The Evolving University: Disruptive Change and Institutional Innovation

AbstractThe domain of education, like many institutions in contemporary society, faces significant challenges to the completion of it s mission. This is especially true of higher education, which in many countries faces increasing expectations that it serves as a driver facilitating social and cultural advancement. New modes of inclusive delivery need to be tested with real students, new curriculum approaches need to be validated, new platforms need applications and content to succeed, and analytical tools need broadly based data to be truly useful. These also include new ways of collaborating and presenting domain specific subject matter. It is increasingly likely that the University of the future will not look like present-day institutional arrangements

Comparing large lecture mechanics curricula using the Force Concept Inventory: A five thousand student study

The performance of over 5000 students in introductory calculus-based mechanics courses at the Georgia Institute of Technology was assessed using the Force Concept Inventory (FCI). Results from two different curricula were compared: a traditional mechanics curriculum and the Matter & Interactions (M&I) curriculum. Post-instruction FCI averages were significantly higher for the traditional curriculum than for the M&I curriculum; the differences between curricula persist after accounting for factors such as pre-instruction FCI scores, grade point averages, and SAT scores. FCI performance on categories of items organized by concepts was also compared; traditional averages were significantly higher in each concept. We examined differences in student preparation between the curricula and found that the relative fraction of homework and lecture topics devoted to FCI force and motion concepts correlated with the observed performance differences. Limitations of concept inventories as instruments for evaluating curricular reforms are discussed.Comment: 21 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Am. J. Phys. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1112.559

A framework of passive-active-constructive study techniques: a divergence between assigned and reported behaviors

An educational framework proposed by Chi (2009) aims to link overt study activities with outcomes via the underlying cognitive processes experienced by learners. Activities are classified along a continuum of passive, active, and constructive . Overt activities--¬such as reading, highlighting, and self-explaining--are grouped according to the hypothesized cognitive processes they engage. The framework posits that constructive activities yield the best learning, passive yield the poorest, and active is somewhere in between. Although these hypotheses are not supported by this experiment, there is evidence to suggest that college students employ study techniques that go beyond what they are asked to do. Also, the content of the text to be studied is potentially an important factor for determining the type of studying learners do regardless of what they are asked to do. In sum, although the framework is supported by many other studies, there might be additional variables that need to be considered when implementing this framework.M.S.Committee Chair: Catrambone, Richard; Committee Member: Corso, Gregory; Committee Member: Guzdial, Mar

HSE performance report on NSP 2011. June 2011.

The Performance Report (PR) provides an overall analysis of key performance data from Finance, HR, Hospital and Primary & Community Services. The activity data reported is based on Performance Activity and Key Performance Indicators outlined in the NSP 2011. The June Performance Report is the second quarterly update for 2011 and includes additional metrics as outlined in the National Service Plan 2011. The PR is used by the Performance Monitoring & Control committee (PMCC), the CEO and the HSE Board to monitor performance against planned activity, as outlined in the NSP, and to highlight areas for improvement. The PR also provides an update to the DoHC on the delivery of the NSP. A Supplementary Report is also produced each month which provides more detailed data on the metrics covered in the Performance Report. This will be expanded quarterly and biannually to report on progress against the Deliverables outlined in NSP 2011. The Supplementary report contains information on Methadone treatment activity and expenditure

Evidence for Gluon Interference in Hadronic Z-Decays

Contains fulltext : 26227.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access

One-Prong Tau-Decays with Neutral Kaons

Contains fulltext : 26231.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access