Supporting ethnographic studies of ubiquitous computing in the wild

Ethnography has become a staple feature of IT research over the last twenty years, shaping our understanding of the social character of computing systems and informing their design in a wide variety of settings. The emergence of ubiquitous computing raises new challenges for ethnography however, distributing interaction across a burgeoning array of small, mobile devices and online environments which exploit invisible sensing systems. Understanding interaction requires ethnographers to reconcile interactions that are, for example, distributed across devices on the street with online interactions in order to assemble coherent understandings of the social character and purchase of ubiquitous computing systems. We draw upon four recent studies to show how ethnographers are replaying system recordings of interaction alongside existing resources such as video recordings to do this and identify key challenges that need to be met to support ethnographic study of ubiquitous computing in the wild

Illusory Rights: The Missouri Approach to Employment Contracts

In Main v. Skaggs Community Hospital, the Southern District of the Missouri Court of Appeals concluded that pursuant to the employment at will doctrine in Missouri, such agreements do not confer contractual rights.This Note explores the history of the Missouri employment at will doctrine and the ramifications of the Main v. Skaggs Community Hospital decision

Student Engagement within Higher Education: An Analysis of Staff and Student’s Opinions beyond Academic Engagement

Higher education and the dynamic environment that it operates within has been well documented, with many factors impacting upon the effectiveness of the sector. At the forefront of such strategic thinking, is how universities interact and engage with their students. This thesis investigates student engagement with the UK higher education sector, focusing on staff and student opinions beyond academic engagement, taking a holistic approach that research has suggested is lacking. Three empirical studies were undertaking to investigate: the role of staff and students within engagement activities; and the benefits and barriers to student engagement. Study one involved a qualitative analysis (n=14) interviewing staff that worked in a UK university and had a role in student engagement. A focus group methodology (n=21) was utilised for study two exploring student opinions of engagement. Study three involved an online questionnaire (n= 1,411) examining student views on advantages and barriers to engagement activity. The results revealed that both staff and students agreed that student engagement resulted in many benefits for the individual, university and society. Staff working in higher education stated that potential barriers to universities engaging with their students included resourcing, issues related to operational, process and systems. Students suggested that the main barriers preventing students engaging at university were: transitioning to university; other commitments; financial constraints; mental health issues; lack of confidence and motivation; learning difficulties; lack of support; cultural differences; class size; difficulty in joining clubs; and staff buy-in. The findings reveal 4 different types of students that are grouped based upon: the type of engagement activity they undertake; the role they perceive of students within engagement; benefits and barriers to engagement. In line with the requirements of a professional doctorate, recommendations have been suggested to aid organisational policy regarding student engagement within higher education

Plasticity in current-driven vortex lattices

We present a theoretical analysis of recent experiments on current-driven vortex dynamics in the Corbino disk geometry. This geometry introduces controlled spatial gradients in the driving force and allows the study of the onset of plasticity and tearing in clean vortex lattices. We describe plastic slip in terms of the stress-driven unbinding of dislocation pairs, which in turn contribute to the relaxation of the shear, yielding a nonlinear response. The steady state density of free dislocations induced by the applied stress is calculated as a function of the applied current and temperature. A criterion for the onset of plasticity at a radial location $r$ in the disk yields a temperature-dependent critical current that is in qualitative agreement with experiments.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figure

Livestock Changes at the Beginning and End of the Roman Period in Britain: Issues of Acculturation, Adaptation and ‘Improvement’

This article reviews aspects of the development of animal husbandry in Roman Britain, focusing in particular on the Iron Age/Roman and Roman/early medieval transitions. By analysing the two chronological extremes of the period of Roman influence in Britain we try to identify the core characteristics of Romano-British husbandry by using case studies, in particular from south-eastern Britain, investigated from the perspective of the butchery and morphometric evidence they provide. Our aim is to demonstrate the great dynamism of Romano-British animal husbandry, with substantial changes in livestock management occurring at the beginning, the end, and during the period under study. It is suggested that such changes are the product of interactions between different cultural and social traditions, which can be associated with indigenous and external influences, but also numerous other causes, ranging from ethnic origins to environmental, geographic, political, and economic factors

Solar energy conversion

If solar energy is to become a practical alternative to fossil fuels, we must have efficient ways to convert photons into electricity, fuel, and heat. The need for better conversion technologies is a driving force behind many recent developments in biology, materials, and especially nanoscience