Development of a Computationally Efficient Fabric Model for Optimization of Gripper Trajectories in Automated Composite Draping

An automated prepreg fabric draping system is being developed which consists of an array of actuated grippers. It has the ability to pick up a fabric ply and place it onto a double-curved mold surface. A previous research effort based on a nonlinear Finite Element model showed that the movements of the grippers should be chosen carefully to avoid misplacement and induce of wrinkles in the draped configuration. Thus, the present study seeks to develop a computationally efficient model of the mechanical behavior of a fabric based on 2D catenaries which can be used for optimization of the gripper trajectories. The model includes bending stiffness, large deflections, large ply shear and a simple contact formulation. The model is found to be quick to evaluate and gives very reasonable predictions of the displacement field

Powerful friends: the institutionalisation of corporate accounting practices in an Australian religious/charitable organisation

The profile of accounting in the nonprofit sector has been raised substantially in recent years, due to profound changes in the institutional environment in which organizations in that sector operate. One of the factors that has resulted in the adoption of corporate-style financial management techniques, including accounting, in the nonprofit sector, has been the need for such organizations to achieve financial legitimacy. This can be achieved by means of their accounting practices, as they demonstrate a level of financial accountability that proves them to be legitimate recipients of funds from the public, from governments, and increasingly from the corporate sector. Although many nonprofit organizations are implementing more sophisticated accounting systems, little or no attention has been paid to the impact of those changes on individual organizations. Based on a year-long qualitative research study of an Australian religious organization with a large charitable services operation, this paper highlights the substantial impact the adoption of accrual accounting and corporate-style reporting had on its organizational culture, structures and practices. As the profile of accounting increases in similar organizations, and they face challenges in terms of organizational practices and mission imperatives, there will be a growing recognition that accounting technologies imported from the corporate sector may not be entirely appropriate for organizations whose agenda is something other than making a profit

The corporate connection: financial reporting in a large religious/charitable organization in Australia

Nonprofit organizations operate in an increasingly corporatised, competitive environment. More and more, as institutions with charitable agenda, they need to promote an image that will enhance their ability to attract the funding they require in order to continue their operations. Competition for donations is becoming more intense and society is increasing its expectations about the level of accountability desirable from such organizations. One means by which nonprofit organizations can address this issue of accountability, and present themselves to the public as financially sound and worthy of receiving donations, is through their annual financial statements. As accounting practices have changed over time, it has been essential for religious/charitable and other nonprofit organizations to present a financial image in keeping with that which is valued and esteemed by society. They may have a “sacred” agenda, but in a changing environment where attitudes to religion and religious organizations have changed, where social problems abound and the need for their services is increasing, where philanthropy is rapidly becoming an industry, and government funding is increasingly tied to performance, nonprofit organizations have had to adopt “secular” accounting practices in order to survive. Borrowed from the corporate world, these accounting practices are in the process of being institutionalized into the nonprofit sector, as an aid to ensuring financial survival. This paper has as its focus one of two Australian divisions of an international religious/charitable organization. It was the subject of a twelve month study. The division relies heavily on the general public for donations, works hard to increase corporate sponsorship, and also depends on the government for funding. The organization has responded to society’s demands for more financial accountability by presenting financial statements based on accrual accounting and in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles. While the production of an image-enhancing report has been achieved, the cost has been substantial, not just financially, but in organizational, personnel and cultural terms. Given that world-wide, nonprofit organizations are operating in a similar environment, there will be many such organizations undergoing similar changes in their style of financial reporting. Based on this case, these transitions are likely also to be painful, but perceived as necessary, with the benefits being in terms of image rather than technical usefulness

Enhancing Small Group Teaching in Plant Sciences: A Research and Development Project in Higher Education

The Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Cambridge uses a range of learning and teaching environments including lectures, practical laboratories and small group tutorials'. Under the auspices of the Cambridge-MIT Institute's Pedagogy Programme, a two-year research and development project concerned with the development of small-group teaching is being undertaken. The research element of this project endeavours to illuminate current practice and identify areas in which evidence-based development might take place. The development element will include professional development activities and the production of curriculum resources including appropriate online material. This is a multi-method study including a series of student questionnaires; focus groups of students; semi-structured interviews with staff members; and the collection of video of small group teaching. In this paper we report selected findings from the 'student data' of the first year of this project.The questionnaire, conducted with two cohorts of students (2nd and 3rd year Undergraduates), used a double-scale questionnaire in which students were asked to report both on the prevalence of a range of teaching and learning practices and on how valuable these were in supporting their learning. This type of questionnaire instrument is particularly appropriate because the data it generates is suggestive of areas for changes in practice. The gaps between 'practices' and 'values' (across both cohorts) suggested that students valued activities which improved their understanding of how elements of the course were interrelated; which related course content to 'authentic' examples; and those in which teachers made explicit the characteristics of 'high quality' student work. Small group teaching, in the view of most students, was best used to extend and explore concepts introduced in lectures rather than simply reinforcing them or assessing student understanding.Data gathered through focus group activities illuminated the questionnaire data, providing detailed accounts of how students managed their own learning, and the roles played in this by lectures, small group teaching and other resources. Students identified the processes of planning and writing essays as key learning activities during which they integrated diverse course content and reflected on problematic knowledge. Questionnaire and focus group data suggested that students had less clear views regarding the value of collaborative learning, peer-assessment or activities such as making presentations to other students. When students talked in positive terms about these activities, they often referred to the learning benefits of preparation for the tasks rather than of the collaborative activities themselves. These views may provide indications of potential barriers to changes in learning and teaching environments, and suggest that any such changes may have to be carefully justified to students in terms of benefits to their own learning. Many of our findings are broadly in accord with other work on teaching and learning in Higher Education settings (such as the 'Oxford Learning Context Project' and the 'Enhancing Teaching-Learning Environments in Undergraduate Courses' Project) in that 'deep learning' and 'authenticity' in learning activities are valued by students, and that the introduction of specific formative practices (such as sharing notions of 'quality') would be welcomed. At the same time, amongst the students in our sample, a view of learning as an individual process of 'learning-as-acquisition' predominates over a view that it is a social process of 'learning-as-participation', and this will inform the planning of the 'development' aspect of the project. We conclude with a discussion of how the approach we have used might be more widely applied both within and beyond the Cambridge-MIT partnership. We also identify potential affordances of, and barriers to, the development of research-informed teaching in Higher Education