Intra-Firm Human Capital Externalities in Tunisia

In this case-study, we use matched worker-firm Tunisian data to elicit the roles of intra-firm human capital and modern firm features in worker remunerations. We show that the estimated return to education in wage equations is not modified when replacing in the list of regressors the firm dummies, representing observed and unobserved firm heterogeneity, by the first three factors of a Principal Component Analysis of the observed firm characteristics. These factors can be interpreted as: the activity sector, the intra-firm human capital density and the modernity of the firm. These results constitute an interesting argument in favour of the presence of intra-firm human capital externalities. Moreover, the estimated education coefficient does not change when the three factors are replaced by three surrogate variables, respectively: the textile industry dummy, the intra-firm mean education, and the firm’s age.economic development, rate of returns, human capital, wage differentials, intra-firm knowledge externalities, Tunisia.

Integrated controls/structures study of advanced space systems

A cost tradeoff is postulated for a stiff structure utilizing minimal controls (and control expense) to point and stabilize the vehicle. Extra costs for a stiff structure are caused by weight, packaging size, etc. Likewise, a more flexible vehicle should result in reduced structural costs but increased costs associated with additional control hardware and data processing required for vibration control of the structure. This tradeoff occurs as the ratio of the control bandwidth required for the mission to the lowest (significant) bending mode of the vehicle. The cost of controlling a spacecraft for a specific mission and the same basic configuration but varying the flexibility is established

Challenges of outward facing mobility opportunities for Nursing students: pre and peri Covid-19

The Covid-19 global pandemic has brought into stark relief our interdependence and relationship with other countries in many professional spheres including nursing and allied health professions. The global reach of nursing has grown both before this pandemic and will continue to grow exponentially. Irrespective of the makeup of societies nursing exists everywhere; whether it is based upon professional education and licensing or professional registration or employment systems. It is argued that nurses need to ‘think globally’ and that diversity; complexity; professional voice; leadership and inter disciplinary working are essential for global nursin

Evaluating a nursing Erasmus exchange experience: reflections on the use and value of the Nominal Group Technique for evaluation

This paper discusses the use of Nominal Group Technique (NGT) for European nursing exchange evaluation at one university. The NGT is a semi-quantitative evaluation method derived from the Delphi method popular in the 1970s and 1980s. The NGT was modified from the traditional version retaining the structured cycles and but adding a broader group discussion. The NGT had been used for 2 successive years but required analysis and evaluation itself for credibility and 'fit' for purpose which is presented here. It aimed to explore nursing students' exchange experiences and aid programme development futures exchanges and closure from exchange. Results varied for the cohorts and students as participants enthusiastically engaged generating ample data which they ranked and categorised collectively. Evaluation of the NGT itself was two fold: by the programme team who considered purpose, audience, inclusivity, context and expertise. Secondly, students were asked for their thoughts using a graffiti board. Students avidly engaged with NGT but importantly also reported an effect from the process itself as an opportunity to reflect and share their experiences. The programme team concluded the NGT offered a credible evaluation tool which made use of authentic student voice and offered interactive group processes. Pedagogially, it enabled active reflection thus aiding reorientation back to the United Kingdom and awareness of 'transformative' consequences of their exchange experiences

Widening participation in higher education: a case study and evaluation

This report is an outcome of a research project exploring lecturers’ understanding of widening participation (WP) and how this influences their practice in one North London University. The project was undertaken as part of my DProf studies and was developed from my role and position within the School of Health and Social Sciences in co-ordinating and communicating WP activities. This project was undertaken over five years (2004 – 2009) and was influenced by local and national political and social changes most particularly the range of Higher Education Funding Council documents impacting on WP. Main approach used: In a desire to explore WP and through multiple perspectives a mixed methods methodology was selected epistemological umbrella of transformative learning arising from an emancipatory paradigm. Meizerow’s (2003) epistemology of transformative learning provides a lens by which to explore lecturers’ perceptions of WP and practices, challenge conventional notions of WP, explore the extent to which WP is mainstreamed or embedded WP within the organisation and the relationship with pedagogical practices. This project was in three stages. Firstly, a focus group of lecturers, then separate individual lecturers were interviewed to explore perceptions of WP and pedagogical approaches (n= 12). Secondly, groups of diverse students completed a questionnaire (n=195) asking for their experiences of teaching and learning with a few (n=6) interviewed individually. Thirdly, an internal working group explored the wider university commitment to WP and how embedded this is in departments and services. Quantitative data from questionnaires and institutional data was analysed descriptively for frequency and correlations (Pearson’s correlation co-efficient via SPSS v.15). Qualitative data was analysed using textual thematic analysis, both manually and using CAQDAS (Nud*st) software. Conclusions: There were several conclusions: 1. Lecturers and teaching. a. No single understanding of WP. b. Some lecturers demonstrate sensitive and intuitive support but this is not widely disseminated. c. Identify limited insight into students’ lives and experiences. d. View WP as deficiencies, remedial and someone else’s ‘job’. 2. Students and learning. a. As a group students would not describe themselves as diverse but ‘typical’ students. b. Students value personal connections with lecturers. 3. University Role. a. Initiatives to address the student experience subsume the needs of WP and all students. b. Communication across services and departments is unclear and not cohesive. c. Varied discourses of WP at different levels and high level commitment demonstrated at senior level. Recommendations: The key recommendations focussed on promoting WP in existing good practice in teaching and learning and utilise existing process to make WP core and embedded. 1. Lecturers: Promote dialogue of WP and raise issues pertinent to teaching and learning. - Staff development in relation to practice for inclusive teaching or teaching diverse groups utilising existing procedures via preparation route (PGCHE) or established teaching observations or appraisals. - WP ‘Champions’ to advocate and promote inclusive practice. 2. Students: Build on good practice to maximise students’ sense of ‘value’ and positive student experience. 3. University: To locate a ‘home’ for WP so it can be more effectively monitored and disseminated and accounted for. - Embed WP within core working processes (e.g. validation or programme monitoring). - Promote the dialogue of WP and inclusivity consistently from higher levels to student interface levels to enhance a culture of diversity and inclusivity

Teaching a diverse student body – a proposed tool for lecturers to self-evaluate their approach to inclusive teaching

Higher education moved from elite to a mass system in England over the last two decades under New Labour’s policy of developing social mobility and knowledge economy. As participation in HE almost reached the target 50% it resulted in greater diversity and associated demands on institutions of the needs of diverse students. The increasing need for university lecturers to be cognisant of and responsive to such diversity is increasingly important. Research indicates that lecturers who practice inclusively benefit all students’ not just specific groups yet there remains variable practice in some areas a dissonance between espoused versus actual practice for inclusive teaching. This article describes the background and stimulus for development of a Self Reflective Tool which emerged from part of a doctoral project examining lecturers’ perceptions of WP and diversity and their pedagogical approaches. The proposed tool is mapped with the UK Professional Standards for teaching and supporting learning dimensions and encourages consideration of the context, preparation, evaluation, strategies for promoting learning and affective and sensory elements of learning

Eleutherodactylus chlorophenax

Number of Pages: 2Integrative BiologyGeological Science

Chemisorption on a model bcc metal

The system considered here is that of a single atom with one energy level chemisorbed on the (001) surface of a model bcc metal. We present the change in the density of electronic states Δn (E) due to chemisorption for two cases: one when the adatom is bound to a single substrate atom in the "on‐site" configuration and the other when it is bound to four substrate atoms in the "centered fourfold site." In principle, this change in the density of states Δn can be related to the results of photoemission measurements

Economic Impacts of Restricted Animal Movements in Mexico Due to Increased Mexican Regional Bovine Health Criteria

Tuberculosis restrictions on animal movement have important implications for Mexican producers and consumers as well as the U.S. beef cattle industry. The restrictions cause decreased Mexican cattle exports, increased domestic fed beef production, and decreased fed beef imports. The Mexican beef industry incurs greater costs due to increased interregional cattle and meat shipments and changes in regional beef cattle production in Mexico.Livestock Production/Industries,