The call of ‘thinking wild’ in times of climate disaster: indigenous wisdom from Southern Africa

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Facebook : a tool to enhance teaching and learning for postgraduate research students

The popularity of social networking sites has boomed in recent years and the number of registered users continues to increase. Existing literature reports on the vast impact of these online sites not only on numerous areas of everyday life but also on the realm of higher education. In spite of the potential use of these sites as education and communication tools, few academics use them. In the current study, various Facebook elements were introduced to a group of postgraduate research methodology students with the purpose of exploring and describing the ways in which Facebook could be used to enhance learning from a student's perspective. A mixed-methods design was followed in that data were collected using pre- and post-module questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. It was found that the use of Facebook in the postgraduate research course was perceived as beneficial, but the social presence of the students on the page was low. Although the students felt that its use promoted their ability to grasp complex concepts, which is particularly relevant to the research methodology classroom, it was evident that improved student participation on Facebook could only be achieved through required participation and a heightened teaching presence.http://www.journals.co.za/content/journal/newgenam2017Human Resource Managemen

Cross section measurements on 61Cu for proton beam monitoring above 20 MeV

Introduction All experimental studies involving charged particle induced nuclear reactions require a precise knowledge of monitor reactions. A number of well described proton induced monitor reactions exist in the lower energy range [1], which is covered by most medical cyclotrons. Concerning proton energies above 20 MeV, however, the accuracy of the monitor reactions declines as cross section data becomes scarcer. Furthermore, the growing interest in precise determination of projectile energies by comparing of ratios of monitor reaction cross sections demands new measurements and evaluations of known data for high threshold monitor radionuclides. In this work cross section measurements on the formation of 61Cu were done and energy de-pendent radionuclide ratios were calculated. Material and Methods For investigation of the natCu(p,x)61Cu reaction copper foils of natural isotopic composition (Goodfellow Ltd.) were irradiated. The targets were of 10 and 20 μm thickness, having a diameter of 15 mm. Proton bombardments up to 45 MeV incident energy were done in the stacked-foil arrangement at the accelerator JULIC of the Nuclear Physics Institute (IKP) of the Forschungszentrum Jülich. In addition to an internal irradiation possibility the cyclotron is equipped with an external target station which was used for most experiments. It can adapt standard and slanting solid target holders and is equipped with a water cooled four sector collimator and additional helium cooling of the entry foil. Several irradiations were executed. In each stack, besides copper samples, aluminium absorbers and additional nickel monitor foils were also placed, the latter for the determination of the respective beam current. The produced radioactivity of 61Cu was analysed non-destructively using HPGe γ-ray detectors (EG&G Ortec). Results and Conclusion Reaction cross sections of the natCu(p,x)61Cu process up to 45 MeV were measured and com-pared with existing data from the literature (FIG. 2). Except for the data of Williams et al. our results are in good agreement, showing a maxi-mum of about 165 mbarn at 37.5 MeV proton energy. The overall uncertainty of the new cross section data is between 8 and 10 %. In FIG. 3, the excitation functions of the relevant monitor reactions on Cu are shown. In combination with the excitation function of the natCu(p,xn)62Zn reaction, isotope ratios were calculated which can be used for determination of the proton energy within a target stack in the energy range of 22–40 MeV as described by Piel et al. [3]. FIGURE 4 shows the cross section ratio in dependence of the proton energy. Above this energy, 65Zn could be used to generate isotope ratios for energy determination, although the long half-life (T½ = 244.3 d) of that radionuclide may be a problem. Additional cross section measurements are planned in order to further strengthen the data base of this potential monitor reaction. The results of this work shall be evaluated in the framework of an ongoing Coordinated Research Project of the IAEA