The Hero’s Journey in Higher Education : A Twelve Stage Narrative Approach to the Design of Active, Student-Centred University Modules

This paper outlines and makes the case for a new, twelve stage narrative approach to the design of university modules. The twelve stages in the narrative approach to module design mirror the twelve stages which comprise the hero’s journey in myth and legend, as discussed in the work of Campbell (1993) and Vogler (1985). The purpose of designing a university module to mirror the stages of the hero’s journey is twofold. Firstly, it is proposed that the use of a narratively-focused design will lead to a greater sense of satisfaction on the part of those taking the module, because the narrative approach considers, for example, the importance of beginnings and endings, as well as the emotional journey of the participants. Secondly, the narrative approach is constructed to create module designs which are active and student-centred, thus a very strong emphasis is placed on what the students will be doing in each of the stages. Throughout the paper each of the twelve stages is explained, and an example of what the teacher and students might do in each of the stages is given. This narrative approach to module design has been constructed primarily for teachers who would like to design their modules to be more active and student centred, but who are unsure how to go about this and would like a supportive framework within which the module can be designed

Learning Without Teaching : The Practice and Benefits of the Nelson-Heckmann Method of Socratic Dialogue

The subject of this dissertation is the Nelson-Heckmann Socratic Dialogue, a pedagogical method developed by the German philosophers and educators, Leonard Nelson (1882 - 1927), and Gustav Heckmann (1898 - 1996). The purpose of the research carried out here is to understand how Nelson-Heckmann Socratic Dialogues are conducted, to establish what the benefits are of participating in such dialogues, and to find out if the people who participate in Socratic Dialogues experience any of the expected benefits. The dissertation proceeds in the following way. Chapter one provides an introduction to Socratic Dialogue, and outlines why empirical research about Socratic Dialogue is worthwhile. Chapter two explains the philosophical underpinnings of Socratic Dialogue and outlines the process of conducting a dialogue. It then goes on to review the literature concerning Socratic Dialogue, focusing specifically on the claims made about the benefits of participating in a Socratic Dialogue. Chapter three outlines the research methodology and details the research method. Chapters four and five present and discuss the research findings, and chapter six concludes the study and presents further reflections on Socratic Dialogue. Reviewing the literature it was found that there are seven benefits which participants are said to experience as a result of participating in Socratic Dialogues, which are that it enables participants to: i) review and revise (and reject) some of their opinions, widen their vision, and gain insight into some of their beliefs; ii) experience the advantages of constructively and cooperatively thinking together; iii) recognise the educational value of personal experience; iv) improve their critical thinking, reasoning and arguing skills; v) learn that a heterogeneous group of people are able to reach genuine and meaningful consensus about challenging subjects; vi) expand their model(s) of what learning is, and of how and under what conditions it can take place; vii) strengthen their own values, and make the world in which they live more ethical, decent and humane. Three Socratic Dialogues were facilitated as part of the research, and focus groups were conducted with participants immediately afterwards. Analysis of the focus group data showed that, for the most part, the benefits of Socratic Dialogue as suggested by the literature are experienced by the participants who take part in the dialogues

Why CAIeRO? Perceptions and impact of ten years of CAIeRO at the University of Northampton

The purpose of this report is to provide an evidence-based critical reflection on CAIeRO (Creating Aligned Interactive educational Resource Opportunities), a structured workshop used for programme and module design and redesign at the University of Northampton. CAIeRO is a two-day workshop, attended by the module teaching team and run by a trained, independent facilitator. A CAIeRO may also involve students, external examiners, critical friends and other stakeholders, such as employers

Using Blackboard Collaborate, a digital web conference tool, to support nursing students placement learning : A pilot study exploring its impact

Ensuring student nurses, when in clinical placement areas, receive good quality Higher Education Institution (HEI) lecturer support is challenging. This is because conventional HEI placement support, is resource intensive and arguably infeasible with growing student numbers. Evidence suggests, however, that online collaborative learning solutions (e.g., virtual classrooms, web conferencing tools) have the potential to ameliorate resource pressures. To test this idea, an online learning solution called Blackboard Collaborate was piloted. It virtually connected, students and their preceptors to a university lecturer. Its usefulness was explored by obtaining qualitative, focus group data, from the students and preceptor participants. The findings were thematically analysed. Collaborate ensured all three parties were connected. It was a time efficient, easy to use technology. Despite technical glitches, i.e. occasional time delay and audio echo, participants concluded Collaborate was an efficient medium when placement needs were routine. Face-to-face was preferable when more intensive support was required. In today's busy times, HEI's must explore time effective methods of placement collaboration. Online collaborative tools are one solution. Students will, however, need to develop their digital literacy in using this technology. The benefit being when qualified they are more likely to embrace this form of technology to promote their efficiency

Unidirectional pulmonary airflow patterns in the savannah monitor lizard

The unidirectional airflow patterns in the lungs of birds have long been considered a unique and specialized trait associated with the oxygen demands of flying, their endothermic metabolism1 and unusual pulmonary architecture2, 3. However, the discovery of similar flow patterns in the lungs of crocodilians indicates that this character is probably ancestral for all archosaurs—the group that includes extant birds and crocodilians as well as their extinct relatives, such as pterosaurs and dinosaurs4, 5, 6. Unidirectional flow in birds results from aerodynamic valves, rather than from sphincters or other physical mechanisms7, 8, and similar aerodynamic valves seem to be present in crocodilians4, 5, 6. The anatomical and developmental similarities in the primary and secondary bronchi of birds and crocodilians suggest that these structures and airflow patterns may be homologous4, 5, 6, 9. The origin of this pattern is at least as old as the split between crocodilians and birds, which occurred in the Triassic period10. Alternatively, this pattern of flow may be even older; this hypothesis can be tested by investigating patterns of airflow in members of the outgroup to birds and crocodilians, the Lepidosauromorpha (tuatara, lizards and snakes). Here we demonstrate region-specific unidirectional airflow in the lungs of the savannah monitor lizard (Varanus exanthematicus). The presence of unidirectional flow in the lungs of V. exanthematicus thus gives rise to two possible evolutionary scenarios: either unidirectional airflow evolved independently in archosaurs and monitor lizards, or these flow patterns are homologous in archosaurs and V. exanthematicus, having evolved only once in ancestral diapsids (the clade encompassing snakes, lizards, crocodilians and birds). If unidirectional airflow is plesiomorphic for Diapsida, this respiratory character can be reconstructed for extinct diapsids, and evolved in a small ectothermic tetrapod during the Palaeozoic era at least a hundred million years before the origin of birds

Synthesis, Characterization, and Physicochemical Performance of Nonionic Surfactants via PEG Modification of Epoxides of Alkyl Oleate Esters

The synthesis of surfactants from fatty acid esters via epoxide chemistry has been known for its accompanying challenges, which usually involve the use of toxic homogeneous catalysts in the ring-opening reaction step and generation of many side reaction products. This paper presents environmentally benign routes to a library of nonionic surfactants via a three-step synthesis involving transesterification of methyl oleate to alkyl oleates, epoxidation of the oleate alkene, and solventless heterogeneously catalyzed ring opening of the epoxides with poly(ethylene glycols) of varying chain length under a short reaction time (60 min). The processes were highly atom efficient and afforded a minimum surfactant yield of 80% with limited or negligible side reaction products. The intermediate molecules and synthesized surfactants were purified and comprehensively characterized, including physicochemical measurements: dynamic surface tension and equilibrium surface tension. Additionally, the hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) concept was used to comprehensively scan through the polarity behaviors of the surfactants' head and tail in solution as a prediction of their end use. The results showed that surfactants have a critical micelle concentration (CMC) lower than 0.1 mg/ml as the alkyl oleate increases in length from ethyl to decyl and that the lower-molecular-weight surfactants reached equilibrium faster than the higher-molecular-weight surfactants. HLB results showed that the surfactants can be applied as oil-in-water emulsifiers, detergents, solubilizers, and wetting agents. In general, the synthesized surfactants potentially possess switchable properties for use in industrial formulations, as the alkyl chain length and the ethylene oxide number in the surfactant's structure are varied

Advanced Manifolds for Improved Solid Oxide Electrolyzer Performance

An investigation was conducted to see if additive manufacturing could be used to fabricate more efficient manifold designs for improved flow, reduced stresses, and decreased number of joints to be sealed for a solid oxide electrolyzer used to convert carbon dioxide to oxygen. Computational flow and mechanical modeling were conducted on a NASA Glenn Research Center patented cell and stack design with the potential to achieve a 3-4 times mass reduction. Various manifold designs were modeled, and two were downselected to be fabricated and tested. Some benefit was seen in a baffled manifold design, which directed incoming flow more effectively into the flow channels, compared to the original design, where the flow spent more time within the manifold itself. Flow measurements indicated some non-uniformity of flow across the channels at higher flow rates, which were not predicted by the model. Some possible explanations for the differences are discussed

Impact of Fatty-Acid Labeling of Bacillus subtilis Membranes on the Cellular Lipidome and Proteome

Developing cultivation methods that yield chemically and isotopically defined fatty acid (FA) compositions within bacterial cytoplasmic membranes establishes an in vivo experimental platform to study membrane biophysics and cell membrane regulation using novel approaches. Yet before fully realizing the potential of this method, it is prudent to understand the systemic changes in cells induced by the labeling procedure itself. In this work, analysis of cellular membrane compositions was paired with proteomics to assess how the proteome changes in response to the directed incorporation of exogenous FAs into the membrane of Bacillus subtilis. Key findings from this analysis include an alteration in lipid headgroup distribution, with an increase in phosphatidylglycerol lipids and decrease in phosphatidylethanolamine lipids, possibly providing a fluidizing effect on the cell membrane in response to the induced change in membrane composition. Changes in the abundance of enzymes involved in FA biosynthesis and degradation are observed; along with changes in abundance of cell wall enzymes and isoprenoid lipid production. The observed changes may influence membrane organization, and indeed the well-known lipid raft-associated protein flotillin was found to be substantially down-regulated in the labeled cells – as was the actin-like protein MreB. Taken as a whole, this study provides a greater depth of understanding for this important cell membrane experimental platform and presents a number of new connections to be explored in regard to modulating cell membrane FA composition and its effects on lipid headgroup and raft/cytoskeletal associated proteins

Valorization of spruce needle waste via supercritical extraction of waxes and facile isolation of nonacosan-10-ol

Supercritical carbon dioxide was utilized as a sustainable alternative to solvent extraction of waxes from the waste needles of two spruce species, namely Norwegian and Sitka spruce. These extracts were rich in nonacosan-10-ol, an organic compound with hydrophobic properties that lends its use in the preparation of superhydrophobic coatings. The highest crude yields were 1.7% w/w of needles obtained at 400 bar and 60 °C, while nonacosan-10-ol was selectively extracted at 200 bar and 60 °C (8070 ± 91.1 μg/g of needles). Purification of nonacosan-10-ol from the wax extracts was conducted using a simple rapid green recrystallization technique. This yielded a recovery of 44.6% ± 2% and 48.4% ± 2% of the total nonacosan-10-ol from the original crude Sitka (3600 μg/g of needles) and Norwegian wax (1920 μg/g of needles) respectively. Application of nonacosan-10-ol to a filter paper led to the formation of highly hydrophobic surfaces, with preliminary contact angles of up to 149°. This sustainable production method may develop opportunities to valorize forestry waste within a holistic biorefinery

Fabrication of PES/PVP water filtration membranes using cyrene®, a safer bio-based polar aprotic solvent

A more sustainable dialysis and water filtration membrane has been developed, by using the new, safer, bio-based solvent Cyrene® in place of N-methyl pyrrolidinone (NMP). The effects of solvent choice, solvent evaporation time, the temperature of casting gel, and coagulation bath together with the additive concentration on porosity and pore size distribution were studied. The results, combined with infrared spectra, SEM images, porosity results, water contact angle (WCA), and water permeation, confirm that Cyrene® is better media to produce polyethersulfone (PES) membranes. New methods, Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry (MIP) and NMR-based pore structure model, were applied to estimate the porosity and pore size distribution of the new membranes produced for the first time with Cyrene® and PVP as additive. Hansen Solubility Parameters in Practice (HSPiP) was used to predict polymer-solvent interactions. The use of Cyrene® resulted in reduced polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) loading than required when using NMP and gave materials with larger pores and overall porosity. Two different conditions of casting gel were applied in this study: a hot (70°C) and cold gel (17°C) were cast to obtain membranes with different morphologies and water filtration behaviours