Instructional Design Learners Make Sense of Theory: A Collaborative Autoethnography

Understanding theory is essential to instructional design (ID) research and practice; however, novice designers struggle to make sense of instructional design theory due to its abstract and complex nature, the inconsistent use of theoretical terms and concepts within literature, and the dissociation of theory from practice. While these challenges are generally understood, little is known about the sensemaking process of learners as they encounter these challenges in pursuit of deeper theoretical understanding. Using a collaborative autoethnographic approach, six ID learners investigated their sensemaking experience within an advanced ID theory course. Autoethnography, a form of qualitative research, focuses on self-reflection “to gain an understanding of society through the unique sense of self” (Chang et al., 2013, p. 18). Collaborative autoethnography, a type of autoethnography, explores anecdotal and personal experiences “collectively and cooperatively within a team of researchers” (p. 21). Using individual and collective reflexive and analytic activities, this inquiry illuminates the numerous sensemaking approaches ID learners commonly used to move beyond their initial, basic theoretical understanding, including deconstructing theory, distinguishing terminology, integrating concepts with previous knowledge, and maintaining an openness to multiple perspectives. Additionally, ID learners experienced significant struggles in this process but viewed these struggles as significant and motivating elements of their sensemaking process. Finally, this study offers implications for learners, instructors, and course designers

Involvement of Caveolin-1 in Repair of DNA Damage through Both Homologous Recombination and Non-Homologous End Joining

Caveolin-1 (Cav-1), the major component of caveolae, is a 21-24 kDa integral membrane protein that interacts with a number of signaling molecules. By acting as a scaffolding protein, Cav-1 plays crucial roles in the regulation of various physiologic and patho-physiologic processes including oncogenic transformation and tumorigenesis, and tumor invasion and metastasis.In the present study we sought to explore the role of Cav-1 in response to DNA damage and the mechanism involved. We found that the level of Cav-1 was up-regulated rapidly in cells treated with ionizing radiation. The up-regulation of Cav-1 following DNA damage occurred only in cells expressing endogenous Cav-1, and was associated with the activation of DNA damage response pathways. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the expression of Cav-1 protected cells against DNA damage through modulating the activities of both the homologous recombination (HR) and non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) repair systems, as evidenced by the inhibitory effects of the Cav-1-targeted siRNA on cell survival, HR frequency, phosphorylation of DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK), and nuclear translocation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) following DNA damage, and by the stimulatory effect of the forced expression of Cav-1 on NHEJ frequency.Our results indicate that Cav-1 may play a critical role in sensing genotoxic stress and in orchestrating the response of cells to DNA damage through regulating the important molecules involved in maintaining genomic integrity

Thickness-dependent magnetic properties in Pt[CoNi]n multilayers with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy

We systematically investigated the Ni and Co thickness-dependent perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) coefficient, magnetic domain structures, and magnetization dynamics of Pt(5 nm)/[Co(t_Co nm)/Ni(t_Ni nm)]5/Pt(1 nm) multilayers by combining the four standard magnetic characterization techniques. The magnetic-related hysteresis loops obtained from the field-dependent magnetization M and anomalous Hall resistivity (AHR) \r{ho}_xy found that the two serial multilayers with t_Co = 0.2 and 0.3 nm have the optimum PMA coefficient K_U well as the highest coercivity H_C at the Ni thickness t_Ni = 0.6 nm. Additionally, the magnetic domain structures obtained by Magneto-optic Kerr effect (MOKE) microscopy also significantly depend on the thickness and K_U of the films. Furthermore, the thickness-dependent linewidth of ferromagnetic resonance is inversely proportional to K_U and H_C, indicating that inhomogeneous magnetic properties dominate the linewidth. However, the intrinsic Gilbert damping constant determined by a linear fitting of frequency-dependent linewidth does not depend on Ni thickness and K_U. Our results could help promote the PMA [Co/Ni] multilayer applications in various spintronic and spin-orbitronic devices.Comment: 17 pages, 4 figure

Open Digital Badges: A Solution to Improve Learning Performance and Facilitate Goal-Setting

This dissertation consists of three journal articles about using open digital badges to improve learning performance and facilitate students’ goal setting processes. In the first study, we investigated the impact of instructional ODBs on pre-service teachers’ perceived technology capabilities and their actual learning performance in a large undergraduate technology integration course. A positive relation between using ODBs and academic learning performance was found in the study. The second study conceptually argued that the use of ODBs can positively impact learning because it helps optimize the effects of goal-setting on learning which then indirectly impacts learning performance. In the third study, we explored college students’ experiences of using ODBs as an innovative approach to facilitate their goal-setting processes in a large undergraduate technology integration course. We found that ODBs could support college students’ goal-setting processes by helping students connect different types of goals, improving goal commitment, controlling task complexity and providing prompt personalized feedback

The transcriptional corepressor SMRTER influences both Notch and ecdysone signaling during Drosophila development

Summary SMRTER (SMRT-related and ecdysone receptor interacting factor) is the Drosophila homologue of the vertebrate proteins SMRT and N-CoR, and forms with them a well-conserved family of transcriptional corepressors. Molecular characterization of SMRT-family proteins in cultured cells has implicated them in a wide range of transcriptional regulatory pathways. However, little is currently known about how this conserved class of transcriptional corepressors regulates the development of particular tissues via specific pathways. In this study, through our characterization of multiple Smrter (Smr) mutant lines, mosaic analysis of a loss-of-function Smr allele, and studies of two independent Smr RNAi fly lines, we report that SMRTER is required for the development of both ovarian follicle cells and the wing. In these two tissues, SMRTER inhibits not only the ecdysone pathway, but also the Notch pathway. We differentiate SMRTER's influence on these two signaling pathways by showing that SMRTER inhibits the Notch pathway, but not the ecdysone pathway, in a spatiotemporally restricted manner. We further confirm the likely involvement of SMRTER in the Notch pathway by demonstrating a direct interaction between SMRTER and Suppressor of Hairless [Su(H)], a DNA-binding transcription factor pivotal in the Notch pathway, and the colocalization of both proteins at many chromosomal regions in salivary glands. Based on our results, we propose that SMRTER regulates the Notch pathway through its association with Su(H), and that overcoming a SMRTER-mediated transcriptional repression barrier may represent a key mechanism used by the Notch pathway to control the precise timing of events and the formation of sharp boundaries between cells in multiple tissues during development

Underground mine gas explosion accidents and prevention techniques – an overview

Mine gas explosions present a serious safety threat in the worldwide coal mining industry. It has been considered the No.1 killer for underground coal mining workers. The formation of an explosive atmosphere involves various factors. Due to complicated stratified geology and the coal production process, geological conditions and coal production process reasons and particular working sections underground present a high risk of an explosion that would most likely cause casualties and property loss. In this study, the basic conditions, propagation law and hazards analysis of gas explosions are reviewed, followed by a review of the typical locations where an explosion would occur. Finally, current technologies used in the mining industry for preventing gas explosions and suppressing the associated dangers were studied. Preventive gas explosion technologies mainly include gas drainage, gas accumulation prevention and gas and fire source monitoring technologies. The technologies often used to control or mitigate gas explosion hazards are usually divided into active and passive, and the advantages and disadvantages of each method are discussed and compared. This paper aims to summarise the latest technologies for controlling and suppressing gas explosion and guides mining engineers to design risk mitigation strategies

Using high level roadway to control gas emission in a longwall mining face – numerical simulation study

With the increase of coal mining depth, the gas content in coal seams could also become larger and larger, which could suddenly cause an inrush of gas into the longwall mining face. It is very dangerous for miners’ safety in the underground. The U-shaped ventilation pattern of longwall mining face that underground coal mines currently use is not enough to deliver sufficient air quantities to dilute gases in mining faces, which could result in the gas concentration over the required celling limit by government laws. Thus, the mine must stop production. In this paper, the high level roadway (HLR) is designed and the U + HLR new ventilation pattern is proposed to control gas emission in a longwall mining face. Using computational fluid dynamics simulation (CFD) software, the flow field and gas transportation in the mine gob are studied. The optimized ventilation parameters are summarized. It is found that the best vertical distance of the HLR is 35 m over the coal seam and the horizontal distance is 25 m from the air return roadway. It is recommended that the negative suction pressure design of the high level roadway should be ranged from 9000 Pa to 10000 Pa. Based on the study outcomes, the gas emission could be well controlled in mining faces and avoid any gas disaster accidents