Developing a conceptual learning enhancement framework for study abroad programmes: the role of action research in the participation of students

Studying abroad is frequently described as a life changing experience yet evidence suggests that more can be done to improve and add value to the student experience. This doctoral study purposes to present how learning can be enhanced for the student abroad through a broad spanning consideration of good education practice. With an emphasis on the student as a valuable resource, this study uses an action research approach to uncover evidence of high value learning experiences by engaging student participation in the development of a learning enhancement framework design to guide practice. The doctoral project takes place at a study abroad university in Athens. The methodological design consists of action research within a qualitative setting and is conducted through a series of guided focus groups over a systematic time frame. The diverse sample consists of 12 students who attend a US homeschool and share the same study abroad location during the study. Enriching this primary study, two additional data sources are used to support and compare findings: - Professional observations systematically considered and recorded over time include critical incidents and offer professional insight into the study context. - Introducing Experiential Education, a professional project designed and instructed by the researcher took place separately during the timeframe of this doctoral project, the outcomes of which are directly relevant to the broader topic of learning enhancement and to the questions posed by this study. Supported by the relevant literature, the primary study and 2 secondary studies are used in the synthesis of triangulated outcomes and claims. Taking an in depth, critical examination of the study, and developing an emerging framework from this analysis, the case is made for utilising student participation to implement improvements to educational practice. Drawing on the complete findings and outcomes, a series of mechanisms bridging the gap between learning experience and student are presented as mechanisms that can be used within the Learning Enhancement Model as drivers of good practice. Significant outcomes include the correlation between students’ engagement with the local culture, academic performance and student enjoyment of the experience abroad. The emerging conceptual framework for learning enhancement is presented as the primary contribution to knowledge in the study abroad field and identifies a system of professional good practice that could be adopted and adapted by learning instructors, administrators and study abroad providers. The presentation of the work offers the second contribution to knowledge by showcasing the role of action research in the participation of students and documenting the development of the study. The thesis concludes that study abroad currently provides the potential for a rich learning experience. Innovatively, the study determines that by considering the emerging indicators of enhanced learning and incorporating them into strategic and teaching levels, students and educators will benefit from a re-evaluated model of practice, through the emerging Learning Enhancement Framework is presented in the study

Modeling of Hydrogen Storage Materials: A Reactive Force Field for NaH

Parameterization of a reactive force field for NaH is done using ab initio derived data. The parameterized force field(ReaxFFNaH) is used to study the dynamics governing hydrogen desorption in NaH. During the abstraction process of surface molecular hydrogen charge transfer is found to be well described by the parameterized force field. To gain more insight into the mechanism governing structural transformation of NaH during thermal decomposition a heating run in a molecular dynamics simulation is done. The result shows that a clear signature of hydrogen desorption is the fall in potential energy surface during heating

Algorithmic Methods for Covering Arrays of Higher Index

Covering arrays are combinatorial objects used in testing large-scale systems to increase confidence in their correctness. To do so, each interaction of at most a specified number t of factors is represented in at least one test; that is, the covering array has strength t and index 1. For certain systems, the outcome of running a test may be altered by variability of the interaction effect or by measurement error of the test result. To improve the efficacy of testing, one can ensure that each interaction of t or fewer factors is represented in at least λ tests. When λ \u3e 1, this leads to covering arrays of higher index. We explore two algorithmic methods for constructing covering arrays of higher index. One is based on the in-parameter-order algorithm, and the other employs a conditional expectation paradigm. We compare these two by performing experiments on real-world benchmarks and on uniform parameter sets

A Compact High Order Finite Volume Scheme for Advection-Diffusion-Reaction Equations

We present a new integral representation for the flux of the advection-diffusion-reaction equation, which is based on the solution of a local boundary value problem for the entire equation, including the source term. The flux therefore consists of two parts, corresponding to the homogeneous and particular solution of the boundary value problem. Applying Gauss-Legendre quadrature rules to the integral representation gives the high order finite volume complete flux scheme, which is fourth order accurate for both diffusion dominated and advection dominated flow

Enhanced activation of the left inferior frontal gyrus in deaf and dyslexic adults during rhyming

Hearing developmental dyslexics and profoundly deaf individuals both have difficulties processing the internal structure of words (phonological processing) and learning to read. In hearing non-impaired readers, the development of phonological representations depends on audition. In hearing dyslexics, many argue, auditory processes may be impaired. In congenitally profoundly deaf individuals, auditory speech processing is essentially absent. Two separate literatures have previously reported enhanced activation in the left inferior frontal gyrus in both deaf and dyslexic adults when contrasted with hearing non-dyslexics during reading or phonological tasks. Here, we used a rhyme judgement task to compare adults from these two special populations to a hearing non-dyslexic control group. All groups were matched on non-verbal intelligence quotient, reading age and rhyme performance. Picture stimuli were used since this requires participants to generate their own phonological representations, rather than have them partially provided via text. By testing well-matched groups of participants on the same task, we aimed to establish whether previous literatures reporting differences between individuals with and without phonological processing difficulties have identified the same regions of differential activation in these two distinct populations. The data indicate greater activation in the deaf and dyslexic groups than in the hearing non-dyslexic group across a large portion of the left inferior frontal gyrus. This includes the pars triangularis, extending superiorly into the middle frontal gyrus and posteriorly to include the pars opercularis, and the junction with the ventral precentral gyrus. Within the left inferior frontal gyrus, there was variability between the two groups with phonological processing difficulties. The superior posterior tip of the left pars opercularis, extending into the precentral gyrus, was activated to a greater extent by deaf than dyslexic participants, whereas the superior posterior portion of the pars triangularis extending into the ventral pars opercularis, was activated to a greater extent by dyslexic than deaf participants. Whether these regions play differing roles in compensating for poor phonological processing is not clear. However, we argue that our main finding of greater inferior frontal gyrus activation in both groups with phonological processing difficulties in contrast to controls suggests greater reliance on the articulatory component of speech during phonological processing when auditory processes are absent (deaf group) or impaired (dyslexic group). Thus, the brain appears to develop a similar solution to a processing problem that has different antecedents in these two populations

Psychological and somatic symptoms among breast cancer patients in four European countries : A cross-lagged panel model

Psychological and physical health among women with breast cancer are linked. However, more research is needed to test the interrelations between psychological and somatic symptoms, over time and throughout the different phases of breast cancer treatment, to determine when and which interventions should be prioritized. Six hundred and eighty nine women from four countries (Finland, Israel, Italy and Portugal) completed questionnaires during their first clinical consultation following diagnosis with breast cancer, and again after 3 and 6 months. The questionnaires included self-reported measures of psychological symptoms (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule Short Form) and somatic symptoms [selected items from the International European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) questionnaires]. Psychological and somatic symptoms were relatively stable across the three time-points. Cross-lagged paths leading from somatic to psychological symptoms (beta coefficients of 0.08-0.10), as well as vice-versa (beta 0.11-0.12), were found to be significant. No evidence was found for cross-cultural differences in mutual effects of psychological and somatic symptoms. The findings of this study call for tailoring personal interventions for breast cancer patients-either from a somatic perspective or a psychological perspective-and adjust them to the specific experiences of the individual patient.Peer reviewe