A comprehensive WebCT integration system

Murdoch University, in collaboration with industry partners, has developed a sophisticated middleware application (WebCTMan) between WebCT and other corporate systems, such as the Callista student records system, the Concept 1 human resources system and Murdoch’s own authentication system. This presentation will describe the architecture and functionality of this system. The impetus for WebCTMan was to enable Murdoch to change its student records database with minimal impact on our WebCT installation. However, WebCTMan now gives us great flexibility in managing our WebCT installation, enabling us to manage courses across teaching periods, and upgrade easily. This paper describes the context in which this system was built and gives an overview of its architecture. Courses in WebCTMan can have a status of active (where student details are updated nightly), inactive (where all students are orphans), and static (where student accounts are valid but not updated). Tools are available to change this status, and easily activate and deactivate courses. Different versions of courses are maintained for each teaching period, resolving the problem of overlap between semesters, when some students still have deferred examinations after the start of a new semester. In addition to managing students, WebCTMan provides functionality to manage staff and courses. Staff can request courses to be created or cloned from other courses. They can also create their own guest accounts and allocate tutors and markers to courses, and download class lists. Operators can create or rename courses on demand, as well as changing the roles of staff, including primary and secondary designers. A subset of functions is available to helpdesk operators, who can lookup details of both students and staff within the system

Wide-angle flat field telescope

Described is an unobscured three mirror wide angle telescopic imaging system comprised of an input baffle which provides a 20 deg (Y axis) x 30 deg (X axis) field of view, a primary mirror having a convex spherical surface, a secondary mirror having a concave ellipsoidal reflecting surface, a tertiary mirror having a concave spherical reflecting surface. The mirrors comprise mirror elements which are offset segments of parent mirrors whose axes and vertices commonly lie on the system's optical axis. An iris diaphragm forming an aperture stop is located between the secondary and tertiary mirror with its center also being coincident with the optical axis and being further located at the beam waist of input light beams reflected from the primary and secondary mirror surfaces. At the system focus following the tertiary mirror is located a flat detector which may be, for example, a TV imaging tube or a photographic film. When desirable, a spectral transmission filter is placed in front of the detector in close proximity thereto

Why do Shadows Change Throughout the Day?

In this lesson, elementary students use a hands-on demonstration to study why shadows change throughout the data. They collect data using a model of the earth and sun system, and then use their own shadows to verify their data collection

Aspects of the monastic patronage of the English and French royal houses 1130-1270.

PhDThis study takes as its theme the relationship of the English and French kings and the religious orders, c.1130-1270, Patronage in general is a field relatively neglected in the rich literature on the monastic life, and royal patronage has never before been traced over a broad period for both France and England. The chief concern here is with royal favour shown towards the various orders of monks and friars, in the foundations and donations made by the kings. This is put in the context of monastic patronage set in a wider field, and of the charters and pensions which are part of its formal expression. The monastic foundations and the general pattern of royal donations to different orders are discussed in some detail in the core of the work; the material is divided roughly according to the reigns of the kings. Evidence from chronicles and the physical remains of buildings is drawn upon as well as collections of charters and royal financial documents. The personalities and attitudes of the monarchs towards the religious hierarchy, the way in which monastic patronage reflects their political interests, and the contrasts between English and French patterns of patronage are all analysed, and the development of the royal monastic mausoleum in Western Europe is discussed as a special case of monastic patronage. A comparison is attempted of royal and non-royal foundations based on a statistical analysis. The siting and architectural style of royal monasteries, the political implications of monastic patronage, and the extent to which royal patronage affected religious orders are also examined; finally there is a brief treatment of royal patronage after c.1270. Transcripts of imprinted charters and photographs of royal monasteries are included as pièces justificatives

Staff perceptions of the success of an alternative curriculum: Skill Force

This paper describes staff perceptions of the implementation of an alternative curriculum, skill force, for disaffected pupils in the UK. The perceptions of skill force and school staff were compared based on data from questionnaires completed by 62 skill force and 84 school staff, and interviews with representative samples of each. While the data indicated that the programme had been successful in re-engaging the students with education, the improvement was more marked in relation to the skill force programme than the wider school context.<br/

Gender differences in musical motivation at different levels of expertise

Recently, models have been developed that recognise the complexity of motivation. These set out the interactions that occur between environmental (cultural, institutional, familial, educational) and internal factors (cognition and affect) enhancing or reducing motivation. Despite this we know very little about gender differences in motivation in relation to playing an instrument. The current study aimed to address this issue, exploring gender differences in motivation and whether these changed as expertise developed. A total of 3325 children ranging in level of expertise from beginner through to Grade 8 level in independent instrumental music examinations completed a questionnaire that included a seven-point Likert scale with statements exploring different aspects of motivation. A principal components analysis was undertaken and six factors emerged: support and social affirmation; social life and enjoyment of musical activities; enjoyment of performing; self-beliefs; enjoyment of lessons, playing and practise; and disliking practise. The only statistically significant gender difference was in relation to self-beliefs with the boys consistently scoring higher. Further research is needed to establish why this is the case. The findings have major implications for education

Measuring and modelling optical scattering and the colour quality of white pierid butterfly scales

Copyright © 2009 Optical Society of America. This paper was published in Optics Express and is made available as an electronic reprint with the permission of OSA. The paper can be found at the following URL on the OSA website: http://www.opticsinfobase.org/oe/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-17-17-14729 . Systematic or multiple reproduction or distribution to multiple locations via electronic or other means is prohibited and is subject to penalties under law.Colouration in butterfly wings is due to the interaction of light with a covering of scales on both wing surfaces. A combination of nanostructure in the scales, which reflect or scatter light, and absorption from chemical pigments in the scales and wing substrate create the final colour appearance. We compared the wing scale morphology of the pierid butterfly Pieris rapae (Small White) to the reflectance spectra from its wings. Its wing scales contain a dense array of pterin pigment beads. A positive correlation between bead-array density and wing reflectance, at wavelengths where the pigment does not absorb, was identified and characterised. We observed, however, that light scatter from these beads does not account for all of the broadband light scatter observed from the wings. The rest of the scale structure plays an important role in achieving high light scatter. Furthermore, combining the underlying scattering and absorption mechanisms within the butterfly scales enabled us to quantify the optical characteristics of the samples using CIELab colour theory

Relationships between practice, motivation, and examination outcomes

While there has been a great deal of research on instrumental practice and the nature of motivation to engage with music making, there has been relatively little that has considered the relationship of these with instrumental examination outcomes. This research aimed to address this issue. A total of 2,131 young musicians, aged 6–19, across a wide range of expertise, with a range of examination outcomes responded to a series of statements on a 7-point Likert scale relating to practice and motivation. Those merely awarded a pass grade in their examinations tended to undertake the least practice. Factor analysis revealed seven factors relating to practice and six to motivation. Multivariate analysis of variance showed that there were statistically significant differences between those with different examination outcomes in relation to the organization of practice, the use of recordings and the metronome, the adoption of analytic strategies, social life, and self-belief in musical ability. Students who received merely a pass grade in their examination responded least positively to these statements. Those who had failed were most likely to adopt ineffective practice strategies and were less likely to enjoy performing, playing, lessons, and practice. The findings are discussed in relation to earlier research

Are there differences in practice depending on the instrument played?

There has been little research on instrument differences in the length and nature of instrumental practice or how these may interact with level of expertise. This paper aimed to address this issue. A total of 3,325 young people ranging in level of expertise from beginner to the level required for entry to higher education conservatoire completed a questionnaire which consisted of a number of statements relating to time spent practicing, practicing strategies, organization of practice, and motivation to practice with a seven-point rating scale. Data were analyzed in relation to nine levels of expertise. Factor analysis revealed seven factors which were used to make comparisons between those playing different classical instruments. The findings showed that those playing keyboard instruments practiced the most, followed by strings, brass, and woodwind. There were relatively few statistically significant instrument differences in practice strategies. Where there were differences it was the woodwind players who tended to adopt less effective strategies. There were some interactions between level of expertise and practice which generally showed no clear patterns suggesting complexity in the development of musical expertise in relation to different instruments. The findings are discussed in terms of possible reasons for these differences