Study Skills for Dyslexic Students

Book review of Study Skills for Dyslexic Students Sandra Hargreaves (ed) London: Sage Publishing, 2007, 166pp. plus CD-ROM, ISBN: 978-1412936095 (pbk

Modelling and analysis of ophthalmic fluid dynamics

Mathematical models and numerical methods are developed for analysing and simulating the spatio-temporal evolution of the tear film coating the anterior surface of the human eye during an interblink period. The novelty of the work is on two distinct fronts. • First, a systematic approach is taken to ensure that the (coupled) model evolution equations — one each for film thickness and lipid-surfactant concentration — arising from asymptotic thin-film approximations of the Navier-Stokes equations, are uniformly valid when realistic ophthalmic data are used in the parameterisation. In this way, the present model does not — as occurs in related literature — yield results that are in conflict with a priori approximation hypotheses. More specifically, novel results are obtained on the effects of substrate curvature by proposing a specific coordinate system in which: the influence of curvilinearity on the evolution of the tear film can be parameterised, and; the limiting case recovers the Cartesian models of related literature. Additionally, the evolution equations are developed using sophisticated bespoke computer-algebra (MAPLE) techniques that permit the correct a priori scalings — of the competing effects of gravity, inertia, evaporation and surface tension — that guarantee the above-mentioned uniform validity. A novel consideration of the physical viability of boundary conditions at three-phase contact line on the eyelid in the existing mathematical literature leads to the proposal, implementation and investigation of novel Neumann boundary conditions that are supported by the results of recent in vitro experimental work. • Second, bespoke spectral numerical methods are developed for solving the thinfilm approximations, yielding hitherto-unseen explicit formulæfor high-order Chebyshev differentiation matrices. Inherent errors are quantified, thereby yielding an explicit understanding of both the modelling limitations and the plausibility of results. A suite of post-processing tools is developed to negotiate the complexities of implementing the novel boundary conditions in a spectral environment. All numerical techniques are validated on test problems; a high degree of both accuracy and efficiency is demonstrated. An analysis is presented of the errors incurred in the numerical approximation of the (steep) film-profile gradients near the eyelids; the results of this error analysis prompt questions on the accuracy of many of the results of previously published models. Through the combination of new, uniformly valid, thin-film approximations and bespoke, fully validated numerical methods, the coupled evolution equations for the thin-film thickness and lipid surfactant concentration are solved with confidence that the results obtained are credible. The novel boundary conditions lead to results that predict behaviours of the tear film that, whilst unseen in all prior related mathematical literature, encouragingly align with in vivo experimental observations in the ophthalmic literature. As a result, a novel hypothesis is presented for the behaviour of the tear-film contact line, through which predictions are made regarding the development and treatment of dry-eye pathologies. Suggestions for future work conclude the thesis

The Changing Legal Context, Continuing Professional Development and the Promotion of Inclusive Pedagogy for Disabled Students: some questions

As a consequence of changes to anti-discrimination legislation in the UK relating to disabled people, higher education institutions have additional duties, one of which is to devise and publish a Disability Equality Scheme (DES). The first section of the paper argues that this requirement will mean staff spending valuable time in compiling the DES, time which might be used more effectively in other ways especially in promoting inclusive classroom practices. The latter is identified as the major challenge facing those promoting the recruitment and participation of disabled students. For this to happen, there is a need for effective professional development, both at an initial level and on a continuing basis. Issues associated with professional development are explored in the second section of the paper prior to the concluding part which presents a number of suggested exercises which could be used when planning and delivering staff development. The paper ends by considering progress made so far and identifies a challenging and potentially controversial target by which to judge the attainment of effective inclusion

Study Skills for Dyslexic Students

Book review of Study Skills for Dyslexic Students Sandra Hargreaves (ed) London: Sage Publishing, 2007, 166pp. plus CD-ROM, ISBN: 978-1412936095 (pbk