Maps and mazes: Pathways to the folkloric imagination

Introduction

The experience of black women around image and aesthetics is a topic of great relevance; firstly because it is an issue with little scientific approach; second, because it invokes a critical reading of the different forms of oppression and historical invisibilization, to which they have been subjected from the hegemonic aesthetic, and third, because in these circumstances it is necessary to make visible the way in which women resist scenarios of racism, exclusion and denial, from different initiatives that are properly articulated to natural Afro hair and the relationship they build with it. In this order of ideas, this paper aims to present theoretical reflections on some processes of resistance, brokered by black Columbian women from their hair, as part of the vindication of their identity and positioning towards the hegemonic aesthetic. A qualitative methodology is proposed, which uses documentary review as a technique, in order to identify different initiatives that have been investigated from research processes, to evidence the construction of identity processes in black women from natural Afro hair. Within the discussions, the need to address from the academy, the contexts of discrimination and racialization suffered by black women from their hair, to elucidate the way in which they carry out actions of resistance and collective contestation as strategies that allow not only the conservation of historical memory from the meaning that hair represents, but also but also, the strengthening of ethnic/cultural identity.

This paper reviews applications in computer science that decision theorists have addressed for years, discusses the requirements posed by these applications that place great strain on decision theory/social science methods, and explores applications in the social and decision sciences of newer decision-theoretic methods developed with computer science applications in mind. The paper deals with the relation between computer science and decision-theoretic methods of consensus, with the relation between computer science and game theory and decisions, and with “algorithmic decision theory.”

Laptop Orchestras (LOs) have recently become a very popular mode of musical expression. They engage groups of performers to use ordinary laptop computers as instruments and sound sources in the performance of specially created music software. By using an orchestral metaphor, LOs provide an engaging and challenging environment to experiment with human-computer interaction, network and machine latency, and sound/signal processing. While the LOs at Princeton and Stanford are perhaps the best known, LOs have now been established at many universities in the US and UK, and as private ensembles around the world.Perhaps the biggest challenge for LOs is the distribution, management and control of software across heterogeneous collections of networked computers. Software must be stored and distributed from a central repository, but launched on individual laptops immediately before performance. Each consists of unique combinations of software, user interfaces, and physical devices.Moreover, performers in a Laptop Orchestra can have a complex array of application layers to manage and launch before the start of a specific piece's performance. For example, one work written for our LO requires a bluetooth middleware application which reads gestures from a Wii-mote and converts them into OpenSoundControl [Wright and Freed 1997] messages to be forwarded to a custom Max application, all of which must be launched and configured before any performance. Combine this with the rapid turnaround from one composition to the next during a concert performance, and the problem of preparing members of the laptop orchestra with the appropriate tools for each piece becomes daunting.The GRENDL project leverages proven grid computing frameworks and approaches the Laptop Orchestra as a distributed computing platform for interactive computer music. This allows us to readily distribute software to each laptop in the orchestra depending on the laptop's internal configuration, its role in the composition, and the player assigned to that computer. Using the SAGA framework [Goodale et al.], GRENDL is able to run pre-distribution scripts on a master computer, distribute software to client computers, launch post-distribution scripts on the master computer and launch application scripts on client computers that in turn manage application environments for each composition.SAGA, the Simple API for Grid Applications, is a distributed computing middleware used to distribute, manage and process grid-based applications, typically for scientific research problems in such diverse fields as numerical relativity, computational fluid dynamics and materials science. Its functionality and stability are well regarded within the computational science community and SAGA has become a standard API for grid computing.Our initial experiments have demonstrated that SAGA can be used successfully in a concert environment. The Laptop Orchestra of Louisiana (LOLs) debut concert on April 14, 2010 used a prototype version of GRENDL to manage two of the seven works performed, and GRENDL worked flawlessly.GRENDL proposes to go further than just applying SAGA to the LO environment. We will use tangible and physical objects [Ullmer et al. 2008] to represent individuals, resources, roles and compositions such that GRENDL knows how to distribute software appropriate to the LO's environment, the individuals performing and their role in the composition. By using RFID-embeded objects [Ullmer et al. 2010], master and client computers determine who is at which computers, and what is being performed. Just as a music librarian knows where to place parts for each composition on which music stands, GRENDL will know where to send software and how to launch that software for each composition, laptop and performer.Extending SAGA to work with tangibles and in novel runtime environments, will require extensions to SAGA -- support for new interfaces and instruments -- as well as require some performance engineering in order for commands to be processed with lower latency than traditional distributed systems are designed to tolerate. The trans-disciplinary nature of GRENDL provides potential to shed new light on existing challenges in computational and computer science. The LO setting presents a unique perspective from which to investigate topics such as time-sensitive and dynamic job scheduling, latency-bound interaction, and effective user interfaces for grid computing environments. Some of the first iteration interaction technologies have been developed for distributed computational science applications, and some of what is learned through GRENDL will likely be applicable in that area.

Introduction The computing sciences are complex fields that combine both theoretical and practical components. Students successfully completing an undergraduate computer science program should have instruction in both the mathematical and theoretical foundations of computing as well as the more practical aspects of how to effectively use computers to solve problems. Software engineering, as its name implies, is more directed toward the practical aspects of how to successfully develop complex systems that meet user requirements and are reliable, usable, and maintainable. Computing Curricula 2005 recognizes the need for more extensive education to produce professional engineers than what can be reasonably provided in a typical computer science program (ACM, 2005). As such, they propose engineering be treated as a totally separate discipline within computer science education. However, while there has been some debate about the exact role engineering should have in a computer science program (Curran, 2003), the ACM Curricula has maintained the importance of engineering to all computer science students and has kept it as a core element in computer science education (ACM, 2008). For purposes of this paper, we will focus on the teaching of engineering within the computer science discipline. Unlike other topics in the computer science major, the techniques and principles taught in engineering are often first developed and refined in industry before arriving in the classroom. As commercial development techniques and tools evolve, so pedagogical methodologies change. Computer science educators have taken different approaches to teaching engineering over the years, both as a result of changing methodologies as well as individual beliefs about what teaching methods work best in a particular academic environment. This paper is a case study in applying current productivity tools (specifically Redmine) in a engineering course at our institution. The objectives of the study are to investigate how to integrate the tools into the existing structure and evaluate their impact. We describe our experience in recently changing our approach to teaching engineering to be more aligned with current tools and how to effectively use them in an academic environment. The paper begins with an overview of engineering teaching methods, then describes our traditional approach and motivation for changing, how the new approach was integrated into the course, our experience with the change, and, finally, our plans for the future Software Engineering Education Background Software Engineering is defined as the application of a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the development, operation and maintenance of software (Petkovic, Thompson, & Todtenhoefer, 2006, p. 294). The need to teach engineering in colleges has been identified for decades. Stiller & LeBlanc (2002) point out as far back as the early 1990's, ACM Computing Curricula suggested that the at least one engineering course should be required in accredited computer science programs. They point out that the number of large projects in industry demand this and suggest that the proof of the success of these accredited computer science programs should be seen in the reduction of failure in the design and operation of large computer programs. Software engineering programs can be thought of as a replacement for the old apprenticeship programs which taught the trades to workman (Stroulia, Bauer, Craig, Reid, & Wilson, 2011). The issue, however, is how to bring this effect into the classroom. Many educators feel that current practices of teaching engineering are not adequately preparing students for the real world of development. Nurkkala & Brandle (2011) summarize the problems with current teaching approaches: * No product--students are creating projects, not commercial grade products * Short duration--single semester, or two-semester, courses impose an artificial time constraint * High turnover--new students each semester means the talent pool remains shallow and student skills are not developing based on previous experience * Low complexity--by necessity given time constraints and skill sets * No maintenance--as a result of short duration, students do not experience a key aspect of development, the maintenance phase * No customer--most engineering projects do not interface with a real customer To address these shortcomings, different approaches to teaching engineering have emerged and been proposed in the literature. …

Formulation of the problem. The urgency of the problem posed is the need to take into account the degree of intensity and quantitative study of dangerous atmospheric processes that cover large areas and cause significant economic damage to agriculture. When solving these questions it is necessary to have an objective estimation of different factors impact including weather and climate on the level of agricultural production. This will allow to assess various indicators of agro-meteorological conditions more reasonably in the estimation of the cereal harvest. Analysis of recent research and publications. The study of atmospheric processes and their effect on agricultural crops are devoted to in the works of V.V. Dokuchaev, P.I. Brоunоv, P.І. Kоlоskоv, G.Т. Sеlyaninov А.M. Аlpаtev S.А. Sаpоzhnikоvа, I.E. Buchinsky, N.B. Bova, V.A. Volevaha, V. Romushevich, Yu.І. Chirkоv, М.І. Budykо, А.R. Коnstаntіnоv, G.P. Dubinskiy. Formation of the purpose of the article. The article considers the questions of scientific research application and cartographical and mathematical methods. The following tasks are defined: to study the initial preconditions and methodological support in the study of this problem; to analyze the data of hydrometeorological service; to determine the empirical relationships of the spatial-temporal structure in the development of arid phenomena on the territory of Kharkiv region. Presentation of the main research material. In this paper, an attempt is made to use quantitative characteristics of environmentally hazardous atmospheric phenomena development for the analysis of their formation and influence on human economic activity. To do this, we used a cartographic and mathematical method of research. It consists in the fact that natural phenomena and, in particular, environmentally dangerous ones are placed on a map in the system of conditional signs and then are analyzed by methods of mathematical statistics, quantitative characteristics of the investigated phenomenon. The apparatus of mathematical statistics helps to solve probabilistic tasks of cartographic representation of natural phenomena, as well as to study various connections between natural phenomena reflected on maps, to measure and assess them. Involvement of the mathematical apparatus in the study of the cartographic image stems from the need for in-depth knowledge of the phenomena essence depicted in the maps. The study of natural phenomena without application of the map-mathematical method is considered to be one-sided since this does not take into account one of the important aspects of any study - quantitative relations and regularities. The result of the research is an analysis of statistical indicators of agricultural crops harvest and hydrometeorological conditions in Kharkiv region. Having analyzed these indicators, we determined that quantitative dependence of the crop on the number of dry days has a complex nonlinear multi-parameter appearance. At the same time, close connection between the harvest of corn and sugar beets with weather conditions was very significant, as indicated by the large correlation coefficient between them, equal to 0.87-0.90. We worked out a hypothesis about the form of functional dependence between these components. Using the mathematical modeling method to analyze the spatio-temporal structure of natural-anthropogenic phenomenon development allows us to unify the hydrometeorological characteristics. It can be used in different fields of science, in particular, in recreational geography. The apparatus of mathematical statistics helps to reliably solve the cartographic representation tasks of natural phenomena, as well as to study the versatile links between natural and anthropogenic objects, which are reflected on the maps, measure and estimate them. Conclusions. Cartographic and mathematical research method is an important component in the study of natural phenomena and processes and helps to solve probabilistic tasks of cartographic representation of natural phenomena, as well as to study the versatile relationships between natural phenomena reflected on maps, measure and quantitatively assess them.

The survey includes a study of destination planning and development at a local level through micro-regionalization. The subject of this work is the study, analysis and definition of opportunities for sustainable tourism development at a local level as a model that can be multiplied to be used in other developing tourist destinations. The objective of the study is the sustainable development of tourism in the municipality of Botevgrad and its positioning as an attractive tourist destination. To achieve the research goal, a set of general and private methods corresponding to the interdisciplinary and heterogeneous nature of the study are used: methods of analysis and synthesis, cameral method, cartographic method, geographic methods of research: spatial analysis of the resource potential, localization of the surveyed sites. An approach of studies and systematization of information on literary sources and planning documents has also been used; collecting, processing, systematizing and interpreting statistical data and documents; critical analysis method and expert assessment; comparative analysis method; scientific analysis and synthesis; field observation. The main conclusions point the opportunities for destination management at a local level through micro-regionalisation as a successful model for sustainable tourism.

Scientific research processes are accompanied by burgeoning amounts of research data that serves as findings of the research and provides a platform for the results to be verifiable. Scientific researchers are under pressure to make their data openly available to other researchers for use. Access to scientific data and its curation has become a dominant theme in scientific policy discussions. Besides the funder requirements, researchers are making their data openly available for a number of reasons that include, raising the profiles of their research outputs, to increase their citations, to validate their research outputs and for their authenticity and integrity as researchers. However, not all researchers possess the skills to curate their own data and make it openly available for use in an open environment that is FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable). The primary objective of this paper is to raise awareness of the strategic role of data scientists in the scientific research process. The study seeks to contribute towards a growing and emergent discourse of data science in HEIs. It also seeks to contribute towards an educational model for data scientists in HEIs in South Africa. In-order to realise these objectives the paper asks the following research questions:How are the emergent roles of data scientists conceptualised in HEIs in South Africa?What is the strategic role of a data scientist in the scientific research process?.This study analysed data science programs offered by universities in South Africa to understand how the role of data scientists is conceptualised and to delineate the scope of this emergent field. A qualitative content analysis survey method is used to analyse courses offered by HEIs in South Africa. Preliminary findings from the research revealed that data scientists are drawn from fields like mathematics, statistics, information science, and computer science. The practical jobs of data scientists as conceptualised by the majority of universities employs theories drawn from the information science, computer science and statistics. The data scientists are expected to work closely with the researchers where the research is done. Most universities are offering data science programs at post-graduate level as professional courses for learners coming in from diverse backgrounds. The study recommends that the next generation of data scientists in a South African context should possess a cocktail of skills that enable them to conduct data analysis and enquiry to enable others to work with digital data. Presentation at the UCT E-Research Conference 2019: DataScience4D: Explore the practice, principles and opportunities of data science for development15 – 18 April 2019 held at the University of Cape Town

Modern specialists must have not only professional skills and abilities based on special knowledge, but also a high level of professional qualification, which includes critical thinking, knowledge of a foreign language and the ability to use theoretical knowledge in their practice. To ensure the competitiveness of graduates of higher education institutions in the labor market, it is important to form their translation competence. The purpose of the article is to study the content of translation competence and the order of its formation in students majoring in "Economics", "Computer Science", "Information Systems and Technologies". The content of the categories "competence" and "translation competence" is analyzed. Innovative methods of teaching a foreign language used to form students' translation competence, types of tasks that have proven to be the most effective in the learning process, the main types of translation transformations are considered. Emphasis is placed on the expediency of using the method of case studies for the development of students' translation competence in the process of learning a foreign language in higher education institutions. It is established that the work on text translation includes separate stages, at each of which students develop the following skills: recognition of optimal translation units in the translated text, use of adequate translation transformations, finding the most successful equivalents of native language translation units, critical evaluation of translation and adjust it if necessary. It is emphasized that after studying a foreign language, students majoring in "Economics", "Computer Science", "Information Systems and Technologies" must know grammar to the extent that it provides practical translation skills, special terminological vocabulary, have a vocabulary within subject-oriented program, be able to convey the content of the read material in a foreign language; to conduct oral and written communication, business conversation, write a resume, organize business negotiations, write a scientific article, etc. Further scientific research in this direction is seen in the study of the factors of formation of professional communicative competence of future translators in the process of professional training.

The article is devoted to the problem of creating and using a virtual computer science classroom in the educational environment of the new Ukrainian school. The purpose of this article is the process of designing and implementing a virtual computer science classroom for elementary school students based on CMS WordPress. The key research concepts, approaches and principles of designing virtual classrooms are identified, analyzed and generalized. The subject area of research is reviewed, the concepts, functions and features of virtual classrooms are analyzed. The structural and functional scheme of work of a virtual office of computer science is presented; describes the platform for the development, design sequence and operation of the virtual cabinet. The content and structure of the virtual computer science classroom for primary school students have been developed and theoretically substantiated, taking into account the needs of the subjects of this educational unit. The technique of application of a virtual office of computer science in educational process is developed. The virtual computer science classroom has been introduced into the educational environment of the new Ukrainian school; the prospects of the following scientific researches in the line of the chosen subject are outlined. The practical significance of the study is revealed in highlighting the benefits of using a virtual classroom as a means of conducting classes, demonstrating educational presentations and interactive textbooks to explain new material, consolidating knowledge of computer science in primary school. In the course of the research the system of teaching informatics in primary school was improved, which is expressed in the creation of the designed software of pedagogical direction, creation of educational material for conducting lessons of informatics in primary school. The development can be used by parents of schoolchildren, computer science teachers, trainee students during pedagogical internships.

In public health, because of our commitment to advocacy, there is always the danger of becoming a believer — becoming so convinced about the issues one is pursuing that it becomes difficult to consider new information objectively. Although a degree of subjectivity is inherent in all scientific inquiry, one who believes uncritically risks missing opportunities to progress based on new insights, or, worse, one may introduce bias into inquiry — selectively evaluating data or studying the question in a way that favors a certain answer. I find myself increasingly preoccupied with these considerations as my work on obesity and minority health takes me into policy arenas where I must sometimes advocate for and defend a particular position. While issues of objectivity are relevant to public health generally, I find them particularly pertinent to obesity, health disparities, and prevention because — for different reasons — all three of these topics can be polarizing and politically charged. The politically charged nature of obesity research in an ethnic context first drew my attention at a 1984 National Institutes of Health (NIH) workshop I attended. A black woman researcher vociferously accused a workshop presenter (a white man) of racism and stereotyping when he interpreted a slide as showing the well-known finding that black women have a greater prevalence of obesity than white women. As an onlooker, I realized that the presenter might have been right, but that the ability to openly study, discuss, and ultimately solve the problem of obesity among black women was constrained by the sensitivities associated with obesity and the politics associated with being black in America. I decided then to take this issue on (1). As a black woman researcher, I would be in a politically safer and perhaps even strategic position to press for more attention to these issues. The key research questions were obvious — what was the reason for the high prevalence, and what could be done about it? However, these obvious questions have not had obvious answers, even to date, and the topic is still difficult to talk about without getting into trouble. But I press on, treating the topic with caution and respect, because I continue to be distressed, personally, at seeing my own reference group so affected. To guard against the danger of being too much of a believer, I sometimes, as here, find it useful to play the contrarian to my own position on the importance of obesity prevention in the African American community. Through this process of self-challenge, I push back against my own subjectivity to gain a clearer understanding of what the issues are in African American health and how best to approach them from a holistic perspective.

Online training has been growing in popularity, and offers many advantages for both trainers and learners. Assessing the usage and impact of online material can be difficult, especially if content is made available to anyone and is not part of a course requiring formal enrollment. The Cornell Virtual Workshop (CVW) first offered online training on topics in high-performance computing and computational science in 1994, and ten years ago we began logging usage. We are now performing our first in-depth analysis of those log data to identify patterns in usage, so that we can better understand how users access the material, which types of topics and materials result in the greatest impact, how topic usage changes over time, and what types of presentation format might be preferred. While the CVW is built around a cohesive, sequential narrative for each training topic, we find that many users access our content in a more targeted fashion, suggesting that we rethink how we package our material. We anticipate that ongoing analysis using data science and machine learning methods will enable us to produce more useful training materials, and provide the educational community with valuable information about patterns in online material usage.

Conferences are often organized within specialty disciplines, compartmentalizing information exchange by field of specialty. In the midst of these successful conferences there remains a niche for unifying, cross-cutting, interdisciplinary gatherings, where specialists can have exposure to diverse fields, a chance to meet new people in or near their individual areas of research, and participate in special sessions different from their own field. The proposed meeting of the 2nd International Conference on Mathematical Modelling and Computational Methods in Science and Engineering (ICMMCMSE-2020), has this purpose, to serve as a catalyst for computational mathematics among cutting edge applications in science and engineering.The fields of Mathematical Modelling and Computational Methods and their applications to major areas such as Fluid Dynamics, Structural Mechanics, Semiconductor Modelling, Electromagnetics and CAD/CAM. Multidisciplinary applications of these fields to critical societal and technological problems encountered in sectors like Aerospace, Car and Ship Industry, Electronics, Energy, Finance, Chemistry, Medicine, Biosciences, Environmental sciences, Graph theory are of particular interest.Computational mathematics, science and engineering are rapidly growing multidisciplinary areas with connections to business, economics, engineering, and mathematics and computer science through academia as well as industry. There is furthermore a constant need in these fields for the quick and efficient advancement of information exchange with an expert audience.Altogether, the intent of this conference is to exchange information and to promote the transfer between the research community and industry consistent with the development and applications of computational methods in science and technology. So, the conference theme provides opportunity to initiate and develop such activities among the researchers, scientists and engineers from all over the world.The overwhelming response to our call-for-papers indicates the popularity of this conference and confirms that the 2nd ICMMCMSE-2020 has become the world-wide forum for all aspects of Mathematics and Computer Science in science and technology. There are totally 575 participants have been registered for the conference. Out of this, 315 have been registered and presented their research findings in the “Contributed Talk” sessions and rest of the 260 participants have been registered themselves as a Listener for the conference. Thanks to this response, all important fields of the 2nd ICMMCMSE-2020 techniques, technology and exploitation are covered by their contributions. To our pleasure several Keynote and Invited sessions has been organised by eminent professors from USA, Turkey, Romania, UK, Thailand, New Zealand, UAE, Australia, some of the leading institutions in India like IIT’s and IIST.I would like to express my sincere thanks to all the authors for their outstanding contributions, sponsors for our conference RUSA 2.0, Elsevier Publishing Company, IOP Publishing Company, MDPI, AIMS Press and Hindawi Publishing House and in particular the members of the program board for their competent evaluation of the large number of submissions. Likewise, I would also like to express my appreciation to all the invited chairs for their careful preparation of the invited sessions. Dr. R. Raja Convener 2nd ICMMCMSE-2020

Purpose. The main purpose of the article is to explore the historical background and features of the development of modern museum institutions in the Lviv region in the light of contemporary public inquiries. Methodology of research. Methods of scientific literature analysis were used to study the historical aspects of the formation of a network of museum institutions, to outline the preconditions for transformational changes in the activity of museum institutions in the Lviv region. Methods of statistical information processing and cartographic methods were applied to analyze the dynamics of indicators of the network of museum institutions in the studied region and to visualize the results of the research, in particular the creation of a map of the territorial location of museum institutions in the region. Findings. The article considers the historical prerequisites and peculiarities of forming a network of museums in Lviv region. The basic approaches to the definition of the term "museum", which are used in modern science, are analyzed. The reasons for the transformational changes in the activity of museum institutions, related to the expansion of their functions, which are conditioned by the requirements of modern society, are considered. The main indicators of the activity of museum institutions of Lviv region during a certain period are investigated. The profile structure of museums of the region, features of activity of departmental museums are considered. A map was developed that visually reflects the spread of museums within the oblast in the context of administrative regions. The main problems and directions of improvement of work of museum institutions of the region are outlined. Originality. The research of the national network of museum institutions, taking into account the specifics of contemporary social requirements, was further developed. The decisive role of museum institutions in shaping the national cultural environment was emphasized. Practical value. The results of the survey can be used in the activities of tourism enterprises of Ukraine and its regions, state authorities and local self-government. Theoretical and methodological generalizations may form the basis for further research in this area. Key words: museum; museum institution; departmental museum; public museum; profile structure of museums; museum expositions; museum staff.

Podcasting in India is at a very nascent stage, despite the fact that the nation has a large number of active bloggers. In India it's growing very fast. For this purpose, researcher planned to study the effective teaching- learning techniques of podcasts for computer science in senior secondary classrooms. Purpose: This study accounts for the effectiveness of podcasts in teaching computer science in the extent of retention capability, interest of students and academic achievements of students at secondary school level. This study had shaded light on the use of technology i.e. Podcast in teaching-learning at senior secondary stage with respect to Computer Science. Design: For this study, researcher had developed podcasts with the content about two different topics of the computer science book of NCERT and used them as a tool through podcasting technique for a few weeks. This study lies in quasi-experimental design in nature. The sample for this study was taken through Random Sampling. The School was selected randomly from south-west Delhi zone. The sample size for students was 60 students from two different schools which assimilated using few parameters of class XI. In this study, 30 students were taught through podcasting mode with the help of podcasts and next 30 students through a regular lecture method. Findings: The result of the study implies that using podcasts stipulates qualitative reimbursement for students over and above regular mode (Lecture method) of teaching computer science. While the study is limited by small sample size and by some within-group variation in pedagogical techniques, the study provides initial evidence that podcasts have the potential to provide greater advantages if it is used in teaching-learning practices more than simply as a supplementary tool. Findings of this study have provided information about further research studies which includes different aspects of learning, subjects, teaching resources and learner. According to researcher, this study has shown a different outlook to the teachers and students respectively so that they can replace their traditional lecture methods, learning styles and include podcasting in education. Research limitations: This study focused solely on the schools of the south-west zone of New Delhi. Thus it would have been better if it could have covered several schools all over New Delhi and India. The study was confined to the students of the senior secondary stage only having Computer Science as an optional subject in their course.