Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Badgers'

Understanding demographic and disease processes in wildlife populations tends to be hampered by incomplete observations which can include significant errors. Models provide useful insights into the potential impacts of key processes and the value of such models greatly improves through integration with available data in a way that includes all sources of stochasticity and error. To date, the impact on disease of spatial and social structures observed in wildlife populations has not been widely addressed in modelling. I model the joint effects of differential fecundity and spatial heterogeneity on demography and disease dynamics, using a stochastic description of births, deaths, social-geographic migration, and disease transmission. A small set of rules governs the rates of births and movements in an environment where individuals compete for improved fecundity. This results in realistic population structures which, depending on the mode of disease transmission can have a profound effect on disease persistence and therefore has an impact on disease control strategies in wildlife populations. I also apply a simple model with births, deaths and disease events to the long-term observations of TB (Mycobacterium bovis) in badgers in Woodchester Park. The model is a continuous time, discrete state space Markov chain and is fitted to the data using an implementation of Bayesian parameter inference with an event-based likelihood. This provides a flexible framework to combine data with expert knowledge (in terms of model structure and prior distributions of parameters) and allows us to quantify the model parameters and their uncertainties. Ecological observations tend to be restricted in terms of scope and spatial temporal coverage and estimates are also affected by trapping efficiency and disease test sensitivity. My method accounts for such limitations as well as the stochastic nature of the processes. I extend the likelihood function by including an error term that depends on the difference between observed and inferred state space variables. I also demonstrate that the estimates improve by increasing observation frequency, combining the likelihood of more than one group and including variation of parameter values through the application of hierarchical priors.

This study aims to observe and understand what effect influence-earned and appointed badges have during Twitch streams and their interactions. Twitch is the most popular live streaming platform online and draws in a large number of content creators, with its primary draw being video game live streams. During video game live streams, streamers play a game and interact with viewers, of which there are different types depending on monetary contribution and status given by the broadcaster. Using ethnographic observation, two weeks’ worth of streams on a medium sized channel were viewed and later analysed with thematic structure, focusing on streamer-audience, viewer-subscriber, and the place of moderators and VIPs. The results show that while badges can delineate who is a regular viewer and who is not, beyond this they show little significance towards the positions of different audience members. Moderators and VIPs are shown to have more sense of regularity and more power over or exemption from chat limits. Additionally, those contributing monetarily are shown to get extra appreciation via on-screen alerts and triggered audio segments, making the streamer aware of their contribution. In chat, this earns them an additional badge, showing their level of contribution to the stream. This did, beyond recognition on stream, not show a longitudinal affect towards people who contributed monetarily. Overall, badges thus did not hold significant power, but observations raised more questions that inspire future research.

Gamification is now a household word, but it remains at the top of the lists of emerging technology and expected trends for the future of instructional design. If this is true, how can we take gamification to a level beyond badges and points? This paper argues that narrative is a key element that has not yet been fully realized in gamification, reviewed through its prior successes in entertainment-education, game-based learning, project-based learning, and digital storytelling. It suggests that Alternate Reality Games may be the true future of gamification as we know it today.

In this thesis we develop and test a software algorithm for an electronic smart badge system. The smart badge system we have developed has the ability to figure out the interests of people who wear the badge by using time and position information collected by the badge. The badge can also present feedback to the wearer, so that users may be guided to people will similar interests and so may have more effective conversations. The smart badge system is based on an inference system which uses a Bayesian network. Evaluation of the system was challenging because there were no completed badges that could be used. To overcome this, we developed a simulation of crowd behaviour in a conference setting. We tuned the parameters of the model using several test situations and the final simulated behavior appeared realistic. Compared to other smart badge systems, our work is unique because it is able to enhance conversation by the real time inference of common ideas or interests of the conversion participants.

Thesis (MSc)--University of Stellenbosch, 2006.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to investigate the phylogeographic structuring of the honey badger, Mellivora capensis, a highly mobile medium sized carnivore with an extensive distribution throughout sub-Saharan Africa extending into the Middle East and India. Particular focus was placed on providing preliminary data potentially useful for the development of translocation policies for this species in southern Africa. Where possible, genetic results were also compared with current trinomial designations to determine whether subspecies status given to geographical groupings was supported by the genetic data. Mitochondrial control region sequence data was obtained for most a selection of specimen’s available while nuclear microsatellite variation was determined for a subset of individuals where there were sufficient sample sizes available. Phylogeographic structuring of the maternal mitochondrial lineage was initially obscured by the coamplification of a closely related numt. To overcome co-amplification, the numt was identified and mtDNA specific primers were designed. Mitochondrial DNA results are based on the most variable 230 bp of the control region (sequenced for 78 individuals) while five polymorphic nuclear microsatellite markers were scored (for 55 individuals). Analysis, employing both nuclear and mitochondrial data, showed that although a pattern of isolation by distance can be detected, there was evidence for the presence of phylogeographic structuring between eastern and southern Africa. This could be interpreted as due to vicariance, probably associated by rifting and climatic occilations during the Pleistocene. Analyses support the identification of distinct management units for eastern and southern African populations although some evidence exists for secondary introgression between these two regions. Following this, we recommend that translocations between these broad geographic areas should be avoided. Within these geographic areas, because of a general pattern of isolation by distance, we recommend that individuals for translocations come from geographically proximate populations. In some instances, phylogeographic structuring is concordant with subspecies designations but additional sampling will be needed to make any firm taxonomic conclusions.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doelwit van hierdie studie was om die filogeografiese struktuur van die ratel, Mellivora capensis, ‘n hoogs bewegende medium groot karnivoor met ‘n wydverspreide distribusie deur sub-Sahara Afrika wat strek tot in die Midde Ooste en India, te bepaal. Spesifieke fokus is geplaas op die voorsiening van preliminêre data potensieel bruikbaar vir dir ontwikkeling van verplasing strategieë vir hierdie spesie in suidelike Afrika. Genetiese resultate is, waar moontlik, vergelyk met huidige drieledige kategorieë om te bepaal of subspesies ondersteun word deur die genetiese data. Mitochondriale ‘control region’ DNS volgorde data was verkry vir die meeste van die monsters beskikbaar en kern mikrosatelliet variasie was bepaal vir ‘n gedeelte van individue waar voldoende monster groottes beskikbaar was. Filogeografiese strukturering van die materne mitochondriale merker was oorspronklik versteek deur die ko-amplifikasie van ‘n naby verwante ‘numt’. Om die ko-amplifikasie te oorkom is die ‘numt’ geïdentifiseer en mtDNS spesifieke voorvoerders is ontwerp. Mitochondriale DNS resultate is gebaseer op die mees veranderlike 230 bp van die ‘control region’ (waar die DNS volgorde vir 78 individue bepaal is) en vyf polimorfiese kern mikrosatelliet merkers (in 55 individue). Analises, wat gebruik maak van kern en mitochondriale data, toon wel ‘n patroon van isolasie deur afstand, maar ook ‘n duidelike sigbare filogeograpfiese strukturering tussen oostelike en suidelike Afrika. Hierdie is geïnterpreteer as vikariansie, heel waarskynlik ge-assosieer deur berg verskuiwings en klimaatsveranderinge deur die Pleistocene. Analises ondersteun die identifikasie van definitiewe verkillende bestuurseenhede vir oostelike en suidelike Afrika maar sekere bewyse bestaan dat sekondêre introgressie tussen streke bestaan. Dit word aanbeveel dat translokasies tussen hierdie geografiese areas voorkom moet word. Binne geografiese areas, as gevolg van ‘n algemene patroon van isolasie deur afstand, is dit aanbeveel dat individue vir verplasing van nabygeleë populasies moet wees. In sommige gevalle het filogeografiese strukturering ooreen gestem met subspesies kategorieë, maar verdere materiaal is nodig voor definitiewe taksonomiese besluite geneem kan word.

In this dissertation, the creation and iterative improvement of an open badge system for an undergraduate preservice educational technology course is examined through 3 journal-ready articles. In article 1, we detail the design, development and implementation of the badge system and demonstrate how an open badge system could help meet the challenges facing the course. Several future design implications are identified, including how to scale the badge system while maintaining quality control and how to achieve financial sustainability. Future research implications include determining if awarding badges provide students with additional motivation and what employers<'> perceptions of badges might be. Article 2 examines how undergraduate instructional design assistants (IDAs) could be used to affordably scale our badge system. External reviews determined that IDAs can create badge rubrics at a similar level as instructors, allowing us to create far more badges than we could without their help. IDAs also reported that the experience benefitted them by giving them increased technology skills and room for professional growth. While most of the IDAs were excited about the benefits of open badges, none chose to share their badges with prospective employers, largely due to concerns about how to display them or about whether principals would understand their value. In article 3, we look at employers<'> perceptions of open badges. We emailed 1 of 2 forms of a survey to 577 principals and assistant principals in 5 school districts. Form A used wording about digital badges while form B used the term microcredentials. We compared the results of the surveys using the Mann-Whitney U test and the sign test. We also qualitatively examined the results of the open-ended questions using constant comparison analysis. We found that using the term microcredential instead of the term digital badge does not have a significant effect on employers<'> perceptions on open badges. However, providing a small amount of instruction regarding the affordances of open badges does produce a statistically significant difference in the perceived value of open badges. Employers see the most value in achievement and capability badges. Most employers believed badges would be useful in the hiring process, but many worried about the challenge of having too much data. Finally, we found that many employers think that badges could be useful in professional development.

defend feeding territories, and that the spatinl distribution of 'patches' of earthworms (their major prey) determines the size of badger territories. Such a food-based model has been widely accepted, but has a number of equivocal assumptions which are discussed. Recently Roper, Shepherdson & Davies (1986) proposed an alternative model of territorial organisation, based on the seasonal pattern of territory marking with faeces and anal gland secretion, which suggested that territoriality in badgers may be more related to defence of oestrus females by resident males than to defence of food resources. This hypothesis relies on an un-quantified correlation between seasonal patterns of territory marking, mating and road mortality. Here, I attempt to test the strength of the association between these distributions and to test predictions about the relative contribution of the two sexes to territorial defence. To do this I present further data on the deposition of faeces and anal secretion at latrines, together with new data on the seasonality of road mortality and bite-wounding in badgers. In addition, I report the results of experiments in which latrines were continually monitored in an attempt to assess the relative contribution of the two sexes to territory marking and patrolling. Finally, I report the results of a chemical investigation (using gas chromatography) of the scent profile of anal gland secretion. My results confirm the bimodal seasonal pattern of deposition of faeces and anal secretion at latrines, but whilst the two distributions were similar, there were differences which suggested that the two territorial markers may have different functions. The seasonal pattern of deposition of anal secretion showed essentially the same distribution as data on mating, testis weight, bite wounding and road mortality and I concluded that my results were consistent with the anti-kleptogamy hypothesis. However, the seasonal pattern of deposition of faeces at latrines could more easily be explained by seasonal changes in food availability. My results showed that the incidence of bite wounding and of patrolling at latrines, was higher in males than females, which is consistent with predictions derived from the anti-kleptogamy model, but not with food-based models which predict territory defence to be shared equally amongst group members. Finally, chemical analysis of anal secretion revealed that whilst it probably did not signal the sex or identity of it's producer it may carry information about group membership. In addition, the secretion was found to be of low volatility and composed of long-chain fatty acids some fifteen of which were identified. These results are consistent with the idea that anal secretion acts as a long-term territory marker. In conclusion I suggest that my results for the deposition of anal gland secretion at latrines are consistent with the hypothesis proposed by Roper et al., (1986) that territoriality in badgers may at least be partly linked to the defence of oestrus females by resident males. By contrast seasonal variation in defecation at latrines may at least be partly explained by seasonal changes in food availability. Given that food and mates are the most important resources for the survival of an animal, in the short-term and long-term respectively, it is likely that models of the territorial spacing pattern of badgers would have to take both resources into account.

Three groups of European badger (Meles meles L.) were studied during 1985 and 1986 on an area of mixed farmland in the Spey Valley, Scotland. The European badger is group territorial but individuals forage solitarily. Group size was 6 (Milton group), 3-5 (Sheilich group) and 2-4 (Little Loch group). Data were obtained by means of radio tracking on five of the Milton group, three of the Sheilich group, two of the Little Loch group plus two single males. The three group territories ranged in size from 75-146 ha. and each contained a unique habitat structure. Spatial autocorrelation and graphical analyses indicated that individuals within each group distributed their intensity of use of the group territory similarly; the three groups, however, differed from one another in this respect. When examined over the long-term, individuals' total ranges and core areas overlapped widely, however, overlap of 50x50 m grid cells was low between pairs of individuals and the individual and the rest of the group suggesting partial spatial separation of individuals within the group. Over three week intervals the Milton badgers showed a complex, shifting arrangement of activity centres with no association between particular group members. On a nightly basis, an individual's total range overlapped widely with the rest of the group, but spacing of observation points for all individuals suggested that each individual's movement was concentrated in relation to the movements of the rest of the group. Diet comparisons between groups, within groups between years and between seasons suggested that availability, as indicated by the differing vegetational composition of each group territory, affected diet. Initial evidence was that individual's diets were similar within groups. Individuals within the three groups had similar range composition, showed similar preferences for the vegetation zones within each group territory and appeared to use the zones similarly. Individuals within each group exploited the group territory similarly, at least within the sensitivity of the present data. Above surface activity was strictly nocturnal and individuals showed the same pattern of varying length activity bouts interspersed with periods of rest underground; there was no common schedule, however, between individuals. Overall activity budgets were similar between individuals within the group. Individuals used the same ongoing movements each night, often travelling 3-4km, returning occasionally only to those areas that had received light use earlier in the night, and avoiding previously used areas more than expected from models of random badger movement. Group members were seldom observed in close proximity and appeared to be either spacing themselves each night randomly or avoiding one another. The three groups differed in the distribution of communal defaecation sites (latrines). All group members visited latrines and latrine paths, behaviours associated with demarcation of the group range, at similar rates. It is suggested that the spatial organization of the three groups of badgers was non-competitive. At first glance, the data indicated a large potential for spatial competition, however, a detailed analysis suggests that group members intensively used a number of different parts of the group territory ('patches'), these were shared with only a part of the group, and individuals were seldom in close contact with one another on a given night as predicted by patch based models of Carnivore group territoriality. However, territory size and configuration were not determined by the location of key feeding areas, in contradiction to the patch based models. Possible advantages gained by individuals within the group by spatial non-competitiveness are discussed in light of possible territory inheritance by related individuals. Possible advantages to all individuals contributing to demarcation of the group territory are also discussed. Group formation in European badgers is also compared with a model of group formation in birds.

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Architecture and Planning, Program in Media Arts and Sciences, 2007.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 137-144).
We present the design, implementation and deployment of a wearable computing research platform for measuring and analyzing human behavior in a variety of settings and applications. We propose the use of wearable sociometric badges capable of automatically measuring the amount of face-to-face interaction, conversational time, physical proximity to other people, and physical activity levels using social signals derived from vocal features, body motion, and relative location to capture individual and collective patterns of behavior. Our goal is to be able to understand how patterns of behavior shape individuals and organizations. We attempt to use on-body sensors in large groups of people for extended periods of time in naturalistic settings for the purpose of identifying, measuring, and quantifying social interactions, information flow, and organizational dynamics. We deployed this research platform in a group of 22 employees working in a real organization over a period of one month. Using these automatic measurements we were able to predict employees' self-assessment of productivity, job satisfaction, and their own perception of group interaction quality. An initial exploratory data analysis indicates that it is possible to automatically capture patterns of behavior using this wearable platform.
by Daniel Olguín Olguín.
S.M.

Purpose – Gamification or related concepts such as serious games and playful design are discussed intensively in the field of academic education. Since 2011, gamification has continuously been recorded as a medium-term trend of online education in the annually published Horizon Report. In all areas in which engagement, participation, and motivation of individuals are the key success factors, strategies of gamification are considered. But, what are potentials of gamification in the field of higher education? How can educational technologies such as learning management systems be gamified? An essential part of this article is a study regarding the gamification of the learning management system OPAL. Design/methodology/approach – Based on a master thesis at the faculty of educational sciences, a study was conducted in order to investigate how the use of game elements can increase the attractiveness of OPAL for students. OPAL is the central learning management system at the Technische Universität Dresden. The study should answer the question: Which game design elements increase the attractiveness of OPAL for students? The research question was answered with a qualitative approach, while the collection of data was carried out by a focus group and expert interviews. The sample included six master’s students and one expert. The findings provide recommendations for redesigning OPAL. Originality/value – Often gamification is related to tools like points, badges, and leaderboards. But what elements exist beyond these? The contribution initially provides conceptual foundations and refers to game mechanics as the specifics of games. Based on this, the potential of gamification in higher education teaching was discussed. Practical implications – The article describes the concept of gamification and how this approach can be used in university teaching, especially for designing Learning Management Systems.

Idag är det inte bara genom traditionella utbildningar som värdefulla förmågor kan erhållas, utan detta kan även ske genom internet, samt på andra fysiska platser utanför skolan. Dessvärre finns det inte något allmänt accepterat sätt att redovisa denna informella kompetens. För att lösa detta problem har den amerikanska stiftelsen Mozilla Foundation, känd för att ha utvecklat webbläsaren “Mozilla Firefox”, skapat “Open Badges”. Open Badges är en typ av e-utmärkelse, dvs. ett digitalt certifikat, som till skillnad från andra innehåller metadata som gör det möjligt att verifiera vem som är utgivaren, vad som krävdes för att skaffa och vem badgen är utgiven till m.m.   Genom denna uppsats ämnar vi ta reda på om och i sådana fall varför denna typ av belöning motiverar studenter att slutföra en onlinekurs om miljömedvetenhet. För att undersöka detta skapades en hemsida och en kurs med en uppdragsbaserad struktur. Två olika grupper med tio personer vardera erbjöds genomföra kursen. Den ena gruppen informerades om hur Open Badges fungerar och att de skulle belönas med en sådan om de slutförde kursen (“Open Badges-gruppen”). Den andra gruppen fick inte denna information (“kontrollgruppen”). Efter kursomgångens slut kallades de medverkande till en fokusgrupp för att diskutera Open Badges.   Vi fann att i den grupp som informerades om Open Badges slutförde två av tio kursen medan noll av tio i kontrollgruppen slutförde kursen. I fokusgruppen förklarade de två som slutförde kursen att det var specifikt deras önskan att få en Open Badge som motiverade dem att utföra de uppdrag de tyckte var jobbiga. Samtliga personer i fokusgruppen tyckte även att framtiden för Open Badges beror på arbetsgivares användning av dem.   Eftersom det bara var personer i Open Badges-gruppen som slutförde hela kursen tyder detta på att Open Badges fungerar bra som motivationskälla. Detta styrks även av att studenterna i fokusgruppen slutförde vissa uppdrag eftersom de blev motiverade av Open Badgen, även om de tyckte dessa uppdrag var svåra eller jobbiga.   De deltagare som genomförde kursen ansåg att Open Badges gav motivation för att det kändes som ett slutmål. De ansåg även att det var spännande och intressant och såg även en potential i Open Badges i allmänhet, inte endast för den badge vi utdelade, som merit på arbetsmarknaden.   Alla deltagare såg användningsområden för Open Badges både online (utanför traditionella utbildningsinstitut) och offline (vid traditionella utbildningsinstitut). De tyckte att Open Badges kunde användas online för att visa på att man lärt sig något på egen hand, och offline för att belöna exemplariskt arbete, till exempel en Badge för bästa kursresultat i någon speciell kurs.
Today it is not only through traditional education that skills can be acquired. Skills can also be gained through the internet as well as at physical locations other than academic institutions. However there is currently no universally accepted way to display this informal knowledge. To solve this problem the American organization Mozilla Foundation, who created the web browser “Mozilla Firefox”, has created “Open Badges”. An Open Badge is a type of achievement that, in contrast to other achievements, contains metadata which enables verification of the issuer, the steps needed to receive the Badge and information about who received the badge etc.   Through this essay we intend to find out if and why this kind of reward motivates students to complete an online course about environmental awareness. To investigate this we created a homepage containing an online course with a mission based structure. Two different groups with ten members each had the choice to complete the course. In one of the groups the participants were informed about Open Badges and how it works (the “Open Badges group”). The participants in the other group did not get this information (the “control group”). After the online course’s deadline was due we held a focus group meeting to discuss Open Badges.   We found that in the Open Badges group two out of ten students completed the course. Zero out of ten students in the control group completed the course. At the focus group meeting the two students who completed the course explained that Open Badges explicitly motivated them to complete the missions in the online course which they thought were strenuous. All of the students in the focus group argued that for Open Badges to work, it needs to be adopted by the labor market.   Since the students who completed the course were in the Open Badges-group, the results lean toward showing that Open Badges in fact work as a motivational source. This claim is also supported by the fact that the students in the focus group completed some missions just because they were motivated by the Open Badge, even though they considered these missions hard or strenuous.   The participants who completed the course believed Open Badges gave them motivation because it felt like a final goal. They also thought it was exciting and interesting. Additionally, they saw potential in Open Badges in general, not only for the Badge they received, as a merit on the labor market. All participants saw ways of using Open Badges both online (outside of traditional educational institutions) and offline (at traditional educational institutions). They thought that Open Badges could be used online in order to show what you have learned on your own, and offline to reward exemplary work, for example a Badge for the best course result in a specific course.

For decades, Eurasian badgers (Meles meles) have been the object of several studies trying to explain their primitive social organization, feeding, territory and lately, their relationship with bovine tuberculosis which can cost £1bn over the next 10 years. Badgers spend the day sleeping in their setts and foraging during the night. They live in clans, sharing and defending a communal territory but foraging and feeding individually. Several attempts to explain what influences the size and shape of badgers’ territories have been made, considering, for example whether they are determined by the dispersion of resources or by the location of the main sett which consists of several holes with large spoil heaps and obvious paths emanating from and between sett entrances. Since badgers use communal latrines to mark their territories, another approach is to use statistical methods based on this information to delineate their territories. A common method employed to reconstruct badger territories from latrines is the Min- imum Convex Polygon (MCP), another approach classifies the latrines as hinterland, boundary or extraterritorial excursions, based on elements surrounding them (fences, badgers paths, etc.). The use of extra information such as the presence of other latrines in the same direction from the main sett, can provide more robust models that can be used not only in a point estimation approach but in a sampling approach that uses the probability distribution fitted by a model and permits to quantify the uncertainty in the reconstruction of the territories. This thesis consists of 7 chapters: Chapter 1 is this Introduction. Chapter 2 is the literature review which looks at badger ecological behaviour, techniques used to obtain information about the territories of the badgers and methods used to reconstruct them. Chapter 3 is the Unconditional Outlier Prediction Model (UOPM). It is an extension of an unpublished paper that uses a logistic regression to estimate the probability that a latrine is part of the territory or, alternatively, is an extraterritorial excursion. This information is used with the 100% MCP to make the reconstructions. Chapter 4 talks about the Conditional Outlier Prediction Model (COPM), which is an extension to the UOPM that uses Gibbs sampling in the reconstruction of the territories to allow for dependance between latrines. This model uses the 100% MCP of the sampled latrines which are not outliers, in order to map the reconstructed territory at each iteration. Chapter 5 presents the Unadjusted Ordinal Model (UOM). This model uses the original classification from the 2010 baitmarking Woodchester Park Badger Survey made by the Food and Environmental Research Agency (FERA), applying a cumulative ordinal model to estimate the probability distribution fitted by the model using a sampling approach to reconstruct the territories. All the previous chapters employ information from only the territory being reconstructed; Chapter 6 adjusts the probabilities obtained by a territory and the territories sharing at least one latrine with it, to reconstruct the territory using a sampling approach. The last chapter discusses the results of the methods proposed in this research.