The development of student learning and information literacy: a case study [conference item]

Literacy is documented as a fundamental human right. The ability to exercise this right improves an individual’s life chances by achieving their personal, social, occupational and educational goals, and it opens opportunities for social, economic and political integration. Currently in an information and knowledge society, there is a salient need for Information Literacy (IL). IL can be defined as knowing when and why one might need information, where to find it, and how to evaluate, use and communicate it in an ethical manner. There is a need for undergraduate and postgraduate students to demonstrate a competency with information literacy skills. For example it is essential for the student to develop a thesis statement, i.e. research question and to consequently search, organise, share and evaluate the results. In this paper we present a case studyhighligting the role of Library and Student Support (LSS) based at Middlesex University London. LSS works in conjunction with University Departments (Schools) and leads on the development and implementation of a coherent and strategic approach to the development of learner competencies. These are identified through the development and implementation of relevant University policies and strategies. We argue that other Higher Education institutions may benefit from our experience of implementing IL policy in collaboration with a Library and Student Support Service

The development of student learning and information literacy: a case study

Literacy is a fundamental human right. When exercised it improves an individual’s life chances by achieving their personal, social, occupational and educational goals, and opening opportunities for social, economic and political integration. In an information and knowledge society, there is a salient need for Information Literacy (IL). IL can be defined as knowing when and why one might need information, where to find it, and how to evaluate, use and communicate it in an ethical manner. There is a need for undergraduate and postgraduate students to demonstrate a competency with IL skills. For example it is essential for the student to develop a thesis statement and to consequently search, organise, share and evaluate the results. In this paper we present a case study highlighting the role of Library and Student Support (LSS) based at Middlesex University London. LSS works in conjunction with University Departments and leads on the development and implementation of a coherent and strategic approach to improving learner competencies. These are identified through the development and implementation of relevant University policies and strategies. We argue that other Higher Education institutions may benefit from our experience of implementing IL policy in collaboration with a Library and Student Support service

Spin Dynamics in Cuprates: Optical Conductivity of HgBa2CuO4

The electron-boson spectral density function I^2ChiOmega responsible for carrier scattering of the high temperature superconductor HgBa2CuO4 (Tc = 90 K) is calculated from new data on the optical scattering rate. A maximum entropy technique is used. Published data on HgBa2Ca2Cu3O8 (Tc = 130 K) are also inverted and these new results are put in the context of other known cases. All spectra (with two notable exceptions) show a peak at an energy (Omega_r) proportional to the superconducting transition temperature Omega_r ~= 6.3 kB.Tc. This charge channel relationship follows closely the magnetic resonance seen by polarized neutron scattering, Omega_r^{neutron} ~= 5.4 kB.Tc. The amplitudes of both peaks decrease strongly with increasing temperature. In some cases, the peak at Omega_r is weak and the spectrum can have additional maxima and a background extending up to several hundred meV

Vortex fluctuations in underdoped Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+d crystals

Vortex thermal fluctuations in heavily underdoped Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+d (Tc=69.4 K) are studied using Josephson plasma resonance (JPR). From the data in zero magnetic field, we obtain the penetration depth along the c-axis, lambda_{L,c}(0) = 229 micrometers and the anisotropy ratio gamma(0) = 600. The low plasma frequency allows us to study phase correlations over the whole vortex solid (Bragg-glass) state. The JPR results yield a wandering length r_{w} of vortex pancakes. The temperature dependence of r_{w} as well as its increase with applied dc magnetic field can only be explained by the renormalization of the tilt modulus by thermal fluctuations, and suggest the latter is responsible for the dissociation of the vortices at the first order transition.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures. Submitted to Phys. Rev. Let

Analysis of the Power Quality Impact of Multiple Directed Energy Loads on an Electric Ship Power System

The electrical power system of an all-electric ship has been modeled in Simulink for the case of a ship supporting several high power directed energy loads, among which are a Free Electron Laser (FEL), an Active Denial System (ADS), and a Laser Weapon System (LaWS). Starting from a load centered approach, and a physical description of the components of the various loads, individual models of each load plus a combined model for a system supporting simultaneously one instance of all loads have been developed. Sample case studies are presented corresponding to expected operational scenarios for a US Navy ship and to potential emergency conditions. The models have been designed to be interactive, allowing the operator to change key settings dynamically while the simulation is running, thus mimicking an actual operation of the power system on a ship in real time. A preliminary graphical user interface has also been developed to demonstrate the ability of these models to be converted into top-level training tools for Navy personnel supported by a realistic representation of the ship power system

Supercooling of the disordered vortex lattice in Bi_2Sr_2CaCu_2O_8+d

Time-resolved local induction measurements near to the vortex lattice order-disorder transition in optimally doped Bi$_{2}$Sr$_{2}$CaCu$_{2}$O$_{8+\delta}$ single crystals shows that the high-field, disordered phase can be quenched to fields as low as half the transition field. Over an important range of fields, the electrodynamical behavior of the vortex system is governed by the co-existence of the two phases in the sample. We interpret the results in terms of supercooling of the high-field phase and the possible first order nature of the order-disorder transition at the ``second peak''.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures. Submitted to Nature, July 10th, 1999; Rejected August 8th for lack of broad interest Submitted to Physical Review Letters September 10th, 199

Effective suckling in relation to naked maternal-infant body contact in the first hour of life: an observation study

Background Best practice guidelines to promote breastfeeding suggest that (i) mothers hold their babies in naked body contact immediately after birth, (ii) babies remain undisturbed for at least one hour and (iii) breastfeeding assistance be offered during this period. Few studies have closely observed the implementation of these guidelines in practice. We sought to evaluate these practices on suckling achievement within the first hour after birth. Methods Observations of seventy-eight mother-baby dyads recorded newborn feeding behaviours, the help received by mothers and birthing room practices each minute, for sixty minutes. Results Duration of naked body contact between mothers and their newborn babies varied widely from 1 to 60 minutes, as did commencement of suckling (range = 10 to 60 minutes). Naked maternal-infant body contact immediately after birth, uninterrupted for at least thirty minutes did not predict effective suckling within the first hour of birth. Newborns were four times more likely to sustain deep rhythmical suckling when their chin made contact with their mother’s breast as they approached the nipple (OR 3.8; CI 1.03 - 14) and if their mothers had given birth previously (OR 6.7; CI 1.35 - 33). Infants who had any naso-oropharyngeal suctioning administered at birth were six times less likely to suckle effectively (OR .176; CI .04 - .9). Conclusion Effective suckling within the first hour of life was associated with a collection of practices including infants positioned so their chin can instinctively nudge the underside of their mother’s breast as they approach to grasp the nipple and attach to suckle. The best type of assistance provided in the birthing room that enables newborns to sustain an effective latch was paying attention to newborn feeding behaviours and not administering naso-oropharyngeal suction routinely

Confidential Gossip and Organization Studies

This essay sets out the case for regarding confidential gossip as a significant concept in the study of organizations. It develops the more general concept of gossip by combining it with concepts of organizational secrecy in order to propose confidential gossip as a distinctive communicative practice. As a communicative practice, it is to be understood as playing a particular role within the communicative constitution of organizations. That particularity arises from the special nature of any communication regarded as secret, which includes the fact that such communication is liable to be regarded as containing the ‘real truth’ or ‘insider knowledge’. Thus it may be regarded as more than ‘just gossip’ and also as more significant than formal communication. This role is explored, as well as the methodological and ethical challenges of studying confidential gossip empirically

Dynamics of two interacting Bose-Einstein condensates

We analize the dynamics of two trapped interacting Bose-Einstein condensates and indentify two regimes for the evolution: the regime of slow periodic oscillations and the regime of strong non-linear mixing leading to the damping of the relative motion of the condensates. We compare our predictions with an experiment recently performed at JILA.Comment: 4 pages RevTeX, 3 eps figure

Suburban watershed nitrogen retention : estimating the effectiveness of stormwater management structures

Excess nitrogen (N) is a primary driver of freshwater and coastal eutrophication globally, and urban stormwater is a rapidly growing source of N pollution. Stormwater best management practices (BMPs) are used widely to remove excess N from runoff in urban and suburban areas, and are expected to perform under a wide variety of environmental conditions. Yet the capacity of BMPs to retain excess N varies; and both the variation and the drivers thereof are largely unknown, hindering the ability of water resource managers to meet water quality targets in a cost-effective way. Here, we use structured expert judgment (SEJ), a performance-weighted method of expert elicitation, to quantify the uncertainty in BMP performance under a range of site-specific environmental conditions and to estimate the extent to which key environmental factors influence variation in BMP performance. We hypothesized that rain event frequency and magnitude, BMP type and size, and physiographic province would significantly influence the experts’ estimates of N retention by BMPs common to suburban Piedmont and Coastal Plain watersheds of the Chesapeake Bay region. Expert knowledge indicated wide uncertainty in BMP performance, with N removal efficiencies ranging from 40%. Experts believed that the amount of rain was the primary identifiable source of variability in BMP efficiency, which is relevant given climate projections of more frequent heavy rain events in the mid-Atlantic. To assess the extent to which those projected changes might alter N export from suburban BMPs and watersheds, we combined downscaled estimates of rainfall with distributions of N loads for different-sized rain events derived from our elicitation. The model predicted higher and more variable N loads under a projected future climate regime, suggesting that current BMP regulations for reducing nutrients may be inadequate in the future