Open University of Catalonia

About: Open University of Catalonia is a education organization based out in Barcelona, Spain. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Context (language use) & Higher education. The organization has 1943 authors who have published 4646 publications receiving 64200 citations. The organization is also known as: Universitat Oberta de Catalunya & UOC.

Trends and Challenges of E-Assessment to Enhance Student Learning in Higher Education

Abstract: This chapter provides an overview of current e-assessment activity in Higher Education (HE) for those interested in improving their assessment practices. Despite substantial changes in HE teaching and learning strategies with the introduction of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), little effort has been made in the area of assessment, where traditional methods are still commonly used. ICT and computers are seen as a medium for supporting and guiding the whole learning process, but these options have not yet been fully explored. In view of this, we would like to review the trends and challenges of e-assessment to enhance student learning in future scenarios, taking into consideration several publications, cases and contributions from both the practice and research perspective.

Using Oriented Random Search to Provide a Set of Alternative Solutions to the Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem

Abstract: In this paper we present SR-GCWS, a simulation-based algorithm for the Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem (CVRP). Given a CVRP instance, the SR-GCWS algorithm incorporates a randomness criterion to the classical Clarke and Wright Savings (CWS) heuristic and starts an iterative process in order to obtain a set of alternative solutions, each of which outperforms the CWS algorithm. Thus, a random but oriented local search of the space of solutions is performed, and a list of “good alternative solutions” is obtained. We can then consider several properties per solution other than aprioristic costs, such as visual attractiveness, number of trucks employed, load balance among routes, environmental costs, etc. This allows the decision-maker to consider multiple solution characteristics other than just those defined by the aprioristic objective function. Therefore, our methodology provides more flexibility during the routing selection process, which may help to improve the quality of service offered to clients. Several tests have been performed to discuss the effectiveness of this approach.

Three problems with the connectivist conception of learning

Abstract: Connectivism, which has been argued to be a new learning theory, has emerged in the field of online learning during the last decade. On the World Wide Web at least, connectivism promises to establish learning spaces similar to those that Ivan Illich imagined in 'Deschooling Society', through so-called massive online open courses MOOCs.

On the improvement of blood sample collection at clinical laboratories.

Abstract: Blood samples are usually collected daily from different collection points, such hospitals and health centers, and transported to a core laboratory for testing. This paper presents a project to improve the collection routes of two of the largest clinical laboratories in Spain. These routes must be designed in a cost-efficient manner while satisfying two important constraints: (i) two-hour time windows between collection and delivery, and (ii) vehicle capacity. A heuristic method based on a genetic algorithm has been designed to solve the problem of blood sample collection. The user enters the following information for each collection point: postal address, average collecting time, and average demand (in thermal containers). After implementing the algorithm using C programming, this is run and, in few seconds, it obtains optimal (or near-optimal) collection routes that specify the collection sequence for each vehicle. Different scenarios using various types of vehicles have been considered. Unless new collection points are added or problem parameters are changed substantially, routes need to be designed only once. The two laboratories in this study previously planned routes manually for 43 and 74 collection points, respectively. These routes were covered by an external carrier company. With the implementation of this algorithm, the number of routes could be reduced from ten to seven in one laboratory and from twelve to nine in the other, which represents significant annual savings in transportation costs. The algorithm presented can be easily implemented in other laboratories that face this type of problem, and it is particularly interesting and useful as the number of collection points increases. The method designs blood collection routes with reduced costs that meet the time and capacity constraints of the problem.