Study behaviours in an increasingly digital world: Learning habits, top tips and 'study hacks' questionnaire survey

In response to recent changes in the higher education market, student performance and competitor activity, The Open University has developed strategic objectives around a shift to developing ‘digital by design’ modules and the development of new digital tools to improve student success rates. In order to design effective tools, this initial piece of research was designed to understand more about students’ current study behaviours. The survey was built on a framework with student success at the centre, and generated a great deal of rich, qualitative data about how current distance learning students approach their study. The data was analysed using a thematic analysis, and produced a number of interesting themes. These included a variety of digital personas; priorities when organising study sessions; note-taking methods and reasons for making notes; and boundaries. The practical applications of these findings are some embryonic concepts for new tools and digital spaces for students that encourage the development of successful study behaviours. These concepts are being developed in conjunction with a rigorous research plan

A Survey of the Learning Behaviour of Open University students

This survey forms a crucial part of research completed by the Learning Innovation team to gain a deeper understanding of the underlying study habits and learning behaviour of Open University (OU) students to inform the future development of systems, tools and platforms. This research validates the themes that emerged from the previous report, ‘Study behaviours in an increasingly digital world: Learning habits, top tips and 'study hacks' questionnaire survey’ (Ellis, Gallagher and Peasgood, 2017). Analysis carried out on the data from that survey revealed eight possible learning behaviours that underpinned the student responses. In order to validate those original findings a new survey was designed. This report explains the findings of that survey. The survey consisted of 55 behavioural and attitudinal statements aligned to the learning behaviours, some of which were based upon survey instruments from the literature. Survey statements were written to explore each of these on a five-point scale (‘Very true for me’ to ‘Not at all true for me’) in order to identify the concepts that describe the behaviours and preferences of OU students through a process of Principle Component Analysis (PCA). In addition, the survey included questions to inform the analysis and explore potential confounding factors: accessing OU content, access to the web, and technological self-efficacy. The technological self-efficacy statements were selected from the OU’s Digital Competency Framework for Level 1 students. The survey was peer reviewed and piloted, before being sent to a generalised student population. The overall response rate was 12.7% with 524 valid responses received. Seven clear learning behaviours were identified through PCA, and a cluster analysis of the data was carried out. These learning behaviours are: • Goal-setting • Time • Focus • Note-making • Digital-preferred • Help-seeking • Elaboratio

Logarithmic Operators Fold D branes into AdS_3

We use logarithmic conformal field theory techniques to describe recoil effects in the scattering of two Dirichlet branes in D dimensions. In the particular case that a D1 brane strikes a D3 brane perpendicularly, thereby folding it, we find that the recoil space-time is maximally symmetric, with AdS_3 x E_{D-3} geometry. We comment on the possible applications of this result to the study of transitions between different background metrics.Comment: 10 pages revtex, one eps figure include

Partition of a Team

This research looks at the Northwestern College’s varsity baseball team’s partition. Within the team are two sub-sets, the 15 pitching only players and the rest of the team. Through the interaction and conversation of the players, the structure of practices and attention of the coaches, the two sub-sets team displayed an individualistic mindset of being separate from the other. This research is furthered by Simmel’s concept of Multiple Group-Affiliations. There can be multiple loyalties to sub-groups within the main group, illustrating the loyalties between the pitching group, field players and the rest of the team. Also based on Durkheim’s concept of mechanical solidarity, the pitchers are connected to each other because of the similarity within the members of the group. Although, the team as a whole is an example of organic solidarity. The physical distance between the two groups of the team was apparent. The pitchers often took all their gear and moved to one corner of the field to warm up, then to come together to play scrimmages with the rest of the team. The relational distance is a byproduct of the individualistic needs of the pitchers and during the meetings that happen before and in the middle of practices, the pitchers often leave the main group to have an offside huddle. Although, it was discovered that the team was broken up into two groups, it was found that this was out of necessity for the individualistic needs of the team and did not take away from the emotional support that the players had for each other

Anisotropic nanoparticles from polymer self-assembly and phase separation for biomedical applications

Four types of complex polymeric nanoparticles have been developed and investigated for their use in biomedical applications such as drug delivery, pH sensing and self-propulsion. Each type of nanoparticle was synthesised using a combination of controlled radical polymerisation, polymer self-assembly, polymer phase separation and gold nanoparticle preparation and conjugation. Polymers were characterised using gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and synthesis was optimised to produce monomodal, low dispersity polymers. Assembled nanoparticles were characterised using a range of advanced techniques, including dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Patchy micelles were prepared from the aqueous assembly of pH responsive (poly (oligo(ethylene glycol)methyl ether methacrylate)-b-(2-(diisopropyl amino)ethyl methacrylate)-b-(2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl phosphorylcholine) (POEGMA-PDPA-PMPC) ABC block copolymers and characterised using selective phosphotungstic acid staining, which revealed phase separation in the corona of the micelles. The micelles were confirmed to be biocompatible and exhibited different drug encapsulation and release properties compared to homogenous micelles. Triblock copolymer coated spherical gold nanoparticles were prepared and found to exhibit low protein fouling, good biocompatibility and triggered doxorubicin release. Cell studies revealed they were more effective at killing cancer cells than doxorubicin controls. Triblock copolymer coated anisotropic gold nanoparticles (nanotriangles and nanohelices), were prepared successfully despite challenges relating to the instability of the structures, and the use of these nanoparticles for pH sensing was investigated. Phase separation of various homopolymers on the surface of gold nanoparticles was investigated and characterised with selectively stained TEM. Enzymes were successfully conjugated and self-diffusiophoresis behaviour of these nanoparticles was investigated

IS THERE FAMILY POLICY?

Agricultural and Food Policy,

Does the US Have the Worst Maternal Mortality Rate?

The maternal mortality rate in America is currently very high and is increasing every year. Currently the maternal mortality rate in America is 16.9 deaths for every 100,000 births. America is ranked 138 out of 184 in the worlds maternal mortality rate scale. This is seemingly very high seeing as we are a developed first world country and we have the information to help lower this rate. In this study it will review maternal mortalities rates worldwide and compare maternal practices in other countries to Americas maternal practices. There are many documents and scholarly works on maternal mortality around the world. This study will be going over the studies that review maternal care in America and compare them to the studies done by countries with the lowest maternal mortality rates around the world. Then it will compare and contrast what the other countries are doing right and what America is lacking. The purpose of this study is to showcase this serious problem that seems to be overlooked in America. The fact is that the maternal mortality rate is very high and there is not a conscious effort going on in American healthcare to lower this curve. In this study, it will help to bring some clarity on where our country seems to be lacking and how we could fix. Seeing what is being done correctly in other countries and starting to model our own system after that could be very beneficial to America