Widening Student Access to Implicit Assessment Criteria Using Recorded Verbal Instructions

A recent exploration of pre-assessment support for students, in light of a persistent awarding gap, has revealed differing preferences for support between White and BAME students [1]. The understanding of assessment criteria is potentially an area where improvements can be implemented to take into account preferences cited by all students. While academic staff offer drop-in sessions and tutorials to help with assessments, traditionally take up is low, particularly among BAME students [2]. One issue related to not accessing academic support is availability and location, with BAME students being more likely to have longer journey times to University and therefore less time to engage in optional face-to-face support activities. [1]. In the current study we produced short films of verbal instructions for students that addressed the implicit assessment criteria used by academics when marking work. These short films were made available to all students in their virtual learning environments, supplementary to traditional written coursework guidelines. The films were designed to mirror a one-to-one advice session, such as might be requested by individual students, and featured staff talking informally to the camera and offering tips for higher marks in assignments based on implicit criteria that academics use when marking. Final module marks were compared for two runs of the same module – one from a previous year in which the films had not been developed and one which used the films as supplementary pre-assessment information. Student focus group suggestions and initial data analyses of assessment marks and the number of times the films were accessed suggest a positive response to this initiative. Future plans include expanding the use of supplementary assessment advice films within all first-year undergraduate modules and possible implementation for second-year modules in time

Featural and holistic processing in facial composite construction: the role of cognitive style and processing sets

When a serious crime has been committed, eyewitnesses may be required to assist a police investigation by constructing a facial composite of the perpetrator of the crime with the help of a police operator. A large body of research has investigated the utility of composite construction systems and the ways in which they are implemented with eyewitnesses. There has been less research conducted on individual differences which might have an impact on the accuracy of facial composites which eyewitnesses produce. The first aim of the research presented within this thesis was to investigate whether individual differences in stable cognitive style have an effect on the accuracy of the facial composites they produce. The second aim of the research was to investigate whether manipulating the temporary cognitive processing state of individuals during face encoding and prior to facial composite construction affects the accuracy of the facial composites they produce. These issues were investigated using two facial composite construction systems currently in widespread use by UK police forces, E-FIT and EFIT-V. Study One investigated, for the first time in the facial composite literature, individual differences in the cognitive style of field dependence/independence (Witkin, Oltman, Raskin & Karp, 1971). Results indicated that field independent individuals produced more accurate composites than field dependent individuals. Study Two investigated individual differences in holistic/analytic cognitive style (Riding & Cheema, 1991). Results indicated that individuals with a holistic cognitive style produced more accurate composites than individuals with an analytic cognitive style. Study Three manipulated the way in which faces were encoded by individuals, and introduced a Navon (1977) task into the composite construction process using E-FIT. Results showed that the Navon task had an effect on the accuracy of the facial composites that individuals produced which was mediated by the way in which the target face had been encoded. Study Four introduced a Navon task prior to composite construction using the EFIT-V system. In addition, the field dependence/independence cognitive style of the participants who created an EFIT-V was measured. Results showed that the Navon task had an effect on the accuracy of the EFIT-V composites that individuals produced, which was mediated both by the way in which the target face was encoded, and by the cognitive style of the individual. Overall, the findings indicated that there is a strong featural cognitive processing element to facial composite construction which is at odds with the way in which faces are processed and represented in memory. Collectively, the results indicate that featural cognitive processing prior to the composite construction process may lead to more accurate facial composites. In addition to this, if an individual does not have a natural featural processing cognitive style, then inducing a featural cognitive processing state may also lead to more accurate facial composites

An integrated psychology virtual research ethics committee

Research and professional ethics are an integral part of every Psychology degree, as this is seen as a key graduate learning outcome for students leaving to become clinicians working with clients and patients. The development of these skills is embedded in teaching, but they culminate in the final year of a degree when final year students must gain formal ethical approval for their final research project. Decision as to the ethical appropriateness of research are made by a Departmental Research Ethics Committee, which considers all research project proposals submitted by staff and students within the department. One of the challenges of this practice is the scale of work involved for committee members (Doyle & Buckley, 2014) who are all faculty members, and the tracking of applications and decisions, alongside the quality assurance required to ensure that all applications are treated fairly and equally. The time involved in performing this work is often underestimated by Universities, and the variety and complexity of decisions requires extensive discussion and negotiation. Traditionally, these decisions are reached by committee discussions, however this presents logistical difficulties as it requires meetings with quorate attendance. The University of Westminster launched a virtual tool in 2014 to facilitate the management of the Research Ethics Committee, to help track the progress of applications and to allow discussions to occur and be managed virtually. The Department of Psychology adopted the tools in September 2014 to deal with all ethics applications. Here we report on how this virtual committee has affected the role and practices of a working committee that deals with over 300 applications per year, and how an online ethics procedure has facilitated an integrated developmental approach to ethical education

The Breast Size Rating Scale: Development and psychometric evaluation

Existing measures of breast size dissatisfaction have poor ecological validity or have not been fully evaluated in terms of psychometric properties. Here, we report on the development of the Breast Size Rating Scale (BSRS), a novel measure of breast size dissatisfaction consisting of 14 computer-generated images varying in breast size alone. Study 1 (N = 107) supported the scale’s construct validity, insofar as participants were able to correctly order the images in terms of breast size. Study 2 (N = 234) provided evidence of the test-retest reliability of BSRS-derived scores after 3 months. Studies 3 (N = 730) and 4 (N = 234) provided evidence of the convergent validity of BSRS-derived breast size dissatisfaction scores, which were significantly associated with a range of measures of body image. The BSRS provides a useful tool for researchers examining women’s breast size dissatisfaction

The malaria parasite cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase plays a central role in blood-stage schizogony

A role for the Plasmodium falciparum cyclic GMP (cGMP)-dependent protein kinase (PfPKG) in gametogenesis in the malaria parasite was elucidated previously. In the present study we examined the role of PfPKG in the asexual blood-stage of the parasite life cycle, the stage that causes malaria pathology. A specific PKG inhibitor (compound 1, a trisubstituted pyrrole) prevented the progression of P. falciparum schizonts through to ring stages in erythrocyte invasion assays. Addition of compound 1 to ring-stage parasites allowed normal development up to 30 h postinvasion, and segmented schizonts were able to form. However, synchronized schizonts treated with compound 1 for ≥6 h became large and dysmorphic and were unable to rupture or liberate merozoites. To conclusively demonstrate that the effect of compound 1 on schizogony was due to its selective action on PfPKG, we utilized genetically manipulated P. falciparum parasites expressing a compound 1-insensitive PfPKG. The mutant parasites were able to complete schizogony in the presence of compound 1 but not in the presence of the broad-spectrum protein kinase inhibitor staurosporine. This shows that PfPKG is the primary target of compound 1 during schizogony and provides direct evidence of a role for PfPKG in this process. Discovery of essential roles for the P. falciparum PKG in both asexual and sexual development demonstrates that cGMP signaling is a key regulator of both of these crucial life cycle phases and defines this molecule as an exciting potential drug target for both therapeutic and transmission blocking action against malaria

The Influence of Storage Duration and Elevation of Storage Temperature on the Development of Berry Split and Berry Abscission in Vitis vinifera L. cv. Thompson Seedless Table Grapes

Thompson Seedless grapes, packed in non-perforated low density polyethylene bags, were cold stored at -0.5°C and RH 83% for 0, 1, 2, 4 and 8 weeks. After storage at -0.5°C for these periods, the grapes were stored for another 2 or 5 days at -0.5°C , or the grapes were transferred and stored at 10°C and RH 88% for 2 or 5 days. The polyliners were kept closed during the different storage periods. Fruit quality examinations were conducted after the specified periods at -0.5°C, and after each additional 2 and 5 days at both temperatures. Berry split increased with prolonged storage at -0.5°C. A linear function (y = 0.58x - 1.14; R2 = 0.97) described this increase in berry split over 61 days storage at -0.5°C. Transferring the grapes from -0.5°C to 10°C resulted in a further increase in berry split.  Grapes stored for 0, 1, 2 and 4 weeks at -0.5°C followed by 5 days at 10°C, showed a significant increase in berry split, compared with grapes stored only at -0.5°C for the same period. Although significant differences in berry abscission occurred, no definite trend was observed that could be ascribed to storage period at -0.5°C or to an elevation in storage temperature from -0.5°C to 10°C

Berry Abscission in Vitis vinifera L. cv. Waltham Cross: Changes in Abscission-related Factors during Berry Development

During the 1999 season, changes in total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acids (TA), pedicel diameter, berry diameter, berry mass and fruit removal force (FRF) were determined at biweekly intervals from 27 until 111 days after full bloom (DAFB) for Waltham Cross table grapes. In addition, at each assessment stage, grape bunches were detached and held in the dark at about 25°C for 80 h. Thereafter, moisture loss, FRF, berry abscission potential as well as percentage berry abscission were determined. During stages I and II of fruit growth (27 to 54 DAFB), TSS did not change significantly, while TA increased. FRF increased significantly during this early stage of berry development, indicating a strengthening of the abscission zone tissue. During stage III (after 54 DAFB), a decline in FRF occurred, which coincided with a perceptible increase in TSS and a decrease in TA.  Berry mass increased significantly from 27 to 111 DAFB. Pedicel diameter only increased significantly for the period 27 to 41 DAFB, while berry diameter increased significantly for the period 27 to 97 DAFB. Grapes sampled at 27 DAFB had a significantly lower FRF and significantly higher levels of berry abscission and moisture loss after the 80-hour period in the dark, compared with grapes sampled at a later stage. At 27 DAFB, the abscission zone developed between the pedicel and the rachis, thereafter it developed between the pedicel and the berry. Although FRF did not change significantly as berries ripened (from 83 to 111 DAFB), abscission potential and percentage berry abscission were significantly higher for grapes harvested at 83 DAFB at a TSS of 12.3°Brix than for grapes harvested more mature, at a higher TSS. Moisture loss correlated significantly (P<0.0001) with berry abscission, with a correlation coefficient of 0.84.  Berry abscission also correlated significantly (P<0.0001) with abscission potential, pedicel and berry diameter, FRF (at sampling), FRF (after 80 h) and berry mass, but not with TSS or TA

After interaction

Interaction turns on the outmoded idea that there is a natural separation between people and things. Technologies have always been about producing dense, interconnected relationships of humans and non-humans. Seeing design as performing expansive networks of relations opens up possibilities beyond the human-computer interactions. The relations go much deeper than any discrete interactions between user and machine. Extensive investigations have also demonstrated how cognitive capacities can extend beyond the individual's mind and into the interactions between people

Metalheads: the influence of personality and individual differences on preference for heavy metal

Previous studies have reported reliable associations between personality and music preferences, but have tended to rely on cross-genre preferences at the expense of preferences within a single subgenre. We sought to overcome this limitation by examining associations between individual differences and preferences for a specific subgenre of music, namely, contemporary heavy metal. A total of 414 individuals from Britain were presented with clips of 10 tracks of contemporary heavy metal and asked to rate each for liking. Participants also completed measures of the Big Five personality traits, attitudes toward authority, self-esteem, need for uniqueness, and religiosity. A multiple regression showed that stronger composite preference for the heavy metal tracks was associated with higher Openness to Experience, more negative attitudes toward authority, lower self-esteem, greater need for uniqueness, and lower religiosity. In addition, men showed a significantly stronger preference for the tracks than women (d = 0.54). These results are discussed in terms of the psychological needs that contemporary heavy metal fills for some individuals

Constraining the role of early land plants in Palaeozoic weathering and global cooling

How the colonization of terrestrial environments by early land plants over 400 Ma influenced rock weathering, the biogeochemical cycling of carbon and phosphorus, and climate in the Palaeozoic is uncertain. Here we show experimentally that mineral weathering by liverworts—an extant lineage of early land plants—partnering arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, like those in 410 Ma-old early land plant fossils, amplified calcium weathering from basalt grains threefold to sevenfold, relative to plant-free controls. Phosphate weathering by mycorrhizal liverworts was amplified 9–13-fold over plant-free controls, compared with fivefold to sevenfold amplification by liverworts lacking fungal symbionts. Etching and trenching of phyllosilicate minerals increased with AM fungal network size and atmospheric CO2 concentration. Integration of grain-scale weathering rates over the depths of liverwort rhizoids and mycelia (0.1 m), or tree roots and mycelia (0.75 m), indicate early land plants with shallow anchorage systems were probably at least 10-fold less effective at enhancing the total weathering flux than later-evolving trees. This work challenges the suggestion that early land plants significantly enhanced total weathering and land-to-ocean fluxes of calcium and phosphorus, which have been proposed as a trigger for transient dramatic atmospheric CO2 sequestration and glaciations in the Ordovician