Palimpsest

Palimpsest explores the various ways in which the models, individuals who have gained and/or lost a large amount of weight, feel empowered and vulnerable. The skin is marked and each discoloration or indentation telling a story of loss, gain, and removal. The photographs mark these changes

Motivational Factors of Communication Center Tutors

Student motivation has been researched from a variety of viewpoints such as that of student motivation and in the classroom, student motivation and learning, and student motivation and teacher immediacy. This study looks at the motivational factors of communication center tutors (n = 165) across the United States to determine what motivates them to continue to work at their center and how those in supervisory positions can also motivate. Tutors represented a variety of colleges and universities from midsize, and minority-serving institutions to small, private colleges. The study found that the top three motivational factors for communication center tutors are: (1) helping others; (2) resume opportunities; and (3) community. The study also found that supervisors can motivate student tutors by: (1) giving verbal praise: (2) offering food; and (3) writing notes. The data reveals that communication center tutors are motivated by a variety of factors and those in supervisorial roles can incorporate different strategies to further motivate their staff to create an advantageous work environment for all.

Instructor Development: A Model for Growth and Success

An Instructor Development Programming Task Force was appointed at the University of Kansas (KU) Libraries in the summer of 2010. The group was charged with investigating existing models of professional development programs for instruction librarians at other university libraries, as well as recommending a model for implementation at KU. A recommended model needed to provide opportunities for discussion of new trends, theories, and methods in instruction, as well as information literacy standards and concepts. The Task Force designed and administered a survey for all library faculty and staff who teach in order to gather feedback that could be used to design useful and focused professional development opportunities. In addition, Task Force members reviewed other professional development programming models in vogue at research universities across the country to learn about other aspects of program development that could be considered within the KU context. Discussion within the Task Force also focused on the structure of the model itself. While such discussions were informed by survey results and consideration of other models, Task Force members were aware of the greater emphasis placed on the assessment of instruction in current higher education environments. The purpose of this paper is to provide reflections about the work of the Instructional Development Programming Task Force as it worked to develop a model specifically focused on the needs of instruction librarians, informed by results of an in-house survey, review of other models, and consideration of current trends

Enhancing Conversations with English Language Learners in Communication Centers

Communication centers often focus on supporting students’ communicative competencies in public speaking but some centers have expanded this focus to include support for English language learners (ELLs). Armed with research on the value of conversation in language acquisition, the University Speaking Center has incorporated peer consulting of ELLs, known as conversation consultations, into its offered services and evolved over time through a collaborative process with student staff, English language instructors, and ELLs in efforts to be both effective and responsive to those who we seek to support. The motivation to support speakers in their ongoing process of becoming more confident and competent oral communicators has allowed for the development of a multifaceted model of service for ELLs at each level of language acquisition

Behavior Prioritization In Drosophila

Animals must prioritize their needs to decide how to act in a way that meets their physiological needs and matches their environmental context. Since behaviors are often carried out at the expense of others, it is important to understand how these binary options are evaluated and prioritized in an animal’s nervous system. We aim to understand how internal states such as hunger are signaled to the brain. Further, we ask, how does an organism integrate multiple signals and ultimately decide how to respond? When a pair of Drosophila melanogaster males are placed in a small chamber with a high-quality food source, they have three options: feed, explore, or fight. When a male is starved, we hypothesize that a high-need hunger signal is sent from the gut to the brain. This signal should bump feeding to the top of the priority list, resulting in the fly eating before engaging in other behaviors. Our data indicates that starved flies feed earlier than fed flies, suggesting that they respond to internal signals telling them to feed rather than explore. Previous work in the Certel lab has determined that neurons that express the octopamine (OA) adrenergic receptor OAα2R innervate the gut. Preliminary data suggests OAα2R expressed in enteroendocrine (EE) cells is necessary for aggression. We hypothesize that OA binding to OAα2R inhibits the release of neuropeptides in EE cells. This, in turn, inhibits feeding behavior and promotes aggression in flies. Here, we predict that a reduction in EE cell OAα2R expression will result in fed flies feeding sooner. Using OAα2R Knockdown and UAS-Gal4 control flies, we starved or let male flies feed ad libitum for 24 hours. Subsequently, the flies were aspirated into the chamber with a nutritive food resource to be both fed on and fought over. To score flies’ behavior, lunges toward their counterparts were recorded as a metric of aggression. To test our hypotheses, we quantified flies’ latency to lunge and latency to feed (the time between aspiration into the chamber and the first act of aggression or feeding) under fed or starved internal states. Our preliminary analysis suggests that OAα2R does not inhibit feeding. Based on these results we will test a revised hypothesis: OAα2R inhibits the release of neuropeptides, thus promoting the transition from feeding to fighting. A greater understanding of decision prioritization will help map the internal codes of social behavior and dynamics as well as reveal therapeutic targets that could modulate aggression

Innovation and flexibility within a Bachelor of Information Systems transnational educational (TNE) program

The Bachelor of Information Systems program is jointly delivered by the University of Tasmania and the Shanghai Ocean University. To ensure content relevance and improved student engagement the teaching team has developed an innovative combination of technology placement and teaching pedagogy. The innovative interventions to real contractual and resource constraints presented in the delivery of the program focussed on engaging students, aligned use of technology and creating a quality learning experience amongst students that were studying offshore. By challenging our assumptions, adopting a technology supported just-in-time teaching approach informed by a collaborative team teaching philosophy we have been able to pilot and then roll out program wide innovative solutions to units within the program. The initial outcomes are promising with improvements in both student engagement and student achievement

APPLYING COMMERCIAL PROCEDURES AND TECHNOLOGY TO NAVY AUDIT READINESS

The Department of the Navy (DON) does not have sufficient record keeping, processes, or controls in place for the management of physical assets, and this has a negative impact on our readiness. There are multiple technologies available, which have demonstrated inventory accuracy improvement. We address current practices, current regulations, and possible alternatives that could be implemented to improve compliance with applicable directives and inventory accuracy. We conduct a cost benefit analysis to determine which of these methods are feasible and provide recommendations on implementing the technologies.Lieutenant Commander, United States NavyLieutenant Commander, United States NavyApproved for public release. Distribution is unlimited