User:Stefania
Homework 1
What is pragmatism?
- Pragmatism is an approach that emphasizes the linking between practice and theory. Knowledge and action are closely intertwined. The validation of a theory depends on its practical verification: in this sense, knowledge can be seen as a tool for action.
What is the trialogical approach to knowledge creation and learning?
- The trialogical approach is a new framework developed on the contest of collaborative learning, based on three basic metaphors of learning (acquisition, participation and knowledge-creation) associated with three different processes: one monological, within mind approach; another one dialogical, following an interaction approach through communication and participation; one more trialogical which develops shared artefacts and practices collaboratively. ----#: . Right. Briefly put: trialogical approach is about creating (shared) knowledge and learning by working on something (preferably concrete) in collaboration with others. --Mikko Pohjola 11:20, 28 January 2013 (EET) (type: truth; paradigms: science: comment)
What are the properties of good assessment?
- A good assessment should have nine different properties that can be categorized into 3 groups. The first group refers to the quality of content, so the features of the information content in the assessment output and includes informativeness, calibration, coherence. The second one takes into account the applicability of the assessment and consists of relevance, availability, usability and acceptability. Finally, the third group concerns the efficiency that has to characterize the process and includes the efficiencies both intra- and inter-assessement.
←--#: . Good answers! --Mikko Pohjola 11:20, 28 January 2013 (EET) (type: truth; paradigms: science: defence)
DARM course 2013 - Homework 3
Groupwork with Isabell Rumrich [[1]]
SCOPE
The purpose of the assessment is to support decision making on issues of societal relevance, in our specific case on climate change polities in cities by working on the emissions of public transport.
Question
If we analyze the problem of GHG emissions by sector, we can see how relevant traffic is. We choose public transport as part of the traffic sector, because the city can have direct influence on that as being the owner of the company. Therefore, because we are interested in supporting policy making, our question will be the following: “Which fuel can be used in public transport in order to reduce GHG emissions in the sector of traffic?” 1) BAU 2) Electric 3) Bio-fuel
Intended Use And Users
Different users are supposed to need the assessment: - the city - public transport company - consumers - car/bus industry Everyone expects to use the information in different ways: the city and the firms are interested to know the costs of the fuel; consumers are interested to know the impact on health; the car/bus industry has to develop new techniques for better use of the fuels or can give limitation to what is doable.
Participants
DARM participants, transport company, manufacturer industry, city and everyone can participate to make the assessment a well-balanced and well-informed work. There is no reason for which someone is not allowed to participate, because it is an open assessment, and the basic idea is collaboration and sharing information.
Scenarios
Fuel Options: 1) BAU; 2) Electric; 3) Bio-fuel
Boundaries
Time: Year 2013 – 2023 possible technical limitations Emissions important only in the city, not in the whole country
Analyses
Different analyses are needed to be able to produce results that are useful for making conclusions: concentration of emissions and health impacts, number of cars, Kilometers driven, life cycle and costs.
ANSWER
Results
| Fuel | km driven | number of cars | €/KM | Emissions [y T/a CO2e] | DALY | overall price * |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BAU | ||||||
| Electric | ||||||
| Biofuel |
- includes costs for DALYs, emissions, the fuel itself and the new techniques in the vehicles
Conclusion
The best option is Fuel …, because …
RATIONALE
Endpoints
The stakeholders that we should consider are the citizens, the city, the transport company, environmental congregations. In particular, each stakeholder is interested in a specific endpoints: the city and the transport firm are interested in the costs of the fuel, the citizens in heath impact, environmental congregations in GHG emissions.
Variables
The issues that should be looked at to be able to understand the outcomes of the decision options can be: 1) the costs of fuel; 2) the GHG emissions; 3) the health impact; 4) the life cycle impact; 5) the cost for developing the technique or to use it in the vehicles Typically, with health impact assessments, we need to consider some emissions (CO2, NOx, PMx, etc) and some cardiovascular diseases, pulmonary diseases, well-being and exposures. Therefore, dose-response data of the emissions and the endpoints need to be available. Different population subgroups should be considered: children and elderly individuals are in general more sensitive to health outcomes of air pollution. Furthermore the drivers of the public transport might have higher and longer exposure to the emission due to their work.