Scoping the future: a model for integrating learning environments

The Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) has become synonymous with online learning in HE.However, with the rise of Web 2.0 technologies, social networking tools and cloud computing thearchitecture of the current VLEs is increasingly anachronistic. This paper suggests an alternative tothe traditional VLE: one which allows for flexibility and adaptation to the needs of individual teachers,while remaining resilient and providing students with a seamless experience. We present a prototypeof our vision, combining our new development software and a number of existing tried and tested toolsinto a single flexible interface, and built on established pedagogical and technical standards

Module facelift: engaging student technology teachers with maths

In recent years a First Year Mathematics module for student Technology teachers has undergone a significant redesign due to a combination of factors. In 2010 a new tutor took over the module and began to add more content to the existing course in order to encourage students to engage with online resources, but a total redesign was not possible due to the limitations of the existing Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) (Moodle 1.9). In 2012, with support from the Learning Technology Unit, this course was restructured on the new Moodle 2.3 site in order that a new tool for quiz authoring and delivery could be embedded within the course. Previous technologies available were limited in various ways; with the arrival of this new tool sophisticated questions can be delivered and activities can be accessed on and off campus. In addition to this, the new version of the course includes tools for social networking and collaborative learnin

Stay and Sing

"Fall 2013""The Alumni Association Student Board promote singing the alma mater."Story by Sarah Barr ; Photo courtesy of Christy Barbe

Understanding Caregiver Perceptions of Attachment with Drug Exposed Foster Children

Lacking a healthy attachment to a caregiver and having in-utero methamphetamine exposure have been linked to a variety of cognitive delays, developmental delays, and mental health issues throughout a person\u27s lifespan. It is unknown if there is a relationship between in-utero methamphetamine exposure and the ability to build a healthy attachment to a caregiver. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to improve understanding of the perceptions of caregivers about attachment efforts for foster children under the age of 3, who have had in-utero methamphetamine exposure. This study was guided by attachment theory. Purposeful sampling was used to select 7 participants who had provided care to foster children with in-utero methamphetamine exposure within the last year. Data were collected through the use of semistructured interviews, which were conducted in-person, audiotaped, and then transcribed. Data was analyzed through text searches of themes, axial coding, and repetitive words. Trustworthiness was obtained through member checking and generating a rich description of the participants\u27 experiences. The findings revealed that many of the participants feel that these children do not respond to their efforts to build a healthy attachment to them. They also felt that the foster children did not process stimuli, such as touch, in the same way as other children; that the foster children found such interactions to be aversive. The findings of this study have the potential to impact social change by assisting therapists, caseworkers, and foster parents better understand the needs of foster children and to create a foundation for interventions to better serve foster children with in-utero methamphetamine exposure

Tagging and linking lecture audio recordings: goals and practice

Making and distributing audio recordings of lectures is cheap and technically straightforward, and these recordings represent an underexploited teaching resource. We explore the reasons why such recordings are not more used; we believe the barriers inhibiting such use should be easily overcome. Students can listen to a lecture they missed, or re-listen to a lecture at revision time, but their interaction is limited by the affordances of the replaying technology. Listening to lecture audio is generally solitary, linear, and disjoint from other available media. In this paper, we describe a tool we are developing at the University of Glasgow, which enriches students' interactions with lecture audio. We describe our experiments with this tool in session 2012-13. Fewer students used the tool than we expected would naturally do so, and we discuss some possible explanations for this

INVESTIGATING CHARACTERISTICS OF BACTERIAL TWO-COMPONENT REGULATORY SYSTEMS

Two-component systems (TCS) are a major means by which microorganisms interact with their environments. In a typical TCS, a sensor kinase senses an environmental stimulus and uses autophosphorylation to translate the stimulus into a chemical message. The phosphoryl group is then transferred to a partner response regulator, which completes a corresponding biological output on an appropriate time scale. TCSs are often essential for organism survival, many TCSs are directly involved in virulence, and TCSs are not encoded by animals. Therefore, TCSs hold high potential as specific and effective therapeutic targets. The phosphorylation biochemistry mechanism of TCSs is highly conserved. However, there are many variables that allow for the wide diversity in sensitivity, function, kinetics, timescale, and biological outputs. This dissertation investigates three different TCSs: PlrSR in Bordetella bronchiseptica, the Che system in Azorhizobium caulinodans, and Spo0F in Bacillus subtilis. For each system, we identify and characterize relevant residues, domains, and other biochemical features that either functionally distinguish TCSs or define a conserved activity. Overall, this work contributes to the growing knowledge base of this highly abundant protein group (TCS domains are within the top 1% of all known protein domains) and provides crucial knowledge for therapeutically manipulating and targeting virulent TCSs.Doctor of Philosoph

A framework for supporting rainwater harvesting in the UK

Numerous policy vehicles have been introduced in the UK promoting the use of rainwater harvesting (RWH). However, an 'implementation deficit' exists where legislation limits action by failing to provide adequate support mechanisms. This study uses an interdisciplinary approach to construct a framework to address the issue of overcoming this deficit. Evidence bases have identified six deficit categories, which confirm a lack of enabling of stakeholders. Outline recommendations, such as coordinated information provision and reconsideration of incentive schemes are made in relation to these categories to complete the framework for supporting RWH in the UK

Assessment of Framing and Ideology in Environmental Children's Literature and Application to Environmental Problem-Solving

This project includes a content analysis of 29 environmental children’s books, revealing effective and ineffective environmental frames currently present in these stories. Results of the content analysis were used to suggest more-effective frames for portraying the environment in children’s literature and to make recommendations to authors, publishers, parents, and teachers moving forward.Master of Art

Patient characteristics associated with objective measures of digital health tool use in the United States: A literature review.

The study sought to determine which patient characteristics are associated with the use of patient-facing digital health tools in the United States.We conducted a literature review of studies of patient-facing digital health tools that objectively evaluated use (eg, system/platform data representing frequency of use) by patient characteristics (eg, age, race or ethnicity, income, digital literacy). We included any type of patient-facing digital health tool except patient portals. We reran results using the subset of studies identified as having robust methodology to detect differences in patient characteristics.We included 29 studies; 13 had robust methodology. Most studies examined smartphone apps and text messaging programs for chronic disease management and evaluated only 1-3 patient characteristics, primarily age and gender. Overall, the majority of studies found no association between patient characteristics and use. Among the subset with robust methodology, white race and poor health status appeared to be associated with higher use.Given the substantial investment in digital health tools, it is surprising how little is known about the types of patients who use them. Strategies that engage diverse populations in digital health tool use appear to be needed.Few studies evaluate objective measures of digital health tool use by patient characteristics, and those that do include a narrow range of characteristics. Evidence suggests that resources and need drive use