Rates of adoption in a university course management system

This research focuses on diffusion of an education innovation in a large, traditional University. In March 1999, the Blackboard digital course management system was installed for enterprise-wide availability at Temple University, the 39th largest university in the United States. The web-enabled database of Temple Blackboard logs the adoption date, course ID, and course title for every Blackboard course, unobtrusively, twenty-four hours a day. Temple Blackboard serves as 4 digital approximation of the cumulative recorder pioneered by B. F. Skinner, recording more than 2800 course adoptions across 30 months, in real time. Temple Blackboard course records provide unprecedented quantity and quality of objective measures of innovation diffusion in a large education organization. The whole population of digital cumulative records may be analyzed, making statistical sampling optional. Digital cumulative recording of Temple Blackboard course adoption facilitates comparisons with other Temple course management systems, while reducing pro-innovation bias. Blackboard dates of adoption for Temple University as a whole, per college, per department, and per faculty may be visualized, compared, ranked, and analyzed, answering pressing questions about educational technology diffusion with precision and economy

Study of binding in three folds: sculpture as a knot

This thesis constitutes a piece of practice-led research: its principal research aim is to reflect on, analyse, and explore the conceptual, cultural, and artistic framework within which the offered artworks stand. The introduction is designed to provide an overview of both the central ideas to be discussed and the methodology to be deployed. It will also offer a snapshot of the structure of the text as a whole. As I will indicate, both method and content can be approached via a common guiding form: that of the fixed bind or knot. I will begin by introducing those concepts as they apply both to my own works and to those with which I have brought them into relation. My central concern is with the way in which the imagination forms connections and associations, the way objects or visions are gathered together in the imagination, and the way in which such ties might form knots, might amass or fix within them. I use the terms ‘binds’ and ‘bonds’ to refer to all such relations: to investigate these binds is to investigate the architecture of the imagination. My aim is to explore the way in which the structure of such binds might be present or affirmed in a physical object. In this context, the sculptures I have submitted can thus be understood as points of consolidation, points around which imagination amasses, and points at which binds accrue and abide: they are forms wrought and fixed, but not motionless, in the imagination. In this sense, from a theoretical perspective, to reflect on the sculptures is to reflect on what it means for objects or visions to bind and fixate in the imagination and for sculptors to realise them. For example, the first sculpture arises from attempting to make a seamless and ongoing circle of rope from lengths of hair. Here a material that stops once unbound from the head is repeatedly knotted. The longer binds thereby arise through a process of perpetual repetition in seeking to form a perfect bind; I juxtapose this vision of repetition with, for example, Kierkegaard’s work on that concept in order to analyse the nature of such a joint and impulse. As I have introduced the term, ‘binds’ therefore carries a double weight; it refers both to the structure of the imagination and to the sculptural connections that affirm it. The primary aim of this thesis is to investigate the interplay between these two aspects in both my own work and in that of a number of authors and artists

Understanding natural language about multiple eventualities and continuous eventualities

The main task that this thesis deals with is the provision of a comprehensive analysis covering a meaningful subset of English and developing a computational implementation that is able to show understanding of this language subset, in part via limited visualisation.There is a well accepted analogy that says that eventualities exist in time, in ways that are similar to how objects exist in space. This analogy is used as a framework to investigate in detail those activities that are the eventuality analogue of plural and mass objects—multiple instances of an activity, or continuous occurrence of an activity respectively. These are called extended activities.We examine the ways in which natural language is used to describe these kinds of activities, and discuss ways in which the meanings of such language can be represented. We concentrate on language that is in the form of instructions, and discuss the special relationship between instructions and activities.Using the idea that some of our understanding of language comes from the context within which the language is being understood, we identify those parts of language about extended activities that are independent of context and indicate the places where context would play a part. Focusing on the context-independent part, the development of a grammar that can be used in an understanding system demonstrates that it is feasible to interpret important aspects of such language computationally. Further, the system includes a semi-graphical visualisation component that depicts in space the internal structure of the extended activity in time.The work in this thesis relies on the notion that language about extended activities is playing a role analogous to that of object quantification. That is, instead of the more common view that such language is playing the role of event modification, we take the view that it plays the role of event quantification. This notion has been introduced by Moltmann, and taking this approach allows the identification and representation of meanings that would otherwise be omitted. Further, incorporating this into the computational framework is feasible, and an established approach to object quantification is used to implement event quantification

The culture of the South African sugarmill : the impress of the sugarocracy

In this thesis an analysis is made of the relationship between the families which until recently controlled most of South Africa's sugarmills, and their sugarmill employees. The relationship is approached by way of a study of the culture of the sugarmill; by way, that is, of looking at the ideological and material connotations of the sugarmilling labour process as they manifested themselves in the sugar villages of South Africa. It is the principal concern of the study to demonstrate how the dynastic sugarmilling families, who are presented as a sugarocracy, impinged upon the culture of the sugarmill. By perceiving the culture of the sugarmill as evolving out of the sugarmilling labour process, a materialist interpretation of historical evidence is indicated as a method for analysing sugarocratic domination. This method is applied to empirical evidence derived primarily through literary research. A further methodological consideration is displayed in the emphasis given to causal relationships between sugarocratic influences upon the labour process and workers' responses to that process. Because of the centrality accorded to the labour process points of reference are readily found in studies of sugarmilling in other milieux. Thus each chapter of the thesis is introduced with relevant material on sugarmilling in regions where it has generally been subjected to more social analysis than has been the South African case. Arranged in three parts, the analysis begins with an account of the ascent of the sugarocracy since the turn of the twentieth century, and of the establishment and development of sugarocratic ideology and politics. In the second part, attention is focused on the sugarmill, with chapters devoted to sugar technology and the technical division of labour, the racial division of labour, and work-place control, respectively. The final part is given to an examination of life in the sugar village, and to the question of how, by means of accommodation and resistance, workers coped with the conditions under which they worked and lived

The making of a quinologist: Cinchona, collections, and science in the work of John Eliot Howard (1807-1883)

The subject of this thesis is the career of the quinologist and industrialist, John Eliot Howard (1807-1883), his cinchona bark collections and scientific work. The approach is collections-based, combining archival and object-based research, to understand Howard’s collections assemblages, scientific practices, networks of specimen and knowledge exchange. Howard’s primary collections and archives are in the Economic Botany Collection and Library and Archives of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.Working in his family’s pharmaceutical factory at Stratford, Howard had the financial, technological and cultural resources to develop specialist expertise relating to cinchona and its constituent quinoline alkaloid, helping to develop the discipline of quinology. His career reflects wider historical developments including scientific specialisation, evolution of species and mass pharmaceutical manufacture. Howard’s extensive research led to expert consultation work for the Government’s British-Indian cinchona project, and the family firm becoming Britain’s leading quinine suppliers. Much historical research has been done on cinchona collection in South America and its transplantation in South Asia, less is known about the ways in which these collections and the knowledge they generated were mobilised within Britain. This thesis asks how the work of Howard, located far from the fields of origin or cultivation of cinchona, influenced its use and that of its alkaloids.Chapter 1 of the thesis introduces a historical context for cinchona research. Chapter 2 presents the methods, the archival and collections sources and the results of a meta-analysis for the Kew specimens. Chapter 3 introduces Howard and the development of his family business. Chapter 4 explores his professional development as a cinchona expert and his influence within quinology. Chapter 5 examines Howard ‘in the lab’: his collections and scientific practices. Chapter 6 analyses how Howard developed his scientific interests as he moved ‘out of the lab’ into the garden. Chapter 7 then explores Howard’s circulated works through his books, illustrations, distribution and reception. The final chapter presents conclusions and a view of future research beyond the thesis.<br/

Ceramics of the Tyne-Forth Region, C. 3500-1500 BC.

Since the beginnings of archaeology, the study of the past in the Tyne-Forth region has been shadowed by the influence of the political boundary that divides it. Although it has long been acknowledged by archaeologists that the modern polities of Scotland and England did not exist in the past, this divide has continued to affect research design, interpretation and publication. In addition to this, the focus on 'core areas', such as Wessex and Orkney, have long been used to interpret the findings in this region, although the remains found between the Tyne and Forth continue to demonstrate that this area was unique and did not necessarily adhere to the same lifeways as these distant lands. For too long this has caused the area to be seen as a periphery. This research has attempted to consider the Neolithic and Bronze Age of this area as a whole, by ignoring the Anglo-Scottish border and by considering the archaeological remains of the entire region using a single methodology and the data was evaluated to establish the norms for the region first, before relating it to what is known nationally. Experimental work was first carried out to learn more about the material and the ways ceramics can be studied in order to design the research so that it would yield the greatest amount of data. A provenance study of the archaeological remains was then carried out. A total of 333 vessels from the Middle Neolithic to the Middle Bronze Age, including: Impressed Ware, Grooved Ware, Beaker, Food Vessel, Vase Urns, Collared Urns, Cordoned Urns and Bucket Urns were examined. The resulting data were statistically analysed and evidence for cultural interaction, particularly during the introduction of Beakers, was found. The presence local influence on some pottery (previously identified as Neolithic-derived pottery by Millson et al. 2012 in the Milfield Basin, Northumberland) was also recorded throughout the region. Both of these important findings were considered in-depth and a better understanding of the Late Neolithic/Bronze Age transition is proposed for this region

Influence of changing patterns of sucrose consumption on industrial users. Response by manufacturers of soft drinks, biscuits, cereals, cakes confectionery, ice-cream, jams, canned products and other sugar-containing foods to the U. K. dietary guidelines that relate to sucrose consumption.

Sugar is intrinsically linked with the modern food system. Large sections of the U. K. food industry are dependent on its use and functional qualities. Supplies of sucrose entering the food chain have declined 25% between the 1950's and 1980's and currently stand around 37 kg/person/year. Furthermore, U. K. dietary guidelines over the past 14 years have consistently suggested caution over how much sugar is eaten, especially in manufactured foods. Dietary guidelines such as the NACNE report (1983) recommend average sugar consumption should be no more than 20 kg/person/year. Currently, two-thirds of sugar supplies are bought for use in food and drink manufacture. Continued pressures on sugar consumption and negative consumer attitudes to sugar may be reflected in lost sales of sugar-containing foods. The available information on U. K. sugar consumption is critically assessed. Although the main sources of sugar supply are identified, individual sugar consumption is shown to vary by considerable amounts. The place of sucrose is examined in relation to other sweeteners and why and where sugars and sweeteners are used in food systems. The promotion of "no added sugar" and "sugar free" products is examined since the publication of the NACNE report to the end of 1987. To further test the impact of changing patterns of sugar consumption on food and drink manufacturers a national survey of manufacturers who use sugar was carried out in early 1988. This was an attitudinal postal questionnaire and responses to the issue of sugar, diet and health were analysed. Respondents bought an estimated 650,000 tonnes of sugar in 1986, around 45% of the total industrial market. While the survey aggregate were fully supportive of sucrose, respondents reported that the majority of consumers were worried about sugar being bad for health and were actively cutting down on individual intakes. There were significant differences to the issue of sugar, diet and health dependent on company size, whether a company manufactured for a retailer's own label and if products had already been marketed at a "healthy eating" segment. However, in general, while manufacturers considered consumer attitudes to sugar to be important they had to be put in the context of other factors. So far the impact of changing patterns of sugar consumption is not reflected in the total average industrial purchases of sugar, although substantial "sugar-free" and "sugar-reduced" product niches have been established

The social life of the green Mong textile : Commercialisation and alternative discourses of value in Thailand.

This thesis examines how material culture, specifically the Mong textile, is used in society and how an analysis of these uses can inform us of social processes. Discussion takes a contextual approach whereby the object is analysed at different points in its social life, ultimately focusing on alternative discourses of value and the conflict generated between different readings and interpretations. After an introduction to the Mong textile (Chapter One) and the fieldwork community (Chapter Two) the textile is placed in village context. Through a radical analysis of women's position in the village (Chapter Three & Four) and through an examination of the textile in Mong myth and cultural use, the textile is shown to play an important role in legitimising social relations and reproducing social institutions (Chapter Five). Changes in production (Chapter Six) are part of a new commercial trade and in this form the Mong textile provides an income for Mong and specifically for women, who are shown to adopt new patterns of residence and productive relations (Chapter Seven). Varying uses and values of the textile reveal conflict, a result of differences in exposures and knowledge acquired by the Mong. One effect of conflict is fragmentation from within Mong society (Chapter Eight). The social life of the Mong textile outside of the Mong village supports a stereotypic image that is contributing to Mong assimilation in Thailand (Chapter Nine). Although a subordinate group, within Thailand the Mong are not seen to be totally dominated and the Mong textile thus becomes the focus of a battle between the Mong statement and an alternative ideology which attempts to appropriate the symbols of their material culture for a rival interpretation (Chapter Ten). In conclusion it is suggested that we should continue to reassess the place of material culture within anthropological study and learn from the different contexts of production and consumption, and the constantly changing relationship between subject and object