Exploring the Use of Immersive Technologies to Enhance the Student Experience

This paper reports on the initial phase of a National Forum funded Learning Enhancement Project (LEP), under the Strategic Alignment of Teaching and Learning Enhancement (SATLE) funding stream. The purpose of the LEP is to explore the use of immersive technologies such as Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality and 360o Learning in three key domain areas within one higher education institution in Ireland. While significant research has been conducted into the use of these technologies in training and business contexts, the application and use in higher education is still scarce. Radianti et al. (2020) suggest that while the use of virtual reality in higher education is promising, it is still quite experimental and focuses more on performance and usability than learning-oriented applications. Augmented Reality has been used in areas such as teacher education (Sáez-López, 2020) and EFL (Arkhipova, 2022) but is also largely experimental. Together with Mixed Reality and 360-degree Learning, these technologies have the potential to offer students a more immersive learning experience. Three domain areas are involved in this project: Online Learning; the university library; and the academic discipline of Business Tourism. It is envisaged that based on their expertise and experience team members will trial at least two of the immersive technologies with their students during the academic year 2023-2024. Engaging the students in the research will foster a partnership approach and provide an understanding of how this new approach to learning benefits the students but will also reveal the challenges associated with introducing new technologies

Brugia malayi Microfilariae Induce a Regulatory Monocyte/Macrophage Phenotype That Suppresses Innate and Adaptive Immune Responses

Background Monocytes and macrophages contribute to the dysfunction of immune responses in human filariasis. During patent infection monocytes encounter microfilariae in the blood, an event that occurs in asymptomatically infected filariasis patients that are immunologically hyporeactive. Aim To determine whether blood microfilariae directly act on blood monocytes and in vitro generated macrophages to induce a regulatory phenotype that interferes with innate and adaptive responses. Methodology and principal findings Monocytes and in vitro generated macrophages from filaria non-endemic normal donors were stimulated in vitro with Brugia malayi microfilarial (Mf) lysate. We could show that monocytes stimulated with Mf lysate develop a defined regulatory phenotype, characterised by expression of the immunoregulatory markers IL-10 and PD-L1. Significantly, this regulatory phenotype was recapitulated in monocytes from Wuchereria bancrofti asymptomatically infected patients but not patients with pathology or endemic normals. Monocytes from non-endemic donors stimulated with Mf lysate directly inhibited CD4+ T cell proliferation and cytokine production (IFN-γ, IL-13 and IL-10). IFN-γ responses were restored by neutralising IL-10 or PD-1. Furthermore, macrophages stimulated with Mf lysate expressed high levels of IL-10 and had suppressed phagocytic abilities. Finally Mf lysate applied during the differentiation of macrophages in vitro interfered with macrophage abilities to respond to subsequent LPS stimulation in a selective manner. Conclusions and significance Conclusively, our study demonstrates that Mf lysate stimulation of monocytes from healthy donors in vitro induces a regulatory phenotype, characterized by expression of PD-L1 and IL-10. This phenotype is directly reflected in monocytes from filarial patients with asymptomatic infection but not patients with pathology or endemic normals. We suggest that suppression of T cell functions typically seen in lymphatic filariasis is caused by microfilaria-modulated monocytes in an IL-10-dependent manner. Together with suppression of macrophage innate responses, this may contribute to the overall down-regulation of immune responses observed in asymptomatically infected patients

Una investigación sobre las actitudes de los principales proveedores de turismo con respecto al turismo "carbono neutro" en el condado de Clare, Irlanda

The global tourism industry is inextricably linked with climate change, and, faced with a ‘climate emergency’, there is an increasing emphasis on finding environmentally sustainable tourism models. One such model is ‘carbon-neutral tourism (CNT)’. This paper investigates attitudes towards CNT in County Clare (Ireland), focusing on tourism providers. By reviewing and evaluating key relevant academic sources, clarification is given about climate change, and the tourism industry’s relationship with it. The concept of sustainable tourism is explored, leading to an understanding of the meaning of CNT, and the various steps taken to create it. Following this, semi-structured interviews are conducted with selected tourism providers in County Clare. Using purposive sampling, a selection of tourism providers covering key elements of the tourism product are interviewed. These interviews are of a semi-structured format, allowing for some generic investigation, but also permitting an exploration of each provider’s contribution to the tourism product. The analysis concludes that tourism providers in Clare hold generally positive attitudes towards CNT. All respondents currently carry out at least some elements of CNT and all respondents express an enthusiasm to be more involved. However, certain barriers to fuller participation are identifiedLa industria del turismo mundial está indisolublemente ligada al cambio climático y, ante una "emergencia climática", se hace cada vez más hincapié en encontrar modelos de turismo ambientalmente sostenibles. Uno de esos modelos es el 'turismo neutro en carbono (CNT)'. Este artículo investiga las actitudes hacia la CNT en el condado de Clare (Irlanda), centrándose en los proveedores de turismo. Al revisar y evaluar fuentes académicas relevantes clave, se brindan aclaraciones sobre el cambio climático y la relación de la industria del turismo con él. Se explora el concepto de turismo sostenible, lo que lleva a la comprensión del significado de CNT y los diversos pasos que se han dado para crearlo. A continuación, se llevan a cabo entrevistas semiestructuradas con proveedores turísticos seleccionados en el condado de Clare. Utilizando un muestreo intencional, una selección de proveedores turísticos, que cubre elementos clave del producto turístico, son entrevistados. Estas entrevistas tienen un formato semiestructurado, lo que permite una investigación genérica, pero también permite explorar la contribución de cada proveedor al producto turístico. El análisis concluye que los proveedores de turismo en Clare mantienen actitudes generalmente positivas hacia CNT. Todos los encuestados realizan actualmente al menos algunos elementos de CNT y todos los encuestados expresan entusiasmo por participar más. Sin embargo, se identifican ciertas barreras para una participación más completa. Todos los encuestados realizan actualmente al menos algunos elementos de CNT y todos los encuestados expresan entusiasmo por participar más. Sin embargo, se identifican ciertas barreras para una participación más completa. Todos los encuestados realizan actualmente al menos algunos elementos de CNT y todos los encuestados expresan entusiasmo por participar más. Sin embargo, se identifican ciertas barreras para una participación más complet