Search results

This paper aims to first, examine teachers' conception of e‐learning and second, is to reveal how e‐learning is applied in teaching and learning in the field of Chinese higher education.

Various issues are reviewed in the instruction part, i.e. e‐learning applications in China, research and practices of e‐learning. The methodology applied in this study is phenomenography. Twenty‐four Chinese participants were interviewed in‐depth based on a protocol developed in the planning stage. The interviews are analysed from a grounded theory perspective and a set of conceptual categories are proposed.

Five categories, i.e. the centrality of the lecture, online cooperation learning, network learning, student learning, and infrastructure and access are identified in terms of the phenomenographic study. The findings demonstrate that the traditional teaching methods that dominate in China are unlikely to present conditions for mainstreaming e‐learning in the near future.

Traditional Chinese teaching culture still dominates in higher education, and teachers' conceptions do influence their teaching behaviours. Therefore, a training programme could be developed based on the categories of teachers' conceptions of e‐learning.

This study helps us to understand how Chinese teachers understand e‐learning and how they utilise e‐learning in their teaching and learning.

With the twin screw extruder being widely used, there are a lot of parameters considered in the method, and the extruder’s volume is an important parameter of twin screw extruders among them. In this paper, some of the extruder parameters such as the impacting extruder volume are introduced, and the mathematical relationship in these parameters is interpreted. The minimum power consumption is the goal of the authors’ structural design.

This paper further applies genetic algorithm, a kind of intelligent optimization methods, to obtain the most optimized design dimension, and power consumption function related to unit output of extruder is used as the optimizing target. Meanwhile, this paper takes channel depth of feeding section, channel depth of extrusion section affecting the energy consumption, the width of flight top and helix angle as design variables.

By using genetic algorithm, the optimal structure size is obtained, and the power consumption is minimum.

With the use of optimizing the structure, the power of consumption is reduced. This method has important economic significance and important social significance on energy saving.

The purpose of this paper is to provide scientific guidance for the integration of industrialization and information (TIOII). In recent years, TIOII has promoted the development of intelligent manufacturing in China. However, many enterprises blindly invest in TIOII, which affects their normal production and operation.

This study establishes an efficiency evaluation model for TIOII. In this paper, entropy analytic hierarchy process (AHP) constraint cone and cross-efficiency are added based on traditional data envelopment analysis (DEA) model, and entropy AHP–cross-efficiency DEA model is proposed. Then, statistical analysis is carried out on the integration efficiency of enterprises in Guangzhou using cross-sectional data, and the traditional DEA model and entropy AHP–cross-efficiency DEA model are used to analyze the integration efficiency of enterprises.

The data show that the efficiency of enterprise integration is at a medium level in Guangzhou. The efficiency of enterprise integration has no significant relationship with enterprise size and production type but has a low negative correlation with the development level of enterprise integration. In addition, the improved DEA model can better reflect the real integration efficiency of enterprises and obtain complete ranking results.

By adding the entropy AHP constraint cone and cross-efficiency, the traditional DEA model is improved. The improved DEA model can better reflect the real efficiency of TIOII and obtain complete ranking results.

This paper aims to investigate the mechanism of Ni particles distribution in the liquid Sn3.5Ag melt under the external static magnetic field. The control steps of Ni particles and the Sn3.5Ag melt metallurgical process were studied. After aging, the microhardness of pure Sn3.5Ag, Sn3.5Ag containing randomly distributed Ni particles and Sn3.5Ag containing columnar Ni particles were compared.

Place the sample in a crucible for heating. After the sample melts, place a magnet directly above and below the sample to provide a magnetic field. Sn3.5Ag with the different morphological distribution of Ni particles was obtained by holding for different times under different magnetic field intensities. Finally, pure Sn3.5Ag, Sn3.5Ag with random distributed Ni particles and Sn3.5Ag with columnar Ni particles were aged and their microhardness was tested after aging.

The experimental results show that with the increase of magnetic field strength, the time for Ni particle distribution in Sn3.5Ag melt to reach equilibrium is shortened. After aging, the microhardness of Sn3.5Ag containing columnar nickel particles is higher than that of pure Sn3.5Ag and Sn3.5Ag containing randomly distributed nickel particles. A chemical reaction is the control step in the metallurgical process of nickel particles and molten Sn3.5Ag.

Under the action of the magnetic field, Ni particles in Sn3.5Ag melt will be arranged into columns. With the increase of magnetic field strength, the shorter the time for Ni particles in Sn3.5Ag melt to arrange in a column. With the extension of the service time of the solder joint, if Sn3.5Ag with columnar nickel particles is used as the solder joint material, its microhardness is better than Sn3.5Ag with arbitrarily distributed nickel particles and pure Sn3.5Ag.

This study empirically tests a conceptual framework that shows how integration practices are significantly associated with supply chain (SC) performance. This study also intends to achieve the following purposes: first, how the performance is influenced by the integration practices, i.e. internal and external; second, to measure the mediating effect of organizational antecedents (market orientation, learning orientation) between integration practices and firm’s SC performance.

In a noncontrived study environment, a cross-sectional study design was used with a questionnaire. The study used a stratified proportionate random sample of 205 managers from manufacturing firms in China. Six hypothesized relationships were examined using the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique in AMOS software, and five were shown to be valid. The proposed model was validated through various techniques.

Results of this study indicate that both external and internal integration influence SC performance and confirms the mediating role of organizational antecedents between integration practices and SC performance. According to the findings, five out of the six hypotheses are accepted. Findings of this research also offer very expedient insights for the companies’ management which can help them to ensure optimal output by giving due importance to external as well as internal integration.

The data for the study were only obtained from one province, which was Henan Province, and one industry, which was manufacturing; this constrained the generalizability of the study. The findings may be further validated in the future by expanding the scope of the studies to include various cultural contexts and types of businesses. Second, this study used data from a cross-sectional analysis; however, future research may potentially make use of a longitudinal design in order to more thoroughly confirm the findings.

Findings of this study offer substantial managerial insights suggesting various ways to develop better internal as well as external integration to get better results. Management of the company should focus and give more importance to job rotation, trainings and management commitment as part of internal integration. Moreover, management should strive for improving the capabilities of integration in internal functions prior to external integration as internal collaboration, teamwork and interaction within the company are considered as a precondition to maintain integration with external stakeholders. It is also a social process which needs to be built up over a longer period of time.

The authors contribute to the literature by experimentally evaluating the effects of integration practices on SC performance using a conceptual model drawn from current theories. The study also offer additional empirical evidence for Han et al. (2007), who found that SCI enhances firm performance through quality management in their analyses of the relationships between SCI, quality management practices and firm performance.

The purpose of this paper is to develop a dual peg-in-hole insertion strategy. Dual peg-in-hole insertion is the most common task in manufacturing. Most of the previous work develop the insertion strategy in a two- or three-dimensional space, in which they suppose the initial yaw angle is zero and only concern the roll and pitch angles. However, in some case, the yaw angle could not be ignored due to the pose uncertainty of the peg on the gripper. Therefore, there is a need to design the insertion strategy in a higher-dimensional configuration space.

In this paper, the authors handle the insertion problem by converting it into several sub-problems based on the attractive region formed by the constraints. The existence of the attractive region in the high-dimensional configuration space is first discussed. Then, the construction of the high-dimensional attractive region with its sub-attractive region in the low-dimensional space is proposed. Therefore, the robotic insertion strategy can be designed in the subspace to eliminate some uncertainties between the dual pegs and dual holes.

Dual peg-in-hole insertion is realized without using of force sensors. The proposed strategy is also used to demonstrate the precision dual peg-in-hole insertion, where the clearance between the dual-peg and dual-hole is about 0.02 mm.

The sensor-less insertion strategy will not increase the cost of the assembly system and also can be used in the dual peg-in-hole insertion.

The theoretical and experimental analyses for dual peg-in-hole insertion are proposed without using of force sensor.

Pyrolysis for coal gas generation changes the composition, pore structure, permeability and adsorption capacity of coal. This work aims to discuss the utilization of coal pyrolysis on enhancing coalbed methane (CBM) production in the Gujiao area, Shanxi province, China.

This research was conducted mainly by the methods of thermogravimetry mass spectrometry (TG-MS) analysis, liquid nitrogen adsorption experiment and methane isothermal adsorption measurement.

The results can be concluded as that 400-700°C is the main temperature range for generating CH₄. Pore volume and specific surface area increase with increasing temperature; however, the proportion of micro pore, transition pore and macro pore has no difference. The optimum temperature for enhancing CBM production should be letter than 600°C because the sedimentation of tar and other products will occupy some pores and fissures after 600°C.

Here in, to accurately recognize the suitable maximum temperature for heating development, a method enhancing CBM production, TG-MS, was adopted to analyze the products and the weight loss of coals with different ranks in the Gujiao area at temperature of 30-1,100°C. And then the pore structure, porosity, permeability, methane adsorption capacity and thermal maturity of coals during pyrolysis were investigated with increased temperature from 30°C to 750°C. On these bases, the favorable condition for enhancing CBM production and the thermal evolution of coal were recognized.

Shifting to OLSL classes during the pandemic can bring learners ambivalent experiences: negative, positive or both appraisals toward the technologies. However, few studies have examined how ambivalent experiences can influence students' learning behaviors, specifically cyberslacking and active participation. Using the challenge-hindrance stressor framework, this study investigates the impact of challenge and hindrance appraisals on these learning behaviors.

This study uses a mixed methods approach to answer research questions. An interview was conducted to identify the key components of ambivalent appraisals, and a survey was conducted to empirically examine the impact of challenge and hindrance appraisals on learners' behaviors in online live streaming learning (OLSL) contexts. The data of 675 university students were analyzed using structural equation modeling.

This study found that hindrance appraisal leads to cyberslacking while challenge appraisal leads to active participation, but it can also cause cyberslacking. Social presence has a double-edged effect, acting as both a facilitator and inhibitor, strengthening the effect of hindrance appraisal on cyberslacking and the impact of challenge appraisal on active participation.

Prior studies have primarily focused on the negative side (techno-distress) of technology appraisals. This study simultaneously examines the positive side, techno-eustress, on learners' behaviors in OLSL contexts, and explores the moderating effects of social presence. This study contributes to the technostress and technology adaptation literature by revealing how technology-induced ambivalent appraisals impact behavioral responses. It offers important theoretical and practical implications for education tool designers.

Several multivariate statistical methods were comprehensively used to interpret the temporal, spatial patterns and source identification of surface water pollution in Bohai Bay with the large and complex data. Twelve variables water quality indices were surveyed at 12 sites three times a year (May, August, and October) from 1995 to 2005. Cluster analysis (CA) grouped the eleven years into two clusters, Cluster A (1995 to 2001 except 1998) and cluster B (2002 to 2005 and 1998), and spatial CA divided the entire area into three groups. The results of discriminant analysis showed that the temporal CA and spatial CA were effective with 90% and 83.3% correct assignments, respectively. In cluster A, the pollution sources mainly were nutrient factor from non-point source and Hg pollution, oil and organic pollutions were relatively light. In Cluster B, the organic pollution became the mainly pollution source, and the nutrient pollution was still serious problem. In the results of spatial analysis, the group 1 was mainly affected by anthropogenic pollution, the group 3 was seriously affected by oil spill pollution and nutrients pollution, and the group 2 reflected relatively strong water self-purification ability.