Blended learning: an Asian tale

Over the past few years increasing online learning is part of the normal educational experience of students. This paper examines the changes faced by two universities in different countries as they move to blend traditional face-to-face learning activities with those online. In particular, it reviews lessons that can be drawn for others moving into blended learning environments for successful implementation

Usability of Web-based Knowledge Portals to support Research Organizations

Usability refers to the effectiveness, efficiency and user satisfaction of a designed product or system. One of the most of productive ways of measuring usability goals is through questionnaires and surveys. In this paper, we discuss usability related issues from a users’ perspective in the design analysis of a web-based knowledge portal that was developed to support the knowledge management activities of an educational research organization. The original portal system initially experienced high levels of user participation. However in recent times, this trend had been reversed with flagging log-in access rates. Consequently, a criterion-based usability survey instrument was designed and implemented online to gather users’ responses and comments. The survey outcomes indicated that a large number of respondents used the portal sporadically with a significant number being completely unaware of many of its services. Thus based upon this feedback, the existing portal was revamped to ensure a more user-centric design model that focused on the cornerstone aspects of user control, ease of navigation, personalization services and clarity in visual presentation of information.Usability refers to the effectiveness, efficiency and user satisfaction of a designed product or system. One of the most of productive ways of measuring usability goals is through questionnaires and surveys. In this paper, we discuss usability related issues from a users’ perspective in the design analysis of a web-based knowledge portal that was developed to support the knowledge management activities of an educational research organization. The original portal system initially experienced high levels of user participation. However in recent times, this trend had been reversed with flagging log-in access rates. Consequently, a criterion-based usability survey instrument was designed and implemented online to gather users’ responses and comments. The survey outcomes indicated that a large number of respondents used the portal sporadically with a significant number being completely unaware of many of its services. Thus based upon this feedback, the existing portal was revamped to ensure a more user-centric design model that focused on the cornerstone aspects of user control, ease of navigation, personalization services and clarity in visual presentation of information

Usability of Web-based Knowledge Portals to support Research Organizations

Usability refers to the effectiveness, efficiency and user satisfaction of a designed product or system. One of the most of productive ways of measuring usability goals is through questionnaires and surveys. In this paper, we discuss usability related issues from a users’ perspective in the design analysis of a web-based knowledge portal that was developed to support the knowledge management activities of an educational research organization. The original portal system initially experienced high levels of user participation. However in recent times, this trend had been reversed with flagging log-in access rates. Consequently, a criterion-based usability survey instrument was designed and implemented online to gather users’ responses and comments. The survey outcomes indicated that a large number of respondents used the portal sporadically with a significant number being completely unaware of many of its services. Thus based upon this feedback, the existing portal was revamped to ensure a more user-centric design model that focused on the cornerstone aspects of user control, ease of navigation, personalization services and clarity in visual presentation of information.Usability refers to the effectiveness, efficiency and user satisfaction of a designed product or system. One of the most of productive ways of measuring usability goals is through questionnaires and surveys. In this paper, we discuss usability related issues from a users’ perspective in the design analysis of a web-based knowledge portal that was developed to support the knowledge management activities of an educational research organization. The original portal system initially experienced high levels of user participation. However in recent times, this trend had been reversed with flagging log-in access rates. Consequently, a criterion-based usability survey instrument was designed and implemented online to gather users’ responses and comments. The survey outcomes indicated that a large number of respondents used the portal sporadically with a significant number being completely unaware of many of its services. Thus based upon this feedback, the existing portal was revamped to ensure a more user-centric design model that focused on the cornerstone aspects of user control, ease of navigation, personalization services and clarity in visual presentation of information

Penetration of fusidic acid and rifampicin into cerebrospinal fluid in low-grade inflammatory meningitis caused by Staphylococcus epidermidis

AbstractCerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentration-time curves of rifampicin and fusidic acid were studied in a patient with post-operative meningitis caused by Staphylococcus epidermidis. The patient was treated with this combination of antimicrobial agents because of a severe hypersensitivity reaction to vancomycin. Peak CSF concentrations of rifampicin exceeded the MIC by > 60-fold, while those of fusidic acid just reached the MIC. CSF concentrations of fusidic acid were relatively stable within the range reported for patients with uninflamed meninges, but serum levels were surprisingly low. An increase in the metabolism of fusidic acid induced by rifampicin cannot be excluded

Technologies and the representation of ideas

There is a change afoot and it might prove a pivotal point for the world of digital education. Technologies are more focussed on what the user wishes to achieve as an outcome, pedagogies are less focussed upon integration of ICTs and more on the need for the technologies to represent the information and knowledge of the discipline. We are moving into a time where the technology can assist us to represent ideas in a variety of forms, to share resources and to assist with the creation of a new forms of representation. Additionally as we employ collaborative tools and access the Internet, we can co-construct representations of our understandings about the world

Project status of the CMS tracker optical links

The development phase of the optical data transfer system for the CMS tracker is now complete. This paper presents the project status and reviews the preparation for production. In particular, it focuses on the results of the market surveys for front-end components, and on the performance evaluation of a close-to-final readout chain. I

Expression of cyclin D1, D3, E, and p27 in human renal cell carcinoma analysed by tissue microarray

Aberrations in the GI/S transition of the cell cycle have been observed in many malignancies and seem to be critical in the transformation process. Few studies have delineated the presence of GI/S regulatory defects and their clinical relevance in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Therefore, we have examined the protein contents of cyclin D 1, D3, E, and p27 in 218 RCCs, using tissue microarray and immunohistochemistry. The results from a subset of tumours were confirmed by Western blotting and immunohistochemical staining of regular tissue sections. Interestingly, low protein contents of cyclin D I and p27 were associated with high nuclear grade, large tumour size, and poor prognosis for patients with conventional tumours. We further observed substantial differences in the pattern of GI/S regulatory defects between the different RCC subtypes. The majority of both conventional and papillary cases expressed p27; however, chromophobe tumours generally lacked p27 staining. In addition, conventional RCCs often expressed high cyclin DI protein levels, while papillary RCCs exhibited high cyclin E. In summary, we have shown that GI/S regulatory defects are present in RCC and are associated with clinico-pathological parameters. The pattern of cell cycle regulatory defects also differed between RCC subtypes. (C) 2003 Cancer Research UK