Student transitions to blended learning – challenges and solutions (workshop)

Student transitions into blended learning - challenges and solutions Josephine Adekola, Vicki Dale, Kerr Gardiner, Kate Powell The proposed workshop will focus on the challenges students experience when transitioning into blended learning. This may be at the start of their university education, or during their studies when introduced to a blended course or programme for the first time. The proposed workshop will begin with a short presentation about the experiences of students from the University of Glasgow. Our research has shown that students appreciate the flexibility of blended learning and recognise the skills developed because of their engagement with it. However, it does introduce challenges around perceived interaction with staff, time management and online assessment literacy. These challenges are greater for international students studying in UK higher education for the first time. In the first activity, staff and student participants will be encouraged to consider the particular challenges facing students at their own institutions, in relation to blended learning, before a second small group activity designed to elicit solutions. The workshop will conclude with a summary discussion of key points and a discussion about how potential solutions may be implemented, including how institutions might work together to support students. The findings from the workshop will be summarised as an article for the Enhancement Themes newsletter and incorporated into our student-facing multimedia output

The regulation of copper stress response genes in the Polychaete Nereis diversicolor during prolonged extreme copper contamination

Polychaetes are frequented in toxicological studies, one reason being that some members occupy shallow burrows in sediments and are maximally exposed to the contaminants that accumulate within them. We have been studying one population of the polychaete Nereis (Hediste) diversicolor exhibiting inheritable tolerance to extreme copper contamination in estuarine sediment. Using transcriptome sequencing data we have identified a suite of genes with putative roles in metal detoxification and tolerance, and measured their regulation. Copper tolerant individuals display significantly different gene expression profiles compared to animals from a nearby population living without remarkable copper levels. Gene transcripts encoding principle copper homeostasis proteins including membrane copper ion transporters, copper ion chaperones and putative metallothionein-like proteins were significantly more abundant in tolerant animals occupying contaminated sediment. In contrast, those encoding antioxidants and cellular repair pathways were unchanged. Nontolerant animals living in contaminated sediment showed no difference in copper homeostasis-related gene expression but did have significantly elevated levels of mRNAs encoding Glutathione Peroxidase enzymes. This study represents the first use of functional genomics to investigate the copper tolerance trait in this species and provides insight into the mechanism used by these individuals to survive and flourish in conditions which are lethal to their conspecifics

Counselling trajectories:what happens after graduation?

A comprehensive report on the provision of training in Counselling and Psychotherapy (Hulme and Rutton, 2013) proposed that one of the main areas for future research is investigation in to what happens to counselling students following qualification. This study, carried out in 2016, investigated the career trajectories of Abertay counselling students and looked to evaluate their career pathway once qualified. Additionally, the study looked to explore the links between course content and employability with a view to ensuring that the programme is relevant and continues to meet industry needs. Some key findings will be presented within this poster

Stakeholders\u27 Perceptions of a Hospital Based Emergency Medicine Education & Training Program: A System Change

Background: Emergency Medicine (EM) is a new and developing specialty around the world. In India, one model for capacity building has been the development of partnerships between US academic institutions and private healthcare institutions for implementing post-graduate education and training in EM. Initiated in 2007, programs have grown both in number and scope and have continued to attract new students and partner institutions. This study was undertaken to better understand the impact of EM training programs on hospital systems. Methods: A mixed-methods evaluation was undertaken at 5 program sites across India in the summer of 2016. Two researchers conducted onsite semi-structured interviews with key program stakeholders. Participants included hospital administrators, program directors, hospital consultants, and ancillary staff at each hospital. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and then analyzed using a rapid assessment process. Participants also completed a brief survey. Written surveys were analyzed with univariate analysis. Results: A total of 109 stakeholders were interviewed. Positive impacts were reported among all stakeholders, particularly among administrators, consultants, ancillary staff, and supervising physicians in the ED. 80% of hospital administrators and 90% of direct ED supervisors report improved quality of care particularly among critically ill patients. Some respondents, including 89% of administrators, attributed increased patient volumes at least in part due to the educational program. Of respondents, non-ED consultants were less likely to report improvement in quality during off-service rotations, but 92% reported improved patient care in the hospital related to the program. Positive impacts extended beyond the hospital with many examples of community outreach, layperson education, and improved hospital reputation. Discussion: Evaluation of a changing system of emergency care has proven challenging to study. These data reflect substantial impacts to a hospital and the surrounding system after development of an EM training program, extending beyond the hospital itself to community outreach programs and a wide variety of education and training programs. Further investigation may prove helpful in quantifying the reported improvement in quality and scope of impact

The interaction of wood nanocellulose dressings and the wound pathogen P. aeruginosa

Chronic wounds pose an increasingly significant worldwide economic burden (over £1 billion per annum in the UK alone). With the escalation in global obesity and diabetes, chronic wounds will increasingly be a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) are highly versatile and can be tailored with specific physical properties to produce an assortment of three-dimensional structures (hydrogels, aerogels or films), for subsequent utilization as wound dressing materials. Growth curves using CNF (diameter 0.05) over 24 h. These data demonstrate the potential of nanocellulose materials in the development of novel dressings that may afford significant clinical potential

Companion dog acquisition and mental well-being: a community-based three-arm controlled study

Background Dog ownership is suggested to improve mental well-being, although empirical evidence among community dog owners is limited. This study examined changes in human mental well-being following dog acquisition, including four measures: loneliness, positive and negative affect, and psychological distress. Methods We conducted an eight-month controlled study involving three groups (n = 71): 17 acquired a dog within 1 month of baseline (dog acquisition); 29 delayed dog acquisition until study completion (lagged control); and 25 had no intentions of acquiring a dog (community control). All participants completed the UCLA Loneliness Scale (possible scores 0–60), Positive and Negative Affect Schedule and Kessler10 at baseline, three-months and eight-months. We used repeated measures ANCOVAs to analyse data with owner age and sex included as covariates. Post-hoc tests were performed for significant effects (p \u3c 0.05). Results There was a statistically significant group by time interaction for loneliness (p = 0.03), with an estimated reduction of 8.41 units (95% CI -16.57, − 0.26) from baseline to three-months and 7.12 (95% CI -12.55, − 1.69) from baseline to eight-months in the dog acquisition group. The group by time interaction for positive affect was also significant (p = 0.03), although there was no change in the dog acquisition group. Conclusions Companion dog acquisition may reduce loneliness among community dog owners. Our study provides useful direction for future larger trials on the effects of dog ownership on human mental well-being

Expectations for dog ownership: Perceived physical, mental and psychosocial health consequences among prospective adopters

Dog ownership is popular worldwide, with most human-dog dyads forming successful attachment bonds. However, millions of dogs are surrendered to animal shelters annually, possibly due to mismatches between owner expectations and the realities of dog ownership. The aim of the current study was to explore the benefits and challenges people expect from dog ownership and how these expectations vary with previous ownership history. An Australian-wide sample of 3465 prospective adopters completed a self-administered online questionnaire about the physical, mental and psychosocial health benefits and challenges they associated with dog ownership. Among the potential benefits, respondents expected increased walking (89%), happiness (89%) and companionship (61%) and decreased stress (74%) and loneliness (61%). Among the challenges, they expected increased responsibility (64%) and dog training (62%). Ownership history influenced respondents’ expectations, with previous/current dog owners having consistently greater odds of expecting benefits and reduced odds of expecting challenges than non-owners. A possible explanation is that previous/current dog owners’ exhibit bias when considering dog ownership by selectively recalling positive experiences from previous ownership. Our findings support the need for education of prospective dog owners to ensure their expectations align with the reality of ownership, based on current scientific evidence