Work-based and work-related learning in Higher National Certificates and Diplomas in Scotland and Foundation Degrees in England: a comparative study: final report

This final report draws on findings from the four stages of a comparative study of Higher National Certificates/Diplomas (HNC/Ds) in Scotland and Foundation Degrees (FDs) in England that was undertaken jointly by researchers in the Centre for Research in Lifelong Learning (CRLL) at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) and the Open University (OU). The overall study has examined and explored the following issues: the demand drivers and how far they differ in both countries; the differing policy and funding frameworks in place in Scotland and England; the different types of provision which have emerged and the roles of different stakeholders in shaping this provision; the consequences of these models for the experiences of the learners involved; and progression of students into further study or employment

Five- to 7-Year-Olds’ Finger Gnosia and Calculation Abilities

The research examined the relationship between 65 5- to 7-year-olds’ finger gnosia, visuo-spatial working memory, and finger-use in solving single-digit addition problems. Their non-verbal IQ and basic reaction time were also assessed. Previous research has found significant changes in children’s representational abilities between 5 and 7 years. One aim of the research was to determine whether changes in finger representational abilities (finger gnosia) occur across these ages and whether they are associated with finger-use in computation. A second aim was to determine whether visuo-spatial working memory is associated with finger gnosia and computation abilities. We used latent class profile analysis to identify patterns of similarities and differences in finger gnosia and computation/finger-use abilities. The analysis yielded four finger gnosia subgroups that differed in finger representation ability. It also yielded four finger/computation subgroups that differed in the relationship between finger-use and computation success. Analysis revealed associations between computation finger-use/success subgroups, finger gnosia subgroups, and visuo-spatial working memory. A multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that finger gnosia subgroup membership and visuo-spatial working memory uniquely contribute to a model predicting finger-use in computation group membership. The results show that finger gnosia abilities change in the early school years, and that these changes are associated with the ability to use fingers to aid computation

Magnetic Domain Structure of La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 thin-films probed at variable temperature with Scanning Electron Microscopy with Polarization Analysis

The domain configuration of 50 nm thick La0.7SrMnO3 films has been directly investigated using scanning electron microscopy with polarization analysis (SEMPA), with magnetic contrast obtained without the requirement for prior surface preparation. The large scale domain structure reflects a primarily four-fold anisotropy, with a small uniaxial component, consistent with magneto-optic Kerr effect measurements. We also determine the domain transition profile and find it to be in agreement with previous estimates of the domain wall width in this material. The temperature dependence of the image contrast is investigated and compared to superconducting-quantum interference device magnetometry data. A faster decrease in the SEMPA contrast is revealed, which can be explained by the technique's extreme surface sensitivity, allowing us to selectively probe the surface spin polarization which due to the double exchange mechanism exhibits a distinctly different temperature dependence than the bulk magnetization

Really useful qualifications and learning? Exploring the policy effects of new sub-bachelors degree qualifications

The symposium paper addresses the conference theme of the relationship between policy, practice and research by critically examining policy discourse in lifelong learning and the role of research in understanding policy effects. Empirical and theoretical research on the rationale and practice of examples of short cycle HE including sub-bachelors degree level qualifications, such as Higher National Certificates and Diplomas and Foundation Degrees are the focus

Effect of task purpose on the study behaviors and recall of young children

The performance strategies of 5-year-old children required to remember information embedded in a meaningful context was compared with that of children who were simply told to remember the information, or were not told their memory would be assessed. Recall was tested either immediately or after a one-hour delay. Children in the "embedded" groups employed mnemonic strategies more frequently and studied longer before judging learning to be complete than children in other groups, but only children tested immediately recalled more. One hypothesis for the poor retention of children in the "embedded delay" group was that they recognized the difficulty of remembering over an extended interval; this was tested in Study 2 where no mention was made of the retention interval over which children would have to remember. Under these conditions, the performance of the "embedded delay" and the "embedded immediate" groups was equivalent. Overall, children made more effort to learn if they were provided with an explicit purpose for learning

A Paley-Wiener Theorem for All Two and Three-Step Nilpotent Lie Groups.

A Paley-Wiener Theorem for all connected, simply-connected two and three-step nilpotent Lie groups is proved. If f \epsilon \ L\sbsp{c}{\infty}({G}), where G is a connected, simply-connected two or three-step nilpotent Lie group such that the operator-valued Fourier transform $\\varphi(\pi)$ = 0 for all $\pi$ in E, a subset of G of positive Plancherel measure, then it is shown that f = 0 a. e. on G. The proof uses representation-theoretic methods from Kirillov theory for nilpotent Lie groups, and uses an integral formula for the operator-valued Fourier transform $\\varphi(\pi)$. It is also shown by example that the condition that G be simply-connected is necessary