'Better Together' : Establishing an effective and sustainable (relational) peer coaching process for staff in the Higher Education Sector: an exploratory project

Project funded by the Leadership Foundation for Higher EducationThis report presents the findings from a small, qualitative project which aimed to explore strategies for establishing an effective and sustainable (relational) peer coaching process for staff working across the Higher Education Sector. The original aim was to explore the feasibility of establishing a sustainable peer coaching model in a HEI, and beyond that, an inter-institutional peer coaching network.Final Published versio

Concrete manufacture with un-graded recycled aggregates

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether concrete that includes un-graded recycled aggregates can be manufactured to a comparable strength to concrete manufactured from virgin aggregates. Design/methodology/approach – A paired comparison test was used to evaluate the difference between concrete made with virgin aggregates (plain control) and concrete including recycled waste. Un-graded construction demolition waste and un-graded ground glass were used as aggregate replacements. With regard to concrete, compressive strength is widely used as a measure of suitability as being fit for purpose. Therefore compressive strength was mainly used to compare the different concrete batches; however density was measured across the range of samples. Findings – The findings show that a lower average compressive strength is achieved when compared to the plain control sample manufactured with virgin aggregates. Correct particle packing may not be achieved and grading of aggregates is essential prior to mix design. The recycled aggregate was highly variable in terms of the fine particle content, which affected the water demand of the concrete. Practical implications – This manufacturing practice is considered necessary because of the current trend in using waste products in concrete to replace binders and aggregates; thus reducing the impact on the environment and use of finite natural resources. The research shows the risk of mixing concrete using a simple aggregate replacement without careful aggregate grading and adjustments to the mix design. Originality/value – The paper examines 100 per cent ungraded aggregate replacement with glass and demolition waste

Evaluation of focal adhesion kinase as a novel radiosensitising target

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase that is upregulated in a variety of human cancers. While there is evidence that FAK is implicated in a wide range of crucial cellular processes that are perturbed in malignancy including proliferation, cell cycle, adhesion and invasion, there is limited information regarding the role of FAK in radiation survival. We aimed to evaluate whether FAK is a novel radiosensitising target by studying clonogenicity in wt p53 FAK +/+ versus FAK -/- squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cell lines generated in this laboratory. Surprisingly, the absence of FAK was associated with increased radioresistance. In this particular context, FAK indirectly inhibits p53 mediated transcriptional regulation of p21 in response to ionising radiation. Why FAK should repress the pro-survival function of p53 is unclear, but this data indicates that inhibition of FAK in combination with radiation may not always be advantageous in the clinical setting and contributes to an increasing body of literature highlighting a close interaction between FAK and p53

Problemas sociocientíficos: um enfoque transdisciplinar para reforçar a formação em educação em ciências e matemática dos futuros profesores

Over the past decade, primary/middle pre-service teachers at the University of South Australia have been employing socio-scientific issues (SSIs) as the basis of planning meaningful and connected science and mathematics experiences for students in low socio economic schools. We have used the philosophic and pragmatic challenges associated with exploring SSIs to help our pre-service teachers conceptualize ways in which they, as teachers of science and mathematics, can better help their students to understand how they can live and operate in a more socially and ecologically just world. This case study of a cohort of primary/middle undergraduate students utilizes two sources of data to evaluate the efficacy of these learning experiences in meeting the desired outcomes; firstly, a debriefing analysis following a formal ‘roundtable’ assessment of pairs of pre-service teachers, and secondly, a collection of direct student evaluation data by means of an online survey. The outcomes show that the challenges presented by adopting these strategies were particularly acute in the professional journey of non-specialist primary and primary/middle pre-service teachers, and meeting these challenges directly through participation in authentic experiences incorporating, place-based voluntary learning, environmental pledges, and transdisciplinary approaches to long-term planning had some demonstrable success, particularly in connecting planning to student life worldsDurante la última década, los maestros en formación primaria/secundaria de la Universidad de Australia del Sur han venido empleando temas socio-científicos (ISQ) como base para la enseñanza del currículo de Ciencias y Matemáticas de manera significativa para todos los estudiantes, especialmente para aquellos de escuelas con menor nivel socioeconómico. Hemos utilizado los desafíos filosóficos y pragmáticos asociados con la exploración de las SSI para ayudar a nuestros futuros docentes a conceptualizar formas en las que, como maestros de Ciencias y Matemáticas, pueden ayudar mejor a sus estudiantes a entender cómo se puede vivir y actuar de una forma más social en mundo ecológicamente justo. Este estudio de caso cuenta con una cohorte de estudiantes de grado de Primaria y utiliza dos fuentes de datos para evaluar la eficacia de las experiencias de aprendizaje desarrolladas durante el curso. En primer lugar, un análisis de la información aportada tras una evaluación formal de una "mesa redonda". En segundo lugar, una colección de datos directos una encuesta online a los estudiantes. Los resultados muestran que adoptar estas estrategias de enseñanza de las Matemáticas y Ciencias genera desafíos para aquellos futuros docentes de Primaria/Secundaria no especializados. Así mismo, los resultados muestran que estos desafíos pueden paliarse a través de la participación en experiencias auténticas que incorporen el aprendizaje voluntario basado en el contexto, compromisos ambientales y enfoques transdisciplinarios para la planificación a largo plazo del currículo. Estos últimos tuvieron un cierto éxito demostrable, sobre todo en la conexión de la planificación de los mundos de vida de los estudiantesDurante a última década, os estudantes em formação para o trabalho com alunos dos Ensino Fundamental e Médio da Universidade da Austrália do Sul vem empregando temas sociocientíficos (ISQ) como base para o ensino do currículo de Ciências e Matemáticas de maneira significativa para todos os estudantes, especialmente para aqueles de escolas com menor nível socioeconômico. Utilizamos os desafios filosóficos e pragmáticos associados com a exploração das SSI para ajudar a nossos futuros docentes a conceitualizar formas nas que, como professores de Ciências e Matemáticas, podem ajudar melhor a seus estudantes a entender como se pode viver e atuar de uma forma mais social no mundo ecologicamente justo. Este estudo de caso conta com um coorte de estudantes das primeiras séries do ensino fundamental e se utiliza das fontes de dados para avaliar a eficácia das experiências de aprendizagem desenvolvidas durante o curso. Em primeiro lugar, uma análise da informação adquirida depois de uma avaliação formal em uma "mesa redonda". Em segundo lugar, uma coleção de dados diretos obtidos por entrevistas online realizada com os estudantes. Os resultados mostram que adotar estas estratégias de ensino das Matemáticas e Ciências gera desafios para aqueles futuros docentes dos Ensino Fundamental e Médio não especializados. Da mesma forma, os resultados mostram que estes desafios podem ser minorados através da participação em experiências autênticas que incorporem a aprendizagem voluntária baseada no contexto, nos compromissos ambientais e no enfoque transdisciplinar para o planejamento a longo prazo do currículo. Estos últimos, tiveram um certo êxito demonstrável, sobretudo na conexão e planejamento dos mundos de vida dos estudante

"New" and distributed leadership in quality and safety in healthcare, or "old" and hierarchical? : An interview study with strategic stakeholders

Peer reviewedPostprin

Do Individual and Situational Factors Explain the Link Between Predrinking and Heavier Alcohol Consumption? An Event-Level Study of Types of Beverage Consumed and Social Context

Aim: Predrinking (drinking in private settings before going to licensed premises) has been shown to be positively associated with amount of alcohol consumed. The present study assesses whether this association is explained by general drinking patterns or situational factors, including drinking duration, beverage type and drinking companions. Methods: In a sample of 183 young adults from French-speaking Switzerland, data on alcohol consumption, whereabouts and drinking companions were collected using questionnaires sent to participants' cell phones at five time points from 5 p.m. to midnight every Thursday, Friday and Saturday over five consecutive weeks. Means and proportion tests and multilevel models were conducted based on 6650 assessments recorded on 1441 evenings. Results: Over the study period, predrinkers drank more frequently than did non-predrinkers and, among males, predrinkers drank more heavily. Predrinking was related to increased drinking duration and thus total consumption in the evenings. Larger groups of people were reported for predrinking compared with off-premise only drinking situations. Among women, the consumption of straight spirits (i.e. not mixed with soft drinks) while predrinking was associated with higher total evening alcohol consumption. Among men, drinking with exclusively male friends or female friends while predrinking was associated with higher consumption. Conclusion: Heavier drinking on predrinking evenings mainly results from longer drinking duration, with individual and situational factors playing a smaller role. Prevention efforts on reducing the time that young adults spend drinking and harm reduction measures such as restriction of access to on-premise establishments once intoxicated are recommende

Unusual features of pomoviral RNA movement

This work is partially supported by the Scottish Government’s Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services (RESAS) DivisionPotato mop-top pomovirus (PMTV) is one of a few viruses that can move systemically in plants in the absence of the capsid protein (CP). Pomoviruses encode the triple gene block genetic module of movement proteins (TGB 1, 2, and 3) and recent research suggests that PMTV RNA is transported either as ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes containing TGB1 or encapsidated in virions containing TGB1. Furthermore, there are different requirements for local or systemic (long-distance) movement. Research suggests that nucleolar passage of TGB1 may be important for the long-distance movement of both RNP and virions. Moreover, and uniquely, the long-distance movement of the CP-encoding RNA requires expression of both major and minor CP subunits and is inhibited when only the major CP sub unit is expressed. This paper reviews pomovirus research and presents a current model for RNA movement.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe