Using Shared Workspaces in Higher Education

We evaluate the use of BSCW shared workspaces in higher education by means of a comparison of seven courses in which this environment was used. We identify a number of different functions for which the BSCW environment has been used and discuss the relative success of these functions across the cases. In addition, we evaluate the cases with the 4E model of Collis et al. (2000) which predicts the chances of acceptance of ICT in an educational setting. Effectiveness for the given task appears to be a prime success factor for using ICT. But an effective tool may fail due to other factors like ease of use and organisational, socialcultural or technological obstacles. The particular strength of a shared workspace, for which BSCW is most effective and efficient, is providing a repository for objects of collaborative work. Other types of usage showed mixed results. In the future we expect that learning takes place in an integrated, open ICT environment in which different kinds of tools are available for different purposes and users can switch between tools as appropriate. We could observe this in several of the case studies, where non-use of BSCW did not mean that a particular task was not performed, but, on the contrary, a more efficient solution for the same function was available. Shared workspaces have proven to be highly useful, but it seems advisable that their purpose be limited to what they were originally designed for

Web-Support for Activating Use of Theory in Group-Based Learning

This paper describes a series of experiments conducted within the context of a\ud course on organisational theory which is taught at the Department of Management \ud Sciences at the University of Twente. In 1997 a group-based learning approach was adopted but after the first year it was apparent that acquisition and application of theory by student groups was inadequate. In an attempt to remedy this problem a Web-based collaborative work environment was introduced in 1998 with the intention of encouraging students to read relevant theoretical material and also to reflect more on what they had read. In addition to hosting a ‘theory repository’, the collaborative work environment was designed to control the flow of work and to enforce rules for groups’ access to the output of other groups, based on their own performance. Further changes were made and a third edition of the course was run and evaluated in 1999. A description of the educational setting and the Web-based "Theory repository" is presented. The evaluation results over the period 1997-1999 are presented and discussed. The extent to which the discipline of reading improved was evaluated, as were the effects on insight into theory. It turns out that the technical realisation works well. Uptake of the instructional tasks for reflection, however, only takes place if these tasks are perceived as being helpful

The Myocyte Expression of Adiponectin Receptors and PPARδ Is Highly Coordinated and Reflects Lipid Metabolism of the Human Donors

Muscle lipid oxidation is stimulated by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) δ or adiponectin receptor signalling. We studied human myocyte expression of the PPARδ and adiponectin receptor genes and their relationship to lipid parameters of the donors. The mRNA levels of the three adiponectin receptors, AdipoR1, AdipoR2, and T-cadherin, were highly interrelated (r ≥ 0.91). However, they were not associated with GPBAR1, an unrelated membrane receptor. In addition, the adiponectin receptors were positively associated with PPARδ expression (r ≥ 0.75). However, they were not associated with PPARα. Using stepwise multiple linear regression analysis, PPARδ was a significant determinant of T-cadherin (P = .0002). However, pharmacological PPARδ activation did not increase T-cadherin expression. The myocyte expression levels of AdipoR1 and T-cadherin were inversely associated with the donors' fasting plasma triglycerides (P < .03). In conclusion, myocyte expression of PPARδ and the adiponectin receptors are highly coordinated, and this might be of relevance for human lipid metabolism in vivo

To play or not to play: on the motivational effects of games in engineering education

The popularity of games as educational tools has steadily increased and is mainly explained by the motivational power that is ascribed to games in general. The research investigates the role of different motivational forms in educational gaming and the influence of game and teaching context on the students’ motivation to involve in game play. Based on self-determination theory and a mixed-method case study approach, seven educational games played in a postgraduate level engineering course in two consecutive years were studied. Our research reveals that different motivational forms can co-exist when students play games and that the interplay of game attractiveness, game learning and game operativeness can explain the emergence of these motivational forms

THE DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNICAL STAFF COMPETENCIES VIA INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE

CDIO standards 9 and 10 require institutions within the initiative to work toward systematically supporting and developing the teaching and the more general competency of their faculty. Conventionally this is assumed to be the academic teaching staff responsible for the curriculum, learning outcomes and assessment on a given programme. CDIO by implication from the other standards requires significant involvement by students in practical projects and experiences all of which typically involve the use of technical support staff. While technical staff will generally not be directly involved in designing curricula or setting assessments, they are often a key contact point and enabler of the students learning experience particularly with regard to many practical or problem solving competencies desired within programmes. Despite their importance, the opportunities and support given to technicians to enhance their competence, particularly with regard to the learning process and student engagement, can be quite limited. This paper describes an effort by CDIO partners the University of Twente and Aston University to trial an exchange visits scheme to help encourage and support our technical staff to gain new perspectives, have opportunity to develop, to build a collaborative network and share best practice