Accrediting outcomes: evidencing the skills necessary for employability

Background The Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI) is the qualifying body in Australia for professional chemical scientists, and a learned society promoting the science and practice of chemistry. The RACI accredits Bachelor’s level chemistry courses in Australia, which is designed to ensure that graduates of accredited courses have the skills and knowledge necessary to be a practicing chemist and member of the Institute. However, until very recently, the criteria for accreditation were input-driven and placed significant resource demands on curriculum. With the advent of the new Higher Education Standards Framework, and its outcomes and assessment focus,1 the RACI embarked on realigning its accreditation process to this framework. Outcomes The skills and knowledge of a graduate of a bachelor degree majoring in chemistry are articulated in the Chemistry Academic Standards Statement,2 which is a derivative of the statement for science.3 This statement represents the current consensus view of the Australian chemical sciences community and defines the minimum Threshold Learning Outcomes (TLOs) of a pass bachelor’s degree in chemistry. Approach To evidence the attainment of the Chemistry TLOs the notion of curriculum described by Rosier and Keeves4 and extended by Treagust5 was adapted. The accreditation process has four stages of curriculum review: Intended: the Chemistry TLOs are the intended curriculum; Implemented: each institution interprets each of the TLOs, and reports their self-assessment of student attainment in a curriculum map; Perceived: an accreditation panel validates the alignment between the intended and implemented curriculum before recommending the award of accredited status for a given programme or programmes, and; Achieved: this accreditation panel summarises the student achievement through the lens of the Chemistry TLOs. Questions Some questions have emerged during the implementation of the new RACI accreditation regime, which is of interest to anyone teaching undergraduate science and will be addressed through this presentation: • How do we assess for and assure outcomes at the program level? • What is the evidence to support students’ achievement of outcomes? • Are graduates achieving the outcomes needed for employment? • What is the current state of play of chemistry courses around Australia? References (1) Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2015, pt A, s 1.4. (2) Pyke, S. M.; OBrien, G.; Yates, B. J.; Buntine, M. A. Chemistry Academic Standards Statement; Office for Learning and Teaching and The Royal Australian Chemical Institute, 2014. (3) Yates, B. J.; Jones, S.; Kelder, J. Science Learning and Teaching Academic Standards Statement; Australian Learning and Teaching Council: Melbourne, 2011. (4) Rosier, M. J.; Keeves, J. P. The IEA study of science I: Science education and curricula in twenty-three countries; Pergamon Press, 1991. (5) Treagust, D. F. Exemplary Practice in High School Biology Classes. NARST Annual Meeting, San Francisco, 1986

Active learning in a blended environment: flexible delivery to support student diversity

Active learning is often used as a mechanism to increase student engagement in face-to-face learning environments and instructor motivation for implementation can be driven by dissatisfaction with the near ubiquitous student-teacher paradigm. We have implemented a number of student-centred active learning strategies borne from our involvement with the ALIUS (Active Learning in University Science) project. This project, funded by the Australian Learning and Teaching Council, has developed a capacity for leading change in curriculum design and pedagogy in large chemistry classes across Australia. Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) was chosen as a model student-centred active learning strategy and its success has led to extensive uptake in chemistry at Curtin University. Here we will explore how an active learning pedagogy such as POGIL can be supported by a suite of blended learning strategies that promote flexibility of access to the content and accommodate diversity in the needs of our student population. We will detail the student perception of these strategies and how they reflect on their own learning to improve their understanding and performance

The Effectiveness of Evidence-Based Teaching Practices in Biomedical Sciences on Students’ Learning Experience: A Systematic Literature Review

The traditional didactic approach to teaching in biomedical sciences falls short of providing students with the 21st century competencies necessary to meet the socioeconomic demands placed upon them. Tertiary biomedical science educators have sought empirical evidence to identify the best practices to meet these demands, each of which have an element of actively involving students in their learning, as opposed to passive and didactic instructional approaches. This review synthesises the literature on evidence-based teaching practices (EBTPs) implemented in biomedical science disciplines and investigates the impact of EBTPs on students’ learning experiences through a systematic review. Seventy-eight studies were analysed, providing a comprehensive review of teaching practices that supported active learning in biomedical science disciplines. The findings revealed that EBTPs had significant impact on students’ academic performance and learning experiences to enhance higher-order thinking skills and self-directed learning, despite the variation in educational setting. A range of instructional strategies and technologies that supported active learning experiences were identified in this review, and the findings provide an evidence base to inform pedagogical decisions regarding the implementation of EBTPs and may serve as an impetus for instructors to implement active learning strategies based on this empirical evidence

The effect of iron-oxidising bacteria on the stability of gold (I) thiosulphate complex

An acidophilic, iron-oxidising bacterial consortium was collected from Rio Tinto near Berrocal, Spain. This primary enriched culture was used to examine the effect of acidophilic iron-oxidising bacteria on the stability of soluble gold (I) thiosulphate. Stationary phase cultures and separate components of the cultures (i.e., aqueous ferric iron, iron oxyhydroxide precipitates and non-mineralised bacterial cells) were exposed to gold (I) thiosulphate solutions forming different experimental-gold systems. These experimental systems rapidly removed gold from solutions containing 0.002 mM–20 mM gold thiosulphate. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy demonstrated that the different culture fractions immobilised gold differently: the entire bacterial culture-gold systems precipitated 100 nm-size gold colloids; aqueous ferric iron–gold systems precipitated colloidal gold sulphide that ranged in diameter from 200 nm to 2 μm; iron oxyhydroxide-gold systems precipitated 5 nm-size gold sulphide colloids; and the bacteria-gold systems precipitated gold colloids ~ 2 nm in size along the bacterial cell envelope. Aqueous and solid ferric iron was critical in the destabilisation of the gold (I) thiosulphate complex. Analysis of the entire bacterial culture-, aqueous ferric iron- and iron oxyhydroxide-gold systems exposed to 2 mM gold using X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy demonstrated that Au+ was immobilised from solution as gold sulphide (Au2S). The reaction between iron-oxidising bacteria and their ferric iron by-products with gold (I) thiosulphate demonstrated that thiosulphate ions would be an unstable gold complexing ligand in nature. Gold (I) thiosulphate is intuitively transformed into nanometer-scale gold sulphide or elemental gold within natural, acidic weathering environments with the potential to precipitate gold in jarosite that can subsequently be preserved in gossans over geological time

"Hero Imagery" - Are there performance advantages associated with imagining yourself as your favourite athlete?

Objectives: This study examined whether there are performance advantages associated with a single bout of imagery when imagining yourself ‘as your favourite athlete’, or imagining yourself performing a strength-based task. Design: A blind 2 (Imagery ability: high, low) x 3 (imagery condition: self, “hero”, control) mixed factorial design was used. Methods: Participants (n = 17 male; Mage = 19.7 ± 2.7) completed the Sport Imagery Ability Questionnaire then viewed a standardised video demonstrating the grip strength (GS) task. Three baseline trials separated by one minute were then executed. Three imagery scripts (control, self, hero) were then presented to participants via an MP3 player in a counterbalanced order (an interval of 1-minute was provided between each condition). The conclusion of each imagery script prompted participants to perform the GS task. Performance in each condition was conceptualised as delta change scores (Imagery condition – baseline average). Results: No main effects were present but there was a group x condition interaction (F(2,28) = 4.27, p = .02. ƞ_p^2= .23. The interaction suggests that for individuals with high imagery ability, simply “doing the imagery that they already do” is preferable compared to a scripted self- or hero-imagery condition. For individuals with a low imagery ability, a simple script whether that is self- or hero- based may enhance strength performance, compared to “what they already do”. Conclusion: Imagery ability may influence the effectiveness of a brief imagery intervention. Further examination of processes and outcomes associated with “hero-imagery” is recommended

Proteomic responses to gold(III)-toxicity in the bacterium Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34

Accepted 11th October 2016The metal-resistant β-proteobacterium Cupriavidus metallidurans drives gold (Au) biomineralisation and the (trans)formation of Au nuggets largely via unknown biochemical processes, ultimately leading to the reductive precipitation of mobile, toxic Au(i/iii)-complexes. In this study proteomic responses of C. metallidurans CH34 to mobile, toxic Au(iii)-chloride are investigated. Cells were grown in the presence of 10 and 50 μM Au(iii)-chloride, 50 μM Cu(ii)-chloride and without additional metals. Differentially expressed proteins were detected by difference gel electrophoresis and identified by liquid chromatography coupled mass spectrometry. Proteins that were more abundant in the presence of Au(iii)-chloride are involved in a range of important cellular functions, e.g., metabolic activities, transcriptional regulation, efflux and metal transport. To identify Au-binding proteins, protein extracts were separated by native 2D gel electrophoresis and Au in protein spots was detected by laser absorption inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. A chaperon protein commonly understood to bind copper (Cu), CupC, was identified and shown to bind Au. This indicates that it forms part of a multi-metal detoxification system and suggests that similar/shared detoxification pathways for Au and Cu exist. Overall, this means that C. metallidurans CH34 is able to mollify the toxic effects of cytoplasmic Au(iii) by sequestering this Au-species. This effect may in the future be used to develop CupC-based biosensing capabilities for the in-field detection of Au in exploration samples.Carla M. Zammit, Florian Weiland, Joël Brugger, Benjamin Wade, Lyron Juan Winderbaum, Dietrich H. Nies, Gordon Southam, Peter Hoffmann and Frank Reit

Examining outcome variability: Correlates of treatment response in a child and adolescent anxiety clinic

Examined correlates of treatment response in a clinic providing cognitive-behavioral therapy for children with anxiety disorders. Youth (ages 7 to 15) with a primary Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd ed., rev., or 4th ed.; American Psychiatric Association, 198

Organic Matter Preservation and Incipient Mineralization of Microtubules in 120 Ma Basaltic Glass

Hollow tubular structures in subaqueously-emplaced basaltic glass may represent trace fossils caused by microbially-mediated glass dissolution. Mineralized structures of similar morphology and spatial distribution in ancient, metamorphosed basaltic rocks have widely been interpreted as ichnofossils, possibly dating to similar to 3.5 Ga or greater. Doubts have been raised, however, regarding the biogenicity of the original hollow tubules and granules in basaltic glass. In particular, although elevated levels of biologically-important elements such as C, S, N, and P as well as organic compounds have been detected in association with these structures, a direct detection of unambiguously biogenic organic molecules has not been accomplished. In this study, we describe the direct detection of proteins associated with tubular textures in basaltic glass using synchrotron X-ray spectromicroscopy. Protein-rich organic matter is shown to be associated with the margins of hollow and partly-mineralized tubules. Furthermore, a variety of tubule-infilling secondary minerals, including Ti-rich oxide phases, were observed filling and preserving the microtextures, demonstrating a mechanism whereby cellular materials may be preserved through geologic time

Association of a functional microsatellite within intron 1 of the BMP5 gene with susceptibility to osteoarthritis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In a previous study carried out by our group, the genotyping of 36 microsatellite markers from within a narrow interval of chromosome 6p12.3-q13 generated evidence for linkage and for association to female hip osteoarthritis (OA), with the most compelling association found for a marker within intron 1 of the bone morphogenetic protein 5 gene (<it>BMP5</it>). In this study, we aimed to further categorize the association of variants within intron 1 of <it>BMP5 </it>with OA through an expanded genetic association study of the intron and subsequent functional analysis of associated polymorphisms.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We genotyped 18 common polymorphisms including 8 microsatellites and 9 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 1 insertion/deletion (INDEL) from within highly conserved regions between human and mouse within intron 1 of <it>BMP5</it>. These markers were then tested for association to OA by a two-stage approach in which the polymorphisms were initially genotyped in a case-control cohort comprising 361 individuals with associated polymorphisms (<it>P </it>≤ 0.05) then genotyped in a second case-control cohort comprising 1185 individuals.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Two <it>BMP5 </it>intron 1 polymorphisms demonstrated association in the combined case-control cohort of 1546 individuals (765 cases and 781 controls): microsatellite D6S1276 (<it>P </it>= 0.018) and SNP rs921126 (<it>P </it>= 0.013). Functional analyses in osteoblastic, chondrocytic, and adipocytic cell lines indicated that allelic variants of D6S1276 have significant effects on the transcriptional activity of the <it>BMP5 </it>promoter <it>in vitro</it>.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Variability in gene expression of <it>BMP5 </it>may be an important contributor to OA genetic susceptibility.</p