5,968 research outputs found
University ombuds: issues for fair and equitable complaints resolution
Increasingly, universities around Australia are appointing university ombuds to assist in the resolution of student complaints against academics. This paper explores a number of key issues relevant to the dispute resolution practice of university ombuds, particularly in relation to ensuring fair and equitable process and outcomes
Asynchronous Networks and Event Driven Dynamics
Real-world networks in technology, engineering and biology often exhibit
dynamics that cannot be adequately reproduced using network models given by
smooth dynamical systems and a fixed network topology. Asynchronous networks
give a theoretical and conceptual framework for the study of network dynamics
where nodes can evolve independently of one another, be constrained, stop, and
later restart, and where the interaction between different components of the
network may depend on time, state, and stochastic effects. This framework is
sufficiently general to encompass a wide range of applications ranging from
engineering to neuroscience. Typically, dynamics is piecewise smooth and there
are relationships with Filippov systems. In the first part of the paper, we
give examples of asynchronous networks, and describe the basic formalism and
structure. In the second part, we make the notion of a functional asynchronous
network rigorous, discuss the phenomenon of dynamical locks, and present a
foundational result on the spatiotemporal factorization of the dynamics for a
large class of functional asynchronous networks
Ignorance can be evolutionarily beneficial
Information is increasingly being viewed as a resource used by organisms to
increase their fitness. Indeed, it has been formally shown that there is a
sensible way to assign a reproductive value to information and it is
non-negative. However, all of this work assumed that information collection is
cost-free. Here, we account for such a cost and provide conditions for when the
reproductive value of information will be negative. In these instances,
counter-intuitively, it is in the interest of the organism to remain ignorant.
We link our results to empirical studies where Bayesian behaviour appears to
break down in complex environments and provide an alternative explanation of
lowered arousal thresholds in the evolution of sleep.Comment: 5 pages, submitte
A time for learning: representations of time and the temporal dimensions of learning through the lifecourse
Based on findings from a large-scale longitudinal study into the learning biographies of adults, this paper focuses on the different representations of time in the interview data. The paper discusses three such representations: chronological time, narrative time, and generational time. The authors show how different notions of time operate within the construction of life stories. They also analyse the ways in which different representations of time impact upon and serve as resources for reflection on and learning from life, thus contributing to understanding the complex relationships between biography, life and time. (DIPF/Orig.)
Satisfiers and dissatisfiers for international vocational education students: A case study using narrative frames
While the satisfaction of international students is frequently surveyed, much of this research is based on a very limited range of closed-item data collection methods, producing findings that partially reflect the researchers’ assumptions in designing the survey items. Recognizing the potential value in using methods that are more open-ended and qualitative analyses, the present study employed narrative frames and follow-up interviews to explore the satisfiers and dissatisfiers for international vocational education students at one institution in New Zealand. Reporting on perceptions of the class, institution, and community, the findings identify the participants’ top-of-mind (dis)satisfiers and complement the existing literature by identifying seldom-reported themes. Discussion of issues in analyzing narrative frames is also provided
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