5,888 research outputs found
A case study in engaging academics in research-based professional development
In this paper I outline a strategically important project to provide academics with multiple pathways to engage in research-based professional development for teaching. These pathways include engaging in reflective teaching, scholarly teaching and the scholarship of teaching in order to enhance and improve teaching practice. I discuss the rationale for offering multiple approaches to professional development and detail how we aligned this project with Faculty strategic priorities and academics’ career progression. I conclude the paper by discussing our evaluation plan for determining the utility of the various professional development resources.published_or_final_versio
Evaluating the impact of an eLearning strategy on the quality of teaching and learning at The University of Hong Kong
Main Theme: E-Learning in a Changing Landscape of Emerging Technologies and PedagogiesUniversities worldwide - The University of Hong Kong (HKU) included – have made a significant investment in eLearning. The major rationale for this investment has to do with the use of technologies to enhance teaching and learning. This raises the very obvious question concerning how an institution might go about evaluating the impact of the eLearning strategy on the quality of teaching and learning. In this paper we discuss this question from the perspective of the key performance indicators in HKU’s eLearning strategy and from the perspective of asking the question concerning what a more robust evaluation programme would look like. The two perspectives should prove to be valuable for readers in institutes of Higher Education interested in strategic and operational eLearning issues.postprin
Network Synthesis of Linear Dynamical Quantum Stochastic Systems
The purpose of this paper is to develop a synthesis theory for linear
dynamical quantum stochastic systems that are encountered in linear quantum
optics and in phenomenological models of linear quantum circuits. In
particular, such a theory will enable the systematic realization of
coherent/fully quantum linear stochastic controllers for quantum control,
amongst other potential applications. We show how general linear dynamical
quantum stochastic systems can be constructed by assembling an appropriate
interconnection of one degree of freedom open quantum harmonic oscillators and,
in the quantum optics setting, discuss how such a network of oscillators can be
approximately synthesized or implemented in a systematic way from some linear
and non-linear quantum optical elements. An example is also provided to
illustrate the theory.Comment: Revised and corrected version, published in SIAM Journal on Control
and Optimization, 200
Applying matrix product operators to model systems with long-range interactions
An algorithm is presented which computes a translationally invariant matrix
product state approximation of the ground state of an infinite 1D system; it
does this by embedding sites into an approximation of the infinite
``environment'' of the chain, allowing the sites to relax, and then merging
them with the environment in order to refine the approximation. By making use
of matrix product operators, our approach is able to directly model any
long-range interaction that can be systematically approximated by a series of
decaying exponentials. We apply our techniques to compute the ground state of
the Haldane-Shastry model and present results.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures; manuscript has been expanded and restructured in
order to improve presentation of the algorith
Extremal Quantum Correlations and Cryptographic Security
We investigate a fundamental property of device independent security in
quantum cryptography by characterizing probability distributions which are
necessarily independent of the measurement results of any eavesdropper. We show
that probability distributions that are secure in this sense are exactly the
extremal quantum probability distributions. This allows us to give a
characterization of security in algebraic terms. We apply the method to common
examples for two-party as well as multi-party setups and present a scheme for
verifying security of probability distributions with two parties, two
measurement settings, and two outcomes.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures, revised version, accepted for publication in
Phys. Rev. Let
Taking ownership of technology: Lecturers as LMS learners
Our paper presents the findings from a study of personalised support in the use of the
Learning Management System (LMS) to lecturers at the Faculty of Medical and Health
Sciences, University of Auckland. Our study indicates that personalised support is an
effective means of supporting some lecturers as they learn about the use of technology for
teaching. We conclude our paper by considering the value of this research for the Faculty.published_or_final_versionThe 23rd Annual Conference of the Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education: Who’s Learning? Whose Technology?, Sydney, Australia, 3-6 December 2006. In Proceedings of the 23rd Annual Ascilite Conference: Who’s learning? Whose technology?, 2006, v. 1, p. 213-21
First order phase transition in the anisotropic quantum orbital compass model
We investigate the anisotropic quantum orbital compass model on an infinite
square lattice by means of the infinite projected entangled-pair state
algorithm. For varying values of the and coupling constants of the
model, we approximate the ground state and evaluate quantities such as its
expected energy and local order parameters. We also compute adiabatic time
evolutions of the ground state, and show that several ground states with
different local properties coexist at . All our calculations are
fully consistent with a first order quantum phase transition at this point,
thus corroborating previous numerical evidence. Our results also suggest that
tensor network algorithms are particularly fitted to characterize first order
quantum phase transitions.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, major revision with new result
Strengthening rural health placements for medical students: Lessons for South Africa from international experience
Background. This article derives lessons from international experience of innovative rural health placements for medical students. It provides pointers for strengthening South African undergraduate rural health programmes in support of the government’s rural health, primary healthcare and National Health Insurance strategies.Methods. The article draws on a review of the literature on 39 training programmes around the world, and the experiential knowledge of 28 local and international experts consulted through a structured workshop.Results. There is a range of models for rural health placements: some offer only limited exposure to rural settings, while others offer immersion experiences to students. Factors facilitating successful rural health placements include faculty champions who drive rural programmes and persuade faculties to embrace a rural mission, preferential selection of students with a rural background, positioning rural placements within a broader rural curriculum, creating rural training centres, the active nurturing of rural service staff, assigning students to mentors, the involvement of communities, and adapting rural programmes to the local context. Common obstacles include difficulties with student selection, negative social attitudes towards rural health, shortages of teaching staff, a sense of isolation experienced by rural students and staff, and difficulties with programme evaluation.Conclusions. Faculties seeking to expand rural placements should locate their vision within new health system developments, start off small and create voluntary rural tracks, apply preferential admission for rural students, set up a rural training centre, find practical ways of working with communities, and evaluate the educational and clinical achievements of rural health placements
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