Recommendations for promoting a performative teaching, learning and research culture in higher education

The twenty-first century is the century of the performative.1 Claire Colebrook (2018) A performative teaching, learning, and research culture can emerge wherever an academic discipline enters into a constructive dialogue with the performing arts. Many challenges of the 21st century (see the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN)2 require creative solutions. Creativity is, however, not yet sufficiently promoted at universities, thus an artistic reorientation in teaching and research is imperative. As early as 2006, at the UNESCO World Congress in Lisbon and again in Seoul in 20103, there were calls to strengthen the role of the arts in education. Implementation of these recommendations has, however, been very limited thus far. Studies in cognitive science show that performative teaching and learning cultivates a deeper understanding of content and improved long-term retention of knowledge.4 In fact, it has been shown that the use of performative teaching and learning approaches leads to more creative, better learning outcomes; students relate more strongly to their studies and drop-out rates decrease. In addition, overall willingness to learn within the university context has been documented, as well as increased complexity and closer connection to practice in higher education, thus affording graduates better job placement opportunities. At the ..

Empfehlungen zur Förderung einer performativen Lehr-, Lern- und Forschungskultur an Hochschulen

The twenty-first century is the century of the performative.1 Claire Colebrook (2018) Eine performative Lehr-, Lern- und Forschungskultur kann überall dort entstehen, wo die Fachwissenschaft bzw. Fachdidaktik in einen konstruktiven Dialog mit den performativen Künsten eintritt. Die Herausforderungen des 21. Jahrhunderts (vgl. die Sustainable Development Goals der UN)2 erfordern kreative Lösungen. Kreativität wird aber bislang an Hochschulen nicht ausreichend gefördert, eine künstlerisch orientierte Neuausrichtung in Lehre und Forschung ist dringend erforderlich. Bereits auf den UNESCO-Weltkongressen Lissabon 2006 und Seoul 20103 wurde dazu aufgerufen, die Rolle der Künste in der Bildung zu stärken. Allerdings hält sich die Umsetzung dieser Empfehlungen bisher sehr in Grenzen. Kognitionswissenschaftliche Studien belegen die tiefere und langfristige Verankerung von Inhalten durch die Verwendung performativer Lehr- und Lernformen4. Sie führen zu besseren und kreativeren Studienergebnissen, die Studierenden identifizieren sich stärker mit ihrem Studium, das allgemeine Engagement innerhalb der Hochschulen steigt, die Abbruchquoten sinken, die universitäre Ausbildung gewinnt an Komplexität und Praxisnähe und die Absolventen und Absolventinnen haben bessere Vermittlungschancen. Auf dem 6. Scenario Forum Symposium am 21. und 22. September 2018 in Hannover unter dem Titel Universitäten auf dem Wege zu einer performativen Lehr-, Lern- und Forschungskultur? verständigten sich die teilnehmenden Hochschullehrenden darüber, was unter einer performativen Lehr-, ..

Search for pair-produced resonances decaying to quark pairs in proton-proton collisions at root s=13 TeV

A general search for the pair production of resonances, each decaying to two quarks, is reported. The search is conducted separately for heavier resonances (masses above 400 GeV), where each of the four final-state quarks generates a hadronic jet resulting in a four-jet signature, and for lighter resonances (masses between 80 and 400 GeV), where the pair of quarks from each resonance is collimated and reconstructed as a single jet resulting in a two-jet signature. In addition, a b-tagged selection is applied to target resonances with a bottom quark in the final state. The analysis uses data collected with the CMS detector at the CERN LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb(-1), from proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. The mass spectra are analyzed for the presence of new resonances, and are found to be consistent with standard model expectations. The results are interpreted in the framework of R-parity-violating supersymmetry assuming the pair production of scalar top quarks decaying via the hadronic coupling lambda ''(312) or lambda ''(323) and upper limits on the cross section as a function of the top squark mass are set. These results probe a wider range of masses than previously explored at the LHC, and extend the top squark mass limits in the (t) over tilde -> qq' scenario.Peer reviewe

Cross-Linked Hydrogels Formed through Diels–Alder Coupling of Furan- and Maleimide-Modified Poly(methyl vinyl ether-<i>alt</i>-maleic acid)

The Diels–Alder [4 + 2] cycloaddition between furan- and maleimide-functional polyanions was used to form cross-linked synthetic polymer hydrogels. Poly­(methyl vinyl ether-<i>alt</i>-maleic anhydride) was reacted with furfurylamine or <i>N</i>-(2-aminoethyl)­maleimide in acetonitrile to form pairs of furan- and maleimide-functionalized poly­(methyl vinyl ether-<i>alt</i>-maleic acid)­s. Mixtures of these mutually reactive polyanions in water gelled within 15 min to 18 h, depending on degree of functionalization and polymer concentrations. Solution and magic-angle spinning ¹H NMR were used to confirm the formation of the Diels–Alder adduct, to analyze competing hydrolytic side reactions, and demonstrate postgelation functionalization. The effect of the degree of furan and maleimide functionalization, polymer concentration, pH, and calcium ion concentration, on gelation time, gel mechanical properties, and equilibrium swelling, are described. Release of dextran as a model drug was studied using fluorescence spectroscopy, as a function of gel composition and calcium treatment

Amino Acids in the Bacillus subtilis Morphogenetic Protein SpoIVA with Roles in Spore Coat and Cortex Formation

Bacterial spores are protected from the environment by a proteinaceous coat and a layer of specialized peptidoglycan called the cortex. In Bacillus subtilis, the attachment of the coat to the spore surface and the synthesis of the cortex both depend on the spore protein SpoIVA. To identify functionally important amino acids of SpoIVA, we generated and characterized strains bearing random point mutations of spoIVA that result in defects in coat and cortex formation. One mutant resembles the null mutant, as sporulating cells of this strain lack the cortex and the coat forms a swirl in the surrounding cytoplasm instead of a shell around the spore. We identified a second class of six mutants with a partial defect in spore assembly. In sporulating cells of these strains, we frequently observed swirls of mislocalized coat in addition to a coat surrounding the spore, in the same cell. Using immunofluorescence microscopy, we found that in two of these mutants, SpoIVA fails to localize to the spore, whereas in the remaining strains, localization is largely normal. These mutations identify amino acids involved in targeting of SpoIVA to the spore and in attachment of the coat. We also isolated a large set of mutants producing spores that are unable to maintain the dehydrated state. Analysis of one mutant in this class suggests that spores of this strain accumulate reduced levels of peptidoglycan with an altered structure

Charge-Shifting Polycations with Tunable Rates of Hydrolysis: Effect of Backbone Substituents on Poly[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl acrylates]

While polycations based on 2-(dimethylamino)­ethyl methacrylate and 2-(dimethylamino)­ethyl acrylate are used in applications ranging from biomaterials to wastewater treatment, few studies have considered the remarkable differences in the hydrolytic stabilities of the respective ester groups. Here, we describe how the nature of nonmethyl α-substituents affect the rates of ester hydrolysis of such polymers, with an emphasis on the resulting shift of net polymer charge from cationic toward anionic. We introduce 2-(dimethylamino)­ethyl 2-hydroxymethyl acrylate (DHMA) as a new, very hydrolytically labile, cationic monomer that can be used to form homopolymers as well as a means to tune copolymer hydrolysis. DHMA synthesis and free radical polymerization are described, including reactivity ratios for hydroxyl-protected derivatives of DHMA and 2-(dimethylamino)­ethyl acrylate (DMAEA). Hydrolyses of PDHMA, P­[DHMA-<i>co</i>-DMAEA], PDMAEA, and PDMAEMA in pH 5 and 7 buffer are reported. The presence of the hydroxymethyl α-substituent in PDHMA led to rates of hydrolysis 2–3 orders of magnitude faster than the already rapid hydrolysis of PDMAEA. Furthermore, hydrolysis rates of P­[DHMA-<i>co</i>-DMAEA] copolymers were shown to increase as the DHMA mole fraction increased. As a result, a new route to adjusting the charge-shifting rates of such polycations in aqueous media is described

Tunable Hydrogel Thin Films from Reactive Synthetic Polymers as Potential Two-Dimensional Cell Scaffolds

This article describes the formation of cross-linked 10–200-nm-thick polymer hydrogel films by alternating the spin-coating of two mutually reactive polymers from organic solutions, followed by hydrolysis of the resulting multilayer film in aqueous buffer. Poly­(methyl vinyl ether-<i>alt</i>-maleic anhydride) (PMM) was deposited from acetonitrile solution, and poly­(<i>N</i>-3-aminopropylmethacrylamide-<i>co</i>-<i>N</i>-2-hydroxypropylmethacrylamide) (PAPM<i>_x</i>, where <i>x</i> corresponds to the 3-aminopropylmethacrylamide content ranging from 10 to 100%) was deposited from methanol. Multilayer films were formed in up to 20 deposition cycles. The films cross-linked during formation by reaction between the amine groups of PAPM<i>_x</i> and the anhydride groups of PMM. The resulting multilayer films were covalently postfunctionalized by exposure to fluoresceinamine, decylamine, d-glucamine, or fluorescently labeled PAPM<i>_x</i> solutions prior to the hydrolysis of residual anhydride in aqueous PBS buffer. This allowed tuning the hydrophobicity of the film to give static water contact angles ranging from about 5 to 90°. Increasing the APM content in PAPM<i>_x</i> from 10 to 100% led to apparent Young’s moduli from 300 to 700 kPa while retaining sufficient anhydride groups to allow postfunctionalization of the films. This allowed the resulting (PMM/PAPM<i>_x</i>) multilayer films to be turned into adhesion-promoting or antifouling surfaces for C2C12 mouse myoblasts and MCF 10A premalignant human mammary epithelial cells

Synthesis and Characterization of Nonsubstituted and Substituted Proton-Conducting La_6–<i>x</i>WO_{12–<i>y</i>}

Mixed proton–electron conductors (MPEC) can be used as gas separation membranes to extract hydrogen from a gas stream, for example, in a power plant. From the different MPEC, the ceramic material lanthanum tungstate presents an important mixed protonic–electronic conductivity. Lanthanum tungstate La_6–<i>x</i>WO_{12–<i>y</i>} (with <i>y</i> = 1.5<i>x</i> + δ and <i>x</i> = 0.5–0.8) compounds were prepared with La/W ratios between 4.8 and 6.0 and sintered at temperatures between 1300 and 1500 °C in order to study the dependence of the single-phase formation region on the La/W ratio and temperature. Furthermore, compounds substituted in the La or W position were prepared. Ce, Nd, Tb, and Y were used for partial substitution at the La site, while Ir, Re, and Mo were applied for W substitution. All substituents were applied in different concentrations. The electrical conductivity of nonsubstituted La_6–<i>x</i>WO_{12–<i>y</i>} and for all substituted La_6–<i>x</i>WO_{12–<i>y</i>} compounds was measured in the temperature range of 400–900 °C in wet (2.5% H₂O) and dry mixtures of 4% H₂ in Ar. The greatest improvement in the electrical characteristics was found in the case of 20 mol % substitution with both Re and Mo. After treatment in 100% H₂ at 800 °C, the compounds remained unchanged as confirmed with XRD, Raman, and SEM

Pt/Sn Intermetallic, Core/Shell and Alloy Nanoparticles: Colloidal Synthesis and Structural Control

For the first time, shape-controlled Pt₃Sn, PtSn, and PtSn₂ intermetallic nanocrystals were synthesized in octadecene (ODE) by a versatile hot-injection method with 1,2-hexadecanediol (HDD) as the reducing agent. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurements reveal that the metal composition has an influence on the particle morphology: with the increase in the Sn content, the Pt/Sn nanoparticles obtained by the hot-injection synthesis show flower-like, irregular faceted, cubic/tetrahedral, hexagonal, and spherical/nanowire structures. A facile phase-transfer preparative procedure for the synthesis of Pt/Sn core/shell nanoparticles was also developed, in which ligand-free Pt nanoparticles were used as precursors. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements confirm a Pt-core/Sn-shell structure. The surface characteristic of the Pt/Sn core/shell nanoparticles was also investigated by IR spectroscopy of CO adsorption experiments (i.e., with a highly surface sensitive technique). These experiments reveal a few Pt atoms to be left on the surface as adsorption sites for CO. However, the intensity of the corresponding infrared (IR) bands is almost negligible. Furthermore, Pt/Sn random-alloy nanoparticles with different metal compositions and particle sizes were synthesized in this work by heating-up methods. Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) and XRD analyses show different alloying extent of Sn with Pt