Academic literature on the topic 'UCASD'

Mob programming is a collaborative software development method that has gained increasing attention in both industry and research. While the focus of mob programming is on the benefits of teams programming together, there are also potential benefits for other aspects of the software development process. However, there is a lack of research on the use of the method outside the domain of programming. This study explores user-centred design (UCD) in mob programming through a case study of three software development teams at Sveriges Television, a Swedish public broadcasting company. Results show that the teams use the method for a variety of tasks in their daily work, calling for a rebranding of the method to mob development to encompass the broader scope. The integration of UCD is analysed through the principles of user-centred agile software development. The results indicate that a revision of these principles is needed to include the cross-functional and social factors that mob development adds to the software development process.

Despite the consistent rise in the number of young people entering university, statistics show that class-based disparity in progression continues. Those from advantaged families are over-represented at prestigious institutions to which the less-advantaged rarely apply. A gap in the literature on progression concerns the application process itself: how do young people choose the universities for their UCAS form? Using card-sort tasks within an interview format, six cohorts of Year 13 students (56 in total), described the decision-making stages that underpinned their university choices. Some had researched, longlisted and shortlisted. Others applied only to their local universities. Significant differences in knowledge and understanding were often cohort-specific. As the educational environment became more HE-oriented, students’ ability to use and evaluate resources increased. However, within-cohort variation demonstrated the power of personal motivation to expand or restrict the choice of universities. The conceptual framework drew on two theorists. Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecological Model explores how person-process-context interactions determine developmental outcomes, whilst recognising that less-advantaged families lack capacity to manipulate social environments. Simon’s Behavioural Model of human decision-making acknowledges the need to simplify complex tasks, suggesting UCAS applicants may be satisficing, rather than optimising. Both models recognise knowledge and ‘know-how’ as determinants of behaviour. A synthesis of the two suggested that having a strong knowledge structure at the start of the process was linked to ‘cold’ reasoning and a macro-focussed approach to decision-making. A weak knowledge structure was linked to ‘hot’ reasoning and a micro-focussed approach reliant on family or friends. Pragmatising emerged as an effective decision-making style. The ‘curricular’ approach to UCAS information, advice and guidance in the independent school produced discriminating, well-informed decision-makers. The state sector, ‘opt-in’ model left some students unaware of key resources, even the UCAS website. Providing adequate support for all UCAS applicants might be a step towards achieving parity in progression.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, 2008.<br>Title from first page of PDF file (viewed September 22, 2008). Available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Objective: The primary purpose of this study was to determine the influence of high frequency peripheral hearing loss on test performance on the University of Canterbury Adaptive Speech Test – Filtered Words (UCAST-FW). We also aimed to investigate (1) if there is an ear advantage in performing the UCAST-FW; (2) whether there is any correlation between the UCAST-FW score and age; (3) the effectiveness of a binaural practice run in reducing the learning effect; and (4) the average time required for older adults to complete the UCAST-FW. Method: A total of 18 participants with normal hearing (≤ 25 dB Hearing Level (HL) at octave intervals of 250 through 4000 Hz in both ears) and 19 participants with varying degrees of high frequency sensorineural hearing loss (>25 dB HL at frequencies above 1000 Hz) were included in this study. All participants were native New Zealand English speakers, aged between 55-71 years, with normal low frequency hearing (≤25 dB at 250, 500 and 1000 Hz), had speech scores consistent with their audiogram, normal cognition and judged by the examiner to be capable of completing test protocols in terms of sufficient eyesight, alertness and motor control. Participants underwent a full diagnostic hearing test, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, the Dichotic Digits Test, the Random Gap Detection Test and the UCAST-FW. Results: Findings indicated that the presence of a high frequency peripheral hearing loss had no significant influence on the UCAST-FW score. Findings also showed no significant ear advantage, or any trend between the participant’s UCAST-FW score and their age. A binaural practice run comprised of 5 initial and 15 working reversals was effective in reducing any learning effect. The UCAST-FW took an average of 15 minutes to complete, and the results showed no correlation between the test completion time and the participant’s age. Conclusion: Findings suggested that the listener’s high frequency peripheral hearing sensitivity had no significant influence on their UCAST-FW score and thus the UCAST-FW can potentially be an effective test for assessing Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) in older adults and the elderly regardless of their high frequency peripheral hearing sensitivity. The development of test material in New Zealand English, as well as the investigation of the validity of the UCAST-FW in assessing APD in older adults and the influence of cognitive functioning on test performance is necessary before the UCAST-FW can be implemented in New Zealand clinical Audiology settings.

Auditory processing disorder (APD) is a label that describes a variable set of symptoms that share a common feature of difficulty listening to sounds in the absence of an actual audiological deficit (Moore, 2006). Clinical assessment of APD typically involves a test battery consisting of tests designed to examine the integrity of various auditory processes of the central auditory nervous system. Individuals with APD have difficulty recognising speech when parts of the signal are missing. One category of tests used to assess the extent to which this deficit is associated with reduced performance on the task is the low-pass filtered speech test. The University of Canterbury Adaptive Speech Test-Filtered Words (UCAST-FW) is a computer-based adaptive low-pass filtered speech test developed for the assessment of auditory processing skills in adults and children. Earlier studies with the UCAST-FW (McGaffin, 2007; Sincock, 2008; Heidtke, 2010; Abu-Hijleh, 2011) have produced encouraging results. However, there appear to be a number of confounding factors. The UCAST-FW is testing New Zealand listeners using an Australian recording of American test material. The purpose of the current study was to develop a new four-alternative forced choice test to replace the Northwestern University Children’s Perception of Speech (NU-CHIPS) stimuli the UCAST-FW currently utilises. The new test consists of 98 sets of four test items, (one target item and three foil alternatives) designed to be used in a four-alternative forced choice picture-pointing procedure. Phonemic analysis of the new word list and the NU-CHIPS word lists revealed a similar distribution of phonemes for target words of both word lists. The development of the new word list is described and the clinical applicability is explored.

Thesis (M.B.A.)--Naval Postgraduate School, December 2009.<br>Thesis Advisor(s): Mutty, John ; Nussbaum, Daniel. "December 2009." Description based on title screen as viewed on January 27, 2010. Author(s) subject terms: unmanned, Aerial Vehicle, UCAS, aircraft carrier, air wing, cost estimation. Includes bibliographical references (p. 69-71). Also available in print.

Dissertação (Mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro Tecnológico.<br>Made available in DSpace on 2012-10-17T04:42:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0Bitstream added on 2016-01-09T00:01:00Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 144422.pdf: 27984170 bytes, checksum: 4b98145f698ce7c5804ee47d1cde01d5 (MD5)

Introduction: Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness, presenting with important functional deficits throughout lifetime. The UCSD Performance-based Skills Assessment (UPSA) is a measure of Functional Capacity and assesses skills involved in community tasks, commonly impaired in patients with Schizophrenia. It has good psychometric properties, and is currently the most studied, recommended and used Functional Capacity assessment around the world. A brief version (UPSA-B), encompassing only two of the five original subdomains, has also been developed and often employed in the last years. To our knowledge so far, there are no studies in western developing countries concerning Functional Capacity in Schizophrenia. Objectives: The aims of this study were to translate, culturally adapt and validate the UPSA to assess Functional Capacity in community-dwelling patients with Schizophrenia living in Brazil. Methods: Eighty-two subjects (52 patients, 30 controls) were evaluated using the Brazilian version of the UPSA (UPSA-1-BR), Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS), and the Real-World Functioning scales Personal and Social Performance (PSP) and Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF). Patients and Controls had their age and educational levels controlled, and were recruited in the same geographic area. Results: In the reliability test, UPSA-1-BR showed good Internal Consistency (Cronbachs alpha of 0.88) and strong correlation between test and retest (4 months gap; r = 0.91; p<0.01). Spearmans rho values showed a moderate correlation between UPSA-1-BR and both PSP (0.50; p<0.01) and GAF (0.46; p<0.01) scores. UPSA-1-BR is capable of differentiating people with and without Schizophrenia. Patients scored lower than healthy controls (58.9 versus 79.1), with an AUC of 0.79 (95%IC: 0.69-0.89). Sensitivity and specificity values of 0.71 and 0.70, respectively, were found in the cut-off point or 73.5, for separation of patients and controls, with predictive values of 80% (positive) and 58% (negative). UPSA-B-BR was also evaluated and kept the good psychometric properties found for the original instrument. Conclusions: UPSA-1-BR and its brief version presented adequate psychometric properties and proved to be valid and reliable instruments in the assessment of Functional Capacity in subjects with Schizophrenia. Brazilian patients presented Functional Capacity scores comparable to international studies.<br>Introdução: A Esquizofrenia é uma doença mental grave, cursando com relevantes deficits funcionais ao longo de toda a vida. A UCSD Performance-based Skills Assessment (UPSA) é um instrumento de avaliação da Capacidade Funcional que mede as habilidades envolvidas em atividades comunitárias, usualmente comprometidas em pacientes com Esquizofrenia. Ela possui boas propriedades psicométricas, e é atualmente o instrumento de avaliação da Capacidade Funcional mais estudado, recomendado e utilizado ao redor do mundo. Uma versão breve (UPSA-B), contendo apenas dois dos cinco subdomínios originais, também foi desenvolvida e vem sendo muito utilizada nos últimos anos. Até onde sabemos, não há estudos sobre Capacidade Funcional na Esquizofrenia em países ocidentais em desenvolvimento. Objetivos: Os objetivos deste estudo foram a tradução, adaptação cultural e validação da UPSA, para avaliação da Capacidade Funcional em pacientes com Esquizofrenia vivendo em ambiente comunitário no Brasil. Métodos: Oitenta e dois voluntários (52 pacientes, 30 controles) foram avaliados através da versão brasileira da UPSA (UPSA-1-BR), da Escala das Síndromes Positiva e Negativa (PANSS), e das escalas de avaliação do Funcionamento em Mundo Real Performance Pessoal e Social (PSP) e Avaliação Global do Funcionamento (AGF). Pacientes e controles tiveram suas idades e níveis educacionais pareados, e foram recrutados na mesma área geográfica. Resultados: Nos estudos de confiabilidade, a UPSA-1-BR demonstrou boa Consistência Interna (alfa de Cronbach: 0,88) e forte correlação entre o teste e o reteste (intervalo de 4 meses; r = 0,91; p<0,01). A UPSA-1-BR apresentou correlação moderada, pelo rho de Spearman, com os resultados da PSP (0,50; p<0,01) e da AGF (0,46; p<0,01). A UPSA-1-BR é capaz de diferenciar pessoas com e sem Esquizofrenia. Os pacientes pontuaram menos que os controles saudáveis (58,9 contra 79,1), com uma AUC de 0,79 (IC de 95%: 0,69-0,89). Valores de sensibilidade e especificidade de 0,71 e 0,70, respectivamente, foram encontrados no ponto de corte de 73,5 na separação entre pacientes e controles, com valores preditivos de 80% (positivo) e 58% (negativo). A UPSA-B-BR também foi avaliada e manteve as boas propriedades psicométricas do instrumento original. Conclusões: A UPSA-1-BR e sua versão breve apresentaram propriedades psicométricas satisfatórias e se confirmaram instrumentos confiáveis e válidos na avaliação da Capacidade Funcional de paciente com Esquizofrenia. Os pacientes brasileiros apresentaram escores de Capacidade Funcional comparáveis aos estudos internacionais.

Användare kan idag boka taxi via TaxiCaller på webben, iPhone och Android. De vill även finnas på Windows Phone 8 och därmed stödja de tre största smartphoneplattformarna. Den här rapporten syftar till att undersöka hur en applikation kan utvecklas med hjälp av ett användarcentrerat arbetssätt för att uppnå hög användbarhet. Prototyping, card sort, användbarhetskrav är några av de metoder som tillämpats. Rapporten beskriver metoderna genom dess teori, hur de tillämpats i projektet samt dess resultat. Det grundläggande genomförandet var att samla in användarinformation för att sedan utveckla en prototyp som testades på användare. Sedan gjordes en ny prototyp utifrån resultatet från användartestet och denna process itererade fram fyra prototyper. Användbarhetsproblem från testerna samt tid för genomförande av specificerad uppgift redogörs. Resultatet är en prototyp för Windows Phone 8 som nästintill är helt färdig för publicering. Användartest är den metod som haft mest påverkan på resultatet av applikationen. Varje test har frambringat problem med användbarheten som sedan har kunnat åtgärdas för att förbättra applikationen. Med tanke på utvärderingar och de krav som specificerades är jag nöjd med resultatet som bland annat är avskalat och grafiskt tilltalande samtidigt som den önskade funktionaliteten från TaxiCaller är implementerad.

Les technologies de l’information et de la communication ont fait naître beaucoup d’espoir, en Afrique, dans tous les domaines de la vie économique et sociale, et, surtout dans celui de l’éducation. Pour l’enseignement supérieur, cet espoir est d’autant plus grand que les besoins et défis à relever sont très nombreux. L’université africaine est confrontée à toute une série de problèmes : massification des effectifs d’étudiants surtout au niveau des premiers cycles, insuffisance des locaux pédagogiques et manque d’enseignants qualifiés à un nombre suffisant et des moyen financiers insuffisants, les trois premiers problèmes évoqués ne sont en réalité que la conséquence logique des difficultés budgétaires. L’autre problème majeure, c’est la problématique de la pertinence même des curricula de formation proposée, les jeunes issus des universités africaines n’arrivent pas à trouver un emploi. C’est dans ce contexte que les NTIC apparaissent comme une solution possible pour aider à résoudre ces difficultés. Dans cette lancée, à l’instar des autres pays de la sous région, le Sénégal tente d’utiliser ces technologies pour réformer et améliorer son système d’enseignement supérieur. En effet, avec l’augmentation du nombre de collèges au niveau de l’enseignement secondaire, la massification des effectifs d’étudiants exerce une forte pression sur les autorités universitaires. Avec les importantes réalisations réalisées dans le domaine de l’informatique et de la connectivité internet de l’UCAD, les conditions difficiles d’accès liées à la massification des effectifs surtout au niveau des premiers cycles, sont-elles en voie de trouver une solution ?<br>Information and communication technologies have borne much hope in Africa in all areas of economic and social life and especially in education. For higher education this hope is all that greater needs and challenges are many. The African University faces a threefold problem: mass numbers of students primarily at the undergraduate level, lack of educational facilities and lack of sufficient qualified teachers in a number. It is in this context ICT appear as a possible solution to overcome resolve these difficulties. On this momentum, with the other countries of the sub region, Senegal tries to use these technologies to reform and improve its higher education system. Indeed, with the increase in the number of colleges at the level of secondary education, the mass of the numbers of students exerts strong pressure on the University authorities. Each year, thousands of young graduates knock at their doors; It was then that ICT and e-learning appear as alternative to solve this equation trimmed of all virtues With the significant achievements in the field of computing and internet connectivity of UCAD, are difficult access conditions related to the mass of staff especially at the undergraduate level on the way to be solved?