Formal Learning in an Informal Setting – The First Semester Student Learning Experience Outside the Classroom.

During a visit to the Centre for Active Learning at the University of Gloucestershire by members of the Information and Learning Service staff, a common interest in the student learning experience outside the formal classroom setting was identified. Both universities were undertaking extensive work on their provision of informal learning environments and it was felt a joint project to investigate the students’ learning experience and preferences would be useful to inform these developments with a specific focus on e-learning and active learning

Children’s Experiences of Family Disruption in Sweden

This paper examines the living arrangements of Swedish children from 1970 through 1999 using the Level of Living Survey. Sweden, with low levels of economic inequality and a generous welfare state, provides an important context for studying socioeconomic differentials in family structure. We find that, although differences by parent education in non-marital childbearing are substantial and persistent, cohabiting childbearing is common even among highly educated Swedish parents. Educational differences in family instability were small during the 1970s, but increased over time as a result of rising union disruption among less-educated parents (secondary graduates or less). Children in more advantaged families experienced substantially less change in family structure and instability over the study period. Although cohabiting parents were more likely to separate than parents married at the child’s birth, differences were greater for the less-educated. Data limitations precluded investigating these differences across time. We conclude that educational differences in children’s living arrangements in Sweden have grown, but remain small in international comparisons.children, cohabitation, family dynamics, family structure

A Determination of the Trade Creation and Diversion Effects of Regional Trade Agreements in the Western Hemisphere

With the recent proliferation of Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) the tendency world-wide has been seemingly toward trade liberalization. This thesis is primarily concerned with the impacts RTAs have had in the Western Hemisphere regarding agricultural trade flows. Utilizing the framework of the Gravity Model, agricultural trade flows for 24 Western Hemisphere Nations were examined. In the course of the study it was expected that if RTAs were to have an effect it would be a positive Trade Creation Effect and a negative Trade Diversion Effect with positive effects for GDP of importer/exporter and population size of importer/exporter and a negative effect for that of distance. Of the five agreements examined (NAFTA, AC, MERCO, LAIA, and CACM), NAFTA and LAIA were the only positive (but non-significant) as to Trade Creation effects while AC, MERCO, and CACM were all negative (but non-significant). It was also interesting to note that of the agreements, NAFTA, had both a positive and significant (p=0.023) diversionary effect with the remaining agreements all being negative (as expected) and significant regarding trade diversion. It was also concluded that GDP (importer) and distance also had the expected signs (+, respectively) with distance also being significant (p=0.0001). It was concluded that RTAs had a more pronounced effect on inter-industry trade versus intra-industry trade and that with the passage of more time, further analysis may substantiate the claim of a positive RTA effect on agricultural bilateral trade flows.International Relations/Trade,

Zooming in on CBT supervision: a comparison of two levels of effectiveness evaluation

Clinical supervision is of growing importance professionally, but instruments to measure its effectiveness are scarce. Based on the observational instrument Teachers' PETS, two complementary levels of outcome measurement were used to analyse supervisory effectiveness, namely momentary time sampling (i.e. a micro-analysis of frequencies) and the more molar “change episodes”. Ten audio-taped sessions of routine (baseline; N = 5) and CBT supervision (N = 5; i.e. the intervention phase) were coded with both measures, to assess their relative sensitivity to this manipulation. Improved supervisee learning was detected during the intervention phase by both measures. However, a retrospective comparison between the data within these change episodes and the accompanying non-episode data indicated that the micro level of analysis provided a more sensitive measure of supervisory effectiveness. Technical and conceptual issues arise

Exploring heritage through time and space : Supporting community reflection on the highland clearances

On the two hundredth anniversary of the Kildonan clearances, when people were forcibly removed from their homes, the Timespan Heritage centre has created a program of community centred work aimed at challenging pre conceptions and encouraging reflection on this important historical process. This paper explores the innovative ways in which virtual world technology has facilitated community engagement, enhanced visualisation and encouraged reflection as part of this program. An installation where users navigate through a reconstruction of pre clearance Caen township is controlled through natural gestures and presented on a 300 inch six megapixel screen. This environment allows users to experience the past in new ways. The platform has value as an effective way for an educator, artist or hobbyist to create large scale virtual environments using off the shelf hardware and open source software. The result is an exhibit that also serves as a platform for experimentation into innovative ways of community co-creation and co-curation.Postprin

Transcript of the Faculty Senate Meeting November 7, 2002

Minutes of the regular meeting of The University of Akron Faculty Senate on November 7, 2002

Transcript of the Faculty Senate Meeting November 1, 2001

Minutes of the regular meeting of The University of Akron Faculty Senate on November 1, 2001