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This study explores ongoing research into self-mapped learning pathways that students utilize to move through a course when given two modalities to choose from: one that is instructor-led and one that is student-directed.

Process mining analysis was utilized to examine and cluster clickstream data from an online college-level History course designed with dual modality choices. This paper examines some of the results from different approaches to clustering the available data.

By examining how often students interacted with others, whether they were more internal or external facing with their pathway choices, and whether or not they completed a learning pathway, this study identified five general tactics from the data: Individualistic Internal; Non-completing Internal; Completing, Interactive Internal; Completing, Interactive, and Reflective and Completing External. Further analysis of when students used each tactic led to the identification of four different strategies that learners utilized during class sessions.

The results of this analysis could potentially lead to the creation of customizable design models that can assist learners as they navigate modality choices in learner-centered or less-structured learning design methodologies.

Few courses are designed to give the learners the options to follow the instructor or create their own learning pathway. Knowing how to identify what choices a learner might take in these scenarios is even less explored. Preliminary data for this paper was originally presented as a poster session at the Learning Analytics and Knowledge conference in 2019.

The purpose of this paper is to consider the performance of quick-release harness buoyancy aids in water rescue.

The assumption is questioned that the performance of water rescue harnesses, in what is perceived as benign, low-flow conditions (<1.85 km/s) is acceptable. Increasingly, rescue personnel are deployed to flooding events during which low-flow, but high-hazard conditions may prevail. A range of commercially available buoyancy aids manufactured in the UK were tested under “real world conditions” and the nature of the release rated.

The primary data illustrate that 25 per cent of releases where incomplete in low-flow conditions. By analogy a karabiner in a rope rescue system with a 1:4 chance of failure would be unacceptable. Consequently, harness testing, design, manufacture, use and deployment may all be in need of reconsideration if the harness is to remain suitable for its current deployment.

A group of international experts from the USA, Europe and the UK have reviewed the findings and highlight possible reasons for these failures. These comments form the basis for research in future papers.