A Move to Higher Module Credit Weighting to Enhance Student Engagement

Modularisation has supported great flexibility in curriculum pathways. However, there has been little guidance to staff on the module credit weighting that is optimum to allow for this flexibility without compromising student engagement. Student engagement can include, for example, student\u27s time and effort (workload), their participation, interest in the subject and their deeper learning. The UCD School of HIstory, with a standard module credit weighting of five ECTs credits, set out to move to 10 credit modules and to redesign for the enhancement of student engagement in their final year. Using a mixed-method approach, over a three year period student and staff views and experiences of the redesign were explored (n=187 module offerings). The themes identified are explored through the lens of Kahu\u27s (2013) student engagement framework, with evidence of increased engagement of students and staff satisfaction with the design change

Enhancing the Visibility of Vernier Effect in a Tri-Microfiber Coupler Fiber Loop Interferometer for Ultrasensitive Refractive Index and Temperature sensing

In this paper a Vernier effect based sensor is analyzed and demonstrated experimentally in a tri-microfiber coupler (Tri-MFC) and polarization-maintaining fiber (PMF) loop interferometer (Tri-MFC-PMF) to provide ultrasensitive refractive index and temperature sensing. The main novelty of this work is an analysis of parameters of the proposed Tri-MFC-PMF with the objective of determining the conditions leading to a strong Vernier effect. It has been identified by simulation that the Vernier effect is a primary factor in the design of Tri-MFC-PMF loop sensing structure for sensitivity enhancement. It is furthermore demonstrated experimentally that enhancing the visibility of the Vernier spectrum in the Tri-MFC-PMF allows to achieve an ultrahigh refractive index and temperature sensitivity with improved measurement accuracy. Specifically it is shown that small values of the total phase difference (pi/16+Npi)~(pi/4+Npi), where N is an integer, accumulated over the PMF loop and Tri-MFC loop result in a strong Vernier effect. Experimentally an ultrahigh refractive index sensitivity of -20588 nm/RIU and temperature sensitivity of 0.019 nm/C are demonstrated by utilizing the stronger Vernier effect with clear Vernier spectrum. This analysis of the parameters may be useful to future researchers seeking to increase the measurement accuracy of sensors by enhancing the spectral visibility of the Vernier effect in other types of fiber optic interferometers

School of Culinary Arts & Food Technology Newsletter (Autumn Edition 2022)

The School of Culinary Arts and Food Technology, TU Dublin, Autumn Newsletter captured the many events, research, awards, significant contributions and special civic and community activities which the students and staff members of the school across our (3) three campuses have successfully completed up to the Autumn period of 2022. The successful completion of these activities would not be possible without the active and on-going support of the \u27INSPIRED\u27 friends of Culinary Arts (school supporters) and our school\u27s industry association supporters

Review of: Religious Tourism and the Environment

Despite increasing scholarly attention on the environmental impacts of tourism, there has been little research on the environmental impacts of religious tourism and pilgrimage. As the oldest form of tourism, millions of people continue to travel to sacred places across the globe each year. In addition, despite the continuous growth of religious festivals and ceremonies at sacred sites such as Kumbh Mela, India, the impact of religious tourism on the environment and its role in the sustainable development of destinations is under explored. Religious Tourism and Environment edited by Kiran A. Shinde and Daniel H. Olsen is an original edited book, which focuses on the interrelationships between religion, tourism and the environment.

Characterization and Antimicrobial Activity of Biodegradable Active Packaging Enriched with Clove and Thyme Essential Oil for Food Packaging Application

Bioactive packaging contains natural antimicrobial agents, which inhibit the growth of microorganisms and increase the food shelf life. Solvent casting method was used to prepare the Poly (lactide)-Poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PLA-PBAT) film incorporated with the thyme oil and clove oil in various concentrations (1 wt%, 5 wt% and 10 wt%). The clove oil composite films depicted less green and more yellow as compared to thyme oil composite films. Clove oil composite film has shown an 80% increase in the UV blocking efficiency. The tensile strength (TS) of thyme oil and clove oil composite film decreases from 1.35 MPs (control film) to 0.96 MPa and 0.79, respectively. A complete killing of S. aureus that is a reduction from 6.5 log CFU/mL to 0 log CFU/mL was observed on the 10 wt% clove oil incorporated composite film. Clove oil and thyme oil composite film had inhibited E. coli biofilm by 93.43% and 82.30%, respectively. Clove oil composite film had exhibited UV blocking properties, strong antimicrobial activity and has high potential to be used as an active food packagin

Video quality prediction under time-varying loads

We are on the cusp of an era where we can responsively and adaptively predict future network performance from network device statistics in the Cloud. To make this happen, regression-based models have been applied to learn mappings between the kernel metrics of a machine in a service cluster and service quality metrics on a client machine. The path ahead requires the ability to adaptively parametrize learning algorithms for arbitrary problems and to increase computation speed. We consider methods to adaptively parametrize regularization penalties, coupled with methods for compensating for the effects of the time-varying loads present in the system, namely load-adjusted learning. The time-varying nature of networked systems gives rise to the need for faster learning models to manage them; paradoxically, models that have been applied have not explicitly accounted for their time-varying nature. Consequently previous studies have reported that the learning problems were ill-conditioned -the practical, undesirable consequence of this is variability in prediction quality. Subset selection has been proposed as a solution. We highlight the short-comings of subset selection. We demonstrate that load-adjusted learning, using a suitable adaptive regularization function, outperforms current subset selection approaches by 10% and reduces computation

Comparison of amblyopia in schoolchildren in Ireland and Northern Ireland: a population-based observational cross-sectional analysis of a treatable childhood visual deficit

Objectives This study reports the prevalence of persistent amblyopia (post-traditional treatment age) in schoolchildren in the Republic of Ireland (henceforth Ireland) and Northern Ireland (NI), UK; populations with broadly similar refractive and genetic profiles but different eye-care systems. Design This is a population-based observational study of amblyopia and refractive error. Setting Recruitment and testing in primary and post-primary schools in Ireland and NI. Participants Two groups identified through random cluster sampling to represent the underlying population; Ireland 898 participants (12–13 years old) and NI 723 participants (295 aged 9–10 years old, 428 aged 15–16 years old). Main outcome measures Monocular logMAR visual acuity (presenting and pinhole), refractive error (cycloplegic autorefraction), ocular alignment (cover test) and history of previous eye care. These metrics were used to determine prevalence and type of amblyopia and treatment histories. Results Children examined in NI between 2009 and 2011 had a significantly lower amblyopia prevalence than children examined in Ireland between 2016 and 2018 (two-sample test of proportions, p\u3c0.001). Using a criteria of pinhole acuity 0.2logMAR (6/9.5 Snellen) plus an amblyogenic factor, 4 of 295 participants aged 9–10 years old (1.3%, 95% CIs 0.4 to 3.6) and 3 of 428 participants aged 15–16 years old (0.7%, 95%CIs 0.2 to 2.2) were identified in NI. The corresponding numbers in Ireland were 40 of 898 participants aged 12–13 years old (4.5%, 95% CI 3.2 to 6.1). In NI strabismic amblyopia was the most prevalent type of persistent amblyopia, whereas anisometropic was predominant in Ireland. In Ireland, amblyopia was associated with socioeconomic disadvantage (OR=2.2, 95%CIs 1.4 to 3.6, p=0.002) and poor spectacle compliance (OR 2.5, 95% CIs 2.0 to 3.2, p\u3c0.001). Conclusions Amblyopia prevalence persisting beyond traditional treatment ages was significantly lower among NI children compared with Ireland. Uncorrected anisometropia, compliance with spectacle wear and socioeconomic disadvantage were contributing factors in Ireland. Children without obvious visible eye defects were less likely to access eye care in Ireland, resulting in missed opportunities for intervention where necessary

The 4C’s of PAL – an evidence-based model for implementing peer assisted learning for mature students

Peer Assisted Leaning (PAL) programmes have been shown to enhance learner confidence and have an overall positive effect on learner comprehension, particularly in subjects traditionally perceived as difficult. This research describes the findings of a three-cycle Action Research study into the perceived benefits of implementing such a programme for mature students enrolled on a computer science programming module on an Access Foundation Programme in an Irish University. The findings from this study suggest that peer learning programmes offer students a valued support structure that aids transition and acculturation into tertiary education whilst simultaneously improving their subject-matter comprehension and confidence. An evidence-based model of PAL implementation for mature students was subsequently developed, underpinned by the associated pedagogic theory and the findings of the study. Our model promotes a student-focused peer educational enhancement framework that is transferable into the wider higher education setting

Social Network Analysis of Passage Tomb Intervisibility

Passage tombs are widely regarded as the most homogenous prehistoric funerary monument class on the island in terms of their morphology, ornamentation, assemblage of finds, landscape siting and spatial clustering. Contextually, the archaeological classification of Irish megalithic tombs has identified court, portal and passage types as Neolithic with wedge tombs constructed in the later Bronze Age. The small number of single Neolithic burials (Linkardstown type) is excluded from this case study. The writer has examined the island\u27s passage tomb tradition from five perspectives - spatial cohesion, symbolism in elevation/height, landscape setting and vista, archaeoastronomy and intervisibility. Tomb intervisibility in the corpus of c. 230 extant tombs and possibly-related hilltop cairns (c. 50) was recorded by the writer during fieldwork. This relational data is treated here as a set of ties and analysed using a network-based approach. The analysis method draws on Social Network Analysis theory as the research tool. Tomb centrality is determined, yielding indices which rank these monuments according to this measure. Although the findings are preliminary, this technique brings a new focus to the landscape siting of the tombs and considers their potential as being sacred places having a broader social role in additional to being abodes of the dead. The hypothesis is that visibility and intervisibility may have constituted a visual network, were an integral part of information/knowledge exchange and may even have aided human movement and trade across the island