 to 2017, the empirical results show that analyst coverage could significantly improve firms’ green innovation performance. It is also observed both institutional ownership and stock liquidity significantly enhance the positive relationship between analyst coverage and corporate green innovation. The information-based mechanisms are further identified by the split sample analysis based on the quality of financial information, when either the choice of audit company or the disclosure quality rank is applied. These findings provide beneficial supports for the idea that leaning on the monitoring from the financial analysts, managers could be encouraged to promote green investment with its long-time horizon and correct the myopia that overly focuses on short-term performance.

Validade de Construto e Confiabilidade da Escala de Atitudes perante as Avaliações Externas Aplicadas em Larga Escala

Abstract The Scale of Attitudes towards External Assessments applied on a Large-Scale was developed to capture what basic education teachers think, feel, and how they behave in response to this type of assessment. Considering the potential of the instrument to support management decisions in the field of educational assessment policies, this article aimed to evaluate construct validity, via factor analysis, as well as scale reliability, via composite reliability of the scale, based on its application to a sample of teachers affiliated with the Education Department of Espírito Santo/Brazil. This is a quantitative, nonexperimental, instrumental study that involved 405 teachers from the public school network, whose results indicate adequate psychometric indices and a satisfactory factor structure consistent with the proposed three-dimensional attitude construct. The statistical coefficients found at the level of the analyses performed legitimize its use for the development of public policies and effective practices in the educational field.

Independent Qualification Assessment as a Tool for External Assessment of the Quality of Students’ Professional Training

Independent Qualification Assessment as a Tool for External Assessment of the Quality of Students’ Professional Training

The EQIPD quality system – Assessment and certification procedures

The EQIPD Quality System was designed with the ultimate mission to provide a framework to ensure the quality and integrity of non-regulated preclinical biomedical research. For research quality to be sustained over time, it is crucial to have continuous improvement mechanisms that routinely monitor the research-related processes and enable solutions for identified issues. The present article is focused on these monitoring and assessment procedures that make the EQIPD Quality System a fully functional ‘system’ (as opposed to a mere collection of guidelines, work instructions and policies). In this context, a critical instrument are the internal and external assessments of the EQIPD Quality System performance described in detail. The assessment procedures emphasize the unique nature of the EQIPD Quality System being user-friendly, flexible and fit-for-purpose. By undergoing the (voluntary) external EQIPD assessment (leading to the EQIPD certification after all EQIPD core requirements have been implemented), a research unit: (i) secures confidence in the quality of data generated, (ii) ensures continuous improvement of research processes, and (iii) obtains an independent seal of quality communicating commitment to best research practices to the research community.

Понимание коммуникативных намерений говорящего и популярность в кругу сверстников у детей младшего школьного возраста

&lt;p&gt;The aim of this study was to explore the role of the theory of mind &amp;ndash; the ability to attribute mental states to other people in order to explain their behavior &amp;ndash; in popularity with peers and in the social competence of children of primary school age. The participants were 92 children aged 9&amp;ndash;12 years (M=9,97; SD=0,80; 47 girls). We used the F. Happ&amp;eacute; &amp;ldquo;Strange Stories&amp;rdquo; test, used to study children's understanding of the speaker's communicative intentions in situations of ambiguously understood social interactions, to assess theory of mind. The popularity of children in the group was studied using a sociometric method. For an external evaluation teachers assessed the social behavior of children and adolescents using a specially designed questionnaire. The results obtained testify to the relationship of children&amp;rsquo;s theory of mind with both their popularity with peers, and with their social competence as a whole. The understanding of communicative intentions in difficult social situations by children is related with both peer preference for socializing and perceived popularity among peers. An external assessment of social competence among primary school age children by teachers has shown that children who are more successful in understanding the communicative intentions of other people are rated by adults as more popular among their peers, while the less successful ones are those who more often become the object of ridicule and often fall under the negative influence of others.&lt;/p&gt;

Activity prediction, structure-based drug design, molecular docking, and pharmacokinetic studies of 1,4-dihydropyridines derivatives as α-amylase inhibitors

ObjectivesDiabetes places a substantial economic burden on countries worldwide. The costs associated with diabetes management, including healthcare services, medications, monitoring equipment, and productivity losses, are substantial. The International Diabetes Federation has estimated that global healthcare expenditures associated with diabetes and its complications exceed hundreds of billions of dollars annually. Therefore, a critical need exists to develop drugs that are highly effective, affordable, and easily accessible to society. MethodsThis study explored the structural modification of 1,4-DHP derivatives to identify specific α-amylase inhibitors, with the aim of developing more effective and accessible drugs for diabetes. We evaluated the activity and binding ability of the designed compounds. In addition, we performed drug-likeness and pharmacokinetic studies on the modified compounds. ResultsEquation (1) had the highest accuracy, on the basis of internal and external assessment parameters, including R2int = 0.852, R2adj = 0.803, Q2cv = 0.731, and R2ext = 0.884. Moreover, the five potent analogs identified through structure-based drug design demonstrated a more favorable interaction than observed for the template or acarbose. Additionally, comprehensive studies on the drug-like properties and pharmacokinetics of the designed compounds supported their oral safety and favorable pharmacokinetic profiles. ConclusionsThe designed analogs show promise for developing new hypoglycemic agents. Their positive attributes and performance suggest that they may potentially serve as candidates for further research in improving treatments for high blood sugar-associated conditions.

Conducting an external assessment of the performance and quality of work of the bank's internal audit unit

Стаття присвячена зовнішній оцінці ефективності та якості роботи підрозділу внутрішнього аудиту банку. Війна в Україні накладає суттєві обмеження на функціонування внутрішнього аудиту банку, але за результатами незалежного зовнішнього оцінювання відзначено зрілість, істотний прогрес та суттєве вдосконалення функцій внутрішнього аудиту протягом останніх п’яти років. Слід зазначити, що досліджень з обраної теми в українському науковому середовищі недостатньо, і потреба в них зростає з кожним днем, оскільки практичні дії мають базуватися на теоретичній оцінці подій. Метою статті є визначення критеріїв оцінки ефективності функціонування системи внутрішнього аудиту в банках через розкриття механізму його взаємодії із Національним банком України (далі - НБУ) і аудиторськими фірмами в умовах невизначеності під час воєнних дій. У статті описано зовнішню оцінку внутрішнього аудиту в комерційному банку, яка проводиться з урахуванням вимог Стандартів внутрішнього аудиту. Також проаналізовано основні нормативно-правові документи НБУ стосовно проведення зовнішньої оцінки ефективності та якості роботи підрозділу внутрішнього аудиту банку. У дослідженні виокремлено роль НБУ при здійсненні оцінки якості роботи підрозділу внутрішнього аудиту банку. Доведено, що проведення аудиторськими фірмами зовнішньої оцінки роботи внутрішнього аудиту банку, законодавством не встановлено вимог до незалежності групи експертів, які проводять зовнішню оцінку, до осіб, унесених до Реєстру аудиторів та суб’єктів аудиторської діяльності. Оцінено дії зовнішнього аудиту аудиторськими фірмами роботи внутрішнього аудиту банку, а саме: чи приносять процедури трансформації у внутрішньому аудиті позитивний ефект; чи досить компетентні внутрішні аудитори для ефективної перевірки процесів банку в умовах постійно мінливого зовнішнього середовища й появи нових ризиків. Запропоновано шляхи підвищення якості управління банками через впорядкування механізмів функціонування внутрішнього аудиту, визначено напрямки вдосконалення ефективності організації аудиторських перевірок внутрішнього аудиту в банку для покращення якості управлінських процесів.