Motivation. Despite the widespread use of video lectures in online and blended learning environments, there is still debate whether the presence of an instructor in the video helps or hinders learning. According to social agency theory, seeing the instructor makes learners believe that s/he is personally teaching them, which leads to deeper cognitive processing and, in turn, better learning outcomes. Conversely, according to cognitive...

The paper deals with the architecture of contemporary buildings in respect to their aesthetic image created by the use of natural light. Sustainability is regarded as a principle of contemporary architecture, where daylighting is an important factor as it affects energy consumption and environmental quality of the space inside a building. Environmental awareness of architecture, however, involves a much wider and more holistic...

Recently gathered image datasets and the new capabilities of high-performance computing systems have allowed developing new artificial neural network models and training algorithms. Using the new machine learning models, computer vision tasks can be accomplished based on the raw values of image pixels instead of specific features. The principle of operation of deep neural networks resembles more and more what we believe to be happening...

The standard of country living was a matter of Polish elites’ concern from the eighteenth century. In different historical conditions different concepts of the rural renewal were formed. Today in rural areas of Poland some spatial processes that threaten the quality of life occur. The disadvantageous changes are the result of national or local governments spatial policy and they are an inhabitants’ response to it. The political...