The potential and pitfalls of learning analytics as a tool for supporting student wellbeing

Learning Analytics is a growing field in UK Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) with many implementations focusing on Early Alert and Student Success, but is this putting the cart before the horse? In the 2017 #StepChange report Universities UK suggested that learning analytics should be aligned to student wellbeing. With reported increases in incidents of student mental ill-health and extra demands being placed on student support services as a consequence this seems an appropriate application of this technology. However, there are a number of concerns related to student privacy and the interpretation and presentation of the analytics. Also, who will be designing and performing interventions? At a time when there is growing concerns around the wellbeing of staff, should we be adding a further burden? Do we risk being eaten by the analytics crocodile? It is clear that to utilise learning analytics in this way poses a number of challenges, but in the information age, when this data is available to us is it moral or legal to remain the caterpillar, knowing nothing of who our students are? With Institute for Public Policy Research stating that “…a majority of HEIs should take measures to ensure that the nature of course content and delivery does not result in academic rigour being sought at the expense of students’ mental health and wellbeing.” we should be doing all we can to adequately and pro-actively support our students

The management of information technology investments in the Australian ambulance services

Information Technology plays a significant role in the administration and operation of most organisations today. This is certainly the case with each of the Australian Ambulance Services. With the rapid increase in the use of Information Technology and the expectation about its use by both staff and the general public, the Ambulance Service managements\u27 are faced with the dilemma of trying to ensure that their organisations are able to get the full advantage of advances in Information Technology and at the same time ensure that investments in IT are maintained at appropriate levels that will ensure the maximum return on the investment in terms of the Ambulance Service achieving its mission and objectives. The research considers three questions: How are IT investment decisions determined? How are levels of IT investments determined? Do IT investments contribute to the organisation\u27s overall effectiveness? The general feeling by the ambulance service CEOs is that the investment in IT has been worthwhile in terms of contributing to the organisation being more effective. These findings are contrary to a study by United Research/Business Week and described by LaPlante (1988) where less than half of CEOs surveyed felt that their organisation did an excellent job of linking computer strategy to corporate goals

Graviton Production in Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collisions

We study the feasibility of producing the graviton of the novel Kaluza-Klein theory in which there are d large compact dimensions in addition to the 4 dimensions of Minkowski spacetime. We calculate the cross section for producing such a graviton in nucleus-nucleus collisions via t-channel photon-photon fusion using the semiclassical Weizsacker-Williams method and show that it can exceed the cross section for graviton production in electron-positron scattering by several orders of magnitude.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in Physical Review

What makes a quality therapeutic relationship in psychiatric/mental health nursing: A review of the research literature

Although a therapeutic relationship is essential to psychiatric/mental health nursing practice, its use is problematic because the nursing attributes contributing to a therapeutic relationship are elusive. A review of the literature in the field of psychiatric/mental health nursing was conducted to conceptualize constructs contributing to the development of a therapeutic relationship in advanced practice psychiatric/mental health nursing. A typology of nine general attributes were identified which have practical implications for psychiatric/mental health nursing education and practice. Recommendations include the application of a typology of constructs upon which psychiatric/mental health nurse curricula, in-service education, and reflective practice can be based

Evaluation of Dental Scalers

The current state of the dental industry shows an increasing number of dentists and dental hygienists who are reducing hours and retiring early due to the injuries sustained while working. These injuries, or cumulative trauma disorders, can be reduced by applying ergonomics in dental tool design. An experiment was designed to test a new dental scaler (A) made of a titanium rod with added compressibility in the precision grip area. The experiment utilized a Hu-Friedy sickle scaler (B) and a Practicon Montana Jack scaler (C) as controls to show two design spectrums, weight and material. The subjects (n=23) were taught the basics of scaling and required to scale using a typodont. The change in grip strength (Δ GS), pinch strength (Δ PS), and steadiness of the subject’s hand were tested. An absolute and relative rating technique was utilized pinpointing that the new dental scaler was preferred with the eigenvector (A=0.8615, B=0.1279, C=0.0106). Statistical analysis confirmed this tool preference while also finding the interaction of gender and tool and Δ GS Tool A versus Tool B for males to be significant

A Case Study Comparing the Price of Fresh Produce Sold at Farmers’ Markets and Chain Supermarkets

This exploratory research found that produce purchased at San Luis Obispo County, California farmers’ markets to be an apparent better value than supermarket produce. Prices for most commodities were either the same or lower and the product quality was better at times than the same product offered at the paired supermarket. Fourteen commodities were examined at six farmers’ markets locations, over half of those in the county, conducted across all four seasons in 1999

The Impact of Early Life Family Structure on Adult Social Attachment, Alloparental Behavior, and the Neuropeptide Systems Regulating Affiliative Behaviors in the Monogamous Prairie Vole (Microtus Ochrogaster)

Early social attachments lie at the heart of emotional and social development in many mammals, including humans. In nature, monogamous prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) experience considerable natural variation in early social attachment opportunities due to differences in family structure [e.g., single-mothers (SM), solitary breeding pairs, and communal groups]. We exploited some of this natural variation in family structure to examine the influence of early social environment on the development of adult social behavior. First, we characterized the parental care received by pups reared biparentally (BP) or by SM in the laboratory. Second, we examined whether BP- and SM-reared offspring differed in adult nurturing, bonding, and emotional behaviors. Finally, we investigated the effects of rearing condition on neuropeptide systems that regulate adult social behavior [oxytocin (OT), vasopressin, and corticotropin-releasing factor, (CRF)]. Observations revealed that SM-reared pups were exposed more frequently (P < 0.01), licked and groomed less (P < 0.01), and matured more slowly (P < 0.01) than BP-reared pups. In adulthood, there were striking socio-behavioral differences: SM-reared females showed low spontaneous, pup-directed alloparental behavior (P < 0.01) and both males and females from the SM-reared condition showed delayed partner preference formation. While rearing did not impact neuropeptide receptor densities in the ventral forebrain as we predicted, SM-reared animals, particularly females, had increased OT content (P < 0.01) and greater dorsal raphe CRF2 densities (P < 0.05) and both measures correlated with licking and grooming experienced during the first 10 days of life. These results suggest that naturalistic variation in social rearing conditions can introduce diversity into adult nurturing and attachment behaviors