The value of continuous professional development: Teachers' perceptions

The central argument is that in the presentation of workshops for teachers, presenters should focus on the principles underlying continuous professional development (CPD), since teachers are likely to be more willing to attend workshops if they are worth the time spent and the sacrifices made. In a workshop, on supporting learners with learning difficulties, such principles were therefore applied. A hands-on presentation was used to ensure that the teachers fully understood the use of the suggested teaching methods. The teachers were then asked to complete a questionnaire to determine their perceptions of how they had experienced the workshop. The questionnaire focused on the various CPD principles applied in the workshop, as well as the personal value and expected effect of the workshop on their teaching approach. In general, the teachers reported that regardless of their teaching position, qualifications, gender, or age they had experienced the CPD workshop positively. Keywords: continuous professional development; in-service training; learning difficulties; teaching methods; workshop South African Journal of Education Vol. 27 (1) 2007: pp. 53-6

STRETCHABLE CONDUCTIVE COMPOSITES FOR USE IN SOFT DEVICES

An elastically-deformable, conductive composite using elastomers and conductive fibers and simple fabrication procedures is provided. Conductive elastomeric composites offer low resistance to electrical current and are elastic over large (\u3e25%) extensional strains. They can be easily interfaced/built into structures fabricated from elastomeric polymers

High Purity Americium-241 for Fuel Cycle R&D Program

Previously the U.S. Department of Energy released Am-241 for various applications such as smoke detectors and Am-Be neutron sources for oil wells. At this date there is a shortage of usable, higher purity Am-241 in metal and oxide form available in the United States. Recently, the limited source of Am-241 has been from Russia with production being contracted to existing customers. The shortage has resulted in the price per gram rising dramatically over the last few years. DOE-NE currently has need for high purity Am-241 metal and oxide to fabricate fuel pellets for reactor testing in the Fuel Cycle R&D program. All the available high purity americium has been gathered from within the DOE system of laboratories. However, this is only a fraction of the projected needs of FCRD over the next 10 years. Therefore, FCR&D has proposed extraction and purification concepts to extract Am-241 from a mixed AmO2-PuO2 feedstock stored at the Savannah River Site. The most simple extraction system is based upon high temperature reduction using lanthanum metal with concurrent evaporation and condensation to produce high purity Am metal. Metallic americium has over a four order of magnitude higher vapor pressure than plutonium. Results from small-scale reduction experiments are presented. These results confirm thermodynamic predictions that at 1000 deg C metallic lanthanum reduces both PuO2 and AmO2. Faster kinetics are expected for temperatures up to about 1500 deg C

Oxidation Protection of Uranium Nitride Fuel using Liquid Phase Sintering

Two methods are proposed to increase the oxidation resistance of uranium nitride (UN) nuclear fuel. These paths are: (1) Addition of USi{sub x} (e.g. U3Si2) to UN nitride powder, followed by liquid phase sintering, and (2) 'alloying' UN nitride with various compounds (followed by densification via Spark Plasma Sintering or Liquid Phase Sintering) that will greatly increase oxidation resistance. The advantages (high thermal conductivity, very high melting point, and high density) of nitride fuel have long been recognized. The sodium cooled BR-10 reactor in Russia operated for 18 years on uranium nitride fuel (UN was used as the driver fuel for two core loads). However, the potential advantages (large power up-grade, increased cycle lengths, possible high burn-ups) as a Light Water Reactor (LWR) fuel are offset by uranium nitride's extremely low oxidation resistance (UN powders oxidize in air and UN pellets decompose in hot water). Innovative research is proposed to solve this problem and thereby provide an accident tolerant LWR fuel that would resist water leaks and high temperature steam oxidation/spalling during an accident. It is proposed that we investigate two methods to increase the oxidation resistance of UN: (1) Addition of USi{sub x} (e.g. U{sub 3}Si{sub 2}) to UN nitride powder, followed by liquid phase sintering, and (2) 'alloying' UN nitride with compounds (followed by densification via Spark Plasma Sintering) that will greatly increase oxidation resistance

Fabrication of Dual Phase Magnesia-Zirconia Ceramics Doped with Plutonia and Erbia

Dual phase magnesia-zirconia ceramics doped with plutonia and erbia are being evaluated as an inert matrix fuel (IMF) for light water reactors (LWR). The motivation for this work is to develop an IMF with a thermal conductivity superior to that of the fuels based on single-phase yttria stabilized zirconia. The innovative fuel developed at INL is comprised of two major phases: pure MgO and quaternary solid solution consisting of MgO, ZrO{sub 2}, Er{sub 2}O{sub 3} and PuO{sub 2}. Pure MgO phase acts as an efficient heat conductor. It has been shown [1] that dual phase MgO-ZrO{sub 2} ceramics have the thermal conductivity superior to that of UO{sub 2} and have notable chemical resistance to water at the temperature of 573 K and pressure 8.6 MPa, which makes them attractive for use as an IMF matrix in LWRs

Die persoonlikheidsamestelling van die beskeie leerling in die senior sekondêre skoolfase

Text in AfrikaansDie studie handel oor die persoonlikheidsamestelling van die beskeie leerling in die senior sekondere skoolfase. Twee sienings van beskeidenheid blyk uit die literatuur, naamlik beskeidenheid as 'n deug en beskeidenheid as manifestasie van innerlike onsekerheid. Daar is in diepte gekyk na beskeidenheid as persoonlikheidseienskap en die invloed van beskeidenheid op die relasievorming en selfaktualisering van die kind. Beskeidenheid gaan gepaard met persoonlikheidseienskappe soos terughoudendheid, beskroomdheid, geinhibeerdheid, ontoereikende assertiwiteit en vry van aanmatiging en dit behels 'n onvermoe tot selfbevordering. Verder manifesteer sake soos sosiale angstigheid, openbare selfbewustheid, vrees vir sukses en swak selfevaluering ook in beskeidenheid. Die leerling se relasievorming en selfaktualisering word deur beskeidenheid gekortwiek. Die Hoerskool Persoonlikheidsvraelys is in 'n empiriese ondersoek op 'n aantal standerd 9-leerlinge afgeneem. Geen tipiese perrsoonlikheidsprofiel kon vir beskeidenheid saamgestel word nie. 'n Aantal persoonlikheidseienskappe wat met beskeidenheid verband kan hou, het egter in die ondersoek na vore gekom.This study concerns the personality composition of the modest pupil in the senior secondary school. Two views of modesty are discussed in the literature, namely that it is a virtue and that it is a sign of inner uncertainty. An in-depth study is made of modesty as a personality characteristic and its influence on the pupil's relationship formation and self-actualisation. Modesty is associated with such personality characteristics as reserve, timidity, inhibition, unassertiveness and lack of arrogance. It implies an inability to promote oneself. Modesty is also a manifestation of social anxiety, self-conciousness, a fear of success and low self-evaluation. It handicaps the relationship formation and self-actualisation of pupils. The High School Personality Questionnaire was administered to a group of Standard 9 pupils in an empirical study. No typical personality profile could be compiled for modest pupils. Several personality 'characteristics emerged from the study which may be associated with modesty.Educational StudiesM. Ed. (met spesialisering in Voorligting

Elastomeric Tiles for the Fabrication of Inflatable Structures

This paper describes the fabrication of 3D soft, inflatable structures from thin, 2D tiles fabricated from elastomeric polymers. The tiles are connected using soft joints that increase the surface area available for gluing them together, and mechanically reinforce the structures to withstand the tensile forces associated with pneumatic actuation. The ability of the elastomeric polymer to withstand large deformations without failure makes it possible to explore and implement new joint designs, for example “double-taper dovetail joints,” that cannot be used with hard materials. This approach simplifies the fabrication of soft structures comprising materials with different physical properties (e.g., stiffness, electrical conductivity, optical transparency), and provides the methods required to “program” the response of these structures to mechanical (e.g., pneumatic pressurization) and other physical (e.g., electrical) stimuli. The flexibility and modularity of this approach is demonstrated in a set of soft structures that expanded or buckled into distinct, predictable shapes when inflated or deflated. These structures combine easily to form extended systems with motions dependent on the configurations of the selected components, and, when fabricated with electrically conductive tiles, electronic circuits with pneumatically active elements. This approach to the fabrication of hollow, 3D structures provides routes to new soft actuators.Chemistry and Chemical Biolog