Glitchspace:teaching programming through puzzles in cyberspace

There is an increasing need to address the player experience in games-based learning. Whilst games offer enormous potential as learning experiences, the balance between entertainment and education must be carefully designed and delivered. Successful commercial games tend to focus gameplay above any educational aspects. In contrast, games designed for educational purposes have a habit of sacrificing entertainment for educational value which can result in a decline in player engagement. For both, the player experience is critical as it can have a profound effect on both the commercial success of the game and in delivering the educational engagement. As part of an Interface-funded research project Abertay University worked with the independent games company, Space Budgie, to enhance the user experience of their educational game Glitchspace. The game aimed to teach basic coding principles and terminology in an entertaining way. The game sets the player inside a Mondrian-inspired cyberspace world where to progress the player needs to reprogramme the world around them to solve puzzles. The main objective of the academic-industry collaborative project was to analyse the user experience (UX) of the game to increase its educational value for a standalone educational version. The UX design focused on both pragmatic and hedonic qualities such playability, usability and the psychological impact of the game. The empirical study of the UX design allowed all parties to develop a deeper understanding of how the game was being played and the initial reactions to the game by the player. The core research question that the study sought to answer was whether when designing an educational game, UX design could improve philosophical concepts like motivation and engagement to foster better learning experiences.</p

Time to reflect : a strategy for reducing risk in structural design

The use of computers has resulted in immensely beneficial changes for structural engineers, both at the operational level of designing and at the conceptual level of making us think more carefully about the processes that we use and how they should be used

John Owen and the Westminster Confession of Faith: An Examination of the Issue of Freedom As It Pertains to the Work of the Holy Spirit in Relation to the Conversion, Regeneration, Faith, Sanctification, Assurance and Perseverance of the Believer

For many, the Westminster Confession of Faith is a document that stands above criticism and is considered to be almost so inspired that one is bound by its view and cannot call its doctrine into question. To a lesser extent, those who revere John Owen, feel that his systematic writings are without comparison, and that there has been no fuller exposition of the Christian faith

Electronic structural studies of transition metal complexes with chelating sulfur ligands

The coordination chemistry of transition metals with sulfur-based ligands is of huge importance to our everyday life and with increased demand for data storage and processing, it could become more important still. This is because sulfur-ligated metal complexes, particularly pseudotetrahedral CoII complexes, offer great potential for the developing high-performance single-molecule magnets. However, before such systems can be developed the coordination chemistry of such complexes must be further understood and to this end, three different areas of cobalt-sulfur chemistry were studied. The first of these examined the effect of modifications to the second-coordination sphere on the electronic and chemical properties of CoII arylthiolate complexes. Using electronic and XAS spectroscopy and magnetic susceptibility measurements it was shown that, even as the chemical behaviour changes dramatically, the electronic structures of the {CoS4} moieties remain relatively stable across the series. In the course of study two [Co4(SAr)10]2− clusters were isolated which showed similar amounts of antiferromagnetic exchange coupling, with the yield proving contingent on the electron-withdrawing strength of the arylthiolate substituents. The second area of investigation was into 1,1-dithiolate coordination complexes. Research initially focussed on CoII complexes, to investigate the effect of the tight bite-angle on the electronic and magnetic properties of the complexes. Electronic absorption spectroscopy proved the link between the energy and intensity of the 4A2 → 4T1(P) transitions in each D2d complex and the electron-withdrawing strength of the ligand substituents, but magnetic susceptibility measurements proved inconclusive. In the solid-state results consistent with a S = 1/2 were obtained, whilst fluid solution results were consistent with S = 3/2. Co K-edge XAS confirmed the square-planar nature in the solid-state, with the difference attributed to the fluxional CoII species changing {CoS4} coordination in solution. S K-edge XAS confirmed the link between substituent electron-withdrawing strength and {CoS4} electronic structure, with transition energies correlating strongly with the substituent electron-withdrawing strength in both the CoII complexes and the free ligand salt. To probe this further NiII and CuII 1,1-dithiolate complexes were prepared. Electronic absorption spectroscopy confirmed the trend, with the energy and intensity of the ligand field transitions increasing as the electron-withdrawing strength decreased in both cases. EPR of the CuII species showed g- and A-values to be broadly similar across the series, however, whilst still revealing that the substituent-facilitated ligand charge dominates the in-plane π-bonding in the complexes. The out-of-plane π-bond covalency was shown to be more influenced by the metal-ligand bite-angle. Cyclic voltammetry confirmed the presence of reversible CuIII/II redox events in each 1,1-dithiolate species, with the analogous NiIII/II oxidation events proving irreversible. Once again the substituent effects were clear, with the redox potentials lowering as the substituent electron-withdrawing strength was reduced. The new CuIII species [Cu(i-ect)2]− was successfully isolated, with Cu K-edge of the CuII and CuIII species confirming oxidation of the parent species. S K-edge XAS revealed the same trend as the CoII complexes and the free ligands, with the C−S π* covalency also increasing as substituent electron-withdrawing strength does. Transition metal tetrathiotungstate chemistry was the final area investigated. Electronic absorption spectra confirmed the formation and purity of the Co, Ni, Cu and Zn bis(tetrathiotungstate) species, with [Co(WS4)2]z− (z = 2, 3) the focal point of the investigation. Magnetic susceptibility measurements showed a reduced magnetic moment in the reduced species, with the introduced electron coupling antiferromagnetically to the S = 3/2 system. Co K-edge XAS showed the CoII to be partially reduced, with the bulk of the reduction taking place on the tetrathiotungstate ligands. S K-edge showed the impact of the reduction, with the 1s → 4p transition energy of [Co(WS4)2]3− higher than both [Co(WS4)2]2− and [Zn(WS4)2]2−

Scottish Parliament election preview: continued SNP dominance in the North East, but who will pick up the scraps?

The Scottish Parliament elections are upon us, with the SNP expected to consolidate their current dominance over Labour and the Conservatives. Here, Alistair Clark looks at the contest in the South Scotland region, an area which has had a recent history of four party politics but may be seeing its political profile shift

Teachers' confidence as a factor in addressing cultural diversity within design technology education for young children

This paper presents findings from an ethnographic study of a small number of teachers in one school. The aim was to identify and understand some factors which may affect the ways in which teachers address culturally diverse issues in the classroom at Key Stage One. The approach adopted for the research is one in which teachers and researcher are working as co-researchers, plotting the teachers' professional development. Regular informal interviews provided a profile of teacher experience. The research, undertaken by teachers and myself as co-researchers, initially addressed the issue of teacher confidence. Data indicated teachers were lacking confidence in their own ability to teach design technology. This related to practical, manipulative design and technological skills, and there was perceived deficiency in the knowledge base required for delivering a curriculum which reflected cultural diversity. This lack of confidence was felt to be in part attributable to lack of suitable resource materials. Teacher confidence emerged as the major factor in the lack of engagement in addressing cultural diversity when teaching design technology

Developing intercultural competencies and new perspectives on graphic design pedagogy through international volunteering.

Within the field of graphic design many contemporary designers and educators seek to challenge global corporate homogenization and the exploitation of developing countries (Rawsthorn 2013; Poynor 1999; McCoy 1994). The ‘First Things First 2000’ manifesto re-booted the Humanist and socially conscious perspective that was originally set out by Ken Garland’s ‘First Things First’ manifesto (1964), arguing that design was not a neutral process, but one that should be more critical and challenging of the consumer focused output, that forms a great deal of graphic design professional practice .In an increasingly global economy students must develop an intercultural awareness of themselves and other cultures. Within the field of design education Mendoza & Matyók (2013) argue that design is a transformative and socially engaged practice offering an important platform for student internationalisation. Although there is a growing body of academic literature on the internationalisation of higher education, there is still a lack of research on the students’ perspective. This chapter analyses how UK design students participated and negotiated the implementation of live projects in an African context, specifically Mozambique. The aim was that a cultural learning experience in a very different environment with challenging resources and social conditions would develop student global citizenship and mobility, and would offer alternative approaches to graphic design career development and professional practice

Maximising the impact of skills in the oil and gas industry: interim research report.

This interim report provides an overview of the research phase of a project examining the way in which skills use can be maximised in the oil and gas industry. The research has been funded by the Scottish Funding Council as part of a broader package of thirteen projects examining the concept of skills utilisation. This particular project is intended to establish current trends in skills utilisation in the oil and gas industry, and to lay the foundations for an evaluative study of the way in which specific skills utilisation practices can and / or do operate in an oil and gas context

Maximising the impact of skills in the oil and gas industry: report on evaluation of pilots.

This report is the final document detailing the evaluation of two pilot programmes carried out during 2011/12. These pilots were the culmination of a 30 month project run by Robert Gordon University and Aberdeen College. Funding for the pilots (and the project more broadly) was provided by the Scottish Funding Council in support of the Scottish Government's 'Maximising the Impact of Skills' agenda

Autonomous working in the oil and gas industry: research report.

This report is the final report detailing the findings of a study of autonomous working in the oil and gas industry. This study is part of the final output of a 30 month project run by Robert Gordon University and Aberdeen College. Funding for this study (and the project more broadly) was provided by the Scottish Funding Council in support of the Scottish Government's 'Maximising the Impact of Skills' agenda