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 $J_x$ and $J_z$ 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 $J_x = J_z$. 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