1,391 research outputs found
State of the community service sector in NSW 2015
Based on survey data collected from leaders of 513 organisations, the report provides rich information about sector capacity, sustainability, and engagement with government. It shows the sector\u27s strengths as a collaborative, diverse and feminised industry. It also shows leaders\u27 perspectives on the challenges facing the sector. These include adapting to policy change and meeting social need at a time that many organisations are affected by funding loss, funding inadequacy, and funding insecurity.  
Pre-asymptotic corrections to fractional diffusion equations
The motion of contaminant particles through complex environments such as
fractured rocks or porous sediments is often characterized by anomalous
diffusion: the spread of the transported quantity is found to grow sublinearly
in time due to the presence of obstacles which hinder particle migration. The
asymptotic behavior of these systems is usually well described by fractional
diffusion, which provides an elegant and unified framework for modeling
anomalous transport. We show that pre-asymptotic corrections to fractional
diffusion might become relevant, depending on the microscopic dynamics of the
particles. To incorporate these effects, we derive a modified transport
equation and validate its effectiveness by a Monte Carlo simulation.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figure
A continuous time random walk model of transport in variably saturated heterogeneous porous media
We propose a unified physical framework for transport in variably saturated
porous media. This approach allows fluid flow and solute migration to be
treated as ensemble averages of fluid and solute particles, respectively. We
consider the cases of homogeneous and heterogeneous porous materials. Within a
fractal mobile-immobile (MIM) continuous time random walk framework, the
heterogeneity will be characterized by algebraically decaying particle
retention-times. We derive the corresponding (nonlinear) continuum limit
partial differential equations and we compare their solutions to Monte Carlo
simulation results. The proposed methodology is fairly general and can be used
to track fluid and solutes particles trajectories, for a variety of initial and
boundary conditions.Comment: 12 pages, 9 figure
Assessment in Maltese Physical Education: an insight on assessment practices in early secondary years
Purpose: The purpose of this research project, therefore, was to pursue this line of inquiry by exploring the nature, range and efficacy of assessment practices in physical education in the Maltese context. More specifically, the following research questions were addressed: (i) what are PE teachersâ understandings of the notion of assessment and assessment policies in Malta? , (ii) what assessment practices / approaches do PE teachers employ and why? , and (iii) what barriers do PE teachers encounter that hinder their assessment practices?
Methods: The study was conducted in two phases. The first phase focused on examining PE teachersâ perceptions and practices about assessment. A total of eight PE teachers agreed to participate in the first phase the study. The primary data collection tool was semi-structured interviews supplemented with lesson observations for the purposes of triangulation. Results from phase one informed the development of a national teacher survey (phase two). This was designed to explore teachersâ perceptions and understanding of the purpose and application of assessment on a larger scale. Important questions around teachersâ experiences and views on their initial teacher education and professional development opportunities in relation to assessment were also posed. The survey was distributed to all secondary PE teachers employed in state and church schools nationwide, and returned by 90, which represents a 71% response rate.
Results: In this study, teachers seemed to share very similar ideas on the multi-dimensional nature of physical education â i.e. they identified four domains in terms of what the focus and purpose of PE should be. This seemed to transpose onto assessment as assessment was overall understood to be used to assess not only the physical dimension by most teachers. It was also evident that the extent of the teacherâs experience (i.e. years in the profession) has a direct impact in the mode of assessment of certain domains. Some concerns on the effectiveness of the current assessment policies and practices were highlighted, including questions about the nature and quality of teacher preparation to be able to assess in effective and meaningful way. However, even though teachers reported following similar syllabi, appeared to share most overall common perceptions about the importance and mode of assessment, including its potential to affect student motivation, , the way they conduct assessment seems to vary. Finally, teachers also expressed some concern regarding the current assessmentsâ focus on performance rather than progress vis-Ă -vis national policies.
Conclusions: Results reported in this thesis suggest that there are a number of important areas which need to be addressed. Firstly, it is important that PE teachers are aware of and acknowledge the existence of a wide range of assessment processes and procedures, including summative and formative assessments. It is particularly important that they share a more in-depth understanding of the importance and complexity of AfL. To address this, emphasis should be placed on the content and quality of initial teacher education and CPD as it appears that they currently neglect this important aspect of teaching and learning
L-iskrittura mqaddsa u kif inhi mnebbha mn-Alla
L-awtur jagħtina xi informazzjoni dwar l-iskrittura mqaddsa u kif kienet imnebbħa minn Alla.peer-reviewe
On developing a solvency framework for bookmakers
The betting industry has grown significantly but there have been no developments in creating a regulatory framework akin to the EU Solvency and Capital Requirement Directives in the Financial Services. This work derives a modular method to calculate the profit and variance of a portfolio of wagers placed with a bookmaker by subdividing these into bundles according to their likelihood size. This calls for improved risk manage-ment and regulatory set-ups similar to those of the financial services industry, which should include a minimum capital requirement for bookmakers to accept a particular number of bets â âA passport for taking risks.âpeer-reviewe
A case of a large, painless retroperitoneal mass causing hydronephrosis and biliary obstruction
A 56-year-old man presented with abdominal distention over a few months. He was otherwise well
and routine blood tests were normal. Examination
of the abdomen revealed a firm swelling. CT scan
was performed for further evaluation.peer-reviewe
âMnâ : transgressive âPenelopeâ
This paper will explore notions of female agency and assertiveness in the final chapter (âPenelopeâ) of James Joyceâs 1922 modernist novel Ulysses. It will attempt to demonstrate how Molly Bloom transgresses traditional and expected norms of behaviour and thought for a woman living in the early 20th century. I will argue that Molly is in some ways an androgynous figure and that she approximates the male sensibility to a degree. Additionally, the study will illustrate in brief how she challenges womenâs marginality in a male-dominated society and how unapologetic she is, and whether this is related to her sexual agency or otherwise. I will also be making brief references to other chapters, in relation to Leopold Bloom particularly, for comparative purposes. I also intend to explore âPenelopeâ in relation to the obscenity trial of Ulysses and how this might have conditioned its reception by readers. Finally, I will also attempt to suggest that the closing chapter of Ulysses is far less transgressive than might have initially been previously asserted.peer-reviewe
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