Representations of migration, borders and memories in exhibitions: a multimodal text analysis

Many museums and galleries today address migration stories in their exhibitions. In this article, a methodological framework based on a multimodal social semiotic approach is used for the analysis of the meaning potentials of exhibitions. A particular focus is directed towards how the conceptions of migration, borders and memory represent themselves multimodally, in terms of general structure, orchestration of semiotic resources, the use of figurative language and explicit/implicit values. This methodological framework helped uncover hidden messages of interests and ideologies in different exhibitions. The study contributes to research on multimodal texts and exhibitions, as well as educational research

Multimodal representations of gender in young children's popular culture

This article poses questions regarding learning and representation in relation to young children's popular culture. Focusing on gender, the article builds on multimodal, social semiotic analyses of two different media texts related to a specific brand and shows how gender and gender differences are represented multimodally in separate media contexts and in the interplay between different media. The results show that most of the semiotic resources employed in the different texts contribute in congruent ways to the representation of girls as either different from or inferior to boys. At the same time, however, excerpts from an encounter with a young girl who engages with characters from the brand in her role play are used as an example of how children actively make meaning and find strategies that subvert the repressive ideologies manifested in their everyday popular culture

The Transformation of Creativity in Entrepreneurial Learning in Teacher Education: A Critical Reflection

The purpose of this study is to examine how students on a teacher education programme interpret entrepreneurial learning. The study was performed in Sweden, based on a design theoretical and multimodal perspective on learning and communication which provides the basis for how we understand learning processes in early teacher education. The sample consists of course literature, teachers’ PowerPoint presentations and handouts, and narrative texts written by students. The meaning given to entrepreneurial learning is presented from the analysis of the setting, in the teaching materials and the transformation in the students’ texts. We conclude that entrepreneurial learning seeks to challenge traditional, authoritarian ways of teaching. However, it appears to be necessary in order to develop entrepreneurial abilities. There is a difficulty in finding a balance between control and freedom

Light pollution

Light has always fascinated humans but ever since the invention of the first light bulb, the use of artificial lighting has accelerated dramatically. Darkness has never been as rare as today and the overuse of lighting has created a new phenomenon called light pollution. Most living beings are biologically dependent on the recurrent twenty-four-hour rhythm of light and darkness, called the circadian cycle. Human beings are evolutionary developed after this circadian rhythm and the effects of constant artificial light is yet unknown. Scientists fear the consequences of constant lighting and what it means physically, mentally and philosophically for the human species. New science show that the absent of darkness not only affect the sleep but might also lead to an increased risk of diabetes and cancer. Even animals and plants are controlled by the circadian cycle. Light pollution has therefore a great influence on nocturnal animals. The loss of darkness has influences on fundamental biological systems that scientists do not know the consequences of. Light pollution is therefore a crucial aspect for landscape architects to consider while designing with lighting. The purpose of my bachelor essay is to map out the negative consequences of light pollution. I chose to perform the research by literature studies but also through conversations with skilled people working with light. The results of the literature study showed sincerely negative effects of light pollution on wildlife and humans. The conversations with light designers and landscape architects gave though another point of view on light pollution. The results of the conversations also gave some easy aspects to be considered to reduce light pollution while designing with lighting. My essay finally discusses light pollution as a global potential threat that has to be considered while designing on the smaller scale.Ljus har alltid fascinerat människor, men enda sedan uppfinningen av den första glödlampan har användningen av belysning accelererat dramatiskt. Mörker har aldrig varit så sällsynt som idag och den överdrivna användningen av belysning har skapat ett nytt fenomen som kallas ljusförorening. De flesta levande varelser är biokemiskt beroende av en återkommande tjugofyra timmars rytm av ljus och mörker, alltså en dygnsrytm. Människan är evolutionärt utvecklad efter denna dygnsrytm och effekterna av ett konstant artificiellt ljus är ännu okända. Forskare fruktar konsekvenserna av konstant belysning och vad det kan innebära fysiskt, psykiskt och filosofiskt. Ny forskning visar att frånvaro av mörker inte bara påverkar sömnen utan också kan leda till en ökad risk för diabetes och cancer. Även djur och växter styrs av dygnsrytmen och ljusföroreningar påverkar därför nattaktiva djur. Förlusten av mörker påverkar grundläggande biologiska system som forskarna ännu inte vet konsekvenserna av. Ljusförorening är därför en avgörande aspekt för landskapsarkitekter att ta hänsyn till vid gestaltning av belysning. Syftet med min kandidatuppsats är att kartlägga de negativa konsekvenserna av ljusförorening. Jag valde att utföra undersökningen genom en litteraturstudie men också genom samtal med yrkesverksamma personer som arbetar med belysning. Resultaten av litteraturstudien visade påtagliga negativa effekter av ljusförorening på både djur och människor. Samtalen med ljusdesignens och landskapsarkitekter gav dock en annan synvinkel på fenomenet. Samtalen resulterade i aspekter att tänka på för att minska ljusförorening i samband med ljusdesign. Min uppsats diskuterar slutligen ljusförorening som ett potentiellt globalt hot som måste tas i beaktning vid utformning av ljusdesign i den mindre skalan

Vattenbruk inomhus

Syftet med denna uppsats är att kartlägga den svenska fiskodlingsbranschen inomhus, samt att förklara distributionskanalen från uppfödare till konsument. Detta för att identifiera möjligheterna och begränsningar för fiskodling i svenska lantbrukares tomma ekonomibyggnader. Den nedåtgående trend som svensk animalieproduktion befinner sig resulterar i allt fler tomma ekonomibyggnader på landsbygden. Därför är fiskodling inomhus en intressant produktion. I dagsläget är 49 % av all fisk som konsumeras i världen odlad men i den här produktionsformen ligger Sverige långt efter resten av världen. Sveriges totala produktion av vattenbruk är blygsamma 12 500 ton där den totala produktionen i världen var 64 miljoner ton år 2011. 52 % av världshaven är på gränsen till utfiskade och hela 24 % har redan gått över den gränsen och trots detta så ökar efterfrågan på fisk i takt med den växande befolkningen. Samtidigt påverkar fiskodlingar även de vilda bestånden då mycket av den fisken blir fiskmjöl som sedan används till foder. Fördelarna med fiskodling inomhus är många och den största är miljöpåverkan, där alla restprodukter kan tas om hand i jämförelse med odlingar i sjöar och vattendrag. Den odlade fisken inomhus har heller ingen påverkan på de vilda bestånden i sjöar och vattendrag där smittspridningen kan vara stor. Det finns tre olika system som används inomhus, varav ett kallat RAS (Recirculating Aquaculture Systems) är det systemet som har representerat dessa odlare. Detta är ett recirkulerande system där endast en liten del av vattnet byts ut och de andra renas och används igen. I detta system tas alla restprodukter om hand vilket inte ger någon miljöpåverkan. Idag är regnbåge (framförallt i utomhusodlingar) den vanligaste odlade fisken i Sverige. Vi har använt oss av en kvalitativ metod och valt att göra semi-strukturerade intervjuer med fyra aktiva fiskodlare som har sin produktion inomhus. Vi valde att avgränsa studien till att enbart utforska matfiskproducenter på den svenska marknaden, med en inomhusproduktion. Urvalet i det här arbetet består av ett snöbollsurval, vilket innebär att vi tog hjälp av personer vi kom i kontakt med för att få kontakter till nästa person. Resultatet är uppdelat för att lättare kunna jämföra odlarnas svar för att kunna identifiera skillnader och likheter mellan dem. Resultatet visar att branschen inomhus är väldigt liten med få aktörer vilket skapar en låg utvecklingstakt vilket gör att kunskapen är begränsad inom området. Problemen som resultatet visar är, krångliga regelverk där myndigheterna inte arbetar ihop, svårt för odlarna att få fram riskkapital för att utveckla produktionen. Resultatet om distributionskanalerna visar att dessa inte skiljer sig speciellt mycket mellan odlarna utan de har två kanaler ut till kunder. Den ena är via grossist och den andra är till restauranger eller butiker. Här är en begränsning att fisken är relativt svårsåld då det inte finns någon stor aktör som förädlar och förser markanden med odlad fisk. En anledning till att fisken är svårsåld är okunskap hos konsumenterna. De största möjligheterna är att branschen är liten i Sverige och har stor utvecklingspotential. När fisken i haven tar slut så måste produktionen på land öka för att möta efterfrågan av en växande befolkning. Därför är vattenbruk inomhus ett väldigt bra alternativ då det inte påverkar den utvändiga miljön nämnvärt.The purpose of this thesis is to identify Swedish fish farms industry indoors, explain the supply chain from breeder to consumer. This is to identify opportunities and constraints for fish farming in Swedish empty farm buildings. This study's aim is to explore possibilities for indoors fish farming since the Swedish livestock production is decreasing, which results in increase empty buildings in rural areas. Thus fish farming is an interesting production as an alternative use for these buildings. Today, 49% of fish consumed worldwide is cultivated. However, Sweden is far behind rest of the world in this form of production. Sweden's total production of aquaculture is modest 12 500 tons, where the total world production was 64 million tons in 2011. 52% of the oceans are on the verge of depletion and 24% have already gone over the limit, and even so increases the demand for fish in pace with the growing population. In addition, the fish farms affect the wild populations since much of the fish is fishmeal, which is then used as feed. The advantages are many with indoor fish farming. The most central benefit to consider is the environmental effects. All the waste can be disposed of in comparison with farms in lakes and rivers. The indoor-farmed fish neither has impacts on wild populations since the indoor production do not spread infections. There are three different systems used indoors. One of them is called RAS (Recirculating Aquaculture Systems), which is the system that this study focuses on. This is a recirculating system in which only a small part of the water is changed and the other is cleaned and reused. In this system, all waste disposed of, which provides no environmental impact. To reach the purpose of this study, we have used a qualitative approach and chosen to make semi-structured interviews with four active fish farmers who have their production indoors. The study is delimited to focus on indoor produced consumption fish delivered to the Swedish market. The sample of the investigation is provided by a method called "snowball sample". This means that we got in contact with one person within the business at first. Then that person helped us to get contact information to the next person. We have divided the result chapter into different parts to make it easier to compare the respondents' answers to find differences and similarities. The presentation of the result is divided into a subsection for each fish farmer to make it easier to compare and notice similarities and differences. The findings reveal that the indoor industry is small with only a few operators. Hence the knowledge regarding fish farming is low and the process of development is slow. The result also shows problematic when it comes to regulations, poor collaboration between agencies, and complication for fish farmers to get financing for extending of the production. Regarding the distribution channels, the result shows that the fish farmers use two possible options to reach their consumers: via wholesaler or to restaurants/stores. A delimitation for the industry is that no great processor provides the market with cultured fish, which makes it harder to sell these fishes. Another reason to why this fish is hard to sell is the consumer’s low knowledge in this topic. On the other hand, the size of this industry in Sweden can be seen as an advantage. The industry has great potential to grow in Sweden. As the numbers of wild fish decrease, the indoor production increases to be able to satisfy the demand of the increasing world population. Thus aquaculture indoor is a very interesting option since it does not either affecting the environment significant

Effect of the thorium oxide content on the leaching of a mixed thorium-uranium oxide fuel

Leaching of uranium from uranium oxide fuel in contact with water can be a radiation hazard problem in the case of fuel cladding failure, either during nuclear reactor operation or in an interim storage, as well as in a final repository. One way to mitigate this is to reduce the solubility of the fuel matrix by the mixing uranium oxide with a compound which is less soluble but otherwise of similar properties. In this paper, the effect of thorium oxide content on the leaching of the uranium oxide matrix is investigated. The method was to study the leaching of the uranium oxide fuel matrix as a function of a varying content of thorium oxide, using materials manufactured by powder co-milling. It was found that the substitution of more than 25% UO2 with ThO2 reduces the matrix leaching by more than one order of magnitude in most of the different leaching solutions investigated. The substitution of 7% UO2 with ThO2 results in a reduction of matrix leaching by 10-90%, depending on the concentration of borate and dissolved oxygen in the leaching solution

Experimental determination of concentration factors of Mn, Zn and I in the phytoplankton species Phaeodactylum Tricornutum

Anthropogenic radionuclides released into the environment cause a radiation dose to wildlife and humans which must be quantified, both to assess the effect of normal releases, and to predict the consequences of a larger, unplanned release. To estimate the spread of the radioactive elements, the ecosystem around release points is modelled, and element uptake is usually quantified by concentration factors (CF), which relates the concentration of an element in an organism to the concentration of the same element in a medium under equilibrium conditions. In this work, we experimentally determine some phytoplankton CF that are needed for improved modelling of the marine ecosystems around nuclear facilities and release points. CFs that require better determination have been identified through literature search. Sensitivity studies, using the currently used ecosystem modelling software PREDO, show that for most studied groups, the dose committed by the respective radionuclides is almost proportional to the corresponding phytoplankton CFs. In the present work, CFs are determined through laboratory experiments with cultured phytoplankton and radionuclides of the concerned elements, assessing the element uptake by the phytoplankton through detection of the emitted radiation. The three CF assessed in this work were those for manganese, zinc and iodine in phytoplankton. Conservative estimates of these CF based on the present data are 40 000 L/kg for manganese, 50 000 L/kg for zinc and 180 L/kg for iodine with the phytoplankton masses referring to their dry weight

Scoping Studies of Dopants for Stabilization of Uranium Nitride Fuel

Uranium nitride (UN) is considered as nuclear reactor fuel because of, among other reasons, its high uranium density and its high thermal conductivity. Its main drawback is that it relatively easily dissolves in hot water, which is particularly problematic when it is used in water-cooled reactors. One possible remedy to this is to add some corrosion inhibitor as dopant to the UN matrix. A number of dopants have been identified that have the potential to inhibit the dissolution process, and their respective merits have been investigated both by neutronic simulations and dissolution experiments. It is concluded that chromium is the most promising candidate

Assessment in Transformation

Using data from focus group interviews, this study aims to analyze the perceived opportunities and challenges encountered by groups of secondary school teachers regarding the assessment of multimodal texts. Previous research has shown that digital technologies introduce new kinds of texts in the classroom. The possibility of combining verbal text with image, sound, and movement has an impact on students’ text production. However, the changing role of writing on the screen has left teachers uncertain of how to assess these new forms of texts. Apart from attending to digital competence, assessing multimodal texts may involve following writing conventions and organizing text using different resources and components. Quality in multimodal texts may concern using multimodal components to communicate complex ideas effectively, which may or may not be noticed by teachers. The data is based on group interviews with 11 secondary school teachers at two different schools. The study conducted a thematic content analysis using the analytical concepts of transformation, recognition, design, and form and meaning. Findings show that teachers find it challenging to acknowledge certain qualities in students’ multimodal texts without support from the steering documents. On the other hand, they notice opportunities to follow students’ learning processes. In addition, they stress an increased opportunity and need for shared assessment across school subjects. The article concludes with a discussion of tensions regarding opportunities and challenges when assessing students’ multimodal texts in relation to the different subject syllabuses

Modelling of runaway electron dynamics during argon-induced disruptions in ASDEX Upgrade and JET

Disruptions in tokamak plasmas may lead to the generation of runaway electrons that have the potential to damage plasma-facing components. Improved understanding of the runaway generation process requires interpretative modelling of experiments. In this work we simulate eight discharges in the ASDEX Upgrade and JET tokamaks, where argon gas was injected to trigger the disruption. We use a fluid modelling framework with the capability to model the generation of runaway electrons through the hot-tail, Dreicer and avalanche mechanisms, as well as runaway electron losses. Using experimentally based initial values of plasma current and electron temperature and density, we can reproduce the plasma current evolution using realistic assumptions about temperature evolution and assimilation of the injected argon in the plasma. The assumptions and results are similar for the modelled discharges in ASDEX Upgrade and JET. For the modelled discharges in ASDEX Upgrade, where the initial temperature was comparatively high, we had to assume that a large fraction of the hot-tail runaway electrons were lost in order to reproduce the measured current evolution