Feasibility Study: Social Protection in South Central Somalia

In recent years, there has been a growing recognition by policy makers and the international development community that longer-term social protection programming has the potential to reduce poverty and inequality and serve as a foundation upon which, viable livelihoods can be built. In many countries, specially those that are frequently affected by climatic and conflict hazards, this has led to calls for a shift in approach away from interventions thatsimply address the symptoms of household vulnerability towards those which deal with the causes. For more than two decades Somalia has lurched from one humanitarian crisis to another. This debate around the potential of social protection is therefore particularly acute, as years of humanitarian programming seem to have had little impact on increasing household resilience to shocks. Furthermore, the country still ranks 165 out of the 170 countries included in the UN's Human Development Index, and number one on the US Fund for Peace 'Failed State Index'.A consortium of agencies working in Somalia commissioned this study: Adeso, ACF, DRC and Save the Children. The study is intended to further the discussion on the rationale and practicalities of social protection in South Central Somalia, and to serve as a starting point for the debate around moving away from short-term responses towards longer-term social protection interventions by these agencies, and others.The report comprises six parts: Part 1 describes the political economy in South Central Somalia and highlights some key challengesfor humanitarian actors; Part 2 defines the general concept of social protection and looks at the global evidence of the impact of social protection; Part 3 looks at social protection programs in African countries (particularly those in the Somalia region), and also in fragile states; Part 4 looks at current social protection mechanisms in South Central Somalia; Part 5 describes the actions that are currently needed before humanitarian programming can become predictable, and Part 6 summarizes the way forward, including recommendations and the conclusions from the study

Digital Audio Preservation at IU

A recording is not available for this presentation

IUB Libraries Video Streaming Service: A Technical Overview

A recording is not available for this presentation.The IUB Libraries Video Streaming Service received its soft launch in the Fall 2008 semester, allowing staff in Wells Library Media and Reserve Services to make both locally-digitized video and digital video files licensed from vendors available for online streaming by members of the IU community. This service was developed by the Digital Library Program in consultation with Media and Reserve Services, based in part upon previous pilots and prototypes supported by both DLP and Library Information Technology. In this presentation, we will demonstrate the functionality of the Video Streaming Service both from the perspective of a student or faculty member viewing a video and a library staff member loading a new video into the system. We will then discuss the technologies used to implement the service, including Adobe Flash Media Server, theffmpeg audio/video encoder, and locally-developed video drop box, content management, and workflow tools

Analysis of the paleomagnetism and rock magnetism of the Surco Intrusion, Peru: an attempt to obtain a Southern Hemisphere reversal record

Investigation of the Surco pluton, a granodioritic body approximately 12 km in diameter and age 20 Ma, located near Lima, Peru, was initiated in order to obtain a geomagnetic reversal record. More than 300 samples provide a complete section through the intrusion. Preliminary results obtained using conventional paleomagnetic techniques indicate that the western part of the pluton records the ambient field behavior well; a consistent reversed direction is followed by a partial reversed to normal transition as one progresses into the core of the intrusion. Plots of NRM vs. IRM(S) demagnetization indicate a steady decrease in the geomagnetic field intensity prior to the reversal. The intrusion does not appear to have recorded the recovery of the normal intensity after the reversal. The existence of a complete section through the intrusion permitted, in principle, the observation of a symmetrical record of the reversal from each side of the pluton. However, the results from the eastern Surco section present a confusing picture and reveal significant variations in rock magnetic and remanence properties along section. Magnetic properties of mineral separates were studied in an attempt to understand variability in the rock as a paleomagnetic recorder. In general, the feldspars contain an unstable magnetization, while the mafic minerals hold a more stable magentization. In the eastern Surco, there are considerable variations in their magnetic properties

Blending for student engagement: lessons learned for the MOOCs and beyond

The purpose of this ongoing, three-year action research study is to explore the digital challenges of student engagement in higher education within the experimental platform of blended learning. Research questions examine the role of digital innovation in supporting diverse learners, as well as building meaningful connections with technology for undergraduate teacher education students. Results from qualitative data collected through instructor journals and field notes and student mid-term and exit surveys during year one, indicate blended learning can be effective for modelling how to use technology to shift learners towards more active agency. The immediacy of the localised university classroom delivered a viable research setting for digital experimentation, while providing a significant lived experience for undergraduates to springboard their future technological practices with K–12 students. Four pedagogical opportunities for digital intentionality in virtual spaces emerged during data analysis and are shared as considerations for future innovation: (1) designing digital resources, (2) scaffolding student learning, (3) learner customisation, and (4) promoting the lived experience. Lessons learned could be effective in helping develop higher quality educational experiences for on-campus students, as well as scaffolding greater engagement in online formats involving more global populations (e.g., massive online open courses – MOOCs)

The development of metaphorical language comprehension in typical development and in Williams syndrome

The domain of figurative language comprehension was used to probe the developmental relation between language and cognition in typically developing individuals and individuals with Williams syndrome. Extending the work of Vosniadou and Ortony, the emergence of nonliteral similarity and category knowledge was investigated in 117 typically developing children between 4 and 12 years of age, 19 typically developing adults, 15 children with Williams syndrome between 5 and 12 years of age, and 8 adults with Williams syndrome. Participants were required to complete similarity and categorization statements by selecting one of two words (e.g., either “The sun is like ___” or “The sun is the same kind of thing as ___”) with word pairs formed from items that were literally, perceptually, or functionally similar to the target word or else anomalous (e.g., moon, orange, oven, or chair, respectively). Results indicated that individuals with Williams syndrome may access different, less abstract knowledge in figurative language comparisons despite the relatively strong verbal abilities found in this disorder