Abilities, disabilities and possibilities: a qualitative study exploring the academic and social experiences of gifted and talented students who have co-occurring learning disabilities

It is estimated that 1-2.5% of the UK school population are gifted and talented students who have co-occurring learning disabilities (National Association for Gifted Children, 2001). Many authors have published recommendations for helping to support this unique group. However, far fewer have supported these with empirical research. The current study used 1:1 interviews with secondary school and university students (N=18) to explore their academic and social experiences. As well as being identified as gifted and talented, the students also had a diagnosis of dyslexia, dyspraxia or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). A semi-structured interview schedule was used to ask students about their extra-curricular activities, friendships, bullying, support and future ambitions. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of interview transcripts revealed eight themes: everyday life, extra activities, social development, support, identification, underachievement, mental health issues and suggestions. Students were capable of making friends and mixing with peers but experienced problems with bullying and social isolation. Teachers, mentors, family and technology were found to be helpful, however, support could be inconsistent and parents themselves may benefit from support groups. Finally, some commonly used strategies to help these students were collated and could be useful to help others who share the same or similar experiences

Sharing systems, sharing language: designing and working in a virtual department

Less widely taught languages present special problems. Often students may be ab initio learners who must progress very rapidly from beginner to highly competent. Appropriate learning materials are scarce. Small student numbers restrict the range of learner tasks. To address these problems, and drawing on research methods from both CALL and Computer Science domains, we investigated the use of a virtual learning environment (WebCT) as a tool for collaborative language teaching and learning. A web-based virtual department was created, bringing students and tutors from different institutions together to practise the target language (students) and share the development of quality resources (teachers). The Virtual Department links three UK Danish departments. This environment provides shared working areas for students and teachers. Teachers design and use resource materials and students complete tasks. Learner task design was driven by pedagogical needs but the technology also offered opportunities which shaped the learning tasks to some extent. A key feature of the system is its range of communication tools, around which some collaborative tasks have been designed and on which students across the country can work together. The system enables teachers to create a wider variety of authentic tasks and exercises for students than previously. The paper presents the results of evaluating the virtual department in use over one academic year with first, second and fourth year students, and their teachers

Sharing systems, Sharing language: Designing and Working in a Virtual Department

Less widely taught languages present special problems. Often students may be ab initio learners who must progress very rapidly from beginner to highly competent. Appropriate learning materials are scarce. Small student numbers restrict the range of learner tasks. To address these problems, and drawing on research methods from both CALL and Computer Science domains, we investigated the use of a virtual learning environment (WebCT) as a tool for collaborative language teaching and learning. A web-based virtual department was created, bringing students and tutors from different institutions together to practise the target language (students) and share the development of quality resources (teachers). The Virtual Department links three UK Danish departments. This environment provides shared working areas for students and teachers. Teachers design and use resource materials and students complete tasks. Learner task design was driven by pedagogical needs but the technology also offered opportunities which shaped the learning tasks to some extent. A key feature of the system is its range of communication tools, around which some collaborative tasks have been designed and on which students across the country can work together. The system enables teachers to create a wider variety of authentic tasks and exercises for students than previously. The paper presents the results of evaluating the virtual department in use over one academic year with first, second and fourth year students, and their teachers

Two Modes of Literary Architecture: Bernard Tschumi and Nigel Coates’

This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of the following article: Jamieson, C., & Roberts-Hughes, R. (2015). Two modes of a literary architecture: Bernard Tschumi and Nigel Coates. Architectural Research Quarterly, 19(2), 110-122. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1359135515000366. COPYRIGHT: © Cambridge University Press 2015. This version is free to view and download for private research and study only. Not for re-distribution, re-sale or use in derivative works.Tschumi’s experimental use of the literary text as part of design briefs for students at the Architectural Association in the late 1970s formed the basis for a preoccupation with what he termed the disjunction between space and the events that happen within it. For Coates, the literary briefs triggered a fixation with what was happening in space – but instead of focusing on its conceptual interaction with events, he moved towards the dramatisation of architecture. Grounded in the architects' shared teaching at the AA, the article discusses the early briefs and projects that shaped the directions they would each take.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Division of labour and risk taking in the dinosaur ant, Dinoponera quadriceps

The success of social insects can be largely attributed to division of labour. In contrast to most social insects, many species with simple societies contain workers which are capable of sexual reproduction. Headed by one or a few reproductive individuals, subordinate workers form a dominance hierarchy, queuing to attain the reproductive role. In these species task allocation may be influenced by individual choice based on future reproductive prospects. Individuals with a better chance of inheriting the colony may be less likely to take risks and high-ranking workers that spend a greater amount of time in proximity to the brood may be able to increase the ability to police egg-laying by cheating subordinates. We investigated division of labour and risk taking in relation to dominance rank in the queenless ponerine ant, Dinoponera quadriceps, a species with relatively simple societies. Using behavioural observations, we show that high-ranking workers spend more time performing egg care, less time foraging and are less likely to defend the nest against attack. High-rankers also spent a greater amount of time guarding and inspecting eggs, behaviours which are likely to improve detection of egg laying by cheating subordinates. We also show that high-ranking workers spend a greater amount of time idle, which may help increase lifespan by reducing energy expenditure. Our results suggest that both risk-taking and egg-care behaviours are related to future reproductive prospects in D. quadriceps. This highlights a mechanism by which effective division of labour could have been achieved during the early stages of eusocial evolution

Exploring action learning for academic development in research intensive settings

The potential of action learning (AL) for academic development has not received a lot of attention. Building from two case studies in which AL has been used in different ways in research-intensive universities in Australia and the UK, we suggest that the approach may be of benefit to developers in the changing landscape in which they are expected to function. The opportunities for and challenges of leadership for AL in educational development, particularly involving non-academic staff, are also briefly explored. We argue that AL offers a way to engage academic and related staff groups that fits with their institutional culture and is therefore likely to lead to the kind of continual professional learning (CPL) and positive change that will be both valued and valuable in academia. Furthermore, we believe that AL might offer productive ways forward for the further evolution of academic development work, especially, perhaps, in research-intensive settings

What really makes students like a web site? What are the implications for designing web-based language learning sites?

Faced with reduced numbers choosing to study foreign languages (as in England and Wales), strategies to create and maintain student interest need to be explored. One such strategy is to create âtasterâ courses in languages, for potential university applicants. The findings presented arise from exploratory research, undertaken to inform the design of a selection of web-based taster courses for less widely taught languages. 687 school students, aged 14-18, were asked to identify a web site that they liked and to state their main reason for liking it. They were invited to include recreational sites and told that their answers could help with web design for the taster courses. To explore the reasons, two focus groups were conducted and student feedback on the developing taster course site was collected. Students nominated search engines and academic sites, sites dedicated to hobbies, enthusiasms, youth culture and shopping. They liked them for their visual attributes, usability, interactivity, support for schoolwork and for their cultural and heritage associations, as well as their content and functionality. They emerged as sensitive readers of web content, visually aware and with clear views on how text should be presented. These findings informed design of the taster course site. They are broadly in line with existing design guidelines but add to our knowledge about school studentsâ use of the web and about designing web-based learning materials. They may also be relevant to web design at other levels, for example for undergraduates