ACT to improve ICT use for learning: a synthesis of studies of teacher confidence in using ICT in two Queensland schooling systems

A review of the literature about student use of ICT and the impact of ICT use on learning reveals a complexity of rationales and terminology that underwrite ICT initiatives; various dimensions and stages of integration; inherent methodological difficulties; obstacles to integration such as teacher ICT confidence, expertise and beliefs about the potential for ICT to make a difference to student learning; teacher professional development; school technological infrastructure and support; and the need for ICT leadership (Jamieson-Proctor, Burnett, Finger, & Watson, 2006). This paper investigates the overarching research question - Are ICT initiatives having the desired impact on teaching and learning in schools? It provides a synthesis of the results of recent investigations by us in Queensland State and Catholic schools involving 2652 teachers from 168 schools across the two systems. Significant statistical findings that link teachers’ confidence in using ICT with students, to the quantity and quality of students’ use of ICT for learning are highlighted. The findings support the hypothesis that current ICT initiatives are having less than the desired result in both Queensland systems. The paper concludes with a call for Australia-wide research to unpack and address the factors, such as teacher confidence, that are currently constraining the use of ICT within Australian schooling systems

Auditing the TPACK confidence of Australian pre-service teachers: the TPACK confidence survey (TCS)

This chapter describes the construction and validation of an instrument to measure teachers’ Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK). The TPACK Confidence Survey (TCS) contains scales that measure teachers’ attitudes toward using ICT; confidence to use ICT for teaching and learning tasks (TPACK); competency with ICT; Technology Knowledge (TK); and TPACK Vocational Self-efficacy. The scale measuring TPACK confidence uses the Learning With ICTs: Measuring ICT Use in the Curriculum instrument that has been evaluated and reported previously. This paper proposes that the TCS provides a valid and reliable instrument with which to audit teachers’ TPACK confidence

Auditing the ICT experiences of teacher education undergraduates

The importance of teacher education graduates having appropriate information and communication technology OCT) for learning competencies and experiences is well documented. However, without well developed processes for auditing the ICT experiences of undergraduates it should not be assumed that teachers enter their profession with the required ICT competencies to support their students' learning. This paper reports on the first phase of a project to audit the ICT experiences of teacher education undergraduates. It finds that the individual experiences of undergraduates can vary considerably depending on their choice of majors, electives or specialist teaching areas. It further finds that high percentages of students perceive themselves to have no competency with a range of ICT applications that would support the more motivational and interesting aspects of ICT integration for student learning

Consistent annotation of gene expression arrays

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Gene expression arrays are valuable and widely used tools for biomedical research. Today's commercial arrays attempt to measure the expression level of all of the genes in the genome. Effectively translating the results from the microarray into a biological interpretation requires an accurate mapping between the probesets on the array and the genes that they are targeting. Although major array manufacturers provide annotations of their gene expression arrays, the methods used by various manufacturers are different and the annotations are difficult to keep up to date in the rapidly changing world of biological sequence databases.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We have created a consistent microarray annotation protocol applicable to all of the major array manufacturers. We constantly keep our annotations updated with the latest Ensembl Gene predictions, and thus cross-referenced with a large number of external biomedical sequence database identifiers. We show that these annotations are accurate and address in detail reasons for the minority of probesets that cannot be annotated. Annotations are publicly accessible through the Ensembl Genome Browser and programmatically through the Ensembl Application Programming Interface. They are also seamlessly integrated into the BioMart data-mining tool and the biomaRt package of BioConductor.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Consistent, accurate and updated gene expression array annotations remain critical for biological research. Our annotations facilitate accurate biological interpretation of gene expression profiles.</p

Summary of the High Ice Water Content (HIWC) RADAR Flight Campaigns

NASA and the FAA conducted two flight campaigns to quantify onboard weather radar measurements with in-situ measurements of high concentrations of ice crystals found in deep convective storms. The ultimate goal of this research was to improve the understanding and develop onboard weather radar processing to detect regions of high ice water content ahead of an aircraft and enable tactical avoidance of the potentially hazardous conditions. Both High Ice Water Content (HIWC) RADAR campaigns utilized the NASA DC-8 Airborne Science Laboratory which was equipped with a Honeywell RDR-4000 weather radar and icing instruments to characterize the ice crystal clouds. The purpose of this paper is to summarize how these campaigns were conducted and highlight key results

The distribution of stellar orbits in eagle galaxies – the effect of mergers, gas accretion, and secular evolution

The merger history of a galaxy is thought to be one of the major factors determining its internal dynamics, with galaxies having undergone different types or mergers (e.g. dry, minor, or major mergers) predicted to show different dynamical properties. We study the instantaneous orbital distribution of galaxies in the EAGLE simulation, colouring the orbits of the stellar particles by their stellar age, in order to understand whether stars form in particular orbits (e.g. in a thin or thick disc). We first show that EAGLE reproduces well the observed stellar mass fractions in different stellar orbital families as a function of stellar mass and spin parameter at z = 0. We find that the youngest stars reside in a thin disc component that can extend to the very inner regions of galaxies, and that older stars have warmer orbits, with the oldest ones showing orbits consistent with both hot and counter-rotating classifications, which is consistent with the trend found in the Milky Way and other disc galaxies. We also show that counter-rotating orbits trace galaxy mergers – in particular dry mergers, and that in the absence of mergers, counter-rotating orbits can also be born from highly misaligned gas accretion that leads to star formation

Locus Reference Genomic sequences: an improved basis for describing human DNA variants

As our knowledge of the complexity of gene architecture grows, and we increase our understanding of the subtleties of gene expression, the process of accurately describing disease-causing gene variants has become increasingly problematic. In part, this is due to current reference DNA sequence formats that do not fully meet present needs. Here we present the Locus Reference Genomic (LRG) sequence format, which has been designed for the specific purpose of gene variant reporting. The format builds on the successful National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) RefSeqGene project and provides a single-file record containing a uniquely stable reference DNA sequence along with all relevant transcript and protein sequences essential to the description of gene variants. In principle, LRGs can be created for any organism, not just human. In addition, we recognize the need to respect legacy numbering systems for exons and amino acids and the LRG format takes account of these. We hope that widespread adoption of LRGs - which will be created and maintained by the NCBI and the European Bioinformatics Institute (EBI) - along with consistent use of the Human Genome Variation Society (HGVS)-approved variant nomenclature will reduce errors in the reporting of variants in the literature and improve communication about variants affecting human health. Further information can be found on the LRG web site: http://www.lrg-sequence.org

1954: Abilene Christian College Bible Lectures - Full Text

Preface The 1954 Abilene Christian College Lectureship was one of the best attended and most successful in the history of the school. Considerable interest was manifested in the timely theme, “Overcoming Dangerous Tendencies,” and in the two special topics, “Ways and Means of Doing Mission Work,” and “Caring For Widows and Orphans.” The reports from the mission fields were highly stimulating, and all in all, the speeches were unusually high caliber. The Panel Discussions were also on timely subjects and well presented. They received a warm response, as did also the thirty classes that were conducted each day. These classes were taught by persons expert in their particular fields, and covered a wide range of interests to the faithful, working Christian. We at Abilene Christian College predict for this book of Lectures a wide and hearty reception, and believe that its reading will issue in profit to the individual and to the church at large. J. D. Thomas Lectureship Directo