Obstructing finite surgery

For a fixed p, there are only finitely many elliptic 3-manifolds given by p/q-surgery on a knot in S^3. We prove this result by using the Heegaard Floer correction terms (d-invariants) to obstruct elliptic manifolds from arising as knot surgery.Comment: 16 page

Engaging blended learning students: an evolving approach to engaging students through the VLE

Students taking part-time, distance or blended learning units who are also in employment face high commitment demands of work, life and family in addition to their study. They do not have time to face the additional challenge of making sense of difficult to access learning materials. These students are also often highly discerning, and will talk with their feet ââ¬â failing to complete units that donââ¬â¢t engage. At Southampton Solent University, we recognise the need to make online or blended units accessible and supportive. In order to engage students on these, we have developed a set of institutional standards for online course development that aim to make materials intuitive, easy access, clearly introduced and well signposted. The standards also identify levels of support and collaboration in order for students to feel both engaged in and to gain maximum benefit from the learning processes. At the same time we have established a Flexible Delivery Development and Support Team which collaborates with academic staff in course planning, writing and delivery. This team works with tutors to achieve the standards while aligning learning outcomes and assessment with online and blended learning activity. This workshop explores the stages that led to establishing our institutional standards for online course development and the scope of activities for the FDDST. We shall explore ways in which the activities of the team have been responsive and adaptive to student experiences, and illustrate some of the impact of these developments on both actual an anticipated student engagement, achievement and retention

An online Master's degree: Teaching and learning strategy vs. managerial constraints

This paper illustrates the work of a course team at Southampton Solent University to establish a delivery model for an online distance master’s degree. Working under the managerial constraint of ensuring that the course delivery is sustainably affordable, the focus was to develop a model that structures tutor to student engagement in such a way as to ensure the maintenance of a high standard of teaching and learning. This model is put forward as an approach that is applicable in a variety of contexts, and hence of value to course developers from other institutions investigating ways of effectively delivering online courses

Bench-to-bedside review: Dealing with increased intensive care unit staff turnover: a leadership challenge

Critical care leaders frequently must face challenging situations requiring specific leadership and management skills for which they are, not uncommonly, poorly prepared. Such a fictitious scenario was discussed at a Canadian interdisciplinary critical care leadership meeting, whereby increasing intensive care unit (ICU) staff turnover had led to problems with staff recruitment. Participants discussed and proposed solutions to the scenario in a structured format. The results of the discussion are presented. In situations such as this, the ICU leader should first define the core problem, its complexity, its duration and its potential for reversibility. These factors often reside within workload and staff support issues. Some examples of core problems discussed that are frequently associated with poor retention and recruitment are a lack of a positive team culture, a lack of a favorable ICU image, a lack of good working relationships between staff and disciplines, and a lack of specific supportive resources. Several tools or individuals (typically outside the ICU environment) are available to help determine the core problem. Once the core problem is identified, specific solutions can be developed. Such solutions often require originality and flexibility, and must be planned, with specific short-term, medium-term and long-term goals. The ICU leader will need to develop an implementation strategy for these solutions, in which partners who can assist are identified from within the ICU and from outside the ICU. It is important that the leader communicates to all stakeholders frequently as the process moves forward

The Committee on Standards in Public Life needs reform if it is to fulfil its important role properly in the future

If the approach to public integrity taken by local government is anything to go by, the Committee on Standards in Public Life is no substitute for the Standards Board or the Audit Commission in terms of strategy or scrutiny. Alan Doig suggests that now is the time to consider another approach

Analyzing Australian middle years students\u27 preferred mathematics classroom practices

The Middle Years of schooling have become an issue for mathematics teachers and educators, and calls for the reform of this period of schooling are frequent. However, the suggested reforms appear to be divided in their views of what would be best for these students. This paper provides a brief overview of what some Middle Years students say about their needs. Some 1500 students in the Middle Years of schooling (Years 5 to 9) were surveyed about their preferred mathematics classroom activities: the methods and results of the survey may be extremely relevant to those contemplating Middle Years reform.<br /