Massively multiplayer online roleplay games for learning

This chapter explores whether massively multiplayer online role-play games (MMORPGs) can be usedeffectively to support learning and training communities. The chapter aims to propose that cross-disciplinaryapproaches to the study of game-based learning are needed to support better synthesis ofour current understanding of the effectiveness of learning with games. The chapter therefore includesa brief literature review of online gaming research to date, taken from psychological and educationalresearch perspectives. The chapter explores the main types of online games and highlights the mainthemes of research undertaken through a consideration of the use of online gaming in current learningand training contexts where online gaming is being used to support experiential and discovery learningapproaches. This chapter indicates future directions for cross-disciplinary research approaches in thisfield and considers how collaborative learning could best be supported through this approach

Networking strategies in streptomyces coelicolor

We are interested the soil dwelling bacteria Streptomyces coelicolor because its cells grow end to end in a line. New branches have the potential to extend from any point along this line and the result is a network of branches and connections. This is a novel form of colonisation in the bacterial world and it is advantageous for spreading through an environment resourcefully. Networking protocols for communication technologies have similar pressures to be resourceful in terms of time, computing power, and energy. In this preliminary investigation we design a computer model of the biological system to understand its limitations and strategies for survival. The decentralised capacity for organisation of both the bacterial system and the model reflects well on the now-popular conventions for path finding and ad hoc network building in human technologies. The project will ultimately become a comparison of strategies between nature and the man-made

World Peace and Gender Equality: Addressing UN Security Council Resolution 1325’s Weaknesses

The year 2020 marks the twentieth anniversary of the passage of United Nations Security Council Resolution (“UNSCR”) 1325, the most important moment in the United Nations’ efforts to achieve world peace through gender equality. Over the past several decades, the international community has strengthened its focus on gender, including the relationship between gender and international peace and security. National governments and the United Nations have taken historic steps to elevate the role of women in governance and peacebuilding. The passage of UNSCR 1325 in 2000 foreshadowed what many hoped would be a transformational shift in international law and politics. However, the promise of gender equality has gone largely unrealized, despite the uncontroverted connection between treatment of women and the peacefulness of a nation. This Article argues for the first time that to achieve international peace and security through gender equality, the United Nations Security Council should transition its approach from making recommendations and suggestions to issuing mandatory requirements under Chapter VII of the U.N. Charter. If the Security Council and the international community believe gender equality is the best indicator of sustainable peace, then the Security Council could make a finding under Article 39 with respect to ‘a threat to the peace’—States who continue to mistreat women and girls pose a threat to international peace and security. Such a finding would trigger the Security Council’s mandatory authority to direct States to take specific actions. In exercising its mandatory authority, the Security Council should organize, support, and train grassroots organizations and require States to do the same. It should further require States to produce a reviewable National Action Plan, detailing how each State will implement its responsibilities to achieve gender equality. The Security Council should also provide culturally sensitive oversight on domestic laws which may act as a restraint on true gender equality

Research-to-Practice Brief: Using Labor Market Projections for Successful Transition Planning

Employment rates and post-school transition outcomes for individuals with disabilities remain alarmingly low compared to peers without disabilities. Transition plans often focus on skills associated with employment opportunities that are immediately available to the individual with a disability. We contend that transition plans must be developed with specific attention to projected labor market needs to ensure that we are preparing students with disabilities for long-term success. This research brief describes how the results of an in-depth labor market analysis can be used to develop strong transition plans that prepare students for careers that will last far into the future

Experimental Validation of the Structural Integrity of Modular Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine Blades

The production, transportation and repair of long horizontal axis wind turbine blades measuring up to 85 m require expensive specialist machinery that increases the capital cost of wind power generation. A modular blade design is a potential solution to these problems however; the inclusion of joints could make the modular blades inherently weaker. This work investigates the effect of post-tensioned tendons on the structural integrity of modular blades, through cantilever deflection and tensile tests conducted on 3D printed small-scale prototypes. The experiment indicates 43% and 15.4% reduction in blade tip displacement and deflection caused by cyclic loading, respectively, in case of modular design with tendons compared to without tendons design

Looking Back at Malaysia’s GE2008: An Internet Election and Its Democratic Aftermath

Prior to 2008, alternative news sources were already established and exerted influence on the political process. They broadened the variety of topics reported, increased informed participation in political culture and presented political alternatives. However, after Malaysia’s 12th general election in 2008, the Internet emerged as a major new player in the socio-political landscape. The impact of the Internet, in particular the influence of the Independent News Portal (INP), malaysiakini.com, was seen as being partly responsible for changes in Malaysia’s political landscape. Thereafter, the Internet’s role as ‘an agent of political change’ became the subject of much debate and controversy in Malaysia. The question of the Internet’s influence is especially relevant given that alternative media sources were predicted to exert an even greater impact on the 2013 general election (GE2013). This article explores the influence of alternative news sources and examines the concept of the ‘Internet election’ with reference to two international examples. It contextualises public debate about the issues and controversies of the 2008 election coverage, and its aftermath, through the perspective of local media practitioners and election observers. The findings are revealing of the distinctive impact of Malaysia’s independent online news sources. The article argues that the democratisation of information has the potential to encourage new forms of democratic participation and to have a significant impact on political culture

The effect of the emotional intelligence education programme on quality of life in haemodialysis patients

Author's accepted version (post-print).Available from 18/10/2018.acceptedVersio

Paediatric Psychology Network United Kingdom (PPN-UK): From Inception to the Current Day

This topical review aims to provide an overview of how a pediatric psychology network has affected pediatric psychology in the United Kingdom over the past 2 decades. Past and present Paediatric Psychology Network United Kingdom (PPN-UK) committee members reviewed documentation related to the work of the PPN-UK. From early beginnings to the current day, an outline is provided of how a professional network for psychologists working in pediatrics developed in the U.K. With a strategic aim to promote the development of pediatric psychology practice, descriptions are given of how the PPN-UK achieves this through the provision and support of continuing professional development and membership of pediatric psychology special interest groups. For this global special issue, an explanation of the U.K. training route for clinical psychologists is also outlined. Being child and family centered, the PPN-UK promotes the psychological and emotional well-being of children with physical health needs. Examples are provided of how the PPN-UK has influenced pediatric psychology service provision, policy, and practice to promote integrated health care for children and young people by sharing pediatric psychology knowledge and the evidence base. Finally, consideration is given to how the PPN-UK is going beyond national strategic influence to develop international links. The PPN-UK is an established network that has made significant contributions to the profession for the ultimate benefit of children, young people, and their families