African American Men Survey

A comprehensive survey looking at how African-American men view their lives in the United States and their outlook for the future. The survey gauges the views and experiences of African-American men on marriage and family, education, careers and health, among other issues, and includes comparisons to the views and experiences of African-American women and white men and women. The African-American Men Survey is the 15th survey in a series generated under a three-way partnership between The Washington Post, the Kaiser Family Foundation and Harvard University. The three organizations work together to pick the survey topics, design the survey instruments and analyze the results. The survey's findings were published in the June 4, 2006, edition of The Washington Post. This survey was conducted by telephone from March 20 to April 29, 2006, among 2,864 randomly selected adults nationwide, including: 1,328 black men; 507 black women; 437 white men and 495 white women. Results for total respondents have been weighted so that black respondents are represented in proportion to their actual share of the population. Margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points for results based on all respondents or black men, 5 percentage points for black women and 6 percentage points for white men or women. Hispanics and Asians were interviewed along with white and black respondents, but because of the relative size of those populations, there were not enough respondents to break out separately. The complete survey results and detailed methodology description are available in the toplines document

The research-teaching nexus : what do national teaching awards tells us?

This article addresses two questions that are part of a broader debate about the relationship between teaching and research: are outstanding university teachers engaged in research and are they disseminating their teaching expertise to other university teachers? We address these questions through an analysis of the research and publications of the 2005 winners of the competitive, national awards for university teaching in Australia. The analysis indicates that outstanding university teachers are active researchers, but are unlikely to publish about their teaching or improving teaching practice in universities. The findings have policy implications for the separation of teaching and research within and between universities, and raise questions about the contribution of teaching awards to the wider improvement of university teaching. As such, the article issues a caution to policy makers and university administrators against making pre‐emptive decisions about the relationship between teaching and research based on questionable assumptions.<br /

Exploring the Value of the Web in an Undergraduate Immunology Program

This paper details the development of a third-year subject which has, over a period of four years, evolved to meet the need for cultivating such competencies. The web browser is but one tool in a holistic approach to student learning and is directed primarily at (a) providing students with a framework to conceptualize their learning, (b) facilitating access to information outside traditional “textbook” boundaries, but at the same time maintaining the focus of their efforts. Other tools used to achieve the learning objectives are accessing and critiquing research papers; group discussions and presentations of issues raised in research papers; solutions of laboratory based problems, including development of protocol, organizing laboratory equipment and consumables, conduct of experimental work, subsequent analysis and presentation. All strategies are directed at developing (a) investigative and analytical skills, (b) capacity for critical thinking and communication and defence of such critique, and (c) teamwork

Group Work in Science – How do you do it?

From 1993–1997 the subject “Introductory Immunology” was delivered in “traditional” mode with 3 hours of lectures and 3 hours practical/tutorial classes per fortnight. However, it was believed that this structure provided little opportunity for students to develop as independent learners (Candy, Crebert and O’Leary, 1995), nor did it help them to develop the skills and attitudes that are essential in graduates such as critical analysis, problem solving, communication and working in teams (B/HERT, 1992; NBEET, 1992). Typically, students enrolled in this subject were used to a teacherled learning regime and not usually familiar with group learning as an educational technique and, although students worked in small groups (n=2 to 4) during laboratory sessions, the groups were often friendship partnerships and provided little opportunity for cooperative learning. In 1997 we undertook an evaluation of the effectiveness of the existing delivery methodology, both from the viewpoint of the skills it aimed at developing and from the students’ perspective. In 1998 the subject structure was changed from its traditional presentation mode to group work, use of reflective journals and workshops. Student opinion was canvassed during this period with respect to their expectations, their concerns and their preference for particular learning modes

A ‘Community of Learning’ – the UWS Nepean Science Virtual Resource Centre

The Science Virtual Resource Centre (VRC) (http://edtech.nepean.uws.edu.au/science/vrc/) has been modelled on web sites that are already successfully engaging students, notably The University of Sydney’s Biological Sciences site (http://fybio.bio.usyd.edu.au/sobsfyb/fyb_StuRes.html) and Hypertext Books at the College of DuPage (http://www.cod.edu/dept/KiesDan/). The site was established with six main aims: • to provide level one science students with greater access to learning resources and information, and encourage the use of technology as a learning tool; • to free staff from being seen solely as information providers, enabling them to have access to a venue through which they can experiment and develop rich and interactive learning resources; • to establish a site where collaborative learning is encouraged and supported, and where teaching staff can challenge and stimulate students; • to assist students to develop the skills of independent learning, encouraging them to take responsibility for their own learning; • to help students develop their computer skills and familiarity with the web, via an easily accessible, low technology site; and • to begin the development of a ‘community of learning’ (Hough and Paine, 1997) whereby students and staff share common learning interests and purposes. The VRC site was launched in first semester 1999, and is thus in its infancy. Subject Resources, Further Tools for Learning, and the Discussion Forum, are still being developed. The process by which the site has developed, and continues to evolve and the manner in which we hope to achieve our aims will be the focus of this paper

The fate of bone marrow-derived cells carrying a polycystic kidney disease mutation in the genetically normal kidney

Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) is a genetic condition in which dedifferentiated and highly proliferative epithelial cells form renal cysts and is frequently treated by renal transplantation. Studies have reported that bone marrow-derived cells give rise to renal epithelial cells, particularly following renal injury as often occurs during transplantation. This raises the possibility that bone marrow-derived cells from a PKD-afflicted recipient could populate a transplanted kidney and express a disease phenotype. However, for reasons that are not clear the reoccurrence of PKD has not been reported in a genetically normal renal graft. We used a mouse model to examine whether PKD mutant bone marrow-derived cells are capable of expressing a disease phenotype in the kidney

A comparison of treatment outcomes for individuals with substance use disorder alone and individuals with probable dual diagnosis

The co-occurrence of substance use and mental health problems, often referred to as dual diagnosis (DD), is increasingly recognised as commonplace within substance abuse treatment programs. Two-hundred and thirty-four individuals from 9 Australian Salvation Army drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs completed a 3-month post-discharge telephone follow-up. Using a cut-off score from the Psychiatric Subscale of the Addiction Severity Index (5th ed.), 66.7% were classified as likely to have DD and 33.3% as substance use disorder only (SUD). Both groups reported comparable and decreased substance use levels at follow-up, yet DD individuals perceived less improvement in substance use problems. Comparable improvements were reported in the areas of: symptom distress and recovery from symptoms. This was despite greater scope for improvement in individuals with DD. Duration of treatment and access to post treatment services were also assessed. Understanding factors effecting treatment outcomes is imperative for the implementation of effective, evidence based treatment programs

Doing it differently in science: An evaluation of the process

With the benefit of a CUTSD Grant for 1999, the authors sought to develop an integrated programme supporting the development of key learning competencies in undergraduate science students at the University of Western Sydney (UWS) Nepean. The subject chosen to contextualise this programme, was a second year biological sciences subject, Immunology, which in itself aimed to provide students with an understanding of the development and functioning of the immune system, as well as expertise in a range of clinical assessment and research techniques involving immunological principles. The targeted competencies included: group leadership and membership; oral and written communication; critical analysis; problem solving; reflective skills; and independent learning