Spenningsfeltet mellom nytte for bedriften og frirom for studenten: et samarbeidsprosjekt mellom skole og arbeidsliv for gjensidig påvirkning og ønske om forandring

Samarbeid mellom høgskole og arbeidsliv, høgskolens tredje oppgave, (Brulin 1998) gir store utfordringer i forhold til hvordan gjennomføre ”løpende dialog” om innhold i studieprogrammer og undervisningsopplegg. Det er ikke lenger ensidig bestilling fra næringslivet, som NHO-lederen påpeker i sin kronikk i Aftenposten (Bernander 2010). Spenningsforholdet mellom ”nytte for bedriften” og ”lærings- og frirommet for studenten og medarbeideren” er en av de sentrale utfordringene for utdanningsinstitusjoner som ønsker å være relevante partnere for kompetanseutvikling i arbeids- og næringslivet (Nielsen 1996, Schwencke 2006a og 2006b, Eikeland 2008). Samtidig ser vi at samarbeidet påvirkes av fleksibilitet og kontinuerlige endringer i arbeidslivet utenfor bedriften (Nielsen m.fl. 2010). Organisasjonsforhold, arbeids- og læringsmiljø, de ansattes faglige utvikling og yrkesstolthet påvirkes av disse grunnleggende endringene i arbeidslivet og i samfunnet forøvrig. Endringene i samfunnet fører også til at nye krav stilles til læringsformer både i yrkesutdanningen og i arbeidslive

Digital storytelling: contextual learning during vocational education and training

Digital skills are needed in order to use digital media for learning purposes and to cope with today’s knowledge society. In recent years, digital storytelling has become a modern way of telling stories, and in learning facilities it has been used as a reflec-tion medium. Vocational training often requires the dissemination of tacit and prac-tice-based knowledge, and the trainers of vocational teachers have been lacking an appropriate approach. The aim of the study was therefore to evaluate digital story-telling as an educational approach in vocational education. Data were obtained by participatory observation and included 19 digital storytellings, text analysis of 18 subject evaluations and text analysis of 19 reflection notes. Data from visual material (digital storytelling) and textual analyses were categorized, grouped and then dis-cussed and analyzed using phenomenological analysis. Our findings showed that digital storytelling as an educational approach, pro-mote learning outcomes through practical skills and increase the active use of subject terminology. The results showed further that digital storytelling promote reflection on one own and others’ actions and thus increase understanding of the actual work process in vocational education. Digital stories as an educational approach can increase didactic skills and hence digital skills while allowing participants to learn from each other’s challenges.publishedVersio

Evaluation of a Tobacco Educational Intervention for Pregnant Alaska Native Women

Tobacco cessation interventions developed and evaluated for Alaska Native women do not exist. As part of routine clinical care provided at a prenatal visit, a brief tobacco educational intervention for Alaska Native pregnant women (N=100; mean ± SD age = 25.9±6.2 years; mean 6.3± 2.6 months gestation) was piloted at the Y-K Delta Regional Hospital in Bethel, Alaska. This retrospective study reports on the evaluation of this clinical program. The intervention was consistent with the clinical practice guidelines (i.e., 5 A’s – ask, advise, assess, assist, arrange), with an average duration of 20.2 ± 6.8 minutes. The self-reported tobacco abstinence rate following the intervention was 11% at the last prenatal visit and 12% at delivery. Delivering a tobacco cessation intervention at a prenatal visit is feasible, but there is a need to identify more effective interventions for Alaska Native pregnant women

Camel and bovine chymosin:the relationship between their structures and cheese-making properties

Bovine and camel chymosin are aspartic peptidases that are used industrially in cheese production. They cleave the Phe105-Met106 bond of the milk protein κ-casein, releasing its predominantly negatively charged C-terminus, which leads to the separation of the milk into curds and whey. Despite having 85% sequence identity, camel chymosin shows a 70% higher milk-clotting activity than bovine chymosin towards bovine milk. The activities, structures, thermal stabilities and glycosylation patterns of bovine and camel chymosin obtained by fermentation in Aspergillus niger have been examined. Different variants of the enzymes were isolated by hydrophobic interaction chromatography and showed variations in their glycosylation, N-terminal sequences and activities. Glycosylation at Asn291 and the loss of the first three residues of camel chymosin significantly decreased its activity. Thermal differential scanning calorimetry revealed a slightly higher thermal stability of camel chymosin compared with bovine chymosin. The crystal structure of a doubly glycosylated variant of camel chymosin was determined at a resolution of 1.6 Å and the crystal structure of unglycosylated bovine chymosin was redetermined at a slightly higher resolution (1.8 Å) than previously determined structures. Camel and bovine chymosin share the same overall fold, except for the antiparallel central β-sheet that connects the N-terminal and C-­terminal domains. In bovine chymosin the N-terminus forms one of the strands which is lacking in camel chymosin. This difference leads to an increase in the flexibility of the relative orientation of the two domains in the camel enzyme. Variations in the amino acids delineating the substrate-binding cleft suggest a greater flexibility in the ability to accommodate the substrate in camel chymosin. Both enzymes possess local positively charged patches on their surface that can play a role in interactions with the overall negatively charged C-terminus of κ-casein. Camel chymosin contains two additional positive patches that favour interaction with the substrate. The improved electrostatic interactions arising from variation in the surface charges and the greater malleability both in domain movements and substrate binding contribute to the better milk-clotting activity of camel chymosin towards bovine milk

Effects of prenatal exposure to surface-coated nanosized titanium dioxide (UV-Titan). A study in mice

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Engineered nanoparticles are smaller than 100 nm and designed to improve or achieve new physico-chemical properties. Consequently, also toxicological properties may change compared to the parent compound. We examined developmental and neurobehavioral effects following maternal exposure to a nanoparticulate UV-filter (UV-titan L181).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Time-mated mice (C57BL/6BomTac) were exposed by inhalation 1h/day to 42 mg/m³aerosolized powder (1.7·10⁶n/cm³; peak-size: 97 nm) on gestation days 8-18. Endpoints included: maternal lung inflammation; gestational and litter parameters; offspring neurofunction and fertility. Physicochemical particle properties were determined to provide information on specific exposure and deposition.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Particles consisted of mainly elongated rutile titanium dioxide (TiO₂) with an average crystallite size of 21 nm, modified with Al, Si and Zr, and coated with polyalcohols. In exposed adult mice, 38 mg Ti/kg was detected in the lungs on day 5 and differential cell counts of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid revealed lung inflammation 5 and 26-27 days following exposure termination, relative to control mice. As young adults, prenatally exposed offspring tended to avoid the central zone of the open field and exposed female offspring displayed enhanced prepulse inhibition. Cognitive function was unaffected (Morris water maze test).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Inhalation exposure to nano-sized UV Titan dusts induced long term lung inflammation in time-mated adult female mice. Gestationally exposed offspring displayed moderate neurobehavioral alterations. The results are discussed in the light of the observed particle size distribution in the exposure atmosphere and the potential pathways by which nanoparticles may impart changes in fetal development.</p