A GRID-BASED E-LEARNING MODEL FOR OPEN UNIVERSITIES

E-learning has grown to become a widely accepted method of learning all over the world. As a result, many e-learning platforms which have been developed based on varying technologies were faced with some limitations ranging from storage capability, computing power, to availability or access to the learning support infrastructures. This has brought about the need to develop ways to effectively manage and share the limited resources available in the e-learning platform. Grid computing technology has the capability to enhance the quality of pedagogy on the e-learning platform. In this paper we propose a Grid-based e-learning model for Open Universities. An attribute of such universities is the setting up of multiple remotely located campuses within a country. The grid-based e-learning model presented in this work possesses the attributes of an elegant architectural framework that will facilitate efficient use of available e-learning resources and cost reduction, leading to general improvement of the overall quality of the operations of open universities

Corporate Social Responsibility in Supply Chains of Global Brands: A Boundaryless Responsibility? Clarifications, exceptions and implications

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is increasingly becoming a popular business concept in developed economies. As typical of other business concepts, it is on its way to globalization through practices and structures of the globalized capitalist world order, typified in Multinational Corporations (MNCs). However, CSR often sits uncomfortably in this capitalist world order, as MNCs are often challenged by the global reach of their supply chains and the possible irresponsible practices inherent along these chains. The possibility of irresponsible practices puts global firms under pressure to protect their brands even if it means assuming responsibilities for the practices of their suppliers. Pressure groups understand this burden on firms and try to take advantage of the situation. This paper seeks to challenge the often taken-for-granted-assumption that firms should be accountable for the practices of their suppliers by espousing the moral (and sometimes legal) underpinnings of the concept of responsibility. Except where corporate control and or corporate grouping exist, it identifies the use of power as a critical factor to be considered in allocating responsibility in firm-supplier relationship; and suggests that the more powerful in this relationship has a responsibility to exert some moral influence on the weaker party. The paper highlights the use of code of conducts, corporate culture, anti-pressure group campaigns, personnel training and value reorientation as possible sources of wielding positive moral influence along supply chains

CAES: A Model of an RBR-CBR Course Advisory Expert System

Academic student advising is a gargantuan task that places heavy demand on the time, emotions and mental resources of the academic advisor. It is also a mission critical and very delicate task that must be handled with impeccable expertise and precision else the future of the intended student beneficiary may be jeopardized due to poor advising. One integral aspect of student academic advising is course registration, where students make decisions on the choice of courses to take in specific semesters based on their current academic standing. In this paper, we give the description of the design, implementation and trial evaluation of the Course Advisory Expert System (CAES) which is a hybrid of a rule based reasoning (RBR) and case based reasoning (CBR). The RBR component was implemented using JESS. The result of the trial experiment revealed that the system has high performance/user satisfaction rating from the sample expert population conducted

African Union and Public Health Crises in a Regional Legal Order

In the context of responses to the Covid-19 pandemic, the paper examines the African regional regime for public health crises and disasters. Using the combined analytic lenses of Capability Approach, Institutional Theory, Constructivism, New Regionalism Approach and Actor Network Theory, it focuses on the opportunities offered by, and limitations of, the African Union legal order

Neighborhood-Level Predictors and Obesity Among African-American Children

The steady raise in childhood obesity is a major public health problem nationally and globally. Childhood obesity is primarily caused by an imbalance between caloric intake and caloric expenditure. The increase in childhood obesity rates over the past 3 decades suggested involvement of environmental and behavioral factors in the obesity epidemic. While childhood obesity is considered a public health crisis in the United States, only limited research is available about the potential impact of neighborhood-level factors such as access to healthy food, neighborhood safety, and risk-free outdoor playgrounds. The purpose of this study was to examine if any relationships existed between childhood obesity and type of diet, level of physical activity, and neighborhood-level risk factors and childhood obesity. This study accessed the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) 2009-2014 data sets. Chi-square tests and multivariate logistic regression were used to evaluate the associations between independent and dependent variables. The Wald test was used to assess the effects of each individual predictor, while adjusting for other predictors. The findings of this study showed no significant associations between childhood obesity and neighborhood safety; parental educational level; presence of parks, playgrounds, or open spaces; neighborhood walkability; neighborhood safety and support; and gender. Low physical activity levels, however were a significant risk factor for increase obesity. This study may lead to positive social change, enhancing individual lives and whole communities, by drawing the awareness of public health officials and policy makers to the importance of neighborhood factors associated with high body mass index

Studies on the ecology and biology of Culex pipiens L. and Culex torrentium Martini (Diptera: Culicidae) in Britain

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Neighborhood-Level Predictors of Obesity Among African American Children in California

The increased prevalence of childhood obesity is a major public health concern nationally and globally. Childhood obesity is primarily caused by the imbalance between caloric intake and caloric expenditure; however, its increase over the past decades may be due to environmental and behavioral factors. The purpose of the current study was to examine if any relationships existed between childhood obesity, level of physical activity, and neighborhood-level risk factors. This study used the California Health Interview Survey 2009–2014 data sets for African American children aged 5–11 years (n = 1,049). The dependent variable was body mass index (BMI) while the predictors included physical activity, neighborhood, walkability, support, safety, and the presence of parks. Potential confounds were gender and parental education level. Chi-square tests were used to evaluate the associations between BMI and age, educational attainment, neighborhood walkability, physical activity, built environment, neighborhood support, and neighborhood safety. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between BMI and physical activity; parental educational level; presence of parks, playground, or open spaces; neighborhood walkability; neighborhood safety; neighborhood support; and gender while adjusting for other known risk factors. Low physical activity levels were a significant risk factor for increased obesity. No associations were discovered between childhood obesity and neighborhood safety; parental educational level; presence of parks, playgrounds, or open spaces; neighborhood walkability; neighborhood safety; neighborhood support; and gender. This study reinforces the relationship between environmental policy and physical activity

Blackamoores: Africans in Tudor England, their presence, status and origins

The book Blackamoores Africans in Tudor England: Their Presence Status and Origins is now the leading book on this subject. It kick-started a campaign to include Black Tudors in the curriculum and has now gained over five thousand signatures. This book in conjunction with the Blackamoores International Book Tour helped Narrative Eye win the Haringey Diversity Award for 2014. This book is now used as a teaching and reference tool worldwide in a range of Universities and teaching institutions and its finding have been referenced by historians and other academics internationally. The article contained in this document supports the findings of this book and is about whether Englishmen believed that Africans in Tudor England were cursed black as a result of the Curse of Ham. Blackamoores contains original research conducted over twenty-three years. Some of that period was spent doing research at Middlesex University. This book is revised and different from that initial research as this was mostly concerned with an African presence in Tudor England. Blackamoores is about the status and origins of Africans in Tudor England and for the first time draws on evidence from an African presence in Stuart England. This evidence has not been made available to the public before and it is the first time that it has been used to examine the status and origins of Africans in Tudor England. I have found Africans in cities and towns such a Hertford, London, Plymouth, Bristol and Northampton, Norwich. I have proved in this book that Africans did not automatically occupy the lowest positions in Tudor society. This book shows that Africans in Tudor England were not all slaves, or transient immigrants who were considered as dangerous strangers and the epitome of otherness. Blackamoores also reveals that some Africans in England had important occupations in Tudor society, and were employed by powerful people because of the skills they possessed. These people inherited some of their skills from the multicultural societies that they came from. I show that some Africans in England were born in other countries. This is the first time that this kind of tracing has been done in a systematic and detailed way on this population. I also prove that Africans were not all foreign and that most were integrated members of their local parishes. The arguments in the book Blackamoores and this article are supported by evidence from a variety of sources both manuscript and printed, most of which has never been seen before whilst other evidence is discussed within a new context

Health research in Africa: Are we communicating our findings to relevant stakeholders?

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Police Beats and City Streets: An Examination of Black American and Latinx Youth Interactions with and Perceptions of Police

Existing research on issues of race and police suggest that Black Americans and Latinx youth tend to have more negative experiences with, and views of, police than individuals from other ethnoracial groups. This finding is even more robust among Black American and Latinx youth, notably those living in low-income and high crime communities. The victimization and constant burden such perceptions of police and police interactions have on Black American youth can potentially cause psychological damage. When coupled with repeated exposure to social, economic, and racially-related stressors, the former may result in greater adverse psychological outcomes. However, resilience factors such as neighborhood context and ethnic identity may buffer the relationship. This thesis aimed to qualitatively and quantitatively identify the impact perceptions of police and police interactions may pose on internalizing symptoms for 81 Black American and Latinx youth, moderated by neighborhood context, ethnic identity membership, and gender. Unexpectedly, neutral to positive experiences with police significantly predicted higher levels of internalizing symptoms than neutral to negative experiences with police, with youth quantitatively equally reporting positive, neutral, and negative attitudes of police. Qualitative data, on the other hand, offered a more nuanced view of youth/police interactions. When asked open-endedly, youth reported more negative encounters with police than positive and neutral encounters. This inconsistency between youth attitudes of police and the reality of youth/police interactions, suggests potential desensitization of negative police encounters by urban youth of color. These findings have implications for a greater understanding of the extent to which police interactions impact youth psychosocial outcomes