The evolution of pedagogic models for work-based learning within a virtual university

The process of designing a pedagogic model for work-based learning within a virtual university is not a simple matter of using ‘off the shelf’ good practice. Instead, it can be characterised as an evolutionary process that reflects the backgrounds, skills and experiences of the project partners. Within the context of a large-scale project that was building a virtual university for work-based learners, an ambitious goal was set: to base the development of learning materials on a pedagogic model that would be adopted across the project. However, the reality proved to be far more complex than simply putting together an appropriate model from existing research evidence. Instead, the project progressed through a series of redevelopments, each of which was pre-empted by the involvement of a different team from within the project consortium. The pedagogic models that evolved as part of the project will be outlined, and the reasons for rejecting each will be given. They moved from a simple model, relying on core computer-based materials (assessed by multiple choice questions with optional work-based learning), to a more sophisticated model that integrated different forms of learning. The challenges that were addressed included making learning flexible and suitable for work-based learning, the coherence of accreditation pathways, the appropriate use of the opportunities provided by online learning and the learning curves and training needs of the different project teams. Although some of these issues were project-specific (being influenced by the needs of the learners, the aims of the project and the partners involved), the evolutionary process described in this case study illustrates that there can be a steep learning curve for the different collaborating groups within the project team. Whilst this example focuses on work-based learning, the process and the lessons may equally be applicable to a range of learning scenarios

The distributed development of quality courses for a virtual university

Although virtual universities are widely touted as a way of competing globally in a post‐compulsory educational market, systems for implementing them are currently underdeveloped The central thesis in this paper is that in order to ensure the quality of the development and delivery of course materials for a virtual university, a collaborative and iterative approach to authoring is required. In this paper, the development of such a process will be discussed The paper is based on experience with a project whose aims included the provision of Masters‐level courses in supply chain management for learners in full‐time employment in small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). The materials developed through the project were required to be academically rigorous, vocationally relevant, and situated in the context of the learners. The project relied on distributed development, with authors based at institutions across the UK and in Europe. This paper focuses on the creation and evolution of the development processes adopted by the project, illustrating these with examples of good and bad practice. Based on these, tensions between quality and resourcing are identified, and implications will be drawn for other teams working on the development of online courses

Using Web‐based support for campus‐based open learning: Lessons from a study in dental public health

There has been much written about the use of the Web in higher education, much of which advocates its use as an effective way of supporting learning, particularly in terms of the desirability of features such as flexibility and the value of online discussions. In this paper, a case study is described which calls some of this received wisdom into question. The study also explores wider issues of curriculum design, particularly in terms of the role of assessment and of self‐assessment, both of which played a crucial role in the course. Unlike many studies, then, the purpose of this paper is not to demonstrate the success of a particular approach or to advocate particular forms of practice, but instead to highlight the shortcomings of existing guidelines for curriculum development in this area. This suggests that further inquiry into this form of education is required — and in particular, inquiry that pays detailed attention to the backgrounds of learners, and involves close study of their experiences

Deciphering the role of Epstein-Barr virus in the pathogenesis of T and NK cell lymphoproliferations

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a highly successful herpesvirus, colonizing more than 90% of the adult human population worldwide, although it is also associated with various malignant diseases. Primary infection is usually clinically silent, and subsequent establishment of latency in the memory B lymphocyte compartment allows persistence of the virus in the infected host for life. EBV is so markedly B-lymphotropic when exposed to human lymphocytes in vitro that the association of EBV with rare but distinct types of T and NK cell lymphoproliferations was quite unexpected. Whilst relatively rare, these EBV-associated T and NK lymphoproliferations can be therapeutically challenging and prognosis for the majority of patients is dismal. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the role of EBV in the pathogenesis of these tumours, and the implications for treatment. \ud \u

Interactions and charge fractionalization in an electronic Hong-Ou-Mandel interferometer

We consider an electronic analog of the Hong-Ou-Mandel (HOM) interferometer, where two single electrons travel along opposite chiral edge states and collide at a Quantum Point Contact. Studying the current noise, we show that because of interactions between co-propagating edge states, the degree of indistinguishability between the two electron wavepackets is dramatically reduced, leading to reduced contrast for the HOM signal. This decoherence phenomenon strongly depends on the energy resolution of the packets. Insofar as interactions cause charge fractionalization, we show that charge and neutral modes interfere with each other, leading to satellite dips or peaks in the current noise. Our calculations explain recent experimental results [E. Bocquillon, et al., Science 339, 1054(2013)] where an electronic HOM signal with reduced contrast was observed.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figure

Addressing Racial Trauma in Counseling: Perspectives and Lessons from the Field

Racism has permeated all aspects of American life (Bell, 1992) and many Black communities suffer racial trauma as a result. Mental health professionals have an ethical responsibility to develop strategies to serve the needs of diverse communities. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of Black mental health professionals who serve individuals experiencing racial trauma. Using Critical Race Theory as a theoretical framework and qualitative Thematic Analysis as a methodology, twenty-three (23) Black mental health professionals were asked the following questions: (1) What are the experiences of Black mental health professionals working with clients who have experienced racial trauma; (2) How do Black mental health professionals meet the personal and professional challenges of serving clients who experience racial trauma; and (3) What competency training do mental health professionals need to promote and enhance their effectiveness when working with individuals who experience racial trauma? Results of the study highlighted four themes: (1) Rewards and Challenges; (2) The Importance of Self-Care; (3) The Importance of Implementing Culturally-Informed Clinical Strategies; and (4) The Importance of Engaging in Professional Growth and Development. Discussion of the findings in addition to implications and recommendations for clinical practice, training, curriculum development, and research are included

Genomic Analysis of Acetoanaerobium sp. VLB-1, an Anaerobic Bacterium Isolated from Nebraska\u27s Eastern Saline Wetlands

Through the analysis of genetic code, the genomic and physiological characteristics of an environmental anaerobic bacterial isolate, Acetoanaerobium sp. strain VLB-1, can be determined and significant pathways can be identified in its significance to the environment. This particular organism was isolated from the Eastern Saline Wetlands in Lincoln, NE. With this isolate, an investigation into elemental and amino acid cycling via the Stickland reaction and the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway was conducted to determine possible metabolic products. The Stickland reaction is a relatively newly discovered pathway, observed in the genus Clostridium. A. sticklandii is the main model for this method of anaerobic amino acid fermentation and the new way to generate energy. The genome of our isolate was sequenced, using long read sequencing techniques from Novogene with a goal to close the genome for a complete reading. The genome had a close relation to Acetoanaerobium sticklandii strain DSM 519 and Acetoanaerobium noterae strain NOT-3, each with a similarity of 98.48%. With the analysis of the genome performed, the organism appears to use the Stickland reaction to oxidize amino acids and the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway to fix carbon, which is characteristic of many Acetoanaerobium and Clostridium species

Outspoken dreams: Selfhood, sex and spirituality in the writings of Olive Schreiner

This study of the life and work of Olive Schreiner explores the tensions inherent in her political and artistic vision. It assesses the importance both of her continual movement towards a unifying spirituality and of her relentless, often fragmentary, self-exploration. Using her three novels, the allegories, her non-fictional work and her extensive personal correspondence, I examine Schreiner's sense of identity and gender and their relationship to her feminism, and her emphasis on a re-evaluation of sexual relationships within the major themes of her writing. Throughout, I follow closely the varied and innovative directions her work takes, and critically appraise her use of dream, allegory and propaganda. With a thematic exploration of her central concerns, both personal and political, I aim to establish links between the conflict Schreiner experienced as a woman artist and current developments in feminist writing and theory, at the same time evaluating Schreiner's radical' contribution to Victorian literature and the nineteenth-century women's movement. My first chapter charts the expression of her own femaleness through the development of the personalities and lives of her fictional heroines. The second and third chapters investigate her ambivalence about gender as revealed in her relationships and her work, and the effect on her creativity of the clash between prevalent Victorian sexual stereotyping and Schreiner's own constantly changing self-image. Chapter Four deals with the growth of her spiritual awareness and its centrality to her art and politics. I finish with an examination of her attitudes towards woman's place in society, and her attempt to reconcile creative self-expression with the public voice of the committed feminist and socialist

Poissonian tunneling through an extended impurity in the quantum Hall effect

We consider transport in the Poissonian regime between edge states in the quantum Hall effect. The backscattering potential is assumed to be arbitrary, as it allows for multiple tunneling paths. We show that the Schottky relation between the backscattering current and noise can be established in full generality: the Fano factor corresponds to the electron charge (the quasiparticle charge) in the integer (fractional) quantum Hall effect, as in the case of purely local tunneling. We derive an analytical expression for the backscattering current, which can be written as that of a local tunneling current, albeit with a renormalized tunneling amplitude which depends on the voltage bias. We apply our results to a separable tunneling amplitude which can represent an extended point contact in the integer or in the fractional quantum Hall effect. We show that the differential conductance of an extended quantum point contact is suppressed by the interference between tunneling paths, and it has an anomalous dependence with respect to the bias voltage