The impact of digital technology on design students; the changing learning journey and the emergence of a learner interface

The session reflects on the research conducted in the investigation of fashion design students’ learner journey and the pedagogical impact of digital technologies on their research behaviour. The internet has dramatically changed teaching environments and it is inconceivable to expect students to operate without it. Our observations in controlled experiments with and without internet access identify that fashion design student research pathways rely heavily on digital information and digitising physical experiences thus compromising tacit knowledge and experiential learning through the integration of multiple senses. They use digital information to validate research enquiries appearing to give secondary digitised information importance over original material. The session presents the digital interface that has been developed as a direct consequence of the learner journey research conducted. The aim of the interface is to facilitate an enhanced integration of the digital and physical learning opportunities, thus encouraging physical object research enquiries, collaboration and engagement in a familiar supportive digital environment. The interface is in its first phase having been presented to a panel of students, teaching staff and technicians with encouraging feedback and welcome suggestions for content. The VLE has emerged from the research and evaluation of the changing needs of fashion design students. Fashion design teaching is very much a practice-based discipline. Fabrics, technology and silhouettes may alter, but the key skills that are imparted on practical fashion courses remain constant and require an integrated approach. Research is fundamental to the fashion design process however digital information through the internet has opened up new alternative routes for discovery and shifted the balance of their learning practice in particular their engagement with physical properties. The use of the internet by students, when conducting such research is therefore a central issue for practice based educators

The efficacy of community-based rehabilitation programmes for adults with TBI

Aims: The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the factors that infl uence the efficacy of community-based rehabilitation programmes in improving the quality of life and daily functioning of adults with severe traumatic brain injury. Methods: A systematic review of the literature was conducted. In keeping with the principles of best evidence synthesis, the findings from the studies were analysed according to their methodological quality. Findings: Eleven studies were included in the review; synthesis of these studies revealed that the outcomes of community rehabilitation programmes are mediated by a complex interaction between programme characteristics, participant characteristics and the methods used to assess outcomes. Variations in study methodology and quality further impact the extent to which treatment effectiveness can be demonstrated. There was evidence to support the use of telephone counselling nd interdisciplinary team rehabilitation. There was moderate strength evidence indicating the psychosocial benefits of engaging in group rehabilitation programme Conclusions: Outcome measures designed specifically for use with traumatic brain injury clients in community settings need to be validated. The clinical and cost benefits of telephone counselling, peer support groups and interdisciplinary team rehabilitation programmes warrant further research. </jats:p

ENERGIZED BY LOVE: PHYSIOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF PARTNER REFLECTION

Prior research has demonstrated that when individuals think about their romantic partner, they experience specific physiological responses (e.g., cortisol reactivity). Guided by these findings, the present study explored the potential physiological and behavioral benefits associated with partner reflection; specifically, the idea that individuals would be physically energized by partner reflection, and that this energy would allow them to persevere when presented with a complex task. Results revealed that participants who thought about their romantic partner exhibited both short-term and long-term increases in blood glucose, relative to those who thought about their morning routine or a friend. These increases in glucose were also uniquely associated with positive affect for those who reflected on their romantic partner in particular. Moreover, partner reflection in particular seemed to buffer glucose levels against a difficult task designed to deplete self- regulatory resources, and yielded trends for enhanced performance on a subsequent tas

Energy management structure and behaviour and motivation analysis within each sector

The understanding of the organizational aspects of achieving increased energy efficiency in In-dustrial Water Circuits (IWC) over the course of the WaterWatt project has benefitted from two parallel processes. On the one hand, conducting case studies in a variety of countries and sec-tors has helped to identify and to distinguish what might be referred to as ‘universal’ and ‘local’ factors that influence the degree of energy efficiency in IWC. On the other hand, discussions within the WaterWatt consortium, partly informed by insights established during the case study research, about the direction and focus of the organizational aspects of the project have moved forward. The aim of conducting the case studies as part of WaterWatt Project is to understand how indus-trial water circuits work in practice and in particular contexts. For our technical colleagues, the case study approach has been important to help them in their efforts to incorporate the modelling of water circuits into the E3 Platform. From our sociological perspective, the case study ap-proach has proved to be an excellent method to develop our understanding of the organizational dimensions of achieving greater energy efficiency. The case studies have helped us to formulate organizational factors, as well as produce a list of relevant contextual factors, which essentially represent the conclusions of this work (see D3.3). The following sets of case studies have been conducted - A steelwork in Germany in June 2016 - A steel plant and a non-ferrous metal plant in Norway in October 2016 - A paper & cardboard and a sugar plant in Portugal in November 2016 - A steel plant in the United Kingdom in May 201

Sexual Differentiation of Circadian Clock Function in the Adrenal Gland

Sex differences in glucocorticoid production are associated with increased responsiveness of the adrenal gland in females. However, the adrenal-intrinsic mechanisms that establish sexual dimorphic function remain ill defined. Glucocorticoid production is gated at the molecular level by the circadian clock, which may contribute to sexual dimorphic adrenal function. Here we examine sex differences in the adrenal gland using an optical reporter of circadian clock function. Adrenal glands were cultured from male and female Period2::Luciferase (PER2::LUC) mice to assess clock function in vitro in real time. We confirm that there is a pronounced sex difference in the intrinsic capacity to sustain PER2::LUC rhythms in vitro, with higher amplitude rhythms in adrenal glands collected from males than from females. Changes in adrenal PER2::LUC rhythms over the reproductive life span implicate T as an important factor in driving sex differences in adrenal clock function. By directly manipulating hormone levels in adult mice in vivo, we demonstrate that T increases the amplitude of PER2::LUC rhythms in adrenal glands of both male and female mice. In contrast, we find little evidence that ovarian hormones modify adrenal clock function. Lastly, we find that T in vitro can increase the amplitude of PER2::LUC rhythms in male adrenals but not female adrenals, which suggests the existence of sex differences in the mechanisms of T action in vivo. Collectively these results reveal that activational effects of T alter circadian timekeeping in the adrenal gland, which may have implications for sex differences in stress reactivity and stress-related disorders