Youth Savings Groups in Africa: They’re a Family Affair

Based on fieldwork in Tanzania, Zambia, Uganda, and Ghana, in the paper we provide new evidence that young people’s engagement with savings groups in Africa is deeply embedded in networks of family and social relations. Savings group members rely on money that is given to them by partners and family members to make savings contributions to the groups, while they also transfer some of their share-outs and loans to family members and friends. This is particularly true for younger members. As such we argue that the socially embedded nature of young people's engagement with savings group needs to be taken into account. The tension between the primary focus on the individual within youth saving programming, and the socially embedded nature of their engagement, has important implications for programme design, implementation and evaluation

Ethane measurement by Picarro CRDS G2201-i in laboratory and field conditions: potential and limitations

Atmospheric ethane can be used as a tracer to distinguish methane sources, both at the local and global scale. Currently, ethane can be measured in the field using flasks or in situ analyzers. In our study, we characterized the CRDS Picarro G2201-i instrument, originally designed to measure isotopic CH4 and CO2, for measurements of ethane-to-methane ratio in mobile-measurement scenarios, near sources and under field conditions. We evaluated the limitations and potential of using the CRDS G2201-i to measure the ethane-to-methane ratio, thus extending the instrument application to simultaneously measure two methane source proxies in the field: carbon isotopic ratio and the ethane-to-methane ratio. First, laboratory tests were run to characterize the instrument in stationary conditions. Subsequently, the instrument performance was tested in field conditions as part of a controlled release experiment. Finally, the instrument was tested during mobile measurements focused on gas compressor stations. The results from the field were afterwards compared with the results obtained from instruments specifically designed for ethane measurements. Our study shows the potential of using the CRDS G2201-i instrument in a mobile configuration to determine the ethane-to-methane ratio in methane plumes under measurement conditions with an ethane uncertainty of 50 ppb. Assuming typical ethane-to-methane ratios ranging between 0 and 0.1 ppb ppb(-1), we conclude that the instrument can accurately estimate the "true" ethane-to-methane ratio within 1 sigma uncertainty when CH4 enhancements are at least 1 ppm, as can be found in the vicinity of strongly emitting sites such as natural gas compressor stations and roadside gas pipeline leaks

COLECCIÓN CARIDAD RODRÍGUEZ PÉREZ-GALDÓS [Material gráfico]

Copia digital. Madrid : Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte. Subdirección General de Coordinación Bibliotecaria, 201

The effect of bilayer regions on the response of epitaxial graphene devices to environmental gating

The effect of a bilayer area on the electronic response to environmental gating of a monolayer graphene Hall bar device is investigated using room temperature magnetotransport and scanning Kelvin probe microscopy measurements in a controlled environment. The device is tuned through the charge neutrality point with n-p-n-junctions formed. Scanning Kelvin probe measurements show that the work function of the monolayer graphene decreases more than that of the bilayer area however magnetotransport measurements show a larger change in carrier concentration for bilayer graphene with environmental gating. Interface scattering at the boundary between the monolayer and bilayer regions also affects device response with field-dependent suppression of the conductivity observed near the charge neutrality point. Simultaneous electronic and environmental scanning Kelvin probe measurements are used to build nano-scale maps of the work function of the device surface revealing the areas of greatest work function change with environmental gating. Crown Copyright (C) 2015 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Funding Agencies|UK NMS Programme; EU; EMRP the participating countries within EURAMET; European Union; European Union [604391]; UK Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) in Sensor networks: data to knowledge [IRD/2013/09]; graphene flagship</p

Assessing students' oral communications skills - which skills?

It is common practice for students' oral communication skills to be assessed by a global impressionistic mark based on the skills displayed during presentation. Yet little is known about which skill components are influential in the determination of the final mark. This study uses three methods of analysis to determine the criteria staff apply in assessing engineering students' oral presentation skills. Two major outcomes from the study are discussed: the first relates to providing further guidance to students on the skills which are crucial in making a successful presentation; and the second to the use of methodologies for developing a better understanding of what criteria are being applied when global assessments are made

Differences in the criteria used by staff and students in assessing oral presentation skills

A number of studies have questioned the criterion validity of peer assessed oral presentations. Claims have been made that students are likely to employ a different perspective from teachers when assessing overall presentation quality, even when both are guided by a common checklist of relevant skill components.To date, no empirical investigations have been undertaken to determine how students differ from staff in the criteria they apply. this paper analyses peer and teacher assessment data from thesis presentations made by engineering students in a fourth year communications subject. The data consists of peer and teacher ratings on eight skill components listed on a checklist (used for feedback only), together with a global mark for the presentation (the summative assessment).The scores on the eight items were then subject to multiple regression analysis using the global mark as the criterion. Substantial differences were found between the two multiple regression equations. Discussion focuses on how these differences affect the validity of peer assessments, and the level of agreement between teacher and student assessment