Information literacy and its relationship to knowledge management

This paper explores the perceived commonalities between information literacy (IL) and knowledge management (KM) and the different contexts in which the two areas of theory and practice manifest themselves. It approaches the study in terms of, first, the widespread interest in KM within the Library and Information Services (LIS) community; second, the belief, supported by research into workplace IL, that IL and the fostering of an information literate workforce are key components in any KM initiative; and, third, the LIS profession’s long-standing interest and expertise in IL instruction. KM is put into context with reference to two publications by Standards Australia and from this the main functions of a knowledge manager are delineated. It is suggested, with reference to IL in higher education and workplace contexts and to well-articulated models of knowledge transfer, such as SECI, that there are significant commonalities between IL and KM but that there are equally significant differences between the two. The paper argues that research in each domain can inform the other but that IL represents a fraction of the KM domain, so attempts to conflate the two may cause confusion rather than providing a pathway for information professionals and others pursuing workplace IL. Finally the paper provides recommendations for further research and suggests a scalar approach to conceptualising KM and IL practice

Proton transfer: It’s a stringent process

AbstractProton transfer into and out of proteins is important, both for many enzyme reaction mechanisms and proton pumping across membranes. Recent work on several proteins has revealed stringent requirements for amino-acid side chains and subtle reorganisation of hydrogen-bond networks involving bound water molecules

The vibration of rolling discs

The study presented is a fundamental investigation into the vibration of a rolling disc and an analysis of the sound which is then produced by the disc response. In order to characterise the disc's behaviour the free and forced vibration of a thin disc is analysed with the additional conditions which occur in rolling. These conditions include the geometric boundary conditions, the effect of the in-plane load, the change due to rotation of the disc and the effect of contact on the disc which in the first instance is modelled as a simple pinning constraint. Further in depth analysis is described for a more realistic model of the rolling contact including the effect of the contact stiffness and the creepage forces which may be present and simple contact models are proposed and corresponding responses predicted. Possible various sources of excitation are examined which cover the Rigid Body dynamics of the rolling disc, the effect of the contact model as a source of excitation and a preliminary consideration of the forces generated by contact of rough surfaces. An elementary representation is presented for the sound radiated by the rolling disc, assuming it is baffled, and its efficiency evaluated and the unbaffled disc radiation is also presented for a particular case

An investigation into the adoption of CDIO in distance learning

The Conceive, Design, Implement and Operate Initiative (CDIO) uses integrated learning to develop deep learning of the disciplinary knowledge base whilst simultaneously developing personal, interpersonal, product, process and system building skills. This is achieved through active and experiential learning methods that expose students to experiences engineers will encounter in their profession. These are incorporated not only in the design-build-test experiences that form a crucial part of a CDIO programme but also in discipline focused studies. Active and experiential learning methods are, of course, more difficult to incorporate into distance education. This paper investigates these difficulties and the implications in providing a programme that best achieves the goals of the CDIO approach through contemporary distance education methods. First, the key issues of adopting the CDIO approach in conventional oncampus courses are considered with reference to the development of the CDIO engineering programmes at the University of Liverpool. The different models of distance based delivery of engineering programmes provided by the Open University in the UK, and Deakin University and the University of Southern Queensland in Australia are then presented and issues that may present obstacles to the future adoption of the CDIO approach in these programmes are discussed. The effectiveness and suitability of various solutions to foreseen difficulties in delivering CDIO programmes through distance education are then considered. These include the further development, increased use and interinstitutional sharing of technology based facilities such as Internet facilitated access to laboratory facilities and computer aided learning (CAL) laboratory simulations, on campus workshops, and the development of a virtual engineering enterprise

Australian mechanical engineers : industries and attributes

The US and UK have had significant influence on the delivery and content of engineering programs both globally and particularly on Australia and yet the industrial profile of Australia has historically been significantly different from that of the US and UK. This paper first presents a study into the differences in industrial profile in the employment of mechanical engineers in the US, UK and Australia. This paper then presents key findings from a role-based study that identified the relative significance of a broad range of attributes for the most common mechanical engineering roles in the six industries that employ the greatest number of Australian mechanical engineers.<br /

Energetic problems faced by micro-organisms growing or surviving on parsimonious energy sources and at acidic pH: I. Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans as a paradigm

AbstractThe mitochondrial paradigm for a chemiosmotic energy transduction mechanism requires frequently misunderstood modifications for application to microbes growing and surviving at acidic pH values and/or with relatively weak reductants as energy sources. Here the bioenergetics of the iron oxidiser Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans are reviewed and analysed so as to develop the general bioenergetic principles for understanding organisms that grow under these conditions. Extension of the principles outlined herein to organisms that survive (as opposed to grow) under these conditions is to be presented in a subsequent article

Delivery and assessment strategies to improve on- and off-campus student performance in structural mechanics

This paper considers the delivery and assessment strategies used in two structural mechanics units at Deakin University, a leader in distance education in Australia. The two units have had unacceptably high rates of student failure. Student perceptions of the delivery method were analysed and an investigation was carried out of the performance of 329 (173 on- and 156 off-campus) students enrolled in the two units. An analysis of the assignment, laboratory and examination marks is presented. Consideration is also given to the total marks. The results show that on-campus students performed better in structural mechanics than their off-campus counterparts. Plots of the distributions of student performance for the three assessment methods are provided (for each unit) and high failure rates are linked to low examination marks. Students tended to perform best in assignments and worst in examinations. Parametric statistical tests show a correlation between the marks obtained in continuous assessment and in examinations, and it is therefore proposed that, in order to improve performance, the students must be encouraged to participate fully in all aspects of the course. Many students were unenthusiastic about laboratory practical sessions and did not think they aided their understanding of the theoretical material. Motivation to participate is often dependent on the perceived relevance of a given task and its contribution to the total mark and, thus, to help motivate students to participate fully in the continuous assessment tasks, the authors propose several changes to the delivery methods, as well as to assessment criteria and marking schemes.<br /