Browsing by Author "Cahillane, Marie"

Now showing 1 - 12 of 12
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    Adopting the bottom-up approach and cluster analysis on North American and European male serial killers
    (JSciMed Central, 2017-11-23) Taylor, Sadie; Cahillane, Marie; Workman, Lance
    This study explores the application of the FBI’s organised-disorganised classification to North-American and European male serial killers. Adopting the same method as Taylor, Lambeth, Green, Bone and Cahillane’s 2012 study, 52 crime scene criteria were used to categorise the murders committed by 25 male European and 25 male North-American serial killers. Applying content analysis, murders committed were dichotomously coded for the presence or absence of crime scene criteria using numerous secondary sources. Two separate agglomerative hierarchical cluster analyses using Ward’s method as the clustering algorithm formed two clusters for the North-American and two for the European serial killers. There were differences in the crime scene criteria for clusters between North-American and European serial murders. The ‘bottom-up’ approach resulted in clusters from the crime scene criteria demonstrating that there are problems associated with classifying traits as simply organised and disorganised. All clusters comprised of a degree of core organised traits -consistent with Canter, Alison, Alison and Wentink’s (2004) assumption that all serial killings require a degree of organisation. Further examination of frequency of occurrence measures suggests there are subtle but inherent differences between the MO of North American and European serial killers.
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    Attitudes towards, and utilisation of, virtual learning environments among postgraduate university teaching staff
    (ICICTE, 2016-07) Smy, Victoria; Cahillane, Marie; MacLean, P.
    Skill retention within a virtual learning environment (VLE) is dependent upon the complexity inherent in skill use (Cahillane, MacLean, & Smy, 2015) and the frequency of skill use (Arthur, Bennett, Stanush, & McNally, 1998). A questionnaire was used to capture demographics and perceptions/attitudes concerning VLE usefulness, VLE ease of use and self-reported VLE use among postgraduate level teachers. Results indicate that self-reported teaching workloads were negatively associated with attitudinal positivity. Further results indicated that the attitudinal concept of Perceived usefulness explained a significant amount of unique variance in VLE Use. However, perceptions concerning the Ease of VLE use did not.
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    Autonomy is the answer, but what was the question?
    (The Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology, 2024-10-21) Spayne, Peter; Lacey, Laura; Cahillane, Marie; Saddington, Alistair J.
    In recent years aspirations regarding the implementation of autonomous systems have rapidly matured. Consequently, establishing the assurance and certification processes necessary for ensuring their safe deployment, across various industries, is critical. In the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence distinctive duty holder structures - formed since the publication of the Haddon Cave report in 2009 - are central to risk management. The objective of this research is to evaluate the duty holder constructs suitability to cater for the unique merits of artificial intelligence-based technology that is the beating heart of highly autonomous systems. A comprehensive literature review examined the duty holder structure and underpinning processes that form two established concepts: i) confirming the safety of individual equipment and platforms (safe to operate); and ii)the safe operation of equipment by humans to complete the human-machine team (operate safely). Bothtraditional and emerging autonomous assurance methods from various domains were compared, includingwithin wider fields, such as space, medical technology, automotive, software, and controls engineering. Thesemethods were analysed, adapted, and amalgamated to formulate recommendations for a single militaryapplication. A knowledge gap was identified where autonomous systems were proposed but could not be adequately assured. Exploration of this knowledge gap revealed a notable intersection between the two operating concepts when autonomous systems were considered. This overlap formed the development of a third concept, safe to operate itself safely, envisioned as a novel means to certify the safe usage of autonomous systems within the UK's military operations. A hypothetical through-life assurance model is proposed to underpin the concept of safe to operate itself safely. At the time of writing the proposed model is undergoing validation through a series of qualitative interviews with key stakeholders; duty holders, commanding officers, industry leaders, technology accelerator organisation leaders, requirements managers, system designers, Artificial Intelligence developers and other specialist technical experts from within the Ministry of Defence, academia, and industry. Preliminary analysis queries whether a capability necessitates the use of autonomy at all. Recognising that some autonomous systems will never be certified as safe to operate themselves safely, voiding ambitious development aspirations. This highlights that autonomy is simply one of many tools available to a developer, to be used sparingly alongside traditional technology, and not a panacea to replace human resource as originally thought. This paper provides a comprehensive account of the convergence between safe to operate and operate safely, enabling the creation of the safe to operate itself safely concept for autonomous systems. Furthermore, it outlines the methodology employed to establish this concept and makes recommendations for its integration within the duty holder construct.
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    Autonomy is the answer; what was the question?
    (Cranfield University Defence and Security, 2024-11-13) Spayne, Peter; Lacey, Laura J.; Cahillane, Marie; Saddington, Alistair J.
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    A case study of the barriers and enablers affecting teaching staff e-learning provision
    (2016-09-16) Smy, Victoria; Cahillane, Marie; MacLean, Piers
    The present paper reports the outputs of a focus group examining the perceived uses, enablers and barriers of utilising virtual learning environments (VLEs), amongst a small group of postgraduate teachers. Sixteen pedagogical/teaching functions were identified and were mapped to MacLean and Scott’s (2011) model of VLE elements. Whilst a number of enablers of VLE use were apparent, participants’ insights and inputs indicated a larger number of VLE barriers. It appears that the biggest barrier to overcome in using VLEs is finding the time to develop the materials and navigate the technology.
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    The effectiveness of EBSE in modifying professional practice - an experimental protocol and study
    (Academic Conferences International Ltd, 2011-11) Fletcher, Graham; Cahillane, Marie
    This paper reports on an experiment to investigate if evidence based systematic reviews have the power to modify people’s opinion. A blind, primary study was conducted indicating that there are statistically significant differences between people’s opinions when compared with coving the same material in an unstructured manner.
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    Evaluating teamwork development in combat training settings: an exploratory case study utilising the Junior Leaders’ Field Gun competition
    (Elsevier, 2021-05-19) Smy, Victoria; Cahillane, Marie; MacLean, Piers; Hilton, Mike; Humphreys, Lisa
    A behaviourally-anchored observational rating scale (BAORS) of teamwork based upon the ‘Big Five’ teamwork model (Salas et al., 2005) was selected and adapted for use in a combat training setting – a UK military field gun competition. The teamwork development of 16 newly-formed teams training to master a historic tactical drill was evaluated over the course of a week-long residential programme. Training culminated in a timed field gun competition. Teams were trained and mentored in respects to teamwork and taskwork by experienced military instructors. Teamwork was assessed at the outset and end of training. Significant improvements were evident on all teamwork process dimensions, with the greatest improvement seen in teams’ shared understanding of teamwork roles and strategies (shared mental models). The lack of an association between teamwork development and final drill performance is explored, as is the utility of the measurement protocol developed for teamwork assessment in other settings
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    The human factor in learning design, research, policy, and practice
    (Emerald, 2015-06-01) MacLean, Piers; Cahillane, Marie
    Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to highlight the importance of coherent alignment of current theory from cognitive psychology with practice and policy in training and education institutions developing e-learning materials and present recommendations emphasising the human factor within processes. Design/methodology/approach – In this paper a recent empirical study which applies current theory from cognitive psychological and multimodal learning research provides the backdrop to discussion about alignment of strategic vision, through policy, to effective practice. Findings – Despite advances in cognitive psychology which can be applied to targeting effective and measurable training and education, many institutions fail to maintain updated e-learning strategy and policy resulting in a negative impact on practice and the learner experience. Practical implications – The model presented in this paper is intended to promote thoughtful discussion about the processes and framework necessary for improved collaboration and communication supported by ongoing evaluation of institutional e-learning policy such that policy becomes a dynamic process congruent with developments in the learning sciences. Social implications – The paper includes recommendations for a refined view of knowledge, skills, and attitudes and alignment of policy with practice and theory and will be of interest to training and education institutions seeking to review their policies for training needs analysis and e-learning. Originality/value – This paper offers an up-to-date view of training needs analysis and multimedia design for training discrete psychomotor skills. It will be of value to organisations and institutions providing training and education mediated by technology as well as those involved in the design of training interventions.
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    Lifting the lid on manipulative website contents: a framework mapping contextual and informational feature combinations against associated social cognitive vulnerabilities
    (Wiley, 2024-02-15) MacLean, Piers; Cahillane, Marie; Smy, Victoria
    Website contents can be designed to influence individual and group decision-making for social, political or financial gain. A novel working theoretical framework was developed to provide insights into where website contents have been designed to exploit common cognitive vulnerabilities (CVs) amongst audiences; a form of social cognitive hacking. A literature synthesis on CVs, website content design and credibility identified features on a context credibility (CC) dimension that were mapped against features on an information validity (IV) dimension. Alignment of CC and IV feature pairings with CVs enables evaluation and interpretation of nuanced website content for identification of attempted influence undetectable by machine algorithms. Subjective responses to prompts about features on each dimension generate pairs of numerical values. The value pairs indicate within a quad-graph the possible presence and extent of CV exploitation. Each value pair can be traced to the underlying CC-IV features and CVs being targeted. External prima facie assessment suggests the framework can form the basis for standardised human analysis of website contents. Application of the framework provides insights into what and how feature combinations may be manipulated for CV exploitation. It has potential for application in fields such as intelligence analysis, education, and marketing.
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    Novel application of a predictive skill retention model to technical VLE content production skills among Higher Education teachers: a case study
    (Taylor and Francis, 2018-05-15) Cahillane, Marie; MacLean, Piers; Smy, Victoria
    Periods of no practice in performing a technical procedure may impact on the retention of the procedural skills required to produce VLE content. This exploratory paper reports a case study into the application of a validated skills retention model, the User Decision Aid (UDA). Use of the UDA results in a series of indicative retention rates predicting how long the procedures required to carry out Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) content production tasks will be remembered. Considerable variability in retention rates for differing VLE content production tasks was indicated. The study reveals that improvement in predicted VLE content production skills retention rates may be observed when a quality job aid is available and the mental processing complexity resulting from conducting VLE tasks is reduced. Outputs from this research can inform the design of VLEs, lead to the development of targeted training for teaching staff, and the better design of effective resources in order to mitigate skills fade in VLE content production tasks.
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    Operating itself safely: merging the concepts of ‘safe to operate’ and ‘operate safely’ for lethal autonomous weapons systems containing artificial intelligence
    (Taylor and Francis, 2024-12-31) Spayne, Peter; Lacey, Laura; Cahillane, Marie; Saddington, Alistair J.
    The Ministry of Defence, specifically the Royal Navy, uses the ‘Duty Holder Structure’ to manage how it complies with deviations to maritime laws and health and safety regulations where military necessity requires it. The output statements ensuring compliance are ‘safe to operate’ certification for all platforms and equipment, and the ‘operate safely’ declaration for people who are suitably trained within the organisation. Together this forms the Safety Case. Consider a handgun; the weapon has calibration, design and maintenance certification to prove it is safe to operate, and the soldier is trained to be qualified competent to make predictable judgement calls on how and when to pull the trigger (operate safely). Picture those statements as separate circles drawn on a Venn diagram. As levels of autonomy and complexity are dialled up the two circles converge. Should autonomy increase to the point that the decision to fire be under the control of an Artificial Intelligence within the weapon’s software then the two circles will overlap. This paper details research conclusions within the overlap, and proposes a new methodology able to certify that an AI based autonomous weapons system is “safe to operate itself safely” when in an autonomous state.
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    Sensemaking and metacognitive prompting in ill-structured problems
    (Emerald, 2016-06-06) Smy, Victoria; Cahillane, Marie; MacLean, Piers
    Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a set of generic prompting principles and a framework of prompts that have the potential to foster learning and skill acquisition among adult novices when performing complex, ill-structured problems. Design/methodology/approach – Relevant research in the literatures surrounding problem structure, sensemaking, expertise, metacognition, scaffolding, and cognitive load were reviewed and synthesised in order to derive generic prompting principles and guidelines for their implementation. Findings – A framework of generic principles and prompts is proposed. Differentiation between prompts supporting cognition either within, or after an ill-structured problem-solving task was supported. Practical implications – Prompts such as those proposed in the framework developed presently can be designed into technology-enhanced learning environments in order to structure and guide the cognitive processes of novices. In addition, prompts can be combined with other learning support technologies (e.g. research diaries, collaborative discourse) in order to support learning. Empirical testing will be required to quantify the potential benefits (and limitations of) the proposed prompting framework. Originality/value – The prompts developed constitute a framework for structuring and guiding learning efforts in domains where explicit, actionable feedback is often unavailable. The proposed framework offers a method of tailoring the scaffolding of prompts in order to support differing levels of problem structure and may serve as the basis for establishing an internalised and adaptive learning approach that can be transferred to new problems or contexts.