Les interdits de parole : étude de cas

Le problème du silence se pose au théâtre sous deux formes principales : le silence volontaire qui donne naissance à des formes artistiques spécifiques, et le silence imposé tel qu’il est présent au Théâtre de la Foire en 1711. Les forains auront recours non seulement aux formes classiques du théâtre muet, mais aussi à des stratagèmes originaux pour contourner l’interdit de parole. Finalement, cette contrainte sera décisive dans la création de l’Opéra-Comique.The problem of silence is raised in theatre under two principal forms: voluntary silence which give rise to specific artistic forms and imposed silence as it is present in Fairground Theatre in 1711. Not only will fairground entertainers resort to classical forms of silent theatre but also to original stratagems that enables them to circumvent the ban on spoken word. This constraint will be decisive in the creation of the Comic Opera

A stochastic individual based model for the growth of a stand of Japanese knotweed including mowing as a management technique

Invasive alien species are a growing threat for environment and health. They also have a major economic impact, as they can damage many infrastructures. The Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica), present in North America, Northern and Central Europe as well as in Australia and New Zealand, is listed by the World Conservation Union as one of the world's worst invasive species. So far, most models have dealt with how the invasion spreads without management. This paper aims at providing a model able to study and predict the dynamics of a stand of Japanese knotweed taking into account mowing as a management technique. The model we propose is stochastic and individual-based, which allows us taking into account the behaviour of individuals depending on their size and location, as well as individual stochasticity. We set plant dynamics parameters thanks to a calibration with field data, and study the influence of the initial population size, the mean number of mowing events a year and the management project duration on mean area and mean number of crowns of stands. In particular, our results provide the sets of parameters for which it is possible to obtain the stand eradication, and the minimal duration of the management project necessary to achieve this latter

Learning the optimal buffer-stock consumption rule of Carroll

This article questions the rather pessimistic conclusions of Allen et Carroll (2001) about the ability of consumer to learn the optimal buffer-stock based consumption rule. To this aim, we develop an agent based model where alternative learning schemes can be compared in terms of the consumption behaviour that they yield. We show that neither purely adaptive learning, nor social learning based on imitation can ensure satisfactory consumption behaviours. By contrast, if the agents can form adaptive expectations, based on an evolving individual mental model, their behaviour becomes much more interesting in terms of its regularity, and its ability to improve performance (which is as a clear manifestation of learning). Our results indicate that assumptions on bounded rationality, and on adaptive expectations are perfectly compatible with sound and realistic economic behaviour, which, in some cases, can even converge to the optimal solution. This framework may therefore be used to develop macroeconomic models with adaptive dynamics.Consumption decisions; Learning; Expectations; Adaptive behaviour; Computational economics

Ad fontes – mit E-Learning zu ersten Editionserfahrungen

Vor über sieben Jahren ging das E-Learning-Programm Ad fontes online. Sein Grundziel ist es, Studierende aus den Disziplinen der historischen Kulturwissenschaften mit den Herausforderungen der Archivarbeit vertraut zu machen und ihnen eine Möglichkeit an die Hand zu geben, das Lesen alter Schriften selbständig zu erlernen und zu trainieren. Als eines der führenden webbasierten Angebote in diesem Bereich wird Ad fontes heute an mehreren Hochschulen in Ergänzung zum traditionellen Präsenzunterricht genutzt. Dank der finanziellen Unterstützung der Universität Zürich sowie anderer Geldgeber konnte das Programm über die Jahre hinweg kontinuierlich weiterentwickelt werden. Gegenwärtig diskutieren die Verantwortlichen vor allem Strategien zur sinnvollen Integration vonWeb-2.0-Technologien in Ad fontes, damit die etablierten Einheiten zum Selbststudium um Möglichkeiten zum kollaborativen Arbeiten ergänzt werden können. Im Zuge dieser Überlegungen wurde 2009 ein Wiki entwickelt, dank welchem die Studierenden im Rahmen von Lehrveranstaltungen gemeinsam einen Quellenbestand transkribieren und diskutieren können. Ein zentrales Lernziel dieses Pilotprojekts war nebst der Vertiefung paläographischer Fertigkeiten die Heranführung an Techniken und Standards des wissenschaftlichen Edierens historischer Quellen. Obwohl Wikis nur eine mögliche Form kollaborativer Lehr- und Lernformen darstellen, eröffnen die im Rahmen des Projekts gesammelten Erfahrungen interessante Rückschlüsse auf Anforderungen und Potentiale, aber auch auf Probleme und Spezifika bei der Nutzung von Web-2.0-Technologien in den historischen Grundwissenschaften speziell und im universitären E-Learning allgemein

Personal development planning in the first year

The approach to quality and standards in higher education (HE) in Scotland is enhancement led and learner centred. It was developed through a partnership of the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), Universities Scotland, the National Union of Students in Scotland (NUS Scotland) and the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) Scotland. The Higher Education Academy has also joined that partnership. The Enhancement Themes are a key element of a five-part framework, which has been designed to provide an integrated approach to quality assurance and enhancement. The Enhancement Themes support learners and staff at all levels in further improving higher education in Scotland; they draw on developing innovative practice within the UK and internationally The five elements of the framework are: z a comprehensive programme of subject-level reviews undertaken by higher education institutions (HEIs) themselves; guidance is published by the SFC (www.sfc.ac.uk) z enhancement-led institutional review (ELIR), run by QAA Scotland (www.qaa.ac.uk/reviews/ELIR) z improved forms of public information about quality; guidance is provided by the SFC (www.sfc.ac.uk) z a greater voice for students in institutional quality systems, supported by a national development service - student participation in quality scotland (sparqs) (www.sparqs.org.uk) z a national programme of Enhancement Themes aimed at developing and sharing good practice to enhance the student learning experience, facilitated by QAA Scotland (www.enhancementthemes.ac.uk). The topics for the Enhancement Themes are identified through consultation with the sector and implemented by steering committees whose members are drawn from the sector and the student body. The steering committees have the task of establishing a programme of development activities, which draw on national and international good practice. Publications emerging from each Theme are intended to provide important reference points for HEIs in the ongoing strategic enhancement of their teaching and learning provision. Full details of each Theme, its steering committee, the range of research and development activities as well as the outcomes are published on the Enhancement Themes website (www.enhancementthemes.ac.uk). To further support the implementation and embedding of a quality enhancement culture within the sector - including taking forward the outcomes of the Enhancement Themes - an overarching committee, the Scottish Higher Education Enhancement Committee (SHEEC), chaired by Professor Kenneth Miller, Vice-Principal, University of Strathclyde, has the important dual role of supporting the overall approach of the Enhancement Themes, including the five-year rolling plan, as well as institutional enhancement strategies and management of quality. SHEEC, working with the individual topic-based Enhancement Themes' steering committees, will continue to provide a powerful vehicle for progressing the enhancement-led approach to quality and standards in Scottish higher education