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Business Wire
6 days ago
- Science
- Business Wire
University of Phoenix Academic and Environmental Science Program Leaders Co-Author Study Exploring Role of Virtual Field Experiences
PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--University of Phoenix College of General Studies announces the publication of a new peer-reviewed study in the journal Wild, co-authored by Jacquelyn Kelly, Ph.D., associate dean, and faculty Dianna Gielstra, Ph.D. and Tomáš J. Oberding, Ph.D., along with a multidisciplinary team of researchers from institutions across the U.S. The article, titled 'Exploring Zoogeomorphological Landscapes: Enhancing Learning Through Virtual Field Experiences of Beaver Ponds Along the Red Eagle Trail, Glacier National Park, Montana, USA,' highlights how immersive virtual field experiences can help online learners better understand the ecological and geomorphic impacts in real-world environments. Gielstra and Oberding both serve as faculty in the College of General Studies' Environmental Science program. 'The creation of place-based, immersive learning experiences grounded in educational theory addresses a gap in natural science education,' said Gielstra. 'Many scientists who teach may not have formal training in learning theory, which can limit their ability to fully support student learning. By integrating these pedagogical tools with emerging technologies, we hope to help bridge that gap, empowering students to better understand environmental challenges and collaborate effectively across disciplines to tackle them.' The study introduces a theory-informed virtual learning environment (VLE) that uses 360-degree photography, historical imagery, and scientific field data to simulate a field trip to beaver pond ecosystems in Glacier National Park. The VLE is designed to support online learners in environmental science, geography, and landscape architecture by providing an interactive, place-based learning experience. The article introduces the researchers' philosophical framework Translating Research in Environmental Education (TREE), a model developed to bring teachings from seminal learning theories into immersive, online learning environments. 'In our Environmental Science program, TREE helps us understand our students, create meaningful opportunities for them, and guides everything we do as we reimagine how students engage with complex ecological systems and environmental education,' Kelly states. Key features of the study include: A virtual field trip that allows students to explore the geomorphic and ecological influence of beavers as ecosystem engineers. Integration of educational frameworks such as TECCUPD, TREE-PG, and the VRUI model to guide VLE design and evaluation. Use of the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) to help students analyze surface water conditions and landscape change. A new evaluation tool, the TREE-PG Implementation Prioritization Scale (TIPS), to assess the fidelity of learning theory in virtual environments. The study found that the VLE design supported spatial thinking skills and a deeper understanding of how beaver activity contributes to climate adaptation strategies through water retention and landscape modification. This research contributes to the growing field of virtual field-based education and offers a replicable model for educators seeking to enhance science literacy and environmental awareness in online classrooms. Kelly is a published researcher with more nearly 20 years of experience in science and math education. Her expertise is in translating STEM education research into practice at institutions of higher education. Kelly earned a doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction with a specialization in Science Education and a master's degree in Materials Science and Engineering from Arizona State University. Her undergraduate degree is in Physics and Chemistry from California State University, San Marcos. Gielstra is a biogeographer, course designer and faculty for the College of General Studies Environmental Science program with research interests in human and environmental connections, geography, polar, mountain, and riparian environments. Gielstra's research work includes the use of technologies to engage K-12 learners in geoscience education through virtual reality, and they serve as a team member and content contributor to GeoEPIC. Gielstra earned a doctorate in geography from Texas A&M University and holds a Master of Science in Environmental Studies from Medical University of South Carolina and Bachelor of Science in Biology from Coastal Carolina University. Oberding is a coastal ecologist, course designer and faculty for the College of General Studies Environmental Science program. His work has taken him from the UNESCO world heritage site of HaLong Bay in VietNam to the Permian oilfield of New Mexico, and his research interests are in the fields of hydrology, mariculture, coral ecology, and environmental remediation. He earned a doctorate in Natural Resource and Environmental Management from University of Hawaii at Manoa and holds a Master of Science in Mariculture from Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi, and a Bachelor of Science in biology from The University of New Mexico. Kelly, Gielstra and Oberding previously authored a University of Phoenix white paper about curriculum to careers programmatic mapping which was published as an article in Industry and Higher Education. . University of Phoenix innovates to help working adults enhance their careers and develop skills in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant courses, interactive learning, skills-mapped curriculum for our bachelor's and master's degree programs and a Career Services for Life® commitment help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. For more information, visit
The Wire
25-07-2025
- Business
- The Wire
CSC Collaborates with Salesforce to Revolutionise Grievance Redressal Across Rural India
AI-powered platform to unify and accelerate grievance redressal across CSC's 6 lakh Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) nationwide New Delhi, Delhi, India (NewsVoir) Common Services Centres (CSC), a flagship initiative for India's digital inclusion under the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY), today announced a collaboration with Salesforce, the #1 AI CRM*. The collaboration aims to enhance citizen and Village Level Entrepreneur (VLE) support across rural and semi-urban regions through a unified, AI-powered grievance redressal platform that delivers intelligent and scalable service experiences. With over 6 lakhs active VLEs, CSC plays a foundational role in connecting citizens with essential public and private services in remote areas. The adoption of Salesforce marks a significant milestone in CSC's digital transformation journey, aimed at improving resolution timelines, empowering VLEs with modern tools, and fostering greater transparency and trust in citizen services. Built on Salesforce's platform, the solution integrates Service Cloud with AI tools such as Einstein Bots for 24×7 self-service and Digital Engagement to consolidate citizen queries from WhatsApp, email, SMS, and the CSC portal. Sanjay Kumar Rakesh, MD & CEO, CSC SPV said, 'At CSC, our mission has always been to empower citizens and VLEs by bridging the last-mile digital gap. The collaboration with Salesforce is a step forward in building a more responsive, unified, and data-driven grievance redressal framework. By integrating modern tools and AI-led workflows, we are equipping our frontline network with the capability to resolve issues faster, track them transparently, and deliver better experiences to the communities we serve. This is not just a tech upgrade — it's a shift in how we enable trust in digital governance.' Arundhati Bhattacharya, President & CEO, Salesforce – South Asia, said, 'India's next leap in digital public infrastructure will be defined by how effectively we can bring citizen services closer to every corner of the country — with speed, scale, and intelligence. Our collaboration with CSC is a powerful example of how AI can be harnessed to transform governance at the grassroots. We are proud to support CSC in empowering lakhs of Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) with the tools to deliver faster, more transparent, and citizen-first services.' CSC's collaboration with Salesforce lays the foundation for broader digital public infrastructure. With CSC expanding into areas like wallet services, DigiPay, insurance, and telemedicine, the Salesforce platform provides a future-ready backbone to unify service delivery across functions. Its extensibility, multilingual support, and mobile-first design make it ideal for scaling digital governance across India's diverse citizen base. About CSC Common Services Centres (CSCs) are a strategic cornerstone of India's Digital India programme, delivering a wide array of public and private services to citizens across rural and remote locations via a nationwide VLE network. *Salesforce, the #1 CRM, powered by AI technology and capabilities. Learn more • Learn about Agentforce • Read more customer success stories (Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with Newsvoir and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.).
NDTV
17-07-2025
- Business
- NDTV
10 Lakh Indians To Receive Free AI Training, Focus On Village Entrepreneurs
New Delhi: At least 10 lakh citizens will receive free training in artificial intelligence (AI) thanks to Common Service Centres (CSCs) which falls under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). According to IT and Electronics Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, CSC has reached nearly 90 per cent of villages in the country and "If there is any medium capable of reaching every village, it is CSC." "The village level entrepreneurs (VLEs) across the country have set a remarkable example by delivering the benefits of Digital India to every citizen," the minister said. "When the world questioned how a tea seller or a vegetable vendor could use digital payments, today that dream has come true - UPI payments have surpassed Visa transactions. This is the strength of 1.4 billion Indians," he mentioned. Mr Vaishnaw cited inspiring stories of VLE Manjulata from Mayurbhanj district and VLE Rose Angelina from Meghalaya. Despite challenging circumstances, both women acquired digital skills and empowered their communities. "Amid the scenic hills and remote villages of East West Khasi Hills in Meghalaya, woman VLE Rose Angelina M. Kharsyntiew has scripted a digital revolution. Through her centre in the Mairang area, she is not only delivering services but also setting an example of transformation, empowerment, and community service," Mr Vaishnaw added. The minister also urged all VLEs to start offering IRCTC services. Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, Jitin Prasada, underscored the role of CSCs in bridging the digital divide "The resolve to extend the benefits of Digital India to the last mile of society is being carried forward with the help of our VLE brothers and sisters. Ten years ago, when we began the Digital India initiative, the Prime Minister had the vision to lay the foundation for a developed India," he noted. He shared that in 2014, there were only 83,000 CSC centres, whereas today, their number has grown to nearly 5.50 lakh. Prasada emphasised the integration of Primary Agriculture Credit Societies (PACS) with CSCs and acknowledged over 74,000 women VLEs who are setting new benchmarks in empowerment. "We are now in the era of Artificial Intelligence, and it is advancing rapidly. With time, we must use new technologies to bring positive change in people's lives and empower them," he said.
The Hindu
16-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Govt will train CSCs in AI, address duplication in State govt efforts: Vaishnaw
Common Service Centres (CSCs) around the country will receive free Artificial Intelligence training, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister of Electronics and Information Technology, told a packed gathering of Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) who run the tech centres on Tuesday (July 15, 2025). Mr. Vaishnaw also said that the government would address duplication issues posed by States' own digital service centres. The Minister was speaking at the annual CSC Diwas, where VLEs from around the country gather. CSCs are key in making online government services and websites available to people living in remote areas. Lalremruata, 29, a VLE in Lawngtlai, Mizoram had 'facilitated business worth over ₹8 crore through his CSC in the financial year 2024–25,' the government said in an award citation. Mr. Lalremruata was felicitated at the event alongside other VLEs working in remote districts. There are over 5.6 lakh CSCs in India, and over four-fifths of them are in rural areas. Aadhaar buzz While Mr. Vaishnaw and Minister of State for IT Jitin Prasada spoke, much of the VLEs' enthusiastic applause went to Bhuvnesh Kumar, who is the chief executive officer of the Aadhaar issuing Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). CSCs have not been able to perform enrolments and major updates for Aadhaar since 2018, following an order of the Supreme Court. Still, VLEs hope to regain that business, as Aadhaar enrolment and updates are a potentially high volume business. Mr. Prasada and Mr. Vaishnaw said they would look into the issue, but did not commit themselves to reopening all Aadhaar enrolment and update activities to CSCs just yet (VLEs can only perform address and other 'demographic' updates for the moment). 'Don't clap until the work is done,' Mr. Prasada said. Mr. Vaishnaw said he would discuss the issue with Mr. Kumar. Mr. Prasada pointed to the issue of cybersecurity, and urged VLEs to work with the government on the issue. India has seen major digitisation, he said. 'But with such big achievements, there are equally big challenges and those challenges are of cyber security in which you will also play a very important role to equip the people of India,' he said. 'All these things are related to the security of the country. We should take care of the people and there should be a constant dialogue.'
Auto Blog
11-07-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
2027 Mercedes-Benz VLE Is Already Showing Off What It Can Do In Public
By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. Merc VLE Appears To Be Imminent Exactly a week ago, Mercedes-Benz teased a new minivan called the VLE, providing a few shots of a pre-production development vehicle covered in blue camouflage. Our spies have now seen that same camouflage on another VLE van, but on this one, a few minor cosmetic changes suggest there can't be much testing left to do for the upcoming luxury minivan. In the teaser images from last week, there was a very simple daytime running light graphic in the headlights, the wheels were a somewhat generic double-spoke design that could have been from almost any existing product, and the taillights were pre-production placeholders. These spy shots show a vehicle with stylish differences in each of those areas. Mercedes VLE Prepares To Join A New Generation Like the other upcoming Mercedes models we've spotted undergoing testing of late, from the electric CLA to the facelifted S-Class, the lights feature a Three-pointed Star motif at the front and the rear. At the front, they're among the DRLs, while at the back… well, we can't say exactly how often the symbol will appear, but it will likely be a repeating image in the vertical bars framing the tailgate. It's also worth noting that the tailgate integrates a small lip spoiler over it, which is less about downforce and more about cleaning the turbulent air in the van's wake. More evidence of the ambition for aerodynamic efficiency can be found in the wheels and their directional spokes, but that's not the only neat trick found within the arches. The VLE Should Be Easy To Drive As the spy photos clearly show, one of the daily struggles facing the van driver in the busy and narrow European city is that of making sharp turns, but with a rather aggressive take on low-speed rear-wheel steering, this VLE electric van seems well-equipped to meet the challenge. It should also be easy to live with from a range perspective, as Mercedes claims that two test vehicles traveled 683 miles between Stuttgart and Rome and only needed two 15-minute charging stops along the way. That will be put to the test when the VLE debuts sometime next year, and given how many aerodynamic efficiency and range records Mercedes has claimed, we expect big things. About the Author Sebastian Cenizo View Profile
