Learner success in eLearning : room for improvement-- but how? : an analysis of the problem of retention and completion in an online programme : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education in Adult Education at Massey University

Lack of time to work on their online programme was a more significant barrier for students on an online programme than problems such as cost, access to a computer, computer difficulties, childcare or other family responsibilities, or lack of employer support. A 2004 online survey of 77 students of the online Public Sector Knowledge programme, at Change Training, Wellington, followed up by telephone interviews and a focus group session, showed that 92% of students gave 'lack of time' as the critical factor making it hard to study online, and that even when they had dedicated time to do it, work-based tasks and colleagues took priority over working on their online programme. Findings also showed that allied to the time issue was the evidence that for the majority of students their goal for the programme was not to complete assessments, but to get what they wanted from the learning materials. Without the need to gain the qualification for personal or work reasons, most students chose to bypass the time-consuming summative assessments that constitute a 'completion' and effectively 'drop out'

A versatile and accurate approximation for LRU cache performance

In a 2002 paper, Che and co-authors proposed a simple approach for estimating the hit rates of a cache operating the least recently used (LRU) replacement policy. The approximation proves remarkably accurate and is applicable to quite general distributions of object popularity. This paper provides a mathematical explanation for the success of the approximation, notably in configurations where the intuitive arguments of Che, et al clearly do not apply. The approximation is particularly useful in evaluating the performance of current proposals for an information centric network where other approaches fail due to the very large populations of cacheable objects to be taken into account and to their complex popularity law, resulting from the mix of different content types and the filtering effect induced by the lower layers in a cache hierarchy

Impact of traffic mix on caching performance in a content-centric network

For a realistic traffic mix, we evaluate the hit rates attained in a two-layer cache hierarchy designed to reduce Internet bandwidth requirements. The model identifies four main types of content, web, file sharing, user generated content and video on demand, distinguished in terms of their traffic shares, their population and object sizes and their popularity distributions. Results demonstrate that caching VoD in access routers offers a highly favorable bandwidth memory tradeoff but that the other types of content would likely be more efficiently handled in very large capacity storage devices in the core. Evaluations are based on a simple approximation for LRU cache performance that proves highly accurate in relevant configurations

Upstream traffic capacity of a WDM EPON under online GATE-driven scheduling

Passive optical networks are increasingly used for access to the Internet and it is important to understand the performance of future long-reach, multi-channel variants. In this paper we discuss requirements on the dynamic bandwidth allocation (DBA) algorithm used to manage the upstream resource in a WDM EPON and propose a simple novel DBA algorithm that is considerably more efficient than classical approaches. We demonstrate that the algorithm emulates a multi-server polling system and derive capacity formulas that are valid for general traffic processes. We evaluate delay performance by simulation demonstrating the superiority of the proposed scheduler. The proposed scheduler offers considerable flexibility and is particularly efficient in long-reach access networks where propagation times are high

Suggestions for Introducing Homemaking into Hilliard High School Bay City, Texas

The purpose of this thesis is to construct a suggestive program for homemaking in Hilliard High School at Bay City, Texas. Realizing that the home is the foundation upon which to plan and build for life and society, it is felt that to establish homemaking in the school would be the logical step to take. It is the author\u27s hope that the information found in this thesis may be helpful to teachers adventuring into fields of a similar nature, and that through these ideas other teachers shall be inspired to go into new fields and explore regions that have not yet had any development in homemaking

The Silent Scream

Abstract: The Silent Scream (a memoir) is one woman’s journey across six decades, dealing with physical and mental health conditions. Using vignettes and stream-of-consciousness, the author allows the reader to share lived experiences, demonstrating the interplay between cerebral palsy and childhood trauma. She analyzes 1) language development, 2) the power of biopsychosocial factors to create, intensify, recognize, manage, and mitigate stress, 3) the power of learning to identify and meet needs, and 4) the effectiveness of healthcare delivery and services. She advocates for trauma-informed and life-long learning, ongoing counseling, and increased awareness and proposes that engagement is its own outcome. The memoir adds depth to lifespan care discourse, most specifically for those with a childhood-onset disability, cerebral palsy, and trauma, including insight into unique dynamics faced by military families. The compelling narrative may aid in identifying and meeting complex care needs, developing care models, and contextualizing treatment options and implications. Cerebral Palsy and comorbidities reverberate and have a generational impact. They should be viewed and treated holistically; Communication is vital to stability. Language development and ongoing learning help address needs and fears. Disabled individuals should be assisted in communicating and managing stress, building trusting relationships, and a stable environment

Succession Planning in the Federal Government

Succession planning is a term that refers to the systematic and methodological efforts an organization uses to plan for organizational stability and proficiency. Organizations must provide employees the training, experiences, and knowledge required to assume positions of increased responsibility when those jobs are vacated. Agencies should strive to create a diversified pool of qualified candidates to avoid a talent gap, workforce shortages, or a loss of agency knowledge. Over the past fifteen years, the Federal Government has continued to highlight the need to take a proactive approach to succession planning by first identifying the skill sets needed for critical positions and then developing their future leaders. With a limited number of new employees entering civil service and projected retirements over the next several years, it is essential that agencies quickly prioritize succession planning strategies to train and prepare employees to assume critical acquisition positions, such as the Contracting Officer (CO) role. COs are the only individuals with authority to procure goods and services on the Government’s behalf and therefore occupy positions classified as inherently governmental functions. This research study explored the lack of succession planning at DoN agencies in Southern MD and the impact of the failure to create a multi-generational pipeline of qualified candidates who can compete for CO positions as they are vacated

Intrapartum epidural analgesia and breastfeeding: a prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND Anecdotal reports suggest that the addition of fentanyl (an opioid) to epidural analgesia for women during childbirth results in difficulty establishing breastfeeding. The aim of this paper is to determine any association between epidural analgesia and 1) breastfeeding in the first week postpartum and 2) breastfeeding cessation during the first 24 weeks postpartum. METHODS A prospective cohort study of 1280 women aged > or = 16 years, who gave birth to a single live infant in the Australian Capital Territory in 1997 was conducted. Women completed questionnaires at weeks 1, 8, 16 and 24 postpartum. Breastfeeding information was collected in each of the four surveys and women were categorised as either fully breastfeeding, partially breastfeeding or not breastfeeding at all. Women who had stopped breastfeeding since the previous survey were asked when they stopped. RESULTS In the first week postpartum, 93% of women were either fully or partially breastfeeding their baby and 60% were continuing to breastfeed at 24 weeks. Intrapartum analgesia and type of birth were associated with partial breastfeeding and breastfeeding difficulties in the first postpartum week (p < 0.0001). Analgesia, maternal age and education were associated with breastfeeding cessation in the first 24 weeks (p < 0.0001), with women who had epidurals being more likely to stop breastfeeding than women who used non-pharmacological methods of pain relief (adjusted hazard ratio 2.02, 95% CI 1.53, 2.67). CONCLUSION Women in this cohort who had epidurals were less likely to fully breastfeed their infant in the few days after birth and more likely to stop breastfeeding in the first 24 weeks. Although this relationship may not be causal, it is important that women at higher risk of breastfeeding cessation are provided with adequate breastfeeding assistance and support.Christine Roberts is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia Public Health Practitioner Fellowship and Siranda Torvaldsen is supported by a NHMRC Australian Research Training Fellowship. The cohort study was supported by a project grant from The Canberra Hospital Private Practice Fund. Additional funding was provided by The Canberra Hospital Auxiliary, the Nurses' Board of the Australian Capital Territory, and the Australian Capital Territory Department of Health & Community Care